The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois, Part 89

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 848

USA > Illinois > Mason County > The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois > Part 89
USA > Illinois > Menard County > The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois > Part 89

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

GEORGE KARL, proprietor of the Taylor House Saloon, Havana ; was born in Baden, Germany, May 8, 1843 ; came to America in 1862, stopping in New York City about one year ; then came West to Cleveland, Ohio, where he remained a few months, and then went to Dayton, Ohio; in August, 1865, he came to Illinois, locating in Havana, his present home, where he worked at his trade (stonemason) until 1870 ; he then engaged in his present business, which he has since followed. He was married, March 18, 1868, to Miss Caroline Pump, who was born in Hanover, Germany ; they have three children -- Emma, Lena and John G. Mr. Karl is a member of Prosperity Lodge, No. 114, A. O. U. W.

ADOLPH KREBAUM, retired, Havana; was born in the city of Eschwege, in the electorate of Hesse-Cassel, Germany, Oct. 10, 1814, and is a son of Bernhard and Frederika (Siebert) Krebaum ; the following are the names of the children of Bern- hard and Frederika Krebaum - Frederick (deceased), Adolph, William, Charles (deceased), Emilie (deceased), Mary, Herman (deceased), Gustav (deceased), Caroline (widow of Dr. A. Burns), Edward (deceased) and Charles G. (see sketch) ; there were fourteen children in all; three died in infancy, two in Germany, and one in this country ; the survivors of this family reside in Havana, and of the deceased members all died in this city except the two mentioned above; the family emigrated to America in 1834, and, in June of that year, located in Havana. The subject of this sketch engaged in the mercantile business in Havana in 1851, but prior to the above date (1847) was elected to the office of County Clerk and served six years ; he was again elected to that office in 1855, and served till December, 1865. In 1853, he was married to Miss Julia A. Morton, who was born in New York ; she died in December of the same year. He was married Jan 1, 1861, to Sarah E. Field, who was born in Massachusetts. Mr. Krebaum is a member of the following Masonic bodies: Havana Lodge, No. 88; Havana Chapter, No. 86, and the Commandery at Rushville, Ill.

ROBERT LOFTON (deceased), Sce. 33; P. O. Havana; was born in Wash- ington Co .. Ind., Dec. 10, 1835 ; he came to Illinois in 1856, locating in Havana Town- ship in the spring of that year. In 1862; he married Miss Louisa M., daughter of Stephen Hole; she was born in Washington Co., Ind .; in 1865. they removed to Liv- ingston Co., Ill., and, two years later, to Ford Co., returning to Mason Co. in 1875, the year of her husband's death ; their children are Stephen F., Charlie M., Allie L., Eli and Freddie.

ANSON LOW, of the firm of Low & Foster, grain and commission merchants, Havana; was born in Havana Township, this county, Oct. 14, 1846; his father, Eliphaz Low, with two other brothers, settled here in the autumn of 1836. The sub- ject of these lines remained on his father's farm until 10 years of age, when the family

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removed to Havana; in 1862, he entered the Northwestern University at Evanston, Ill., where he remained one year, and then entered the Lombard University, at Galesburg, Ill., where he pursued his studies till 1865 ; in 1866, he engaged in the lumber trade at Havana, under the firm name of Jones & Low, and, about a year later, Mr. Foster bought- Jones' interest ; some two years later, the firm was changed to MeFadden, Low & Co., and engaged in the grain and lumber business ; in 1876, the present firm of Low & Foster was established, and their business since that date has been exclusively grain and commission. Mr. Low is a member of the present Board of Aldermen. He was married, in 1875, to Miss Aliee E. Long, who was born near Harrisburg, Penn .; they have one child-Corinne. Mr. Low is a member of the following Masonie bodies: Havana Lodge, No. 88; Havana Chapter, No. 86, and Damascus Commandery, No. 42.

GEORGE W. LANGFORD, with W. C. Browning & Co., elothing merchants of New York; residence, Havana ; was born in Fulton Co., Ill., March 17, 1831, and is a son of Asa and Nancy (Nevitt) Langford ; the former a native of Tennessee, and the latter of Kentucky ; he (the elder Langford ) removed to Illinois in 1824, and settled in Fulton Co., and there laid out the old town of Waterford, subsequently becoming one of the proprietors of Lewistown (present capital of that county), and of Havana, this county, also connected, in various ways, with the early history of both counties. George W., the subject of these notes, when about 8 years of age, came with his father's family to Point Isabel, just across the river from the present eity of Havana, and about seven years later, located in the latter place; in 1848, he entered the employ of Walker. Haneoek & Co., and, in 1856, became a partner in the farm ; this was the principal business house in Havana at that period, and had a large patronage-sales ranging from $75,000 to $110,000 per annum ; in 1864, he engaged in general merchandise with C. G. Krebaum, under the firm name of Langford & Krebaum, and about three years later went to Chicago, where he remained about one year, and then went to New York City ; since 1869, he has been with his present house-W. C. Browning & Co., whole- sale elothiers. Mr. Langford has served as a member of the Town Board, and several terms as a sehool offieer. He was married, in 1851, to Miss Hester A. Allen ; by this union there were two children-William, living in Havana, and Charles R., who vol- unteered to take the place of telegraph operator at Memphis, Tenn., during the prev- alenee of the yellow fever there in 1878, after all the operatives in the office had been strieken down with the terrible plague, and fell a vietim to it himself, in 1878. Mr. L. was married to his present wife, Mrs. Amanda W. Blanchard (nee Walker), daugh- ter of James Walker, on June 22, 1878; she had, by her first marriage, three children -Frank W., Dell and Nellie. Mr. L. is a member of Havana Lodge, No. 88, A., F. & A. M.

HON. LYMAN LACEY, Circuit and Appellate Judge; Havana; was born in Tompkins Co., N. Y., May 9, 1832, and is a son of John and Chloe (Hurd) Lacey, the former a native of New Jersey, and the latter of New York. In 1836, the family emigrated to Michigan, and the following year came to Illinois and settled in Fulton. The subject of this sketeh received his early education in the common schools of this- State, and subsequently entered Illinois College, at Jacksonville, where he graduated, in 1855, with the degree of A. M. He commeneed the study of law the same year, with Hon. L. B. Ross, of Lewistown, Ill., and was admitted to the bar in 1856. In October of that year he located at Havana, where he followed the profession of law till 1862, when he was elected to the Lower House of the Legislature on the Democratie ticket, as Representative of Mason and Menard Cos., and served one term. He was elected in June, 1873, Circuit Judge of the. Seventeenth Distriet, comprising the counties of Mason, Menard, Logan and De Witt. In 1877, when the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Judicial Circuits were consolidated, and designated the Seventh Judicial Distriet, embracing, in addition to the above-named counties, Cass, Greene, Jersey, Scott and Morgan, Judge Lacey was appointed by the Supreme Court Appellate Judge of the Third or Springfield District, and, in 1879, re-appointed to serve in the Second or Ottawa District. He was re-elected Circuit Judge June 2, 1879. He was married,

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HAVANA TOWNSHIP.

May 9, 1860, to Caroline A. Potter, of Beardstown, Ill., who died Sept. 12, 1863. Two children by this union, one living-Lyman, Jr. May 19, 1865, he married Mattie A. Warner, of Havana, who was born in Ohio. By this union there were six children, four of whom are living-Charles, Frank, Mattie and Edward.

EDWARD F. LEONARD, teacher, See. 22; P. O. Havana; was born in Coshocton Co., Ohio, Dee. 29, 1855, but removed in childhood, with his father's family, to Illinois, loeating in Havana Township, this county. In the spring of 1874, he entered the State Normal University at Bloomington. He commenced

teaching in 1873, which occupation he has since followed, except when attending school. His father, Charles C. Leonard, was born in Massachusetts, Nov. 12, 1819, and came to Mason Co., Ill., in 1862. His death oeeurred July 9, 1869. Mrs. Leonard's father, Daniel Ott, came to Illinois in 1839. She was born in Bradford Co., Penn., and was married to Mr. Leonard April 9, 1842. They had five ehildren, four of whom are living-Florence, wife of C. Travelute, who resides in Iowa ; Robert B., Edward F. and Charles C. Eddie F. died Feb. 25, 1854.

FRANCIS LOW, banker, Havana; was born in Lancaster, Worcester Co., Mass., Sept. 28, 1813, and is the son of Nathaniel and Mary (Kendall) Low, both of whom werc natives of Massachusetts. He received his education at the Laneaster and Berlin Academies, and when about 18 years of age, removed with his brothers, Thomas and Eliphaz, to Louisville, Ky., where, for a period of two years, they engaged in mercantile pursuits. From Louisville, the subject of this sketeh went to Cineinnati, where he fol- lowed the same business, and also to St. Louis; thenee, he came to Havana, where his brothers, named above, had preceded him a short time. They built a steam saw-mill here, which they afterward sold to Pulaski Scoville. Mr. Low served as Deputy Sheriff of Tazewell Co. when this part of Mason was included in Tazewell ; was also elected the first Sheriff of Mason after its formation as a county, an office he held for two terms. He was connected, at an early day, with the Illinois River Railroad (now the Peoria, Pekin & Jacksonville), and was one of its Directors. He is President of the Havana & San Jose Narrow-Gauge Railroad Company, a company formed for the purpose of build- ing a narrow-gauge road from Havana to San Jose, to eonneet with the Rantoul, Havana & Western Narrow-Gauge. He took an active part in the organization of the Havana National Bank, of which he has been President during its entire existence. Mr. Low has been married twice. By the first marriage, there were three children, of whom two are living-William and Thomas; Frank, the youngest, is dead. He has no children by his last marriage. Mr. Low is a man of education, and 'of fine literary tastes and attain- ments, and his ample mcans enable him to gratify his inclinations in this direction to his entire satisfaction. A personal friend of Lincoln and Trumbull, and the leading men of the times, he has entertained them at his elegant home whenever they visited the eity of Havana, as business sometimes led them to do.

SAMUEL A. MURDOCK, junior editor of the Democrat, Havana ; was born in Mt. Holly, N. J., Jan. 12, 1848, and is a son of N. R. and Phoebe B. (Seott) Murdoek. In 1836, his father moved to Illinois, and located in Mason Co., and, after remaining some years, returned to New Jersey, where he resided until 1854, when he again removed to Mason Co., where he still lives. The subject of this sketch has four brothers living-John S., Charles H. (now in the regular army, and 1st Duty Sergeant of Co. F, 6th U. S. Infantry, stationed at Ft. Buford, Dakota), James R. and William M., and one dead, Jacob L. Three sisters, two living; Sarah C. and Mary E., living, and Hannah Elmira, dead. Two half-brothers living-Andrew J. and Thomas K. Mr. Murdock spent his early life on a farm, until his enlistment in the late war, from which he was mustered out in October, 1865. He served in Co. F, 11th Ill. Cav., of which R. G. Ingersoll was the first Colonel. After his discharge from the army, he worked on a farm until February, 1868, when he went to New Jersey, and attended school five months, then returned to Illinois, in October, and commenced teaching. He taught and went to school alternately, until 1875, when he commenced the study of law with Fullerton & Wallace, and remained with them until admitted to the bar, in January, 1878, before the Supreme Court. In April, 1878, he was elected Assessor of Havana

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Township, and, in August. 1878, in connection with John F. Mounts, he bought the Havana Democrat, in which he is a partner, and of which he is junior editor. In April, 1879, he was again elected Assessor of the township. Is a member of the Mason Lodge, No. 143, I. O. O. F., and of State Encampment, No. 34, I. O. O. F., also of Havana Lodge, No .. 743, Knights of Honor. He was married, Sept. 23, 1877, to Miss Minnie Eagles, daughter of T. M. and Agnes (Fink) Eagles, of Indiana. They have one daughter, Phœbe Agnes.

GEORGE MACK (Dehm & Mack), proprietor of Havana Brewery, Havana ; was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, April 29, 1845 ; he came to America in 1864, locating at Freeport, Ill., thence to St. Louis, Mo., the following year. In 1868, he started a brewery at Edwardsville, Ill., where he remained about one year, and then returned to St. Louis. In 1873, he went to Keokuk, Iowa, and, two years later, removed to Havana, his present home ; here he was employed as foreman of the brewery till 1877, since which date he has been a member of the above firm; he was married, in 1866, to Mrs. Ernestine Wirth (Franzlaur), who was born in Germany. Six children, the first four by her first marriage-Anna, wife of G. H. Carl; Zelle, Mary, Ella and Ludy ; Maggie and George F. Willie. Mr. Mack is a member of Havana Grove, No. 40, U. O. A. D.

WILLIAM B. MORGAN, proprietor of the Taylor House, Havana; was born in Fleming Co., Ky., Dec. 29, 1853, but removed with his parents when about 8 years of age, to Champaign, Champaign Co., Ill. In 1870, he was employed in the office of the United States Express Company, and about two years later, as agent of the Company, went on the Havana extension of the I., B. & W. Railway, serving in the capacity of messenger on this road, until February, 1878, when he located at Havana, his present home. He engaged in the hotel business, and on the 24th of May, 1879, became proprietor of the Taylor House. The excellent manner in which he keeps his house, his well-spread table, and his universal courtesy and kindness to guests, show him to be-what he is-a model landlord. He was married, in October, 1878, to Miss Ida Sanford, who was born in Griggsville, Pike Co., Ill. They have one child-Maud M., born Aug. 12, 1879.

JACOB T. MOWDER. farmer, Sec. 33; P. O. Havana ; was born in Lycoming Co., Penn., March 24, 1836, but removed, in early childhood, with his father's family, 'to Illinois, locating in Havana Township, this county, in May, 1839, where he has since resided. He was married, Nov. 25, 1867, to Miss Margaret J. Pond, who was born in Menard Co., Ill .; they have three children-Emma, Frank and Freddie. Mr. Mowder has served as Supervisor one term, Commissioner of Highways six years, Town Clerk one term, and School Director several years ; also School Trustee. He owns 273 acres of land in Havana and Crane Creek townships. Mr. Mowder, aside from farming, has followed teaching for the last twelve years, mostly during the winter season.

ISAAC N. MITCHELL, insurance and real estate, Havana ; was born in Morgan Co., Ill., Feb. 13, 1829 ; is a son of Isaac and Frances (Stribling) Mitchell, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Kentucky ; his parents removed from Kentucky to Morgan Co., Ill. in 1828; here they resided till 1846 ; then removed to Field's Prairie in this county. Isaac N. followed farming until about 21 years of age, com- bining with it wolf-hunting, usually devoting Saturdays to that amusement ; when he left the farm, he entered the employ of B. & J. M. Beesley, of Bath; from 1850 to 1861, followed the mercantile trade. He subsequently served one term as Constable, and, for two years, followed steamboating on the Illinois River. In 1867, he was elected Treasurer of Mason Co., and, two years later, elected County Clerk, serving in that. capacity four years. He was elected Mayor of the city of Havana in 1875; was also a member of the School Board, and with his associates (Messrs. Wheeler and Foster), erected the present fine school edifice. Iu 1856, he was married to Miss Ann L., daughter of P. W. Campbell; four children by this union, two of whom are living- Franklin I. and Gay Edgar; Charles W. died May 1, 1872; Thomas N. died in infancy. Mr. Mitchell is a member of the following Masonic bodies : Havana Lodge, No. 88; Havana Chapter, No. 86 ; Damascus Commandery, No. 42.

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HAVANA TOWNSHIP.

HON. JOHN A. MALLORY. Judge of County Court of Mason, Havana ; was born in the city of Lexington, Ky., Nov. 17, 1830 ; but, when 5 years of age, his par- ents removed to Illinois and located in Jacksonville; his father, Ambrose Mallory, who was a native of Virginia, was among the early settlers of Jacksonville, and it was in this city that the subject of this sketch received his education. At the age of 17, he engaged in the printing business, first with the Pike County Free Press, of Griggsville, Ill., and in 1848, with the Morgan .Journal, Jacksonville, which paper he edited for six months. He was afterward connected with the Eagle and Enquirer, of Memphis, Tenn., for one year. A man of fine literary tastes, a poet and an editor, he has given to the world of letters many bright gems of more exalted merit than he himself cares to admit. He was the successful competitor for a silver cup, valued at $50, offered in the city of Memphis, for the best poem on the New Year, in 1860. As a New-Year's poem, it is pronounced almost unequaled. He came to Havana in 1858; afterward studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1868. On the breaking-out of the late war, though a Southern man by birth, he deemed it his duty to unite with the Union army ; and, accordingly, he enlisted in Co. B, 85th I. V. I., as Second Lieutenant, in which regi- ment he served until February, 1863, when he resigned. In 1865, he was elected Police Justice to fill a vacancy, and, afterward, elected for a full term. He was elected County Judge in 1869, and re-elected in 1873, by the largest majority any officer ever received in Mason Co. He was again re-elected in 1877, and still holds the office. His official record is without blot or blemish, and his decisions are made according to the law and testimony.

HENRY W. MCFADDEN, banking and grain, Havana; was born in Cayuga Co., N. Y., Jan. 26, 1826, where he resided until 1848, at which time he came West and located at Peoria, Ill. In 1849, he was appointed Deputy County Surveyor of Peoria Co., and in November, of the same year, elected to that office and served four years. He then engaged in farming in Akron Township, that county; in the spring of 1856, he sold his farm and spent the summer traveling in Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas in company with J. Moffit, and, in the fall of that year, located at Chillicothe, Peoria Co., Ill., and engaged in the grain and lumber business under the firm name of McFadden & Moffit; in 1863, he engaged in the grain and lumber business at Havana, under the firm name of H. W. McFadden & Co., still continuing his business at Chilli- cothe until 1865, being associated there with various partners; in 1866, the banking firm of McFadden, Coppel & Kemp was established and continued under the above firm name until the death of Mr. Kemp in 1867, when the present firm name (McFadder: & Coppel) was adopted; in 1868, Mr. McFadden removed to Chicago, where he attended to the purchase and sale of lumber and grain for the firm here, and, also, during the winter of 1869-70, with William J. Dobbins and John E. McClure, built the Central City Elevator at Peoria, which was the first built in that city ; since 1873, Mr. McFadden has made Havana his home. In 1851, he was married to Miss Harriet M. Munson, who was born in Monroe Co., N. Y .; by this union there were five chil- dren, four of whom are living-Bruce H. (member of the firm of McFadden & Co.), George C., Benjamin L. and Henry L .; John W. died in 1873.

RUDOLPH MEYER, farmer, Sec. 18; P. O. Havana; was born in Hanover, Germany, Feb. 15, 1841, but removed to America in childhood with his father's family ; they came via New Orleans and located in Bath Township, this county, in the fall of 1848; his father was Harman Meyer and his mother's maiden name was Margaret Horstman ; both were born in Hanover, Germany. On the 16th of May, 1867, Mr. Meyer married Miss Joanna M. Dierker, who was born in Bath Township, this county, Aug. 13, 1846; her parents came to the county in the spring of 1838; they were natives of Hanover, Germany. Mr. Meyer owns 365 acres of land in Havana Town- ship; they have four children living-Harman H., John W., August R. and Anna M .; John H. died Aug. 26, 1878.

JOSEPH MOWDER, farmer, Sec. 15; P. O. Havana ; was born in Columbia Co., Penn., July 3, 1808; when about 6 years of age, his father's family removed to Harrison Co., but he remained with his grandfather; he removed to Lycoming Co.,

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Penn., when about 25 years of age, and, on the 31st of July, 1833, was married to Miss Judith Stroup, who was born in Columbia Co., Penn., Dec. 4, 1810; by this union there were ten children, five of whom are living-Jacob T., John, Elizabeth (wife of George Lewis, who lives in Nemaha Co., Neb.), Martha J. (wife of John Blakely, who resides in Mason Co., Ill.) and Charles C .; the five deceased are David, Mary C., died in October, 1845; Harriet A., Aug. 2, 1834; one died in infancy. Mr. Mowder removed to Havana Township, this county, in May, 1839, and now resides within one- fourth of a mile of where he first settled ; he says his first residence was constructed of logs and not encumbered with either upper or lower floor. Many of the early settlers had their houses so arranged that (if they were wealthy enough to own a horse) they could hitch to a log of wood and " haul " it in at one door and pass out with the horse at the other, thus securing their fuel by horse power. He now owns 240 acres of land in Havana Township.

JOHN H. NETELER, deceased ; was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1801 ; he came to America in August, 1832, locating first at Baltimore, Md., thence to New Orleans, La., the following spring, where he worked at his trade, blacksmithing, some two years, and then removed to Illinois, stopping for a short time in Menard Co .; in the spring of 1835, he entered land in what is now Havana Township, Mason Co., and returned to New Orleans, where he was married to Miss Margaret R. Speckmann, also a native of Hanover, Germany. In the spring of 1836, Mr. Neteler and wife located in Havana Township, which was their home up to the time of their death. Mr. Neteler's death occurred Dec. 3, 1863, his wife having died some four years previous. Mr. Neteler, after his location in Mason Co., gave his attention for the most part to farming, but for a time worked at his trade, and is frequently mentioned by the early settlers in this connection, fully appreciating his services, as mechanics in these early days were very rare; he also assisted Mr. Lincoln in the early surveys of Mason Co. The following are the children of Mr. and Mrs. Neteler : Hannah (deceased, wife of John H. Bruning), Henry (whose sketch is given below), Mary (wife of Henry Von- hold), Lucy (deceased, wife of John Carman), Rebecca (deceased), Katrina (deceased) and Rebecca.

HENRY NETELER, farmer, Sec. 12; P. O. Havana; is a son of John H. Neteler, whose sketch is given above, and was born in Havana Township Dec. 16, 1848 ; he now resides on the old homestead near Havana and owns a farm of about 300 acres. He was married, Oct. 7, 1875, to Miss Anna K. E. Devermann, who was born in this township Oct. 10, 1856 ; they have one child-Lucy M. Mr. Neteler has served as School Trustee and Highway Commissioner one term each.

JAMES C. NEWLIN, Constable, Havana ; was born in Scotland July 27, 1828, and came to the United States with his father's family when a bairn but 1 year old. The family located in Butler Co., Ohio. In 1851, his father came to Illinois, and died in Putnam Co. in 1854. James C., the subject of this sketch remained in Butler Co., Ohio, till 1858; then went to California overland, and remained there until 1864, engaged mostly in mining, but was two years in the employ of Wells, Fargo & Co .; returned to Butler Co., Ohio, and was married, in 1866, to Miss Jane Lesourd, who was born in Ohio ; one child-Rosa. Is a member of Rose of Sharon Lodge, No. 77, A., F. & A. M., in Butler Co., Ohio, has been a member about twenty-two years. He came to Illinois in 1867, and located in Quiver Township, in this county, and engaged in farming ; removed into Havana in 1873.

HARMON R. NORTRUP, attorney-at-law, Havana ; was born near Quacken- bruck, Hanover, Germany, April 6, 1852; he came to America when about 13 years of age, and located at Havana, his present home, in the fall of 1865; here he followed clerking and book-keeping for a few years, and, in 1870, was appointed Deputy County Clerk, of Mason Co., serving in that capacity for a period of about three years. He entered the Lincoln (Ill.) University in 1873, and, two years later, went to Chicago, where he remained for a few months; he then returned to Havana, and read law in the office of Dearborn & Campbell until the fall of 1877, when he entered the law school at Albany, N. Y., from which he graduated May 21, 1878, and was admitted to the bar of

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The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois, Part 89

Author: Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 848

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 848