Shelby County IL

Genealogy of Belfield Kirtley Austin

Belfield Austin, son of John H. Austin and Louisa J. Broyles, continued living in Henry County, Missouri where on 28 October 1883 he married Gertrude Wilma Rhodus. While in Missouri they had five children: two of which died by 1890 of cholera. During the summer of 1898 the family moved to Shelby County, Illinois where Henry, Belfield’s brother, was already living with his wife near Lakewood, Illinois. In November of that same year, Belfield and Gertrude had another son Herbert. Unfortunately on 29 Feb. 1899, “Mrs. Belfield Austin died at her home northeast of town (Lakewood)… and the remains were interred … Read more

Biography of William Lenley Goheen

William Lenley Goheen is publisher of the Holyrood Banner and also the Galatia Register, two papers of extensive circulation and large influence in Ellsworth and Barton counties. Mr. Goheen is a veteran of the printing trade and it is doubtful if any Kansas printer or newspaper man had had a more varied and eventful experience. Much of his life had been spent in the service of that typical American institution, the traveling circus, and as a press agent he had covered nearly every town and city of the United States. Mr. Goheen, who was born at Moweaqua, Illinois, July 25, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Elias Monroe

Elias Monroe, Postmaster and dealer in dry goods, notions, boots, shoes, etc. (firm of Zimmerman & Monroe), Ashmore; was born in Shelby Co., Ill., Feb. 7 1842, but removed in childhood to Moultrie Co., where he lived until 1861; his mother then removed with her family (the father having died years before) to Hitesville, Coles Co. In December, 1863, he entered the Union army as a member of Co. H, 59th I. V. I.; he participated, among other engagements, in the battles of Lookout Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Resaca (where he received a slight wound), Peach-Tree Creek, Marietta, siege of Atlanta, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of the Kahn Brothers

Kahn Bros., dealers in clothing, Mattoon. Mark Kahn, senior member of the firm of Kahn Bros., was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Nov. 7, 1841; he emigrated to America in 1856, and first settled in Marshall Co., Ill., and engaged in peddling dry goods and clothing for eighteen months; during the summers of 1858, 1859 and 1860, he worked on a farm in Shelby Co., and during the winter season was employed in a store; in the fall of 1860, in connection with a Mr. Steiner and his brother Moses, he began the business of merchandising in Mattoon, under the firm … Read more

Davis, Robert V. – Obituary

Union, Union County, Oregon Died—In Union, Oregon, Saturday, February 23, 1924, Robert V. Davis, age 59 years, 7 months and 22 days. The funeral will take place from the Methodist Church, Union, Monday, February 25, 1924, at 1:30 p.m. Friends are invited to attend. Obituaries and Other Vital Records of Union County, Oregon, 1890-1930. Compiled by Clara Cline Lee. Reproduced by Walter M. Pierce Library, Eastern Oregon Library, 1972. “Robert V. Davis” Robert V. Davis, son of Josiah and Sarah Davis, was born at Shelbyville, Illinois, July 31, 1864, and died in his home at Union, Oregon, February 23rd, 1924, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. L. Aubert

J. L. Aubert, County Surveyor, Mattoon; was born in Licking Co., Ohio, Nov. 3, 1830; his father was a tiller of the soil, and his early life was that of a farmer’s son; at the age of 18, he began work at the carpenter’s trade, and worked under instruction three years. In 1854, he came West and settled in Moultrie Co., Ill., where he purchased land, farmed some, but for the most part followed his trade. In July, 1865, he located in Lebanon, St. Clair Co.; here he remained three years, during which time he contracted and built the public … Read more

Genealogy of Linzie Otis Stoneburner

Linzie O., son of John M. and Margaret Stoneburner, continued living on a farm near Herrick. On the 25 April 1901 he married Ella Alice Miller, daughter of Benedict and Lucie Spockwell Miller. Linzie and Ella had a family of four children. In January of 1931, “about 40 neighbors and friends gathered at the home of L. O. Stoneburner and family to spend the evening. Following are the names of those present: Charles McKittrick and wife; Hubert Smart and family; Ellis Corley and wife; Arthur Salmons and family; Mrs. Lamora Manuel and children; Lawrence Stoneburner and family; Dorothy Campbell; John … Read more

Biography of John Moseley

JOHN MOSELEY, who since 1840 has been a resident of this county, is a man highly esteemed by all and one whose career has been upright and honorable in every particular. He was born in Shelby County, Illinois, March 14, 1825, and is a son of Len S. and Elizabeth (Whitten) Moseley. The elder Moseley was a native of the blue grass regions of Kentucky, where his parents, John and Priscilla Moseley, were among the pioneers. They came originally from South Carolina. At an early date Grandfather Moseley moved to Missouri and first settled on White River. Later he settled … Read more

Genealogy of George Spracklin

George Spracklin, son of Peter Spracklin and Elizabeth Andrews, continued living in Dudley Township, Hardin Co., Ohio. There he met Arloa Turner Minor and was married 9 April 1840, Knox Co., Ohio. In December of 1864 George bought land here in Shelby Co., Illinois in Drypoint Township. He paid $3680 for 200 acres south of Lakewood, Ill; in 1865, he and his family lived in Edwards County, Ill. before moving to Shelby County. By 1868 George owned 300 acres in Shelby County. Arloa, George’s wife, died in July, 1892 and is buried in Red Bank Cemetery, land formerly owned by George … Read more

Womack, Crawford W. – Obituary

Lostine, Wallowa County, Oregon Lostine Pioneer Goes To His Rest Crawford Wallace Womack, a pioneer of Wallowa County, died at his home at Lostine last Saturday, February 14, 1920. Funeral services were held at the Lostine Cemetery on Monday, conducted by Rev. Eaton of the Christian church. Mr. Womack was born in Shelby County, Illinois, and the family moved when he was a boy to Missouri. When 19 years old he joined in the gold rush to Colorado and spent part of a year in the Pike’s Peak neighborhood. In the spring of the following year the call of the … 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

Biography of George Skinner

George Skinner is one of the prosperous farm owners and well known citizens of Champaign County, now living retired at Urbana, and for his success the credit is due almost entirely to his individual efforts and his steadfast honesty and integrity. Mr. Skinner was born in Somersetshire, England, January 29, 1850, and was about four years of age when he accompanied his parents, Robert and Anna (Rich) Skinner, to America. The family first located near Elk Grove, northwest of Chicago, and in 1873 they moved to the vicinity of Homer in Champaign County, where Robert Skinner spent his last years … 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 Alonzo F. Dove

Alonzo F. Dove, postmaster at Hamilton, is a native of Greenwood County and son of a pioneer family there. For many years he followed the work of educator in his native county and since retiring from the school room had been engaged in telephone work and had handled loans and insurance at Hamilton, where his last teaching work was done, and during the present administration was appointed to the office of postmaster. Mr. Dove’s English ancestors emigrated to Virginia in the colonial period of our history. In Rockingham County of that state was born Henry Dove on February 7, 1765. … Read more

Genealogy of Garriot K. Broyles

Broyles, Bruhls, Broils,Broiles originated from northwestern Germany. There are two towns one of which is Bruhl along the west side of the Rhine River. The largest community has an 18th century castle called Augustburg. The archbishop of Cologne had created the town in 1285. The family Brohl had lived in the area as early as the 14th century as in 1332 one Brohl had received a coat of arms. Some of the Broyles family came to America in 1717 to Culpepper, Virginia. The first was John Broyles who had several sons who were the ancestors for many of the Broyles … Read more

Biography of George H. Hunter

George H. Hunter, a resident of Wellington almost forty years, is one of the leading millers of the state, is president of the oldest bank in Wellington, and has also given much of his time and energies to public affairs, being the present mayor of Wellington. He was born on a farm near Circleville, Ohio, December 1, 1849, one of the five children of Alexander M. and Sophia (Zepp) Hunter, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania. Sophia Zepp was of Pennsylvania Dutch extraction, and when a child was brought to Ohio by her uncle and … 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

Marks, James Mrs. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Mrs. James Marks passed away suddenly Thursday noon, June 14, 1928, at the family home at Joseph. She had just eaten dinner when she was stricken and in a few minutes the end came. Two years ago in October Mrs. Marks suffered a stroke of paralysis from which she recovered only partly, and she was able to get about the house with the help of other members of the family. Clara Royce was born Feb. 14, 1857, at Shelbyville, Ill. When she was 19 years of age the family moved to Caldwell County, Missouri, where she … Read more

Biography of Alfred J. Smysor

Bartlesville owes much to the progressive spirit and notable business ability of Alfred J. Smysor, whose extensive real estate operations have been a dominant force in the up-building and development of the town, and he is also recognized as a successful merchant and oil operator. He was born in Windsor, Shelby County, Illinois, February 4, 1873, and there attended the grammar and high schools, later attending a business college. In 1893 he completed his studies and then became a member of the firm of Smysor & Son, of which his father was the head, continuing active in general l merchandising … Read more

Genealogy of George Elias Spracklin

George Elias Spracklin likewise remained in Shelby Co., Ill. When he was twenty-two years of age, he married Grace Belle Austin , daughter of Belfield Kirtley and Gertrude Wilma Rhodus Austin, on 26 March 1902. George worked as a farmer to support his seven children. In 1918 he and his wife owned 80 acres in Section 29 Lakewood Township and tenant on 200 more acres. George died in Christian Co., Ill. in 1964. His widow Grace lived for seven more years. 444 George Elias Spracklin born 14 July 1881 Shelby Co., Ill. married 26 March 1903 Grace Belle Austin born … Read more