Coles County IL

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

Biographical Sketch of Albert H. Odell

Albert H. Odell, farmer, Sec. 9; P. O. Mattoon; owns eighty acres; was born in Coles Co., Ill., Aug. 5, 1844, and lived with his parents on the farm in this county until married Sept. 9, 1874, to Louisa E. Miller, who was born in Coles Co., Ill., Oct. 8, 1849; they have three children – Lola A., Milla M. and Gertrude. Mr. Odell was Township Collector two terms. He was also in the late war four months. Mr. Odell’s father was in the Black Hawk war, and also in the late war four months. Mr. Odell’s eldest brother was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Monroe White

Monroe White, farmer, Sec. 10; P. O. Charleston; owns 238 acres; was born in Coles Co., Ill., Aug. 9, 1844, and lived with his parents on the farm; engaged with his father in farming until 21 years of age. He was married to Mary E. Hall, Nov. 16, 1865; she was born in Coles Co., Ill., Aug. 28, 1848; they have four children – Sarah F., Hannah A., Millie E. and Lucy E. Mr. White has held the office of School Director five years. Mr. White’s parents are natives of’ Ohio, and Mrs. White’s, natives of Kentucky.

Biographical Sketch of Thomas T. Threlkeld

Thomas T. Threlkeld, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Mattoon; is a native of Coles Co.; he was born in La Fayette Tp. May 22, 1848; he is a son of Matthew P. Threlkeld, and a grandson of Thomas Threlkeld, one of the pioneers of this county, who came from Scott Co., Ky., in 1830; his grandfather was a Baptist minister, and a prominent citizen, being, in 1840, a member of the State Legislature; he entered a large farm in what is now La Fayette Tp., and resided there till his death, in 1863. Matthew P. Threlkeld, his son, and the … Read more

Biography of Thomas J. Mock

Thomas J. Mock, farmer and Constable, Sec. 25; P. O. Oakland; born in Hocking Co., Ohio, March 22, 1845, where he lived until 1854, when he removed with his parents to Coles Co., where he lived until Aug. 1, 1862, when he enlisted at the age of 17 years in Co. A, 123d I. V. I., and at once went into camp at Mattoon, where they remained until Sept. 6, when they were mustered in and at once sent to the front, going to Louisville, they joined the army of Gen. Buell, which had been defeated and driven to that … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George Diehl

George Diehl, farmer and stock-dealer, Sec. 7; P. O. Mattoon; owns 278 acres; was born in Bedford Co., Penn., Oct. 12, 1811, and lived with his parents on the farm in that State until the year 1837, when he came to Coles Co. He was married Feb. 23, 1842, to Mary E. Jeffries, who was born in Grayson Co., Ky., Feb. 23, 1824; died Nov. 27, 1849. Mr. Diehl was then married April 20, 1854, to Catharine Fuller, who was born in Virginia about the year 1821; died July 16, 1871. Mr. Diehl was then married Dec. 12, 1873, to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Daniel Weber

Daniel Weber, of the firm of Weber Brothers, bakers and confectioners, Charleston, is a son of Godfrey and Frances (Muller) Weber; he was born in Westfield, May 31, 1854, and came with his parents to Charleston in 1866; he spent a part of his time on his father’s farm in Hutton Tp., and a portion in the store in Charleston, and on the death of his father, in 1877, he, with his brother John, succeeded to the business. He was married April 29, 1878, to Miss Rosa Riegger, of Bloomington, Ill.

Biographical Sketch of Andrew Gossett

Andrew Gossett, farmer; P.O. Hutton; was born in Coshocton Co., Ohio, Aug. 8, 1836; when he was 4 years of age, his parents, Luke and Jane, moved to Coles Co. and settled on Sec. 15, Hutton Tp., where they have resided ever since. Mr. Gossett married Miss Polly Kiser (daughter of William Kiser, of Hutton Tp.) Nov. 1, 1860. The March following, they moved to his farm on Sec. 23, where he now resides, upon which he has made all its present improvements; he has been School Director five years; he owns 190 acres of land. His wife was born … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. W. Hanna

J. W. Hanna, book and music store, Mattoon; was born in Freeport, Harrison Co., Ohio, Dec. 2, 1848; he derived his education from the common schools, and, at the age of 13 years, began clerking in his father’s general merchandising establishment at Deersville, Ohio; July 4,1866, he came West, stopping a short time at Preston, Minn., and, in September following, came to Mattoon, where he attended school six months; he then entered the employ of Finley & Richardson as clerk in their book store; in October, 1869, he and his brother James R., bought out the firm, and in May, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. M. Chambers, M. D.

W. M. Chambers, M. D., physician and surgeon, Charleston, was born in Cynthiana, Ky., April 11, 1814; he is a son of James and Sally Chambers, both natives of Pennsylvania, who settled in Kentucky in 1810. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812; in 1850, his parents removed to Charleston, where his mother died in 1855, and his father in 1873. Dr. Chambers began the study of medicine in his native town in 1833, and, in 1836, began practice in Harrison Co.; he graduated in 1843 from the Medical Department of Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky. In 1846, … Read more

Biography of Maj. J. A. Connolly

Maj. J. A. Connolly, attorney at law, Charleston; was born in Newark, N. J., March 8, 1838; his parents removed to Chesterville, Morrow Co., Ohio, when he was about 12 years old, and at the age of 18, he went to Mt. Gilead, the county seat of Morrow Co., and began reading law with Judge A. K. Dunn, of that city; he was admitted to the bar in September, 1859, and began practice in Mt. Gilead; in 1860, he removed to Charleston; while living in Mt. Gilead, he held the position of Second Assistant Clerk of the Ohio Senate for … 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

Biographical Sketch of V. R. Bridges, M. D.

V. R. Bridges, M. D., physician and surgeon, Mattoon; was born in Rockingham Co., Va., June 4, 1832; his father settled in Ross Co., Ohio, near Chillicothe, in 1836; in 1841, he came to Illinois and settled in Newton, Jasper Co.; he was engaged in contracting on public works, both in Ohio and Illinois. Dr. Bridges acquired a good academic education, mainly through his own exertions, and at the age of 14, began life for himself. At the age of 17, he taught his first school; in 1851, he was employed in the drug store of Dr. H. H. Hayes, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Leitch

William Leitch, farmer, Sec. 20; P. O. Mattoon; owns 115 acres; born in Highland (formerly Pendleton) Co., Va., Nov. 11, 1816; was raised a farmer; has also worked at blacksmithing and coopering; is also a millwright. Married Eunice Raines Nov. 18, 1841; she was also born in Highland Co., March 12, 1822 she died March 28, 1877 had ten children, eight of whom are now living – Andrew J., Huldah, Mary, Susan, Frank, Ingabo Ridley (Indian name), Irene and Charles; the names of the deceased were John Russell and Leva. Mr. L. holds the office of Justice of the Peace, … 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 John Ingram

John Ingram, farmer and schoolteacher; P. O. Charleston; was born in Vermilion Co., Ill., Oct. 16, 1836; his parents moved to Coles Co., when he was 18 months old, and settled on Sec. 33; his mother died there in February, 1855; his father is still living on Sec. 34, at the age of 65; the subject of this sketch still resides upon the homestead; he has taught school ever since he was 22 years of age. Married Miss Almorinda Garrison of Hutton Tp. (daughter of Peter Garrison) Oct. 1, 1857; she was born Jan. 9, 1839; her father, Peter Garrison, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. T. Montgomery

J. T. Montgomery, physician, P. O. Charleston; born in Cedar Co., Mo., Oct. 18, 1852. He emigrated with his parents and located in Alton, Ill., in 1861, for about six months, then Windsor for three years, where his father was located as minister of the C. P. Church. He located in Oakland, Coles Co., in March, 1867, when he attended school until 1871, where he worked as farm laborer during the summer and fall, in which way he obtained the means to attend the Mt. Zion Academy until he had exhausted the proceeds of his summer’s labor, when he engaged … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jeremiah Lane

Jeremiah Lane, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Ashmore; was born in Muskingum Co., Ohio, Jan. 17, 1844; his father, George W. Lane, was a pioneer, coming from his native State, Maryland, at the age of 13; his mother, Sarah Lane, was a native of Ohio, and a descendant of a Maryland family; his parents both died in Ohio; Mr. Lane was raised on the farm, and has followed that avocation all his life; he came to Coles Co.. in 1873, and settled on his present farm, one mile east of the village of Ashmore, where he owns 134 acres of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of B. B. Shinn

B. B. Shinn, farmer; P. O. Mattoon; owns 142 acres; was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, March 10, 1824; was brought up a farmer. He married Margaret Barcalow Jan. 1, 1845; she was born in Butler Co., Ohio July 14, 1824; they have had three children; only one (G. B.) is now living; he was born in Bartholomew Co., Ind. Oct. 20, 1851. He married Cornelia M. Ricketts Feb. 11, 1872; she was born in Charleston March 19, 1853; is a daughter of Joshua Ricketts, Esq., of Ashmore Tp.; they have had three children, two of whom are now living … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Ricketts

William Ricketts, land agent and conveyancer, Charleston; was born in Alleghany Co., Md., March 3, 1813; his father, Joshua Ricketts was of an old Maryland family in Colonial days; his mother was Sarah Taylor, a daughter of John Taylor, of Connecticut, who was a soldier of the Revolution, and was wounded at the battle of Bunker Hill and afterward at the battle of Brandywine; Mr. Ricketts’ parents removed, in 1813, to Zanesville, Ohio; he is the seventh in age of a family of thirteen; he was raised on a farm. He was first married Sept. 11, 1834, in Putnam, Ohio, … Read more