History of Sangamon 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 130

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084

USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > History of Sangamon 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 130

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

Mary J., born November 4, 1851; Charles W., born August 26, 1854; Susan E., born August 22, 1857; Ida K., born January 4, 1859; Illinois, born December 18, 1860; Lillian A., born April 24, 1863. Charles W. died November 7, 1855; Mary J. died December 10, 1858. Mrs. Humphry died May 29, 1864.

Mr. Humphry, at the age of fifty-seven years, resides on his beautiful and finely cultivated farm of three hundred and sixty acres.

Wm H. Husband, Auburn, Illinois, son of Harmon and Sarah Husband. His father was born in North Carolina, April 10, 1791, and mother in South Carolina, November 12, 1790. They were married in Christian county, Ken- tucky, in 1811; were the parents of twelve children: Evelina, born April 1, 1813; Eliza- beth, October 1, 1814; Polly, November 18, 1816; Jane, July 18, 1818; Martha, January 22, 1820; Susan, October 29, 1821, born in Kentucky; James E. D., January 2, 1824; Martha, February 24, 1826; John Q. A., February 14, 1828; Sarah R. and Wm. H., July 5, 1831; Emily, July 17, 1834, born in Illinois; Harmon, died February 14, 1848; Susan, July 31, 1850; Elizabeth M., December 23, 1851; Martha, March 8, 1856; Sarah, April 20, 1881. Father and mother with their family, came to Sangamon county in 1820, with ceams across the country, in company with Flower Husbands and family, James Patton and family, and grandfather and grandmother Husbands, who made their home with James Patton, until the death of Mrs. Patton. Grandfather Hus- bands died December 20, 1842, about eighty- one years of age, and was buried in the family burying ground, on the farm of Flower Husbands. After his death the grandmother came to live with her son Harmon, and remained there until his death, and then lived with her grand-daugh- ter, Mrs. Elihu Stout, and died there. They settled on Sugar creek, and commenced farming, when government land came into market in 1823, when they entered several hundred acres, and improved a farm of three hundred and thirty-six acres, where his children now reside. He made a specialty of raising wheat and flax for the manu- facture of cloth to be made into clothing About 1839 or 1840, he bought the first threshing ma- chine that was used in the county. It was a tread power machine. The school advantages of the children were such as subscription schools of the day afforded.

Benjamin F. Hutton, deceased, Auburn, Illi- nois, was born near Nashville, Tennessee, on the 11th day of October, 1815, son of Samuel and Mary (Levi) Hutton, native of South Carolina.

They were married in 1835. In 1823, Mr. Ben- jamin F. Hutton emigrated to Sangamon county, and located on Sugar creek, in Auburn town- ship, where he became acquainted with Miss Lucinda Mason, a daughter of Noah and Lucinda (Stilson) Mason, who emigrated to the county in 1824. Soon after marrying, they left for Henry county, Iowa. At that time the Indians were very troublesome. But with a strong heart he made a claim on which he built a log cabin sixteen by sixteen, living on a dirt floor, their chimney being made out of clay and sticks, and their furniture was of the rudest kind. Thus Mrs. Hutton, who is still living, says she started out from Sangamon county with an ox-team, that being her wedding trip. Few at the present time would hardly think of taking their wedding trip with an ox-team and lumber wagon. They remained in Iowa until 1845, when he sold out and returned to Sangamon county, Spring creek, where he lived until 1850, when he came to Chatham township, where he purchased a large tract of land, some five hundred acres, and re- mained there until his death, which occurred on July 10, 1877, leaving a widow and seven child- ren, one of whom has died since. The children are as follows: Noah M., Mary A., Benjamin F., George W., and John. In 1861, he enlisted in the Tenth Illinois Cavalry, Company B. and his son Noah, enlisting in the same regiment; was a member of the Advent Church, and one of the principal movers in building the church. Mr. H. came to the county in limited circumstances, and by good judgment accumulated a fine prop- erty. Mrs. Hutton is at present making her home with her son, George W., who was born on Spring creek, Illinois, August 8, 1847; was reared on a farm, and received a business educa- tion. In 1874, embarked in the grain business as Poley, Hutton & Co. Two years later he was made Cashier of the Auburn Bank. He was afterwards appointed postmaster of Auburn by President Hayes, and is at present engaged in the mercantile business as the firm of Hutton & Wallace; February 4, 1879, married Miss Maggie Harris. She was born in Auburn, August 27, 1858. There is one child, Ursula H. She was born July 31, 1881.

Moses A. Jones, retired farmer, was born in Hart county, Kentucky, July 21, 1820. Son of Alexander and Susan (Woosley) Jones, who were natives of Kentucky, and farmers by occu- pation. In 1821, moved to Fairfield, Wayne county, Illinois, where they resided six years, after which he moved to Sangamon county, in 1827, and located on Sugar creek, Ball township,

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

where he engaged in farming. His mother died January 20, 1844; and his father on October 22, of the same year. The subject of this sketch was raised on the farm, and brought up with a thorough knowledge of the farm, receiving only a common school education in the common schools of this county, and January 18, 1846, he married Nancy Armstrong, who was born Feb- ruary 16, 1824; immediately after their marriage they began farming in moderate circumstances; their family consisted of eleven children, of which ten are still living, viz: Caroline, now Mrs. Patton; Elizabeth A., now Mrs. H. A. Pea- body; Lafayette, Thomas A., James B., Robert W., John M., Andrew J., Eliza B. and Charlotte F. In the meantime, Mr. Jones moved to Chris- tian county, Illinois, where he resided four years, and returned again to this county, since which time he has continued to reside in the county. He is the owner of five hundred and thirty-three acres of land in Sangamon county. In Novem- ber, 1881, he gave up to his sons the charge of the farm, and moved to the quiet little town of Auburn, where he now is comfortably situated. In politics he has always been a supporter of the Democratic party.

Benjamin Kessler, Auburn, Illinois, was born in Beloit county, Virginia, December 28, 1803, son of Benjamin and Margaret (Clare) Kessler; father of German descent, and born in Mary- land, and mother of Virginia; were married in Virginia where they reside; family of twelve children, eleven of whom lived to be men and women; father was a farmer, lived and died in Virginia, and mother died in Virginia. In 1827, left his native State for the Sangamon country, having heard much of its broad prairies; also, having an uncle who was living here by the name of David Kessler, who died while they were on the road to the State. After arriving, he hired out by the month for $10, and worked one year for that wages. In September, 1830, married Miss Mary Ann Wallace, daughter of James and Annie Wallace, nee Duill, who came from South Carolina in 1822, and located in Auburn township, one mile south of where Auburn now stands. She was born in Nova Sco- tia, October 18, 1812. In September, 1880, they had their golden wedding, having lived together half a century. There was a large concourse of people and they were recipients of some valuable presents, among which were a gold-headed cane, and an easy chair: Their family consisted of seven children, all of which are living. Mar- garet J., James H., Harriet E., David F., Mary A. and Benjamin L. Soon after coming to the

State, purchased sixty acres of land, where Mr. Charles Rauch now lives. He afterwards sold and purchased other lands, and at one time had between seven hundred and eight hundred acres. Mr. K. is one of the pioneers of the county, and has lived to see it pass from a wild, uncultivated wilderness to a thickly and densely populated county.

Jacob Kessler, farmer, section twenty-two, Auburn, was born in Virginia, February 5, 1820; son of Benjamin and Margaret (Clair) Kessler, who was a native of Virginia. The fruits of this marriage were twelve children, eleven of whom lived to be adults. The subject of this sketch, the youngest, was reared on a farm and received a common school education; when twenty years of age, his father died, On March 3, 1842, mar- ried Miss Menerva A. Oliver; she was the daugh- ter of James K. Oliver; she was born May 7, 1826. There was a family of eleven, cight of whom are living, viz: Leanah, William W., Bar- nett, Benjamin C., Madorah C., Mollie A., Charles S., Georgia V. On the 22d day of May, 1857, came to Sangamon county, Illinois, and located in Auburn township, where he has fol- lowed farming since, with the exception of two years. Has fifty-five and two-thirds acres of land, valued at $60 per acre. In politics, is a Democrat.

Rev. Wiley Knowles, B. S., Auburn, Illinois, was born in Gibson county, Indiana, August 17, 1835. The sixth year of his life found him in a little log school house, puncheon floor and slab seats. In the fall of '48 his parents moved to Menard county, Illinois; from this time forward his opportunities for school were limited. He professed religion in 1850, and being impressed with the duty of preaching, presented himself to Sangamon Presbytery. Being licensed by said Presbytery, was assigned the Apple Creek Circuit, and proved himself an efficient worker in his Master's cause. Many amusing incidents attended these labors. On his first visit to the several congregations, many would keep looking for the preacher, not expecting the strange, awkward-looking boy, to be the man. In the autumn of 1860, entered the High School at Owensville. November 12, 1861, was mustered into the United States Army-Fifty-eighth Reg- iment of Indiana Volunteers. Was at the bat- tles of Shiloh, Perryville, Stone River and others. At the terrible battle of Stone River, he was wounded in both hands, while nobly de- fending the cause of freedom. April 22, 1863, was honorably discharged, and entered again upon ministerial labor. December 1, 1864, was

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

joined in marriage to Miss Anna Ripson. Was ordained and continued three years, when he found his health failing. Retiring for a time, concluded to ent r Lincoln University, the win- ter term of 1868. He continued an earnest and successful student, graduating with the class of 1872. He grasped readfly the truths of science, and made, practically, a fund of knowledge. He was a leader in the Athenian Society, and was often assigned parts of honor and trust. Since graduation, he has been actively engaged in the interest of souls. Mr. Knowles is a pleasant and logical speaker, and truly zealous in his Master's cause, and great good will attend his labors.

Horace Landon, farmer and stock raiser, post office, Auburn, was born in Jersey county, Illi- nois, Jannary 16, 1842; son of William D. and Alvira (Cowan) Landon. In 1830, his father left Vermont with team, for the wild prairies of Illinois, at that time there being but few settle- ments in the State; arriving after a journey of about two months, in Greene county, where he located, at that time a part of Jersey county; where he worked by the month. In 1837 he married Mrs. Alvira Cowan, wife of William Cowan, (deceased), her former husband, by whom he had ten children, eight of whom are living, viz: Oscar and Austin, twins, Horace, Alice, now Mrs. B. F. Workman; Mary, now Mrs. Merrian; Emma, now Mrs. Andrew Everts; William, Sarah, now Mrs. T. S .Chapman; an attorney at Jerseyville. Mr. Landon commenced in Illinois a poor boy, and by good judgment and hard work has made a large property and at his death had one thousand acres of valuable land to divide among his children. He died in 1873 at the age of sixty; mother is still living. The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, and received a common school education. In 1866, married Miss Flora A. Converse, daughter of Uriah C., formerly of Bridgeport, Vermont. She was born in Greene county, December 29, 1849. There was a family of seven children, five of whom are living, Ella M., born August 9, 1867; Engene, born May 22, 1869; Charles, born April 8, 1871; Mabel, born June 9, 1877; Frank, born May 29, 1881. Mr. Landon has a fine farm of five hundred acres, all of which he has under a high state of cultivation, and valued at $65 per acre. His yearly crops are as follows: corn, eighty acres; wheat, eighty acres; oats, thirty acres; some sixty head of hogs, and feeds four car loads of cattle.

Joseph Lanham, farmer and stock raiser, post office, Auburn. Was born in Marion coun-

ty, Kentucky, on the 23d day of September, 1837. Son of Edward and Elizabeth (Bland) Lanham. The family consisted of twelve chil- dren, six of which are living. Mary, Nancy, Annie, Manda, Thomas, James, Joseph. March 4, 1850, his parents left their Kentucky home and started for Illinois, coming by water to St. Louis, from there to Greene county, where he located, and where he remained until his death, which occurred January 4, 1867. Mother died July, 1869. The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, and received a limited school education. In 1871, married Mrs. Mary Stout, widow of William Stout. She was born in Jer- sey county, Illinois, February 3, 1841. There are three children: Ida M., born July 15, 1872; Ollie E., born July 15, 1872; Charles H., born December 29, 1877. Has three hundred and twenty acres of land, all of which is beautifully located, under a high state of cultivation, and valued at $65 per acre. Mr. L. commenced a poor boy, and by his own exertions has accumu- lated a fine property and home, and is one of the large and well-to-do farmers of the county.

H. W. Larrabee, farmer and stock raiser, sec- tion 30, post office, Virden, was born in Som- erset county, Maine, on the 2d day of August, 1830. Son of William and Sarah (Plummer) Larrabee. The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, when he received a common school education. When twenty-two years of age tried his fortune among the gold fields of California. He shipped from New York via the Isthmus, and from there in a sailing vessel, with three hundred passengers on board, which was a poor and rickety old bark. There were thirty-five days' rations placed on the boat, this being the time in which the trip should be made. It was some time longer, and the rations and water running short, the passengers were only allowed one biscuit and a half a pint of water a day. They were at the point of mutiny, but finally landed in California, after many of the passengers dying from the heat and for the want of proper food and water. He engaged in mining, where he remained one year and a half. Making a "stake," he returned to Maine, where he married Miss Julia A. Leighton, daughter of Abigal Leighton, of Maine, in 1855. The fruits of this marriage was five children, four of whom are living-Sadie J., Ella, Minnie and Charles. Mr. Larrabee has a beautiful farm of eighty acres, which is under a high state of culti- vation, valued at $75 per acre. Mr. L. has been identified with the county, socially, for twenty- one years, and is one of its well-to-do farmers.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

John M. Lockridge, farmer and stock raiser, post office Auburn, Illinois, was born in Mont- gomery county, Kentucky, on the 18th day of January, 1814; son of John and Margie (Kill- ough) Lockridge, who were natives of Ken- tucky, of Scotch and Irish descent. They were married in Montgomery county. There was a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters, eight of whom lived to manhood and womanhood. In 1826, his parents emigrated to Owen county, Indiana, where he purchased a farm and remained until 1838, when he came to Sangamon county. Previous to bringing his family, he and the subject of this sketch came ont, purchased three hundred acres of land, and built a log cabin on Lick creek, where he re- mained until the year 1850. Meeting with some financial embarrassments, he concluded to go to California to retrieve his losses, but while on the way, died, and never arrived at his destination. His mother died in 1866, a sincere Christian, and was loved and [respected by all who knew her. The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, and received a common school education. In 1840, he married Miss Jane Nuckolls, a daughter of James and Jane Nuckolls, who were early set- tlers of the county; she was born in Madison county, Illinois, in October, 1819. By this mar- riage there were seven children, five of whom are living, John W., James M., Andrew H., Robert H., and Charles; two daughters, Martha J. and Margaret, died in childhood. In 1854, he commenced on his present home, with no capital but good strong arms and a strong will, and by good management and hard work, has accumu- lated a fine property and home, and is one of the large and well-to-do farmers of the county. He owns four hundred and forty-five acres of land, valued at $85 per acre, all of which is under a high state of cultivation, and the premium farm of the township. He raised one hundred and fifty acres of corn, which will average forty bushels per acre; ninety acres of wheat, fifteen bushels per acre; owns seventy-five head of hogs and one hundred head of steers. Mr. L. has held the office of supervisor of the township for several years, and also held other local offices of trust. In politics, he was an old line Whig until the time of the organization of the Republi- can party, joining that, and has officiated with it since. Mr. Lockridge has been identified with the county over forty years, and has lived to see the wild prairies of Illinois, from their virgin soil to one of the best cultivated and richest counties in the United States, Mr. and Mrs Lock- ridge are members of the Presbyterian Church.

W. W. Lowdermilk, Auburn, Illinois, was born in North Carolina on the 10th day of August, 1843, is the son of William and Lorinda (Laws) Lowdermilk, father of German descent and mother of Scotch. They emigrated from North Carolina to East Tennessee, when the subject of this sketch was a child and remained there on a farm until he was thirteen years old, when they moved to Macoupin county, in 1858. He remained on a farm with his parents until he was sixteen, when he enlisted in the One Hundred and Fourteenth Regiment Illi- nois Volunteers, Co. B., under Captain Ferguson, mustered in at Springfield, August 6th, 1862. He participated in several engagements, the first being at Holly Springs, also Port Gib- son, Champion Hills, Siege and capture of Vicksburg, and battles of Jackson, Miss. In June following, went on expedition against Gen- eral Forrest and at an engagement at Guntown was wounded in the left arm, which caused the loss of that member. He was a prisoner in Macon and Andersonville for about ten months, where he suffered all the privations of those horrid pens. After being exchanged at Vicksburg came home and attended school, and in the Fall of 1865, married Miss Elizabeth Roberts, by this marriage there are two children, Hattie and Arthur. In 1866 was appointed deputy post master, and in March, 1867, received the appoint- ment under Johnson's administration, and held that office continually up to and including six months of Hayes' administration. During this time he established the Auburn Herald, the first newspaper published in Auburn, which he edited and published for about six months, at which time the paper passed into the hands of Mr. Wadsworth, the present owner and editor. Re- tiring from the post office, Mr. Lowdermilk con- chided to go West and settle, but not liking the out-look returned to Springfield. In 1881, Mr. L. received the appointment of Assistant Private Secretary to Governor Cullom, which office he now fills.

William Luth, farmer and stock raiser, section thirty-five, post office Virden; was born in Michaelsburg, Germany, September 8, 1826. Came to the United States in 1857 in a sailing vessel, and was eight weeks in making the trip, landed in New York City; where he remained a short time, when he went to Chicago, where he worked at his trade of blacksmithing From there he went to Bloomington, Illinois, where he engaged to work on a farm, but remained only a couple of months; from there went to St. Louis, where he worked at his trade three months, then

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

to Sangamon county, where he married Mrs. Martha Owens, a daughter of Jacob Shutt. She was born in Muhlensburg, Kentucky, April 30, 1825. By this marriage there was three children, one of which is living, William Luth, Jr., born July 28, 1866. Mrs. Luth was previously mar- ried to Elias Owens, by whom she had ten child- ren, six are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Luth have a beautiful farm of two hundred acres, all of which is under a high state of cultivation, valued at $75 per acre.

David D. Martin, manufacturer and dealer in agricultural implements, Auburn, Illinois, was born in Providence, Rhode Island, February 28, 1831, son of David and Caroline (Wilcox) Martin, who emigrated to Alton, Illinois, in an early day, where he organized the first I. O. O. F. Lodge in Alton, where he died the same year. He was buried by the order, the funeral being one of the largest ever seen, many lodges coming from St. Louis. His mother was again married to a man by the name of Samuel Avis. She died in St. Louis in 1842. Of the original family there was two sons and two daughters, viz: Henry F., of Macoupin county, who has figured extensively against the court house foily, and was elected to the State Legislature of that district; Sarah, who died from the bite of a rattle- snake, when twelve years of age; David D. and Caroline.

The subject of this sketch remained with his mother until her death, when the family was scattered, being cast onto the cold world without a cent. For some years he worked around making enough to keep soul and body together, working two years for five dollars per month, and paying for his washing out of that. After- wards commenced selling books, which he fol- lowed until he was twenty years of age, when he formed the acquaintance of Maranda Buck who was born June, 1833. By this union there were nine children, five of whom are living, viz: Henry J., David I., Willie L., Lillie and Edith. Mr. and Mrs. Martin commenced life in very limited circumstances. After buying his license and paying the minister for marrying them, had sixty cents, and a horse valued at twenty-five dollars, and his wife got a cow as a dowry from her mother, and that they sold for ten dollars to bny their set-out which consisted of two knives and two forks, a set of plates and tea cups and saucers, a set of chairs made by hand, and for their table, used a dry goods box. Their domi- cile was a log cabin eighteen by eighteen, with puncheon floor, an old-fashioned fire place with stone jambs and clay and stick chimney, etc.

Thus they started out, and as Mr. Martin says, it was some of their happiest moments, owing no one, enough to eat, with good strong hearts, they pulled through, and by hard work and good management, have accumulated a fine property and home. The family are members of the Presbyterian Church.

John C. Moore, Virden, Macoupin county, son of Henry and Mary Moore. Father born in Som- merset County, N. J., in 1801, and his mother was a native of the same State. Both were de- scended from German ancestry. Father's occu- pation, a farmer. They were married in New Jersey, and had five children, to-wit: John, Eliza, Sarah, Catharine, William. Catharine and Matilda both died in New York State. Father again married to Miss Sarah Allen. She was the daughter of Gideon and Mrs. Allen. The subject of this sketch was the first child of this union, born March 25, 1825, in New Jersey. In October 9, 1847, he married Miss Catharine Compton, daughter of Moore and Mary Comp- ton. They have one child, Howard Malcom Moore, born Nov. 23, 1848, in New Jersey. Came to Jersey County, Ill., in 1856, and re- mained there about a year, then came to Sanga- mon County, where he owns 200 acres of valu- able land. Mr. M. attended the county schools until sixteen years of age and then entered the Suffield Literary Institute of Connecticut. After leaving there taught school in New Jersey for ten years.

Robert E. Morse, manufacturer and dealer in wagons, buggies and agricultural implements, Auburn, Illinois, was born in Sidney, Maine, August 22d, 1833. Son of Samuel and Sarah (Taylor) Morse. Father now living in Maine at the advanced age of 90. There were a family of ten children, four sons and six daughters. The subject of this sketch was the ninth child. Left home when a mere boy. At the age of ten years went to work for a Quaker by the name of Captain Sherman, on a farm, summers, and receiving three to four weeks of schooling win- ters. There being a shop on the place he soon became acquainted with their use. After leav- ing Captain Sherman he engaged with a man by the name of Alonzo Davis, where he remained two years, getting for his first year's work $15, as an apprentice, but most of his time was spent on the farm. He then went to Bangor with the idea of finishing his trade, where he became acquainted with B. H. Thorns, who manufac- tured and repaired Concord coaches, and re- mained one year. Thence to Boston by steamer, and a greener boy, as he says, never struck the

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History of Sangamon 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 130

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company Number of Pages: 1084

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084