USA > Illinois > Hancock County > History of Hancock County, Illinois, together with an outline history of the State, and a digest of State laws > Part 80
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Henry C. Yetter is a man of medium height and weight, quick movement and the appearance of a shrewd, sagacious business man. He was born in Dayton, O., in 1843; came to this county in 1853, and
859
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
settled in this tp. His father, Louis Yetter, was a native of Pennsyl: vania, and a farmer by occupation. His mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Bear. She was a native of the same State; her chief characteristic was the interest she took in the moral advancement of her community, and an honored member of the Christian Church. She lies buried in the Fountain Green cemetery, beside her husband.
Mr. Yetter was married Sept. 2, 1877, to Miss Ida McGee, of Zanesville, O. Her parents removed to this county, and now re- side in Rock Creek tp. This marriage has been blessed with 2 children, one boy and one girl. Mr. Yetter has suffered no mate- rial financial losses in his time, and is now engaged in the drug business. He is in easy circumstances, living a happy life with his little family, at this place. He is, politically, a Republican in every sense of the word. He belongs to no particular religious denomination, yet is a hearty supporter of temperance, and the highest moral standard of his community. He has had charge of the Burnside postoffice 10 years; served a term of three years in the late civil war. He was in several very warm engagements, among which were the battles of Champion Hills, Fort Gibson, Black river bridge, siege of Vicksburg, besides several minor skirmishes. He received an honorable discharge at Baton Rouge, and arrived safe in Hancock county, without the slightest scratch.
TOWNSHIP , OFFICIALS.
Following is a catalogue of the officers, with the years in which they were elected, that have served this township since its organ- ization :
SUPERVISORS.
Samuel K. Richey . . 1850
John W. Lionberger 1870
William Tyner.
1851
Wellington Janney 1871
William Bray
1858
William Pettit. 1872
Thomas Jones. . 1862
C. H. Phelps. 1873
Thomas Nichelson. 1863
Wellington Janney. 1874
William Tyner ..... 1865
William Black ... 1875
John W. Lionberger
1866
Wellington Janney 1877
William Tyner. ..
1868
William Bray. 1879
Wellington Janney
1869
Alexander Phillippi 1880
CLERKS.
James W. Roath. 1855
M. E. Jacobs .. 1871
Merrill Andrews.
1856
Neil O. Mckay. 1872
J. K. Duffield.
1858
Ed. E. Aleshire. 1877
W. W. Simms.
1861
Jas. McCormick. 1878
Neil O. Mckay.
1862
Jas. H. Jackson. 1879
J. P. Lair .. .
1868
Wm. H. Doss.
1870
D. C. Tyner. 1880
860
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
ASSESCORS.
James Westfall.
1855
Alfred M. Glaze. 1868
James Waggoner ..
1858
William Pettit.
1870
M. B. Mann.
1861
Alfred M. Glaze. 1872
Alfred Pettit.
1862
James E. Decker
1873
Peter Cheney.
1863
John W. Lionberger
1874
Iroby S. Perkins.
1865
Ed. E. Aleshire.
1878
Thomas McGhan.
1866
Hiram Sears. 1879
Isaac Cooper.
1867
Slater Shriver.
1880
COLLECTORS.
Merrill Andrews.
1855
Wm. H. Grove. 1869
Clinton Cutler.
1856
Wm. H. Doss.
1870
Merrill Andrews. .
1858
M. E. Jacobs. .
1871
J. S. Perkins ..
.1861
Solomon Saulsbury.
1872
Wm. W. Simms
1862
Thomas McGhan.
1874
John W. Lionberger
1863
Jas. McCormick.
1875
William Pettit.
1865
Josiah Hemingway
1876
John M. Springe
1867
M. V. Riley.
1879
Neil O. Mckay
1868
John W. Lionberger
1880
ROCK CREEK TOWNSHIP.
This township, 6-7, as elsewhere stated, is all prairie land. Larry's creek, emptying into the Mississippi, and Rock creek and Pilot Grove creek emptying into Crooked creek, all head within its limits, and yet none of them have any timber. It contains about three miles of the T., P. & W. across its southeast corner, and six miles of the C., B. & Q., on a due north line. The villages of Ferris and Adrian are two pleasant little places within its limits. The first laid out, June, 1869, by Charles G. Gilchrist and Hiram G. Ferris, is at the crossing of the T., P. & W. and C., B. & Q. roads.
Adrian, on the latter, was laid out by Warren Yaple and G. W. Jacks, September, 1873, and named from Adrian, Mich., by Arthur Rice, son of Orrin Rice, then running as postal clerk on the C., B. & Q. Railroad. Orrin Rice was born in New York, came from Cincinnati, O., about 1857, to Oakwood, and settled in this town- ship in 1866.
Among the first settlers in Rock Creek township may be named the Ellisons, Lamberts, Saulsburys, Yaples, McCalls, Baileys, Abbotts, Alstons, Terrys, Thornbers, etc. Isaac Roseberry, George Singleton, Isaac Bellew, Jedediah Bellew, John Bellew, are old settlers in the neighborhood.
For the following statement concerning the first school taught in the township, we are indebted to Mr. M. Alston, a present citizen there. The first meeting held for the election of school officers, was at the residence of Mr. John Alston, a log cabin 15 fect square, located on the southwest quarter of sec. 9, now no more, having gone into stove-wood. - [We have before us a sketch of this cabin for insertion, but must omit it, as we could print little else if we undertook to insert all the log cabins of 1847.] The meeting was held Oct. 16, 1847, nine voters present, electing Henry Thornber, Timothy Terry and Matthew Ellison, Sr., for Trustees, and John Alston, Treasurer.
After the election of officers, the next thing must be a school. But there was no school-house, and no funds to build one. So it was decided to employ Mrs. Ann Alston, wife of John Alston, school to be taught at their residence. A bargain was made for her to teach ten weeks for $20.00. School began in January and ended in March, 1848. The following are the names of the pupils, ten in number: Thomas Ellison, Margaret Ellison, Mary H. Ellison, Ralph Ellison, John Terry, Sarah Terry, George Terry, Ellen E. Terry, Matthew Alston, Ellen Jane Alston. The old original schedule of said school is still in possession of John Alston.
(861)
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
Our correspondent refers to this as a school of the "pioneer times," and it is for that prairie township; but he will find men- tion herein of schools taught fifteen years earlier in the county.
There are a number of neat school buildings in this township at present, indicating that educational matters have progressed at even pace with other improvements from that first small beginning.
RELIGIOUS PROGRESS.
Our information of Church matters in this township is very limited. There is a Methodist church edifice and society at Adrian, number of members not stated; and one, if not more churches and societies, at Ferris, of which we have no account.
There is a congregation of the Reorganized Church of Latter- Day Saints (commonly known as the Josephite Mormons) located near the west line of the township. It was organized in 1863, by Elder James Burgess, with about 20 members. It was composed principally of persons who, having belonged to the old organization, rejected the polygamy doctrines and other teachings and practices of the Brighamites, and chose to remain behind, rather than follow a false prophet into the wilderness. This branch continued steadily to increase, and now (1879) numbers 40 or 50 members, Elder Lambert being its Pastor. The snug little building for worship erected for this branch is situated near Mr. Lambert's residence, and was put up several years ago.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Charles Abbott, being an earlier settler of the West, deserves more than a passing notice in a work like this. He was born in Lorain county, Ohio, Dec. S, 1833, and is a son of Orlan and Lucinda Abbott; he came with his parents to Schuyler county, Ill., in 1840, and to this county in 1844; at that time wild animals were numerous: he saw at one time sixty deer in a single drove. Mr. Abbott was reared on a farm and educated in a subscription school. When they first located in Illinois there were no schools of any character within his reach; he attended the academy at Carthage about eight months. but in the main he is a self-made man. He has taught school for eighteen winters. farming in the summer. He was married in 1850 to Miss Nancy J. Jones, a native of Tennessee; they have had 11 children, of whom 6 boys and 3 girls are living. Mr. Abbott also owns an agricultural store in Ferris, in which he keeps all kinds of agricultural implements, and is doing a good business. His brother George was a soldier in the late war; his father resides in Jefferson county, Kansas, at the age of 75 years.
David Akin was born in Columbiana county, Ohio. October 12, 1809. and is a son of John and Jane (Weatherspoon) Akin; the former was a blacksmith, and our subject early learned to sling the hammer and make the anvil ring. He worked at this trade the
John. S . Ewell ROCK CREEK TP.
S65
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
greater part of his life, and also added wagon work to it, which gave him a great deal of work both in iron and wood. He was married in 1831 to Miss Hannah Cooper, by whom he has had 4 children; of these, 3 are living; viz., James F., John W. (a Doctor in Tennessee, Illinois) and Rachel Jane. Mr. Akin came to Schuyler county, Illinois, in 1859, and to this county in 1868; in 1875 he engaged in the sale of agricultural implements in the town of Adrian: in this he has been very successful; he also sells a great number of wagons; he resides on sec. 9, Rock Creek tp.
W. O. Alphin .- This enterprising young business man was born in Schuyler county, Illinois, February 26, 1850, and is a son of Henry and Hannah Alphin; the former laid out the original first part of the town of Adrian, in 1871. W. O. was reared on a farm and educated in common schools and Hedding College at Abingdon, Illinois; he was married in 1874 to Miss Mary Leonard, by whom he has had 3 children, 2 of whom are still living; viz., Llewella and Adda. Mr. Alphin came to this county in 1874, and engaged in farming for three years; he commenced the drug busi- ness in Adrian in 1877, and now carries a full line of drugs, notions, groceries, cutlery, etc., and is doing a good business. One very remarkable feature in his business is, he is strictly a temperance man, and neither keeps nor sells spiritnous liquors.
Matthew Alston is a native of Hancock county, Ill., and was born December 11, 1842. His parents, John and Ann Alston, removed to Chicago when Matthew was but two years old, where they remained three years. His mother taught the first school in Rock Creek tp. Mr. Alston was reared on a farm and educated ir the common schools. He served three years in the late war, in Co. F, 50th Regt. I.V. I., and participated in the battles of Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Resaca and others. He was mar- ried October 14, 1867, to Miss Tabitha A. McConkey, by whom he has 2 children; viz., Robert II. and David J. Mr. Alston owns 106 acres of valuable land, and is engaged in farming and stock- raising, on sec. 4.
J. R. Atkins was born in Wake county, N. C., March 26, 1826. His parents were Wm. L. and Frances Atkins. Mr. J. R. Atkins was reared on a farm and educated in a subscription school. He was married in 1848 to Miss Roxana Hargraves, by whom he had 12 children; of these, 7 are living; viz., Robert, Alexander, Benja- min, William, Charles, Eva and Nettie. Mr. Atkins removed to this county in 1850, where he still resides and is engaged in farm- ing and stock-raising. Mr. A. began life with nothing, and now he owns 200 acres of valuable land. Mrs. Atkins died Jan. 16, 1876.
Wright B. Bailey was born in Harrison county, Va., Oct. 7, 1810, and is a son of Samuel and Agnes (Hudson) Bailey (dec .. The latter was a descendant of the noted Henry Hudson, who first discovered and sailed up the Hudson river. Mr. Bailey was reared on a farm and received a very limited education in a sub-
S66
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
scription school. His text-books consisted of a Testament, a speller, and an arithmetic. So anxious was he to learn to write, that he procured a piece of soapstone from the creek and dressed its side smooth, and when a neighbor would happen in, he would have him make the letters of the alphabet at the top of this rude slate, and Mr. B. would sit for hours imitating the copy. He never heard a grammar lesson recited in school. He was married in 1834, to Miss Melinda Bailey, by whom he has had 9 children: of these, 7 are living; viz., Margaret, Sallie, Colbert, George, Maria, Vic- toria and James C. They removed to this county in 1850. Mr. Bailey is a farmer and stock-raiser, on sec. 4.
Alfred E. Barnard was born in Canada July 14. 1841. His parents were John and Freelove Barnard (dec.). Mr. Barnard was reared on a farm near Rockville, Canada, on the St. Lawrence river. He was educated in a common school taught in a log house. He went to Buffalo. New-York. in 1859, where he learned the carpen- ter's trade. He came to this county in 1866, and pursued his trade for 2 years. He was married May 18, 1867, to Miss Mary Alston, and they have had + children, of whom two are living. Anna G. and Frances T. Mr. B. erected a store-house in 1874, in Adrian, and engaged in the drug business for two years there, when he sold out and commenced farming. He has been Justice of the Peace for Rock Creek tp. for 3 years, and is the present incum- bent.
Dr. R. W. Barr was born in Wood county, Ohio, April 7, 1847. He was reared on a farm and received a common-school education. He served 2 years in the late war, being a member of Co. A., 14th O. V. I. He first went into the war merely as company for some of his friends. as he was at that time but 14 years old. But he soon afterward enlisted, and carried a gun, too. He was taken prisoner at Shenandoah Valley, and held for one year. He was kept three months in the noted Libby prison, and his brother John was also kept 40 days in the same place. Dr. Barr participated also in the battles of Wildcat, Cumberland Gap. Mill Springs, Pittsburg Landing, Wilmington and others. He was present and saw Gen. Frye shoot and kill Gen. Zollicoffer at Mill Springs. The Doctor was married in 1873, to Miss Genevra E. Lynd, by whom he has had 2 children; viz., William H. (dec.) and Frederick.
Dr. Barr is a graduate of the Keokuk College of Physicians and Surgeons, and began the practice of medicine in Ferris, this county, in 1872, and by close attention to business and the consci- entious discharge of every known duty, has won the confidence of the people, and has thus built up a large practice, which is steadily increasing.
James H. Campbell was born in McDonough county, Illinois, May 1, 1836, and is a son of Nicholas and Mary (McGee) Camp- bell, pioneers of McDonough county. Mr. C. was reared on a farm and received a common-school education. He came to this county with his parents in 1851; was married Ang. 9, 1856. to Miss
S67
IHISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
America Frakes, by whom he has 2 children; viz., Francis M. and Ida A. Francis M. is a leader of the Ferris Cornet Band, which was organized in 1877. Mr. Campbell took a Western tour in 1864, through Montana, Idaho, Utah, and other Western coun- tries, visiting Salt Lake City and other noted cities in the West. He resides on sec. 33, engaged in farming.
Samuel Coleman, deceased, was born in Zanesville, Ohio, March 16, 1850, and was a son of John and Letitia Coleman (dec.); was reared on a farm and received a common-school education. He was married in March, 1842, to Miss Jane Bennett, daughter of Silas and Lucinda Bennett (dec.). They have had 9 children, of whom 7 are living: Letitia, John W., Lucinda M., Rosaltha, Charles, Martin L. and Harry I. A son, Clifton T., died in Colorado, Jan. 11, 1879.
Mr. Coleman and family came to Greene county, III., in 1843, and to this county in 1844. He was a farmer by occupation. He died May 9, 1874.
Christian Cramberg was born in Prussia, July 2, 1835, and is a son of John V. and Martha E. Cramberg; he was reared and educated in the town of Niederdorla, Prussia. He came to this country in 1851, by way of New Orleans and St. Louis, stop- ping in Adams county, Ill. While at New Orleans he came near losing his life when bathing in the gulf. He there labored on a farm. He was married in 1857 to Mary Weisenborn, by whom he had S children; viz., Emily, George, Sophia, Ida, Johnnie, Tillie, Anna and Oscar. He came to this county in 1872. He owns 160 acres of valuable land on sec. 3, and is engaged in farming.
Benjamin Franklin Duvall was born in Todd county, Ky., May 24, 1835; his parents names were Moses and Martha (Butler) Duvall, the former of Virginia, and of French ancestry, and the lat- ter of Kentucky and of Irish descent; they both died in Todd county, Ky. He was a farmer and stone-cutter. Benj. F. lived in Todd county until nearly 21 years of age, when, in November, 1855, he came to Harmony tp., this county; attended school the first winter here; in the spring commenced working as a hired hand on a farm, at $16 or $17 a month; taught school the following two winters. September 2, 1858, he married Sarah J. Burnett, wlio ' died Feb. 22, 1863, leaving 3 children, Martha E., William H. and Joseph J., who are still living. Mr. D. lived in Macoupin county, Ill., from the time of his marriage until his wife's death. In the fall of 1863 he returned to this county and bought 50 acres on sec. 15, Harmony tp .; sold it the next year and purchased the N. W. ¿ of sec. 23, Rock Creek tp., a piece of raw prairie land. IIc immediately built a small house, 16 by 24, and also put up barns, fences, orchard, etc. January 1, 1867, he married Miss Mary F. Mil- ler, a native of Kentucky and a resident of Macoupin county at the time of marriage. Their children are: Charles E., George F., Fred- erick A., Albert G. and Clara A. In the spring of 1872 Mr. D. exchanged the last-mentioned farm for his present one, which is the
868
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
N. W. ¿ of sec. 15, this tp. He carried on the grain and commis- sion business at Ferris for several years, but at present his chief occupation is that of agriculture, the raising of live stock, etc .; pays considerable attention also to the buying and shipping of stock.
Being left a half-orphan at the age of 14, his father having died, he was early thrown upon his own resources, and he was the eldest of S children. They were obliged to rent land, and young Benjamin was virtually the head of the family until he left home. Through his exertions all the children received some education. At the age of 20 he was given time by his mother, and he imme- diately came to Illinois.
In politics, Mr. Duvall is a Democrat, and is now serving his eighth year as Supervisor; has also been Justice of the Peace four years.
Mr. Duvall's portrait is given in this book, on p. 853.
Gilbert Eurl was born in Schoharie county, N. Y., Jan. 3, 1823, and is a son of John E. and Hannah Earl, also natives of New York. They were the parents of 7 boys and 3 girls, of whom 5 boys and one girl are living. Gilbert was reared on a farm, and received a common-school education. In 1844 John E. Earl and family (except his eldest son, Stephen D.) came to this county by the following circuitous route: By boat on the Erie canal to Buffalo; thence on Lake Erie to Cleveland, Ohio; thence by the Ohio canal to Portsmouth, Ohio .; thence down the Ohio river to Cairo, and from there on the Mississippi river to Warsaw. They were three weeks and three days in accomplishing the journey. The Earl family are considerably scattered. Three are in this State, two in Minnesota, and the sister in Kansas. Mr. Earl was married in September, 1853, to Miss Arsula Thompson, by whom he had 7 children; of these but 2 are living-John and Frances. Mrs. Earl died April 10, 1863. Mr. Earl was again married April 22, 1865; this time to Miss Minerva A. Jackson, by whom he has had 4 children; of these, 3 are living-Elizabeth, Charles G. and Jane. Mr. Earl was a soldier in the Mormon war, and stood guard over some fire-arms while the Mormons were crossing the river in. their flight from Nauvoo, to prevent their being stolen by the Mormons. He took an active part in the battle of Nauvoo, and has corrected the statement that seven of the citizens were killed in this contest. He states that 13 men were wounded, and one mortally wounded; but not a man was killed ontright. Mr. Earl is a farmer by occupation, but now has his farm rented, and resides in Ferris, where he owns four houses and as many town lots. His elder brother, Stephen D., who came from New York in the fall of 1879, now resides with him in Ferris. It would be proper here to remark that when the Earl family arrived in Warsaw in 1844, the father had but $2.50 in money, and but very little if anything with which to begin keeping house.
869
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
Thomas Ellison, farmer, sec. 9; P. O., Adrian; wås born in Yorkshire, England, Nov. 18, 1830, and is a son of Matthew and Jane Ellison (deceased), who emigrated to this county in 1843, set- tling in Rock Creek tp., and was among the first who made im- provements in the tp. When the Ellison family arrived here there were four men in Rock Creek tp .; viz., Timothy T. Terry, Abraham Shaw, Richard Lambert and a Mr. Spencer. Mr. Ellison was reared on a farm, and received a cominon-school education. He was married Nov. 12, 1874, to Miss Eleanor, daughter of John Davison, of this tp. Mr. and Mrs. Ellison have one child, Ida. Mr. E. is engaged in farming and stock-raising, owning 620 acres of valuable land.
John Spicer Ewell .- Mr. Ewell, whose portrait is given on page 863, was born in Greene county, Pa., April 4, 1835. His parents' names were Thos. H. and Abigail (Phillips) Ewell, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Pennsylvania. Plesy Ewell was the father of Thos. H., and lived in Virginia. John S. Ewell's advantages in an educational way were limited; his father being a farmer, his time in the summer was employed on the farm, and he attended school only in the winter and very little at that.
In May, 1857, Mr. Ewell was married to Miss Nancy Schriver, a daughter of Abraham Schriver, of Monongahela county, Virginia. Mr. Ewell afterward took up his residence in that county and com- menced farming. On the breaking out of the war of the great Rebellion he, being an ardent Union inan, felt it to be his duty to enlist as a soldier for the defense of the nation's life. With this purpose in view, he left his family to the care of his friends and enlisted in the 14th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry in 1862; with this regiment he served three years, being one year a prisoner of war. He was with his regiment at the battles of Martinsburg, Va., Williamsport, Md., and Little Petersburg, Va., and partici- pated in the battle of " Floyd's Mountain," Va .; in this engage- ment he was shot three times: first, on the upper lip; second, on the left shoulder; and third, under the right arm. Each was made by a musket ball. None of these wounds was of a very serious nature and did not discommode him. He with 35 mnen belonging to his company were detailed to take care of the wounded on the battle- field, and while doing so were captured by Rebel cavalry under command of John Morgan. The battle occurred on May 9, 1864; and toward the last of May he and his comrades, 36 in all, found themselves inmates of Andersonville prison, Georgia. At this "prison pen " he with the others suffered untold misery from hunger, thirst, filth and disease; and saw prisoners subjected to all manner of cruelty and abuse, even in some cases shooting them in their sleep. Mr. Ewell had dwindled nearly to a skeleton, when the news of Gen. Sherman's famous march alarmed the prison authori- ties and they ordered the prisoners removed to other quarters for safer keeping. After leaving Andersonville the prisoners were " corraled " in camp at a place called " Black Shear." Mr. Ewell and a comrade succeeded in making their escape in this wise:
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
There were guards or sentries stationed all around the camp. Mr. E. and comrade approached one of the guards and requested to be allowed to step out a few feet to gather some pine knots to build a fire, as it had been raining; and the guard, being a good-natured fellow, granted the request. Not over 50 feet from the camp was a dense swamp. They commenced (as the guard doubtless thought) picking up pine knots, but in reality getting nearer the edge of the swamp; and while the guard's back was turned, on a signal from Mr. E., both jumped into the edge of the swamp, as it was down a bank and in dense bushes. They of course were out of sight, though they expected to be fired upon by the guard instantly, but were happily disappointed, and never could account for this fact, except that the guard was afraid to attract attention to the escape, as his part in allowing them to pass might be discovered. They struggled through the swamp, and that night at great risk approached a house which they found occupied by a gay party of dancers, Rebel officers; in a cellar near this house they dug out some sweet potatoes, even while people were passing in a path 15 feet away, but were not discovered. They immediately retired to the timber, built a fire and ate roasted sweet potatoes until morning. The next day or so they were given food by a negro, who also pi- loted them on their way toward the Union lines. Finally . one morning they were discovered by some citizens, when they took refuge in a swamp, which was immediately surrounded by a picket guard; but that night they crept through the guard, and when only 12 miles from the Union lines they were captured again by the Rebels. Thus it had been nearly six days since their escape; had lived on sweet potatoes all the time, and had traveled over 250 miles. After an absence of 12 days they were sent back to " Black Shear " camp, and some time afterward returned to Andersonville. April 28, 1865, Mr. Ewell was released from Andersonville, he and two others being all that were left alive of the 36 that were taken prisoners at the same time.
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