Jacksonville

Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Cass County vol 2 toc

Biography of Milem Josiah Alkire

It is difficult to bow to the decree of death when the one taken away is still in the very prime of young manhood, and both the fellow citizens and the family of Milem Josiah Alkire of Virginia, felt especially bereft when he was taken away, for he not only was a lawyer of prominence, but also a man of sterling qualities and of lovable characteristics. He was born at Sweetwater, Ill., March 4, 1879, a son of Frank and Mary (Hurie) Alkire, both born in the vicinity of Sweetwater. Frank Alkire was engaged in farming until about 1899, when […]

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Biography of John Richard Adkins

The late John Richard Adkins of Ashland, Ill., was one of those men whose memory is held in kindly recollection long after they have passed away. His deeds of kindness were many, and his record of a life of honest industry and helpful, peaceful neighborliness is something to be cherished by family and community. Mr. Adkins was born on the southern line of Cass County, July 10, 1839, a son of Joshua and Elizabeth (Smith) (Flinn) Adkins, natives of Tennessee, the latter being the widow of Josiah Flinn, who had left four children, they being as follows: Nancy, who is

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Biography of Bryant Family of Bureau County, Illinois

Bureau County

The progenitor of the Bryant family was Stephen Bryant, who immigrated from the west of England to America in 1643. He settled in Plymouth County, Mass., where his son, Stephen Bryant, Jr. was born February 2, 1657. The latter’s son, Ichabod Bryant, was born July 5, 1699, in Plymouth. He was a farmer by occupation, and a man of great physical powers. He died of apoplexy, away from home, aged sixty years. His son, Philip Bryant, was born December, 1732, in Plymouth County, Mass. He was a physician, and died February 7, 1817, in North Bridgewater, Mass. He was married

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Biographical Sketch of Marshall Paul Ayers

Morgan County, Macon County

Ayers, Marshall Paul, (deceased), pioneer of Morgan County and banker, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 27, 1823, and died in Jacksonville, Illinois, September 30, 1902. He was a son of David B. and Eliza (Freitag) Ayers. The Ayers family was founded in America in 1632 by English ancestors who, in that year landed at Plymouth Rock. The family in succeeding generations became quite numerous, and many of its representatives have distinguished themselves in the various walks of life. One of them, a grand-uncle of David B. Ayers, served in New Jersey troops during the Revolutionary War, and two members

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Biographical Sketch of John Allen Ayers

Morgan County

Ayers, John Allen – The evolution of the banking business in Jacksonville is illustrated in the history of the Ayers National Bank, organized under its present form May 1, 1901, by its President, John Allan Ayers, but originally established by his father, Marshall Paul Ayers, in December, 1852. As the embryo institution was the outcome of the need of its facilities fifty years ago, so this twentieth century institution, situated in a commercial and financial center and surrounded by a great and productive agricultural region, meets the requirements of diversified and complicated energy, of permanency, solvency and stability in business,

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Biographical Sketch of Joseph R. Askew, M.D.

Morgan County, Pike County

Askew, Joseph R., M.D., (deceased), formerly a well known and prominent physician of Jacksonville, Illinois, was born on a farm near Winton, Hertford County, N. C., May 25, 1819. He was a son of Jere Dergan Askew, born in 1777, on the same place, and a planter and slave holder of some means. His grandfather came from Scotland to Virginia before the Revolutionary War. In boyhood Dr. Askew attended various private academies, and in October, 1838, when nineteen years old, entered Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, from which he graduated in 1841. In 1843 he went to St. Louis by

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Biographical Sketch of M. F. Andre

Morgan County

Andre, M. F., father of H. M. and G. B. Andre, now retired from active farming life, is living in a pleasant home at 329 Clay Avenue, Jacksonville. He was born in Aubagne, France, now a part of Belgium, February 13, 1833, the son of John and Susan (Walsing) Andre. John Andre, the father, was a soldier of the “Old Guard”, and assisted in winning the victories of the Great Napoleon for thirteen years, and also fought in the ranks at the close of his military career on the memorable plains near Brussels in the historic Battle of Waterloo, dying

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Biographical Sketch of James S Anderson

Morgan County, Greene County

Anderson, James S., one of the most worthy and successful of the pioneer residents of Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois, was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, on Gladstone’s birthday, July 22, 1810, the son of Robert and Sarah Anderson. In 1815 Robert Anderson journeyed with his family to Jefferson County, Indiana, where he settled on a tract of land which he cleared of timber. For a short period of his early boyhood Mr. Anderson attended the subscription schools, meanwhile assisting his father on the farm during the summer. At the age of fifteen years, he went to Bethlehem to learn the

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Biographical Sketch of John T. Alexander

Morgan County

Alexander, John T., (deceased), stock-raiser, was born September 15, 1820, in Western Virginia, and when but six years old removed to Ohio with his father, who engaged in agricultural pursuits. John T. enjoyed in his youth but few opportunities for securing an education, and was engaged in roughing it through the continuous labors incidental to farm life in a newly opened country. When thirteen years of age he began to assist his father, then an extensive drover, in sending cattle to the Eastern market, and from that period until reaching his twentieth year, he passed his time in driving his

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Biographical Sketch of Rev. Peter Akers

Morgan County

Akers, (Rev.) Peter, (deceased), was born in Campbell County, Virginia, September 1, 1790. He received his education at different institutions of learning in Virginia, North Carolina and Kentucky. The degree of master of Arts was conferred on him by Transylvania University, Kentucky. The courses of study that he pursued in those institutions included English, Latin, Greek and Hebrew, in which branches he was regarded as eminently proficient, and in which he taught classes in the institutions named. He was also President for some time of a State Institution in Mount Sterling, Kentucky. He studied law with Major W. P. Fleming,

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