Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Part 169

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Gale, W. Shelden
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1388

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SORNBORGER, CHARLES D .; Farmer; Vic- toria Township: born in Victoria in 1843; edu- cated in the common schools. His father was Anson Sornborger, an early settler. Mr. C. D. Sornborger was first married, in 1870, to Marion Clark, who died leaving two sons: Clifford F., and Clide W. His second marriage was with Irene Brown, in 1885. Mr. Sornborger is a re- publican and has been active in public affairs; he has been School Director for four years, and has also been Town Treasurer. In 1868, he set- tled on the farm where he now resides. Mr. Sornborger is in religion a Protestant.

SORNBORGER, GEORGE M .: Farmer; Vic- toria Township; born April 1, 1841, in Victoria, Illinois; educated in the common schools. He was married to Frances E., daughter of John T. Suydam, October 12, 1865, in Copley Town- ship, Illinois: They have eight children: Clarence T., George A., Lolette K., Mary E., Claud, Floyd, Grace F., and Fern L. Mr. Sornborger's father was Anson Sornborger, who came from Dutchess County, New York, 1838: he had nine sons, and

one daughter,

the wife of Aaron Olmsted; and two brothers. Alexander and Peter. George Sornborger, the father of Anson, was a soldier of the Revolution; he died in Victoria in 1841. Anson lived in Victoria until 1859, when he removed to Copley Township and engaged in farming. George M. remained at home until 1862, when he enlisted in Company K, Eighty-third Illinois Volunteers; he served one year and then returned to Copley, having been discharged for disability. He settled in Copley in 1866 on a rented farm. In 1868, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Victoria Township. where he now resides. Mr. Sornborger is a charter member of P. G. Tait Post, No. 698, G. A. R., a charter member of Walnut Grange, No. 1653, a charter member of Knox Henry Pomona Grange, No. 837. and a member of the Illinois State Grange. In poli- tics, he is a republican, and has held the offices of Collector and Assessor.

WOOLSEY, THOMAS; Farmer; Victoria Township: born January 30, 1848, in Sycamore. DeKalb County, Illinois; educated in the com- mon schools. His parents were Deo and Min- erva (Olmsted) Woolsey, of New York. He was married in Victoria, September 10, 1871, to Mary H., daughter of Dr. John L. Fifield, of Vic-

toria. Their children are: Ralph B., Ross A., L. Eselwin, and Robert C. Mr. Woolsey's father came from New York to DeKalb County, and later moved to Victoria, where he died in 1853, leaving his wife, who died in 1867, and four sons, W. McKindry, John A., Russell, and Thomas, and one daughter Hannah. Dr. Fifield was born in New Hampshire In 1805, and came to Victoria in 1837. He was a practicing phy- sician for many years and died in 1890. Mr. Woolsey enlisted in 1864, in Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Illinois Volunteers, and served till the close of the war. He is liv- ing on the Fifield homestead. He is, in religion, a Congregationalist. In politics, he is a repub- lican.

COPLEY TOWNSHIP.

By J. W. Temple.

The surface of Copley Township, so named from a prominent family of that name at one time residing in it, consists chiefly of fertile prairie land, just sufficiently rolling to ensure good drainage; though in its southern part there is some broken ground, probably one- fourth of its area having been originally tim- ber land. There are in the township eighteen thousand acres of improved farm land. It is well watered and drained by branches of Wal- nut and Court creeks, as well as by other smaller streams.

The first settler in the township was a Mr. Berry, who, in 1836, located near the present village of Victoria, which lies partly in this and partly in Victoria Township. Matthew Herbert and Larkin Robinson followed, the next year. In 1839, the first members of what soon became a thrifty Scotch colony began to settle on some of the best lands; and the descendants of these sons of "Auld Scotia" are now men of wealth and high moral standing in the community. The Gordons, Cooks, McCor- nacks, Taits, MeKies; Leightons, McClymonts. McMasters, McDowells, Stevensons, Milroys, McQuarries, and others, with their numerous and thrifty progeny, being among the most prominent citizens of the township. Later, its rich lands have attracted a large number of Swedes, whose thrift, industry and problty have made of these first immigrants wealthy farmers and landhoiders. Their descendants, by inter- marrying with the native population, are fast becoming a homogeneous, as they are a pa- triotic, body of American citizens; while their success is due to brain no less than to brawn.

When the first settlers arrived, a small tribe of Indians still inhabited a grove, now known

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as Foreman Grove, near the northern limits of the present township.

The first child born in Copley was a son of Matthew Herbert, in 1838. The first death was that of Harriet Foster, in 1842. Rev. Charles Bostwick and Mrs. Hurr were the first couple to be married, and Rev. Mr. Bostwick preached the first sermon in 1840, in a log school house.

The first school was taught by Miss Mary J. Smith, afterwards Mrs. John Becker, in a log cabin, one and one-half miles northwest of Vic- toria. There are now nine school districts, each with a neat, and some with costly school houses; and there are few townships where the value of education is more genuinely appre- ciated than here; the result heing shown in the exceptional intelligence and culture of its citi- zens.

The first saw mill-that of Jeremiah Collin- son-operated by horse power, was put up in 1850. Mr. Berry was the huilder of the first frame structure, on Section 9, in 1840. Now, some of the finest residences in the county are to be found on its prairie farms.

Copley Township has lacked railroads, and by reason of that want has no large towns. In 1894, however, to reach the extensive coal fields of this and Victoria townships, a railroad was huilt from Wataga, on the line of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, running through nearly the center of the township, to a mining village called Etherly, located on the eastern boundary of Copley. This village was laid out on the southeastern quarter of Section 35, on August 10, 1894, hy Samuel L. Charles. Owing to legal complications. which prevented for a time the operating of the road, the village is yet without many inhabitants. It is be- lieved, however, that. under altered conditions, a thriving mining town will soon be huilt up to develop the rich, unworked coal deposits which underlie nearly all the southern part of Cop- ley. This railroad has been since extended into the village of Victoria, which, with its natural advantages of situation, has heretofore only lacked railroad facilities to become one of the most prosperous villages in the county.

The first town officers elected, in 1853, were: J. O. Stanley, Supervisor; N. Kelsey, Clerk; J. M. Perkins, Assessor; Austin Gaines, Collec- tor; Isaac Copley and A. W. Buckley, Justices; A. A. Smith, S. McCornack and J. Sirie, Com- missioners of Highways, and J. Collinson, Over- seer of the Poor.

Its population in 1860 was one thousand and

ten: in 1870 it was twelve hundred and nine- teen; in 1880 it had fallen to one thousand and seventy-six, and in 1890 was nine hundred and ten.

The township has three churches; a Methodist Episcopal and a Swedish church are located in the village of Victoria, and a Scotch church three and one half miles west of that place. All are well attended, the religious sentiment among all the inhabitants being very strong. The Scotch church is Calvinistic in creed, and affiliated with the Presbyterian denomination. It is known as the John Knox Church, and was organized in 1854, with twenty-five mem- bers, hy Rev. R. C. Matthews, D. D. and S. Vaill. Rev. J. T. Bliss was its first pastor, his place being now filled by Rev. John Pugh.

PETER GORDON.

Peter Gordon, son of James and Jean ( Heron) Gordon, was born in Creetown, Scotland, May 19, 1819. In 1840 he came to this country and finally settled in Copley Township, Knox County, Illinois. He began working hy the month, but later hought a farm and was so successful in his chosen occupation, that, in 1885, when he moved to Victoria, he had greatly increased his possession.

In 1845 Mr. Gordon was married in Copley Township to Mrs. Mary Ann (McDowell) Tait, who was born in Scotland, January 24, 1814, and was the daughter of John and Anna (Living- ston) McDowell. Her mother died in Scotland in 1824, and her father came to America in 1839 and settled in Copley Township. Mr. McDowell died in 1867. Mr. William Tait, Mrs. Gordon's first husband, died in 1843, leaving her with four sons: John, William F., Peter G. and Houston P. In 1862 these four sons enlisted in Company G, Eighty-ninth Illinois Volunteers, Colonel Hotchkiss commanding. John died at Chattanooga from wounds received in the fight- ing at Dalton. Peter G. rose to the rank of lieutenant and fell at the battle of Nashville. William and Houston P. survived the war. The former is a physician in Galesburg.

Mr. and Mrs. Gordon have four children: James, Elizabeth M., Alexander H. and Albinus N. James has a farm in Walnut Grove Town- ship; Alexander H. has one in Copley Town- ship; Albinus is on the home farm; Elizabeth M. married William Robson, of Wataga, Illi- nois.

From the humble beginning in 1840, Mr. Gor- don's possessions grew to more than fifteen hundred acres, and he gave each of his four children one hundred and sixty acres of land. He has also a handsome residence in Victoria. For many years he has been an active member of the Presbyterian church, and is always in- terested in whatever contributes to the welfare of the community in which he lives. For twenty years he has been a School Director, and he is looked up to by all as one of the most

Peter Gordon

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KNOX COUNTY.

substantial men of his township. In politics, Mr. Gordon is a republican.

BECKER, FREDERICK; Farmer; Copley Township; born October 29, 1840, in Otsego County, New York; educated in the district school, Charlottesville Seminary, Fergusonville Academy (New York), and at a select school in Illinois. His parents were Frederick and Cath- arine (Tenbroeck) Becker. The ancestors of the Becker family came from Germany, settled In New Jersey, removed to Albany County, New York, and thence to South Worcester, Otsego County. The father of Mr. Becker died Febru- ary 8, 1841, aged thirty-one and a half years. Mr. Becker came to Victoria in the Spring of 1857; he taught school in the winter and clerked and engaged in farm work in the summer. In 1863, he rented a farm, and in 1869, purchased the farm on Section 13, where he now resides. He was married to Jane, a daughter of Rev. J. J. Hedstrom. Mr. Becker said: "I have lived in Copley Township about forty years and have been associated with a thrifty, energetic and ambitious class of farmers; one of the im- portant lessons to be learned in life is, 'do something with energy.'" Mr. Becker has filled official positions in the township, and for sev- eral years has been a member of the Board of Supervisors.

LEIGHTON, WILLIAM H .; Farmer; Copley Township; born October 8, 1835, in New York City. His parents were William and Isabel (Ironside) Leighton, who came from Scotland to New York in 1832, and to Knoxville, Illinois, in 1837. Mrs. Leighton died in 1840. In 1847, Mr. Leighton moved to Copley Township, and then to Sparta Township, where he died in 1861. leaving three sons: William H., John A., and James. William H. was educated in Knoxville. He was married to Jannette McKie in Copley Township, December 1, 1864. Their children are: Charles H., Margaret, May, and Isabel. Mrs. Leighton was born July 13, 1842, and was a daughter of William and Margaret (Miller) McKie. Mr. Leighton came with his father to Knoxville in 1837, and settled in Copley Town- ship in 1847, where he is now living. He is a member of the Presbyterian church. In poli- tics, he is a republican, and held the office of Supervisor from 1871-3, and from 1880-8. He has been Road Commissioner and School Trus- tee for many years.

TEMPLE, JAMES W .; Printer and Farmer; Copley Township; born April 13, 1828, in Ohio; educated in Meadville, Allegheny County, Penn- sylvania. His parents were Alexander and Sarah (Allen) Temple of New York; his pater- nal grandparents were Alexander, born in Scotland, and

Marie Flaasborough, born in Holland; his maternal grandfather was Hezekiah Allen of New York. Mr. J. W. Temple was married October 29, 1854, in Truro Township, Illinois, to Bessie P. Cook. They have six children: William C., Thomas C., Joseph W., Mary A., Susan A., and Ellen E. Mr. Temple came to Illinois in 1847, and, after making the overland trip to California, returned to Illinois in 1854. July, 1862, he enlisted in the

Eighty-third Illinois Regiment and served in the War of the Rebellion. He was made a Cap- tain in 1864, and discharged from service in August, 1865. In religion, Mr. Temple is a Univ- ersalist. In politics, he is a republican. In 1868, he was elected Circuit Clerk of Knox County, and served as Supervisor for several years.

SPARTA TOWNSHIP. By E. H. Goldsmith.

This township was organized April 5, 1853, at the home of Thomas H. Taylor, on Section 14, and the following town officers were elected: T. H. Taylor, Supervisor; Asaph DeLong, Clerk; Stephen Smith, Assessor; Charles W. Rhodes. Collector; D. Reed, Stephen Russell and Peter Davis, Highway Commissioners; Morvan Ba- ker, and Hugh Ferguson, Justices of the Peace; and Marshall P. DeLong, Constable. Mr. De- Long afterwards served the town as Justice of the Peace for twenty-five years. S. G. Dean served eight years, and one of the present in- cumbents, John J. Sutor, six years. The Super- visors have been: T. H. Taylor, two years; Peter Davis, John Gray, A. Ebright, H. P. Wood, and M. P. DeLong, one year each. The last incumbent, William Robson, has held the office for the past twenty years, the long- est continuous service of any Supervisor in Knox County. From its position Sparta Town- ship forms the watershed dividing the water courses feeding the Illinois and Mississippi riv- ers, thus giving it almost perfect immunity from damaging floods, and as rich land as is found in the State. A good vein of underlying mineral makes it well worthy of the classic name given it by Amos Wilmot. While Heze- kiah Buford has the credit of being the first settler by building on Section 23, in 1834, the Wilmots have a record for longest continuous residence on, the same land, for Amos Wilmot built a log cabin in June, 1836, on Section 6, in which he lived for fifteen years. He then built a house, where he lived until his death in 1878. since which time some member of the family has occupied the home. Sidney L. Wilmot is now the owner, but resides on Section 5. He has, lying around his home, ash posts which have been cut for sixty-one years. Very soon after his arrival came Reuben, Cyrus and Ed- ward Robbins, brothers, and Levi Roberts, a cousin. The first of these is about the last of the early settlers and is now in hls eighty- fifth year. To him we are indebted for some of the information given in this sketch. From the fact of Levl Robbins having raised a large

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orchard and other trees "Robbins' Grove" was for many years a noted land-mark and people came long distances for apples, as well as to hold picnics. In 1836 Asaph DeLong (who built the first house between Knoxville and Henderson timber), Luman Field and William Heath settled on Section 31. The latter was married at Knoxville to Lucinda Field in 1837, and "hung up" housekeeping in their log cabin, a picture of which Mrs. Heath still preserves. In a northeast direction they had but one neighbor nearer than Victoria. Mrs. Heath is in her eightieth year (1899) and has lately been made a member of the society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, she being a grand- daughter of Elisha Field, Jr., and a great- granddaughter of Elisha Field, Sr., both of whom fought in the Revolutionary War. She is in possession of papers showing the entire war history of her illustrious ancestors. Her grandchildren presented her with the badge of the society, which is an old-fashioned spinning wheel with beautiful surroundings and inscrip- tion.

James Neely settled on Section 30 in 1838, and Abram Neely on Section 5 a few years later. Other early settlers were: B. Ely, Thomas and George W. Faulkner, Booker Pickrel and C. C. West. Among those who came subsequently and who, with those already mentioned, as well as those who will be noticed hereafter, have been influential in the political and religious prosperity of the township, are Solomon Lyon, J. V. R. Carley, Schuyler Goldsmith, A. F. Adams, William E. Morse, Henry Rommel, L. W. Olson, Oliver Stream, Joseph Masters, J. H. Merrill, James Paddock, Edmund Kennedy, James Barry, William S. Patterson, William A. Lee, Jr., D. W. Nisley, R. W. Hulse, Vickrey Nation, Ransom Babcock, F. Z. Wikoff, G. S. Hawkins and John Taylor. The latter has been assessor for thirty-one years.

As an indication that Sparta is a rich agri- cultural locality, capable of producing a great quantity as well as a great variety of crops and having in it many enterprising stock-rais- ers, besides being well watered by natural streams and springs, may be noted the fact that A. N. Phelps' two-hundred acre farm, now owned by William Robson on Section 8, took three first prizes from the State Agricultural Society. The southeast portion, though more broken, is nevertheless fully as valuable in that it has been, and is yet to some extent, cov- ered with an excellent growth of white and

hurr oak timber. But the chief value lies un- derneath, in the form of shale, from which, to quite a large extent, paving and building brick is being manufactured by the Galesburg Vitri- fied Brick Company. The coal industry from this fourth vein has also been quite large, and at one time as many as fifteen carloads per day were shipped from here, being handled princi- pally by J. M. Holyoke, R. M. Campbell and Peter Dolan. At present the trade consists in supplying the demands from the brick plant and the farmers in the vicinity, besides what is taken to Galesburg by teams.

The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy passes through Sparta in a diagonal line from near the northeast to the southwest corner. In Novem- ber, 1894, the Galeshurg, Etherely and Great Eastern Railroad was opened, running twelve miles east, ostensibly to strike a great coal belt of some eighty-two sections, the center of which is Etherely, where the company placed a shaft costing $30,000. This company suspended oper- ations September 7, 1895, but resumed Decem- her 7, 1897, under the name of the Galesburg and Great Eastern, with Edward J. Harms as manager.

The educational institutions of Sparta consist of one graded school, of which Professor O. H. Newman is now principal, and eight district schools, all of which are well sustained, the general policy being to employ competent teach- ers for the three hundred and ninety-five pupils now in attendance. The buildings cost a total of over $8,000. It is worthy of mention that in District No. 2 R. W. Robbins gave the site for school purposes, and here Mary Allen West, when in her fourteenth year, taught her first term of school. Later she was the honored superintendent of schools of Knox County.

The well improved highways of the township are due to the wise business management of Sparta's road commissioners, seconded by her voters, for, in addition to being well graded and properly tiled, a large proportion of the bridges are substantially built of stone.

Prairie fires in early days were beautiful to witness and oftentimes to be dreaded. The writer has seen on his own farm, on Section 4, prairie grass (hlue joint) six feet high on fire, the flames traveling at a rapid rate and with a dreadful roar. At one time a fire which is said to have started at Red Oak, in Henry County, threatened to devastate the farms of the new settlers, but warning was given those in the. southwest part of the township by Maria.

Boanerges Ely

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KNOX COUNTY.

daughter of Luman Field, in time to avert the approaching catastrophe.

Sparta, both before and during the Civil War, contained quite a number of abolition- ists, among whom was Abram Neely, a con- ductor on the underground railroad. Some of the old citizens still remember his hiding fugi- tive slaves at his home and taking them a night's ride north to the next station.

The population of Sparta Township, accord- ing to the United States Census, has been as follows: 1840, 113; 1870, 1,950; 1880, 1,682; 1890, 1,293.

WATAGA.

Wataga was platted in the Spring of 1854 by J. M. Holyoke, Silas Willard and Clark M. Carr, and was incorporated hy a special act in 1863. The first village election was held September 19, 1863. In 1874 it was re-incorporated, under the general law, with Section 16 as the village territory. J. M. Holyoke was the first resident and postmaster, and also built the first store, in conjunction with A. P. Cassel. This was operated by Willard and Babcock. The only bank in the place was started in 1863 by H. P. Wood and is still run by him. The depot was built in 1856, and in the same year the Wataga House was erected and operated by Garrett Post for one year, when Loren Smith bought and conducted it one year, since which time it has been the property of C. H. Norton. The Wataga mill was built by William Armstrong in 1856, and soon afterwards was damaged by an explo- sion in which John Armstrong was seriously injured. George F. and David P. Niles, now ex- tensive farmers and fine stock-raisers, bought the mill in May, 1867, and ran it very success- fully for eight years, patrons coming long dis- tances with their own wheat and receiving en- tire satisfaction. Among those who have since owned the mill are: William and M. O. William- son, who introduced expensive modern machin- ery. and Frank Darst, the present owner, who has also put in improvements and is doing ex- «ellent work.

The First Congregational Church was organ- ized June 10. 1855, and the church society Octo- ber 27. 1856. The church organization was led by the Rev. S. G. Wright. The first meeting was held in the depot, where the first sermon was preached. Subsequent services were held in the newly completed school house until 1860, when a substantial church, costing over $3,000, was erected. to which. in 1876, a parsonage was added at a cost of $2.000. The original members

were: A. P. Babcock, William S. Farnham, Mrs. Maria S. Farnham, Mrs. C. F. Farnsworth, Benjamin Gardner, Mrs. Abigail Gardner, Miss Sarah Gardner, Mrs. Minerva Holyoke, Charles W. Rhodes, and Mrs. Jane Rhodes. Mrs. Char- lotte Farnsworth, daughter of William S. Farn- ham, who served as a deacon for thirty years, and Amos P. Babcock are the only ones now known to be living. James Hastie also served as deacon until his demise in 1879 and was suc- ceeded by Amos S. Fitch, the latter holding the office until his death in 1882. Among the secre- taries of the society have been Hon. John Gray, of Jefferson, lowa; the late J. M. Holyoke and E. H. Goldsmith, the latter of whom held that office twenty-four years and was church clerk for thirty years. This church has had seven- teen pastors. Among those who have faith- fully served in that capacity may he mentioned the Revs. Azariah Hyde, William W. Wetmore, Hiram P. Roberts, Prof. Willis J: Beecher, of Auburn (New York) Theological Seminary, and William R. Butcher, the last named serving six years. The present pastor Is the Rev. O. C. Bedford. The Sunday school records show that on December 26, 1869, the membership was two hundred and the average attendance one hun- dred and forty-eight. John Hastie was the aec- retary and E. H. Goldsmith the superintendent, the latter holding that office for twenty-five years. The present secretary is E. Percy Rob- son and the membership is now ninety-one and the average attendance fifty-nine. The late George P. Holyoke and William M. Driggs. with their wives, rendered valuable assistance in former years.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organ- ized in 1856 by the Rev. William M. Clark, whose circuit consisted of Oneida, Wesley Chanel and Wataga. He made his journeys on foot. Mr. Clark gave the site of Gilson camp ground to this district. Among the early members were S. F. Spaulding, John Gaddis, B. W. Foster, Lucius Vail and S. G. Dean, with their wives. The latter couple are the only ones now living here. Mr. Dean is seventy-nine and his wife eighty-one years of age. They have been and are still stanch pillars of this church. Mr. Dean was the first Sunday school superintendent, serving four years, and he was succeeded by S. F. Spaulding, who, for nineteen years, gave his best services to the school. L. W. Peterson is the present superintendent. Among the pas- tors were: G. W. Brown, N. T. Allen, Willlam Watson, D. Ayers, N. G. Clark, G. P. Snedaker

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Part 169

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Gale, W. Shelden Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1388

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Gale, W. Shelden
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1388