A couple of weeks ago, the TBT Blog featured an excerpt from the
self-published book, “As I Remember,” by David A. Sorrell that was related to
the Lincoln Heritage Trail that runs through Raymond. In his book, Mr. Sorrell mentioned
four men whom he referred to as “Abe’s boys,” and noted that they were
responsible for planting the trees and laying out the park that was once
located where Lincolnwood High School now stands. Following are the family
histories of these men that appears in Raymond’s 125 Years of Memories book.
Win Carter died September
10, 1931. Carter was born 11/11/1843 in Madison County, a son of Henry T.
Carter (born in 1811 in Knoxville, TN and died 7/21/1844 in Alton, IL) and
Hannah Davis Carter (born at Trenton, NJ on 7/12/1815 and brought to Illinois
by her parents at the age of 7). He entered the service in Co. B 8th
Illinois volunteer Infantry in 1862 and served 22 months, being discharged on
account of injuries received from a bayonet and other injuries suffered while
removing a battery. He was taken prisoner by John Morgan but was paroled soon
after. He returned home and then went to California to engage in mining and
farming. He returned to Illinois in two years and married Anna Mayhew on
1/25/1868. She was born 9/26/1849 at Shiloh, NJ, a daughter of James and Sarah
(Howe) Mayhew, natives of New Jersey. Their children were Philp Henry, Mary
Louisa, Edward B., Maud E., Ernest M., and Clyde W. The Carters moved to
Raymond in 1870 and opened a lumber yard (the first in the town). In 1872 he
sold out and went into partnership with C.M. Davis in general merchandising.
Later he purchased his partner’s interest and continued in the business until
1878 when he disposed of his stock and engaged in dealing stock. He served as
the first village treasurer, was on the town board for two years, and served as
deputy postmaster for six years. He is buried at Asbury Cemetery.
Reynolds Chapman died on 5/20/1925 from blood poisoning
which developed after he fell on his lawn mower and cut the back of his hand.
He farmed in Raymond Township and served as Justice of the Peace, was on the
school board, and was a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge, the Modern
Woodman, and the G.A.R. He was born on 8/1/1843 in Greene County, the grandson
of Luke Chapman, who was born in England and immigrated to the United States in
1824, settling in West Virginia, and a son of Judge William Chapman who was
born in Yorkshire, England in 1817. He left West Virginia in 1833 to seek a
home in the west and settled in Greene County, Illinois where he was employed
as a civil engineer and aided in the construction of the Great Western
Railroad. Judge William Chapman married Ann Alverson in Greene County and the
couple moved to Montgomery County locating near what was to be Raymond in 1852.
He died in 1896 having served as township treasurer, supervisor, and for four
years as an associate judge. J.R. Chapman enlisted on 5/11/1864 in Company H,
143rd Illinois Infantry, serving in Arkansas and Tennessee. He was
discharged on 9/26/1864 and returned to farming within two miles from Raymond.
Chapman married Catherine Hendrickson in 1867. She died on 7/22/1878 leaving
three sons: Robert H., Gideon P. and Byron. In July 1880, Chapman married
Isabella Rogers. She died on 3/15/1903. From this marriage there were the
following children: Grace, Ethel (wife of Archibald Rhodes), George, Mary (wife
of Dr. Leon Smith), Benjamin, Joseph R., John, Emma (wife of Robert Seward) and
Jessie (wife of Art Price).
William H. Guthrie
died 7/26/1914 at the age of 73. He was a private in Co. H 143rd
Illinois Infantry. He was born and raised in Greene County near Roodhouse and
came to Montgomery County in the year 1858. In the fall of 1865 he married
Elizabeth Martin of Greene County. They were the parents of six children; three
sons and three daughters, one son having died at the age of 18 months. The
children who survived him were Rev. John Q. Guthrie, Eureka Springs, Arkansas;
Dennis E. Guthrie, Laura Guthrie and Luella Cook, all of Raymond; and Mrs.
Elizabeth Buchanan, Wharton, Texas. He also had a brother, Joseph, of Bentonsport,
Iowa, and D.M. Guthrie of Hillsboro, Iowa. He was known as “Uncle Bill” and
owned one of the best farms in the county before moving to town. He was a
member of the G.A.R. and had seen many hardships in army life. He is buried at
Asbury Cemetery.
Hezekiah Moore
died at the age of 91 on 6/29/1925. He was a son of Thomas Moore (stonemason,
died in 1852 in Gasconade County, MO.) and Catharine Best Moore (born in Ohio
died in 1872) born in Holmes County, Ohio on 11/7/1833. He came west as a young
man was living in Missouri when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted on
8/26/1862 in Co. M, 5th Iowa Calvary and served continuously until
discharge on 6/17/1865. He was a Com/Sgt and participated in the Battle of
Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga and Shiloh besides scores of minor engagements
and was one of the veterans of Sherman’s “March to the Sea.” After his
discharge, Moore came to Montgomery County and settled on a farm near Raymond.
He was twice married, first on 5/9/1860 to Rosanna Coleman (born in Missouri on
1/9/1841, died in 1888), and later to Mrs. Lucia Howard, with the following
children: Lily (wife of William Dawson), Helen (wife of Harry Scherer), Mrs.
Emma Kidd, Ed Moore, Howard Moore, and Paul Moore. He was road commissioner for
several years, a member of the Masonic Fraternity, and a member of the United
Methodist Church. He is buried at the Raymond City Cemetery.
William T. Sorrells
died 6/17/1896 at his home in Raymond from the effects of a stroke. He was
known as Thomas and had served as a private in Co. D 32nd Illinois
Infantry. He was a member of the G.A.R. and left a wife Louisa J. (daughter of
James and Elisabeth Mansfield born 6/25/1856 in Clinton, Kentucky and died
6/16/1923) and three children: Mrs. J.H. (Mary) Striplin, Carlinville; Samuel,
Raymond; and David A., Peoria. Three children preceded him in death in infancy.
Another son from a previous marriage, Harvey Sorrells, Roodhouse, also survived
him. He is buried at the Raymond City Cemetery.