Madison County, Illinois - Biographical sketches (2 of 2 so headed), 1882 (part 5 of 12)

A. E. Basdeliee, a native of the Jura region, the French part of Canton Berne, Switzerland, educated for the legal profession at Lausanne, he became a member of the Superior Court, when scarcely 21 years of age and presiding judge a few years later. " The happiest period of my liie soon ended, for unfortunately," says Mr. Bandelier, " did the sovereign people see fit to elect me to the legislative council, although I had never felt any inclination for political labors." Mr. Bandelier was soon after called to the government council. The political troubles of those years caused a radical change ; a new constitutional convention was called, of which Mr. B. became a member. He was again offered the presidency of the superior court, but refused to accept and chose, as he says, to look for once beyond the narrow boundaries of Switzerland. He visited Brazil in 1847, in company with his friend, J. Balsiger, and arrived in 1848 in Highland, where in 1854, he in company with Dr. F. Ryhiner and M. Huyge, opened the well, and to this day favorably known banking house of F. Ryhiner & Co. He is the only surviving partner of the firm. The Home Government of Switzerland, remembering the sterling qualities of this man, made him consul of that Republic at an early date ; his

Mr. Bandelier's labors as school director of Highland from 1858 to 18(i0 are still remembered, as elevating the schools to their present proud rank.

found but indifferent application in Texas, and Mr. Baer, bidding farewell to the lone star state, hastened to the Swiss Eldora, where he took charge of the public schools as priucipal and with the assistance of but two other teachers, succeeded to manage, instruct and greatly advance not less than 300 pupils. His labors were not appreciated by all, for many were incompetent to comprehend them. He laid down the ferule in 1862. His weary head was laid to rest in the same year. A grateful community erected a monument in honor of this pioneer pedagogue. The writer of these sketches conducted the mourning children to the grave of their beloved friend and teacher in September, 1862, to decorate it, and the monument with the choicest flowers of the beautiful gardens of Highland.

Julius Hammer, candidatus iheologcc, a somewhat eccentric gentleman, but of sterling qualities, was cast on the shores of America, in consequence of insurrections and civil wars in Germany. He bore the joys and ills of bachelor life with the ease of a philosopher for many years, and when painful and incurable disease seized upon him, he died as only stoics can.

Carl Ludwig Bernays, a journalist of note, and connoisseur of fine arts of distinction, came to Highland in 1848, engaged in commercial and manufacturing pursuits. Ill luck seemed to have pursued him. Losses by fire made him, comparatively speaking, a poor man ; but men of fertility of brain as Bernays enjoyed are never without resources. Adversity might bend him, but never break him. He was a splendid writer, a man of most liberal views. His articles published iu the " Anzeiger" of St. Louis, from 1858 to 1861 were forcible and pointed, and made the German element of St. Louis a unit in opposition to secession. Ber- 1 nays was U. S. consul at Zurich, and Helsingaer, and after I resigning this position he entered the U. S. army, advancing to the rank of colonel, and remaining in the field until the war was ended. After the war he took up the journalistic : pen again, plying it as pointedly as every before, never laying it down until 1880 when he was called off to attend the grand parade of the mysterious realms beyond.

Adolf F. Bandelier, born August 6, 1840, came to Highland in 1848. His education is principally the work of his parents. A great linguist, he mastered various modern languages and has studied the classical works of France, Germany and England. In later years he perfected himself in the Spanish tongue and now understands the language of various Indian nations in Mexico. His researches iu Mexico have raised him to a national prominence. The scientific world, deeply interested in several pamphlets published by hira, at the request of Prof. Jlorgan.of Rochester, are now awaiting with anxiety, the publication of a work contemplated by A. F. Bandelier, who has, for several years, braved the dangers of life among the savages, for the sake of science.

Helvetia Sciiuetzen Verein-Sharpshooters

Henry Hermann first presiding ofiicer. This society is still in existence. Its rolls contain the names of 139 members, many of whom, however, have fired off their last cartridge, and now are awaiting the often mentioned' horn of Gabriel to recall them to action. This society has done much to make Highland as attractive as it is now. A beautiful park, donated by Joseph and Solomon Koepfli to the society in trust, has been embellished at great expense, and has ever since 1863 been the favorite place of resort. Thousands have gathered there from almost every state of the Union to participate in the festivities by this society. List of names : - to erect a public hall of fine architecture, large enough to comfortably seat 700 persons. The musical organizations of the day, theatrical troups, amateur or professional, political meetings find accommodations in the building. We append an alphabetical list of the members - 87 - is added :

This society has enjoyed the greatest popularity ever bestowed upon an organization of the kind in the town. Donations have poured in from all sides, enabling the " Verein "

Additional members : - Jacob Menz, Fritz Frenler, Gottlieb Huber, Jacob Frenler. Fritz Siegrist, J. J. Briner, John Moser, Christian Koch, Henry Hediger, and Casper Blum. Jacob Simons has been musical director since 1876.

Lovers of vocal music, after all the best can be produced, must be delighted to hear this club. The writer was fortunate enough to listen to some of their most beautiful pieces at a recent day, and takes pleasure to make mention of it in these pages.

On the 11th of September, 1867, Jerome Gorin, Grand Master of Masons of the state of Illinois, granted a dispensation to Curtis Blakeman, Robert Halter, John B. Knoebel, G. Rutz, H. E. Todd, Robert Suppiger, H. M. Thorp, and Henry Laengle to meet and work with John Bevens of Marine Lodge 355 as Worshipful Master. On the 6th day of October, 18G8, a charter was granted to Highland Lodge No. 583, with the above and Otto Brodtbeck, Louis Kinne, and Louis Appel as charter members. The first officers were Robert Suppiger, W. M., H. M. Thorp, S. W., Louis Kinne, J. \V., Curtis Bleakemau, Treasurer. Galens Rutz, Secretary, Otto Brodtbeck, S. D., Louis Appel, J. D., and H. E. Todd, Tyler, who were installed and the lodge constituted by S. V. Grossman as proxy of the M. W. Grand Master, November 19, 1868.

The present membership is 40. Since the granting of the dispensation the lodge has had 66 applicants, 49 of which were accepted, five of which have not received the master's degree. By death the lodge has lost five members, to wit : Curtis Blakemau, April 26, 1875, Robert Halter, October 4, 1S77, G. \V. Herrin, January 29, 1879, P. D. Mervin, April 18, 1881, and \V. J. Collins, October 7, 18:!1.

Charter members: Martin Hahn, Frank 'Lorenze, Arthur Odhler, Charlei Boeschenstein, Frank Weiss, and Fritz Kunz. The lodge has now eighteen members in good standing, officers as follows: J. J. Briner, E. E., Henry Hebrank, Martin Hahn, and Daniel Grosseubacher.

This lodge has now 24 members in good standing. The present officers are : Ernest Hoefle, N. G., Jacob Maechtleu, V. G., Charles Bjescheustein, Secretary, and Arnold Stoecklin, Treasurer.

It is now composed of 49 members, officers as follows : F. B. Suppiger, S. P. Dictator, Robert Suppiger, Dictator, C. L. Maechtlen, V. D , J. H. Miller, A. D., H. E. Todd, Guide, Emil Chipron, Chaplain, E. J. Laith, Reporter, S. Pabst, F. R., A. Mueller, Treasurer, H. J. Wildhaber, Guardian, and P. C. Chipron, Sentinel.

1869, by A. E. Bandelier, Jacob Eggen, John Balsigcr and others, has developed great activity. In later years agricultural and mechanical expositions were introduced, and have proved a decided success.

The Gruetli Oerin a society organized with a view of mutual assistance in need or disease, as well as for the purpose of mental culture, was founded in 1871 by Charles Boeschenstein, F. Kunz, and Jacob Weber.

Highland is now, 1882, one of the most enterprising and prosperous towns of the county. The commercial interests are represented by the Banking House of F. Ryhiner & Co., and the mercantile houses of (1 Kinne & Co., J. J. Spiudler, Lorenz Winter, Ammann Wildi, J. H. Willinianu,C. F. Kuhnen, George Roth, P. C Chipron, Thorp, Kinne & Suppiger, L. Grantzow, August Majonier, A. H. Junod, Robert Suppiger and others ; the leading tradesmen and mechanics are M. Stamm, J. J. Briner, Arnold Stoecklin, Charles Suppiger, Henry Hediger, Wiggenhauser and Streif, M. Kempf, O. Schlegel, John Riffijl, Jacob Freuler, A. Marxer, J. Mueller, Louis Knoebel, Stephen Schwarz, Henry Mueller, Joseph Speckart, Caspar Kamm, Otto Spellerberg, Charles Tuffli, etc. Professionals: T. J Richardson, John Blattner, Law : Dr. A. Felder, Dr. J. B. Knoel)el, Dr. G. Rutz, Dr. J. Wirth, Dr. Walliser, Dr. P. E. Hellmuth. Physician, Surgeon and Dentist. Timothy Gruaz, Notary, Financial Land and Insurance Agency ; Alexander Beck, Insurance, Charles Boeichenstein, Notary and Justice of the Peace.

Hotel accommodations, as comfortable as may be desired, by Albert Orthoff, Jacob Zimmermann, Peter Giesler, Casimir Hoffmann, J. G. Dumbeck, Mueller Wick and others. Highland counts a number of retired farmers among its inhabitants, who of late are being jocularly named Zinsli JBuere."

As stated above, the town, and in a measure the township, are essentially a Swiss colony, but mention should also be made of other nationalities identified with the growth and subsequent developments of both.

Soon after the laying out of the town of Highland, the Swiss colonists were reinforced by a numerous immigration from the grand duchy of Baden. In 1840, the fiimilies of Bender, Meyer, Hammer and Bader arrived. Seventy-two persons arrived in 1841, among whom were Hotz, Federer, Rail, Trautner, Fellhauer, Essenpreis, Weber, Kustermann Holzinger, Voegele, Schwarz, Frey, Sjhaefer, Bellm, Bartli, Koch, Winter, Woll, Ehrhardt, Hirsch, Weiduer, Knopf Metzger, Hoffmann, and Zopf. Calentiu Krenzer, a Bavarian had preceded those parties a few years. Most of these families settled east, or northeast of Highland, in a semi-circle, extending not more than six or seven miles from Highland.

numerous, and many not used to the tropical heat of the American summer, nor the terrible cold of our winter blizzards, would exclaim - " Oh, had we remained in the fatherland?" Their frugality and diligence enabled them to overcome all privations, and their toils were richly rewarded. Fields of plenty appeared iu the course of a few years throughout the settlement, which in time had become as prosperous as any other in the blessed county of Madison. These people were all devout Catholics, and in 1844 they were able, with the assistance of their Swiss friends, Solomon Koepfli, Dr. Caspar Koepfii, and Jao b Durer, and others, I to erect their first church edifice. The first permanent | priest of this congregation was Rev. Father P. Limacher, 1850.

The ecclesiastical chapter gives a succinct and accurate account of the wonderful development of this church, and of the noble works of priests and members.

We next turn to what is called the " French- Settlement" in the township. It is of more recent date. Swiss colonists from the French Cantons, among them A. E. Bandelier, John Balsiger, Constant Rilliet, and F. Vulliet, had domiciled among their countrymen as early as 1848. Wielandy, Pury, and others, had done likewise, without forming a distinct French settlement. In 1856, however, steps were taken to colonize the French speaking immigrants in the eastern part of the township.

This French settlement, located south of the town of Sebastopol, was then started by L. Tremblay, a resident of Clinton county. He was well accjuainted with the village life in the agricultural parts of France, and succeeded iu selling his lands in Madison county to these new comers in small tracts, frequently containing only five acres, or even less. The northeast forty of the northwest quarter of section 24 has thus been divided into nine tracts, all highly cultivated now. It looks more like a small village than a number of "farms." John B. De Fountain erected a wind mill in 1858. It grinds corn and saws lumber. The churches built here are mentioned in another chapter. L Tremblay was a native of France, but had arrived many years prior to the foundation of his settlement. He died last year (1881), leaving a widow and four children, three of whom reside in the settlement, the fourth having removed to Bond county.

The town of Sebaslnpol, the centre of attraction for the neighborhood, was laid out by Timothy Gruaz in 1860. Mr. Gruaz had opened a store in the settlement in 1S58, and erected tlie store building, now occupied by John C. Steiner, in 1859. The name of the town originated in a humorous conversation between T. Gruaz and Norris Ramsay, who, as the nestor of the settlement, was asked by the former to name the projected town. Ramsay declined doing so, when Gruaz cautioned him, saying : Mr. Ramsay, you had better give my town a name, and do it soon, for these Frenchmen around here will presently invent some long outlandish and jaw-breaking name, Sebastopol, for instance, if you don't name it. The store at the time was full of French customers, laughing at the conversation and the odd name suggested. On the next day, Mr. Ramsay came around to the store, as was his wont, and entered it with the (jueslion : " Well, and how is Seba topol to-day?" The name was established. The village is now composed of about a dozen houses, has a general store, owned by J. C. Steiner, two blacksmith shops, John C. Luchsinger and Elislia Demoulin ; cartwright, Rudolf Kaufmann ; one shoemaker shop, August Keiser. The town has never had a post-office, but by courtesy of the postmaster of Highland is daily supplied with a mail, carefully packed up in a U. S. mail bag, and convej'ied to Steiner's store by his freight team.

The retrospect of less than 70 years, during which the township has become what it is at the present day, gives satisfaction. Sixty-seven years ago not an acre of the 23,000 acres in the township was in private hands; now every acre is made useful. Sixty years ago there was neither a public place of worship nor a school house iu the township, and now there is a score of them. The population, less than 500 in 1840, has increased to 3,300 in 1882

Official statistics of 1881 give the following figures in relation to productions: 162,420 bushels of corn, 228,450 of wheat, 35,223 of oats, 23,235 of fruit, 62,400 gallons of wine, 1,557 tons of hay, other field products in proportion. Dairy products were valued at over 810,000, and the receipts from the sale of fattened cattle and hogs amounted to over $30,000.

The lands, 18,220 acres, of which, under the plow, represent a cash value of $900,000, the town property is worth $325,000, and the personal property amounts to a value of at least $400,000, aggregating $1,625,000. The taxes of 1881, for all purposes, amounted to $13,834.48, of which $40.15 remained unpaid.

The township, a political corporation since the adoption of township organization, April, 1876, was represented in the county board until 1882 by H. M. Thorp, whose sterling qualities soon secured him a most prominent position in the board, although his party, the Republican, was largely in the minority there.

At present, 1882, Helvetia township is officered as follows : Louis Latzer, Supervisor ; Lewis Feutz, Clerk ; H. E. Todd, Assessor; Robert Hagnauer, Collector; Christian Hotz, Christian Koch, and Christian Baumaun, Highway Commissioners; David Suppiger, Lewis Latzer, and William Hagnauer, Trustees of Public Schools ;* Robert Suppiger, School Treasurer; and Charles Boeschenstein, and John Buchtcr, Justices of the Peace.

Several of the citizens of Helvetia have filled countyoffices, among whom mention is to be made of the late E. M. Morgan, associate justice from 1857 to 1861, succeeded by Constant Rilliet in 1861. The late Garrett Crownover, member of the House of Representatives, I860 to 1862; Hon. Henry Weinheimer, ditto, 1872 to 1874; the late George Rucgger, sheriff, 1864 to 1866 ; B E. Hoffmann, county clerk, 1809 to 1877, and Adolph Rueggcr, oldest son of G. Rucgger, county treasurer since 1877.

Timothy Gruaz

Few men have passel more active lives tlian Timothy Gruaz ; fewer yet have acconiplishtd more. Belonging to the cUiss of thinkers, he mapped out for himself an independent course in life - distinctively his own. A fair share of success has fallen to his lot ; that it has not characterized all his ambition is partly due to the fact of his physical disability. He was born in Lyons, France, June 8th, 1831, of Swiss parents. His father, John Francis, was a merchant. His mother was Mary Anna Lerck. In 1833, when Timothy was a lad of seven, his parents returned to the laud of their nativity, locating in Lausanne. Here the subject of this sketch enjoyed rare opportunities for the acquisition of knowledge under the direction of such master teachers as La Harpe, Monnard and Vinet. His parents were Wesleyan Methodists in faith, their minister being the eminent missionary. Rev. Cook. Those of this belief were subjected by the Swiss authorities to persecution, which caused many to seek a home in free America. Of this number were the Gruazes ; they came to Highland in 1849. In IS-oC, Mrs. Gruaz died here. In 1868, John Francis Gruaz returned to his native land where he died January 13, 1881, having attained the good old age of eighty-four years. Timothy Gruaz' first labor in this country was as teacher in the household of Captain Ledugerber, near Shiloh, St Clair county, then of Adol[)li Bandelier; then as assistant in the store of Huegy & Bandelier. On the 1st of July, 1851, these parties opened a bank in Highland and installed him as book-keeper, teller and cashier, at a salary of §S per month. This salary looked large at the time in comparison with the $4 per month he had formerly earned and out of which he saved sufficient to purchase a couple of cows which he gave his father. Being of a speculative turn he commenced laying the foundations of his successful business career by buying the present village site of Sebastopol and laying out the town. In company with Huegy & Baudelier he prosecuted merchandising here for three years, when ill health compelled abandonment of such pursuits. In 1862 he bought the Hiijhland Bute,o{ which he remained proprietor and editor for six years. In 1868 he visited Europe, traveling extensively over the Continent. Upon his return he enlisted his energies in real estate and insurance, a business he has since prosecuted. A traveler from ta«te he has passed much time abroad. His letters to the St- Louis papers and the local press have attracted much attention by their force and vigor. Particularly is this true of his letters from Mexico, a country customs are happily set forth by his ready pen. Politically, Mr. Gruaz is a Democrat. He was married June 8th, 1872, to Josephine Ruegger, nee Durer, widow of George Ruegger. 4.16

CHARLES B0E.5CHENSTEIN, Jr , Editor aud publisher of the H!ghland Herald, was born October 27, 1862, in the town of Highland, Madison county, Illinois. It was here, in the common schools, that he received his early education. However, he attended Smith Academy for a time, and when the Hiyhland Herald was about to collapse, he then discontinued his studies to take charge of the Herald, in August, 1881. Politically he is an ardent Democrat, and his paper wields a large influence in the ranks of this party. His father, Charles Boeschenstein, Sr., was born on the 9th of March, 1829, at Stein Am Rheim. canton Schaffhausen, Switzerland, immigrated to America in 1848, aud arrived at New Orleans in February, 1849. After working about in South St. Louis which was then known as " Wiebush," he came to Highland in 1850, where he has lived ever since. After arriving at the latter place, he made his living by working on farms and putting his hand to work at almost anything. For years he carried the mail between Highland and Trenton, on the 0. & M. railroad, and between Highland and St. Louis. In 1857 he was married to Rosette Heder. Of this union there were eight children, four of whom are dead. Of those living Charles is the oldest. In 1861 he was elected constable, aud in 1865 justice of the peace, which office, together with the office of notary public, he still holds. He is a charter member of the Odd Fellows, Knights of Honor, Druids and Good Templars (the latter lodge is disbanded), and of Gruethi, Turner and Singing Societies. He was for years a member of the board of education, and as such was secretary of the board. He has always taken a great interest in educational matters and public enterprises. During the war he was a staunch Unionist, aud a leader of the liberal league ; in 1872 he joined the Greeley movement and is now a Democrat.

Prominent among the energetic, pushing business men of Highland is C. P. Chipron, who was born in Paris, France, March 30, 1834. His father was a commission merchant in that city. In 1848 he came to America, his objective point being St. Louis. After remaining here a year he moved to Highland, where he died, September 23d, 1880. The subji^ct of this sketch, familiarly known as Paul, had the advantages of the best schools in his native city, and early manifested a genius for invention. He followed farming near Highland until 1867, when he commenced operating in agricultural machiner3'. This was a field of labor much more congenial to his tastes, and one too which afforded him opportunities to exercise his peculiar talents to their highest degree. In 1868 he erected the machine shops with which he has since been connected. Whilst a farmer in 1860, he invented an improvement in self-rakers which he disposed of to D. M. Osborn & Co., and which has been largely used since. The second patent issued to him was for a corn sheller, bearing date February 11, 1868. This sheller has t.aken premiums wherever exhibited, notably at the Illinois State and the St. Louis Fairs. The award of these premiums where competition was great - entering into generous rivalry with many makes - was certainly very gratifying to Mr. Chipron and his hosts of friends.

Self-binders arrested his attention, forced as he was in selling agricultural machinery to handle them largely, and an improvement made by him seems destined to be universally adopted. It is saying only what is richly deserved when Mr. Chipron is declared to be one of the best and most expert machine men in the State.

He was married to Mrs. Alice Wielandy, March 2, 1858. By this union there have been born six children, two of whom are now teachers in good positions. Politically he is a pronounced Republican, taking an active part in every campaign and contributing largely to his party's success. He is especially proud of the fact that his first ballot was cast for Abraham Lincoln for President. He has held the position of Chief of the Fire Department, city of Highland, and under his charge the efficiency of the department was materially enhanced. In business circles he is recognized as being energetic, zealous and successful. His mechanical ingenuity finds full exercise in the prosecution of his business.

John S. Hoerner

America with his parents in 1856, arriving in Edwardsville in October of that year. After obtaining a common school education, he commenced as apprentice to the printer's trade, October 17, 1860, in the office of the Madison Advertiser. From there he went to the office of the Free Fress. In order to perfect himself in the art he learned to love, he served an additional apprenticeship in the large book and job printing house of A. Weibusch & Son, St. Louis, Missouri. Having quite mastered his trade, he went to Alton, where he worked in both the Telegraph and Democrat offices. Thence he went to Highland in the fall of 1865, where he took charge of the Union office as foreman. In December of the same year he purchased the Union office in connection with Dr. G. Rutz, and in 1874 became sole proprietor of that office. As editor and proprietor of the Union, he has established a fine reputation, and his is one of the best equipped offices to be found in southern Illinois.

His father died in 1859, three years after reaching this country. Thenceforward the support of a widowed mother devolved upon him, and well did he discharge his duties as a son. During the first year after his father's death, he was compelled to saw wood for neighbors to gain a livelihood. His mother died in Highland, January -2d, 1874. He was married to Rosa Eggen, daughter of Jacob Eggen, May 9th, 1878.

Mr. Hoerner is a pronounced and active republican. As editor of a republican paper he has contributed much to his party's success. He is a member of several orders, in the workings of which he takes a lively interest. Among them are the Masonic, Knights of Honor, and Turnverein.

Jarvis

fHIS TOWNSHIP, the bounflaries of ^vhich coincide with those of congrest^ioiial township, 3 North, range 7 West, was so named in honor of the Jarvis lamily, menbers of which were among the early settlers of this part of the county. The first settlers in the township arrived in 1803. In J;he spring of that year, the Greggs, (sometimes spelled Gragg), came from Kentucky, and Robert Seybold from Virginia. In an address delivered by Dr. John S. Dewey, on the 4th of July, 1S76, he states that "Jacob Gregg, the father, settled the Baird place and planted the old pear tree in 1804, which has done faithful service since, and in 18G4, yielded a crop which sold in Dubuque, Iowa, for one hundred and twenty-five dollars. Philip Gregg settled the place owned by Julius A. Barnsback ; Titus, the place owned by Ignatius Riggln ; John, James H. Taylor's place on the west of the prairie, and Herman Gregg, the site of Troy. Robert Seybold made a settlement on section eight, not far from John Gregg and near the head of Cantine creek. The township was not surveyed till the)'ear 1806. These pioneers were soon followed by other settlers, among whom were William F. Purviance, John Jarvis, Robert McMahau, Jesse Reufro, William Hall, James Watt, and some others, all of whom had made their homes here previous to the organization of the state government in 1818. The first entries of land in the township were made on the 10th of September, 1814, by Titus Gregg and John Jarvis. The former entered the north half, and part of the south half, in all five hundred and twenty acres, in section four. Robert Seybold entered one hundred acres, part of the northwest quarter of section seven, Oct. 20th, 1814. September 23d, 1815, David Gaskill entered seventynine and a half acres in section seven. May 1st, 1815, Pierre Menard entered one hundred and sixty acres in section one.

AA-^illiam F. Purviance, whose name appears above as one of the early pioneers, was born in Cabarrus county. North Carolina, in 1783, and came to Illinois in 1809. He first worked at the trade of a wheelwright with Titus Gregg, who was a wheelwright and blacksmith, and carried on those branches of business ou the present farm of Ignatius Riggin, north of Troy. After paying a visit to Tenuessee, he was married iu 1811 to Rebecca, daughter of Robert Seybold, and then settled two miles north of Troy, in what is now Pin Oak township. About the year 1816 he moved back to Jarvis township, settled on section seven, west of Troy, where he lived till his death in December, 1870. He was a member of the first graud jury convened at Edwardsville after the orginization of Madison county, and survived longer than any other member of that body, He was once appointed a justice of the peace while Illinois was yet a territory, but never transacted any of the duties of that office. For many years he carried on a wheelwright shop on his farm. In the early times he made spinning wheels, both for spinning flax and cotton, and at his wheels the pioneer women of the country spent many a busy hour. Two of his children are yet living in the county ; James Purviance, who was born in 1811 and resides on part of the land which his father entered, and William H. Purviance, a citizen of Troy. James Purviance is now one of the oldest persons living in the county, who was boru within its limits.

George Bridges and Daniel Semple settled southeast from Troy in 1808, and Walter Denny and William Skinner also came up at a very early period. John Lamb became a citizen of this part of the county in 1810. All these were from Kentucky and Tennessee.

Robert McMahau settled on Ridge prairie, two miles and a half southwest from Troy. He was born in Virginia, emigrated thence to Lexington, Kentucky, and in that state married Margaret Clark. He removed to Illinois in 1793, and settled near New Design. His wife and four children were killed by the Indians, and he and his eldest daughter taken prisoner. He married a second, wife and raised a large family. He died in 1822, at the age of sixty-three. In 1795, John Jarvis, a native of Virginia, became a member of the settlement on the 1st of January, 1813. He moved from Turkey Hill, a short distance southeast of Belleville, in St. Clair county, where he had settled about the year 1806. The Turkey Hill settlement was the only American settlement made in St. Clair county previous to the year 1800, and in the history of St. Clair county we find that Franklin Jarvis, a brother of John Jarvis, was a member of the original colony which settled Turkey Hill in 1797. John Jarvis bought of Herman Gregg his improvement. On the 10th day of September, 1814, he made the first entry of land from the government ever made in Jarvis township. He kept a house of entertainment for the accommodation of the emigrant travel moving, westward, and in 1816 built a band mill. This mill was a great convenience to the settlers. The travel to it caused the convergence of the rude bridle paths and cart ways to this point, so that the site of the mill became the most desirable place in the vicinity for the establishment of a store. Jarvis' band mill may thus be said to have been the origin of the town of Troy. Jarvis left behind him the name and reputation of a good man. Although in his youth accustomed to slavery he became conscientiously opposed to the practice of holding human beings in bondage, and sacrificed his own pecuniary interests in slaves. He was probably the first practical abolitionist in Jarvis township. He requested that his faithful old slave, Ben, should be buried near him. He died on the 29th of October, 1823. He had three sons (by the second marriage,) John, Wesley and Fletcher, who grew up and lived in Troy till they died. Many of their descendants still reside at Troy.

George Churchill, who settled on section eight, west of Troy, was one of the most remarkable men who ever lived in the township. In early life he had learned the printing business and after coming to the township, he at intervals went to St. Louis and worked in the printing offices of that place. He remained a bachelor, and his habits were peculiar and eccentric. He, however, was held in high estimation by the community, and was several times sent as a representative to the legislature. Here, though he was no orator, and indeed never attempted to make a speech, his talent as a ready writer came in play, and he drafted a considerable part of the bills brought forward by his side of the house. He was one of the most active opponents of the efforts to introduce slavery into the state in 1824. His votes in the legislature excited the displeasure of those opposed to his views, and he and Nicholas Hanson, a fellow member of the assembly, were burned in effigy, at Troy.

Jesse Renfro, who lives a mile and a half east of Troy, is DOW one of the oldest residents of Madison county. He was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, in 1796. In the year 1810, when he was fourteen, his father, James Renfro, emigrated from Kentucky to Illinois. The family spent the winter of 1810-11 in Ridge Prairie, three miles south of Troy, a short distance from Downing's station, a fort erected for the protection of the settlers against the Indians in the edge of the present county of St. Clair. In the spring of 1^11, the family moved to section twenty-four of township three, range eight. James Renfro died in the fall of 1814, on a visit to Kentucky. In the spring of 1814, Jesse Renfro, then not quite eighteen, enlisted as a mounted ranger in Capt. Samuel Whiteside's company which was engaged in the protection of the frontier settlements. He served a year as a ranger and six months additional in the militia service. In September, 1817, he married Letty West, daughter of Isaac West, one of the pioneer settlers of the present Collinsville township, and settled in section eleven of Jarvis township, where he has resided ever since. This marriage ceremony was performed by Joseph Eberman, a son-in-law of John Jarvis, who at that time filled the office of justice of the peace. Mr. and Mrs. Renfro lived together quietly on this spot nearly sixty-five years, till the death of Mrs. Renfro, which occurred in March, 1882. In the year 1817, when Mr. Renfro settled at this place he remembers the following persons who were living in the township :

Joseph Eberman, a son-inlaw of ]\Ir. Jarvis. He was the first justice of the peace in the township, having received his appointment soon after the war of 1812-14. He built a house at the corner of Main and Market streets, on the spot now occupied by Fred. Auwarter's store, which he used as a tavern. Titus Gregg, who lived north of Troy on the present farm of Ignatus Riggiu. Mr. Renfro remembers him as a conservative and unprogressive man who grumbled excessively at the passage of the law establishing a free school system to be supported by taxation. He thought every man should school his own children. The land on which Herman Gregg lived covered the site of Brookside. About the year 1818 a Kentuckian by the name of Laban Smart began making an improvement on section one. Samuel Wood, who lived on section five, was a native of Kentucky. He was a Baptist preacher, and an honest, upright man, held in estimation by the community. His son, Andrew Wood, is still a resident of the township. Calvin and Horatio McCray came to the township and made settlements on section five in the year 1816 or 1817. They -were from Connecticut. Most of the early settlers were of Southern origin, and the McCrays on account of their New England birth, were called "Yankees," a term which had been brought into some disrespect by the sharp tricks of some Yankee clock peddlers and itinerant vendors of various articles, who had traveled through the country. The name, however, was subsequently redeemed by settlers from the eastern states who set the community good examples of sobriety, thrift and enterprise. Horatio McCray was one of the fifst to give much attention to the raising of stock. Calvin McCray was for some years engaged in the mercantile business at Troy. About the year 1830 he started on his farm a mill for grinding grain which was in operation only a short time. It was worked by means of a tread power and a yoke of oxen. Bennett Posey, one of the early residents of section six, is still living in Pin Oak township. His father. Jubilee Posey, came to this county during the winter of 1810 11, and took an active part in the ranging service during the war of 1812-14. James Whiteside made an early improvement on section six. His father, Joel Whiteside, and his uncle, Capt. Samuel Whiteside, were among the first settlers of what is now Collinsville township. Gaines Moore, a son-in-law of John Jarvis, lived in 1817 on section eight. Jesse Rountree in 1818 began making an improvement on part of the land entered by Jesse Renfro in section eleven. He afterward moved to one of the counties north of Madison. David Heudershott, a Virginian by birth, was one of the early settlers on section ten. He was in favor of slavery, and is said to have been one of those connected with the burning of Churchill and Hanson in effigy at Troy for their opposition in the legislature to the efforts of the pro-slavery men to secure in Illinois the adoption of the slave system. He thought that the establishment of .slavery would raise the price of land and he would be enabled to sell out at a good figure. William Vinyard, previous to 1820, had made a settlement on section two. In section tvvelve Stephen Col Iyer wiis an early resident. He was a tanner by trade, and carried on a tan yard on his farm.

The first house on section thirteen was built by a man named Nowlaud. He was a local Methodist minister and preached occasionally. He sold his place to one Maxey, and though the property has since passed through several different hands, part of the original log house now used as a barn, is still standing. Section fourteen was first settled by two brothers, John and Jacob Haj^ler. Cleveland and Benjamin J. Hagler were sons of John and Jacob Hagler. William Good was also an early resident on this section. The Haglers and Goods lived within a short distance of one of the oldest schools in the township, a circumstance which was of much convenience, for Benjamin J. Hagler had thirteen children in his family and William Good fifteen. William R. Hagler, an early resident of the county, was a native of North Carolina. After residing some years in Tennessee he came to Illinois and settled in Jarvis township in 1818. He died in 1832. On section sixteen the early settlers were Abraham Van Hooser, Daniel Reese, and Coulson Townsend. Van Hooser's land remained in the possession of his descendants till within a year or two. J- P. Anderson had settled south of Troy, at a comparatively early date, and i -was prominent and active as a business man. To the south of Troy, John and Charles Edwards were early settlers. John Edwards filled for many years the position of justice of the peace, and discharged the duties of this otfice in a satisfactory manner. William Hall became a citizen of the township in 1815, and selected a location on section twentynine. He had a family of six sons and two daughters, and many of his descendants are now honored and respected residents of the county.

James W. Watt settled in the prairie two or three miles south of Troy in 1817. He came to Illinois from Green county, Kentucky, and was the son of James Watt, who had been a soldier in the war of the Revolution. Mr. Watt was for fifty-eight years a leading menaber of the Methodist Episcopal church. He died in December, 1861. He left several children residing in the county. John Cook, the father of Harrison, William and Wesley Cook, was an early resident of the township. The place originally settled by John Gregg, in section seven, was afterwards purchased by Sylvanus Gaskill, a native of the State of New York. Gregg moved to Arkansas. Between 1825 and 1830 Gaskill carried on a hoise mill at this place. Early Methodist meetings were frequently held at Gaskill's house. S. W. Cowles, who is now a resident of Troy, became a citizen of Jarvis township in 1829. His step-father, James Mills, with whom he came, settled two miles south of Troy.

Josiah Caswell came from Vermont in 1823, and after living for a time east of Troy, purchased the place now owned by William Donoho, west of the town. On the west edge of the town, from 1834 to 1838, he kept a store. He moved to Macoupin county in 1838, and afterwards died in Green county. His son, O. H. Caswell, is still a resident of Troy. John Cook, father of William Cook, now residing in the township, first settled in the present Collinsville township, and afterward became a resident of this township. The hou.se which he built is still standing. Morris M. Armstrong,

The first school taught in the township, was on the western line of section eight in the year 1811. The teacher was Greenberry Randle, who agreed to teach the principles of arithmetic as far as the " Double Rule of Three." In this school the Kinders, Jarvises, Gaskills, and others of the early settlers received the first elements of an education and laid the foundation for their subsequent usefulness as honored and respected citizens. No school was established in Troy till the year 1824. One of the early teachers of the township is still living, Jesse Renfro. He one year taught a six months' school on section ten for one hundred dollars, and furnished the necessary books to all the scholars.

Among the early churches of the township wastheGilead Methodist church, which stood on section fourteen. This was the first building erected in the township for religious purposes, though early Methodist meetings had been held at the house of John Jarvis and elsewhere. The church was also used as a school-house, and Jesse Renfro taught here several years between 1830 and 1840. The old church was a plain, square frame structure, about twenty by thirty feet in dimensions, weather boarded on the outside with clap-boards. The interior was plastered. Logs split open with pins fastened in the round side formed the benches.

The edifice was of course, destitute of paiut. Among the early preachers here were the Rev. Samuel H. Thonipsou, John Dew, J. H. Benson, and Washington C. Ballard, a local minister.

On the southwest corner of the same section (fourteen) a church was subsequently built by the Baptists, in which preaching was only held a few years. In the northern part of section fourteen is an old graveyard still in use, in which the first interment was the wife of John Hagler. An Old School Baptist church was established on section sixteen. The Methodists of the western part of the township found the Zion Methodist church on section nineteen ; the present building was erected in 1838.

The land of Troy township is a good average in fertility and value of the lands of lEadison county. About onethird of the townshij) is embraced in Ridge prairie, than there is no better land in the county. The bottom of Silver creek, which flows south through the eastern part of the township, is unusually wide and subject to overflow, which lessens its value for agricultural purposes. South of Troy, is what is known as the " black jack " district. It contains a good deal of fine land, is excellent for the cultivation of wheat, and the farms here sell at high figures. This part of the township is inhabited mainly by a German population, most of whom are good farmers.

Ignatius Riggin was the first elected in 1876, and served two terms, and in 1878 was succeeded by J. A. Barusback, who by re-election has continued in the oflice to the present.

The land on which the town of Troy is mainly built was entered by John Jarvis in September, 1814. In 1818, the year Illinois became a state ; there was a store carried on here by Stephen Dewey, a tavern by Joseph Eberman, and the place was called Columbia. Jarvis had a horse mill at his residence. In the year 1819, Jarvis sold ten acres of the land lying south of his residence to James Riggin and David Hender.shott, who surveyed the tract into lots and laid ofl" the town of Troy. Ten dollars an acre was the price paid for this land. The name of Troy was given to the place by James Riggin.

James Riggin and his brother, Harry Riggin, had come to Troy in 1818, and afterward, in 1822, were followed by another brother, John C. Riggin, father of Ignatius Rig. gin, now a resident of Jarvis township. They were born in Sevier county, Tennessee. Their father was a Methodist preacher who traveled a circuit in East Tennessee eight years, and then went to farming with the view of securing a better support for his family.

After the town was platted a store was started in which James Riggin, Harry Riggin, and Samuel Reid were partners. All were alike without means or any previous knowledge of the mercantile business, but with Henry Hayes who lived in the Six-mile prairie in the Bottom as their backer, they bought three hundred dollars worth of goods and began business. Afterward, George W. Carr, came out from St. Louis, to help run the establishment. He had a good education, bright talents, and was a good business man though inclined to dissipation. From him James Riggin learned the business, but the store not proving profitable, he loaded the goods in a one-horse wagon and moved them to Lebanon; where he engaged in the mercantile business for many years, and accumulated considerable property. Harry Riggin moved to ^Menard county. In 1829, John C. Riggin purchased the farm north the of town originally settled by Titus Gregg. The money with which to buy this land he secured during a trip to the Galena lead mines in 1828. He lived on this farm till his death in 18G9.

One of the earliest buildings in Troy was a house on the southwest quarter of Main and Market streets, built by David Gaskill. It was so rough in its construction that Mr. Carr and others, in a playful spree, tore it down and burned the rough, round logs that they might not again disgrace the town. On the northwest corner of the same streets stood a building which in 1822 was occupied by Calvin Mc- Cray as a storehouse. McCray was one of the early merchants of the town, and carried on business for a number of years. He owned the whole block. A log cabin stood on it, and to this a frame addition was made, and in this Horatio McCray, a brother to Calvin, kept " accommodations for travelers." The block pissed into the possession of Jacob C. Gonterman, who continued the tavern. A frame store-house was built by Riggin and Hendershott on the northeast corner of Main and Market streets, and on the southeist corner Joseph Eberman built a frame house for tavern purposes.

The growth of the town was slow. It was not till many years afterward that the inhabitants were acco nmodated with a post office, and then the appointment was given to George Churchill, whose house was in the Ridge Prairie a mile and a quarter west of the town. This was in the year If. 33.

In the year 1831, the firm of White & Merritt conducted the only store in town. It stood on the corner where Fred Auwarter's store now is. Lswis Scantland kept a public house which occupied the site of the present White Horse hotel. He subsequently sold out to a man named Hickman. A harness maker, named Abner Kelly, was also a resident of the place at that time.

The town plat on which the names of William Henderson, John Reed, Frederick T. Kraft't and Theodore J. KrafTt appear as proprietors, was placed on record on the fifth of March, 1839. Mechanicsburg, laid out by Josiah Caswell, is recorded as an addition to Troy.

Andrew Mills has lived in Troy since March, 1842, and has always been intimately connected with the business afiliirs of the town. Since ISGO he has filled the office of police magistrate. Troy contained but few inhabitants when be became a resident of the place. The only store was kept by John Brady in a small building on Market street now occupied as a barber shop. The building on the southwest corner of INLain and Market streets, now used as the Bulletin office, had been occupied a short time previously by Fred

Kraffc who had erected the building and carried on a store there for some time. This building was without an occupant iu the spring of 1842. William Heuders(m kept tavern in a building, one end of which was log and the other frame, which stood on the site of the White Horse hotel. John Henderson, now a resident of Christian county, a son of William Henderson, had hired a journeyman blacksmith and carried on the blacksmith business. The same year, 1842, a man named Curtis came to the place and began work at his trade of a blacksmith. George Hulme at that time served the community as tailor, but shortly afterward moved to a ftirm east of the town. Thomas P. Moore and Andrew Kimberlin kept groceries. Moore's place was in a building erected by a man named Bardsley which stood on the opposite side of the street from the White Horse hotel. His building is still standing and looks about the same now as then. Moore lived in a two-story frame house on Market street east of the present post-office, still standing and owned by Mrs. Martin. His place of business now is ou the north side of Market street, opposite the post office. Daniel Peterman was engaged in the carpentering business. In the spring of 1842, Dr. Green was the only physician. The succeeding summer he removed to Marine, and his place was supjdied by Dr. J. K. Reiner, who practiced his profesdon here for a number of years and died in Minnesota, The postoffice was kept in John Brady's store, though George Churchill being west of the town, held the commission as postmaster.

Among those promiently identified with the business interests of the place still living is Julius A. Barnsback. He opened a store in Troy in 1846, and for several years carried on a large and prosperous business. He acted as postmaster, and also as agent for J. P. Yoris & Co., the proprietors of the St. Louis and Terre Haute stage line. When Mr. Barnsback came to Troy in 1846, the place contained about a dozen houses and a population of less than one hundred.

The route of the National Road, which had been constructed as far as Vandalia, had been surveyed through Troy. Over this route passed a daily line of stages running between St. Louis and Terre Haute, Indiana. The arrival and departure of these stages was the great feature of the day. The stages going east left St. Louis in the morning and reached Troy during the forenoon. Going west they usually passed through the town late at night. Troy was the first station out from St. Louis at which horses were changed. After the building of railroads connecting with the East the through stage line was taken off. A hack line was then established between Highland and St- Louis, which passed through Troy and Collinsville, and carried the mail. This line was kept up till the building of the Vandalia railroad.

In 1842 there was no polling place at Troy, and the voters had the privilege of casting their ballots at any polling place within the limits of the county. The most voted at Edwardsville. The Troy voting precinct was established about the year 1844.

It was not till the year 1824 that a school was started at Troy, and not till 1842 that a church was organized. The latter year the Rev. William Chambcrlin, who had been appointed itinerant missionary for Southern Illinois by the Presbytery of Alton, and the Rev. Thomas Lippincott, the first Sabbath-school in the state, held a protracted meeting in a grove or block twenty-two, west of where the White Horse hotel now stands. This meeting resulted iu the organization (on the sixth of October, 1842,) of the Presbyterian church. The original thirteen members were Dr. J. K. Reiner, Cyrus Scott, Benjamin Posey, Mrs. E. C. Reiner, P. Scott, G. W. Scott, James Perigo, S. A. Scott, E Davis, Cintha Scott, I. Perigo, E. Scott, and E. Goodwin. J KReiner and James Perigo were ordained elders. In 1843' the members strained their means to erect a rough house of worship in block thirty-nine of W. Jarvis' addition to Troy- Twenty dollars were paid for the lot on which the church was built. Dr. J. K. Reiner, Wesley Jarvis and Andrew Kimberlin, the latter two having become members of the church, were prominent in securing the construction of the church edifice, which was a neat frame, twenty-four by thirty feet in dimensions. The studdings were hewed poles, covered in with split weather-boarding. The floor was made of one foot wide, unmatched plank. The old oak seats were the gift of the Collinsville Pres-byterian church. Among the early pastors were the Rev. William Chambcrlin, the Rev. Thomas Lippincott, the Rev. J- R. Dunn, and the Rev. Calvin Butler. The old church gave place to a fine brick structure erected in 1871, at a cost often thousand dollars, during the pastorate of the Rev. Robert Stuart- Rev. J. D. Gchring is the present pastor.

In 1843 a Methodist church was also built. Its site was then in the woods. Dr. Dewey, in his Centennial address, remarks that by some of the members the church " was said to have been built by the devil, as most of the movers were irreligious, and were actuated by strife against the Presbyterians, and not by religious motives." The building was erected for no particular denomination, but when completed was given by vote to the Methodist Episcopal congregation. Afterward, in 1847, a bell, which had belonged to a sunken steamer, was bought of James B. Eads, of St. Louis, who was then a diver and wrecker on the river, and placed on the church. This bell was afterward removed to the schoolhouse. The old church was succeeded by the present brick structure on Main street, the erection of which was largely due to William J. Barnsback and William Donoho. The Rev. C. J. T. Tolle is now pastor of this church.

The Baptists built their firs| church on Main street in 1848. This building was supplanted by a larger and more handsome structure in 1876. Among the ministers who occupied the pulpit at various times were the Rev. John M. Peck, the Rev. Mr. Harris, Elijah Dodson, Elihu J. Palmtr, T. W. B. Dawson, John Padon, John H. Mize and W. D. Ross.

The Evangelical Lutheran church was built in Gonterman's addition to the town in 1865. The church has a large membership among the German population. The Rev. Mr. Cleppesch is pastor. In connection with the church the Lutherans maintain a school, which is quite largely attended by the children of the congregation.

In 1856 a large and substantial brick school building was erected. It is two stories in height, aud contains four recitation rooms. The principal of the school is Arthur G. Caned}% with Jane Mills, Jennie Rawsonaud Alice Badgley as assistants.

In addition to the public school facilities there will soon be in operation a High School, which will afford to the young people of the town educational advantages of a superior order. By the will of the late Angel ine McCray Dewey, widow of Dr. John S. Dewey, her estate, estimated as worth in the neighborhood of thirty thousand dollars, is left to five trustees, citizens of Troy, with directions that the income shall be used in the erection of a suitable building for school purposes, and the maintenance of a high school. The benefits of this institution are extended gratuitously to anj' person under the age of twenty-six years residing in the town of Troy, or within the limits of the common school district or districts, in which the territory of the town of Troy may be included. The trustees have purchased the former residence of Dr. Dewey, in which suitable changes will be made, with the view of placing the school in active operation at an early date.

Dr. John S. Dewey was a native of Massachusetts and became a resident of Troy in 1846. He stood high as a physician, and secured an extensive practice. He was surgeon of the 109th regiment Illinois Volunteers during the war of the rebellion. He was twice elected to the legislature. His death occurred on the 17th of July, 1879. His wife was the daughter of Calvin McCray, one of the early settlers of Jar vis township.

The first number of the Commercial Bulletin, the first newspaper in Troy, was issued on Saturday, April 20, 1872. James N. Jarvis was the publisher. This was the foundation of the Troy Bulletin, which has been regularly published since May, 1872. Henry B. Morriss is the present editor and proprietor.

In 1848 the members of Neilson Lodge, Ko. 2-1, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, erected a hall on Main street. The upper part of it is used for lodge purposes, and here all the secret societies of Troy hold their meetings. School was held occasionally in the lower part of the building till the erection of the present school-house. The lower floor is now occupied as a public reading room, carried on under the auspices of the Royal Purple Temperance Association of Troy, of which William Donoho is president, and Jane Mills secretary.

The Troy Cemetery had its origin in the gift to the town of an acre of ground to be used for burial purposes by Wesley Jarvis, about the year 1843. The town afterward purchased additional ground. The cemetery now embraces three and one-half acres. It contains a number of handsome and tasteful monuments erected to the memory of the dead, the most costly of which is that which marks the graves of Dr. John S. Dewey and members of the McCray family.

The Troy Park As-socintion was founded in February, 1882, with the purpose of procuring and preserving a public square or park. The A.ssociation has a capital stock of one thousand dollars, divided into share.s of twenty-five dollars each.

A square of ground immediately south of the school-house has been purcha.sed, which is to be laid out a.s a ])ark. The officers of the Association are : President, Dr. F. A. .Sabin ; Vice President, William Freudenau ; Secretary, Henry II. Padon ; Treasurer, Frederick Gerfew. The four ])ersons above mentioned, with David Seligraann, comprise the board of directors.

Troy was incorporated by act of the legislature in 18.57. No changes have since been made in the charter. The first president of the Board of Trustees was John Padon.

The population of the town is now about one thousand, and with Brookside, the settlement formed south of the town about the railroad depot, is considerably in excess of that figure. The plat of the town of Brookside wa.s recorded Sei)tember 26, 1873 : Susan Taylor, Sylvania E. Ground, James M. Taylor and Julius A. Barnsback, proprietors.

The Troy City Milh, were built in 1856, by John R. Swain & Brother. Mr> Swain, who was a prominent citizen of Troy, and at one time sheriff of the county, had erected a mill on the same spot some years before which burned down. It is supposed to have been set on fire by an incendiary. The present mill is constructed of brick, and at the time it was built was considered one of the finest mills in Southern Illinois. It has an excellent situation, adjacent to a pond of water, fed by springs, which has never been known to be dry. The mill has a capacity of about three hundred barrels per day. The present proprietors are Gustav Vetter & Co.

The Brookside Mills, near the railroad depot, were built in 1877, and have a capacity of one hundred and twentyfive barrels of flour per day. William Donoho is the pro- I prietor. This mill is provided with machinery of the most 1 approved description, and manufactures flour by the new patent process.

Brookside Coal Co. - In 1880 work was begun on a coal shaft near the railroad depot. A five and a half foot vein of coal was found at a depth of three hundred and thirteen feet. It was ready for operation in the early part of the year 1881, and the work of mining and raising coal has since been successfully prosecuted. This mine is the farthest east on the line of the Vandal ia railroad in this State. Beside supplying the local demand and that of towns farther east on the line of the railroad considerable quantities of coal are shipped to St. Louis. William Freudenau is president of the company.

Secret Societies Odd Fellow

Was instituted on the 14th of July, 1847. The charter members were J. K. Reiner, John S. Dewey, John R. Swain, T. J. Brady, Thomas McDowell, and Andrew Kimberlin. The present officers of the lodge are, George B. Henderson, N. G. ; Dr. J. J. Brown, V. G. ; George Rawson, Secretary ; Henry A. Risser, Treasurer.

Troy Lodge, No. 588, Ancient, Free And Accepted

Was chartered October 6, 18G8. The original members were Samuel Rawson, Dr. F. A. Sabin, Stephen G. Barnes, Dr. John S. Dewey, A Lindermaun, Jesse Padon, William Dunoho, George Rawson, John Carney, Julius A. Barnsback William Shaw. The officers now are: Elias Burke, W. M. , Dr. F. W. Zenders, S. W. ; M. W. Powell, J. W. ; Julius A. Barnsback, Treasurer : George Rawson, Secretary.

Pisgah Encampment, No. 104, Independent Order Of Odd Fellows

Was instituted October 11, 1870, with Samuel Rawson, Fred. W. Zenders, T. H. Bell, F. A. Sabin, J. P. Anderson, J. W. Staton, and G. W. C. Gates, as charter members. The present officers are : Andrew Rawson, C. P. ; Henry H. Padon, S. AV- ; F. W. Zenders, H. P. ; George Rawson, Scribe ; Henry A. Risser, Treasurer ; Joseph Granger, Junior Warden.

Mayflower Lodge, No. 1586, Knights Of Honor

Was instituted May 1, 1879. The present officers are: James Bosomworth, Dictator ; Joseph Granger, Vice Dictator; Henry H. Padon, Asst. Dictator; Frank L. Hampton, Reporter ; Andrew Rawson, Financial Reporter ; George Rawson, Treasurer.

Madison Council, No. 356, Legion Of Honor

Was instituted in December, 1880. Elias Burke is now Commander; William Freudenau, Post Commander ; Gustav Vetter, Vice Commander; Philip Eckert, Treasurer; Jacob Clipper, Secretary.

The present board of trustees of the town of Troy is composed as follows ; Julius A. Barnsback, John F. Jarvis, William J. Vetter, David Seligmann, William Schultz.

Pin Oak

^^i' QMPRISES the whole of town four, range seven. It is bounded on the north by Hamel, on the east by Marine, on ' the south by Jarvis, and on the west by Edwardsville township. Silver creek flows in a southerly direction through the eastern part of the township, entering at section 1 and passing out section 36. Along this stream the land is considerably broken, and there is a heavy growth of young timber. When the township was first settled, it is said a deer might have been seen at a great distance, from point to point, across this stream. Only here and there a large tree, and no undergrowth, interrupted the view. Since settlement began the fires have been kept out and for the past sixty years the timber has grown rapidly. At present large trees thickly cover what once, within the memory of man, was a vast undulating plain, covered only by the grasses indigenous to the soil. Ou section 16, at the head of a small stream, there was a Pin Oak grove, from which the township took its name. Here, in the early times, was the militia training ground.

Joseph Bartlett, Lockhart and Taylor, were the first settlers. The latter two made small improvements near the Pin Oak grove. Uncle Joe Bartlett, as he was familiarly called, located in section 21. They settled here in 1809. Bartlett became a permanent and prominent citizen. He was born in the state of Virginia, January 13, 1775, and emigrated to the vicinity of Kuoxville, Tennessee, where he resided many years. From there he went to Kentucky and thence to the territory of Illinois in 1897. lie first located near the old village of Milton, in the Wood river settlement, where he remained until 1803. He then settled as above stated. During the Indian troubles he served as a ranger, and took part in the building of Fort Russell. He also built a fort or block house on the west eighty of the northwest quarter, section 21. This block house stood about three hundred yards west of where his daughter now resides, on the north side of the road. He was one of the party that gave chase to the Indians that committed the Wood river massacre. He was also in the Black Hawk war, accompanied by three of his sons. He built a double loghouse on the state road on the tract that is well known as the Bartlett place. His block house remained standing until about 1834, when he tore it down, moved it near his residence and converted it into stables. Mr. Bartlett was married to Patience McCoy, April 5, 179S. She was born February ^2, 1778. He raised a family of seven children, and died January 1, 1864. Martin settled a place on the southern line of Hamel township. Nicholas located a short distance north of his brothers. William settled the place where C. B. Gonterman now lives. Jesse, the youngest son, lived in the old homestead. Sarah married George Day, who settled a place in the north-eastern part of section 9. Rachel, the youngest, became the wife of Daniel E. Adams. She is the only survivor of the family, and now a widow. Lydia married William Kirkpatrick, who settled in Montgomery county. She had two children, and died many years ago. Uncle Joe attended school only eight days. He often related this fact. In after life, by close application and intuition, he qualified himself quite creditably. He was the first assessor and treasurer of the county. A former writer has said of him, " He was a man of domestic habits, and did not even visit the neighboring city of St. Louis, though less than twenty-five miles distant, for forty-four years previous to his death, which occurred December 25, 18G3. The horse ferry had just been established about the time of his last trip there, in 1819, and his surviving friends state, that having but little curiosity for things new or strange, he never went to see a steamboat or railroad, neither did he visit a county fair nor camp meeting during his life, a period of ninety-one years, preferring to devote his whole time to his domestic afl!kirs and his books. He was a man of excellent mind, well stored with information, especially in politics. In his day he was considered a walking history of Tennessee, and for many years acted as justice of the peace. He county treasurer, and held other oflBces of trust and responsibility. He had a large and well-selected library, and also a file of the papers then published in this state and Tennessee."

Paul Beck located on section 5, before the war of 1812. During that struggle he was a ranger. His cabin was built in the style of a block house, in which he lived manv years.

September 6, 1814, he entered the northeast quarter of section 5. The same day George Hutton entered one hundred and sixty acres. These were the first land entries in 4-7.

George Coventry, a native Englishman, came to Madison county from Christian county, Kentucky, in 1813. He was married in Kentucky to Sarah Stanford, August 10, 1805. He had four children born to him in that state, two of whom died. John W. and Indiana he brought with him to this county. The latter has since died ; the former is one of the well-known citizens of the county. Two children were born in this county, William M. and Elciann ; the former lives in Davenport, Iowa, and the latter is now Mrs. George Bayless, of Montgomery county. 111. Mr. Coventry was a millwright by trade. Upon coming to the county he first stopped with Thomas Davidson. Subsequently he came to Edwardsville and kept a public house. At an early day he bought the Paul Beck place, which consisted of a block hou.se, several other small buildings, and a horse-mill. He operated the horse-mill for some time. The place was afterward known as the Governor Cole place. Mr. Coventry afterward moved to Belleville, and subsequently returned to the county and located near Salem, in the bottom, where he died July 15, 1819. His wife survived him until May 24, 1874, when she died, at the advanced age of eighty-eight years.

September 10, 1814, John Robinson entered the northeast quarter of section thirty-two, and the southwest quarter of section thirty-three, where he started an improvement which he afterward sold to Jubilee Posey. April 14, 1815, John R. Jones entered the greater part of section fourteen. All other entries were of a later date.

Jubilee Posey, a native of Georgia, came to Madison county in 1811, being at that time about seventeen years of age. He came to the territory in company with an older brother, Chesley Posey, who settled in St. Clair county. Jubilee Posey was a ranger during the war of 1812, and rendered valuable services in guarding the settlers during that eventful period. Immediately after this he was united in marriage with Catharine Smith. He purchased an improvement, started by John Robinson, on section thirty-two, where he afterward improved a good farm and resided until his death, which occurred August 4, 1878, when he was eightyfive years of age. In the latter part of his life he drew a pension. He was twice married, and raised a large family of children. Of his children by his first wife, four still survive. Bennet Posey was born in the county in 1823. He is a farmer and resides on part of his father's estate. Julia is now the widow of John McKec ; Martha married James Thomas ; Chesley is a farmer, living in Clinton county, Illinois. Of the second marriage there were born to him three girls. He accumulated a considerable amount of property, and in every relation of life maintained the name of an honorable and honest citizen, and died regretted by a wide circle of friends.

Laban Smart came to the county in 1816, and settled in section one, town three, range seven. He was a native of North Carolina and came here from Kentucky. He continued farming until about 183-i, when he lost his wife. Thev had raised a large familv of children wi hom the old geatleman lived until his death, some three years later. He served as a soldier during the Revolutionary war, and drew a pension. Wiley Smart, the oldest son that came to county, (for some members of the family were left in Kentucky), was among the first settlers in the northern part of the county. About 1832, he exchanged fiirms with Peter Long and then located on the Long farm, where he continued to reside until his death in 1850. He raised quite a large family of children, some of whom settled in Shelby county, Illinois, and others went west. He was twice married, and served in the war of 1812. Peter Smart, the next son, improved the Gerhardt StruckofF place, in section 36, as early as 1S20, where he resided until 1849, when he moved west He died in Putnam county, Mis.souri, some ten years later. His family was not large. Henry B., the next son, was born in the year 1830. He settled on section 35, where his son, H. A. Smart, now lives, as early as 1830. Here he improved a large farm. He died in 1882. His wife was a Miss Thompson, who came here with her uncle, Thomas Ray, in 1818. They raised a family of seven children. Alsey S. and Henry A. are farmers in the township. Maria, now Mrs. John Smith, and Martha E., now Mrs. Whiteside, also live in the township.

Jacob Gonterman, son of Henry Gonterman, a native of Germany, was born in Maryland, March 27, 1764. He moved with his parents to Shelby county, Kentucky, where he afterward married Hannah Stark, daughter of Jonathan Stark. They moved into Christian county, where ten children were born to them. They emigrated from Kentucky to Madison CDunty, and lauded here in the fall of 1816, and immediately located on section 20, where he began an improvement. Shortly after his coming, he built on his place a horse-mill that was operated for many years. His oldest son, Caleb B., was born August 20, 1797, and was married to Elizabeth Miller, March 14, 1819. He resided in this township, and raised a family of nine children. For many years, in early times, he was captain of a militia company , and ever after he was known as Captain Gonterman. His death occurred September 11, 1861. C. B. Gonterman, Jr., his youngest child, lives in section 17. Rev. Thomas Ray, a Kentuckian, came in 1818, and settled in the northeast part of section 1 1 ; now the place of his daughter. He was a member of the Baptist church and one of the early preachers in this settlement. He was a successful farmer, and gathered about him a good deal of property ; he was twice married and raised two daughters by his second marriage : Adeline, now Mrs. John Keown, and Mary, now Mrs. Mary Fruit, of Edvvardsville. The old gentleman terminated his pilgrimage on his place, October 21, 1S54, in the eighty-first year of his age. James Pearce, a nephew of Joseph Bartlett, settled the H. Kuhn place, in section 21, in 1815, where he lived three years, and then located in the southern part of Leef township. Alvis Hauskins came to the county in 1819, from Rutherford county, Tennessee, with his step father, Willorby Adams. He was then twelve years of age. In 1825, he began farming near Bethalto. In 1832, he entered a farm in section 10, where his sou, Elias, now lives. Here he built a cabin in the spring of 1832, and resided until 1863.

He has been twice married and has raised a family of twelve children. The old gentleman, for some years, has been a transient resident; not claiming any special place as home. Elias Hauskins was born on the place where he now resides, in 1832. John Minter, from Kentucky, was one of the early settlers of the county. He first located in Montgomery county when he came to the state. He settled the place where John Minter, Jr. now lives, more than fifty years ago. The latter was born on this farm. The elder Minter lived here until his death. He raised a family of six children, four boys and two girls, five of whom are now living. Thomas and John are unmarried, and reside on the old homestead.

James Tunnell was the fourth son of William and Mary Tunnel], of East Tennesse. In 1814 he was married to Dicy Hauskins, and in 1816 he came to Illinois with his family and became one of the pioneers of Fort Russell. He purchased land of Rev. William Jones, near Bethalto, which he afterward sold to W. Adams. His death occurred in 1825. His widow married Rev. Thomas Ray, of this county, in 1827. The family then became residents of Pin Oak township, where they continued to reside. Mr. Tunnell had two children: Nancy Elvira and William West. The former married Levi Harnsberger. They have afaniily of three children living, viz.: Mary Jane, wife of Harrison Wood, now residing in St. Jacobs ; William Augustus, of Kansas City, and Charles E , residing with his parents at Greencastle. William West Tunnell was born February 23, 1824, in Madison county. He was married to Letitia McKee, February 7, 1850. He reared a family of eight children, five of whom are now living, viz.: Robert F., Ella F., wife of A. M. Ghost, of Denver, Colorado ; James E., Charles W. and Frank W., all of whom reside in Edwardsville. He died October 7, 1S65. Mrs. Tunnell was born July 1, 1833, and died January 4, 1874.

Mathias Handlon, from Kentucky, came herewith George Kindler, about 1810, at the age of nineteen years. He subsequently married Miss Harriet Walker, and improved a place near Lamb's Point, where he remained several years. Upon leaving this locality, he settled in the southern part of Pin Oak, in the edge of the timber on the east side of section thirty-two, where he bought an improvement of a man named Burroughs. This was before 1825. He built the house and barn where his son George now lives in 1831, and resided there until his death in 1856 He left a widow and seven children, four girls and three boys. George and Walker, his sons, are farmers in the township. The elder Handlon was a Ranger in the war of 1812. He also went through the Black Hawk war. He was a successful farmer, and when he died left his family in good circumstances. Samuel McKitrick, a native of Ireland, was one of the early settlers in the southern part of the township. He bought an improvement on section twenty-eight before 1825. He afterwards improved the place where his son William now lives, and made it his home until his death. He raised a family, all now deceased except William and Elizabeth. The latter is now Mrs. James Montgomery. Edmond Fruit was boru in Randolph county, North Carolina, November 1st, 1786. When about sixteen years of age, his father, James Fruit, went to Christian county, Kentucky, where he afterward died. Ediuond was married in that county to Miss Polly Gray, a native of South Carolina, who came to Kentucky with her parents when quite young. They had one child born to them in Kentucky, Cicero, who died a young man. In 1811, Mr. Fruit came to the Territory of Illinois, but on account of the Indian troubles returned to Kentucky. In 1817, he, in company with his two brothers, Enoch, and Alexander, and John Walker started west again. Coming to Illinois, the two brothers proceeded to what is now Missouri, because of the chances of its becoming a slave State. Walker lived here for some time, and then moved to Oregon. Mr. Fruit in the spring of 1818 located in the northeast corner of section nineteen, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in March, 181)1. Before the State was admitted into the Union, he was appointed by the Territorial Governor a justice of the peace, but he returned the commission, not accepting the office. In after years he was 11 member of the Board of County Commissioners. He improved a large farm. He was twice married, and reared a family often sons and five daughters that lived to become men and women. His second wife was Jane B. Robinson, a daughter of Alexander Robinson, of Bond county, Illinois. His sons were Cicero, Franklin, Washington, John, Perry, Jefferson, Enoch, William, James, and Henry. The daughters were Eliza, Amanda, Mary, Sarah, and Maggie. John and Jefferson are farmers in Hamel township. Mary, now the widow Wilson, resides in Edwardsville, and Maggie lives with her. Amanda married Jackson Hedges, and is DOW a widow living in Nebraska.

James Keown was one of the early settlers of Olive township. As early as 1830, he began an improvement on the southern township line of Pin Oak, in section thirty-five. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was in the engagement at New Orleans. He raised a large family, but only a few of his descendants now live in the county. Michael Dunn, who lives on section three, came to the county with his father, Patrick Dunn, in 1836, from Ireland. Patrick settled in Fort Russell township. In 1846, he went to Hancock county, Illinois, where he remained only a short time, and then returned to Madison. He died at his son's a number of years ago. When Michael Dunn settled the place where he now lives his cabin was among the first built out in the prairie. He bought one hundred and twenty-five acres of Andrew F. Young, at two dollars per acre. J. B. McKee, who lives on section three, is a descendant of one of the old families of Madison county. John McKee, Sr., a native of Kentucky, came to the county in 1816, with a family of eight children, viz. : James, John, Joseph, Paten, Samuel, ^lary, Lutitia, and Miram. James was killed when a young man by the falling of a limb, while chopping in the woods. John married ^lelinda Watt, daughter of James Watt, one of the early settlers of ]Madison county, and lived on his father's homestead place for a long time. His last years were spent in the neighborhood of Troy, where he died. Joseph married Emma Wright, daughter of James Wright, and improved a place south of his father's, on the same tract of land where Joseph McKee, Jr. , now lives. Paten married

Miss West, daughter of Tilghraan AVest- For a number of years he was employed in the land ofl5ce. He afterwards improved a farm southwest of Elwardsville, known as the Ballard place. Subsequently he went to Belleville, Illinois, where he dieJ. Samuel married Miss Mary Tiiompson, daughter of Rev. Samuel Thompson, who was, for many years, a practicing physician in Eilwardsville, and who now lives in Kansas. Mary married William Watson, and Lutitia became the wife of Robert McKee.

John McKee, sen , lived many years in Edwardsville, and was the first register of the land office, which he held from 1816 to 1818. He then improved a good farm (now the George Kinder place), on the Troy road, south of Edwardsville. He accumulated a large estate here, where he died more than half a century ago. His wife survived him many years, and afterward married Rev. John Barber, sen., a pioneer Cumberland Presbyterian preacher.

Robert McKee, a nephew of John McKee, sen , came to the county with his uncle John in 1816. He was at that time a young man, twenty-one or twenty-two years of age. He married Lutitia McKee soon after his coming here. He entered the southwest quarter of section 24, Edwardsville township, and immediately commenced the improvement of a farm, where he resided until his death. He was twice married, his second wife being Nancy Cornelison. He raised a family of five children by his first wife, three girls and two boys, viz : Mary Ann, who married Carroll Parkenson, and now lives in Wisconsin ; John, who married Julia Posey, now deceased; Margaret, who became the wife of Peter Parkenson, now deceased ; Sarah A., who married John P. Me- Farland, and now lives in Iowa ; and James B., the youngest of the family, who was born in 1828. He married Miss Helen F. Ottwell, daughter of one of the prominent old residents of Madison. He located where he now resides in 1852, and has a finely improved farm. Robert McKee had a family of sis children by his second wife, viz : Lutitia, ^lirara, Jane, Joseph N., Robert, and Nancy M. Lutitia married William W.Tunnell, now deceased; Miram became the wife of Charles Faiigenroth, now deceased; Jane married Robert Kinder, and lives on the old home place ; Joseph N. is a farmer of Edwardsville township; Robert died at the age of twenty-two ; Nancy IM. married Thomas Jud}', of this township. Tho.s, J. Barusback, who improved one of the finest farms in the township, began his improvement in 1854. January 13, 1842, he was married to Misa Nancy J. Montgomery. His death occurred March 9th, 1880. He left a widow and a family of four children.

William W. Barnsback, also a prominent farmer of the township, was born in the county, January 24th, 1813. He learned the blacksmith trade in Potosi, Missouri. He married Miss Nancy Watt, April 23, 1834. After his marriage, he started the improvement where his widow now lives ; he also opened a blacksmith shop here, and made a specialty of plows anil farm implements. It is said that he made the first iron mould-board plow that was used in this settlement. He worked at his trade here twenty-two years, where he continued to resiile until his death, which event occurred April 4th, 1872. He left a widow and f^ur chi'dren.

Oliver Bolster settled the H. Bremermanu place, section 24. He owned a large tract of land here, and died in Marine township in 1865, without rearing a family.

]\Iajor Geary settled the place where G. Loos now lives, section 13. He owned a large tract of land here, and when he died, left a large family, all of whom have since left the state. Many of his descendants are now living in Missouri. The last five settlers above mentioned located in the township about the same time.

Among the first Germans to locate in the township were : F. Schramm, old man Gusevelle, and John Eichmann. The first school was taught by a Mr. Atwater, in a small log building that stood on section 32. In the early times, school was kept in an abandoned cabin that stood near the cabin of James Keown, and on his land, in section 35. Among the early teachers were Thomas S. Waddle, who improved a farm on the same section, southeast quarter, where he died nearly forty years ago. His wife died about the same time, and they were buried in the same grave. A great many deaths occurred in the settlement, about this time, of a disease called by the early settlers " a plague." Mr. Waddle was one of the early justices of the peace, and served the county as commissioner. He was a Whig in politics, and a very influential citizen. None of the family or descendants now live in this settlement.

There is quite a large colored settlement in the township. The first colored man, Robert Crawford, was located here by Governor Cole, who gave him a small farm situated in sec ion 9. Crawford was a preacher, and he induced others of his race to settle here. Michael Lee came and bought a small farm, now part of the Blair estate, where he resided until his death. Crawford afterward went to Montgomery county, where he died. Other early colored settlers were : Samuel Vanderburg, Henry Daugherty, and Thomas Sexton. They were generally honest and upright in their dealings. Henry Blair, the most successful, died in 1880, leaving quite a large estate. His widow and family live in the old place. This settlement increased steadily until it numbered fully three hundred. It is now considerably diminished. They built two churches on section 15, of the Methodist and Baptist denominations respectively. They have a separate school district, and conduct their own school, generally employing colored teachers.

The gentlemen whose names appear below, have served the township as supervisors : James B. McKee was elected 1876, and was in office one term. George Handlon, elected in 1877, served one term. D. A. Hagler was supervisor for 1878-79. James B. McKee was re-elected in 1879, and served one term. Alsey S. Smart, elected in 1880, held the office two terms. Elias Hauskius was elected in 1882, and is the present incumbent.

The Barnsback family is of Genuaii ancestry. George Frederick Julius Bereuback was boru iu Osterode, Germany, July 2od, 1781, and emigrated to the United States in the year 171I7, touching first at Philadelphia, from whence he soon removed to Kentucky. He was united in marriage with Mary, daughter of Thomas Minter, about the year 1807, and from thence removed with his family to St. Clair county, Illinois iu 1809 - there being but two counties, St. Clair and Randolph, organized within the limits of the State at that tim3. In the year 1840 Mr. B. changed the orthography of his name to Barnsback, since which the family retained it in that manner. His family consisted of ten children, as follows : Jacob J., born April 21st, 1808 ; George J., born Blarch 2d, 1810, and who died November 21st, 1839 ; William J., born January 24th, 1813, died April 4th, 1872; Johu J., boru April 10th, 1815; Thomas J., born March 29th, 1817 ; Hannah J , born July 18th, 1819, and married to Siiadrach Gillham June 20th, 1837. Henrietta J., born December 10th, 1821, and died August 7th, 1823; Marinnna J., born April 7th, 1824, and died January 13th, 1839. Julius J., born May 14th, 1826, and Isabella J., born January 4th, 1829, and married to Jeremiah Job in the year 1846. The children and grandchildren of the family above given, now make a large proportion of the population of Madison county.

Thomas J. Barnsback chose for life-partner Nancy J., daughter of William Montgomery, and sister of Nelson Montgomery; they were married January 13th, 1842. Their family consisted of six children : John, who was born January 27th, 1844, and died June 6th, 1845 ; Sarah Elizabeth, born October 22d, 1846, was married to William W. Jarvis, now a prominent citizen of Troy, in this county, December 18U7; Julia Ann was born April 6th, 1850, and married Frederick W. Wolf, November 25th, 1868, and reside near

Edwardsville, in this county ; Jeremiah, boru August 18th, 1851, and died January 20th, 1853; Lucy Jane was born December 21st, 1854, and Fannie was born March 7th, 1860. Thomas J. Barnsback died March 9, 1880. In his life he was more than ordinarily successful, and by his superior judgment and good management succeeded in acquiring a large jjroperty. He took a great interest in stock raising, and in breeding fine stock, and in that particular did the county much good. He belonged to the enterprising class of citizens; was public-s])iiited ; and enterprises that had for their object the advancement of the material interests of the county, always found in him an active friend. He was adverse to speculation of any character, but was devoted to his occupation as a farmer and stock raiser. As a citizen he was much respected. All unite in saying that in every transaction he was honest, upright and honorable to a fault.

John H. Smith

Was born in Frederick county, Virginia, January 26th, 1827. His father, James Christopher Smith, who was a native of same county, went with his father, Christopher, to Ohio about 1828, and there died. James C, his son, moved to Holmes county, same state, in 1829, and in 1839 went to Lawrence county, Indiana. In the fall of the same year he came to Effingham county, Illinois. One year later he went to Clay county, which was his home until January 13, 1843, when he died. He married Elizabeth Tewalt, a native of Frederick county, Va. She died in November, 1843. There were eight children by that marriage, five sons and three daughters. Five children are yet living. John H., the subject of this sketch, is the third in the family. He was raised on the farm, and received his education in the common schools, which ceased when he was twelve years of age. Mr. Smith remained at home until 1847, then went to St. Louis, and in January following, 1848, came to Madison county, and stopped in the town of Alhambra, where he and W. W. Pierce hunted game for the St. Louis market. The next spring he came down to the part of the country where he now lives, and worked on a farm, first for seven, and afterwards for ten dollars per month. He soon after bought one hundred and sixteen acres on Smart's Prairie, forty acres of which were improved, and continued there until January, 1853, then sold the farm and bought one hundred and ten acres in section twenty-four of Pin Oak township. The latter was slightly improved, and had on it a small log cabin, and there he has lived ever since. He has built a large, fine dwelling-house, barns and out-houses, and has now a beautiful place, as will be seen on another page of this work.

On the 23d of August, 1849, he married Miss Maria Smart, daughter of Henry and Sally Smart, old settlers of Madison county. Henry Smart was a native of North Caro. liua, and Mrs. Smart of Kentucky. Mrs. Smith was born near where she yet lives. Twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, eight of whom are living. Their names in the order of their birth are : James H., who married Miss Elizabeth Boliger ; Martha Jane, wife of F. M. Bartlett ; "William A., married Miss Elvina Shadrick ; Sidney L., married Miss Julia Dietz ; Mary Alice, Itha Rachael, John A., and Narcissa E. Smith. Those that are married live in the township, and the others are yet at home. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Baptist church. Politically Mr. Smith has been a Democrat since 1852, when he cast his vote for Franklin Pierce for President. He is an honored member of the order of A. F. and A. M., and belongs to Troy Lodge No. 588. He has been reasonably successful in life, all of which is owing to his industry and energy. He is a good man and much respected in his neighborhood.