Biographical Sketch of John McBride

John McBride, farming and stock; P. O. Arcola; was born in Somerset Co., N. J., Jan. 10, 1840. He married Miss Annie P. Koymer Dec. 1, 1864; she was born same place, Dec. 1,1847; they have one child, viz., Minnie. He lived in New Jersey until he was 24 years old, when on being married he came to Illinois and settled in North Okaw Tp., of Coles Co.; in 1867, he moved to this township and settled near his present place, to which he came in 1874; he has been Collector in this township one term he owns eighty acres … Read more

Biography of Isaac Roberts

Isaac Roberts, retired farmer and blacksmith; P. O. Charleston; born in Bourbon Co., Ky., Feb. 25, 1807; his grandfather emigrated from Wales in the early part of the seventeenth century, and located in Virginia, then to Kentucky, where he died; his father, Azariah Roberts, was born in Kentucky about the year 1775, and died in Indiana about 1847. The subject of this sketch removed to Scott Co., Ky., when quite young, where he lived until 22 years of age, and learned and worked at the blacksmith trade until 1828, when he removed to Hendricks Co., Ind., and followed his trade … 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 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 Wesley Daugherty

Wesley Daugherty, farmer, Sec. 8; P. O. Charleston; born in Coles Co., Ill., Jan. 18, 1834; he is the youngest son of John B. Daugherty, who emigrated with his family from Indiana and located in Coles Co., Ill., about the year 1833, where he lived until his decease, which occurred July 10, 1857, being then 60 years of age. The subject of this sketch remained with his father and assisted in farming until 19 years of age, when he was employed as farm laborer for about four years, when he engaged in farming upon rented land, which he followed two … Read more

Biography of Eli Dudley

Eli Dudley, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Ashmore; was born in Coles Co. Jan. 17, 1840, being a son of Guilford and Mary (Wiley) Dudley; to trace the genealogy of the Dudley family from its origin, it would be necessary to begin with the Earl of Dudley, of Dudley Castle, in Staffordshire, England, in the fourteenth century, and follow down through a long line of earls, barons, etc.; this is not our purpose, but we can say that the genealogy is complete and authentic from that point to the subject of the present sketch; the first of the family to … Read more

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 Capt. T. E. Woods

Capt. T. E. Woods, editor Mattoon Journal, Mattoon; was born June 2, 1837, near the present village of Stockton, Coles Co., Ill.; his education was secured in subscription and common schools, and for a short time he attended an academy; he usually walked or rode from two to five miles each morning to attend school; at the age of 17, he began teaching school, and followed that occupation till he reached his majority; he was Deputy Postmaster at Mattoon during 1855 and 1856; he then edited and published the Mattoon Gazette from 1857 to 1860; during the year 1861, he … Read more

Biography of Charles Edward Wilson

Charles Edward Wilson, son of Thomas Jefferson Wilson; was born in Greensburg, Green Co., Ky., on May 1, 1849; when his father died in 1835, he, being the only child and only remaining one of the family, went to Charleston and lived with relatives, finishing a common-school education during the following winter; in the spring of 1867, he went to Omaha, Neb., and remained one year; returning then to Charleston, he became a salesman in the queensware store of V. Craig, and afterward book-keeper for George Tucker, who was a manufacturer of pressed brick; in the spring of 1871, he … 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

Biographical Sketch of Lewis Kees

Lewis Kees, merchant, Oakland; born in Preble Co., Ohio, April 10, 1843, where he attended school until 16 years of age, when he emigrated West and located in Embarrass Tp., Edgar Co., where he engaged in farming until July, 1862, when he enlisted in the 70th I. V. I. for three months; he was sent to Camp Butler, Springfield, where he remained two months guarding prisoners, then to Alton for two months performing the same duty; he was in the service four months and was mustered out with his regiment in November, 1862. He then returned to his farm, which … Read more

Biographical Sketch of N. P. Smith

N. P. Smith, dealer in books, stationery, etc., Oakland; born in Delaware Co., Ohio, Jan. 6, 1847, where he attended school until 16 years of age, when he removed to Pickaway Co., where he attended school one year; he then attended at Delaware City, where he entered the Wesleyan University, where he remained eighteen months; in 1866, he located in Shelby Co., Ill., and for five years engaged from four to six months during the fall and winter in teaching school, and the balance of the season farming and dealing in farm implements and machinery; he then engaged in the … 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 Elias Anderson

Elias Anderson, farmer; P. O. Diona; is a native of Ohio, and was born in Champaign Co. June 16, 1807; he remained with his parents until he was 32 years of age, his father having died about the year 1833; he remained with his mother until her removal to Michigan, where she died in the year 1844; Mr. Anderson, before his removal to this county, married, Sept. 20, 1835, Miss Hannah Place, her parents being natives of Pennsylvania; in the year 1839, they came to this county and settled where he has ever since resided; they had five children, four … 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

Biographical Sketch of John Henton

John Henton, farmer and stock-raiser; P. Coles Station; one of the most prominent settlers; was born in Fairfield Co., Ohio, Jan. 11, 1826; came to this State with his father’s family, and settled in Moultrie Co. in 1847, and in 1879, he removed to Coles Co., and settled in North Okaw Tp.; his farm consists of 410½ acres, valued at $8,000. He was married to Miss Pheba Staley, who was born in White Co., Ill.; they have six children, viz., Alvaretta, George W., Olly, Melvin, Emma and Pheba L. During Mr. Henton’s residence in Moultrie Co., he has held the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David Beels Williams

David Beels Williams, farmer, Sec. 23; P. O. Johnstown; owns fifty-five acres; was born in Coles Co., Ill.. March 25, 1836, and lived with his parents on the farm until 21 years of age. He was married to Phoebe Landrus Nov. 13, 1856, who was born in Crawford Co., Ind., Feb. 14, 1837, who has had eight children, six of whom are living, viz., Lewis W., Christopher C., Flora E., Henry S., Emma F. and Edmond C.; deceased, L. W. and L. M. Mr. Williams was Overseer of the Road two terms, elected Constable two terms, Justice of the Peace … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Gray Bovell

James Gray Bovell, farmer; P. O. Larna; owns 260 acres; was born in Washington Co., Tenn., June 1, 1825, and came to Edgar Co. with his parents when only 4 years old; he stayed there five years; then came to Coles Co., where he has since resided. He was married May 6, 1846, to Eliza Dryden, who was born in Bedford Co., Tenn., July 24, 1825, and has had four children, viz., Mary E. D., Nancy C., John W. and one infant; Mary E. D. is the only one living. Mr. and Mrs. Bovell’s parents were natives of Tennessee.

Biography of Tiffin P. Logan

Tiffin P. Logan, land and loan agent, Mattoon; was born in Trimble Co., Ky., March 28, 1844; his father was a man of prominence, a cousin to President Harrison, and was honored by the Democratic party with a seat in the Kentucky Legislature during the sessions of 1844-45; in the spring of 1858, removed with his family to Illinois, and located in Windsor, Shelby Co.; here he occupied the office of Justice of the Peace eleven years in succession; here Tiffin P. began life for himself; he lived with his brother-in-law till he attained the age of 15 years; at … Read more

Biographical Sketches, Coles County, Illinois

Coles County Illinois Homestead

The 484 biographical sketches presented here highlight many residents of Coles County, Illinois, at the turn of the 20th century. These sketches often include essential biographical details, offering valuable insights for genealogical research, such as birth locations, parental information, and details about their children. Biographies serve as prime research materials for bringing family history to life, as they frequently provide rich, narrative details that go beyond mere facts.