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 47
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LONG CREEK STATION,
Situated on section 27, Tp. 16-3 on the line of the I. D. & S. R. R., and is one of the stations of that road. A post-office was cstab- lished here in 1875, and named Long Creek. The first store was
opened and operated in 1875, by Messrs. Kizer & Myers, the pres- ent store is owned by Jacob Albert.
VILLAGE OF CASNER
Is located on section 31, Tp. 16-4 on the line of the I. D. & S. R. R., and is a station of the above road. This village was named in honor of its founder, L. B. Casner, who is now one of the leading farmers and stock-raisers, not only of this township, but also of Macon county. It was established in 1877, and the first house was built by Mr. Casner-he also kept the first post-office, which was also named Casner. J. H. Lord carried on the first blacksmith shop, and Dr. M. V. Lonergon was the first resident physician. J. H. Crowder taught the first school in the village, and the first church was erected in 1876 by the United Brethren.
Present Business .- B. S. Tyler carries on a general store ; is also post-master, and grain dealer; his corn cribs have a capacity of 15,000 bushels. Ball & Eams are also grain dealers; their cribs and warehouse have also a large capacity for storing grain. The physicians arc Drs. Lonergon and Dawson ; and Thomas Medlon is the blacksmith of the village. A boot and shoe shop is operated by Benj. Simms. Another important industry in this township is the large nursery owned and operated by Mr. H. W. Davis, on section 27, Tp. 16-3. His fruit, shade and ornamental trees have done much in the way of adorning the homes of the farmers of this portion of Macon county.
Among the present old settlers of the county, and now residents of Long Creek, may be numbered the following : H. W. Davis is a native of Macon county, born in the year 1835. N. M. Baker, also a native of this county, was born in 1837, and resides on section 20, Tp. 16-3, and is a minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Z. R. Prather was born in this county in 1836, is a farmer by occupation, and lives on section 30, Tp. 16-4. Long Creek has many good farms with substantial improvements, and her citizens are among the most thrifty, enterprising and intelligent in the county.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
L.P
L, B, Garner
Mary Glasner
BOTH the paternal and maternal ancestors of the Casner family were Germans. Mathias Casner, the paternal grandfather came from Germany, and settled in Cumberland county, Pa. Peter Casner was born in that county, November 17th, 1801. He came west to Ohio with his father in 1811, and remained there until 1831, or until he was thirty years of age, when he removed to Mercer county, Illinois, and remained there four years, and then came to Macon county, Illinois, and settled in Long Creek town- ship, where he entered three hundred and twenty acres of land, in section 31, T. 16, R. 4 E. He also traded Mexican war land war- rants for other tracts of land. He remained in the township until his death, which occurred October 25th, 1851, while on a visit to his daughter in Mercer county. He married Annah Holderman. She was born October 31st, 1803. She died April 3d, 1865. The Holderman family moved from Kentucky to Ohio in 1817, and settled in Pickaway county. There were five children born to Peter and Annah Casner-four sons and one daughter. Their names are Jemima, wife of Jacob Bear; George W., who met his death acci- dentally, July 11th, 1879 ; Christopher, a resident of Piatt county, and L. B. Casner ; Hanson, the youngest of the family, died at the age of twenty-two years. Lewis B. was born in Pickaway county,
Ohio, August 30th, 1830. He remained with his father until he was twenty-two years of age, when he started in life for himself. He made his first purchase of land (80 acres), in 1853. It was in section 5, T. 15, R. 4 E. On the 22d of September, 1853, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Flaningam. She was born August 10th, 1830, in Montgomery county, Indiana. Her parents, Samuel and Eleanor Flaningam, came to Indiana from Ross county, Ohio. There have been eight children born to L. B. and Mary E. Casner, Four of whom are living. Their names are Cordelia, wife of James H. Wykoff, Idola, John and Ermina. Ellen died in her fifth year, and Oliver in his twenty-fifth year. The latter was married to Lolo Chapman. He left one child named Oliver Casner. Both Mr. and Mrs. Casner are members of the United Brethren Church. Politically, he is a republican. He is an active and ardent supporter of the cause of Temperance. His business through life has been that of a farmer and stock-raiser particularly the latter. Few men in the county have been more successful than Mr. C. He is full of push and energy, and always active in whatever he undertakes to do. He is one of the repre- sentative and influential farmers of Macon county.
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182
HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Michael Eichinger
Lucy & Eichinger
THE subject of this sketch was born in York county, Pennsylva- nia, Oct. 30, 1823. The ancestry of the family is German. Two brothers came to America from Germany prior to the revolutionary war and settled in Pennsylvania, and from them have grown the present family. John Eichinger, the father of Michael, was born in York county, March third, 1778. He remained there until his death, which occurred May fifth, 1845. He was a cooper by trade, and worked at that business during the winter months, and farmed during summer. In 1831 he also operated a distillery in connec- tion with his farming. He married Susannah Welsh. She was born in York county, Pennsylvania, February 7th, 1788. Her father was accidentally killed at a house-raising; this occurred while Mrs. Eichinger was in her seventh year. The date of the marriage of John and Susannah Eichinger was April 12th, 1807 ; she died in August, 1861, in Decatur, where she had gone on a visit. There were ten children, four sons and six daughters. Eight of the chil- dren have survived the parents. Michael is the eighth in the family. His advantages for receiving an education in his youth were limited. As soon as he become old enough to work he was compelled to assist the family. He went to school just as he could catch the time. Hc remained at home until after his father's death, and then farmed the old homestead ; after which he traveled in different parts of the state and in Ohio, working for the greater part of the time on a farm. In 1854 he and his mother came west, landing in Decatur April 8th. He remained in Decatur four years, working at the carpenter trade, and for three months ran a butcher's shop, and lost enough of money in that time to con- vince him that he was in nowise cut out for a successful butcher. When he first came to Decatur he bought city property. In June, 1858, he traded his property there for eighty acres of land in Sec.
20, T. 16, R. 3 E., which was partially improved. He has remained here, following farming and stock-raising, up to the present time. He has added to his original purchase, until he now has six hundred and fifty-three acres of fine tillable land. On the 29th of July, 1866, he was married to Miss Lucy Ellen Huff. She was born and raised in Coshocton county, Ohio. She came with her parents, Eleven and Eliza Huff, to Illinois in 1864, and settled in Oakley township, Macon county. Her father was born in Virginia, Nov. 10th, 1807 ; her mother, Eliza Huff, was also born in Vir- ginia, Dec. 12th, 1812. Both of them died in the spring of 1875. Lucy E., wife of Michael Eichinger, died October 4th, 1876. By this marriage there were four children. Ira died August 2d, 1871, in his fourth year ; John, who is now in his eleventh year, was born Feb. 14th, 1870; Martha Belle died January 27th, 1874, in her second year ; William Robert was born June 25th, 1875. His wife was a member of the Christian Church ; Mr. Eichinger is also a member of that religious organization. In politics he was originally an old line whig, and voted first for William Henry Harrison. He joined the republican party on its formation, and has been a mcm- ber of that organization up to the present. During the war he was a member of the Union League and Soldiers' Aid Society, organ- ized for the enforcement of Union principles and the vigorous pro- secution of the war.
Mr. Eichinger has been instrumental and active in organizing a fire insurance company in the county. It is known as the " Deca- tur Mutual County Fire Insurance Company." It was organized in June, 1880, and has already done a large amount of business. Mr. Eichinger is a man who started in life poor, or, in other words, before he got fairly started in life, he lost more by the treachery of a friend than he ever received. But he did not lose his ambition
Tur.
FLOURING AND SAW MILL OF W. F. COULTER, SEC.23 OAKLEY TP.(17) R.3. MACON CO.ILL. SPECIAL ATTENTION TO CUSTOM WORK CHOICE BRANDS OF FLOUR , WHITE WHEAT, & XXXX RED .
1.345
SCENE ON THE STOCK FARM OF MICHAEL EICHINGER, SEC. 20, LONG CREEK TP. (16)R.3.E. MACON CO. ILL .
SCHOOL HOUSE .
BARN LOT.
TENANT HOUSE .
RESIDENCE AND STOCK FARM OF S. LEONARD, SEC. 13, T.16, R.1, ( HARRISTOWN TP. ) MACON CO. ILL.
183
HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
nor industry. He went to work and carved out his fortune, and at the same time made for himself a name for strict honesty and hon- orable dealing. The word of Michael Eichinger, wherever known, is as good as his bond.
In 1878 he commenced work in the Temperance cause, and has been selected three times as a delegate to the State Charter Tem- peranec Union Convention.
N. M. BAKER.
THE ancestry of the Baker family on the paternal side is Irish and Welsh, and on the maternal, Irish. Nathan Baker, the pa- ternal grandfather, was a native of North Carolina. He removed to Tennessec in 1815, and remained there until his death, in Sept., 1824. He married Elizabeth Aston. She was also a native of the Carolinas. By this marriage there were eight children. William D. is the only one living. He was born in North Carolina, Sep- tember 12th, 1800. He went with his father to Tennessce, and remained there until 1828, when, in the fall of that year, he emi- grated to Illinois, and settled near Bethlehem Church. The next spring he removed to section 20 of Long Creek township, and there he has continued to reside until the present time. He and his brother-in-law, David Davis, were the only settlers in 1828, in what is now known as Long Creek township.
William D. Baker married Matilda Martin. The date of the marriage was Nov. 13th, 1823. She was born in South Carolina, Sept. 29th, 1799. Both she and her aged husband are still living where they settled over a half century ago. Mrs. Baker's father was a native of Pennsylvania, and moved to the Carolinas. His father was a soldier of the Revolution, and his grandfather a sol- dier in the old French war, and was taken captive by the Indians, and remained in captivity for several years. By the marriage of William D. and Marilla Baker, there have been six children, four boys and two girls-five of whom are living. Their names are,
Matilda, wife of Andrew Dennis, James T., now a resident of Missouri, Mary E., widow of Rev. John R Smith, William P., of Montgomery county, Illinois, and Nathan M., the subject of this sketch. He is the youngest of the family, and was born in Long Creek township, Oetober 22d, 1837. He has been reared, and yet lives on the place where he was born. In his youth he had re- markably good advantages for rceeiving an education, which he improved. Besides his education received in the public sehools, he spent several years in the academy at Mt. Zion. In April, 1862, he was regularly ordained a minister in the Cumberland Presby- terian Church, and from that time to the present, except when prc- vented by siekness, has been in charge of a congregation. In the summer of 1862, he culisted as a private in Co. "C," 116th Regt. Ill. vols., for three years. Upon the organization of the regiment he was promoted to the eaptainey. He resigned the position in 1864, and returned to Long Creek township. On the 1st of Sep- tember, 1864, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. Price. She was born in Butler county, Ohio. Her parents, John and Elizabeth Priee, were natives of Roekingham county, Virginia. John Price eame to Ohio in 1849. His wife, and mother of Mrs. Baker, removed from Ohio to Illinois in 1857, and settled in Maeon eounty, Wheatland township, where she still resides. Mrs. Baker was born August 2d, 1841. There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Baker five ehildren, three of whom are living. Their names are, Florence F., born Aug. 3d, 1870, Mary E., born Aug. 17th, 1874, Emma L., born January 11th, 1876. Mr. Baker is a respected member of the order of Free Masonry. He is a strong advocate of temperance, and belongs to an organization for the suppression of the liquor traffic. Politieally, he is an advocate of republican principles, as promulgated in the platforms of that party. He, however, takes no further part in politics than to ex- press his principles through the right of suffrage. As before stated, Mr. Baker and his family may be regarded as among the pioneers of Macon county, a sketch of whom may be found in another chapter of this book.
HARRISTOWN TOWNSHIP.
HIS township was named in honor of Major Thomas Harris, who was elected and served as Major of the Fourth Illinois Regiment in the Mexican war, and who was afterward a member of Congress. It lies in the west part of the county, is bounded on the north by Illini, on the east by Decatur, south by Blue Mound, and west by Niantie. It is ineluded within T. 16 N. R. 1 E., and contains twenty-seven scctions of ehoiee prairie land. It is drained by the Sangamon river and its tributaries. Along the margins of this stream there are seattering patches of timber. The soil is rich, and produces large quantities of wheat, corn, rye, oats, hay, potatoes and vegetables. For many years the only settlements that were made were along the edge of the timber, while thousands of aeres of fer- tile prairie land remained in its native state.
Harristown is one of those townships of Macon county which
were settled by that adventurous and enterprising elass of settlers who left their comfortable homes, generally in Kentucky, Indiana, or Ohio, to push into the wild unsettled portions of eentral Illinois, and cast their destinies with the young state.
The first to settle in this township was William Hanks, a native of Kentucky, who came in 1828, and located in seetion 23, where he ereeted a log-cabin and made some improvements. Only a short time afterward in the same year (1828) witnessed the arrival of Christopher Miller, who emigrated from Kentucky with his family, and settled on section 14. His sons, Samuel, William, and John, came from Kentucky to the county in the same year. John settled on seetion 13 immediately after his coming. James Harrell, a native of Kentucky, removed to this township in 1834, and settled ยท near seetion 13, where he remained two years; returned to Ken- tucky, and remained in the south until 1839, when he returned to
184
HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY. ILLINOIS.
Mac o county, and now lives a: Wyckle's switch. on the Wabash railway. Judge Freeman was also an early settler. Up to 1550 :be settlements were mistly along the timber ? the sangamon. in the southern part, but about this time they began pushing out into the prairie.
James Miller. an old and highly respected citizen, is still engaged in farming on section 13, near where he located at an early day. Within two years after the first settlements were made. its citizens bal a school, which was taught in the eastern part of the township iy William Miller, the Ers: teacher, in 1630. A . : 1841 the settlement had become prosperous and large enough to need a school-house, which was erected on secui.n 13. This building was a Ing structure, and served the double purpose of schal-house and church for a number of years, until abu: 1553. when a building was erected on section 17. exclusively for church purposes.
In the summer of 1557, Samuel and James Miller built a mill on section 24. It was located on the north side of the Sangamon river, and operated by water-r. wer from a dam in the river at that point. It was used as a grist-mill, and was the first mill of any kind in the cowz:Min. In the same year these gentlemen built a blacksmith shop in connection with the mill. inten ding :w do their own black- smithing. bor as it was the valy one in the township, and Er many miles around. the bop was patronized by the whole community. Dr. Greeley was the arst regular physician who engaged in the practice of medicine as a profession. The first justice of the peace elected was Esyaire Nathan Averitt.
In writing the history of Harristown township, it would be incomplete were we to omis the fact that it was for - me years the bume of the Lamented martyr Presilent. Abraham Line In. We are indeled :. Mr. J.hn Hanks, a prominent and very intelligent citizen of Hickory P.in: 1.washin. fr the full wing very interest- ing flots concerning Mr Lincoln's life in Mamon county.
In 1521 Mr Lin ...... John Hanks, Mr. Lin In's father. and John J.basta. Mr. Lincelo's step-brother. erected a l.g-cabin on section if. in the edge of the timber along the sangamon river The hewing of the logs for this cabin was done by Mr. Lincoln. It remained'on the ground where i: was ar -: built until 1676, when i: was taken apart, removed to Philadelphia, and rebuil: at the Cen- tennial grounds, where it remained until the close of the exposition. A few logs were then cut up for canes, etc .. bu: the cabin itself is still standing.
Later in the same year Mr. Lincoln, John Johnen, and John Hanks built a far-home for a man named David Ofuut. They worked from March 1st to May 1st. each receiving seventy-five cents a day. When they had finished the boat they, in company with Mr. Officer. loaded in with bags and took it to New Or- Leans. For which Mr. Lincoln. Jobr Jehoson, and John Hanke each received sixty dollars. They returned by steamboat. The principal occupation of Mr. Lincoln during the time he lived in this wowzship was that of' splitting rails, at which he was considered
The first land entered in what is known as Harristown township was by John Miller. December 2d. 1825, eighty acres in section 13; Charles Hanks entered October 24th, 1530, eighty acres in section 14: William Miller entered January 1st. 1630. eighty acres in sec- tion 15: Samuel Miller entered eighty acres February 10th, 1830. in section 13.
We give the following list of the supervisors : Abraham Eyman, elected 1660 ; J. H. Pickrell, elected 1861 ; J. B. Hanks, elected 1562; M. G. Camron, elected 1563, and re-elected each succeeding year up :) 1576: J. N. Hoyt, elected 1877, and re-elected each year, and is the present incumbent.
James Miller, & Kentuckian, now residing on section 13, came to this county in 1829 : Joseph D. McGuire, a native of Pennsylvania. residing on section 4. came in 1555; Jeremiah Freeman, living on section 6, was born in this county in 1630: J. M Williard on sec- ti n 9, and C. E. Hunsley. an Englishman, who came in 1852, are amung the uller settlers and prominent citizens now living in the town-hip.
Harristown, like all the towns along the main line of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific railway, was laid out soon after the comple- tion of the road. It is located on sections 9 and 10. In 1856 Jacob I. Hobbs built the first house in the town; this was a frame- building. The first post-office was established in 1858, at which time Davis Master-, who is at present living in the town and is engaged in manufacturing wagons, was appointed post-master, which position he held for a number of years.
The next year 1859 Samuel Cox opened a store of general mer- chandize, which was the first in the place. The earliest school was caught by a gentleman named John S. Randle in 1561. It was iw) rear- more before the town could boast of a school-house, which was built in 1863.
In 1500 a church, which originally stood a few miles south east of the town, was moved across the prairie and located in Harris- :own. This was the first church Harristown had within her limits. She. however, was with ut a preacher until 1564, when the Rev. N. 9. Bastian located as paster. Dr. Greeley was the earliest physi- cian who came to Harristown to practice. H. C. Masters was the first blacksmith in the place.
PRESENT BUSINESS-
The business-houses of Harristown are represented in the follow- ing list: General Stores, Peck & Holmes, J. A. McGuire ; Boots, Shoes and Confectionery, F. M. Martin: Barber-shop, F. M. Martin ; Blacksmithi. S. T. Crim, - Schall ; Wagon-shops, Davis Masters, J. H. Tubbe; Elevatore, Steam, Breed & Houck, capacity 2,500 bushels; Ordinary, capacity 2,500 bushels.
The town has a Masonic Lodge in a thriving condition. The Methodists and Christians have each commodious churches, with regular preaching.
On section 20 are the Tile Works of Glascow & Cann, built in 1876 by John Traver.
PIERCE 2NO
STOCK AND GRAIN FARM OF C. E.HUNSLEY, SEC. 14. T.16.R.I. ( HARRISTOWN TP.) MACON CO. ILL.
SOUTH EAST VIEW.
NORTH EAST VIEW.
STOCK FARM AND RESIDENCE OF THIS J. SCROGGINS, SEC. 28, T. 16, R.I. ( HARRISTOWN TP.) MACON CO. IL.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
J. G. WILLARD,
ONE of the representative farmers of Harristown township, is a native of Overton county, Tennessee, and was born on the twenty- first of February, 1827. The Willard family in America is said to have sprung from two brothers of that name, who came to this country at a period previous to the war of the Revolution. One settled in New England and the other in Virginia. From these two brothers it is believed all the Willards now in this country are descended. Mr. Willard's grandfather was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary war. He fought in several battles and did his full share toward securing the independence of the thirteen colonies. After the war the government granted him a pension, which he enjoyed till his death. William Willard, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in East Tennessee, and when young removed to Overtou county, in the same state, where he married Martha Good- pasture. J. G. Willard was the sixth of a family of nine children. In the spring of 1830 his father emigrated from Tennessee to Illinois, and settled in Morgan county, nine miles west of Jackson- ville. The winter after their arrival was the winter of the deep snow, long remembered by the old settlers of that part of the state. The subject of this sketch was three years old when he came to Morgan county. He had the ordinary advantages for obtaining an education. The first time he attended school was in a log school-house. The benches were split slabs, and greased paper pasted over the apertures between the logs constituted the windows. He afterward went to school in a building of a better character. The last school he attended was a high-school at Concord. His father died when he was thirteen years old. He was the oldest son at home, and from that age was obliged to look after the farm, so that he had less opportunity for acquiring an education on that account. His early education, however, has been supplemented by reading and practical business experience in after life.
On the 28th of March, 1849, then in his twenty-second year, he married Miss Aliff C. Avritt, who was born in Kentucky, came to this state when quite young and settled in Morgan county, where she was raised. After his marriage he went to farming on his own account in Morgan county. He began without much means, and for several years rented land. In 1852 he purchased a farm in Morgan county, which he subsequently sold. Finding an oppor- tunity to purchase cheaper land in this part of the state, he came to Macon county in 1855, and bought the south half of section nine of Harristown township, then raw prairie land without any improvements. He improved a fine farm, on which he still resides. His farm now consists of five hundred and sixty-five acres, located in sections nine and sixteen of Harristown township, in close proximity to the town of Harristown. He was fortunate in choos- ing a location in one of the choicest portions of the county. The farm is considered one of the best in the county, has a substantial
24
residence and other buildings and good improvements. His atten- tion has been chiefly devoted to feeding stock, in which he has been successful, and to the breeding of thorough-bred English turf horses.
He has taken a warm interest in everything relating to agricul- ture With the Macon county agricultural association he has been connected since its first organization. In 1879 he was elected a member of the Board of Directors, and in 1880 was chosen Presi- dent. In his political associations he has always been connected with the democratic party, casting his first vote for president, for Lewis Cass in 1848. He has voted for many subsequent demo- cratic candidates for the presidency except in the campaign of 1872. While thoroughly devoted to the principles of democracy, in local elections, he feels himself free to support the man whom he considers best fitted for an office regardless of political affilia- tions. Since the year 1859 he has been a member of the Christian Church, and belongs to the church of that denomination at Har- ristown. His wife has been a member of the same religious body from girlhood. Mr. Willard is one of the substantial farmers of the county. His success illustrates what may be accomplished by intelligence and enterprise devoted to agricultural operations. He has one child, a son, James M. Willard, who has been engaged in the mercantile business.
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