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 48
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JOSEPH D. McGUIRE.
MR. MCGUIRE, is a native of Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and was born on the twenty-seventh of April, 1817. He is descended from a family who emigrated to this country from Ireland. His father, Thomas McGuire, was born in Pennsylvania. His mother, Susan Hill, was a native of the state of New Jersey. The subject of this sketch was the next to the youngest of eight children. When he was two years old, his parents moved with the family from Pennsylvania to this state, and settled in what was known as the Turkey Hill neighborhood in St. Clair county, seven miles south-east of Belleville. His father died when Mr. McGuire was about six years old. He was raised in that locality, and lived in a neighborhood in which there were few advantages for attend- ing school. The schools were subscription schools held in log school-houses, a few months during the winter. St. Louis was only twenty miles distant, and he was accustomed to go there to market On his first trip to St. Louis, he crossed the Mississippi in a skiff. The ordinary means of crossing was in a ferry boat propelled by horse-power. That was in the days before steam ferries had come into general use. When seventeen, he began life on his own ac. count, first receiving eight dollars per month, wages, and afterward ten. He then raised some crops on shares, and finally saved one hundred dollars, and went to Kaskaskia, then the land office, and
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
entered eighty acres of land ; at that time he was not yet twenty-one years of age. He was industrious and energetic, and when he left St. Clair county, was the owner of two hundred and forty acres of land. He was married in 1840, to Catharine Halbert, who was born in the state of Virginia, and he finally concluded to move to a part of the state where he could buy cheaper land. Accordingly he sold his farm in St. Clair county, and bought one hundred and sixty-five acres of land in Macon county, on which he moved in 1855. Only forty five acres were under cultivation when he made this purchase. He now owns four hundred and forty-two acres of farm land, and fifteen of timber. His farm is on the line between Harristown and Illini townships. He has had twelve children : Mary, now the wife of Richard M. Hamilton, of Illini township, John D. McGuire, Benjamin H. McGuire, Lyman T. McGuire, station agent for the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific railway at Harristown, Joseph A. McGuire, who is carrying on the mercantile business at Harristown, Theodore J. McGuire, Ida, now Mrs. James Darst, residing at Eureka, in Woodford county, and Ed- ward McGuire. Susan, next to the youngest child, died in Octo- ber, 1879. The death of Clara resulted from an accident by fire, when she was five or six years old; Emily and George died in in. fancy in St. Clair county.
In his politics, Mr. McGuire was first a member of the democra- tic party. He cast his first vote for President, for Van Buren in 1840, and the last democratic candidate for president he voted for was for Douglas in 1860. Throughout the war he was a strong Union man, voted for Lincoln in 1864, and has been a member of the republican party ever since. He is one of the representative farmers of Harristown township, and is a member of the Christian church, connected with the church of that denomination at Har- ristown, in which he holds the office of deacon. Was connected with the Baptist denomination while living in St. Clair county, and on coming to this country joined the Christian church. He assisted in organizing the Christian Church in Illini township, which after- ward became merged with the Christian church at Harristown. He has made 110 pretensions to be anything else but a plain farmer, but is a man much respected for his many good qualities as a citi- zen. He began life with no capital, except his own energy, and is now one of the representative farmers of Macon county.
W. L. WHITLEY.
W. L. WHITLEY, an illustration of whose farm appears in this ยท work, was born in Harrison county, Kentucky, March eighth, 1844. His father, James Whitley, was born in the year 1809, in Fairfax county, Virginia, and when a small boy moved with his father to Harrison county, Kentucky, where he grew up and married Phoebe Halcy, who was born in Fairfax county, Virginia, in the year 1805. James Whitley emigrated from Kentucky to Illinois in 1846, and in October of that year settled on the farm in section twenty-eight, Harristown township, on which he lived till his death, on the first of April, 1872. He came to this state with little means, only own- ing a horse, a pair of oxen and forty dollars in money. He bought eighty acres of land in section twenty-eight, and traded the yoke of oxen as part payment, and in a year or two managed to frce the land from all incumbrance. He afterwards purchased a mill on the Sangamon river near his residence, which he carried on for several years. As he had opportunity he made investments in land, and at his death owned five hundred and fifty acres. In his politics he was a democrat. His widow still survives him. He had three children: Richard F., who now lives in Vernon county, Missouri ;
Napoleon B., who died in the year 1859, at the age of seventeen, and W. L. Whitley, the youngest.
W. L. Whitley, who occupies the old homestead farm, was about two years and a-half old when he came to Macon county. He obtained his education in the neighborhood of the old farm, on which he has always lived. On the first of September, 1872, he married Alice J. Peats, a native of Mercer county, Pennsylvania, where the marriage occurred. Like his father he is a democrat in politics. He owns four hundred and twenty acres of land in Har- ristown township. The farm on which he lives is one of the oldest in that part of the county. The eastern part of the farm includes the most of the land which Abraham Lincoln cultivated when he resided in Macon county in 1830.
JACOB HOSTETLER-(DECEASED.)
JACOB HOSTETLER, who died on the 11th of January, 1873, was one of the early settlers of Harristown township. He was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, on the 6th of July, 1810. His father, Adam Hostetler, was a Pennsylvanian of Dutch descent who be- came an early resident of Kentucky. His mother's maiden name was Hannah Hartman. His parents were married in Pennsylva- nia, and moved afterward to Kentucky. About the year 1825 Adam Hostetler moved from Kentucky to Indiana, and settled in Clark county of the latter state. Soon after the removal of the family to Indiana the father died. Jacob was the youngest son, and was obliged to remain at home and assist in caring for his mother. On this account his opportunities for acquiring an edu- cation were limited. He went to school but little, securing, how- ever, mostly by his own efforts, a good business education, which enabled him to acquit himself with credit in all the positions in which he found himself in life. He grew to manhood in Clark county, Indiana, and on the 11th of March, 1833, married Tabitha Crum, who was born in Oldham county, Kentucky, on the 4th of November, 1816, the daughter of Andrew Crum and Mary Hay- maker. Her parents were Virginians and early settlers of Ken- tucky. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hostetler moved to Illinois. In September, 1835, they settled on section 14 of the pre- sent Harristown township. At that time the settlements in that part of the county were few in number. Some locations had been inade along the timber, but north of the Springfield road all was open and uncultivated prairie, which at that time the old settlers thought would never be brought under cultivation. Mr. Hostetler entered a tract of land on which a log house had already been built. He bought the improvement, and moved into the house which they oc- cupied till more comfortable quarters could be arranged, residing on this farm from the time he came to the county till his death. He was a man who took an active interest in politics and public affairs. He had always been a democrat, and always sup- ported the candidates of that party. He held the confidence of the people of his part of the county, who elected him to several public positions. For eight years he filled the office of justice of the peace, and for a like time, also, acted as county commissioner. The duties of these positions he discharged with credit to himself and satisfaction to the citizens of the county. He was known as an honest and capable citizen, whose character was above reproach and whose integrity was beyond suspicion. He possesscd good business capacity and accumulated considerable property. At the time of his death he owned between three and four hundred acres of land, and was one of the prosperous farmers of Macon county. Mr. and Mrs. Hostetler were the parents of three children, whose names
FARM RESIDENCE OF MR.& MRS. JOHN KRAFT SEC.18, T. 15, R.2, (SOUTH WHEATLAND TP.) MACON CO. ILL.
STOCK FARM & RESIDENCE OF W.L.WHITLEY SEC. 28 T.16 R.1 (HARRISTOWN TP.) MACON CO. IL.
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
are as follows : Francis Hostetler, now carrying on the mercantile business at Latham, in Logan county ; Mary J., the wife of James Campbell, of Decatur ; and Ellen, who married Charles Hunsley, of Harristown township Mrs. Hostetler still survives and resides on the same farm which has now been her home for forty-five years. Her husband was one of the oldest settlers of the county, and during his life-time was intimately identified with its business interest. It is fitting, therefore, that his name should be mentioned in these pages.
J. N. HOYT.
MR. HOYT has represented Harristown township in the Board of Supervisors since 1877. He is a native of New England, and was born at Concord, New Hampshire, on the 15th of December, 1831. His ancestors were among the earliest residents of New England. The Hoyt family is of English origin, and some of its members were among the pioneer settlers of Concord. Jacob Hoyt, the father of the subject of this biography, was born at Concord He
married Fannie Tucker, who belonged to a Massachusetts famiyl. J. N. Hoyt was the youngest of ten children. He was raised at Concord, attending the public schools of his native town, and aca- demies in different parts of the state. In the spring of 1853, then twenty-one years of age, he came to Cleveland, Ohio, where he re- sided till 1868. He was a clerk in the Cleveland post-office for ten years, and in 1865 went into the business of manufacturing paper, which he continued till he removed to Illinois. He was married on the 20th of May, 1820, at Delaware, Ohio, to Mary A. Latimer, a native of that place. Her death occurred on the 21st of Decem- ber, 1866. His marriage to his present wife, formerly Mrs. Eunice N. Thayer, took place on the 7th of April, 1869. He became a citizen of Macon county in 1868, and at that time settled in Har- ristown township, where he has since resided. He was chosen supervisor in the spring of 1877, and has since been selected every year to that office. In politics he is a democrat. He has been connected with the Masonic fraternity for several years, and is the present master of Summit Lodge, No. 431, A. F. and A. M., at Harristown.
SOUTH WHEATLAND TOWNSHIP.
HE township of South Wheatland is bounded on the north by Decatur ; east by Long Creek and Mt. Zion ; south by south Macon ; and west by Blue Mound township. It is well watered by several fine streams. Sand creek enters at the northern part, and flows in a southerly direc- tion through the township. The Sangamon river enters at section twenty-five, and passes out in section twenty-six. Ward's branch and Smith's branch also rise in the northern part, and flow in a southerly direction.
The face of the country in the northern part is hilly and broken, particularly that portion bordering on and in close proximity to the Sangamon and Sand creek. As you travel south the country becomes more undulating, and in the extreme southern part, or lower tier of sections, is a beautiful rolling prairie. The southern portion of the township is as fine farming country as any in the county. The soil is a rich, black, deep loam, admirably adapted to the production of wheat, rye, oats, corn, and tame grasses. In the matter of improvements, it will rank with any township in the county. The greater portion of the farms are well improved, with good fences, and mostly under-drained, also possessing large and commodious farm-houses, good barns and out-houses for shelter of stock and storing the products of the soil.
Its name, " Wheatland," was proposed in the county board by Robert Carpenter. No objection being made, it was so named. This township is among the older settled portion of the county. Being plentifully supplied with timber and good water, emigration was attracted to it before other and fairer parts of the county were settled. In an early day, emigrants to the "Great West " made settlements close to the timber, believing that such districts and places were more healthful, and, at the same time, afforded shelter
for stock against the piercing, cold winds, and gave them easy ac- cess to fuel.
There were other reasons, also, that weighed against making set- tlements on the open prairie. Before the country was settled, the green-headed fly, the prairie pest, swarmed in the summer-time, and no live stock could live in the open country during certain seasons of the year. Then again the flat, open country was filled with sloughs and swamps, and, together with the rank, decaying vegetation, sent forth the deadly malaria, which produced chills and fever and bilious attacks, that kept the old pioneer in a state of constraint and active agitation.
From the best evidence at hand and facts that are indisputable, it is believed that a man by the name of William Downing was the first settler in the territory now embraced in South Wheatland township. His coming dates back to the year 1822. He settled at a place now owned by the heirs of Jacob Libby. He remained here but a short time, and then moved to Bond county, Illinois. His departure was hastened, as he said, by the Indians, bands of whom visited this section on predatory expeditions. His stock was stolen, and family kept in a constant state of alarm by these marauding and thieving parties.
The first actual and permanent settler was a man by the name of John Ward. He was of a numerous and large family, and was a native of Logan county, Kentucky, and lived close to the Tennesssee line.
He came to this section in 1825, and made a settlement on the place now owned by his brother-in-law, Joshua G. Perdue. A few months later, he was followed by his brothers, Thomas, Lewis, James, Jeremiah, and William. They all settled in the neighbor- hood, and in turn were followed by other members of the family.
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Elisha Freeman came in 1826. Hiram Robinson, a citizen of Bond county, came the same year. Then came Robert and Andrew W. Smith, and others, from Tennessee.
Joshua G. Perdue came to the township in 1832, and is yet a resident, and lives on the same place where he settled nearly a half century ago. He was born in Montgomery county, Tennessee, and came with his father's family to Illinois, in 1820, and settled in Bond county.
The names of other settlers living in the township in 1832 were Lambert Bearden, Ephraim Cox, Winkfield Evert, Wm. Wheeler, and Dr. Spears. John Ward, the first settler, kept a grocery and ferry at what was then known as the " Indian Bluff," on the San- gamon river. His stock consisted only of the staple and necessary articles in demand, which consisted of coffee, sugar, salt, tobacco, powder, and last-but by no means least-whisky. The last was a necessary adjunct, and an important factor in the first settlements of Illinois. The goods in those days were purchased in St. Louis and hauled in wagons to their destination.
John Ward died in 1831. His body lies near the spot where he first settled many years ago.
In 1834 Robert Smith and Wm. Cox ventured out on the prairie away from the timber, and built houses. They were followed by Perdue in 1835. Various were the speculations made as to what would be their probable fate, for their foolhardiness in going so far from the timber. But contrary to all expectation, this hazardous un- dertaking was attended with suecess, and soon others followed, and then commenced, in fact, the improvement and rapid development of the country.
The first land entries were made March 17th, 1831, by David Foster, lot 3 in section 1, 131.04 acres. Jeremiah Ward entercd May 27th, 1831, lot No. 2, 80 acres in section No. 2. Wm. H. Brown entered lot No. 1, 80 acres, July 1st, 1831, in section 1, T. 15 N. R. 2 E. We find in township No. 16 N. R. 2 E., in that portion which belongs to South Wheatland precinct, Lewis Ward entered November 9th, 1827, 80 acres in section 31. Also on same day John Ward entered 80 acres in section 33.
The first physician to practice the healing art in the township was Dr. Reed. He was soon followed by Drs. Spears and Crissey. How skilled they were in the healing art is not positively known, further than they were death on "ager."
Rev. John M. Berry was the first preacher. He was a member
of and expounded the doctrine as promulgated by the Cumberland Presbyterian church. In the absence of regular houses of worship services were held in the houses of the brethren in different parts of the township.
The first church building erected was at Gilcad. There had been, however, church organizations a considerable time prior.
The first school was built in 1835, on John Wilson's land, and the second one near Mr. Wykoff's. They were both rough-hewn log, slab-seated school-houses, of the pioneer days of Macon county. Mr. Seward is credited with being the first teacher. He was followed by John Freeland, and the latter by a Mr. Lindsay.
The first mill in the township was built as early as 1829. It was then known as a horse-mill. It was owned and operated by Robert Smith. It did considerable work, and was a great convenience to the people for miles around.
The first deaths in the township were those of Mrs. Mangum and Mrs. Widick.
The surplus products of the farm were hauled to St. Louis, where they were sold, and such goods as were needed for the settlement bought. After Springfield settled up it became the market, and continued so until Decatur was old and large enough to supply the goods.
The grinding of grain into flour and meal for the settlement was done in Montgomery county until mills were started in Decatur. The township is well supplied with raw materials. The Illinois Central runs through from north to south. The St. Louis branch of the Wabash runs through the western part, and the Midland road through the eastern part.
The town of Elwin, on the Illinois Central, was laid out soon after the completion of the road. It is a small place, with several small stores, blacksmith shop, and post-office.
SUPERVISORS.
I. S. Boardman was elected in 1860. Re-clected and held office till 1865.
John Montgomery was elected in 1866.
I. S. Boardman was re-elected in 1867, and held the office till 1870.
Hiram Ward was elected in 1871, and, by re-election each year, has held the office ever since.
FARM RESIDENCE OF MRS OCTAVINA HAMILTON, SEC.4 SOUTH WHEATLAND TP. (16) R.2 E. MACON CO.ILL. ONE HALF MILE WEST OF ELWIN, ON I.C.R.R.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Nor amilton
(etavina Hamilton
THE subject of this sketch was born in Kentucky April 22, 1818, and died June 14th, 1877. His father, John Hamilton, was born in Virginia. He afterward moved to Texas, and died there about 1866. William D. came to Illinois about 1837. He taught school in Macoupin and Morgan counties for eight years, and afterward engaged in mercantile business in Scottville, Macoupin county. On the ninth of September, 1852, he was united in marriage to Miss Octavina Green. She was born in Morgan county, Illinois. Her parents, James and Mary Green, were natives of Virginia. Their respective parents removed to Licking county, Ohio, when Mr. and Mrs. Green were married. Mrs. Green's name was Thompson prior to her marriage. Mr. Green remained in Ohio un- til about the year 1820, when lie emigrated to Illinois, and settled in Morgan county, where he remained until his death which oc- curred in 1862. He was a soldier of the Black Hawk war. He was also one of the very early settlers of that portion of Illinois. His wife, and mother of Mrs. Hamilton, died in 1846. By this marriage there were four sons and two daughters. Three of them have survived the parents. Their names are, Ann, wife of Thomas, Anderson De'Condray, and Octavina, wife of the subject of this
sketch. The date of Mrs. Hamilton's birth was June twenty-eighth 1831. She is the youngest of the family. She remained at home until her marriage. Mr. Hamilton was engaged in general merchan- dizing at the time of his marriage, in which he continued until 1856, when he purchased land in Macon county. It was raw and unim- proved ; he built a shanty on it sufficient to shelter him and his wife, and moved into it, and there remained for four years, when he moved back to Morgan county and farmed Mr. Green's place. One year later he sold out, and removed to South Wheatland town- ship, where he purchased three hundred and one acres. He com- menced its improvement, and there remained until his death. He was a man of considerable prominence in his neighborhood, and was several times elected Justice of the Peace. He was a member of the Christian church, and was also a respected member of the order of Freemasonry. Politically he was a democrat. In his private life he was of a domestic turn of mind, preferring his home to every other place. He was a kind husband, an affectionate father, and a firm friend, and was much respected by all who knew him. By his marriage there were ten children, five of whom are living. A portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton heads this article.
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
CAPTAIN ISAAC S. BOARDMAN.
IT is a pleasure to write the life and history of such a man as Capt. Boardman, a man who has lived patriotically and honorably, and who has faithfully served his day and generation. He was born in Seneca county, New York, and is at the date of this writ- ing, September 10th, 1880, seventy-six years old. When about five years of age, his parents, Amos and Silva Boardman, located in Dear- born county, Indiana. About seven years were spent in that county, when a change of residence made them citizens of Ripley county, where Mr. Boardman obtained his legal majority. He only had such advantages as were common in the district schools of that day, advantages though, which he made good use of, and by which he secured fair business qualifications. He next located in Bartholo- mew county, and after a residence there of several years, led to the hymeneal altar, Miss Margaret Chitty, a lady of excellent personal qualities, with whom he lived in happy wedlock over a quarter of a century, and who finally died in this county, after becoming the mother of eleven children, nine of whom are still living-four sons and five daughters.
The Captain continued to live in Bartholomew county, till he became a resident of this county in 1854, and for many years was noted as one of its most trustworthy and honored officials. He was first elected to the joint office of County Clerk and Recorder, a trust he held in continued succession up to the adoption of a new state constitution, fourteen years later. After this he was Circuit Clerk till his removal to Illinois.
He volunteered in the United States service for the Mexican war, under the first requisition for troops, in 1846, and at once started
for the field of action. He was in the army a little over a year, commanded a company during the time, and participated in the battle of Buena Vista.
On coming to this county he settled in Wheatland township, then known as a precinct, and has pursued the quiet calling of a husbandman. He has been a successful farmer, and has given considerable attention to the stock interest, especially to sheep raising. He is quite a land owner, and has done his full share in pushing forward the improvements of his section, both material and social, and is still fully alive to every question affecting the welfare of both the county and township, in which he has been well known as an efficient Supervisor.
In politics he is a democrat of the old Jackson school. He cast his first vote for the hero of New Orleans in 1828, and has sup- ported all the regular national nominees up to date, being fully established in the belief that the party with which he has acted embodies the correct theory of government, and the proper doc- trine in defining the relations between state and federal authority, viz., that of strict construction.
The family are English in descent. The Captain's great-grand- father migrated to America at an early date. Thaddeus was the Christian name of his grandfather, who was an early settler of the Green Mountain State. He married Miss Rebecca Smith. There the Captain's father was born and raised. His wife, Miss Noble, was a native of Connecticut. They raised a large family, and finally died in Ripley county, honored and respected by a large circle of friends and relatives.
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