USA > Illinois > Piatt County > History of Piatt County; together with a brief history of Illinois from the discovery of the upper Mississippi to the present time > Part 47
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A lane running across the northern part of the township has long been known as Stringtown lane. Most of the early settlements in that part of the township were built on or near this lane. A portion of the northwestern part of the township has been styled Kentucky, we suppose because some of the settlers in that vicinity were from the state of that name.
Other lanes in the southeastern part of the township are called Christian and Cow lanes.
Many of the early settlers of the township have passed away, but some still remain. The township is proud of all their pioneer settlers, and justly feel that they did a noble work when they began to make settlements in Willow Branch.
Cisco .- This is a small town, but is improving all the time. The depot was built in 1874, and E. F. Dallas was the first grain merchant and ticket agent. E. F. Dallas was the first grocer of the place, but Oscar Harper soon bought him out, and was the first postmaster of the town. Mr. Dallas and Dr. Caldwell were about the first business men of the place. Washington Nebaker kept the first drygoods store in 1874, while Walker and Carter had the first hardware store. James Glick was the first blacksmith, J. B. Hamilton the first druggist, and
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Dr. Weinstein the first physician. Before the station was made Mrs. Tho. Watrous was probably the first person who died there. After the station was located Etta Clothier was probably the first one who died, and Chas. Clothier was probably the first birth.
One version in regard to the name of the town is, that one of the men on the surveyors corps had been on the Union Pacific survey, and that he named the town for a town in Nevada so named. Cisco has a population of over two hundred, contains a Methodist church building, which was erected about 1875, at the cost of near $2,200, a public hall, one hotel and two boarding houses. There is one lodge of Knights of Red Cross, an Odd-Fellows lodge and a Good Templars lodge. Cisco contains about twenty business firms and is quite a thriving little village. Wm. H. Telford has the largest business house of the place and Samuel Nogle keeps the hotel. Mr. Winterbottom was the first minister located at Cisco, but he also had "The Chapel " in charge.
Churches .- The Sangamon church building was erected about 1869 and dedicated to the Christians, but the Baptists own a portion of the church.
Ridge chapel was built in 1868, on land donated by Mr. David Moyer. Several denominations hold service there.
In regard to the United Brethren and Centenary church, we can give no further items than have already been given.
CHAPTER XX,
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. -
M R. BENNETT ARMSWORTH, farmer, Milmine, was born in Ohio in 1828 .. In 1844 he came to Piatt county, and lived with Mr. Scott Armsworth several years. He was stage driver for a time on the state road between Decatur and Mahomet, and again he drove a stage between Springfield and Peoria. This was his last driving, and, strange to say, while on this road he had his first "upset," and two young ladies, who were pitched into a ditch, were the victims of his probably careless driving. After his career as stage driver was over he went to Ohio for a year, but came back to this county, and for nine successive seasons fed cattle. During this time he drove
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several lots of cattle to Ohio. He was married in 1855, to Martha Ater, a native of Ohio, and has had ten children, all of whom are living. Effie is keeping house for her uncle, Thomas Ater. The names of the other children are Charles, Frank, Emma, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Josephine, James, Bennett and Margaret. In the spring of 1856 Mr. Armsworth moved onto his present home-place of 160 acres. He has put all the improvements on this place, including the fencing of it, both open and tile ditching, and the planting of at least 300 trees. The present residence was built about 1867. Mrs. Armstrong owns eighty acres in the township. Upon our asking Mr. Armsworth for any unusual incidents which had occurred under his notice, he related a little experience he had in 1862 with a cattle thief. One night he was roused by a man driving cattle, who wanted him to take the cattle to Decatur. Mr. Armsworth first refused, but afterward consented, and it was arranged that he would meet the man at Decatur at a certain place and hour. He fulfilled his part of the contract, but did not find the man as anticipated. After getting permission to put the cattle in the depot pens he searched the city for his man, but failed in the attempt,. when upon going back to the pens he saw a man slipping away. He called and finally overtook the man, who paid him for his trouble, and excused his tardiness with the plea of sickness. Mr. Armsworth went home, and not long after the same man called at his house at midnight to inquire the way to Decatur. It is Mr. Armsworth's belief that the man at that time had Mr. Daniel Stickle's cattle in his possession. Again Mr. Armsworth saw the thief at Bement and tried to prevail on the constable to arrest him. The man · was caught at last, however, though not in this county, and let us believe that justice was rendered him.
MR. NOAH ARMSWORTHI, farmer, Cisco, is a native of Piatt county. He married Eliza Gulliford in 1870, and has had three children, two of whom are still living, Elizabeth and Charity Lulu. He owns a farm of 160 acres, upon which he has made many improvements. He built quite a nice seven-room brick residence about seven years ago, has planted about seventy-five trees, and has done some tile draining. Mr. Armsworth did not escape being school director for about six years.
MR. FRANK ATER, farmer, Milmine, is a native of Ohio, and came, when fifteen years old, with his father to Illinois. He lives on the 169 acres of land which fell to his share from his father's estate. It was but little improved, however, when it came into his possession. He has planted hedges, made both open and tile ditches, and built both
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barn and house. The latter was rebuilt in 1879, and now contains six rooms and presents a very pleasant appearance. Mr. Ater planted out 300 fruit trees in addition to about 100 other trees. Ilis wheat crop in 1881 averaged twenty-one bushels to the acre, which was an unusual crop for the season. In 1863 Mr. Ater and Eliza J. McArty, a native of Ohio, were united in marriage. Three of their five chil- dren are living, Adella May, Jennie Belle and Bertha Frances. These three girls have begun their musical education in a somewhat rigid manner. During their first term the three kept the instrument "going " about eight hours each day. Mr. Ater has hield the offices of school director and road commissioner.
MR. JOHN S. ATER, farmer, Cerro Gordo, is a native of Ohio. His father was born in Ohio and his mother in Virginia. His father was one of the first settlers of Willow Branch, and John thinks he gave the name to the township. Mr. John Ater was married in March, 1867, to Mary A. Towl. He went to the army in Co. K of the 107th Ill. reg., and was in the following battles : those of the Atlanta campaign, Resaca, Buzzard Roost, Nashville and Franklin. He was never wounded or taken prisoner. Mr. Ater has held some township offices. He was assessor in 1870, and collector in 1871. He belongs to the Masonie order, the blue lodge at Cerro Gordo, and the chapter at Bement, and has been a church trustee of the Sangamon church for nine or ten years.
MR. THOMAS J. ATER, farmer, Cisco, is a native of Piatt county. His father, Willis Ater, came to the county about 1837 or 1838, and took Miss Nancy Fisher for his first wife, by whom he had two children, Thomas Jef. and John. His second wife was Eliza Williams, now Mrs. Ezra Cline. He died in 1851. Thomas J. Ater owns 313 acres of land in Willow Branch township, and has. held his share of town- slip offices. He was school director six or eight years, clerk for five or six years, has been collector, and in 1881 was assessor.
MR. NELSON ATER, farmer, Cisco, is a native of Ohio. His parents were from Ohio. Nelson came to Piatt county and settled on Camp Creek. After living there two years he moved to Willow Branch township, and has lived there ever since. He was married to Elizabetlı Ward, who died, leaving one daughter, Sarah, who is still living at home. Mr. Ater is a member of the Odd-Fellows lodge. When we asked for some hunting or fishing stories, he let us know that he had enjoyed many a deer and wolf hunt. He told a fish story which must not be omitted. He, with four or five others, went seining to Hender-
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son Ford. With but three draws of the seine they got a spring-wagon bed of fish. The result of the excursion was that some were made sick and Dr. Hull was sent for.
MR. HENRY ADAMS, farmer, Monticello, was born in Piatt county in 1846. He was married in 1871, to Mrs. Resstler née Christina West, whose first husband died, leaving three sons, Marion F., Wm. A. and George M., all of whom are at home. Mr. Adams has had four children, three of whom, Chas. L., L. V. Madison and Jesse, are living. He owns 200 acres of land in Willow Branch township, upon which he has made many improvements. He erected a neat seven- room frame house in 1864, and lias planted some trees. He owns a tile kiln, which he has worked two years. He has made on an average 8,000 tile a year, and can burn and dispose of twelve kilns a season. After Mrs. Adams' first marriage she lived in Monticello a time, and finally moved to the place heired from her father's estate, and has improved it a good deal.
MR. JAMES ARMSWORTH, farmer and tile-maker, Cisco, is a native of this county. His father's and mother's wedding was one of the first in Willow Branch township. James married Emily E. Gulliford, has four children, Wm. E., Samuel, Celia and Bertha, and lives in Willow Branch township. He and George Still are running a tile yard near his house. They have been working it about two years and burn about twelve kilns a season. James owns 335 acres of land, 160 of which was his father's, Samuel Armsworth, old farm, and he lives in the house his father built. This farm was one of the first improved in the township.
MR. MADISON ADAMS, farmer, Cerro Gordo, married Mary Zellars, and has three children, Eli Otto, Calvin Wesley and Olive E. He held the office of pathmaster for two years. He went into the army from Piatt county, in Co. E, 72d Ill. The principal battles in which he participated were those of Vicksburg, Champion Hill, Franklin, Mobile and Nashville. He kept a diary throughout his entire three years of service. His father, Jacob Adams, settled in Macon county in 1846, but lived temporarily in Piatt county for several years. Six of his children are living, five of whom are in Piatt county : Hamilton was in the late war, and for the last ten years has been in Kansas ; he came back to Piatt county in 1881, and has six children, Win. R., Frank, Otto C., Alpha, Madison and Flora; Eli C. Adams has three boys, Madison, Frank and an infant, and lives south of Milmine. Henry lives in Willow Branch township, and Sarah J., the wife of
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Daniel Butler, has three children, Mary, Josie and Katie, and lives in Cerro Gordo township.
MR. JOHN ALSBURY, farmer, Cerro Gordo, is a native of Ohio, from which state he moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1830. He moved to Piatt county in 1865, and settled on the land he now lives on. He bought 240 acres, but has disposed of some of it. He was inarried in 1850, to Sarah A. West, who died September 23, 1866. Three of their six children are living, John W. and Sarah M. are at home ; Morrison M. is making quite a musician of himself; he first studied at Jacksonville and then went to Boston, where he has been under the personal instruction of Prof. Julius Eichberg. He has been giving lessons and entertainments in 'central Illinois for about two years. The violin he uses is of European make and was imported by Prof. Eichberg.
MR. WILLIAM BAKER, farmer, Milmine, was born in 1830, in Pick- away county, Ohio, and in 1858 moved direct from that state to Piatt county. However, in 1851-2, he had spent alınost a year in this county. He remarks that in 1851 people had not "fairly given up that they could live away out here in the prairie." He moved into his present residence, which had been built by Mr. Warner, in 1866, but had lived on the farm some seven years previous. When he first moved on his farm there were no improvements in a direct line south for ten or fifteen miles, and wolves used to howl around the door-yard quite frequently. He owns 180 acres of land, upon which he has made most of the improvements. The place is well hedged, has some five or six hundred rods of tile-ditching and is all under cultivation. He was married in 1853, to Ann Jane Grove, who was born in 1834, in Ohio, and came to Illinois in 1858. Their four children are all living. Thomas, a former student of the State Normal, and who has taught four terms of school, owns 100 acres of land in Willow Branch town- ship, upon which he has put some of the improvements. His wife, née Emma Tallman, a former student of the Wesleyan University, owns 180 acres of land from her father's estate, which is partially improved. A frame house of four rooms has lately been built on the place. F. Marion Baker, who has taught school two years, is living at home. Mary H. and Florence M. are also at home. Mr. William Baker has been school director for he "don't know how many years," assessor, town clerk and supervisor. He belongs to the Masonie lodge of Cerro Gordo.
MR. S. M. BAKER, farmer, Milmine, is a native of Ohio, from which
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state lie moved west in 1843, passing through Piatt county. In 1856 he moved into Piatt county and settled on the farm he now lives on. He was married in Ohio in 1856, to Catharine J. Brown. They have had six children, three of whom, Oscar, Laura and Charles, are living. Mrs. Baker's parents located in Piatt county soon after Mr. Baker came. Several of her brothers died in the army. Mr. Baker belongs to the Masonic lodge at Cerro Gordo.
MR. ROBERT C. BLOOD, farmer, Cerro Gordo, is a native of New York, from which state he moved to Missouri in 1871, and in 1873 settled in Piatt county, on the farm where he now lives. He had been in the county, however, thirty years ago. For eight years he traveled to and from it while in the stock business. He has been working with stock ever since he was a child. When but twelve years old his father put him on the road in charge of 244 head of cattle, and, with five men under him, for a trip of 500 miles. He was somewhat over- whelmed for a time with the responsibility, but he got through all right, got the money for the cattle and paid off the men. Mr. Blood was one of the first inen who ever took cattle from this state by the northern route, that is, via La Porte, Toledo and Buffalo to, New York. He has herded cattle many times on the ground where Champaign is located. He now owns 640 acres of land, which he has partially improved. He has put up some fences, made some ditches, and has planted at least 250 trees. His present residence stands in a grove of forest trees. He has as fine a location for a country seat as any one in the county. Mr. Blood has succeeded well in farming. Some of his hay and corn crops have been especially good. In 1874 near 400 acres of corn averaged seventy bushels to the acre. He was married in 1853, to Sylvina L. Fitch, a native of New York. Two of their three children are living : Robert is at home; Ida married Mr. Wesley Humphrey, of Mexico, Missouri, but died in a year after marriage, leaving one son, Robert W .; Luther has attended school at the Wes- leyan University at Bloomington and Ladoga, Indiana, and has the reputation of being a good scholar.
MR. PETER CRONINGER, farmer, Cerro Gordo, was born in Picka- way county, in 1818. He is of German descent and his parents were from Pennsylvania. In. 1840 Mr. Croninger moved direct to Piatt county, where he had acquaintances, but no relatives. He bought land where he now lives in Willow Branch township, and now owns about 1,400 acres of land. He hauled the lumber for the first frame house he built after coming to the county from Indiana. The trips were
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
made with four-horse teams and were the hardest drives he ever made. The wolves annoyed them and the flies were so persistent that the horses often seemed covered with blood. Mr. Croninger's present resi- dence is of brick, contains seven rooms and was built in 1867. He was quite a hunter at an early day in the county. Once when hunting wild turkeys he killed what proved to be a pea-fowl. He often, by hunting[ nights and mornings of a month's time, would kill deer suffi- cient to fill a-bogshead with the hams. He still continues to have a reputation as a rail-maker. He has made rails each season since he was a boy, and used to make as many as 200 rails a day. Mr. Croninger has been an extensive stock dealer. Several years ago he paid out $64,000 in one year for hogs alone. He found that hogs were more paying than any other stock he has handled. He has long been regarded as one of the most influential men of the township and has held the office of supervisor. He was married in 1840, to Cynthia A. Madden, who was born in 1817, and who came to the county in 1839. They have had but one child, Malon L., who married Anna V. Rine- hart, has four children, Earnest L., Charles La Nellie Grace and Pearl Franklin, and makes his home with his father.
MR. HANSON S. COONROD, farmer, Cisco, was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, June 25, 1815. He moved from his native state to Piatt county about 1857. He was one of the early settlers in his part of the township. For awhile after coming here he lived on the Johns place, which now belongs to Mr. Allertonl. He was inarried in Ohio to Charlotte Martin, who died in 1875. They had nine children, five of whom are living: John H. married Melissa Watson, has one child and lives near Nevada, Missouri ; Sophrona E. married Jacob Andrews, has two children living, William and Charles Chester, and lives in Willow Branch township ; Lavina married Jasper Chandler, has two children and lives in Macon county ; Frankie is the wife of Joshua Hamilton, a dealer in farming implements at Cisco ; they have two children, twins, Bertha and Bertie ; Jeremy B. inarried Ella Woolington, has one child, Ethyl, and lives on the old home place. Mr. Hanson Coonrod was supervisor of Willow Branch township for several terms.
MR. AMOS CONAWAY, merchant, Cisco, is a native of Bourbon county, Kentucky, from where he moved to Vermilion county in 1829, and in 1830 he reached McLean county, but it was not until 1852 that he came to Monticello, Piatt county. He married Elizabeth Boyd, of Cham- paign county. They have had nine children, all of whom are at home.
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Jane C., a successful teacher of the county, is now teaching in Monti- cello. Byron is with his father at Cisco. The names of the other members of the family are Hortense, Amos C., Lizzie, Nancy, James E., Mary E. and Allen R. Mrs. Conaway's father, Stephen Boyd, was an early settler in Big Grove, Champaign county. He was there the night Nathan Henline was married, and has told how frightened Squire Byers was at the "falling of the stars." (See Mr. Henline s setch.) Mr. Conaway began keeping store in Monticello in 1864. and, with the exception of about two years, continued in the dry-goods business there until about 1879, when he went to Cisco and has done business there ever since, though he has resided most of the time in Monticello. Mr. Conaway gave us some incidents relating to the "big snow" and " sudden freeze." When his folks moved to this part of the state they camped near Mahomet, on the snow, rather than go to a house where the whooping-coughi was. The snow was so deep that when his mother was on a horse her feet would touch the snow. During the sudden change his brother rode a mile and a half, during which ride his clothes froze so stiff that the folks had to break them before he could get off his horse. Mr. Conaway was once telling of the sudden freeze when a man who used to live in Monticello spoke up and said that at that time he was driving a stage-coach and saw a deer struck so severely by that freezing blast that it froze stiff in its track. The man's age was reck- oned on and it was found that he was three years old when he drove that stage-coach. Mr. Conaway was boarding at his brother-in-law's, R. M. Guy, in 1856, when Lincoln came to Monticello to speak. This is known as the first republican rally in this county. When Lincoln started to the court-house he invited Mr. Conaway to go along, but the latter remarked that he " would not be caught in such a crowd." This only illustrates the sentiment of the vast number of people of the county at that date.
WILLIAM B. CALDWELL, M.D., Cisco, is a native of Missouri, to which state his parents moved from Illinois. During the year 1859-60 he studied medicine at Cincinnati, and in 1860-1 at Keokuk, Iowa. He graduated in 1874 at the Rush Medical College in Chicago. He move to Piatt county in 1874, and is living in Cisco. Previous to locating in the county, however, he taught three years at the Prospect school-house. He married Miss Mary Spencer, a native of Missouri, in 1864, and has had two children, Frank W. and Charles Burr. Since locating in Cisco he lias built up quite an extensive practice, not only in Cisco, but throughout an area of country the radius of which is
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seven or eight miles. When asked to designate some of the most severe cases he had had, he spoke of the accident whichi occurred to James Armsworth's little girl. She was accidently shot by her brother, who was looking at a pistol. The ball passed to the right of the breast- bone, between the third and fourth ribs, broke the seventh rib near the spine and lodged just behind the rib. Dr. Caldwell was sent for, and the ball was extracted while the child was under the influence of chloroform. The little girl was sick for sixteen months, but now seems perfectly well. If a person would like a glimpse in one of the happy homes in the county, we would advise him to spend a few hours in that of Dr. Caldwell.
MR. MICHAEL DILLOW (deceased) came to Piatt county in 1834, and was one of the first settlers in the Willow Branch township. He married Mrs. Shuman née Rachel Cawbel, and had five children. Leah married A. W. Lingle, and lives in southern Illinois. Charles was killed during the Mexican war, when on his way to Mexico. His company was camped on the Rio Grande for the purpose of burying a comrade, when an Irish company came up and was fighting among themselves. Charles' company was ordered to quell the disturbance and he was killed. Nancy married Isaac Collins and lives in Kansas. Catharine Lavina married Edward Woolington ; she died of small- pox. He next married Miss Albert, and afterward took Miss Coon as his third wife, and now lives in Cisco. Michael married Matilda Thorpe in 1851, and in 1854 moved on to the place of 160 acres, where he now lives. Seven of their eight children are now living : Amos is living in Kansas ; Monroe married Mary Redenbaugh, and is a mechanic and farmer; Alice, now teaching in the county, attended school at Lincoln University, Logan county ; Samuel Burney, Mary and Sophrona are at home, while Lucinda, the next to the youngest, is in Lincoln. Mr. Dillow has held the offices of school director and township assessor. He is a Presbyterian minister. When speaking of this he made a remark which we will venture to mention. When being examined he was advised "never to tell he was a minister, for the sake of saving a bill." He says he tried to follow the advice. He has had charge of several congregations, but most of his work has been on Friends Creek.
MR. ADAM DORR, farmer, Cisco, is a native of Germany, from which country he emigrated in 1836. He lived about two years in New York city, seven years in Pennsylvania, and about 1844 he moved to Illinois. In 1862 he settled where he now lives, on Stringtown
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Lane. At that time lie bought eighty acres of land at $8 an acre. He had contracted for 160 acres, but as it was a wet year he persuaded tlie railway company to take back half of the land. He now says he would give at least $30 an acre if he had the rest. In speaking of improve- ments which have been made of late, Mr. Dorr remarked : "In the last twenty years Piatt county has improved more than any county I know of." He was married in 1845, to Mary Evans, a native of Ken- tucky, and has had six children, five of whom are living : Henry married Corry Bowzer and lived in Willow Brancli township at the time of his death in 1876. Mabary owns eighty acres of land in the township ; Annie married Irving Hinson, a farmer of tlie township, tand has one daughter, Estella; William married Hattie Hinson, and has one son, Henry B .; Olive and Oscar are both at home. Mr. Dorr has been school trustee nearly ever since coming to the county.
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