Biographies from "History of Alexander, Union & Pulaski Counties", Illinois, edited by Wm. H. Perrin, published by Baskin, Chicago, 1883, biographical section, Cobden Precinct, pages 161-164. MRS. ELIZABETH (SUMNER) LAMER, P. O. Cobden, was born in Kentucky November 22, 1825, but her parents moved to Tennessee when she was very small, and in 1828 they came to this county and settled about two miles northwest of Cobden. From this time on she experienced the life of the frontier woman. They made their clothing themselves from the cotton, flax and wool that they raised, taking each through its complete process of manufacture, and till the time she was 15 years old she had not seen a wagon, only the rude concerns which they manufactured themselves. As they had no markets, they did not try raising anything for sale, so had no money with which to buy any of the luxuries of life. November 2, 1847, she was married to William Jackson Lamer. He was born in Kentucky April 19, 1818, to Joseph and Elizabeth Lamer. Mr. William Lamer died April 9, 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Lamer had two sons and two daughters, now living. During the war, when prices were so high, Mrs. Lamer, having her family to support, again resorted to her carding, spinning and weaving. Up to the time of the Illinois Central Railroad coming through the county, they did not think of raising fruit as a means of money-making, and the first apples that Mrs. Lamer shipped were some that she did not consider worth anything, but some friend, seeing them, told her where and how to ship; so she gathered up the apples from under a few trees and sent them, and from these she realized $25. The next year, she sold the chance* of her peach orchard of 150 trees for $125. So from this time out she increased the business, at least, making it her main support. Mrs. Lamer is a member of the Baptist Church. ----- *[Transcriber's note: Possibly an obsolete usage of the word "chance", apparently meaning, in this case, those peaches that fell from the trees. Origin of the word 'chance' is Late Latin "cadentia" = 'that which falls out'.] ========================================================================= WILLIS LAMER, farmer, P. O. Cobden, was born in Union County, Ill., August 23, 1848, to William Jackson and Elizabeth (Sumner) Lamer. (See sketch of Mrs. Elizabeth Lamer.) Our subject was raised on a farm and received his education in the district schools of this county. Except one year, when he was engaged in the mercantile business in Alto Pass, his whole life has been given to fruit and vegetable farming, and he has made a success of it, as his farm and improvements show. In 1882 he erected a handsome residence, the main building being 18x40 feet, an L in front, 16x16, and a T behind, 20x24 feet, costing $3,200. April 1874 he was married to Miss Mary Ann Lovelace, who was born in Johnson County to R. Lovelace, who died when she was small. She was mostly raised in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Lamer have three children - Charles Roy, Hewitt Hugh and a little daughter, Gertie. In politics Mr. Lamer has always been Democratic. He is also a member of the Cobden Masonic fraternity. ========================================================================= WALTER S. LAMER, P. O. Cobden, was born in this county January 19, 1854, to William J. and Elizabeth (Sumner) Lamer. (See sketch of Mrs. Elizabeth Lamer.) His education was obtained in the district schools of this county. His life, so far, has been spent on the farm on which he was born; however, he has a farm of his own, which is well improved. His attention has always been given to the raising of fruits, about all kinds of which he raises. October 25, 1877, he was married in this county to Miss Laura Harbaugh, daughter of Frank Harbaugh. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and came to this county with her parents in the fall of 1865. He died in 1876; Mrs. Harbaugh, however, is still living in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Lamer have two little boys - Raymond S. and Fred M. He is Democratic in politics and is a member of the Masonic fraternity of Cobden. ========================================================================= J. LANDRITH, farmer and mill owner, P. O. Cobden, was born in Union County, Ill., July 15, 1842, to McKinley and Eliza (Stone) Landrith. They both came to this county with their parents when they were still small, and this county has been their home ever since. He died July 1852; she, however, is still living. They were the parents of six children, five of whom are still living. Our subject received his early education in the district schools of the county, and has always been engaged in farming. He now owns the farm which his grandfather Landrith settled, and which his father also owned before him. Of his 400 acres of land, about 200 are in cultivation. Grain and stock are his main dependence, but he is engaged in fruit-raising to some extent. In 1882 Mr. Landrith, in partnership with Mr. B. F. Rethey, started a sawmill and now has it in complete running order, and has a capacity for sawing about 3,500 feet of lumber daily. June 1866 he was married in this county to Miss Elizabeth Lilly, daughter of Boston and Malinda (Corbitt) Lilly. They were both born in Tennesse and are still living, coming to this county when small. Mr. Lilly is the son of William and Elizabeth Lilly, and one of a family of seven children, only two of whom are still living. Mr. Lilly has always been engaged in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Landrith had three children die when young, but have two daughters and one son living - Fannie, Minnie and John. In politics he has always voted with the Democratic party, and has served one term as Justice of the peace. His wife and mother are members of the New Hope Methodist Church. ========================================================================= JOSHUA LEWIS, P. O. Cobden, was born in Dearborn County, Ind., July 5, 1812, to George and Elizabeth (Johnson) Lewis. He was born one mile from Reading, Penn., in 1769, but when he was ten years old removed with his parents to East Tennessee, where his father bought a mill site in Sullivan County. In the then wilderness of Tennessee he was reared and remained till 1809, but during that time he had served in two or three local campaigns against the Indians. Before moving from Tennessee to Dearborn County, Ind., in 1809, he was married to the mother of our subject. They were the parents of 17 children, all of whom, except one, reached the age of maturity, and nine are now living, the youngest being 58 years of age. George Lewis died in his 73rd year, but his wife reached the age of 85 and retained all of her mental faculties till the last; she, however, was of a long-lived family, her father reaching the great age of 109 in the mountains of East Tennessee. The grandfather of our subject came from Wales, but his grandmother was an Englishwoman, both coming to this country while young. Our subject was raised in Dearborn County, Ind. He had but small opportunities to attend school, but he applied himself outside of the schoolroom, and so qualified himself that he made a successful school teacher for several terms. From the time that he was 18 years of age till he was 30, he was mostly engaged in public works; first on the Cincinnati & Harrison Turnpike, then on the Cincinnati & Colerain Turnpike. On these he was part of the time contractor and part superintendent. He was afterward superintendent of the White Water Canal in Indiana, and again of the Cincinnati & White Water Canal. In 1844 he removed to LaSalle County, Ill., where he remained till the spring of 1859, when he moved to his present home near Cobden. Since coming here he has been engaged in farming and fruit-growing. February 22, 1844, he was married to Ellen Kelso, a native of his native county in Indiana. She was born November 29, 1821. Her parents both came from the old country; he from Ireland, but of Scottish parents, and she from Scotland. They were married in New York, and were the parents of six children, of whom Mrs. Lewis was the only daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis have five children living - Charlotte, Thomas, John, George and Mary. Mr. Lewis' life has been far from a failure, both financially and in the esteem of his fellow men. He has been a Republican in politics since the party was first organized, and although living in a strongly Democratic county, he has twice been elected as one of the county commissioners because both Democrats and Republicans recognized in him a man whom they could trust. Mr. Lewis now possesses a curiosity in the shape of an old rifle made in Germany, and one which has been in the family and in use ever since. A man by the name of Adam Stump could not shoot except what they called a "left-handed gun", so he sent to his native country, Germany, and had one made for him. But before the gun arrived, Stump had killed some Indians in the colony and had to flee to escape arrest, so our subject's grandfather bought the gun when it arrived. It has the same lock and stock that it first had, and is in good condition for shooting. The only change is that it has been changed so as to use percussion caps. ========================================================================= JAMES MASSIE, engineer and sawmiller, Alto Pass, was born in Forfarshire, Scotland, at the foot of the Grampian Hills, about 1842. He is the son of Peter Massie, who was a miller. He died about 1874. Our subject's mother, however, is still living in her native land. They were the parents of ten children, eight sons and two daughters. Seven sons and one daughter are now living, but our subject is the only one living in this country. Mr. Massie received his education in his native country, and served an apprenticeship of seven years to learn his trade of machinist and engineer, getting only 25 cents per week during the time. While residing in his native country, his work was on steam engines, and he made several sea voyages as engineer. It was not until coming to this country that he learned the sawmill business. April 20, 1866, in Scotland he was married to Miss Susan Simpson, daughter of George Simpson, who died in 1873, but his widow is still living. By trade he was a stonemason. They were natives of the same county as our subject, and were the parents of three sons and three daughters, all of whom are still living, Mrs. Massie and her eldest brother being the only ones in this country. He came to New York City in 1873, and for some time clerked for A. T. Stewart & Co., and then was sent to one of Stewart's woolen mills on the Hudson River, and at last accounts he was still there. In 1869 our subject came to America, to Cairo, Ill., and for five years worked in the Cairo Box Mill and was the first one to successfully work the "box machine". After being here for five years, he returned to the old country for his wife, whom he did not bring at first. In July 1875 Mr. and Mrs. Massie again came to Cairo, Ill., where he worked in the box mill for three years longer. They then returned to Scotland, where he remained for nearly 18 months, and then came to Messler's Box Mill near Cobden. Mrs. Massie did not return to this country till about eight months later than her husband. Mr. Massie remained at Messler's Box Mill from March 1880 till March 1882, when he started into his present mill. Mr. and Mrs. Massie have no child living, but there was one son who died. They are both members of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. While in Scotland the last time, Mr. Massie joined the Lour Lodge of Masons. Our subject is partner in the sawmill firm of Jessen & Massie. The mill is located on Section 7, Township 11, Range 2, and was built in 1882. Commencing in March, Messrs. Jessen and Massie did the work themselves, but the mill was soon in running order. They bought most of the machinery of C. Harreld. After it had passed through a fire, Mr. Massie worked the machinery all over and put it in good condition. Their mill is now complete in all the necessary details, so that they are prepared to saw all kinds of lumber, barrel heads, staves, fruit boxes, etc. When running with full force, they can saw from 6,000 to 10,000 feet of lumber daily. They keep four teams of their own running all the time. They also have a lumber yard in Alto Pass. ========================================================================= JOHN McCAFFREY, farmer, P. O. Cobden, was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, to Thomas and Bridget (McMahon) McCaffrey. They were natives of the same county as our subject, but came to America when he was but three years old, and settled in Galena, Ill. In 1856 Mrs. McCaffrey died in Chicago of the cholera; Mr. McCaffrey, however, died in Galena in 1858. They were the parents of seven children, two sons and five daughters. Our subject is the only son living now, but all the daughters are still alive. Our subject attended the public schools of Galena till he was about 19 years old, when he quit school and went to Chicago, where for five years he was engaged in the drug business - two years being in business for himself. He sold out, and in the fall of 1870 came to his present farm, having traded Chicago real estate for it before coming here. His home place consists of 40 acres, on which he is engaged in fruit and vegetable raising. But he also owns 300 acres in Jackson County, Ill., on the Big Muddy River. He also has property in Alto Pass Village. April 10, 1867, he was married in this county to Cora Walcott, daughter of George and Elizabeth Walcott. Mr. McCaffrey is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Cobden Lodge No. 466. In politics he is Democrat. He was raised up in the Roman Catholic faith, but in both politics and religion he is very liberal. =========================================================================