USA > Illinois > Champaign County > Early history and pioneers of Champaign County : illustrated by one hundred and fifteen superb engravings by Melville : containing biographical sketches of the early settlers, the early history of the county obtained from the most reliable sources and many graphic scenes and incidents from the bright and shady sides of pioneer life > Part 23
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JOSHUA SMITHI.
Was born June 29, 1837, in Piqua county, Ohio. He was the son of Westley Smith, of near Norfolk, Vir- ginia,and Eliza (Cisna) Smith.of Penn- sylvania. His grandfather formerly owned the land or forty acres of the same, on which Harrisburg. Pennsyl- vania, is now built. The parents with Joshua came to this county in March. 1842 and settled on the Sanga
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mon River, near the farm of Phil Sey- inour. Here the subject of this sketch was raised attending a sub- scription school occasionally, until he was old enough to work for himself when he worked in the summer and went to school through the winter. He afterwards learned the trade of blacksmithing but preferred farming, which h℮ followed successfully.
March 6, 1860, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Martha Dickson, of near Mahomet. Three children have been born to them, viz .: Eliza Jane, married to Albert Wright, living near Ma- homet; Luella Kate, who died when young, and Clara Belle, who married O. M. Brown, living in Piatt county. He has been a member of the Metho- dist church since 1858. In politics he has always been a straight republi- can and takes a deep interest in such matters. He has served as assessor for two years and acceptably filled the office of school director for the past twenty years. April 8, 1862, he enlisted in Company D., 25 Regiment of Illinois Infantry. He was hurt in June 1862, and in October 1862, was discharged on account of his injuries. In the early days he hauled grain to Park's mill in Urbana, and passed over the present site of Champaign when it was wild uncultivated land, and when there was not a house be- tween Urbana and Sangamon. Social- ly Mr. Smith has a wide acquaintance and many warm friends. He is a member of Mansfield Lodge, No. 773, A. F. and A. M., Urbana Chapter, No. 80, R. A. M., and Urbana Command- ery, No. 16, Knights Templars. He is also a member of E. Scott Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Mahomet. In all of the societies he takes a lively interest. He has a farm of 110 acres well improved, large enough to occupy all his time and affords him a com- fortable living. He gives his atten- tion to stock raising in which he is very successful. Mr. Smith is a good citizen and neighbor, attends to his own business and enjoys the respect of the entire community.
SIMON BALTZELL,
Was born October 28, 1833, in Ohio. His parents were George and Lydia (Layman) Baltzell, of Ohio. The great grandfather of Simon came from Ger- many and in the early days settled in Kentucky. They crossed the Ohio on a raft. It is claimed that the great grandfather was the first white man to set foot on Kentucky soil. On the site where Cincinnati now stands he built a cabin and there lived and died. The grandmother of the subject of this sketch was chased by the Indians so close that she jumped into the Ohio river and swam down some two miles to a settlement. General Jackson was then in command of some troops. He soon learned her story, after she had recovered sufficiently to tell it, and at once pursued the Indians. The father and mother of the subject of this sketch were both born in Hamilton county, Ohio. The father died in Oglaze coun- ty, Ohio, in 1835. The mother remained a widow and raised the family of seven children. She sheared her sheep, carded and spun the wool, also raised flax and wove and made the clothing for the family. She also made all the shoes for the family and supported them un- til her boys grew large enough to help her. She removed with her family to Champaign county in the fall of 1856, and settled on a farm six miles south- east of Urbana, adjoining the farm of J. S. Powell, where she died in 1863, and her remains rest in Mt. Hope cem- etery. Few women were more devoted
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or made more sacrifices for their chil- dren than she. The subject of this sketch enlisted in the late war Septem- her 23, 1861, in Company I. 10th Illin- ois Cavalry as a private. He went through the several lines of promotion and was first lieutenant when he was mustered out at Springfield, January 6. 1866. The old tenth cavalry took part in all the principal battles and skirmishes west of the Mississippi river. Mr. Baltzell was married Jan- uary 1, 1868, to Viola M. Powell, old- est daughter of J. S. Powell. One child has been born to them, Estelle F., who is at home. Mr. Baltzell was a black- smith in Urbana previous to the war and a member of the firm of Baltzell & Sperry. He has been a resident of this vicinity since 1856, with exception of the time he was in the army and in 1859 when he took the Pike's Peak fe- ver. In 1868 he removed west of Cham- paign where he purchased a good farm. has the same well improved and enjoys life. He is a good citizen and is hon- ored and respected in the entire com- munity.
Hox. JAIIT'S CORYDON SHELDON.
Was born in Clarence. Erie county. New York. November 2nd, 1827. His parents were Corydon and Ennice (Brown) Sheldon. The former was a native of New York, the latter of Ver- mont. When six years old he removed to Clarksfield. Huron county. Ohio. When abont 21 years old, he appren- ticed himself to a ship builder at Hu- ron. Ohio, and for about four years
followed that bu iness there and at Milan and Cleveland, Ohio, becoming quite proficient in the art. Often when a craft had been completed, he shipped as one of the sailors to man her, and thus became something of a seaman.
He received a good common school education and attended Baldwin Insti- tute at Berea. O .. for one year. He married Eunice M. Mead. a farmer's daughter, who was educated in the common schools and at Oberlin Col- lege. Fivechildren were born to them of whom only one is now living, Nel- lie, wife of Rev. C. B. Taylor, formerly of this city, now located at Rantoul as pastor of the M. E. church. Then son. Clarence C .. died only a few weeks ago, and is sadly mourned by the whole community.
Mr. Sheldon came to this county on May 11, 1853. he having taught school the previous winter near Perrysville, Ind .. footing it all the way and carry- ing all he possessed on earth, which consisted of a second snit of clothes, a 40-acre land warrant and $60 in cash. With the cash and warrant he entered 40 acres of land three miles south of where Champaign now stands. The same fall he sold it for $5 per acre. He songht and found employment at once with the engineering corps in the con- struction of the I. C. R. R .. then being built. He received one or two contracts in its construction. out of which he made some money, which he saved un- til he got enough to purchase a home for himself and wife, which he had married as before stated. In 1855 he entered the law office of W. N. Coler as student and wasadmitted to the bar at the fall term. Abraham Lincoln. then practicing in this court. being the com- mittee appointed to examine him. In the fall of 1861 he formed a partner- ship with Frank G. Jaques, then and now of Urbana. which was very ste- vessful from a financial point of view. and was continued until 1866 when Mr. S. retired taking the real estate branch of the business, to which he had given special attention. In this he was en- tirely successful. Investing for others and occasionally for himself. he has succeeded in becoming the owner of over a thousand acres of well-improved land in this county, free from inenm- brance. He was elected to the Legis- lature in 1870 and served in the 27th* General Assembly, being the first sps- sion after the adoption of the new con- stitution of ISTO. In 1872 he was elected as Senator from this, 'he 30th district
PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
and served four years. During this time he was successful in getting the appropriation for the main and me- chanical buildings of the University of Illinois. His first vote was for Zacha- riah Taylor and he was in the republi- can party when it was formed. He remained a republican until 1888, when he voted for Clinton B. Fisk, the Pro- hibition candidate for President. He was the prohibition candidate for con- gress in the 15th district in 1888.
Mr. Sheldon has long been a consist- ent and prominent member of the M. E. church. He is a liberal contributor to its treasury and lives up to its teach- ings in a way that causes all to regard him as truly a christian gentleman.
His record as a man, a citizen, a christian and his relations as husband and father are withont a blemish. More need not be said.
EDWIN JJUSTIN UDELL.
The subject of this sketch is the fourth son and eighth child of a family of six sons and four daughters. His father. Gardiner Udell, was a thrifty farmer, owning andenltivating a small farm in the town of Westerloo, Albany county, New York, where Edwin was born October 23. 1838. He attended the district school and assisted his father on the farm until he was seven- teen. when he came to Illinois in com- pany with an elder brother, Calvin G. Udell. After remaining a few months near Princeton. Bureau county, they located on a farm (raw prairie) seven miles northeast of Pontiac, Living-
ston county. Here he had the usual experiences of settlers, in the unbroken prairie when neighbors were far away. Getting lost at night with an ox team in charge, encountering fierce bliz- zards. and being chased by starving prairie wolves, are among his early recollect ons. For about eight years he taught school in Livingston, Grun- dy and Marshall counties, and in 1864 removed to Rantonl where he has since resided. He was, upon | is arrival, em- ployed as manager of the Illinois Cen- fral telegraph office at Rantoul, and served in that capacity until Sept. 1. 1890. just 26 years. In 1865 he was ap- pointed agent of the American Express Co .. which position he still holds. He has for many years done a thriving business as real-estate and collection agent. He was married October 4, 1865. to Helen Ostran 'er, near Otta- wa. Ill. Mrs. Udell still lives and has heen and still is an active worker in the M. E. church and in the temper- anee cause. She is also a member of the board of education. Mr. Udell, though a probationary member of the M. E. church, is rather inelined to Uni- tarianism or Universalism. The chil- dren of the marriage are Rudolph S., telegraph operator at Makanda, Ill .: Eugene V., who is assistant railroad agent and telegraph operator at As- sumption, Ill .; Bertram C., a lad of 13; the five-year old twin boys, John L. and Paul L., and a bright little two- year old girl, Ruth. They lost a boy and a girl in infancy and a cherished daughter, Etta Minerva, was taken from them in 1881 in her fifteenth year. He is a straight republican in politics and is prominent in the coun- cils of his party. He has held the local offices of township collector, village trustee, village clerk and treasurer, and has served 12 years on the school board. In 1880, President Hayes ap- pointed him supervisor of the fifth census district of Illinois, composed of 14 counties and 233 enumeration dis- tricts. This work was faithfully done, as Mr. Udell does everything entrusted to his hands. He has been township treasurer for several years, and last April was elected justice of the peace to sneceed Daniel Steele, deceased. Mr. Udell has good literary abilities. He has written a great deal for news- papers and magazines. He has good poetic imagination and has written unite a number of real poetic gems. Such publications as Potter's Maga- zine. Boston Pilot, Youth's Companion
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
and Chicago Tribune have published many of his poems. Among the many good poems he has written we mention those which have attracted the most marked attention. to-wit : "The Clock upon the Shelf," "Erin. Why Thy Tears." "December," "For a Son's Album' and "Days Agone."
Mr. Udell has lived for more than a quarter of a century among our peo- ple and he holds to-day the high regard of all good people who know him. Public spirited, pushing and reliable, he has been prominent in all depart- ments of social and business life in the community in which he resides.
WILLIAM SADORUS.
To write a history of this man who. for over 67 years has been a resident of Champaign county, is to write a his- tory of the county. Such we cannot here undertake, but must content our- selves with a biography. briefly sketch- ing the incidents of a career which spans more than three-fourths of our national life and whose residence here anti-dates the county's existence as a county by nearly ten years. The name is probably of German origin and the family descended from the stork of that people which early in the last century took possession of the eastern central ronnties of Pennsylvania, and whose presence there is attested even now by the thrift and well-earned wealth of the "Pennsylvania Dutchman." Henry Sadoras, born in 1783, and Mary Titus. natives of that state, were the parents
of William Sadorus, who was born July 4, 1812. being the first born of the family.
In the spring of 1817. when William was a little less than five years old, his parents embarked upon a Hat-boat. built for the purpose, on Oil creek. Crawford county. Pa., and set out for a home in the west. They little thought of the untold wealth that there lay beneath their feet already oozing from every spring and bayou, or of the world-wide reputation which the creek and the town. subsequently to grow up and be named after the family of Mrs. Sadorus, were to achieve. They knew they were leaving a cold. unfriendly soil, but did not dream of the "oil king." it was to produce nor of the far- famed city of Titusville which was to be called into life by the oil which the soil contained. A few weeks brought the family to Cincinnati, then the ris- ing western town. by way of the Alle- gheny and Ohio rivers. Here they dwelt two years and then, by succes- sive moves, reached Connersville, Flat Rock and Raccoon. Ind., from which latter place they again. in March, 1824. set out for the west. this time making their first and final stop on the bank- of the Okaw. in what was then Edgar county, Ill This point chey reached on April 9th and set up their camp. A brief survey of their surroundings sat - isfied Mr. Sadorus that he need look no farther. A soil of unexampled fertil- ity. with a broad expanse of timber and prairie, welcomed them. Here he de- termined to make a home tor himself and his descendants. It was veritably a land of promise. This last move was made in a wagon drawn by two yoke of oxen. The wagon contained the wife and mother and six children of whom the subject of th's sketch was the eldest. he then being a little less than twelve years old : Henry T. Sa- dorus being the youngest, a habe in his mother's arms. A family named Smith accompanied the Sadorns family and stopped one summer in the new home. and then moved westward leaving their companions alone in the wilder- ness. The nearest neighbors of the family were Rumel Fielder. a squatter on lands two miles northeast of the site of Urbana, and James Hayworth, an- other squatter, on the site of Monti- cello. Paris. Edgar county. was the nearest post-othre in Illinois, though Engene. Indiana. was nearer than Paris. There was then no Decatur. Monticello, Charleston. Urbana nor
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
Danville. These names, like the coun- ties of which they are the seats of jus- tice, were vet to appear on the map. A simple wagon tent did duty as a home for the pioneers until after ground had been broken with the rude, wooden mould-board. iron plow-share plow brought with them, and some seed put in the ground as a provision for the future. While living in this frail home. the heads of the two fam- ilies with all the members except Wil- liam and a Smith boy about his own age, left the two boys for four weeks in the tent to care for the goods and stock. while they made an excursion to some distance. The boys held the fort. surrounded as they were by wild men and howling wolves. The temporary home happened to be set up within a few rods of the spot which afterwards became the permanent home of the family. Soon after setting up their home, the family was visited by Indians of the Kickapoo. Delaware and Potta- wattomie tribes, remnants of which tribes were still roaming through the country and hunting wild game. Mr. Sadorus well remembers Shemaugre. or "Old Soldier." as he called himself, and Wallhoming, chief's of the Potta- wattomie and Delaware tribes, who, with their followers, often resorted to the Sadorus home for shelter and food. These people were always treated kindly by the family and in return re- ceived nothing but kindness from the wild men. Before 1833 the Indians had all left this part of Illinois and were seen no more.
Before the first winter set in the family had been comfortably boused in a cabin of split logs, well chinked and daubed, after the fashion of the pio- neers everywhere, but though the family home from that time on for many years, the cabin did not have a glazed window for six years. Before that time the hole in the wall which answered for a window had nothing in it to keep out the cold but a piece of greased muslin. The winter found the family well supplied with provisions, grown upon the soil or caught by the clase.
The public lands in their neighbor- hood had been surveyed but two years and were not yet in market, and the family were squatters on these lands for more than ten years before entries were made. On December 11, 1834. William Sadorns, being then 22 years old, entered the n12 net Sec. 1, T. 17. R. 7, and his father entered the set of 31
the same section, on which the family home had been located. These were the first entries of lands on the Okaw. William Sadorus now lives on the land so entered by him almost half a cen- tury since. With no people in this country when the Sadorus family came. of course there were no schools. until by the coming of population a demand was created. This event. how- ever, did not take place until William had passed the school age. All the op- portunities for schooling he had, after coming to Illinois, were received at a school taught at Georgetown. Illinois. where his father sent him for some months when a young man.
Population began to flow into their neighborhood for permanent residence about twelve years after their coming and slowly increased until the coming of the railroad era. since which, as if by magic. the prairies have been seized upon and made to serve the uses of man.
On the 11th day of March, 1838, Mr. Sadorus was married to Mary Ann Moore, of Lake Fork, and soon after- wards made for himself a cabin home on lands owned by him near his fath- er's. Of this marriage were born : George W. B. and Henry W., who live near their father ; Margaret E., wife of O. C. MeConney, of Sadorus ; Sam'l S., who lives in Nevada ; Sarilda, mar- ried to Thomas Hixon, of Jasper coun- ty, Mo .: Sarah S., Married to Charles Mills, of Pana. Ill., and John T., de- ceased. Mrs. Sadorus died about 1848. Subsequently Mr. Sadorus was married to Miss Jincey Ann Brumley, of Ur- bana, from which marriage were born a son and daughter, both of whom died young. After the decease of the sec- ond Mrs. Sadorus. Mr. S. a third time entered into the marriage relation. this time with Mrs. Charity Hastings. One daughter, Ida, has been born of this marriage who. now a young woman, is at home with her parents. George W. B. Sadorus entered the army in 1862 in Co. E., 125 Ill. Reg , and came out in 1865 as captain of his company. Henry W. Sadorus enlisted in Co. G. 25 Ill. Reg .. August 25, 1861. and washonorably mustered out of the service September 1, 1864.
Mr. Sadorus has all his life been en- gaged in farming, at which business he has realized a handsome compe- feny. He was for a time the owner of a small stock of general merchan- dise. one of the first sfores in his town. Int soon retired from that business.
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
He has always been a democrat in pol- itics and believing in the democratic maxim, that the "office should seek the man and not the man the office, " has never sought nor held office above that. of school director. For many years he has been a member of the Baptist. church and one of the active promot- ers of that faith in his neighborhood.
It will be seen by those knowing anything of the early history of this county, that Mr. Sadorus is the oldest resident of Champaign county. His Orother. Henry T., came to the county by the same wagon but. when quite a young man. he went to California and took up his residence in the mountains, where he spent fifteen years, thus re- moving him from this field of.compe; tition. At the annual Old Settlers' Meeting held for this county in August. 1890, Mr. Sadorns presented himself as a candidate for the prize offered for the oldest person in citizenship and without a question bore off the prize, a gold-headed cane. He is now vener- able in years, honored by his neighbors and highly favored by his Maker, of whom he is a sincere worshipper. His children live near him and the evening of life promises an honored close.
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MALINDAN BARTLEY.
W'as the oldest daughter of Hiram and Jane ( Swearingen > Rankin. They rame to this county from near Mays- ville. Kentucky, about 1828 and settled east of the present town of St. Joseph and in a few years moved to what is known as the Rankin farm, on the old state road. east of old St. Joseph. Here they lived for many years and no one in all the county had a wider reputa-
tion for liberality in helping the poor and needy than Hiram Rankin. Here the subject of our sketch, who was born in Kentucky. near Maysville, was raised. When about eighteen years of age she was united in mar- riage to Benjamin Bartley, whose parents came to this same part of the county abont 1830. There were born to them four children. viz .. Mary. Eliza- beth Jane. Catharine and Lydia. The youngest daughter, Lydia, was mar- ried to Van B. Swearingen. one of the leading men of this township. One child. Grant, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Swearingen, who is still living at St. Joseph. and is one of the prosperous business men of the county. Mr. Bartley died and Mrs. Bartley after- wards married Stephen Boyd. one of the old settlers of Urbana township. He died and several years afterwards Mrs. Boyd was again married to James Bartley a consin of her first husband. They resided near St. Joseph. About twelve years ago Mrs. Bartley met with an accident which caused her to lose her life. A team ran away with her, throwing her and others from the buggy, so injuring her that she only lived three days. Mrs. Bartley was a thorough christian woman in every respect. from early life taking an active interest in religous matters and was a member of the Christian church when she died. Mrs. Bartley inherited from her father a charitable disposi- tion and no one ever went from her door in want. A person who knew her for many years said: "Mrs. Bartley did more for the poor than any person . in St. Joseph township." She was of a hopeful. jovial disposition. and although she had her full share of sorrow she aimed to make the best of everything and made everyone ' feel better for having the pleasure of her acquaintance. . She was known throughout the county and every man, woman and child respected and loved "Aunt Lin" as she was familiar- ly called. She was a neighbor in deed and the entire community monrned her death when. she -was called to her home beyond.
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
ROBERT ORR PORTERFIELD,
Was born in Armstrong county, Penn- sylvania, January 1, 1827. His father's name was Samuel : his mother's name was Nancy Davis, both of Pennsyl- vania. His father came to Sidney in 1863, buying town , property and a farm. The subject of this sketch re- sided in Pennsylvania and attended the public schools, receiving a fair education. In 1852 he went to Cali- fornia, where he mined and traded in stock for nine years, when he returned to the states and, in the fall of 1861, came to Sidney, where his brother. the well-known J. B. Porterfieid ro- sided, and at his earnest solicitation he purchased a. farm in section 26 of that township and has resided there ever since. December 4, 1862, he was united in marriage, at Sidney, Ill., to Elizabeth France, formerly of Arm -. strong county, Pennsylvania. There were born to them the following chil- dren : Chambers Roland, who is now and has for several years been occu- pying a position in the treasury de- . partment at Washington ; Lilly, Etta, Kezzie, Roy and Jessie, who are at home. Mr. Porterfield is justly proud of his family. His home is one of the most pleasant and hospitable to be found in the county. Religiously the family are Methodists, and although Mr. Porterfield is not a member of the church, he gives his aid and support to the cause. In politics Mr. Porter-
.. field was a Whig in early days, but says his trip to California changed his views and he now votes with the demo- cratie party. He has satisfactorily filled the position of Commissioner of Highways of Sidney township and in April, 1890, was elected to represent the township ou the Board of Super- visors. He is one of the solid citizens of the township and has done much in his thirty years' residence to im- , prove the county. He says when he first purchased his farm, the country was so bleak and wild looking that he never thought it could possibly be brought to the high state of cultiva- tion it has.
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