Peter W. Rickard

ETER W. RICKARD, an intelligent and progressive farmer of Cass county, * Illinois, residing in township 19, range 9, was born in Windham county, Connecticut, August 26, 1823.

His parents were Peter and Mary (Healy) Rickard, both natives of Massachusetts, the mother's birth having taken place in Dudley, of that State. The father died one month previous to the birth of the subject of this sketch. Grandfather Rickard was a brave and efficient soldier in the Revolutionary war, and died in the service. The Rickard family is of French ancestry and took a prominent part in early Colonial times. Our subject's mother was a daughter of Stephen and Rhoda (Marcy) Healy, also natives of Massachusetts, both of whom were related to old and respected families of that State. They died in the Bay State between the ages of seventy and eighty years. Both her father and grandfather were distinguished soldiers in the Revolutionary war, although the fame of her grandfather. Major Nathan Healy, rather outshone that of her father, the elder gentleman receiving a liberal pension from the Government for his able services in that memorable

Struggle. The Ilealys were originally from England, and,, as far as known, were successful farmers. On the material side, Mr. Rickard's mother was an own cousin of William L. Marcy, at onetime Governor of Wew York. Their revered parents had eight children, of whom our present subject is the sole survivor; some of these were tradesmen and successful merchants. The mother died in Windham county, Connecticut, aged about sixty-nine years, universally lamented for her kindly ways and Christian character.

The subject of this sketch lived with his mother until he was eight years of age, when he went to live with a brother-in-law, with whom he remained until he was fourteen. He, then, found employment by the day or month, and at the same time diligently prosecuted his studies in thp free school, which he continued to attend until he attained the age of twenty-one.

He then started for thp West, Illinois being the objective point, then on the extreme frontier. In these days of rapid transit, it is interesting to note, by way of contrast, the time consumed by the journey. He went by cars and boat to New York city, ad thence, via the Erie canal and Cumberland stage route, to Philadelphia and Wheeling, which took four weeks' time. He thence proceeded by the rivers to Beardstown, lllinpis being twenty days en route, arriving at the latter place in the fall of 1844. He taught a subscription school for several terms, after which he taught a free school, continuing thus for many years, teaching in the winter and farming during the summer. He first purchased 120 acres in his present township, on which he settled soon after marriage. He afterward kept a general store for a year in Chandlerville, when, in 1857, he sold his first farm and bought 240 acres, on which he now resides. He lived on the old farm while the present one was being prepared for occupancy. Besides this valuable and extensive property, he owns a fine tract of forty acres, in this vicinity, all of which is devoted to mixed farming, in which he is very successful, being numbered among the most prosperous farmers of the county.

Mr. Rickard was first married June 22, 1846, to Miss Elizabeth Pease, an intelligent lady, and a native of Ohio. Her parents were Aborn Pease and wife, natives of Connecticut, prominent and early settlers of Illinois, who died at an advanced age. By this marriage, Mr. Rickard has one son, Henry A., who was born February 12, 1848; he married Julia Hardin, and has two children. Mr. Rickard's union was destined to be of short duration, his wife dying on the old farm, in the twenty-seventh year of lier age.

November 5, 1854, Mr. Rickard was again married, his second wife being Miss Mary Harbison, an estimable lady, a native of this county and a sister of Moses Harbison, a prominent resident of this locality. (See sketch in this book.) By this marriage there was one child, now deceased. This union was also suddenly dissolved by the hand of death, before whose power all must bow. This gentle and beloved lady expired October 6, 856, leaving many friends to mourn her untimely taking away.

April 21, 1856, Mr. Rickard was married to Miss Mary C. Taylor, well and favorably known in this community, where she was born March 21, 1840. Her parents, Henry B. and Mary P. (Hawthorn) Taylor, are honored pioneers of Illinois. Mrs. Rickard was a pupil of her husband when he taught school here in the early day. She is well informed and intellectual, being well adapted to be a companion to a person of her aCHUTLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.

husband's superior ability and training.

By this marriage there have been nine children, five now living; all born on this farm. Those surviving are: Charles E., born July 28, 1860; JohnT., born June 29, 1862; Francis M., born October 8, 1867; Mary, born March 4, 1871; James A., born December 25, 1879.

Mr. Eickard was formerly an old-line Whig, and cast his first vote for William H. Harrison, at a time when there was no tickets, each person writing the name of the candidate of his choice. He has taken an active interest in the politics of his township, and has held the position of superintendent and other local oflbces, discharging his duties in his several capacities with ability and integrity.

Mr. and Mrs. Hickard and all the family are earnest and useful members of the Congregational Church, of which Mr. Rickard is a Deacon and Trustee. The entire family are prominent in temperance work and all matters tending to the material and moral advancement ot the community.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

fOSEEI FEJNTON VAN DE VENTER was born in Highland county, Ohio, Jine 25, 1826, a son of Jacob Van Deventer, who was born in Loudoun county.

Virginia, a descendant of the colonial settlers who came from Holland in the early history of this country. The father of our subject was reared and married in Virginia, but removed to Ohio, where he was a pioneer of Highland county; there he bought a tract of timber-land, erected a log cabin, and made it his home until the fall of 1832, when he sold and came to Illinois; he was accompanied by his wife and children, and his brother and family. The trip was made overland, and after a journey covering three weeks he arrived in Schuyler county, which portion is now included in Brown county; he made a claim to a tract of Grovernment land, bought a log cabin, and lived there until his death in 1833. He was twice married, the second wife being the mother of Joseph F. Her maiden name was Jane Rogers, and she was born near Paris, Kentucky, a daughter of Thomas Rogers; she kept the family together until her death in 1843. Joseph F. was a child of six years when his parents emigrated to the frontier: most of the land was owned at that time by the Government, the country was thinly settled, and the river towns were the only n(market-places. He attended the pioneer schools until he was old enough to assist on the farm; the mother had rented land which the sons cultivated. In 1850 Joseph and his brothers, Thomas and Henson, and a Mr. Adams and his son, crossed the plains to California; they started with ox teams March 27, and arrived at Weavertown, August 27. They engaged in mining thirty-five miles east of Sacramento until the following spring, and then went to Humboldt, and from that point across the mountains to Weaverton; there they resumed mining and continued the industry until June, 1852, when they started to Sacramento. They turned their attention to feeding cattle now, and followed the business until 1853, when they returned to Illinois, coming by the Isthmus to New York, and thence overland to their prairie home. Mr. Yan Deventer and his brothers, Thomas, Barnett and Henson, combined their interests in farming and stock-raising, and bought land at different times, until they owned at one time 3,500 acres; Barnett and Henson are now deceased.

Our subject was married in 1868 to Lutitia Givens, who was born at Mt. Sterling, Brown county, Illinois, a daughter of John A. and Mary F. (Curry) Givens, pioneers of Brown county. Mr. and Mrs. Van Deventer have two children living. Homer G. and Lloyd T. They are both members of the Presbyterian church. He was formerly a supporter of the principles of the Whig party, but has been a Republican since the organization of that body. He is a man of honor and unquestioned integrity, and has the respect of his fellow-men.

UNCAN" TAYLOR, a well-known citizen of Rushville township, is a citizen ' of the Republic by adoption, his native land being Scotland; he was born in Perthshire, in March, 1819, a son of Collin and Mary (Watt) Taylor, natives of the same shire. The parents spent their lives in their own country; they reared a family of eight children, named as follows: Jane, Thomas and John, twins, James, Margaret, Duncan, the subject of this biographical sketch, Ann and Catherine. Duncan Taylor and his brother James were the only members of the family who emigrated to America; James entered the service in the Florida war, and was never heard of after leaving Boston. Our subject was reared and educated in Scotland, and resided in that country until he was eighteen years of age. He then went to London, England, and there followed the baker's trade until 1843. In that year he emigrated to the United States, embarking on board a sailing vessel at Liverpool, which landed in JSTew York after a voyage of thirty days. He worked at his trade in New York city until 1848, and then started toward the setting sun. The city of Chicago at that time had a population of a few thousand people, but there was not a railroad entering the place, and stages ran to St. Louis and other important points. Mr. Taylor engaged in work at hjs trade in Chicago, and remained there a year, coming at the end of that time to Rushville.

At the breaking out of the civil war he abandoned his private interests, and in August, 1861, he enlisted in Company G, Twenty-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was with his regiment in all the marches and campaigns; the most important battles in which he took part were Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Jackson, Miss, and the sieges of Corinth and Vicksburg. He was honorably discharged August 26, 1864, the term of his enlistment having expired.

He returned to his home and resumed his former vocation, which he pursued a number of years; he was successful in his business operations, and at different times invested in and, until he now owns three farms in Woodstock township.

Mr. Taylor was married in 1843 to Elizabeth Fourgeson, a native of Ireland, and a daughter of Daniel and Mary (Fulton) Fourgeson. Four children were born of this union, two of whom are living, Robert and William, twins; Sarah and Mary are both deceased. Robert married Ann Beck, and has four children; William married Adele Van-

As printed in Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown counties, Illinois. Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens .. (1892). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.