John P. Vandyke, one of Macoupin county’s citizens who spent three
years of his early manhood on the battlefields of the south during the
Civil war, was born in the vicinity of Nashville, Tennessee on the 30th
of October, 1832. His father was Isaac Vandyke, a native of Smith
county, Tennessee, in which state he spent practically his entire life
devoting his energies to agricultural pursuits. The mother, prior to her
marriage was Eliza Bell Brown, a native of North Carolina, but her
domestic life was spent in Tennessee, where she passed away. To Mr. and
Mrs. Vandyke there were born seven sons and three daughters, two of
whom, beside our subject, are living.
The boyhood and youth of
John P. Vandyke were spent on a Tennessee farm, in the cultivation of
which be assisted while attending the district schools in the
acquirement of an education. Spending the first twenty-six years of his
life amid the scenes of his childhood, he, in 1858, migrated to Macoupin
county, where he was engaged in farming when the Civil war broke out.
Ever loyal and patriotic, he readily responded to the call of the
nation’s chief, and enlisting as a private in Company K, Seventh
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, went to the front where he served for three
years. He participated in many notable battles among them being those of
Altoona Pass and Bentonville, while he went with Sherman on his famous
march. He was wounded in the head at the battle of Altoona Pass and for
a time was a patient in the hospital. During the latter part of his
convalescense he assisted there in the capacity of nurse. After
receiving his discharge Mr. Vandyke returned to his farm in Macoupin
county, where he continued to reside until his retirement. In 1888 he
withdrew from active work and coming to Shipman bought a handsome
residence, where he continues to live.
At Plainview, Macoupin
county, in 1868 Mr. Vandyke was married to Miss Margaret King, a native
of this county, her birth occurring on the 29th of September, 1837. On
the maternal side she is a descendant of one of the old families of the
county, her mother also having been born here. The father was a native
of Greene county, Illinois, whence he removed to Macoupin county, where
he was subsequently married. He settled upon a farm to the cultivation
of which he devoted his energies until his demise. To Mr. and Mrs.
Vandyke there have been born two sons and three daughters, all of whom
are living, namely: Mattie, the wife of Richard Ham, of Morgan county,
Illinois; Effie, who is living at home with her parents; Ida, the wife
of Elliot Griffin, of Macoupin county; and Albert and Alfred, twins, the
former of Springfield, Illinois, and the latter of Carthage, Missouri.
Then there are two grandchildren in the family.
Both Mr. and
Mrs. Vandyke are members of the Baptist church, while he maintains
relations with his comrades of the war through the medium of his
membership in Piasa Post, G. A. R. Mr. Vandyke has the distinction of
being one of the few now living who knew the Great Emancipator in those
early, struggling days when no one foresaw in him a national figure.
Extracted 15 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 426-427.
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