Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume II, part 1, Part 40

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 864

USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume II, part 1 > Part 40

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Pleasant Plains has one hank, the Pleasant

Plains State Bank, and one newspaper, the "Pleasant Plains Press." The population of the village in 1910 was 625, and that of Cartwright Township, 1,831.

Pleasant Plains is supplied with a good school, and the Methodist, Presbyterian and Christian denominations have prosperous churches.

The only other railway station in Cartwright Township is Richland, three miles southeast of ' Pleasant Plains, also on the line of the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railroad.

CHATHAM TOWNSHIP.

Chatham Township was organized In accord- ance with the vote of the citizens of Sangamon County In favor of township organization at the November election in 1860, and the first town- ship officers elected in April, 1861. The town- . shlp is in the second tier of townships from both the southern and western borders of Sangamon County, Its area being identical with govern- mental township 14 N., R. 6 W., embracing an area of thirty-six sections or square miles. The surface, originally consisting of ahout three- fourths pralrle, is moderately undulating, the timher, especially along the streams, heing. still preserved to a considerable extent. The prin- cipal streamns are Lick Creek, which flows through the northwestern corner of the townshlp, and Panther Creek in the southeastern, with some smaller tributaries in the central portion. The soil is a rich black loam, and largely de- voted to agriculture and stock-ralsing.

The first settler in the township was John Campbell, who arrived March 22, 1818, and lo- cated on Lick Creek, in the western part of what is now Chatham Townshlp, and in his honor the townshlp was first named, hut soon after the name was changed to Chatham, hecause of a rule early adopted not to name a township for any person then llving. Mr. Campbell was horn, November 4, 1790, in Carter County, Tenn., a son of Jeremiah Camphell, who had settled there before the American Revolution, and served dur- ing that struggle under Gen. Francis Marion. John Campbell was a soldler In the War of 1812, served as Ensign during Its later period, and drew a pension to the end of his life. He re- malned In his native State until 1818, when he came to Madison County, Ill., there married Lavina Parkison, November 6, 1818, and prompt-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY

ly came to what is now Sangaiuon County, but then a part of Madlsou County, and this became his permanent home. His first-wife dled Decem- ber 13, 1853, and in 1855 he quarried her sister, Mrs. Margery (Parkison) Carson, who died March 5, 1870. Mr. Campbell was a soldier of the Biack Hawk War, aud for a time ran a horse- power mill, which had been coustructed by Daniei Lisie, and which is said to have been the first miil iu Sangamon County. One of the burrs op- erated in that mill was later used by Mr. Camp- beil as a doorstep to his dwelling. His death occurred in February, 1875, on the farmu, five miies west of Chatham, on which he had settled in 1818. He left a handsome estate accumulated by his own industry and economy, and a num- ber of his descendants stili survive in Sangamon County.

IIenry Brown, the second settier in Chathamu Township region, came from the South in the summer of 1819, but remained oniy a short time. Johu Darneliie, who came in 1819, was boru in Bourbon County, Ky., June S, 1791, served four- teen montiis in the War of 1812-14, first as First Lieutenant and later as Captain, and in 1814 married Margaret Norton. Five years later he came to Filiuois, arriving in Sangamon County in November, 1819, first settling In what is now Chatham Township at a piace caiied Turkey Poiut, but in the spring of 1820 moved from there up Lick Creek, iocating his permanent home five miles west of the present town of Chathamu. Mr. Darneille is reputed to have iearned to write by fire-iight, in the absence of paper using dried bark peeied fromu buckeye trees, and becoming an expert penman for his time. Mr. Darneiile served on the first Grand Jury empaneied iu Saugamon Couuty, May 7, 1821, that body hoiding its deliberations seated on a pile of rails or on gopher hilis, in the pralrie within the present site of the city of Springfieid. In 1840 he was elected a Representative in the State Legislature, which held the first reguiar session in Springfield, although its predecessor (the Eieventh Generai Assembiy) heid a special session in Springfield during the winter of 1839- 40. Mr. Darneille died March 20, 1854, and his widow April 30, 1875, both on the farm on which they had settled in 1820.

Levi Harbur and Samuei Harbour, brothers (but speiling their names differently), aiso came in 1819. Both were born in Garrard County, Ky., the former November 21, 1791, and the

latter September 23, 1799. Ecvi Harbur mar- ried Eleanor Ashley .in 1817, and in September following, accompanied by his wife and brother Samuel, moved to Madison County, Ill., later to Southeru Missouri, where he spent a year and a haif. Then returning to Madison County, his wife died there September 10, 1819. Leaving with a frlend his ouly child, who had been born iu Missouri, he came to Sangamon County, first stopping in the vicinity of Loami. In 1820 he married Mary Sawyers, making the trip of eighty miles to Edwardsville to procure a license. Mrs. Harbur died in 1857, and October 1, 1861, Mr. Harbur married Frances Young. He ilved to an advanced age and was accustomed to re- late many interesting incidents of early pioneer life, including the period of the "deep snow."

Samuei Harbour came to Sangamon County in October, 1819, iu March, 1823, married Eiiz- abeth Briscoe, who died in February, 1824, and he later married as his second wife Elizabeth Lindiey, his owu death occurring iu 1874.

Simon Lindley, who was born in Orange Coun- ty, N. C., married Anna Standley, July 14, 1769, and came to Sangamon County, Ill., arriving in what is now Chatham Township, April 14, 1820. Mr. Lindiey is described as a man of llberal education, a minister of the Regular (or Pre- destlnarian) Baptist Church, and a man of ec- ceutric character. After the town of Spring- field was piatted, a discrepancy was discovered between the surveys of that and the former towu of Caihoun, and Mr. Lindley was employed to make a resurvey and harmouize the differ- ences, which he did to the satisfaction of all parties. He died in 1824.

Jacob Miiler, born in Kentucky, in 1789, a soldier in the War of 1812, aud also sald to have taken part in the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, was one of the early settlers of the Chatham Township district. In 1812 he married Lucina Poats in Kentucky, and in December, 1824, re- moved to Sangamon County, settling In the northwest corner of Chatham Township. Ho died in 1862.

Other early settiers about this period, were David Alexander, Audrew Starr, Peter Ballou, Randall and Joseph Davls, John Wychoff, Ste- phen and John Neal, Joseph Hilliard, Henry IFall, Wiiiiam and David Workman, Eii Harian and Allen Bridges.

Daniel Neal, born in Bedford County, Va., in 1770, married Poiiy Booth, a native of the same

WILLIAM P. ROBERTS

MRS. WILLIAM P. ROBERTS

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY

county, and in 1808 moved to Franklin County, Tenn., later moved to Bourbon County, Ky., and tlience. in 1828, to Sangamon County, Ill., arriv- ing in what is now Chatham Towuship, Novem- ber 10. Mr. Neal dled in 1838, and Mrs. Neal in 1854, both in Sangamon County. They had a family of sixteen children.

Silas Harlan, born in Berkeley County, Va., January 5, 1781, went to Christian County, Ky., aud thence in 1828 to Sangamon County, Ill., where he entered about 1,000 acres of land in Chatham Township three and a half miles south of the present site of Chatham village. IIis wife, Elizabeth Messick, was a native of Rockingham County, Va., born March 26, 1809. The next year her father moved to Christian County, Ky., and in 1827 she came to Sangamon County, Ill., with the family of John French, and there, on September 10, 1829, she married Mr. Harlan.

William Gibson, born near Staunton, Va., about 1780, in boyhood removed with his par- ents to Fayette County, Ky., where, in 1809, he married Mary Holman, born in Woodford County, Ky., July 29, 1789. They moved to Sangamon County, Ill., in 1829, aud settled in the northwest corner of Chatham Township.

SOME FIRST EVENTS .- The first birth in Chat- ham Township was that of Alfred C. Campbell, born July 22, 1819, the son of John Campbell. Alfred C. Campbell served as a soldier in the Mexican War, with the rank of Lieutenant. In October, 1861, he organized Company E, of Thir- ty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, of which he was commissioned as Captain, took part in the battles of Fort Donelson and Pittsburg Land- ing, in all serving three years and four months.

The first deathi was that of Mary Klines.

Samuel Wychoff was the first Justice of the Peace.

The first school was taught on Section 19, by Ira McGlassen.

Simon Lindley, a Baptist minister, preached the first sermon. The first church was organ- ized by this denominatlon in 1821.

The first inlll was the old-fashioned horse mill built by Daniel Lisle, which later became the property of John Campbell.

The first water-mill was a saw-mill, built and operated by Johnny Hardin on Lick Creek, as early as 1828.

The first steam grist-mill was erected in Chat- ham In 1856.

CHATHAM, the only village in Chatham Town-

ship, situated in the northeastern part of the township on the Chicago & Alton Railroad and near the western border of Ball Township, was lald out in October, 1836, by Luther N. Ransom, and has since received a number of additions. Mr. Ransom built the first house, and in 1837, the first school was taught there by Roxana S. Lyman, in a smoke house belonging to Ransonı, but in 1839 a school house was erected which was used for nineteen years, when a frame house was put up at a cost of $2,400. A post-office was established in 1838, the inall being supplied by stage running from Springfield to St. Louis, but this went out of service on the building of the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis Railroad in 1852. This marked the beginning of the development of the village of Chatham, and it was later incor- porated and has since had a conservative growth.

The Presbyterlans, Methodists and Baptists have good churches here, with prosperous church organizations. Chatham was without mill priv- ileges until 1856, when a grist-mill was built by S. N. Fullenwider with three run of stone, but which has since changed hands several times.

Chatham has one State Bank and one weekly paper. (See chapters on "Banking" and "Sanga- mon County Press.")

The population of Chatham village according to the census of 1910 was 666, and of the town- ship, 1,437.

CLEAR LAKE TOWNSHIP.

The township of Clear Lake, lying immediately east of Springfield Township, comprises all the area (36 square miles) within governmental township 16 N., R. 4 W., and receives its name from Clear Lake in Section 22, near the banks of the Sangamon River. The township Is about equally divided between pralrle and timber, and as the Sangamon River flows diagonally through it from the southeast to the northwest corner, the surface is rolling and, in some cases, quite broken. As It includes Riverton, the largest village corporation within the county outside of Springfield, it has, next to Capital Township, the largest population of any rural townshlp in the county.

As already indicated by the course of the Sangamon River through It, the townshlp is well watered. Sugar Creek and the South Fork of the Sangamon from the south enter the North

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY

Fork (or main brancb) of the Sangamon near the centrai part of the township, wblle there are otber smaiier tributaries of the main stream. Clear Lake is a narrow sheet of water about half a mlie in lengtb, on the east of the Sanga- mon and running paraliei with that stream. Buildings have been erected for tbe accommo- dation of visitors as resorts, and it is tbe center of numerous plenic parties from Springfield and vicinity during the summer months. It is reached by a suburban car-line, and during the past few years a series of successfui Chautau- quas have been held there.

The first settler in what is now Clear Lake Township was Hugh MeGary, wbo had been a soldier under Gen. William Henry Harrison, and who came in 1820 and settled on the banks of Clear Lake. His brother, Harrison McGary, came about the same time, but remained oniy a short period, wheu he returned to Indiana. Samuel Daniey came about the same time as the McGarys and settled about a miie from Hugh McGary.

Others who came still later, but at an early period, were: John Smith, who formerly occu- pied the place belonging to Thomas A. King; Benjamin Cberry, from Tennessee; Thomas J. Knox, came and settled on the Kiug farm, served as County Treasurer and Collector for one or two terms, and Justice of the Peace for several years, finally dying In Springfield; Samuel Mc- Daniels and Philip Smith came before the period of the "deep snow."

Archer G. Herndon, who was a native of Cul- peper County, Va., born February 13, 1795, and fatber of the late William H. Herndon of Spring- field, was an early settler in what Is now Clear Lake Townsbip. coming from Madison County, Ill., in 1821, and settling In German Prairie five miles northeast of Springfield. He was a promi- nent merchant in Springfield from 1820 to 1836, during that time erecting the first regular tavern in Springfield, and for two terms was State Senator from Sangamon, including the session of 1836-37, and being one of the "Long Nine," who were instrumental in removing the State Capital from Vandalia to Springfield. A strong Jacksonian Democrat, he was Recelver of Public Moneys in the Land Office at Springfield from 1842 to 1849, and died in Springfield, January 3, 1867, his wife, Rebecca Herndon, surviving until August 19, 1875.

Larkin Bryant, born in Woodford County, Ky.,

November 2, 1800, married Mrs. Harriet Chap- ' man in 1820, and after spending about a year in the Missouri lead mlnes, In the fail of 1821 came to Sangamon County, Ill., settling in tbe vicinity of A. G. Herndon.

John Sbinkle was born in Berks County, Pa., in 1873, came as a boy with his parents to Brown County, Ohlo, there married Mary M. Shinkle and, in 1826 came to Sangamon County, Ili., and settled in the Ciear Lake Township region. Mr. Shinkle died the year after com- ing to Clear Lake, but bis widow reared their family on the site where they had first located, surviving untii past ninety years of age.

John Hoover, Mr. Howell, Solomon Biue and Uriah Blue settled on the south side of the San- gamon River in 1824 or 1825, and being of Ger- man descent, gave to that nelghborbood tbe name of German Prairie.

Valentine R. Mallory, who was born near Paris, Ky., December 16, 1798, and served as a soldier in the War of 1812, married Nancy Daw- son in Bracken County, Ky., June 28, 1821, and In October, 1827, came to what is now Clear Lake Townsbip. They were accompanied by Mrs. Maliory's brother, John Dawson, who was born in Fairfax County, Va., served In the War of 1812, belng wounded and captured at the River Ralsin. After being beid as a prisoner in Can- ada by the Indians, his release was obtained, by ransom, and in 1817 he married Cary Jones in Nicholas County, Ky., in 1827 accompanying his brother-in-law, V. R. Mallory, to Sangamon County. Mr. Dawson was Captain of a company from Sangamon County in the Black Hawk up- rising of 1831; a Representative in five sessions of the General Assembly, Including that of 1836- 37, when he was one of the "Long Nine," and was also a Delegate from Sangamon County to the State Constitutional Convention of, 1847. The ball he received In his iungs at the Battle of River Ralsin, was never extracted, and was tbe final cause of bis death, November 12, 1850.

Samuel Ridgeway was a native of Berkeley County, Va., born May 10, 1777, was taken to North Carolina and about 1799, there married Elizabeth Caton, and after spending some years in Kentucky, came to Sangamon County, Ill., settling in Clear Lake Townsbip, where he died in 1847.

Jobn Blue, born in South Carolina, in 1777, the son of a Revolutionary soldier, was taken by bis parents in boybood to Fleming County, Ky ..

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY

and after spending about seven years in Greene County, Ohio, came to Sangamon County, locat- ing in what is now Clear Lake Township. Wil- liam Fagan, a native of North Carolina, born iu 1777, married Peninah Fruit, lived for a time iu Virginia and theu in Kentucky, in 1819, came to Southeru Illinois and thence in 1820 to what is now Clear Lake Township. He moved tbe next year to Buffalo Hart Township, later lived in Springfield, but died on his farm three miles west of that city in 1843.

James Frazier Reed was boru in Connty Ar- magh, Ireland, of Polish ancestry, November 14, 1800, came with his mother in youth to Virginia and at twenty years of age went to work in the lead mines in Illinois, where he remained untii 1831, when he came to Springfield, III. He served in the Black Hawk War of 1832, then en- gaged in mercantlie pursuits for a time, and later established a furniture factory on the Sangamon RIver at what was first called James- towil, later Howlett, and now Riverton. In 1846 Mr. Reed and his wife went to California, lo- cated at San Jose Mission, made investments iu land and become very successful. He was a inan of enterprise and high character.

Uriah Mann was one of the historic characters of Clear Lake Township. Born in Bracken County, Ky., September 17, 1810, he came to Sangamon County, Ili., with his sister Anna, the wife of Thomas A. King, an early settler in the vicinity of Clear Lake, arriving in October, 1831. He was a soldier of the Black Hawk War in the same regiment with Abraham Lincoln, of whom he was an intimate frieud. He married Eliza- beth King, January 6, 1832, developed a farm by his own enterprise and industry, and became one of the most successful farmers and honored citi- zens of Sangamon County.

The first house of worship in the towuship is said to have been erected by the Baptists, in 1829, although the Methodists, as usual, were among the earliest evangelists In this region. Aaron Vandever is said to have been the first Baptist minister, while Peter Cartwright, James Sims and Rivers Cormack were early Methodist itinerants.

CAMP BUTLER, which was the military center for a large portion of Central Illinois during the Civil War, and the place at which a num- ber of regiments were mustered In during the Civil War, and where scores were mnstered out at the termination of their period of enlistment,

was located in Clear Lake Towuship abont one mile sonth of Riverton, and some seven miles northeast of Springfield being named in houor of William Butler, then State Treasurer. It was the place for the confinement of rebel prisoners during a considerable portion of the war, about 7,500 being there abont the time of the "Camp Douglas Conspiracy" in July, 1864, and as a consequence, a large force of Union troops had to be maintained there for guard dnty.

THE CAMP BUTLER NATIONAL CEMETERY, in the vicinity of old Camp Butler, is located on the lines of the Wabash Railroad and the Illinois (Interurban) Traction System, about six miles east of Springfield. The cemetery contains about six acres and is in care of Maj. George W. Ford, whose commission as Superintendent bears date of November, 1878. The remains of 729 Union aud 866 Confederate soldiers lie buried tbere. The well kept lawns and general appearance of the grounds at all times furnish evidence of the efficient care taken by the Superintendent in the discharge of his duties aud the protection of the cemetery.

RIVERTON VILLAGE .- Riverton is the principal village of Clear Lake Township, also having a larger populatiou tbau any other village in San- gamon County. It was laid out and platted December 1, 1837, its location being theu de- scribed as "the south half of the northeast quarter of Section 9, Township 16, Range 4 West." The plat was recorded under the name of Jamestown, in honor of James F. Reed, whose history is referred to in an earlier portion of this sketch of Clear Lake Township. The vil- lage grew but slowly until after the arrival of Mr. P. L. Howlett, who erected a distillery and a mill adjoining, and also there opened up the first coal mine in Sangamon County. The town stands on the east bank of the Sangamon River, which has been utilized for furuishing water and steam power. 1

There being another Jamestown iu the State, the name was changed to Howlett, after the name of its principal promoter. Later this name was changed to Riverton, and Jesse Sweatman became the first Postmaster. A large propor- tion of the popuiation is made up of employes in the mines, the distilleries and the miils, but population has developed rapidly, and there are a number of good business houses.

The discovery of coal was made through the enterprise of Mr. Howlett who, in 1865, employed

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY

some experts from the Pennsylvania oil region to prospect for the discovery of oil by boring, with the result that a vein of coal, six feet li thickness, was reached at a depth of two hundred feet, and this marked the beginning of the min- ing Industry which has developed to such im- mense proportions in Sangamon County.

The village has one private bank and one weekly paper, "The Review." (See chapters on "Banking" and "Sangamon County Press.")

Riverton was incorporated as a village in 0000 and according to the census of 1910 had a popu- latiou of 1,911.

The village of Spaulding, on the Illinois Cen- tral Railroad, one and a half miles north of Riverton, was originally the center of a frult nursery industry. It was Incorporated in 1905, and in 1910 had a population of 308.

German Prairie is a flagging station on the Illinois Central line in the western part of the township.

The total population of Clear Lake Township in 1910 was 3,473.

COOPER TOWNSHIP.

Cooper Townshlp, sitnated at the easteru end of the middle tier of townships between north and south in Sangamon County, is bounded on the north by Mechanicsburg Township, on the east by a narrow strip of Lanesville Townshlp and Christian County, south by the Sangamon River and Christian County, and west by Roches- ter and Cotton IIill Townships. It Is of irregu- lar shape, embracing nearly twenty-nine sec- tions, of which the three western tiers extend seven miles from north to sonth, while the rest is made up of a jut three miles from east to west on the north side of the Sangamon River. As the main branch of the Sangamon extends through the northern part of the township, and the southern part is traversed hy Buekhart Creek, a branch of the Sangamon, and Its tribu- tarles, the township is well watered. The sur- face is roliing, and originally covered with abund- ant timber along the streams, the remainder belng gently undulating prairie with an excellent soil.

The first settlement within the limits of what is now Cooper Township is said to have been made In 1819. The settlers who came soon after were Rev. John Cooper (for whom the township

was named when organized in 1861), Jacob Cooper, Henry Giger, Philip Smith, Hiram Rob- bins, Benjamin Glger, John North, Stephen Sowell, a Mr. Johnston, Wiliiam Braggand and Mr. Litteral.

John Cooper was born in South Carolina, June 3, 1794, was taken by his parents to Jefferson Connty, Tenn., and after marrying there Susan- nah Giger, his second wife, in April, 1820, eame to Sangamon County, Ill., stopping first in what is now Rochester Township, but later moving to Cooper Township and settling on the south side of the Sangamon River. Mr. Cooper, who was a local preacher of the Methodist Church, per- formed much ministeriai service, for several years served as Justice of the Peace and County Commissioner, but died in January, 1860, his wife having preceded him by only a few months. The year after his death the township was or- ganlzed and named in his honor.

Jacob Cooper, the brother of John, was born In Jefferson County, Tenn., December 18, 1800, there married Anna Walden, and in 1820 came with his brother to Sangamon County. His first wife having dled in 1830, he later married Jane Kelly, a daughter of William Kelly, who was one of the first settlers on the site of the eity of Springfield.

Philip Smith. born in Montgomery County, N. C., ahont 1790, married Nancy Cooper and In 1822 came to Sangamon County and settled In Cooper Township, later moving to what is now Williams Township.

Iliram Robbins, born in North Carolina in 1793, spent his boyhood in Tennessee, Kentucky and in the vicinity of Vincennes, Ind., served for six months as a soidier in the War of 1812, after which he returned to Tennessee, thence came to Pope County, Iil., and stili later to Madi- son County, where, in 1816, he married Eiiza- beth Dean. In the summer of 1822 hie eame to Sangamon County and settled on the site of the present town of Barclay, bnt a year later moved to what is now Cooper Township. Mr. Robbins was a soldier in the Black Hawk War, was twice married after coming to Sangamon County, and the family continued to live in Cooper Township.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume II, part 1, Part 40

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913 Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago, Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 864

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 864