USA > Ohio > Memoirs of the lower Ohio valley, personal and genealogical : with portraits, Volume II > Part 13
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JOSEPH E. LILLY, M. D., clerk of the circuit court of Union county, Morganfield, Ky., was born in Nelson county of that state, March 3, 1850. His parents, W. Newton and Ellen (Clark) Lilly, were both natives of Nelson county, the former born in 1810 and the later in 1817. He was a mechanic and died in 1865. His widow is still living, aged eighty-seven years. The Lilly family are all Catholics. Of the thirteen children born to W. Newton and Ellen Lilly, six are living. The ancestors of Doctor Lilly were among the pioneers of Nelson county. His great-grandparents, John and Sallie (Newton) Lilly were natives of Maryland, but came in their youth with their parents to Nelson county, which John Lilly represented in the legislature after he reached manhood. He died in New Orleans. The paternal great-grandparents were Clement and Nellie Clark, who came to Nelson county when their son William, the grand-
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father of Doctor Lilly, was but four years old. They were natives of Maryland. William Clark married Susan McGill. Doctor Lilly was educated at St. Joseph's college at Bardstown ; studied medicine at Louisville; came to Morganfield, where he practiced for about twelve years with excellent success; was elected magistrate in 1894; elected circuit court clerk in 1897 and re-elected in 1903; is now serving his second term in that office; is a prominent worker in the Democratic party in Union county ; proprietor of the Parsons hotel, one of the oldest and best known places of entertainment in Mor- ganfield ; is one of the prominent Catholics of Union county, and is, all round, a representative Kentuckian. In whatever he undertakes he is successful because he brings to the enterprise rare tact, a quick intelligence, an indomitable energy and a strict reliability. Such
qualities must of necessity win, not only success, but the esteem and friendship of those with whom he comes in contact. Doctor Lilly was married on Jan. 13, 1875, to Miss Maud Parsons, daughter of Henry C. and Catherine (Smith) Parsons. Her father was born in Marion county, Ky., but went to Louisville with his parents, J. G. and Mary A. (Lilly) Parsons, while still in his boyhood. His father was born in Mason county in 1799 and his mother in Nelson county in 1805. The great-grandfather of Mrs. Lilly was Clement Parsons, a native of Virginia, who died in Washington county, Ky., in 1830. He married a Miss Elizabeth Forrest of Maryland. She died in 1860. Henry C. Parsons was a clerk in early life; later followed agriculture; came to Union county in 1861, where he farmed until 1866, when he engaged in the hotel business at Casey- ville ; bought the hotel he now owns in Morganfield, and has been manager of the Parsons House most of the time since. He and his wife had six children, three of whom are now living. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Lilly was John A. W. Smith, of Green county, Ky. He married a Martha Robinson, daughter of Thomas Robinson, a native of Virgina, who settled in Taylor county, Ky. Mrs. Parsons, the mother of Mrs. Lilly, died in March, 1901. To Dr. and Mrs. Lilly there have been born nine children. Those living are Harry N., Joseph E. Jr., Percy A., Catherine, and Thomas.
AARON WALLER CLEMENTS, county judge of Union county, Morganfield, Ky., was born in that county, March 8, 1853. He is a son of Aaron and Lucy Casey (Johnson) Clements, both natives of Union county, where the father was for many years a well known farmer, an active Democrat, a prominent member of the Masonic
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fraternity, and of the Christian church. He died on Dec. 28, 1889, and his widow is still living at the age of eighty-three years. She is a member of the Christian church. The paternal grandfather of Judge Clements was Leonard Clements, mentioned elsewhere in this work, and the maternal grandfather was George Johnson, an early settler of Union county. He was a farmer; a Whig until that party was dissolved, and then a Democrat; served as sheriff and jailer of the county ; kept hotel at Morganfield for many years, and was one of the leading citizens of the county. He married Nancy Reeves, who was a native of Morganfield and passed her entire life there. Judge Clements was educated in the common schools and at Prince- ton college; followed farming for several years; served as road supervisor from 1886 to 1890; elected sheriff in 1897; took the office in 1898 and served four years; was elected county judge in 1901, and is now holding that position. He is one of the leaders of the Democratic party in his county and is always active in pro- mulgating its principles. He is one of the substantial citizens of the county, owning three houses and lots, besides other property in Morganfield and three farms near Uniontown. In 1900 he was made a Mason in Morganfield Lodge No. 66; has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows ever since 1878, when he joined Humane Lodge No. 37 at Morganfield, and belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Christian church. On May 27, 1885, Judge Clements was married to Miss Sallie A. Tuley, a native of Uniontown, Ky., and a daughter of W. P. and Julia (Orme) Tuley. Her father was a native of New Albany, Ind., and was a saddler by trade. He was an active Democrat in his day. Both of Mrs. Clements' parents are deceased. To Judge and Mrs. Clements there have been born six children, viz .: Baldwin Johnson, Edward Tuley, Lillian Ethel, Lucy Casey, Clarence Berry, and Earl Chester.
JAMES S. BLUE, a well known grocer of Morganfield, Ky., and mayor of the city, was born in Caldwell county, Ky., Jan. 29, 1848. His parents, John R. and Pernesia (Glenn) Blue, were both natives of the same county, where the father was a farmer and a prominent Whig before the war. He died in 1864, the mother having died some ten years before. They had four children, all of whom are living. The paternal grandfather, James Blue, lived in Union county in the early part of the nineteenth century. He was sheriff of the county along in the twenties and in 1830 removed to Caldwell county,
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where he died in 1848. The maternal grandfather was David Glenn, a native of Lyon county, Ky., but who died in Caldwell county in 1864. James S. Blue received his education in the common, schools of Caldwell county, where he lived until he reached his majority. In January, 1871, he came to Union county and there farmed for several years, after which he located in Morganfield. He was mar- shal of the city for two years, constable for four years, and sheriff for three years. For the last eleven years he has been in the grocery business, and is now serving his third year as mayor of the city. Politically Mr. Blue is an unswerving Democrat, always willing to do his part to achieve a victory for his party, and in 1904 was nom- inated for sheriff of the county. He is a member of Morganfield Lodge No. 66, Free and Accepted Masons, and he and his wife belong to the Presbyterian church. Mr. Blue was married in April, 1878, to Miss Lou Hughes, of Union county, and to this marriage there were born five children. Two sons died in infancy and those living are Bessie G., Camille, and Willis. Mrs. Blue departed this life in March, 1888, and in the succeeding October Mr. Blue was married to Miss Bessie Hughes, a sister of his first wife. Four children have been born to this marriage, viz .: James Barber, George E., Charles David, and Sarah McGoodwin.
GEORGE LUCIAN DRURY, junior member of the law firm of Drury & Drury, Morganfield, Ky., was born in Union county of that state Dec. 12, 1875, and is a son of George H. and Ellen (Harris) Drury, both natives of the county. The family is de- scended from Philip Drury, a native of London and a member of the family from which "Drury Lane" took its name. He came to America at an early date and settled in Maryland, where the great- grandfather of the subject of this sketch was born. His name was Bernard Drury. Ignatius Drury, the grandfather, was born at Leonardtown, St. Mary's county, Md., Oct. 23, 1806; came to Marion county, Ky., when he was ten years old; married Lydia O'Nan, a native of Davis county, and settled in Union county in 1820; followed the brickmasons' trade; was a member of the Cath- olic church, and died July 9, 1887. The maternal grandparents were Truman and Virginia (Pratt) Harris, both native Kentuckians, the former born in Nelson county, March 1, 1817, and the latter in Jefferson county, Sept. 19, 1819. He died in January, 1860, and she is still living. They came to Union county in their infancy, where he followed farming and was for many years a justice of the
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peace. The great-grandfather on the mother's side was Benjamin Harris, born near Baltimore; married Innocent Ann Wight and came to Union county in pioneer days. James Pratt, the father of Virginia Pratt, was born in Virginia in 1785 and died in Union county in 1856. He served in the war of 1812, came first to Union county in 1814, and settled there in 1826. George H. Drury, the father of George L., now resides near St. Vincent, Union county, where he is engaged in farming on the old homestead. His wife is also living. They had four children: William Truman, George L., Mary Allie, and Boyd Harris. The eldest was born Oct. 12, 1871; was educated in the public schools and the State university at Lexington; studied law at Morganfield; was admitted to the bar on July 9, 1896, and is now the senior member of the firm of Drury & Drury. Mary Allie was born. May 10, 1878, and was married on Jan. 15, 1902, to Thomas C. Bingham, of Henshaw, Ky., and has. two children : George Henry and Margaret Ellen. Boyd Harris died in infancy Aug. 7, 1880. George L. Drury graduated from the Morganfield high school in June, 1895; taught school for three years ; began the study of law in February, 1898, and graduated from the Louisville law school on April 28, 1899; was admitted to the bar the following day; formed a partnership with his brother on May 15, and has since practiced in Morganfield. Although both members of the firm are young men they have a high standing at the bar and are on the road to a successful business. Both are close students and good judges of human nature, and this combination rarely fails to make a good lawyer. Neither is married, both are Democrats and members of the Catholic church. George L. was a candidate for county attorney in 1901, but was defeated by a small margin.
MATHEW ROBERT WALLER, a retired farmer of Union county, Ky., living near Morganfield, was born in the county, April 21, 1833. Shortly after the close of the Revolutionary war his. grandfather, John Waller, came from Virginia, where he was born, and settled in Washington county, Ky. In 18II he decided to re- move to Union county, and on the way he was captured by the Indians and held a prisoner for two years before he found an oppor- tunity to escape. He married a Miss Small, who died in Union. county. One of their sons was Aaron Waller, the father of Mathew R. He was born in Washington county in 1789, came with the family to Union county in 18II and died there on Feb. 5, 1851. He married Mary Allison Givens, a native of Hopkins county, and
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they had eight sons and two daughters. Four of the sons and both of the daughters are yet living. The four living sons are John Givens, William, Mathew Robert, and Robert A. Mathew Robert Waller received such an education as the common schools of his youthful days afforded and followed the vocation of a farmer until 1858, when he located in Morganfield and engaged in business. In 1861 he enlisted in the Confederate army in company F, First Ken- tucky cavalry, joining the army at Bowling Green. He served through the entire war, taking part in numerous engagements, among them the battle of Chickamauga and the military operations around Atlanta. Near that city he was captured and held as a prisoner of war at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Ill., for seven months. After the war he embarked in the business of a general store-keeper at Mor- ganfield and continued in that business for sixteen years, at the end of which time he sold out and returned to farming. For two years he was president of the National Bank of Union county, and is now one of the directors of the bank. He lives in a beautiful home about a mile from Morganfield and still takes an active interest in all questions affecting the general welfare of the county. Politically he was a Democrat until 1896, and since that time has been inde- pendent. Mr. Waller has been twice married. In October, 1866, he was married to Addie Forman, and to this union there were born three children: Alfred Forman, Martha Lizzie and William Robert. Addie Waller died on May 5, 1880, and on March 2, 1882, Mr. Waller was married to Miss Camilla B. Hughes, of Union county. Mr. Waller is a man who is universally respected by his acquaint- ances and is regarded as one of the best citizens of the county. He and his wife are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
J. MATT CAMBRON, one of the leading liverymen of Morgan- field, Ky., is a son of J. Matt and Ann D. (Wathen) Cambron, and was born in Union county, Ky., Dec. 29, 1864. (See sketch of C. Z. Cambron.) He was reared on a farm and received his education at St. Mary's college in Marion county, Ky. Until he was twenty- four years of age he followed the vocation of a farmer. He then went into a dry goods store and was a salesman in that line for twelve years. Then for about a year and a half he was in the grocery business in Morganfield and since giving up that occupation has been engaged in the livery business. Mr. Cambron has been measurably successful in whatever he has undertaken. He is a man
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of industrious habits, good judgment and sterling honesty. In his various undertakings he has had the good will and support of his friends and acquaintances, which he fully appreciates. Politically he is one of the solid and reliable Democrats of Union county, and is always ready to defend his political opinions. In church matters he remains true to the teachings of his parents, and is a consistent member of the Catholic church. Mr. Cambron was married in 1894 to Miss Isabel Clayton, a native of Davis county, Ky., and a daughter of T. N. Clayton, a well-to-do farmer of that county, an active Democrat and a member of the Catholic church. The mother of Mrs. Cambron was a Miss Vance of Davis county, where she died a few years ago. To Mr. and Mrs. Cambron there have been born six children: Sue Emma, James Will, Roy Jerome, J. Matt and Mary Bell, twins, and Edward Smith.
HON. WILLIAM MOUNT BERRY, sheriff of Union county, Morganfield, Ky., was born in Hopkins county of that state, May 16, 1848. His parents, Thornton and Elizabeth (Edwards) Berry, were both natives of Kentucky, the former of Nelson and the latter of Shelby county. Thorn- ton Berry was born in 1817; received a common school education; read medicine with Dr. James Bassett of Providence, Ky .; attended the medical college at Louis- ville ; practiced in Union county ; and died there in 1877. He was a prominent Free Mason, a Democrat, a Presbyterian, and his wife was a member of the Methodist church. She was born in 1826, and died in Union county in 1893. They had five sons and two daughters, and two sons and the daughters are now living. The paternal grandparents of William Berry were Albert Judson and Nellie (Bean) Berry, the former born in St. Charles county, Va., in 1786, and the latter was a native of Maryland. They came to Kentucky and settled first in Nelson county and later in Union, where both passed their last days. He was with General Jackson at the battle of New Orleans. The maternal grandparents were natives of Simpson county, Ky., where they passed their whole lives. William Mount Berry was educated in the common schools and has been a farmer the greater part of his life. He now owns a good farm near Sturgis. Politically he is
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one of the most active Democrats in Union county. He has served as a delegate to different state conventions and in 1904 was a dele- gate to the national convention at St. Louis. For ten years he held the office of justice of the peace; was in the legislature in 1896-97; served four years as deputy sheriff under A. W. Clements, and was elected sheriff in 1902. His term as sheriff does not expire until 1906. He has served as chairman of his county campaign committee for several campaigns, and while justice of the peace was district committeeman most of the time. He is a member of Morganfield Lodge No. 66, Free and Accepted Masons ; Humane Lodge No. 37, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Morganfield; Silver Lodge No. 68, Knights of Pythias, at Sturgis, and of the Sturgis lodge of the Golden Cross. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, and one of the elders of his congregation. His wife is a Baptist. Mr. Berry was married in 1870 to Miss Mary Jane Gatlin, of Union county, and they have three children: Archie Logan, re- ceived his education in Sturgis and Caseyville and is now in the insurance business in the former town; Van Reese, attended the common schools and the Sturgis high school, and now holds the office of deputy sheriff, under his father; Lora, attended the public schools of Sturgis and finished her education at the Providence col- lege in Webster county.
JAMES BASIL AUSTIN, a successful farmer, living near Waverly, Ky., is a descendant of some of the oldest and most highly connected families of the state. His grandfather, James Austin, was born near Harper's Ferry, Va., married a Miss Howard, of that state, and in 1790 settled in Washington county, Ky. Shortly after- ward he visited his native state and on his return brought back with him a pint of clover seed, which was the introduction of red clover into the State of Kentucky. His wife died in Washington county about 1830 and some two years later he removed to Union county. About the same time Basil Railey and his family settled in the same neigh- borhood. His wife was Miss Elizabeth Spalding, and both were natives of Marion county. James Basil Austin is a son of Thomas A. and Mary Ann (Railey) Austin, the former born in Washington
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county, Oct. 15, 1810, and the latter in Marion, March 2, 1812. They were married in Union county, July 26, 1836. Thomas A. Austin was educated in the common schools and at St. Rose's con- vent. Prior to 1850 he was a prominent Whig, but after that time he affiliated with the Democratic party. He and his wife were both members of the Catholic church, as were their parents. Of nine children, one died in infancy, Victoria died in later life, and the other seven are still living. They are James B., the subject of this sketch; Mary Ann; Francis X., who served under Johnston in the Confederate army during the war and now lives in Mississippi; Mar- garet, Thomas, John H., now living in Henderson, and Benedict J., of Waverly. The mother of these children died on Nov. 29, 1856, and the father on March 13, 1864. James B. Austin was born in Union county Sept. 1, 1837; was educated in the common schools; brought up as a tiller of the soil, which has been his vocation through life. While other farmers may have more land than he few have farms in a better state of cultivation. He owns seventy acres of good land near Waverly, upon which he carries on a general farming busi- ness. Mr. Austin is an unswerving Democrat in his political faith and for more than twenty years held the office of magistrate. He and his family are members of the Sacred Heart Catholic church, of St. Vin- cent. He was married in 1864 to Miss Mary Ellen Yates, daughter of William and Maria (Montgomery) Yates, of Washington county, and to this marriage there have been born the following children : George Edward, Mary Geraldine, Charles Martin, James Heman, Robert Aar- on, Anna C., and William Joseph. All are living except George Ed- ward and William Joseph. The children of James Austin, the grand- father of the subject of this sketch, were: Ambrose, who died in Graves county, Ky .; Benedict, a candidate for delegate to the con- stitutional convention of 1850, was shot and killed, while making a
speech in Paducah, by Judge Campbell, of that city; John, a soldier in the war of 1812, fought at the battle of New Orleans, and died in Washington county some years afterward; Thomas A., the father of the subject; Catharine and Sallie, who died single; Theresa, who married Benedict Smith, removed to Illinois, and there died ; Rosa, who died in Union county as the wife of Edward Yates. All were useful members of society and the training given them by their parents has been handed down to the present generation, for not many men can be found with higher ideals or firmer moral convictions than James Basil Austin.
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W. C. COFFMAN, an old and honored resident of Union county, Ky., and one of the leading farmers in the vicinity of Mor- ganfield, was born in Hopkins county, of that state, June 29, 1829. He is a son of Isaac and Mary A. (Harbor) Coffman, both natives of Kentucky, the father of Mercer and the mother of Woodford county. After their marriage they settled in Hopkins county, where they passed the remainder of their lives. He died in 1875 and she in 1885, both at advanced ages. W. C. COFFMAN. Their children were Hiram, Isaac S., Hul- dah, Annie, Elisha J., Joel H., W. C., Mary, James R., Mildred and Lutitia, the last two being twins. Hiram married Mary A. Ashby ; Isaac. married Elizabeth Lynn; Huldah married George Whitsell, and after his death, Godly Shite; Annie married James Lynn ; Joel married Sarah Springfield, and after her death, a widow named Jones, a sister to his first wife; Mary married John Springfield; James married Nancy Springfield, and after her death, Eliza Buchanan; Mildred married Frederick Hartman, and Lutitia John Neiswonger. The paternal grandparents of these chil- dren were Isaac and Annie (French) Coff- man, he a native of Maryland, and she of Scotland. They were among the pioneers of Hopkins county. The ma- ternal grandfather, Amos Harbor, mar- ried a Miss Husted. He died in Ten- nessee and she in Woodford county. W. C. Coffman received a common school education and in 1852 came to Union MRS. MARTHA COFFMAN. county, where he has been engaged in farming ever since. He has helped every one of his living children to obtain good farms. In politics he is a rock-ribbed Democrat and in former years took an active part in political contests. In more recent years he has left the arduous labor of the campaign to younger men, though he never fails to do his duty on election day. Mr. Coffman was married in 1846 to Miss Martha Ashby, who was born in Hopkins county, Oct. 18, 1824. To this marriage there have been born eight children: Mary Jane, Annie E., Sarah Catherine, Will Ignatius, James Edward, Richard
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Franklin, Henry Clay and Robert Lee. All are living except James Edward, who died in infancy, and Henry Clay. Nearly threescore years have passed since Mr. and Mrs. Coffman entered the marriage relation. And now in their old age they are enjoying the fruits of their industry and frugality of former years, surrounded by their children and a large circle of friends who love them for their many amiable qualities.
JOHN C. WOLFLIN, a farmer living near Waverly, Union county, Ky., was born in that county, June 22, 1855. His father, Casper Wolflin, was born in Germany in 1831. When he was about fourteen years of age he came with his father to the United States, his mother having died when he was a child. Christopher Wolflin, the grandfather of John C., was a shoemaker by trade. After living for some years in Union county he went to Indiana and there died. He had six brothers who came to America, and he was married six times. Of his children only two are living: Casper, who lives near Louis- ville, and Wilhelmina, living at Mount Vernon, Ind. Casper Wolflin grew to manhood in Union county, where he learned the distillers' trade, which has been his occupation through life. He married Mary Alvey, a native of Union county, and a daughter of John C. and Eliza (Bright) Alvey, pioneers of the county. Casper and Mary Wolfln had twelve children, eight of whom are still living. John C. Wolflin was educated in the Uniontown schools, and learned the distillers' trade with his father, but gave it up for the business of farming. In 1889 he bought the farm he now owns, consisting of about seventy acres, near Waverly, and this farm he has brought to a high state of cultiva- tion. Mr. Wolflin also has a threshing outfit and threshes much of the grain that is raised in Union county. He is a stanch Republican in his political views and takes a keen interest in the political movements of the country. He is a member of Humane Lodge, No. 37, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, at Morganfield, and is always ready to assist in the benevolent work of the order. On May 18, 1875, Mr. Wolflin was married to Miss Paulina, daughter of John N. Griggs, mentioned in this work, and to this marriage there have been born nine children. Mamie, Nellie and Robert are deceased. The living children are Alice, Griggs, Nannie, John, Herman, and Ella. Mr. Wolflin was reared a Catholic, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal church.
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