Brush, Daniel Harmon, 1813-1890

Early Southern Illinois settler, businessman, founder of Carbondale, Ill. and commander of the 18th Illinois Infantry. Came from Vermont with his family to settle in Greene County, Ill. in 1820. His father died soon after and when his mother remarried, he moved to Jackson County where his married sister lived and started working, at age sixteen, in his brother-in-law's store. He took flatboats, loaded with cattle, hogs and produce, down the Mississippi to sell along the way or in New Orleans. By the age of 24 he was holding offices of Clerk of the Circuit Court, Judge of Probate, Recorder of Deeds and PostMaster. He married Julia Etherton and in the ensuing years he had stores in Murphysboro and Carbondale, helped found Carbondale, Carbondale College, Bank of Jackson County, was licensed as an attorney in 1860 and helped form Company K of the 18th Illinois and fought with them until 1863 when he resigned. Had by then been commissioned as a Colonel.

From the description of Papers, 1813-1890. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 48749295