History of Logan County, Illinois, Part 50

Author: Inter-State Publishing Co.
Publication date: 1886
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 989

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536 HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

mon County, Illinois. The first land that Mr. Clark owned was a quarter-section where he now lives. He pre-empted his land in 1837, and purchased it from the Government when it came into the market. In 1838 Mr. Clark married, in what was then Macon County, but is now a part of De Witt County, Illinois, Eliza Lowry, born in. Kentucky, April 7, 1815, coming to Illinois with her parents when a young woman. In 1836 Mr. Clark put up his first residence, a frame house, southwest of his present residence, but on the same quarter-section. His brother-in-law, R. W. Clark, settled two or three years later on section 33, where he purchased a saw-mill and a grist-mill in company with Dr. John Clark, his brother, and David Clark, his father. John W. Clark, the father of our subject, and his wife, came here in 1837, and settled on a part of Daniel Clark's land. Here they resided till their de- cease, the father dying in March, 1859, in his eighty-second year, the wife surviving her husband for several years. But few are now living in Logan County whose coming dates back to 1832, and Mr. Clark has seen this county, then in a state of wildness, become one of the most prosperous counties in the State. His wife ac- companied him in the journey of life till September 15, 1858, when she passed away. Of the five children born to them only two are now living-Michael, now at the homestead, and William, living in Bates County, Missouri. Mary, the eldest child, died in her nineteenth year; Cecelia died at the age of about two years,. and Catherine died aged seven years. Mr. Clark was a Whig in poli- tics till 1856, and ever since has voted the Republican ticket. It is worth recording that he has voted at every presidential election since 1836. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church since before 'his marriage, as was his wife. Michael Clark, the eldest son, was born at the homestead in 1841. He enlisted in August, 1861, in the Thirty-second Illinois Infantry, and served four years and three months, remaining in the service some time after the war was over. He took part at Shiloh, siege of Corinth, siege of Vicksburg and battle of Hatchie River, was in the Atlanta and Chattanooga campaigns, and marched with Sherman to the sea. After the war the brigade went west to Fort Kearney, serv- ing till September, 1865. He was married to Sarah Sheridan, by whom he has had four children, only two of whom are living- Asa, the second child, and Minnie, the youngest. Eliza died at about the age of one year, and Benjamin aged thirteen months.

William Donnan was born December 25, 1797, in what was

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then called Ross, but is now Pike County, Ohio. His father, Peter Donnan, a native of Scotland, came to America when a young man, settling in Virginia, where he was married to Sidney McNeal, a native of that State. He then removed to Ohio, and was one of the pioneers of Ross County, serving for many years as county surveyor. He resided in Ohio till his decease. Of the eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Peter Donnan, there are now living-Juliet, who married Samuel Keys, is now a widow, aged ninety years, and lives with her brother William, our subject ; William is the second one in age, now living; Benjamin resides in Williamsville, Sangamon County. William Donnan married Priscilla Moore, a native of North Carolina. In 1836 he, with his wife and four children, came to Logan County. After living one year in Elkhart Township, raising one crop on the farm now owned by Mrs. Lawrence, he settled in Etna Township, and entered and bought a large amount of land. Here he has lived for nearly fifty years, being not only one of the oldest settlers of Ætna Township, but also the oldest man. There were still some Indians here at the time of his settlement, and game was abundant. He has seen Logan County advance from a state of wildness to be one of the most flourishing counties in Illinois. His farm now comprises 540 acres. Mr. Donnan has five living children-Peter, a resident of Sangamon County ; Alexander, living in this township; John, born in 1832, is unmarried, and lives on the homestead with his parents; Benjamin, residing in this township; and Sarah E., wife of William Williams.

Andrew M. Duff (deceased) settled on section 6, where his fam- ily now live, in 1854. He was born in Sangamon County, Illinois, in 1830, where he lived till about twenty-six years of age, when he came to Logan County. His father, Ebenezer Duff, a well- known early settler of Ætna Township, came to Logan County in 1856, settling in Ætna Township. It was soon after that date that Andrew M. Duff purchased a part of the farm now occupied by his family. His first land purchase was from the Government. Ebenezer Duff had five sons, all of whom settled in this vicinity, which is therefore known as the Duft settlement. Andrew M. Duff was married in 1860 to Miss Belle Johnson, born in Monroe County, West Virginia, in 1841. She came to Illinois with her parents, Jacob and Jennie Johnson, when she was fourteen years of age. The family settled in McLean County, near Bloomington, where Mrs. Duff grew to womanhood and where she was married.

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538 HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

Here her parents resided until their death. In 1881 Mr. Duff was stricken down with that dreaded disease, small-pox, and died De- cember 14 of that year. He was a man of sterling qualities, highly respected in the community in which he lived. He was a public- spirited, Christian gentleman, contributing freely of his money and influence in the promotion of the public good. His contribution to the building of Harmony Methodist Episcopal Church, of his township, was $500. He was not connected with any church. Politically he was a Republican. He was a successful business man and increased his original quarter-section to 480 acres of val- uable land. At his death he left a wife and ten children, all of whom are living except Gertie M., the youngest child. The chil- dren, most of whom reside on the homestead with their mother, are Mrs. Marietta Pritchett ; James W., who married Miss Edith Pegram; John J., who married Miss Alice Bever; Ella, Leonard A., Elmer D., Andrew E., Bertie and Carrie I.

Richard and John Farris reside on the northeast quarter of section 2. They settled on their farm which contains 173 acres of land, now all under cultivation, in April, 1857. This was for- mally railroad land, and no improvements had been made on it when it was purchased by Mr. Farris. They have about 450 rods of tiling on the farm. Their first house on the place was frame, and was built early in 1857. They erected their present commo- dious residence in the spring of 1881. They are engaged in gen- eral farming and stock raising. Richard Farris was born in Flem- ing County, Kentucky, in 1818, and John was born in the same county in 1833. Their parents, Thomas and Esther (Hultz) Farris, removed with their family to Marion County, Indiana, in 1836, where the father died. The family consisted of five sons and three daughters. The first of the family to come to Logan County was Mrs. Elizabeth Bayly, wife of John Bayly, now residents of Kansas. Richard and John came in 1854, accompanied by their mother, who died at their home in 1857. Richard Farris is un- married. John Farris has been twice married, his first wife being Mary Alice Foley, who died in 1870. By her he had five children, three of whom are living -- Fannie, Franklin and Alice. Those deceased are-Annie and Willie. His present wife was Louisa Harrold, born in De Witt County in 1840, daughter of Isam and Mary Ann (Lisenby) Harrold, the former born in North Carolina, and the latter in Kentucky. They were early settlers of De Witt County, where they are still living. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs.

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Farris has been blessed with four children-Mary, Richard, Norton and Nora.

Eli Fletcher, son of Zachariah Fletcher, was born in Ætna Township, December 2, 1836, being one of the first now living who was born in this township. He has always lived on the home- stead, situated on section 30, AEtna Township, which his father claimed in 1834. He owns eighty acres of the original homestead. He has been twice married. His first wife, Jemima Bradley, died in 1858. His present wife was Naomi C. Hershey. By his first wife he had one son-Lafayette, and by his present wife he has two children-Emma and Arthur.

Eli Fletcher (deceased) was born in Madison County, Ken- tucky, in 1800. His father dying when he was a child, he was reared in the family of William White in what is now Trimble County, but then was part of Carroll County, Kentucky. In 1828 he married Marion Mckay, born Feb- ruary 19, 1808, in Shenandoah County, Virginia. At the age of five years she removed with her parents to Jefferson County, Indiana, where she was married. Shortly after marriage Mr. Eli Fletcher came to Logan County for the purpose of selecting land for a homestead, coming all the way from Kentucky on horse- back and alone. He made a location on sections 30 and 29, Ætna Township, and returned to Kentucky, becoming a permanent settler of Logan County the following year. His first land was a quarter-section on section 30. This was the claim of a man named Brady, which be purchased. He afterward increased his quarter- section to about 900 acres. The first winter that Mr. Fletcher and his wife passed here was in a small, unfinished cabin that had been begun by Brady, but not completed, as he agreed to have done, before Mr. Fletcher should arrive with his wife. They managed to pass the winter quite comfortably, but were compelled to do much of their cooking, during the winter, in a skillet, over a fire built between two logs, on the outside of their cabin. This cabin is still standing. In 1830 he erected a comfortable hewed log house, which his family occupied until 1876, when it was burned. Mr. Fletcher died early in 1858, his wife surviving till January 16, 1878. Politically Mr. Fletcher was a Democrat of the Jackson school, and possessed much influence in the councils of his party in the early days. In religious faith he was a Methodist. Of the nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher six grew to maturity and five are now living-Mrs. Ann E. Alexander, Moses H., Mar- 34

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tin V., now living in Barton County, Mo .; Mrs. Mary O'Connor, of Chester Township; Mrs. Sarah Randolph, wife of J. S. Ran- dolph, of Lincoln. Moses H. resides on and owns a part of the claim that his father bought of Brady. He was born at the home- stead, February 22, 1833, and has always lived in Chester and Etna townships. Mr. Moses H. Fletcher has been twice married. His first wife, Nancy E. Warrick, whom he married August 1, 1861, was born in Broadwell Township, Logan County, July 6, 1842, and died December 22, 1879. His second and present wife was Miss Fannie Rockhill, a daughter of William and Elizabeth Rockhill. Mrs. Fletcher was born in Lexington, Kentucky, but, when a child removed with her parents to St. Joseph County, In- diana, where the latter lived till their decease. By his first mar- riage Mr. Fletcher has two daughters-Ophelia, wife of John M. Jackson, of York County, Nebraska, and Ella.

Thomas C. Fletcher is a son of Zachariah and Margaret (Camp- bell) Fletcher, pioneers of 1834. Zachariah Fletcher was a native of Kentucky, where he was reared, married and lived until 1834, when he came to Illinois with his family, consisting of his wife and five children, one son and four daughters. The eldest, Martha, married Joseph Teft, and died many years ago; the second is Thomas C., our subject; Nancy married William Powell and died after the decease of Martha; Margaret married William Powell, after the death of her sister, and is now living in Clay County, Nebraska; Sarah was an infant at the time of the removal to Illi- nois. She grew to womanhood, married John Troud, and died about 1854. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher after coming to Logan County-Eli, who resides in this township, and Adeline, wife of James Ogden, a resident of Chestnut, in this township. Zachariah Fletcher settled on Government land on section 30, in Atna Township, but only lived three years. The mother survived until July, 1880, when she died, aged eighty-two years. The father, although he lived but a short time after com- ing to Logan County, made a beginning, which his wife, assisted by Thomas C., completed. Mrs. Fletcher was a woman of great energy, and always possessed good health till near the close of her long life. Thomas C. was born in Madison County, Kentucky, in 1823, and was in his twelfth year when his parents moved to this county. He being the only son at that time, much of the labor and responsibility of rearing the younger children and mak- ing a home devolved upon him. He resided at the homestead

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until his marriage, which took place in 1851. His wife was for- merly Mary Downing, a daughter of James Downing, and was born in Chester Township, April 22,11828. Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher have ten children-Edley L. and Edwin O., twins; Francis E., Zachariah J., Louisa J. (wife of Henry H. Easly), Albert E., Wil- lie C., John E., Addie L. and Alpheus Clark. Mr. Fletcher's farm contains 400 acres.

George Harcourt resides on section 34, where he settled in 1859. He owns a pleasant home and eighty acres of land, where he resides, also owning another farm in Laenna Township, besides timber land. Mr. Harcourt was born in 1827, in Rush County, In- diana, reared in Marion County, Indiana, and married in Howard County, Indiana. Mrs. Caroline M. Harcourt, the wife of the sub- ject of this sketch, was born in West Virginia in 1835, and removed with her parents to Ohio., She was visiting friends in Kokomo, Indiana, at the time of her marriage (1851) to Mr. Harcourt. The latter's parents, John and Mary Harcourt, were natives of Ken- tucky, who removed to Indiana, where they resided till their de- cease. Mr. Harcourt has always been engaged in agricultural pursuits. Politically his sympathies are with the Republican party. Mr. and Mrs. Harcourt have had five children, four of whom are living-Louvisa, at home; Frank B., surveyor and land agent, in Trenton, Hitchcock County, Nebraska; Laura, wife of John H. Lord, telegraph operator at Springfield, Illinois, and Still- well, piano and organ tuner, now a resident of Chicago. Clara, the youngest child, died at the age of six years. John M., a brother of the subject of this sketch, also two sisters, came to Logan County before our subject. John M. and one of the sis- ters are now living in Cowley County, Kansas, and the other sister is deceased. Mrs. Mary Jane Harcourt, the wife of A. Q. Harcourt, of this township, is a sister of Mrs. George Harcourt. A. Q. Harcourt is a nephew of G. W. Harcourt, and came here in 1854.

William Johnston, one of the most prominent farmers and stock-raisers of Logan County, resides on section 7, Atna Town- ship, where he has lived since 1859. He owns 1,200 acres of valuable land, all but eighty acres being in this township. He has some of the finest grades of stock, keeping from .300 to 400 head all the time, and selling about 100 head annually. Mr. Johnston was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, in October, 1831, a son of John and Catherine (Breene) Johnston. He was

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542 HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

the first of the family to come to America, leaving his home in 1856, and landing in Pike County, Illinois, in November of the same year. He was almost entirely without money when he reached Illinois, and was glad to obtain employment at grubbing at $10 an acre. He was subsequently employed as a farm hand at $10 a month. With the first money he earned he bought a yoke of steers, making his own yoke from a walnut tree he chopped down. He then broke twenty acres of land, and sowed it to wheat on shares, which he harvested with a cradle, realizing well on the crop. In 1859 he came to Logan County, in company with the Armstrong family, and his first land purchase was 160 acres, which is a part of his present farm, for which he paid $1,600. After breaking his land and sowing it to wheat, he sold half of it for what he gave for the whole. From that time he has been success- ful, and at one time owned 1,600 acres of land, 400 of which he has given his children. Mr. Johnston is a worthy representative of the hardy sons of the north of Ireland, many of whom became residents of Logan County, generally coming with no capital; but their characteristic industry, economy and honesty have won the prize, as is indicated by their fine cultivated fields and their large herds of cattle and swine. Mr. Johnston was married in Pike County, in 1857, to Rosanna, daughter of James Armstrong. She died in the fall of 1865. But one of their four children is living -Margaret, wife of Andrew Armstrong, of Chester Township. Two died in childhood, and one son, John James, was drowned in Southwest Missouri, February 11, 1884. He was born in Ætna Township, February 6, 1861, and married Margaret, daughter of Frances Keys. He had gone to Missouri with the intention of locating, his wife following him a week later. While crossing Muddy Creek, which had become swollen by the recent rains, he was swept away and drowned. His wife knew nothing of her loss till she reached Missonri, when she found they were searching for his remains, which were soon after recovered. She returned with her little daughter Rosa to Logan County, and now makes her home at her father's house. In June, 1866, Mr. Johnston mar- ried Margaret, daughter of Alexander and Isabella Irvine. The mother is deceased, and the father now makes his home with Mrs. Johnston. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston have had nine children, of whom eight are living-William A., Catherine J., Thomas H., Isabella I., George, May, Susan A. and Sarah E. Their youngest died in infancy. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

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J. Michener is a native of Ohio, having been born in Clinton County, that State, in December, 1837. His father, Joseph Michener, came from Ohio to Macon County, Illinois, in the spring of 1857, where he died the following year. He was a native of Pennsylvania. Our subject was reared to the occupation of farm- ing. He has been a resident of Etna Township since the fall of 1872, and is the grain-dealer at Chestnut, owning the only elevator at that place. Not only was he the first grain-dealer at this point, but he has been continually in the business since he first began. This is a very important grain point, and Mr. Michener does a good business, his average being about 300 cars per year. In political principles he is a Republican. Mrs. Michener was for- merly Miss Martha Whitaker, a daughter of Bland B. Whitaker. They have one daughter-Narcissus E., wife of Isaac Wolcott.

Robert Parks resides on the northwest quarter of section 3, Ætna Township, where he settled in 1867, buying at that time 175 acres, which he has since increased to 295 acres. He also owns town property in Beason. No improvements had been made when Mr. Parks purchased his farm, but it is now under cultivation. He has two dwellings on the place; one, which he occupies him- self, he began to build when he first settled on the farm, but has enlarged and improved, till now it is one of the best houses in the township. He has done a large amount of tiling. He has an iron turbine windmill, which operates a mill for shelling and grinding corn and pumping water. Mr. Parks had a few thousand dollars to start with which he has increased by good management. In 1885 he embarked in the grain business in Beason where he is now meeting with good success. He was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, June 14, 1845. When he was but four years of age his parents, Robert and Mary Ann (Lyttle) Parks, with their family of nine children, came to America, settling in Pike County, Illinois. The family are all living now except the mother and one son, Francis F. The latter was killed by lightning in Pike County, at the age of eighteen years. The first of the family to come to Lo- gan County was James Parks, an elder brother of our subject. He settled on section 9, Etna Township, on a farm of 160 acres, which he afterward increased to 240 acres. He now lives in But- ler County, Kansas, where he owns 840 acres of land. He was a sol- dier in the war of the Rebellion, being a fifer in Company D, One Hundred and Sixth Illinois Infantry, Robert Parks, Jr., was mar- ried to Margaret Keys, born in Pike County, Illinois. They have

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544 HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

eight children-Minnie O., Lyda E., Amos F., Pearl, James H., Robert Lee, Maggie May and Roy. Robert Parks, Sr., and wife, came to Logan County at the same time as their son Robert, with whom they lived for fourteen years, when they went to Kansas to reside with a daughter, Mrs. Martha Slusser, where the mother died January 15, 1885. Mr. Slusser is a merchant at Benton, But- ler County, that State. The children of Robert Parks, Sr., are residents of different States, but two being residents of Logan County.

Stephen F. Safly resides on section 12, on a farm of 160 acres. He has eighty acres of timber and sixty acres of farm land on section 18, besides having land elsewhere, owning over 400 acres in Atna Township. Mr. Safly was born in Champaign County, Ohio, November 16, 1820, and when but a child his parents, Adam and Melinda (Ferrel) Safly, natives of Virginia, removed to San- gamon County, Illinois. They were among the pioneers of San- gamon County, and there the parents resided until their death. They had eleven children, all except one son living to maturity. Three of the daughters are now deceased. Stephen F. was the eldest child and was reared on the homestead. He was married near Springfield, April 6, 1849, to Nancy Prunk, born in Ohio in 1821. Her parents, John and Nancy (Smith) Prunk, natives of Virginia, removed to Clark County, Ohio, and from there to San- gamon County, Illinois, where they owned and lived on a farm near Rochester till their decease. They had eight children, all but one son living to be men and women. Mr. Safly continued living on the homestead after his marriage until January, 1853, when he came with his family to Etna Township. The first land he bought here and the first land he ever owned was a part of his present farm. But little imrovement had been made when he purchased the place; a small log cabin and log stable had been built, and Mr. Safly with his family occupied the log cabin for eight years before he felt able to build his present fine residence, which cost about $1,200. His other improvements in the way of buildings are good. Mr. Safly, like most of the early settlers, had but little means when he came here, having just money enough to purchase his first land, 126 acres, at $9.50 per acre. He now has a fine productive farm, well improved. Politically Mr. Safly is a Republican and in early life was a Whig. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Beason. Five sons and three daughters have been born to Mr. and Mrs.

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Safly; four sons and one daughter are now living-Mary J. Can- non, residing in Atna Township; John M. and Adam R., both residents of this township; William and Charles, at home. The deceased children died in infancy.

Thomas F. Whitaker resides at the homestead where his father, Bland B. Whitaker, settled in 1850. He was born in Chester Township, Logan County, December 1, 1837, and has always lived in this county, with the exception of two years spent in Macon County. He married Luzetta Taylor, born in Randolph County, Indiana, daughter of John Taylor, of Jay County, Indiana. Her father was a native of Ohio, but went to Indiana when only nine years of age. Her mother was a native of Indiana. In 1870 they moved to Oran Township, Logan County, but after a resi- dence of one year and a half they returned to Indiana, where they still reside. Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker have two children -- Franklin I. and Vesta C. Politically, Mr. Whitaker is a Democrat, as was his father. He inherits his father's taste for music, playing the violin with much skill. He owns a fine farm near the homestead. His father was born in Shelby County, Kentucky, November 30, 1803, and in 1835 came to Illinois and settled in Jacksonville, Morgan County, removing in September, 1836, to Chester Town- ship, Logan County, and in 1850 to Ætna Township, where he died August 23, 1870. His widow, our subject's mother, was born in Henry County, Kentucky, February 7, 1809, and is still in the enjoyment of good health. Her descendants are numerous, she having had fifty grandchildren, about forty of whom are now liv- ing. She has also nine great-grandchildren.

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History of Logan County, Illinois, Part 50

Author: Inter-State Publishing Co. Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Number of Pages: 989

Author: Inter-State Publishing Co.
Publication date: 1886
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 989