Macoupin County

Proprietor of the Staunton Nursery, which is located on section 29, in the town of Staunton, is numbered among the early settlers of the county of 1856, his residence here comprising a period of thirty-five consecutive years. Of German birth, he first opened his eyes to the light of day in the city of Bremen, January 24, 1830, and before he had attained his majority he came to this country. His father. Cornelius Bechtel, was also a native of Bremen, and became a leading wholesale merchant of that city, where he successfully carried on operations, becoming a wealthy man. He […]

The name that heads this sketch is that of an extensive German-American farmer and stockraiser, who is one of the large land owners and wealthy men of Dorchester Township. The place whereon he lives is one of the finest farms in the southern part of this county, his homestead embracing four hundred and eighty acres of fine land, most of which is under a high state of cultivation, and all well stocked with a high grade of cattle and swine. Our subject has built upon his place a series of farm buildings that compare favorably with any in the county,

It is a question whether there is any people on earth who have the varied experiences afforded by travel, of the Americans. The West has been constantly beckoning with alluring hand to golden fields that promise opulence to the enthusiastic seeker. After the mighty Father of Waters had been crossed by eager seekers for the golden treasures of the earth, Pike’s Peak flashed fascinating gleams of opalescent light in the eager eyes of the Western traveler. Then California, like the sirens of the sea, induced weary travelers to leave their homes and come overland to partake of the intoxicating delights

Mrs. Martha (Maze) Bates. Our readers will be both pleased and profited to read a life-sketch of this mother in Israel who has for so many years exerted an influence for good, not only in her home and church, but throughout the whole community. Her devotion as a wife and mother and her long and faithful membership in the Shiloh Baptist Church, which has lasted almost fifty years, as well as her active interest in public affairs, have placed her in the fore front of the women of Macoupin County. She still resides at the old homestead which her husband

President of the Carlinville Coal and Mining Company, is a native of Carlinville and has from his early manhood been engaged in business here. He was born March 20, 1858, and received his early education in the public schools. At the age of sixteen he entered Blackburn University at Carlinville, where he carried on an advanced course of study. After leaving school he worked at the carpenter’s trade with his father until 1874, then assumed supervision of the work at the South Carlinville coal shaft, of which his father was proprietor. Since 1883 he has had full charge of the

Richard R. Barnstable, one of the prosperous tillers of the soil of this county, is a resident on section 5, Polk township, where he has a fine and attractive farm. He is a native of England, having been born in that country on the 23d of December 1830, in Othery, Somersetshire. After having grown to manhood in his native place he decided to seek what the New World held for him and coming to this country in the spring of 1852 proceeded to America, where he remained but a short time before returning to New York State to get a

Reuben K. Barnes, a general farmer and dairyman, residing on section 22, Bunker Hill Township, has since his fifteenth year lived on his present homestead. He is a representative of one of the early families of the community. His birth occurred in the county of Hillsboro, N.H., June 20, 1838, and he is descended from an early and represented New England family. His paternal grandfather, William Barnes, was a Hillsboro farmer and married Abigail Parker. After her death he was again married, his second wife surviving him for some time. Her death occurred in Lowell Mass. Throughout his entire life

Joseph H. Barber, who owns one of the finest stock farms in the county, located on sections 3, 4, 9 and 10, Brighton Township, was born in the Keystone State, his birth having occurred in Columbia County, June 23, 1825. The family was originally of Scotch origin, but in early Colonial days was established in America. Thomas Barber, father of our subject, was also born in Columbia County, and when he had attained to mature years wedded Miss Mary Henderson, a native of the same county, where they spent their entire lives, both passing away when past the age of

Erastus Bancroft. Many intelligent families whose culture and experience are a benefit to any community in which they may be called to live, are to be found in Macoupin County. Such people are in themselves an educative force, and help to form the standard to which those less favored in the better advantages may look. Among such we are pleased to mention the household of which our subject was the representative. His father was Timothy Bancroft, who was born in Worcester, Mass., and his mother, Mary Clark, of the same city. Timothy was a farmer by occupation and died in

Capt. Joseph F. Ballinger, now deceased, was born January 14, 1812, Garard County, Ky., and died at his home in Brighton, on the 16th of February, 1882. He was one of the leading citizens of the community and a man held in high esteem by all who knew him. In the State of his nativity he was reared to manhood, the days of his boyhood and youth being passed in the usual manner of farmer lads. During the summer season he worked upon the farm and in the winter he attended school. When twenty-seven years of age he left Kentucky

Wiley Ballard. The well-cultivated farm of one hundred and seventy acres which is part of section 27, North Otter Township, is owned by him of whom we write. Mr. Ballard is a Southerner by birth, his father being Lewis Ballard, who was a North Carolinian. His mother was Lucy (Pace) Ballard a native of Georgia. They were, however, among the early settlers of Greene county, where they both died. Our subject was born near Whitehall, Greene County, December 27, 1833. The father of our subject was a farmer and on his place the son was reared and remained until he

Richard Ball, a member of the County Board of Supervisors, in which he represents Virden Township, is a man who has not only been strikingly successful in business, but has also made good use of the property which he has been so fortunate to acquire. He was born in Braconshire, Wales, December 18, 1831, and was one of the children of Richard and Maria (Evans) Ball. For further minutiae in regard to the personal history of this family, the reader will be pleased to read the biography of Henry Ball, which appears on another page of this work. After receiving

Henry Ball, an extensive and successful farmer and stock-raiser of Girard Township, was born in Breconshire, South Wales, September 25, 1844. His father Richard Ball, was born on the Yatt farm, near Old Radnor, Radnorshire, Wales. His father, William, was born in Herefordshire, England. The grandfather was for many years a farmer, but in his later years opened a limestone quarry, and engaged in burning lime in Radnorshire, Wales, lime being extensively used as a fertilizer in Wales. The father of our subject was reared in his native land and becoming a veterinary surgeon, practiced in Breconshire and adjoining counties.

Jerome B. Baldwin, a resident of the village of Virden, is classed among the wise-awake and prosperous farmers who are upholding the great agricultural interests of this county, and are thus closely associated with its progress and material welfare. He was born April 22, 1843, on a farm near Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Ind. He is a son of the late William C. Baldwin, who was a native of Butler County, Ohio, coming of the old pioneer stock of that State, and his parents are also thought to have been natives of Butler County. The father of our subject was reared

Henry Baker is one of the leading and most successful English-American farmers and stock raisers of Brighton Township, where he owns a very beautiful farm of one hundred and sixty acres, all of which is highly improved, and where he has a beautiful residence that is conspicuous for its completeness of finish and detail. There are also fine barns and outbuildings, which have been erected by himself, for this has been his home since 1860. he has besides some good land in Bunker Hill Township. Mr. Baker’s advent to this county was made in 1856. He lived for one year

George Baker, a retired blacksmith of Bunker Hill where for many years he worked at his trade, is a native of Dorsetshire, England, and was reared as a shepherd boy, serving in that capacity until about fifteen years of age, when he began learning the trade which he made his life work. He served as an apprentice until he had attained his majority, working under the direction of a Mr. Wright and John Abbots of Wiltshire, England. He then for a time worked as a journeyman until March 2, 1854, when he severed all business connection with his native land

William Baird is the owner of a fine and well-improved farm of eighty acres situated on sections 21 and 22, Bunker Hill Township, where he has resided since 1864. He has made his home in the county since 1846, coming here from Crittenden County, Ky., where he was born on the 22d of July, 1823. His father Simon Baird, was a native of South Carolina and his parents, Hugh and Mary (Gibson) Baird, were born on the Green Isle of Erin. When young they crossed the Atlantic to America and were married in South Carolina, where for many years they

Robert Bacon. Of the many English landowners who have made settlement in our State and have carried into execution the theories and practice of farmers in their native land, a prominent place belongs to the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He is the owner of a fine farm located on section 30, South Otter Township, which has been highly improved under his careful supervision. He is of English parentage, his father, Richard Bacon, having been born in Norfolk, England, his mother, Mary K. (Sayers) Bacon, was also a native of Norfolk. Our subject’s parents left England and emigrated to

James M. Atchison, who is engaged in general merchandising in Gillespie, is one of the native citizens of this county. He was born in Bunker Hill, January 10, 1860, and is a son of Eldridge Atchison, a native of Tennessee, who in his youth learned the trade of a carpenter and cabinet-maker. While still single he came to Illinois and in Edwardsville met and married his wife, whose maiden name was Eucebia Wilson. She was born in Kentucky and during her maidenhood settled in Madison County. Some time after their marriage Mr. Atchison and his wife came to this county,

Dr. John Ash, who stands in the front rank among his professional brethren of this county, is now engaged in practice in Brighton, where he has made his home since 1853. He claims Pennsylvania as the State of his nativity, having been born in West Callen Township, Chester County, November 29, 1818. The family is of German origin and was founded in America by the great grandfather of our subject, Joseph Ash, who emigrated from Germany prior to the Revolutionary War. He lived in the city of Philadelphia for a short time and there married a German lady, after which

John H. Arnett. Among the public spirited men of Southern parentage who have helped to make Macoupin County what it is today, we are pleased to note the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch, who is now Postmaster of Delay and was for some time Supervisor of Bird Township. His father, Thomas Arnett, was born in North Carolina, and his mother, Elizabeth Reader, was a native of Tennessee, where they were married and made their first home in Overton County. At that time many residents of Tennessee and Kentucky were emigrating to Illinois, and they followed

George W. Arnett, who is now living in retirement in one of the attractive homes located on College Avenue, is still connected with the agricultural interests of this county as the proprietor of one of the many highly improved farms found within its bounds. He is a son of one of the early pioneers of this section of the State, and though a native of Overton County, Tenn., born there June 24, 1829, the most of his life has been passed here, and he has lived to see the country develop from a wilderness to a well settled and flourishing

Christopher C. Armstrong is classed among the business men of Girard who have been most active in advancing its material interests, as for many years he has successfully conducted a general store here, and he has also aided in the administration of public affairs. He is a fine representative of one of the old pioneer families of Illinois, and is himself a native of this State, born on a farm near Fielden, Jersey County, January 2, 1837. Our subject’s father was named Maurice Armstrong, and he was a native of Kentucky, a son of one of its early pioneers, Joshua

Meint Arkebauer, who owns and operates a fine farm of two hundred and eighty acres on section 10, Mt. Olive Township, is numbered among the substantial and respected citizens of this community and his property has all been acquired since he came to this county in 1855. In addition to the homestead, he owns forty acres of land adjoining the village of Mt. Olive and a timber tract of one hundred acres. His home and the other buildings upon the farm are first-class in every particular. His fields are well tiled and the stock which he raises is of excellent

Henry Arkebauer, a successful and thrifty German of the village of Mt. Olive and doing business as a dealer in wines and liquors, is located on the corner of Main and Oak Streets, at which place he built up his house and started in business in 1878 and has since remained at this stand. He is a thorough-going business man and has made his calling a respectable one of the kind. Our subject has spent most of his life in this town and vicinity. He was born in Alton, Ill., March 1, 1852. Mr. Arkebauer’s parents were born in Hanover,