USA > Illinois > Macon County > History of Macon County, Illinois, from its organization to 1876 > Part 20
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D. L. was born in IS43; married in 1867 to Virginia John A. was born in 1845; married in 1871 to Maula M. R. was born in IS48; married in 1874 to Emma Reeme, who was born in IS51. Arminda A. was born in IS50. Naoma A. was born in 1856. Mariah F. was born in 1859.
Mr. Davidson was married the second time, in 1869, to Lovina -, who was born in 1835.
JAMES EDWARDS was born in 1806, near Raleigh, North Carolina. When a young man he came to Tennessee, and re- mained there a few months; then removed to Illinois, arriving in Macon county in the fall of 1827, when there was but 160 acres of land entered upon the south side of the river. He was accom- panied to this county by Dempsey Pope and Jones Edwards-the latter a brother of his, who remained 12 or 15 years, and removed to Iowa, where he died. James E. worked the first year after he came to Illinois for John Ward. During that time the Indians made some threats against the Wards, and Edwards was one of a company of 12 to assist in driving them away. A few more In- dians made their appearance in the vicinity in 1828, but soon left, and were followed and overtaken in the prairie, a short distance east of Mt. Zion. There were twelve in number, besides the squaws. A gun was taken from one of them, after a severe struggle, by Smith Mounce, of the Ward company. It was re-
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turned, however, by order of John Ward, who had command of the expedition, and the Indians were then ordered to move on, which they did. This was the last appearance of the Kickapoos, or other Indians, in Macon county. James E. was married to Nancy L. Hill, in the winter of 1830-31. She was born in Meck- linburg county, Virginia, June 22, 1806; moved to Rutherford county, Tenn .; removed to Illinois in 1829, and has ever since re- sided in this county. Of their children-
MARTHA E. was born March 31, 1834, and married Abraham Lynch, and died. NANCY E. was born January 26, 1836; married John D. Smith, and died on the 11th of August, 1869. JEROME was born March 22, 1837, and married Mary J. Stingly. JOHN was born September 9, 1838, and died in Indiana on the 12th of September, 1862. FRANK was born January 4, 1840, and was married to Mrs. Henry Edwards, March 16, 1874. SARAH J. was born August 4, 1841, and died March 20. 1854. RUFUS was born January 1, 1843. SAMUEL S. was born June 22, 1844; married to Isabel Allen, December 24, 1873. ANN was born August 13, 1846; was married to Richard Whitley, in October, 1862, and now re- sides in Vernon county, Mo. HENRY was born April 6, 1848; married to Elizabeth Brown in 1869, and died on the 7th of No- vember, I872.
HON. CHARLES EMERSON was born in North Haverhill, Grafton county, New Hampshire, April 15, IS11; he came to this state in the year 1833 and located at Jacksonville, where he spent one term in Illinois College; he removed thence to Springfield, Illinois, and studied law under the instruction of Judge Keys; on his being admitted to practice law he came to Decatur and entered upon the practice of his profession in the spring of 1834; in 1841 he married NANCY HARRELL who died December 16, 1866; he remained here until 1847 and then went to Paris, Edgar county, where he remained three years, returning in 1850; on his return he was elected to the legislature and was re-elected in 1851; in June, 1853, he was elected judge of the circuit court, which position he filled until 1867, when he ran for judge of the supreme court but was defeated by a small majority by Judge Walker now of the , supreme bench; he then resumed practice and was elected to the constitutional convention in 1869. He attended the early part of that convention but was suffering with a severe cold and cough
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.
which terminated his earthly career, on --- day of April 1870. As to his judicial career his memory needs no comment; his mind was evenly balanced and he held the scales of justice so impartially that few dared to question the correctness of his adjudications; he seemed to be absolutely unbiased. Though he was a man of strong convictions predjudice was never attributed to him in the discharge of his judicial duty. Meanness he absolutely detested, yet no man was brought before him, however serious his crime, but received a fair and impartial trial. He was a strong party man, yet, when on the bench his opponents never had occasion to utter one word against him as to predjudice, bias or partiality. His mind was broad and grasping; the intricacies of the law he could comprehend readily, and solve the most difficult and perplexing questions of law and fact with scarcely a moment's reflection. He had the power of presenting his views succinctly and in such a way that those who heard him, in making a decision, at once acknowledged the justness and correctness of his position in the matter in question. He was charitable, his hands being open on all occasions to succor distress, to encourage enterprise, and support good institutions. He was modest and unaffected and possessed not one particle of personal vanity ; "he had no desire for display, and no ambition for admira- tion." He made no effort to win attention in conversation or argu- ment, beyond what the occasion absolutely required; what he said was always well said, because it was always from a full mind ac- customed to deep reflection. He never obtruded his opinions upon others, but brought them out only as they were sought, and then with clearness and earnestness. To the casual observer, or on first introduction he was thought to be cold and reserved; but he was neither the one or the other. He had great simplicity of manner, dress and deportment, but his simplicity was never accompanied with want of perception of what was right and fit for the occasion. The first impression of a stranger was that of disappointment; it hardly seemed credible that such simplicity should be accompanied with his known position and reputation in life. The consciousness of power was not there; "there was no play of lights and shades of rank; no study of effect in tone or bearing." He never thought of himself and the air of office was not there. What was said of the great Marshall may with equal truth be said of Judge Emerson : "after all what may be said of his fame in the eyes of the world,
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that which in a just sense. was his highest glory, was the purity, affectionateness, liberality and devotedness of his domestic life. At home he indulged himself in what he most loved, the duties and blessings of the family circle. There his heart had full play. There the sunshine of his soul diffused its soft radiance and cheered and soothed and tranquilized the passing hours." The writer has seen him in the family circle surrounded by his children, so completely absorbed in their childish pranks, that he seemed almost oblivious to all passing events; to them he was kind and affectionate, and indulgent to a fault, almost. In his public character he was upright and conscientious. He would not do what he thought to be wrong no matter how popular or pressing was the public clamor; he would not shrink from what he thought right though he might stand alone in his position. In this he was as firm as a rock. On one occasion, having made a decision, he was reminded that the su- preme court had decided directly the contrary doctrine: "I know that," he replied, "but they are wrong and I am right, and I will give them one more chance to correct their error." He loved the law, not as a trade, but as science; he disdained to mislead the court, the jury or his client; the practice of law was to him the enforce- ment of the principles of right and justice, rather than the tempo- rary success his knowledge of the rules of practice might give him. He resorted to no technicalities for success. His treatment of his brethren at the bar was kind and courteous, whether practicing with them or while on the bench. To the younger members of the bar he was a friend indeed, and was never known to take advantage of their inexperience that he might show his own strength and knowledge, as some petty judges delight to do. He was studious, and his judicial learning was above the ordinary judges of our courts, yet the original bias as well as choice of his mind was to general principles and comprehensive views, rather than technical and recondite learning. In his character, in his family circle, in his practice, in his judicial career, in all the varied stations in life, he was a model worthy of emulation, not perfect and without blemish, but his better characteristics so far exceeding the imperfections and blemishes, that the latter were almost unobserved. Of their child- 1'e11-
ALBERT was born February 5, 1842, and is now residing in Monticello, Piatt county, Illinois. JEROME was born December
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25, 1846, and is now living at Clarinda, Iowa. JOSEPHI was born September 21, 1850; is now living in Lake City, Moultrie county, Illinois. ELIZABETHI was born November 3, 1852, and married S. H. RECORD, of Charleston, Illinois, where she now resides. LAURA M. was born February 11, 1855, and died January 13, IS76. LEORA M. was born April 11, 1857, and now resides in Decatur. LUCY A. was born April 13, 1859, and now resides in Charleston, Illinois.
GEORGE W. FALCONER was born in 1777, in Frederick county, Maryland, and came to this county in 1839, and died Janu- ary 6, 1856. His children were-
JEREMIAH, ANNA, ELIZA, ENOCH G. and MARY.
JOHN FALCONER was born January 21, 1830, in Frederick county Maryland, and came to Macon county in 1839.
JEROME R. GORIN was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, October 12, 1817, and came to Illinois in IS28 and settled at Van- dalia, Illinois; he removed thence to Macon county in 1833; he married in Decatur, April 1, 1845, MISS ELEANOR E. D. FAWCETT who was born February 18, 1824. in Jefferson county, Virginia. Mr. G. was admitted to the bar in 1843, but has been engaged for several years past in the banking business in the firm of J. Milliken & Co.
DR. B. W. GORIN was born in Christian county, Kentucky, in 1838, and came from there to Vandalia, in this state, where he remained until 1831, when he removed to Shelbyville and thence to Decatur, and was engaged in the practice of medicine. He re- mained here but two years, and then went to Louisiana, Mo., where he died in 1874.
HENRY M. GORIN was born in Christian county, Kentucky in 1812, and removed thence to Vandalia, Illinois; he came to De- catur, Illinois, in 1832, and remained until the year IS41; he was at one time circuit clerk and county clerk of Macon county ; after removing to Missouri he engaged in farming, and has held the office of clerk of the circuit court in his county ; his records kept by him bear evidence of his carefulness and pains taking.
JACOB HOSTETTER was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, July 6, ISIo; married TABITHA CRUM in March, 1835, and came to
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.
Macon county in 1835, where he died in 1873 of smallpox. Mrs. H. was born in Oldham county, Kentucky, November 4, 1816. Of their children-
FRANCIS M. was born in Clark county, Indiana, February 3, 1835; married ELIZABETH WYKEL, 1857. MARY J. was born October 15, 1836 and married JANE C. CAMPBELL, March 8, 1865. MALINDA E. was born August 31, 1838; married CHARLES E. HUNSLEY, October 25, 1865.
JAMES HERREL was born in Grayson county, Kentucky, August 29, 1813, where he remained until 1834, when he removed to Macon county and remained two years; returned to Kentucky, thence to New Orleans; thence to Florida, as teamster in the war against the Seminole Indians; returned to Macon county in 1839, where he married Mary Miller, November 26, 1840. Of their chil- dren-
ALBERT G. was born January 6, 1843; married S. J. Miller. TABITHA was born July 6, 1844; died February, 1845. ELIZA- BETH A. was born October 18, 1845; died June, 1846. GEORGE W. was born October 8, 1847. FRANCIS M. was born June 14, 1850; dead. JAMES C. was born January 27, 1852; dead.
JOHN HANKS, once the old friend and associate of Mr. Lin- coln, was born in Kentucky about 1802, and come to Illinois in 1826 or '27, and settled on Stevens' creek; he married in Kentucky, Susan Wilson, who was about the same age as Mr. H., and who died in 1861. Of their children-
WILLIAM, who lives in Piatt county, and LEWIS, who lives in Oregon, were both born in Kentucky. JANE was born January 15, 1831, in Illinois, and married to A. T. Metlin, who was born in 1830, in Pa. EMILY, born in 1833, in Illinois, married to -Lo- mis, and resides at Minonk. PHELIX, dead. GRASON, resides in Missouri. LEVI resides in Macon county.
JAMES HOWELL was born in 1802, in Galleo county, Ohio, and removed to Macon county in 1831, having been in the state five years. His wife was born in Virginia in 1803.
Their children were Mary, William T., Emily, Nancy, Charles D., Brice A., John, Elizabeth.
WILLIAM HOWELL, DANIEL, JOSEPH and ISAAC, were brothers of James, and came to Macon county early.
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.
DOLLISTON HEFTON was among the very early settlers of the county. He was one of the old "forty gallon Baptist" preach- ers, and had a sing-song tone to his preaching that was truly won- derful. From the recollection of one of his hearers, we are enabled to give a small extract from a sermon delivered by Mr. H. over 40 years ago, which illustrates the peculiar ah's and ideas of which his sermons abounded. " My respected brethren-ah, hell-ah is like takin' a pillow-slip of corn-ah and wadin' the snow-ah and rain-ah, and goin' to Jim Wheeler's mill-ah, and gettin' it ground-ah to make mush-ah! You grind and grind and grind-ah! Brethren-ah, that is hell-ah. But, my hearers-ah, there is another good place-ah, which we all expect to go to-ah, and when we get there-ah, will feast forever-ah on spare-ribs, biscuits and coffee-ah, and that's the place we call heaven-ah." Mr. Hefton kept store at Mt. Gillead for a while, and had his family, household goods and merchandise all in one room. His stock of goods consisted of a barrel of pale whisky, that would freeze up in winter, a small quantity of tin-ware, and a few dollar's worth of sugar and coffee. One day some one offered to buy his entire stock of tin-ware at a given price, but he refused to sel!, because it would "break his stock."
JAMES HERREL was born in Grayson county, Ky., in 1813; came to Illinois in 1833 or '4, and settled in Decatur; remained there until 1840, when he removed to the place where he now lives, about 4 miles west of town. He was married to Mary Mil- ler in 1840, who was born April 22, ISII.
ALBERT G., son of J. and M. Herrel, was born in 1843, and now resides in this county.
JOSEPH HOSTETLER was born in Shelby county, Ky., February 27, 1797. His father and grandfather were natives of Pennsylvania. His great-grandfather was born in Germany, near the river Rhine.
Joseph's mother, Agnes, was the daughter of Anthony Hard- man, of whose ancestry nothing is known. Mr. Hostetler com- menced preaching according to the "Yunker Doctrine," about the year 1815. In 1816 he was married, and the same year authorized to preach by the Yunker church. In 1817 he moved to Washing- ton county, Ind., and remained there two years. He then moved to Orange county, in the same State, remaining there until 1832,
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.
when he moved to Illinois, settling in this county, not far from Decatur.
In IS28, he, with others, renounced all " creeds," "confessions of faith," and took his stand with the Church of Christ, or Christian church. After he came to Illinois he performed much hard labor as a pioneer minister, as well as a pioneer farmer.
In October, 1832, he organized a church in his neighborhood, of fourteen members. The same church is still in existence, having at present over one hundred members. In 1833 he organized in Decatur the Church of Christ, which exists to-day. In the fol- lowing year he moved to Decatur, and commenced the practice of medicine, in connection with his preaching. In 1836 he returned to Indiana, and settled on an unimproved farm near Bedford, Law- rence county. In 1843 he moved to Sheboyagan county, Wiscon- sin, where he opened a farm in heavy timber land, and here, too, he continued to preach and practice medicine. In 1855 he re- moved to Salem, Washington county, Ind. Here he was engaged principally in the practice of medicine. In 1861 he moved to Lov- ington, Moultrie county, Illinois. During all this time he was in- cessantly engaged in preaching or practicing medicine. On the 27th day of August, 1870, he died, at his residence, near Loving- ton. His disease was a functional derangement of the heart. He was a heavy built man, weighing about two hundred pounds; was five feet eight inches high, and seemed to bear the weight of years with remarkable firmness and strength.
ANDREW HAMILTON was born May 31, 1806; came to Macon county in 1830; married Margaret Hall in 1829. Of their. children-
JOHN W. was born December 9, 1830; married to Amelia . Clements. ROBERT G. was born January 20, 1832; died Febru- ary 21, 1832. MARTHA F. was born February 21, 1833; died Jan- uary 21, 1837. ALFRED C. was born June 5, 1835; died April 27, 1876. MARGARET S. was born January 12, 1838; died December IS, 1860. MARY S. was born October 20, 1840; died November 20, IS40. EMILY H. was born April 17, 1842 ; married N. Boles. A. L. was born January 4, 1844; died December 4, 1844. MARY J. was born May 9, 1849; died February 12, 1873.
ULYSSES HUSTON was born August 25, 1824, in Pickaway county, Ohio; came to Macon county in the month of November,
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.
1836; married to Matilda McCoy, Feb. 25, 1847, who was born May 19, 1825, in Montgomery county, Indiana, and came to Macon county in 1840. Of their children-
PHEBE was born January 5, 1848; was married to Robert M. McCoy, November 5, 1866. JOHN was born October 13, 1849; died April 14, 1856. ROBERT was born August 22, 1852. ORUS B. was born Jannary 3, 1856. MARTHA M. was born February IS, 1859. EMILY J. was born January 7, 1862. WILLIAM N. was born March 2, 1865. MARY E. was born December 12, 1868. All of which now reside in Macon county.
SAMUEL HORNBACK was born May S, ISOS, in Bath county, Ky., and was married September 2, 1830, to Margaret Johnson, who was born February 24, 1811, in the same county and State. They removed to Macon county in September, 1830. Of their nine children-
ABRAHAM was born February 5, 1835. LETIIA ANN was born December 16, 1835; was married December 17, 1856, to Geo. W. Schroll. Isaac was born July 26, 1838; married to Martha Hide, December 20, 1858. NANCY J. was born October 23, 1841; mar- ried to Wm. Gepford, August 22, 1865. SAMUEL C. was born January 1, 1844; married to Margaret Vice, May 6, 1866. MAR- GARET was born December 12, 1846; married to George Houser, November 23, 1865. ELIZA A. and Lou ANN, twins, were born February 5, 1850. JNO. W. was born August 15, 1853.
ROBERT JOHNSON was born in Bath county, Ky., March. 3, 1807. Was married to Lon Ann Church April 5, 1831,. who was born July 13, 1813. They moved to Macon county in October, 1831. They have no children.
DR. JOSEPH KING was born in IS10, and came to Macon county in 1839, and married - Packard. At that time there were but two or three physicians in the county, Drs. Read and Spear. Dr. Rogers came here in IS40, and remained a few years. Dr. K. received his medical education in Cincinnati, O., and soon after his arrival had an extensive practice, and was often called upon to ride 25 or 30 miles to see a patient. The Doctor relates some very amusing incidents connected with the early practice in the county, and some that were not so amusing to the participants;
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.
such as being lost on the large prairies, and riding all night in the cold, when the wolves were uncomfortably thick. The Doctor says he was always afraid of the wolves, and retains a distinct recol- lection of the vigorous barking of these creatures as he would be out riding late at night, perhaps miles from any habitation.
ALFRED LAYMONS was born in Grayson county, Ky., September 23, 1808, and removed to Macon county in 1829, where he married Rhoda P. Shepherd, as his first wife, who was born in Virginia, December 28, 1813, and died September 27, 1836. Of their two children-
HENDERSON M. was born April 15, 1833; died June, 1867. W. W. was born March 14, 1835; died February, 1870.
Mr. Laymons' second wife was Jane Manly, who was born in Grayson county, Ky., August 10, 1815, and died December 31, 1858. Of their children-
MARGARET A. was born May 22, 1839; died December, 1839. SARAH E. was born Nov. 3, 1840; died May 1, 1871. JNO. A. was born October 5, 1842; died January, 1870. JACKSON M. was born January 9, 1847. MARY A. was born October 10, 1849. NANCY E. was born June 27, 1854; died July, 1854.
REV. ALONZO LAPHAM was born in New Hampshire, May 29, 1797. He moved to Vermont; afterwards to Indiana, where he became acquainted with, and in 1828 married, Margaret Anderson. He came to Macon county at a very early date, when there were but two houses in the city of Decatur, and soon after- wards engaged in farming. Mr. Lapham was an ordained minis- ter in the Methodist church, and assisted a great deal in the organ- ization of churches in Central Illinois. Of the children of Alonzo and Margaret-
MARY J. was born October 18, 1829; was married to David M. Thornby, February 22, 1849, and are now living near Salt Creek. JOHN W. was born December 18, 1832; was married to Maria Hammond. He is now engaged as a minister of the gospel, in the M. E. church. TRUMAN C. was born August 28, 1835; was married to Jennie Downs, of Shelbyville, Illinois, January 6, 1863. He is now engaged as a book and music merchant in Shelbyville, Illinois. WM. W. was born March 7, 1836; was married to Mary J. Crowder, of Springfield, Illinois, March 7, 1861. He is now
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.
engaged in the wholesale music store of Story and Camp, St. Louis, Mo. MARTIN A. was born January 2, 1841; was married to Frances Frazier, of Danville, Illinois, where he now resides. He was for a time vice-president of Quincy College, and receiving officer of the Port of New Orleans. A. MILTON was born August 11, 1843. He has been engaged as a photographer, real estate and insurance agent in Decatur, Illinois, where he now resides.
GEO. POWERS was born in Charleston, Saratoga county, N. Y., January 17, 1814; was married to Almira A. Giles, in Ala- bama, April 30, 1840, who was born in Franklin county, Mass. They removed to Macon county in 1839. He was admitted to the bar soon after his arrival, and was elected to the State Senate in IS44. He held other offices of trust and responsibility, and died in 1849, leaving three daughters: Emma, who married John K. Warren; Sarah A., who married Geo. S. Durfee, and Ada, who married E. D. Bartholomew.
ROBERT LAW was born in Wilson county, Tenn., in No- vember 1807, and moved to Macon county in 1830-having been here the year previous to see the country. He was out with the rangers in the Black-Hawk war, under Captain Warnick. He built the old horse-mill at Whitehouse's, in Mt. Zion township, in 1836-7, near where Mr. L. now resides.
JAMES LAW, John Law and Rose Ann, all came here about the same time. They were brothers and sister of Robert; John is dead.
JOHN LOWRY was born in 1803, in Green county, Tenn .; was married to Elizabeth Drennan in 1825. They removed to Macon county in 1834. Of their children-
JAMES A. was born in 1826 or 7. WM. A. was born in IS2S. JACKSON C. was born in 1830. CHARLES D. was born in 1832. MARY P. was born in 1837.
ELDRIDGE H. McDANIEL was born November 25, 1807, and married Mary Pope, September 5, 1826. They came to Macon county in 1827, and resided here until their death. Mr. M. died June 29, 1859, and Mrs. M. died August 26, 1871. They raised a large family of children, the ages of which we cannot give.
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.
ELIZABETH married Aaron Widick; both dead. SALAMANDA married Thomas Lord. LEACY married Jeremiah Turpin; dead. W M. G., DEMPSEY, THOMAS, (dead,) and JOHN A. B.
CHRISTOPHER MILLER was born in South Carolina about 1789; moved with parents to Kentucky, where he married Elizabeth Hays in 1808. He removed thence to Macon county in IS29, where he died in 1855. Mrs. M. was born in North Caro- lina in 1791 ; removed thence to Grayson county Va., and thence to Grayson county, Ky., where she was married, and came with her husband to Macon, where she is still living. Of their II children, we can give ages of but three-
WILLIAM was born in Kentucky in 1809. MARY was born in Kentucky in 1811. JAMES was born in Kentucky in 1813.
JAMES MILLER was born in Grayson county, Kentucky, August 26, 1813; removed to Macon county in 1829 and married MARGARET HOSTETLER, of Moultrie county, who died in 1852 ; he married a second time, in 1853, to ELIZABETH MILLER. By his first wife there were born nine children-
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