Many
of the best citizens of the country were soldiers in the Civil war and
amidst the dangers and privations incident to four long years of bloody
conflict acquired lessons that shaped their future lives. Returning home
after the Rebellion had been conquered, they bravely put their shoulders
to the wheel and, although almost fifty years have elapsed since the
clouds of war were removed, many of the participants are still
prominently engaged in active pursuits. Judge Lewis P. Peebles, of
Carlinville, who comes of good fighting ancestry, demonstrated his
ability as a defender of the Union, and as a public official and
practicing attorney he years ago gained recognition as one of the most
prominent men of Macoupin county. He is a native of Chesterfield, this
county, and was born July 13, 1836, a son of Jesse and Margaret (Reader)
Peebles. The father was born near Camden, South Carolina, and the mother
in Overton county, Tennessee. They had six children who lived to
maturity, David L., William B., Isham J., John D., Lewis P. and Martha,
who married M. A. Cushing. All of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Peebles
are now deceased except Lewis P.
Jesse Peebles, the father of
our subject, left South Carolina with his father when a small boy and
the family settled in Kentucky, near Montfordville. In 1833 the son came
to Illinois and entered forty acres of government land in Chesterfield
township, Macoupin county. He made a contract with a man to build a log
cabin for him and returned the next year, taking up his residence in the
cabin. He set about industriously to improve his farm and became the
owner of one hundred and sixty acres of good land. He died in September,
1864, being then about sixty-eight years of age. He was twice married,
his first wife dying in Kentucky, and when he came to Illinois he was a
widower. His second wife was the mother of our subject and her death
occurred in 1840. She was a devout Methodist as was also her husband,
who was a local preacher, being one of the first preachers in Macoupin
county. He performed many marriage ceremonies in the early days and was
a man of unimpeachable character whose influence was always exerted in
behalf of the upbuilding of the community. He never held any public
office except that of postmaster, to which position he was appointed by
President Jackson.
The grandfather of our subject on the
paternal side was John Peebles. He was a native of South Carolina and of
Scotch descent, being a blacksmith by trade. At the time of the
Revolutionary war he served under General Marion and participated in the
battles of Eutaw Springs and Cowpens, losing an eye in the service.
After the war he removed to Hart county, Kentucky, and about 1840 came
to Macoupin county, Illinois, with his second wife. He died in 1848, in
his eighty-seventh year, his wife passing away several years prior to
his death. Among his children were Abraham Bird, John, William, Jesse,
Mary, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Cynthia and Lucinda. The grandfather on the
maternal side was Jeptha Reader, a native of Tennessee and of English
descent. He and his wife were among the early pioneers of Macoupin
county, taking up their home a few miles northeast of Chesterfield. He
lived to be about eighty years old and his wife also lived to an
advanced age. Winifred Harrison was the maiden name of his wife and she
was a second cousin of President Harrison. They were the parents of five
children, Paschal L., Margaret, Sarah, Elizabeth and Lucinda.
Lewis P. Peebles was reared on his father’s farm in Chesterfield
township and secured his early education in the subscription schools
that were conducted in an old-fashioned log cabin of the neighborhood.
He continued on the home farm until the winter of 1861-62 when he began
reading law and, just as he was fairly launched in the subject, the
Civil war aroused the patriotism of tens of thousands of young men
throughout the country and he enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and
Twenty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, serving as captain of the
company for three years. He participated in the battle of Nashville, the
siege and capture of Mobile, in the campaign against General Forrest at
Tupelo. Mississippi, the battle of Parker’s Cross Roads, Mississippi,
and in many other engagements, also assisting in driving General Price
out of the state of Missouri. After receiving his honorable discharge he
returned to Macoupin county and resumed the study of law. He was
admitted to the bar in 1867 and has since continuously engaged in
practice except from 1873 to 1890 when he filled the office of county
judge, the duties of which position he discharged with a fairness and
ability that met the hearty approval of voters. He has always been
greatly interested in farming and is the owner of two hundred and forty
acres of good land in this county.
On the 18th of March, 1869,
Judge Peebles was married to Miss Sarah E. Odell, a daughter of Enos P.
and Susanna (Gibbon) Odell. To this union two children have been born,
Jesse and Kathryn. Jesse Peebles was graduated from the Blackburn
University and is now engaged with his father in the practice of law. He
married Miss Edmona McClure and they have three children, Martha Ellen,
Don and Pauline. Kathryn Peebles married W. H. Castle and they reside in
Anadarko, Oklahoma. She is the mother of two children, Clarabelle and
Winifred Harrison. Mrs. Peebles is a native of Scottville, Macoupin
county, and her parents were natives of Ohio. They were early settlers
of this county and here passed the remainder of their lives. The mother
died when she was about sixty-seven years of age, but the father passed
away when he was comparatively a young man. They had four children:
Rebecca, who married J. F. Cherry, of St. Louis, Missouri; Catharine M.,
who became the wife of Samuel B. Dugger and is now deceased; Annie P.,
now Mrs. Edwin Stephenson, of Colorado; and Sarah E., who married Lewis
P. Peebles.
Judge Peebles is not connected with any religious
denomination but his wife is a consistent member of the Methodist
church. He belongs to Mount Nebo Lodge, A. F. & A. M., Dan Messick Post
No. 339, G. A. R., and has served several terms as commander of the
post. Politically he is a democrat. He occupied a chair for one term as
member of the city council and has also been president of the board of
education. Although seventy-five years of age he preserves much of the
fire and vigor of younger manhood and is still engaged in practice, his
long experience as attorney, counselor and judge making his advice
especially valuable. He is honored wherever he is known and his record
is one to which his family and friends may justly point with pride as
his honesty, integrity and patriotism have never been questioned.
Extracted 18 Oct 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 166-170.
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