History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois, Part 65

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 826

USA > Illinois > Clark County > History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois > Part 65
USA > Illinois > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois > Part 65

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

BIOGRAPHICAL:

a farm in southern Wabash Township, where they remained engaged in farming for three years, but owing to failing health they sold out, and again sought the retirement of the City of Marshall, where they have since lived, and where they have made for themselves many friends. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of that place.

THE SHAW FAMILY. Joseph Shaw was one of the earliest settlers of Clark County. He emigrated from Knox Coun- ty, Ind., to the south end of Walnut Prairie, near the narrows of the Wabash River, in the spring of 1818. His father, John Shaw, originally came from Ireland to Pennsylvania. Joseph was born the 25th of December, 1773, ana came West with his father's family to Jefferson County, Ky., near Louisville. In one of the Indian raids on the early settlers, John Shaw was killed at a spring on Chenowith's Run, where he and William, a twelve-year-old son had gone for water. The boy was taken prisoner, carried off and adopted by his captors. In 1791. Joseph was in a command of Kentucky troops in Gen. St. Clair's campaign against the In- dians in the wilderness of Western Ohio. On the 3d of November, St. Clair's army en- camped a few miles from the Indian villages on the Miami River, and about sunrise the next morning was unexpectedly attacked by the Indians-and as history informs us, was badly defeated and scattered. The subject of this sketch had his left arm broken be- tween the elbow and shoulder, and fled from the battle-field, pursued by an Indian, and in crossing a deep ravine stumbled and fell into the top of a fallen tree, and laid there awaiting his fate. The pursuing savage came to the top of the bank and not seeing him turned back in pursuit of other fugi- tives. He lay there covered up by leaves till night, then left his hiding place and took

his course for Ft. Jefferson. By night, he was pursued and beset by a pack of wolves, drawn by the scent of his blood, which he had to drive off by the vigorous use of a heavy club. He was three days in reaching the Fort, only traveling by night for fear of capture if he pursued his way in daylight. The surgeon of the Fort, after a close exami- nation of his wound, which had been un- dressed for over three days and was badly swollen, decided to amputate his arm, but he firmly objected, and by careful treatment it was saved. During the time he was on the way to the Fort, he lived on nuts and roots. His brother William, who was taken a pris- oner when a boy, was now grown and fought with the Indians in this battle. Joseph, some time about the beginning of this cent- ury, moved to Clark County, Ind., and lived there till about 1808 or 1809, and then moved to Knox County, Ind., and was in Vin- cennes at the time of Gen. Harrison's con- ference with Tecumseh and his followers. It was in this council that the great chief told the General he lied. In the fall of 1811, Gen. Harrison made his campaign against the Indians and fought the battle of Tippe- canoe on the 7th of November, in which Joseph and his brother William-who had become disgusted with savage life, and re- turned to his own people-both took a part as soldiers under Harrison. On the morn- ing of battle, after it became light enough for the combatants to see, they found they were close together, and one of the Indians recognized William and called him by his Indian name, and he answered him, and then they immediately exchanged shots, William receiving a mortal wound in one of his lungs, from which he died in the course of time. Joseph lived on his farm in Walnut Prairie from 1818 to October, 1847, when he moved to Marshall and died the following

MARSHALL TOWNSHIP.

February. He was a great admirer of Gen. Jackson's military genius and daring; and supported him for the Presidency every time he was a candidate. Afterward, for the same reasons and a personal friendship, he ardent- ly supported Gen. Harrison for that office. In May, 1844, he, with the writer, visited the Tippecanoe battle-ground to attend a large mass meeting, and heard the Hon. R. W. Thompson, who was the chief orator of the occasion, in eloquent terms advocate thie election of Kentucky's great orator and statesman to the Presidency. He was much disappointed at the result of the election, and thought the American people were very much Jacking in gratitude in not rewarding him with the office for his distinguished serv- ices to his country. Joseph Shaw was a man of marked traits of character and firm and unyielding in his convictions of what he con- ceived to be right. A faithful and unfalter- ing and a man of unbounded hospitality, keeping open house for all who came to his door. Nineveh, oldest son of Joseph Shaw, was born in Jefferson County, Ky., January 18, 1796; was married to Miss Mary Latshaw in January or February, 1820, and settled near his father and lived there till he died. He filled the position of County Commissioner for one or two terms, and was Major of the Illinois Militia, and had frequent drill mus- ters of his batallion at Darwin, when it was county seat. In the spring of 1832, when Gov. Reynolds called for volunteers for the Black Hawk war, he enlisted as a private in Capt. John F. Richardson's Company of Mounted Militia, went to Ft. Wilbourn, near Hennepin, the place of rendezvous, and Jnne 18 was mustered into the service of the United States as Adjutant of the Spy Battal- ion, commanded by Maj. McHenry, after whom MeHenry County was named. He was with his command during the war, and un.

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derwent all the dangers and hardships of this short but decisive campaign. In Decem - ber of that year, he went to Louisiana to at- tend to the estate of his brother William, who had just died, having gone to Milliken's Bend in the Mississippi River, in May, 1822, and was thirty-four years old when he died. Having never married, he left his estate to his elder brother's childror; his re- mains were brought north and buried in the cemetery on Walnut Prairie. Nineveh made a trading trip to New Orleans in the spring of 1844, returned with impaired health, and died after a short illness on November 5, following. He left a widow and eight chil- dren-three sons and five daughters. James Shaw, third son of Joseph, was born Decem- ber 13, 1805; married Miss Sinai Sharp January, 1828, and lived in the neighbor- hood on a farm given him by his father till the Black Hawk war; and then enlisted in Capt. R. A. Nott's Company of Mounted Militia, and faithfully served to the end of the war. In June, 1833, he went on a trad- ing trip to the South, and on his return died with the cholera near Golconda, Ill. He left a widow and two children, the old- est child, now Mrs. Jane Vance, living in % Paris, Ill .; the other, James, living in Vin- cennes, Ind. Gilead, the fourth and young- est son of Joseph Shaw, was born in Knox County, Ind., June 15, 1817, married Miss Mary W. Drake September 16, 1841, and lived with his father till April, 1846; then moved to Marshall and went into the mercan- tile business with Dr. F. R. Payne. Some time in 1854, he, with two partners, took a contract to clear, grade and bridge a division of the Wabash Valley Railroad from Paris to Hutsonville, and did all he could with- out much pecuniary aid from the company or his partners, and finally brought suit against the railroad company for the work

BIOGRAPIIICAL:

done, getting judgment and damages for $13,000, but this did not begin to pay up for his liabilities, and consequently, in the end, was left bankrupt. In September, 1861, he enlisted at St. Louis in Birge's Sharp- shooters, afterward numbered the Sixty-sixth Regiment Illinois Volunteers; was in the United States service for nearly three years; came home in the last stage of consumption in February, 1864, and shortly afterward died. He was a man of kind and generous impulses, and did much for the cause of education and church building in the early period of his residence in Marshal. He left a widow and two sons: Edward was born July 26, 1842, and when quite a boy went into the army in the Thirtieth Illinois Volunteers, June, 1861, and at the end of three years, re-enlist- ed as a veteran and served to the end of the war; was married in November, 1872, and has lately filled the office of County Superin- tendent of Schools for a term of four years. Alphonso, Gilead Shaw's second son. born November 27, 1847, was married September, 1873, and is living in Terre Haute, Ind., and has been connected with the Terre Haute House as clerk and manager for over ten years. Albert, oldest son of Nineveh Shaw, was born on December 10, 1820, is living in Marshall, moving his mother and family there in April, 1846; was married in Nash- ville, Tenn., February 26, 1850, followed farming on Walnut Prairie until April, 1862; went to New Madrid, Mo., and then enlisted for three years in the army of the United States, served one year as a private in the Tenth Regiment Illinois Infantry, and then was promoted to Second Lieutenant Company I, Seventy-ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteers. Becoming disabled for active duty on Sherman's Atlanta campaign, he re- signed and came home the last of July, 1864. For a sketch of William, the second

son of N. Shaw, see below. John, the third and youngest son, was born in October, 1837. Received a good academical education in Marshall, and was engaged in the study of law in Cincinnati; when the war of the rebellion broke out, came home and enlisted as a pri- vate in the Thirtieth Regiment Illinois Vol- unteers. In January, 1863, was commis- sioned by the Secretary of War as Captain of a colored company of heavy artillery, and resigned in April, 1864; came home, was married in the following May, and April, 1865, moved to Kansas City, Mo., and is still living there, engaged in the steam and gas fitting business.

WILLIAM SHAW, farmer, P. O. Mar- shall. Among the pioneer settlers of York Township, Clark County, were the ancestors of William Shaw, and their biographies will be found among those of that township. He is the fifth of a family of nine children of Nineveh and Mary Shaw, and was born in York Township July 26, 1830. He was raised in Clark County, receiving the benefits of such educational institutions as were to be found in the county at that time, consisting of subscription schools, and a select school taught in Marshall by Rev. Dean Andrews. In Marshall, on the 17th of February, 1859, he was married to Miss Lucy Young, daugh- ter of Thomas and Lucy (Barbee) Young, of Crawford County, where she was born Feb- ruary 12, 1834. Mr. Shaw for many years has been an honored resident of Marshall. His family consists of five children, of whom two are deceased, and all of whom were born in Marshall-Wilfred Shaw was born Feb- ruary 26, 1860; Gertrude Shaw was born August 17, 1861; John Y. Shaw was born August 16, 1863, and died April 8, 1867; Edith F. Shaw was born June 27, 1867. Mrs. Lucy Shaw's parents settled near where Pal- estine now stands in 1818. Her parents were

MARSHALL TOWNSHIP.

both natives of Kentucky, where they grew to maturity and married. They had a fami- ly of twelve children, of whom Mrs. Shaw is the eleventh, and the only one now living in this State. Her parents both died in Craw- ford County in 1845. Her mother's maiden name was Barbee, and among the leading families of Crawford County there are found several of their representatives. Mrs. Shaw has for several years been a member of the Congregational Church. Mr. Shaw has a farm of 240 acres in Section 13, of York Township, one of 200 acres in Section 27 of Darwin Township, and a tract adjoining the city of Marshall, with family residence on the corner of Franklin and Hudson streets.

JOHN C. SPOTTS, farmer, P. O. Mar- shall, was born in Clark County, Ill., on the 23d of April, 1840. He is the oldest of three children of Conrad and Sarah (Reed) Spotts. His father is of German parentage and was born in 1802, in Berks County, Penn., where he grew to manhood and was married to Miss Sarah Reed. He came West and; settled in Clark County, Ill., near Marshall, in 1839, where he lived the remainder of his life, which terminated on the 1st of March, 1870. In early life, he was a member of the Ger- man Lutheran Church. His first wife having died in 1847, he was afterward married to Miss Nancy Calvert, who still survives him. By this union there are nine children. Sarah (Reed) Spotts was born in Berks County, Penn., about 1805, and died as above stated. John Spotts received the elements of an Eng- lish education in the common schools of the county, and married in Wabash Township io Miss Mary J. Lockard, daughter of William and Diodame Lockard, who are still living, and are among the pioneers of the county, and held in the highest regard by all who know them. Mary J. Loekard was married to Mr. Spotts January 3, 1858. They have

a family of eight children-William C. Spotts was born October 1, 1858, and was married to Ida Fawley, December 24, 1882; Sarah D. Spotts, born July 27, 1860; Diodame Spotts, born May 4, 1862; John H. Spotts, born April 21, 1864; Anna M. Spotts, born August 21, 1867; Walker S. Spotts, born November 16, 1869; Emma J. Spotts, born July 9, 1871; Elizabeth Spotts, born February 3, 1873. The family residence is one-half mile north of Marshall, where Mr. Spotts owns a farm of 375 acres of land. He is engaged in in mixed husbandry. He and wife and eldest daughter are members of the Christian Church of Marshall.

OLIVER G. STEPHENSON, surveyor, Marshall, is a native of Coos County, N. H. He was born September 16, 1829, and is a son of Reuben and Mary (Baker) Stephenson. Subject was raised and educated in his native State, and early chose the profession of civil engineer,;which business he has since followed" He came to Clark County in 1854, and settled in Marshall, where he has resided since. In the fall of 1855, he was elected to the office of County Surveyor, on the Democratie ticket, which office he has held for over twenty years. Mr. Stephenson was married in Marshall, January, 1859, to Miss Minerva Shaw, daugh- ter of Nineveh and Mary Shaw. She was born in Clark County. They have a family of two children, born in Clark County-Eleanor Stephenson, Lola Stephenson. They own a a farm of 220 acres, in Seetions 22 and 23 of Township 11 north, Range 11 west, in- cluding one dwelling house. The family residence is on the corner of Bond and Green streets, of Marshall. Mr. Stephenson's offi- cial record is too well known to require spe- cial mention by us.

JOHN STOCKWELL, retired, Marshall, one of the oldest of the residents of Marshall, was born in Worcester County, Mass., Octo-

BIOGRAPHICAL:

ber 18, 1799. His father, John Stockwell, Sr., though an old-time Democrat, was an influential supporter of Madison's war policy. His father descends from a Scotch family, and his mother, Abigail Chamberlain, was of English descent, whose parents came to this country previous to the Revolution. One brother taking part in this war was engaged in the battle of Bunker Hill. His parents died in Cayuga County, N. Y. Subject re- ceived the elements of an English education in the common schools of Massachusetts, attending about ten weeks each winter, until fourteen years old. Then his father, having previously moved to Southern New Hamp- shire, he went there and attended the Ches- terfield Academy, thus qualifying himself for teaching, a profession in which he never en- gaged. In 1818, he, in company with an older brother, came on foot to Belmont County, Ohio. Here they engaged in the lumber business, running a saw mill for some time. Afterward worked in the construc- tion of the National road. In returning from one of his trips to New Orleans in 1824, he came up the Wabash to the town of Dar- win, then the county seat of Clark County, and has been a resident of the county ever since. In Darwin, October, 1831, he was married to Miss Esther McClure, daughter of Daniel McClure, one of the pioneers of the Wabash region, and an intimate friend of Gen. Harrison. She was born in Knox County, Ind., September 4, 1808, and died January 25, 1835, at Darwin. Result of this union, one daughter, Mary Stockwell, born in Clark County, July 14, 1833. Mr. S. was next married to Mary Thompson, of Knox County, Ind., April 12, 1836. She was born February 27, 1815, and died March 9, 1837. Subsequently married to Mrs. Diana Patton, February 20, 1839. She was born in Virginia March 2, 1801, and died No-

vember 5, 1870. Mrs. Nancy (McClure) Stock- well, present wife of our subject, was born May 11, 1813. They were married Novem- ber 28, 1872. Mr. Stockwell has served this county as Sheriff, County Clerk, County Judge, and his political career is too well known to our readers to need any special men- tion by us. Though eighty-three years old, his mental powers are still unimpaired, and his physical activity is a matter of comment among the people of the town. He has been an active business man, and for some years has been retired with a handsome income. They are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

THOMAS HAMILTON SUTTON, Mar- shall; first made his entry upon the stage of action at La Gro, Wabash Co., Ind., Novem- ber 6. 1843. His father, Samuel Sutton, was of Scotch descent, and was born in Berks County, Penn., May 5, 1803, and died in Marshall, November 8, 1856. His mother was born near Hamilton, Butler Co., Ohio, Christmas, 1SOS, and died also in Marshall, January 26, 1881. Her maiden name was Matilda Morrison; she was of Irish parent- age, her parents emigrating to America about the year 1800. Her two elder sisters were born in Ireland, herself and a younger brother in Ohio. Samuel Sutton and Matilda Morrison were married in Rush County, Ind., April 10, 1828. The result of this union was a family of five daughters and three sons, five of whom vet survive, to-wit: Ann Archer, wife of William Archer; Amanda Cole, wife of De Lance Cole; Drue Burner. wife of Dr. S. A. Burner; Charlotte Wal- lace, wife of L. A. Wallace, and the subject. of this sketch. His father's family removed from Indiana to Illinois in 1848, and finally settled on the farm now owned by Jarius Quick, about two miles north of Marshall, where they remained about two years, and

MARSHALL TOWNSHIP.

then removed to Marshall in March, 1851 where the family has since resided. At an early age the boy commenced to learn the "art preservative of all arts," as a roller boy in the office of the Eastern Illinoisan, work- ing at nights and on Saturdays. What edu- cation he received was at the inferior free schools of the times, and afterward at the Marshall College, under the tutorship of that kind and estimable Christian gentleman, Rev. Elias D. Wilkin, who was then princi- pal of the institution, and of whom he will ever maintain the liveliest feelings of grati- tude, and whom he regards as his greatest benefactor. He swept out the building and built fires for his tuition, and worked in the printing office for his books. In June, 1862, he enlisted in the three months' service, in Capt. Newton Harlan's Company, Seventieth Illinois Infantry. The command was stationed at Camp Butler and Alton, Ill., its princi- pal duty being to guard rebel prisoners. The company was mustered out in October, 1862, and in the following spring he entered the service of the United States as a store- keeper, at Springfield, Mo., under the late Uri Manly, Captain and Quartermaster. He was afterward assigned to duty at Little Rock, Ark., where he was appointed Pur- chasing Agent of Government supplies, and supercargo of steamboats plying the Arkan- sas River. His duties at times were delicate, difficult and important, for one so young, yet he performed them to the entire satisfaction of his superiors, receiving a personal letter of commendation from Gen. Carr, Chief Quartermaster of the Army of the Southwest. In consequence of a sunstroke received in August, 1864, followed by malarial fever, he returned to his home in November, 1864. In February, 1865, he again enlisted in the army, and was elected Second Lieutenant of Company G, One Hundred and Fifty-second

Illinois Infantry. He was Clerk of the Mili- tary Examining Board in Memphis, and was afterward appointed by Maj. Gen. Milroy, to take charge of the Bureau of Health and Quarantine in said city. He was mustered out in September, 1865, and returned home. In the year 1866, and a greater portion of 1867, he was a compositor in the Messenger printing office. In the early winter of 1867, he entered the County Clerk's office as Dep- uty, and acted as such until January, 1873, when, in connection with Mr. T. W. Cole, he commenced to abstract the land titles of Clark County, and continued in said business until 1879. One year of the time, in part- nership with Mr. 'Eth Sutton, he published the Marshall Messenger. He was for some years connected with the Terre Haute Ex- press, writing the well known "Marshall Splinters." He served as Mayor of Mar- shall for four consecutive terms, covering a period of seven years. December 21, 1875, he was united in marriage to Emma Doll, daughter of the late Stephen Doll. One child, a son, was born to them, which died at the age of two years. In politics he is a Democrat, as were all his ancestry. He has twice been Secretary of State Democratic Conventions, and three times Secretary of Congressional Conventions. He is also au- thor of the introductory part of this work, embracing the general history of Clark County.

ETH. SUTTON, County Judge, Marshall, son of Noah and Lydia Sutton, is a native of Putnam County, Ind. He was born Novem- ber 27, 1846, and is the sixth of a family of seven children. His father was a native of Preble County, Ohio, where he was born in 18OS. He died in same county in December, 1860. His mother descends from a Scotch family named Gard. She is a native of Ohio, and died when subject was but two years

BIOGRAPHICAL:

old. Mr. S. was raised in Indiana and educated in the common schools of his native State, and entered the Asbury University at Greencastle, Ind., as a pupil, in 1863. He was married at Greencastle, Ind,, February 25, 1865, to Miss Lon Lane, a daughter of John F. and Parmelia Lane. She was born in Putnam County, Ind., September 8, 1847. They removed to Clark County, Ill., in the spring of 1867, and settled at Martinsville, where for five years Mr. Sutton was employed as book-keeper and salesman for the firm of C. & G. Duncan. In December, 1872, he was appointed Deputy Circuit Clerk of Clark County, where he remained for two years, at which time, in connection with Hamilton Sutton. he leased the office and conducted the publication of the Marshall Messenger for one year. He then accepted the office of Deputy County Clerk, until 1877, when he resumed his former office of Deputy Circuit Clerk, which he held until elected County Judge in November, 1882, as the successor of William R. Griffith. Mr. S. is a Democrat, a member of the Masonic Order and I. O. O. F. He has one daughter, Tutie Sutton, born in Greencastle, Ind., December 25. 1866.

THOMAS TURNER, tailor, Marshall. Thomas Turner was born in Derby, England, December 25, 1825, where he grew to man- hood, being educated in the private schools. At the age of fourteen, began the apprentice- ship at the trade of tailor, at which he served seven years, and soon after opened a shop in his native town of Derby. Here he continued until coming to the United States in 1851. He remained in the City of New York for a short time, but returned in about 1853, to arrange some unsettled business. In 1861 he came to Clark County, and opened a shop at Martinsville, where he had a lucra- tive business for many years. December,

1878, he removed to Marshall, and opened a shop, since which time he has done a thriving business. He was married in England in 1850, to Miss Caroline Marsh, daughter of Richard and Eliza Marsh. She died in 1854, in England, leaving three children- James Turner, and twins who died in infancy. Married to his present wife, Rhoda Macy, in September, 1862, at Martinsville. She is a daughter of John Macy. She was born in Union County, in the town of Liberty, Ind .. December 12, 1824. They have had one child, a danghter, Mary Turner, who was born Sep- tember 10, 1863, and died of spotted fever in March, 1866. They are assiduous temperance workers, and Mrs. Turner is a faithful mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Marshall, and is Presiding Officer of the Good Templars Lodge, and Secretary of the W. C. T. U. of that city.

ROBERT TWILLEY, furniture, Marshall, is a native of Washington County. Ind (Fred- ericksburg), born March 4, 1833 sixth of a family of seven children of William, P. and Sarah (Ferguson) Twilley, who came to this county when subject was an infant, and set- tled at Livingston where the father died November 25, 1838. His mother died in Marshall December 14, 1877. Mr. Twilley was raised and educated in this, Clark County, and began business at Livingston in 1859. conducting a grocery and provision store at that place until 1864, when he removed to Westfield and engaged in the drug trade eight years. The following eight years he was in Casey, in the same business. In April, 1880. he associated himself with John R. Archer in the implement trade. Mr. Twilley purchased the interest of Mr. Archer at the end of the first year, and continued the business alone during the year 1SS1. At the close of 1SS1, he sold to his former partner, and bought a half-interest in the furniture

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History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois, Part 65

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 826

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 826