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 144

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 144

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).

851

HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

TOWNSHIP OF CLEAR LAKE.

The township of Clear Lake comprises all of township sixteen north, range four west, and is so named from the lake of that name, in section twenty-two.

TOPOGRAPHICAL.

The township is almost equally divided between timber and prairie, and is quite rolling. The soil is of good quality, and large crops of corn and wheat are raised.

WATER COURSES.

Clear Lake township is well supplied with streams of living water. The north fork of the Sangamon river enters on section thirty-six, and the south fork enters on section thirty-three, the two uniting on section twenty-seven, and flowing northward, emerges from the township from sec- tion five, but returns within a quarter of a mile, flows westward, and enters Springfield township from section six. Sugar creek enters the town- ship on section thirty-one, and flowing in a north- easterly direction, unites with the Sangamon river on section twenty-eight. Clear Lake is a beautiful sheet of water, about one half mile in length and an average width of two hundred yards. On the banks of this lake, many pic-nic parties are held each summer, and boats are pro- vided for sailing and rowing upon the lake.

RAILROADS.

Clear Lake township is traversed by two rail- roads, the Wabash and the Springfield & North- western. The former enters from Springfield on section nineteen, runs in a northeasterly direction through the village of Riverton to section ten, when it runs due east into the township of Mechanicsburg. The latter from Springfield enters on section eighteen, and runs northeast, enters Williams township from section two.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The township was first settled in 1820, Hugh McGary was the first settler. He settled im- mediately upon the banks of Clear Lake. He was an old soldier under Harrison, and was a man highly respected, being a high-minded hon- orable man.

Harrison McGary, a brother of Hugh, came about the same time, and settled upon the farm where Thomas King now lives. He was dissatis- fied, and returned to Indiana, from whence he came.

Samuel Danley came about the same time and settled about a mile from McGary. Ile was a rough man, but with a large heart, and was always a friend to the poor. IIe became a Christian some years before his death and lived conscientiously up to his profession.

John Smith came also quite early. He was possessed of considerable wealth, but run through with it all and sold out to Thomas King.

Benjamin Cherry came from Tennessee. He was a good man and ultimately died a Christian.

Thomas J. Knox came and settled on the farm now owned by J. F. King. He was County Treasurer and Collector for one or two terms, justice of the peace for several years. He died in Springfield.

Valentine R. Mallory came about the same time with the others already mentioned. He served in the War of 1812. He died several years ago.

Samuel McDaniels came previous to the deep snow, as did also Philip Smith.

John Wilcox was born in Maryland, on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay. His parents died when he was quite young, and to keep from being bound out, he ran away, em-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

barked on a sailing vessel, and went to the West India Islands; returning to Maryland, and wlien he was sixteen or seventeen years old, went with a family to Virginia, and from there to the vicinity of Danville, Kentucky. He was married in Oldham county, Kentucky, to Lucinda Ogles- by. She was born in Loudon county, Virginia, and her parents moved to that part of Shelby which afterwards became Oldham county, Ken- tucky. Her father, William Oglesby, was a sol- dier in the Revolution. John Wilcox moved to Davidson county, Tennessee, then moved to Logan county, Kentucky; died in 1823. In 1818, the family moved to St. Clair county, Illinois, and from there to what became Sangamon county, arriving in the fall of 1819, about six miles east of where Springfield now stands, and settled be- tween the mouths of Sugar creek and the south fork of Sangamon river.

Archer G. Herndon was born February 13, 1795, in Culpepper county, Virginia; went to Greensburg, Green county, Kentucky, when he was about ten years old, and was there married, in 1816, to Mrs. Rebecca Johnson, whose maiden name was Day. Her father was a Revolutionary soldier. Mr. and Mrs. Herndon had one child in Kentucky, and they moved to Troy, Madison county, Illinois; from there they moved to San- gamon county, Illinois, arriving in the spring of 1821, settling on what is now German Prairie, five miles northeast of Springfield.

Archer G. Herndon, Sr., was engaged in mer- cantile pursuits, from 1825 to 1836, in Spring- field, and during that time erected the first regu- Jar tavern in town. He was one of the "Long Nine" who were instrumental in having the Capital removed from Vandalia to Springfield, having been elected State Senator in 1836. IIe was receiver of public moneys, from 1842 to 1842, in the Land Office, in Springfield. A. G. Herndon, Sr., died January 3, 1867, and Mrs. Rebecca Herndon died August 19, 1875.

Larkin Bryant was born November 2, 1800, in Woodford county, Kentucky. He was married there in 1820, to Mrs. Harriet Chapman, whose maiden name was Thornberry. They moved to the Missouri lead mines, and from there to Sangamon county, in the fall of 1821, and settled five miles northeast of Springfield.

John Shinkle was born in February, 1783, in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and when he was a boy his parents moved to Brown county, Ohio. Mary M. Shinkle was born November 12, 1784, in Berks county, Pennsylvania. In May, 1805, her parents moved to Brown county, Ohio. Jolin Shinkle and Mary M. Shinkle were there

married November 7, 1805. They had ten living children in Brown county. The family moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving December, 1826, in what is now Clear Lake township, north of Sangamon river. John Shinkle died August, 1827, in Sangamon county, less than one year after his arrival in the country. His widow raised her family on the farm where they settled, and now resides there. It is three miles southwest of Dawson, Illinois. She is ninety-two years old, and has been a widow nearly half a century.

Valentine R. Mallory was born December 16, 1798, near Paris, Bourbon county, Kentucky. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was at the battle of the river Thames. Nancy Daw- son was born September 20, 1802, in Fairfax county, Virginia, and in 1804, was taken by her parents to Bracken county, Kentucky. V. R. Mallory and Nancy Dawson were there married, June 28, 1821. They had three children, and in March, 1827, united with the Baptist Church. They moved, in company with her brother, John Dawson, (see his name) to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving October 22, 1827, in what is now Clear Lake township.

John Dawson was born November 24, 1791, in Fairfax county, Va. His parents moved to Bracken county, Kentucky, in 1805. He enlisted in Bracken county in the war against England in 1812, and was wounded and captured at the battle of River Raisin. After being held as a prisoner in Canada by the Indians who captured him, his friend paid a ransom for him, and he returned home. Cary Jones was born May 22, 1801, in Nicholas county, Kentucky. John Daw- son and Cary Jones were married in Nicholas county, October 9, 1817. They moved to Bracken county, and then the family moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, October 24, 1827, north of the Sangamon river, in Clear Lake township. John Dawson died November 12, 1850, in Sangamon county. His widow resides on the farm where they settled in 1827. It is three miles southwest of Dawson. Mr. Dawson was Captain of a company from Sangamon coun- ty in the Black Hawk war of 1831. He was elected to represent Sangamon county in the State Legislature of 1831, and '32. He was again elected in 1835, and continued by re-elec- tion, to represent the county until 1840, and was consequently one of the "Long Nine" who secured the removal of the State Capital to Springfield at the session of 1836-'7 Mr. D. was also a member of the convention that framed the State Constitution of 1848. The ball received in

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

his lungs at the battle of River Raisin was never extracted, and was the cause of his death.

Samuel Ridgeway was born May 10, 1777, in Berkley county, Virginia, and was taken by his parents to the valley of the Yadkin river, North Carolina, when he was quite young. He was there married, about 1799, to Elizabeth Caton, who was born August 25, 1775, in Berkley county, Virginia, also. Shortly after marriage Samuel Ridgeway and wife packed all their worldly goods on one horse, and each rode another. Thus equipped, they set out for Ken- tucky, and settled near Stanford, the capital of Lincoln county. The family moved to Sanga- mon county, Illinois, arriving in November, 1829, in what is now Clear Lake township, west of the Sangamon river, and five miles northeast of Springfield. Died in 1847.

John Blue was born September 9, 1777, in South Carolina. His father was a soldier in the Revolutionary army, and was taken prisoner by the British the very day of his birth. His par- ents moved to Fleming county, Kentucky, when he was quite young. Elizabeth McNary was born in South Carolina, and taken by her parents to Fleming, county, Kentucky, also. They were there married about 1806. About 1823 they moved to Green county, Ohio, then moved to Sangamon county, arriving in the fall of 1830, in what is now Clear Lake township.

William Fagan was born in 1777, in North Carolina, was married there to Peninah Fruit, who was born January 29, 1774, in the same State. They moved to Virginia, and from there to Christian county, Kentucky. In 1819, they emigrated, with four children, to southern Illi- nois, thence to Sangamon county, arriving in what is now Clear Lake township, in 1820. They moved next year to Buffalo Hart Grove, and from there to Springfield. In 1831 they settled on a farm three miles northwest of Springfield. He died in 1843.

Uriah Manu was born September 17, 1810, in Bracken county, Kentucky. He came to Sanga- mon county, with his sister Anna, and her hus- band, Thomas A. King, arriving the first Sunday in October, 1831.

He was a soldier in the Black Hawk war, in 1832, in the same regiment with Captain Abra- ham Lincoln, with whom he had many a wrest- ling match. Uriah Mann was married January 6, 1832, in Sangamon county, to Elizbeth King. He hauled all the rails and timber for improving his farm, on a wagon constructed by himself, without any iron, the wheels being hewn each from a single piece of timber, from the largest

tree he could find. His house was built by him- self, of round logs. His tables, cupboard and other furniture were made from wild cherry lumber. In the absence of saw-mills he split the timber into broad slabs, fastened them into a snatch block, hewed them to a uniform thick- ness, and after waiting a sufficient time for them to season, worked them into his household furni- ture. The first meal he ate in his own house, the meat was hog's jowl, and the bread made from frost-bitten corn. He hauled the first wheat he raised for sale to St. Louis, and sold it for thirty-five cents in trade. He is now among the most successful farmers of the county.

James Frazier Reed, was born November 14, 1800, in county Armagh, Ireland. His ancestors were of noble Polish birth, who chose exile rather than submission to the Russian power, and settled in the north of Ireland. The family name was originally Reednoski, but in process of time the Polish termination of the name was dropped, and the family was called Reed. James F. Reed's mother's name was Frazier, whose ancestors belonged to Clan Frazier, of Scottish history. Mrs. Reed, and her son, James F., came to America when he was a youth, and set- tled in Virginia. He remained there until he was twenty, when he left for the lead mines of Illinois, and was engaged in mining until 1831, when he came to Springfield, Sangamon county, Illinois. He served in the Black Hawk war, and at its termination returned to Springfield, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits, made money, and bought a farm near the latter city. Mr. Reed was for several years engaged in manufacturing cabinet furniture at a point on the Sangamon river, seven miles east of Springfield. Ile em- ployed a large number of men, and a village grew up there, which, in honor of his first name, was called Jamestown. It has since been twice changed, first to Howlett and then to Riv- erton, the present name. He was married, in 1834, to Mrs. Margaret W. Backenstoe, whose maiden name was Keyes, a daughter of Humphrey Keyes. Mrs. Reed had one child by her first marriage. In April, 1846, Mr. and Mrs. Reed, with many others, started overland for California; Mr. Reed settled at San Jose Mission, California, and invested in land from time to time. He was among the first who tried their fortunes at gold hunting, in which he was very successful. Of Mrs. Reed's child by a former marriage-Mrs. Virginia E. Murphy writes me, in December, 1875, that she never was taught or made to feel, during Mr. Reed's lifetime, that she was a step-child or half-sister, and that he was the most

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

loving and indulgent step-father that ever lived. So thoughtful was he of her feelings that he took occasion, after the death of her mother, to assure her of his continued affection, and that he knew no difference between herself and his own child- ren, as she came to him with her mother, a little babe. He made no distinction between Mrs. Murphy and his own children in his will.

John Hoover, Mr. Howell, Solomon Blue and Uriah Blue, settled on the south side of the San- gamon river in 1824 or 1825. They all being of German descent, gave to the neighborhood the name of German Prairie.

EDUCATIONAL.

The recollection of the first school in what is now Clear Lake township, by the " old settlers " of 1881, dates back to 1828. About this time there were two school houses built, one on the north, and the other on the south side of the river. Riley Jones taught the one on the south side of the river in the winter of 1828. This school house was similar to all others built in the county at the time, being of logs.

Time has changed the course of things. There are now no log school houses, but instead, the township has two brick and five frame edifices for school purposes, the total value of which is $6,600.

RELIGIOUS.

The first house of worship erected in the town- ship was by the Baptists, in 1829, though the denomination was not the first to be represented in the preaching of the gospel. The Methodists were here previously, represented by that trio so often spoken of in these pages-Revs. Peter Cartwright, James Sims, and Rivers Cormack. Aaron Vandever was the first Baptist minister. There are now four church edifices in the town- ship, Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal, on sec- tion twenty-four; the Christian, on section twen- ty-one; and the Methodist Episcopal and Catho- lie, in the village of Riverton.

MINERAL.

Coal was first discovered in this township at a very early date, and for many years surface mining was carried on, though none of the early settlers, and few of those that came at a later date, ever imagined that underneath their feet would be found thick veins of coal that would be almost inexhaustible. P. L. Howlett, an enterprising citizen of the village, that for some years bore his name, but was subsequently changed to Riv- erton, in 1865, conceived the idea that there was an immense bed of superior coal at a great depth below the surface. Accordingly, he employed

experienced men from the Pennsylvania oil region, to erect the necessary machinery, and bored down two hundred feet into the earth, which resulted in striking a rich vein of coal about six feet in thickness. This test was made a few feet from his distillery, about eighty rods from the railroad. In order to make this matter sure, he moved his boring machinery up near the railroad switch, and bored down again with the same results. In the spring of 1866, he sunk a shaft from which he began to take a superior coal to any heretofore mined. This was the first attempt at mining coal in Sangamon county.

ORGANIC.

Clear Lake township was organized in 1861.

VILLAGE OF RIVERTON.

The village of Riverton was laid out and platted by John Taylor, December 1, 1837, its location being described as "the south half of the northeast quarter of section nine, township sixteen, range four, west." The plat was re- corded under the name of Jamestown, so named in honor of James F. Reed, whose adventures are given on a preceding page, in connection with George Donner and a trip across the plains.

The village grew but slowly for some years, and until Mr. Howlett came and erected the distillery and mill adjoining. Up to this time, the village bore the name of Jamestown, but soon after it was changed to Howlett, which name it retained until 187-, when it was changed to Riverton-an appropriate name, it being upon the banks of the Sangamon river, the principal stream in the county.

There being already one Jamestown post office in the State, another name had to be chosen, and it was called Reed. This was one reason why the name of the village was afterward changed, as it was inconvenient to citizens and correspondents to call the town by one name and the post office by another. When the name of the village was changed to Howlett, the name of the post office was also changed, it taking the name of the village. The same change was made to Riverton. Jesse Sweatman was the first postmaster. The large correspondence of the distillery here gives quite a large amount of mail to handle.

RIVERTON ALCOHOL WORKS.

The most noted institution of Riverton is the large distillery of the Riverton Alcohol Works. In 1865, it was owned and operated by P. L. Howlett, and was then said to be the largest in the State, with a capacity of 2,400 bushels of

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

grain per day. It has since been eclipsed by some Peoria houses, but is yet considered a large distillery, its revenue, paid the Government annually, amounting to thousands of dollars. In connection with the distillery there is a large flouring mill, with six runs of burrs.

A MINING VILLAGE.

The village of Riverton is what might be termed a mining village, its coal mines afford- ing employment to by far the larger part of its inhabitants. Next to the mines the distilleries and mill furnishes employment to the greater number The cottages of the miners are among the things to attract the eyes of a traveler as he passes through on the railway cars, and the question is often asked, why so many cottages, as well as the name of the town.

A NEWSPAPER.

Riverton, like many other small villages, has had its newspaper, which flourished for a time, like the mushroom, and like the mushroom, soon passed away.

CHURCHES.

The religious welfare of the villagers is at- tended to by the Catholic and Methodist Episco- pal brethren, each of whom have houses of wor- ship.

C'has. Beerup was born April 27, 1841, in San- gamon county. He is the son of Andrew and Mary (Maltby) Beerup, natives of New York and Vermont, and came to this county at an early day and resided until their death, the former occurring in 1872, and the latter in 1873. The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, and that occupation he has followed thus far through life. Mr. B. was married, January 14, 1864, to Miss Mary Babcock. Her parents were James and Jeanette Babcock, who were natives of Ohio, emigrating to this county in 1850. Miss B. was born January 14, 1843, in Muskingum, Ohio. By the union, seven children were born, six of whom are living: John R., Alice J., Le- . ander, William R., Jennie, and Jimmie. Mr. B. located in this township in the spring of 1881, on section thirty-two, where he owns fifty acres of land, worth $80 an acre.

William A. Butler, one of Sangamon county's pioneers, was born July 23, 1817, in Adair county, Kentucky. He is the son of Nathan M. and Mary (Hardin) Butler, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Kentucky, who emi- grated to this State in the year 1824, and settled in Morgan county, ten miles east of Jackson- ville, where he resided until the spring of 1831, at which time he sold out and located near Ber-

lin, where they resided until death ; the former occurring April 4, 1842, and the latter Novem- ber, 1834. Mr. Butler fought under General Jackson in the fight below New Orleans, in the year 1815. He also, in the year 1831, fought Black Hawk. So popular was he among his friends that he was elected major. Our subject was reared on the farm, and only received about eighteen months' schooling, although he has acquired a good education since he became of age. Mr. Butler began life a poor man, in the city of Springfield, in the livery business, with a capital of less than $300. By close attention to business he accumulated enough to purchase a farm, seventeen miles west of Springfield. Mr. Butler served as Marshal of Springfield the years 1860 and 1861. Mr. B. was married in the year 1863, to Mrs. Jane Clark, daughter of James and Mary A. Trotter, who came to this county 1827, and settled on section thirty-two, this township, where the latter still resides, the former having died many years ago. Mrs. Clark is mother of two children-Thomas and Emma. Mr. B. is holding the office of town- ship trustee ; he owns one hundred and eighty- eight acres of good land, where he carries on mixed farming.

C. S. Churchill was born June 30, 1842, in Shelby county, Kentucky. IIe is the son of George and Sarah (Arnold) Churchill, both of whom were natives of Virginia, and emigrated to this county, settling near Mechanicsburg, in 1827, where they resided a number of years, and then came to this township and settled on section eighteen, where they both died. Our subject was reared on the farm, which occupa- tion he has followed thus far through life. He was married July 31, 1845, to Miss Hester F. King. Miss King was born January 21, 1825, in Bracken county, Virginia; by this union nine children were born, three of whom are living -- Henry, Parmelia A. and Amanda P. Mr. C. owns three hundred and sixty acres of good land, well improved.

John Cromley, farmer, was born May 11, 1816, in Northamption county, Pennsylvania. He is the son of Jacob and Sarah (Hineman) Cromley, both of whom are deceased. They were early settlers of Ohio, where they were residing at the time of their death. Our subject was reared a farmer and he was deprived of the chance for an education. Though being possessed with a limi- ted education, he has accumulated a large amount of property. He is owning three hundred and twenty acres of good land, all made by his own exertions.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

Mr. Cromley was married to Miss Sarah Fred- erick. By her four children were born, three of whom are living-Mary J., Jacob and Charles. Mrs. Cromley was called to her resting place, and to supply this loss, he married Julia Lamkie, in the year 1870. Miss L. was born in Germany in the year 1839, and emigrated to this country in 1866. The fruits of this union have been three children, viz: Emma, John and William. Few have been as successful financially as Mr. Cromley.

Amos Grubb was born May 26, 1826, in Perry county, Pennsylvania. He is the son of Henry and Mary (Smith) Grubb, both of whom died in Perry county, Pennsylvania, Amos was reared to manhood in his native State, and emigrated to this county in the year 1857, first settling in the city of Springfield, where he lived a few months, and then moved one and a half miles east of Springfield. From this he moved to the present place, where he has resided eighteen years. Mr. G., until three years ago, had devoted his entire attention to farming. Since that time he, in connection with his farming, has been operating a tile mill, with good success, his sales averaging about one hundred and fifty thousand tile per annum. Mr. G., was married in June 24, 1852, to Miss Mary A. Thrasher. Miss T., was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, July 8, 1821. The fruits of this marriage was seven children born to them: Elizabeth A., wife of Henry Churchill; Michael, Henry, Edwin, Dora J., Mary C., and Emma F.

Mr. G., has held several offices in the town- ship, one of which he has held seventeen years in succession, that being the office of school director. Heis owning one hundred and seventy- six acres of good land.

Thomas A. King, farmer, was born April 22, 1809, in Clarke county, Kentucky; his parents were William B. and Annie R. (Greening) King, natives of Virginia. The former was educated for a surveyor, but never followed surveying to any extent, farming being his principal occupa- tion; he died October 19, 1863; the latter died March 27, 1873. Mr. King emigrated to this State in October, 1831, and located in German Prairie, where he resided ten years. In 1840, he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, where he has resided ever since. He was united in marriage to Miss Ann Mann, November 11, 1830, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Gaterel, of Bracken county, Kentucky. The fruits of this marriage was twelve children, of whom six are living, namely: Elizabeth, now Mrs. Todd; Melvin, now a resident of Kansas; Uriah, now

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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 144

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