Moultrie County, IL Biographies

HON. GEORGE ADDISON SENTEL, of Sullivan, was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1896. Of the thirty-five years of his professional record twelve years are accounted for while he was on the bench as judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit. Judge Sentel is a member of one of the largest law firms in Eastern Illinois, that of Cochran, Sentel & Cochran.
He was born in Moultrie County, March 3, 1873, son of Benjamin F. and Lucy E. (Lee) Sentel. The Sentel family is of Dutch ancestry, while the Lees were Scotch-Irish. His paternal grandfather Sentel moved from Ross County, Ohio, to Illinois in 1855 and during the rest of his life was a substantial farmer in Moultrie County. Judge Sentel's maternal grandfather was Wesley Lee, a native of Illinois, a Moultrie County farmer. Benjamin F. Sentel was born in Ross County, Ohio, in 1842 and was thirteen years of age when brought to Illinois. He grew up in Moultrie County, was a farmer there and later in the meat business. He died in 1909 and his wife in 1908. She was born in Illinois in 1847. Benjamin F. Sentel was a Union soldier during the Civil war and for many years was active in the Grand Army of the Republic. Judge Sentel's brothers and sisters were:
Edward, Lee Grant, Nora (deceased), and Nettie, wife of M. A. Gifford, of Sullivan.
George A. Sentel was educated in the Sullivan High School, taught for four years in Moultrie County and while teaching took up the study of law. By teaching and other work he supported himself while getting his legal education. Judge Sentel in 1895, the year before he was admitted to the bar, was appointed master in chancery, and held that position for twenty years. In his law practice he was first associated with Spiler & Hudson, afterwards with R. M. Peadro, and was a partner of Hon. W. K. Whitfield until elected judge in 1915. Judge Sentel served two terms of six years each, and his splendid record on the bench is something his friends and political supporters have always been very proud. When he retired from the bench, in 1927, he joined the firm of Cochran & Cochran, which since that time has been Cochran, Sentel & Cochran. Judge Sentel is a member of the Moultrie County and Illinois State Bar Associations. His professional record has been one of noted achie! vement in chancery and civil cases. Many regard him as one of the ablest chancery lawyers in the state. In addition to his general practice he is attorney for the New York Central lines, the First National Bank of Arthur, the Merchants and Farmers Bank of Sullivan.
Judge Sentel has willingly devoted his time and effort to many community undertakings. He was active in having the Masonic Home established at Sullivan. He is a past master of his Masonic Lodge, is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner, a Knight Templar, and a member of the Eastern Star and the White Shrine, also a member of the Hamilton Club of Chicago, the Decatur Club of Decatur, the B. P. 0. Elks. He is a former secretary of the Republican County Central Committee and was elector in his district in 1928. He was one of the organizers and a past president of the Sullivan Country Club and is a former president of the Sullivan School Board.
Judge Sentel married, June 25, 1921, Miss Winnifred Titus, of Sullivan, daughter of Judge J. B. and Louisa (Grunert) Titus. Her father graduated from Miami University at Oxford, Ohio. He came to Illinois about 1851, served one term as clerk of the County Court of Moultrie County, and in his professional work rose to high eminence. He lived to the ripe old age of eighty-one. Mrs. Sentel's mother came from Germany, being a child when the family settled in Illinois. Mrs. Sentel from a child was remarkable for her musical talent. After graduating from the Sullivan High School she took up the study of vocal music, qualified for Grand Opera in Germany, France and Italy, and has a fluent command of the German, French, Italian and Spanish languages. For several seasons she gave concerts in New York and Philadelphia with her tutor, Signor Carpi. Mrs. Sentel is a member of the Friends and Council Club and the Sullivan Country Club.
The source information is: (ILLINOIS, The Heart of the Nation by Hon. Edward F. Dunne, Volume IV, 1933, Transcribed by Kim Torp)
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The source information is: (ILLINOIS, The Heart of the Nation by Hon. Edward F. Dunne, Volume IV, 1933, Transcribed by Kim Torp)

WALTER KARL HOOVER, physician and surgeon, has given more than forty years to the work of his profession. The community which has known him longest and has many reasons to be indebted to him for his skill and professional devotion is Lovington in Moultrie County.
Doctor Hoover was born at Middletown, Ohio, June 2, 1855, son of David and Sarah (Calhoun) Hoover. His father after bringing the family to Illinois settled on a farm in the vicinity of Decatur. Doctor Hoover grew up on an Illinois farm, and supplemented his public school advantages in the Illinois Wesleyan University at Bloomington. From there he entered Rush Medical College of Chicago, where he was graduated with the M. D. degree in 1888. He practiced for about four months at Lake City, Illinois, but then sought the opportunities of a larger and better community at Lovington, where he has labored faith fully through all the consecutive years. In order to better himself and afford a better service to the community in his profession he has frequently absented himself from his private practice a few months in order to do post-graduate work. Altogether he has taken five post-graduate courses. Doctor Hoover is a member of the staff of the Macon County Hospital at Decatur, is a past vice president of the Macon County Medical Society and a member of the Illinois State and American Medical Associations. In politics he has always supported the Republican ticket, and he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Doctor Hoover married, October 23, 1889, Miss Effie Bean, of Maroa, Illinos, daughter of Joseph P. Bean. Doctor Hoover has been successful in his chosen vocation, and he and his wife have also had the great satisfaction of rearing a splendid family of children. The children born to their marriage are Senn, Ruth, Fern, Grace, Max, Pauline, Dwight and Dean. Senn is a graduate of Millikin University of Decatur and is now in business at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ruth is a scholar and educator, and during the regular winter session teaches at the University of Kansas, and during the summer is an instructor in Columbia University. Fern is the wife of George Paulson, of Hilton, New York. Grace is a missionary of the Methodist Church in China. Max graduated from the University of Illinois and is teaching. Miss Pauline is at home. Dwight is in business at Syracuse, Kansas, and Dean, the youngest of the family, is a student in the University of Illinois.
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The source information is: (ILLINOIS, The Heart of the Nation by Hon. Edward F. Dunne, Volume IV, 1933, Transcribed by Kim Torp)

ARTHUR KOHLER MERRIMAN, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, is a resident of Sullivan, and for ten years has practiced his profession throughout Moultrie County and also in adjoining counties.
Doctor Merriman was born at Williamsville, Illinois, June 18, 1899, son of William and Caroline (Mathus) Merriman. The Merriman family came to Illinois from Massachusetts. William Merriman was born near Williamsville. For forty years he has been an auctioneer, and for the past ten years has made his headquarters in that profession at Springfield. He has been called to hold sales in many parts of the state, having conducted sales in forty-five of the forty-eight states of the Union. He is a man of exceptional standing in his profession. He has always been interested in politics and in the civic life of the communities where he has lived. For thirty-three years he served' consecutively as mayor of Williamsville, which, perhaps, establishes a record of the kind.
Arthur K. Merriman acquired his early education in the public schools of Williamsville. After leaving high school he was for two and a half years a student in the Chicago Veterinary College. This training was supplemented by six months in Iowa State College at Ames, and from there he entered Indiana Veterinary College at Indianapolis. Here he was graduated, taking his D. V. M. degree in 1921. For about a year he practiced at Latham, Illinois, and in 1922 located at Sullivan. Besides his private practice he is serving by appointment as assistant state veterinarian.
In 1918 he enlisted in the Infantry Training Corps and was a private until discharged in December, 1918. Since the war he has been active in the American Legion and in 1930 was elected commander of the local post, No. 68. He is affiliated with Lavely Lodge No. 203, A. F. and A. M., at Williamsville, is a past commander of Gill W. Barnard Commandery No. 74 Knights Templar at Sullivan, and the Scottish Rite Consistory and Mystic Shrine at Springfield. In politics he is a staunch Republican and is a member of the Presbyterian Church.
He married, December 30, 1925, Miss Eleanor Hutchinson, daughter of Charles and Ada Hutchinson, of Menominee, Michigan. They have one son, Robert Charles, born January 25, 1931.
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The source information is: (ILLINOIS, The Heart of the Nation by Hon. Edward F. Dunne, Volume IV, 1933, Transcribed by Kim Torp)

HALAC LANSDEN. During the past forty years three generations of the Lansden family have been represented in the public service of Moultrie County in the office of sheriff. The present sheriff of the county is Halac Lansden. He succeeded his father, Charles Lansden, in that office. Charles Lansden was at one time deputy sheriff under his father, T. A. Lansden. The Lansden family came to Illinois in 1833, from Tennessee. T. A. Lansden was a Union soldier. He enlisted in an Illinois regiment and six months after his enlistment was wounded at the battle of Stone River. He was retired from active duty the rest of the war. He was a man of fine character, a capable farmer, and his election as sheriff of the county came as a well merited honor.

T. A. Lansden married Margaret Kutch. T.A. Lansden was born in Moultrie County in 1845. His wife was a daughter of Uin Kutch. Charles Lansden has a deed to thirty acres of land, which deed was originally made out to Uin Kutch in 1833 and was signed by Andrew Jackson. Charles Lansden was born in Moultrie County, February 16, 1870. He attended public schools, took up farming when a youth, and from 1892 to 1896 was deputy sheriff under his father. After this term as deputy sheriff he was in the butcher business. In 1901 he was appointed city marshal of Sullivan, serving seven years. In 1908 he returned to his farm, and devoted himself to his land and crops until 1912, when he was elected sheriff of Moultrie County, at a special election after the incumbent of the office had been killed. He served one year and again returned to his farm. In 1916 he was elected sheriff for a full four-year term. He went back to his farm, but in 1926 was again called by popular choice to the office, and served until 1930, when he gave up the office to his son Halac and has since acted as deputy under his son, who had been deputy during the previous four years.

Charles Lansden married in September, 1894, Miss Laura Gaddis, daughter of John and Mary Gaddis, of Sullivan. They have two children, Halac and Mary. Charles Lansden is affiliated with Bethany Lodge No. 884, A. F. and A. M., and the Modern Woodmen of America. Halac Lansden was born at Sullivan, November 13, 1899. Some of his youth was spent on his father's farm. After the public schools he attended Milliken University at Decatur, Illinois, and was enrolled in the Students Army Training Corps during the World war. From university he entered the advertising business, being employed by a publishing house, and subsequently went with the Fleischmann Yeast Company, having charge of the agency at Vandalia. In 1926 he accepted his father's invitation to become deputy sheriff, and he had three years of work to qualify him for the office when he was elected sheriff in 1930. Sheriff Lansden is a very popular member of the community and is esteemed as a thoroughly efficient and conscientious officer. He is a member of the American Legion, the Community Club, Sullivan Lodge No. 764 of the Masonic fraternity and the Modern Wood men of America. On October 17, 1926, he married Miss Grace Jenne, daughter of Henry and Katherine Jenne, of Sullivan. They have one child, Charles Thomas, who was born November 13, 1930, on his father's birthday.
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The source information is: (ILLINOIS, The Heart of the Nation by Hon. Edward F. Dunne, Volume IV, 1933, Transcribed by Kim Torp)

EDWARD C. BRANDENBURGER, Illinois newspaper man, was for a number of years an associate of the distinguished and honorable Fred J. Kern of Belleville, but is now publishing a paper of his own, the Sullivan Progress, at the county seat of Moultrie County. Mr. Brandenburger was born in St. Clair County, Illinois, December 17, 1885, son of Peter and Louise (Rieso) Brandenburger. His paternal grandfather came from the Rhineland of Germany and settled in Illinois about 1840. Peter Brandenburger was born in St. Clair County in 1848, spent most of his life in the community where he was born and was one of the substantial farmers of St. Clair County. Edward C. Brandenburger was educated in the public schools of St. Clair County, attended a commercial college at Belleville, and in 1905, at the age of twenty, began the work which has held him ever since. At that time he became an employee of Fred J. Kern in the office and plant of the News-Democrat at Belleville. He was for fourteen years associated with the News-Democrat, the last eight years of that time as business manager. Mr. Brandenburger in 1919 decided to try his own wings as an editor. Consequently he bought the Sullivan Progress. The Progress is a weekly and has greatly prospered and grown in influence under the ownership and management of Mr. Brandenburger. His editorial writings are quoted far and wide. He has given to the Progress an unusual distinction among Illinois weeklies in containing an editorial page. Mr. Brandenburger is a leader in the Democratic party of his county and has been faithful in support of all community undertakings. For two years he was chairman and for a number of years was secretary of the Democratic Central Committee. He is a member of the Illinois Editorial Association, was president of the Community Club during 1929, is a member of the Kiwanis Club, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Sullivan Country Club, and is on the official board of the Christian Church. He is also a member of the high school board at Sullivan. He married, February 16, 1913, Miss Clara Schiek, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Schiek, of Freeburg, Illinois. They have one son, Byron, a student in the high school at Sullivan.
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Bluford Wiley Richardson was born 11 Mar 1842 in Hensley, Johnson County, Indiana enrolled 2 Sep 1861 to serve three years, age 19, 5'7 high, light complexion, occupation farmer. A Private in Capt. Thomas A. Jeffery's Company F 7^th Regiment of Indiana Foot Volunteer. Discharged on 20 Sep 1864 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He married 5 Oct 1865 Johnson Co., IN Mary Sophronia Burton born 18 Apr 1846 Brown Co., IN died 18 Jan 1941 Decatur, Macon Co., IL and was buried 20 Jan 1941 Kellar Cemetery, Lovington, Moultrie Co., IL. Mary S. was the daughter of John Sanders Burton and Susannah Riggs.

The Seventh Regiment was re-organized at Indianapolis and was mustered in, for three years service, on the 13 April 1861, with Ebenezer Dumont as Colonel. It moved at once to western Virginia and joined General Reynolds' command and the first two months were spent in the vicinity of Cheat Mountain. The next three months were attached to Gen. Kelly's Dept. of the Upper Potomac. Then served under Generals Lander and Shields for four months, after which the regiment was transferred to Gen. McDowell's Corps, Pope's Army of Virginia, and with it took part in all its battles and marches. While in the 7^th Regiment Bluford Wiley Richardson took part in the following 21 general engagements and several skirmishes, in which the regiment suffered severely in number killed and wounded.

3October 1861 battle of Greenbrier River

23 March 1862 Winchester Heights

29 May 1862 Fort Royal

8 & 9 June 1862 Port Republic (wounded)

9 August 1862 Slaughter Mountain

20-23 August 1862 Rappahannock Station

20 August 1862 Thoroughfare Gap and Bull Run

14 September 1862 South Mountain and Second Battle of Antietam, Maryland

2 November 1862 Ashby's Gap or Union, Virginia (wounded)

13 December 1862 Fredericksburg

30 April 1863 Fitz Hugh Crossing, Virginia

2-5 May 1863 Chancellorsville

1-4 July 1863 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

30 Nov 1863 Mine Run

5-6 May 1864 Wilderness

8 May 1864 Laurel Hill

10-12 May 1864 Po River or Spotsylvania, Virginia (wounded)

25 May 1864 North Anna River

3 June 1864 Cold Harbor

17 June 1864 Petersburgh

19 August 1864 Yellow House (Wounded in the neck and throat which eventually caused his 17 Sep 1889 death. After his discharge and 5 Oct 1865 marriage, his wife pulled a piece of shell out of his neck. He grew a beard to hide the scar. For the rest of his life, periodically the wound would break open on the inside and he would spit out the drainage) BACK

JOHN TAYLOR was born May 1, 1772, in Maryland.
Three brothers, Isaac, James and William Taylor, came from England to America long before our Revolution. Where James and William settled is unknown to the decedants of Isaac, who settled in Maryland, and who was the father of John, whose name heads this sketch. The parents of John Taylor emigrated when he was quite young to Chester district, South Carolina, where John was married to Susan Mobley. They had seven children there, and moved in 1805 to that part of Barren which afterwards became Hart county, Kentucky, where one child was born, and Mrs. Susan Taylor died there in 1808 or '9. John Taylor was married in that county in 1816, to Susan Trotter. They had one living child there, and the family moved in 1818 to White county, Illinois. In the spring of 1819 they moved to Wayne county, where five children were born, and from there to Sangamon county, arriving in May, 1829, on Wolf creek, in Williams township, where three children were born, making a total of seventeen children. John Taylor spent six years in Sangamon county, and then moved to Moultric county Illinois. In 1849 he settled in Davis county, Iowa. He left home in Davis county to tend a religious meeting in the adjoining county of Appanoose, and died there Nov. 7, 1856. His widow now resides with some of her children near Drakesville, Davis county, Iowa. Of all the children of John Taylor, three only settled permanently in Sangamon county. Simeon, the eldest, James, the fifth, and Isaac, the eighth, all by the first marriage. Of the other fourteen I shall speak first.

ELIZABETH, born Sept. 27, 1796, was married in Kentucky to David Garrison. They moved to White, and from there to Wayne county, Illinois, brought up a family, and both died there.

MARY, born March 5, 1798, in South Carolina, was married in Hart county, Kentucky, to George Coats, and still lives there, near Mumfordville.

NINIAN, born Dec. 19, 1799, in South Carolina, was married in Kentucky, brought up a large family, and died there in 1862.

NANCY, born Oct. 4, 1803, in South Carolina, was married in Wayne county, Illinois, to James Bowling, moved to Moultrie county, brought up a large family, and lives near Sullivan, Illinois.

JOHN M., born April 24, 1805, in South Carolina, was married in Kentucky to Nancy Wilson, moved in 1849 to Appanoose county, Iowa, brought up a large family, and died there.

HARRISON, born about 1817 in Hart county, Kentucky, came to Sangamon county with his parents, and was married in Moultrie county, Illinois, to Eliza Killian. They moved to Appanoose county, Iowa, and he enlisted in the 37th Iowa (Graybeard) Regiment. Harrison Taylor died in Iowa, a member of that regiment, leaving a large family near Drakesville, Davis county, Iowa.

ANN, born in Wayne county, Illinois, was married in Moultrie county to Albert Killian, and died in Appanoose county, near Drakesville, Iowa.

MELINDA, born in Wayne county, Illinois, was married in Moultrie county to John Fleming, and both died in Davis county, Iowa.

CHESTER, born in Wayne county, Illinois, was married in Davis county, Iowa, and still lives near Drakesville.

DENNIS, born in W:ayne county, Illinois, was married in Sangamon county to Caroline Simpson, and died in Davis county, Iowa, leaving a widow and four children, one of whom died young. Of the other three, PASCO, in stepping from one railroad car to another, fell through and was killed instantly, in June 1875.
ADDIE and LULA live with their mother near Drakesville, Iowa.

HENRY, born in Wayne county, Illinois, was married in Davis county, Iowa.

LUCINDA, born in Sangamon county, Illinois, was married in Davis county, Iowa, and died there.

ALVIN S., born June 19, 1834, in Sangamon county, was married there August 7, 1856, to Louisa J. Wilson. They had two children in Sangamon county, and moved in 1860 to Drakesville, Davis county, Iowa, where two children were born, one died in infancy. Mr. Taylor enlisted August 9, 1862, in Co. B, 3oth Iowa Inf., for three years, was appointed first sergeant at the organization of the company, promoted to first lieutenant, but before receiving his commission, was promoted to captain and commissioned by Governor Kirkwood, to take rank from May 30, 1863. He entered upon its duties in Mississippi, Sept. 2, 1863, and was mortally wounded May 13, 1864, at Resacca, Georgia. He died there in military hospital, June 7th. Of his three children, CHARLES W. died Jan. 22, 1876. The other two, S. LESLIE and NELLIE A., live with their mother, half a mile south of Barclay, Sangamon county, Illinois.

FOSTER, born in Sangamon county, was married in Davis county, Iowa, and moved farther west in the same State.
[Source: "History of the Early Settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois: "centennial Record" By John Carroll Power, Sarah A Harris Power, Sarah A. Power - Published by Edwin A. Wilson & Co., 1876 - Submitted by K. Torp]