History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois, Part 49

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Illinois > Greene County > History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois > Part 49

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

born Nov. 18, 1865; George, born July 3, 1868; and Joseph Benjamin, born June 18, 1870. James Franklin was killed by a runaway team, May 20, 1870; Mary Evaline died June 26, 1866. The oldest son, Edmund Kirby, resides in Nebraska; the remainder of the fam- ily in Jersey county, Ill. The widow of IIenry L. Legate survives him, and is now residing in Jerseyville.

Marshall Boles Legate was born in Reynolds county, Mo., and was eight years of age when his parents moved to Madison county, Ill. He came with the family to Jersey county in 1865. He was married in October, 1873, to Lizzie D. Holmes, of Woodford county, Il. Ile owns a farm containing 120 acres, located on section 36, of this township. Ile is a member of the I. O. O. F., Win- chester lodge No. 70, and is a republican in politics.

E. B. Legate, son of Henry Legate, was born in Reynolds county, Mo. He came with his father's family to Illi- nois, and settled in Madison county in 1863, he being then four years of age. He came to Jersey county three years later and was here reared upon a farm. He taught school three terms in Meadow Branch district. He held the office of assessor during the year 1883, and is now engaged in farming with his brother, M. B. Legate, in Rosedale township. Hle is a republican politically. The Legate brothers are highly esteemed in their township and throughout the county, and are justly deserving of the reputation which they enjoy, of being upright, honest christian gentlemen.

William Nevlin was born in Germany, June 15, 1834. At the age of 10 years he came to America with his parents,

Nicholas and Mary A. Nevlin, who were also natives of Germany. Landing at New Orleans, they proceeded thenee to St. Louis, where in 1848, the parents both died with cholera. William re- mained in that city until the fall of 1851, when he came to Jersey county and located on Macoupin Island. In 1865 he purchased 300 acres of land on the Illinois river bottom, and lived upon the same three years, after which he engaged in a general merchandise busi- ness, which he continued about eight years. Ile then purchased 40 acres of land on section 8, Rosedale township, where he has since resided. He now owns 340 acres of land, also a ferry across the Illinois river, known as Nev- lin's ferry, also a warehouse for the reception of freight. In October, 1860, Mr. Nevlin was married to Millia Ba- con, daughter of John and Elizabeth Bacon. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Nevlin, four of whom are living-John, Sarah, Hattie and Charlie. Mr. Nevlin has been running the ferry about five years. He is a gen- tleman of intelligence and enterprise, and a successful business man.

William Sherman Brown was born in the town of Marion, Wayne county, Ill., March 16, 1822. Ile lived in his native county until 16 years of age, then, re- moved with his father, John Brown, to Coles county. In 1843 they moved to Hancock county, and one year later to DuPage county. He was married in Kane county, in 1847, to Amanda Durand. In 1854 be removed to Jersey county, and settled in Grafton, from whence he moved to his present loca- tion in Rosedale township. He is engaged in raising grain and stock and

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

carries on general farming. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have four children living- Spalding E., Laura F., William M. and Mary H. He is a member of the Bap- tist church, and has held the office of road commissioner, but is no seeker of office.

George W. Rateliff, the owner of a large farm in Rosedale township, is a son of James L. and Mary A. (Howard) Ratcliff. He was born in Virginia in 1832, and brought up on a farm, where he remained until 22 years of age. He then went to Alton, Ill., and there learned the trade of cigar making. He resided in that city until 1871, at which time he came to Jersey county and purchased a farm of 181 acres, located in Rosedale township. Mr. Ratcliff was married June 16, 1858, to Serena A. Smith, who was born in Ohio. They are the parents of seven children -Leonard R., living at Rosedale; George W., Susan, Lewis J., Elvira, Edward and Charles, living with their father. Mrs. Ratcliff died March 21, 1882, and is buried in Meadow Branch cemetery. Mr. Ratcliff's farm com- prises 230 acres of land in a good state of cultivation. During the war of the Rebellion he served 10 months in the 144th Ill. Inf., as a drummer. Hle is a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge of Grafton. James L. Rateliff died in Alton in 1883, and his wife, Mrs. Mary A., in St. Louis, in 1881.

William G. Thompson, one of the leading farmers of Rosedale township, is a native of Tennessee, born May 14, 1819. He remained with his parents in Tennessee until 1836, then removed with them to Indiana, where he lived seven years, then in 1842, came to Rose-

dale township and worked out as a farm hand until 1847. In that year he bought 37 acres of land and went to work for himself. In 1849, he purchased 200 acres more, and has continued to add to his farm until he now owns 1,300 acres, most of which is bottom land. He has 700 acres under good cultivation, and raises large quantities of grain and stock. He was united in marriage in 1849, with Nancy Ann Smith, who died in 1851. He was married again Aug. 24, 1854, to Mary Ann McCauley. She died Jan. 14, 1874. April 9, 1875, Mr. Thompson was married to Lela Ann Duncan. He has 10 children, four sons and six daughters. Ile has held the offices of school trustee and director for several years, although he has never sought office. He is a Free Mason, and with his wife, a member of the M. E. church.

Isom Matthews was born in Boone county, Mo., July 28, 1825. When he was five years of age his father removed to Calhoun county, Ill., where the sub- ject of this sketch resided until 1837. Since that time he has been, a portion of the time, a resident of Rosedale town- ship, Jersey county. He owned 365 acres of land in Calhoun county, which he sold in 1861, at which date he owned 80 acres here. He has since added to his farm, which now contains 520 acres. In early life he ran upon the river nine years, first as cabin boy, on board a steamboat, and afterwards as cook. In 1851, about a year after he left the river, he was married to Mary Ann Smith, who was born Nov. 1, 1822. Mr. Matthews' farm is in a high state of cul- tivation. He is the owner of the oldest ferry on the Illinois river, known as

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

Jones' ferry, which is in the best run- ning condition of any ferry on that river. He owns, also, a large warehouse, 22x42 feet in dimensions, and two stories high, the upper story being used for a granary, and having a capacity for 7,000 bushels of wheat. Mr. Matthews was for a num-

ber of years, a member of the board of supervisors, and has been school direc- tor one year. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews are the parents of 10 children-Luther, William Henry, George, Thomas Levi, Mary, Ann, Laura, Nancy, Alice and Katie.

CHAPTER XXIV.

FIDELITY TOWNSHIP'.

The civil sub-division of Jersey county known as Fidelity township embraces all of congressional township 8 north, range 10 west, and sections 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35 and 36, and the south half of sections 13, 14 and 15, in town 9 north, range 11 west. This township has the reputation of being among the very best farming country in Jersey county, the timber land being confined almost entirely to the southeast corner. The Piasa creek runs through this por- tion, coming in from the east line of section 25, and flowing southwesterly through seetions 25, 36 and 35, into Piasa township. A branch of the Piasa has its source in the southern portion of Fi- delity township, passing into Piasa from the south line of section 32. Phill's creek also has its origin in this town- ship, in the central part, and after re- ceiving additional volume by the help of several tributaries, it passes, with a northwest course, into Ruyle township, from the north line of section 6. These streams supply the water necessary for their stock and agricultural purposes, while very little, if any, land is rendered

unfit for farming purposes by their prox- imity. The land is generally level, but occasionally diversified with rolling prairie. Besides the timber land men- tioned as being in the southeastern cor- ner, there is scarcely a farm which has not its artificial groves and orchard, ren- dering the landscape pleasant to the eye of the observer. The class of citizens residing here will rank with those of any community, and as a class they have been successful in their agricultu- ral labors. Considerable stock is also raised here, some even making this their principal business.

The Jerseyville branch of the W., St. L. & P. railroad runs through this township, and in its course takes in the village of Fidelity, which lies on sec- tions 11 and 12. Thus it will be seen that the township enjoys many advan- tages, not only in the richness of the soil, but also in transportation facilities and convenience to market.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

Fidelity was among the late settled townships of the county. True, there

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

were a number who located in the vicin- ity at an early day, but not within the borders of the present township. A tradition is extant however, which can- not be tracked to an authentie source, to the effect that three brothers, Lewis, Barney and William Sherman, settled in what is now Fidelity township and built a house on the southeast corner of section 25, where they lived for several years. The exact date of their settle- ment is not given but it is usually placed about 1818 or 1819. They did not live here very long.

Thomas Chapman settled on section 33 about the year 1828, where he lived for some years.

James Simmons was the first perma- nent settler of the township. He came in the spring of 1830, from Knoxville, Tenn. His son Samuel had come out the year before to choose a location.

Samuel C. Simmons was born in Montgomery county, Md., March 16, 1807. He is the oldest son of James and Ann Simmons, natives of Maryland. His father was born in Montgomery county, of that state, April 23, 1773, and was married in Jan., 1806, to Ann, daughter of Charles Hodges (who is the grandfather of Judge Hodges, of Car- rollton, Ill.). They had seven chil- dren, named as follows-Samuel C., (the subject of this sketch); Thomas II., deceased, who was a printer and worked in the Spectator office, at Alton; Sarah E., deceased, former wife of James Cummings, also deceased; John H. H., residing three miles south of Fidelity; Ann M., wife of the late Rev. L. Eddings; Margaret R., the last two residing in Indiana; and Richard J. de- ceased. Mr. James Simmons moved to

Knoxville, Tenn., in the fall of 1816, where he resided until the spring of 1830, when he came to the present limits of Jersey county, and settled on Sec. 26, T. 8, and R. 10, where he made the first permanent settlement in the township. He resided on the same farm till his death, which occurred July 13, 1861. His wife died in May, 1827, near Knoxville, Tenn. The life of Mr. Simmons began under the reign of George III. He was personally acquainted with George Washington, and his first vote for president was cast for Washington and his last for Lincoln. He lived to see great improvements in Illinois and Jersey county, and to have the satisfaction of seeing his family comfortably settled in life, and among the useful citizens of a community in which he was one of the pioneers. IIe was esteemed by a large circle of friends, and the memory of his worth is still cherished in the community where over 30 years of his life were spent. Samuel C. Simmons came to Illinois in the fall of 1829, and selected for his father's family the location which after a short time became their home. He was elected justice of the peace in Aug., 1831, the first in the township. Ile was married May 10, 1832, to Martha R., daughter of Rev. Jacob Miles, one of the early settlers of Macoupin county. They had by this union six children, in the following order of their births-James M., now a citizen of Colorado; Thomas H., now residing near Brighton, Ill., who took an active part in the late rebellion; was over four years in the service, and severely wounded, in the battle of Shiloh, by a ball passing through his

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

lungs, while acting as first lieutenant of the 14th Ill., and was also, while on (en. Palmer's staff, again wounded by a shell at the battle of Stone River; John R., residing at Miles, Ill .; Amelia A., wife of John W. Stanton, residing at Pierce City, Mo .; Martha E., wife of John H. Barber, residing at Pierce City, Mo .; Sarah C., wife of D. Q. Trot- ter, residing on the old homestead of James Simmons. Mrs. Simmons died in Feb., 1848. Mr. Simmons was again married to Loranda C. Miles, Sept. 10, 1848. They had five children-Ara- minta, wife of George Barber, residing near Brighton; Helen O., wife of Rev. S. Il. Huber, died Aug. 13, 1883; Charles W., residing on the old homestead; Albert N., married to Etta Hoyt, of Lebanon, April 23, 1884, and living at Elkhart, Logan county, Ill., where he is stationed as minister of the M. E. church. He graduated at MeKendree College, Lebanon, in June, 1882. 1Ie was valedictorian of the class. In 1885 the degree of master of arts was con- ferred on him; E. R., who is farming near the old homestead, and residing with his brother. Mrs. Simmons died Aug. 10, 1864. Mr. Simmons has fol- lowed farming thus far through life. He participated in the Black Hawk war in 1831. Although he has not sought official position, he has been aeting jus- tiee of the peace for 12 years. Mr. Simmons for over forty years has been an active member of the M. E. church. Both of his wives and most of his chil- dren were members of the same church. He took an active interest in the great struggle for the life of the nation. As a christian man and a good citizen he has the esteem of all who know him.

C. W. Simmons was born in Fidelity township, Jersey county, Ill., July 20, ! 1856. Hle is a son of Samuel C. Sim- mons, whose biography appears else- where in this work. May 4, 1881, he was married to Annie, daughter of II. J. Hoffman, of Jersey county. Mrs. Simmons died Oct. 13, 1881. Jan. 23, 1884, he was again married to Nettie A., daughter of the late Robert Stone, also of Jersey county. They have one child-Samuel Morris, born Dec. S, 1884. Since his father's retirement from farming he has taken charge of the farm of 240 acres, 160 acres of which is in cultivation.

John H. Simmons, one of the pio- neers of Jersey county, was born in Montgomery county, Md., June 20, 1814. He worked for his father until he attained his majority. Nov. 12, 1835, he was married to Mary A. F. Har- grave, daughter of Robert Hargrave, who settled here in 1830. Seven chil- dren were born to them, only one of whom is now living-James F., born Sept. 13, 1836. Mrs. Simmons died Jan. 11, 1877, in the 60th year of her age. She, as well as her husband, united with the M. E. church in 1834. Mr. Simmons was formerly a whig, and is now a staunch republican. He has been a member of the Patrons of IFus bandry for the past 11 years, and has, part of the time, acted as chaplain of the grange.

Richard J. Simmons, the subject of this sketch was born in Montgomery county, Md., March 30, 1808, being the second child of James and Ann Sim- mons. His mother's maiden name was Ann Hodges, of Prince George's county, Md. His father emigrated in the fall

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

of 1816, stopping in the vicinity of Knoxville, Tenn., where he remained for 13 years, and in the spring of 1830 removed to what was then Greene, now Jersey county, Ill., and settled at the head of the Piasa, 10 miles east of where the city of Jerseyville now stands, there being but one double log cabin there at that time. The place was then called Hickory Grove. In the spring of 1832 he was married to Mariah Cum- mings, and settled on Sec. 34, T. 8, R. 10, where he resided for over half a cen- tury, his wife dying without children. He married again, his second wife be- ing Margaret Davis; she, dying, left two sons, both of whom have since died. Ilis third wife was Mrs. Lucy M. Wemple, his present widow. She bore him nine children. One died in infancy the others-six sons and two daughters-are all grown, and most of them married. Three sons live in Kan- sas and all the other children live in Illinois. Mr. Simmons was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for half a century, and held the position of recording steward, in the charge where he lived, for a number of years. His house was at all times, open to the itin- erancy, the latch-string always hanging out. The deeds of his life will speak louder than all the eulogies that can be written. He departed this life on the 18th day of Jan., 1885, in the 77th year of his age. His son, R. S. Simmons. now manages the farm.

William Phillips was among the few settlers of this township, to locate in 1831. He entered a portion of section 25, and proceeded to open a farm.

Jeremiah Tindall was another new comer to the same locality, in 1833.

Thomas H. Chapman came in the fall of 1830, settling on section 33, where he lived until his death, in April, 1870, at which time he met with a serious and tragie one. Meat was being smoked, and during the evening the smoke house caught on fire. Mr. Chapman entered the burning building and threw some water on the flames. His clothes im- mediately ignited, and before assistance could be rendered him, he was burned and suffocated, dying almost immediate- ly. Ile was a native of Tennessee and was an old and much respected resident of the township.

Among the settlers of 1831 was James Cummings.

John Trible located on section 25 in 1834. lle was born in Devonshire, England, and when he came to this county, was accompanied by his parents, a brother and three sisters. He lived on the place he first entered, until his death, which occurred in 1859. He was married in 1842, to Mary Hobson. They had two children -- Jane M. and Sophia E.

Jeremiah Bell located upon the east half of section 34, in March, 1832.

Jeremiah Bell was born in Hancock county, Ga., May 16, 1808. He is the fourth child of Jesse and Frances Bell. Jesse Bell was a native of North Caro- lina. He, with his father, Nathaniel Bell, who was a veteran of the revolu- tionary war, emigrated shortly after the war, and settled in Hancock county, Ga., where Nathaniel Bell re- mained until 1811, when he followed his son Jesse, who, with his family of four children, had settled in 1811, near the present site of Edwardsville, Ill. Jesse Bell took an active part in the last war with Great Britain. He was also one of

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the frontier guards known as "rangers." has lived to see Jersey county contain He had a family of 16 children by his a larger population than the entire state did when he first became a citizen of the territory. Mr. Bell and family are active members of the M. E. church, as were his parents. Soon after his father, in company with others, had crossed the Ohio river, in the fall of 1811, he met a man on horse- back, who asked Mr. Bell where he was going, and he replied that he was going to Goshen Settlement, Ill. The gentle- man then told him that he had better turn back, for there were nearly 400 graves, that have never been wet by rain, and that there was nobody living but a few shouting Methodists. "Drive

two marriages-eight by each wife. His second wife, Susan Meacham, was a native of Vermont. The subject of this sketch is the only child by the first wife now living, and three by his second wife are also living. Mr. Bell resided on the same farm where he first settled till his death, which occurred April 1, 1835, aged 57 years. His birth was Nov. 16, 1779. His first marriage, Nov. 16, 1800, the day he was 21 years old. Jeremiah Bell, the subject of this sketch, received his early education in the common schools of Madison county, where he resided till his marriage to Mary Million, which took place Dec. 9, Ion," said Mrs. Bell, "let me die with 1830. She was the daughter of Daniel them." She died in Aug., 1813. Nathan- and Barbara Million, who were natives Liel Bell, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in what is now the state of North Carolina, in Bates county, March 15, 1755. At the age of 19 years he enlisted as a soldier in the war of the Revolution, in which he

of Virginia. They early settled in Ken- tucky, and in 1811 located in St. Clair county, near Belleville, Ill., where they educated their family of nine children. Mr. Bell first settled where he now re- sides, in March, 1832. He has had a served 14 months. Sometime near the family of 11 children, five sons and six close of that war, he made a profession of religion, under the preaching of Bev- erly Allen, the first Methodist preacher that visited the section of country in which he then lived, and became a mem- ber of the Methodist society. In 1783 he removed to the state of Georgia, where being separated from religious society, and particularly from the Metho- (list, the society of his choice, he grew lukewarm in religion and became shorn of his spiritual strength. About the year 1798 or 1799, he was again found by a Methodist pioneer named Samuel Cowles, who received him the second time into the society. In this society he remained a worthy and acceptable daughters. They are in the following order of birth :- Robert M., Jesse W., Susan Frances, Emma Ellen, Mattie L., William J. and Mary Adeline. Mr. Bell is among the prominent farmers and stock-growers of this county. He has taken an active part in introducing blooded cattle, hogs and horses, but in sheep he has introduced the fine Spanish Merino perhaps more extensively than any of his compeers. Mr. Bell had de- voted nearly all of his active life to the physical and moral developement of the community in which he lived. Few men are now living who have had a larger experience in pioneer life. He

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

member until the year 1801-2, when he left the Methodist communion, and be- came a member of the Baptist church, under the pastoral care of Rov. Jesse Mercer. In 1818 he removed to the state of Illinois, and settled in St. Clair county, where he again united with the Baptist church, in which church he re- mained until he was called from suffer- ing and toil to happiness and rest. He died near Edwardsville, in Madison county, Ill., Jan. 17, 1835, in his 80th year. For the last 40 years of his life Father Bell was the subject of much suffering. Jesse Bell, the father of Jeremiah, died at his residence in Madi- son county, on Lord's day morning, March 29, 1835. He was a pious and exemplary member of the Methodist society, and was much esteemed by all who knew him.

Henry J. Hoffinan came to Jersey county with his parents in 1834. They settled in Fidelity township. They came from Pennsylvania.

OT11ER PROMINENT PEOPLE.

Besides those mentioned as early set- tlers, there are a number of others who have long been respected citizens of the township and county. and others still who have been prominent in the affairs of the township and done their share towards bringing it into its present well developed condition. Their sketches follow:

Peter R. Parsell, who is among the representative men of this community, was born in Somerset county, N. J., on Christmas day, 1825. He lived with his father until after he became of age, when he bought a farm for himself in New Jersey. He was there married, on the

17th of February, 1847, to Eliza M. Smalley, who was born in the same county, July 30, 1828. From that state he emigrated to Illinois in 1864, locat- ing at Jerseyville, where he remained for two years. While there he lived on a small farm, which he rented of C. B. Fisher, as it was impossible to purchase any land, there being none for sale dur- ing war times. Later on, he bought a half section of land on section 30, and and half of this he sold to a friend from New Jersey. But after a few years this man broke up, and his farm went into the hands of the sheriff, and was sold to Isaac Snedeker, from whom it was again purchased by Mr. Parsell in 1877, and he located his son Isaac on it. During this time he bought the southeast quar- ter of the section, and then, in 1879, the southwest quarter, this giving him the whole section. A short time ago he bought 80 acres on section 23, and he now owns 720 acres of the best land in the state. It is now, by his skillful management and industry, one of the most beautiful farms in the country, although when he first settled on it, it was nothing but wild prairie, and as dis- couraging a place as was to be seen in the country. He devotes his time to the raising of stock, of which he makes a great success, they consisting principally of short-horn cattle, fine roadster horses, and sheep. He has never found it nec- essary to have a sale of stock, as the de- mand is greater than the supply, all the dealers knowing that here they will find only the best. Hle has frequently sold a span of horses for from $500 to $800. The farm is now stocked with 80 head of fine cattle, and 87 head of horses, mules and colts. He understands tak-

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History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois, Part 49

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Number of Pages: 1150

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical
Number of Pages: 1150