Coles County IL

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 Elmer E. Glenn

Elmer E. Glenn. When Elmer E. Glenn was a young man he learned the blacksmith trade in the railroad shops at Ottawa, Kansas. He spent his early life on a farm near that city. The trade which he learned and worked at for a number of years had been the basis upon which he had built his present successful business at Sedan, where he is proprietor of machine shops specializing in the repair and manufacture of oil well tools. Though Mr. Glenn had spent most of his life in Kansas he was born at Mattoon, Illinois, November 11, 1874. His … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles E. Leitch

Charles E. Leitch, farmer, Sec. 2; P. O. Charleston; owns 117 acres; was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, April 16, 1836; resided with his parents on the farm until 22 years of age. He was married to Mahalia Baker March 18, 1858; she was born in Highland Co., Va., Dec. 19, 1837. Mr. Leitch has seven children living and two dead; the names of the living are Lizzie, Grant, John, Charles E., Jacob, Samuel and Allen; the deceased were two infants. Mr. Leitch has held the office of School Director ten years; he now holds the offices of School Trustee and … Read more

Biography of E. R. Connely

E. R. Connely, farmer; P. O. Westfield; was born in Lawrence Co., Ind., March 6, 1829; his parents, Joel and Effie Connely, came to this county in the spring of 1832, and were among its earliest pioneers; having raised one crop, they returned to Indiana, and, in the fall of same year, brought out their family, consisting of six boys and five girls accompanied also by their grandfather and grandmother Pennington; they made the journey the whole distance in wagons, driving their stock, composed both of sheep and cattle, with them. His grandfather Pennington was a Baptist minister, and among … Read more

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 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

Biography of W. J. Peak

W. J. Peak, physician, surgeon and druggist, Oakland; born in Warsaw, Gallatin Co., Ky., April 3, 1836, where he devoted his whole attention to his studies until he attained his majority, the last four years exclusively to the study of medicine, graduating from the St. Louis Medical College in the winter of 1860; he immediately commenced the practice of medicine at Warsaw, Ky., for a short time, when, in the spring of 1861, he located in Johnson Co., Mo.; during the summer, and in the fall of the same year, he went to Texas, where he was placed, from force … 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

Biographical Sketch of John W. Beavers

John W. Beavers, deceased; was born in Hampshire Co., Va., Sept. 3, 1814; he married Miss Mary A. Madden Sept. 10, 1840; she was born in Hampshire Co., Va., March 26, 1819; they had seven children, six living – Samuel M., John B., Richard R., George W., Marcellus S. and Mary E. He lived in Virginia until 1854, when he moved to Illinois, and settled about one-fourth of a mile west of the present village of Humbolt; in 1856, he moved to Iowa, and in 1857 he came to the present place; he was one of the first Road Commissioners … Read more

Biography of S. M. Cash

S. M. Cash, merchant, deceased; born in Nelson Co., Va., March 13, 1829, where he lived until 8 years of age, when he removed to Amherst Co., where he attended school and engaged in flaming until 16 years of age, after which time he was engaged for eighteen months at Lexington -learning the cabinet-maker’s trade; then coming West he located in Paris, Edgar Co., Ill., in the fall of 1847, where he completed his trade, when he associated with his brother Henry, and located in Westfield, Clark Co., where they engaged in the furniture trade from 1849 until the spring … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Eli Huron

Eli Huron, dealer in books, stationery, musical instruments, toys, etc., Charleston; was born in Hendricks Co., Ind., Oct. 14, 1836; up to the breaking-out of the rebellion he remained on his father’s farm. In February, 1862, he entered the Union army as a member of Co. A, 53d Ind. V. I., serving in the Army of the Cumberland; he participated in the siege of Corinth, and was wounded at the second battle of Corinth, on the 5th of October, 1862, from which he lost his right arm. He spent the spring and summer of 1864 as a student in Bryant … Read more

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

Biography of Joseph H. Landrus

A leading citizen of Wallowa County and numbered with the most progressive agriculturists of his vicinity, the subject of this sketch is eminently fitted to be granted representation in the annals of his county, since he has been faithful in its development and has also displayed commendable zeal in the advancement of its interests, while also in the days gone by when base strife was tearing the nation asunder he responded quickly to the call of freedom’s banner and fought with courage and valor on the fields of blood until the last enemy was put down. Joseph H. was born … Read more

Biography of Daniel A. Van Sickle

Daniel A. Van Sickle, proprietor of the Charleston Hotel, Charleston; was born in Trenton, Butler Co., Ohio, Oct. 20, 1833, being the oldest son of J. C. and Belinda (Craig) Van Sickle; his father was born in Trenton, Ohio, May 31, 1811, and his mother at Ball’s Ferry, on the Miami River, in Butler Co., Ohio, Dec. 17, 1815. The family consisted of nine children, as follows-Daniel A. Jasper, born Jan. 3, 1836, and died Nov. 12, 1868; Sally A., born March 19, 1838; Caroline, born June 20, 1841, and died Feb. 26, 1866; John Wesley, born March 18, 1843; … 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 James M. Anderson

James M. Anderson, farmer, Sec. 3; P. O. Charleston; owns 140 acres; was born in Lewis Co., Va., Jan. 27, 1835; engaged in farming until 22 years of age. He was married to Dorothy A. Leitch Dec. 27, 1860; she was born in Coles Co., Ill., April 16, 1842; Mr. Anderson has five children living and one dead; the living are named Sumner, Victoria, Wesley, Emma J. and Fannie B.; deceased, infant. Mr. Anderson has held the office of school director eight years, and Road Commissioner two years. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson’s parents are natives of Virginia.

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

Biography of Richard Stoddert

Richard Stoddert, farmer, stock-dealer and merchant, Charleston; was born in Grayson Co., Ky., March 28, 1812; his early life was passed on his father’s farm, and when quite young, he was apprenticed to learn the tanner’s trade; about the year 1831, he went to Madisonville, Hopkins Co., Ky., where he remained until 1838, when he came to Charleston; he engaged in the tanning business with his brother, Thomas Stoddert, the firm being R. & T. Stoddert, the partnership continuing for about thirty years in tanning, merchandising, farming and dealing in stock; they had at one time about 800 acres of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Woodfall

John Woodfall deceased, farmer. The subject of this sketch was born in England about the year 1807; he emigrated to America while quite a young man and located in Louisville, Ky., where he worked in a foundry and machine shop for about fifteen years, when he located in Morgan Tp., Coles Co., Ill., in January , 1857, when he purchased 200 acres of land in Sec. 31, where he lived until his death, which occurred June 14, 1857, being instantly killed by lightning while planting corn, leaving a widow and seven children. His marriage with Jane Stinson was celebrated in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. S. Garner, M. D.

J. S. Garner, M. D., Salisbury; was born in Russell Co., Ky., Oct. 14, 1831; at the age of 18, he went to Lancaster, Garrard Co., Ky., where he studied medicine in the office of J. S. Pierce, M. D., for three years; after which, he attended a course of lectures in Louisville, Ky., and commenced the practice of medicine in Wayne Co., Ky., and continued there up to the year 1863, when, having recruited. Co. K, 48th Regt. Ky. Vols., was elected its First Lieutenant, and, having served for eighteen months in our late civil war, moved to Salisbury, … Read more