History of Mercer County : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., gathered from mattter furnished by the Mercer County Historical Society, interviews with old settlers, county, township and other records, and extracts from files of papers, pamphlets, and such other sources as have been available : containing also a short history of Henderson County, Part 22

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 904

USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer County : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., gathered from mattter furnished by the Mercer County Historical Society, interviews with old settlers, county, township and other records, and extracts from files of papers, pamphlets, and such other sources as have been available : containing also a short history of Henderson County > Part 22

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

In 1855 the vote as to whether or not the township organization should be adopted, the result was 21 votes for and 19 against the organization.

The following is a list of the justices of the township since 1835 : Ebenezer Creswell. appointed May 3, 1835 ; Abraham Miller. Octo- ber 5. 1835 : Isaac Beson. April 30, 1838, refused to accept ; Christian Routzong. 1838 ; Frank Miller, probate justice, 1838; Abraham Thorp. 1839: E. Gilmore, 1839 ; John Carnahan, 1839 ; Daniel Pink- ley. 1840: Joseph W. Lloyd, 1841; William J. Phelps, 1842; Isaac MeDaniel. 1848: Daniel Pinkley, 1843; Hiram Hardy, 1843; Charles Sullivan. 1845: J. W. Wood, 1845; W. A. Bridgford, 1847 ; Charles Sullivan, 1847 : J. W. Wood, 1847 ; W. A. Bridgford, 1847 ; Lucian B. Howe, 1849 ; W. A. Bridgford, 1849 ; Ephraim Gilmore, Jr., 1849 ; W. A. Bridgford, 1851; W. A. Bridgford, 1858; W. L. Green, 1858 : W. A. Bridgford, 1862; S. W. Gailey, 1862 ; S. H. Riddell, 1866: B. F. Brock, 1866 ; Lucien B. How, 1869; W. A. Bridgford. 1870: O. F. Green, 1870 ; S. H. Riddell, 1870 ; Joseph Lyle, 1873 ; W. A. Bridgford, 1873; J. W. Wood, 1877; S. H. Riddell, 1877; W. A. Bridgford, 1881 : I. W. Huckins, 1881.

SCHOOLS.

The free schools of Millersburg have kept pace with the progress of the township. In 1841 the money paid out for teaching was $124.86. that being the available school fund. At that time there were only three districts, one north of the Edwards and two sonth.

The treasurer's report in 1863 shows seven districts ; 503 persons of school age in the township, with an attendance of 320. The amount paid out for teaching, $1,134.42 ; highest wages paid per month was $30; lowest, 814. School fund, $1,600. The report of 1851 shows the same number of districts ; 580 children of school age, with an enrollment of 360 pupils ; total days' attendance, 33,340; the school fund, $2,322.38 ; teachers' wages for the year, $2.259. 80 : incidental expenses of the schools, $382.82. Highest wages paid, $60 per month.

The improvements in roads have been no less rapid since 1835. The amount of road in the township is sixty miles, with an average width of three rods. In 1854 the road tax was ten cents on the one hundred dollars of taxable property : in 1856, twenty cents ; from 1856 to 1865. ten cents ; from 1865 to 1877, the levy was twenty cents on the one hundred dollars, when the roads passed under the commis sioner,' law. In 1881 the levy was twenty cents on the one hundred dollars : in 1882. twenty cents.

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MILLERSBURG TOWNSHIP.

The township elections were first held at the school-house near Ed- ward Brady's corner, but continued to be changed from here to Millers- burg, and then from Millersburg back to Brady's corner, as it is called. till 1879, then by vote the place of holding elections was settled perma- nently at Brady's corner, and a town-hall built over the school-house for town and public purposes, except for dances, shows and such things that are considered to be detrimental to morality. The cost of the hall · was $387, a part of which was made up by private subscription to secure the use of the building from entertainments of the character mentioned.

The census report of 1880 gives the population as 1,071. The taxable property in the township in 1881 was valued at $461,618. The real estate was valued at $328,410, town lots at $16,060. personal property at $117,148. The equalized value was $425,127.

The tax money collected on the above assessment, for general state purposes and schools, $2,255.45 ; county purposes, $1,065.25 ; road tax $661.35 ; district school tax, $2,391 ; dog tax, $166.

The township has one railroad, the Keithsburg & Galva division of the Chicago Burlington & Quincy. For voting a tax of $13,400 to the American Railroad Company, which built the road, a meeting was called in 1868, which carried by 114 votes for, to 27 against such donations. The bonds were issued in 1869, on ten years time. They have all been paid, the last in 1881, and the township feels wise enough not to vote any more such taxes, as the following call-meetings show.

In 1870 a meeting was called with the expectations that the town- ship would vote an appropriation to the Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis Railroad Company, and for the donation there were 107 votes against 126. A second attempt was made to get the township to vote the tax, but with no better result this time; the votes when counted showed 106 for taxation and 117 against.

In conclusion let us add, the present population of the township are a thrifty, energetic, well-to-do, and hospitable people. In agriculture and stock raising they are up with the times, and few laggards exist among them. For a more extensive history of the prominent business men, farmers and stock raisers of the township, reference may be had to the biographical department of Millersburg township, where the personal and family history of almost all of them may be found.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

Among the pioneer settlers yet living is WILLIAM H. RIGGS, a farmer and stock raiser, a native of Kentucky, born in 1828, son of Thomas M. and Rebecca B. (Jenkins) Riggs, both of Kentucky. The

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

Riggs family came from Virginia to Kentucky, but are of Scotch descent, as also is the Jenkins family. Both families emigrated to America at an early period in the history of the colonies. William H. Riggs' grandfather. Richard Jenkins, came to Mercer county in 1836, and was constable before the township organization. He died in Aledo. After his death his wife returned to Kentucky. William H. located in Mercer county, where he now resides, in 1836, where he has been engaged in farming and stock dealing. His early educa- tion was limited, as the advantages at that early period for education were few. When a young man he went one year to an academy at Galesburg. In 1851, he was married to Elizabeth Dungan, native of Indiana, born 1830, daughter of Benjamin and DeLabor Dungan, by occupation farmers. The former was a carpenter by trade. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and came to Mercer county with the early settlers. By this marriage William H. Riggs has one child, Thomas B., educated at Abingdon. He was married in 1872 to Loretta D. McClanahan, native of Mercer county, born in 1851, and daughter of James McClanahan, who came in 1837 and located in Mercer county, and now resides in Henderson. Thomas R. Riggs has, by this marriage, four children : Guy H., Robert A., Lillian (deceased), and James H. Thomas B. lives on the farm of his father, and helps to carry on the business. Among the fine stock men of Millersburg township William H. Riggs has been known for many years. He imports the best of cattle from the noted fine stock locali- ties. While he makes cattle a specialty, both as to fine stock and feed cattle, he by no means keeps a poor grade of hogs and horses. His farm of 330 acres of plow land and seventy acres of timber is second to none, as a stock farm, in the township. Mr. Riggs is a genius, doing almost all his own work whether it be smithing, car- penter work or otherwise. While he has raised but one child of his own, several orphans have found under his roof a pleasant home, where they were the recipients of motherly and fatherly kindness.

The subject of this sketch, J. F. HARVEY, is a native of Indiana, born in 1833, son of Beauchamp and Margaret Harvey, both of Mary- land. They emigrated to Indiana and settled on White river about 1825. They were both members of the Christian church. The former died in 1874. aged sixty-three years, the latter now makes her home with her children. Mr. Harvey was married in 1866 to E. J. McClure, of Indiana, daughter of John and Sarah McClure. They came to Mercer county about 1847, and now live in Abingdon town- ship. J. F. Harvey has, by this marriage, two children : Charley B. and George F. Mr. Harvey came to Illinois in 1838 and located in

RICHARD KIDDOO.

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Champaign county. He then emigrated to Missouri, and afterward came to Mercer county and located where he now resides. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian church. He has a farm of 125 acres, fairly improved and stocked with good grades. He served in the army, during the late war, from 1861 to 1865, a period of three years and ten months, in the 18th III. Vol. He was in the battles of Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Landing, Britton's Lane ; went down the Mississippi with Grant to Watervalley and back to Memphis ; was in the siege of Vicksburg; was with Sherman on his march to the sea, then on the ocean, through the Carolinas, then to Richmond, Wash- ington and Louisville, where he was mustered out. During his term of service in the army he passed through ten of the southern states.

Among the several old settlers and prominent gentlemen of Mercer county who have taken an active part in its development, we mention the name of EDWARD GRIFFITH, who was born November 13, 1834. in Hancock county, Indiana, and is the oldest child of Charles and Martha (Scott) Griffith. He came with his parents to Mercer county in 1839. As he was the oldest child he was so much needed at home that his education was limited to a common school. He remained at home until twenty-four years of age, when he started out in life 'for himself as a tiller of the soil. He purchased the S. { of the N. W. }, Sec. 14, in Millersburg township. He remained on this place for seven years, when he sold out and bought the N. E. ¿. of Sec. 12, where he remained for eight years, when he sold out and bought the S. W. ¿ of Sec. 18, Millersburg township, where he resides at present. He has been very successful in accumulating considerable property. March 24, 1859, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Church, daughter of Thomas and Rachel Church. She was born March 25, 1838. Mr. Griffith has been a member of the order of Masons since 1869.

WILLIAM KIDDOO, farmer and stock raiser, is a native of Pennsylva- nia. His parents are Richard and Eliza Kiddoo. He came to Mercer county with his parents when a child, and was reared on the farm, re- ceiving only such educational training as the pioneer school of his neighborhood could furnish. He has always pursued the occupation of his father. Ile takes great pride in keeping a good grade of stock of all kinds. He is introducing on his farm shorthorn cattle. He was married in 1864 to Mary Edgar, daughter of R. S. and Elizabeth Edgar. She is a native of Pennsylvania and came with her parents to Mercer county when a girl. By this union William Kiddoo has eight children : Henry G., Harry (de), Francis (de), Maggie M., Alvin A .. Nettie B .. Nora B., Mary V. He and wife are members of the Metho-

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

dist Episcopal church at Joy. He has a farm of 330 acres of fine land, located in the south part of the township.

JEFFERSON FULLER, farmer, now resident of Millersburg township, near Joy, is a native of Maine, born in 1839, and came with his parents in 1842 to Mercer county, where he has since resided ; here he was reared on the farm. He enlisted in company I, 17th Ill. Vol., in 1861, in which regiment he served three years, and then veteranized and was transferred to the Sth Ill. Vol., and continued in the service till June. 1866. He was in the battles of Frederickton, Shiloh, Fort Donel- son ; in the siege of Vicksburg, Mobile, and numerous skirmishes in Texas. At Fort Donelson he received a slight wound, the only one received during his term of service. He was married in 1866 to Josephine Awbery, native of Kentucky, and daughter of Gabriel W. Awbery, of Kentucky, who served during the war in the federal army as a volunteer from his native state. In 1865 the southern sentiment becoming too warm for a federal soldier in his own state he came north. Mr. Fuller has by this marriage two children : Mary O., and Dora E. His parents Jefferson and Tabitha (Libby) Fuller, located in New Bos- ton township, where the former still lives, his wife having died when their son Jefferson was a child. Jefferson Fuller, Jr., raised four sons, three of whom were in the army. He and wife were members of the Baptist church. Jefferson Fuller, the subject of this sketch, began life for himself with such capital as nature supplied him, energy and muscle. He now owns a good farm of 100 acres, which he has well stocked.

David and Lucinda (Baldwin) Felton, the parents of our subject, HERCHEL FELTON, came to Scott county, Illinois, in the latter part of 1840, where they remained till the following spring, when they came to Millersburg, Mercer county, where the former died in 1849, at the age of thirty-six years. They were both natives of Vermont: he of Tunbridge, Orange county; she of Sharon, Windsor county. The parents of David Felton were Amos and Sarah Felton, both of Massa- chusetts. The parents of Lucinda Baldwin Felton were John and Lucinda (Clark) Baldwin. The former was born in 1783, the latter 1785. David Felton was by profession a school teacher, which busi- ness lie followed till his death, clerking during the intervals between his schools. Ile was a member of the Congregational church. Mrs. Felton after the death of her husband returned to Vermont with her family, where she remained ten years. She now lives with her son Herchel. one mile east of Millersburg. Herchel was married in 1864 to Elizabeth Shafer, born in 1842, daughter of Aaron P. Shafer, whose history will appear on another page. By this marriage he has five

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children : Milo P., deceased, Anna E .. Benjamin R., Lucinda B .. and Hiram E. He and wife hold to the Missionary Baptist faith .. He was born in 1841. in Millersburg township, where he now resides. Ilis early education was that of the common school. He enlisted August, 1861. in company H, 37th Ill. Vol. He was wounded at Prairie Grove, Arkansas, December S, 1862, and was discharged the following Feb- ruary. Previous to his being wounded, he was in the battle of Pea Ridge. He held the office of sergeant in his company. His brother, Aaron D., enlisted in company C, 45th Ill. Vol., and died shortly after he was mustered into the service. His brother Hiram died in 1875. at the age of thirty-five, at home with his mother.

One of the old settlers of Millersburg township that remains is AsA Kyox, who came to Mercer county in 1842, and located where he now lives. In 1841 he took a claim in what is now New Boston township. Mr. Knox is a native of Maine, born in 1814. and reared in the town of Jay, New Hampshire. His parents were Moses and Susana Knox, natives of Dover, New Hampshire. They emigrated to Maine shortly after their marriage. He was by trade a shoemaker. About 1841 he and wife joined the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1841 he located in Millersburg township, where he died in 1858. at the age of seventy- five years ; his wife died in 1848. aged sixty-four years. Asa received no literary training beyond the common school. Disliking the trade of his father he chose farming for a livelihood, which he has always fol- lowed. He was married in 1836 to Elmira Perkins, native of Fairfield, Maine, born in 1815, daughter of Daniel and Polly Perkins, both of whom resided in Maine till their death. By this marriage Mr. Knox has eight children : David P., Sumner B., James T., Asa D .. Margarette, Elzina, Ellen M. (deceased). Elmira (deceased). Sumner B. and James T. served in the army during the late war. The former en- ' listed March 14, 1865, in the 83d Ill. Vol., and was transferred to company E, 61st Ill. Vol .. and served eight months. The latter enlisted in company I, 17th Ill. Vol .. and was in the battles of Fort Blakely, Spanish Fort, and Jackson, Mississippi, and served three years. They both now live in Millersburg township. Asa Knox and wife are members of the United Brethren church, at the Palestine con- gregation in Abington township. He has a farm of sixty acres. on which he keeps a good grade of farm stock.

The subject of this sketch is a native of Bloomsburg, Pennsylva- nia: was born October 16, 1812, and is the son of Eli and Rachel Thornton, both of whom were of English descent and natives of Penn- sylvania. H. W. THORNTON's early education was limited to the com- mon schools of the country at that time. In his eighteenth year.

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

William G. Hurley, Esq., a prominent lawyer in the county, gave him the privilege of his office for study (and with whom he read law), and in 1837 was admitted to practice in the courts of Columbia county. He came to Illinois and located in Millersburg in 1838, where for several years he followed his profession. In 1839 he was elected clerk of the county court, which office he resigned the following spring, being nominated and, in 1840, elected, with Hon. Thomas Drummond, now judge of the United States court in Chicago, to represent the ten northwest counties in the state legislature. In 1842 he was elected recorder of the county to fill a vacancy, and in 1844 re-elected for four years. At the end of the term the county seat was located at Keiths- burg. For six or eight years he engaged in selling goods and in improving his farm adjoining the town of Millersburg. In 1858 he was elected president of the Warsaw, Rock Island & Galena Railroad Company, which position he held for ten years, and during his term of presidency secured the building of the line from Port Byron junction (six miles above Rock Island) to Savanna, a distance of forty-eight miles. After the completion of the road from Port Byron to Savanna, thirty-eight miles, Richard Irvin, senior member of the firm of Irvin & Brother, bankers, of New York, and financial agents of the Bank of Glasgow, Scotland, who furnished funds for the work, gave him the following letter as a testimonial :

"NEW YORK, April 25, 1866.

" Dear Sir,-I have pleasure in stating it as my opinion that to your exertions in presenting plans and surveys for extending the Northern Illinois railroad from Savanna to Port Byron, and in setting forth the feasibility and probable advan- tages of such extension, has it been owing that the work was undertaken and completed at a period of very high prices both of material and labor. Whatever benefit to your district of country has accrued, or may in future accrue, from the work referred to, you are fairly entitled, I should say, to great credit for the active and intelligent part you took in forwarding it.

"I remain, dear sir, yours truly, "RICHARD IRVIN.

"H. W. THORNTON, Millersburg, Ill."

Mr. Thornton was married February 25, 1839, to Elizabeth F. Norbury, of Philadelphia, born December 19, 1816, daughter of Joseph B. and Rebecca M. Norbury, both natives of Pennsylvania. By this marriage they had seven children : two died in infancy, one (Susan) at the age of twenty-one ; four are now living : Martha N .. Sarah E., Nor- bury W., and George E. Since 1868 he has lived quietly on his farm, and in the same house he built forty-three years ago.

RICHARD KIDDOO, deceased, was a native of Beaver (now Lawrence) county, Pennsylvania ; born April 25, 1816. His parents, James and Mary Kiddoo, were natives of Pennsylvania, and emigrated to Millers-

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burg township, Illinois, some two or three years after their son Richard .. They located where Mrs. Bryant. formerly Mrs. John Kiddoo. now resides. Here they lived out their days in the faith of the Presbyterian church. Richard Kiddoo was married October 12. 1837. to Eliza Vannatta, native of Pennsylvania, born in 1821, and daughter of James and Betsy Vannatta, both of Pennsylvania. The former died in 1837. aged sixty-one years; the latter came in 1844 to Mercer county, where she remained four years; went to Jasper county. this state, and there died at the ripe old age of seventy- two years. They were of good family. well-to-do farmers, and honored members of the Presbyterian church. By this marriage Richard Kiddoo raised a family of thirteen children : Mary (deceased), William, James. Jolin (deceased), Naney. Eliza. Martha (deceased), Thomas, Hannah. Amos F., Cyrus C .. Adda. Caroline S. In 1845 with his family he came to Mercer county and located in Millersburg township, where he resided till his death. which occurred February 3. 1882. He came here with small means, which, combined judiciously with his good business judgment and industry, crowned his life with success. He never engaged in speculation but made his money by raising grain and feeding stock. He left his family a property valued at $50.000. To use the words of his neighbors. he accumulated wealth rapidly and practiced strict economy. But his economy was not of a close and penurious kind ; his family lived comfortably and he gave generously to every public benefit. He was a man of warm impulses and strong convictions, and never inconsiderate of the convictions of others, a helper of the needy and a friend to all. His great simplicity of character and moral integrity won the esteem of many and commanded the respect of all. If many who are disposed to complain of their surroundings would adopt his rules of life they would move more smoothly over life's impediments. No man manifested greater interest in the upbuilding of Christianity and morality in the community than did Richard Kiddoo. "It will not be regarded a disparagement to others who were helpful in the same direction, to say the high morality and marked religious character of this community are largely due to the influence and efforts of Richard Kiddoo." The expression of all who knew him is that a good man has gone out from among us. He and his ancesters so far back as we are able to ascertain have been strict members of the Presbyterian church. His widow, who was a coworker in all his undertakings to build up society. the church, and to make home happy and pleasant for all, still resides on the farm where they have lived since they came to Illinois.

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

Among the first settlers of Millersburg township was M. H. RIGGS and family. They located on section 30 as early as 1834. The sur- rounding country was then only a wilderness. He planted his first crop and fenced it afterward. Mr. Riggs is a native of Kentucky. He married in 1837 Julette Froman. daughter of Thomas and Dice. (Hichison) Froman. both of Virginia, but emigrated to Kentucky as pioneers, where their daughter Julette was born and reared. They both died in Kentucky, members of the Baptist church. The offspring of this marriage is: Thomas. Isaac. William. James. Filman, Wash- ington, Marion. Jasper. Clay. Mrs. Riggs lives on the old farm of 400 acres where they first located, and is the oldest settler living in the township at this time. Her son Marion resides with her. He was born and reared where he now lives. In 1862 he enlisted in the 124th reg. Ill. Vol. Inf., company G, and served three years and a few days. He was in the siege of Vicksburg, with Smith at Mobile, the taking of the Spanish fort. He returned home and was married in 1865 to Sarah A. Hubbard, native of Illinois and daughter of Willard and Nancy Hubbard, the former of Massachusetts, the latter, Kentucky. By this union Marion Riggs has three children : Julette, Nancy and Adda. He is a farmer, and keeps a good grade of farm stock, grade cattle and hogs and Cotswold sheep. In politics he is a republican straight.

W. A. BRIDGFORD, farmer, is by birth a Kentnekian, born in 1810, and the son of W. J. and Elizabeth Bridgford, both of whom were natives of Virginia and emigrated to Scott county, Kentucky, where our subject was born. In 1813 they moved to Ohio, where they both died, the former aged eighty-four, the latter thirty-six years. Mr. Bridgford was reared and educated in Ohio, where he resided till 1832, when he emigrated to Indiana, near Indianapolis, where he remained eight years, and then came to Illinois and located in Richland Grove township, where he remained till 1856, when he moved to Millers- burg, where he has since lived. He was married in 1839 to Nancy Workland, native of Kentucky and daughter of Charles and Permelia Workland. They have ten children, five of whom are living : Oliver A., Malinda, Mary E., Martha and Laura, two of whom live in this county and three in Kansas. He has held the office of justice of the peace for about forty years and is now acting in that capacity. He also holds the office of notary public. When his present term expires he will have served in that office sixteen years. He held the office of collector eleven years. He belongs to both the secret orders, I.O.O.F and Masons. Hle soll goods in Millersburg from 1850 to 1860. The last few years he has been engaged in farming. Previous to leaving Ohio

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he studied law and was admitted to the bar at Oxford in 1832, but never engaged in active practice. When he arrived in Mercer county his wealth in this world's goods for most part consisted of a team, and cow and six sheep. Hle now owns a farm of eighty acres in Mercer county, eighty acres in Kansas, and considerable town property.

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Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co. Number of Pages: 904

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 904