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 146
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A class was organized from the Buck Hart congregation about 1856 or 1857, known as the Nebo class, which met for worship in a school house on the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section thirty-three. When the villages of Berry and Breckenridge were laid out, the class divided and organized, one at each place, erect- ing church edifices at each, at a cost of about $1,800 for the one in Berry, and $2,000 for the one in Breckenridge. These churches are sup- plied with preaching services from the Roches- ter circuit.
864
HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.
A society of United Brethren was organized, and a church built on the southeast quarter of section four, about 1856. The society flourished for some years-until the Patrons of Husbandry were formed, and several of the members uniting with the order, caused a division in the church, resulting in its almost entire dissolution.
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.
Cooper Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, was organized March 31, 1874, by John McConnell, Deputy, with the following named as charter members and officers: Daniel Waters, Master; W. R. Ross, Overseer; Benjamin A. Giger, Lec- turer; J. M. Cooper, Chaplain; George Hicks, Steward; S. J. Prather, Assistant Steward; E. F. Saunders, Treasurer; Squire Campbell, Gate Keeper; W. B. Prather, Secretary; Mrs. Harriet Waters, Ceres; Mrs. Sarah Hicks, Pomona; Miss Mary Alice Miller, Flora; Miss Gittie Prather, Assistant Steward. The Grange continued in successful operation until 1876. A Grange was also organized at Berry Station, January 21, 1874, with W. J. Cooper, Master, and Alexander Lokin, Secretary. The Grange held weekly meetings until 1878, when they met but once or twice only, that year; since which time it has ceased to exist. It was organized by Jno. Mc- Connell.
VILLAGE OF NEWPORT.
Few of the present generation know there was ever a village laid out in Cooper township, bearing the high-sounding name of Newport. In the spring of 1838, Rev. John Cooper had surveyed and platted, the east half of the north- west quarter of section twenty, township fifteen, range three. The platting was nearly all that was done; only two houses were put upon it. A poor man by the name of Moses Wood, came along, and Mr. Andrew Crowl bought a lot and said he would build a tabernacle for Moses, and did so. Another poor man, named Parish, needed a parsonage, and a kind owner of another lot put up a house for him. So that the new vil- lage embraced a whole parish, and had in it the parsonage for the rector. But neither continued a long time, and long since, all vestiges of the anticipated city of Newport have disappeared.
OAK HILL CEMETERY.
The first interments made in what is now Oak Hill Cemetery, were before the land was in market by the United States government; the first one being that of Mr. A. Giger, son of Henry and Nancy Giger, August 1, 1823. Its location is about the center of the township,
and the section line between section twenty, and twenty-one passing through the lot. From the year 1823 to 1876, it was known as Cooper grave yard, and about the time of the former date, Mr. Cooper entered a part of section twenty and by tacit consent burials continued to be made till about the latter date, the then inclosed lot became filled with graves, when the people of the vicinity conferred together and agreed to enlarge the lot by procuring more land, and bought one acre of Robert North, who then owned the contigious portion on section twenty- one, which was soon after accomplished by the organization of what is now known as Oak Hill Cemetery Association, and Mr. North deeded it one acre for the purpose, receiving therefor the sum of $50. The part previously used con- sisted of one acre, one half of which was pre- sented by Mr. North and the other by the heirs of John Cooper, so that now there were inclosed two acres and placed under the care of five trus- tees, who at once sold a number of lots at public auction to individuals at $10 each, the fund thus accruing is to be placed at interest, as a source of revenue to meet necessary expenses in maintain- ing the organization in its legitimate outlays. The first trustees were: R. A. Hazlett, Ben- jamin A. Giger, Edmund Miller, W. B. Prather and Joseph E. Ross. At a subsequent election there were chosen as the present board the fol- lowing: Albert North, John M. Ross, Samuel J. Prather Benjamin A. Giger and Daniel Waters. Mr. Waters is President and Mr. Giger Secretary of the Association, and Mr. Prather Treasurer.
SCHOOLS.
The first school in this township was taught by Mr. and Mrs. Literal, about 1828. There are now three whole and three fractional school dis- tricts in the township, with six school houses, valued at $3,200.
MILLS.
Benjamin Giger built a saw and grist-mill on the Sangamon river, on section nine, in 1830, which was run by him and others twenty-two years, doing a large amount of grinding meal and flour, and sawing timber for the community around, and even sent flour to the city of Spring- field. It was re-built, and subsequently burned down, when the property passed into the hands of Daniel Powers, who again built and operated it.
A small saw-mill was erected some years later on Buck Hart creek, by William Johnson, who run it a few years.
865
HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY
A grist-mill was erected some years later, in Breckenridge, in 1872 (a steam flouring mill).
TEMPERANCE.
The township of Cooper is emphatically a tem- perance town. It has never had in it a saloon. A division of the Sons of Temperance was or- ganized in 1858, which existed about four years, until so many of the members enlisted in the army that regular meetings could not be held.
A Good Templar Lodge was organized Febru- ary, 16, 1881, with the following named charter members: H. Clay McCune, John L. Prather, William Furrow, Frank Furrow, Garrett Don- ovan, Douglas Giger, George Furrow, Charles Waters, Nancy A. Furrow, Mary Furrow, Laura Furrow, Margaret McCune, Douglas Giger, Ed- ward Furrow, Anna Waters, Andrew Miller, John E. Miller, Ida Waddle, Alma McCune, Noah Ross, Charles Ross, W. F. Ross, Charles Schwartz, Edward Giger, Ida Cooper, Emma Troxell, Phoebe Troxell, John Troxell, John Hundorf and Frank Cooper. Its first officers were: D. Giger, W. C. T .; Nancy Furrow, W. V. T .; Frank Furrow, W. Chaplain; H. C. McCune, W. S .; Margaret McCune, W. A. S .; J. L. Prather, W. F. S .; Laura Furrow, W. T .; G. Furrow, W. M .; Anna Waters, W. D. M .; Garrett Donovan, T. I. G .; Charles Waters, W. O. G .; M. Furrow, W. R. H. S .; A. McCune, W. L. H. S .; William Furrow, P. W. C. T.
The Lodge was given the name of Buck Hart Lodge, No. 295, I. O. G. T. It is now in quite a flourishing condition, with regular weekly meetings in the Buck Hart Methodist Episcopal Church.
About eight years prior to the organization of this Lodge, another Lodge was organized here known as 436, which continued in active exis- tance about three years, when it forfeited its Charter.
ORGANIC.
The township of Cooper was organized as a political division of the county, by the Board of Justices, in the spring of 1861, its first election being held in April, of that year. From 1861 to 1881, are given the principal officers elected :
SUPERVISORS.
Isaac T. Darnall 1861-62
Benjamin H. North. .1863
Joseph Mooney 1864
John R. Able. . 1865-67
Rution Boyd. . 1868
Isaac T. Darnall. .1869
Daniel Waters. 1870-73
Joseplı E. Ross 1871
John W. North. 1872
William R. Ross.
1874
John A. Barbre. . 1875
Joseph E. Ross
1876
William Goodrum. 1877
Daniel Waters 1878-80
Jolın W. Wigginton.
1881
CLERKS.
W. R. G. Humphrey 1861
William R. Ross 1862-68
Daniel Waters. 1869
Benjamin A. Giger. 1870-71
Joseph H. Johnson
1
2
Benjamin A. Giger 1873-74
H. C. McCune. 1875-81
ASSESSORS.
P. A. Money 1861
A. J. Ross. .
Benjamin A. Giger. .1862-64
.1865
A. J. Ross ..
1866-68
Lewis W. Cooper
1869
A. J. Ross. ..
.1870-74
John W. Wigginton. 1875-78
A. Robinson. .. 1879-80
Andrew J. Ross 1881
COLLECTORS.
John S. Cooper. 1861-4
A. J. Ross. ..
John S. Cooper. 1865
1866
Wm. H. Welch.
.1867
Wm. Goodrum ..
1868-72
John W Wigginton.
1873-74
Jacob Mooney 1875-76
A. Robinson .. 1877-78
John W. Wigginton.
1879
Andrew J. Ross. 1880
George R. Ross. 1881
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
William R. Ross 1861
M. Martin ... 1861
William R. Ross 1865
Alfred Lewis. . 1865
Benjamin A. Giger 1869
R. E. Berry. 1869
Benjamin A. Giger. 1873
R. E. Berry. 1873
L. J. Burcham 1877
R. E. Berry. 1877
Benjamin A. Giger 1881
Charles Stafford .. 1881
CONSTABLES.
William Tavernerer. 1861
D. C. Jones. 1861
A. J. Ross. 1865
W. H. Welch.
1865
A. J. Ross. . 1869
A. Robinson. 1869
A. J. Ross .. 1873
John Wigginton. 1873
A. J. Ross. 1877
P. II. Plummer. 1877
A. J. Ross. . 1881
W. T. McIntire. 1881
VILLAGE OF BERRY, OR CLARKSVILLE.
The village of Berry was laid out and recorded under the name of Clarksville, May, 1871, by
866
HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.
Robert E. Berry, and is located upon a portion of sections thirty and thirty-one, township fifteen, range three. It is upon the line of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, and twelve miles from Springfield.
On the establishment of the post office, there being one Clarksville post office in the State, another name had to be taken. It was therefore called Berry, in honor of the proprietor of the place. In due time, the village began to be known and called by the same name.
Horace Stafford started a store here in the summer of 1871, the first in the place. He sub- sequently sold to R. E. Berry, who, in time, disposed of it to Batty & Hammer, the present proprietors. The village has now two stores carrying stocks of general merchandise, the second being owned by Charles Stafford, who commenced business in July, 1881. Mr. Stafford has also a blacksmith and wagon shop, but has associated with him in the former, John T. Evans.
The first building erected in the place was for a store.
The first agent of the Ohio & Mississippi railroad was R. E. Berry. The present agent is John T. Evans.
The post office was established in 1871, with B. A. Auxier as postmaster. Dr. A. F. Han- mer is the present postmaster.
In the village there are some ten or twelve dwelling houses, a Methodist Episcopal Church building, and a good frame school house.
VILLAGE OF BRECKENRIDGE.
This village was so named in honor of Hon. Preston Breckenridge, its village plat being re- corded in May, 1870, being described as the "north half of the northeast quarter of section five, township fourteen, range three." John W. Wigginton was the original proprietor.
The first house was built by C. C. Brecken- ridge, and occupied first by Friend & Seligman, as a general store. It is now, in 1881, occupied by Dr. II. G. Wheeler, as a drug and grocery store.
A post office was established here shortly after the village was laid out, Alexander Breck- enridge being the first postmaster. W. T. Cooper is the present one.
The first agent of the Ohio & Mississippi railroad, at this point, was R. Boyd, and the present agent is H. C. Moyer.
In 1872, HI. Breckenridge erected a flour-mill in the village, and in 1876, in connection built an elevator large enongh for the storage of four thousand bushels of grain. Both the elevator
and mill are owned and run by T. J. McWain. There is also in the village a small mill for grinding corn alone.
In the village there is a Methodist church, erected in 1872, at a cost of $2,000, an account of which is given on a preceding page.
Breckenridge is quite a shipping point for grain and stock. There were from the harvest of 1880 to July 1 1881, shipped seventy-five thousand four hundred and ninety-three bushels of grain.
William G. Brown was born in Jefferson county, Illinois. Son of James R. and Hannah D. Brown, who are now living in Colorado. He was married to Maria A. Lewis, August 17, 1876, in Taylorville, Christian county, Illinois, the daughter of Alfred and Eliza Jane (Obell) Lewis, of the same place, but formerly of Cooper township. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have two chil dren, Alfred L. and Esther Eliza. He lives on Mr. Lewis' farm, and superintends four hundred and twenty four acres, where the old homestead stands, section six of this township. He former- ly edited a newspaper at Taylorville, Illinois, but sold out his whole interest, and now gives his whole attention to farming.
His father served through the Mexican War under General Taylor. Mr. Brown and his wife are members of the Christian Church, and in politics they are Democrats. From 1869 to 1880, he was an earnest and efficient school teacher in this State.
Levi J. Burcham was born August 9, 1830, in West Virginia, and moved to Sangamon county in 1839, thence to Plattsburg, Clinton county, Missouri, in 1851, where he lived eight years; thence, in 1858, to Grayson county, Texas, a short time; thence to Nodaway county, Missouri, four years, till 1863; returned to Sangamon and set- tled on section five, Cooper township. Here he married Lydia McCorkle, born in Clay county, Missouri, May 25, 1836. They have two chil- dren: Charles, born March 31, 1856; Mamie Emma Lord and Nannie Z., born in Kansas, May 4, 1862. All live in this township, Nan- nie, with her parents. Mr. Burcham and family came from Missouri as refugees, having been financially ruined by the Rebellion. His par- ents, Reuben and Nancy (Wheeler) Burcham, came to Sangamon county in 1849. Of their nine children, six are living in Sangamon coun- ty. Mrs. Burcham's parents, Archibald and Zerilda (Short) McCorkle had nine children. Reuben Burcham died April 9, 1879.
Lewis W. Cooper, was born in Cooper town- ship, August 5, 1822; the son of John and Su-
867
HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.
sannah Giger) Cooper, who came to Sangamon county from Jefferson county, Tennessee, on April 2, 1820, and settled near Rochester, and in 1821, came to what is now Cooper township.
Lewis W. died July 19, 1872; his widow lives at Breckenridge, with her son. She left Tennes- see at the age of seven years, and ten years later came to this county, and was married to Mr. Lewis, October 12, 1840. He had spent most of his life in farming, but at the time of his death, was a merchant in Breckenridge. They had two sons and two daughters, Mary A., married Peter Danitz, and they live in Lynn county, Kansas; Jno. D., died in 1870; Henrietta, married S. L. Neer, and lives in Breckenridge; W. T. Cooper, continues the business commenced in Brecken- ridge by his father, and resides there, and also buys and ships large quantities of grain. He is a man of business capacity and energy, and has the confidence of all who deal with him. They are members of the M. E. Church.
Mary Ann Crowl, widow of Joseph Crow], was born February 22, 1804, in Kent county, Maryland. She married Mr. Crowl in Washing- ton county, Maryland, January 1, 1818. He was born September 3, 1794, in Shepherdstown, Vir- ginia, and died in this township, September 8, 1865. They came to Springfield, this county, in the fall of 1834, and the next spring to what is now Cooper township.
Mordecai, the eldest son was born in Maryland, July 20, 1820, and married in Springfield, Illinois, in December 1869, to Catharine E. Crowl, of Berkley county, Virginia, and now lives in Clarks- ville, this township. He is a capitalist, stock dealer, and farmer, and one of the most success- ful men of Sangamon county. His brother, Up- ton Crowl, was born February 7, 1822, in Mary- land, and died at the old homestead, this township, March 8, 1872. His widow, Sarah E., daughter of James and Jane Taggart, was born in Shelby- ville, Kentucky, in 1834, and came to Greene county, Illinois, in 1835, and married Mr. Crowl in 1850. She makes her home with her only daughter, Mary J., who was born April 22, 1858, and her son-in-law, Eugene W. Renshaw, who was born in Decatur, Illinois, June 25, 1851, and married Februury 10, 1874; they have three children. Upton Crowl, served in the Mexican war, and his father, Joseph Crowl, served in the War of 1812. Mrs Crowl has been a member of the M. E. Church more than sixty years, and Mr. Crowl was a patron of the same, and contributed liberally to charitable institutions.
Benjamin A. Giger, one of the old residents of Cooper township, lives on section seventeen,
where he was born, January 8, 1827. His father, Henry Giger, was born May 14, 1799, and died November 22, 1844, and Nancy (Todd) Giger, Benjamin's mother, was born May 7, 1798, and now lives with her daughter, Ann Gore, in Me- chanicsburg, this county. Nancy Giger married Mr. Giger in Jefferson county, Tennessee. They left there February 14, 1820, and reached this county on April 2, same year, locating a few miles north of Rochester, and soon moved to Cooper township, and were the first to settle on Sand Prairie. They had eight children, four of whom are dead. Those yet living are, Anna, now Mrs. Gore, born April 4, 1821, and lives with her husband at Mechanicsburg ; Alexander T., born June 23, 1824, settled in Jewell county, Kansas; Martha D. Eyman, born January 30, 1831, lives in Macon county, Illinois. Mr. Giger's grandmother, Anna Giger, was born in Pennsylvania, November 19, 1765, and came to this county with his uncle, Benjamin Giger, and died October 12, 1837. The subject of this sketch married Mary A. V. Kirk, November 30, 1848. She was born in Bath county, Kentucky, April 15, 1820, and died May 10, 1853. They had two children, who died in infancy. He again married, October 26, 1853, to Margaret J. Kirk, a sister of his former wife, born October 6, 1825, and died May 19, 1869 ; by whom three children were born-Ida Lnella (now dead), William Edward, born September 7, 1857, and Henry Douglas, born September 18, 1861. The last two named live with their father. Mr. Giger, was again married, March 1, 1870, to Mary Ellen Johnson, who was born in Springfield, Illinois, May 14, 1845, but spent a large part of her life in Arkansas. By this marriage one child- Nola B .- was born, but died in infancy. Mr. Giger inherited land from his father, which was entered by him, August 1, 1826, the patents of which were written upon parchment and signed by John Quincy Adams, then President of the United States. The land is still owned by Mr. G.
Hehas been a prominent and influential actor in the local affairs of the township government, and has been honored in the appointment to most of the offices therein. He is now serving in his third term as justice of the peace ; and was personally conspicuous in forming the Oak Hill Cemetery Association, of which a full report will be found in the history of the township. All are members of the M. E. Church, and he has been so since 1841, and has held offices in the church the last twenty years. All are Dem- ocrats.
101-
868
HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.
Dr. A. F. Hammer was born and raised in Taylorville, Christian county, Illinois, and came into Sangamon county, June 20, 1877, son of A. W. and Rebecca A. (Langly) Hammer, and married Alice Dickerson, formerly the widow of Jno. W. Allen, and was born and raised in this county. Her parents were natives of Kentucky. Dr. H. has one child, Pearl. He is practicing medicine as a homœopathist, at Clarksville, post office, Berry, and at present is post master in the village, and also one in the firm of Batty & Hammer, general dealers in merchandise. He has a large and lucrative practice and is an en- terprising and popular citizen.
Sarah A. Hicks was born November 5, 1827, in Loudon county, Virginia, and now the widow of Charles J. Hicks, who was born Sep- tember 24, 1824, and died November 6, 1858. Mrs. Hicks moved to Ohio, with her parents, in 1835, and thence to Sangamon county in the fall of 1851. She owns two hundred and ten acres of land, one hundred and seventy under cultiva- tion, and conducts the management of the same as a farmer.
James Lamun was born December 12, 1802, in Ross county, Ohio, near Chillicothe, and is one of the oldest men in Cooper township. He mar- ried Ann McCafferty, May 25, 1822, in Ohio, where she died. They had three children. Mr. Lamun never married again; has been a widower over fifty years. He came to Springfield in 1839. His son, John Lamun, was born July 2, 1823, in Chillicothe, Ohio, and came to this county in the fall of 1843; he remained in San- gamon until August, 1847; he returned to Ohio and remained there until October, 1855, when, in company with his wife and two children, came to this county by the 28th of the same month and settled here. He was married to Nancy Ann Carson, of Allen county, Ohio, August 19, 1852; she here died May 21, 1867. His children who came West with him, were: Emery P., born July 18, 1853, and Leslie G., born October 20, 1854. They are married and farming in this township. The children born here, are: Zodith A., born March 8, 1857; Anna B., born Novem- ber 12, 1861; Mary E., born July 29, 1864; James E., born July 6, 1859, and John F., born June 28, 1867 (died in a few days after). Mr. John L. married his second wife, Mary Ann Hammel, in this county, August 6, 1869. She was born October 8, 1824, in Fairfield county, Ohio, and came to this county the fall of 1854. She was the widow of Samuel Ham- mel and had six children. In 1865, Mr. L. settled on forty acres of timber land and has added on
until he has now one hundred and sixty acres of fine farming land. In the fall of 1856, his father gave him forty acres of prairie land three-quar- ters of a mile north of what he now owns. He remained there until 1864 or '65, and then settled on the land he now owns-one hundred and sixty acres of choice land-all in timber when he took it, and it is now nearly all cleared, and worth about $50 per acre. His politics are neu- tral, and she is a member of the M. E. Church. James E. and Mary E. are at home.
Jacob C. Miller was born April 9, 1824, in Loudon county, Virginia, and married Mary Charlotte Prather, in this county, June 10, 1869. She was born January 4, 1843, in Washington county, Maryland. Mr. Miller is the son of Christian and Sarah (Neer) Miller, who were born in London county, Virginia; and he came with them to Sangamon county, January 20, 1835. Her parents, Perry and Elizabeth ( Troxell ) Prather, were natives of Washington county, Maryland, and came to Sangamon county, June 1, 1850. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have four child- ren, Samuel J., Don W., and Edith E., and Lotta Mabelle, born September 13, 1881. He entered two thousand one hundred and forty acres of land when he came to this county, of which Jacob C. inherited four hundred and twenty, and has added by purchase, one hundred and forty- eight. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics, they are Liberal.
James W. H. Neer, a farmer, living in section thirty-three, in Cooper township; son of Henry and Lydia (Derry) Neer, who came from Loudon county, Virginia. He was married to Sarah E. Zimmerman, daughter of David and Matilda Zimmerman. They have three children, Isaac H., born May 24, 1867; Freddie Artnur, born July 29, 1872; and Ira Elton, born December 28, 1875. Mr. Neer was at one time engaged in mercantile business at Breckenridge. His parents and brothers live in this county. Both parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are, in politics, Republican.
Robert North was born October, 1814, in Buckingham county, Virginia, and taken by his parents to Jefferson county, Tennessee, when he was a boy. He came to Sangamon county with his brother, John North, who had been back to Tennessee. They arrived in September, 1832, in what is now Cooper township. Robert North was married in Sangamon county, March 29, 1838, to America Schmick. She was born Feb- ruary 10, 1816, in Lincoln county, Kentucky, and came to Sangamon county in company with her mother, brother-in-law-John Clemons, one
869
HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.
brother, two sisters and two nephews, arriving in the fall of 1829, and settled three miles south of Springfield. Robert North and wife had six living children in Sangamon county, all of which are married and reside in the county. His first farming in the county was on Magor Elijah Iles' farm, sonth of Springfield on which he continued six years. In the meantime he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land in Cooper township, which he moved on to in 1844, and on which place he continued to live up to his death, September 24, 1880. His first start in the farming and house-keeping was on a small scale, but by hard work and close economy he accumal- ated thirty-five hundred acres of land, all of which was in Sangamon county. After his death occurred his property was appraised at $185.000, leaving to each of his children $30,000. His wife still resides on the homestead with her daughter.
John North was born November 22, 1806, in Buckingham county, Virginia, and came to San- gamon county, Illinois, April 12, 1829, where he died December 15, 1880. He was married to Anna Giger, September 22, 1828, who was born in Jefferson county, Tennessee, November 4, 1807, and died February 24, 1844. Their four children were: Benjamin H., born November 19, 1832, and married November 15, 1855, to Minerva A. Miller, born May 18, 1836, in London county, Virginia; Nancy N., born January 26, 1835, married to Sarah E. Prather, November 13, 1856; John W., born November 9, 1837, married to Maria McDaniel, March 8, 1866, and entered the Union army, August 7, 1862, in Company A., Seventy-third Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers, for three years. Was captured at Chicamauga, and was confined in Libby and Andersonville prisons, in turn, from March 20, 1864, to December, 1864; Andrew J., born March 18, 1841, and died April 26, 1857. All live in this State, except B. H., who is in Kansas. Mrs. Anna North died February, 1844, and Mr. North married again September 19, 1844, to Susannah Eckels, who also died July 1, 1855, and on February 19, 1856, he married a third time to Mrs. Pemelia Woodruff, widow of Erastus Woodruff. She was born in Spencer county, Kentucky, May 16, 1824, and was first married to Mr. Benjamin West, an ex- lawyer and member of the Illinois Legislature in 1846-7, who died of consumption at Roches- ter, June 21, 1847. Two of her children met with violent deaths-her daughter, Fanny West, who was choked to death by her artificial teeth getting into her throat while asleep, and her son,
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