Biographies for Brown County, Illinois

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Biographies for Brown County, Illinois

FAMILY HISTORY OF CLYDE KINDHART
by Linda Edlin

Clyde Kindhart, son of Andrew and Louisa Kindhart and Pearl Taylor, daughter of Robert and Catherine Taylor were born in Pea Ridge Township. They attended Poe School. They were united in marriage in 1908. They are the parents of eight (8) children; Troy, Ruby, Robert, Lawrence, Ethel, Cecil, Baby girl, and Virgil. Ruby passed away at the age of 4 and Cecil and the baby girl were twins. The baby girl died at birth.

Troy married Grace Beebe. They had one daughter, Mae. He then married Imogene Lamma. They have eleven (11) children; Troy Jr., Edna, Barbara, Shirley, Norman, John, Donald, Sharon, Richard, Ronda, and Betty. Robert and Imogene live in Quincy, Illinois. Robert married Viola Paben. They have four sons; Earl, Arlie, Floyd and Glen. Robert later married Leota Brady. They are living in Golden, Illinois.

Lawrence married Ruth Armel. They have two children: Marsha and Neal. They are now living in Quincy, Illinois. Ethel married Russell Daggett. They have one son, Jerry. They live on their farm in Pea Ridge.

Cecil married Lucille Weaver. They have four children: Carolyn, Kenneth, Linda, and Susan. They are living on their farm in Pea Ridge.

Virgil married Edith Weaver. Their first son, Virgil Lee died in childhood and they have two sons, Roger and Rodney. They are living in Golden, Illinois.

Clyde and Pearl lived most of their married years in the Clayton neighborhood as farmers. They were very faithful members and workers of the Poe Baptist Church. They were always ready to give a helping hand to anyone in need. There was always room for one more in their home if someone was in need of one.

Pearl passed away in August 1945 and Clyde passed away September 1955. They are buried at the Knight Cemetery.[Source: Cemeteries of Brown County, Illinois 1825-1972; Published by: The Brown County Board of the Schuyler Brown Historical Genealogical Society, Copyright 1975]

ICHABOD PERRY, one of the early settlers of this county, residing in Mount Sterling, was born in Claiborne county, Tennessee, July 18, 1815. His father, Edmond Perry, was a native of North Carolina and served in the war of 1812, receiving a land warrant for 160 acres; but it is not known that this was ever located. His father came from the same State, and removed form there to Claiborne, Tennessee, where he purchased land and carried on farming until 1831, when he came to Illinois. He spent his last years in Brown county. The maiden name of his wife was Rebecca Yarberry, also a native of North Carolina. She died in Brown county also. Their son, Edmond, was a natural mechanic, but never learned a trade, and as he was very fond of hunting, he put in a good deal of time in that way. He resided in Tennessee until 1831, when, with his parents and others and wife and ten children, he emigrated to Illinois, and after four weeks overland travel landed in Morgan county. He rented a log cabin, three quarters of a mile from Jacksonville, and there spent the winter, and in the spring of 1832 came to that part of Schuyler that has been included in Brown county. He settled on a tract of vacant land in what is now Cooperstown township, and at once built a log cabin in the usual manner of the settlers, with rough hewn logs and puncheon floor. He lived in that place for about a year when he found out that he had built his house on the wrong land. He then moved to the adjoining quarter and put up a log cabin there, and later purchased this land, paying therefore $200, mostly in property. It was military land. This included the southwest quarter of section thirty, and he turned his attention to the improvement of the land, and resided in this locality until his death. The maiden name of his wife was Rachel Bridges, daughter of William and Sarah Bridges, who moved from Tennessee to Missouri in 1831, and spent the rest of their days there.

Ichabod was sixteen years old when he came to Illinois with his parents. The country was sparsely settled and but little improvement has been made anywhere. For some years the people lived on the produce of their farms and on the wild game that abounded in the forests. His mother used to card, spin and weave, and dressed her children in homespun made by her own hands. The father, being a skilled hunter, used to kill a great many deer. He dressed the skins, and in the winter the boys used to wear pants made of that material. Ichabod received his early education in the public schools of Tennessee. These were taught on the subscription plan, each family paying according to the number of children sent. He made the best of his opportunities, and in later years has improved his mind by extensive reading. He remained with his parents until he was twenty one and then began life for himself. In 1836 he went to the Territory of Iowa. At the time of his marriage he located on wild land in section 24, of Mount Sterling township, which he occupied for fifty-three years. He bought other tracts of land at various times, and at one time was the owner of 800 acres. He has assisted each of his children to homes, and now lives with his daughter, Mrs. Ward.

In 1838, he married Martha Bell, born in Kentucky, January 1, 1818, daughter of Robert and Jennie Bell. She died January 7, 1892. He has four children living: Oliver H., married to Martha McMillian; Lewis C., married first to Columbia Sharon, and for his present wife, Julia Dennis; Ethan Allen, married Delia Sharon; and Mary, married to William Ward. Mr. Perry is an ardent supporter of Republican principles. In 1846, etc., when he was a Democrat, he was Justice of the Peace two terms.

JAMES PERRY, a prominent citizen of Versailles, is a native of the Blue Grass country, being born there in 1817. His father was Edmond Perry, a farmer of South Carolina, and his father was Nathan Perry, a farmer of the same State, who came to Illinois in the fall of 1830. Edmond Perry had made the journey the year before, in the company of his two brothers and a brother-in-law. They spent the winter of 1829-1830 in Illinois and were here during the big snow storm, which is a historical one. In June of 1830, he returned to his family and brought them and his parents to the new country. The trip was made in the regulation style, covered wagons and ox teams, and, although they were a month on the journey, they enjoyed it to a remarkable degree. There was a fascination in the free life they led, camping by the roadside when they made their stops. One night the party had the luxury of sleeping in a vacant house in Springfield. The party consisted of seven families of the Perry's, including two brothers-in-law. They came with a limited means, but before long by industry they all were in comfortable circumstances. The old grandmother Perry had been a Miss Rebecca Yarbrey, and she was the other of eight children, all of whom eventually came to Illinois. She and her husband lived to be aged people, he dying at the age of eighty-two years and she some three years before him. Their children were: Edmond Perry, father of subject, eighty-two; Luke Perry, eighty; Melvina, seventy; William died in the prime of life; Edward, about seventy; Sarah, over seventy; Irving, about sixty; Benjamin, baptized in the Baptist Church, is about sixty; John, baptized in the same faith when seventy-five years of age; Edmond Perry, married Rachel Bridges of North Carolina, and they had eleven children, all of whom grew up and had families, namely: Martha, died when she was about fifty, leaving nine children; Phoebe, died when a young woman, leaving four children; Rebecca, wife of Samuel Briggs, of Versailles; Ichabod, a retired farmer in Mt. Sterling is a widower; James, of this sketch; Nathan, a farmer of this township; Sarah died in this township, leaving six children, being about fifty at her death; Melvina died in the prime of life, leaving one child; Louisa married and in middle life; Francis, farmer of Mt. Sterling, has six sons; and Luke, a farmer of Stone county, Missouri, who has six children. The mother died about seventy-six years of age and the father four years later, when he was eighty-two years of age. They left a good estate and are remembered as being among the best of the pioneer families of the State.

Mr. Perry was married, in his twenty-third year to Eliza Hills of Indiana, daughter of Robert and Betsy (Angel) Hills, who came to Schuyler county before the big snow storm. They died on their farm at an advanced age, he when he was seventy-five, and she when she was a year younger.

Mr. and Mrs. Perry settled on their present home of eighty acres in the fall of 1841, October 15. He now pays taxes on about 560 acres of land, although he started with very little money. All of their eleven children are living, the eldest fifty-three, and the youngest twenty-six. There is not a death in the family and all of the children are married and settled in life. These children are: Charles, now a banker in Knoxville, Iowa, with two sons; William Perry (see sketch): Olive, wife of J. B. Masters, a retired farmer of Denver, with three children; Francis, a farmer of this township, with four children; Robin, a farmer of Mt. Sterling township, with one daughter; Almira, wife of Richard Underwood, a farmer living near by, has four sons; Elizabeth, wife of James Butler, a farmer of this township, six children; Edmond, a farmer of this township with two children; Eliza, wife of E. W. Lanier, a farmer living near by, four children; and James K., a farmer on the old homestead, two children.

Mr. Perry supports the principles of the Democratic party and he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Perry is now an old man, being about seventy-five years younger. He is practically retired, but takes a strong interest in all that is taking place, and is as much interested in the welfare of his children and grandchildren as if he were yet a young man. These children are persons to be proud of, as none of them ever contract any debts that they are not perfectly able to pay, all have been well educated, and are worthy sons and daughters of their respected and honored parents. The old people's hearts are gladdened by the merry prattle of the thirty-three grandchildren who have been added to this large and prosperous family.

WILLIAM PERRY . - The gentleman whose sketch it is our pleasure to present to our readers, was born in Cooperstown township, at the present home of his father, March, 1844. His father, James Perry, was born on Powel's river, in Tennessee, in 1808, coming to Illinois in 1830.

William Perry was reared to farm life, and was well educated in the common schools, teaching several terms after finishing his education. His marriage occurred, in 1866, when he was only twenty-two to Miss Mary E. Grover, daughter of W. P. Grover, and his wife, a Miss Patterson, both natives of Ohio, but residents of Brown county.

Mr. and Mrs. Perry first rented the old home farm, and in 1876 bought eight acres for $3,200, which he sold two years later, buying his present farm of eighty acres on section 32, paying the same price for it.

By this marriage Mr. Perry had six children, one of whom died when an infant. Mrs. Perry died in 1878, leaving three sons and one daughter, namely: Oscar, twenty-four; Elmer, twenty-two; Scott, eighteen, and Hattie, fourteen. He was again married in 1882, to Miss Anna Whitehead, of this county, daughter of Dr. John and Mary (Gilford) Whitehead. Mr. and Mrs. Perry have one living child, Orpha, aged six.

Mr. Perry was Town Collector, at twenty-two years, and served as Assessor for two years, from the time he was twenty-three until he was twenty-five. He next served as Township Treasurer for twelve years. Until 1876 he was a Democrat, but since that time he has been an advocate of reforms, being now a member of the Farmers' Alliance, or People's Party.

Mr. Perry carries on general farming on his beautiful farm, where he resides, surrounded by his children and his loving wife; and if ever a man had cause to be proud of his past life, it is the subject of this sketch, William Perry.

James Shank

James Shank was a blacksmith and farmer. He lived in Illinois until 1899 and moved to to Granby Mo. Prior to moving to Mo. He lived in Mound Station (Timewell, Il.) James first left his family in Illinois and went to Missouri. He took a threshing machine with him,. Also the lure of the lead ore mines for work was the pulling factor to settling in Missouri. Granby is known as the "Oldest Mining Town in the Southwest" 1850. James wrote a letter to his wife and family, anxious for them to join him in Missouri. He told his dear Maria, it is beautiful place and Shoal Creek is as clear as crystal! He and son William Carson threshed wheat right off the ground at Dueneweg, Missouri, around the mine shafts. Another son Alvin operated a drilling rig. When it quit operating, he went to Montana, where he and his wife Mathilda "Tillie", along with a son Fred who died when he was around five or six years old.
Alvin also died in Montant and it is believed that Tillie remarried and moved to Oklahoma. William Carson wasn't as happy with Missouri and so he went back to Illinois. He spent the rest of his life in and around Clayton where he and Anna raised their family. James along with his son Ora spent the rest of their lives in Missouri. Note: James Shank was born March 21, 1850 Brown County, Illinois, the son of William and Julia Emaline McCord Shank, died February 28, 1923 Diamond, Missouri, buried Diamond, Missouri, married August 14, 1871 Mound Station-Timewell, Brown County, Illinois to Maria Brandon, born October 13, 1853 Preble County, Ohio, the daughter of Aaron C. and Sarah Neal Brandon, died December 11, 1918 Diamond, Missouri, buried Diamond, Missouri. [Contributed by Sara Hemp]

Read the Brown County biographies on our Schuyler county website at:
Biographical Review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois 1892