Owen Cline is the owner of a fine farm of two hundred acres in
Scottville township that he cultivated for many years, but he is now
living retired. He was born in Independent township, Washington county,
Ohio, on the 23d of July, 1851, and is a son of Reuben and Diana (Cady)
Cline. Reuben Cline was a son of David and Sarah (Mills) Cline and was
born on the 28th of February, 1819, in Washington county, Ohio, where
his death occurred on the 27th of March, 1904. The Clines originally
came from Pennsylvania and are of Dutch extraction, the
great-grandparents of our subject having been George and Susan (Buck)
Cline. The Cady family first located in Vermont but later removed to New
York, whence they came to Ohio. The mother, Diana Cady Cline, was born
on the 7th of July, 1821, a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Chandler)
Cady. The maternal great-grandparents were Zebulum and Miriam (Simons)
Chandler and the great-great-grandparents Jonathan and Mabel (Burress)
Chandler. Reuben and Diana (Cady) Cline were united in marriage in
Washington county, Ohio, on the 18th of November, 1841. Immediately
thereafter they located on a farm in the same county, the father
devoting his attention to agricultural pursuits during the entire period
of his active career. The mother is still living and now makes her home
in Williamtown, West Virginia. Nine children were born to them, our
subject being the fifth in order of birth.
The early years in
the life of Owen Cline were, in the main, very similar to those of
hundreds of other farmer lads of that period. There was little occurring
to vary the monotonous routine of rural life in those days before the
advent of the telephone and the daily rural free delivery of the mail.
In the acquirement of his education he attended the district schools in
the vicinity, during their brief winter sessions, until he had mastered
the common branches, his time when not there employed being very largely
devoted to assisting with the work of the fields and care of the stock.
When he was twenty-one years old he left home to begin his independent
agricultural career. On the 23d of October, 1872, he arrived in Morgan
county, Illinois, where he spent about three years, when he came to
Macoupin county. When he first located here he rented a farm from his
father-in-law, but later acquired a fine property of two hundred acres.
He devoted his attention to general farming and stock-raising, making a
specialty of feeding cattle and hogs for the market. Mr. Cline has
withdrawn from the active work of the fields and is now living retired
on the old homestead of his wife’s parents.
On the 18th of
September, 1879, occurred the marriage of Mr. Cline and Miss Sarah E.
Hicks, a daughter of Vine and Nancy (Rhodes) Hicks. Vine Hicks was born
at Whitehall township, Greene county, Illinois, on the 26th of
September, 1835, while the mother was born at Athensville, the same
county, on the 13th of August, 1839. Athensville township was also the
birthplace of Mrs. Cline. In 1861 Vine Hicks removed with his wife and
family to Macoupin county, locating upon a farm which he cultivated
until his retirement. The paternal grandparents were Vines and Elizabeth
(Tunnell) Hicks. Vines Hicks was born on the James river in the vicinity
of Richmond, Virginia, on the 4th of February, 1788, and was a son of
David and Nancy Hicks. He was one of nineteen children born to his
parents, seventeen of whom attained maturity. When the second war with
England broke out in 1812 Vines Hicks with four of his brothers went to
the front, serving under Colonel William and Captain James Tunnell. He
participated in the battle of New Orleans under General Andrew Jackson
on the 8th of January, 1812, and was present at the killing of Tecumseh
at the battle of the Thames at the close of the war. After hostilities
ceased he went to Anderson county, Tennessee, and there he met Miss
Elizabeth Tunnell, who became his wife on the 3d of July, 1817. Mrs.
Hicks was a daughter of Coloned William Tunnell and was born in the
vicinity of the village of Clinton. In the autumn following his
marriage, Mr. Hicks moved to Madison county, Illinois, with his bride,
and there he engaged in splitting rails for William Montgomery. In 1818
he removed to Greene county, locating on some government land on
Macoupin creek, upon which he erected a log cabin that served him as
residence for some time. Their nearest neighbors were Indians, a camp of
five hundred being located within a distance of two hundred yards of
their cabin. At that time Mr. Hicks knew every man, woman and child by
name in Greene, Jersey, Madison, Morgan and Scott counties. The settlers
of this section at that period were ever in imminent danger from their
treacherous neighbors, and it was at this time that Mr. Hicks learned to
sleep with' his clothes on, which habit he retained during the remainder
of his life. He was present at the massacre of two white families and
assisted in wiping out his red neighbors, four hundred and ninety-nine
of the five hundred being killed by the whites. Edwardsville, at that
time only a fort, was the headquarters for the rangers. When the Black
Hawk war broke out he went to the front, serving under General Duncan,
Colonel Henry and Captain Smith.
Mr. Hicks always engaged in
agricultural pursuits and when he retired owned a fine farm of seven
hundred acres. The latter years of his life were spent at the home of
his son, Samuel Hicks, who was a resident of Greene county. He belonged
to a family noted for their longevity and celebrated the one hundredth
anniversary of his birth two months and fifteen days before his death,
which occurred on the 19th of April, 1888. He had long survived his
wife, her death occurring on the 9th of November, 1876, at the age of
seventy-eight years, four months and fifteen days. Mr. Hicks was a most
unusual character and was widely known throughout the county and
vicinity. He always was his own barber, not only shaving himself but
cutting his own hair without the aid of a mirror. Although he was able
to walk about the house he preferred to travel in a chair on account of
rheumatism, the chair being hitched along with rapidity. During the
interval he had practiced this mode of locomotion he wore off the legs
of seven or eight hardwood chairs to the first round.
He was
always a stanch democrat and cast his ballot for every presidential
candidate on that ticket from James Monroe to Grover Cleveland. He left
no estate, having divided his property among his children some time
prior to his death. His residence in the state covered the great
formative period of the middle west and he saw Indian wigwams superseded
by modern houses; railroads displace stage coaches; and hamlets develop
into thriving towns and cities.
To Mr. and Mrs. Owen Cline were
born two children: Lucretia, who married James M. Emmons, a farmer of
Scott county; and a son Vines R. Mrs. Emmons became the mother of two
daughters: Blanche, who is deceased; and Gladys.
Both Mr. and
Mrs. Cline are affiliated with the Baptist church of Mount Zion, and he
belongs to the Masonic fraternity, holding membership in Palmyra Lodge,
No. 463, A. F & A. M., Palmyra, Illinois; and the Modern Woodmen of
America, being a charter member of Scottville Camp, No. 506. His wife
belongs to the Royal Neighbors, Lodge No. 3803, and also to the Court of
Honor, Lodge No. 99, of Scottville. In politics Mr. Cline has always
been a very ardent democrat, and has served as township commissioner,
senator committeeman and school director. He is one of the widely and
favorably known residents of his community, whose early efforts were so
intelligently directed that he is now able to live in full enjoyment of
every comfort as the result of capably applied energy.
Extracted 18 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 659-661.
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