USA > Illinois > Christian County > History of Christian County, Illinois > Part 61
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Blacksmith Shop .- W. H. Leisster, John Boyle. Wagon and Carriage Factory .- D. Paliner. Boot and Shoe Shop .- J. Dellnge. Harness Maker .- E. C. Murphy. Hotel .- James Conover.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ASA BOWMAN.
ONE of the most prominent farmers in Stonington township is the subject of the following sketeh. He was born in Warren county, Ohio, June 9th, 1818, and was the son of Samuel and Emily Bowman, and is of German ancestry. His grandfather emigrated from Germany in an early day. He first settled in Virginia, where he married a German wife, and subsequently emi- grated into Kentucky, and settled near where Lexington now is; he raised quite a large family, Mr. Bowman's father being the youngest son. He remembers hearing his father tell how they, in early days, protected themselves from attacks by the Indians, in the block-house they were compelled to ereet for defence. Bold and daring deeds, as well as hair-breadth eseapes, were the promi- nent characteristics of those hardy pioneers who first emigrated to Kentucky to effect settlements. At that time nature wore her undisputed livery of dark and thick forest-trees, and grasses indige- nous to the soil, inhabited only by wild beasts and still wilder men. It was here on the frontier that Samuel Bowman was brought up. He assisted his father to improve a farm, and made himself generally useful until he became of age, when he started out for himself, and, not being satisfied with his native state, went into Indiana, where he remained about two, years. He subsequently changed his location to Ohio, stopping near Lebanon, in Warren county, where he after- wards married Miss Emily Skinner, a native of Virginia. Here he improved a farm, where he lived until his death ; he raised a family of ten children, the subject of our sketch being the eldest. His aged wife still survives him, and lives on the old homestead, in Ohio, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. Mr. Bowman was raised in the above-named county, on a farm ; he attended the com- mon schools of his neighborhood, where he received a fair educa- tion. From the time he arrived at the age of maturity until he was twenty-six years of age he taught school, and during this time conceived the idea to follow a professional life; for four or five years he read medical works, with a determination to fit himself for the practice, and in 1844 he came to Illinois and began the study in earnest, under a cousin, Dr. Daniel Bowman, located near Greenfield, in Greene county, where he applied himself about two years, and in the meantime was united in marriage to Miss Mary Bowman, November 9th, 1844. In 1846 Mr. Bowman moved to
Ottumwa, Iowa, where he established quite a Inerative practice, and bought two town lots, with a residence thereon, with the intention of making this place his future home. After two years' practicing here he became dissatisfied with the country, as his health was fail- ing him rapidly ; he was not only dissatisfied with the country, bnt also became dissatisfied with his chosen profession, as his eonstitu- tion would not bear the constant strain incident to a doctor's life, being called at all times in the night, and being compelled to go in all kinds of weather. He determined to return to his native land in Ohio ; he sold his library, medicines, and practice to a Dr. Rush. Ilis residence and some real estate that he had purchased in that vicinity eould not be realized upon at the time, but were disposed of in after years. He returned to Warren county, Ohio, in 1848, where he soon recovered his health, and in 1853 he returned to Greene county, Illinois, where he rented a farm. After putting in a crop he determined to find a location in Illinois and make him- self a permanent home. He went to Springfield, and after investi- gating the facilities of different parts of the state, through the land office, he made up his mind to east his lot in the prairies of Chris- tian county. Ile had a plat made of town fourteen, range one, west, in this office, showing all lands not entered in what is now Stonington township. It was in May, 1853, he came into this county, where he entered the north half of section twenty-nine. He then returned to Greene county, where he lived three years ; then went to Morgan county, where he lived one year, near Jack- sonville, and in 1857 came to Christian county to improve his land, a raw prairie three and a-half miles from timber. A great many of the older settlers thought Bowman could never make a farm so far out on the prairie, and so addressed him, but his experience in Iowa, the prairie state, had taught him that the prairie lands were much more preferable when once under a state of cultivation. In 1858 he turned the first furrow on the farmn where he now resides ; he has near forty-five acres in orchard, forty acres bearing ; he has also put out about ten acres of timber, making a beautiful grove. He has in this grove a great many different varieties of timber growing: black and white walnut, wild-cherry, white, green, and blue ash, poplar, linn or bass-wood, dog-wood, iron-wood, hard and soft maple, red and white ehm, European larch, several kinds of oak and hickory, pecan, cotton-wood, willow, box-elder, two kinds
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DONINGTON TP., CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
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The Library of the University of Inhale.
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PLAT OF FARM 160 ACRES.
"PINEGROVE FARM, RESIDENCE OF SYLVESTER SCHRANTZ, SEC, 8, T.14, R.I W, STONINGTON TP., CHRISTIAN CO.IL.
FARM RESIDENCE OF MRS. AMELIA KRIEGER. SEC. 17, T. 14, R.IW. STONINGTON TP., CHRISTIAN CO., ILL.
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
of catalpa, cedar, and several kinds of pine. He has fifty-four chestnut trees, pretty much all bearing; he has persimmons bear- ing that he planted from the seed. Some three miles north-east he has a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, where he has twenty acres of orchard. He is now making fruit-growing a specialty, shipping his apples mostly in the spring, thereby always realizing a good price; he has taken great pains with his orchards in plant- ing, selecting nothing but the best trecs, and in consequence his fruit is a choice article, and always brings the highest price in market. Mr. Bowman started farming the three hundred and twenty acres, his first entry, but, by adding tract after tract, he now owns, in the vicinity in which he lives, one thousand one hun- dred and ten acres, mostly beautiful farming land. We show an elaborate engraving in another part of this book of scenes on his farms. He is now among the oldest settlers in Stonington town- ship. In every respcet he is a self-made man, one who has won his way to his present position among the wealthy and substantial farmers of Central Illinois, by his own industry and energy, and the rising generation would do well to imitate his industrious example, if in like manner they would rise to positions among the large and thrifty farmers of this part of the state. He would never allow himself to go into debt, and to this he greatly attributes his success in life ; his plan was to realize on his stock, year after year ; this money he would loan, and he can say that he never took more than ten per cent. from anyone, although many times he has been offered twenty-five per cent. by good men, and when he got money enough together he would invest it in a farm. He has aimed to make his way in the world by industry, not by trickery, and by the slow but sure gains of patient labor, rather than by the brilliant schemes of speculation, by which fortunes are often rapidly amassed, and by which they are perhaps as often swiftly lost. He has an only son, John A., now living at home. Mr. Bowman in politics was originally a whig, and then a republican, until 1873, he cast his old party aside, and has since been a firin and unconditional greenbacker, working for the supremacy of his party and the grand results he believes it to be its mission to achieve. In 1876 the green- back party nominated him for the Legislature to represent the thirty-fourth district ; he made a very creditable canvas, considering the strength of the party in the district. When the county went into township organization he was elected to represent his township in the county board, a position he held for eight years ; for four years he was chairman of the board. Mrs. Bowman is a lady of high social standing and business tact so essential to a mother and wife in the government of a household. She takes a pleasure in assisting her husband to dispense a generous hospitality.
R. W. COVINGTON
WAS born in Albemarle county, Virginia, July 23, 1822. He was the son of William W., and Loucy Covington, who was a Miss Slaughter. The Covington family have lived in the vicinity where Mr. Covington was born, for several generations. His forefathers on both sides were soldiers in the Revolutionary war. Mr. Coving- ton grew to manhood in that state, on a farm. At the age of twenty-four he went to Mississippi, and lived near Holly Springs for about ten years. He then came to Christian county, and set- tled in Stonington township, this being in the year 1857. He here married Miss Martha V. Van Deren, April 19, 1865; she is a native of Illinois. They have two children, William W. and Loucy May. Mr. Covington's life occupation has been that of a farmer and stock raiser. He has a fine farm of five hundred acres, lying north and east of the village of Stonington. In politics he is of the green-
back persuasion. He was the first assessor of the township, after it was organized, and filled the office for four years. For five years he represented his township in the County Board.
B. F. YOUNG
WAS born in Stark county, Ohio, December 22, 1843. His father, Samuel Young, was a native of Pennsylvania, and of German de- scent. His ancestors settled in Pennsylvania in the early days of that colony. When Samuel Young grew to manhood he married a Miss Susan Fouser, also of German descent. They raised a fam- ily of ten children, five boys and the same number of girls. Samuel Young is now living in Stark county, Ohio. The subject of our sketch was raised on a farm in that.county ; he attended the com- mon schools of his neighborhood until he was eighteen years of age. He then entered the high school of Greensburg, Ohio, where he finished a thorough English education. From the time he arrived at the age of twenty-one until he was twenty-five, he followed clerk- ing and teaching. August 15, 1867, he was united in marriage to Miss Sybilla F. Schrantz, daughter of Ephraim Schrantz, a promi- nent farmer of Stonington township. Mrs. Young is a native of Stark county, Ohio. They have a family of two sons, viz., Orres E., and Clyde C. After Mr. Young's marriage he began farming in Stonington township, near where he now lives. In politics lie is a republican, but often for county offices he votes for what he con- siders the best man, regardless of political ties. For twelve years he has been living in Stonington township ; six years of that time he has filled the office of collector of his township. For three years he was commissioner. Mr. Young teaches school every win- ter. He has taught eleven terms in the state, and in only three different districts. He is known in the community in which he lives, to be an enterprising young man, and good citizen.
SYLVESTER SCHRANTZ
WAS born in Stark county, Ohio, February 28th, 1847. He is the son of Ephraim and Nancy Schrantz ; he is of Swiss ancestry ; he was raised on a farm and educated to farm life. He attended the common-schools in the neighborhood where he was born, whereby he received a good business education. At the age of seventeen he enlisted in the late war ; he was in company A, 19th Ohio, under Captain Firestone, Col. Manderson having command of the regiment. At the battle of Dallas he was captured, with nineteen comrades ; they were taken to Andersonville prison, where Mr. Schrantz was detained six and a half months; he and three others were all that survived out of the nineteen captured. When he was paroled he was in such a low condition that he could not walk, speak or hear. He was taken to the Federal hospital, where he partially recovered, and then came home, where he remained five months; he then returned to Camp Chase, Ohio, and was mustered out of the service June 19th, 1865. In 1866, he came to Illinois and settled in Christian county, where he has since resided, and followed the avocation of a farmer. He has one hun- dred and sixty acres in his farm under a fine state of cultivation. He takes pride in beautifying his home. The beauty of the arrange- ment of the grounds, and variety of trees, plants and shrubs, shows that the love of the beautiful may exist in the mind of the most practical farmer. We show a view of this place in another part of our work. This farm was made from the raw prairie, since 1870. September 13th, 1873, he was united in marriage to Miss Lovina Waltz, a daughter of David Waltz, a native of Ohio, and also of Swiss descent ; they have two children, a boy and girl, viz. :
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Brace and Jessie. In polities Mr. Sehrantz is liberal, and always votes for his man regardless of political ties. He is known as a good citizen and an industrious young man.
HENRY LIVERGOOD, (DECEASED.)
MR. LIVERGOOD, whose death occurred Nov. 29, 1878, was one of the substantial farmers of Stonington township. He was born in York, Pa., in Lower Windsor township, Oet. 8th, 1825. His father was Henry Livergood, and his mother's name before mar- riage, Salome Ruby. He was the third of a large family of chil- dren. When he was a child his father moved to Laneaster county, Pa., and bought the mill known as Livergood's Mill, two miles from Lancaster, on the Columbia pike. His father was a man of considerable wealth, and gave his children a good edueation. Hen- ry Livergood was principally raised in Lancaster county. He attended school at Litiz, Pa., and afterwards attended an academy at Abbeyville. He learned the carpenter's trade, but never fol- lowed it. When about twenty-one he left home and opened up a
flour and feed store in the city of Lancaster. He carried on a wholesale and retail business, and had a large trade. He was mar- ried in the city of Laneaster on the nineteenth day of September, 1848, to Miss Margaret Ober, who was born in Lancaster, July 18, 1825, and was a daughter of Benjamin Ober. After his marriage, Mr. Livergood lived in Laneaster one year. He had been some- what unfortunate in his business at Lancaster, and so determined to remove to the west. Accordingly, in the spring of 1850 he came to Sangamon county, and engaged in farming in the neighbor- hood of Pleasant Plains on rented land. In 1863 he bought one hundred and twenty acres of prairie land in Stonington township, without any improvements. He moved on this traet and went to improving it. At the time of his death he owned two hundred aeres of land. Mr. and Mrs. Livergood have eight children, all living : Franeis Salome, wife of Richard Stone; Daniel Webster, Peter, Henry O. (farming in Kansas), Ann Margaret, John Wesley, Phebe C. and Edmund. Mr. Livergood was a republican in poli- ties. He was a man of industry, and was known as an honest and good eitizen.
MT. AUBURN TOWNSHIP.
S situated in the northern part of the county, bounded on the north by the Sangamon river, east by Mosquito, south by Bueklart, and west by Sangamon county. It comprises in area all that portion of townships 15, ranges 2 and 3, and town. 16, range 1, lying within the boundary of Christian county. It is well drained by the Sangamon river, Mosquito and Buekhart ereeks, and their tributaries.
This was among the carly settled portions of the county. The Coopers and Gigers entering it as pioneers in 1820, other emigrants soon after followed, dotting the North Fork with settlements. Its interests began to demand a town, and Bolivar was laid out by Joseph Bondurant, on the 5th of June, 1833, on the S. E. quarter of section 18, township 15, range 2 west. It contained eight blocks and one hundred and twenty-three lots, and for a time bid fair to become a flourishing village ; eventually the town languished and died out entirely.
On the organization of the county, in dividing it into justice dis- tricts, the one on the north part of the county was called the Third, or " North Fork Precinct," and the place selected for voting was at the house of Forgus Milligan. It then embraced within its boun- dary a large part of Buckhart, Mt. Auburn, Mosquito and the north part of Stonington townships.
EARLY SETTLERS.
Among the carly settlers may be mentioned the names of Epli- raim Cooper and Benjamin Giger, who with their families settled here in 1820. They were accompanied by John Cooper and family and Mr. Cooper, the father of Ephraim and John, and Henry Giger and William Bragg. All emigrated from Tennessee in the year 1820, and settled on the Buckhart. These were the
pioneers and first settlers on the North Fork ; they came to this county in a keel-boat by deseending the Tennessee and Ohio rivers, and then ascending the Mississipi, Illinois and Sangamon rivers. They were industrious citizens. Ephraim Cooper planted an or- ehard, and it was in bearing in 1827. Benj. Giger and Ephraim Cooper built the first frame dwelling-houses in the county. They sawed the lumber with a whip-saw. John Cooper was a Methodist preacher and also a justice of the peace for many years. William Bragg lived for a long time at a place since known as "Campbell's Point." Miss Fannie, a sister of Ephraim Cooper, married George Diekinson in 1828, and his daughter married David Cagle.
Other settlers were: Martin Hinkle, who came in 1821 ; Moses Archer, in 1827 ; James Baker, in 1828. In 1831 came Henry Davis, Sr., Dial Davis, Sr., and John Davis, the father of Henry and Dial Davis, and Forgus Milligan. The Wadkins family and Phillip and John Loeker came in 1836; Col. Peter Porter, in 1830, and Robert and William Hazlett, in 1831 ; Thomas Elliott, in 1834; Isaae Virden, the same year; John Crumpton, in 1835. In 1836 Overton Williams, Henry S. Luckett, John McKin- ney, T. E. V. Farris and Gustavus Kilburn. Then follows William Robbins, 1838; H. G. Lindley, 1839, and Samuel J. Sadler.
Robert Hazlett relates that William and Robert Hazlett, Sr., eame to Christian county and settled on the Buckhart, in the west- cern part of this precinet, before the "deep snow." He tells many interesting ineidents in connection with that memorable period. He states that his father had a cotton gin and cleaned over 3,000 pounds of cotton a year. During the winter of the " deep snow " the family all lived in one cabin twenty feet square. They kept a barrel of pickled pork in the chimney corner, outside of the eabin,
RES, FROM SOUTH-EAST.
SHROPSHIRE-DOWN SHEEP,
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RESIDENCE AND STOCK FARM OF WM. LIMER, SEC. 28, T. 14, R. I, W. STONINGTON TP, CHRISTIAN CO., ILL.
The Library of the University of Illinois
The Library of the University of Illinois.
RESIDENCE OF CA . PEABODY.
PES OF WM. E. PEABODY.
RES AND STOCK FARM OF CAPT. WM. S. PEABODY, SEC. 36, T. 14 R. I W. (STONINGTON TP.) CHRISTIAN CO., ILL.
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
covered and weighted down to protect it from the wolves; he states that they butchered a lot of hogs the day the " deep snow " com- menced falling, and they froze stiff hanging on the pole out-doors, and there they remained for six weeks; that one desperately cold night, his only cow became fresh, and to save her and the calf, they drove them in the cabin and kept them over night. They had no stable or out-house.
LAND ENTRIES.
Moses Archer entered the first tract of land in the township --- the N. W. half S. W. quarter section 13, township 15, range 3-on the 27th November, 1827,-his mill seat. Ephraim Cooper en- tered the N. W. half S. W. quarter section 24, township 15, range 3, April 4, 1829. The U. S. land survey was made in July, 1821. Benj. Giger entered May 9, 1829, the S. W. quarter of section 22.
FIRST MARRIAGE.
The first marriage within the bounds of this township was George Dickson to Francis Cooper, a sister of Ephraim Cooper, on the 13th of September, 1823. The license was issued . by Charles R. Matheney, Clerk of Sangamon county, and the marriage ceremony was performed by Rev. Rivers McCormick of the M. E. Church.
Sometimes in the olden time it was difficult to get the marriage ceremony performed even after the lieense had been procured. In one of these emergencics Samuel Lee, a member of the county commissioners' court, " hitched up" a couple in 1824, and, it is said, proved a success.
SCHOOLS.
The first school taught in the new settlement was in a rude cabin on the farmi east of Martin Hinkle's place, in 1831. The teacher " boarded around," and was considered well qualified, but had one bad trait-he would occasionally take his dram, which at times would overpower him, and he would fall into a profound sleep. " At one time," says our informant, " when he was asleep, all the scholars left the school-room and went home, failing to close the door after them. A herd of sheep grazing on the premises took shelter in the school-room, and when the " master " awoke from his slumbers, he was astonished at the character and appearance of his pupils.
MILLS.
" Archie's Mill " was built at a very early day, on the banks of the Sangamon River. It was a saw and grist mill, and propelled by the waters of that stream. It was largely patronized by the sur- rounding country before the " deep snow," and long after it served well its day. "Baker's Mill" was also one of the early mills lo- cated on the Sangamon river, about five miles above Archie's Mill. It was commenced by Dial Davis, Sr., and completed by James Baker. It was noted at one time for its many proprietors ; it was largely patronized ; was a saw and grist mill. After the " deep snow " in 1831 there was a poor crop of corn. The weather was cold, and early frost seriously injured it. It is said there was a slight frost in almost every month during the season. Good " seed- corn" in the spring of 1832 was very scarce. It was this same spring that Capt. Bougue's steamboat ascended the Sangamon river to the " Portland landing." It was principally freighted with corn. A writer to the Springfield Journal, from White Hall, under date of October, 1847, says : Forty-three years ago there was a frost on the morning of September 12th that was more severe than any that we have yet experienced."
This date would make it September 12, 1831, the fall after the deep snow, which was so destructive to the corn crop, and the next spring, 1832, experienced so much difficulty in procuring secd corn. The steamboat cargo helped to supply that deficiency. It was just
the thing the country wanted, and the captain sold it out for $2.50 per bushel. There was a still further demand, when the captain advertised to make a second trip with his boat, and deliver at the landing 10,000 bushels in April of that year, if subscribed for in advance, but the boat never returned.
Supervisors .- Jno. M. Hill, elected 1866; David Henshie, 1867 ; D. Davis, 1868; Victor Thompson, 1869; Eli Porter, 1870, re- elected 1871; J. M. Hill, 1872, re-elected 1873; J. M. Hill, 1874 ; M. V. Swick, 1875; H. Bloxam, 1876; John A. Hazlett, 1877, re-elected 1878 and '79 ; D. T. Barrett, 1880.
Assessors .- Henry Keiser, J. K. Cawood, two terms ; J. S. Fos- ter, L. N. Smith, two terms; A. P. Miller, Jacob Cooper, W. Mark- well, John H. Faweett, W. Y. Crosthwait, two terms, J. H. Meachan. J. P. Cooper, 1876; W. Y. Crosthwait, 1877, re-elected 1878; John Meacham, 1879.
Collectors .- Dial Davis, 1866 ; Robert A. Hazlett, 1867 ; Richard Jones, 1868 ; J. C. Paxton, 1869, re-elected 1870 ; John Cole, 1871 ; J. C. Paxton, 1872; W. C. Sharp, 1873, re-elected 1874; F. P. Davis, 1875; J. W. Hartsoek, 1876, re-elected 1877 ; S. N. Neblock, 1878; B. R. Parrish, 1879, re-clected 1880.
Town Clerks .- Hezekiah Davidson, Richard Kimball, James White, W. C. Sharp, H. S Perrish, O. Z. Housley, prior to 1876 ; O. Z. Housley, 1876 ; A. L. Parrish, 1877, re-elected 1878; O. Z. Housley, 1879.
Commissioners of Highways .- James S. Milligan, Wm. M. Loxton, John Hazlett, II. N. North, J. H. Lawrence, Wm. T. Baker, John Montgomery, Duncan Lahue, Thomas Harris, W. H. Auger, G. A. Parrish, Fleming Prickett, J. A. Hazlett, 1876; John Montgomery, 1877; Wm. Augur, 1878 ; Duncan Lahue, 1879.
Justices of the Peace .- T. P. Kipper, Asa. Montgomery, Wmn. E. Pettis, F. Henshie, A. W. Broadess, H. Bloxam, P. P. Daigh, Jolin H. Lawrence, and P. P. Daigh.
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