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 59
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owing to ill health, he closed out his busi- ness, and engaged in clerking for Holt & Evans, the first white men operating a store in Ottawa ; in March, 1865, he loca- ted in Kansas City, and operated a grocery store two years; during the winter of 1866-67, he took a business course in Spaulding's Commercial College, in Kansas City ; he next went to Lyon Co., Kan., and engaged in the dairy business one year ; in the spring of 1868, he went to Sedalia, Mo., and there engaged in the milk and dairy business six years; at this he cleared about $2,000 per annum, but lost most of it in 1874, operating in cattle ; in 1875, he returned to Illinois, and engaged in handling and shipping stock ; in December, 1875, he engaged in the lumber and grain trade at Bethany, Ill. ; this he followed till March, 1878, when he opened a land office in Mattoon, to which he has recently added the loan agency. He was married Oct. 17, 1876, to Sue M. Smutz, a native of Lima, Ohio ; has one child- Edna P. Owns real estate in Bethany, Ill. ; in honor of his early citizenship, Logan street, of Ottawa, Kan., was named for him.
COL. ROBERT H. MCFADDEN, Pension Attorney and Police Magistrate, Mattoon ; was born in Zanesville, Ohio, in 1833 ; his father was a cabinet-maker by trade, and at the age of 13 years, he be- gan the trade, working five years under instructions ; at 18, he began life for him- self, following his trade about fifteen years ; in 1850, he came to Shelby Co., Ill., and remained three years ; in 1853, he came to Coles Co., and located in the village of Paradise ; in the summer of 1855, he came to Mattoon ; he built the first dwell- ing in the city limits, on what is now known as Charleston avenue, between East First and Union streets. He was married Sept. 28, 1855, to Sarah A. Norvell, by Elder Isaac Hart ; theirs was the first wed- ding that occurred in Mattoon ; at the first election held in Mattoon Tp., in 1857, he was chosen a Justice of the Peace; April 19, 1861, he entered the United States serv- ice as Second Lieutenant, in the 7th Regt. I. V. I .; he served as First Lieutenant, Captain and Major in the 41st Regt., and Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel in the 53d ; July 22, 1865, he was mustered out of the service, and, on his return, followed his
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trade some three years ; in 1871, he was elected Mayor of the city, having served one term as Alderman; in 1873, he was chosen Police Magistrate, and from re- election, has held the office since. Has four children-May I., John A., Eddie D. and Lizzie A.
H. W. MAGEE, attorney at law, Mat- toon ; was born in Coles Co., Ill., in Oc- tober, 1847 ; his father came from Cyn- thiana, Ky., and settled in Coles Co., Ill., in 1832; here he engaged in farming; he relates that his father labored a whole year for Joseph VanDeren for $96; when H. W., was 2 years of age, his father moved to the western portion of Missouri, and was there during the border troubles; in the fall of 1857, he returned with his family to Coles Co., and settled in what is known as the " Dead Man's Grove;" in 1872, he moved to Louisa Co., Iowa, where he at present resides; having obtained a good common-school education, at the age of 20 years, H. W. entered the office of the Cir- cuit Clerk, at Charleston, as Deputy ; here he remained about two and a half years ; in the winter of 1869, he entered the law department of Michigan University, from which he graduated in the spring of 1872; at that date, he was admitted to practice in the courts of Michigan, and, the summer of 1872, was admitted to the courts of Illinois ; he began the practice of his pro- fession in Mattoon, his present residence. He was married in the spring of 1873 to Ellen J. Barnes, a native of Indianapolis ; has one child-Gracie.
L. F. MORSE, M. D., physician and surgeon, Mattoon ; was born in Canterbury, N. H., Feb. 5, 1839; his father was a farmer, and his early life was that of a farmer's son; at the age of 14, he went to live with an uncle ; in the winter of 1860, he began the study of medicine, under the supervision of Dr. L. T. Weeks, of Canterbury ; after an extended course of reading, he attended a course of lectures in the Burlington Medical College, at Bur- lington, Vt .; in June, 1862, he was en- gaged in the Government hospital at Washington, as Contract Surgcon ; here he remained one year; in 1863, he at- tended a course of lectures in Dartmouth Medical College, from which he graduated in November, 1863; he then entered the U. S. Navy, as Assistant Surgeon, and
was stationed on the west coast of Florida ; Dec. 7, 1865, he was discharged from the U. S. service ; he next attended a course of lectures in the Homeopathic College of New York, from which he graduated in March, 1866; he first located in Bidde- ford, Me., and entered upon the practice of his profession ; in September, 1867, he came West to see, and located in Pekin, Tazewell Co .; in May, 1868, he came to Mattoon, his present residence. He was married April 14, 1869, to Harriet F. Chamberlain, a native of Indiana; has three children-Helen L., Bertha L. and Clifford L. Mr. M. at present holds the office of School Director, and is Secretary of the Board.
J. W. MOORE, lumber merchant, Mattoon ; was born in Kent Co., England, in June, 1832 ; when 10 years of age, he lost his father ; in 1850, his mother, with her family, immigrated to America and settled in Chicago, where they remained about two and one-half years; they then removed to Cook Co., where himself and an older brother engaged in farming and operating a country store, his mother man- aging largely the interests of her family ; in 1865, the subject of this sketch moved to Monee, Will Co., and, in company with a Mr. Dickson, under the firm name of Dickson & Moore, engaged in the sale of lumber and agricultural implements ; in 1874, he came to Mattoon and opened up his present business. He was married in July, 1865, to Cordelia Sisson, a native of Illinois ; they have three children-Ernest S., Charles H. and Augusta E. He is a member of the School Board on the West Side.
J. A. MULFORD, wholesale dealer in hides, leather, findings, furs, pelts and tal- low, Mattoon ; was born in Newark, N. J., May 16, 1839 ; he completed a course in the high school, but did not enter upon a college course ; at the age of 17, he began the trade of a jeweler, and worked under instructions till his majority ; he followed his trade about five years ; subsequently he was employed as accountant, and had charge of the wholesale department of Davis & Elcox, in Maiden Lane, New York, for some length of time; in the spring of 1867. he came West to Illinois and located in Mattoon, and began op- erating in hides for the Chicago markets ;
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afterward, he operated for the Eastern markets ; to-day, he operates over a terri- tory extending west to St. Louis and east to Terre Haute; by an admirable system of book-keeping, peculiarly his own, he is enabled at any hour to know the exact status of his business. He was married Sept. 10, 1863, to Sarah E. Pruden, a native of New Jersey; they have three children-E. Ross, Jennie and Herbert. Mr. Mulford is recognized as a man of fine business qualifications, and well worthy the success that has crowned his efforts.
DANIEL MESSER, proprietor Essex House, Mattoon ; was born in Piermont, Grafton Co .. N. H., A. D. 1829; his father was a farmer, and his early life was that of a farmer's son ; in addition to his common-school education, he attended for some time a seminary of a high grade, in Bradford, Vt .; at his majority he left home, and began life for himself; his first employment was that of overseeing a force of workmen on the Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad ; he subsequently con- tracted on the Buffalo, Corning & New York Railroad ; in 1853, he came West, and contracted on the St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute Railroad, and on the comple- tion of the road, was appointed Roadmas- ter from Terre Haute to Pana, which position he held from 1855 to 1860 or 1861; on leaving the road, he next operated the Messer House, in Charleston, till 1867; from 1867 to 1869, he owned and operated a planing-mill, at Charleston; in 1869, he leased the Essex House, at. Mattoon, and has operated it for the past ten years ; with a house first-class in all its appointments, and himself possessed of all those necessary qualifications that go to make a successful landlord, he has met with deserved success, and is to-day re- garded one of the financially solid men of the city; he is at present a Director in the First National Bank.
W. H. K. PILE, real estate, collecting and insurance agent, Mattoon; was born in Breckinridge Co., Ky., Feb. 17, 1819 ; he was reared on a farm, and learned his trade, that of a wagon-maker, during his minority ; at the age of 20, he began life for himself, following his trade and that of a carpenter, till 25 years of age; he then engaged in farming for five years ; in
1855, he came West to Illinois, and set- tled south of Charleston, Coles Co .; in 1856, he came to Mattoon, and engaged in operating a hotel; in 1857, he was elected Police Magistrate of the city; in 1858, he was chosen Associate Justice of Coles Co., with Judges Edwards and Leach ; in 1859, he was elected School Commissioner of Coles Co., and served two years ; in the winter of 1862, he removed to Charleston and operated a hotel, and, in 1863, located in Alton and engaged in the same business; in 1867, he returned to Mattoon, and engaged as traveling sales- man for a firm in Louisville, Ky. ; in 1869, he was again chosen Police Magistrate, and held the office four years ; in 1873, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and remained in office four years; during the years of 1875, 1876 and 1877, he traveled for a firm, loaning money on real estate ; for the past year he has devoted his time to the collection of claims, the transaction of real estate business, and has recently added the insurance agency. He was married in March, 1844, to Nancy J. Walkup, a na- tive of Kentucky.
W. H. PAUGH, M. D., physician and surgeon, Mattoon ; was born in Lawrence Co., Ind., March 13, 1838; his father was a physician and settled in Indiana as early as 1815 ; in addition to his common- school education, he attended the high school at Springville, Ind., and in subse- quent years was Principal of the same. He naturally grew up into a physician, and to fix a period at which he began the study of his profession would be a difficult task ; he practiced his profession many years be- fore receiving a medical degree ; lie attended Rush Medical College one session ; later, he attended the medical college at Keo- kuk, Iowa, from which he graduated iu 1876 ; in January, 1877, he located in Mattoon. He was married Oct. 25th, 1868, to Lou E. Best, she died Oct. 26, 1878. Has three children-Gertie, Phre- born G. and Lolo. Owns 120 acres in Madison Co., Ill., and real estate in the city.
A. G. PICKETT, M. D., physician and surgeon, Mattoon ; was born in Kenton Co., Ky., in 1826 ; his early life was spent for the most part in school ; he completed a full course in Woodward College, Cincin- nati, at which he graduated in 1844; he
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then entered the Ohio Medical College, and completed the course in 1847 ; he be- gan the practice of his profession in Ohio, where he remained one year ; he then came West to Illinois, and located near Quincy, where he remained till 1861, when he en- tered the U. S. service as Surgeon of the 50th Regiment I. V. I .; he remained in the service till November, 1864; on his return from the army, he located in Moul- trie Co., and followed his profession till 1874, when he removed to Mattoon. He was married in 1862 to Amanda S. Jen- kins, a native of Kentucky ; has four chil- dren-Alice S., Ada M., Willie A. and Lenore. Dr. Pickett very naturally grew up into a physician ; his father and many of his ancestors had been practitioners of the "healing art," and the profession seemed to fall to him as a natural birth- right inheritance.
L. G. ROBERTS, dental surgeon, Mat- toon ; was born in Ripley Co., Ky., Jan. 18, 1846 ; his father, R. B. Roberts, was a dentist by profession, and a minister in the Christian Church; his father came with his family to Indiana when L. G. was but 3 or 4 years of age, and in the fall of 1864, he came to Illinois; his education was derived mostly from the common schools ; at the age of 18, he entered the dental office of Dr. Allen, in Ft. Wayne, Ind .; in 1864, he worked under instruc- tions with Dr. Moore, of La Fayette, Ind .; in the fall of the same year, he worked with Dr. Prevost, of Dayton, Ohio, per- fecting himself for his profession under the directien of men of recognized ability ; in 1865, he began the practice of his pro- fession at El Paso, Woodford Co., Il .; in 1873, he located in Mattoon, his present place of business. He was married Dec. 25, 1873, to Mary A. Winn, a native of Ohio; has had two children-Leonidas G., living, and Prescott W., deceased. He has a fine and growing practice, and ranks second to none in the city or county as re- gards proficiency and skill.
J. O. RUDY, real estate agent, Mat- toon ; was born near Louisville, Jefferson Co., Ky., May 1, 1827 ; his parents moved to Illinois, and settled near Paris, Edgar Co., in 1830; his early life was spent upon the farm, and his early experiences were those of a farmer's son ; his educa- tion was derived from the common schools ;
in 1850, he crossed the plains to Califor- nia, where for two years he applied himself to mining ; near the close of 1852, he re- turned, having as his reward for toil, hard- ships and privations, about $3,000 in gold ; on his return, he engaged for one year in operating the old homestead; near the close of 1853, he engaged as a partner in the dry goods business, in the firm of Au- gustus & Rudy, at Paris; in the fall of 1858. the firm closed out business, and he moved to his land in Douglas Co., and opened up, and improved his farm; in 1862, he was appointed Post Trader to the Pawnee Nation, under the administration of President Lincoln; this position he held till the beginning of the administra- tion of Andrew Johnson, returning in the fall of 1865 ; he next went to Trumbull Co., Ohio, and engaged in sinking wells, and in the manufacture of lubricating oil ; this he followed one year ; in the spring of 1867, he came to Mattoon, and in com- pany with Richard Champion and S. D. Dole, began the business of banking, un- der the firm name of Champion, Rudy & Co .; in 1872, he sold out his interest, and continued operating a planing-mill which he had previously purchased ; this was soon after destroyed by fire; since that time, he has devoted himself to the real estate business. He was married Sept. 29, 1856, to Persis J. Dole, daughter of Wm. P. Dole, a very early settler of Terre Haute, Ind .; her father held the position of Commissioner of Indian Affairs under President Lincoln. Has seven children liv- ing-Prof. Wm. D. O. Rudy (now Pro- fessor of Chemistry in Illinois Industrial University), Jennie F., Chas. E., Bessie D., Mary P., George H. and Hattie F .; has been a member of the Board of Edu- cation, West Side, for the past eight years ; has also held the office of Alderman for a number of terms.
Z. ROBERTSON, farmer and me- chanic, Mattoon ; was born in Bourbon Co., Ky., Oct. 22, 1830 ; he obtained his education in the common schools of Paris, . Ky .; his early life was passed upon the farm ; at the age of 22 years, he left Ken- tueky and moved to Greenfield, Ind .; here he followed the trade of plastering for about six years ; in the winter of 1858, he came to Illinois, and settled in Mattoon, where for a number of years he continued his trade,
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and that of farming; in 1865, he pur- chased and improved a farm of eighty acres, near the city ; this he sold in 1869, and again moved to the city and for some time, followed his trade; since coming to the State, he has improved three farms. He was married in 1855, to Rebecca J. Morrison, a native of Pennsylvania ; has three children living-Osear C., Mattie J. and Belle F. His little daughter Fannie, whose death occurred in 1863, was the first interment made in the now thickly popu- lated cemetery near the city. As an evi- denee of his success in farming, he this year raised seventy-five bushels to the aere, while his neighbors harvested only from thirty to forty bushels per acre.
REV. J. W. RILEY, Pastor Mission- ary Baptist Church, Mattoon; was born in Clermont Co., Ohio, Nov. 9, 1823 ; his ancestral line, traced through five preced- ing generations have been ministers in the Baptist Church ; his father's family fur- nished six ministers to the society, himself and five sons. From an historical record gathered from time to time, it was ascer- tained that the family of near relatives have furnished thirteen ministers of the Gospel; ten of these are Baptists, two Methodists and one Christian. His father, Rev. J. W. Riley, Sr., founded the first Missionary Baptist Church in all this sec- tion ; this was at Bloomfield, Edgar Co., as early as 1835. Out of that grew the Bloomfield Baptist Association, which is to-day one of the largest in the State. His early life was spent upon the farm and in attendance upon school ; at the age of 15 years, he became a member of the church, and soon after began to take part in its publie exercises ; he was ordained to the ministry April 26, 1845. He was mar- ried in 1843, to Olive J. Crouch, a native of Clermont Co., Ohio; she died April 4, 1855. His second marriage occurred Sept. 7, 1856, to Sarah A. Vance, of Licking Co., Ohio; she was educated at Granville College, Ohio. From first wed- lock he reared five children-three sons and two daughters ; from second, two sons. He came to Mattoon in November, 1864, and most of the time since has been Pastor of the Church. About the year 1866 or 1867, his health having become impaired, he went South and spent some time re- eruiting ; on his return, he was engaged
most of the time for three years writing and compiling a work called U. S. A., the World's Empire Passing from Proph- ecy to History ; this is a work of 413 pages, and is highly spoken of by eminent scholars and critics. His theological studies were prosecuted under Elders Jones and Cox, graduates of Granville College.
JOHN F. SCOTT, attorney at law, Mattoon ; was born in Geauga Co., Ohio, A. D. 1844 ; his early life was spent upon the farm, and his experiences those common to a farmer's son; at the age of 16, he became a student in the Eclectic Institute (now Hiram College), at that time pre- sided over by Gen. J. A. Garfield; here he remained one year ; returning home, he engaged in farming one year, and subse- quently engaged in teaching; in 1866, he entered the Commercial College in Pough- keepsie, N. Y., remaining eight months; he next engaged in the sale of territory for patent rights ; in 1868, he again engaged in farming; in March, 1869, he came West to Illinois, located in Mattoon, and was engaged in life, fire and accident insurance till 1874; he then came into the office of H. S. Clark, and resumed his legal studies ; in April, 1875, he entered the graduating class of the Ohio State and Union Law College, of Cleveland, from which he graduated in July, following; on his return, the legal firm of Clark & Scott was formed, and he has since devoted him- self to his profession. He was married in 1868, to Sophia E. Clark, a native of Ohio; has two children-Earl C. and Montague W. In 1872, he was chosen Mayor of the city, and, by re-election, held the office three times in succession ; in 1876, 1877 and 1878, he was chosen Supervisor of Mattoon Tp., and ex-officio Treasurer; he is at present Chairman of the Board.
J. L. SCOTT, dealer in groceries, queensware and glassware, Mattoon ; was. born in Henry Co., Ky., in 1836; his early life was passed upon the farm, and his education was derived from the com- mon schools; in 1856, he moved to Frank- lin, Ind., where he engaged in mercantile pursuits; in 1863, he returned to Ken- tucky, located in Louisville, and was em- ployed in the United States Government Pay Department, under Gen. Thurston, Paymaster of the Army of the Cumber- land ; in the spring of 1865, he removed
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with his parents to Coles Co., Ill., and pur- chased a farm of 160 acres northeast of Mattoon ; in 1871, having disposed of his farm, he came to Mattoon, purchased a stock of groeerics, and has since resided here. He was married Dec. 10, 1861, to Catharine J. Runyon, a native of Vernon, Jennings Co., Ind; has four children- William H., Mary F., Gracie and Charlie. Has held the office of Supervisor of Hum- boldt Tp. ; is at present Worshipful Master of Mattoon Lodge, No. 260, A., F. & A. M.
A. J. SANBORN, master mechanic, I. & St. L. Shops, Mattoon; was born in Acton, York Co., Me., in 1826; having lost his mother when but 11 years of age, he left home, and, making his way to Bos- ton, went on board a vessel, and was absent two years on a voyage ; after coming into port, he made known to his father and family his adventures for the two years past ; he served seven years on the sea, sail- ing as second mate on board the ship Vesta, of Boston, and the brig Yucatan, in the South American trade; at the age of 21 years, he began his trade in the Lowell Machine-Shops, at Lowell, Mass; here he remained two years ; he next went to Bos- ton and worked in the locomotive-shops of Hinckley & Drury for eighteen months; thence to Lawrence, Mass., to the Essex shops, one year ; in 1858, or 1859, he came west to East St. Louis, and took charge of the erecting department of the O. & M. R. R; in 1867, he took charge of the machinery on the Vandalia R. R., and, in 1873, he took charge of the works for the I. & St. L. R. R. at Mattoon ; Mr. San- born is truly a self-made man ; his educa- tion has been derived in the school of experience, and, whatever he undertakes to perform, he executes with an experienced and skillful hand.
JOHN W. SOULES, proprietor meat market, Mattoon ; was born in Terre Haute, Ind., Nov. 10, 1828; his father was a farmer, and his early life was spent upon the farm; his education was limited entirely to the common school ; he re- mained at home till his majority; at the age of 21 years, he engaged in the packing honse of Ferrington & Williams, of Terre Haute, where he remained five years; he was next engaged in the same business with Jacob D. Early three years; in 1860, he came to Mattoon and took charge of a
packing-house for Messrs. Miller & John- son, and remained with them four years ; in 1864, he took charge of a similar estab- lishment for P. H. Flarity, remaining nine years; he next engaged in his present business. He was married Oct. 20, 1849, to Eveline Bailey, a native of Indiana ; has had six children-Mary E., Laura L., William H., Emma, Charles L., living ; Ocalla, deceased. Owns city prop- erty. He superintended the construction of the reservoir designed to supply the city with water.
ADOLF SUMERLIN, editor and attorney at law, Mattoon; born in Keo- sauqua, Iowa, Aug. 24, 1851 ; moved with his parents, Rufus and I. A. Sumerlin, to a farm in Scotland Co., Mo., in 1859; his father having embarked in the newspaper business in Memphis in 1860, he com- menced learning the printer's trade ; in 1865, he moved to Shelbyville, Ill .; in 1869, he conducted the reportorial depart- ment of the Shelby Leader, which his father had purchased in 1865 ; in the same year, commenced reading law with Thorn- ton & Wendling ; moved with his parents to Springfield, Mo., in April, 1871, and after completing his law studies in Phelps & McAbel's office, was admitted to practice in the courts of Missouri in October, 1871 ; moved to Mattoon, Ill., in September, 1872, and with his father purchased the Mattoon Commercial ; they continued to run the paper together until August, 1876, when the paper was purchased by the Mattoon Commercial Printing Co., who appointed A. Sumerlin editor ; at present, is editor of the Commercial and practicing law.
CAPT. T. E. WOODS, editor Mattoon Journal, Mattoon ; was born June 2, 1837, near the present village of Stockton, Coles Co., Ill .; his education was secured in subscription and common schools, and for a short time he attended an academy ; he usually walked or rode from two to five miles each morning to attend school; at the age of 17, he began teaching school, and followed that occupation till he reached his majority ; he was Deputy Postmaster at Mattoon during 1855 and 1856; he then edited and published the Mattoon Gazette from 1857 to 1860 ; during the year 1861, he edited the Charleston Courier; in the summer of 1862, he enlisted
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in Co. A, 123d I. Mounted Inf., was mustered in Co. F, and went to the field as Quartermaster Sergeant ; he was made Sergeant Major at Maysville, Ala .; commissioned Captain Co. H, at Stevenson, Ala., early in 1864, and commanded it to the close of the war ; since the war, he has conducted the Mattoon Journal, first as a weekly, next as a tri-weekly and at present as a daily. At present he resides in Wash- ington, D. C., where he fills an appoint- ment in the Post Office Department.
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