McDonough ILGenWeb

TWYMAN, Henry Clay (deceased), who was among the most successful and highly esteemed of the early merchants of Macomb, McDonough County, Ill., was born in Hodgensville, Ky., June 11, 1832, and died in Macomb, October 18, 1891. He was a son of Elijah and Mary (Bell) Twyman. His father was a Virginian by birth and a slaveholder. About the year 1800 his parents moved from Virginia to Hardin County, Ky., and located in a very sparsely settled and barren region, where they spent the remainder of their lives in the development of their landed possessions. The family owned many slaves. Henry Clay Twyman was one of a family of twelve or thirteen children. He lived with his parents in Kentucky until he was eighteen years old, and then came to Illinois. He received his first pair of trousers as a gift from the great statesman for whom he was named, Henry Clay. In boyhood he obtained what instruction was possible in the primitive district schools of Kentucky at that period and, after coming to Macomb, in 1850, attended the old Normal school. He lived with his brother, I. L. Twyman, until his marriage, when he moved to the site of the present "Macomb Journal" office, and afterward to the residence now occupied by his widow. His first experience in business was as clerk with his brother I. L. Twyman and D. P. Wells, dry-goods merchants. In 1854 he became proprietor of a drug store, which was carried on for a number of years, and subsequently was engaged in the dry-goods trade with a profitable patronage. He traveled considerably in this country, his trips eventually covering nearly every State in the Union.

On October 9, 1856, Mr. Twyman was united in marriage with Martha Chandler at Macomb. Mrs. Twyman was a daughter of Colonel Charles and Sarah (King) Chandler, and a sister of C. V. Chandler, of the Macomb banking institution, and J. E. Chandler, of St. Louis. Eight children resulted from this union, two of whom died in infancy. The others were: Charles Elijah, deceased; Sarah Belle (Mrs. Charles Mapes), of Kansas City, Mo.; Vilasco Chandler, deceased, twenty-one years old; Henry Iverson, deceased; Willis F., of Macomb; Catherine (Mrs. R. C. Hall), of Oak Park, Ill.; Mary King (Mrs. Charles McLean), of Chicago; and Franklin, of the same city. In his religious connection, Mr. Twyman was a member of the Christian denomination. He officiated as Trustee of the Christian Church in Macomb, and was also its clerk and treasurer for a long period. On political issues he was identified with the Republican party, and in fraternal circles, with the I. O. O. F. and the A. F. & A. M. Mr. Twyman filled a number of responsible positions outside the business field. He served twice as County Treasurer to his great personal credit and the satisfaction of the public; and was also County Assessor and Collector for the North Cross Railroad. He was one of the original stockholders of the First National Bank of Macomb, owned valuable city and farm property and was a man of broad, reliable and thoroughly honorable character.

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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907, volume 2, page 1031, extracted 07 Aug 2020 by Norma Hass.