Hon Dios C. Hagle, attorney, Louisville, is a native of Brown County, Ohio, and was born September 11, 1839.  His parents, Abraham and Mary (Williams) Hagle, were natives of Virginia, who emigrated from Brown County, Ohio,  to Jefferson County, Ill., in 1841. Mr. Hagle was brought up on his father's farm, and attended the common schools.
    Upon the breaking- out of the rebellion, he endeavored to join an Illinois regiment, but finding that the quota for this State was complete, he enlisted in Company D of the Eleventh Regiment Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and participated  in the  battles of Corinth, Iuka,siege of Vicksburg through the Red River campaign and others.  After the war, he farmed for two years, when he came (in 1867) to Louisville and began the study of law, being admitted to the bar in 1868.  
    During the time from 1874 to 1877, Mr. Hagle practiced law in and near Yankton, Dakota Territory.  While there he was a member of the Dakota Legislature, and was Speaker of the House during the twelfth session of that assembly.  He is now State's Attorney for Clay County, and enjoys a large practice outside of his official work.
     Mr. Hagle is a member of the Masonic fraternity.  Excerpt from "History of Wayne and Clay Counties, Illinois 1884 "

    Judge R.B. Henry  was born February 15, 1828, in Ohio, and there grew to manhood. He became a member of the Baptist Church in his boyhood, maintaining a membership in that society for about five years, when he transferred his membership to the Christian Church. 
    When about twenty-one years old, he was regularly ordained as a minister in the Christian Church, to which he has remained ardently attached ever since. About twelve years of his life have been spent in exclusive ministerial labor, the remainder of his time having been devoted to teaching, preaching and superintending the interests of the farm. Though anunpartisan in politics, he has exerted a potent influence for the general good. He was originally an anti-slavery man and supported the administration during the late war, but since 1872 his influence has been enjoyed by the Independent Reform party, and upon that ticket was elected in 1873 to the office of County Judge of Clay County, which position he filled with acceptance for four years. In 1874, and during his term of office as Judge, he was made the candidate of his party to represent the Sixteenth District in Congress, but sustained a defeat.  In 1876, he was a Presidential Elector, and cast his vote for Peter Cooper. 
    He was married in Darke County, Ohio, November 4, 1852, to Elizabeth Adams, daughter of George and Virlinda (Webb) Adams. She was born in Ohio in October, 1832. Her father was a native of Ohio, and was born where Cincinnati now stands. Her mother was born in Virginia.   
    Mr. Henry has reared a family of ten children named as follows: George A., Virginia A., Rolando H, Anna V. (wife of David W. Blain, of Kansas City), James T. , Carrie B. , Rolla B. , Jr., Hattie, Rebecca and Harry Henry. Judge Henry was educated in Springfield, Ohio, and as a public speaker is possessed of a talent of no ordinary character.  
    He is a man of strong physical frame and endurance, which characterizes the entire family, as they have all enjoyed remarkable health and have never had a death intheir large family.  Excerpt  from "History of Wayne and Clay Counties, Illinois 1884 "

Edward Higginson was born in Ireland July 22, 1841, and came with his parents, Alexander and Charlotte Higginson, to the United States in 1850. The year following, the family settled in Harter Township of Clay County, where they have since resided. Alexander Higginson was born in the year 1813 in Ireland, and was there married to Charlotte Peel, who was also a native of Ireland. She was born in 1815, and died in Ireland in 1843. Their family consisted of four children—Maria J., died in infancy; Frances A., wife of E. S. Jenkins; Edward and Jane Higginson. Alexander Higginson was married in Clay County to Jane Suffern, who was a native of Ireland. She died in Clay County in January, 1872. Edward grew to manhood in Clay County, and on the 6^th of August, 1862, he enlisted in Company A. of the Ninety -eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served until mustered out at the close of the war in 1865. He participated in several general engagements, including Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga and the lighting incident to the Atlanta campaign. He was married on the 12^th of April, 1866, to Sarah C, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Luse.  She was born in Ohio in October, 1847. They have a family, consisting of Mary Frances, born April 5, 1869; Charlotte E., born December 28, 1870; William E., November 29, 1872; Emma Grace, April 13, 1875; Effie Jane, March 20, 1878; and Joseph A. Higginson, born February 10, 1881. Excerpt from "History of Wayne and Clay Counties, Illinois 1884 "

                                       

    Judge Gershom A. Hoff, lawyer, Flora, Ill., was born in Livingston County, N. Y.,May 16, 1839. His father, Jonathan Hoff, was born in Freehold, N. J., in 1796.  He was reared to manhood in New York, and served as a soldier in the war of 1812, and in 1816 was married to Euphemia Pullis. She was born in the year 1800 in the city of New York.     They emigrated to Illinois in 1843, settling that year in Washington County near Nashville, on what is known as the Dry Arm of the Looking Glass Prairie. There, in 1846, Mrs. Hoff died, leaving five children who grew to maturity, viz. : Peter, Jane (wife of J. Van Emburg, of New Jersey), Ann P. (wife of Capt. J. G. Owens, of St. Louis, Mo.), Gershom A. and Frank Hoff.   From Washington County, the father removed to Clinton County in 1846, settling at Aviston, where he subsequently was married to a Widow Clark, and where, in 1853, he died, having devoted his life to the pursuit of farming. 
    After the death of his mother, G. A.  Hoff became a member of the family of his uncle, C. Pullis, of St. Louis, where
he remained until he was fourteen years old, when he went to the city of New York. He remained there five years, in the meantime adopting the trade of brick-mason. In 1861, he went to Nevada, and until the close of 1863 was successfully engaged in the mining interest.
    He then went East, and in March, 1864, came to Clay County, Ill., and purchased a tract of land of 380 acres in Oskaloosa Township, returning the same year to New Jersey, where, in July, he married Miss Cornelia Van Ness. She was born June 14, 1 847, in New Jersey. They then moved upon the farm in this county, where they remained until 1869, when Mr. Hoff exchanged his farm for a stock of merchant goods in Xenia, where he was in business until 1873.
    He began the study of law in 1868, doing the preparatory reading under the Hon. G. \V.  Henry, of Louisville, Ill. He was admitted to practice in January, 1872, since which time he has been a member of the Clay County bar.  He was originally a Pro-Slavery Democrat, but supported the administration during the war and until 1872, when he used his influence in support of Horace Greeley, and that year received the unanimous nomination of the Fusion ticket for the office of County Clerk. 
    In 1875, he was elected to the office of State's Attorney, serving two years, and then in 1875 received a unanimous nomination for the office of County Judge at the hands of the Democratic party. The ability with which he performed the functions of this important office is evidenced by the fact that after an incumbency of five years, he was again nominated by a unanimous vote of the convention to the same office, which he is now filling to acceptance, in connection with which he still engages in the active practice of his profession.
    He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His family consists of Cora L., born April 5, 1865; Alonzo G., April 23, 1869; and Cornelia G. Hoff, July 3, 1880.  Excerpt from "History of Wayne and Clay Counties, Illinois 1884 "

    Samuel Holman, merchant, Clay City, was born in Ross County, Ohio, January 22, 1839, and is a son of John and Mary (Hussleton) Holman, natives of Pennsylvania.  Subject was the eighth of ten children, of whom seven are now living, viz. : John, in Clay County. Ill.; Mrs. Barbara Tilly, in Clay County; Jacob, and Mrs. Mary Davis, in Columbia, Ill. ; Mrs. Elizabeth Erghenbright, in Coffeyville, Kan. ; Mrs. Sarah Wallor, in Rich Hill, Mo.; and Samuel, our subject.
    When the latter was about six months old, his parents moved to this county and settled about six miles south of Clay City, on the farm now occupied by John Holman. Here the father resided until his death, in 1850. That of the mother occurred in 1853.
    The free schools of this township furnished Samuel his means of education.  He remained at home until about fifteen, and then came to the old town of Maysville.  Here he began life for himself by clerking for George Earheubright, who was then in business at that point. He remained in the latter's employ for about rive years. In 1865, he began merchandising for himself, in the town of Clay City, and has ever since been engaged in business at this point.  Starting first in the saloon business with Thomas Viskniski, he has, by hie indomitable push and energy, kept on, until now, in connection with Jabez Cogan, owns the largest general store in the city. The firm now carries a stock of about $8, 000, and has a fair share of the trade in this section of Clay County. In 1882, he, in connection with William Markle embarked in the milling business, having leased the Clay City Mills of Daniel McCawley.
    In Clay City, February 21. 1867, Mr. Holman was married to Miss Clemence West, a daughter of Joseph and Mary C. (Cannon) West, natives of Albion, Edwards County. Mrs. Holman was born October 10, 1850, in the same county, and is the mother of eight children, seven of whom are now living, viz.: John L., born July 10, 1809; Maggie, bnrn June 3, 1871; Hattie, born February 18, 1873; Charles L., born October 14, 1877; Willie L., born May 17, 1879; George, born May 27, 1881; May E., born May 29, 1883.
    January 1. 1862, Mr. Holman enlisted in Company I, of theSixty-third Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war.  having re-enlisted in the veteran service in 1863. Among the battles in which he served were Vicksburg. Sherman's Atlanta campaign, and the famous march to the sea.
    In his political views, he has always been a strong Republican. He is a member of Clay City Lodge, No. 384,
I. O. O. F.  Excerpt from "History of Wayne and Clay Counties, Illinois 1884 "

    Charles W. Hopkins, retired hardware merchant of Clay City, Illinois, is well and favorably known at the present time as the owner of one of the "banner" farms, formerly the property of his parents, of Clay County. For fifteen consecutive years Clay City was the scene of his successful endeavors as a hardware merchant. He has not yet reached his fiftieth year, and while he has already "made good" as a citizen and a business man, many years of increased prosperity await him in his farming pursuits.
    The subject of our sketch was born in Mason county. West Virginia, on  January 12, 1860, and was the son of William and Adriana (Donnelly) Hopkins. Both parents were natives of old Virginia, and came of good stock. William Hopkins married in his native state, resided on a farm there, and was a member of the convention called to partition the state into the present divisions of east and west. He ran boats on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers for thirty-five years. During that time he was captain of "The Tigress," which General Grant pressed into service at Cairo, Illinois, during the progress of the Civil war. All through its meteoric career in the military service he remained its captain under command of the gallant Grant. At Pittsburg Landing, Grant made his headquarters upon on the boat, and he and the elder Hopkins had many chats together. Later then ran the blockade at Vicksburg successfully, but when they had safely passed the last battery "The Tigress" sank, having been shot through the hull. At this time Captain Hopkins was home on a furlough, and owing to the loss of his boat was discharged from the service.
    He then moved with his family to Illinois, and settled in Clay County, in the winter of 1865, having bought nearly one thousand acres of land.  This he was easily able to do as at the time of his arrival in Illinois his capital amounted to something like seventy-five thousand dollars. He had previously sold a farm in Virginia for forty-three thousand dollars.  The farm settled in Clay County is now the property of the subject of our sketch. In 1883 William Hopkins retired from his farming activities and moved with his family to Flora, Illinois, where he afterwards died on  July 25, 1887, aged sixty-nine years. William Hopkins married three times. Our subject was the youngest of three children, and his mother died when he was only three years of age. One of his brothers, Andrew, by name, is now dead.  His father afterwards married Marian Kelly, who died in 1873. Later he espoused Kate Wilson, who still continues to survive him. His second marriage brought William Hopkins three children, all of whom grew to maturity though only one is now living. His third marriage brought him one son, Frank, who lives with his mother in Evansville, Indiana.
    Charles W. Hopkins remained in the parental home up to the time of his marriage which occurred on the I5th of March, 1883, with Mary E. Brissenden in Clay County, Illinois. For a number of years he lived on a farm near Clay City. In the spring of 1886, he and his wife removed to Furnas County, Nebraska, where he purchased a farm of three hundred and twenty acres. There they remained three years, when Mrs. Hopkins returned to Clay County, Illinois, on a visit. There she died on May 25, 1887, being buried in the Clay City cemetery. Our subject soon sold his Nebraska property and went back to live in Illinois in the fall of 1888. His marriage resulted in the birth of two girls, Adrianna, now the wife of  Clayson Black, of Clay City, who is engaged in the grocery business, and Sarah A., who lives at the family residence. Shortly after his return to Illinois, Charles W. Hopkins engaged in the hardware business in Clay City, continuing in the same for fifteen years to a day. December 24, 1889, he married Mary Barnes, of Clay county, where she was born April 1, 1861. She was the daughter of Joseph and Ellen (Gardner) Barnes, natives of Indiana.  They married in the Hoosier state and came to Illinois in 1857, settling in Clay County, where they remained until their deaths. Mrs. Barnes died December 1, 1866, aged thirty-three years. Her husband married secondly Lou Chapman, a widow, but their married life was of short duration as she died within two years. Joseph Barnes died April 27, 1891, aged fifty-five years, and was buried in Xenia. His first wife was buried in Oskaloosa. They were the parents of five children, of whom two died in infancy, our subject's wife being the third in order of birth.
    Charles W. Hopkins sold his hardware business on February 19, 1904, remained in Clay City until April 29, 1906, and then moved to the old homestead of his parents where he now lives. He owns approximately five hundred and seventeen acres of some of the best land in Clay County. His present married life has also been a happy one, three children having been born to him; two boys and a girl William B., Charles L.  and  Hazel all of whom live at home with their parents.
    Our subject has always been politically a Republican and has served as Supervisor, as member of the County Board in Clay county for two years, as President of the Town Board in Clay City for three terms.  He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, Jefferson Lodge No. 1437, at Clay City. Mrs. Hopkins is a. member of the Methodist church in Clay City, and has always taken an active part in church affairs.  Excerpt from:  Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay and Marion Counties Illinois--Pub. 1909

  Henry Hord  Aside from his connections with the civic affairs of Clay county, the subject of this sketch has long been an influential factor in the general business and industrial interests of the county during his entire life, which has been spent here, everything calculated to advance the community, materially or otherwise, receiving his support and hearty co-operation. He is unwavering in his allegiance to what he believes is right, and upholds his honest convictions at the sacrifice, if necessary, of every other interest.  Conscientious in the discharge of his duties of citizenship, he is a valued member of the body politic, and his aim has ever been to shape his life according to the highest standard of excellence, therefore he has won the esteem and confidence of all who know him. 
    Henry Hord, the popular Sheriff of Clay county, is a native of the same, having been born in Blair township, December 8, 1863, the son of Thomas B. Hord, who was a native of Indiana, and who came to Illinois when a boy, being one of the early settlers of Clay county, locating in Blair township, where he now lives and is a prosperous farmer, well known in his township. "Judge" George Hord, grandfather of the subject, was also a native of Indiana and a man of considerable influence in his community. 
    The subject's mother was known in her maidenhood as Alice Beal, whose people came from Tennessee. She passed to her rest when our subject was two years old.  Two children were born to the parents of our subject, the other child dying in infancy.  They gave their son all the advantages possible, wholesome home environment and a fairly good education, and he owes much of his subsequent success to his solicitous parents. He was reared on a farm where he laid the foundations for a hardy manhood, for he devoted the summer months to work in the fields and attended school in the winter in his native township, which was the only schooling he had ; but he made good use of his time. 
    After leaving school he continued farm work on the home place until he married when he went to farming for himself in Blair township.  Mr. Hord was united in the bonds of wedlock with Percilla Eytchison, the daughter of J. W. and Charity A. Eytchison, a well known family of Blair township, the date of the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Hord being October 18, 1884, and to this union nine children have been born, named in order of birth as follows: Jesse, deceased, having died when about thirteen years old; Lillie, William, Mimmie, Roy. Elbridge. Rolla, Everett, the youngest child died in infancy.      In 1906 Mr. Hord was elected Sheriff of Clay county, on the Republican ticket, and he is now serving his term of four years in a manner that elicits praise from everyone having occasion to know of his work, for he is discharging his duties in a most conscientious and able manner, and generally regarded as the best Sheriff the county has ever had. Previously Mr. Hord had faithfully served Blair township as Supervisor and Assessor. He owns a good farm in Blair township, which he rents. In his fraternal relations he is a Mason.
    Mrs. Hord died of typhoid fever September 18, 1906, between the time Mr. Hord was nominated and elected Sheriff. Our subject was married a second time, his last wife being Miss Dora Manifold, a daughter of Reverend Manifold, now deceased. Mrs. Hord formerly resided in St. Louis, and she taught school in Clay county for five years.
    In his career Mr. Hord has seen the gathering clouds that threatened disaster, but his rich inheritance of energy and pluck has enabled him to turn defeats into victory and promised failures into success. He enjoys in the fullest measure the public confidence, because of the honorable methods he has ever followed, and is one of the prominent and honored men of Clay county.  Excerpt from "History of Wayne and Clay Counties, Illinois 1884 "

    William H. Hudelson----The history, biographical record or memoir of Clay county or of Southern Illinois, would be singularly incomplete without mention of William H. Hudelson, deceased.  Therefore the following article has been compiled from facts available and quotations from the utterances and writings of those who knew him intimately throughout his long career as a citizen of Clay county.  In every community there is to be found a man, or a few men, whose names are preeminently and unmistakably identified with the community's material growth and development, and who are always to be found associated with every movement that seems to promise an addition to that community's wealth, resources and enterprise, and to enhance the importance of its location and surroundings. Such men are seldom obtrusive, though always on the alert, and always to be found when called upon.  The masses feel their presence, though it is not thrust upon them, and almost insensibly, but no less surely, do they leave their impress upon the character, institutions and developments of that community. Such a man was William H. Hudelson.  He was born on a farm three miles south of Princeton, Gibson county, a son of Samuel Hudelson, a pioneer of that community.  He was not exactly a child of the wilderness, but wilderness features surrounded .  the rude cradle in which he was rocked.  The trail of the wolf was yet to be seen in the snow and the alarm of the rattle-snake at the base of the hill. It was the period of the legendary cabin and fire-place, the old family Bible and alphabet, and the schoolhouse with its floors of puncheon, its unhewn logs and roof of boards. It was the day of the hasty, primitive education, when the subjects taught were reading and writing, spelling and arithmetic, when grammar was catalogued with, the natural sciences, and geography among the classics. It was the time of day of the pious mother, who had her pleasant legends and fairy tales, with which she suppressed the rising sighs and kept open the leaden eye-lids of the little ones, as she plied her spinning-wheel and waited for the return of her husband from his labors, when perchance, driving snowstorm delayed him far into the hours of thickest night.
    Amid such scenes our subject spent his boyhood and the revolving years on to his manhood, until, in April of 1852, he located in Louisville, Clay county. Illinois. With a limited financial capital, he established in the grocery and "general store" business with John McGriffin as a partner. This was some years before the advent of Railroads, and their stock of goods was brought by wagon from Evansville, Indiana.  By industry and fair dealing the firm was successful and endured for a period of five years, when in 1857, Mr. Hudelson exchanged his interest for the farm of Harrison Rayburn. Here from dawn far into the night he labored and toiled.  His tremendous industry, his splendid physical strength and endurance made him known throughout the countryside and many are the tales related of his wonderful powers. In 1866 he sold his then titled farm and he again became a resident of Louisville village. At about this time the building of the court-house was agitated, and bonds providing for same were issued by the county. Clay county was even then much in the "back woods'' and the financial men of the East to whom the then young West looked for its cast supply, did not take kindly to the court-house bond issue.  In consequence they were not greatly sought and were offered at a most liberal discount. With a far-seeing wisdom and an abiding faith in the community and its citizens. Mr. Hudelson invested his capital and savings in these bonds and the subsequent years fully warranted his faith and trust in the county's future. His first venture in the whirlpool of finance proving successful, he for some years, devoted himself to investments and private banking. In about 1870, with Henry Watson as a partner, a savings bank was established, known as the Bank of Louisville, and this he conducted until in about 1879, the business was closed, after which he continued as a private banker and an investor in lands and real estate. At one time his land holdings were estimated at between thirty-five hundred and four thousand- acres, and his wealth, a portion of which he inherited from deceased relatives, was said to have been about two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.  He was one of the organizers of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Louisville, in 1892. and served as its president for a number of years. Some years previous to his death he launched a series of philanthropical movements, which it was his aim should result in advancing the cause of Christianity, education and the betterment of mankind. He gave lavishly of his wealth to Ewing College, of Ewing, Illinois, and erected a handsome building and grounds in Clay county, known as Hudelson Academy, which flourished during his life largely through his contributions for its maintenance.
    He was a Democrat in his political faith though in no respect a politician. He held the office of Justice of the Peace for some time and in 1868, he was a candidate against Hon. L. S. Hopkins for County Judge, which contest resulted in a vote whereupon Mr. Hudelson magnanimously relinquished his claim and Mr. Hopkins was seated. He was of deeply religious temperament, and joined the Baptist church at Louisville in 1868, continuing his membership there for many years, though a few years before his death he withdrew from that congregation and became a member of the Wabash Baptist church. He contributed much to the church and was largely responsible for the erection of the church edifice at Louisville, a building which would do credit to a much larger city.  Mr. Hudelson was twice married, his first wife being Frances C. McCawley, of near Clay City. They were married October 26. 1854, and her death occurred August 12, 1856. One child, Cornelius, who died in infancy, was born to them. On October 12, 1858, he married Mrs. Pennina Bentley (nee Bundy), who died May 13, 1903. Mr. Hudelson died March 9. 1905.  "Uncle Bill" and "Aunt Piney" Hudelson will live long in the memories of the citizens of Clay and adjoining counties, where one or both of them were known almost universally. "Aunt Piney" was an affectionately comforting and ' devoted woman, deeply attached to her husband.  and wholly consecrated to his well being.  His circle of home was cheerful, tranquil, and in that charmed spot he ever seemed as happy as a child, and when after fortyfive years she was taken from him, he felt an irreparable loss, for his devotion to her was the echo of hers for him.
    "Uncle Bill" and "Aunt Piney" found great pleasure in the association of friends and deeply enjoyed their society. To those in whom the former had confidence and with whom he became most intimate; to those who merited and won his friendship, he was indeed a friend, tried, trusted and true. In his dealings with his fellow men he was honorable, fair, punctual, his word as good as his bond. If he was your debtor he would repay to the last farthing and he exacted the same treatment, the same sterling integrity from those who were in his debt. He possessed a genius for execution and management and of that quality of personality which accompanied by deed determination is bound to rise no matter what the environment or circumstances.  Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay and Marion Counties Illinois--1909