From: "Biographical Review of Cass, Schuyler and
Brown Counties, Illinois 1892", by Biographical Review Publishing
Company, Chicago, Illinois; pages 471-472, a reprinted by Stevens
Publishing Co., Astoria, Ill., 1971, is sold by the Schuyler County
Historical Society, Rushville, Illinois.
Nathaniel H. Boone, M. D. - This gentleman was born in Troup
county, Georgia, June 6, 1836, and was the son of William and Elizabeth
(Bradford) Boone. He was a farmer in South Carolina, and died in
Mississippi, aged forty-nine years. The mother of our subject was also
born in South Carolina and died at the same place, aged seventy-four.
The subject of the present notice was one of ten children, three
of whom are yet living. He remained under the parental roof until he
was sixteen years of age, when occurred his father's death. He then was
sent to an academy for several years at College Hill, and then to
medical college at Nashville. He graduated at this college in 1860, and
in 1861 he married Miss Cornelia Blackwell of Georgia, but Dr. Boone
had met her at Pine Bluff, where he had gone to practice. Her life was
short, as her death occurred at the age of twenty-three. Her two
children died also. She was the daughter of James and Mary Blackwell of
Georgia, who later removed to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and there died, he
at the age of fifty-five or sixty, and she about fifty years old. Our
subject was married a second time September 25, 1870, to Miss Harriet
H. Codington, who was born in Menard county, Illinois, December 21,
1838, and was the daughter of Joseph and Jane (Leeper) Codington. They
were natives of Barren county, Kentucky, and he followed blacksmithing
until in 1829 or 1830 he came to Illinois. He drove his stock and wagon
and a carriage for the family, and first settled in Menard county, and
took up Government land and then built a log cabin upon it. Here they
lived for quite a time in a tent and in the log house, probably eight
years. The father, Mr. Codington, brought three children with them and
seven more were born here, and six of this family still live. His life
extended to seventy-two years, and that of his wife to sixty-four
years. The Codingtons were of German ancestry, and on the mother's side
a little Irish. Mrs. Boone says of those early times that the country
was sparsely settled and wild game was abundant.
Dr. Boone practiced medicine in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, about
three years, and in 1864, he sold out there and came North and settled
in Chandlerville, this county. Later, he bought land and kept on adding
to it until now he farms over 1,700 acres in this State and in Kansas,
and rents the most of it. He works a host of men and presents the
unusual spectacle of a successful professional man who is also a
successful farmer.
Dr. Boone has taken no active part in politics, but his first
vote was for Bell, and since he has been a Democrat and a
Prohibitionist. He has served the town for years in the town Council.
He and his wife are members of the Christian Church, and the Doctor has
been Superintendent of the Sunday school for many years.
Living with the subject, is his nephew, Howard B. Boone, who was
born in Fayette county, Mississippi, May 30, 1870. He was the son of
William Sanford and Ophelia (Watson) Boone. William S. Boone was born
in the same place as our subject, March 6, 1841, and there died aged
about thirty-five or forty years. His wife Ophelia still lives in
Mississippi, on the old homestead. Howard B. is a very promising young
man and medical student, and will receive every advantage the best
medical colleges afford.
