THE UNIVERSITY
OF ILLINOIS
LIBRARY
I
X II i oo ws> H t-ertbr* -Su*-
HISTORY
OF THE
EARLY SETTLERS
OF
SANGAMON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
CENTENNIAL RECORD.
ASSISTED BY HIS WIFE,
MRS. S. A. POWER.
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.:
EDWIN A. WILSON & CO-
1876.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1876, by
JOHN CARROLL POWER
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.:
E. L. MERRITT & BRO., PRINTERS,
1876.
LIBRARY
OF THE
UNivcn:;:v cr !LL:;:O;S
OUR OWN PRELUDE.
^-p ,
OUR OWN PRELUDE.
It is with unfeigned satisfaction that I write these closing words, for that is what"
they are, although placed at the opening of the volume.
It. will be found, by consulting the book, that in settling Sangamon county every
one of the original thirteen States are represented, also every State organized before
Illinois; and that the descendents of the early settlers of this county may be found in
every State organized since Illinois; also in the District of Columbia, and in every
Territory belonging to the United States government. Remarkable as it may appear,
there is not a State or Territory in our whole nation but has some chord that centers
in Sangamon county. Many European countries might be included also. Thus it
will be seen that the homogeneous character of our whole people could not be more
forcibly illustrated than by this volume.
It is my hope that it will be an educator, in suggesting the idea of how to arrange
o | and continue a family history. There are family histories presented here that will be
'.' prized for many generations, and yet but few of them would ever have been written
11 up by the families themselves. ' It is surprising that there are not more families who write
up their own histories. Family pride is commendable, and, viewed properly, should
^ be a powerful stimulant to right living, but it can have no reliable foundation without
written history. Let a man rise to eminence and all'are eager to learn something of
>- his origin and history. I could not cite a more remarkable instance of this than has
already been developed in this county, in the history of Abraham Lincoln. There are
I.P hundreds of families in the county from whom, to all human appearance, a great man
} is as likely to spring as in the case mentioned, and yet they have no family records, or
; if they do keep them, they only give dates without locating events. Look at your
y family Bibles and see if you can learn from them where any event connected with
your ancestors took place. You must remember, however, that this all requires labor.
If you wish to test it, go to work and prepare a sketch of a numerous family such as
you find here.
I expected to complete this in one year, but when the magnitude of the work
dawned on me I thought it might take two vt-ais. Nearly that time was >>pent in
collecting the materials. The two years has doubk-d, and with four months added, 1
find myself putting on the finishing touches. Thus you have the result of more than
four years labor on my part, and about two years by Mrs. Power. She has, during
that time, written nearly two thousand letters of inquiry to the descendents of early
settlers, and has incorporated the information obtained by their replies, in the family
86746
OUR O WN PREL UDE.
sketches to which they properly belong, besides rendering me much other valuable
assistance, in all parts of the book.
To Edwin A, Wilson, not only thanks, but much more substantial tokens of ap-
proval are due. He has done that which none of the early settlers seemed disposed to
do. Without his co-operation, in furnishing the sinews of war, I should not have
undertaken the work.
To Messrs. Preston Breckenridge, N. W. Matheny and N. M. Broadwell, the com-
mittee of the Old Settlers' Society, who have so heartily entered into the spirit of the
work, I not only tender my thanks, but venture to express the hope and belief that
every family represented in the book will feel under lasting obligations to them for the
impartial manner in which they have discharged the duties devolving upon them.
To the families of the early settlers, who so kindly and courteously responded to
my inquiries, and extended to me the hospitalities of their homes, I cannot find words
to express the thanks I feel; but ardently hope that the perusal of the book will
return to you some of the pleasure I enjoyed in visiting your families. In the book we
lay before you, we think all will admit that every pledge has been more than redeemed.
What I say about myself and rny associates will be seen the first time by them, as it is
by you here in print.
And last, though not least, I reverently bow with thanksgiving and praise to
Almighty God, that He granted to me uninterupted health from the beginning to the
end of this work. J- ^" P-
SPRINGFIELD, ILL., December, 1876.
SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR.
FROM THE
UNITED STATES BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY.
ILLINOIS VOLUME, PAGE 86 1876.
TOHN C ^RROLL POWER was born September 19, 1819, in Fleming county, Kentucky,
between Flemmgsburg and Mount Carmel. His grandfather Joseph Power, with
six brothers older than himself, were all living near Leesburg, Loudon county, Vir-
ginia at the beginning of the American Revolution, and all became soldiers m the cause
of freedom Some of the elder brothers served through the whole seven years strug-
<rle for Independence, the younger ones entering the army as soon as they arrived at a
suitable age. Joseph was but sixteen years old when he enlisted, and that was during
last year of the war. He was married a few years later, and, in 1793, started with
his wJfe, children and household goods, on pack-horses, and in company with several
other families crossed- the Allegheny mountains to Pittsburgh They descended he
Ohio river in boats, landing at Limestone, now Maysville, and afterwards settled
what became Fleming county, Kentucky.
John Power, the second son of Joseph, born November, 1787,, in London county,
Virginia, was the father of the subject of this sketch. He was a farmer in comfortable
circumstances and the owner of a few slaves; but with his numerous fam.lv he could
not send his children from home to acquire that education wh.ch ,s now to be obtained
in district schools, within the reach of all; consequently this son of whom we wr
grew to manhood without having mastered more than the simplest rudiment, of the
English language.
Like many other men who have struggled against adverse circumstances, he com-
nftnced his education a, a period of life when he should have been ,n possess,.
He takes pleasure in attributing to a great extent the measure .of success he 1 as attain-
ed both morallv and mentally, to his selection ot a wife. He was marned May ,4,
SS Miss S-arah A. Harris. The marriage was solemnized about ,wenty.s,x miles
betw Cincinnati, in Aurora, Indiana. Miss Harris was born there Octobe, ,,
1824, of English parentage.
Her ^ndfathcr, on the maternal side, was the Rev. John Wadsworth, who was
Rector off single parish of the Protestant Episcopal church near Manchester, England,
more than a Ihiri of a century. His daughter Catalina was the mother ol Mrs.
Power.
On her father's side the history reaches back to her great-grandfather, William
Fox, who was a wholesale merchant in London. He was also deacon of a Bapti
church in that city. By his business travels he became conversant with the i
SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR.
and destitute condition of the poor people of the kingdom, and made an effort to in-
duce Parliament to establish a system of free schools; but failing in that, he next un-
dertook to persuade his friends to unite with him in organizing and supporting a sys-
tem of week-day instruction so extensive that "every person in the kingdom might be
taught to read the Bible." When he had gone far enough to realize that the magni-
tude of the work was almost appalling, his attention was providentially drawn to the
consideration of Sunday schools, in order to determine whether or not thev would an-
swer the same pnrpose. Becoming convinced that they would, he zealously adopted
the latter plan, and on the yth ot September, 1785, he organized in the city of London
the first society in the world for the dissemination of Sunday schools. That society
stood for eignteen years without a rival, and during that time it was instrumental in
establishing Sunday schools ..wherever Christian, missions had unfurled the banner of
the cross.
William Fox had two sons and three daughters- The eldest daughter, Sarah, be-
came the wife of Samuel Harris, a druggist of London. They had a son and daughter.
The son, William Tell Harris, was married April 24, 1821, in England, to Catalina
Wadsworth, daughter of Rev. John Wadsworth, as already stated. They came to
America soon after their marriage, and settled in Aurora, Indiana. They have both
been dead many years. Their only living child, -Sarah A., was educated at private
schools, and a four years' course in Granville Female Seminary, an institution under
the auspices of the Protestant Episcopal church, at Granville, Ohio, from which she
graduated in 1842. After her marriage to Mr. Power, in 1845, a * his request she
directed his studies, and when he began to write for publication she became his critic;
in that way rendering the best possible assistance, which she continues to the present
time.
Mr. Power was brought up a farmer, but engaged in other pursuits a number of
years, always cultivating habits of study and occasional writing, but without any
thought of becoming an author until well advanced in life. He met with serious
reverses about the beginning of the great rebellion; and at its close, finding himself in
possession of a few thousand dollars, determined to return to agricultural pursuits. He
accordingly removed to Kansas, purchased a farm and prosecuted the tilling of it for
three years. The grasshoppers destroyed the crops of 1866 and 1867, and the drought
of 1868 made almost a total loss of those three years, with all the expense of farming.
In April, 1869, he accepted the first and only offer he ever received for his farm,
returned to Illinois, and since that time has devoted himself almost exclusively to
literary pursuits.
His prize essay on Self-Education, for which the Illinois State Agricultural Society
awarded him a premium in 1858, was revised and published in "Harkness' Magazine;"
the editor expressing the opinion that those who read it would find it "one of the most
profitable, instructive and mentally and morally invigorating essays they ever read."
His "History of the Rise and Progress of Sunday Schools," published in 1864, by
Sheldon & Co., New York, was his first publication in book form. It is the only con-
nected history of that noble branch of Christian work ever attempted, and appears by
common consent to be accepted as the standard authority on that subject. Mr. Power
has written several books and pamphlets on various local subjects; also magazine
articles on a great variety of topics.
SKETCH OP THE AUTHOR.
An open letter by him to the Postmaster-General, on the subject of addressing mail
matter, is a brief and interesting magazine article. Some of his ideas are quite novel,
and will bear investigation. The main point he aims to enforce is, that all mail matter
should be addressed by first writing the name of the state in full, next the county, then
the postoffice, and end with the name of the person or firm expected to receive it; thus
reversing the order practiced from time immemorial. He considers that essay his con-
tribution to the great American Centennial.
Perhaps his most finished work is the latest his monumental edition of the "Life
of Lincoln." It is a fitting tribute to the nation's martyred dead. His style is pecu-
liarly clear, concise and original. He treats every subject most thoroughly and com-
prehensively, yet with an ease and grace of manner that charms the reader. A gen-
tleman of the highest literary attainments, connected with Madison University,
Hamilton, New York, in a note to the publishers, says: "I have read your 'Life of
Lincoln' by Power. It has the charm of a novel."
Mr. Power is now engaged on a history of the early settlers of Sangamon county,
Illinois, which, of course, includes the city of Springfield, his place of residence. This
work, upon which he has spent more than four years' constant labor, will be issued in
1876. It is awaited with expectant interest by his numerous friends. He has other
literary work laid out, sufficient to keep him employed for years to come, and will
doubtless continue in that pursuit the remainder of his days.
EARL1 SETTLERS OF
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Additions, Omissions and Corrections ................................ 16
Letter A .................................................... 73-
B .......................................................... 87
C .......... ..." ............................................. 165
D .................................... ..................... 242
'
H ....................................................... 346
.......................................................... 397
.
K ......................................................... 42 1
L ......................................................... 435
M ................ ................................... ...... 47i
J? ............................................... : ....... '537
......................................................... 54P
p ..... ............................ ' ....................... 552
*'. .................. . ................................... 59<
o ....................... .............................. . ... 633
T ........................................... ............. 6 99
u .............................. .......................... 733
V- ........................................................ 735
W ........................................................ 745
Y ....................................................... --789
z ......................................................... 79 6
Deep Snow ........ ............................................... 62
Extract from 111. Vol. United States Biographical Dictionary ........... 5
Historical Prelude ................................................. 25
Long Nine ........................................................ 494
Miscellaneous ..................................................... 62
Note of 101 citizens ....... ............................. ............ 48
Old Settlers Society ................................................ 9
Ordinance of 1787 .............................. . ................. 27
Our own Prelude ...... . .......................... ........... ' ...... 3
Railroads ......................................................... 43
Sangamon County ................................ ................. 31
Springfield. .... ................. . ................................. 44
State Capitals ..................................................... 45
Sudden Change ................................................... 6=5
Trayler Brothers ......................................... . ........ 720
Wars Black Hawk ............................................... 54
" Winnebago ................................................ 53
OLD SETTLERS'* SOCIETY.
ORGANIZATION
OF THE
OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.
ITS MEETINGS AND MOVEMENTS TO HAVE A
HISTORY OF THE EARLY SETTLERS
WRITTEN AND PUBLISHED.
A call for a meeting of the early settlers of Sangamon county, Illinois, was drawn
up May 25, 1859, by Pascal P. Enos, and circulated by him until sixty-one signatures
were obtained, proposing a meeting of all those who were citizens of the county pre-
vious to the winter of the "deep snow," 1830-31; for the purpose of organizing a
society to preserve the history of Springfield and Sangamon county. The call was
published in the Jotirnal and Register of May 27th, and the meeting was held June
1st, and adjourned to June 15, 1859.
The OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY OF SANGAMON COUNTY was then organized by
adopting a constitution, in which it was declared that all persons were old settlers who
came to the co.untv previous to the "deep snow." Thomas Moffitt was chairman, and
Pascal P. Enos secretary of the meeting. It was declared that October 2oth of each
year should he celebrated as Old Settlers' Day, in honor of the first cabin in the county
having been raised by Robert Pulliam, October 20, 181 7. It was also declared that
until the first Monday in June, 1860, the officers of the society should be Thomas
Moffitt, President, and Pascal P. Enos, Secretary.
The old settlers and their descendents assembled on the morning of Oct. 20, 1859,
in the vicinity, formed in procession, and, headed by a hand of music, marched to
where the first cabin stood. Two wagons had been drawn together on the spot to
serve as a platform. The President, Judge Moffitt, called the meeting to order, and
the exercises were opened with prayer by Rev. Wm. S. Prentice, the presiding elder of
the Springfield district of the M. E. church. The hand then played the red, white and
blue, after which the Hon. James H. Matheny was introduced and delivered an oration,
suitable to the occasion. Several other brief speeches were made after which they
held a festival in picnic style, and thus passed the day, to the general satisfaction
of all who assembled there.
It was fully expected that those meetings would he held annually, but nine long and
eventful years passed before the e arly settlers of the county held another reunion. The
2
io OLD SETTLERS^ S
next year, at the proper time for holding the meeting, the whole country was abla/e
with the political excitement of the campaign that terminated in the election of
Abraham Lincoln one of the least pretentious of the early settlers of Sangainon
county to the office of President of the United States. .Then followed war, that
terminated in the abolition of slavery and the death of President Lincoln.
RE-ORGANIZATION OF THE SOCIETY.
July 28, 1868, a call appeared in the Jotirnal and the Register, proposing to hold
a meeting at Clear Lake, seven miles east of Springfield, on the 2oth day of August.
The call was signed by thirty-two of the early settlers.
CLEAR LAKE, August 20, 1868.
The meeting was called to order by the chairman of the committee of arrange-
ments, Strother G. Jones, Esq. Exercises were opened with prayer by Rev. C. B.
Stafford. Speeches were made by Munson Carter, Rev. John England, Gen. M. K.
Anderson, and Samuel Williams, when they adjourned for dinner, which was taken in
pic-nic style. After dinner Preston Breckenridge gave an account of his three first years
in the county, 1834-5-6. The year 1835, ' ias always been remembered as a time of great
suffering. Other speeches were made and the meeting adjourned.
CLEAR LAKE, Aug. 20, 1869.
The annual meeting of the Early Settlers' of Sangamon County was called to
order at 12 o'clock by S. G. Jones, the President. After prayer by Rev. Mr. Holton,
of Springfield, speeches were made by Rev. Dr. Bergen, Revs. C. B. Stafford and
David England, and adjourned for dinner. After that, more speeches by J. Wickliffe
Taylor, P. Breckenridge and J. H. Matheny. The meeting was then closed for the
purpose of effecting a more permanent organization, which was done by enrolling
eighty-six names of early settlers, of both sexes. They provided for future business by
the election of P. Breckenridge, President; Samuel Preston and Strother G. Tones,
Vice Presidents; John F. King, Secretary.
CLEAR LAKE, Aug. 31, 1870.
Mr. Breckenridge not being present, Vice President S. G.Jones called the meeting
to order. Prayer was offered by Rev. Francis Springer, who followed that with an
address. Brief speeches were made by Elisha Primm, David England and Samuel
A. Grubb, and after dinner, Samuel Williams read a paper full of historical reminis-
cences. Speeches were made by Cg>\. Thomas Bond of Taylorville, Joab Wilkinson
of Macon county, and John Fletcher of Sangamon, and adjourned.
IRWJNS GROVE, Sept. 23, 1871.
Mr. Breckenridge called the meeting to order, and the exercises were opened with
prayer by the venerable Daniel Wadsworth of Auburn. Thomas S. Parks, the
secretary, read the minutes, followed by a brief 'speech from Samuel Williams.
Governor Palmer was then introduced and made a speech depicting many scenes
OLD SETTLERS'* SOCIETY. ir
and incidents in the lives of the early settlers, not forgetting his own experience in
courting, by taking his girl behind him on horseback to camp meetings, picnics, etc. It
was regarded as the most mirth 'provoking speech ever delivered at an old settlers'
meeting. After that came dinner, followed by a letter from General McClernand and
speeches from J. H. Matheny and Hon. John T. Stuart. Then came the election of
officers, as follows:
P. BRECKENRIDGE, President.
NOAH MASON, Vice President.
THOMAS S. SPARKS, Secretary,
Oak Ridge Park, adjoining Springfield on the north, SEPTEMBER 29, 1872.
The meeting of the Old Settlers was called to order at eleven o'clock. As a change
in the usual programme, the Society proceeded at once to the election of officers for
the ensuing year. Job Fletcher was elected President, with seventy Vice Presidents,
and Noah W. Matheny, Secretary. After dinner, General John A. McClernand was
introduced and spoke about three-fourths of an hour in a chaste' and eloquent style.
The next speech was by Rev. William J. Rutledge. He said that thirty-three years
betore he had run a saw mill on Spring creek and sawed stringers used in laying the
track of the first railroad ever built in the State of Illinois. The latter part of his
speech was exceedingly humorous and closed amid a roar of laughter. Major Elijah
lies then took the stand and in a conversational way related many interesting incidents
of his experience among the early settlers. He was followed by Revs. J. D. Randall,
of Edwardsville, and William S. Prentice and F. H. Wines, of Springfield. George
R. Weber made the closing speech, and the meeting adjourned.
PLEASANT PLAINS, August 29, 1873.
The Old Settlers assembled in full force. A long train of cars well filled, came from
Springfield, bringing the old settlers from all other parts of the county. The Presi-
dent, Captain Job Fletcher, called the meeting to order, and an address of welcome
ws delivered by Rev. John Slater, of Pleasant Plains. The exercises were formally
opened with prayer by Rev. Mr. Lyon of the M. E. church. Governor Palmer \v;is
then introd\ ced and made an excellent old settlers' speech in his usual mirth provoking
style. Next came dinner, after which several more speeches, and then the following
officers were elected for the ensuing year: Rev. Samuel M. Wilson, of Pleasant
Plains, President; James Parkinson, Vice President; and N. W. Matheny, Secretary.
Crow's Mill, or Cotton Hill, SEPTEMBER 10, 1874.
The Old Settlers assembled in large numbers to-day, in Stout's Grove, to find that
the most ample provision had been made for their comfort by the local committee,
William Burtle, Philemon Stout, Davis Meredith and Job Fletcher. The President,
Mr. Wilson, not having arrived, the meeting was called to order by Captain Fletcher.
After a few short speeches, dinner was announced and partaken of with H keen relish
by all. More speeches were then made, and a vote of thanks was tendered the retiring
President, Rev. S. M. Wilson. The following officers were then elected: William
12 OLD SETTLERS* SOCIETY.
Burtle, President; Alexander B. Irwin and Dayis Meredith, Vice Presidents; Noah
W. Mathenv, Secretary.
CANTRALL, ILL., Aug. 21, 1875.
The Old Settlers' of Sangamon and Menard counties held a union meeting here to-
day. William Burtle, President of the Old Settlers' Society of Sangamon county as-
sumed the chair, and the meeting was opened with prayer by Elder Vawter of Cant-
rail. Speeches and feasting occupied the time until just previous to adjournment,
when the following were elected as officers for the ensuing year: Alexander B. Irwin,
President, E. C. Matheny, Secretary.
Fair grounds, near SPRINGFIELD, ILLS., Aug. 31,' 1876.
The Old Settlers' of Sangamon county, assembled here to-day by thousands. They
came by the Chicago & Alton Railroad, in wagons and carriages, on horseback and on
foot. Alexander B. Irwin, the President, being detained by sickness, the assembly was
called to order by Gen. M. K. Anderson. Brief speeches were made, but the princi-
pal one was by Hon. William H. Herndon. It was rich in incidents and anecdotes,
and flashed with brilliant thoughts throughout. After this speech one hour was de-
voted to dinner in pic-nic style. A few more short speeches were made and then the
following were elected as officers' of the society for the next year: Alexander B. Irwin,
President; Gen. M. K. Anderson, Vice President; E. C. Matheny, Secretary.
OLD SETTLERS HISTORY.
In June, 1872, I was called upon by Hon. Preston Breckenridge, who was then
serving his third term as President of the Old Settlers' Society of Sangamon County.
He stated, in substance, that the early settlers of the county had for some years been
talking of having something written and published that would serve as a history of
the county and biographical sketches of themselves; that thus far they had not found
any person qualified for the work who was willing to undertake it. He further stated
that a copy of the small pamphlet history of Springfield, prepared and published by
myself, under the auspices of the Springfield Board of Trade, had fallen into his hands,
and that after perusing it, and conversing with some of his friends who knew me, he
determined to form my acquaintance, and see if I could be induced to engage in the
enterprise. He very frankly told me there was no fund to defray the expense, that the
only inducement they could offer would be their co-operation in collecting information
and giving their subscriptions for the book. The following communication was the
result of that interview :
Hon. P. Breckenridge, President of the Society of Old Settlers of Sangamon
Cozmty :
SIR: You, as the representative of your society, having expressed to me a desire
to have a book written and published, to preserve, as far as possible, the biographical,
historical and other reminiscences of the early settlers of Sangamon county, and having
requested me to suggest a plan upon which I would be willing to undertake such a
work, I offer the following as my views upon the subject: The materials are so
abundant, that I would not be willing to engage in it if I were required to compress
all in a very small, cheap volume. I propose to undertake to write and publish a book
OLD SB / TL ERS^ S O CIE 7 T. 13
upon that subject, to contain not less than five hundred octavo pages, with a small map,
showing all the townships, villages, towns and cities, with other objects of interest, in
the county all to he printed on the best quality of book paper, and bound in the finest
of English cloth, provided I can obtain subscriptions for one thousand copies at five
dollars per copy.
If this plan should meet the views of your society, I should expect old settleas to
co-operate with me, by furnishing all the information they may respectively possess.
It would be more satisfactory for those interested, if you would appoint a committee of
three a majority of whom shall reside in Springfield to whom I can submit all copy
for their approval, before publication.
J. C. POWER.
Springfield, Aug. 14, 1872.
At a meeting of a committee of the Society of Old Settlers, on the fifteenth of
August, the above communication was laid before them, whereupon the following reso-
lutions were adopted:
Resolved, That this society heartily endorses the proposition of Mr. Power, and
we hereby pledge ourselves, as a society and as individuals, to co-operate with him in
obtaining the requisite number of subscribers and in collecting information and com-
piling the book.
Resolved, That the President of this society, Hon. P. Breckenridge, is hereby re-
quested to appoint two old settlers of this count)-, who reside' in Springfield, to act
with himself, the three to form the committee to point out sources of information to
Mr. Power, and examine his manuscript, for the purpose of correcting all errors before
publication.
Resolved, That for the purposes of this book, all persons are considered old
settlers, who were citizens of Sangamon county previous to December 31, 1840.
Mr. Breckenridge appointed Noah W. Matheny and Judge N. M. Broadwell as
his colleagues so that the committee is composed of Hon. P. Breckenridge, Hon. N.
W. Matheny, and Hon. N. W. Broadwell.
The Old Settlers' Society by this action did all that was necessary to place the sub-
ject in its true light before the public, but the undertaking was one involving so much
time, labor and money, that nearly two months elapsed before I decided to go on with
the work, when the following was added, and the canvassing commenced:
With the view of rendering' the book of general interest to all the citizens, I shall
make the history of the county as full as possible, to the date given in the third resolu-
tion. In this history all old settlers will be incidentally mentioned, but for those who
take sufficient interest in it to subscribe for one or more copies of the book, a concisely
written biographical sketch will be given of themselves and families. The order of
arrangement will be, first, the history, then the biographical sketches.
At a meeting of the Old Settlers' Society in Springfield, August 22, 1874, for the
purpose of agreeing on the time and place of holding the next annual festival, and for
the transaction of any other business that might come before it, the following report of
special committee was read, and on motion ordered to be included as part of the pro-
ceedings of the meeting:
14 OLDISETTLERS^ SOCIETT.
GENTLNMEN: We, the undersigned, committee appointed by your honorable body
two years ago this day, to co-operate with Mr. J. C. Power, and so far as necessary,
direct his movements in preparing a history of the old settlers of Sangamon county,
beg leave to report that we have examined his work, and find that he has canvassed
the whole county outside of Springfield, and that we are highly pleased with the pro-
gress made. Mr. Power has collected a much greater quantity of material than we
had expected; and the work, when completed, we believe will be a source of much
pleasure to the surviving Old Settlers, and of increasing interest to their descendents
in all coming time. He is more than redeeming every promise made at the commence-
ment, and it will amply repay all the patrons of the work to wait with patience the
few months longer that will" be necessary to complete it.
In view of the fact that there is such a vast fund of interesting information, we
have advised Mr. Power that if there be any families of old settlers who do not take
sufficient interest in the subject to aid by their subscription in carrying forward the
work, that he omit any extended sketches of them, in order to devote more space to
historical matters of general interest.
PRESTON BRECKENRIDGE,
N. W. MATHENY,
N. M. BROADWELL.
My time was fully occupied for nearly two years in writing up and arrangino- the
materials in my hands, and incorporating additional matter constantlv coming in.
This brought us to our "Centennial" year, and the following Joint Resolution was
passed by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, and approved
by the President, U. S. Grant, March 13, 1876:
Be it resolved by the Senate "and House of Reprvsentatives of the United States of
America, in Congress assembled, That it be, and is hereby recommended by the Sen-
ate and House of Representatives to the people of the several States that thev assemble
in their several counties or towns on the approaching centennial anniversary of our
national independence, and that they cans* to have delivered on such a day an histori-
cal sketch of said county or town from its formation, and that a copy of said sketch
may be filed, in print or manuscript, in the Clerk's office of said county, and an addi-
tional copy, in print or manuscript, be filed in the office of the Librarian of Congress,
to the intent that a complete record may thus be obtained of the progress of our insti-
tutions during the first centennial of their existence.
Hon.J. L. Beveridge, Governor of Illinois, issued a proclamation April 25, 1876,
recommending to the people in every county and town in the State, that they take
measures to carry out the recommendations of the Joint Resolution of Congress. The
following correspondence was in compliance with the recommendations:
MR. J. C. POWER:
Sir: As Congress has, by joint resolution, recommended to the people of the
several States, that they cause to be prepared and preserved in a certain manner, histo-
ries of the different places, "to the intent that a complete record may thus be obtained
of the progress of our institutions during the first centennial of our existence;" and as
the Governor of Illinois has by proclamation, called upon the people of this State to
prepare such record, we, as Advisory Committee of the "Old Settlers' Society," of San-
OLD SETTLERS' SOC1ETT.
gam on county, in the absence of any action on this subject by the city or county
authorities, suggest that your "History of Sangamon County" be supplied by you in
compliance with the requirements of the resolution of Congress, as the Centennial
record.
Having examined two hundred and fifty pages of the advance sheets of your work,
it appears to fill the requirements both as to Sangamon county and the city of Spring-
field, and is more complete and full than any similar work could be, if gotten up and
prepared in the brief time yet remaining for such business.
NOAH W. MATHENY,
N. M. BROADWELL,
PRESTON BRECKENRIDGE.
Springfield, 111., May 8, 1876.
On behalf of the officers of Sangamon county we heartily concur in the foregoing
suggestions, believing that the object desired will be completely attained thereby.
JAMES H. MATHENY, County Judge.
JOHN J. HARDIN, County Clerk.
Messrs. Matheny, Broadvcell, Breckenridge^ Matheny and Hardin :
Your note of the 8th instant is before me. In reply, I would say that my work of
nearly four years' incessant toil on the history of the Early Settlers of Sangamon
County is drawing to a close. I very willingly acquiesce in your suggestion that it be
adopted as the "Centennial record." It is passing through the press as rapidly as pos-
sible: two hundred and fifty of the six or seven hundred pages are already printed. It
may not be entirely finished by the arrival of the Centennial anniversary, but when com-
pleted I will have copies bound in the most durable manner, and deposited at the places
designated in the joint resolution of Congress, with special reference to the pleasure it
may afford your descendents in perusing its pages at our second Centennial anniversarv.
Respectfully yours,
J. C. POWER.
Springfield, Ills., May 9, 1876.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL., Dec. 21, 1876.
1. C. POWER, ESQ.:
Sir : Having given your book entitled, "History of the Early Settlers of Sanga-
mon County, Illinois," a somewhat careful examination, we are free to say that it more
than fulfills the promises made by you in undertaking the execution of the work.
X. M. BROADWELL, J
X. W. MATHKNY, / Committee.
PRESTON BRECKENRIDGK, \
ADDITIONS, OMISSIONS AND COEEECTIONS.
ABEL, ROSWELL, Sen.,
His wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Abel, died Aug.
9, 1876, in Rochester, 111.
ALEXANDER, JOHN S.,
See his name, page 77. His son WIL-
LIAM, died Aug. 21, 1876, at Williams-
, ville, 111., and was buried at Oak Ridge
vCemetery, Springfield.
N AMOS, Mrs. SARAH Seeker
name, page Si. The name of her son,
Judge Samuel K. Swingley, is there erro-
neous 1 '// spelled Swinley.
ANBERSON/Gen. MOSES
K.. See iii.3 name, page 82. His son,
WILLIAM WILKES, was married
Aug. 14, 1876, near Hillsboro, Fleming
county, Ky., to Emma L. Jones, a native
of that county. He continues his studies
at Transylvania University, Lexington,
Kentucky.
BEAM, JACOB H. See his name,
page 105. He died Dec. i, 1876.
BENNETT, Rev. WIL-
LIAM T. See page in. His daugh-
. ter, REBIE //., was married June 6,
1876, to Geo. W. Freto, and resides in
Mechanicsburg, Illinois.
BRADLEY, WILLIAM, was
born in 1786, in Gieen county, Kv., and
was married there Sept. 20, 1810, to Eliz-
abeth Crowder. They moved to Sanga-
rnon county, arriving September, 1831, in
what is now Ball township, bringing
eight children, and had three born there.
Of their children, the eldest
MART, born Aug. 4, 1810, in' Green
county, Ky., was married there to Jacob
Greenawalt. See his name, page JJQ.
He died and she was married Oct. 29, 1863,
to Michael Fay, as his third wife. He
was born July 18, 1824, i n Baden, Ger-
many, and was brought by his parents to
Sangamon county, in 1831. Mr. and Mrs.
Fay reside in Cotton Hill township, south-
west of New City, Sangamon county, 111.
Mrs. Fay is the only one of her father's
family living in the county.
William Bradley died Dec. 20, 1849, in
Sangamon county. His widow lives with
her son, Thomas, near Owaneco, Chris-
tian countv, Illinois 1874.
BROWN, ROBERT T., See his
name, page 150. His daughter, MAR-
GERY I., was married Sept. 6, 1876, to
Thomas S. Sawyer, and lives near Can-
trail, Illinois.
BULLARD, WESLEY. See his
name, page 158. His son, JAMES R.,
born Oct. 10, 1846, died July" 16, 1876, in
Mechanicsburg, Illinois. His son, JOHN
N., was married May 10, 1876, in Spring-
field, to Lillie May Pinckard, daughter of
Thomas Pinckard, of the State journal
office. .
CALLERMAN, E VAN H., page
169. He died September, 1876, in Wil-
liamsville, Illinois.
CANTRALL, JULIA, was married
June 17, 1876, in Buffalo, 111., to William
Campbell.
CANTRALL, ZEBULON P., died
April 24, 1876, at Chesnut, Illinois.
CLAYTON, JOHN C., was
born March 10, 1810, in Caldwell county,
Ky. He came to Sangamon county in
1829, with his cousin and brother-in-law,
John S. Clayton. See his nume, page
205. John C. Clayton was married Jan.
24, 1^30, in Beardstown, Illinois, to Gin-
sev (jane) Clack, who was born March 17,
18*15, in Caldwell county, Ky., also. They
had four children who lived to maturity.
Mr. Clayton was a soldier in a company
from Saugamon county, in the Black
Hawk War of 1832. Early in 1856, he
moved his family to the vicinity of Urbana,
Champaign county, Illinois. Of their
four children
HUMBERT, born August 17,' 1839,
in Alton, Madison county, 111., brought
up in Sangamon county, married April
14, 1867, in Decatur, Illinois, to Marietta
Fry. They reside near Chatham, Sanga-
mon county, Illinois.
ELI AS W., born Oct. 6, 1843, in San-
gamon county. In the war to suppress
SANGAMON COUNTY.
the rebellion, he became first lieutenant of
Co. 13, 3d Alo. Cav., and was killed in
battle at Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1864.
JO1L\ HARD1N, born June 16,
18-17, in Sangamon county, brought up in
Champaign county, Illinois, and married
at Neosho, Newton county, Missouri,
May 7, 1875, to Justie E. W b'ster, who
was born Nov. 19, 1854, at Pleasant .Hill,
Cass county, Missouri. She is a graduate
of Central Female College, Lexington,
Missouri. Since 1874, J. H. Clayton has
been a. member of the mercantile firm of
Whitsitt & Clayton, and resides at Nevada,
Missouri.
ANNA E., born May 26, 1851,111 San-
gamon county, brought up in Cham-
paign county, Illinois, arid in 1868 went to
make her home with an uncle in Missouri.
She was married Sept. 21, 1871, to C. E.
Whitsitt. They have one child, LENA
A. He is a member of the mercantile
firm of Whitsitt & Clayton, and resides at
Nevada, Vernon county, Missouri.
John C. Clayton died April 7, 1856,
near Urbana, Illinois. Mrs. Clayton was
married June 2, 1859, to William Craig.
She died Dec. 18, 1868.
CONSTANT, JONATHAN. His
son, LEWIS A., was married Dec. 17,
1875,10 Augusta J. Elder, and lives in
Springfield, Illinois.
CONSTANT, THOMAS, was
horn August 14, 1776, erroneously printed
i 796, on page 219.
DARNEILLE, JAMES W. See
page 2-1.2. He moved from Chicago to
l>clvidere, Illinois, where his wife, Mrs.
Belle Moulton Darneille, died in Novem-
ber, .1876.
CULLOM, SHELBY M. Sec his
name, page 298. He was elected Gov-
ernor of the State of Illinois Nov. 7, 1876,
and will be inaugurated Jan. 3, 1877.
D 1 XO N , J A M.E S M . See page
252. His daughter
HBS TER D., married Thomas Sto-
ker. They moved from Buffalo to the
vicinity of Illiopolis, Illinois. His son
RlCHAj.ll) Dixon, was married May
6, 1874, to Elizabeth E. Logan. They
have one son, and reside near Mechanics-
burg, Sangamon county, Illinois.
'DODDS, F. EW1NG. See page
22j. His daughter, Virginia E., was
married Nov. 15, 1876, to Ninian E. Ken-
ney.
DRENNAN, WILLIAM.
Sec his name, page 264. He ditd Sept.
28, 1876. He had been for several years,
and was at the time of his death, the oldest 1
citi/en of Sangamon county. His funeral
sermon was preached by Rev. J. C. Van
Patten, from Psalms 23-4: "Yea though
I walk through the valley of the shadow
ot death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art
with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they
comfort me."
ELK1N, GARRETT. See page
282. His son, CHARLES N., born
April 12, 1846, near Springfield, Illinois,
enlisted May, 1864, for one hundred days,
in Co. K, I33d 111. inf., ai.<l suved full
term. In June, 1865, he enlisted for one
year in Co. E, I54th 111. Inf., and served full
ttrm. He was married May 16, 1867, to
Harriet Regin, who died Jan. 16, 1873.
He was married Sept. i, 1874, to Ella
Welsh. He is conductor on the Spring-
field City Railway, and lives in Spring-
field, Illinois. EDWARD S. was with
his brother, Charles N., in the three
months service, and after that served two
years in Co. A, loth 111. Cav. He mar-
ried Mary A. Brown, has one child, LKK,
and lives in Springfield, Illinois.
ELLIOTT, TEMPLE, was elected
Nov. 7, 1876, sheriff of Sangamon county
for two years. See page 285.
FERGUSON, Mrs. LUCY.
See her name, page 293. Her son,
WILLIAM //., left four children, J. H.,
ELLEN, WILLIAM and MARTHA,
now living near Decatur, Illinois. Her
daughter, LUCY C., born in 1809, in
Culpepper county, Virginia, married there
in 1831 to Rev. Isaac Haines, of the M.
E. Church, who was born in 1806, in
Rappahannock county, Virginia. They
lived a short time in North Carolina, re-
turned to Virginia, and from there to
Sangamon county in 1836. They had
two children, WILLIAM C., born Sept.
21, 1832, in Wilmington, North Carolina,
brought up in Sangamon county, married
Dec. 14, 1859, in Christian county, Illinois,
to Lucy E. Young, who was born Jan. 12,
1840. She died Dec. 16, 1865, leaving
one child, DORA E. William C. Haines
was married Jan. i, 1866, in Missouri, to
Margaret Hancock, who was born in
1846, in Henderson county, Kentucky.
They have two children, LUCY i:. and
WILLIAM c.. jun., and reside near Taylor-
i8
EAR LI SETTLERS OF
ville, Illinois. LUCY A. Haines, born in
1835, in Albemarle county, Virginia,
married in 1854 in Taylorville, Illinois, to
J. V. Clark. They have one child, MAKY
.\. In 1859 they moved to Charleston,
Missouri, and now reside in Mississippi
county, opposite Cairo, Illinois. Rev.
Isaac Haines died in 1838, near Rochester,
Sangamon county, Illinois, and Mrs. Lucy
C. Haines died August, 1850, near Tay-
lorville, Illinois. PHILIP C. Ferguson's
son, EZEKIEL, horn August 5, 1839, in
Sangamon county, married January, 1869,
to Htster Kelly. They have two chil-
dren, iVTLip c. and HIRAM K., and live
near Tavlor\ ille, Illinois, Dr. Philip C.
Ferguson died Feb. 28, 1864. His widow
and four children, the eldest of whom is
THOMAS J., reside near Wathena,
Doniphan countv, Kansas.
FORTU'N E, THOMAS E.
S-ee his name, page 306. His daughter,
ELIZABETH, J. B., married Samuel
Odor Butts, who was born in February,
1809, and died August 26, 1840* leaving
three children. JULIA F. was married
in 1852 to Isaac Allen, have four children,
JESSIE, BEXJA.MIX, CHARLES and HKR-
MAN, and live in Jacksonville, Illinois.
ANNA E. married Josiah Burrows, have
three living children, ALBERT s., E. LEE,
and HELEN G., and live near Jacksonville,
Illinois. THOMAS S. lives in Colorado,.
Mrs. E. J. B. Butts married Barnabas Bar-
rows. They had one child, CHARLES,
born Jan. 3, 1854, near Jacksonville. Bar-
nabas Burrows died May 18, 1876, and his
widow and son reside near Jacksonville,
Illinois.
POSTER, JOHN S. See page
His wife's maiden name is erro-
neously spelled. It should be Eliza A.
Corson.
FOSTER, THOS. VEATCH,
was born Sept. 25, 1788, in Harrison coun-
tv, Kentucky. He was a brother to Ivins
Foster. See pzg'e jog. Thomas V. Fos^
ter was twice married and had four chil-
dren who lived to maturity bv each
marriage. He moved to Sangamon
county, Illinois, in 1826, and settled
seven miles southvyest of Springfield,
where he died of cholera November 15,
1832. His youngest child by the first
marriage, THOMAS VEA TCH FOS-
TER, Jnn., was born July 29, 1821, in
Harrison county, Kentucky, was married
June 24, 1847, in Sangamon county, to
Polly E., daughter of Augustine E. Fos-
ter, a younger brother of Ivins Foster.
Two years later Thomas V. Foster, Jun.,
and wife moved to the vicinity of Elkhart,
Logan county, Illinois. They had five
children. Their second child, WILLIAM
A. Foster, born June 27, 1849, in Sangamon
county, Illinois, five miles west of
Chatham, and brought up in Logan coun-
ty. He took a three years literary course
in the Illinois Weslevan University at
Bloomington, and graduated Feb. 10, 1876,
at the, Hahnemann Medical College,
Chicago. He is now December, 1876
a druggist in Springfield, Illinois.
FOUTCH, JOHN, was elected Nov.
7, 1876, to represent Sangamon county
for two years in the Legislature of Illinois.
He resides at New Berlin. Page JTO.
GALT, THOMAS, was born
Sept. 12, 1805, in Lancaster county, Penn-
sylvania. He received his literary educa-
tion at Jefferson college, Canonsburg,
Penn., and his theological education at the
Presbyterian Theological Seminary at
Allegheny City, Penn. He was licensed
to preach June 18, 1834, by the Presbytery
of Ohio. He was married Oct. 6, 1834, in
Washington county, Penn., to Sarah
Happer, who was born in that county
Sept. n, 1809. They moved west in the
spring of 1835, anf ^ a ' ter spending a few
months in Peoria, came to Springfield in
the autumn of that year. Rev. Dr. John
G. Bergen introduced Rev. Mr. Gait to
the Farmington Presbyterian church, of
which he soon after became pastor. Mr.
and Mrs. Gait had four living children,
namely
JAMES J., born Sept. 28, 1835, in
Sangamon county, was married October,
1857, to Mary A. Brown. They have
eight children, and live near Palmyra,
Nebraska.
JOHN, born Nov. 30, 1838, in Sanga-
mon county, married Feb. i:, 1862, to
Margaret A. Epler, who was born July
30, 1841, in Morgan countv, Illinois. They
had six children, MARTIN E. died
young, WILLIAM A., CHARLES E.,
ANNABEL, CARRIE and LILLIE
live with their parents. John Gait and
family resides at the family homestead
where his parents settled in 1835, and
where he wes born. It is one mile east of
Farmingdale, Sangamon county, Illinois.
SANGAMON COUNTY.
MARTIN H., born Sept. 9, 1841,111
Sangamon county, married Nov. 19, 1865,
to Clara Spillman. They have three
living children, and live near Manti, Fre-
mont county, Iowa.
THOMAS, Jun., born July 10, 1844,
in Sangamon county. He was married
August, 1869, at Otisville, New York, to
Jennie McFarlane. They have three
children. Rev. Thomas Gait, Jun., is
pastor of the First Prcsbvterian church of
Aurora, Illinois, and resides there.
Mrs. Sarah Gait died Jan. 25, 1849, near
Farmingdale, and Rev. Thomas Gait,
Sen,, married Margaret S. Moore. They
had one living child.
ELIHU L., born Feb. 13, 1850, in
Sangamon county, married April 9, 1872,
in Petersburg, Illinois, to Lou Bergen.
They have one child, and reside in Peters-
burg.
Rev. Thomas Gait, Sen., died Sept. 12,
1857, near Farmingdale, Sangamon coun-
ty, Illinois. Mrs. Margaret S. Gait re-
sides in Petersburg, Menard county, 111.
GARRETSON, THOMAS P.
See his name, page 324. He was born
Sept. 18, 1818, in Anne Arundel county,
Maryland, came in 1839 to Sangamon
countv, was married July 2, 1845, ' n
Menard county, Illinois, to Martha M.
Harrison, a native of Kentucky. They
had two children, both of whom died in
infancy, and Mrs. Garretson died April
26, 1848, in Springfield. He was married
Feb. 22, 1854, in Menard county to Phebe
Campbell, who was born April 26, 1831,
in Butler county, Ohio. They had ten
children. The three eldest, VINCENT,
AMANDA and ALBERT died of scar-
let fever from the 241)1 to the 28th of
September, 1858. The other seven,
COR Ni. LI US, BEAUREGARD,
L O U R E N A M A Y, J A M E S T.,
SARAH J., WILLIAM L. and AN-
N ETTA, live with their parents.
Thomas P. Garretson is a carpenter by
trade, and was working within six feet of
Winchester House, on the steeple of the
First Presbyterian church in Springfield,
in 1842, when Mr. House was thrown
from the steeple by lightning and killed.
Mr. Garretson and family reside ten miles
west of Lincoln, Logan county, Illinois.
GREENING, ZACHAR? T.
See page Jjp. His wife, Mrs. Marv
Greening, died in February, 1876.
HAINES, CHRISTOPHER.
His son, FRANCIS A., was born March
22, 1832, in Sangamon county. In 1852
he went overland to the Pacific coast, and
in 1856 and '7 was a volunteer soldier
against the Indians in the north of Oregon.
In November, 1858, he started for Illinois,
arriving in Springfield Januarv ist, and
was married in Ihireau county Jan. 17,
18:59, to Zerelda'G. Britt. They had two
children, ELLA BELLE and MINNIE,
both died young. Mr. Haines enlisted
Jan. 13, 1864, in Co. C, 2cl 111. Artillery,
served to the end of the rebellion, and
was mustered out with the regiment Aug.
3, 1865. He and his wife reside at New
City, Sangamon county, Illinois.
HAND, ELI AS, was born about
1770,111 Cape May county, New Jersey.
He was married there to Miss Say re.
They had four children in New Jersey,
and moved to Sangamon county,, arriving
May 30, 1838, in what is now Gardner
township. Of their children
DANIEL died, aged thirty years.
MARIA married John Robinson, and
lives in Minnesota.
JESSE married Mary Hagin, and
lives in New Jersey.
ELIZABETH,\>Q\n in New Jersey,
married in Sangamon county to Franklin
Bradley. They had one son, FRANK,
who is a minister in the M. E. Church,
and in 1873 lived in Davisville, Michigan.
Franklin Bradley died Sept. 14, 1845, an< ^
his widow married John G. Ransom. See
his name.
Elias Hand died November, 1856, and
his widow died in 1869, aged eighty-seven
years.
HARBUR, LEV I. See page
354. He died Nov. 27, 1876.
HARDIN, JAMES T. Page
J56. His son, Benjamin, was married
August 2, 1876.
HARROWER, WILLIAM.
Page j6o. His daughter, A GA'S //.,
widow of Dr. James B. Smith, died Xov.
5, 1876, in Springfield, Illinois.
HEDRICK, ALFRED, was
born near Greenville, Tennessee, came
with his father, Charles Hedrick, to San-
gamon county among the early settlers.
Alfred Hedrick lives in Taylorville, 111.,
Of his two sons
\\~1I.LIAM, born Jan. 25, 1844, in
Sangamon county, married April 8, 1865,
20
EARLY SETTLERS
o Martha M. Kimball, who was born .
Jan. 1 8, 1844, in Vermont. They now
^874 have four children, MARION C.,
NATHAN K., ALFRED C., and
ROBERT A., and live four miles south
of Rochester, Illinois.
HENRT R., born Feb. 25, 1848, in
Sangamon county, married Dec. 30, 1869,
to Laura J. Johnson, has two children
and lives four miles south of Rochester,
Illinois.
HEDRICK, JONATHAN,
born in Kentucky, and married there to
Julian Holland, a native of Maryland.
They had two children in Fleming
county, Ky., and moved to Sangamon
county, Illinois, arriving in the fall of
1830, at Buffalo Hart grove, thence to
what is now Clear Lake township, where
they had four children. Of their six chil-
dren
REBECCA, born Oct. 8, 1828 in
Fleming county, Ky., was married Oct.
16, 1847, to Joshua Cantrall. See his
name.
ROSETTA, born in Fleming county,
Kv., married in Sangamon county to Ab-
ner Clark. She died, leaving a son,
WILLIAM Clark.
BARTON, died, aged twenty-five
years.
NARCISSA, married McDonald Can-
trail. See his name.
FLEMING, died aged fifteen years.
MUNSON, iiorn in Sangamon county,
enlisted in 1862, for three years in Co. C,
h 111. Inf., and died at Vicksburg, a
short time after it was captured in 1863.
Jonathan Hedrick and wife reside in
Athens, Illinois.
HI C KM AN, GEORGE T. His
son, WILLIAM H., enlisted Aug. 5,
1862, in Co. B, i3Oth 111. Inf., and died
Jan. 19, 1863. Another son, JAMES
F., married Sophia C. Burns, and lives
near Buffalo Hart, Sangamon county, Illi-
nois 1876.
HOUGH.TON, ALVIN, born
June 12, 1810, in Madison, Somerset
county, Maine, was married Sept. 6, 1835,
at Skowhegan Falls, Maine, to Betsy
Hilton, who was born June 17, 1815, at
Anson, Maine. Alvin Houghton came
to S ringfielcl, Illinois., in June, 1837, and
brought his wife in the spring of 1840.
He was a carpenter by trade, and worked
at that business for about twelve years,
after which he kept a dairy until 1851,
when he moved twenty miles east of
Springfield, on a farm, and remained there
until the fall of 1869, and then moved to
Washington county, Kansas.
Alvin Houghton and wife had five chil-
dren
AMEL1 A, died in her second year.
ERVIN, O., born Dec. 14, 1841, in
Springfield, 111., was married Sept. 13,
1866, in Sangamon county to Sarah Jane
Wall, who was born Feb. 6, 1842, in
Allegany. county, Pennsylvania. They
have two children, LAURA E. and
LILLIAN, and live four and a half miles
northeast of Illiopolis, Illinois.
AUSTIN E\, born May 29, 1844, in
Illinois. Lives with his parents.
> CLIMENA B., died in her second
year.
A VILLIA B., born Jan. i, 1853, lives
with her parents, near Butler, Washing-
ton county, Kansas.
HUDSON, JOHN. See his
name, page 385. His son, JOHN M.,
died Oct. 12, 1876. His son, ANDRE W
J., having been married fourteen years,
has -an only child, MARGARET MA-
RIA, born Feb. :i, 1876.
ILES, ELIJAH, Sen. His wife,
Mrs. Melinda lies, died in May, 1866.
INSLEE, JOSEPH. His son
NEWTON JASPER, born Dec.
31, 1832, in Sangamon county, married
May 16, 1852, to Eliza A. Keys. They
had five children. ANN E., died in her
second year. EMMA J., MARY L.,
MELISSA and JOSEPH W.; the four
latter live with their parents near Cotton
Hill postoffice, Sangamon county, 111.
JAYNE, Dr. GERSHOM,
page 406. His daughter, JULIA M.,
married Hon. Lyman Trumbull. Their
son, Walter Trumbull, was married Sept.
27, 1876, in Chicago, to Hannah M. Sla-
ter.
JOHNSTON, ADAM, was
born April 14, 1816, in Glasgow, Scotland.
Wh 'n he was four days old his parents
embarked on bo rd a vessel, and after a
short stay at Belfast, Ireland, sail-, d for
America. Ian ling during the summ r of
that year in Philad Iphia, Prim. I e was
brought up in that city and learned the
busin ss of a marble mason. During that
time he assist' d in building Girard Col-
lege. He went in 1837, to Jefferson city,
SAN GAM ON COUNT*.
21
Missouri, and after filling a contract on
the State House, then in course of con-
struction there, he came to Springfield, in
the spring of 1839, and worked as a jour-
neyman on the State House of Illinois.
Mr. Johnson was married July 3, 1846 to
Barbara A. Wolgamot. He has been
continuously and successfully in business
in Springfield, nearly thirty-eight years.
Adam Johnson and wife now Decem-
ber, 1876 reside in Springfield, Illinois.
JOHNSON, LUE. See ^ his
name, page 413. His son, ORSON D.,
born April 23, 1827, in Vermont, was
married in Rochester, Sangamon county,
111., to Lydia Eggleston. They have four
living children, ELLEN, born Sept. 16,
1848, in Rochester, was married in Mount
Pulaski, April 16, 1865 to Aaron G.
Given, and have four children, FLORA,
i.i K, GEORGE, and MIXDRED, and live in
Mt. Pulaski, Illinois. OLLIE, born
Aug. 6, 1851, in Rochester, 111., was mar-
ried in Mt. Pulaski, Jan. 6, 1868, to Walter
McGraw, and died April 30, 1874, leaving
one child, RALPH. BET TIE, born July
6, 1858,. and WILLIAM, born Dec. 11,
1861, both in Mt. Pulaski. Orson, D.
Johnson and family, live in Mt. Pulaski,
Logan county, Illinois.
JONES, HASK1NS, was born
in Maryland, and married in JtfFerson
county, Term., to Lucy Tolley, and came
to Sangamon county, in 1835, settling in
Sand Prairie, five miks east of Roches-
ter. Th< y had thirteen children
JOHN F., married Lucinda Pike
and died, leaving one child, CHARLES
T.
ELIZABETH, married John L.
Firey. See his name.
DA VI D C , married Ann Griffith and
liv s mar Breckenridge, 111.
NANCY, married James Campbell,
and lives in Edinburg, 111.
MART P., married John B. Eaton.
See his name.
CARTER T., born Aug. 17, 1834, in
Jefferson county, Tenn., married in San-
gamon county, April 23, 1863, to Theiv-
saTalb.rr, has four childr n, FANNY,
LUCY, BETTY and CARTER T.,
Jun., and lives four milts south of Roches-
ter, Illinois.
HASK1NS, Jun., married Lettie
Swe< t, who died, and he married Again,
and lives near Breckenridge, Illinois!
LUCY J., married John H. Martin,
and lives near Taylorville, Illinois.
PR ISC ILL A, married Thomas
Stokes. See his name. He died and she
married James Lay, and lives in Kansas.
Haskins Jones died in 1842, and his
widow died April, 1873, he in Sangamon,
and she in Christian county, Illinois.
KENNET, NINIAN E. See page
425. He was married Nov. 15, 1876,10
Virginia E. Dodds, daughter of F. Evving
Dodds. See his name, page 255.
KEYS, ISAAC, Jim.. See puge
426. His son, EDWARD D., was mar-
ried Oct. 10, 1876, to Lulie Todd, in
Springfield, Illinois. His daughter, AN-
NIE E., was married Dec. 7, 1876, in
Springfield, to Alvin B. Hoblet, of Pekin,
111. Mr. Hoblet is cashier of the Farmers'
National Bank of that city.
KEYES, CHARLES A. See page
427. His infant daughter, ELIZABETH M.,
died July 18, 1876.
LAMB, SUSAN M. See page 435:
Her daughter, Hannah M. Slater, was
married Sept. 27, 1876, in Chicago, to
Walter Trumbull.
LANTERMAN, PEJ^ER. Page
443. He died Oct. 9, 1876, near Elkhart,
Illinois.
LINCOLN, ABRAHAM. Page
456. An attempt was made on the night
alter the Presidential election, Nov. 7,
1876^0 steal his body from the sarcophagus,
in the National Lincoln Monument. The
thieves were detected in the act but
escaped. Two nit n are under arrest.
charged with the crime, and are now
December, 1876 in jail at Springfield,
awaiting trial. Their reputed object was
to secure a large reward in money, and the
release of an engraver, who is serving a
ten y<ars term in. the Illinois Penitentiary,
.for engraving and issuing counterfeit
money.
LINDSAY, JOHN, was born in
1773 at Fort Pitt, now Pittsburgh, Penn.
He was taken by his parents to Fleming
county, Kentucky. He was married there
in the year 1800 to Mary Glass. She died
January, 1811, leaving five children, and
Mr. Lindsay was married there in Sep-
tember, 1811. They had one child in
Kentucky, and moved in 181710 St. Clair
county, Illinois, where they had one child,
and moved to what is now Sangamon
county in 1819, settling in what is now the
EARL? SE'lTLBRS OF
vvestern part of Springfield. Of his chil-
li-en
REBECCA, born September, 1802,
in Kentucky, marriecl in Sangamon coun-
ty to Andrew Orr, and died within one
year.
POLLY, born September, 1804, in
Kentucky, married James Smith, and died
there, leaving one child, AMANDA.
DA VID H., born February, 1807, in
Fleming county, Kentucky, married in
1832, in Sangamon county to Mary A.
Dorrance. They had four children,
MAR\ S., born March, 1833, died Jan.
6, 1869, in Shelby county, Illinois. MAR-
GARET A., born March, 1836, married
B. F. Sinard. She died, leaving a son,
MILTON siiVARD, wholives in Mt. Auburn,
Illinois. fMARQUIS D., born March
23, 1839, enlisted August 9, 1861, for three
years, in Co. B, 3Oth 111. Inf., served full
term, and was honorably discharged Aug.
27, 1864. He was married in Sangamon
county Oct. 31, 1866, to Margaret Kinney,
who was born April 6, 1839, in Cazenovia,
New York. They had two children.
LOGAN L. lives with his parents. IDA
MAY died in her fourth year. M. D,
Lindsay lives near Loami, Illinois.
MARTHA, born March, 1842, married
Daniel Young. Mrs. Mary A. Lindsay
died in 1846, while her husband was in
Mexico. David H. Lindsay was a soldiei
in the 4th 111. Inf., under Colonel E. D.
Baker. He served one year from June,
1846, returned home and died in 1847, *
: in the army.
ORGE G., born November, 1808,
in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county
to Margaret Ward, and died there, leaving
one child, JAMES.
AMANDA L., born December, 1810,
in Kentucky, married in Sangamon coun-
ty to John Morgan, and died, leaving four
children, ELIZABETH, SALLY ANN,
JOHN W. and SOPHIA S.
Bv the second wife:
JOHN P., born July, 1814, in Flem-
ing county, Kentucky, married in Sanga-
mon county in 1839,10 Virginia B. Young.
They had six children in Sangamon coun-
ty. MARY J., bom July 22, 1840, mar-
ried Seth Moore, and lives in Lawndale,
Illinois. MELISSA G., born. Dec. 23,
1841, married Charlie E. Morton, and
lives near Centerville, Iowa. James N.,
born July 30, 1842, is unmarried, and lives
in Centerville, Iowa. ELIZABETH,
born Feb. i ^, 1846, died aged seven years.
ELIZA ANN, born Sept. 15, 1848," mar-
ried William A. Smith, and lives in Col-
fax county, Nebraska. JOHN W., born
March 22, 1850, is unmarried, and lives in
Russell county, Kansas. Mrs. Virginia
B. Lindsay died May 2, 1850, in Sanga-
mon county, and J. P. Lindsay married
Eliza A. McCandless, and in 1853 moved
to Logan county, where they had five
living children, SOPHIA BELLE, FLO-
RENCE P., ALMA M., CHARLES
E. and WINNIE M. John P.Lindsay
resides near Lincoln, Logan county, 111.
ABRAHAM L., born April to, 1819,
in St. Clair county, Illinois, was married
in Sangamon county to Ann Wise. They
have seven living children. JOHN D. is
married and lives in Ottawa, Kansas.
NANCY J. married B. H. Lake and
and lives in Mount Pulaski, Illinois.
SOPHIA MAY, marrried N. Elkin, and
lives near Elkhart, Illinois. WILLIAM
H., EVA E., GEORGE B. and HAR-
RIET C. live near Elkhart, Logan coun-
ty, Illinois. Mrs. Ann Lindsav died Jan-
uary, 1865, near Elkhart, Illinois, and
Abram L. Lindsay now 1876 lives in
Russell county, Kansas.
LORD, JOSEPH T., was an
earlv settler of Sangamon county. His
son," WILLIAM N. Lord, lives near
Breckenridge, Sangamon county, Illinois.
MCCLELLAND, JOHN. His son,
Dr. Robert McClelland, was married
Sept. 8, 1874, to Susan Turley, near Wil-
liamsville, Illinois.
McGINNIS, JOHN J, See his
name, page 499. His widow, Mrs. Eliza-
beth McGinnis, was married in December,
1874, to Y. B. Clark, and lives at Clarks-
dale, Christian county, Illinois.
McGRAW, ABSOLOM D.,
See his name, page 501. He died in the
autumn of 1876 near Springfield, Illinois.
MeKINNIE, WILLIAM A.
'Page 504. His wife, Mrs. Emma Mc-
Kinnie, died Nov. 22, 1876.
McMURltT, ARTHUR B. His
daughter, MARTHA J., marriecl Robert
Elder, and live near Girard, Crawford
county, Kansas. His son, LEWIS S.,
lives near Girard, Crawford county, Kan.
McMURR T, L O GAN. His daughter,
Mary E., married Hiram F. Robhins, who
was born in Warren county, Pennsylvania,
EARLY SETTLERS OF
came to Ogle county, Illinois, enlisted
M-irch, 1862, in Co. A, I2th 111. Cav., for
three years, and was honorably discharged
March. 186^, went to Maple Grove, Kan-
sas, in May, 1866, and was married there
[uly 26. 1868.
NUCKOLLS, JOHN. See his
name, page 548. His widow, Mrs. Ann
Nuckolls, died Sept. 30, 1876, aged nearly
ninety years.
ORR, ROBERT, was born in
Wythe county, Virginia, and was there
married to Sarah Messersmith. They
moved to Ohio in 1817, to Connersville,
Indiana, in 1818, and to Springfield, Illi-
nois, in 1826. They had ten children
AX DREW, M'E LINDA; ALEX-
AX HER S. married Eliza J. Wallace,
and lives near Auburn, Illinois. ELIZ.A-
BETH, NANCY J.; HIRAM mar-
ried Savilla Ranch, and both died.
ROBERT, MARGARET; SA)[-
UEL married Jane Laswell, and lives
near Auburn, Illinois.
Robert Orr and his wife both died near
Auburn, Sangamon county, Illinois.
POWER, GEORGE. See his
name, page 578. He was awarded the
premium of a gold headed cane for the
most skillful feat of horseback riding, by
an elderly gentleman, at thp fair of the
Sangamon county Agricultural Society,
in September, 1876. He was in his'
seventy-ninth year, and the eldest of five
competitors. The cane was presented in
presence of the largest number of visitors
during the fair, by the president of the
society, ex-Governor John M. Palmer.
PRICKETT, Mrs. CHAR-
LOTTE G. See page 581. She died
Nov. 2, 1876, in Springfield.
PURSELL, WILLIAM. See
Jiis name, page jpo. His daughter,
ALICE BELLE, was married Nov. 2,
1876, to William T. Kincaid, near Farm-
ingdale, Sangamon county, Illinois.
RIDGELY, CHARLES, was born
Jan. 17, 1836, in Springfield, Illinois. He
is the eldest son of N. H. Ridgely page
616 by his second witV, who was the
daughter of Jonathan Huntington, and
was born in Boston, Mass. Her brother,
Hon. George L. Huntington, deceased,
was mayor of Springfield in 1 86 1-2.
Charles Ridgely entered the preparatory
department of Illinois College at Jack-
sonville, in October,
March, 1852, withdrew from the col-
lege to accept a position in Clark's Ex-
change Bank, which was organized at that
time in Springfield by his father in con-
nection with some eastern capitalists.
June 22, 1853, he became cashier of the
bank, which position he occupied until it
was wound up, March 29, 1855. His
father, N. H. Ridgely, succeeded to the
business of Clark's bank, as a private
banker. Charles took the place of cashier
with him, where he continued until April
i, 1859, when he was admitted into part-
nership with his father in the banking bus-
iness; the new firm name being N. II.
Ridgelf & Co. Charles' brother, William
was admitted as a member of the firm
April i, 1864, and its business continued
until Oct. i, 1866, when it was^ merged
into theRidgtly National Bank. Chas.
Ridgely became vice president at the
organization, and now December, 1876
continues to hold that position. In
1871, he was mainly instrumental in or-
ganizing the Springfield Iron Company,
and building the Rolling Mill at Spring-
field. He bee 'me, and continues to be the
President of that company. As a compli-
ment to the President of the company, the
new postofrice at the mills bears the name
of Ridgely. Charles Ridgely is also a
member of the firm of Beard, Hickox &
Co., proprietors of the North Coal Shaft.
In 1870 he was honored with the nomina-
tion of the Democratic party as candidate
for the office t>f state treasurer of Illi-
nois, but the party being in the minor-
ity, he, in common with the entire ticket,
was defeated. He has served two terms
as a member of the Board of Education of
the city of Springfield. He was married
June 10, 1857, to Jane M., youngest
daughter of James W. Barret. She
was born in Island Grove, Sangamon
county. They have four children ; WIL-
LIAM BARRET, E DWARD,
FRANKLIN and MARY LEE. Chas.
Ridgely, wife and children reside in
Springfield, 111.
SHORT, CALEB. His grandson,
JOHN* K., died Feb. 24, 1876, in Nodaway
county, Missouri.
SMITH, DEWITT C., was elected
Nov. 7, 1876, to represent Sangamon
county two years in the Legislature of Illi-
nois. He resides at Bates.
SANGAMON COUNT?.
SMITH,, GEROGE M. See
his name, page 666. His son, JACOB
H., was marrit d, not in Hennepin, but in
Washington, Tazewell county, Illinois, to
Joanna Higgins, who was born Oct. 26,
1819, in Cumberland county, Ken ucky.
They have eight children, namely,
GEORGE D., was married Sept. 3, 1874,
in Missouri, to Mattie Force, and now
lives in Hope, Hempstead county, Ark.
MARY J. was married June 21, 1866, in
Saline county, Missouri, to Dr. Robert S.
McNutt. They have four children,
SAMUEL, JOANNA, MARY and ROBERT, and
live in Rocheport, Boone county, Missouri.
WILLIAM T., born April 28, ^850, in
Saline county, Missouri, and now 1876
lives in Berlin, Sangamon county, Illinois.
MATILDA J. was married Dec. 2, 1871,
to John H. Herring, have one child, WIL-
LIAM s., and reside near Herndon, Saline
county, Missouri. ANNA E., ALICE
W. and MATTIE F. live with their
father, near Marshal, Saline county, Mo.
FREDERICK N. lives with his brother,
George D., in Arkansas. George M.
Smith's son, JOHN W., left five chil-
dren, namely, AMANDA, married
George W. Parrish, and has one child,
DAISEY MAY. MARY M. and CARRIE
live with their sister, Mrs. Parrish, in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin. JOSEPH B. and
WILL A. live with their uncle, Fox, in
Quincy,. Illinois. George M. Smith's
daughter, ELSIE A., born Dec. 20,
1830, in Jennings county, Indiana, married
in Sangamon county, Illinois, July 4,1842,
to Stephen Butler, who was born Nov.
13, 1815, in Adair county, Kentucky.
They have ten children, namely, JOHN,
born May 5, 1843, MARY C., born Oct.
8, 1844, in Sangamon county, was married
May 7, 1864, to D. A. Russell, and live in
Harrrison county, Iowa. H. G., born
Sept. 20, 1846, married March 11, 1876, to
Ida Willes.. MARTHA M., born Feb.
19, 1848, married Dec. 2, 1868, to Alfred
H. Fairchilds, and lives in Jefferson coun-
ty, Iowa. SOPHRONIA, born F^b. 23,
1850; ELIZABETH, born July 1,1852,
in Sangamon county, Illinois. HAR-
RIET, born Sept. 7/1855; OWEN, born
Sept. 16, 1857; BASSETT, bora July
16, 1859, and SAMANTHA, born July
7, 1863, the four latter in Jefferson county,
Iowa. Stephen Butler and family now
November, 1876 reside near Missouri
Valley postoffice, Harrison county, Iowa.
Smith, Lawson H. See his name, page
108. He died Dec. 12, 1876, near Roches-
ter, Illinois.
STEPH E N SON, JAMES.
See his name, page 684. He was born
July 3, 1872. His son, WILLIAM C.,
born Oct. 10, 1812. HANNAH A., born
Oct. 12, 1814, married Jacob Zwingle.
He died Feb. 8, 1876. Their son, WIL-
LIAM M. Zwingle, was married May
25, 1876, to Eliza Graham. JAMES
W., born May 20, 1816, moved from
Audrain county, Missouri, to Pike county,
Illinois. FINIS E., born Sept. 29, 1818.
He moved from Chandlerville, Illinois, to
Wichita, Kansas. HARRIET married
William N. Spears. She moved from
Lincoln, in 1876, to Tallula, Menard
county, Illinois.
THAYER, WILLJAM P. See
his name, page 710. His daugh'er,
BERTIE, was married Nov. 30, 1876,
to Lee Hickox, in Springfield, Illinois.
WALLACE, WILLIAM. See his
name, page 747. His son, BENJAMIN
F., moved from Keokuk, Iowa, to Macon,
Macon county, Illinois. His daughter,
JANE ELIZABETH, married Dr. John
F. Sanders. See his name, page 637.
WEBSTER, BE LA C., was
one of the early merchants of Springfield.
A sketch of him was expected but had
not arrived when this record closed, Dec.
15, 1876.
WHITESIDES, NICHOLAS B.
Page 764. His daughter, EMILY C.,
was married Nov. 21, 1876, to James F.
Demmit, of Logan county, Illinois.
W ILK I SON, GARY, was born
in Kentucky, and married there to Nancy
Moon. They came to Sangamon county,
Illinois, among the early settlers. They
had four children. Their son,jREUBEJV,
resides in Taylorville, Illinois.
Cary Wilkison died in 1834, and his
widow married James Snodgrass, Jun.
See his name, page 671.
TOCOM, SAMUEL. Page 792.
His daughter, REBECCA, married John
W. Ham, not Horn. See his name, page
352-
LIST OF POST OFFICES'* SANGAMQH COUNTY ILLINOIS
Cross Plains
Cyrran
Daw son
Berlin
Berry at
Bradforton(not orfan/t. edj
Brekinridge
Buffalo
Buffalo Heart
CanLntt
Chatham
Cotton Hill
lies Junction
III i op olis
Loami
Lowder
Salisbury
Sherman
$f""i$fielc/
New Berlin
New City
Pawnee
SANGAMON OUNTY
JOHN CARROLL POWER
SPFVNGflELO /LLINO/S
Ji. Wilson & Co.
>
HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
THE first white men who explored the upper Mississippi valley were Jesuit mission-
aries from New France now Canada. They visited the southern shores of the
great northern lakes, for the purpose of communicating a knowledge of Christianity
to the ahoriginal natives.
Jacques Marquette, a Roman Catholic priest, and Louis Joliet, a merchant from
Quebec, with two canoes and five men, left Green Bay and went down the Wisconsin
river to the Mississippi, entering the latter stream June 17, 1673. They floated down
the "father of waters," making frequent stoppages among the Indians, and passed be-
low the mouth of the Ohio river. Here they found the savages disposed to be hostile,
which caused them to return. On approaching the mouth of the Illinois river, on their
way up, they were told by the aborigines, that if they would follow the course of that
stream their route to the lakes w r ould be much shorter. Accepting this advice, the
party reached Lake Michigan, at a point where Chicago now stands. Other French-
men came by the way of Canada and the lakes, and in a few years all this region of
country was considered a part of New France. The French being entitled to it by
right of discovery, their possession was undisputed for about ninety years.
Difficulties arising between France and England, at home, the British government sent
an army of one thousand regular soldiers under Gen. Edward Braddock, to make war
against the French and their native allies in the new world. General Braddock landed
at Alexandria, Virginia, and after increasing his army to twenty-two hundred men, by
the addition of provincials, or citizens of the country, he marched to attack Fort Du-
Quesne, where Pittsburgh now stands. Colonel George Washington, who was well
acquainted with the Indian character, accompanied the expedition as a volunteer aid.
General Braddock refused the counsels of Colonel Washington, and the result was the
surprise and defeat of his whole army by the French and Indians. The commander
was slain in the engagement, which took place July 9, 1755-
In 1758 the English government sent another army, which was more successful. It
took Fort Duquesne, and the war raged until 1763, when the fall of Quebec left the
English victorious; and by the treaty which followed, the whole of New France was
ceded to Great Britain.
Previous to the year 1673 the upper Mississippi valley was known only to the abori-
gines or Indians. From the year of its discovery by the explorations of Marquette
4
26 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
and Joliet, for more than half a century there was no attempt at organized government.
The first effort was made in 1718, when the "Company of the West" was formed in
Paris for the government of- the New World. In that year the building of Fort De-
Chartres was commenced, and when completed was occupied as the military headquar-
ters of the French. It was about sixteen miles above Kaskaskia, in the American bot-
tom, three miles from the bluft and three-fourths of a mile from the river. At the
time New France was ceded to England, in 1763, Fort DeChartres was occupied by
M. St. Ange de Bellerive, as commandant and Governor of the Illinois country. He
continued in possession of the fort until 1765, when Captain Sterling, of the forty-
second Royal Highlanders, was sent out and took possession of the fort and country, in
the name of the British government. He died about three months after his arrival.
Fort Chartres continued to be the headquarters of the British until 1772, when part of
the fort was destroyed by a great rise of water in the Mississippi river. The English
garrison was then removed to Kaskaskia.
In 1763 the population of what is now the State of Illinois, did not exceed three
thousand. About one-third left the country upon its change of masters ; so that when
the English took possession, the entire population, including French, English and
negroes, was about two thousand. Speaking of their new seat of government, Rev.
John M. Peck says: "In olden time, Kaskaskia was to Illinois what Paris is at this
day to France. Both were, at their respective days, the great emporiums of fashion,
gayety, and I must say, happiness also. In the year 1721 the Jesuits erected a monas-
tery and college in the village of Kaskaskia, and a few years afterwards it was char-
tered by the French government. Kaskaskia for many years was the largest town
west of the Alleghaney mountains. It was a tolerable place before the existence of Pitts-
burgh, Cincinnati or New Orleans."
The English government became fairly settled in their occupation of the country
wrested from France, and then commenced that series of parliamentary enactments for
the taxation of the American colonies, without permitting them to have any voice in
her national councils, which led to the revolutionary struggle. Open hostilities com-
menced at Lexington, Massachusetts, April 19, 1775. Couriers were despatched, on
the most fleet-footed horses, and in a very few days the infant colonies were ablaze with
excitement, and the call to arms was responded to from Maine to Georgia. The first
Congress met in Philadelphia, Sept. 5, 1774, and continued its meetings by successive
adjournments, until July 4, 1776, when the American colonies were declared to be free
and independent States. The familiar events of the war for independence, followed
each other in quick succession, until all parties were engaged in the conflict along the
Atlantic coast; but there were British outposts in the west which had until 1778 r -
mained undisturbed. It was known that these posts were depots for supplying the
Indians with arms and ammunition, that they might practice deeds of cruelty and mur-
der against the frontier settlers. The general government had not power to command
without consent of the States, even the limited resources of the country ; but what there
was, in the way of soldiers, seemed imperatively demanded on the seaboard. Under
these circumstances, Colonel George Rogers Clarke, of Virginia, volunteered to lead
an expedition against the British garrison west of the Alleghanies; and the Governor
and Council of Virginia took the responsibility of sending him out. Two sets of
instructions were given him : One, which was public, was for Col. Clarke to raise
HIS TORI CA L PRE L ( 'D /: .
2 7
se\en companies, and proceed west. The secret and real instructions were for him to
raise seven companies, of fifty men each, proceed to Kaskaskia, and take and destroy
the garrison of Fort Gates at that place; and that the object of the expedition must be
kept a profound secret. The instructions were given January 2, 1778, by the Governor
at \Villiamsburg, then the Capital of Virginia. Col. Clarke left Virginia on the fourth
of February for Pittsburgh. He took with him twelve hundred pounds in depreciated
currency to defray the expenses of the expedition, and raised three companies in Pitts-
burgh. He procured boats, and with his supplies, arms and ammunition, descended the
Ohio river to "Corn Island," opposite the present city of Louisville, Kentucky, where
he was met by Captain Bowman, who had gone down through Kentucky to raise a
companv of men. When all were assembled on the island, Col. Clarke first declared
to them that his point of destination was Kaskaskia, in the Illinois country. From
Corn Island he descended with his forces to Fort Massac, at the west side of the Ohio
river, about forty miles above its junction with the Mississippi. The party left their
boats at this point, and marched across the country to Kaskaskia, a distance of one hun-
dred and twenty miles, through an unbroken wilderness.
Thev arrived within sight of the village on the morning of July 4, 1778. He con-
cealed the main body of his men, and sent out spies to reconnoitre. At night the men
were divided into two bodies, one to take the village and the other, Fort Gage. After
all was in readiness, with the soldiers drawn up in line on the banks of the Kaskaskia,
Col. Clarke delivered a short address to his troops, in which he reminded them that it
was the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and that they must take the
fort and village at all hazards. Fort Gage was a work of considerable strength,
mounted with cannon and defended by regular soldiers. So secret had been the move-
ments of the attacking party, and so little were they expected, that they reached the
very gates of the fortifications unperceived. In addition to this, they were so fortu-
nate as to get into communication with an American belonging to the fort, who led a
detachment of soldiers, under the celebrated Simon Kenton, inside, through a back
gate. The first intimation the Governor had of their presence, was by Kenton giving
him a shake to arouse him from his slumbers. The conquest was achieved without the
shedding of a drop of blood. The rhortification of Governor Rocheblave was so great
when he found himself a prisoner in the hands of so small a body of raw malitia, with-
out having an opportunity to fire a gun, that he refused to acknowledge any of the
courtesies extended to him on account of his official position. The only alternative for
Colonel Clarke, was to send him in irons to the Capital of Virginia.
Soon after the capture of Kaskaskia Colonel Clarke communicated the result of his
expedition to the Governor, and expressed a desire to have civil government extended
over the conquered territory. An act was passed by the law-making powers of Vir-
ginia, in October, 1778, to establish the county of Illinois. " It embraced all that part of
Virginia west of the Ohio river, and was probably the largest county in the world,
exceeding in its dimensions the whole of Great Britain and Ireland." To speak more
definitely, the county of Virginia, called Illinois, embraced the territory now included
in the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan.
After capturing Fort Gates, the next point to be reduced was Fort St. Vincent, now
Vincennes, Indiana. This fortification, with Governor Hamilton and seventy-nine men,
fell into his hands February 24, 1779.
28 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
Until this stage of its history, the Illinois country had been successively under savage,
military, and monarchial rulers; but the time for another change was at hand. The
first republican Governor of Illinois was no less a personage than the renowned Patrick
Henry, the great orator of the American Revolution. He became the Governor of
Virginia in 1776, and by re-election continued to hold the office until 1799. The law
of Virginia establishing the county of Illinois having been enacted in October, 1788, it
was in this way that he became the first republican or democratic Governor of Illinois.
On the twelfth of December, 1788, Governor Henry appointed John Todd civil com-
mandant and Lieutenant Colonel of the new county. He wrote Commandant Todd a
lengthy letter of instructions, in which he says : " The grand objects which are disclosed
to your countrymen, will prove beneficial or otherwise, according to the nature and
abilities of those who are called to direct the affairs of that remote country. * * *
One great good expected from holding the Illinois is to overawe the Indians from war-
ring against the settlers on this side of the Ohio." Near the close of his letter, Gov-
ernor Henry says : " I think it proper for you to send me an express once in the month
with a general account of affairs with you, and any particulars you may wish to com-
municate."
The headquarters of Commandant Todd, or the seat of government for the county,
was at Kaskaskia. The stay of Colonel Todd in Illinois was not of long duration.
Being under orders to return to Virginia, he made it convenient to visit his family at
Lexington, Kentucky, on the way. While at Lexington, news came that the Indians
west of the Ohio were crossing over into Kentucky. He returned at the head of his
command, to assist in repelling the savages, and was killed at the battle of Blue Licks.
See sketch of the Todd family in this volume.
In 1 780 Congress recommended to the several States having waste or unappropriated
lands, in the western country, to cede it to the United States government for the com-
mon benefit of the Union. In January, 1781, Virginia responded to the overture of
Congress, by yielding her claims to the territory northwest of the Ohio river, with cer-
tain conditions annexed. By an act of Sept. 13, 1783, Congress proposed to comply in
the main with the wishes of Virginia, but suggested some modification of the terms.
On the 2oth of Dec. following, the General Assembly of Virginia passed an act accept-
ing the modified terms proposed by the United States Congress. By this settlement
the United States was to refund to Virginia all the money that had been expended by
that State in her military operations in conquering and holding the territory. It was
also stipulated that a quantity of land, not exceeding one hundred and fifty thousand
acres, promised by the State of Virginia, should be allowed and granted by the United
States to General George Rogers Clarke, and to the officers and soldiers of his regi-
ment who inarched with him when the forts, Gates, at Kaskaskia, and St. Vincent,
now Vincennes, were reduced; and to the officers and soldiers who were afterwards
incorporated into that regiment. By this act the representatives of that State, in Con-
gress, were instructed and empowered to transfer the territory, by deed, to the United
States. The deed was executed March i, 1784, and signed by Thomas Jefferson,
Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee, and James Monroe. By Virginia protecting the frontier
settlers from the cruelties of Indian warfare, she very justly goes down to posterity with
the honor of having donated to the general government, territory from which has grown
five of the very best States of the American Union. But while she was generous to
ORDINANCE OF 1787. 39
the public, she failed to be just to the man who was instrumental in bringing so much
honor upon herself. In Butler's history of Kentucky it is said of George Rogers
Clarke: " The government of Virginia failed to settle his accounts. Private suits were
brought against him for public supplies, which ultimately swept away his fortune, and
with this injustice the spirit of the hero fell, and the General never recovered his ener-
gies, which had stamped him as one of nature's noblemen. At the same time it is feared
that a too extensive conviviality contributed its mischievous effects." The latter was,
most likely, the real cause of his misfortunes.
THE ORDINANCE OF 1787.
July 13, 1787, an ordinance for the government of the Northwestern Territory, ceded
by Virginia to the United States, was enacted by Congress, and General Arthur St.
Clair appeared at Marietta, on the Ohio river, and put the new government in opera-
tion. Washington county was the first organized, and included a considerable portion
of the present State of Ohio. In February, 1790, Governor St. Clair and his Secre-
tary, Winthrop Sargeant, arrived at Kaskaskia and organized the county of St. Clair,
which embraced more than half the present State of Illinois. The first legislative body
for the Northwestern Territory assembled at what is now Cincinnati, September 16,
1789. On the third of October, General William H. Harrison was elected the first del-
egate to represent the Northwestern Territory in the Congress of the United States,
and for more than ten years its government continued without change.
May 7, 1800, an act of Congress provided for the organization of a territorial gov-
ernment to be called Ohio. November 29, 1802, it was admitted to the Union as a
.State, with its seat of government at Chillicothe.
From the time the territorial government of Ohio was organized, the remainder con-
tinued to be governed as the Northwestern Territory. The same year Ohio was
admitted as a State 1802 the Territory of Indiana was organized, with William
Ilenrv Harrison as Governor. In 1803 the first legislature of Indiana Territory assem-
bled at Vincennes. Illinois being then a part of Indiana Territory, St. Clair county
sent three representatives. Indiana was not admitted as a State into the Union until
1816, but seven years previous to that time had lost more than half its area.
By an act of Congress, approved February 3, i 809, Illinois was separated from In-
diana, and provision made for organizing a Territorial Government. Hon. Ninian
Edwards, Chief Justice of Kentucky, was appointed by President Madison, to be the
first Governor of the Territory of Illinois. The government was organized, in the
absence of Governor Edwards, by Nathaniel Pope, Territorial Secretary, April 28, 1809.
Governor Edwards arrived at Kaskaskia early in June, and on the eleventh of that
month took the oath of office. He was Governor during the whole territorial existence
of Illinois. His first commission was dated March 7, 1809; re-appointed November
3 o HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
12, 1812; again re-appointed Jan. 16, 1816. From 1809 to 1812 all the legislation was
done " By authority of the Governor and Judges." They did not enact laws, hut selec-
ted from the territorial laws of Indiana, and from the State of Kentucky such as were
suitable to the situation, and declared them to be the laws of the Territory of Illinois.
During those three years the Territory was without a voice in Congress.
The first election in Illinois was held by order of Governor Edwards, March 14,
1812, for the purpose of ascertaining if the people generally desired to take part in the
government and relieve the Governor and Judges of so much responsibility. The re-
sult of the election was favorable to the change. That involved the necessity for
another election, which was ordered for October ninth, tenth and eleventh, for the pur-
pose of choosing a delegate to Congress and members of the Territorial Legislature.
The members thus elected assembled at Kaskaskia November 25, 1812, being the first
legislative body in the territory. From that time to 1818, all business was done in the
name of the "Legislative Council and House of Representatives." That body asseni-
bled annually in December.
By an act of Congress, approved April 18, 1818, the people of Illinois were authori-
zed to advance from a Territorial to a State Government. In August an election was
held for State officers and a representative in Congress. The State was admitted into
the Union Dec. 3, 1818. Shaclrach Bond, who had been a delegate in Congress from
1812 to 1815, and receiver in the land office from that time until the State was admitted
to the Union, was elected the first Governor under the State organization. Ex-Gov-
ernor Edwards and Jesse B. Thomas were chosen by the legislature to be the first
United States Senators.
SANGAMON COUNTY.
When Illinois was admitted to the Union it was composed of thirty-three counties,
but Sangamon county and Springfield were unknown. The county was created, by a
law of the State, entitled :
"An act establishing the County of Sangamon" Approved January 30, 1821.
SECTION i. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in
the General Assembly, That all that tract of country within the following boundaries,
to-wit: Beginning at the northeast corner of township twelve north, on the third
principal meridian, thence north with said meridian to the Illinois river, thence down
the middle of said river to the mouth of Balance or Negro creek, thence up said creek
to its head, thence through the middle of the prairie which divides the waters of the
Sangamon and Mauves Terre, to the northwest corner of township twelve north, range
seven west, of the third principal meridian, thence east along the north boundary of
township twelve to the place of beginning, shall constitute a separate county to be called
Sansramon.
SANGAMON COUNTY. 31
SECTION 2. Be it further enacted, That so soon as the county commissioners of
said county shall be elected and duly qualified into office, they shall meet at some con-
venient place in said county, and determine on some place as near the centre of the pop-
ulation of said county as circumstances will admit, and such place, when selected by
said county commissioners, shall be the temporary seat of justice for said county, until
otherwise provided by law: Provided, however, that if any settler or settlers, owner or
owners, of the place so selected as aforesaid, shall refuse to ,have the temporary seat of
justice fixed on his, or her or their improvements, then the said commissioners may de-
termine on such other place contiguous thereto as they may deem proper.
SECTION 3. Be it further enacted, That said county commissioners shall be allowed
the same compensation for the time necessarily employed in fixing the temporary seat
of justice as in other cases.
SECTION 4. Be it further enacted, That the citizens of Sangamon county arc here-
by declared in all respects entitled to the same rights and privileges as are allowed in
general to other counties in thus State; Provided, always, that in all cases where free
holders only are capable of performing any duty, or are entitled to any privilege; house-
keepers shall, for all such purposes, be considered as free holders in the said Sangamon
county, and shall and may do and perform all duties appertaining to the different offices
in the county.
SECTION 5. Be it further enacted, That the county of Sangamon shall compose a
part of the first judicial circuit of the State.
That all may understand the difference between the boundaries of the county when
organized, and the present bouadaries, it is only necessary to spread before you any late
township map of the State and trace the following boundaries: Commencing at the
northeast corner of Locust township, in Christian county, thence north to a point on the
Illinois river, about two miles west of the city of Peru, thence down the middle of said
river to what is now the boundary line between Cass and Morgan counties, thence east
to the northeast corner of Morgan county, thence south on the line between Morgan
and Sangamon counties, to the northwest corner of Otter township, in Macoupin county,
thence east to the place of beginning. It will be seen that the boundaries between this
county and Morgan, Macoupin and Montgomery, are unchanged. The original metes
and bounds of Sangamon county, as given, embraced the following counties and parts
of counties, as at present constituted : Part of Christian, a small part of Macon, all of
Logan, part of McLean, all of Tazewell, part of Woodford, part of Marshall, part of
Putnam, all of Mason, all of Menard, and all of Cass.
The territory constituting the county was thus set apart by law, but it was without
officers. For the purpose of supplying them an election was held Monday, April 2,
1821, at the house of John Kelly. At this election William Drennan, Zachariah Peter,
and Rivers Cormack were elected county commissioners. They met the next day,
each took the oath of office, and at once entered upon the discharge of their duties.
The following is a transcript from the original records of their first term of court:
APRIL 3, 1821 :
At a Special Term of the County Commissioners' Court for the County of Sanga-
mon, begun and held at the house of John Kelly, on Spring creek, on the third day of
3 2 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
April, 1821: Present, Zachariah Peter, Rivers Cormack, and William Drennan, com-
missioners. Ordered by the Court that Charles R. Matheney be appointed Clerk of
the County Commissioners Court for the county of Sangamon; who thereupon took
the oath prescribed by law, also the oath of office, and entered into bond, as the law
directs, with James Latham his security. Ordered that court adjourn.
ZACHARIAH PETER,
WM. DRENNAN,
RIVERS CORMACK.
The Commissioners met again in Special Session, April 10, 1821, at the same place.
Present: Z. Peter and Wm. Drennan. John Spillers was allowed ten dollars for con-
veying election returns to Vandalia. James Sims was appointed County Treasurer.
John Lindsay, Stephen Stillman, and John Robinson, were appointed to the office of
Justice of the Peace. The following report was made with reference to the location
of the county seat :
WHEREAS, the Act of the General Assembly, entitled An Act, establishing the
county of Sangamo, required of the County Commissioners when elected and qualified
into office, to fix a temporary seat of justice for said county: Therefore, we, the under-
signed, County Commissioners for said county, do certify that we, after full examina-
tion of the situation of the population of said county, have fixed and designated a certain
point in the prairie near John Kelley's field, on the waters of Spring creek, at a stake
marked Z. & D., as the temporary seat of justice for said county; and do further agree
that the said county seat be called and known by the name of Springfield.
Given under our hands this loth day of April, 1821.
ZACHARIAH PETER.
WM. DRENNAN.
There is no explanation of letters used in marking the stake, but it is probable that
the onlv two commissioners present agreed to use one initial from each of their names.
The point chosen was near what is now the northwest corner of Second and Jeffer-
son streets. The first court house in the county was built on the same spot.
We find the county of Sangamo organized, and the county seat temporarily located
and named. It may be interesting to note some of the incidents that influenced the
selection of that pai'ticular spot. Towns and cities are born, live, and die, subject to the
contingencies of birth, life, and death, analagous to that of human beings. About the
year 1818, an old bachelor by the name of Elisha Kelly emigrated from North Carolina
to this State, stopping first in Macoupin county. Mr. Kelly was exceedingly fond of the
chase, and in prospecting for good hunting grounds, wandered in between two ravines,
a couple of miles apart, running in a northwesterly direction, and emptying into Spring
creek, a tributary of the Sangamon river. The deer with which this country abounded
before the advent of civilization, made their homes in the timber along the larger water
courses. In the morning they would leave the heavy timber, follow up the ravines,
along which the trees became smaller, and finally ran out on the open prairie, They
would pass the day amid the tall and luxuriant grass, roaming about and grazing at
pleasure, and as nightfall approached, return down- the ravines, to the places they had
left in the morning, each to seek its lair for repose. The deer in passing down these
ravines, gave Mr. Kelly an opportunity for the full gratification of his ambition for
. \G.\MO.\ cor.vrr. 33
game. It seemed to him so much like a hunter's paradise, that he returned to his old home
and induced his father, Henry Kelly, and his four brothers, John, older than himself,
and Elijah, William and George, younger, to emigrate with him, those who had fam-
ilies bringing them. He induced other families among his acquaintances to emigrate
also. More families continued to move into the country, and generally settled at long
distances from each other, but the principal settlement clustered around the Kellvs.
NVhen the commissioners came to locate the county seat, it was discovered that the
Kellev settlement was the only place in all the county, large as it was, where enough
families could be found in the vicinity of each other to board and lodge the members
of the court and those who would be likely to attend its sessions.
The records do not show that anything more than locating the countv seat was done
that day, but in another part of the book we find a copy of a contract that was evi-
dently entered into after adjournment, and before they separated. There is no evidence
of any advertising for proposals to build a court house, but here is the contract:
Article of agreement entered into the loth day of April, 1821, between John Kelly,
of the county of Sangamo, and the undersigned, county commissioners of said countv.
Tin said Kelly agrees with said commissioners to build, for the use of the said countv,
a court house of the following description, to-wit: The logs to be twenty feet long,
the house one story high, plank floor, a good cabin roof, a door and window cut out,
the work to be completed by the first day of May, next, for which the said commis-
sioners promise, on the part of the county, to pay the said Kelly forty-two dollars and
fifty cents. Witness our hands the day and date above.
JOHN KELLY,
ZACHARIAH PETER,
WM. DRENNAN.
As the temple of justice approached completion the commissioners found that it
would be a very nice summer building, but they evidently had some doubts about it
for winter. So we find another contract, of which the following is a copy :
Jesse Brevard agrees with the county commissioners to finish the court house in the
following manner, to-wit: To be chinked outside and daubed inside. Boards sawed
and nailed on the inside cracks, a good, sufficient door shutter, to be made with good
plank and hung with good iron hinges, with a latch. A window to be cut out, faced
and cased, to contain nine lights, with a good, suificient shutter hung on the outside.
A fire place to be cut out seven feet wide, and a good, sufficient wooden chimney,
built with a good, sufficient back and hearth. To be finished by the first of September,
next.
JESSE BREVARD.
June I, 1821.
June 4, 1821, the court assembled in the court house for which they had signed the
contract twenty-four days previous. A contract was entered into that day to build a
jail, first drawing up the specifications and then writing the contract on the back, of
which the following is a copy:
Robert Hamilton agrees to build the within named jail for the county of Sangamo,
and to have the same completed by the first Monday in September, next, for the sum
of eighty four dollars and seventy-five cents, for which the commissioners agree, on
~ 5
34 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
the part of the county, that the said Hamilton shall be entitled to a warrant on the
county treasury for the sum of eighty-four dollars and seventy-five cents, as aforesaid.
ROBERT HAMILTON.
June 4, 1821.
The following is a "description of a jail for Sangamo county," to-wit: The timber
to be cut twelve feet long, hewed twelve inches square, raised seven feet between the
floors, the upper and also the under floor to be of the same kinds of timber, hewed
and fit on the sill with a shoulder of at least three inches. The under sill to be let in
the ground so as to let the floor rest on the surface of the earth. The logs to be
matched with a half dove-tail, and made to close. The building to be covered with a
good cabin roof, a window cut eight inches square, half cut out of the timber above
and half below. A bar of iron let into the log above and one below, one-half inch
thick and two inches wide; three bars of iron standing upright one inch square, let in
through the top and bottom bar and into the timber. One door cut three feet in width
and five feet high, to be faced, or cheeked, with good timber, three inches thick, put on
with good spikes; a strong door shutter, made of good oak plank, put together cross-
ing and angling, with rivets, at least four in each cross of the plank, and fourpenny
nails, drove from each side of the door, not more than one-half inch apart. To be
hung with three good, strong, iron hinges, so turned as not to admit of the door com-
ing off, and a good, strong bolt lock. The building to be completed by the first Mon-
day in September, next.
June 4, 1821 :
At the meeting of June 4th John Hamblin and David Black were appointed con-
stables. To this time the records show that the name of the county had been written
Sangamo, but without any apparent reason, we find a letter added, making it Sanga-
mon.
June 5, 1821 :
At a meeting of the commissioners under this date, we find that John Kellv was
allowed $42.50 due him on contract for building the court house, and he was allowed
$5.00 for extra work. At a meeting September I, 1821, Jacob Ellis was allowed $4.50
for Judge's seat and bar in the court house. The meeting of December 4, 1821, shows
that Jesse Brevard was allowed $20.50 for finishing the court house, making a total of
$72.50 as the total cost of the first court house of Sangamon county, but even here we
see that the cost nearly doubled the original contract of $42.50.
Continuing the business done on June 5th, we find that the county was divided into
four election districts, or townships, called, respectively, Sangamon, Springfield, Rich-
land and Union. Overseers of the poor were appointed, two for each township.
and a board of three trustees to look after the overseers of the poor. It does not
appear that any one was appointed to look after the trustees. At that meeting James
C. Stephenson was appointed county surveyor, and George Hay worth county treasurer,
in place of James Sims, who refused to qualify. Provision was made for levying a
tax on houses, neat cattle, wheel carnages, stock in trade and distilleries.
July 1 6, 1821. Ordered, that one-half of one per cent, be levied on all property for
the purpose of paying for the public buildings, and for other purposes.
SANGAMON COUNTT. 35
December 4, 1821. John Taylor came into court and entered his protest against the
sufficiency of the jail. At the same term it was ordered that Robert Pulliam be allowed
to keep a tavern, or public house of entertainment, upon his executing a bond and pay-
ing to the county the sum of three dollars, and that he be allowed to charge the follow-
ing ratc-s, to-wit: Meal of victuals, 25 cents; bed for night, 121^ cents; feed for horse,
121^ cents; keeping horse all night, 37^ cents; whisky, for half pint, 12^.
March term, 1822. Erastus Wright was authorized to keep a ferry across the Illinois
river, opposite Fort Clark, now Peoria. Rates of charges were fixed in the license.
We learn that he never kept the ferry.
Elijah Slater, on filing his bond, with Dr. Gershom Jayne as security, was granted
license to keep a tavern, or public house of entertainment, in the town of Springfield,
and a schedule of charges fixed similar to that annexed to Mr. Pulliam's license.
George Havworth, the county treasurer, made what was probably intended as his
annual report, although the county had been organized only about eleven months. The
amount of taxes collected for 1821 was $407.44; fines collected, $40.00, making the
total receipts $447.44. The amount paid out was $420.183^. This included the pay-
ment of all the officers, and of all bills connected with the building of the court house
and jail, leaving $27.261^ cents in the treasury, and no public debt. From the official
papers it appears that the entire salary of the county treasurer for that year was
$22.26^.
July 29, 1823, the amount of taxable property returned to the court was $129,112.50.
After reducing the territory of the county to about one-seventh of the original area,
we find that the taxable property now 1876 amounts to about thirty-five millions of
dollars.
Adam Hamilton, county treasurer, reported at the May term, 1824, total amount of
collections was $875. 87^, and the disbursements $753.90, leaving a balance of $121.97
in the treasury.
After the temporary location of the county seat, a contest sprang up, looking to the
permanent location of the same. At an election of members of the legislature, two
opposing candidates went before the people on the merits of two localities. I. S. Pugh
was the candidate for Springfield, and William S. Hamilton, a son of the distinguished
statesman, Alexander Hamilton, represented Sangamo, a beautiful site for a town on
the banks of the Sangamon river, about seven miles west, bearing a little north from
Springfield. Hamilton was elected, but Pugh went to Vandalia, the capital, as a
lobby member, and succeeded in having commissioners named in the next paragraph
appointed, who proved to be favorable to Springfield.
An act of the General Assembly, approved December 23, 1824, provided for reduc-
ing the boundaries of the county, and named James Mason, Rowland P.Allen, Charles
Gear and John R. Sloo, as a board of commissioners who should permanently locate the
county seat. A proviso in the law forbade its being located unless thirty-five acres of
land was donated on the spot. The commissioners assembled March 18, 1825, and
confirmed the former location. More than the requisite donation was made, forty-two
acres being conveyed for that purpose by Elijah lies and Pascal Enos. The land con-
veyed was parts of sections thirty-four and twenty-seven, in town sixteen north, range
M7S TOR 1 CA L PREL UDE.
hve west, of the third principal meridian. The work of the special commission wa
consummated when the county commissioners accepted the deeds. They soon afte
ordered all the land to be laid out into town lots, and, after reserving one square to
county buildings, had the remainder sold. Wm. S. Hamilton was appointed to lay oi
and map the town lots. At the same meeting it was ordered that the sale of lots shoulc
begin on the first Monday in May, 1825, and that it should be so advertised in th
Edwardsville Spectator, and in the Intelligencer, at Vandalia. Mr. Hamilton failed to
lay out the lots, and Tom M. Neale did the work. At a meeting of the commis-
sioners, May 2, 1825, Mr. Neale was appointed crier to sell the lots, and Erastus Wright
to clerk at the sale. The following report of two days' sales will show the contrast
between the value of Springfield real estate then and now :
FIRST DAY.
Lots.
Block.
Amount.
Garret Elkin. bought
i
22
$25 75
James C. McNabb "
-}
] 2 OO
fames Adams . " ....
5
22
17 . 7;
Robert Hamilton ". " ....
7
22
lf>. 5p
SECOND DAY.
Garrett Elkin bought
2
22
71 OO
Elijah lies. '
A
22
20 oo
4
27
40.00
r
27
H.oo
James Adams
6
22
17.25
Garrett Elkin
8
17 5614
T M Neale
21
21 OO
2
' 2 3
17.25
Thomas Cox. .
I
H.OO
C. R. Matheny ....
8
27
IO. 25
At the June term, 182=5, of the county; commissioners' court, John Taylor, sheriff,
made the following return or report :
Taxes collected for 1824 $600.00
Fines collected same year 23.00
Total $623.00
Amount paid out 549.97
Balance in favor of the county $73.03
July term, 1825. The county commissioners began to think the time had arrived for
building a larger and better court house. They passed an order that the county pro-
ceed to build a court house, not to exceed three thousand dollars, provided one-half the
expense be made up bv subscription. It was to be of brick, two stories high. The
failure to raise the money bv subscription defeated the whole project.
It will be remembered that the court house built in 1821 cost, on the original contract,
$41.50; for extra work, $5.00; for a seat for the Judge, $4.50; and for finishing the
building, so as to make it habitable for winter, $20.50, making a total of $72.50.
SAN GAM ON COUNTY. 37
Coming down from their project to build a $3,000 court house, we next find a con-
tract in the office of the county clerk, made September, 1825. Log buildings could no
longer be tolerated, and this was to be a frame. The contract price was $449.00,
which did not include the flues. That was let to another party for $70.00, making a
total of $519.00. The old log court house was sold at auction to John Taylor for
$32.00, nearly half the original cost. The new frame court house was built at the
north-east corner of Adams and Sixth streets. It must have been a magnificent struc-
ture, judging from the fact that at the term of the court in June, 1826, Robert Thomp-
son was allowed two dollars and twenty-five cents for the plan of the court house.
It may be a matter of some interest to say a few words here about the method of
raising revenue to keep the machinery of government moving. At a term of com-
; missioners' court, March 23, 1827, a schedule was made of the kinds of property to be
taxed, beginning: "On slaves and indentured or registered negro or mulatto servants,
on pleasure carriages, on distilleries," etc., etc.
Only a few years elapsed until the frame court house was thought to be inadequate
i to the growing wants of the people. It is recorded in the county archives that in Feb-
ruary, 1830, the county court appointed three agents or commissioners to superintend
the erection of a brick court house. On the third of March the commissioners reported
to the court that thev had entered into contracts with two parties. One for the brick
work, at $4,641, the other for the wood work, at $2,200, making a total of $6,841.
This edifice was completed early in 1831, and stood in the centre of the public square,
bounded by Washington and Adams, Fifth and Sixth streets. It was a square build-
ing, two. stories high, hip roof, with a cupola rising in the centre. From the time that
court house was erected, all the business of the town collected around the square.
In 1837, wr en Springfield was selected as the future capital of the state, with a
pledge to raise fifty thousand dollars to assist in building the state house; also to furnish
the site upon which it should stand, it was not an easy matter to agree upon a location.
If land was selected far enough from the existing business to be cheap, the fifty thousand
dollars could not be raised. Those already in business around the square refused to
contribute, because the state house, being so much larger and more attractive, would
draw the business after it, thus depreciating the value of their property. After dis-
cussing the question in all its bearings, it was found that the only practicable way to settle
the matter was to demolish the court house and use the site for the state house. Under
that arrangement the business men around the square pledged themselves to contribute
to the fifty thousand dollar fund to the extent of their ability. The court house was
accordingly removed, early in 1837, anc ^ wol "k on tne state house commenced. This
square, with the court house and other buildings on it, were valued at sixteen thousand
dollars, about one-third of which was lost in the destruction, of the buildings.
Having thus summarily disposed of their court house, and having engaged to do so
much towards building the state house, the people of Sangamon countv were unable
to undertake the building of another. In order to supply the deficiency, the county
authorities rented a building that had been erected for a store house by the Hon. Nin-
ian \V. Edwards. It is at the west side of Fifth street, five doors north of Washington,
and was used as a court house for about ten years. Mr. Edwards still owns it, and it
is yet used as a business house. After the state house was built, the fifty thousand
38 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
dollars paid, and the county emerged from the general wreck caused by the financu
crash of 1837-8, Sangamon county hegan to take measures for erecting another coin
house. In the month of February, 1845, a lot of ground was purchased at the south
east corner of Washington and Sixth streets, as the site for the building. On tht
twenty-second of April a contract was made by the county commissioners for the built
ing, according to plans and specifications previously adopted. The edifice was to cc
$9,680, to be paid in county orders. It was completed according to contract, and w;
used as the court house of Sangamon county nearly thirty-one years, until Januan
1876.
When the movement for building a new state house was made, early in 1867, it w
deemed politic on the part of the friends of Springfield that Sangamon county shoul
purchase the old state house, erected from 1837 to 1840, and make it the court house c
the county. The law providing for the building of a new state house, which was
proved by Gov. R. J. Oglesby, February 25, 1867, with a supplementary act two da}
later, contained a clause for the transfer of the state house to Sangamon county and th
city of Springfield, which was afterwards changed, making the county alone the pui
chaser. It was" stipulated that the Governor should convey the public square, cor
taining two and a halt acres of land, with the state house upon it, to Sangamon count}
in consideration of two hundred thousand dollars, to be paid to the state of Illinoi
and for the further consideration that the city of Springfield and the county cause t
be conveyed to the State a certain piece of land, described by metes and bounds in th
bill, and containing between eight and nine acres, upon which to erect the new stat
house. The law also provided that the state should have the use of the old state hou
until the new one was completed. The land was secured at a cost to the city of sevent
thousand dollars, and conveyed to the state; the two hundred thousand dollars was
paid by the county, and the property conveyed by the state to the county. That was
done in 1867, but the countv did not come into possession of the property for seven
years. During that time the simple interest, at ten per cent., on the two hundred thousand
dollars purchase money, would have amounted to one hundred and forty thousand dol-
lars, making the cost of the old state house to Sangamon county three hundred and
forty thousand dollars. The state vacated the house in January, 1876, and the
county authorities at once took possession. It will thus be seen that in fifty-five years
the county has had five court houses, and been ten years without any. The first one
cost forty-two dollars and fifty cents, and the last three hundred and forty thousand
dollars.
CIRCUIT COURT.
While the commissioners were busy putting the machinery of the county in working
order, we find that the Circuit Court for the county was organized also. The follow-
ing is the complete record for the first term :
Sangamon Circuit, May Term, 1821:
At a Circuit Court for the county of Sangamon, and State of Illinois, begun and
held at the house of John Kelly, on the first Monday of May, (7th day), in the year c
our Lord, one thousand, eight hundred and twenty-one.
SANGAMON COUNTT. 39
Present: JOHN REYNOLDS, Judge.
CHARLES R. MATHENY, Clerk.
JOHN TAYLOR, Sheriff.
HENRY STARR, Prosecuting Attorney, pro tern.
The following list of Grand Jurors were empanneled and sworn:
Daniel Parkinson, foreman. George Hay worth,
Claybourn James, William Eads,
Henry Brown, Thomas Knotts,
John Darneille, James McCoy,
Archibald Turner, James Tweddell,
William Davis, Aaron Hawley,
Abraham Richey, Field James,
Abraham Carlock, Mason Fowler,
Levi Harbour, Isaac Keys,
Elias Williams.
Charles R. Matheny presented his bond and security as clerk, which was approved
y the court.
John Taylor presented his bond as sheriff, with security, which was approved by
the court.
Suit was commenced by Samuel L. Irwin against Roland Shepherd, for trespass,
and dismissed at plaintiff's cost.
The Grand Jury came into court and returned two indictments for assault and bat-
ten and one for riot. Trial deferred until next term, and court adjourned.
The next term was October 8, 1821; held but one day, and proceedings covered
two pages of the record.
Next term commenced May 6, 1822; lasted three days, and proceedings covered
nine pages of the record. Now, in 1876, with the county reduced to about one-seventh
of the territory it then occupied, the Circuit Court continues about eighteen weeks,
annually, or three terms of about six weeks each, and the proceedings of each term
cover from three to five hundred pages of the record.
In those days, when the electric telegraph was unknown, and it required from
twenty days to one month for a letter or newspaper to be brought from the Atlantic
coast, the early settlers were under the necessity of giving an amusing turn to passing
events when it was at all practicable. An incident illustrating this is related by men
who witnessed the facts. When the court was held in the first log court house, an
attorney by the name of Mendel violated the rules of decorum as understood by his
Honor, Judge John York Sawyer, who ordered Mendel to be arrested and sent to
jail for a few hours. On repairing to the court house next morning, the Judge, lawyers
and others were surprised to find the court in session before the hour to which it had
adjourned. A large calf was on the platform usually occupied by the Judge, and a
flock of geese cooped up in the jury box. Mendel, having been released from jail, was
inside the bar; bowing first to the calf and then to the geese, he commenced his plead-
ing: "May it please the Court, and you gentlemen of the jury."
40 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
The first three or four years of the records of the Circuit Court reveals nothing.
more than the ordinary routine in such tribunals. The most startling event in the
community occurred August 27, 1826. A murder was committed that day near the
Sangamon river, in what is now Menard county, ahout five miles above where Peters-
burg now stands. A blacksmith named Nathaniel VanNoy had, in a fit of drunken ]
frenzy, killed his wife. He was arrested and lodged in jail the same day. The sheriff,
Col. John Taylor, notified Judge Sawyer, who at once called a special session of the
Circuit Court. A grand jury was empanneled and sworn, consisting of the following \
citizens:
Gershom Jayne, foreman, Jesse M. Harrison,
Stephen Stillman, Robert Cownover,
John Morris, James Turley,
John Stephenson, Jr., Aaron Houton,
James White, John Young,
Thomas Morgan, John Lindsay,
James Stewart, Charles Boyd,
Jacob Boyer, Win. O. Chilton,
Robert White, Job Burdan,
John N. Moore, Hugh Sportsman,
Wm. Carpenter, Abram Lanterman.
Upon hearing the evidence a true bill was found against the accused, and a petit
jury called, consisting of the following persons :
Boling Green, foreman, Wm. Vincent,
Samuel Lee, Philip I. Fowler,
Jesse Armstrong, John L. Stephenson,
Levi W. Gordon, Levi Parish,
Thomas I. Parish, James Collins,
Erastus Wright, Geo. Davenport,
A foreman was appointed, the jury sworn, and the trial commenced on the 28th.
Attorney-General James Turney acted for the people; James Adams and I. H. Pugh,
for the defendant. A verdict of guilty was rendered on the 29th, and sentence was
pronounced the same day, that the condemned man be hung November 26, 1826. Thus,
in less than three days was the murder committed, the murderer tried and condemned
to be hung. The sentence was carried out at the time appointed, in the presence of
almost the entire community. Many are yet living who witnessed the execution.
Having already sold his body, it was delivered to the surgeons, who immediately com-
menced dissecting it in an old open house. The spectacle was so revolting that they
were compelled to desist and remove it to a more private place. In a country so new,
the settlers so widely separated, and so little that was interesting or exciting to furnish
topics for conversation, the excitement caused by that event cannot be imagined by the
people at the present time. The writer has, time and again, had the dates of events,
such as the advent of families in the community, marriages, births, deaths, and incidents
too numerous to mention, all settled beyond a doubt by its having occurred "the fall
VanNov was hunfif!"
SANGAMOX COr.\ V)-. 41
PROBATE COURT.
Having given an account of the organization of the Commissioners' Court and of
the Circuit Court, the department of justice would not be complete without a Probate
Court. The following from its records will show when and by whom that court was
organized :
SPRINGFIELD, SANGAMON COUNTY,
STATE OF ILLINOIS, June 21, 1821.
Agreeable to an act of Assembly establishing Courts of Probate, approved February
10, 1821, the court was opened at Springfield, Sangamon county, an the 4 th day of
June, 1821. Present, James Latham, Judge.
The court proceeded to issue letters of administration to Randolph Wills on the
estate of Daniel Martin, deceased. After which the court adjourned until court in
course.
JAS. LATHAM, Judge.
After which court met and adjourned three times without transacting any business,
until August 26, 1821, when the filing and recording the will of Peter Lanterman
occupied the attention of the court one entire term.
October, 1821, we find the following will recorded:
Before the witnesses now present, Louis Bennett, in perfect memory, does give to
the daughters of Kakanoqui, Josett Kakanoqui and Lizett Kakanoqui, two thousand
livres each, and six hundred livres for praies for his father; also, six hundred livres for
him, if for prayes, and thirty dollars for prayes promised, and one hundred dollars for
Kakanoqui, the rest of his money to be given to his brothers and sisters of Louis
Bennett. After duly hearing read over before the witnesses now present, and signing
the same will, he does voluntarily appoint Joseph D. Portecheron and Louis Pencon-
neau, Senr., as exacquators of his will.
His
LOUIS -f BENNETT.
mark.
JOSEPH D. PORTECHERON, 1
JOSEPH DUTTLE, I .....
nlg ^ Witnesses.
FRANCOIS -h BARBONAIS,
mark. J
NEWSPAPERS.
During the winter of 1826-7 tne "Sangamo Spectator' 1 '' was established in Spring-
field by Hooper Warren. He says, in a letter to tne old settlers' meeting, October 20,
1859: " It was but a small affair, a medium sheet, worked by myself alone most of the
time, until I made a transfer of it, in the fall of 1828, to Mr. S. Meredith." Mr. War-
ren is yet residing at Henry, Illinois.
The Sangamo Journal was, established by Simeon and Josiah Francis. See their
names. The first number of the paper was issued November 10, 1831, and has con-
6
42 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
tinned to the present time, and is now known as the Illinois State Journal, and has
been published weekly and daily since June 13, 1838. Its present proprietors are
the "Illinois Journal Company," composed of D. L. Phillips, Prest.; E. L. Baker,
Sec.; J. D. Roper, Treasurer; and Charles Edwards and A. J. Phillips.
The Illinois State Register, first established at Vandalia, was removed to Spring-
field in 1836, by Walters & Weber. It has been published as a weekly and daily since
January 2, 1849. Its present proprietors are E. L. & J. D. Merritt.
SANGAMON RIVER NAVIGATION.
The transportation question will always be a leading one in civilixed communities,
and especially so in their early settlement. To the first settlers of Illinois it was of un-
usual importance, on account of the vast extent of undrained soil, so rich and soft as to
be almost impassible, in its natural state, for half of every year. For the transporta-
tion of heavy articles long distances, no other mode was thought of except by water.
They could be conveyed three or four times the distance in that way, much cheaper
than on a straight line by any known method. Consequently, efforts were made to
navigate every stream to the highest point possible. In the Sangamo Journal of
January 26, 1832, there appears a letter from Vincent A. Bogue, written in Cincinnati
and addressed to Edward Mitchell, Esq., of Springfield. Mr. Bogue says he will at-
tempt the navigation of the Sangamon river if he can find a suitable boat, and expresses
the opinion that if he succeeds it will revolutionize the freight business. This is an
editorial paragraph from the Springfield Journal of February 16, 1832:
"NAVIGATION OF THE SANGAMO. We find the following advertisement in the
Cincinnati Gazette of the I9th ult. We hope such notices will soon cease to be novel-
ties. We seriously believe that the Sangamon river, with some little improvement,
can be made navigable for steamboats for several months in the year." Here is the
advertisement : \
" FOR SANGAMO RIVER, ILLINOIS. The splendid upper cabin steamer, Talisman,
J. M. Pollock, Master, will leave for Portland, Springfield, on the Sangamon river,
and all the intermediate ports and landings, say Beardstown, Naples, St. Louis, Louis-
ville, on Thursday, February 2. For freight or passage, apply to Capt. Vincent A.
Bogue, at the Broadway Hotel, or to Allison Owen." The same boat was advertised
in the St. Louis papers.
After the above notices appeared in the Journal, the citizens of Springfield and
surrounding country held a public meeting, February 14, 1832, and appointed a com-
mittee to meet Mr. Bogue with a suitable number of hands to assist in clearing the
river of obstructions. Another committee was appointed to collect subscriptions to
defray the expense. The Journal of March 8 announces the arrival of the steamer at
Meredosia, where its further progress was obstructed by ice. The Sangamo Journal
of March 29, 1832, says: "On Saturday last the citizens of this place (Springfield)
were gratified by the arrival of the steamboat Talisman, J. W. Pollock, Master, of
i 50 tons burthen, at the Portland landing, opposite this town. (Portland was at the
south side of the Sangamon river, between where the bridges of the Chicago & Alton
and the Oilman, Clinton & Springfield railroads now stand.) The safe arrival of a
boat of the size of the Talisman, on a river never before navigated by steam, had
SANGAMON COUNTT. 43
created much solicitude, and the shores for miles were crowded by our citizens. Her
arrival at her destined port was hailed with loud acclamations and full demonstrations
of pleasure. When Capt. Bogue located his steam mill on Sangamon river, twelve
months ago, and asserted his determination to land a steam boat there within a year,
the idea was considered chimerical by some, and utterly impracticable by others. The
experiment has been made, and the result has been as successful as the most enthusiastic
could expect; and this county owes a deep debt of gratitude to Captain Bogue for getting
up the expedition, and his never tiring and unceasing efforts until the end was accom-
plished. Capt. Pollock, who is naturally warm and enthusiastic, entered fully into the
feeling of our citizens, who visited the mouth of the river to render any and every
assistance in their power; and much credit is due him for his perseverance and success.
The boat experienced some difficulty from drifts, and leaning timber on shore, which made
her trip somewhat tedious. The result has clearly demonstrated the practicability of navi-
gating the river by steamboats of a proper size; and by the expenditure of $2,000 in re-
moving logs and drifts and standing timber, a steamboat of 80 tons burthen will make
the trip in two days from Beardstown to this place. The citizens of Beardstown man-
ifested great interest for the success of the enterprise, and some of them accompanied
the boat until the result was no longer doubtful. They proposed the cutting of a
communication or canal from the bluffs to their landing about five miles whereby
seventy-five miles of navigation may be saved, and offered one thousand dollars to
assist in completing it. It is to be hoped that the next Legislature will afford some aid
in making the river safe and pleasant in its navigation. Springfield can no longer be
considered an inland town. We have no doubt but within a few months a boat will
be constructed for the special purpose of navigating the Sangamo river. The result
which must follow the successful termination of this enterprise to our county, and to
those counties lying in its neighborhood, it would be impossible to calculate. Here is
now open a most promising field for the exercise of every branch of honest industry.
We congratulate our farmers, our mechanics, our merchants and professional men for
the rich harvest in prospect, and we cordially invite emigrating citizens from other
states, whether rich or poor, if so be they are industrious and honest, to come hither
and partake of the good things of Sangamo."
A ball was gotten up in honor of the arrival, and several yards of machine poetry
appeared in the next number of the Journal, detailing the various incidents connected
with the wondrous event. The boat was unloaded, and immediately started on its re-
turn, but the river had so fallen and brought the water within so narrow a channel,
that it was impossible to turn it around, and they were compelled to back it out the
entire distance. The only mention ever made of her afterwards was a newspaper re-
port that the Talisman was burned at the wharf in St. Louis in the latter part of the
next April. No attempt was ever made after that to bring a boat up the river. Thus
ended the dream of navigating the Sangamo, across which a man may walk almost
dry shod for nearly half of every year.
RAILROADS.
The navigation of the Sangamon river being a failure, left the problem of transporta-
tion still unsolved. Brains and hands were at work in another land, that were destined to
44 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
revolutionize all former ideas on the subject in this, but their labors had never been
heard of by the people, with the exception, probably, of an occasional extensive reader
of the news. The railroad was then in its very infancy in England. The steam loco-
motive, about that time, found its way to this side of the Atlantic, but it required a
few yeai's more for it to reach Illinois. The first rail laid in the state was at Mcredosia,
on the Illinois river, May 9, 1838, on what was called the Northern Cross Railroad.
The first locomotive arrived at the same place September 6, 1838, on the steamboat
Chariton, and was put on the track and first turned its wheels on the 8th of November
following. It required more than three years to complete the road to Springfield. The
first locomotive was run into Springfield, February 15, 1842, on what is now the
Toledo, Wabash and Western Railroad. George Gregory see his name was the
engineer, and Thomas M. Averitt see his name was the fireman, both of whom are
yet living in this county. The State of Illinois has now over six thousand miles of
railroad, and Springfield has railroads by which travelers may enter and leave the city
in eight different directions.
SPRINGFIELD.
We have already said that a temporary county seat was chosen for Sangamon count}-,
April 10, 1821, and called Springfield. The first survey of public land in the county
took place that year. The Rev. John M. Peck, in his Pioneer History of Illinois, says
that Springfield was laid out in February, 1822, referring, no doubt, to Calhoun, which
was the name given to the first plat of what is now a part of Springfield. It is in the
northwestern part of the city. The first sale of public lands in Sangamon county took
place November 7, 1823. At that sale the lands were purchased upon which Calhoun
had been laid out. Four different parties entered each a quarter of as many sections
cornering together. The town plat of Calhoun was recorded December 5, 1823. It
was under a law approved December 23, 1824, that the county seat was permanently
located by the commissioners, who assembled March 18, 1825, and confirmed the
former location at Springfield. The land donated by Elijah lies and Pascal Enos was
laid out into lots, making the streets correspond with those of Calhoun. There was
great prejudice against the name of Calhoun, (afterwards the great millifier of South
Carolina,) many refusing to recognize it, and it soon ceased to be used except in the
conveyance of lots.
The first legislation on the part of the state, with reference to Springfield, was ap-
pi-oved February 9, 1827. By this act the court of county commissioners was required
to appoint street commissioners for the town, and levy a tax for improving the same.
A general law for the incorporation of towns was enacted and approved February 12,
1831. April 2, 1832, Springfield was incorporated under that law. October 18, 1832,
the county court ordered a re-survey of the town, in order to adjust the discrepancies
between the plats of Calhoun and Springfield. The survey was made and acknowl-
edged June 1 8, 1833, and recorded November 9, 1836.
The first board of trustees after the town was incorporated, April 2, 1832:
C. R. Matheny, President, Elisha Tabor,
Cyrus Anderson, Mordecai Mobley,
John Taylor, Wm. Carpenter.
SANGAMON COUNTY. 45
1833: John R- Gray, President.
1834-5-6-7-8: C. R. Matheny, President.
1839: Peleg C. Canedy, President, and Abraham Lincoln a member of the
town board.
By an act of the General Assembly, approved February 3, 1840, a city charter was
granted to Springfield. This law provided for an election to be held the first Monday
in April, being the sixth day, to adopt or reject the proposed charter. It was adopted,
and the first election for city officers was held April 20, 1840.
Benjamin S. Clements was elected Mayor, and James R. Gray, Washington lies,
Joseph Klein and William Prentiss, Aldermen. The following were the successive
Mayors from that to the present' time: For 1841, Wm. L. May; 1842, David B.
Campbell; 1843, Daniel B. Hill, who resigned and Andrew McCormick was elected
to fill the vacancy; 1844, Andrew McCormick; 1845, J ames C. Conkling; 1846-47
and '48, Eli Cook; 1849-50 and '51, John Calhoun; 1852, William Lavely; 1853,
Josiah Francis. In 1854 the number of Aldermen was increased from four to twelve,
and William H. Herndon was elected Mayor; 1855, John Cook; 1856-57 and '58, John
W. Priest; 1859, William Jayne; 1860, Goyn Sutton; 1861-62, Geo. L. Huntington;
1863, John W. Smith; 1864, John S. Vredenburgh; 1865, Thomas J. Dennis; 1866,
John S.Bradford; 1867, Norman M. Broadwell; 1868, William E. Shutt; 1869, N.
M. Broadwell; 1870, John W. Priest; 1871 and '72, John W. Smith; 1873, Charles
E. Hay; 1874, the wards were increased from four to six, and Obed Lewis elected
Mayor; 1875, Charles E. Hay; 1876, this is printed in February, and the election takes
place in April.
SPRINGFIELD, THE^STATE CAPITAL.
t
From the discovery of the country by the French in 1673, there was no attempt at
organized government in the territory now composing the State of Illinois, until 1718,
when the " Company of the West" was formed in Paris, for the new w r orld. Kaskaskia
had been settled between 1680-90, and is regarded as the oldest permanent settlement
in the Mississippi Valley.
Judge Caton, in his oration at the laying of the corner stone of the new state house,
October 5, 1868, described the building which was used as the capitol when the terri-
torial government was organized, in the following language: "It was a rough build-
ing in the centre of a square in the village of Kaskaskia, the ancient seat of the western
empire for more than one hundred and fifty years. The body of this building was of
uncut limestone, the gables and roof of the gambrel style of unpainted boards and
shingles, with dormer windows. The lower floor, a long, cheerless room, was fitted
up for the House, whilst the council sat in the small chamber above. This venerable
building was, during the French occupancy of the country, prior to 1763? the head-
quarters of the military commandant. Thirty years ago the house was a mass of ruins,
and to-day, probably, there is not a stone left to designate the spot where it stood."
That building was the capitol during the territorial existence of Illinois, and the state
government was organized in it also.
The state constitution of 1818 required the General Assembly to petition Congress
for a grant of land upon which to locate the seat of government for the state. In the
46 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
event of the prayer of the petitioners being granted, a town was to be laid out on said
land, which town should be the seat of government of the state for twenty years. The
land was granted. "At the session of 1819, m Kaskaskia, five commissioners were
appointed to select the land appropriated by Congress for the state capital." The
commissioners made their selections further up the Kaskaskia river. Having selected
the site, the commissioners were sorely puzzled in their efforts to select a name that
should be so euphonious as to attract the attention of the whole world. Governor
Ford, in his history of Illinois, gives the following humorous account of the way it
was done : " Tradition says that a wag, who was present, suggested to the commis-
sioners that the ' Vandals ' were a powerful nation of Indians, who once inhabited the
banks of the Kaskaskia river, and that ' Vandalia,' derived from the name, would per-
petuate the memory of that extinct but renowned people. The suggestion pleased the
commissioners, the name was adopted, and they thus proved that the cognomen of
their new city if they were fit representatives of their constituents would better
illustrate the character of the modern, than the ancient inhabitants of the country."
Having located and named their town, it was at once laid out, and the dense growth
of timber cut away and a two story frame building erected on the square set apart for
the State capitol. The building was placed on a rough stone foundation in the centre
of the square, and was of very rude workmanship. The lower floor was for the House
of Representatives, and the upper divided into two rooms, the largest one for the
Senate and the smaller one for the office of Secretary of State. The State Auditor
and Treasurer occupied detached buildings. The archives of the State were removed
from Kaskaskia to Vandalia in December, 1820. That wooden State house was burned
a few years later, and a much larger one built of brick on the same ground. The
rapidity with which emigration filled up the northern portion of the State made it ap-
parent, long before the twenty yeai's it was to remain at Vandalia expired,, that it would
be necessary to remove the capital further north, and as early as 1833 the question be-
gan to be agitated in the General Assembly.
In the Legislature of 1836-7 Sangamon county had two Senators and seven Repre-
sentatives. They were the most remarkable delegation from any one county to the
General Assembly, being much taller than the average of human stature. Some of
them were less and some more than six feet, but their combined height was exactly
fifty-four feet. They were then and are yet spoken of as the " Long Nine." The
names of those in the Senate were Archer G. Herndon and Job Fletcher; in the
House, Abraham Lincoln, Ninian W. Edwards, John Dawson, Andrew McCormick,
Dan Stone, Wm. F. Elkin and Robert L. Wilson. One or two were as tall, but none
taller, than Abraham Lincoln, who, quoting his own language, was " six feet, four
inches, nearly." It was known that a movement would be made to re-locate the State
capital. The "Long Nine" were united for securing it, and nothing could
turn one of them from their purpose. They were ready to yield anything else,
but when any other point was yielded, it secured votes for Springfield as the capital.
Their opportunities were great. The people of Illinois were, at that time, almost in-
sane on the subject of internal improvements. Not one in ten thousand of them had
ever seen a railroad, but they had heard of them, and thought the prairies of Illinois
the best place in the world to build them. The first movements began in the General
Assembly in 1833, but the first charter was: "An act to incorporate the Chicago and
SANGAMOA COUNTT.
47
Yincennes railroad company with an authorized capital of $3,000,003," and was approved
January 17, 1835. Within one year and four days from that time, charters were
granted for building railroads in the State, of which the combined capital authorized was
$18,200,000. In this legislation the State did not propose to furnish any capital, only
authorized capitalists to invest their money. Not a mile of railroad was ever built
under any of those charters. Before the next session, the Legislature realized that
there were no capitalists to build railroads, and a new system was inaugurated. The
most remarkable act ever passed by a legislative body in the State was approved Feb-
ruarv 27, 1837, and was entitled "An act to establish and maintain a general svstem of
internal improvements." Two supplementary acts were approved March 4, 1837.
The three acts fill thirty-two octavo pages. The object was to construct public works
at the expense of the State, in all parts of the same. Under this law appropriations
were made for canals, and the improvement of rivers, to the amount of $650,000; also,
for the building of railroads, $9,550,000, making a total of $10,200,000. During the
month of February and March, 1837, bills were passed chartering twenty-two railroad
companies with authorized capital stock to the amount of nearly $8,000,000, making
an aggregate of about $30,000,000 involved in the vain endeavor to legislate railroads
into existence in the State of Illinois before their time.
While the internal improvement bill was pending, the "Long Nine" were busy.
Thev said little or nothing in locating proposed railroads, but would assist other localities,
where votes could be secured for locating the capital at Springfield. The result was
the passage of "An act permanently to locate the seat of government for the State of
Illinois," which was approved at Vandalia, February 25, 1837. This law provided for
a joint session of the two houses, on the twenty-eighth of the same month, to select a
situation. An appropriation of fifty thousand dollars was made, to commence building
the State house. The law also declared that no place should be chosen unless its citi-
zens contributed at least $50,000 to aid in the work, and not less than two acres of land,
as a site for the capitol. W'hen the two houses assembled on the twenty-eighth, the
question was decided by the following
BALLOTINGS.
Springfield 35
Jacksonville
Vandalia
Peoria
Alton j 15
Scattering
Illiopolis
(St.
2nd.
3rd.
4 th.
35
43
53
73
14
i.S
9
i
1 6
15
16
15
16
12
ii
6
i.S
1 6
'4
> -
7
10
15
}
7
That settled the question, and Springfield was declared to be the future capital of the
State.
A supplemental act was passed on the third of March, authorizing the commissioners
of Sangamon county to convey the land, as a site for the new edifice, to the State. It
also named Dr. A. G. Henry, of Sangamon; Archibald Job, of Cass, Wm. Herndon,
of Sangamon, as commissioners, who were authorized and instructed to superintend the
work of erection. It was expected that the new capital would be completed in time for
48 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
*
the first meeting of the Legislature in Springfield, which was fixed for the special ses-
sion of 1839-40. Finding that the building could not be sufficiently advanced, the Second
Presbyterian church, on Fourth street, was secured as Representatives' Hall. The build-
ing was then quite new, and was, by far, the largest church edifice in the central and
whole northern part of the State. It was built of brick, stood a few feet north of the
site of the present magnificent Second Presbyterian church, until the latter was erected.
The old building was torn down in the summer of 1875. The Methodist church was
used for the Senate chamber, and the Episcopal church for the Supreme Court, both
wooden buildings. The Legislature first convened in special session December 9, 1839.
It was thought by many to be unreasonable to require a little town of eleven
hundred inhabitants, struggling with the disadvantages of a new country, to pay the
$50,000 pledged. During that special session, Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, then a mem-
ber from Morgan county, proposed to bring in a bill, releasing Springfield from the
payment of the same. The sterling honesty of Abraham Lincoln manifested itself on
this, as on all other proper occasions. He interposed his objections, although he fully
appreciated the kindly feelings that prompted the proposal, but he insisted that the
money should be paid. Arrangements were entered into for paying it in three instal-
ments. The two first payments were made without any great difficulty ; but the third
pressed more heavily, as the financial crash that swept over the whole United States,
while the new State house was in course of construction, impoverished many. Under
these circumstances, it became necessary to borrow the money to make the last pay-
ment, from the State Bank of Illinois. A note for the amount was signed by one
hundred and one citizens, and deposited with the bank, the money drawn, with which
internal improvement scrip or stock was purchased and paid into the State treasury,
thus paying the last instalment in the State's own evidence of indebtedness. From
that time it was a matter between the State Bank and the citizens who signed the note.
Soon after the note was given, the State Bank failed, and some of the payments were
made in the depreciated paper of the bank, for which it had received par value when
it was paid out. The original note is preserved in the Ridgely National Bank, but
the following is a copy of the same:
$16,666.67. SPRINGFIELD, March 22, 1838.
One year after date, we, the undersigned, or either of us, promise to pay to the Pres-
ident, Directors and Company of the State Bank of Illinois, sixteen thousand, six. hun-
dred and sixty-six dollars and sixty-seven cents, for value received, negotiable and pay-
able at the bank, in Springfield, with interest until paid, at the rate of six per centum
per annum, payable semi-annually.
John Hay, Thomas Mather, C. R. Matheny,
L. Higby, Tho. Houghan, William Butler,
Joseph Thayer, D. Prickett, P. C. Canedy,
William Thornton, J. Calhoun, Jos. Klein.
M. O. Reeves, Josiah Francis, P. C. Latham,
W. P. Grimsley, Washington lies, A. G. Henry,
William Wallace, Joel Johnson, Ninian W. Edwards,
John B. Watson, C. B. Francis, J onn T. Stuart,
C. H. Ormsby, Wm. S. Burch, Jonas Whitney,
SANGAMON COUNTT.
49
Mosrs ColVman,
Gco. Pasfield,
B. C. Wclister,
S. M. Tinsley,
Ephriam Darling,
Jon:i. Merriam,
Ira Sanford,
Charles Arnold,
John L. Turner,
Joshua F. Amos,
Sullivan Conant,
And. McClellan,
Alexander Shields,
A. Trailor,
C. C. P helps,
R. B. Zimmennan,
William Hall, .
James L. Lamb,
M. L. Knapp,
J. M. Shacklcford,
B. Ferguson,
Benjamin Talhott,
Jesse Cormack,
B. C. [ohnson,
Thomas Moffatt,
John F. Rague,
Simeon Francis,
Nathaniel Hiv,
Robert Irwin,
Virgil Hickox,
George Trotter,
Stephen T. Logan,
Robert Allen,
James R. Gray,
J. Adams,
J. S. Britton,
W. B. Powell,
F. C. Thompson,
E. M. Henkle,
James W. Keyes,
Wm. Porter,
Wm. H. Marsh,
W. Ransdell,
[oshua S. Hobbs,
John G. Bergen,
B. S. Clement,
Erastus \\' right,
John Todd,
E. D. Baker,
A. Lincoln,
Garrett Elkin,
John Capps,
Alexr. Garrett,
( lershom Javne,
T. M. Xeafe,
\\'illiam G. Abrams,
Devvey Whitney,
M. Mobley,
Foley Vaughn,
Abncr Y. Ellis,
X. A. Rankin,
S. H. Treat,
Elijah lies,
Henry F. Luckett,
James P. Langford,
Henry Cassequin,
J. M. Cabaniss,
James Maxcy,
Z. P. Cabaniss,
E. G. Johns,
Amos Camp,
Thos. J. Goforth,
Benj. F. Jewett,
W. M. CoweUl.
From a tooting up of the principal and interest on one side of the note, the final
settlement appears to have been made February 19, 1846. The principal and interest
to that time was $17,918.
Soon after the Legislature adjourned at Vandalia, in March, 1837, and the members
returned to their homes, a public festival was given in Springfield in honor of the new
legislation for the removal of the capital. Among the toasts and speeches that followed
the dinner, were the two following:
By Abraham Lincoln, Esq: "All our friends they are too numerous to mention
now, individually, while there is no one of them who is not too dear to be forgotten or
neglected/' 1
By S. A.Douglas, Esq.: "The last winter's legislation May its results prove no
less beneficial to the whole State than they have to our town."
A tradition still lingers here that something stronger than water was used in drinking
the toasts on that occasion, as there was not a man to be found after the festival that
could tell who made the last speech, and that important fact is lost to history.
The commissioners appointed to superintend the building at once entered upon the
discharge of their duties, and on the fourth of July, 1837, the corner stone of the State
7
50 HISTORICAL PRELUDE,
house was laid with grand civic and military demonstrations. After it had been lowered
to its place in the wall, it 'was mounted by E. D. Baker, afterwards United States Sen-
ator from Oregon, and the lamented Colonel of Balls Bluff memory, who delivered
one of those thrilling and eloquent speeches, for which he was so famous. It was
estimated that the building would cost $130,000, but $240,000 was expended before it
was completed according to the original design. When the State house was completed
it was looked upon with wonder and admiration by the people. It was thought to be
so enormous in size that it would answer all the purposes of the State for all time to
come; but from the time it was built until the breaking out of the great rebellion the
growth of Illinois was beyond anything that could have been imagined by the early
settlers.
When the rebellion came to an end, and what was left of the tivo hundred and fifty-
six thousand men from Illinois, who assisted in carrying the stars and stripes until
there was no armed foe to conquer, returned to their homes, furled their banners, and
assumed their accustomed places in the peaceful avocations of life, it soon became ap-
parent to all who had occasion to visit Springfield, that the building of another State
house could not be delayed for any great length of time. The State had so far out-
grown the edifice, which had been regarded as a wonder of magnificence and archi-
tectural beauty only a brief quarter of a century before, that its records were unsafe,
and many branches of its official business had to be transacted in rented buildings,
where much of its valuable property was exposed at all times to the danger of being
destroyed by fire. The question had been very generally discussed in a quiet way,
and soon after the Legislature assembled in January, 1867, Hon. James C. Conkling
presented a bill providing for the erection of a new State Capitol at Springfield, and
laid it before the House of Representatives. It passed both houses, and was approved
by Governor Oglesby February 25, 1867, with a supplementary act two days later.
That law provided for the conveyance by the Governor of the square containing two
and a half acres of land, with the State house upon it, to Sangamon county, for a
court house, in consideration of $200,000, to be paid to the State of Illinois, and for the
further consideration that the city of Springfield, and Sangamon county, cause to be
conveyed to the State a certain piece of land, described by metes and bounds in the
bill, and containing between eight and nine acres, upon which to erect the new State
house. The law also provided that the State should have the use of the old State
house until the new one should be ready for occupancy. The land was secured at a cost
to the city of $70,000, and conveyed to the state; the $200,000 was paid by the county,
and that amount, with $2^0,000, to be drawn from the State treasury, making $450,000,
was appropriated to commence the work. The total cost of the building was limited
to $3,000,000. The design by J. C. Cochrane was adopted July 15, 1867, and Jan. 14,
1868, he was appointed architect and superintendent. Excavation commenced early in
the spring, and the first stone was laid June n. On the fifth of October the corner
stone was laid by the Grand Master of Free Masons of the State of Illinois, with the
imposing ceremonies of the order, and surrounded by members of the craft from all
parts of the State.
The ground plan is in the form of a great cross. The grand outlines are, total
length from north to south, 359 feet, exclusive of porticos; and from east to west, 266
feet, with twentv feet additional in the grand portico at the east end, which is the prin-
SANGAMON COUNTY.
cipal front. The body of the edifice above ground consists of the, FIRST STORY, PRIN-
cii'Ai. STORY, SECOND PRINCIPAL STORY and GALLERY STORY.
July 2, 1870, the people of Illinois voted on the question of adopting or rejecting
a new constitution, that had been prepared by a convention legally called for that pur-
pose. It was adopted by a large majority. A clause in the new constitution prohibited
the legislature making appropriations for the State house, then in course of construc-
tion, beyond a total amount of three and a half millions of dollars, unless the question
of additional appropriations was first submitted to a vote of the people. The money
within the constitutional limit has all been appropriated. The dates of approval by
the Governor, and amounts, are given below. The fourth appropriation was to be ex-
pended equally in the years 1873-4:
February 25, 27, 1867 $450,000
March 1 1, 27, 1869 650,000
June 14, 1871 600,000
March 19, 1873 ' 1,000,000
March 24, 1 87 =5 800,000
Total $3,500,000
There is much work yet to be done, but whether an additional appropriation, re-
quiring a vote of the people, w^ll be necessary to complete the grand edifice, is a
question for a future legislature to determine. The building was so far advanced that
the State archives were removed thereto, and the State officers took possession of it in
January 1876, and in that way the State of Illinois inaugurated the great American
Centennial.
GOVERNORS OF ILLINOIS.
TERRITORIAL.
Ninian Edwards from 1809 to 1818
STATE.
Shadrach Bond 18181822
Edward Coles 18221826
Ninian Edwards 18261830
John Reynolds 18301834
Lieutenant-Governor Casey, elected with Gov. Reynolds in 1830, was elected to
Congress in 1832. Wm. L. D. Ewing, a member of the Senate, was chosen President
of the Senate. Gov. Reynolds was elected to Congress in August, 1834, and left the
State for the national capital about the middle of November. Wm. L. D. Ewing, as
President of the Senate, was Governor fifteen days, until the assembling of the Legis-
lature in December, and the inauguration of the governor elect.
Joseph Duncan from 1834 to 1838
Thomas Carlin . . / from 1838 to 1842
Thomas Ford from 1842 to 1846
The constitution of 1848 changed the time of the assembling of the Legislature
from December to January, and ordered a new election in November, 1848, for four
years. Consequently
52 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
Augustus C. French was Governor from 1846 to 1853
Joel A. Matteson from 1853 to 1857
Wm. H. Bissell from 1857 to 1860
He died March 18, 1860, and
Lieutenant-Governor John Wood from 1860 to 1861
Richard Yates from 1861 to 1865
Richard J. Oglesby from 1865 to 1869
John M. Palmer from 1869 to 1873
Richard J. Oglesby, inaugurated in 1873, but immediately elected to the U. S. Senate,
when the Lieutenant-Governor
John L. Beveridge from 1873 to 1877
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
A law was enacted by the General Assembly of Illinois, and approved by the Gov-
ernor, February 10, 1849, providing for township organization, but leaving it optional
with counties to adopt it or not. Sangamon county never took any action under that
law.
Another law was enacted and approved February 17, 1851, providing for township
organization, and differing from the law of 1849 in some of its provisions. Under that
law a petition was laid before the commissioners' court, June 5, 1860, praying the court
to cause to be submitted to the voters of the county the question of township organiza-
tion. The court, having heard the petition, ordered that the prayer of the petitioners
be granted, and the subject be submitted at the next general election, which was held
Tuesday, November 6, 1860. The vote was canvassed by the court on the tenth of
December following, when it was ascertained that there was a majority of 859 votes in
favor of township organization, on a total vote of 7,241. The following action was
then taken : " Ordered by the Court, that John S. Bradford, John Gardner, Sen., and
Joseph Campbell be appointed commissioners to divide Sangamon county into towns or
townships, in accordance with the fifth and sixth sections of the General Law of the
State of Illinois, in relation to township organization." March i, 1861, the commis-
sioners submitted their report, and the following are the names of the townships:
Auburn, Island Grove,
Ball, Loami,
Buffalo Heart, Mechanicsburg,
Campbell, now Chatham, Power, now Fancy Creek,
Cartwright, Pawnee,
Clear Lake, Rochester,
Cooper, Sackett, now Salisbury,
Cotton Hill, Springfield,
Curran, Talkington,
Gardner, Williams,
Illiopolis, Woodside.
New Berlin has since been formed from part of Island Grove, and Wheatfield from
part of Illiopolis, making a total of 24 townships.
SANGAMON COUNTY.
An election was held for choosyig supervisors, Tuesday, April 2, 1861. The first meet-
ing of the Board of Supervisors was held April 29, 1861, on a call of eight members,
which was the method pointed out in the law. From that to the present time the bus-
iness of Sangamon county has been transacted by a Board of Supervisors, elected
annually.
POST OFFICES IN SANGAMON COUNTY.
Auburn, Illiopolis,
Barclay, Loami,
Bates,' Lowder,
Berlin, Mechanicsburg,
Berry, New Berlin,
* Bradfordton, f New Harmony,
f Breckenridge, Pawnee,
Buffalo, Pleasant Plains,
Buffalo Heart, Richland,
Cantrall, Riverton,
Chatham, Rochester,
Cotton Hill, Salisbury,
Cross Plains, Sherman,
Curran, Springfield,
Dawson, Wheatfield,
Farmingdale, Williamsville,
lies Junction, Woodside.
* This is a new office authorized by the post office department, but not yet organized. Feb., 1876.
t The original name of this office was New Harmony, but is aboiu being changed to Breckenridge.
SANGAMON COUNTY IN THE INDIAN WARS.
I shall have occasion, all through the biographical part of the work, to make frequent
mention of the part taken in the Winnebago and Black Hawk wars by the early set-
tlers of the county; for that reason I deem it best to give a brief account of them here-.
THE WINNEBAGO WAR: When the war of 1812-14, w ' tn England, drew to a
close, there were many Indians in the territory of Illinois. They generally gave way
as civilization advanced, yielding the ground, sometimes reluctantly, but peaceably,
until the summer of 1827. It was known to the white settlers that the different tribes
of Indians along the northern and western frontier were at war among themselves.
After the discovery of lead around what is now Galena, the white people flocked to
that region in great numbers. In their search for minerals they encroached upon the
lands of the Winnebago tribe. Being thus irritated, a small party of their tribe sur-
prised a party of twenty-four Chippeways and killed eight of them. The United
States Commander, at Fort Snelling, on the upper Mississippi, caused four of the offend-
ing Winnebagoes to be arrested and delivered to the Chippeways, by whom they were
shot for murder. Red Bird, the chief of the Sioux, though acting with the Winneba-
goes in an attempt to obtain revenge for the killing of the four members of their
tribe, was defeated by the Chippeways. He then determined to wreak his vengeance
on the white people who had assisted his enemies and invaded his country. June 2yth
54 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
two white men were killed near Prairie DuChien, and on the thirtieth of July two
keel boats, carrying supplies to Fort Snelling, were attacked and two of the crew
killed. The news soon spread among the settlers, and upon a call from Gov. Edwards,
four companies of infantry and one of cavalry were made up in Sangamon county.
The cavalry company was commanded by Edward Mitchell, and the four infantry
companies by Captains Thomas Constant, Reuben Brown, Achilles Morris and Bowlin
Green. The whole under command of Col. Tom. M. Neale, with James D. Henry as
adjutant, (the latter was at that time sheriff of Sangamon county,) marched to Peoria,
where the regiment was more fully organized, and continued to Galena. Before their
arrival in the Indian country, Red Bird with six of his warriors, voluntarily gave them-
selves up to the U. S. forces under Gen. Atkinson, to save their tribe from the miseries
of war. Thus ended the campaign, and the Sangamon county soldiers returned to
their homes.
Of the six Indians held as prisoners, some were acquitted and others convicted and
hung, more than a year after they were captured. Red Bird, whose proud spirit could
not endure the humiliation and confinement, sickened and died in prison. His fate was
much deplored by the whites, for he had been a true friend to them until the United
States Government compelled his Winnebago friends to give up the four men to the
Chippeways to be shot.
THE BLACK HAWK WAR: The Sac and Fox Indians were first recognized by the
United States Government in 1787, in a treaty at Fort Harmer, negotiated by Gov.
St. Clair, in which the Indians were guaranteed protection. In 1804, in a treaty con-
ducted by Wm. H. Harrison afterwards President of the United States their title to
a large scope of country on Rock river was extinguished, but they were permitted to
occupy the country as a hunting ground, their principal village being at the north of
Rock river, near where the city of Rock Island now stands. A third treaty was en-
tered into in 1830, by the terms of which they were to remove from the lands they
had sold, east of the Mississippi, and peaceably retire to the west side of the river.
The two principal chiefs of the nation were Keokuk and Black Hawk, the latter of
whom was born in 1767, at the largest village of their tribe, at the mouth of Rock
river. He had fought on the side of the British in the war of 1812, at the head of 200
savages, for which he annually received payment to the time of their removal west of
the Mississippi. Consequently, their band was always called the British Band. Black
Hawk moved reluctantly, claiming that his tribe had been injured by the people of the
United States. Keokuk determined to abide by the treaty, and drew the larger part of
the tribe after him, but Black Hawk declared all the treaties void, and in the spring of
1831, at the head of 300 warriors, crossed to the east side of the river and engaged in a
series of acts exceedingly annoying to the few settlers who had purchased the sites of
the former homes of the Indians, from the government. The Indians would throw
down fences, destroy grain, throw the roofs from their houses, and declared that if the
settlers did not leave they would kill them. Governor John Reynolds, on being in-
formed of the state of affairs on Rock river, determined to expel the Indians. He
issued a proclamation, May 27, 1831, calling for volunteers, and named June loth as the
time, and Beardstown as the place of rendezvous. More than twice the 700 men called
for volunteered. Finding so many willing to go, it was decided to accept the services
SANGAMON COUNTT,
55
of the whole 1,600 men. They were organized into two regiments, one spy and one
odd battalion. James D. Henry, of Springfield, who had been the adjutant in the
Winnebago Avar, was appointed to command the first regiment. I will now confine
myself to the part Sangamon county took in the campaign. James Campbell, Adam
Smith, and Jonathan R. Saunders each commanded a company. When the Indian
town was reached at the mouth of Rock river, it was found to be deserted. The In-
dians had taken advantage of the darkness and fled to the west side of the Mississippi
river, near where the cities of Davenport and Rock Island now stand. The savages
having escaped, the soldiers took vengeance by burning the village. Gen. Gaines, who
commanded the United States soldiers, sent an order to Black Hawk, requiring him
and his band to return and enter into a treaty of peace. He failed to come, when a
more peremptory order, with the threat of following them with all the troops at his
command, brought in about thirty chiefs, including Black Hawk, and a treaty-
was signed on the 3Oth of June, 1831. By that treaty the Indians agreed to remain
west of the river, and never to cross it without permission from the President of the
I nited States. After distributing the food intended for sustaining the soldiers, among
the Indians, the volunteer army disbanded and returned to their homes, without the
loss of a single person by disease, accident, or otherwise.
Before the Indians were forced to leave their village and return to the west side of
the river, Xaopope, a chief of the British band, and next to Black Hawk in authority,
had started on a visit to Maiden, Canada, to consult his English father some com-
mander there, probably concerning the right of the Indians to retake possession of
their lands on Rock river. On his return he also visited White Cloud, the prophet of
the Winnebagoes, at Prophetstown, 3:5 miles from the mouth of Rock river. White
Cloud assured his visitor that not only the British but the Ottawas, Chippewas, Pota-
\\attomies and Winnebagoes yvould assist his tribe in regaining their village and the
lands around it. When Xaopope returned, in the summer, he found his tribe west of
the river, and bound, bv a new treaty, not to interfere \vith the whites in possession of
their former homes. Notwithstanding this, he communicated to Black Hawk the en-
couragement he had received. Black Hawk immediately commenced recruiting to in-
crease the number of his braves, and sent a messenger to Keokuk, requesting his co-
operation. The latter refused, and counseled Black Hawk to abstain from any hostile
movement, assuring him that the promises of support could not be relied on. Black
Hawk rejected such good advice, and resolved to bid defiance to the .whites. He spent
the winter of 1831-2 in recruiting, and raised about ^oo warriors. His headquarters
were at what is now the city of Fort Madison, Iowa. In the spring he started, with
his warriors, on horseback, while the squaws, papooses and baggage were loaded in
canoes, and all moved up the river. April 6, 1832, the whole party crossed the Missis-
sippi, opposite the mouth of Rock river, and commenced ascending that stream, osten-
sibly for the purpose of entering the territory of the Winnebagoes and raising a crop
\vith them, but the real object was to secure them as allies.
Gen. Atkinson, in command of Fort Armstrong, on Rock Island, sent messengers
ordering them to return west of the Mississippi river. Black Hawk positively re-
fused to go. When this became known in the settlement the greatest consternation
prevailed, and the settlers fled from their homes in search of safety. Messengers were
dispatched to Yandalia, and Gov. Reynolds issued a call, on the i6th, for volunteers to
HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
assemble at Bearclstown on the 22(1 of the month. Gen. Atkinson at the same time
called for volunteers to aid the regular soldiers at Rock Island. Gov. Reynolds, at the
time of issuing the call for volunteer soldiers, addressed an open letter to the citizens
in the northwestern counties, and sent influential messengers among the people, and in
every wav endeavored to encourage enlistments. Eighteen hundred men rallied under
this call at Beardstown, on the 22d of April. Among them were three regularly or-
ganized companies from Sangamon county. One was commanded by Thomas Moffitt,
one by Jesse Clay well, of which Rezin H. Constant afterwards became Captain, and
one by Abraham Lincoln. They were divided into four regiments and a spy battalion.
The First regiment was commanded by Col. DeWitt, the Second bv Col. Fry, the
Third by Col. Thomas, the Fourth by Col. Samuel M. Thompson. In the latter
Abraham Lincoln commanded a company. Col. James D. Henry commanded the spy
battalion. The whole brigade was put under the command of Brigadier-Gen. Samuel
Whitesides r of the State militia, who had commanded the spy battalion in the first
campaign.
On the 2yth of April Gen. Whitesides began his forward movement, accompanied
by Gov. Reynolds. The army proceeded by way of Oquawka to the mouth of Rock
river, where it was agreed between Generals Whiteside and Atkinson, in command
of the regulars, that the volunteers should march up Rock river to Prophetstown,
and there feed and rest their horses. On arriving there the volunteers burned the town,
and Gen. Whiteside continued the march in the direction of Dixon, arriving at the lat-
ter place, the General ordered a halt, and sent out parties to reconnoitre. Here he
found two battalions, consisting of 275 mounted men, from the counties of McLean,
Tazewell, Peoria and Fulton, under the command of Majors Stillman and Bailey.
Major Stillman was from Sangamon county. (See his name.} The officers of this
force had previously been ordered in advance of the main body to protect the settlers,
and now they asked to be put forward on some dangerous service, in which they could
have an opportunity to distinguish themselves. They were accordingly ordered further
up Rock river, to spy out the Indians. The forward movement began on the I2th of
May, Major Stillman being chief in command. He moved up Rock river, on the
southeast side until they came to a small stream that rises in Ogle county and empties
into Rock river. This stream was then called Old Man's creek, but from that date has
borne the name of Stillman's run. There he encamped for the night, and in a short
time a party of Indians were seen on horseback about a mile from the camp. A party
of Major Stillman's men mounted their horses, without orders or commander, and were
soon followed by others, and in this belter skelter manner pursued the Indians, who,
after displaying a red flag, endeavored to make their escape, but were overtaken and
three of them slain. This brought on an attack from the main body of Black Hawk's
army, numbering about 700 warriors. Those who, by their insubordination, brought
on the fight, retreated, and, with their horses on a full run, dashed through the camp
of Major Stillman, who did all that was possible by ordering his men to retreat in
order and form on higher ground, but they never found a rallying point until they
reached Dixon, thirty miles distant. Both Ford, and Davidson & Stuve, in their his-
tories of Illinois, exonerate Major Stillman and his men from all blame, and rightly
attribute the disaster to want of discipline and that experience which is necessary to
"five soldiers confidence in their officers and in each other.
SANGAMOX COUNTY.
57
That opened the war, and there could be no cessation of hostilities until one side or
the other yielded the ground. It is not my purpose to attempt following out all the
details of the war, but will hasten to a close. For a time the Indians scattered them-
selves over the country. They would lay in ambush and shoot down detached bodies
of armed men, or murder and scalp unprotected women and children. Men were gen-
erally enlisted for short terms, and sometimes, when the main body of the Indians were
almost in their grasp, the term of enlistment would expire, and they would insist on
being discharged. To fill their places with new recruits required time. At the time of the
repulse of Major Still man and his men, there were about twenty-four hundred men under
arms, including the volunteers from Illinois and the regular soldiers from Fort Arm-
strong, under Gen. Atkinson. They could have killed, or driven every Indian across
the Mississippi river in one month, but the term for which they had enlisted had nearly
expired, and they were anxious to be discharged. The Governor had previously issued
orders for raising two thousand men. He then called for a volunteer regiment from
among those whose time had expired, to hold the Indians in check until the new re-
cruits could be brought to the scene of conflict. It was soon raised and put under
command of Col. Fry and Lieutenant-Col. James D. Henry. Gen. Whiteside volun-
teered as a private. This body of men had a number of encounters with the savages
before the new recruits were brought into the field. The new levy assembled at
Beardstown, and were at once ordered to Fort Wilburn, on the south bank of the Illi-
nois river, about one mile above the town of Peru. There the volunteer forces were
organized into three brigades. The first and second were organized June 16, 1832,
with 1,000 men each. Alexander Posey was elected General of the first and Milton
K. Alexander, General of the second brigade. The third brigade was organized June
1 8th, with 1,200 men, and Col. James D. Henry was elected General. This made the
volunteer force consist of 3,200 men, exclusive of the regular soldiers under Gen. At-
kinson. Many weeks were spent in trying to find the main body of Black Hawk's
warriors. They were all the time working their way further north, hoping to elude
their pursuers. The army was continually undergoing changes. July 15, 1832,
found Gen. Henry, Gen. Alexander and Major Dodge far up in Wisconsin, at a place
called Fort Winnebago. Some Winnebago chiefs came in and reported that Black
Hawk was encamped on Rock river. The three officers above named held a council
and, although it was in violation of orders, they decided to march directly for the Indian
camp, hoping to take them by surprise. General Alexander soon announced that his
men refused to go, and Major Dodge that his horses were too much disabled to go, but
a body of men soon after arrived from Galena to join Major Dodge's battalion, which
made his effective force 120 men. Gen. Henry's brigade was by this time reduced to
between five and six hundred men, but only about four hundred and fifty had horses.
While making arrangements to start, Gen. Henry discovered that his own men, in-
fluenced by association with those of Gen. Alexander, were on the point of open
mutiny. Lieutenant-Col. Jeremiah Smith, of one of his regiments, presented to the
General a written protest, signed by all the officers of his regiment except Col. Fry,
against the expedition. Gen. Henry quietly but firmly ordered the men under arrest
for mutiny, assigning a body of soldiers to escort them back to Gen. Atkinson. Col.
Smith begged permission to consult a few moments with the officers before anything
further was done. In less than ten minutes they were all at the General's quarters,
pleading for pardon and pledging themselves to return to duty. Gen. Henry replied
8
58 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
t
in a few dignified and kindly remarks, and all returned to their duty. Gen. Alexanders
men marched back, and the others started in pursuit of the enemy, under the direction
of competent guides. Three days' hard marching brought them to Rock river. Here
three Winnebagoes gave intelligence that Black Hawk was further up the river. Pre-
parations were made for a forced march the next morning, and Dr. Elms Merriman,
of Springfield, in company with W. \V. Woodbridge, of Wisconsin, and a chief called
Little Thunder, for a guide, were started about dark that evening to convey dispatches
down the river to Gen. Atkinson. They had gone but a few miles to the southwest
when they fell into a fresh broad trail of the enemy endeavoring to escape. Little
Thunder hastened back in terror to the camp to warn the Indians that their efforts to
deceive the commanding General were detected. They were all arrested by Major
Murrey McConnell, of Jacksonville, and taken to the tent of Gen. Henry, and confessed
that they had come into camp and given false information to aid the Indians in their
retreat. On the next morning, July 19, a forced march commenced in pursuit of the
Indians. On the third day, about four o'clock in the afternoon, the advance guard was
fired upon by the savages secreted in the grass. The fight continued until dark, and
the men lay on their arms until morning, when it was discovered that the Indians had
all crossed the Wisconsin river during the night. Sixty-eight Indians were left dead
on the field, and twenty-five more were found dead along the line of march. Only one
white man was killed and eight wounded. This has always been known as the battle
of the Wisconsin.
The next dav Gen. Henry found his men too much worn down by fatigue and want of
food to pursue the retreating Indians. After two days march he joined Gen. Atkinson
at Blue Mounds, with the regulars, and Alexander's and Posey's brigades. It was soon
apparent to General Henry and his officers that General Atkinson and all the regular
officers were deeply mortified at the success of the militia, who they did not intend
should have any credit in the war. After two days' preparation, the whole force, under
direction of General Atkinson, took up their line of march, July 25th, in pursuit of the
Indians. Crossing the Wisconsin river, and striking the trail of the Indians, the regu-
lars were put in front, Dodge's battalion and Posey's and Alexander's brigades came
next, and Gen. Henry, with his command, was placed in the rear, in charge of the
baggage. All parties clearly understood this to be an insult to Gen. Henry and his
brave volunteers for having found, pursued and defeated Black Hawk and his warriors,
while the regulars, and Alexander's brigade, who had refused to accompany Henry,
were taking their ease at a long distance from the scene of danger. Gen. Henry's
brigade keenly felt the insult, and claimed the right to be placed in front, but the Gen-
eral never uttered a word of complaint, and his men, following his noble example,
quietly trudged on in the rear. After a full week of weary marching, at ten o'clock on
the morning of August 2cl, the army reached the bluffs of the Mississippi river, which,
at that point, was some distance from the margin of the stream. Black Hawk had ar-
rived at the stream a day or two before, and the Indians were crossing as fast as they
could. On the first day of August the steamboat Warrior, which had been employed
to convey supplies up the river for the army, was coming down, and notwithstanding
the Indians displayed a white flag, the captain affected to believe it was only a decoy, gave
them fifteen minutes to remove their women and children, when he fired a six-pound can-
non, loaded with cannister, into their midst, followed by a severe fire of musketrv. In less
SANGAMON COUNTT. 59
than an hour twenty-three Indians were murdered, it might almost be said, in cold
blood. Black Hawk now turned all his energies to reach the opposite bank of the
river. With that object in view he sent twenty warriors to the high bluff. When
Gen. Atkinson reached the bluffs on the morning of August 2d, his men were greeted
by firing from behind trees. The tall grass made it impossible to learn anything of
the force they had to contend with. According to instructions from Black Hawk,
when all became engaged they were to retreat to a point three miles up the river.
Dodge's battalion led in the chase after the twenty Indians, followed by the regulars
and Alexander's and Posey's brigades, all under the immediate direction of Gen. At-
kinson. In the hurried pursuit Gen. Henry was called on for a single regiment to
cover the rear of the pursuing forces. Otherwise his whole brigade was left without
orders.
Despite the intention to disgrace Gen. Henry and his men, fortune now seemed to
favor them. The men under Major Ewing, of the latter brigade, discovered that the
trail by which the main body of Black Hawk's forces had reached the river was lower
down, and that they were much nearer than the point to which the twenty decoy In-
dians were leading the main forces. He who had been placed in the rear as a mark of
special disfavor, by the strategy of a few savages, who had thus far triumphed over the
veteran General, was now thrown again to the front, and well did he make use of this
favorable circumstance. Gen. Henry, being notified of the discovery of the main trail,
descending to the foot of the bluff, and there leaving his horses, prepared for an attack.
The trail from there to the river was through drift wood, brush and weeds. Eight men
were ordered forward to the perilous duty of drawing the fire of the Indians, to ascer-
tain where they were. Fully aware of their dangerous mission, they moved boldly
forward until they were in sight of the river, when they were fired upon by about fifty
Indians. Five of the eight fell, either killed or wounded. Gen. Henry immediately
ordered the bugle sounded for a charge. The fiftv Indians fell back to the main body,
amounting in all to about three hundred warriors. This made the force about equal on
both sides. The fight became general along the whole line; the inspiring strains of the
bugle cheering on the volunteers; the Indians were driven from tree to tree until they
reached the bank of the river, fighting with the most sublime Courage, and contesting
every inch of ground. At the brink the struggle was desperate, but of short duration.
The bloody bayonet in the hands of the excited soldiers drove them into the surging
waters, where some tried to swim to the opposite shore, others only aimed to reach a
small willow island.
All this was done before the commanding General was aware that the volunteer
General and men, whom he intended to punish for having found and defeated the In-
dians at the battle of the Wisconsin river, had again found and almost exterminated the
main body of the enemy, while he was leading the largest portion of his army after
twenty straggling Indians, whom he had not been shrewd enough to detect in their
false movements. After the Indians had been driven into the river, Gen. Henry de-
spatched Major McConnell to give intelligence to Gen. Atkinson of his movements;
but while pursuing the twenty Indians he had heard the firing of Gen. Henry's brigade,
and hastening to share in the engagement, met the messenger near the scene of action.
Some of the newly arrived forces chai'ged through the water to the island and kept up
the fight until all were killed, drowned, captured, or made their escape to the opposite
60 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
shore of the river. It was estimated that the Indian loss amounted to one hundred and
fifty killed, and as many more drowned, including women and children. But fifty
prisoners were taken, mostly squaws and papooses. The largest portion of the Indians es-
caped across the river before the battle commenced. The American loss was seventeen
killed and twelve wounded. This was called the battle of the Bad Axe, because it
was fought in Wisconsin, a short distance below the mouth of the river Bad Axe. It
was above Prairie DuChien.
That Black Hawk brought that great calamity on his people there can be no question,
but that he was devoted to their interests his last move testifies beyond a doubt. Find-
ing himself and followers almost in a starving condition, pursued by a foe well fed, and
otherwise stronger than his own forces, he approached the brink of the river, hoping
to reach the opposite bank before his pursuers could overtake him, His means of
transportation being inadequate, he finds it impossible to escape. Knowing that his
fate is sealed, he doubtless gives hasty orders that the canoes be plied as fast as possible,
and looking for the last time upon many who had trusted their all to his guidance, he
places himself at the head of a handful of faithful followers, and boldly sallies out to
meet the foe one hundred and fifty times stronger than himself, his only hope being to
turn them aside until his own people should escape. How his heart must have sunk
when he heard the firing and knew there was but one way for it to terminate. When
Gen. Atkinson, discovering the ruse, ceased the pursuit of the few and marched to
where the battle was raging, Black Hawk, with his twenty followers, made their es-
cape up the Mississippi and passed over to the Wisconsin river. They were finally
captured, far up that stream, by a party of Sioux and Winnebago Indians, who pro-
fessed to sympathize with Black Hawk and his followers, but were ready, like blood
hounds, to hunt them down when they most needed friendship, and when there was a
seeming opportunity to gain favor with the strong and victorious party. Black Hawk
and his friends were delivered to Gen. Street, the United States Indian agent at Prairie
DuChien, and sent by Col. Zachary Taylor down to Rock Island. Upon arriving
there the cholera was raging, and they were sent down to Jefferson Barracks, Mo.,
where a treaty was made. Black Hawk and his party were held as hostages for the
good behavior of their tribe. They were taken to Washington City, and from there
to Fortress Monroe, where they remained uutil July 4, 1833. They were then released,
by order of President Jackson, and escorted to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York,
and other cities, and returned by way of the New York canal and northern lakes,
thence to their own people, west of the Mississippi river. Black Hawk died, October 3,
1840, on the Des Moines river, in Iowa.
Many of the men engaged in that campaign acquired state and some of them national
reputation. Among them may be mentioned Joseph Duncan and Thomas Ford, who
became Governors of Illinois, Henry Dodge, who became Governor of Wisconsin,
and Zachary Taylor and Abraham Lincoln, who became Presidents of the United
States.
The most remarkable man of all engaged in that campaign was Gen. James D.
Henry, and if that had been an age of newspapers and reporters, he would have ac-
quired a national reputation at once. That he was the hero of the two principal bat-
tles fought in expelling the Indians in that campaign, was known beyond a doubt, and
SANG AM ON COUNTY. 61
so well understood by the Illinois soldiers from all parts of the State, that the opinion
was freely expressed that if he had lived he would have been elected Governor by an
overwhelming majority, against any other man. Strange as it may seem, he was
scarcely heard of outside of the State. This was all owing to the fact that there was
but one paper in the State north of Springfield, and that was edited and published by
the kind of man that brings odium on the press whenever he touches it.
Dr. Addison Philleo was one of the men who almost publicly commenced dissecting
the body of VayNoy, who was hung in Springfield in November, 1826. He was
compelled by the citizens to desist from the disgusting spectacle tmtil the body, was re-
moved to a more private place. Dr. Philleo had removed to Galena, and at the time
of the Black Hawk war was publishing a paper there, called the Galenian. He at-
tached himself to the battalion of Major Henry Dodge, of Wisconsin. Major Dodge's
battalion was a part of Gen. Henry's brigade when Black Hawk and his forces were
discovered by Gen. Henry. Gov. Ford, in his history, describing the chase of Gen.
Henry after Black Hawk, says: "On the third day, about noon, also, the scouts ahead
came suddenly upon two Indians, and as they were attempting to escape, one of them
( was killed and left dead on the field. Dr. Addison Philleo, coming along shortly
after, scalped this Indian, and for a long time afterwards exhibited the scalp as an
evidence of his valor."
That was the kind of man the world was dependent upon for a history of the Black
Hawk campaign. He was the only newspaper man with the army. After the battle
of the Wisconsin, Dr. Philleo wrote an account of it for his paper, and that being the
first paper it was published in, was copied all over the United States. He chronicled
the doings of Major Dodge only, and always spoke of him as General Dodge. Gen.
Henry, the real commander, was never mentioned except as a subordinate. By this
deception many histories now assert that Dodge was the commander in that war. Gen-
eral Henry never made a report of any part of the campaign, and those errors were
never officially contradicted. In that campaign he contracted disease of the lungs, and
afterwards went south, hoping that the climate and medical treatment would restore
his health, but he gradually sank until March 4, 1834, when he died in New Orleans.
See his name in the biographical department.
I have been thus minute in this sketch of the Indian wars, because almost even*
family among the early settlers of Sangamon county were represented in the army;
and, although they were at a comparatively safe distance from the scene of conflict,
yet their sympathies were naturally drawn out towards those who were in danger.
Another reason why I have given the subject such prominence is that there is no recent
history of those wars accessible to the public.
The mention I shall make of the part taken by the descendents of the early settlers
of Sangamon county in suppressing the great rebellion will partake of a much wider
range, but the comparatively recent date of that event, and the publications in almost
every house concerning it, precludes the necessity of my attempting any extended ac-
count of it here.
62 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Under this head I shall record some events that will occasionally he referred to in |
the biographical part of the work. By describing them fully here, a bare reference to
them hereafter will be understood. The two most important were the " deep snow "
and the " sudden change."
THE DEEP SNOW : What is here spoken of as the " deep snow " must be taken
relatively. Snows fall almost every winter much deeper in New York, the New
England States, Canada and in the northern latitudes generally. This, however, is
distinguished from all others as the "deep snow," because, in this latitude, the like of
it was not known before, and has not been known since. A description of it by Rev.
J. M. Sturtevant, President of Illinois College, in an address before the Old Settler's
Society of Morgan county, at Jacksonville, a few years ago, is the best authority I can
find. Having been brought up where such snows were nothing unusual, he would be
less likely to be deceived in his judgment than one who had never witnessed the like
before. President Sturtevant says:
"In the interval between Christmas, 1830, and January, 1831, Snow fell all over cen-
tral Illinois to a depth of fully three feet on a level. Then came a rain, with weather
so cold that it froze as it fell, forming a crust of ice over this three feet of snow, nearlv,
if not quite, strong enough to bear a man, and finally, over this crust of ice, there was
a few inches of very light snow. The clouds passed away, and the wind came down
upon us from the northwest with extraordinary ferocity. For weeks, certainly not less
than two weeks, the mercury in the thermometer tube was not, on any one morning,
higher than twelve degrees below zero. This snow fall produced constant sleighing
for nine weeks."
The recollection of some of the early settlers is that rain fell for some days, until the
earth was saturated with water, and the day before Christmas the rain turned to snow,
and the flakes were so large that in a few hours it attained a depth of six inches. I
have, time and again, heard this snow described as much more than three feet deep,
and no doubt the experience of those making the statements justified them in it. The
situation was rather alarming, even to a New England man. There, a few hours of
wind blows all the snow from exposed places, and deposits it in valleys and behind hills,
where the wind cannot reach it. It is only where the roads cross these receptacles that
it is necessary to break a track. It is made the occasion for a frolic with New England
people to turn out with ox teams and sleds to break a road, and then thei'e is no more
trouble until the next snow storm. Such work here would have been useless. In this
level countrv the drifting never ceases as long as the snow lasts. Any number of teams
might break a track, but it would fill behind them in a few moments. The only way
they finally made roads here was by wallowing through it, and going as near the same
place as they could, until the snow was trodden hard and rounded up like a turnpike
road. Many instances have been related where teams, attempting to pass each other
on these raised roads, found it too narrow, and the result was that one if not both the
vehicles would be upset, leaving the occupants and teams floundering in the snow. To
SANGAMON COUNTY. 63
regain the proper position on the road was not always an easy task. Long after the
great body of the snow melted off, these roads remained. One man, describing them,
said they looked like silver threads, stretching over the prairies as far as the eye could
reach.
Railroads were not then dreamed of, but they would have been, for several weeks, as
utterly useless as though they were sunk out of sight in the earth. Snow plows would
be of no avail in such a storm as that, for the track would fill, in less than an hour,
behind any train that might force its way though. Quoting again from President
Sturtevant, he says: "It is a consolation that such a winter has never occurred but
once in the memory of man. But what has happened once may happen again. If it
docs we shall get a very definite idea how important our railroads are to us, and we
shall be very glad that the snow is not over the telegraph wires." In the latter clause
he no doubt had reference to the fact that in those days, when everything was right,
they did not have or expect a mail more than once a week, but even that was inter-
rupted for several weeks during the " deep snow."
That snow come so early in the season that it caught nearly all their corn in the
fields, and it was very difficult to obtain enough of it to keep stock from perishing.
Few had any milling done, and the devices were numerous to reduce the grain to a
condition fine enough to be baked into something resembling bread. Some of them
will be described. I will here give a few incidents illustrating some of the straits the
people were put to in order to preserve life and property.
Among the earliest settlers on Sugar creek was a man by the name of Stout no re-
lation to any of that name now in the county. He had raised a family, but his wife
had died, and his children had married and left him alone. He built a small cabin in
i
the woods, and in that he did his own cooking, slept, and worked at making bread
trays, wooden bowls, rolling pins, wooden ladles, and such other implements as every
household was in need of. He traded the products of his labor for something to eat or
wear, seldom receiving or expecting any money. He lived very comfortably until the
" deep snow " come. Then his open cabin and scant supply, of bedding was not suffi-
cient to keep him warm. He went around among his neighbors and tried to obtain
some addition to his bedding, but found them all deficient in that respect themselves.
He finally solved the difficulty by felling a large tree near his cabin, took a cut from it
of suitable length, and made a trough inside, the full length of his body, and hewed it
oft" on the outside until it was light and thin enough for him to handle easily. He
would then make his bed on some chips or shavings, as he had done before, first bring-
ing his trough along side, and when snugly covered up, he would take the trough and
turn it over himself for covering. As soon as the warmth of his body filled the space
he would be comfortable, and could lay snug and warm until morning. There was
neither floor nor chimney to his cabin, so he made the fire on the ground. When the
weather was extremely cold he would move his fire just before retiring, scraping the
coals and ashes carefully away, and then make his bed where the fire had been during
the day. This is a new proof of the oft repeated adage, that " Necessity is the mother
of invention."
DEATHS ix THK SNOW: Very many cases occurred of persons being lost in the
snow, ending in death. I will mention a few here, but others will be referred to in the
succeeding parts of the work.
64 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
A man named William Saxton lived, on Lick creek, above Loami. He went hunt-
ing, and failing to return, his friends and neighbors went in search of him, and found
his body about one mile from his home, where he had sunk down, and appeared as if
asleep.
Samuel Legg started from Sugar creek, not far above where the C. and A. railroad
now crosses, intending to go to Richland timber, near where Pleasant Plains now
stands. He was not heard of until the next April, when the remains of himself and
horse were found, nearly consumed by wolves. He had gone but a few miles, as the
body was found on what is now the farm of John B. Fowler, a few miles west of
Chatham. A bottle with a small quantity of whiskey was found near his remains.
A man started from the timber on Horse creek to chase a wolf while the snow was
falling. He was not seen nor heard of until the next spring, when his body was found
at a place called Willow grove, in Shelby county. His horse and dog were found with
him, and all had perished together. The distance was about forty miles from where
he started. It was thought that he became bewildered by the falling snow, and con-
tinued his efforts until his horse, dog and himself sank down to die.
William Workman w>ent hunting in the Lick creek timber, south of Loami. He
walked on the crust of the snow, and was approaching a deer for the purpose of shoot-
ing it. Without being aware of it, he was over a ravine of considerable depth. The
crust broke and he went down. Raising his rifle gun he could barely reach the crust
with it. By tramping the snow under his feet until it became solid, he found himself
gradually rising with the slope of the ground, and by reaching up with his gun and
breaking the crust, he finally escaped, but he says it was a long and laborious operation.
Simeon Vancil relates an experience very similar.
So completely did the snow cover everything that wild game was accustomed to
feed upon, that the deer, turkey, and some other kinds of game, were almost extermi-
nated. There was another reason why it was destructive to the deer. That animal
runs by a succession of leaps, and, as a natural consequence, the faster they ran the
greater would be the force with which they struck the snow. When pursued by dogs,
a few vigorous leaps would stop them short, their small, sharp hoofs breaking through
the crust, would leave them helpless, with their bodies resting on the snow. At the
same time a dog or wolf of equal weight would pass safely over, because, by their
manner of running, they did not strike the snow with such force, and even if they had,
their soft, pad-like feet would be less likely to break the crust.
It required but a short time, thus shut off from food, for the deer to become too lean
for venison. All thoughtful people then abstained from killing them, but there were
others who thought only of the sport, and destroyed them where and when they could.
Dogs and wolves, learning that they could be made to break through the crust and be-
come disabled, chased down and destroyed great numbers of them. From all these
causes the deer were almost exterminated, and they never become plentiful afterwards.
Mr. Simeon Vancil, who came to the county in the fall of 1818, says that it was
very common to see large quantities of buffalo bones on the highest points of land. In
explanation of that there was a tradition among the Indians who remained in the
country to hunt, after the white settlers come in, that there had been a " deep snow "
about thirty years before, say about 1800, and that the buffalo, herding together on the
SANG AM OX COUNTT. 6;
highest ground, because the snow was thinnest, remained there and perished with cold
, and hunger. Of course this was only given as a tradition, coming from the Indians.
There could be no corroborative testimony from civilized men, for the simple reason
that there were none in the country.
THE SUDDEN CHANGE: Soon after commencing the collection of materials for
this work, I was frequently asked the question, " Has any person told you about the
sudden change?" My answers at first would, for obvious reasons, be in the negative.
The interrogator would then undertake to give me an account of it, but I was never
able to learn that any person in the county had kept a record of the indications of a
thermometer at that time, or that there was a thermometer in the county; and fora
long time I could not ascertain the year in which it took place.
In an interview with Mr. Washington Crowder, the date was settled in his own
peculiar method. Mr. Crowder remembers that on the morning of December 20, 1836,
he started from a point on Sugar creek about eight miles south of Springfield, to the
latter place, for the purpose of obtaining a license for the marriage of himself and Miss
Isabel Laughlin. He had finished his courting on the nineteenth, with the understand-
ing that the marriage was to take place on the twenty-first, leaving the twentieth for
obtaining the license. There were several inches of snow on the ground, but rain was
then falling slowly, and had been, long enough to turn the snow to slush. Every time
the horse put his foot down it went through the slush, splashing it out on all sides.
Mr. Crowder was carrying an umbrella to protect himself from the rain, and wore an
overcoat reaching nearly to his feet. When he had traveled something like half the
distance, and had reached a point about four miles south of Springfield, he had a fair
view of the landscape, ten or twelve miles west and north. He saw a very dark cloud,
a little north of west, and it appeared to be approaching him very rapidly, accompanied
by a terrific, deep, bellowing sound. He thought it prudent to close his umbrella, lest
the wind should snatch it from his hands, and dropped the bridle reins on the neck of
his horse for that purpose. Having closed the umbrella and put it under his arm, he
was in the act of taking hold of the bridle rein, when the cold wave struck him. At
that instant water was dripping from every thing about him, but \vhen he drew the
reins taut, ice rattled from them. The water and slush was almost instantly turned to
ice, and running water on sloping ground was congealed as suddenly as molten lead
would harden and form in ridges if poured on the ground. Mr. Crowder expressed
himself quite sure that within fifteen minutes from the time the cold blast reached him
his horse walked on top of the snow and water, so suddenly did it freeze.
When he arrived in Springfield he rode up to a store at the west side of Fifth street,
between Adams and Monroe, a few doors south of where Bunn's bank now stands.
He there attempted to dismount, but was unable to move, his overcoat holding him as
firmly as though it had been made of sheet iron. He then called for help, and two
men come out, who tried to lift him off, but his clothes were frozen to the saddle, which
they ungirthed, and then carried man and saddle to the fire and thawed them asunder.
After becoming sufficiently warm to do so, Mr. Crowder went to the county clerk's
office, obtained his license, and by driving his horse before him, returned to where he
had started in the morning. The next day he started on horseback, but found the
traveling so difficult on the ice that he dismounted, tied up the bridle, left his horse to
9
66 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
find the way back home, and went on foot to the house of his affianced, where he was
married at the time appointed. Mr. Crowder admits that it was a very thorough test
of his devotion, but it must be conceded that he proved himself equal to the emer-
gency.
Other evidences of the suddenness and intensity of the cold are numerous. Rev.
Josiah Porter, of Chatham see his name remembers that the cold wave reached
Chatham about half past twelve o'clock, noon; that he consulted his watch at the time,
and knows he is correct. His recollection of the suddenness and intensity of the cold
corroborates the account given by Mr. Crowder. Although Mr. Porter was in Chat-
ham at the time of the sudden change, and resides there now, he was then doing the
work of an evangelist, which led to his traveling over a large portion of Illinois and
Indiana. In the discharge of his duties he became acquainted with a remarkable cir-
cumstance that occurred in what is now the west part of Douglas county, near the cor-
ner of Piatt and Moultrie counties. Two brothers by the name of Deeds had gone
out to cut a bee tree, and were overtaken by the cold and frozen to death. Their bodies
were found ten days later, about three miles from home.
The extent of that cold wave may not be generally known. That it first touched
the earth west or north-west of here is highly probable, from the fact that it reached
here at half past twelve, noon, according to the time noted by Mr. Porter. He also
learned that it was nearly sundown when the cold reached the point in Douglas county
where the two brothers perished. I also learned from a gentlemen in this county that
at the fime, his father kept a hotel at Labanon, Ohio, and although his account would
indicate that the cold wave had spent some of its force, yet when it arrived there it froze
some wagons fast in the mud in an incredibly short time, while some travelers were
discussing the terms for staying all night. It reached there at nine o'clock. Putting
the statements as to time and place together, it would appear that the cold wave trav-
eled something near three hundred miles in eight and a half hours, or about thirtv-five
miles an hour. These statements have been given to me altogether from memory,
more than thirty-five years after the event, and no doubt vary greatly from what a
scientific report at the time would have presented.
A great many instances have been related to me, in all parts of the county, of the
suffering by men and animals. It has been told me time and again that chickens and
geese, also hogs and cows, were frozen in the slush as they stood, and unless they were
extricated by cutting the ice from about their feet, remained there to perish.
Andrew Heredith was a merchant miller and pork packer in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Through misfortunes incident to business he failed. Among other misfortunes, he had
a pork house burn there. Preston Breckenridge, of this county, happened to be in
Cincinnati, and remembers being an eye witness to the burning. After his failure,
Mr. Heredith was aided by friends to commence business in Sangamon county. He
built a flouring mill about three miles west of Loami, near what is called Lick creek,
and called the place Millville. He bought wheat and made flour; also bought and
drove fat hogs to St. Louis. In the fall of 1836 he bought and drove two lots to St.
Louis, and made some money each time. He used all the capital at his command, and
all the credit his successes gave him, and collected a third drove of between 1,000 and
1,^00 hogs, and was driving them to St. Louis. The country was so sparsely settled
SANGAMON COUNTY. 67
that he found it expedient to start with three or four wagons, loaded with corn to feed
the hogs. When a load was fed out there were generally a sufficient number of hogs
exhausted by traveling to load the wagon. Mr. Heredith had reached a point on the
open prairie eight miles south of Scottville, Macoupin county, when the cold wave
overtook him. Finding that men and animals were likely to perish, he called the men
together, upset all except one of the wagons, in order to leave the corn and hogs
together, righted up the wagons, and with all the men in them, drove to the nearest
house, and before they could reach there all became more or less frozen, but none lost
their lives.
The hogs, thus abandoned, piled on each other. Those on the inside smothered, and
those on the outside froze. A pyramid of about 500 dead hogs was thus built. The
others wandered about and were reduced to skeletons by their sufferings from the cold,
the whole proving a total loss. Mr. Heredith was a man of good business qualifications,
and of great energy. He was making superhuman efforts to retrieve his fortunes, but
that blow crushed him; he never rose again, but sank down and in a short time died.
In the biographical part, see his name.
JAMES HARVEY HILDRETH: At the time Rev. Mr. Porter gave me his recollec-
tions connected with the " sudden change," he told me that some years later he met a
man in DeWitt county, by the name of Hildreth, who was crippled in his hands and
feet. He said Mr. Hildreth informed him that it had been caused by his being caught
away from shelter at the time of the " sudden change." Mr. Hildreth then gave him
a detailed account of his sufferings and experience, which Mr. Porter gave to me from
memory. This made such an impression on my mind that I was anxious to know
more of the incident. In the course of my travels over the county, I was at the house
of Mrs. Thomas J. Turley. See the Turley and Trotter names. How the subject
came up I do not remember, but I learned from Mrs. Turley that Mr. Hildreth was
her cousin. She gave me additional information, and referred me to another cousin
of herself and Mr. Hildreth Mr. Moses Kenny, of Kenny, Logan county. I deferred
writing to that gentleman until I was drawing my work to a close, and when I did so,
was answered by Mr. John Kenny, of the same place, who informed me that his
brother Moses was dead. Mr. John Kenny answered all my inquiries, and referred
me to Mr. A. L. Barnett, of Clinton, DeWitt county. He, also, kindly responded. All
the parties consulted bear the very highest character for truthfulness. It is from this
mass of information that I give the following account of the case. Although the par-
ticular event I am about to relate did not occur in this county, it illustrates an atmos-
pheric phenomena that affected this entire region of country j and was so remakable
that the like of it is not on record, nor known by any person now living, and it is to be
hoped that it may never be known again. It is to be regretted that there is no scien-
tific knowledge on record of the event. The country was so new, and the settlers of a
class generally of limited education, so much so that I have been unable to learn of a
family in the county who owned a thermometer at the time. But now to the subject.
James H. Hildreth was born about 1812, in Bourbon county, Ky. He came to Illi-
nois about 1833 or '4, and settled on Vermilion river, near Georgetown, Vermilion
county, and engaged in cattle trading. Mr. Hildreth, then twenty-four or twenty-five
years of age, was a very stout and rugged young man. He left home on the nineteenth
68 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
of December, 1836, in company with another young man by the name of Frame, in-
tending to go to Chicago, both on horseback. On the second day out, December 2oth,
they entered the border of a large prairie, and the next timber was many miles distant,
on Hickory creek, a tributary of Iroquois river, and now in Iroquois county. It
rained all the forenoon, and the earth was covered with water. They encountered a
slough containing so much water they did not like to attempt passing through it. In
order to head the slough they rode some miles in a northeast direction, and having
crossed it, turned northwest to regain their course. That was about the middle of the
afternoon. It suddenly ceased raining and the cold wave came in all its fury from the
northwest, striking them square in the face. They were then out of sight of any
human habitation, and their horses became absolutely unmanageable, and drifted with
the wind, or across it, until dark closed in upon them. How long they were discussing
what to do is not stated, but they finally agi'eed to kill each the others horse. They
dismounted and Hildreth killed Frame's horse. They took out the entrails, and both
crawled into the carcass as far as they could, and lay there, as near as Hildreth could
judge, until about midnight. The animal heat from the carcass having become ex-
hausted, they crawled out, intending that Frame should kill Hildreth's horse, and both
crawl into it. Just then the one having the knife dropped it, and it being dark, they
were unable to find it. Being thus foiled in their purpose, they both huddled about
the living horse as best they could, until about four o'clock in the morning. Frame
by that time was so benumbed with the cold that he became sleepy, and notwithstand-
ing Hildreth used every exertion to keep him up, he sank down in a sleep from which
he never awakened.
The feelings of Hildreth at this juncture can only be left to the imagination. He
managed, by jumping about, to keep from freezing until daylight, when he got on his
horse and started in search of shelter. In mounting he dropped his hat, and was afraid
to get off, fearing he would never be able to mount again. Thus, bare headed, he
wandered about for some time, until he reached the bank of a stream, supposed to be
Vermilion river. Seeing a house on the opposite shore, he hallooed as best he could
until he attracted the attention of the man, who, after learning what he wanted, said
he could not assist him. A canoe was lying at the opposite shore, but he affected to be
afraid of the running ice. Hildreth then offered him a large price if he would cut a
tree and let it fall over the stream so that he could cross. The man still refused, and
directed Hildreth to a grove which he said was a mile distant, where he would find a
house. He went, but it was five miles, and the house proved to be a deserted cabin.
He returned to the river opposite the house, called again for help, and was refused. He
then dismounted, crawled to the bank, and found that the ice had closed and was suffi-
ciently strong to bear him, and he crawled over. Arriving at the fence, the brutal
owner of the place refused to help him, and he tumbled over it, and crawling in the
house, laid down near the fire. Hildreth lay and begged for assistance, and when the
man would have relented and done something, his wife restrained him. The
frozen man lay there until four o'clock that afternoon, when some hog drovers came
along and moved him to another house, where he was properly cared for. The name
of the inhuman wretch was Benjamin Russ. After learning of his inhumanity, a move-
ment was made to punish him, but he fled. Mr. Hildreth always expressed the belief
that his offering to pay liberally for cutting a tree across the river, led them to think
SANGAMON COUNTY. 69
that he had a large amount of money, and that if, by their neglect, he perished, they
could obtain it. Such a being was very rare among the early settlers of central Illinois,
who were remarkable for their readiness to divide their comforts with all new comers,
and especially those who were in affliction.
Mr. Hildreth met with a heavy loss, financially, by his failure to go to Chicago. He
was conveyed back to the house of his brother in Vermilion county, where all the toes
were taken from both feet, and the bones of all his fingers, except one joint of the
thumb on his right hand, which enabled him to hold a pen or a drover's whip. Soon
after recovering sufficiently to enable him to travel, he removed to DeWitt county, where
he continued trading in cattle. He was married, April 7, 1847, in DeWitt county, to
Adaline Hall. His left foot never healed entirely, and nearly twenty-two years after
his misfortune, it became alarming, and he had the leg amputated below the knee. It
soon healed, but his lungs, already diseased, caused his death about the middle of June,
1858, near Mt. Pulaski, Illinois.
He has three children now living. Henry resides near Chesnut, Logan county.
John lives in Logan county, near Kenny, DeWitt county. His daughter Sarah mar-
ried William Weedman, and resides near Farmer City. Mrs. Adaline Hijdreth mar-
ried Harrison Meacham, and resides near Clinton, DeWitt county, Illinois.
Notwithstanding his great calamity, James H. Hildreth was a useful man in the
community where he lived. Most men would have given up in despair, and become a
charge upon their friends; but he was active and energetic, and continued in the busi-
ness of a farmer and stock dealer until he was physically unable to do more.
Mr. Preston Breckenridge expresses the opinion that the velocity of the cold wave,
given in another part of this sketch, is too slow. He thinks it must have moved at
least seventy miles an hour, judging from his present knowledge on the subject. He
had just taken his dinner, and was sitting near a window, between one and two o'clock
in the afternoon, in view of a pool of water, ten or twelve inches deep. He heard a
terrific roaring sound. Suddenly the rain ceased, and it became quite dark. The first
touch of the blast scooped all the water out of the pool. Some of it returned, but in
a moment it was blown out again, and scattered in frost and ice, leaving the pool empty,
and the bottom frozen dry. He says it had been raining slowly all the fore part of the
day, and so warm that he thinks a thermometer would have stood as high as forty de-
grees above zero, possibly higher, and that the first touch of the tempest would have
brought it down to zero in a second of time. Mr. Breckenridge is well acquainted
with many incidents illustrating the unparalleled suddenness and severity of the cold.
He relates a case of two young men who lost their lives near Paris, Edgar county,
Illinois, after efforts to save themselves similar to those made by Hildreth and his friend.
I might cite any number of incidents illustrating the intense suffering caused by the
: cold in Sangamon county, but the number of those who perished was comparatively
small, for the reason that jt was more thickly settled than the county north and east.
There must have been about ten thousand inhabitants in the county at the time.
A REMARKABLE INCIDENT: The following incident was related to me by Benj.
F. Irwin, who received the statement from Rev. John M. Berry, a Cumberland Pres-
byterian Minister, who resided a short distance northeast of Pleasant Plains. Families
coming into the new settlements were many times put to great inconvenience to pro
70 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
cure food, and especially breadstuff. Stealing was seldom resorted to, as there was a
general desire to divide with new comers. A man who owned a mill, occasionally
missed meal and flour, and concluded to lay in wait and see what would be the result.
Soon after dark one evening, he placed himself under the bolting chest, and had not
long to wait. A man entered the mill, and the first thing he did was to kneel down
and pray fervently for pardon for what he was about to do. He laid his whole case
before the Lord; told him of his willingness to work, his inability to obtain employ-
ment by which he could earn bread, and asked the Lord to open the way for him, and
as though he fully expected his prayer to be answered, he took only a sufficient quan-
tity of flour to supply his immediate necessities, and was about to depart. The owner
of the mill recognized the man as one for whom he had formed a feeling of great re-
spect, and would have been willing to help if he had known that he was destitute. He
called out from his place of concealment for the man to stop. A real thief would have
run, but the man with the flour halted without hesitation, when he was told to fill his
sack, and when that was gone to come and get more. They were friends before, but
were much warmer friends after, to the end of their lives. The facts were kept quiet,
and the names of the parties were never known except to a small number of persons;
but the miller ever after asserted that he had more confidence in that man than any
other he ever saw. The sequel proved that the miller must have been a man of sterling
principle, for if he had been like ordinary mortals, the other would have been ruined.
PANTHERS: -John Harlan was among the earliest settlers. He heard a coon making
a piteous noise, went out with his gun and found a panther trying to catch it. He shot
that and two other panthers in succession, and that gave the name to Panther creek, or
Painter creek, as it was generally spoken.
A boy by the name of Jordan, at the age of 14 years, shot a panther in the Lick
creek timber, in what is now Loami township. When dead it was found to measure
eleven feet from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail.
A Mrs. Brown, wife of Henry Brown, who was an early settler on Lick creek, in
what is now Chatham township, had been to one of her neighbors, and was returning,
late in the afternoon, on foot, accompanied by two large dogs. The dogs ran to her,
one on each side, which caused her to look, when she saw a huge panther on each side
of the road. She walked quietly forward, the dogs keeping close to her side, and so
passed the danger. She regarded her escape as almost miraculous, and never could
speak of it without a shudder.
MILLS AND MILLING: Before mills were built here the settlers had to go to
Eclvvardsville for grinding; but sixty or seventy miles was too far to take a grist every
day, and it was necessary that something should be more readily obtained. A piece of
tin that can now be had anywhere for a few cents, was then an object of great interest.
Every old tin vessel was saved, torn in pieces, cut to a suitable size, punched full of
holes, and nailed to a board for a grater. While the corn was. soft, meal could be grated
in a very short time, sufficient to make bread for a whole family, by rubbing an ear of
corn back and forth on the grater. That implement is always pronounced by the old
settlers "gritter"
Mr. William Drennan remembers that the first mill in Sangamon county was built
by Daniel Liles on the farm where Daniel G. Jones now resides, near Horse creek, and
SANGAMON COUNTT.
on the line between Ball and Cotton Hill townships. It was erected in the fall of 1819,
and was made on the plan known as a band mill. That was a horizontal wheel, with
arms fifteen feet or more in length, and of sufficient height for the horses to pass under
the arms. Several holes would be bored near the outer end of these arms. One wooden
pin was placed in each one of the arms. A band of rawhide stretched around those
pins and the trunnel head would communicate the power to the burrs, which were
usually made of any loose stone picked up on the prairies. A mill of that kind would
grind eight or ten bushels a day. Liles' mill never had any roof, and when it rained
the track became very muddy. If his customers complained, he would assume an air
of injured innocence and ask if they expected him to work in the rain. If they said
no, but that he should do it when the weather was fair, his invariable reply was, that
they did not need it then. The people came to this mill thirty or forty miles, and
although it was kept running day and night, sometimes they would have to wait sev-
eral days for a turn at the mill. One man told me that when he was a boy his parents
started him to mill, supplied with an extra quantity of feed for his horses and some
meat for himself, with the understanding that he was to parch corn as a substitute for
bread. He had to wait so long for his turn that when it came he had nothing to grind,
himself and horses having consumed all the corn, and he would have been compelled
to lose his turn, but the miller kindly loaned him a grist, which he repaid the next time
he went to mill.
The earliest mills were only intended for grinding corn, and at first no effort was
made for bolting flour, but those who raised the first wheat would cut it with the old
fashioned reap hooks, called sickles, thresh it on the ground with a flail, separate the
chaff and wheat by a man taking a measure of wheat, standing on an elevated place,
and pouring it out slowly, with a shaking motion, while two others stood below with a
common bed sheet, folded double, and taking hold of each end and giving it a quick
motion toward the failing wheat, would thus blow the chaff away, while the wheat,
being heavier, would fall perpendicular. The wheat thus cleaned would be taken to
the corn mill and ground, of course very imperfectly. The next point was to separate
the bran from the flour. At first this was done by making a light frame, three or four
feet long, and one and a half by two feet wide, and stretching a piece of the thinnest
cloth that could be obtained, over it. Some of the wheat meal would be put on this
cloth and the frame shaken from right to left, after the manner of a seive or meal sifter,
and the finest part of the wheat meal would go through. That was made into bread,
usually biscuit. That implement was called a search, usually pronounced sarch. Some
of the earliest settlers will tell you that the sweetest morsel they ever tasted in
their whole lives was the first piece of wheat bread thus made, after having been a
whole year, and sometimes longer, living on the coarsest of corn bread.
HONESTY OF THE EARLY SETTLERS: John Sims remembers that a few years after
they came to the settlement their corn was all frost bitten, and he went to Madison
county to obtain corn for seed and bread. He had to pay $1.00 per bushel for it, and
wishing to haul all he could, he filled some sacks and laid them across the corn in the
wagon bed. He stalled in the mud, in Macoupin county, and left his wagon there,
several miles from any house, and where people traveling hundreds of miles had to
pass it. When he went home for more teams, some unexpected obstacles presented
themselves, and it was two weeks or more before he returned. When he did so, some
72 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
of his corn was gone, but closer examination revealed the fact that money was tied in
the sacks from which the corn was taken. Some was tied with horse hairs and some
with strings, in small bunches, in all between eight and ten dollars; sufficient to fully
compensate for the corn taken. He has hauled dry goods and groceries, in large and
small packages, has stalled and left his wagon for days and weeks, and never knew
anything to be stolen.
When the land office was opened, in 1823, in Springfield, the receiver was ordered to
send the coin to Louisville, Ky. The route was so difficult to travel and so long, that he
was permitted, after one effort, to send.it to St. Louis for safe keeping. Mr. Sims had a
good team, and was called on to do the hauling. On more than one occasion he has
loaded his wagon with boxes of gold and silver, amounting to from thirty to fifty thousand
dollars. He has gone without any guard, been two or three nights on the road, would
feed his horses tied to the wagon, sleep on some straw thrown over the boxes, and was
never molested, and never thought there was danger.
A SNAKE STORY: Gen. James Adams was bitten by a rattlesnake in 1821, and
wishing to obtain some rattlesnake oil, he advertised that he would pay fifty cents for
the first one brought to him, and in order to make sure of getting one, he offered
twenty-five cents for each additional one. A man by the name of Barnes found a den
near the mouth of Spring creek, killed all he could, loaded them in a wagon, drove to
Springfield, and left his wagon in an out-of-the-way place. He first took one snake
and received fifty cents, then two, and received twenty-five cents each. He then took
Gen. Adams to the wagon and showed him the whole load. Adams refused to pay for
them. Barnes then called his attention to the advertisement, but he still refused.
Barnes then called on two men, Reuben Burden and John White, who counted the
load, and there were 122 snakes. He then demanded his money, $30.75. This brought
the General 'to a compromise, and the matter was settled by his paying $5.00 extra.
Joseph E. McCoy is my authority.
Albion Knotts says that when they come to the country, in 1819, his father soon
learned that the next supply of shoes for his family would have to be manufactured by
himself, although he- had never made a shoe. This discovery was barely made when
he found that he must produce the leather also, as there were no tanners in the country.
He first cut down a large oak tree, peeled off the bark and laid it up to dry. He
dug a trough in the log, as large as it would make, for a tan vat. He then gathered
up all the hides he could obtain. The next question was how to remove the hair. It
was known that it could not be done by regular tanners' process, both for want of the
proper materials, and the knowledge in using them. Some person suggested that it
might be done with water and ashes, but great caution would be necessary, lest the
solution be made too strong. In that event it would ruin the hides. In his extreme
caution he did not make it strong enough, and so removed but a little more than half
the hair. In place of grinding the bark he beat it up on a stump with the poll of an
axe. He then put the hides in the trough, covered them with the pulverized bark, put
on weights to keep the mass down, and filled the trough with water, changing the
bark several times during the summer. As winter approached he took the hides out,
though not more than half tanned, and made them into shoes. He made them on what
was called the stick dou<n plan. That is, in place of turning the upper leather under
the last, it was turned outward and sewed with a straight awl through the upper and
SAN GAM ON C O UNTT.
sole. This would make a walk all around the shoe that a mouse might travel on. It
was frequently the case that awls could not be obtained. Then they would take a
common table fork, break off one of the tines, and sharpen the other for the awl.
Shoes made as I have described, with the upper leather hair side out, not more than
half of it removed, and without any blacking, would certainly look very odd. There
can be little doubt that the above is a fair description of the first tanning and shoe
making ever done in Sangamon county.
When the first settlers came there were no stores filled with dry goods, as there are
now, and if the goods had been in the country there was no money to buy them. The
onlv way families could supply themselves with clothing was to produce the materials
and manufacture their own goods. Those who first came from the Southern States
as most of them did brought their cotton, flax and hemp seed, raised the fibre and did
all the work. They at first picked the seed by hand, carded it on hand cards, spun it
on wheels designed for 'spinning wool or flax, wove it into cloth, and made it into gar-
ments for men and women's wear. That which was designed for underclothing was
o O
prepared without coloring, as a matter of course, but for outer garments, and particu-
larly ladies' dresses, something better was required. Some among the earliest brought
a little indigo, madder, and same other drugs, but for greater variety and economy, a
large number of barks were used, such as black walnut, butternut, several varieties of
oak, hickory, etc. When peach trees grew the leaves were used for making one of the
brightest colors. Some of the cotton yarn, dyed with each of those colors, skilfully
arranged in weaving, and made into dresses, looked remarkablv well. Some of the
old boys now living say that the young ladies of their time, thus attired, looked equally
as charming in their eyes as those of the present era, with their flounces made of goods
from the looms -of Lyons and the shops of Paris, do to our young men. Flax and tow
was never colored, and was mostly used for men and boys' wear in the summer. A
tow shirt, with a draw string around the neck, and reaching below the knees, was a full
dress in summer for boys up to ten or twelve years of age. Some of our most sub-
stantial farmers were thus attired in their boyhood days.
Elisha Primm says that his father built a cotton gin in 1822. He says that from the
time the first settlers came into the county until .the winter of the "deep snow," 1830
and '31, this was as good a cotton country as Georgia. He says that this was attested
by men familiar with cotton growing in the Southern States. Elisha attended the gin
built by his father, which was run by horse power. The people brought cotton to be
ginned, from all distances up to twenty miles. Sometimes it would accumulate on his
hands until he would have as much as 3,000 pounds. The price for ginning was a toll
of one pound in every eight, after the cotton was ginned. It sold from 12 to i6^i cents
per pound, and occasionally higher. After the "deep snow" the seasons appeared to
shorten, and cotton was generally bitten by the frost before it had time to mature, and
cotton raising was finally abandoned. It seemed as though the seasons were overruled
so as to be adapted to the wants of the pioneer settlers, when there was no other wav
for them to be supplied with clothing, but when roads were opened and capital came
in, bringing merchandise, the seasons gravitated back to their normal condition.
FIRST PRODUCE MARKETED: Mr. William Drennen believes that the first pro-
duce marketed in the county was on Sugar creek, in the Summer of 1818. George
Cox sold half a dozen small green pumpkins to an Indian for twelve and a half cents.
10
74 HISTORICAL PRELUDE.
i
This note was written while 1 was standing on the spot, a few yards north of the
Sulphur Springs, south of Loami, where once stood a sycamore tree in which A. E.
Meacham took a ten foot rail, held it in a horizontal position against his waist, and
turned entirely around inside the tree. It was about eighteen feet in diameter outside,
and was long used as a wigwam by the Indians. The entrance was at the east side.
It was safe when there were only Indians 'in the country, but some vandal, claiming to
be civilized, set fire to it and burned it down.
The Sulphur Spring spoken of above, bubbles up at the foot of a hill near Lick creek,
and in its natural state, when animals approached it to drink the water, was a quag-
mire, but the early settlers made an excavation, eight or nine feet deep, and walled it
up, so that the water flows out over the top of the wall, clear and pure. Soon after it
was thus improved two old topers, on a very hot day, visited the spring, taking with
them a jug of whisky, intending to have a good time laying in the shade near by,
drinking their whisky, and for variety, taking an occasional sip at the sulphur water.
One of them undertook to cool the whisky by holding the jug in the water, and while
doing so let it slip from his grasp. To cut a forked limb from a tree and make a hook
of it would be too much work. In order to rescue the jug, the one who let it slip con-
sented that the other should take him by the heels and let him down head foremost.
The whiskv was secured in that way, at the imminent risk of drowning one or both of
the men. It must have been liberally watered or it would not have sunk.
There are at least one hundred and fifty grave yards and burial places in Sangamon
county, and nine-tenths of them are so much neglected that, so far as marking any par-
ticular locality or grave, the following lines, taken from a Scottish grave yard, are
peculiarly applicable:
" In this church yard lies Eppie Coutts,
Either here or hereabouts;
But whaur it is none can tell,
Till Eppie rise and tell hersel."
The first death of a white man in Sangamon county was that of an Indian ranger.
The Sulphur Spring near Loami was known to the Indians, and was very early a camp-
ing ground for the whites. When the settlements had not extended farther north than
the vicinity of Alton, Indians, according to their custom, killed some of the frontier
settlers, and were pursued by some Rangers. While camped at the sulphur spring
one of them died, and was buried by his comrades on a beautiful knoll near the spring.
It was known to the very earliest settlers as the grave of the Indian Ranger, and was
the nucleus of the present Sulphur Springs Cemetery. The land was entered by
Jonathan Jarrett, who intended a small part of it for a cemetery and church purposes,
but died without making a deed. A regular company has been organized, according
to law, and it is now handsomely fitted up and well cared for. There ought to be a
monument over the grave of the Indian Ranger, to show that it was the first burial of
a white man in the county.
EXPLANATION.
The names of early settlers, or heads of families, in LARGE LETTER ;
Names of the second generation in ITALIC CAPITALS; third, in CAPITALS;
fourth, in SMALL CAPITALS; fifth, in Italics.
A.,
ABEL, ROSWELL, was horn
July 23, 1785, on Sharon Mountain, Litch-
field county, Conn. Three brothers by
the name of Abel came from England
about 1750. One of them settled in Con-
necticut, one in Virginia, and what became
of the other is unknown. Jonathan, who
settled in Conn., brought up a family of
five sons and two daughters. His son
David was the father of the subject of
this sketch. David Abel, and two of his
brothers, William and Andrew, were
Revolutionary soldiers. William settled
in Canada after the Revolution, and
brought up a family there. This branch
of the family has lost sight of Andrew.
David was born on Sharon mountain,
married and lived on the same farm until
four children were born, and then moved
to Washington county, N. Y., where six
children were born. Each brought up
families. David Abel presented the gun
which he carried through the Revolution,
to his son Roswell, with instructions to
present it to his son, if he had one, but if
not, to a brother's son. He has it yet in
his possession, at the home of his son
Roswell P., to whom he bequeaths it.
The brass breech bears the inscription
" Liberty or Death," every letter of which
is yet distinct.
Roswell Abel, whose name heads this
sketch, was married Oct. 22, 1807, to Betsy
Mason. She was born Oct. 22, 1790, at
Fort Ann, Washington county, X. Y.
Her father, Coomer Mason, was a Revo-
lutionary soldier, also. He had two
brothers, Shubal and Hail, who fought at
the battle of Benington. Roswell and
Betsy Abel had three children, born at
Granville, Washington County, N. Y.
They moved to Springfield, 111., arriving
July 15, 1836. Of their children
LIZETTE, was born December 4,
1809, married Oct., 1829, in Essex county,
N. Y., to Calvin Peabody. They 'came
to Springfield in 1838. They had five
living children, namely: CHARLES
P., born Feb. 25, 1837, married April 5
1866, to Jane Cheeseman. They have
three children, HARRY, IDELLA L., and
MARY. HELEN, born Jan. 28, 1835,
married Oct. 24, 1865, to Amos Atwood.
They have two children, HELEN M., born
Jan. 18,1867, and EMM AC., born August 14,
1869, and reside near Farmington, Daco-
tah county, Minnesota. JOHN C., born
March 13, 1843, married Feb. 4, 1868, in
Enterprise, Mo., to Emily Kinsman.
Thev have four children, BURTON, FRANK-
LIN, WILLIAM and HARRY, and reside in
Brookfield, Mo. SARAH E., born in
Sangamon county, married July 11, 1857,
to Dr. Orlando Lent. They had one
child, CHARLES j. He died Nov. 4,
1874, in his 1 7th year, and Dr. Lent died
while on duty at Paducah, Ky., Military
Hospital, in 1863. His widow married
T. M. Elliott, and resides near Grantsville,
Linn county, Mo. EDWIN R., born
Dec. 12, 1844, enlisted Dec. 14, 1863, in
Vaughn's Battery 3d 111. Art. He was
married Jan. 24, 1867, in Missouri, to
7 6
EARLT SETTLERS OF
Clara Sockman. They have three child-
ren, ORLEY, FRANCIS and TRUDELLA,
and reside near Browning, Linn county,
Missouri. Calvin Peahody moved from
Sangamon county, Illinois, to Linn county,
Missouri, in 1865, and died there, Sept.
7, 1870. His widow resides near Brown-
ing.
CHLOE E., born April 19, 1812, in
New York. Married Nov., 1839, in
Springfield, to John Armstrong. See his
names.
R OS WELL P., born June 30, 1815,
in Washington county, New York ; came
to Sangamon county, Illinois, with his
parents in 1836. Married September 30,
1846, at Greencastle, Pa., to Margaret J.
Loose. She was born there, Jan. 22, 1820.
They reside at Rochester, 111.
Roswell Abell and wife have been
married more than 69 years. They re-
side with their son, Roswell P., at Roches-
ter, Sangamon county, Illinois.
ABELL, JEREMIAH, was
born in 1770, in Rockingham county, Va.
He was there married to Hannah Aiken,
who was born in 1771. They emigrated
to Adair county, Ky. Mr. Abell was the
owner of some slaves, but he liberated
them "in Kentucky, and moved with his
family to Sangamon county, 111., arriving
hi 1829, in what is now Auburn township.
Their daughter
PENELOPE, married in Adair
county, Ky., to Samuel McElvain. See
his name. They come to Sangamon
county with her parents.
Their son, Dr. J. R. Abell, resides at
Taylorville.
Rev. Jeremiah Abell was regularly ed-
ircated for the ministry, preached many
years in connection with the Presbyterian
church, and received the title of Doctor
of Divinity. After coming to Illinois he
severed his connection with the Presbyte-
rian church and united with the Methodists.
He moved, about 1846, to McDonough
county, and died there in 1852.
ADAMS, JAMES, was born Jan.
24, 1783, in Hartford, Conn. Harriet
Denton was born Jan. 31, 1787, in
Hartford, also. They were there mar-
ried about 1809, and moved to Os-
wego, N. Y., where they had five child-
ren. They moved to Springfield, Illinois,
arriving in the spring of 1821, soon after
the place was declared to be the county
seat of Sangamon county. Of their four
living children,
LOVENIA E., born May 3, 1813, at
Oswego, N. Y., married, in Springfield,
to Peter Weber. See his name. They
both died in the north part of the State.
She died Sept. 5, 1 838.
CHARLOTTE B., born May 2,
1815, in Oswego, N. Y., and died Jan. 10,
1832.
LUC I AN B., born Dec. 10, 1816, in
Oswego, N. Y.; married in Springfield,
March 14, 1847, to Margery A. Reed,
who was born July 9, 1824, in Williams-
port, Penn. They have four children.
JAMES L., born Jan. 22, 1848, in Spring-
field, graduated in a commercial college in
Chicago, and is employed in a railroad
office in Vallejo, California. ELDORA
J., ENOLA A. and HARRIET L., re-
side with their parents in Springfield.
Lucian B. Adams studied law arid ob-
tained license to practice in 1840. For
twenty years he discharged the duties of a
justice of the peace, and the greater part
of that time acted as police magistrate,
U. S. commissioner and notary public.
He is now U. S. commissioner.
VIENNA M., born July 10, 1818, in
Oswego, N. Y. ; married in Springfield,
to Charles G. McGraw. See his name.
James Adams was a lawyer, and en-
gaged in practice when became to Spring-
field, in 1821. He was elected justice of
the peace in 1823 or '4 and was elected
successively for many years. He took
part in the Winnebago and Black Hawk
Indian wars of 1827, and 1831 and '2. He
was elected Probate Judge of Sangamon
county, and died in office, August n,
1843. His widow r , Mrs. Harriet Adams,
died August 21, 1844, both in Springfield.
ALEXANDER, THOMAS,
was born about 1768, in Ireland, and his
parents came to America when he was
about four years old, landing at Charles-
ton, S. C. Lynna Goodlett was born Oct.
11, 1780, in Greenville District, S. C.
They were there married, and had three
children, all of whom died under eight
years. In 1806 they moved to Christian
county, near Hopkinsville, Ky., where
they had two children, and moved to San-
gamon county, 111., arriving in Oct., 1828,
three miles east of Auburn. In 1829 they
moved to what is now Chatham township,
south of Lick creek. Of their two children,
SANG AM ON COUNTT.
77
MART ANN, born in 1810, in Ken-
tucky; married in Sangamon county to
John L. Drcnnan. (See his name.}
n.\ VID, born Oct. 3, 1814, in Chris-
tian county, Ky. ; came to Sangamon
county in 1828; married March 13, 1833,
to Catharine Darnielle; had 14 children,
all born in Sangamon county, six of whom
died in infancy, and LYNNA died at 13
years. Of the other seven, JOHN T.,born
Dec. 25, 1835, enlisted on the first call for
75,000 men, April, 1861, for three months,
in Co. A., 2nd Kansas Cavalry, served
full term, and enlisted Nov., 1861, in Co.
D., 2nd Mo. Art., for three years. Re-
enlisted as a veteran Jan., 1864. He lost
his right hand April 13, 1865, at St.
Charles, Ark., by the premature discharge
of a cannon, while firing a salute on hear-
ing of the surrender of the rebel forces
under Gen. Lee. He now (1873) resides
with his parents. DAVID S.,born Nov.
20, 1842, enlisted August 13, 1861, in Co.
B., 3oth 111. Inf., for three years; served
until August 9, 1862, when he was dis-
charged on account of physical disability,
at Memphis, Tenn. He was brought
home, and, after a lingering illness, died,
March 10, 1866. CATHARINE, born
Dec. 20, 1844; married May 29, 1862, to
Lafayette Beach. (See his name.} Had
one child, CHARLES D. HIRAM, born
March 30, 1847; enlisted March 14, 1864,
in Co. C., iith Mo. Inf., for three years.
Served until July 14, 1865, when he was
discharged on account of physical disabil-
ity. He was married March 9, 1873, to
Mary M. VanDoren. They reside five
miles southwest of Chatham. WILLIAM,
born Oct. i, 1849; married March 14,
1872,10 Emma Price, and reside in Chat-
ham township. MARY BELIZE and
CYRUS reside with their parents, six
miles southwest of Chatham, on the farm
where the family settled in 1829.
Thomas Alexander died Dec. 18, 183=5,
and his widow died August 12, 1844, both
in Sangamon county.
ALEXANDER, HENRY,
was born June 10, 1802, in Fleming coun-
ty, Ky. His father moved to the adjoin-
ing county of Bath when he was a child.
He was married June 24, 1827, to Polly
Gragg, of Nicholas county, and lived in
Bath county until 1833, wnen ne rnoved
to Montgomery county. They had four
children in Kentucky, and moved to San-
gamon county, 111., arriving Oct. 22, 1835,
in what is now Rochester township, where
four children were born. Of their child-
ren,
JESSE F., bor.n Dec. 10, 1828, in
Bath county, Ky., married in Sangamon
county, 111., March 4, 1852, to Nancy A.
Hendrix, who was born April 22, 1829, in
Fleming county, Ky. They had five
children; one died young. LUCRETIA,
their second child, born June 26, 1855,
married March 12, 1874, to Jame^ A.
Walker. The other three, LAURA,
GEORGE and REBECCA reside with
their parents, near Appleton City, St.
Clair county, Mo.
HIRAM, born in Kentucky; married
in Sangamon county to Eliza Hendrix.
They have seven children, and reside in
Jefferson county, Iowa.
LUC1NDA A., born in Kentucky;
married in Sangamon county to Isaac
Groves. (See his name.} Their daugh-
ter Susan married John W. McClelland.
(See his name.}
WILLIAM G., born in Kentucky;
married in Sangamon county to Julia
Mclntyre. They have four children, and
reside near Illiopolis.
JAMES O., born in Sangamon
county; married Sarah Ham. They have
three children, and reside in Champaign
county.
RE BE C CA and HENR T H., (twins)
born in Sangamon county.
REBECCA married' John W. Smith,
had four children, and she died in 1870.
Two of the children died also, near Wil-
liamsville.
HENRT H. married Emily Sargent,
and resides in Illiopolis.
POLLY S., born in Sangamon coun-
ty; married Benjamin Keck; have three
children, and reside in Illiopolis.
Mrs. Polly Alexander died August 2=;,
1868, and her husband, Henry Alexander,
resides with his children.
ALEXANDER, JOHN S.,
was born Sept. 24, 1793, near Lexington,
Ky.; married Mary Simpson, who was
born April 16, 1799, in Fayette county,
Ky. They were there married, and had
four children. The family moved to San-
gamon county, 111., arriving in the fall of
1826, in what is now Fancy creek town-
ship, where six children were born. Of
their children,
EARLT SETTLERS OF
SARAH S., born Nov. 7, 1820, in
Kentucky; married March 6, 1837, to
Samuel D. Cantrall. (See his name.}
JAMES H., born March 19, 1822, in
Kentucky; married in Sangamon county
to Ann E. Hardin. They live in Wash-
ington Territory.
HANNAH //., born June i, 1824, in
Kentucky; married James Kilgour, and
died. (See his name.} '
WILLIAM, born June 12, 1826, in
Fayette county, Ky.; married in Sanga-
mon county to Eveline Lacey; had three
children, and she and all the children died,
He married Catharine Hill. They have
three children, FREDIE, FRANKIE
and a babe, and reside at Williamsville.
ASA C. and MARGARET C.,
(twins), born March 15, 1829, in Sanga-
mon county.
ASA C. married Mary J. Tabor, and
resides in Ford county.
MARGARET C. married Harrison
Blue ; had two children, and he died, April,
1852, and she married George Martin, and
resides in Iroquois county.
GEORGE, born Feb. 13, 1831, in
Sangamon county; enlisted in a Kansas
regiment in 1861 or '2, and died in mili-
tary hospital at Springfield, Mo.
JOHN S., Jun., married Dorcus A.
Mills.
SAMUEL C., born Jan. 31, 1838;
married Amanda Hall, and lives in Ford
county.
MART J., born April 15, 1840, in
Sangamon county; married August 7,
1856, to Andrew J. Hedrick, who was
born August 23, 1834. They had three
children, HARRISON H., RUTH A.
and ALICE V. Mr. Hedrick enlisted
August 15, 1862, in Co. I., 34 Iowa Inf.,
for three years. He was discharged on
account of physical disability, March 13,
and died Mav 8, 1863, in Menard county.
Mrs. Hedrick married, Oct. 12, 1864, to
William Reesburg. They have one child,
WILLIAM H., and reside near Illiopolis.
Mrs. Mary Alexander died Nov. i,
1852, and John S. Alexander died July 15,
1853, both in Sangamon county.
ALKIRE, HARM ON AS, was
born in 1804, in Bourbon county, Ky.
His parents moved, when he was quite
young, to Pickaway county, O. In 1826
he visited Sangamon county on business
for other parties. Returning to Ohio, he
went to -Lafayette, Ind. The next year
he came to Sangamon county again, on
business, and was married in Springfield,
Dec. 31, 1829, to Martha McLemore. She
was born July 10, 1810, in Burke county,
N. C. Her parents moved, in 1811, to
Knoxville, Tenn., and moved from there
to Sangamon coimty, 111., arriving, Dec.
23, 1828, at Springfield. Soon after mar-
riage Mr. Alkire returned to Lafayette
with his wife. They had two children
born there, and then moved to Sangamon
county, arriving, August, 1832, in what is
now Fancy Creek township, where they
had eight living children. Of the other
ten children,
MART ANN, bom at Lafayette, Ind.,
is unmarried, and resides with her parents.
JAMES T., born Feb. 3, 1832, at
Lafayette, Ind.; married, Oct. 4, 1866, to
Addie H. Ross, who was born March 6,
1838, in Miami county, O. They have
two living children, ANNIE ' M. and
MARGARET" A. J. Y. Alkire is farm-
ing and practicing medicine. Resides
three miles west of Sherman.
MARGARET y.,born Dec. 17, 1833,
in Sangamon county ; married Isaac Mull,
who was born March 2, 1820, in Mason
county, Ky. They have five children,
IDA M., HENRY E.JENNIE, MAT-
TIE E. and CHARLES C., and reside
four miles north of Springfield.
CAROLINE M., born Jan. 24, 1835,
in Sangamon county; married April 6,
1865, to Conrad Shamel. They have
three children, CHARLES H., CLAR-
ENCE A. and JOHN Y., and reside
near Springfield.
WILLIAM W., born July 26, 1837,
in Sangamon county; married Judith S.
Lightfoftt. They have three children,
HERBERT, EMMETT and AR-
THUR, and reside four miles southwest
of Troy, Doniphan county, Kan.
DANIEL, born in Sangamon countv,
is a traveling preacher in the M. E. church,
at present, 1873, resides with his parents,
recruiting his health.
ALBERT II., born in Sangamon
county, is a traveling preacher in Illinois
Conference, M. E. church, 1873.
PRISCILLA E., married George
W. Neer, and resides near Taylorville.
MATTIE E., married Edward J.
Myers. They have two children, MARY
SANGAMON COUNTY,
79
A. and EDWARD L., and reside in
Fancy Creek township.
LEANDER died June 5, 1871, in his
i8th year.
Harmonas Alkire and his wife are liv-
ing on the farm where they settled in
1832. It is three miles west of Sherman,
lie confirms the statement of Washington
Crowder that the sudden change took
place December 20, 1836, because he en-
tered a piece of land that day, and the
papers bear the above date.
ALLEN, ROBERT, was born
in the year 1800, in Greensburg, Green
county, Ky. He was married there to a
Miss Anderson, and came to Springfield,
111., in 1831. Col. Allen engaged in the
mercantile business as a member of the
firm of Allen & Blankenship, soon after
coining to Springfield. He also became a
mail contractor on a very extensive scale,
and brought a large number of fine stage
coaches from Nashville, Tenn., being the
first ever introduced into the State. He
made Springfield his headquarters, and on
some occasions had as many as five hun-
dred horses on hand at one time. Col.
Allen was one of the directors of the old
State Bank. He was connected with the
army in the Mormon war in 1845, an< ^ U1
the Mexican war of 1846-7. Not long
after coming to Springfield, Airs. Allen
died, and Mr. Allen was married in April,
1833, to J ane Eliza Bergen. They had
two children, one of whom died young.
Their son,
ROBERT, Jun., born Feb. 28, 1837,
in .Springfield, and brought up in the city.
When the rebellion broke out he was
commissioned, August 28, i86i,as Captain
of Co. , 30 111. Inf., and served as such un-
til May 25, 1863, when he was promoted,
to Major of the regiment, in front of
Vicksburg. He served part of the time
in the Quartermaster's department; also
acted as Assistant Inspector-General of
the 3d Div. 1 7th Army Corps, and re-
signed August 8, 1864. Major Robert
Allen was married Dec. 5, 1865,111 Spring-
field, to Anna M. Purely, who was born
May 12, 1838, in Trenton, N. ]. They
had" three children. GEORGE B., the
youngest, died August 12, 1872, in his
second year. HENRY T. and FAN-
N 1 10 M. reside with their parents in
Springfield. Major Allen is a practicing
attorney.
Col. Robert Allen died Dec. i, 1854,
and his widow, Mrs. Jane Eliza Allen,
died March 18, 1857, both one mile north
of the old State house in Springfield.
ALLEN, WILLIAM S., was
born June 16, 1774, in Bourbon county,
Ky. He was married to Abigail Snede-
gar. They had five children in Kentucky.
Mr. Allen came to Sangamon county in
1835, purchased land and prepared a
house. He returned to Kentucky and
brought his family, arriving Nov. i, 1836,
in what is now Ball township. Of their
children,
MARIA L,., born in Bourbon county,
Ky., was married there to Shelton Watts.
They had three children there, and moved
to Sangamon county in 1839. Of their
children, NANCY J. married John Dren-
nan, and resides near Tolono, Champaign
county, 111. WILLIAM S. married
Sarah Knotts, and resides near Tolono, 111.
BENJ. FRANKLIN married Isabel F.
Thompson. See R. B. Thompson sketch.
Shelton Watts died July 16, 1843, and his
widow married John Brownwell. See
j . J
tits name.
MART E., born Feb. 28, 1819, in
Bourbon county, Ky., was married in
Sangamon county, 111., June 16, 1841, to
James W. Stephenson. They had nine
children. MARGARET A., born July
1 6, 1842, was married Sept. 2, 1875, to
Andrew Little. They reside near New
Canton, 111. JAMES A., born June 30,
1843, WILLIAM E., born July 24,
1845, FINIS E., born Oct. 18, 1849, and
PRESLEY B., born March 14, 1851,
reside with their parents. MARY E.,
born Nov. 7, 1854, was married June 6,
1872, and resides in Mexico, Mo., and
ELLEN, born Sept. 9, 1856, resides with
her parents. Two children died in in-
fancy. James W. Stephenson and family
reside near New Canton, 111.
NANCY died in Kentucky, aged 19
years.
WA TERM AN P., born Jan. 8, 1820,
in Bourbon county, Ky., was married in
Sangamon county, Feb., 1849, to Louisa
Watts. Thev have four children.
MARIA L. and WILLIAM S. reside
with their father. MARY E. was mar-
ried Oct. 29, 1873, to John L. Clay ton, and
resides in Ball township. JULIA A. re-
sides with her father. Mrs. Louisa Allen
died Nov. 26, 1857, and W. P. Allen was
So
EARLY SETTLERS OF
married Oct. 18, 1858, to Catharine
Vaughn. They have six children, MAR-
GARET E., HARRIET R., LOUISA
J., JOHN, JOSEPH F. and ALPH. R.,
and reside in Ball township, on the farm
settled by Mr. Allen's father, in 1836.
JOHNW.,\)orn in Kentucky, brought
up in Sangamon county, was married in
Menard county, Illinois, to Jane Watkins.
they reside near Atlantic, Cass county,
Iowa.
Mrs. Abigail Allen died Sept. 10, 1843,
and William S. Allen died Dec. n, 1848,
both in Sangamon county, 111.
ALLISON, ISAAC F., was
born July 2, 1801, in Virginia, and his
parents moved to Mason county, Ky. He
was married about 1827,10 Deborah Caller-
man. They lived in Fleming county, Ky.,
a short time, and moved to Sangamon coun-
ty, arriving in the fall of 1829, on Spring
creek, where seven children were born.
JOHN, born in 1828, in Fleming
county, Ky., raised in Sangamon county,
enlisted in the 4th 111. Inf., under Col.
E. D. Baker, in 1846, and died the same
year at Matamoras, Texas.
J OSEPH,\)ov\\ in Sangamon county;
married Hannah Knudson and died, leav-
ing a widow and three children.
SUSANNAH, died, aged twelve
years.
ELIZABETH is unmarried, and re-
sides in Kansas.
JAMES M., born April 13, 1840, in
Sangamon county ; enlisted August 5,
1861, in Co. A., 38th 111. Inf.; discharged
on account of physical disability, March
29, 1862. He re-enlisted, in Sept., 1862,
for three years, in Co. K, 115 111. Inf.;
was transferred, in 1864, to Co. A., First
U. S. Engineers, and was honorably dis-
charged with the regiment, Sept. 19, 1865.
He was married Nov. 18, 1866, in Sanga-
mon county, to Julia A. Dunham. They
have two "children, MARTHA D.- and
ALICE M., and reside five miles north-
cast of Springfield.
ELI J API and MINERVA reside
near Jacksonville, Neosho county, Kan.
JOHN Jf^born in Sangamon county,
died June 29, 1868; aged 21 years.
Mrs. Deborah Allison died May 29,
1860, in Sangamon county, and Isaac F.
Allison died December 22, 1869, in Craw-
ford county, near Jacksonville, Neosho
county, Kan.
ALLISON, MARGARET,
came to Sangamon county as one of the
family of Thomas Black. See his name.
She arrived in 1819. Her parents lived
in Philadelphia. She died within one
year after arrival, in the 29th year of her
*ALSBURY, REV.CHAS. D.,
was born Oct. 25, 1817, in Indiana. He
came to Sangamon county, 111., and was
married March 14, 1839, to Ann Cordelia
Cloyd. They had five living children,
namely :
THOMAS, born Feb. 12, 1840, and
died Nov. 6, 1860.
ANN, born in 1841 or '2; married
April 4, 1 86 1, to John W. Anderson.
They have four children. CHARLES
W., "MINNIE A., JOHN C. and ME-
LISSA J., and reside in Woodside town-
ship.
CAROLINE, married, Dec., 1870, to
Leander L. Little; have one child, and re-
side in Montgomery county.
MARTHA, married, j'an. 3, 1867,10
John D. Smith. -See his name.
JOHN C. resides with his mother.
Rev. Charles D. Alsbury was a preach-
er of the gospel in connection with the
Baptist church. He died, and his widow
resides one and a half miles northwest of
Woodside.
AYLESBURY, CHARLES,
was born in North Carolina and married
in Virginia, to Mrs. Jan,e Huggins. They
moved to Kentucky, and from there to
Springfield, 111., in 1823. Mr. Aylesbury
entered the land south of the public square.
They brought some children with them.
Mrs. Aylesbury's daughter, by her first
marriage,
JANE HUG GINS, born in Virginia,
married William B. Jarrett. Sec his
name.
Of the Aylesbury children,
CHARLES, born in Greenbrier coun-
ty, Virginia, and married there to Mary
Reav. They had two children, and came
to Sangamon county in 1823, and settled
on Spring creek, where they had nine
children. JOHN, born in Virginia; mar-
ried in Sangamon county to Sarah West,
and reside in Piatt county. ELIZA-
BETH, born Jan. 8, 1822, in Greenbrier
county, Va. ; married in Sangamou county,
August 9, 1849, to George W. Buchanan,
who was born Nov. 27, 1823, in Morgan
SA NGA MON C O UNTT.
Si
county, 111. Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan had
six children. MARY j. married B. F.
Nurbonn, and resides with her father.
JAMES F. died in 1871, aged 19 years.
SUSANNA, ELIZABETH, ALBERT and
ISAAC, reside with their father. Mrs.
Elizabeth B. died, and G. W. Buchanan
resides west of Loami. BRICE died in
Sangamon county, aged 20 years. ED-
WARD and NANCY are married, and
live in Missouri. Charles Aylesbury, wife
and three children reside in Piatt county.
ALEXANDER, born in Virginia;
married in Sangamon county, to Ginsey
Jordan, raised a family, and moved to
Decatur. He enlisted in an Illinois regi-
ment, served three years, re-enlisted as a
veteran, was furloughed home, and died
in Springfield.
LE VI, the youngest son, is married,
and resides in Macon county.
Charles Aylesbury, Sen., died in 1861,
in Loami township. His widow resides
with her son Levi, in Macon county. She
is now 1873 more than 96 vears old.
ALVEY. WILLIAM, was born
Sept. 1 6, 1799, in Washington county,
Ky. He came to the southern part of
Illinois in 1824, and to Springfield in May,
1825. He was married Nov. 6, 1825,
near Springfield, to Madaline Watson.
They had six children, all born in Spring-
field.
MEL VINA, born July 22, 1826, in
Springfield; married there to Samuel B.
Fisher. See his name.
SIMON B., born Oct. 16, 1827, in
Springfield, went to Oregon in 1849, was
married in Yamhill county, Oregon,
August 30, -1853, to Dollie V. Elder,
daughter of A. R. Elder, formerly of
Springfield, 111. They have five children,
vi/: ALICE M., born Oct. 10, 1854, in
Yamhill countv; married, August 30,
1873, to James H. Downey, of Steilacoom
City, W. T. WILLIAM A., born June
25, 1864, in Oregon. EDITH S., born
Sept. 17, 1867. EDWARD B., born
Feb. 28, 1873, and JUNIA AFTON,
born June 24, 1874, reside with their
parents in Steilacoom City, Pierce county,
Washington Territory.
Ef.IZA A., born Oct. 17, 1829, in
Springfield; married at Marengo, Iowa,
to Dr. George W. Wallace, who was born
in Columbiana county, Ohio. ' Studied
medicine with Dr. McCook, one of the
ir
celebrated McCook family. Moved to
Iowa in the spring of 1848. They had
seven children, namely: GEORG.E W.,
MARY E., FLORENCE, WILLIAM
A., CLARA, ALFRED F. and LIN-
COLN. Dr. W. died April 4, 1865, at
Salisbury, Sangamon county. Airs.
Wallace and family reside in Springfield.
^ MART E., born July 12, 1831, in
Springfield, married, about 1859, to J"
siah Hickel. Thev reside in Kansas.
J. WILLJAM,\)orn March 12, 1834,
in Springfield, was married there, May
20, 1860, to Alzina A. Brown, (daughter
of Ira A. Brown.) They have six child-
ren, viz: MEL VINA; HELEN B.,
JAMES W., HENRY P., HOMER W.
and , . Mr. J. Wm. Alvey is a
merchant in Mechanicsburg, Sangamon
county, 111.
ALFRED resides in Springfield.
William Alvey moved to Marengo,
Iowa, in 1848, and Mrs. Madeline Alvey
died there, May 12, 1849. He was mar-
ried April, 1850, to Eleanor Penny. He
died May, 1855, at Marengo, Iowa.
AMOS, MRS. SARAH, was
born June 13, 1793, in Washington countv,
Md. Her maiden name was Friend. She
first married Phillip Swinley; had two
children, and Mr. Swinley died. Mrs.
Swinley was married the second time,
August 2, 1810, to James Amos. They
had two children, and James Amos died
Feb. 6, 1823, in Maryland, also. Mrs.
Amos came with her children to Sanga-
mon county, arriving March i, 1838, in
Springfield. Of her children,
BARBARA E. SWINLET mar-
ried in Virginia to Thomas Lemon, who
died, and Mrs. Lemon came with her
child to Sangamon county in 1839, an< ^
died in Decatur, April, 1865. Her daugh-
ter VIRGINIA married Joseph Strong,
in Decatur, moved to Hannibal, Mo., and
died there, June, 1872, leaving three child-
ren.
SAMUEL K. SWINLET, born
April 21, 1802, in Washington county,
Md.; married there to Maria Rice, and
came to Springfield with his half brother,
Joshua F. Amos. Mr. Swinley settled
near where Woodside station now stands.
While there he served as one of the coun-
ty judges with J. Wickliffe Taylor and
Armstrong. His wife died there in the
fall of 1852. Judge Swinley moved to
82
EARLY SETTLERS OF
Decatur in 1857 or '8, was there married
to Ruth P rather, of Washington county,
Md. He died early in 1872, and his
widow resides in Decatur.
JOSHUA F. AMOS, was horn Jan.
28, 1812, in Washington county, Md., and
came to Springfield, 111., June 10, 1835.
He was married March i, 1838,111 Spring-
field, to Julia A. Hay, daughter of John
Hay, Esq. They had three children born
in Springfield. SARAH E., born Oct.
30, 1839, married Oct. 30, 1861, to Levin
W. Shepherd, who was born in London
county, Va., Sept. 3, 1836. He served
one year each, 1860 and 1861, as clerk and
comptroller of the city of Springfield;
was a member of the Board of Supervisors
of Sangamon county in 1868 and 1869. In
1862 he was appointed by President Lin-
coln Assistant Quartermaster in the U. S.
Army, and stationed at Fort Ridgely,
Minn. Transferred to Keokuk, Iowa,
where he commanded that Fort for six
months. Thence to Columbus, Ky., as
Depot Quartermaster; thence to Chicago,
as Disbursing Quartermaster; thence to
Tennessee, thence to Fort Kearney, Ne-
braska, at which place he resigned, Oct.,
1865, and became a lumber merchant in
Springfield, 111. Afterwards removed to
Kansas; was first President of Peoples
National Bank of Ottawa. Resides now
in Denison, Texas, which place he laid
out in 1872, and sold the first lot there.
Col. Shepherd was twice brevetted for
faithful services during the war. GEO.
A., born Sept. 4, 1841, married, Oct.
30, 1866, to Josephine A. Andrews,
eldest daughter of Col. George W. An-
drews, at Wapakonetta, Auglaixe coun-
ty, Ohio. She was born there, May
29, 1844. They have two children,
GEORGIA and ROBERTA, and reside in
Humboldt, Kansas. Mr. George A.
Amos is engaged in the practice of law.
JOHN M., born August 18, 1844. He
enlisted in Col. Phillips' three months
regiment. Stationed at Rock Island, 111.,
in 1864. He was married Oct. 30, 1867,
to Caroline J., youngest daughter of Ora-
mel Clark, Esq. They have four child-
ren, JOHN J., GEORGE O., JULIA R., and
CURTIS H., and reside near Springfield.
Mr. Joshua F. Amos and wife reside
adjoining Springfield, on the west. Mr.
Amos spent six years, from 1845 *
1851, in Lagrange, Mo. In 1852 he, with
Nathaniel Hay, established the well
known firm of Amos & Hay, which con-
tinued until the decease of Mr. Hay. Mr.
Amos has retired from active business.
ROBERT J. AMOS, was born
March 2, 1815, in Washington county,
Md. Came to Springfield June, 183=5,
and settled in Woodside township. He-
went to Decatur in 1850, and was there
married, in 1856, to Mrs. Mary Packard.
They have two children, ANNIE and
ROBERT, born in Decatur. They
moved, in 1869, to Humboldt, Kansas,
where they now reside.
Mrs. vSarah Amos died Feb. 15, 1847.
at the residence of her son, Robert J.
Amos, in Woodside township, Sangamon
county.
ANDERSON, JAMES, was
born in 1784 in Botetourt county, Va.
Nancy Fletcher was born in 1786, in Rock-
bridge county, Va. They were there
married, in 1802, and had two children in
Virginia. They moved, in 1808, to Ken-
tucky, where they had three children,
and in 1813 moved to Indiana, where one
child was born. They moved to Sanga-
mon county, 111., in 1820, and settled in
what is now Ball township. Of their six
children
ROBERT A 7 ;, born in Virginia, mar-
ried, in Sangamon county, to Rebecca
Wilson, who died, and he married Clarissa
Woods, moved to Wisconsin, and both
died there.
MARGARET L., born March 28,
1806, in Virginia, married in Sangamon
county to William Drennan. (See his
name.}
JOB F., born in Kentucky, died un-
married, at 55 years of age.
JOHN N., born in Kentucky, raised
in Sangamon county, married in Arkan-
sas, and died there.
NANCY, born in Kentucky, married
in Sangamon county to John Caldwell,
and died in Texas.
REBECCA, born in Indiana, raised
in Sangamon county, went to Arkansas,
married and died there.
James Anderson died in 1828 and his
widow died in 1845, both in Sangamon
countv.
ANDERSON. MOSES K..
was born Nov. u, 1803, in Butler county,
Ky. His parents died when he was ten
or twelve vears of age, and he was taken
SANGAMON COUNTT.
by a relative to that part of Davidson
which is now Cheatham county, on Han-
peth river, Tenn. Cassariller Stroude
was born Nov. 2^, 1812, in Dickson coun-
ty, Tenn. M. K. Anderson and Cassa-
riller Stroude were married in her native
countv, Sept. 13, 1827, and moved to San-
gamon countv. 111., arriving March 2,
1829, in what is now Cartwright town-
ship, four miles east of Pleasant Plains,
and south of Richland creek, where they
had nine children. Of their children
THOMAS p\, born Sept. n, 1829, in
Sangamon countv, married Dec. 25, 1852,
to Martha L. Child. They had five
children. LAURA died, aged two years.
CHARLES, EDWARD, HENRY and
TAVXER reside with their parents, one
mile north of Richland Station.
WILLIE ANN, born Sept. 17, 1831,
in Sangamon county, married Francis
Corson, who died, leaving one child,
MOSES E, and she married George
Springer. They have five children,
MARY, CLARA, ANNA, REUBEN
and CHARLES, and reside in Parsons,
Kan.
SARAH J., born March 14, 1834, in
Sangamon county, married John D. Mc-
Cullough. They have four children,
LAURA, WILLARD, EDWARD and
LILLIE, and reside at Franklin, Morgan
county.
MART E., born April 17, 1836, mar-
ried John L. Child. See his name.
ME LINDA E., born Nov. 4, 1838,
married Joseph Potter. They have five
children, CHARLES, EUGENE, NEL-
LIE, HATTIE and LULU, and reside
at Palmer 111.
CYNTHIA A., born Dec. 10, 1840,
married Edward D. Ballard. They have
three children, HARRIET, JAMES A.
and CLIFTON D., and reside one and a
half miles north of Richland station.
GEORGE W., born April 3, 1843, in
Sangamon county, married near Athens,
June 12, 1862, to Melinda F. Moran,
who was born May 16, 1845. They have
five children, FRANK, MOSES W.,
JAMES W., JENNIE and GEORGE,
and reside two and a half miles north of
Richland station.
M ARENA A., born July 26, 1845,
married William P. Mitchell. They have
four living children, MINNIE, WILEY,
JOHN, and a boy babe, and reside near
Humboldt, Richardson county, Neb.
WILLARD WICKLIFFE, born
April 28, 1848, married April 8, 1869, to
Susan Moran, who was born Dec. 14,
1848, in Menard county. They have two
children, HARRY and CASSARILLA,
and reside two miles north of Richland
station.
Mrs. Cassarilla Anderson died August
17, 1850, and M. K. Anderson was mar-
ried Dec. 31, 1850, to Mrs. Marena T.
Hall, whose maiden name was Stroude.
They had three children. JOHN T. and
ELIZA F. died between seven and nine
years.
WILLIAM WILKES, born Sept.
8, 1857, resides with his parents in Spring-
field, but is now a theological student at
Lexington, Ky.
Moses K. Anderson taught a military
school in Dickson county, Tenn., and the
old system of military training being in
vogue when he came to Illinois, he was
very soon elected captain of a company,
and in a short time was promoted to Col-
onel and Brigadier-General. He was ap-
pointed, about 1838, by Gov. Carlin, Ad-
jutant-General of the State, and continued
to hold the office by successive appoint-
ments, until 1856. During the time, Gen.
Anderson was called upon to discharge
the duties of his office in connection with
the Mormon war, at Nauvoo, and the
Mexican war.
W r hen Gen. Anderson came to Sanga-
mon county he borrowed of Eli Blank-
enship the money to enter his first So acres
of land, and paid fifty per cent, for the
use of the money. He has since given
each of his children a good farm, and has
500 acres left. He has been four years
county judge, six years alderman in
Springfield, and 20 years justice of the
peace. He is of the opinion that the
"deep snow" of 1830-31 was five feet
deep on a level in the timber.
ANDERSON, TAVNERB.,
born Nov. 30, 1809, in Butler countv, K\ .,
went with his brother Moses K., to 'lYn
nessee, and from there to Sangamon coun-
ty, 111., arriving March 2, 1829, in what is
now Cartwright township. He was in
the Black Hawk war, was married Dec.
9, 1834, to Polly Pirkins. They had six
children, in Sangamon countv.
8 4
EARLY SETTLERS OF
AMERICUS, born Dec. 29, 1835,
was married Oct. 5, 1856, to Emily
Thompson. They had two children, and
one died. Mr. A. died Oct. 2, 1860.
FRANCIS J., born Sept. 28, 1837,
died young.
JOSEPH O., born April 23, 1840,
died April 15, 1847.
RUFUS B., born Oct. i, 1841, in
Sangamon county, married Martha Young.
They have two children, and reside near
Palmer, Christian county.
ME LINDA J/., born May 23, 1844,
married Y. B. Clark. They had seven
children; all died but one. Mrs. Clark
died Sept. 3, 1872. Their child is in
Texas. Mr. C. resides at Clarksdale,
Christian county, 111.
HARRIET F., born Jan. 7, 1846, in
Sangamon county, was married Dec. 5,
1868, to William' H. McDonald. They
had four children, two died. They reside
near Clarksdale.
GEORGE E., born Dec. 24, 1849, in
Sangamon county, was married Sept. 33,
1874, to Mollie Boyd. They have one
child, and reside near Clarksdale, 111.
CHARLES T., born August 4, 1852,
and resides at Williamsville, Sangamon
county.
Tavner B. Anderson and wife reside
five miles southwest of Taylorville, and
near Palmer City, Christian county, 111.
ANTLE, REV. JOHN, was
born April 15, 1789, in Cumberland coun-
ty, Ky. Elizabeth Buchanan was born in
Cumberland county, Pa. Her parents
moved to Lincoln county, Ky., when she
was seven years old. Her father died in
that county, and she went to live with a
married sister in Cumberland county. John
Antle and Elizabeth Buchanan were there
married. They had five children. The
family them moved to Morgan county,
111., in 1829, and from there to Sangamon
county, arriving Jan. 9, 1830, in what is
now Salisbury township. Of their child-
ren
POLLY, born in 1810, in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to Henry
Hadley, and she died.
SALL Y, born Jan., 181 1, in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county, Sept., 1833,
to Marshall Bragg. Mr. Bragg died,
and his widow and three children re-
side in Keokuk county, Iowa. A mar-
ried daughter resides in Logan county,
Illinois.
HENRY, born Sept. 12, 1813, in Cum-
berland county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county, Jan. 18, 1837, to Nancy Dun-
can. They have eight living children.
SARAH A. married Charles Bottroff,
and resides in Cartwright township.
SIDNEY D., ELY ANN, JAMES S.,
NATHAN McC., LURANA, MAR-
THA F. and MARSHAL B., reside
with their parents, adjoining Salisbury on
the west.
ANDRE W 7., born in 1815, in Cum-
berland county, Kentucky, married in
Sangamon county to Ann Dardon, Oct.,
1840. They have one child; and reside
near Scio, Linn county, Oregon.
MARTHA, born August 8, 1818, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county,
March, 1839, to Simon Stevens. Thev
had five children, one died young. JOHN
enlisted August, 1862, in Co. H., 114 111.
Inf., for three years, and died in the armv
in 1863. MARSHALL A., GEO. S.
and WILLARD T., reside with their
mother. Mr. Stephens died in 1863, and
his widow resides in Salisbury township.
Mrs. Elizabeth Antle died Sept., 1844,
and John Antle died August 30, 1864,
she in Menard county and he in Salisbury.
Rev. John Antle preached to five
churches, called Separate Baptists. One
each at Salisbury and McKinnie Settle-
ment, in Sangamon county, Baker's
Prairie and Sand Ridge, in Menard coun-
ty, and one in Morgan county. The only
pay he received or expected was the hope
of reward in a better world.
ARCHER, WILLIAM, was
born July 30, 1793, in North Carolina, and
in 1807 his parents moved to Tennessee,
where he was married to Elizabeth Jack-
son. They had one child, and moved to
Madison county, Illinois, where they had
one child, and Mrs. A. died, and he mar-
ried Elizabeth Holt, Dec. 20, 1818. She
was born Dec. 3, 1793? in Oglethrope
county, Ga., and, losing her parents when
quite young, she was taken by an uncle,
Robert White, to Madison county, 111., in
1811. Wm. and Elizabeth Archer had
twins in Madison county, and moved to
Sangamon county,, arriving April 30, 1820,
in what is now Curran township, where
they had nine children. Of all his child-
ren
SANGAMON COUNTY.
WINSTON, born Sept. 12, 1814, in
Tennessee, raised in Sangamon county,
married Mary Robinson, moved to Cali-
fornia, and died in 1866, leaving a widow
and six children, near Petaluma, Sonoma
county, California.
MARTHA, born Sept. 24, 1817, in
Madison county, 111., married in Sanga-
mon county to John Riddle. See his
name.
Bv the second wife
JA CKSON and CARROLL, twins,
born Sept. 30, 1819, in Madison county,
111.
JACKSON, married Oct. 7, 1844,10
Elcy F. Meacham. They had three
children. ELIZABETH J. was killed
in her eighth year by a fall from a wagon.
MARY A. born May 14, 1848, married
Feb. 1 6, 1865, to Andrew Alson, who
was born March 6, 1838, in Sweden, and
came to America in 1855. They had
three children. The second, CHARLES,
died in his fourth year. ANNA E. and
CLARA A. reside with their parents, six
miles west of Springfield. GEORGE
R. born r\.ugust 13, 1851, resides with his
mother. Jackson Archer died April 7,
1852, in southwest Missouri, while on a
journey for his health. His widow mar-
ried Wm. Duff. See his name.
CARROLL married Nov. 24, 1842, to
Delilah Renshaw. They had three child-
ren. MARTHA T., born May 27, 1847,
married to Lorenzo Stillman, have three
children, and reside near Curran. ANN
E., born August 5, 1849, married Sept.,
1870, to Edward Robison, and reside in
Linden, Kan. SARAH C., born Feb. 8,
1851, married November 21, 1872, to
Henry Gaines, and resides near Odell, 111.
Mrs. Delilah Archer died May 31, 1865,
and Carroll Archer was married Sept. 4,
1866, to Elizabeth Houghton, who was
born Oct. 25, 1830,, in Menard county.
They have two children, EDWIN and
MARIA BELLE, and reside three miles
northwest of Curran.
M'ARY, born May 24, 1822, in Sanga-
mon county, married Nov. n, 1840, to
Alexander Penny; had one child, WIL-
LIAM, born Nov. 3, 1844, enlisted August
14, 1862, for three years, in Co. F., 14410
111. Inf., was captured at the battle of Gun-
town, Miss., June, 1864, and died in An-
dersonville prison, Feb. 24, 1865. Alex.
Penny died in 1868, and his widow mar-
ried Mathew Redman, who was born
May i, 1828, in county Wexford, Ireland.
They reside five miles west of Spring-
field"
SARAH, born Dec. 24, 1823, resides
with her mother.
NANCY,\>Qm. Nov. 13, 1825, in San-
gamon county, married Samuel O. Maxcy.
See his name.
JOHN, born Oct. 3, 1826, married
Susan Taylor. They have one child,
AMERICA, and reside in McDonough
county, near Fandon. He was^a soldier
in a cavalry regiment from that county in
suppressing the rebellion.
MADISON, born August 27, 1828,
married Margaret Dixon, who died Dec.
29, 1863, leaving three children, WIL-
LIAM B., MARY J. and SARAH E.
THOMAS J., born August 3, 1830,
and resides near Rossville, Kan.
WASHINGTON J., born July 19,
1832, married Dec. 29, 1861, to Mrs. Me-
linda Hammond, whose maiden name was
Cox. They have five children, GEORGE
W., THOMAS C., MINNIE L., MARY
A. and WILLIAM, and reside three
miles north of Curran.
ELIZABETH, born Nov. i, 1838,
married Jan. 18, 1865, to Peter VanOr-
man. * Mrs. VanOrman and her child,
LIZZIE, reside with her mother.
William Archer died August 31, 1867,
from the effects of being thrown from a
horse, and his widow resides at the farm
where they settled in 1820.
In the fall of 1873 Mrs. Elizabeth Ar-
cher, then eighty years of age, gave to the
writer a piece of a dress made with her
own hands more than sixty years before.
The family of her uncle, with whom she
moved from Georgia to St. Clair county,
111., in 18 1 1, brought some cotton in the
bolls, for the purpose of using the seed in
growing cotton in their new home. Miss
Holt, as her name then was, obtained the
consent of her uncle to apply the cotton
to her own use. She picked it from the
bolls and separated the cotton from the
seed with her fingers, and spun it on a
wheel, borrowed from a neighbor more
than thirty miles distant. She had a rude
loom constructed for the purpose, and had
just commenced weaving, when the first
assassination among the white settlers by
Indians took place, as the beginning there
of the war with England. That occurred
86
EARLY SETTLERS OF
in June, 1812. She, with her uncle's
family, fled to Fort Bradsby, a rude wood-
en fortification near by. Appealing- to the
Lieutenant in command for protection,
he reported the case to Governor Edwards,
who authorized him to grant her request.
A guard was accordingly placed around
the cabin,"and kept"there until the weav-
ing was completed. The design was
unique and beautiful. The cloth was care-
fully preserved, some of it bleached to
snowy whiteness, and made into a dress.
She wore it the first time to a quarterly
meeting in 1815, just after the close of the
war, and attracted universal attention as
the finest dressed lady in all that region of
country.
ARCHER, MOSES, came to
Sangamon county with his brother Wil-
liam. He was four times married, and
died at Galena before the rebellion. His
son
ROBERT, died in 1870 or '71, leaving
a widow and three daughters in Christian
county.
ARCHER, MICHAEL, came
to Sangamon county two years later than
his brother William, and married EfFy
Duff, moved to Missouri, raised a large
family, returned to Sangamon' county
during the rebellion, and Mrs. Archer
died in Sangamon county. He returned
to Jasper county, Mo., and died there in
1871.
ARCHER, ROBERT, was
born Sept. 17, 1801, in Tennessee, and
came with his brothers, Moses, Michael,
Obadiah, their sister Jemima, and their
mother, in 1821, to Sangamon county,
where their brother William had settled
the year before. Robert Archer and
Matilda DufF were married Feb. 6, 1825,
and had three children in Sangamon
county.
ELIZABETH J., born August i,
1827, married Nov. 15, 1850, to Reuben
Brown. See his name.
BENNETT, C. D., born July 13,
1828, died Sept. 28, 1846.
MARTHA T., born April 15, 1830,
in Sangamon county, married Leadbetter
Bradley. See his name.
Robert Archer died*{October 17, 1859,
and Matilda, his wife, died July 20, 1863,
both in Sangamon county.
.
ARCHER, JEMIMA, came
to Sangamon county in 1821 and marrie
George DufF. See his name.
ARCHER, OBADIAH, came
with his mother, sister and brothers to
Sangamon county in 1821. He has been
twice married, and resides at Galena, 111.
Mrs. Martha Archer, mother of William
Moses, Michael, Obadiah and ^e
came with her children to Sangamo
county, in 1821, and died at the house o
her son Moses, several years later.
ARMSTRONG, HUGH M.,
born Feb. 13, 1839, in Warren county
Ky., and moved with his* father and fam
ily to Madison county, 111., in 1816. Hug
came to Springfield Nov. 8, 1829. H
was married in Springfield June 3,
to Lavina M. Dryer, daughter of Joh
Dryer. See his name. They had te
children, in Springfield ; five died young
Of the others
CATHARINE L., born July 20,
1830, was married in Springfield, July i
1853, to Samuel M. Culver, who w
born in New York. They had five chil
ren. CARRIE M. died aged seven year
CHARLES A., HUGH M., WILLIA
H. and GILBERT R., reside with the
parents in Springfield.
CYNTHIA y., born Nov. i, 183
was married in Springfield, July u, 186
to H. F. Hollingsworth, a native of Ca
roll county, 111. They have one chil
MAHLON F., and reside near Freepo
Stephenson county, 111.
ALBERT H., born July 22, 1845, l
Springfield, was married Dec. 19, 1868, t
Jennie Merriweather, who was born Jul
19, 1845,111 Green county, 111. They hav
four children, KATE M., AXNI"
HARRIS HALE and ALBERT D
and reside in Springfield. Mr. A.
machinist.
JOHN D., born August 7, 1852, an
JULIA M., born August 8, 185
both in Springfield, reside with thei
parents.
Hugh M. Armstrong was brought u
a hatter and engaged in that business wit
his brother Hosea in Springfield, in ] 82
He was afterwards interested in wo
carding, and, in connection with Josep
and E. R. Thayer, originated, and f<
some years conducted, the Springfiel
Woolen Mills. He now resides on a far
near Batavia, Kane county, 111.
SANGAMON COUNTY.
ARMSTRONG, JOHN, was
born Nov. 14, 1814, in Chester county, Pa.,
came to Springfield, 111., August i, 1837,
and was married Nov. 14, 1839, to Chloe
E. Abel. They had eight children, two
of whom died young.
WILLIAM P., born Sept. 7, 1840,
married Frances E. Maxon. He died
I-\-l). i% 1874, and she died in June of the
same year, both in Springfield.
ROBERT R., born Feb. 20, 1844,
died Jan. i, 1860.
/. rCTE.,}wrn Jan. 5, 1846, in Spring-
field, married Jan. 5, 1870, to C. H. Fos-
ter. They have two children, GER-
TRUDE E. and FREDRICK F., and
reside in Pawnee. Mr. Foster is a mer-
chant there.
HENRT JR., born March 27, 1848,
CHARLES A., born Feb. 10, 1850,
and
EDWARD R., born Feb. 20, 1852;
the three latter reside with their parents.
Mr. Armstrong has been a contractor
and builder for many years. He was ap-
pointed by President Lincoln, in 1861,
to the office of Post Master in Springfield,
and' held the office until August 5, 1865.
He now resides in Springfield.
ARMSTRONG, THOMAS,
was born Jan. 27, 1785, in Augusta
county, Va. He was there married, iSov.,
1815, to Jane Burgess, who was born
[une 3, 1796, in Greenbrier county. They
had seven children in Augusta county, and
moved, in 1827, to Logan county, Ohio,
where they had two children, and moved
to Sangamon county, 111., arriving Oct. 21,
1840, in what is now Cotton Hill township.
Of their children
MART W., born March 24, 1816, in
Virginia, married in Sangamon county to
James I. Dozier. See his name.
SARAH J., born May n, 1817, in
Virginia, married Daniel Keys; had one
child, SARAH. She married Robert
Jones, and resides in Kansas. Mrs. Keys
died Sept. 28, 1844. See his name.
ABEL, born Oct. 30, 1818, in Virginia,
came to Sangamon county in 1840. Is
living with his third wife, near Newton,
Jasper county, 111.
ELIZA, born August 8, 1820, in Vir-
ginia, married in Sangamon county, March
i; 1849, to George Brunk. See his name.
She died Oct. 4, 1860.
THOMAS D., born April 4, 1822, in
Virginia, married in Sangamon county,
January, 1849, to Jane Woozley. They
reside in Christian county.
NANCY, born Feb. 13, 1824, in Vir-
ginia, married in Sangamon county, in
1846, to Moses A.Jones. See his name.
CAROLINE A., born Dec. 14, 1826,
in Virginia, married in Sangamon county,
March i, 1849,10 Rape Funderburk. Sec
his name.
ANGELINE, born Nov. 15, 1833, in
Logan county, Ohio, married in Sanga-
mon county, to David Hall. They have
three children, and reside near Nevvtonia,
Newton county, Mo.
JOHN B., born June 9, 1839, in Logan
county, Ohio, raised in Sangamon county,
married near Pana, to Sarah King, and
resides in Christian county.
Mrs. Jane Armstrong died Feb. 13,
1843, and Thomas Armstrong died Feb.
i ^, 18^9, both in Sangamon county.
AVERITT, THOMAS M.
See his name in connection with George
Gregory and the first railroad locomotive
ever run into Springfield.
IB,
BAKER, EDWARD DICK-
INSON, was born Feb. 24, 1811, in
London, England. His father, Edward
Baker, was an educated gentleman, and his
mother a sister of Capt. Thomas Dicken-
son, of the British navy, who distinguished
himself at the battle of Trafalger. Ed-
ward D. was the eldest of five children.
About the close of the war with England,
in 1815, his father and family emigrated
to America, landing at Philadelphia,
Penn. Here Mr. Edward Baker engaged
in teaching. On account of the financial
embarassments of the family, as soon as
Edward D. was old enough, he was ap-
prenticed to a weaver. In 1826 his father
moved to Belleville, 111., where he opened
a select school, and young Edward D.
Baker evinced such a taste' for literature
that the late Gov. Edwards, then a resi-
dent of Belleville, gave him free access to
his library. From Belleville young Baker
went to St. Louis, and to procure funds
for necessary expenses, drove a dray for at
least one season. From St. Louis he went
to Carrolton, 111., and began the study of
88
EARLY SETTLERS OF
law and at the same time acting as deputy
in the county clerk's office. He was mar-
ried April 27, 1831, to Mrs. Mary A. Lee,
a widow with two children. In the spring
of 1832 Mr. Baker enlisted in the Black
Hawk war, and in 1835 moved to Spring-
Held, and soon after became a law partner
of Stephen T. Logan. He delivered the
oration at the laying of the corner stone of
the- old State house, July 4, 1837. ^ n t ^ ie
latter year he was elected to the General
Assembly to fill the vacancy caused by
the resignation of Hon. Dan Stone, and
was re-elected the following year. In
1840 E. D. Baker was elected State Sena-
tor for four years, and elected to Congress
in 1845. When the war broke out with
Mexico, Mr. B. hastened home, raised a
regiment, which was accepted by the
government as the 4th III. Inf., Col. E. D.
Baker, commanding. Arriving on the
Rio Grand, he discovered that the troops
were in need of additional tent equipage,
munitions of war, etc., and for a few
months accepted the position of bearer of
dispatches to the war department, and re-
paired to Washington. Congress was in
session, and not having resigned his seat
in the House, availed himself of his priv-
ilege as a member, and made a speech of
great and almost magical power in favor
of a vigorous prosecution of the war, and
in behalf of the volunteers then in the
field, and rejoined his regiment. After
the battle of Cerro Gordo, the term of
Col. Baker's enlistment expired, and his
men not wishing to re-enlist, he reluctant-
ly left the field, and, returning home, re-
sumed the practice of his profession. In
the spring of 1848 he moved to Galena,
111. As one of the Whig electors for the
State at large, he took an active part in
the Presidential campaign of 1848. He
took his seat as Representative in Congress,
the second time, in Dec., 1849. In 1851
he entered into an agreement with the
Panama Railroad Company to grade a
portion of that road, but after several
months exposure to a tropical sun, he and
his men fell sick and abandoned the coun-
try. In 1852 he emigrated with his fam-
ily to California, establishing himself in
practice in San Francisco. There he de-
livered the funeral oration of two of his
early friends, fallen bv the fatal bullet
of the duelist, Ferguson and Broderick.
The latter stands alone as the most bril-
brilliant funeral oration ever delivered on
the continent of America. After the
death of Boderick, Col. Baker moved to
Oregon, and was elected U. S. Senator
from there in 1860. For the first time in
his life he was placed in a position con-
genial to him. The decorum and courtesy
that usually marks the intercourse of Sen-
ators, was most grateful to his habits ot
thought and feeling.
Col. Baker was a man of action as well
as of words, and soon after the fall of Fort
Sumter he recruited a regiment in Phil-
adelphia and vicinity, which was called
the California regiment, and soon after,
President Lincoln tendered him a Briga-
dier-General's commission, but he declined
it, probably because it would have vacated
his seat in the Senate. At the first ses-
sion of the 37th Congress, convoked by
President Lincoln, July 4, 1861, Col.
Baker was in his seat, and participated
prominently in the passage of those im-
portant measures which became necessary
to place the nation on a war footing. On
the adjournment of this special session,
Col. Baker rejoined his regiment, which
was attached to and formed a part of the
army of observation on the Potomac. He,
however, was restless in camp, and a vague
presentiment of his approaching fate
seemed to haunt him wherever he went,
and he said to a friend that since his cam-
paign in Mexico he could never afford to
turn his back on an enemy. He returned
to Washington, settled his affairs, and
called to bid the President and family fare-
well, when the lady of the Executive
Mansion, who, in her, then, high position,
was gracefully mindful of early friendship,
gave him a boquet of late flowers. As
though partially soliloquizing, he said :
" Very beautiful ; these flowers and my
memory will wither together." He pressed
with quiet earnestness on his friend, Col.
Webb, the measures which might become
necessary in regard to the resting place of
his mortal remains, then mounted his
horse and rode gaily awav to his death.
He was leading his men at Ball's Bluff,
and, when ten feet in advance of them,
fell, pierced by eight bullets, Oct. 21, 1861.
His body was borne tenderly away, em-
balmed, and removed to Washington City,
where appropriate funeral honors were
paid to his remains; then sent to New
York City, and from there by steamer to
SANGAMON COUNT)'.
San Francisco, where he was buried in
Lone Mountain Cemetery, of that city.
Of the two children of Mrs. Baker by
her first marriage
A f ARIA L. LEE, born in 1827, was
married Feb. n, 1845, * J ames H.
Matheny. See his name.
FRANK LEE went to California,
and died there.
Hon. Edward D. Baker and wife had
four children, namely :
LUCT S., born about 1832 in Carrol-
ton, 111., brought up in Springfield, was
married in San Francisco to Charles
Hopkins. They have four children,
CHARLES, CAROLINE, ROBERT
and RALPH, and reside at Olympia,
Washington Territory. Mr. Hopkins is
U. S. Marshall for that Territory.
CAROLINE C, born in Carrolton,
111., brought up in Springfield, was married
in San Francisco to Robert J. Stevens.
They have two children, ROBERT and
CARRIE, and reside in Washington
City.
ALFRED W., born in Springfield,
resides in San Francisco.
ED WARD D., Jun., born in Spring-
field, married Saccha Alma Bradshaw.
He is a Captain in the U. S. Army, and
is on duty at some western military post.
Mrs. Mary A. Baker died in San Fran-
cisco.
The great and fatal mistake of Col.
Baker was one that did honor to his noble
and chivalrous spirit. He had fairly and
honorably reached the highest position in
our government that any adopted citizen
could attain. In the Senate of the United
States he was the peer of any man in the
nation, and his counsels there were worth
a hundred fold more than it could have
been in the field. When he volunteered
to lead a regiment, he was liable to be-
come subordinate to men far, very far, in-
ferior to himself, and that proved to be
his destruction ; but he had, no doubt,
weighed well the step he was about to
take, and thereby laid the most costly sac-
rifice on the altar of his adopted country
that it was possible for any citizen to make,
even though he were to the manor born.
BAKER, JOHN L., was born
June 20, 1805, in Campbell county, Ky.
He is a brother of Thomas, and was mar-
ried in 1828, in Butler county, Ohio, to
Rachel Biggs, who was born in that State,
12
Oct. 6, 1 804. They had three children there
and moved to Shelby county, Ind., where
they had two children, and from there to
Sangamon county, 111., arriving in 1835,
in what is now Loami township, where
they had two children. Of their eight
children two died young.
MARGARET, born April 27, 1829,
in Ohio, was married in Sangamon coun-
ty, 111., to Henry Westfall. They have
seven children, SMITH M., ANN E.,
HELEN, INA, LEONA, GEORGE and
CHARLES, and reside near Elkhart
Logan county, 111.
THOMAS N., born Jan. 28, 1831, in
Ohio, was married in Sangamon county
to Frances Freddy. They have six child-
ren, all born in Sangamon county, namely:
SIBYL,. JOHN L., ALICE, MARY,
DON CARLOS and ETTA, and reside
near Ottawa, Kansas.
SARAH J., born April 25, 1832, in
Ohio, was married in Sangamon county
to Jonathan Jarrett. See his name.
REUBEN F., born Jan. 24, 1834, in
Shelby county, Ind., was married in San-
gamon county to Elizabeth Mahard. They
have seven children, JOHN, GEORGE,
JAMES, ORTHELLO, HORATIO,
ALICE and ARMINDA, and reside
near Nebraska City, Neb.
EPHRIAM, born March 31, 1835, in
Indiana, was married in Sangamon coun-
ty to Anna Mahard. He died in Sanga-
mon county, leaving a widow and two
children, EBEN and CHARLES. The
widow and children reside in Missouri.
JOHN W., born Dec. 13, 1837, in
Sangamon county, 111., was married there
to Sarah Mahard. They have four child-
ren,J AMES E., ELIZABETH, THOM-
AS *and M. ALICE, who reside with
their parents, near Ottawa, Kansas.
PAULINE L., born Sept. 22, 1844,
in Sangamon countv, married James S.
Cloud. They have four children, M.
ALICE, DORA, MINNIE E. and
JESSE M., and reside in Ottawa, Kansas.
John L. Baker and wife reside in Otta-
wa, Kansas.
BAKER, THOMAS, was born
March 3, 1794, in Campbell county, Ky.;
brother to John L. Nancy Robertson
was born Oct. 9, 1806, in Harrison county,
Va. They were married Dec. 29, 1823,
in Kanawha county, West Va., at the
house of Jonathan Jarrett. Sen. Mr. and
9
EARLY SETTLERS OF
Mrs. Baker had two children in West Vir-
ginia, and moved to Sangamon county,
111., arriving Nov. 1826, in what is now
Loami township, where they had eight
children. Of their ten chilldren
JOHN, born March 16, 1825, in West
Virginia, died in Sangamon county, Aug.
2 9> l8 35-
CHARLES, born April 12, 1826, in
West Virginia, married in Sangamon
county, August n, 1844, to Lucretia
Minter. They moved in the fall of that
year to Tarrant county, Texas. He died
there in 1871, leaving a widow and ten
children.
WILLIAM, born Feb. n, 1829, in
Sangamon county, married Jan. 10, 1850,
to Margaret Morris. They have ten
children, and reside near Bancroft, Daviess
county, Mo.
MART A., born Dec. 27, 1831, in
Sangamon county, married Nov. 8, 18^3,
to Barnard A. VanDeren. See his name.
They had two children, THOMAS N.
and MAGGIE L. Mr. VanD. died, and
she married, Nov. 2, 1868, to John Low-
ery, who was born Sept. 15, 1837,111 coun-
ty Down, Ireland. They had two child-
ren, MARY A. and BARNARD A.;
the latter died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs.
Lowery reside four miles south of Loami.
MARGARET, born Oct. 27, 1834, in
Sangamon county, married Dec. 18, 1857,
to James W. Greenwood. See his name.
THOMAS,]\\\\., born Oct. i, 1836, in
Sangamon county, married April 23,
1861, to Mary J. Hall. She died August
21, 1866, leaving one child, GEORGE
W. Mr. Baker was married March 19,
1867, to Mrs. Harriet Cosser, whose maiden
name was Hall. They have two children,
JOSEPH F. and HATTIE, and reside
three and a half miles southwest of Loami.
NANCY, born March 28, 1839, in San-
gamon county, married William G. Mil-
ler. See his name. She died, leaving
two children with their father, who is
married and resides in Loami township.
CYRUS W., born May 19, 1842, in
Sangamon county, married April 13, 1862,
to Sarah A. Jarrett. They have three
children, HENRY, BARNARD A. and
JO. C., and reside one and a half miles
southwest of Loami.
SARAH J., born Dec. 7, 1846, in
Sangamon county, married Nov. 2, 1865,
to Joseph O. Joy. They have three child-
dren, CHARLES W., WILLIE A. and
JOHN W., and reside three miles south-
west of Loami. Mr. Joy was a soldier in
suppressing the rebellion.
ISAAC N., born Dec. 11, 1849, in
Sangamon county, married April 21, 1870,
to Sarah E. Post. They have one child,
HARRY O., and reside at the homestead
settled by his parents.
Thomas Baker, Sen., died Jan. 5, 1852,
and his widow resides at the homestead
settled by herself and husband in 1826.
It is one and a half miles southwest ot
Loami.
BAKER, ISAAC, was born near
Fredericktown, Md. He served as a fifer
in the Revolution, the last two years of
the war. Phoebe Waddell was born near
Baltimore, Md. They were married there
in 1787, and moved to what became Bour-
bon county, Ky., where twelve children
were born, eight of whom married there.
The parents and four youngest children
came to Sangamon county in the fall of
1829, in what is now Rochester township.
Of their children
JAMES, born July, 1788,111 Bourbon
county, Ky. It is believed he was the first
white child born in the county. He was
married Sept. 17, 1813, in Nicholas coun-
ty, Ky., to Nancy Squires, who was born
Oct. 22, 1794, in Fauquier county, Va.
They had eight children in Nicholas coun-
ty, and moved to Sangamon county, 111.,
arriving Nov., 1828, at Springfield, and a
week later left for what is now Logan
county. In Jan., 1831, he moved to
Rochester, Sangamon county. They
were five days moving twenty miles,
through what is known as the " deep
snow." Mr. B. was a soldier in the Black
Hawk war. Two of his children were
born in Illinois. Of his ten children,
S. WILLIS, born Oct. 10, 1814, in Ken-
tucky, died unmarried, in Illinois, June 25,
1850. THOMAS J., born March i,
1816, in Kentucky, died in Sangamon
county, Oct. 17, 183*2. MARGARET J.,
born Dec. 20, 1817, in Kentucky, married
in Sangamon county, Nov. 15, 1838, to
Daniel S. Stafford. She died in less than
a year. MARTIN E., born Jan. 27,
1820, in Nicholas county, Ky., married
March 4, 1852, in Springfield, to Mary
C. S. Williams, who was born Feb. 3,
1826, in Montgomery county, Md., and
came to Springfield in 1839. They have
SANGAMON COUNTT.
9 1
eight children, JAMES w., CORNELIA A.,
MARGARET E., MARTIN E., JUH., NANCY
E., HORACE W., MARY F. and CHARLES O.,
and reside four miles southwest of Illiopo-
lis. ELIZA E., born Nov. 7, 1822, in
Kentucky, died July 3, 1835, in Sangamon
county. KITTY *A., born Jan. 22, 1824,
in Kentucky, married in Sangamon coun-
ty, in 1848, to Oliver Stafford; have seven
children, and reside in Mt. Pulaski. JOHN
S., born Nov. 7, 1826, in Kentucky, taught
school in Sangamon county many years;
went to California in 1854, and died July
30, 1873, in San Francisco. WILLIAM
F., born June 29, 1828, in Kentucky,
brought up in Sangamon county, married,
Feb. 7, 1860, in Christian county, to Eliza-
beth Green ; have four children, and reside
near Grove City. MARY E., born Oct.
22, 1830, in Logan county, married, Nov.
4, 1852, to Leander Green. (See his name.]
MARTHA A., born August 1 1, 1833, in
Sangamon county, married Dec. 29, 1859,
to William Crenshaw; have two children,
and reside in Georgetown, Ky. James
Baker died Feb. 14, 1869, and Mrs. Nancy
Baker died Oct. 3, 1872, both in Christian
county.
JACOB, born August 9, 1790, in
Bourbon county, Ky., was a soldier from
that county in the war of 1812. He was
married in Nicholas county, Ky., to Jane
Branch, sister of Edward Branch. See
his name. Four of their children were
born in Kentucky, and he came to Sanga-
inon county with his father, arriving in
1829, near Rochester, where five children
were born. Of his seven children, JULI-
AN, married first to Alfred Waddell,who
died, and she married Willis Runnels, and
both died. Her sons, ALFRED Waddell,
resides in Greenfield, Mo., JESSE and WIL-
LIS reside near Nashville, Mo. SUSAN,
born in Kentucky, married in Sangamon
county to James Virden, who died, and
his widow resides seven miles east of
Springfield. They had five children.
PLEASANT, born April 25, 1819, in
Nicholas county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county, June 24, 1846, to Lavina W ad-
dell, who was born in Kentucky. They had
five children ; two died in infancy. JULIAN
and WILLIAM n. reside in Clear Lake
township. ALVIN resides with his father.
Mrs. Lavina Baker died April 20, 1857, and
Mr. B. married Mary E, Cook, a native of
Scinto county, Ohio. They have five
children, MARY, SUSAN j., ELIZA A.,
PLEASANT and LAURA E., and reside in
Clear Lake township. ISAAC, born Oct.
6, 1821, in Kentucky, married in Sanga-
mon county to Almyra Pike. He died,
leaving one child, ISAAC, who resides
south of Rochester. POLLY A., born
in Kentucky, married in Sangamon coun-
ty to Daniel Barr. JANE, born July 15,
1827, in Kentucky, married in Sangamon
county to John M. McCune. See his
name. ALVIN, born in Sangamon
county, married Hester Hornbaker. He
died in iS56,leavingtwochildren,En\VAKi>
and ALONZO. Mrs. Jane Baker died, and
Jacob Baker afterward married twice, and
died May 18, 1872.
THOMAS, born about 1792, in Ken-
tucky, married there to Sarah Delav.
They had four children, and came to San-
gamon county in 1828, with his brother,
James, and settled near Rochester, where
one child was born. Of his children,
ISAAC resides near Medoc, Mo., ELIZA-
BETH, born in Kentucky, married in
Sangamon county to Jabez Capps. See
his name. JOHN resides near Medoc,
Mo. WILLIAM resides in Virginia City,
Montana. JEMIMA married and died in
Mt. Pulaski. Thomas Baker died March,
1874, and his widow resides near Medoc,
Mo.
yOSEPH,\)OYn in 1796, in Kentucky,
came to Sangamon county in 1828, and
died in Medoc, Mo.
SUSAN, born March 15, 1799, in-
Bourbon county, Ky., married Robert
Bell. See his name.
IS A A C, born in Kentucky, never came
to Sangamon county. He resides near
Medoc, Mo.
SQUIRE, born Jan. 8, 1803, in Ken-
tucky, came to Sangamon county in 1829,
and resides near Mapleton, Kansas.
WILLIAM, born in 1805, in Ken-
tucky, and resides near Mapleton, Kan.
GREE^Bl^RT, born in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to Ann;i
Payne, who died, and he married Mrs.
Mary Johnson, formerly Mrs. Marker,
and whose maiden name was Williams.
They had four children. MOSES was a
Union soldier in the :ith Mo. Inf., and
was killed while aiding in the arrest of a
deserter. THOMAS J. was a member
of the i6th 111. Cavalrv, and died in An-
dersonville prison. S. \YILL1S served
9 2
EARLY SETTLERS OF
three years in the nth Mo. Inf.; was
honorably discharged, and married in San-
gamon county to Matilda Mear. He died
early in 1874, leaving a widow and two
children, near Medoc, Mo. EFFIE
was married in Sangamon county, to
Joseph Brunk, and resides near Medoc,
Mo. Mrs. Mary Baker died May 22,
1842, in Sangamon county. Greenhury
Baker died March 4, 1873, in Sangamon
county.
HARRISQN,\K>V* in Kentucky, mar-
ried in Sangamon county, to Nellie Bowles.
They had eight children, born in Sanga-
mon county, and moved to the vicinity of
Medoc, Mo. Mr. and Mrs. Baker died
there in 1872, and were buried in one
grave.
POLLY, born in Kentucky, married
in Sangamon county to Elias Williams.
See his name.
PH(EBE,\>m\\ April 5, i8i6,in Ken-
tucky, married in Sangamon county to
Josiah B. Williams. See his name.
Mrs. Phoebe Baker died July 3, 1845,
and Isaac Baker died in Sept. 1848, both
in Sangamon county, south of Rochester.
He was about 100 years of age.
BAKER, WILLIAM, was born
about 1798, in Sevier county, Tenn. He
came to St. Clair county, 111., when a
young man. Phebe Neeley was born
Dec. 14, 1799, near Nashville, Tenn., and
was taken to St. Clair county, 111., when
she was a young woman. Wm. Baker
and Phebe Neeley were married about
1818, near Belleville. They had one child
born there, and the family moved to Horse
creek, in what became Sangamon county, in
the spring of 1819, in what is now Cotton
Hill township, where seven children were
born. They then moved to a mill on San-
gamon river, three miles north of Roches-
ter, where one child was born. Four of
the children died under two years. Of
the other five
JAMES, born Jan., 1819, in St. Clair
county, and raised on Horse creek, on the
farm now owned by Samuel ^Galloway.
William Enyert, who went to school with
him, remembers having heard him say
frequently, in their boyhood days, that he
would join some Indian tribe at 18 years
of age. Between 1837 and '40 he went
west, and came back in 1844, to see his
mother, who then lived in Rochester. He
said he had joined the Snake tribe of In-
dians, and after a stay of about six months,
he returned to that tribe. But little was
known of him until 1849, when a party of
eight persons left Springfield for the gold
regions of California. William Enyert
says they found him at the crossing of
Green river, keeping a ferry. He recog-
nized Mr. Enyert readily, and treated him
kindly. Mr. Enyert learned from him
that he was a chief in the Snake tribe;
had two wives, one with him and one at
Foil Bridger, and two children by each.
His daily receipts were from $500
to $600 at the ferry. He is yet living
among the Indians, and is occasionally
heard from by his friends. Mr. Enyert
says that when he saw him he was full
six feet tall, wore his hair long and straight,
stood erect as any Indian, wore buckskin
clothes, and in his general appearance
looked very much like an Indian. Mr.
Enyert had been a school-mate of his in
this county. E. C. Matheny saw him
under similar circumstances.
\DELIA, born in Sangamon county
in 1821, died at 15 years of age.
JOHN, born in Sangamon county, re-
sides among the Indians, near Fort Bridger,
Wyoming territory. Went there a few
years later than his brother James.
ELIZABETH, born in Sangamon
county, Cotton Hill township, is unmar-
ried and resides in Rochester; is the only
member of the family residing in Sanga-
mon county.
ELIZA, born in Sangamon county,
died at 15 years of age.
William Baker went to Texas previous
to 1844, started from there to California
about 1852, and died on the road. Mrs.
Phebe Baker died, August, 1861, in
Rochester.
BALDWIN, JOH IXfSON, was
born March 25, 1797, in Scott county, Ky. ;
was married in Gallatin county, Oct. 24,
1822, to Betsy Kendall. They had one
child born in Kentucky, and moved to
Sangamon county, 111., in company with
her father, William Kendall, arriving Oct.
17, 1824, in what is now Curran town-
ship, where eleven children were born;
one died in infancy. Of their children
MARY A., born Sept. 19, 1823, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county
to Richard Bradlev. Sec his name.
SANG AM ON COUNTT.
93
ALISSA, or ALICE, born Nov. 17,
1824, in Sangamon county, married John
Wesley Elliott. See his name.
HARRIET, horn March 4, 1827, in
Sangamon county, married John M.
Smith. See his name. Resides near
Curran.
ELIZA, bora Nov. 6, 1828, in San-
gamon county, married Edward D. Camp-
bell, and resides near Lancaster, or Mans-
field, Texas.
WILLIAM, born Jan. 23, 1831, in
Sangamon county, married Dec. 22, 1853,
to Mary J. Parkinson. They had seven
children. ADDIE C. died 'August 22,
1871, in her seventh year. LIZZIE died
in infancy. ELLA M., EUNICE P.,
JAMES O. and OTIS J., (twins), and
WILLIE O., reside with their parents,
six miles west of Springfield.
NANCY, born May 4, 1833, in Sanga-
mon county, married August 20, 1872, to
John Mull, who was born Dec. 5, 1821,
in Kentucky. They reside six miles
southwest of Springfield.
EDITH, born Feb. 26, 1837, in San-
gamon county, married Feb. 13, 1873, to
Win. Dyer, and resides four miles north-
west of Curran.
AGNES,\x>?n Dec. 18, 1838, died Oct.
5, 1864.
E MIL T, born August 15, 1841, resides
with her sister, Mrs. Dyer.
SUSAN, born Sept. 15, 1843, married
Wm. B. Gilbert. They have two children
and reside three miles north of Spring-
field, on Athens road.
ELIZABETHAN August 29, 1856,
in her eleventh year.
Mrs. Betsey Baldwin died August 13,
1847, and Johnson Baldwin died Dec. 4,
1871, both in Sangamon county.
BALL, JOHN S., born about
1795, in Madison county, Ky. Went to
Clarksville, Tenn., and from thei'e to
Eddyville, Ky., from there to Sangamon
county, and after spending several years,
returned to Kentucky ; back to Sangamon
county, then to JoDaviess county ; from
there to Missouri, where he left his family,
went to California, and at the end of three
years returned to his family in Missouri.
Now resides with his sons in Morgan
county. His son
THOMAS H.., married in Morgan
county to Eliza A. Hodgson, has two
children, COLUMBUS A. and IDA
BELL, and reside in Ball township.
BALL, JAPHET A, was born
July 5, 1800, in Madison county, Ky.
When a young man he went to Clarkes-
ville, Tenn., where he learned the trade of
a blacksmith with his brother John S.
From there he went with his brother to
Eddyville, Caldwell county, Ky., and
from there to Sangamon county, arriving
late in Dec., 1825, in what is now Wood-
side township. He was married Dec. 2,
1828, to Sarah Henderson. They had two
children
CLARISSA J., born in Sangamon
county, married Jeremiah Penicks. They
had four children, and Mr. Penicks died.
Mrs. Penicks and her children reside at
Palmer, Christian county.
JAMES H., died in his fourteenth
year.
Mrs. Sarah Ball died March 12, 1832.
Japhet A. Ball was married May, 1834,10
Marinda Davis, who died April 12, 1855.
Mr. Ball was married Sept. 30, 1863, to
Melissa Morison. They have two child-
ren
JOHN M. and
'f ANNIE M., and reside east of Sugar
creek, in Ball township, four miles south-
east of Chatham. x
Japhet A. Ball enlisted July, 1827, in
Col. Tom M. Neal's Battalion of mounted
volunteers, to fight the Indians in the
north part of the State. This was known
as the Winnebago war. He again enlisted,
and was commissioned by Gov. Reynolds
as First Lieutenant, June 18, 1831. A
treaty with Black Hawk, the chief, ter-
minated hostilities. The Indians com-
menced depredations again, in the spring
of 1832. J. A. Ball was commissioned by
Gov. Reynolds, April 28, 1832, as Capt.
of a Company in Long's Odd Battalion of
Inf. It was mustered out in June, 1832,
for the purpose of changing to a mounted
organization, but that ended his military
career. Mr. Ball served from 1843 to
1856 as Justice of the Peace. He was
elected and commissioned by Gov. Bissell,
Nov. 14, 1857, as Associate Judge of San-
gamon county, for four years. The town-
ship organization being adopted in 1860,
terminated his official career. The town-
ship of Ball was named for him.
Judge Ball says that on the first day of
Jan., 1831, while the- "deep snow " was
94
EARLY SETTLERS OF
falling, he killed fourteen deer. They
would founder in the snow, and were
easily taken. He built a saw mill on
Sugar creek, and sold a large quantity of
lumber at the mill, and at times kept
teams running to Springfield. The scarci-
ty of money for a few years after the
financial crash of 1837, was ver y severe
on the new settlements. The Judge says
that during one of those years he did an
extensive business in the lumber trade,
and his total receipts in cash was exactly
seventy-five cents.
BALL, SMITH, was born July
10, 1810, in Madison county, Ky., came to
Sangamon county, 111., arriving at the
house of his brother, Japhet A., in 1829.
He was married June 13, 1837, * Rebecca
Moffatt. They had one child in Sanga-
mon county, and in the fall of 1839 moved
to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. In the spring of
1840 he moved to Jefferson county, where
they had six children. Of their seven
children
EMILY A., born March 27, 1838, in
Sangamon county, was married in Iowa
to William Case. They have six children,
and reside in Marshall county, Iowa.
MARY M., born March 25, 1840, in
Iowa, was married there to George B.
Phillips. They have six children, and
reside near Wooster, Iowa.
NANCY y., born August 30, 1842,
died aged 22 years.
GEORGE W., born June 7, 1847, in
Jefferson county, Iowa, is a practicing
lawyer, unmarried, and resides at ' Iowa
City.
MARGARET C., born Dec. 10, 1847,
in Iowa, was married there to Richard
Fisher. They have two children, and
reside near Wooster.
LE WIS C., born Jan. 18, 1852, and
FRANK P., born Feb. 25, 1854, re-
side with their parents, near Wooster,
Jefferson county, Iowa.
BALL, WILLIAM, born in
Madison county, Ky., came to Sangamon
county about 1835, and moved to Jo
Daviess county.
BALL, JANE born in Madison
county, Ky., married William Richardson,
came to Sangamon county in 1829, and
died in this county. Lewis B. Richard-
son, of Auburn township, is her son.
BALL, BETHANY, born Aug.
13, 1796, in Madison county, Ky., mar-
ried John Brawner. See his name.
BALL, POLLY, born in Ken-
tucky, married in Sangamon county to
John Rames, moved to Missouri, and both
died there.
BALL, ELIZABETH, born
in Madison county, Ky., married William
Brawner. See his name.
BALL, LUCY, born in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to Daniel
Morris, moved to Texas, and after resid-
ing there ten years, returned to Sangamon
county, and both died, leaving several
children.
Mrs. Nancy Ball, mother of John S.,
Japhet A., Smith, William, Jane, Bethany,
Polly, Elizabeth and Lucy, came with
the last of her children to Sangamon
county in 1829, and died at the house 'of
her son, Japhet A., in 1846.
BANCROFT, ISAAC, was
born April 29, 1776, near Boston, Mass.
Mercy Coburn was born March 12, 1781,
in Massachusetts, also. They were mar-
ried March 5, 1799, and had two children
in Massachusetts. They moved to St.
Lawrence county, N. Y., where they had
ten children, and moved to Springfield,
III., arriving August 10, 1839. Of their
children
BE TS Y married and raised families.
One of them died in Massachusetts. The
other resides in Hainesville, Lake county,
Illinois.
PRUDENCE, born in New York,
died May 3, 1824, aged twenty-four years.
JQNATHANC., born Feb. 2, 1809,
in New York, married Frances Stone.
Mr. Bancroft died June 2, 1845, leaving a
widow and three children in Springfield.
His son, Coburn, died in 1870, in Spring-
field.
ALMA S., born August 20, 1811, and
died aged 23 years.
ISAAC, Jun., born May 6, 1815, in
New York, married Mary Blackman. He
is now e Congregational minister, and re-
sides in Green county, Wis.
JOSEPH, born April 5, 1817, died
Oct. 16, 1851.
TIMOTHY^ born Feb. 26, 1819, in
St. Lawrence county, N. Y.,is unmarried,
and resides in Springfield.
SANGAMON COUNTT.
95
c* March 3, 1821, in
St. Lawrence county, N. Y., married
September 19, 1854,10 Elizabeth C. Cass,
who was born March 13, 1836, in Mont-
gomery county, 111. They had five child-
ren, three of whom died young. ED-
WARD T. and LUCINDA A. reside
with their father. Mrs. E. C. Bancroft
died Feb. 3, 1871, and Benj. Bancroft re-
sides in Fancy Creek township.
HARM AN H., born Feb. i, 1823,
died in Springfield in his 23d year.
Isaac Bancraft died Oct. 8, 1844, and his
widow died Feb. 10, 1868, both in Spring-
field.
BARBRE, ELI, was born July
25, 1 798, in Kentucky. He was married
about 1819, in Posey county, Ind., to
Nancy Wilkinson, a native of Kentucky,
also. They had four children in Indiana,
and Mrs. Barbre died there, in 1828. Mr.
Barbre moved to Edgar county, 111., and
was married there Jan. 17, 1829, to Anna
Wilson. They had two children in Ed-
gar county, and moved to Sangamon
county, 111., arriving in the fall of 1835, in
what is now Island Grove township,
where they had two children. Of their
nine children
ISAA C, born August 10, 1820, in Ind.,
came to Sangamon county with his parents,
returned to Indiana, married Nancy Ben-
nett. He served three years in an Indiana
regiment, for the suppression of the re-
bellion, and resides in Posey county, Ind.
WILLIAM, born Nov. 10, 1822, in
I'nsev county, Ind., married in Sangamon
county, Jan. 15", 1845,10 Rebecca Smith,
and had two children. She died, Oct. 18,
1847, leaving one child. He was married,
Feb. 6, 1849, to Lucy M. Smith. They
had nine children. Of all his children,
NANCY J., by the first wife, married
James McKee, has two children, LUCY A.
and MARY H., and reside in Nodaway
county, Mo. MARY A., married James
A.Trimble. See his name. MARTHA,
the twin mate to Mary, died in infancy.
JOHN E., JAMES W., THOMAS F.,
GEORGE I., RICHARD S., SAMUEL
M. and MARTHA C., reside with their
parents, two miles east of Curran. Wil-
liam Barbre enlisted Sept., 1861, in Co.
B., loth 111. Cav., for three years. He
was wagon master and Veterinary Sur-
geon, and was honorably discharged in
June, 1863.
CHARLOTTE, born 1824, in Indi-
ana, married Wright Miller, has several
children, and resides in Lynn county,
Oregon.
CELIA Z>., born in 1826, in Indiana,
married, successively, Edward Bennett,
Charles Wiggins and James Cleveland, all
of whom died, and she married Henry
Atkinson, and resides in Clark county, 111.
SARAH E., born July 5, 1831, in
Edgar county, married in Sangamon
county, to Harvey Withrow. See his
name.
JAMES L., born March 4, 1834, in
Edgar county, 111., married, Dec. 28, 18=54,
to Lucinda Dixon. They had nine child-
ren, four of whom died under four years.
The latter five, WILLIAM E., AL-
BERT F., MARY E., HARRIET C.
W. and GEORGETTA, reside with
their parents in Cooper township, three
miles southwest of Mechanicsburg.
JOHN A., born Dec. 19, 1835, mar-
% ried March 5, 1857, to Margaret R. Mc-
Kee, had six children, JAMES A., WM.
E., EDWIN H., ANNAH L., JENNIE
and GEORGE, reside with their parents,
two and a half miles south west of Mechan-
icsburg. John A. Barbre enlisted Dec.
23, 1863, in Co. B, loth 111. Cav., for three
years, served until Nov. 22, 1865, and was
honorably discharged at San Antonio,
Texas.
MART C., born in 1837, in Sangamon
county, married Rev. Geo. Keller.
Eli Barbre died in the fall of 1846, and
his widow married Wm. Withrow. (Sec
his natne.) She died in the fall of 1871.
BARGER, ADAM, was born
April 8, 1784, in Botetourt county, Va.
He went, when a young man, to Kanawha
county, West Va., and was there married,
August 12, 1810, to Lucinda Nolan.
They had ten children in Virginia, and
moved in a family boat to Shawneetown,
111. He took a farm wagon and two yoke
of oxen, and hired another team at Shaw-
neetown, and thus brought his family and
two loads of household goods, arriving
Oct., 1826, in what is now Loami town-
ship, but then called Yankee Settlement,
where they had three children. Of their
children
AL&ARTE.S, born May 26, 1811, in
Kanawha county, West Ya., married, Dec.
23, 1829, in Sangamon county, to Marga-
ret F. Patrick. They had 13 children,
9 6
EARLY SETTLERS OF
JOHN A., born July 21, 1831, died in his
2 ist year. MAJOR E., enlisted, May
25, 1861, in Co. I., i4th 111. Inf., for three
years, served full term, and was honorably
discharged, June, 1864, at Springfield.
He is a lawyer, and resides at Loami.
JANETTA, born June 2, 1834, married
James J. Henton. (See his name.)
SOPHIA, born Feb. 10, 1836, married
Robert E. Berry. (See his name?) WIL-
LIAM F., born Dec. 19, 1838, enlisted,
May, 1 86 1, in Co. I, I4th 111. Inf., for
three years, re-enlisted as a veteran in an-
other regiment, served to the end of the
rebellion, was honorably discharged, and
resides near Loami. JULIA A., born
Dec. 18, 1840, married Morrison Brown,
have four children, and reside in Loami
township. JAMES N., born March 20,
1842, enlisted, in i86i,in Co. C, nth Mo.
Inf., for three years, was discharged on
account of physical disability, acted as
deputy provost-marshal at Springfield for
a time, and enlisted in I52d 111. Inf. Served
to the end of the rebellion, married Mar-
garet Hunter, has three children, and re-
sides one mile southwest of Loami.
CHARLES H., born Nov. 18, 1845, en-'
listed in Co. , i6th 111. Cav., in 1862, for
three years. Served full term, and was
honorably discharged. LEROY, born
Feb. 20, 1847, res ides with his father.
GEORGE W., born June 10, 1849, mar-
ried Mollie McKinney, have one child,
and reside near Berry Station, Sangamon
county. ALBERT, LUCINDA J. and
HARRIET E. reside with their father.
Mrs. M. F. Barger died Feb. 25, 1876,
and Albartes Barger resides where he
settled in 1831, near Loami.
JULIA A., born Oct. 18, 1812, in
West Virginia, married in Sangamon
county to Dr. J. R. Abel. (See his name?)
Have three children, and reside in Taylor-
ville.
THERESA, born May 13, 1814, in
Virginia, married Thomas Sowell. (Sec
his name?)
ZEBULON, M. P., born Dec. 14,
181^, died in his 29th year.
6" OP HI A, born April 12, 1817, married,
her husband died, and the family reside in
Cass county.
JOHN, born Oct. 31, 1818, married
Elizabeth Eustace, had four children, and
he died. His widow married and lives in
Wisconsin.
OLIVIA, born Oct. 28, 1820, married
Morris Sweet. (See his name?)
MART A., born July 23, 1822, mar-
ried Wm. Weir. Had five children. She
was killed by a runaway team, in Nebraska
City. Family reside there.
HARRIET, born Feb. 26, 1824, mar-
ried John McClure, who died, leaving a
widow and eight children in Cass county.
JAMES M,, born Jan. 9, 1826, in
West Virginia, unmarried, and resides in
Loami.
LETHE, born March 29, 1831, mar-
ried, March 24, 1856, to Daniel Cuppy,
have two children, MARY E. and HAR-
RIET V., and reside at Loami. Mr. C.
served three years in nth Mo. Inf.
WILLIAM P., born Feb. 12, 1833,
in Sangamon county, went to California,
in 1856, resides in Nevada City, Cal.
Mrs. Lucinda Barger died August 11,
1853, and Adam Barger married Mrs.
Deborah Colburn, whose maiden name
was Phelps. He died August n, 1864, in
Loami township. His widow resides
with her children.
BARNETT, THOMPSON,
was born Dec. 15, 1795, in Kentucky.
Ann Pattei'son was bom Sept. 29, 1803,
in Holston county, Va. When she was
two years old her parents moved to Adair
county, Ky. Thompson Barnett and
Ann Patterson were married there, Jan.
19, 1822. They had three children born
in Kentucky, and moved to Illinois, ar-
riving in the fall of 1829, at Irish Grove,
Menard county, where one child was born.
Thompson Barnett died Dec. 12, 1830, at
Irish Grove. Mrs. Ann Barnett was mar-
ried May 26, 1836, to Levi Cantrall, and
brought her four children to his home in
Fancy Creek township. Of her children
by the first marriage
NANCT J., born Nov. 25, 1822, in
Aclair county, Ky., married in Sangamon
county to William D. Power. (Sec his
name?)
A Rl TINT A M., born March 27, 1825,
in Kentucky, married in Sangamon coun-
ty, to Jefferson Vandergrift. They had
four children, and she died. Mr. V. and
his children reside in , Wis.
MART E., born August 29, 1829,111
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county
to James Hibbs. Mrs. Hibbs died, leaving
one child, NANCY J., who married Dor-
rell Primm, and resides in Menard county.
SANGAMON COUNTY.
97
J. THOMPSON, born April 20,
1830, at Irish Grove. He married and
has five children, JAMES, EDDIE,
NATHAN, ANN and MARY, and re-
sides in Fancy Creek township.
For Mrs. Ann Barnett's further history,
sec Levi Cantrall.
BARNES, EZRA, was horn
Sept. 6, 1806, at Groton, New London
county, Ct. He started from Hartford
with a team, and, in thirty-one days' driv-
ing, reached St. Louis, Nov. 13, and five
days later came into Sangamon county,
arriving Nov. 18, 1833. For 21 months
he peddled clocks, after which he com-
menced farming, raising his first crop in
1836. He again peddled dry goods, and
came near being drowned while crossing
the Sangamon river north of Springfield.
He was married, Dec. 6, 1838, to Eliza-
beth Mason. She was born Feb. 4, 1818.
They had five children, all born in San-
gamon county, namely :
EZRA, Jun., born April 30, 1842, in
Sangamon county, married in 1872 at
Preston City, Conn., to Prudence A.
Browning. They reside five miles south-
west of Chatham.
SETH A., born in Sangamon county,
is a member of the firm of Barnes &
Simpson, druggists, in Taylorville.
OLIVE F., born in Sangamon county,
married Feb. 10, 1876, to George Bremer.
CHARLEY KK\
A.YGELINE, reside with their par-
ents in Ball township, two and a half miles
south of Chatham.
BARNES, DANIEL, was born
Feb., 1807, in Bucks county, Pa. He was
married in 1832, in Lancaster county, to
Margaret A. Richardson, who was born
Jan., 1810, in that county. Mr. Barnes
kept a book store and bindery in Harris-
burg, and was the State binder for Penn-
svlvania for five years. They had three
children in Harrisburg. Mr. Barnes
closed up his engagement as State binder
in the spring of 1840, sold out his book
store, and came west on horseback, look-
ing for a location. He selected Spring-
field as his future home, and was soon
followed by his family. They had four
children in Springfield, two of whom died
voung. Of the other five children
ALBERT G., born Sept. 4, 1835, in
Harrisburg, Pa., was with his father in
Springfield from 1840 to 1855, when he
engaged in business in Taylorville. Ik-
was married August 27, 1861, near Mo
chanicsburg, 111., to Henrietta Branson.
They have five living children, BENJ.
LINCOLN, ALBERT G., Jim., MARY
H., CLARA MAY and HARRY R.,
and reside in Taylorville, 111. Mr. Barnes
is engaged in the mercantile business and
banking.
ALMOND F., born in 1837, in Har "
risburg, Pa, raised in Springfield and Tay-
lorville, married in 1863, in Quincy, 111.,
to Nellie Harvey. They reside in Quincy.
HARRIET A., born in Harrisburg
and died in 1859.
CHARLES E., born Dec. 19, 1842,
in Springfield, married in Taylorville, Jan.
25, 1871, to Jeanette Overand, who was
born August 24, 1855, in Hartford, Conn.
They have one child, RALPH, and re-
side in Taylorville. Mr. Barnes was in
business with his father until the death of
the latter, and is now a hardware mer-
chant.
ANNA, born about 1844 or '5, in
Springfield, married in St. Louis, Mo., to
J. H. Pierson, and resides in Hearne,
Robertson county, Texas.
Daniel Barnes sold dry goods in Spring-
field, from 1842 to 1849' He was in busi-
ness with his son, Charles E., until Jan. 10,
1868, when he died, in Taylorville. His
widow resides there.
Gilbert Barnes, the father of Daniel,
was born in 1780, in Bucks county, Pa.
He was a soldier from that county in the
war of 1812. He married and had seven
children in the same county. Gilbert
Barnes, and other members of his family,
came to Springfield with the familv of his
son, Daniel, in 1840, but I have not been
able to obtain a full history of the family.
BARRETT, DR. R. F,, moved
from Green county, Ky., to Sangamon
county about the time of the "deep snow"
of 1830 and '31, and settled on Spring
creek, in what is now Island Grove town-
ship. He had a son born there, and in
1839 Dr. Barrett accepted the position of
Professor of Materia Medica, in the Med-
ical College of Missouri, and moved to
St. Louis. His son
ARTHUR B., born August 22, 1835,
on Spring creek, Sangamon county, mar-
ried in St. Louis to a Miss Sweringen.
He was for seven years President of the
company managing the St. Louis Fair, and
9 S
EARLY SETTLERS OF
it was largely through his influence that
it acquired a reputation unsurpassed by
any other institution of the kind in Amer-
ica. He was also President of the Mis-
souri Life Ins. Co. He was elected Mayor
of St. Louis, was inuagurated April 13,
and died April 24, 1875.
BARROW, ABRAHAM, was
born Oct. 15, 1803, in Frederick county,
Va. Mahala Larrick was born Nov. 14,
1809, in the same county. They were
married there, Oct. 20, 1831. Two of
their children were born in Berkley coun-
ty, Va. They moved to Sangamon coun-
ty, 111., arriving Sept. 19, 1835, in what is
now Cotton Hill township, where they
had four children. Of their children
JOHN T., born Feb. 27, 1833, in
Berkley county, Va., was married, Dec.
12, 1861, in Christian county, 111., to Eliza
J. Ducker, who was born July 24, 1842,
in Ohio. They had two children in San-
gamon county. They moved to Sarpy
county, Neb., Nov. 6, 1865. Three child-
ren were born in Nebraska. They moved
to Texas in 1870, and settled in Dallas
county, where one child was born. Thence
to Fort Worth, in Tarrant county, where
two children were born. Of their eight
children, six died in infancy. FLORA
A. and CHARLES H., reside with their
parents, at Fort Worth, Tarrant county,
Texas.
ORANGE P., born in Virginia, died
in Sangamon county in infancy.
JOSEPH W., born March 11,1837,
in Sangamon county, was married April
12, 1860, to Susan E. Hardin. They have
four children, MARY V., SARAH E.,
PRESLEY L. and MAHALA D., and
reside near Taylorville.
MART y., born March 16, 1840, in
Sangamon county, married May 3, 1859,
to Thomas W. Fleming. They had two
children. MARY A. died July 27, 1874,
and EMMA L. resides with her mother.
Mr. Fleming died July 26, 1866. Mrs.
Fleming was married Sept., 1871, to John
L. Morgan, who was born in Sanduskv,
Ohio, and served three years in Co. E.,
1 3th U. S. Inf. He was honorably dis-
charged August 6, 1868. They reside
near Zion Chapel, three miles north of
Pawnee.
ANN E., born Feb. 13, 1842,111 San-
gamon county, married John Q. A. Hus-
band. Sec his name.
ELIZA V., born March 30, 1851, in
Sangamon countv, married Feb. 9, 1870,
to Nimrod Vickers. One child, FRANK,
died in infancy. They reside in Christian
county, four miles east of Pawnee.
Abraham Barrows died April 9, 1862,
and Mrs. Mahala Barrows died Oct. 18,
1874, both at the family homestead, six
miles south of Springfield.
BARROWS, JOSIAH, was
born Sept. 17, 1793, in Thompson, Wind
ham county, Conn. In 1798, his parents
moved to Bridport, Vt., where Josiah
was married Feb. 25, 1825, in Lebanon,
New Hampshire, to Joanna Allen. She
died Sept., 1826, in Vermont, and Mr.
Barrows was married Jan., 1829, in Le-
banon, N. H,, to Emily Young. She
died Nov., 1831, in Vermont, and he was
married, July, 1836, in New Haven, Vt.,
to Mrs. T. M. Case, whose maiden name
was Mills. They had two children in
Vermont, and came to Illinois, arriving in
Chatham, Sangamon county, Oct., 1839,
where they had two children, and moved
to Springfield about 1846. Of their child-
ren
MART P., was born in Vermont in
1837, anc ^ was niarried Jan. i, 1861, in
Springfield, to John H. Morse. They have
three children, JOHN, GEORGE and
HORACE, and reside at Morse's Mills,
Jefferson county, Mo. Mr. Morse was
an avowed abolitionist, and during the
war to suppress the rebellion, was much
annoyed by the rebels. His store was
robbed, but being warned, he had time to
remove some of the lighter goods. Amid
all his troubles he continued to flourish,
and has several times represented his dis-
trict in the State Senate of Missouri. He
is always engaged in some public enter-
prise.
SAMUEL M., born about 1838, in
Vermont, raised in Sangamon county, 111.,
married Sept. 1867, in Vineland, Jefferson
county, Mo., to Ellen Morse. They have
four children, JULIA, KATIE, ELLEN
and ARTHUR. S. M. Barrows was a
Union man, and subjected, like his brother-
in-law, to annoyance during the war. He
is Post Master, and resides at Morse's
Mills, Mo.
LUCT, died in Springfield, aged about
sixteen years.
ANNA, born in Springfield, resides
with her sister, Mrs. Morse.
SANGAMON COUNTT.
99
LOUISA CASE, daughter of Mrs.
Barrows by a former marriage, resides
with her half-sister, Mrs. Morse.
Mrs. T. M. Barrows left Springfield to
visit her daughter, Mrs. Morse, in Mis-
souri, and died there, Nov. 1865.
Josiah Barrows, after the death of his
wife, spent his winters in Missouri, and
summers in Springfield, 111., until 1875.
lie now resides with his children in Mis-
souri.
BARROWS, LUCY, sister of
Josiah and Franklin, was born March 14,
1 797, in Woodstock, Conn. Came west
in 1838. She resided in Sangamon and
Morgan counties until Jan., 1841, when
she was married to Erastus Wright. See
his name.
BARROWS, FRANKLIN,
brother to Lucy and Josiah, came to Spring-
field Nov., 1855. They came too late to
be classed as early settlers, Mr. Franklin
Barrows and family continue to reside in
Springfield.
Prentiss Barrows, the father of Josiah,
Lucy and Franklin, was a soldier of the
Revolution, under command of Benedict
Arnold, and occupied the same building
used as Gen. Arnold's headquarters.
Prentiss Barrows was standing in the yard
when Arnold left the Americans to join
the British, and as he passed, something
heavy in his pockets struck Barrows, and
it was always believed that it was gold, a
part of the price of his treason. Prentiss
Barrows died in 1812, at Bridport, Vt.,
from disease contracted in the army of the
Revolution.
BASHAW, MRS. ELLEN,
whose maiden name was Reed, was born
about 1 774. Her parents were from Penn-
sylvania. Ellen Reed was married in
Bourbon county, Ky., to William Bashaw.
He was a native of Virginia. They had
three children, and Mr. Bashaw died in
Bourbon county. Mrs. Bashaw, with
her three sons, moved to Sangamon coun-
tv, 111., arriving in the fall of 1830, and
settled three miles north of Rochester. Of
her three children
JAMES, born Jan. 18, 1800, in Ken-
tucky, married in Sangamon county, Jan.
17, 1832, to Mary McCune. They had
seven children in Sangamon county,
CINCINNATUS, ELEANOR, EMI-
LY, HIRAM, CORDIANN, JAMES
R. and WILLIAM M. James* Bashaw
died in 1850, and his widow resides two
miles north of Rochester.
WI J.LI AM S., born Nov., 1805, in
Bourbon county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county, in 1834, to Isabel McCune.
They had nine children; four died young.
AMANDA, born April 6, 1835, married
James A. James. See his name. JAMES,
born Jan. 27, 1838, married Feb. 20, 1862,
to Mary Bailey, who was born Jan. 26,
1844, m Hawkins county, Tenn. They
have three children, LAURA i., GEORGE A.
and DOKLV, and reside in Clear Lake
township, eight miles due east of Spring-
field. HANNAH, married William
Thomas, and resides one mile west of
Dawson. CHARLES SPENCER and
ALEXANDER reside in Clear Lake
township. Mrs. Isabel Bashaw died July
27, 1861, and William S. Bashaw died Jan.
3, 1874, within one and a half miles of
where he settled with his mother in 1830.
Wm. S. Bashaw had been five years a
Justice of the Peace, and was in office at
the time of his death.
JA^UELIN, born Nov. 24, 1808, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county to
Eleanor Poor, had nine children, and he
died in 1868. His widow married James
McQuinn, and resides near Rochester.
Mrs. Ellen Bashaw died Sept., 1852, on
the farm where she settle in 1830.
BATES, ISAAC, was born Oct.
14, 1796, in the town of JafFrey, Cheshire
county, New Hampshire, and when a
young man, went to St. Lawrence count v,
N. Y. CHARLOTTE BRY-
ANT was born Dec. u. 1805, at Shore-
ham, near White Hall, Vt., and taken by
her parents to St. Lawrence county, N. Y.
Isaac Bates and Charlotte Bryant were
married and had six children in St. Law-
rence county. The family moved to San-
gamon county, 111., in wagons, arriving
June 30, 1837, at Springfield, and the next
week (July 4), witnessed the laying of the
corner stone of the State house, the work
on which had just commenced. In 1839
he entered land north of the Sangamon
river, moved there, and made a home in
what is now Fancy creek township. Two
children were born in Sangamon county.
Of their children
JOSEPH, born June 16, 1822, in St.
Lawrence county, N. Y., married in San-
gamon count}- to Mrs. Rebecca Power,
whose maiden name was Hrown. Mrs.
100
EARLY SETTLERS OF
Bates had one child by her first marriage,
MARY J. POWER. She married John
B. Brown, and lives in Jefferson county,
Kan. Mr. and Mrs. Bates have six child-
ren. FIDELIA E. married Winfield S.
Hay, and lives in Fancv creek township.
ISAAC D., JAMES \V., JOSEPH F.,
ZIMRI E., and JOHN CARROLL re-
side with their parents in Fancy Creek
township, 12 miles due north of Spring-
field.
ORLANDO,\x>rn March 20, 1824, in
St. Lawrence county, N. Y., married in
Sangamon county to Sarah Brown. They
have three living children, JANE and
CHARLOTTE, (twins.) JANE mar-
ried William Stienberger, and lives near
Mt. Pulaski. CHARLOTTE married
Abram Larue, and lives near Williams-
ville. EMMA lives with her parents in
Williamsville.
NELSON, born April 13, 1826, in
New York. He lost one arm by the ex-
plosion of a gun when he was 14 years
old. He married Melinda Ferguson, has
three children, MINNIE J., WILLIAM,
and FREDERICK, and lives in Peters-
burg, 111.
ALBER T, died, 1829, in infancy.
FIDELIA,&\z<\. August 31, 1845, a g ed
15 years.
ZIMRI B., born Feb. 28, 1833, in St.
Lawrence county, N. Y., enlisted, Nov.
25, 1861, in Co. G., loth 111. Cav., and was
commissioned as 1st Lieutenant. He was
promoted to Captain, Oct. 20, 1862. He
served about four years, and resigned in
Feb., 1865. He was married Sept. 23,
1866, in Sangamon county, to Hattie
Stockdale, who was born April 2, 1846,
in Pennsylvania. They have two child-
ren, NORA M. and HOWARD R., and
reside in Fancy Creek township, at the
home settled by his parents in 1839.
IRA, died in Sangamon county, Oct.,
1858, in his twelfth year.
PARTHEN1A, born March 12, 1842,
in Sangamon county, married William S.
Constant. See his name.
JAMES J/., born June 19, 1844, in
Sangamon county, married Julia Constant.
They have one child, ETHEL, and re-
side in Williamsville.
Isaac Bates died April 23, 1855, in
Fancy creek township. His widow re-
sides with her daughter, Mrs. Constant.
Mrs. Bates is a cousin to William Cullen
Bryant, the poet, and editor of the NC-JC
Tork Post.
BATES, JAMES, was born
March 2, 1803, in Cheshire county, N. II.,
raised at Potsdam, N. Y., and came with
his brother Oliver to Sangamon county in
1833. He was married in the fall of 1842,
to Eunice Watts who died in June, 1846.
Mr. Bates was married in May, 1852, to
Mrs. Irena Holmes, whose maiden name
was Watts. She died in April, 1865.
James Bates resides one mile northwest of
Farmingdale. He never had any children.
BATES, OLIVER, was born in
1796, in Cheshire county, N. H. Moved,
about 1806, to Potsdam, St. Lawrence
county, N. Y., where he was married to
Charity Buckman, Sept. S, 1824. She is
a sister of Joel Buckman, and was born in
Bethel, Vermont. They had three child-
ren in New York, two of whom died
young. They moved in a colony of 52
persons to Sangamon county, 111., arriving
in 1833, and early in 1834 settled adjoin-
ing the present Farmingdale Station, on
the south, where three children were born.
Of the four children
ROXANA, born Oct. 23, 1832, in
Potsdam, N. Y., was married in Sanga-
mon county, 111., April 6, 1853, to Jacob
Foster. See his name.
ZURA, born Jan. 12, 1836, in Sanga-
mon county, was married to Mrs. Josephine
Ellis. They have three children, CHAS.
B., ELIZABETH A. and ROXANA
L., and reside in Tavlorville, 111.
BUCKMAN, born Nov. 6, 1840, in
Sangamon county, was partially educated
at Jacksonville, 111., and graduated at the
.State University, Bloomington, Indiana.
He began the study of law in Pekin, 111.,
where he died July 13, 1864.
ELIZABETH, born Feb. 25, 1839,
in Sangamon county, died at the residence
of her sister, Mrs. Foster. Oliver Bates
died in 1865, where he settled in 1834.
His widow died in March 1869, at the
residence of her daughter, Mrs. Foster.
BATTERTpN, AMOR, was
born May 3, 1772, in Loudon county, Va.
Nancy Guthrie was born about 1776, in
North Carolina, and her parents moved,
when she was a child, to Madison county,
Ky. They were there married and had
one child, who was drowned in Kentucky
river. They moved to Aclair county,
where they had nine children, and moved
SANGAMON COUNT*.
101
to Madison county, 111., in 1818, and from
there to Rock creek, in what is now
Menard county, in 1820, thence to what is
now Salisbury township, Sangamon coun-
ty, in the spring of 1822, and settled one
and a quarter miles northwest of where
Salisbury now stands. Of their nine
children
DA VID, born Nov. 5, 1796, in Ken-
tucky, married Nancy Yoakum. They
had eight children, and Mr. B. died in
Menard county. His family moved to
Cass county, and his widow died there.
Their children reside in Menard and Cass
counties, and in Kansas. Mr. B. was 1st
Lieutenant in a Company in the Winne-
bago war.
NELSON, born July 27, 1798, in Ken-
tucky, married Betsv Davenport, had four
children, and Mr. B. died in DeWitt coun-
ty. Their son WILLIAM was a soldier
in an Illinois regiment, and died in 1863,
in the army. MARY and NANCY are
married, and reside in Minnesota. JAMES
W. and his mother live in Missouri.
ANDERSON, born May 3, 1800, in
Kentucky, married Polly Robinson, who
died, and he married again and went to
Arkansas;
WILLIAM, born Dec. 14, 1801, in
Adair county, Ky., married Jan. i, 1833,
in Sangamon county, to Eliza Gaines.
They had twelve children ; two died young.
MADISON, born Oct. 20, 1833, enlisted,
August 13, 1862, for three years, in Co.
B., i I4th 111. Inf., was captured at Gun-
town, Miss., June n, 1864, was taken to
Ander^onville prison and escaped by falling
in with Gen. Stoneman's men when they
were about to be exchanged Sept. 14,
1864, and was mistaken for one of them.
He left them at Atlanta, was furloughed
home from Memphis, joined his regiment
in Jan., 1865, served to the end of his term,
and was honorably discharged, August 3,
1865. He was married April 24, 1864, in
Sangamon county, to Cynthia S. Lemmon.
They have three living children, MINNIE
M., JENNIE, and a boy babe, and reside
four and a half miles north of Salisbury.
RICHARD, born July 19, 1836, married
Permelia Miller, have three children,
ADAM F., MURRAY, and ELIJAH, and re-
side in Menard county. AMY C., born
Feb. 19, 1838, married John R. Wells,
have seven children, and reside in Macon
county, Mo. ROBERT, born August 4,
1839, enlisted for three years, August 13,
1862, in Co. B, i I4th 111. Inf., served full
term, and was honorably discharged at
Springfield, June 29, 1865. He died at
home, August 16, 1868, from the effects of
camp diarrhea and sun stroke. HENRY
CLAY, born Nov. 12, 1843, niarried Jan.
20, 1870, to Maria Maltby, who was born
May 27, 1850, at Petersburg, 111. They
have one child, IDA MAY, and reside one
mile west of Salisbury. MILDRED P.,
born May 4, 1846, married Daniel C. Pel-
ham. See his name. MARIA, SARAH
E., CHARLOTTE and GEORGE W.,
reside with their parents, one and a quar-
ter miles west of Salisbury.
LE TV, born August 20, 1804, in Ken-
tucky, married in Sangamon county,
March 3, 1831, to Dorcas Sackett. They
had six children. MARY A. married
Wm. Hines, have ten children, and reside
two miles north of Salisbury. THOMAS
S. married Lucy Duncan, have five child-
ren, JASPER N., ALLIE J., FRANCIS M.,
GEORGE w. and ANDERSON D., and reside
one and a half miles north of Salisbury.
ELIAS married Ellen Duncan; have two
children, HARVEY and ANNIE, and reside
five miles north of Salisbury. AMAN-
DA J. married Ira Brown, and resides two
and a half miles north of Salisbury.
WILLIAM H. married Mary E. Dun-
can, has one child, NORA, and resides with
his parents, two miles north of Salisbury.
Levi Batterton served in a Sangamon
county Company in the Winnebago war,
and drew as a pension, twice, forty acres
of land.
MART, born*Dec. 14, 1804, in Ken-
tucky, married Willoughby Randolph.
They had four children. Their youngest
son, LEVI, was a soldier in an Iowa reg-
iment, was wounded and died at the bat-
tle of Pittsburg landing. The family re-
side at Knoxville, Iowa.
P RISC ILL A,\>vvi\ Feb. 9, 1809, in
Kentucky, married June 16, 1836, to Wil-
liam Yoakum, who was born July 28,
1812, in Claiborne county, Tenn. They
have one son, WILLIAM F., who mar-
ried Mary Adams, and resides with his
parents in Menard count}', two miles
north of Salisbury.
SUSANNAH T., born June 7, 1811,
married Coleman Gaines. See his name.
E. GEORGE, born June 26, 1814, in
Adair county, Ky., married Jan. 19, 1843,
102
EARLY SETTLERS OF
in Menard county, to Huberty Clark.
They had ten children; one died young.
JOHN C. resides with his parents.
ELISHA C. married Farinda Duncan.
They have three children, EMMA j., ED-
WARD L. and SYLVA v., and reside one
mile southeast of Salisbury. PRISCIL-
LA J. married Wm. Tozer, have three
children, and reside five miles northwest
of Salisbury. MARY A., MARTHA
A., MORRIS M., LAURA A., GEO.
M. and CHARLES L., reside with their
parents, two miles north of Salisbury.
Mrs. Nancy Batterton died July 31,
1835, an d Amor Batterton died August 4,
1835, both near Salisbury.
BEACH, J A RED, was born Nov.
24, 1770, in Essex county, N. J., and was
married there, Feb. 13, 1794, to Mary
Harrison, who was born Sept. 18, 1775, in
the same county. They moved to New
York City, where they had five living
children, and in 1835 moved to Spring-
field, 111. Of their children
ELECT A, married in New York
City to Henry Howell, moved west, and
died, Feb., 1859, in Centreville, Iowa.
CATHARINE, born Sept. 12, 1805,
in New York city, married there, August
3, 1830, to Edmund R. Wiley. See his
name.
RICHARD H., born March n, 1808,
in New York City, married there, in
1832, to Eliza H. Baldwin, who was
born in 1814, in 'Cranberry, Middlesex
county N. J. They had one child, and
moved to Morgan county, 111., where he
taught school one year, and came to
Springfield in 1834, au< ^ ni x ^35 un ited
with E. R. Wiley in the mercantile busi-
ness, as Wiley, Beach & Co. They es-
tablished the first clothing store in Spring-
field, which they continued many years.
Mr. and Mrs. Beach had four children in
Springfield. Of their five children,
SARAH, born in 1833, in New York
City, married in Springfield to George
H. Nolte. They had three children,
GEORGE E., RICRARD B. and MINNIE G.
Mrs. Nolte died in 1862, in Beardstown.
CATHARINE E., born in 1835, in
Springfield, died in 1848 in Beardstown.
MARY B., born in Springfield, resides
with her father. MATILDA B., born
Feb. 28, 1839, in Springfield, married,
April 14, 1868, to Rev. William E. Cald-
well, of Lodi, Michigan. They have three
children, JENNIE, MINNIE and EDWARD,
and reside at Clio, Geneseo county, Mich-
igan. Mr. Caldwell is pastor of the Con-
gregational church of that place. ED-
WARD P., born May 27, 1841, in Spring-
field, married Mayji, 1865,10 Julia E.
Cone, and resides in Springfield. Mrs.
Eliza H. Beach died Oct. 31, 1865, and
Richard H. Beach was married, June 27,
1867, to Sarah Lavinia Pearson. They
reside in Springfield.
ELIZA H., died April 14, 1865, in
Centreville, Iowa.
AMELIA, born Sept. 21, 1816, mar-
ried in 1843, in Springfield, to John Har-
ris. She died May 22, 1845.
Mrs.. Mary Beach died Dec. 17, 1836,
and Jared Beach died March 4, 1852, both
in Springfield.
BEACH, JOB A., was born April
5, 1780, in Morris county, N. J. Susan
Hathaway was born Oct. 12, 1782, in the
same county. They were married and
had eight children in New Jersey, and in
1817 moved to Butler county, Ohio, and the
next year to Dearborn county, Ind. Of
three children born in the latter county,
one died in infancy. Mrs. Susan Beach
died there in Oct., 1822, and Job A. Beach
was married, August 26, 1824, to Judith
Connelly, who was born Dec. 2, 1805, in
Washington county, Pa. They had five
children in Indiana, and the family moved
to Sangamon county, 111., in the fall of
1835, and settled south of Spring creek,
in what is now Gardner township, where
five children were born. Of the twenty
children of Job A. Beach
CHARLES, born Dec. 16, 1801, in
New Jersey, married in Ohio to Elizabeth
McGilvey. She died, leaving one child,
and, when last heard from, he lived in
Rockville, Ind.
E UNICE, born April 7, 1803, in Nc-\\
Jersey, married in Indiana to Enoch Con-
ger. They had six children, and moved
to Oquawka, 111., where the parents died.
y. MUNSON, born May i, 1806, in
Morris county, N. J., married near Carth-
age, Hamilton county, Ohio, August 27,
1835, to Christiana M. Robinson. They
came to Sangamon county, 111., arriving
Sept. 19, 1836, in what is now Gardner
township, where they had eleven children ;
two died young. CAROLINE, born
Tune 3, 1837, married Jan, 15, 1857, to
George Carr. She died April 5, 1860,
SANGAMON COUNTY.
103
leaving one child, BENJAMIN, who resides
with his father, in Wisconsin. MARY
A., born Jan. 23, 1839, married August
20, 1862, to Henry P. Hart. They have
six children, HENRY E., WILLIAM M.,
MAKY C., BENJAMIN S., JULIA P. and WAI.-
TKR A., and reside five miles northwest of
Springfield. Henry P. Hart enlisted
August 9, 1862, for three years, in Co. H.,
95th 111. Inf., was corporal and postmas-
ter in the Company, served until June 6,
1863, when he was promoted to Captain
of a Company of U. S. colored troops.
CORNELIA, born Jan. 15, 1841, mar-
ried April 3, 1860, to Samuel Cook. They
have four children, JAMES E., WILLIAM M.,
IOHN and JENNIE, and reside in Chandler-"
ville, 111. EDWARD M., born Oct. 6,
1843, enlisted August 20, 1862, for three
years, in Co. B., I3oth 111. Inf. He was
corporal and fifer the greater part of the
time, served full term, and was honorably
discharged August 15, 1865. He was
married June 3, 1869, to Maggie Frazee.
They have one child, LIIIRIE G., and reside
eight miles west of Springfield. VIR-
GINIA, born July 8, 1846, married Oct.
3, 1872, to Charles W. King. See his
name. JULIA D., born April 6, 1848,
married Oct. 24, 1870, to Hiram McC.
Reed. Who was born Aug. 26, 1846, in
Butler county, Ohio. They have one
child, MAGGIE c., and reside near Berlin.
JOSHUA M., born Oct. 4, 1852, died in
his seventh year. JOSEPH W., born
Dec. 14, 1855, and ALICE J., 'born Jan.
4, 1859, reside with their parents, eight
miles west of Springfield.
MILTON, born April 25, 1808, in
New Jersey, married, raised a family, and
resides in Lawrenceburg, Ind.
P2.\fELlXE, born May 8, 1810, in
New Jersey, married in Dearborn county,
Ind., to Ezekiel Pettigrew, and both died
in Park county, leaving seven children.
NANCY, born June 26, 1813, in New
Jersey, married in Indiana to Jacob Daisy,
moved to Arkansas, where he died, and
she married again.
JANE, born August 24, 1814, in New
Jersey, married Ephraim Lawler. She
died in Clay county, 111., leaving four
children near Louisville.
1> RUDE NCE, \MV\\ Sept. 25, 1816, in
New Jersey, married Wm. Bullion, in
Park county, Ind., and died there.
22, 1818, in
Indiana, died unmarried in 1869, at the
house of her sister, Lavina, near Yan-
dalia.
LA VINA, born Nov. 30, 1820, in
Dearborn county, Ind., married in Spring-
field, 111., to Stephen D. Perry. They
have nine children, and reside near Shabo-
nier, Fayefte county. Of the second
marriage
ELIZA, born August 4, 1825, in In-
diana, died, aged two years.
JOB ALLEN, Jun., born March i,
1827, in Dearborn county, Ind., came
with his parents to Sangamon county in
1835. He enlisted August, 1862, for three
years, in Co. I, 130111 111. Inf. He was
under Gen. Banks in his expedition up
Red River, was captured and taken to
Camp Ford, at Tyler, Texas, and after
six weeks imprisonment, news came that
they were to be exchanged, and the rebel
guards becoming less vigilant, he escaped
and wandered 26 days before reaching the
Union lines. His comrades remained
fourteen months in the rebel prisons. Mr.
Beach served to the end of the rebellion,
and was honorably discharged in August,
1865. He is unmarried, and resides with
his mother, eight miles west of Spring-
field.
MARY A., born June 25, 1829, in In-
diana, raised in Sangamon county, mar-
ried in Knox county, 111., to Jonathan
Cacebeer, have one child, and reside at
Wilton Junction, Iowa.
LUCY, born April 29, 1831, in Indiana,
died in Sangamon county, aged sixteen
years.
BENJAMIN P., born May 31, 1833,
in Indiana, raised in Sangamon count},
married in Knox county, 111., enlisted at
Moline, served three years, re-enlisted as
veteran, served to the end of the rebellion,
and was honorably discharged. He moved
to Springfield, Mo., and died there, May
1 8, 1869, leaving a widow and four child-
ren.
SUSAN, born March 17, 1836, in San-
gamon countv, resides with her mother.
HARLAN P., born Nov. 20, 1838, in
Sangamon county, married in Fayelte
county, to Ellen J. Tharp. He served as
First Sargeant three years in the iiith
111. Inf., was with Sherman in his march
to the sea, served to the end of the rebel-
lion, was honorably discharged, and died
104
EARLY SETTLERS OF
March 13, 1870, leaving a widow and one
child in Fayette county.
MARTIN L., born Feb. n, 1841, in
Sangamon county, enlisted May, 1862, for
three months, in Co. G., 68th 111. Inf., and
died of disease, Sept. 10, 1862, in Wash-
ington City.
FRANCIS, born Oct. i, 1843, died in
infancy.
LOUISA R., born May 10, 1846, in
Sangamon county, married Thomas D.
Barnhart, had one child, and Mrs. B. died,
Nov. 28, 1871, in Kansas.
Job A. Beach died April n, 1849,511
Sangamon county, and his widow resides
eight miles west of Springfield, with her
unmarried children.
BEARDON, SAMUEL L,,
was born Feb. 27, 1827, in Christian coun-
ty, Ky. His father moved to Christian
countv, 111., in 1828. His mother dying
soon after, his father gave him to John
French, a friend of the family, who had
moved to Chatham township, in Sanga-
mon county. He was brought up by Mr.
French. Samuel L. Beardon was married
April 10, 1852, in Sangamon county, to
Susan Gofor. Thev have four children
GEORGE 7\," ISAAC N., SAM-
UEL E., and IRA, and reside two and
a half miles northeast of Auburn.
John French died in 1854, in Chatham
township.
BEAUCHAMP, JpSHUA,
was born about 1782, in Washington coun-
ty, Ky. He was married there to Catha-
rine Payne. They had seven children in
Kentucky, and moved to Sangamon coun-
ty, 111., arriving in what is now Woodside
township, in the fall of 1827, where two
children were born. Of the children
MARIA R., born in Kentucky, mar-
ried James H. Withrow. See his name,
The other children
HENRT N., ED WARD, ELIZA,
WILLIAM, JOSEPH and AMAN-
DA, ail married, some died, and the living
are in Kansas and Missouri.
Joshua Beaucharnp moved to Missouri,
and died April i, 1842, in the Platt pur-
chase. His widow resides in Doniphan
county, Kansas.
BEAM JACOB, was born about
1762, in N. J., and when he was a youth,
went to Lexington, Ky., which he found
to be a very small village. Rachel Mc-
Clure was born in Huntington county, Pa.,
in 1775* an d taken by her parents to Fay"
ette county, Ky., when she was quite
young. Jacob Beam and Rachel McClure
were married at Lexington, and had two
children there. They moved to Manches-
ter, Ohio, where they had eleven children,
and from there to Clarke county, Ind.,
where one child was born, and from there
to what is now Lincoln, Logan county, 111.,
arriving the day before the election which
made Andrew Jackson President, in 1828.
Finding it impossible to obtain food and
shelter for his family through the winter,
after a stay of two weeks, Mr. Beam
moved to Rochester, Sangamon county,
in the latter part of Nov., 1828. Of their
children
JA MES, born near Lexington, Ky.,
married in Sangamon county to Susan
Hyner, who was born Oct. 15, 1810.
They had nine children, all of whom are
dead, except RACHEL, born May 15,
1831, married Jacob Rape. See his name.
James Beam died in 1855, in Sangamon
county, and his widow died in 1858, at
Mt. Auburn, Christian county.
J OHN, born in Kentucky, married in
Sangamon county, to Ellen Williams.
They have three children, and reside at
Boscobel, Grant county, Wis.
ELIZABETH,^ at Manchester,
O., married in Sangamon county to Har-
vey Summers. They had six children.
SIMON P. was accidentally shot in
Marysville, California, about 1860. JOHN
WESLEY, was a member of a California
Cavalry regiment, and was killed by his
horse running away with him on the march
to the field of conflict, in 1862. GEORGE
W. was a soldier in an Illinois regiment,
captured and died in a rebel prison in
South Carolina. MARY E. married a
Baptist minister, and resides in Iowa.
WILLIAM resides near Rockbridge,
Green county. SARAH E., resides with
her father. Mrs. E. Summers died, and
Harvey Summers resides in Alton.
MART, born in Ohio, is unmarried,
and resides with her brother, Joseph
Beam.
DA VID, born in Manchester, Adams
county, Ohio, married in Sangamon coun-
ty, to Rosanna Ebey, who was born near
Columbus, Ohio. They had eleven child-
ren in Sangamon county, five of whom
died young. GEORGE W. went to
Washington Territory in 1854, married
SANGAMON COUNTT.
there to Sarah Wright, a native of Mis-
souri. They went over the plains to-
gether. Mr. Beam died March, 1865, on
Vancouver's Island, leaving a widow and
three children. She is again married,
and resides in San Francisco. JACOB
H., born April 28, 1834, married Jan. 19,
1865, to Amanda Cummings, and resides
in Springfield. LOUISA J. married
Emery Raymond, and died March i 7, 1863,
leaving two children. NANCY A. mar-
ried Lewis Williams, who died, and she
married Geo. W. Dugger, and resides in
Virden. WILLIAM T., born Sept. 22,
1844, married Sept. 25, 1872, to Margaret
A. Sanders. They have one child, COR-
DELIA A., and reside in Rochester town-
ship, near where his grandfather Beam
settled in 1828. JAMES HARVEY,
born July 24, 1849, married Oct. 23, 1873,
to Eliza J. Sanders, and resides on part of
the farm near where his grandfather set-
tled in 1828. It is in Cotton Hill town-
ship. David Beam died Feb. 28, 1853.
His widow died April 16, 1860. Mr.
Beam acted as Justice of the Peace for
many years; was a farmer and miller.
SARAH, born in Ohio, married in
Sangamon county, to John A. Maxcy.
They have two children, and reside in
Alton.
NANC Y, born in Ohio, married in
Sangamon county, to Jacob Miller, and
both died. They left six children in De-
Witt county.
THOMAS, born at Manchester, O.,
and came to Sangamon county with his
parents. Some of his friends here relate
an incident in his life that illustrates real
life among the early settlers. He raised
a good crop of corn in the summer of
1830, and in the fall determined to sell it
and go to the Galena lead mines. After
making it known in all the settlement,
he was unable to get an offer for his crop
at any price in money, but he traded it for
a barrel of whisky, traded that for a
three year old steer, and finally sold that
for $10.00. He took a vow to use that
for paying his expenses .out of the county,
and never to live in it again. He went to
the lead mines, was married in Wisconsin
to Catharine Reed. They had six child-
ren In Wisconsin, and moved to California
in 1863. He is now a wealthy man, and
resides at Crescent City, Del Norte coun-
ty, California.
14
JANE A., born in Ohio, married in
Sangamon county to William Cable, moved
to Wisconsin, and after spending twenty-
four years there, moved to Iowa, and died
there in 1872, leaving several children.
WESLE Y, born in Ohio, married in
Sangamon county, Dec. 25, 1840, to
Amelia Rape. They had five children in
Cotton Hill township; one died in infancy.
NANCY J. married W.T. Williams; had
two children, ALBERT L. and THEODORE L.
Mrs. W. died and they live with their
father, who married and resides in Cotton
Hill township. MARY A. married
James M. Sankey, have three children,
and reside near Fairbanks, Ind. AMAN-
DA E. married Wm. Z. Williams, have
one child, and reside near Shelbourn, Ind.
JOHN L. is unmarried, and resides in
Cotton Hill township. Wesley Beam
died in 1852, in Cotton Hill township, and
his widow married Mr. Hewlett. See
Rape family name.
CORDELIA, born in Ohio, married
in Sangamon county, to Daniel Fetters.
They had four children, and she died in
Cotton Hill township.
JOSEPH, born July 27, 1820, in
Clarke county, Ind., married in Sangamon
county to Mary P. Spicer. They had
two children. NANCY J. A., married
Henry Hertel, have one child, ADA LIL-
LIAN, and reside three miles north of Paw-
nee, in Cotton Hill township. SARAH E.
married Isaac Porter, who was born Dec.
29, 1836, in Monroe county, Ohio. They
moved to Kansas City, Mo., and she died
there, May 21, 1869, one month after mar-
riage. Mr. Porter brought her remains
back to the family cemetery for interment.
He has since married Maggie Caldwell,
and resides in Pawnee. Mrs. Mary P.
Beam died Oct. 16, 1850, and Joseph Beam
was married April 25, 1854, to Barbara
Deardorff. Thev had four children.
THOMAS W. and LINDSAY C., the
eldest and youngest, died under three
years. JOSEPH L. and WALDO P.
i-esitle with their parents in Ball township,
ten miles southeast of Springfield. He
has acted as Justice of the Peace for sev-
eral years.
Jacob Beam died March 24, 1838, and
his widow died April 21, 1851, both
near where they settled in 1828.
BEDINGER, CHRISTIAN,
was born Dec. 24, 1774, in Bcrklev conn-
io6
EARLY SETTLERS OF
ty, Va. Sophia Taylor was born Sept.
24, 1776? i n Maryland, they were mar-
ried about 1798, in Maryland or Virginia,
and made their home in Berkley county
for a short time, then moved to Harrison
eounty, near Cadiz, Ohio, where nine
children were born. The parents and
three of the children came to Sangamon
county, 111., arriving in the fall of 1836, in
Island Grove. Of all their children
PHILIP, born Nov. 8, 1799, in Ohio
married in Cadiz to Sarah Hartman
raised a large family, and resides near
Nova, Ashland county, O.
JOSEPH, born June 16, i8oi,in Ohio,
married there to Deborah Metcalfe, had
four children, and Mrs. B. died. Their
daughter SOPHIA came to Sangamon
county with her grandparents, and mar-
ried James N. Eckler. JENNIE resides
with her uncle, Wm. Bedinger. Joseph
Bedinger has not been heard from for
many years.
ISAAC, born June 18, 1807, married
in Ohio, to Sarah Brown, came to Sanga-
mon county, and died near Berlin, in 1851,
leaving a widow and four children.
GEOR GE, born Feb. n, 1810, came
to Sangamon county with his parents, re-
mained four or five years, went to Mis-
souri, married there to Eliza Carver.
Both parents died, leaving four children
near Lockridge, Jefferson county, Iowa.
WILLIAM, born June n, 1812, near
Cadiz, Ohio, came to Sangamon county in
the spring of 1837, man ~ied Nov. i, 1839,
to Martha Carver, and had three children
in Sangamon county. ELIZA J., born
March 3, 1843, married in 1860 to George
Wolfe, have four children, and reside near
German Prairie Station. SARAH E.,
born Feb. 25, 1846, married in 1860 to
John C. Robinson. They have one child,
MARTHA A., and reside half a mile south
of Camp Butler. ALBERT, born April
25, 1849, resides with his father. Mrs.
Martha Bedingfer died Nov., 18^2, and
Mr. B. was married Feb. 9, 1863, to Mrs.
Sarah M. Greenslate, whose maiden name
was Oliver. They reside half a mile south
of Camp Butler.
HENRY, born June 5, 1814, in Ohio,
married in Sangamon county to Sophia
Carver, had one child, and he died. She
married Job Dickenson.
MARY, born Jan. 6, 1818, in Ohio,
arried in Sangamon county to Joseph
Bumgardner. They had six children,
four of whom died young. ADDISON
and MATILDA F. reside with their par-
ents, five miles east of Springfield.
Mrs. Sophia Bedinger died in 1840, and
Christian Bedinger died Oct., 1851, both
in Sangamon county.
BELL, ZEBULON, was born
Nov. 1 8, 1799? m Gerrardstown, Berkley
county, West Virginia. His grandfather,
James Bell, was born and educated in
Scotland. The exact date of his coming
to America is unknown to his descendents.
. He landed in Philadelphia, and being a mill-
wright, built a snuff mill in that city, said
to have been the first machine of the kind
in America. He went from Philadelphia
to Frederick county, Va. According to
traditions in the family, he must have been
almost a Hercules in physical strength.
In connection with his business as a mill-
wright and miller, he is said to have car-
ried nine bushels of wheat up three flights
of stairs at a single load. James Bell was
married in Scotland to Ellen Nelson.
They brought two children with them to
America, John and James. The latter, born
March 18, 1770, in Scotland, was too young
to remember crossing the Atlantic ocean.
This would imply that they came before
or during the Revolution. He married
Margaret Fulton, a native of Chester
county, Penn. She was of Irish descent.
They settled in Gerrardstown, Berkley
county, West Va., where they had nine
children, three, only, of whom are living.
John, born March 23, 1798, resides in
Quincy, Logan county, Ohio. Launcelot,
born Dec. 5, 1801, resides near Taylorville,
Christian county, Illinois, and Zebulon, in
age between the two latter, is the one
whose name heads this sketch.
Zebulon Bell was married Sept. 20,
1821, in Gerrardstown, Berkley county,
West Va., to Rachel Swingle, who was
born Dec. 20, 1801, in the same county.
They had five children there, and moved
to Sangamon county, 111., arriving May 6,
1834, in what is now Woodside township,
west of Sugar creek, and six miles south-
east of Springfield, where five children
were born. Of their ten children-
BENONI, born July 24, 1822, in
Berkley county, West Va., married in
Sangamon county, March 21, 1847, *
Eliza J. Wills. They had two living
children. MARGARET C., born March
SANGAMON COUNT*.
107
15, 1848, married, Nov. 25, 1868, to John
M. Doake, who was born Oct. 3, 1844.
They have three children, IVA, BENONI M.
and MARY A., and reside six and a half
miles southeast of Springfield. WIL-
LIAM S. resides with his father. Mrs.
Eliza J. Bell died Jan. 22, 1857, and Mr.
Bell was married Oct. 12, 1859, in Madi-
son, Ind., to Mrs. Anna Settle, whose
maiden name was Taylor. She was born
Dec. 17, 1833, m Lancaster county, Penn.
They had five children, three died in in-
fancy. CHARLES E. was killed by the
kick of a horse, July 31, 1873, in his fifth
year. ADA H. resides with her parents.
Benoni Bell and wife reside within half a
mile of where his parents settled in 1834.
It is six and a half miles southeast or
Springfield.
JAMBS T., born Dec. 15, 1823, in
Berkley county, West Va., enlisted in
Sangamon county, Aug. 27, 1862, for
three years, in Co. E., 114 111. Inf., served
his full term, was honorably discharged,
and now resides near Fountain, Colorado.
MARIA C., born June 29, 1825, in
Berkley county, Va., married in Sanga-
mon county, July i, 1847, to John Bell,
who was born Jan. 28, 1813, in. Pittsburg,
Penn. They have one child, RACHEL
A., born April 9, 1848, married John H.
Shoup. See his name. John Bell and
wife reside with their daughter, Mrs.
Shoup, in Cotton Hill township.
JOH^V W., born May 2, 1828, in
Berkley county, Va., married in Sanga-
mon county, to Sarah E. Gatton. They
have seven children, viz: MARY C.,
SAMUEL L., JOHN W., ALICE J.,
RACHEL E., EMILY E. and CARY
L., and reside near Fountain, Colorado.
ZEBULON N., born April 19, 1830,
in West Virginia, brought up in Sanga-
mon county, is unmarried, and resides in
Christian county, near Old Rienzi, San-
gamon county.
MARGARE 7^., born May 31, 1834,
in Sangamon county, was married Feb.
23, 1857, to Andrew Anderson, who was
born in Garrard county, Ky., April 29,
1832. They have seven children, ARA-
BEL, AGNES M., RICHARD Y.,
ZEBULON J., MARY S., JAMES and
RACHEL, and reside in Cotton Hill
township.
LAUNCELOT,\)ovn March 17, 1837,
in Sangamon county, went to Pike's Peak
in 1860, married there, March 21, 1865, to
Lydia E. Roberts, who was born in Bour-
bon county, Ky., Dec. 26, 1846. Of their
children, MARY M., CLARINDA M.,
IVY FORREST, GEORGE S. and
FLORA E. The two latter died young.
Launcelot Bell and wife reside near Foun-
tain, El Paso county, Colorado.
STEPHEN, born April 19, 1839, in
Sangamon county, enlisted August 27,
1862, for three years, in Co. E., i i4th 111.
Inf., was taken prisoner June 10, 1864,
at the battle of Guntown, Miss. He
spent four months in Andersonville prison
pen, two weeks at Savannah, Ga., one
month at Millen, Ga., and was exchanged
at Savannah, Nov. 24, 1864. He rejoined
his regiment, served full time, and was
honorably discharged with the regiment.
He was married in Sangamon county,
Jan. 20, 1869, to Louisa L. Womack.
They have three children, CORA G.,
MAY S. and JAMES E., and reside
five miles south of Springfield.
An incident, said to have taken place in
Andersonville prison, went the rounds of
the papers at the time, but its truthfulness
was doubted. It had almost passed from my
mind, until it was revived by Stephen
Bell, who says that he was an eye-witness
to the breaking out of a spring of pure
water, und.er circumstances that seemed
almost miraculous. It is not necessary to
repeat the description of the prison, as
that has been so often done. It is well
known that inside the stockade there was
a line, sometimes imaginary, called the
"dead-line." If a prisoner crossed that
line approaching the stockade, he was
almost sure to be shot dead. A stream of
water ran through the stockade from north
to south. All the offal and filth from the
camp of the rebel guards entered the
stream above the stockade, and that was
the only supply of water for the prisoners.
About i oo yards east of and on ground 15
or 20 feet above that dirty slough, and four
or five feet inside the dead-line, or between
that and the stockade, a stream of water
spouted up ten or fifteen feet, where there
was not the least appearance of water be-
fore. Troughs were put up, and it was
conducted inside the prison bounds. It
took place about two o'clock in the after-
noon, on a bright day in August, 1864.
There had been a heavy rain the day be-
fore, ttccompanied by a terrific thunder-
io8
EARLY SETTLERS OF
storm. The torrents of water broke
down the stockade where it crossed the
slough. The opening was so wide that
the rebel authorities feared the prisoners
would attempt to escape. They caused
cannon to be fired and their soldiers to
shout and halloo, and make all the noise
they could, and in every way present as
great an appearance of force as possible.
No effort was made to escape, the breach
was mended, the waters subsided, the
clouds passed away, and it was the next
day, when all was bright and clear, that
the stream of pure water spouted up from
the earth. Stephen Bell says he was as
near it at the time as any other person.
He thinks that of the 28,000 prisoners con-
fined there at the time, the larger portion
of them regarded it as a direct interposi-
tion of Providence in their behalf. Each
one had his own way of expressing his
feelings, some of them neither refined nor
reverential, but none the less heart-felt and
sincere.
James H. Pulliam and Benj. F. Fletcher,
whose histories may be found in this book,
were in the prison at the time, and testify
to the truthfulness of the above statement.
Mr. Samuel Lewis, of Auburn, was not
there at the time, but saw the spring after-
wards.
MART L., born March 30, 1842, in
Sangamon county, married Samuel Rea-
ton. They have three children, IDA,
JAMES E. and FRANK, and reside
near Fountain, Colorado.
ARTHALINDA, bom Sept. 2, 1844,
in Sangamon county, married Jan. 7, 1859,
to Alexander Shoup. See his name.
Mrs. Rachel Bell died Dec. 15, 1852,
in Sangamon county, and Zebulon Bell
moved west in 1859, and resides with his
children, near Fountain, El Paso county,
Colorado.
BELL,, ROBERT, was born
March 8, 1795, in Bourbon county, Ky.
His father was born in Ireland, and had
but four children, Robert, and three sisters.
After his sisters were married, he had no
knowledge of any relative in America,
bearing his family name. He was a sol-
dier from "Bourbon county in the war of
1812. Robert Bell and Susannah Baker
were married Feb. 12, 1818, in that coun-
ty, and moved to Nicholas county, and
from there they moved with their three
children to Sangamon county, 111., arriv-
ing in the fall of 1830, and settled four
miles south of the present town of Roch-
ester, where they had six children. Of
their nine children
ISAAC B., born June 25, 1820, near
Carlisle, Nicholas county, Ky., married in
Sangamon county, March 28, 1840, to
Susan Stokes. They had six daughters
in Sangamon county. CAROLINE M.,
born April 18, 1842, married March 29,
1868, to Lawson H. Smith, who was
born Feb. 20, 1831, in Carlisle, Ky. They
have three children, CORDELIA A., \VM.
RILEY and ANNA BELLE, and reside three
miles southeast of Rochester. LOUISA
J. resides with her parents. MARGA-
RET A., born Sept. 30, 1846, married
Jonathan G. Crouch. See his name.
MARY E., EMILY T. and DEBORAH
S. reside with their parents, one and a
quarter miles west of Clarkesville.
JAAfES H., born Nov. 30, 1822, in
Nicholas county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county, May 7, 1843, to Milla Dot-
son, who was born Nov., 1822, in Loudon
county, Va. They had four children.
JOHN W., the second child, died under
two years. ELIZA A., born Feb. 25,
1844, married Sept. 4, 1864, to Benj. C.
Gray, who was born August 12, 1832,
near Hopkinsville, Ky. Mr. Gray has one
child, CHARLES Y., by a former marriage.
Mrs. Gray died Dec., 1874, and B. C.
Gray resides near Clarkesville. HIRAM
F., born Dec. 17, 1852, resides in Califor-
nia. JAMES M., born August 6, 1836,
lives with his father. Mrs. Milla Bell died
March 16, 1870, and James H. Bell resides
in Springfield.
MART y., born June 6, 1828, in
Nicholas county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county, August 31, 1847, to John S.
Dickerson, who was born April 2, 1824,
in Nicholas county, Ky., and came to San-
gamon county in 1851. They have six
children. JAMES H., born June 24,
1848, in Daviess county, Ind., raised in
Sangamon county, graduated at the Eclec-
tic Medical College of Philadelphia, and
is a practicing physician near Taylorville.
Dr. Dickerson was married in 1875 to
Miss Humphreys. See Humphreys' fatu-
ity sketch. ISAAC S., born August 28,
1850, in Daviess county, Ind., married
March 11,1873,111 Sangamon county, to
Mary E. Bomhoff, who was born Sept.
20, 1848, in Sangamon county. They
SANGAMON COUNTY.
109
have one child, SINAI, and reside one mile
west of Clarksville. ROBERT P., born
Dec. 4, 1852, SARAH E., born Nov. 14,
1854, MARY S., born Nov. 2, 1856, and
ALMARINDA, born Jan. 29, 1859, the
four latter in Sangamon county, reside
with their parents, one and a quarter miles
west of Clarksville.
PHCEBE E., born Nov. i, 1830, in San-
gamon county, married March, 1849, to
John Johnson. See his name.
ALMARINDA, born Sept. 25, 1832,
in Sangamon county, married March 28,
1 850, to James S. Galloway, who was born
May 7, 1819, in Bath county, Ky. They
had four children, two of whom died
young. WILLIAM N. resides near
Taylorville, and LIZZIE A. resides in
Cotton Hill township. J. S. Galloway
died Sept. 14, 1861, and his widow mar-
ried, Nov. 7, 1865, to Benj. L. Auxier,
and resides four miles south of Rochester.
SQUIRE J., born August 10, 1834,
died July 17, 1847.
PRESTON B., born Feb. 26, 1837,
in Sangamon county, married, August 9,
1863, to Mary Bond, and resides in Roch-
ester township.
AUSTIN, born Feb. 13, 1839, was
killed by the kick of a horse, March 10,
1850. ,
MEL VIN, born Feb. 9, 1843, in San-
gamon county, married, Oct. 12, 1865, to
Rachel Martin, have two children, WIL-
LIAM J. and ALICE, and reside at the
Bell family homestead. He is a cripple
for life, caused by a runaway team.
Robert Bell died June 25, 1872, near
IHiopolis, from injuries caused by a runa-
way team four days previous. Mrs. Sus-
annah Bell was made a cripple for life by
the same accident. They Jiad lived more
than 54 years as man and wife. She re-
sides on the farm where they settled in
1830, four miles south of Rochester.
BELL, BAILEY, was born Nov.
2, 1776, in Fauquier county, Va., and was
there married to Nancy Foxworthy, who
was born April 3, 1785. They had three
children, and moved to Clarke county,
Ky., in 1818, where two children were
born, and thence to Sangamon county, 111.,
arriving in Nov., 1834, at Buffalo Hart
Grove. Of their five children
BAILEY F., born Dec. 30, 1807, in
Fauquier county, Va., was married in
Clarke county, Ky., Nov. 27, 1827, to
Mahala Burns. They had one child in
Kentucky, and the family moved to San-
gamon county, 111., arriving in the fall of
1831, in Buffalo Hart Grove, where they
had six children, and reside near Knox-
ville, Marion county, Iowa.
ARIE,\)om Oct. n, i8n,in Fauquier
county, Va., was married in Clarke coun-
ty, Ky., Sept., 1834, to Thomas McGowan.
They had five children, and reside near
Buffalo Hart station.
JAMES, born Sept. 13, 1814, in Vir-
ginia, was married in Logan county, 111.,
to Nancy Brown. They have seven
children, and reside in Rosemont, Jasper
county, Iowa.
BENJAMIN, born May 1 6, 1818, in
Clarke county, Ky., was married in San-
gamon county, Sept. 26, 1840, to Amanda
Starr. They had six children. MARY
E., born April 9, 1843, married Hugh
McGorey, and died Oct. 14, 1865. EMI-
LY, born Dec. 7, 1845, died Sept. n,
1862. THOMAS J., born Sept. 28, 1848,
died in his third year. WILLIAM, born
Nov. 29, 1851, BENJAMIN, Jun., born
March 29, 1856, and FLORENCE, born
August 20, 1860, reside with their parents,
in Logan county, three miles east of Buf-
falo Hart station.
THOMAS J., born June 1 8, 1821, in
Clarke county, Ky., was married in Illi-
nois to Ann Allen. They have six child-
ren, CHARLES, ALBERT, CLARA,
EMMA, ARTHUR, died in his tenth
year, and LESLIE. Thomas J. Bell and
family reside at Cornland, 111.
Mrs. Nancy Bell died August 6, 1843,
in Logan county, and Bailey Bell died
Feb. 6, 1846, in Sangamon county, at
Buffalo Hart Grove.
BENHAM, JOHN T., born
August 21, 1789, in Cheshire, New Haven
county, Conn. In 1805 or 1806 his par-
ents moved to Ferrisburg, Addison coun-
ty, Vt. He was a soldier in the war of
1812, and was in the battle at Vergennes,
early in 1814. John T. Benham was mar-
ried Jan., 1818, at Ferrisburg, to Catharine
Porter. They had six children ; two died
in Vermont. Mr. Benham moved with
his family to Sangamon county, 111., in
wagons, arriving in the fall of 1830. He
entered land, and settled two and a half
miles northeast of Rochester, where seven
children were born. All except five died
unmarried. Of those five
no
EARLY SETTLERS OF
POLLT A., born Jan. 15, 1819, in
Vermont, married Jonathan S. Rogers,
and she died in Sangamon county.
JOHN W., born Oct. 10, 1824, in
Vermont, married Mrs. Melissa E. Porter,
and resides in Pontiac, 111.
CATHARINE, born July 23, 1826,
in Vermont, married in Sangamon coun-
ty, Oct. 3, 1843, to John Robinson. They
had four children ; three died young.
JOHN, Jun., accidentally shot and killed
himself. John Robinson went to Cali-
fornia in 1849, and was never heard of
after 1851. His widow married Amos C.
Derry. They have two children, and re-
side in Illiopolis.
HENRY W., born Oct. 30, 1830, in
Sangamon county, married A-lmena Staf-
ford. She died, and he married Mrs.
Frances Austin, whose maiden name was
Wood, and resides in Charlotte, 111.
NOAH P., born April 14, 1836, in
Sangamon county, was married March 9,
1861, to Elizabeth Stevens, who was born
Feb. 4, 1847, near Sandusky, Ohio. They
have four children, MARY C., ERMIN-
NIE W., GERTRUDE J. and JOHN
O., and reside two and a half miles east of
Rochester.
Mrs. Catharine Benham died June, 1852,
in Sangamon county, and Mr. Benham
was married Sept. 7, 18^2, to Mrs. Mary
Rakestraw, formerly Mrs. Seavers, and
whose maiden name was Wallin. She
was born July n, 1816, in Columbiana
county, Ohio, and came to Illinois in 1837.
Mr. Benham was in the Black Hawk war.
Mr. and Mrs. B. reside two and a half
miles northeast of Rochester.
BENNETT, WILLIAM A,,
was born Nov. 5, 1803, near Shepherds-
town, Va. His father, Van Bennett, died
in Virginia, and his two sons, William A.
and Thomas L., with their three sisters,
Luranah M., Ann Elizabeth and Mary,
with their widowed mother, Mrs. Phoebe
Bennett, all left Virginia, Oct. 2, 1833, for
Illinois, arriving at Paris on the second of
November. The two brothers came on
to Springfield, bought land three miles
east of the city, and returned to Paris just
in time to be present at their mother's
death, Dec. 12, 1833. The two brothers
and three sisters moved to their farms in
Sangamon county in March, 1834. The
youngest sister, Mary, who was born
Nov. 12, 1815, in Virginia, died April 17,
1834, near Springfield. William A. Ben-
nett was married August 19, 1843, in
Morgan county, to Sarah A. Stevenson.
She was born Oct. 2, 1819, in Scott coun-
ty, Ky., and was taken bv her parents in
1829, to that part of Morgan county which
is now Cass county. Mr. and Mrs. Ben-
nett had three children, namely
MARY E., born March i, 1844, in
Sangamon county, married May 26, 1869,
to Charles F. Mills, who was born May
29, 1843, at Montrose, Pa. They have
two children, MINNIE and WILLIAM
HENRY, and reside with Mrs. Mills'
parents, three miles east of Springfield.
Charles F. Mills was attending Shurtleff
College, at Alton, 111., when the rebellion
commenced. He enlisted August, 1862,
for three years, in Co. C., H4th 111. Inf.
He was soon after appointed by President
Lincoln, hospital steward at Camp Butler,
and remained there nearly three years,
when, at his own request, in the fall of
1864, he was ordered to Nashville, Tenn.
Being in the regular service, his term did
not expire with the suppression of the re-
bellion, but he continued until the fall of
1866, when he resigned, and was mustered
out at Nashville, Tenn.
WILLIAM A., Jun., and
CHARLES S. died in infancy,
William A. Bennett and his wife reside
on the farm where he settled in 1834,
three miles east of Springfield.
BENNETT, LURANAH
M., born March 7, 1807, in Jefferson
county, Va., came with her brothers and
sisters to Sangamon county, in 1834, re-
mained several years, and returned on a
visit, in 1842, to her native place, where
she was married to Rev. Thomas P. W.
Magruder, "of fche Presbyterian church,
who moved with his family to Illinois in
the spring of 1844. They have three
children
ALFRED W., resides at Central City,
Colorado Territory.
CHARLES V. resides with his par-
ents.
LIZZIE C. married Samuel S. Smith.
They have two children, a son and a
daughter, and reside near Rushville, 111.
Rev. Thomas P. W. Magruder and
wife reside near Rushville, Schuyler coun-
ty, Illinois.
"BENNETT, THOMAS L.,
was born July 6, 1809, in Jefferson county,
SANGAMON COUNTT.
i ii
Va. For family history, see the sketch of
his brother, William A. Thomas L. Ben-
nett arrived in Sangamon county first in
the fall of 1833. He was married Nov. 6,
1842, at Jubilee College, Robins' Nest,
Peoria county, 111., to Jeanetta S. Ingra-
ham, a native of New York City. They
had four children in Sangamon county
AGNES, the youngest, died at ten
years of age.
HENRT, V. S., visited Greenwood
county, Kansas, in the autumn of 1868,
where his father and family joined him in
the spring of 1869.
SUSAN C. and
SOPHIA went with their parents.
The latter was married Oct. 12, 1871,
in Kansas, to Alexander F. Crowe.
They have one child, THOMAS B., and
reside in Kansas, also.
Thomas L. Bennett and family reside
near Line Postoffice, Lyon county, Kan-
sas.
BENNETT, ANN F., born
Dec. 10, 1813, in Jefferson county, Va.,
came to Sangamon county with her bro-
thers and sisters, in 1834, was married in
the Episcopal church, at Jacksonville, 111.,
to Samuel H. Treat, now Judge of the
United States District Court, and resides
in Springfield.
BENNETT., REV. WM. T.,
was born Nov. 30, 1805, in or near Shep-
herdstown, Jefferson county, Va. He
united with the M. E. church in Shepherds-
town, in 1828, was soon after licensed to
exhort, came to Springfield, 111., in com-
pany with his brother, Van S. Bennett, in
Dec., 1834. He was married June 6,
1836, in Ottawa, 111., to Rebecca J. Rob-
erts, who was born Oct. 5, 1811, in Vir-
ginia. When she was an infant her father
liberated his slaves and moved to Wash-
ington county, Pa. She came with the
family of her uncle, Dr. James Roberts,
to Jacksonville, 111., in 1833, and from
there to Ottawa in 1834. Mr. and Mrs.
Bennett made their home in Springfield.
He was licensed as a local preacher, and
in 1849 was appointed to take charge of
the M. E. church in Springfield, to fill a
vacancy. In 1850 he entered the travel-
ing connection. They had seven children,
all born in Sangamon county, namely
ED WARD If'., born August 5, 1837,
in Springfield, enlisted at Danville, in
April, 1 86 1, on the first call for 75,000
men, in Co. E., I2th 111. Inf., and served
nearly six months. He enlisted June 24,
1862, at Mechanicsburg, for three years, in
Co. A., 73d 111. Inf.; was commissioned as
ist Lieutenant. After the battle of Stone's
river he was transferred, Jan. 8, 1863, and
promoted to Capt. of Co. F, same regi-
ment. He served as such to the end of
the rebellion, and was mustered out with
the regiment at Springfield, June 15, 1865.
He was married at Mechanicsburg, Dec.
23, 1869, to Harriet N. Fullinwider. They
have two children, ANNA N. and
JACOB H., and reside near Mechanics-
burg.
EMMA R., born Dec. 18, 1838, in
Springfield, married August 14, 1861, to
Stephen A. Short, who was born Oct. 7,
1836, in Pickaway county, Ohio. He en-
listed a few days before his marriage, for
three years, in Co. A, 73d 111. Inf.; was
appointed Sergeant, and was wounded
July 20, 1864, at the battle of Peach Tree
Creek, Ga., which terminated in the am-
putation of his right leg, above the knee.
Mr. and Mrs. Short have two children,
LULU and EDITH L., and reside in
Mechanicsburg.
ANN T., born Dec. 1 6, -1841, died in
her second year.
ANNA L., born Nov. 13, 1842, in
Springfield, died suddenly, Oct. 28, 1866,
in Mechanicsburg.
JOHN A., born Dec. 28, 1844, in
Springfield, enlisted Dec., 1863, in Co. F,
73d 111. Inf., for three years. He was
killed June 24, 1864, at Kennesaw moun-
tain, Ga., by a stray shot, while sitting in
his tent writing a letter. His remains
were brought home in 1866, and interred
at Mechanicsburg.
JULIA A. died Feb. 5, 1849, in her
second year.
REBIE H., born in Sangamon coun-
ty, June 30, 1850, resides with her parents.
Rev. Wm. T. Bennett continued in the
effective work of the ministry until 1867,
when he assumed the superannuated re-
lation to 111. Conf., and in 1871 was super-
annuated, and now resides in Mechanics-
burg.
Edward Bennett, the father of Rev.
Wm. T. Bennett, liberated his slaves and
sold his land, with the intention of mov-
ing west, but died in Virginia in 1833.
Edward was brother to Van S., who was
the father of Win. A. Bennett. See his
112
EARLY SETTLERS OF
name. It will thus be seen that Rev.
Wm. T. Bennett and Mr. Win. A. Ben-
nett are cousins.
BENNETT, VAN S., was born
Dec. 9, 1802, near Shepherdstown, Va.,
came to Springfield in 1834, with his bro-
ther, Rev. Wm. T. He never married,
and died in Sangamon county, Aug., 1873.
BENNETT, MARGARET
E., sister to Rev. Wm. T. Bennett, was
born Dec. 24, 1800, near Sheperdstown,
Va., came to Springfield, 111., in 1836, re-
mained five years, returned to Virginia,
and came back to Sangamon county in
1841. She never married, and resides
with her sister, Mrs. Kalb.
BENNETT, ELIZA, (sister of
Rev. Wm. T. Bennett,) was born Dec. 27,
1810, near Hagerstown, Md. Her par-
ents moved, when she was five years old,
to Shepherdstown, Va., where they had
previously resided. She was there mar-
ried, May 20, 1832, to George W. Shutt.
They had one child born in Shepherds-
town, and Mr. Shutt died there in 1835.
Mrs. Shutt, with her child, moved to
Springfield, 111., arriving in May, 1836.
After a residence of five years in Spring-
field, she returned to Shepherdstown, Va.,
and was there married, Jan. 17, 1841, to
Daniel G. Kalb, who was born Dec. 4,
1815, in Frederick City, Md. They had
two children in Shepherdstown, and
moved to Washington count}-, Md., where
they had one child; thence to Loudon
county, Va., where they had one child,
and from there to Springfield, 111., arriv-
ing in October, 1849, where one child was
born, and in 1856 moved to Round Prairie,
four miles east by south of Springfield.
Of her children by her first marriage
GEORGETTA, born July 18, 1835,
in Shepherdstown, Va., was married Jan.
i, 1853, in Springfield, 111., to Philip L.
Shutt, who was born Nov. 18, 1829, in
Loudon county, Va. They had eleven
children, five of whom died young. The
other six, FRANKLIN, MAGGIE,
CHARLES, PAUL, HARRY and
LAURA, reside with their parents in
Paris, Edgar county, 111.
Children of her second marriage
MARTABNER,\>oi-n Dec. 12,1841,
in Shepherdstown, Va., resides with her
parents.
ETHELBERT, born Sept. 18, 1843,
in Shepherdstown, Va., brought up in
Sangamon county, and enlisted at Spring-
field, August 20, 1 86 1, for three years, in
Co. B., 33d 111. Inf. He served more than
his full time, and was honorably dis-
charged, Oct. u, 1864. He is now in
business in St. Louis.
WILLJAM E. B., born August 2,
1846, in Washington county, Md., brought
up in Sangamon county, 111., enlisted at
Springfield, March 26, 1864, for three
years, in Co. G., H4th 111. Vol. Inf., and
was killed in battle of Guntown, Miss.,
June 10, 1864.
GEO. BROOK, born Dec. 4, 1848, in
Loudon county, Va., is a dealer in musical
instruments in Springfield.
JULIA M., born Nov. 16, 1854, in
Springfield, died June 10, 1859.
Daniel G. Kalb and wife reside at Wil-
low Dale, one mile northeast of Sanga-
mon Station. Mr. Kalb was a local
preacher in the M. E. church from Feb.
6, 1847, until 1864. His license was signed
at eight annual renewals by Rev. Peter
Cartwright, but when it expired in 1864,
he declined to have it renewed. He was
engaged in teaching from 1837 to 1854.
Mr. Kalb enlisted August n, 1862, in Co.
G., ii4th 111. Vol. Inf., for three years.
Finding it quite oppressive to march with
his knapsack and haversack, he obtained
a wheelbarrow, and not meeting with op-
position from officers, ran it hundreds of
miles, and often carried the baggage of
sick and disabled comrades. He has the
wheelbarrow yet, and it will doubtless be
handed down as a memorial of the war to
suppress the rebellion, and the part he
acted in it.
BENNETT, JOHN A., (bro-
ther to Rev. Wm. T. Bennett,) was born
near Shepherdstown, Va., came to Spring-
field in 1835, with George R. Weber, and
died Dec. 23, 1841.
BENNINGTON, JAS. M.,
was born May 20, 1826, in Owen county,
Ind. His father died in 1838, and in his
1 3th year, he came to Sangamon county
with his half brother, John Hartsock.
They arrived Feb. 22, 1839, in what is
now Ball township. James M. Benning-
ton was married Sept. 30, 1869, to Mrs.
Nancy Nuckolls, whose maiden name was
Drennan. They have one son, JOHN,
and reside four miles west of Pawnee.
John Hartsock, half brother to Mr.
Bennington, married Susan demons, who
SANGAMON COUNT?.
died, and he married Mrs. Mary A. Pul-
liam, whose maiden name was Levi. They
reside in Christian county.
Two brothers of Mr. Bennington, Sam-
uel and Harrison, came to Sangamon coun-
ty with their mother in 1841, and were
consequently too late to be included as
early settlers.
B E E RS, PHI LO, was born July
1 6, 1793, in Woodbury, Conn. When he
was about fifteen years old he was put
to live with an elder brother, probably
on account of the death of his parents.
They could not agree, and he ran
away, and was gone twelve or thirteen
years, without his relatives hearing from
him. During his ramblings he become
acquainted with Doctor Joseph Bennett
Stillman, who introduced him to his
mother and sisters, at Morganfield, Ky.
Mr. Beers always said that he made
up his mind, on their first acquaintance, to
have Miss Martha Stillman for a wife.
The Stillman family moved to Sangamon
county, 111., and Mr. Beers went to Car-
lyle, Clinton county, same State. He was
first elected a justice of the peace, and
after serving for a time, was elected to
represent Clinton county in the Legisla-
ture of Illinois, when it assembled in Van-
dalia. While residing at Carlyle he was
married in what is now Williams town-
ship, Sangamon county, on the farm of
John Poorman. In response to a letter of
inquiry, the author of this book received
from the clerk of Madison county, 111., a
reply, dated April 29, 1874, in which it is
stated that a license was issued at Ed-
wardsville, Oct. 27, 1820, for the marriage
of Philo Beers and Martha Stillman; that
it was returned, endorsed by Elder
Stephen England, with the statement that
he had solemnized the marriage Nov. 2,
1820. The clerk also stated that it was
the 279th license issued from that office.
They are believed to have been the first
couple ever married north of the .Sanga-
mon river in the State of Illinois; certainly
the first in what is now Sangamon county.
The first marriage under a license from
Sangamon county was between Wm.
Moss and Margaret Sims, April 20, 1821.
Mr. Beers took his bride to Carlyle, where
they had two children. They moved to
Sangamon county, and settled three miles
southwest of Williamsville, where one
child was born. Of their three children
JOSEPH B., born and died at Car-
lyle in infancy.
HENRY CLAT, born in 1824, at
Carlyle. Philo Beers was the only man
living in Carlyle who voted for Henry
Clay for President of the United States
that year, and the citizens insisted that the
babe should be named for his father's can-
didate. Henry Clay Beers was married
in 1848, in Sangamon county, to Adelaide
C. McNabb. They had one child, WM.
PHILO, who died, aged two years. H. C.
Beers died in 1851, in Springfield. His
widow married Adolphus Rogers, and
resides near Cincinnati. He is a merchant
there.
CAROLINE M., born Feb. 20, 1827,
in Sangamon county, married in Spring-
field, May 13, 1847, to Elder Andrew J.
Kane. See his name.
Mrs. Martha Beers died in 1845, an( ^
Philo Beers died March, 1858, both in
Springfield. Mr. Beers moved into Spring-
field and built a brick dwelling house at
the northwest corner of Madison and
Fifth streets, about 1830. It was among
the first, if not the first, brick dwelling
erected in Springfield.
BEERUP, ANDREW, born
Dec. 12, 1812, in Canandagua county, N.
Y., and raised in Canada, came to Spring-
field, 111., in 1837 or '8. He was married
July 2, 1840, in Sangamon county, to Mary
A. Maltby, who was born Nov. 27, 1819.
They had nine children in Sangamon
county, five of whom died young. Of
the other four
CHARLES A., born April 27, 1841,
married Jan. 14, 1864, to Mary Babcock,
who was born Jan. 22, 1844, in Musking-
um county, Ohio. They have three
children, John R., ALICE J. and LEE
C., and reside six miles west of Spring-
field.
THOMAS A., born June 27, 1843,
GEORGE E., born Oct. 10, 1854, and
WILLIA I/ //., born June 10, 1858,
all reside with their brother, Charles A.
Andrew Beerup died Nov. 26, 1872, and
his widow died Sept. 27, 1873, both in
Gardner township.
BEERUP, THOMAS, brother
of Margaret, Andrew and William, was
born Sept. 17, 1819, in Canandagua coun-
ty, N. Y. Came to Springfield June 3,
1840, and witnessed a grand log cabin
demonstration of the political campaign of
114
EARLT SETTLERS OF
that year to elect a President of the United
States, as his introduction to the city.
He was married July 26, 1843, to Sinai A.
Neale. They had seven children born in
Sangamon county, namely
THOMAS N., born Oct. 12, 1844, in
Sangamon county, enlisted Aug. 9, 1862,
in Co. B, 114 111. Inf., at Springfield. He
was wounded at the battle of Jackson,
Miss., May 14, 1863. A rebel musket
ball broke his arm (being the first man in
the regiment to receive a wound). He
was captured in hospital two days later,
paroled at Richmond, Va., a month later,
and was honorably discharged at St. Louis,
Nov. 17, 1863. He now draws a pension,
and resides with his parents.
HALL IE E., born April 15, 1846, in
New Castle, Henry county, Ky., married
Nov. 30, 1865, to Edward B. Winslow.
They have two children, BDWIN M.
and PRESTON A., 'and reside in Girard,
III.
GEO. N., born June 20, 1848, in New
Castle, Henry county, Ky., died Sept. 15,
1850.
PRESTON J., born Jan. 21, 1851, in
Springfield, Sangamon county, 111., died
March i, 1872.
ED WIN M., born in Waverly, Mor-
gan county, Sept. 13, 1855, died Jan. 8,
1864.
MERRIAN E., born Jan. 1 1, 1858, in
Waverly, 111., died Oct. 8, 1869.
NE VILLE B., born Nov. 3, 1859, in
Waverly, 111., resides with his parents.
Thomas Beerup and wife reside one-
half mile south of Chatham.
BEERUP, WILLIAM W.,
was born Sept. 6, 1822, at Sidney, Cana-
da, and came to Sangamon county in 1843
to join his brothers, Andrew and Thomas.
He married Catharine E. Tolley, See
the Tolley name.
BEERUP MARGARET, sis-
ter of Andrew, Thomas and William W.,
was born June 18, 1829, at Beamsville, Can-
ada, came to Sangamon county, 111., June,
1844, and was married at Havana, 111.,
June 18, 1849,10 Levi Harpham, who was
born Dec., 1821, at Hartford, Ohio coun-
ty, Indiana. They have five children,
namely
GEO. E., ALICE J., CHARLES
F., LEE W. and SILAS ELMER,
and reside near Havana, 111.
BEERUP, JANE, sister to An-
drew, Thomas and William W. Beerup,
and to Mrs. Margaret Harpham. She
married Marvin Pond. See his name.
BERGEN, REV. JOHN G.,
D. D.,was born Nov. 27, 1 790, at Hights-
town, Middlesex county, N. J., ten miles
east of Princeton, N. J. Of his ancestors
the history is preserved for seven genera-
tions, which will be found designated by
numbers, ist. Hans Hansen Bergen was
born in Bergen, Norway. He was a ship car-
penter, and went to Holland; from there
he emigrated to New Amsterdam, now
New York city, arriving in 1633. In
1639 he was married to Sarah Rapalje
(now Rapalye). She was born June 9,
1622, about where Albany, N. Y., now
stands, and is believed to have been the
first child of European parentage born in
in the colony of New Netherlands, which
then included the present States of New
York, New Jersey and part of Connecti-
cut. Hans Hansen Bergen and Sarah
Rapalje, his wife, had four sons and four
daughters. 2nd. Joris, Jores, or George,
their fifth child, was baptized in New
Amsterdam, July 18, 1649, and married
Aug. n, 1678, to Sara Stryker. They
had nine children, and their fourth child.
3rd. Hans Jorise Bergen was baptized
Aug. 31, 1684, and married Aug. 16, 1711,
to Sytje Evert Van Wicklen. They had
five children. Their eldest son (4th), Jores,
or George Bergen, married Miss Hoag-
land. She had three children, and died.
He married a second time, and had nine
children. His eldest son (5th), John B.
Bergen, born March 27, 1739, married
June 8, 1763, to Sarah Stryker, who was
born August 25, 1745. They had eight
children. Their eldest son (6th), George I.
Bergen, born June 16, 1 764, married in 1 789
to Rebecca Combs. They had ten child-
ren, all born in New Jersey. Their eldest
son was (7th) John G., whose name heads
this sketch. Both his parents being con-
sistent Christians, he, under their training
and example, became a member of the
Presbyterian church, at thirteen years of
age. He attended Baskingridge Acade-
my, and when properly prepared entered
the junior class at Princeton College, and
graduated at seventeen years of age.
Having chosen the ministry, he com-
menced a theological course of study un-
der Rev. Dr. John Woodhull, who had
SANG AM ON COUNTY.
been appointed by the Synod of New
York and New Jersey, Professor of The-
ology, in the absence of a seminary for
that purpose. At 20 years of age he was
licensed to preach the gospel. It was his
desire to mount his horse, go to the west
and commence preaching, but he was in-
duced to accept the position of tutor in
Princeton College in 1810. In Sept.,
1812, he resigned that position, and in Oct.,
1812, accepted a call as pastor of the Pres-
byterian Church at Madison, N. J. Rev.
John G. Bergen was married Nov. 10,
1812, at Freehold, N. J., to Margaretta
M. Henderson, vyho was born in 1793 in
that city. Her father, Dr. Thomas Hen-
derson, was a Judge, member of Con-
gress, and a ruling Elder in the old Ten-
nent church at Freehold. The pastor of
that church, Rev. William Tennent, to all
human appearance died, and after laying
three days in what proved to be a trance,
he opened his eyes just as they were clos-
ing the coffin for the last time.
Rev. J. G. Bergen was pastor of the
church at Madison for about 16 years,
during which time his labors were greatly
blessed. They had five children born at
Madison. George I. Bergen, the father
of Rev. J, G. Bergen, was a merchant,
and sustained such losses during the war
with England, beginning in 1812, that he
closed hig business, and in the summer of
1818 emigrated to Woodford county, Ky.
In 1824 Mr. G. I. Bergen, in company
with a married son and daughter and their
father-in-law, Major Conover, six persons
in all, set out to explore Indiana, and
camped near where Indianapolis now
stands. They made up their minds to
remain there, and one night while they
were around their camp-fire, they were
startled with the cry of "Who's here!"
coming out of the darkness. The words
were run together, and seemed like a sin-
gle word, " Hoosier, " and this circum-
stance is believed to have been the origin
of that appellation for citizens of that
State. The traveler who had thus uncer-
emoniously approached them remained all
night, and before he left next morning
had convinced them that it was better to
go and see the .prairies of Illinois. The
result was that they settled in Jersey
prairie, twelve miles north of Jacksonville,
in Morgan, now Cass, county, 111. George
I. Bergen died in 1625, and his widow
married Rev. Mr. Kenner, in 1827, and
they visited Mrs. Kenner's old home in
New Jersey. While there her son, Rev.
J. G. Bergen, resigned his pastorate of the
church at Madison, Sept. 10, 1828, for the
purpose of accompanying his mother to
Illinois. The party started Sept. 22, 1828,
going b) 1 the way of Lexington and
Frankfort, Ky., to visit friends. After a
journey of nearly 1,500 miles, they arrived
at Springfield, Nov., 1828, bringing their
five children, namely
JANE ELIZA, born 1813, in Madi-
son, N. J., came with her parents to
Springfield. Soon after their arrival, her
father built a house on his own lot at the
south side of Washington street, between
Fourth and Fifth streets, and in that she
taught school in 1829. That was believed
to have been the first school taught by a
lady in Springfield. She was married in
April, 1833 to Col. Robert Allen. See his
name.
CATHARINE H., born Sept. 21,
1816, in New Jersey, married in Spring-
field to Edward Jones. See his name.
AMELIA M., born July, 1818, in
New Jersey, married in Springfield, May,
1840, to Joshua G. Lamb, a cousin of
James L. Lamb. They are without fam-
ily, and reside in Alton.
THOMAS H., born Dec. 15, 1820, at
Madison, Morris county, N. J., brought
up in Springfield, married March 29, 1849,
at Trenton, N. J., to Mary G. Cooley.
She was born in that city, July 20, 1823.
Soon after they were married they left for
Springfield, and while on board a small
steamboat on the Ohio river, near Wheel-
ing, West Va., it blew up, killing 17 per-
sons. They escaped with their lives, but
lost their entire baggage. They are with-
out family, and reside one mile east of
Springfield.
GEORGE, born April 5, 1824, at
Madison, Morris county, X. J., brought
up in Springfield, 111., is unmarried, and
resides one mile east of Springfield.
Mrs. Margaretta M. Bergen died Oct.
1 8, 1853, near Springfield, 111. Dr. Ber-
gen was married at the latter place, Nov.
9, 1857, to Mrs. Susan A. Vunhoff. Rev.
Dr. J. G. Bergen died Jan. 17, 1872, and
his widow resides in Springfield.
Dr. Bergen, describing Springfield as
he first saw it, said it was composed of
about thirty-five log cabins, two or three
u6
small frame houses, without a place of
divine worship other than a log school
house just built. That school house stood
in the street at the crossing of Adams and
Second streets, in a thicket of hazel and
brier bushes, and a few tall oaks. It was
built in the street because (he says) the
town authorities and owners of the lots
were too penurious to donate the land.
Rev. J. G. Bergen found a Presbyterian
Church that had been organized Jan. 30,
1828, by Rev. John M. Ellis, a missionary
from the southern part of the State. It
was without a house of worship. He
took charge of the church, and on the
second Sabbath after his arrival he gave
notice to the little church and the people
generally, that he came to Springfield,
not to make an experiment, but to live,
labor and die on the field with his armor
on, and then said: " Come, let us rise up
and build a house for God. " A brick
house was accordingly built at the east
side of Third street, between Washington
and Adams. He says that was the first
church built in the central part of the
State for any Protestant denomination.
The Methodists of Springfield were build-
ing a frame house of worship at the same
time, but they were a few weeks later in
finishing it. The original members of the
First Presbyterian Church were Mrs.
Elizabeth Smith, widow of Rev. John
Blair Smith, D. D., mother of Mrs. Dr.
John Todd. The Presbyterian Church of
Springfield was organized in her house.
The other members were John Moore,
John N. Moore, Andrew Moore, Mary
Moore, Elizabeth Moore, Margaret
Moore, Catharine Moore, Phoebe Moore,
James White, Elijah Scott, Jane Scott,
Samuel Reed, Jane Reed, William Proc-
tor, Sarah Stillman, Nancy R. Hum-
phreys, Ann lies and Olive Slater, nine-
teen in all ; five only lived in Springfield.
Some lived forty miles distant. The
Ruling Elders were John Moore, John
N. Moore, Samuel Reed and Isaiah Still-
man. Rev. J. G. Bergen preached, as
stated supply, until 1835, when he received
a formal call to become Pastor of the
church, and was installed Nov. 15 of that
year. That was the only Presbyterian
Church in the country at that time. Six
churches have been organized by colonies
from that church (two of them in the
city). During the ministry of Rev. Mr.
Bergen, from 1828 to 1848, when he re-
signed the pastorate, five hundred were
added to the church. When he came to
Springfield he was the eighth Presbyte-
rian minister in the State, and the farthest
north of any of them. There were
twenty-five churches under the care of
these eight ministers. He lived to see,
including both branches of the Presbyte-
rian and the Congregational churches, 600
ministers and 800 churches in the State.
He assisted in forming the first Presbytery
and first Synod in the State; was the first
Moderator of each. When the Old and
New school churches were reunited in
1869, he was the first Moderator of the
United Synod.
In 1854, without any previous intima-
tion of their intentions, Center College, at
Danville, Ky., conferred on the Rev..John
G. Bergen the Degree of D. D.
After his resignation as pastor of the
First Church, he devoted much of his
time to writing for the religious press,
over the signature of " Old Man of the
Prairies." He has left two large scrap
books full of these writings.
BERRY, ROBERT E., was
born Dec. 3, 1823, in Davidson county,
near Nashville, Tenn. When a child his
parents moved, first into Madison, and
then into Gibson county,- in the same
State. From there they moved to Wil-
liamson county, 111., and from there to
Christian county, in 1844. Robert E. left
his parents in Williamson county, and
come to Sangamon county, in what is
now Cooper township, in Dec., 1840. He
was married Sept. 8, 1850, to Elizabeth
Stokes, who was born Aug. 6, 1832.
They had one child
AMANDA M., who died at the age of
seven years. Mrs. Berry died Sept. 25,
1853, and Mr. Berry was married Oct. 8,
1856, to Sophia Barger. They have seven
children, namely
WILLIAM, FRANCIS M. and
BENJAMIN F., twins F. M. died in
his sixth year LA URA E., EMMA D.,
LIZZIE and CHARLES-, the six liv-
ing, reside with their parents.
Robert E. Berry resides at Berry post-
office, Clarksville, Sangamon county.
BETTIS, JAMESH., was born
Oct. 18, 1811, in Lincoln county, Ky.
His parents moved to Hamilton county,
O., in 1818. James H. came to Sangamon
SANGAMON COUNTT.
county in 1839. He was married July 28,
1844, in what is now Auburn township, to
Elizabeth Fletcher. They had six children
in Sangamon county, and in 1855 moved
to Missouri. In 1864 they moved back to
Sangamon county. Of their children
OLIVER F., born in Sangamon
county, married June 20, 1866, to Jane
Patterson. They reside in Auburn town-
ship.
REBECCA J., born in Sangamon
county, married Franklin Nicholson, and
reside near Virden.
JAMES W., MARTHA E., NAN-
CY A. and JOHN JR., the four latter
reside with their parents in Auburn town-
ship.
The parents of J. H. Bettis moved
from Ohio to DeWitt county, 111., before
he came to the State. After his father's
death, his mother came to Sangamon
county, in 1842, and died in 1850. She
was born in Garrard county, Ky., in 1780,
and is believed to have been the first
white child born in that county.
BEVANS, JpHN, was born in
Maryland, and married, near Snow Hill,
to Mary Rounds. They had six children,
and she died. He married Margaret
Jones, and had one child in Maryland.
The family moved to Woodford county,
Ky., and from there to Sangamon county,
111., arriving, in 1828, in Island Grove,
south of Spring creek. Of his seven
children
MARl^HA, born in Maryland, mar-
ried in Kentucky to Alexander Mont-
gomery, came to Sangamon county in
1828. They had six children, and the
parents died in Berlin. Their only child
living in Sangamon county, MARTiN,
resides in Springfield.
WILLIAM, born in Maryland, mar-
ried, had two children, and died near
Chillicothe, O.
DRUZILLA, born in Maryland, mar-
ried at Island Grove to Fielding Jones,
have six children, and reside near As-
sumption, Christian county 111.
BARSHEBA, born" in Maryland,
married in Kentucky to Hiram Bailey,
and died in Indiana.
JOHN D., born Oct. 5, 1813 in Wor-
cester county, near Snow Hill, Md., came
to Sangamon county in 1828. married at
Island Grove, Jan" 2, 1842, to Nancy
Foutch. They had eight children:
THOMAS F., born in Sangamon county
June 19, 1843, married March 27, 1870, at
Carbondale, to Carrie L. Collins, who
was born Oct. 3, 1850, at Wheeling, Va.
They have one child, EDDIE F., and reside
in Berlin. The other seven were born in
Wapello county, Iowa, two of whom
died young. MARY R., born Sept.
24, 1847, in Iowa, married Hawes
Yates. See his name. JOHN D., Jun.,
born Nov. 10, 1850, and HENRY K.,
reside with their mother. MARTHA
resides with her sister, Mrs. Yates.
RACHEL lives with her mother. John
D. Bevans died Jan. 13, 1858, in W'apello
county, Iowa. His widow resides in Ber-
lin.
NANCY, born in Maryland, was mar-
ried at Island Grove to Amon Blaney.
Both died in St. Clair county.
By the second marriage
SARAH, born in 1824, in Maryland,
married near Berlin to Thomas G. Men-
denhall, and reside at Berlin.
John Bevans died in March, 1837, an< ^
Mrs. Margaret Bevans died April, 1859,
both in Island Grove township.
BICE, JOHN, born Nov. 4, 1808,
in Henry county, Ky. He came to San-
gamon county in 1834, and was married
May 5, 1835, near Mechanicsburg, to
Mary A. Pickrell. They settled in what
is now Williams township, one and a half
miles north of the present town of Bar-
clay. They had six children there
SARAH E., born Feb. 8, 1836, mar-
ried James F. Hickman. See his name.
JESSE W., born Oct. 21, 1837, en '
listed in Co. A. 3rd 111. Cavalry, Aug. 14,
1 86 1. He was promoted for meritorious
conduct at Pea Ridge, to Lieutenant,
afterwards to Captain, and the last ten
months he served with the rank of Major.
He was honorably discharged in Nov.,
1865. In Dec. following he was appointed
assistant assessor of internal revenue, until
the office was abolished by Congress, May
20, 1873. J. W. Bice was married Sept.
19, 1872, to Belle W r arinner, daughter of
the late Dr. Warinner, of Bloomington.
They have one child, JESSIE BELLE.
Major Bice is now Deputy Sheriff of
Sangamon county, and resides in Spring-
field.
BENJAMIN F. born June 28, 1840,
enlisted in Co. B, i3Oth 111. Vol. Inf., and
was mustered in at Camp Butler, Aug. i,
n8
EARLY SETTLERS OF
1862. He was appointed 2nd Sergeant
of same company, at Memphis, Tenn.,
Nov. 26, 1862, and served until Aug. n,
1865, when he was mustered out by spe-
cial order at New Orleans, La., for the pur-
pose of accepting a commission from Gov.
R. J. Oglesby, dated July 26, 1865, as
2nd Lieut. Co. D, 3Oth 111. Vol. Inf. He
was honorably discharged Aug. 12, 1865.
B. F. Bice was married in Dec., 1867, to
Bertha Owen. They have three children,
MARY, EMMA G. and EVA, and re-
side near Elkhart, Logan county, Illinois.
ABEL P., born Dec. 3, 1842. He was
married in 1863 to Melissa C. Blue. They
have three children, JOHN H., AR-
THUR L. and NETTIE B., and reside
two miles north of Barclay.
SUE E. resides with her sister, Mrs.
J. F. Hickman, at the homestead where
her parents settled in 1835.
JOHN H., born Feb. 1 1, 1848, enlisted
in 1863 in i6th United States Inf. Served
three years, and was honorably discharged
in 1866. He was afterwards employed on
the Toledo, Wabash & Western railroad,
and was killed by an accident Jan. 31,
1871.
John Bice, died March 14, 1848, at the
family homestead, and his widow resides
with her sister, Mrs. Hall, at Buffalo.
BICE, SUSAN, born in Henry
county, Ky., married there to Elijah
Utterbach. See his name.
BILLINGS, ROBERT, was
born Jan., 1801, in Dorchester county,
Md. Mary Dean was born April 6, 1810,
in Somerset county, Md. They were
married Oct., 1829, in Sussex county, Del-
aware, and had two children born in Sum-
mit county, Md. They moved into
Baltimore county, where one child was
born and died, and then moved to Sanga-
mon county, 111., arriving Oct. 1840, in
what is now Rochester township, and had
nine children in Sangamon county. Of
their children
NANCT E., born July 15, 1830, in
Maryland, married in Sangamon county
to John Short, had one child, and Mrs.
Short died.
MART E., born Feb. 15, 1833, in
Maryland, married in Sangamon county
to James Wilson, have two children, and
reside in Cotton Hill township.
WILLIAM EDWARD, born in
Sangamon county, died in his 23d year.
GEORGIANN, born in Sangamon
county, married Samuel Long, had one
child, and Mr. Long died, and she married
Win. Thompson. They have three
children, and reside near Lincoln.
SUSAN JANE,\)o\:n in Sangamon
county, married John Popp, have three
children, and reside in Cotton Hill town-
ship.
CHARLES //"., born in Sangamon
county, married Mrs. Martha Mortar.
He died July 31, 1871.
JOANNA, born in Sangamon county,
resides with her parents.
CHARLOTTE married John Miller,
have two children, and reside two and a
half miles south of Rochester.
CAROLINE married William Glenn.
They have two children, and reside three
miles south of Rochester.
JENNIE, born in Sangamon county,
Oct. 29, 1853, resides with her parents.
Robert Billings and his wife reside two
and a half miles south of Rochester.
BILLINGTON, JOHN, was
born Sept. 29, 1819, in the town of
Shrewsbury, Shrophshire, England. He
came to the United States, landing in New
York in June, and arrived early in Aug.,
1840, at Springfield. He lived several
years in the family of Willard Tinney, on
Richland creek, to learn farming. He
had learned the business of baker and
confectioner in England, and established
himself in that business in Springfield.
He was married, in Springfield, to Eliza-
beth A. Cannon. She died Nov., 1851,
not leaving any children. He was married
March 24, 1853, at Buffalo Hart grove, to
Rachel Constant. They have one child
MART J., and reside at Dawson.
Mr. Billington erected a residence for
hirnself, where Dawson now stands, in
1854, before there was any station or town
laid out. When the postofHce was estab-
lished in that year, he was appointed Post-
master, which he held about seven years.
He was also the first station and express
agent at that place, and is yet (1874) acting
in that capacity. Mr. Billington's parents,
four brothers and one sister, came later.
These were William, the civil engineer,
now deceased. Thomas resides at
Mt. Pulaska, Henry at Waynesville,
James and Mary A.
BILYEU, PETER, was born
in 1777, in Alleghany county, Md., and
SAN GAM ON COUNTY.
119
was taken by his parents to Green river,
Ky. He was there married to Diana
Blackwill. They had two children in
Kentucky, and moved to Overton county,
Tenn., where twelve children were born;
two died young. The family moved to
Sangamon county, 111., arriving Oct. i,
1829, in what is now Loami township,
where one child was born. Of their
children
SARAH, born Nov. 26, 1801, in Ken-
tucky, married March 23, 1819, to William
Workman. See his name.
JOHN, born in 1803, in Kentucky,
married Elizabeth Workman in Tennes-
see, came to Sangamon county, raised a
large family, moved to Christian county,
and died there in 1867.
L YDIA, born in Tennessee, married
David Workman. See his name.
NANCY, born in Tennessee, married
Jacob Teeple, moved to Missouri, raised
a family, and he died there. She died in
Christian county, 111.
IS A A C, born in Tennessee, married
Polly Bilyeu, raised a family, and resides
in Missouri.
GEORGE, born in Tennessee, mar-
ried Elizabeth Workman, raised a family,
and resides in Christian county.
E LIZ ABE 777 married Richard Bil-
yeu. He was killed in time of the rebel-
lion, in Miller county, Mo., leaving a
widow and several children there.
POLLY married James McMullen,
have children, and reside in Missouri.
DIANA married Thomas Greening,
who died, and she married Stephen Work-
man, Jun. He died, leaving a widow and
four children in Christian county.
HANNAH married John WyckofT.
He died in Christian county. His family
reside in Missouri.
CYNTHIA, born Aug. 29, 1827, in
Tennessee, married in Sangamon county
to Levi Harbour, Jun. See his name.
MINER VA married Robert Fowler,
and resides in Kansas.
Peter Bilyeu died July 7, 1863, and his
widow died Sept., 1865, both in Christian
county, 111. ,
BIRD FAMILY, John Bird was
born Jan. i, 1767, in Essex countv, N. J.,
and when a young man, went to Wash-
ington, Mason county, Ky. Abigail Au-
ter was born May 26, 1780, in Essex
county, N. J., also, and in 1798 went with
her widowed mother and two sisters to
Washington, Ky. John Bird and Abigail
Auter were married there in 1801. They
had ten children in Mason county, Ky.,
and the entire family moved, in 1825, to
Harrison county. John Bird died there,
of cholera, July 15,1833. Their daughter,
Sarah, who was married to Jesse Folks,
died six days before her father, and their
son John, in his thirteenth year, died seven
days after his father, all of the same
disease. Mrs. Bird, with some of her
children, came to Sangamon county, 111.,
arriving Sept. 6, 1835, ' n wnat ' s n w
Mechanicsburg township. Her other
children came the next vear. Mrs. Abi-
gail Bird died in Sangamon county. Of
her eight children who came to the
county
BIRD, MORRIS, was born Feb.
19, 1803, in Mason county, Ky., married,
March 29, 1827, in Harrison county, to
Sarah Brannock, who was born July 24,
1808, in Bourbon county, Ky. They had
four children in Harrison county; one died
in infancy, and they moved to Sangamon
county, 111., in 1835, an< ^ settled near Me-
chanicsburg, where they had twelve child-
ren, eleven of whom died in infancy, and
Margaret died, aged nine years. Of the
other three
MARY A. C., born Nov. 5, 1828, in
Harrison county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county, Feb. 21, 1856, to Miles H.
Wilmot, who was born Jan. 5, 1825, in
Caswell county, N. C., and came to San-
gamon county in 1854. He has three
children by a former wife; two daughters,
married, and a son. All reside near Shel-
by, Iowa. M. H. Wilmot and wife have
no children except an adopted daughter,
ELLA WILMOT. They reside half a
mile east of Illiopolis. Mr. Wilmot has
been elected five years in succession, to
represent Illiopolis township in the Board
of Supervisors of Sangamon county, be-
ginning with the election of April, 1870.
He was chairman of the board for 1872
and '3. He also served five years as Justice
of the Peace and Police Magistrate in
Mechanicsburg and Illiopolis.
JOHN M., born April 23, 1834, in
Harrison county, Ky., raised in Sangamon
county, married in Griggsville, Pike coun-
ty, 111., Oct. 6, 1859, to Frances E. Green-
leaf, daughter of Rev. Calvin Greenleaf,
of the Baptist church. She was born in
120
EARLY SETTLERS OF
Pike county, June 15, 1841. Mr. and
Mrs. Bird had three children, CLAR-
ENCE I. died in his third year. NEL-
LIE M. and CALVIN MORRIS reside
with their parents, in Mechanicsburg.
GEORGE W., horn Nov. 16, 1849,
in Sangamon county, resides with his par-
ents.
Morris Bird and wife reside at Mechan-
icsburg. He was commissioned as Post-
master at Mechanicsburg, March 28, 1848,
during the administration of President
Taylor, and has held the office under all
administrations to the present time.
BIRD, RICHARD, was born
Nov. 19, 1804, in Mason county, Ky. He
united with the M. E. church, in 1824, and
commenced preaching in 1827. His first
circuit was in the southern part of the
State, and extended into Tennessee. By
a singular coincidence, his colleagues bore
such names as to indicate that the trio be-
long to the feathered species of animated
nature, Crow, Martin and Bird. Rev.
Richard Bird was married, March 8, 1832,
in Shelby county, Ky., to Lucinda N.
Fullinwider. They had two children in
Kentucky, and came to Sangamon county,
111., settling near Mechanicsburg, and at
once united with the 111. Conf. M. E.
church, and commenced the work of a
traveling preacher. They had seven
children in Illinois, three of whom died
under seven years. The two born in Ken-
tucky died in Illinois, one at five and the
other at two years of age. Of the other
four
FRANCES M., born Aug. 23, 1836,
in Sangamon county, married Thomas
Scott, and had four children ; two died in
infancy. CHARLES W. and HAR-
RIET B. reside with their mother. She
was married Jan. 10, 1867, to Rev. Reuben
Gregg, of the M. E. Church. They have
three living children, ARTHUR B., EDA F.,
ALLEN c. and LURA R. They reside at
Augusta, 111.
RICHARD C, born August 8, 1838,
in Tazewell county, 111., married, Sept. 26,
1860, at Chatham, Sangamon county, to
Addie Hesser. He enlisted in 1862, for
three years, in Co. A., 730! 111. Inf. He
was injured, Sept. 26, 1862, in Louisville,
Ky., by a drunken driver upsetting an
army wagon, which fell upon him and
came near causing his death. He was dis-
charged on account of physical disability,
Feb. 23, 1863. He lost his right hand by
firing a salute at Mechanicsburg, July 4,
1864. Mr. and Mrs Bird had three child-
ren in Sangamon county, and in the fall of
1866 moved to Kansas, where they had
four. Their names are EDWARD T.,
ALLISON E., HENRY E., RICH-
ARD N., JOHN M., LUCINDA A.
and HARRIET F., and reside near
Ottawa, Kansas.
JACOB F., born August 5, 1846, in
Sangamon county, married Sept. 16, 1873,
at Payson, 111., to Mrs. Anna E. Vickers,
whose maiden name was Hughes. She
was born Dec. 31, 1849, in Butler county,
Ohio. They reside at the family home-
stead, adjoining Mechanicsburg on the
south.
THOMAS J/., born Sept. 10, 1848,
in Sangamon county, married, Oct. 19,
1871, at Decatur, to Florence M. Wood,
who was born Sept. 10, 1851, at Clarence-
ville, Lower Canada. They have two child-
ren, JOHN RICHARD and ETHEL
LUCINDA, and reside one and a half
miles southwest of Mechanicsburg.
Rev. Richard Bird considers the vicinity
of Mechanicsburg his home, but continues
to travel as a preacher in the M. E. church,
in the Illinois Conference. His residence
for the conference year of 1875-6 is
Easton, Mason county, 111.
BIRD, JOANNA, was born
Nov. 20, 1807, in Mason county, Ky.,
married to James M. Dixon. See his
name. He died and she married John C.
Eckel. See his name.
B I R D, T H O M AS, was born Dec.
25, 1809, in Mason county, Ky., came to
Sangamon county in 1835. He never
married, and died Sept. u, 1858, near
Mechanicsburg.
BIRD, A BRA HAM, born Aug.
30, 1813, in Mason county, Ky., came to
Sangamon county in 1836, married, May
9, 1839, to Nancy Riddle. Thev had one
child
DA VII) /?., born April 26, 1841, in
Sangamon county. He enlisted; was
with his cousin, Dr. Riddle, all through
the war to suppress the rebellion. Present
residence not known.
Mrs. Nancy Bird died April 26, 1841,
and Abraham Bird died Feb. 19, 1853,
both in Sangamon countv.
BIRD, HENRY, was born Dec.
15, 1815, in Mason county, Ky., came to
SANGAMON COUNT?.
121
Sangamon county in 1836, was married
Sept. 30, 1841,10 Margaret J. Hussey,who
was born April 5, 1821, in Sangamon
county, 111. Two children were born
there, and in 1845 they moved overland in
wagons, to Yamhill county, Oregon. Five
children were born there, and they moved
to Portland, Multnomah county, Oregon,
where one child was born. Of their nine
children
CLARISSA, born August 30, 1842,
in Sangamon county, 111., married in Or-
egon, July 30, 1861, to Hiram Ransom,
and resides in California.
MART E., born June 23, 1844, in
Sangamon county, married in Oregon,
Dec. 29, 1869, to W. S.James. She died
Feb. 19, 1874, in Portland, Oregon, leaving
two children, viz: ELLA and MARY,
the latter died August 9, 1874. Mr. James
resides in Portland.
NATHAN H., born Dec. 12, 1846, in
Yamhill county, was married March 15,
1870, to Alice Talbot. They have two
children, WALTER and VIOLA, and
reside near Bellvue, Yamhill county, Ore-
gon.
RICHARD, born April 5, 1848, in
Yamhill county, is unmarried, and resides
in Portland.
JOHN, born Sept. 20, 1851, in Yam-
hill county, is unmarried, and resides in
Portland.
CORXELIA E., born Nov. 20,
1853, in Yamhill county, resides with her
mother.
STEPHEN, born Oct. 9, 1855, in
Yamhill county, resides near Sheridan,
Yamhill county, on a farm.
BENJAMIN M., born April i, 1858,
in Yamhill county, resides with his mother.
WILLIAM ^born Dec. n, 1862, in
Portland, resides with his mother.
Henry Bird died August 20, 1873, in
Portland, and his widow resides there.
BIRD, HETTY E., was born
July 9, 1818, in Mason county, Ky., came
with her mother to Sangamon county in
1835. She was married near Mechanics-
burg, Feb. 25, 1845, to Samuel Powers,
who was born April 28, 1797, in Hamp-
shire county, Va. They had one child,
and Mrs. Powers died, March 16, 1851, in
Sangamon county. Mr. Powers moved
to Iowa with his daughter
RHODA A., born Sept. 19, 1848, in
Sangamon county, and married in Iowa,
16
July 22, 1865, to Barzilla Reeves, who
was born April 5, 1841. They had five
children in Iowa. Their second child,
ISAAC N., died in his fourth year. AN-
DREW J., DAVID M., GARRISON
B. and HESTER A., reside with their
parents, near Sidney, Fremont county,
Iowa.
Samuel Powers resides in Atchison
county, Mo.
BIRD, ABIGAIL, was born
Sept. 27, 1824, in Mason county, Ky.,
came with her mother to Sangamon coun-
ty, 111., in 1835, married, Oct. 12, 1843, to
Hugh Sutherland. He was born May 4,
1816, in Edinburgh, Scotland, came to
America in 1827, remained in the Atlantic
States until 1841, when he came to San-
gamon county. Mr. and Mrs. S. had nine
children, Charles W., next to the young-
est, died in his third year. Of the other
eight
HESTER J., born Dec. 21, 1844, in
Sangamon county, married March 17,
1869, to Joseph N. Burcham, have two
children, REUBEN and JOHN L., and
reside three and a quarter miles east of
Mechaniscburg.
BETST J., born Sept. 17, 1846, died
Sept. 2, 1858.
JOHN G., born April 28, 1848, in
Sangamon county, married, August 31,
1870, in his native county, to Mary J.
Peak. They had two children, AR-
THUR CLARK and CARLOS B.
The latter died in his second year. Mrs.
S. died March 12, 1875, in the twenty-
seventh year of her age. John G. Suther-
land resides at Warrensburg, 111.
ELLEN R. born Jan. 30, 1850, in
Sangamon county, married Feb. 14, 1875,
to William Upton, and resides three and
a half miles east of Mechanicsburg.
ABIGAIL ANN, born Dec. 23, 1851,
in Sangamon county, married Feb. 7,
1875, to Charles Mussenden, and resides
four miles east of Mechanicsburg.
THOMAS M., born Sept. 8, 1854,
J IIJGH A., born Dec, 12, 1856, and
CHAR LET B., born Dec. 29, 1861.
The three latter reside with their par-
ents, adjoining Illiopolis on the east.
BLACK, SAMUEL, was born
July 2, 1798, in Augusta county, Va.
Mildred Gaines, a niece of Mrs. Peter Cart-
wright, was born Oct. 4, 1802, in Char-
lotte county, Va. They were married,
122
EARLY SETTLERS OF
Feb. 20, 1822, near Hopkinsville, Ky..
where their parents had emigrated when
they were quite young. They had one
child in Kentucky, and moved to Sanga-
mon county, 111., arriving Nov. 19, 1825,
in what is now Cartwright township,
where they had two children, and in 1828
moved to Morgan county, where seven
children were born. Of their children
ELIZA, horn Dec. 31, 1824, in Ken-
tucky, married George Ragen, have seven
children, and reside in Cass countv, Iowa.
JAMES R., born July 5, 1826, in
Sangamon county, married Dec. 13, 1863,
to Arvilla M. McMurphy, who was born
Nov. 25, 1833, in St. Lawrence countv,
N. Y. They have four children, VIC-
TOR C., JENNIE M., IONA C. and
ALBERT C., and reside one and a quar-
ter miles north of Pleasant Plains, with-
in half a mile of where he was born, on
the farm of his grandfather, Rev. Richard
Gaines.
WILLIAM, born April 5, 1828, in
Sangamon county, married Jane Short,
and died in three months after marriage.
SARAH B., born May i, 1833, m Mor-
gan county, married Til man Sharp, has
one child, and resides in Morgan county.
JOHN, born Dec. 3, 1830, just before
the "deep snow," married Sarah Vaughn,
have three children, LOU ELLA, J. W.
and J. R., and reside in Morgan county.
AMY, born Feb. 5, 1839, died Sept. 8,
1869.
MARTHA G., born Feb. 4, 1835, is
unmarried, and resides with her parents.
SAMUEL, Jim., born June 27, 1837,
married, Dec. 2, 1860, to Mary Self, have
two children, W. E. and C. S., and reside
in Morgan county.
MARY J,, born March 9, 1842, mar-
ried, Sept. 20, 1 86 1, to James Phillips,
who died, and she married Wm. Self, and
resides in Cass county.
MILDRED, born Jan. 7, 1845, mar-
ried Samuel T. Mattix, has one child, and
resides in Morgan county.
Samuel Black and his wife reside six
miles north of Jacksonville, surrounded
by most of their children. Mr. Black
made his first trip to Sangamon county to
move the mother of Rev. Peter Cart-
wright. He made, altogether, seven
round trips with a six horse team, when
there were no roads,' in moving the Cart-
wright, Gaines and Black families.
BLACK, WILLIAM, born
about 1793, in Edinburgh, Scotland. lie
came to America when young, landing at
Philadelphia. A stone cutter by trade, he
was employed on some of the banks and
other public buildings in that city, finish-
ing with a contract on Girard College.
Anna Young was born April 6, 1 798, in
the city of Philadelphia. William Black
and Anna Young were there married,
Dec. 7, 1820. Their nine children were
born in Philadelphia, one of whom died
young. Mr. Black came to Springfield
in the fall of 1839, and April, 1840, his
family arrived and moved to a farm he
had purchased, six miles northeast of
Springfield. Of their eight children
JOHA r , born April 12, 1822, is unmar-
ried. He went to California in 1849, and
now resides in San Francisco.
WILLIAM,]m\., born April 21, 1824,
in Philadelphia, was drowned, April 9,
1849, in a slough near where the Gilman
and Clinton railroad crosses the Sangamon
river.
HENRY,\>orn July 23, 1826, in Phil-
adelphia, married, May 3, 1871, in Hum-
boldt, Kansas, to Mrs. Artenecia A. Cham-
bers, whose maiden name was Braclshaw.
They have two children ANNA A. and
BLANCHE, and reside at Humboldt,
Kansas.
JAMES, born July 8, 1828, in Phila-
delphia, was married March 2, 1852, to
Amanda A. Cartmell. They had one
child, and Mrs. Black died, Jan. u, 1854.
Mr. Black was married, Feb. 5, 1862, to
Eliza A. Cartmell. They have four child-
ren. Of his five children, WILLIAM
L., by the first marriage, and the other
four, W r ALTER B., ALVIN F., AMAN-
DA M. and EMMA T., reside with their
father, on the farm settled by his father in
1840, six miles northeast of Springfield.
GEORGE W., born August 15, 1830,
married Sept. 21, 1858,10 Sarah A. Mann.
They had eight children, two of whom
died young. MARY E., ELIZABETH,
ANNIE L., HENRY F., THOMAS
M. and CHARLES W., and reside on
Round Prairie, five miles east of Spring-
field, between the mouth of Spring Creek
and South Fork.
ANNA E., born Sept. 26, 1832, mar-
ried, Jan. I, 1852,10 Marion F. Whitesides.
(See his name.')
SANGAMON COUNTT.
FRANCIS G., born Feb. 27, 1835,
married, Oct. 4, 1859, to Elizabeth Ham-
mond. They had two children, JOHN
W. and ELIZA J., and Mr. Black en-
listed August, 1862, in Co. G., i I4th 111.
Inf., for three years, and died of disease at
Vicksburg, just after the surrender by the
rebels, July 4, 1863. His remains were
brought home and interred near German
Prairie Station. His children reside with
their mother, who married A. R. Welch.
WALTER C., born Sept. 22, 1837,
enlisted in Co. G., i I4th 111. Inf., for three
years, August =5, 1862, was twice slightly
wounded, served full time, and was honor-
ably discharged, August 10, 1865. He
was married, Feb. 5, 1866, to Permelia F.
Cartmell. They have three children,
ANNA C., FRANCIS E. and ORA
EVA, and reside two miles southeast of
Riverton. *
Margaret Allison lived as one of the
family of William Black, in Philadelphia.
She came with the family to Sangamon
county, and died Sept. 20, 1840, aged 29
years.
William Black died Dec. 15, 1858, and
his widow died July 25, 1874, both on the
farm where they settled in 1840. Mr.
Black became a member of the Scots
Thistle Society soon after his arrival in
Philadelphia, and remained a member as
long as he lived.
BLACK, THOMAS, was born
Oct. 25, 1768, and went from South Caro-
lina to Christian co'unty, Ky., where he
was married to Edith A. Pyle. They
moved to southern Illinois just before the
"Shakes" meaning the earthquake of
1811, that sunk New Madrid, Missouri.
They fled in terror back to Kentucky ;
but finding the earth did not all sink, they
returned to southern Illinois, and moved
to what became Sangamon county, arriv-
ing April 9, 1819, in what is now Auburn
township. Of their children, vix
.SARAH, born July 3, 1796, in Ken-
tucky, married there to a Mr. Edwards.
They had one child, SUSAN, who mar-
ried W m. Woods. Mr. Edwards died, and
his widow married Bailey Taylor. They
had three children, viz: AMANDA mar-
ried Peter Wheeler. EMMA married Mil-
ler Bagby. THOMAS B. was married
in"i866. He had three children ; one is dead.
Mr. Taylor died, and the family moved to
McDonough county, 111., and from there
to Iowa, where she died.
DA I ID, born Sept. 17, 1798, in Ken-
tucky, married Jan. 2, 1823, in Sangamon
county, to Sarah Moffitt. They had six
children. WILLIAM married Millie
Moore, and live near Belleville, St. Clair
county. GEORGE married Viney
Broom, and resides near Blue Mound,
Macon county, 111. EDITH A. married
Wm. Simmons. He died, and Mrs. S.
married Mr. Brown. They reside in
Texas. The others are ANN E., LEAN-
DER and FRANCIS. David Black
died Oct. 7, 1856, in Chatham township,
and his widow resides with her youngest
son, in Macon county, near Blue Mound.
ELlZABETH,\>orn March 6, 1803,
in Kentucky, was married in Sangamon
county to John Harris. They had one
child, JAMES, who was drowned in a
mill pond while fishing, aged fourteen
years. Mr. and Mrs. Harris both died in
Macoupin county.
NANCT, born Aug. 4, 1806, in Ken-
tucky, married in Sangamon county, Aug.
1 8, 1833, to John N. Viney, who died
Jan. 5, 1871, and Mrs. Nancy V. died
May 23, 1871, without children. See his
name,
JOHN, born Aug. 8, 1809, in Ken-
tucky, married in Sangamon county, Aug.
4, 1831, to Sarah Myers. They had nine
children; three died young. Of the other
six, ELMINA died Feb. 23, 1858, aged
22 years. DRUSILLA, born Aug. 30,
1837, m Sangamon county, married June
:o, 1856, to James Babcock. They had
nine children; one died young. RICHARD
j. o. died Aug. 4, 187^. WILLIAM died
Aug. 23, 1875. LAURA, ELLEN, ALI5KRT
M., ADDIK M., IRA J. and ANNETTA E.
The family reside near Oreana, Macon
county, 111". THOMAS, born Oct. 6,
1839, in Sangamon county, was married
April 12, 1863,10 Mary M. Leu is, who
died Dec. 21, 1865, and he was married
Feb. 3, 1868. to Emily C. (Irave>, who
died Aug. 10, 1871, leaving one child,
FLOSSIE L. Mr. Black \vas married Apul
6, 1873^, to Martha J. Dodds. They have
one child, a son, and reside two miles east
of Auburn. ALBERT M., born Sept.
14, 1843, in Sangamon county, was mar-
ried June 24, 1 86^, to Salome T. Ham.
Thev have two children, and reside near
Pawnee. ADALIXE M., born May -'5,
I2 4
EARLY SETTLERS OF
1847, married Aug. 2, 1865, to Wm. D.
Patton. See his name. She died Jan.
26, 1875, leaving two children. JOHN
W., born Sept. 29, 1851, in Sangamon
county, married Feb. 2, 1873, to Susan R.
Kimble. They have two children, JOHN
D. and EMILY, and reside three miles east
of Auburn. John Black died Aug. I,
1855, and his widow, Mrs. Sarah Black,
died March 18, 1858, both in Auburn town-
ship.
THOMAS, born Sept. 3, 1813, in
Christian county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county, March 7, 1855, to Mary J.
Wallace, who was born Nov. i, 1831.
They have three children, EDITH,
MARY F. and MARCHIE, and reside
in less than half a mile of where his father
settled in 1819, about three and a half
miles east of Auburn.
CARTER T., born Jan. 24, 1818,
was married Oct. 8, 1840, to Mary C.
Coberly, who was born Nov. 7, 1820. Of
their six children, namely: ELLEN E.,
born in Auburn township, July 12, 1841,
married July i, 1858, to J. T. Graves.
They have six children, ROBERT L., MARY
N., ZILDAH S., WILLIAM J., MARK and
CATHARINE, and reside in Butler, Bates
county, Mo. JOSEPH C., born Aug.
29, 1843, in Auburn township, 111., died in
Missouri. CHARLES C., born Aug. 22,
1845, in Andrew county, Mo., died in
Nodaway county, Mo. WILLIAM T.,
born May 21, 1848, in Andrew county,
Mo., married in Nodaway county to Mary
C. Crabtree, Dec. 29, 1869. They had
one child, JAMES T. Wm. T. Black and
son died in Bates county, Mo. GEORGE
H., born March n, 1858, in Nodaway
county, Mo., and JOHN D., born Sept.
16, 1860, in Nodaway county, reside there.
Mrs. Carter Black died May 14, 1875,
in Nodaway county, Mo. Carter Black
is now (1876) in Sangamon county.
Mrs. Edith A. Black died April 15,
1822, and Thomas Black was married in
1823 or '4 to Mrs. Rebecca Viney, whose
maiden name was Shiles. She died Feb.
13, 1851, and Mr. B. died Nov. 3, 1851,
aged 84 years, both where he settled in
1819.
BLUE, JOHN, was born Sept. 9,
1777, in South Carolina. His father was
a soldier in the Revolutionary army, and
was taken prisoner by the British the
very day of his birth. His parents moved
to Fleming county, Ky., when he was
quite young. Elizabeth McNary was
born in South Carolina, and taken by her
parents to Fleming county, Ky., also.
They were there married about 1806, had
seven children in that county, and then
moved to Hopkins county, where they
had four children. About 1823 they
moved to Green county, O., where they
had two children, and then moved to San-
gamon county, arriving in the fall of 1830,
in what is now Clear Lake township.
MARTHA married Robert Blue, had
six children and died.
SAMUEL married Isabel Webb, had
eight children, and resides in Missouri.
DA VID H., born Sept. 23, 1816, in
Fleming county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county May 19, 1844, to Fannie
Webb. They had two children, one of
whom died young. MELISSA C. mar-
ried Abel P. Bice. See his name. David
H. Blue resides two miles north of Bar-
clay.
ELIZA married Adolphus Jones, had
one child, and all died.
WILLIAM M., born in Fleming
county, Ky., married in Sangamon county
to Adaline.Cline. They had five child-
ren. JAMES H. married Catharine
Dunlap, had one child, DORA E., and live
in Fancy creek township. GEORGE
W., LUCY, DAVID and PARTHEN-
IA, live with their mother. William M.
Blue enlisted in Aug., 1862, in Co. C, 114
111. Inf., for three years. He was killed
at the battle of Guntown, Miss., June 10,
1864. His widow married M. Hardman,
and lives near Cantrall.
HA RRISON married Margaret Alex-
ander. They had three children, and he
died in Fancy creek township.
CAROLINE married Stephen Can-
trail. They have six children, and live
near Kansas City, Mo.
AMOS went to Oregon when a young
man, and resides in Jackson county.
John Blue died in 1842, and his widow
in 1848, both in Sangamon county.
BONDURANT. The first known
of the name in America was Dr. Joseph
Bondurant, a Huguenot, who was ban-
ished from France on account of his relig-
ion, during the reign of Queen Anne,
about the year 1700. He was wealthy in
France, but could only bring his library
with him. He and his companions, Ford,
SANG A MON COUNTT.
Agee, O'Briant and Shatteen, all settled
in Virginia.
BON DURA NT, JOSEPH.
The fourth generation from Dr. Joseph
Bondurant, was born Sept. 15, 1801, in
Bedford county, Va., moved to Kentucky
in early life, and was married Oct. 27,
1823, to Martha Sharp. They moved to
Sangamon county Oct., 1828. He was
one of the early school teachers in the
Dickerson neighborhood. They had
eleven children, namely
JOHN T., born June 5, 1824, in Ken-
tucky, raised in Sangamon county, mar-
ried near DesMoines, Iowa, in 1848, to
Virginia Cooney. In 1850 he emigrated
to California, and died in Sacramento,
Dec. 23, 1850, of disease contracted while
crossing the plains, leaving a childless
widow.
LUCRE TIA y., born Nov. 4, 1825,
in Kentucky, married Nov., 1845, in San-
gamon county, to Joel Churchill. See his
name. They reside at DeLand, Piatt
county, 111.
ELIZABETH T., born April 28,
1827, in Kentucky, married in Athens,
111., May 15, 1842, to William Miller, of
that place, where they resided until 1852,
when they moved to Mechanicsburg.
They had nine children, namely: MAR-
THA E., married Jan. 16, 1872, to T. P.
Lofland. She died June 14, 1873, leaving
a son six months old, to be brought up by
her aunt, Margaret D. Underwood. AN-
NIE M., JOHN T. and THOMAS B.
died under ten years. ALBERT D.,
JOSEPH W., SARAH J., AMANDA
B. and GEORGE L. live with their
mother. William Miller died July 17,
1868. His widow and children live in
Mechanicsburg.
ALEXANDER C., born Sept. i,
1829, in Sangamon county. He went to
Iowa in the winter of 1856, and was mar-
ried there Oct., i86i,to Margaret Brooks,
of DesMoines. They had seven child-
ren, namely: EMMA, FANNIE, LIZ-
ZIE, FRANK, FLORENCE, BUR-
TON and NELLIE, and reside near
Altoona, Polk county, Iowa.
THOMAS C., born Dec. 29, 1831, in
Sangamon county, settled in Piatt county
in 1856, near DeLand, Piatt county, 111.
SAMUEL T., born Dec. 9, 1834, in
Sangamon county, married Nov. 15, 1860,
in Douglas county, to Sarah Ellen Barnett.
They have two living children, and reside
near Wabash, Wayne county, 111. He en-
listed August 7, 1862, for three years, in
Co. E., ^th 111. Inf. Dec. 2, 1862, he
was detailed to the Pioneer Corps depart-
ment of the Cumberland. March 19, 1863,
he took charge of- four saw mills, on
Stone's river, Tenn., and put them in or-
der. Sept. 15, 1863, he was ordered to
Chattanooga, where he took charge of
building water-works, on the 8th of Octo-
ber, doing the civil engineering with a
common spirit level. He remained in
charge until May 15, 1865, when he re-
signed for the purpose of perfecting some
inventions of his own. He is now en-
gaged in the lumber trade.
MAR G ARE 7\/?.,born Jan. 31, 1837,
married Oct. 28, 1858, to Thomas Under-
wood. See his name.
MART E., born Feb. 3, 1840, is un-
married, and resides with her brother
Thomas, near DeLand, Piatt county, 111.
MARTHA K, born March 24, 1842,
in Sangamon county, married Jan., 1864,
to William Thornton, of DesMoines,
Iowa. They have three children, namely :
LILLIE, LUCY and HARRY, and re-
side near DesMoines.
JOSEPHN., born May 2, 1844. He
went to Iowa in 1866, and married in 1867
to Sarah DeVore. They had three child-
ren, WILLIAM, EARNEST and
FRANK. In 1871 Mr. J. N. Bondurant
returned to DeWitt county, 111., and re-
sides near Farmer City.
AMANDA E., born April 25, 1847,
in Sangamon county, died Oct. 4, 1858.
Mr. Joseph Bondurant died April 30,
1864, at his daughter's, Mrs. Lucretia
Churchill, near Mechanicsburg. Mrs.
Martha Bondurant resides with her son
Thomas, near DeLand, Piatt county, III.
BOLL, VALENTINE J., was
born April 22, 1807, at Flersheim, Nas-
sau, Germany. He came to America in
1833, arriving June 29, at Baltimore, being
forty-four days from Bremen. He went
to New Philadelphia, O., to see a relative,
thence to St. Louis, and from there to
Sangamon county, and made pottery for
Chistopher Newcomer two years. In the
fall of 1836 he started back to Germany
by way of New Orleans, and arrived at
his native town Jan. 2, 1837. He was
there married, April 2, 1837, to Elizabeth
C. Heller. She was born Feb. 13, 1819,
126
EARLY SETTLERS OF
in the same town. They embarked June
12, 1837, at Amsterdam, and were forty-
nine days on the passage to New York.
He went via Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland,
thence to Portsmouth, on the Ohio river,
thence to St. Louis and back to Sanga-
mon county, late in 1837. His father,
step-mother and five children, a married
sister and her husband, Garred Young,
and others, making a total of seventeen
persons, came with him. He made pot-
tery in Ball township for about eighteen
years, and then engaged in farming exclu-
sively. They had nine children, all born
in Sangamon county, two of whom died
young. Of the other seven
GARHARD, born Nov. 2, 1838, in
Sangamon county, married Jan. 5, 1862,
to Mary J. Greenawalt. They had five
children, THOMAS H. and JAMES-A.,
the first and fourth, died young; MARY
E., AMANDA F. and SARAH M., re-
side with their parents, one mile northwest
of Pawnee.
ELIZABETH, born in Sangamon
county, married John T. Burtle, Jun. See
his name.
PAUL A., born in Sangamon county,
resides with his parents.
GEORGE P., born in Sangamon
county, married Mary M. Mollihorn.
They had two children, WILLIAM A.
and CHARLES V., and reside in Ball
township.
CATHARINE J. married Patrick
McAnanry, have two children, MAT-
THEW and ROSA, and reside at Tallula.
MARGARET and E VA reside with
their parents in Ball township, five miles
southeast of Chatham.
BALL, JACOB born about 1829,
at Flersheim, Nassau, Germany, came to
America, and to Sangamon county, with
his half-brother Valentine, in 1837. He
was married in 1867 to Sarah Conner.
They have two children
E LIZ ABE TH and THOMA S, and
reside in Ball township, six miles south-
east of Chatham.
BOWEN, ZAZA, was born Oct.
24, igo6, in Guilford county, N. C. His
father died when he was two years old,
and his mother, with her four children, the
eldest of whom was married, moved to
Cabell county, West Va., in 1817. Zaza
Bowen and Mary Knight were married
June 25, 1827, in that county, and hi the
fall of that year moved to Sangamon
county, 111., arriving Dec. 4, 1827, in what
is now Loami township. They had seven
children in Sangamon county. The two
eldest died under five years. Of the other
five children
REBECCA J., born June 28, 1831,
married in 1850, to James W. George.
They have three living children, and re-
side near Mt. Auburn, Christian county.
ABNER, born Feb. 24, 1833, in San-
gamon county, married March 16, 1856,
to Frances A. Cutter. They have four
children. WALTER, N. C., and JOHN
CALHOUN, twins; ZAZA A. and
WILLIAM J. Not having a daughter,
they adopted one, whom they call KATIE
BOWEN. They reside on the farm set-
tled in 1828 by Mrs. B.'s father, S. R.
Cutter. It is two and a half miles north-
west of Loami.
ELIZABETH, born Nov. 13, 1834,
in Sangamon county, married Robert M.
Park. See his name.
ISABEL A., born Dec. 26, 1836, mar-
ried in 1855, to Charles W. Fisher. They
had five children, MARY E., NANCY
E., ELIZABETH C., WILLIAM Z.
and JOHN N. Mrs. F. and her children
reside three miles west of Loami.
WILLIAM A., born July 28, 1838,
died Oct. n, 1860.
Mrs. Mary Bowen died Dec. 31, 1839,
and Zaza B. married, Jan. 7, 1841, to Sarah
Park. They had four children; all died
under nine years.
Mrs. Sarah Bowen died Sept. 28, 1860,
and Zaza Bowen was married, Sept. 17,
1863, to Mrs. Lydia M. Light, whose
maiden name was Patterson. They reside
three miles west of Loami, on the farm
where he settled in 1836. Zaza Bowen
remembers Springfield when it was a col-
lection of round log huts, covered with
clapboards held on by weight poles. He
remembers seeing the jail covered with a
stack of hay.
BOWLING, JAMES, was born
March 8, 1790, in Fauquier county, Va.,
was taken by his parents to Tennessee
when he was nine years old, and from
there to Logan county, Ky., in 1808. He
was there married, Oct. 17, 1817, to Mar-
garet Jones, who was born Nov. 18, 1793,
in Mercer county, Ky. James Bowling
and wife left, the day after their marriage,
for Bond county, 111. They moved on
SANGAMON COUNTT.
127
horseback, each riding a horse and leading
a pack horse, to carry their goods. One
child was born in Bond county, 111., and
they moved to Sangamon county, arriving
in 1819, in what is now Rochester town-
ship, on the farm now owned by R. P.
Abel, adjoining Rochester on the west.
In 1830 they moved one mile north. They
had six children in Sangamon county. Of
their seven children
ELIZABETH W., born Sept. 22,
1818, in Bond county, 111., was married in
Sangamon county, April 27, 1843, to
lames M. Logan. See his name. '
EL}'IRA /*., born Feb. 25, 1820, in
Sangamon county, was married April 28,
1844, to Daniel Barr. They had three
children. JAMES THOMAS married
Elizabeth Atkinson. They had two child-
ren, LOUIE and MATTIE, and Mr. Ban-
died, March 13, 1875, leaving his widow
and children in Rochester. MARGA-
RET E., born Oct. 16, 1846, married
Samuel West. See his name. CHAS.
E. born August 18, 1850, married, Dec. 2,
1873, to Louisa D. West, and lives in
Rochester. Daniel Barr and wife reside
in Rochester.
JOHN P., born Jan. 12, 1822, in San-
gamon county, was married Oct. 14, 1846,
in Green county, to Maria Lorton. They
had three children. Their second child,
SARAH M., died at Mt. Auburn in 1854,
in her fourth year. WILLIAM K. was
born Jan. i, 1849, and married August 27,
1874, to Alice Jernigan, who was born in
Greenville, Ky., and resides near Virden,
111. JAMES R., born Aug. 10, 1859, re-
sides with his parents, near Virden, 111.
JULIAN F., born Feb. 5, 1824, in
Sangamon county, was married Sept. 6,
1845, to Abraham E. Nickolls. He had
previously been married, and had two
children. They had seven children, and
Mrs. Nickolls "died, Feb. 28, 1867, Of
their children, ANDREW T. resides at
Rochester, 111. MARGARET A. mar-
ried William Morgan,1 and resides near
Mt. Auburn. EMILY S. married John
Shewmaker, and resides near Decatur.
MARY J. married William Murphy, and
resides at Topeka, Kansas. ELIZA-
BETH A. married Wm. Meek, and re-
sides at Central City, Colorado. JAMES
B. and ELVIRA M. reside with their
father, at Kingsville, Kansas.
JANE A., born Oct. 6, 1826, adjoin-
ing Rochester on the west. She was mar-
ried, Feb. 2, 1854, to John Cassity, who
was born Jan. 12, 1821, in Bourbon coun- ,
ty, Ky., and came to Sangamon county in
the fall of 1830. They had five children,
three of whom died in infancy. WIL-
LIAM, born May 4, 1857, and FRANK,
born March 21, 1867, reside with their
parents, in Rochester, within 200 yards of
where Mrs. Cassity was born.
ARMIZA T., born Jan. 30, 1830, in San-
gamon county, was married, Mar. 10, 1853,
to John S. Highmore, who was born Sept.
22, 1828, in Somersetshire, England. He
came to America in 1849, and to Sanga-
mon county in March, 1850. They had
two children. LAURA, born Jan. 27,
1854, married John F. Miller, (see his
name^) and resides in Edinburg. AR-*
MIZA resides with her aunt, Jane A.
Cassity, who brought her up. Mrs.
Highmore died August 27, iS=;6, and Mr.
Highmore was married March, 1860, to
Mary A. Cloyd. See name of Cloyd.
They had three children, and Mrs. H.
died, and Mr. Highmore was married the
third time, to Mrs. Mary Price, widow of
Dr. Price, who was born in Virginia.
They reside in Rochester. He has been
a member of the county board of super-
visors from 1863 to 1867, and from 1872
to 1875.
Mrs. Margaret Bowling died Nov. 14,
1846, and James Bowling died April 12,
1853, both near Rochester.
BOYD, JOHN, was born Feb. 13,
1777, in Pennsylvania, and went to Bote-
tourt county, Va., when a young man.
Susannah Hiner was born Dec. 22, 1780,
in Botetourt county, Va., and they were
there married June 26, 1802. Two child-
ren were born in Virginia, and they
moved to Franklin county, O., about 1806,
where six children were born. The fam-
ily then moved to Sangamon county, 111.,
arriving in the fall of 1819 in what is now
Ball township, where one child was born.
Mr. Boyd was a millwright, and his ser-
vices were in great demand. In the fall
of 1830 he was at work on a mill on the
Sangamon river north of Rochester,
known afterwards as Baker and Darling's
mill. Wishing to visit his family, and
having some business at Springfield, he
went there first, and then started home.
A heavy sleet was falling at the time,
128
EARLT SETTLERS OF
which proved to be the precursor of the
deep snow. The walking was laborious,
and the next day his body was found by
his neighbor, Christopher Newcomer. It
was six miles southeast of Springfield, on
what is now the farm of William South-
wick. He was found just as the snow
began to fall, and if he had lain another
day would not have been seen until
spring. Of his children
HANNAH, born in Botetourt county,
Va., was married in Sangamon county,
111., to John Dillon. They botii died near
the town of Dillon, in Tazewell county,
leaving six children residing there. JESSE
went to Arkansas, married and died there.
SUSANNAH was married Aug. 24,
1848, to Joseph Meredith, and died Dec.
24, 1868, in Christian county. MARY
married Timothy Larramore, and resides
near Tremont, Tazewell county, 111.
WILLIAM died in Sangamon county.
JANE resides with her sister Mary.
DANIEL served four years in an Illinois
regiment, and died in Tazewell county.
JOHN married, and resides in Iroquois
county, 111. ISAAC died in the Union
army.
MARY, born Jan. i, 1806, in Bote-
tourt county, Va., was married to George
Brunk. See his name.
JA C OB, born Oct. 30, 1 807, near
Columbus, O., married in Sangamon
county, 111., Sept i, 1833, to Rebecca
Royal. They had nine children in San-
gamon county. JOHN T., born in 1835,
married Sarah E. Clayton. They had
two children, GEORGE E. and EMERY A.,
and Mr. B. died April 5, 1874, in Taylor-
ville. WILLIAM H., born May i, 1837,
was married March 31, 1859, to Mary A.
Vigal. They have one daughter, FRAN-
CES D., and reside in Cotton Hill town-
ship, between Brush and Horse creeks.
GEORGE B., born Dec. 25, 1839, enlist-
ed Aug., 1862, in Co. E, 114 111. Inf., for
three years; served full time, and was
honorably discharged at Springfield. He
married Harriet Williams. They have
three children, CLARENCE E., SUSAN R.
and PHCKBE c., and reside in Cotton Hill
township. MARY married Alonzo
Sparks. They have two children, MAUD
and RAY, and reside near Girard, Kan.
SUSAN married Harvey Alexander.
They have four children, CHARLES M.,
JACOB w., LULIE M., and HATTIE E., and
reside near Girard, Kan. JAMES O.
served in Co. I, 7th 111. Inf., from Feb.,
1865, to the close of the rebellion. He
married Marietta Reed. They had two
children, REBECCA j. and JESSE M., and
reside in Cotton Hill township. SARAH
J. married Elijah D. Lawley. See his
name. They have two children, LOUIS E.
and FREDERICK G. DAVIS O. married
Sarah A. Campbell. They have two
children, OLIVE and CLARA A., and reside
in Cotton Hill township. VINCENT
C. died Aug. 22, 1871, in his eighteenth
year. Jacob Boyd and his wife reside in
Cotton Hill township.
THOMAS, born Oct. 25, 1809, was
married, and resided in St. Louis at the
close of the rebellion. He died about 1869.
JOHN, born Aug. 5, 1811, in Ohio,
married in Iowa to Elizabeth Dyer. They
reside near Ozark, Jackson county, Iowa.
He was a soldier from Sangamon county
in the Black Hawk war, and served in an
Iowa regiment during the rebellion.
BENJAMlN&\z& in his ninth year.
JOSEPH, born April i, 1816, in
Ohio, brought up in Sangamon county,
was married in Iowa to Anna Ray. He
enlisted in an Iowa regiment, and died at
Louisville, Ky., leaving a widow and
three children near Ozark, Iowa.
CA THARINE, born Oct. 26, 1818,
in Ohio, died in Sangamon county, aged
seventeen years.
SAMUEL, t \)oi-n Aug. 25, 1823, in
Sangamon county, died in his seventeenth
year.
Mrs. Susannah Boyd died Aug. 9, 1848,
in Sangamon county.
BOYER, WILLIAM T., was
born April 4, 1817, in Adair county, Ky.
Sarah A.Jackson was born Dec. 7, 1820,
in the same county. They were married
Oct. 24, 1839, near Franklin, Morgan
county, 111. They had one child in Mor-
gan county, and moved to what is now
New Berlin township, arriving in 1840.
They had ten children in Sangamon coun-
ty. Four of their children died under ten
years. Of the other six children
SARAH A., born Oct. 19, 1843, in
Sangamon county, married March 14,
1867, to John Mitchell. They had four
children, EMMA M. and LAURA A.
died under five years. RHODA E. and
ANNIE, and reside in Talkington town-
ship, seven miles west of Auburn.
SANGAMON COUNTT.
129
]\IART F., born Sept. 8, 1845, in San-
gamon county, married, March 30, 1863,
to John H. Cox. They have three child-
ren, WILLIAM H., GEORGE W. and
CHARLEY, and reside near Franklin,
Morgan county.
WILLIAM A., born Dec. 5, 1849, re-
sides with his parents.
ELIZA J., born March H, 1851,
married William A. Young, Nov. u,
1869, have one child, IN A, and reside in
Talkington township, six and a quarter
miles west of Auburn.
ANNIE M. and
JACOB C. reside with their parents,
six miles southwest of Loami.
BOZARTH, WILLIAM H.,
was born about 1796, in Grayson county,
Ky. Elizabeth Stewart was born in 1797,
in the same county, and they were there
married in 1819. They had four children
born in Kentucky, and moved to Sanga-
mon county, 111., in Oct., 1825, on Spring
creek, west of Springfield about two and
a half miles. Mr. Bozarth was killed by
a fall from a horse in December follow-
ing, only two months after coming to the
county. His widow returned to Ken-
tucky, was there married to Rawley Mar-
tin, returned to Sangamon county in the
fall of 1830, and settled on .Lick creek.
In 1840 Mr. .Martin moved to Warren
county, lo.wa. Of the four Bozarth
children
HIGGJNSONmi\\-r\e& Mary Bozarth,
in Grayson county, Ky., and remained
there.
OLVER H. P. married Elizabeth
Brooks, and resides in Grayson county,
Ky.
ELI L., born in Grayson county, Ky.,
married in Sangamon county to Artelia
Peddicord. They had five children. AR-
MINDA and MINERVA P. died young.
Eli L. Bozarth died Oct. 29, 1868. His
son, WILLIAM W., was drowned in
Sugar creek, April 21, 1869. The other
two children, VIOLA E. and PHCEBE,
reside with their mother at the house of
her father, Jonathan Peddecord, in Ball
township.
ISAA C H., born in Grayson county,
Ky,, married Rhoda Seybold, and resides
at Blandinville, McDonough county.
BRADFORD, JAMES M.,
was born Sept. 28, 1795, in Culpepper
county, Va. His parents moved to Scott
'7
county, Ky., when he was twelve years
old. His commencement in business was
trading down the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers. He was married July 4, 1820, at
Port Gibson, Miss., to Ann E. Barnes,
who was born Sept. 10, 1802, in North
Carolina, and in 1807 was taken by her
parents to Mississippi, where they settled.
She was educated at Port Gibson in a
French Catholic convent. After a resi-
dence of three years there, they moved to
Scott county, Ky., where they remained
one year, and moved to Franklin county,
near Frankfort, and within three miles of
Dick Johnson's Indian school. They had
four children in Kentucky, and moved to
Sangamon county, 111., arriving in the fall
of 1834, in what is now Gardner town-
ship. Of their four children
THOMAS A., born August 2, 1821,
at Port Gibson, Miss., brought by his par-
ents to Sangamon county, was educated at
McKendree College, Lebanon, 111., grad-
uated at that institution, and was mar-
ried in Lebanon to Jane Baker. He went
to Missouri and there enlisted in Co. B.,
Col. Doniphan's regiment, and marched
overland to Mexico, in 1846. Col. Doni-
phan had orders, on arriving at Chihuahua,
to report to Gen. Wool. He was unable
to learn the whereabouts of Gen. Wool,
and Thomas A. Bradford was one of six
men who volunteered to carry through the
dispatches, which they delivered to Gen.
Wool at Saltillo, having gone the distance
of three hundred miles, through an ene-
my's country, without the loss of a man.
He was, with John Calhoun, engaged in
the survey of public lands for the U. S.
Government, and died Dec. 25, 1856, near
Wyandotte, Kan., his wife and only child
having died before.
ELIZABETH E., born July 31,
1823, in Scott county, Ky., was married
in Sangamon county, May 24, 1840, to
David Madison. He died two years later,
leaving a son, JAMES B., who died at
fourteen years of age. Mrs. Madison re-
sides near Bradfordton, Sangamon county.
SUSAN, born May 25, 1825, in Ken-
tucky, married June n, 1858, in Sanga-
mon county, to William G. Hawkins,
who was born Sept. 14, 1827, in Boone
county, Ky., but resided in St. Louis at
the time of his marriage. They live in
Sangamon county.
130
EARLY SETTLERS OF
MARTHA A., born May 26, 1832, in
Kentucky, died while attending school in
Springfield, August, 1848. Mrs. Ann E.
Bradford died in Sangamon county, July
8, 1835, and James M. Bradford was mar-
ried, Dec. 27, 1836, to Arsenath Talbott.
They had six children in Sangamon coun-
ty, one of whom died in infancy. Of the
other five children
WILLIAM T., born June S, 1838,
was married Oct. i, 1861, to Grizella A.
Parkinson. They had six children. The
eldest, JAMES, and the fifth one, SUE
H., died under three years. ELIZA-
BETH A., THOMAS P., LAURA M.
and WILLIAM A., reside with their par-
ents, in Gardner township.
HARRIET E., born Feb. 3, 1841,
in Sangamon county, married Hiram E.
Gardner. See his name,
ISABELLA M. resides with her
mother in Springfield.
SARAH y., born Nov. 3, 1845, mar-
ried William H. Parkinson. See his
name.
EDWARD T., born May 19, 1850,
was married, Feb. 17, 1870, to Carrie M.
VanPatten. They have one child, ED-
WARD M., and reside at Bradfordton.
James M. Bradford died March 3, 1852,
and his widow resided on the farm which
has become Bi'adfordton, on the Ohio and
Mississippi railroad, until April, 1874, when
she moved to Springfield, and lives on north
fifth street. James M. Bradford was a
soldier in the war of 1812, from Scott
county, Ky. He served one term in the
General Assembly of Illinois, elected in
the fall of 1840.
BRADFORD, JOHN S., was
born June 9, 1815, in Philadelphia, Pa. His
father was a native of Delaware, and died
in Philadelphia in 1816. John S. learned
the trade of a book-binder in his native
city, and in 1835 started on foot for the
City of Mexico. He walked to Pitts-
burg, thence to Cincinnati by steamboat,
from there to Dayton, O., and Rich-
mond, Incl., working at his trade in all
the places he passed through. At Rich-
mond he was induced, in 1837, to join a
corps of United States engineers who
were then engaged in constructing what
was called the National Road. It was a
wagon road, built at the expense of the
United States government. The law
authorizing its construction was enacted
when the Democratic party was in power,
with one of its cardinal tenets: opposition
to all internal improvements by the gov-
ernment; but President Jackson favored
this because it was a military necessity.
The road commenced at Cumberland,
Md., crossed the Ohio river at Steuben-
ville, passed through Columbus, O., Rich-
mond, Indianapolis and Terre Haute, Ind.,
thence to Vandalia, 111. At the latter
point a determined contest arose between
the people of the States of Illinois and
Missouri, whether the point for crossing
the Mississippi river should be Alton or
St. Louis, the contestants fully believing
that the future great city of the Mississippi
valley depended on the decision of that
question. Before it was settled the public
mind became interested in railroads, and
the National Road ended at Vandalia. The
corps of engineers disbanded at the latter
point. The State capital was then in
transit from Vandalia to Springfield, and
Mr. Bradford came here, arriving Decem-
ber,' 1840. In the spring of 1841 he
bought the interest of Mr. Burchell in the
book-bindery of Burchell and Johnson,
and became one of the firm of Johnson
and Bradford.
John S. Bradford was married July 15,
1841, in Brandenburg, Ky., to Adaline M.
Semple, who was born O.ct., 1817, in
Cumberland county, Ky. He.r brother,
Hon. James Semple, was at that time
Charge de Affaires to New Grenada,
afterwards United States Senator from
Illinois, and still later one of the Judges
of the Supreme Court of the State.
Soon after coming to Springfield, J. S.
Bradford became Lieutenant in the
" Springfield Cadets. " They were or-
dered to Nauvoo by Gov. Ford in 1845,
serving two months in the " Mormon
war. " In 1846 Mr. Bradford enlisted in
Co. A, 4th 111. Inf., under Col. E. D.
Baker, and was appointed Quartermaster
by Gov. Ford. As such he accompanied
the regiment to Mexico, where he started
to go twelve years before with a book-
binder's outfit. After his arrival in Mex-
ico he was commissioned as commissary in
the United States army. He was at the
bombardment and capture of Vera Cruz,
battle of Cerro Gordo and others, return-
ing with the regiment to Springfield in
1847. The result of that war securing to
us California and the discovery of gold,
SAN GAM ON COUNTY.
'3'
Mr. Bradford started from Springfield
Jan. i, 1849, by the Isthmus of Panama
to California, and was eighty-seven days
on the Pacific ocean, reaching San Fran-
cisco May 20, 1849. He made Benicia
his headquarters, and when the military
commander of the department- of the
Pacific ordered a government to be
formed for a new State, Mr. Bradford
was elected to represent the district bound-
ed by Oregon on the north, Sacramento
river on the east, Bay of San Francisco
on the south, and the Pacific ocean
on the west. That Legislature organized
the State without ever having gone
through a territorial probation, and divided
it into counties. Mr. Bradford was elected
in 1850 to represent a district composed
of the five counties of Solano, Napa,
Sonoma, Mendocino and Marin, being
a portion of the district he represented
in the first Legislature. His family re-
sided in Springfield, and he retained
his business relations with Mr. John-
son also. He returned to Springfield
in 1851, and since that has served the
county of Sangamon, in 1857, as Superin-
tendent of Public Instruction ; was one of
the Commissioners to divide the county
into townships and name them, served the
city of Springfield as Treasurer, Alder-
man and Mayor. When Illinois was
calied on for 6,000 of the 75,000 men to
meet the rebels, Mr. Bradford was ap-
pointed by Gov. Yates as commissary,
with the rank of Lieutenant- Colonel, his
commission bearing date April 16, 1861,
being the first commission issued by Gov.
Yates in connection with the war to sup-
press the rebellion. He prepared quarters
for the first soldiers rendezvoused by the
State, and called it Camp Yates.
J. S. Bradford severed his connection
with the firm of Johnson & Bradford in
1869, and opened a book store in Spring-
field, which he sold out in 1873, and
moved to Aberdeen, Miss., returning to
Springfield in Nov., 1875, where he now
resides.
Mr. and Mrs. Bradford had seven child-
ren in Springfield, namely
WILLIAM, resides at Lake Station,
Newton county, Miss.
OSCAR, born Sept. 28, 1845, m
Springfield, was married in 1871, in
Owensboro, Ky., to Mary Crutcher. They
reside in St. Louis, Mo.
SUSAN A. resides with her parents,
in Springfield.
EUGENE S. resides in St. Louis,
Mo.
JOHN, ANTRIM C. and DON-
ALD, reside with their parents in Spring-
field.
BRADLEY, TERRY, was born
in Rutherford county, North Carolina,
and married there to Chloe Elliott, a sis-
ter to Andrew Elliott. See his name.
They had eleven children born in Ruther-
ford county, N. C., and moved to Sanga-
mon county, 111., arriving in what is now
Gardner township, south of Spring creek,
in 1834. Of their children
SIMMONS, born March 3, 1811,
in North Carolina, married March 28,
1839, in Sangamon county, to Jane Doug-
las. They had six children; three died
young. WILLIAM H., born Jan. 5,
1840, married March 6, 1862, to Mary
Rannebarger, who was born Jan. 13,1842,
near Columbus, O. They had three
children. ELLA j. died, aged two years.
EDWARD E. and LOTTIE B. reside with
their parents, seven miles west of Spring-
field. THOMAS LEVI and JOHN
ELI, twins, born Nov. 22, 1842.
THOMAS L., married Nov. 24, 1864, to
Hannah J. Smith, have two children, and
reside in Curran township. JOHN E.,
married July 9, 1868, to Nancy A. Sims,
had one child, HIRAM j., and she died
April, 1869. He was married Dec. 16,
1869, to Sarah O'Hara, and reside at Phil-
adelphia, Cass county, 111. Simmons
Bradley died Nov. 18, 1866, and his wid-
ow resides seven miles west of Spring-
field.
WILLIAM, born March 26, 1812, in
Rutherford county, N. C., and came with
his parents to Sangamon county in 1834.
He was married Aug., 1846, in Jasper
county, Mo., to Elizabeth Ragan, a native
of Kentucky. They came to Sangamon
county and had six children, one of whom
died young. In 1857 they returned to
Missouri, where two children were born.
Of the seven children, three are married ;
MOLLIE, the third child, born in Sanga-
mon courrty, and married in Missouri,
July 4, 1875, to J. J. Gates, a native of
Pike county, 111. William Bradley died
Dec. 13, 1875. His widow and seven
children, married and unmarried, reside
near Carthage, Jasper county, Mo.
EARLT SETTLERS OF
SARAH, born in North Carolina,
married in Sangamon county to Caleb
Darden. They had three children. Their
son THOMAS was a soldier in an Illinois
regiment, and died at Memphis, Tenn.
The entire family are dead.
WINNIE, born in North Carolina,
married in Sangamon county to William
Brundage. They had three children, and
moved to Dallas county, Tex., in 1854.
RICHARD, born in Rutherford coun-
ty, N. C., came with his parents to San-
gamon county, was married about 1844 *
Mary A. Baldwin. They had four child-
ren born in Sangamon county. Mrs. B.
died Sept. 10, 1852, and the youngest child
died soon after. Mr. B. moved in the fall
of 1866, with his three children, to Kan-
sas. Of his children, RICHARD J., born
Dec. 8, 1845, m Sangamon county;
SARAH C., born Feb. 9, 1848, in San-
gamon county, married in 1870, in Kan-
sas, to Franklin Campbell, and has one
child, MARY E. WILLIAM B., born in
Sangamon county. Richard Bradley and
his three children reside near Fredonia,
Wilson county, Kan.
JONATHAN, born in North Caro-
lina, raised in Sangamon county, went to
Texas, was pressed into the rebel service,
and died there.
MELINDA, born in North Carolina,
and died in Sangamon county at 26 or '7
years of age.
RHODA, born in North Carolina,
married in Sangamon county to John
Brundage, moved to Texas and died there,
leaving two children, who reside in Kan-
sas.
ELIZABETH, born in North Caro-
lina, married in Sangamon county to
Abraham Duff, son ot Charles Duff, re-
sides since 1866 near Neodesha, Wilson
county, Kan.
LEADBETTER, born March 17,
. 1826, in Rutherford county, N. C., came
with his parents in 1834 to Sangamon
county, married April 22, 1856,10 Martha
J. Archer. They have seven children,
BENNETT C., ANNA, ELIZABETH,
LOUIE, WALTER L.,LAURIETTA
and JACKSON, and reside four and a
half miles west of Springfield, on the
farm settled by his father in 1834.
MTRA, born in North Carolina, mar-
ried in Sang'amon county to William
King, who died, and she married Henrv
Morgan. See his name.
Terry Bradley died in 1835, and Mrs.
Chloe Bradley died July 20, 1865, both in
Sangamon county.
BRANCH, EDWARD, was
born Dec., 1795, in Virginia, and when he
was a child his parents moved to that part
of Bourbon, which afterwards became
Nicholas, county, Ky. He was there
married Dec. 2, 1818, to Rebecca Cassity.
They had four children in Kentucky, and
the family moved to Sangamon county,
111., arriving late in Oct., 1830, in what is
now Rochester township, where they had
two children. Of their six children
ZERELDA E., born Nov. 19, 1821,
in Nicholas county, Ky., married in San-
gamon county May 16, 1839, to Joel Can-
trill. See his name.
MARY J., born April 22, 1824, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county
to Robert Archer, son of Moses. See
his name. He died April, 1872, leaving a
widow and three daughters near Grove
City, Christian county.
HONOR A., born March 24, 1827, in
Nicholas county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county to William A. Whitesides:
See his name.
ELIZABETH A., born Jan. 9, 1830,
in Nicholas county, Ky., married in San-
gamon county, Sept. 25, 1848, to Joshua
Graham. See his name.
LOUISIANA, born July 16, 1832, in
Sangamon county, married Joseph Miller.
See his name.
WILLIAM, born Feb. 28, 1835, in
Sangamon county, died April 2, 1845.
Edward Branch died Aug. i, 1835, and
his widow resides with her daughter and
son-in-law, Wm. A. Whitesides.
BRANSON, JOHN, was born
Jan. 12, 1 764, in North Carolina. He em-
igrated, when a young man^to the vicinity
of Charleston, S. C., and married Sarah
Jones. They had six children in South
Carolina, and moved to Ross county, O.
From there to the vicinity of Xenia,
Green county, Ohio, before the Indians
had entirely left. They had five children
there. Some of the elder children mar-
ried and remained in Ohio, but Mr. Bran-
son with the younger members of his fam-
ily, moved to Sangamon county, 111., ar-
riving Oct., 1822, in what is now Fancy
Creek township. Of all his children
SAN GAM ON COUNT?.
ELI, born in South Carolina, married
three times, died, leaving a family in Ful-
ton county. His son, CALVIN, resides
near Ipava, Fulton county.
ANDRE W, born in South Carolina,
and married Susannah Wilkinson. They
both died, leaving several children near
Athens, Illinois.
WILLIAM, born Jan. 9, 1791, in
North Carolina, and was taken by his par-
ents to South Carolina, in 1793. In 1811
the family moved to Chilicothe, Ohio,
where he was married to Sally M. Graves,
in 1815. He moved to Indiana, and from
there to Sangamon county, 111., about the
time his father came ; moved to Galena,
and from there to DeWitt county, 111.
They had seven children, and Mrs. Sally
M. Branson died May 10, 1840, in DeWitt
county. In December, 1840, he was mar-
ried to Martha Cooper^ in Sangamon
county. In March, 1847, he moved to
Sangamon county, and March 28, 1848,
he started overland with his family and
arrived Sept. 15, 1848, in Polk county,
Oregon. He had eight children by the
second marriage. He died Nov. 16, 1860.
His widow married Michael Shelley, and
dfed Dec. 24, 1868, near Independence,
Polk county, Oregon. Nearly all the de-
scendents of William Branson reside in
the vicinity of Sheridan, Yamhill county,
Oregon. His son, B. B. BRANSON,
Jun., born Sept. 4, 1830, went with his
father to Oregon, in 1848, married there,
Sept. 15, 1854, to Eliza' E. Dickey, who
was born Jan. 19, 1834, in Tenn. They
have eight living children. SARAH A.,
born July 3, 1855, married Nov. 6, 1873,
to C. O. Burgess, and resides near Sheri-
dan. JOSEPHINE, ELIZA JANE, EPHRIAM
N., ELNORA SHERMAN, LAURA V., IDA M.
and ORLEY R. reside with their parents,
near Sheridan, Yamhill county, Oregon.
CA THARINE, born in South Caro-
lina, married in Green county, Ohio, to
Frederick Stipp. They came to Sanga-
mon county, and two of their daughters
reside in Springfield, namely: Mrs. Wood
and Mrs. Moody. Mr. and Mrs. Stipp
died several years since.
KEZIAH, born in South Carolina,
married in Green county, Ohio, to Jesse
Sutton. They came to Sangamon county
in 1823, moved to Iowa, and both died,
leaving several children in VanBuren
county, Iowa.
JOHN, Jun., born Oct. 15, 1795, near
Charleston, S. C. He was a teamster
from Ohio during the war of 1812, and
has a crippled hand from an injury re
ceived while on duty. He was married,
Sept. 12, 1817, in Clarke county, Ohio, to
Ann Cantrall, daughter of Zebulon Can-
trail, who was a brother of William G.,
Levi and Wyatt. They had one child,
ZEBULON, born June 20, 1818, in Clarke
county, Ohio, married August, 1840, in
Sangamon county, to Rachel Braugher,
and soon after moved to Fulton county,
where five children were born, namely:
EMILY, CAROLINE, ISAAC, MARION and
ZEBULON, jun. Zebulon Branson enlisted
in the K>3d 111. Inf. for three yeare, in
1862. He was ist Lieut., and was killed
June 27, 1864, while leading his company
in a charge on the rebel fortifications at
Kennesaw Mountain. His family reside
near Ipava, Fulton county. Mrs. Ann
Branson died, and JOHN Branson was
married, Sept. 12, 1822, in Champaign
county, Ohio, to Miriam Thomas. They
had five children, namely: THOMAS
and CATHATINE, twins, born Dec. i,
1823; THOMAS married, Feb. 4,1847,
to Eliza C. Kiger, who was born March
13, 1830, in Winchester, Va. They had
three children. MARIA T. died, aged ten
years. CATHARINE w., born May 25,
1850, married March 25, 1869, to Thomas
Neal. They had three children, namely :
Charles TV., died in infancy ; Thomas and
Coke reside with their parents, in Mitchel
county, near Cawker City, Kansas.
CHARLES, born March n, 1852, re-
sides with his mother. Thomas Branson
died March 5, 1864, and his widow resides
eight miles northwest of Springfield.
CATHARINE, the other twin, married
Rev. Hardin Wallace. They have two
children, namely: Mrs. E. M. Sharp, of
Mason City, 111., and Mrs. Carlton Gatton,
of Middletown, 111. Mr. and Mrs. Wal-
lace reside at Bath, Mason county, 111.
CAROLINE married Giles Woods.
They have seven children, and reside near
Waverly. MARIA married Samuel C.
Woods. They have one child living, and
Mrs. W. died, August 20, 1875. Mr.
Woods resides near Waverly. EMILY
married Rev. Joseph H. Hopkins. Thev
had one child, and mother and child died
in 1848, at Whitehall, 111. Mrs. Miriam
Branson died, and John Branson married,
'34
EARLY SETTLERS OF
Nov. 8, 1840, to Mrs. Mary Humphreys,
whose maiden name was McKinnie.
They had two children. MINNIE mar-
ried George P. Brahm. They had one
son CLAUDE, and Mrs. B. died, May 17,
1872. Mr. Brahm, with his son, resides
at Kinney, Logan county, 111. JOHN L.
enlisted in 1862, for three years, in the I3th
111. Inf. Served about one year, and was
discharged on account of physical disabil-
ity. He married Nellie Cain. John
Branson and wife reside one and a half
miles northwest of Salisbury. He is in
his eighty-first year.
THOMAS, born Feb., 1798, in South
Carolina, was married Aug. 12, 1829, in
Cla*k county, O., to Eleanor Thomas, and
came to Sangamon county with his father
in 1822. They had three children, and
Mrs. B, died in Sangamon county Jan 24,
1840. Thomas Branson married Louisa
Cole. They had five children, and in
1857 moved to Texas. Of Mr. B.'s
children by the first marriage, ADA-
LINE, born Oct. 9, 1833, was married
Oct. 3, 1849, to W. S. Dunham, of
Waynesville, DeWitt county, 111., where
she died May 29, 1852. ALIDA, born
Sept. 21, 1837, in Sangamon county, 111.,
is unmarried, and resides in Mansfield,
Texas. REBECCA, born Nov. 30, 1839,
in Saugamon county, married Lieut.
Frank King, U. S. A., in Dallas county,
Texas, Oct. 14, 1-862. Lieut. King was
killed in Louisiana, May 8, 1864. Mrs.
King was married Nov. 2, 1865, to Rev.
D. D. Leech, in Dallas county, Texas,
and she died Aug. 23, 1866, in Ellis coun-
ty, Texas, leaving one child, FRANK K.,
born Aug. 22, 1866, in Ellis county, and
resides with his aunt Alida, in Tarrant
county, Texas.
Of the children of the second marriage,
ELEANOR, born March 10, 1842, was
married Dec. 24, 1862, to Samuel Uhl, of
the 1 2th Texan Dragoons. They have five
children, viz: SUE E., ADDIE c., LOUISA,
CHARLES and ALMA, and reside in Dallas
county. Texas. EMILY, born May 21,
1844, in Sangamon county, married April
10, 1867, to Thomas Uhl, in Dallas coun-
ty, Texas. They have one child, WIL-
LIAM s., and reside in Dallas county.
THOMAS C., born April 27, 1848, in
Sangamon county, 111., was married July
i, 1875, to Virginia Hill, in Dallas county,
where they now reside. BENJAMIN
L., born Oct. 7, 1850, in Sangamon coun-
ty, is unmarried, and resides in Lancaster,
Dallas county, Texas. AUGUSTA, born
June 13, 1853, in Sangamon county, mar-
ried Aug. 24, 1873, to F. Fox, and resides
in Slate Spring, Miss. Thomas Branson
died Oct. 21, 1864, and Mrs. Louisa Bran-
son died July 5, 1865, both near Lancaster,
Dallas county, Texas.
MART, born in Green county, O.,
married in Sangamon county, 111., Sept.
23, 1824, to Abraham Onstott. They
have five children. Mrs. Onstott died
June, 1875. The family reside in Clinton,
BeWitt county.
REBECCA, born in Ohio, married
Elijah Harper, and died, leaving several
children in Clark county O.
BENJAMIN B., born Feb., 1810, in
Ross county, O., married in Mechanics-
burg, Sangamon county, 111., May, 1837,
to Mary Thompson. They have two
children, viz: HENRIETTA, born Aug.
27, 1839, on Fancy creek, Sangamon
county, married in Mechanicsburg, Aug.
27, 1 86 1, to A. G. Barnes. See his name.
HENRY, born Dec. 2, 1842, on Fancy
creek, married June, 1867, in Jacksonville,
111., to Clara L. Lathrop. They have two
children, and reside at Ottawa, Kan.
Benj. B. Branson and wife reside in Jack-
sonville, 111.
NANCY, born June 4, 1806, in Ohio,
married in Sangamon county to Dr.
Charles Winn, who was born Aug. 13,
1800, in Virginia. He received his medi-
cal education at Transylvania University,
Lexington, Ky. He came to Sangamon
county and practiced his profession on
Fancy creek ; moved from there to Waynes-
ville, 111., and from there to Spring-
field, O. They had seven children.
GORILLA died Nov. 8, 1855, aged
twenty-five years. BYRON died March
1 6, 1854, at McKendree College, in his
twenty-first year. RICHARD D. died
in St. Joseph, Mo., March 15, 1872, in his
thirty-eighth year. CHARLES L., born
Nov. 11, 1838, married July 22, 1859,511
Jackson county, Mo., and died, leaving a
widow and two children in Kansas City.
ROBERT B., born July n, 1840, resides
in Chicago. EMMA H., born Dec. 29,
1842, near Springfield, O., married in San-
gamon county to A. G. Pickrell. See
his name. FLORENCE M., born June
12, 1846, near Springfield, O., married
SANGAMON COUNTY.
'35
William T. Hall. Sec his name. Dr.
Charles L. Winn died Aug. 17, 1847, near
Springfield, O., and Mrs. Nancy Winn
died Nov. 4, 1852, at Columbus, Adams
county, 111.
Mrs. Sarah Branson died in Ohio, and
her husband, John Branson, Sen., died in
1845, m Sangamon county, 111., aged
eighty-one years.
BRAUGHTpN, PETER, was
born July 6, 1812, in Worcester county,
Mass. His parents moved to Ross county,
O., in 1816, and a few years later to Pick-
away county, about ten miles south of
Columbus. In 1836 Peter came to Spring-
field, 111., and soon after settled in what is
now Williams township. He was married
in Sangamon county Sept. 30, 1846, to
Mary D. Utterback. They have four
children, all born in Sangamon county,
namely
SUSAN E., NANCT A., EMILT
J. and THOMAS J.
Peter Braughton resides in Williams
township, three miles each from Sher-
man and Barclay.
BRAUGHTON, JACOB, an
elder brother to Peter, came with him to
Sangamon county in 1836. He never
married, but was engaged in farming for
several years. He started overland to
California, and died on the road, between
1850 and 1855.
BRAUGHTON, WILLI AM,
a brother to Jacob and Peter, came to
Sangamon county in 1846, too late to be
included as an early settler. He resides
one and a half miles north of Barclay.
His son Adam married into the family of
Simeon Taylor. See his name.
BRAWNER, JOHN, a twin
brother to William, was born Aug. 9,
799, in Maryland. His parents moved
to Fayette county, Ky., when he was a
child. He was married May 20, 1819, in
Madison county, to Bethany Ball. Thev
had four children in Kentucky, and moved,
in connection with her mother, brothers
and sisters, to Sangamon county, 111.,
arriving in the fall' of 1829 in what is now
Woodside township, where they had three
children. Of their seven children
NANCY, born in Kentucky, married
in Sangamon county to R. M. Thompson.
They moved to Iowa, had nine children,
and she died. Of their children, HENRY
resides with his aunt, Mrs. J. B. Ogden.
JOHN was a soldier in an Iowa regiment,
and died in the army. THOMAS E.
served three years in the 55th 111. Inf., re-
enlisted, and served to the end of the
rebellion. He is married, and resides in
Alton. The other children are scattered.
BASIL, born in Kentucky, married in
Sangamon county to Sarah Pulliam, and
live in Iowa. See Pulliam.
ELI Z ABE TH A., born in Madison
county, Ky., married in Sangamon county
to Thomas Knotts, have six living child-
ren, and reside in Ball township.
MARY E., born in Madison county,
Ky., married in Sangamon county to
Joseph B. Ogden. See his name.
JOHN S., born in Sangamon county,
married and died, leaving a widow and
seven children.
LE WIS, born in Sangamon county,
married Hannah Dragoo. He died, leav-
ing a widow and three children in Cotton
Hill township.
MARTHA J. married Abraham Ben-
nington. They have four children, and
reside in Montgomery county.
Mrs. Bethany Brawner died about 1839,
and John Brawner died in 1841, both in
Sangamon county.
BRAWNER, WILLIAM T.
was born August 9, 1799, in Maryland.
His father died when he was seven years
old, and his mother moved to Madison
county, Ky., when he was eighteen years
old. He was there married, Dec. 25, 1822,
to Elizabeth Ball. They had three child-
ren in Kentucky, and the family moved to
Sangamon county, 111., arriving in Oct.,
1829, in what is now Curran township,
where they had seven children, namely :
JOHN S., born Nov. 18, 1818, mar-
ried in Sangamon county, to Nancy Mc-
Credy; have eight children, and reside in
Ad air county, Mo.
MAR Thorn Oct. 23, 1825, in Ken-
tucky, married in Sangamon county to
William C. Hillerman ; had six children,
THOMAS A., JACOB, RUTH, HUL-
DAH, FRANKLIN and MARY, and
Mrs. Hillerman died, March 18, 1869,
Mr. H. married in 1870 to Rebecca Dren-
nan. They have one child, ANN E., and
reside in Chatham.
COLUMBIA,^ Dec. 18, 1827, in
Kentucky, is unmarried, and resides with
her mother.
i 3 6
EARLY SE TTLERS OF
MINERVA, born May n, 1830, in
Sangamon county, married William Duval,
have eight children, and reside in Khox
county.
JAMES H., born March 23, 1833, in
Sangamon county, married Martha A.
McGinnis. They have three children,
SALLY, ROBERT S. and WILLIAM
P., and reside in Chatham township.
ELIZA H., born Oct. 28, 1835, in
Sangamon county, is unmarried, and re-
sides with her mother.
CLARISSA,\>orv. April i, 1838, mar-
ried Nelson Combs, and died in March,
1864, about five months after marriage.
WILLIAM M., born Sept. 27, 1840,
in Sangamon county, married April 7,
1870, to Isabel Works, who was born
August 12, 1847, in Owen county, Ky.
They have one child, JOHN H., and re-
side in Curran township.
LE WIS B., born Jan. 20, 1843, in
Sangamon county, married April 18, 1872,
to Laura F. Tippitt, who was born Sept.
12, 1856, in Owen county, Ky. They
.have one child, ELIZABETH, and reside
in Curran township.
ISAAC, born Nov. 5, 1845, died at ten
years of age.
William T. Brawner died Nov. 12,
1846, and his widow resides in Curran
township, south of Lick creek.
BRECKENRIDGE, PRES-
TON, was born Aug. 5, 1807, near
Paris, Bourbon county, Ky. The name
of Breckenridge originated in a singular
manner. In one of the wars in Scotland
between the Protestants and Roman
Catholics, a family by the name of Mcll-
vain particpated on the side of the Pro-
testants, who were defeated. Some of the
Mcllvain brothers saved their lives by
taking refuge under a low shrub, called
brack, which grows on the ridges in the
Highlands of Scotland. This circum-
stance so impressed them, that they deter-
mined to give themselves a new name,
hence Brack-on-ridge. As Protestants,
the Breckenridges took part in some of
the wars in Ireland at a later period, in
which the great, great grandfather of
Preston was a leader. The Protestants
being again defeated, two of the Brecken-
ridge brothers fled to America. One of
them settled in Pennsylvania, and the
other in Virginia. Their first names are
not preserved, but the descendants of the
one who settled in Pennsylvania have re-
tained the original spelling : Brackenridge.
The brother who settled . in Virginia
raised a family, among whom was one son
Alexander, who had a son Robert, who
had a son John, who had two sons, Rob-
ert Jefferson, known as the late Rev. R.
J. Breckenridge, D. D., of Kentucky, and
Joseph Cabell, the latter of whom was the
father of John C. Breckenridge, ex-Vice-
President of the United States. The first
Alexander also had a son George, who
had a son Alexander. He was twice mar-
ried, and the eldest child by the second
wife was Preston, whose name heads this
sketch. Preston Preckenridge was mar-
ried in Nicholas county, Ky., Nov. 17,
1827, to Catharine Moler, who was born
in that county Aug. 30, 1804. They had
four children born in Kentucky, and the
family moved to Sangamon county, 111.,
arriving Oct. 16, 1834, in what is now
Cotton Hill township, east of Sangamon
river, where eight children were born, one
of whom died in infancy. Of their eleven
children
ALEXANDER, born Oct. 31, 1828,
in Nicholas county, Ky., married May 25,
1852, to Martha H. Barnhill, who was
born Aug. 19, 1833, in Wayne county,
111. They had eight children, two of
whom died in infancy. The other six,
ELIZABETH C., MARY A., FELIX
H., NANCY L., CHARLES A. and
ROBERT CARROLL, reside with
their parents, half a mile east of Brecken-
ridge.
HUGH, born Dec. 9, 1829, in Ken-
tucky, married Feb. 22, 1855, to Sarah M.
Randolph, who was born June 20, 1837,
in Logan county. They have two child-
ren, HERBERT C. and EDITH A.
Hugh Breckenridge enlisted Oct. 10, 1861,
in Co. B, loth 111. Cav., for three years;
re-enlisted as a veteran Jan., 1864, served
full term, and was honorably discharged
Jan. 6, 1866, at Springfield. He resides at
Breckenridge.
CORJVELIUS,\>oi-n March 12, 1831,
in Kentucky, married Sept. 4, 1855, to
Elizabeth L. Barnhill, who was born May
29, 1838, in Wayne county. They had
five children, two of whom died in in-
fancy. The other three, ELIZABETH
F., WILLIAM R. and GEORGE E.,
reside with their parents near Brecken-
IffllVERSiTY
SAJVGAMOJV COUNTT.
'37
JOSEPH, the last in Kentucky, born
July 17, 1832, married M arch 28, 1855, to
Sarah J. Matthew. They had two child-
ren; one died in infancy. The other,
PRESTON, resides with his mother.
Joseph Breckenridge enlisted Sept., 1862,
in Co. E, H4th 111. Inf., for three years.
He was taken sick at Camp Butler, and
died at home, Nov. 29, 1862.
ELMORE, born Nov. 4, 1834, the
first of the family born in Sangamon
county, married Nov., 1857, to. Susannah
Randolph, had six children, two died in
infancy, and Mrs. B. died. The four
children, LEANOR, MARY A., EL-
MER P. and SIMON F., live with
their uncles and aunts in Missouri. He
resides at Forest Citv, Neb.
CLEOPHAS, born Aug. 7, 1836, in
.Sangamon county, enlisted Aug. 18, 1861,
for three years, in Co. D, 33d 111. Inf. He
was dangerously wounded at the siege of
Vicksburg, but recovered, served to the
end of his term, and was honorably dis-
charged Oct. 18, 1864, at Springfield. He
was married Jan. 30, 1868, to Lilian T.
Cave. They have two children, INEZ
and IDA, and reside with his father, three
and a half miles west of Breckenridge.
CATHARINE* born June 19, 1838,
in Sangamon county, married Jan. 30,
1856, to Simon P. Randolph. They had
six children, three of whom died in infan-
cy. The other three, PRESTON B.,
MAY and EDITH, reside with their
parents at Seattle, Washington Ter.
E L IZA BE TH and MAR T (twins),
born Jan. 13, 1841,111 Sangamon county.
ELIZABETH, married April, 1862,
to James H. Abell. They had four child-
ren, EMMA J., WILLIAM A., JOHN
P. and HENRY E., reside with their
parents in Taylorville.
MART, married March, 1863, to
Thomas Rishton, and resides at Council
Bluffs, Iowa.
PRESTO A 7 , Jun.,born Dec. n, 1842,
enlisted Aug., 1862, in Co. E, H4th 111.
Inf., for three years; served full term; was
honorably discharged at Vicksburg, Aug.
3, 1865; \v-as sick at the time, but returned
home with his comrades, arriving at his
father's house .on the 7th, and died the
8th of August, 1865, seventeen hours
after his arrival.
JA^VE, born F.^b. 9, 1845, in Sanga-
mon county, v\as married August, 1864,
to William Kamlage. They have three
children living, LUCY J., ANNIE M.
and WILLIAM, and reside at Lincoln,
111. Mrs. Catharine Breckenridge died
Feb. 4, 1847, ant * Preston B. was married
March 29, 1849, to Lucy Robb/ They
had two children
DA VID, born Dec. 28, 1850, in San-
gamon county, is unmarried, and resides
near Cedar Hill, Dallas county, Texas.
LUCY D., born Aug. 13, 1854, in
Sangamon county, was married Oct. 13,
1874, to William H. Hunter, who was
born Dec. 10, 1848, in Muskingum county,
O. His grandfather, Charles Hunter, was
born and married in Scotland; came to
America, and settled in Muskingum coun-
ty, O. His eldest son, William, was the
father of William H. Hunter, the latter of
whom, with his wife, reside in Cotton
Hill township.
Mrs. Lucy Breckenridge died Nov. 18,
1854, and Preston Breckenridge resides on
the farm settled by him in 1834. It is in
the northeast corner of Cotton Hill town-
ship, three and a half miles west of Breck-
enridge.
Preston B.'s father was sixty-five years
old when he was born. Their united
ages to the present time (1876) is one hun-
dred and thirty-four years. Preston
Breckenridge was one of the representa-
tives of Sangamon county in the State
Legislature of 1851 and '2. Abraham
Lincoln was a candidate before the con-
vention, but Mr. B. beat him. Mr. B.
was a member of the Sangamon county
Board of Supervisors for 1873.
Preston Breckenridge remembers that
the fall of 1834, when he came to the
county, was dry, and continued dry
through the winter; that May 12, 1835, a
great rain storm set in, and rain continued
to fall for about forty days and nights,
which so seriously interfered with plowing
and planting that but very light crops
were put in. When the rain ceased, and
hot weather set in, the stagnant water and
decaying vegetation poisoned the- atmos-
phere, and chills and bilious diseases pre-
vailed to such an extent that in many
cases there were not enough well persons
to take care of the sick and bury the dead.
That year has ever since been spoken of
as the wet and sickly summer and fall.
The wheat crop looked well in the fall
of '34, but it nearly all froze out, and in
EARL? SETTLERS OF
1835, '^ and '7, the wheat crop was a total
failure, and wheat bread was so scarce
that a hiscuit became an object of interest,
so much that women would send them
to the children when visiting took place
between* the families.
The difficulty of obtaining food during
the winter of 1835 anc ^ '^ was verv g rea t
there being nothing for bread in Central
Illinois except frost-bitten corn. Good
crops were raised in the southern part of
the State, and those who could pay for it
went there for corn. That is believed to
have been the origin of calling the south-
ern part of the State Egypt, and not be-
cause of any unusual darkness prevailing
there.
BRIDGES, GEORGE, was
born in 1793, in Montgomery county, Ky.
He was married there in 1816, to Rebecca
Lockridge. They had four children in
Kentucky, and moved to Sangamon coun-
ty, 111., arriving Nov. 3, 1835, * n wna t i s
now Ctirran township, eight miles south
of Springfield, where they had five child-
ren. Of their children
JOHN M., born in 1819, in Kentucky,
died unmarried, in Sangamon county,
Nov. 14, 1865.
WILLIAM, born July 15, 1821, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county,
Sept. 2, 1852, to Mary E. White. The'y
had two living children, HORACE W.
and ALICE M., and Mrs. Mary E. Bridges
died Sept. 17, 1871, and William Bridges
was married in Feb., 1873, to Mrs. Helen
Bird, whose maiden name was Ransom.
The family moved west in Sept., 1873,
and William Bridges died, Jan. 30, 1874,
at Grass Valley, Nevada county, Califor-
nia, leaving his widow and two children
there.
MARGARET H., born in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to J. M.
Richardson, moved to Iowa, and died
there, leaving three children.
ELIZABETH, born Oct. 14, 1827,
in Kentucky, married in Sangamon coun-
ty, to William Brownell. See his name.
MIRANDA, born March 27, 1831, in
Kentucky, married George Brownell. See
his name.
GEORGE H., born Nov. 14, 1840, in
Sangamon county, married Nov. 22, 1860,
in Sangamon county, to Rebecca Pyle,
who was born in Sangamon county, July
6, 1850. They have four children, JOHN
H., LAURA M., ADA A. and NORA
L., and live in Springfield.
^ MARTIN ., born May 16, 1842, in
vSangamon county. He enlisted August
15, 1862, in Co. B., ii4th 111. Inf., for
three years. He was detailed as drummer
at the organization of the regiment, pro-
moted, Jan. I, 1865, to drum-major, and
was honorably discharged, Aug. 15, 1865.
He was married, Oct. 3, 1866, in Sanga-
mon county, to Sarah E. Drennan. They
have one child, DAVID JOSEPH, and
reside near Woodside, on the farm where
his parents settled in 1835.
Mrs. Rebecca Bridges died in 1848, and
George Bridges died in 1849, both in San-
gamon county.
BRIDGES, MILTON A., was
born July 20, 1810, in Montgomery coun-
ty, Ky. He was there married to Mary
Foster, and had two children in Kentucky.
The family moved to Sangamon county,
111., arriving Sept. 25, 1833, in what is
now Chatham township, preceding his
brothers, George and William. They had
two children in Sangamon county. Of
their four children
THOMAS J., born Dec. 22, 1831, in
Kentucky, died unmarried, in Springfield,
Sept. 19, iS^o.
AMANDA M., born July 10, 1833, in
Kentucky, married Robert Crowder.
He died, leaving a widow and three child-
ren in Christian county, two "miles east of
Pawnee.
CHARLES H., born Jan. 27, 1837,
in Sangamon county, married to Frances
A. Matthews. They had four children.
MARY, the second child, died in her
second year, JOSEPH M., MAR-
SHALL and MONTE MAY, and reside
in Illiopolis. Mr. Bridges is a merchant
there.
MARTHA, born in Sangamon coun-
ty, April 30, 1842, died in infanov.
Mrs. Mary Bridges died, and Milton A.
Bridges married Mrs. Ellen H Hatchet,
who had previously been Mrs. Trumbo,
and whose maiden name was Hill. Mil-
ton A. Bridges and wife live in Pawnee.
BRIDGES, WILLIAM, was
born May 5, 1793, in Montgon ery coun-
ty, Ky. Isabella K. Lockridge was born
in the same county, Nov. 10, 1796. They
were there married, Julv 4, 1815, and had
nine children in Kentucky. The family
moved to Sangamon county, 111., arriving
SANGAMON COUNTT.
J 39
in the fall of 1835, in what is now Wood-
side township, where they had two child-
ren. Of the eleven children
MELINDA, born August 15, 1817,
married H. Hathaway, who died, and she
married Richard Wilkins, and they both
died.
JOHN W., born June 4, 1819, died in
his twentieth year.
BETST A., born July 20, 1821, mar-
ried Henry Gillen, and she died, Nov. 25,
1838.
AMANDA M., born Sept. 25, 1823,
in Kentucky, married Alfred C. Malone.
(See his name.)
MARILDA J., born Feb. 23, 1826,
married Jacob C. Mitts. They had seven
children, namely : WILLIAM, born Dec.
9, 1845, married Sarah Stroude, who was
born August 24, 1844, in East Tennessee.
They had two children, FRANK E. and
WILLIAM j., and reside in Curran township,
south of Lick creek. Of the other six
children, COLUMBIA, died at eighteen
years. HELEN V. and JAMES W.
reside at the homestead, in Curran town-
ship. EMMA lives with her uncle, David
Hermon. MARY and JOHN live with
their aunt, Lucinda Neal. Mrs. Mitts
died Nov. 6, 1862, and her husband died
Nov. 12, 1865, both in Sangamon county.
LUCINDA, born Feb. 4, 1828, mar-
ried June 14, 1849, to Erastus R. Whited.
They had four children; two died young.
ISABEL K. married, Dec. 29, 1869, to
Jesse J. Martin. They have one child,
JULIA M., and reside in Loami township.
Mr. Martin was born Feb. 21, 1843, in
Harrison county, West Va., enlisted Aug.
17, 1862, for three years, in i2th West Va.
Inf. Served until the suppression of the
rebellion, and was honorably discharged,
June 16, 1863. FANNIE WHITED
died Jan. 21, 1873, in the seventeenth year
of her age. E. R. Whited died Jan. 4,
1860, and his widow married, April 8,
1862, to Stephen B. Neal. See his name.
EMMA B., born August 19, 1830, in
Kentucky, married Isaac H. Trumbo.
See his name.
JAMES M., born in Kentucky, Dec.
15, 1832, married Jan. 10, 1866, to Mary
F. Drennan. They have three children,
WILLIAM F., MARTHA A. and
EVA MAY, and reside on the farm
where his parents settled in 1835, in the
southwest corner Woodside township.
WILLIS, born Oct. 20, 1836, in San-
gamon county, enlisted in Co. B., ii4th
111. Inf., August, 1862, for three years.
He was discharged on account of physical
disability, in 1863, and died of disease con-
tracted in the army, March 20, 1864, at
home.
WILLIAM L., born Sept. 3, 1839,
married Sarah Card. He died Oct. 6,
1867. His widow and one child, WAL-
TER, reside in Menard county.
William Bridges died Jan. 3, 1873, and
his widow died June 24, 1873, both on the
farm where they settled in 1835. Mr.
Bridges was a soldier from Kentucky in
the war of 1812, and drew a pension to
the end of his life.
The date of birth of William Bridges
and his brother George indicates that they
must have been twins, or there has been a
mistake in giving me the dates.
BRIDGES, WILLIAM, wa*
born April 28, 1787, in South Carolina.
The family moved to Tennessee, and
when William was a young man, to Green
county, O. Martha Martin was born
March 11, 1784, in Clarke county, Ky.
She was the third child of her parents.
When they had two children the family
were, with many others of the settlers, in
Strode's Station, for protection against the
Indians. When the savages attacked that
fortification, which terminated in its de-
struction, the men were in the fields. The
women and children collected in one of
the block-houses. The men finding the
fort at the mercy of the Indians, thought
it would be impossible to save their fami-
lies, and each one looked out for his own
personal safety. Mr. Henry Martin, of
all the men, went alone to the block-
house, and by his earnest entreaties in-
duced them to open the door. He then
compelled his wife, against her protesta-
tions, to accompany him with their two
children, and they at once entered a cane
brake, eluded the Indians, and thus saved
their lives. One old lady followed them un-
til they crossed a stream, and when she could
travel no further, concealed herself in a
cave until the danger passed. The fort
was burned, and all the others were slain.
Henry Martin remained in Kentucky un-
til after the birth of his daughter Martha,
when he moved with his family to Green
county, O. William Bridges and Martha
Martin were married near Xenia, and re-
140
EARLY SETTLERS OF
sided in that city until they had two child-
ren. Mr. Bridges served one year in the
war with Great Britain, from the summer
of 1812 to 1813. He then moved to Fay-
ette county, Ind., where they had one
child, and next moved to Sangamon coun-
ty, 111., arriving about 1824 in Buffalo
Hart Grove. Of their three children
SARAH, born Nov. 14, 1812, in Xenia,
O., married in Sangamon county Feb. 12,
1829, to John Ridgeway, a cousin to
Lindsay. See his name. He died, and
she married Jonathan Constant. See his
name.
MARGARET, born Feb. 15, 1816, in
Xenia, O., married in Sangamon county
to James Hill. They had two children.
MARY M. married Mr. Harris, and re-
side at Staunton, Miami county, Kan.
WILLIAM married Harriet Stafford,
and reside at Clarksville. James Hill died
April 17, 1844, and Mrs. Margaret Hill
died Jan. 23, 1845.
ELIZABETH, born Nov. 9, 1819,
near Connersville, Ind., married in Sanga-
mon county t John C. Morgan. See
his name.
William Bridges died March 12, 1833,
and Mrs. Martha Bridges died Jan. 31,
1865, both in Sangamon county. They
were not related to any other family of
Bridges in the county.
BRITTIN, EVANS E., was
born Oct. 28, 1791, in Bucks county, Pa. His
father died when he was quite young. His
mother, with her seven children, moved
to Virginia, and from there to Ross coun-
ty, O., in 1800. Evans E.was there mar-
ried, Sept. 18, 1818, to Mary J. England.
They had one child, and moved to what
became Sangamon county, 111., arriving
in the spring of 1820, in what is now
Fancy creek township, where they had
eight living children. Of their children
STEPHEN, born Aug. 20, 1819, in
Ohio, married in Sangamon county to
Jane McClelland. He died Nov. 28/1862,
and she died in 1864, both in Sangamon
county, leaving several children.
MIRANDA, born Jan. 12, 1824, in
Sangamon county, married John Canter-
berry. See his name.
ELIJAH, born Nov. 12, 1825, in
Sangamon county, married Martha Can-
terberry. He died March 5, 1873, leaving
a widow and two children in Marion
county, Iowa.
JAMES M.
EVANS E., Jun.,born Nov. 26, 1829,
married Melissa Peeler, had two children,
and she died. He married Elizabeth
Ridgeway. They have four children, and
reside near Williamsville.
WASHINGTON, born July 4, 1832,
married Eliza Mallory. He died, leaving
one child, LAURA E., and his widow
married Thomas Glascock. See his
name.
HENRT, born Jan. 8, 1835, in Sanga-
mon county, married Dec. 9, 1856, to
Nancy Mallory. They had twelve child-
ren, six of whom died young. JOHN
E., HENRY E., ALBERT L., EMMA
N., WILLIAM A. and ROGER E., re-
side with their parents. Henry Brittin
lives near Cantrall, on the farm settled by
his father in 1820.
MART J., born Aug. 3, 1837, married
Thomas Glascock, and she died. See his
name.
ELEANOR.
Mrs. Mary J. Brittin died Aug, n,
1846, and Evans E. Brittin resides with his
children. He has twice been a pioneer.
He remembers that when his mother's
family moved to Ohio, they had to go into
Kentucky, sometimes a hundred and fifty
miles, for breadstuff. After raising grain,
it was three years before they had a grist
ground. All that time they beat hominy,
and sifted out the finest for bread, or
grated the corn and made bread in that
way. Coming to Sangamon county was
a renewal of that kind of life. St. Louis
was the nearest point at which they could
buy farming tools, salt and all other arti-
cles. For grinding meal and flour they
went to the American bottom, east of St.
Louis. Mr. Brittin has hauled wheat to
Springfield and sold it for twenty-five
cents per bushel, and has known corn to
be hauled twenty-five miles and sold for
six and a quarter cents per bushel in trade.
The Christian Church, organized May
15, 1820, the first in Sangamon county,
built its first house of worship on Mr.
Brittin's farm, near the present town of
Cantrall.
BRITTON, BENJAMIN, was
born June 2, 1797, in Virginia. When
he was a" youth his parents moved to
Franklin county, Ohio. He was there
married, in April, 1816, to Elizabeth
Brunk. She was a sister to George Brunk,
SANGAMON COUNT*.
141
and was born Oct. 13, 1800, in Franklin
county, Ohio. They had four children in
Ohio, and moved to Indiana in 1824,
and from there to Sangamon county, 111.,
arriving in Oct., 1825, in what is now
Cotton Hill township, where they had
seven children. Of all their eleven child-
ren
JOSEPH, born in Ohio, died in San-
gamon county unmarried, at about fifty
years of age.
REBECCA, born in Franklin county,
Ohio, married in Sangamon county, to
Nathaniel Duncan. Mr. D. died, and his
widow married Joel Vandever, and resides
in Pana. See his name.
James I. Dozier relates an anecdote illus-
trative of life among the early settlers.
He remembers that Benjamin Britton
hired Nathaniel Duncan to haul a load of
corn to Springfield, which would be a
day's work for the team. The price agreed
upon was $1.371^. Twenty bushels was
all he could haul. Mr. Britton went along
to do his own selling. Arriving there,
with all his efforts, Jive cents per bushel
was the highest price he could obtain. He
sold the load, paid over the whole proceeds,
$1.00, but how they settled the other thirty-
seven and a half cents, he does not re-
member. That was in 1836.
ELEANOR died, aged fourteen years.
MARGARET, born in Franklin
county, Ohio, married in Sangamon coun-
ty to Oscar F. Matthew. See his name.
HANNAH, born in Sangamon county,
married Sterling Clack, moved to Nevada,
Vernon county, Mo., where he died, leav-
ing a widow and five children.
DA I ID B., born and died in Sanga-
mon county, aged 21 years.
ANDRE W J., born in Sangamon
county, married Sarah McDaniel, have
four children, and reside near Princeton,
Colusa county, Cal.
MARIA J. died at twelve years of age.
CAROLINE E., born June 6, 1834,
in Sangamon county, married Geo. W.
Spicer. See his name. He died, and she
married Nathan Plummer, and resides in
Cotton Hill township.
LORENZO D., born in Sangamon
county, married Melissa Barfield. They
had five children, and Mr. Britton died,
Dec., 1872, leaving his widow and child-
ren near Clarkesdale, Christian county,
Illinois.
LOUISA, born in Sangamon county,
married Philip Clark, and died in Mis-
souri.
Mrs. Elizabeth Britton died August 18,
1854, and Benjamin Britton died Jan. 21,
1868, both in Sangamon county.
BRITT, JOHN P., was born
July 4, 1804, in Greenbrier county, Va.
He came to Sangamon county in 1832,
and was married, Dec. i, 1833, to Sarah
B. Wilson, who was born Feb. 17, 1815,
in Union county, Ky. They had five
living children, namely:
ZERILDA A., born Oct. 15, 1835, in
Springfield, was married, Jan. 17, 1859, in
Princeton, 111., to Francis A. Haines.
See his name.
MART J., born August 24, 1840, in
Springfield, married Feb. 19, 1868, to John
G. English. They have two children,
GRACE and PEARL, and reside near
Taylorville, 111.
JOHN W., born Oct. 22, 1842, in
Hancock county, was married, August 17,
1862, in Springfield, to Caroline Haines.
She died, and he went to China. He re-
turned to America, and was last heard
from in California.
^ JULIA A., born Nov. 3, 1846, in
Springfield, and resides with her mother.
SARAH H., born Jan. 21, 1849, m
Springfield, was married March 18, 1868,
in her native city, to John Branch Gilli-
land, who was born Feb. 29, 1848, in
Decatur, Ala. They have two living
children, ALICE BELLE and MARY
JOSEPHINE, and reside in Springfield.
Mr. G. is a printer, and has been ten years
employed in the Journal office. His
father, Wm. A. Gilliland, is a printer in
the Register office.
John P. Bntt died July 7, 1852, in
Springfield, and his widow married Wm.
B. Yeamans, who died August 30, 1860,
and she married, Jan. 19, 1863, to Larkin
Bryan, who died in 1874, and Mrs. Sarah
B. Bryan resides in Springfield.
Obadiah and William Britt, brothers to
John P., came to Sangamon county, and
a few years later moved to Bureau county,
111. Mrs. Jemima Britt, mother of the
three brothers, came with them to Sanga-
mon county, and went with two of them
to Bureau county, where she lost her life
by falling from a wagon and the wheels
passing over her.
142
EARLY SETTLERS OF
BROADWELL, JOSIAH,
was born July 14, 1795, in Morris county,
N. J. His father, Simeon Broadwell, was
a brother to Moses Broadwell, represented
in this book. A cousin to Moses and
Simeon Baxter Broadwell was the
father of Judge Norman M. Broadwell, of
Springfield, a sketch of whom may be
found in connection with the name of his
father-in-law, Washington lies. Josiah
Broadwell went to Dayton, O., in 1815,
and married near the city May 31, 1827,
to Priscilla Custid. She died, leaving one
child. Mr. B. married the second time
in Dayton, Jan. 13, 1835, to Ann Comfort
Custer. She died June 5, 1836, without
children. Josiah Broadwell came to San-
gamon county about 1840, bringing his
only son
OLIVER, \v\\o remained two or three
years in Sangamon county, went to Iowa,
married there to Rachel Pearson. They
had six children, and he died May 12,
1873, at Pleasant Hill, Saline county, Neb.
His widow and children reside there.
Josiah Broadwell was married in Sanga-
mon county, Oct. 25, 1842, to Mrs. Rachel
L. Moore, whose maiden name was Mc-
Carty. They had five children, two of
whom died young
CTRUS .P., born March 16, 1846, in
Sangamon county. He was married Sept.
i, 1867, in Denver, Col., to Ella Goff, who
was born Oct. 18, 1850, in St. Louis, Mo.
They have four children. GEORGE W.,
born June 13, 1868, in Sangamon county;
RACHEL A., bom Aug. 25, 1870;
DELIA E., born April 9, 1872 the two
latter in Missouri and CLINTON, born
Feb. 24, 1874, near Guide Rock, Webster
county, Neb., where the family now re-
side.
GEORGE and JOS I AH, Jun., live
with their parents.
Josiah Broadwell and wife reside four
miles west of Springfield.
BROADWELL, MOSES,
was born Nov. 14, 1764, near Elizabeth-
town, N. J. Jane Broadwell was born
Feb. 6, 1767, in the same neighborhood,
and was Moses' second cousin. They
were there married Nov. 5, 1788, and soon
after moved to Hamilton county, O., to a
fort situated where Columbia now stands,
five miles above Cincinnati. In 1804 they
moved to Clermont county, O. They had
twelve children in Ohio, three of whom
died young. They moved in a keel boat
from Cincinnati to St. Louis in the spring
of 1819, and the next spring came up the
Illinois river on a steamboat, said to have
been the first that ever ascended the latter
stream. They landed at Beardstown in
June, 1820, and came to Sangamon county
in the latter part of June or early in July
of that year, settling on the south side of
Richland creek, about one mile east of
where Pleasant Plains now stands. Of
their nine children
MARY, born April 27, 1791, in New
Jersey, was married Dec. 19, 1807, to
Henry S. Sweet, a native of New York.
They had one child, and all the family
died.
DA VID, born June 1 1, 1794, in Ohio,
was married to Mrs. Mary A. Drake.
She died in Menard county, 111., and he
died May 18, 1858, in Iowa.
SARAH, born Feb. 16, 1796, in Ohio,
was married in Sangamon county, in 1837,
to David Van Eaton. They had no fami-
ly, and she is now a widow, residing with
her niece, Mrs. A. B. Irwin.
JOHN B., born Sept. 27, 1797, in
Hamilton county, O., was married March
29, 1817, in same county, to Betsy Pratt.
They had one child at that place, and
moved with his father to St. Louis, where
one child was born, and from there to
Sangamon county, arriving in Dec., 1819,
on the south side of Richland creek, one
mile east of where Pleasant Plains now
stands, where one child was born. Of
their three children, JANE S., born Dec.
19, 1817, in Clermont county, O., married
in Sangamon county to John S. Seaman.
They had six living children. JONATHAN
went to New Orleans in 1857 with a drove
of horses. He sold out, and expected to
leave for home in a few days, but his
friends never heard of him afterwards.
DANIEL married in Indiana, moved to
Iowa, and died May 28, 1871, in Michi-
gan, while on his way to Mineral Springs
for his health. WILLIAM enlisted at
Springfield, in 1861, in what became the
nth Mo. Inf., for three years. Both his
lower limbs were broken by a falling tree,
while he was lying sick in tent; one limb
was amputated. He went to Iowa, mar-
ried, had one child, and his wife died.
He resides near Jefferson, Green county, la.
ISAAC was a sergeant in the 64th 111. Inf.
Served three years, re-enlisted as a veter-
SANGAMON COUNTY.
'43
an, served to the end of the rebellion, and
was honorably discharged, and resides
near Jefferson, Iowa. CHARLES was a
Union soldier in two Illinois regiments;
served out his enlistments with honor, and
resides near Fredonia, Kan. CALISTA
married Charles R. Pratt, and resides
near Fredonia. John Seaman died in
1850, and his widow married Alexander
B. Irwin. See his name. CINTHELIA,
born Oct. 17, 1819, in St. Louis, was mar-
ried in Sangamon county, 111., to Alexan-
der B. Irwin. See his name. DANIEL
P., born Sept. 17, 1821, in Sangamon county,
was married to Irene Holcomb. They
had six children born in Sangamon coun-
ty. EMMA c. married in Springfield to
Benjamin Trumbull, and resides in Em-
poria, Kan. ALONZO was married March
6, 1874, in Bloomington, 111., to Clara
Furrow, and resides in Denver, Col.
WILLIS married in Springfield to Sophro-
nia Burge, and resides in Emporia, Kan.
CHARLES resides near Pleasant Plains.
HERBERT and ETTA reside with their
father. Daniel P. Broad well moved to
Topeka, Kan., thence to Emporia, Kan.,
where Mrs. B. died, Dec. 25, 1869. Mr.
B. married Mrs. Mary Kingston, and re-
sides near Emporia. Mrs. Betsy Broad-
well died Sept. 30, 1823, and John B.
Broadwell was married March 10, 1825,
to Elizabeth King, sister of John and
Jeremiah King. They had six children.
WILLIAM married Cynthia McMurphy,
and died, leaving a widow and three
children in Sangamon county. They re-
side in California. MOSES J., born
March 6, 1827, was married in Iowa to
Mary A. Cann, in Sept., 1862. They re-
side "in Denver, Col. MARTHA mar-
ried William Macon, and died in Califor-
nia. HARRIET married A. Poppeno,
and died, leaving three children in Sanga-
mon county. FRANCIS M., born May
15, 1836, in Sangamon county, was mar-
ried in Davis county, Iowa, to Sarah
Allen, moved to Denver, Col., and died
there. HENRY C. is on the Pacific
coast. Mrs. Elizabeth Broadwell died
July 23, 1840, in Sangamon county, and
John B. Broadwell resides partly near
Fredonia, Kan., and with his daughter,
Mrs. Irwin, in Sangamon county.
WILLIAM, born April 27, 1799, in
Hamilton county, O., was married in San-
gamon county, Dec. 15, 1821, to Margaret
Stevenson. They had one son, WIL-
LIAM B., born Jan. 3, 1825, in Sanga-
mon county. He laid out the town of
Broadwell, in Logan county. He was
married, and resides in Hutchinson, Reno
county, Kan. William Broadwell was
killed at Old Sangamo, in Sangamon
county, 111., Nov. 22, 1824, while assisting
in raising a barn. His widow married
Richard Latham. See his name.
CHARLES, born Dec. 3, 1800, in
Hamilton county, O., was married Jan. 9,
1825, in Sangamon county, to Ellen Car-
man, daughter of Jacob Carman. They
had eight children, JACOB, SILAS,
RACHEL, HELEN, ADELIA, MAR-
GARET and MARY A. The latter
married A. P. Brereton, and resides in
Pekin. Charles Broadwell moved to
Pekin, and died in 1854. His widow re-
sides there.
JEFFERSON, born June 9, 1805,
in Clermont county, O., died Dec. 10,
1830, in Sangamon county.
CTNTHIA, born Nov. 2, 1807, in
Clermont county, was married, May 21,
1826, in Sangamon county, to William
Carson. See his name.
EUCLID, born Oct. 7, 1809, in Cler-
mont county, O., was married in Sanga-
rnon county Dec. 12, 1833, to Laura Far-
rington. They had eight children, some
died young, and the family moved to Iowa.
LOUISA, born Aug. 27, 1836, was mar-
ried Feb. 21, 1 86 1, in Van Buren county,
Iowa, to D. S. Jamison, who was born
Aug. 25, 1822, in Westmoreland county,
Pa. They have four children, ELSWORTH,
CORA, SHERMAN and BOB. They reside
at Keosauqua, Van Buren county, Iowa.
ROSALINE, born March i, 1839, was
married Feb. 16, 1860, to Rev. J. W.
Roe. They had six children, ALLEN,
CLARA, WILLIAM, LAURA, CHARLES and
JOHN. Mrs. Rosaline Roe died July 30,
1874, at Malvern, Mills county, Iowa.
MARIA, born Sept. 21, 1841, married
Aug. 3, 1863, to Ephriam Farrington.
They have two children, ELSIE and EVA,
and reside at Belle Plain, Sumner county,
Kan. CHARLES, born April 28, 1846,
died Oct. i, 1875, in Denver, Col. MIL-
LIARD F., born Aug. 16, 1850, resides
at Niles, Van Buren county, Iowa. EL-
LA, born Aug. 5, 1853, in Macon county,
111., was married March 31, 1872, to Dr.
C. L. Crooks. They had two children,
144
EARLY SETTLERS OF
CLARK and BESSIE, and reside at Cantril,
Van Buren county, Iowa. Euclid Broad-
well died Feb. 12, 1874, at Niles, and his
widow resides there.
Moses Broadwell is said to have built
the first brick house in Sangamon county.
He died April 10, 1827, and his widow
died March 8, 1836, both in Sangamon
county, 111., where they settled in 1820.
BROOKS, REV. JOHN F.,
was born Dec. 3, 1801, in Oneida county,
N. Y. His parents were of New Eng-
land origin, but emigrated to New York
in 1792, when the whole region was a
forest, with here and there a small settle-
ment. Mr. Brooks graduated at Hamil-
ton College, in that county, in 1828, and
afterwards studied three years in the theo-
logical department of Yale college, New
Haven, Conn. Be was ordained to the
gospel ministry by Oneida Presbytery, in
the autumn of 1831, and was married soon
after to a daughter of Rev. Joel Bradley.
They immediately left for Illinois, under
a commission from the American Home
Missionary Society. They traveled by
canal, lake and stage to Pittsburg, thence
by steamboat, down the Ohio river to
New Albany, Ind. Any route to Illinois
by way of Chicago, in those days, was
not to be thought of, as that place was
just emerging from the condition of an
Indian trading station. At New Albany
Rev. Mr. Brooks purchased a horse and
" Dearborn," as it was then called, which
was a one horse wagon with stationary
cover. In this they continued their jour-
ney, crossing the Wabash river at Vin-
cennes. After passing a skirt of timber
on the west side, they entered the first
prairie of Illinois, in the midst of a furious
storm. They were far from any house,
with only the carriage as a protection, and
that in danger of being upset by the gale.
They weathered the storm, however, by
turning the back of their carriage to it,
but the prairie was covered with water,
and they could only disern the path by
observing where the grass did not rise
above the water. They sought a house
to dry their garments, and that night ar-
rived at Lawrenceville, where Rev. Mr.
B. preached his first sermon in Illinois,
the next day being Sabbath. About three
days after they arrived at Vandalia, the
State capital, having been five weeks on
the way from the vicinity of Utica, N. Y.
After visiting several towns and villages,
Rev. Mr. Brooks located for the winter
at Collinsville, in the southern part of
Madison county, preaching, alternately,
there and at Belleville. In the spring of
1832 he moved to the latter place, where
he continued five years, preaching there,
and at several other points in St. Clair
and Monroe counties.
About the second year of his residence
at Belleville, he and his wife opened a
school, which increased so rapidly they
employed an assistant. They taught all
grades, from A, B, C, to the classics and
higher mathematics. Several attended
that school, who afterwards entered the
halls of legislation, and other departments
of public life. In 1837 Mr. Brooks was
chosen principal of a Teachers' Seminary,
which benevolent individuals were en-
deavoring to establish in Waverly, Mor-
gan county. He taught there with suc-
cess, but the general embarrassment of the
country, caused by the financial disasters
of 1837, compelled a relinquishment of
that enterprise. During the time he was
teaching he endeavored to preach one ser-
mon every Sabbath, but the double labor
induced bronchial affection, from which
he has never fully recovered. In 1840
Mr. B. was called to Springfield to take
charge of an academy for both sexes,
though in different apartments, to be
taught in a new r brick edifice erected for
that purpose on the west side of Fifth
street, between Monroe and Market.
Here he continued his labors, with the aid
of two assistants, for two years and a half.
Many persons now prominent in business
or in domestic life, received a portion of
their education there. After this he
labored for two years under direction of
Presbytery supplying vacant churches in
this and adjoining counties. His health
was now much impaired, and designing
light labor, he opened a school for young
ladies in a small room near his own house.
The applications soon outran the size of
the room, which he enlarged, and his
wife again assisted him. His school in-
creased, his health improved, and he pur-
chased the property on the corner of Fifth
and Edwards streets, re-arranging the
two-story frame building internally to suit
the purposes of a school. This he opened
as a Female Seminary, the Autumn of
1849, with three assistants, and Mrs.
SANGAMON COUNTT.
'45
Brooks in charge of the primary depart-
ment, held in the room he previously
occupied. In addition to the usual course,
Mr. Brooks added drawing, painting and
music; two pianos were introduced, and
this is believed to have been the first effort
at teaching music in the schools of Spring-
field. This Seminary prospered for four
years, when Mrs. Brooks' health failed,
and it became necessary to close the insti-
tution. Since her death in 1860, Rev.
Mr. Brooks has devoted a large part of
his time to hearing classes, and giving
private lessons.
He was one of seven young men who
banded together, while in their theologi-
cal course in New Haven, for the estab-
ment of a college in this State. Illinois
College, at Jacksonville is the result of
their exertions. Mr. Brooks has been one
of its trustees from the first.
He relates, as an illustration of the
change of times in attending Presbytery
in the State since he entered it, that a
clergyman in those days must have his
horse and saddle as certainly as his Bible
and hymn book. The settlements were
remote from each other, and a ride of
three or four days to a meeting of Pres-
bytery was a common experience. Once,
in attending such a meeting, Mr. Brooks
traveled in an easterly direction from Bell-
ville, for two or three days, and found a
sparse settlement, mostly of log cabins.
They had erected a frame church building
and roofed it, without siding or floor, with
only a few rough boards for seats. The Pres-
bytery opened its sessions, several sermons
were preached, the sacrament administered,
but rain came on before that body ad-
journed, and they moved to a private
house, with only one room and a small
side appartment. At meal time Presby-
tery adjourned, that the table might be
spread, and after evening service, six or
seven members lodged in the same room,
on beds spread on the floor. People, in
sustaining religious worship under such
circumstances made as great sacrifices,
according to their means as those who
build their $50,000 churches do now. At
this meeting Mr. Brooks was entertained
at a cabin where the only light admitted
was through an open door, or one or two
sheets of piled paper, in place of glass
windows. He met a man, however, in
that settlement, from his native town, in
19
New York, and he had two glass win-
dows, but his neighbors thought him ex-
travagant, and somewhat aristocratic to
indulge in such a luxury. Rev. Mr.
Brooks resides west side of Fifth, between
Edwards and Cook streets, Springfield,
Illinois.
BROWN ELL, JOHN, was
born Aug. 14, 1800, in Rhode Island.
During his infancy his parents moved to
Seneca county, N. Y. He came west
with the family of William Seely. Mr. B.
and the other members of his family came
by water to Shawneetown, and from
there in wagons, arriving in what is now
Ball township, July 5, 1819. John
Brownell was married to Nancy Pulliam,
in 1821. Of their eleven children born
in Sangamon county, two died in infancy.
Of the nine living
WILLIAM, born Dec. 10, 1822, in
Sangamon county, was married Jan. 20,
1848, to^ Elizabeth Bridges. They had
four living children, and Mrs. B. died,
Feb. 17, 1869. Mr. Brownell was mar-
ried in Sangamon county, Dec. 29, 1869,
to Sarah E. Vaughan, who was born Mar.
3, 1840, in Kentucky. Thev had two
children. Of the children by his first
marriage, MARGARET J., born Nov.
24, 1848, in Sangamon county, was mar-
ried Nov. 3, 1866, to John M. Sutton,
who was born July 29, 1845, in Michigan.
They have three living children, WILLIAM
N., DELLA M. and BURTIE E. J. M. Sut-
ton resides in Auburn. JOHN W., MI-
RANDA I. and COLUMBUS V., and
by the second marriage, ORAH V. and
EDWARD, reside with their father.
William Brownell and family reside in
Auburn.
WILSON A'., born Jan. 18, 1825, in
Sangamon county, was married May 17,
1855, to Sarah Murphy, a native of Maine.
They had two children, ELIZA and
SARAH, and Mrs. B. died, Feb., 1859.
Wilson K. married Polly A. Lawson.
They had four children, who all died.
Mrs. Polly Brownell died, and Wilson K.
resides in Ball township.
GEORGE W., born July 16, 1827,
was married Jan. 20, 1848, in Sangamon
county, to Miranda Bridges. They had
ten children. MARY ISABEL, born
Nov. 5, 1848, was married May 26, 1864,
to Henry Willard, who was born in Mis-
souri in 1841. They had two children,
146
EARLY SETTLERS OF
IDA A. and GEORGKTTA. Mr. W. died, and
she married May 20, 1869, to Calvin Mc-
Clure, who was born in Ohio Feb. 10, 1829.
They had one child, GERTRUDE. Mr.
McClure died March 15, 1873, and Mrs.
McC. married James McCulley, who Was
born Aug. 18^ 1848, in Sangamon county.
They have one child, ISAAC F., and reside
in Chatham township. JOHN I., born
June 7, 1850, was married Aug. 27, 1873,
to Susanna Graves, who was born Feb.
14, 1849, in Macoupin county. They have
one child, CLARENCE H., and reside near
Taylorville, 111. WILLIAM W., born
Aug. 2, 1852. BEBECCA E., born Jan.
15, 1855, in Sangamon county, was mar-
ried Nov. 13, 1872, to James Hurst.
They have one living child, WILLIAM.
MELISSA M., born Jan. 25, 1856, mar-
ried Nov. 20, 1873, to Isaac Bowls, who
was born in Ohio, in Dec., 1852.
JOSEPH S., NANC Y J., GEORGE H.,
VIOLA M. and CHARLES E.; the
latter died in infancy. All the other un-
married children reside with their parents,
near Taylorville, Christian county, 111.
MARY A., born Dec. 12, 1829, was
married March 13, 1849,10 Pleasant Kent,
who was born in Ohio. They had twelve
children, seven living. One child, ELIZA,
married William Miller. They have two
children, and reside in Woodside town-
ship, Sangamon county.
IRRILDA y., born June 26, 1832, in
Sangamon county, was married Feb. 22,
1853, in same county, to L. T. Porterfield,
who was born May 16, 1833. They had
eight children; two died young. Of the
other six, JOHN H., MARIA M.,
AMANDA^J., FRANCIS L., MARY
L. and HATTIE J. L. T. Porterfield
died April 26, 1869. His widow and
children reside in Auburn, Sangamon
county, 111.
ELIZABETH M., born Dec. 9, 1835,
in Sangamon county, was married July
29, 1856, in same county, to Milton Pike,
who was born June 5, 1823. See his
name. They had eight children; one
died in infancy. ALICE and LILLIE,
twins, born June 5, 1857; Lillie died June
13, 1867, and Alice died April 9, 1872.
MARY M., EDDIE F., HATTIE T.,
FREDDIE B. and MINNIE A. Mr.
Pike and family reside in Auburn, Sanga-
mon county, 111.
MARIA L., born July 24, 1838, was
married June 2, 1857, m Sangamon coun-
ty, to Joseph C. Campbell, who was born
in Wayne county, 111. He enlisted Sept.
6, 1861, in Co. I, 29th Reg. 111. Vol. Inf.,
died Sept. 15, 1864. His widow married
James Rape, and they reside near Taylor-
ville, 111.
FRANKLIN, born Aug. 23, 1843,
married Sarah Reed. They had four
children; two died young. They reside
in Ball township.
FRANCIS M., born April 3, 1846, in
Sangamon county, was married Sept. 4,
1871, in Macoupin county, to Emma
Brooks, who was born Jan. 28, 1844, in
Kent county, Delaware. They reside in
Auburn.
Mrs. Nancy Brownell died Aug. 28,
1856, and John Brownell was married
March 29, 1860, to Mrs. Maria L. Watts,
whose maiden name was Allen. They
reside in Ball township, on land entered
bv Mr. Brownell in 1822.
"BROWN, WILLIAM, was
born April 19, 1779, in Frederick county,
Virginia. The family have a record
reaching back through his father, James
Brown, born April 19, 1742, O. S., in
Spotsylvania county, Va., to his father,
James Brown, born April 29, 1708, O. S.,
in Middlesex county, Va., whose parents
emigrated from England. James Brown,
the father of the subject of this sketch,
emigrated from Virginia to Bourbon
county, Ky., in 1784. William Brown
was married in 1805, in Fayette county,
Ky., to Harriet B. Warfield, who was
born March 3, 1788. They had ten child-
ren; one died in infancy; all born at the
family residence except the eldest, who
was born at the Warfield homestead, near
Bryan's Station, Fayette county, Ky.
William Brown was a successful lawyer,
and for several years before leaving Ken-
tucky, his home was a country seat, over-
looking the town of Cynthiana, and the
valley of the Licking. He led a company
of volunteers from Kentucky, in the war
of 1812, in which he won the title of Col-
onel. He represented Harrison county
in the Legislature of Kentucky, and later
represented his district in Congress. He,
in company with his son-in-law, James D.
Smith, explored the central region of Illi-
nois, and in 1832 made large purchases of
land in and around Island Grove, in San-
SANGAMON COUNTY.
147
gamon county. He brought his family
the year following, and after providing
for the erection of a country residence,
made his home in Jacksonville, Morgan
county, where, after a brief illness, he
died, Oct. 6, 1833. Of their nine children
who accompanied them to Illinois, four
never resided in Sangamon county, viz:
ELISHA W., ELIZA .C. and SARAH
If. reside at Boonville, Cooper county,
Mo. WILLIAM made Jacksonville his
home, brough up a family of children,
and died there, after a life full of useful-
ness and honor, in 1871. Of the other
five children
JAMES N., born Oct. i, 1806, at
Bryan's Station, Fayette county, Ky., was
married near Cynthiana, Ky., to Polly A.
Smith. They had three children in Ken-
tucky, all of whom died in infancy. They
moved to Sangamon county, 111., where
six children were born, one of whom died
in infancv. JAMES N., Jun., born Julv
13, i8 3 6;died Feb.' 8, 1851. WILLIAM,
born June n, 1839, was married, Oct. 18,
1865, in Covington, Ky., to Sail}- R.
Smith, who was born Feb. i, 1847, * n
Harrison countv, Kv. They had three
children, all of whom died in infancy.
Mrs. Sally R. Brown died May 6, 1870,3!
Island Grove. Mr. B. resides at the fam-
ily homestead. CHARLES S., born
Oct. n, 1841, was married Jan. i^j, 1874,
in Middletown," Butler county, Ohio, to
Sarah E. Bonnell, who was born there,
May 30, 1843. They reside at the family
homestead. BENJ/WARFIELD, born
Oct. 10, 1844, resides at the homestead,
three miles west of Berlin, Sangamon
county. MARY H., born March 19,
1848, and was married Jan. 4, 1872, at Is-
land Grove, to Samuel N. Hitt, who was
born Sept. 20, 1834, in Bourbon county,
Ky. He enlisted Sept. 21, 1861, at Camp
Butler, in the loth 111. Cav., and was
elected ist. Lieut., was promoted through
all the grades to Col., and was honorably
discharged, Dec., 1866. Mr. and Mrs.
Col. Hitt had two children; one died in
infancy. MARY B. resides with her par-
ents, half a mile east of New Berlin, San-
gamon countv. Capt. James N. Bi - own,
* Sen., represented Sangamon county in
the Legislature of Illinois for the years
1840, '42, '46 and '52. During the session
of the last named \ ear he drafted a bill
and secured its passage, which led to the
organization of the Illinois State Agricul-
tural Society. He was elected its first
President, Jan. 5, 1853, and re-elected in
1854. He held, to the day of his death,
offices of public trust, but whilst giving
much of his time to the State, his love for
agriculture was not abated, nor his active
duties in her pursuits neglected, and to his
sagacity and persistant life-time efforts is
Illinois largely indebted for her promi-
nence as a producer of short horn cattle.
For more than a third of a century he
was a member of the M. E. church, and
his active Christian life closed Nov. 16,
1868. His widow, Mrs. Polly A. Brown,
died May 18, 1873, both where they set-
tled in 1833. Their remains are interred
in Wood Wreath Cemetery.
RUTH ANN, born April 29, 1812,
married James D. Smith. See his name.
MARY, born March 3, 1814, was mar-
ried in 1831, in Kentucky, to Barton S.
Wilson. They moved from Jacksonville,
111., to Island Grove, in 1835, and thence,
in 1837, * Boonville, Mo., where Mrs.
Wilson died, in 1858, but three children
survive her, viz: Mrs. REBECCA
Brand, JOSEPH and JOHN, all of
whom, with their father, reside in Neosho,
Newton county, Missouri.
REBECCA, born Jan. 4, 1819, was
married in Jacksonville, 111., to Charles
W. Price. See his name.
LLOYD W., born Feb. 22, 1824, in
Kentucky, graduated in arts at McKen-
dree College, in 1842, and in medicine,
from the University of Maryland. In
1847 he married Rebecca P. Warfield, of
Lexington, Ky. He practiced medicine
in that city one year, and came to Illinois
Dec., 1848, and settled near the town of
Berlin, in 1849, practiced medicine there
until 1857, when he abandoned his pro-
fession for other pursuits, and moved to
Boonville, Mo. He returned to IHinois
in 1858, and after a brief stav in Jackson-
ville, settled on his farm at Lost Grove^on
the line between Sangamon and Morgan
counties. Of Dr. L. W. Brown's ten
children, five died in infancv. The others
are: HARRIET ,B., born May i, 1852,
died July n, 1867, at her grand-father's,
(Dr. Warfield) in Lexington, Kv. She
is buried in Wood Wreath Cemetery,
111. WILLIAM B., EDWARD F.,
REBECCA C. and LLOYD W., Jun.
148
EARL? SETTLERS OF
Dr. L. W. Brown is a banker, and, with
his family, resides in Jacksonville, 111.
BROWN, WILLIAM B.,
was horn Feb. 2, 1802, in Greensburg,
Green county, Ky. Harriet L. Allen was
born Dec. 17, 1804, in the same place.
She was a daughter of Col. David Allen,
a pioneer from Virginia. He took an ac-
tive part in the Indian wars of Kentucky.
William B. Brown and Harriet L. Allen
were married in Greensburg, Dec. 31,
1822. They had five children in Ken-
tucky, and moved to Athens, 111., in Nov.,
1833, where they had one child, and Mrs.
Brown died Oct. 7, 1835. Wm. B. Brown
was married in Athens, June 20, 1837, to
Laura B. Buckman. They moved to San-
gamo, in Sangamon county, in 1839.
They had four living children. Of all his
children
DANIEL C. and DA VID A., twins,
were born Sept. 27, 1824, at Greensburg,
Ky., and brought by their father to San-
gamon county. At fifteen years of age
they sawed all the lath used in building
the first State House in Springfield, now
the Sangamon county Court House.
DANIEL C. then served an appren-
ticeship to the drug business. He was
married June 30, 1852, in Petersburg, to
Catharine L. Cowgill. They have three
living children, HARRIET CLEMAN-
TINE, JOHN H. and ELIZA B. Dan-
iel C. Brown has been for many years,
and is now, a druggist in Springfield.
DA VID A., was reading law with
Col. E. D. Baker in 1846, when the war
with Mexico commenced. At the suggest-
ion of Mr. Baker, Mr. Brown commenced
raising a company. Before it was full, it
was consolidated with another part of a
company from Logan county, and became
Co. I, 4th 111. Inf. Mr. Brown was elect-
ed Second Lieutenant. He was with the
regiment at the bombardment of Vera
Cruz,' and at the battle of Cerro Gordo,
April 1 8, 1847. The next day Lieut.
Brown was promoted for gallantry, as aid
de camp to Col. Baker, then commanding
the brigade. On returning from Mexico,
Mr. Brown read law in the office of Lin-
coln & Herndon, and was admitted to the
bar. He was then appointed Clerk of the
Circuit Court of Menard county, to which
office he was afterwards elected, and served
in all six years, when he returned to
Springfield, and practiced law for six
years. He abandoned the practice, and in
1859 engaged extensively in farming at
Bates, in this county. He was elected
Vice-P:-esident of the State Board of
Agriculture, and served four years, eroding
Sept., 1870, when he was elected Presi-
dent of the Board for two years. He was
appointed by Gov. Beveridge as one of
the three Railroad and Warehouse Com-
missioners, March 13, 1873, confirmed by
the Senate the same day, and commis-
sioned by the Governor on the I7th of the
month. David A. Brown was married
Dec. 8, 1852, in Sangamon county, to
Eliza J. Smith. They have six living
children, SALLIE C., WILLIAM J.,
HARRIET J. MARY E., JAY T. and
CARRIE A., and reside at Bates.
WILLIAM J., born March 23, 1827,
in Greensburg, Ky., raised in Sangamon
county, was married at Clinton, 111., Nov.
22, 1854,10 Elizabeth M. Smith, and moved
soon after to Decatur. They have three
living children, HATTIE J., ANNIE
and CHRISTOPHER N. In 1862 Wm.
J. Brown became Capt. of Co. A, 116 111.
Inf. He served through the battles of
Chickasaw Bluff, Arkansas Post, and the
siege and capture of Vicksburg. Capt.
Brown resigned in 1863 on account of
physical disability, took a trip to California
for recruiting his health, and from that to
the present time has been in the drug bus-
iness in Decatur.
MARTHA T., born and died in Ken-
tucky, in her sixth year.
JOHN H., born Feb. 17, 1832, in
Greensburg, Ky., raised in Sangamon
county, married in Decatur, Jan. 2, 1856,
to Clara A. Stafford. They had three liv-
ing children, DANIEL A., HARMON
and MARY. John H. Brown was a
druggist at Cairo, and was Treasurer of
the city while residing there. He removed
to Springfield, and continued in the same
business, until failure of health induced
him to visit California, where he died, at
Grass Valley, April n, 1866. His widow
married Dr. Justus Townsend, and resides
in Springfield.
CHRIS7^OPHER C., born Oct. 21,
1834, at Athens, 111. He was married in
Springfield to Bettie J. Stuart. They
had three children, ^STUART, ED-
WARDS and PAUL. Mrs. Bettie J.
Brown died March 2, 1869. Part of the
buildings now occupied by the Bettie
SANGAMON COUNT*.
149
Stuart Institute had been her home, and
the institution was so named in honor of
her memory. C. C. Brown was married
June 4, 1872, in Chicago, to Mrs. Carrie
Farn'sworth, whose maiden name was
Owsley. They have one child, ELIZA-
BETH J., and reside in Springfield. Mr.
Brown is a member of the law firm of
Stuart, Edwards & Brown.
JOEL B., the eldest child of the sec-
ond wife, was born March 9, 1840, at San-
gamo, Sangamon county. He was mar-
ried Jan. 12, 1865, to Ella S. Saunders.
They have one child, BETTIE J. Mr.
Brown was in the drug business in Deca-
tur, from 1859 to 1864. He is now a
member of the firm of D. & J. B. Brown,
booksellers and druggists, in Springfield.
MART L. was born Sept. 7, 1844, ' n
Sangamon county, and married Albert H.
Cowgill. See his name.
FRANKLIN B. was born Nov. 28,
1848, in Sangamon county, and resides at
Minneapolis, Minn.
JAMES B. was born July 24, 1851,
in Sangamon county, and resides in Spring-
field.
William B. Brown was a merchant in
Kentucky, but on coming to Illinois he
engaged extensively in land speculations.
In connection with others, he took part in
laying out many of the important towns
in Illinois and Iowa. He died Dec. 14,
1852, in Petersburg, and his widow, Mrs.
Laura B. Brown, resides with her daugh-
ter, Mrs. Cowgill, in Springfield.
BROWN, REV. JOHN H.,
D. D., brother to William B. Brown,
came to Springfield too late to be included
as an early settler. His son, Dwight
Brown, is a member of the firm of
D. & J. B. Brown, of Springfield. Dr.
John H. Brown was Pastor of the First
Presbyterian Church of Springfield for a
number of years, and at the time of his
death was pastor of a church in Chicago.*
He died in Chicago, Feb. 23, 1872, and
was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery. His
widow resides on North Grand Avenue,
Springfield.
BROWN, JAMES L., was born
Oct. 20, 1786, in South Carolina. He was
married there May 28, 1806, to Jane M.
Berry, and soon after went to Union
county, Ky., where they had eight child-
ren, and the family moved to Sangamon
county, 111., arriving, in 1824, in what is
now Fancy Creek township, where they
had three children. Of their children
NANCT H., born Nov. 28, 1808, mar-
ried George Levan,who died in 1843, and
she married John D. McCumber, and she
died March 6, 1872.
WILLIAM N., born May 25, 1810,
in Kentucky, married Sarah Kilgour, who
died, and he married Lucinda Ensor, and
he died Feb. 19, 1872, in Sangamon coun-
ty. His widow and six children reside in
Montgomery county.
ELIZABETH C., born Dec. 23,
1812, married Enos Darnall. They had
six sons, two of whom, JAMES L. and
WILLIAM, are deaf and dumb, and
were educated at Jacksonville. Mr. Dar-
nall died near Wintersett, Iowa. His
family reside there.
BENJAMIN F., born March 28,
1815, in Kentucky, married May 15, 1835,
to Susannah Dunlap. They had seven
children. MARY C. married George
W. McClelland. See his name. AR-
MINDA M. married Owen G. Allen, and
reside in Sullivan county, Mo. JOHN J.
married Mary A. Short, have one child, and
reside at Heyworth, McLean county.
EDNA D. died Feb. r, 1866, aged eighteen
years. JAMES T. died Dec. 30, 1865,111
his fifteenth year. ANNA F. married
Martin McCoy, and reside in Fancy Creek
township. Benjamin F. Brown died Feb.
21, 1866, and his widow resides four miles
northwest of Sherman.
MART H., born June 23, 1817, mar-
ried James T. Dunlap. See his name.
THOMAS C.,born Nov. 2, 1819, died,
aged eleven years.
SARAH B., born April 3, 1821, mar-
ried Orlando Bates. See his name.
E MILT A.^ born May 12, 1823, mar-
ried John R. Dunlap. See his name.
MARTHA y., born April 29, 1825,
married George Groves. See his name.
S US AN F., born Aug. 27, 1827, mar-
ried G. Willcockson, have six children,
and reside in Lawrence county, Mo.
REBECCA H., born Feb. 24, 1832,
married William D. Power, Feb. 8, 1847.
They had one child, and he died March
15, 1848. His widow married March 22,
1849, to Joseph Bates. See his name.
James L. Brown died April 18, 1854,
and his widow died twenty-seven days
later May 15, 1854. He was a soldier in
'5
EARLY SETTLERS OF
the war of 1812, and was at the battle of
New Orleans.
BROWN, THOMAS, was born
Feb. 4, 1792, in South Carolina. Martha
Thaxton was born May 4, 1791, in South
Carolina also. They were married there,
and moved to Allen county, Ky., where
they had five children, and moved to San-
gamon county, 111., arriving Oct 7, 1827,
in what is now Fancy Creek township,
where they had one child. Of their six
children
JEMIMA, born June i, 1811, in Allen
county, Ky., married in Sanganion county
to Thomas Sales. They had two children.
MARGARET married William McClel-
land. See his name. GEORGE T.
married Susannah Gardner. She died,
and he married Mrs. Elizabeth Turley,
whose maiden name was Cline. They
have two children, THOMAS and MAR-
GARET. George T. Sales enlisted in 1861
for three years, in Co. C, 7th III. Inf. He
was a Lieutenant, served full term, and
was honorably discharged. He lives near
Athens, 111. Thomas Sales died, and his
widow married Philip Crickmour, who
also died. Mrs. Jemima Crickmour now
(1874) lives with her sister, Mrs. Tames
McClelland.
Aunt Jemima as she is called by the
young people related to the writer a
good joke on herself, which serves to illus-
trate the manners and customs of the peo-
ple at the time she come to the country.
She says that when the weather was suffi-
ciently warm to admit of it, the young
people, upon going to any public meeting,
would carry their shoes and stockings un-
til they approached their destination, when
they would stop and put them on. As
soon as they passed out of view, on leav-
ing, they would again stop, take them off,
and carry them home in their hands.
This was done in order to make them last
as long as possible. She thought it a sin-
gular custom ; but after seeing her associ-
ates practice it a few times, decided to try
it herself. She was then about sixteen
years of age. Religious meetings were
held at private houses. She started on a
Sunday morning to attend a meeting at
the house of a neighbor, carrying her
shoes and stockings in her hands. A shoil
distance from the house she put them on,
entered the meeting, and all passed off
well until she started on the return, when
a young gentleman accosted her at the
door, and asked permission to accompany
her home. This placed her in a quan-
dary. If she wore her shoes the entire
distance, it would wear them out so much
earlier; if she stopped and took them off,
there was reason to fear it would frighten
her beau away. She was not long in de-
ciding to wear the shoes and keep the
beau. Economy in that line was thus
brought to a sudden termination.
JAMES, born Nov., 1813, in Allen
county, Ky. He was married in Sanga-
mon county to Elizabeth Scott. They
have three children, and live in Kansas.
At the time of -the " deep snow " he was
but sixteen years old. It became neces-
sary for him to carry a grist to mill on
horseback. He found the traveling quite
difficult, in consequence of the crust on
the snow cutting the legs of his horse.
A shawl belonging to some of the
female portion of the familv had been
wrapped about his person to keep him
from freezing. He tore that in two pieces,
took off his suspenders, and with them
tied a half of the shawl on each of the
forward legs of the horse, about where the
snow crust would strike them. In that
way he was enabled to bring home a sup-
ply of breadstuff for the family.
JOHN, born March 4, 1815, in Ken-
tucky, died in Sangamon county in 1842.
ELIZABETH, born in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to William
Cutwright. She died, leaving one son,
DANIEL, who enlisted in the first call
for 75,000 men, in 1861, and died m the
armv.
MART, born Dec. 25, 1818, in Allen
county, Ky., married in Sangamon county
to James McClelland. See his name.
ROBERT T., born Aug. 21, 1831, in
Sangamon county, married Dec. 28, 1848,
to Edna M. Dunlap, who was born Jan.
J3, 1832. They had seven children; the
eldest died young. THOMAS, born Oct.
10, 1851, married Oct. 23, 1872, to Hattie
L. Short, and live in Fancy Creek town-
ship. MARY E'., JAMES F., ALEX-
ANDER, MARGERY I., ROBERT
U. and JOHN A., live with their mother.
Robert T. Brown died Feb. 6, 1866, and
his widow lives near Sherman.
Mrs. Martha Brown died Sept. n,
1862, and Thomas Brown died July 23,
1868, both in Saugamon county. Their
SANGAMON COUNTY.
children remember that the first corn Mr.
Brown raised in the county for sale, was
hauled away by Abraham Lincoln, as the
hired man of John Taylor, who owned
the land where they lived.
BROWN, JAMES M., was
born Sept. 28, 1812, in Davidson county,
near Nashville, Tenn. He came to San-
gamon county, arriving March 31, 1831,
at the house of Gen. M. K. Anderson,
east of Pleasant Plains. He was married
Aug. 7, 1832, to Elizabeth Willis. They
had eight living children in Sangamon
county. Of their children
MARTHA J., born Oct. 6, 1833, was
married Sept. 14, 1856, to Daniel T.
Hughes. They have three living child-
ren, ADA, LULIE and ARTHUR, and
reside at Greenview, III.
CLARISSA M., born July 18, 1835,
was married June 13, 1852,10 J. S. Young,
a native of Somerset county, Penn. They
have seven living children. JOSE-
PHINE, born August 23, 1854, was mar-
ried Nov. 20, 1873, to Charles A. Robin-
son, a native Michigan. They have one
child, GERTRUDE i., and reside near Oak
Grove, Seward county, Neb. JEREMI-
AH S.JAMES M., ROSA B., MARY
F. DORA E. and CLARA M., and re-
side near Valparaiso, Saunders county,
Neb.
SARAH E., born Dec. 5, 1837, was
married April 20, 1856, to James K. Van-
Demark, a native of Ohio. They have
one child, ROSA S., and reside near
Valparaiso, Neb.
MART y., born Sept. 20, 1841, mar-
ried George W. Sampson. He died Oct.,
1874, near Fail-field, Iowa. Mrs. Samp-
son and her children, JAMES and NEL-
LIE, reside with her parents.
JOHN H., born Jan. 29, 1846, was
married, August 13, 1865, to Adaline K.
Adams. He is now (1875) a widower,
with three children, CHARLES N.,
JAMES W. and ZACHEUS K., and re-
sides at Crowder, Saunders county, Neb.
JAMES T., born Dec. 13, 1848, mar-
ried Amanda A. Pierce. They have one
child, CHARLES E., and reside near
Pleasant Plains, Sangamon county.
LA VINA F., born Jan. 19, 1854, was
married Sept. 25, 1873, to Thomas Brode-
rick. They have one child, and reside
near Pleasant Plains, Sangamon county,
Illinois.
JOSEPH C., born March 7, 1853,
was married, Sept. n, 1873, to Sarah A.
Snook. They have one child, THEO-
DORE O., and reside near Crowder,
Saunders county, Neb.
James N. Brown and wife reside two
and a half miles west of Pleasant Plains,
Sangamon county, 111.
BROWN, JOSHUA, was born
May 20, 1792, in Davis county, Kv.
Nancy Wilcher was born Dec., 1789, in
the same county. They were there mar-
ried, early in 1812. They had three child-
ren in Kentucky, and in Nov., 1818,
moved to St. Clair county, 111., and from
there to what became Sangamon county,
arriving April 18, 1819, in what is now
Curran township, east of Archer's creek,
and south of Spring creek, and later en-
tered one hundred and sixty acres of land
south of Spring creek, in Gardner town-
ship. They had five children in Sanga-
mon county. Of their eight children
REZIN D., born May 6, 1813, in
Davis county, Ky., was married in Sanga-
mon county, 111., May 15, 1834, to Rachel
Earnest. Thev had twelve children in
Sangamon county. CATHARINE F.,
born March 7, 1835, was married Nov. 6,
1855, to John Childs, who was born Dec.
25, 1829, in Burlington, N. J. They had
ten children, LEONA L., JOSEPH n., NOAH
H., KATIE A., JOHN D., TIMOTHY S., ANNIE
R., CHARLES F., JESSIE B. and HATTIE,
and reside near Warrensburg, Macon
county, 111. MARTIN V., born March
4, 1837, the day VanBuren was inaugura-
ted President of the United States. Ho
was married Sept. 26, 1869, to Helen M.
Cecil. They have one child, and reside
near Rose Hill, Henry county, Mo.
MARY A., born May 7, 1838, was mar-
ried Oct., 1857, to James M. Gait. They
have eight children, and reside near Pal-
myra, Otoe county, Neb. CHARLOTTE,
born Dec. 19, 1839, marrted Feb. 23, 1864,
to Thomas B. Ray. See his name. She
died Jan, 9, 1836, leaving one child, CHAR-
LOTTE, who resides with her grand-pa-
rents, Brown. JOHN D., born March i,
1842, married Nov. 6, 1867, to Louisa J.
Cecil. They have one child, GERTIE, and
reside near Mt. Rose, Mo. CHARLES
F., born Sept. 14, 1843, died Sept. 30,
1853. PETER, born Atlg, 6, 1845, re-
sides in Alta City Utah. ANNIS, born
Aug. 1 6, 1847, n i :in "ied Nov. 10, 1869, to
EARLY SETTLERS OF
John Happer. They have two children,
HOWARD H. and NELLIE, and reside near
Maroa, Macon county, 111. LUANNA,
born April 8, 1849, married Oct. 17, 1872,
to Frank Leverton, and reside five miles
west of Springfield. EDWIN, born May,
1851, died Feb. 5, 1862. CHARLES,
born Sept. 16, 1853, resides with his par-
ents. JACOB J., born Jan. 15, 1856,
died Jan., 1865. Rezin D. Brown and
wife reside in the southeast corner of Cart-
wright township.
WILLIAM W. was born Feb. 6, 1815,
in Kentucky, married in Illinois, Feb. 13,
1844, to Phoebe Poole. They had four
living children. CLARINDA J., born
Jan. 12, 1845, man "i e d William Ankrom,
and reside in Curran township. ZILLA
A., born July 5, 1848, married Henry
Dewall. They have one child, and reside
at Falls City/Neb. JOSHUA T., born
Feb. 28, 1851, resides in Sacramento, Cal.,
(now, in 1873). MARY M., born Dec.
23, 1858, resides with her father. Mrs.
Phoebe Brown died May 14, 1863, and
William W. Brown was married Nov. 16,
1869, to Mrs. Almeda DeLaughta, whose
maiden name was Parker. She was born
in Livingston pai'ish, near Lake Pontchar-
train, La. They reside five miles east of
Berlin.
JOHN B., born Oct., 1816, in Ken-
tucky, brought up in Sangamon county,
and died unmarried, in the spring of 1869,
in Wisconsin.
JAMES M,, born Jan. 1820, in San-
gamon county, married Abigail Gilison.
They had two children in Sangamon
county, moved to Iowa, and from there to
Portland, Oregon, thence to Silver moun-
tain, California, where he was robbed and
murdered, about 1867, leaving a widow
and two children.
Z.ILLAH, born Nov. 14, 1821, in San-
gamon county, was married, Jan. 12, 1840,
to John Hillis, who was born April 30,
1814. They had four living children.
JOSHUA W., born April 5, 1843, was
married near Mt. Rose, Mason county, in
1870, to Birdie Meleane. They reside in
Alma county, Colorado. MARY A.,
born June 29, 1845, was married April 17,
1870, to Byington Owens. They have
two children, and reside in Waynesville,
111. JAMES E. and JOHN R., born
Sept., 1849. JAMES E. was married
Oct. 24, 1871, to Frances N. Jennings.
They reside in Waynesville, 111. JOHN
R. is unmarried and resides in Waynes-
ville. John Hillis died April 30, 1849,
and his widow was married Dec. 30, 1856,
to James Large. They had two children.
Mr. Large died April 18, 1864, and Mrs.
Zillah Large and family live in Waynes-
ville, DeWitt county, 111.
JOSHUA M., bprn July, 1825, in
Sangamon county, married Elizabeth A.
Brown. They had six children, and he
died Jan. 7, 1867. His widow married
William Mercer, and resides near Ham-
burg, Iowa.
ELM ORE S., was born in 1827, in
Sangamon county, enlisted in 1847, ' n ^ e
4th 111. Inf. Served one year in the Mex-
ican war, returned home, and died in
1848.
REUBEN M., was born in Jan. 1829,
in Sangamon county, was married Nov.
15, 1850, to Elizabeth J. Archer. They
had six children, and Mrs. Brown died,
Sept. 20, 1864. Mr. B. married Mrs.
Jerusha Smith, whose maiden name was
Sturtevant. The family reside in Fredo-
nia, Kansas.
Mrs. Nancy Brown died June 2, 1847,
and Joshua Brown was married May u,
1848, to Mrs. Mary Robinson, whose
maiden name wasMayhew. She died May
12, 1861, and he died Sept., 1863, on the
farm where they settled in 1824.
BROWN, JACOB J., was born
August 15, 1781, in Vermont. He was
married Feb. 24, 1803, in Hartford, jConn.,
to Ann Bacon, who was born there, Sept.
19, 1786. They had four children in
Hartford, and moved to Green county,
Penn., where they had four children, then
moved to the State of New York, and
from there to Sangamon county, 111., ar-
riving in 1823 or '4, in what is now Gard-
ner township, north of Spring: creek,
where they had two children. Of their
children
DEL OS W., born Oct. 28, 1803, in
Hartford, Conn., married in Sangamon
county, to Ruth Morgan, and had three
children. ELIZABETH married Abner
Wilkinson, and died. Mr. W. and his
children reside in Springfield. D. W.
Brown moved, about 1856, to Atchison
county, Mo., and from there to Fremont
county, Iowa. He died, and his widow
and two children reside near Sidnev, Iowa.
SANGAMON COUNTY.
'53
AMOS W., born March n, 1807, in
Connecticut. He married three times.
His second wife was Sophia Earnest. She
died, leaving one child.
JAMES J/., born May 16, 1809, in
Connecticut. He was a soldier from San-
gamon county, during the Winnebago
war, came home sick, and died August 22,
1827.
MARY A., born April 27, 1811, in
Connecticut. She was married three
times, is now a widow Elliott, and, with
two of her children, resides in Grundy
county, Mo.
JULIA ANN, born August 9, 1812,
in Green county, Pa., married in Sanga-
mon county, to Jeremiah King. See his
name.
LEANDER J., born March 19, 1815,
married twice, and died, leaving a widow
and five children near Oakford, Menard
county.
HULDAH M., born April 18, 1817,
in Green county, Pa., married in Sanga-
mon county to Jesse Ankrom, and lives in
Springfield.
LUCY M., born Feb. 13, 1820, in Pa.,
married twice, and died August 4, 1852,
in Beardstown.
JACOB y., Jun., born March 8, 1825,
in Sangamon county, married Nov. 4,
1850, to Emily M. Ralston. They have
seven children, and live near Farming-
dale.
ELIZABETH A., born Nov. 9,
1829, in Sangamon county, married Joshua
M. Brown. See his name. He died and
she married Wm. Mercer, and lives near
Hamburg, Iowa.
Jacob J. Brown, Sen, died Oct. u, 1839,
and his widow died Oct. 21, 1873, both in
Sangamon county.
BRUCE, BENJAMIN P.,
was born May 21, 1826, in Carroll county,
Tenn. His parents moved to Morgan
county, near Jacksonville, in the spring of
1830. His father died there, of cholera,
in 1833. His mother, with six children,
moved to Springfield in 1834, and in 1836
moved back to Morgan county, where she
was married to George R. McAllister.
While she lived in Springfield her son,
whose name heads this sketch, was bound
to Rev. Joseph Edmondson, of the M.
E. Church, and taken to St. Clair county,
thence to Bond county. In 1843 ^ e went
to Memphis, Tenn., and returned to
20
Springfield in 1852, and was married June
18, 1854, t Ann Gunn, in Morgan coun-
ty. He enlisted for three years, Aug." 6,
1862, in Co. H, 114 111. Inf. He was
wounded in the right eye at the battle of
Nashville, Dec. 15-16, 1864, recovered,
served full term, and was honorably dis-
charged Aug. 3, 1865. Mr. and Mrs.
Bruce had four children; two died in in-
fancy. SARAH A. died, aged twelve
years. WILLIAM T. resides with his
parents. Benjamin P. Bruce and wife re-
side three and a quarter miles northwest
of Springfield.
His mother, Mrs. Mary W. McAllister,
whose maiden name was Gunn, resides
with him.
BRUNK, DAVID, was born
Dec. 17, 1819, in Ohio, came with his
brother George, his mother and step-
father, Thomas Royal, to Sangamon coun-
ty, in Dec., 1824. He was married Nov.
5, 1833, to Maria Shoup. They had four
children in Sangamon county, namely
JACOB, born Nov. 5, 1834, married
Emily J. Mason. They have three child-
ren, THOMAS M., CHARLES A. and
ELIZABETH M., and live one half
mile east of Crow's mill, in Ball town-
ship.
SARAH J. married Wm. H. South-
wick. See his name.
ELLEN E. married Walter S. Car-
penter. They had three children,
CHARLES B. died, aged eight years,
JACOB H. at three years. MARIA
CATHARINE lives with her parents, in
Ball township.
ANN MARIA married - - South-
wick. See his name.
David Brunk died Jan. 23, 1855. His
widow lives near Crow's mill, in Ball
township.
BRUNK, GEORGE, was born
Dec. 22, 1804, in Miami county, Ohio. At
seventeen years of age he came to Sanga-
mon county, 111., arriving in the fall of
1821. He entered eighty acres of land in
what is now Ball township, returned to
Ohio, and brought his mother, and step-
father, Thomas Royal, with his brothers
and sisters, to Sangamon county, and set-
tled them on the land he had entered,
where Dr. Shields now resides. He en-
tered more land, built for himself a hewed
log house, and was married Dec. 30, 1827,
to Mary Boyd. She- was horn Jan. i,
'54
EARLY SETTLERS OF
1806. They had eight children, three of
whom died young.
AMANDA T., born April 7, 1830,
married Daniel G. Jones. See his name.
MART E., born Dec. 17, 1831, mar-
ried Eugene Owens. They had six child-
ren. The third one, JOHN F., died at
two years of age. The other five, GEO.
B., DANIEL G., EMMA E., ULYS-
SES GRANT and ARTHUR R. re-
side with their mother, in Cotton Hill
township.
SUSANNAH, born May 28, 1833,
died March 1=5, 1847.
MARIA C., born Nov. 23, 1835, mar -
ried Dow Newcomer. See his name.
EVELINE, born March 26, 1844,
married Lockwood Rusk. See his name.
She died, and left one child in Cotton
Hill township.
Mrs. Mary Brunk died March, 1847,
and Mr. Brunk was married March i,
1849, to Eliza Armstrong. They had
three children, namely:
MARTHA yl.,born Jan. 8, 1850, mar-
ried Thomas J. Nuckolls. See his name.
THOMAS ALBERT, born July 30,
1853. He was educated under the guard-
ianship of Philemon Stout, at Shurtleff
College, and resides in Ball township.
GEORGE A., died at six years of
age.
Mrs. Eliza Brunk died Oct. 4, 1860,
and Mr. B. married Dec. 12, 1861, to
Emily Talbott. They had two children,
viz.: TALBOTT F. and JOSEPH
C., who reside with their mother.
George Brunk died Sept. 2, 1868, near
where he settled in 1824. His widow
married Lindsay H. English, and resides
two miles southeast of Springfield.
The first entry of land in Sangamon
county was made Nov. 6, 1823, by Israel
Archer, being the west half of the north-
west quarter of section eight, town four-
teen north, range fourteen west. It is in
Cotton Hill township, and the Prot. M.
E. church stands on a part of it now.
The second entry was made the same
day, Nov. 6, by Mason Fowler. It was
the east half of the southwest quarter ot
section twenty-seven, town fourteen, range
four west, and is on Horse creek.
The next day, Nov. 7. Elijah lies,
Thomas Cox, John Taylor and Paschal
P. Enos, entered the four quarters on
which Springfield was laid out. This is
from a newspaper article written by Geo.
Brunk.
BRYAN, GEORGE, was born
Feb. 15, 1758, in North Carolina. He
went, or may have been taken by his par-
ents, to Virginia, and from there to Ken-
tucky with Daniel Boone, about 1780.
There he either founded, or by his bold
daring as a leader, gave the name to a
primative fortification called Bryant's Sta-
tion, in what became Fayette county, Ky.,
a few miles from where the city of Lex-
ington was afterwards established. % It
will be observed that in applying the
name to the fortification a letter has been
added, making the name Bryant, which is
erroneous. There is a tradition preserved
by his descendants, that soon after the fort
was established, the young women belong-
ing to the families connected with it were
washing clothes at a stream of running
water on the outside of the stockade.
George Bryan and some of the other
young men stood guard. Not being ap-
prehensive of danger, they permitted the
Indians to place themselves between the
girls and the fort. The guard quickly
secured a position between the girls and
the savages, and a skirmish ensued. After
making the way clear, Bryan, in a loud
voice, announced that he would marry the
girl who would enter the fort first. They
all escaped, and he, true to his word, after
gaining the consent of the young lady,
was married in the fall of 1781 to Eliza-
beth Ragan, who was born in 1760, in
South Carolina. Mr. Bryan always
claimed that it was first marriage of a
white couple in what became the State of
Kentucky. That was before the era of
mills in that region of country, and his
descendants have handed down the state-
ment, in connection with the wedding
festival, that he paid ten dollars for a
bushel of corn meal, to make bread for
the occasion. They had at least raised
one crop, and Mr. Bryan rolled pumpkins
into the fort as a substitute for chairs to
seat the guests. They had ten or eleven
children, four of them sons, and Mrs.
Bryan died. Mr. Bryan was married in
1829, to Mrs. Cassandra Miller, who died
in Kentucky, in 1833. In 1834^1'. Bryan
came to Sangamon county with some of
his children and grand-children. Of his
children, who came to this county
SAN GAM ON COUNTY.
'55
NICHOLAS, born March 24, 1794, in
Bourbon county, Ky. He was a soldier
in the war of 1812, and was in the battle
of New Orleans, Jan. 8, 1815. Soon after
the close of the war, and within that year,
he was married in his native county to
Mary Delay Scott, who was horn there
Dec. 24, 1800. They had four children
in Kentucky, and came to Sangamon
county in 1833, settling in what is now
Woodside township. Their son GEO.,
born in 1818, in Kentucky, married near
Elkhart, Logan county, 111., in 1839,
moved to Texas and died there, leaving
two children. ELIZA C., born Feb. 17,
1820, in Bourbon county, Ky., married
July 25, 1837, near Springfield, 111., to
James Taylor. See his name. MARY
J., born May 22, 1822, in Bourbon county,
Ky., married in 1840 in Springfield, 111.,
to Milton H. Wash. See his name.
ROBERT A., born July 13, 1833, in
Kentucky, married in Springfield, 111., to
Hannah Sperry. She died, and his resi-
dence is unknown, but it is somewhere
South. Mrs. Mary D. Bryan died Dec.
25, 1843, in Springfield, 111., and Nicholas
Bryan was married in 1845 to Adelia
Trumbull. They had one child, BRY-
ANAH, and moved to the Pacific coast.
Nicholas Bryan died in 1855, in San Jose,
Santa Clara county, Cal., leaving his
widow and daughter there.
MB LINDA W., born April 11,1797,
in Bourbon county, Ky., married there in
1815 to Abraham Todd, who was born in
Woodford county, Ky., in 1792. They
had three children in Kentucky, and Mr.
Todd died. Mrs. Todd married Thomas
P. Pettus. See his name. Mr. Pettus
and wife, with her three daughters by the
first marriage, came to Sangamon county
in 1838, and settled near what is now
Woodside Station. Of the three children,
ELIZA J. TODD, born April 29, 1816,
in Woodford county, Ky., married in
Sangamon county, April 16, 1840, to
Stephen S. Ferrell. They have a family,
and reside at Boscobel, Grant county,
Wis. MARY A. TODD born Jan. 12,
1819, in Woodford county, Ky., married
Aug. 12, 1835, in Sangamon county, to
Thomas B. Morris. They have children,
and reside near Wyoming, Iowa county,
Wis. ANNA MARIA TODD, born
Jan. 19, 1823, in Woodford county, Ky.,
married in Sangamon county to John B.
Wolgamot. See his name. Also, see
T. P. Pettus.
POLLY, born Aug. 20, 1797, in Bour-
bon county, Ky., married there to Thomas
Jones. See his name. She died in Ken-
tucky, but her family came to Sangamon
county.
When George Bryan came to Sanga-
mon county, in 1834, he was in his seventy-
sixth year, but he continued visiting Ken-
tucky, riding each way on horseback, an-
nually for eleven years. He died Nov.
22, 1845, and was buried near Woodside
Station, Sangamon county. He was
eighty-seven years, nine months and seven
days old.
It seems almost incredible that a man
who was of sufficient age to have been a
soldier in the American Revolution, and
who took an active part in the stirring
scenes of the frontier settlements in the
second State admitted to the American
Union, should have become an early set-
tler of Sangamon county, and witnessed
some of its earliest strides towards civili-
zation : but the life of George Bryan ex-
tended over this long and eventful period.
His grandson, William T. Jones, has a
great fund of reminiscences of the life of
his grandfather Bryan, as he received
them from the lips of the venerable
patriarch while living. I can only give
place to two incidents, both of which oc-
curred in Kentucky.
On one occasion, when the forests were
swarming with hostile Indians, Mr. Bryan,
with six other men, left the Station for a
scouting expedition. Proceeding cautious-
ly, they had gone but two or three miles
when the seven white men were fired up-
on by just twice their number of Indians,
who lay in ambush until the white men
were very near them. The Indians were
good marksmen with bows and arrows,
but they had not been sufficiently accus-
tomed to fire-arms to become expert in
using them. In their haste they over-
shot their marks, and never hurt a man.
The advantage would then have been
decidedly in favor of the whites, but at
this juncture three of the latter, supposing
there was a large force of Indians, took
to flight. The other three, with Bryan at
their head, each took to a tree, and com-
menced firing at the Indians. The fight
continued ^the whole day, and as the sun
was sinking to rest, it was discovered that
'56
EARL 7 SETTLERS OF
there were but two men on each side in
fighting condition: the chief on one side,
and Bryan on the other, with a single
man each. The others were all killed or
severely wounded. A parley ensued,
which ended in an agreement that the one
subordinate on each side should cease hos-
tilities, for the purpose of taking care of
the dead and wounded, and that the two
leaders should fight until one or the other
conquered. Each kept behind a tree,
with his gun loaded, while they were
parleying, and when ready to renew hos-
tilities, each called the other by every
epithet expressing cowardice that they
could respectively command, and each
dared the other to come out and engage
in open combat. As it was growing dark,
Bryan put his cap on the end of his ram-
rod, and moved it from the tree as though
he was very cautiously preparing to shoot.
The Indian fired at the cap, and finding
himself deceived, he ran in a zig-zag
course, cautiously looking back until he
thought himself at a safe distance, when
he took to a tree and began to load his
rifle. The moment the chief fired, Bryan
sprang from his tree, and, instead of fol-
lowing direct, he ran at an angle of about
forty-five degrees from the course of the
Indian, and was soon out of the line
where the latter expected to see him.
Bryan thus had the Indian in plain view,
while the latter thought himself secure.
As the chief raised both arms to ram
down the load, Bryan fired, the ball enter-
ing under one arm, it passed out under the
other, and he fell dead. His clothes
were covered with silver brooches and
other ornaments, that were kept in the
families of Bryan's descendants for many
years.
As the increasing number of the whites
convinced the Indians that they must
eventually give way, they became less
hostile. About this time Bryan and a
comrade spent several weeks in hunting,
and had taken a large number of skins
and furs. While the two were alone in
camp, a considerable number of Indians
encamped near them ; and very soon two
of the Indians came to their camp, and,
without the least ceremony, commenced
opening and examining the goods belong-
ing to the two white men. Mr. Bryan
made up his mind that the result of their
winter's work was lost, for if the Indians
chose to take their goods, it would be
madness to resist with such odds against
them. Unknown to Bryan, his partner
was an expert in legerdemain, and the
thought occurred to him that the Indians
might be driven off by some deceptive
movement. He asked one of the savages
for his butcher knife, and at once went
through all the motions of swallowing it.
The other Indian handed out his knife,
which was swallowed with violent contor-
tions. The two hurried away to their own
camp, and soon returned with their chief,
who held in his hand a much larger knife,
having a very rough buck-horn handle,
with a horn spike about three inches long
at one side. The white man shook his
head, make signs that the knife was too
large, that the little horn on the side of
the handle would be more than he could
swallow. They insisted, and he made
signs that he would try. He then in-
dulged in contortions so violent as to bring
tears to his eyes; but the knife disap-
peared. The red men felt of his body,
and came so near finding where the
knives were hidden, that he thought it
would be safer to return them, and com-
menced casting up and handing each In-
dian his knife. They, one after another,
received their knives, each taking his own
very carefully by the point, between the
thumb and finger, would smell of it, make
a wry face, and throw it on the ground.
The three savages withdrew together,
leaving their knives where they had fallen,
and before morning the whole company,
afraid to steal anything else, stole them-
selves away.
Having said so much about his pioneer
life, in which he was brought in contact
with wild beasts, savages, and white men
unused to the restrains of civilized life as
we now enjoy it, would probably lead the
reader to infer that he was a rough and
harsh man; but such was not the case.
He embraced Christianity in early life, and
was one of the most steadfast supporters
of the ordinances of religion. He aided
in building a Baptist church at Bryan Sta-
tion, which a grand-daughter of his, now
living in Springfield, visited in 1860, and
found it still in use. He was a member
of that church, and worshipped there as
long as he remained in Kentucky. He
always held family worship, in which the
colored servants were expected to unite.
SANGAMON COUNT?.
'57
He continued the practice to the day of
his death.
BRYAN, LARKIN, was born
Nov. 2, 1800, in Woodford county, Ky.
He was married thei'e in 1820 to Mrs.
Harriet Chapman, whose maiden name
was Thornberry. They moved to the
Missouri lead mines, and from there to
Sangamon county, in the fall of 1821, and
settled five miles northeast of Springfield.
They had seven children in Sangamon
county. Of their children
WILLIAM C, born Jan. 29, 1822,
married Anna Brennan, have three child-
ren, and reside near Charleston, 111.
MART F., born July n, 1824, married
Presley Chrisman. She died, leaving her
husband and three children near Promise
Citv, Wayne county, Iowa.
RACHEL J., born Dec. 7, 1825, mar-
ried Willis Chrisman. They have four
children, and reside in Sangamon county,
near Waverly.
JAMES H., born March 7, 1827, is
unmarried, and resides in Springfield. He
has a saw mill on South Fork.
C1NTHIA A., born Oct. 18, 1829,
married John Kline, and resides in St.
Joseph, Mo.
LARKIN A., born March "3, 1830,
married Nov. i, 1860, to Sarah A. Mitchell,
who was born April 16, 1842, in Finedon,
Northamptonshire, England. They had
five childen. HARRIET E. died in her
seventh year. JAMES W., JESSIE H.,
LAVINIA A! and CHARLES W. re-
side with their parents, near Waverly, 111.
HARRIET M., born July 3, 1832,
married DeWitt C. Marsh. See his
name.
Mrs. Harriet Bryan died April 4, 1862,
and Larkin Bryan was married Jan. 14,
1863, to Mrs. Sarah Yeamans, who had
previously been Mrs. Britt, and whose
maiden name was Wilson. He died two
miles north of Springfield, in 1874. His
widow resides in Springfield.
BUCHANAN, REUBEN,
was born March 20, 1809, in Woodford
county, Ky. His father moved, in 1819
or '20, to Morgan county, 111. Reuben
remained there until 1834, when he came
to Sangamon county, settling at Salisbury,
where he was married to Barbara Duncan,
a step-daughter of Solomon Miller. She
was born March 15, 1812, in Cumberland
county, Ky. Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan
had four children, three of whom died
young. The only one living
HARRIET A., born Dec. 3, 1838, at
Salisbury, married Jan. i, 1857, in Spring-
field, to Lafayette Smith. See his name.
Mr. Buchanan moved from Salisbury to
Springfield in April, 1847, and was en-
gaged in the grocery business until his
death, which occurred Nov. 14, 1861. His
widow resides with her son-in-law, Lafa-
yette Smith, in Springfield.
BUCKMAN, JOEL, born Nov.
6, 1790, in Bethel, Vermont. He was the
second child of Jeremiah Buckman and
Ruth Banister, his wife. They were born
in Springfield, Mass; he Sept. n, 1762,
and she March 20, 1771. Joel Buckman
and Huldah Tilley were married in Ver-
mont, and moved to Potsdam, N. Y., had
six children, and Mrs. B. died, Dec. 17,
1828. He was married June 19, 1829, to
Hannah Bowker. They had one child,
and moved to Sangamon county, 111., ar-
riving Sept., 1834, at Old Sangamo. Mrs.
Hannah B. died Nov. 6, 1838. Joel
Buckman and Sally Watts were married
in Sangamon county, March 5, 1839.
They had one child. Of all his child-
ren
JOEL, born Dec. 2, 1813, died July 5,
l8 35-
L ORENDA,\>orn Sept. 9, 1815, in Pots-
dam, N. Y., married in Sangamon county,
June 20, 1837, to William B. Brown.
See his name.
LE VINIA, born Dec. 22, 1819, in
New York, married in Sangamon county,
Dec., 1835, to Waters Carman. They
had four children, and she died. He
moved to Oregon.
CAL VIN, born Jan. 31, 1822, in New
York, married in Sangamon county, Nov.
1843, to Sophia Eastabrook. They have
seven children, and reside at Delavan,
Tazewell county.
HULDAH S., born Feb. 16, 1824, in
New York, married in Sangamon county,
Oct. 20, 1842, to Lucius Seeley. See his
name.
SILAS L., born Feb. 19, 1828, in
New York, married Anna Clemens. He
resides near Farmingdale.
HANNAH W., born March 26, 1832,
died in her third year.
BENJAMIN, born Sept. 6, 1841, in
Sangamon county, resides with his mother,
near Farmingdale.
EARLY SETTLERS OF
Joel Buckman died March 13, 1872, in
Sangamon county, and his widow resides
two miles southwest of Farmingdale.
BOLLARD, REUBEN, was
born Dec. 22, 1792, in Caroline county,
Va. He went to Woodford county, Ky.,
in 1787, and to Shelby county in 1790. He
was there married in 1803, to Elizabeth
Gill, who was born Oct. 30, 1779, near
Charlestown, Va. They had eight child-
ren in Kentucky, four of whom, Eliza,
Lucinda, Richard and Nancy J., died
there, between the ages of fifteen and
twenty-five years. Mrs. Elizabeth Bui-
lard died Jan. 6, 1835, and Reuben Bui-
lard, with three of his children, came to
Sangamon county, arriving in Nov., 1835,
in what is now Illiopolis township, one
son having come before. Of the four
children
JOHN, born Feb. 10, 1805, in Shelby
county, Ky., came to Sangamon county
April 6, 1830, and made his home partly
at Buffalo Hart Grove and partly in the
vicinity of Mechanicsburg, and returned
to Kentucky in 1833. Sarah S. Fallis
was born Feb. 3, 1812, in St. Louis coun-
ty, Mo., her parents having moved there
from Kentucky. During the war with
England the Indians became troublesome,
and the family moved back, in 1813, to
Henry county, Ky. John Bullard and
Sarah S. Fallis were there married, Sept.
4, 1834, and came at once to Sangamon
county, where they had ten children.
JOHN W., born Oct. 21, 1836, died May
6, 1856. NANCY F.,born May 29, 1838,
married April 30, 1873, to Charles How-
ard, and reside near Neola, Iowa. WIL-
LIAM S., born Jan. 7, 1841. He enlist-
ed August 7, 1862, in Co. A, 73d 111. Inf.
for three years, was wounded at the battle
of Franklin, Tenn., Nov. 30, 1864, served
until the end of the rebellion, and was
honorably discharged. He was married
Dec. 28, 1871, to Elizabeth S. Zane. They
have two children, LETHE IRENE and
MARY, and reside four and a half miles
east of Mechanicsburg. REUBEN S.,
born August 31, 1842, married Sept. 23,
1873, in Shelbyville, Ky., to Marian
Saunders. She was born there, May 8,
1849. They have one child, ANNIE, and
reside four and a half miles east of Me-
chanicsburg, where his father settled in
1834. EDNA E., born April 12, 1844,
married Oct. 16, 1867, to Charles C. Rad-
cliflfe, a native of Frederick county, Md.
They have three children, NOR A A., AUBRA
L. and SALLIE F., and resides in Mechan-
icsburg. JOSEPHINE, born Dec. 17,
1845, was married at Mechanicsburg,
May 27, 1875, to Capt. George Ritchey,
and reside in Boonville, Mo. MARY J.,
born Dec. 17, 1847, died Feb. 14, 1875.
WILBER C., born Sept. 19, 1850;
JACOB B. born Jan. 20, 1854; HENRY
S., born March 18, 1858, all reside with
their mother, except WILBUR C., who
lives in Decatur. John Bullard died Dec.
26, 1872, and his widow lives in Mechan-
icsburg.
MART A., born Sept. 25, 1810, in
Shelby county, Ky., married there to
Benjamin Fortune. See his name.
SARAH AGNES, born March 24,
1814, in Shelby county, Ky., married
Jacob N. Fullinwider. See his name.
WES LET, born July 28, 1816, in
Shelby county, Ky., married March 23,
1843, in Sangamon county, to Sarah A.
Foster, who was born July 18, 1824, in
Montgomery county, Ky., and came to
Sangamon county on a visit in 1842. Her
parents lived, at the time, in Putnam, Ind.
Mr. and Mrs. B. had eight sons in San-
gamon county. WILLIAM H., born
August 16, 1844, enlisted August 4, 1862,
for three years, in Co. A, 73d 111. Inf., was
slightly wounded at the battle of Frank-
lin, Tenn. He served to the end of the
rebellion, and was honorably discharged,
June 24, 1865, married in Sangamon
county, Sept. 13, 1866, to Abbie P. Bald-
win, who was born Nov. 21, 1847, near
Monticello, Madison county. They have
three children, SARAH L., WESLEY c. and
MARY B., and live five miles east of Me-
chanicsburg. JAMES R. resides (1874)
in San Francisco, Cal. JOHN N.,
FRANCIS B., SAMUEL A., GEO.
W., BENJ. F. and SAY A. FOSTER;
the six latter live with their father. Mrs.
Sarah A. Bullard died Feb. 13, 1861, and
Wesley Bullard was married August 6,
1863, m Sangamon county, to Mrs. Eliza-
beth Holsman, whose maiden name was
Kidd. She was born May 7, 1828, in
Fluvanna county, Va. Her home was in
Circleville, Ohio, but she was on a visit to
Sangamon county at the time of her mar-
riage. They have two children, JULIA
and ROBERT A., and live four miles
SANGAMON COUNTT.
159
east of Mechanicsburg, where he settled
in 1835.
Reuben Bullard died Sept. 6, 1836, in
Sangamon county.
.His father's name was Reuben Bullard.
He was in the Revolutionary army as a
non-combatant, and lost his life by drink-
ing too freely of cold water while he was
over-heated. He made a gun, which he
gave to his son, whose name heads this
sketch. It is now (1874) in possession of
a son of John Bullard Reuben S. the
fourth generation from the man who made
it. The brass plate opposite the lock
bears the inscription, R. B., J77 2 - It is a
smooth bore ; the barrel is four feet eight
inches long, and the whole gun is six feet
one inch. An anecdote is related of
it, that when the boys of a former genera-
tion used the gun, they always hunted in
pairs, one to do the shooting and the other
to see that the marksman did not get the
muzzle beyond the game.
BURCH, JOHN, was born about
1770, in Georgia. He was married in
1800, in Gallatin county, Ky., to Elizabeth
Hampton, who was born in 1780, in Lou-
don county, Va. They had six children
in Kentucky, and Mr. Burch came to
Sangamon county in the fall of 1828, with
his son-in-law, James McKee. He went
back to Kentucky for his family, and died
there May 10, 1829. In the fall of that
year his family moved to Sangamon coun-
ty, and settled near Mechanicsburg. Of
their six children
SARAH, born about 1801, in Ken-
tucky, married there to William Jack, and
moved to Sangamon county. See his
name.
BENJAMIN, born Aug. i, 1803, in
Gallatin county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon to Mary Smith. He died in McLean
county in 1863. His widow married
James Waite, and lives, in Bloomington.
JANE, born in 1805, in Gallatin coun-
ty, Ky., married there. Jan. 9, 1828, to
James McKee, and came to Illinois in the
fall of that year, and settled near Mechan-
icsburg.
PRESTON H., born in 1807, in Gal-
latin county, Ky., married in Sangamon
county in 1831, to Elizabeth Suter. They
had five children in Sangamon county.
SARAH E. married William H. Green,
and lives at Dubuque, Iowa, with her onlv
child, I.ULU. LEVARIAN, born Dec.
2 5
N
m Sangamon county, enlisted at
ewport Barracks, April, 1861, in Battery
G, 2nd Reg. U. S. Art. He was promo-
ted to Second Lieutenant, was wounded
at the battle of Gettysburg, and died of
his wounds, late in 1863, at Washington
City. JAMES M.,born Feb. 18, 1839, in
Sangamon county. He graduated at St.
Louis Medical College in 1859, and en-
listed as a private, June 20, 1861, in Co.
C, 8th Mo. Inf.; was promoted in July,
'6 1, to Asst. Surg., which he resigned in
Aug., 1862, and was commissioned Cap-
tain of Co. K, 94th 111. Inf. He resigned
that office in Sept., 1863, and was promo-
ted Lieutenant Colonel of the i6th U. S.
Colored Troops, at New Orleans, which
he resigned at Brazos, Texas, in Sept.,
1864. Dr. J. M. Burch was married Oct.
8, 1860, at Bloomington, to Jennie L.
McClunn, a native of that city. After the
close of the rebellion he practiced medi-
cine at Illiopolis, and died there July 26,
1874, leaving a widow and four children,.
FRANK P., ED. R., LEVARIAN and CORA.
Mrs. Jennie L. Burch and children reside
at Bloomington. JOHN S., born July
1840, in Sangamon county, went to
California in 1861, and was drowned
March 3, 1865, at San Juan, Nicaragua,
while on his way home. ELIZA J,, born
March, 1842, in Sangamon county, is a
teacher at Mt. Sterling. Preston H.
Burch enlisted in 1862, at Peoria, in Co.
, io8th 111. Inf., and died of disease at
Young's Point, near Vicksburg, Miss.,
Feb. 1 8, 1863. His widow died at Mt.
Sterling, Brown county, 111., Dec., 1865.
ELIZA, born in 1810, in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to James
Smith. They had one child, MARY,
born in Sangamon county, married Oct.
8, 1860, to Dr. Edward Stevens, and re-
side in Bloomington. James Smith died
Sept., 1845, m Springfield, and his widow
married Josiah Green. She died Feb.,
1852, and he died July, 1855, both in
Mechanicsburg.
WADE S., born Oct. 14, 1815, in Gal-
latin county, KV., married in Sangamon
county Jan. 8, 1845, to Mary E. Young.
They had ten children, seven of whom
died under seven years. SUSAN B.,
born July 26, 1850, married Jan. 8, 1868,
to James Newton Moreland, who was
born Dec. 17, 1840, in Bath county, Ky.,
served nearly four years from Aug. i,
EARLT SETTLERS OF
1862 in Co. B, loth Ky. Cav. (Union),
and was honorably discharged in 1865.
Mr. and Mrs. Moreland live in Illiopolis
township. WERTER P., born March
n, 1861, and HARRY, born Feb. 10,
1864, live with their parents W. S. Burch
and wife, reside two miles south of Lanes-
ville.
Mrs. Elizabeth Burch died Sept. 20,
1865, in Curran township.
BURKHARDT, JOHN M.,
was born Feb. 2, 1807, in Schwarzenberg,
county of Neuremberg, Kingdom of
Wurtemberg. He came to America in
1832, and spent two summers in Pennsyl-
vania, and as many winters in Mississippi.
He came to Springfield in 1836, and was
there married, Aug. 18, 1843, to Mary E.
Nagle, who was born June 24, 1827, in
Bavaria, Canton Bergzabern. She sailed
Oct. 20, 1841, in the ship Oceana. The
vessel was wrecked off the island of
Jamaica, Dec. 3, 1841. The passengers
were all saved, but lost their baggage.
They were transferred to another vessel,
and arrived at New Orleans Jan. 8, 1842,
to find the city in holiday attire in honor
of Gen. Jackson's victory over the British,
Jan 8, 1815. Her father died in St. Louis,
while she was detained by shipwreck.
She came on to Springfield, arriving in
March, 1842, and joined her sister, Mrs.
Catharine Lorch, then and now the wife
of Charles Lorch. Mr. and Mrs. Burk-
hardt had eleven children ; two died under
three years, and Charles A. died, aged
seven. Of the other eight
JOHN, born May 20, 1844, enlisted
July 4, 1862, for three months, in Co. D,
7oth 111. Vol. Inf., and served five months
as a Corporal. He again enlisted March
22, 1864, in Co. G, ii4th 111. Vol. Inf., for
three years. He was killed June 10,
1864, at the battle of Guntown, Miss.
BERTHA, born June 23, 1847, was
married March 6th, 1874, to Walter F.
Swift, who was born in New Bedford,
Mass. They reside in Ottawa, Kan.
CHARLES A., EMMA, ANNIE
L., JENNIE C., IDA B. and LIL-
LIE E., live with their mother.
John M. Burkhardt died Aug. i, 1868,
and his widow resides one mile east of
Springfield, 111.
BURNS, THOMAS, was born
August i, 1773, at Alexandria, Va. His
father was a native of Scotland, and was
killed by his team running away when
Thomas was a child. Elizabeth Ridge-
way was born Nov. 25, 1775, in Berkley
county, Va. Thomas Burns and Eliza-
beth Ridgeway were married March 1 1^,
1794, and had one child in Berkley coun-
ty; and then moved to Washington coun-
ty, West Va., where they had three child-
ren. They then moved to North Caro-
lina, and after a short stay, moved to Jes-
samine county, Ky., where they had one
child, and from there to Clarke county,
where they had seven children. The
family moved from there to Sangamon
county, 111., arriving in the fall of 1829,
in what is now Mechanicsburg township.
Some of their children had preceded them.
Of their children
RACHEL, born Jan. 30, 1795, in
West Virginia, died Jan. 30, 1816, in Ken-
tucky.
ELIZABETH, born Nov. 28, 1796,
in West Virginia, died Feb., 1840, in San-
gamon county.
ROBERT E., born March 28, 1799,
in Washington county, West Va., mar-
ried in Clarke county, Ky., Sept. 15,1825,
to Patsy Cass, and moved to Sangamon
county, 111., arriving Oct., ,1825, in Buf-
falo Hart Grove. They were the first of
the family to come to the county. They
had four children in Sangamon county,
two of whom died young. ROBERT
FRANKLIN, born Dec. 9, 1830, died
July n, 1852. ELIZABETH C., born
June 7, 1838, married April 16, 1854, to
John T. Constant. See his name. Rob-
ert E. Burns and his wife reside at Buf-
falo Hart Station, very near where they
settled in 1825. Mr. Burns had a neigh-
bor, Wm. Bridges, who was a blacksmith
and gunsmith. Wm. and Hiram Robbins
came to Mr. Bridges to have work done,
and he had no coal. They told him that
they had seen coal cropping out of the
ground in their hunting excursions, and
gave him directions so that he could find
it. Mr. Burns took his wagon and team,
went with Mr. Bridges to the place and
'dug out a load, and found it good for black-
smithing. It was in a ravine about three-
fourths of a mile northwest of where Bar-
clay now stands. That was in 1826, and
was the first coal found in that part of the
country. Mr. Burns raised cotton for
clothing, and it matured perfectly before
the "deep snow" of 1830-31. After that
SANGAMON COUNT*.
he tried frequently, bringing seed from
Tennessee several times, but all his
efforts proved to be such failures that the
seed ran out and was lost.
ANN T., born May 27, 1801, in West
Virginia, married in Kentucky, August 6,
1817, to Abner Enos. See his name.
She died there, June 13, 1829.
JOHN /?., born Oct. 19, 1803, in Jes-
samine county, Ky., married in Sangamon
county, April 17, 1828, to Lucy A. Cass.
He was a soldier in the Black Hawk
war. They had twelve children, all born
in Sangamon county, three of whom died
under five years. MARY J., born Mar.
26, 1831, married Feb. 28, 1847, to J^ n
Cass. See his name. THOMAS F.,
born Jan. 9, 1833, married Sept. 30, 1856,
Ursula Greening. Thos. F. Burns en-
listed July 25, 1862, in Co. F., ii4th 111.
Inf., for three years. Served about one
year, and was honorably discharged
on account of physical disability. He
now resides in Mt. Pulaski. WILLIAM
A., born Nov. 28, 1839, married Dec. 24,
1867, to Lucy E. Jones. They have two
children, WM. ELMER and IVA MAY, and
live near Buffalo Hart Station. MAR-
THA A., born Feb. 27, 1843, lives with
her parents. ARMINTA, born Dec. 30,
1844, married Feb. 21, 1867, to Wm. B.
Robinson. See his name. SOPHIA,
born Feb. 13, 1849, married Dec^27, 1871,
to James F. Hickman. See his name.
IVA, born March 18, 1851, married Oct.
25, 1871, to James L. Wright, who was
born in Lockmaben, Scotland, and resides
in Buffalo Hart township. JOHN T.,
born Jan. u, 1854, and ROBERT B.,
born Oct. 26, 1856, live with their parents,
one mile south of Buffalo Hart Station.
Mrs. Lucy A. Burns says that they
raised cotton in the summer of 1828; that
she picked it from the bolls, picked
the seed out with her fingers, carded it
with hand cards, spun and wove it, and
made it up into garments of various kinds.
In 1829 they raised a much larger quanti-
ty, and had it ginned on a machine owned
by William G. Cantrall. They paid toll,
or part of the cotton, for ginning, the
same as grinding is done by custom mills.
When all was done they had eighty
pounds of ginned cotton left. She says
that after the " deep snow " it never would
mature.
MAHALA, born May 10, 1806, in
Clarke county, Ky., married there Nov.
27, 1827, to Bailey F. Bell. See his
name.
M BLIND A and LUCINDA, twins,
born July 23, 1808, in Clarke county, Ky.
MELINDA, married in Sangamon
county, Jan. 17, 1830, to Ambrose Bowen
Cass. See his name.
LUCINDA, married in Sangamon
county, Sept. 20, 1832, to John W. Rob-
ison. See his name.
EM1L Y, born June 14, 181 1, in Clarke
county, Ky., married in Sangamon county,
Jan. 17, 1830, to Clemmon Strickland.
They had three children. The parents
and two of the children died. JOSEPH,
the only living member of the family,
married Emilv Chance, and lives at Buf-
falo.
REBECCA, born Feb. 16, 1814, in
Clarke county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county to Bennett Wood, a native of
Kentucky. They lived in Green county,
111., until they had two children, namely:
BAZZLE or BASIL M., born June 16,
1835, in Green county, enlisted July, 1862,
for three years, in Co. E., n6th 111. Inf.
Served full term and was honorably dis-
charged with the regiment, in 1865. He
was married in Sangamon county, Jan. 25,
1866, to Nannie J. Graham, who was born
July 4, 1843, in Morgan county. They
had two children, FLORA and GRACIE, and
Mrs. Wood died, Jan. 6, 1872. Mr. Wood
resides one and a quarter miles east of
^Illiopolis, with his father-in-law, Mr.
'Graham. SARAH Wood, born March,
1834, in Green county, married in Sanga-
mon county to John Stall. They have
four children, and live at Niantic. Ben-
nett Wood died in Green county, and his
widow married James McGee. Mrs. Mc-
Gee died in Sangamon county, leaving
two children: JOHN T. and WILLIAM R.
McGee reside in Williamsville.
FRANKLIN, born August 6, 1816, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county,
March 3, 1836, to Louisa Ridge way.
They had children. THOMAS
J. married and resides in Kansas. PAR-
THENIA married George Sensbaugh,
and lives near Whiterock, Jewell county,
Kansas. LOUISA J. married Daniel
Redman, and lives near Lone Oak P. O.,
Bates county, Mo. MAHALA resides
with her sister, Louisa J. B. HARDIN
1 62
EARL? SETTLERS OF
lives with his uncle, Robert E. Burns.
Franklin Burns and his wife are both
dead.
PATST, born Feb. 20, 1819, in Ken-
tucky, married in Sangamon county, Dec.
26, 1837, to Baldwin Harper. They had
one child, EVELINE. She married
Theophilus Kirwood, and lives near
Warrensburg, Macon county. Mr. and
Mrs. Harper are both dead.
Mrs. Elizabeth Burns died Oct. 5, 1830,
and Thomas Burns died August n, 1836,
both in Sangamon county.
BURTLE, WILLIAM, born
July i, 1780, near Montgomery Court
House, Md. His parents moved, when
he was a boy, to Washington county, Kv.
Sarah Ogden was born in 1786, in St.
Mary's county, Md. Her father died when
she was a child, and her mother moved,
with several children, to Washington
county, Ky. William Burtle and Sarah
Ogden were there married, about 1805.
They had nine children in Kentucky. The
family moved to Sangamon county, 111.,
arriving October, 1826, in what is now
Ball township. Mr. Burtle entered land,
and made improvements for a permanent
home,, about two hundred yards east of
where St. Bernard's Catholic Church now
stands, and moved on it in the spring of
1828. Of their nine children
JOSEPH,\>Qvn. in Kentucky, married
in Sangamon county to Mrs. Maria Mil-
ler, whose maiden name was Gatton.
They both died in Sangamon county,
without children.
JOHN, born in Kentucky, was mar-*
ried there to Matilda Simpson. They
had two children, one of whom died in
infancy. His daughter married, moved to
Texas, and died there. John Bnrtle died
in Ball township. His widow married,
moved to Missouri, and died there.
JAMES, born May 25, 1811, in Ken-
tucky, was married in SangaVnon countv
to Elizabeth Gatton. They had six child-
ren. JOHN T. married Eliza J. Simp-
son. They have six children, JAMES R.,
JOSEPH E., EMMA, SAMUEL, ANNA and
JEROME. Mrs. Eliza J. Burtle died in
May, 1875, and John T. Burtle and fami-
Iv reside in Ball township, seven miles
southeast of Chatham. WILLIAM O.
married Mary M. Speak. They have
three children, MARIA, OSCAR E. and
MARY M., and reside with his mother"*at
the family homestead. SARAH E. mar-
ried John Simpson. Thev had one child,
and mother and child died." JOSEPHUS
died in his twenty-fourth year. MARY
A. died, aged nineteen years. James
Burtle died, and his widow resides in Ball
township, six and a half miles southeast of
Chatham.
THOMAS, born Aug. 12, 1815, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county
to Louisa Simpson. They have four
children. JAMES H. married Sarah E.
Gatton. They have six living children:
LOUISA A and MARY L. (twins), ANNA E.,
MARTHA F., WILLIAM J. and THERESA II.
Mrs. Sarah E. Burtle died in Sept., 1873,
and James H. Burtle resides in Ball town-
ship. JOHN T., Jun., married Elizabeth
M. Boll. They have three children, ED-
WARD A., JACOB R. and ANN N., and live
in Ball township. MARY A. married
Joseph H. Berry. They have five daugh-
ters, SARAH L., ELIZA C., MAGGIE A.,
MARY A. and ADA F., and live in Ball
township. ELIZA J. married John A.
White. They have two children, JOSEPH
H. and WILLIAM T., and reside with her
father. Mrs. Louisa Burtle died April 2,
1875, and Thomas Burtle resides near St.
Bernard's Catholic Church, in Ball town-
ship.
ELLEN died, aged fourteen years.
MART, born in Kentucky, married in
Sangamon county, 111., July 24, 1834, to
Josephus Gatton. See his name.
BENJAMIN, born in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to Monica
Gatton. They have six children living.
MARY E. married William R. Green-
await. See his name. The other children
reside with their parents, in Pawnee town-
ship.
y&WILLIAM, Jun., born Aug. 9, 1822,
in Grayson county, Ky., came with his
parents to Sangamon county in Oct., 1826,
was married Sept. 4, 1856, to Mrs. Eliza-
beth A. Simpson, whose maiden name
was White. Mrs. Burtle had one child
by her former marriage, JEROME
SIMPSON. Mr. and Mrs. Burtle had
two children. IDA F. died March 9,
1875, in her fourteenth year, and CHAS.
E. lives with his parents. William Burtle
has been a school teacher, Justice of the
Peace, and for more than twenty years
Treasurer and Collector of Ball township;
also a member of the Board of Supervis-
SANGAMON COUNTY.
163
ors of Sangamon county. He was also
elected President of the Old Settlers'
Society, in 1874, for one year. He now
lives in Auburn, engaged in mercantile
business with his step-son, Jerome Simp-
son.
William Burtle, Jun., remembers that
his father and James Simpson sent a re-
quest to St. Louis that a priest visit their
neighborhood. Rev. Mr. Dusuaswa came
in 1829, and held services at the residence
of Joseph Logsdon. That was the first
service ever held by a Catholic priest in
Sangamon county, and long before any
thing of the kind took place in Spring-
field. William Burtle remembers that
there were then but two Catholic families
in Springfield. The next services were at
the house of Wm. Burtle, Sen., by Rev.
Joseph A. Lutz. The next priest to visit
them was the Rev. Mr. Van Quickenbon.
Services were held at the house of William
Burtle, Sen., until 1849, when St. Bernard's
Church was built. One edifice was burned,
and the present one was built on the same
ground. St. Bernard's church is associated
with that at Virden in sustaining a priest.
Mrs. William Burtle relates, in a very
amusing manner, some of her experience
on coming to the county. She had list-
ened to the descriptions of the flowers
blooming on the prairies, and made up
her mind that it would lend additional
charms to those she was acquainted with
to cultivate them on the prairie where the
wild flowers could grow around them.
She came prepared with seeds, and at the
proper season armed herself with a hoe
and sallied forth to indulge her taste for
horticulture on the raw prairie. The
romance all vanished at the firt blow, as
the hoe rebounded without making the
slightest impression. Until that time she
thought plowing with large ox-teams was
overdoing the work, but then became fully
satisfied that it was indispensable as a pre-
paration for the cultivation of the soil.
ZACHAR1AH, born in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to Elizabeth
J. Harper. They have five living child-
ren, JAMES W:, SARAH E., EDGAR
A., MARY M. and ROBERT E., and
reside on the farm settled by his father in
1828, about two hundred yards east of St.
Bernard's Catholic Church.
William Burtle, Sen., died July 24,
1860, and Mrs. Sarah Burtle died Feb. n,
1868, and both were buried near St. Bern-
ard's Church. About the time William
Burtle, Sen., came to Sangamon county
with his family, his father, Benjamin Bur-
tle, came, and after remaining two or
three years returned to Kentucky, and
died there.
BURTON, EDWARD, was
born Oct. 13, 1796, on Roanoke river,
Va., and went to Rutherford county,
Tenn. He was there married to Frances
Hudson, who was born April 10, 1797, in
Virginia also. They had five children in
Tennessee, and moved to Sangamon
county, 111., in 1825 or '6, and settled on
Lick creek, in what is now Chatham
township, where they had four children.
Of their children
JOHN A., born in Tennessee, married
in Sangamon county, Aug. 8, 1844, t
Elizabeth H. Park. He died March n,
1859, leaving two children. MARY F.
married July 31, 1861, to William H. H.
Harris, who was born July 8, 1841, in
Macoupin county. They have three
children, ALLIE F., VINETTIE and ZELMIE,
and live four miles southwest of Loami.
LEONARD F., lives with his sister, Mrs.
HaiTis. Mrs. E. H. Burton married Wm.
S. Morris. See fark family.
El Z ABE TH G. died, aged twenty-
five years.
ELLEN married Blaney Pitts, have
nine children, and reside near Centralia.
MART, born Dec. 21, 1822, in Ruth-
erford county, Tenn., married in Sanga-
mon county, Oct. 18, 1840, to William
Edwards. See his name.
PERMELIA A., born Aug. i, 1826,
married Oct. 13, 1840, to Henry Edwards,
who was born Jan. 6, 1820, in Garrard
county, Ky. He is nephew to his brother-
in-law, William Edwards. They had
twelve children; nine died under seven
years. GEORGE D. died at nineteen.
ERVING lives with his parents.
RICHARD S. married Margaret E.
Adams, have two living children, HENRY
p. and ADA M., and live in Talkington
township. Henry Edwards and wife re-
side in Talkington township also (1884).
RICHARD S. married Sarah J. Ed-
wards. He enlisted in an Illinois regi-
ment, and died at home on sick furlough,
leaving three children. His widow mar-
ried, and resides in
164
BARLT SETTLERS OF
yULIETTE married James Jordan
Edwards. See his name.
BENJAMIN W. married Rachel G.
Park. They have two children, NEL-
SON M. and NANCY E. Mr. Burton
died Jan. 4, 1861. His widow and child-
ren reside two and three-quarter miles
west of Loami (1874).
LUCINA married James A. Edwards.
See his name.
Edward E. (or D.) Burton died at
Girard 111., April 8, 1859, while attending
Sangamon Presbytery of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, to which he was a
delegate. Mrs. Margaret Burton died
Sept. i, 1859, in Sangamon county.
BUTLER, NATHAN M.,
born Jan. 30, 1795, in Adair county, Ky.
He was married in Green county, to Mary
Harding, who was born in 1795, in that
county. They made their home in Adair
county until they had four children, when
they left for the west, and after a deten-
tion of seven months in Indiana, arrived,
Oct. 7, 1824, in Morgan county, 111.,
where they had two children. In the
spring of 1831 they moved to Sangamon
county, and settled on the south side of
Island Grove, two miles northeast of
where Berlin now stands. Of their six
children
WILLIAM A., born July 23, 1817, in
Adair county, Ky., married in Sangamon
county, to Mrs. Jane Clark, whose maiden
name was Trotter. She was born Feb.
2, 1827, in Ifcdiana, and raised in Sanga-
mon county. Mr. Butler was city Mar-
shal of Springfield in 1861, and '2; is now
farming four miles east of Springfield.
STEPHEN H., born Nov. 12, 1818,
in Adair county, Ky., brought up in San-
gamon county, married in Menard county
Feb. 27, 1845. to Nancy J. Coats, who
was born Dec. 6, 1825, in Warren county,
Ky. They had twelve children; five died
under six years. ISAAC E., born Jan.
27, 1846, married Feb. 13, 1873, to Emma
J. Clark, and resides five miles east of
Springfield. JULIA B., ,born Dec. 4,
1847, married Nov. 6, 1868, to James
Simpson. See his name. MARY L.,
born June 5, 1849, married Joseph Don-
ner. See his name. WILLIAM, born
April 12, 1856, JOHN D., born Dec. 5,
1859. IRA and IDA, twins, born July
19, 1861, live with their parents. S. H.
Butler resides four and a half miles east -of
Springfield.
JOSHUA C., born Nov. 26, 1820, in
Adair county, Ky., brought up in Sanga-
mon county, married April, 1857, in Jef-
ferson county, Iowa, to Margaret J. Ris-
tine. She died in Springfield in 1859,
leaving one child. J. C. Butler was mar-
ried in Sangamon county to Elizabeth
Stitt, and has three living children, viz:
CHARLES B., born June 6, 1850, mar-
ried June 14, 1871, in Sangamon county
to Ann Owen. They have one child, and
live near Virginia, Cass county. MAR-
GARET J., MARY E. and ROBERT
L. live with their parents, two and a half
miles northeast of Berlin. Joshua C. But-
ler was a member of Co. A., 4th 111. Inf.,
and served under Col. E. D. Baker, in the
Mexican war, from June, 1846, to June,
1847.
ELIZABETH E., born August 4,
1823, in Adair county, Ky., married in
Sangamon county to William T. Barrett.
JOHN C, born April, 1825, in Mor-
gan county, 111., enlisted in the same com-
pany and regiment with his brother,
Joshua C., and was discharged on account
of physical disability. He married Fran-
ces Brown. They had two children, both
of whom died, and Mr. Butler died in
Springfield. His widow married John J.
Hardin. See his name.
RA CHEL R. born in Morgan coun-
ty, married in Sangamon county to E.
Riley Pirkins. See his name.
Mrs. Mary Butler died, and N. M.
Butler married Mrs. Martha H. Stone,
whose maiden name was Hunter. They
had three children, viz
SALL T H., born in Sangamon coun-
ty, married Edmond E. Butler, of Ken-
tucky. They had one child, and mother
and child died at DesMoines, Iowa.
SAMUEL H., born in Sangamon
county, enlisted in 1861, for three years,
in the loth 111. Cav. Served until Nov.,
1864, when he was honorably discharged
at San Antonio, Texas. He remained
there in the employ of the government
and married in March, 1870, to Matilda
Ann Blair. They had two children, a
son and daughter. He was shot by an
assassin, and died in the year 1872 or '3,
in Texas.
JAMES E., born in Sangamon
county, married March 31, 1869, to Molly
SANG AM ON COUNTT.
165
E. Oglesby. They have three children.
He enlisted in 1861, for three years, in the
roth 111. Cav., at Springfield. Re-enlisted
as a veteran, promoted to First Lieut.
Served to the end of the rebellion, and
was honorably discharged. He resides
near Dayton, Cass county, Mo.
Nathan M. Butler died April 4, 1842,
in Sangamon county, and his widow died
Oct. 14, 1851, in Menard county. N. M.
Butler was a soldier in the war of 1812,
and was in the battle of New Orleans.
He was Col. of a regiment in the Black
Hawk war of 1831-32.
BUTLER, WILLIAM, was
born Dec. 15, 1797, in Adair^ county, Ky.
During the war of 1812 he was selected to
carry important dispatches from the Gov-
ernor of Kentucky to Gen. Harrison, in
the field. He traveled on horseback, and
made the trip successfully, although he
was but fifteen years of age. When a
young man he was employed in the iron
works of Tennessee, and after that was
deputy of the Circuit Clerk for Adair
countv, Ky. While thus engaged, he
made the acquaintance of a young lawyer,
now the venerable Judge Stephen T.
Logan, of this city. The friendship thus
formed continued through life. Mr. But-
ler spent a portion of his time as clerk on
a steamboat. In 1828 he came to Sanga-
mon county, and purchased a farm in Is-
land Grove. On that farm his father,
Elkanah Butler, lived and died. William
Butler came to Springfield, and' was soon
after appointed Clerk of the Circuit Court,
by his early friend, Judge Logan, March
19, 1836, and resigned March 22, 1841.
He was appointed, by Gov. Bissell, State
Treasurer, August 29, 1859, to fill the
vacancy occasioned by the resignation ot
State Treasurer Miller. He was elected
to the same office in 1860 for two years.
William Butler and Elizabeth Rickard
were married Dec. 18, 1832. They had
three children, namely
SALOME E., born in Springfield,
and now resides on South Sixth street, at
the family homestead.
SPEED, born Aug. 7, 1837, in
Springfield. He graduated at the Luther-
an University in Springfield, in- 1854,
studied law, and was admitted to practice
in 1860. When the rebellion came upon
the country in 1861, Speed Butler was
selected by the Governor of Illinois to
carry a dispatch to Washington City, ask-
ing for an order to remove the United
States arms from the Arsenal at St. Louis
to Alton, 111. Railroad and telegraphic
communication to the Capital was cut off,
but he managed to make his way through,
obtained the order, and returned in safety.
The arms were removed just in time to
keep them from falling into the hands of
the rebels. Soon after completing that
service he was appointed Commissary,
with the rank of Captain, but was at once
assigned to duty on Gen. Pope's staff, and
was with that officer during his campaign
in North Missouri, at Island No. 10, &c.
In Sept., 1 86 1, he was appointed Major of
the 5th' 111. Cav. For gallantry on the
battle-field at Farmington, Miss., in June,
1862, he was promoted to Colonel in the
regular army ; but still, by permission from
Gen. Wool, he remained on duty with
Gen. Pope. He shared the fortunes of
that officer during the Virginia campaign,
as also in Minnesota against the Indians.
He served until the close of the rebellion,
in 1865.
Col. Speed Butler was married May 26,
1864, in Milwaukee, Wis., to Jeannie
McKenzie Arnold, who was born Sept.
4, 1845, * n Poughkeepsie, N. Y. They
have three children, ANNIE L., ELIZ-
ABETH and ARNOLD W., and live
near Springfield, on the southwest.
HENRT WIRT, born Feb. 11, 1840,
in Springfield, graduated in 1859 at Brown
University, Providence, R. I., and was
married May 9, 1867, to Helen McCler-
nand, daughter of Gen. John A. McCler-
nand. She was born irj Springfield, and
died April 26, 1870, leaving one child,
WILLIAM J. H. W. Butler and son
live in Springfield.
Mrs. Elizabeth Butler died March 2,
1869, and Hon. William Butler died Jan.
11, 1876, both in Springfield.
o,
CALDWELL, WILLIAM,
was born Dec. 15, 1779, in Nansemond
county, Va. His father, Thomas Cald-
well, was born in Ireland, and married
there to Betsy Harris, a Welch lady.
They emigrated to America, and landed
at Charleston, South Carolina, where they
remained a short time, and then moved to
1 66
EARLY SETTLERS OF
Virginia. At the time of Thomas Cald-
well's death, he and his wife had a home
in the family of the son William. John
C. Calhoun was related on the side of his
mother to the Caldwell family, and there
is the source from which that distinguished
statesman obtained his middle name : John
Caldwell Calhoun. When William Cald-
well was a youth, his parents left Virginia
and moved to Jessamine county, Ky.
Nancy Roberts was born Sept. 24, 1782,
in Goochland county, Va., and when
young, went to Jessamine county, Ky.
William Caldwell and Nancy Roberts
were married Feb. 7, 1804. They had six
living children in Jessamine county, and
the family moved to Green county, 111., in
1831, and in 1836 moved to Sangamon
county, 111., and settled in what is now
Auburn township. Of their children
GEORGE L., born Dec. 6, 1804, in
Kentucky, married Sept. 10, 1829, to Polly
Roberts. She inherited two negro slaves
(a man and woman) from the estate of her
father. On May 7, 1830, they took ad-
vantage of the absence of Mr. Caldwell,
who was Sheriff of the county at the time,
and strangled his wife to death with a
small cord. They then placed her in a
natural position in bed, bandaged her head,
and placed such medicines on a stand,
within her reach, as she would have been
likely to use if she had been indisposed, and
left her until it was discovered by other
members of the family. The bruises on the
neck excited suspicion, and the blacks being
charged with the crime, confessed that
they had taken her life, hoping by that
means to be sent to their former home.
The man was an old, trusted carriage ser-
vant, an.d forced the woman to assist him.
They were tried, and, upon their own con-
fession, convicted and hung. George L.
Caldwell was married Sept. 27, 1831, to
Eliza McDowell. They had one son, and
Mrs. Caldwell died June 18, 1839, and
Mr. Caldwell died Sept. 30, 1840.
Neither of them ever came to Sangamon
county. Their son GEORGE M. CALD-
WELL is the extensive stock-raiser near
Williamsville, in this county.
JOHN, born Jan. 21, 1807, in Ken-
tucky, came to Carrollton, 111., in 1827.
He was married there Jan. 23, 1834, to
Mary J. Davis. She was born near Dan-
ville, Ky., Jan. 16, 1815. When a young
lady, she rode on horseback from Danville,
Ky., to Tallahassee, Florida, and returned
to Danville, and after a short visit, con-
tinued her journey to Carrollton, 111., a dis-
tance of at least two thousand miles.
John Caldwell and wife had five children,
namely: WILLIAM C., born March
15, 1835, married Jan. 14, 1864, to Sarah
C. Baucom, who was born Nov. 16, 1840,
in Sangamon county, They reside eight
miles southwest of Springfield. JANE
Y. died in her eleventh year; BETSY in
her seventh year; HENRY died in in-
fancy. BENJAMIN F., born Aug. 2,
1848, in Greene county, 111., was married
May 27, 1873, to Julia F. Cloyd, who was
born March y, 1856, in the southeast corner
of Curran township, Sangamon county.
Immediately after their marriage they left
for New York, via Detroit and Suspension
Bridge. At New York took steamer
(June 4th) for Queenstown, Ireland,
where they landed June 141!!. Passed
through Ireland to Belfast; thence to
Scotland, down through the centre of
England to London; from there through
Holland, Belgium and smaller German
States, to Berlin, in Prussia; thence to
Vienna Exposition, across the Alps into
Italy, meeting with the unexpected pleas-
ure of an audience with Pius the IX.
Returning, passed through Mt. Cenis tun-
nel, thence by Geneva to Paris; from Paris
back to London, thence to Liverpool,
taking steamer for Boston, where they
arrived Oct. 6th, same year. Distance
traveled in round trip, 14,000 miles. Mr.
and Mrs. B. F. Caldwell have one child,
MARY JANE, who was born March 20,
1874. They reside near Chatham, Sanga-
mon county, 111. John Caldwell died of
heart disease j Aug. i, 1863, after a painful
illness, and his widow resides eight and a
half miles southwest of Springfield, and
one and a half miles north of Chatham.
JANE R., born April 15, 1809, mar-
rifed in Kentucky to Minor T. Young.
Came to Illinois, and she died Jan. 21,
1844, in Curran township.
ELIZABETH, born Aug. 17, 1812,
married Jan. 12, 1831, to Albert G. Tal-
bott. She died April 29, 1838, leaving
three children in Kentucky, namely:
MARY A. married Dr. William Tomlin-
son. The sons are WILLIAM P. and
ALBERT G.Jun.
CHARLES H., born March 18, 1818,
in Kentucky, died May 24, 1833, at Jack-
SANGAMON COUNTT.
167
sonville, 111., while a student at Illinois
College.
WILLIAM, Jun., horn Aug. 14, 1820,
in Kentucky, married Sept. 30, 1842, in
Mercer county, Ky., to Mary J. Camp-
bell. Mr. Caldwell died June 29, 1844.
His widow married Mr. Moore, and
resides at Pleasant Hill, Cass county, Mo.
William Caldwell, Sen., died Aug. i,
1844, and his widow died Dec. 19, 1858,
both at the southeast corner of Curran
township.
When he moved from Auburn to Cur-
ran township, in 1841, there was not a
place for holding religious worship near
him. In order to afford temporary accom-
modations, he constructed his residence in
such a manner that it could be used for
that purpose. It consisted of a large cen-
tral room, with three other large rooms
opening into it. Plans were laid, before
his death, for building a church, and on
his death bed he requested that it be called
Bethel, which was done, as the Christian
Church near where he lived bears that
name. Mr. Caldwell was a man of great
public spirit all his life. He was Captain
of a company from Jessamine county, Ky.,
in the war of 1812. A younger brother
was a member of his company, and was
taken prisoner at the battle of the river
Raisin. He came near freezing to death
while confined in a rail pen in Canada.
William Caldwell was Sheriff of Jessa-
mine county, Ky., and represented the
county several times in the State Legisla-
ture. He represented Sangamon county
two terms in the Legislature of Illinois.
CALHOUN, The origin of the
family in America was with Andrew Cal-
houn, who was born March 27, 1764, in
Rye, Ireland. The family record speaks
of his birth place as " Heland." That
may have been a provincial name, or the
original Gaellic name for Ireland. An-
drew Calhoun was a near relative of the
father of John C. Calhoun, of South
Carolina. He came to America about
1792, and made his home in Boston, Mass.
March 15, iy9S 5 he was married at Chelms-
ford, Mass., to Martha Chamberlin, who
was born at the latter place, Feb. 20, 1 770.
She was a descendent of the Puritans.
They had eight children, all born in Bos-
ton. Their sixth child, JOHN, is the
one of whom we wish to speak particularly,
but will first brieflv mention his brothers
and sisters, that the reader may under-
stand the character of the family.
WILLIAM B., was a lawyer, and
stood high in the profession. He lived in
.Springfield, Mass.; was speaker of the
house of representatives eight years, and
President of the Senate a number of
years. He represented the Springfield
district in Congress eight years. CHARLES
was, for twenty consecutive years, Secre-
tary of the Senate of Massachusetts.
ANDREW H., left his native State and be-
came connected with journalism in the
State of New York. He served seven
years on the Board of Canal Commis-
sioners, and one term as Clerk of the State
Senate. HENRY was a merchant in Mont-
gomery county, New York. Later in life
he was, for many years, Deputy Collector
of United States Customs in the city of
New York. SIMEON HOWARD, born
August 15, 1804, was educated at Harvard
College, became a Christian minister, and
joined a mission at Mount Lebanon, Syria.
He was entrusted with translating the
Bible into the native language, and
subsequently established a native col-
lege near Beirut, of which he is now
1875 t* 16 President. JAMES, younger
than John, was for thirty years an active
business man in Cincinnati, O. There
were two sisters, SUSAN, older, and MAR-
THA, younger. The father, Andrew
Calhoun, after spending the prime of his
life as an extensive merchant in Boston,
retired to a farm in Montgomery countv,
N. Y., where he lost his wife, returned to
Boston, married again, and died April 14,
1842.
CALHOUN, JOHN, was born
Oct. 14, 1808, in Boston, Mass., and in
1821 accompanied his father to the Mo-
hawk Valley, in New York. After fin-
ishing his studies at the Canajoharie
Academy, he studied law at Fort Plain,
both in Montgomery county. In 1830 he
came to Springfield, 111., and resumed the
study of law, sustaining himself by teach-
ing a select school. He took part in the
Black Hawk war of 1831-2, and after its
close, was appointed by the Governor of
the State, Surveyor of Sangamon county.
He induced Abraham Lincoln to study
surveying, in order to become his deputy.
From that time the chain of freindship be-
tween them continued bright to the end
of their lives, although they were ardent
1 68
EARLT SET7LERS OF
partizans of different schools in politics.
John Calhoun was married Dec. 29, 1831,
in Sangamon county, to Sarah Cutter.
See Cutter sketch. They had nine child-
ren in Sangamon county, and in 1854 Mr.
Calhoun was appointed by President
Pierce, Surveyor-General for Kansas and
Nebraska, and he moved his family to
Kansas. Of all their children
JOHN, Jun., born Nov. 15, 1832, died
in his third year, in Sangamon county.
ANDREW, born June n, 1835, in
Sangamon county, was killed Jan., 1860,
by the explosion of a steam saw mill in
Leavenworth county, Kansas.
ELIZABETH, born March 18, 1835,
in Sangamon county, was married March
i, 1870, in the Catholic church at Leaven-
worth, Kan., to Henry Jackson, a native
of England. He is a Lieutenant in the
yth Reg. U. S. Cav., and is now 1876
on detached duty in the signal service at
Washington, D. C.
SETH y. was born March 4, 1839,
in Springfield, 111. He went with his
father to Kansas in 1854, and when the
rebellion commenced he enlisted in Battery
H, ist Mo. Art., It had been an infantry
regiment under Col. Frank P. Blair, and
after the battle of Wilson creek, changed
to artillery. It was under Gen. Grant
from the siege of Fort Donelson to the
evacuation of Corinth, and under Sher-
man in his " march to the sea." SethJ.
Calhoun was wounded July 22, 1864. in
the battle of Atlanta, Ga., and soon a er
promoted to second Lieut, of his Battery.
He served one full term, re-enlisted as a
veteran, served to the end of the rebellion
and was honorably discharged. He now
1875 lives in Leavenworth, Kan.
ALBERT, born Feb. 10, 1841, in
Springfield, and died in his fourth year.
MARTHA, born Jan. 9, 1843, in
Springfield, resides with her mother.
6* US AN, born Sept. 8, 1844, in Spring-
field, 111., married, August 29, 1866, in
Leavenworth, Kansas, to Virgil W. Par-
ker, who was born Dec. 16, 1840,511 Rome,
N. Y. They have one child, ADELIA,
and reside in Atchison, Kansas.
MAR T, born May 25, ,1847, and
JAMES, born Nov. 30, 1852, both in
Springfield, 111., live with their mother.
John Calhoun died Oct. 25, 1859, at St.
Joseph, Mo. His widow and unmarried
children now 1876 reside in Leaven-
worth, Kansas.
Hon. John Calhoun deserves more than
a passing notice. He entered the political
field in 1835, being the Democratic candi-
date that year for the State Senate of Illi-
nois, but there being a large Whig major-
ity in the county, he was defeated by
Archer G. Herndon. In 1838 he was
elected to represent Sangamon county in
the State Legislature. In 1841 he, with
^ John Duff, completed the railroad from
Jacksonville to Springfield, being the first
to reach the State Capital. In 1842 he was
appointed Clerk of the Circuit Court of
Sangamon county by Judge Treat. In
1844 he was one of the Presidential
Electors of Illinois for President Polk.
In i849-'5<>'5i, he was successively elected
Mayor of Springfield. In 1852 he was
one of the Presidential Electors of Illinois
for President Pierce, and was selected by
his colleagues to carry the vote to Wash-
ington City. In 1854 he was appointed,
by President Pierce, Surveyor General of
Kansas and Nebraska, and moved his
family to Kansas.
Here he entered a political field with
new and exciting sectional elements. He
was elected a delegate to the convention
that framed what has passed into history
as the Lecompton Constitution. He be-
came the President of that body, which
was composed of unscrupulous pro-slavery
adventurers, with a small number of con-
servative members, among whom was the
President. That odious instrument would
have been adopted by the convention with-
out submitting it to a vote of the people,
had it not been for the determined opposi-
tion of President Calhoun, who threatened
to resign, and opposed it by every method
in his power, unless it was submitted; and
when it came to the polls he voted against
adopting the pro-slavery clause. That
instrument provided that the President of
the Convention should count the vote and
report the result.
Soon after this duty was discharged he
started for Washington City, leaving all
the returns and papers relating to the elec-
tion with one L. A. McLane, Chief Clerk
of the Surveyor General's office. He has
been described as " A brilliant clerk, but
vain, vacillating, and ambitious of doing
smart things, and economical of the truth
generally. " The instructions given to
SANGAMON COUNTT.
169
him by Gen. Calhoun before starting east,
was to afford every facility to any body of
respectable men to examine the returns, as
evidences of dissatisfaction were already
apparent, and the conviction soon became
general that a stupendous fraud had been
committed against the ballot. Soon the
excitement became intense, endangering
the lives of some of the conspicuous
actors, and McLane became alarmed.
Gen. Thomas L. Ewing, Jun., and Judge
Smith called upon him, with a letter from
Mr. Calhoun, instructing the clerk to let
those gentlemen examine the returns.
Mr. McLane falsely stated to Messrs.
Ewing and Smith that the returns were
not in his possession; that Gen. Calhoun
had taken them with him when he left for
Washington. A few evenings later, Mc-
Lane attended a ball at Lawrence, where
he was plied with good cheer, attentions
and flattery, so grateful to his appetite and
vanity, and after becoming mellow by the
occasion, a Lawrence belle, acting the
part of Deliah, drew from him the secret
of the coveted papers. The next day he
was called upon by a committee of the
territorial legislature, who demanded the
returns, when he again denied having
them in his possession. He was then
summoned before a committee of the leg-
islature, and there stated under oath that
Gen. Calhoun had taken the returns with
him. The cross-questions revealed to him
the fact that the Lawrence belle had be-
trayed him. Realizing his position, he
returned that night to Lecompton, and
with a few cronies, put the returns in a
candle box, and buried it under a wood
pile. A porter in the Surveyor-General's
office, by the name of Charles Torrey,
who had for a long time acted as a spy
for the enemies of Gen. Calhoun, watched
the operation, and gave the information.
A company of men from Lawrence soon
after unearthed the box, and bore away
the prize.
The exposure of McLane's villainy was
now complete, and he precepitately fled
the Territory, with a mob in close pursuit.
Thus the odium of the dastardly acts of
this man were unjustly visited upon
Gen. Calhoun. Unqualified abuse and
misrepresentations were heaped upon him,
and spread broadcast over the country by
the press. That broke down his spirits,
and he soon after left the Territory, went
to St. Joseph, Mo., and died there. He
deserved a better fate. He was a man of
genial, hopeful, generous temperament;
ever ready to serve or defend a friend, but
rarely defending himself, except on the
spur of the moment; of great ability, and
for a time was the best political orator in
the State of Illinois. He was brilliant,
but deficient in practical application.
President Lincoln has been heard to say
that John Calhoun was the strongest man
he had ever met on the stump; that he
could manage Douglas, but that Calhoun
always gave him his hands full.
CALLERMAN, DANIEL
K., was born Dec. 10, 1806, in Fleming
county, Ky. He came to Sangamon
county, 111., in company with his widowed
mother, arriving Nov. 14, 1828, at Spring-
field. He was married Sept. 29, 1833, to
Allie M. Henton. They had ten children
in Sangamon county, two of whom died
young. Of the other eight
JOHN, born Aug. 9, 1834, married
Nov., 1855, in Missouri, to Elizabeth
Bunn. He is supposed to have lost his
life in time of the rebellion, leaving a
widow and three children in Vernon
county, Mo.
E VAN H., born Oct. 2, 1836, in San-
gamon county, and married Henrietta
Drake. They had three living children,
WILLIAM "H., CHARLES M. and
CORA. Mrs. C. died June 9, 1873, and
he was married March 15, 1876, to Nellie
Elder, of Sangamon county, a daughter
of Dr. A. W. Elder, an early settler of
Morgan county. E. H. Callerman lives
in Williamsville.
l^RIAH W., born Jan. 14, 1839, in
Sangamon county, married May 30, 1875,
to Mary Curries. They live near Garnett,
Anderson countv, Kansas.
BARBARA ELEANOR C., born
March 21, 1841,111 Menard county, married
March u, 1860, in Sangamon county, to
Andrew M. Whitenack, who was born
Aug. 9, 1830, in Somerset county, N. J.
They have one child, DANIEL C., and
live near Edinburg, 111.
MARTHA A., 'born Sept. 17, 1843, in
Menard county, married Nov. 27, 1860, in
Sangamon county, to Minard A. McClel-
land. They have five children, FRAN-
CIS A., IDA A., MARSHAL A.,
MAUD M. and MATTIE, and live near
Garnett, Kansas.
-22
EARL? SETTLERS OF
MARY, born Dec. 19, 1848, in Menard
county, married Sept. 24, 1868, in Sanga-
mon county, to John R. W. McNeill.
They had two children. GEORGE died
young. WALTER lives with his pa-
rents, near Edinburg, 111.
GEORGE W., born Dec. 24, 1851,
and
ANN, born June 20, 1857. The two
latter live with their mother.
Daniel K. Callerman died Dec. 2, 1873,
and his widow lives near Williamsville.
CALLERMAN, URIAH, was
born Dec. 31, 1798, in Fleming county,
Ky., and was married there to Eleanor
McKinnie. They had one child in Ken-
tucky, and moved to Sangamon county,
111., arriving in the fall of 1822, four miles
north of Springfield, where they had
three children. Of their children
JOHN L., born June 2, 1822, in Flem-
ing county, Ky., married in Sangamon
county, Sept. 18, 1845, to Frances Cole.
They had one child, JOHN L., Jun., born
in Sangamon county, married Jan. 8, 1874,
to Susan M. Lightfoot, and live five miles
northwest of Springfield. John L. Cal-
lerman died August 26, 1846, and his
widow married Levi Branson, and lives
near Cincinnati, Neb.
ELIZABETH, born Dec. 26, 1823,
in Sangamon county, died Sept. 21, 1845.
NANCY, born March 3, 1826, in San-
gamon county, married Goodrich Light-
foot. See his name.
JAMES W., born April 19, 1828, in
Sangamon county, married March, 1856,
to Emma Ash. They have six children,
and live ten miles southeast of Spring-
field.
Uriah Callerman died Sept. 13, 1828,
and Mrs. Eleanor Callerman died August
26, 1846, both in Sangamon county.
CAMPBELL, ANTRIM, was
born Aug. 5, 1814, in New Jersey. He
came to Springfield about 1838, and en-
gaged in the practice of law. He was
married May 12, 1841, to Mrs. Ann Far-
quar, whose maiden name was Cranmei.
Mr. Campbell was appointed, Jan. 24,1849,
Master in Chancery for the circuit court of
Sangamon county, and resigned the same,
Oct. 28, 1861. He was appointed by the U. S.
Circuit Court, Master in Chancery for the
Southern District of Illinois. He died in
office, August u, 1868. His widow re-
sides at the Leland Hotel, Springfield.
CAMPBELL, DAVID B.,
came to Springfield with his brother An-
trim. He was Attorney-General from
1848 to 1856, and died in office, in Spring-
field.
CAMPBELL, ENOS, born
about 1758, either in Scotland or near
Trenton, N. J., soon after the arrival of
his parents in America. He enlisted in
the Revolutionary army at seventeen years
of age, and served six or seven years, un-
til the British army left the American
shores. Mr. C. drew a pension to the end
of his life. Enos Campbell and Damaris
Nowee were married in New Jersey, and
moved to Uniontown, Fayette county,
Penn., where they had nine children, and
moved, about 1806, to Butler county, O.,
where they had one child, and the family
moved to Sangamon county, 111., arriving
in the fall of 1835, in what is now Gard-
ner township. Some of the children had
arrived before, and some never came. Of
their children
SARAH, born in Pennsylvania, mar-
ried in Ohio to William Gard. They
raised a family, and both died in Preble
county, Ohio.
JOHN N., born April 10, 1794, in
Uniontown, Fayette county, Pa., married
Oct. 12, 1818, in Butler county, Ohio, to
Phrebe Clarke, who was born April 30,
1791, in Uniontown, Pa., also. They had
five children in Ohio, and moved to San-
gamon county, arriving Oct. 3, 1824, in
what is now Salisbury township, where
they had four children. Of their children,
ISRAEL, born in Ohio, married in San-
gamon county to Mary Jacks, and lives in
DeWitt county. CHRISTIANA, born
T une 27, 1819, in Ohio, married in Sanga-
mon county, to Philip Clark, Jun. See
his name. CLARKSON, born March
3, 1821, in Ohio, married in Sangamon
county, to Ann Kyles. They had two
children, and live in Minnesota. He
was Lieutenant in an Illinois regiment in
suppressing the rebellion. ENOS, born
Nov. 22, 1822, in Ohio, married in Sanga-
mon county, Feb. 12, 1851, to Rachel
Duncan. They have two children, both
married, and live near Clinton. BAR-
ZILLA, born July 22, 1824, in Ohio, mar-
ried in Sangamon county, to Rosanna
Sackett, moved to Clinton and was Sheriff
of DeWitt county and Quartermaster of
the ic>7th Illinois Infantry. They have
SANG AM ON COUNTY.
171
five children, and live at Twin Springs,
Lynn county, Kansas. LEWIS, born
Nov. 17, 1826, in Sangamon county, mar-
ried in Clinton to Philena Argo. They
have six children, and live at Clinton, 111.
JOHN N. Jun., born March 24, 1829, in
Sangamon county, married June 29, 1852,
to Susan Hendel. He died Aug. n, 1856,
near Clinton. SARAH A., born May
30, 1831, in Sangamon county, married
Sept, 21, 1854, to Robert Boyd, who died
leaving one child, ADA. Mrs. Boyd mar-
ried Albert Williams, and both died, leav-
ing one child in Clinton. MARY A.,
born Dec. 22, 1824, in Sangamon county,
married James Willis. They have four
children, and live near Clinton. John N.
Campbell was a soldier in the war of 1812,
from Ohio, and the Black Hawk war from
Sangamon county. He and his wife live
in Clinton now 1874 both over eighty
years of age.
LE WIS, married in Ohio to Leah
Weaver, came to Sangamon county before
the " deep snow," moved back to Ohio in
1832, where he lost his wife, returned to
Sangamon county in 1836, married Clar-
issa Willis, had eight children, and lives
near Athens, Menard county. His
daughter, Leah, married John Slater. See
his name.
RA CHEL, married in Ohio to Henry
Price, moved to Sangamon county, in
1835, moved, in 1841, to Iowa, and from
there to the Pacific coast in 1854. They
had ten children, and live in California.
ABIGAIL, married in Ohio to Jacob
Mann, raised a large family, and lives near
Paris, Edgar county, 111.
MART, born in 1790, or '91, in Union-
town, Penn., married in Ohio to William
H. Fitz Freeman. They had five child-
ren in Ohio, and came to Sangamon coun-
ty in 1837. She died July 21, 1854, in
her 64th year, and Mr. Freeman died Jan.
19, 1856, in the 77th year of his age.
Their son, Abraham Freeman, married
Margaret Penny, has several children, and
lives in Springfield.
JANE, born April 27, 1808, in Butler
county, Ohio, married Jacob Gard. See
his name.
Mrs. Damaris Campbell died April 23,
1837, and Enos Campbell died June 2,
1838, both in Sangamon county.
CAMPBELL, JOHN, was
born Nov. 4, 1790, in Carter county, Tenn.
His father, Jeremiah Campbell, settled
there before the American Revolution,
and was a soldier during the Revolution,
under Gen. Francis Marion. He lived to
be about 100 years old. His youngest
son, Jackson, was the owner of the old
homestead at the beginning of the great
rebellion. The farm had then been in the
family about 100 years. John Campbell
enlisted in a company from Carter county,
in the war with England, served six
months, re-enlisted and served until March,
1815. He was an ensign in the last cam-
paign, and drew a pension to the end of
his life. He remained in Tennesssee un-
til 1818, when he went to Madison coun-
ty, 111., and was there married Nov. 6,
1818, to Lavina Parkison, who was born
Feb. 21, 1803. They moved to what be-
came Sangamon county, arriving March
22, 1819, on Lick creek, in what is now
Chatham township, and had seven child-
ren there, namely
ALFRED C., was born July 22,
1819, in Sangamon county, 111. He was
the first white child born on Lick creek,
and but two are known to have been born
earlier in the county. They were Samuel
Drennan, born May 5, 1819, on Sugar
creek, and Joseph E. McCoy, born March
13, 1819, on Horse creek. Alfred C.
Campbell was married May 3, 1838, in
Sangamon county, to Polly Foster, a
daughter of Peyton Foster. They had
seven children, one of whom, WM. P.,
died young. JOHN P., born August 4,
1839, in Sangamon county, married Aug.
26, 1858, in Shelby county to Sarah Elliott.
They have three children, POLLY, WILLIS,
and ELEANOR G., and reside near Mowe-
qua, Shelby county, 111. John P. Camp-
bell enlisted Oct. 2, i86i,in Co. E, 32d 111.
Inf. He arose by regular grades to the
rank of Captain, was wounded at the bat-
tle of Hatchie, honorably discharged, and
now draws a pension. ELZIRA, E., born
April 23, 1844, in Sangamon county, mar-
ried in 1862, to James W. Clark. They
have one child, POLLY, and reside near
Mow.equa, Shelby county. SARAH C.,
born Mar. 27, 1846, in Sangamon county,
married in 1865, in Champaign county, to
F. Bechtel. 1 hey have one child, POLLY.
LEONORA J., born April 15, 1848, in
I 7 2
EARLT SETTLERS OF
Sangamon county, and reside near Mo-
wequa. ALFRED C., Jun., born May
26, 1850, in Sangamon county, married in
1873 to Maggie Hunter. They have one
child, CARRIE D., and live near Mowequa,
111. GEORGE W., born May 9, 1853,
in Shelby county, is a sailor, and when
lest heard from was in Germany. Mrs.
Polly Campbell died Jan. 9, 1858, and
A. C. Campbell was married June 17,
1859, to Miss Jane Hunt. They are with-
out family, and reside near Mowequa,
Shelby county, 111. Capt. A. C. Camp-
bell enlisted June 10, 1846, in Co. D., 4th
111. Inf., under Col. E. D. Baker. He
was commissioned 26. Lieut., and after the
death of Capt. Achilles Morris, at Tam-
pico, Mexico, Lieut. Campbell commanded
the company at the siege and capture of
Vera Cruz, and the battle of Cerro Gordo.
When the rebellion broke out he raised a
company, Oct. 2, 1861, and became Capt.
of Co. E., 32d 111. Inf., under Col. John
Logan, and fought in all the battles from
Fort Donelson to the sea. At Pittsburg
Landing his company lost thirty-two men,
killed and wounded, out of fifty-six in
action. He served three years and four
months, and was honorably discharged.
Capt. Campbell moved, in 1851, to the
vicinity of Mowequa, Shelby county,
where he now resides.
WILLIAM P., born Nov. 4, 1820, in
Sangamon county, married, March 12,
1843, to Elizabeth Carson. They had
fourteen children, five of whom died in
infancy, and one, JOSIAH W., was killed
in May, 1859, by becoming entangled in
the harness on a mule, which ran away
with him as he was leaving his plow to
escape from an approaching rain storm.
Of the other eight, JEREMIAH, born
Jan. i, 1843, married Mary Wheeler,
have two children. EARNEST L. and EAR-
LEN R., and reside in Loami township.
WILLIAM P., Jun., born April 7, 1846,
married Sarah Dodd, who was born Dec.
11, 1847, in Bradley county, Tenn. They
had one child, AMANDA, who died July 18,
1873, in her second year. They reside
in Talkington township. JAMES
S., twin to Josiah W T .. was born June 5,
1 848, married Rebecca A. Hunter, who was
born August 15, 1852, in Jersey county.
They had two children; one died in in-
fancy, and ETTIE MAY resides with her
parents, in Talkington township. SIM-
ON P., born May 17, 1854, married Mar.
6, 1873, to Kate A. Workman, and resides
four miles south of Loami. LONELY
ARIZONIA, ISAAC H., JACKSON
and BEATRICE, reside with their
mother. Wm. P. Campbell died August
24, 1868, and his widow resides three
miles south of Loami. Mr. Campbell
was a soldier in the Mexican war, where
he contracted chronic diarrhea, which
caused his death more than twenty years
after.
JEREMIAH, born Dec. 22, 1822,
married Luro Combs, and died in 1853,
leaving a widow and two children in Shel-
by county. Mrs. Luro Campbell mar-
ried Abner Smith, and resides near Mo-
wequa, Shelby county, 111.
JOSIAH W., born April 5, 1828,
married Elizabeth Workman. They had
two living children, and Mrs. C. died and
he married Angeline White. They have
three children, and reside in Vernon
county, Mo.
PETER C., born Jan. 19, 1832, mar-
ried May 5, 1852, to Amanda E. Carson.
They ^iad three children, two of whom
died in infancy. RACHEL C. resides
with her parents. Peter C. Campbell
and wife live in Chatham township, with
in one mile of where he was born.
CAROLINE, born Oct. 23, 1834,
married John Workman. See his name.
Mrs. Lavinah Campbell died Dec. 13,
1853, and John Campbell was married in
1855 to Mrs. Margery Carson, whose
maiden name was Parkison, a sister of
his first wife. She died March 5, 1870.
John Campbell died Feb., 1875, on the
farm where he settled in 1819, five miles
west of Chatham, leaving a large estate
which he had accumulated by industry and
economy. He, as nearly all the earliest
settlers, took part in the Black Hawk war.
The first mill in the county, built by Daniel
Lisle, was sold by him, and after changing
hands once or twice, was bought by Mr.
John Campbell, and moved to his farm on
Lick creek, where he put it up and ran it
for years, each customer bi'inging his own
horses to run it. That kind of mills went
out of use long ago, and one of the burrs
was used by Mr. Campbell as a doorstep,
to the day of his death.
CAMPBELL, LE VI, was born
May i, 1818, in Madison county, 111., and
came to Sangamon county when he was
SANGAMON COUNT*.
*73
quite young. He was married March 4,
1841, to Susannah Staley. They had
three living children, namely
SARAH J. married John Hudson.
See his name.
MART F., married Kirk Lacey. They
have three children, and live in Waverly.
STALET D., lives west of Loami.
Levi Campbell was a soldier from San-
gamon county, in the war with Mexico,
in 1846 and '7. He died May 22, 1851,
and his widow married Wm. B. McCray.
They have three children
ROBERT D., JAMES A. and
STEPHEN W., and live west of
Loami.
CAMPBELL, MAXWELL,
was born Oct. 29, 1795, in Cabarras coun-
ty, N. C. His grandfather, Robert
Campbell, came from Scotland, bringing
six sons: Robert, James, John, William,
Samuel and George. Their arrival in
North Carolina was not long before the
American Revolution, and all the six bro-
thers were soldiers in the Revolutionary
army. The second Robert was the father
of the subject of this sketch. Maxwell
Campbell was married July 25, 1822, in
North Carolina, to Nancy Plunkett. She
was born June 15, 1806, in the same coun-
ty. They came to Sangamon county, ar-
riving in May 1823, and settled at the
north side of Richland creek in what is
now Cartwright township. They had
six living children in Sangamon county
ROBERT R.,\>orn August 13, 1823,
married Dec. 13, 1847. to Cynthia S. Pen-
ny. They have eight children. SAM-
UEL lives with his parents. NANCY
C. married J. Harnsberger. See his name.
MATILDA C., GEORGE B., PETER
A., IDA JANE, JOHN D. and CHAS.
A., live with their parents, two and a half
miles northeast of Pleasant Plains.
JOHN H., born May 19, 1828, mar-
ried Feb. 28, 1851, to Minerva E. Bum-
gardner. They have three children.
ISABEL M. married Aaron Thompson.
NANCY E. and WILLIAM J. live with
their parents. John H. Campbell enlisted
Sept. 18, 1862, for three years, in Co. F,
H4th 111. Inf. Served his full term and
was honorably discharged in July, 1865,
at Trenton, N. J. He lives east of Pleas-
ant Plains.
JAMES E., born Oct. 8, 1830, mar-
ried Oct. 4, 1865, to Cordelia Valentine,
who was born Dec. 20, 1847, in Pickaway
county, Ohio. They live near Pleasant
Plains.
MATILDA D., born April 3, 1833,
married Jan. 25, 1851, to Wm. F. Irwin.
See his name.
WILLIAM V., born May 2, 1836,
married Feb. 13, 1862, to Mary E.Valen-
tine, who was born Dec. 14, 1843, in Pick-
away county, O. They had four children.
OLIVER H. died young. MAXWELL
M., JASPER S. and CORA V. live
with their parents, at the family home-
stead settled in 1823.
JASPER J., born May 22, 1839,
enlisted Sept. 18, 1862, for three years, in
Co. F, 1 1 4th 111. Inf. He was captured
at the battle of Guntown, Miss., June 10,
1864, remained in Anderson ville prison-
pen until near the close of the rebellion,
and was marching under rebel authority
to the Mississippi river for the purpose of
being exchanged. On the second day's
march, he being emaciated by starvation,
fell out of the ranks, and was never heard
of after.
Maxwell Campbell and his wife live
on the farm where they settled in 1823.
It is four miles northeast of Pleasant
Plains.
Maxwell Campbell says he raised the
three first crops after he came to Sanga-
mon county, with an ox. He used the ox
for riding and all other purposes, the
same as a horse. In working he used
harness instead of a yoke. He could
carry a grist of com on the ox to mill,
hitch him in, do his own grinding, and
then carry it home. He made a cart, each
wheel of which was a solid piece of wood,
and with the ox, did his first hauling. Mr.
Campbell says that for the first five years
after coming to the county he never had
a cent of money. He first built a very
small cabin, then prepared hewn logs for
a much larger house. They were hauled
together and lay two years because he
had no money to buy whisky for the rais-
. ing. He then bought a blind horse for
five dollars in trade. It had a bell on it,
which Mr. Campbell sold for two gallons
of whisky, and was thus enabled to raise
the house in which he has lived more than
forty years. Soon after trading for the
blind horse,- he put a sack of corn and a
boy on the ox, and rode the horse to mill,
hitched the horse and ox together, ground
174
EARLY SET7LERS OF
-
out the grist, and then started home. The
ox threw the boy and sack off. The boy
caught one foot in the traces, and the ox
dragged him among the trees and stumps,
and was likely to kill him. Mr. Camp-
bell, seeing the perilous condition of the
boy, ran ahead of the ox, caught it by the
horns and knowing him to be its master,
rather than the physical strength he ex-
erted enabled him to hold it until help
came and extricated the boy. At this
point in the story, the old gentleman
paused, looked wise, and with a comical
expression of countenance, added in a
trembling voice : " The neighbors always
said they knowed that ox afterwards by
the prints of my fingers in his horns?" 1
CAMPBELL, ROBERT, was
born in 1798, in Caborras county, N. C.,
and married there to Mary Hill. They
moved to Sangamon county, 111., about
1828, and settled on Richland creek. They
brought two children with them, and had
eight in Sangamon county. In 1868 the
family moved to Kansas. Of their child-
ren
JAMES married Nancy H. Stubbs,
and has two children, ALBERT T. and
OSCAR, and live in Kansas.
NANCT married John E. King, and
live in Kansas.
SAMUEL, WILET, GREEN,
JAMES, FRANKLIN, JOHN and
CARROLL, the two latter twins, all,
married and unmarried, live near Fredonia,
Wilson county, Kansas.
Robert Campbell died Sept. 12, 1872,
near Fredonia, Kansas, and his widow
lives with their children.
CAMPBELL, HUGH, twin
brother to Robert, was born in 1798, in
North Carolina, married there and came
to Sangamon county, 111., in Sept., 1830,
on Richland creek. They had nine child-
ren, and Hugh Campbell died August 28,
1865, and his widow died July 26, 1869,
both in Rochester.
CAMPBELL, NELSON,
youngest brother to Maxwell, Robert and
Hugh. He was born in North Carolina,
married in Tennessee to Themy Grady,
and came to Sangamon county in 1830.
They had three children. Their eldest
son
ROBERT, married Mrs. M. Gale, and
had two children. He enlisted in 1862,
for three years, in the H4th 111. Inf.
Served full term and was honorably dis-
charged. He died Jan., 1873 near Roch-
ester.
Nelson Campbell and wife died in San-
gamon county.
CAMPBELL, ROBERT, was
born Sept. 9, 1783, in Kanawha county,
West Va. Mary Griffith was born there,
Sept. 15, 1791. They were married June
30, 1808, and some of their children were
born in that county. The family moved
to Cincinnati, and from there to Sanga-
mon county, arriving previous to 1835,
near Loami. Of their children
SIDNEY S., born May 4, 1810, in
West Va., married in Sangamon county,
March 30, 1836, to Barbara A. Neal.
They had six living children in Sanga-
mon county. ROBERT D., born Jan.
27, 1840, enlisted July 15, 1861, in Co. C,
nth Mo. Inf., for three years; i"e-enlisted
as a veteran, Jan., 1864, served until Jan.
15, 1866, when he was honorably dis-
charged. He was married Sept. 2, 1868,
to Sarah Shryer. They have one child,
JAMES E., and live one mile south of
Bates. MARIA N., born Feb. 9, 1842,
married Wm. H. Sowell. See his name.
SAMUEL, born March 12, 1844, en-
listed Sept., i86i,in Co. B, loth 111. Cav.,
for three years. He was wounded in the
battle of Little Rock, Ark., from which
he recovered, but died of disease in hospi-
tal at that place, Sept., 1863. .HARVEY
G. born July 7, 1846, lives with his
mother. AMARINE, born Nov. 7,
1848, married Morris Lee. They have
two children, and live near New Berlin.
ELIZABETH, born Sept. 2, 1856, mar-
ried James M. Williams, who was a
Union soldier, also. They have two
children, and live in Pleasant Plains.
Sidney S. Campbell died in 1874. His
widow resides at Loarni.
HAMILTON, born June 12, 1812, in
West Virginia, married in Sangamon
county to Harriet Riddle. They moved
to Oregon, where he was murdered.
MART E. V., born Oct. 4, 1814, mar-
ried Woodford Turpin, who died while a
soldier in the Mexican war, leaving two
sons, CHARLES and HAMILTON. Mrs.
Turpin married Walter Nicholls and re-
side near Dundee, Rice county, Minne-
sota.
JOHN A., born Sept. 30, 1816, in
Kanawha county, West Va., came with
SANGAMOM COUNTT.
'75
his parents to Sangamon county, and after
spending a few years near Loami, came to
Springfield. He was married Oct. 4, 1838,
to Susan C. Short. They had five child-
ren, four of whom died young. MARI-
ETTA, born July 25, 1841, in Spring-
field, 111., was married there, Oct. 28,
1860, to Daniel Myers. They had one
child, CAROLINE, and Mr. Myers died
Oct. 30, 1863. Mrs. Myers lives with her
father, in St. Louis. Mrs. Susan C.
Campbell died April 3, 1852, and John A.
Campbell married Mrs. Elizabeth Rusk,
whose maiden name was Hawker. She
died, and he married Nov. 9, 1856, to
Elizabeth T. Rich. They have one liv-
ing child, CYRUS W., and reside, at 921
North Tenth Street, St. Louis, Mo.
CHARLES /?., born Nov. 17, 1821,
in West Virginia, married in Sangamon
county to Mary Gibson. They have two
children, and live at Oswego, Labette
county, Kansas.
WILLIAM P., born Nov. 24, 1826,
married Julia Slater. They have three
children, and live in Springfield.
NANCT A., born April 27, 1830,
married George Underwood, and both
died, leaving three children in Buchanan
county, near St. Joseph, Mo.
Robert Campbell died Dec. 10, 1845,
and his widow died Jan. 26, 1862, both in
Loami township.
CAMPBELL, THOMAS, was
born Oct. 31, 1786, in Yorkville District,
South Carolina. His father, James Camp-
bell, was born in county Antrim, Ireland,
and emigrated to South Carolina. Thos.
Campbell went, in 1807, to visit his bro-
ther David, in Caldwell county, Ky. He
was married in that county, March 22,
1810, to Elizabeth Robinson, a sister to
Edward Robinson. See his name. She
was born May 3, 1788, in Nelson county,
Ky. Her father, George Robinson, was
born in Bucks county, Pa., married in
Maryland, to Elizabeth Griffith, moved to
Loudon county, Va., and from there to
Nelson county, Ky. Thomas and Eliza-
beth Campbell had eight children in Ken-
tucky. He moved with his familv to
Sangamon county, 111., arriving about
Nov. 10, 1823. The first land sales took
place in Springfield on the sixth of that
month, and a few days later he entered
some land south of Little Spring creek,
and there made a home for his family. It
is now in Island Grove township, three
miles northeast of Bates, where they had
four children. Of their twelve children
JAMES R. was born March 4, 1812,
in Caldwell county, Ky. He enlisted in
a Sangamon county Light Horse Co. in
the spring of 1831, for the Black Hawk
war: served three months, enlisted in
another Sangamon county company, in
1832, was in the battle of Wisconsin, and
served until the surrender of the Indian
chief, Black Hawk. Mr. Campbell en-
listed at Galena in Co. K, ist 111. Inf., in
1846, for one year. He was in the battle
of Buena Vista, Mexico, Feb. 22, 1847,
in which Col. J. J. Hardin was killed.
J. R. Campbell never married, and resides
at the family homestead near Bates.
MARGARET A., born Nov. 8, 1813,
in Kentucky, married in Sangamon coun-
ty, to Allen Short. See his name. They
had three children, and she died Sept. 23,
J., born July 18, 1815, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county
to Pinckney Hughes. They had four
children. MARY E. married Thomas
Baker, and lives at Nilwood. THOMAS
P. married Amanda Ross, and lives at
Nilwood. ANNIE and NETTIE live
with their mother. Mr. Hughes died in
1860, and his widow resides at Nilwood,
Macoupin county, 111.
NARCISSA D., born Dec. 9, 1816,
is unmarried, and resides at the family
homestead, near Bates.
DOROTHY M., and POLLY M.,
twins, born Oct. 9, 1818, in Kentucky.
DOROTHT J/., married in Sanga-
mon county, to Benj. T. Renshaw, moved
to Iowa, and had three children, ELIZA-
BETH L., MORGAN and ELIJAH C.
Mr. Renshaw was a soldier in an Iowa
regiment, and died in St. Louis. His
family live near Clio, Wayne county,
Iowa.
POLL!' .]/., married in Sangamon
county to Robert Wiggins. They have
one child, CHARLES, and live near
Nilwood, 111.
WILLIAM />'., born Jan. 28, 1821, in
Kentucky, married Oct. n, 1849, to
Sarah L. Dunbar, who was born June I,
1825. Thev have five living children,
CHARLES V., MINNIE A. and
WALTER L., (twins), VELMA A.
EARLT SETTLERS OF
and WILLIAM LINCOLN, and live
near Oskaloosa, Iowa.
EDWARD DODDS, born May 29,
1825, in Sangamon county, married Eliza
Baldwin. They have two children,
ELIZABETH and CHARLES J., and
reside near Hutchins, Dallas county,
Texas.
JULIETTE, born June 13, 1827, in
Sangamon county, married Solomon
Brundage, moved to Texas, and died in
time of the rebellion.
JOHN B., born Oct. 26, 1829, in San-
gamon county, went to Oregon, about
1853, and from there to California. Last
heard from in 1867, at Petalouma, Cal.
THOMAS, Jun., born Nov. 2, 1834,
in Sangamon county, married Sarah A.
Selby. They have one child, THOMAS
H., and reside near Hutchins, Texas.
Thomas Campbell was licensed to
preach the gospel in 1818, by Logan
Presbytery, of the Cumb. Presb. church,
in Kentucky, and was ordained after com-
ing to Illinois. He preached at Irish
Grove, Menard county, to the church on
Sugar creek, Sangamon county, and
preached in his own neighborhood as long
as he lived. Rev. Thomas Campbell died
May 11, 1850, at the place where he set-
tled in 1823, and his widow died there in
Feb., 1876.
CAMPBELL THOMAS H.,
was born May 21, 1815, in Pennsylvania,
came to Henderson county, 111., from
there to Chester, in Randolph county,
thence to Springfield. He came by the
invitation of his old friend, Gen. James
Shields, to discharge the duties of his
office, Gen. Shields being then Aditor of
State. Mr. Campbell was married Oct.
21, 1845, in Jacksonville, 111., to Catharine
E. McDougall, a native of New York,
and sister of the Hon. James A. McDou-
gall, late U. S. Senator from California.
Mr. and Mrs. Campbell had four children
in Springfield, namely
JEANE7^TE, born Feb. 18, 1847,
and died Feb. 16, 1862.
THOMAS H., born Dec. i, 1849, in
Sangamon county, is a lawyer, and resides
in Springfield.
JAMES W., born Dec. 29, 1851, in
Springfield, is a farmer, and lives with his
mother.
TREAT, born Jan. 23, 1855, in
Springfield, is a student, and lives with
his mother.
Mr. Campbell continued in the auditor's
office until the expiration of Mr. Shield's
term, and the election of Gen. W. L. D.
Ewing, who died in 1846. Mr. C. was
appointed to fill the unexpired term. He
was elected to the same office in 1848, and
again in 1852, thus serving in the State
Auditor's office nearly twenty years, be-
ing the chief officer ten years of that
time. Mr. Campbell was appointed by
Gov. Yac :s, special commissioner to audit
accounts between the U. S. Government
and the State of Illinois, in which work
he was engaged at the time of his death,
Nov. 22, 1862. His widow resides east
side of Second, near Edwards street,
Springfield, 111.
CANFIELD, JOHN E., was
born Jan. 12, 1802, in Morristown, N. J.
He came to Sangamon county in 1831, re-
turned to New Jersey, and was married in
New York City, April 14, 1834, to Susan
LaTourette, who was born Feb. 21, 1806,
at Somerville, Somerset county, New
Jersey. In May, 1834, they came to Illi-
nois, and settled west of Springfield, in
what is now Curran township. They
had five children, one of whom died in
infancy. Of the other four
DANIEL L., born August 29, 1838,
in Sangamon county, enlisted April 23,
1861, for three months, in Co. G, 7th 111.
Inf. He was commissioned ist Lieut, at
its organization, and afterwards appointed
Quartermaster of the regiment. Served .
full time, re-enlisted Nov. 25, 1861, in Co.
I, loth 111. Cav. He was appointed ist
Lieut., and afterwards made Battalion
Quartermaster. That office was abolished,
and he was mustered out, April 4, 1862,
He resumed his position as ist Lieut, of
Co. I, and died May 7, 1863, at St. Louis,
of disease contracted in the army.
HELEN M., born Dec. n, 1840, in
Sangamon county, was married in June,
1868, in Morristown, N. J., to Thomas H.
Taylor, a son of the Rector of Grace
church, New York City. They have one
child, THOMAS H., Jun., and reside
near Plainfield, N. J.
JOHN C., born Oct. 8, 1842, in San-
gamon county, was married Feb. 15, 1865,
in Springfield, 111., to Ella L. Todd, who
was born August 27, 1846, in Lexington,
SANGAMON COUNTY.
177
Ky. They have two children, ELLA S.
and MAI L. Mr. Canfield has been a
merchant in Springfield for the last seven-
teen years, where he and his family re-
side.
JAMES F., born Nov. 4, 1844, in
Sangamon county, is a clerk in the U. S.
Postofrice department, at Washington,
D. C.
Mrs. Susan Canfield died April 6, 1846,
in Springfield, and John E. Canfield died
Jan. 7, 1866, in Jacksonville, 111.
John E. Canfield was one of the original
members in the organization of St. Paul's
Episcopal church, in Springfield, and con-
tinued a member of the same until ' his
death.
CANEDY PELEG C., son of
Capt. Peleg ana Silence Fobes Canedy,
was born August 25, 1803, in Enfield,
Hampshire county, Mass., partly raised at
Middlebury, Vt., and spent most of his
early manhood in Washington City, where
he was accustomed to see Webster, Clay,
Calhoun, and their comp'eers. There he
also saw for the last time, his brother,
Lieut. Philander F. Canedy, of the U. S.
Navy, who, after having done important
service in the harbor of Charleston, S. C.,
during the nullification excitement, and
acted as sailing master of the sloop of
war Florida, died Jan. 2, 1834, at Pensa-
cola, Flcrida. Mr. P . C. Canedy visited
New Orleans, Nachitoches and St. Louis,
at the latter of which he engaged in busi-
ness for a time, and came to Springfield,
111., in Dec., 1830, just in time for the "deep
snow." He began the drug business, and
still later added books to his stock. This
was the first establishment of the kind in
Springfield. He was married in Morgan
county, Illinois, August 8, 1838, to Sarah
Camp, who was born Jan., 1815, in Ver-
mont. They had three children
CHARLES FOBES, born June- 4,
1847, * n Springfield. His early education
was received in the preparatory depart-
ment of Illinois University, and at the
Central High School, both in Springfield.
His preparation for college was continued
by his private tutor, Rev. John F. Brooks,
of same city. He graduated at Yale col-
lege, July 22, 1869, and graduated at the
General Theological Seminary, New
York City, June 27, 1873. While a stu-
dent he had charge, as lay reader, of St.
Mark's church, Baskingridge, N. J. He
was ordained Deacon in the Protestant
Episcopal church, by Bishop Potter, of
New York, June 29, 1873. He was or-
dained Priest by the aforesaid prelate,
Nov. 23, 1873, and Yale college conferred
the degree of Master of Arts on him,
June 25, 1874. Rev. C. F. Canedy is un-
married, and Rector of St. John's church,
Monticello, N. Y.
GEORGE />.died in his third year.
MART P., born March 31, 1852, in
Springfield, was partially educated there,
but finished her education at the Chegaray
Institute, Philadelphia, and St. Mary's
school, New York City. She resides
with her brother, the Rev. C. F. Canedy,
at Monticello.
Mrs. Sarah Canedy died Jan. 12, 1855,
in Springfield. P. C. Canedy was for
many years deacon and trustee in the
second Presbyterian church, Springfield,
111., and before the latter place adopted a
city government, was member and Presi-
dent of the Board of Town Trustees. He
was also one of the committee to receive
President Lincoln's remains. He has
always been active and energetic in every
undertaking which had in view the wel-
fare and happiness of his fellow citizens.
A local paper of March, 1863, speaks of
him as an example of uprightness and
integrity. Mr. Canedy travels much, and
is often at Springfield, but considers his
son's house his home. He is now, March,
1876, in Springfield.
CANTERBURY, ASA, was
born March 7, 1788, in Virginia. His
father died when he was a child, and his
mother moved to Bath county, Ky. He
was married to Peggy Hornback, who
was born Feb. 6, 1791. She lived in
Fleming county, on the opposite side of
Licking river. There being opposition
to their marriage, they went to Aberdeen,
O., and were there married. It could
there be solemnized on short notice, as no
license was required by the laws of Ohio
at that time, and runaway wedding parties
from Kentucky were quite popular. They
had four children in Bath county, and
moved to the Fleming side of Licking
river, where they had three. The family
moved to Sangamon county, 111., arriving
in the fall of 1826, in what is now Fancy
creek township, where they had four
children. Of their eleven children
178
EARLY SETTLERS OF
JSAAC,born in 1810, in Bath county,
Ky., married in Sangamon county, July,
1830, to Elizabeth Morgan. They, with
four other families, moved, in 1832,10 Des-
Moines county, Iowa, crossing the Missis-
sippi river at Flint Hills, now Burlington.
They were said to be the first white fam-
ilies that ever moved into Iow;i. They
had six children, and Isaac Canterbury
died there in 1848. His widow and child-
ren still live in DesMoines county, Iowa.
MARIA, born in 1812, in Bath county,
Ky., married in Sangamon county, May
14, 1829, to William Primm. See his
name.
CARLISLE H., born Dec. 5, 1814,
in Bath county, Ky., married, August n,
1836, to Emily Morgan, who was born in
Sangamon county. They had thirteen
children, four of whom died under six
years. Of the other nine: ASA mar-
ried Margaret England, and lives in Ford
county. SARAH married William
Fuquay, and lives in Ford county.
WILLIAM M. enlisted August, 1861,
for three years, in Co. F, 28th '111. Inf.
He was sick when he left Camp Butler,
and died at Camp Holt, Ky., Nov. 7,
1861. RUTH A. married Wm. H. H.
Holland. See his name. OLIVER P.,
JOHN C., CARLISLE N., LINCOLN
G. and LAURA E. live with their pa-
rents, in Menard county, two and a half
miles west of Cantrall.
VALENTINE, born in 1816, in Bath
county, Ky., died in Sangamon county,
aged seventeen years.
JOHN I 7 ., born August 27, 1820, in
Fleming county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county, Feb. 22, 1842, to Miranda M.
Brittin. They had six children. JOHN
B., born March 24, 1843, died March 19,
1864. ASA M. married April 19, 1866,
to Lucinda Fisk. They had five children;
three died in infancy. The other two,
MATTIE E. and ELLIS, live with their pa-
rents, at Cantrall. MARY J. married
John J. Stevens. They have three child-
ren, CHARLES A., JOHN E. and FRANK E.,
and reside at Cantrall. MARGA.RET
A. married Joseph S. Cantrall. See his
name. EVANS E. resides with his
father. WM. H. died in infancy. Mrs.
Mhranda M. Canterbury died Sept. 22,
1853, and Mr. C. married Sept. 24, 1854,
to Harriet E. Purkins, of Menard county.
They live near Cantrall. John F. Can-
terbury raised a good crop of wheat in
1842. He hauled sixty-five bushels of it
to St. Louis, one hundred miles, and sold
it for thirty-seven and a half cents per
bushel. He drove three yoke of oxen,
was twelve days, and his total receipts
were $24.371^."
ELIZA J., born in Fleming county,
Ky., married in Sangamon county, to
William Cline. See his name.
OLIVER P., born July 21, 1824, in
Fleming county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county to Elizabeth Council. They
have nine children. MARY E. resides
with her parents. MARGARET J.
married William Vandergrift. He served
three years in an Illinois regiment in aiding
to suppress the slaveholders' rebellion.
They live in Fancy creek township.
MARIA F., MELISSA M.JOHN H.,
ANNIE F., JULIA E., WILLIAM R.
and NELLIE E. live with their parents,
in Menard county, two and a half miles
southwest of Cantrall.
MARTHA A., born in 1827, in San-
gamon county, married Elijah Brittin.
See his name. He died March 5, 1873,
in Iowa.
MARGARE7\ born about 1829, in
Sangamon county, married Stephen Eng-
land. See his name.
ABRAHAM,\>v\v\ in 1831,511 Sanga-
mon county, died aged twelve years.
JULIA A., born about 1834,111 San-
gamon county, married Agustus J. Bron-
son, and reside in Menard county, six
miles northwest of Williamsville. Mr. B.
enlisted August, 1862, in Co. C, 114 111.
Inf. for three years. He was a hospital
steward from 1863, served more than full
term, and was honorably discharged in
1865.
Asa Canterbury died Oct. 16, 1856, and
his widow died July 8, 1857.
CANTRALL. The origin of the
family in America was with Zebulon Can-
trail, who came from Wales, and settled
in Philadelphia, Penn., about the year
1700. There is a tradition in the family
that he built the first brick house ever
erected in that city. Zebulon Cantrall
had a son, Joseph. He had a son, Joshua,
who was born August 8, 1748, either in
Pennsylvania or Virginia, most probably
the latter. He was a soldier in the war
for American Independence. This Joshua
Cantrall married and had nine sons, but
SANG AM ON COUNTT.
179
no daughter. Four of his sons died with-
out families. Of the other five, Joshua,
horn in Virginia, raised a family, and died
August 11, 1840, in DeWitt county, 111.
The other four, Zehulon G., William G.,
Levi and Wyatt, are the suhjects of the
following sketches.
CANTRALL,ZEBULON G.
was born June 29, 1773, in Botetourt
county, Virginia. He was a brother of
Joshua, William G., Levi and Wyatt.
The family moved in 1789, to Bath coun-
ty, Kv. Zebulon G. was married there,
August 31, 1797, to Sarah McCallum.
They moved to Clarke county, Ohio,
from there to Sangamon county, 111., ar-
riving in the fall of 1833. In the spring
of 1834 they moved to DeWitt county,
111. They had fourteen children; two
died young. Of the twelve
ANN, born August 31, 1798, in Bath
county, Ky., married John Branson. See
his name. She died May 16, 1822.
JOSHUA,\yovn April 3, 1802, in Ken-
tucky, was married in 1828, in Butler
county, Ohio, to Eliza Scott. He died
Oct. 12, 1860, in DeWitt county, and Mrs.
C. resides with her daughter, SARAH,
the wife of Irvin Daniels, near Warrens-
ville, 111. Her son, John S., lives in
Kansas.
AGNES M., born Sept. 12, 1806, in
Kentucky, married John Mclntire. She
is a widow, and resides with her brother
William.
JOHN J/., born Feb. 22, 1808, in
Kentucky, was married in Champaign
county, Ohio, Nov. 13, 1830, to Joanna
M. Jones. They had eleven children; two
died in infancv. Of the nine children:
WILLIAM J., ZEBULON D., ELIZA-
BETH, IRA J., MARY A., (the latter
died in Nov., 1875.) MILES T., ALMA
J., EFFIE and JOHN C., the latter died
in the spring of 1872. John M. Cantrall
died Feb. n, 1863, and his widow died
Sept., 1870, both in DeWitt county, 111.
JAMES M., born April 10, 1810, in
Kentuckv, was married August 9, 1832,
to Eliza McLaughlin. They had three
daughters; one died young. ELMIRA
married Abner J. Lutz, and lives near
Lincoln, 111. ELIZA J. married Mr.
Piatt, and lives in Lincoln. James M.
Cantrall died April 27, 1866, and his
widow lives in Lincoln, 111.
SARAH, born March 14, 1812, in
Clarke county, Ohio, was married in San-
gamon county, 111., Jan. 14, 1834, to
Joshua M. Cantrall. See his name.
ZEBULON P., born Jan. 17, 1814,
in Clark county, Ohio, was married in
what is now Logan county, 111., Oct. 16,
1838,10 Elizabeth Paulk. They had six
children; two died young. AMOS A.,
born May n, 1845, in Logan county, en-
listed Sept., 1861, in Co. L, 4th Ill.'Cav.
Served until June, 1866, when he was
honorably discharged. He lives near
Cisco, Piatt county. MARTHA J., born
Oct. 3, 1842, was married June 9, 1862, to
Samuel Mott. They have six children,
GEORGE A., SARAH E., LEWIS
A.JAMES A., EFFIE C. and ALVA,
and live near Argenta, Macon county, 111.
SARAH A., born Dec. 25, 1844, was
married March 23, 1871, to Theodore A.
Funk. She died April 30, 1872. MARY
E., born Jan. 8, 1848, was married Jan.
12, 1871, to Edwin C. Hunsley. They
have two children, LAURA A. and INEZ,
and live near Cisco, 111. Mrs. Elizabeth
Cantrall died June 12, 1852, and Z. P.
Cantrall was married to Mrs. Rachel
Doyle. She died Oct., 1865, and Z. P.
Cantrall was married March 14, 1872, to
Mrs. Mary Harp, whose maiden name
was Everly. They reside near Chesnut,
Logan county, 111.
ELIZA, born July 4, 1816, in Clark
county, Ohio, was married Oct. 5, 1834,
to Jeremiah Duncan. She died Jan. 29,
1854, leaving seven children. MARY
L., HELEN A., the latter born in 1840,
in Logan county, was married to George
Whiteman. They live at Waynesville,
111. AMY L. married Mr. Condell, and
he died. WILLIAM W. married Rox-
anna Cushman. They had two children.
REBECCA S. married Mortimer Samp-
son. They have one child, and live in
Waynesville. JEREMIAH P. livc-s in
Waynesville.
REBECCA and RACHEL, twins,
born July 25, 1818, in Ohio. REBECCA
married in June, 1836, to Jacob F. Samp-
son. They had three children. Mrs. S.
died March 24, 1849. The children live
in Kansas.
RA CHEL was married in 1842 to Chas.
Graves, and resides with her daughter,
FANNIE Storer, near Plum Grove,
i8o
EARLY SETTLERS OF
Butler county, Kansas. Her son, John
W. Graves, resides at Centralia, 111.
WTA TT, born May 1 1, 1821, in Ohio,
married Louisa Stevens. She died, and he
married Mary A. Day. He died Jan. 7,
1875, leaving a widow near Lane, Frank-
lin county, Kansas.
WILLIAM L., born May 15, 1823,
in Ohio, was married Oct. 26, 1843, to
Melinda Stout. They had eight children.
ANN, born in 1844, was married in De-
Witt county to Joel Hopesberger. They
have four children, and live near Ken-
ney station. EMELINE, born in 1846,
married Thomas Watson. They have
three children, and live near Kenney
Station. JOHN K., JESSE, WIL-
LIAM and ADDIE. Mrs. Melinda
Cantrall died March 10, 1864, and W. L.
Cantrall was married in 1865 to Christine
Everly, and lives near Chesnut, Logan
county, 111.
Mrs. Sarah Cantrall died May 26, 1843,
and Zebulon G. Cantrall died Sept. 11,
1845, both in DeWitt county, near
Waynesville.
CANTRALL, WM. G., was
born Sept. 6, 1784, in Botetourt, Va. His
parents moved to Bath county, Ky., in
1789. He was there married, in 1804, to
Deborah Mitts, who was born Nov. 16,
1785, in Virginia. Soon after marriage
they moved from Bath county to the vi-
cinity of New London, Huron county,
O., and then moved to Pickaway county.
They had ten children in Ohio, and the
family moved to Sangamon county, 111.,
arriving Nov. i, 1824, in what is now
Fancy creek township, on what was then
called Higgins creek, but now called Can-
trail's creek. Two children were born in
Sangamon county. Of all their children
DOROTHT, born March 15, 1805, in
Ohio, married iri Sangamon county to
Charles Snelson. They had seven child-
ren, moved to DesMoines county, near
Burlington, Iowa, where Mrs. Snelson
died. The family live there.
ANN, born Aug. i^ 1806, in Ohio, mar-
ried in Sangamon county to John W.
Snelson. They had eight children, and
moved to Keokuk county, Iowa, where
Mrs. Snelson died. The family live there.
ELIZABETH, born Aug. 29, 1808,
in Ohio, married in Sangamon county to
Joseph D. Langston. See his name.
JOSHUA M., born Dec. 17, 1810, in
Pickaway couaty, O., was married in San-
gamon county, Jan. 14, 1834, to Sarah
Cantrall. She was born March 14, 1812,
near Urbana, O. They had eight child-
ren in Sangamon county; six died under
eight years. Of the other four: ZEBU-
LAN G., born May 7, 1835, married
Elizabeth J. Lillv, a native of Augusta
county, Va. They have six children,
MARY A., MELISSA E., ARMINTA and
AMELIA (twins), CELIA j. and NOAH
MATHENY, and live in Fancv creek town-
ship. WILLIAM G., Jun., born Feb.
20, 1837, married Mary J. Randall. They
have four living children, MARCUS x.,
SARAH M., MARY L. and LOUISA M., and
live in Fancy creek township. JACOB
M., born Dec. 25, 1841, married Marian
J. Tufts., who was born near Buffalo, N.
Y. They have one child, ADDIE E., and
reside in Fancy creek township. MAHA-
LA E., born Oct. 4, 1845, married Oct.
9, 1873, to George W. Bailey, being his
second wife. He was born in Hawkins
county, Tenn. He was a soldier in the
5th Tenn. Inf. in the Mexican war, in
1846 and '7; came from Mexico to San-
gamon county in 1848. He enlisted in
1862 for three years, in Co. H, 114111.
Inf.; was commissioned as Captain at the
organization of the regiment. His health
failing, he resigned in May, 1863, and
lives in Salisbury township. Joshua M.
Cantrall resides in Fancy creek township,
eight miles north of Springfield.
TH2RZA, or THERESA, born
Nov. 8, 1812, in Ohio, married in Sanga-
mon county, to Edward Guyott. She
died Oct. 7, 1851, three months after mar-
riage. He married again, and lives in
Springfield.
ADAM M., born Feb. 27, 1815, in
Ohio, married in Sangamon countv to
Delilah Smith. They had nine children.
JEREMIAH married Etta Drone, and
live in Fancy creek township. HAR-
RIET married Wm. Brisentine; moved
to Dallas county, Texas, in 1853. She
died there, leaving one child. W M. L.
BRISENTINE lives with his grand-
uncle, Joshua M. Cantrall. See his name,
Adam Cantrall and his wife live at River-
ton.
DEBORAH, born Feb. 16, 1817, in
Ohio, married in Sangamon county to
Marshal S. Randall. They have twelve
SANGAMON COUNTt.
181
children, and reside near Blue Mound,
Christian county. Their daughter, Mary
J., married Wm. G. Cantrall, Jun. See
his name.
MAHALA, born Dec. 4, 1818, in
Ohio, married in Sangamon county to
Newton Street. She died, and he resides
in Montgomery county.
SUSANNAH, born Nov. 23, 1820, in
Ohio, married in Sangamon county to
Leonard Mitts. See his name.
WILLIAM M., born Dec. 22, 1822,
in Ohio, married in Sangamon county to
Adaline Claywell. They had nine child-
ren; two died under six years. JULIA
A. married Leander Jones, have three
children, and reside in Salisbury township.
MIRANDA married Rollin V. Mallory.
See his name. JAMES M., PERCY-
DEBORAH J. is a cripple, having had
eight inches of bone taken from one ot
her lower limbs -- LEWIS E. and
SARAH E. The latter is a deaf mute,
and is being educated at the State Institu-
tion at Jacksonville. The five unmarried
reside with their mother. William M.
Cantrall enlisted July, 1862, for three
years, in Co. C, 114 111. Inf.; was appoint-
ed Sergeant at the organization. Disease
was brought on by over-exertion at the
battle of Guntown, Miss., June 10, 1864,
and he died in hospital at Memphis,
Tenn., July 9, 1864. His widow ancl un-
married children live in Fancy creek
township, eight miles north of Spring-
field.
MIRANDA J., born May 12, 1826,
in Sangamon county, married William
Snelson. They had one child, CHAS.
H. SNELSON, and William S. died
March 9, 1853. His widow was married
March 4, 1858, to Samuel Mellinger, who
was born Jan. 27, 1832, in Franklin
county, Pa. They have four children,
WILLIAM C., MAHALA A., DEBORAH A.
and LUCY E., live with their parents in
Fancy creek township. Mr. Mellinger
had one child by a former wife, SAMUEL
i. He lives with his father. Samuel
Mellinger enlisted Aug. 12, 1862, in Co.
C, 114 111. Inf., for three years; served full
term, and was honorablv discharged Aug.
3, 1865.
ANDRE W y., born Jan. 4, 1829, in
Sangamon county, died March 15, 1842.
Mrs. Deborah Cantrall died March 15,
1856, and William G. Cantrall, Sen., died
March 6, 1867, on the farm settled by
them in 1824, in Fancy creek township.
CANTRALL, LEVI, was born
Oct. i, 1787, in Botetourt county, Va. He
was taken by his parents in 1789 to that
part of Mercer which afterwards became
Bath county, Ky. He was there married
Nov. 30, 1809, to Fanny England. They
had one child in Kentucky, and the family
moved, in 1811, to Madison county, O.,
where five children were born. They
then moved to Madison county, 111., in
Oct., 1819; moved on and arrived where
Springfield no-v stands, Dec. 4, 1819, and
reached the north side of the river, in
what is now Fancy Creek township, on
the fifth, made the selection of a location
on the seventh, and commenced building
a cabin Dec. 8, 1819. They had seven
children in Sangamon county. Of their
thirteen children
THOMAS, born Oct. 1 1, 1810, in Bath
county, Ky., married Oct. 3, 1831, in San-
gamon county, to Priscilla D. McLemore,
who was born Sept. 14, 1814, in Tennes-
see. They had nine children, namely:
CLARISSA, born Jan. 20, 1833, unmar-
ried, and resides at the house of H. H.
Holland. TURNER H., born May 9,
1834, last heard from in Alabama.
YOUNG M.,born April 30, 1836, married,
1 86 1, to Ellen Graham; had one child,
THOMAS E., and Y. M. Cantrall enlisted
in 1862 for three years, in Co. C, 114 111.
Inf., and died in the army. His widow
and son reside in Athens. LEVI, born
July 1 6, 1838, died, aged nineteen.
NANCY A., born March 25, 1840, mar-
ried Egbert Mallory. See his name.
THOMAS J., born Dec. 21, 1842, served
three years in the loth 111. Cav., was hon-
orably discharged, and lives in Nebraska.
FANNY P., born March 2, 1843, mar-
ried James D. Mallory. See his name.
MARY E., born Dec. 8, 1844,18 a teacher
in Springfield. Mrs. Priscilla D. Cantrall
died, and Thomas C. married June 12,
1848, to Elizabeth Estel. They had four
children. MARTHA E., born June 12,
1849, married and died in Logan county.
ROBERT H., born July 16, 1851, mar-
ried Miss GofF, has one child, and resides
near Athens. WILLIAM M., born
April 16, 1853, and CHARLES H., born
Dec. 29, 1855, reside with their mother.
Thomas Cantrall lost his life by a run-
away team dragging a saw-log over him,
lS2
EARLY SETTLERS OF
in 1858. His widow and unmarried
children reside near Athens.
ANN, born July 17, 1812 in Madison
county, O., married in Sangamon county
to Edward Ridgeway. They had three
children, and Mr. R. died in 1834. His
widow married F'erdinand Meeker, and
had several children. She died in Logan
county. Her daughter, NANCY
RIDGEWAY, married James Milam,
and resides in Buffalo Hart, 111. Her
daughter, DULCIXA MEEKER, married
Jeremiah Lashbaugh, and resides in Illi-
opolis township.
NANCT, born Sept. 15, 1813, in Madi-
son county, O., married in Sangamon
county to Turner Holland. See his name.
STEPHEN L., born April 4, 1815,
in Madison county, O., married in Sanga-
mon county to Mary Ridgeway. They
had three children. FANNY married
George Provines, has seven children, and
reside near Clinton. ALMYRA mar-
ried Samuel Mellinger, and died, leaving
one child. Samuel Mellinger married
Mrs. Miranda Snelson, whose maiden
hame was Cantrall. GEORGE W. en-
listed Aug., 1862, for three years, in Co. I,
114 111. Inf., and died in the army. Mrs.
Mary Cantrall died in Buffalo Hart grove,
and Stephen L. Cantrall died in 1874, at
the house of his brother Joshua.
SELINDA, born Nov. 14, 1816, in
Ohio, died in Sangamon county, at twelve
or thirteen years of age.
ELEANOR, born Oct. 17, 1818, in
Ohio, married in Sangamon county to
John Jordan, and resides near Olathe,
Kan.
ELIZABETH, born May 26, 1820,
in Sangamon county, married James Dris-
kell. Mrs. Driskell died. One son,
DAVID, enlisted in Co. C, 1 14, 111. Inf.,
in Aug., 1862, for three years, and died at
home of disease contracted in the army.
Another son, LEVI, resides in Menard
county.
LE VI, Jr., born March 17, 1822, in
Sangamon county, married to Elizabeth
C. King, who was born July n, 1828, in
Tennessee. They had four children.
JASPER H., born March 23, 1847, mar -
ried Sarah E. Wagner, has three children,
WILLIAM H., BERTRAM and JOSEPH, and
resides near Paxton. WILLIAM M.,
born March i, 1849, married Minnie
Wells, has. two children, ALVIN N. and
WILLIAM v., and resides near Illiopolis.
MARY E. married Sept. 2, 1874, to Ben-
jamin F. Warren, has one child, HARRY
N., and resides near Illiopolis. ALFRED
N. resides with his mother. Levi Can-
trall, Jr., died March 14, 1868, and his
widow married Sept. 2, 1874, to Enoch
Primm.
RA CHEL, born Feb. 29, 1824, in San-
gamon county, married John Overstreet.
See his name.
CHARLES S., born Jan. 6, 1826, in
Sangamon county, married Jan. 7, 1845,
to Emily M. Vandergrift, who was born
Oct. 6, 1830. They had two children.
MARY E., born June 13, 1848, married
Jan. 25, 1866, to Stephen O. Price, has
two children, and resides near Lincoln.
MACDONALD, born Aug. 22, .1851,
married Aug. 4, 1870, to Margaret Peden,
has two children, and resides in Spring-
field. Mrs. Emily M. Cantrall died Jan.
29, 1852, and C. S. Cantrall married June
20, 1852, to Lucy Swearengin, who was
born Oct. 15, 1828. She died April 14,
1853. C. S. Cantrall married April 26,
1855, to Harriet A. Graham, who was
born Feb. 17, 1836, in Athens. They
have nine children, CHARLES H.,
THOMAS D., ALICE, JOHN W,,
LEVI G., WILLIAM H., FANNY A.,
HOMER E. and IDA. Charles S. Can-
trall had one leg amputated, caused by
disease. It was done in Sept., 1871. He
resides two miles west of Illiopolis.
JOSHUA, born July 28, 1828, in San-
gamon county, married Rebecca Hedrick.
They had thirteen children; three died in
infancy. Of the other ten, LAFAY-
ETTE was married July 23, 1874, to
Gussie Chambers, and lives in Illiopolis
township. FANNIE SELINDA mar-
ried Benjamin Capps. See his name.
CARLISLE, BARTON R.JULIA A.,
MACDONALD, LAURA E., CLARA
P., LEVI and BENJAMIN, and reside
one and a half miles west of Illiopolis.
JESSE, born April 7, 1830, in San-
gamon county, married Eliza J. Humes.
They had ten children. He enlisted
Aug., 1862, for three years, in Co. C,
ii4th 111. Inf. He was commissioned 2d
Lieut, at the organization, promoted to
Captain, and served as such to the end of
the rebellion, and was honorably dis-
charged. He moved with nis family to
Black Bob, Johnson county, Kansas.
SANGAMON COUNTY.
'83
MACDONALD,\>O April 5, 1833,
in Sangamon county, married Narcissa
Hedrick. They had one child, and Mr.
Crantrall died Sept. 15, 1872. His widow
and son, CHARLES, reside in Menard
county, five miles northeast of Cantrall.
Mrs. Fanny Cantrall died Sept. 10,
1835, and Levi Cantrall married May 27,
1836, to Mrs. Ann Barnett, whose maiden
name was Patterson. They had five
children, three of whom died in infancy.
Of the other two
FANNT L., born Oct. 9, 1838, in
Sangamon county, married Jan., 1857, to
Henrv Graham. They have four living
children, MARY A., WILLIAM, AR-
MINDA D. and JOSEPH, and reside
near Athens, Menard county.
JOSEPH S., born Oct. 16, 1841, in
Sangamon county, married Jan. 14, 1869,
to Margaret A. Canterbury. They have
one child, DAISY E., and reside at Can-
trail. He is one of the proprietors of the
new town of Cantrall.
Levi Cantrall died Feb. 22, 1860, and
his widow resides with their son Joseph
S., at Cantrall. The town of Cantrall
was laid out on land he entered soon after
coming to the country, and was named in
honor of his memory.
INCIDENTS.
From a statement in writing made by
Levi Cantrall a few months before his
death, I learn that in building the cabin he
commenced Dec. 8th, 1819, about half a
mile west of the present town of Can-
trall, the mortar froze so that he could not
plaster it. December 24, 1819, snow be-
gan to fall, and continued one snow after
another until it was two feet deep on a
level. The weather continued intensely
cold, and 'a company of seven men started
to the American Bottom for provisions.
They were Levi and Wyatt Cantrall,
Alexander and Henry Crawford, M. Hol-
land, a Mr. Kellogg and John Dixon,
who afterwards founded the city of Dixon,
111. Thev loaded their wagons with flour
and meal and started home on the eight-
eenth, and on the twentieth rain com-
menced falling. The rain and melting
snow set the whole country afloat, and
when they reached the Sangamon river it
was too full to cross. They sent back to
Kelly's where Springfield now stands
for tools, and obtained an axe and grubbing
hoe. With these they made a canoe, and
reached home twenty-one days from the
time of starting. On the 6th of May,
1820, the frost killed their growing corn.
The settlers thought of moving back
south, but they hauled up provisions before
the next winter and lived through it.
Levi Cantrall built a horse mill in the
fall of 1820. It was a band mill, with a
wheel forty feet in diameter. It was the
first mill ever built north of the Sanga-
mon river, and people came thirty miles or
more to mill. Mr. Cantrall built a water
mill on Cantrall's creek, near the present
town of Cantrall. It did sawing and
grinding. He says the snow of 1830-31
was four feet on a level. Levi Cantrall
kept a tannery where he lived for more
than forty years.
CANTRALL, WYATT, was
born Dec. 20, 1790, in Bath county, Ky.,
the same year that his parents moved from
Botetourt county, Va. He was married
in Bath county to Sally England, and
moved to Clarke county, O., where they
had three children, and then moved, in
company with Mrs. Cantrall's father,
Stephen England, to St. Clair county, 111.,
in the fall of 1818, and in the spring of
1819 to what is now Fancy Creek town-
ship, in Sangamon county, where they had
six children. Of their nine children
ELIZA, born Sept. 3, 1813, in Ohio,
married in .Sangamon county to John
McLemore. He died in 1871, leaving a
widow and two children at Stirling,
Whiteside county.
SAMUEL D,, born Feb. 9, 1816, in
Clarke county, O., married in Sangamon
county, March 6, 1837, to Sarah S. Alex-
ander. They had six living children.
ALBERT A. married March 6, 1862, to
Martha Hunt. He enlisted in Aug., 1862,
in Co. C, 1 14 111. Inf., for three years, and
was appointed Sergeant. He was captured
at the battle of Guntown, Miss., in June,
1864, and was placed in the Andersonville
prison pen, where he remained about five
months, and after that was taken from one
prison to another to prevent being released
by the Union forces, and was paroled
Marcn i, 1865, and died of starvation and
exposure March 5, 1865, at Wilmington,
N. C. WYA.TT E. married Grizella
Holland. LUCINDA J. married B. F.
Horn. HEXRY married Emma E. Gra-
184
EARLY SETTLERS OF
ham. ELIZA married Henry Lake, son
of Bayless, and MARGARET A. mar-
ried Isaac Bates, son of Joseph. S. D.
Cantrall lives two miles north of Cantrall.
DA VI D 7>.,born May 7, 1818, in Ohio,
married in Sangamon county to Eleanor
McLemore, had three children, and she
died. He married Ursula Bull, has three
children, and lives in Iowa.
ZEBULON, born Aug. u, 1823, in
Sangamon county, and died in 1840.
WIATT E., born March 22, 1825, in
Sangamon county, died in 1841.
STEPHENS., born April 20, 1827,
in Sangamon county, married Caroline
Blue. They have seven children, and live
at Black Bob, Johnson county, Kan.
WILLIAM J., born July 28, 1829, in
Sangamon county, married Lucy Kings-
bury, who died, and he married Calista
Neil, have three children, and lives at
Black Bob, Kan.
POLLY ANN, born Sept. 17, 1832,
in Sangamon county, married Thomas
Hethcote, have one child, and live at Stir-
ling, Whiteside county.
JOHN H., born Oct. i, 1834, in San-
gamon county, married Eleanor Stratton,
have six children, and live in Iowa.
Mrs. Sally Cantrall died Aug. i, 1840,
in Sangamon county, and Wiatt Cantrall
married in the fall of 1841 to Mrs. Polly
Kingsbury, whose maiden name was Fos-
ter. They had one child
JOSHUA P., born in 1843 in Sanga-
mon county, married Grace Winters.
They have one child, and live in Chase
county, Kan.
Mrs. Polly Cantrall died about 1859,
and Wiatt Cantrall resides at Stirling,
Whiteside county.
CANTRILL,, THOMAS, was
born April 4, 1775, and Elizabeth Murray
was born Sept. 19, 1774. The place of
their birth is not known, but probably in
Orange county, North Carolina, where
they were married and had one child.
They then moved to Green county, Ky.,
where they had five children, and moved
to Sangamon county, 111., arriving Oct.,
1828, in what is now Rochester township,
three and a half miles east of Springfield.
Of their children
MARY, born in North. Carolina, mar-
ried in Kentucky to Thomas Perry, and
came to Sangamon county before her pa-
rents. They had six children, but all the
family are dead.
WILLIAM, born Jan. 17, 1800, in
Green county, Ky., came to Springfield,
111., in March, 1825, was married in San-
gamon county Feb. 14, 1828, to Elizabeth
Hall, who was born Dec. 8, 1809. They
had two children, and moved to Decatur,
April, 1833, where'they had two children.
Of their children: THOMAS H., born
Nov. i, 1829, in Sangamon county, raised
in Decatur, and died in the spring of 1864,
at Walla Walla, Washington Ter. JANE
ELLEN, born Oct. 27, 1832, in Sanga-
mon county, married in Decatur, April 4,
1857, to A. S. Keller, and lives at Sulli-
van, Moultrie county, 111. MARY E.,
born Sept. 27, 1835, in Decatur, married
Dr. William Dillon. See his name. SU-
SAN L., born July 3, 1844, married Feb.
3, 1863, to Harl P. Christie, and lives in
Decatur. Mrs. Elizabeth Cantrill died
August 4, 1868, and William Cantrill
lives in Decatur.
SUSAN, married Robert Bird, had
two children, and the parents died.
ANNA married William Black. They
had six children. The parents and two
of the children are dead.
ZEBULON, born April 8, 1807, in
Green county, Ky., married in Sangamon
county in 1829, to Elizabeth Enyart.
They had four children, and he died Jan.
8, 1840. His widow lives near Mechanics-
burg.
JOEL, born Jan. 8, 1811, in Green
county, Ky., married in Sangamon coun-
ty, May 16, 1839, to Zerelda E. Branch.
They had ten children in Sangamon
county; two died in infancy. LEWIS
M., born April 9, 1840, married July 23,
1863, to Elmira M. Lee, who was born
Oct., 1839, in the State of New York.
They live at Joliet, 111. EDWARD T.,
born Dec. 27, 1842, enlisted August, 1862,
in Co. E, U4th 111. Inf., for three years,
and died July 11, 1863, at Vicksburg,
Miss. His remains were brought home
and buried near Rochester. LAURA J.,
the fifth child, died in her fifteenth year.
WILLIAM B., JAMES N., HENRY
A. and HENRIETTA, twins, and EM-
ILY, live with their mother. Joel Can-
trill died Sept. 4, :866, and his widow
lives on the farm where his parents settled
on coming to the county, near Sangamon
Station.
SANGAMON COUNT*.
185
Mrs. Elizabeth Cantrill died Oct i, and
Thomas Cantrill died Oct. 3, 1836, both
near what is now Sangamon Station.
CAPPS, MRS. MARY, whose
maiden name was Devas, was a native of
London, England. Her husband, Charles
Capps, was for many years a merchant in
London, and died there. His widow,
whose name heads this sketch, came to
America with her sons, John, Benjamin
and Charles, leaving one son (Thomas) in
England. They arrived in Springfield,
111., Nov., 1830. Her sons Jabez and
Ebenezer having preceded the other
members of the family several years, Mrs.
Capps brought some of her daughters, and
others came later.
Mrs. Mary Capps died Nov. 8, 1857, at
the residence of her son-in-law, Dr. Alex-
ander Shields, in Sangamon county. Of
her nine children who came to America,
eight are now living.
CAPPS, JABEZ, born Sept.
9, 1796, in the city of London, England,
came to America in the summer of 1817,
arriving near what is now Springfield, 111.,
in the spring of 1819, and is believed to
have been the first school teacher in San-
gamon county. He was married in 1828,
near Rochester, to Prudence A. Stafford,
who was born in Vermont. They had
three living children, and Mrs. Capps
died May 13, 1836. Jabez Capps was
married near Rochester, 111., Sept., 1836,
to Elizabeth Baker. They had ten child-
ren, one of whom died young. Of all his
children
CHARLES S., born Jan. 31, 1830, in
Springfield, was married May 3, 1854, to
Eliza McGraw. They live in Mt. Pu-
laski.
EBENEZER S., born Feb. 15, 1834,
in Springfield, was married in 1856 to
Eliza Freeman, and live in Mt. Pulaski.
OLIVER T., born Feb. 13, 1836, in
Springfield, was married in 1856 to Eliza
Bush, and live in Mt. Pulaski.
By the second marriage
JOHN H., born Nov. 15, 1839, in Mt.
Pulaski, married Martha Pumpilly, and
live in his native town.
PRUDT A., born Dec. 18, 1841, in
Mt. Pulaski, was married March 8, 1860, to
S. Linn Beidler, who was born June 23,
1837, at Mt. Joy, Lancaster county, Pa.
Of their seven children, one died young.
MONITOR C., FRANK X., JOHN
2 4
LINN, SNOW FLAKE, IMOGENE
and RELL C., live with their parents at
Mt. Pulaski, 111. Mr. Beidler is a drug-
gist, and with the exception of one year
during President Johnson's administration,
has been Post Master there since 1857.
MART, born Oct. 8, 1844, in Mt.
Pulaska, married Michael McNattin.
WILLIAM, BENJAMIN, JA-
BEZ B., ED WARD, HARRIE B.
and MA UD, all live with their parents.
Mr. Jabez Capps was a merchant in
Springfield from 1827 to 1836, when he
formed a company and laid out the town
of Mt. Pulaski. Brought his goods from
Springfield, and continued in business un-
til 1870. He is now engaged with his
son in the nursery business. Mr. Capps
was Post Master at Mt. Pulaski for fifteen
years, and County Recorder four years.
He and his family reside in Mt. Pulaski.
CAPPS, EBENEZER, was
born May, 1798, in London, Eng. Came
to Springfield in 1820. He returned to
Europe in the spring of 1830. On his
return he went to Vandalia, 111., in the
fall of same year. He was married in
Morgan county, 111., March i, 1835, to
Ann Norwood. They have five living
children, namely
SARAH, HANNAH, MART A.,
CHARLES E. and THOMAS.
Mrs. Ann Capps died Sept., 1855, and
Ebenezer Capps was married May 29,
1860, in Springfield, to Rosetta lies. They
had one child
ROSETTA.
Mrs. Rosetta Capps died in Dec., 1861.
Ebenezer Capps was married to Mrs.
Elizabeth Snyder, at Lincoln, 111., Oct.,
1863. They had two children
GEORGE B. and SUSAN.
Ebenezer Capps and family reside in
Vandalia, 111.
CAPPS, MARY, was born in
1801, in London, Eng.; died unmarried at
Vandalia, 111., Dec. 3, 1858.
CAPPS, ANN, was born in 1803,
in London, Eng. She was married there
to William Salisch. They came to
America, arriving at Vandalia, 111., in 1833,
where Mr. Salisch died the year follow-
ing, leaving a widow and two children,
viz
SALINA died, aged twelve years.
CHARLES W., born Jan. 24, 1832,
in London, Eng., came with his parents
1 86
EARLT SET7LERS OP
to Vandalia, and after the death of his
father, was brought by his mother to
Springfield, 111., where he was married,
Oct. 31, 1 86 1, to Anna C. Hughes. They
had four children. CHARLES F. died
in his fourth year. RALPH E., CHAS.
E. and SCOTT A. C. W. Salisch is
Post Master at Cotton Hill, Sangamon
county.
Mrs. Ann Salisch was married in 1837,
in Springfield, to Dr. Alexander Shields.
See his name.
CAPPS, SUSAN, was born in
1805, in London, Eng. She was married
in Springfield, 111., to James Gobbett.
He went to California, and died on his
way home on the steamer, of Asiatic
cholera. Mrs. Gobbett lives with her
sister, Mrs. Dr. Shields.
CAPPS, SARAH, was born in
1807, in London, Eng., is unmarried, and
lives with her sister, Mrs. Dr. Shields.
CAPPS, JOHN, was born Dec. 16,
1810, in London, Eng. Came to America
with his mother, brothers and sisters,
arriving at Springfield, 111., in Nov., 1830.
He was married there Sept. 5, 1833, to
Nancy Clements, who was born Oct. 2,
1817, in Lincoln county, Ky. (She is a
cousin of Mrs. Mathew Cloyd.) Mr.
and Mrs. John Capps had five children in
Springfield, and in 1844 moved to Mt.
Pulaski, where they had four, and about
1855 moved to Decatur, where they had
three; thence to Illiopolis, Sangamon
county. Of their twelve children two
died young
MART M., born Oct. 6, 1834, was
married Jan. 19, 1853, to James Sims.
They have six children, ADA, JOHN F.,
ELLA, HATTIE,RALPH LINCOLN
and FANNIE, and live in Mt. Pulaski.
THOMAS W., born Dec. 26, 1838, in
Springfield, enlisted in 1862 for three
months, in Co. I, 68th 111. Vol. Inf.;
served full term, and enlisted in the
United States Navy. He was married
Dec. 29, 1869, to Nellie Van Hise, in Mt.
Pulaski. They had one child, EARL,
Mrs. Nellie Capps died, Oct. 23, 1873.
Mr. T. W. Capps lives in Mt. Pulaski.
CHARLES R., born March ii, 1841,
in Springfield, was married in Mt. Pu-
laski, May 29, 1862, to Lizzie Lushbaugh.
They have four children, LOUIE E.,
ELMER LINCOLN, FRANK and
MABEL, and live in Mt. Pulaski.
ALEXANDER S., born May 2,
1843, in Springfield, enlisted Aug. 9, 1862,
for three years, in Co. B, io6th 111. Vol.
Inf., served until Aug. i, 1865, when he
was honorably discharged. He was mar-
ried Sept. 3, 1867, to Maggie Ishmael.
They have one child, KATIE E., and
live in Illiopolis.
JABEZ J/., born Aug. 19, 1845, in
Mt. Pulaski, enlisted in 1863 for one hun-
dred days, in Co. D, I45th 111. Inf., served
more than full time, and was honorably
discharged. He was married June 17,
1867, to Sallie Bechtel. They have three
living children, LONE, PEARL and
GERTRUDE. J. M. Capps is engaged
in milling at Mt. Pulaski, and lives there.
ANN S., born Jan. 22, 1848, in Mt.
Pulaski, was married May 5, 1868, to
James W. McGuffin. She died in Illiop-
olis, April 7, 1874, leaving three children,
BENJAMIN F., WALTER and JOHN
C.
BENJAMIN F., born July 21, 1850,
in Mt. Pulaski, was married Aug. 12,
1870, to Fannie S. Cantrall. She was
killed Oct. 8, 1870, near Illiopolis. She
was mounting a horse, when it took
fright, drew the rein in a noose around
her hand, and dragged her until she was
dead. B. F. Capps married Emma Snv-
der. They live at Mt. Pulaski.
ALBERT B., JOHN C. and
BUNN, live with their parents. John C.
had a twin mate, who died young.
John Capps and family reside one and
a half miles west of Illiopolis.
CAPPS, CHARLES, was born
Feb. 7, 1814, in London, Eng. Came
with his mother, brothers and sisters to
America, arriving at Springfield, Nov.,
1830, and moved to Vandalia in December
of the same year. He was married Nov.
n, 1852, in Sangamon county, 111., to
Elizabeth A. Gobbett, who was born Oct.
27, 1836, in Missouri. They had four
living children
MART A., born Dec. 3, 1854, was
married March 13, 1872, to George R.
Wylie. They have one child, MAUDE
E, and live in Mt. Pulaski.
SARAH F., JAMES A. and AMT
G., reside with their parents in Mt. Pu-
laski.
CAPPS, BENJAMIN, was
born June 24, 1820, in London, England.
Came to Springfield in 1830, and to Van-
SANGAMON COUNTT.
187
dalia in 1831. He returned to England in
1844, and remained there until 1852, when
he went to Australia, and returned to
Vandalia in 1856. He was married in
Mt. Pulaski in May, 1862, to Lucy Mc-
Graw. They have four living children
IDA, JENNIE, BENJAMINS
HANNAH ' N.
Benjamin Capps has always faithfully
served his adopted country, and votes the
straight Republican ticket. He, with his
family, reside in Vandalia, 111.
CARPENTER, WILLIAM,
born July 3, 1787^ in the city of Philadel-
phia, Penn., was the eldest son of Samuel
and Catharine Carpenter. He had two
brothers, Charles and Samuel, Jun.; also
two sisters, Elizabeth and Catharine. His
father died when William was quite
young, leaving the family dependent en-
tirely on their own exertions for a liveli-
hood. William was baptized in the Ger-
man Lutheran church in Philadelphia,
Sept. 23, 1787. Carl Linnensheet and
Margreth, his wife, (grandparents), spon-
sors. Arrived at manhood, he and his
brother Samuel came to Licking county,
Ohio, then the " far west." In the fall of
1819 William C. was married to Margaret
Pence, who is still living. She was the
daughter of Peter and Catharine Pence,
and was born Feb. 5, 1803, in Shenandoah
county, Va. Her mother's maiden name
was Godfrey,- whose father fought in the
Revolution, under Gen Wayne, and was
killed by the Indians, near Wheeling, Va.,
in the summer of 1820. William Car-
penter, his wife and Samuel, started for
Illinois. The time occupied in coming
was six weeks. They passed through
what is now Springfield, crossed the San-
gamon river, and built a cabin about two
miles north of it. At that time the "Kel-
ly cabins" constituted all the settlement
at what is now the city of Springfield.
Samuel C. soon tired of the west, and re-
turned. When land came into the mar-
ket, Wm. C. entered the land upon which
he had settled, and erected a two story
log house, which is still standing, although
dilapidated. This afterwards became an
important point for the stage line on the
State road leading from Springfield to
Peoria, and called the " six mile house."
Their nearest neighbors then were three
or four miles distant, and the Indians
(friendly tribes) frequently visited the
house for something to eat, and a matter
of considerable alarm to the females when
the men were away, as was frequently the
case, "to mill," or "on a hunt." They
grew cotton, picked, carded, spun and
wove it into cloth for family use. These
cards are still in the possession of some of
the family. For a long time Edwards-
ville, Madison county, 111., was the nearest
mill and postoffice. It took two weeks
to go and return with a grist, usually a
sack of corn, on horseback. St. Louis,
Mo., was the nearest market. About the
year 1828, William Carpenter, with a
family of five children, moved to Spring-
field, then grown to the dignity of a town,
and called Calhoun. He there engaged
in merchandizing. The farm was after-
wards rented, and occupied by Hon. S. T.
Logan, then just arrived from Kentucky.
Six children were born in Springfield. Of
their eleven children
CATHARINE, born Sept. 28, 1820,
in Sangamon county, was married June
8, 1843, in Springfield, to Adolphus Wood,
who was born Nov. 8, 1806, in Chenango
county, N. Y. They had six children;
the two eldest died young. Of the other
four, WILLIAM C., born in Springfield,
111., Dec. 28, 1848, was married August
29, 1874, in Chicago, to Emma E. Wood,
who was born in Springfield, Jan. 2, 1851.
They have one child, CHARLES o., and
live on the farm with his mother. ELIZA-
BETH and GEORGE live with their
mother. CHARLES is clerk in Diller's
drug store, Springfield, 111.
Mr. Wood died Jan. 12, 1861, and his
widow resides three and a half miles north
of Springfield.
CHARLES, born Nov. 12, 1822, in
Sangamon county, was killed in Spring-
field by a fall from a horse, March 17,
1833.
SAMUEL, born Nov. 12, 1824, in
Sangamon county, was married Nov. 27,
1851, to Mary E. J. Kerns, who died
March 16, 1853, an( ' Samuel C. was mar-
ried Dec. \6, 1858, to Mrs. Martha J.
Black, whose maiden name was Short,
daughter of Rev. Daniel Short. She was
born Sept. 25, 1831, in Butler county,
Ohio. They had six children born in San-
gamon county. ANNA S., WILLIAM
D.,CARRIEE., MARTHA L,MAKY
M. and LENA L. Mrs. Martha J. Car-
penter died July 17, 1873. Samuel Car-
iSS
EARLY SETTLERS OF
penter and his children resides five miles
north of Springfield, adjoining the farm
where he settled in 1820.
ELIZABETH, born Jan. 19, 1826,
in Sangamon county, was married Nov.
27, 1851,111 same place, to Richard Cobbs,
who was born in Cynthianna, Harrison
countv, Ky., May 22, 1822. They have
four children, MARIETTA, JOHN W.,
ALBERT R. and MARGATET A.
Mr. Cobbs is a tailor, and resides in
Springfield.
WILLIAM, Jun,, died in his third
year.
MARGARET, born Feb. 27, 1830, in
Springfield, was married June 5, 1848, to
William A. Browning, who was born
April 23, 1825, in Licking countv, Ohio.
They have seven children living; three
died in infancy. AMELIA E. was mar-
ried Dec. 28, 1871, to R. F. Gailey. Their
only child, WILLIAM A., died in infancy.
They reside in Pana. EVA O., MAR-
GARET L., MARY J., WILLIAM O.,
LOUISA B. and FLORA M. reside
with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Brown-
ing reside in Pana, 111.
JOHN, born Nov. 2, 1832, and .-
GEORGE, born March 28, 1835, in
Springfield, both reside with their mother.
EMILY A., born August 8, 1837,
died Oct. 5, 1854.
MARY E., born March 28, 1843, and
SARAH J., born Jan. 26, 1846. The
unmarried children reside with their
mother.
William Carpenter died August 30,
1859, in Springfield, and his widow re-
sides at the corner of Seventh and Car-
penter streets, Springfield, 111. William
Carpenter was elected Justice of the
Peace in Ohio in 1820, held the same
office in Sangamon county about fourteen
years, and was the second Justice of the
Peace in Sangamon county. May 15,
1830, he was appointed Quartermaster
20th Reg. 111. Millitia, Col. T. M. Neal
commanding. April 12, 1832, he was ap-
pointed Paymaster 4th Reg. Mounted
Vol. Inf., by Col. Samuel M. Thompson.
In 1834 was elected to represent Sanga-
mon county in State Legislature, when
the Capital was at Vandalia. He was
subsequently a member of the city coun-
cil for a number of years. In 1837 was
appointed by President Van Buren, Post-
master at Springfield, which office he re-
signed in 1840. In 1844 anc ^ '5 Mr. C.
with his son-in-law, Adolphus Wood,
erected a saw and grist mill on the San-
gamon river, on the Peoria road, which
has always been known as Carpenter's
mill, although christened Rock Dam
Mills.
CARSON, JOHN, was born
Aug. 8, 1794, on Saluda river, S. C., and
raised in Campbell county, Tenn. He
was in a Tennessee regiment in the war
of 1812. After the war he came to Mad-
ison county, 111., with his father, and was
there married to Margery Parkison, in
1818. She was born Oct. 19, 1799. They
came to Sangamon county in 1820 or '21,
and settled on Lick creek, in what is noW
Chatham township. They had ten child-
ren, all born in Sangamon county except
one. Of their children
JAMES S., born Oct., 1819, married
Permelia Swanson. They had fire child-
ren. He was accidentally shot and killed
April 12, 1859, by another hunter mistak-
ing his call for that of a turkey. That
was in Fayette county. His only two
surviving children, WESLEY McD. and
ISAAC M,, reside in Loami township.
RA CHEL,\>orn. in 1823, in Sangamon
county, married Ransom Youtsler. They
both died, leaving five children. Her
death took place Nov. 9, 1863.
ELIZABETH, born Dec. 25, 1824,
in Sangamon county, married William P.
Campbell. See his name.
AMANDA E., born April 17, 1829, in
Sangamon county, married May 5, 1852,
to Peter C. Campbell. See his name.
WILLIAM P., born Dec. 25, 1830, in
Sangamon county, married April t$, 1855,
to Minerva Workman. They have seven
children, DAVID, SARAH, JOHN C.,
ELIZABETH, LYDIA A., LEE and
AMANDA, and live in Loami township.
ISAAC C., born Feb. 7, 1833, in San-
gamon county, married Martha Lawson,
have one child, and live in Crawford
county, Kan.
JOHN M., born March, 1836, in San-
gamon county, married Elizabeth Work-
man. They have six children, and live in
Crawford county, Kan.
LOUISA, born April n, 1840, in
Sangamon county, married William A.
Barnes. He was born Aug. 2, 1836, in
Talladega county, Ala. She died May
27, 1872, leaving four children with their
SAN GAM ON COUNTT.
relatives in Chatham and Loami town-
ships. W. A. Barnes married Lucy A.
Allen, and live in Chatham.
John Carson died in Fayette county,
Nov., 1844, and his widow married John
Campbell. See his name.
CARSON, WILLIAM, born
July 8, 1799, in Westmoreland county,
Pa. When he was four years old his
father moved to Hamilton county, Ohio.
William was never out of that county un-
til he was twenty-six years old. He then
came to Sangamon county, 111., arriving
Nov. i, 1825, at Springfield. He walked
the whole distance from Cincinnati to
Springfield in eleven days. He spent the
first winter at Sangamo, and was married
May 21, 1826, to Cynthia Broad well.
They had fifteen children, seven of whom
died young. Of the other eight
SARAH J., born March 2, 1828,
married Aaron Thompson. Mrs. T. died
Oct., 1855, leaving two children in Mis-
souri.
LEAH A., born July 30, 1829, married
William De Armand, have nine children,
and live in Atchison county, Kan.
ELIZABE7^H A., born Oct. 6, 1831,
married Oct. 2, 1856, to Jacob King, and
live in Nodaway county, Mo.
RACHEL C., born Dec. 22, 1832,
married Nov., 1863, to Joshua Short, have
one child, and live in Nodaway countv,
Missouri.
MART M., born July 26, 1834, mar-
ried Jacob Shawver. He was a soldier in
an Iowa regiment, and died at Helena,
Ark., in April, 1863. She married Josiah
Culver, and live In Marion county, Iowa.
HELEN B., born April 30, 1837,
married Feb., 1860, to Charles B. Miller,
have six children, and live in Marion
county, Iowa.
WINFIELD S., born May 27, 1843,
married March 27, 1866, to Emma J. Tay-
lor, who was born Oct. 30, 1844, in Somer-
set county, N. J. They have three child-
ren, WILLIAM E., JENNIE A. and
CHARLES F., and live near Pleasant
Plains.
WILLIAM L., born Nov. 6, 1846,
married March 12, 1868, in Hamilton
county, O., to Ella Carson, who was born
there Sept. 17, 1844. They have three
children, ROBERT B., ALICE M. and
NELLIE B., and reside one and a half
miles east of Pleasant Plains.
William Carson and his wife are living
on the farm settled by her brother, John
B. Broadwell, in 1819. Mr. C. has lived
nearly half a century within one mile of
where he now resides, one mile east of
Pleasant Plains.
CARTER. PLATT S., was
born June 29, 1815, in Warren, Litchfield
county, Conn. He came to Waverly, 111.,
in Nov., 1836, and in Jan., 1837, began to
improve the farm where J. Milton Lock-
bridge now resides, one mile west of Au-
burn. He was advised to abandon the
project, lest he should freeze to death,
and was solemnly warned that he would
be compelled to live without neighbors,
his improvements being more than two
miles from the timber. He returned to
his native town, and was there married,
July 25, 1839, to Flora M. Carter, who
was born in the same place, July 25, 1815.
They came at once to their new home,
near Auburn, traveling the entire distance
in wagons. At that time there were no
improvements southwest nearer than fif-
teen miles, and the whole area a natural
meadow. There was an abundance of
grass ,for thousands of cattle and sheep.
A year or two later Mr. Carter bought a
flock of sheep, and that caused great un-
easiness to some of the neighbors, who
had a few head of cattle, lest the sheep
would eat all the grass. Mr. and Mrs.
Carter had four children in Sangamon
county, namely
ADONIRAM, born Nov. 5, 1842, en-
listed August, 1862, in Co. C, 101 111. Inf.,
but was discharged on account of physical
disability, without fully entering the arinv.
He graduated at Michigan University, in
the class of 1868, and is now a practicing
attorney at 157, south Clark street,
Chicago.
DARIUS, born June 6, 1845, enlisted
May 2, 1864, in Co. C, I45th 111. Inf., for
one hundred days, and was honorably dis-
charged, Sept. 28, 1864. He was married
April 6, 1869, to Avice Pickett, who was
born Nov. 9, 1848, at Hartland, Conn.,
and died May 14, 1870. He was married
April 29, 1873, to Sarah Poor, who was
born Oct. i, 1850, in Sullivan county,
Tenn. They reside in the southwest part
of Loami township.
LUC1NDA A., born August 31, 1848,
in Sangamon county, married June 25,
1874, to Dr. Albert Brown, who was born
190
EARLY SETTLERS OF
June 25, 1849, in Chicago, Illinois. He
graduated at Bellevue Hospital Medical
College, New York City, March, 1873,
and resides in Waverly, 111.
PLA TT S., Jun., born Dec. 6, 1850,
in Sangamon county, married near
Waverly, Morgan county, Nov. 20, 1873,
to Belle Woods, and resides in Sangamon
county, near Waverly, 111.
Platt S. Carter, Sen., is one of the many
successful farmers of this county. He has
always taken an active interest in every
movement calculated to develop the re-
sources of the country, and to elevate the
intellectual standard ot the cultivators of
the soil, and has several times represented
Loami township in the Board of county
Supervisors. He has been an energetic
worker in the interests of the Sangamon
county Agricultural Society, and was
President of the same for the year 1875.
He resides in Loami township, two and a
half miles north of Waverly.
CARTWRIGHT, PETER,
was born Sept. i, 1785, on James river,
Amherst county, Va. His father was a
Revolutionary soldier, and soon after our
independence as a nation was acknowl-
edged by Great Britain, his parents moved
to that part of our country known as
Kentucky, then inhabited by hostile In-
dians. There not being any wagon roads,
the moving was done on pack horses.
Their's was one of two hundred families
that moved in a body, guarded by one
hundred young men, well armed. On the
night of the first Sunday after their de-
parture, and while they were encamped
with the women and children in the cen-
ter, surrounded by part of the men guard-
ing, while others slept, the father of Peter
Cartwright heard something moving to-
wards him and grunting like a hog.
Knowing there was no swine with the
company, Mr. C. had his suspicions
aroused and kept a sharp look-out. He
soon perceived a dark object much nearer
him than the sounds at first indicated, and
readily made up his mind that it was an
Indian aiming to get as near as possible,
and then spring upon and murder him in
the dark. Mr. Cartwright took aim and
fired. The crack of the rifle raised a
great commotion in camp, and as soon as
a light could be procured, an Indian was
found dead, with a rifle in one hand, a
tomahawk in the other, and a bullet-hole
through his head. Their line of travel
was marked by the dead bodies of white
people slain by the Indians, with other
evidences of hostility. As the moving
party approached Crab Orchard, where a
temporary fortification had been* erected,
the last day's march was a very long one.
Seven of the two hundred families fell
behind the main body, and worn down
with fatigue, they encamped and went to
sleep without guards. In the night they
were attacked by twenty-five Indians, and
all except one of them slain. The Cart-
wright family first settled near what after-
wards became Lancaster, Lincoln county,
Ky. After a stay of two years, in the
fall of 1793 Mr. Cartwright moved his
family to a place nine miles south of
Russelville, Logan county, Ky., and with-
in one mile of the Tennessee line.
While the family resided there Peter
entered into the spirit of the rude sports
and vices that prevailed in the community,
such as horse-racing, card-playing and
dancing. His mother had long been a
member of the M. E. Church, and prayed
for and plead with her son to turn from
the error of his ways. He was converted,
and united with the Ebenezer M. E.
Church in June, 1801. He displayed
such talents and fervor in speaking, that he
very unexpectedly received the following
paper :
"Peter Cartwright is hereby permitted
to exercise his gifts as an exhorter in the
Methodist Episcopal Church, so long as
his practice is agreeable to the Gospel.
"Signed in behalf of the Society at
Ebenezer.
" JESSE WALKER, A. P."
J/oy, 1802.
In the fall of that year his father de-
termined to move to Lewiston, near the
mouth of the Cumberland river. Peter
applied for letters for his mother, sister
and himself. Upon receiving his own he
found that it was not only a letter of dis-
missal to a sister church, and to exhort,
but that it gave him authority to hold
meetings, organize classes, and form a cir-
cuit. It also required him to report at the
fourth quarterly meeting of Red river cir-
cuit the next fall.
In his new home he found an academy,
or school of a high grade, and for a time
prosecuted his studies with great success;
SAN GAM ON COUNTY.
191
but in consequence of persecutions that
arose, he abandoned the school and com-
menced organizing the circuit, which he
reported in the fall of that year 1803.
In October he became a regular traveling
preacher, with a colleague, on the Red
river circuit. His first sermon led to the
conversion of an infidel. He " received
twenty-five members during the first quar-
ter, and six dollars for his support at the
end of the same. For the years 1805 and
'6 he was appointed to Sciota circuit, in
the State of Ohio.
At the meeting of the Western Confer-
ence, held in East Tennessee, Mr. Cart-
wright was ordained Sept. 15, 1806, as a
Deacon in*the M. E. Church, by Francis
Asbury, the first Bishop of the church in
America. He was next appointed to
Marietta circuit. In the fall of 1806 he
left that circuit, with a blind horse, almost
destitute of clothing, and seventy-five
cents in money, started to travel more than
five hundred miles to see his parents. The
next meeting of Conference was held
Sept. 14, 1807, at Chillicothe, O. His ap-
pointment for 1807-8 was to Barren cir-
cuit, in Cumberland district, Ky. About
the close of his labors in that circuit
Rev. Peter Cartwright and Frances
Gaines were married Aug. 18, 1808. She
was born Aug. 18, 1789, in Charlotte
county, Va. When she was in her seven-
teenth year her parents moved to Lincoln
county, Ky. Her father died there, and
her mother moved two years later to Bar-
ren county, where Frances was married.
The Conference was held at Liberty
Hill, Tenn., commencing Oct. I, 1808. At
that meeting Mr. C. was ordained Oct.
4, 1808 to the office of Elder of the M.
E. Church, by William McKendree, who
had become one of the Bishops of the M.
E. Church. The ordination took place
Oct. 4, 1808. His next appointment was
to Salt Creek circuit, Ky. During that
year his father died, and some time was
spent in settling the estate. The next
Conference was held at Cincinnati in the
fall of 1809. His appointment was to
Livingston circuit. Cumberland district,
Ky. Mr. C. continued to preach in Ken-
tucky until thev had seven children.
During that time he saw and understood
the pernicious influence of slavery, and
after consulting with his wife, who was of
the same mind, they determined to remove
to a free State. In the spring of 1823, he,
in company with two friends, started to
explore Illinois in search of a home. They
ascended the Wabash valley, and crossed
the prairie to the Illinois river above Fort
Clark, now Peoria. They went west and
south and then east, crossing the Illinois
river at what is now Beardstown, where
there was but one family in a small cabin.
From there they ascended the valley of
the Sangamon river to a settlement in
Sangamon county, on Richland creek,
where he found a family living in a double
log cabin, with a few acres of land under
cultivation. Mr. C. bought the claim, and
entered the land when it came into market.
He returned to Kentucky and brought
out his family, arriving Nov. 15, 1824, at
the place he had purchased the year be-
fore, in what is now Cartwright town-
ship, three-quarters of a mile north of
Pleasant Plains. They had two children
in Sangamon county. Of their nine
children
ELIZA B., born in Livingston coun-
ty, Ky., May n, 1810, married Peyton
L. Harrison. See his name.
MARIA H., born Sept. 20, 1812, in
Christian county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county, July 28, 1833, * o R- ev - W-
D. R. Trotter, who was born near Bowl-
ing Green, Ky., and came to Sangamon
county in 1830 or '31. Mr. Trotter was
a traveling preacher in the M. E. church
from the time he came to the State until
1872, when he became superanuated, and
resides in Jacksonville. They have fivo
children, all married.
CYNTHIA, born March 27, 1815, iri
Christian county, Ky., was killed Oct. 23,
1824, by a tree, near which they had en-
camped and kindled a fire, falling on her
while they were all asleep on the ground.
They carried the corpse of their child
twenty miles, and buried it in Hamilton
county, 111.
MADISON A., born July 4, 1817, in
Christian county, Ky., married Dec. 29,
1835, ' n St. Louis, to Matilda Purvines,
both of Sangamon county. They had
six children, namely: WILLIAM T.
married Emma Slater; had one child,
EVA A., and he married Florence Moore;
had two children, EDGAR EVERETT and
ASBURY i.., and reside in Cartwright
township. MARTHA J. married Daniel
Harnett, and died August 8, 1862, at
192
EARLY SETTLERS OP
Pleasant Plains. PETER S. married
Frances Maria Irwin ; have two children,
JENNIE E. and ROBERT A., and reside near
Chanute, Kansas. ELIZABETH F.
married Peter L. Harrison. See his name.
JOHN M. and ANNIE M. reside with
their parents at Pleasant Plains.
WEAL THT M. J., born August 9,
1819, in Christian county, Ky., married
March 17, 1840, to Gorham Eaton, who
was born in Merrimac county, N. H. They
had three children, EMILY F. married
William G. Purvines. See his name.
MARY A. married A. S. Nottingham.
See his name. HORACE G. married
Ella Allen, had one child, ELLEN, and
Mrs. Eaton died. He resides near Pleas-
ant Plains. Gorham Eaton died August
26, 1846, and his widow married March
26, 1850, to Elmer Mickel, who was born
in Cape May county, N. J. They have
six children, ANNIE, CHARLES H.,
CAROLINE M., ARMINDA B.,
MYRA E. and EDWARD LINCOLN,
and reside two miles northwest of Pleas-
ant Plains.
VALENTINE C, born May 19,
1821, in Christian county, Ky., married in
Sangamon county, Feb. 9, 1841, to Cin-
thelia Scott. They have nine children.
SARAH F. J. resides with her parents.
THOMAS B. married Mary E. Cloud,
daughter of Rev. Newton Cloud, of Jack-
sonville; have two children, MAUD and
CLAUD, and reside near Waco, Sedgwick
county, Kansas. CARRIE E. married
Samuel D. Pallett, and resides near Waco,
Kansas. HATTIE J. married David O.
Williams; has one child, LESTER, and re-
sides near Waco, Kansas. CHARLES
A. resides near Waco, Kansas. ALBERT
B., MINNIE P., NEWTON C. and
WALTER D., reside with their parents.
V. C. Cartwright lived near Pleasant
Plains until 1874, when he moved to
Sedgwick county, near Delano, Kansas.
SARAH M., born July 2, 1823, in
Christian county, Ky., married Sept. i,
1841, to Henry Smith, who was born in
Cape May county, N. J. They had ten
children; two died in infancy. MARIA
F. married Frank N. Elmore. See his
name. PETER C., born Oct. 24, 1844,
married Margaret McDonnell, who was
born Nov. 17, 1844, at Lexington, Ky.
They have four children, HENRY, MARY
o., NETTIE and CARROLL, and reside at
Pleasant Plains. WILLIAM T. died
Feb. 22, 1869, in his twenty-third year.
MADISON N. resides west. CARO-
LINE E., HENRY D. and EDWARD
P. reside with their mother. Henry
Smith died March 20, 1873, and his fam-
ily reside at Pleasant Plains.
CAROLINE M., born Sept. 9, 1826,
in Sangamon county, married August 30,
1848, to Rev. Benjamin Newman. They
had one child, PETER C., who married
and resides at Mattoon. Mrs. C. M.
Newman died May 23, 1853.
ARMINDA F., born Oct. 3, 1828, in
Sangamon county, married Aug. 30, 1848,
to Rev. Levi C. Pitner. They have one
son, LEE PITNER, and reside at Evan-
ston, 111.
Rev. Peter Cartwright, D. D., died
Sept. 25, 1872, and his widow died Feb.
7, 1876, both near Pleasant Plains, Sanga-
mon county, where they settled in 1824.
Mr. Cartwright had been a member of the
M. E. Church more than seventy-one
years, a preacher nearly three score and
ten years, and a Presiding Elder more
than half a century. To attempt a de-
scription of the man and his labors would
be useless in a sketch like this. Nothing
but his own " Autobiography " and
"Fifty Years a Presiding Elder" could
do justice to the subject. His system of
theology does not admit of a belief in
special providences; and yet, it would ap-
pear to others as though he was especially
raised up to illustrate what one man can
accomplish in mental and physical labors
in a good cause, sustained by the power
of God. He had just entered upon his
eighty-eighth year, and his wife in her
eighty-seventh year. At the time of her
death she had fifty-three grand-children,
sixty-two great-grand-children, and five
great-great-grand-children, a total of one
hundred and twenty-nine descendants.
The circumstances of her death were
exceedingly impressive. She was attend-
ing a religious meeting at Bethel Chapel,
about one mile from her home, in the op-
posite direction from Pleasant Plains.
The minister conducting the services
called on her as the first to give her testi-
mony, which she did, remaining seated.
She spoke with much feeling, closing with
the words: "The past three weeks have
been the happiest of all my life; I am
waiting for the chariot. " The exercises
SANGAMON COUNT*.
'93
continued until sixteen persons had risen
and spoken a few words each, the last of
whom was her eldest son. The lady sit-
ting nearest her thought she had fainted,
and the windows were thrown open to
admit fresh air; but "The chariot had
arrived. "
CARTMELL, ANDREW,
was born March, 1766, in Greenbrier
county, Va. He went to Bath county,
Ky., when he was a young man. Nancy
D. Brown was born Oct., 1772, in Cul-
pepper county, Va.,and in 1780 was taken
by her parents to Bath county, Ky. A.
Cartmell and Nancy D. Brown were mar-
ried and had eight children in Kentucky,
and they moved to Sangamon county, 111.,
arriving Oct. 10, 1829, six miles northeast
of Springfield. Of their children
WILLIAM W., born Oct., 1800, in
Bath county, Ky., married there in 1832,
to Mary Crockett, moved to Sangamon
county, and from there to Rails county,
Mo., raised a family of six childi'en, and
lives near Merton, Grundy county, Mo.
LUCINDA married in Kentucky to
John Rudder, had two children, and died
there. Her children came to Sangamon
county with their grandfather Cartmell.
LUCRETIA married Samuel Houston.
See his name, THOMAS was a soldier
in the 4th 111. Inf., and was killed in 1847,
in the Mexican war.
JOHN M., born August 25, 1802, in
Bath county, Ky., was married there
March 23, 1829, to Mildred R. Tacket,
and came with his parents to Sangamon
in the fall of that year. They had five
children. AMANDA A., born April 29,
1830, married March 2, 1852, to James
Black. See his name. JOHN W., born
May 19, 1833, married in Missouri to
Mary E. Chipps, have four children, and
reside near Merton, Mo. He served three
years in Co. C, 23d Mo. Inf., from Aug.,
1861. JAMES H., born Oct. 14, 1837,
married Martha Crane, who died April
19, 1871, leaving four children. He mar-
ried Nov. 19, 1872, to Mrs. Zilpha Hal-
bert, whose maiden name was Taylor.
They live four miles east of Springfield.
ELIZA A., born August 30, 1842, mar-
ried James Black. See his name.
MARION, born July 19, 1845, married
Feb. i, 1872, to M. O. James, have one
child, ANNIE E., and live six miles north
east of Springfield. Mrs. M. R. Cart-
2 5
mell died April 14, 1875, and John M.
Cartmell lives where his father settled in
1830. It is six miles northeast of Spring-
field.
JAMES H., born in 1804, in Ken-
tucky, married there to Elizabeth Duval.
He died in Sangamon county, July 17,
1839, and his widow returned to Ken-
tucky.
EVELINE, born July 22, 1807, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county,
Oct. 25, 1830, to Charles Harper. They
had one child, and she died May 6^1845.
Her son ULYSSES lives in Texas.
NANCY, born August 11, 1810, in
Bath county, Ky., married there to Willis
Cassity. See his name.
ELIZA, born in Kentucky, married in
Sangamon county, to Alex. Rigdon, who
died, leaving a widow and seven children
near Mt. Pulaski.
MART A., born in Kentucky, married
in Sangamon county to Samuel Harper,
have four children, and live in Caldwell
countv, Texas.
ANDRE W J., born in Bath county,
Ky., came to Sangamon county with his
parents, married in Logan county, in 1843,
to Nancy Edwards. They had six child-
ren. LOUISIANA married P. O'Bran-
non,and resides near Mt. Pulaski. PER-
MELIA F., born Nov. 29, 1846, married
Walter C. Black. See his name. MARY
E. married George Hickman, and live
near Lincoln. JAMES H. lives near Mt.
Pulaski. TIMOTHY L. lives near W T il-
liamsville. ALVIN resides near Mt.
Pulaski. Mrs. Nancy Cantrall died Sept.
6, and her husband Oct. 20, 1856, both in
Logan county, p ^.f fw^.U .
Andrew Gantraii died bept. 12, 1832,
and his widow died Dec. 5, 1858, both in
Sangamon county.
CARVER, JACOB, born March
10, 1787, in Pennsylvania. Elizabeth
Hoover was born Dec. 8, 1784, in Virginia.
They were married near Dayton, O., and
had nine children there. The family
moved to Sangamon county, 111., arriving
in the fall of 1830 in what is now Clear
Lake township, four miles northeast of
Springfield. Of their nine children
WILLIAM, ELIZA and JOHN
died between thirteen and eighteen years
of age. The other six are
H1GHLT, born Jan. 13, 1806, near
Dayton, O., was married there April 20,
EARL? SETTLERS OF
1826, to Philip Shaffer; came to Sanga-
mon county with her parents; moved the
same fall to Cass county, where Mr.
Shaffer died, August 28, 1843, l eavm g six
children. The widow married Feb. i,
1846,10 Daniel Lahmon. They have one
child, and reside near Virginia, Cass
county.
SARAH, born Nov. 26, 1810, near
Dayton, O., married there to Jesse Smith,
came to Sangamon county with her par-
ents, had three children, moved back to
Ohio, where two children were born and
Mr. Smith died. The family reside at
New Carlisle, Clarke county, Ohio.
REBECCA, born Sept. 21, 1812, in
Ohio, married in Sangamon county to
Benjamin Hooton, had four children, and
moved to Ozark county, Mo., where she
died.
SOPHIA, born Aug. 19, 1820, in
Ohio, married in Sangamon county to
Henry Bedinger. They had one child,
and Mr. B. died, and she married Job
Dickson. They had two children, and
both parents died. Their son, JOHN
DICKSON, married Mary Collins, and
resides in Sherman. SARAH DICK-
SON married Edward Workman. He
was shot dead, Oct. 4, 1865, by a drunken
man, because he would not drink with
him. The widow married Wm. Howard.
She had one child by each marriage
WM. H. WORKMAN and JOHN E.
HOWARD. Mr. and Mrs. Howard live
four miles east of Springfield.
JAMES, born Dec. 13, 1825, near
Dayton, Montgomery county, O. He
was married in Sangamon county, Jan.
1 6, 1863, to Martha Workman, who was
born May 23, 1847, m R- usn county, Ind.
They have four children, WILLIAM
W., JOSEPH B., JAMES F. and
GEORGE H., and live at the homestead
settled by his parents in 1830. It is four
miles nortbeast of Springfield.
FELIX, born Oct. 4, 1828, near Day-
ton, O., married in Sangamon county,
Jan. 22, 1857, to Rachel Donner. They
had five children. FLORA died young.
LIZZIE, ALBERT, HENRY and
FRANK. The four latter live with
their parents, near where Mr. Carver's
parents settled in 1830.
Jacob Carver died in 1833, in Ohio, hav-
ing returned there on business. Mrs.
Elizabeth Carver died Nov. 8, 1857, on
the farm where the family settled in 1830.
CASSITY, ALEXANDER,
was born in 1793, in Bath county, Ky.
The father of Alexander and Willis Cas-
sity built a stockade with block houses
inside, on Slate creek, in Bath county, in
the early settling of Kentucky. It was
called Cassity's station, and was a place of
refuge from the Indians until thev were
forced out of the country. Remains of
that station are yet visible. Alexander
Cassity was married in Bath county to
Eliza B. Groves. She died there in 1832,
leaving three children. He was married
in the same county to Elizabeth Lock-
ridge, had one child, and moved to San-
gamon county, 111., arriving Oct. 26, 1835,
and purchased a farm in what is now the
southeast corner of Chatham township,
where they had five living children. Of
their children
JOHN F., born in 1826, in Bath
county, Ky., enlisted in Sangamon coun-
ty, Aug. 10, 1 86 1, for three years, in Co.
B, 3oth 111. Inf., and was promoted to
Sergeant-Major. He was mortally wound-
ed at the battle of Atlanta, Ga., July 22,
and" died July 26, 1864.
WILLIS H., born March 23, 1828, in
Bath county, Ky., married Sept. 26, 1865,
in Sangamon county, to Ella McGriff, a
native of Preble county, Ohio. They had
two children. CARRIE E. died young,
and MINNIE L. lives with her parents,
in Auburn.
JAMES L., born in Kentucky, raised
in Sangamon county, and died in Iowa.
MARGARET" E. married Andrew
Ranch. See his name.
EMMA C. married Jacob Ranch. Sec
his name.
FRANCIS M. born in Sangamon
county, and died unmarried.
AMANDA I., born in Sangamon
county, married James T. Hutton. See
his name. They live on the farm where
she was born, in Chatham township.
ALEXANDER M., born in Sanga-
mon county, and enlisted July, 1862, for
three years, in Co. I, 73d 111. Inf., was
wounded Dec. 31, 1862, at the battle of
Stone's river, and discharged on account
of physical disability. He was married
to Mary A. Hutton, and lives in Gentry
county, Mo.
LOUISA G. died young.
SANGAMON COUXTT.
'95
MARTHA L. born in Sangamon
county, married Sept. 5, 1866, to John T.
Welch. The have two children, ED-
WIN H. and HARRY K., and reside
in Auburn. Air. Welch was born June
30, 1842, in McDonough county, 111. He
enlisted April, 1861, for three months, in
Co. D, i6lh 111. Inf. May 24, 1861, the
whole regiment enlisted for three years.
Dec. 23, 1863, the regiment re-enlisted as
veterans. J. T. Welch served through
all the enlistments to the end of the re-
bellion. He is now a merchant in Au-
burn.
Alexander Cassity died March 12, 1851,
and his widow died Nov. 16, 1861, both on
the farm where they settled in 1835.
CASSITY, WILL IS, brother to
Alexander, was born Jan. 2, 1805, in Bath
county, Ky. He was married there Jan.
24, 1827, to Nancy Cartmell. They had
two children in Kentucky, and moved to
Sangamon county, arriving at Springfield
Oct. 10, 1829. They had one child in
Sangamon county. Of their children
JAMES W., born in Kentucky, died
at twenty years of age.
ELIZABETH, born in Kentucky,
married John Parsons. He died August,
1872, leaving a widow and six children,
near Salisbury.
LEV I, born Jan. i, 1836, in Sanga-
mon county, enlisted Oct. 20, 1861, in Co.
B, loth 111. Cav., for three years. As a
non-commissioned officer he commanded
a section of one of the batteries attached
to the regiment at the battle of Prairie
Grove, Ark., Dec. 7, 1862, and lost his
left arm in that engagement. He was
discharged on account of physical disabil-
ity, Dec. 31, 1862. Lev! Cassity was
married April 23, 1863, to Nancy Dren-
nan. They have one child, JOHN F.,
and live three and a half miles southeast
of Chatham.
Willis Cassity, after coming to Sanga-
mon county, lived a few years in Logan
county, and a few years in Missouri. He
and his wife now live in Ball township.
CASSITY WILLIAM, cousin
to Alexander and Willis, was born in
Bath county, Ky. He was married in
Nicholas county, Ky., to Honor Wells, a
native of Pennsylvania. They had five
living children in Kentucky, and moved
to Sangamon county, 111., arriving in the
fall of 1830, in what is now Rochester
township. Of their children
GEORGE died in Kentucky, at twen-
ty-two years ot age.
JEREMIAH died in Kentucky, at
sixteen years of age.
REBECCA, born Feb. 14, 1802, in
Nicholas county, Ky., married Edward
Branch. See his name.
LE WIS, born in Kentucky about 1805,
and died in Sangamon county, unmarried,
in 1852.
MAR T, born Aug. 28, 1806, in Nicho-
las county, Ky., married there Jan. 4,
1827, to James W. Neill. See his name.
William Cassity died in 1844, and Mrs.
Honor Cassity died Aug., 1854, both in
Rochester township.
CASS, ROBERT, was born in
1768 or '9, in Iredell county, N. C. His
father, James Cass, was born in England,
and when he was six or seven years of
age was pressed into the British navy, and
trained to a sea-faring life. Being separ-
ated from his relatives at so early an age,
he never understood his own name, and
called himself James Cast. He came to
Philadelphia, and finally settled in Iredell
county, N. C. After raising a family
there, he moved with his children to
Clarke county, Ky., and there met two
Englishmen by the name of Cass. After
becoming acquainted, he found that one of
them was his brothei', and the other his
cousin, and for the first time learned that
the family name was not Cast, but Cass.
His son Robert, whose name heads this
sketch, having always been called Cast,
did not think it prudent to resume the
original name, but related the facts in the
case to his children, and his descendants
have very generally returned to it. Rob-
ert Cass was married Feb. 26, 1790, in
Iredell county, N. C., to Lucy Rik-v.
They had one child there, and moved to
Clarke county, Ky., where they had four
children, and Mrs. Lucy Cass died, Feb.
13, 1809. Robert Cass was married in
Clarke county, April 26, 1810, to Mary
Boggs, and had two children there. The
family then moved to Sangamon county,
111., arriving Oct. 2, 1826, in Buffalo Hart
grove. Of his seven children
AMON, born Sept. 6, 1792,511 North
Carolina, married March 18, 1813, in Ken-
tucky, to Patsy Simpson. He raised a
196
EARLY SETTLERS OF
family, and remained in Clarke county,
Kentucky. -7
JAMES, born Aug. 12, 1397, m
Clarke county, Ky., and married there
Nov. 20, 1817, to Ann Hood. They had
eight children, and came to Sangamon
county in 1829. Mrs. Ann Cass died, and
James Cass married Amanda McKinney.
They had four children, and he died. His
widow and living children reside near
Mt. Pulaski. His son JOHN, born Sept.
22, 1820, in Kentucky, was married Feb.
28, 1847, in Sangamon county, to Mary J.
Burns. They had thirteen children.
ARTANECIA, born Feb. 5, 1849, was mar-
ried April 15, 1873, to G. \V. Edwards,
and lives at Buffalo Hart Grove. AMON,
born Sept. 3, 1851, lives with his mother.
ALEXANDER, born Nov. 6, 1853, was
married near Springfield, 111., Nov. 3,
1875, to Delia Fenton, and lives at Farmer
City, DeWitt county, 111. LUCY A., born
April 30, 1855, was married March 13,
1872, to Herbert White. They have one
child, Olive May, arid live at Farmer
City. ALVI, JOHN L., ISABEL, IDA, ANNA
E., SOPHIA, ROBERT F., HATTIE J. and
TROMAS F. w., live with their mother.
John Cass died Jan. 17, 1872. His widow
and children live near Buffalo Hart station,
or Farmer City, 111. FRANK D, born Dec.
6, 1832, in Sangamon county, was married
April 29, 1858, to Sarah G. Landis, who
was born April 8,1833, m Indianapolis,
Ind. They have one child living, ED-
WARD K. F. D. Cass studied medicine in
Mt. Pulaski, teaching school in the mean-
time. He graduated at Rush Medical
College in 1864. Was appointed assistant
surgeon of the I5ist 111. Inf. in 1865,
served a short time and resigned. Dr.
Frank D. Cass resides at Mt. Pulaski, 111.,
and is engaged in practice there.
ARCHIBALD, born Dec. i, 1799, in
Clarke county, Ky., married there to
Deborah Mershon. They had three
children in Kentucky, and came to San-
gamon county, Illinois, arriving Oct.,
1828, at Buffalo Hart Grove, where they
had three children. Of their children:
ROBERT, born Nov. 20, 1821, in Ken-
tucky, married in Sangamon county,
Aug. 20, 1840, to Sarah J. Lawson. They
had four children. MINERVA j. and OR-
LANDO w. died under two years. FLOR-
ENCE F., born May 17, 1852, died August
24, 1869. NOAH MATHENY, born July 9,
1857, lives with his parents, near Buffalo
Hart Station. SARAH J., born Oct. 27,
1826, in Kentucky, married m Sangamon
county, in 1842,10 George Ridgway,have
four living children, MARY c., ROBERT,JOH \
and ALLEN, and live near Lockhart, Texas.
WILLIAM L., born Aug. 15, 1829, in
Sangamon county, died Aug. 20, 1846.
The other children all died under six
years. Archibald Cass died Sept., 1852,
and his widow died later, both in Sanga-
mon county. He was a soldier from San-
gamon county in the Black Hawk war in
1831-2. He was also a member of Co.
D, 4th 111. Inf., and served one year- in
1846-7, in the' war with Mexico. He was
a nurse in the army, and practiced medi-
cine the latter part of his life.
PATSr,born Dec. 28, 1802, in Clarke
county, Ky., married there Sept. 15, 1825,
to Robert E. Burns. See his name.
NINIAN R., born April 8, 1806, in
Clarke county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county to Mary Wade, They had
seven children. THOMAS F. died in
1849 at Mt. Pulaski, aged twenty-three
years. GEORGE W., married Martha
J. Turley, have nine children, and live
near Lincoln. EMILY married Daniel
Dunn, had two children, and died in Mis-
souri. Her children: THOMAS A., resides
at Mt. Pulaski. MARY E. resides with
her aunt, Mrs. Jones. LUCY E., born
March 28, 1836,111 Logan county, married
Strother G. Jones. See his name. CAR-
OLINE A., born August 16, 1838, is un-
married, and resides at Lincoln. SARAH
AGNES, born in 1840, married Simpson
Constant, had one child, CASS CONSTANT,
and she married Frederick Bush. They
have two living children, NELLIE E. and
CARRIE B., and reside at Mt. Pulaski.
ROBERT enlisted for three years, in
1862, in an Illinois regiment, and died
August, 1863, at Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Mrs. Mary Cass died Dec. 31, 1848.
N. R. Cass married Mrs. Elizabeth
Swing, whose maiden name was Laugh-
ney. She had one child, Belle W. Swing,
by a former marriage. She married
T. T. Beach, who is a practicing lawyer,
and lives in Lincoln. Ninian R. Cass
died August, 1872, at Mt. Pulaski, and his
widow resides with her daughter, Mrs.
Beach, at Lincoln.
A. 'BO WEN, born Feb. n, 1811, in
Clarke county, Ky., came with his parents
SANGAMON COUNTY.
197
to Sangamon county in Oct., 1826, mar-
ried Jan. 17, 1830, to Melinda Burns.
They had nine children in Sangamon
county, namely: ELIZABETH E.,
born Nov. 14, 1830, married Nov. 8, 1849,
to Michael Finfrock. He was born May
3, 1820, in Chambersburg, Pa., went to
Miami county O., with his parents in 1836,
and came to Saugamon county in 1843,
Mr. and Mrs. Finfrock have seven child-
ren, BOWEN C., HELEN M., CHARLES M.,
PAUL H., IRVING G., WILLIS and ERNEST
s. reside with their parents, four miles
southeast of Buffalo Hart Station. Mr.
Finfrock was a member of the Sangamon
county Board of Supervisors at the first
term in 1861-2, and again from 1872 to
1876. MARY C., born May 8, 1833,
married March 31, 1858, to Benjamin F.
Edwards, who was born July 12, 1823, in
Madison county, N. Y. They have four
children, GAYLORD c., JOHN p., BENJA-
MIN F., Jim., and MARY B., and reside two
miles southeast of Buffalo Hart Station.
LUCY A., born August 31, 1835, mar-
ried April 20, 1869, to Dr. Leslie Gillette.
They have three children, LESLIE B.,
FANNIE T. and CEOGIANA, and reside at
Buffalo. LEWIS, born March 10, 1838,
married Dec. 24, 1862, to Christiana Law-
son. They had four children. The
eldest, WILLIAM s., and the youngest,
ALFRED, died in the second year of their
ages. CLARENCE F. and ARTHUR F. re-
side with their parents, five miles south-
east of Buffalo Hart Station. PAULI-
NA J., born Oct. 4, 1843, married Oct. 13,
1864, to Alfred Shrieve, and resides near
Elkhart. HARDIN, born Sept. 16,
1845, married Oct. 10, 1866, to Hattie N.
Landis, have two children, PHILIP and
LEWIS B,, and reside one and a half miles
southwest of Buffalo Hart Station.
SCOTT, born Nov. 20, 1847, MARION,
born April 12, 1850, and HARRY, born
born Feb. 3, 1854, live with their parents.
Ambrose Bowen Cass and his wife reside
half a mile southwest of Buffalo Hart
Station, and within one fourth of a mile
of where his father settled in 1826. He
was a soldier in the Black Hawk war,
both in 1831 and 1832, from Sangamon
county, and was in the battles of Bad Axe
and Wisconsin.
LUCY A., born Jan. 15, 1813, in
Clarke county, Ky., married April 17,
1828, to John R. Burns. See his name.
Mrs. Mary Cass died Sept. 14, 1840,
and Robert Cass died July 9, 1852, both
near where they settled in 1826.
CHAMBERS, HENRY B.,
born Jan, i, 1809, near Dover, Del. He
was married in Delaware to Elizabeth
Bodie, and moved to Adams county, 111.,
in 1831, and from there to Springfield, in
1840, where Mrs. C. died, April, 1854.
He was married Jan. 25, 1855, to Mrs.
Elizabeth A. Turner, whose maiden name
was Earnest. They had seven children
ELIZABETH E., JAMES H.,
JOHN B., WILLIAM R., JACOB
J., KENDALL and MAGGIE J.
H. B. Chambers died May 26, 1871,
and his widow resides four miles west of
Springfield.
CHANDLER, ROBERT, was
born about 1812, in Kentucky. He was
left an orphan at eight years of age, and
was bound to Russell Fletcher, who took
him to Overton county, Tenn., and from
there to Sangamon county, 111., arriving
in the spring of 1832. He married Ellen
Parmenter, who died, and he married
Elizabeth Carter. They had eight child-
ren in Sangamon county
LUCY J. married Christopher Whee-
lan, and live in Riverton.
REBECCA died, aged eighteen.
MARY E. married Stephen Huntsley,
and live in Christian county.
MARTHA W., FRANCIS J/.,
GEORGE H., CHARLES O. and
ED WARD, reside with their parents,
half a mile from Sherman.
CHERRY, BENJAMIN, was
born Jan. 26, 1790, in Franklin county,
Ga. VVhen he was seventeen years old
his parents moved to Overton county,
Tenn. Benjamin was a soldier from Ten-
nessee in the war of 1812. In the fall of
1819 he came to Sangamon county, and
soon after went to work for Edward
Clark, who came about the same time.
Elizabeth Strickland was born May 12,
1799, near the sea coast, south of Charles-
ton, S. C. Her parents moved to Tennes-
see, and from there to St. Clair county,
111., thence to Sangamon county in 1819,
and Elizabeth came in the spring of 1820.
Benjamin Cherry and Elizabeth Strick-
land made arrangements to celebrate the
4th of July, but could not obtain the li-
cense from Edwardsville in time, and they
were married July n, 1820. They had
198
EARLY SETTLERS Of
seven children in Sangamon county,
two of whom died young. Of the other
five
WYATT, born Nov. 9, 1821, married
in Sangamon county to Susan Hall, have
several children, and reside near Blue
Mound, Macon county.
MARTHA, born in 1826, married
William Allen, had seven children, moved
to Missouri, and died near Carthage.
C LEMON died at twenty-three.
ALMYRA, born March 20, 1830, mar-
ried David Huckleberry. See his name.
BENJAMIN, Jun., married Eliza
Barnes. They had four children, and
moved to Pike's Peak. Mr. Cherry died
there. His widow and only living child,
CHARLES, live in Springfield. He is
employed at the watch factory.
Benjamin Cherrv died in 1874, near
Riverton.
CHILD, STEPHEN, was born
June 12, 1802, in Waitsfield, Vt. His
parents moved to Barnstown, Lower
Canada, in 1806, and in 1815 to Hartland,
Windham county, Vt., where they both
died. In 1820 Stephen went to Potsdam,
St. Lawrence county, N. Y., and engaged
in teaching. He was there married, March
<j., 1826, to Hannah Lyman, who was born
Sept. 15, 1808, in Brookfield, Vt. They
had two children in New York, and came
to Sangamon county as part of a colony
of fifty-two persons, arriving Oct. 26,
1833, in the village of Sangamo. They
had three children in Sangamon county.
Of their five children
JOHN L., born March 23, 1827, in
St. Lawrence county, N. Y., married in
Sangamon county, Feb. 17, 1859, to Mary
E. Anderson. They have two children,
FRANKIE and CHARLEY, and reside
near Farmingdale.
MARY L., born Sept. 27, 1831, in St.
Lawrence county, N. Y., married in San-
gamon county to George B. Seeley. See
his name. They reside in Abilene, Kan.
MARTHA, born Dec. 8, 1833, in San-
gamon county, married Thomas Frank
Anderson. See his name.
STEPHEN, Jun., born April 14,
1848, in Sangamon county, resides with
his mother, near Farmingdale.
HANNAH, born Nov. 29, 1850, died
in her third year.
Stephen Child died Sept. 4th, 1875, and
his widow resides near Farmingdale.
Mr. Child was a farmer and teacher all
his life. He was an original abolitionist,
and as an agent of the underground rail-
road, he assisted hundreds of colored peo-
ple in their flight from bondage. He
conducted a company of twenty-one at
one time. It was his custom to go as far
as he could travel in one night and return,
but on some occasions he has gone as far
sixty miles, and then left them in the
hands of friends who would conduct them
onward. The last time the writer of this,
conversed with Mr. Child, he expressed
special satisfaction that he had assisted so
many human beings on their way to
freedom, and gratitude that he had lived
to see the day that there was not a slave
in the United States of America.
CHURCHILL, GEORGE,
was born about 1766, in Virginia. His
parents died when he was quite young,
and he went to Woodford county, Ky.,
where he was married to Sarah Arnold,
who was born in that county about 1 780.
They had eleven children in Shelby
county, Ky., and the family moved to
Sangamon county, 111., arriving in the fall
of 1827, near what is now Mechanicsburg.
Of their children
MARY, married in Kentucky to Wil-
liam Threlkeld, brought up in large family,
and never moved to Illinois. Their
daughter SARAH J. is the wife of Wil-
liam P. McKinnie. See his name.
MARIETTA, born Jan. 31, 1829, in
Shelby county, Ky., married there, Jan.
14, 1847, t Joseph H. Agee. They had
two children born there, and in the fall of
1851 moved to Sangamon county, where
seven children were born. Of their child-
ren: EDWIN ii., born in Shelby county,
Ky., resides with his mother. 4 MAUY H.,
born Jan. 29, 1851, in Kentucky, married
in Sangamon county, Oct. 3, 1871, to
Ambrose B. Cass, Jun. They live at
East Lynn, Cass county, Mo. ALICE A.
married Jan. 16, 1873, to Robert W.Jess,
a native of Bellfast, Ireland. They live
at Riverton. LIZZIE T., EMMA and j. AL-
VEY reside with their mother. The sixth,
seventh and eighth children, viz: LUCYJ.,
WILLIAM s. and CEPHAS L., all died under
eight years. Joseph H. Agee died Sept.
25, 1865. The father and three children
all died within nineteen days. Mrs.
Marietta Agee and her family reside two
miles east of Riverton.
SANGAMON COUNTT.
199
LUC1NDA, born in Kentucky, mar-
ried there to William Crimm, and both
died in Southern Illinois, leaving seven or
eight children. The three eldest were
WIM.iAM, ABSALOM and MARTHA.
JOHN A., born March 6, 1800, in
Shelby county, Ky., married there to
Sarah Scoggin. They had three children,
came to Sangamon county, and settled
near Mechanicsburg, where they had six
children. Of their children. JOEL,
born July 19, 1823, in Kentucky, married
in Sangamon county to Lucretia J. Bondu-
rant. They had eleven living children.
MARTHA A., MARY L., ELIZABETH j.,
JOHN T., THOMAS A., JOSEPH W., JESSE,
EDGAR, HARVEY, ETHA G. and ARTHUR.
Mr. C. and family moved to Kansas in
1865, an( ^ m x ^75 ^turned to Illinois, and
live in DeLand, Piatt county. WIL-
LIAM, born April 4, 1825, in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to Eliza-
beth Lemon. They reside in Monmouth,
Polk county, Oregon. ANN, born Jan.
22, 1827, in Kentucky, died in Sangamon
county in her eighteenth year. GEORGE,
born August 15, 1829, in Sangamon coun-
ty, went to Oregon, and there married
Hannah E. Sherel. They have three
children, and live in Linn county, Oregon.
WILLOUGHBY, born Dec. 23, 1831, in
Sangamon county, went, when a young
man, to the Pacific coast, and lives in
Oregon. SARAH E., born Jan. 4, 1834,
in Sangamon county, resides with her
sister, Mrs. Smith, in Illiopolis. JOHN,
born Feb. 15, 1836, in Sangamon county,
enlisted July 19, 1861, for three years, in
Co. I, 41 111. Inf., re-enlisted as a veteran,
Jan., 1864. He was promoted to Sergeant,
July, 1863, an< ^ to 2< 1 Lieut., Nov., 1864.
Was with Sherman in his " march to the
tea," and was honorably discharged, June,
1865. He was married Feb. 14, 1867, in
Sangamon county, to Mary M. Graham.
They have one living child, ANNA, and
live three miles north of Illiopolis.
LOUISA, born April 25, 1838, in San-
gamon county, married April 10, 1860, to
Reuben Smith, who was born Nov. 4,
1833, ' m Duchess county, N. Y. They
have three living children, GEORGE, ADA
and HERBERT, and live in Illiopolis.
MARY, born Dec. 17, 1840, died in her
eleventh year. Mrs. Sarah Churchill died
Dec. 30, 1840, and John A. Churchill
married July 3, 1842, to Mrs. Elizabeth
Underwood, whose maiden name was
Lemon. She was born March 29, 1808,
in Georgetown, Ky. They had two
children, JULIA, born July 1 2, 1843, in
Sangamon county, lives with her mother.
LEMON P. died in his sixth year. John
A. Churchill died Feb. 4, 1845, anc * n ' s
widow and daughter reside in Mechanics-
burg.
AL VAH, born in Kentucky, married
there to Burnetta Samples, moved to In-
diana, and from there to Sangamon coun-
ty, in 1832, settling near Mechanicsburg.
They had four children, and moved to
Iowa; from there to Oregon in 18^53,
where he died.
LR WIS, born in Kentucky, married
in Sangamon county to Mary A. Cooper.
They had eleven children and moved to
Iowa; from there, in 1853, to Oregon,
with his brother Alva. He died Jan. 13,
1869, leaving a widow and children.
WILL O C GHB T, born Feb. 1 5, : 809,
in Shelby county, Ky., married Oct. 6,
1834, in Sangamon county, 111., to Eliza-
beth J. Humphreys. They had six child-
ren in Sangamon county, and in 1851
moved to the Pacific coast. Mrs. Churchill
died at Delles, foot of Cascade mountains,
in Waco county, Oregon, and Mr. C. mar
ried in Oregon, August 1 1, 1852, to Matil-
da A. Price, who was born Jan. 12, 1828.
They had six children. Of his children
by the first marriage, GEORGE H., born
May 13, 1837, in Sangamon county, mar-
ried Catharine Reed, in Oregon. OWEN
H., born June 16, 1845, in Sangamon
county, 111., is in Montana. DAVID H.,
born March 31, 1843, in Sangamon coun-
ty, married July 23, 1875, to Minnie Lord.
They live in Helena Citv, Montana Ter.
MARY J., born Oct. 21, 1845, m Sanga-
mon county, was married in Oregon to
John M. Roach. They live in Clackamas
county, Oregon. MARTHA A., born
August 22, 1848, in Sangamon county,
died April 18, 1864, in Oregon. Children
of the second wife, all born in Oregon:
OLIVER D., born May 19, 1853,
JAMES E.,born May 18, 1854, LAURA
B., born May 8, 1856, near Harrisburg,
was married June 18, 1874, to George
Jordan. They live near Harrisburg, Or-
egon. THOMAS A., born July 27,
1857, and MINNIE D., born July 6,
1859, lives with her parents. Willoughby
2OO
EARLY SETTLERS OP
Churchill and family reside near Harris-
burg, Lynn county, Oregon.
ELIZABETH,\3orn Sept. n, 1811,
in Shelby county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county to Jesse Pickrell. See his
name.
MAJR7WA, born July 16, 1815, in
Shelby county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county, June 16, 1833, to Griffin
Fletcher, who was born Dec. 23, 1810,
near Mt. Sterling, Montgomery county,
Ky. They had ten living children.
MARY A., born Sept. 20, 1836, married
H. C. Stiver, Sept. 28, 1855, in Sangamon
county. They have four living children,
KATIE, NELLIE, CARRIE and CHARLES.
Mr. Stiver moved to Texas in Dec., 1872.
SARAH J., born Nov. 15, 1838, married
Zachariah Pope, in 1854, in Sangamon
county, and died May 3, 1857. RHODA
E., born Jan. 4, 1841, married Levi S.
Ridgeway, in Sangamon county, Feb. 16,
1857. They had four children, IRA H.
and IDA s. (twins), CATHARINE E., ABBIE
and LOR A. Mr. Ridgeway died August
30, 1868, and Mrs. R. and family live
near Decatur, 111. DAVID C., born
March 3, 1843, m Christian county,
married in Sangamon county to Mary
A. Garvey. See sketch of the Garvey
family. JAMES L., born Nov. 3, 1845,
is a grocer in Decatur. JOHN W\,
born Dec. 2, 1847, married May 10,
1869, to Emma Clevenger, in Abington,
Knox county, 111. They have three
children, MAY D., THERON and STELLA,
and live in Decatur, 111. ABEL P., born
Feb. 15, 18^2, and MARTHA J., born
May 24, 1854, live with their parents.
Griffin Fletcher and wife reside in Deca-
tur, 111.
EL VIRA A., born Sept. 24, 1817, in
Shelby county, Ky., was married Feb. 6,
1834, in Sangamon county, to John Gar-
rett. They moved to the vicinity of
Pittsfield, Pike county, 111., in 1834, and
had seven living children. BENJ. F.,
born in 1835, married in Pittsfield to
Anna E. Adams, June, 1867, and live in
Newton county, Kansas. MARY E.,
born in 1838, resides with her mother.
LOUISA A., born in 1843, married S.
Woolfolk. MARTHA A., born in 1846,
lives with her mother. SARAH E.,
born in 1848, married July, 1872, to Rob-
ert Howard. They have one child,
FLORENCE B., and live in St. Louis, Mo.
LOTHARIO, born in 1850, and ELIZA
J., born in 1853, live with their mother in
Pittsfield, Pike county, 111. In 1866 Mr.
Garrett sold out, with the intention of
moving to Kansas. He left home alone
with a load of goods, and was murdered
in Bates county, Mo., in Nov., 1866.
DAVID B., born in 1821, in Ken-
tucky, was killed by lightning in Sanga-
mon county, May 7, 1842.
CC7L VI N S., born June 30, 1824, in
Kentucky, married July 31, 1845, m San-
gamon county, to Hester F. King. They
had nine children; three died in infancy,
and GEORGE W. died, aged ten years.
HENRY H., born Jan. 14, 1847, married
in 1873 to Lizzie Grubb, and resides neat-
Baldwin City, Kansas. PERMELIA A.,
born June 5, 1849, married William Hous-
ton. See his name. FIELDING A.,
SALLIE and AMANDA P., reside with
their parents, near German Prairie Sta-
tion.
George Churchill died May 15, 1837,
and Mrs. Sarah Churchill died Oct., 1847,
and both were buried near German
Prairie Station, Sangamon county, 111.
CLARK, DAVID, born Aug. 2 8,
1776, in Essex county, N. J. Came to
Kentucky in 1798, and was there married
in 1800, to Rachel Rutter. They had
two children; one died in infancy, and
Mrs. Rachel Clark died in 1804. David
Clark moved to Cincinnati, O., in 1805, and
made brick for the first brick house built
in that city. He returned to Somerset
county, N. J., in the same year, and was
married there in Feb., 1806, to Sallie
Winans, who was born Oct. 25, 1788, in
that county. They moved to Miami
county, O., in 1809, and from there to San-
gamon county, 111., in 1829, settling on
Sugar creek. After two years they
moved to Wolf creek. They had six
children, one of whom died in infancy.
Of the other five
Rev. RICHARD W., born June 16,
1808, in Somerset county, N, J.. was
married in April, 1828, to Margaret Clark,
a native of Fayette county, Ky. They
have five children living. SALLIE A.,
born Jan. n, 1831, in Sangamon county,
was married in 1848 to Ezra Clark. They
have six children, HATTIE A., LODORSKA
J., PERMELIA A., DAVID M., IRENA and
NELLIE, and live in Chesnut, Logan
county, 111. DAVID, born Jan. 2, 1834,
SANGAMON COUNTY.
201
in Sangamqn county, is married, and re-
sides in New Mexico. ELIZA, born
Nov. 9, 1841, in McDonough county, was
married in Logan county, 111., to Jonas
Shupe, May 13, 1858. He was a native
of Ohio. They had one child, MARY E.,
who resides with her uncle, Dr. John
Clark. Mr. Shupe died Jan. 13, 1865,
and Mrs. Shupe was married Feb. 5, 1871,
to John R. Ayers. They have one child,
LENA, who resides with her parents in
Mt. Pulaski. JOHN W., born Nov. 13,
1845, * n Logan county, 111., was married
Dec. 28, 1874, in Chesnut, Logan county,
to Emma Sterritt, a niece of Enoch
Moore, of Springfield, recently deceased.
Dr. John W. Clark is a practising physi-
cian at Milford, Iroquois county, 111.
MARY E., born Oct. 16, 1847, was mar-
ried March 31, 1866, near Mt. Pulaski, to
Benjamin Harding. They have four
children, MAY, ELIZA, ELLIS and RICH-
ARD, who reside with their parents near
Mt. Pulaski. Rev. Richard W. Clark
died Aug. 29, 1854, and his widow died
Dec. 21, 1867, both in Logan county, 111.
JOHN, born Nov. 25, 1810, in Miami
county, O., studied medicine there. Came
to Sangamon county with his father, re-
mained one year, returned to Ohio, where
he was married, Aug. 29, 1830, in Miami
county, to Eliza Tremain, who was born
May 24, 1810, in New York. They came
to Sangamon county, and followed farm-
ing until 1842, when he moved to Mt.
Pulaski and engaged in the practice of
medicine. He was County Commissioner
four years for Logan county, and Justice
of the Peace seventeen years, during
which time he married eighty-four couple.
He has, since 1828, been a member of the
M. E. church, and a trustee of the same,
in Mt. Pulaski, from the time the church
was organized at that .place. Dr. John
Clark and wife reside in Mt. Pulaski.
CARMAN W., born May 20, 1815,
in Miami county, O., married March 29,
1838, in Sangamon county, to Harriet
Crocker, step-daughter of David Riddle.
She was born Aug. 2, 1817, in Leba-
non, St. Clair county, 111. They had seven
children; one died in infancy. MARY
W., born March 24, 1842, in Sangamon
county, was married Oct. 17, 1866, to
Alfred C. Wilson. They have four child-
ren, HARRIE, HARRIET H., CARMAN R.
and ALFRED, and reside in Mt. Pulaski.
-26
JOHN, born April 22, 1848,111 Sangamon
county, died July 29, 1866. DAVID T.,
born June 27, 1850, in Sangamon county,
was married Jan. 27, 1876, to Lucy Powel.
They reside in Mt. Pulaski. RICHARD
H., born March 26, 1854, in Sangamon
county, was married Dec. 22, 1875, to
Mary E. Boggs. They reside in Mt.
Pulaski. ALFRED R., born July 31,
1857, in Sangamon county, and MARION,
born July I, 1862, in Logan county, reside
with their parents in Mt. Pulaski.
SALLY H., born Sept. 27, 1817, in
Miami county, Ohio, was married Oct.,
1834, to John Riddle, in Sangamon coun-
ty. They have four children, all born in
Sangamon county, ELIZA C., MARY
E., FRANCIS A. and SALLIE W.,
and reside near Barclay, Sangamon
county.
ELIZABETH, born Dec. 15, 1830,
in Miami county, Ohio, was married Dec.,
1847, to Alfred Gideon, who was born in
Champaign county, Ohio. They have
one child, DAVID C., born Nov. 27,
1847, was married Sept., 1868, to Sallie
Row, a native of Ohio. David C. Gideon
is a practicing physician at Watseka, Iro-
quois county, 111.
David Clark was a local M. E. preacher
for about forty years. His wife died Dec.
3, 1843, and he died Jan. 6, 1847, both on
the farm near the present town of Bar-
clay, Sangamon county, 111.
CLARK, BARZILLA, and his
wife, Nancy, came to what is now Salis-
bury township, Sangamon county, in
1821. They brought seven children, all
of whom married and raised families.
Their eldest daughter, Phebe, married
John N. Campbell. See his name. Bar-
zilla Clark died Sept. 23, 1840, and his
widow died April 19, 1843, both in San-
gamon county.
CLARK, ELISHA, was born in
1797, married in Indiana to Sarah Gard.
They had three children in Indiana, and
came to Sangamo, Sangamon county, in
1823. They had nine children in Illinois.
Their daughter
HUBERTY, born July 30, 1824, at
Sangamo, Sangamon county, married
E. George Batterton. See his name.
Mrs. Sarah Clark died in 1853, in Mason
county, and Elisha Clark died in 1869, at
Pekin, 111.
2O2
EARLY SETTLERS OP
CLARK, PHILIP, was born
March 25, 1787, at Rye, England. He
was married there to Elizabeth Gravett.
They had five children, and Mrs. Clark
died. Mr. Clark left his children there,
and came -to America in 1817, landing at
Boston, Mass., and traveled by land and
water to New Orleans, returned to Eng-
land, and in company with his brother
Edward, embarked at London in August,
1818, and landed at Baltimore in October
following. They traveled on foot from
Baltimore to Pittsburg, and from there to
New Orleans by water. They returned
the same way to the vicinity of Harmony,
Ind., to visit the family of a relative by
the name of Morris Burkbeck, who had
emigrated from England a year or two
before. He afterwards came to Illinois,
and was Secretary of State under Gov.
Coles. The Clark brothers went up the
river to Shawneetown, and from there
across the country to St. Louis. They re-
crossed the river into the American bot-
tom and stopped with an Indian ranger,
who told them about the Sangama coun-
try. They started for it, and arrived in
November, 1819, on the Sangamon river,
two miles north of Rochester. Philip
Clark was married in 1823, in Indiana, to
Martha Jessup, an English lady, who
died without children, in Sangamon coun-
ty. He married in Sangamon countv to
Polly Whitford, in 1835. Philip Clark
had his five children sent from England.
They embarked at London May i, 1824,
and were received in New York by an
aunt on the iSth of June. The three
daughters and one son arrived in Sanga-
mon county in February, 1825. Of those
five children
MARrE.,\>orn in i8io,at Rve, Eng.,
arrived in Sangamon county February,
1825, married in. 1832 to Samuel Hines.
They had three children in Sangamon
county, and moved to Iowa, where they
had three children. They reside near Cox
Creek Post Office, Clayton county, Iowa.
PHILIP, Jun., born Feb. 20, 1812, at
Rye, Eng., embarked at London May i,
1824, landed at New York city June iSth,
was bound by an aunt who came before
them apprentice in New York to a tailor,
who treated him cruelly, and he ran away,
went to Boston, obtained employment in a
glass factory, saved some money, went by
water to Philadelphia, walked from there
to Wheeling, Va. ; worked his way down
the Ohio river, and up the Mississippi
river to St. Louis, on a keel boat. At St.
Louis he fell in with Elijah lies and Rich-
ard Smith, both of whom knew his father,
and he came with them to Spr -igfield, ar-
riving Oct. 15. 1824, to the surprise of his
father. He was married May 19, 1836, to
Christiana Campbell, on Richland creek.
They had four children near Rochester,
Sangamon county. He went to California
in 1849, and returned in March, 1850,
moved to Clinton in November of the
same year, where three children were
born. Of their seven children, MARY,
born Dec. 18, 1839, married in Clinton,
Jan. 19, 1857, to Robert Millard, have five
children, and live in Clinton. JOHN G.,
born August 28, 1842, died in his twenty-
second year. PHEBE, born March i,
1847, married John Armstrong, and died
July 5, 1868, in Clinton. SARAH F.
lives with her parents. LOUIS P. died,
aged four years. CHRISTIANA and
MATTIE F. live with their parents, in
Clinton, 111.
MAR CARET, horn March 28, 1814,
at Rye, England, married in Sangamon
county, about 1834, to Daniel McClees.
They had seven children in Sangamon
county; four died in the same county, all
grown, or nearly so. JOHN and HENRY
were both Union soldiers. MARY J. mar-
ried John Spence, who died of disease con-
tracted in the army. She lives in Spring-
field. CHRISTIANA married Mr.
Pettv, and resides in Round Prairie, San-
gamon county. CHARLES resides with
his parents. Mr. McClees went to Cali-
fornia in 1849, came home in 1853, re-
turned, and his wife did not hear from him
for fifteen years. They now reside at
Port Angelos, Washington Territory.
SELINA, born July, 1816, in Rye,
England, married in 1838, in Sangamon
county, to John H. McMinany. She died
in Fannin county, Texas.
HENRTR., born April, 1818, at Rye,
England, married in Sangamon countv, in
1842, to Jane Trotter. They had two
children ; both live in Sangamon county.
Henry R. Clark resides near, Bolivar, Mo.
Philip Clark died in February, 1853, in
Sangamon county. His widow married
again, and resides in Missouri.
The object of the Clark brothers in
coming to the country was to engage in
SAN GAM ON COUNTY.
203
the milling business. The site they select-
ed was a favorable one, on the main San-
gamon river, about two miles north of the
present town of Rochester. The Legisla-
ture passed an act declaring that rive
navigable, and they abandoned the mill
site. They went to a point on the South
Fork, near where Edward Clark lived and
died, and put a saw mill in operation in
1824, and a flouring mill in 1825. That
was the first mill that did good work in
this part of the country. Soon after they
came to the country, Philip went to
Lisle's band mill, and remained three days
and two nights to get two bushels of corn
ground. They then bought a hand mill
in St. Louis for their own use, but it kept
about thirty families in bread for two
years, until their own mill on South Fork
was completed.
CLARK, EDWARD, was born
Feb. 16, 1790, in the ancient town of Rye,
Eng. It was the principal one of the three
independent ports, which, together with the
Cinque, or five ports, obtained charters
granting special privileges from the
British Sovereigns, in consequence of
their having fitted out a fleet and con-
quered the Danish and Scandanavian free-
booters, thus breaking up the system of
piracy which had for years been devastat-
ing the English coasts. The office of
Lord Warden of the Cinque ports, is one
of the most ancient in the kingdom, reach-
ing back to the time of Edward the Con-
fessor, about the year 1050. Edward Clark's
grandfathers on both sides were named
Clark, but were no relation to each other.
They were both sea captains, and his
father, Henry Clark, was intended for the
sea, but could never overcome the tenden-
cy to sea sickness, and engaged in other
pursuits, chiefly mercantile and milling, to
which the subject of this sketch was
trained in early life. His brother Philip,
having visited America in 1817, Edward
sailed with him from London in August,
1818, and landed in October following.
They arrived in what became Sangamon
county in Nov., 1819, and located on the
Sangamon river, about two miles north of
the present town of Rochester. For the
route traveled, see his brother Philips
name.
Edward Clark was married March 4,
1821, to Sarah Viney. Mr. Clark went to
Edwardsville to obtain a license, and when
he arrived there, learned that a law had
been enacted by the legislature, in session
at Vandalia, and approved by Gov. Bond,
Tan. 30, 1821, providing for the organization
of a new county, to be- called Sangamon.
The clerk declined to issue a license, and
Mr. Clark insisted that as he was ready to
marry he did not like to be delayed. The
clerk told him that if he was determined
to marry, he could go home, have the
marriage ceremony solemnized, and after
the county was organized, have it done
again. The county was organized April
10, 1821, and after that a license was ob-
tained and the marriage again solemnized
by the same minister who officiated the
first time, Rev. Rivers Cormack, of the
M. E. Church. They had eight children,
all in Sangamon county, namely
ABRAHAM V., born April 9, 1822.
He was never married, but went to Cali-
fornia in 1849, and died Dec., 1850, at
Sacramento City.
HENRT P., born Nov. 2, 1823. He
was married Dec. 15, "1853, to Nancy T.
Williams. They have four children,
MARY J., SARAH V., EDWARD S.,
and WILLIAM T., the three eldest in
Rochester, and the fourth in Oskaloosa,
Iowa. Henry P. Clark lives one and a
half miles southeast of Rochester.
MART JANE, born Feb. 25, 1825,
married Feb. 25, 1845, to James Richard-
son. They had three children. Mrs. R.
died Sept. 6, 1857. Mr. Richardson is
married again, and resides in Taylorville.
Her youngest son, Abraham V. Richard-
son, lives at the homestead, near Roches-
ter.
REBECCA S., born May 15, 1827,
died unmarried, March 18, 1856.
GEORGE W., born Nov. 11, 1829,
died Dec. 15, 1855.
EDMUND J. and CHARLES A.,
twins, born Aug. 27, 1831.
CHARLES A., died Oct. 25, 1852, in
Oregon.
EDMUND J., married Feb. 19,
1857, to Cassander Lovelace, who was
born Sept. 9, 1838, in Shelby county.
They have six living children, WILLIAM
F., LOUISA J., REASON E., JAS-
PER N., JOHN S. and ALVIN W.,
and live at the family homestead, two
miles west of Rochester.
SARAH A., born Feb. 2, 1835, died
Jan. 26, 1856.
204
EARLY SETTLERS OP
Mrs. Sarah Clark died March 26, 1837,
and Edward Clark was married Jan. 10,
1838, to Nancy Trotter. They had three
children.
BENJAMIN F., born Oct. 15, 1838,
enlisted July 25, 1862, in Co. I, i I4th 111.
Inf., for three years. At the battle of
Guntown, Miss., June 10, 1864, he brought
on disease by excessive fatigue, and died
March i, 1865, in military hospital at
Memphis, Tenn. His brother, Henry P.,
brought his remains home, and they were
interred near Rochester.
WILLIAM T., born Nov. 16, 1842,
enlisted Sept. 28, 1861, in Co. G, loth 111.
Cav., for three years, re-enlisted as a vet-
eran, served to the end of the rebellion,
and was honorably discharged Nov., 1865,
at San Antonio, Texas. William T.
Clark lives in Oregon.
NANCT ANN, born March 16, 1845,
and died Jan. 21, 1856. By looking back
at dates it will be seen that four members
of the family died from Dec. 15, 1855, to
March 18, 1856. Disease, typhoid fever.
Mrs. Nancy Clark died Sept. 26, 1853,
and Edward Clark died Jan. 10, 1875,
both on the farm two miles west of Roch-
ester, and within five miles of where he
settled in 1819.
Wellington was in command of the
district where Edward Clark lived when
both were young men, and Mr. Clark
knew him well. Mr. Clark witnessed the
launching of the British ship, Victory, at
the Chatham dock yarks. It was on
board that ship that Admiral Nelson was
slain at the battle of Trafalgar, after
promulgating the famous order which has
became historic: "England expects every
man to do his duty."
Edward Clark was a man of precise
business habits, better suited to an older
community than the one in which he
spent the greater part of his long life.
He was just in all his dealings, and was
a model Christian gentleman. He was
a man of varied and extensive reading,
and had accumulated a miscellaneous
library from the standard works of the
most distinguished authors in the English
language.
CLARK, O RAM EL, was born
August ii, 1792, in Lebanon, Connecti-
cut, taken by his parents to Berk-
shire county, Mass., in 1797, and from
there to Cooperstown, N. Y. He enlisted
and served as a non-commissioned officer
in the war of 1812, and moved to St. Law-
rence county ^N. Y., in 1817. He emigra-
ted in 1818 to Kaskaskia, 111., and in 1819
removed to where Athens, Menard coun-
ty, now stands* He was the third man
who settled on the north side of Sangamon
river. In 1820 he returned on foot to visit
his parents in New York. On returning
to his home in Illinois, he married Jane
C. Stewart, on Fancy creek, in Sanga-
mon county. In 1821 he bought the
preempted right to a -farm from John
Dixon (afterwards founder of Dixon, 111.,)
on Fancy creek, ten miles from Spring-
field. He remained here until the death
of his wife, in 1832, when he again visited
his parents in New York, returning to
Illinois in 1834. Of his five children
MARIA died, aged four years, at
Athens.
MART J., born Nov. 5, 1824, in San-
gamon county, was married March, 1842,
to Abner Riddle. See his name.
RUSSELL W., born in 1827, in San-
gamon county, died, aged twenty-one
years. He was a medical student at the
time.
WILLIAM A., born Jan. 4, 1829, on
Fancy creek, Sangamon county, was ap-
prenticed to the drug business in Spring-
field. Was a salesman from 1851 until 1853,
when he emigrated to California, crossing
the plains. He was married in Redwood
City, Cal., Sept. 18, 1866, to Rebecca E.
Teague, who was born July I, 1849, in
Springfield, Mo. They had two children,
viz: GEO. W. and EDWARD O. The
latter died June 16, 1875. William A.
Clark and family reside at Redwood City,
San Mateo county, California.
EDWARD O., born Dec. 3, 1831, in
Sangamon county, married Feb. 14, 1855,
in Waverly, 111., to Virginia F. Harris,
who was born March 8, 1835, in Morgan
county, 111. They have one child,
ESTHER C., and reside near Carlinville.
Oramel Clark was married the second
time, Oct. 28, 1836, to Judith W. Davis,
of Elkhart, 111. She was born August
12, 1802, in Union county, Ky. They
moved to Springfield in 1838, and had
five children, viz
E ME LINE, born August 20, 1838, in
Sangamon county, was married in Spring-
field, March 23, 1863, to Col. N. Martin
Curtis, who was born May 21, 1835, in
SANGAMON COUNTT.
205
De Peyster, N. Y. He enlisted April,
1861, was mustered into the United States
service May 15, 1861, as Gaptain of Co.
G, i6th N. Y. Inf., and became Lieuten-
ant Colonel of the 1426. N. Y. Inf., Oct.
21, 1862, and Colonel -Jan. 21, 1863;
Brigadier General by brevet Oct. 27, 1864;
Brigadier General, Jan. 15, 1865, and
Brevet Major General. The last two pro-
motions were for gallantry displayed in
leading the troops in the capture of Fort
Fisher, Jan. 15, 1865, where he lost his left
eye. General Curtis was several times
severely -wounded. The Legislature of
New York passed resolutions, April 5,
1865, thanking Gen. Curtis and the officers
and men of his command (who were all
New York troops), for their achieve-
ments on that occasion. Gen. Curtis was
appointed, August 14, 1866, Collector of
Customs for the District of Oswegatchie,
and Special Agent Treasury Depaitment
March 4, 1867, which position he still
holds. They have three children, EM-
MA P., MARY W. and FLORENCE
R. Gen. Curtis is a breeder of fine stock,
and resides on his farm near Ogdensburg,
N. Y.
MARTHA and S (7SAN(tvf'ms),})orn
Sept. 23, 1840.
MARTHA married George W. Burge.
They have two living children, GEO. C.
and FRANK F., and reside at Ottawa,
Kansas.
SUSAN\?> unmarried, and resides with
her sister, Mrs. Burge.
CAROLINE y., born March 5, 1845,
in Springfield, married Oct. 30, 1867, to
John M. Amos. See his name,
Oramel Clark died Sept. 9, 1863, in
Springfield, and his widow resides with
her children.
CLAYTON, JOHN S., was
born August 2, 1802, in Caldwell county,
Ky. Elizabeth Clayton was born May,
1806, in the same county. They were
there married in 1824, and had one child
in Kentucky. The family moved to Mor-
gan county, 111., where one child was born,
and moved back to Kentucky, where two
children were born, and they again moved
to Morgan county, 111., in 1833 or '4, and
after a few years spent there, moved to
Sangamon county, in what is now Ball
township, where they had seven children.
FKANKLIX JEFFERSON^Q^
Feb. 13, 1827, in Caldwell county, Ky.,
married in Sangamon county to Elizabeth
Scott. They have six children, RUTH
JANE, GILBERT, AMANDA E.,
PERLEASY, EMMA and SHELTON
L., and reside in Ball township, near
Chatham.
ALEXANDER, born Sept. 16, 1829,
in Morgan county, 111., married in Sanga-
mon county to Mary A. Marshall. They
had two children, CHARLES E. and
HENRY N., and Mrs. Mary A. Clayton
died, and he married Theresa J. Penix.
They have four children, MELISSA J.,
ADA M., MARY A. and JACOB B.,
and live in Ball township, four and a half
miles southeast of Chatham.
MINERVA y., born in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to John Og-
den, who died, and she married William
Smith, and lives near Moberly, Randolph
county, Mo.
MARQUIS D., born March 16, 1834,
in Kentucky, married in Sangamon coun-
ty, August 29, 1860, to Susan A. Matthew.
They had eight children, three of whom
died young. The other five, CHARLES
A., SARAH E., FRANKLIN L.,
THOMAS E. and MANFORD E. live
with their parents, three miles north of
Pawnee.
ELZIRA, born in Illinois, married
William Easley, have six children, and
live in Clark county, Mo.
MARY A., born in Illinois, married
Simon T. Matthew. See his name.
GEORGE M. married Miss J. Pat-
terson, who died, and he married Harriet
E. Debow. They have .one child, NET-
TIE FLORENCE, and live in Cotton
Hill township, three miles north of Paw-
nee.
MARfETTA, born in Sangamon
county, married George Lamb. See his
name.
JOHN Z., born in Sangamon county,
married in 1873 to Mary Allen, and lives
with his mother.
John vS. Clayton died Sept. 7, 1861, and
Mrs. Elizabeth Clayton resides in Ball
township, four and a half miles southeast
of Chatham.
CLAYTON, JOHN C., was
born about 1808, in Caldwell county, Ky.
He came to Sangamon county in 1829,
with his cousin and brother-in-law, John
S. Clayton. He was married at Alton to
Ginsey Clack. He moved his family to
ao6
EARLY SETTLERS OF
Champaign county in 1856, and died there
the same year, leaving a widow and four
children. His son Elias was a. member of
an Illinois regiment, and was killed in
battle at Little Rock, Ark., in 1864. A
daughter is married, and lives in Missouri.
The widow, with her son Hardin and
another child, live near Urbana, 111.
CLEMENTS, GEORGE, was
born in Amherst county, Va. ; was mar-
ried to Lizzie Holliday, who was a native
of Virginia also. They had six children
in Virginia, and the family moved to Gar-
rard county, Ky., and from there to San-
gamon county, 111., arriving early in 1830
in what is now Woodside township. Of
the children
WILLIAM, born Oct. 14, 1797, in
Virginia, married in Kentucky and died,
leaving a family there.
JOHN, born May 13, 1800, in Vir-
ginia, married in Kentucky to Elizabeth
Turpin, came with his father to Sanga-
mon county. They had three living
children. HENRY D. married Eliza
Skane, had two children, and she died.
He lives in Sangamon county. LUCIN-
DA married William Barger, and resides
in Mechanicsburg. ELIZA married
Isaiah Pryor, and live in Missouri.
THOMAS, born Nov. 22, 1802, in Am-
herst county, Va., married Sindicey Harris,
August 2, 1822. They had eight children.
AMERICA, born July 21, 1823, married
John C. Cloyd. See his name, LOU-
ISIANA, born July 16, 1826, married
John A. Miller. See his name. JAMES
A., born Nov. 18, 1828, in Ky., married
Permelia Hatten, who was born in 1826,
in Garrard county, Ky. They reside four
miles southwest of Chatham. ELIZA
A., born in Sangamon county, Oct. 22,
1832, resides with her sister, Mrs. Matthew
Cloyd. FANNY, born Oct. 13, 1833, in
Sangamon county, married Oct. 18, 1848,
to Matthew Cloyd. See his name. GEO.
W., born Oct. 14, 1835, died, aged ten
years. SINDICEY J., born August 28,
1837, died March, 1854. THOMAS R.,
born May 6, 1839, married Sept. 4, 1861,
to Elizabeth Ellison, who was born in
Carthage, O. They have two children,
ADA and JAMES H., and live in Chatham
township. HENRY H., born Jan. 3,
1841, married Emily Sparks, has three
children, and live near Topeka, Kansas.
Mrs. Sindicey Clements died Feb. 21,
1842, and Thomas Clements married in
1844 t Mrs. Alcey Baucom, whose maiden
name was Neville. Thomas Clements
died March, 1855, and his widow resides
with her daughter, Mrs. T. Gordon Cloyd,
SINDICET married Henry Collier.
They have one child, LOUISIANA, and live
in Rochester.
ELIZA A., born March 29, 1811, in
Amherst county, Va., married Samuel
Cloyd. See his name.
FANNY, born July 17, 1808, married
May 19, 1844, to John Levi. He died
Dec. 23, 1872, and his widow- lives in
Rochester.
George Clements and his wife both
died in Sangamon county.
CLIFTON, ELIAS, was born
in Sussex county, Delaware, and married
there to Sally Carlisle, a native of the
same county. They had five children in
that county, two of whom died young.
The family moved, in 1802, to Fayette
county, Ky., where one child died, and in
1816 they moved to Clarke county, Ind.,
and from there to Sangamon county, 111.,
arriving Dec., 1834, in what is now
Rochester township. Of their two child-
ren
CLEMENT, born about 1794, in
Delaware, married in Clarke county, Ind.,
to Nancy Martin. They came to Sanga-
mon county a few years later than his
father. Mrs. Clifton died in 1845. He
went back to Indiana, and married Mrs.
Susan Williams, whose maiden name was
Huckleberry. They had one child,
ELIAS, who died aged fifteen years.
Mrs, Clifton died, and he married Melin-
da Alsop. She died in 1855, and he in
^57-
NANCY, born Oct. 31, 1800, in Sussex
county, Delaware. She was married in
Fayette county, Ky., April 27, 1816, to
Uspshear D. Spicer. See his name. He
died, and Mrs. Spicer married Adam
Saftly. See his name.
Mrs. Sally Clifton died March 25, 1346,
and Elias Clifton died Jan. 3, 1852, both
in Sangamon county.
CLINE, JOHN, was born Jan. 2,
1798, in Frederick county, Va. His pa-
rents died when he was quite young, leav-
ing four children. Their grandfather,
George Sutherland, took them with him
to Madison county, near London, Ohio, in
1802. In 1819 he prepared to visit the
SANGAMON COUNTY.
207
western country on horseback. Levi
Cantrall wa* about moving to Illinois, and
Mr. Cline engaged to drive his four-horse
team, and they arrived in the American
bottom in November. Mr. Cantrall pur-
chased a supply of corn there, and moved
to what became Sangamon county, arriv-
ing in Dec., 1819, in what is now Fancy
Creek township. Mr. Cline drove the
team, and arrived at the same time. He
intended returning to Ohio in the spring,
but when the time came he decided to
raise a crop, and while thus engaged he
was married, July 20, 1820, to Mrs. Lucy
Scott, whose maiden name was England.
He made arrangements to visit Ohio in
fall of 1820, but his wife being sick, he
deferred it, and has not yet made his visit.
Mrs. Cline had one child by her first mar-
riage
ELIZA SCOTT, born Feb. 15, 1816.
She is married, has three children, and
lives in Kansas.
Mr. and Mrs. Cline had ten children in
Sangamon county
WILLIAM, born Oct. 8, 1821, mar-
ried Sept. 6, 1842, to Eliza Canterberry.
They had four children. MARIA L.
married August 14, 1862, to Charles S.
Jones, who was born July 19, 1844, in
Ohio. He enlisted a few days before his
marriage, in Co. C, H4th 111. Inf., for
three years. He was wounded June 10,
1864, at the battle of Tupelo, Miss., and
was discharged on account of physi-
cal disability. Mr. and Mrs. Jones
have one child, SCOTT, and live in the ex-
treme southwest corner of Logan county,
Post Office, Williamsville. JOHN N.,
born August 23, 1846, married July 29,
1867, to Dulcina E. Primm. They have
one living child, NINIAN o., and live five
and a half miles west of Williamsville.
ASA M. married March 12, 1873, to
Melissa McClelland, and live in Fancy
creek township. WILLIAM F. lives
with his father. Mrs. Eliza Cline died
vSept. 7, 1871, and William Cline married
in 1872, to Maria J. Purkins. They have
one child, EDWARD E., and live in
Menard county, near Cantrall.
GEORGE W., born April 8, 1823,
married Elizabeth Primm, and died Aug.
14, 1845, about four months after marriage.
His widow married Jacob Barnsback, and
resides near Edwardsville.
MATILDA A., born May 3, 1825,
married Andrew Lynch, had seven child-
ren, and he died, and she married David
Jones. They have two children, and re-
side in Menard county.
E LIZ ABE TH, born August 24, 1826,
married James A. Turley, and he died
Jan., 1852, leaving one child, ALMEDA,
whe married Joseph M. Smith, and re-
sides near Cantrall. Mrs. Turley married
George T. Sales. See his name.
JOHN, born August 30,1828, married
Jane Council, have six children, and live
in Menard county.
DA VID, born June 17, 1830, married
Jane Hornback, and both died, leaving
three children.
ADALINE, born April 25, 1832, mar-
ried William M. Blue. See his name.
STEPHEN E., born Nov. i, 1834,
died August 15, 1853.
JAMES, born July 17, 1837, mar-
ried Eliza Hall, have four children,
MARY E., IDA F., LUCY O. and
HENRY A., and reside in Fancy creek
township.
HENRr,\*orn Oct. 8, 1839, married
Mary Primm. They have three children,
WILLIAM A., ALLEN C. and JEN-
NIE, and live near Cantrall.
Mrs. Lucy Cline died June 4, 1875, and
John Cline lives in Cantrall.
CLJNKENBEARD, WM.,
was born Feb. 12, 1808, in Clarke county,
Ky. He came to Sangamon county in
1825, remained one year, returned to Ken-
tucky, and came back to Sangamon county
in 1829. He was married April, 1835, to
Lavina Elder. They had ten children in
Sangamon county. The fourth, fifth and
seventh died under six years. Of the
other seven
JULA A., born Sept. 15, 1836, mar-
ried Edward L. Robinson, have three
children, and live near Berry, Sangamon
county.
WILLIAM H., born August 13, 1838,
in Sangamon county, married August 14,
1864, to Ann J. Brachear. They have
two children, HARVEY and LESLIE,
and live near Pleasant Gap, Bates county,
Missouri.
MART, born in Sangamon county,
married Henry Bryant, have five children,
and live near Pleasant Gap, Mo.
THOMAS married Martha Robbins,
and r<esides near Pleasant Gap, Mo.
208
EARLY SETTLERS OF
JOS I AH, born March 12, 1852, re-
sides in Buffalo, Sangamon county.
y. ALBERT and LEV I F. live
with their parents.
William Clinkenbeard lived in Sanga-
mon county until March, 1873, when he
moved to Missouri, and resides near Pleas-
ant Gap, Bates county.
CLOYD, DAVID, was born
about 1766, in Botetourt county, Va. He
was married there, moved to Culpepper
county, and from there to Washington
county, Ky., about 1815. He moved in
company with his sons Thomas and Sam-
uel, and his daughter Polly who married
Henry Lucas to Sangamon county, ar-
riving October, 1825, in what is now Cur-
ran township. David Cloyd died about
1839, and his widow in 1844 or '5, both in
Sangamon county.
CLOYD, THOMAS, son of
David, was born Jan. 14, 1798, in Bote-
tourt county, Va., and went with his par-
ents to Washington county, Ky., in 1815.
He was married there April 27, 1820, to
Ann Withrow. They had three children
in Kentucky, and in 1824 moved to
Fayette county, 111., where they had one
child, and from there to Sangamon county,
arriving October, 1825, in what is now
Curran township, north of Lick creek,
where they had two children. Of their
six children
ANN CORDELIA, born June 29,
1820, in Washington county, Ky., married
in Sangamon county to Rev. Charles D.
Alsbury. See his name.
JOHN CAL VIN, born Sept. 6,1821,
in Washington county, Ky. He was
married in Sangamon county to America
Clements. They had two children, one
of whom died young. DICEY married
James H. Jones, and lives in Henry coun-
ty, Mo. Mrs. America Cloyd died, and
J. C. Cloyd married September, 1848, to
Sophia L. Lanterman. They have eight
children. CHARLES married Elizabeth
J. Branham, has one child, ELIZA M., and
live in Curran township. ELEANOR
married Asbury M. Branham. They
have three children, WILLIAM c., CORD F.
and a daughter, and live in Curran town-
ship. NANCYJ., CORDELIA, WAL-
LACE R., GORDON, AMANDA M.
and JOHN C., Jun., live with their par-
ents, three miles southeast of Curran,
NANCY, born Dec. 25, 1823, in Ken-
tucky, married Jan. 2, 1840, to Robert
Cummings. See his name. ,
MATTHEW,\>ovn Sept. 10, 1825, in
Fayette county, 111., married in Sangamon
county, Oct. 18, 1848,10 Fanny Clements.
They have nine children. ROBERT T.
lives with his parents. ELIZA J. married
William F. Smith. See his name. WM.
O. lives with his parents. JULIA F.
married May 27, 1873, to Benjamin F.
Caldwell. See his name. MATTHEW
F., ANN M., HENRIETTA, ALICE
and SAMUEL, live with their parents in
Chatham township.
THOMAS GORDON, born June 7,
1827, in Sangamon county, married Sept.
27, 1849, to Priscilla J. Baucom, who was
born Dec. 31, 1831, in Madison county.
They have three children, THOMAS,
JOHN C. and ANNIE E., and live near
Chatham. Although Thomas G. Cloy
was but three and a half years old at the
time, he remembers one incident connected
with the " deep snow" of 1830-31. That
was seeing his father drive' a team over a
stake and ridered fence, and it troubled
him greatly, fearing that the team would
go down through the snow and become
stranded on the fence.
JOSEPH D., born Dec. 5, 1831, in
Sangamon county, married Dec. 16, 1852,
to Sarah M. Byers, who was born Oct. 13,
1833, in or near Shepherdstown, Va. They
had nine children; one died young.
MARY E., SARAH E., VIRGINIA
B., JOSEPH D., Jun., THOMAS E.,
WILLIS, MARGARET F. and
LAURA reside with their parents, half
a mile north of Chatham.
Thomas Cloyd and wife now June,
1873 reside near Woodside Statron.
CLOYD, SAMUEL, brother to
Thomas, was born Nov. 20, 1802, in Cul-
peper county, Va. He was taken by his
parents to Washington county in 1815, and
to Sangamon county in 1825. He was
married May i, 1832, in Sangamon county
to Eliza Clements. They had but one
child
MARY A., born Oct. 15, 1832, on Lick
creek, Sangamon county, married March,
1860, to John S. Highmore. She died
Sept. 9, 1872, leaving two children,
ELIZA A. and MARY E., who live
with their father in Rochester. See
Bowling family.
SAN GAM ON COUNTY.
209
Samuel Cloycl died August 5, 1872, in
Rochester, and his widow resides there.
COATS, RALPH J., born May
3, 1817, in Wyoming county, New York,
came to Springfield Oct. 9, 1840. He was
married in Livingston county, Michigan,
May 14, 1845, to Amanda N. Wood, who
was born in Wyoming county, New York,
April S, 1823. They returned to Spring-
field, 111., where they had two children
ABEL A., born August 4, 1846, in
Springfield, enlisted May, 1864, in Co. E,
1 33d 111. Inf., for one hundred days. He
served full term and was. honorably dis-
charged with the regiment, Sept. 24, 1864.
He was married in Springfield; Oct. 30,
1867, to Charlotte E. Gardnier, who was
, born April 30, 1850, in Carrolton, Green
county, 111. They have four children, all
born in Springfield. NINA B., RALPH
W., CHARLES A. and MERWIN W.
Abel A. Coats is in the grocery business,
with his father, and resides in Springfield.
PERSfS E., born Jan. 6, 1849, in
Springfield, was married there, Nov. 19,
1868, to Charles D. Timothy, who was
born Jan. 3, 1842, in Franklin Grove, Lee
county, 111. They have three children
living, CLARA I., WARREN A. and
NETTIE B. Mr. Timothy enlisted Feb.
3, 1864, in Co. G, 75th 111. Inf. On ar-
riving at Springfield he was detached under
Gen. Oakes in the mustering in and out
department, and was honorably discharged
March, 1866. He was elected a member
of the Board of Supervisors for 1875, and
resides two and a half miles north of
Springfield.
Ralph J. Coates was elected Alderman
of Springfield in 1857, for three years,
was re-elected in 1860, 1864 and 1871. He
' is now, and has been in the grocery busi-
ness in Springfield, 111., for eighteen years,
and resides there.
R. J. Coates' father was a soldier in the
war of 1812, for four months. He died in
Springfield, 111., August 9, 1874, at the
age of eighty-seven years.
COE, EBENEZER, was born
August 25, 1812, in Loudon county, Va.,
and came to Sangamon county, 111., with
George M. Gi'een, in 1839. He went
back to Virginia in the fall of 1843, and
was married in Loudon county, Sept. 17,
1844, to Jane Grubb, a native of that
county. He returned to Sangamon coun-
ty in 1851. Mrs. Coe died near Roches-
27
ter, May 10, 1860. Mr. Coe was mar-
ried March 26, 1861, in Loudon county,
to Mrs. Julia A. Edwards, whose maiden
name was Conard. They came soon after
to Sangamon county, and Mrs. Coe died
Dec. 22, 1869, leaving four children
JOSEPH H., SAMUEL B., WIL-
LIAM C. and MART C.
Ebenezer Coe was married Dec. 13,
1870, in Decatur 111., to Harriet Lanham,
who was born July 25, 1830, in Sangamon
county. They live one mile east of
Rochester.
COLEMAN, MRS. ABI-
GAIL, whose maiden name was Rob-
ertson, was born in Surry county, N. C.,
and was married there to Theophilus
Coleman, who was born in Virginia.
They had four children in North Caro-
lina. Mr. Coleman became a soldier in
the war with England in 1812. He nevei
returned, and his family never knew his
fate. Mrs. Coleman, with her four child-
ren, moved in 181510 Cumberland county,
Kv., and to Sangamon county, 111., ar-
rived in the fall of 1820 on Richland creek,
in what is now Salisbury township. Of
her four children
SARAH, born Jan. 6, 1801, in North
Carolina, married in Kentucky to Joshua
Crow, came with her mother to Sanga-
mon county. They moved to Cass county,
where she died many years ago, leaving
seven children.
ELIZABETH, born May 19, 1804,
in North Carolina, married John G. Pur-
vines. See his name.
JANE, born Jan. 28, 1806, in North
Carolina, married George K. Hamilton.
See his name. He died, and she married
Alexander C. Purvines. See his name.
JOHN /?., born Feb. 29, 1808, in
North Carolina, married Nancy Harris,
had two children in Sangamon county,
and moved to Crawford county, Mo.,
where they had four children, and Mrs.
Coleman died. He married again, had
four children, and is now a widower and
resides in Missouri.
Mrs. Abigail Coleman was married in
Sangamon county in 1824, to Robert
Hamilton. They had two children in
Sangamon county
MAHAL A married Mr. Rice, had one
child, and Mr. Rice died. She married
James Pease, had three children, and he
210
EARLT SETTLERS OF
died. Mrs. Mahala Pease resides near
Cuba, Mo.
JAMES C. married in Missouri, en-
listed in a Union regiment from that
State, and died in the army.
Mrs. Abigail Hamilton died in Sanga-
mon county, and Robert Hamilton died
in Arkansas.
COLEMAN, JONATHAN
B., was born Nov. 16, i8n,in Ruther-
ford county, Tenn. When he was about
seventeen years old he came to Sangamon
county with his uncle, Charles K. Hutton,
arriving in what is now Auburn township
Oct. 15, 1827. He was married Nov. 10,
1835, to Mary Dodds. They had five
living children, all born in Sangamon
county, namely
JAMES W., born Nov. 21, 1838,
married Margaret Bowman, had two
children, CHARLES U. and BELLE,
and Mrs. C. died. Mr. Coleman mar-
ried Elizabeth Mengle. They have two
children, and live in Christian county.
JOSEPH E., born March 5, 1841,
enlisted July 15, 1861, in Springfield, for
three years, in what became Co. B, nth
Mo. Inf. He served full term and was
honorably discharged Aug. 12, 1864. He
married Lydia Dawson. They have one
child, LETA, and live in Springfield.
Mr. Coleman is a traveling salesman for
a queensware house in St. Louis.
WILLIAM H. married Fanny B.
Taylor, and lives in Ball township.
ELIZABETH A. and
MARGARET E. live with their pa-
rents, near the Sugar creek Cumb. Presb.
church, in Ball township.
COLEY, WILLIS, was born
Feb. 14, 1792, near Ballston Springs,
N. Y., and when he was a child his pa-
rents moved to Cazenovia, Madison coun-
ty. Willis was there married in Feb.,
1818, to Lucinda Chapin. His father
owned some land in the military tract be-
tween the Illinois and Mississippi rivers.
Soon after Willis was married his father
sent him out to see it. He came on a
raft down the Alleghany and Ohio rivers
to Shawneetown, thence to St. Louis by
keel boat. He went on foot to the mili-
tary ti'act, and returned to Edwardsville
July 4, 1819, he started from that place, on
foot and alone, for his home in New York.
At Terre Haute, Ind., he secured cooked
food, and traveled two hundred miles to
the Maumee river, without seeing any
other human beings but Indians. He ar-
rived at Cazenovia August 7, 1819.
March 4, 1820, he started with his family,
consisting of himself, wife and two child-
ren, accompanied by five or six other fam-
ilies. They moved by water f o Shawnee-
town, 111., where Mr. Coley lived three
years. He then moved in a wagoi. drawn
by two yoke of oxen, and in March, 1823,
arrived in what is now Loami township,
where they had three children. Of their
five children
ROBERT W., born in New York,
married in Sangamon county to Rebecca
A. Jarrett. She died Feb. 13, 1870, and
Robert W. Coley died March, 1872.
Their daughter LA VINA is the wife of
John A. DeWitt, and lives in Springfield.
Their son WILLIS lives in Loami.
CHARLOTTE, born August 15, 1819,
in New York, married in Sangamon
county to Reuben Moore, and moved to
Texas in 1852. Reuben Moore died in
1863, leaving a widow and seven children.
LUCINDA, ROBERT E., ELLEN
and POLLY are married, and live in
Texas. LAURA, their third child, mar-
ried Lott Mason, and lives in Auburn,
Sangamon county. EDGAR and WIL-
LIE, the two youngest, live with their
mother, near McKinney, Collin county,
HUBBARD S., born in Sangamon
county, married March 4, 18^2, to Susan
Jacobs. They have two children, AN-
NIS and MAY, and live in Oswego, La-
bc'tte county, Kansas.
JAMES M., born August 23, 1832^11
Sangamon county, married Oct. 28, 1858,
to Caroline Greenwood. She died six
weeks after they were married. Mr.
Coley married April 19, 1860, to America
Gibson. They had two children, LEWIS
B. and MARY F., the latter of whom
died in her third year. J. M. Coley and
wife live in Loami.
ANGELINE, born in Sangamon
county, married Hugh Forrest, and both
died.
Mrs. Lucinda Coley died at Loami, and
Willis Coley was married Sept., 1851, to
Mrs. Philena Jenkins, who was previous-
ly Mrs. Kidder, and whose maiden name
was Sprague, a native of Windham coun-
ty, Vt. After a residence of just half a
SANGAMOA r COUNTY.
211
century at Loami, Willis Coley moved, in
1873, to Oswego, Kansas.
COLBURN, PAUL, was born
about 1761, in Hollis, Hillsboro county,
New Hampshire. He was married in
Massachusetts, to Mehetibel Ball, who
was born about 1757- They had eleven
children born in Sterling, Worcester
county, Mass. In 1809 the family moved
to the vicinity of Hebron, Grafton county,
N. H., where they remained until Sept.,
1815, when Paul Colburn and his wife,
his son Isaac with his wife and two child-
ren, his son William and his wife, they
having been married but a few days, and
his unmarried daughter, Isabel, started
from Hebron in wagons to seek a new
home in Ohio, at that time the " far west."
On reaching Olean, at the Alleghany
river, they found the river too low to
bring all their goods on boats, as they had
intended. They sold their wagons and
teams, put their remaining goods and their
families on a raft, and started down the
river, reaching Pittsburg on the evening
of Dec. 24, 1815. Ice was forming in the
river, and they were compelled to stop
there for the winter. While they were in
Pittsburg, Paul Colburn was joined by
his son Ebenezer, who had been serving
in the United States army in the war with
England, then just ended. In the spring
of 1816, Isaac and Ebenezer went up the
Alleghany river and made a raft of logs
suitable for making shingles, and partially
loaded it with hoop poles. They expected
to have gone down the Ohio river in
June, but the whole season was one of un-
usual low water, and December ar-
rived before they reached Pittsburg
with their raft. The whole party went
down on the raft to Marietta, O., where
they engaged in farming and other pur-
suits. Ebenezer was married in Marietta,
and in the spring of 1820 Paul Colburn
and his wife, Isaac and his family, and
Ebenezer and his wife, embarked on a
raft, leaving William to close up the busi-
ness at Marietta. They landed their raft at
Louisville, Ky., and left Isaac there to
work up and sell their lumber. The other
members of the family continued down
the river to Shawneetown; Paul Colburn,
his wife and daughter remained there.
Ebenezer and his wife went on to join
some relatives of her's in Monroe county,
111., about fifty miles south of St. Louis.
In August of that year Isaac Colburn
and his wife died at Louisville within two
days of each other, leaving six children
among strangers, and on the first of No-
vember Mrs. Mehitibel Colburn died at
Shawneetown. About the time of her
death William Colburn embarked with
his family on a boat at Marietta, floated
down to Louisville, and took on board four
of his brother Isaac's children, one having
died, and another been placed in a good
home. He then went to Shawneetown
and joined his bereaved father and sister,
arriving Dec. 24, 1820.
In March, 1821, Paul Colburn, his
daughter Isabel, William Colburn, wife
and three children, the four orphan child-
ren of Isaac Colburn, and a Mr. Harris,
started in a wagon drawn by four oxen for
Morgan county. They traveled through
rain, mud and unbridged streams for
about five weeks, which brought them to
the south side of Lick creek, on what is
now Loami township, where they found
an empty cabin. From sheer weariness
they decided to stop, and Mr. Harris, the
owner of the wagon and oxen, went on
to Morgan county.
Soon after their arrival Wm. Colburn
gave a rifle gun for a crop of corn just
planted, and in that way began to provide
food. He secured a team and went after
his brother Ebenezer, and brought him
and his wife to the settlement, arriving
in October, 1821.
Having succeeded in bringing so many
of his descendants to the new country, and
witnessed their struggles to gain a foot-
hold and provide themselves with homes,
Paul Colburn died Feb. 27, 1825, near the
present town of Loami. Of his children
who came to Sangamon county, we will
notice each under separate heads, begin-
ning with the daughters
COLBURN, SALLY, born
June 15, 1789, in Sterling, Mass., married
there to Daniel Woodworth. They came
some years after the first of the family
arrived. They lived many years in
Springfield, and both died in Sangamon
county. Their daughter
LOUISA H., married Gershom Dor-
ranee. See his name.
SARAH, has been twice married, and
lives in California.
An account is preserved of a ludicrous
incident that transpired while Mr. Wood-
212
EARLT SETTLERS OP
worth lived in Springfield. A rain storm
came on suddenly and caught him away
from home. He started on a run, with
his head down, hat drawn over his
eyes, and body bent forward. It so
happened 'that Governor Ford found him-
self away from home in the same shower.
Throwing himself in a similar attitude, he
started on a run also; but there was this
difference, they were running in opposite
directions, and when both were at full
speed, they came together with a square
butt, like a couple of sheep. Each, on
the spur of the moment, thought it was
intentional on the part of the other, and
each assumed a belligerent attitude, but
before a blow was struck, both discovered
that it was an accident, and with a hearty
laugh, hurried on.
COLBURN, MARY, born Feb.
23, 1792, at Sterling, Mass., married Adna
Phelps. See his name.
COLBURN, ISABEL, born
Feb. n, 1796, in Sterling, Mass., married
in Sangamon county, to Adin E. Meacham.
See his name.
CpLBURN, ISAAC, born in
Sterling, Mass., married in New Hamp-
shire, and himself and wife died at Louis-
ville, Ky., in 1821, leaving six children,
one of whom died in infancy.
AZUBA remained in the vicinity of
Louisville, and married a Mr. Summers.
ASA came to Sangamon county in
1832, went to Galena in 1836, and two or
three years later was killed by a lead mine
caving in on him.
LA VINA came to Sangamon county
in 1836, married in Springfield to Jacob
Nott, who died, and she married John
Letterhose, and died in Loami.
LUCY, married in Sangamon county
to Levi Sweet. He died, leaving her a
widow with five children at Scyene,
Dallas county, Texas.
COLB'URN, WILLIAM,
brother to Isaac, Abel and Ebenezer, was
born June 3, 1793, at Sterling, Mass.,
married Aug. 15, 1815, at Hebron, N. H.,
to Achsa Phelps, who was born at that
place July 9, 1 796. They came to San-
gamon county, 111., arriving April 5, 1821,
in what is now Loami township. They
had three children before moving to San-
gamon county, and eleven after, the
youngest of whom died in infancy. Of
the thirteen children
CLARISSA, born Oct. 27, 1816, at
Pittsburg, Pa., married in Sangamon
county, Dec. 3, 1831, to William S.
Walker. See his name.
ABIGAIL, born April 29, 1818, at
Marietta, O., married April 9, 1835, to
Lawrence Underwood. See his name.
FANNY,\K>rn Jan. 4, 1820, at Marietta,
O., married in Sangamon county, Jan. 28,
1843, t David Phelps. See his name.
MEHEJ^IBEL, born Dec. 5, 1821,
in Sangamon county, married Dec. 16,
1838, to David Phelps. See his name.
SAMUEL PAUL, born Sept. 15,
1823, in Sangamon county, married Oct.
23, 1845, to Melinda Colburn, had one
child that died in infancy, and Mrs. Col-
burn died Dec. 23, 1865, and he married
Nov. 14, 1866, to Mrs. Isabel Lucas, whose
maiden name was Colburn. They reside
in Loami.
MARGARETP.,\)orn April .7, 1825,
in Sangamon county, married Sept. 21,
1845, to Lewis Cotterman. They had
two children, WILLIAM A. and FAN-
NIE, and Mrs. Cotterman died Sept. 6,
1853. Her children reside with their
father near Linden, Osage county, Kan.
ISAAC, born Feb. 22, 1.827, in Sanga-
mon county, married August 17, 1854, to
Julia A. Ensley. They had three child-
ren. ACHSA E., born July 24, 1855,
died in her eighth year. CHLOE E. and
CHARLES E. live with their father.
Mrs. Julia A. Colburn died Dec. 25, 1859,
and Mr. C. married Sept. 20, 1863, to
Mandana Phelps. They had three child-
ren, CORA A., CLARENCE E. and
MARY O.; all died in infancy. Isaac
Colburn and wife reside in Loami.
DANIEL W., born July 2, 1829, mar-
ried Nov. 28, 1849, to Lucinda Huffmaster.
They have eight children. SARAH
married William Greer, has one child, and
resides with her parents. FANNY mar-
ried Christopher McLaughlin, who was
born Feb. 10, 1846, in Montgomery
county, Ky. They have two children,
MINNIE and ANDREW, and reside at
Loami. Mr. McLaughlin enlisted Feb.
22, 1864, in Co. A, io6th 111. Inf., for three
years; was honorably discharged at
Springfield, August i, 1865. SUSAN
M. married Thomas Huggin, and resides
in Curran. JAMES E., MARY M.,
WINJEIELD S., DAVID L. and
SANGAMON COUNTT.
213
LAURA A., reside with their parents,
thi'ee miles south of Curran.
WILLIAM S., born Feb. 20, 1831, in
Sangamon county, married July 8, 1853,
in Fulton county, 111., to Mary Ensley, who
was born May 23, 1831, near Chillicothe,
O. They had four children. MILLARD
F. died in infancy. LINDA A., born
March n, 1856, married Dec. 26, 1872, to
Lycurgus L. Smith, who was born June
20, 1849, at Mt. Pleasant O., and reside at
Martin's Ferry, Belmont county, O.
LUELLA R. and WILLIAM H. reside
with their parents at Loami.
W. S. Colburn enlisted at Jacksonville,
111., July 16, 1847, in Co - G > l6th United
States Inf., for five years or during the
war with Mexico, and was honorably dis-
charged August, 1848, at Cincinnati, O.
In the spring of 1850 he started for Cali-
fornia, via the Isthmus of Panama. The
vessel was bestormed and becalmed, so
that he was on the Pacific ocean seven
months from Panama to San Francisco.
He has traveled in twenty-four States of the
Union, and been on fourteen sea voyages.
William S. Colburn enlisted June 27,
1864, in Co. F., 28th 111. Inf., for three
years; was honorably discharged August
2, 1865. He was detailed as clerk in the
medical department soon after entering the
army, was promoted to hospital steward,
and served as such to the end of the rebel-
lion.
EBENEZER, born April 9, 1833, in
Sangamon county, married August 17,
1854, to Nancy A. Huffmaster. They
had two children, ADNA P. and CLAR-
ISSA A., and Mrs. Colburn died August
10, 1859, and Mr. C. was married August
8, 1862, to Elizabeth Davis. They have
five children, DANIEL W., HENRY
W., ALPHA D., JULIA A. and INA
A., and live in Loami.
LE VI O., born Nov. 13, 1835, in San-
gamon county, enlisted July 13, 1862, in
Co. F, 5 ist 111. Inf., for three years. He
was ist Sergt., and as such, commanded
the company part of the time. He was
wounded in the arm at the battle of Chick-
amauga, served until June 27, 1865, when
he was honorably discharged. lie was
married July 7, 1867, to Christiana Kin-
ney. They have two children, BERTHA
O. and WILLIAM E., and live at
Loami.
DA VI D P., born Oct. 5, 1837, in San-
gamon county, enlisted August 9, 1861,
in Co. B, 3oth 111. Inf., for three years,
re-enlisted as a veteran, Jan. i, 1864. He
was appointed 2nd Sergt. at the organiza-
tion of the regiment; promoted to ist
Sergt.; commissioned ist Lieut., Jan. 20,
1865; commissioned Capt., May, 1865.
Commanded the company from Oct. 4,
1864. He served until July 17, 1865, when
he was honorably discharged. He was
married April 12, 1866, to Tirzah Mengel.
They have one child, LEONARD L.,
and reside at Loami.
JOHN 7\, born Nov. 23, 1840, mar-
ried June 23, 1 86 1, to Martha J. Back,
who was born April 9, 1845, a ' Loami.
They had four children. JAQUETTA
and LILLIE died in infancy. MARY
A. and MILLIE A. live with their pa-
rents in Loami.
William Colburn died June 10, 1869, at
Loami, and Mrs. Achsa Colburn resides at
Loami, on the same place settled by her-
self and husband in 1822, one year before
the land was brought into inarket. Wil-
liam and his brother Ebenezer entered
land together, and cultivated it for several
years. About 1836 they built a steam
saw and grist mill at the north side of
Lick creek, and machinery for grinding
was soon added. It was the first mill of
the kind within a radius of ten or twelve
miles, and around that mill the village of
Loami grew up. They continued in that
business for many years, three mills hav-
ing burned on the same spot. They were
not always the owners, but their families
were always connected with such enter-
prises. The sons of Wm. Colburn are
now 1874 the owners of a mill within
one hundred yards of where the first mill
was built. One mill has burned where
the new one stands.
The hardships endured by them and
their families would be difficult to relate.
Mrs. Achsa Colburn, now seventy-eight
years old, has an unlimited fund ot remi-
niscences connected with their advent into
the county, and the difficulties of raising
a large family. A loom was an indispen-
sible article where all were dependent on
the work of their own hands for the en-
tire clothing of themselves and families.
Mrs. Colburn tried all the men in the set-
tlement, those of her own family included,
in order to find some person who could
2I 4
EARLY SETTLERS OF
make a loom, but all declined to under-
take it, some for want of skill, and all for
want of tools. Mrs. C. then procured an
axe, a hand saw, a drawing knife, an
auger and a chisel, and went to work.
She made with her own hands a loom,
warping hars, winding blades, temples for
the lateral stretching of the cloth, and for
spools she used corn cobs with the pith
pushed out. With these appliances she
wove hundreds of yards of cloth, and
made it up into garments for her family.
This she did while caring for her family
of fourteen children.
COLBURN. EBENEZER,
brother to Abel, Isaac and William, was
born Dec. i, 1794, at Sterling, Mass., mar-
ried in 1817, at Marietta, Ohio, to Julia
Smith, who was born April 17, 1797, in
Suffolk county, Long Island, N. Y. They
came to Sangamon county and joined the
other members of the family in Oct., 1822,
in what is now Loami township. They
had two children before their arrival, and
five after coming to Sangamon county.
Of the seven children
ADNA A, born August 12, 1818, at
Marietta^ Ohio, married April 27, 1839, in
Sangamon county, to Lodasca Sweet.
They had three children, and Mrs. Col-
burn died, and A. P. Colburn was mar-
ried July 28, 1844, to Macca M. Sowell.
They had seven children, one of whom
died in infancy. Of all his children:
ALVA married Hannah VanPelt, and
resides at Seneca, Nemaha county, Kan.
URSULA, married Charles Jarrett. See
his name. GILBERT, enlisted in 1862, in
Co. I, 73d 111. Inf., for three years. He
was captured at the battle of Chicka-
mauga, Sept. 19-20, 1863, and died in
prison at Andersonville, Ga., July I, 1864.
THOMAS B. and WILLIAM R. en-
listed Sept. 20, 1862, in Co. G, i6th 111.
Inf., for three years. They were cap-
tured while scouting near Dalton, Ga.,
May 22, 1864, and taken to Andersonville
prison also. . THOMAS B. died June 19,
1864, and WILLIAM R.died August 12,
1864. Thus the three brothers died in the
same prison in less than two months.
STEPHEN E.,died in infancy. CHAS.
C., born Nov. 22, 1849, married Miss
Coverdale, and lives at Loami. JULIA
J., born May 24, 1851, married Nelson
Elmoi^e. See his name. They live in
.Sangamon county. JAMES B. resides
with his mother. Adna P. Colburn died
Feb. 26, 1867, and his widow resides ad-
joining Loami on the west.
WILLIAM, born in Monroe county,
111., married in Sangamon county to
Eliza Porter; had four children, and Mrs.
C. died, and Wm. C. married Mrs. Ellen
Smith, whose maiden name was Clover.
They have one child, and reside in Chris-
tian county, at Smith's mill, on the San-
gamon river, near the line of Sangamon
county.
CHARLOTTE, born Jan. 19, 1824,
in Sangamon county, married Jonas
Smith. See his name.
MARIA, born in Sangamon county,
married Peyton Foster; has a family of
children, and lives at Atchison, Kan.
MART P., born in Sangamon county,
married David Greening. See his name.
BURFITT G., born in Sangamon
county, married to Lucy Large, have six
children, and live in Cooper township.
ELLEN, married Ebenezer Colburn,
Jun., and she died.
Mrs. Julia Colburn died, and Ebenezer
Colburn, Sen., died April 12, 1864, both
at Loami.
COLBURN, ABEL, was born
Sept. 20, i79 m Sterling, Mass., a
brother to Isaac, William and Ebenezer.
He was married in April, i8n,at Hebron,
N. H., to Deborah Phelps, who was born
at Hebron in July, 1794. Mr. Colburn
was a soldier from that place in the war
of 1812. They had nine children, all born
at Hebron, and in 1839 Mr. Colburn came
to Sangamon county, and afterwards
brought his family. Of their children
JOSEPH R., born August, 1812,
married in Massachusetts, to Ruth Fowler,
and moved to Springfield, 111., in 1838.
He aided in building the State House,
then in course of construction. They had
six children; two died under seven years.
Of the other four, ABNER K. married in
Minnesota to Phebe Walters, and resides
in Portland, Oregon. IRA is married,
and lives in Minnesota. CHARLES
lives with Adna Phelps, near Springfield.
FREMONT lives with his mother. Jo-
seph R. Colburn died in December, 1870,
and his widow resides at Preston, Minn.
EL VIRA M., born April 18, 1814, at
Hebron, N. H., married at that place
March 7, 1832, to Stephen F. Fowler. He
died Jan. 21, 1845, at Quincy, Mass., and
SANG AM ON COUNTY.
215
Mrs. F. was married Oct. 8, 1845, at Troy,
Wis., to Jeremiah D. Sanborn, who was
born Feb. 7, 1818, at Franklin, N. H. Mrs.
S. traveled across the American continent
on wagons, except in crossing Lake Mich-
igan, and spent five years in Nevada and
California, and Mr. S. spent three years
there. They reside at Loami.
ISABEL,\*o. April 17, 1816, at He-
bron, N. H., married Sept. n, 1838, to
Thomas Lucas, who was born June 19,
1811, at Romney, N. H. They had five
children. GEORGE M. went from
Loami to Springfield, and enlisted July,
1861, in what became Co. -C, nth Mo.
Inf., for three years; was ist Sergeant; re-
enlisted as a veteran Jan. I, 1864, and died
of disease at Jefferson Barracks, Mo.,
Nov. 14, 1864. He was commissioned ist
Lieutenant, to date from August 18, 1864,
but the com mission, did not reach the hos-
pital until the day after his death. FRAN-
CEN*A I. died at thirteen. EDWARD
W. enlisted Nov. 20, 1861, for three years,
in Co. B, 3Oth 111. Inf.: re-enlisted as a
veteran Jan. i, 1864; was with "Sherman
in his march to the sea;" served to the
end of the rebellion, and honorably dis-
charged July, 1865; was married October,
1866, to Mary A. Starr, has one child,
VALLIE M., and resides at Loami. ISA-
BELLA E. died at seven years. LUEL-
LA A. married August, 1867, to James L.
Mahard, and died March, 1873, leaving
two children, MARY j. and GEORGE M.
Thomas Lucas died March 4, 1851, at
Loami. His widow married Samuel P.
Colburn. See his name.
IRA C., born in 1818, married at
Quincy, Mass., Sept. 4, 1838, to Cyrena
Chard, a native of Pomfrct, Conn.,
moved to Minnesota, and had three child-
ren. JOHN E. was a soldier in a Minne-
sota regiment, veteranized, served to the
end of the rebellion, and lives in Minne-
sota. ROMANZA died at seven years.
A CHS A P., born Feb. 17, 1820, in
Hebron, N. H., married August, 1838, at
Quincy, Mass., to John P. Davis, who
was born April 17, 1815, in Boston. They
came to Sangamon county with her par-
ents, and had three children. ELVIRA
M. married Sanford Withrow. See his
name. CHARLES W. died in in-
fancy. LAURA E. married Josiah Jones.
See his name. John P. Davis enlisted at
Springfield, July 9, 1847, In Co. D, 4th
111. Inf., for one year. He served as Ser-
geant of that company in the war with
Mexico, until July 9, 1848, when he was
honorably discharged. He raised Co. B,
3Oth 111. Inf., entered the United States
service as Captain of the same, August,
1861. His company re-enlisted as veterans,
January, 1864. He was with Sherman in
his " march to the sea," and was promo-
ted to Major of the regiment while on the
trip. He commanded the regiment sev-
eral months, and was honorably discharged
July 17, 1865. Now resides at Loami,
Sangamon county, 111.
LUTHER P., born September, 1823,
married in New Hampshire to Lydia
Whittaker, raised one daughter, and reside
in Lebanon, N. H.
NA THAN P., born December, 1826,
in Hebron, N. H., married in South Read-
ing, Mass., to Mary J. Eames, had four
children, moved in 185510 Minnesota, was
a member of the Convention that framed
the State Constitution, and has served sev-
eral terms in the State Legislature. He
raised a cavalry company and fought the
Indians in Minnesota in 1863. Was Pay-
master at one time in the army, against the
rebellion. He is a practicing attorney,
and resides at Preston, Minn.
ME LINDA, born Sept. 13, 1830,
married Oct. 23, 1845, to Samuel P. Col-
burn. See his name.
EMELINE, born July, 1832, married
in 1848 to William Huffmaster. Sec his
name.
Abel Colburn died Oct. 21, 1851, at
Springfield. His widow married Adam
Barger. See his name. He died, and
she resides with her son-in-law, Samuel
P. Colburn, at Loami.
CONKLING, JAMES C., was
born Oct. 13, 1816, in New York City.
At the age of thirteen he entered the
Academy at Morristown, N. J., and pre-
pared for college. He entered Princeton
in 1833, and graduated in 1835. ^ c
studied law in Morristown, N. J., about
three years, and came to Springfield, 111.,
arriving in Nov., 1838, and was admitted
to the bar the following winter. James
C. Conkling and Mercy A. Levering
were married Sept. 21, 1841, in Baltimore,
Md. She was the daughter of Judge
Aaron R. Levering, of Georgetown,
D. C., and was born in that city in Nov.,
2l6
EARL T SB TTLERS OP
1817. Mr. and Mrs. Conkling had five
children
CLIN7^ON L., born Oct. 16, 1843, in
Springfield, was educated at Yale college,
New Haven, Conn., and graduated there
in 1864. He entered into partnership
with his father in 1866, as J. C. & C. L.
Conkling, in the practice of law. He was
married March 24, 1867, to Georgiana
Barrell, a native of Brooklyn, N. Y.
They have two children, GEORGIA and
KATE, and reside in Springfield.
CHARLES, born in Springfield, re-
sides with his parents.
JAMES, born Jan. 4, 1850,111 Spring-
field, 111., was married March 23, 1870, in
Covington, Ky., to Fannie A. Lowry,
who was born in Springfield, March 23,
1849. They have two children living,
MAY and FANNIE. He is a mem-
ber of the firm of Conkling, Slemmons,
& Co., Springfield, 111.
ANNIE V., born July 2, 1853, was
married Nov. 25, 1875, to Nathan S.
Wood. He is a banker in Lafayette, Ind.,
where they now reside.
ALICE resides with her parents.
Hon. James C. Conkling was elected
Mayor of Springfield in 1845, being the
sixth in that office. He was elected repre-
sentative for Sangamon county in the
State legislature in 1852, and again in 1866,
when he drafted the original bill for the
new State house, and was active in its
passage. He is a member of the National
Lincoln Monument Association, which
has just erected a monument to the mem-
ory of Abraham Lincoln. He is the head
of the firm of Conkling, Slemmons &
Co. James C. Conkling, more than any
other capitalist of Springfield, uses his
wealth in extensive building enterprises,
and for the encouragement of manufac-
tures.
CON ANT, SULLIVAN, was
born Feb. 26, 1801, at Oakham, Worcester
county, Mass. Lydia R. Heminway was
was born November, 1803, in the same
county. They were married Sept. 10,
1822, at Shutesbury, Mass., where they
had three children, and moved to Am-
herst, where they had one child. They
returned to Shutesbury, and from there
started west, Nov. 2, 1830, traveling in
wagons to Troy, N. Y., and from there to
Rochester by canal, thence by wagon to
Olean Point, where they embarked on a
raft and floated to Pittsburg. There they
took a steamboat down the Ohio, and up
the Mississippi river to Chester, Randolph
county, 111., where the youngest child died.
In January, 1831, Mr. Conant started
with his family, in a sleigh, to visit some
old friends near Carrollton, Greene coun-
ty, 111., going by Illinoistown, now East
St. Louis. They continued their journey
by Jacksonville to Springfield, arriving
Feb. 18, 1831. When they left Chester
the snow was about six inches deep, but
when they arrived in Springfield it was
on four feet of snow, being the height of
the "deep snow." They had five children
born in Springfield. Of their eight
children
ABIGAIL A., born July 5, 1823, at
Shutesbury, Mass., was married in Spring-
field to William W. Lee, who was born
August 20, 1822, in Delaware. They had
four children. LAURA A., born Oct.
15, 1844, in Springfield, was married* May
7, 1867, to John T. Capps, who was born
Dec. 30, 1841, in Clarke county, Ky.
They have two children, OLIVE and WIL-
LIAM L. Mr. Capps was a student at Illi-
nois College, Jacksonville, when the rebel-
lion began. He enlisted August, 1861, in
Co. B, loth 111. Inf., for three years; re-
enlisted as a veteran January, 1864; was
with Sherman in his "march to the sea;"
served until July, 1865, when he was hon-
orably discharged. He graduated Feb. 6,
1866, with the degree of Master of Ac-
counts, at Eastman's National Business
College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He is now
of the firm of Dickerman & Co., Spring-
field Woolen Manufactory. LYDIA E.,
born March 23, 1847, m Springfield, was
married Dec. 21, 1869, to S. O. Stock well,
a native of Auburn, N. Y. They have
one child, CLARA L., and reside in Colum-
bus, Ohio. THOMAS S., born Jan. 9,
1849, in Bloomington, 111., was married in
Springfield, May 29, 1872, to Mary J.
Eaton. They have one child, ADDIE. T.
S. Lee is engaged with his father-in-law
in the grain business, and resides in Edin-
burg. EDWARD W., born March 9,
1853, in Taylorville. He was married in
Springfield, Oct. 6, 1875, to Lou. H. Pas-
field, adopted daughter of George Pas-
field, Sen., and resides in Edinburg. Wm.
W. Lee died July 12, 1870, and his widow
resides in Springfield.
WILLIAM S., born Feb. 27, 1825, at
SAXGAMON COUNTT.
217
Shutesbury, Mass., was married in Spring-
field, 111., to Mary Sykes. They had two
children. JAMES was born in Peters-
burg, and is in business with his father.
KATIE resides with her father. Mrs.
Mary Conant died in Springfield, Feb.
12, 1864. Wm. S. Conant was married
in Menard county to Eliza Kinkead, and
reside in Petersburg, 111. In 1844 W. S.
Conant met with an accident from a falling
derrick which slightly lamed him. A Mr.
Brodie was killed by the same accident.
They were raising a pole at a political
meeting. Mr. Conant is extensively en-
gaged in the furniture and undertaking
business. He was the originator, and is
no\v the owner, of Rose Hill cemetery,
near Petersburg.
SUSAN E., born March 10, 1827, in
Shutesburv, Mass., was married June 26,
1845, m Springfield, to George R. Con-
nelly. See his name. He died, and she
married Charles Dougherty. See his
name.
LEV I 7., born Oct. 25, 1831, in
Springfield, was married there July 28,
1858, to Elizabeth Brodie. They had
two children, JOHN B. and WILLIAM
S. Mrs. Elizabeth Conant died Feb. 14,
1865, and L. J. Conant was married Mar.
i, 1875, at Vincennes, Ind., to Mrs. Sarah
A. Baker, whose maiden name was Har-
graves. She was born April 24, 1841, in
Manchester, England. Mr. C. is in the
grocery business, and resides in Spring-
field.
MART A., born July 20, 1833, in
Springfield, was married there to Cook S.
Hampton. See his name.
PHINEAS //., born April 12, 1837,
in Springfield, was married June 4, 1857.
to Sarah J. Hobbs, who was born Dec. i,
1838, in Jacksonville, 111. Thev have
three children, JULIA E., MINNIE L.,
and PEARL R., and reside in Spring-
field, 111. P. H. Conant enlisted in Co.
C, 1 24th 111. Inf., for three years, and was
mustered in as Corporal. Served until
Feb. 6, 1864, when he was honorably dis-
charged on account of physical disability.
In the spring of 1 866 he was appointed,
by Mayor Dennis, deputy city marshal;
served nearly three years. Was deputy
sheriff under Shoup, and deputy U. S.
collector under Harper. Sold goods at
Illiopolis about three years, since which
time he has been a commercial traveler
28
for a Springfield grocery house, and lives
in Springfield.
CAROLINE A., born Sept. i, 1843,
in Springfield, married Rev. Thomas M.
Dillon, of the M. E. church. He is in the
traveling connection, and resides (1874) in
Martinsburg, Clarke county, 111.
LTDIA J., born July 19, 1845, m
Springfield, was married there, March 17,
1868, to George L. Dingle. G. L. Dingle
wa* a soldier in an Illinois regiment, and
did his part in aiding to suppress the re-
bellion. He is now deputy Postmaster at
Santa Fe, New Mexico, and lives there.
Mrs. Lydia R. Sonant died May 30,
1867, and Sullivan Conant was married
again. He resides in Springfield.
CONNELLY, JOHN, was born
in 1794, in the District of Columbia.
Ann Wetherell was born Feb. 20, 1800,
in the District of Columbia, also. They
were there married and had ten children.
The family moved to Springfield, 111., in
1837. Mr. Connelly was Register of the
United States Land Office, in Springfield,
during the administration of President
Pierce, and part of the administration of
President Buchanan. He also, at various
times, filled a number of local offices. I
have the history of but two of his child-
ren. His daughter
MART J., born in the District of
Columbia, married in Springfield to John
O. Rames. See his name. She died in
1854.
His second son
GEORGE 7?., born Jan. 18, 1822, in
the District of Columbia, was married in
Springfield, 111., Jan. 27, 1845, to Susan
E. Conant. They had three living child-
ren, namely: JOHN L., born March 18,
1846, in Springfield, graduated at the
Rush Medical College of Chicago. He
was married Sept. 3, 1842, at Harristown,
111., to Nannie Bedford. They had one
child, MAGGIE P., who died young. Dr.
J. L. Connelly resides at Harristown,
Macon county, 111., and is engaged in the
practice of his profession there. GEORGE
S., born Feb. 8, 1849, in Springfield, mar-
ried Sept. 15, 1870, in his native city, to
Mary Thomas, who was born Dec. 30,
1850, in Springfield, 111. They have two
children, ALICE MAY and LILLIE E. George
S. Connelly resides in Springfield, and is
engaged in merchandising. LILLIE E.,
born Sept. 2, 1851, in Springfield, married
2lS
EARLT SETTLERS OF
Sept. 19, 1871, to Columbus M. Lloyd,
who was born March 6, 1849, near
Wabash, Wabash county, Ind. They
live near Dawson, Sangamon county, 111.
George R. Connelly died of cholera, in
Springfield, June 9, 1854. His widow
married Charles Dougherty, Jun. See
his name.
CONSTANT, JACOB, brother
to John, who was the grandfather of
Rezin H. He was also the brother of
Isaac and Thomas, and was born about
1765, in Virginia. Eleanor Clinkenbcard
was born about 1769, in Virginia, also.
They were there married, and soon
after moved on pack horses that being
the only way goods could be transported
at that time through that mountainous
country to Fleming county, Ky. They
had fourteen children in that county, and
in 1814 moved to Clermont countv, Ohio,
where they had two children. The fam-
ily moved to Sangamon county, 111., ar-
riving* Oct. 26, 1826, in what is now Me-
chanicsburg township. Of their child-
ren
ELIZABETH, born Nov. 17, 1790,
in Fleming county, Ky., married there to
Charles Morgan. See his name.
JOHN, born in Fleming county, Ky.,
went back from Ohio to Kentucky, and
there married Margaret Wood. They
came in company with his father to San-
gamon county in 1826, where they had
five children, and moved to Pike countv,
thence to northwest Missouri, where the
living children now reside. The parents
are both dead.
WILLIAM, born in Kentucky, went
back from Ohio and married Rhoda
Planck. They never came to Illinois, but
he died, leaving one child, JOHN CON.
STANT, who resides near Felicity,
Clermont county, Ohio.
MARY, born in Kentucky, married in
Ohio to Thomas Jones. They had ten
children, and Mrs. Jones died. The liv-
ing members of the family reside in and
near Mt. Olivet, Clermont countv, O.
ISAAC, born Nov. 17, 1794, in Flem-
ing county, Ky., was married June 29,
1823, in Clarke county, Ky., to Nancy
Peebles, who was born Sept. 13, 1794, in
that county. They had two children in
Kentucky, joined his parents in Clermont
county, Ohio, and came with them to San-
gamon county, 111., arriving in the fall of
1826 in what is now Mechanicsburg town-
ship, where they had two children, and
moved to what is now Logan county,
where they had two children, and from
there to Buffalo Hart grove, in Sangamon
county, and had one child. They
moved, in 1857, to Dawson. Of their
children, RACHEL, born in Clarke
county, Ky., March 29, 1824, married
John Billington. See his name. JACOB,
born August 17, 1826, in Clarke county,
Ky., married in Sangamon county, May
16, 1850, to Lillias Wilson, who was born
May 15, 1825, in Dumfriesshire, Scotland.
They had seven children, three of whom
died young, and HELEN MARY died Oct.
3, 1872. the very day she was thirteen
years old. NANCY j., WILLIAM E. and
JAMES H.,live with their parents, adjoining
Dawson on the east. MARGARET J.,
born July 15, 1829, in Sangamon county,
married Oct. 26, 1850, to James Deavers.
They have six children, and live near Mt.
Pulaski. WILLIAM R., born April 13,
1832, in Sangamon county, married in
1852 to Jane Wilson, who was born in
Dumfriesshire, Scotland. They had seven
children in Sangamon county, and Mrs.
Constant died May 7, 1864. Mr. C. was
married in Dawson to Hattie Grabendich.
They have two children, and live in Law-
rence, Kansas. MARY A., born June
17, 1834, in Logan county, 111., married
Oct. 17, 1871, at Dawson. to Alfred Rape.
See his name. SARAH E., born Dec.
17, 1836, in Logan county, married Sept.
14, 1856, to Horatio M. Van Winkle, who
was born Feb. I, 1834, in Shelby countv,
111. They have one child, LILLIAS E.,
and live in Dawson. Mr. Van Winkle
enlisted August 15, 1862, in Co. C, 1 241)1
111. Inf., for three years; served full term
exactly, and was honorably discharged
August 15, 1865, at Chicago/ MARTHA
E., born April 19, 1840, in Sangamon
county, married Dec. 6, 1869, to John >.
Clinkenbeard, who was born Dec. 8, 1822,
in Clarke county, Ky. They have two
children, ISAAC and NANCY E., and live
three miles southwest of Illiopolis. Mr.
C. has two living children by a former
wife, JOHN w. and MARY E. Isaac Con-
stant died June 27, 1865, and his widow-
resides at Dawson.
HESTER, born in Kentucky, mar-
ried in Clermont county, Ohio, to Josiah
Johnson, had one child, and father and
SAN GAM ON COUNTY.
219
child died in Ohio. She came to Sanga-
mon county, married John Rutherford,
had four children, and the parents both
died. Their son, JOHN T. Rutherford,
was a soldier in an Illinois regiment, and
died in the army. MARGARET mar-
ried Matt. Noonan, and resides in Sanga-
mon county. ALEXANDER is mar-
ried and lives in Champaign county.
SARAH, horn Dec. 27, 1799, in Ken-
tucky, married James Carrico. See his
name.' 1 ,
ELEANOR, born in 1803, in Ken-
tucky, married Elijah T. Lanham. See
his name.
JACOB, born Jan. 7, 1805, in Flem-
ing county, Kentucky, married June 4,
1829, m Sangamon county, to Permelia
Crocker. They had six children, two of
whom died young. The other four,
JAMES H. M., born March 4, 1830, mar-
ried Catharine Blankenship. have four
children. He was a soldier in a Sangamon
county regiment. DAVID C., born Jan.
28, 1833, married in Texas to Annetta
Snow. They are teaching among the In-
dians. THOMAS S., born July 2, 1835,
married in Mt. Pulaski to Sarah Cass,
daughter of Ninian Cass. MARY L.,
born Sept 25, 1839, married John Rinker:
had one child, ANNETTA s. Mr. Rinker
enlisted in 1861, in 3Oth 111. Inf., and died
near Vicksburg, in 1863. Mrs. Permelia
Constant died Feb. 17, 18^.7, and Jacob
Constant was married June 25, 1847, m
St. Clair county, to Mrs. Celia Talbott,
whose maiden name was Wakefield. They
had four children. CHARLES A. mar-
ried Sarah Horn, had one child, and live
near Dawson. HARRIET E. and
PERMELIA O., SARAH F. died at
eleven years. Mrs. C. had two children
by her first husband, THOMAS and
MARY E. TALBOTT. The latterdied
in her fourteenth year. Jacob Constant
and his wife reside one and a half miles
southwest of Dawson.
BENJAMIN, born in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to Matilda
Lakin, had seven children, and Mr. Con-
stant died in 1855. Two of his sons,
JOHN W. and NORMAN A. were
Union soldiers from Greene county, and
both died in the army. His widow resides
in Macoupin county.
JONATHAN, born Sept. 30, 1809,
in Fleming county, Ky., came to Sanga-
mon county in 1826, married May 19,
1836, to Mary Elder. They had five
children, two of whom died young. Of
the other three, GEORGE W., born
June 7, 1837, married July 23, 1857, in
Springfield, to Sarah Kent; have three
living children, JOHN D., LYDIA F., NET-
TIE B. the third child, IDA j., died in her
fourth year. George W. Constant resides
two and a half miles southwest of Illiopo-
lis. JOHN W., born Sept. 22, 1839,
married in Springfield, Jan. 30, 1865, to
Clarissa G. Ingels. They have four child-
ren, MATTIE F., HARRY, MARY P. and
WILLIE, and reside two and a half miles
northeast of Illiopolis. SAMUEL W.,
born July, 1843, enlisted August 17, 1861,
in Co. H, 30th 111. Inf., for three years,
was captured at the battle of Atlanta,
Ga., July 22, 1864, was two months in
Andersonville prison, exchanged Sept. 19,
1864, and honorably discharged on the
27th of the same month. He was married
in Sangamon county, Dec. 24, 1867, to
MaryJ. Semple. They have one child,
NELLIE D., and reside in Macon county,
near Illiopolis. Mrs. Mary Constant died
Sept., 1847, and Jonathan Constant was
married Nov. 26, 1848, to Lavina Crocker.
They had two children. MARY B.,
born Sept. 17, 1851, married June 6, 1872,
to Squire Campbell, and died Nov. 19,
1872. LEWIS ALLEN, born Dec. 7,
1853, resides with his father. Mrs. La-
vina Constant died August 26, 1858, and
Jonathan Constant married Dec. 20, 1860,
to Mrs. Sarah Ridgeway, whose maiden
name was Bridges. They reside three
miles northwest of Mechanicsburg.
MARGARET, married in Ohio to
Greenbury Lanham, and had one child.
The father and child died in Ohio. She
died in Sangamon county.
NELSON, born in Clermont county,
Ohio, married in Sangamon county to
Elizabeth Walker. They have five child-
ren, and reside near Farmer City, DeWitt
county, 111.
Jacob Constant died Sept. 21, 1828, and
Mrs. Eleanor Constant died Sept. 4, 1835,
both in Mechanicsburg township, near
where they settled in 1826.
CON'STANT, THOMAS,
brother of Isaac, aUo of John, who was
grandfather of Rezin H., was born Aug. 14,
1796, in Virginia. He was married June
17, 1796, in Kentucky, to Margery Ed-
220
EARLY SETTLERS OF
monson. They had seven children in
Kentucky, and moved to Xenia, Ohio.
From there they moved to Sangamon
county, 111., arriving in the fall of 1820 in
what is now Fancy creek township. Of
all their children
JOHN, born May 9, 1797, in Clarke
county, Ky., married in Springfield, 111.,
to Man- Latham, daughter of Judge
Latham. They had four living children,
and Mrs. Mary Constant died May 3,
1841. Mr. C. was married to Elizabeth
Singleton. They had two children. Ot
the children by his first marriage, JAMES
T. went to California, and died there.
The other three were GARRETT,
MARY and MARIA L. The children
by the second marriage were JULIA and
JOHN. Mr. Constant died, and his
widow and children reside in Springfield.
ELIZABETH E., born June 14,
1799, in Clarke county, Ky.. was married
in Xenia, Ohio, to William F. Elkin. See
his name.
ARCHIBALD E., born May 10,
1801, in Clarke county, Ky., married in
Springfield, 111., to Maria Latham, daugh-
ter of Judge Latham. They had five
children; two died young. MARGERY
is teaching in the Bettie Stuart Institute,
in Springfield. MARY married Temple
Elliott. See his name. KATIE resides
among her friends. Mr. Constant came
to Sangamon county in 1819, settling on
Wolf creek; afterwards moved to Spring-
field, and purchased a quantity of land in
what is now the Third ward, and known
as Constant's addition. He was a Major
in the Black Hawk war, from Sangamon
county. He moved to Elkhart, Logan
county, about 1863. Mrs. Maria Constant
died there Nov. 13, 1868, and Archibald
E. Constant died in Elkhart, Jan. 19, 1875.
WILLIAM, born May, 1803, in Clarke
county, Ky. He was a physician, and
was married in Sangamon county to
Phoebe Johnson. She died, leaving three
children. Dr. Constant was married in
Jeffersonville, Ind., and had two children,
KATIE and JOHN. Dr. William Con-
stant died in 1865.
MART, born June 22, 1805, in Clarke
county, Ky., was married in Sangamon
county, 111., to Dr. Garrett Elkin. See
his name.
NATHAN E., born April 8, 180^, in
Clarke county, Ky., was married in San-
gamon county to Sarah Dement. Mrs.
Sarah Constant died, and he was married
August 25, 1843, to Mary M. Stewart,
daughter of James Stewart. See his name.
They had three children. WILLIAM
F. married Elizabeth A. Lake. They
have one child, and reside two miles west
of Williamsville. NATHAN E., Jun.,
enlisted August, 1862, for three years, in
Co. G, 1 1 4th 111. Vol. Inf. He was cap-
tured at the battle of Guntown, Miss.,
June n, 1864, taken to Andersonville
prison, where he remained three months.
After that to several other prisons, to
evade the Union army, then back to
Andersonville. From there to Florida,
and guarded in the woods until April 28,
1865, and released at the close of the rebel-
lion. He had the usual experience of
prisoners in the south. He and seven
others cooked all their rations the first
three months at Andersonville, in half a
canteen. Sometimes he would give a
day's rations for a chew of tobacco, and
not a very large chew at that. He says
woi'ds cannot describe the suffering that
was endured by the Union soldiers in
southern prisons. Robbery and murder
prevailed among the prisoners until they
found it necessary to organize a court and
a regular jury, convicted six of their num-
ber and hung them. He says Wirz
allowed them to go outside to hold the
trial (of course guarding them), and fur-
nished the lumber for the gallows. Mr.
C. says that although ten years have
elapsed since he was in that den of hor-
rors, when he is not well the most
dainty food smells to him like Anderson-
ville prison rations. One blanket was all
they were allowed for eight men. Nathan
E. Constant, Jun., was married, after his
return from the army, to Amanda Mor-
ton. They have three children, FANNIE
E., WILLIAM and FRANK, and reside three
miles west of Williamsville. Nathan E.
Constant, Sen., died August 25, 1843, and
his widow married Miletus W. Ellis. See
his name.
ISAAC, born April 5, 1809, in Clarke
county, Ky., was married in Sangamon
county, 111., Feb. 14, 1835, to Lucinda
Merriman, daughter of Reuben Merri-
man, (now residing in Oregon). They
had eight children. LAVINIA, born
March 12, 1834, in Sangamon county,
was married in Jackson county, Oregon,
SAN GAM ON COUNTY.
221
April, 1854, to Dr. Jesse Robinson. They
have four living children, EDWARD c.,
CHESTER L., THOMAS and MARY A., and
reside in Oakland, Cal. WILLIAM T.,
born Nov. 2, 1836, in Sangamon county,
111., was married in Oregon, April 3, 1862,
to Jessie Bledsoe. He died August 4,
1867, leaving a widow and three children,
ISAAC, WILLIAM T. and JULIA B., in Jack-
son county, Oregon. ELIZABETH M.,
born Jan. 2, 1839, in Sangamon county,
married Jan. i, 1856, in Jackson county,
Oregon, to William T. Leever. They
have seven living children, w. CONSTANT,
LAVINIA, IDA, EDMONSON M., JULIAN D.,
THOMAS s. and ADA, and reside in Jack-
son county, Oregon. JULIA A., born
Sept. 17, 1841, in Sangamon county, was
married in Oregon, Dec. 5, 1861, to
W. A. Owen. They have five living
children, EUDORA, MINNIE, MABEL c.,
GLENN and WILLIAM, and all reside in
Jacksonville, Oregon. MARGERY E.,
born Feb. 5, 1845, in Sangamon county,
was married to Constantine Magruder,
April 22, 1875. They reside at Central
Point, Jackson county, Oregon. ELIZA
A., born Oct. 20, 1851, in Sangamon
county, 111., died March 3, 1866, in Jack-
son county, Oregon. Isaac Constant was
in the Black Hawk war from Sangamon
county. He went to Oregon in 1849, took
a claim under the homestead law, and re-
turned to Illinois in 1850, disposed of his
nroperty, and with his family and some of
his neighbors, emigrated to Oregon in
1852. They were among the first families
who settled there. After they arrived,
Mr. Constant had to go two hundred miles
with pack animals, for provisions. The
valley was teeming with Indians, but he
lived to see them all pass away, and sur-
rounded by a large circle of friends, he
resides near Jacksonville, Jackson county,
Oregon.
MAR THA, born August 23, i8ii,in
Xenia, Ohio, was married in Sangamon
county, 111., to William S. Stone. They
had three children; one died in infancy.
Of the other two, ELLEN, born in April,
1837, ' s unmarried. MARGERY, born
March, 1838, was married in 1855 to
Thomas Smith, of Independence, Mo.
They have t%vo living children. Mrs.
Martha Stone died in St. Louis, Mo., in
March, 1854. Mr. Stone died in Indepen-
dence, Mo., in 1870.
ADALINE, born March 28, 1813, in
Xenia, Ohio, was married in Sangamon
county, 111., March 25, 1835, to James D.
Allen. Of their children, MARTHA,
born Jan. 6, 1836, was married in Greens-
burg, Ky., Oct. 31, 1854, to George L.
Harris. They have three children living,
THOMAS A., BLANCHE and ADALINE.
George L. Harris enlisted in the 6th Kan-
sas Cav. Reg., and was killed July 29,
1864, at the battle of Fort Smith, Ark.
Mrs. Harris was married March 21, 1873,
in Shawnee, Kansas, to James Sharp.
They reside in Shawnee. JULIA J..
born Jan. 19, 1841, in Shawnee, Kansas,
was married Dec. 10, 1856, in Indepen-
dence, Mo., to Joseph F. Hagan. He was
drowned in the Missouri river July 15,
1860. His widow married Wolf Bach-
rach, of Kansas City, August 9, 1865.
They have one daughter living. Mrs.
Julia Bachrach died in Kansas City, Mo.,
June 2, 1872. HATTIE, born August
19, 1844, died March 13,1868. EMILY
F., born Nov. i, 1848, was married in
Shawnee. Kansas, Jan. 27, 1875, to James
T. Gillespie. They have one child, and
reside in Shawnee. THOMAS, born
Jan. 12, 1838, died July 21, 1845. Mr. and
Mrs. Allen reside at Shawnee, Kansas,
where they have lived for nineteen years.
MARGERY, born Nov. 24, i8"i4, in
Xenia, Ohio, was married in Sangamon
county to Josiah Francis. See his name.
LA VINIA, born Sept. 18, 1816, in
Xenia, Ohio, was married in Sangamon
county, 111., April 2, 1839, to William
Lavely. See his name.
EMILY, born Nov. 21, 1818, in Xenia,
Ohio, was married in Sangamon county
to N. B. Stone. They had six children ;
three died in infancy.
JULIA A., born Sept. 20, 1820, in
Xenia, Ohio, was married in Sangamon
county to Newton Francis. See his
name.
Thomas Constant died Dec. 14, 1840,
and Mrs. Margery Constant died March
i, 1842, both in Athens, Illinois.
CONSTANT, REZIN H., was
born July 8, 1809, in Clarke county, Ky.
His grandfather (John Constant) was shot
in the thigh by an Indian while he was
with a surveying party in Kentucky. He
lived fifteen years after, but it finally
caused his death. His son Jacob was the
father of Rezin H. Neither this John
222
EARL? SETTLERS OP
nor Jacob ever came to Sangamon county.
Rezin H. was married in his native coun-
ty, July 27, 1830, to Abigail D. Constant.
On the 9th of September following they
started west with the family of his father-
in-law who was also his uncle, Isaac
Constant and arrived in Springfield Oct.
7, 1830, just in time to experience all the
hardships connected with the " deep
snow. " R. H. Constant enlisted at
Springfield, June 10, 1832,111 Capt. Jesse
Claywell's company, Col. James Collins'
regiment, and Gen. James D. Henry's
Brigade of 111. Vol. Inf. He was com-
missioned Lieut., and was in the battle of
Wisconsin, and commanded his company
at the battle of Bad Axe, August 5, 1832,
which terminated the Black Hawk war.
Mr. Constant was one of the representa-
tives of Sangamon county in the legisla-
ture of Illinois for 1846 and '47. They
had eight children in Sangamon county,
namely
SARAH A., born Jan. n, 1831, mar-
ried in Sangamon county to Henry B.
Grubb. They have five children, RICH-
ARD, CATHARINE, ROBERT,
GEORGE and HARLAND, and live in
Springfield.
AMANDA, born Feb. n, 1833, mar '
ried Charles Dougherty. See his name,
She died, leaving three children.
AMY, born Oct. 10, 1834, died in San-
gamon county, July 25, 1852.
ALFRED S., born August 19, 1836,
married in Sangamon county to Mary E.
Wilson. They have four living children,
JAMES R., FRANK, LUCIAN L.
and HARRY W. Alfred S. Constant
enlisted July 25, 1862, in Co. I, i I4th 111.
Inf., for three years. Served until Jan.
16, 1863, when he was discharged on ac-
count of physical disability. He resides
near Barclay.
ELIZABETH P., born March 15,
1839, married in Sangamon county to
Nmian M. Taylor. See his name.
THOMAS S., born April 30, 1841,
died in Sangamon county, March 26,
'857;
GEORGE M., born Jan. 31, 1844, en-
listed at Springfield, June, 1862, for three
months, in the 7oth 111. Vol. Inf. Served
full time, and was honorably discharged
with the regiment. He was married to
Margaret E. Bates. They have two
children, CRESSEY and PEARL, and
reside at Mason City, 111.
MART C., born April 22, 1846, mar-
ried in Sangamon county to David A.
Taylor. See his name. They live near
Gibson, Ford county.
Mrs. Abigail D. Constant died August
1 1, 1846, and Rezin H. Constant was mar-
ried Sept. 27, 1847,10 Mrs. Mary L. Har-
bert, whose maiden name was Halbert.
They had three children
CORDELIA P., born April i, 1849,
in Sangamon county, married there to
Dr. Hamilton R. Riddle. See his name.
I REN A, born Sept. 7, 1851, in San-
gamon county, married Dr. Isaac H. Tay-
lor. See his name.
SABRA G., born April 5, 1853, in
Sangamon county, married Feb. 21, 1872,
to Russel O. Riddle. See his name.
Mrs. Mary L. Constant died May 18,
1863, and Rezin H. Constant resides in
Clear Lake township, near Barclay.
CONSTANT, JOHN/ bom
Sept. 13,1781, in a fort or picketed station
in Clarke county, Ky. He was married
March 1 1 , 1802, to Susan Edminston, who
was bornJuly 27, 1783. They had eleven
children in Clarke county, Ky., three of
whom died young, and the family moved
in company with Robert Cass and family
to Sangamon county, 111., arriving Oct. 7,
1826, at Buffalo Hart Grove. Of their
eight children
MIRIAM, born Dec. 6, 1802, married
in Kentucky, August 25, 1825, to Nathan-
iel Massey, and came with her parents to
Sangamon county. They had one child,
SUSAN, that died at fourteen years.
Mrs. Massey married John Sinclair. See
his name, with the C or r ell family.
JOHN W., born Oct. 29, 1804, in
Clarke county, Ky., married there, Aug.
i, 1826, to Lucinda Cass, and moved to
Sangamon county with his father in the
fall of that year. Thev had four children :
ARMINTA J., born 'August 6, 1827, in
Sangamon county, married Horace B.
Enos. See his name. JOHN T., born
Feb. 13, 1830, married April 16, 1854, to
Elizabeth C. Burns. They had six child-
ren, two of whom died under three years.
MATTIE s., ROBERT F., EMMA M. and
CORA K. reside with their parents at Buf-
falo Hart Station. ZACARIAH, born
August i, 1832, died Oct. 31, 1856.
WM. R., born Sept. 26, 1833, enlisted
SAN GAM ON COUNTY.
223
August, 1862, for three years, in Co. A.,
73d 111. Inf. He had two fingers shot
from his right hand at the battle of Stone's
river. Served to the end of the rebellion,
and was honorably discharged with his
regiment. He was married March 14,
1867, to Mary A. Perry. They have two
children, and reside near Sabetha, Nemaha
county, Kan. Mrs. Lucinda Constant died
Feb. 23, 1836. and John W. Constant was
married March 22, 1838, to Susan Grove.
They had one child, ADAM H., born
April 26, 1839, enlisted July 26, 1862, in
Co. I, i i4th 111. Inf., for three years.
Served full term, and was honorably dis-
charged August 8, 1865. He was married
August 26, 1862, (one month after he en-
listed), to Mary F. Greening. They had
three children. ULYSSES GKANT died
young. ALFRED H. and GERSHOM K.
live with their parents, three miles east of
Buffalo Hart Station. John W. Constant
died August 29, 1838, eight months before
the birth of his son, Adam H. His wid-
ow resides with her son, Adam H.
JACOB D., born Oct. 15, 1807, in
Clarke county, Ky., married April 4, 1832,
in Sangamon county, to Sarah Correll.
They had four living children. LOUISA
J., born Feb. 18, 1833, married Geoi'ge
McDaniel. See his name. MARY E.,
born August 8, 1834, died March 23, 1851.
HARRIET L., born Dec. 31, 1835, tlied
Mav 26, 1855. SUSAN, born June 20,
1837, marr i ef i Augustus Bruce; had three
children. HELEN died in her third year.
ADELAIDE and WILLIAM reside with their
parents, at Corinne, Box Elder county,
Utah. Mrs. Sarah Constant died Feb. 8,
1842, and Jacob D. Constant married Han-
nah Garretson. They had two children.
ANN E., born Sept. 20, 1844, married
Eleazer Tuttle, have two children, and
live in Atlanta. THOMAS, born Jan.
19, 1846, lives with Robert McDaniel.
Jacob D. Constant died Oct. 19, 1846, and
Mrs. Hannah Constant died Oct. 22, 1850,
both in Buffalo Hart Grove.
MAR(rERY, born March 20, 1810, in
Clarke county, Ky., married to Isaac
Dawson, and died without children, Feb.,
1845, in Sangamon county.
HARRIET L., born "Dec. 22, 1811, in
Clarke county, Ky., married in Sangamon
county, Aug. 13, 1829, to Isaac L. Skin-
ner. They had one child, SALLY,
born Jan. 10, 1831, (in time of the " deep
snow.") She went to Clark county, Ky.,
on a visit, and was there married, Feb. 6,
1851, to Henry Hall. They had two
children. Mrs. Hall died May 29, 1860,
at Kankakee. BELLE and ISAAC N. Hall
reside with their father at Momence, Kan-
kakee county, 111. Isaac L. Skinner went
to Kentucky to visit his father, and died
there Aug. 26, 1831. His widow married
in Sangamon county, Nov. H, 1838, to
James W. Langston. See his name.
THOMAS E., born Nov. 15, 1813, in
Kentucky, died in Sangamon county Sept.
9, 1830. '
WILL I AM A., born Jan. 29, 1816, in
Clarke county, Ky., married in Sangamon
county, March, 1842, to Mary A. Starr.
They had seven children. JOHN E.,
born March 29, 1843, enlisted at Spring-
field, 111., July 20, 1861, for three years, in
what became Co. B, nth Mo. Inf.; re-
enlisted as a veteran in same company and
regiment, Jan. i, 1864, and was honorably
discharged Jan. 15, 1866. He was married
Jan. 15, 1871, to Hester F. King, have one
child, EARL, and live near Buffalo* Hart
station. HARRISON CLAY, born
Sept. 14, 1844, married Nov. 12, 1867, to
Mary E. Enos. They have one child,
CHARLES EDWARD, and reside one mile
east of Buffalo Hart station. ALLEN
S., born Aug. 7, 1846, enlisted May 3,
1864, in Co. I, 1 33d 111. Inf., for one hun-
dred days, and was drowned July, 1864,
at Rock Island, while bathing in the
Mississippi river. EMMA, born Aug.
12, 1848, ALICE, born Dec. i, 1850, re-
side with their mother. HARVEY,
born July 14, 1853, died Oct. 9, 1860.
WILLIAM T., born Oct. 13, 1855, re-
sides with his mother. William A. Con-
stant died Aug. 15, 1855, and his widow
married March, 1857, to Casper Byerline.
They have two children, CHARLES F.
and NOAH, and reside one mile east of
Buffalo Hart station.
ELIZA J., born Oct. 23, 1821, died
Oct. 19, 1837.
John Constant died Nov. 18, 1835, and
his widow, Susan Constant, died March
1 8, 1864, both in Sangamon county.
CONSTANT, ISAAC, brothcr
of Thomas, Abigail, John and Jacob. He-
was born April 3, 1789, in Clarke county,
Ky.; was married July 4, 1811, in the
same county, to Amy Dean. They had
eight children in Kentucky, one of whom
32 4
EARLY SETTLERS OF
died there. The family moved to Sanga-
mon county, 111., arriving Oct. 7, 1830, in
what is now Williams township. Of their
seven children
JOHN, born July 7, 1812, in Ken-
tucky, died in Sangamon county Sept. 20,
iS35-
REBECCA, born Aug. 21, 1813, in
Kentuckv, died in Sangamon county Nov.
18, 1832.'
ABIGAIL D., born May 3, 1815, in
Kentucky, married Rezin H. Constant.
See his name.
MART A., born Dec. 23, 1816, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county
to Miletus W. Ellis. See his name.
GEORGE W., born Oct. 23, 1818, in
Clarke county, Ky., married in Sangamon
county, 111., Nov. 26, 1840, to Martha B.
Stewart. They had three children in
Sangamon county. WILLIAM S. mar-
ried Parthenia Bates. They have one
child, and live two miles northwest of
Williamsville. JAMES H. married
Mary Keagle. They have two living
children, WILLIAM and LUCY, and live two
and a half miles northwest of Williams-
ville. MARY A. married March 29,
1871, to James H. Groves, and reside two
miles east of Williamsville. Mrs. Martha
B. Constant died June i, 1850. G. W.
Constant was married Oct. 7, 1852, to
Mary W. Stapleford. She was born in
Milford, Kent county, Del., and came to
Springfield Oct. 14, 1836, in company
with her brother-in-law, Benjamin S.
Clements, who was the first Mayor of
Springfield. George W. Constant and
wife reside at Williamsville.
A VERT G., born June 8, 1821, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county
to Louisa Fisher. They had six children.
JULIA, the third child, married James
Bates. See his name. ELLEN and
ALBERT died young. CHARLES A.
lives .in Springfield. ISAAC F. and
A VERY live with their mother. Averv
G. Constant died March 6, 1858, and his
widow resides at Williamsville.
.SAM TEL D., born Feb. 21, 1823,
died, aged six years, in Kentucky.
JAMES, born July 12, 1825, in Ken-
tucky, died in Sangamon county March 2,
1842.
"*"Tsaac Constant died Dec. 25, 1854, and
his widow died July 7, 1860, both in Wil-
liams township.
COOPER, A M BROSE, brother
to Meredith, was born Dec. 18, 1796, in
Botetourt county, Va., and taken by his
parents to Smith county, Tenn., where he
was married to Mary Kilbraith. They
had two children in Tenn., and in 1821
moved to St. Clair county, 111., where they
had one child, and moved to Sangamon
county in the fall of 1823, and settled two
miles east of the present town -of Sher-
man, where they had one child. Of their
four children
HUGH L., born in Tennessee, and
married in Sangamon county, to Elizabeth
Taylor. They moved to Iowa, where he
died, leaving a widow and five children.
One of them married and remained in
Iowa. The mother and four children
moved to Piatt county, 111. Two of the
sons married there, and moved to Kansas.
The widow and two children live in
Piatt county.
WILLIAM, born in Tennessee,
raised in Sangamon county, went to Cal-
ifornia, and was married there to Sarah
Ide. He came back to Sangamon coun-
ty, and after a stay of some years, started
on his return to California with his family.
He died at sea, one day's sail from New
Orleans, leaving a widow and two child-
ren. ANN E. is married and lives at
Lebanon, Linn county, Oregon. ALICE
and her mother reside at Red Bluff,
Tehama county, Cal.
ANN, born in St. Clair county, married
Samuel Yocom. See his name.
MEREDITH C., born May 29, 1824,
in Sangamon county, married in 1846 to
Frances A. Chapman. They have five
children, and live in Williams township.
Mrs. Mary Cooper died Oct. 17, 1827.
Ambrose Cooper was a soldier from San-
gamon county in the Black Hawk war,
in 1831, and when the campaign was over
he went to the Galena lead mines, remain-
ing until the spring of 1832, where he en-
listed in another campaign against the
Indians, and was in the battles that
finally subdued them. He returned to
Sangamon countv, and was married in
April, 1836, to Eliza Wilson. They had
seven children, four of whom died young.
STEPHEN L., born May 6, 1840, in
Sangamon county, enlisted in Springfield,
July 20, 1861, for three years, in what be-
came Co. B, nth Mo. Inf., served full
term, and was honorably discharged Aug.
SANGAMON COUNTY.
225
i, 1864. He was married Oct. 11, 1865, to
Rebecca Summers, who was born Nov.
5, 1842, in Bracken county, Ky. They
have two children, RUFUS and AL-
VEY, and live near Dawson.
HENRY, born Aug. 12, 1842, enlisted
in Springfield July 20, 1861, in what be-
came Co. B, nth Mo. Inf., for three
years; re-enlisted as a veteran January,
1864, and was honorably discharged Jan.
20, 1866, and resides with his parents.
DABNEY, born Sept. 2, 1846, lives
with his parents.
Ambrose Cooper and wife are now
(1874) both living one mile south of Bar-
clay.
COOPER, MEDEDITH,born
April 7, 1792, in Botetourt county, Va.
His parents moved to Smith county,
Tenn., when he was a young man. Polly
Witcher was born July 21, 1794, in Cocke
county, Tenn., and her parents moved to
Smith county when she was but fifteen
years of age. Meredith Cooper and
Polly Witcher were there married, June 16,
1812. In September of that year Mr.
Cooper enlisted for three months in a
Tennessee regiment, and served four
months against the Indians in Alabama,
who were the allies of the British govern-
ment, with whom we were then at war.
Mr. and Mrs. Cooper had two children in
Tennessee. In the spring of 1817 Mr.
Cooper went to St. Clair county, 111.,
raised a crop, and returning, brought his
family in the fall of that year. The mov-
ing was done on two horses, as there were
no wagon roads; and if there had been,
they were unable to own a wagon. As a
specimen of real life at that time, I give
the statement of Mrs. Cooper, now quite
aged, that she rode one horse, carried a
child in her arms, and with a feather bed
lashed to the saddle behind, wended her
way, while her husband carried the other
child, with all the household goods and
farm implements he could put on the other
horse. Three of their children were born
in St. Clair county. The fame of the rich
soil of the San-ga-ma country was known
in St. Clair county, and Mr. and Mrs.
Cooper resolved to emigrate thither. This
time they put all their worldly goods and
five children in an ox-cart, and arrived in
the autumn of 1823 in what is now called
Fancy Creek township, near the present
29
town of Sherman, where they had seven
children. Of all their children
MARTHA, born Oct. 26, 1814, in
Tennessee, married in Sangamon county
to William Branson. See his name.
JAMES W., born Sept. 16, 1816, in
Tennessee, was married in Sangamon
county to Zarilda Taylor. They had four
children. MELISSA married Charles
Wood. They have one child, and live
near Edinburg, 111. PRISCILLA mar-
ried James Wright. They have four
children, and live near Riverton. JAS.
M. married Ellen McGinnis. They have
two children, and live three miles south-
east of Williamsville. AMBROSE died
Jan. 27, 1874, in Williams township.
James W. Cooper went to Texas, hoping
to improve his health, and died there in
1853. His widow died the next year in
Sangamon county.
MINERVA, born Sept. 21, 1818, in
St. Clair county, 111., was married in San-
gamon county to Jesse Yocom. See his
name.
MARGARET y.,born Sept. i, 1820,
in St. Clair county, was married in Sanga-
mon county to George W. Yocom. See
his name. Three of their children,
NETTIE, CLARA and MINNIE, died
in the winter of 1876.
MARY, born July 28, 1822, in St. Clair
county, was married in Sangamon county,
111., Jan. 30, 1851, to John Wilson, who
was born Feb. i, 1821, in Dumfriesshire,
Scotland. They have three children,
ANN, JAMES M. and THOMAS H.,
and reside one and a half miles east of
Riverton.
NANCY, born May 7, 1825, in Sanga-
mon county, married John Keagle. They
have seven children. CHARLOTTE
married Nathan Hussy. See his name.
SIDNEY married Samuel Smith. She
died, leaving one child, LETITIA, who
married Silas Skinner and died. JOSEPH,
SUSAN, HARLAN P. and HAR-
RISA B., reside with their parents in
Logan county, 111.
REBECCA, born Aug. u, 1827, in
Sangamon county, married James Mills.
She died Oct., 1871, in Sangamon county.
James Mills died in the spring of 1874, in
Moultrie county. Of their children:
MARY F. married Samuel Harsh, and
resides near Sullivan. LOUISA and
226
EARLY SETTLERS OF
EMMA reside near Sullivan, Moultrie
county, 111.
AMBROSE, born Sept. 13, 1829, in
Sangamon county, married Dorothy
Keagle. They have five children, MARY
J., JOHN M., AUGUSTA, GEORGE
E. L. and JAMES W., and reside near
Brownsville, Mo.
DA VID D., born August 10, 1831, in
Sangamon county, ma.rried Juliet With-
row. They have seven children, SUSIE,
JAMES A., DOUGLAS, LEE, AU-
GUSTA and EUGENE, and reside one
and a half miles east of Sherman.
ROBERT, born July 8, 1834, in San-
gamon county, was married Feb. 9, 1869,
to Lavina Garner, who was born in Wash-
ington county, Indiana. They live near
Sherman, Sangamon county, 111.
MEREDITH, Jun., born Sept. u,
1836, in Sangamon county, was married
in March, 1873, to Mrs. Emma Jones,
whose maiden- name was Watson. They
have one child, ANNA LEONORA,
and reside in east St. Louis, 111.
LOUISA, born Feb. 3, 1839, in San-
gamon county, was married Dec. 26, 1855,
to Isaac M. Raynolds, who was born in
Pike county, Ohio. They have five child-
ren, CHARLES M.JAMES A., POL-
LY E., EDWIN S. and BERTHA M.,
and reside one and a half miles east of
Sherman. The place was for many years
a trading post for the Indians, and from
about 1832 to 1856 was the family home-
stead of the Coopers. Some of the
younger members of the family i - emember
a visit to their house by Abraham Lincoln
on business. A large back log had just
been put on. It was cut from the fork of
a tree, and one limb projected quite a dis-
tance up the chimney. The children
were greatly amused to witness Mr. Lin-
coln's interest in trying to determine how
they brought it through the door and put
it in the fireplace. Meredith Cooper,
Sen., died Nov. i, 1870, in Williams
township, and his widow resides with
their daughter, Mrs. Raynolds.
COOPER, JOHN, born in 1772,
married in South Carolina, ai.d seven of
his children were born there. He moved
with his family to Jefferson county, Tenn
Some of his children preceded him to
Sangamon county. He came with his
wife Elizabeth, and remaining children,
about 1822, to what is now Cooper town-
ship. Nine daughters and three sons
came to Sangamon county. The follow-
ing are the names of the daughters,
with the surnames of the men they
married
BETST, Moffit: NANCY, Smith;
MART, Smith; LTD I A, Moore;
RACHEL, Bragg; FANNY, Dicker-
son; LUCY, Mathews; EDITH, Saun-
ders; and SUSANNAH, Keagle.
Mrs. Elizabeth Cooper died March 10,
1845, an d J onn Cooper died April 10,
1846, both in Cooper township. Of their
three sons
COOPER, EP HRI AM, brother
to Rev. John and Jacob Cooper. He was
born about 1802. in Jefferson county,
Tenn., came to Illinois when a young
man, married, raised a family in Christian
county, and died there Feb. 20, 1847.
COOPER, JOHN, was born
June 3, 1794, in South Carolina, and was
taken bv his parents to Jefferson county,
Tenn., where he was married to Susannah
Peyton, had one child, JULIA G., and
Mrs. Cooper died. Mr. Cooper was mar-
ried in the same county to Susannah
Giger, who was born Sept. 26, 1795, had
two children in Tennessee, and moved to
Sangamon county, 111., arriving April 2,
1820, and settled two miles north of where
Rochester now stands and one year later
moved to what is now Cooper township,
south of the Sangamon river. They had
nine children in Sangamon county. Of
all his children
JULIA G., born Feb. i, 1814, mar-
ried in Sangamon county to John Weicli.
He died in 1840, leaving three children.
JOHN <C. died, aged seventeen. WIL-
LIAM H. married Harriet Cooper. He
enlisted in 1861 in Co. C, 27th 111. Inf.,
for three years, re-enlisted as a veteran
Jan. i, 1864, and was severely wounded.
He died January, 1870, and Mrs. Welch
died later. They left two children.
JAMES S. WELCH is a practicing phy-
sician at Sullivan, Moultrie county, 111.
Mrs. Julia G. Welch married Chesley
Dickerson. They had one child. SUSAN-
XAH married David Clark, and resides
at Breckenridge. Chesley Dickerson died
in 1846, and Mrs. Julia G. Dickerson
married Daniel D. Johnson. See his
name. They i - eside near Breckenridge.
Children of John Cooper by the second
marriasre
SANG AM ON COUNT*.
227
MARY A., born Aug. 18, 1817, in
Tennessee, married in Sangamon county
to Lewis Churchill. See his name,
WILE}' 6 1 ., born July 30, 1819, in
Tennessee, married in Sangamon county
to Eliza Clawson, and live in Shelbyville.
LEWIS W., born Aug. 5, 1822,^11
Sangamon county, married to Elizabeth
Todd. He died July 19, 1872.
BENJAMIN H., born Nov. 1 1, 1824,
died Aug. i, 1841, aged seventeen.
PATRICK, born June 29, 1826, in
Sangamon county, married Elizabeth
Firey, have four children, JOHN H.,
JACOB P., MARY E. and LAURA
B., and reside near Edinburg, Christian
county, 111.
JAMES M., born Aug. 3, 1828, in
Sangamon county, married April, 1851,
to Mary A. Sutcliffe. They had three
children, and all died under five years.
Mrs. Cooper died Dec. 29, 1858. James M.
Cooper was married Feb. 14, 1860, at
Rochester, to Susan Stier, who was born
May 19, 1833, in Harrison county, Va.
They had four children, EMELINE F.,
IDA B., JAMES F. and MARY
MAUD, and reside in Cooper township,
fives miles east of Rochester, on a part of
the farm where his parents settled in 1821,
and where Mr. Cooper was born.
Ml VERY A y., born June 12, 1830,
died in Sangamon county March 4, 1842.
SARAH A., born Nov. 2, 1832, in
Sangamon county, married William T.
Sudduth. See his name.
JOHN S., born Aug. 14, 1836, in
Sangamon county, married to Minerva
Ross, who was born in Ohio They have
three children, AMY, SARAH ELIZA
and ANNIE, and reside at Shelbyville,
Illinois.
GEORGE G., born June 8, 1839, in
Sangamon county, died Nov. 10, 1842.
Mrs. Susannah Cooper died Sept. 21,
1859, and Rev. John Cooper died January,
1860, both in Cooper township. He was
a local minister in the M. E. church, and
preached almost as regularly as the minis-
ters in the traveling connection. He sol-
emnized the marriage of many couple
among the early settlers. He was a jus-
tice of the peace and one of the county
commissioners for many years, and when
the township organization was affected
his name was given to the township in
which he lived as a mark of respect to his
memory.
COOPER, JACOB, was born
Dec. 18, 1800, in Jefferson county, Tenn.,
was married there to Anna Walden. One
child was born in Tennessee, and they
came to Sangamon county, 111., with his
brother, Rev. John Cooper, in 1819.
Their second child was born in Sangamon
county. One child died, and Mrs. Anna
Cooper died Feb. 22, 1830. Jacob Cooper
was married to Jane Kelly, daughter of
William Kelly, of Springfield. They
had five children. Of his children
JOHN WESLETvfas born Dec. 18,
1822, in Sangamon county ; went to Mis-
souri when grown, and married there to
Anna Waldron. He died there, leaving
a widow and two children.
Children of the second marriage were
MELCINA A., born Nov. 22, 1830,
in Sangamon county, married March 3,
1848, to Milton D. McCoy. See his name.
MEL VINA C., born Aug. 27, 1832,
in Sangamon county, married Dec. 27,
1849, to Benjamin F. Stokes. See his
name. She died Sept. 15, 1850.
ELZIRAH C., born May 29, 1834,
married Benjamin F. Stokes. See his
name.
ALMARINDA, born June 26, 1836,
married Joseph A. Waddell. They have
six children, and reside in Rochester town-
ship.
WILLIAM JAMEISON, born Jan.
4, 1844, in Sangamon county, married
Dec. 7, 1865, to Mattie S. West, of
Rochester. They have two children,
NORA BELL and MATTIE. Mrs.
Mattie Cooper died April 25, 1873, and
Wm. J. Cooper married Dec. 31, 1874, *x>
Leonora O'Leary, of East. St. Louis. W.
J. Cooper resides two miles south of
Rochester.
Jacob Cooper died Aug. 22, 1864, and
Mrs. Jane Cooper died Aug. 24, 1864,
both in Sangamon county, 111.
COOK, ELI, was born Nov. 4,
1809, in Butler county, Ohio, and married
there, April 7, 1829. to Sarah Jones, who
was born Feb. 2, 1809, in Preble county,
Ohio. They moved to Indiana, and from
there to Effingham county, 111., thence to
Springfield, in 1837. Of their nine child-
ren, two died young, and of the other
seven
228
EARLY SETTLERS OF
E ME LINE, born March 7, 1832, in
Indiana, was married in Springfield, July
4, 1850, to William Morgan. Their only
child, FRANKLIN, is a printer, and
lives in Springfield. She married for a
second time, April 22, 1857, to John Fuller.
They have one child, CLARENCE.
Mrs. Emeline Fuller is now a widow, and
lives in Springfield.
AD ALINED born Sept. 6, 1833, in
Efringham county, 111., was married in
Springfield, Oct. 28, 1850, to George
Fessenden, a native of Boston, Mass.
They have three children. ASA, a tele-
graph operator, lives in Springfield, 111.
JULIA and ISABEL, the two latter re-
side with their mother, in Chicago.
ANGELINE, born Sept. 6, 1833, in
Effingham county, 111., was married in
Springfield to James W. Watson. See
his name.
H. FRANKLIN, born Sept. 14, 1836,
in Butler county, Ohio, was married in
Springfield, Dec. 23, '1858, to Lucinda
Parker, adopted daughter of J. E. Roll.
They had one living child, LEONARD,
and Mrs. Lucinda Cook died Sept. 10,
1864. Mr. Cook was married in Spring-
field, Aug. i, 1872, to Rebecca E. Baird,
a native of New Jersey. H. Franklin
Cook is a commercial traveler, with resi-
dence in Springfield.
MART E., born May 20, 1833, in San-
gamon county, was married in Spring-
field, Sept. 24, 1863, to Charles H. Ed-
mands, who was born in Charlestown,
Mass., Jan. 10, 1832. They had six child-
ren; four died young. FREDERICK D.
and GEORGE A. reside with their pa-
rents, in Springfield, 111. Hr. Edmands
is a manufacturer and dealer in stoves and
tinware.
^ JULIA R., born Dec. 16, 1839, in
Springfield, was married Feb. 21, 1861, to
James Gormley, of New Jersey. They
have three children, DORA, MAY and
AUSTIN, and live in Virginia City,
Montana.
ELB RIDGE C., born June 29,
1841, in Springfield, is married, and lives
in Cicero, Indiana.
Mr. Eli Cook was a hatter by trade,
and followed that business in Springfield.
He was Mayor of the city three terms, in
1846, '47 and '48. In 1849 he left for the
Pacific coast, and died in Nevada City,
California, March 25, 1853. His widow
resides in Springfield.
CORRELL, LEVI, was born
June 22, 1767, in New Jersey. When a
young man he went to Kentucky, and
was married Nov. 6, 1794, in Bath county,
to Mary Hicklin. They had eleven
children, four of whom died young. Of
the other seven
JOSEPH, born Oct. 8, 1795, died
when a young man.
ELIZABETH, born Jan. 18, 1797,
in Harrison county, Ky., married March
23, 1820, to Jonathan McDaniel. See his
name.
HUGH, born July 6, 1804, in Harrison
county, Ky. He was married May 2,
1826, in that county, to Mary Y. Sinclair.
They had two children in Kentucky, and
moved to Sangamon county, 111., arriving
in the fall of 1830 in what is now Mechan-
icsburg township, where they had four
children. Of their six children, ELIZA-
BETH, born May 9, 1827, in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to Robert
P. McDaniel. See his name. He died,
and she married James H. McDaniel.
See his name. CYRUS, born July 16,
1829, in Kentucky, came with his parents
to Sangamon county, married at Concord,
Morgan county, to Mary Brown. Cyrus
Correll died Dec. 23, 1868, in Sangamon
county, leaving one child, CORA, residing
with her mother, who is the wife of Pierce
Kiser, and lives in Mechanicsburg. COR-
DELIA, born Feb. 23, 1833, in Sanga-
mon county, married Feb. 18, 1858, to
John M. Carpenter, who was born March
26, 1829, in Butler county, O., and came
to Sangamon county in 1850. They have
three children, WINFORD H., DORA B. and
MINNIE c., and reside three and a half
miles northeast of Buffalo. DAVID,
born March 29, 1836, in Sangamon coun-
ty, is unmarried, and resides two and a
half miles south of Dawson. STEPHEN,
born May 12, 1838, in Sangamon county,
married March 12, 1868, to Ann M. Sem-
ple, who was born Dec. 29, 1846, in Ire-
land. They have two children, WILLIE
and MARY D., and reside two and a half
miles south of Dawson, at the family
homestead. MARY, born Sept. 7, 1840,
in Sangamon county, married Mar., 1864,
to Jesse Wheelin. Mr. Wheelin died Feb.
i, 1871, and Mrs. W. died Aug. 21, 1871.
Their only living child, CYRUSE., born July
SANGAMON COUNTT.
229
8, 1865, in Sangamon county, resides at the
family homestead, two and a half miles south
of Dawson. Hugh Correll died June I,
1854, and his widow died Sept. 7, 1874,
both where they settled in 1832, on the farm
two and a half miles south of Dawson.
MARTHA, born March 13, 1806, in
Kentucky, married Hugh McDonald.
They had five children and moved to
Texas, where Mr. McDonald and two
sons, JAMES and THOMAS, and a
daughter, MARTHA, died. Mrs. Mar-
tha McDonald returned, and died in San-
gamon county. MARY E. married Mr.
Glider, and lives in Decatur, Texas.
SUSAN died at Quincy 111., September,
1875. ANNA resides with her uncle,
Thomas Correll.
THOMAS, born Jan. 18, 1808, in Har-
rison county, Ky. He was there married.
Oct. 7, 1830, to Sally McDaniel. (She
was born Aug. 28, i8n,in Clarke county,
Ky.) They moved immediately after
they were married to Sangamon county,
111., arriving in the fall of 1830111 Mechan-
icsburg township, where they had eight
children. Of their children, M. MAR-
GARET, born July 13, 1832, married
Edwin Tomlin. See his name. WIL-
LIAM FLETCHER, born Oct. 16,1833,
married Feb. 25, 1868, to E. Fannie Pur-
viance. They have two children, FRANK
and KATE, and reside in Macon county,
111., two and a half miles southeast of Illi-
opolis. D. SIMPSON, born Sept. 3,
1835, married Feb. 25, 1874, to Lizzie
Peclen, who was born Oct. 19, 1855, in
Morgan county, O. They live two miles
south of Illinois. WARNER H., born
May i, 1837, married Dec. 20, 1866, to
Anna Simpson, who died in 1867, and he
married March, 1871, to Lizzie St. Clair.
They have three children, THOMAS, SAM-
UEL and ESSIE MAY, and live near Pleas-
ant Plains, 111. CORNELIUS, born
May 19, 1839, married March 12, 1863, to
Carrie A. Cass. She was born Dec., 1845,
and was a daughter of William Riley
Cass. They had two children, FLORA c.
and VIRGIL, and Mrs. Correll died
April i, 1866. Mr. Correll was mar-
ried Nov. 16, 1869, to Lidie N. Davies, in
Philadelphia. She was born there May
30, 1843, of Scotch and English parents,
and graduated in 1865 in one of the insti-
tutions of learning in her native city. They
had three children, FANNY MARY, JESSIE
NEWTON and HEBER WILBER; the latter
died in infancy, and Mrs. Lidie N. Correll
died March 23, 1874. Cornelius Correll
is a graduate in the Law department of
Michigan University, Ann Arbor. He is
now a member of the firm of Correll & Co.,
druggists, Springfield. JOHN, born June
5, 1841, resides with his parents. LEVI
S., born Aug. 14, 1843. He is a graduate
of the Medical department of Ann Arbor
University, Michigan. He is member of
the firm of Correll & Co., composed of
the brothers Cornelius, John and Levi S.,
druggists, Springfield. Levi S. was'mar-
ried July 8, 1874, in Springfield, to Lou
Freeman. They reside in Springfield.
FANNIE, born August 22, 1846, in San-
gamon county, married Oct. 29, 1869, to
Isaac Funk. They have two children,
ARTHUR and MABEL; the latter died in in-
fancy. They reside at Funk's Grove,
near Shirley, McLean county. Thomas
Correll and his wife reside within one mile
of where they settled in 1830. It is two
and a half miles southeast of Dawson.
Thomas Correll says* that he raised a
crop of corn in Kentucky, during the
summer of 1830, and sold it for $75.00
He spent $5 oo in getting married, and
brought the remaining $70.00 with him.
He fed his father's stock during the winter
of 1830 and '31, (being the winter of the
" deep snow,") for which he received $30,
making an even $100. With that money
he came to Springfield and entered his
first eighty acres of land. Having secured
his land, he had not a cent of money to
pay a hotel bill, and a man by the name of
Constant hearing him relate his situation,
kept him over night and trusted him for
it. The ferryman at the Sangamon river
took him over on the same terms, and that
was the way he laid the foundation for his
home. When they commenced keeping
house they had neither a table nor chair.
He made a shelf on the wall, and from
that the first meal was taken standing.
His wife's uncle, Henry McDaniel, was
with them, and he praised her cooking, to
keep her courage up. Mr. Correll, dur-
ing the summer of 1831, rode eight miles
to help David Riddle harvest his wheat,
and returned home every night. He re-
ceived sixty-two and a half cents per day
for his labor. The first wheat he raised
for himself he harvested with a reap hook,
or sickle, tramped it out with horses,
2 3
EARL? SETTLERS OF
hauled it to St. Louis, one hundred miles,
and sold it for fifty cents per bushel. As
he accumulated some money, he bought
fat hogs, and drove them to St. Louis.
One year he made some money, and feel-
ing liberal, he overpaid some of the men
who helped him. The next year he lost
all, and was thirty-seven and a half cents
short in money to pay his hired help.
One of those who had been overpaid by
him the year before, would not suffer any
reduction, and he had to raise the money
in some other way. He thought that was
not very encouraging, but his success in
life since, makes the contrast very strik-
ing.
SUSANNAH, born Oct. 9, 1809, in
Kentucky, married Jacob Morgan. See
his name.
SARAH, born Dec. 31, 1811, in Ken-
tucky, married Jacob Constant. See his
name.
Mrs. Mary H. Correll died July TO,
1816, in Kentucky, and Levi Correll was
married July 17, 1817, to Mrs. Elizabeth
Sinclair, whose maiden name was Phillips.
She was born July 27, 1807, in Northum-
berland county, Va. Her father died
when she was quite young, and her
mother, with her son and daughter, moved
to Harrison county, Ky. Mr. and Mrs.
Correll had two children in Kentucky,
and moved to Sangamon county, 111., ar-
riving in the fall of 1830, in what is now
Mechanicsburg township. Of their two
children
WILLIAM, born August 16, 1818, in
Harrison county, Ky., was married in
Sangamon county, Dec. 7, 1848, to Per-
melia A. Simpson. They had three
children. CYRUS died in infancy.
HENRY OWEN married Ada Elkin,
and lives near Mechanicsburg. MARY
EVA lives with her parents, three miles
west of Mechanicsburg. William Correll
says that himself and his half-brother,
John Sinclair, broke forty acres of prairie
in 1831, northeast of the old state house
square, in Springfield. It included the
land where Everybody's Mill, the jail,
Opera House and Journal office now
stand.
ELIZA, born Dec., 1821, in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to Talbott
Lyon. They had four children, and Mr.
Lyon and all the children died. Mrs.
Lyon married in Sangamon county to
Gardner Bruce. They reside at Atchison,
Kansas. Mrs. Elizabeth Correll has two
children by her first husband, Mr. Sin-
clair.
MART }'. Sinclair, born July 27,
1807, in Northumberland county, Va.,
married Hugh Correll. Sec his name.
JOHN Sinclair, born in 1808, in
Virginia, married in Sangamon county
to Mrs. Miriam Massey, whose maiden
name was Constant. They had several
children, and the parents and all except
two of the children are dead. Their
daughter, Miriam, married Narcissus
Rivaud, and reside at Kankakee. John
Sinclair, Jun., went to South America,
married a Spanish lady, and resides there.
Levi Correll died May 2, 1845, and
Mrs. Elizabeth Correll died Nov. 10,
1852, both in Sangamon county.
COUNCIL, DAVID G., was
born Jan. 15, 1817, in Montgomery county,
Tenn. Came to what is now Christian
county, 111.; then to Sangamon county in
the autumn of 1830. He came to Spring-
field in 1838, where he was married
March 28, 1839, to Mary J. Donaldson,
who was born in Kentucky in 1818.
They had seven children, namely
LOUISA, born May 14, 1841, was
married Dec. 28, 1865, to Jacob S.
Wright, who was born June n, 1841, in
Owen county, Ind. They have one child,
CHARLIE. Jacob S. Wright came to
Springfield in August, 1866. His father
was a soldier in the war of 1812; was
wounded in the head during an engage-
ment with the Indians, and but for the
interposition of Tecumseh would have
been killed. He was made prisoner, taken
to Sandusky, and retained there until
exchanged. J. S. Wright enlisted at Lin-
coln, 111., as a private, in Co. E, yth 111.
Inf.; served three months, and re-enlisted
in 1862 in Co. H, io6th 111. Inf.; was at
the siege and capture of Vicksburg, and
in the expedition and capture of Little
Rock, Ark.; served full time, and was
honorably discharged in 1865, at Spring-
field, 111., where he now lives.
WILLIAM M., born Feb. 8, 1843, in
Springfield, was married Jan. 5, 1864, to
Mary E. Huffman, who was born May n,
1845, m Cincinnati, Ohio. Mrs. Mary
E. Council died Sept. 2, 1871, leaving two
children, MINNIE and ARTHUR, who
reside with their father. William M.
SANGAMON COUNTY.
2 3 [
Council was married June 9, 1875, in
.Springfield, to Jennie Barkley, who was
born Sept. i, 1841, in Lafayette, Christian
county, Ky. W. M. Council lives in
Springfield.
ffAMES, born Feb. 9, 1845, '" Spring-
field, 111., was married there, April 30,
1860, to Alsinda A. Shawn, who was
born Sept. 4, 1848, in Newark, Ohio.
She is a niece of Judge Shawn, of Me-
nard county. They have two children,
FRANK A. and FLORENCE A.
James Council is a contractor and builder,
;iml resides in Springfield, 111.
DA \'ID G., Jun., born Dec. 2, 1846, in
Springfield, was married there, July 15,
1868, to Mrs. Jennie Kimble, whose
maiden name was Richmond. She
was born in 1846, in Painesville, O.
Thev have one child, OLIVE L., and
live in Springfield, 111.
MART E., born June 15, 1851, in
Springfield, was married there, August
12, 1869, to Thomas D. Hirst, who was
born June 7, 1836, in Loudon county Va.
Thev have two children, EDDIE L. and
HARRY E. T. D. Hirst is running a
plaining mill in Clinton, 111., and lives
there.
MARTHA J.. born August 2, 1853,
and
JOHN 7\ born June 4, 1856, reside
with their mother.
When D. G. Council came to Illinois,
he left five sisters in Tennessee, whom he
completely lost sight of. He accidentally
heard that one sister had moved to Marion
county, 111. He visited her family, and
after the close of the rebellion he visited
his old home in Tennessee. He found his
sisters still residing there with their fami-
lies. Some of their sons had been in the
Union army, and others had joined the
rebels. One of his nephews from Chris-
tian county, 111., was a prisioner at one
time, and guarded by another nephew.
(The boys were own cousins.) Two of
those who went in the rebel army were
killed or died in the service, and the re-
mainder were doing well, and still resided
in Tennessee. D. G. Council was the
pioneer of stair building in Springfield,
and foreman for Hannan & Ragsdale in
their extensive contracts. He died in
Springfield, 111., August 28, 1875, and his
widow resides in the citv.
COUNCIL, WILLIAM, born
Oct. i, 1791, near Tarboro, Edgecomb
county, N. C. He was a brother to Hardy
Council. About 1800 the family moved
to Tennessee, thence to Barren county,
Ky., and from there to White county, 111.
William Council was there married, Nov.,
1819, to Mary Graves, who was born
June 15, 1802, in East Tennessee. Thev
had one child, and moved to Sangamon
county, arriving in the fall of 1821 north
of Springfield, and kept a ferry on Sanga-
mon river near where Carpenter's mill
now stands. They had nine children in
Sangamon county, namely
GEORGE W., born Jan. 2, 1820, in
White county, 111., married Sept. 28, 1843,
in Sangamon county, to Jane Mitts.
They had eleven children, namely :
WILLIAM C., born Oct. 26, 1844, en-
listed August, 1862, in Co. C, 114111 111.
Inf., for three years, served full term, and
was honorably discharged Aug. 3, 186^.
He was married April i, 1869, in Illiopo-
lis, to Melissa A. Meredith, who was born
June 25, 1849, in Orange county, Ind.
She died April 29, 1873. He lives three
miles west of Illiopolis. MARY A. mar-
ried Charles Sweet, have two children,
WILLIAM and ANNIE, and live in Topeka,
Kan. JOHN M., born June 7, 1851,
married Sept. 21, 1871, in Sangamon
county, to Elizabeth E. Hay, born June
9, 1850, in Holmes county, O., have two
children, FLORA BELLE and ROBERT AR-
THUR, and live four miles west of Illiopo-
lis. NELSON L., ELIZABETH,
CHARLES F., HENRY N., FLORA
M., EMMA E., GEORGE G. and AN-
NIE J., live with their parents, four miles
west of Williamsville.
MARTHA A., born Jan. 30, 1822, in
Sangamon county, married Stephen Yo-
com. See his name.
SARAH, born Nov. 23, 1826, in San-
gamon county, resides with her brother,
Hardy F. M.
NANCT J., born May 27, 1828, mar-
ried John Cline. See his name.
ELIZABETH, born April 3, 1830,
married Oliver P. Canterbury. See his
name.
WILLIAM R., born March 30, 1832-,
married March 23, 1871, to Nancy E.
Wigginton, and live in Menard county,
three and a quarter miles northwest of
Williamsville.
232
EARLY SETTLERS OF
MART (7., born Feb. 26, 1834, mar-
ried Dr. Henry Van Metre. See his name.
NELSON Z., born Jan. 18, 1839, mar-
ried Mary Lynch. They have seven
children, and reside in Menard county,
four miles northwest of Williamsville.
HARDT F. M., born Feb. 10, 1841,
enlisted August, 1862, in Co. C, U4th 111.
Inf., for three years, served full term, and
was honorably discharged Aug. 3, 1865.
He was married Feb. 10, 1870, to Charity-
Ray, who was born in Ohio Jan. 22, 1850.
They have one living child, OLIVER P.,
and reside at the homestead settled by his
father in 1821. It is in Fancy Creek
township, five miles west of Williamsville.
William Council died July 8, 1846, and
his wife died Jan. 25, 1869, both in Sanga-
mon county.
COUNCIL, HARDY, born
Sept. 20, 1793, near Tarboro, N. C., was
taken by his parents to Tennessee, thence
to Barren county, Ky., and from there to
White county, near Carmi, 111. He was
there married, in 1818, to Jane Hanna,
who was born Feb. 25, 1795, in Kentucky,
They moved on horseback the next year
to Sangamon county, 111., arriving in
August, 1819, in what is now Fancv
creek township, preceding his brother
William two years. Mrs. Council car-
ried a sack of wheat on the horse she
rode, besides many household implements.
Mr. Council carried all he could in the
way of tools and other articles necessary
for farming. He commenced improve-
ments by building a camp or rough cabin.
He was unable to obtain a plow, but being
anxious to raise some wheat for a begin-
ning, he took a grubbing hoe, or old fash-
ioned mattock, and dug up about one acre
and a half, near the junction between
prairie and timber, and on the ground
thus prepared, sowed the wheat brought
by his wife, and raised a good crop.
When the land was surveyed and brought
into market, there was a line between his
cabin and where he raised his crop of
wheat. He could only enter one piece,
and he chose that with the house on it.
The land where the wheat grew was en-
tered bv another person, who never culti-
vated it, but allowed a growth of young
cottonwood trees to start on it, which has
made quite a grove, that can be seen for
several miles; many of the trees are more
than two feet in diameter each. Mr.
Council and Robert McClelland came
together, and they cut an ample supply of
grass, and stacked it for their horses and
cattle. They knew nothing of the danger
of prairie fires, and before they were aware
of the importance of protecting it, their
hay was all burned. They kept their
stock alive by cutting down elm trees, so
that they could eat the buds. Mr. and
Mrs. Council had seven sons born at that
place, two of whom died in infancy. Of
the other five
JOHN //., born May 19, 1822, mar-
ried Edna Lake. They have five children,
JAMES H., CHARLES F JOHN W.
and GEORGE R., the two latter twins,
and ANNA F., and reside near where his
father settled in 1819, three miles west of
Sherman.
WESLEY, born Nov. 21, 1824,- was
married April 14, 1853, to Martha A.
Wigginton. They had twelve children,
nine of whom died under thirteen years,
the other three, JOHN, WILLIE and
NELLIE reside with their parents in
Williamsville.
WILLIAM F., born Jan. 21, 1828,
married Rosanna England. They have
seven children, MARY F., WILLIAM
H., FLORA J., DAVID E., GEORGE
A., NORA E. and U. S. GRANT, who
reside with their parents in Menard
county.
ROBERT, born March 23, 1831, mar-
ried Ellen Cresee. They have three liv-
ing children, JOHN W., MABEL and
LILLIE M., and reside in Menard coun-
ty, five miles northwest of Williamsville.
GEORGE W., born August 6, 1834,
enlisted Oct. 25, 1862, in Co. B, i3Oth 111.
Inf., for three years, was transferred to
Co. G, ist New Orleans Vol. Inf., in
which he was 2d Lieut. He served in
that capacity nearly one year after the
close of the war, and was honorably dis-
charged. He was married March 24,
1868, to Olivia L. Miller, who was born
Feb. 17, 1851, in West Liberty, O. They
have two children. CLIFFORD and
IDA E., and reside at the homestead set-
tled by his parents in 1819, in Fancy
creek township.
Mrs. Jane Council died March 30, 1863,
and Hardy Council died July 26, 1873,
both in Sangamon county, 111.
COWGILL, WILLIAM M.,
was born near Lebanon, Warren county,
SANGAMON COUNTT.
2 33
Ohio, and was married early in 1832, in
Lebanon, to Clemantine Sayre, a native of
the same county. They moved in the
spring of that year to Springfield, 111., and
had five children, namely
WILLIAM B., born March 29, 1833,
in Springfield, and married in his native
glace May 16, 1855, to Margaret D.
prigg, who was born Aug. 18, 1833, in
Effingham county, 111. They have three
children, born in Springfield. WILLIAM
C., born March 12, 1858; JOHN AL-
BERT, Jan. 17, 1860, and DUNCANS.,
Oct. 6, 1868, all reside with their parents
in Springfield. William B. Cowgill is a
dealer in real estate.
CATHARINE L., born in Spring-
field, married June 30, 1852, to Daniel C.
Brown. See his name.
ALBERT H., born in Springfield,
married Mary L. Brown, and live in his
native city.
MART CLEMANTINE and
CORNELIA SATRE, reside in
Springfield. The former is a teacher in
the Bettie Stuart Institute.
William M. Cowgill was engaged in
mercantile pursuits from 1832 to 1844,
in Springfield, when he moved to
Petersburg. Mrs. Clemantine S. Cow-
gill died in 1854, and William M. Cowgill
died in 1862, both in Petersburg, Menard
, county, 111.
COX, GEORGE, was born in
South Carolina, came to Sangamon county
with William and Joseph Drennan, in
March, 1818, and died in November, 1819.
His son, Jesse Cox, lives in Virden.
COX, SAMUEL, uncle to the
Hampton brothers. He had two sons,
Samuel and Sowell. Sowell owned the
farm adjoining Mechanicsburg on the
west. The house in which he lived was
the only brick house between Decatur
and Springfield. They came in 1825, and
about 1838 moved to the vicinity of Pal-
myra, Mo.
CRAFTpN, WILEY, was born
Jan. 25, i8oi,in Lunenburgh county, Va.,
went to Trimble county, Ky., where he
was married in 1824 to Agnes Chalfant,
who was born in that county about 1801.
They had two children in Kentucky, and
moved, early in 1831, to Vandalia, 111.,
where they had one child, and the same
year moved to Sangamon county, I linois.
They returned, in a short time, to Ken-
3
tucky, then came back to Sangamon coun-
ty, where they had four children. Of
their children
WILLIAM P., born May 25, 1826, in
Trimble county, Ky., raised in Sangamon
county, Illinois, married Nov. 28, 1855,
in St. Louis, Mo., to Eliza C. Har-
rison. They have three children, PEY-
TON L., AGNES E., and WILLIAM
P., and reside in Springfield. Wm. P.
Crafton was elected Police Magistrate at
the Springfield city election, April, 1876.
THOMAS T., born May 27, 1828, in
Trimble coimty, Ky., raised in Sangamon
county, married in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, to
Miss Dawson. They have two children,
and reside in Atlantic, Cass county, Iowa.
MART, born in 1831, at Vandalia, 111.,
married Dr. J. L. Million, and resides in
Springfield.
Wiley Crafton lives in Springfield.
CRAIG, WILLIAM, was born
in 1790, in Fayette county, Ky. He was
married April 20, 1821, near Stanford,
Lincoln county, to Mary P. Swope, who
was born there June 20, 1794. In 18?"
they moved to Williamson county, ne?
Franklin, Tenn., where they had five child-
ren. The family moved to Sangamon
county, 111., arriving in the spring of 1832
in what is now Island Grove township,
south of Spring creek, where they had
two children. Of their seven children
ANDRE W E., born Feb. 22, 1822,
in Tennessee, died April 20, 1861, in San-
gamon county.
WILLIAM, Jim., born Aug. 24, 1823,
in Tennessee, enlisted Aug. 15, 1862, for
three years, in Co. A, io6th 111. Inf.,
served full term, and was honorably dis-
charged Aug. 12, 1865.
MARGARE T P., born Feb. 4, 1827,
in Tennessee, is unmarried, and resides at
the family homestead.
JAMES P., born May, 1829, in Ten-
nessee, died in Sangamon count}' Oct. 19,
18=52.
yOHN B., born Nov., 1830, in Ten-
nessee, died in Sangamon countv Jan. 30,
MART M., born June 14, 1836, in
Sangamon county, married Oct. 11, 1867,
to Ammi C. Cheever, who was born Nov.
1 6, 1 825, in Boston, Mass. They have two
children, MARY A. and \VILLIS C.,
and reside at the family homestead, in
2 34
EARLY SETTLERS OF
Island Grove township, three miles north
of Bates.
RICHARD B., born Aug. i, 1837, in
Sangamon county, resides at the family
homestead.
William Craig died Oct. 2, 1847, anc '
Mrs. Mary P. Craig died Dec. 25, 1871,
both on the farm where thev settled in
1832.
CRESSE, GEORGE, was born
May 16, 1808, in Cape May county, N. J.,
came to Springfield, 111., in Aug., 1839.
In the spring of 1841 he returned to New
Jersey, and was there marrifed, Sept. 2,
1841, to Maria Marcy,who was born Feb.
17, 1823, near Hartford, Conn. He came
with his bride back to Sangainon county,
arriving Nov. 10, 1841. They moved to
Menard county, and had four children.
The family moved back to Sangamon
county, near Pleasant Plains, in 1857,
where they had one child. Of their five
children
ELLEN, born in Menard county,
married Robert Council. See his name.
ED WARD M., CA THARINE L.,
(is a teacher,) MATTHEW IV., and
CORDELIA S. resjde with their
father.
Mrs. Maria Cresse died April 22, 1862,
and George Cresse, with his two sons and
two daughters, reside adjoining Sherman
on the northwest. 1874.
CROCKER, G. W., was born
July 29, 1814, in Cheshire county, N. H.
He was married February, 1839, in Am-
hcrst, Mass., to Lois K. Thayer, who was
born there in 1814. They moved to San-
gamon county in company with his father-
in-law, Asahel Thayer, arriving at Chat-
ham May 19, 1839. They had ten child-
ren, five of whom died in infancy and
childhood. Of the other five children
EDWARD A., born March 3, 1840,
in Sangamon county, was attending Illi-
nois College, at Jacksonville, when he
died, aged nineteen years.
WILLIAM B., born March 9, 1842, in
Chatham, enlisted in Co. I, 73d 111. Vol.
Inf., was wounded at the battle of Perrv-
ville, and died at Taylorville, 111., Aug. n,
1 86^, aged twenty-three years.
SARAH T., born March 21, 1846,111
Sangamon county, was married Sept. i,
1864, to Dr. B. W. Fox, of Springfield.
She died in Taylorville, May 15, 1869,
leaving one child, LOIS F., who resides
with her grand-parents in Taylorville
Dr. B. W. Fox died June 20, 1875, at
Quincy, 111. His remains were buried at
Taylorville.
GEORGE B., born Jan. 31, 1849, in
Chatham, married Nannie Richardson.
They have one child, EDWARD W.,
and reside at Taylorville.
ARTHUR H., born May 31, 1857, at
Chatham, resides with his parents in Tav-
lorville, to which place they moved from
Chatham in 1867.
Mrs. Crocker gives a short account of
the Chatham Ladies' Aid Society. It was
organized Nov. 21, 1861, and disbanded
early in '63. The society was small, but
they made three large boxes of bedding
and clothing suitable for tent and hospital,
besides making up ten webs of domestic
for the Springfield Soldiers' Aid Society.
CROW, ROBERT, was born in
1781, in Wythe county, Va. Margaret
Kershner was born in 1787, in Augusta
county, Va., where they were married, and
soon after moved to Christian county, Ky.
They had eight children there, and moved
to Sangamon county, 111., arriving in 1822,
in what is now Auburn township. Of
their children
JANE married Philip Wineman, and
died. See his name.
DA \ ID, born in Kentucky, never
married, and lives with his sister, Mrs.
Moore.
EDWARD, born in 1810, in Ken-
tucky, died unmarried, in Sangamon
county, July 28, 1868.
WILLIAM D., married July 17, 1846,
to Julia A. Messick. They had seven
children in Sangamon county. MAR-
GARET E. married George E. Stoke,
and resides in Ball township. WIL-
LIAM T., JAMES G., ABRAHAM
LINCOLN, CHARLES H., PIER-
BERT A. and ADA M. Wm. D. Crow
died April 27, 1869, and his widow and
children reside at Crow's mill.
MART, born in Kentucky, married
Wm. McAllister, and had one child. All
three died at the family homestead, near
Crow's mill.
ELIZABETH, born in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to Morrison
M. Moore. See his name.
GRANDISON B., born in Chester
county, Ky., was raised in Sangamon
county, and went to Oregon in 1847, an< ^
SANGAMON COUNT!.
2 35
in Sept., 1848, went to California, gold
having been discovered there in June,
1848. After spending eighteen years
there, he returned to Sangamon county, in
1866, and now resides at the family home-
stead, in Ball township. 1874.
FRANCES J/., born in Kentucky,
married in Sangamon county to George
Armitage, and resides near Palmer City,
Christian county.
Robert Crow died Sept., 1840, and his
widow died Sept., 1851, both in Ball town-
ship.
CROW, WILLIAM, was born
March 5, 1793, in Botetourt county, Va.
Three brothers, John, Thomas and An-
drew Crow, came from Ireland to Amer-
ica during the Revolutionary war. John
was the father of him whose name heads
this sketch. John Crow moved to Barren
county, Kv., when William was a child.
William Crow and Miriam Enyart were
married in Cumberland county, Ky., and
had one child. In 1819 they moved to
Madison county, 111., where he was or-
dained to preach the gospel by the recog-
nized authorities of the Old School, or
Regular Baptist, church. In the fall of
1820 he moved to what is now Salisbury,
or Cartwright, township, in Sangamon
county, north of Richland creek, where
thev had one child, and Mrs. Miriam
Crow died, Aug. 7, 1823. William Crow
was married in the fall of 1824, in Cum-
berland county, Ky., to Susan Hall. On
his return to Sangamon county, he sold
out and settled in what is now the south-
east corner of Cass county, where two
children were born. Of his four children
JEROME E., born Sept. 2, 1817, in
Cumberland county, Ky., was brought by
his parents to Sangamon county, married
in Cass county, June 19, 1844, to Eliza J.
Brockman. They have five children, two
of whom are married, and all live with
and near their parents, in the vicinity of
Humboldt, Richardson countv, Neb.
REBECCA W., born June 9, 1821,
ia Sangamon county, and is believed to
have been the first white child born on
Richland creek. She was married Oct. 9,
1844, in Cass county, to Washington A.
Mitchell, who was born Dec. 21, 1816, in
Logan county, Ky. They have five
children, WILLIAM I., CHARLES C.,
JOHN L., ALBERT J. and ANNAH
E., and reside in the southeast corner of
Cass countv, one mile southwest of Ash-
land, 111.
JOHN H., born March 14, 1826, in
Cass county, married Sarah F. Dillon, of
Sangamon county. They have three child-
ren, and reside in Tecumseh, Neb. See
Dillon family.
MARY A., born Dec. 18, 1828, mar-
ried August, 1848, in Cass county, to
James L. Beggs. They have eight child-
ren, three of whom are married, and one
of the married daughters resides in Chi-
cago. Mr. and Mrs. Beggs reside in
Ashland.
Mrs. Susan Crow died April n, 1845,
in Cass county, and Rev. William Crow
died Aug. 22, 1865, at Brownsville, Neb.
He preached from the time he came to
Sangamon county until about 1860, a min-
istry of forty years. He was known to
all Baptists throughout central Illinois.
CROUCH, DAVID, born Sept.
29, 1814, in Nicholas county, Ky., came to
Sangamon county, Rochester township, in
August, 1834. He was married March
29, 1835, to Mrs. Clara Ann Stafford,
whose maiden name was Gregory. They
had five children in Sangamon county
PR CD A ANN, born Jan. 26, 1837,
married March 18, 1858, to John S.Craig,
have two children, EMMA L. and
MARY L., and live near Morrisonville.
DELIA ANN, born Jan. 25, 1840,
married in Sangamon county Jan. 8, 1857,
to A. D. Young, born Feb. 28, 1837, m
Shelby county, Ky. They have one
child, JULIA D., born in Anderson
county, Ky., and live one and a quarter
miles south of Rochester.
JONATHAN G., born Jan. 18, 1843,
married Nov. 26, 1867, to Margaret A.
Bell. They have two children, FRED-
DIE and EDDIE R., and live two miles
south of Rochester.
WILLIAM H., born Oct. 15, 1846,
married March 16, 1872, to Emma Crouch.
They live two miles west of Breckenridge.
K1T7^Y A., born Oct. n, 1851, mar-
ried Henry George. They have one
child, and reside four miles east of Pawnee.
David Crouch died Sept. 14, 1871, in
Sangamon county, and his widow resides
one and a quarter miles south of Roches-
ter.
CROWL, JOSEPH, was born
Sept. 3, 1794, in Shepherdstown, Va. He
was a soldier from Maryland in the war
236
EARL? SETTLERS OF
of 1812, and was married Jan. i, 1817, in
Washington county, Md., to Mary A.
Dillihunt, who was born Feb. 22, 1804, in
Kent county > Md. They had ten children
in Washington county, Md., three of
whom died young. They moved to San-
gamon county, 111., arriving in the fall of
1834, at Springfield, and the next spring
moved to what is now Cooper township,
south of the Sangamon river, where they
had five children. Of their twelve child-
ren
MORDECAI, born July 20, 1820, in
Maryland, married December, 1869, in
Springfield, to Catharine E. Crowl, a
native of Berkley county, Va. They re-
side four miles southeast of Pawnee, in
Christian county. /
UPTON, born Feb. 7, 1822, in Mary-
land, served one year from June, 1846, in
the 4th 111. Inf., under Col. E. D. Baker,
in the Mexican war. He was married in
1850, in Sangamon county, to Sarah E.
Taggart. They had one living child,
MARY J., born April 22, 1858, married
Feb. 10, 1874, in Springfield, to Eugene
W. Renshaw, who was born June 25,
1851, in Decatur. He is a grandson of
James, who was a brother to Samuel Ren-
shaw. See his name. E. W. Renshaw
lives one and a half miles northeast of
Berry station. Upton Crowl died March
8, 1872, and his widow resides one and a
half miles northeast of Berry, or Clarks-
ville.
CORNELIA, born Oct. 18, 1823, in
Maryland, married in Sangamon county,
April 1 8, 1839, to Stephen Hussey. See
his name.
MART E., born Nov. 13, 1825, in
Maryland, married in Sangamon county
to William R. Ross. See his name.
JOSEPH F. and JACOB J.
(twins), born Aug. 30, 1827, in Maryland;
the latter died young.
JOSEPH F. was raised in Sangamon
county, went with his sister (Mrs. Hussey)
to Oregon, and was married May, 1853,
in Yamhill county, to Julia A. Shortridge.
They had nine living children. Eight of
their children were born in Oregon.
They reside near Nashville, Barton coun-
ty, Mo.
ROBERT F., born July 5, 1829, in
Maryland, died in Sangamon county,
Aug. 14, 1843.
MIRANDA, born Oct. 18, 1831, in
Maryland, married in Sangamon county
to Isaac T. Darnall. See his name. He
died, and she married, Feb. n, 1873, to
George W. Taylor, and live in Cooper
township.
VAN BASSETT, born April 8,1836,
in Sangamon county, married in same
county, Feb. 9, 1864, to Eliza Crowl.
They have two children, and live in Chris-
tian county, four miles southeast of Paw-
nee.
VINTON, born June 12, 1838, in San-
gamon county, died April 19, 1852.
HELEN, born May 26, 1840, in San-
gamon county, married Dec. 24, 1863, to
Thomas F. Morris, who was born Nov.
12, 1834, in Clarke county, O. They have
two children, MARY LIDA and ISAAC
C., and reside in Cooper township, three
and a half miles southwest of Mechanics-
burg.
MARIA A., born Feb. 14, 1843, in
Sangamon county, married May 11, 1867,
to Samuel Carper, who was born April
30, 1829, in Shepherdstown, Va. They
have three childrenJOSEPH W.JOHN
B. and MORDECAI I., and reside at the
family homestead where her parents set-
tled in 1835, m Cooper township. It is
one and a half miles north of Berry sta-
tion, or Clarksville.
WILLIAM H., born April 14, 1845,
in Sangamon county, married January,
1871, to Ella Miller. They have two
children, and reside five miles southeast of
Pawnee, in Christian county.
Joseph Crowl died Sept. 8, 1865, in
Sangamon county, and his widow now
(1874) resides on the farm where they set-
tled in 1835. It is one and a half miles
north of Berry station, or Clarksville.
CROSS, ALVIN, was born Oct.,
1799, in Madison county, Ky. Margaret
Forbes was born June 24, 1802, near
Jonesboro, East Tenn. Her parents
moved to Madison county, Ky., when she
was three months old. In 1816 they
moved to Humphreys county, Tenn.
Alvin Cross went to that county, also,
when he was a young man, and was there
married, in Feb., 1818, to Margaret
Forbes. They had four children in
Tennessee, and moved to Johnson county,
111., where they had one child, and from
there to Sangamon county, arriving Jan.,
1829, in what is now Auburn township,
SANGAMON COUNTY.
2 37
where they had seven children. Three of
their children died young
SQUIRE, born in Tennessee, married
in Sangamon county to Mrs. Elizabeth
Pike, whose maiden name was Baker.
They have three children, and live at
Medoc, Jasper county, Mo.
MART A., born in Tennessee, mar-
ried in Sangamon county, to Samuel
Mitchell, and died.
R1LET and LA VINA, twins, % were
born in Tenn.
RILET enlisted in an Illinois regi-
ment, at Springfield, for the Mexican war,
in 1846, died in the army, and was buried
on the Rio Grande in 1847.
LA VINA, married in Sangamon coun-
ty to Andrew Williams, and died.
JOEL McD., born in 1827 or '8, in
Johnson county, 111., raised in Sangamon
county, went to California, married, has
two children, and lives there.
REBECCA, born in Sangamon coun-
ty, married John M. Jones, moved to
Washington county, Iowa, and died there,
leaving seven children. She had a twin
mate that died in infancy.
F. MARION, born Dec. 14, 1838, in
Sangamon county, married Nov. 16, 1870,
to Emily A. Hayden. They have one
child, WILLIAM F., and live in Cotton
Hill township, four miles north of Paw-
nee.
LEROT, born in 1840, in Sangamon
county, married Jan. 8, 1863, to Candace
A. Campbell. They had four children,
JOSEPH A. and MINNIE died young.
CLARK FORBES and FRANCES
BELL reside with their parents, in Ball
township, four miles northwest of Paw-
nee. Leroy had a twin mate that died
young.
ELIZABETH, born in Sangamon
county, married Sept. 18, 1861, to Benja-
min F. Davis, a native of Tazewell coun-
ty, 111. They have one living child,
GEORGE W., and live two and a half
miles southeast of Pawnee.
Alvin Cross died Feb., 1849, in Sanga-
mon county, and Mrs. Margaret Cross re-
sides with her daughter, Mrs. Davis.
CROWDER, PHILIP, was
born May, 1759, near Petersburg, Va.
He was married there to Susan Parish.
They had five children born there. He
then moved, in company with about forty
families, to Greene county, Ky. They all
moved on pack horses, and camped near
each other every night, with armed men
standing guard around them, for protec-
tion against the Indians. Mrs. Susan
Crowder died in 1794 in Kentuckv, and
he was there married to Rachel Saunders.
She had one child, and died there. Philip
Crowder then married Sally Chandler.
They had nine children, and moved to
Sangamon county, 111., arriving in Nov.,
1830, and settled three and a half miles
southwest of Springfield. Of all his
children
REUBEN, born in Virginia, was
married to Nancy Michael, and came to
Sangamon county in 1825, preceding his
father. They had fifteen children; three
died young. ELIJAH died, aged twenty-
one. MARTHA was married in Ken-
tucky to James Robinson, moved to San-
gamon county, thence to Macon county.
Mr. R. died, and his family reside in
Missouri. ELIZABETH married Peter
Christian. They had two children, and
Mr. C. died. His widow married Andrew
Lockwood, and both died. MARY,
born November, 1813, in Green county,
Ky., was married in Sangamon county
Feb. u, 1836, to Benjamin F. Dillard.
See his name. MATHEW married
Susan Schoolen. They live in Macon
county, Mo. THOMAS M., born July
25, 1818, was married July 22, 1840, to
Mary J. Dalby. They had seven child-
ren; three died young. SARAH A., born
Jan. 12, 1842, was married Dec. 22, 1864,
to Ole Nelson. They had three children,
Mary J., Emma E. and Maggie M.,
and live near Springfield. HENRY,
born June 19, 1844, was married June 8,
1871, to Margaret E. Williams. She died
Oct. 3, 1871. He is a practicing physician.
AGNES E., born April 6, 1847, was married
April 1 3, 1865, to F. C. Arnold. They have
two children, Fannie and Alice, and live
near San Jose, Mason county, 111. MARY A.
born Sept. 3, 1850, was married Feb. 10,
1868, to Thomas W. Miller. They have one
child, Anna M. DOUGLAS, WILLIAM A.
and JAMES F., live with their parents.
Thomas M. Crowder and family reside
four miles west of Springfield. GREEN-
BERRY married Sarah Scott, and both
died, leaving two children, in Missouri.
SUSAN married John Grabeal, who
died, and she married Philip Meekum.
They reside in Saline county, Mo.
2 3 S
EARLT SETTLERS OF
RIAL M., born April 1 1, 1821, in Greene
county, Ky., brought up in Sangamon
county, was married in Missouri to Ange-
line Scott. They have seven children.
Their daughter, LENORA, married Moses
H. Moore. See his name. The other
six children, WILLIAM A., MARY j., ISAAC
M., ALZIRA M., LAURA A. and DAISY L.,
reside with their parents near McKinney,
Collin county, Texas. JAMES married
Margaret Martin, and died January, 1876,
near New Boston, Mo. REUBEN,
Jun., went, in 1847, to Washington Terri-
tory, married there, and his wife died.
He resides near Olympia. AMANDA
married John Martin. They had four
children, and she died in .Saline county,
Mo. CATHARINE married Samuel
Casebolt, and live near Miami, Saline
county, Mo. Reuben Crowder died Sept.
8, 1835, near Springfield, and his widow
married again. She is now a widow, and
resides with the family of her son James,
near New Boston, Macon county, Mo.
MARTHA, born about 1785, near
Petersburg, Va., was married in March,
1805, in Green count v, Ky., to Lewis
Walker, a native of Virginia. They had
some children in Kentucky, and came to
Illinois in 1832, and brought up a large
family, some of whom are living in Clark
and Coles counties. Their sixth child,
JUDIAH, born Dec. 7, 1820, in Green
county, Ky., came with her parents to
vJlark county, 111., in 1832, and was mar-
ried there Dec. 3, 1840, to James C. Rob-
inson, who was born Aug. 19, 1823, in
Edgar county, 111. They have eight
children, all born in Clark county, and
the family moved to Springfield in 1869.
Of their children, NATHANIEL p., born
Jan. 25, 1842, was married in Marshall
county, 111., to Miss Benedict. SERE-
NA, born Nov., 1843, married R. S.
Briscoe. JAMES p., born May 23, 1845,
married Dora Shaw, a daughter of Judge
Shaw, of Olney, 111. J. P. Robinson
is a lawyer, and resides in Olney.
AMANDA, born April 12, 1848, lives
with her parents. RICHARD M., born
August 6, 1851, is a practicing law-
yer in Denver, Col. JENNIE and JUDIAH
M. live with their parents in Spring-
field. Hon. James C. Robinson studied
law, and was admitted to the bar, in
Marshall, Clarke county, 111., in 1852
or '3. He was elected to Congress from
that district in i858-'6o and '62. He was
the Democratic candidate for Governor in
1864, but his party being in the minority,
he was, not unexpectedly, defeated. He
represented in Congress the district in
which Springfield is situated, in 1870 and
'72. He is now a member of the law firm
of Robinson, Knapp & Shutt, of Spring-
field.
SI'S AN, born in Virginia, was mar-
ried .in Kentucky to Isaac Le Follett.
They brought up a family in Kentucky,
and both died there.
MA THE W, born in Virginia, married
Elizabeth Scott. They had five or six
children, and she died. He married Jane
Laughlin. They had one child, and he
died. His family reside in Oskaloosa,
Iowa.
ELIZABETH, born May 31, 1790,
in Virginia, married William Bradley.
See his name.
HENRT, the only child by Philip
Crowder's second marriage, was born in
Green county, Ky., went to East Tennes-
see when a boy, and remained there.
MART, born May 22, 1799, in Green
county, Ky., and the eldest child by the
third marriage, married Thomas Willian.
See his name.
ABRAHAM, born in Kentucky, mar-
ried and died without children.
JOHN C., born in Green county,
Ky., was married there to Mary Laswell.
They had two children there, and came
to Sangamon county in 1826, preceding
his father four years. Eight children
were born in Sangamon county. Of their
children, JAMES H., born Dec. 24, 1823,
in Kentucky, was married in Sangamon
county, April 10, 1849, to Mary A.
Wright*, who was born Nov. 7, 1831, in
Adair county, Ky., and came to Sanga-
mon county in 1839. They reside three
and a half miles southwest of Springfield.
SARAH J., born Dec. 12, 1825, in Ken-
tucky, was married Jan., 1850, in Sanga-
mon county, to E. J. Warren. They had
seven children, and she died July 17, 1870.
Two of her children, JOHN c. was drowned
in 1874, THOMAS j. lives in Springfield.
The other five reside with their father,
near Mount Zion, Macon county, 111.
WILLIAM, born June 5, 1828, in Sanga-
mon county, married Mary Wood. They
had three children, and he died. NANCY,
born Oct. 26, 1830, married John Harris,
SANGAMON COUNTT.
239
and died. MARY E., born April 24,
1833, died, aged seventeen years.
THOMAS J., born May 28, 1835^ was
married June 24, 1856, to Elizabeth F.
Wright, and she died Nov., 1872. He re-
sides at Wautiska, Sanders county, Neb.,
and is a Methodist minister. FRANCES,
born May 21, 1838, married Jesse Per-
kins. They have four children, and live
in Williamsville. MARTHA A., born
Sept. 25, 1840, married Theophilis Lud-
lam. They have five children, and live
near Decatur. MATILDA, born April
28, 1843, died in her fourth year. CATH-
ARINE A., born Oct. 27, 1845, 'i 1 ' 1 ''^
July 15, 1865, to Alexander H.Wright,
and lives in Springfield. Mrs. Mary
Crowder died, and J. C. Crowder mar-
ried Ursula Albans. They had four
children; one died in infancy. HENRY
C., bvrn April 21, 1855, died April 23,
1876. JOHN J. resides at Jacksonville.
JOSEPH W. resides with his brother,
James ~H. Mrs. Ursula Crowder died,
and J. C. Crowder married Mrs. Eliza-
beth Cox. They had one child, LUELLA,
and J. C. Crowder died April 10, 1863.
His widow resides at Berlin.
WILLIAM, born Feb. 11, 1804, in
Kentucky, was married there to Mary
Fawcett. They had two children, born
in Kentucky, and came to Sangamon
county in company with his brother-in-
law, Elisha Sanders, in the fall of 1829,
where eight children were born. Of
their children, ROBERT E. and JOHN,
born in Kentucky, both married in San-
gamon county, and died. MATILDA,
born Dec. 9, 1831, in Sangamon county,
was married Oct. 10, 1855, lo J^ ln J
Warren, who was born Nov. 3, 1831, in
Shelby county, 111. They have seven
living children, MARY A., WILLIAM c.,
THOMAS J., GEORGE I?. M\'., ANDREW .).,
ROBERT E. and ISAAC w. Two of the
children are married, and reside east of
Pawnee. Those that are living and sin-
gle reside with their parents, near Paw-
nee. SARAH E. married Hiram White.
JAMES M. died unmarried, aged twenty
years. WILLIAM C. married Ruth
Tillev, and resides in Palmer, 111.
AARON V. married Martha Ward, and
lives in Christian countv. ANGELINE
and BENJAMIN F. died young. STAF-
FORD and JESSE W. reside with their
parents, near Pana.
F'ANNIE married William White, in
Kentucky, came to Sangamon county in
1830, and soon returned to Kentucky.
CHANDLER, born in 1808, in Ken-
tucky, married Lucinda Sanders. They
had four children: JOHN married Cath-
arine Stroude. They have three children,
and live in Cotton Hill township. Chan-
dler Crowder was drowned in 1839, while
attempting to cross Sugar creek to reach
his sick family.
HORA T1O, born in Kentucky, came
to Sangamon countv in 1829. He mar-
ried Sallie Woozley. They had two
children in Sangamon county. NATHAN
W., born Nov. 4, 1833, was married Dec.
28, 1853, to Margaret Todd. They have
four children, JOHN H., GEORGE A., HENRY
M. and JAMES H., and reside in Pawnee.
SARAH J., born Oct. 12, 1835, was mar -
ried Jan. 28, 1853, to Seth Underwood,
who was born June 16, 1829, near Sparta,
White county, Tenn. They have seven
children, JOHN H., SARAH F., AVERY c.,
THOMAS )., JEREMIAH, LEWIS ALFRED
and WILLIE, and reside in Cotton Hill
township, Sangamon county, 111. Horatio
Crowder died about 1835, and his widow
married John M. Mathews. See his
name. She died Dec. 28, 1850.
WASHINGTON, born July 9, 1813,
in Green county, Ky., came with his
father to Sangamon county in 1830. He
was married Dec. 21, 1836, to Isabel
Laughlin. They have seven children:
JOHN F., (Dick), born Dec. 25, 1837,
married April 12, 1860, to Jane E. Las-
well. They had one child, ELM EH K.,
who died in infancy, and Mrs. C. died
May 7, 1863. Mr. C. was married Sept.
f2, ~\ 864, to Mary F. McMurry . They had
three children, LUELLA H., GKORGIE M.
and ESTELLA. Mrs. Mary F. Crowder
died June 16, 1873, in Springfield. J. F.
Crowder was married June 10, 1874, to
Nannie Womack, have one child, CLIN-
TON CARROLL, and live in Pawnee.
MARY A. died in her eighth vear.
WILLIAM A., born April 16, "1843,
married Nov. 30 1865, to Isabel W. Lan-
terman. They had four living children,
HORACE A., CHARLES L., FRED and ETHEL,
and live in Springfield. LUCELIA J.
died July 19, 1862, in her eighteenth \ear.
SADIE E. and CHARLES W." live
with their parents. GEORGE L. died
May 11,1870,111 his eleventh vear. Wash-
240
EARLY SETTLERS OF
ington Crowder and wife reside in Spring-
field, 111. See his account of the sudden
change.
ALBERT G., born Oct. 16, 1816, in
Green county, Ky., came to Sangamon
county with his parents in 1830. He was
married Dec. 29, 1840, to Sarah A. Bart-
lett. They had two children born in
Sangamon county. MARY J. married
W. W. Lapham. They have two child-
ren, w. ALF.ERT and MINNIE F., and live
at Decatur. FANNIE married John
Jamison. He was born Sept. 24, 1834, in
Glasgow, Scotland. They have three
children, MARY F., SARAH and MARIA L.
D. Mr. Jamison resides in Auburn.
Albert G. Crowder died in 1847, an< ^ ^is
widow died in 1848, both in Sangamon
county.
Philip Crowder died February, 1844,
and his widow died in September follow-
ing, both in Sangamon county. Philip
Crowder was a soldier in the revolution.
An elder brother, who had a family, was
drafted, and Philip volunteered in his
place. It was not long before the close of
the war when he was about sixteen years
of age. His son Washington remembers
hearing him repeatedly state that he was
at the siege of Yorktown, and witnessed
the surrender of Cornwallis; that he saw
the British commander hand his sword to
Washington, and that they wept and em-
braced each other. Seeing Cornwallis so
much affected, Washington said: " Never
mind it; this is the fate of war. "
CUTTER. The origin of the fam-
ily in the west was with Seth Cutter, who
was born in Boston, Mass., about 1760.
Family tradition makes him a descendant
of a family who came over in the May- x
flower in 1620. He was married in Boston
to Mary Reed. In 1790 he joined a col-
ony and decided to move west. One
account says that his five eldest daughters
rebelled, saying they would not go where
they were in danger of being devoured by
wild beasts or killed by Indians. Another
account fails to mention that he had any
daughters at the time, which leads to the
inference that if such an incident took
place, they were sisters, and not daughters.
He had but one child (a son) in Massachu-
setts. The colony went under the protec-
tion of the United States army, command-
ed by Gen. Anthony Wayne, who estab-
lished a military post where Cincinnati,
O., now stands. Seth Cutter opened a
farm which became part of the city. Por-
tions of it are yet in possession of some of
his descendants, while other portions, al-
though leased soon after his death (about
1800), the title still remains in the family.
Cutter street indicates the locality where
he settled. He brought one child Seth
R., of whom we will yet speak more fully
and had three daughters, at what be-
came Cincinnati. Martha, who is believed
to have been the first white child born in
Cincinnati, became the wife of Abraham
Price. Susan married Samuel Foster, of
Petersburg, Ky., and Mary married
Abraham McFaren. Mrs. Mary Reed
Cutter died, and Seth' Cutter married
Roxena Shingledecker. They had three
children. Abigail married William Bern-
ard, Abijah became a farmer in Hamilton
county, and Lorena, born Dec. 9, 1805,
married September, 1823, to Nicholas
Goshorn. One of their sons, A. T.
Goshorn,is now (May, 1876,) Superintend-
ent General of the Centennial Exhibition
at Philadelphia. Seth Cutter was killed
in Cincinnati about 1800, by the caving in
of a well. His son
SETH R. CUTTER, born Jan.
i, 1785, in Boston, Mass., taken by his
parents, in 1790, to Cincinnati, Ohio.
After the death of his mother, and
the second marriage of his father, he
left home and went to Grainger county,
Tenn., where he was married in June,
1806, to Elizabeth Easley, daughter of
William Easley. In December, 1809, he
returned with .his family to Cincinnati,
where he engaged in the provision trade,
mostly in New Orleans and Cuba. He
continued in that business about twenty
years. They had six children in Cincin-
nati, and then moved to Sangamon county,
111., arriving in July, 1828, in what is now
Loami township, where they had three
children. Of their nine childi'en
SARAH, born Aug. 24, 1812, in Cin-
cinnati, O., married in Sangamon county
to John Calhoun. See his name.
ABIGAIL, born Nov. 10, 1814, in
Cincinnati, O., married in Sangamon
county to Frederick Hawn. See his name.
ALBERT, born Jan. 16, 1817, in Cin-
cinnati, O. He was a confirmed invalid,
and died in Sangamon county Jan. 30, 1841.
SUSANNAH, born March 19, 1827,
SANG AM ON COUNT*.
241
in Cincinnati, O., married in Sangamon
county to John C. Hall. See his name.
MARTHA A., born Sept. 10, 1821, in
Cincinnati, O., married in Sangamon
county, January, 1842, to Oliver Diefen-
dorf. See his name. She died six weeks
after marriage.
CAROLINE E., born Feb. 13, 1825,
in Cincinnati, O., raised in 'Sang.'imon
county, and married in her native city to
Oliver Diefendorf. See his name.
\VILLIAM F., born Oct. 8, 1828, in
Sangamon county. He served from June,
1846, one year in the 4th 111. Inf., under
Col. E. D. Baker, in the war with Mexico.
In 1848 he went to California, where he
spent several years in mining, and died
there of consumption.
JOHN W. and ELIZA.; twins, born
during the "deep snow," Jan. 11, 1831, in
Sangamon county.
JOHN W. married in 1853 to Juliette
Greening. They have five children:
ALBERT lives with his parents. CAR-
OLINE, born Jan., 1857, was married
Jan., 1873, to James Mahanna, has one
child, EDITH, and lives near Lake City,
111. ANDREW, LAURA and OLI-
VER live with their parents. John W.
Cutter and wife live near Lake City,
Moultrie county, 111.
ELIZA, married March 24, 1857, at
Weston, Mo., to Samuel A. Graham, who
was born July 19, 1825, at Charlotte,
Mecklenburg county, N. C. They have
five children, EVA B., MARGA-
RET, OLIVER, MARY, MALCOLM
E. and ISABEL, and reside in Spring-
field, 111. Mr. Graham enlisted in Co. F,
Georgia Battallion, Mounted Volunteers,
in 1847, and served in the war with Mexi-
co, until June, 1848, when he was honor-
ably discharged, and came to Springfield,
111. In 1863 he was elected to represent
Loami township in the Sangamon county
Board of Supervisors, and in Nov., 1867,
was elected, for two years, Surveyor of
Sangamon county.
Mrs. Elizabeth Cutter died Sept., 1835,
in Sangamon county, and in May, 1830,
Seth R. Cutter married Mary Prosser
Wariner, who was born March 18, 1808,
in Henrico county, Va. Her parents
were married in Virginia. Her mother
inherited some slaves, but refused to keep
them, and to evade the influence of shivery,
moved to this county. Mr. Wariner was
3 1
an old school, or regular Baptist preacher,
and preached in the vicinity of Loami
many years. Mr. Cutter and wife had
one child
FRANCES A., born Feb. 12, 1837,
in Sangamon county, married March 16,
1856, to Abner Bowen. See his name.
Mrs. Bowen has some embroidery work
done by her mother nearly half a century
ago.
Mrs. Mary P. W. Cutter died Feb. n,
1861,, and Seth R. Cutter died Sept. 8,
1869, both at the homestead settled by
him in 1828, in Loami township.
Mr. Cutter was engaged in pork pack-
ing in Cincinnati with Andrew Heredith.
See his name. When they came west
they built a steam flouring mill about
two miles northwest of Loami. A village
called Millville grew up around it. The
mill, owners and village have all passed
away.
CU M M I NGS, THOMAS, was
born about 1800, in Breckenridge county,
Ky., married to Margaret Smith, came
to Sangamon county, 111., about the time
his father-in-law (Thomas Smith) came,
in 1822. Thev had eight children, name-
iy-
MAHALA died unmarried, at thirty-
five years of age, in Sangamon county.
REBECCA J. married John L.
Smith. They had nineteen children, all
except two of whom are living (1873).
They had five sons who were Union sol-
diers in Illinois regiments. The parents
and nearly all their living children live in
Logan countv, five miles northeast of
Williamsville.
ROBERT, born Sept. 12, 1817, in
Washington county, Ky., was brought to
Sangamon county when he was about
five years old, married Jan. 2, 1840, to
Nancy Cloyd. They had six children.
THOMAS N. married Sarah B. C. Har-
rison, have one living child, THOMAS o.,
and live in Woodside township. MAR-
GARET A. died at two years old.
AMANDA E. married Jacob Beam. See
his name. MARY J. married Isaac M.
Jones, and reside in Woodside township.
JOSEPH R. and EMMA S. reside with
their parents, one and a half miles north-
west of Woodside station.
WE SLE T E. married Melinda Ow-
ens, had two children, and the parents
242
EARLY SETTLERS OP
both died. Their children live in Macou-
pin county.
WSZsLIAAf married Jane Owens. He
died, leaving his widow and three child-
ren, in Litchfield, 111.
JOHN T. married Melinda Richard-
son. She died, and he married Margaret
Adams, has five children, and lives in
Christian county. He is a traveling min-
ister in the M. E. church.
ELIZABETH married John Kear-
ley, had one child, and all died of cholera
about 1850.
THOMAS H. married Mrs. Emma
West, whose maiden name was Woods.
She had two children by her first mar-
riage, and they have three children, and
live in Jersey county.
Thomas Cutnmings died September,
1846, and his widow died October, 1849,
both in Sangamon county.
.ID
DARNEILLE, JOHN, was
born June 8, 1791, in Bourbon county,
Ky. He served foui'teen months in the
war of 1812-13, half the time as first
Lieut., and was then promoted to Cap-
tain. Margaret Norton was born Oct.
25, 1793, in Bourbon county, also. They
were married there, Feb. 20, 1814, and had
three living children in Kentucky. The
family moved to Sangamon county, 111.,
arriving Nov., 1819, in what is now Chat-
ham township, first at a place called Tur-
key Point, and in the spring of 1820,
moved further up Lick creek, and made a
permanent settlement five miles west of
the present town of Chatham, where they
had nine living children. Of their child-
ren
MARTHA, born April 7, 1815, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county
to Thomas S. Hunter. See his name.
CATHARINE, born Aug. 2, 1817, in
Bourbon county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county to David Alexander. See
his name.
BENJAMIN F., born Jan. i, 1819,
in Bourbon county, Ky., married in San-
gamon county, Dec. 17, 1840, to Mary
Jacobs, who was born Oct. i, 1821, in
Clarke county, Ky. They had eight
living children in Sangamon county
ELIZABETH married Samuel C. Sump-
ter, who was born in Sangamon county.
He enlisted July 20, 1861, at Springfield,
for three years, in what became Co. C,
nth Mo. Inf. ; reenlisted as a veteran, Jan.,
1864, at LaGrange, Tenn., served until
Jan. 15, 1866, when he was honorably dis-
charged at St. Louis, Mo. Mr. and Mrs.
Sumpter have three children, CORA, DORA
and HOMER A., and reside five miles west
of Chatham. MARGARET C. mar-
ried James M. Greening. See his name.
MARTHA J. married Lee R. Graham.
See his name. MARIA F. married
John Garvey. See his name. LORIN-
DA J. married Feb., 1875, to Col. John
Watson, and live in Auburn. EMMA S.
married Dec., 1873, to William Vandoren.
See his name. JULIA A. and BENJ.
F., Jun., reside with their mother. Ben-
jamin F. Darneille died Dec. 5, 1872, and
his widow resides six miles west of Chat-
ham.
Mrs. Darneille relates some incidents
both instructive and amusing, of her early
married life. She says that when herself
and husband went to set up housekeeping,
he had but ten dollars. Cooking stoves
were not in fashion, but they bought pots,
skillets, pans, spoons, knives and forks, etc.,
thus securing their outfit, and had some
money left. Lamps and burning fluids
were unknown, and for nearly ten years
their only candlesticks were made by tak-
ing gourds and cutting off about half the
bowl end, so that they would sit upright,
and then cutting off the necks and insert-
ing the candles. The first crop of oats
Mr. Darnielle raised he hauled thirty
bushels to Springfield, and gave the load
even for eight yards of calico to make a
dress for his wife.
THOMAS J., born Oct. 4, 1820, in
Sangamon county, married Martha Mc-
Ginnis. They had two living children in
Sangamon county. JOHN D., born Nov.
29, 1848, married in Warsaw. Ky., to
Jennie Brown, a native of that city, and
resides there. They have two children,
MELINDA and JAMES w. JAMES W.,
born in Sangamon county, vSept. 16, 1850,
married Oct. 31, 1871, in Belyidere, 111.,
to Belle Moulton, a native of Minneapolis,
Minn. They have one child, MABEL,
and reside in Chicago. Mrs. Martha
. Darnielle died, and Mr. D. married Mrs.
America Gibson, whose maiden name was
Forrest. Thos. J. Darnielle died Nov. 21,
1854, in Sangamon county. His widow
SANG AM ON COUNTY.
243
married Jan. 13, 1859, to John R. Neal.
See his name.
JAMES M., born Jan. 22, 1822, in
Sangamon county, married Jan. i, 1852,
to Clarrissa Kinney. They have six child-
ren, CAROLINE K., MAGGIE H.,
JOHN H., FLORENCE E., CHAS.
A. and JAMES M., Jim., reside with
their parents, in Chatham, Sangamon
county, 111.
EMILY, born July 28, 1823, in San-
gamon county, married Willis Webb.
They had two children, and the whole
family died.
LORINDA, born Jan. 31, 1825, in
Sangamon county, married William Mc-
Ginnis. See his name.
ELIZABETH,\>orn Dec. 10, 1826, in
Sangamon county, married Abraham
Gish, had two children. Mrs. G. and one
of the children died. The other child,
BENJAMIN F., resides with his father,
in Auburn tomnship.
HENR T, died, aged fifteen years.
MARGARET, born Jan. 25, 1830, in
Sangamon county, married James Hall.
See his name.
HIRAM H., born May 16, 1833, died,
aged twenty-one years.
JOHN W., born Feb. 3, 1836, in San-
gamon county, married Melinda Drennan,
had one child, and all died.
John Darneille died March 10, 1854,
and his widow, Mrs. Margaret Darneille,
died April 30, 1875, both on the farm
where they settled in 1820.
John Darneille learned to write by fire-
light, and in the absence of paper, peeled
buckeye bark from the trees, and when it
become dry, did his writing on that, until
he learned to keep accounts of all his
business transactions. He acquired euch
fame as an accurate and legible penman,
that he became the neghborhood letter
writer. He was on the first grand jury
that was ever empanneled in Sangamon
county, May 7, 1821. They held their
deliberations, some sitting on a pile of
rails, and some on gopher hills out on the
prairie, within the present limits of Spring-
field. He was elected as one of the Rep-
resentatives of Sangamon county in the
State Legislature of 1840, the first that
ever assembled in Springfield.
DARNALL, AMELIA, whose
maiden name was Yocom, sister to
Jacob Yocom, was born October, 1793,
near Lexington, Ky., and was married
there, August, 1813, to Samuel Darnall.
Seven children were born in Kentucky,
and they moved to Indiana, where they had
one child, and moved in 1829 to Funk's
Grove, McLean county, 111., where they
had one child. Mr. Darnall died August,
1830. Mrs. D., with her nine children,
moved to Sangamon county, 111., arriving
in the fall of 1830 in what is now Williams
township. Of her children
BENJAMIN F. died at twenty-one
years of age.
E VELINE married Levi Smith, has
eleven children, and live near Mt. Pleas-
ant, Iowa.
SALLYdieA at sixteen years of age.
HARVEY, born August 10,1821, in
Bourbon county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county to Agnes Simpson. They
have eight children. MARY married
Stephen Hussey, and live in Logan
county. WINFIELD SCOTTJAMES
M., JOHN F., STEPHEN H., JESSE
HARVEY B. and LILLIE E.,live with
their parents near Barclay.
NANCY J. married Franklin Yocom.
See his name.
JAMES died at thirty-five years of
age.
MEL VINA married Thaddeus Evans,
and died in Montgomery county, leaving
six children.
E LIZ ABE TH married David Bailey,
has ten children, and live in Mason
county.
REBECCA, born in Illinois, married
March 6, 1866, to Oliver McGarvey, has
one child, WILLIAM N., and she lives
with her mother.
Mrs. Amelia Darnall resides (1874) one
mile northeast of Barclay. She is more
than eighty years old.
DARNALL, ISAAC T., born
Oct. 17, 1809, in Montgomery county,
Mel., and came to Sangamon county in
December, -1840, in Cooper township,
south of the Sangamon river. He was
married Dec. 14, 1852,10 Miranda Crowl.
They had five living children
HILLERY W., JOSEPH E.,
BENJAMIN F., CHARLES A., and
MARYLAND.
Isaac T. Darnall died Sept. 10, 1871.
His children reside with their mother,
who was married Feb. 11, 1873,10 George
W. Taylor. He was born Dec. 14, 1836,
244
EARLT SETTLERS
in Wayne county, Ind. They reside in
Cooper township, three miles southwest
of Mechanicsburg.
DAWSON, JOHN, was born
Nov. 24, 1791, in Fairfax county, Va.
His parents moved to Bracken county,
Ky., in 1805. He enlisted in Bracken
county in the war against England in 1812,
and was wounded and captured at the
battle of River Raisin. After being held
as a prisoner in Canada by the Indians
who had captured him, his friends paid a
ransom for him, and he returned home.
Cary Jones was born May 22, 1801, in
Nicholas county, Ky. John Dawson and
Cary Jones were married in Nicholas
county, Oct. 9, 1817. They had one child
in Nicholas county, and moved to Bracken
county, where they had three children,
and the family moved to Sangamon coun-
ty, 111., arriving Oct. 24, 1827, north of the
Sangamon river, in Clear Lake township,
where they had six children. Of their
ten children
NAPOLEON B., born June 10, 1820,
is an invalid, and resides with his mother.
MARIA L., born July 22, 1822, in
Bracken county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county to George B. Merriman.
See his name.
LUCY M., born March 7, 1825, in
Bracken county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county to Lindsay Ridgeway. See
his name.
BERTRAND, born April 10, 1827,
in Bracken county, Ky., is unmarried,
and resides adjoining Dawson on the
south. He is an extensive farmer and
stock i-aiser. .
MARTHA W., born Oct. 21, 1829,111
Sangamon county, married Sept. 24, 1850,
to James Vanvoris, of Pennsylvania. She
died April 2, 1853, in Washington county,
Pa.
MART ' J., born Dec. 17, 1831,511 San-
gamon county, married John S. Merri-
man Nov. 9, 1848. See his name.
ISABEL, born Dec. 22, 1833, resides
with her mother.
SARAH E., born July 31, 1837, in
Sangamon county, resides with her
mother.
JOHN, Jun., born March 22, 1840.
He went to Cairo 111., in 1862, and enlist-
ed in the United States navy, served one
year, and died at home Oct. 26, 1869.
DICK A., born April 3, 1842, in San-
gamon county, died at eleven years of age.
John Dawson died Nov. 12, 18=50, in
Sangamon county. His widow resides
on the farm where they settled in 1827.
It is three miles southwest of Dawson.
Mr. Dawson was Captain of a company
from Sangamon county in the Black
Hawk war of 1831. He was elected to
represent Sangamon county in the State
Legislature of 1831 and '2. He was again
elected in 1835, and continued, by re-elec-
tion, to represent the county until 1840,
and was consequently one of the " Long
Nine" who secured the removal of the
State capital to Springfield at the session
of i836-'7. [See article: "Long Nine."]
Mr. C. was also a member of the conven-
tion that framed the State constitution of"
1848. The ball received in his lungs at
the battle of River Raisin was never ex-
tracted, and was the cause of his death.
DALLY, CRAWFORD, was
born about 1795, in Pennsylvania, mar-
ried in Virginia to Susan Sanders, and
made their home in Washington county,
Pa., until four children were born, and the
family moved to Sangamon county, 111.,
in the spring of 1835. Of their four
children
HESJ^ER A., married three times,
and died at Belleville, 111.
MART y., born Aug. 22, 1824, in
Washington county, Pa , married in
Sangamon county, to Thomas M. Crow-
der. See his name.
SUSANM., born in 1826 in Pennsyl-
vania, died in Sangamon county, aged
twenty-four years.
AGNES E., born in Pennsylvania,
married Andrew Armstrong, and died.
MIL TON, born in 1831, in Pennsyl-
vania, married in Sangamon county, to
Nancy J. Sappington, had five children,
moved to Missouri, and she died. He was
a Union soldier in a Missouri regiment.
Mrs. Susan Dally died in 1835, and
Crawford Dally died December, 1839,
both in Sangamon county.
DAVENPORT; GEORGE,
was born about 1781, in North Carolina,
married, had one child, and his wife died
there. When the child was three weeks
old he carried it on horseback to Casey
county, Ky. He was there married to
Winney Clifton, a native of that county.
They had two children, and moved to
SANGAMON COUNTY.
245
Sangamon county, 111., in the fall of 1819,
and first camped where Springfield now
stands, and three weeks later moved six
miles west, at the north side of Spring
creek, where seven children were born.
Of his children
THOMAS, horn in North Carolina,
raised in Sangamon county, married, and
is living with his second wife near Inde-
pendence, Mo.
WILLIAM, born in Kentucky, raised
in Sangamon county, has his second wife,
and resides near Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.
ELIZABETH, born in Kentucky,
married Thomas Davis, has six children,
and resides in Vernon county, Mo.
ALFRED S., born June 24, 1820,
married Lucinda Tolley. They have
seven children, JAMES, GEORGE,
JOHN, ADOLPHUS, MARY, SO-
PHIA and NOAH, and reside two and a
half miles northeast of Berlin.
MARY married Thomas Andrews,
who died, leaving three children, and she
married John Runnels, and he died, leav-
ing a widow and two children, near Dal-
las, Texas.
NANCY married Jeremiah Kendall,
had four children, and she died, leaving
her family in Oregon.
URIAH L. was a soldier in the 4th
111. Inf. under Col. E. D. Baker, and was
wounded at the battle of Cerro Gordo,
Mexico, and died eight or nine days later.
JOB C., born January 4, 1823, in San-
gamon county, was married Dec. 4, 1845,
to Alice J. Mosteller, who was born Nov.
29, 1830. They have five children, JOHN
H. ?/ LAURA (the latter was married May
9, 1875,10 William Say re, and resides near
Pleasant Plains), CHARLES M., NEW-
MAN and WILLIAM EDWARD. All
the unmarried children live: with their
parents in Menard county, near Salisbury,
Sangamon county.
ADOLPHUS died in 1850111 Chicago,
aged about twenty-four years.
AMANDA married Allen Baker, and
died in 1849.
RHODA married Thomas Ray. They
have four children, and reside in Vernon
county, Mo.
Mrs. Winner C. Davenport died Jan.
15, 1845, and George Davenpoit died
Feb. 14, 1845, both in Sangamon county,
eight miles west of Springfield.
DAVIDSON, SAMUEL, was
born Oct. 19, 1821, in Morgan county,
East Tenn. His parents moved, in 1826,
to Macon county, 111., and in 1828 to
Macoupin county. Samuel spent most of
his time in Sangamon county until 1840,
and fforn that time he made his home in
Ball township, where he was "married
May 9, 1850, to Amanda Nuckolls. They
had nine children, one of whom, John D.,
died Nov. 26, 1869, in his seventh year.
The other eight
ANNIE E., GEORGE W., EM-
MA A., SAMUEL M., THOMAS J.,
AMANDA V., MIRIAM M. and
CHARLES CARROLL reside with
their parents, three and a half miles west
of Pawnee.
DAVIES, JOHN,, was born in
Wales, and came to America when a
young man. He was married in Adair
county, Ky., to Catharine Antle. They
had ten children in Kentucky, and Mr.
Davies died there about 1810. His widow
moved to Sangamon county about 1826,
and settled near Salisbury. Of her child-
ren
GEORGE married in Kentucky to
Catharine Tolley, came to Sangamon
county before his mother, and died in
1856. His widow and two children live
in Kansas.
POLL Y married in Kentucky to Rich-
ard Walker, came to Sangamon county in
1826, and died in 1870, leaving two child-
ren in Bond county.
MICHAEL, born in Kentucky, mar-
ried twice in Sangamon county, leaving a
widow and five children in Menard count v.
HENRY, born Oct. 30, 1805, in Cum-
berland county, Ky., came to Salisbury,
Sangamon county, in 1828. He was mar-
ried there May 5, 1835, to Lucy Mc-
Glasson, who was born July i, 1817, in
Adair county, Ky. They had ten child-
ren in Sangamon county, namely : JULIA
A. was killed by a falling chimney, at four
years of age. ELIZABETH, born Jan.
30, 1839, married Ebenezer Colburn. See
his name. MARY M., born July 2,1841,
married John HufFmaster. See his name.
SALLIE A. died young. MARION,
born Sept. 6, 1848, and ALONZO, born
Jan. 2, 1852, live with their parents.
EMILY J., born Sept. 5, 1854, lives with
her sister, Mrs. Colburn. IRA JASPER,
born May 25, 1857, and MATILDA,
246
EARLY SETTLERS OF
born Nov. 12, 1860, live with their par-
ents. Henry Davies and wife now (1874)
live in Loami.
NANC T married in Kentucky to Ben-
jamin Ballenger, and died near Natchez,
Miss.
WILLIAM, horn in Kentucky, mar-
ried Elizabeth Duncan, and both died,
leaving two married children in Salisbury.
SALL T, born in Kentucky, married
Thomas Miller, who died, leaving a widow
and six children in Menard county.
JOHN, born July 23, 1815, in Ken-
tucky, married in Sangamon county,
November, 1834, to Polly Duncan. They
have five children ; two of them married,
and all live in Salisbury.
MIL7^ON, born in Kentucky in 1817,
married Lucy A. McMurphy, have two
children, and live in Salisbury
Mrs. Catharine Davies died in 1846, in
Salisbury.
DAVIS, AQUILLA, was born
in 1756, in St. Mary's county, Maryland,
and taken to Fauquier county, Va., when
a youth. He was a soldier in the Revolu-
tion, and married in the latter county to
Isabella Briggs. They had six children in
Virginia, namely: Edward, William B.,
Alexander B., Thompson and Hezekiah,
and a daughter Marion. They emigrated
to Kentucky, where they had two child-
ren. In 1820 they moved to Illinois, set-
tling first where Elkhart now is, which
was then Sangamon county. Aquilla
Davis laid out the town of Elkhart. In
1822 or '3 they moved to Fancy Creek,
ten miles from Springfield. After several
years Aquilla Davis and family returned
to Elkhart. Thers are but three of their
children living now, viz
HEZEKIAH, born in Virginia, re-
sides with his son in Tazewell county,
Illinois.
BENJAMIN F., born in Kentucky,
resides at Norwood, Franklin county,
Kansas, and
JUDITH W., born August 12, 1802,
in Union county, Ky., was married Oct.
28, 1836, to Oramel Clark. See his
name.
Aquilla Davis died August 23, 1832,
and Mrs. Davis died Jan. 23, 1833, both
near Elkhart, Logan county, 111.
DAVIS JOHN, was born Oct.
15, 1809, in Baltimore county, Md. He
was married there in May, 1829, to Mrs.
Margaret Davis, whose maiden name was
Gore. She was born Oct. 6, 1806, in
the same county, and vras married first in
September, 1824, to Capt. Robert Davis,
a soldier in the war of 1812. They had
two children, and Capt. Davis died May,
1827.
John Davis and wife had two children
in Maryland, and moved in 1832 to Preble
county, O., where they had one child, and
from there to Darke county, where one
child was born. The family then moved
to Sangamon county, 111., arriving Feb.,
1837, in what is now Gardner township,
where they had three children. Of the
two children of Mrs. Davis by her first
marriage
ELIZABETH, born Sept. 3, 1825,
near Baltimore, Md., married in Sanga-
mon county to Samuel H. Reid, Jun. See
his name.
NANCY, born Aug. 6, 1827, near Bal-
timore, married in Sangamon county to
Henry H. Foster. See his name.
Of the seven children by the second
marriage
ELLEN, born Dec. 12, 1830, in Mary-
land, married in Sangamon county Jan.,
1855, to Joseph McCoy. They have one
child, JOHN, born in Sangamon county,
and reside in Missouri.
JAMES, born Jan. 23, 1832,111 Mary-
land, brought up in Sangamon county,
and went to California in October, 1853.
The family have not received any reliable
information from him since June 8, 1856,'
and have no hope that he is living.
MARTHA'J., born March, 1834, in
Preble county, O., and died in Sangamon
county, November, 1848.
MAR G ARE T, born in 1836, in Darke
county, O., died in Sangamon county
March 31, 1853.
SARAH, born September, 1840, in
Sangamon county, married in the same
county to James Bruce, has one child,
ANNIE, and live near White Oak post-
office, Montgomery county, 111.
JOHN, Jun., born Dec. 12, 1842, in
Sangamon county, enlisted September,
1 86 1, in Co. B, loth 111. Cav., for three
years, and re-enlisted as a veteran Decem-
ber, 1863. He served until Jan. 5, 1866,
when he was honorably discharged in
Springfield, being the last man of the
regiment. He was killed by lightning
July 5, 1875, while attending to some
SANGAMON COUNTY.
247
stock on his father's farm, near Curran,
Sangamon county.
DALLAS, born Oct. 4, 1846, in San-
gamon county, married Dec. 31, 1868, to
Louisa Smith. They have two children,
MARY A. and THOMAS O., and live
two miles east of Curran.
John Davis and wife reside two miles
east of Curran, Sangamon county, 111.
DAVIS, ISRAEL, was born Jan.
21, jgiy, in Rutherford county, near Mur-
freesboro, Tenn. His parents died when
he was about five years old. At the age
of fourteen years he joined a family who
was moving, and came -with them to
Green county, 111., and from there to San-
gamon county in 1834, and made his home
in what is now Auburn township. He
was married June 30, 1844, to Jane Kes-
sler. They have five children
CA r J HARINE married James Dren-
nan, and lives in Auburn.
GEORGE lives in Auburn.
SUSAN married Joseph Rectric, and
lives in Carlinville.
VIRGINIA and MART live with
their parents, in Auburn.
Mr. Davis was for many years employed
at the depot of the Chicago and Alton
railroad, at Auburn, and resides there.
DAVIS, RICHARD, was born
April, 1800, in Kentucky. Elizabeth
Neal, (sister to Mrs. Edward Williams.
See his name.), was born about 1803, in
Nelson county, Ky. They were married
and had one child in Kentucky, and the
family moved to Sangamon county, arriv-
ing before the deep snow of 1830-31, in
Springfield. They had three children in
Sangamon county. Of their four child-
ren
GEORGE L., died unmarried in
1856.
DIANA, born July 16, 1832, in Spring-
field, married Nov. 8, 1855, to Philip
Loeb, who was born Oct. 15, 1831, in
Baden, Germany. They had three living
children, PHILIP E., MARY C. and
ARTHUR R. Philip Loeb died Sept.
17, 1866, in Springfield, and his widow
and children live four and a half miles
northwest of Springfield.
JOHN H., born Feb., 1836, is unmar-
ried, and resides with his sister, Mrs.
Loeb.
JAMES E, married Rosella La-
grange. They have two children, and
live in Springfield.
Mrs. Elizabeth Davis died March, 1850,
and Richard Davis died April, 1865, both
in Springfield.
DAWLEY, HARRISON, was
born July 17, 1817, in Chatauqua county, N.
Y., came to Springfield in March, 1839, and
four or five years later went to Island
Grove, where he was married, Oct. 26,
1847 to J ane Campbell, a daughter of
Hugh Campbell. She was born March
n, 1826, in Tennesse, and raised on Rich-
land creek. They had nine children;
three died voung, namely
PA TIENCE was killed in her third
year, by a runaway horse belonging to
Dr. J. M. Gibson.
MATILDA died in her third year,
and
MAXWELL died in infancy.
CYNTHIA A., born Sept. 4, 1848,
married Oct. 28, 1869, to M. F. Kibbey.
They have three children, and live at El
Paso, Sedgwick county, Kan.
JOHN H., WILLIAM E., ED-
WARD, JOSEPH C.and GEORGE
7"., live with their parents two miles south
of Rochester.
DAY, GEORGE, was born Mar.
5, 1810, in Sheffield, Mass. His parents
died when he was three years old, and he,
with another brother and a sister, were
taken by an aunt to Granby, Conn. He
next lived with a half-sister, at Elbridge,
N. Y. At fifteen years of age he went to
Hartford, Conn., and engaged to travel in
Ohio for a clock company. He sold
clocks four years, returned to Hartford,
and prosecuted the same business two
years in Pennsylvania. Henrietta Shank
was born March 19, 1816, at Hagerstown,
Md. The family moved to Mercersburg,
Pa., where her father died, and her moth-
er married Jacob Divelbiss. See his
name. The family moved to Ligonier,
Pa. George Day and Henrietta Shank
were married Feb. 20, 1834, had one child
there, and moved to Illinois, arriving at
Havana Oct. 29, 1837. They visited
some friends who had left comfortable
Pennsylvania houses, and were living in
rail pens, covered with sod. Their bread was
made from wheat ground without bolting.
Mr. Day became a walking earthquake
having the chills and fever but he was
not happy, and determined to return to
284
EARL T SJS TTLERS OP
the Pennsylvania hills. His wife per-
suaded him to come to Springfield, where
they arrived in Nov., 1837. When the
grass and flowers appeared the next spring,
he became reconciled, and has been well
satisfied from that to the present time.
They had seven living children in Sanga-
mon county, namely
SOPHIA H., born March 15, 1836, at
Ligonier, Pa., married in Sangamon coun-
ty, March 20, 1854, to David Ayers, who
was born July 27, 1833, in Auglaize coun-
ty, Ohio. Mr. Ayers died May 30, 1866,
at Jacksonville, 111. Mrs. Ayers resides
with her parents.
HENRIETTA, born Feb. 16, 1840,
in Springfield, married Dec. 7, 1865, to
Joseph F. Boyd, who was born Jan. 4,
1837, in Hagerstown, Md. They have
one child, GRACIE D., and live in
Springfield.
WILLIAM, born Sept. 14, 1842, in
Springfield, was married May 18, 1865, to
Margaret E. Keyes. They have five
children, EFFIE S., CATHARINE H.,
and CHARLES R., DAISY D. and
MAGGIE M., and reside three miles
north of Springfield.
/?O#.E/?7; born Jan. 30, 1845, enlisted
April 27, 1864, for one hundred days, in
Co. A, 1 33d 111. Inf., served one hundred
and forty-seven days, and was honorably
discharged Sept. 24, 1864. He lives with
his parents.
ELLIE M., born July 27, 1847,
JULIA C., born June 13, 1850, and
GEORGE E., born Jan. 12, 1854,
live with their parents.
George Day and wife reside three miles
northeast of Springfield.
DEARDORFF, ANTHONY,
was born in 1786 in Pennsylvania. Eliza-
beth Powell was born in 1800, in Bedford
county, Pa. They were married in 1818,
in Franklin county, O., and had four
children there. The family then moved
to Sangamon county, 111., arriving in the
fall of 1823, in what is now Ball town-
ship, where they had six children. Of
their ten children
MART, born in Ohio, married in San-
gamon county to Morgan Matthew, who
(lied, leaving a widow and three children
in Missouri.
CATHARINE, born in Ohio, mar-
ried in Sangamon county to John Kent.
He died in the United States armv at
Vicksburg,'jn 1863. His widow and five
children live in Missouri.
PETER, born in Ohio, married in
Sangamon county to Nancy Williams.
They had four children, and Mrs. D. died.
Mr. D. and his children live in Iowa.
CHARLES P., born in Ohio, mar-
ried in Sangamon county to Mrs. Sarah
Rummerfield. They have five children,
and live in Cass county, 111.
REBECCA, born in Sangamon coun-
ty, is unmarried, and lives in Ball town-
ship.
BARBARA, born in Sangamon coun-
ty, married Joseph Beam. See his name.
ELIZ.ABE TH, born in Sangamon
county, died at sixteen years old.
WILLIAM P., born in Sangamon
county, married Catharine Parvin. He
died, leaving a widow and two children in
Cass county, 111.
JOHN died at eighteen years of age.
SUSAN, born in Sangamon county,
married Henry Shipman, and live in
Adair county, Mo.
Anthony DeardorfF died in 1834, and
his widow married Simon Matthew. See
his name. She died Oct. 21, 1850.
DEARDORFF, PETER,
brother to Anthony, was born in Penn-
sylvania, married in Ohio to Hannah
Brunk, came to Sangamon county in 1824
with George Brunk. They had four
children. She died in 1874.
DELAY, -JOHN, was born in
Virginia, taken by his parents to Bath
county, Ky., and was there married to
Elizabeth Branch, a sister to Edward
Branch. See his name. She was born
Nov. 25, 1785, near Lynchburg, Va.
They had eleven children in Bath county,
and moved to Sangamon county, 111., in
1829, and settled near Rochester. Of
their children
SARAH married in Kentucky to
Thomas Baker. See his name.
JANE died in Kentucky, aged eigh-
teen years.
JEMIMA died in Kentucky, aged
sixteen years.
JUDITH, born March S, 1809, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon county
to Joseph Williams. See his name.
S7^EPHEN, born in Kentucky, mar-
ried in Sangamon county, March 4, 1841,
to Susan Baker, had nine children, and he
SANGAMON COUNT?.
249
died April 16, 1870. She lives in Cotton
Hill township.
It LIT. A, born April 19, 1813, in Bath
county, Ky., married in Sangatnon county
to William Taft. See his name.
rOLLY, born Jan. 5, 1820, in Bath
county, Ky., married in Sangamon county
to Samuel Torrence. See his name.
ELIZABETH, born in Bath county,
Ky., married in Sangamon county to
Samuel Keys. See his name.
GREENE ERR T, born in Kentucky,
died in Sangamon county, aged fifteen
years.
AL J YA r died in Kentucky, aged eight
years.
John Delay died Dec. 23, 1850, and his
widow died Oct. 3, 1869, both in Sanga-
mon county.
DICKERSON, SAMUEL,
was born about 1793, in Virginia. His
parents moved to Pendleton county, Ky.,
when he was a boy, and his father engaged
in salt-making at Grant's Lick. Susan
Kane was born in 1800. They were mar-
ried, and had six children in Kentucky.
They moved to Logan county, 111., in
1830, and in February, 1831, arrived in
what is now Illiopolis township, five miles
east of Mechanicsburg. Of their child-
ren
HUGH W., born Oct. 25, 1811, in
Pendleton county, Ky., married in Sanga-
mon county, Aug. 7, 1833, to Catharine
Greene. They had five children in San-
gamon county. WILLIAM H., born
July ii, '834, enlisted in 1862 in Co. E,
ii6th 111. Inf., for three years, married
Sarah Enlow, has two children, and lives
in Franklin county, Kan. ELIZA J.
married John Taylor. Sec his name.
ALEXANDER, born Oct. 12, 1844, en-
listed August, 1862, in Co. B, 1 30th 111.
Inf., for three years. He was on duty at
the capture of Vicksburg, though sick at
the time, was sent to hospital at Memphis,
where his father took charge of him in
July, and started for home. He died on
board a steamboat, Aug. 12, 1863. His
remains were brought home and buried in
Williams township. JOHN, born in San-
gamon county, is publishing the Gazette,
at Terrc Haute, Ind. SAMUEL resides
with his father. Mrs. Catharine Dickerson
died in 1850, and H. W. Dickerson was
married April I, 1852, to Edna C. Rice.
They had seven children. JOSIAH, AN-
3 2
N A M. and ROBB Y died under four years.
MARY, CHARLES E., OLIVER P.
and IDA BELL, the six living, reside
with their parents near Barclay, in Wil-
liams township.
POLL Y married William Hunter.
See his name. Both died.
ARCHIBALD, born May 6, 1816, in
Kentucky, married in Sangamon countv
to Celia Hunter. They had nine child-
ren. HARRIET married Michael Der-
ry, and live near Bowling Green, Mo.
JAMES R. enlisted July 19, 1861, in Co.
I, 4 ist 111. Inf., for three years, was
wounded at the battle of Pittsburg Land-
ing, April 6, 1862, was brought home
and died on the fourteenth of the same
month. SAMUEL, enlisted April, 1861,
on the first call for 75,000 men, served
three months, re-enlisted in 1862, in Co.
1, 41 st [111. Inf., and served three vears.
He was married to Ellen Shinaman,
have four children, and live near Mt.
Auburn, Christian county, Illinois.
LUCINDA, born November, 1845,
married to Harry Blair, April, 1871, have
one child, KATIE, and live near Illiopolis.
AMANDA J., born Dec. 25, 1847, mar-
ried John McGuffin, and reside in Illiopo-
lis township. ZACHARY T., born
Dec. 29, 1849, married Dec. 3, 1873, to
Louisa S. Ream, and live in Illiopolis
township. JOHN HENRY, born Sept.
2, 1852, ARCHIBALD, born Dec. 2,
1854, and ERASTUS, born Sept. 10,
1857, live with their mother. Archibald
Dickerson was killed Sept. 2, 1865, at
Harristown, Macon county, 111., bv an
accident on the T., W & W. R. R. " His
widow resides three and a half miles
southwest of Illiopolis.
MARTHA, born in Kentucky, mar-
ried John Hunter, and both died, leaving
a family in Christian county.
C. ALEXANDER, born April 11,
1827, in Campbell county, Ky., married
April 12, 1848, to Melinda Ridgeway.
She was born Jan. 26, 1831, in Sangamon
county. They have eight children,
HENRY CLAY, JOHN HARDIN,
WILLIAM F., SAMUEL O., REU-
BEN J., SARAH J., ULYSSES
GRANT and CHARLES, and reside in
Illiopolis township, five miles east of
Mechanicsburg, where his father settled
in 1832.
250
EAR LT SETTLERS OF
AMELIA J. married Samuel Garret-
son. See his name.
Samuel Dickerson died in the fall of
1856, and his widow died in June, 1859,
both in Illiopolis township.
DICKERSON, CHESLEY,
a younger brother to Samuel, was born in
Virginia, married in Gallatin county, Ky.,
to Betsy Lillard, and came to Sangamon
county with his brother Samuel in 1831.
They had four children. . Their son
WILLIAM, born in Sangamon coun-
ty, enlisted July 19, 1861, in Co. I, 41 st 111.
Inf., for three years, came home on sick
furlough, and died March 20, 1862.
FRANCES, born in Sangamon coun-
ty, married Philip Fredericks. They live
near Ottawa, Kansas. Mr. F. was a sol-
dier for three years in Co. I, 41 st 111. Inf.
ERASTf S, born in Sangamon coun-
ty, married Lottie Enlow, and lives at
Ottawa, Kansas.
MARIA, married and died.
Chesley Dickerson and wife both died
in Sangamon countv.
DICKSON, " GEORGE, was
born March 18, loot, in Tennessee, came
to Illinois with his parents, and was mar-
Nov. 13, 1823, to Fanny Cooper, (sister to
John Cooper, the father of James.) She
was born July 16, 1804, in Tennessee.
They had seven children
MART A., born Nov. 7, 1826, died
Jan. 31, 1846.
SUSAN A., born Jan. 7, 1829, died
Dec. 21, 1848.
ELIZABETH E., born April 10,
1831, died August 21, 1851.
JOHN C, born Dec. 26,. 1836, mar-
ried in 1869 to Ida Johnson. They have
two children, and reside in Chatfield,
Minn.
MELISSA N., born Feb. 10, 1838,
married June 3, 1858, to George Flower,
had two living children, and she married
for a second time to James Prunk, have
one child, and reside in Mechanicsburg.
THOMAS M., born May 18, 1841,
was a soldier in an Illinois regiment, mar-
ried in 1863, to Susan Lvdic, in Christian
county, have four children, and reside at
Lamar, Barton countv, Mo.
SARAH A., born Oct. 26, 1845, in
Christian county, married Benjamin H.
Giger. See his name.
George Dickson died Jan. 7, 1849. in
Christian county, and his widow resides
with her daughter, Mrs. Giger, in Me-
chanicsburg.
DIFENDORF, OLIVER,
was born March 12, 1819, in Canajoharie,
Montgomery county, New York, and
came to Springfield, 111., in November,
1840. He was married Jan., 1842, to
Martha Ann Cutter. She died six weeks
after their marriage. Mr. Diefendorf,
about the time of the death of his wife,
entered upon the duties of deputy clerk,
at Springfield, in the circuit court of San-
gamon county. He continued to discharge
the duties of that position until June,
1846, when he volunteered in Co. D, 4th
111. Inf., was commissioned ist Lieut., and
went into the Mexican war under Col.
E. D. Baker. He was subsequently com-
missioned as 2d Lieut, in the i6th U. S.
Inf., and served until the close of the war.
He was married Oct., 1848, in Cincinnati,
Ohio, to Caroline Cutter. They had
three children, all of whom died in in-
fancy. Aug. 23, 1850, they moved to
Weston, Platt county, Mo. He was
elected, Aug., 1851, for four years, clerk of
the court of common pleas of that county.
He was two years clerk in the office of
the Surveyor-General of Kansas; was one
of the thirty-two original proprietors of
the city of Leavenworth, laid out in 1854.
In 1856 he became a citizen of Kansas,
and in the spring of 1857 a permanent
resident of the city of Leavenworth. In
Nov., 1867, he was elected clerk of Leav-
enworth county; re-elected in 1869, again
in 1873 and in 1875. He is now 1876
in office, and resides in the city of Leaven-
worth.
DILLARD, WILLIAM, born
April 1 6, 1786, in Virginia. Elizabeth
Jacobs was born Oct. i^, 1791, in the same
State. They had two children born there,
and moved to Todd county, Ky., where
four children were born, and the family
moved to Sangamon county, 111., arriving
late in 1830, and settled three and a half
miles west of Springfield. Of their child-
ren
BENJAMIN F., born Aug. 10, 1810,
in Virginia, married in Sangamon county,
Feb. n, 1836, to Mary Crowder. They had
seven children, two of whom died young.
EUSTACIA A., born Dec. 30, 1836,
married June 6, 1861, to Edward Keyes.
See his name. JOHN J., born Sept. 10,
1838, died Feb. 7, 1865. ^WILLIAM R.,
SANGAMON COUNTT.
born Jan. 14, 1842, married Jan. 15, 1873,
to Eliza J. Randall, who was born April
29, 1847, in Sangamon county. They
live five miles northwest of Springfield.
MARY E., born April 9, 1844, lives with
her mother. RIAL MARTIN, born
Jan. 22, 1847, married Feb. 9, 1871, to
Lerue Kincaid, and live in Logan county,
near Elkhart. B. F. Dillard died Sept.
5, 1868, near Elkhart, and his widow (in
1874) resides five miles southwest of
Springfield, on the farm where they set-
tled in 1837.
AD A LINE, born March 17, 1813,
married Lewis Tomlinson. See his name.
SARAH married James Hannah. They
had two children, and he died. She and
her children reside near Chester, Ran-
dolph county.
ELIZABETH married Henry Dye,
and resides near Chester.
VIRGINIA married William Bradley,
who died, leaving a widow and three
children in DuQuoin.
MARIAN married James Hannah.
They have two children, and reside in
Perry county, 111.
JOHN A. married Mary Hathaway,
have four children, and reside near Ches-
ter, Randolph county.
Mrs. Elizabeth Dillard died Nov. 28,
1854, in Sangamon county, and William
Dillard died Oct. 7, 1868, in Randolph
county, 111.
DILLON, JOSHUA, was born
Oct. 4, 1806, in Fauquier county, Va.
The grandfather of Mr. Dillon sprang
from Quaker ancestors. He resided in
London county, Va., and was a soldier in
the army that achieved American Indepen-
dence. His son, Samuel, married in 1800
to Nancy Fletcher, and served his country
in the war of 1812-15. Samuel Dillon
and wife raised two children, Joshua,
whose name heads this sketch, and Har-
riet. Joshua Dillon was married March
29, 1829, in Culpepper county, Va., to
Elizabeth S. Jeffries, who was born there,
August 10, 1808. They united in Vir-
ginia with the Regular Primitive Baptists
in 1832-3, and still belong to that church.
They moved to Sangamon county, 111.,
arriving June 18, 1834, in what is now
Fancy Creek township. They brought
four children with them, and seven were
born in Sangamon county. Of their
children
WILLIAM, born Jan. 31, 1830, in
Fauquier county, Va., raised in Sangamon
county, married in Macon county, April
14, 1853, to Mary E. Cantrill. They had
ten children, FANNIE and ELLA
MAY died young. WILLIAM S.,
LOUIS E., FRANK, GEORGE J.,
MARY E., ROBERT LEE and AN-
NIE SHEPHERD, twins, and PAR-
THENIA J., reside with their parents.
Dr. William Dillon is a practicing physi-
cian, and resides at Pavson, Adams coun-
ty, in.
ROBERT, born June 29, 1831, in
Culpepper county, Va., raised in Sanga-
mon county, married March 16, 1858, in
Decatur, 111., to Maria F. Jennings, who
was born Nov. 10, 1837, in New Jersey.
Mr. Dillon enlisted in 1862, in Co. E,4ist
111. Inf., and after four months service, he
was honorably discharged on account of
physical disability. In the spring of 1866
they moved to Nebraska, and from there
in April, 1871, to Colorado; thence to
New Mexico in 1873. They have six
children, FRANCES H., JOSHUA L.,
RICHARD O., SARAH E., PAR-
THENIA A. and WILLIAM J., and
reside near Trinidad, Colorado.
SARAH F., born July 27, 1832, in
Culpepper county, Va., married in San-
gamon county, 111., Sept. 5, 1849, to John
H. Crow. See his name. She died Jan.
19, 1855, leaving three children. HENRY
L., the second child, died, age,d twenty-
two years. ELIZABETH H. was mar-
ried Oct. n, 1874, to Albert D. Harrison.
They ha"ve one child, LOUIS ARTHUR, the
first great-grand-child of Joshua Dillon.
Mr. Harrison is a druggist In Tecumseh,
Neb. ISAAC R. Crow resides with his
father.
ANN ELIZABETH, born Oct. 7,
1833, in Culpepper county, Va., married
in Sangamon county, Oct., 1853, to Reuben
McDannold. They have seven children,
JOHN L., PART HENIA L., MARY
A., WILLIAM R., THOMAS I., EM-
MA J. and EDDIE, and reside three miles
west of Springfield, 111.
HARRIET E., born March 20, 1836,
in Sangamon county, died in her twelfth
year.
MART E., born Oct. 18, 1837, in San-
gamon county, was married Oct. 23, 1852,
to Eli Ulery, and died Dec. 5, 1864, at
Mt. Zion, Macon county, 111. Three
252
EARL 2 SETTLERS OP
only, of her seven children are living,
DONNA L, PERLIE and ELL They
reside with their father.
THOMAS J., born July 15, 1839,
died in his twelfth year.
PARTHENIA R., was born Nov. i,
1841, in Sangamon county, married Mar.
23, 1862, in Macon county, to John H.
Crow. They have two children, SA-
RAH F. and LILLIE R., and reside in
Tecumseh, Neb. See his name.
J OB A., born June 5, 1843, m Sanga-
mon county. He enlisted for three years,
in 1861, in Co. E, 4151 111. Inf., was cap-
tured at Jackson, Miss., spent seventy-
three days in a rebel prison at Belle Isle,
and was honorably discharged at the ex-
piration of his term of service. He was
educated at Mt. Zion, 111., graduated in
1867, at the Law school in Albany, N. Y.
He was married in June, 1867, in Sanga-
mon county, 111., to Huldah J. Oder.
They have one living child, JESSE P.,
and reside in Tecumseh, Neb. Job A.
Dillon moved to Nebraska in 1868, was
elected to the State Senate in 1872,
and is a practicing lawyer in Tecumseh.
JOSEPH J., born Feb. 5, 1845, in
Sangamon county, was married Jan. 26,
1869, to Sophia J. Irwin. They have one
child, JOSHUA, and reside near Tecum-
seh, Neb.
AMANDA JANE, born July 6, 1847,
in Sangamon county, 111., educated at
Mt. Zion, 111., married May 30, 1865, in
Springfield, 111., to Dr. S. B. McGlum-
pherv, who was born Aug. 27, 1831, in
Washington county, Penn. He* attended .
college at Waynesburg, Green county,
Penn., and arrived in Decatur, 111., Oct.
25, 1859. He graduated at Rush Medical
College, Chicago, 111., Jan. 27, 1864. He
moved to Tecumseh, Neb., arriving April
20, 1872, and was appointed by the Gov-
ernor assistant physician to the Nebraska
Hospital for the Insane, Aug. 18, 1874.
Dr. S. B. McGlumphery and wife have two
living children, LENA B. and NELLIE
S., and reside in Lincoln, Neb.
Joshua Dillon and wife reside near
Tecumseh, Xeb.
DIXON, JAMES M., was born
Aug. 3, 1807, in Harrison county, Ky.
He was married in that county, Jan. 23,
1827, to Joannah Bird, who was born
Nov. 20, 1807. They had four children
in Mason county, Ky., and moved to San-
gamon county, 111., in the fall of 1834, in
what in now Mechanicsburg township,
where they had two living children. Of
their six children
WILLIAM A., born Nov. 10, 1827,511
Kentucky, died in Sangamon countv, in
his twenty-fifth year.
SARAH ^4., born Oct. i, 1829,111 Ken-
tucky, raised in Sangamon county, mar-
ried in Logan county to Abraham Cop-
land. They had five children, and Mrs.
C. died, Feb. 26, 1872, leaving her family
near Mt. Pulaski.
JESSE D., born Oct. 10, 1831, in
Kentucky, raised in Sangamon county,
went to Oregon in 1849, married there to
Louisa Milligan, has three living children,
JOANNAH, RICHARD and JOHN,
and lives at Lafayette, Yamhill county,
Oregon.
LUCINDA, born Sept. 6, 1833, in
Mason county, Ky., married in Sangamon
county to James L. Barbre. See his
name.
HESTER D., born Feb. 9, 1840, hi
Sangamon county, married Sept. 4, 1861,
to Thomas Stoker, who was born Dec. 27,
1836, in Fairfield county, O. They had
four children. DAVID A. died in in-
fancy. JAMES A. died at six years of
age. ARTHUR E. and ARMANEL-
LA live with their parents in Buffalo.
RICHARD, born Feb. 29, 1844, in
Sangamon county, married May 6, 1874,
and lives near Mechanicsburg.
James M. Dixon died Dec. 19, 1843,
near Mechanicsburg, and his widow mar-
ried John C. Eckel. See his name.
DIXON, JOHN, was born Oct.
8, 1784, in the village of Rye, Westchester
county, N. Y. After spending fifteen
years as a merchant in New York city,
he closed his business there and started,
April 13, 1820, for the west. He came
by the way of Pittsburg, Pa., and Shaw-
neetown, 111., passing over the site of the
city of Springfield before there was any
thought of a town rising there, and set-
tled nine miles further north, in what is
now Fancy creek township. Four years
later he moved to Fort Clark, where
Peoria now stands. At the end of six
years he moved north, into the country
owned by the Winnebago Indians, and
April ii, 1830, bought a ferry on Rock
river from a half-breed Indian. From
that time it was known as Dixon'^ ferry.
SANGAMON COUNTY.
253
As a village began to grow, it was abbre-
viated to Dixon, and has now grown to
the city of Dixon, Lee county, 111. This
is merely a synopsis of a long and useful
life. John Dixon is now (1876) in his
ninety-second year. Of his family, I
have no record. He lives in the city
founded by himself, and bearing his own
name.
DIXON, JOSEPH, was among
the earliest settlers on Horse creek. He
was the principal mover in establishing
Zion chapel, in Cotton Hill township, to
which he afterwards deeded five acres of
land for church and cemetery purposes.
His family are buried there, but he died in
1844 at the house of a daughter, near
Franklin, Morgan county, 111., and was
buried there.
DIVELBISS, JACOB, was
born March 29, 1 797, in Franklin county,
Pa. He was there married, Jan. 19, 1819,
to Catharine Shank, who was born Dec.
3, 1791, in Washington county, Md. They
had three living children born in West-
moreland county, Pa., and moved west,
traveling from Pittsburg by water to
Beardstown, 111. Mr. Divelbiss and his
son Noah walked from there to Spring-
field, the family following in a hack,
and arriving may i, 1838. Of their three
children
CA7^HAR1NE, born July 8, 1822, in
Westmoreland county, Pa., was married
there April, 1838, to Richard Hodge. See
It is name.
\O.\If, born Nov. 28, 1824, in West-
moreland county, Pa., was married in
Springfield, Aug. 8, 1848, to Cordelia
Watson. They had five children. NOAH,
Jim., born April 27, 1849, was killed by a
railroad accident at Sag bridge, near Le-
mont, Cook countv, 111., July 17, 1873.
ABBIE lives with her parents.
CHARLES died in infancy. FREDDIE
died in the eleventh year of his age.
NELLIE lives with her parents. Noah
Divelbiss came to Springfield with his
father, and was deputy and acting clerk of
the Supreme Court of Illinois from 1844
to 1848. He is now teller in the Marine
and Fire Insurance Company's Hank, and
resides in Springfield.
AM AX DA, born Feb. 3, 1829, in
Westmoreland county, Pa., was married
in Springfield, Sept. i, 1846, to Frank
Hickox. lie is a brother of Virgil, but
came to Sangamon county too late to be
classed as an early settler. Mr. and Mrs.
Hickox had eight children, two of whom
died young. ALICE, born June 23, 1847,
was married May 26, 1864, to William
Warner, and resides at Selma, Alabama.
FRANK, born April 4, 1849, was mar-
ried June 27, 1872,10 Matilda C. Bailey,
a native of Newport, Indiana. They live
in Springfield, 111. ELBERT W., born
March 14, 1852, in Petersburg, was mar-
ried in Springfield Jan. 10, 1875, * Kate
Griffith, of St. Louis. They reside in
Springfield. IDA MAY, born Nov. 9,
1854, was married in St. Louis, April 15,
1870, to William J. White. They have
one child, MAGGIE, and reside in Spring-
field. NELLIE and her mother reside
in Springfield with Mrs. Hickox's father.
Jacob Divelbiss was elected Assessor
and ' Treasurer of Sangamon county in
1853, serving two years. He learned the
wagon-maker's trade in his native county,
and prosecuted the business in Springfield
for many years. He made a hand in the
shop a full half century. Mrs. Catharine
Divelbiss died Aug. 18, 1875, and Jacob
Divelbiss died suddenly Feb. n, 1876.
DODDS, MRS. MARGAR-
ET, the mother of Joseph and Rev.
Gilbert Dodds, was married three times.
Her maiden name was Craig. She was
born in South Carolina, and first married
a Mr. Watson, who died, and she married
a Mr. Kirkpatrick. He was a patriot sol-
dier, who, while serving in the Revolu-
tionary army, was captured, and died in
the British prison on Sullivan Island, near
Charleston. She lost two brothers in the
Revolutionary army, also. The soldiers
of the English anm took all her provis-
ions, and when she begged the officer in
command to leave her sufficient 
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