USA > Illinois > Christian County > History of Christian County, Illinois > Part 57
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WILLIAM M. LEACH
Was born in Stafford county, Virginia, within twelve miles of Fredericksburgh, July 9, 1832. His grandfather, James H. Leach, came from England, and settled in Virginia, before the Revolution- ary war. He had been a sailor, and during the Revolution, served in the American navy. Philemon M. Leach, the father of the sub- jeet of this sketch, was born in Prince William county, Virginia, and during the war of 1812, was one of the force raised to defend Washington City from the attack of the British. After returning from the army, he married Mary, daughter of George Curtis, of Stafford county, Virginia, who was an Englishman by birth, and had been a soldier of the Revolution. Mr. Leach was the seventh of a family of ten children. In 1839, his father moved to Perry county, Ohio. There Mr. Leach was principally raised. He at- tended school, working through the mysteries of calculations in
pounds, shillings, and penee, in the old Pike's arithmetie, and ob- tained a fair education. He learned the trade of a potter. In 1854, he came to Indianapolis, Indiana, and after working at his trade about eighteen months, went to farming, four miles north-east of that eity. April 28, 1856, he married Minerva J. Gresh, a na- tive of Wayne county, Indiana. In 1857, he removed to Fayette eounty, Illinois, and in 1859, came to this county. His first wife having died in 1874, he was married, on the 31st of August, 1875, to Mrs. Maggie Irion, widow of Dr. Silas Irion, formerly of Mor- risonville. Her maiden name was Stout, and she was born in Greene county of this state. Mr. Leaeh was raised a demoerat, but of late years has occupied an independent position in polities, be- lieving that the most good ean, perhaps, be aeeomplished, by each man voting for the best candidate for publie office, irrespective of the political party to which he belongs.
JOHN W. ALLSMAN
Is a native of Jessamine county, Kentucky, and was born on the twenty-ninth of November, 1828, the seventh of a family of four- teen children of Aaron and Elizabeth (Logue) Allsman. Andrew Allsman, grandfather of the subject of this sketeh, emigrated from Germany, first settling near Allegheny, Pennsylvania, and then moved to Kentucky, where he was a pioneer settler. He took part in many of the eonfliets which veeurred "on the dark and bloody ground," and his oldest son, Andrew Allsman, was killed in one of the Indian battles. About 1833 he moved to Sullivan county, Indiana, where he lived the balance of his life, dying at the green old age of one hundred and seventeen. He was a man of remarkable physical strength, and made a full hand in the harvest field when over one hundred years old. He and his wife lived together seventy-five years to a day.
Aaron Allsman, father of John W. Allsman, was born in Ken- tueky ; was married in 1815 ; moved to Indiana in 1830 and to Il- linois in 1849. He settled on the farm now oceupied by his son in Christian county, entering the land, April tenth, 1850. He died in October, 1865, surviving his wife three days. He was also a man of wonderful strength, and when sixty-five, at the town of Assumption he lifted with ease a barrel of molasses from the floor. Both he and his wife were members of the Methodist church. Of his family only four sons and one daughter are now living.
John W. Allsman spent his early life in Indiana, and had limited opportunities for getting an education. He is, however, well in- formed on the eurrent topies of the day. March the twenty-eighth, 1852, he married Miss Frances T. Cook, daughter of Thomas Cook. She was born in the state of Arkansas. From this union eight children have been born, two of whom are now deceased. Four sons and two daughters are now living. The second son is mar- ried, and a resident of Fillmore county, Nebraska. Mr. Allsman was in early life a Whig. He joined the Republican party on its organization, and has been one of the staneh Republicans of that county. During the late rebellion the Union cause did not have a stronger supporter. His first vote for President was cast for Scott in 1852. He voted twice for the immortal Lincoln and twiee for Grant. When he came to this eounty he only had three dollars in money, but with indefatigable industry and energy he kept on adding little by little to his original possessions, till now he has a farm of three hundred aeres, a view of which is shown elsewhere. He is essentially a self-made man, and takes pride in assisting the development and growth of his adopted county. We take pleasure in presenting his name as one of the representative citi- zens of May township.
STIJALE
FAIRBANKS
JIM
BARN LOT NO
PRINCE ALBERT
LILLY OF THE WEST.
JACK.
ELM-WOOD FARM.
RES. AND STOCK FARM OF JOHN W. ALLSMAN, SEC. 24, MAY TP., (13. ) R. I, W. CHRISTIAN CO., ILL.
The Library of the University of Illinois
The Library of the University of Illants
FARM AND RES. OF C.G.LOVERING, SEC. 32, TP., 12, R.I, E.CHRISTIAN CO.,/ LL.
T
WAREHOUSE
CRAIN HOUSE.
F.F. WEISER.
DEALER IN
DRY GOODS GROCERIES
BOOTS SHOES
SCHOOL HOUSE
& NOTIONS
AFS OF MRS N WILLEY
PROPERTY OF MREN WILLEY
VIEW OF WILLEY STATION, SECTS. 6 & 7, MAY TP., (13) R. I. W. CHRISTIAN CO., ILL.
Is one of the representative young business men of this county. He was born in Cass county, of this state, July the twentieth, 1856. His parents, Philip Weiser and Margaretta Dexheimer, were both natives of Germany. His father was three years old on coming to America ; he first lived in Pennsylvania ; afterward settled in Cass county, Illinois, and in 1870 removed to Christian county, and now owns a fine farm of over four hundred acres in Stonington township.
The subject of this sketch is the oldest of a family of seven children. He lived in Cass county till fourteen years of age. At the age of sixteen he became a clerk in the store of Kuder Bros., at Taylorville, where he remained three 28
years. After spending a year at the Commer- cial College at Springfield, he returned to Tay- lorville, and for about six months was employed in the store of Marblestone Bros. In September, 1879, he bought out the store at Willey's Station, formerly kept by Charles Hall, and has since been carrying on a general mercantile business, and is the proprietor of the only store at Willey's.
He also acts as post-master, and as station agent for the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Rail- way. He has likewise been engaged in dealing in grain. Mr. Weiser, though still a young man, has made a good business record. A picture of his store appears on another page, and his por- trait heads this sketch.
217
218
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
MRS. SUSANNAH BUGG.
AMONG the old settlers of May township is Mrs. Susannah Bugg, who has been a resident of the county since February, 1839. She was born in the East Riding of Yorkshire, near Hull, on the tenth of August, 1812. Her maiden name was Peck. Her father was named Simon Peck, and her mother's name before marriage was Jane Routledge. She was the next to the oldest of a family of ten children. She was married on the twenty-seventh of February, 1833, to Joseph Bugg, who was born on the twelfth of March, 1810, at Levan, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. In June, 1834, Mr. and Mrs. Bugg sailed for America. They landed at Quebec, in Canada. The winter of 1834-5 was spent in the vicinity of Toronto, Mrs. Bugg having relations in that part of Canada. Iu May, 1835, Mr. and Mrs. Bugg came to Indiana, and settled on a farm three miles north-east of Terre Haute. In February, 1839, they came to this county.
Their first settlement was in section four of May township, north of the Flat Branch, on the farm recently belonging to Henry Tan- ner. Their location was 'on the prairie, half a mile distant from the timber. At that time all the settlements in May township were along the timber, and the Bugg family was the only one which had ventured out on the prairie. The whole south-eastern part of the township was an uncultivated prairie, which people in those days had little expected would develop into the fine farms which now may be seen in that part of the county. After living five years north of the timber, they moved to a tract of land in sections four- teen and twenty-three. This was in the year 1844. At that date there was no settlement on the prairie in their neighborhood. For eighteen miles the prairie extended toward the east without a single house or improvement of any kind. People wondered at their choosing the prairie for a residence, when they might have located in the timber. Herds of deer were a frequent sight. Wolves were abundant and troublesome, filling the night with their howling, and carrying away pigs and fowls, which had ventured too great a dis- tance from the house. The health of different members of the family also suffered, each having serious attacks of the chills and fever. The horses and cows also died, and Mr. and Mrs. Bugg almost wished that they had remained in Old England, or at least were back at their former home in Indiana. Mr. Bugg improved a farm of three hundred and eighty acres, and dicd May the tenth, 1865. He was a man of quict disposition, attended to his owu pri- vate business affairs, and was a good citizen of the township. For a munber of years he was a member of the Methodist Church. He had eight children : Richard, who died at the age of sixteen ; John Thomas, who is now farming in this county ; William Bugg, one of the farmers of May township ; Simon, who died in infancy ; George P., whose death occurred at the age of twenty; Joseph R., who is farmning in May township ; Edward, and Henry, who died at the age of nine months.
Edward Bugg, who is now living on the old homestead, a view of which is shown elsewhere, was born on the thirty-first of March, 1848, on the same farm on which he now lives. His concation he received in the schools of May township. He was married on the tenth of February, 1873, to Christina Bailey, daughter of M. S. Bailey. She was born in Oneida county, New York, and at the time of her marriage was living in Steuben county, in western New York. Her grandfather came from Massachusetts, and was one of the original settlers of Oneida county, New York, locating there when the country was almost a wilderness. Mr. Bugg has always been a republican in politics. For three years he was collector of May township.
J. ALONZO WADDLE
WAS born in Ohio county, West Virginia, October twenty-ninth, 1849. His father, James Waddle, was born in Virginia, though of Irish descent. He married Ruth Morrison, and lived in Virginia till 1856, and then came to this state, and settled on section twenty- two of May towuship. He died in January, 1879. His wife, mother of the subject of this sketch, had previously died in December, 1870. James Waddle was a man who began life with no capital. He was industrious, and managed to accumulate sufficient mouey to buy, on coming to this state four hundred acres of improved prairie land in May township, In politics he was Republican. He belonged to the United Presbyterian denomination, and for a number of years was one of the members of the Spring Creek church in May township. He had mauy excellent traits of character, and served as collector and treasurer of May township.
J. Alonzo Waddle was the fourth of nine children. He was seven years old when he came to this county. In the spring of 1870 he began farming for himself on section twenty three of May township. October twenty-seventh, 1870, he married Jane E. Henry, who died on the twenty-second of March, 1872. His second wife was formerly Miss Anna R. Fulton, a native of Mercer county, Pennsylvania. Her father, W. K. Fulton, on coming to this state, settled in Mercer county. Her marriage to Mr. Waddle took place on the fourth of February, 1875.
REV. D. M. McBRIDE,
PASTOR of the Stonington Baptist church, was born in Montgom- ery county, Pennsylvania, December 31st, 1849. On his father's side his ancestors were of Scotch descent, aud for two or three gene- rations had been residents of the state of Delaware. His father, David McBride, was born in Kent county, Delaware, and married Hannah Taylor, who was born in England, and who, on couring with her father to America, settled at Gloucester, N. J. David McBride lived for a time on a farmi in Montgomery county, Penn- sylvania, and then moved to Kent county, Delaware. Here the subject of our sketch was principally raised. From eleven to seventeen he was alternately engaged as a sailor and a soldier. From December, 1864, to September, 1865, he served in the 213th Pennsylvania regiment, having eulisted at the age of fifteen. He first came west in 1868, but returned to Delaware, and in the fall of 1870, entered the Wyoming Institute, at Wyoming, Delaware, in which he was a student for nearly two years. Leaving school in February, 1872, he came west, and was first employed in teaching music in Jersey county. April 20th, 1873, he married Mary Bel- lamy, a native of Greene county, and daughter of David Bellamy. This marriage took place at Stonington, and he afterward went to farming in Stonington township. August 16th, 1873, he was or- dained a minister of the Baptist denomination, and installed pastor of the Providence church, in Stonington township, of which he had charge for two years. For eighteen months he was pastor of a Baptist church near Oconce, in Montgomery county. He took charge of the Stonington Baptist church in the spring of 1873. Till the spring of 1880 he resided on his farm in Stonington town- ship, but at that date moved to the Stonington church. He has four children.
TOM C. PONTING.
TOM C. PONTING, one of the leading stock men of Christian county, was born near Radstock, in Somersetshire, England, on the 26th of August, 1829. His father, John Ponting, was a cattle grazer. The Ponting family is of Norman origin, aud came over
BIRD'S EYE VIEW FROM TENANT HOUSE (THE JOE BUGG HOUSE) LOOKING WEST WITH RES. IN THEDISTANCE. 250 ACRES.
HING
FARM RES. OF ED. BUGG. SEC. 23 MAY TP, (13) R.I.W. CHRISTIAN CO. IL. LOOKING N. E.
FARM RES. OF ALFRED SPATES, SEC. 6 MAY TP, (18) R. I, W. CHRISTIAN CO. IL. 5 MILES FROM TAYLORVILLE, 1 1/2 MILES FROM WILEY STATION.
The Library of the University of Illinois
The Library of the University of !!!
FIRST STABLE ON THE FARM
SPRING
SMOKE HOUSE
DUKE.
MARIETTA THE 3RD.
THE HOUSE MR. SHETLER LIVED IN WHEN HE FIRST CAME TO THIS CO.
SHERMAN THE 3%! NORMAN & ENGLISH DRAFT, ACEO 3 YRS., MAY, IS, 1880. WT. 1575 LBS.
STOVER
RES. AND STOCK FARM OF JOHN SHETLER, SECT'S, 16, 21 & 28, MAY TP., (13) R.I.W. CHRISTIAN CO., ILL. 350 ACRES, NO. 1 BARN 2 HORSE STABLE 3 STALLION STABLE, + & 5 CORN CRIBS.
219
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
to England at the time of the Norman conquest. His mother, Ruth Sherne, came from a Saxon family. Tom, as he was christened, was the third of nine children, of whom eight are now living. Three came to America. John settled in Knox county, Ohio, and is now one of the representative citizens of that part of that State. Another brother, William, died in this country. The father carried on a business of some magnitude in England, but some of his enter- prises proving disastrous, Tom, at the age of seventeen, determined to come to America.
This was in the year 1847. The first winter after coming to this country was spent at Columbus, Ohio. In 1848 he went to Mil- waukee, Wisconsin, and for a few months sold cattle for a firm at that place. He then resolved to go into business on his own account. He had brought one hundred and twenty-five dollars from England, which, with forty-five dollars that he had afterward earned, constituted his whole capital. His first investment was forty-five dollars in a mare, which he traded for nine heifers. The heifers he drove to Milwaukee and sold for ninety dollars cash. This was his first speculation. He was considered an excellent judge of cattle and stock even at that age. He then went to buy- ing stock, eamped out, and carried his camp before him on horse- back as he moved from place to place. In 1849 he came to East- ern Central Illinois to purchase cows and calves. He camped out at Champaign, then an open plain without any inhabitants on the surrounding prairie. He sold the calves and lean cows to emni- grants, and the fat cows to butchers. His means were still limited. He and his partner were without a wagon. It was an easy matter to pick up a calf, carry it on ahead horseback, and by this means get their purchases together. He came to this county in 1850 to purchase cows for the Milwaukee market. There were no banks at that time, and the money to pay for their cattle, in big Mexican silver dollars, was carried in shot bags across their saddles. An old wagon covered with cotton drilling, and two yoke of oxen, con- stituted their outfit. At night a good place was selected to pitch their tent and they camped out. In those early times they found the settlers through the State sociable and hospitable, and at the farm-houses a merry time was often had. The evenings were some- times spent in music and dancing.
In 1853 he started out through Missouri, Arkansas, and thence down through the Indian Territory into Texas. That was a wild country in those days. Northern Texas contained few settlements, and the country was not as familiar as it has since been made by the opening up of railroad communication. In passing through the Indian nation they met few evidences of civilization. Among his experiences was that of sleeping one night in a pigeon-roost, which he left the next morning at daybreak to find a hut in which an Indian had his habitation. He was, of course, unacquainted with the Indian vernacular, but managed by signs to make it plain that he wanted something to eat. He was served up with a dish of "tomsee-shofa," a mixture of cow's liver and lights and corn. It was placed before him in a wooden bowl. The point of a cow's horn answered for a spoon. He tendered a two dollar and a-half gold picce in payment. When the old Indian received it he laughed all over, but gave back no change.
Texas herds were then wide between. They succeeded in gath- ering together three hundred and fifty steers and forty-five horses, which they drove into Illinois and fed for a time on the farm on which Mr. Ponting now resides. This was the first experiment in Texas cattle, none having previously been seen in this country. In June the cattle were started for New York. An old ox with a bell was led ahead, and the strangers from Texas followed behind. At the Wabashı the ox was placed in a ferry-boat, and ferried over,
and the stecrs swam across in good order behind. At Muncietown, Indiana, they were shipped on board cars. They created a great sensation on their arrival in New York. Their long horns fixed attention, and people said, "They must be Iowa cattle," knowing they must have come from some distant point, and Iowa at that time being far off and little known. When it was discovered that they were from Texas, people were astonished. Solon Robinson in- terviewed Mr. Ponting, and published a long account of their first experiment with Texas cattle, in the New York Tribune. The next year, 1855, began the great rush to Texas for cattle, and the trade in long horns has been kept up ever since.
In September, 1856, he married Margaret, daughter of Michael Snyder. Her father is one of the oldest settlers of Prairieton town- ship, and a history of his life is found elsewhere. Mr. Ponting was born in this county on the 1st of September, 1839. Up to the year 1857 Mr. Ponting had succeeded in a finaneial way remarkably well, but when the crash of 1857 came it swept away all his means and left him twenty thousand dollars worse off than nothing, it being necessary for him to pay out both his own and his partner's liabilities. But his nature was not such as to readily give way to disaster, and he set resolutely to work to repair his broken fortunes. He had good friends, and people seemed never to doubt his honesty. In a few years he placed himself square on his feet again. During the war of the rebellion, when prices rose and opportunities were offered for making money rapidly, he was not in a situation to em- bark in enterprises of any considerable magnitude. He was advised to take advantage of the bankrupt act, but he and his wife considered that they would prefer paying their obligations, which they did, at last, successfully.
For a considerable number of years he handled Texas cattle, but during the last two or three years has devoted his attention to Colorado, Oregon, and Montana stock. During the last three years he has been breeding short horns, and among his herd are a number of as fine cattle as can be found in the United States. He was raised in a part of England abounding in Hereford cattle, and has always retained a great admiration for that stock. Until within the last few years no Herefords could be found in this State. In 1879 Mr. Ponting introduced the stock in this part of Illinois. He believes that they will be found superior to short horns, making more pounds of beef to a less quantity of corn. His farm consists of eleven hundred acres. He' and his wife have three children : Jessie A., Theophilus W., and Everett A. He was originally a whig, and is now a republican. He is a man, however, on whom party ties sit lightly, and he frequently votes independent of party considerations. Though of foreign birth he is a genuine American in his sentiments. He has a great admiration for this country, and believes that it offers the finest business opportunities, and the best chances for development, of any land on the face of the earth.
NICHOLAS SANDERS, (DECEASED).
NICHOLAS SANDERS, who died on the twenty-second of September, 1878, was one of the pioneer settlers and leading citizens of May township. He was born at Hopkinton, Rhode Island, on the seventh of April, 1805. The Sanders family had been residents of New England from an early period, and was known for its strict tem- perance principles. Several members of the family advocated total abstinance-a very unusual thing in those days, when everybody occasionally indulged in the use of intoxicating drinks. Nicholas Sanders was one of thirteen children, twelve of whom grew to ma- turity, married, and had families. His father was named Willian Sanders, and his mother's name before marriage was Nancy Vinson.
220
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
About the year 1812 his father bought land at Voluntown, Connec- ticut, moved to that locality, where he followed farming, and carried on a saw and grist-mill. There the subject of this sketch was prin- cipally raised. He obtained a good business education in the com- mon schools of Connecticut. On the twentieth of February, 1825, he married Sarah Douglass, who was born at Voluntown, Connec- ticut, June the thirtieth, 1804, the daughter of William Douglass and his wife Ruth, whose maiden name was Wilkinson. Her great- grandfather came to America from Ireland and settled in New Eng- land. After his marriage Mr. Sanders engaged in farming, which he principally followed till his removal to Illinois.
He came to this state in the year 1837, and settled on section one of the present May township. His first residence was in a log cabin, at the point of the timber, and his residence was afterward in the same vicinity till the termination of his life. He came to Illinois almost entirely without means. He had paid for eighty acres of land before leaving Connecticut, and had beside barely sufficient funds to pay for the removal to this state of the small amount of goods which constituted his only personal property. He devoted his attention toward improving his land. About the year 1851 he opened a store in a small way, laid in a limited stock of goods, and began the business of merchandizing. He carried on this store for about eighteen years. As the county became settled he gradually built up a large trade, and annually sold large quantities of goods. At that time Old Stonington was a place of considerable importance, and the centre of a large trade which, since the building of the rail- roads, has been drawn to other localities. By reason of insufficient means, he was obliged to commence the mercantile business in a very modest manner, in a small frame building. He had no pre- vious experience at selling goods, but the manifest honesty which characterized his dealings and his constant endeavors to oblige his customers, caused a rapid increase in his trade, and he was soon compelled to enlarge his facilities, and add to his accommodations. Accordingly, he built the brick store which now stands adjoining his former residence. In this building he carried on business for a considerable number of years, till his failing health induced him to close out the business to other parties. He had inherited a vigorous constitution, and his health had generally been good, but he was struck with paralysis, and after a few years of feebleness, died on the twenty-second of September, 1878. He had five children. The oldest, Sarah Louisa, died at the age of about eleven, a few weeks after the removal of the family to this state. The two sons of this gentleman, N. D. Sanders and J. L. Sanders, are now residing in the vicinity of Old Stonington. One of the daughters, Lydia L., is the wife of C. T. Chapman, and the other, Julia L., married Alfred Briggs.
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