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RODNEY
ADKINS. There is
probably no place in the wide world
where a man can so readily wrest
from the soil a handsome competency
and put himself in a financial
condition to retire from active
labor, as within the bounds of the
rich Prairie State. Throughout
its confines, north and south, east
and west, we may find thousands of
farmers who have, by hard toil and
enterprise, secured a degree of
wealth which allows them to rest
during their later years, and among
these we are pleased to mention
the still active and enterprising
gentleman whose name we have given
above.
Rodney Adkins, who resides on section 6,
Lovington Township, Moultrie County,
dates his residence in this county
from 1865, and in Illinois from
1852. He was born in Ross
County, Ohio, Aug. 24, 1825, being a
son of Staunton and Anna
(Timmons) Adkins, natives of
Maryland. This excellent
couple have removed from their
native State to Ross County previous
to their marriage, Mr. Adkins
at the date of that event being
thirty years old, and his young
bride but fifteen. Subsequent
to their marriage they removed to
Pickaway County, in the same State,
and there settled on a farm.
Mrs. Anna Adkins became the
mother of thirteen children, and
died at the age of forty, but her
husband survived and reached the
very extreme age of ninety-one
years.
The subject of this sketch was the fourth in this large
family of the parental household,
and received his early training upon
a farm and through the active
exercise and healthful manner of
life incident to agriculture, he
gained a sturdy and healthful young
manhood. He was married in
Pickaway County, Ohio, Mar. 1847,
his bride being Lovena Eskridge,
daughter of George and Sabrina (Bryder)
Eskridge, early pioneers of
Pickaway County and natives of the
little State of Delaware.
Their daughter, Lovena, was
born in Pickaway County in May,
1824.
The removal of our subject to Illinois was made in 1852
with three teams. This was a
long, wearisome journey, but was
taken leisurely, the party camping
out at night and picnicing
along the road. The principal
expense which had to be incurred was
the payment of toll at the
toll-gates. Upon reaching the
Prairie State, Mr. Adkins
located in Cumberland, and became
the owner of two hundred and
forty-six acres of land within two
miles of Toledo, the county-seat.
For this he paid at the rate of $9
per acre and upon it he proceeded to
make good improvements, and had it
in excellent condition before the
exigencies of the Civil War called
him from his home and fireside.
Mr. Adkins enlisted in the service of his
country in August, 1861, and was
mustered into service in Company A,
Fifth Illinois Cavalry, which
regiment was ordered to the
Southwest, and saw service in
Arkansas. He was taken
prisoner near Helena, that State, in
October, 1862, and while under guard
of six men, a captain of a company
of guerillas, who also laid claim to
being a Methodist Episcopal
preacher, rode up, and without leave
or license shot him in the arm.
This ball, which he still carries,
so disabled him as to cause him to
be honorably discharged in February,
1863.
Our subject returned to Cumberland County, and in the
fall of 1864 sold his land at $10 an
acre and proceeded to prospect in
various parts of the State, spending
one season farming in Ford County
before coming to Moultrie County.
Here he purchased eighty acres of
his present farm, which was then but
little improved but was considered
of more than ordinary value, and
even then commanded $30 per acres.
He now owns over one thousand acres
of land, seven hundred and fifty of
which are in one body. He has
erected a pleasant home, excellent
barns and other good outbuildings.
Most of his prosperity may be
attributed to his thorough,
systematic and intelligent
stock-farming, together with his
dealings in live stock.
To Mr. and Mrs. Adkins have been born three
children, and they have been so
favored as to retain these children
in life until now they are mature,
and are taking their places in the
world, being fitted to shine as
members of society and to be truly
an honor to their worthy parents.
They are by name - William S.,
Mary E., (wife of Henry
Layman), and Luranna, who
resides at home. For four
years past Mr. Adkins has
rented his farm and now lives a
retired life. He is a stanch
Republican in his political belief,
and deems it the duty of every
patriot to exercise the right of
suffrage with which he is endowed by
the laws of his land. He takes
an intelligent interest in political
movements, but has never held
office, as he has preferred to
devote his energies to his private
business.
Source: Portrait and
Biographical Record of Shelby and
Moultrie Counties, Illinois -
Published: Chicago: Biographical
Publishing Co. - 1891 - Page 292 |
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E. T. BALL Source:
Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie
Counties, Illinois - Published: Chicago: Biographical
Publishing Co. - 1891 - Page 233 |
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THOMAS BINKLEY.
Amid the fertile farm lands of Lovington Township is a
tract of eighty acres belonging to the gentleman
abovenamed and devoted by him to general farming.
It is pleasantly located on section 24, and is
embellished with every necessary structure. To say
that the owner is one of the most prominent farmers in
the community gives but a slight idea of the
respect he commands, for he is looked upon as one of the
most intelligent citizens to whatever class they may
belong. A good neighbor and reliable business man,
he also merits the gratitude of all who are pleased with
the advance of civilization in this section.
Mr. Binkley comes of substantial forefathers.
His father, Daniel Binkley, was a native of Perry
County, Ohio, and was a chair maker by trade. The
mother, whose maiden name of Catherine Zartman,
was also a native of Perry County. The worthy
couple passed their entire wedded life in Ohio, where
the father died in 1868; five years later the mother
came to Moultrie County, and died in Lovington Township
in 1880. Our subject was the only son in the
family, and he had one sister Amelia A., who
became the wife of B. M. Clark and died in
Lovington Township in 1881.
The birthplace of our subject is Perry County, Ohio,
and his natal day Aug. 25, 1838. His youth was
passed uneventfully in conning his lessons at the
district school and gaining practical knowledge of the
way to conduct a farm. He began the battle of life
for himself at an early age and when he was able to
establish a home of his own he was married in his native
county, Sept. 2, 1868, to Miss Matilda, daughter
of John and Charlotte (Jones) Fisher, natives of
Perry County, Ohio. Mr. Fisher, followed
the occupation of a farmer and died in Perry County,
where also his wife passed away. A large
family of children had been born to them, ten in number,
and Mrs. Binkley was the second in order of
birth, having been born in Perry County, Ohio, Sept. 10,
1839.
After his marriage our subject located in Perry County,
Ohio, where he engaged in farming. They made
their home in the Buckeye State until 1873, when they
removed to Moultrie County, Ill.; afterward they removed
to Piatt County, whence after a residence of six years,
they returned to Moultrie County and located in
Lovington Township. Unto him and his estimable
wife thirteen children have been born, ten of whom are
living, as follows: Amanda C., the
wife of George E. Foster; Amelia A., who
married Charles Redman; Acta C., the the
wife of Irving Houseworth; William E., Charlotte,
Oscar, Liberta, Daniel R., Walker O. and Lambert.
The three deceased died in infancy.
Mr. and Mrs. Binkley are consistent members of
the German Reformed and Lutheran Churches and are active
in every benevolent enterprise. He has served the
people in several offices, among them that of School
director. He has always followed agriculture and
his successful and honorable career is worthy of
emulation.
Source: Portrait and Biographical Record of
Shelby and Moultrie Counties, Illinois - Published:
Chicago: Biographical Publishing Co. - 1891 - Page 717 |
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PETER S. BOGGS, M. D. Belonging
to a family that is noted for the patriarchal years to
which its members attain, our subject has proved to be
no exception to the rule, for he has already passed the
mile-post of four score years, and is yet hale and
vigorous. His life, which has been equally divided
between attention to his profession, which was that of
dentistry, and during his later years, to farming, has
always been so balanced as to leave a development and
maturity of mind and body unimpeded or unobstructed by
ulterior considerations. He is now a resident of a
good farm located on section 25, in Lovington Township,
Moultrie County, and so genial and kindly disposed is he
toward all human beings, as to have gained the love as
well as respect of those with whom he had dealings, and
they hope for him many years still of health and
happiness.
Peter Boggs's father was Alexander Boggs,
who died a victim of the cholera in Germantown, Ind.
His mother was Magdelaine Schafffer, who died in
Milton, Ind., at the age of one hundred and six years
lacking a few days. The father was of English
descent, and the mother of German ancestry. After
setting up housekeeping, they were the center of quite a
brood of children. Nine little ones grew up under
their kind and protecting care, and of these the Doctor
was one of the oldest members. He was born in
Lancaster County, Pa., Oct. 2, 1809, and he spent the
early part of his life in Mt. Joy, being engaged in the
acquisition of knowledge and the fitting of himself for
collegiate work. When about sixteen years of age
he went to Philadelphia for the purpose of studying
dentistry. He was so fortunate as to be able to
gain Dr. Samuel S. Fitch as a preceptor, and of
him he learned the profession to which we should all be
so grateful for relieving us of pain, but one which is
regarded with fear and trembling by the majority of
people. On finishing his course of dental study
under Dr. Fitch, who pronounced him competent and
an expert practitioner he returned to his native State
where he lived until 1833 and then removed to Ohio,
where he practiced dentistry in all of the larger towns
of the State. Thence he went to Indiana, in the
winter of 1842-43, and was there also an itinerant
practitioner of dentistry, pursuing his calling in all
the large towns in the State.
In 1855 Dr. Boggs came to Illinois and settled
on section 25, of Lovington Township. He continued
the practice of his profession for several years and
indeed has always been ready and willing to alleviate a
pain by the use of his forceps. He is the owner of
one hundred and twenty acres of land in this place,
which he has cultivated up to 1891, when he gave over
the active proprietorship of his farm to a tenant, and
is now determined that the remainder of his life shall
be devoted to the less arduous work of watching the ways
and means of others as they conduct the necessary work
of the farm.
Our subject was first married in Baltimore to a lady
whose maiden name was Alice H. Pennell, a
beautiful woman who enriched and sweetened his domestic
life, and who offered an encouraging word for every
discouragement he met in business transactions.
Her ancestors came to this country with William Penn.
She bore him three children whose names are respectively
Mary A., Joseph P. and Lizzie S. Mary,
and Lizzie are both deceased. Mrs. Boggs
died in Lovington Township in the summer of 1858, and
three years after Mr. Boggs was again married in
Decatur, Ill., August, 1861, to Miss Louisa Gehret,
who was born in Center County, Pa., Aug. 20, 1832.
By her he became the father of three children, whose
names are Walter L., Carrie F., and Edith
A.
In his political preferences our subject is and
always has been a Democrat, feeling that the principles
of the old party which were framed and formed by some of
the bet and wisest men that the nation has ever
produced, cannot have so greatly changed as to have
degenerated to any great degree. Dr. Boggs
is a strictly temperate man and has never smoked or used
tobacco in any form.
Source: Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby
and Moultrie Counties, Illinois - Published: Chicago:
Biographical Publishing Co. - 1891 - Page 724 |
J. E. Bradley |
JOHN E. BRADLEY.
Among the many who are gaining a maintenance as farmers
in Lovington Township, is the gentleman whose name
introduces these paragraphs and whose portrait is
presented on the opposite page. He is the owner
and operator of a fine farm of eighty acres on section
12. By honest industry, good judgment and
unwavering perseverance, he has won prosperity, and what
is far better, a reputation as a man of honor and
uprightness. The spirit he has shown in worldly
affairs, affords a lesson to others who begin life
without capital, while the influence of his consistent
life is felt far and near.
Mr. Bradley is an honored representative of a
patriotic and industrious family. His grandfather,
John Bradley, served seven years as a brave
soldier in the Revolutionary War, while his father
John Bradley, was one of the founders of the old Fee
soil party. The latter, a native of the same place
as himself, and there they dwelt for some years after
their marriage. Later they removed to Trumbull
County, Ohio, where the faithful wife and mother died
Dec. 1, 1833. After her decease the father came as
far West as Illinois, where, in Lovington Township,
Moultrie County, he closed his eyes to the scenes of
earth Feb. 21, 1872.
Of the six children in the family circle our subject
was the fifth, and he was born in Chester County, Pa.,
Dec. 18, 1829. He was a child of four years when
his parents came to Trumbull County, Ohio, where he grew
to manhood, in the meantime acquiring as thorough an
education as was afforded by the schools of the
vicinity. He remained on a farm in Trumbull County
until the spring of 1850, when he came to Moultrie
County, Ill., and settled in Lovington Township, of
which he has since been a resident.
Mr. Bradley was first married, Dec. 18, 1856, to
Mary S., daughter of Oren Dunscomb, who
died in Trumbull county, Ohio. Mrs. Bradley
was born in Trumbull County, and bore her husband one
child, a son, Charlie Hl, who married Miss
Mary E. Weatherly and now lives in Sullivan.
The wife and mother passed from earth Aug. 18, 1866.
Mr. Bradley was again married, in Pickaway
County, Ohio, Jan. 19, 1871, choosing as his wife
Miss Martha A. Hayes. This estimable lady, the
daughter of Jesse and Betsey (Hurst) Hayes, was
born in Pickaway County, Sept. 27, 1836, and under the
careful instruction of her parents and teachers, grew to
a refined womanhood. Her happy marriage with
Mr. Bradley has been blest by the birth of three
children - John F., Mary E. and Alfred C.
Since the organization of
the Republican party, Mr. Bradley has been
prominent in its ranks, and has served the people in
various official capacities. He is greatly
interested in educational matters, and for twenty-five
years has served efficiently as School Director.
He has also been Highway Commissioner and held the minor
offices of the township. But we would be doing
great injustice to Mr. Bradley's career, were we
to omit especial mention of his army record. On
Aug. 4, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and
Twenty-sixth Illinois Infantry, as a musician. He
served in the ranks until he was promoted to be Corporal
and later Sergeant. The entire term of his service
was three yeas, and during that time he participated in
many engagements, among the most important being the
siege of Vicksburg and the battles of Little Rock, and
Clarendon, Ark. After an honorable service he was
mustered out at Pine Bluff, Ark., and returned home to
resume the pursuits of peace.
While serving his country, Mr. Bradley received
a severe sunstroke which has been a source of great
affliction to him up to the present time. As might
naturally be expected he belongs to the Grand Army of
the Republic, being a prominent member of Lovington
Post, No. 354. Socially he is a member of the
Masonic fraternity. In religious work he takes an
active part, having been a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church since 1853, and his wife also holds
membership in the same church. As one of the
valiant soldiers to whom we owe the preservation of the
Union, and as a capable farmer we are pleased to
represent him in this volume.
Source: Portrait and
Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties,
Illinois - Published: Chicago: Biographical Publishing
Co. - 1891 - Page 511 |
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