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 71
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 71
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After his marriage, Mr. Shuman went to farming on Section 7 of township 13, range 6, where he has since resided. He has two children, a son and a daughter. In his politics he has always been a democrat. He was appointed a member of the Board of Super- visors in March, 1878, and was elected in April, 1878, and again in 1879 and 1880. Mr. Shuman is a gentleman who has commanded . the confidence and respect of the community. He is now the teacher of the school in district No. 2, East Nelson township. He received the degrec of Bachelor of Arts from McKendree College in 1872, and in 1875 that of Master of Arts.
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RURAL TOWNSHIP. (SHELBY COUNTY.)
-
ERE is one of the western tier of townships of Shel- by county. It is bounded on the north by Flat Branch, east by Ridge, south by Tower-Hill township, and west by Christian county. It comprises thirty-six square miles, or 23,040 acres of land. It is a very fertile and produc- tive portion of the county.
Early Settlers .- Among the early residents of (Tp. 12-2), we find the name of Benjamin Hun- ter, who settled on the head of Mud creek, on section 14, as early as 1830. For several years this place was a stage-stand, on the Shelbyville and Springfield State road. Hunter subsequently moved to Texas, where he died. He was a some- what noted character in the neighborhood. In the latter part of the year 1830, Mason Kelly squatted and built a cabin on the east side of Mud creek, on section 14, a short distance north of where the Craig school-house now stands. Another early settler was J. IV. Vermillion, a native of Virginia, who afterwards became a resident of Kentucky, and from the latter state moved to Shelby county in 1840, and erected a cabin in the north-west part of section 26, where he lived a number of years, and afterwards settled on section 27, where he now resides. In 1842 came David and Na- thaniel Beck, who were the first settlers on Lake Fork, in the west part of the township. They erected a large comfortable cabin, and both families used it as a residence. The Becks also kept the stage- stand for a short time. The cabin was located not far from where N. B. McClure now resides. Another early settler was John Kil- lam, who located on section 33.
A short time prior 'to 1840, M. Smith settled on section 23, south of where the Craig school-house now is. In 1848, the Har- per Brothers settled near Mud creek, on section 15; they were natives of Franklin county, Pennsylvania, but had lived for a time in Virginia, prior to coming to this county. In 1858, J. N. and Robert Harper moved up on Lake Fork, where they still live. Soon after J. L. Steward located near where he now resides. These were the first settlements in that part of Rural.
James Armstrong, a native of North Carolina, became a resident of this township in 1840. His father was a soldier in the revolu- tionary war, and was a planter and slave owner in the state above mentioned. When James Armstrong came to this county he brought with him a colored woman and three children. He had owned the woman since she was twelve years of age. He purchased her from a trader who was passing through from Maryland, south, with a number of negroes for the southern market. Three of his sons are farmers in this township-Lafayette, Jasper and Charles. When James' Armstrong came to this county he brought with him several thousand dollars in gold. It was placed in a box and fastened to the bed of the wagon. He accumulated quite a large
property here, and had about eighteen hundred acres of land at the time of his death, which occurred in the fall of 1869 at the advanced age of eighty-five years. The companion of his life and mother of his children died in the fall of 1879 at the age of seventy-five years.
LAND ENTRIES.
The first land entry was made October 19th, 1832, by Conrad Hanson, it being 40 acres of S. E. } of S. W. 4, section 33. James Hanson entered 40 acres in section 33, June 11th, 1834, and the third entry was made February 8th, 1836, by Win. Smith and others, of 80 acres in section 25, it being the E. ¿ of the S. E. }.
DRAINAGE.
Rural is well watered by several small streams. The central and south-eastern portion is drained by Mud Creek, Burrels, Angels' Branch and their affluents. The northern and western part of the township is drained by Lake Fork and its tributaries and Spring Branch. Several springs of fresh water are found in the township, besides small natural ponds. Thus it will be seen that this township is well adapted to stock-raising, as blue grass, timothy, clover, orchard and the native grasses grow luxuriantly. Large crops of hay, corn, oats, wheat, rye and other cereals are annually produced, as well as potatoes and vegetables of all kinds. Fruits thrive well.
TIMBER.
Several fine groves of timber may be seen in the township, and many of the banks of the stream are fringed with a thrifty growth of forest trees, among which are the several kinds of oak, elm, hickory, walnut, sycamore and cottonwood, which add an ad- ditional beauty and charm to the landscape. Originally, alout one-fourth of the township was timber land. The balance is a rich, fertile prairie.
The township is well supplied with church and school facilities, which speaks well for the niorals and enterprise of its citizens.
The first school-house was a hewed log structure, and stood in the north-east part of section thirty-four, and was erected in the year 1845 ; it was also for several years used for church purposes ; it is now utilized as a stable on the farm of J. W. Vermillion.
Supervisors .- Wm. B. Travis, elected in 1860, re-elected in 1861 and 1862; J. Moses, elected in 1863, re-elected in 1864 and 1865 ; Franklin Reed, elected for 1866; E. A.McGrew, elected for 1867 ; Hy. Funk, elected in 1868 ; S. Mitchell, elected in 1869 ; J. Kil- lam, elected in 1×70; D Downs, elected in 1871, re-elected in 1872 and 1873; C. Mantey, elected in 1874; J. T. Killam, elected in 1875, re-elected in 1876, 1877, 1878 and 1879; R. Smith, elected in 1880, and is the present incumbent.
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FARM RESIDENCE OF S. H.SANNER, SEC.22, T.14, R.3.(PENNTP.) SHELBYCO ILL.
STOCK & GRAIN FARM OF H.M. WEMPLE, SEC.2.RURAL TP.(12) R.2, SHELBY CO. ILL.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
GEORGE B. HILL.
HIS gentleman, one of the old and representa- tive citizens of Rural township, is a native of Ireland, and was born at Ballycastle, in the county Antrim, on the 5th of December, 1818. His father was William Hill, and his mother's name, before marriage, was Elizabeth Brown. His ancestors were originally from Scotland. They were among those Scotch Presbyterians who sought refuge from religious persecution in the north of Ire- land. He was the sixth of a family of nine children : he was raised in his native county.
He attended school at Ballycastle, and secured the elements of a good education. His father was a merchant, and for about a year Mr. Hill was employed in his father's store. He, however, preferred an out-door life, and was always fond of work- ing on a farm. He left Ireland for America in March, 1841, then a young man of twenty-three. The vessel on which he was a pas- senger contained seven hundred immigrants, and was seven weeks in making the voyage from Liverpool to Philadelphia.
From Philadelphia he went to Ohio, where he spent two months, and then, in the fall of 1841, came to Illinois ; he came by boat down the Ohio river. The passage from Cincinnati to Cairo took nine days. The river was low, the channel full of snags and bars, and the trip was in consequence unusually long and tedious. He had some friends in the neighborhood of Sparta, in Randolph county, and he went to that locality. While he resided there he was employed on a farm. Concluding that he wanted to see the old country once more, in the fall of 1849 he returned to Ireland. His next winter and spring were spent in his native town. On the 29th of May, 1850, he married Elizabeth Fullerton, daughter of James Fullerton and Marcella Stewart. Mrs. Hill is also descended from the Scotch-Irish stock. Her great-grandfather and two of his brothers came from Scotland to Ireland at the time of the persecution. She was born in the house, half a mile from Bally- castle, which was built by her great-grandfather. On the fourth of June, 1850, a few days after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Hill started out to make a home for themselves in America. They left Liverpool on the 11th of June, and arrived at New York on the 11th of July. A sister of Mr. Hill had settled in Shelby coun- ty, and he had previously visited this section of the state. He and his wife came directly to this county with the intention of making it their home. He purchased a small farm of eighty acres at Prai- rie Bird, on which he lived a short time, and then moved to his present location in sec. thirteen of township twelve, range two east. He entered one hundred and twenty acres of land, at two dollars and a half an acre. At that time there was comparatively little
land in the county subject to entry. The government had raised the price to two dollars and a half an acre on account of its prox- imity to the Illinois Central Railroad, then not yet constructed. When he first came to the country and went to housekeeping, there were very few of the conveniences of civilization. He had to go to Springfield for a cooking-stove, one not being obtainable in the county. The prairie stretched away for miles to the west, with scarcely an inhabitant.
He has been a successful and prosperous farmer, and now owns four hundred acres of land-three hundred and sixty of prairie and forty of timber. Soon after coming to America he formed de- cided views on the subject of slavery. He was one of the band of abolitionists who bore that name at a time when it was a synonym of unpopularity. He voted for the free-soil candidate for president before the formation of the republican party. He was an early republican, and has voted with that political organization since the campaign of 1856. Both he and his wife are members of the Pres- bytcrian Church. They were among the original members of the Presbyterian Church at Prairie Bird at the time of its organization, and have been connected with it ever since. He has been a peace- able and law-abiding citizen, and a man whose influence has been cast on the side of morality and virtue. He has led the life of a quiet and unostentatious citizen, attending to his own business af- fairs and caring nothing for holding public office. His name deserves mention in these pages as an old resident and substantial farmer of Rural township.
.
ROBERT HARPER,
WHO has lived in Rural township since 1848, was born near Cham- bersburg, Franklin county, Pennsylvania, November 3d, 1827; his father, John Harper, was born near Belfast, Ireland, in 1771, emi- grated to America in the year 1800, and settled in the Cumberland valley, Pennsylvania. He was obliged to leave Ireland on account of his connection with the rebellion. ' He married Ruth Moore, daughter of Major John Moore, who held a position in the British army. Robert Harper was the sixth of nine children ; his mother died when he was nine years old. The next year, 1837, the family moved farther west. They went from Chambersburg to Harrisburg on the railroad, which had just then been completed, and from Har- risburg to Pittsburg by canal, the railroad not then having been constructed across the mountains. After stopping one summer in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, they settled in Mason county, Vir- ginia, and after living there six years Mr. Harper went to live with a sister in Brooke county, Virginia. His opportunities for an edu- cation were mostly confined to old-fashioned log school-houses, and the greater part was obtained by his own efforts, and consists of a
267
268
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
practical acquaintance with business affairs. In 1848 he came to Illinois. The family settled at the head of Mud Creek, in Rural township April 26, 1855, lie married Sarah Ann Lewis, who was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, February 3, 1834, and came with her father to Morgau county, Illinois, in 1837, and from there to Shelby county. In 1856 Mr. Harper moved to the part of the township where he now resides. He owns 320 acres of land. His wife died March 13, 1867. He has five children : Mary F. Alonzo, Sarah E., Laura, and Agnes. He was first a democrat, but united with the republican party on its formation, voted for Fremont iu 1856, and has supported every republican candidate for president from that time to the present. For a number of years he has acted as justice of the peace. Like all the Scotch-Irish race he was raised a Presbyterian, and was connected with that church for a number of years; he is now a member of the Church of God. He is one of the old residents of Rural township, and his name deserves a place in this work as one of the representative citizens of that part of the county.
H. M. WEMPLE
WAS born in Greene county, Illinois, February 18, 1838. On his father's side his ancestors came from Holland, and settled first in
New York city, and afterwards in the neighborhood of Amsterdam, on the Mohawk river. His father, Joseph D. Wemple, was born and raised near Amsterdamn, and when a young man came to Illinois and settled near Kane, in Greene county. He married Lucy M. Mason, daughter of Hale Mason, who was born in Ver- mont, emigrated to Illinois, settled at Edwardsville, and afterward at Monticello. He was a farmer and Methodist preacher. H. M. Wemple was the oldest of three children. When he was eight years old his father died, and his mother was married again to R. J. Simmons, of Jersey county, where Mr. Wemple lived till he was fourteen, and then went to live with his mother's cousin, John Mason, at Godfrey. When nineteen he went to Sangamon county, near Springfield, and worked on a farm till he was twenty-one, and then began farming for himself. The first land he purchased was eighty acres in Missouri, which proved of little profit. In 1865, he purchased 160 acres of raw land in Section 2, Rural township, and began improving it. In 1866, he married Mary W. Mitchell, a native of Ogle county, Illinois, daughter of Samuel Mitchell, who was born in Maryland. Mr. and Mrs. Wemple have two children, George Mason and Mary Josephine Wemple. He was a Republi- can for a number of years, and now belongs to the National Green- back party. He and his wife are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. A view of his farm in Rural township is shown on another page.
RIDGE TOWNSHIP.
(SHELBY COUNTY.)
HE township of Ridge, as known on the Govern- ment survey, is town 12, range 3 E. It is bounded on the north by Pickaway, east by Okaw, south by Rose, and west by Rural. It contains an area of 36 square miles, or 23,040 acres of land, the greater part of which in early days was covered with a beautiful growth of timber, mostly oak, interspersed with walnut, hickory, ash, and hackberry, most of which has fallen before the axe of the sturdy pioneer.
The north-western portion is mostly prairie, and is under a high state of cultivation. Here are some of the best stock farms in Shelby county. The soil is of yellow clay, mixed with sand near the streams, but as we go from the streams we find a deep and pro- ductive soil.
Drainage .- It is drained by Robinson creek and its tributaries, entering on the north-west corner of section 2, winding southward through sections 11, 14, 21, 22, 27, 28, 33, and passing out on the south-west corner of section thirty-four, furnishing a good supply of water for stock purposes.
The first land entries were made by Levi Casey on the 4th day of
March, 1825, of the W. }, N. W. 4, section 22, 80 acres ; on the 27th day of April, 1826, John Lee entered the W. }, N. E. 4, section 28, 80 acres ; Thomas Robinson entered the E. ¿ , S. W. ¿ , section 27, and the W. 2, S. W. }, section 23, 160 acres, on the 20th day of December, 1826.
The first log house in the township was built by Thomas Robin- son, who settled here in 1823, on section 23, on the south or east side of the creek, from which it derived its name. He was a native of Tennessee ; he lived here a few years and then moved to Mis- souri ; though none of his descendants live in the county, his name will always be remembered by his " monument," Robinson creek.
Fountain Robinsou, who was a nephew of Thomas, came about the same time; he "squatted " on a piece of land north of his uncle's, built a cabin, aud the first winter he and his wife lived in the same, without chinking or daubing with mud, as was the cus- tom ; remaining here but a short time, when he also moved to Missouri.
Daniel Francisco located and made an improvement on Robinson creek in 1823, where he lived for six years, then moved to what is now Okaw township. Thomas McKnight came shortly after, and settled in the timber above Thomas Robinson's in 1830; he sold
269
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
out to Isaac Killam, who lived here until his death in 1878, leaving quite a property accumulated by thrift and economy. He was one of the prominent farmers of the county.
John Lee, a native of Kentucky, settled here in 1823 on section 27. He afterwards moved to Texas. The place is now owned by Henry Martz. Levi Casey settled on the west side of Robinson creek timber in 1824. He was a native of South Carolina. In 1825 he entered the W. ¿ , of the N. W. }, section 22, opened up a farm and resided on the same until his death, leaving quite a fami- ly of children ; several of them now live in the county.
James Virden settled on section 33, in or about 1824, on the west side of the creek, now known as the " Small place. He after- wards moved into Flat Branch township, where he died. Jonathan C. Corley, a native of Virginia, settled here in 1824, on the land where John Weakley now resides. He lived here about three years, then moved north of Shelbyville about one mile, where he lived four or five years ; he then moved down into Cold Spring. where he died ; he was the father of Bryant Corley, who came with his pa- rents from Virginia atthe age of 18. Two years after he married Miss Elizabeth Lee, daughter of John Lee ; he built a cabin and began an improvement on section 34 ; he continued the cultivation of land until 1833, when he sold out and settled in the north part of Rose on section 3, at the mouth of the Willow branch. He lived here until his death in 1874. His wife survives him, and resides with her son Nathan in Pickaway township.
Ralls Calvert was born in Culpepper county, Virginia, though principally raised in Kentucky. He married the daughter of widow Sarah Turner, and after the birth of their first child, they with his wife's mother and family emigrated to Illinois in 1825, and settled on the west side of the creek. The first winter after their arrival here was spent in the cabin of Daniel Francisco, making a household of three families in one cabin 14 by 16. (The Widow Turner afterward bought the property and lived upon the farın until her death in 1864.) In the spring of 1827 Calvert began his improvements, and opened one of the best farms in the township. In early days his cabin was the one selected by the Methodist circuit rider as the place to hold meetings, and for years the regular preaching for the neighborhood was held here. He raised a family of four children ; William, the oldest boy, was born in this township in 1827, and is now one of the leading farmers, and also proprietor of the old homestead ; E. L. Calvert, the young- est, born in 1833, is farming near the old place ; they are the only surviving inembers of the family.
Smith Scribner from Tennessee settled here in 1827 on the east side of the creek, where widow Allen now resides. His sons, Ed- ward, Thomas, Solomon, Wesley, and Lewis married here and were among the early settlers. Most of them afterward removed to Flat Branch.
Richard Howard settled the place now owned by C. P. Miller as early as 1828 ; he afterwards moved to Rose township.
Alexander Roberts, a native of Delaware, settled in Kentucky in 1806, where he married. He came to Illinois in October, 1829, and located on section 23. He had a family of ten children ; there were thirteen in the family, and all lived in one small cabin built of hewed logs for two or three years. The old folks had a bed of early day style, and the children slept on the floor on deer skins. He made this his home until his death ; five of his children reside in the county. Burrell Roberts the second has lived in Shelbyville since 1836, and was county clerk 26 years.
Litton Smith bought the James Virden improvements about 1830, lived here a few years, and sold out to John Small.
Isaac Killam, son of Peter Killam, emigrated from Kentucky to
Illinois about 1830, and settled in this township, where he has be- come one of its thrifty farmers and stock-raisers.
Peter Killam was a native of Maryland. When young he moved to Kentucky, married and reared a family, then emigrating to Illi- nois. In 1831, he purchased the farm of Len Mosley, and became one of the permanent residents. He died in 1838 at the age of 60.
Alexander C. James, who was born in Maryland, settled here in 1831, on the west side of the creek. In 1833 he purchased the im- provements started by John Howard, who " squatted" on section 3 in 1831, for which he paid him the sum of forty dollars. James entered the land, and was a successful farmer. He was not a mem- ber of any church, yet contributed liberally to the building of churches and support of God's Holy Word. He died in 1870, leaving his wife, who resides with her son William, at the old home, at the ripc old age of seventy-five.
John T. Killam, one of our enterprising farmers and early settlers, knowing all things earthly must pass away, and having a warm feeling toward the home of his childhood, and wishing the little ones who will step upon the stage of action, when we are gone, to see and remember Grandpa's Home, had the same lithographed, and a view may be seen on another page of this work.
Natham Killam, a successful farmer and stock raiser, and breed- er of blooded stock, came here as early as 1836, when, what are now beautiful farms, was a wilderness ; but like the architect who plans, having the same in his mind, has seen his plans realized in the improvement of the country of his choice. A view of his resi- dence, together with a portion of his stock farm, may be found in this work.
First Birth .- The first child born within the limits of Ridge, was Willis, the son of James and Maria Lee, in the summer of 1823. The first death on the creek was Rachel Virden, wife of Levi Vir- den, in 1826.
The first school-house built was near the state road, north-west of where James Virden settled, on section 33, about 1835; and the Elm Spring school-house was built at the same time. This house stood about 80 yards from the spring.
The first church built was on section 34, the German Reformed. The Albright Denominational Church on section 9, was built in 1877.
The first school was taught in a house, that stood in the Old Camp Ground, near the widow Turner's place, and Dr. Hayden was the teacher.
In the year 1829, Smith Scribner built the first mill ; it was run by horse-power : each person who had his grist to grind, hitched in his team and ground his own grist, the miller taking toll for pay- ment. Previous to the erection of this mill, the early settlers had to go some forty miles to mill in Fayette county.
Robert H. Craig, a native of Kentucky, was the first to venture out into the prairie, to begin farming ; for in this place, like all otliers, the early settlers clung to the timber.
Game was abundant, such as deer, wild turkey, prairie hens, quail, rabbits, and with the night prowling, " varments " wolves, opossum, raccoon, mink, and the never to be caught a sleep weasel.
PRAIRIE BIRD.
Jonathan Howard was the first to locate in the vicinity of this village. He settled on section 30, as early as 1831, the place 'now owned by Samuel Warner. The village is located on section 19. The first house was erected by Edward Armstrong. Mr. Fulton carried on the first store. About 1847 or '48 L. Walker began merchandizing herc. He soon after secured the establishment of a post-office, and was the first post-master. A. V. Harper had a
270
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES ,ILLINOIS.
store at Lone Oak, near the John Small place, as early as 1850. He subsequently moved to Prairie Bird, where he merchandized a number of years in partnership with Edward Armstrong.
The present business places are :-
Grocery Stores .- Isaiah Henton and W. G. Baker. Blacksmiths .- Henry Shade and Caleb Runkel. Wagon Maker .- Isaiah Henton. Physicians .- George A. Smith and Amos P. Rockey. Churches .- Presbyterian and Christian.
ANTIOCH.
A small village situated in this township, on or about section 11. Business Houses :-
Wagon Maker .- John Thurman. Blacksmith .- John Lacy.
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