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 64
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 64
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part of the township was heavily timbered along the Okaw; the land is considerably broken. In the east and south part the land is very rich, and here were made some of the early settlements of the county. The first was Elias Carr and Isaac Corbin; they located their cabin on a prong of Sand creek, now called Carr's creek, in 1826. The cabin stood a short distance from where the Methodist Church now is, on section twenty-eight.
In the early spring of 1827, Benjamin Moberly built a cabin in the edge of the timber on the south side of Sand creek, on section twenty-six. He was born in Madison county, Kentucky, in 1799. In 1812 his father emigrated to what is now Franklin county, this state, where he lived a number of years in a fort, as the Indians
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
were very troublesome at that time. Mr. B. Moberly now lives in Windsor, and is a hale and hearty old gentleman, full of life and energy, and delights in talking of the olden time. The third house was put up by Isaac Sherley, a short distance east of where Moberly settled, now known as the Joseph Walker place. Moberly and Sherley were brothers-in-law, and came here together. They brought with them a load of salt, and part of a barrel of whiskey, for which they found a ready sale, to the settlers on Richland and Jordan creeks. Sherley did not remain long ; he was of a roving disposition. He died in Kansas some years ago.
Joseph Baker settled the John Walden place in 1827.
Daniel Turrentine built a cabin at the head of the north prong of Sand creek, on section twenty-three, in 1828, where he resided until his death. His aged wife still survives him, and lives on the old place.
Daniel Davis was one among the first settlers at the head of Sand creek ; he was a blacksmith, although not an expert at his trade. He could inend a chain or clevis, and at that time was considered a very useful citizen. He sometimes preached to the early settlers.
Benjamin Bruce located west of the Sulphur Spring, on section twenty-eight, in 1829, where he lived a short time, and afterwards settled the William Hartsell place, on section twenty-two, where he resided until his death in 1861. He was twice married, and raised a family of twelve children.
Col. Peter Warren, a native of Virginia, from Tennessee, here settled on section thirty-two, in 1830, now the Samuel Thompson place. He raised a family of fifteen children ; three are now living. Elder P. P. Warren, who lives on section twenty-eight, Joseph Warren now living in Ash Grove township, and Mrs. Ann Robin- son of Windsor township. Col. Warren was a militia colonel in Tennessee before he came to Illinois, and was a militia general in this State; was Captain of a company in the Black Hawk war, and represented this district in the State Senate for a number of years. He resided on the place he improved until his death in 1858. David Robinson settled on Carr's creek as early as 1830. In 1829 Alfred Wallis located on section twenty-seven ; two years later his father, Jacob Wallis, located on the same section. They were na- tives of Kentucky; came to Southern Illinois as early as 1820.
Daniel Miner came to the township in 1838 ; his wife, who was a Miss Ledbetter, came to the county in 1824, with her parents.
Daniel Tull, a native of Tennessee, settled on the south side of the north fork Sand creek, section twenty-three, in 1829. He had two married children, who accompanied him to this county : Eliza- beth, wife of B. Bruce, and J. B. Tull, his eldest son, who settled at the head of Sand creek, between the forks. J. B. Tull only re- mained here about two years, when he returned to Tennessee. Af- ter eight years he came back to this township, and settled on sec. nineteen, where he resided until his death. His widow yet lives on the old place; they have three sons living here.
Benjamin Weeks was one of the early settlers here. He lived on the Joseph Walker place as early as 1832.
Nathan Gaddis, now living on Wolf creek, has lived in the county since 1839.
James Richardson, a native of Indiana, settled on section eight, in 1839 ; he has two sons still living here, George and John.
Judge William Williamson, a native of North Carolina, caine to the county about 1825. In 1830 he bought a " squatter's" im- provement of Williamn Weger, near the head of Carr's creek. Williamson was elected first sheriff of this county, and filled the office two terms ; was first lieutenant in Captain Price's company in the Black Hawk war ; was first county surveyor ; he filled the office of county judge for some time; afterwards represented this
county in both houses of the State Assembly. He died in this township, on the place he improved.
W. F. Hilsabeck, now living on section sixteen, has lived in the county since 1834. His father, Frederick Hilsabeck, was a native of North Carolina; he came to Hillsboro, Montgomery coun- ty, Illinois, in 1830, and to Shelbyville four years later, and fol- lowed blacksmithing in Shelbyville many years ; he died three miles north of Shelbyville in 1856. Five of his children now live in Shelby county, two in Missouri, and one in Kentucky. W. F. Hilsabeck settled where he now lives in 1845; the place was first settled by Jonathan Wyman.
The Waldens are early settlers here; they first settled in Rich- land township. (See history of that township.)
Tobias Grider, one of the early preachers of Shelby county, set- tled on the north side of Sand creek, near where the Christian Church now stands, in 1836, where he resided until his death, Nov. 11th, 1880.
Other early settlers of the township may be mentioned-the Lovins, Elisha Fortner, and William Upchurch.
Supervisors .- Since township organization, Windsor has been represented by the following gentlemen, whose names appear below : Alex. Walker, elected in 1860, re-elected in 1861; 1862, (chairman) 1863. W. H. Brown, elected in 1864; re-elected in 1865, 1866, and 1867. A. Bland, elected in 1868; re-elected in 1869. H. N. Walden, elected in 1870; re-elected in 1871. G Richardson, elected in 1872. J. Rose, elected in 1873. H. N. Walden, elected in 1874; re-elected in 1875, '76 and '77. T. N. Henry, elected in 1878 ; re-elected in 1879 and '80; is the present incumbent.
In 1827 the Indians had a camp at the head of Sand Creek, on the land now owned by James Davis. They did not remain here long.
The first Church was built on the Bruce place, now the Hartsel place, about 1838; it was a small log building with puncheon floor, and John Storm, of the Christian denomination, preached the first sermon here. The above building soon became too small for the congregation, and they built a frame, and subsequently a brick church, near by, in 1874. The township is now well supplied with church buildings-there are six in the country and three in the town of Windsor.
The first school-house was built near where B. Bruce lived in 1836. Two railroads pass through this township, with a junction at Windsor. This town was laid out by Simeon Ryder and P. C. Huggins, in 1856. It is the second town in size in the county having about 900 population. J. D. Bruce built the first house here, in which he kept a hotel; the old building still stands north of the depot ; he was also the first post-master, the office being in the hotel. Thomas Kenney erected the second house on the south side of the railroad, where he boarded the railroad hands. The third house was put up by Watson Wallace, in which he opened a saloon. The fourth building was a business house, built by L. H. Kellar, in which he put a general stock of goods, and has followed merchandizing here up to the present time. The fifth house was also a business house, put up by James Hilsabeck, who was the second merchant in the building now occupied by Joseph Garrett & Son. Dr. Jesse York was the first physician, and erected the first residence. The first blacksmith shop was carried on by John T. Alexander, who sold out to Joseph Garrett.
The old Mill was first built in 1857 by John Keith, now run by Westbay and Voris. This mill has two run of burrs, and has a good custom trade.
The City Mills were erected, in 1866, by Woolard & Price; the
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
firm name has been changed several times, but is now under the style of Frazer & Price. It is a good, substantial mill of two run of burrs, and does a good business. They have an elevator attached to the mill where they handle all kinds of grain.
The Grain Elevator, operated by L. H. & G. Gould, was built by them in 1872; they have a dump, and every convenience found in all first-class elevators. D. N. Harwood & Co. built their hay barn here in 1877, in which they handle about 2,000 tons of hay annually. S. E. Spraker has been manufacturing tile a short dis- tance west of Windsor, for about seven years; he has invested con- siderable money here in this business, and manufactures a good quality of tile, for which he finds a ready market.
McDaniel & Wallace, carriage, wagon, and general blacksmith- shop, do quite a manufacturing business here. There are two other blacksmith-shops in the place run by Joseph Garrett and T. Riggs. Philower & Snyder erected the Windsor Hotel at the junction of the two railroads, in 1874; it is a large three-story brick edifice, and is a credit to the town. The brick block in the west part of the town was erected in 1872-3; there are three firms merchandiz- ing in this block, as follows :
The Grange Store, -F. A. Warden, agent, handle nearly every- thing but dry goods.
Dry goods, hats, caps, boots and shoes,-T. N. Henry.
Dry goods, notions, and general stock,-Jake Smyser.
Drugs,-Brunk & Jeffries.
The lumber-yard, now carried on by John Moberly & Sons, was started twelve years ago by General H. C. Bull, who afterwards went west to Nebraska, and laid out the town of Bull city, where he became quite wealthy ; he was killed a few years ago, in his own park, by what he supposed to be a tame elk.
The Physicians of Windsor are : W. H. Dubler, C. H. Brunk, C. D. Warden, W. F. Hilsabeck, H. H. Aldridge, and J. B. Mont- gomery.
F. M. Harbaugh,-Attorney.
John P. Brisben,-Civil Engineer, Notary Public and County Surveyor.
Other business of the place is as follows :
J. T. Poe,-Groceries.
J. Garrett & Son,-Furniture, hardware and farm implements.
J. A. Hatch,-Jewelry.
Smyser & Co ,-Drugs.
L. C. Jackson,-Books and Notions.
L. H. and W. H. Keller,-Dry Goods and general stock.
Groceries,-Bourn and Leggitt, Michael Shea.
Restaurants,-Adam Hager, O. Y. Robbins, (Johnson and Web- ster.)
L. H. Keller and Son (double store),-Dry Goods, Clothing, Boots and Shoes, Hats and Caps and Groceries.
Sexon and Horn,-Butchers.
James Heffernen, James Willis,-Shoemakers.
L. Evins,-Bakery. George Webster,-Tailor.
Millinery,-Mrs. S. T. Ring, Mrs. Meloon.
Post Master and Notions,-G. G. McCamant.
J. S. Shaffer,-Hardware, Furniture and Farm Implements.
O. Y. Robbins, J. M. Jones,-General stores. William Fisher,-Dry Goods and Notions.
D. F. Richardson,-Harness and Saddles.
W. H. Woolard, E. M. Scott,-Dentists. S. Ashbrook,-Barber.
James D. Allen,-Hotel and Livery.
L. S. Baldwin,-Livery.
There are three Churches in Windsor, Methodist, Christian and Cumberland Presbyterians, all good commodious buildings. Sun- day schools are kept up by all the churches, and well attended. They have here a substantial two story brick public school-building, where five teachers are employed.
Societies .- Windsor Lodge No. 322, A. F. & A. M., was or- ganized in 1859, with the following charter members, William Van Cannon, W. M. ; C H. Brunk, S. W .; John W. Gilpin, J. W .; Isaac J. Sperry, Treas. ; L. B. Perkins, Secry. ; B. F. Herrick, S. D .; Thomas Gilpin, Tyler. The present officers are Rev. W. W. M. Barber, W. M .; I. H. Gilpin, S. W .; T. Cavin, J. W .; R. M. Bourne, Treas. ; C. D. Warden, Secry .; T. C. Wallace, S. D .; James Turner, J. D .; E. D. Tull, Tyler. Present membership seventy five.
Fidelity Lodge No. 576 I. O. O. F. was chartered October 13, 1875, with the following charter members : Sylvester Storm, G. R. Cochran, T. Riggs, J. M. Kuhl, Wm. Templeton, L. S. Baldwin A. H. Messer, W. C. Smyser, A. Mahan, J. L. Storm, G. W. Hilli- goss, James.S. Nautz. The present officers are : W. A. Hilsabeck, N. G .; H. Bartles, V. G .; H. H Aldridge, Sec. ; A. M. Reckord, Per. Sec. ; G. W. Hilligoss, Treas .; Thos. L. Leggett, R. S. N. G .; J. T. Edwards, L. S. N. G .; A. J. Reed, W .; W. H. Dubler, C .; Jasper Horn, R. S.S .; Geo. Garrett, L. S. S .; Wm. Fisher, O.G .; Geo. R. Cochran, I. G. They have forty-one members.
The Shelby Encampment at Windsor No. 65, was chartered Octo- ber 9, 1866, with the following charter members : Geo. C. Leathers, H. H. Aldridge, F. B. Thompson, W. S. Moore, H. F. Hardy, W. W: Wilkins, Wm. Templeton and Charles Voris. The present officers are : James Willis, C. P. ; Sylvester Storm, H. P .; Wm. Fisher, S. W .; H. Bartles, J. W .; H. H. Aldridge, S. C .; W. Templeton, Treas.
Knights of Pythias, Waldemar Lodge No. 77, was chartered October 23, 1879, with the following charter members: Sylvester Storm, Amos H. Messer, William Fisher, Edgar M. Scott, Philip Keller, William Templeton, Truman Ames, O. Y. Robbins, Lyman A. Gould, Alvin M. Anderson, John Fox, W. W. M. Barber, John Crane, James L. Turner, Michael Montgomery, William Bowen, George Cochran, Henry Richman, David Richardson, J. Poe, W. H. Dubler, A. Martin, J. Willis, J. Price, O. Bandy, C. O. Davis, J. Storm, A. J. Reed, A. M. Record, J. A. Montgomery, C. F. Hughs, I. F. Sexon, H. J. Franklin and H. Dille. The present officers are : L. A. Gould, C. C .; P. J. Keller, V. C .; J. T. Poe, M. F .; O. Y. Robbins, M. Ex .; James Price, M. A. S. Storm, P .; J. Montgomery, K. R. and S.
Knights of Honor " Home Lodge," No. 990, was organized March 27, 1878, with the following charter members: J. W. Brady, C. H. Brunk ; Thomas Cavins, G. F. Gould, W. S. Glover, Thomas N. Henry, L. C. Jackson, J. N. Jones, A. A. Ricketts, Jacob Smyser, J. S. Wilkinson, J. P. Westbay. Present officers are: L. C. Jackson, D .; A. A. Ricketts, P. D .; A. W. Philhower, V. D .; J. M. Jones, A. D .; Jacob Smyser, R .; T. N. Henry, F. R .; J. S. Shafcr, Treas .; F. A. Warden, Chap .; G. F. Gould, Guide ; Geo. Garvin, G. ; J. P. Westbay, S.
Independent Order of Good Templars was organized by J. T. Long, March 19, 1880, with the following charter members : F. A. Warden, W. F. Hilsabeck, Jr., J. M. Ricketts, Eugenia Hilsabeck, John Spooner, William Waters, C. A. Brady, F. A. Brown, O. B. Warden, H. R. Moberly, S. R. Warden, I. K. Brady, H. C. West- bay, T. B. Wiggins, Sarah Tice and K. P. Ricketts ; S. R. Warden, W. A. S.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
HON. CHARLES VORIS.
HE ancestry of the Voris family on the paternal side is German, and ou the maternal English and Scotch. Peter Voris, the grandfather of Charles, was born and raised in Lancaster county, Pa. He removed to Ohio in 1815 and settled in Stark county, afterward lived and died in Summit county in 1849. He married a Miss Spiker of Lancaster county, Pa. Peter Voris, Jr., was one of the offspring of that marriage. Hc was was born in Lancaster county, Pa , in 1799.
He remained in Ohio until 1858, when he came to Mattoon in Coles county, Illinois, and died there in January, 1880, in the eighty-first year of his age. He was by profession, a civil engineer, and in his life was a prominent man in Ohio. He was Judge of the District Court, and Associate Judge under Hon. Ben. Wade for five years. He also represented his district in the Legis- lature of Ohio, and held other minor though important offices in his county. He married Julia Coe, a native of Hartford, Conn., but a resident of Summit county, Ohio at the time of her marriage. She died in Mattoon in 1859. By this union there were thirteen children, nine sons and four daughters. Nine of the children have survived the parents. The subject of this sketch is the seventh in the family. He was born in Summit county, Ohio, March 22d, 1839. His youth was passed upon the farm and in attending the district schools, until his fifteenth year, when he came to Knox county, Illinois, and worked on a farm. The same year he went to Minnesota, and then to Iowa, and remaincd there until the fall of 1859, when he came home to his parents at Mattoon, Illinois, and remained there until the winter of 1860, when he engaged with a party in Mattoon to take charge of the grain and lumber business in Windsor, Shelby county. He came to Windsor, and in 1862 en- gaged in general merchandizing and grain business, which he con- tinued until 1866. In 1868 he went into banking business. In 1875 he went on a farm. The next year he returned to Windsor and engaged in milling and grain business, in which hestill continues. In 1866 he was clected a member of the Legislature for the then 17th Representative District, now the 31st, and in 1868 was re-elect- ed to the same office. In 1870 he was nominated and elected State Senator for the 7th Senatorial District for the short term. In 1872 under the redistricting it became the 31st Senatorial District. He was again elected to represent that district in the State Senate for the short term. He retired from office in 1874. While a member of the House he was on the committees of Railroads, Counties, Enrolled and Engrossed Bills. While in the Senate he was a member of the committee on Railways, Penitentiary and Manufac-
tories, and chairman of the Special Committee to investigate the Union Stock Yards at Chicago. In 1869 he was elected Vice Pres- ident of the Bloomington and Ohio River Railroad, now one of the branches of the Wabash and Pacific.
Politically he was originally a democrat, and was elected by that party to the honorable positions he held. In 1873 he joined hands with the National party, or the party who were opposed to mono- polies and in favor of legislating in the interest of the masses, and not in favor of the few. Since that time he has acted with the National Greenback party, and is active in its councils and connec- tions In 1876 he was chairman of the committee on Permanent Organization in the National Convention that met at Indianapolis that nominated Peter Cooper for President. He was an elector on the National ticket for his District in 1876.
He is not a member of any church organization, but he is what might be termed a " Restitutionist." He is a radical temperance advocate. While a member of the State Senate, he was one of three members of his party who voted for the passage of what then became the Temperance Law of the State. He advocated the cause of temperance both in private and from the rostrum. In the winter of 1878 he went to Effingham, and organized the tem- perance movement, and such was the force and power of his speeches that in one week he got fourteen hundred names enrolled as work- ers in the cause, and completely revolutionized public sentiment in that hitherto license town
On the 6th of November, 1860, le was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. Templeton, a native of Shelby county. Two chil- dren have been born to them, one living named Annette Eliza Voris. Julia died in her ninth year.
J. L. WARDEN.
THE subject of this sketch was born in Claremont county, Ohio, March 28th, 1861. His father, S. L. Warden, is a native of the same county and state. He left Ohio in 1866, and came west to Illinois, and settled in Ash Grove township, Shelby county, and there engaged in farming. One year later he removed to Moultrie county, where he at present resides. J. L. is the youngest of four children, two sons and two daughters, of S. L. and Frances War- den. His education was obtained in the common schools of Moul- trie county, and by home instruction. He, at an early age, had a special fondness, and developed a talent for printing. In June, 1876, while at home on the farm, hie purchased an amateur office, and thus learned to set type, compose and write editorials, and carry on printing in a miniature form. In 1874 he increased the capacity of the office, and commenced the publication, in Windsor, of a monthly, known as the Advertiser, which was chiefly devoted to the
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
interests of the business men of that village. Meeting with good success he again increased the capacity of the office in March, 1878, and commenced the publication of the Windsor Gazette, a weekly paper, devoted to the general interests of the town of Windsor and vicinity, and giving the local and current news of the day. It was a small paper, printed upon a job press, but notwithstanding the lack of a good press it was a neat publication typographically, showing that Mr. Warden had, from the outset, ideas of neatness in the press and "make up" of his paper. In 1879 his business had increased and demanded an enlargement of the Gazette, and ad- ditional material and presses. He then fitted up the office with a cylinder power press, enlarged the paper to its present size, increased his energy and industry, made a lively, spicy, readable paper, and increased the circulation, until now at the present writing, he is is- suing 1,000 copies of the Gazette, which goes into and gladdens the homes of many in Shelby and Moultrie counties. Mr. Warden is yet young, and, comparatively, entering upon the threshold of jour- nalistic experience, but if he perseveres, and falters not, nor loiters by the wayside of life gathering pleasure in its many evanescent shapes, nor turns aside to seek riches in other avenues, we predict for him a bright and honorable career in journalism. Adaptability and talent for a chosen profession, united with energy and industry, can- not fail to win. It is with pleasure that we here append these few words in a brief biographical sketch of one of Windsor's young and energetic citizens, and trust that our estimate of him may not fall short; we believe that it will not.
CAPT. JOHN PRICE BRISBEN.
THE Brisben family were originally from the north of Ireland, and are of Scotch-Irish ancestry. They were edge-tool manufac- turers. Andrew and John Brisben, the latter the grandfather of the present family, emigrated to America, and settled in Chester county, Pennsylvania, about the close of the revolutionary war. He afterwards removed to Ohio and settled in Tuscarawas county, in what was known as the "Dormer Tract," and there set up a blacksmith shop on the old stage road between Wheeling and Cleve- land. There he remained for many years. He died at the home of his son in Christian county, Illinois, at the great age of ninety years. He married Jane McNeil. She died also at the home of her son in the above named county. Andrew Brisben, the father of John P., is the sole surviving son. He was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1815. He accompanied his father to Ohio and remained there until 1865, when he came to Illinois and settled in Christian county, where he still resides. He married Re- becca Price, a native of Easton, Ohio. By this marriage there are three children living. The subject of this sketch is the only son. He was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, January 25th, 1842. His education was obtained in the public schools of his native county, and in them he attained to great proficiency in mathema- tics. In 1860 he taught schools. In the spring of 1861 he enlisted as a private in the first call for three months volunteers, and was elected ensign. After the expiration of his term of service lie re- turned home, and in the summer of 1862 he enlisted as a private in Co. " K," 98th Regt., Ohio Vols., and was promoted to the position of orderly sergeant before the regiment left the Rendezvous camp at Steubenville. He received his commission as Second Lieutenant, October 8th, 1862, dated from the battle of Perryville. He was promoted to First Lieutenant at Franklin, Tennessee, his commis- sion dating March 15th, 1863. He was then detached and identi- fied with the construction of Fort Granger. He remained there
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until the 1st of May, 1863, when, with Gen. Granger's forces he joined Rosecrans' army which was on the advance movement. During this time he was identified with the engineering department of Rosecrans' army, and was a member of the First U. S. Vete- ran Engineer Corps. While in this service he was promoted to the captaincy of his company in the 98th regt., and received his com- mission dated March 25th, 1864. He resigned his commission as Captain in the volunteer service, May 1st, 1864, in order to accept the First Lieutenancy in the First U. S. Veteran Engineer Corps, and was commissioned as First Lieutenant in that arm of the service, July 2d, 1864, after having successfully passed the ex- amination before a board of engineers at Chattanooga, and remained in that position until after the close of the war. He was assigned to duty in Sherman's Corps, and was one of the officers in charge who threw the pontoon bridges across the streams and river from Chattanooga to Atlanta. Afterwards he became attached and iden- tified with the engineering department of the Army of the Cumber- land, under Gen. Geo. H. Thomas. In 1865 he was ordered to Co- lumbia county, Tennessee, and there took charge of the vouchers for the block-houses and railroads for the U. S. engineering service until they were turned over to the civil authorities. After his re- tirement from the service, he returned home and engaged in general business for several years. In 1867 he came west to Illinois. On the 28th of May, 1873, he was united in marriage to Miss Belle Messer, a native of Laconia, New Hampshire, but a resident of Shelby county at the time of her marriage. Her father, Harrison Messer, was one of the original contractors of the St. Louis, Alton, and Terre Haute Railroad. He was also one of the first express- men between Boston and Concord. There has been born to John P. and Belle Brisben one child, a son, named John Messer Brisben. Politically, Captain Brisben is a democrat ;- his democracy is never doubted. Iu 1877 he was nominated and elected County Surveyor, a position that he is eminently qualified for by long edu- cation and experience. He is of a social disposition, a most excellent and jovial companion, and a true friend to all whom he honors with his friendship.
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