USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II > Part 98
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After the death of his brother Wesley, Thomas F. Leeper bought all the old homestead, giving him 280 acres, eighty acres of which were bottom land.
Thomas F. Leeper was a democratic voter though never active in politics and was a member of the Methodist Protestant Church at Lima. He died June 10, 1904, and his widow passed away December 2, 1917. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Caldwell. They were married at Canton, Missouri, where her father, John C. Caldwell, long had his home.
Thomas F. Leeper deserves his chief place in Adams County history because of his efforts as a pioneer horticulturist and apple grower. He was one of the first in the county to develop an apple orchard on a commercial scale. IIe planted sixty-five aeres of his land to apples, and that is still the principal feature of the Leeper place. This noted orchard frequently produced as high as 5,000 barrels of apples in a single season. Thomas F. Leeper was also one of the organizers of the Mississippi Apple Growers' Association about twenty years ago. He was also a member of the Hancock County Horticultural Society, in the absence of such a society in Adams County, and a member of the State Horticultural Society. While on the subject of this orchard it should be noted that Albert B. Leeper still has forty acres in apples and furnishes a consid- erable share of the total crop harvested in this county. For the past fifteen years it has been his policy to spray regularly all the trees, and though that was taken up as an experimental practice it is now a settled feature of orchard management and the results have thoroughly demonstrated the value of such a process. Formerly a grower could expect only one crop in two or three years, but now there is seldom a failure. Mr. A. B. Leeper has had twelve good commercial erops within the past fifteen years.
Thomas F. Leeper and wife were survived by only two children, Eva, who still lives in Lima, and Albert B.
Albert B. Leeper was educated in the local public schools and high school, and attended the Northern Illinois College of Law. He was admitted to the bar in 1897. but his law practice was chiefly confined to two years of work at Oklahoma City. He also took a business course in the Christian University at Canton, Missouri. He gave up the profession to return home and take the man- agement of his father's farm, and in that business he has found oceupation that easily places him among the men who fill essential positions of service in the county. Besides his large orchard he is a breeder of Chester White hogs and runs a model farm. The old house in which he was born and which was
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built by his father over forty-five years ago remodeled under his ownership into one of the county's finest country homes.
As one of the organizers of the State Bank of Lima in 1910 Mr. Leeper accepted the position of cashier, but in 1912 was made president and has done much to build up that institution, which now has total resources of $190,000 and eapital stock of $25,000. Mr. Leeper is a democrat, has served on the school board, and is a member of the County, now Township, High School Board, and has also been levee commissioner.
In 1904 he married Miss Mary J. Best, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Best of Quincy. Mr. and Mrs. Leeper have four children, Gladys, Alberta, Raymond and Kent. Mr. Leeper is past master of Lima Lodge of Masons and has served as representative to the Grand Lodge, and is also a member of the Mendon Chapter of the Royal Arch, of Quiney Commandery, and of Medinah Temple of the Mystie Shrine at Chicago.
JAMES WAGY. In Payson Township three miles southwest of Plainville is a farm that has been in the possession of the Wagy family through several generations, and its present owners are justified in their proprietorship by the energy and enterprise they have shown in keeping up its productiveness and maintaining its value, which has been steadily inereasing from the time it was earved from the wilderness.
The late proprietor, James Wagy, was a member of one of the oldest and most widely known families of Adams County. He was born in Ohio January 20, 1841, and died at his old home in Payson Township August 26, 1908. He was a son of Jacob and Rachel (Riley) Wagy, the former a native of Virginia. Much of the history of this branch of the Wagy family will be found on other pages of this publication. Jacob Wagy was an early settler in Adams County and lived there until his death at the age of seventy-three. His sons were Henry, William, Stephen, John and James, and he also had two daughters, Mary. Mrs. Charles Stratton, and Margaret, Mrs. Benjamin Lytle.
James Wagy was brought to Adams County when he was eight years old, grew up on the old farm near Plainville, was educated in the common schools, and early took up farming on his own responsibility. On September 26, 1872, he married Miss Lueina Benson, daughter of Littleton and Louisa (Parks) Benson. Mrs. Wagy was born at Kinderhook in Pike County December 20, 1847. Two years later, in 1849, her father went to California as a gold seeker and died soon after reaching the gold coast. Lueina spent part of her girlhood with her unele. Pleasant Benson, of Payson Township. Of the Benson family more is said on other pages. Mrs. Wagy's mother married for her second husband George Walborn, of Kinderhook, and died when past sixty. Littleton Benson owned a farm at Kinderhook and the Walborn farm was on the bottoms.
James Wagy after his marriage began housekeeping at the present farm in Payson Township. The old house has since been remodeled and enlarged. His entire business eareer was devoted to the farm and he kept up its active management until his death. Part of the land was inherited from his father's estate. lle was a republican, served as school director, and was an active mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. and Mrs. James Wagy had the following family. Minnie, wife of John F. Wilson, a farmer of Pike County, Miss Belle, who lives on the home farm, and Fred, who operates the farm and by his marriage with Dolly Mowers has five children, named Everett, Earl, Maude, Ralph and Addie.
WILLIAM H. BEAVERS. While now living in comfortable retirement at Barry, William H. Beavers was for many years successfully identified with the farm- ing and livestock interests of Adams County, and is still owner of one of the fine farms of Richfield Township.
Mr. Beavers, who started life with little capital and made his way by intel- ligent use of his own resources, was born near Jacksonville in Morgan County,
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Illinois, June 14, 1844. His father, William Beavers, was a native of IIamp- shire, England, and spent his life as a farmer. He died at the age of eighty- five. His last years were spent with his son William and with a son-in-law, Sherrill Cain, of Plainville, where he died. William Beavers married Mary Stout. She came from Ohio to Illinois at the age of ten years, and her family was at Jacksonville when it was nothing more than a small crossroads store. She died at the age of sixty-six, the mother of ten children, eight of whom reached maturity. Only three are living today. Their one daughter is Mary MeLaughlin, of Plainville.
William II. Beavers married at Quiney at the age of twenty-one a Miss Jane George. She was at that time a resident of Pike County and a daughter of John and Anna (House) George, who came from Carroll County, Ohio, to Pike County, Illinois, where their subsequent lives were spent. Iler father died at the age of seventy-seven and her mother at seventy-two.
For two years after his marriage Mr. Beavers lived in Pike County and in 1867 eame to Adams County and settled on a farm in Richfield Township, eight miles northwest of Barry. That farm was his home until 1913, after which he spent five years in Plainville and in the fall of 1918 moved to his present comfortable home at Barry. He took a tract of land which was still uneleared and in association with his brother Robert he improved and farmed a place for eight years. His brother Robert then returned to the old home in Morgan County and William H. soon aequired the entire place. Eventually he developed a 200-aere farm and made it one of the best in Richfield Town- ship, especially as a stock raising center. He kept a high grade of Shorthorns, and as he always bred from the best animals he frequently sold his ealves at $50 apiece. He held three very successful publie sales. Mr. Beavers believed in good equipment and improvement, and put up a commodions farm house, two barns and other facilities. Every year he fed a bunch of stock eattle, and usually shipped his own stoek to market. While for many years he did mneh of the labor of the farm, he also employed assistance and was very fortunate in that respeet. One man remained with him continuously for thirty years. Mr. Beavers was an original stoekholder in the Plainville Bank. The only publie office to which he was ever elected was that of justice of the peaee, but he soon retired from its responsibilities. He began voting as an old Douglas Demoerat, but for years has east his ballot independently. HIe helped organize the Mount Zion Baptist Church, half a mile from his farm, and for twenty-five years was superintendent of its Sunday school and one of the chief pillars of its support. Mr. Beavers has remodeled the home which he bought at Barry, and he also owns property at Plainville. His first wife died in 1901. She was the mother of his two sons, both of whom are physicians. Charles E., the older, is practicing medieine at Barry, and during the war was a surgeon in the army. He married Della Grayball of Barry. Doctor Virgil, the other son, is now a physician at China, Texas, and a large land owner there. He married Anna Sykes, daughter of the late Doctor Sykes of Beverly, Adams County. Mrs. Virgil Beavers inherited two sections of Texas land, and she and her husband now own more than 2.000 acres of land in that state.
Mr. Beavers married for his second wife Margaret Morehouse, of Canton. Missouri. She died twelve years later. For his third wife he married Bertha Helms, also of Canton, Missouri. She had been nurse to his second wife, and was formerly a Missouri sehool teacher.
JOHN J. DRUMMOND, JAMES R. DRUMMOND, JACOB OGLE. Several of the old and prominent names in the history of Adams County, and particularly Beverly Township, is represented by Mrs. Maude Ogle, now living at Barry.
Her grandfather was the late John J. Drummond, who died at Barry in 1893. He was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in 1824, and as a young man came west and settled in Pike County, Illinois, and in 1861 moved to Adams County. He became a successful farmer and stock raiser in
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section 19 of Beverly Township, and at one time owned 500 acres. Forty years ago he had one of the largest and most valuable farms in Adams County and was noted as a stock raiser and shipper and was a familiar figure at the Chi- cago markets. After he left the farm and moved to Barry in 1894 he con- dneted a meat market and poultry house for several years. He was a repub- lican in politics.
In 1849 John J. Drummond married Matilda Spenee, who was born in Wash- ington County, Pennsylvania, and died at Barry in 1895. They were the par- ents of five children: Nancy Ann, deceased wife of Al Wieting, of Adams Connty; James R .: William Y., now a fruit grower at Wichita, Kansas; Charles L., who died in young manhood; and Abraham L., who went west, some years ago. John J. Drummond and wife also had two children who died yonng, named John and Etta.
James R. Drummond was born January 3, 1853, and spent a rather active, life, though he was handicapped with ill health and finally fell a victim to tuberculosis. He died October 4, 1901, aged forty-eight. His early years were spent with his father and he finally secured eighty acres of the father's estate and spent the rest of his life there. James R. Drummond married Mary MeClain, who was born at Knoxville, Tennessee, December 28, 1854. She was seventeen years old when she came to Adams County with her brother Joseph McClain, and she grew up here and was married at the age of twenty- four. After her husband's death she lived in Beverly Village several years, then returned to the old farm, and in 1914 moved to Barry to be with her daughter. Mrs. Ogle. She is an active worker in the Christian Church and Sunday school, and her husband was identified with the same denomination. Her brother, Joseph McClain, is a resident of Camp Point.
James R. Drummond and wife had three children, one daughter Anna dying in girlhood. The two surviving daughters are Mande and Carrie D., better known as Dollie. The latter is the wife of Orville Rigg, and they live on the old farm in Beverly Township. James R. Drummond had an adopted caughter, Nora Spicer, who was taken into his home when nine days old. She is now the wife of George H. Spicer, living in Tustin, California.
Miss Maude Drummond was married February 6. 1901, to Jacob Ogle. IIe was born in Beverly Township April 13, 1874, son of Isaac J. Ogle. Isaae Ogle, long identified with the farming and eivic activities of Beverly Township was born in St. Clair County, Illinois, in 1841, and went to Adams County in 1950. Early in the Civil war he volunteered in the Fiftieth Illinois Infantry, and though once severely wounded remained with the army until he had con- pleted almost four years of service. In 1865 he married Louisa Carbaugh, who died in 1867. In 1868 Isaae Ogle married her sister, Mary Alice Carbangh, who died April 27, 1899.
Jacob Ogle spent his early life on the home farm near Beverly, and after his marriage secured the farm of 1922/3 acres originally owned by Mrs. Ogle's grandfather, John J. Drummond. He erected a new house and barn and was busily and sneeessfully engaged in farming there until his death on May 14, 1912. Ile had served two successive terms as township supervisor and was one of the very useful members of the board. Otherwise his life was devoted to the farm and his home. He was a member of the Christian Church in Mound Prairie of Beverly Township, and was buried in the churchyard there. His parents were members of the same church and Mrs. Ogle while on the farm was a worker in the same society.
Mrs. Ogle in September, 1914, moved to Barry, where she and her mother oeenpy one of the neat homes. She has been very active in local church and Red Cross work and is interested in all phases of community development.
WILLIAM B. MYERS, now living retired at Barry, spent all his working career in Adams County and was one of the stanch upholders of agricultural prosperity for many years.
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Mr. Myers was born 116 miles west of Barry in Pike County November 23, 1847. son of Jacob and Rebeeea (Wike) Myers. His father, a native of Cum- berland County, Pennsylvania, was married in that state, and at a very early date came west and settled near Barry, Illinois. The old Myers home is divided about equally between bottom and upland. Jacob Myers was a hard- working farmer and lived on the home place until William B. was five or six years old. The latter's mother died in 1852, and the following year Jacob Myers went west to California by the water route and never returned. He died in California after his son William B. was grown to manhood. There was one other son, John, who subsequently joined his father in California and at last accounts was still living in that state. He married in Adams County Angeline Crosson.
William B. Myers grew up with his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. C. G. Boren, at Stone's Prairie, now Plainville in Payson Township, Adams County. The Boren farm was 11%, miles southeast of Plainville. Both Mr. Myers and his brother lived at this home, and from the age of fourteen Mr. Myers was paid regular wages by his unele, ranging from $16 to $18 a month. He saved most of his earnings, and had something to start with when he married at the age of twenty-one. The wife of Mr. Myers was Bethana MeCarl, daugh- ter of Samuel and Doreas (Likes) MeCarl. Mrs. Myers is a cousin of Judge Lyman MeCarl of Quiney. Bethana MeCarl was born in Pike County, Illinois, but spent her early youth in Adams County and was eighteen at the time of her marriage.
The year following their marriage they rented the farm of Mr. Myers' unele west of Barry. The father later prevailed upon the boys to sell the farm, and, as above noted, John Myers then went to California, but W. B. Myers has always remained true and loyal to the scenes of his early youth. For a time he rented the Boren farm near Stone's Prairie, remaining there four years. and then moved to Richfield Township and bought eighty aeres of improved land. He went in debt for more than half of the purchase priee. He was there four years, and in that time built and feneed and otherwise improved the place. IIe then began buying other land until he had 200 acres in one body, and moved his home to the last eighty acres which he purchased. This lies in the northwest quarter of seetion 22 in Richfield Township. Mr. Myers was very progressive in handling his farm, did mueh filling and other work to maintain the soil fertility, and had a profitable routine of stock and general farming. He remained there until 1908, and on selling the farm spent one winter in Barry. Then for 116 years he lived just outside of Quiney in Mel- rose Township, buying land there. On account of his wife's health he re- turned to Barry, and she died about two months later, on December 15. 1911.
In the meantime Mr. Myers had bought his present home in Barry, and has since lived there. In order to fill in his spare time he grows garden truek and is still a man of great vigor though past seventy years of age. He has per- formed a great deal of hard labor in his life and has always been blessed with good health. Mr. Myers confesses that he never owned a gun in all his life, and has therefore taken little interest in a form of sport in which many men delight. Hle has derived a great deal of enjoyment out of good horses. Mr. Myers served a term as tax eolleetor of Richfield Township, and is a good democrat, as would be expected of a relative of Judge MeCarl.
Mr. Myers has only one son, Harvey L., who is a carpenter by trade and lives with his father. Harvey married Susie Sackett, and they have one bright young daughter, Ella Lee, born May 27, 1915.
WILLIAM H. KLUSEMEYER, of Melrose Township, is one of the older resi- dents of Adams County, where he has witnessed the changes of fortunes of life for over half a century. Hard work has been the keynote of his career. and aside from his material success he has exemplified the best qualities of honor and integrity. He and his wife have shared the common destiny for over
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thirty years, have worked side by side in the home and in sustaining the rela- tionships of parents and of citizens in the community, and their names are deserving of every honor.
Mr. Klusemeyer was born in Prussia, Germany, January 17, 1858. and was an infant when his father, Peter Klusemeyer, died. He was then adopted by his father's brother, Fred Klusemeyer, who proved a good and dutiful father to him. Fred Klusemeyer was one of the early settlers of Adams County in Illinois, and when William H. was seven years of age he came to America to join his adopted father, accompanying a Mr. Jansen. The voyage was made in a sailing vessel, and it took ten weeks and four days to cross the ocean. From New York they came direet to Quincy and from there he went to the farm of Fred Klusemeyer. Here he grew up and received a common school education both in the German and English languages. Mr. Fred Klusemeyer died in 1911. and a monument marks his last resting place in the Woodland Cemetery. Fred Klusemeyer developed the present fine farm of 94.34 acres in Melrose Township, and took that land when there was not a single building improve- ment on it and left it with buildings, a handsome residence, and surroundings that indicate both comfort as well as value. The late Fred Klusemeyer was a republican in polities. He served as school director and was always a believer in public education. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran Church. His wife, also deceased, was a good and exemplary woman, kind and affectionate to all about her.
William H. Klusemeyer on May 1, 1884, married Miss Minnie R. Koch. To their union were born four children, one son and three daughters, three of whom are still living. The only son is Fred IJ., who is a practical farmer and associated with his father in the management of the homestead. He was edu- eated in the common schools both in German and English, is a republican in politics and he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church at Quiney. He married Miss Mamie Briekmann. They were married in 1912 and have two children, Mildred and William.
Mrs. William H. Klusemeyer was born January 5. 1862, in Adams County, a daughter of Henry and Fredericka (Klusemeyer) Koch. She was one of a large family of eleven children, two sons and nine daughters. Eight of them are still living and five in Adams County. Her sister Angusta is the wife of Rev. Mr. Irian, pastor of a Lutheran church in Los Angeles, California. Her sister Lena lives at St. Louis, widow of Jacob Reitmeyer, who was a eooper by trade. Amelia, living at Burlington, Iowa, is the widow of William Miller, who was an agrienlturist but was living retired when he died.
Mrs. Klusemeyer's father was born at Hamburg, Germany, was reared and married there and came to the United States about 1858. It was a voyage on an old fashioned sailing vessel and took ten weeks in crossing the ocean. From the eastern seaport the family came west to Quiney and found this region when it was sparsely settled and largely undeveloped. Henry Koch was a manufacturer of briek. From his yards and kilns were supplied much of the briek which entered into the homes and other buildings of the city in his time. He also owned a traet of bottom land on the Mississippi River. He and his wife were both active members of the Lutheran Church, and both are now at rest in the Woodland Cemetery.
Mrs. Klusemeyer was edueated in the German and English schools. She and her husband are active members of St. James Lutheran Church and she is a member of the Ladies' Aid Society and is interested in Red Cross work. Mrs. Klusemeyer has long been held in high estimation both as a homemaker and as a kind and hospitable friend. She has ably shared in the work and management of farm and home with her husband. and the years have brought them prosperity and eontentment, with children who do them eredit.
Mr. Klusemeyer is a republiean, but has often east his vote for the man rather than for the party. He has rendered much valuable service to his eom- munity and for the past eight years has been a trustee of the local schools and
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never fails to accept an opportunity to improve the standing of popular edu- cation in his community. As a farmer he raises good stock of all kinds, and is also one of the many farmers in Adams County who make something of a specialty of fruit raising. ITis beautiful farm lies 416 miles from the courthouse at Quincy. Mr. and Mrs. Klusemeyer have a Studebaker car, which enables them to enjoy their friends at a distance and take much of the pleasure that is due them for the hard work of their earlier years.
OSCAR L. HUFNAGEL. Most of the high class farms of Adams County stand revealed to casual inspection by reason of their fine buildings, the orderly arrangement of barns and sheds, and the presence of other equipment and improvement. One such farm is that of Osear L. Hufnagel in section 28 of Columbus Township. Mr. Hufnagel has 260 acres under his ownership, and his sons own forty acres nearby. All but forty acres of his farm are under cultivation. The barns are two in number, ene 40 by 56 feet, and a cattle barn 40 by 46 feet. All the buildings are in excellent repair, and there is a substantial eight-room house.
The land of this farm was deeded to Smith Gaunt, a Kentucky gentleman, by President Martin Van Buren in 1840. Mr. Gaunt put the first improvements on the land. After his death it was bought by Thomas Marshall, of Golden. This transfer was made about thirty-five years ago. Mr. Marshall sold to Fred Ifufnagel, father of its present owner. Fred Hufnagel spent many years as a farmer in this county, and during the last years of his life lived with his son Oscar, and died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. William Heckrodt, at Steffenville, Missouri, January 2, 1918, when he was nearly eighty-nine years of age. He was born at Muehlhausen and came of an old southern German Protestant family. He was born March 12, 1829, and when sixteen years of age came with his parents from Bremen to Baltimore, the voyage lasting seven weeks. The Hufnagels soon after located at Cincinnati, and from there came to Quincy. The grandparents were Leonard and Eve (Muscat) Hufnagel. They located in section 33 of Columbus Township, secured a traet of wild land, lived in a log cabin, and underwent many privations until they had developed a good farm. Leonard Hufnagel died at the age of eighty-one and his wife at eighty-three. They were much esteemed people in their section, and both were devout members of the Lutheran Church.
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