History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 17

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1424

USA > Illinois > Mercer County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 17
USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 17

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The Keithsburg & Eastern Railroad Company was organized under the law of the state providing for a general system of railroad incorpo- rations, September 22, 1873, by the following incorporators: W. D. Smith, T. B. Cabeen, C. A. Frick, E. L. Marshall, G. W. Whiting, B. C. Taliaferro, Harry Weaver, William Gayle, Theodore Glancy, J. P. Wycoff, A. B. Sheriff, R. J. Cabeen and William Willett. The project was to construct a narrow gauge railroad from Keithsburg to the east line of the state in Kankakee or Iroquois county, with a branch to Chicago; but it was never surveyed east beyond the Illinois river. Grading was begun at Keithsburg in the spring of 1874, and when the line had been extended eight miles it was decided to change the route either to Galesburg or Monmouth. Denny, in Warren county, distant twenty miles, being reached, work came to a standstill in 1875. Sub- sequently the road was sold in sections under execution, and finally the whole property was sold under mechanic's lien, but in each case it was purchased for D. M. Halstead and T. B. Cabeen. Halstead assigned his interest to George Seaton, R. J. Cabeen and T. B. Cabeen, who received a sheriff's deed. Recently these owners have contracted with William Hanna and B. P. Phelps, of Monmouth, who represent the Peoria & Farmington railroad, to convey to them for a consider- ation all their interest in the Keithsburg & Eastern, if the former shall be completed to this point by February 22, 1884.

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KEITHSBURG TOWNSHIP.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

The subject of this sketch, ISAIAH WILLITS, was born in York county, Pennsylvania, November 2, 1812, where his boyhood days were spent in rambling over the rocky bluffs and helping his father on a small farm. In 1826 the family removed to Wayne county, Indiana, where he was engaged in farming near Centerville, ten miles west of Richmond. In 1835 he came to Mercer county, Illinois, where he took a claim near Pope Mills, now known as the old Frick farm. He went back to Indiana several times for cattle, driving them through on horseback, until 1838, when he permanently settled at Bald Bluff, Henderson county, erected a rude log cabin and endured all the hard- ships and privations known to the earlier settlers. It was in this year that the famous Black Hawk chieftain visited the Bluff, together with four hundred of his warriors. Mr. Willits says that his courage was never questioned, but when he saw them all approaching under full gallop, he is willing to acknowledge that he felt somewhat "shaky." They were tribes of Sacs and Foxes, who were on their way to their reservations on the Des Moines river, Iowa. April 4, 1839, Mr. Willits was united in marriage to Elizabeth Reynolds, daughter of Caleb Reynolds, of Ohio, she too being one of the pioneers, having come to Mercer county among the first who settled here. They lived on their Henderson county farm till the year 1857, when they removed to Keithsburg, where he went into the mercantile business, continued in this pursuit for four years, sold out and purchased a farm south of town half a mile, where he resided till the spring of 1873, when he became so afflicted as to unfit him for active duties, and he moved again to Keithsburg, where he still resides. Mr. and Mrs. Willits are parents of ten children, nine of whom are living. Joshua, the eldest, was born in Henderson county March 13, 1840, was raised on a farm with limited educational advantages such as existed at the early settling of the country, yet by close application and study at home he acquired a good practical education. He was married November 31, 1873, to Miss Clara Willits. They have two children : Norman, born Decem- ber 6, 1875 ; and Harry, born July 5, 1879. His vocation is farming. His farm joins the old homestead place. Emily, the eldest daughter, born in Henderson county, November 11, 1841, obtained the rudi- ments of learning in a little log school house, subsequently attended graded school in Oquawka and Keithsburg, was married to Mr. A. B. Childs November 16, 1880. They have one son, Benny, born Novem- ber 14, 1881. Leander, second son, born November 21, 1843, and Minerva, second daughter, born September 6, 1845, both unmarried, are living at home with their parents. Byron, born April 5, 1847, died

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

November 21, 1847, aged seven months. Jo. H. Wird, daughter, born August 26, 1848, received her education principally in the graded schools at Keithsburg, where she began teaching at the age of seven- teen years, and has been constantly engaged in the work in this place for sixteen years, attending normal schools during the vacations. Last. year (1881) she was at State Normal, at Bloomington, Illinois. Azro P., born July 19, 1850, was educated in Keithsburg; read medi- cine with Dr. E. L. Marshall and attended two courses of lectures in Rush Medical college, Chicago; was a member of the graduating class of 1877 ; received his diploma on examination before the Illinois State Board of Health, and is now (1882) a practicing physician ; January 19, 1880, he was united in marriage with Lizzie F. Whiting, of Keiths- burg. William ' A., born November 10, 1852; passed creditably through the high school at Keithsburg; began his career as teacher in the State of Missouri, after which he came to his native county (Mercer) and taught three years in the district schools ; then took the principalship of the Keithsburg graded school, and is now (1882) occupying that position. Leone, fourth daughter, born August 11, 1855, is unmarried and living with her parents. Lydia A., youngest. daughter, born January 12, 1859, was married to Heman N. Childs, November 16, 1881. They are living on their farm in Henderson county, five miles southeast of Keithsburg.

BENJAMIN D. ELLETT (deceased) was born near Richmond, Virginia, February 2, 1813. He was reared partly on a farm, but early in life turned his attention to merchandizing in the dry goods line. In the spring of 1836 he emigrated to Illinois and settled in Henderson county, where he however remained but a short time, and removed to Mercer county, April 19, 1838. He was united in marriage with Miss Grace E., a daughter of Mr. Charles Jack, an early settler of Mercer county. She died in October, 1850, leaving three children, but one of whom is now (1882) living: Mrs. Mary J., wife of F. P. Burgett, banker, of Keithsburg. Mr. Ellett's second marriage was on Septem- ber 8, 1851, with Miss Orpha B., daughter of Andrew and Mary (Lloyd) Myers. She was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, September 1, 1827, and came with her parents to Mercer county in 1836. Here she received such an education as was obtainable in the pioneer schools- of this county's early history. At the time of his second marriage Mr. Ellett was filling the position of sheriff of Mercer county. After the termination of his'official term, he permanently located in Keiths- burg and engaged in the lumber business, which he followed till the time of his death, which occurred October 29, 1880. By his last marriage he had borne to him nine children, as follows: Frank A .;

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KEITIISBURG TOWNSHIP.

Minnie, wife of Martin Rice ; Nellie, wife of C. S. Frick ; William B., Harry B., Bettie, Edwin M., Frederick D. and Thomas A. Mrs. Ellett and family are living in her comfortable home in Keithsburg.

BENIJAH LLOYD was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania March 17, 1825, and is the second 'son of Benijah and Elizabeth (Dunn) Lloyd, who were among the early settlers of Mercer county; coming here in September 1835. Mr. Lloyd settled in Millersburg township where he lived till the time of his death (1864). He was the father of six children, one of whom was killed by falling out of the wagon near Keithsburg while on their way to their pioneer home. Benijah, the subject of this notice, thus early became identified with the county and enjoyed only the means of pioneer school education. December 9, 1847 he was united in marriage with Miss Arrelda J., daughter of Dr. Mark Willits, an early settler of Mercer county. They have reared a family of nine children, viz: Omer H., Ella J., Nettie, Charles M., William W., George W., Maurice E. and Maude. After his marriage Mr. Lloyd engaged in farming which he successfully followed till the fall of 1856, when he was elected Sheriff of Mercer. He then located at Keiths- burg, then county seat, where he remained till its removal to Aledo. At the expiration of his official term, in 1859, he returned to his farm but in 1860 came to Keithsburg where he has since resided enjoying the respect and esteem of his many friends who have almost continually kept him in some position of trust, as shown by the records of the township.

As early as 1836 there came one to Mercer county with limited means but hearty and industrious, and with a strong resolution to provide for the present and procure plenty for the future. Such a character was PAUL SHERIFF, who was born in Columbia county Pennsylvania, February 16, 1810. He was married December 23, 1832, to Miss Mary daughter of John and Margaret Doak. Four years after their marriage they left their native state and came to Mercer county where they have resided ever since. Mr. Sheriff has always taken a lively interest in public en- terprises and given largely to their benefit. He has been very suc- cessful in accumulating quite a large property. He has a large farm that comes to the corporation limits of Keithsburg. Politicaly Mr. Sheriff has always been a republican. Religiously he has been a member of the Presbyterian church for thirty years. In temperance movements he has always taken an active part and has tried to show men that liquor will ruin those who become its slaves. Mr. Sheriff has always been engaged in farming. His father was born in Ireland, and emigrated to this country in the year 1790 and settled in Pennsylvania.

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

Thomas and Mary (Woodham) Bridger emigrated from Sussex, Eng- land to America in 1826, landing at New York. They then went direct to Troy where they lived until 1836, when they came west to Mercer county, Illinois, and settled in what is now Suez township, where he and his wife lived but one year when they both took sick and died about ten days apart. Mrs. Emma Doak, daughter of the above, was born Feb- ruary 4, 1819, in Sussex England, and crossed the Atlantic when seven years of age. She remembers the trip well and many facts connected therewith. In May, 1842, she was married to DANIEL F. DOAK, second child of John and Margaret Doak. He was born August 5, 1810. After their marriage they first lived in Green township two miles north ' of Viola until 1850, when they sold out and removed to Perryton town- ship where they lived one year. They then removed to Keithsburg township where they have lived ever since. In 1864 they bought the S. W. } of Sec. 2, in Keithsburg township, which makes a very com- fortable home for them. They have about one hundred acres in cultivation, the balance in pasture. There have been ten children from this union, eight living, two dead. James T., Martha J., Mary A., Sarah E., Nancy M. (married to T. J. Hayes), Anna, Daniel W., Ida M., John, Fannie A. Mary A. and Ida M. are dead. Daniel (their father) died in September, 1869. Mrs. Doak is still living but in poor health.

BENJAMIN F. GRUWELL, was born in Greene county, Ohio, Novem- ber 22, 1808. In 1825 he removed with his parents, Jacob and Prudence (Dill) Gruwell, to Wayne county, Indiana, where he lived at farming until 1837. He was married in Miami county, Ohio, to Miss Lucy Hurst, December 18, 1829. In the autumn of 1837 Mr. Gruwell, taking his wife, their two children, and his wife's sister, emigrated to this township, he driving a six-ox team and hauling the family effects, while Mrs. Gruwell and the others kept company in a one-horse car- riage. They arrived at the bluff on the 18th of October, and Mr. Gruwell bought out the claim of Jack Harris, a single man, to 80 acres on the N. W. ¿ of Sec. 1. The time was short for making improve- ments before the biting blasts of winter, so a 10×12 foot cabin was hastily constructed from small trees eight inches in diameter rived and stood upright, with one end in the ground. Sod from the prairie formed a tight roof, and sticks and mud composed the chimney. The crevices were daubed in the usual way, and a quilt was hung up at the door to keep out snow and wind. The parents and two little children lived in this four months in great enjoyment. During the time many visitors came to their cabin. It was here that their fourth child, Martha, was born. Boxes in which they had brought their household

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goods were their bedstead that winter, and their "fall-leaf" table was the only one that anybody had knowledge of in the country. There was just room enough for two to sit down to the table at once. They had hired help that winter, and when the hands had got their supper they went to their own homes to lodge. The people then thought . nothing of going ten miles to visit ; all within a radius of that distance were neighbors; and at that time most people knew everybody in the county. The family lived on this farm until they owned 300 acres of land. In 1850 Mr. Gruwell went across the plains to California, and returned by steamship the next year. In 1852 he disposed of his farm and moved to Keithsburg, where he bought the Calhoun House and kept hotel seven years. They have been the parents of seven children, as follows: Joseph, who died in infancy; Melissa; Francis Marion, who was killed in Keithsburg November 24, 1859, by the bursting of a cannon while celebrating a victory at the polls ; Martha; Erastus, who was killed at Fort Donelson February 13, 1862; Alice ; 'and Edna (dead). Martha was married February 21, 1856, to John Thomson, a native of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a carpenter by trade, who came to Keithsburg in 1853 and worked here till the summer of 1862. At that time he enlisted in company H, 84th reg. Ill. Vol., and served upward of a year in the field. The hardships of the service com- pletely shattered his health, and he has since been a confirmed and helpless invalid. Of his eleven children eight are now living. One daughter, Miss Mary L., has lived with her grandmother Gruwell since the age of five. These two are communicants in the Presbyterian church.

OLIVER P. EMERSON, retired farmer, is a son of Edward and Sarah (Swaford) Emerson, and was born in Wayne county, Indiana, June 17, 1817. He was reared on the farm, where he helped to clear up and make a home among the tall Indiana timber. In 1839 he came to Mercer county, Illinois, but soon returned to his father's home in In- diana. In 1840 he again came to this county, where he worked till 1842, when he went back to Indiana, and on February 15th of the same year was married to Miss Sarah Kelly, a native of that place. In about 1847, with his family, he came to this county and permanently located and engaged in farming and stock raising, following the busi- ness for many years. Mr. Emerson begun for himself, with but very little except a pair of willing hands and an industrious disposition, but by dint of hard work and good management, has accumulated a large farm, comprising over 600 acres, the most of which he has recently divided among his children. Himself and wife have been life-long members of the Christian church. She died August 29, 1881, and is

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

buried at the New Boston cemetery. His five living children are : Hester, wife of Mr. Charles Dryden ; Monroe ; Elizabeth, wife of Mr. Alexander Calhoun ; George L .; and Orind V., wife of Mr. William Pryne.

DAVID PARDEE, farmer, was born in New Haven county, Connec- ticut, June 26, 1809. Early in life he served an apprenticeship at carpentering. In 1831 he went to New Orleans, where he worked at his trade till 1840, when he came to Illinois and bought land near Viola, in Mercer county, where he lived three years. At the time he bought his land he paid down a large part of the purchase money, agreeing to pay the balance out of money then due him, but which he failed to get, and consequently lost his land. He then came to Keiths- burg and built a flat-boat in which to carry himself out of the country. After floating down the Father of Waters into Louisiana, he landed near Port Hudson, where he remained on his boat till by chance he met a friend of whom he borrowed a few dollars, went ashore and bought a suit of clothes, and then soon found work. In 1864 he again came to Mercer, purchased his present home in Sec. 14, T. 13, R. 5, Keithsburg township, where he is now pleasantly located engaged in farming. Mr. Pardee has been twice married ; first, in Louisiana, to Miss Ellen Crenan, by whom he has three sons living in Kansas : John, Thomas, and Josiah. His second marriage was with Miss Sophia Green, a native of Iowa, by whom he has three children living : Elbert F., Stephen, and Ora May.

MARTIN WIRT was born in Ohio in 1820. He was educated in the common schools of his native state. In 1840 he came to Illinois and settled on a farm near the village of Keithsburg, Mercer county, Illinois, and engaged in farming. June 11, 1850, he was married to Miss Esther Groves, a native of London, England, who was born January 24, 1831, and came to America in 1849. They became the parents of eight children, seven of whom are living : Jane, wife of Fred Freter ; Ada C., wife of J. Lester ; George G .; Emma V., wife of A. L. Emerson ; Willie M., Maggie M., Fred. N. and Samuel, deceased. In 1868 Mrs. Wirt fulfilled a long cherished desire of her heart in returning to see her parents in the old home in England, where she remained on a visit six months. On August 5, 1879, Mr. Wirt died, leaving his affectionate family a comfortable home.

JOSEPHUS WADE (deceased), was born in Highland county, Ohio, November 19, 1826, and spent his early youth on the farm. His edu- cation was such as could be obtained in the common schools. In 1840 he emigrated with his parents to Illinois, landing at Keithsburg on December 4. October 16, 1851, he was united in marriage with

JAMES HEATON.

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KEITHSBURG TOWNSHIP.

Miss Emily D., daughter of John M. Nicholson, who was born in Washington county, Indiana, February 18, 1833. In 1853 he perma- nently located in Keithsburg and engaged in the livery business, following the same through life. He died at St. Anthony's Falls, Minnesota, August 1, 1868, where he had gone with a view of improv- ing his health. While there he was accompanied by his wife who brought back his remains to Keithsburg for interment. Besides an affectionate and sorrowing wife, he left two living children. Two are deceased. The two living are John M. and Mary J. The former, born October 20, 1855, was married November 24, 1880, to Miss Mol- lie E. Cummins, a daughter of T. S. Cummins, Esq. He died Janu- ary 18, 1880, of consumption. Mr. Wade's only surviving child, Mary J., was born in Keithsburg, Jannary 13, 1861, and is living with her mother, and by the pleasant sunshine of her presence renders home very happy and agreeable. Mr. Wade's mother died in Keiths- burg, January 20, 1882, and was at the time of her death the oldest person living in the town.

Among the few early settlers of Keithsburg township still remain- ing we find Mr. BENJAMIN L. HARDIN. He was born in Wayne county, Indiana, April 29, 1818, and is a son of Thomas and Polly Wilson Hardin. He was raised on a farm with only the advantages of a pioneer log cabin school, but where he enjoyed the means of fully developing his muscular powers in the tall tiniber of Indiana. December 24, 1840, he married Miss Minerva, daughter of James Gibson, Esq., of Indianapolis, Indiana, and the next year emigrated to Mercer county, Illinois, and settled near where he now (1882) lives in the township of Keithsburg. After his first settlement in the new country he realized the lack of religious worship and soon engaged the services of a Methodist preacher to hold meetings at his cabin, which was continued till a more suitable place could be provided. Suffice it say that to his energy and untiring zeal is largely due the prosperity of the church in this township. Mr. Hardin has reared a family of nine children, all living: William, now farming in Iowa ; Joseph W., now farming in Iowa ; James A., also farming in Iowa ; John P., at home ; Alvis, on a farm in Keithsburg ; Thomas, Lava, Perry and Frank, at home. Mr. Hardin's farm of 360 acres is located in Secs. 11 and 12, T. 13, R. 5.

Among the early settlers who came to Mercer county, Illinois, may be mentioned the name of WILLIAM S. EMERSON, who was born in Wayne county, Indiana, January 15, 1822. He is the fourth child of Edward and Sarah (Swaford) Emerson, living with his parents until twenty-two years of age. when he commenced farming for himself on

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a small scale, in which business he has been engaged ever since, having accumulated considerable property, 160 acres in section 11, ninety acres in section 10, and forty-eight acres in section 10 of the new survey. He came to Mercer county, Illinois, during the year of 1844, leaving his parents and his native state for the purpose of securing him a home in the valley of the Mississippi, where so many have accumulated wealth from its fertile soil. November 13, 1845, he was married to Delila Hurst, who was born in Wayne county, Indiana, February 15, 1828. They have had seven children, five of whom are living and two dead : Edward L. was born August 18, 1846 ; William E., February 10, 1850 ; Francis M., May 8, 1852 ; Lynden, August 19, 1857 ; Thomas H., April 16, 1861 ; Nettie F., October 22, 1865 ; Ida May, June 25, 1870. Edward L. is married to Miss Ella Gailey, and is at present practicing medicine in New Windsor, Mercer county. Lynden is married to Miss Emma Wirt, and is engaged in farming. Francis M. and Nettie are dead. Thomas and Ida remain at home with their parents. In politics Mr. Emerson has always been a republican. He has been a member of the Christian church since twenty-two years of age.

HENRY G. CALHOUN, fourth in a family of ten children, by Thomas and Jane (Gray) Calhoun, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, October 31, 1820. He was reared on his father's farm, obtained a common school education, learned the cooper's trade, and after working at that three or four winters took up with carpentering. In 1844 he left the home of his childhood and embarking at Wheeling came by river to Keithsburg, landing here on the fifth of April. He worked three years at carpentry, and meantime, June 10, 1846, was married to Miss Sarah J. Brown, who died ten months afterward, leaving twin daughters, one of which lived a year, while the other, Sarah Jane, is yet living and is the wife of William S. McCormick, of Ohio Grove township. From 1847 to 1849 Mr. Calhoun was clerking for Messrs. Noble & Gayle. After that he was in the employ of Abram Rife for some time, and while engaged with him was married again to Mrs. Julia A. Hubbell, November 29, 1849. In October of the same year he opened the Calhoun house and conducted it over two years, and in the same time he improved a farm of eighty acres near the town. In 1853 he was elected to the office of justice of the peace and was appointed deputy recorder, and also held the appointment of notary public. He was thus engaged in public business for eight years. September 30, 1861, he enlisted in company G, 30th Ill. Vol., and was elected and commissioned first lieutenant of his company. He was taken prisoner September 1. 1862, at Brittain's Lane, Tennessee, and having been

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paroled on the 16th he resigned and came home broken down in health. Since that time he has been variously engaged in building, clerking, book-keeping and canvassing. Mr. Calhoun is prominent in the Masonic order. In December, 1850, he was made a Mason in Robert Burns Lodge, No. 113, A.F.A.M., and in October, 1851, he took the chapter degrees in Horeb Chapter, No. 4, R.A.M., at Knoxville, and in June, 1880, the degrees in Galesburg Commandery, No. S. He has filled all the offices in the lodge and the chapter, and has been a repre- sentative to the grand lodge at two different periods, first in.1856 and at a subsequent time four consecutive years, in each of which last he held the appointment of district deputy grand master. He was also a member of one of the standing committees seven or eight years from the expiration of his service as representative. Mr. Calhoun was originally a whig. On the dissolution of that party he, with the Hon. John S. Thompson, was the first to take active measures looking toward the organization of the republican party in Keithsburg township, and he is still as ardent as ever for the success of the same party. By his second marriage he has two daughters : Josephine Louisa and Augusta Belle. The latter is the wife of C. A. Mertz.

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History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 17

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co. Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1424