USA > Illinois > Coles County > The History of Coles County, Illinois map of Coles County; history of Illinois history of Northwest Constitution of the United States, miscellaneous matters, &c., &c > Part 58
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J. F. DRISH, dealer in general hard- ware and agricultural implements, Mat- toon ; was bornin Leesburg, Loudoun Co., Va., May 8, 1833; his father came west to Illinois in 1836 or 1837, and first set- tled in Whitehall, Greene Co., where he engaged in the practice of his profession -- that of a physician and surgeon; at the age of 19, the subject of this sketch left home and crossed the plains to California ; here he engaged in speculating and con- tracting ; in 1854, he returned by way of
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the Isthmus of Panama and New York City ; he next settled in Carlinville, and engaged in the dry goods and grocery trade till 1861. At the outbreaking of the civil war, he entered in the U. S. service in the 32d I. V. I., as Adjutant of the regiment ; in April, 1862, he came home and assisted in raising and organiz- ing the 122d I. V. I., and again entered the service as Lieutenant Colonel of the regi- ment ; he was mustered out of the service in 1865, having been actively engaged with the regiment during its entire term of service. In 1865, he settled in Mat- toon and engaged in his present occupa- tion. He was married, in 1856, to Rosella C. Keller, a native of Illinois ; they have two daughters-L. M. and Frankie. He has held the office of Super- visor two terms, and was Chairman of the Board during his last term ; he was chosen Mayor of the city in 1867, serving out a portion of the first Mayoralty under the new city eharter; he has held the office of President one term, and that of Seere- tary one term, of the Board of Education. He participated in the battles of Forts Henry, Donelson, Pittsburg Landing, Parker's Cross Roads, Nashville, and many others ; he was wounded in the shoulder on the 9th day of April, 1865, in the assault on Fort Blakely, at Mobile; this battle was fought after the war was virt- ually at an end.
R. L. EWING, retail grocer, Mattoon : was born in Coles Co., Ill., Dee. 28, 1842; his father, William Ewing, familiarly known as 'Squire Ewing, came from Ken- tucky and settled upon the South Kieka- poo, within the present limits of Coles Co., in the spring of 1829; here he engaged in farming, and here the boyhood and early manhood of R. L. was passed upon the farm; his father died in 1866; he re- mained at home and had charge of the farm until 1873; he then purchased the homestead, and, the following year, sold out and came to Mattoon ; here he entered the employ of D. D. James, as clerk in his grain office, and, the following year, was in like employment for Hinkle & Kahn; Nov. 1, 1876, he began his present busi- ness, with Thos. MeCormick as partner, under the firm name of McCormick & Ewing. He was married Dec. 31, 1863, to Sarah S. McDonald, a native of Illinois ;
they have one child living-John W., and an infant sou dead. He owns eighty acres of the old homestead ; is at present a member of the City Council.
MATTHIAS EVERHARTY, propri- etor West Broadway Meat Market, Mat- toon ; was born near Coblenz, Prussia, June 28, 1833 ; when he was but 4 years old, his parents emigrated to America, landing in Cincinnati July 4, 1837; here they settled, and his father was one of the earliest German gardeners that began the raising of vegetables for the Cincinnati market ; much of the land that he then cul- tivated in "garden sass " is now occupied with solid rows of substantial brick build- ings. In 1849, young Everharty went to his trade-that of a butcher-at which he served as an apprentice three years ; he followed the business in Cincinnati till 1861, at which date he went out as butcher to the first German regiment, the 9th Ohio V. I., and was with various divisions of the army till 1863; on his return from the army, he remained a short time in Cincinnati, and, in Novem- ber, 1863, he came to Mattoon and en- gaged in operating his present business. He was married, in 1854, to Elizabeth Horn, a native of France; they have four children-Catharine, John J., Annie L. and Maggie. He owns real estate in the eity-a residence, five aeres of land and business property.
R. M. GRAY, attorney at law, Mat- toon ; was born in Pleasant Grove Tp., Coles Co., Ill., Dec. 27, 1848 ; his father, James C., was one of the early pioneers of this section ; his early life was that of a farmer's son; in addition to his common school education, at the age of 19, he en- tered Westfield College, Clark Co., Ill., and remained one year ; he next attended an academy in his native township, two years, under the supervision of Prof. T. J. Lee ; in the fall of 1870, he entered the law department of Michigan University, from which he graduated in March, 1873; he then entered the office of Maj. James A. Connolly, in Charleston, Ill., and re- mained till the spring of 1875 ; he then came to Mattoon and entered upon the practice of his profession, in connection with H. W. Magee ; soon after locating, he was appointed City Attorney, and held the office one year; in 1877, he formed a co-
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partnership with Charles Bennett, which lasted one year; in 1876, he was elected State's Attorney for Coles Co., which po- sition he now holds; since the spring of 1878, he has been practicing his profession alone, and though comparatively young in the work, has already shown himself "a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. "
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O. W. GOGIN, Justice of the Peace, Mattoon ; was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1820 ; his father came from New Jersey and settled in Cincinnati in 1800; the family was six months making the jour- ney, coming by teams to Pittsburgh, Penn., and thence floating down the Ohio in a keelboat to the point of destination ; here the family remained some twenty-odd years ; in the spring of 1841, his father came West, and settled in Crawford Co., Ill., where he began the labor of opening up a farm in the woods; O. W. was the youngest of the family, and remained at home till the death of his parents ; they lived to enjoy the companionship of each other through a half-century of wedded life, and were consistent members of the M. E. Church for the same length of time. "Squire Gogin moved to Mattoon in the fall of 1862 ; here he engaged for some years in milling and in the fruit-growing business. He was married in 1842, to Eliza Eurle, a native of Virginia ; have four children-A. Dorr, Emma, Eola and Nellie. Has held the office of Justice of the Peace, and transacts much business in the settlement of estates.
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FRANK GARTHWAIT, auction and commission merchant, Mattoon ; was born in Terre Haute, Ind., Oct. 18, 1838 ; his father was a wholesale and retail grocery- man, and was one of the pioneers of the city ; Frank obtained his education at the city schools, and at the age of 15, began the life of a printer's devil in the Courier office ; here he remained three years under charge of J. Canard, editor and proprietor of the paper ; he next engaged in travel- ing and selling clocks for three years, and subsequently engaged in the sale of notions till 1861 ; he enlisted in the United States service in the fall of 1861, in Co. G, 43d Ind. V. I .; in this he served three years; he then raised a company, and served till the close of the war in the 149th Regt. ; in this he went out as First Lieutenant, and was promoted to the Cap-
taincy ; on his return, he engaged in the grocery trade in Terre Haute; in the spring of 1871, he located in Springfield, and engaged in selling lightning-rods; in October, 1871, he came to Mattoon, and engaged in the sale of pumps and light- ning-rods ; in the spring of 1872, he op- erated a marble-shop ; in January, 1874, he began his present line of business. He was married in 1865, to Ella Saunders, a native of Indiana ; she died in 1872; his second marriage, to Mrs. Laura Morgan, a native of Illinois, occurred in 1874; two children were born from first wedlock- Nettie, living, and Nellie, dead; one from second marriage-Daisy. He was chosen . Mayor of the city in the spring of 1877 ; owns real estate in the city.
J. M. GIBBS, livery and sale stable, Mattoon ; was born near the South Kick- apoo, in Coles Co., Ill., Jan. 28, 1841; his grandfather, Elijah Gibbs, was one of the early pioneers of this section, having come from Virginia, in an early day, to Ohio, and thence to Illinois; his father, Homer Gibbs, was here almost as early as the formation of the county; his father was a carpenter by trade; J. M. passed his early life on the farm, near Sullivan, Moultrie Co .; his education was obtained in the common schools; at the age of 20 years, he began life for himself; in 1861, he began trading in horses and mules, and for three or four years, during the war, shipped to St. Louis stock purchased for the cavalry and artillery services ; after the close of the war, he engaged in shipping stock to the southern markets of New Orleans and Natchez; this he continues to the present time; during the summer, he ships to Boston, Mass., though he has always bought and shipped in connection with I. N. Gibbs, his twin brother, yet they have never been in partnership. He was married Jan. 7, 1864, to Sallie Brid- well, a native of Louisville, Ky .; has five children-J. Emery, Carrie, Lewis, Mar- tin W. and Isaac N.
ABRAM HASBROUCK, City Mayor, and dealer in hardware and agricultual im- plements, Mattoon ; was born in Ulster Co., N. Y., in 1825 ; his early life was passed upon the farm, and his education, such as was derived from the common schools ; he remained on the homestead un- about 25 years of age; in 1854, he came
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West and first settled in Michigan ; here he engaged in operating a hotel; in 1857, he moved to Milwaukee, and conducted the " Walker House " two years; the win- ter of 1859 he spent in Chicago, not act- ively engaged in business ; in 1860, he lo- cated in Mattoon, and opened his present business ; his is the pioneer hardware es- tablishment of the city; he was chosen Mayor of the city in the spring of 1878, and is deservedly popular as a city official and business man. He was married in 1855 to Louisa G. Smith, a native of Vermont; has one daughter-Helen S. Owns 140 acres in Coles Co., some fine business property in the city, and an eligi- ble city residence.
J. F. HUGHES, attorney at law, Mat- toon : was born in Wayne Co., Ohio, Jan. 17, 1839 ; his early life was that of a farm- er's son ; in addition to his common- school education, he enjoyed the advan- tages of the Academy at Fredricksburg and Smithville, in his native county. April 19, 1861, he entered the U. S. serv- ice as a member of the 16th Ohio V. I., and served three months in West Virginia ; in July, 1862, he re-enlisted in the 102d Regiment for three years; was 1st Ser- geant of Co. F. In October, 1865, he en- tered the Law Department of Michigan University, from which he graduated in the spring of 1867; he next associated himself with A. P. Green, and was en- gaged with him fifteen months in editing and publishing the Okaw Republican, at Sullivan ; in 1869, he was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of his profes- sion in Mattoon, in partnership with W. J. Henry, of Shelbyville; in 1872, the firm of Henry & Hughes was dissolved, and in 1873, that of Steele & Hughes formed ; this was dissolved by the death of Mr. Steele, in July, 1877. He was married Sept. 17, 1874, to Julia Chrisman, a na- tive of Jasper Co., Ill .; has two children -Columbia and Arlington. Owns $5,000 worth of real estate.
J. W. HANNA, book and music store, Mattoon ; was born in Freeport, Harrison Co., Ohio, Dec. 2, 1848 ; he derived his education from the common schools, and, at the age of 13 years, began clerking in his father's general merchandising estab- lishment at Deersville, Ohio; July 4, 1866, he came West, stopping a short time at
Preston, Minn., and, in September follow- ing, came to Mattoon, where he attended school six months ; he then entered the employ of Finley & Richardson as clerk in their book store; in October, 1869, he and his brother James R., bought out the firm, and in May, 1871, sold out to a Mr. Decker; J. W. then formed a partnership with Geo. P. MeDougal and opened a new store ; in 1872, MeDougal retired, and the firm became that of Thieleus & Hanna ; in October, 1877, he sold out to Thieleus, and, Nov. 20 following, purchased his present business. He was married, July 25, to Mary E. Henderson, a native of Marion Co., Ohio; four children have blessed their union-Gertrude, Ethel, William, living, Charles, deceased.
JOHN HUNT, meat-market, Mattoon; was born in Fayette Co., Ohio, Nov. 6, 1837 ; his father came West to Illinois and settled in Jasper Co. in 1845; his early life was that of a farmer's boy, and his ad- vantages for securing an education some- what limited; most of his education he obtained in the schools of Xenia, Ohio, and as a student of Antioch College, after he had attained to manhood ; he left home at the age of 18 years, and engaged in teaching school some four years; in 1860, he purchased a farm in Coles Co., and fol- lowed agricultural pursuits for ten years ; in 1870, he formed a partnership with J. L. Scott, under the firm name of Hunt & Scott, and engaged in the grocery trade in Mattoon; in the spring of 1875, he re- tired from the firm, and for two years was engaged in buying and shipping horses and mules to the Southern market ; in 1876, he engaged in his present business. He was married in 1858 to Eliza J. Gowin, a native of North Carolina; has two chil- dren-Alva and Orris. Has held the office of Assessor for the past four years, and is also a member of the Board of Education on the East Side.
IRA JAMES, wholesale dealer in coal oil, Mattoon; was born in Dearborn (now Ohio) Co., Ind., May 24, 1826 ; his father was a cotton and woolen manufacturer ; at the age of 17, he left home and engaged in boating on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers for a period of about ten years ; he commanded during the time seven steam- boats; his first boating was in the packet trade from Rising Sun to Cincinnati ; aft-
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erward he entered the trade from New Orleans and Cincinnati; in 1853, he went to California and spent three years ; en- gaged a portion of the time in milling and the remainder in mining ; in 1856, he re- turned to Rising Sun, Ind. ; he next made a tour through the Southern States of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi, set- ting up machinery-cotton-screws, cotton- gins and steam machinery ; in November, 1857, he located in Mattoon Tp., and en- gaged in farming three years ; in 1860, he moved to Mattoon, and, in 1861, was chosen Police Magistrate and served one year ; he next engaged in buying and shipping hay, and, in 1865, began dealing in grain; in 1873, he retired from the grain trade and went to Southern Colorado, where he discovered the mines and laid out the town of Rosita ; here he spent most of two years ; in 1875, he returned to Mattoon, and, in connection with J. D. Herkimer, purchased the gas works, which he has since operated. He was married in 1859 to Cynthia A. Hendricks, a native of Illinois; she died Feb. 15, 1872; his second marriage to Jennie H. Crow, a native of Ohio, was celebrated Aug. 18, 1875; from first wedlock he has three sons-John Q., Frank P., Justin C .; from second, two children-Harline and an infant daughter. Owns two-thirds of the gas works and 240 acres in Coles Co .; he does a large business in the wholesale oil trade. and is President of the Mattoon Gas-Light & Coke Co.
IRA B. JACKSON, insurance agent, Mattoon ; was born in Madison, Jefferson Co., Ind., Oct. 31, 1851; in 1855, his father removed with his family to Illinois, and settled in Sangamon Co., near Spring- field ; his early life was that of a farmer's boy ; he acquired a good common-school education ; at the age of 18, he engaged in the business of photograph artist, which he followed two years; in 1872, he com- pleted a business course in the Commercial College, at Terre Haute, Ind .; in 1874, he engaged in the grocery trade with Fallin Bros., under the firm name of Fallin Bros. & Jackson; in 1876, he retired from the firm and engaged in the fire insurance business; he at present represents one ac- cident and sixteen leading fire insurance companies in Coles and Effingham Cos., aggregating in assets over $30,000,000;
he also represents the Great Western Dis- patch Co. He was married May 26, 1874, to Laura I. Carter, a native of Indiana ; has one child-Georgia. He is at pres- ent serving his second term of office as City and also Township Clerk.
THEO. JONTE, dealer in harness and saddles, Mattoon; was born in Nashville, Tenn., April 4, 1839; his father was a wholesale confectioner ; he received a good common-school education, and, at the age of 16 years, left home and came West, set- tling in Quincy, Ill., where he engaged in working at his trade; in the fall of 1861, he engaged in laboring for the U. S. Govern- ment in the making of cavalry equipments ; the fall of 1862, he came to Paris, Edgar Co., and engaged in business with Wm. Legy; they operated a shop in Paris, and one in Grand View at the same time ; Mr. Jonte had charge of the latter ; in the fall of 1864, he removed to Mattoon, and opened up his present business ; his is the only first-class establishment in the city. He was married in 1865 to Anna Stone- burner, a native of Grand View, Ill. ; has one child-Alberta. Owns considerable real estate in the city. In 1876, he was chosen City Mayor ; is at present Assistant Supervisor of Mattoon Tp. ; also a member of the Board of Education, West Side.
P. A. KEMPER, M. D., physician and surgeon, Mattoon ; was born in Culpeper Co., Va., Aug. 31, 1832; his early educa- tion was under the direct supervision of his mother, who was a well-qualified school- mistress; his father was an artisan by pro- fession, of whom he was bereft at the early age of 8 years; when about 16 years of age, he left home and came to Paris, Edgar Co., Ill .; in the fall of 1855, he began the study of his profession with Dr. D. O. McCord, remaining in his office two and a half years; during the winter of 1857 and 1858, he attended Rush Medical College, and, at a later date, received his degree; He began the practice of his profession in Pleasant Grove Tp., Coles Co., March 3, 1858; here he remained until 1876, ex- cepting an absence of two years in the army. In 1861, he raised a company for the 5th Regiment, and was chosen Captain of the same ; his position he resigned for that of Assistant Surgeon of the regiment ; when the final organization occurred, how- ever, through the treachery of professcd
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friends, he failed in receiving the appoint- ment ; notwithstanding the unjust treat- ment to himself and Col. Updegraff, the commanding officer, he elected to remain with his boys, as a private in the ranks, rather than return home; in June, 1862, he was captured at Pocahontas, Ark., and remained a prisoner of war some three months; he was next sent on parole to St. Louis, and then exchanged and appointed to duty in the hospital with the rank and pay of Assistant Surgcon; in October, 1863, he was appointed and commissioned Surgeon of the 3d Regiment, which po- sition he resigned after six months; in March, 1876, he located in Mattoon, his present residence. He was married in December, 1863, to Mary J. Glenn, a na- tive of Illinois; has had five children-
Joseph E., John M., George H., living ; Benjamin G., Charles W., dead. At present holds the office of City Physician. G. T. KILNER, druggist, Mattoon ; was born in Manchester, Eng., Nov. 18, 1820 ; at the age of 15 years, he was left an orphan, and, in 1836, emigrated to America, and first settled in Waterbury, Conn .; here he engaged in the sale of drugs | six years ; he then moved to Newburgh, N. Y., where he engaged in the same business ; in the spring of 1860, he came West and located in Mattoon, opened up his business here; his is the first drug store established in the city; he took a partial course in medicine and practiced - some years in connection with the drug business. He was married in January, 1845, to Sarah Kilner, a native of En- gland. Has four children-Albert, Wal- ter, Eddie and Annie. Owns eighty acres adjoining the city corporation ; has been a member of the City Council three terms.
KAHN BROS., dealers in clothing, Mattoon. Mark Kahn, senior member of the firm of Kahn Bros., was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Nov. 7, 1841; he emigrated to America in 1856, and first settled in Marshall Co., Ill., and en- gaged in peddling dry goods and clothing for eighteen months ; during the summers of 1858, 1859 and 1860, he worked on a farm in Shelby Co., and during the winter season was employed in a store; in the fall of 1860, in connection with a Mr. Steiner and his brother Moses, he began the business of merchandising in
Mattoon, under the firm name of Steiner & Kahn ; in 1863, Mr. Steiner retired from the firm, and his brother Lewis became a member; the firm name was then changed to Kahn Bros. ; Lewis died in the fall of 1867 ; in 1871, his brother Felix became a partner ; his brother Moses was lost in the ill-fated Schiller, May 7, 1875, on her passage from America to Germany. From 1863 to 1869, the firm also operated a clothing house in Charleston, Coles Co., and from 1869 to 1874, conducted the lumber trade in Mattoon in connection with the merchandising business. He was married in March, 1875, to Minnie Steiner, a native of Illinois ; she died in February, 1876. Has one son-Lewis. In June, 1878, he was chosen President of the First National Bank of Mattoon, which position he now holds. Owns 1,140 acres of land, valued at $40,000.
P. B. LINN, dealer in groceries, provis- ions and queensware, Mattoon. The subject of this sketch was born in Coles Co., Ill. Nov. 18, 1850 ; his father was one of the carly pioneers of the county ; his early life was spent upon the farm ; in addition to his common-school education, he attend- ed Lee's Academy two years ; in 1871, he completed a business course in Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College at Cincin- nati; the same year, he entered the em- ploy of J. B. Hill & Co., at Charleston, as clerk; in 1873, he began clerking for Frank Kern, in Effingham, and, in 1874, he came to Mattoon, where he served Hinkle & Buck in their dry goods estab- lishment eighteen months ; he next labored in the same capacity for Robert Mosley & Son for the same length of time. Nov. 28, 1877, he began business for himself. He was married May 8, 1878, to Lizzie R. Coddington, a native of Indiana. He lost his father at the age of 12 years, and since that time has paddled his own canoe along life's voyage.
ELISHA LINDER, farmer; P. O. Mattoon ; was born in Hardin Co., Ky., Aug. 16, 1807 ; his carly life was passed upon the farm, and his education was such as the schools of those days afforded ; when less than seven years of age, he lost his father, and being the oldest of the family, he soon became the head; his father was a man of energy and thrift, and left the family well provided for; in 1829, young
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Linder came West, to Illinois, and pros- pected the county ; remaining two months, he returned to Kentucky, and in January, 1831, came again to Illinois ; in October following, he moved his mother and fam- ily-a brother and two sisters-and located near where he now resides ; on arriving at what was to be their future home, they possessed, in actual cash, $2.50, just enough to purchase half a barrel of salt ; he bought a few head of horses, cattle and a flock of sheep ; he was first to introduce sheep into this section of country ; his first purchase was forty acres, slightly im- proved ; he has owned at one time 2,000 acres of land, and at present owns about 1,200 acres ; in almost every undertaking, he has been very successful. He was married in April, 1839, to Rebecca Saw- yer, a native of Kentucky; her father, John Sawyer, was one of the early pioneers of this section ; from this union, fourteen children have been born-three sons and eleven daughters ; of these, three sons and eight daughters are still living. Mr. Lin- der has held the office of Township Super- visor three or four terms.
TIFFIN P. LOGAN, land and loan agent, Mattoon ; was born in Trimble Co., Ky., March 28, 1844; his father was a man of prominence, a cousin to President Harrison, and was honored by the Demo- cratic party with a seat in the Kentucky Legislature during the sessions of 1844- 45 ; in the spring of 1858, removed with his family to Illinois, and located in Wind- sor, Shelby Co .; here he occupied the of- fice of Justice of the Peace eleven years in succession ; here Tiffin P. began life for himself ; he lived with his brother-in-law till he attained the age of 15 years ; at this age he could neither read nor write; leav- ing his taskmaster, he determined to lend his energies to the acquiring of an edu- cation ; by the performance of various com- missions he paid his board, tuition, and other necessary expenses, and at the ex- piration of three years, had acquired a good elementary education, and had $8 ahead ; March 8, 1864, he located where Ottawa, Kan., now is, then occupied by eleven tribes of Indians; with these, he lived some six weeks, sole representative of the Caucasian race; here, with a capital of $41, he began the manufacture of shingles, and in nine months accumulated $1,200 ;
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