Biographical Sketches Coles County Illinois Collections – Page 9 of 25

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Hart

Thomas Hart, farmer; P. O. Paradise is the son of Miles H. and Catharine C. Hart, of Coles Co.; was born in Hardin Co., Ky., Sept. 5, 1824; moved to Coles Co. with his parents March 12, 1826; was Assessor, School Trustee, Overseer of the Poor and Road Overseer. Was married to Vianna Sexson, of Coles Co., March 2, 1851; names of children: Mary E., Hallie B.; deceased-Annie Hart. His father, Miles Hart, was born in North Carolina July 24, 1796; was married to Catharine C. Yocum, of Kentucky, and moved to Wayne Co., Ill., and then to Coles Co.; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas H. Crispin

Thomas H. Crispin, farmer; P. O. Rardin; born in Pickaway Co., Ohio, May 5, 1833, where he attended school and assisted his father in the mason trade until 14 years of age, when he went to Bellefontaine, Logan Co., where he learned and worked at the trade of mason and plasterer until 1852, when he emigrated to Carlinville, Ill., and followed his trade for six years; he located in Coles Co. in the spring of 1859, on Sec. 30, Morgan Tp., where he engaged in farming one year, then six years upon Sec 9; he located upon his present place … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas G. Chambers

Thomas G. Chambers, President of the First National Bank, Charleston; has been a resident of this county and city since 1838; he is a native of Cynthiana, Harrison Co., Ky.; he was 22d of January, 1816, being a son of James and Sally Chambers; he worked on a farm until the age of 18 years, when he entered a dry goods store as a clerk, and continued at that until he came to Charleston, as above stated. He followed clerking here for a time, and, in 1840, engaged in the dry goods business for himself, which he continued, with an … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Furness

Thomas Furness, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Fuller’s Point; one of the early settlers; was born in Pickaway Co., Ohio, Feb. 17. 1825; came to this State and settled in Coles Co. in 1856, and with the exception of five years’ residence in Moultrie Co., his home has been in Coles Co.; his farm, which is located in both counties, consists of 240 acres, valued at $7,200. He was married Dec. 25, 1848, to Miss Mary Kepler, who was born in Pickaway Co., Ohio, Feb. 9, 1829; they have ten children, seven of whom are living, viz., Louisa, Francis and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Theodore Jonte

Theodore Jonte, dealer in harness and saddles, Mattoon; was born in Nashville, Tenn., April 4, 1839; his father was a wholesale confectioner; he received a good common-school education, and, at the age of 16 years, left home and came West, settling in Quincy, Ill., where he engaged in working at his trade; in the fall of 1861, he engaged in laboring for the U. S. Government in the making of cavalry equipments; the fall of 1862, he came to Paris, Edgar Co., and engaged in business with Wm. Legy; they operated a shop in Paris, and one in Grand View … Read more

Biographical Sketch of the Kahn Brothers

Kahn Bros., dealers in clothing, Mattoon. Mark Kahn, senior member of the firm of Kahn Bros., was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Nov. 7, 1841; he emigrated to America in 1856, and first settled in Marshall Co., Ill., and engaged in peddling dry goods and clothing for eighteen months; during the summers of 1858, 1859 and 1860, he worked on a farm in Shelby Co., and during the winter season was employed in a store; in the fall of 1860, in connection with a Mr. Steiner and his brother Moses, he began the business of merchandising in Mattoon, under the firm … Read more

Biographical Sketch of the Brown Brothers, Richard and Daniel

Brown Bros., Richard and Daniel, farming, stock and road grading and ditching; P. O. Humbolt; are natives of Nelson and Hardin Cos., Ky.; they were born Dec. 22, 1826, and July 22, 1832, respectively. They were born on the farm, and have always followed farming; they lived in Kentucky until the fall of 1854, when they came to Illinois, and settled about ten miles south of Charleston, where they lived about three months; they then moved on the Springfield road, in Douglas Co., where they lived one year, when, in 1856, they came to the present place, and have lived … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Tarlton C. Miles

Tarlton C. Miles, Charleston, is a native of Franklin Co., Ky.; he was born near Frankfort, on the 18t of May, 1825; he is a son of Dr. James I. Miles, a physician of that county; his early life was spent in the subscription schools in his neighborhood; in 1845, he came to Coles Co. He was married Oct. 3, 1848, to Miss Sophia 0. Van Deren, a daughter of Joseph Van Deren, of Coles Co.; she was born in Cynthiana, Harrison Co., Ky., Jan. 18, 1829, and came to Illinois with her parents in 1835; they have six children … Read more

Biographical Sketch of T. S. Coffin

T. S. Coffin, merchant, Oakland; born in Cornville, Somerset Co., Me., Oct. 7, 1832, where he was engaged in farming and attending school in winter until 18 years of age, when, after finishing his academic studies, he engaged in school-teaching for two years, then as clerk in dry goods store four years; he then engaged in the dry goods business for two years, when, in 1858, he went to California, where he resided about nine years, mining and speculating in mines, making and losing several fortunes, but finally was successful, and in the fall of 1867, he spent the winter … Read more

Biographical Sketch of T. L. Endsley

T. L. Endsley, merchant, Salisbury; was born in Coshocton Co., Ohio, Nov. 21, 1842; his parents, Thomas and Matilda, were natives of Harrison Co., Ohio; his father was born in August, 1801, and is still living in Coshocton Co., Ohio, having lost his eyesight in the year 1876; his mother died about the year 1854; the subject of this sketch remained with his parents until he was 25 years of age, when he came to Hutton Tp. in the fall of 1866, and, the first winter, taught school; in the spring of 1867, he went to Westfield, Clark Co., Ill., … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Stephen Bishop

Stephen Bishop, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Charleston; was born near Providence, R. I. May 30, 1815; when he was but 2 years old, his parents emigrated to the then Far West, and located in Knox Co.. Ohio, where his father entered land from the Government, and engaged in farming, being among the pioneers in that part of the State; Knox Co. was then comparatively a wilderness; Mt. Vernon, the county seat-now a city of about 10,000 inhabitants-containing at that time but half a dozen houses; Mr. Bishop remained at home on the farm until he was 20 years of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Solomon Collins

Solomon Collins, farmer, deceased; the subject of this sketch was one of the early pioneers of Morgan Tp.; he was a native of North Carolina, and emigrated to Illinois with his father, Aaron Collins, and located upon Greasy Creek, Morgan Tp., about the year 1831; he suffered all the hardships and privations of frontier life, but was known as a hard-working, industrious and successful farmer, and at the time of his death was held in high esteem in the township in which he lived. He married Theney Carter; she was born in Kentucky, and, at the time of her death … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Solomon Brandenburg

Solomon Brandenburg, farmer; P. O. Hutton; is the fifth son of Solomon B. Brandenburg, one of the early settlers of this county, and was born in Hutton Tp. Sept. 3, 1830; at the age of 19 he went to Wisconsin and engaged in hauling lead with his brothers C. P. and Wm. H., during the summer, for nine years; in the year 1858, he purchased the farm upon which he now resides, on Sec. 13. He married Mrs. Sallie Smith (daughter of James Cox and widow of George Smith), Feb. 5, 1850; they had seven children, five living – Ford, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Sherman W. Roberts

Sherman W. Roberts, farmer; P. O. Oakland; born in Muskingum Co., Ohio, Jan. 11, 1852; he attended school here until 9 years of age, when he emigrated with his parents to Illinois, and located in East Oakland Tp., Coles Co., in September, 1860 (his father at that time purchasing upward of two hundred acres upon Sec. 6, where he still resides); he attended school here during the winter and assisted his father farming in the summer, until he attained his majority; he then engaged in farming a part of his father’s farm on shares for three years, when he bought … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Shep Florer

Shep Florer, farmer; P. O. Oakland; born in Newport, Vermilion Co., Ind., March 29, 1839; he was the son of Alexander B. Florer, of the early pioneers of that county, and who was elected Second County Clerk, which office he held fourteen years; was elected Recorder of the county several times, which office he held for many years; he was also an eminent lawyer of that part of the State of Indiana until his death, which occurred Aug. 9, 1863; Shep Florer was raised in the above county at the age of 14, he commenced clerking for Jones, Culbertson & … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Seton Johns

Seton Johns, farmer; P. O. Charleston; was born in Augusta Co. Va., Nov. 22, 1832; he is the second son, and came with his parents to Gallia Co., Ohio, when he was 2 years of age, and from there to Hutton Tp. in the year 1838, and lived with them up to the time of their death, which occurred in May, 1854, his parents dying within three days of each other. The same fall Mr. Johns married Miss Armilda Rennels (daughter of Wm. Rennels, of Hutton Tp.), and immediately after moved to his farm, one-fourth mile east of his present … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Wright

Samuel Wright, Charleston; was born in Delaware Co., Penn., Feb. 29, 1808; when he was 9 years of age, he removed with his parents to Washington Co., in the same State, where he learned the trade of a carpenter and builder, and afterward taught school for seven years. He was married Aug. 20, 1829, to Miss Ruth Gordon, of Washington Co., Penn., and has four children living – William G. (of Charleston), Maria B. (wife of Dr. A. K. Spears, of Charleston), Matilda R. (Mrs. W. S. Minton, of Charleston), and Samuel H. (Corresponding Secretary of the National Surgical Institute, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Rardin

Samuel Rardin, merchant and Postmaster, Rardin; born in Morgan Tp., Coles Co., Ill., Jan. 2, 1850, where he attended the common schools until 1872, when he entered the Westfield College at Westfield, Clark Co., Ill., which he attended during the years 1872 and 1873, when he returned home and assisted his father in farming until the year 1875, when he was appointed, under the administration of President Grant, as Postmaster at Rardin, which office he now holds, and which is the only post office in Morgan Tp.; upon receiving the above appointment, he erected a store, and purchased a stock … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel L. Morris

Samuel L. Morris, farmer and stock-dealer, Sec. R; P. O. Mattoon; owns eighty acres; was born in Logan Co., Ohio, April 3, 1855, and lived with his parents on the farm until he married Phoebe C. Lucas, Feb. 12, 1875 she was born in Logan Co. Ill., Oct. 16, 1857; they have one Child-Rosetta. His parents are natives of Ohio; Mrs. Morris’s father is a native of Ohio.

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Chowning

Samuel Chowning, farmer, Sec. 19; P. O. Campbell; owns 109 acres; was born in Fayette Co., Ky., June 4, 1827; came with his parents to the county when only 4 years old, and lived with his parents until 18 years of age. He was married to Polly Ann McCann, in February, 1849; she was born in Logan Co., Ky., July 25, 1824, and has had nine children, viz: Nancy I., Rebecca D., Laura A., Mary L., Robert P., Rachel C., deceased, John B., Charles P., and one infant; Mr. Chowning’s father was in the Black Hawk war, and Mrs. Chowning’s … Read more