1882 Biographies - Cottonwood Grove Precinct
John D. ALEXANDER, retired farmer, Cottonwood Precinct, is one of the old pioneers of Bond County, having been here since May, 1820, a constant resident. He was born October 24, 1793, in Mecklenburg County, N. C., son of Jedediah and Betsey Alexander - Jedediah was born 1757, son of Francis, who was born 1730. The ALEXANDER family are of Scotch-Irish descent. John D. lived in North Carolina until twenty-three years of age. September, 1816, moved to Maury County, Tenn., where he lived until May 1, 1820, when he came to Bond County, and located three miles southwest of Bethel Church, on the William CRUTHIS farm; where he lived until 1832, when he located on Section 12, in this precinct, where he has since lived. He joined the Sugar Creek society of the Presbyterian order, at the age of seventeen, when in North Carolina, and has since been a member of that organization, and was one of the first members at the time of the organization of the Bethel Church, September 15, 1825, and of sixty-two members he is one of three now living. His wife was Mary SCOTT McCORD, whom he married on December 10, 1819. She died January 8, 1837, having borne the following children: William F., James H., Robert W., Demas W., John L., Amelia and Melanthon Hill. None lived to be married except Amelia J., wife of J. V. McFARLAND, Melanthon and Demas M. Robert went to California in 1850, and was killed by the Indians. Demas M. served through the late war, and one year after in the regular army. He was fist commissioned as Captain and came out as Brevet Major; he went out from Kansas, where he had gone in 1856. He was prominent and well known in that locality. He served as Justice of the Peace and was twice elected Representative from Douglas County. He died in 1871, highly esteemed by all who knew him. Melanthon H. was born June 12, 1828, on the CRUTHIS farm, and moved with his father to the place he now owns, where he has since lived. January 1, 1860, he married Caroline V. FOSTER, born 1841, near the Hudson River, in Dutchess County, daughter of Rev. Aaron FOSTER, whose wife was a SEAMAN. He is a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now located in Vermillion County, where he came from New York in 1843. Mrs. ALEXANDER has one brother, John L., now of Vermillion County. Mr. ALEXANDER has four children living - Leroy E., Mary, Percy and Clarence. Walter died, aged ten years, in 1875. Mr. A. is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and has 310 acres.
J. V. McFARLAND, farmer, P. O. Cottonwood Grove, born May 15, 1833, in Cape Girardeau Co., Mo., son of Robert S. and Agnes (FLEMING) McFARLAND. Robert S. was born in North Carolina, in 1799, son of Jacob McFARLAND a native of Scotland. In the spring of 1818, the father of our subject came to what is now Bond County, and made a crop on the site of ground where Greenville now stands. He remained here however, but a short time after, when he moved South to Tennessee, afterward removed to Missouri, when he returned to this county with his family in 1837, and located in Cottonwood Precinct and remained here until his death, March 15, 1863; his wife survived him until May 12, 1865. They were both members of the Presbyterian Church. Of seven children born to them but two are living - H. Columbus and John V. who remained under the parental roof until his marriage. He was married April 26, 1866, [Page 88] Amelia J. ALEXANDER, born in this county, daughter of John D. ALEXANDER, and Mary S. McCORD, both old and highly respected families in the county. Since his marriage he has been a resident of the farm he now owns, having 174 acres and good improvements, which were of his own establishment. He has no children. He has served as County Commissioner one term, and as Overseer of the Poor. Is not a member of any church yet not an opposer of religion but a friend to the same and maintenance of good morals.
William F. PAISLEY, farmer, P. O. Elm Point, born November 24, 1836, on the homestead of the old Pioneer, William PAISLEY, situated in Town 6, Range 2, in Cottonwood Grove Precinct. He is the youngest son of his father, and remained with him until his death. November 24, 1880, he married Alice HENDRICK, a native of Alabama, daughter of Robert and Julia (PHILIPS) HENDRICK. She moved to Bond County with her parents in 1875. Mr. PAISLEY has been a resident of the homestead since his marriage, having 235 acres of land. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, having his membership at Donnellson. Has one child - Lucretia, born September 21, 1881.
James REDFEARN, farmer, P. O. Greenville. The REDFEARN and CARROLL family are contemporaneous with the early settlement of Bond County. James REDFEARN was born in North Carolina, September 8, 1813, son of Isaac who moved with his family to Bond County about the year 1825, and settled at Round Prairie, this county. Isaac had the following-named children, of whom James was the eldest, the others in order of birth were John, Jane, Isaac, Milberry, Jemina, Martha, Ruth, Lydia and Ira. James REDFEARN, whose name heads this sketch, was brought up to hard labor, raised on a farm and had little or no school advantages. In March 4, 1842, he married Nancy CARROLL, who was born May 15, 1822, in Virginia, daughter of Mac CARROLL and Elizabeth BAROM, who were Virginians. The family first removed from Virginia to Tennessee, and from there they came to Bond County, about the year 1827, and settled with the REDFEARN family on Round Prairie. Eleven children were born to them, viz.: Ambrose, Jackson, Nancy, Caroline, Rhoda, Tillman, Robert, Mary, Elizabeth, Berdine and Susan, all of whom lived to be grown and raise families except Elizabeth. After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. REDFEARN they settled near Bethel, where they remained until they came to this farm in 1851. Of ten children born to them, nine are living - John T., James P., Lydia M., Mary F., Nancy E., Jemima E., McClellan, Millie J. and G. M.; Isaac, deceased. Lydia married E. B. DAGGET, Mary F. married John SIBERT; Nancy, Wilson FILE; Jemina, Charles B. FILE; all residents of this county. Of Mrs. REDFEARN's brothers and sisters, living, are: Tillman, Robert and Berdine, they reside in Linneus, Linn Co., Mo.; Rhoda, of Sioux City, Iowa, wife of Henry JANDT, a prominent business man; Susan resides in Round Prairie, wife of James SANER; Mary married John HOCHDERFFER, and lives in the county. Mr. REDFEARN has 960 acres of land. Mrs. R. is a member of the United Baptist Church, and a thoroughgoing business woman.
James W. ROBINSON, farmer, P. O. Cottonwood Grove, was born in North Carolina, March 14, 1800, son of Alexander and Betsey (WHITE) ROBINSON, both natives of North Carolina, who came to Montgomery about 1812, he, a harness-maker by trade, and dying October 10, 1853, the wife having died many years previous. Seven children were born to them, our subject being the eldest, who was raised to a life of farming, afterward carrying on milling, both grain and saw milling. In 1831, he married Catharine HESS, who died July 11, 1833, leaving one son, Alexander S. February 12, 1835, he married Mary Ann ARMSTRONG, daughter of John and Polly (DUDLEY) ARMSTRONG, he of Georgia, and she of North Carolina. Alex-[Page 89] ander S., the eldest son of our subject, entered the Union service, enlisting in Company B, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Twenty-second Regiment, and was captured at Chickamauga, dying in Libby Prison, Richmond, January 20, 1864. Mr ROBINSON has had born to him four daughters and two sons. Two of the daughters are living - Mary E., Mrs. J. N. ROSEBOROUGH, and Alvira R., Mrs. H. M. FERGUSON. Sarah was Mrs. Rev. F. G. STRANGE, who died leaving two sons. Lemuel F. ROBINSON died July 20, 1854.
John M. ROSS, farmer, P. O. Cottonwood Grove, was born in Maury County, Tenn., June 7, 1823, son of Thomas ROSS, a farmer born in Georgia, in 1786, and died in Montgomery County, in 1835, whither he had moved tin the spring of 1829, locating in Town 7, Range 4. Our subject's mother was Sally (ARMSTRONG) ROSS, a native of Tennessee. John ROSS came to Bond County when a mere child of five years, and received his first schooling in the pioneer schoolhouse, just over the north line of this county. At Cottonwood Grove he learned the blacksmith's trade with Reuben MORRELL, and followed this trade about fifteen years. July 13, 1847, at Pleasant Prairie, this county, he was married to Ruth N. JONES, a native of the same county as her husband, daughter of Pleasant and Sallie (OSBORN) JONES, the former from Virginia, the latter from North Carolina. The father of Thomas ROSS was one Andrew ROSS, a native of Scotland, and, like his grandson, learned the trade of blacksmith, and was known to have made swords and bayonets for use in the Revolutionary war. He was buried in North Carolina. Thomas was his only son. Our subject has five children living - Albert D., S. Jeanette, J. Warren, Sprague D., L. Shoeman; one, Louis J. is dead. Thomas ROSS' family consisted of six children, four sons and two daughters, three of whom are now living; two residents of Bon and one of Montgomery County; all farmers. Our subject bought his first twenty acres about 1845, and has since added until he has now 276, 84 of which he entered June 22, 1853.
James M. VOLLENTINE, farmer, P. O. New Douglas. Prominent among the early settlers and representative men of Bond County was William Bigford VOLLENTINE, a native of North Carolina, son of Hardy VOLLENTINE, William B. emigrated from North Carolina to Tennessee, where he married Fannie PLANT. While here he served in the war of 1812, and participated in the battle of New Orleans. He emigrated to what is now Bond County when it was a Territory. When he first came here, he remained for a time where Pocahontas Township now is, and finally located in Town 6, Range 4, on Section 18, where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1869. He was thrice married. His first wife bore him the following children - George W., now of Christian County, Hardy of Wisconsin, Mrs. Elizabeth CONDIFF of Montgomery County, Mrs. Nancy BROWN, now of Minnesota. His second wife was Sophia SUGGS, a native of Tennessee, daughter of Josiah SUGGS. This union was crowned with eleven children, those living are: James M., John J., Rebecca, Letta and Christopher C. J. M. and C. C. reside in this township, Letta, wife of James RIDGEWAY, of Pocahontas Precinct. His third marriage was to Elsie PRECKETT, a native of Kentucky; she bore him five children - Jennette, Lois, Charles J., Margaret Jennette and Douglass. William B. VOLLENTINE was one of the prominent men of the county, he became a large landholder, and owned at one time 2,000 acres. He was a stanch Democrat, and took a lively interest in the affairs of his county, he served some time as Justice of the Peace, was County Commissioner and Associate Judge, and for many years was a leader in the Methodist Episcopal Church, during the early part of his life. He was generally known all over the country, being a thorough business man - trading largely in stock, and farmed quite extensively - was a man of great energy and persever-[Page 90] ance, and a successful financier, and the father of twenty-three children; of this number J. M. was of the second set. He was born February 4, 1828, on the homestead, where he remained until his majority, after which he attended school two years. In the spring of 1852 he went to California, where he spent seven years in Nevada County, where he was engaged in trading and freighting, and had a varied experience. He returned here to this township in 1859, and since remained. He, for a time ran a store in New Douglas, and in 1866 he located on the farm he now owns, which place was settled by William CARSON. In August 7, 1860, he married Louisa J. JERNIGAN, born in Christian County, daughter of Lewis H. and Sallie (CURRY) JERNIGAN. Lewis H. was born in Tennessee, son of Jesse. Lewis H. was a very early settler in Christian County, Gabriel JERNIGAN, son of Jesse, was Sheriff of his county two terms, and represented his county in the Legislature. Mr. VOLLENTINE has one brother, Napoleon B., he is a liveryman in New Douglas. Lizzie, a sister who resides in Marion County, Kan., wife of Ben NESBITT, and Emma, Mrs. William CONNOR, of same county. Mr. VOLLENTINE has a good farm of several hundred acres, and is a thorough and progressive farmer, and one of the best in the township. He is a member of the Methodist Church, and has been a class leader and Steward for several years, and a great Sunday school worker, at Corrington Chapel. Had three children born to him, two are living - James F. and William Lewis. His only daughter, Sallie Sophia, was removed by death, August 16, 1876, aged nine years.
E. J. VOLLENTINE, farmer, P. O. New Douglas, is a descendant of one of the early settlers. He was born February 3, 1837, on the homestead farm, which is now owned by W. B. VOLLENTINE. He is the second son and third child of Jackson O. VOLLENTINE, whose wife was an ARMSTRONG. Jackson died about the year 1852, March 30. He served in the Black Hawk war, and for years was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He had four children born to him, viz.: William D., E. J., Alonzo and Thomas. E. J. was married in 1860 to Mary SMITH. She died 1870, leaving two children - Ulis T. and Jackson O. He has 260 acres and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Extracted by Norma Hass from the History of Bond and
Montgomery Counties
