DeWitt County Obituaries
H - J
Names In Alpha Order
OBITUARY OF J. B. HALDEMAN -- 1901
The following article appeared in the 8 March 1901 issue of The
Clinton Register.
Since last fall J. B. Haldeman had been a sufferer from cancer of
the face, but as it was what is termed bone cancer, it was impossible to
benefit him by surgical skill. Several weeks ago he was confined to his
bed, and gradually grew weaker until Saturday evening when death ended
his suffering.
Jacob B. Haldeman was born in Cumberland county, Pa., Jan. 26,
1826, where he grew to manhood. He came to Illinois in 1850, living in
Scott county two years, before coming to Clinton which had since been
his home. After coming to this city he and S. R. Powell conducted a
milling business, and built the grist mill that so long stood near where
the depot now stands. After about two years Powell sold his interest to
T. C. Berger, who sold to Wm. Haynie. The firm of Haldeman & Haynie con-
tinued until 1874, sixteen years, when Haldeman bought Haynie's interest,
and took his son Charles as his partner for nearly two years. From 1876
to 1883 Mr. Haldeman conducted the business when he sold out to Wm.
Haynie, his former partner. Since that time he has not engaged in busi-
ness. He owned a fine property in Clinton besides a farm or two which
enabled him to live in comfort without active work. The first office he
ever held was in 1885 when he was elected alderman, and was twice ree-
lected.
In 1854 he was married to Miss Catherine Onstott, of Waynesville.
Three children were born to them, only one of whom., Charles, is living,
his mother dying in 1870. Mr. Haldeman's second marriage was to miss
Mary Shurtleff. Of this marriage one child, Mrs. Gertrude Kelsey, and
her mother survives.
Deceased was a member of the Presbyterian church . . . .
Funeral services were held at the residence on East Main street
Wednesday at 2:30, conducted by Rev. S. C. Black. Interment in Woodlawn.
OBITUARY OF MAHLON R. HALL - 1899
The following article appeared in the 20 October 1899 issue of the Clinton Register.
MAHLON REED HALL. Biography of a Former Resident of DeWitt County.
Of Mahlon R. Hal I, who died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. S. L. Wallace, in Lincoln, the
Courier of that city contained the following:
Mahlon Reed Hall was born near Old Cane Ridge, Bourbon County, Ky., a neighborhood famous for
some of the early struggles and triumphs of that body of religious people known as Christians
and Disciples of Christ. There, as a little boy, he heard some of the grand and strong men of
God who preached the gospel in that day. He was the son of Mahlon Hall and Hannah Reed Hall,
and the date of his birth was July 15, 1824. His father was twice married, his first wife
being Casandra Parker. There were eleven children born to them, most of whom are remembered by
the older citizens of DeWitt county. Their names were: Darius Hall, of Clinton, known as
"Uncle D.," Parker Aquilla Hall, Caleb Hall, Ambrose Hall, father of Amos Hall, a former
resident of this city, now residing in St. Louis; Henry Harrison Hall, Dixon Hall, Elizabeth
who became the wife of Alexander Barnett, a prominent farmer and for a long time county
surveyor of DeWitt county; Eliza A., who married McCarty Hildreth; Polly Ann, and one
daughter who died nameless in infancy. The children of the second wife are as follows:
James Maston Hall, father of James M. Hall, of Hallsville; Susanna S., the wife of Bentley
Mills, a citizen well known in Central Illinois during his lifetime; Mahlon Reed Hall, the
subject of this sketch, and the youngest, Jonathan Reed Hall, who was for several times county
judge of DeWitt county, and who laid out and named the town of Hallsville.
All of these children were born in Kentucky. With such a family as this, of good, substantial
Kentucky stock, well suited to pioneer life and enterprise, the parents went to DeWitt county
in the fall of 1830. It was during the following winter that the great snow fell, covering the
whole country to an average depth of nearly three feet. This was a great trial to a family
newly come to the country and with but little opportunity to prepare for an ordinary winter.
They endured the awful cold of December 20, 1836, and experienced all the hardships and
difficulties that confronted the pioneers of that time.
Mahlon Reed Hall was but little past his 22d year when on the 26th of November, 1846, he was
united in marriage to Marena Jane McDeed, of Lafayette, Ind. There were born to them eight
children: Geo. W. Hall, of Pawnee, Kans.; Hanna Frances Hall, wife of Samuel L. Wallace, of
this city; Mahlon Francis Hall, of Florence, Col.; John Jefferson Hall, Albert Wiley Hall who
died in infancy; Jonathan Reed Hall, of Peyton, Col. Wm. Hayden Hall, of Kansas City, Mo.,
and Eleanor May Hall, who died in Nebraska at the age of 16.
Uncle Reed was a man that worked very hard in his early manhood, He was successful in business
and for many years owned and lived on a fine and well improved farm of some 400 acres south of
Beason. For sometime he was largely engaged in shipping stock to Eastern markets. It was
while on his way to Pittsburg with a heavy shipment, sometime in 1873, that the caboose was
thrown from the track and finally overturned. Greatly bruised and unconscious, he was carried
to friends in Indianapolis. He never fully recovered from this almost fatal accident.
OBITUARY MR. THOMAS HARP
The following article appeared in the Friday, 13 March 1891, issue of The Clinton Register.
SUDDENLY CALLED, THOMAS HARP, ONE OF DE WITT COUNTY'S BEST CITIZENS, DIES
SUDDENLY OF LUNG FEVER
Thomas Harp, an old and leading citizen of the county, died at home two miles east of Clinton,
Sunday afternoon at 4:30 o'clock, surrounded by his family and friends, aged 67 years and 22
days. On Monday, one week before his death, he attended a sale and taking a chill returned
home and was confined to the house until Saturday. On that day he went to carry in some wood
and was again taken with a chill. His case was at once considered dangerous and he gradually
grew worse. He was one of the best known citizen in the county and one whose honesty was never
questioned. Always honorable and upright, he had hundreds of friends who were pained to lean
of his sudden death. The funeral took place from the residence Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock,
conducted by Rev. W. A. Hunter, of this city.
Mr. Harp was born February 14,1824, in Overton county, Tenn. Thomas Harp is one of a family of
eleven children of whom ten grow to maturity. He was five years old when the family came to
Illinois. The first school that he ever attended was conducted in a log house that stood in
his father's yard which his father had furnished for this purpose. During his boyhood Mr. Harp
worked in the clearings and helped to cultivate a farm. He was occasionally sent to Bloomington,
Pekin or Peoria to obtain family supplies, and has taken many a load of wheat to Chicago with
an ox-team. When night would overtake him he would camp out on the open prairie and there
await the morning to resume the long and tiresome journey over rough roads, or no roads at all.
When the creeks were filled by the rains, as there were no bridges, he could not convey the
corn to mill, so he used to break it up in a mortar made by burning out the end of a log.
After his father's death in 1840 he carried on the home place until 1855. He entered his
present homestead in 1847 on a Mexican land warrant, which gave him one hundred and sixty acres
of land, as he had done gallant service in the struggle between the United States and the
Mexican government. He enlisted in June, 1846, in Company E, Fourth Illinois Infantry, and
was mustered in at Springfield. At Matamoras, Mexico, Mr. Harp was taken sick and for some
time lay in the hospital from which he was discharged late in the fall of 1846.
After the war Mr. Harp returned to his home here and in 1855 located permanently on his farm,
and has lived here most of the time since. He has cultivated his land quite extensively and
has raised considerable stock.... he now owns over eight hundred acres of choice farming land.
For his patriotism as a soldier in the Mexican war he received a pension of $8 a mouth. He was
married to Elizabeth Wantling February 22, 1855. To them rive children were born of whom four
are living. They are Mrs. Eunice Gatchell, William H. Harp, Ama L. Wilson and Melvin P. Harp.
W. H. HARRISON IS DEAD
Pantagraph: Announcement of the death of William Henry HARRISON, of South Mansfield, Colo., was
received by his sister-in-law, Mrs. Maggie MATTIX, of Lane yesterday. His demise occurred on
August 10, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. O. E. MC ARTHUR, and was the result of a prolonged
illness of heart trouble. He suffered a severe illness in Colorado about two years ago and
never fully recovered. Mr. HARRISON was better known as Billy by his many friends and
acquaintances in DeWitt county, he having served in the capacity of county treasurer for two
years. He moved to Leadville, Colo. during the height of the mining excitement in that town in
the early eighties. Billy HARRISON will be remembered by many of Waynesville’s older residents,
having grown to manhood in our village. He was a son of Dr. HARRISON, who died in the cholera
scourge of 1855. The family managed the old Waynesville hotel which was located on the JONES
block. Of the HARRISON family, only one sister survives, whose married name we did not learn.
newspaper clipping, dated 1917
OBITUARY OF MRS. ELI HARROLD - 1892
The following article appeared in the 4 March 1892 issue of The Clinton Public.
DEATH OF MRS. ELI HARROLD. After nearly a half century of happy married life and the raising
of a family of four children, Mrs. Sarah J Harrold ... was attacked with the grippe and the
disease terminated fatally on Thursday of last week, February 25 ... Mrs. Harrold was the
daughter of Joseph and Julia Nelson, who came to Sangamon County in the year 1831 and
settled on a farm on Long Point, which only recently passed into other ownership, having
been sold on the death of her father, who died on the 4th of February, 1890. Mrs. Harrold
was born in Sangamon County on the 3rd June, 1826, and came to this county when was but
five years old, therefore sixty-one years of her life was spent in Wapella township. She
was married to Eli Harrold on the 25th of May, 1843... Her four daughters are living -- Mrs.
J. C. Hull, Mrs. Edward Cobey, Mrs. James Jones, and Mrs. Lorenzo Cobey. Mrs. Edward Cobey
and Mrs. Jones live in Colorado, and Mrs. Lorenzo Cobey lives in Iowa. Mrs. J. C. Hull lives
near the old homestead.
OBITUARY OF ISAM HARROLD -- 1893
The following obituary appeared in the 24 February 1893 issue of The Clinton Register.
Death of Isam HARROLD.
Isam HAROLD, an old citizen of Dewitt county, died at his late residence at what is known as
HARROLD's Point Monday morning at 9 o'clock, of old age and quick consumption. He was 78 years
and 4 months old . . . . Mr. HAROLD was born in Virginia near the North Carolina line. He had
lived on his farm, the land which he purchased of the government, fifty years ago. He had
filled the offices of town assessor and collector two or three times . . . . his wife
preceded him to the grave September 5, 1890. He leaves five daughters and one son to mourn
his departure, all married. His remains were laid beside his wife at the Crum cemetery Tuesday
afternoon, Rev. WETZELL officiating at the funeral.
OBITUARY OF H. H. HARWOOD - 1895
The following article appeared in the 4 January 1895 issue of The Clinton Register.
CALLED FROM EARTH. One of Clinton's Oldest Citizens Answers the Final Summons.
H. H. HARWOOD, one of Clinton's oldest citizens and a prominent merchant, died early last
Saturday morning at his home on Jackson street of Bright's disease aged 61 years, being
confined to his room for two weeks previous to his death.
Funeral services were held at the residence Monday afternoon at 3 o'clock, conducted by Rev.
HUNTER. Deceased was an honored member of Olive lodge No. 98 I.O.O.F. of this city, and the
lodge had charge of the remains, conducting the ceremonies of the order at Woodlawn cemetery.
H. H. HARWOOD was born in Orleans county, N. Y., near Rochester, July 19, 1833. When 21 years
old he left the parental roof and went to Wisconsin where he farmed until the fall of 1859
when he returned to his native county where he remained until the spring of 1866. He then came
to this city and engaged in the hardware business with H. P. MERRIMAN. This partnership
continued several years when the firm sold the business. In 1876 Mr. HARWOOD engaged in
selling farm implements and coal which he continued until his fatal sickness. He was married
to Jane ROBINSON in 1854, who survives him. To them two children, Chauncey R. and Clarence D.,
were born, both of whom preceded their father in death. The former died about a year ago and
the latter about three years since . . . .
OBITUARY OF NEWTON J. HENRY - 1894
The following obituary appeared in the 13 April 1894 issue of The Clinton
Public.
CRUSHED BY THE CAR WHEELS.
Newton J. Henry died yesterday afternoon from an accident that occurred on
Wednesday afternoon at Forsythe, a station between Maroa and Decatur. He was
brakeman on the freight train on the Central which leaves Centralia in the morning,
arriving in Clinton about three o'clock in the afternoon. At Forsythe some cars were
being taken on and Newton Henry was attending to the coupling. According to the
statement of the trainmen he stepped one foot across the rail to reach in to make the
coupling, and his boot caught on a bolt and held his foot. Before he could release his
foot the cars came crashing together and the wheels run across his leg near the knee. He
tried even then to pull himself loose but the second wheel caught him and crushed his leg
again down nearer the ankle. He was lifted into the car and brought to Clinton when he
was at once taken to his home. His nervous system was so prostrated that Surgeon
Wilcox did not deem it advisable to attempt an amputation of the leg that night, and
indeed the attending doctors were doubtful if he would survive the operation when it
would take place. Yesterday morning the amputation was performed. Mr. Henry never
rallied, and between one and two o'clock in the afternoon he died.
Newton J. Henry was born in New York on the eleventh of July, 1839, which
made him nearly fifty-five years old. When a boy of nineteen he came west to Chicago
and began working as a trainman on the Illinois Central road, and for thirty-six years,
excepting the time he was in the service during the war and for a brief period when he
was in the service of the T. P. & W. company, he has been connected with the Illinois
Central. During the war he was in the United States marines, serving on gunboats off
Charleston and along that coast. In 1865 he was working for the T. P. & W. road at El
Paso, Ill., where he was married to Miss Mary L. Moore, who with four sons and two
daughters survive him. For several years he was stationed at Gilman in the service of the
Illinois Central, and in 1882 he came to Clinton and was yardmaster till last December,
when he was transferred from the yard to the brakemanship on a train. His eyesight
was gone and he had to wear spectacles and his usefulness as a yardmaster was ended.
During his long career as a railroad man he came in for his share of injuries.
During the great revival that occurred in Clinton under Harrison Newton Henry
professed conversion and joined the M. E. Church. He lived an earnest Christian and
died trusting in God. He was a member of the Grand Army and of the Modern
Woodmen. When he became a brakeman he had to release the Woodmen from its
insurance obligations if his death resulted from a railroad accident, but he carried an
accident policy in an Iowa company which unfortunately he allowed to lapse by the
non-payment of the last assessment. Therefore he leaves his family without any means,
the insurance being lost to them.
The funeral services will be held in the M. E. Church next Sunday afternoon, at
two o'clock, and will be conducted by the pastor, Rev. W. J. Tull. The Grand Army and
Modern Woodmen will escort their late comrade and brother to his final resting place in
Woodlawn Cemetery.
OBITUARY OF BENJAMIN T. HILL - 1897
The following obituary appeared in the 24 December 1897 issue of The Clinton
Public.
LIVED AN EXEMPLARY LIFE.
Benjamin T. Hill, a Loved Citizen of DeWitt County, Falls on the Ice and Is Killed.
B. T. Hill was carrying a pail of water from his house, on his farm, one and one- half miles
south of Clinton, at 4:05 p. m. on Monday, when his feet slipped on the icy walk, and, falling
backward, he struck his head on the hard ground, breaking his neck, expiring instantly. A few
minutes after, his wife stepped out of the house and saw her husband. Mrs. Hill alarmed the
family and neighbors, and the lifeless body was taken into the house.
His children and brothers and sisters, not in Clinton, were notified by telegram at once. The
children of the deceased are three sons, B. F. Hill, principal of schools in Chicago; R. E. Hill,
railroader, Clinton; H. W. Hill, farmer, Clinton, and one daughter, Miss L. M. Hill, Clinton.
Two children, Freddy and a daughter, died in youth. The brothers and sisters of Mr. Hill are:
E. 0. Hill, Ozark, Mo.; L. S. Hill, Alexander, Minn.; R. P. Hill, Clinton; Mrs. P. L. Beatty,
Chicago, and Mrs. Edwin Weld, Sr., Clinton.
Deceased was born in Smithfield, Ky., June 18, 1836, making him 61 years, 6 months and 2 days old.
When 18 months old he, the youngest of eight children, arrived in DeWitt county on horseback in his
mother's arms from Kentucky, locating with his parents on a section of land, part of which is the
homestead he leaves to his family. During the past years he was intimately associated with the
material, educational and spiritual development of this county. At about 14 years of age he became
a member of the First Baptist church of Clinton, and has been an active deacon in this society for
30 years, being at the time of his death senior deacon. He was a member of Clinton Commandery, No.
66, K. T., and also of Myrtle Chapter, Eastern Star.
On June 24, 1860, he and Miss Diana Reese were married at Fairmount, Ill., and this union made an
ideal home, his jovial disposition and Mrs. Hill's loving nature bridging them over the inconsequential
ills that are permitted to grow and cause friction in ordinary families ....
Mr. Hill was a devoted patron of Freemasonry, and his exemplary life along the line of such exalted
teachings made him a pillar in the fraternity which assembled to pay the last sad tribute to such
enduring character.
His life as a citizen, as a Mason and as a Christian blend together in a beautiful mold that is a
striking admonition to all to live a better, purer life and leave such a heritage to the community.
The death of B. T. Hill produces general sorrow. Expressions of regret are heard from all old residents.
Dr. John Warner said, "He was a straight, square man in every way. No one ever knew of his doing any
wrong. He was successful in the affairs of life." Others were equally strong in their appreciation of
his life.
As an enthusiastic member of the Republican party, he cast his political fortunes with its destinies,
always feeling safe in its fold. He was a conscientious member, never fearing to advocate its doctrines
nor defend its exalted history . . .
The capacity of the Baptist church was too limited to accommodate the friends who desired to pay a last
respect to the memory of B. T. Hill. Chairs were placed in the aisles and every available foot occupied.
The long residence of Mr. Hill in this county arid his active and uplifting life attracted to him the
esteem of more people than composed his immediate neighborhood. The funeral services were a beautiful
tribute to
his exalted life. Services were held on Wednesday at 2 p. m., Rev. M. L. Goff delivering the sermon,
assisted by Dr. W. A. Hunter and Rev. D. MacArthur. The remains were in charge of Clinton Commandery,
No. 66, K. T. Interment in Woodlawn cemetery.
OBITUARY OF LOUISA V. HILL -- 1886
The following article appeared in the 1 October 1886 issue of The Clinton Public. A clipping of the article
was found in an old scrapbook submitted by Yuba Honn.
ENTERED INTO REST. Death of Mrs. Louisa V. Hill.
On last Saturday afternoon, at the closing hours of the day, Mrs. Louisa V. HILL passed from death unto life
eternal, in the eighty-fourth year of her age. Mrs. HILL was a remarkable woman for one of her years, and
till the hour of her death she was in full possession of those keen, sharp faculties for which she had always
been noted. Forty-nine years ago, with her husband and children, she came from Kentucky to this county and
settled upon the farm where she spent her last days. Mrs. HILL's maiden name was Louisa V. HICKMAN. She was
born in Madison county, Kentucky, on the 14th of December, 1802. When she was but a child her parents removed
to Fayette county, where her childhood and the early years of her married life were spent. On the 20th of
October, 1822, she was united in marriage to George L. HILL, of Fayette county, Kentucky, and in the same
county three of her children were born. In March, 1828, they removed to Henry county, Ky., and in the following
November she was converted and united with the Baptist Church. During the following nine years their five
remaining children were born. On the 2d of October, 1837, they left Kentucky for their new home in Illinois,
and on the 19th of the same month they reached this county and settled on the farm where they have lived for
nearly forty-nine years.
Mrs. HILL was an earnest Christian woman, and in her home the present Baptist Church of Clinton was organized
an the lst of February, 1839. During the following three years all the services of the church were held in
their home. From the time of her conversion in November, 1828, till her death Mrs. HILL was a faithful and
consistent Christian. Her death, peaceful and calm, was but the triumph of a noble and useful life. The
prayer of her life was for the salvation of those around her, and it was a gratification to her to know that
all of her children and quite a number of her grandchildren have made a profession of religion. Mrs. HILL was
a woman of positive convictions, and was always ready to express and defend what she considered to be the truth.
Mrs. HILL was the mother of nine children, three of whom preceded her to the better land. She leaves her aged
husband and six children to mourn the death of a loving wife and mother. Her surviving children are: Egbert 0.
HILL, of Ozark, Mo.; Lewis S. HILL, of Alexandria, Minn.; Mrs. Phebe L. BEATTY, Mrs. Emily H. WELD, Rodney P.
HILL, and Benj. T. HILL. Among her descendants are thirty grand-children and twelve great grand-children.
Some Incidents in Mrs. Hill's Life.
When Mr. and Mrs. HILL first went to house-keeping in Fayette county they lived in a small house on her father's
farm. Having no furniture their bedstead was built in the side of the house. Their first meal was eaten from
Mr. HILL's clapboard, with a skillet, 2 tin CUP and a shoe-knife (Mr. HILL being a shoe-maker) as cooking and
eating utensils. The way she managed to cook their food was, first she baked her corn-bread, and having no lid
to the skillet she had to turn the bread to bake it; then she cooked her meat; and then, washing her skillet,
she boiled the water and made her coffee, and having but one cup they drank their coffee together.
When they moved to Henry county the place they bought was rough timber land, with no improvement save a small
cabin containing one room. While there they improved and cleared the farm, raising cotton and wool, Mrs. HILL
doing the carding, spinning and weaving from which the clothes for the family was made. The way she got a start
for clothing her family, she spun for a neighbor and got two ewes, and the following spring these ewes had twin
lambs. Before she was married she lived with an uncle and tool< charge of his weaving house, managing one loom
and overseeing five others. When her uncle heard what she had done he sent her six pure Merino sheep, and from
these she brought fifty to this county.
One morning her uncle said to his niece and daughters, "Well, girls, I have just driven in sixty milk cows to the
pail; now if any of you have any claim on me I want you to make it known." No one spoke but his niece, who said,
"Uncle, I don't know as I have any claim on you, but when I am married you may give me a cow." And sure enough,
after moving to Henry county, her uncle coming to visit her, brought with him a fine blooded cow and calf, and
from these came the 30 head she brought to DeWitt county with her. Before she was married she was very noted as
a weaver. Twice cloth of her weaving took the silver mug at the State fair in Kentucky. To the present day there
is in the family a quilt and many other articles of her own manufacture. For many years after moving here she
continued the manufacture of all the clothing for her family.
Never believing in slavery, having been taught from infancy that it was wrong, for her father never would own slaves,
she has often said while living in a slave State that she felt like Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah, and his warning
appeared to apply to her, "Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city," and when they left
Kentucky she made a solemn vow, "If the Lord would let me live to reach a free State never will I Make a track on
slavery's soil." And she never broke it. Often has she said she never had a desire to visit her native land, and
she never would visit her brother or son in Missouri until it was a free State.
They started from Kentucky October 2d, 1837, in a "Pennsylvania scow-boat wagon," Mrs. HILL riding on horseback,
carrying her youngest child, Bennie, in her arms. In their wagon was household goods, 50 pounds of wool carded ready
for the wheel, a large amount of linen, cotton and woolen cloth of her own manufacture; and having a thought of the
coming winter she also brought 13 bushels of peaches and 6 bushels of apples of her own drying. Her oldest son,
Egbert, walked and drove their cattle. When evening came they would pitch their tent and cook their suppers, also
food enough for next day. At one time they stopped two days and washed, baked their bread and prepared other food
for the remainder of their journey.
On the evening of the 19th of October they landed in DeWitt county and stopped a few days with Mrs. HILL's father,
a portion of which is now owned by Hickman Mills. Hr. HILL previously bargained for his place, 640 acres, where the
home now is, in the preceding fall after going to Missouri with the intention of buying. The place they bought had a
little log cabin containing one room with a dirt floor, a slat door and no window. The fire-place, with a wooden back
plastered with mud, the place for the fire being dug out and lower than the floor. The children to keep warm used to
sit around the edge of the fire-place and hang their feet over next the fire. Mr. HILL immediately went to work to
improve the house. He made a puncheon floor, sawed out a log about as large as three small panes of glass, and tacked
a greased cotton cloth over it for a window light. After a time another improvement was made by putting in an oiled
paper in place of the cloth. From time to time the house was improved until it had six rooms an the lower floor, two
up stairs, and a cellar--as it now stands. After being here several years she got word that her brother-in-law was
coming from Kentucky to pay them a visit. Being too proud to have him come and see her puncheon floor, she and her
daughters went to work, cut rags, sewed and wove them into a carpet before he reached here. This was the first carpet
ever used in a house along Salt Creek, and was regarded as a great curiosity.
When Mr. HILL used to go to Kentucky on business, making 12 trips on horseback in 13 years, she used to manage the farm.
At one time while he was away the horses all sickened and died, except a two year old colt, which, to use her own words,
"never peeped through a collar." Mrs. HILL said, "Leaving my girls to manage the house I took my bonnet and gloves and
went to the field with my boys, and by hiring a horse when I could, and borrowing when I could, we broke the ground,
planted the grain, and had the corn plowed and laid by when Mr. HILL returned." When out of bread-stuffs, when the
day's work was done, she would have the children pick out the corn, and by turns they would pound it on the "old hominy
block," sieve out the fine for bread, and use the coarse for hominy.
Her home was used as a place of worship for many years. She would never turn a minister from her door, no matter to
which denomination he belonged. When a minister arrived word would be sent to all the neighbors that there would be
preaching, and they would always come. Her house was known far and near as the "Baptist Tavern."
She was always a dear lover of flowers, and her garden, the seeds and bulbs of which were brought from Kentucky, was the
wonder of the country round.
Many times has she repeated, and she always made it a point to tell, her three principles: "I am an Abolitionist but not
an Amalgamationist, a Republican and a Baptist, and I have brought up all my children in the same way." And they have
never departed from her teaching, for she has not a child or grandchild who is not loyal and honors her words.
She was always a great reader and always took great pride in informing herself on questions pertaining to her country,
which she loved.
But above all else she loved her Bible, having read and re-read it many times . . . .
The Rev. D. MacARTHUR conducted the funeral services, which were held in the church she helped to establish and build
up in Clinton.
OBITUARY OF DR. JOHN B. HUNT - 1892
The following article appeared in the 1 January 1892 issue of The Clinton Public.
Death of Dr. John B. Hunt.
About fifty years ago . . . there landed in the village of Waynesville . . . a young doctor and
his wife. They came from Ohio, and made the entire journey by wagon, for there were but few
buggies in those days
That young couple was Dr. John B. Hunt and his estimable wife.
On Thursday afternoon of last week . . . Fred. Kent brought to this office a telegram, which
he had just received, announcing the death, of Dr. Hunt at Los Angeles, California . . . .
Dr. Hunt spent over forty-two years of his life in this county, first locating in Waynesville
and afterward moving to Clinton. In the early days in Waynesville he was in partnership with
Smith Minturn in the drug business, the doctor also practicing medicine. Beginning in poor
circumstances he carefully saved what he made and by judicious investments and careful methods
in business it was not many years before he was in comparative independent circumstances.
After his removal to Clinton Dr. Hunt was in partnership with Jake Hand in the drug business,
their store being the room now occupied by J. A. Fosnaugh. This firm was in business many
years and made money. Dr. Hunt sold out and retired from the drug business till after the
death of George W. Phillips, when he bought the building and stock and remained there till he
sold out to John W. Day & son and moved his family to California.
Nine years ago he went to Los Angeles, California, when land was plenty and cheap and people
did not have to pay for climate . . . .
OBITUARY OF JOHN M. JONES -- 1896
The following article appeared in the 10 April,1896 issue of The Clinton Register.
DEATH OF J. M. JONES. One of Waynesville's Most Prominent Citizens Goes to His Reward.
John Milton JONES was born near Rushville, Rush county, Indiana, July 21, 1828. He was the
son of Col. John B. JONES, and was one of a family of 12 children. One brother and three
sisters survive him, Mrs. Chas. W. JONES and Mrs. Lavina HOUCHINS, well known here. Alto
Mrs. Rachel Jane SHAFFER, of Greenfield, Ia., and Mrs. Eleanor CLARNO, Warco county, Oregon.
In 1830 he came with his parents to Sangamon county, Ill., near the present site of Springfield.
Here they passed through the trying winter of 1830-31, known as the winter of the "deep snow."
Later, with his parents, he moved from Sangamon county and located two miles east of
Waynesville. In the fall of 1891(1) he was married to Mrs. Nancy Jane CLARNO. To this union
one child, was born a daughter who now resides at Lincoln, Ill., Mrs. Nancy C. CHAPMAN.
In August, 1852, his wife died after a lingering illness with consumption, leaving their little
daughter to Mr. JONES' care. Mr. JONES was married again in Waynesville Oct. 5, 1854, to Miss
Catherine Knight SHAFFER. To this union there was only one child born, Clarence Heenan, Feb.13,
1861... In 1866 Mr. Jones moved to Missouri but returned to Illinois and purchased a farm near
the scene of his childhood on which he settled, two miles north of Waynesville.
Mr. JONES volunteered during the Mexican war, but when his company reached Springfield the quo
was filled and they could not go. Later on he was offered a fife majorship, but was prevented
from accepting because of rheumatism. During the civil war he again offered his services to his
country but was rejected on account of poor eyesight.
In 1883, he and his son Clarence moved into this place and together engaged in mercantile
pursuits to which Mr. JONES gave his attention up to the time of his death... He died March 27
at 6:30 P.m.., aged 67 years, 8 months and 6 days.
The funeral was held from the M. E. church Sunday afternoons Rev. Benj. SHIPP, Leroy,
officiating.
---Waynesville Record
(1) This date is obviously inaccurate. DeWitt County marriage records for the time period
1839-1852 do not include a record of this marriage.