USA > Illinois > Warren County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Warren County, Volume II > Part 60
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
northwest quarter of Section 32. The latter resided also a while a little farther south, and afterwards in Monmouth, dying in Henderson County. The Murphys also came from Ken- tucky in 1830, part of them settling in Mon- mouth Township, some in Berwick, and some in Coldbrook. William settled on Section 18. He was a retired Baptist preacher. His son, John E. Murphy, located in the northeast cor- ner of Monmouth Township, where he resided until 1837, then came into Coldbrook, joining his father on Section 18. Aaron Harding came from Schuyler County the same year (1830), making his home on Section 33, but remaining only a short time. Richard H. Ragland, an- other Kentuckian, came into the township in 1831, making his home on Section 18. He re- sided a while near Berwick, but returned to the Coldbrook home and remaining there un- til his death. He was the father of Lewis Rag- land. Thomas C. Wallace, also from Kentucky, settled on the southwest quarter of Section 16. He started a saw-mill on Cedar creek, on the southwest of Section 21, about two miles north of the present town of Cameron. Thomas McKee settled on the east side of Sec- tion 33, selling to his son-in-law, Philip Hor- ney, who came from Schuyler County in 1835. Justus Parker was another of the early set- tlers, locating on Section 17, selling to Andrew Claycomb, who came from Kentucky with his mother and younger brothers and sisters in 1836. Of the large Claycomb family, only one, George W. Claycomb, of Monmouth, is still living. He removed to Monmouth in 1882, where he served several terms as Supervisor and also as member of the City Council. He still owns his large farm in Coldbrook, though himself retired from active business. Another of the earliest settlers who still remains is Alexander Moore, who came in the early '30's, settling first where Mr. Claycomb now owns and afterwards selling to Harrison Claycomb, and who now makes his home on Section 9. He is about ninety-four years of age. Other pioneers of the earliest period were James Robinson, on Section 16, who sold to R. H. Ragland; John C. Davidson, on the southeast of Section 19; George Jones, on Section 22; Wil- liam Bruner, who bought Mr. Jones' claim; and Henry Bruner, who settled on Section 15; Benjamin Despain and T. J. Taylor, on Sec- tion 23; Thomas Griffee and Jesse Cleveland, on Section 15; Micah Metheney, on Section 34;
Thomas Bruington, father
of Supervisor George Bruington, who came from Kentucky and settled on Section 16; the Rhykerds, on Section 35; Stephen R. Smith, on Section 7; and the Sheltons, who came from Floyd Town- ship. Samuel T. Shelton served in several township offices, and in 1870 was elected to the State Senate, where by his vote he helped elect John A. Logan to his first term in the United States Senate. Mr. Shelton was an or- dained elder in the Christian church.
The first mill in the township was built by Thomas C. Wallace, whose petition for permis- sion to construct a dam on the southwest quar- ter of Section 21 was approved by the County Commissioners in December of 1836. At first only a saw-mill was put in, but later stones for grinding corn were added, and Mr. Wal- lace did an extensive business. John Harding, son of Aaron Harding, who lived north of where Cameron now stands, and Matt Dean, a man of no family, were drowned while fish- ing in Wallace's mill pond, probably in 1838. There was also in the late '30's or the early '40's a tan-yard at Savannah, operated by a Mr. Green, who sold to John S. Walker and William Loofer, both of whom are remembered by the oldest settlers.
Another institution of the early days was the Common Stock, a sort of communistic so- ciety organized by John E. Murphy, Joseph Murphy, L. S. Wallace, Max Jamison and others. The members agreed to put all their property together, all live in a village to be founded on Section 18, and all to share equally in all that they made. The plan did not work satisfactorily and was abandoned after a few months. The women especially, it is said, were not pleased with the arrangement.
The Talbot Creek Christian church was or- ganized at the home of William Hopper in Monmouth Township, March 3, 1839, with forty- three members, most of whom were previous to that time members of the Christian church of Coldbrook. Joseph Murphy, Willam Murphy and William Hopper were chosen elders, and David Morrow and L. S. Wallace deacons. The early meetings of the church were held in the school house on Section 12, but in 1845 David Morrow built a frame church building on the east side of his farm, the northwest quarter of Section 12, which was used as a place of wor- ship for ten or twelve years. The congregation in those days was a prosperous one, and had
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
a large and vigorous membership. From it a colony went off and organized the Christian church at Gerlaw. From the early church were sent out the following ministers: John E. Murphy, Joseph E. Murphy, L. Smith Wal- lace, Robert Wallace, Thomas Wallace and Francis M. Bruner. Late in the '50's it was decided to move a little farther east, and a church was built in 1860 at what is now Cold- brook at a cost of about $1,000. This build- ing was succeeded in 1895 by a modern struc- ture, which cost about $4,000, and was dedi- cated November 17, of that year, by Rev. G. W. Pearl. Among the pastors who have served this church are L. Smith Wallace, Joseph E. Murphy, Henry Murphy, Livy Hatchett, Sam- uel T. Shelton, Henry Trickett, -. -. Dun- canson, T. H. Goodright, Charles Leacock, B. C. Stevens, J. H. Carr, J. E. Propheter, W. T. Stevenson, A. M. Hale, C. E. Conner, I. R. Spencer. The present membership of the con- gregation is 183, the Sunday school has an enrollment of 112, and the Christian Endeavor society has nineteen members.
The Church of God at Scotchtown, on the northwest corner of Section 30, was organized November 1, 1870, with a membership of 28. The members were: Andrew Wilson, Eliza- beth Wilson, James Young, Marian Young, William Hardy, Elmira Hardy, Mark Halden, Janet Halden, Anna Halden, John Bell, Jane Bell, James Wilson, Elizabeth Wilson, Thomas Swan, Mary Swan, Andrew Y. Welsh, Elizabeth Wilson Welsh, Mrs. Janet Wilson, Agnes Welsh, Jacob Greenwell, Margaret Greenwell, Joseph- ine Genry, Leona Genry, Leon Genry, John Gordon, Francis M. Sharp, James Campbell, Jane Campbell. Rev. Isaac E. Boyer was the first pastor, and those following him have been Abraham Hollems, William Ross Coovert, W. T. Harris, W. B. Allen, John Bernard, I. S. Richmond, Mary Berkstresser, D. W. Blakely, John S. Walls, Mr. Shearer and Mr. Wicks. The church building was dedicated December 31, 1871, and is valued at $1,100. The church is disbanded at the present time, the Welsh family alone remaining of the membership. The Sunday school is still carried on, however, supervised by members of the Baptist church at Monmouth.
The Universalists have a church building on the southwest corner of Section 5, dedicated September 20, 1891, and known as the Hender- son Grove Universalist church. The society
worshipping there was formed by the consoli- dation of two bodies, one belonging in the neighborhood and the other at Miles' mill, in Kelly Township. The society has a member- ship of about thirty, but has no settled min- ister.
The first school in Coldbrook Township was taught by Seth C. Murphy in a small log school house on Section 30, in 1832. The latest figures in the office of the County Superintendent of Schools show that there are now eight school districts, all with frame buildings, including the union district at Cameron, which has a graded school with two female teachers. The township employs one male teacher at $35 and eight female teachers at $30 to $46 a month. There were 146 males and 104 females of school age in the township, and of these 112 males and 108 females were enrolled in the schools. Six schools had libraries, with a to- tal of 120 volumes valued at $250. The tax levy for schools was $2,818.67; the value of the school property, $9,012; the value of school ap- paratus, $300; and the bonded debt of the town- ship for schools, $3,500.
The assessment lists for 1901 show in the township at that time 911 horses, 2,568 cattle, 35 mules and asses, 322 sheep and 2,831 hogs. The total value of personal property in the township was $213,070, and the assessed valu- ation $42,614. The assessed valuation of lands was $244,705, and of lots $2,115.
The population of the township in 1900 was 928, a loss of eight since 1890.
The Coldbrook Rural Insurance Company was an institution chartered about January 1, 1876. It was composed of forty-nine incor- porators, and started with insurance of $55,- 900. Its office was to be in Coldbrook town- ship, but its object was the insurance of farm property in Monmouth, Coldbrook, Floyd, Kel- ly, Spring Grove and Lenox townships. The company was the forerunner of the present Monmouth Farmers' Insurance Company.
SAVANNAH.
The town of Savannah was laid out August 12, 1836, by County Surveyor William C. Butler, on the southeast quarter of Section 29, in Cold- brook township, about one mile north of the present village of Cameron. Savannah had a public square and twelve blocks. John G.
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
Haley was the owner of the townsite. Later the town was called Coldbrook because of the cold springs along the creek north of it, and from the town the township took its name. At one time Savannah was quite a town and did a thriving trade. The Brink & Walker stage from Springfield to Oquawka passed through there, and it was the only stopping place be- tween Knoxville and Monmouth. Jacob Rust was the proprietor of the first store, and Alva Gordon was the first postmaster. H. E. Haley succeeded him in 1840, and he was followed by A. D. Hawkins, who was the last postmaster at Savannah, the postoffice being removed with the town to Cameron in 1855. Hagett & Bundy had a blacksmith shop here as early as 1832. The town was for years the home of the first Chris- tian church organized in Warren county, now the Cameron Christian church. Records at the court house show that on October 22, 1840, David Richmond deeded to John G. Haley, Josi- ah Whitman, Isaac Murphy, Joseph Murphy and Patrick R. Haley, trustees of that church, lot 64 in Coldbrook. Provision was made that "any other church may hold meetings in the meeting house now standing on said land, so that they do not interrupt the appointments of the Church of Christ aforesaid."
CARROLL.
This town shows in the old county records, but the memory of it has entirely passed away. It was platted by County Surveyor William C. Butler, August 18, 1836, just a few days after the laying out of Savannah. The site was the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 16, Coldbrook township. It was a little more than three miles north from Savannah, across the road and a little east of the present Talbot Creek Christian church, on land now owned by J. E. Wallace. Carroll was laid out with a public square and sixteen blocks-a popular size in those days. P. R. Haley, Daniel McNeil, Jr., and Lyman Prentiss owned the townsite.
CAMERON.
November 17, 1854, County Surveyor J. W. Adcock, surveyed and platted the town of Cameron, on the north side of the main line of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad, on the southwest quarter of Scction 33 and the
southeast quarter of Section 32, in Coldbrook township. Cameronville (see history of Floyd township) had been laid out in Febru- ary of the same year on the south side of the railroad, and the two are now considered one village, though they retain their separate names on the county records and in all real es- tate deals. The business part of the village is in Floyd township, but the school, in a union district, is on the Coldbrook side. Cameron was laid out on land owned by Ivory Quinby and John B. Warren, with twenty blocks.
SURREY.
Surrey is a station and postoffice on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, lo- cated at the center of Section 26. The post- office was established in July, 1894, with Frank Bowen as postmaster. He was succeeded Feb- ruary 28, 1896, by C. M. Bolon, who still holds the officc.
A half mile east of Surrey, on the east side of Section 26, is Bethel Methodist Episcopal church. The society was organized in August, 1868 or 1869, with the families of John Under- wood, Robert Gillespie,, James McFarland, and Mr. Lufre as members. The church building was erected about the same time at a cost of $2,000. The society is now disorganized, but Sunday school is held regularly, with preaching on alternate Sundays by Rev. Mr. Hales, of the Cameron charge.
COLDBROOK NO. 2.
The present Coldbrook postoffice was es- tablished in March, 1891, and commenced busi- ness April 1 following, with Hiram Churchill as postmaster. The office was located one mile north and a half mile east of the center of the township, but was moved a mile further west about the first of January, 1896. R. B. Mc- Reynolds succeeded Mr. Churchill as post- master in February, 1896, serving until March, 1898, when J. W. Barnett became postmaster. The present postmaster, H. M. Wallace, took charge of the office April 11, 1902.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
BRUINGTON, GEORGE; farmer and stock- raiser; Cold Brook Township; is president of the bank of Cameron, president of the Warren
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
County Agricultural Society, a stockholder in the Cameron Elevator Company, a director in the Gazette Printing Company of Monmouth, a director of the Warren County Library, and has been Supervisor of his township seventeen years. He was Chairman of the Building Committee and the Board of Supervisors when the Warren County court house was erected. Mr. Bruington comes of an old Kentucky fam- ily, and is a son of Thomas and Jane (McGloth- an) Bruington, natives of Breckinridge County, Ky. His father was born in 1808 and died in 1882, and his mother died in 1849, when he was about nine years old, he having been born in Knox county, Illinois, October 4, 1840. Thomas Bruington brought his family to Illi- nois in a large Kentucky wagon drawn by an ox-team which was led by a team of horses, and they found an attractive stopping place in Knox County, where, in 1833, he traded a shotgun and a pony for eighty acres of land. In 1844 he disposed of that property and re- moved to Warren County and bought a farm in Section 16, Cold Brook Township, which he sold ten years later in order to buy a farm in Sections 2 and 3, Kelly Township, on which he built a house in which he lived out his days. George Bruington was educated at Lom- bard College, Galesburg, and when he was twenty years old went to Pike's Peak with an old Indiana schooner wagon and a team, and remained some months. Returning to Illinois he assisted his father in his farming opera- tions until in 1863 when he bought a farm in Section 15, Cold Brook Township. By subse- quent purchases he has increased his holding to 360 acres, which he devotes to farming and stock-raising, giving especial attention to the last named branch of his business. Frater- nally he is a Mason and an Odd Fellow. He was married in Cold Brook Township, June 7, 1863, to Mary Wallace, who was born there September 23, 1839, a daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Murphy) Wallace. Mr. Wallace came from Kentucky in 1833, and bought a farm il Section 16, Cold Brook Township, where he and his wife lived out their days. Mr. and Mrs. Bruington are the parents of five children named as follows in the order of their birth: Margaret Jane, who married W. C. Whitman; Jessie L., who married Ells- worth Davis; Arnold D., who married Addie Hall; Elmer E .; and Alma M., who married Frank Johnson.
CONARD, NATHAN FRANKLIN; farmer; Cold Brook Township, Warren County, Ill- inois (postoffice address Rural Delivery, No. 1, Galesburg); traces his ancestry to John Con- ard, who was born and died in Loudoun County, Virginia, and whose wife was buried at New- ark, Ohio. They were the great-grandparents in the paternal line of the subject of this sketch. Their son Nathan Conard, Mr. Conard's grandfather, was born in Loudoun County, Vir- ginia, in 1779, and died in Licking County, Ohio, in 1852. Hannah Butcher, who became his wife, was born in Virginia, January 7, 1779, and died in Licking County, Ohio, in 1872. Their son, Amos, was born in Licking County, Ohio, and married Sarah Smoots, a na- tive of Highland County, Va., and a daughter of Philip and Elizabeth (Hass) Smoots. Philip Smoots was a son of Mathias Smoots, who was born in Shenandoah County, Va., and was the great-grandfather in the maternal line of the subject of this sketch. Nathan Conard, emigrated from Virginia to Licking County, Ohio, before the Indians had left that part of the country, taking with him six hundred dol- lars in cash, with which he bought a farm to which he added until he owned many acres which he divided among his children. Amos Conard came from Ohio to McLean County, Ill., in 1865, and soon afterward purchased a farm in Piatt County, on which he lived until his death, which occurred when he was eighty- eight years old. His wife died April 10, 1899, at the age of eighty-six years while on a visit to her son, Nathan Franklin Conard, in Cold Brook Township. She was of German descent and was born at Johnstown, N. Y. Nathan Franklin Conard is a Methodist and a Republi- can; was married in Piatt County, Ill., No- vember 19, 1874, to Elizabeth Suver, who was born there July 2, 1846, a daughter of John and Christina (Robertson) Suver. John Suver, grandfather of Mrs. Conard, settled near Mar- tinsburg, W. Va., about 1802, and later re- moved to Ohio. Mrs. Conard's father was born near Martinsburg in 1814; her mother was born in 1819; he died in 1856, and she in 1848. He and his brother entered 1600 acres of land in Piatt County, Ill., and, in 1854, he sold out his interests there and bought about 580 acres in Cold Brook Township. Mrs. Conard has borne her husband four children, as follows: Eugene S., Frances Lois, Ella Florence and Mary Esther-to whom Mr. Conard has given
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
good educational advantages in the high school and at Knox College, Galesburg. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Conard settled on a farm of ninety-six acres in Cold Brook Town- ship which the latter owned and upon which he lived eight years, when they sold it in order to buy their present farm of 175 acres in Sec- tion 24. Mr. Conard is an up-to-date farmer who gives much attention to stock-raising. He is influential in his township, and for twenty- two years has served his fellow-citizens as school director.
GATES, LAMPSON MINER, son of Seth and Fannie (Vorse) Gates, was born in Madrid, St. Lawrence County, N. Y., November 18, 1807. Seth Gates' father, Silas Gates, was a Revolu- tionary War veteran, and was killed in New London, Conn., at the time that city was des- troyed by Benedict Arnold. The subject of this sketch removed with his father's family to Ashtabula County, Ohio, in 1815, and in 1836 he came to Warren County, Ill., his father following in a year or two. He resided in Mon- mouth for a while and while here hewed the heavy timbers for the frame courthouse erected in Monmouth late in the 30's. He bought land on Section 1, Monmouth Township, and Sec- tion 6, Coldbrook Township, residing first on the former tract, then removing across the road to the other. Mr. Gates was Supervisor from Coldbrook Township in 1863-64 and 1871- 73, and served on the most important commit- tees of the board, always discharging the trust reposed in him with credit to himself and hon- or to the constituents he represented. Mr. Gates was married April 5th, 1846, to Miss Nancy Black, daughter of Samuel and Rachel (Smith) Black, who was born in Bond County, Ill., April 11, 1825, and came to Warren County in 1837, making her home first in Kelly Town- ship. To them were born eight children, all of whom are living. They are: Charles W. Gates, of Athena, Oregon; Mrs. Caroline Odell, of Grass Valley, Cal .; Mrs. Carolie Gifford, of Rantoul, Ill .; Henry C. Gates, of Surprise, Neb .; Wilson S. Gates, of Hermon, Ill .; Mrs. Nettie Howat, of Canton, Ill .; Mrs. Irene Mof- fet, of Monmouth, Ill .; and Lee F. Gates, of St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Gates died at his Cold- brook home August 15, 1874. His widow resides in Monmouth with her daughter, Mrs. Irene Moffet.
GRACE, AMANDA; Cameron, Warren County; a native of Iowa, is one of the few women in her vicinity who have made a note- worthy success in the handling of business af -ยท fairs. She was born in Wapello County, Iowa, May 1, 1861, a daughter of Abner and Mary (Meyers) Overman, her father a native of In- diana, her mother of Pennsylvania. Her grandparents in the maternal line, Lewis and Sarah Ann (Taylor) Myers, were also born in the Keystone State. Abner Overman was a young man when he went to Iowa and he mar- ried there and settled down to farming, and he and his wife both died there. Miss Overman was educated in common schools in Iowa and was married at Chillicothe, that State, De- cember 25, 1872, to James W. Grace. Mr. Grace was born in Indiana and was a pioneer in Illinois, who made the journey on foot from his native State, arriving on the scene of his future successes with a cash capital of twenty- five cents. By industry, perseverance and ex- cellent management he acquired sixteen hun- dred acres of land and twelve thousand dol- lars worth of personal property, and was wide- ly known as an extensive farmer and stock- raiser. He was three times married; first to Elizabeth Lyon, then to her sister, and lastly to the subject of this sketch. By his first marriage he had two children named John and Parsilla. By his second wife, three child- ren, named Elizabeth, Margaret and Jes- sie; and, by his last marriage, two, named Olive Branch and Erma. He died in 1892 at the age of seventy-five years, and after his death his widow removed to Cameron and there built a fine residence which has since been her home. Her elder daughter, Olive Branch is married to John Riggles, and her daughter Erma to Elmer Ryner.
CLARK DIXON HALL, Coldbrook Town- ship, Warren County, postoffice Monmouth, was born on the farm where he has since lived, October 24, 1872, a son of John D. and Phoebe (Arsmoth) Hall. John D. Hall, who was born in Barrien County, Ky., April 11, 1838, was a son of Robert Hall. also born in Barren County, Ky., March 28, 1805. In 1846 the latter removed with his family to Warren County, Ill., locating four and one-half miles northeast of Monmouth. His death occurred October 12, 1860. His wife,
Samson. M. Gates
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
Judah Ann Harlow, was born in Kentucky in 1800 and died August 10, 1854. His father, Michael W. Hall, a native of Ireland, served in the Kentucky State Legislature at an early day. The children of Robert and Judah (Har- low) Hall were John D., M. W., Garnett U., Mildred H., Mary J. and Susan F. In 1866 John D. Hall married Phoebe Ann Arsmith, who was born in Henry County, Ill., April 17, 1849, and died May 27, 1877, leaving two chil- dren: Clark D. and Mrs. Gertrude Barnett.
Clark D. Hall was educated in the district schools and at Abingdon College. Since con- cluding his studies in the latter institution in 1892 he has devoted his time to the manage- ment of his farm in Coldbrook Township, and dealing in cattle and grain. He has in late years been prominent in the conduct of the Warren County Fair. Politically he is a liberal Democrat. He is an influential member of the Talbot Creek Christian Church, is President of the Christian Endeavor Society connected with the church, for three years has been Vice-Presi- dent of the Warren County Sunday School Association, and was one of the organizers of the Coldbrook Township Sunday School Asso- ciation, of which he is President.
RHYKERD, CHARLES AUGUSTUS; farmer and stock-raiser; Cold Brook Township (post- office Galesburg); has had an interesting ex- perience which covers much of the period of our modern development in transportation, em- bracing, as it does, the days of the slow-mov- ing packet boat and these of the swift-rushing express train. He is of old New York Dutch stock in both lines of descent, and was born in Columbia County, N. Y., December 7, 1829. His parents were Joseph and Catherine (Deitrich) Rhykerd, and his father was born in the Mohawk valley. He received a scanty education in the common schools and, until he was fifteen years old, assisted his father on the farm. After that for three years he was employed on the Erie Canal as a cook and driver. He then came to Ilinois with his father, journeying to Buffalo by canal, from Buffalo to Chicago by steamer and thence to Peoria by wagon. The elder Rhykerd bought half of Section 35, Cold Brook Township. His son has been a hard-working farmer and a good manager, and is now the owner of about 775 acres of fine land, which he devotes to general farming and stock-raising. Mr.
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