Individual Details

James Hackley was a pioneer of the Pike Co., Illinois settlement along with two of his brothers; Abraham and Jacob. James married Artemisia in Kentucky in 1831 where they had their first child. He first came to Illinois in 1832, stopping in what is now Scott Co, then Morgan Co. The following spring he came to Pike Co. and settled in Perry township where he became a large landowner. He and Artemisia were prominent members of the Christian Church in Perry. A fun loving man, James loved to hunt and fish. He enjoyed tests of strength and drinking with his friends.

Born in Nelson Co., KY, James Hackley, the youngest child of William and Mary 'Polly' Van Meter Chenoweth, married at the age of 30 to Artemisia Catherine Birkhead, the daughter of Abraham Billingsby Birkhead and Elizabeth Forman. Artemisia was not yet twenty at the time. Elizabeth Forman's brother, William, married a sister of James Hackley, Ruth. Thus James married the niece of his brother-in-law. The marriage was on September 01, 1831 in Nelson County. Their first son was born in Nelson County, but in 1833, they moved to Pike Co., IL where their other nine children were born. The land that James owned near Perry began as 240 acres and eventually grew to between 500-600 acres. Known by many as "Uncle Jim", the large home of James Hackley was known for it's old fashion cheer and hospitality. This included liberal amounts of liquor, which James, by his own account, estimated he spent about $100,000 on in his lifetime. Their son, Robert Atkinson, would serve the Union Army in the Civil War. Artemisia died there at age 62 in the town of Perry, and James died eight years later, at the age of 80. Both are buried at the Old Baptist Church cemetery, Perry, IL. Today descendants of this family can be found still in Illinois, but also Missouri, Texas and California.

James H. Chenoweth, one of Pike county's oldest and most respected citizens, was born in Nelson Co., Ky., July 9, 1801. His father, Wm. Chenoweth, went to that State from Virginia when a young man, and took part in many an Indian fight on "the dark and bloody ground." He married the widow of John Hinton, whose maiden name was Mary VanMeter; of this family were 10 children, all of whom lived to be grown: William, Jacob, Abraham, Isaac, Miles, James, Hardin, Letitia, Ruth and James H. Jacob, Abraham and James all came to Pike county and were among its more worthy and substantial pioneer citizens. James H., the subject of this sketch, first came to this State in 1832, stopping for a while in Scott Co., and came to Pike in the spring of 1833, locating on secs. 27 and 28, Perry tp., where he entered 240 acres of land.
He at once erected a double log cabin, in which he lived for several years; he then built the frame house which still occupies the site; 30 acres of this farm Mr. C. laid off in town lots as "Chenoweth's Addition to the Town of Perry." Mr. C. is one of the oldest residents of the county, and is a good example of what industry and economy will accomplish. He is now 78 years of age, and is the owner of between 500 and 600 acres of land in this county, as well as land in Missouri.

Mr. C. was married in 1831 to Artemisia Burkhead, of Nelson Co., Ky. One child, Abraham, was born to them in Kentucky; James H., jr., Mary, Joseph K., deceased, Joseph S., Robert A., Ruth, David J., Jacob V. and Susanna R., deceased, were all born in Pike county; the 8 children living are all married. Three, David, Jacob and Ruth (the latter the wife of Chas. O. Turner) are still living in this county. Mr. C.'s wife died Jan. 4, 1874, and Mr. C. is now living with his daughter, Mrs. Turner. Mr. C. was formerly a Whig, but since the organization of the Republican party he has voted with that party. One of his sons, Robert A., served two years during the Rebellion in the 33d Ill. Inft. Mr. C. is a member of the Christian Church, as also was Mrs. C.; and in the affairs of the Church he has always taken a prominent part. All of his children are also members of that Church.

Mr. C. is familiarly known as "Uncle Jim," and no man in the township is better known, and has fewer enemies. He was always full of fun, and liked to fish and hunt, and enjoy himself in such sport. His average weight is 212 pounds. One of his favorite games was tying men who boasted of their strength. He would take his rope and tell his man that he would tie him, giving him leave to fight or do anything but gouge and bite; that was all he asked of the strongest man, and he never yet failed in his object. He drank whisky with the "boys," and sometimes when alone, from the time he was 16 years old until he was 74. At present he only takes wine.
He thinks he averaged a quart of liquor per day for 57 years; and the other day he figured it up, counting only one pint per day, and it made over 72 barrels, of 44 gallons each! He is willing to throw off 2 barrels in the estimate, which would leave even 70 barrels, or 3,080 gallons. Now, if it cost $2 per gallon, it would amount to $6,160; and if the whisky he has drank were sold at 10 cents a drink, allowing 10 drinks to the pint, it would amount to $24,640; and he thinks he has drank twice that amount, or $49,280 worth of whisky! Perhaps he has given away as much as he has drank, which would make a total expense of $98,560! And he is yet stout enough to round this number out to even $100,000, either by drinking the liquor or giving it away! Mr. Chenoweth's portrait appears in this volume (Chapman 483-484).

Birth	7 Jul 1801	Nelson, Kentucky, United States
Marriage	1 Sep 1831	Nelson, Kentucky, United States - Artemisia Catherine Birkhead
Census (family)	25 Sep 1850	Perry Township T3S R3W, Pike, Illinois, United States - Artemisia Catherine Birkhead
Census (family)	4 Sep 1860	Perry Township, Pike, Illinois, United States - Artemisia Catherine Birkhead
Census (family)	11 Jul 1870	Perry Township, Pike, Illinois, United States - Artemisia Catherine Birkhead
Census	1880	Perry Township, Pike, Illinois, United States
Death	18 Apr 1882	Perry Township, Pike, Illinois, United States

Spouse	Artemisia Catherine Birkhead (1811 - 1874)
Child	Abraham Birkhead Chenoweth (1832 - 1920)
Child	James Harrison Chenoweth (1834 - 1915)
Child	Joseph S. Chenoweth (1836 - 1840)
Child	Mary Elizabeth Chenoweth (1838 - 1913)
Child	Joseph Steaven Chenoweth (1840 - 1925)
Child	Robert Atkinson Chenoweth (1843 - 1922)
Child	Ruth Christian Chenoweth (1845 - 1930)
Child	David Johnston Chenoweth (1848 - 1912)
Child	Jacob Van Meter Chenoweth (1850 - 1885)
Child	Susannah Reid Chenoweth (1854 - 1861)

Father	Major William Chenoweth (1760 - 1828)
Mother	Mary M. "Polly" Van Meter (1757 - 1832)
Sibling	William Chenoweth Jr. (1782 - 1805)
Sibling	Jacob Van Meter Chenoweth (1784 - 1851)
Sibling	Abraham Chenoweth (1785 - 1861)
Sibling	Isaac Calvert Chenoweth (1788 - 1858)
Sibling	Miles Hart Chenoweth (1791 - 1845)
Sibling	Hardin Thomas Chenoweth (1793 - 1844)
Sibling	Letitia Van Meter "Letty" Chenoweth (1796 - 1875)
Sibling	Ruth C. Chenoweth (1798 - 1868)
Sibling	Arthur Chenoweth ( - 1810)

Notes