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 5
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MEL VILLE CI
LE
CHI
ALBERT G. CARLE
Was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, April 20, 1822. His parents were William and Sarah Carle. At the age of fifteen years he moved to Ohio, and in 1847 came to this county and purchased a farin just south of this city, where he afterwards resided until his death, He was married in July 1849, to Margaret Burt, who was truly an helpmeet up to the time of his death. Mr. Carle took a great interest in improving the stock of
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
the county, and always kept upon his farm the highest bred stock to be had in his day. Ile was well known to the stockmen of the entire state and in fact of the west. ile bought hogs and cattle for many years and drove them across the country to New York and Philadelphia. lle was always a central figure at our county fairs, being one of the few men whose money and labor kept them up from year to year. Politically he was a republican, and was always radical in his political views. He was always a judge on the election boards where with both his genial good nature and sparkling wit he kept the board in the best of humor while performing their arduous labors. He was frequently placed upon the grand jury where he never failed to keep that angust body in lively spirits with his wonderful fund of hu- mor. It was, however, as a farmer and stockdealer that Mr. Carle will be long re- membered by our people. In that line he was one of the leading and most successful men in the county, for many years. He died March 7, 1881, after a short illness, although his health had been poor for some years.
MELVILLE
CMI
THOMAS L. BUTLER.
Mr. Butter was among the earliest settlers of this county. His father, John Butler, married Margaret Lyons. Mrs. Butler, the mother, died when Thomas L. was five years old. They were residents of Mount Vernon, Ohio. Thomas L. was born in Alleghany county, Pa., March 6, 1806. He came to Illi- nois in the fall of 1828, at the age of twenty- two, and settled first in Vermilion county, afterwards removing to where he now resides
in this county, near Homer. In the latter part of 1834 he married Rebecca Wright, the daughter of John B. Wright. She was born near Winchester, Randolph county, Indiana, and is still living. Mary, the oldest daugh- ter, married L. Palmer, who lives near Ilo- mer, Arminda, the second daughter, mar- ried Andrew Palmer, and resides in Urbana. John and James, David and Randolph, are married, and all reside near Ilomer. Moses, another son, is dead. Laura, the youngest, is single and lives with her parents at the old home place. Mr. Butler was, in his early life, a whig, but was among the founders of the republican party and has been a radical republican ever since, as he expresses it, "a red hot republican from top to bottom." he has always been a farmer and resides with his good wife and daughter upon the old home place he and she have made pleasant by their years of industry and frugality. When he first came he went to Danville, III., and Perrysville, Ind., to mill, and made frequent trips to Chicago, with ox teams to take his erop to market and buy groceries and family sup- plies, taking about seventeen days for the trip. His neighbors, in those early days, were the Wilsons, Poage, Moses Thomas (his brother-in-law), and Elias Thomas. In July, 1832, Mr. Butler enlisted in Captain Brown's company of United States regulars, (cavalry) and served the government for one year. The wages paid him was one dollar perday, tinding his own horse, clothes and gun. The name of the first Lieutenant of the company was Fry. Quite a number of men from Champaign county enlisted in the same company, but Martin Rinehart and "Unele Tommy" Butler, as he is familiarly called, are the only survivors of the boys who represented this county in the Black- hawk war. He well remembers the frost of 1829 that killed all the corn, and though the farmers replanted it the erop was almost a failure, which made it pretty close times for a while. Mr. Butler was a small man in stature, but he was always wiry, active, lithe and plucky, and the old settlers of a larger stature say he could swing a eradle with any of them. He is yet healthy and active, and evinees as much life, and enjoys a joke or a good story as well as any one.
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
MELVILLE CHO
ANDREW LEWIS
Was born December 17, 1800, in Virginia. llis father was James Lewis and his mother, Lavina Langdon, of Kentucky. In 1801, An- drew was taken to Rock Castle county, Ken- theky. Here he lived until he was about twenty-five, when, December 1, 1825, he mar- ried Elizabeth Clark, who was born in North Carolina, in 1803. In the fall of 1826, he and his young wife loaded all their effects into a wagon, hitched the ox team of the young husband to it, then put the mare belonging to his wife in the lead, and moved to a point in Indiana, about twenty miles south of In- dianapolis, where they resided until April 1556, when, with about six thousand dollars, they had accumulated by thrift and industry, they came to Urbana, resided here about three years. During this time he was im- proving the farm of 160 acres he had bought 41/2 miles south of the city. There was then only two houses between Urbana and Sid- ney. Those were the houses of Mr. Stid- ham and of David Silver. He increased his possessions from time to time and now has 450 acres well tile drained and highly improved. In 1862 he sold the two erops of corn of '61 and '62 (that of '61 being frost- bitten) amounting to over 2,000 bushels, at 96 cents per bushel. He never put a mort- gage on any part of his land, and never went in debt more than he could surely pay. His son Willis was killed while fighting un- der Grant at Fort Donelson, while his son Thomas A. Lewis, (now county treasurer) lost his leg in the war. JJohn M. Lewis, an- other son, also served a term in the army, during the war. He was a whig until the
republican party was born, when he joined that party, and has advocated its princi- ples, and voted for its candidates, loyalty, up to the present time. Mr. Lewis, although in his eighty-sixth year, is well preserved and enjoys good health. Hle bids fair to live many years yet to enjoy the fortune he has accumulated in the years gone by.
MELVILLE
JAMES BOYD
Was born September, 10th, 1825, in Shelby county, Kentucky. His father, Stephen Boyd, was born in same county. (See por- trait and sketch of father elsewhere in this issue.) His mother was Jemima Kitson, also a native of Kentucky. James, subject of this sketch, was only six years old when he came to this county in November, 1831, with his father. He was subjected to the hardships of pioneer life thus early in his career, and made of him that hardy and substantial man the portrait above indicates. At the age of 22, to-wit, August 19, 1847, young James married Miss Frances Rhodes, who shared his burdens and partook of his joys until March 22, 1864, when she died. Angst 17, 1864, he married Mary Ann Col- lins; who died the following winter. August 5, 1866, he married Caroline Turnipseed, who is his present wife. Thus he was mar- ried three times in August. His children are John W., William M., Jemima, who married M. M. Harry, of this city; Sarah, who married 11. Strover, now of Blooming- ton, Ill .; Anna, Frank and Florence, are living at home, the eldest being 17 the young- est 13 years old. Atfred, Stephen and George
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
are dead. James received early impres- sions and education which made him a dem- ocrat until 1556. He says he voted for James Buchanan in 1556 and shortly afterward sol- eunly declared he would never vote a dem- ocratie ticket again. He kept his word, voting for Abraham Lincoln in 1960 and in 1864, and for the republican candidates ever since. He owns a well improved farm three miles east of Urbana, and has followed all his life his present occupation, that of a farmer. His farm is elear of eneumbrances and he owes no man anything. Like his father before him, he prides himself in keeping his contracts to the letter, thus building up the reputation he has among those who know him of a square business man and good citizen.
JAMES T. ROE.
Mr. Roe is remembered as a somewhat ec- centrie man who would not swap his opinion for that of any man. He was born in Or- ange county, New York, August 4, 1793, and settled in Shelby county, Kentucky, before coming to Illinois. He was married to Lillis Busey, daughter of Isaac Busey, the pioneer of Urbana, June 19th, 1531, in Kentucky. The same year the young couple came to Illinois and purchasing the land and im- provement of Runnel Fielder, who was the pioneer and first settler of this county, set- tled on section 12, Urbana, now owned by Bate Smith At that time the main road, east and west through the country, known as the Ft. Clark road, because it led from the Indiana line to Ft. Clark on the Illinois river where Peoria now is, led through his
farm, thence north of the Big Grove, cross- ing the Sangamon, at Newcomb's Ford, and westward by Cheney's Grove. On this route passed all the emigration westward, and the only mail carried into or through the county. Along it were made the earliest settlements of the county. At that time Urbana, as a town, was unknown, as was also this county as such, for our territory was part of Ver- milion county. Isaac Buscy lived in a cabin near where Halberstadt's mill now stands, and it was the only habitation on this spot. A few scattered settlers, probably not over a dozen families, were ranged around the Big Grove, and these were all about the cen- tre of the county. No store had been opened in the county-the nearest trading point be- ing Danville. As soon as a surplus of grain was produced it was hanled by ox teams to Chicago, and the hogs were driven to Eu- gene or Perrysville for market. The plows in use were of the wooden mouldboard va- riety and the grain was gathered with sickles or cradles. Corn was planted by dropping and covered with a "jumper."
Mr. Roe laid off four additions to Urbana, built several houses, and took a great inter- est, while he lived, in its prosperity. Al- though he began life here with eighty acres he rapidly accumulated and when he closed his business preparatory to his anticipated death, he had near nine hundred acres of the finest land in the county. Mrs. Roe, after being an invalid for many years, confined to her bed for five years, died in November, 1860. He died August 23, 1866. They left two sons surviving them, five other children having preceded them to the silent land. Isaac Roe, one of Urbana's thrifty and sue- cessful farmers, married Martha E., daugh- ter of our townsman, John McDonald, and lives two miles east of town. John B. Roe, the other survivor of the family, married Susan, daughter of George Dilling, and lives in Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Roe were Bap- tists and participated in the organization of the First Baptist Church of Urbana, the cer- emony taking place in a log school house near their home. Mr. Roe was a democrat of the Jackson type, and held fast to his political and religious faith, unmixed with the taint of modern heresies. His opinions, as he accepted them in his younger manhood, came to him iron clad and with arguments for their support. These arguments he ever after bore with him, ready to do defensive duty at any time. He was very social and loved controversy upon the tenets of his faith.
The use of good whiskey was common among people of every position in Mr. Roe's day, and he never lost his taste for
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
the article which he continued to use, in moderation, asone of God's gifts, to the last. No one ever saw him the worse for this in- dulgence. So with tobacco. Ile was a con- stant user of this article, but not so temper- ate as with spirits. Ilis excesses with to- bacco admonished his sons of the folly of the habit. and, heeding the admonition, they are both entirely free from its use as well as teetotalers.
MELVILLE.
GEORGE W. FLYNN,
Whose familiar features are to be seen in our gallery of old settlers, was born at Bain- bridge, Chenango county, New York, Au- gust 25th, 1828. His father, Rufus Flynn, was a native of Duchess county, although of Irish extraction; his mother, Sylvia Ann (Owens) Flynn, was a native of Bainbridge, but of Welsh extraction.
HIIS BOYHOOD.
For a considerable period of his boyhood George lived with his grandfather Owens on a farm, and remembers with keen regard the oft-repeated admonitions of the old Pu- ritan, always emphasized and made appreci- able by a free application of the red, for this ancestor of Mr. Flyun believed, with Solomon, most heartily that "He that spar- eth the rod spoileth the child." Mr. Flynn now believes that if he was ever spoiled the damage is due to some other cause. The parents of Mr. Flynn were poor and unable to give him opportunities for education ex- cept such as were afforded by the common schools of that day. Early in life he became inured to a life of labor and self-denial. The discipline giyen him in this school of adversity begot in him a self-reliance and
determination that has made him equal to every emergency in life. In his younger days when his living depended upon his success in finding employment, he never found it necessary to be idle. If an employ- ment he sought was not at hand, he could do something else, and few were the days spent by him while out of work, Mr. Flynn is by trade a printer, having learned that trade as an apprentice, first in the office of the Journal, at Norwich, N. Y., and lastly in the office of the Democratic Advocate at Warren, Pa., before 1849, and the greater part of his life has been spent in that pur- suit.
In 1850, his mother and two brothers having already gone west and settled at Peru, in this state, he determined to seek his fortune in the west. Ile went by boat down the Alleghany and Ohio rivers to Cairo thence by the Mississippi and Illinois rivers to Peru, where he joined his family. In May of that year one brother, with Mr. Flynn, started for Wisconsin to find that fortune which is supposed to await all who "go west." Not finding the appearance of matters there what they had hoped, they soon returned to Peru, only to find that their mother, alarmed at the presence of the cholera in that section, had started upon her return east by way of a canal packet to Chi- cago, tlience to go around the lakes to Penn- sylvania. The scourge followed the lone mother and before she reached Chicago she was dead, having fallen among strangers and received a stranger's sepulture. Mr. Flynn soon separated from his brother and from that day to this has not known the fellowship of his kindred except of the fam- ily he has raised. After spending most of the intervening time in the northern part of this state and Indiana, he arrived at Urbana in the fall of 1859, attracted here by the prospect of employment held out by the construction of the Illinois Central railroad. HIe soon took work under John and James S. Gere, assisting in getting out ties for that road. Afterwards he was, for a considera- ble time, a clerk in the provision store of II. M. Russell.
AS PRINTER AND PUBLISHER.
In September, 1855, he again took his place in a printing office, having bought out the interest of G. N. Richards in the Urbana Union, which, as one of the firm of Cun- ningham & Flynn, he continued to publish until August, 1858, when the concern was sold to the Crandalls. Upon his return from the army in October, 1864, Mr. Flynn and G. N. Richards, above alluded to, a fellow ofli- cer in the 25th Illinois regiment, purchased the Gazette, then published at Urbana, and
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
together continued its publication until 1866, when Mr. Flynn bought out the interest of his partner and continued this publication until the spring of 1868, when he sold an interest to George Seroggs. This relation continued until 1872, when Mr. Flynn sold his interest in the Gazette to his partner, giving his time and attention to a job office and bindery in Urbana. In 1874 this estab- lishment was removed to Danville and forni- ed the nucleus for the Illinois Printing Company, an organization formed for the business of county and commercial printing and binding. Of this corporation Mr. Flynn was made president and general manager, which position he has continued to hold to this time. In this position his business tal- ent, energy and mental resources have shone most conspienously. The business of the house has been vastly expanded and ex- tended to other states, its credit meanwhile never being allowed to suffer in the least. For twelve years he has stood at the hehu of affairs directing with almost unerring judg- ment the great interests entrusted to him.
HIS SOCIAL RELATIONS.
When Mr. Flynn came to Urbana in 1852, he severed his associations with kindred and friends and sought his associates among strangers. There lived in Urbana at that time the family of Daniel Jarvis, natives of North Carolina, consisting of the parents, a son and four daughters, the latter being in- telligent and attractive young ladies. To one of these, Tennessee, a young lady then in her teens, Mr. Flynn became warmly at- tached; the attachment being mutual ripen- ed into an ardent love match in the fall of 1854. Of this marriage there were born two daughters, Carrie and Lennie. Those living here in the spring of 1858 will remember the ahnost tragic death of Mrs. Flynn. Left in the morning with her infant, then but a few days old, in care of a nurse by her husband who, as usual, went to the printing office, believing her to be convalescent, before noon, and before his return, she was a corpse. The shock staggered and almost crazed the strong man. The children then bereft are both dead-Lennie dying when about fourteen, in Urbana, and Carrie when a mature woman in Danville. In the fall of 1859 Mr. Flynn again married, this time to Miss Belle Garrett, a native of Indiana. Mrs. Flynn has been a careful and alfee- tionate mother, both to the children of the first family and to her own children of whom there have been born: Jessie B., married to George W. Goff, of the News editorial staff, Danville; Nora R., Charlie M., George W. (deceased), Jay C. and Lena A. He is now established in a comfortable home in Dan-
ville, to which he loves to retire when his daily work is done and which his strong do- mestic attachments leads him to appreciate. Mr. Flynn for many years has been a mem- ber of the masonic order, in which he has passed to very high preferments.
ARMY LIFE.
The first hostile gun of the civil war aroused the patriotism of Mr. Flynn, then a young man of 32 years, and he at once ten- dered his services and soon went to the front. In August 1861 he was mustered in as first lieutenant Company K, 25th Reg. Ill. Vol., and at once met a hostile foe. Our space is too short to permit such details of his army life as the record deserves. Dur- ing the first year he was promoted to the position of adjutant of his regiment, serving also much of the time upon the brigade staff. In 1864, upon the expiration of his three years' term, he was honorably discharged and returned to his family and to civil pur- suits. During his term he participated in the battles of Pea Ridge, Seige of Corinth, Perrysville, Stone River, Chicamanga, Peach Tree Creek, and several other lesser battles. He was prevented by illness from participating with his regiment in the battle of Mission Ridge, but witnessed the hero- ism of his comrades from the hospital at Chattanooga. He retired from the army much broken in health and has suffered since then severely from the deleterious ef- fects of army life.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS.
As all well know who know or have known Mr. Flynn in his mature years, he is an ar- dent and true friend to those whom he loves and an intense and uncompromising hater to those whom he hates. In his friends he rarely sees or admits of faults; in his ene- mies, or those whom he dislikes he as rarely sees or admits of any good qualities; yet when convinced of error he is ever ready to acknowledge and correct it. As a soldier he was brave and true to every duty. In poli- tics he was first a democrat and cast his first vote for Franklin Pierce, but next for Fre- mont and ever since for republican candi- dates. Hle held the office of deputy sheriff under Capt. N. M. Clark, one of the earlier of our republican sheriff's.
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
THOMAS ALEXANDER DAVIDSON.
Mr. Davidson was born December 1st, 1810, in Rockbridge county, Virginia. His pa- rents were John Davidson and Sarah MeCrea, who removed to Madison county, Ohio, in 1816, and lived there until they died. Thon- as A. came to this county from Madison connty, Ohio, in 1853, and settled on what is known as the Bryan farm, one mile east of Mahomet (now owned by B. F. Harris). He resided there two years and kept "Tavern." He then bought the farm between that and the farm of Wiley Davis. He was married in 1841 to Elizabeth J. Sidner, who still sur- vives him. The children of this marriage were: Mary E., wife of T. J. Scott, of Ma- homet ; James W., now of Champaign; John S., (who died at the age of 17) ; Jerome T., (engaged in grain business at Mahomet) ; Geo. W., of Champaign; Frank C., of Clin- ton, Ill. ; Ida L., (wife of Jul. D. Brown of Mahomet) ; Sarah K .. (wife of L. M. Duck- er of Peoria, 111.,) and Anna, who died in infancy. He was formerly a Presbyterian, but after coming to Illinois he joined the M. E. church, and remained a consistent and faithful member of that church until his death, which occurred January 31st, 1880, from an injury received about eight months prior to his death. He was always a strong republican and educated his boys all in the principles of that party. They are all stal- wart republicans, James W. being the ro- publican candidate for county treasurer at the coming election this fall. He was a farmer and succeeded admirably in that line of business. Mr. Davidson was a man of character and none were more highly res- pected than he by all who knew him. His surviving widow still lives in Mahomet, well
provided for by their joint labors during his life, and beloved by all who have ever had the pleasure of seeing her at her pleasant home.
MELVILLE CHI
JOHN C. DENTON
Was born in Somerset county, Pa., August 21, 1822. His father, John F. Denton, was a native of New York. His mother was Martha Needler, from Bedford county, Pa. John C. Denton, the subject of this sketch, came to this county, March 14, 1851, and settled at Urbana. He was married at Berlin, Som- erset county, Pa., July 20, 1847, to Lueinda Johnson, only daughter of John Johnson, a prominent contractor and builder of Berlin. She is still living. Ida, their eldest daugh- ter, married William Bell, of Atchison, Kan- sas; Emma married George Besore, a prom- inent business man of this city. William H. is in the mining business in Old Mexico, Charles is yardmaster at Urbana, for I., B. & W. railroad, and Josephine, the youngest, married Win. Nichols, passenger conductor on I., B. & W. railroad. He and his wife have been members of the M. E. church, in this city, for thirty-five years. Mr. Denton learned the carpenter trade when young, and has followed that business all his life. For many years he has been an extensive builder and contractor in this city. He has built thirty-eight school houses in this county, in the past twenty years. Many of the finest residences, as well as the most substantial business houses of this eity, are the result of his handiwork. Good natured, straight forward and honest, he has many friends and has the confidence of the entire commu- nity.
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
MEL VILLE CHI
COL. MATTHEW W. BUSEY.
Prominent among the pioneers of Cham- paign county was the subject of this sketch. He came from a state that has furnished more pioneers to the west than any other. As a rule they were men who left their im- press upon their times. Genial and hospita- ble, their homes were open to all who chose to enter. They were lovers of fine stock, and the position that Illinois now occupies as the first state in the Union for fine breeds of cattle and horses, is due in a very large measure to the efforts of the Kentuckians. Having an unlimited confidence in the fu- ture of the great west they invested largely in lands and often in this direction, builded more wisely than they knew. Of such was Col. Matthew W. Busey. He was born in Shelby county, Ky., May 15, 1798. He was the son of Samuel and Catharine (Seigler) Busey. At an early date the family moved to Washington county, Indiana. In the lat- ter county young Busey learned the trade of brick mason, and followed the trade, working as a "jour." and subsequently as a contractor and builder from 1823 to 1847. In 1832 he was induced to visit this part of Illinois from hearing reports of the fertility and productiveness of the soil. His visit and subsequent investigations confirmed the reports and before returning he purchased the land, on part of which, now stands the residence of his son, Col. S. T. Busey. Ile returned to Indiana and remained there un- til the spring, April, 1836, when he bronght his family here and erected a small frame house, which was in later years enlarged, and which stood on the site now occupied by the elegant residence of Col. S. T. Busey.
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