Virginia

Biography of Charles Owen

Charles Owen. The production of oil and gas forms one of the most important industries in the State of Kansas. It is not only a source of great wealth, but at the same time serves as a medium of employment for a great many men and a means of livelihood for a great number of dependent families. In this respect Montgomery County is one of the busiest and most productive portions of the state. The cultivation of its fertile farms and the operation of its almost inexhaustible gas and oil wells go hand in hand to make it one of … Read more

Biography of William Cochran Hall, M. D.

William Cochran Hall, M. D., has lived at Coffeyville nearly thirty years. As a physician and surgeon he has been successful, as is indicated by the numerous professional relations he has enjoyed as physician and surgeon to a large number of the railway companies and other industrial organizations of that section of the state. But Doctor Hall’s usefulness has not been confined entirely within the lines of his profession. He is one of the men who have made Coffeyville a city. He has helped bring many of its industries and organizations, and has aided in numerous worthy enterprises inaugurated for … Read more

Biography of Hon. Enoch Hoult

HON. ENOCH HOULT. – The gentleman above-named was born in Monongahela county, West Virginia, April 18, 1825. His parents were of English descent, coming to American in the Colonial days. He lived in Virginia until his twelfth year, when his father moved to Edgar county, Illinois, in the spring of 1832. There Mr. Hoult grew to manhood and remained until he was thirty-three years of age. In the fall of 1830 he was married to Miss Jeannette Somerville, daughter of John Somerville, who came from Kentucky to Illinois. In the year 1853 he came with his family overland to Oregon. … Read more

Biography of Charles William Trickett

Charles William Trickett. That Kansas City, Kansas, can claim distinction of being the largest city in the United States without a saloon or commercialized vice district is due more to the fearless and strenuous efforts of Charles William Trickett than to any other one man. The people of an entire state committed to the cause of prohibition followed with a great deal of interest and admiration his remarkable campaign, made some years ago while assistant attorney general, for rigid law enforcement and the driving out of the saloons and other commercialized forms of vice which had hitherto enjoyed immunity in … Read more

Biography of Mrs. Nancy J. McNeill

Mrs. Nancy J. McNeill. While the professional career of Mrs. Nancy J. McNeill has covered but a short period of time, she has already demonstrated her right to a place among the learned members of the Cherokee County bar, and, as junior partner of the firm of Skidmore & McNeill, at Columbus, has built up a large and representative practice. Mrs. McNeill was born near the Town of Messer, in Cherokee County, Kansas, and is a daughter of Branche and Mary M. (Fowler) Jones, and a descendant of revolutionary ancestors on both sides of the family. The Jones family originated … Read more

Biography of William Ranck

WILLIAM RANCK. – This representative citizen of Clarke county was born at East Waterford, Pennsylvania, in 1829. At the age of five years his parents moved to Huntington county in the same state, one and one-half miles from Shade Gap postoffice, where he received the common-school education of that early time which consisted chiefly of the “three R’s.” At the age of seventeen he went to Shirleysburg to learn the trade of a wagon and carriage maker. After some years of employment at Germantown, and at other points in Pennsylvania and Virginia, on the 1st day of April, 1852,he left … Read more

Biography of Matthew Patton

MATTHEW PATTON. – This well-known and now venerable pioneer was born in Monongahela county, Virginia, November 15, 1805. As a child he moved with his parents to Highland county, Ohio, and four years later to Brown county, remaining until he was sixteen years old. Being naturally mechanical, he was sought and gladly received as an apprentice to a cabinet business by a certain Mr. Eli Collins, and at the end of four years of diligent application mastered the trade. Being young and ambitious, he turned his face to the far West, as Ohio, Indiana and Illinois were then called. After … Read more

Biography of L. S. Cash

L. S. Cash, merchant, farmer and stock-raiser, Oakland; born in Nelson Co., Va., Jan. 12, 1827, where he attended school until 10 years of age, when, upon his father’s decease, he removed to Amherst Co., where he attended school and engaged in farming until 1847, when he, with the family, emigrated West, and located in Paris, Ill., in October, of the same year; during the December following, he buried his mother and two older brothers within a period of ten days; he learned and worked at the plasterer’s trade here for two years, when, in March, 1850, he started overland, … 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 J. H. Brannon

J. H. Brannon, farmer, Sec. 7; P. O. Oakland; born in Rockingham Co. Va., Sept. 1, 1836, where he engaged in farming until 19 years of age, when, in 1855, he emigrated to Missouri, where his father died soon after his arrival, when he returned to Virginia, remitting during the winter, and, in the spring of 1856, he returned to Illinois, and located in Oakland Tp., Coles Co., and engaged in farming, which business he has since successfully followed; he owns 200 acres of land, mostly under cultivation. His marriage with Sally A. Troxwell was celebrated Nov. 11, 1858; she … Read more

Biography of W. B. Zimmerman

W. B. Zimmerman, farmer; P. O. Oakland; one of the early settlers of Coles Co., Ill.; born in Augusta Co., Va., Feb. 4, 1826, where he lived until eleven years of age, when he emigrated with his parents to Illinois, and located in Edgar Co., in 1837; in the fall of 1838, they located in what is now known as East Oakland Tp., near where Mr. Zimmerman has since lived; he being the oldest son of Martin Zimmerman who emigrated from Virginia at the above date with a family of nine children; and the year following their arrival the whole … Read more

Biography of Jeremiah Titus

Jeremiah Titus, farmer, Sec. 6; P. O. Oakland; born in Loudoun Co., Va., Sept. 13, 1810, where he remained with his father, Tunis Titus, and engaged in farming until he attained his majority, and, for the first few years, worked at $5 per month, after which he hired by the year for $100 per year, which was the highest wages he received until 30 years of age, at which time he rented land and engaged in farming until 1855, when he removed to Muskingum Co., Ohio, and rented land until 1860, when he came to Coles Co., Ill., by team … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Roberts

Thomas Roberts, farmer; P. O. Oakland; was born in Loudoun Co., Va., Oct. 12, 1802, where he lived and engaged in farming until 1830, when he emigrated to Muskingum Co., Ohio, and engaged in farming until 1860, at which date he removed to Illinois and located upon his present place in East Oakland Tp., Coles Co., where he has since lived and followed farming. He married Feb. 7, 1828, to Alice Mock; she was born in Virginia Nov. 8, 1808; they have nine children now living, having lost three by death; the names of the living are Mary E. (now … Read more

Biographical Sketch of H. A. Pemberton

H. A. Pemberton, farmer, Sec. 18; P. O. Oakland; one of the pioneers of Coles County; born in Washington Co., Va., Aug. 22, 1822; he emigrated with his parents when quite young, and located in Coles Co., Ill., in November 1831, upon the place where he has since lived during the a period of nearly half a century; he is the youngest son of Stanton and Sarah Pemberton; his father died in 1838; seven years after his settlement here, and his mother died in 1850; after the death of his father, he and an older brother managed the place until … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. J. Pemberton

J. J. Pemberton, retired merchant, Oakland; one of the early pioneers of Coles Co.; born in Washington Co., Va., Dec. 5, 1814, where he attended school in winter, and assisted his father farming in summer, until 17 years of age, when he emigrated West and located in East Oakland Tp., Coles Co., Ill., in 1831, in which township he has since lived, for a period of nearly half a century; from 1831 to 1838, he was engaged in farming, when he removed to Oakland and engaged in hotel-keeping four years, at the expiration of which time he engaged in the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jacob Zimmerman

Jacob Zimmerman, of the firm of Zimmerman & Monroe, dealers in dry goods, notions, boots, shoes, etc., Ashmore; was born in Augusta County, Va., Sept. 19, 1836; in 1837, his father, Martin Zimmerman, removed with his family to Edgar Co., Ill., where he resided one year, and then settled in the edge of what is now Oakland Township, in 1838; in common with most of the pioneers, he began life in the West with an empty pocket, but with that unconquerable determination to succeed before which all obstacles recede and vanish away; he entered some land from the Government, to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Isaiah H. Johnston

Isaiah H. Johnston, President of the Second National Bank, Charleston; was born in Russell Co., Va., April 24, 1827; his father, Abner Johnston, came to this county in 1830, and settled in what is now Pleasant Grove Tp., and lived there until his death, which occurred in 1848. Mr. Johnston followed farming until he was 27 years old, and then engaged in merchandising, and, in 1857, removed to Mattoon, and continued in business there till 1860; he was then elected Sheriff, of Coles Co., and removed to Charleston; he served as Sheriff two years, and afterward served out the unexpired … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Albert Compton

Albert Compton, retired, Charleston; one of the early settlers of Coles county; was born in Fairfax Co., Va., Sept. 24, 1812; in the fall of 1830, he left home and came to Vincennes, Ind., thence to Terre Haute, and from the latter place, in 1833, to Charleston, arriving on the 3d of March; he worked at his trade of a shoemaker for about two years, and then engaged as a clerk in the employ of Baker & Norfolk; in 1835, he was elected Constable and served two years; in August, 1838, he was chosen Sheriff of Coles County, which office … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Tillman Bagley

Tillman Bagley, horticulturist; Charleston; was born in Loudoun Co., Va., June 6, 1828; being left fatherless when but a child, he accompanied his mother, at the age of 9 years to Muskingum Co., Ohio, where they settled on a farm about twelve miles north of Zanesville; at 19, he left the farm to learn the trade of a marble-cutter, after completing which he worked as a journeyman until 1853; he then came to Charleston, and after working two years, started in the marble business for himself, in which he continued till 1869; at which time he purchased what is known … Read more