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 61
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R. B. CLARKE, merchant, Oakland ; born in Madison Co., N. Y., Oct. 3, 1814, where he was engaged in farming until he attained his majority, when he emigrated to Ohio, where he engaged in the merchan- dise trade and distilling whisky for eigh- teen years ; in 1852, he came to Illinois, and, in 1854, located in Oakland, and, with C. Clement, erected the first flour, feed and saw mill built in this town ; he fol-
MARION P. CASH, traveling salesman; P. O. Terre Haute, Ind. ; born in Nelson Co., Va., April 14, 1833, he removed to Amherst Co., with the family, when 4 , lowed this business for upward of twelve
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years, when he sold his mill; in 1868, he engaged in the grocery and hardware trade. which he has since successfully followed, being assisted in the same by his son, Orrin M. He married, Oct. 1, 1849, to Margaret D. Welch; she was born in Fair- field Co., Ohio, Jan. 31, 1816; they have four children now living by this union, viz .: Orrin M., Clara B .. Mary J. and Odd R., Orrin M. Clark, the oldest son, was born in Ohio May 15, 1850; he was married to Alice E. Adams July 15, 1874 ; she was born in Lawrence Co., Ind., Jan. 27, 1859; they are the parents of three children now living, viz., Clara B., Claude D. and Jessie C .; Mr. Clark is engaged with his father in the general management of his business.
T. S. COFFIN, merchant, Oakland ; born in Cornville, Somerset Co., Me., Oct. 7, 1832, where he was engaged in farming and attending school in winter until 18 years of age, when, after finishing his academical studies, he engaged in school-teaching for two years, then as clerk in dry goods store four years ; he then engaged in the dry goods business for two years, when, in 1858, he went to California, where he resided about nine years, mining and speculating in mines, making and losing several fortunes, but finally was successful, and in the fall of 1867, he spent the winter visiting the scenes of his childhood in Maine, and the following spring, located in the dry goods trade at Oakland, which business he has since successfully followed. His marriage with Susan J. Winkler was celebrated March 5, 1872; she is daughter of David Winkler, one of the pioneers of Coles ('o. They have three children by . stock of dry goods, clothing, etc., until he this union, viz., Carrie E., Eda M. and Harry H.
RICHARD COLE, farmer ; P. O. Oak- land ; born in Putnam Co., Ind., Dec. 8, 1835, where he attended school during winter and engaged in farming until 1871, when he emigrated to Illinois and located upon his present place, where he has since continued to live. Upon his arrival here, he purchased 160 acres of land, mostly prairie, where he has since success- fully followed farming. He married Catharine A. Swinford April 13, 1858; they have three children now living by this union-James P., born Feb. 25,
1861 ; Mary E., born Jan. 23, 1863; Luey A., born March 2, 1868. Mr. Cole has held the office of School Director in the district in which he lives. Mrs. Cole was born in Harrison Co., Ky., July 23, 1838; her parents removed to Indiana when she was an infant, where she lived until her marriage.
EDWARD CONAGHAN, merchant, Oakland; born in County Donegal, Ire- land, Aug. 15, 1841, where he engaged in farming until 18 years of age, when he emigrated to America, landing in New York in the fall of 1859; coming directly to Charleston, he engaged with his brother peddling, taking his stock of goods upon his back and selling from house to house ; after following this for nine months for his brother, he commenced peddling on his own account, taking his first stock of goods, which invoiced at $20, in a pack upon his back, working in all kinds of weather, until 1863, when he associated with his brother and engaged in the hotel business at Peoria, Ill., which, proving un- profitable, they closed out, and, after pay- ing all their indebtedness, he had barely enough means left to again start his porta- ble dry goods and notion store, which con- sisted, as described above, of his pack, which he carried upon his back, buying his goods direct from first hands in New York, which enabled him to compete with the largest dealers in Coles Co .; he con- tinued doing business in this manner un- til 1871, when he associated with David Jones, and located in Oakland in the grocery and queensware trade, which they continued until Jan. 3, 1876, when. pur- chasing his partner's interest, he added a
now carries a stock second to none in town, and his business is yearly increasing. Upon his arrival at Charleston, he was not only penniless, but was in debt for his fare to this country, and his first earnings were used to pay this indebtedness; he now has a good property which he has accu- mulated by his hard labor, perseverance and industry, and the above traits of char- acter are well worthy of imitation.
JOHN G. CRAWFORD, farmer and stock-raiser; P.O. Oakland; born in Morgan Co., Ind., Aug. 10, 1837, where he attended school in winter and was engaged in farm- ing in summer until he was 23 years of
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age, when, in the spring of 1860, he re- moved to Illinois, locating in Douglas Co., where he engaged in farming until 1865, when he returned to his native home, re- maining there two years; then coming West again, he continued farming nearly two years in Douglas Co., when in 1869, he removed to Oakland and erected a fine residence where he now lives; he also owns several farms, containing upward of 1000 acres, in this and adjoining counties, all under cultivation ; he makes a specialty of stock-raising, usually feeding from 100 to 200 head of cattle. He married Jan. 10, 1866, to Virginia Valodin ; she was born in New Madrid, Mo., November, 1838 ; three children were the fruits of this union-Dora and James, both deceased, John F., now living, born Aug. 9, 1874.
CHARLES CURTIS, farmer; P.O Oak- land; born in Oakland, Coles Co., Ill., Dec. 5, 1841; his father died when he was an in- fant, and he continued to live with his mother until her marriage with John Dol- lar, with whom he then lived until the spring of 1862, when he enlisted in the 63d I. V. I., and went forward to battle for the Union; he was in many severe battles, among which were the siege and capture of Vicksburg, Chickamauga, Mis- sionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Atlan- ta, and was with Sherman's army through Georgia, spending the Christmas of 1864 in Savannah ; then north through South and North Carolina, being in many engage- ments, until the surrender of Johnston and his army, when he continued his march via Richmond to Washington, where, after the grand review of the army, he with his regiment went to Louisville, Ky., where he was mustered out of service, after which, he went to Springfield, where he received his discharge in July, 1865, hav- ing served upward of three years in the Union army ; he then returned to Coles Co., Ill., and, in the spring of 1866, re- moved upon his present place, where he has since lived. He married April, 1864, to Martha I. Hannah ; she was born in North Carolina in 1844, and died January, 1873, leaving three children now living, viz., James W., Lucinda E. and Roddie Ells- worth ; his marriage with Margaret M. Yeager was celebrated April 30, 1874; she was born in Ohio April 18, 1855 ; three children were the fruit of this union,
one of which is deceased ; the living are Lula M., born Oct. 3, 1876, and John Sherman, March 14, 1878.
A. A. DUNSETH, Police Magistrate and Justice of the Peace, Oakland; born in Fleming Co., Ky., Oct. 12, 1821 ; he removed with his parents, when 6 years of age, to Ohio, where he learned and worked at the carpenter trade until 1843, when he came West and located at Peoria, Ill., working at his trade until 1852, when he removed to Georgetown, Ill., where he kept hotel two years, when he purchased a saw-mill, which he ran in connection with his trade until 1858, when he removed to Danville, and engaged in contracting and building until 1861, when he raised a company for the 4th Illinois Cavalry, but the regiment having obtained its full quota of compa- nies, his company was not accepted, the members joining other companies to fill up the regiment ; in 1862, he visited the Un- ion Hospitals at Louisville, Ky., and find- ing a wide field for labor in the interest of the soldiers of Illinois, he decided to re- main there and labor in behalf of the same ; he immediately entered upon this noble duty, laboring for the relief of suffering patriots of his State without compensation and defray- ing his own expenses for three months, when the hospital was visited by Dr. W. E. Fithian, J. L. Tincher and Judge Terry, of Danville; they at once saw the amount of good being accomplished through the agency of Mr. Dunseth, when they immediately de- manded of Gov. Yates that Illinois should have a State Agent to look after our suf- fering soldiers, and suggested Mr. Dun- seth as a suitable person to fill the position. This was at once acted upon, and he re- ceived his commission as State Agent, dat- ing from the time he first came to the hos- pitals. He had never made application . for the above position, and when he re- ceived his commission, it was much of a surprise to him. The writer of this sketch has seen many letters to Mr. Dun- seth from prominent men, both in civil and military life, expressing thanks and grati- tude to him for the noble spirit he has shown in behalf of the soldiers of the Union army. At the close of the war, he returned to Danville and engaged in rail- road bridging in Illinois and the Southern States until 1872, when he removed to Oakland, where he has since lived. He mar-
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ried Oct. 17, 1844, to Mary Burnside, cousin of Gen. A. E. Burnside ; she was born in Kentucky May 29, 1821 ; they are the parents of five children, now liv- ing, viz., Sarah E., David W., Charles A., Alice M. and James H. Mr. Dunseth has always labored in behalf of Christian- ity and temperance ; was a charter mem- ber of Lodge No. 2, Sons of Temperance, at Peoria, Ill., and has been a brother Odd Fellow for the past thirty-four years.
THOMASH. DUNCAN; P.O.Oakland; born in Clark Co., Ill., April 29, 1844, where he attended school and engaged in farming until August 1, 1862, when he enlisted as private in Co. A (Capt. James B. Hill), of the 123d Regt. I. V. I., and went forward to battle for the Union ; he first went to Louisville, Ky., ther march- ing South, was engaged in the battle of Prairieville, Ky., Oct. 8, 1862, going then to Murfreesboro, Tenn., where he remained until May, 1863, when, on account of dis- ability, he received his discharge, and, re- turning home, engaged in farming for a short time ; then, after attending the West- field College one term, he engaged as clerk in the dry goods store of J. M. Miller, at Charleston, Ill., which position he held for nearly two years, when, on account of ill: health, he returned home, where he re- mained until the fall of 1868, when he entered the college at Eureka, Ill., where, after attending one term, he worked as elerk in the stores of Kirkbride and Mar- cilleot, at Eureka, during the summer, and in the fall again entered the college, but on account of ill-health was unable to re- main but a short time. In early life, he had formed a determination to obtain a collegiate education, and his lack of means : only tended to stimulate his energies in that direction, and to obtain the means to defray his expenses while attending col- lege, he employed all his time, Saturdays, mornings and evenings clerking; this la- bor, added to his hard study, so impaired health that he was obliged to give up his long cherished hope of graduating from college ; he then returned home and re- mained during the winter, and the follow- ing spring was employed as clerk for Wil- son Bros., Charleston, Ill., for six months, when he engaged dealing in pictures, ehro- mos, etc., until the following January,
when he engaged in the sewing-machine business, which he followed until July 1, 1873, when he purchased a stock of goods and located in Oakland, where he has since continued to live ; he was described to the writer as being the tallest man in Oakland,be- ing six feet five and one-half inches in height, and while in the army was known as little Tommy Duncan. His marriage with Ione B. Decker was celebrated Nov. 28, 1872; she was born in Coles Co., Ill., March 17, 1851 ; they have two children by this un- ion, viz., Gertrude Q. and Jacob L. Mrs. Duncan is the daughter of Jacob K. Deck- er, one of the early pioneers of Charles- ton, Coles Co., Ill.
JOHN DOLLAR, farmer and stock- raiser ; P. O. Oakland ; born in Perthshire, Scotland, July 1, 1807, where he engaged in farming until 33 years of age, when he emigrated to America, landing in New York in June, 1840, coming to Chicago via canal and lakes, where he hired a team to transport him to Coles Co., pay- ing for the same the sum of $40 ; arriving here in July, he located eighty acres of land on Seetion 2, in what is now known as East Oakland Tp., upon which he com- menced to make improvements, employing his spare time for several years in ditching for other parties; he located upon his present place in 1849, which contains 263 acres, and upon which he has a complete set of buildings which he has erected sinee that date ; he also owns 200 acres of land in other parts of the county, all of which he has secured by his own hard labor; in the fall of 1842, he made two trips to Chicago, taking up wheat which he sold at 64 cents per bushel, receiving his pay in leather, salt and groceries; the time consumed on each trip being eighteen days. Mr. Dollar, though in his 72d year, is in possession of all his faculties and daily attends to the feeding and care of his stock, of which he has 40 head of cat- tle, 7 horses, 100 hogs and 30 sheep. He married in Scotland in the spring of 1833, to Margaret Carmichael; she was born in Perthshire, Scotland, and died April 23, 1837, leaving one child, which died Aug. 28, of the same year; his marriage with Mrs. Sarah Curtis was celebrated April 8, 1847 ; she was the daughter of James D. Hunt, one of the early pioneers of Coles Co., and was born in Clark Co., Ohio,
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Aug. 19, 1822; they have four children now living by this union, viz., Margaret J., Nancy Isabel, Sarah A. and Ralph D. Mr. Dollar has always taken a deep inter- est in the cause of religion and education, having been a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for upward of thirty years; he was a strong Unionist during the late war, and in January, 1865, his house was visited by a band of despera- does in the night, and with the revolvers of five blackened villains presented to him- self and family, they demanded his money, of which they obtained upward of $600 and made away with their spoils ; four of the five were afterward captured and lodged in the Jail at Charleston, but broke jail and all escaped the penalty of their crimes. Mr. Dollar lost his father by death in September, 1840; his mother died in 1846.
N. R. DUER, farmer and school-teach- er ; P. O. Oakland ; born in Fairfield Co., Ohio, May 13, 1832, where he attended school and engaged in farming until he at- tained his majority, when he engaged in school-teaching one year; he then entered the Ohio Wesleyan University, located at Delaware, which he attended for upward of two years ; he then engaged in farming and school-teaching in Ohio, until 1862, when he emigrated to Iilinois and located in Clark Co., where he followed teaching and farming until 1864, when he located in Coles Co., and engaged in teaching in Oakland one year, and one year in East Oakland Tp .; he then returned to Clark Co., and for three years was employed in teaching in Clark and Cumberland Cos. ; he then engaged in the drug-trade, at Farmington, Coles Co., which business he followed until the fall of 1875, when he engaged in drug trade at Oakland, with N. R. Moore, under the firm name of Duer & Moore, which business continned until March, 1878, when he sold his inter- est and again resumed farming and school- teaching. He married, Aug. 14, 1861, to Jane Elder : she was born in Ohio July 19, 1838 ; died Oct. 5, 1862, leaving no children ; his marriage with Celia E. Fer- guson was celebrated July 21. 1863 ; she was born in Clark Co. April 15, 1842; they have four children now living by this union, viz., Jane, Charles S., Alice May and Amelia G.
HUGH DAUGHERTY, farmer ; P. O. Oakland ; born in Coles Co., Ill., Jan. 25, 1830, in which county he has always lived ; he is the son of John Daugherty, one of the earliest pioneers of Illinois, who emi- grated from North Carolina and located in Illinois about the year 1828; he died about the year 1860, in East Oakland Tp., Coles Co .; the subject of this sketch, as- sisted his father farming until 17 years of age, when he was employed as farm laborer for two years, when he commenced farm- ing, renting for a period of five years, when he purchased forty acres, since which time he has farmed his own land ; he now owns eighty-seven acres on Sec. 29; when he first commenced farming, his capital con- sisted of one horse and two cows, and he was in debt about $200; his first tax was 50 cents. He married, March 27, 1851, to Matilda Hite; she was born in Ohio Oct. 6, 1823; she died Jan 2, 1872, leaving five children, now living-Sarah A., Andrew, John M., Mahalia and Ellen ; his marriage with Martha E. Burton was celebrated Dec. 12, 1872; she was born in Fountain Co., Ind., March 20, 1847 ; they have three children now living- Hugh F., Samuel Wesley and James Calvin.
JAMES T. EDSON, Oakland, pur- chasing agent for Illinois of Wm. B. Diek- son & Co., Indianapolis, Ind .; born in Iredell Co., N. C., Jan. 15, 1841; his parents removed to Ohio when he was quite young, where he attended school during the winter, and worked upon the farm during the summer, until 1861, when he enlisted in the 14th Ohio V. I. for three months, after which he enlisted for three years in the 38th Ohio V. I., where he served nearly three years, when he re- enlisted in the 38th Ohio Veteran Regi- ment, in which he served during the war ; he took part in nearly all the severe battles in which the 14th Army Corps was en- gaged, among which were Mill Springs, Stone River, Perryville, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and many others, and was with Sherman's army in his march to the sea ; he was mustered out with his regiment in July, 1865, at Louisville, Ky., when he engaged in farming in Ohio sev- cral years, until 1871, when he located in Oakland, and engaged in buying and ship- ping lumber to Indianapolis, which busi-
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ness he has since successfully followed. His marriage with Cordelia Hickox was celebrated Jan. 25, 1876 ; she was born in Oakland, Coles Co., May 29, 1850; her parents were among the carly settlers of Illinois, locating in Edgar Co., in 1833.
GEO. GEYER, farmer ; P.O. Kansas; born in Muskingum Co., Ohio, May 8, 1832, where he followed farming until 1857, when he removed to East Oakland Tp., Coles Co., Ill., and located upon the old Donica farm, where he commenced farming with a capital of $25 cash and a team only partly paid for ; he immediately went to work making improvements, which he continued until January, 1863, when he sold his improvements for $500, and purchased his present place, where he has since lived ; his first purchase upon his present place was for 111 acres, upon which he made a payment of $500, leaving a balance of $1,720, to be made in pay- ments, which he met promptly ; he has since added to the same until his home farm now contains 200 acres, upon which he has erected as fine farm-buildings as any in the township; he also owns about ten acres of timber. He married Jan. 5, 1854, to Mary E. Roberts ; she was born in Muskingum Co., Ohio, Jan. 19, 1833 ; she is the daughter of Thomas Roberts, now living in East Oakland Tp .; they have five children now living, having lost four by death. The names of the living are Maranda C., Emma R., Elizabeth I. A., Arletta A. and William F.
PETER GOBERT farmer, and stock- raiser, S. 19; P. O. Oakland ; one of the pio- neers of Coles Co .; born in France Oct. 17, 1821, where he attended school until 11 years of age, when he emigrated with his par- ents to America, landing in New York the spring of 1832 ; going to Buffalo, he assisted his father upon a farm until 16 years of age, when he emigrated West in the spring, coming by way of the lakes to Chicago, arriving there June 11, 1837; coming directly to Coles Co., they located in what is now known as East Oakland Tp., before the organization of the same; here he en- gaged with his father farming until 1860, when his father retired from active labor, and Mr. Gobert assumed the management of the farm ; he owns his brick residence, with good stables and other buildings, and upward of 400 acres of land, all under | Wilson; she was born in Pennsylvania in
cultivation except twenty- five acres of tim- her. He married, June 8, 1843, Melinda R. Ashmore ; she was born in Kentucky March 22, 1824; she died Feb. 21, 1861, leaving five children now living, viz., Samuel, Charles, Louis, La Fayette, Vir- ginia. His marriage with Matilda A. Roberts was celebrated Oct. 17, 1861 ; she was born in Ohio, June 26, 1835; they have four children now living by this union, viz., Alice, Thomas, Napoleon, Frank. Mr. Gobert drove an ox team from here to Chicago in 1842, taking up apples and bring back groceries. In 1844, he drove his team to St. Louis, Mo., loaded with chickens and turkeys-the chickens selling at 75 cents and the turkeys at $3 per dozen.
SOLOMON HENDRIX, stock dealer ; P. O. Oakland; born in Champaign Co., Ohio, May 13, 1820, where he attended school during his youth until large enough to labor upon a farm, when he followed farming for his father until he attained his majority, wheu, in 1842, he located upon a farm of eighty-six acres, all heavy tim- ber, where he lived seven years and suc- ceeded in clearing and placing under culti- vation upward of sixty acres, the first year by hard labor he raised eight acres of corn and potatoes enough for his family use during the winter. In the summer of 1850, he came to Illinois, but not finding a location to suit, he returned to Ohio, and purchased a farm of 160 acres, which he worked for three years, clearing off upward of seventy acres of timber, when he sold his farm and purchased the old homestead, living there until 1857, when he emigrated West and located in Edgar Co., purchas- ing 320 acres of land six miles north of Paris, where he lived until the spring of 1861, when, selling his farm. he engaged in stock raising and feeding and selling, con- fining his business mostly to sheep, which business he followed until 1866; at the above date he located in East Oakland Tp., and engaged in farming and dealing in stock, which business he followed for a period of eleven years, when he removed with his family to Oakland, where he has since continued to live. He owns his resi- dence, and is interested in about 200 acres of well-improved and timber land. He married June 19, 1842, to Nancy G.
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1823; died March 5, 1866, leaving seven children, viz., William T., Mary E., Lucy E., Charles, John E., Joseph and Alice M. His marriage with Melvina Berry was celebrated Dec. 11, 1866 ; she was born in Clark Co., Ill., May 14, 1834; they have one child by this union-Raymond Hen- drix. Mrs. Hendrix's father and mother are among the early settlers of Clark Co., locating there at a very early date, about 1829 or 1830 ; she has one child by her previous husband-Amelia Berry.
WILLIAM HUNT, farmer and Jus- tice of the Peace, Oakland ; born in Coles Co., Ill., Feb. 11, 1845, upon the place where he has since continued to live ; he is the son of James D. Hunt, who located in Coles Co., previous to 1838, where he died July 3, 1856 ; the subject of this sketch continued upon the old homestead, aud attended school and assisted in farm- ing, until the decease of his mother, which occurred July 3, 1865 ; after which he purchased the interest of a portion of the other heirs, and continued farm- ing upon the old place upon his own account, which business he has since successfully followed ; he owns 110 acres upon his home farm, upon which he has erected good farm-buildings. He was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace in the spring of 1877, for a term of four years, which office he now holds. He married March 3, 1864, to Susan E. Handley ; she was born in Clark Co., Ill., Aug. 22, 1848 ; her parents were among the early pioneers of Illinois ; they have five children now living by this union -- Justin H., born Feb. 11, 1867, Ruth T., born Sept. 24, 1872, Luvice E., born July 2, 1874, Sherman W., born June 10, 1876; Alvira L., born Oct. 2, 1877.
MERRILL F. HACKETT, retired farmer ; P. O. Oakland ; born in Lexington, Fayette Co., Ky., Sept. 10, 1821 ; he re- moved with his parents, when 8 years of age, and located in Springfield, Sangamon Co., Ill., where he learned and worked at the trade of brickmason until 1841, at which time he removed to Charleston. Coles Co., and engaged at his trade and farming and stock-raising until 1856 ; he then removed to the northern part of Coles Co., where he followed farming and stock-raising un- til 1875, when he purchased his present place of about thirty aeres, upon which he
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