Biographies from "History of Alexander, Union & Pulaski Counties", Illinois, edited by William H. Perrin, published by Baskin, Chicago, 1883, biographical section, Cobden Precinct, pages 157-161. CYRUS HARRELD, farmer and merchant, P. O. Alto Pass, was born in Jackson County, Ill., March 29, 1830. He is the son of James Harreld, who came to Jackson County in 1817 and entered land there, and was engaged in trading, buying and selling land, goods, etc., and died in 1844, while building the steamboat Convoy on Big Muddy River. His ancestors were in the Revolutionary War, and five of his great-uncles were killed at King's Mountain. Mr. James Harreld was first lieutenant in Capt Jenkins' company of mounted volunteers in the Black Hawk war, 1832. Our subject is the only son in a family of five children. His opportunities for an education were very limited - the windowless schoolhouse and other things in accordance. Their noons were the time for them to cut and carry in the wood for the big fireplace. When our subject was 21 years of age he engaged in business for himself, and since that time he has closely followed in the footsteps of his father - farming, buying and selling land, in mercantile business, buying notes, lending money, etc. He has lived on the old homestead, just across the line in Jackson County, almost all his life. In 1851 he started into the mercantile business, having a store on the old homestead. Here he continued until 1860. He went to Carbondale, and for 18 months was in the mercantile business there, but again returned to the old stand, and for some time was selling goods there; then sold the stock of goods, but did not remain long out of the store. In the same place, in 1872, he again engaged in business, and continued for six years, and then again sold out the stock and avoided mercantile life till May 1, 1883, he bought his present store in Alto Pass. Here he carries a general stock of goods, of about $5,000 value. Besides store and other property, Mr. Harreld has about 2,000 acres of land in the two counties of Union and Jackson. His life has been one of success, but his own energy has been his best capital. His school education, being such as he could obtain in the subscription schools of the day, was very limited, but he has continued to read and study, and in his studying he has not neglected the reading of the law. He was married in Carbondale, Ill., in 1857 to Miss Amelia Tuttle, daughter of Nathan Tuttle, and was born in Pennsylvania July 1838. Mr. and Mrs. Harreld have three children living - James, William and Cora. In politics he has always been Democratic, but will not vote for a man until he considers him worthy. Prohibition is his main standard. ========================================================================= J. E. HENDERSON, groceries and notions, Alto Pass, was born in North Carolina November 3, 1823, to Davidson and Caroline (Gray) Henderson. They were both born and raised in the same county as our subject - Mecklenburg County, N. C. They were the parents of six children, of whom our subject is the oldest and only son, so his chances for an education were very limited, as he had to do all he could toward supporting the family. Mr. H. and one sister are all who are left of the family. His father died in Missouri, where they moved when our subject was but seven years old; his mother, however, died in Preston, this county. In 1846 Mr. Henderson left Missouri and went to Mississippi, where he remained till 1851. He then came to this county, and has remained here since. Up till 1866 he had always followed farming, but since that time he has been engaged in merchandising, either as proprietor or clerk. In 1866 he was in partnership at Preston with Samuel Spring, but after about two years they closed out and Spring went into partnership with his brother at Cobden. Soon after this, however, the Spring Bros. engaged in the grain and merchandise business at Preston and left their families at Cobden. They then engaged Mr. Henderson to conduct their business at Preston for them. This continued for about two years, when the Spring Bros. dissolved partnership, and Samuel Spring continued alone at Cobden. Mr. Henderson then clerked for him about eight years, when he commenced business for himself at Alto Pass in September, 1880, and now carries a stock of about $900 of groceries and notions. He is a Democrat. ========================================================================= C. B. HOLCOMB, farmer, P. O. Alto Pass, was born in Lockport, Will Co., Ill., January 13, 1855, to C. D. Holcomb and Ann Jeannet (Butler) Holcomb. He was born in St. Lawrence County, N. Y., but he made various changes in life, living in Canada, Vermont, Ohio, etc., till, about 1850, he settled in Lockport, Ill., where he worked for some time at his trade of printer, when he and a friend bought out the paper and continued the publication of it for some years, and then discontinued it. During Lincoln's administration he was postmaster at Lockport. In 1866 he came to this county and has resided here since. Our subject was educated in the schools of Lockport and resided with his father till 1879, when he came to his present home, where he has been engaged in general farming since. He was married in Cobden December 15, 1880, to Miss Mary E. Kean, who was born in Carlyle, Clinton Co., Ill., to James and Mary Ann (Ross) Kean, both of whom were born in Pennsylvania. He died in Nashville, Ill., she in Richview, Ill., April 10, 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Holcomb have one little son - Charlie Ross Holcomb. Mrs. Holcomb is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Cobden. Mr. Holcomb is a member of the I.O.O.F. and is a Republican in politics. ========================================================================= MONTGOMERY HUNSAKER, farmer, P. O. Cobden, was born in Union County, Ill., July 7, 1827. He is the son of Nicholas and grandson of Abraham Hunsaker, who came to this county at an early date in its settlement. Abraham Hunsaker and his wife, Mary Snyder, were both born in Pennsylvania, and resided there until after they had a family, and then came to this county, where one son, George, was the first sheriff. They were the parents of six sons and three daughters. Nicholas Hunsaker was married in this county to Olivia Montgomery. She was the daughter of John Montgomery, a surveyor, who surveyed a great part of Kentucky and died there. His widow moved to this county and settled near Saratoga when Mrs. Hunsaker was but a small girl. Mrs. Hunsaker died near Jonesboro April 4, 1836, and he soon afterward moved to the present homestead of our subject on Hutchins Creek and died there October 6, 1860. They were the parents of five children, two sons and three daughters. Two of the daughtgers died after having families of their own. Our subject is the oldest of the family. His occupation has always been that of farming, grain and stock-raising occupying his attention. June 24, 1863, he was married in Jackson County, Ill., to Emily R. Woods, daughter of Samuel and Christiana (Young) Woods. They were from North Carolina, and settled in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., and she died there. He, however, died in Texas March 10, 1883, at the age of 83 years. Mr. and Mrs. Hunsaker have eight children - Beatrice Christiana, Mary Ellen, Mortimor, Florence M., Emily Belle, Olivia Bernice, Roxana Roseland and Dana G. In politics Mr. Hunsaker has always been Democratic. ========================================================================= JOHN F. HUNSAKER, farmer, P. O. Cobden, was born in this county September 28, 1843, to A. F. and Elvina (Holmes) Hunsaker, and is a descendant of the original Hunsakers who settled in this county at an early date. This county has been the home of our subject all his life, although he was in the service during almost the entire war, being mustered in in September 1861 and was not mustered out till the close of the war. He enlisted in Company H, 29th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. Jason B. Sprague. He entered as a private, but after the engagement at Fort Donelson he was made corporal, and at the close of the war was first sergeant. Mr. Hunsaker found what active service in the West meant, as he passed through all the leading engagements: Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Spanish Fort, Mobile, etc. He was in the infantry during all the time, except about six months, just before and just after the capture of Vicksburg; during that six months he was on the Mississippi River Squadron, on the Mississippi and Red Rivers. Mr. Hunsaker passed through the service without being captured or taken to the hospital. He received two or three flesh wounds, but they never were noticed when so many others were so badly mangled. Mr. Hunsaker's opportunities for an education before entering the army were quite limited, so he and a number of comrades put in most of their spare time studying. When returning home, he again went into farming, and in 1866 was married to Miss Martha Anderson, who was born in this county to C. Anderson, who is still a resident of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Hunsaker have five children - Minnie, Edith, Oscar, Erwin and Andrew. His farming is mostly raising corn and wheat, but raises some fruits. He, his wife and oldest daughter are members of the Christian Church. In politics, Mr. Hunsaker is Republican; the only one by the name, to his knowledge, who belongs to the Republican party. ========================================================================= G. W. JAMES, P. O. Cobden, was born in this county October 6, 1847, to Wilson J. and Huldah Ann (Abernathie) James, both of whom were born and raised in this county. Wilson J. was born March 2, 1816, just a few months after his parents came to the State from South Carolina. He settled on the present homestead of our subject about 1853, and died there of the smallpox June 25, 1866; his wife died April 8, 1862. They were the parents of six children, all of whom are living, our subject being the oldest of the family. Mr. James was raised on his parents' farm and educated in the district schools, but mathematics has always been a specialty with him. For some years after his father's death, life was a struggle for him. His father, having some security debts to pay, died and left his farm of 80 acres covered to its full value. However, through his uncle, Gov. Dougherty, who was also his guardian, our subject leased the old home place and so saved the farm, and made a start in life. When he was 21 years of age he was elected constable, which office he held for eight years. He would also work at anything which would make him money; clerked in stores when not too busy on the farm, and so struggled on till he bought all of the home farm, besides adding another 40 to it. On this 120 acres now he has about 100 acres in fruits and vegetables. But he also has two other farms of 160 and 135 acres near Alto Pass on which he raises more grain, but some fruits. So in life he has been very successful, but not without hard work for it. Some of his best fields he helped to clear and put in cultivation when a boy. He also has had to take his sack of corn, put it on a horse and start to the horse mill, but frequently would have to wait all day for his turn to come. In politics Mr. James has always been Democratic. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. of Alto Pass, and is now Vice Grand. As most other members of the James family have done before him, so our subject has remained single till he is almost of middle age. ========================================================================= C. JESSEN-TVILSTEDGUARD, sawmill, Alto Pass. The subject of this sketch was born in Denmark April 28, 1844, to J. J. Tvilstedguard and Mary (Jessen) Tvilstedguard. His parents, two sisters and a brother are still living in their native country. Our subject was given his mother's maiden name as a given name, and after coming to America he dropped his father's name, except in deeds and private matters, and is known as C. Jessen. He was educated in his native land, attending the high school, commercial school, and then received private instruction from his father. So when he came to this country he not only was well versed in his own language, but could speak and write the German, Swedish and English languages. Mathematics was almost natural to him, so that he is a rapid and accurate accountant. When he was 13 years old he was put behind the counter in a store and clerked for five years. For the three years previous to his coming to America he was in the employ of the government. In 1867 he came to America, and during the next three years he traveled almost all over the United States, but part of the time would work on railroads or do farm work. For a short time he was in the furniture business on Clark Street in Chicago, but while away for a short time his partner sold out and took all the money, leaving him with nothing. In 1870 he bought a team and went into the pineries of Wisconsin, where he remained for four years, working in summer farming, but in the winter would work in the woods. Most of the time he would hire someone to drive his team while he would do scaling, etc. For one season he was in the employ of the Rochester Nursing Company, selling and delivering fruit trees. In 1876 he came to Cairo, Ill., and took the position of clerk in Halladay & Bell's box mill, but remained there only for about three months, when in the fall of 1876, he, in partnership with W. P. Messler, engaged in the box mill enterprise, starting near Cobden. He remained in partnership with Mr. Messler for four years, and then sold his interest to James Bell of Cobden and bought a store and farm near the box mill. These he sold in 1882 and engaged in his present business of sawmilling under the firm name of C. Jessen & Co. (see sketch of James Massie). In connection with their sawmill they have engaged in box manufacturing, and during the season employ about 20 hands in the two box manufacturing establishments at Alto Pass. October 31, 1877, in Cobden he was married to Miss Mary Buck, daughter of Adam Buck of Cobden. Mrs. Jessen was born February 5, 1856, and died April 6, 1883. The result of this union was three children - Meta, Leopold and Scott. Mr. Jessen is a member of the Masonic fraternity of Cobden, also the I.O.O.F., and is Republican in politics. ========================================================================= J. J. KEITH, farmer, P. O. Alto Pass, was born in this county February 6, 1840, to Samson and Lucinda (Parmley) Keith. He came to this county while still a boy from Kentucky, but when his father (the grandfather of our subject) came, he was left in Kentucky as an apprentice to a blacksmith, but as soon as his time was out he also came to this county, but never followed his trade to any extent, but gave most of his attention to farming, he having entered part of the farm now owned by our subject. He died in 1855 and she in 1869. They were the parents of ten children, five of whom are still living. Our subject received his education in the schools of this county and has always followed farming, and on the farm he now owns, it being the oldest homestead. In March 1860 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Rendleman, a daughter of J. S. Rendleman (see sketch). Mr. and Mrs. Keith have four children - Benjamin Franklin, Harry Everett, Leroy Guy and Bertha Elizabeth. Mr. Keith has one of the best improved farms in the precinct. It consists of 210 acres, and about 80 acres are in apple and peach orchards. In 1877 he shipped 12,600 boxes of peaches grown on his farm and from trees most of which he had grafted with his own hands. In politics he has always been Democratic. He has served as constable and justice of the peace, and is now one of the county commissioners. He is also a member of the I.O.O.F. =========================================================================