Biographies

   HenryTrue Foster  HENRY TRUE FOSTER, the well-known firstsettler of Beardstown yet living, was born on February 3, 1815, in Lincolncounty, Maine. He grew up and acquired a practical education at Warrenand Newcast1e, and when seventeen years of age went to Bangor, Maine, andspent three years in the clothing store of Thomas Furber, the first storeof that kind in the city. When twenty years of age he came with his fatherto Illinois, where they had landed interests. After landing at Meredosia,on the Illinois river, he came to Beardstown, where Mr. Foster has sinceresided. He has engaged in a variety of … Read more

   HenryW. Taylor  HENRY W. TAYLOR, a prominent farmer of Brooklyntownship, and an honored pioneer of the county, was born in Trumbull county,Ohio, in February, 1824, a son of Alexander and Betsey (Scott) Taylor,natives of Pennsylvania; the father died at the age of fifty-five years,and the mother died at the advanced age of eighty years, at Burlington,Iowa. The paternal grandfather, Matthew Taylor was born in the north ofIreland, of English parents. He emigrated to the United States in 1772,and settled in Pennsylvania; he died in Huntingdon county, at the age ofninety seven years. His wife, whose maiden name was McIlheny, … Read more

  Descendantsof Preston Hackworth(AKAJames Preston Hackwith)  Contributedby Joan [email protected]  GenerationNo. 1        1.  Preston Hackworth (AKA James Preston3 Hackwith)  (John B.2Hackworth, George1) was born 1809 in Floyd Co., KY, and died Aft. 1880in Versailles, Brown Co., IL.  He married Nancy Jane Branham February19, 1828 in Pike Co., KY, witnessed by Preston’s mother Mary (Polly) Hackworth,daughter of William Branham and Grace Owens.  She was born 1813 inKY, and died Aft. 1880 in Versailles, Brown Co., IL. Notesfor Preston Hackworth (AKA James Preston Hackwith):PrestonHackwith was known as Preston Hackworth when he lived in Wayne Co., MOwith wife Nancy Jane Branham.  He changed his … Read more

     Hon.John J. McDannold    HON. JOHN J. McDANNOLD, a prominent citizenof Brown county, is the subject of the following biography, and is cheerfullyaccorded a space in this history. He was born on the homestead in Pea Ridgetownship, Brown county, Illinois, August 29, 1851. His father, Thomas I.McDannold, was born near Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, a son of John McDannold,a native of Virginia. The great-great-grandfather of our subject, AlexanderMcDannold, was born near Aberdeen, Scotland, and emigrated to America incolonial days; he settled near Culpeper Court House, Virginia, and spentthe remainder of his life in that State. John McDannold removed from … Read more

    HenryHansmeyer    HENRY HANSMEYER was born in Lippe-Detmold,Prussia, Germany in 1833. He came of pure German ancestry and of hardystock. His father, Fred Hansmeyer, married Wilhelmina Hoy of the same province.In 1849 they took passage for America and landed in New Orleans after aseven-weeks voyage. Thence the family came up the Mississippi, to St. Louis,where the Mother and one child died of the cholera after being there oneweek. The father and four children came on to Chicago, where Henry wasattacked by the cholera and confined to the house for two weeks, laterhe joined his father and the other … Read more

    Hon.John C. Bagby    JOHN C. BAGBY, attorney at law, was bornin Glasgow, Barren county, Kentucky, January 24, 1819. His father was Rev.Sylvanus M. Bagby, a native of Louisa county, Virginia, born September29, 1787. His grandfather was Richard Bagby, a native of the same county,and his great grandfather was John Bagby, a native of Scotland, who wentfrom there to Wales, where he married and lived a number of years, andthen came to America in colonial times, accompanied by his family, andsettled in Virginia. He settled in Louisa county, where he became a prominentplanter and slave owner. Richard Bagby, … Read more

  Hon.Perry Logsdon HON. PERRY LOGSDON, a citizen ofSchuyler county, is a man whose name is honored where it is known. He wasborn in Madison county, Kentucky, July 8, 1842, a son of Joseph and Lucy(Parker) Logsdon (see sketch of Joseph Logsdon). Until the age of eighteenyears he passed an uneventful life amid the scenes of his childhood, butthis quiet was then rudely disturbed by the breaking out of the Civil warbetween the North and South. In 1861 he enlisted in Company H, FiftiethIllinois Volunteer Infantry, and served his country faithfully until thecessation of hostilities, July 13. 1865, being the … Read more

     JamesA. Teel    JAMES A. TEEL, a pioneerof Schuyler county, and one the most successful farmers and stock-raisersof the State of lllinois, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania,July 19, 1830.  His father, Henry P. Teel, was born in New Jersey;and it is thought that the grandfather, John Teel, also was a native ofNew Jersey. The great-grandfather, Captain John Teel, commanded a companyin the war of the Revolution; he spent his last years in Beaver county,Pennsylvania, and was buried with military honors; his widow came to Illinoisand spent her last days here. John Teel served five years in the … Read more

   JohnA. Young  JOHN A. YOUNG, one of the most prominentand prosperous agriculturists of Schuyler county, resides on section 21,Buena Vista township. The following space will be devoted to a brief biographyof which he is the subject. He was born in Schuyler county, on the farmwhich he now occupies, June 14, 1832, a son of John Young, a native ofIreland; the paternal grandparents were John and Margaret Young. John Youngemigrated to America when a young man, and stopped for a time in Philadelphia;thence he continued his journey to the West, and after locating in Rushvillehe sent for his parents; they … Read more

    JamesCrawford     JAMES CRAWFORD, of township 17, range 10, Virginia,is a native of Ireland born in 1833. His parents were William and Margaret(Patterson) Crawford, both natives of Ireland who came to America aftermarriage, about 1843. They located near what is now Virginia, where theyspent their lives. Both parents are interested in the Virginia cemetery.They had four children, two of whom are now living. James grew to manhood on his father’s farm.He has always worked hard and has accumulated property valued at thousandsof dollars, all the result of his own industry and economy. He owns 540acres of land … Read more