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 63

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Brink, McDonough & Co.
Number of Pages: 458

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 63
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 63

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years after the war he had charge of the county asylum and poor- farm, in Park county, Indiana. In the spring of 1874 he settled on his present farm in Big Spring township; he owns a farm of 110 acres, and is also engaged in the saw-mill business, and other enterprises. He was married in Park county, Indiana, in 1866, to Elizabeth Nelson. His children are Minnie, Thomas, Clara, Rilda, John D., and James. He cast his first vote for president for Dou- glas, in 1860. Though he has been a republican in politics he has been independent in his political views, and has always voted for the man he considered best fitted for the office, irrespective of poli- tical affiliations. He is known as an energetic and enterprising business man; he was elected a member of the board of supervisors in 1879, discharged the duties of the position in a satisfactory man- ner, and was re-elected in 1880.

EVAN BAKER.

THIS gentleman, one of the representative farmers of Big Spring township, is a native of Shelby county, and was born on the head- waters of Sand creek, in Windsor township, on the 15th of May, 1830. The family to which he belongs is of English and Irish descent. His grandfather, Joseph Baker, was born in North Caro- lina, and moved thence to Tennessee. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. His father, James Baker, was born in Tennessee. About 1820, soon after the admission of Illinois into the Union as a state, when the tide of emigration from the south was strong, the family emigrated to Illinois and settled in Gallatin county. In that county James Baker, who was a boy when he came to this state, married

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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

Margaret Emeline Patton, who was also born in Tennessee, and settled in Gallatin county about the same time with the Baker family. Soon after his marriage he settled on the head-waters of Sand creek, and was among the early settlers of that part of the county, locating there in 1827. Evan Baker was the second of eleven children. When he was eleven years old his father moved to Richland township ; afterward lived four years on a rented farm in the vicinity of Shelbyville ; moved back to Sand creek one year, and then, after residing three years in Clay county, settled in Big Spring township, where James Baker died on the 31st of January, 1865.

Mr. Baker obtained his education in the schools existing in the county in his boyhood. In those days only the simplest branches were taught. By dint of hard study he secured a good education, obtained a director's certificate, and one summer and fall taught school. He was married June 1st, 1853, to Francina Jane Led- better, who was born in Gallatin county, Illinois, and was a daugh - ter of James Ledbetter. After his marriage he began farming for himself in Big Spring township, on the farm where he now lives. He is now the owner of about three hundred acres of land. His first wife died May 9th, 1859. His second marriage took place Feb. 29th, 1860, to Saralı El'en Rentfrow, daughter of James M. Rent- frow. She was born in Effingham county. He has seven children -two by his first, and five by his second marriage-tlieir names are : Elizabeth Jane, wife of F. M. Robinson, of Big Spring town- slip ; John Albert, who is farming on his own account ; Alice Al- vina, Oretta Arabelle, Florence May, Jantes William E. R., and Charles Rinaldo J. E. Baker. He has always been a democrat in politics. His first vote for president was cast for Pierce in 1852, and he has voted the democratic ticket ever since on general elec- tions ; though he is a man of liberal and independent views, and in township elections has generally voted for the man whom he con- sidered best fitted for the position, without regard to the party to which he belonged. He is a man who has enjoyed the confidence of the community, and has always stood well as a citizen. He served four ycars as a justice of the peace, and has been township

treasurer and collector. As one of the representative men of the south-eastern part of the county, his name here deserves mention.

ALFRED BLYTHE, (DECEASED.)

ALFRED BLYTHE, one of the former residents of Big Spring town- ship, was born in Lincoln county, Tennessee, February 29th, 1822. His parents were Thomas and Phoebe (Dawdy) Blythe. He went to school as he had opportunity, and secured a good common school education. He was married on the 8th of September, 1839, to Nancy Webb, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Young) Webb. She was born in Tennessee on the 11th of February, 1822. In the fall of 1840, Mr. Blythe moved to this state and settled in Ash Grove township. After living on rented land about six years, he entered land in section six of township ten, range six. He after- ward purchased additional land, and at the time of his death owned about four hundred acres. He was industrious, and full of enter- prise and energy. After having suffered from bad health for a number of years, he died on the 20th of February, 1871. The dis- ease was bronchitis, which finally terminated in consumption. He was a man who sustained an excellent reputation in the com- munity. In all his business transactions, his character for honesty and fair dealing, was beyond reproach. For about thirty-five years he was a member of the Separate Baptist church. He was one of the original members of the Hopewell Baptist church in Richland township, of which he acted as clerk. He was frequently called on to fill the township offices, such as collector and assessor, and several times served as supervisor. He had been a consistent democrat all his life. His death was lamented by a large number of friends and acquaintances. He had eight children : John Thomas residing in . Ash Grove township; Phæbe G, wife of Levi Turner, living in Kansas; William Martin, who died at the age of four years ; James Franklin, a resident of Polk county, Missouri; Berry T. Blythe, a resident of Windsor ; George W. and Joseph I. living in Big Spring township, and Douglas, who died at the age of nearly six months.

DORA TOWNSHIP (MOULTRIE COUNTY.)

N the extreme north-west corner of Moultrie coun- ty, is bounded on the west and north by Macon county ; on the east by Lovington township, and on the south by Marrowbone. The greater part of the township is situated in T. 15-R. 4, from which nine sections, or a tract of land three miles square, in the north-east corner, has been taken, and belongs to Macon county ; one tier of sec- tions from the north of T. 14, R. 4, belongs to Dora, making in all thirty-three sections. This is, strictly, a prairie township, the soil of which is fertile and pro- ductive. Marrowbonc creek, which rises in section 28, and flows 30

south-easterly out of the township, is the only stream. There are two railroads, the Illinois Midland, passing across the northern por- tion, from west to east, and the Peoria, Decatur and Evansville, in the south-western part.

The first settlements in Dora were made in the southern part. Two brothers, Harvey and Madison Walker, settled on Section 4, T. 14-4, in 1852. They each purchased forty acres of land, and erected hewed log cabins. Madison Walker died soon after locating here, and a few years later his brother sold out and moved to Taze- well county, in this state. John Bushart was the next settler, and located near the Walker brothers soon after their arrival, on the place where he still continues to reside. Hiram Rice settled the

231

HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

William L. Collier farm, on Section 29, T. 15-4, as early as 1854. At that date there were no settlements between this and the Walker and Bushart places.

Edward Bresnan settled in 1858, on Section 2. He is a native of Ireland, and is yet residing in the township. Soon after his arri- val quite an Irish settlement gathered around him ; among the earlier of whom may be mentioned, Timothy Sammons, Daniel Tueth, John Kinney, Michael Cronon, James Nolan, John Hickey, and William Forgarty. Other early settlers were: John D., John and James Peniwell, Calvin Frantz, G. C. Livesay, Wesley Jones, John Burg, William S. Smith, the McReynolds, Esquire Joseph Bankson, William L. Collier, J. M. Faulkner, Johu McLenahan, and Esquire William R. Kiug. All the above named settled in the southern or central part of the township. John Green, the Foleys, F. S. Kennedy, James Burton, Jesse Wright, and Joseph Davis settled north of the Springfield road before the spring of 1855. William and John Winings, William Brooks, Frederick Eichin- ger, J. J. Nicholson, John Nicholson, John Odor, David Stapp and Elijah Logan settled in the northern part of Dora before 1860. The census of 1880 gives Dora a population of 1,345. The first mar- riage of parties residing in this township was, W. S. Smith to Ellen Bushart. The earliest land entered in Dora was by Barnabas Shis- ler, June 24th, 1850,-the S. E. } of the N. E. }, and the N. E } of the S. E. } of Section 24, 80 acres. August 27th, 1852, Edwin B Hale entered the N. W. 4, 160 acres, the N. } of the S. W. , 80 acres, and the S. E. }, 160 acres, all in Section 33. Sept. 1st, 1852, James Bennett entered the S. E. } of the N. E. } of Section 25, 40 acres. There are at present 21,904 acres of improved land, valued at $220 859. The first school-house was erected on Section 29. It is a frame structure, aud is known as the King school-house. Jo- seph Bankson was the first teacher. Thomas Garrison was the earliest teacher in the northern part of the township, in a school- house erected on section 11, in 1860. Revs. Dauiel Traughber, John Sconce, Joseph Perrymau, and A. Vogt were among the early preachers. The Catholic church, erected about 1864, is the only house of worship, excepting in the villages. Sumter post office, established in 1870, was the first in the township. Elijah Logan was the first post master, and kept the office at his residence. In 1871 the office passed into the hands of Thomas Peniwell, who kept it in his store, at the cross-roads two miles south-west from the present Lake City.

The soil in this township is particularly adapted for the growing of corn, which is the principal product. It is not among the old settled portions of the county, though within its borders may be fouud some of the best improved farms. The inhabitants are an energetic, thrifty class, who are using their united efforts to make this township one of the first in the county.

The following have represented Dora in the county board of su- pervisors :- William Weakly, elected iu 1867, and re-elected 1868; Jesse Wright, in 1869, and served until 1872, when Rial Ward was elected ; Reuben Adkins, in 1873, and served two years; E. J. Dunscomb, in 1875, and re-elected in 1876; William L Collier, in 1877, and served until 1880, and George Stocks is the present incumbent.

DALTON CITY,

A village situated on the western boundary line of this township, was laid out by Thomas Dalton and James Roney, and surveyed and platted by W. G. Patterson, in the fall of 1871. The original plat contained twenty acres in sections 30 and 31, and was filed in the office of the county recorder, April 17th, 1872. The village was named in honor of Thomas Dalton. Joseph Miller's residence was on the village site when laid out, and the next building after

this was a one story frame house, moved here from Freeland's Point, in Marrowbone township, by W. E. Roney, in February, 1872. This was used as a store-house, in which Mr. Roney kept a general stock of goods. The building is still standing, and is occupied by E. C. Frazier. In the spring of 1872, W. D. C. McClure. erected the first dwelling-house, and Thomas Dalton had commeuced the building of his residence before McClure had completed his. About the same time J. W. Crum, W. T. Cole, J. D Cloud, Milton Faulk- ner, Harnian Meitz, and others, were erecting residences. The first stores were erected by William T. Cole, W. D. Patterson, Wm. E. Roney, C. McCarthy, and the Monroe Brothers, all about the same time in the spring of 1872. Dr. McCombe was the first resident physician. The post-office was established in 1872, and James El- dridge was the first post-master. Win. A. Webb and George Ferre have also had the office. A. Wilson erected a hotel in 1872, and WV. D. C. McClure built the first blacksmith shop and did the first smithiug. The school-house was erected in the spring of 1872, by directors Thomas Dalton, Wm. E. Rouey and W. D. C. McClure, at a cost of $1200, including furniture. It is a neat frame structure about 20x40 feet, and one and a half stories high. Miss Alice Craig was the first teacher. There are two churches-Presbyterian and Christian, both erected about the same time in 1873. They are both frame buildings, surmounted with spires. The Presbyte- rian cost $3,200, and the Christian about $3,000. Rev. Clark Lou- den, who organized the Presbyterian church, was the earliest preacher.

The place was incorporated under the general state village law, September 15th, 1877, and the first trustees were-T. J. Freeland, President ; A. S. Clark, Clerk ; George Ferre, C. Loug, E. C. Frazier, James Roney, W. L. Riber. J. A. Roney was made Trea- surer; Joseph Banksou, P. Magistrate, and W. D. C. McClure, village constable. The board are-David Hamilton, President ; Dr. James Abrams, James Ledbetter, T. E. Mayes, W. L. Riber, J. W Crum ; George Ferre, Treasurer ; A. S. Clark, Clerk ; Joseph Bankson, P. Magistrate, and W. D. C. McClure, constable.

The secret society known as the Unexpected Knights of Honor, No. 1212, was chartered September 27th, 1878, with twenty-four members. The first officers were-W. A. Webb, P. D .; W. L. Riber, D .; W. L. Collier, V. D .; W. R. Rouse, A. D .; W. P. Jeffries, Rept. ; J. H. Abrams, F. R .; Harmon Meitz, Treasurer ; Present officers-J. H. Abrams, P. D .; T. E. Mayes, D .; I. C. Stocks, V. D .; W. F. Parker, A. D .; E. C. Frazier, Rept. ; George Ferre, F. Reporter ; Harmon Meitz, Treasurer. The present mem- bership numbers nineteen, and the lodge is in good financial standing.

The village is well supplied with plank walks on all the princi- pal streets, along which are planted numerous shade trees, that in time will add much to the beauty of the place. The business men are vigorous, active gentlemen, who will soon make Dalton city a place of no mean pretensions. The present business is represented in the following :

General Stores .- George Ferre, F. M. Freyburger.

Groceries and Queensware .- C. C. Long, W. E. Rouey, H. J. Deitz.

Hardware, Tinware, etc .- E. C. Frazier.

Drugs .- E. W. Roney.

Harness Store .- Harmon Meinica.

Butcher and Restaurant .- John Ratcliff. Blacksmith and Wagon Repair Shop .- Owen Fallon.

Blacksmith Shops .- W. L. Riber, Eli Ham.

Wagon and Repair Shop .- J. W. Crum. Shoe Shop .- Benj. P. Aubert.

LYDIA.

LENORA DIED 68.

HARVEY.

THE OLD HOME STEAD

FRED & FALSA

MARTHA

RES. FROM THE

BOY

ROSE

HANNA.

HENRY. DIED 63.

WILLIAM K.

MAPLE

SCENES ON THE STOCK FARM OF WM K. BAKER, SEC, IO, WI

FRED.

COLBERT

TENANT HOUSE WINTER SCENE

ALBERT DIED 63

UTH EAST.

SHROPSHIRE DOWNS

CLARINDA.

MARY.

ROVE.

LUCINDA

OR TP. SHELBY CO. & SEC.3. WHITLEY TP. MOULTRIE CO. ILL.

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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

Lumber Yard .- S. D. Moore. Hotel -J. C. Ledbetter. Grain Merchant -S. C. Bartlett & Co.

Physicians .- C. P. Smith, Jamcs Abrams, J. M. Draper and C. H. Sanders.

Elevators .- The elevator owned and operated by Freeland and Roney, was erected by them in the fall of 1876. It is constructed for handling corn, and has a capacity of 3,000 bushels. These parties shipped the first car-load of grain from this place in Janu- ary, 1872. W. A. Webb, erected his elevator in the latter part of 1877, and has a capacity of 8,000 bushels.

LAKE CITY,

SPRANG into existence on the building of the Paris and Decatur Railroad through this township, and was laid out by Robert G. Harvey, then president of the road, and re-surveyed by Abraham Jones, county surveyor, January 6, 1873, and filed in the office of county recorder September 6, of the same ycar. James C. Lake, after whom the town was named, donated twenty acres on scction 12, W. C Foley ten acres on section 13, and W. L. Folcy ten acres on section 14, to the railroad company, and they were laid out in lots and blocks in the spring of 1873. The first building was a small grain office erected by a grain firm at Arcola, Ill. This is still used for the same purpose, and is owned by William Winings. The next building was a store-house built by Odor and Brooks in the fall of 1873, into which they placed a general stock of goods. The third building was also a store-house erected in the same fall, by James Wright, which was burned a few years later. The first dwelling was built by Charles Roberts in the fall of 1873, and F. W. Maddaux put up another a little later. The first school was taught by Miss Mary Wise in 1876, in the second story of the store

now occupied by J. R. Scott. The school-house was erected in the autumn of 1876, by directors J. J. Nicholson, W. G. Odor, and W. C. Foley at a cost of $300. It is a one-story frame, and contains one room 36 x 24 feet The first church in the village is now in course of erection, and is to be completed in the spring of 1881, at a cost of about $1500. The post-office was the old Sumter office, brought here in the fall of 1873, and its name changed to Lake City ; W. G. Odor, was the first post-master, and has held the posi- tion ever since.

Below are the present business establishments :-

General store -T. Peniwell & Co.

Hardware and Groceries .- J. R. Scott.

Groceries and Drugs -A. J. Blain.

Harness and Shoe Shop .- Jasper Dulin. Blacksmith Shop .- Perry Shreve.

The Elevator was built in 1874. It has a capacity of 10,000 bushels, and is arranged for handling all kinds of grain. William Winings is the proprietor.

The Silver Spring Lodge No. 13, I. O. G. T., is the only secret order in the village. It was chartered Oct. 21, 1880, with forty- five charter members. The officers are : Frank J. Blain, W. C. T., C. H. Hoagland, P. W. C. T .; Mrs. A. J. Blain, W. V. T .; Mrs. L. Smith, W. C .; George Selders, W. S .; Miss Esther McMullin, W. A. S .; Joseph Peniwell, W. F. S .; R. T. Paine, W. T .; Foster McMullin, W. M. ; Miss Ada Steward, W. D. M .; Laura Myrcs, W. I .; G. O. P. Shreeves, W. S .; T. H. Hoagland, L. D .; Miss Flora Woodworth, R. H. S. ; Miss Mary Folcy, L H. S.

It is a flourishing little village; the stores have a good trade, and large quantities of corn and smaller grain are annually shipped from this point.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

WILLIAM WININGS.

HE subject of the following sketch is one of the oldest settlers and prominent men of Moultrie county. The ancestry of the family is German on the paternal side, and Welsh on the maternal. There were three brothers who left Germany and came to America prior to the Revolution- ary war. From them the Winings have sprung. The name in the course of time became slightly changed. Ross Winans, of Baltimore, the millionaire inventor of the steamship, and builder of the great Russian railroads, was a direct descendant from one of these three German emigrants. John, the grandfather of William Winings, was the youngest of these three brothers, and was but six years of age when he came to America. He grew to

manhood here, took part in the Revolutionary war, and hauled supplies and provisions for the patriot forces. He was a man of large frame, possessed of great strength and powers of endurance, and lived to the great age of one hundred and one years. He drifted into Western Pennsylvania, and there made his home until 1818, when he removed to Dearborn county, Indiana, and remained there until his death. He married Elizabeth Ryder, who was of German parentage, and a native of Maryland. She died in Indiana, at the great age of one hundred and three years. Her father and two sons were soldiers of the Revolution, and the latter lost their lives in defence of their country. By this union was Abraham, the father of the subject of this biography. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1804, and was in his fourteenth year when his father removed to Indiana. He followed farming in the summer, and in the winter the flat boating and coasting trade down the Ohio river. In 1852, he came to Illinois, and the first year stopped in

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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

Sangamon county, then removed to Macon county, where he died in 1870. He married Sarah Ricketts. She died in Macon county, in 1862, in her fifty-fourth year. She was descended from a Welsh family. Her father, Robert Ricketts, was also a soldier of the Re- volution, first a substitute, and afterwards enlisted and served until the close of the struggle. By this latter marriage there were four children, two sons and two daughters. William is the eldest of the children. He was born in Ohio county, Indiana, July 24, 1825. He received but a limited education in the schools of his native state. This has, however, been much improved in later years by self-culture, and he is now well posted upon current events and transacts all kinds of business in a business-like manner. He re- mained in Indiana at work upon the farm and in farming until the fall of 1852, when he moved to Macon county, Illinois, and re- mained there until 1857, when he purchased a quarter section of land in Section 11, T. 15, R. 4 E., upon a part of which the town of Lake City is now built. It was raw, unimproved land, and all the improvements have been made by him. He may be regarded as the first settler of the town, as the first house erected was upon his land. On the 25th of December, 1846, he married Miss Nancy Jane Chamberlin, a native of Ohio county, Indiana. Her father was a Virginian. Her mother's maiden name was Lucretia Cheek, daughter of Page Cheek, who died in 1832, from cholera. There have been born to William and Nancy J. Winings three children, two sons and one daughter. Their names in the order of their birth are: Secreta J., Wilson W. and Scott Winings. Mr. Winings is not a member of any religious denomination, but in belief is liberal, with a strong tendency to Universalism. Politically he has been a democrat since 1848. In 1872, he espoused the cause of the Grangers, which developed into the National Greenback party, and if their principles could gain control and shape the laws he would gladly vote that ticket. In his township he has been fre- quently elected to offices of trust. He was for two terms elected justice of the peace, and served out a part of another term caused by a vacancy, holding the office for nearly ten years. He was also

school treasurer for ten years, and at present is town treasurer and clerk of the board of commissioners. While these offices do not carry with them large trusts, they serve to show in what estimation he is held by his friends and neighbors, with whom he has lived and associated for nearly a quarter of a century. In 1880, he en- gaged in the grain trade, and at the present time is one of the largest shippers in Lake City. He has a large elevator, and handles large quantities of grain annually.

GEORGE MORROW, (DECEASED,)

WAS born in Ireland in 1829. He came to America, when he was in his fifteenth year. He settled in Pickaway county, Ohio, and remained there until 1861, when he came to Illinois, and settled in Lovington township, in Moultrie county. In 1866, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Dora township. He improved it and remained on it until his death, Aug. 15th, 1879. He died from that dreaded disease consumption, after an illness of nearly four years. He married Anna J. Whitman of Pickaway county, O She died November 25th, 1867. By this marriage there are four children living, named Eliza Jane, Mary, Ellen, Melinda and Anna Belle Morrow. On the 8th of November, 1868, he married Mrs. Anna E. Vent, widow of William Vent, who died November 4th, 1867. Her maiden name was Michaels. She was born in Ross county, Ohio, April 6th, 1834. Her parents were Hamleton and Martha Michaels ; her father a native of Delaware, and her mother, whose maiden name was Braggs, was of Virginia. Mrs. Morrow married William Vent April 2d, 1857, by whom there was one child, a daughter, named Ida D., now the wife of Martin L. Wheeler. By the latter marriage of Mr. Morrow, there were two children, named Robert H., and George W. Morrow. Mr. Morrow was in his life a believer in Universalism. His parents were Cumberland Presbyterians. He was a kind husband and an affectionate father, and was much respected in the community, where he lived for many years.

WINDSOR TOWNSHIP.

(SHELBY COUNTY.)

INDSOR is situated on the east side of Shelby county, and contains thirty sections of land ; it is bounded on the north by Moultrie county, south by Richland township, west by Okaw township, and on the east by Ash Grove township and Moultrie county. The Okaw, or Kaskaskia river flows through two sections on the west side of the township; Sand creek drains the centre of the township from east to west; Lick creek and Carr creek are two small streams in the south part, tributaries of Sand creek. Wolf creek is a small stream in the north part, and flows into the Okaw river. Originally the west

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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 63

Author: Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : Brink, McDonough & Co. Number of Pages: 458

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Brink, McDonough & Co.
Number of Pages: 458