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 148

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 148

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).

Joseph Dixon was among the earliest settlers on Horse creek. He was the principal mover in establishing Zion Chapel, in Cotton Hill town- ship, in the spring of 1821, to which he after- wards deeded five acres of land for church and cemetery purposes. His family are buried there, but he died in 1844, at the house of a daughter, near Franklin, Morgan county, Illinois, and was buried there.

FIRST EVENTS.

The first birth in the township was that of Sarah Funderburk. This was also the first birth within the present limits of Sangamon county, and the honor of being the first born is rightly claimed for Sarah Funderburk, who was born April 8, 1819.

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Rivers Cormack preached the first sermon in the township. Mr. Cormack was a local Methodist Episcopal preacher. Peter Cart- wright was the first circuit rider to visit the township, in 1821, at which time his circuit embraced Sangamon and Christian counties, and part of Macoupin.

Timothy Rogers taught the first school.

The first blacksmith shop was built and run by Joseph Snodgrass, 1821.

Daniel Lyle built the first mill in 1819. This was the first mill in the county, and was one known as a band mill, and run by horse power.

Elijah Henkle and Mary Funderburk were united in marriage by Zachariah Peters, in 1819. This was the first couple married in the town- ship, and he was the only justice of the peace in the county, at that time.

The first government land was entered by Henry Funderburk and William Nelson, in 1818.

RELIGIOUS.

Among the first religious teachers in Cotton Hill township, were Rev's. James Sims, Rivers Cormack, and Peter Cartwright, Mr. Cormack having preached the first sermon; all of whom were ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and who have long since died; and this denomination is foremost in point of numbers, in the township. This denomination has two church organizations and two church edifices, one on section nine, erected in 1869, at a cost of about $2,000; the other on section twenty, erec- ted in 1864, at a cost of $2,200. The Baptists have a church edifice on section thirty, erected in 18-, at a cost of $2,500. Each of these churches have regular services, and are doing much for the moral welfare of the community. There is also a Disciple or Christian Church edi- fice on section one.

EDUCATIONAL.

Cotton Hill is behind no exclusively agricul- tural township in the county, in point of educa- tion. There are now eight school houses in the township, as large a number as in any other township of its size in the county. These school houses are valued at $6,500.

VILLAGE OF COTTON IIILL TOWNSHIP.

Between the years 1836 and 1838, speculation was rife throughout the West. Thousands of villages were platted and visions of untold wealth floated before the minds of many who were pos- sessed of small tracts of land. Paper villages were the rage. Johnson Whaley, of Cotton Hill, platted the southeast quarter of section

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

fourteen, township fourteen, range four, the plat being recorded June 2, 1837. How many town lots were disposed of, the prices obtained, and what else was done here, history and tradition are silent. The village plat was long ago vacated.

The village of New City, in the corner of sec- tions nine, ten, fifteen and sixteen, originated with the building of the prairie chapel by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1869, and that by a good school house in 1868, and that by a resi- dence by W. H. Park about 1875, and a store house by the same about the same time, a black- smith shop by Zimmerly & Lederbrand, and the same season a residence by Dr. W. B. Smith. A town hall was erected in the same year. There are now two physicians and a notary public. The place is pleasantly and centrally located and promises to be a place of note in the far future.

ORGANIZATION.

At the first election held under township organization on April 2, 1861, there was chosen for supervisor for 1861, Craig White, and for town clerk, E. L. Rusk, and for assessor, W. H. Boyd, and collector, Thomas Williams; for com- missioners of highways, T. C. Spicer, J. B. Wil- liams and J. H. Colean; for justices of the peace, William C. Williams and John T. Evans; for constables, James Snodgrass and Benjamin Britain, and C. P. Barton as overseer of the poor. The present town officers are:

Supervisor-Hartman Spingler.

Town Clerk-James Terry. Assessor-T. W. Dozier. Collector-John Underwood,

Commissioners-James Martin, James T. Rape, and L. S. Matthew.

Justices of the Peace-Daniel Rape and Dr. W. B. Smith.

Constables-Thomas Williams and N. C. Jones.

Among the spirited and enterprising farmers and stock feeders of the township in the past and present might be named: Preston Breck- enridge, George Bronk, Craig White, John Penn & Sons, of the past; of the present, John North, J. R. Kincaid, D. L. Rusk, David Marshall, W. H. Vigal, J. H. Colean, L. M. Babb, George Paine, etc.

The township has produced at least one legis- tor, in the person of Hon. Preston Brecken- ridge.

As preachers of the gospel, are Revs. W. S. Matthews and George Shake, both of the M. E. Church.

As school teachers, W. H. Vigal and his son, E. A., and daughter, Marcia, also Miss Sarah A. Williams, now W. H. Vigal's wife, and D. M. Vigal, his brother; W. S. Matthews, Mary Mil- ler, William Shake, Mary Jane Shake, Thomas Williams, Emeline Hatler, Rose Hatler, Sarah Lawley, Peter and Benjamin Deardorff, brothers, and Virgil Deardoff, J. H. Beam, Joseph Orton and others, and thus in literature and morals the township has acquired a highly commendable reputation. And one skillful young physician in the person of J. D. Mathews, was raised and educated here, and graduated with honors at St. Louis as an M. D., and is now practicing at Mt. Auburn, Christian county.

Jacob Boyd was born in Franklin county, Ohio, October 30, 1807. His father, John Boyd, was born February 5, 1777, in Pennsylvania, and his mother, Susannah (Hyner) Boyd, was born in Virginia, December 22, 1780; they were married June 26, 1802, and had nine children. They moved to Ohio about the year 1806, and to this county in 1819; they came with a wagon, camping out and doing their own cooking. The father was frozen to death in the great snow storm of 1830, as he was returning from work at a mill on the north fork. IIe was a millwright by occupation. Jacob has always been a farmer, and had limited school ad- vantages. He was married December 1, 1833, and by this marriage there were seven children -four sons and three daughters. The sons are all farmers. Mrs. Boyd's father was named Thomas Boyal, an Englishman by birth, ; he settled in Ohio, and came to this country in 1824. His first house was a log cabin, sixteen by sixteen, with a puncheon floor ; the furniture was home-made. Springfield was the first town where there was a store.

William H. Boyd was born in Rochester township, this county, May 1, 1837. His parents, Jacob and Rebecca Boyd, were natives of Ohio, and emigrated to this county in 1819, where they have resided ever since, engaged in farm- ing. William H. was raised on a farm, and re- ceived a district school education. Ile remained at home until he was twenty-two years of age, then married Miss Mary A. Vigal, daughter of John T. Vigal, a native of Kentucky. She was born in this township April 30, 1837. They have one child, Delilah, born in this township, March 27, 1860. The family are members of the M. E. Church. Mr. Boyd has held several township offices. He owns four hundred and two acres of land, two hundred and sixty acres

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

under cultivation. IIe has a good residence,

costing $2,000.

Cleophas Breckenridge, son of Preston and Catharine (Moler) Breckenridge. The father was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, August 5, 1807; the mother was also born in Kentucky. They were married November 17, 1827, and came to this county in 1834. They had thirteen children -twelve grown to maturity -- eight sons and four daughters. The father was elected to the legislature of 1851-2, beating Abraham Lincoln for the nomination. He was also a member of the board of supervisors for the year of 1873. He died July 25, 1880. Cleophas, Hugh, Joseph and Preston were in the army. The name Breckenridge was derived from a circumstance that occurred in one of the religi- ous wars that took place in Scotland. Two brothers, named Mellvain, were Protestants, and engaged in the conflict, when their party was defeated. They took refuge on a ridge, under some shrubs called "brack," and finally escaped and came to America, settling in Vir- ginia, and in remembrance took the name of "Brack-on-ridge," from whom the family de- scended. Mr. Breckenridge has in his posses- sion a twig plucked from this brack or bush in Scotland, and brought to America by John Craig. Mr. B., is a lover of strange and quaint old relics, and of the many among his collection are two gourds, carried by his grand-father through the War of 1812, one of which he used for dipping water and the other for carrying priming powder. Mr. B., also has a pocket compass used by his grandfather during the same war, for a guide in cloudy weather, and as a time piece when the sun shone.

The subject of this sketch was the sixth son, and was born in this township, at the old home- stead, August 7, 1836. He was married to Lillian T. Cave, from Kentucky, January 30, 1868. They have two children living: Inez A., and Ida B .; one who died in infancy. When Mr. B., first settled here, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land and commenced farming, and erected a carding machine, the first in this section of the country; also owned and run the first water mill on the south fork of the Sangamon river. Mr. C. Breckenridge now owns four hundred and eighty acres of land valued at $50 an acre; two hundred and fifty acres are under good cultivation. He raises grain, and feeds cattle for market. Himself and wife are members of the Christian Church, at the south fork, which, at present, is in a flourish- ing condition. In politics, he is a Republican.

James Clay, post office, New City, is a native of England, who came to America in 1844, and settled on section fourteen, township fourteen, range four, where he has ever since resided. In July, 1861, he married Dorcas Davy, a native, also, of England; she died August 5, 1872, and January 25, 1874, he married Mrs. Mary A. Kearns; she was born in Ohio, September 10, 1836, daughter of Jacob and Jerusha Harman. She married Perry J. Kearns, September 10, 1854, by whom she had two sons and four daughters; four of these children died in infancy; one son, William, M. D., died August 17, 1878; Iva Ellie, the only survivor, married Thomas L. Matthews, December 31, 1877. Mr. K. enlisted August 12, 1861, in the One Hundred and Four- teenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was wounded at the battle of Tupelo, Mississippi; he died from the effects of a wound, August 10, 1864. By the second marriage one child was born, September 2, 1875, who died August 19, 1876, named Ola Eva. Mr. Clay owns two hun- dred and seventy-three acres of land, valued at $50 an acre; and the family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The following is the record of the Kearns family: William, M. D., was born October 16, 1855; Mary E., April 20, 1827; Louis H., June 27, 1858; Eva Ellie, August 27, 1859; Ida Eva, October 6, 1860; Liewy Bell, September 14, 1862. Sally M. Clay, an adopted daughter of James and Mary A. Clay, was born November 15, 1875, and died October 11, 1877; she was a daughter of Mr. Ashford, who lost an arm in the late war.

Aaron C. Colean, farmer, post office, Pawnee, is a son of Joseph H. and Maria L (Gillham) Colean, natives of Illinois. They had nine chil- dren, four sons and five daughters. Five died in childhood, and four grew to maturity. Aaron was the fifth child, and was born March 4, 1848, in Jersey county, this State. He came with his parents to this county in 1855, and October 3, 1869, married Mary J. Spicer, daughter of Thompson C. and Melvina Spicer, who was born in this county, November 2, 1850. They had four children: Luther E, born May 9, 1871; Etta A., born October 27, 1872; Charles A., born February 25, 1876, and Mary Melvina, born November 4, 1877. Luther E. died August 13, 1872. Mr. C. owns two hundred acres of land, worth $50 an acre. Ilis antecedents were Spanish and French; hers were German. Both are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He enlisted in the Thirteenth United States Reg- iment, served three years in the late War of the Rebellion, and was discharged in November, 1867.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

Joseph II. Colean, farmer, post office, Paw- nee, a son of Francis and Polly (Cox) Colean, the former a native of Illinois, and born July 15, 1794, and the latter born November 3, 1797, in North Carolina; they were married in Madison county, August 20, 1814, and were the parents of fourteen children; ten grew to maturity-six sons and four danghters. The father was a cor- poral to General Harrison, during the War of 1812, when abont eighteen years of age, and was at the battle of Tippecanoe. Joseph H., the subject of this sketch, was born August 31, 1818, in Madison county, this State, and has always followed farming. On October 3, 1839, he married Maria L. Gillham, and they had nine children; five died in childhood. Of the four living, three are sons and one daughter; their names are Aaron C., born March 4, 1848; Mead W., born in Jersey county, September 9, 1852; Maria Louisa, born in Sangamon county, December 12, 1855; Joseph Harrison, born in this county, August 8, 1858; they descended from Spanish and French ancestors. Mr. C. owns four hundred acres of valuable land, worth $50 an acre; the improvements are a commodious dwelling house, a large barn, and other build- ings in good order. He was educated in the old-fashioned log school house where there were puncheon floors and seats, oiled paper used for windows, and the room heated by a mud and stick fireplace.

Francis Marion Cross, a farmer, post office, Pawnee, is a son of Alvin and Margaret (Forbes) Cross, whose father was born in Ken- tucky about the year 1800, and his mother, also born in Kentucky, June 2, 1802; they were mar- ried in Tennessee, and had twelve children, six sons and six daughters; five sons and three daughters were raised to maturity; the father died in 1858. Francis M. Cross, was born De- cember 14, 1838, in this county. He married Emily A. Hayden, November 16, 1870; she was a native of Pike county, Illinois. They have three children, William F., born October 5, 1872; Henry Edgar, born April 28, 1876; Charles J., born February 20, 1880. Mrs. Cross' mother, Elizabeth (Vancil) Hayden, was born in this county, May 2, 1830, and her father, Abner Hayden, was born in Virginia, December 2, 1816; they were of German extraction. Mr. Cross' parents were Scotch and French. Mr. Riley Cross, a brother, died in the army during the Mexican war, and his father was in the Black Hawk war. Mr. Cross owns one hundred and eighteen acres of land, worth $40 an acre. He is a member of the Christian Church, and his

wife of the German Baptist, and politically they are Democrats.

Michael Fay, farmer, post office, Pawnee, was born in Baden, Germany, July 18, 1824, and was brought by his parents to this county in 1831; first settled in Island Grove, and in 1861 came to this township, where he married Mrs. Mary Greenawalt, widow of Jacob Greenawalt, daugh- ter of William and Elizabeth Bradley. Mrs. Fay had seven children by her former husband: Francis M., John W., George W., Sarah, Sarah E, William J., Mary F., and James N. Mr. Fay was first married to Jennie A. Youngblood, and had two children, Sarah F., who married Lewis Clein, and lives in Burlington, Kansas; Martha married Henry Beel, and lives in New Berlin, this county. By a second marriage to Martha Burton, he had a son, Andrew J., who married Etta B. Laughton, and lives in Burling- ton, Kansas, and Jacob H., who married Mary Reynolds, and lives in this county.

David Funderburk, was born in South Caro- lina, January 9, 1795. His father, Joseph Fun- derburk, was born in South Carolina, about the year 1769, and his mother, Mollie (Sturkey) Funderburk, was also born in South Carolina, about 1767; both parents were of German descent, the date of their marriage was about 1792. They had five children, Margaret, David, Joseph M., Daniel and Henry. David was the second child, and was apprenticed to Conrad Barch, a hatter, but instead of teaching him the trade they required him to work on the plantation with the negroes; he ran away and enlisted in the Third United States Rifle Regiment for five years; this was in 1814. He was discharged at the expira- tion of his term in 1819; then came to this county and worked at whatever he could find to do until the lands came into market in 1823, when he entered the land on which he now lives, on sec- tion eighteen, town fourteen, range four. In 1821, he married Hannah Henkle, who was born in Virginia, and died September 22, 1873, and was of German origin. They had twelve children, eight of whom are still living, namely: Mary Jane, John, Newton, David, Phoebe, William, Frank, and Thomas J .; all are married. Mr. F. owns three hundred and ninety acres of land, mo. tly timber, about one hundred and sixty acres under good cultivation. His early school advantages were very limited, having attended only about four months, and that at irregular periods. The first school in his district was kept in a log honse on Horse creek. The first camp meeting in the county was held on the land now owned by Daniel G. Jones, October 19, 1$19.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

Rev. Mr. Walker, an old man, was presiding elder, and Rivers Cormack, preacher in charge. Mr. Sims and Mr. Randall were also there as preachers; there were only four or five tents, and about one hundred people present. David and Frank were both in the army; the former in the Eleventh Missouri Regiment, and the latter in the One Hundred and Fourteenth. The Funder- burk family generally have been Republicans, and are members of the M. E. Church.

James M. Haines, a farmer; post office, New City, son of Christopher and Mira (Gatewood) Haines; the former born in Virginia, in 1795, and the latter in Alabama, June 9, 1797; mar- ried October 12, 1815. They had seven children born in Kentucky, and moved with them to this county, in 1829; entered land and commenced farming, which he continued until his death, March 29, 1850.

The subject of this sketch married Myrah Ricks, of Kentucky, May 24, 1853; had nine children: Alice E., born July 22, 1854, and married Dr. W. B. Smith, June 7, 1877, and with him resides at New City, in this township; Benetta S., born February 16, 1856; Margaret Emma. born December 19, 1857; William C., born February 5, 1860; Ulysses G., born July 19, 1863; Ida M., born May 4, 1865; Newell E., born October 15, 1867, and died February 17, 1868; Freddie G., born April 9, 1869, and died September 19, 1869; Arthur G., born June 13, 1871. Mr. H. owns three hundred and eight acres of land, of which two hundred and fifty- six are under cultivation, and worth $50 per acre. The house in which he attended school in Sangamon, was a small log cabin, with puncheon floor and split slab benches, with oiled paper for window lights. Thomas Laughlin was his first teacher, in 1833. His father was born July 5, 1795, in Virginia, and died in Sangamon county, March 30. 1850, and his mother Mira (Gatewood) was born in 1797, and died in this county No- vember 18, 1859. They were members of the Protestent Methodist Church. Mr. Jas. M. Haines and his family are of the M. E. church, and in politics they are Republicans.

John G. Haines, son of Christopher Haines, a farmer in Cotton Hill township, was born, January 5, 1818, in Allen county, Kentucky, came to Sangamon county October 22, 1829, with his parents. (See sketch of Jas. M. Haines). The subject of this sketch married Mary A. Pal- mer, February 20, 1840, the daughter of Ambrose Palmer, of East St. Louis, and came to this coun- ty in the year 1835. They had eight children, Hester Ann, born July 29, 1848, and married A.

J. Maxfield, and lives in Springfield, Illinois; Dotia C., born April 15, 1843, died January 8, 1873; James T., born January 18, 1846, and died October 9, 1846; Margaret V., born November 22, 1841, and died November 2, 1852; Mary F., born November 8, 1852, and died December 13, 1852; Martha J., born Jan. 15, 1854, and married June 12, 1873; Jno. F., born June 15, 1856, and died October 18, 1860; Nancy A., born January 10, 1859, and died September 14, 1859. Mrs. H. died January 31, 1874, and Mr. H. married again September 7, 1874, to Eliza P. Criteser, the daughter of Peter Criteser, of Ohio, and Ann (Cowgill) Criteser, of Indiana. They have three children, Winfred I, born July 19, 1875; James M., born March 22, 1877; and Samuel S., born October 25, 1871. Mr. Haines was justice of the peace eight years previous to 1869, and has held other offices of trust in the township. He served with the Second Artillery, Company C, in the late Union army, one year, and was crushed while mounting a cannon at Paducah, Kentucky, March 7, 1862, and was discharged by reason of injury, August 6, 1862, and has never fully recovered, and is drawing a small pension. He and wife are members of the M. E. church. They are Republicans in politics.

Andrew Jones was born in Culpepper county, Virginia, January 10, 1783. His parents died when he was a child. Abont 1808, he went to Bath county, Kentucky. There he married Eleanor Goodan, in 1812, who was born March 16, 1793, in Pennsylvania, and was taken by her parents to Kentucky when she was quite young. They had five children in Bath county, after which the family moved to this county, in 1825, and settled at Round Prairie, in Rochester town- ship, locating on government land, where a son, John, was born, October 4, 1829. They made a home, and resided there until their death. The father died in 1854, and the mother in 1859, leaving five children, who settled in the imme- diate vicinity.

Daniel G. Jones, the subject of this sketcli, was born November 15, 1822, in Bath county, Kentucky, where he was raised on a farm, and received an elementary education in the schools of the neighborhood. He remained at home until he was twenty-seven years old, then mar- ried Amanda J. Brunk, in 1849. She died Sep- tember 28, 1865, leaving two children, Laura and George. Her parents were George and Mary Brunk, who came to this county in 1821, and en tered land in Ball township, where they remained many years. She was born January 1, 1830. Mr. Jones moved to the place where he is now

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

living in 1855, and has a farm of seven hundred and ten acres, valued at $50 an acre; has a fine residence, and is one of the solid men of the township. His father came to the township in limited circumstances. Their first house was a log cabin about high enough for a man to stand in, sixteen feet in size, covered, and a puncheon floor. The family consisted of nine persons.

On May 5, 1869, Mr. Jones married Mary F. Rickard, who was born near Springfield, Illinois, August 16, 1840. At the age of twelve years, she was sent to the Science Hill Female Acad- emy, Shelbyville, Kentucky, and took the full course of study. Her parents were Noah and Harriett (Talbott) Rickard. Mr. and Mrs. Joues have two children: Mary R., born November 3, 1870, and Helen, born January 4, 1876. Both reside at home with their parents.

John R. Kincaid, post office, Cotton Hill, is a son of James and Mary (Gwin) Kincaid, who were natives of Virginia, and were married about 1829. They had three sons and one daughter ; all are living except one-James W. -who died as a soldier, in the late war. The subject of this sketch was the second child, and was born in Virginia, November 14, 1833. Ile was taken by his parents to Ohio, and came to this State April 15, 1857, He taught school in the winter, and broke prairie during the summer months, for several years. He was married January 1, 1863, to Miss Mary J. Meredith, daughter of Davis and Mary Meredith, who came from Ohio to this county in 1829. Mrs. Kincaid was born December 3, 1842. They are the parents of eight children, five of whom sur- vive, viz: Luther E., born March 23, 1864; Mary J., born December 28, 1865, and died Sep- tember 4, 1867 ; James W., born September 25, 1868 ; Louisa A., born August 28, 1870, and died August 11, 1871 ; Margaret E., born June 14, 1872, and died July 20, 1873 ; Catalina M., born May 30, 1874; Fred. C., born June 29, 1876 ; Charles J., born October 12, 1878. Mr. Kincaid purchased land in this county in 1874, and has resided on it since. He received his education principally in the common schools of Ohio, and attended the academy at Gallipolis, Ohio, two years. He owns a large farmi of two hundred and fifty acres, valued at $50 an acre, and has a neat, commodious frame dwelling house. Mrs. Kincaid is a member of the M. E. Church. Mr. K. votes with the Republican party.

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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 148

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