Biographical Sketches Coles County Illinois Collections – Page 2 of 25

Biography of Thomas H. Duncan

Thomas H. Duncan; P.O. Oakland; born in Clark Co., 111., April 29, 1844, where he attended school and engaged in farming until August 1, 1862, when he enlisted as private in Co. A (Capt. James B. Hill), of the 123d Regt. I. Y. I., and went forward to battle for the Union; he first went to Louisville, Ky., then marching South, was engaged in the battle of Prairieville, Ky., Oct. 8, 1862, going then to Murfreesboro, Tenn., where he remained until May, 1863, when, on account of disability, he received his discharge, and, returning home, engaged in farming for a … Read more

Biography of Thomas B. Trower, M. D.

Thomas B. Trower, M. D., deceased, late of Charleston; was born in Albemarle Co., Va., Nov. 15, 1807, his parents removing to Kentucky a few years later; his father died in 1816, leaving a wife and nine children; he began the study of medicine when he was 19 years old, spending three years under the instruction of Drs. Beamiss and Merryfield, of Bloomfield, Ky., teaching school a portion of the time to obtain means to defray his expenses; he came to Illinois in 1830, and practiced medicine six years in Shelbyville; in 1836, he removed to Charleston and engaged in … Read more

Biography of T. J. March, Sr.

T. J. March, Sr., dealer in furniture, Charleston; was born in Baltimore, Md., March 22, 1807; he is the only son of John and Eliza March; losing his father in early childhood, he was very early in life thrown upon his own resources; at the age of 8 years, he was placed in a tailor shop, where he was put to ripping up old clothes, after which he worked successively for a tobacconist in stripping tobacco, in a chair-factory, learning to bottom chairs, and in a sieve-factory. In his 15th year, he began learning the house-joiner’s trade, and on becoming … Read more

Biography of Solomon Hendrix

Solomon Hendrix, stock dealer; P. O. Oakland; born in Champaign Co., Ohio, May 13, 1820, where he attended school during his youth until large enough to labor upon a farm, when he followed farming for his father until he attained his majority, when, in 1842, he located upon a farm of eighty-six acres, all heavy timber, where he lived seven years and succeeded in clearing and placing under cultivation upward of sixty acres, the first year by hard labor he raised eight acres of corn and potatoes enough for his family use during the winter. In the summer of 1850, … Read more

Biography of Samuel Van Meter, M. D.

Samuel Van Meter, M. D., physician and surgeon, Charleston; was born in Grayson Co., Ky., Nov. 8, 1824; he is a son of John and Catharine (Keller) Van Meter, the former of whom died in 1827; his mother then removed with her family to Illinois, settling in Coles Co.; he received such education as the common schools in those pioneer days afforded; at the age of 15 years, he was apprenticed to the tanner’s trade, but before completing his apprenticeship he purchased his time of his employer, and was in turn bound to Dr. T. B. Trower, and entered upon … Read more

Biography of S. M. Cash

S. M. Cash, merchant, deceased; born in Nelson Co., Va., March 13, 1829, where he lived until 8 years of age, when he removed to Amherst Co., where he attended school and engaged in flaming until 16 years of age, after which time he was engaged for eighteen months at Lexington -learning the cabinet-maker’s trade; then coming West he located in Paris, Edgar Co., Ill., in the fall of 1847, where he completed his trade, when he associated with his brother Henry, and located in Westfield, Clark Co., where they engaged in the furniture trade from 1849 until the spring … Read more

Biography of S. C. Swinford

S. C. Swinford, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 7; P. O. Oakland; born in Harrison Co., Ky., Oct. 4, 1825, where he attended school until 13 years of age, when he emigrated with his parents to Putnam Co., Ind., where he engaged upon his father’s farm until 1844, at which time he engaged for two years farming on shares, and early in the winter of 1847, employed a team to transport himself, family and such goods as he was possessed of to Illinois, where he arrived upon the 17th of February, 1847, having paid out his last dollar to defray expenses … Read more

Biography of S. A. Reel

S. A. Reel, physician and surgeon, farmer, stock-raiser and dealer in stock, Oakland; born in Gibson Co., Ind., May :3, 1829, where he attended school and engaged in farming until 18 years of age, when he taught school and studied medicine for two years in Missouri and Arkansas, when he cut a raft of lumber, which he took down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, and, after disposing of the same, he returned to Indiana, then to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he attended the Eclectic Medical School one term; in the fall of 1852, he located in Pleasant Grove Tp., Coles … Read more

Biography of Richard Stoddert

Richard Stoddert, farmer, stock-dealer and merchant, Charleston; was born in Grayson Co., Ky., March 28, 1812; his early life was passed on his father’s farm, and when quite young, he was apprenticed to learn the tanner’s trade; about the year 1831, he went to Madisonville, Hopkins Co., Ky., where he remained until 1838, when he came to Charleston; he engaged in the tanning business with his brother, Thomas Stoddert, the firm being R. & T. Stoddert, the partnership continuing for about thirty years in tanning, merchandising, farming and dealing in stock; they had at one time about 800 acres of … Read more

Biography of Richard O. Wells

Richard O. Wells, farmer; P. O. Westfield; was born in Bourbon Co., Ky., Dec. 29, 1809; he remained there with his parents until he was 25 years of age assisting on the farm; his father died there in the year 1835; his mother surviving him until the year 1860. Mr. Wells, while at home in Kentucky was married August, 1831, to Miss Jenette Boston (daughter of William Boston of Kentucky); she was born July 15, 1815; shortly after his marriage, he moved upon a farm near that of his father’s, where he lived until his removal to Clark Co., in … Read more

Biography of Rev. Stephen J. Bovell

Rev. Stephen J. Bovell, Pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Ashmore; was born in Washington Co., East Tenn, May 27, 1827. His father, Rev. J. V. Bovell, was a native of Virginia; removed to Tennessee at an early age; graduated at Washington College at the age of 20 years, and, when 26 years old, became President of that institution, and occupied the position three years. In June, 1829, he received a call to the Presbyterian Church, in Paris, Ill., and removed to that place, where he died but a few months afterward, leaving a wife and four children; Mr. Bovell’s mother, … Read more

Biography of Rev. J. W. Woods, C. P.

Rev. J. W. Woods, C. P. minister, Mattoon; was born in the Territory of Indiana, Feb. 5, 1815. He is the son of Wm. G. and Rachel (Lester) Woods; his father was a farmer and his early boyhood days were spent upon the farm; his education was obtained mainly at Pilot Knob Academy, under the instruction of Prof. D. R. Harris; when 10 years of age, he came with his parents to Clark Co., Ill.; his father settling about four miles east of the present town of Marshall, his house became the resort for most business transactions in that part … Read more

Biography of Rev. J. W. Riley

Rev. J. W. Riley, Pastor Missionary Baptist Church, Mattoon; was born in Clermont Co., Ohio, Nov. 9, 1823; his ancestral line, traced through five preceding generations have been ministers in the Baptist Church; his father’s family furnished six ministers to the society, himself and five sons. From an historical record gathered from time to time, it was ascertained that the family of near relatives have furnished thirteen ministers of the Gospel; ten of these are Baptists, two Methodists and one Christian. His father, Rev. J. W. Riley, Sr., founded the first Missionary Baptist Church in all this section; this was … Read more

Biography of R. F. Larimer

R. F. Larimer, merchant, Oakland; born in Scioto Co., Ohio, Oct. 27, 1838, where he engaged in farming until 16 years of age, when, coming West, he located in Embarrass Tp., Edgar Co., Ill., and engaged in farming until 1856, when he went to Kansas for six months; returning to Edgar Co., he purchased one-half interest in a saw and flour mill, which he ran until Sept. 10, 1861, when he enlisted as private for three years in the 66th I. V. I.; this regiment was composed of picked men from the various Northwestern States, for their skill and accuracy … Read more

Biography of R. A. Traver

R. A. Traver, of the firm of Traver & Nixon, manufacturers of and dealers in brooms, brushes, etc., Charleston; was born in Schenectady Co., N. Y., Aug. 19, 1837; he was raised on a farm; in 1856, he removed with his parents to Brooklyn, N. Y., where, for two years, he was employed as a book-keeper for A. W. Hendrickson & Co., coal-dealers; in 1858, he went to Harrison Co., W. Va., where he was engaged in farming and carpentering till 1867; he then came to Clark Co., Ill., and engaged in the broom business, but soon afterward removed to … Read more

Biography of Peter K. Honn

Elder Peter K. Honn, retired; P. O. Ashmore; was born in Nicholas Co., Ky., July 22, 1814; he is a son of Daniel and Anna Honn; he passed his early years upon a farm, and at the age of 18 years, began the trade of a blacksmith; in 1835, he decided to follow Horace Greeley’s advice, ” Go West, young man, go West,” and accordingly joined the family of Jeremiah Powell, and with them made the journey to Illinois, with a horse-team and two ox-teams; they stopped in Edgar Co., where Mr. Powell settled, and where many of his descendants … Read more

Biography of P. A. Kemper, M. D.

P. A. Kemper, M. D., physician and surgeon, Mattoon; was born in Culpeper Co., Va., Aug. 31, 1832; his early education was under the direct supervision of his mother, who was a well-qualified schoolmistress; his father was an artisan by profession, of whom he was bereft at the early age of 8 years; when about 16 years of age, he left home and came to Paris, Edgar Co., Ill.; in the fall of 1855, he began the study of his profession with Dr. D. O. McCord, remaining in his office two and a half years; during the winter of 1857 … Read more

Biography of O. D. Hawkins

O. D. Hawkins, farmer and stock-raiser, Ashmore; was born in Fleming Co., Ky., Feb. 28, 1822; he is a son of Gregory R. and Elizabeth (Ballard) Hawkins, the former a native of Maryland and the latter of Kentucky; when he was about 8 years old, his parents removed to Scott Co., Ind., and in 1841, to Coles Co., settling about two and one-half miles west of Ashmore; they landed here on the 4th of March, the day on which Gen. Harrison was inaugurated President of the United States; his father died here in 1868, and his mother in 1873. They … Read more

Biography of Mrs. Thurza Epperson

Mrs. Thurza Epperson; P. O. Westfield; among the pioneers of Coles Co., who came in the year 1834, was Green Epperson, who was born in Madison Co., Ky., about the year 1800. He was married Dec. 22, 1829, to Miss Thirza Woods, a daughter of Adam and Mary Woods; she was also a native of Madison Co., Ky., born Dec. 6, 1807. After their marriage, they removed to Estill Co., Ky., thence to Clark Co., and from there to Coles Co., Ill., in 1834, where they settled on the farm still in the hands of the family, and which contains … Read more

Biography of Marion P. Cash

Marion P. Cash, traveling salesman; P. O. Terre Haute, Ind.; born in Nelson Co. Va., April 14, 1833, he removed to Amherst Co., with the family, when 4 years of age, where he lived until 14 years of age, when he emigrated to Illinois and located in Paris, Edgar Co., in the fall of 1847; after farming one year, he learned and worked at the cabinet-maker’s trade for three years, in Paris; he came to Oakland, Coles Co., and worked one year at his trade, when he engaged with his brother in the furniture trade for two years; he then … Read more