Dennis

  FranklinA. Hammer  FRANKLIN A. HAMMER, of thefirm of Beatty & Hammer, dealers in all kinds of hardware and farmers’implements, was born on the banks of the Shenandoah river, in Buckinghamcounty, Virginia, April 10, 1829. He is the son of John Hammer, who, withtwo other brothers, had come from Germany prior to the Revolution. Thefamily was started in this country by the grandfather of Mr. Franklin Hammer,who settled in Virginia, and lived and died there at an advanced old age.His son grew to manhood in Virginia, and participated in the war of 1812.After that war was over he moved to … Read more

    E. Walker Beckwith   E. WALKER BECKWITH was one of the early settlers of Bainbridge township, Schuyler county, Illinois, and is entitled to recognition as a member of that worthy band of men and women who penetrated the wilderness of the frontier, and made the way for the onward march of progress. He was born at Stephentown, Rensselaer county, New York, August 17, 1798, and is a son of Elisha Beckwith, a native of New England, and grandson of Elisha Beckwith, Senior; the latter was a sailor and followed the sea for many years, visiting the principal ports … Read more

    Mrs.Emeline Shafer   MRS. EMELINE SHAFER, of Lee township,was born in Kingston, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, December 9, 1808. Herfather was Peter Shafer and her mother was Elizabeth Shoals, both of Pennsylvania.Grandfather Shoals and his wife both came from Germany and both were soldfor their passage, as was the custom in those days, that their time forone year should be sold to pay their passage. Being sold to the same manin Philadelphia they became acquainted, and when they left this place theywere married and walked the whole distance from Philadelphia to the Wyomingvalley along the banks of the Susquehanna … Read more

    GeorgeW. Allphin    GEORGE W. ALLPHIN, section 15, Huntsvilletownship, was born in Kentucky, September 13, 1830. He is the son of Reubenand Susan (Brumback) Allphin. He was five years old when the family cameto Illinois. He was reared on the farm and helped improve the new land.He at- tended such schools as those early days afforded, when they hadlog houses, with slabs for seats, and holes on the south side for windows.In the spring of 1850 he crossed the plains to California, and followedmining for four years, and was successful, returning by way of New Orleans.On his re- … Read more

  GeorgeS. Campbell  GEORGE S. CAMPBELL was born in Missouritownship, Brown county, Illinois, April 12, 1857. His father, William O.F. Campbell, was born in Logan county, Kentucky, in 1815, and his father,Owen Campbell, was a native of Orange county, North Carolina, while hisfather, John Campbell, came from Ireland to America in Colonial times,and served in the Revolutionary war. The grandfather of our subject wentto Kentucky with his parents when quite young. He was married to Mary,the daughter of William Clark. a native of North Carolina, and a soldierin the Revolutionary war. Owen Campbell, resided in Logan county untilhis death, during … Read more

 GeorgeHenry Eifert  GEORGE HENRY EIFERT settledin Schuyler county, January 13, 1857. He was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany,February 11, 1823. He had five brothers and two sisters; the former allcame to the United States, where the brother, John, died in Schuyler county;George also died there, while Ludwig died in this county; Valentine wentaway during the civil war, and was never heard from again. George was the youngest,but his father died when only forty-one years old, so he had to work veryhard, as there were nine small children left. He came to the United Statesand first stopped in Maryland with a Dunkard … Read more

    GroveConingham    GROVE CONINGHAM, deceased,was a native of New York city, born December 27, 1816. His father, GroveConingham, Senior, was born in Londonderry, Ireland, about 1766. He emigratedto New York city at an early age and married Betsy Baldwin, of Putnam county,New York. They had nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch wasthe eighth. The father died in December, 1831, in New York city. His wifesurvived him thirty-eight years. Our subject received hiseducation in New York and at the age of sixteen came to Schuyler county,Illinois. In 1843 he returned to his native city and lived … Read more

    GeorgeBordenkircher    GEORGE BORDENKIRCHER, Chairman of the CountyBoard of Supervisors, was born on a farm in Ohio, May 1,1842. His father was named Wendal, and wasborn in Germany; and his father, David, was born in Germany, and theremarried and came to America about 1833 and settled in Coshocton county,Ohio. He bought a large tract of land there, and lived there until hisdeath. Wendal was eighteen years old when he came to America, and he residedwith his parents until his marriage, when his father gave him land in Coshoctoncounty, and he lived there until 1851, when he moved to … Read more

  FrederickW. Rottger  FREDERICK W. ROTTGER, one of the most successfuland enterprising business men of Mount Sterling, was born near Mendon,Prussia, August 8, 1844. His father, William Rottger, was born in the samecountry, and there was reared and married. In 1845 he determined to tryhis fortunes in the New World, and left his family behind until he shouldseek out a home for them in the strange, new land. He located in Morgancounty, Illinois, where he died about a year later. His wife was left invery humble circumstances, with four little children. In 1850 she broughther family to America, sailing from … Read more

   F. WilliamMeyer F. WILLIAM MEYER, a prosperous farmerand stock-raiser of section 17, range 11, was born in Westphalia, Prussia,Germany, in 1838. In 1849. He came to America with his parents (see biographyof Fred Meyer) and has been living in this country ever since. Here hegrew to manhood, obtaining a little knowledge of English and English books.While he is not a well educated man he has good judgment and is very intelligent.He is the eldest of his father’s family, of whom all are married and livein the United States. Mr. Meyer owns a well improved farm of 160 acres,all under … Read more