Biography - HERBERT ASHBEL DAVID

One of Macoupin county’s well known native sons is Herbert Ashbel David, who has recently become assistant agent for the Illinois Traction System. His natal day was the 1st of February, 1872, and he is the only child of Ashbel George and Eliza A. (Ingraham) David. The father was a native of Pennsylvania and a son of Jesse and Barbara (Pentzer) David. The first ten or twelve years of his life were passed in the Keystone state whence he moved with his parents to Illinois. They located on a farm in the western part of Macoupin county, but later removed to a place in the vicinity of Bunker Hill. There they resided for many years, but Jesse David was living in Bunker Hill at the time of his demise which occurred at a ripe old age. Mrs. David was living in Lincoln, Illinois, when she passed away in the seventy-eighth year of her life. Their family consisted of the following: Ashbel George; Jacob P.; Lewis D.; Jane, the widow of Charles Winans, of Lincoln, Nebraska; George, who was lost during the Civil war; Samuel W., who is a resident of Carlinville; and another daughter and son.

Ashbel George David taught school for a time in his early manhood, withdrawing from this profession to clerk in a store in Gillespie and later in Bunker Hill. He subsequently engaged in the commission business in St. Louis, and during the war he was a sutler’s clerk on a gunboat in the Mississippi river. For a time he canvassed for the Caldwell County (Missouri) Sentinel, during which time he wrote a history of Mormonism. About 1869 he returned to Macoupin county, taking a position with Edwards & Kimball, editors of the Carlinville Free Democrat. Later he bought Mr. Edwards’ interest in this publication, which for some time thereafter was conducted by Kimball & David. The former subsequently disposed of his rights to Mr. David also, who edited the paper from then until September, 1900, when he sold it after a continuous editor-and-ownership of thirty-one years. Subsequently he engaged in the insurance business with his son, our subject for about two years, when they bought the Scott County Herald, at Winchester, Illinois, which they ran for four or five years, during which time the father bought The Girard Anchor owning this paper for two and a half years. Withdrawing from all newspaper work he then devoted himself entirely to the insurance and pension business in Carlinville until his demise on the 2d of December.

Mr. David was twice married, of his first union there was born one son, Frederick E., who is now living near Morgan Hill, in the vicinity of San Jose, California. His second wife, the mother of our subject, was the widow of Thomas E. Stagg, by whom she had a son and a daughter. The son, Charles, died when a lad of about nine years, and the daughter, Emma E., who is also deceased, became the wife of Frederick E. David. Frederick E. and Emma E. (Stagg) David were the parents of two children: Jean, who was killed in a railroad accident in Baird, Texas and Helen, who is living in Carlinville. Mrs. A. G. David still survives and continues to make her home in Carlinville. She is a member of the Presbyterian church with which her husband was also affiliated. Mrs. David is a native of New York state and she came west to Ohio and from there to Illinois with her family during the pioneer days. Mr. and Mrs. Ingraham, Mrs. David’s parents, had a large family, namely: Julia, the wife of John Brooks; Melissa, who is deceased; Celeste, who married a Mr. Dierkes; Mattie, the widow of Rev. Kinsman, of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Eliza A., a resident of Mason City, Illinois; Norman, who is living in the same place; and Mary, the wife of Eagan Dierkes. Both, Mr. and Mrs. Ingraham are deceased, she passing away at Mason City.

Herbert Ashbel David has always made his home in Carlinville, to whose public schools he is indebted for his preliminary education. He graduated from the high school in 1888 and later pursued a collegiate course in the Blackburn University, from which he was graduated with the class of 1895, being awarded the only diploma bearing the degree of bachelor of literature at that time granted. After the completion of his education he became associated with his father in newspaper work; having previously learned the printer’s trade he was able to assist either in the composing or editorial department. He continued in this vocation for several years, until he changed to the insurance business, with which he is still identified. In connection with his agency he is discharging the duties of a pension agent and assistant agent for the Illinois Traction System.

On the 18th of June, 1909, Mr. David was united in marriage to Miss Nina A. Smith, a daughter of James M. and Frances (Landiss) Smith. Mrs. David was born at “The Maples” four miles east of Carrollton, in which vicinity her mother was also born, while the father is a native of Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Smith had the following children: Nina A.; Arthur, who is deceased; Harry W.; Grace, the wife of Charles R. Farrelly; and Helen, Laura and Philip, all of whom are at home. The parents are both living and together with their three youngest children continue to make their home on the old farm. To Mr. and Mrs. David have been born three children: Herbert, Francis and Herbert Tames, the first two died in infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. David both hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, while fraternally he is identified with Oriental Lodge, No. 95, of the Knights of Pythias, of which he is past chancellor, and the Carlinville Camp of the Modern Woodmen of America. Politically he is a republican, and has several times been secretary of the county central committee, and is now acting as assistant secretary. He is a member of the Illinois Press Association and served as treasurei of that organization for four years. Mr. David is one of the enterprising and popular business men of Carlinville, his estimable qualities having won him many loyal friends.

Extracted 18 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 697-699.