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 53
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MR. HARRISON VITTUM is a native of New Hampshire, from which state he moved to Fulton county, Illinois. He was married in 1861, to Mary Harper, a native of Pennsylvania, and in 1870 they moved to Piatt county, settling on the place where they now live. Mr. Vittum owns 320 acres of land in the northern part of Goose Creek township, and has put most of the improvements on the place since moving there. He has done considerable open ditching, planted over 150 fruit and other trees, and has hedged his place all around. In 1874 he built a neat farm house, and in 1881 erected a commodious barn.
MR. HENRY VAN VICKLE, farmer, is a native of Ohio, from which state he came to Piatt county in 1867, and has been in the county ever since. He went to the army in 1864, in Co. A of the 90th Ohio Inf., and was discharged in July 12, 1865. He engaged in the battles at
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Resaca, Dalton, Kenesaw Mountain, siege of Atlanta, Franklin and Nashville. He was wounded at the latter place, and was in the hos- pital from December 15 until July.
MR. JOIN VANSYCKEL, farmer, is a native of New Jersey, from which state he moved to Fulton county, Illinois, in 1856, and to Piatt in 1871. He married Emeline Hunt in 1864, and they have one child, George Edmund. Mr. Vansyckel owns 180 acres of land in Blue Ridge and Goose Creek townships, every foot of which is under culti- vation. He has done considerable ditching on his land, planted out 100 trees, including fifty-six apple trees, and has put most of the im- provements on his place himself. He has been successful in raising the Poland China hogs. He has been trustee of the township, and is counted one of the leading men of this vicinity.
REV. THOMAS H. WELCH (deceased) was a native of New Jersey. He was married in Lexington, Kentucky, to Eliza Jacobs, a native of Pennsylvania. They moved to Ohio, and from there to Indiana, from which state they moved in 1839 to Piatt county, and settled on land which is still owned by the Welches. After coming to the county Mr. Welch was a preacher in the Christian church from 1839 to 1858, and his circuit extended throughout and beyond the limits of this county. Of his children, Mason (see his name) is living in the county ; John H. (see his name) is in McPherson, Kansas ; Paul D. married Nancy Miller, and after living a few years in this county, moved to Salt Creek; Catharine married Mr. W. A. Patterson, who died, leaving several children : Rebecca J. married A. K. Miller, of Salt Creek ; Cynthia A. married Mr. George Carr; Cordelia was married twice, and now lives with her son in Missouri ; Lizzie married John Boren. Rev. Mr. Welch took for his second wife Elizabeth Johnson, and had four more children : Martha, who married John Mooney, and has one child ; Thomas R. married Harriet Holt ; Apollus died not long since, and Cephas married Lizzie Holt, and has one child.
MR. JOHN WELCH, formerly a farmer of Piatt county, married Elmira Carson, and moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, about 1839, and about 1840 came to Piatt county. He and his wife moved in 1880 to Kan- sas, where he owns a farm of 160 acres. His eldest son, Thomas E., was married in 1872, to Mrs. Michael Croninger née Susanna Robin- son, and has three children : Charles C., Eddie E. and William W. Since his marriage he has lived on the farm he now lives on. Char- lotte Welch married Peter Widdershein, has several children, and lives in Monticello ; Hamlin B. married Rhoda Long, who died, leav-
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
ing four children : John, Era, Joseph and Clement. He next married Mrs. Spencer née Margaret Talbert. She died, leaving several chil- dren by her last husband, three of whom, Elizabeth, William and Mark, are living. David C. Welch married Mrs. James Lemon née Clementine Robinson, has three children, Emma, Ora and Nellie, and is a lawyer in McPherson, Kansas ; Ben. F. Welch married Martha J. Hott, and has three children, Lona, Jacob and Ford ; Elmira mar- ried Emanuel Hinkle, and has three daughters, Jesse May, Daisy and Grace ; Hester married Franklin Sills, and lives in De Witt county. S. Douglas is in Kansas with his father.
MR. MASON WELCH, farmer, Monticello, was born in Kentucky, and moved from Indiana to Piatt county in 1839. He was married in Indiana, to Nancy A. Flowers, a native of Ohio. Five of their six children are living. Sophia Jane became the wife of John Bradford, who died in the army, leaving five children. Of these, Sarah Ann married James Huffman, and lives in Colorado ; Asenath is in Cham- paign county. Mrs. Bradford was next united in marriage to Jerry Davis. Dan'l Henry Welch married Lizzie Jacobs, has one child, and is a carpenter in Indiana ; Hannah married Wm. Holden, has five children, Nancy, Daniel, Emma, Wm. and Thomas, and lives in Monticello ; Sylvenus A. first married Cyrus R. Stewart, who died leav- ing four children, Nancy Ann, Sophrona, Albert and Fannie. She next married Lewis Flowers. Lizzie J. is still at home.
MR. JESSE WARNER, farmer, Monticello, was born in Ross county, Ohio, December 16, 1830. He came on horseback from Pickaway county, Ohio, to Piatt county in 1852. Soon after coming liere he began dealing in stock for other men, and made several trips to Missouri for the same. During his time he was in the employ of Wm. H. Piatt part of the time. In 1856 he went east with hogs for Mr. Piatt, and at Lockport, New York, a train ran into the stock train and injured Mr. Warner so that his right arm had to be ampu- tated. He called Mr. Wm. Piatt's his home from 1853 until his marriage, in 1873, to Miss Kate Schultz, when he went on to his own farın. His wife died September 29, 1875, and Mr. Warner was mar- ried January 6, 1878, to Louisa Connor. He has two children, Ollie and an infant son, Eddie Connor. Mr. Warner's sister, Elizabetlı Warner, has lived in Piatt county over twenty years, and with the exception of two years her home has been at Wm. H. Piatt's.
MR. JESSE B. WALKER. (deceased) was born in Kentucky, in 1822. From there he moved to Indiana, and in 1855 moved to Illinois. In
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
1864 he settled on a farm of 240 acres in Goose Creek township. He put nearly all the improvements on the place, and died there, April 21, 1878. He was one of the early settlers in the vicinity of De Land. He was married December 22, 1841, to Rebecca Saturwhite, who died August 13, 1855. They had six children, four of whom are living : Elizabeth married J. W. Davis, but died leaving a child, which soon died ; Daniel M. married Jane Davis, who died leaving five children ; I. D. Walker attended the law school at Bloomington, was married recently, and is now practicing law at Decatur ; Ann M. married David Camp, and had three children : Willie, Ada and Eddie ; she is now the wife of Mr. Chas. Anderson, and lives on the old home-place which William and I. D. have control of; Wm. I. Walker attended school in Green Castle, Indiana, for about four years, and is now practicing law in Decatur, Illinois.
DR. JNO. H. WOOD, of De Land, is a native of Fulton county, Illinois. His father is a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of Maryland. He was married in 1876, to Sarah Piersoll, a native of Fulton county. Mrs. Wood has been quite a successful school teacher, both at Ashland school and in De Land. Dr. Wood went to the army in the 6th Cav., and was in some of the principal battles in Virginia. He attended and graduated at the Allopathic Medical School, at Keokuk, Iowa. He came to Piatt county in December, 1875, and at present is the only physician located at De Land.
MR. HUGHI WILSON, farmer, Cisco, was born in Harding county, Ohio, and was one of the first settlers of the neighborhood in which he lives. He owns a good-sized farm, which he has in a fine condition. He recently built a large barn and some cribs. Mr. Wilson was first mar- ried in Ohio, and had several children : John H., who married Sarah A. Passwaters, keeps hotel in Weldon, and has three children ; William married Mattie Weddle, and lives in Missouri ; Jane is the wife of William Glass, lives in Goose Creek township, and has no children; Cyrus and Charlie are at home. Mr. Wilson married his second wife in 1867, Mrs. Uley Passwaters née Ann Elizabeth Bunting. She, in 1846, married her first husband, Jesse M. Passwaters, by whom she had five children : Eliza, John, Sarah A., Mary and Rebecca.
MR. J. A. WILLIAMSON, farmer, Lodge, is a native of Ohio, and moved from there to DeWitt county, Illinois, about 1856, then to Macon county, and in 1882 to Piatt county. He owns eighty acres of land. He was married about 1850, to Lucinda Hartsock, and has four children : Grisanna Belle married William Chopin, lives in Goose:
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
Creek township, and has two children, Clarence and Donna Lu ; J. Calvin attended school at the Wesleyan University; George E. attended the State Normal ; and Elwood N. is at home. Mr. William- son keeps quite an apiary. He has about ninety stands of bees, and is prepared to furnishi all necessary supplies belonging to apiculture, such as, queens, bee-hives, boxes, etc.
CHAPTER XXIII. 1
SANGAMON TOWNSHIP.
SANGAMON township lies north of Monticello township, and con- tains forty-eight sections of land. The land of this part of the county is well drained by the Sangamon river, which flows southwest across the township, and Camp creek and Madden's run, both tributa- ries of the Sangamon. In addition to a goodly portion of timber land, there is a generous amount of rich tillable land. Sangamon township has three railroads, more than any other township in the county. These are all in the possession of the Wabash Railway Company. The first one built, which until recently was known locally as the Cham- paign & Decatur road, strikes the township near the middle of the eastern boundary line, runs southwest, crossing the southern boundary line about a mile east of the extreme southwest corner of the township. The Havanna branch leaves the road just referred to at the station White Heath, runs northwest, leaving the township a little above the middle of its western boundary line. The Chicago division of the Wabash road enters the township almost exactly at its southwest cor- ner, crosses the township angling a little to the east, and leaving it about two miles east of the northwest corner of the township. There are three stations on these roads, White Heath, Galesville and Lodge.
Early settlement .- Some of the first settlements in the county were made in this township. Mrs. Nancy Ingram still lives in the township, and Mr. and Mrs. Henline used to live here. The Wrights were early settlers, as were Mr. Souders, the Oulerys, Maddens, Mack- eys, Coons, Argos and others. It was reported to us that a child of Mr. Andy Winters was the first birth in the township, and that Mrs. Sarah Wright, who was buried at the Cline and Ingram cemetery, was
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SANGAMON TOWNSHIP.
the first one who died in the township. For some reason it was exceedingly difficult to collect general items relating to this township, so we have to content ourselves with the amount given.
Centerville .- This is the oldest town of the township, and settle- ment was started by Mr. Archibald Maffett, who built the first house. About 1842 or 1843 Samnel Maffett and Thomas Newell put up a saw mill, and not long after a grist mill was added. Samuel French, about this time, started the first blacksmith shop of the vicinity. About 1850, town lots were laid off, the town was named Centerville, and a post-office was established. An old man living near the town, for some reason, gave it the homely nickname of Lickskillet, and we are glad to say that such name is going out of use. Mr. Young was prob- ably the first postmaster, Mr. Brundel the first regular circuit minister, and Jane Maffett taught the first school. This was at one time quite a flourishing little village, but since the beginning of other towns near, it has been gradually declining. At present, however, there are two churches, Methodist Episcopal and United Brethren, a schoolhouse and three or four business houses. Mr. Edward Bates has a store- building in the town.
White Heath .- Mr. Porter Heath bought the land White Heath was laid out on of Mr. Frank White, and for a stock company. We suppose the town was named in honor of these two gentlemen. The town was laid out about 1872, and Mr. Heath thinks that James Webster put up the first dwelling-house in the town, and he was also the first postmaster. Miss Frank and Mr. Vin. Williams put up the first hotel and opened the first store of the place. Dr. Unangst and Dr. Henrie are the only physicians who have located in the town. At present there are five or six business firms in White Heath. The Methodist Episcopal church was built several years ago. The town is in a good location, both in regard to railroad facilities and the situation of the ground.
Galesville .- This town was laid out on Mr. Rufus Calef's land, and was first called Calef's station. The name was changed to the present one in honor of Mr. Calef's mother, whose maiden name was Gale. The store building at the station was erected in 1876, by Mr. Calef, and the first residence was built and occupied by John Donlan. The post- office was established in 1876, and Wilber Alvord was the first post- master. The depot was built in 1877, but has recently been destroyed by fire. Galesville has over fifty inhabitants. Improvements are being made continually, so that we anticipate a continued growth in the town.
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
Lodge .- The station known by this name was situated about half a mile below the crossing of the Chicago division of the Wabash and the Havanna branch of the same road, and the postoffice was located at this place. This crossing referred to was named Woods, in honor of superintendent Wood, of the Chicago division of the Wabash. After the postoffice was moved from Lodge to Woods, the postoffice depart- ment refused to change the name of the postoffice, and hence the town at the junction of these roads, took the name of Lodge.
CHAPTER XXIV.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
M R. JOHN ARGO was born in Pennsylvania, in 1793. He
moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio, and during the war of 1812 volunteered for a few months to relieve Fort Meiggs. He now receives a pension of $96 a year. His brother Abraliam was also in the war of 1812. Mr. Alexander Argo and wife, with David Argo, moved to Champaign county in 1835, where he died in 1836. Mrs. Argo died about 1859 at John Argo's. David Argo married Mary Shreve, settled in Champaign county, and lias raised a large family of children, six of whom are living. He quite recently moved to Piatt county to take care of his brother, who is in poor health. John Argo came to Piatt county in 1840. He married Catharine Marsh, and had ten children, all but one of whom lived to reach maturity : Rebecca married Mr. Francis Sporrier, and lived in Sangamon township until she died, leaving four children ; George Argo, who never married, died at the age of thirty years ; Hester, the wife of Robert Osborn, died, leaving four children ; one of her sons, John, married Mary Kinser, and lives on Mr. John Argo's place. Solomon Argo was married in 1865, to Mary Skillins, and has five children, Catharine, Rebecca J., Hannah, Charlie and Nellie. He owns 140 acres of land, and lives within a inile of his brother John's place; Mary J. married William Kennedy, and died, leaving four children, who are now in Kansas; Hannah, the wife of Hiram Stottler, died, leaving three chil- dren, two of whom, George and John, are in Mansfield ; Evaline, who inarried Christopher McCloughen, is also dead ; Alexander married
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Amanda Vangundy, has five children, Sarah, John, Emmeline, Cora and George, and lives in Sangamon township; Nancy, the wife of James Coffin, died, leaving three children, who are with their father, who married again, and is living in Sangamon township. Mr. John Argo has been married three times. His second wife was Mrs. Susan Ellis, and Mrs. Martha Mckinley became his third wife. She died in 1881. Mr. Argo is growing quite feeble, but his hearing seems as good as it ever was. Since writing the above we have learned of Mr. Argo's death.
MR. J. E. ANDREW, White Heath, moved from Ohio, his native state, to Illinois in 1866, locating in 1869 in Piatt county, where he now owns seventy acres of land. He lives in Sangamon township, and has held several township offices. He married Fannie H. Heath in 1872, and has four children, Marion, Arthur, Nettie and John. Mr. Andrew went to the war when but a boy, and served through two years. Being wounded twice, he still bears evidence of his army life, because of which fact he receives a pension, He was in the battles of the Atlanta campaign and those of the 'march to the sea.' Mr. Andrew was recently elected sheriff of the county.
MR. THOMAS A. BRANCH, for a number of years a resident of Piatt county, was born in Buckingham county, Virginia, in 1808. Mrs. Branch, née Elizabeth Robinson, was born in Smith county, Tennes- see, in 1811. In 1828 Mr. Branch left Virginia and traveled on foot five hundred miles to Monroe county, Kentucky, where he met his future wife. They tell the following stories of themselves. Before leaving Virginia Mr. Branch had his fortune told, and he was informed that he would ' travel a long distance on foot, cross water, and finally mneet a young lady who was to be his future life companion.' True enough he did travel a long distance and finally reached a Mr. Robin- son's, where he asked for work. In the meantime a certain Elizabeth Robinson had had her fortune told, and she was informed that when she first saw her future husband he would be a "well-built, powerfully good-looking young man, in store clothes." One day, while about her- household duties, she happened to glance out the window and spy the young man who had just asked for work of her father, sitting on the fence. She gave the young man in "store clothes " an earnest, search- ing look, and then with deep conviction said, "That's him." We will not attempt to say how it happened, whether it was the inevitable result of the fortune telling or whether it was simply that two congenial hearts attracted each other; but anyway, a marriage occurred May 27,
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
1830, and two lives were united for life. Elizabeth's marriage portion was a cow and a pony. In September, 1831, the couple left Kentucky for Springfield, Illinois, which place they reached the next month. On arriving at Springfield they had just $7.25. Mr. Branch traded his blind mare and cart for two cows, a flax wheel and a saddle, while she bought a hog and some meat with her money. They then began living in a small cabin, through the cracks of which "a dog could almost be thrown." They moved from Sangamon county to Piatt county, Feb- ruary 20, 1846. They reached here in a big snow-storm, and had to scoop the snow out of the house on Stringtown lane before moving into it. They moved from this place of George A. Patterson's to the Cline place, then to the ridge, and from there to the farm upon which is a grove which was then called Sheean's Grove. When they settled at this place there were no houses between them and Urbana. Mr. and Mrs. Branch have had twelve children, nine of whom were born before they owned any land. Mr. Branch remarked, as we interviewed him, that when he paid for his first forty acres of land he felt richer than he has ever felt since. Only five of their children are living. Of these, Angelina is the wife of M. L. Osburn, a carpenter of Seymour ; she has had five children ; Matilda, the wife of William Trotter, has five children; Sarah is the wife of Emanuel Rhoader, of Monti- cello (see his name); Lizzie married W. T. Miller, and has two chil- dren. For many years Mr. Branch has been one of the successful farmers of Piatt county. He still owns 460 acres of land in the home- place. His place, when he bought it of Mr. Hubbart, was partially improved, but Mr. Branchi has planted out a good many trees and has done other things toward putting it into a better condition. Mr. Branch was not only a farmer but he has done a great deal of good work as a minister in the vicinity of his home and county. In 1880 Mr. and Mrs. Branch calebrated their golden wedding. Some eiglity guests were present, and it was averred that all had a truly happy time. Since writing the above we have been grieved to hear of the death of Mr. Branch. William L. Branch was married in 1861, to Jane Webb, who died. He married Mrs. Harris, née Emma Yeager, in 1873, and they have four children, James N., Lizzie A., Thomas A. and Charles A. Mrs. Harris had one son, William H.
MR. JOSEPH BLY, farmer, White Heath, is a native of Virginia, and his father was in the war of 1812. He came to Illinois in 1850, and has been in Piatt county ever since. He first rented land of Mr. Branch, until he bought his present home-place of forty acres. There
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
was but a cabin on the place when he bought it, and he has made all the rest of the improvements. He was married about 1860, to Martlia Jones née Bushee, a native of Ohio, but of French descent. She has four children living by her first husband. One daughter, Mrs. Susan Smock, is living in this county. Two of hier sons were in the army. Her sons, Albert and Charles Bly, are both at home. Her father, as was also Mr. Bly's, was in the war of 1812.
MR. HARVEY BENSON, farmer, was born in Ohio, near Springfield, in 1821. His father, Mr. Andrew Benson, was born in Virginia about 1781, and moved from that state to Ohio. He was married in 1810 or 1811, to Miss Saralı Renick, and had four children, three sons and one daughter. Of these but two are living, the subject of our sketch, and one brother who lives at Springfield, Ohio. In 1840 Mr. Benson passed through this county, went on to Missouri and bought land there. He came to this county about 1856, and after living here several years bought a portion of the land where he now lives. He owns and has improved a good-sized farm, and has been successful in raising stock. He was married in December, 1877, to Mrs. Mary Piatt, who died in May 1880.
SQUIRE H. E. BURNETT, formerly a resident of Piatt county, was born in New Jersey. He moved to Ohio in 1836, and in 1854 he came to Piatt county, where he remained until 1858. While living in Cen- terville he lost his wife. In 1857 he sold goods in Centerville, and at one time he was robbed of $340. Mr. Burnett helped to build the grist-mill at Centerville in 1854 or 1855. An old millwright, Wm .. Lee, made the wheels and Mr. Burnett finished the inside of the mill. Mr. Burnett has been justice of the peace for twenty years at Mahomet, and still holds that office.
MR. ALVIN CALDWELL was born December 11, 1830, in Mercer county, Ohio. He is of Irish and English descent, and came to Piatt county October 24, 1849, and settled in what is now Sangamon town- ship. His first purchase of land was in 1860, and in 1868 he bought the land he now lives on. On November 22, 1857, he married Mary E. Madden, who was born August 24, 1833, and has three children living, Laura, Grace and Alvin.
MR. JOHN HENRY COON, farmer, Monticello, was born in 1797, in Virginia. He moved to West Virginia and from there to Ohio when he was but thirteen years old, and in 1841 he moved to Piatt county. His father, Abraham Coon, and niother, nee Catharine Hensil, moved to Piatt county about 1849, and lived with J. H. Coon for several years,
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
when they died about five weeks apart. Abraham Coon was in the war of 1812, but he never received his land warrant. Mr. J. H. Coon came to this county and looked at the land before he bought it. He then moved out and liked the country from the first, but he did not like the living. He was not here long before he had to go to Chicago, and take two trips to Indiana in order to get something to eat and wear. The wolves were troublesome and the deer were quite plenty. Mr. Coon remembers of killing six deer in four days' time. Mr. Coon was married first in 1817, to Elizabeth Deeds, who was born in 1803 and died in 1824. They had three children, two of whom are now living. John married Eliza Schwisher, of Indiana ; moved to Missouri, and died there. Jacob married Frances Mooney, has five or six children and lives in McDonough county, Illinois ; William, a soldier in the late war, and prisoner for eleven months, married Susan Hughes, who died, leaving two children, now dead. He next married Priscilla Beasley. One son, Harvey, is living in this county. Mr. J. H. Coon was married again in 1826, to Ruth Clemens, who was born in 1809. She died in 1878, after having been in poor health for twenty-five years. Their son Abraham was first married to Drusilla Belanga, who died, leaving one child, Walter, who lives in Missouri. He next married Amanda Beasley, who died, leaving three children. Ruth, who is married ; Ella was the wife of Amos Woolington, but died in 1881, leaving two children, and Austin. Mr. Coon took Susan Ellis for his third wife, and he was again married to Mrs. Sarah Pence, and lives in Cisco. Catharine married Samuel Furnace, who died, leaving seven children ; Mrs. Furnace then married Jas. Blacker ; Rebecca married Calvin Swisher, but died. Four children, Kate, Jane, John and Sam are still living. Martha Coon married Jas. Cable, but died leaving no family ; Sarah Coon became the wife of Menassalı Swisher and had two children, Medorah, the wife of Chas. Thompson and mother of six children, Willie, John, Frank, Ona M., Emma and Ida ; and Daniel R. Swisher, who lives at home. Mrs. Swisher was married in 1868, to Edward Munea, a native of Indiana. His father came from France about forty-nine years ago.
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