Morgan Illinois

Biographical Sketch of William E. Worsham

William E. Worsham, born on February 19, 1850, in Indiana, moved to Coles County, Illinois, in 1865 with his family. After his father’s death in 1877 and mother’s in 1879, he assisted in farming and later took up teaching. In 1873, he settled on his 150-acre land in Morgan Township, one of the area’s first improved sites. He married Martha V. Collins, an early pioneer’s daughter, on December 13, 1873, and they had one son, William Watson Worsham, born January 4, 1875.

Biographical Sketch of James H. Busbey

James H. Busbey, born in Ohio in 1823, was a pioneering farmer in Coles County, Illinois. He moved to Coles County in 1839 with his family, the son of Hamilton and Sophia Busbey. After his parents’ deaths, he worked the family farm until renting land in 1856 and eventually purchasing his own property in 1861. Busbey married Sarah J. Naphew in 1856 and they had six children together. He has developed a successful farming operation spanning over eighty acres.

Biography of Isaac Roberts

Isaac Roberts, born in 1807 in Bourbon County, Kentucky, was a retired farmer and blacksmith. He learned the blacksmith trade in Scott County, Kentucky, and later moved to Indiana, where he worked for 24 years before settling in Illinois in 1853. Over the years, he expanded his farm to 360 acres through hard work. He married Nancy Bowles in 1822, and together they had nine children. Following her death in 1866, their children remained close by, continuing the family’s legacy.

Biographical Sketch of John Winkelblack

John Winkelblack, born March 4, 1805, in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, spent his early years in the tanning trade before moving to Ohio in 1829. He later settled in Morgan Township, Illinois, where he amassed nearly 1,100 acres. Despite facing challenges, such as a remote mill requiring long trips, Winkelblack thrived as a farmer and stock-raiser. He married Catharine Weaver in 1841, with whom he had twelve children. A dedicated community member, he served as a school trustee and director, emphasizing education throughout his life.

Biography of John H. Rardin

John H. Rardin, born in Indiana in 1818, was a pioneer farmer in Morgan Township, Illinois, after relocating there in 1842. Starting with minimal resources, he built his life through hard work, eventually accumulating a substantial farm of 280 acres. He faced the challenges of frontier life while raising a family through three marriages, culminating in his third union with Nancy Campbell. Despite the hardships he endured, Rardin remained active in his farming duties well into his elderly years.

Biography of J. L. Rardin

J. L. Rardin, born in Indiana in 1814, was an early settler of Morgan Township, Illinois. After moving with his family to Kentucky, he eventually settled in Illinois in 1842, bringing minimal resources. Over the years, he developed a substantial farm of 160 acres and held multiple community roles, including Justice of the Peace for over thirty years. Rardin was a devoted member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, married twice, and had five children. His life reflects the challenges and achievements of early frontier farming.

Biographical Sketch of John Nock

John Nock was born in Germany in 1835 and emigrated to America at age two, eventually settling in Charleston, Illinois. He worked as a carpenter before acquiring 165 acres of land in 1863, where he has since farmed. Nock married Mary Golladay in the same year, and they raised seven children. His parents and his wife’s family were early pioneers in Coles County. Mary’s mother, a long-time resident, remains one of the oldest settlers in Morgan Township.

Biographical Sketch of F. M. Parker

F. M. Parker was born on March 18, 1849, in Edgar County, Illinois, and is the son of William M. Parker, a Kentucky émigré. He grew up assisting his family in farming before starting his own agricultural pursuits in 1871. Parker married Sarah J. Roberts in 1871, and they had four children. In December 1873, he moved to Morgan Township, where he continued farming and held local offices, including Road Overseer and Collector of Morgan Township.

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Rardin

Samuel Rardin, born on January 2, 1850, in Morgan Township, Illinois, attended local schools before studying at Westfield College. He returned to assist his father with farming until becoming Postmaster of Rardin in 1875 under President Grant. Rardin established a store and has thrived in the merchandise trade ever since. He is the eldest living son of John H. Rardin, a Kentucky émigré who settled in Morgan Township in 1842, and owns forty acres of prairie land in addition to his business.

Biography of James Morgan

James Morgan, born April 20, 1830, in Vermilion County, Indiana, was an early pioneer of Coles County, Illinois. He moved with his family to Illinois in 1834, where his father, David Morgan, was honored by having the township named after him. After managing the family farm upon his father’s death, James remained on the homestead for over 45 years. He married Clarissa J. West in 1849, and they had five children. Morgan’s legacy reflects the challenges and transitions of early pioneer life.

Biography of William Morgan

William Morgan, born December 13, 1827, in Sullivan County, Indiana, moved with his family to Morgan Township in 1834. His father, David Morgan, was a prominent early settler. William became a farmer, acquiring 640 acres of land over his lifetime. He experienced a rugged frontier lifestyle, with only two neighbors and trips to the mill taking four days. He married Margaret Shirre in 1850, and they had four children, including William David, who pursued medical studies in Chicago.

Biographical Sketch of J. T. Montgomery

J. T. Montgomery, born on October 18, 1852, in Cedar County, Missouri, pursued his education through hard work, attending various schools while supporting himself as a farm laborer and later as a clerk and teacher. He graduated from Chicago Medical College in 1876 and partnered with Dr. W. J. Peak in Oakland. Montgomery established a successful medical practice and married Mary A. Gerard on October 12, 1876. They had one daughter, Sarah Emily, born July 8, 1877.

Biographical Sketch of Daniel R. McAlister

Daniel R. McAlister, born in Alabama on May 29, 1821, was a prominent early pioneer of Coles County, Illinois. Moving to Morgan Township at the age of ten, he became known for his industrious nature, accumulating significant property before his death on November 9, 1867. He married on February 11, 1844, and had six children, three of whom survived him. His wife, now 63 and living with their eldest daughter, remains active in household duties, reflecting the family’s strong ties and legacy in the community.

Biography of Alexander McGregor

Alexander McGregor, born on July 1, 1807, in Perthshire, Scotland, emigrated to America in 1842 and settled in Morgan Township, where he developed a 535-acre farm through hard work. An active member of the Presbyterian Church, he prioritized religion and education throughout his life. He faced significant personal trials, including the loss of two sons in the Civil War, and his wife Margaret passed away in 1876. Despite health challenges from a palsy that confined him to his home, McGregor remains a respected figure in his community, cared for by his son John.

Biography of W. C. McLain

W. C. McLain, born January 12, 1829, in Ashmore Township, was one of Coles County’s earliest settlers. His family emigrated from Indiana in 1828. After the death of his parents in Wisconsin, McLain returned to Coles County and began farming. He journeyed to California in 1852, where he mined and operated the notable Galena Hill mine. After returning to Illinois, he farmed consistently, marrying twice and raising four children. McLain’s life reflects the perseverance of early settlers in the region.

Biographical Sketch of Andrew J. Craig

Andrew J. Craig, born on September 11, 1846, in Morgan Township, Coles County, Illinois, dedicated his life to farming and stock. He married Sarah I. Zink on September 27, 1872, with whom he had three children: Luther Z., Franklin H., and Arthur E. After moving to Sims Township with his parents in 1856, he settled on wild land in Charleston at age 21, cultivating and improving his 160-acre farm. His parents, Isaac N. and Elizabeth Blayer Craig, are discussed in greater detail in another part of the work.