The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 98

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr.
Number of Pages: 1092

USA > Illinois > McLean County > The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 98

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DANIEL MADDEN, blacksmith, Bloomington ; was born in County Wicklow, Ireland, May 27, 1829; during his early life, he served a regular apprenticeship at the trade of blacksmith- ing : in 1852, he came to this country, locating in New York City until 1853, then came to Bloomington, where he has since lived : his shop is on East street, between Grove and Front streets; here he enjoys the reputation of being a first-class workman. He married Miss Ellen Flanady of his native country, in October, 1854; they have raised a family of five boys and two girls, who bid fair to become worthy citizens of this or any community in which they may ulti- mately be located.

I. MERCHANT, City Engineer, Bloomington ; son of Daniel P. and Ann E. (Cary Merchant ; was born in Morris Co., N. J., Feb. 13, 1837, where he obtained a good education. including a knowledge of civil engineering, and early in life entered upon that profession with the North Missouri Railroad Company, where he continued for a time ; thence to Cleveland, Ohio, where he was engaged upon the Cuyahoga River, and from 1857 to 1861, upon the Rock- ford & Rock Island Railroad in charge of construction. During the late war, he enlisted with the 28th I. V. I .: went out as Orderly Sergeant, and, after the battle of Fort Donelson, was pro- moted to Second Lieutenant, which position he held until after the battle of Pittsburg Landing, when he was promoted to First Lieutenant ; at the battle of Hatchie, he received a wound which disabled him from further duty, although he remained with the army until September, 1863; he then returned to Illinois, locating in Springfield, where he was elected County Surveyor, and served two years : after this, he was employed on the survey of what is known as the "Sulli- vant Lands" of Ford and Livingston Co.'s, Ill .; he came to Bloomington in 1868, since which time he bas served either as City Engineer or City Surveyor ; having diligently applied himself to his profession for many years, he has justly won the name of being very able in his profe :- sion, and being social and genial, has won the respect and high esteem of all who know him. He married Miss Mary, daughter of Francis Arenz, of Cass Co .. Feb. 14, 1860 ; they have one child-Ella K.

JOIIN G. MILLER, blacksmith Bloomington ; was born in New York City Aug. 20, 1831, where he was raised and schooled ; he came to Bloomington in 1850, and finished learning the trade of blacksmithing; he began business on his own account in 1858; he began with no means and now has a good property, and a happy family. He married Miss Rebecca Wheeler, daughter of Benjamin Wheeler, a prominent pioneer, Oct. 9, 1858; they have a family of four His shop is located at 425 North Main street, where he makes a specialty of horse-shoeing.

G. H. MILLER, architect, Bloomington There are few people who thoroughly understand the advantages to be gained by employing a first-class architect when they design erecting new buildings. He is a native of McLean Co .; was born in 1856, and learned the trade of an archi- tect with Mr. R. Richter; in 1874, he spent some time working at his trade in Columbus, Ohio, and. in 1875, went to Chicago, where he spent one year as a draughtsman ; he then returned to Bloomington, where he has since been engaged in business. His office is with the Bloomington Chair Manufacturing Company : he has on exhibition some very fine pencil work, among which is the new City Hall building and several prominent buildings of Bloomington.

E. J. MOORE, oil-mill, Bloomington. Mr. E. J. Moore, whose father is so frequently men- tioned in this work, is a native of McLean Co . born Oct. 23, 1838 : his early life was spent upon a farm, though his father gave him a very liberal education : in 1873, he began running the oil-mill which he and Mr. S. W. Waddle built the same year : though previous to this, he had made an overland trip to California in 1860, going by the Platte River route, returning in the fall of the same year': he is now one of the driving business men of the place and at present is one of the City Council. His mill is located close to the I., B. & W. and L., B. & M. depots : the building is 35x85 ; he usually gives employment to about eight men, his capacity being about 35,000 bushels per annum : the mill is usually run to full capacity ; the principal part of the oil- cake goes to New York, while the oil finds a market in Peoria and Chicago, after supplying the home trade ; he is one of the principal business men of the city ; those who know him best place the utmost confidence in his honor and integrity.

JOHN M. MAJOR. W. D . Bloomington. Another of the old pioneers and physicians of this city is Dr. J. M. Major, who is a native of Christian Co., Ky. ; he has been a resident of AcLean Co. since April 16, 1835 ; he began the study of medicine in 1848 ; attended and gradu- ated at the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati in 1849; after returning from college, he located at Quincy, Ill., where he remained in practice but one year ; then removed to Macomb,

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MeDonough Co., Ill .. remaining there in practice five years : in 1855, he came to this city and began the practice of his profession and engaged in the drug trade ; this he followed until 1868, when he was obliged to give it up on account of his health failing ; after regaining his health, he engaged in the manufacture of metallic caskets and burial cases ; this he also gave up, and, in 1868, again began the practice of his profession ; his office at present is at C. Wakefield's drug store, corner Center and Jefferson sts.

ADAM MUELLER, grocer, Bloomington : was born in Bavaria. Germany, June 30, 1880 ; during his early life. he learned the trade of a tailor ; he came to this country in 1851, locating in New York City, where he followed tailoring until 1856, when he came to Bloomington, and. for some four years, was in the employ of the C. & A. R. R. Co. During the late war, he enlisted with the 82d I. V. I. in 1862, and was in many of the most severe battles of the war, and at the battle of Chancellorsville was wounded, from the effects of which he has not wholly recovered, and the hardships and privations of a soldier's life are yet fresh in his memory ; he did hospital duty until mustered out in 1865. Ile then returned to Bloomington and built his present place of business, where he keeps a good stock of well-assorted groceries. He married Miss Barbara Dietz, of his native country, in August, 1852; they have two children-John A. and Emma.

J. C. MCFARLAND. Circuit Clerk, Bloomington ; was born in Franklin t'o., Penn., Sept. 7, 1823. During his early life, school advantages were limited ; he began doing for himself at the early age of 16, and in 1844, removed to Monongahela City, Washington Co. where, for a number of years, he was engaged in mercantile life. In 1848, he removed to Clinton Co., Ind., where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits, until his health began to fail; in 1852, he returned to Monongahela City, and again took up the mercantile business. He came to MeLean Co., Ill .. in 1856, locating at Heyworth, where he opened a general store. During the late war, he enlisted, and was elected Captain of the 94th I. V. I., and was promoted to Major ; he partici- pated in many of the most severe battles and skirmishes of the war, and was mustered out after a service of three years ; he then resumed his business at Heyworth, continuing until 1876, when he was elected to his present position. He is a practical business man, and, through industry, perseverance and integrity, has accumulated a good property. He married Miss Rebecca M. Logan, of Fulton Co., Penn., March 25, 1847; they have a family of five chil- dren living.

M. MEYER, butcher, Bloomington : was born in Canton Luzerne, Jan. 9, 1845. He came to this country in 1857, and located in Madison, Ind., and there began the trade of a butcher, continuing until 1859 ; thence to Chicago, where he remained, engaged at his trade, until 1860; thence to Crawfordsville ; then, in 1863, he came to Bloomington, and, in 1865, began on his own account. Mr. Meyer is a practical butcher of many years' experience, and is said to be skilled at the business, and has the reputation of killing excellent meat. He is located at 1011 W. Chestnut street, where he will ever be found ready to wait upon his numerous patrons. He married Miss Mary Steiger, of Springfield, Ill., Dec. 26, 1857 ; they have a family of four boys.

DAVID McMASTER, grocer, Bloomington ; was born in Franklin . o., Ohio, July 19. 1829 ; son of UIngh and Ann McMaster, who were prominent in the city of Columbus; during his early life, he learned the trade of a tailor, which he followed until his health became so impaired that he was compelled to abandon it, when he took up the business of a mason, and soon regained his health. He came to Bloomington in 1856, and continued the latter trade for a time ; then engaged with the Illinois Central Railroad Company as check clerk, continuing some four years, and then embarked in the wood and coal business, in the firm of Lander & McMaster ; this he continued about three years, when he engaged in the grocery business ; he is located at 506 N. Main street, where he keeps a well-assorted stock of goods. Ile married Miss Elizabeth Turner, formerly of Brooklyn, N. Y., in August, 1860 ; they have one child-Olive M.

ANTONE MEYERS, brewer, of the firm of Meyers & Wochner, Bloomington ; was born in Bilden Baden, Germany, in 1833; at the age of 19. he came to America, and landed in New York City ; here he was engaged in the brewery business, which trade he had learned in Germany ; from New York he went West, and first located in St. Louis, where he was foreman of one of the leading breweries; from there he went to Rock Island and remained three years; thence to Springfield, Ill., where he lived four years : in all those places he was connected with the brewing business. From Springfield he came to Bloomington, and commenced the brewing bus- iness in 1862.

ASA H. MOORE, proprietor of Street Railway, Bloomington ; was born in Worcester Co., Mass , in 1820, and is the son of Asa and Sabra (Goodell) Moore, of Massachusetts ; he was brought np on the farm, and followed farming until he was 19 years ohl; he then commenced railroading, and followed this business while in the East, some eleven years ; he was conductor of the first train ever run from Worcester to Springfield, Mass. In 1852, he came West, and was appointed Division Superintendent of the Michigan Southern Railroad, with headquarters at La Porte, Ind ; in 1854. he came to Bloomington, and was Assistant Superintendent of the chi- cago & Alton Railroad, under Richard P. Morgan. Mr. Morgan resigned, and Mr. Moore was then made General Superintendent of the Chicago and Alton Railroad, and continued such about seven years. Jan. 1, 1869. Mr. Moore purchased the Bloomington Street Railway ; the original cost of this road was some $50,000; he has made a great improvement in the stock since he h s

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owned it ; he first made the extension from Grove street to the depots ; then from the Normal terminus to the depots in Normal. Married, in Plymouth, Mass., Miss Nancy B. Washburn, of Plymouth, Mass. ; they have two children.

MARQUAM & BAKER. Bloomington. The Evergreen City Business College was organ- ized for the purpose of practically educating young men and women for the active duties of life ; to give them in advance of their entrance to business life, such a knowledge of its duties as will enable them to transact all business creditably and profitably. The course taught at this college is most thorough and practical. This is no eight to twelve weeks-institution ; but students are required to remain long enough to insure proficiency in every particular. As there is no vaca- tion, students can enter at any time. The full business course embraces book-keeping in all its forms, business arithmetic. business writing, letter writing. English composition, commercial laws, business ethics, spelling, etc. Prof. C. E Baker is giving lessons in tachygraphy, on Linds- ley's phonetic short-hand system, the best method of short-hand before the public.

C. D. MYERS, Bloomington ; was born May 7, 1847, in Meigs Co., Ohio ; when 5 years old removed to Marion Co., W. Va .; for twelve years he worked on a farm, where farming was hard ; attended the private schools two or three months in the winter season ; at the age of 15 he left home to do for himself, and returned to Ohio ; when he reached his destination. Pomeroy, he had just 50 cents, this being his entire worldly possessions except the clothes on his back and a small supply in his valise : he was not discouraged, though he did not then know what he was to do. This was in 1863 ; he obtained a situation as clerk and errand boy, in a dry-goods house in Pomeroy, where he remained about a year. In 1864, he enlisted as a recruit in the 32d Ohio Inf., and served till the close of the war, being nearly one year ; he was then 17 years old. With the money saved in the army he entered the National Normal School, at Lebanon, Ohio, in the fall of 1865; continued at school one year ; returned to West Virginia and worked on a farm, and taught school until 1869, when he again entered the National Normal, where he remained until 1872, in the summer of which year he graduated. Having chosen law as his profession, he entered that department in the University of Michigan, in October, 1872, and received the degree of LL. B., at that institution, in 1874. Mr. Myers was admitted to the bar in Michigan, but did not practice there. He first hung out his shingle in Bloomington, in 1874. Though an entire stranger, he soon found friends, and some business. Shortly after he came to Bloomington, he entered into partnership with Mr. Albert Bushnell, under the firm name of Myers & Bush- nell. This business connection lasted until January 1, of the present year, when the firm of Myers & Stroud was formed.

COL. WILLIAM MCCULLOUGH, deceased, Bloomington, whose portrait adorns this work, was the son of Peter and Levina Mccullough, and was born Sept. 11. 1812, in Flemingsburg, Ky .; the Mccullough family came to what is now McLean Co., Ill., in the year 1826, and settled at Dry Grove ; in early life, the subject of this sketch worked on a farm ; in 1832, he enlisted as a private soldier. in the company commanded by Merrit Covel, and went to the Black Hawk war; there he was distinguishel for his great personal courage ; having been so unfortunate as to lose his gun, he made good its loss by snatching one from the hands of an Indian on the ground of Stillman's Run. In December. 1833, he was married to Miss Mary Williams ; they had been schoolmates, and were tanght by Milton H. Williams, the father of Mrs. McCullough; in 1840 Mr. Mccullough lost his right arm in a threshing machine : in the same fall he was elected Sheriff of McLean Co., and held this office for three successive terms : he was then elected Circuit Clerk of the county, and held this office for four successive terms ; in August, 1861, he entered the army and was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the 4th I V. C .; with only one arm and a detective eye, he, nevertheless, performed his duty fearlessly and efficiently ; he was at Ft. Henry and Ft. Donelson, at Shiloh and at Corinth : on the 5th of December, 1862, Col. McCul- lough was killed in the engagement with the rebels near Coffeeville, Miss ; his body was brought home and buried in Bloomington Cemetery ; when the news of his death reached Bloomington, the bar of McLean Co. held a meeting and passed resolutions to his memory, as he continued to hold his office of Clerk of the Circuit Court. The following is taken from the report of this meeting :

William McCullough entered the military service of the United States, in August, 1861, and was immediately commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry. From that time he gave his whole heart to the cause of his country, and put all his energy to the suppression of the foulest rebellion that ever disgraced the pages of history ; he was present with his regiment at the operation which resulted in the capture of Ft. Henry, and in the taking of Ft. Donelson he rendered such efficient and valuable service that he attracted the attention of his com- manding officer the lamented Gen. Wallace), whose official report acknowledges and commends his gallant conduct ; he was also in the battle of shiloh, and in all the movements of the army that led to the evacuation of Corinth, by the rebels under Gen. Beauregard, and from that time until his de ith, he was always present where danger was to be met, or laurels won, and was ever a brave, faithful, energetic and accomplished soldier. In consideration of the services he has rendered the country, and inasmuch as he was long officially connected with this court, the members of this bar, in perpetuation of his memory, pray that this paper, together with the following resolutions, be spread upon the records of this court ;

Resolred. That we, the members of this bar, have heard with the deepest regret of the death of Lient. Col. William Mccullough, the Clerk of this Court, who fell in battle, bravely contending for the liberty and laws of his country against a canseless and most wicked rebellion.

Resolved. That in the death of Lieut. Col. McCullongh we feel that we have lost a warm-hearted, faithful friend : but our greatest regret is that the Government has lost a brave, accomplished and patriotic soldier, and liberty a valiant champion.

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Resolved, That we take this solemn occasion to renew, with a firmer purpose, our unalterable attachment to the constitution and laws of the country, and to again pledge to the Government our unswerving support and warmest sympathy in all its efforts to suppress this infernal rebellion.

Re-olred, That the Clerk of this Court furnish to the family of Lieut. Col. Mccullough a copy of these resolutions. The meeting was addressed most eloquently and appropriately by Col. Gridley, His Honor Judge Scott, Hon. Leonard Swett and by Messrs. W. HI. Hanna, Jesse Bishop, David Brier, J. H. Wickizer, R. E. Williams, James Ewing and M. W. Strayer, all giving some pleasant incident of kindness which they had received at the hands of the deceased, and all bearing testimony to the uniform urbanity, sociability, kindness, generosity, fidelity and integrity of Col. Mccullough in all the walks of social and public life. Upon motion, the preamble and resolutions were then unanimously adopted. Also, upon motion, W. II. Hanna, Esq., was appointed a committee on behalf of the bar, to present these resolutions to the court, and to ask that they be spread upon the records of the same.

JESSE BIRCH, Secretary.

W. P. BOYD, President.

William Mccullough had eight children, four of whom grew to manhood and womanhood- Mrs. Nannie L. Orme, widow of Gen. William W. Orme, whose sketch will be found in this work; Mrs. Fannie M. Orme, wife of Frank D. Orme, lives in Washington, D. C .; William A. McCul- lough died Sept. 2. 1869; he was, during the war, a soldier in the 5th 1. V. C .; Howard M. Mc- Cullough, died July I, 1871; he was also a soldier in the 94th I. V. I. Col. Mccullough was frank and outspoken in his manner, and a warm friend ; he was one of the most popular men in McLean Co.

HON. JAMES MILLER, deceased, Bloomington, whose portrait appears in this work, was of Scotch-Irish descent. and was born in Rockingham Co., Va., May 23, 1795. His grandfather was a Presbyterian minister in Ireland. He received such an educa- tion as could be obtained in a district school. When he was 16 years of age, his parents mnoved to Madison Co., Ky. ; he was brought up on a farm, but having a talent for trade, he left the farm and became a merchant. At the age of 20, he was elected to fill the offices of Collector and Sheriff, positions of trust and responsibility. While living in Kentucky, he became greatly dissatisfied with the institution of slavery, and determined to leave the State, and, in the year 1835, came to Bloomington, and formed a copartner- ship in the mercantile business, first with John Magoun, and afterward with John Magoun and John E. McClure. He owned a great deal of land, which he had entered, and also a large city property. In 1856, Mr. Miller was elected State Treasurer of Illinois, and so well and faith- fully did he fulfill the trust reposed in him to the satisfaction of the people of the State that he was re-elected in 1858. Mr. Miller, early in life, became a member of the Methodist Church, at a time when popular feeling was against that denomination, and while he was holding a position dependent upon popular will ; he was earnest and devoted, and soon was made a class-leader, and afterward a recording steward. During the remainder of his life, he occupied positions of trust and responsibility in the church. Wr. Miller has been twice married ; his first wife was Miss Juliet McClelland, of Shelby Co., Ky., who lived but one year after marriage, leaving one child, Juliet, now living in Kentucky ; on the 18th day of March, 1827, he married Mrs. Belle McGarvey, a daughter of John and Jane Moore, natives of Rockbridge Co., Va .; she was born Jan. 15, 1793; she had one child by her first husband, Alexander McGarvey, viz., John W. A., born Dec. I, 1820; by Mr. Miller, she had four children, three living-Robert A., born Feb. 10, 1828: William T., Ang. 17, 1831 ; James E., Sept. 5, 1833 ; and one deceased-Otaway W., born March 23. 1830, died July 14, 1830. Mr. Miller, after a long and useful life, died on the 23d day of September, 1872. He was an honored member of the Masonic fraternity, who took an active part at his funeral obsequies. At the Quarterly Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, held in Bloomington Oct. 14, 1872, resolutions of respect were passed to his memory. . Mrs. Miller is still living, at the ripe old age of 86, an excellent lady, who, during her whole wedded life, worked with her husband in the cause of Christianity.

JOIIN N. MARSO, dealer in boots, shoes and dry goods, Bloomington ; was born in Germany, in May, 1835 ; emigrated to America when he was a child ; came West, and first set- tled in Wisconsin ; his father was Jacob Marso, who died in Wisconsin, leaving the family in very poor circumstances. The son, at 14 years of age, commenced to learn the blacksmith trade, then that of a machinist; then turned his attention toward engineering ; he was one of the first firemen on the Illinois Central Railroad ; there were only three engines on the road at that time ; he then became a steamboat engineer on the Mississippi River ; thence to Blooming- ton, and entered a position in the machine-shop of the Chicago & Alton Railroad ; from there, with $3,000 capital, he entered the dry-goods business ; to-day, he owns a stock of dry goods valued at $7,000, and owns the store he occupies. He married Barbara Thomas; they have seven children.

J. C. S. NEFF, photographer, Bloomington ; is a native of Ohio, having come to Illinois · when quite young. Ile began his trade at the age of 14, in Chicago, where he spent some ten or twelve years in one of the best art galleries of that city; he opened business where he is now located, in October, 1878, and is favored with a good patronage from the citizens of Bloomington and McLean County ; his work is among the best in the city; Mr. Neff also takes orders for oil-painting and India-ink work. In 1862, he enlisted in Co. A, 94th I. V. I., as private ; did good service, and was mustered out in 1865, at the close of the war.

HENRY NEUERBURG, saloon-keeper, Bloomington ; was born in Rhenish Prussia, in 1833 ; came to America, landing in New York City, in 1854: he then came West, and located

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first in Cleveland, Ohio, where he remained but a short time, and in 1857 came to Illinois and settled in Lee Co., where he engaged in farming; in 1859, he came to Bloomington, and has made this his home ever since, ranking as one of the prominent Germans of Bloomington. He was married in Bloomington, to Josephine Michels, of Germany : they have five children, all born in Bloomington-Josephine, Rudolph, Henry, George W. and Louis. Mr. Neuerburg, in 1860, returned to Germany, and while there received some money ; he then returned to Bloour- ington, and, with this money, commenced business.

LUKE NEVIN, grocer, Bloomington ; was born in Boyle, Roscommon Co., Ireland, Nov. 14, 1828, and was raised upon a farm ; he came to the United States in March, 1849, locating in New York City, where he found employment with the II. R. R. R. Co., continuing until 1853, when he removed to Springfield, Ill .. and engaged with the C. & A. R. R. Co .; he removed to Bloomington in 1853, continuing in the railroad service until 1860; in 1860. he engaged in the grocery business ; his location is 622 and 624 North Main street, where is to be found a fine grocery, with a well-assorted stock of goods and sold at bottom figures; Mr. Nevin is a pleasant man to deal with, and we find him enjoying a good trade. He has twice married, first to Miss Margaret Judge of his native country ; they were married in New York City May 21, 1857 ; she died Aug. 10, 1874, leaving a family of five, and. Oct. 11, 1875, he married Miss Sarah Mor- ris, also of his native country ; they have two children.

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The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 98

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr. Number of Pages: 1092

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr.
Number of Pages: 1092