Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 65

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. L. McDonough & co.
Number of Pages: 490

USA > Illinois > Edwards County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 65
USA > Illinois > Wabash County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 65
USA > Illinois > Lawrence County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 65

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

An interruption, accidental or otherwise, occurs at this point, in the course of immigration, and the next permanent settler is met with in the year 1826. Then came Stephen Mounts with his family, which consisted of his wife, whose maiden name was May Stinnett and several children, from Indiana. Three of his children are yet living. Mr. Mounts was a plain, unassuming farmer, an industrious man and good citizen. This gentleman, moreover, was a patriot and served in the Black Hawk war, in Captain C. S. Madding's company. Henry Warmouth, a Tennesseean, with his wife and children, Mary, Luciuda, Judy, John, Isaac and Philip, (twins) and Margaret, arrived in 1827 or 1828, and settled on the southeast quarter of the southwest quar- ter of section 23, which was his permanent home. Henry Curtis came from Tennessee in the year 1828. He had a wife and six children, viz .: William, John, Isaac, Mary, Ann and Jincy. This gentleman was of an unsettled disposition, changing his home frequently. Field sports, such as hunting, occupied much of his time and attention, but he worked at various odd jobs, in- cluding carpentry. Mr. Curtis died about the year 1848. William, his son, was four times married, and raised quite a numerous family of children. The

272

FARM RESIDENCE OF JAMES P. FROST, SEC.9, T. I, N. R. 10. E. SHELBY PRECINCT, EDWARDS CO.ILL.

FARM RESIDENCE OF WM H. MEDLER, SEC. 34, T.I, S.R.10 E. ALBION PRECINCT, EDWARDS CO. ILL.

OF THE

273

HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

Curtises are among the wealthiest and most prominent citizens of Shelby precinct. In the same year and from the same state came Rese Shelby, with his wife and eight children, viz : David, Evans, Garrison, Semple, Moses, Lotta, Betsy aud Holden. He settled on the southwest quarter of section 34, township 1 N. He was a plain farmer and good citizen. His death took place more than twenty years ago. His widow died in 1880, at an advanced age. To the year 1828 belongs also the immigration of Champion S. Madding. He was a native of Virginia, and when seven or eight years of age, left that state and moved, with his father's family, to Tennessee, where he married and followed farming till he set out for Illinois, with his wife and five children, William C., Isabel, L. B., Sallie and J. M. After a short sojourn in Richland county, he settled on section 11, township 1 N. He had, at different times, three wives, and reared eight children. Mr. Madding was a soldier in the Florida, and a captain in the Black Hawk wars, commanding a company on the banks of the Mis- sissippi, in the battle resulting in the surrender of Black Hawk. He was a large, powerful man, weighing 225 pounds. He was one of the early regular Baptist min- isters aud the frequent companion, in preaching, of Rev. Jere Doty. The oldest living settler of Shelby precinct is Starling Hill. He was born in Washington county, Kentucky, in the year 1803. Limited as were his early educational advantages, he has, by indomitable persever- ance and steady effort, made himself thoroughly well informed. While in his native state he followed farm- ing and shoemaking. At the age of twenty-five, with his wife and three children, Clarissa, Mary M. and Sidney, in a four horse wagon, he came to Illinois, and first settled near the site of the village of West Salem, where he built a log house and cleared some land. In 1829 he moved to the northwest quarter of section 11, township 1 south, range 10 east, entered land and began improve- ment. Mr. Hill's occupation has been that of a farmer and stock-raiser. He is now retired and resides with his son, on the old homestead, at the age of eighty years. His wife was Elizabeth Bassett, by whom he had sixteen children, and in addition to these he also reared twelve orphans. For a period of three months he served in the Black Hawk war in Captain Madding's company. Marcus Johnson and family came to the precinct among the early settlers, and lived in the northeastern part of section 35. Thomas Gill, who lives on section 15, town- ship 1 south, was born in Albion precinct in 1826. His father, Thomas Gill, was a native of England and came to Edwards county in the year 1818. A large encampment of Indian hunters roamed over the terri- tory of Shelby precinct about the year 1820. It is re- ported that during one season they killed five hundred does, which they decoyed from their feeding-places by imitating the cry of a fawn. For a number of years after most of the deer shot by the settlers were males.

The first church society was of the regular Baptist denomination, and was organized in 1825. It held its 35

first meeting in a building, used for school purposes, on the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 34, township 1 north. At this place, about 1836, the congregation built a log house of worship, 48x24 feet. The first minister was Rev. Jere Doty. He was what was then denominated a " cornfield " (farmer) preacher, and was much respected. He was fond of relating the story of his conversion, which he told so often in his sermons that the boys of the settlement learned it by heart, and frequently repeated it in merriment. One McCowen taught a school in a long cabin on the north- west quarter of the southeast quarter of section 33, town- ship 1 north, as early as 1827. A gentleman by the name of Moore taught here in 1828. The first building put up for school purposes was a frame, erected in 1856, on the southeast of the northeast of section 33, township 1 north. Edgar Brandon was its first occupant. The precinct was represented in the Black Hawk war by Captain C. S. Madding, James Ball, Josiah Lay, William Curtis, David Shelby, Thomas Sanders, I. Shelby, Robert Russel, Jonathan Shelby, Jr., Matthew Mays, Harrison Moore, Joseph Mounts, Hugh Mounts, Robert Doherty, John Stinnett, Benjamin Wilson, J. Wilson, Samuel, John and James Edmanson, James Ellison, and James Jennings. The following are the first land entries : September 6, 1817, L. White and L. May entered the west half of the northeast quarter of sec- tion 7. September 15, 1817, Charles Stinnett, the northeast quarter of section 9. September 27, 1817, Henry Ayers, the southwest quarter of section 10. January 19, 1818, Mathias Mounts the southwest quar- ter of section 17. September 17, 1818, J. and J. Dun- lap the southeast quarter of section 3. The above are in township 1 S. The following are in township 1 north. May 12, 1820, Isam Roger the west half of the south- west t sec. 33. Feb. 8, 1822, Thomas Carney the west half of the southeast quarter of section 34. March 9, 1822, Matthew Doherty, the west half of the southwest quarter of section 32, township 2 north.

Bennington, of which nothing but the name remains, had its origin in Shelby's mill already spoken of. Here Dr. Baker, the proprietor of Bennington, built a frame water-mill about 1842. James Jones and Henry Walser, in 1865, erected a frame mill, two and a half story, 30 by 40, which was of considerable importance. It burned in 1870 as the property of Ulsehouse and Potter. A short distance above its site now stands Philander Gould's saw mill. Bennington was laid out in 1841 or 1842 by Dr. Baker, and two or three town lots were disposed of. Centreville, on section 33, township 1 north, consists of a store-house, a blacksmith-shop and two or three dwellings. Maple Grove post-office was established about 1850, and Robert Marshall, of section 2, township 1 north, the present incumbent was the first post-master. The population of the precinct consists of Tennesseeans, Kentuckians, English and Germans and their descend- ants. The evidences of industry and economy are everywhere apparent.

BIOGRAPHIES.

Thomas

Gill

WAS born in Edwards county, January 3, 1826. His parents, Thomas and Mary Gill, whose maiden name was May, were both natives of England, and were among the pioneers of this county, having located here in 1818. The family consisted of eight children, equally divided as to sex. Thomas Gill was the second of the sons in the order of birth. Farmers' sons in the early days of Edwards county had but little opportunity for acquiring an education ; this was the lot of Thomas. However, he being possessed of natural ability of a high order, made the best of his chances, and obtained a fair knowledge of books. He has always pursued farming

as a vocation. He was united in marriage to Eliza Gil- lard, May 16, 1849. By her he had eight children, namely : Madaline, died November 3, 1876; Bradford J., died September 21, 1876; Hannah, now the wife of Albert Stafford ; Franklin, Mary E., Jethro and two that died in infancy. Mrs. Gill died October 1, 1874. He was married to his present wife, Hannah M., daughter of William and Hannah Stanhope, from Linconshire, England, February 6, 1876. The Stanhopes came to this county in 1833. Mr. Gill is a member of the Grange, of the Masonic order and of the Christian church.

274

FARN RESIDENCE OF THOMAS GILL, SEC. 15, T. I, S. R.IO E. SHELBY PRECINT, EDWARDS GO. ILL.

BALLY 20 YEARS.

FARM & RESIDENCE OF JAMES N. SMITH, SEC. 4, T. I, R. 10, SHELBY PRICINCT, EDWARDS CO. ILL.

LSRAAF OF THE -

HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

275

James & Frost

IN the northern part of Shelby precinct are so many from Kentucky as to give to the section the appel- lation of "Little Kentucky." Among them none are more respected than James P. Frost, who was born in Allen county, that state, February 17, 1842. His father, William B. Frost, was also a native of Kentucky, a farmer. He died in the old home July 3, 1850. His mother, whose maiden name was Sarah Holloway, moved with her family of six children, of whom the subject of this sketch was second in order of birth, to Franklin county, Illinois, in 1854, where she died, December 9, 1882, aged ssventy-one years. James P. came to Ed-

wards county in 1860. Here he was married to Julia Shelby, daughter of Jonathan Shelby, one of Edwards county's most honored citizens, March 28, 1864. By this union there have been born eight children, two of whom, Franklin and Alla, died quite young, and six , Laura, Sarah, Luella, Amy, Mollie and Mayo are living. Mr. Frost is one of the pushing, wide-awake progressive farmers of his section. He is a prominent Democrat politically; a man of pleasing address, high social qualities and excellent judgment, he has made for him- self a host of friends.

276

HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

JOHN M. BLOOD (DECEASED)

WAS one of the most respected citizens of Edwards county. He was born in New York, August 6, 1820, and came to this county in 1838. By trade he was a miller. When a young man he went as a hand on a flat-boat laden with hoop-poles, corn, meat, etc., down the Little Wabash from near Bennington, Wabash, Ohio and Mississippi rivers, to New Orleans. He started in life with a very small capital, but by honest industry and economy accumulated considerable pro- perty. For a number of years he kept a store at Bennington, of which office he was postmaster until the time of his death, He was married to Sarah A. Vyce, a native of Stowe, Norfolk, England, March 8,

1848, by whom he had six children, two of whom died young, and four, James H., Mary C. Ridgeley, Frank L. and George C. are living. Mrs. Blood was brought to this country when a child, first to New York, then Ohio, and then here. Two of their children are mar- ried, James H. to Permelia A. Holthausen, October 14, 1877, and Mary C. to W. S. Ridgeley, December 27, 1877.

During the last few years of his life Mr. Blood was in failing health, and thinking to improve it, took a trip to Minnesota, remaining some time, in 1866. All efforts were useless, and lamented by a large circle of friends and acquaintances, he passed away, April 30, 1876.

ALLISON.

LAWRENCE CO.

LLISON TOWNSHIP was first organized under the name of Thompson, but sub- sequently received its present name, derived from the prairie of which its surface is almost entirely composed. It is bounded on the north by Russell township, on the east by Indiana, and on the south by Dennison township, which with Lawrence forms its western boundary. The surface is that of a level prairie, largely subject to overflow when not properly protected by levees. The soil consists of sand, with an admixture of black loam. Timber is not abundant, and is confined to the southern part and to a narrow belt along the Wabash.

The first settlement in the township was opposite the city of Vincennes, on the west bank of the Wabash river. It never attained to much prominence, and is mainly of interest on account of its antiquity. It lacked the es- sential feature of an advantageous locality for husbandry, and was largely an incident of the ferry that accommo- dated travel along the Cahokia and Kaskaskia traces. The ferry was established as early as the beginning of the present century. At that time, it was operated by Joseph La Motte, a Frenchman and Indian trader, whose round log cabin, that stood at the entrance of the ferry, was probably the first house built by a white man, in the territory of Lawrence county. He had several adventures with the natives, an account of which will be found in the pioneer chapter. At their hands he met his death, on the banks of the creek that bears his name, in Crawford county, some time prior to 1812. After his death, his widow conducted the ferry, till 1812, when it passed under the management of her son-in-law, James Gibson, who was its proprietor for

some time. It was also, at one time, operated by John Small. Just across the way from La Motte's, lived a family named White. In this vicinity also dwelt the ill- fated Buntons, something about whom will be found in the pioneer chapter. One Senette, a Frenchman, lived about a mile below the ferry, at the "ford." Charles Bonaute was also an early settler, west of the Wabash, south of Vincennes. The most conspicuous early settle- ment was that of the Dubois family, about a mile north of the present railroad bridge, on the bluff known as Dubois' hill. Here was planted the first orchard, set out in the township. The Dubois brothers, Toussaint, Lawrence and Killgore, especially. the first, acted an important part in the business and civil affairs of the county. His residence occupied the hill, and was a center of note and influence in its time. Something ad- ditional concerning the Dubois family may be found by consulting the chapter on Lawrence township. An early resident on Dubois hill was "Billy o' the Bow," a colored man, who, with his wife Seeley, had their apart- ments in a hollow sycamore tree. Here they dwelt to- gether in conjugal bliss, till the latter was cruelly shot by an Indian. At the north foot of the hill, was the home of Archibald George, who, with a family of four or five children, settled there about 1820. Near this date, John Richardson, of Butler county, Ohio, came and settled opposite Vincennes, on the bluff. His family consisted of his wife and four children, Lucinda, Jane, John and Harriet.

The most important early settlements were formed in- to a neighborhood, iu the vicinity of Centerville, by a number of families, mainly from Tennessee. The neighborhood was called the "Christian settlement,"

John elle Blovel

277

HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

from the circumstance that most of its members were Christians, and was formed in 1815. In this year Scott Riggs settled on the N. W. quarter of section 26, T. 4 R. 11. He brought to the settlement a family of four children, viz : Sally, Polly, Cynthia, and Harriet. He was a blacksmith by trade, and a minister of the gospel. He subsequently moved to Scott county, where he died Henry Palmer, also a minister, settled on section 23 William Howard was a native of North Carolina. He moved to Tennessee, and thence to Kentucky, and from that state to Illinois, in 1814 or '15, with five children, John, Eli, Abigail, Prudence Jane and Martha, and set- tled in section 23, T. 4, R. 11 W. He had a natural gift of mechanical skill, and manufactured his own agricultural implements. He planted the first orchard, and laid out the first graveyard in the settlement. His death took place, about 1832. His son, John, became a minister and moved to Kansas in 1881. His son-in-law, William Childress, came from North Carolina, about the same time, and after his marriage to Prudence, also settled on section 23. After a residence of short dura- tion here, he moved to section 5, T. 4, R. 11, and there, after improving a good farm, died, in 1838. W. B. Childress of Lawrenceville, is his son. Three other children are yet living. Daniel Travis from Tennessee, in 1815, settled on the N. E. quarter of the N. W. quar- ter of section 23. He moved to the western part of the state prior to 1828. Henry Johnson, who came with a family, in 1815, settled on the N. W. quarter of section 23, where he remained till some time prior to 1828, when he moved to Vermillion county. Samuel Leneve, with four children, Obadiah, John, Sarah, and Nancy, settled on the N. W quarter of section 25, where he died at an advanced age. Moses, Ezekiel, Robert, and Alex- ander Turner came to the settlement from Tennessee, in 1815 or '16. They all had families and were all mem- bers of the Christian church. After a residence of some years they moved away. Thomas Anderson, with a family, in 1815, settled on the N. W. quarter of section 26. His son Richard located near him. They moved to Morgan county about 1825. Richard B. McCorcle, who came from Tennessee with a family in 1815, moved to Bloomington, Indiana, about 1825. John and Joseph Berry, brothers, and brothers-in-law of Mrs. Scott Riggs, also from Tennessee, in 1815 likewise moved to Bloom- ington, Indiana. John had settled on the N. E. quarter of section 27. John R. Adams came from Tennessee with a family in 1815, and-settled on the N. E. quarter of section 27, where he resided permanently and reared a family of twelve children, though sickness, originating from purgatory swamps, had driven many from the set- tlement. Mr. Adams was a colonel of the militia and frequently mustered them for drill. John Dunlap set- tled on the N. E. quarter of section 22, where was his permanent home and where, at an early day, he planted an orchard, the last trees of which were recently (1883) cut down. On the S. E. quarter of this section, settled John Ashbrook, who came from Kentucky, with a fam-

ily of four children, John, Levi, Thomas, and Margaret, in 1815. Levi and Thomas married and settled in the vicinity of Centerville. John having married Ellen Robinson, located a mile and a half south of Russellville. All became permanent residents. David Ruby came to the settlement in 1816, and located permanently on the N. W. quarter of section 27. In this year a family of Clevingers, from Tennessee, settled in the Christian neighborhood.

William Huston, a Kentuckian, in 1816, settled on the S. E. } of sec. 36. His children were Chambers, William and Desmal. Samuel Lemon, with four chil- dren, George, Thomas, Polly and Susan, came from North Carolina, about 1818, and settled on the N. E. } of sec. 26. He was a farmer and shoemaker, and resided per- manently where he first settled. The family were mem- bers of the Christian Church. Charles Thompson was an immigrant from Ross county, Ohio. In 1820, he set- tled on the N. W. { of section 25, where he lived till his death. Three children, James, Matthew and William, accompanied him to the county. James and William settled in the vicinity of Centerville; the latter (hav- ing married Jane Richardson), located on the S. W. } of sec 26, where he still resides at the age of eighty years. Enoch Organ, a Virginian, came to the county, about 1820, from Tennessee, where he had for some time so- journed, and settled on sec. 36. Chaney, John, Enos, Cornelius, Daniel, Jesse and Betsey Organ were his chil- dren. He was a blacksmith by trade, and soon after his coming, constructed the first cotton gin in the county, and operated it on his farm for a number of years. He died in 1845, of a disease called the Black Tongue, an epidemic, of which many died on the prairie. The fam- ily married, most of them prior to 1830, and settled down. The widow of Cornelius lives on the S. E. } of section 23, where she has resided since her marriage, in 1828, and where her husband died, in 1847, at the age of forty-one years. Her place was first improved by Nathaniel Jones. Lewis Goings made his permanent home in the township, in 1820. He reared a con- siderable family of children. David Phelps, in 1821 or '22, settled on the S. E. } of section 25, where he re- sided permanently, and died. About forty years ago he planted a walnut grove which yields quite abundant- ly.

In the vicinity of section 27, T. 4, R 10, a neighbor- hood of permanent settlers was formed in 1820. In this neighborhood settled Jesse Slawson, who came from Can- ada with a family of four children, viz., William, Polly, Eliza, and Abner, who afterward married and settled in the county. James Tims, a Virginian, with one son, Littleton, settled on land adjoining Slawson's, and lived there permanently. David Wilbur settled about a mile from the river, in the same vicinity. At a little later date, about 1828, Benjamin Caughran came into the neighborhood, from Indiana, with a family of six chil- dren. Also, about this time, arrived Joseph Tims, with a family, from the same state. Families named Kimsey,

278

HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

Long and Cunningham also settled in this vicinity. George Cunningham lived in section 28, and William, in section 33, T. 4, R. 10. John Long was the most ac- tive business man in his part of the county. As early as 1825, he did an extensive flat-boating trade on the Wabash. Thomas Eads, the brothers, John and Silas Andrews, and Jesse Perdu were also early settlers. W. J. Crews, one of the oldest living settlers, came to Law- rence from Crawford county, Illinois, with his father, in 1829. The latter purchased some land of Samuel Har- ris in the vicinity of Center school-house, and settled upon it. Mr. Crews is a lawyer by profession, having been admitted to practice in the Supreme Court, in 1846, but his principal occupation has been that of farming, in which he has been very successful. In 1869, he was elected judge of the county court, but resigned in 1872, to take the place to which he had been elected in the State Senate.

Some account of Small's mill is contained in the pio- neer chapter, where it may be found by the reader. In the vicinity of where afterward stood this early object of interest, occurred the capture of Col. Francis Vigo by the Indians, in 1778. Vigo, with his servant, as the messenger of Gen. Clark was proceeding on his way from Kaskaskia to Vincennes, when he was seized, stripped of everything he possessed and carried a captive before

Gen. Hamilton. The result is a matter of general his- tory.

The following are the earliest land entries in the town- ship-all in T. 4, R. 11: August 10, 1814, Samuel Har- ris entered the N. E. } of sec. 22; July 1, 1815, Daniel Travis, the S. W. } of sec. 23; July 5, 1815, Ezra Alli- son, the N. E. { of sec. 24; July 8, 1815, Moses Turner, the N. E. + of sec. 26; February 3, 1815, Henry John- son, the N. W. } of section 23. The following are the names of those who have represented the township in the board of supervisors : William D. Adams, chairman, 1857, 1858 ; J. M. D. Chenoweth, 1859 to 1861; J. M. Caughran, 1862, 1863; John Jackson, 1864; J. W. Caughran, 1865; William D. Adams, 1866; J. M. D. Chenoweth, 1867; D. M. Bishop, 1868 to 1871; J. P. Scott, 1872 to 1876 ; Henry Riley died in office ; G. A. North to fill the vacancy, 1877 ; G. A. North, 1878; W. A. Organ, 1879, 1880 ; G. A. Norton, 1881, 1882; Wil- liam A. Organ, 1883.

Centerville is a little hamlet at the adjoining corners of sections 23, 24, 25 and 26, T. 4, R. 11. Allison post- office was established here, about ten years ago. A half mile west of the village is the site of the old Center school-house described in the pioneer chapter. The vot- ing place of the township is at Westport opposite Vin- cennes.

· FRIENDSVILLE.

WABASH COUNTY.

RIENDSVILLE PRECINCT is bounded on the north by Richland county, on the east by Wabash, on the south by Mt. Carmel, and on the west by Lick prairie and Lancaster. Its boundary line is described as follows : Beginning at the northeast corner of the east half of section 32, twp. 2 north, range 12 W., and extending west along the sec- tion line to the northwest corner of the east half of sec- tion 35, range 13 W .; thence south along the half-section line to the southwest corner of the east half of section 11, twp. 1 north, range 13 west; thence west to the north- west corner of section 15, same town and range ; thence south along the section line to the southwest corner of section 34, same town and range; thence west to the southeast corner of section 32; thence north to the place of beginning.

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Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 65

Author: Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. L. McDonough & co. Number of Pages: 490

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. L. McDonough & co.
Number of Pages: 490