USA > Illinois > Pike County > History of Pike County, Illinois : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons and biographies of representative citizens > Part 69
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George B. Kimball, farmer, sec. 4; P. O., Barry; was born in Worcester, Norfolk county, Mass., in 1831. At the age of 6 years his parents, David and Rebecca Kimball, moved to this county, where he was raised and educated. In 1854 he married Mary Osborn, a native of Ohio, born Aug. 10, 1836, and they have 4 sons and 4 daughters. He is a Republican, and owns 170 acres of land.
Francis McCartney, farmer, sec. 19; P. O., Barry; was born in Ross county, Ohio, Sept. 22, 1811; was raised on a farm and as- sisted his father until 1832, when he married Eliza Johnson, also a native of Ross county, and was born Ang. 30, 1811. Of their 10 children 5 are living. In the fall of 1850 Mr. M. moved to Pike Co., and purchased the beautiful farm on which he now resides. In 1861 his son Charles enlisted in the 99th Reg., and served during the entire war. His son, Milton, enlisted in 1865, and served to the close. Mr. M. is a Democrat.
John R. McClain, farmer, sec. 32; P. O., Barry; was born in Knox county, Tenn .. Nov. 12, 1844; is the youngest of 9 children. In April, 1862, he enlisted in Co. D, 6th Reg. T. V. I., and served in several of the engagements in Sherman's march to the sea. He was mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., in 1865, after which he re- turned home for a short time, and then moved to near Lexington, Kentucky. In the fall of 1870 he came to this county; in 1871 he married Sarah E. Shaw, daughter of Daniel Shaw, of Derry tp., born March 13. 1841. They have 3 children,-Annie E., James D. and May. Mr. McClain is cultivating a valuable farm in Hadley and Derry tps., is a Republican and a Baptist.
Patrick Mc Mahan is a farmer, pursuing his calling on sec. 9.
Jacob Orebaugh, farmer, sec. 6; P. O., Barry; was born in Rock- ingham county, Va., July 17, 1824; at the age of five years he moved with his parents to Highland county, O., where he was
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
raised and educated. In 1846 he married Emma Predmore, a na- tive of N. J., and they have 4 living children. In 1856 he settled in this tp .; has beetr School Director: is a Baptist and a Republican.
James H. Orebaugh, farmer, sec. 8; P. O., Barry; was born in Clermont county, O., June 9, 1852, and came to this county with his parents when he was five years of age. When 15 years old he visited 8 or 10 different States, and in 1876 came home, and was married Jan. 1, 1878, to Sarah C. Matthews, daughter of Joseph Matthews, deceased, of Adains county, Ill. They have one child, Nellie Maud. Ile is a member of the German Baptist church.
David H. Patten, fariner, sec. 14; P. O., Baylis; was born in Belmont. county, O., in 1841, and is the son of David and Eliza Patten, who emigrated to this county about 38 years ago, and have since died. Receiving a common-school education and growing up to inanhood, David H. in 1862 married Miss Alice States, who was born in 1847 in this county, and still resides on the old home- stead. Their 4 children are Charlie, Lulu, Merton and Harry. Mr. P. has had good success in farming, now owning 320 acres of first-rate land, well improved. In politics Mr. P. is a Democrat; is a member of the I. O. O. F., and both himself and wife are mem . bers of the M. E. Church.
William A. Peck, farmer, sec. 21; P. O., Barry; was born in Ross county, Ohio, May 27, 1842; came to this county when 5 years old. In 1864 was married to Jessie Wilson, a native of Scot- land. They have 6 children. He is at present School Director, and in politics he is a Democrat.
Dean Peterson, farmer, sec. 36; P. O., Baylis; was born in 1804, in Salem county, Upper Penn's Neck, N. J., and is the son of Robert and Catharine Peterson; his father was a native of Dela- ware and his mother of New Jersey, both deceased. In 1821 his parents moved with him to Ohio where they remained until 1836, when they emigrated to this county and settled on see. 36, his present residence. The subject of this notice being a pioneer in this section, has had to work very hard, amid many privations; has had to split rails at 25 cents per day; by littles he accumu- lated enough to enter 80 acres of land, and he now owns 120 acres. Sept. 18, 1834, he married Miss Catharine Troy, who was born in Clermont county, O., and they have had 11 children, 9 of whom are living. Dean first learned the shoemaker's trade, but not liking that business, he engaged in farming, having had reasonable success. He is still a stout man for his years. He has visited the Pacific coast. He has been Supervisor and School Director, and in politics, is a Democrat.
Josiah W. Richards, deceased, was born in Boston, Mass., Nov. 21, 1811. . March 3, 1835, he married Margaret Phillips, who was born July 16, 1812, and died Oct. 3, 1849, leaving 3 daughters. March 21. 1852, Mr. R. married Esther Garraux, who was born Oct. 23, 1817, and who, by her first marriage, had one daughter.
13th Alkine
HADLEY TP
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Mr. and Mrs. Richards had 3 children. In 1837 Mr. R. came to Macoupin Co., Ill., where he lived 4 or 5 years, then moved to St. Louis, Mo. Dec. 1, 1853, he again moved to Illinois and settled in this county, where he died Jan. 4, 1866. He was a Republican.
James Rossell, farmer, sec. 29; P. O., Barry. Mr. R. was born in 1845 in Pennsylvania; his parents were Joseph and Aditha Rossell, both natives of Pennsylvania; when he was 6 years of age his parents emigrated with him to this county, where he obtained a public- school education and grew to manhood; in 1870 he married Alice M. Haycraft, who was born in 1850 in this county. Mr. R. is a farmer, owning 181 acres of No. 1 land, and is now erecting a dwelling at a cost of $3,000. He is also a stock-raiser, and some- times does something in the line of shipping wheat.
Ira A. Sweet, farmer and 'stock-raiser, sec. 32; P. O., Barry; was born in Rensellaer county, N. Y., Sept. 1, 1820, and is the eldest son of Ira and Sarah (Hadsell) Sweet, also natives of the Empire State; they first emigrated to Alleghany county, N. Y., in 1837, and then in May of the following year to this county, settling in this tp., where in 1844 the parents died, leaving the care of the property with Ira A., the subject of this sketch; the latter had but limited opportunities for an early education; in this county, Oct. 30, 1856, he married Miss Martha Hewitt, who was born in Ross county, O., Sept. 6, 1821; when first married he had about $15.00 worth of property; he now owns 191 acres of land, worth $50 per acre. He raises and deals in young cattle and other stock. In politics he is a Republican, and in religion a Baptist. His por- trait appears in this volume.
Robert H. Taylor, farmer, sec. 36; P. O., New Salem. Mr. T. was born in 1842 in this county; his parents are Matthew M. and Eliza Taylor, natives of Pennsylvania; was educated in this county, and in 1866 he married Sarah A. Sharer, who was born in 1847 in this county. Their 3 children are Jacob E., Jesse A. and Matthew R. Mr. Taylor is a farmer of considerable note, owning 168 acres of good land, where he raises some stock. Mr. and Mrs. T. are members of the M. E. Church. In politics Mr. T. is a Democrat.
Thomas H. Thomas, farmer, sec. 33; P. O., Barry; was born in St. Louis county, Mo., Sept. 15, 1851; is the son of Thomas Thomas, deceased, who came to this county in 1857. He was raised in slavery by Mr. Pernod, who gave him his freedom. Shortly before he came to Illinois he purchased the freedom of his wife, who was also born in slavery in the same neighborhood. Her name was Sophia Patiese. They were married in 1850, and they have 5 living children, the subject of this sketch being the oldest. He was inarried Dec. 30, 1875, to Dasara Ann Lawson, a native of Nafchez, Miss., born Oct. 24, 1850, and they have 2 children. He is a Republican, a Methodist, and owns 320 acres of valuable land.
Ansel Vond, farmer, sec. 22; P. O., Cool Bank; was born in Monroe county, N. Y., Oct. 12, 1828; was raised and educated in his native county. In Nov., 1857, he settled in this county, and
43
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
in 1858 he was married to Lucy Ann McWorter, daughter of Frank Mc Worter, the first settler in this township. They have 3 living children,-Lucy, George E. and Francis Nero. He owns 82 acres of land in a good state of cultivation; is a member of the Baptist Church, and a Republican.
John Walker, farmer, sec. 22: P. O., Cool Bank; was born a slave in Spottsylvania county, Va., in 1802; was owned by several masters up to 1834, when he purchased his own freedom from David Van Aue for $300, after which he rented ground and went to work for himself. According to the laws of the State at that time, a free negro was not allowed to remain in the State but one year; but through the influence of a friend in the Legislature, he obtained a permit to remain 3 years, but he does not remember whether he staid the full allotted time or not. By working hard and saving money he purchased a cheap team, which he sold in 1838 and came to Ran- dolph county, Mo., with Wm. R. Dusen, the man who owned his wife and children. After coming to Missouri, he had money enough to purchase 80 acres of land and went to raising tobacco, corn and hogs. In 1850 he purchased the freedom of 2 of his children, Peter and Lettie, and in 1854 he purchased his wife Lucy and son' Oregon. His wife was then 50 years of age and had been a slave all her life. His son was then about 18 years of age. He paid $1,100 for both. He afterward purchased his daughter Lonise and her 2 children, Charles and William, for whom he paid $600. In 1861 he owned 460 acres of land and a considerable amount of per- sonal property which he sold, and came to this county and settled on sec. 22 in this tp., where he has since resided. John has been the father of 16 children,-only 3 of whom are living,-Oregon, Archy aud Peter. The balance of his children were all emanci- pated by Lincoln's proclamation. His descendants are numerous; he is one of the wealthy men of Pike county, and has accumulated all his property by his own honest industry. Although wholly uneducated in the books, he has a rare natural ability; is very lib- eral in his views, even recognizing the right of slavery; says he has never received any cruel treatment from any of his masters. He is highly respected in his neighborhood.
Stephen R. Watson, farmer, sec. 18; P. O., Barry; was born in Newport. Herkimer county, N. Y., April 25, 1811; in 1830 he set- tled in Atlas, this county, where, in 1834, he married Miss Ann Brown, a native of Massachusetts, who died in June, 1879, leaving one son and three daughters; three of her children have died. Having learned the tailor's trade in the East, Mr. Watson coutin- ued in the business of merchant tailor in Atlas. In 1835 he pur- chased the beautiful farm on which he now resides, the cultivation of which he has brought to a high degree. Since his location here he has devoted his attention exclusively to farming. He is a Uni- versalist, a Republican, and a highly respected member of society.
Joshua Woosley, farmer, sec. 19; P. O., Barry; was born in Wilson county, Tenn., July 9, 1805; when he was 9 years old his
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
parents moved with him to Christian county, Ky .; Oct. 30, 1827, he married Margaret Johnson, daughter of William Johnson, of that county; she died Sept. 8, 1868, leaving 4 children; six of her children had died, and since her death her youngest daughter has died. In 1828 Mr. W. settled on Sugar Creek, in Sangamon county, Ill., and after about 18 months he settled on the place where he now resides. Nov. 4, 1869, he married Mrs. Augusta Ann Sidner, widow of John Sidner, of this tp., who was born in Madison county, Ohio, Oct. 2, 1815, and has one daughter by her previous marriage. Mr. Woosley has been County Commissioner 3 years, Associate County Judge 4 years, Sheriff 2 years, Tp. Assessor and Collector several terms, Justice of the Peace 12 years, Constable 8 years, etc., etc .; is now Assessor and Collector. He has held more offices than any other man in the county. He is the oldest citizen of this tp., and is perhaps as well acquainted with the political history of Pike county as any other citizen.
DERRY TOWNSHIP.
This township embraces a fine farming district. It is especially well adapted to the raising of stock, and to fruit-growing. Very early in the history of the county the pioneer was attracted hither. To the memory of David W. Howard is due the honor of being the first settler of Derry township. He came here as early as 1826, and made improvements on sec. 28, where he built the first house in the township. Soon came Charles Martin, the second settler, and Isaiah Cooper, the third. The latter settled on sec. 20. Then followed Robert MeClintock, William and Joseph Horn- back, Charles Hoskins, James and Nineveh Barnes, Mr. Kinne, S. F. Thomas, Henry Fesler and others, who also made improvements and did much in developing the native resources of this fine agri- cultural district.
Soon after the arrival of the above pioneers, settlers began to pour in so fast that it was even then difficult to keep pace with their advent, and after the lapse of 40 years it is impossible to speak of them in the general order of their coming. They formed one of the pleasantest communities to be found in the State. The early pilgrims were well-disposed persons. Of those above men- tioned none are now living in the township except Mr. William Hornback. The descendants of many, however, are numerous, and they are in general of the same disposition as that of their fathers, only more modernized. It is hardly too much to say, that no com- munity in the county excels this in this respect. The present generation is largely made up of people who were born here, or who have lived here from their childhood, and they have nearly all fallen into the good ways of the pioneers. They are honest, moral, religious, social, economical, are not in debt, have but few, if any paupers, seldom go to law, are generous to each other in misfortune, have no aristocracy, pay their bills,- in fact, form a well-regulated, and we might say model, community.
Here we find more marked than in any other township almost, the simplicity and good habits of the early settlers, uncontaminated by modern degenerate practices. There are no large towns near enough to attract the attention of the younger people, and accord- ingly they find amusement and sociability at home, and grow up purer and better than would be the case were a city in their midst. Besides this, we would mention the fact that the population has
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
changed less than most others, is made up more of the families and descendants of the first settlers, and is mingled less with foreigners than is the case in most places. Fortunately, the foreigners living here are nearly all of the religious, careful, economical class, whose manners and customs are largely in harmony with those of the balance of the community.
- The family connections of the Hornbacks, Hoskins, Joneses, Pursleys, Taylors, Martins, Feslers, Thomases, etc., etc., form some remarkable circles of relatives, living in good circumstances, moral, many religious, bringing down to the present generation the best qualities of the early pioneers.
To William Hornback, the only one of the earliest pilgrims now living in the township, we are indebted for the greater part of this sketch. In 1829, when he came to this township, there were but 80 voters in Pike county, and only four families in Derry township.
During those early days the Indians were numerous in this neighborhood. It is true the great body of aborigines had been driven westward across the Mississippi, but hundreds lingered around the new settlement, loth to leave the beautiful hunting grounds where they had enjoyed so many happy experiences. They finally became quite troublesome, and annoyed the settlers greatly by their constant stealing. They became a great nuisance, and viewing them in this light the settlers determined to rid them- selves of them. Accordingly an army was raised to go on an expe- dition against these pesky natives. It is true it was a small army, numbering only 15 men, but it was a determined one, and conse- quently was victorious. These men marched out and notified the red-skins to evacuate their camp and leave the neighborhood. This some of them refused to do. Not wishing to do bodily harm to them if they could be got rid of without, the commander of the little band engraved the image of an Indian's head on a tree, and then William Hornback and one or two others discharged their guns at this image. This was the signal that the whites would fight, and it had the desired effect; for the Indians immediately left the neighborhood, and have never more intruded upon the lands of the settlers of this township.
Wild animals, such as the deer, wolf, coon, and the wild turkey, were numerous here in the early settlement of the township. There were also some panthers, catamounts, wild cats and lynx found here.
For the pioneers this was literally a land of "milk and honey," especially the latter. Although they were deprived of many of the advantages and comforts that are enjoyed by their posterity, yet they had abundance of what is a rare luxury to the latter at the present day. Wild honey and venison were their common, every- day fare. The venison was preserved by drying. Wm. Hornback found a tree within 200 yards of his house, which he cut, and took from it several bucketfuls of honey on Christmas Day, 1829. Mr. Hornback also tells us that he has shot many turkeys while stand- ing in the door of his house. During the big snow in the win-
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
ter of 1830-1, the wild turkey : congregated in such large numbers in Mr. Howard's corn field that he had to call upon his neighbors, among whom was Mr. Hornback, to assist him in killing them, in order to save his corn. Many of those slaughtered on the occasion were thrown away, while some were preserved and used for food.
As Mr. Hornback is the oldest settler now living in the town- ship, we give a bit of his experience during the memorable winter above alluded to, although before the big snow fell. In the fall of 1830 he started on horseback for Rock Island. When he arrived at Pope creek, however, the weather turned so extremely cold that he was in imminent danger of freezing to death. He turned his horse homeward to retrace his steps. To add to the already great peril in which he was, he was severely attacked with the bilious colic. This, together with the cold, nearly caused him the loss of his life. It began to snow and sleet on the 23d of December, which made traveling very difficult and slavish upon horses. Mr. Horn- back arrived at Quincy, on his return, on the evening of Dec. 24. On the following morning the ground was very rough and the ice so thick that his unshod horse could hardly travel. As it was Christmas and but one blacksmith shop in Quincy, he could not get his horse shod. The blacksmith who ran that shop was too religious to work on Christmas. When Mr. Hornback asked him to shoe his horse he replied that he never had worked on Christ- mas and he would be d-d if he ever would. After a hard and tedious day's journey Mr. Hornback arrived at home, and that night the big snow began to fall.
Thomas Proctor was the first Justice of the Peace. The first death that occurred in Derry township was that of James Horn- back. The first marriage was that of Enoch Cooper to Miss Esther Cooper in 1829. Miss Cooper was the adopted daughter of Isaiah Cooper. The first child born was to Daniel and Pauline Howard in 1827.
The first church building in Derry was erected in 1854, in Eldara, by the Methodist people. This Society was organized in the pioneer days and worshiped in school-houses and dwellings prior to this. The first sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Bogard, a Methodist minister, in 1829, at the house of William Hornback. In 1830 the renowned Lorenzo Dow preached a sermon in the same house, at which time he baptized William L. and Hopeful Horn- back, children of William Hornback, of whom we have spoken so frequently in this sketch.
The school system of Derry township is excellent, and great in- terest is manifested by the parents in the education of their chil- dren. The first school-house was erected on sec. 20, in 1837. At present there are nine school buildings in the township, in which, as a rule, excellent schools are kept.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
ELDARA.
This beautiful little village is situated near the summit of a fer- tile eminence, overlooking a large tract of undulating land skirted by timber on both the north and south. From this locality is pre- sented to the eye a view as beautiful and inviting as any picture nature offers through this section of country. Standing upon the summit one can behold, either south or east of the village, the beauties of nature and the wisdom of a Divine Creator.
The town was founded in 1836 by Nathaniel Winters, and first named Washington. It received its present name in this wise, as related by Esq. Underwood, of Barry, but who for many years was a prominent citizen of Eldara. When he was in Mexico, dur- ing the war between the United States and that country, he and his comrades passed through a beautiful little town called Eldora. From there he wrote a letter back to his home, which was then at the old town of Washington. There being another town in the State (Washington, Tazewell county) by the same name, the Post- master-General notified the postmaster at this point that the name must be changed. The settlers could think of no suitable name, but when Esq. Underwood's letter came, post-marked Eldora, that name particularly struck their fancy. They, however, mistook the spelling of it slightly, spelling it with an a in the second or middle syllable, instead of an o, according to the true Spanish. The mean- ing of the word is "gold." The Postmaster-General was notified of the change, and since then (1847) it has been known by the beautiful, modified Spanish name of Eldora.
At that time Mr. Motley platted an addition to the town of Washington, and to it he gave the name of Eldara.
The town now contains about 350 inhabitants. There are located here two dry-goods stores, two grocery stores, one drug store, two shoe shops, two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, three churches and one school building. The religious denominations represented here are Methodist Episcopal, Christian, and a new sect known as the Holiness. The Christian congregation erected a house of wor- ship in 1875, and the Holiness society refitted the old school-house, which they now use as a church.
The M. E. Church building was struck by lightning in June, 1869, and the Christian church received a stroke on the morning of March 26, 1880, damaging it considerably. There is a theory among some of the citizens that there is a mineral in the ground at this point that attracts the current of atmospheric electricity, for not only these buildings have been struck by lightning, but a barn also received a stroke a few years ago. It took fire and was consumed.
There is a lodge of each of the orders of Freemasons and Odd Fellows in the village. Many of the leading citizens throughout the neighborhood are members of these orders.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
PERSONAL SKETCHES.
In closing the history of the township and village we wish to speak personally of the prominent citizens of both town and coun- try. This we will now do in alphabetical rotation.
William F. Bacon, druggist, Eldara, was born in Berkshire county, Mass., July 18, 1834, and is a son of Benjamin and Mary A. Bacon; the former is deceased, and the latter is at Saratoga Springs, N. Y. Win. F. was reared on a farm and received a com- mon-school education in his native State. In 1856 he came to Coles county, Ill., where he remained one year and then went to Iowa: was one year in Missouri ; in March, 1879, he came to this county, settling in Eldara, and engaging in the drug business, in which he had 4 years' experience before coming here. Oct. 2, 1862, he married Sarah E. Harkness, and they have one daughter, Emma, who was born July 14, 1863. Mr. Bacon served 10 months in the late war, in Co. D, 50th Ill. Inf., and was in the battle of Shiloh, where he was wounded, on account of which, and sickness, he was discharged in June, 1862.
Samuel Barley, farmer, sec. 22; was born in Pennsylvania, Sept. 25, 1843; emigrated to this county in 1848; was first married to Amelia E. Jacobs, Dec. 31, 1863, and they had 6 children- Gideon Mcclellan, born May 5, 1864: William Frederick, born April 23, 1866, and died in infancy; Sarah Ellen, born Nov. 11. 1867 ; Amelia Jane, Feb. 10, 1870 ; Samuel, June 26, 1872 ; and Bertha, March 2, 1874. For a second wife Mr. Barley married Mrs. Malinda H. Leads, a native of this county, who had 2 chil- dren by a former husband .- David M., born Dec. 28, 1870, and Ernest E., born May 23, 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Barley have 2 chil- dren; Ablera, born Dec. 8, 1877, and Lenon, Dec. 15, 1879. Mr. B. is not a partisan, but always votes for the best men, regardless of party. P. ()., Eldara.
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