Dennis

  SquireJames M. Watkins  SQUIRE JAMES M. WATKINS, a popular Justiceof the Peace and one of the most prosperous farmers of Cass county, Illinois,residing in township 18, range 9, was born in Richmond precinct, same county,February 5, 1839. His parents were Elijah and Lydia A. (Montgomery)Watkins, both natives of Kentucky, the former born in Green county, in1797, and the latter a native of Hart county. His father’s parents wereSamuel and Mary (McClure) Watkins, the former a native of Wales and thelatter of Maryland. Samuel Watkins came to America when a very young manand settled in Maryland, where he was married, … Read more

   JosephM. Spencer  JOSEPH M. SPENCER, an intelligent and progressivecitizen of Ashland, Illinois, and an honored veteran of the late war, washorn in Gibson county, Indiana, October 24, 1842. His parents were Joseph and Elizabeth (Hayhurst)Spencer, both of whom were natives of Morgantown, Virginia, the fatherof Welsh and the mother of German ancestry. They were married in Miamicounty, Ohio, removing thence to Indiana, from where they came to Morgancounty, Illinois, in 1849. The parents and younger children later removedto Kansas, where the father died in 1870, leaving his family and many friendsto mourn his loss. He was a man of … Read more

    JamesM. Black     JAMES M. BLACK, dealer in hard coal and wood,was born in Indiana county, Pennsylvania, October 12, 1835. He was theson of John W. Black of the same county, who was one of thirteen children.All grew to maturity, and the sons were mechanics by trade.  JohnW. Black was a blacksmith by trade. After he came West he was foreman ofthe Boyles Scales Company of St. Louis, Missouri, for some years, and,later came to Beardstown and established himself with Mr. T. A. Fisher,another old blacksmith. He was later With Messrs. Milner and Hill. He didbusiness as … Read more

     JohnKerr    JOHN KERR, Rushville.—Americahas drawn her population from every continent and all the islands of thesea. Ireland has contributed her quota, sending many of her sturdy sons,who have aided in the development and growth of the New World, and pushedtheir way to the frontier, that the path might be made for the onward marchof civilization. John Kerr, proprietor of the Schuylerville coal mine andone of the prominent agriculturists of Schuyler county, Illinois, is anative of County Fermanagh, Ireland, born near Five-mile Town, July 15,1840. His father was also a native of the Emerald Isle, but the grandfatherwas … Read more

     JohnK. Clark    JOHN K. CLARK, a well-to-do and prominentfarmer, living on sections 31 and 32, Township 18, Range 11, Cass county,Illinois, where he owns a fine farm, well improved and well supplied withfarm buildings, of about 400 acres, lying in the Sangamon valley, nearBluff Springs, was born in this county, in what is now Monroe precinct,in 1828. He is the oldest man in Cass county that was born here. The family later came to what is now Bluff Springs precinct in 1846, andhere the parents afterward lived. Prior to coming to Bluff Springs theyhad lived for a time … Read more

    JohnW. Snyder    JOHN W. SNYDER, a well known and highlyrespected citizen of section 20, Buena Vista township, became a residentof Schuyler county in 1834. He is a native of Virginia, having been bornin Frederick county of that State, June 4, 1823. His father, Jacob Snyder,was a farmer. He married Margaret Hughes, and in 1834 emigrated to Illinois,locating in Buena Vista township, where he at first rented land, but laterpurchased a tract, adding to it from time to time until he owned about500 acres. This he improved by erecting a good substantial residence andcommodious barns for his grain … Read more

  JohnW. Seaman  JOHN W. SEAMAN, an old representative citizenand successful stock raiser, was born in Jefferson county, Virginia, sixmiles north of Harper’s Ferry. September 21, 1820. His father, Joseph,was also a native of Jefferson county, and was engaged there for yearsas a boatman on the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers, and kept a public innfor some time. His parents, who lived and died there, were American born,but of German ancestry, the father being in the Revolutionary war. JosephJ. was a soldier in a Virginia regiment, was in many engagements, and forsome time was stationed at Baltimore, Maryland. His wife was … Read more

    J.Thomas Lawler    J. THOMAS LAWLER, a widely and favorablyknown citizen of Woodstock township, Schuyler county, Illinois, is a nativeof Virginia, having been born in Fauquier county, that State, May 7, 1824.His parents were Alexander and Margaret (WHITE) LAWLER, both natives ofVirginia. His father served with distinction in the war of 1812. His fatherwas a cooper, and followed his trade in his native State until the sprinof 1839, when he with his family drove from Virginia to Ohio, and thenceto Schuyler county, bringing all their wordly goods in their wagon. Arrivedin Illinois, they purchased 160 acres of wild … Read more

    JohnT. Bradbury    JOHN T. BRADBURY was born in Harrison county,West Virginia, March 4, 1840. His father is James Lee Bradbury, born inVirginia in 1816. He was reared on the farm and when he was twenty-threehe went to Kentucky and engaged in teaching for some forty years. He cameto Illinois in the fall of 1847, bringing his wife and two children. Theycame across the country in a lumber wagon and a horse team. It took themabout thirty days to make the trip. Mr. Bradbury soon secured a schoolin Brown county. They soon moved into Mt. Sterling, where they … Read more

    JohnShank    JOHN SHANK, a successful farmer, horticulturistand florist, and a prominent citizen of Mount Sterling, Illinois, was bornin Franklin, Johnson county, Indiana, July 11, 1843. His paternal grandparentswere John and Catherine (Dosing) Shank, the former a native of Pennsylvaniaand of German descent, while the latter was of French ancestry. The formerwas an early settler of Ohio, when that State was the frontier of civilization,his last days having been passed at his home in Preble county, near Eaton,that State. His son, William Shank, the father of the subject of this sketch,was born in Montgomery county, Virginia, in May, … Read more