History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 122

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698

USA > Illinois > Madison County > History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches > Part 122

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The first settlements in the northeast part were made by Samuel Voyles and David Hendershott, in 1:18. They built cabins near each other, in the northwest part of section 13, on the west side of Silver creek. Voyles was from South Carolina ; he raised quite a family of children, and resided here until his death. Robert Y. Voyles, a grandson, is the only one of the name now living in the township. Nancy Stephenson a daughter of Samuel Voyles, lives in the settle- ment. Abel, Henry and Samuel H. Voyles, sons of Samuel Voyles, improved farms in the settlement, where they resided until their deaths; the two former raised families. Hendershott lived here only a short time, and then moved to Iowa.

Thomas Kimmett, au eastern man, located on the south- west part of section 12, in 1819, where he lived a few years, and then returned to the east.

James Keown, Sr., a half-brother to John Keown, the father of Andrew Keown, settled the southeast 80 acres of section 35, as early as 1819. He afterward removed to Smart's prairie, where he died in 1861. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was in the engagement of New Orleans. Wiley Smart located south of the Vincent place, a short distance, in 1819 or '20. Isham Vincent went from North Carolina to Kentucky, and from that State came to Madison county in 1817, and was one of the well known old citizens. Ile first stopped in the vicinity of Troy, where he taught one of the early schools. After three years he came into what is now Olive township, and settled on section 36, now the El. Wardman place. He erected a cabin on the north

bank of a little stream ; his house stood due north of where the grave-yard now is, on that section. IIis house was on the Hillsboro and St. Louis wagon-road, and for years this was a general stopping-place. He kept a barrel of whiskey in his cabin, and was always ready to supply the thirsty. At his cabin for many years the votes were cast for Silver creek precinct, then comprising all the northeastern part of the county. In the early times it was the custom for the candi- dates to attend the different polls and treat to whiskey and make speeches, and on some occasions election day was a lively one, all the little neighborhood disputes being settled on that day, generally in the afternoon. Vincent had a horse mill, with a bolting chest, for a number of years in the early times, and made a good quality of flour for that day. He was a " Hard-Shell Baptist," and for many years meet- ing was conducted at his residence. William Jones, Thomas Ray, and James Street were the early preachers. For many years he filled the office of Justice of the Peace. He resided on the place he improved here until his death, February 26, 1846, aged seventy-seven years. His wife survived him only eleven days, and died at the age of sixty-four years. They had a family of eight children. Four daughters grew to womanhood, viz., Elizabeth, who married Peter Long ; Mary, who married John Keown; Barbara, who married William W. Pearce, and Martha, who married Isaac W. Pearee, who is now dead ; her present husband is William Eves.

The grave-yard south of the Vincent place was started by the Vincent family, Edwin, a son, being the first buried there, about the year 1824.

James S. Breath located in section 36, among the early settlers, where he entered 80 acres. He lived here some time, and then went into the Marine settlement. John W. Keown came out with his brother Andrew, in 1825'; he after- ward married Polly N. Vincent, daughter of Isham Vin- cent, and settled a place in section 25, where he improved a farm and resided until his death. He raised a family of four children-Larkin C., Isham, Margaret, who married Matthias Pearce, and John, all now deceased but Larkin C., who is a well-known citizen of Edwardsville. Thomas Porter Keown settled east of his brother John's on section 25, where he improved a farm and resided until his death, in the fall of 1867. Previous to his locating here, he lived for a time in what is now Alhambra township. His family that grew to manhood and womanhood, were William H., Margaret, who married Jesse Olive, Alfred, who died in the late war, Sinai, who married Joseph Ricks, and Mary, who became the wife of Thomas Tabor. Robert Keown settled in the edge of the timber southwest of Lewis Rieks' place, in 1º29, where he resided until his death in 1856. He raised only two children that lived to rear families, Hester, who married S. H. Farris, and Robert. The Keowns all came to this their new country on pack-horses. Robert and his wife came through in the dead of winter. They were a young married couple, having started immediately after the nuptial knot was tied. After his death, she became the second wife of Lewis Ricks. Her death occurred July I, 1875, at a good old age.

Tobias Reaves, a native of North Carolina, came here in

FARM RESIDENCE OF FRITZ KLINKE, SEC. 34, T. 6, R. 9, (FOSTERBURG TP) MADISON, CO. ILL.

RESIDENCE OF MR. AND MRS. EDWARD HICKIN, I MILE SOUTH OF GODFREY (GODFREY TP.) MADISON CO. ILL.

RESIDENCE & HOME FARM OF J. S. CULP, SEC. 35 T. 6 R.9 (FOSTERBURG TP.) MADISON CO. ILL.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

1828, and bought a small improvement started by a man named Ringo, in the south west quarter of section 36. Reaves lived here many years. He died at his son's, Wesley Reaves, in New Douglas, October, 1876. His wife preceded him several years. They raised a family of nineteen chil- dren, five now living. Wesley is the only one of the familly residing in the county. At the residence of Tobias Reaves the Methodists held their early meetings.

Peter Long improved a place in the sontheast quarter of section 25. He was a minister of the Baptist denomination, and is often spoken of in this work as one of the early preachers. He was four times married, and now lives at Old Ripley, Bond county, a very old man, but still con- tinues to preach.

Elisha Sackett was one of the early settlers. He never owned any land, but lived here until about thirty-two years ago. Nine of his descendants are now residents of the county. Joel Ricks was married in Kentucky to Miss Ellen Martin ; he came here in 1829, and located in section 34, in the edge of the prairie, northwest quarter, where he resided until 1845. He then joined the Mormons, went to Nauvoo, Ill., and subsequently to Utah, where he now lives. Lewis Ricks, one of the old residents of this township, was born in Nash county, North Carolina, October, 1800. His father, Jonathan Ricks, emigrated to Christian county, Kentucky, since cut off' inte Trigg county, in the year 1802, where he lived and died. Lewis married Miss Mary Anderson, in Stewart county, Tennessee, and in the fall of 1833 came to Madison county, and the following year built a cabin on section 26, where he has continued to live. He has been twice married, and raised a family of ten children by his first wife, three of whom are now living, viz., Temperance, Alfred and Virgil. The two sons are farmers of the town- ship. The daughter married James Pearce, and now resides in Kansas. Mr. Ricks for many years was deputy county surveyor. He taught school, at an early day, in a school- house that was built on the sonthwest quarter of section 26. John W. Reynolds was the first to teach in this building. Mr. Ricks represented his county in the State Legislature of 1857. He has acquired sufficient of this world's goods to ease his declining years, and is now quite an old man, well preserved in body and mind, for one of his age. John Hoxsey was a native of Virginia, and came to Madison county in 1817. His wife, Mary Martin, a native of Ken- tucky, emigrated in 1819. Mr. Hoxsey was the father of John F. Hoxsey, who is a farmer and stock-raiser, now residing in section 32. His wife, Elizabeth Spangle, is a native of Tippecanoe county, Indiana.

Abel Olive married Elizabeth, a sister of Joel Ricks, and the brothers-in-law came to this township together. Olive located northeast of Ricks, a short distance, on what is now the William Olive place, where he resided until his death, 72

leaving a family of six children, all married and settled in life, viz, Jesse, Joel H., Jonathan, Frank, William, and Charity, who married Henry Tabor. The old gentleman filled the office of Justice of the Peace many years, and lived the life of a much respected citizen. John Olive, a brother, was one of the early settlers, but lived in the township only a short time. For some years he followed tailoring in Ed- wardsville and Alton. Subsequently he studied and began the practice of medicine, and now lives in Staunton, Illinois. James Olive came to Alton in 1833. He was then a boy sixteen years of age. The following spring he came to this township, and shortly afterward married the widow of James Tabor. She was, before this marriage, Sinia Martin, of Kentucky, and had one child by James Tabor, now Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Lyon. After Mr. Olive's marriage, he began farming on his wife's place in section 22, where he resided until 1845 or 46. They then sold their home here and went to Nauvoo, Hancock county, Illinois, and located north of that place, where they continued to reside until the Mormon trouble, when he returned to Madison, and bought the place where he now resides, of his nephew, Jesse Olive. He had the misfortune to lose his wife in April, 1864. The follow- ing November he married Mrs. Mary Shumate, widow of Michael Shumate. Mr. Olive has raised quite a large family, and as a farmer has been successful in life. For many years he has filled the offices of Justice of the Peace and Supervisor of the township. John A. Wall, as early as 1830 or '31, settled the James H. Meyers place, where he lived for several years. He then seld his improvements to James Keown, who located here and resided until his death. He lived the life of a bachelor, his widowed sister, Mrs. Margaret Embrey, keeping his house. Sackett settled the Francis place, and Jarrett Cudd, from Trigg county, Kentucky, the place just north, in section 23, about 1832. John Colesen, from the same county, came in 1834, and located on the west side of section 14, where he improved a good farm ; he now resides with his children. The following gentlemen have represented the township in the Board of Supervisors : James Olive, elected in 1876, was re-elected each succeeding year to 1882; he was Chairman of the Board in 1880-'81. James McKittrick was elected in 1882, and is the present incumbent. The first school on the west side of Silver creek, in the south part of the township, was taught in an abandoned cabin on section 34, by Matilda Thompson. The grave-yard on the north side of section 34, on the William Olive place, was started in 1834, the first grave being dug for the remains of George W. Olive, son of Abel Olive. The Christian church on section 34 was erected in 1862; it is a neat frame church, and is now attended by a good, liberal congregation. The Lutheran church on section 18 was built in 1870.

FOSTERBURG.

HE Township of Fosterburg is situated in the northwestern portion of the county, bounded on the north by Jersey and Macoupin counties ; east hy Moro; south by Wood River, and west by Godfrey. It comprises all of town 6, range 9 west, being the northern tier of fractional sections. The lands are drained by the West and East Forks of Wood River and their tributa- ries ; the former entering the township in the northwest corner, passing in a southeasterly direction, leaving it on section thirty-two; and the latter entering in the northeast corner, meandering in a southwesterly course, passing out ou section thirty-five. These streams furnish a good system of drainage, and give an abundant supply of water for stock purposes. The surface is generally quite broken, and on approaching the streams, in many places, it becomes very rugged. About three-fourths of this township was originally covered with timber, the greater portion of which has been cleared and made into beautiful and productive farms. The soil is rich and well adapted for the growing of all the cereals.

It is impossible to ascertain, at this writing, when or by whom the first settlements in Fosterburg township were made. We are informed by some of the oldest settlers, that when they arrived, there were several small log-cabins in the southern part of the township, which had been deserted by some hardy pioneers who, no doubt, beeame dis- satisfied with the location, and plunged deeper into the wil- derness.

It is related that Joseph S. Reynolds was the first settler, and there is a good foundation for the assertion. We find in the records, October 11th, 1814, that Joseph S. Reynolds entered thirty-one acres in the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter, and forty acres in the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter section thirty-three. This was the first land entry made in this township. Reynolds lived here until about 1822, when he moved to Godfrey township, and afterward went to Greene county, in this State.

Orman Beemau stopped and made some improvements on section 28, just south of the Wood's place, in 1816, and remained there until 1828. A man by the name of Honey- cutt was a very early settler. He located on a small branch of the West Fork of Wood river, which has ever since been known as Honeycutt creek. About the same time, James Dabbs settled on another branch, a mile northwest from Honeycutt, which has since been known as Dabbs' creek.

He left about the same time, and probably with Honeycutt. An old lady, known as "Granny McAfee," settled on section 28 in 1816, and she and her family remained here four or five years, and moved to Greene county. William R. Rhodes entered and settled the Wood's place in 1818 or '19, and sold it to Joshua Wood in 1821. October 11th, 1820, there were four more land entries made in this township, by Lorenzo Edwards, Daniel Wagoner, William W. Gallop and Jacob Deck. William Edwards entered the east half of the southwest quarter of section thirty-three, 80 acres. He lived here but a short time. Mr. Wagoner entered 160 acres in section thirty-five. This settlement was made on the Culp place. He was a single man, and remained there for a short period. William W. Gallop entered the east half of the southwest quarter of seetion thirty-one, 80 acres. It is not known that he ever lived here. Jacob Deck en- tered 160 acres, the southwest quarter of seetion thirty-five, and was the first permanent settler in the township. As above stated, this was in 1820. John and Isaac, brothers of Jacob Deck, were also early settlers in the neighborhood. These families were all quite large, and a number of their descendants are yet living in the county and in the state.

Green W. Short, a native of Tennessee, came to Illinois in the fall of 1818, and located in the Wood river settlement, where he remained for two years, when he purchased the claim of Abram Sells, on seetion thirty-four of Fosterburg township, where he remained until his death. He had a family of seven children, only one of whom is now living- Perry W. Short-on the old homestead. He was born here in 1826.

James Dooling was another very early settler, a native of Ireland, and left his native country for America in April, 1818. He landed in New York city in July and came directly to this county, arriving at Edwardsville in the fall of 1818. In the spring of 1819 he moved with his family, and settled in Greene county, where he remained until the spring of 1821, when he returned to Madison county, and purchased a small improvement of George Wood, in the northeast quarter of section thirty-four, in Fosterburg town- ship. He soon afterward entered 80 acres adjoining his purchase. Mr. Dooling continued to reside here until his death, in 1843 He had a family of six children, four of whom are now living, viz: Edmund, Elizabeth, widow of Christopher Coyne, living in Alton; Catharine, wife of John S. Titchenal, in Macoupin county ; and John, in Grundy county. Edmund Dooling was born in this township, Oct. 4, 1824, and has always lived on the old homestead. He is

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

among the best citizens of the county, and has held several offices of trust in his township, and was several times elected to represent Fosterburg in the board of supervisors.

Oliver Foster was a native of New Hampshire, and mar- ried a Massachusetts lady. They emigrated to Illinois, and settled at Alton in January, 1819, and from there moved to this township in 1825, making his home one mile north of the village of Fosterburg, in section eleven. Mr. Foster entered the land upon which he located. It had been im- proved, however, by a squatter named Blackburn. The ruins of the log cabin, which had been partially destroyed by fire, could be seen for some time after their arrival. Mr. Foster remained on this place until his death in 1855. He had a family of ten children, all of whom lived to maturity, and five are yet living, viz : Oliver P'., who resides in Fos- terburg ; Alonzo, at New Douglas ; Aurora B., the wife of Jonathan L Woods, in Macoupin county ; James Monroe, in Macoupin ; and Rose V., widow of Richard Jenkinson. The township and town of Fosterburg are named after Oliver P. Foster.

William E Hill, a native of Kentucky, emigrated to Illinois in the spring of 1830. He stopped one summer in St. Clair county, and then entered and settled on 160 acres of land in section twenty-six, and has lived there ever since. Mr. Hill is among the oldest and best citizens of to-day.

John Vannatta, a native of New Jersey, came west, and settled on the northeast quarter of seetion twenty-one, in 1832, where he still resides, at the age of 77 years. Ile reared a family of children, some of whom are now residing in the state, and one in this county, the wife of C. C. Brown, in Fosterburg

Joseph Sherfy was born in Tennessee, and settled in Wood River township in 1823, where he resided about two years, and moved to Missouri. Remained in that State until 1834, when he returned to Madison county, and located in Fosterburg township, where he has since continued to reside. In digging the cellar for his residence ou section sixteen, he came upon what was evidently an old burying-ground, Some of the bones were still almost perfect, and seemed much larger than those of our race. Richard Jones, another old settler, a native of Tennessee, came to Illinois in 1834, lived part of his time in this township, and died here. His son, James Jones, is an old and influential citizen, still liv- ing.

William Dillon, an Ohioan, located within about one mile of Fosterburg, on section 23, where he entered land, reared a family, and is at present living retired in Fosterburg with his children. His brother, John D. Dillon, a native of the same state, settled in the township in 1837 IIe had the first blacksmith shop in Fosterburg township. It was located on seetion 23. His wife, Nancy Preuitt, is a daugh- ter of Solomon Prenitt, born in this county in 1826.

George Wood, the father of Joshua Wood, whose name is familiar to all the older citizens, entered land in the north- east quarter of section thirty four, about 1821. He was a carpenter by trade, and was not a permanent resident.

Joshua Wood settled in this township on seetion 28, where he resided until his death, November 11, 1865, in the 57th

year of his age. He had a family of ten children, four of whom are still living. His widow still survives, residing on the old homestead, in the 71st year of her age, and is still hale and hearty. She is a daughter of James Huston, an old resident of the county, who was a native of Christian county, Kentucky, and came from there to Alton, May 22, 1819. Iu the fall of the same year he moved out into Wood River township, on the place owned by Capt. Abel Moore, where he lived for about three years, then entered the south- west quarter of section 32, and lived there until the fall of 1835, when he moved and settled near Shipman, where he died Nov. 12, 1846. His widow survived until 1856. He had a family of ten children, only two of whom are living- Sarah, the widow of Joshua Wood, above mentioned ; and Elizabeth, the wife of George N. Sapping, residing in Iowa.

The Nichols, John Young, Alexander Hart, James Dren- nen, William and Mark Crowder, William England, Samuel S. Wilson, David Hill, Asa Brooks, Alford Allford, Ran- som Chandler, Thomas Eaton, James Reading the Titch- enals, David Rodden, - Nelson, David Jones, Hugh Jones, and James Bevill were also among the early residents of the township. Mrs. Susannah Thompson is a daughter of Ransom Chandler, and came to this county in 1839. Her first husband, Eldred Foster, was born in Madison county in 1821; and Jacob Thompson, her second husband, was an Ohioan, and came here in 1834. Hazel Luman, residing on section 25, is an old resident, and came here from Kentucky in 1828. His wife, whose maiden name was Williams, was born in this county in 1833. Mrs. Nancy Cavault, formerly the wife of John Deck, became a resident of Madison county in 1817. She is now residing with her husband, Abraham Cavault.

The first graveyard was that located on the Jacob Deck place. The next was the Short graveyard, now incorporated as a cemetery, and named " Delmont." Mrs. Jacob Deek, jr., a daughter of Green W. Short, was the first person buried there. Members of the Wood family were also buried in the old part of the cemetery.

School was first taught in a log house, built on Perry W. Short's place, on section thirty-four, in 1832. It was used a short time for both school and church purposes. The ear- liest Sunday-school was organized in it. The logs of this house were subsequently moved from there and used in the construction of J. M. Cooper's residence. There are now seven school districts, and one fractional, in Fosterburg, all of which have neat and substantial houses, where school is taught the greater part of the year.

The old Antioch church was the first house of worship in Fosterburg township. It was a log structure, neither chinked nor daubed, erected in the latter part of 1832. There was afterward a frame church erected at the same place, which was destroyed by fire in 1863. These were built by the Christian denomination.

There have been only three attempts made at building mills in this township, the first being erected by Samuel and William Dillon, on section 23, in 1834. It was a saw- mill. The second was to be a flouring mill ; it was, how- ever, only partially completed when it was destroyed by fire

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

Thomas Titchenal is operating a saw-mill at present in Fos- terburg.

The first post-office was established during the days of stiges, on the Springfield road, half a mile north of the vil- lage of Fosterburg. Johu Nichols was the first post-master.

There is an abundance of coal underlying the whole sur- face of Fosterburg township, and several mines have been opened and worked to a limited degree, to supply only the local demands. The vein averages about four and a-half feet in thickness, and is found from sixty to eighty feet be- low the surface. There are at present three mines in opera- tion, worked by the following parties : John Hill, William Challingsworth and John Hankhaus, all located on section 26, and worked by shaft with horse-power.

The inhabitants of Fosterburg township are an enterpris- ing and intelligent people, who are using their united efforts to advance the township in wealth and prosperity. They are almost all of the agricultural class, industrious and pains-taking, and their improvements are equal to any in the county.

There have been only two gentlemen who have had the honor of representing this township in the board of super- visors-Edmund Dooling and John S. Culp. Mr. Dooling was elected in 1876, and, by re-election, served until 1881, when Mr. Culp was elected, and has ever since continued in that position.

The township, including the village of Fosterburg, has a population of 1,652 souls.

FOSTERBURG,

Is a little village situated in the southwest quarter of section 14, and was laid out by Oliver P. Foster, the proprietor. The plat was recorded in the office of the county clerk, Oct. 12, 1857. It was first called " Foster," but when applica- tion for a post office was made in 1858, it was found that

there was another office of the same name, and the " burg" was attached. C. F. Lobbig has had the honor of being post master ever since the office was established. The first dwelling, house was erected by Ransom Chandler. C. F. Lobbig opened the first store.

This neat village contains several very good residences and business buildings. The principal street has good plank sidewalks, and is kept up in nice style. The place is a great convenience to the citizens of the township. It contains three brick churches,-the German Presbyterian, erected in 1858 ; the German Baptist, in 1865, and the German Method- ist, erected in 1864. The district school-house located in Fosterburg, is a brick structure, one story high, with a frame addition. It employs two teachers.

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History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 122

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co. Number of Pages: 698

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698