USA > Ohio > Memoirs of the lower Ohio valley, personal and genealogical : with portraits, Volume II > Part 28
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now Mrs. Riley, of Ridgway; Julia Ann, a teacher in Chicago; John E., deceased, and Maggie, now Mrs. Donahue, living near Equality. The mother of these children died March 25, 1879, and in February, 1881, he was married to Miranda, daughter of Riley and Mary Ann Bain, one of the old families of Gallatin county. To this marriage there have been born four children: Anna M., John M., Florence B. and Benjamin H., all at home with their parents.
REV. H. C. GREGG, a well known Adventist minister of Eldo- rado, Ill., is a descendant of one of the oldest families in that section of the state. He is a great-grandson of Hugh Gregg, who came from Ireland in the Colonial days and settled in South Carolina. (See sketch of F. A. Gregg.) His son Francis married Nancy Riley, a native of North Carolina, and in 1832 came to Illinois, trav- eling by wagon through unbroken forests part of the way. They were the first settlers in the vicinity of the present town of Texas City in Saline county, where he took up government land and fol- lowed farming the remainder of his life. He and his wife both lived to be more than threescore and ten years of age. Of their twelve children, Francis and John, now living in Omaha, Ill., are the only survivors. One of the sons, William R. Gregg, was born in 1821, married Elizabeth A. Cork, a native of Equality, Ill., and this couple were the parents of the subject of this sketch. They began their married life near Elba, in Gallatin county, and lived in that neighborhood until the death of William R. Gregg in 1859. Of their six children three are living, viz .: W. T., living near El- dorado ; Mary E., now Mrs. Yost of Eldorado, and H. C., the subject. After the death of the father of these children Mrs. Gregg married Alexander G. Trousdale, and since his death has made her home with her children. To her second marriage there were born three children. Only one, John C., of Omaha, is now living. Rev. H. C. Gregg was born in Gallatin, county, Sept. 8, 1856. He received a good education in the common schools and the colleges at McLeans- boro and Carmi. When eighteen years of age he commenced teach- ing and followed that occupation for fourteen years. In. 1882 he was elected county superintendent of schools and served four years. Mr. Gregg has been somewhat active in political matters, and in 1888 was elected on the Democratic ticket to the legislature, serving one term. On Sept. 14, 1890, he was united in marriage to Miss Eva A. Hopkins, daughter of Dr. N. E. Hopkins, of Mt. Carmel, and in 1894 moved upon his present farm two miles northwest of Elba.
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There he has 230 acres, all under cultivation with the exception of forty acres of timber land. He has his farm well improved, devotes much of his time to stock raising, and is one of the prosperous and influential citizens of the community where he lives. In 1899 he took up the work of the ministry in the Adventist church, and now has two congregations under his charge, Union Chapel and Bethel. He was one of the founders of the former church, which stands upon part of his land, and was one of the largest contributors toward building it. Mr. and Mrs. Gregg have the following children : Eleanora H., Hugh C., Raymond R. and Paul Jennings, all at home with their parents.
WILLIAM INMAN, of Ridgway, Ill., one of the best known farmers in Gallatin county, was born in Lawrence county, Tenn., March 30, 1832. He is a son of William and Polly A. (Ware) Inman, both natives of Tennessee. His father was a wheelwright, who did a good business as chairmaker for many years, picking up the trade himself without serving an ap- prenticeship. In 1847 he removed with his family to Gallatin county, coming by water, and located not far from Ridgway. About eighteen months later he removed to Union county, Ky., where he died about the year 1850. Soon after his death his widow returned to Illinois and died in. Gallatin county at the age of sixty-three years. They had twelve children, only two of whom are now living. Thomas and Bartley, the two oldest sons, enlisted for the Mexican war, but saw no active service. William Inman, the son, began working on a farm when a small boy, working for some time for $5 a month. He came to Illinois about six months after his parents, and though but fifteen years of age rented a farm on shares and gave his money to his father and mother. After the death of his father he continued to live with his mother and provided for her and for his younger brothers and sis- ters. On Sept. 1, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, 13Ist Illinois infantry. His regiment was with Sherman in the first attack on Vicksburg; was at Arkansas Post; then in the siege of Vicksburg, at the close of which it numbered only 222 men, and was consoli- dated with the Twenty-ninth Illinois. Mr. Inman was discharged at
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Cairo in December, 1864, returned to Ridgway, and became an ex- tensive farmer. Since 1901 he has been a resident of the town of Ridgway. The town of Inman was named for him. On Jan. 19, 1858, Mr. Inman was married to Miss Mary Johnson, a native of West Virginia. Of their children four died young; the others are James, Sarah, William, Mary, Jessie, Susan, Jennie L. and Thomas. The mother of these children died in January, 1887, and in De- cember of the same year he was married to Mrs. Ellen Cox, widow of Isaac Cox and daughter of Medford and Malinda Shockley, of Monroe county, Ky. Two children, Marshall and Albert, were born to the second marriage, but both died in childhood. Mrs. Inman had one daughter by her first marriage, now Mrs. Daniel Desper. Mr. Inman is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic post at Ridgway.
EDWARD RICE, grain dealer and mil- ler of Ridgway, Ill., is a native of White county, that state, having been born on a farm near Enfield. When he was twelve years of age his parents removed to Sac- ramento, in the same county, where he completed the course in the common schools, after which he attended commer- cial college at Evansville, Ind., where he completed his education. When he was eighteen he commenced clerking in a store at Sacramento, which position he held for seven years. He then went to Enfield as a bookkeeper for two years, at the end of which time he was en- gaged as bookkeeper by a wholesale house at Omaha, Neb. After two years with this concern he returned to White county, and ob- tained a situation as bookkeeper at Roland, but about a year later went to Omaha, Ill., as a partner of Thomas Martin in the grain business. This partnership lasted for seven years, or until 1886, when Mr. Rice sold out his interests in Omaha and removed to Ridgway as bookkeeper for W. A. Peopples. Six years later he again engaged in the grain business and has continued in that line ever since. In 1894 he built one of the nicest residences in the town, occupying one entire block. Mr. Rice has been married twice. His first wife, to whom he was married in 1872, was Miss Grace J. Mount. Of their children, Grace E. and Clarence M. are deceased ;
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the others are Estella F., D. R., Mabel C., Laura E. and Edward H. His first wife died in 1888 and in 1889 he was married to Mrs. Laura Porter, widow of Capt. D. M. Porter and a sister to his first wife. Mr. Rice is a Republican in his political affiliations, is a prominent member of the Masonic lodge at Ridgway and a trustee in the Methodist Episcopal church.
WILLIAM J. SANDERS, farmer and stock raiser, living two miles southwest of Cottonwood, Ill., was born Feb. 11, 1850, on the exact spot where his house now stands. His great-grandfather was a native of England, who came to this country before the Revolu- tionary war and settled in North Carolina, where he reared a large family. He and his son. James, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, both served in the war of 1812. James Sanders mar- ried in North Carolina and soon afterward removed to Tennessee, where he followed farming and stock raising until 1821, when he brought his family to Gallatin county, Ill., and entered government land, not far from the site of the present town of Cottonwood, upon which he lived until his death at the age of eighty-four years. One of his sons was Eli Sanders, who was born on Christmas day in 1810. He came with his parents to Illinois and continued to live with them until 1836, when he married Nancy J. McGill, a native of Tennessee, and they began their married life on the farm where William J. Sanders now lives. Eli Sanders was the first to enter land having a black soil. He became a very successful farmer and at one time was one of the largest land owners in the vicinity of Cottonwood. Then he made a venture in merchandizing that proved disastrous, bringing him to the verge of bankruptcy. He died on Oct. 29, 1884, his wife having passed to her last rest on Sept. 2, 1876. During their lives they were active in church work and were known far and wide for their charity and hospitality. They had twelve children. Those living are Mary Ann, widow of David Rogers; Margaret J., now Mrs. Hale of Cottonwood; Juda, now Mrs. Millspaugh; Frank N. and William J. William J. Sanders received his education in the public schools and lived at home until he was thirty-two years old. He was married at the age of twenty- two to Miss Ann, daughter of Miro and Jemima Harrington, and a native of Gallatin county. They commenced housekeeping on the old home place, where they have lived ever since. Mr. Sanders is one of the foremost farmers in his neighborhood, and takes an active interest in public affairs. He makes a specialty of Poland-
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China hogs and Jersey and Hereford cattle. His farm consists of 200 acres, all under cultivation and well improved, the new improve- ments having been made by him to. take the place of the old build- ings erected by his father some years before. He and his wife are both members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, in which he has been an elder for twenty-five years. Their children are Stella, now Mrs. Holland, living in the neighborhood; Claudie, married and living on the home place; Vernon and Cyrus, who are still at home.
FRANK N. SANDERS, a well-to-do and popular farmer, living near Cotton- wood, Ill., was born in the vicinity where he now resides Feb. 15, 1850. He received his education in the common schools, mar- ried Jemima McGhee, daughter of D. W. and Polly McGhee, who were natives of Tennessee. At the time of his marriage Mr. Sanders was only about twenty years of age. They began their married life on the old home place, but three years later he bought a sixty-acre tract where he now lives, only about six or seven acres being under cultivation, built a hewed log house, and removed to his new home. Since then he has prospered by his industry, owning at the present time about 140 acres, all of which is under cultivation, and has a modern house, together with other good improvements on his farm. He carries on a general farming business and devotes con- siderable time and attention to stock raising. Mr. Sanders is one of the leading Democrats in his locality and has held some of the minor offices in the township. For several generations his ancestors have been affiliated with the Democratic party. The following named children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sanders: Lowry A., de- ceased; William S., a teacher, and lives at home with his parents; Hezekiah, a teacher in White county; Evolia J., deceased ; Carrie B., now Mrs. Holland, living near Cottonwood; Lillie R., wife of a Mr. McDonald, of Arkansas; Ratie May, now Mrs. Clark, living in Mis- souri ; Lulu, Annie, Roscoe and Luther are at home. Ever since they were fifteen years of age Mr. Sanders and his wife have been members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church and interested in promoting its good works.
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HENRY M. BEAN, a prominent farmer living near Ridgway, Ill., was born on a farm adjoining that town, March 13, 1850, his parents being Henry and Margaret (Hise) Bean. (For account of ancestry see sketch of James M. Bean.) Henry M. Bean received all the schooling he ever got before he was ten years of age. Since then he has by his own efforts managed to secure as good an edu- cation as that of the average man .. He grew to manhood on the place where he was born, the old house still standing, but not being occupied. On March 13, 1870, he was married to Miss Jemima Kim- brough, a native of Gallatin county and a daughter of Calvin and Nancy Kimbrough, both natives of Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Bean began their married life on the old home place and lived there until 1902, when he built a modern, up-to-date home near the old one but inside the corporate limits of the town of Ridgway. Mr. Bean was supervisor for two years, and was for a long time a member of the school board. His farm at the present time consists of over 300 acres of fine land, all under cultivation, which he manages and oversees, making a specialty of Hereford cattle and Poland-China hogs. He is regarded as one of the best and most progressive farmers in the county, and consequently is one of the most pros- perous. In addition to his farming interests he has for twenty years been one of the leading threshermen of Southern Illinois. He and his wife are both members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Their children are: George L., living near Ridgway; Laura, now Mrs. Fulkerson, of Beechwood, Ill .; Charles, Marshall H. and Stella, at home with their parents.
JONATHAN DILLARD, a farmer living near Ridgway, Ill., is a descendant of one of the first settlers in that section of the state. About the time of the Revolutionary war Elisha Dillard, the grand- father of Jonathan, came from Ireland and settled in Tennessee, where he followed farming for many years. His son, Olsten Dillard, served in the war of 1812 and fought at the battle of New Orleans, where he was severely wounded, carrying the ball to his grave. He married Eva Crumb, a native of Germany, and in 1817 came to Gallatin county, Ill., where he entered a tract of government land. The following year his family joined him, coming with the Hous- tons, -Eddys, Hutchinsons and others. Olsten Dillard built a log cabin and cleared part of his land. In 1826 he sold that place and bought another in White Oak township, where he lived until 1842, when he removed with his family to Missouri, and died there some
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years later. The children of Olsten and Eva Dillard were ten in number, only four of whom are now living. James lives in Shaw- neetown; Betsey is the widow of Jacob B. Hise and lives at Ridg- way; Mary is the widow of Elijah Yates and also lives at Ridgway, and Jonathan is the subject of this sketch. Jonathan Dillard is one of the oldest men in the county. He was born three miles south- west of Shawneetown March 15, 1824, and has lived his whole life in Gallatin county. When he was a small boy his mother died and his father married Anna Crumb, a sister of his first wife. To this marriage there were born several children, all of whom are now dead. Jonathan Dillard never went to school a day in his life, but by asso- ciating with educated people he has kept in touch with the doings of the world and is a well informed man. He lived with his parents until he was about sixteen years old, when he started in life for himself, working on farms and for five years was engaged in flat- boating to St. Louis. In 1849 he came back to Gallatin county, mar- ried Roxana Boutwell, a native of the county, and commenced house- keeping on John Richeson's place. He continued to live on rented land until 1856, when he bought eighty acres, all wild land, where he now lives. This he has added to until he now has a farm of 160 acres, all good land, of which over 100 acres are under cultivation. This development has all been made by the labor of Mr. Dillard himself, who has been noted all his life for his industrious habits. Beginning life in a humble log cabin in the true pioneer style, he has kept up with the march of progress, improving his farm with better buildings as time passed. Mr. Dillard is one of the active Democrats of his neighborhood, notwithstanding his age. For four years he was road supervisor, which is the only office he has ever sought or held. For thirty-two years he has been an active worker in the Presbyterian church, to which his wife also belongs. He has been twice married. After the death of his first wife he was united in marriage to Dicey Ann, Harris, a native of Tennessee, who came with her father, Matthew Harris, to Illinois in 1863. To his first marriage there were born eleven children, viz .: Milbrey, Martha E., Celia, Mary, Elisha, Famariah, Albert, Jonathan, Eva, William and Harriet. Milbrey, Eva and William live in Missouri; Elisha and Harriet live near Ridgway; Jonathan, is at home, and all the others are deceased. To his second marriage there were born: Viola, Fan- nie, Eliza, Jemima, Matthew and Aaron. Fannie married a man named Rambler and now lives with her parents; Jemima is in Mis- souri ; Matthew and Aaron are at home, and Viola and Eliza are
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deceased. Mr. Dillard has passed the fourscore mark in age, and although he has reached that age when many men grow childish he still retains his faculties, remembering with vivid distinctness inci- . dents that occurred three-quarters of a century ago. He is a popular man in his locality for his genial disposition and many sterling qual- ities, and "Uncle Jonathan Dillard," as he is familiarly called, is a welcome visitor in many homes.
FREDERICK NAAS, a farmer living one and a half miles west of Ridgway, Ill., was born near St. Wendell's in Vander- burg county, Ind., May 10, 1852. He is a son of Frederick and Malinda (Weiss) Naas, both natives of Germany, where the father was born in 1817. When he was about ten years of age, or in 1827, he came with his father, Jacob Naas, to America and settled in Posey county, Ind., where Jacob Naas took up government land and followed farming the rest of his life. His four children, Fred, Christ, Jacob and Sally, are all deceased. Jacob Naas lived to be ninety-two years old, and his wife died at the age of seventy. Frederick Naas, the father of the subject of this sketch, lived with his parents until after his marriage, when he went to farming in Vanderburg county. In 1860 he removed to Gibson county, Ind. When the war broke out he enlisted in the Union army and was killed at the battle of Shiloh. Of their ten children four are now living. Mary is a Mrs. Wormit of Evansville, Ind .; Joseph lives in Poseyville in that state; Peter still lives in Gibson county, and Frederick is the subject of this sketch. After the war Mrs. Naas married again, her second husband being Leonard Cole, and they lived in Gibson county the rest of their lives. Fred. Naas attended the public schools in his boyhood, and at the age of sixteen years started in to learn the blacksmith trade. He worked at this occupation for eight or nine years, at the end of which time he became a farmer in Vanderburg county. In 1884 he bought a farm near Omaha, in Gallatin county, Ill., and lived there until he purchased his present place of 232 acres near Ridgway. Mr. Naas has spent considerable time and money in improving his farm since it came into his possession, and has one of the best dwellings in the neighborhood-a comfortable two-story frame house, with all con-
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veniences usually found in the homes of the most progressive farm- ers. In 1874 he was married to Barbara Wormit, of Gibson county, and they have the following children: George, Emil, Mary, Fritz, Edward, Barbara, John, William, Katie and Maggie. George is in Evansville; Mary is married and lives near her parents; Maggie is dead, and the others are all at home. The family all belong to the Catholic church.
CAPT. WILLIAM HENRY STILES of Ridgway, Ill., was born at Windsor, Conn., on Oct. 22, 1828. His ancestry dates back to John Stiles, who was born in Bedfordshire, England, Dec. 25, 1595, and who came to America in 1635, settling at Windsor, Conn., where he died on June 4, 1662. John Stiles had a son, John, who was born in 1633 and died at Windsor, Conn., Dec. 8, 1683. He was married to Dorcas, a daughter of Henry Burt, of Springfield, Conn., and they had a son, John, who was born at Windsor on Dec. 10, 1663. This son died at New Haven, Conn., on May 20, 1753. His wife was a Miss Ruth Bancroft, of Westfield, Mass., who died at Windsor in 1714. To this union was born, at Windsor, on July 30, 1697, Isaac Stiles, who was twice married, his second wife being Ester Hooker of Farmington, Conn. She died at North Haven on Jan. 2, 1779. Isaac was a minister and was educated at Yale uni- versity, where he graduated with the degree of B.A. in 1722 and A.M. in 1725. The union of the Rev. Isaac Stiles and Ester Hooker was blessed with a son, Ashbel, who was born at North Haven on Aug. 30, 1734, and died at Norwich, Mass., in October, 1810. Ashbel Stiles married his cousin, Hannah Stiles, who died at Norwich in September, 1810. They had a son, Job, who was born on Jan. 12, 1765, and died at Windsor April 15, 1813. He married Mary Drake of Wind- sor, who died on March 16, 1839. Their son, Hylas, was born at Windsor, June II, 1793, and married Harriet L. Roberts, of Sanders- dale, Mass. To this union was born a son, William Henry, the sub- ject of this sketch. Hylas Stiles removed with his family to Cleve- land, O., and later to Lancaster in the same state, where Captain Stiles received his education, numbering among his schoolmates Gen. William T. Sherman and Gen. Phil Sheridan. While still a
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young man, Captain Stiles moved to Cincinnati, and later to New Market, Gallatin county, Ill., in which county he has since resided, following successfully the occupation of farming. He now lives at Ridgway in that county. Captain Stiles was married at New Boston, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 1847, to Catherine Smith, of Owensville, Ohio, and they had the following children: Harriet Louise, born Oct. 6, 1848; William Andrew, born Jan. 6, 1850; Mary E., born Dec. 7, 1851; Catherine M., born Oct. 10, 1853; Hylas C., born Aug. 27, 1855; Joseph F., born July 27, 1858; John D., born May 26, 1861; Theoba J., born Dec. II, 1863; George Trafton, born Jan. 6, 1866; Laura E., born Jan. 26, 1868; Edwin L., born Nov. 11, 1870; and Adaline, born May 3, 1874. His wife died on May 27, 1881, and he was again married on Sept. I, 1884, his second wife being Julia A. Fulks of New Market. To this union was born one child, Clemma L., born 1 June 13, 1885. At the outbreak of the Civil war Captain Stiles en- listed from Gallatin county, on Aug. 12, 1861, and was mustered into the service on Sept. 13, at Camp Butler, Ill., as second lieutenant of Capt. George W. Trafton's company, G, Seventh regiment Illinois volunteer cavalry, Col. William Pitt Kellogg commanding. In the latter part of October, 1861, the regiment was ordered to Birds Point, Mo., and in January, 1862, moved to Cape Girardeau, where it performed scout and guard duty until the following spring. At New Madrid, Mo., the regiment was recruited, forming a part of Hatch's division, Army of the West, and participated in the following engage- ments: New Madrid, Mo .; Island No. 10, Farmington, siege of Corinth, Iuka, battle of Corinth, Summersville, pursuit of Price, Cof- feeville, Miss .; Grierson's raid, Plains store, Port Hudson, La .; Byhalia Road, Miss; Moscow, Campbellsville, Harts Crossroads, Franklin, Brentwood Hills, the routing of Hood's army at Nash- ville, Tenn., and numerous scouting expeditions and raids. At the close of the war the regiment received its final muster out at Camp Butler. Captain Trafton having been promoted to major, Second Lieutenant Stiles, by petition from the entire company, was promoted to captain and was mustered in with that rank on Nov. 8, 1863. He received honorable discharge at Springfield, Ill., Oct. 15, 1864, his term of service having expired. He was wounded by gunshot in the right thigh and by a piece of shell in the right ankle on Dec. 3, 1863, and was confined to the hospital for one month. He was also injured in the engagement at Colliersville, Tenn., Nov. 3, 1863, causing the loss of hearing in his left ear. He was at all times with his com- mand, participating in all its engagements, and by gallant and meri-
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torious service he achieved a proud record for bravery and pro- ficiency in action. Captain Stiles is a member of and past post com- mander of R. Loomis Post, No. 583, Department of Illinois, Grand Army of the Republic; also member of the American Protective association. Although past seventy-five years of age, the captain is hale and hearty and active for one of his years.
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