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 98

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 98

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Capt. Richard Robley came to this township, and made a settlement in the spring of 1821. He had come here the year previous and selected his lands.

Richard Robley, one of the early set- tlers of this county, was born in New Hampshire, on the 12th of May, 1791, and was a son of Matthew and Mary (Seott) Robley, natives of England. The family consisted of seven child- ren-Elizabeth, Mary, Eunice, Angeline, Matthew, Richard and Ilenry. On the 11th day of August, 1814, Richard was married to Desire Griswold. This mar-

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

riage was blessed with seven children- Eliza A., married Thomas J. Brown, died Dec. 29, 1834; Henry G., married Caroline Griswold, lives near Carlin- ville; George B., married Mary Jordan, lives in this county; Charles, whose sketch follows this, lives on the old homestead; Emily, married to Julius Twitchell, died Sept. 22, 1872; Villroy, married Catharine Spencer, lives in this township; Walter S., died Nov. 6, 1836; Mary, wife of Thaddeus Brace, resides in Carrollton. Mr. Robley came from Vergennes, Vt., to Greene county, Ill., in 1820, when this country was but a wild prairie and selected a location, where he built a log cabin. This was the only move he ever made. In the spring of 1821, he went for his family to St. Louis, having left them in Missouri while he went in search of a good place to settle. He brought them on a flat boat, which he had built for that pur- pose, landing at the point where the town of Newport is now located. Mr. Robley resided in this township, in which he first located, for more than half a cen- tury. He was captain of a militia com- pany during the time of the Black Hawk war. He died on the 3d of January, 1879, at the age of 87 years, having sur- vived his wife over 40 years. She died on the 22d of July, 1836. They are buried in the family burying ground, side by side.

Charles Robley was born on the 6th day of Nov., 1822, on the farm where he has been reared, and where he still resides. On the 15th day of Nov., 1849, he was united in marriage with Lydia A. Day, a daughter of Samuel Day, a native of Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. Robley are the parents of four children

-Walter, married Louisa Crane, now residing near Greenfield; Henry S., married Mary Crane, living six miles east of Carrollton; Emily. wife of Geo. Giller, living in Kirksville, Mo., and Arthur, living at home. Mr. Robley is the possessor of 680 acres of land on sections 8, 9, 10 and 15, and 200 acres lying east of Carrollton, and has sur- rounded himself with all the comforts of a good home. On account of his many good qualities, he commands the respect and esteem of all his acquaint- ances.

Villroy Robley was born in Greene county, Illinois, on the 26th of August, 1827, and is a son of Richard and Desire (Griswold) Robley, whose sketch ap- pears in this work. Villroy was reared to farm life and assisted his parents on the farm until his marriage. Mr. Rob- ley was married April 27, 1854, to Cath- arine Spencer, a daughter of Stephen and Catherine Spencer, whose sketch also ap- pears in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Robley are the parents of seven children -Edward V., living at home; Charlie A., deceased; Mary E., deceased, aged 11 months; Cora B., wife of Thompson B. Gullet, who died, leaving her with the care of a daughter; Clara E., Lettie A., and Harry A., living at home. Mr. Robley has, by energy, good man- agement, and close attention to business, been enabled to acquire a considerable amount of property, and he is now pos- sessed of 1,365 of land, all of which is in Greene county, except 160 acres in Kansas. It is well improved, and has a substantial residence and outbuildings thereon, making it a very comfortable home. Mr. Robley divides his atten- tion between the raising of stock and

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

grain, and his labor in that direction has met with decided success. He has never aspired to any public office, nor never intends to, unless it would be for the presidency.

George B. Robley, son of Richard Robley, one of the pioneers of Greene county. was born in Vergennes, Vt., June 16, 1819. When he was but a year old his parents removed to Illinois and located under the bluff, in Bluffdale township, on See. 9, T. 10, R. 13, where his father built what was known as the Buckeye cabin, at a spot where a bear had been killed just previous to the eree- tion of the cabin. Wild animals of almost every description abounded here then, and even Indians were yet numerous, as settlers had not as yet come in suffi- cient numbers to push them farther back. The location was then, indeed, a wild one, the nearest neighbors to this pioneer family being the families of Gideon Spencer, a man named Brush, J. H. Rogers, Mr. Davenport, Hartwell Hunnicutt, and a few others scattered here and there through the county. The first year or two the family were all sick, and were attended by the pioneer physician, Dr. Potts, who used to come down from near Carrollton to attend them. Among such scenes as might be expected in a new country of this sort, George B. was reared and grew to man- hood. He resided with his parents until the time of his marriage, Dee. 31, 1847, to Naney A. Jordan, a native of Pennsylvania, born near Waynesburg. Her parents were William and Cath- arine (Rummell) Jordan, who came to this county in 1845, and located in this township. Her father died at Cham- paign, May 23, 1870. Her mother is |

still living in Montgomery county, III., in the 89th year of her age. Mr. and Mrs. George Robley were the parents of six children, of whom five are living- Angeline, living at home, married Geo. Chizum, now deceased; Albert, who was killed by lightning in 1880; Eliza, wife of William O. Eldred, living near Wichita, Sedgwick county, Kan .; Alice, at home; Etta, wife of Ward Eldred, living in this township; Mary, wife of William Evans, living at Chatauqua, Kan. The family have lived at their present location, on section 2, in Bluff- dale township, since 1857, the farm con- sisting of 190 acres of well improved land. Mr. Robley is a member of White Hall lodge, No. 80, A. F. & A. M. He has been connected with the schools of his township, as director of distriet No. 1, and has borne his share of the burdens of local office. The Robley family have been identified with Greene county almost since Illinois was a territory, and many of its representa- tives are still residents here. What was then a wilderness is now one of the most prosperous sections of the state, and this pioneer family have witnessed all of its developments.

In 1822, David Woolley left his home in New York with his family, and came west some 300 miles by team, to the Allegheny, thence down that river and the Ohio to the Mississippi in a flat- boat. He located on section 21, under the bluff in this township, to which he brought his family. He was a native of the hills of Washington county, N, Y., and was united in marriage, in that place, with Laura Hodge, also a native of the same county. Mr. Woolley was a mill-wright by trade, and followed

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

that business somewhat in this part of the country. He and his wife were the parents of 13 children, eight of whom are living. Mr. Woolley lived on the place where he located, although absent at times on business, until his death, in Aug., 1860. His wife died in Macoupin county, at the residence of her daugh- ter.

Samuel Gates settled here about the year 1823, on section 21, under the bluff, where he and his wife died in after years. Among their children were: Harriet, who married a man by the name of Sprague, but she is now dead; Eunice, lives in Jacksonville; Phoebe, married Jacob Strawn, living also in Jacksonville; Susan, married Dr. Sterrett, of Winchester; Daniel, deceased; James, now a resident of Iowa, and Marion, deceased.

Seldon Beebe came to Bluffdale about this time, from Apple Creek Prairie, where he settled about 1820. He is no- ticed in connection with his settlement in that place, in greater detail.

James Stockton made a settlement on Sec. 35, T. 11, R. 13, in 1823, and im- proving the land, lived there many years.

Daniel Bushnell, a native of Massa- chusetts, a single man at the time, eame west in 1824, and located in this town- ship, and made it his home until he died, in 1850. He was married here in 1829, to Parthenia Norris; they were the parents of eight children.

William McAdams came to this town- ship about the year 1824, and made a settlement. He was a native of Tennes- see, born in 1797. He was married in 1814, to Beckie Cashin, and they were the parents of 12 children, six of whom

are living. IIe died here April 9, 1849, and his wife survived until the 25th of Dec., 1880. Joseph McAdams, their son, was born in this county in 1826, and is still living in this township.

Among the settlers of 1826, in this township was John Nolan, who was born in Kentucky, on the 17th of May, 1817. When nine years of age, he came to Greene county, and for a time made his home with Hartwell Hunnientt, but had no permanent location until he at- tained the age of 18 years, when he was united in marriage with Mary Elizabeth Flatt, a native of Kentucky. After his marriage, Mr. Nolan located on the southeast quarter of Sec. 1, T. 10. R. 13, in what is now Bluffdale township. where he resided up to the day of his death, Oct. 14, 1879. His wife died Dec. 8, 1883, and was buried beside her hus- band, in the Carrollton cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Nolan were the parents of five children-Dennis R., who married Mary Lahr, and now resides in Montgomery county, Mo .: Lottie T .. the wife of Jacob Conrad, of Bluffdale township; Ellen, John and William H.

William II. Nolan, the youngest son of John and Elizabeth Nolan, was born in this county on the 1st of Feb., 1861. HIe was reared and educated in the township where his father settled, over half a century ago. He was united in mar- riage in this county, on the 13th of Sept., 1882, with Mary D., a daughter of Nathaniel and Mary (Kennedy) Brown. Her father was a native of Tennessee, and her mother, of Ken- tucky, while she was born in lowa. Mr. Brown is now a resident of Bluffdale township, his wife having died in March, 1879. Mr. and Mrs. Nolan have been

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

blessed with one child-Mary Eunice. Mr. Nolan is now the possessor of 130 acres of land in Bluffdale township, sec- tion 36, which is well improved. As noted above, his father was numbered among the early settlers of Greene county, having come here when the country was in a wild state. He, how- ever lived to see it changed to one of the most prosperous counties in the state.

Jesse II. Rogers, settled on Sec. 9, in this township, in an early day. He was a smart, enterprising man, and in those times had the best herd of fine cattle that was owned in this region. He was born at Sag Harbor, Long Island, N. Y., and in 1816, moved to St. Louis. While there he was united in marriage with Anna, daughter of Gideon Spencer. He was a builder and contractor, and erected the United States arsenal, part of Jeffer- son Barracks, and the court-house, and many others of the largest and finest buildings in St. Louis. At the time of his death, in Aug., 1838, he had on his hands a 8200,000 contract on the Illinois and Michigan canal. He lived at that time in this township.

In 1828, John Russell came to this township and settled on section 4.

John Russell, deceased, was born in Cavendish, Windsor county, Vt., July 31, 1793, his parents being John and Lucretia (Preston) Russell. 1His father was a Baptist preacher, and was a native of Wethersfield, Conn., as was also his wife. There the family had lived, in generations farther back, since 1622. John received such education as the common schools afforded, supplemented afterward by a collegiate course at the Middlebury College, which he entered

March 25, 1814. Ile had ere that, com- menced authorship as a means of ob- taining pecuniary funds for educating himself, his first work being "The Au- thentic History of the Vermont State Prison," published at Windsor, in 1812. By the profits received from the sale of this work, by funds received for ser- vices as a school teacher, and by other means, he was enabled to finish his college course, graduating in the class of 1818. He immediately went from Middlebury, Conn., to Georgia, where he taught school three months, but not liking the country, he left there and overtook his father, then on his way to the state of Missouri, at Whitewater, Ind., where he was married to Laura Ann Spencer, Oct. 25, 1818. She was a daughter of Captain Gideon Spencer, of Vergennes, Vt., where Mr. R. taught school nearly a year. In 1819 he removed to Missouri where he taught five years in the Bonhommie Bottom, and while there he wrote for the St. Charles Mis- sourian, a local paper, an anonymous article entitled "The Venomous Worm," which immediately began to attract at- tention, and soon became universally known and read. It went the rounds of the press both in America and in Europe, where it was translated and published in many languages. When Pierpont, the poet, compiled his "National Reader," this article was in- troduced into it, and afterward into the McGuffey readers. It has, since the time of its conception, exerted a powerful influence over public opinion and the minds of school children. After leaving Bonhommie, Mr. Russell taught a year at St. Louis, which was then a little French town. He then taught in Van-

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

dalia, Ill., and two years in Alton Sem- inary, now Shurtleff College. In 1828 he came to Greene county, and located on See. 4, T. 10, R. 13. He gave the name of Bluffdale to his premises, which has given its title to the township. Hte re- ceived license as a preacher, from the Baptist church at Bluffdale, Feb. 9, 1833, he, however, only preaching oe- casionally. He was principal of Spring Hill Academy, in the parish of East Feliciana, . La., for eight years, during which time he was also superintendent of public schools in the parish. On his return home in the summer of 1843, he found the little church, to which he be- longed, much demoralized. He preached to the fock a sermon entitled, "The Serpent Uncoiled, or a Full-length View of Universalism," which was printed, and acquired a great deal of popularity. He wrote for the press continually, dur- ing the last 25 years of his life. He was the first editor of the Backwoodsman, at Grafton, Illinois, having furnished the brains of that institution during the years 1838-39. In 1841-42, he edited the Advertiser, at Louisville, Ky., and after that contributed for it continually. At the time of his death he had in pro- gress several elaborate works, among them "The Black Hawk War," "Evi- dences of Christianity, " and a "History of Illinois." He read with fluency Greek, Latin, French, Spanish, German and Italian, and had a knowledge of Dutch, Welch and Icelandic. In 1862 he received the degree of Doctor of Laws from the University of Chicago. He was the author of "The Mormoness," "Little Granite," "Alice Wade," "Lame Isaac," "Going to Mill," "Claudine La Valle, or the First Trial by Jury."

All of these were stereotyped and some went through several editions Mr. and Mrs. John Russell were the pa- rents of four children, who grew up to manhood and womanhood. Dr. William A. J., a graduate of the lowa State University at Keokuk, who mar- ried Caroline Pegram. He was cap- tain of Co. G, 10th Mo. Vol., and was killed Nov. 25, 1863, in battle, in the second charge at Mission Ridge; Juliet A. E., wife of Bainbridge Gilling- ham, living in Walkerville township; Spencer G., whose sketch follows this, and Francis I., married Sarah J. Burk- holder, and lives in Hamilton, Ill. John Russell died Jan. 21, 1863, and is buried on the old homestead. His wife is still living, making her home with Spencer G., at the old family home, a most pleasant place.

Spencer G. Russell, son of John and Laura Ann (Spencer) Russell, was born in Greene county, on the place on which his father had settled in 1828. The date of his birth was Feb. 10, 1828. He was reared in the township, and early received such education as the pioneer schools of that day afforded. At the age of 18 years he began a collegiate ed- ucation at Shurtleff College, Upper Alton. He there graduated June 23, 1853, in the classical course, receiving the degree of B. A. He then began reading law with C. D. Hodges, at Car- rollton, there continuing three years. He then returned to Shurtleff College, where he received the degree of A. M., on the 26th of June, 1856. After cont- pleting his education, he then returned to Carrollton, and commenced the practice of the legal profession. From there he came back to Bluffdale

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

township; bought his father's farm, and has since resided on it. He was married Dec. 10, 1856, to Louisa C. Spencer a native of Morgan county, though reared in Greene county, from her first year. She was a daughter of Maj. Stephen W. and Mary (Smith) Spencer, he a native of Vergennes, Vermont, and she of Addison county, Vermont. Her father was a major in the war of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Russell are the parents of five children-Pauline, Hugh S., Wil- liam M. and Frank H., twins, and Nora. Mr. Russell owns 640 acres of land, all in one body, in this township. Mr. Russell is a surveyor, and has done con- siderable work in that profession, partly in this state, and was also engaged for a short time on the Iron Mountain road, in that capacity. Nearly a decade over half a century his parents came to this county, and his father was identified with a number of events in its early his- tory, and equally so with that of other communities, and, in fact, was a man probably as well known over the country at large, as in Greene county. Spencer Russell has, at his home, many relics of by-gone days, among them hundreds of autograph letters, written to his father by some of the most noted characters in American history. He also has relics of the battle fields around Chattanooga, collected by him when he went after the body of the brother who gave up his life at Mission Ridge. The postoffice at Bluffdale has been conducted by some member of the family ever since it was established, and Spencer G. has been either postmaster or deputy for over half a century) having been sworn in as deputy when seven years of age. His grandfather Spencer was one of the min-

ute men in the Revolution, and Mr. Russell now has some of the money with which he was paid.

William Halbut, with his family, came to this township in Nov., 1828, and located on the east half of the south- west quarter of section 11. He came to this county from Ohio, and resided on the farm he made until 1860, when he was called to the better land. His first wife, Matilda Pilcher, died in Ohio, and he was united in marriage with a Miss Good, in that state. She is still living in Missouri, with her daughter.

Isham Adcock made a settlement on section 25, in 1830. He resided there until his death, which occurred April 18, 1857. He was a Kentuckian by birth, and married, in that state to Rachel Stinnet. His wife is still sur- viving.

John Adcock was born in Greene county, Ill., on the 11th of April, 1832. He is a son of Isham and Rachel (Stin- nett) Adcock, natives of the state of Kentucky. His father died on the 18th of April, 1857, while living on what is known as the Jonas Ward farm, about one and one-half miles northeast of the town of Woodville. His mother is still living, and resides with her children. On the 16th of June, 1859, John Adcock was married to Lydia Hooper, a daugh- ter of William and Elizabeth (Witt) Hooper. Mr. Adcock has a farm of 160 acres on See. 36, T. 10, R. 13, and also owns a house and lot in Woodville. He is a steady, industrious farmer, and well respected by the community in which he resides.

l'ennell Short came to Greene county in the fall of 1831, and like all those who had lived in the timber lands of

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

Kentucky, settled in the forests that clothed this part of the county, near the present site of the village of Wood- ville. Here he lived until 1853, when he was called hence by death.

John Short was born in Scott county, Ky., on the 17th of Oct., in the year 1815, and is a son of Pennell and Jane (Butler) Short. His father was a native of Delaware, and his mother of Indiana. John came with his parents to Greene county, in the fall of 1831, and they settled not far from Woodville. His father died in 1853, and was buried at the Donnegan cemetery. His mother died in Kentucky, in the year 1821. Mr. Short, our subject, was married on the 17th of Oct., 1839, (his birthday) to Mary French, a native of Tennessee. She was the daughter of Nathan and Nancy French, natives of Tennessee. This union was blessed with eight chil- dren-James A., married Olivia Tillery, both now deceased; Nancy J., died in her 15th year; Mary, wife of Peter Hall, who is now dead, resides in Hamilton; Cassy E., wife of William Swires, liv- ing in this township; John M., married Mary Anderson, living in Bluffdale township; Martha A., wife of Theodore Tillery, also in this township; William C., deceased; Margaret, wife of George ('laflin, living in this township. Mr. Short has 80 acres of land, which he

cultivates, and is a thrifty farmer, and a good and influential citizen.

A. Wood came to Greene county in 1833, and settled on the farm now owned by his son, John L.

Aman Wood was born in the state of Maryland, in the year 1777, and was a son of Stephen and Rachel Wood, na- tives of Maryland. His father served

in the war of 1812. Aman moved, with his parents to Kentucky, where he was married to Sarah Baker, a daughter of David Baker. They were the parents of 14 children-Bennett, deceased; James, deceased; Mahulda and Mahala, twins, deceased; Phebe, deceased; Cyn- thia, married William R. Rice, who died, and she was again married to James Short; Squire, deceased; Sarah, married George Rice, now deceased, and is again married to Gillespie Lapdice; Aquilla, married Mary Dix; Wilson and Allen, deceased; John L., the sub- ject of the sketch which follows, and one child, who died an infant. Mr. Wood eame to Greene county in the fall of 1833, settling in Bluffdale town- ship, on the section where John L. now resides. The town of Woodville re- ceived its name from Mr. Wood. He died in June, 1850, and was buried in Maberry cemetery. Mrs. Wood sur- vived him 15 years, and was buried by the side of her husband.

John L. Wood, a son of Aman and Sarah ( Baker) Wood, was born in Ken- tucky, Feb. 17, 1825. He was reared on a farm and has always been engaged in farming. April 15, 1859, he was united in marriage with Mary J. Mar- shall, a daughter of Sanford and Mary Marshall, natives of Kentucky. . Mr. and Mrs. Wood are the parents of four children-Maxey, died Jan. 4, 1863; Letitia, wife of Lualvis Hutchins, living with her father; Rufus, living at home; and Adella, who died in 1869. Mrs. Wood departed this life May 14, 1878, and was buried in the Maberry eeme- tery. Mr. Wood owns 97 acres of land on Sec. 36, T. 10, R. 13, on which he raises stock and grain.

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

Allen B. Wood was born Sept. 19, ; John P. Wood was married Sept. 3, 1822, in Kentucky. He was united in 1874, to Elvira Maberry, and by this union there were three children-Will- iam C., living with his grandfather, William Maberry; Kate Pearl, deceased; Gertrude, also living with her grand- parents. John P. Wood died June 21, 1879, and his wife died Aug. 1, 1880. George T. Wood was married Oct. 25, 1874 to Mary B. Robinson, of Wood- ville. He now resides at Canon City, Col., where he went five years ago this fall on account of ill health, and is now in the transfer business there. He has three children - Claudius, Roy and Georgia May. Sarah Adelene Wood, unmarried, travels for her health, which is poor, and makes her home with re- latives-while in Greene county with her uncle and sister. Judah E. Wood was married Dec. 15, 1881, to B. B. An- drews, son of Nat Andrews, of Carroll- ton, Mr. Andrews, is a farmer, and devotes his attention mostly to rais- ing wheat. They have one child- Ethel, born Oct. 23, 1882. The de- ceased members of the Wood family are buried side by side in the Maberry cemetery. marriage with Tryphena Mulberry, Dec. 26, 1850. She was born Aug. 26, 1827. By this union there were eight child- ren-John P., born Oct. 10, 1851; George T., born Aug. 22, 1553; Henrietta, born Oct. 13, 1855, died at the age of two years; Amelia Viscar, born May 2, 1855, died at the age of two years; Sarah Adelene, born Nov. 13, 1860; Judah Ethel, born April 28, 1863; Hattie Sophronia, born Dec. 3, 1865, died Oct. 4, 1875; Della Octavia, born Feb. 21, 1869, died Dec. 27, 1876. Mr. Wood followed farming for a few years, but his health failing him he engaged in the mercantile business, in which he was quite successful. In the year 1862 or '63, his health again failing, he returned to farm life, thinking the change would benefit him. Here he resided until his death. In 1869, Mrs. Wood's health be- gan to fail, she being taken with a severe cough, which finally terminated in death on the 18th of March, 1871. She left six children without the tender care of a mother. Mr. Wood soon followed his beloved wife to the grave, his death oc- curring Sept. 21, 1873. He had been Stephen Spencer made a settlement in this township in 1833, and died here in 1846. troubled with a cough for 16 years, but his ambition kept him up, until he at last fell dead, with hemorrhage of the lungs, leaving the younger children to the care of the two eldest sons, Perry and George. Mr. and Mrs Wood lived a happy life together, making many friends in and around the vicinity of Woodville and through the county of Greene. Mr. Wood was a very enter- prising man, always attentive to busi- ness and gaining many friends by his honesty, uprightness and integrity.

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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 98

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