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 60
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REV. J. W. WOODS, C. P. minister, Mattoon ; was born in the Territory of Indiana, Feb. 5, 1815. He is the son of Wm. G. and Rachel (Lester) Woods; his father was a farmer and his early boyhood days were spent upon the farm ; his educa- tion was obtained mainly at Pilot Knob Academy, under the instruction of Prof. D. R. Harris; when 10 years of age, he came with his parents to Clark Co., Ill. ; his father settling about four miles east of the present town of Marshall, his house became the resort for most business transactions in that part of the county; it was the " preaching-place " for fifteen years, until the building of a church in the neighbor- hood. At the age of 17, young Woods be- came a member of the church, and in May, 1834, of the Presbytery; in June, 1837, he began his public ministry in Clark Co., Ill., and, for a number of years, labored in Coles, Douglas, Cumberland, Shelby and other counties in this section ; in October, 1839, he was ordained to the full work of the ministry; in 1859, he moved to Mattoon for the purpose of build- ing the church in the city ; under his direc- tion and superintendence, the church was built, and he was Pastor until September, 1861, when he entered the U. S. service as Chaplain of the 5th I. V. C., and remained in the service until Jan. 8, 1865 ; on his re- turn from the army, he again labored for the church in Mattoon one year and four months ; two years ago, he built the
church ten miles south of Mattoon, in Cumberland Co., called Woods' Chapel, and has since labored for the congregation at that point. He was married Nov. 4, 1841, to Eliza A. Funkhouser, a native of Wayne Co., Ill .; nine children have been born to them-Mary C. (wife of W. B. Dunlap), Elizabeth J., Cynthia A. (wife of J. R. Tobey), Celestina C. (wife of (. C. Hoddy), Eliza N. (wife of E. V. Burnett ), William L'R., John P., Ida Beile, Alice L .; of these, Elizabeth J. and William L'R. are deceased. Has been a member of the City Council and East Side School Board. He has always been liberal in the use of his means toward the Church.
H. C. WATSON, time-keeper and clerk M. M. I. & St. L. shops, Mattoon ; was born in New Madrid, New Madrid Co., Mo., July 27, 1827; his father was a Scotchman and was one of the early West- ern pioneers, having come West as early as 1805. Having obtained a good com- mon school education, in 1844, he became a student in Prof. J. B. Anderson's high school, in New Albany, Ind .; this he at- tended one year; in 1845, he attended St. Vincent's College at Cape Girardeau ; in 1848, he matriculated in Bethany Col- lege, Va., and remained one year ; on his return home, he engaged in merchandising, and followed the business till 1863; by reason of the war, he lost most of his stock and trade; he moved with his family to Litchfield, Ill., and, in 1865, entered the office of the Master Mechanic of the St. L., A. & T. H. R. R., as clerk and time- keeper; in 1867, the I. & St. L. leased the road, and, in 1870, when the shops were removed from Litchfield to Mattoon, he came with them. He was married in November, 1852, to Sarah C. Post, a na- tive of Alton, Ill .; has five children- William G., Harry W., Frank E., Jennie, Gertie. Has held the office of School Director, East Side.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:
EAST OAKLAND TOWNSHIP.
JACOB V. D. ANNIN, farmer, de- ceased ; in the early part of the seventeenth century, there emigrated from their native land of Scotland, one John Annin, with his family, and settled in the beautiful State of New Jersey, where he erected a log house, in which he and his family lived for many years ; and if it be asked, How came his lot to be castin that fertile valley, far from the land of his birth? the answer is to be found in the terrible story of the religious persecutions that, in the latter part of the seventeenth, and the early part of the eighteenth century, desolated and depopulated the land of his birth; in the year 1766, William Annin (son of John Annin) who emigrated with his par- ents from Scotland, erected near the old log cabin, a stone house, the history of which occupies a dear place in the hearts of the descendants of its builder, who was a stern Whig patriot in the New Jersey Legislature for a period of thirty years, and who furnished all the aid and comfort in his power to the friends of free gov- ernment, during the dark days of the Revolutionary struggle ; in this house, he and his descendants lived for four genera tions ; in this house was born John Annin, son of William Annin, the builder, and father of Jacob V. D. Annin, who was also born in the old stone house, June 4, 1796 ; here he passed the days of his youth ; a description of the above house, is given in a work entitled “ Centennial Celebration of the Annin Family at the Old Stone House, in Somerset Co., N. J., Aug. 15, 1866 ; " the description is given as follows : The scene of this celebration was an old stone house, some 50 feet front, by 40 in depth, with substantial walls, wide hall, and large open stairway ; it stands embowered in trees in one of the prettiest little valleys of the State, through which flows a small stream, a branch of the head- waters of the Passaic ; on the above date, the descendants of John Annin, met in this venerable mansion to thank God, for these, and all other blessings, which, during that century had attended them and theirs ; they came, representatives of every period of life, from infancy to old age ; they came in number 120, at the invitation of the
venerable owner and occupant, then in his 77th year; they visited the basement, where, during the Revolution, patriot soldiers had cooked their frugal rations, where, at other times, schools had been kept, and the Word of God had been preached to attentive audiences, convened from the neighborhood ; here the subject of this sketch, Jacob V. D. Annin, passed the days of his youth ; here he received his education, and labored upon the farm, and continued to live in Somerset Co., N. J., until 1850, when, seeking new fields of labor, he emigrated with his fam- ily West, and located first in Lee Co., Ill., where he lived until 1852, when he located in East Oakland Tp., Coles Co., Ill., where he engaged in farming until his decease. His marriage with Letty Winne, was cele- brated Dec. 27, 1821; she was born in Bergen Co., N. J., April 4, 1803 ; she died in Coles Co., Ill., April 14, 1873, leaving four children now living-John, Martin W., Samuel A. and Jacob V. W. (the biographies of the last three will be found in this work); Mr. Annin was one of the most industrious, hard-working and suc- cessful farmers in the township in which he lived, and was held in high esteem and great respeet in the community in which he lived; he died June 15, 1878, upon the place where he had lived since his first settlement in Coles Co.
MARTIN W. ANNIN, carpenter and builder, Oakland ; the subject of this sketch is the son of J. V. D. Annin, whose bi- ography appears in this work, and whose genealogy is given for four generations past ; he was born in Somerset Co., N. J., Jan. 5, 1831, where he engaged in farming until 15 years of age, when he went to Brook- lyn, N. Y., and learned and worked at the carpenter trade until 20 years of age, when he emigrated; with his parents, and located in Lee Co., Ill., in 1850, remain- ing here a short time, when he went to Peoria Co., and worked at his trade until January, 1852, when he removed to Oakland, Coles Co., Ill., and engaged in contracting and building, which busi- ness he has since successfully fol- lowed ; he owns his residence in Oakland, which he erected in 1877;
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EAST OAKLAND TOWNSHIP.
also his shop, located at Lauson's lumber- yard, East Oakland Depot; his business card will be found in the business directory of Oakland, in another part of this work. He married Jan. 10, 1861, to Angeline T. Payne; she was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, July 27, 1833, and emigrated with her parents to this county in 1835; they have one child by this union-Ollie, born June 15, 1864.
SAMUEL A. ANNIN, farmer, S. 23 ; P. O. Oakland ; born in Somerset Co., N. J., Nov. 8, 1836, where he attended school until 1850, when he emigrated with his parents to Illinois, and located in Wyo- ming Tp., Lee Co., where he assisted his father in farming until January, 1852, when he located in East Oakland Tp., and engaged in farming, which business he has sinee followed, living upon the old home- stead where his father first located in 1852, during a period of nearly thirty years ; he, with his younger brother, owns some 400 acres of land, which is well improved, and upon which, they each have good build- ings. He married May 3, 1866, to Sarah M. Hall ; she was born in Fairfield Co., Ohio, Nov. 13, 1841 ; they have two chil- dren by this union, viz .: Winnie, born Aug. 7, 1867; George, Aug. 5, 1869. Mrs. Annin emigrated from Ohio and lo- cated in Illinois when S years of age ; Mr. Annin is son of Jacob V. D. Annin, whose biography appears in the biographical sketches of this township.
J.V.W. ANNIN, farmer; P.O. Oakland; born in Somerset Co., N. J., July 29, 1841; he emigrated with his parents when he was 9 years of age, and located in Wyoming Tp., Lee Co., Ill., in 1850, living there until January, 1852, when he removed with his parents to East Oakland Tp., Coles Co., Ill., where he has since con- tinued to live ; he, with his brother Sam- uel, own 400 acres of land, among which, is the old homestead, upon which they set- tled when they first located here nearly thirty years ago ; while they own the above property in company, each has a good set of buildings of his own. He married Feb. 24, 1871, Martha A. Boyle; she was born in New Jersey Aug. 1, 1846 (her parents were among the early settlers of Coles Co.); they have five children by this union, viz., Co- ra A., Albert S., Edward M., Robert A. and Arthur C., Mr. Annin is the youn-
gest son of Jacob V. D. Annin, who loea- ted here in 1852, and whose biography appears in this work, and in which appears the genealogy for the past four genera- tions of the Annin family.
S. H. ASHMORE, farmer and stoek- raiser; P.O. Kansas; born in Butler Co., Ky., Jan. 29, 1822 ; he emigrated with his par- ents when quite young and located in Clark Co., Ill., about the year 1826, where he lived until about 1828, when he re- moved to Coles Co., and located before the organization of the township in what is now known as Ashmore Tp., where he lived until 1836, when he located in East Oakland Tp., where he has since lived. He lived with his parents until 23 years of age, at which time he married, and rent- ing a farm, commenced farming for himself ; his stoek then consisted of a team of po- nies and two cows ; after renting two years he purchased eighty acres of land, for which he partly paid at the time, the balance was paid within two years ; he has added sinee by purchase, until he now owns upward of 600 acres in Coles and Edgar Counties. He married June, 1845, to Matilda Boyer; she was born in Edgar Co., Oct. 4, 1827 ; she died Oct. 14, 1875, leaving five children, two of which are since deceased; the names of the living are William M., Nancy J. (now Mrs. James Buckler), and Emanda E. Mr. Ashmore held the office of School Director in his district for upward of twenty years. J. H. BRANNON, farmer, Sec. 7; P. O. Oakland; born in Rockingham Co. Va., Sept. 1, 1836, where he engaged in farming until 19 years of age, when, in 1855, he emigrated to Missouri, where his father died soon after his arrival, when he returned to Virginia, remaining during the winter, and, in the spring of 1856, he re- turned to Illinois, and located in Oakland Tp., Coles Co., and engaged in farming, which business he has since successfully followed ; he owns 200 acres of land, mostly under cultivation. His marriage with Sally A. Troxwell was celebrated Nov. 11, 1858 ; she was born in Coles Co., Ill., her parents being among the early pioneers of this county, settling here at an early day ; they have eight children by this union- Winfield, Edward, Clara, Semantha H., John W., Hiram L., Franklin and Min- nie L.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES :
JOHN BUCKLER, farmer, Sec. 4; P. O. Oakland ; born in Marion Co., Ky., June 22, 1838, where he was engaged farming until 16 years of age, when he removed to Illinois and located in Edgar Co., in 1854, where he was employed as farm laborer until 1862, at which time he rented and farmed until 1874, when he purchased eighty acres, which he worked four years ; then sold out, and, after living in Douglas Co. eight months, purchased his present place of 160 acres, where he now lives, on See. 4, East Oakland Tp. He married April 7, 1862, to Harriet Davis; she was born in Clark Co., Ill .; they have five children by this union, viz., Rosannah, Richard T., Emma Jane, Lor- enzo Dow, Nettie V.
JOHN BURWELL, retired farmer ; P. O. Oakland; born in Morris Co., N. J., Feb. 1, 1813, where he engaged in the manufacture of wrought iron until 19 years of age, when he emigrated West and engaged at his trade in the States of Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio, until 1840, when he abandoned his trade and located upon his farm in Delaware Co., Ohio, where he lived until 1851, when, selling his farm, he emigrated West and located in Embarrass Tp., Edgar Co., Ill., purchasing a farm of 480 acres, which he worked until the spring of 1856, when he removed ta Oakland, where he has since continued to live, with the exception of two years which he spent upon his farm ; he owns 310 acres of prairie and timber land in Coles Co., Ill., and 320 acres in Henry Co., near Newton, Kan. He mar- ried Sept. 19, 1833, to Missouri Thorp; she was born in Franklin Co., Ohio ; she died in 1853, leaving five children- Amos, Mary, Moses, John, Alice. His marriage with Lucy Ann Terhune was celebrated Sept. 19, 1853; she was born in Johnson Co., Ind .; she died in 1856, leaving one child, since deceased. He married April 18, 1857, for his third wife, Nannie McCrum ; she was born in Huntingdon Co., Penn., Oct. 3, 1820 ; one child was the fruit of this union-Frank P., born Dec. 31, 1859. Mr. Burwell followed milling in Oakland from 1856 until 1875, when he rented his flour and feed mill and retired from active labor.
JOSIAH H. BUSBEY, book-keeper, Okaland ; born in Coles Co., Ill., Jan. 6,
1847, where he engaged in farming and attended school until Feb. 24, 1864, when he enlisted in the 66th I. V. I., and went forward to battle for the Union ; the 66th was composed of picked men from the va- rious Northwestern States, elected for their skill and accuracy in handling the rifle, and in the army was known as the Western Sharpshooters ; they always led the advance, and in important battles were detailed in squads to silence rebel bat- tries, which duty they often accomplished by their unerring aim, and many a Union soldier to-day owes his existence to the skill and bravery of the gallant 66th ; he was with Sherman on his march to and at the siege and capture of Atlanta ; at Lay's Ferry, being in the advance, they fought their way, step by step, for eight miles, losing heavily in killed and wounded ; in the battles of Rome Cross Roads, Dal- las and Kenesaw Mountain, they suffered severely ; he was with Sherman on his march through Georgia to the sea, arriving in Savannah to spend the Christmas of 1864 ; he then marched with his regiment north through North and South Carolina, being engaged in many battles until reach- ing Morrisville Station, N. C., when the 66th again had their position in the ad vance of Sherman, not to deadly conflict- as they had many times been before, but. to receive the surrender of Johnston and his army ; he then marched to Richmond, Va., then to Washington, where, after the review of the army, he went to Louisville, Ky., where he was mustered out of the service July 7, 1865 ; in 1864, while com- ing North upon a furlough, he was made prisoner, but paroled, and at the expiration of his furlough, again joined his regiment, and remained until the close of the war. After being mustered out of service, he re- turned to Oakland, and worked at harness making for two years, when he went to Kansas, where he clerked eight months, re- turning to Illinois, he worked at his trade for six months, which he then abandoned on account of ill-health, and, in 1870, en- gaged as a book-keeper and head elerk in the dry goods house of L. S. & S. M. Cash, which position he has since held, with the exception of three years, which he spent in Virginia, on account of the ill- health of his wife. He married Nov. 18, 1869, Mary B. Cash, daughter of Cary J.
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EAST OAKLAND TOWNSHIP.
Cash, and niece of L. S. & S. M. Cash ; she was born in Amherst Co., Va., July 15, 1851 ; one child was the fruit of the union-Ollie May, deceased.
W. D. BUSBEY, farmer and harness- maker, Oakland; one of the pioneers of Coles Co. ; born in Clark Co., Ohio, Dec. 28, 1820, where he engaged in farming un- til 19 years of age, when he emigrated West in 1839, and located in Coles Co., Ill., where he engaged in farming for a pe- riod of fifteen years ; in 1860, he located in Oakland, and engaged in the harness and saddlery trade, which business he has since followed, in connection with farming; he owns his shop and eighty acres of land, upon which his residence stands, which he erected in 1854; he held the office of Jus- tice of the Peace for upward of sixteen years in the township in which he lives. He married in April, 1845, to Letitia Black ; she was born in Indiana in 1824; she died May 1, 1855, leaving three chil - dren-Josiah, Milton and William. His marriage with Margaret A. Newman, was celebrated Feb. 23, 1860; she was born in Jefferson Co., Tenn., Dec. 18, 1826 ; they have one child now living by this union- Frankie. Her parents were pioneer settlers of Coles Co., locating here in 1834. Mr. Busbey has been a resident of Oakland since 1845, a period of upward of thirty- three years.
S. M. CASH. merchant, deceased ; born in Nelson Co., Va., March 13, 1829, where he lived until 8 years of age, when he removed to Amherst Co., where he at- , tended school and engaged in farming until 16 years of age, after which ·time he was engaged for eighteen months at Lexington learning the cabinet-maker's trade; then coming West he located in Paris, Edgar Co., Ill., in the fall of 1847, where he completed his trade, when he associated with his brother Henry, and located in Westfield, Clark Co., where they engaged in the furniture trade from 1849 until the spring of 1851, when he located at Oak- land, where he engaged in the furniture business until 1856; at which time he as- sociated with his brother, L. S. Cash, in the dry goods trade, which business he continued in connection with farming, stock-raising and shipping until his death, which occurred April 12, 1877; in the spring of 1869, their store with its contents
was destroyed by fire, by which they met with a loss of upward of $8,000 above insurance ; they at once erected a fine brick store, into which they moved, and the sur- viving partner still continues the business- under the old firm name. His marriage with Adeline Crawford was celebrated April 18, 1850 ; she was born in Butler Co., Ohio, April 17, 1831 ; eight children were the fruit of this union, five of which are deceased, the names of the living are Alice M., now Mrs. J. R. Lauson, born Dec. 31, 1854 ; Wilson M., born Dec. 6, 1861, and Stanley C., born March 15, 1871. Mr. Cash was an active member of the I. O. O. F. and Oakland Lodge, No. 219, A., F. & A. M, Oakland Chapter No. 153, R. A. M., and a Knight Templar, being a member of the Palestine Commandery at Paris; he was a member of the Methodist Church for eighteen years previous to his death, and was held in high esteem and great respect in the community in which he lived.
REV. J. P. CAMPBELL, minister and editor of Oakland Herald, Oakland; born in Macoupin Co., Ill., June 9, 1842; when 2 years of age, he removed with his parents to Clinton Co., where, after living five years he removed to Kentucky, where he attended the common schools until 19 years old, when he entered the Beuleyville Academy, and, after attending several months, enlisted as private in the 3d Ken- tucky Cavalry, serving six months, when, on account of physical disability, he was discharged ; after remaining at home three months, he re-enlisted for twelve months in the 52d Kentucky Mounted Infantry, serving eighteen months ; he was mustered out, and enlisted in the 17th Kentucky Cavalry, and served during the war ; he then finished his education at the academy and engaged in school-teaching and preach- ing until 1871, when he located in Coles Co., Ill., and afier preaching in Ashmore, and other churches in the circuit until 1877, then located in Oakland, where he now lives ; in the spring of 1878, he be- came editor of the Oakland Herald, which position he now holds ; this is the only pa- per in the town of Oakland. He married April 5, 1867, to Lucy E. Johnson ; she was born in Breckinridge Co., Ky., March 29, 1849; they have three children now
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES :
living by this union-Thomas J., Jethro ' years of age, where he lived until 14 years P. and William H.
L. S. CASH, merchant, farmer and stock-raiser, Oakland; born in Nelson Co., Va., Jan. 12, 1827, where he attended school until 10 years of age, when, upon his father's decease, he removed to Amherst Co., where he attended school and engaged in farming until 1847, when he, with the family, emigrated West, and located in Paris, Ill., in October, of the same year ; during the December following, he buried his mother and two older brothers within a period of ten days; he learned and worked at the plasterer's trade here for two years, when, in March, 1850, he started overland, with an ox-team, for California, taking the old Oregon route, via Fort Hall, and, on August 18, of the same year, he arrived at the Placerville diggings, where he remained a short time ; then to Sumner River, then to North Greenwood Valley ; during the winter and the spring following, he went twenty-five miles south of Placer- ville to Dry Creek, where, meeting with fair success, he remained until his return home, sailing upon June 1, 1853; coming via New York, he arrived in Paris, Ill., July 1. making the trip in thirty days ; he then located in Oakland, where he worked at the plasterer's trade until 1856, when he engaged in the dry goods trade, with his brother, under the firm name of L. S. & S. M. Cash, which he still continues, since the death of his brother, which occurred April 12, 1877 ; he has had the entire management of the store, together with 800 acres of land, which they owned to- gether at the above date; in 1869, their store, with its contents, was destroyed by fire, by which they met with a loss of $8,000, above insurance ; he erected his fine brick residence in 1874, where he has since lived. He married, May 2, 1860, Roena Sargent ; she was born in Coles Co. May 19, 1839; she died March 18, 1869, leaving two children, now living-Ella W. and Lulu R .; his marriage with Susan Green was celebrated Dec. 30, 1873; she was born in Coles Co. Nov. 17, 1844; they have two children, now living, by this union-Logan S. and Alice.
of age, when he emigrated to Illinois and located in Paris, Edgar Co., in the fall of 1847 ; after farming one year, he learned and worked at the cabinet-maker's trade for three years, in Paris ; he came to Oak- land, Coles Co., and worked one year at his trade, when he engaged with his brother in the furniture trade for two years; he then sold out and engaged in the drug trade one year ; in 1855, he was appointed Postmaster of Oakland, at which date he engaged in the grocery and confectionery trade, which he continued until 1857, when he sold out and again engaged in the fur- niture business until 1861, when he re- moved to Westfield, Clark Co., and man- aged the merchandise trade of H. H. Cash & Bro., until 1863; he then engaged as traveling salesman for a wholesale notion house at Terre Haute one year ; he then went to Cincinnati and engaged in the same business until 1867, when he bought out a dry goods store at Kansas Station, which he ran until 1869, when, selling out, he again engaged as traveling sales- man, which business he continued until 1877, for Terre Haute and Cincinnati wholesale houses ; in 1877, he engaged in farming, and in September, 1878, he en- gaged as traveling salesman for the Terre Haute Woolen-Mills, which business he has since followed. He married, March 31, 1853, to Elizabeth J. Ashmore ; she was born in East Oakland Tp., Coles Co., Ill., March 23, 1833 ; she was a daughter of James Ashmore, who emigrated from Tennessee, and located in Coles Co., at a very early period, where he lived until his decease ; Mr. Cash has eight children now living-William A., Marcus L., Emery E., Sarah B., Rosa A., George B., Marion R. and Alvin B .; Mr. Cash is a brother of L. S. and S. M. Cash, whose biographies ap- pear among the biographies of Oakland Tp.
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