The biographical encyclopedia of Illinois of the nineteenth century, Part 34

Author: Robson, Charles, ed
Publication date: 1875
Publisher: Philadelphia, Galaxy
Number of Pages: 770

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DDAMS, IION. JOHN H., Banker, Merchant, and Politician, was born in Berks county, Penn- sylvania, July 12th, 1822, his parents being Samuel and Catharine (Huy) Addams. He received his early education in the common schools, and by a comprehensive and practical coursc at an academy at Trappe, Pennsylvania, was well prepared for active life. On leaving school he was apprenticed to the milling busi- ness, and on the expiration of his term was ergiged for one year in a general mercantile business. In 1844 he removed to Stephenson county, Illinois, located in what is now called Cedarville, and established himself in business as a flour and grain dealer and miller, in which he is still interested as senior partner. He also purchased a farm in the vicinity, which he worked simultaneously with his milling business. In 1847 he took a prominent part in calling a convention of landholders and business men of the district to be held at Rockford, which resulted in a concert of action that pushed to completion the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad. Hc appreciated the absolute necessity for obtaining an outlet for the produce of that region by railway, and he exerted him- self to draw the attention of the people to it, and to induce them to subscribe for stock in the enterprise. In 1854 he was elected to the State Senate as a Republican, and held the seat continuously for sixteen years, retiring in 1870. In 1864 he aided in the organization of the Second National Bank of Freeport, and was elected its President. He retains his position at the present time. In 1844 he was married to Sarah Weber, daughter of Colonel Weber, of Kreiderville, Pennsylvania. She died in IS63, and in 1868 he married Mrs. William Halderman of Freeport. He lives at Cedar- ville, where he is very highly esteemed as an active and public-spirited citizen. He was energetic in his support of the Union cause during the war. He is regarded through-

out that district as a political leader of the highest type, and both politically and socially enjoys the confidence of all classes. He has been urged upon several occasions to be- come a candidate for Congress, to which he could have been elected with little if any opposition, but has declined. He is a gentleman of fine culture, of sound judgment, and has justly earned prominence in public estimation in both civil and private affairs.

OUGHERTY, JOHN, Lawycr, and ex-Licutenant- Governor of the State of Illinois, was born at Duck Creek, northeast of Marietta, Ohio, May 6th, 1806. His father, Charles Dougherty, was a native of Ireland, and left that country in 1798; his mother, Elizabeth (Wolf ) Dougherty, was a former resident of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. His earlier education was acquired at the schools in Illinois, and under the tuition particularly of Cyrenus Howe, an able and skilful preceptor. Upon abandoning school life he went to the lead mines in Washington county, Missouri, and there during the ensuing year was engaged in mining for lead. He then quit that occupation, and removed to Frederick- town, Missouri, where he taught school for about two and a half years. Returning subsequently to Jonesboro', Illinois, he decided to embrace the legal profession, and accordingly began the study of law under the supervision and able guid- ance of Colonel A. P. Field, now attorney-general of Lou- isiana. At the expiration of his allotted term of probation with that preceptor he passed an examination, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1831. He then established himself in Jonesboro', and entered immediately upon the active practice of that profession in which he has since been so successfully engaged. In 1832 he was elected to the lower House of the Legislature, secured a re-election in 1834, and in 1836 was again clected to that office. In 1840 he was once more chosen to occupy a seat in the House; in 1842 was elected to the Senate for a term of four years, and in 1846 again secured a re-election. He afterward resumed his legal practice, and was soon reabsorbed in the fulfilment of his many professional dutics. He continued thus occupied until 1857, when he was again elected to the House, where as before he at once assumed a leading position among the more prominent and influential members. In 1864 he was a Presidential Elector on the Lincoln and Johnson ticket, and in the fall of 1868 was elected Lieutenant-Governor of the State of Illinois. In 1872 he was again appointed a Presidential Elector on the Grant and Wilson ticket. In politics he had always, until 1860, been a zealous and con- sistent Democrat, and at that date was a supporter of Breck- enridge, and opposed to Douglas on account of the lack of a pronounced and well-defined policy. He was willing that the polls should decide whether it was to be slavery or non- slavery, and believed firmly that the want of definiteness in the avowed policy and principles of the Douglas party could

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lead to nothing but anarchy and revolution. When men divided upon the question of Union or Secession, he at once took a decided stand as an Unionist, and in consequence was ostracised by nearly all his friends and neighbors, who in company with the majority of the people in southern Illinois were sympathizers with the South, and some of them were aiders and abettors of their treasonable designs. Sub- sequently upon many occasions, during the bitter and pro- tracted struggle for supremacy of the North and South, he exhibited in moments of extreme peril his inflexible loyalty to the Union cause, and his devotion to its interests. It was in great part a result of his efforts that southern Illinois sub- sequently espoused the cause of the government, and it was through his influence that enlistments of soldiers in that sec- tion were made possible. Throughout the continuance of the rebellion, his voice was heard at all times, and he trav- elled night and day while delivering loyal and forcible specches. President Abraham Lincoln, in acknowledging his services, thanked him for his efficient exertions, and said : " His services were more important to the government than had he been at the head of an army." From the day that Sumter was fired upon, he was a Republican, and each additional shot only increased his devotion to the Union cause. For the past two years his physical condition has prevented him from continuing in active political life, but he is now rapidly regaining his health, and will probably once more assume a leading position in his State and county. IIis services in the Legislature have been productive of great good, and he has ever and ably assisted in all that pertains to internal improvements, and the development, social and political, of the community of which he is an honored mem- ber. To him may be ascribed, in a measure, the present prosperous condition of the canal and railroad systems which have assisted in developing with such marvellous rapidity the natural resources of the State. Upon his retirement from the Senate, that body in a very decided and compli- mentary manner gave expression to its sense of his ability, impartiality, and fine sense of honor, in a series of resolutions which were sent to him. At the present time he is engaged in supervising his farms, which cover many acres; also, in practising to some extent his original profession. He was married, March 4th, 1829, to Katherine James, a resident of Union county. Hc has one son in the United States army, now stationed at Fort Griffin, Texas-Lieutenant J. J. Dougherty ; and a large family of well-to-do sons and daugh- ters living ncar him.

USEY, COLONEL MATTHEW W., was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, in 1798. His parents were Samuel Busey of North Carolina, and Cath- erine (Seeglar) Busey, of Loudoun county, Virginia. He became a pioneer of Greencastle, Indiana, where he settled in 1820, and built the second cabin erected in that place. He was here engaged in mak-

ing bricks until 1836, and during his residence there was elected Colonel of the militia. In the spring of 1832 he took up a large tract of land situated at Urbana, Illinois, and was one of the first settlers in that section. He then engaged in farming, an occupation which he followed up to the time of his decease, an event which occurred December 18th, 1852. IIe served three terms in the Legislature of Illinois, and also for several years filled the office of Probate Judge. He was married to Elizabeth Bush, in Washington county, Indiana, who was from Kentucky, and who is still living.

USEY, SIMEON H., Banker, son of the above, was born in Greencastle, Indiana, October 24th, 1824. His education was acquired at Urbana, Illinois, having settled there with his parents when about twelve years of age. Until 1860 he was engaged in farming and agricultural pursuits, and subsequently established himself in a mercantile business at Champaign, about two miles distant from Urbana. In 1867 he returned to the latter place, and founded the banking house of Busey Bros., an institution still in prosperous opera- tion. This, one of the leadingest ablishments of the place, is a thriving and reliable house ; its business is ably and care- fully conducted, and its controllers are men of acknowledged financial and administrative skill. He is an active and effi- cient agent in all movements that relate to the advancement and increase of the social and material interests of his sec- tion, and is universally respected as an energetic and valu- able citizen. He was married in 1849 to Artimesia Jones, of Putnam county, Indiana.

HAW, BENJAMIN F., Editor, was born in Wav- erly, New York, in 1831. His parents are Alan- son B. Shaw and Philomela (Flowers) Shaw. After removing to Iowa from his native State, he remained there for a period of two years, and thence went to Rock Island, where he learned the printing business. In 1851 he settled in Dixon, there taking charge of the printing office of the Dixon Telegraph. He subsequently became the owner by purchase of that journal, and edited it with marked ability and success. He was one of the editors who met at Decatur, and called the first Re- publican State Convention, and on this occasion deported himself with effective energy and tact. In 1860 he was elected Clerk of the Lee County Circuit Court; was re-elected to that position in 1864, and officiated until 1868. His paper is one of the leading Republican organs of the county, is well conducted, and notable for its vigor and independ- ence. In all matters pertaining to the advancement, social, educational, and political, of his adopted State and county, he takes an active and discriminating interest, and through the medium of the Telegraph, which has a large circulation

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both in Dixon and the neighboring districts, has many times been instrumental in securing to the town various advantages of a nature more or less important.

studies which he was enabled to pursue was of a very limited character. At the early age of thirteen he was em- ployed in laboring on the railroads in the vicinity of his residence, and was thus occupied until he secured a subor- dinate position in a store at Greenville, where he remained for one year. He then began the study of law with Tevis Greathouse, a resident of the above town, and at the expira- tion of one year passed his examination and was admitted to the bar. In 1856 hc removed to Vandalia, and there en- tered upon the active practice of his profession, meeting with merited success. In 1861 he was elected Judge of the Fayette County Court, holding that office for a term of four years. In 1868 hc was a candidate for the State Senate, but was defeated by J. P. Vandorston, the Republican can- didate. In 1871-72 he was a member of the Legislature, and while acting with that body assumed a prominent and leading position. He has always been a supporter of the Democratic party, and in many ways has been instrumental in contributing to its welfare. He has held numerous local offices, and in the discharge of the functions attached to them has merited and obtained the praise of the general community. In conjunction with his partner, Mr. Henry, he possesses probably the largest practice in Vandalia, and is almost invariably selected for the conduct of such cases as require a nice perception of legal subtleties and a profound knowledge of special judicial theorems. He was married in 1859 to Mary C. Prentiss, daughter of Colonel Prentiss of Vandalia, and her demise occurred in June, 1865.

one year, was a regular attendant at the daily sessions of the educational establishment, where he acquired a compara- tively thorough training in the several branches of a rudi- mentary education. At the completion of that term he commenced reading law, occupying in this manner his leisure morning and evening hours. When eighteen years of age he devoted his entire time and attention to the study of legal text-books, and instructed himself rapidly in the

OUKE, JACOB, JR., Lawyer, was born at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, December 25th, 1836. His parents are Jacob Fouke and Kathrine Fouke, theory of that vocation in which he has since become so who moved to Edwardsville, Madison county, Illinois, in 1840. He was educated in the coun- try schools of the latter State, and the course of honorably and widely known. Thus occupied at Knoxville, Illinois, he was soon prepared to pass the needed examina- tion, at the termination of which he was admitted to the bar. In the spring of 1854 he commenced the active prac- tice of his profession in Lexington, Illinois, where he re- mained until January, 1862, when, removing to Bloomington, where he has since resided, he at once resumed his practice. Subsequently he became the possessor of an extensive and remunerative clientage, and through his natural abilitics and solid learning won the esteem and confidence of the sur- rounding country. During 1867 and 1868 he was Prose- cuting Attorney of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, and on August 10th, 1870, was elected Circuit Judge of the Eighth Circuit, to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Judge Scott to the Supreme Court of the State. In June, 1873, he was re-elected Judge of the same circuit, the number of which had been changed to the Fourteenth, for a term of six years. He was strongly opposed to the principles and actions of the political organization known as the Know Nothings of 1854, 1855, and 1856, and was noted as one of its ablest and most fearless opponents. In 1860 he sup- ported Judge Douglas with both voice and pcn; voted for Lincoln in 1864, and in 1868 and 1872 gave his entire sup- port to Ulysses S. Grant. In addition to his official duties he has another important occupation as Editor of the " Monthly Western Jurist," a professional journal of acknow]- edged merit. As a Circuit Judge he is remarkable for his rapid despatch of business, and for the soundness and clear- ness of his judgments and rulings. He was married, Octo- ber 22d, 1856, to Mary J. Shayer, daughter of Nicholas Shayer, of Logan county, Ohio.

IPTON, THOMAS F., Circuit Judge of the Eighth ASEY, LEWIS F., Lawyer, was born in Jeffer- son county, Illinois, April 23d, 1821. His parents, Green P. Casey and Margarct P. Casey, natives of South Carolina, emigrated to Illinois while it was a territory. Hc was educated at the Jefferson county schools and at the Hillsboro', Illinois, Academy. Upon leaving school, at twenty years of age, he began the study of law with Hon. W. B. Scates, of Mount Vernon. Shortly after he was elected County Surveyor of Jefferson county, which office he continued to hold during the ensuing eight years, prosecuting in the meantime his Circuit of Illinois, was born in Franklin county, Ohio, August 29th, 1833. IIis parents are of English extraction. His father, who was engaged in farming and agricultural pursuits, removed in 1844 to Money Creek township, McLean county, Illinois, near where Towanda now stands, and within a year after his arrival died there, leaving a family of three children. Throughout his boyhood until he had attained his sixteenth year the only educational facilities which he was able to secure were limited with regard to time and poor with regard to quality. He then, during a period of | legal studies. In 1848 he was licensed and admitted to the

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bar, and began immediately the practice of his profession at Mount Vernon, and was thus engaged until 1852. In 1846-47 he was a member of the State Legislature from Jefferson county. In 1852 he removed to the State of Texas, where he resided for fourteen years, being during that time engaged in extensive and successful practice. From 1848 to 1860 he officiated as Prosecuting Attorney, being three times elected to that position for the Third Judicial District of Texas. The criminal business of the seven counties composing the district was very large, and the resident lawyers were the ablest and most distinguished practitioners of this section of the country ; among others, there were Generals Rush and Henderson, United States Senators; and Judges Ochiltree, Clark, Ardry, Walker, and Wallace; while those charged with criminal offences were not infrequently persons of wealth and influence, who spared neither pains nor money to secure the ablest counsel in their defence. From 1860 to 1864 he was State Senator, representing the counties of Shelby, Sabine, and Parola; and, in addition to serving on six committees as a member, officiated as Chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs. The disorganized condition of the courts and country after the close of the war induced him, in 1866, to return to Illinois, and establishing himself at Centralia, he formed a law partnership with Hon. S. L. Dwight, a grandson of Governor Casey, of Illinois, and resumed the practice of his profession. Since that time he has secured a very extensive business, and been engaged in the conduct of many cases of importance, which have been managed by him with power and astuteness. He was married, in September, 1847, to Mary J. Casey, daughter of Governor Casey.

AKER, HENRY SOUTHARD, Lawyer and Jurist, Judge of the City Court of Alton, was born November 10th, 1824, in Kaskaskia, Ran- dolph county, Illinois, and is a son of David J. and Sarah T. (Fairchild) Baker. His father is one of the earliest and ablest lawyers in the State (whose biographical sketch appears elsewhere in this vol- ume) ; his mother was a native of New Jersey. He was cducated at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, and after leaving college entered his father's office, with whom he read law, and was admitted to practice at the bar of Illinois in 1849. He opencd an office in the city of Alton, and was soon recognized as a most efficient advocate and counsellor, being actively engaged in his professional avocations, and possessing a large and constantly increasing line of clients. He was elected a member of the Legisla- ture on the Democratic anti-Nebraska ticket, and served in that body during the session of 1854-55. He was one of the combination that caused the clection of Lyman Trum- bull to the United States Senate, thus defeating Abraham Lincoln, who was also a candidate at that time; in fact, it pear to comprehend thoroughly and with sufficient quickness

was he who made the nomination of Trumbull. In 1864 he was a member of the Electoral College of Illinois, which voted for Abraham Lincoln for President. In September, 1865, he was elected Judge of the City Court of Alton (which tribunal was first constituted in 1859), and which office he has continuously held since that year. His judi- cial decisions for the long period of his incumbency have been noted for their fairness, and he has given much satis- faction : indeed, but rarely have any of his decisions been reversed when the cases have been appealed to the Supreme Court. Moreover, the legal fraternity in this section of the State repose so much confidence in his ability and sterling integrity that they often apply for change of venue, in order that their cases may be brought before his court. He was married, November 26th, 1851, to Emily B. Bailey of Penn- sylvania, who died July 12th, 1862. He was again united in marriage, December 22d, 1864, to Mary F. Adams, of Illinois.

ANNY, PELLS, Pioneer, Farmer, and Manufac- turer, of Illinois, was born at Amsterdam, Mont- gomery county, New York, August 17th, 1802. His parents were Gabriel Manny and Elizabeth (Pells) Manny. His first occupation after leaving school consisted in managing a boat on the waters of the Erie Canal, New York, and at this he continued for about seven years. In 1836 he removed from Amsterdam to the State of Illinois, and commenced farming on the prairie in the vicinity of a place then called Yankce Settle- ment ; the country at that carly date being totally unorgan- ized and very sparsely settled. In 1838 he received the appointment of Postmaster at Waddam's Grove, in what is now Stephenson county. This position he retained for a period of sixteen years, and fifteen years after its relinquish- ment the Postal Department discovered that it was indebted to him to the amount of seventeen dollars, and that sum was subsequently remitted to him in a post-office draft at Amster- dam. The attention of farmers was then being directed to farm machinery, for labor was difficult to procure and expen- sive to retain through the seasons of compulsory idleness, and a vast amount of produce was annually lost or destroyed simply through the lack of help in harvesting and gathering. His attention was called to an account of a machine in- vented in Europe by the Gauls some three hundred years ago, and adapted to harvesting purposes, and from the de- scription thus procurcd he originally conceived the idea ultimately the motor power of such important results. In 1849 his first patent for the " Manny Reaper " was obtained. Hc had previously been experimenting for some time, and had invented a machine for cutting off the heads of the grain, which, however, was quickly superseded by the reaper. The latter invention was not introduced without considerable difficulty, as the farmers did not primarily ap-

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the method of managing it, and about $20,000 were ex- pended in perfecting the machines before they could be got to work successfully. But in 1852 the reaper was at length brought to a state of comparative perfection, and began to be sought for by agriculturists, and in the following year his son, J. H. Manny, began its manufacture also at Rockford, Winnebago county. In 1856 hc established a factory at Freeport, and thenceforth the business grew with a marvel- lous rapidity, until, within a brief period, the annual product rose to several thousands. At the present time the manu- factories of " Manny's Reapers " are established in various parts of the country, and in successful operation, while the machines are extensively uscd in every State in the Union. Since 1849 he has been connected with various parties in the reaper manufacturing business, but lately has, in a great measure, relinquished those associations on account of the enfeeblement of his health, and withdrawn from the turmoil of active business life. Among others who were connected with him in a business capacity for a shorter or longer period was his son-in-law, Jeremiah Pattison. He is not, as many suppose, the first inventor of reapers and mowers, but the immediate agent in their perfection. The " Walter A. Wood's Machine," at Hoosick Falls, New York, is an offshoot of the Manny machines; the right of manufacture was sold by him to W. A. Wood, who has since added various improvements, and prospered so greatly in his busi- ness that he has now the largest manufactory in the world, and will, in this season (1875), manufacture from twenty thousand to twenty-five thousand machincs.

ARSHALL, EDWARD B., M. D., was born in Dorchester county, Maryland, June 19th, 1814. IIis father was a native of Virginia ; his mother of the first-named State. His education was acquired in an academy located in his native place. Upon attaining his seventeenth year he found employ- ment in a dry-goods store, where he remained during the ensuing four years. He then became a medical student, under the instructions of Dr. Robinson, of Snow Hill. He subsequently removed to Illinois, scttling in Mascoutah, St. Clair county, there continuing his studies in medicine. In 1849 he entered the Missouri Medical College, and gradu- ated from that institution in 1850. He also graduated later, in 1855, from the St. Louis Medical College. In 1850 he established himself in Nashville, Illinois, and there engaged in the active practice of his profession, making that place his home for a period of nearly ten years. At two different and separate periods he attended the course of lectures held at the Rush Medical College of Chicago. In 1858 he the practice of his profession and meeting with great and moved to Centralia, where he has since permanently resided, merited success. Since then he has resided permanently in the latter place, occupied constantly either in fulfilling his numerous professional duties, in study and research, or in i literary labors of a historical and medical character. He the possessor of an extensive and lucrative practice. His time is monopolized almost entirely by his duties as consult- ing physician, and his circuit embraces a large section of

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The biographical encyclopedia of Illinois of the nineteenth century, Part 34

Author: Robson, Charles, ed Publication date: 1875 Publisher: Philadelphia, Galaxy Number of Pages: 770

Author: Robson, Charles, ed
Publication date: 1875
Publisher: Philadelphia, Galaxy
Number of Pages: 770