Owen County IN

Biographical Sketch of Granville F. Raper

Granville F. Raper, farmer; P. O. Arcola; is a native of Owen Co., Ind., where he was born Jan. 28, 1836. He married Miss Mary H. Roberts Aug. 5, 1855; she was born in Greene Co., Ind., Sept. 13, 1832; they had nine children, six living, viz., James A., California J., Laura S., William O., Albert H. and Granville S. He lived twenty-one years in Indiana, when he moved to Hancock Co., Ill., and engaged in farming; remaining there three years, he returned to his old home in Indiana and lived there two years; he then came to Illinois and … Read more

Biography of John W. Simpson

John W. Simpson. The people of the Town of Tescott in Ottawa County recognize in John W. Simpson the man who more than any other individual had been identified with the growth and upbuilding of the community, and they have confirmed their choice of him as a natural leader by keeping him in the office of mayor continually for twelve successive terms, so that he is at once the first and last and only mayor the village had ever had. Mr. Simpson was born in Owen County, Indiana, March 26, 1854, and is of old Virginia colonial stock. His father, … Read more

Biography of W. K. Payne

W. K. Payne, retired, Ashmore; although not an early settler of Coles Co., is one of the pioneers in the adjoining county of Edgar, where he was a prominent citizen for forty-six years. He was born in Shelby Co., Ky., May 17, 1807, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Wright) Payne, both natives of Kentucky and descendants of old Virginia families. His early education was limited to such as the schools of that region afforded. In 1822, his father removed with his family to Owen Co., Ind. In 1831, Mr. Payne came to Edgar Co., and engaged in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jackson A. Bartlett

This well known and representative business man of the town of Drewsey has a fine hotel, where he does a thriving business and also a large livery and feed stable, being a man of excellent capabilities and one of the prominent figures in this part of Harney county. He was born in Owen county, Indiana, on August 31, 1847, the son of James and Sarah (Alexander) Bartlett. He was reared on a farm and gained his education from the public schools of the vicinity and when he heard the call for troops in the times of fratricidal strife he enlisted … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George Steigman

George Steigman, Charleston, of the firm of Steigman, Wilson & Co., proprietor of the Charleston Pork-Packing Houses; was born in Dimboch, County of Weinsberg, Kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany, Aug. 5, 1827; he was raised on a farm, and, in 1853, came to the United States, spent one year in Meadville, Crawford Co., Penn., and coming thence to Owen Co., Ind., where he followed farming year; in 1855, he came to Charleston and engaged in farming, which he continued eight years; he then kept a meat-market until 1871, when he revisited his native country, spending eight months; returning, he followed the … Read more

Illinois Burial Customs

The term Illinois Indians as used by some early writers was intended to include the various Algonquian tribes, encountered in the “Illinois country,” in addition to those usually recognized as forming the Illinois confederacy. Thus, in the following quotation from Joutel will be found a reference to the Chahouanous – i. e., Shawnee – as being of the Islinois, and in the same note Accancea referred to the Quapaw, a Siouan tribe living on the right bank of the Mississippi, not far north of the mouth of the Arkansas. Describing the burial customs of the Illinois, as witnessed by him … Read more

Biography of William R. Zook

William R. Zook (1846–?), a Civil War veteran and Kansas pioneer, was born in Indiana and later raised in Missouri. He enlisted in the Union Army in 1863, serving with the Second Nebraska Volunteer Cavalry on the Western frontier. After the war, Zook moved to Kansas in 1869, where he homesteaded in Republic County and endured the challenges of early settlement, including scarce resources and conflicts with Native Americans. Over decades, Zook became a respected landowner and retired in Cuba, Kansas. He married Nancy Casteel in 1869, and they had five children: John F., Tilly, Aaron, Alveretta, and Jessie.

Biographical Sketch of Jacob Ernst

Jacob Ernst, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Humbolt; the subject of this sketch was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, March 30, 1839. He married Miss Julia Anna Joose Aug. 16, 1861 she was born in Baden, Germany, June 20, 1844; they had nine children, eight living, viz., George A., John M., Flora May, Mary A., Harry D., Willis E., Clarence and Jacob E.; Charlie died June 4, 1866. He lived in Germany about fifteen years, when he came to the United States and settled in Meadville, Penn., where he lived until 1855; he then moved to Owen Co., Ind.; thence to … Read more

Thomas Jefferson Todd of Nebraska

Thomas Jefferson Todd6, (Caleb5, Gideon4, Gideon3, Michael2, Christopher1) born March 11, 1803, at Fairfield, Herkimer County, N. Y., died Aug. 10, 1880, at Plattsmouth, Neb., married May 12, 1830, Mary Smith at Kiantone, Chautauqua County, N. Y. In the year 1832, they removed to Jamestown, N. Y.; in 1836 they went to Geauga County, Ohio; thence in 1839 to Carrol County, Ohio; then in 1841 they went to De Wittville, N. Y., to the farm originally owned by Caleb Todd and which was bought by him from the Holland Land Company, and which farm is now owned by Chautauqua County … Read more

Biography of Z. A. Johnson

It is generally considered by those in the habit of super-ficial thinking that the history of so-called great men only is worthy of preservation, and that little merit exists among the masses to call forth the praise of the historian or the cheers and appreciation of mankind. A greater mistake was never made. No man is great in all things,and very few are great in many things. Many, by a lucky stroke, achieve lasting fame, who before that had no reputation beyond the limits of their neighborhood. It is not a history of the lucky stroke which benefits humanity most, … Read more