USA > Illinois > Bureau County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 80
USA > Illinois > Marshall County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 80
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 80
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In the family were the following children -- Mary Ann, wife of David Saylor, of Nuckolls county, Nebraska; Wesley S .; Owen, of Sara- toga township; Florence, who died at an early age; Simeon, of Whitefield township, Marshall county; Matilda, wife of Joseph Clark, whose sketch may be found on another page of this work; Franklin, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, now located in Johnson county, Nebraska, and Eliza, wife of Alfred Betz, of Whitefield township.
Wesley S. Doyle, the second of the above fan- ily, remained under the parental roof until twenty-six years of age, but after attaining his niajority was dependent upon his own resources.
His first purchase of land consisted of eighty acres of the farm on which he now resides, and to which he has since added another eighty acre tract just north of the old farm. He was mar- ried September 29, 1870, the lady of his choice being Miss Mary Ann Saylor, who was born and reared in White county, Indiana. She is a sister of David Saylor, who had been a resident of Saratoga township for eleven years previous to their marriage. She engaged in teaching for some time both in Indiana and in Marshall county. By her marriage with Mr. Doyle she has one daughter, Eva, now the wife of Peter Lewis, of Whitefield township. She is a con- sistent member of the Saratoga Methodist Epis- copal church. In his political views Mr. Doyle is a stanch republican, and has acceptably served in several minor township offices.
in all its details. In 1836 he crossed the ocean, landing in New York, where he again took up his trade, at which he worked until coming west.
While yet residing in New York city, Mr. Mer- dian formed the acquaintance of Miss Mary Ur- sulla Burgen, and on the 24th of January, 1838, they were united in marriage. She is a native of Lothringen, France, born February 9, 1822. Some five years after their marriage they came to Marshall county, stopping at the old landing about one mile below the present village of Henry. Two children had been born to them at this time, and Mr. Merdian thought that in this new and rapidly growing country he could the better provide for his family. However, he was greatly discouraged on his arrival from the fact that he could find nothing to do, and had not the capital with which to set himself up in busi- ness. In consequence of this feeling he deter-
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mined to return to New York to work at his trade.
A new difficulty now confronted him. He had not the means with which to defray the expenses of the return trip of the family, and therefore determined on leaving his wife and children un- til he could save enough with which to send for them. A short time after his arrival in New York he met his wife's brother, who, after hear- ing his story, kindly loaned him five hundred dollars. With that sum of money in his pocket he hurried back to join his family with a far lighter heart than when he sorrowfully left them a few weeks previously.
With a portion of the five hundred dollars so providently secured, Mr. Merdian purchased forty acres of land, which became the nucleus for the large landed possession which he owned at the time of his death. With zeal and energy, he commenced the improvement of his place, and in addition to his farming operations he worked at his trade, carrying on a shop on his farm. After fifty years' use one or two of his wagons are still seen in Marshall county.
As fast as his means would permit, Mr. Mer- dian purchased other tracts of land until he owned over thirteen hundred acres, about four hundred of which was in his home farm, and included one hundred and sixty acres two miles north of Henry, two farms of eighty and one hundred acres each in Whitefield township, one hundred and sixty acres in Minonk, and one hundred and thirty acres near the home place. He was a thorough and practical farmer, con- fining himself to no special department of farm work. While raising from fifty to sixty head of cattle and some other stock, he devoted him- self largely to raising grain. Success crowned his efforts, and at the time of his death his es- tate was valued at over seventy-five thousand dollars.
To Mr. and Mrs. Merdian thirteen children were born, three dying in infancy, and one, Christina, at the age of nine years. The living are Joseph, of Henry, Illinois; Mary, widow of Marcus Reiser, of Henry; Clara, wife of Fred
Wolf, of Mt. Palatine, Putnam county ; George, of Vancouver, Washington; Peter, of Henry township; Conrad, who is engaged in farming near the old homestead; John, of Minonk, Illi- nois ; Bernard, on the home farm, and Henry, of Whitefield township. All of the children are well settled in life.
One of the most enjoyable occasions in the life of Mr. and Mrs. Merdian was the celebra- tion of their golden wedding in 1888. In ad- dition to their own family many relatives and friends were present to shower their congratu- lations upon them as they reached the fiftieth milestone in their wedded life. Forty-five of the fifty years were spent in Marshall county, and the old settlers from far and near responded to the invitation to the wedding feast. Incidents of pioneer days were related, stories were told of gray-haired men and women, who were boys and girls, young men and young women, when Mr. and Mrs. Merdian first came to the county and determined here to abide. Toils and priva- tions were experienced by each alike, but the pleasures and joys of the early days more than counterbalanced them, and as story after story was told the hearty laugh rang out, and each felt that now their lines were fallen in pleasant places.
Politically, Mr. Merdian was a life-long demo- crat, and while caring nothing for public office, took an active interest in political affairs, and kept well posted in the current political events of the day. Religiously he was a faithful and consist- ent member of the Catholic church, of which body his wife has been a life member, and both were well grounded in the faith. On coming to Marshall county, he joined a few persons of like faith, and meetings were held from time to time in private houses, when the services of a priest were secured. In the building of the German Catholic church at Henry, he was a liberal con- tributor, and took a very active interest in its crection. When completed he and his estimable wife felt indeed that they now had a church home. where they could meet for the worship of the Almighty God and His blessed Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Age was now ereeping on, the strong man oi 1843 began to weaken, and on the 8th of March, 1893, he quietly surrendered his spirit to the God who gave it, and entered upon his reward. The funeral serviees, which were largely attend- ed, were conducted by Rev. Father Baak. While living quietly and peacefully among his fellow- citizens, his life work affords a useful lesson to the rising generation in showing the possibilities that may be attained by the poorest in this fa- vered land. His estate, estimated at over sev- enty-five thousand dollars, was divided aeeording to the terms of his will, his beloved wife being the executrix.
JOHN C. MOODY, for thirty-six years a resi- dent of Henry, Illinois, is well and favorably known throughout Marshall and Putnam coull- ties. Ile is a native of Dauphin county, Penn- sylvania, born June 17, 1826, and is a son of Josephi and Jane (Quigley) Moody, both of whom were also natives of Dauphin eounty, Pennsyl- vania, the father being, however, of Seoteh-Irish descent. Robert Moody, the grandfather of our subjcet, was born in County Derry, Ireland, and when eighteen years of age left his native land and settled in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. where he married and reared a family. He eame to America prior to the Revolutionary war, and during that struggle for a time served his adopted country in the military service. His death oe- curred in Dauphin county some time in the forties at an advanced age.
By oceupation, Joseph Moody was a farmer, and continued as such until his death. His wife dying in 1836, two years later he left Pennsyl- vania and with his family first went to Warren county, Ohio, where he remained but a very short time, and then located in Miami county, that state. In 1841 he, too, was ealled away. For years he was a consistent and devoted mem- ber of the Presbyterian church, of which body his wife was also a member. Both died in the blessed hope of an unending life beyond the grave.
Our subject was twelve years of age when he
accompanied his father to Ohio. He remained at home until his parent's death, when he went to live with an older brother, then married and residing on a farm about five miles from Coving- ton, Ohio. It had been his aim to take a course in Miami university and he had shaped his studies in the common schools to that end. The death of the father compelled him to abandon the idea of a collegiate education, mueh to his regret.
After remaining with his brother, assisting in the farm work for three years, in 1844 Mr. Moody left the farm, went to Covington and entered upon a three years' apprenticeship to learn the trade of a harness and saddle maker. On eom- pleting his term of service he took the most im- portant step of his life, and on the 28th day of September, 1847, was united in marriage with Miss Rachel S. Orr, of Covington, Ohio, but born near Dayton, that state, and a daughter of Joshua and Anna Orr, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Kentucky, both now deccased. By this union nine children were born, six of whoin are now living: Joseph G., who for some years was engaged in mining, but is now elerking in the store of his brother at Santa Rosa, California; Nathan W., who for twelve years was postmaster of Fresno, Cali- fornia, but is now county eolleetor of taxes of Fresno county, that state; Robert Clarence, a boot and shoe dealer of Santa Rosa, California; John Thomas, foreman of a large vineyard in Fresno county, California; William, a commer- eial traveler, and Anna Jane, widow of E. B. Emerick, and the housekeeper for her father. The deceased are Charles Rollin, Martha Eliza- beth and Emma Franees.
Soon after his marriage Mr. Moody moved to Fletcher, Ohio, where he was engaged in the harness and saddlery trade for six years. Con- stant eonfinement at the bench injured his health somewhat and he sold out and for a time en- gaged in other work of not such a eonfining nature. In 1860, however, he came to Henry, Illinois, and for twenty-one years was foreman in the harness shop of Louis Snyder. With-
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drawing from that shop, at the expiration of that time, he commenced work for himself, and has since continued in the harness trade. His work has always been of the best quality. Learning his trade in its entirety, he has always prided himself on his work and in giving satisfaction to his patrons.
For many years Mrs. Moody was an invalid, and while everything was done to alleviate her suffering and restore her to health, yet death claimed her and the summons was answered April 16, 1880. She was a consistent Christian woman, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for many years, but on account of the state of her health could not take that active part which she so earnestly desired. She always re- joiced in the victories of the church and mani- fested every interest possible. Her body now lies at rest in the beautiful cemetery at Henry, there to await the blessed resurrection day, when, joined by the loved ones gone before and those who yet remain, she will sing the songs of the Lamb, world without end.
Mr. Moody was converted at the age of nine- teen years, and united with the Methodist Epis- copal church, and has ever since been an active and useful member. For many years he has served as steward and is now class-leader, and for nine years was superintendent of the Meth- odist Episcopal Sunday school at Henry. In the Sunday school work he has always been an efficient worker and now has charge of an adult Bible class. He was made a Master Mason in Ohio, and was past master when he came to Henry. His membership is now with the Henry lodge. All in all, Mr. Moody is well entitled to a place in the biographical record of Marshall county.
T IMOTHY S. HUNT. Among the influen. tial and wealthy citizens of Marshall coun- ty, the subject of this sketch occupies a promi- nent position. He is now engaged in general farming upon his valuable farm of six hundred acres on sections 21 and 27, Whitefield town- ship. He was born in Putnam county, near the
old town of Caledonia, on Ox Bow prairie, Jan- uary 15, 1840, and is the son of Rich and Ruth (Horrom) Hunt, of whom extended mention is made in the sketch of L. C. Hunt, on another page of this work.
Our subject remained with his father until July 1, 1861, when he joined the Eighty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, but was not sworn in, as his father objected to his enlistment. His brother, Mahlon, however, became a member of that regiment, and died in the service. Tim- othy began farming upon a tract of forty acres which his father had given him, to which he soon added one hundred acres, paying eighteen dollars per acre, but had to go in debt for most of the amount. He has been very successful in his operations, and besides his home farm also has a half section in Rush county, Kansas, one hun- dred and sixty acres near Allerton, Iowa, and forty acres in Monona county, Iowa, all of which property has been quite profitable. He has also bought and sold cattle, sometimes having as high as twelve or thirteen hundred head upon his place. For about six years he conducted the only brick yard west of the river, making two hundred thousand brick annually. His land is underlaid with a fine grade of coal, and from that industry derived a handsome income, but the operation of the mines is now unprofitable.
On the 29th of January, 1862, Mr. Hunt led to the marriage altar Miss Zermiah Platter, of Whitefield township, a daughter of Jacob Plat- ter, who died on the farm where Mr. Bogner now lives. To them were born six children- Richard, warden in the insane asylum at Steila- coom, Washington; Hannah, who died at the age of twenty-three of quick consumption, as did also her mother; Horrom T., at home; and one child, who died at the age of seven years, and two in in- fancy. The mother of these children departed this life July 3, 1879. For his second wife, Mr. Hunt chose Mrs. Belle Cornell, who bore the maiden name of Arabella Jones, and is a native of Bureau county, Illinois. She was the widow of William Cornell, a land agent at Sparland, by whom she had two children-Carrie, wife of Ola
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Hunt, a nephew of our subject, and John L., liv- ing at home. Four children bless the second union of our subject and his wife-Charles, Lib- bic, Bennie and Leota.
Mr. Hunt generally affiliates with the republi- can party, but is not strictly partisan, preferring to vote for the man whom he thinks will best fill the office, regardless of party ties. He has served as a delegate to conventions and is at present justice of the peace. He has settled many diffi- cult cases, but often counsels the parties to set- tle their disputes out of court. Soon after the completion of a fine barn belonging to Mr. Hunt it was destroyed by fire, which with its contents caused him a loss of five thousand dollars, as there was but a slight insurance upon the prop- erty. He is a highly respected citizen and at the time when there was a Christian church in White- field township he was one of its most active members. As most of its members left he finally devoted the proceeds of the sale of the old building to the church at Henry, amounting to two hundred dollars, and has since belonged to no congregation.
R EV. CHARLES L. M. RIMMELS is the present pastor of the Church of Immaculate Conception at Lacon, Illinois, and also St. Pat- rick's church of Camp Grove, which congrega- tions comprise over one hundred families. A native of Bavaria, Germany, at the age of fifteen years, he came to the United States, and was educated in the Benedictine college of St. Vin- cent at Latrobe, Pennsylvania. After complet- ing the course in 1869, he was ordained by Bishop Stephen Vincent Ryan, of Buffalo, and his first charge was at Dunkirk, New York. From that state he came to the diocese of Peoria eight- een years ago, and served in various parishes un- til coming to Lacon two years ago, succeeding Rev. Father Bryant, who had been stationed here for nine years. The school at Lacon is in the hands of the Sisters of Mercy, and is in a flourishing condition, having about fifty children in attendance. Father Rimmels is entirely de-
voted to his parochial duties, and has the love and confidence, not only of his own church men- bers, but of all who know him.
The Church of the Immaculate Conception was organized by Rev. Father Montori, who came to Lacon once a month. The first house of worship, a portion of which was of frame and the remainder of logs, now forms part of the residence of Jesse Whittaker. The next priest was Father Rinalda, an Italian, who built the frame church which lasted until 1867. Rev. Thomas Lynch had charge of the congregation from December 31, 1853, until his death, July 15, 1856, and his remains lie buried beneath the present brick church, while a tablet in the church wall is dedicated to his memory. The succeed- ing priests were Fathers Francis McGuire, Me- han, Thomas Ogden, Walter H. Power, John N. Harrigan, James Wall, E. Delihanty, John Kil- kenny, P. Flannigan, M. McDermott and P. J. Campbell, who died while in the service of the church, and his tombstone in front of the church edifice reads: Rev. P. J. Campbell, born in Keady, County Armagh, Ireland, May 10, 1839, died May 26, 1877. Rev. Father Power was then in charge of the parish for five years, followed by Rev. Father Murphy, who is now located at Tecumseh, Nebraska. For the next nine years Father O'Bryan was here located and was suc- ceeded by Father Rimmels of this review.
D AVID R. BLACKWELL is a progressive farmer residing on section 16, Steuben township, and has a large and extensive ac- quaintance throughout Marshall and adjoining counties. He was born July 3, 1848, and is the son of Rev. David Blackwell. His father, who was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a member of the Illinois conference of that body, died when he was but two weeks old. After his father's death his mother went with her two children, the other being William R., now a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, to reside with her husband's parents, at Mt. Vernon, Illinois. They there made their home until our subject was four years and
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a half old, when she removed to Marshall county, where she had formerly resided and where she met and married Rev. David Black- well, who then had charge of the Methodist church in Lacon.
Six months after the return of the family, Mrs. Blackwell was united in marriage with James Tanquary, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. Mr. Tanquary, who later in life was known to every one as Uncle Jimmy Tanquary, gave a home to the two fatherless boys, and to all intents and purposes became a father to them. William R. grew to manhood, graduated at the Wesleyan university at Bloom- ington, Illinois, and at the age of twenty-eight years commenced preaching the gospel as a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church. At present he is residing at Mt. Vernon, Iowa, to which place he removed in order to give his chil- dren good educations. His work in the church was in the northern central part of Illinois, and lie is well and favorably known throughout this section.
Both boys grew to manhood on the farm of their step-father, and our subject continued there to reside until his marriage, August II, 1872, with Miss Rebecca Hoskins, who was born in Steuben township, January 10, 1853, and is a daughter of John and Eliza (Bonham) Hos- kins. Her father was a native of Pickaway county, Ohio, and there married Eliza Bonham, and immediately started for Illinois in company with her parents, Narford and Rebecca (Mason) Bonham. The Bonhams settled in Whitefield township, three miles north of Sparland, while John Hoskins settled on the bottoms, from which he removed to the prairie, where Mrs. Blackwell was born. He died in 1879, but her mother is still living in Nebraska. Mrs. Black- well is the only representative of the family now residing in Illinois.
Soon after their marriage our subject and his wife moved to a farm which he rented near Pontiac, Livingston county, Illinois, where they resided three years and then went to Adair coun- ty, Iowa, but on account of failing health re-
turned to Illinois, and located in Steuben town- ship.
To Mr. and Mrs. Blackwell eight children have been born-William, Edson, Lillian, Lu- cinda, Leslie. Rowland, James and Fred, all of whom yet reside at home. William, however, at present writing, is a student in the Western Normal college at Bushnell, Illinois. He is a graduate of the Gem City Business college at Quincy, Illinois, and has had two years' experi- ence as a teacher. The family are members of the Bethel Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Blackwell is a trustee. In politics he is a republican.
D AVID WILSON, after the labors of a long and busy life, is spending his later years in ease and retirement in Wenona. He belongs to an honored old Pennsylvania family, members of the Society of Friends, its founder in America belonging to William Penn's colony. There the great-grandfather of our subject, Samuel Wilson, and the grandfather, Daniel Wilson, were both born.
The birth of Amos Wilson, the father, occurred in Chéster county, Pennsylvania, in 1794. and he there married Hannah Brown, who was born in the same county in 1800, and was a daughter of David Brown, a native of Ireland, who came to America when a boy. The parents left Penn- sylvania, in 1826, locating upon a farm in Bel- mont county, Ohio, where the mother died the following year, at the age of twenty-six. To them had been born five children: Joshua B., now deceased, who was married and had ten children; Mrs. Margaret Merritt, of Lostant, Illinois, who has eight children; David, of this sketch; Thomas, of Corning, Iowa, who has fourteen children, and Mrs. Hannah B. Hoge, of Wenona, who has six children.
After the death of his first wife, Amos Wilson married Anna Morris, and in 1851, with his fami- lv. removed to Illinois, locating upon a new farmi of prairie land in Putnam county, two miles north of Magnolia, which he placed under a high state of cultivation. He there made his home until
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his death about twelve years ago, at the age of eighty-seven years. His second wife, who sur- vived him, died in 1895, at the age of ninety-one years. Nine children graced their union, namely : Ruth Anna, deceased; Mrs. Rebecca Howard, of Chester, Nebraska, who has seven children; Sarah, deceased, who was married and had two children; Mrs. Elizabeth Mills, of Putnam coun- ty, Illinois, who has four sons; Morris, of the same county, who has four children; Mrs. Mary Smith, also of Putnam county, who has seven children: Amos, of Putnam county, who has two daughters; Oliver, of Putnam county, who has one child, and Laura, deceased. The father fol- lowed farming exclusively, was a quiet, unob- trusive man of temperate habits, and in politics was first a whig and later a republican. Both parents of our subject were members of the Society of Friends, belonging to a liberal church, of which the father served as elder, and he was a strong friend of the cause of education.
Mr. Wilson, whose name introduces this sketch, was born in Chester county, Pennsyl- vania, May 24, 1822, and was reared by his step- mother in Belmont county, Ohio, where he at- tended the district schools. He learned the trade of a harness maker, but also engaged in farming. In 1846 he was joined in wedlock with Eliza P. Greenleaf, who was born in Pennsylvania, in 1825, and was the daughter of John and Ann (Evans) Greenleaf, the former a native of Rhode Island, and the latter of Pennsylvania. Her father was a distant relative of the well beloved poet, John Greenleaf Whittier.
Mrs. Wilson died in1 1873. By her union with our subject she became the mother of eleven chil- dren, ten still living: Mrs. Mary A. McCarty, liv- ing in Iowa, has six children; Mrs. Anna B. Gants, of Wenona, has four daughters; Mrs. Sarah Spargrove, of Normal, Illinois, has one daughter: Mrs. Ruth Ella Griffith, of Sonoma county, California, has four children; Alice is at home; John N., of La Salle county, Illinois, has three sons; David is deceased; Mrs. Jennette McLaughlin, living in Clay county, Nebraska, has five children; Amos lives at Wenona; Mrs.
Bessie Newburn, of Marshall county, has three children, and Mrs. Laura E. Carrithers also makes her home in Marshall county.
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