USA > Illinois > Henry County > The biographical record of Henry County, Illinois > Part 45
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PHILIP J. WINTZ.
Among the honored veterans of the Civil war who claim Henry county as their home none fought more valiantly for the preserva- tion of the Union than the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch. lle has been a resident of Annawan for almost half a century and has been prominently identified with her industrial interests. Mr. Wintz Was born in Rappahannock county, Virginia, November 4, 1826, and is of German de- spent on both the paternal and maternal
His father, Henry Wintz, was born at Culpeper, Virginia. . April 17, 1,88, and was married in London county, that state, June 3. 1824, by Rev. S. G. Roszell, to Miss Sarah Frye, whose birth occurred February 10, 1797. Her father, Philip J. Frye, was born in Germany, August 13, 1775. and came to America in 1793. He spent his life as a farmer on Goose creek in London county, Virginia, where he died November 20, 1841, his remains being interred at Mid- dleburg, that state. He was drafted during the war of 1812, and after being given his accontrements went to Middleburg only to find that the war had ended and his services were not needed. On the 7th of April, 1796, he married Catherine Wirtz, and of the children born to them Mrs. Wintz was the oldest. In order of birth the others were as follows: Elizabeth, born January 24. 1799, died nomarried September 7, 1866; Mar- garet, born December 12, 1800, became the wife of David Daily, of Preble county. Ohio, and died about 1844: Henry, born April 21. 1803. married a Miss Burnside and died in Indiana in 1848: Joseph, born May 14. 1809, died on the old homestead unmarried July 2, 1876; George P., born October 30, 1823. died in London county, Virginia, at the age of fifteen years: Con- rad, born May 14. 1809, married Susannah Thomas and died in Butler county, Ohio, September 29, 1882: Ann C., born .April 30. 1814, married Townsend Howell, of Vir- ginia, and died in Clark county, Illinois, February 9, 1886: Christina, born December 27. 1816, died in London county, Virginia, unmarried, April 8, 1877: and Eveline, born March 12. 1820, became the wife of James Lawson, of Fauquier county, Virginia, and died in Maryland, March 23. 1899.
After his marriage Henry Wintz fol-
P. J. WINTZ.
MRS. P. J. WINTZ.
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
1. wed farming in his native state until 1828 when he removed to Warren county, Ohio, our subject at that time being eighteen months old. Two years later the father took up his residence in Preble county, Ohio, and operated a rented farm near New Hope for five years, but died before the expiration of the lease. He followed agricultural pur- suits throughout life and died in Preble county, October 27, 1833. His wife sur- vived him some years, dying September 18, 1846, in the same locality. They had a fam- ily of five children, namely : Peter, born Sep- tember 5. 1825, married Catherine Frye. now deceased, and lives in Carlock, McLean county, Illinois; Philip J., our subject, is next in order of birth; Mary Ann, born Au- gust 22, 1828, became the wife of Samuel Frye, and died in Sedgwick county, Kansas, May 20, 1891 ; Daniel, born June 16, 1831, married Sabina Truckcess and resides near Converse, Howard county. Indiana; and Elizabeth, born March 23, 1833, is the wife of George Lowman, of Sedgwick county, Kansas.
The early educational advantages of Philip J. Wintz were limited, as he was only able to attend the district schools one month during each year for fourteen years, pur- suing his studies in a primitive log school house in Preble county, Ohio. Even the seats and desks were made of split logs set upon pegs. He was not quite seven years of age when his father died, and was nineteen at the time of his mother's death. Five years later he left his old home in Preble county, Ohio, and went to Warren county, that state, working on a farm at Springboro one year at ten dollars per month, after which he took up the carpenter's trade. While there he was married, April 3. 1852, to Miss Mary Frye. a daughter of Solomon and Sarali
Frye. She died November 29, 1898. They had no children.
Mrs. Philip J. Wintz, nee Mary Frye. was born near Springboro, Warren county, Ohio, January 16, 1830, and was the daugh- ter of Solomon and Sarah ( Haynes) Frye, the former a native of Loudoun county, Vir- ginia, born October 12, 1800. He was a son of Ilenry Joseph and Catherine ( Wid- deman ) Frye. the former being a brother of Philip J. Frye, maternal grandfather of our subject. Henry Joseph Frye was a na- tive of Germany, as was his brother Philip. Solomon Frye, the father of Mrs. Wintz. was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, and moved to Ohio with his parents in 1816, when sixteen years of age. He learned the trade of a carpenter and also owned and operated a farm. He married Sarah Haynes, March 12, 1826. She was a native of Rock- ingham county, Virginia, born October 12, 1803, and belonged to an old American fam- ily of German extraction. Solomon and Sar- ah ( Haynes) Frye reared a family of four children. Cornelius worked at the carpenter trade and died at Dayton, Ohio, when about forty years old. Mary married Philip J. Wintz. our subject. Martha married Abso- lom Blinn, and moved to Albany, Kansas. She is now deceased. Margaret married George Ray and now resides in Mt. Car- roll, Illinois. She is the only surviving member of the family.
Immediately after his marriage Mr. Wintz came to Illinois and located at Shef- field, Bureau county. At that time both the Rock Island and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroads were in course of con- struction. He purchased a farm of eighty acres, for which he paid three hundred and sixty-nine dollars in cash, but on account of a defect in the title he was obliged to aban-
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don it and fost everything. Although he was somewhat discouraged he went to work to retrieve his fortune, and in March, 1854, came to Annawan, taking up his abode in his present residence the following year. At that time. however, what is now his kitchen constituted the whole house. For a year he worked at the carpenter's trade, and in 1855 did the first blacksmithing done in the village. Selling out a year later he follow- ed the millwright's and carpenter's trades until 1884. Ile constructed the majority of the buildings in the southern part of the township, including the church built in 1858, and also assisted in building the first and second mills erected at Annawan. The last house built by him was the residence of James MacChesney, in 1877. He now con- ducts a general machine and repair shop.
After the inauguration of the Civil war, Mr. Wintz enlisted at Princeton, Bureau county, Illinois, as a musician in a regi- mental band, which started for St. Louis to join Burgess' sharpshooters, but at Alton they were arrested for the reason that the colonel of the regiment that they were going to join reported that they had broke camp and were going to join the rebels. Finding that this was untrue Governor Yates ordered them to Springfield, and, after two weeks spent at Camp Butler, they were sent to Camp Douglas, Chicago, where the band was assigned to the Fifty-seventh Illinois Volum- teer Infantry. They went first to Cairo, then to Paducah, Kentucky, and from there by hot to Fort Henry, where they arrived just after the battle, being in time to cook their supper on the fires which the rebels had left. Returning to Paducah, they went up the Ohio and Cumberland rivers to Fort Donelson, aund took part in the engagement at that place. They then marched fourteen miles
across the country to Fort Henry, and pro- ceeded up the Tennessee river to Krump's Landing. . According to orders from the war department the regimental bands were mustered out, only one being retained for each brigade. Mr. Wintz was discharged March 20, 1862, and returned to his home in Aanawan, but on the 12th of the following August he re-enlisted as a private in Com- pany .\, One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, being mustered in at Peoria. The company was at first com- manded by Tristram T. Dow, who was af- terward made colonel of the regiment, while John L. Dow was promoted to the captaincy of the company. From Peoria the regiment went to Cincinnati and later to Covington, Kentucky, where they remained about two weeks before going to Lexington. After en- gaging in some skirmishes, Mr. Wintz was detailed to Captain Law's howitzer battery, with which he was connected for six months. During this time he took part in the Mor- gan raid through Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio to Buffington's Island, where they cap- tured Morgan's guns. In the fall of 1863 he rejoined his old company, and with them went to Kingston and Athens, Tennessee, and later to Lowden after participating in a skirmish on the liawasie river. They re- treated before General Longstreet's com- mand, which pursued them to Knoxville, and in a skirmish November 18, 1863. Cap- tain Asa HI. Lee, commander of Company A, was killed, while our subject received a gunshot wound back of the right ear. Four of the company were killed and two wound- ed. When Mr. Wintz regained conscious- ness the Confederate line had advanced past him, cutting him off from his command. He made his way through the lines in a small vineyard, but over twenty shots were fired at
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him. He crawled into a barn, and when it was struck by a rebel shell he made his way to a cornerib, which shortly afterward was torn to pieces by another shell. He then staggered on through the timber and finally reached his company, but on the way to the field hospital fell exhausted on the bank of Second creek. He was then taken in charge by the ambulance corps, and was confined to the hospital until the 18th of the following January, when he was granted a thirty days' furlough. In March he rejoined his regi- ment at Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, and with them went to Knoxville. He participated in a skirmish at Rocky Face, Georgia, and the battle of Resaca, where he received a gunshot wound in the right arm and was sent to Nashville. A week later he was transferred to the hospital at Louisville, where he remained until July. Having taken the smallpox he was then sent to the pest hospital near Louisville, where he was confined until October, 1864. He then started to rejoin his command at Atlanta but on reaching Chattanooga remained there two weeks on duty in the convalescent hos- pital. He was then detailed with others to drive ten thousand head of cattle to Atlanta for General Sherman's army. At Altoona he met his company returning, and with them went to Nashville, and later to Decatur, Georgia, where they were stationed to watch the movements of Hood. When that general advanced they fell back to Franklin, Tennessee, and participated in the severe battle at that place. They also took part in the battle of Nashville in December, 1864, and then followed Hood to Columbia, Ten- nessee, where they remained one month. At Clifton, on the Tennessee river, they board- ed a steamer and went to Cincinnati, and by train proceeded to Alexandria, Virginia,
by way of Columbus and Belle Air, and by steamer to Fort Fisher. In a storm during this voyage the vessels were blown sixty miles out to sea. After a month spent at Fort Fisher they went to Smithville, North Carolina, taking part in the skirmish at that place and the capture of Fort Anderson. They were also in a skirmish at Town Creek, and then advanced to Wilmington and Kingston, North Carolina. At the latter place Mr. Wintz sprained his ankle, and was confined in the hospital at Newburn one month, and in the hospital at Beaufort. North Carolina, until honorably discharged at the close of the war, June 14. 1865. lle cast his first presidential vote for Zachary Taylor, and since the organization of the Republican party has been one of its stanch supporters. Religiously he is a member of the United Brethren in Christ.
CHARLES BARBER.
Among the leading citizens of Burn- township is Charles Barber, residing on section 15. He was born in Luzerne county. I'ennsylvania, on the oth of May. 1834. and is a son of Calvin and Phebe ( Hull ) Barber. natives of Connecticut and Massachusetts. respectively. About 1825 the parents re- moved to the Keystone state and settled in Luzerne county, in what was then called New Connecticut. By trade the father was a fuller and cloth dresser, and followed that trade during his active life in Pennsylvania. In 1860 he came to Henry county and made his home with our subject until his death. October 9. 1872. His wife died many years before in Pennsylvania. Our subject was one of a family of seven children, the others
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being Calvin D., who married Euphemia Ferris, and lives near Scranton, Pennsyl- vania : Mary Ann, who wedded James Mott. a miller, of Blakely, Pensnylvania, and both are now deceased : John, deceased ; William, a farmer and carpenter, who married Hulda Brown and lives near Carbondale. Pennsyl- vania: Miles, who married Martha Cald- well, of Kewanee, Illinois; and Louisa, wife of Earlington Vosburgh, of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania.
Charles Barber was reared and educated in the county of his nativity, and on start- ing out in life for himself engaged in lum- bering until his marriage, which was cele- brated in Luzerne county, April 13, 1857. Miss Mary Broadfoot becoming his wife. She, too, as born in that county, and is one of a family of four children, but Elizabeth and Jane are now deceased. Her brother Robert is still living. Her parents, James and Elizabeth ( Mitchell ) Broadfoot, were natives of Scotland, and on their emigration to America, in 1834. located in Pennsylva- nia, where the father died in 1858. By oc- cupation he was a farmer. The death of his wife occurred in Illinois August 9, 1872.
After his marriage Mr. Barber engaged in farming in Pennsylvania until the fall of 1860, when he came to Henry county, Illi- nois, and purchased a partially improved farm of eighty acres on section 2, Burns township, on which he built and made other improvements. On selling that property in 1875. he bought another eighty-acre tract on section 15, where he has since made his home. This he has placed under a high state of cultivation, and in connection with its operation he is successfully engaged in stock raising.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Barber were born eight children as follows: Mary is now the
wife of George Snyder, a farmer of White- side county, Illinois, and they have two children, George and Arthur; James, a far- mer of Burns township, this county, mar- ried Sarah Martin and they have one child, Mary Elizabeth: Francinia is the wife of John Wells, a farmer of Cornwall town- ship, and they have one child, Charles; Darius and Anna are both at home with their parents: Clara is the wife of Frank Wells, a farmer of Cornwall township, and they have one child. Mildred L .; and John who is now six feet, four inches in height. is engaged in farming on the home place.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Barber are earnest and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is now trus- tee, and are held in high regard by all who know them. By his ballot he supports the men and measures of the Republican party. and has served as school director and patlı- master for a number of years. When he came to this county corn was only worth seven cents per bushel, and a laborer re- ceived but fifty cents per day. Times were very hard, and wild cat money was in cir- culation, but all this has since changed and to-day Henry county is one of the most pros . perous and thriving districts in the state.
F. A. MILLER.
This gentleman, who is proprietor of a livery, sale and feed stable in Geneseo, Illi- nois, was born near that city on the 8th of June. 1859, and is a son of J. Adam and Varonica ( Rink) Miller. The father was born in Germany, in 1828, and in 1831 emi- grated to America with his parents. He followed farming in this county for some
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years, then turned his attention to the livery business, and still later engaged in teaming. His death occurred here in 1895. He was a Democrat in politics, and was widely and favorably known throughout the county, where the greater part of his life was passed. His wife; who was a native of Henry county, and a consistent member of Grace Evangel- ical Church of Geneseo, died in 1897, at the age of sixty-three years. Her father, Joseph Rink, came to this country from Germany many years ago.
F. A. Miller is the third in order of birth ir a family of seven children, the other being Mary, wife of J. H. Rickel, of Geneseo; George, highway commissioner of the same place; Catherine, wife of William Baker, a farmer of Phenix township, this county; John N. and William L., both residents of Hooppole township; and Clara, wife of Le- ander Brown, of Nebraska.
The boyhood and youth of our subject were passed upon a farm near Geneseo and in that place, and he attended both the coun- try and city schools. After the completion of his education he engaged in teaming for a time, taking contracts on the turnpike and for other work. For three years he served as highway commissioner of Geneseo town- ship, and for five years followed farming there. He then embarked in the livery busi- ness, buying out Henry Franks, of Geneseo. He keeps about twenty good horses and a fine line of buggies and carriages, being well prepared to accommodate the traveling public. He is a wide-awake, energetic bus- iness man, and very courteous to his cus- tomers.
Mr. Miller was married on the 19th of February, 1885, to Miss Minnie Kicksey, a native of this county, and a daughter of Frederick and Caroline (Leaflander) Kick-
sey, who were from Germany. By this union have been born four children: Leonard A .. Belva .1., Clarence .A. and Floyd. Both Mr. and Mrs. Miller hold membership in the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Gene- seo, and he is also connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. In his political af- filiations he is a Republican.
HUGH W. PRITCHARD.
As one of the most progressive and ener- getic agriculturists of Henry county, Illi- nois, this gentleman is now successfully fol- lowing his chosen calling on section 14, Geneseo township, where he owns and oper . ates a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He and his brother, Robert L., are also proprietors of the Sharon Stock farm, a valuable farm of three hundred and seventy- three acres in Loraine township. Through- out his active business career he has engaged in general farming and stock raising, and is to-day one of the most prosperous citizens of his community.
Mr. Pritchard's early home was on the other side of the Atlantic, for he was born ini county Down, Ireland, October 6, 1852, and was a little over twelve years of age in 1865 when brought to America by his par- ents, Henry and Mary ( Boyd ) Pritchard, who located in Alba township, this county, where the father purchased a farm. Suc- cess attended his well-directed efforts in se- curing a home for himself and family, and he became the owner of nine hundred and twenty acres of as fine farming land as is to be found in the county. Most of this was wild and unimproved when it came into his possession, but he transformed it into a
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loghly cultivated tract. He was also born in county Down, Ireland, in 1816, and in that country was married, June 16, 1836, to Miss Mary Warnock, who died April 14, 1845. leaving four sons, namely : William, born September 26, 1837, died in Mitchell- ville. Iowa. December 29. 1899. He fol- lowed farming very successfully for many years, and was also engaged in the banking business for some years before his death, and was the owner of nine hundred and twenty- -ix acres of valuable land. He was a man of prominence in his community and held many public offices of trust. James, born March 5, 1839, is a retired farmer of Clar- inda, Iowa. Samuel, born February 18, 1841, is a wealthy farmer and stock raiser of Alba township, this county, where he owns one thousand acres of land. He is a veteran of the Civil war. Henry, born March 21, 1843, is also an extensive farmer and stock raiser, his specialty being cattle, and is the owner of nine hundred and twenty acres of land in Alba township. In September, 1845. the father wedded Miss Mary Boyd, by whom he had seven children, as follows : Alexander, born October 15. 1846, is a very prominent and successful farmer and stock dealer of Harlan, Shelby county, Iowa, own- ing a number of highly improved farms ag- gregating several hundred acres of land. He one of the leading Republicans of his Community, and has served as county treas- urer two terms. Alice, born June 3, 1848, ever came to this country. She is now the widow of John Pritchard and resides on a farm in county Down, Ireland. Robert L., born December 11, 1849. is a retired farmer of Geneseo, who owns one hundred and fif- teen acres of land on section 22, Geneseo township, and a half interest in the Sharon Stock farm with our subject. Hugh W. is
next in order of birth. Mary J., born July I, 1853. is the wife of Jesse L. Lamont, a farmer and stock raiser of Prophetstown. Whiteside county, Illinois, who raises a high grade of hogs and cattle. Sarah, born July 7, 1856, is the wife of Samuel Mccullough, a prosperous farmer and stock dealer of Marne, Iowa. The father of this family died March 4, 1885, the mother, April 14, 1881, honored and respected by all who knew them.
During his boyhood and youth Hugh W. Pritchard attended the district schools near his home and assisted his father in the labors of the farm. He remained on the old home- stead farm until his father's death in 1892, when he purchased the farm in Geneseo township which he now occupies. He has since remodeled the residence, making it a pleasant and substantial home, has built barns and other outbuildings, and has also tiled the land and placed it under a high state of cultivation.
At Thornburg, lowa, February 7. 1883. Mr. Pritchard was united in marriage with Miss Augusta McCracken, a native of Rock Island county, Illinois, and a daughter of James and Eliza ( McCormick ) McCracken, who were born in county Down, Ireland, and were married there in 1831. Her father, who was a farmer by occupation, was born in 1808, and died in 1884, but her mother is still living at the old home near Thorn- burg, at the age of eighty-six years. In their family were five children, one son and four daughters, all residents of Keokuk county, lowa, with the exception of Mrs. Pritchard. who is the youngest of the family. Our sub- ject and his wife have two children : Maud 1., who is now attending the Geneseo high school; and Paul C., who is a student in the home school.
By his ballot Mr. Pritchard supports the
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men and measures of the Republican party and, as a public-spirited and enterprising citizen, he gives his support to all worthy measures calculated to advance the moral educational or material welfare of his town- ship and county. For some years he has been an efficient school director, and at present is serving his fourth year as a member of the district board. For some years he has been an active and prominent member of the First Congregational Church of Geneseo, and now holds the office of deacon in the same.
JOHN CARSE.
One of the highly-esteemed citizens of Phenix township is this well-known farmer who owns and operates a fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres on section 33. A native of Ohio, he was born in Wayne county, January 24, 1844, and was seven years of age when brought to Henry county. Illinois, by his parents, William and Mary (Finley) Carse, the family locating on the farm where our subject now resides. The father was born in county Down, Ireland, and on his emigration to the United States at the age of seventeen years he took up his residence in Ohio, where he made his home until coming to this state. He made farm- ing his life occupation. He died at the ripe old age of eighty-six, having survived his wife some years. They were the parents of eleven children, seven of whom are still living.
Since coming to this county John Carse has lived on the old homestead in Phenix township, and throughout his active bus- iness life has successfully engaged in gen- eral farming and stock raising. As he has never married his sisters, Sarah and Mary,
keep house for him. He has seen the won - derful changes that have taken place in this section of the state during the past half cen- tury, and has ever borne his part in its up- building and progress. He is widely and favorably known, and is held in the warmest regard by his many friends.
JOHN H. WENKE.
This well-to-do and highly-respected citi- zen of Osco township, residing on section 3. is a native son of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Rock Island county, September 22, 1857. Ilis father, John Wenke was born in Oldenburg, Germany, in 1820, and was educated in that country. On reaching manhood he entered the German army, in which he served for seven years. He was the youngest son of a large family, all of whom were married and had children of their own when he left the army. He would have in- hierited his father's estate, but being single, he made a settlement with the other mem- bers of the family, whereby he received about four hundred dollars. He then made prepa - rations to come to the United States and establish a home of his own. In 1850 he crossed the ocean and invested his capital in land in Rock Island county, Illinois, then in its natural state. This he cleared of the timber and converted it into a high- ly cultivated tract after several years of hard labor, during which he endured many hard- ships such as the early pioneers encounter in the settlement of a community. His was a very successful career until old age made it necessary for him to retire from active labor, which he did in 1890, purchasing a home in Geneseo, this county, where he now resides. He acquired two hundred acres of land which was fully improved by himself.
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