CARLTON ASHER TWICHELL. Much has been accomplished by the young people of our country who, natives of the various States in which their active lives have been passed, have devoted their time to the extension of the interests of their native place, either commercially or by tilling the soil. To the latter class belongs the gentleman of whom this biographical sketch is written and a view of whose comfortable residence will be noticed on another page. He has passed his entire life on the old homestead in Richwood Precinct, Calhoun County, where he was born May 23, 1852 and where he and his family, comprising his wife and three children, Bertha A., Voyle E. and Raymond C., having a happy home filled with the comforts of life. The success which has attended the efforts of our subject is due in no small measure to the assistance of his worthy helpmate, with whom he was united in marriage in 1882, and who bore the maiden name of Maggie Nicholass. This estimable lady is a native of Richwoods Precinct and the daughter of Morrison and Sarah Nicholass.
Our subject's grandfather, Joshua Twichell, was born in New York, where he learned the trade of blacksmith and followed the same in Warren County. He came from that county to Illinois in 1822, settling in what is now Calhoun County, but was at that time a part of Pike County, with Atlas for the county seat. For a year he lived about one half mile from Gilead and moved next to Point Precinct where he worked at his trade. He was among the early settlers and ironed the first wagon ever made in this county. He made his home in Richwoods Precinct up to the time of his death.
Mr. Twichell's father, Chesley Wheeler Twichell was eighteen years of age when he came to Calhoun County with his parents. His birth occurred in Warren County, N. Y. in 1804, and there he passed his childhood and received an education. When he reached this section of Illinois, lumbering was the chief business and as there were no boats on the rivers, large piles of lumber were taken down the Mississippi River to St. Louis on log rafts. He engaged in this industry and at a later date learned the trade of a blacksmith, running a shop on section 12, Richwoods Precinct. He afterward had a store at the same place and served as Postmaster of Monterey for the long period of twenty-four years. He built a commodious brick residence on his farm, making the brick for same and burning the time on his own place. His death occurred on this place in 1880. He was twice married, the second time to Elvira C. (Squier) Ingersoll, October 4, 1846. She was a native of New York, born September 27, 1818, and the daughter of Charles and Aznbah (Green) Squier. Their union was blessed with two children, Oscar S., who now resides in Kansas City and our subject. The mother departed this life October 2, 1890. She had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since the age of ten years.
There is much interest taken in the biographies of those who lived during the pioneer days of our country and helped to change the immense tracts of timber and brush into blooming landscapes. In thinking of this herculean task, it would seem almost impossible for a few years to bring about such a change, yet there still survive in this county men who with their own hands helped to clear the ground and prepare the way for civilization. While there is much romance connected with those days, there was also a vast amount of labor to be accomplished, and we cannot too highly honor those worthy men who laid the foundation of the present prosperity that is enjoyed throughout the wealthy State of Illinois.
Extracted 16 Mar 2017 by Norma Hass from Portrait and Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Illinois, published in 1891, pages 516-519
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