Biography - Oliver L. Kendall
OLIVER L. KENDALL, who is connected with the farming interests of Todd's
Point Township, is a veteran of the late war, in which, as a loyal and
efficient soldier, he won a record of which he may well be proud. Tippecanoe
County, Ind., is the place of his birth, and November 2, 1834, the date
thereof. His. father, Joseph Kendall, was born in Massachusetts, and went
from there to Kentucky. He lived in the wilds of that State for some time,
and then removed to Darke County, Ohio, whence he went in 1825 to Tippecanoe
County, Ind., and was one of the first settlers of Tippecanoe Township. He
bought a tract of Government land in that locality on the east bank of the
Tippecanoe River, and in the log house that he built by the side of that
stream his son, of whom we now write, was born. He split clapboards for the
roof and puncheon for the floor, and made it, in fact, a typical pioneer
dwelling. For some time the country roundabout was but sparsely settled, and
deer roamed at will through the forests and across the clearings that the
pioneers had made. There were no railways, and for years Michigan City and
Chicago were the nearest markets for grain.
The father cleared a part of his land, but his work of improvement was
closed by his death in 1838. The maiden name of his second wife, mother of
our subject, was Nancy Nunn, and she was a native of South Carolina. She
married a second time, becoming the wife of .Martin Hermann, and lie died in
1886 in Tippecanoe County, at a venerable age.
Oliver Kendall attended the pioneer schools of Tippecanoe County, which were
taught on the subscription plan, each family paying according to the number
of scholars sent. The school-house was a primitive concern, built of logs,
furnished with slab benches that were without backs or desks and were
supported by wooden pins; and the school room was lighted by taking out a
section of a log and placing greased paper over the hole thus made. Our
subject resided with his mother until he was fifteen years old, and then
began the struggle for an independent existence with no other capital than
strong muscles, a stout heart, and willing hands. At first he worked out by
the month for $6 a month. He lived in Tippecanoe County until the fall of
1860, when he came to Illinois and rented a farm in Macon County, four miles
south of Decatur.
The war broke out and found him busy managing his farming interests, which
he abandoned in the fall of that year to defense of the Union. He became a
member of the Seventh Illinois Cavalry and after a long term of service on
many a hard-fought Southern battlefield, veteranized in March, 1864, and
remained with his regiment until he and his comrades were honorably
discharged in November, 1865. He took part in the battles of Farmington,
Iuka, and Corinth, Miss.; in those fought at Somerville, Coffeeville, Plain
store, Colliersville, Byhalia and Moscow; encountered Forrest's forces at
Memphis, Tenn., in May, 1864, and with his brave comrades assisted in
driving him from the state. His regiment also did good work in an engagement
with the enemy at Hart's Cross Road, Tenn., and December 13 and 14, 1864,
bravely fought Hood's forces between Franklin and Columbus, and gallantly
captured the works on Brentwood's Hill. The Seventh Illinois Cavalry joined
in pursuit of Hood's fleeing army, and drove the Confederates across the
Tenneesse River. The regiment remained in Tennessee during the winter, and
then went to Mississippi and did garrison duty in that state and Alabama
until its final discharge several months after the Rebellion was brought to
a close, when its services were no longer needed by the Government. Our
subject was commissioned by order of Gen. Rosencrans in 1864 as Second
Lieutenant of Company I, Seventh lllinois Cavalry.
After leaving the army our subject returned Northward and resumed farming in
Macon County. He resided there until 1889 when he rented the farm which he
now occupies in Todd's Point Township. He is carrying on his agricultural
operations skilfully, derives a good income in repayment for his industry,
and has already attained an honorable place among our most practical
farmers. He is greatly esteemed by his neighbors, and is known in social
circles as a member of the Masonic fraternity, which joined in 1872; and for
his connection with I. C. Pugh Post, No. 481, G. A. R.
Mr. Kendall was first married in 1855 to Miss Savilla Shaw, a native of
Tippecanoe County, Ind., and a daughter of Alfred and Emillia Shaw. She died
July 21, 1861. Her father was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, and after
marriage removed to Tippecanoe County, Ind. He cleared a farm from the
wilderness in Tippecanoe Township, and there death found him March, 1864.
The maiden name of his wife was Emilia Marquess. She was born in Virginia,
and was a daughter of Smith and Eve (Stingley) Marquess. Smith Marquess was
one of the earliest settlers of Tippecanoe Township, where he cleared a
farm, which remained his home until death ended his life. The mother of Mr.
Kendall's first wife now resides on her farm in Iroquois County, Ill.
The second marriage of our subject was with Mrs. Jane Ward, and it was
solemnized December 31, 1865. Mrs. Kendall was born in Pickaway County,
Ohio, January 10, 1836. Her father, Thomas Morris, was also a native of the
Buckeye state, and in early manhood was there married to Miss Nanct
Bevington, a native of Virginia, who went to Ohio with her parents when she
was fourteen years old. Mr. Morris remained a resident of Pickaway County
until 1839, and then with his wife and eight children, he started with a
team on an overland journey to Illinois. After his arrival in this State he
located in Macon County, being one of its pioneers. He entered a tract of
Government land three miles south of Decatur, and resided on it for some
years, giving his attention to its improvement. He then sold, and removing
to Decatur invested quite largely in city property and was a resident of
that place until his death. His wife died while they were living on the home
farm in Macon County.
Mrs. Kendall was first married to Larkin Ward, a native of Macon County, and
a son of William and Elizabeth (Wheeler) Ward. He died in 1864. Mrs. Kendall
has three children living by that marriage, — Henry, Marion and Martha. Her
eldest born, Bettie, is dead. By her union with our subject Mrs. Kendall is
the mother of four children, — Charlie, George, Albert and Nettie.
Extracted 25 Apr 2020 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 669-671.
