USA > Illinois > Shelby County > Combined history of Shelby and Moultrie Counties, Illinois : with illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 50
USA > Illinois > Moultrie County > Combined history of Shelby and Moultrie Counties, Illinois : with illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 50
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J. H. SILVER, [EX-SHERIFF.]
MR. SILVER was born in Merrimac county, New Hampshire, .
November 3d, 1823. His father, Jeremiah Silver, was a native of the same state, and was a mason by trade. He followed that occu- pation for many years, only abandoning it towards the close of his life, when he engaged in farming. In the year 1836 he followed the stream of emigration that was pouring into the west, and went to Cass county, Michigan, where he remained until his death, which took place in 1876. At the time of his demise he was in the eighty- seventh year of his age. During the war of 1812, in the capacity of fifer, he participated in and passed through the entire struggle. In early life he married Sarah Hastings, who was born and raised in the same state. She died in Cass county, Michigan, in 1844. By this union there were six children, four of whom lived to the age of maturity, and three have survived the parents. The subject of this sketch is the second of the family. Like all New England boys he received a good common English education in the schools of his na- tive state. At the age of eighteen he commenced the trade of brick- mason, and worked with his father until he was twenty-eight years of age. He remained in Michigan, following his trade, until March 3d, 1856, when he came to Shelbyville, and here continued brick- laying until 1860. About this time work was scarce and few build- ings were being erected ; he therefore concluded to engage in farming, and followed that vocation for six years. In 1866 there came a revival of business, and building commenced anew. He moved to a place near the town, and re-engaged in his trade, and followed it continuously until 1876. During that time he erected a majority of the brick buildings that now adorn the town of Shelbyville. The last of his handiwork and skill was the splendid bank building of T. M. Thornton & Co., on Main street. In the summer of 1876 he
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
received the nomination for Sheriff of Shelby county, at the hands of the Democratic party, and in the ensuing election in November following, was elected by a handsome majority. He filled the office so acceptably that he was re-nominated and re-elected to the same position in 1878. He retired from the office Dec. 1st, 1880, with the best wishes and kindest feelings of a majority of the people over whom he exercised the right and authority of an executive officer. In the performance of his duty he was impartial and treated all alike, and with that moderation that only strict justice would allow. On the 25th of September, 1845, he was united in marriage to Miss Julia A. Mead, who was born in New York, July 24th, 1825. She was a resident of Cass county, Michigan, at the time of her marriage. Her father, Barak Mead, removed from New York to that state in 1834. This union of Mr. and Mrs. Silver has been blessed with - eight children, five sons and three daughters. Six of the children
are still living. Their names, in the order of their birth, are: Em- ma C., wife of David Livers, a farmer and resident of Jewell county, Kansas; Edward A., farmer and resident of Moultrie county, Ill .; Barak M., Walter H., J. Judson, and Hattie. Clarence died in infancy, and Mary C. in her seventh year. His estimable wife is a member of the Baptist Church. Politically Mr. Silver is a sound, uncompromising Democrat, and has been identified with that politi- cal organization since casting his first vote for James K. Polk for President, in 1844. He has never lost faith in the principles and final success of that grand old party that has withstood defeat after defeat, but yet presents an unbroken front to the enemy. Mr. Sil- ver is of a quiet, unassuming mien, but withal of a jovial, social turn of mind, and is an excellent companion, and a firm friend. In his dealings with mankind, and in his character as a man and citi- zen, he is honorable and just, and is universally respected.
CITY AND TOWNSHIP OF SULLIVAN.
(MOULTRIE COUNTY.)
HE history of the early settlement and subse- quent progress and development of the town- ship and city of Sullivan presents many features that are interesting. A retrospection of thirty- five years would carry us back to the time when the city was first laid out, and a few years prior to that date would take us beyond the time when the first white settler had trodden upon its site; to the time when it constituted part of a dreary wilderness, before civilization had penetrated its solitary bosom, or the voice of the pioneer echoed amid its timbered shade. The pioneers were a hardy race That it was successful, was owing to the dauntless and persevering energy of the first set- tlers; for it was no enviable task to clear the forest, break the prairie, and undergo the hardships incident to genuine pioncer life.
This was the earliest township formed, and the largest in the county. It is situated in the central and southern portions; bounded north by Lovington, east by Jonathan creek, and east Nelson, south by Whitley and Shelby counties, and west by Shelby county, and Marrowbone township. There are 41,588 acres of land, valued by the last assessment at $406,157; 7,360 acres of which is unimproved. The chief streams which water and drain the township are the Okaw and West Okaw rivers. Other streams are Whitley and Asa's creeks, which are tributaries of the Okaw. There is considerable timber along the margin of these streams, embracing among the varieties the different kinds of oaks, ash, sugar maple, walnut and hickory. The surface, for the most part, is a gently undulating prairie, except along the various water courses where it becomes more broken. The soil on the prairies is alluvium of the darkest and richest character, and the bluffs along
the creeks are composed principally of gravel and fire-clay. There are two railroads passing through the township. The Peoria, De- catur, and Evansville enters on sections 30, 14-5, and runs in a south-eastern direction, leaving it on sections 12, 13-5, and the Chicago Division of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific, enters at the north of section 14, running south and south-easterly, through its entire length, and passes out on sections 36, 13-5. The two form a junction in the western part of the city of Sullivan, and they afford to the agriculturist and manufacturer, a market for their products and wares.
EARLY SETTLERS.
The first settlements made in what is now Sullivan township, were in the northern part, or what is termed congressional town 14, Range 5. James Welborn, son of John Welborn, settled on the N. E. } of the N. E } of section 17, as early as the spring of 1829; where he erected the first cabin, and made the first improve- ments. In the fall of the same year, John C. Thomason purchased this claim of Welborn, and with his family settled here. The next improvement was made on the same section by Richard Thomason, in the spring of 1830. George Thomason, another brother, settled on section 20, where he built a cabin and cleared some land, which was entered out by Jeremiah Souther, in the spring of 1832, and one year later he came and took possession of the place, where he lived for a long time. In the southern part of 14-5, George Mon- roe, a native of Indiana, settled on section 32, and built a cabin at the edge of the timber, in 1831. This was on the place now owned by Absalom Patterson. Benjamin Sims was also an early settler here. Jones and Roland Hampton, Kentuckians, settled at an early date on section 29. The former, Jones Hampton, now lives at Hampton's station, from whom it received its name. Edward
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Minor, James Hudson, Jefferson Hudson, James M. De Jernett, T. O. Brown, R. W. Payne, Ezekiel Sharp, and a few others, ar- rived here before 1835. George Monroe built the first mill in 14-5, in section 32, in the year 1835, which he operated until he was frozen to death a few years later. The earliest marriage here was that of Joseph Thomason to Lucy Ezell in the fall of 1831. The cere- mony was performed by Esquire Janes Fruit. The Pea grave-yard was the first burying ground in this part of the township, and the first interment was that of a small child, a daughter of Zenas and Mary Prather, in the summer of 1830. There was no school in town 14-5, until 1837, when James Steele taught in a cabin used for that purpose, on Jeremiah Souther's place on section 20. Arnold Thomason, William Souther, and John Kellar, were early teachers. Elders Joseph and Solomon Hostetler, were the first preachers.
To Thomas Howe, a native of Indiana, belongs the honor of first settling in the southern part of the township or in town 13, Range 5. He came in the year 1829 or early in 1830, and located on the West Okaw, in Section 25, where he built a cabin and made the first farm. He had several children, and many of their descendants are still living in the county. The next to settle was James Cam- field, and his father-in- law, Avery Wood, in the same year.
Mr. Camfield was a native of Kentucky, where he grew to man- hood and married. On coming to this county he settled on Section 10, at the edge of the timber known as " Mack's Point," since Cam- field's Point. Uncle Johnny, as he was usually called, was an in- dustrious, genial and clever man. At his residence the first courts in this county were held, and at that time many of the foremost inen in the state were recipients of his hospitality. He left this state a short time ago, but several of his descendants are yet here. Avery Wood had a very large family, but of his sons, Joseph M. was the only one to leave any children, several of whom are resi- dents of the county. Most of his daughters married and have children. Mr. Wood was a pious man and a good farmer, and died at his home about 1840.
Richard and Thomas Nazworthy, brothers, and natives of Ten- nessee, settled in Section 6, in 1831. The widow of Richard Naz- worthy, and two of her sons-William and Richard-are all of these families living in the county. In the same year, John Smith and Mark Short came and located near the Nazworthy's. Samuel Wright, also a Kentuckian, came in 1831, and settled in Section 31, where he lived for a number of years, and subsequently moved to Sullivan, where he died in August, 1874. He was four times married, and raised a family of ten children, all of whom are re- siding in this vicinity. The next arrival was that of grandfather James Patterson, his sons David, Joshua and Jonathan, and Nancy Harbaugh with her family, viz. : John, Peter, David, Jacob, Nancy, Sarah and Elizabeth. They came herc from Edgar county, this state, in the spring of 1832. Levi Patterson settled on Asa's Creek, in what is now the east part of the city of Sullivan in 1837, and his son William is residing on the old homestead. Hugh, also a son of grandfather James Patterson, was a Christian minister, and lived for a time in the county. The descendants of David and Levi are all of the Patterson family that are living here.
James and William Crouch settled on Section 14, in 1832. Reuben B. Ewing, a Tennesseean, who became quite prominent in the early civil history of Moultrie, came here in 1835. One son, Charles M., and Louisa, the wife of William Elder, and Rebecca A., the wife of D. F. Bristow, are all of his offspring that are living in the county.
There is no doubt but that the name Jacob McCune, is as famil- iar to the citizens generally as that of any man who ever located in
this part of the country. He was a native of New York, and a patriot in the war of 1812. Mr. McCune came into this vicinity in the fall of 1828, living a part of the time in Shelby county, and partly in what is now Moultrie. While in this county he resided in what is now Sullivan township, where he died several years ago, and was interred in the Camfield burying-ground. Asa Spencer Rice, familiarly called "Dollarhide " Rice, was also an early settler in these parts, but lived farther south, in Shelby county. He and McCune were great hunters, and as the deer and wild turkey were plentiful in those days, the sharp ring of the rifle in the hands of these two daring pioneers might frequently have been heard in the prairie and timbered regions of this vicinity. It was on one of . these expeditions that they came to a halt, now within the limits of the city of Sullivan, and Rice remarked, " Of all the country I've seen this is my choice," and McCune in quick reply said, "This shall be called Asa's Point." This is the point of timber in the east part of Sullivan, and has always been known by that name, as also Asa's Creek that flows by it.
Among other early sett'ers may be mantioned Wesley Loving, James McClellan, Henry Miller, Coonrods', John and Abram Reedy, Daniel Hook, John Powell, James Vanhise, Wm. Ellis, James Baugher, James Weeks, the Womack's, Mr. Ham, Joseph Baker, G. W. Vaughan, the Morelands, Wm. B. Stricklan, H. Y. Duncan, William Liler, John Wegger, the Underwoods, Skid- mores, George Baxter, and others. In writing the history of a county and its constituent townships, recapitulation in some degree is unavoidable, as we must refer our readers to the general chapter of early settlements, civil and church histories, as they are fre- quently mentioned under those heads.
The first land entered in this township, as taken from the county records, was made by the following parties, March 11, 1830: Wil- liam A. Fleming, entered the E. half of the N. E. quarter of sec- tion 31, T. 13, R. 5 E., 80 acres; May 15th, 1830, Thomas Howe entered the W. half of the N. E. quarter of section 25, T. 13, R. 4 E., 80 acres; same date, Joseph Cibeson entered 80 acres in same section. June 22d, 1830, James Camfield entered the W. half of the S. W. quarter of section 10, T. 13, R. 5 E., 80 acres ; Oct. 14th, 1830, Richard Nazworthy entered the N. half of the N. W. quarter of section 7, same township and range, 79.39 acres ; Oct. 19th, 1830, Wm. R. Dazey entered the W. half of the N. W. quarter of section 25, T. 13, R. 4 E., 80 acres; May 14th, 1831, Jeremiah Souther entered the S. E. quarter of section 19, 160 acres, and 320 acres in section 20, both tracts in T. 14, R. 5 E .; May 28th, 1831, Robert H. Pecbles entered the E. half of the N. E. quarter of section 17, T. 14, R. 5 E., containing 80 acres; June 22d, 1831, Avery Wood entered the W. half of the S E. quarter of section 10, T. 13, R. 5 E. of the 3d P. M. 80 acres.
The first marriages that we have any record of in this township were Sanford Green to Miss Mahala Powell, and Adolphus Wag- goner to Miss Warnack. These were in 1833. John Powell, who was killed by the kicking of a horse, was the first death. The ear- liest school taught was in 1832, in the Nazworthy settlement; the teacher was old grandfather James Patterson, who was at that time over sixty-five years of age; he taught in Thomas Nazworthy's log residence ; a school-house built of logs, on the Woods' place on sec- tion 10, in the year 1833, was the first in the township. Elders Levi Fleming, John Starms, and Rev. Hugh Patterson, were among the early preachers, and held their meetings in the log- cabins and school-houses until the building of churches in the city of Sullivan. James Patterson erected a small log blacksmith-shop at Asa's Point, and did the first smithing in the township.
In 1833, John Powell and Sanford Green constructed the first
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
mill; it was propelled by the waters of Okaw river, and was situ- ated on the east line of section 24; it had one set of stones and a sash-saw. The next mill was built at Patterson coal-shaft in sec- tion 29, by Reuben B. Ewing and Jacob McCune, in 1836.
The coal shaft above mentioned was sunk by Donty Patterson, in 1873. It is about 120 feet deep; the vein is 27 inches thick and of a very excellent quality. There has been considerable coal raised, but the mine is so far from the railroads, and the vein so shallow that it can not be worked in paying quantities. There is a tile and brick factory, a short distance from Sullivan, that is doing good work.
The improvements in Sullivan township are among the best in the county. The farmers are industrious, and enterprising, and pursue their vocation with that energy that crowns success. The following named are a few of the good farms ; views of which may be seen in this work : G. W. Vaughan, W. A. Short, J. H. Van- hise, W. T. Nazworthy, Robert H. Sharp, James Kirkwood and Joseph T. Harris.
The school districts are numerous, and each have neat and well furnished school-houses, where school is taught the greater part of the year.
The following are the names of parties, who have represented Sul- livan in the county board of supervisors : Jonathan Meeker, elected in 1867, re-elected in 1868, and served until 1871; J. B. Titus, elected in 1871 ; John A. Freeland, elected in 1872 ; A. Patterson in 1873, and served until 1876 ; Jonathan Meeker, re-elected in 1876, and re-elected up to 1878 ; S. W. Wright, elected in 1878, '79 and '80, and resigned in September ; and G. W. Vaughan was appointed to fill the vacancy.
The first effort to build a town in this township was in 1840, when William Cantrell laid out 160 acres on the farm, now owned by David Harbaugh, on section 11, and named it Glasgow. Mr. Cantrell erected a small frame store building and one log-house. When Sullivan was laid out, these buildings were moved there, and Glasgow became " a thing of the past."
THE CITY OF SULLIVAN.
At a meeting of the county commissioners, R. B. Ewing, A. H. Kellar and Andrew Scott, held in March, 1845, at the residence of Dr. William Kellar, it was agreed that the capital of the county of Moultrie should be called Sullivan, thereby connecting the two names which bear historical relations to each other .*
At the same time they selected the N. E. } of the S. E. } of sec- tion 2, T. 13, R. 5, as the site for the new county seat. These forty acres were purchased of Philo Hale, for the sum of $100, by Dr. William Kellar and other prominent citizens, and donated by them to the county. This tract was immediately laid off into lots and blocks surveyed and platted by Parnell Hamilton, county surveyor, for which the commissioners ordered that $48 be paid him for his services. The first lots were disposed of at public auction March 7, 1845. Those around the court-house square brought from twenty to thirty dollars each.
The first house was erected by John Perryman. It was a small one story frame structure, about eighteen feet square, and was lo- cated on the corner of Harrison and Van Buren streets, on the lot now occupied by the Maple House. After the completion of this house, he moved his family into it, in May, 1845, and became the
first resident. Mr. Perryman was circuit clerk, and moved here to attend to his official duties. The next settler was John A. Free- land, then county clerk and recorder. Uncle Johnny, as he is fa- miliarly called, moved a " second-hand log cabin," from Glasgow, and placed it on the south-east corner of block 17, into which he moved his family July 11, 1845. Joseph Thomason became the third resident. He erected a frame house on the south-east corner of block 5, and moverl his family here in August of the same year. Owen Searny, R. T. Hampton, Thomas Randall and Andrew Scott erected dwellings and settled here late in the summer and fall of 1845. Isaac Funderburk built a blacksmith shop on the corner of Washington and Water streets, and did the first smithing. Owen Searny, who was a blacksmith, also built a shop late in 1845.
The first business of any kind in the city was a saloon, kept by Joel Earp. The building in which it was conducted stood on the corner opposite the north-east corner of the court house square, now occupied by the brick building owned by Dr. T. Y. Lewis. Soon after the establishment of this business, W. W. Oglesby moved a small frame store house from Glasgow on the lot opposite the south-east corner of the court-house square, where William Elder's brick house now stands. He brought from Decatur a remnant of William Cantrell's store,-general stock, such as is usually found in country stores, and opened it for sale. In the spring of 1846 Amos Prentice opened the second storc, with a small stock of general goods, in an old building that had been moved on a lot just east of Oglesby's store. That summer W. W. Oglesby was succeeded by J. Wilson Ross, who moved the old building away and replaced it with a larger and better one, which he opened with a larger and more complete stock. James Elder came from Nelson, and erected a two-story frame residence, with store-room on the first floor. This was situated on the corner north- west of the court-house square. He moved his family into the residence part of the building, and placed a stock of goods in the store-roon. Mr. Elder also kept permanent and transient guests. Late in the fall of 1845, Geo. W. Gwilliams built a small residence and tan-yard, and ran the tanning business for two or three years, and then moved away. J. J. and W. L. Haydon erected a busi- ness house and residence about 1848. It is a frame building, and is now occupied by C L. Roane. James Elder built a store at an early date, which is on the same lot, and now forms a part of Brockway's store. Homer Gibbs, James W. Vaughan, Dr. Wm. Kellar, and others that might be mentioned had we space, built early residences and business houses. The first hotel was erected by Beverly Taylor, on the Titus Opera House lot, in 1847. It was frame, two stories high, containing several rooms, neatly furnished. The house was called after its proprietor-the Taylor House. About the same time, John Recse came here, from Shelbyville, and in connection with Jones Hampton, erected a carding machine, which they operated for several years. The first brick business house was erected in the summer and fall of 1860, and is now known as the centennial building.
It was in this city that the Hon. Richard J. Oglesby first hung out his shingle as an attorney-at-law. This was in the year 1845, and he officed with uncle Johnny Freeland. James D. Perryman, son of John and Ann Perryman, was the first child born in the city, and John, a young son of the same parents, was the first death that occurred. Drs. William Kellar, L. S. Spore, William B. Duffield, J. Y. Hitt and B. B. Everett, were the early physicians. The post- office was established in 1845, and John Perryman was appointed first post-master. The mails were received once in two weeks from Shelbyville, carried by Peter Fleming on horse-back. Those who
* Fort Moultrie was a fortification constructed by Col. William Moultrie, (afterwards a major-general) on Sullivan's Island, at the mouth of Charleston harbor, where a victory was gained, June 28th, 1776, by the South Carolina troops under Col. Moultrie over a British fleet commanded by Sir Peter Par- ker. The city was named from this Island.
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
have held the office since, are W. C. Loyd, J. E. Eden, James El- der, W. W. Stanley, and A. Miley, the present incumbent.
Churches .- The first church was erected by the Methodist denomi- nation about 1847 or '48, and the building is now used by D. L. Pifer for a wagon shop. They have since built a new church. The Cumberland Presbyterian, and Christian Churches were built about the same time in 1853. They cost about $2,000 each, and are both about the same size, well furnished, neat and comfortable edi- fices.
Cemetery .- The Sullivan cemetery was originally the private burying-ground of James Elder, and the first person interred there was his daughter Rebecca, wife of Louis J. Berry, in March, 1847. The present grounds were donated for cemetery purposes by James Elder, Dr. William Kellar, and William Patterson. It contains about four acres, and is situated in the south-east part of the city.
Schools .- The first school-house erected in the city was in the spring of 1846, on lot 2, block 11, at a cost of $85, made up by private subscription. It was a small frame building, 18x20 feet in size. John W. Wheat, an attorney who came from Christian county, taught the first school in the summer of 1846. Schools were con- ducted in this house until the crection of the brick academy by James S. Freeland, in 1851. Mr. Freeland had organized a class for an academic course, and held his first session in one of the rooms of the old court-house. This school flourished until the death of Mr. Freeland, which occurred in 1856, when it ceased to exist. Some years afterward the property was purchased by Elder N. S. Bastion, and had a successful season for about six years, when again its walls relapsed into silence. In the meantime a two-story brick was erected in the eastern part of the town near the cemetery, through the individual efforts of the members of the Christian church. It was subsequently bought by the district, and used for some years, or until the building of the new house, when it was sold and the proceeds placed in the public school treasury. It should be observed that prior to the erection of the new building, the old public school-house was insufficient for the pupils of the district, hence a portion of the scholars attend a department in the academy provided for by the district. The present building was commenced in 1873, and completed in the fall of 1874. It is three stories be- sides the basement, and is one liundred and sixty feet from founda- tion to belfry. It contains six rooms, furnished with the latest and best school furniture, and will accommodate 350 pupils. Its facili- ties for ventilation are excellent, and it is heated by hot air fur- nished by a furnace situated in the basement.
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