Biographies

   Dr. RichardHomer Mead  DR. RICHARD HOMER MEAD is a native of Schuylercounty, born in Huntsville, January 16, 1847, being a son of Andrew J.and Mary (Briscoe) Mead. He was educated in Huntsville. When be was sixteenyears old he enlisted in Company K, Eighth Iowa Cavalry, at Camp Roberts,Davenport, Iowa. From there they went to Nashville, Tennessee, and wereon duty in the mountains during the winter of 1863-’64. In the spring theywere on the left wing of General McCook’s cavalry, with Sherman’s armyon his advance on Atlanta, participating in the engagements of that campaign,besides other engagements. There was fighting every … 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

    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

  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

    F.A. Warden     F. A. WARDEN, senior member of the firm of Warden& Son, proprietors of the Rushville Republican, was born inClermont county, Ohio, January 2, 1839.His father, Moses Warden, was a native of Pennsylvania, and in his youthwas converted to the Christian religion and became a preacher of the gospel;be learned the trade of a saddler, and followed this vocation in additionto his ministerial labors. When quite a young man he went to Ohio, andthere was married to Margaret Anderson, a native of Brown county, Ohio.Mr. Warden lived in Bethel, Clermont county, and there worked at … Read more

    FrederickE. Berry    FREDERICK E. BERRY, one of the managersof the National Union store at Rushville, was born in Schuyler county,Illinois, December 23, 1841, a son of Daniel and Mary A. (Crow) Berry,natives of Washington county, Pennsylvania. Samuel Berry, the paternalgrandfather, was also a resident of Washington county, Pennsylvania. DanielBerry was reared to the occupation of a farmer. He emigrated to Schuylercounty, Illinois, in an early day, and settled in Rushville township, wherehe purchased eighty acres of land, partially improved; here he lived untilhis death in 1871; his widow still resides on the home farm. They had afamily … Read more

    FransH. D. Kruse    Frans H.D. Kruse was born in East Friesland,Germany, in 1821. His father , Dierk Kruse, son of George Kruse, was bornin the same place. The father of the present subject learned the tradeof mill wright and followed it in his native land. He bought several importantmillsites erected mill and set them in successful operation and sold them.In 1835, he came to America, in Virginia, a ship sailing from Bremen, bringingwith him his sons Frans H. D. and Sunke M. and landed in New York, July4. From there he went to Albany, by way of … Read more

    FredW. Korsmeyer    FRED W. KORSMEYER, one of the most successfulmen of this locality, lives on section 30, township 17, range 12. He isa German, being born in Hanover, January 15, 1838. His parents were J.H. and Mary (Lovecamp) Korsmeyer, who were born in the same place, anddescended from the best German blood. When our subject was thirteen yearsof age they came to the United States in the fall of 1851. They took theusual passage of their fellow countrymen, from Bremer to New Orleans, andfrom there up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers to Beardstown. They locatedvery near the … 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

  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