HISTORY OF MORGAN
COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Its Past and present
Chicago: Donnelley, Loyd & Co.,
Publishers, 1878.
KELLER, CONRAD, farmer and stock
raiser, P.O. Jacksonville. The subject of this sketch was the son of Henry and
Elizabeth, whose maiden name was Essley; near Frankfort on the Rhine young
Keller was born, in 1832; at seventeen, he was apprenticed to a butcher, and
remained in this business six years; at the age of twenty-two, he stepped on
board the sailing vessel Cumberland, bound for America, and in due course of
time landed in New York; here he remained a short time, and then went west to
Chicago; after a short residence, he went to Cairo, Ill., where he lived three
and one-half years, and from this point removed to Morgan County. In 1859, he
married Louisa Ditner, who shortly after passed off the stage of life. In 1870
he was united in marriage to Leatha Braustetler, daughter of Daniel and
Elizabeth Braustetler. Mr. Keller is the owner of 103 acres of well-improved
land.
KELLEHER, WILLIAM J., farm hand, Sec.
10, P.O. Woodson. The subject of this sketch was born in the Empire State, March
17, 1856, and came with his parents to Naples, this State, during the years of
infancy, and, whilst here, his sister, Mary Jane was born May 16, 1862. The
history of the parents of these two orphans is in deep obscurity, the only thing
known of them is, that they emigrated from Ireland about the year of the
"famine," 1847. Mary Jane was adopted by the Sisters of Mercy at St. Louis, Mo.,
and William J. was adopted by a farmer named Walsh. William having attained his
majority, has struck out manfully to win his way to a freeman's independence,
and Nancy Jane was married a few years ago to a young farmer, and she is now
Mrs. Jennie Clerihan, with a beautiful child, Stella, to cheer and make glad the
young mother's heart.
KENNEDY, G. W. renter,
Sec. 12, P.O. Jacksonville. The subject of this sketch was born in Indiana, Jan.
19, 1840, and removed to Illinois in 1853, settling in Morgan Co. Was married
Feb. 6, 1867, to Sarah, daughter of Wm. And Eliza Horn of Roanoke Co., Virginia,
born Oct. 16, 1842. This union has been blessed by four children, one of whom
only survives: Sue Nettie, born April 4, 1868; Hettie Belle, born Oct. 29, 1871,
died Oct. 1, 1874; John Wm., born June 6, 1873, died Aug. 7, 1874; Eliza, born
Dec. 15, 1874, died Oct. 20, 1876. Rents 280 acres of land, showing evidences on
every hand of the industry and able management of its occupant.
KENNEDY, M. S. farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 14, P.O.
Waverly. The above named gentleman, who is widely known for his enterprise and
liberality, was the youngest of a family of thirteen children, and was born in
East Tennessee, October 1824; in 1831, the family moved to Indiana, settling on
timbered land obtained from the government; five years after his arrival the
father died; Mrs. Kennedy, left an estate of 160 acres, disposed of this, and
during the Autumn of 1839, moved to Morgan County, Illinois, where land was
rented of Governor Duncan; on this estate was raised their first crop in
Illinois; the following year they moved to the farm of Captain John Wyatt, and
remained some three years; the subject of this sketch grew up among the pioneer
boys of his day; in Indiana he received his preliminary education, which was
afterward brought to completion in Illinois; in his twenty-fourth year, 1849, he
married Miss Mary A. Burnett, a daughter of Jas. H.; Mrs. Kennedy died in 1852;
two children: Mary Ann, deceased, and Sophronia, now the wife of Geo. Evans; in
April 1853, Mr. Kennedy married Miss Elizabeth Rohrer; by this marriage four
children, three living: Wm. L., John, and Edward R.; for four years Mr. K. was a
merchant in Waverly, where he built up a reputation for honesty and integrity;
during the war he was elected justice of the peace, in which capacity he served
faithfully, and became quite popular; on retirement from office he turned his
attention to buying and shipping stock; sustaining a heavy loss in the shipping
of hogs, he in consequence, many years ago, abandoned this, with the exception
of shipping stock grazed on his farm, comprising 500 acres, on which he erected,
some years ago, a large and spacious brick residence; fourteen years ago Mr. K.
was elected township treasurer, which office he yet fills to the satisfaction of
the people; for several years he served as one of the board of trustees at
Waverly; one year served as president of the board; for the past five years as
assessor in the district where he lives.
KEPLINGER,
FRANK, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 33, P.O. Waverly. The subject of
this biography was the oldest son of John E. Keplinger, who was born in
Tennessee, near Jonesboro, June 18, 1818; when John E. was six years of age his
parents emigrated to Illinois, and located on the Mauvaisterre; this, as near as
can be ascertained was in 1824; growing to manhood on the homestead of his
father, he acquired a vigor that laid the foundation of his future success in
life; his education was received in a log cabin; he married, in 1843, Miss
Loretta Harris, a daughter of Wm. Harris; this marriage was blessed with seven
children, five living: Frank, who heads this sketch, was born Jan. 15, 1844, in
Morgan County; received his preliminary education at district schools, which was
afterward completed at Bloomington high school; during the late war he enlisted
in Co. B, Tenth Illinois Infantry, at Jacksonville; he was then in his twentieth
year; became engaged in battles fought by Sherman during his march to the sea;
honorably discharged July 18, 1865, he returned to Morgan County, where he
married, Jan. 15, 1868, Miss Rachel Holliday, a daughter of Wm. Holliday, a
physician, and Mariah, whose maiden name was Bachelor; two children: Hattie M.,
and Benjamin.
KEPLINGER, SAMUEL, farmer and
stock raiser, Sec. 26, P.O. Franklin. Was born in Washington Co., Tenn., June 2,
1809; he was raised on a farm, where he remained up to the age of nineteen, when
he became apprenticed to the trade of blacksmith; in 1829, he made his way into
the State of Illinois, and settled at Jacksonville, at a time when there were
some twenty dwellings, mostly log cabins, and where there were several stores
for supplying the simple wants of the pioneers; here he became a journeyman, for
some years receiving as pay eight dollars per month; having ambition beyond this
daily pay, he looked about him for a farm, and first purchased 80 acres for
$150; he shortly after united his fortunes to Miss Pamelia Green, a native of
Ohio, who settled in Morgan County as early as 1822, and remembers as early
settlers Col. Morton, Huram Reeves, and others. On the 80 acres above mentioned
there stood a log cabin, near the now handsome residence of Mr. K.; on arrival
at the cabin, the husband and wife sat down and partook of a hearty meal of mush
and milk; the first table was purchased from a neighbor for ten cents, and
consisted of a rough frame-work ornamented with four legs; a couple of rough
chairs were afterward bought. In the old log house, now fast becoming obsolete,
the husband and wife passed many years of their life, and there many of their
children were born. Years have flown by in rapid succession, but those days are
still pictured in the memory of the pioneer. It would be a useless task to
enumerate the many trials and hardships of Mr. K.; he is today the owner of some
600 acres of land, and some years ago owned 800, acquired by great industry, and
all that he has he owes to his own exertions. There are six children: Clarissa,
who married Gen. John I. Rinaker; William S., of Waverly; Ella P., who married
John W. Smith; Hardin and Lewis W.; Hardin, when the war broke out, enlisted in
Co. B, 10th Ill. Infty., for three months service; at expiration of term of
service, he enlisted in Co. A, 32d Ill. Infty., and served from August, 1861,
until October, 1862; was mustered out, and accepted promotion in the 1st Ill.
Regt. As adjutant, and served till the close of the war. Lewis W. enlisted in
the 32d Infty., at Springfield, Ill., and served till the close of the war,
promoted lieutenant for meritorious conduct, and served on the Indian expedition
after the close of the war; when he returned to Morgan County; he afterward
removed to Kansas, where he is now a member of the Kansas
legislature.
KETNER, W.H., farmer, Sec. 19,
P.O. Pisgah, son of Henry and Mahalah Ketner. His father was a native of North
Carolina, who settled in Morgan County during the Spring of 1834, seven miles
north of Jacksonville, on 40 acres; here young Ketner was born, education
received in district schools; working through the summer months, he attended
school in the winter season. At this writing, Mr. Ketner resides on his farm,
comprising 80 acres; in August, 1876, he was united in marriage to Louisa
Tunnell, daughter of S.S. Tunnell, an early pioneer of Morgan
County.
KILLAM, SAMUEL, farmer and stock
raiser, Sec. 27, P.O. Jacksonville. The subject of this sketch was born in
Yorkshire, England, in 1808; emigrated to this country with his parents in 1829,
and settled in Morgan Co., where he has lived ever since, growing up as it were
with the county. Married in 1857 to Miss Margaret Haxby, of Yorkshire, England,
born in 1819. This union has been blessed by ten children, eight of whom are
living: Anne E., born Aug. 15, 1839; Alfred H., born Nov. 11, 1840; John Wm.,
born Oct. 26, 1842; Henrietta B., born Dec. 18, 1844; Mary Jane, born June 17,
1847; Thomas H., born Oct. 31, 1849; Margaret E., born Aug. 19, 1852; Fannie E.,
born April 12, 1855; Clara A., July 14, 1859; and George S., born Nov. 9, 1861.
Homestead and other lands owned in Morgan Co., comprise about 260
acres.
KILLAM, THOMAS, farmer, P.O.
Jacksonville; born in Morgan County in 1849; his father emigrated to this State
from England in 1828, and entered the land that he is now living on six miles
west of Jacksonville; Mr. Killam has two brothers and five sisters.
KIMBALL, MARCUS, proprietor of Kimball hotel, Chapin; born
in Scioto Co. (called French grant), Ohio, July 27, 1820; married Catherine
McPherson, born in this precinct, June 13, 1831; have seven children living:
Lester, born Oct. 12, 1849; Mary Agnes, born Sept. 30, 1851; Martha A., born
Jan. 14, 1854; Ira, born Dec. 20, 1858; Caroline, born Aug. 28, 1861 (deceased);
Zelika, born Aug. 5, 1864, and Laura Bell, born March 20, 1868.
KIMBER, ALONZO L. physician and surgeon, office ws Square,
r on his farm on the east side of the city Waverly, Ill.; was born in Cadiz,
Harrison Co., Ohio, Nov. 10, 1825; was educated at the Ohio Wesleyan University,
at Delaware, Ohio; came to Illinois in the Fall of 1854; graduated at Rush
Medical College, Chicago, in the Spring of 1857; located for the practice of
medicine in Prairie City, McDonough Co., Ill., and in the Spring of 1859 removed
to this place, where he has remained.
KING, JOHN W.,
COL., Born in Westfield, Mass., in 1835; moved to Jacksonville in 139;
graduated at Augusta Seminary in 1854; entered the jewelry business in 1855; was
commissioned first lieutenant of Union Guards in the month of April, 1860;
afterward commanded the company until the breaking out of the war in 1861. Took
an active part in organizing and drilling the Wide Awakes in every precinct in
Morgan Co., in 1860, so that he had a battalion of 250 well drilled men, and the
knowledge gained from those drills laid the ground work that fitted many young
men for officers in the late war. On the breaking out of the war he united his
company with Captain Adam's and so formed the Hardin Light Guards. After the
Guards were attached to the Tenth Illinois, he became the Captain and remained
such until their three months' term of enlistment had expired. He was then
tendered the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the Twenty-Ninth Illinois, but, being urged
by General John A. McClernand to accept a position on his staff, did so; but ill
health soon compelled him to resign, and, on the recovery of his health, he
organized another company, taking it to Camp Butler, near Springfield, where he
soon organized the Sixty-Eighth Illinois, and was elected Colonel, twenty-six of
the thirty officers voting for him. After taking the regiment to the front, the
Governor saw fit to commission another man as Colonel, and on his arrival
Captain King turned over the regiment to him and resigned. Afterward Governor
Yates sent him a commission of colonel, with a request that he would go with him
and inspect the Illinois troops in front of Vicksburg and elsewhere, which he
accepted, and in company with several prominent Illinois gentlemen, they made an
extended and general inspection, looking after the interests and needs of the
brave Illinois soldiers, attending to their necessities, supplying their wants,
etc. Was assistant Provost-Marshal of Alexandria, Va., during the summer of
1862, and took the prisoners that were captured in the second battle of Manassas
up the James River to within nine miles of Richmond, and there made an exchange
with Colonel Robert Oulds, the rebel commissioner of exchange. He was also
appointed and served as Judge Advocate of the first general court martial in the
western army, in the Summer of 1861, and was also a member of a general court
martial held in Alexandria, Va., in 1862. Was married in Alton, in 1871, to the
youngest daughter of the late Hon. M.G. Atwood. Is a very influential and
respected citizen, and a prominent leader in the Republican party.
KINNETT, ISAAC B., farmer, Sec. 1, P.O. Chapin; born in
Claremount Co., Ohio, May 31, 1834; married Feb. 14, 1856, to Nancy L. Daniels,
born Aug. 11, 1833; have four children: Oscar F., born Nov. 6, 1857; Rolla B.,
born May 11, 1862; Elmer H., born Feb. 26, 1864, and Hardy W., born Nov. 10,
1869; lost one; Martinett A., born Dec. 9, 1859, died Sept. 1, 1863. When one
year old his parents took him to Hamilton Co., Ohio, where he remained until
eighteen years of age; then he came to this county March 2, 1852; was a farmer
all his life. His father is William P., born in Brown Co., Ohio, Aug. 12, 1808;
his wife was Ann Brown, born in Claremount Co., Ohio, in 1811; their children
are: Isaac, Sarah, now Mrs. William Knock, of Sangamon Co., Ill.; John married
Mary Lamb, Morgan City, Ill.; Wm. E., physician, married Elizabeth Cave, living
at Palmer, Christian Co., Ill. Mrs. Isaac B. Kinnett's parents are Verin
Daniels, born in Mass, Nov. 7, 1797, died in September, 1876, and Nancy W.,
daughter of Mr. Barton; she was born in Mass, April 26, 1805, died July, 1871.
They have nine children: Mary A., now Mrs. W. McAlister, of Jacksonville; Buker,
married Sarah M. Turley; William, married Sarah Stilts; Nancy L., Samuel, Verin,
married Virginia English; Warren, Theodore, married Eliza B. Eads, now in
Morrison, Whiteside Co., Ill.; John, J.H. married Martha E. Sharp,
Jacksonville.
KOYNE, ANTHONY, farmer and
stock-raiser, Sec. 2, P.O. Murrayville. The annals of Irish history contains no
more worthy name on her pages than the gentleman's name that heads this
biography; his father, Patrick Koyne, was a native of County Galway, Ireland.
Mr. Anthony Koyne was born in County Galway, Ireland, March 17, 1832, and
attended the National School until his young spirit craved for a new field; in
1846 emigrated to the New World, landing after a rough voyage, in Boston, Mass.
Whilst a resident of the "City of the Hub," met and was wedded to a lady of much
intelligence, Miss Bridget Kelly, daughter of Mr. Michael Kelly; the
indissoluble bond was celebrated at Roxbury Roman Catholic Church, July 4, 1850,
by Rev. Father Lynch. The responsibilities from this union were nine children,
an infant son died in infancy: Mary, born May 28, 1844; George M., born Dec. 11,
1846; Anges Anne, born March 25, 1859; Rebecca, born Feb. 2, 1862; William, born
June 13, 1864; Abbie J., March 15, 1868; John born Aug. 15, 1870; Charles H.,
born Aug. 9, 1873. After Mr. Koyne's marriage, and wishing to become a resident
of the West, in 1851 moved and cast his fortunes with the people of
Connorsville, Ind.; there attended to an engine and other machinery in a large
pork house. In 1854, wishing to become a tiller of the soil, rented a large farm
of Dr. Hellum; for eleven years he applied his energies to the labor on the
farm. Mr. Koyne came to Moran Co. during the stormy days of the war, and at once
moved his family and settled south of Jacksonville, bought a tract of eighty
acres of land; a rude log cabin was the only shelter for the little family. Mr.
Koyne inheriting the courage of his race, went to work with a will, and soon had
the barren waste in a good state of cultivation. He has bought at various times
small lots of land, until now he owns a beautiful farm of 177 acres of rich
land, a part of which produced more than 100 bushels of corn per acre for many
years. In 1877 Mr. Koyne had erected a large two-story residence at a large
expense, with all the improvements that money could provide; is a devoted
Catholic, loving the memory and traditions of Ireland and her greatness.