Ashmore Illinois

Biographical Sketch of Aris Galbreath

Aris Galbreath, farmer; P. O. Rardin; was born in Nicholas Co., Ky., Jan. 20, 1812. His parents removed to Scott Co., Ind., when he was 2 years of age, where he lived until 18 years of age, when he emigrated with his mother to Illinois and located in Edgar Co., in the Fall of 1830, where he engaged as farm laborer for two years at $8 per month; in 1832, he located in Ashmore Tp., Coles Co., Ill., working one year for $100, out of which he saved money to enter 40 acres of land, which he improved one year, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jacob Zimmerman

Jacob Zimmerman, of the firm of Zimmerman & Monroe, dealers in dry goods, notions, boots, shoes, etc., Ashmore; was born in Augusta County, Va., Sept. 19, 1836; in 1837, his father, Martin Zimmerman, removed with his family to Edgar Co., Ill., where he resided one year, and then settled in the edge of what is now Oakland Township, in 1838; in common with most of the pioneers, he began life in the West with an empty pocket, but with that unconquerable determination to succeed before which all obstacles recede and vanish away; he entered some land from the Government, to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Francis M. Waters

Francis M. Waters, Ashmore; dealer in dry goods and notions, boots and shoes, hats, caps and clothing; was born in Ross Co., Ohio, March 16, 1838, and is a son of Baker and Mary Waters; in 1847, his parents removed to Coles Co., and settled in Charleston, where his father carried on the wagon and carriage. Making business about ten years; he then removed to a farm in Ashmore Tp., where he lived till his death, in 1875; Mr. Waters’ mother died the year before; the family consisted of eight sons and one daughter, all residents of Coles Co.; when … Read more

Biography of Thomas W. Hallock

Thomas W. Hallock, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Ashmore; was born in Dutchess Co., N. Y., Jan. 20, 1811; he was raised on a farm until he was 15 years old, and then went to Troy, N. Y., where he learned the trade of a coachmaker; he worked for Eaton & Gilbert, at that time one of the largest coachmaking firms in the country; he helped to build the first railway-coach in this country, in 1829; this coach was run on the Amboy & Burtontown R. R., and was drawn by horses. Going to New York City in 1833, he … 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 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

Biographical Sketch of Nelson R. Green

Nelson R. Green, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O.; was born in Miami Co., Ohio, Dec. 25, 1830; he is a son of James and Elizabeth (Heminway) Green, and accompanied his parents in their various removals given in their biography, and in 1850, came permanently to Coles Co.; he worked at various employments until 1854, when he was married on the 19th of January, to Miss Mary E. Brown, the eldest daughter of Jobe W. and Martha R. Brown, of Ashmore; she was born at the Walnut. Grove, in Edgar Co., 1834; they have nine children – Jonathan W., George A.. … Read more

Biography of Jobe W. Brown

Jobe W. Brown, retired, Ashmore; this gentleman was born in Chatham, Middlesex Co., Conn., July 15, 1809; his father was Jonathan W. Brown, and his mother’s maiden name was Elizabeth Aiken, the former being a native of Connecticut, and the latter of the island of Nantucket; when he was but a child, his parents removed to Oneida Co., N. Y., thence to Milton, Ky., and in 1822 to Lawrence Co., Ill.; in January, 1825, they removed to Walnut Grove in Edgar Co., then on the very outskirts of civilization; at that time there was not a single white inhabitant in … Read more

Biography of William F. Austin

William F. Austin, of the firm of Austin, Brown & Kimball, dealers in hardware, lumber, agricultural implements, furniture, etc.; P. O. Ashmore; is a native of Coles Co., being a son of John and Susan (Carter) Austin; his father was born near Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 9, 1809, and came with his father’s family to the county in about 1828 ;his father, William Austin, took up a farm, comprising the site of the present village of Ashmore. Mr. Austin was married Oct. 15, 1835, to Miss Susan Carter, a daughter of John and Mary Carter, both natives of East Tennessee; she … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. P. Green

W. P. Green, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Ashmore; was born in Miami Co., Ohio, Sept. 8, 1827, being a son of James and Elizabeth (Heminway) Green; when he was about 10 years old, his parents removed to Randolph Co., Ind., and, in 1840, to Coles Co., returning a few years later to Ohio, and lived awhile in Darke Co., from which county they removed again to Randolph Co., Ind., and thence to Grant Co.; his father opened no less than seven farms in Ohio and Indiana the year the family returned to Ohio, Mr. Green made four trips between … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. B. Moore

J. B. Moore, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Ashmore; was born in Butler Co., Ohio, July 22, 1836; he is a son of William S. and Julia A. (Eddingfield) Moore; his father, an early settler of Butler Co., having come from his native State, New Jersey, at the age of 4 years; his mother was born in Ohio, her parents being from Pennsylvania. In 1862, his father removed West with his family, spending the summer in Vigo Co., Ind., and coming to Coles County in the fall; he resided in Ashmore until his death, Feb. 8, 1875; his father was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John B. Jones

John B. Jones, farmer, Sec. 3; P. O. Rardin; born in Franklin Co., N. Y., Sept. 1, 1829; he removed with his parents when quite young to Whitehall, Washington Co., where he attended school and engaged in farming until 15 years of age, when he learned and worked at the ship-carpenter’s trade for three years; then for two years followed sailing on the lakes, and his trade; after which time he located at Astoria, L. I., where he engaged at his trade until 1857, when he emigrated to Illinois, and located in Ashmore Tp., Coles Co., March 1, of the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of A. T. Steele, M. D.

A. T. Steele, M. D., physician and surgeon, Ashmore, is a native of Illinois; he was born in Clark Co. June 28, 1844; he is a son of Oliver P. Steele, a native of the city of Philadelphia, who came to Clark Co. in 1837, where he resided till his death, which occurred Oct. 2, 1872; his mother was Nancy K. Twilley, who was born in Kentucky, and came to Illinois with her in 1832. Dr. Steele was raised on the farm; in 1863, he enlisted in Co. C, 62d Ill. Vols., serving till Feb. 1865; he participated in the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William C. Kimball

William C. Kimball, of the firm of Austin, Brown & Kimball, dealers in hardware, lumber, furniture and undertaking, Ashmore; has been a resident of Ashmore since 1867; he was born in Cambridge, Guernsey Co., Ohio, June 14, 1838; was educated at the Cambridge Union Schools, and, in 1857, began teaching school; he continued in that profession in Ohio till March, 1863, when he enlisted in Co. H, 122d O. V. I., and served in the 6th Army Corps in the Army of the Potomac until Jan. 1, 1864; he was then detailed as a clerk in the office of the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Orlando F. Ashmore

Orlando F. Ashmore, son of Hezekiah and Elizabeth Ashmore, was born about two and a half miles northwest of the village of Ashmore, June 10, 1845. He was raised on the farm until he was of age, and then engaged in the grocery business in Ashmore, and has been engaged alternately in the grocery and dry goods business until a short time ago. He was married Oct. 12, 1865, to Miss Margaret J. Barnett, a daughter of James Barnett of Lincoln Co., Ky. She was born near Stanford, in that county, Nov. 27, 1842. They have had five children, three … Read more

Biography of L. C. Thornton

L. C. Thornton, farm implements, Postmaster, Oakland; one of the pioneers of Edgar Co., Ill.; born in Washington Co., Ind., Dec. 15, 1825; he removed with his parents in 1829, being then 4 years of age, and located in Edgar Co., Ill., where he attended school, and engaged in farming until Sept. 10, 1861, when he enlisted as private in Co. E, 66th I. V. I; this regiment was composed of picked men from the various Northwestern States, selected for their skill and accuracy in handling the rifle; the 66th was known in the army as the Western Sharp-shooters, and … Read more

Biography of Thomas O’Brien

Thomas O’Brien, farmer and stock raiser; P. O. Ashmore; was born in the city of Philadelphia Feb. 18, 1830; he is a son of John and Mary O’Brien; his father was born in Mt. Maleck, Queens Co., Ireland, in February, 1801; up to the age of 18 years, he worked in his father’s tailor-shop; he then went to London, Eng., and afterward to Leeds, spending seven years in the two cities; after paying a brief visit to his native place, he came to America at the age of 25; his first settlement was in Philadelphia, where he was married March … Read more

Biography of John H. Johnson

John H. Johnson (deceased), farmer and minister; born in Washington Co., Penn., Dec. 12, 1812, where he attended school in his youth-the last few years at the college at Waynesburg, Penn.; after which he was licensed as a minister of the C. P. Church, officiating as circuit preacher until his removal to Ohio, where he was settled as local preacher for three years, until his removal to Coles Co., Ill., about the year 1854, where he first settled as Pastor of the C. P. Church in Ashmore Tp. for several years; then in Morgan Tp. until 1868; at the above … Read more

Biography of Caleb Reed

Caleb Reed, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Ashmore; was born in Spencer Co., Ky., Dec. 1, 1818, and was 11 years old when he came to Coles Co.; his father, Thomas Reed, was a native of Pennsylvania; removed to Kentucky with his parents when a boy, and there married Miss Anna Kirkham, a native of Kentucky, and the 18t of December, 1829, left that State with his family, consisting of a wife and five children, to found a new home in the wilderness of Illinois. They came with a five-horse team, the journey consuming nearly a month; arriving in Edgar … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Lilburn Swinford

Lilburn Swinford, farm and stock; P. O. Charleston; was born in Harrison Co., Ky., Jan. 31, 1808; he married Miss Frances Hendricks in September, 1829; she was born in Pendleton Co., Ky., Dec. 19, 1809. They had eleven children, eight living, viz., William H., Martha A., Mary E., Julia A., Lucy, Louisa, Josephine and Benjamin F. He lived in Kentucky until 1839, when he moved to Indiana and settled near Greencastle, where he remained until 1847; he then moved to Illinois and settled near Ashmore, in Coles Co., and in 1865 he came to his present place; he owns 200 … Read more