Coles County IL

Biographical Sketch of G. T. Kilner

G. T. Kilner, druggist, Mattoon; was born in Manchester, Eng., Nov. 18, 1820; at the age of 15 years, he was left an orphan, and, in 1836, emigrated to America, and first settled in Waterbury, Conn.; here he engaged in the sale of drugs six years; he then moved to Newburgh, N. Y., where he engaged in the same business; in the spring of 1860, he came West and located in Mattoon, opened up his business here; his is the first drug store established in the city; he took a partial course in medicine and practiced some years in connection … Read more

Biography of L. S. Cash

L. S. Cash, merchant, farmer and stock-raiser, Oakland; born in Nelson Co., Va., Jan. 12, 1827, where he attended school until 10 years of age, when, upon his father’s decease, he removed to Amherst Co., where he attended school and engaged in farming until 1847, when he, with the family, emigrated West, and located in Paris, Ill., in October, of the same year; during the December following, he buried his mother and two older brothers within a period of ten days; he learned and worked at the plasterer’s trade here for two years, when, in March, 1850, he started overland, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of F. E. Cottingham

F. E. Cottingham, farmer; P. O. Hutton; was born in this township March 17, 1849; his father, John J., was born in Kentucky Nov. 23, 1816, and his mother, Sarah J., in Harrison Co., Ind., in 1821; his father first went to New Albany, Ind., and Louisville, Ky., working at brickmaking and as a brickmason, and, in the year 1836, came to this county and first settled near Westfield, Clark Co., and from there to this township; in the year 1859, he moved to Charleston,Coles Co., and died on Oct. 9, 1863; his mother is still living, and is at … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. A. Brotherton

J. A. Brotherton, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Mattoon; was born in Indiana Nov. 12, 1841; came to this State and settled in Coles Co. in 1860; his farm consists of eighty acres, valued at $2,400. He was married to Miss Catharine Earls, who was born in Illinois; they have seven children, viz., Sarah, Delia, William M., Lawrence, Lewis, Eva and Robert. Since Mr. B.’s residence in the township, he has held the office of School Director three years.

Biographical Sketch of J. V. W. Annin

J. V. W. Annin, farmer; P.O. Oakland; born in Somerset Co., N. J., July 29, 1841; he emigrated with his parents when he was 9 years of age, and located in Wyoming Tp., Lee Co., in 1850, living there until January, 1852, when he removed with his parents to East Oakland Tp., Coles Co., Ill., where he has since continued to live; he, with his brother Samuel, own 400 acres of land, among which, is the old homestead, upon which they settled when they first located here nearly thirty years ago; while they own the above property in company, each … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Faris

James Faris, farmer and nurseryman, Sec. 1; P. O. Mattoon; was born in Bourbon Co., Ky., Feb. 22, 1808; engaged with his father in farming and nursery business until 30 years of age. He was then married to Rachel E. McGahan Aug. 17, 1843; she was born in Orange Co., Ind., Jan. 4, 1826; they have had ten children, four living and six dead; the names of the living are Thomas C., John D., Mary E. and Charles H.; the names of the dead are William E., Sarah I., William W., George W. and Martha A. and one infant. Mr. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Fountain Turner

Fountain Turner, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Ashmore; one of the pioneers of Coles Co.; was born in Madison Co., Ky., Feb. 3, 1795, being the son of Thomas and Anna Turner, and the second in age of a family of three children; his father was from South Carolina, and his mother from Virginia; he was but 3 years of age when his father died. He was married Dec. 7, 1818, to Miss Elizabeth Phelps, a daughter of Jarrot and Millie Phelps; she was born in Madison Co., Ky., Feb. 12, 1803; her parents were both natives of Virginia. Mr. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Adolf Sumerlin

Adolf Sumerlin, editor and attorney at law, Mattoon; born in Keosauqua, Iowa, Aug. 24, 1851; moved with his parents, Rufus and I. A. Sumerlin, to a farm in Scotland Co., Mo., in 1859; his father having embarked in the newspaper business in Memphis in 1860, he commenced learning the printer’s trade; in 1865, he moved to Shelbyville, Ill.; in 1869, he conducted the reportorial department of the Shelby Leader, which his father had purchased in 1865; in. the same year, commenced reading law with Thornton & Wendling; moved with his parents to Springfield, Mo., in April, 1871, and after completing … Read more

Biography of William Henry Craddock

William Henry Craddock. As the greatest calamity ever suffered by Kansas City, Kansas, was probably the flood of 1903, that year will always be memorable in the city’s history. Another event associated with that year was the death of William Henry Craddock, who had just completed a service of two years in the office of mayor. Mr. Craddock was stricken on March 2, 1903, and his death occurred on the 4th of the same month at the Savoy Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. He was mourned by the entire city, and never any similar occasion in the city had brought … Read more

Biography of Josiah H. Busbey

Josiah H. Busbey, book-keeper, Okaland; born in Coles Co., Ill., Jan. 6,1847, where he engaged in farming and attended school until Feb. 24, 1864, when, he enlisted in the 66th I. V. I., and went forward to battle for the Union; the 66th was composed of picked men from the various Northwestern States, elected for their skill and accuracy in handling the rifle, and in the army was known as the Western Sharpshooters; they always led the advance, and in important battles were detailed in squads to silence rebel bat-tries, which duty they often accomplished by their unerring aim, and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of A. J. Clark

A. J. Clark, farmer, Sec. 17: P. O. Charleston; born in Coles Co., Ill., April 22, 1834, within one-half a mile of where he has since lived; he is the youngest son of Benjamin and Sarah Clark, who emigrated from Kentucky and located in Coles Co., Ill., about the year 1829, where his father lived until his death, which occurred April 18, 1856, while on a visit to Indiana; he was born in Kentucky in the year 1798; his mother, who still lives within one-half mile of where she has lived for nearly one-half of a century, was born Jan. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of A. J. Shulse

A. J. Shulse, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O., Kansas; was born in Nicholas Co., Ky., Oct. 17, 1827, being a son of Henry and Winnifred Shulse, the former a native of Kentucky, and the latter of Virginia. He was married Aug. 5, 1852, to Miss Martha J. Horn, a daughter of David and Anna Honn, of Nicholas County, Ky. She was born in that county May 9, 1826. In November, 1859, they removed to Coles County, and the following spring settled in their present home. Mr. and Mrs. Shulse are well pleased with the change from Kentucky to the prairies … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rice P. Hackett

Rice P. Hackett, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Charleston; was born in Coles Co., Ill., Nov. 28, 1838; he is a son of Levi Hackett, who came from Scott Co., Ky., and settled in Coles Co. in 1835, and now lives in Douglas Co., to which he removed in 1861. Mr. Hackett is the second of a family of eight children, five of whom are living. He was married Feb. 25, 1857, to Miss Ann M. Waltrip, of Hutton Tp., also a native of the county, and a daughter of John Waltrip, one of the early settlers of the county. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jeremiah C. Cooper

Jeremiah C. Cooper, farmer; P. O. Hutton; was born in Franklin Co., N. C., April 25, 1786, being now 93 years of age, hale and hearty; he remained with his parents up to the age of 21, working upon farms in the neighborhood, when he purchased a farm in Randolph Co., N. C., and lived there until 1841, when he came to Coles Co., and on April 22 of same year purchased the farm on Sec. 24, upon which he has ever since resided. While living in Randolph Co. he was elected Sergeant of the 18t Regt. of North Carolina … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Jarvis

John Jarvis, farming and stock; P. O. Arcola; the subject of this sketch was born in Madison Co., Ky., Dec. 25, 1809; he married Miss Polly Ray, Jan. 22, 1830; she was born, same place, Aug. 9, 1802; they had eight children, two living, viz., Robert and William. He lived in Kentucky until 1830, when he came to Illinois and settled in Edgar Co., near Paris, where he lived three years; he then moved to Kentucky, where he lived eleven years; he then moved again to Illinois and settled in Edgar Co., about fourteen miles west of Paris; he lived … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Francis Popham

Francis Popham, farmer and stock-dealer, Sec. 10; P. O. Campbell; was born in Knox Co., Ohio, June 2,1838; lived with his parents on the farm; engaged in farming until married to Sarah E. Babbs, Dec. 11, 1862; she was born in Knox Co., Ohio, Dec. 8, 1844; the fruit of their marriage has been four children – William C., Fred D., Minnie A. and Clarence E. Mr. P. owns 100 acres of excellent river-bottom land, which he farms; he also deals largely in horses; he is a very liberal-hearted man, and respected by all who know him.

Biography of Hon. John Monroe

Hon. John Monroe, deceased, late of Charleston; was born in Glasgow, Barren Co., Ky., Sept. 24, 1811; his boyhood was passed in the private schools of his native town; his father dying when he was but a boy, he entered the apothecary-shop of his uncle, Dr. George Rogers, a physician of Glasgow, and there became familiar with the compounding of medicines, and also studied medicine under his uncle’s instruction; he first began practice in Tennessee, and, in November, 1833, came to Illinois and engaged in the practice of his profession in Shelbyville, soon removing to Charleston, and, a few years … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Daniel S. Carney

Daniel S. Carney, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Charleston; the subject of this sketch was born in Delaware Co., Ohio, March 2, 1822. He married Miss Margaret Heminger March 27, 1843; she was born in Tuscarawas Co., Ohio, Sept. 4, 1819; they had five children, four living, viz., Addie D. Jasper C., Sarah F. and Charles L. D., lived in Ohio until 1864, when he came to Illinois and settled on his present place, and has lived here since; he owns 182 acres in this county, which he has earned by his own labor and management; his parents, Thomas and … 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 J. L. Rardin

J. L. Rardin, farmer and Justice of the Peace; P. O. Rardin; one of the early settlers of Morgan Tp.; born in the State of Indiana Dec. 12, 1814; his parents removed to Campbell County, Ky., when he was 4 years of age, where he was engaged in clearing land and farming, with the exception of five years in Ohio, until 28 years of age, when he emigrated with his parents to Illinois, and located in what is now known as Morgan Tp., in the fall of 1842, upon the place where he has since continued to live during a … Read more