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 158

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 158

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).

Thomas Foutch, retired farmer, Island Grove township, post office, New Berlin, was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, on the 25th day of November, 1799, son of John Foutch, who was born in Loudon county, Virginia, May, 1776, and Nancy A. Wherritt, who was born March 8, 1778, in St. Mary's county, Maryland. They had five children born in Fayette county, near Lex- ington; then the family moved to Dearborn county, near Harrison, Indiana, where they had four children; thence to Franklin county, where one child was born; thence to Sangamon county, Illinois, in the fall of 1825, at the south side of Richland creek, east of where Pleasant Plains now stands, and in the spring of 1826 moved to Island Grove township. The subject of this sketch was married December 21, 1820, in Fay- ette county, Indiana, to Miss Sarah Wherrett, daughter of Wm. Wherritt, of Kentucky, who moved, in 1817, to Jessamine county, Indiana, and from there to Fayette county. She was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, November 20, 1800. There was a family of six children, four of whom are living, viz: Elizabeth, Nancy, John, now of Butler county, Kansas, who has held several offices of trust in the gift of the people, having represented his people in the legislature, was one of the deacons in the Baptist Church and one of its leading spirits; and Hugh. Mr. and Mrs. Foutch have been identified with the county over fifty years, and have lived together as hus- band and wife nearly sixty-one years, and at this writing Mrs. F. can see without spectacles, and can read the finest print; she is hale and healthy and bids fair to live a number of years. Mr. Foutch is also living, and is able to be around and enjoy his hard-earned money.

John W. Fugate, farmer, Island Grove town- ship, was born on a farm in Grant county, Ken- tucky, January 13, 1841. When some fourteen years of age, came with his parents to Illinois

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

and settled on a farm in Island Grove township, where he remained until the war broke out, when he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-Sixth Illinois Infantry Volunteers, and was shot through the face with a minnie ball at the battle of Atlanta, Georgia. At the close of the war, he returned to the old homestead, in Island Grove township, and November 30, 1865, married Miss Mary C. Clark. She was born in Sangamon county, and was a daughter of Irwin and Permelia (Boynton) Clark; natives of Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. Fugate are members of the Christian Church, and have five children, viz: William E., George, Ada, Horace C., and Mary Fugate. Soon after his marriage, Mr. John W. Fugate went to Madison county, and from 1870 to 1877, ran a wholesale and retail store at Edwardsville. Hethen returned to Island Grove township, where he now resides. The parents of John W., are William and Miranda (Order) Fugate, who reside on the old home- stead, in Island Grove. They are members of the Christian Church, and have had four children, viz: John W., Eunice, who married E. M. Pike, and resides at Chenoa, Illinois; Mary E., wife of William Hoag, and Thomas H., married and living on his farm near Danville, Illinois.

John W. Fugate, the subject of this sketch, has a fine farm of eighty acres, in section eight, Island Grove township, where he resides. The farm is under good cultivation and well stocked. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 28, at Edwardsville, Illinois. In politics, is rather in- dependent, and votes for the best man. He cast his first vote for A. Lincoln, for President of the United States.

James H. Gibson, M. D. (deceased), Island Grove township, Sangamon county, was born in Gallatin county, near Warsaw, on the 9th day of September, 1809 ; was the son of David and Mary (Marrow) Gibson. Mr. David Gibson was a man of influence, and represented his district in the legislature for several terms. The family consisted of four sons and one daughter. The subject of this sketch came to Beardstown, and first engaged in the practice of medicine, in company with Dr. Chandler. In 1840 came to Berlin, Sangamon county, where he followed his profession for more than thirty years. He died in Berlin, November 22, 1873, leaving a widow and one daughter. He married Miss Catharine Maison, a daughter of Peter and Catharine (Miller) Maison, of Philadelphia county, Penn- sylvania, where she was born, May 23, 1813, Dr. Gibson attended lectures in Cincinnati medical college, where he graduated with honors. Dr. G., at his death, had accumulated a fine

property, and owned four hundred and forty acres of valuable land, valued at $75 per acre. The Doctor was a member of the Baptist Church for over thirty years. As husband, father, brother, he was a true Christian man, of the noblest and truest type. A large and sorrowing concourse attested his worth at his funeral at Berlin.

Peter Knepler, farmer and stock raiser, post office, Berlin, section nine, was born in Loraine, France, on the third day of February, 1816, where he worked at farming until he was thirty years old, when he came to the United States, landing in New Orleans, thence by river to St. Lonis, where he remained a few days, then came via. Beardstown to Springfield, where he was employed in a ham factory for Cox & Billeys, and remained a short time. In 1848, came to Island Grove township, where he worked for Captain Brown on a farm and remained with him four years. The first land that he bought was forty acres, in 1856. He now owns a beautiful farm of one hundred and seventy-six acres under a high state of cultivation, valued at $60 per acre. Married Miss Catharine Kannople, she was born in France, August 10, 1809. The fruits of this marriage was seven children four of whom are living, Catharine, John, Charley and Mary; members of the Catholic Church of New Berlin. Mr. K. came to the United States a poor man, but by hard work and economy, has made a good home and property.

S. O. Maxcy, farmer and stock raiser, post office, Farmingdale, Island Grove township, was . born in Logan county, Kentucky, about 1820; son of Joel and Betsy Ann (Brown) Maxcy, who were natives of Virginia. He was a soldier in a Virginia regiment in the time of the Revolu- tion, and was in the battle of Guilford Court House. He remembered having seen Generals Marion, Morgan, DeKalb and Yates. He was married after the war in Prince Edwards county, to Miss Susan Hill, whose maiden name was Davis.

Mr. and Mrs. Maxcy had three children in Virginia, and in 1798 moved to Warren county, near Bowling Green, Kentucky, where one child was born. Mrs. Susan Maxcy died August 27, 1812. For his second wife married Mrs. Betsy A. Howard, whose maiden name was Brown. By this marriage there were five chil- dren.

The family moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving November, 1827, in Spring- field, and soon after moved to Island Grove township, north of Spring Creek, coming through

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

with teams and camping ont; moved into a log cabin sixteen by sixteen, there being six in the family. He took up two hundred acres of land and made a home, where he remained until his death, which occurred on the 7th day of Decem- ber, 1847. Mrs. Maxcy died in Shelby county, Illinois, in 1856. In politics, was an old line Whig of the Henry Clay stripe. Mr. and Mrs. Maxcy were among the early members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and were leading spirits in the organization of the church. S. O. Maxcy came to this county when he was a boy five years of age, and was reared on a farm. November 16, 1848, married Miss Nancy Archer," daughter of William and Elizabeth Archer. She was born in Spring Creek township, No- vember 13, 1825. The fruits of this marriage are two children, James H., born in Island Grove township September 18, 1849, who married Miss Alice Jameson, a daughter of Samuel Jameson, of Ohio. They have a family of four children: Lee F., Catharine, Nancy and Charles; William J., born October 13, 1856. He married Miss Ida Reed. There is one child, Beulah. Mr. Maxcy is one of the large and extensive farmers of the county, owning four hundred and forty acres of land, valued at $65 per acre. In politics, Mr. Maxcy is a Demo- crat.

W. B. Price, M. D., Berlin, was born in Is- land Grove, Sangamon county, Illinois, on the 10th day of August, 1835, son of Charles W. and Rebecca (Brown) Price, who emigrated to Jacksonville, Morgan county, Illinois, from Ken- tucky, about 1832, where he remained a short time, then removed to this county, where he purchased land and made a home, remaining here until his death. Dr. W. B. Price was reared on a farm, and received a scientific edu- cation at Illinois College, at Jacksonville. When eighteen years of age he commenced reading medicine with Drs. Gibson & Brown, where he prosecuted his studies one year, when he at- tended lectures at Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, and graduated in 1857. In 1862 was commissioned as Assistant Surgeon, and afterwards promoted to Surgeon of the Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry, where he remained until the close of the war. After leaving the service, returned to Berlin, where he has followed his profession since. Married Miss Eliza C. O'Ban- non, May 17, 1873. She was born in Kentucky. The Doctor is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity, and a member of the Jacksonville Chap- ter. In politics, a Republican, and cast his first vote for Stephen A. Douglas, for President of

the United States. Mr. Price is a member of the Christian Church, in Berlin.

James D. Smith, farmer and stock dealer, Island Grove township, post office, New Berlin, was born in Island Grove township, Sangamon county, Illinois, ou the 20th day of December, 1837, son of James D. and Ruth (Brown) Smith, natives of Harrison county, Kentucky, where they were married in 1829, where one child was born-William. In 1833, he came to Sangamon county with his father-in-law, Colonel William Brown, moving his family in the fall of 1833 to Island Grove, where nine children were born, three of whom died in infancy. He purchased a large tract of land, where he remained until his death, which occurred November 7, 1871, as fol lows:

"On the afternoon of Tuesday, November 7, 1871, James D. Smith, an old and honored resi- dent of Island Grove, Sangamon county, Illi- nois, was thrown from his buggy and killed, whilst returning alone to his home from the town of Berlin. On the afternoon of the Thursday following, the large concourse of people, from town and country for miles around, which gath- ered at his grave, spoke impressively of the high esteem in which he was held by all who knew him. Dying, he has left a strickened family a treasure more precious than his ample fortune -the priceless heritage of a well-spent life."

His widow, Mrs. Ruth A. Smith, survived her husband exactly ten months, and died Septem- ber 7, 1872. The remains were both interred in Wood Wreath Cemetery, near where they spent so many years of their lives.

The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, receiving a classical education, graduating at the Illinois College in his eighteenth year. In 1864, he married Miss Elizabeth Brown, a daughter of Elisha Brown, of Boonsville, Cooper county, Missouri. She was born April 2, 1842. By this union there were seven chil- dren, six of whom are living: Elisha B., James D., Mary B., Harriet D., Elizabeth and Annie.

Mr. Smith in company with his brother, Lloyd are among the large and enterprising farmers of the central portion of the State, and make a specialty of raising blooded stock, short-horned cattle and Norman horses, of which he has on his place, three beautiful imported stallions, viz: St. Louis, weighing one thousand eight hundred pounds; Chicago, one thousand nine hundred pounds, and Grand Duke, a very promising colt weighing one thousand five hundred pounds. The brothers have in company one thousand eight hundred acres of land, and raise seven

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

hundred acres of corn, which will average the present year seventy-five bushels per acre, or fifty thousand bushels.

They are the most extensive cattle dealers in the State.

Asa R. Washburn, (deceased), Island Grove township, was born in Randolph, Vermont, on the 14th day of July, 1824, married Miss Barbara Craig, October 17, 1852. She was a daughter of George and Rebecca (Painter) Craig, natives of Virginia, who emigrated to this State in 1840 and located in Morgan county, four miles east of Jacksonville. She was born in Shenandoah county, Virginia, December 2, 1826. There was a family of seven children, three of whom are living, Aurelia, now Mrs. Erastus Clark, of Mor- gan county; Arthur E. and George. Mr. Wash- burn was a member of the Cumberland Presby- terian Church, and at the time of his death was one of the elders, and was respected by all who knew him. In politics he was a strong Demo- crat. He died in Vermont, September 12, 1868, aged forty-three years, one month and twenty- nine days.

William B Warren, M. D., post office, Berlin, Illinois, was born in Jacksonville, Illinois, on the 8th day of July, 1852; son of William M. and Percilla (Hitt) Warren. When eighteen years of age he went to Texas, with Colonel S. H. Hill, where they dealt in cattle, until 1875, when he

returned to this State. Ile immediately com- menced the study of medicine in the Missouri Medical College, at St. Louis, where he remained two years, when he graduated, in 1877. From there he returned to New Berlin, where he em- barked in the drug business, which he is still pursuing. In the spring of 1880, he came to Berlin, and formed a partnership with Dr. W B. Price, and has followed his profession since. He married Miss Virginia L. Rutledge, a daughter of Dr. Rev. Wm. J. Rutledge, appointed chaplain, at Joliet. She was born in Jackson- ville, September 21, 1860; they were married June 3, 1880.

Thomas Yates, Island Grove township, one of its large and extensive farmers, was born March 14, 1811, in Gallatin county, Kentucky; was mar- ried March 29, 1837, at Berlin, Sangamon county, Illinois, to Nancy Higgins, who was born May 23, 1816, in Cumberland county, Kentucky, and came with her parents to Sangamon county, in 1836. Thomas and Mary Yates had ten living children, six of which lived to be adults. Mrs. Nancy Yates died December 15, 1860. Thomas Yates is a farmer, has six hundred acres of land, valued at $65 per acre. Mr. Yates came to the county in an early day, and has been identified with its interest over fifty years, and has seen the prairies from their wild uncultivated state, to one of the finest cultivated counties in the State.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

CHAPTER XLI.

TOWNSHIP OF LOAMI.

The township of Loami is located in the first tier of townships on the west, and the second tier from the southern boundary. The general surface of the country is level, and it is watered by Lick creek and its branches.

EARLY SETTLERS.

The first settler of Loami township was Henry Brown and family, including William Huff- master and his sister Lucinda, step-children of Mr. Brown. They arrived in March, 1819, and settled on the north side of Lick creek. While Mr. Brown went back after another load of goods, Huffmaster cut logs, built a cabin, and had it ready for the family when Mr. Brown re- turned. He had also made a trough, placed it in the cabin, cut down bee trees, and filled the trough with honey. When John Campbell came and settled on the south side of Lick creek, in what is now Chatham township, he thought he was the first settler; but hearing the sound of an axe, he went over and found Huffmaster had been there before him. Huffmaster's power of endurance was remarkable. He has been known to have split seven hundred rails in one day. His courage was undisputable, also. On one occasion he was in the woods with Samuel Har- bour, when they discovered a panther up a tree. While IIarbour went for a gun the panther came down. Huffmaster urged on the dogs that were with him, and securing a large club, went to their assistance. When Harbour returned, much to his surprise he found the panther stretched out dead, and Huffmaster and the dogs standing around it. Mr. Huffmaster died October 19, 1861.

After Brown and Huffmaster, the township gradually filled up in succeeding years. Among the first settlers were Willis Coley, Pane, Wil-

liam and Ebenezer Coleman, Daniel Dorrance Isom Folley, William Morris, John Morris, Henry Brown, John Johnson, E. A. Meacham, Adam Barger, Achilles Morris, John Hudson, Zaza Bowen, Seth R. Cutter, Stephen and Wil- liam Workman.

Paul Colburn, one of the first permanent set- tlers of Loami, was born about 1761, in Hills- boro county, New Hampshire. He subsequently moved to Massachusetts, where he was united in marriage with Mehitable Ball. In 1809, the family moved to Grafton county, New Hamp- shire, where they remained until September, 1815; went from there to Ohio.

In March, 1821, Paul Colburn, his daughter Isabel, William Colburn, wife and three chil- dren, the four orphan children of Isaac Colburn, and a Mr. Harris, started in a wagon drawn by four oxen for Morgan county. They traveled through rain, mud and unbridged streams for about five weeks, which brought them to the south side of Lick creek, on what is now Loami town- ship, where they found an empty cabin. From sheer weariness, they decided to stop, and Mr. Harris, the owner of the wagon and oxen, went on to Morgan county.

Soon after their arrival, Wm. Colburn gave a rifle gun for a crop of corn just planted, and in that way began to provide food. He secured a team and went after his brother Ebenezer, and brought him and his wife to the settlement, arriving in October, 1821.

Having succeeded in bringing so many of his descendants to the new country, and witnessed their struggles to gain a foothold and provide themselves with homes, Paul Colburn died Feb- ruary 27, 1825, near the present town of Loami. The other members of the family lived for many years.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

Adam Barger was born in Botetourt county, Virginia, April 8, 1784, and when a young man moved to Kanawha county, now in West Vir- ginia, where be married Lucinda Nolan. Subse- quently he moved to Shawneetown, Illinois, and there secured conveyance and moved to this county, arriving in Loami, October, 1826. Mr. Barger died in 1864.

Zaza Bowen arrived in Loami township December 4, 1827. Mr. Bowen was born in North Carolina.

Henry Hall is a native of Maryland, and was born near Hagerstown, in 1774. He moved from there to Virginia, and then to Martin county, Indiana, in 1816. From Martin county he moved to Loami, in 1828.

After 1830, settlers came into the township too rapidly and in too great numbers to be noticed in this connection. Further along in this chapter will be found biographical sketches of quite a number of pioneers or their descend- ants.

RELIGIOUS.

The first religions services held in Loami township were held by Rev. Simon Lindley, a good old Baptist minister, who toiled hard, like Paul, working with his own hands that he might not be a burden to any, and preaching the gospel upon the Lord's Day, to those who would give him a hearing. In his religions services, Mr. Lindley had no regard for style, often be- ginning his sermon with coat and vest on, with collar and necktie, but, warming up with his subject, he would first remove his coat, and if still burdened with the heat, then his vest; then he would untie and remove his nectie, and, lastly, his collar, and with bare throat he would continue to plead with sinners to "flee from the wrath to come." Since Lindley's day, many preachers have proclaimed the "unsearchable riches of Christ." The church spire now'points Heavenward, and the township is represented by seven religious denominations, who have organ- ized bodies, including three Methodist, Baptist, Regular Baptist, two Presbyterian, with five church edifices.

EDUCATIONAL.

The church and the school house are said to be evidences of civilization. The first settle- ment of the township of Loami being along Lick creek, near the line dividing it from Chatham township, and township lines, then being unknown, the first school house in the Lick creek settlement was placed over the line, in the latter township, on section nineteen, and

here the pupils of this township were first sent to school. The "Yankee settlement " was with- out its school house until about 1824, when one was erected, about a mile and a half east of the present village. This was the typical pioneer school house, built of logs, with clapboard roof, puncheon floor, and slab seats. Theophilus Sweet was one of the first, if not the first, to "teach the young idea how to shoot," in this school house. The house was also used for religious services until other and better arrange- ments were made. The old log school house has long since given place to the more elegant, if not more substantial, frame house, with such modern conveniences as are demanded by the times. There are now in the township twelve school houses, valued at $15,000, with six hun- dred children of school age.

FIRST EVENTS.

Todd & Jackson, from Jacksonville, in the fall of 1831, opened out a small store, about a mile and a half east of the present village of Loami. This was the first store in the township.

Colburn & Smith sold the first goods in the village.

Mark Briggins was the first blacksmith, about a mile southwest of the village.

A piano was brought to the township in 1834, by a Mr. Goshorn, the first in this section.

Simon Lindley, a Baptist minister, preached the first sermon in 1820.

Calvin Goodell taught a singing school in 1827, which was the first in the township.

Jonathan Jarrett came in 1826, and started a tan-yard, a mile and a quarter south of the vil- lage in 1831, which he continued about five years, making nearly all the leather used in the neighborhood.

The first death was that of William Hughes, an Indian ranger, killed by the Indians, and buried by his comrades, near the Sulphur Springs. His remains was the first interred in Sulphur Springs Cemetery.

The first school house was erected in 1824, about one mile and a half east of the village. Theophilus Priest was one of the first, if not the first teacher.

MILLS.

In a new country, deprived of quick and rapid communication with the more densely populated and better provided one, the saw and the grist mill, however poor, are considered a great bless- ing, and the man who erects either, receives the thanks of every settler within reach. The Col- burns and Herediths were thus regarded as pub-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

lic benefactors, and their inills were well pat- ronized.

MILLVILLE.

Andrew IIeredith came from Cincinnati, in 1834, and settled upon Lick creek, a mile and a half west of the present village of Loami, where he erected a large saw-mill, and at once proceded to get out lumber for a grist-mill, which was soon afterwards erected. It was a large, well- built mill, and supplied with all the improved machinery then known, having fourruns of stone. The mill soon secured a large custom, farmers coming a distance of one hundred miles with their wheat and other grain to be ground. Quite a village grew up around this mill which was given the name of Millville. The mill and vil- lage both flourished for awhile, but the hard times of 1837, caused the failure of the propri- etor of the mill, and as a consequence, the village ceased to exist. To-day, there is little evidence of the existence of either.

FOURIER SOCIETY.

In 1845, a Fourier Society of about twenty families was organized, and purchased a large quantity of land in the township. For about three years the society was in an apparently flourishing condition. A large building was in process of erection for its use, when dissension arose and it was disbanded, the property being divided among its members.

ORGANIC.

The county voting for township organization, it was divided into townships, and township four- teen, ranges seven and eight, was set off and named Loami. The first election was held on the first Monday in April, 1861, and has since been held upon the same Monday in each year.

CLEVELAND.

A village was laid out about 1832, on a part of the present village of Loami, and about a half dozen houses, a blacksmith shop and a cooper shop were erected. The village disappeared long before the present village of Loami was laid out.

VILLAGE OF LOAMI.

William and Ebenezer Colburn built a small horse mill upon their place shortly after their arrival, and for some years ground the grain of the neighboring farmers by that slow process; subsequently they built a water-mill, having an over-shot wheel, which proved a failure. They then erected a steam saw and grist-mill, in 1836. Around this mill grew up the village of Loami.

The first name given the village was that of Lebanon, which was soon after changed to Loami.

The village was laid out and platted in August, 1854, by O. B. Kidder, H. D. Gibson and others, and comprised the northwest part of the east half of the southwest quarter of section eleven, township fourteen, range seven. Prior to this time quite a settlement had been effected, as already stated, which grew up around Colburn's mill.

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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 158

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