USA > Illinois > Iroquois County > History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources > Part 64
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his trade with his uncle in Boston, England. He served as an appren- tice for five and a half years. In 1857 lie sailed for America and landed in New York city. He came directly west to Indiana and located in Kosciusko county and worked at his trade. He saved sufficient money to purchase a farm, on which he remained until 1863, when he enlisted in the late civil war in the 23d Ind. Art. for three years, but, on account of disability, he was honorably discharged. He returned to Indiana, where he worked at his trade in Leesburgh and Warsaw until 1870, when he came to Watseka and commenced to work for W. P. Stephens at $18 per week. In 1872 he commenced business for himself, and since then he has been meeting with good success. To- day he owns a large, well stocked jewelry store that would be a credit to a large city. Mr. Upsall is a fine scholar in astrology, and is known as such throughout America. He is the owner of some old works on astrology, one published in 1652 and restored by William Ramsey. Mr. Upsall's father and mother, Henry and Maria (Wallhead) Upsall, are both living in England. His father's age is eighty-eight years ; his mother's seventy-six. He has one brother and one sister in Aus- tralia; one brother and two sisters in England. His brother John, who came with him to America, died a soldier, in 1863, at Cairo, Illi- nois, during the late civil war.
Alexander Gillfillan, merchant, is one of the leading business men of Watseka. He was born in Ross county, Ohio, February 12, 1850. In 1854, with his parents, he moved on a farm in Madison county, Indi- ana. Here he remained until 1870, working on the farm. From Madison county lie came to Watseka, and entered the store of Daniel Fry as clerk. He then occupied the position of clerk with C. G. Culver. In 1878 he entered the mercantile business for himself, and to-day is doing a good business, occupying a large room 20×80 feet, located next to Arnold's drug store.
Z. Hockett, tile and flower-pot manufacturer, Watseka, was born in Clinton county, Ohio, in 1820. His first experience in the manufac- ture of tile began in his native county, where he made the first ever manufactured in Clinton county. When he first began business his tile factory was the only one in the county, but after remaining in busi- ness for seven years there were fourteen there. In 1871 Mr. Hockett came to Iroquois county and located in Ash Grove, where lie com- menced the drug business, which he followed until 1875, when he came to Middleport. In 1875 lie commenced his present business. He has one tile machine of the latest pattern, patented by his brother, A. Hockett. The factory has one kiln, size 13×16. The drying-shed is 132×22. The dirt is near the factory in abundance, and of a
8
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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.
superior quality. He receives orders from the immediate vicinity, and ships quite an amount. He makes all the standard sizes, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Mr. Hockett is also engaged very extensively in manufacturing flower- pots. This firm is Z. Hockett & Son, and their flower-pots are pro- nounced the best quality in the market. They get their clay from the Iroquois river and cart it to their factory, where it is well mixed, and then molded into pots of from one and a half to seventeen inches inside. These goods are of a bright cream color, and are easily disposed of in the leading markets, Bloomington, La Fayette, Indianapolis and Terre Haute, their orders amounting to as high as 10,000 flower-pots at a time. Mr. Z. Hockett was alderman from his district one term. He married Lucinda Bundy, of Ohio, and they have nine children. Mr. Hockett has three sons working in the factory. He had one son in the late war, Lewis, who enlisted in the 79th Ohio, and did good service for three years and was honorably mustered out.
Held Bros., butchers, Watseka, own one of the neatest, best arranged and most attractive meat-markets in Iroquois county. They are prac- tical butchers of life-long experience, and have the reputation of exposing for sale the finest quality of all kinds of meats, through which, and their fairness of prices and strict probity in business trans- actions, they have secured there a paying trade. They have for their use a large ice-box, which cost them $300, for the storing of their meats. John Held was born in Germany, April 11, 1844. Lewis Held was born in Germany, March 30, 1850. They emigrated to America and landed in New York city in 1865, and came direct to Illinois and located in Chicago; here they were engaged in the butcher business and remained until 1871, when they came to Watseka, where they have been engaged ever since in the butcher business, and to-day are the oldest butchers doing business in Watseka. Their parents are Chris. and Mary Margaret Held, bothı natives of Germany.
· John Fagan, Watseka, is the pioneer harness-maker of Iroquois county. He was born March 29, 1822, in Greene county, Ohio. He commenced to learn the trade of a harness-maker when fourteen years of age, in Xenia, Ohio, where he served an apprenticeship of six years. He worked at his trade in Xenia until 1847, when he went to La Fayette, Indiana, where he worked at his trade, and remained there until 1848, when he returned to Xenia. He then went to Williamsport, then to Attica, and subsequently to Danville, Illinois, where he worked at his trade until 1849. He then came to Middleport, Iroquois county, and commenced the harness business, being the first harness-maker to establish in business in Iroquois county. At Middleport and Watseka he has been engaged in business ever since,
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MIDDLEPORT AND BELMONT TOWNSHIPS.
with the exceptions of 1868, 1869 and 1870, when he was in business in Champaign county, Illinois. In 1877 he moved to his present stand, which is located on the corner next to the First National Bank build- ing. When Mr. Fagan first commenced business in Middleport his customers came from far and wide. He did work for people as far away as Joliet, Will county, and also in neighboring counties. Mr. Fagan was married in Middleport, in 1852, to Miss Caroline Hogle, of Vermont, and they have two children.
W. A. Mott, confectioner and restaurant-keeper, Watseka, was born in Kankakee county, Illinois, June 4, 1851, and is the son of Gardner Mott, who was born in Canada, and at an early day moved to Illinois, where he was engaged at the carpenter's trade. He came to Kankakee city and helped to build the first frame house in that place. In Kan- kakee city the subject of this sketch remained a short time, and then, with his parents, moved to Momence, where his mother died when he was about three years of age. From Momence he went to Champaign county, where he remained until he was about ten years of age, when he went to Berrien county, Michigan. He returned to Momence, and in 1871 he came to Watseka, where he entered Doyle's wagon-shop and learned the painter's trade. This he followed until 1875, when he embarked in the mercantile business. Mr. Mott was married, in 1878, to Miss Mary Weston, of England, who came to America when very young.
T. B. Harris, state's attorney, Watseka, was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, February 28, 1844, and is the son of Sidney W. and Mary (Bronson) Harris. His mother was born in Ohio, and his father in Vermont. Sidney Harris was a lawyer, who graduated from the Cin- cinnati Law School. He practiced law at Cincinnati, and in 1855, with his family, moved to Illinois and located in Morris, Grundy county. He became one of the leading attorneys of that vicinity. He was elected judge of the then eleventh judicial circuit, which office he held about five years. He died in Morris, September, 1876, at sixty-one years of age. Mr. Harris, the subject of this sketch, in 1855, came west with his parents, to Morris, Illinois. In August, 1862, during the late civil war, Mr. Harris enlisted in Co. D, 91st Ill. Vol. Inf. He was immediately appointed sergeant-major, which position he filled nntil December 5, 1864, when he was made adjutant of the 91st, in which he served until July, 1865. Mr. Harris participated in several severe engagements : at the siege and capture of Mobile; in the capture of the Blakeley batteries-this was the last battle fought during the war. Lee surrendered his army April 9, at ten o'clock. The battle at the capture of the Blakeley batteries was fought the same day, which was,
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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.
perhaps, the most severe fought battle of the war. It lasted ten min- utes, and during that time the Union forces lost 600 men. They cap- tured 3,000 prisoners, the Blakeley batteries and the city of Mobile. Mr. Harris was captured by the notorious guerilla, John Morgan, and remained a paroled prisoner about five months. He was finally exchanged at the close of the war. Mr. Harris returned to Morris, where he began the study of law with his father. He was a student in the Wayland University, of Michigan. In 1867 he was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of law at Morris, where he remained until 1872, at which date he came to Watseka, where he has been engaged in the practice of law ever since, and to-day he ranks among the leading attorneys of the Iroquois county bar. In 1876 he was elected by the democrats and greenbackers to the office of state's attor- ney of Iroquois county. He was elected by 75 majority, being the only one elected on that ticket. In this office Mr. Harris is giving entire satisfaction. He is a democrat in politics. He was married, in 1868, to Miss Hettie L. Roseman, of Ohio, and they have two children.
Free P. Morris, attorney-at-law, Watseka, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 19, 1853, and is the son of Charles and Sarah (Thomas) Morris, both natives of the Keystone State. Mr. Morris' father was engaged in the coal business in Pennsylvania, and in 1863 came west with his family and located in Cook county, Illinois. From there he moved to Chicago, thence to Iroquois, Iroquois county. Mr. Free P. Morris came west with his parents to Cook county, Illinois, and at the Northwestern University at Evanston he received his prin- cipal education. He graduated from that school in 1872, having attended a course of law lectures while a student there. He then went to Chicago and began the reading of law in the office of T. S. McClel- land, Esq., a prominent attorney of the Cook county bar. In 1874 Mr. Morris was admitted to practice law at the Illinois state bar. He then came to Watseka and began the practice of law, where he has remained ever since. Mr. Morris is a democrat in politics.
Dr. D. E. Sabin, druggist, Woodland, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, near Zanesville, in 1834. He came west to Illinois in 1856, and began the drug business in Piper city, where he remained for a number of years, doing a leading business in the drug line. In Feb- ruary, 1877, Dr. Sabin came to Woodland and purchased the drug store of Brown & Endicott, which business he is now carrying on, owning one of the neatest and best stocks of drugs in the vicinity. Dr. Sabin commenced the practice of medicine in 1867, and attended lecture courses at the Eclectic College of Cincinnati, Ohio.
J. S. Near, physician, Watseka, was born near Chambersburg,
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MILFORD TOWNSHIP.
Pennsylvania, March 16, 1848, and is the son of Robert E. Near, a cabinet-maker by trade, but now engaged in farming in Lee county, Illinois. When three years of age, Dr. Near came to Ohio and received his principal education at Akron Seminary. In 1865 he came to Illinois, and located in Joliet, and began the study of medicine in 1871 under Dr. C. W. Williams, a leading physician of Joliet. In 1876 he graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago, one of the leading medical colleges of the Northwest. Dr. Near began practice at Joliet, and from there he went to Frankfort Station, where he remained until 1878, and then came to Watseka, where he is meet- ing with good success in the practice of medicine.
Hockett Brothers, furniture dealers, Watseka, have been in business in Watseka, since November, 1878, during which time they have exhibited an amount of caution and care in their business transactions, that to-day they rank among the solid men of Watseka. Their store is located on the main business street, and has a front of twenty-five feet and a depth of about fifty-five feet. Their salesrooms are nicely arranged, and in them are goods to suit all tastes and purses. These gentlemen buy their furniture mostly in the white; they buy from the best manufacturers in the country, and goods can be bought from them as cheap as in large cities. The firm of Hockett Brothers is composed of L. C. Hockett, who was born in Clinton county, Ohio, August 13, 1846. He has had a number of years' experience in the furniture business in Ohio. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. F, 88th Ohio Vol. Inf., as corporal, and served until the close of the late war. He participated in the battles of Dutch Gap and the siege of Richmond, Virginia. He was a brave soldier and did good duty, and was honorably mustered out in 1865. J. B. Hockett was also born in Clinton county, Ohio.
MILFORD TOWNSHIP.
Milford, meaning Ford-at-the-mill, is one of the oldest settled town- ships in Iroquois county. For this reason its settlement is historically interesting. At the time of its settlement it formed a part of Ver- milion county, and was the only settlement, except Bunkum (now Iroquois), between North Fork and Chicago.
Milford is situated in the southeastern part of Iroquois county, and is bounded on the north by Belmont, on the east by Stockland, on the south by Lovejoy, and on the west by Ash Grove. It is described in the original survey as town 25 north, range 12 west of the 2d prin- cipal meridian. The north tier 'of sections in this township is each
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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.
about two and a half miles long. Owing to the bungling manner in which the first survey was made, many irregularities occur in the sec- tion lines of this and adjoining townships. On the south side a dis- crepancy of about fifty-seven steps exists between the section lines of townships 24 and 25. These irregularities in Iroquois county are found principally south of the north line of the tier of townships numbered 25. So irremediable were these blunders, and to prevent their continuation, an arbitrary line was established, constituting the north line of this tier of townships, and forming a new base line from whence the surveys to the north were measured. The strip of land south of this line was included in the north tier of sections, hence their unusual length, the northeast and northwest quarters being respectively divided into eight lots of about eighty acres eaclı, and numbered accordingly.
The earliest settlement in Milford, of which any account can be obtained, was made in the timber on the banks of Sugar creek, in the spring of 1830. Some traces of an earlier settlement were found, but by whom made, or at what time, it is impossible to ascertain. Indeed, some of the information given by the few old settlers still living is somewhat obscure and uncertain, but it is believed that the statements here given can be relied upon as generally correct.
Early in the year 1830, Samuel Rush, Robert Hill and Elisha Miles emigrated from Indiana and settled upon land in the northern part of the township. Mr. Rush, indeed, claimed that he was the first white settler, and it is said that he was here in the fall of 1829. How- ever this may be, it is nearly certain that these families came into the town at nearly the same time. Mr. Rush settled on the west side of the creek, in section 4; Hill established himself on the east side, in section 3, and Miles located in the same belt of timber, not far from Hill. During this year other settlers moved into the township. Daniel Barbee settled on what was afterward called Barbee's Run, near where Henry Fanning now lives. Two others are mentioned : Thomas J. Mountz and Joseph Cox. These settlers, however, together with Miles and Hill, did not remain many years, but sold their claims to others who came into the county, of whom mention will presently be made. James Singleton, an Indian trader and trapper, an unmarried man of a taciturn disposition, is mentioned as living with the Indians in this township when the first permanent settlers came; but he, together with Abram Miller and Joseph Reading, departed in a year or two, and no trace of them remains.
In the fall of 1830 a large accession was made to the population by the coming of the Stanleys fron Clinton county, Ohio. Anthony
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MILFORD TOWNSHIP.
Stanley, the father, entered a claim and built a cabin on the north- west quarter of the northeast quarter of section 15, on the east side of a spring branch. William Stanley, who was married, made a claim on the southwest part of section 10, near the bank of Sugar creek, and erected a log house, but deeming the location to be an unhealthy one, sold out his claim to William Cox, who arrived the next spring. He then took up a claim covering a portion of the ground where the village now stands, and built a cabin just south of the present school- house. John Stanley, another married son, located some distance west of his father's place and also commenced opening a farm. It must be remembered that the land in this township was not yet subject to entry. The unmarried children of Anthony Stanley were Micajah, Isaac, Elizabeth and Rebecca. Micajah was married some time later, and built a cabin on a hillock west of his father's house, on the place now occupied by Jolin Hollander. Rebecca married John Gray, a son of William Gray, who in 1833 built a cabin on section 14, just east of Milford village; John Gray opened a farm on the northeast quarter of section 24. Elizabeth married a Mr. Chamberlain, who located on section 23. Isaac did not live many years after coming into the town- ship. With the Stanleys came William Pickerel, who located on the . north side of the creek, near where the mill now stands; he was a blacksmitlı, and his shop stood near the spot now occupied by Wing- field Cooper's stable. Reuben Gardner at the same time settled' on the south side of the creek. All these settlers were Quakers. Single- ton and Reading, before mentioned, had built a cabin on the north side of the creek, southwest of Stanley's house. Miller also built a cabin on the south side. The parents of Singleton, an aged and infirm couple, lived in his cabin in 1831; no one seemed to know anything about them.
In the spring of 1831 other settlers began to arrive. Many of these were from Ohio and Indiana. Prominent among theni were Asa Thomas and family, William Thomas, and William and Lemuel Johns. Mr. Thomas was a native of Maryland. He had at an early age removed to Kentucky, where he learned the trade of brick and stone mason. He afterward came to Ohio. Here he married and remained several years. Mr. Thomas and his brother William both served in the war of 1812, and were at Hull's surrender. In the spring of 1830 they moved to Indiana and raised a crop of corn. In the winter following the two brothers, Asa and William, together with the Johns brothers, came to Milford and built two log cabins on section 14. Returning to their families, they all made preparations to mnove, which was accom- plislied with ox-teams in the spring of 1831. Asa Thomas had a
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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.
numerous family of children. He remained on this claim for nearly two years, and when the land came into market he was "entered out " by an " enterprising settler." He then removed south of Sngar creek, and located on the Mud, a tributary of Sugar creek. It may seem strange that none of the early settlers located on the prairie, but at that time it was believed that the prairie was unfit for cultivation. This opinion was, however, soon exploded, and large tracts of prairie land were entered. Lemuel and William Johns settled further up the creek, near the east side of section 14. Here Mrs. Johns discovered an excel- lent spring. This is now known as the " Cleaver Place." They came from Adams county, Ohio. William Johns broke and fenced 80 acres, and then sold to Nathan Cleaver. He next entered a tract of 120 acres of timber in section 4, which was afterward sold to Col. Thomas Vennum. Both the brothers afterward moved into Belmont, where Lemuel died. Mention is also made of John and Hiram Miles as well as of several others, who came during this year; but no reliable infor- mation can be obtained regarding them, and it is presumed that they remained but a short time and then, anticipating Horace Greeley's advice, " went west."
Anotlier actor in this work of pioneering was Chancey Webster. Mr. Webster located in the edge of the timber, north of Johns, on land now owned by Elijah Bunnell. He afterward settled on lot 5 in the N.E. ¿ of Sec. 4. Here he constructed a damn in the bend of the creek, and erected a small saw and grist mill which was soon after burnt. His daughter married Richard Scott. Mr. Webster was a zeal- ous Methodist, and occasionally preached. He was among the earliest to interest himself in the religious work of the community. Other settlers are also deserving of notice. Among them were Samuel McFall and a Mrs. Parker. McFall sold 200 acres of land in 1842 to Richard Scott, who still occupies the same. Mrs. Parker came from Indiana with her children, her husband being dead, and settled on land to the west of McFall and nearer the creek. She seems to have been a woman of great energy and business capacity, for to farming she added the business of dealing in live-stock. She it was who, on hearing the report of hostile Indians, sent her son to warn the settlers living above her along Sugar creek. .
The period between the years 1831 and 1833 was indeed one of peculiar trial and hardship to the settlers. The country swarmed with Indians, who, although quite friendly and generally peaceable, were often too socially inclined, and constantly begging or wanting to barter for sugar, meat, flour or meal, supplies with which the settlers at the best were scantily provided. Besides, their uncouth manners and for-
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MILFORD TOWNSHIP.
bidding appearance were calculated to keep np a constant state of appre- hension. No wonder, then, that when, in 1832, during the Indian war, an alarm was raised that the Sauk Indians were actually advanc- ing southiward from the Fox river, murdering all within their reach, the settlers were ready to take counsel of their fears and fly before an imaginary foe. One or two families on Fox river had actually been murdered, and two girls carried into captivity. The accounts given of the canse of this famous "scare" are somewhat conflicting, yet the fact remains that to the settlers, in their unprotected condition, it was a " fearful reality." The time is not clearly indicated, but it was evi- dently about " planting time" in the year 1832, and in the latter part of the day, when the report spread with wonderful rapidity along Sugar creek : "The Indians! The Indians ! Fly for your lives !" At the Thomas settlement it was added : "They have killed everybody north of us." The Stanleys were planting corn in a field where now is the village. The Thomases were also at work distant from their house. Mrs. Stanley was at home, and on hearing the report from Mrs. Parker's son, immediately started for the field to notify the others. William Stanley had just driven his team to his house (south of the present school-house). Hastily throwing some blankets and provisions into the wagon, Mr. Stanley, with the women and children, immediately started for Walnut Grove, driving the entire night and reaching the grove by morning. Micajah and Isaac returned from the field to their home, and, turning loose the stock, Micajalı mounted a horse and puslied after the fugitives, Isaac going up to Pickerel's house. The Stanleys had better means for flight than most of the others. The Thomases, with others, started for Parrish Grove, which they also reached by morning. In this company there was but one horse, and this Mrs. Thomas, who was a corpulent woman, was obliged to ride; the others were obliged to walk. There were no roads, and these weary fugitives could only guess at their route. All through the night the shouts and cries of the frightened people from the different settlements could be heard, as they made their way across the trackless prairie amid the gloom and darkness. It was indeed a dreadful night; women and children, young and old, most of them on foot, with insufficient cloth- ing, hurrying from what they believed to be a dreadful fate. Those who were young then are old now, yet the memory of that fearful night can never be effaced from their minds. Of course the alarm was a false one, and many a laugh is indulged as the scenes of the flight are vividly recalled. The settlers soon returned, but to many the con- sequences were serious, and doubtless some never entirely recovered from the fright. There were two families who did not leave-Miles
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