USA > Illinois > Macon County > History of Macon County, Illinois : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 45
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Politically, Mr. Short is a democrat of the old Jacksonian school. IIe cast his first vote for Lewis Cass for president in 1848, and
since that time has been true to his first and earliest political teach- ings. Mr. Short is a good representative of the offspring of the pioneers of Illinois.
Free-hearted, open and frank, social and hospitable, both at home and abroad-honest himself, and expecting honesty in others, he is a fair type of the men who came to Illinois and gave it the start which has helped to make it (soon to be) the foremost in the Union.
FREDERICK W. MILLER.
THE subject of this sketch is a living example of what can be accomplished in this free country, by the exercise of industry and economy, united with practical common sense and good management. Mr. Miller was born in Jackson county, Indiana, June 11th, 1832. His parents dying while he was yet in infancy, he never knew parental affection. He was placed among strangers, and at twelve years of age became self-supporting. At the age of seventeen years he moved with a Mr. Franklin to Missouri, and stopped in St. Charles county. There he remained sixteen years at work upon a farm. In 1863 he came to Illinois and bought one hundred and twenty acres of land in section 17, Maroa township. He afterwards added eighty acres more in section 14, same township. In the winter of 1877 he purchased twenty acres in section 11, one half mile from the village of Maroa. Upon this purchase there is a fine dwelling-house. Here he at present resides. On the 3d of November, 1855, he married Sarah Ann Mockby. She died March 15th, 1864. By this marriage there were two sons, named William Henry and Charles Anderson Miller. On the 3d of October, 1865, he married Lydia Margaret Stewart. She is a native of Harrison county, Ky. By this union there have been four children, two of whom are living. Their names are : Lucy Matilda, and Benjamin Franklin Miller. Both he and his wife are members of the M. E. Church. He is also an honored member of the ancient and honora- ble order of Free Masonry, and belongs to Maroa Lodge No. 454. Politically, he is a democrat, and cast his first vote for James Buchanan in 1856.
JOSEPH W. FAWKES.
THE subject of the following sketch deserves to be ranked among the leading inventors of the age. The family, on the paternal side, are of English ancestry and of Welsh extraction on the maternal. His father, Joseph Fawkes, was a farmer, and a native of Lancas- ter county, Pennsylvania. He belonged to the middle classes, and was possessed of a reasonable amount of property. Joseph W. is the third son in a family of seven children. He was born in Lan- caster county, Pa., September 25th, 1825. His boyhood days were not different from most boys who grow up on the farm. He re- ceived such an education as the common schools of his county af- fordcd. The great dream of his younger years and maturer life was to become an inventor, and originate machinery that would benefit the large class of cultivators of the soil, and lessen their toil, and make more pleasant and remunerative that great industry. Added to this desire was a genius that developed early in the boy. At the age of sixteen years he invented and made a model for cutting " shoe lasts," of irregular shape, which, with some later im- provements, has come into general use. His next invention was a " seed drill," which was patented and has been in general use throughout the country for many years. On the 29th of August, 1854, he received a patent for his "lime spreader." This inven- tion was exhibited at public fairs and in various places in the
GEORGE B.SHORT.
MRS SARAH E. SHORT, DEC!
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
States of Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina, and where- ever shown valuable premiums were awarded it. His great inven- tion, however, was the "steam plow," which excited favorable com- ment in both Europe and America. It was patented January 28tlı, 1858. It was afterward improved, and two other patents on it taken out. For this invention he now holds a number of valuable medals and testimonials. The one he prizes the most highly is the " Scott Legacy Premium," presented by the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia. Upon its facc it bears the following inscription : " Presented to J. W. Fawkes, of Lancaster, Pensylvania, for Steam Plow." On the other side, "Presented to the most deserving." He also has a medal of great intrinsic value, presented him by the Agricultural Society of Pennsylvania, and an autograph letter from James Buchanan, President of the United States, dated at Washington January 25th, 1860, in which he informs him that " he has been requested by the United States Agricultural Society to present Mr. Fawkes ' the Grand Gold Medal of Honor,' awarded him at Chicago in September last." Mr. Fawkes brought his steam plow west, and exhibited and operated it at different State Fairs in the Western States, and at all it received favorable men- tion, diplomas, and valuable premiums. The invention was a fail- ure so far as getting the plow generally introduced, and also a failure in a financial way. The trouble was, that the invention was in advance of the times. The sluggish and conservative in- tellect of the masses cannot, nor do not keep pace with the active, energetic mind of the inventor. Few of the latter class live to see the full fruition of their hopes. Yet Mr. Fawkes does not despair of seeing in his life the steam plow introduced and successfully operated in Illinois.
He came west to Illinois in 1863, and settled in Decatur, where he followed house-raising, and operated a machine shop. In 1869 he purchased land in Maroa township, Macon county, which he improved, and from that time to the present has been busily en- gaged in cultivating the soil. He, however, by no means, dropped his inventions. Since living in Illinois he has seen the great neces- sity of ditching the vast area of low flat lands in the state, and with this idea in view he invented the "steam steel shovel scraper " for ditching, which in this country may be regarded as a very valuable invention. On the 18th of October, 1853, while yet a citizen of Pennsylvania, he married Miss A. E. Baughman, a native of Lan- caster county. By this marriage there are seven children, all liv- ing-six boys and one girl. Their names are Howard B., William C., Jacob H., Joseph W., Charles G., Leslie H., and F. F. Fawkes. Both he and his wife are members of the M. E. Church. Political- ly he was originally an old line whig. His first presidential vote was cast for General Zachary Taylor in 1848. He afterwards joined the republican party, and still continues a member. Upon the subject of temperance he is a total abstinence man, and has been a worker in the temperance cause for a great many years. At home and abroad he is a sociable and agreeable gentleman.
MILTON P. FUNK.
THE subject of this biographical sketch was born in Morgan county, Illinois, June 9th, 1833. The ancestry of the Funks is German. Samuel Funk came to America in 1776, and settled in Virginia, and from him have sprung the present family. He mar- ried Elizabeth Cordell. Members of the family left Virginia and settled in Tennessee, where Martin C. Funk, the father of Milton P., was born. Martin C. married Janie Lieb. She died in June, 1878. Mr. Funk left Tennessee in 1828, and came to Illinois, and
settled in Morgan county, where he improved a farm and lived until 1845, when he died. The subject of this sketch is the eldest of the children. Like all farmers' boys of Illinois of forty years ago, lie was deprived of educational advantages and facilities for attending good schools and receiving such learning as now falls to the lot of thic youth of the present day. His father dying while Milton was yet in his youth, he was compelled to help support himself and others of the family, and at an early age became a producer as well as a consumer. He grew to manhood and remained in Morgan county until the 28th of March, 1855, when he came to Maroa town- ship, Macon county, and purchased cighty acres of raw land, built a cabin and went to work improving it. There he has lived till the present time. On the 22d of September, 1853, lie married Isabella Todd. She died September 14th, 1874. By this marriage there have been three children living, named Henry M., John N., and Mary A. Funk. On the 22d of December, 1875, he married Miss Melissa Smith of Effingham county, Illinois. By this later mar- riage there is one child, named Ibra Maud Funk. He is a mem- ber of the Christian Church, and his wife of the Presbyterian. Politically he is a sound and thorough democrat, and gave James Buchanan his first vote in 1856. Mr. Funk is esteemed by all who know him. He is a good man, and an enterprising and first-class citizen.
W. J. COMPTON.
THE subject of this sketch was born in Morgan county, Indiana, August 26th, 1843. The Compton family are of English and Scotch descent. Their ancestors came to America and settled in Virginia, about the close of the sixteenth century. Ephraim Comp- ton, the father of W. J., was born in Culpepper county, Virginia. He removed with his father to Ohio, while yet young, and remained there until 1842, when he went to Indiana. In 1844 he returned to Ohio, where he remained until 1856, when he came to Illinois and settled in Champaign county, where he still resides. He mar- ried Elizabeth Johnson. She was born in Ohio. By this marriage there were ten children, six of whom are now living, and all have arrived at the age of maturity. The subject of this sketch is the second in the family. His education was obtained in the common schools of the county, and in the South-western State Normal School, situated at Lebanon, Ohio. He spent one year in the latter place, and fitted himself for the profession of teaching. After his arrival in Champaign county, he worked upon his father's farm, and in the agricultural store in Mahomet, and remained in the above named county until the fall of 1861, when he went to Leb- anon, Ohio, and entered the school as above stated. From there he returned to Illinois, and taught school in Logan county during the winters of 1862, 1863 and 1864. It was while he was engaged in teaching, that he made the acquaintance of his wife, Miss Mary Conover. The marriage took place October 20th, 1864. Her parents, Tylee and Hester Conover, came from Ohio to Illinois in 1857, and settled in Logan county ; Mrs. Compton was born in Shelby county, Ohio, but was a resident of Logan county, Illinois, at the time of her marriage. After Mr. Compton's marriage he engaged in farming for two years, then removed to Maroa, and en- tered the service of J. M. Richards & Co., who were largely inter- ested in the grain business. He remained with the firm one year, then removed to Bloomington, and was employed in the Phoenix Nursery for two years, then returned with his family to Maroa, and took a position as book-keeper in the flouring mill of T. Cono- ver. He continued in that capacity for three years, then purchased the business and leased the mill, and operated it for three years
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
longer. He then sold out and entered into a co-partnership with C. F. Emery, in the purchasing and shipping of grain. This business arrangement still continues. The firm have superior facili- ties, and handle large quantities of grain each year. Politically Mr. Compton is a member of the republican party. His first presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln, in 1864; since that time he has seen no reason to change his political views, and consequently is recognized and known as a stalwart and staunch believer in republican principles. He is a member of Maroa Lodge, No. 454, A. F. & A. M., and of Goodbrake Chapter, No. 59, R. A. M., of Clinton, Illinois. In both orders lie is known as an active and bright mason. His marriage has been blessed withlı three children, all girls, named Minnie, Aggie, and Lillie, aged respectively, twelve, eight and three years. In his liabits he is temperate, and is an advocate of the temperance cause. Socially and personally, Mr. Compton is an agreeable and pleasant gentle- man. As a business man he is quick, prompt, energetic, and reli- able, and honorable in all of his transactions with his fellow-mcn. Bothı he and his excellent wife are members of the Christian Church.
JOHN LONGSTREET.
THE ancestry of the Longstreet family is of Scotch-Irish and German extraction. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch was born in New Jersey. He removed to Ohio about the year 1810, and settled in Warren county. His son, Aaron Longstreet, father of John, is still a resident of that state. He married Mary Galiher. Her father, John Galiher, is still living, although at the advanced age of ninety-two years. Mrs. Longstreet died in 1841. Mr. Longstreet afterward married Nancy Ward. She died in 1876.
By the first marriage there were three children-all boys. The subject of this sketch is tlie eldest of these children. He was born in Butler county, Ohio, September 2d, 1832. Like most farmers' sons, his boyhood was passed upon the farm, assisting in the work during the summer months, and attending the country schools during the winter. He grew to manhood, and remained beneath the parental roof until his twentieth year, when he commenced life for himself. He leased a farm, and continued its cultivation for three years, when he embarked in the mercantile business in the town of Middletown, Butler county. One year later he and his brother leased the home-farm for two years. He remained in Ohio until 1862, when he came west, and settled in Maroa township, where he has resided and continued farming until the present time.
On the first of November, 1857, while yet a resident of Ohio, he was united in marriage to Miss Vashti Wycoff. She is of Ger- man extraction. The Wycoff family were originally from New Jersey. They came west to Ohio, at a period when the city of Cin- cinnati had but two houses. They were among the very early settlers of the state. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Longstreet has beeu blessed with seven children, all of whom are living, and yet at home. Mr. Longstreet is an honored member of the order of Freemasonry, and belongs to Maroa Lodge, No. 454, and Good- brake Chapter of Clinton, Illinois. Politically he is a believer in the principles as enunciated in the platform of the republican party. He has represented his township in the Board of Super- visors for five consecutive terms. He is an influential member of the Board. He is a member of the Finance Committee, and was one of the five of that committee who negatived the refunding of $187,000 of the Macon County Bonds. His frequent re-elections attest his fitness for the responsible place, and is also expressive of the confidence reposed in him by his constituency.
NIANTIC TOWNSHIP.
IANTIC is formed from parts of the congressional town- ships 16 and 17 N., R. 1 W., and contains twenty- eight full and two fractional sections. It is bounded on the north by Logan county ; on the east by Illini and Harristown townships ; on the south by the Sangamon river, and on the west by Sangamon county. This territory, formerly classed under the head of swamp lands, was practically donated to Macon county, because it was regarded as absolutely worthless, while to-day it ranks among the best agricultural townships. The soil, composed of decayed vegetable matter, is a deep, rich, black loam, very fertile and productive. Willow Branch, with its several affluents, drain the lands and furnish water for stock purposes. The main line of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific railway passes through the township from east to west about a mile south of the centre.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
This township was among the earliest settled in the county. In the year 1825, Joseph Strickling, a native of either Ohio or Ken-
tucky, settled in section 23, T. 16 N., R. 1 W., and to him belongs the honor of first settling what is now Niantic township. Mr. Strickling erected a log house and improved some land on section 23, where he resided for a number of years. His family was of ordinary size ; some of them died and the others have moved away. At present none of the pioneer family are living in the county. Very soon after Mr. Strickling, Niantic received another settler in the person of William Turner, who came with his family from one of the adjoining counties and located on section 15, where he erect- ed a log cabin and began improvements. From this time to the year 1840, there were but few permanent settlers. About the year 1840, a settlement was made by Joseph Blankenship on, or very near section 25, (Twp. 16-1.)
The first birth was that of a child of Wyatt Strickling, which occurred at a very early date after the first settlement of the Strick- ling neighborhood. Another child of Wyatt Strickling died a number of years after their settlement, and was the first death in the township.
175
HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
A pay-school, taught by James Harper, in the house of a farmer living in the southern part of the township, was the first in Niantic. The first school-house was built of logs in 1847, and was located on section 23.
Rev. A. D. Northcutt, a very prominent gentleman in the carly church and pioneer history of Christian, Macon, and adjoining countics, and at present a resident of Prairicton township, Chris- tian county, delivered the first sermon in this township. The first local, resident preacher was the Rev. Dr. J. H. Hughes, who was a man of very fine attainments and an elegant and polislied Christian gentleman. Revs. John W. Tyler and John England were also among the early preachers. A Dr. Stewart, who located in the town of Niantic in 1856, was the first physician.
In the year 1856, Joab Wilkinson was elected the first justice of the peace, which position he continued to fill for several years.
In the year 1855, Samuel Power erected a blacksmith shop on section 11, and began smithing for the neighborhood.
The first mill of any kind erected was a horse-power saw-mill, by Messrs. Dingman and Sanders, on section 23, in the timber along the Sangamon, in the autumn of 1855.
Some of the earliest importations of the finer breeds of stock were as follows : in the year 1850, James Dingman brought from Ken- tucky some thoroughbred horses. Hugh Mooney brought to this township in 1876, an imported Norman horse, and later, in 1878 he purchased a herd of short-horn cattle.
The first entry of land dates back to November 30th, 1829, when Wyatt Strickland entered 80 acres in section 23 ; also on January 27th, he entered 80 acres more in same section. William Turner entered May 17th, 1830, 80 acres in section No. 15 ; all the above lands are in township No. 16 N. R. 1 west. The following lands are located in T. 17 N. R. 1 west. Wm. Constant entered April 18th, 1850, 80 acres in section 33. Charles W. Morgan entered June 14th, 1850, the S. } of the N. W. } and Ng of the S. W. } of section No. 33, 160 acres.
Below we append the supervisors : J. H. Hughes, elected in 1860, re-elected in 1861 ; J. A. Pritchett, elected in 1862; J. W. Corbett, elected in 1863, and re-elected in 1864, 1865, and 1866; A. W. Pritchett, elected in 1867; Sheldon Parks, elected in 1868 ; Shaw Pease, elected in 1869; Thomas Acorn, elected in 1870; S. Parks, elected in 1871, and re-elected in 1872; James Dingman, elected in 1873, re-elected in 1874; J. R. Ash, elected in 1875 ; A. C. Edgar, elected in 1876, and re-elected each year to the present.
Among some of the oldest and most prominent citizens now re- siding in this township may be mentioned : Geo. W. Gepford, a native of Pennsylvania, who came here in 1842, and now lives on section 11 ; Thomas A. Pritchett, a Kentuckian, who is now a mer- chant in Niantic, came in 1856; A. C. Edgar, James Hogen, J. S. Kizer, H. N. Clark of New York, and Hullinger, from Ohio.
THE TOWN OF NIANTIC
Is situated in section 11, of T. 16 N. R. 1 W., on the main line of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific railway, about eleven miles west of Decatur. It is surrounded by an excellent agricultural country, and large shipments of grain and stock are annually made.
When laid out, in the year 1852, just after the completion of the railroad by Calvin Lockhart and Thomas Lewis, the post-office was called Lockhart. The town was for many years called Long Point, so named from the Long Point slough, which lies south of the town. It was afterward known as Prairic City, and finally thic present name Niantic was adopted. Jesse Lockhart erected the first house, in what is now the northern part of the town. Mr. Gansen, opened the first store of general merchandise soon after the town was laid out. In 1855, Calvin Lockhart was appointed the first post-master of Lockhart, which position he continued to hold for a number of years. Dr. E. S. Faris, an old and highly respected citizen still engaged in the practice of medicine in the town of Niantic, kept the first hotel opened in the town. Miss Ryan taught school in the year 1855, in a building situated on the south side of the railroad, and originally used as a warchousc by the company.
In the fall of 1858, a very destructive storm swept over the west- ern part of the county, and Niantic was immediately in its path. The storm was seen coming from the south-west ; and knowing the unsafe nature of the warehouse, then being used for school pur- poses, some of the citizens hastened to the building and warned the teacher and scholars of the approaching danger and assisted them out of the building. No sooner had this been done than the storm struck the house and completely demolished it.
In 1861 a school-house was built in Niantic, and Mr. Blanchard occupied it as the first teacher. It now has a good graded school.
Some of the earliest preachers, were the Reverends John Wilson, J. H. Hughes and J. W. Tyler, who preached in the warehouse, above-mentioned, soon after the laying out of the town. Rev. Ben- jamin Radford was the first local preacher. The Christian church erected by that denomination in 1867, was the first house of wor- ship built in Niantic.
The steam flouring mill at present standing in the eastern part of the town, was the first and only mill of any kind built in the town. This was erected by J. H. Zarley, in 1868. A cooper-shop was opened by James Cunningham, in 1870. Samuel Powers kept the first blacksmith shop.
The town of Niantic, is at present in a very flourishing condi- tion, as will be seen by the following list of business houses.
Dry Goods and General Merchandise-Nottlemann & Jacobsen ; P. S. Van Cleve. Groceries and Clothing-Coussins & Pritchett ; Boots, Shoes and General Store-John Henebry, J. G. Keizer; Gro- ceries and Furnishing Goods-Mansfield & Co. ; Drugs-C. B. Rich- ardson, D. H. Rice ; Physicians-E. S. Faris, H. N. Clark, J. H. Rice ; Hardware, Stoves and Tinware-T. A. Pritchett ; Furniture and Undertaking-T. A. Prichett ; Flouring Mill-Gepford Jacobsen & Co .; Elevator-Niantic Stock Co .; Grain Dealer-J. P. Faris; Meat Market-Benjamin Danley & Son ; Lumber Deuler, etc .- Harvey Judd; Wagon Maker-Jasen Price ; Blacksmith-J. W. Jones, Wm. S. Ishmeal ; Blacksmith and Machinist-W. R. Ding- man ; Carpenters-Selig Bros, Jolın McMillen.
The I. O. O. F. and I. O. G. T., each have lodges in Niantic, and they are in a prosperous condition.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
HORACE N. CLARK, M. D.
DR. CLARK Was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, on the 18th of January, 1825. Silas Clark, his great-grandfather, resided in Windham county, Connecticut; and his grandfather, Abner Clark, was born at Lebanon, Connecticut, in January, 1765. The birth of his father, whose name was Capt. Abner Clark, occurred at the same place on the 25th of January, 1796. In 1797 the family moved to Berkshire county, Mass., and in 1817 to St. Law- rence county, N. Y. They settled in the town of Madrid, ten miles from the St. Lawrence river, when that part of the state was almost a complete wilderness. Dr. Clark's mother, whose maiden name was Cynthia Skidmore, was born at Arlington, Vermont, on the 2d of November, 1800. Her parents had moved to Vermont from Con- necticut. Dr. Clark's father died in St. Lawrence county on the 31st of March, 1876, when past the age of eighty. At the time of his death he was one of the oldest settlers of St. Lawrence county.
Horace Norton Clark was the second of a family of twelve chil- dren, of whom six were boys and six girls. He was raised in St. Lawrence county, obtained a good education, and in 1844, at the age of nineteen, took charge of a school as teacher. After teaching two winters he attended the St. Lawrence Academy at Potsdam, New York. Altogether he taught school ten winters in New York and two years in Sangamon county after coming to this state. As a teacher he was successful, and in June, 1856, the state authorities conferred on him a diploma enabling him to teach in any school in the state of New York. From 1851 to 1856 he lived in the town of De Peyster, in St. Lawrence county, where he was elected justice of the peace and superintendent of the public schools. ' The latter office he filled for two years immediately preceding his removal to this state. While a resident of De Peyster he taught school in the winter. In the summer his attention was divided between farming and the management of a steam saw-mill, which he owned in part- nership with a man named Nelson Thornton. Two of his brothers still reside at Potsdam, New York, Silas S. Clark and Chauncey B. Clark.
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