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 166

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 166


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).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171 | Part 172 | Part 173 | Part 174 | Part 175 | Part 176 | Part 177 | Part 178 | Part 179 | Part 180 | Part 181


Samuel Davidson, post office, Pawnee, is a son of John and Elizabeth (Hall) Davidson, the father born in South Carolina in 1778; date of mother's birth unknown. They had nine children, Lunnie, Samuel, Letitia, Elizabeth, William, Martha, John, Rachel and Elisha. Samuel was the second child, and born in Tennessee, October 19, 1821. He moved with his parents to Macon county in 1826, where his father rented : land and commenced farming; remained there a short time, then moved to Macoupin county. In 1850, Samuel married Amanda Nuckolls, daughter of John and Ann Nuckolls, who came from Virginia to this State and settled in this county. Mr. and Mrs. D. have had nine children, as follows: Ann E., born April 25, 1851; John D., January 25, 1853; George W., March 12, 1855; Emma A., March 25, 1858, married to Samuel J. Stout August 31, 1881; Samuel M., September 5, 1861; Thomas J., March 4, 1864; Amanda, May 26, 1869; Miriam M., October 5, 1868; Charles C., June 5, 1872; John Douglas, died November 26, 1869. Mr. D. owns two hundred and forty acres of land, valued at $50 an acre. Himself and wife have had very good educational advantages.


David A. Drennan, M. D., post office Pawnee, was born in this county, February 2, 1851. His


parents were John L. and Nancy J. (Dodds) Drennan, who were natives of Caldwell county, Kentucky, and of Irish descent; father was born February 18, 1808; mother was born January 30, 1819; they were married in this county, De- cember 15, 1842. and had six children, all sons, viz: George L., Benjamin F., Gilbert C., Charles, David A., and Alfred L. David A. was the fifth child, and was brought up on a farm. September 6, 1876, he married Miss Fannie White, daughter of John and Elizabeth White, of Christian county, who was born February 21, 1853. They have one child, Arthur Ray, born March 27, 1881. Mr. Drennan attended the district schools until he was seventeen years of age, then Lincoln University until the end of his sophomore year; he commenced reading medicine at Pawnee; studied one and a half years, and then attended Rush Medical College, at Chicago, Illinois, during the winters of 1872, '73, '74 and '75, where he gradu- ated, February 16, 1875; since which time he has practiced at Pawnee. His system of practice is known as the "regular," or alopathic, and he is meeting with good success as a practitioner.


Joseph Gattan, post office, Pawnee, son of John A. and Annie E. Gattan, born in Kentucky, married about 1821. The fruits of this marriage was eight children three sons and five daugh- ters, two deceased. The subject of this sketch was the third child and born in Sangamon coun- ty, June 12, 1829, and was raised on a farm. He married Miss Mary E. Harper, daughter of James Harper, born in Sangamon county, Illi- nois. The fruits of this marriage was five chil- dren, two sons and three daughters, all living, Martha J., Ann E., Sylvester O., John H., Etha A. Occupation, farmer. First wife died, and he was again married to Miss Rebecca McNeally, now deceased.


Mrs. Charlotte Griggs was born in New Jer- sey, April 22, 1821; daughter of John C. and Dorotha Hamilton; the former born at New Jersey, July 17, 1788, and the mother of the same place, in 1795. They had ten children, namely, Alexander, Martin V., John, James, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Jane, Ann, Mary, and Phoebe; James died at the age of nine months, Jane and Ann after arriving at maturity; Alex- ander died in 1865, and John, about 1850. Char- lotte was married in Madison county, Illinois, March 4, 1846, to Mr. Samuel Griggs, son of Samuel and Sarah Griggs, who were born in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, and they have had six children. John, born in Jersey county, Illinois, January 2, 1848; George A., September 4, 1850; Edward D., February 22, 1853; Samuel


1


982


HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.


H., September 28, 1866; Nellie A., in 1862 and died in August, 1864; and Jerome T. born in this county, December 26, 1865. Samuel Griggs, Sr., died March 17, 1867. Mrs. Griggs was of Scotch and French ancestry. They settled in this county in March, 1865, having purchased the farm where they now live. She owns one hun- dred and sixty acres of land, and is connected with the Baptist Church.


Jacob Henkle is the eleventh born and fifth son of Justus Henkle and Elizabeth (Judy) Henkle, who were natives of Virginia, from whence they removed to Belleville, Illinois, in the fall of 1817, and in the middle of the following March, moved to Sangamon county, locating on the west side of the court house, in what is now Pawnee town- ship. Here Mr. Henkle made improvements and when the land came into market, entered a tract and opened up a farm. Jacob Henkle was born in Randolph county, Virginia, July 25, 1812, and was therefore but six years of age when his father landed in the then uninhabited wilds of Sanga- mon county. At the age of nineteen young Jacob enlisted in the Black Hawk war, serving three months, from March 1831. Something over five years later, November 20, 1836, he was united in marriage to Nancy Hatchett. They have had ten children, all born in Sangamon county, whose names, in the order of their birth, are as follows: Dicey E., John Y., Diana F., Martin V., Sarah J., Elvira, Harrison H., Mary A., Amanda and Laura A. Mr. Henkle is the oldest resident of Sangamon county, having lived here for over sixty-three years, and is classed with the county's most successful and wealthy farmers. He is the rightful owner of five hundred and five broad acres, well improved, and spread out over as fine an agricultural belt as can be found in the great grain producing State of Illinois. Mr. Ilenkle's first school days were spent at a school held in the loft of his father's house. Soon after this a school house was erected, the material of which was obtained by each parent contributing logs in proportion to the number of children in the family, of school age.


Andrew J Hiner, post office, Pawnee, was born in Virginia, May 23, 1816, and is a son of Anthony and Mary M. Hiner, natives of Pennsylvania; the former was born in 1781; the grandparents moved from Pennsylvania, about 1788; their children were, Elizabeth, Mary, Joel, Andrew J., Samuel, Rebecca, Catharine, Lucinda, and Betsy ; Mary, Betsy and Samuel are deceased. Anthony Hiner moved to Indiana in 1831, and died there in 1837. Andrew J. came to Scott county, Illi- nois, and worked as a farm hand; died the same


year. In 1843, he married Miss Margaret, daugh- ter of William and Elizabeth Jackson, who came from Tennessee in 1828 or '29; they were of German and Irish extraction. Mr. and Mrs. Hiner had one child, James, who was born March 28, 1845, and died November 2, 1876, aged thirty-one years. Mr. Hiner owns four hundred acres of land, the accumulation of his own and his wife's industry and economy; he came to this county in 1845, purchased land, and entered more on the prairie; he is of German extraction.


Daniel T. Hoppin, post office, White Oak, Montgomery county, was born in Lebanon, Madison county, New York, in 1819; his father, Curtis Hoppin, was born in Guilford, Connecti- cut, July 12, 1785; his mother, Mary P. Hoppin, was born in Lanesborough, Massachusetts, Feb- ruary 11, 1787; they were married about 1807, and had 10 children, namely: Chandler C., Eliza- beth A., Siley M., Franklin B., Charles T., Daniel T., Ann M., Louisa M., Mary.P., Ebene- zer B. Daniel was the sixth child. In 1844 he collected three hundred and sixty-five head of sheep in New York, and drove them to this county in ninety days, with a loss of only three head. In March, 1848, he married Miss Cordelia Bradley. Her parents came from New York to this county; they are of English extraction. Mr. and Mrs. Hoppin have had three children: Ann E., born February 13, 1852; George B., born March 29, 1862; and Chester B., born April 17, 1867; Ann E., died January 19, 1874. Is a farmer; makes a specialty of sheep raising; his two brothers were with him and they were among the largest sheep raisers in the State.


Patrick Howard, post office, Pawnee, was born about 1824; his parents were natives of Ireland; mother was the daughter of Martin and Mary Long; they had six children: Margaret, Pat- rick, Michael, John, Alice and Jeremiah; John and Jeremiah died in Ireland; Alice died in Ohio; Patrick came to America, landing at New Orleans October 28, 1851; came to Ohio, and lived about four years; then to this county, working as a farm hand for Robert North. In 1863, he purchased land in Pawnee township, and commenced farming for himself. In 1858, he married Miss Mary McCue, daughter of John and Catharine McCue, natives of Ireland. They had five children, viz: John, born November 18, 1858, died July 6, 1859; Jeremiah, born No- vember 24, 1860, died September 24, 1861; Pat- rick, born November 9, 1862; Mary, March 6, 1864; Michael, October 13, 1867. Mr. Howard was naturalized about 1856. He owns eight


983


HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.


hundred and ninety-four acres of land, known as Beaver Dam-Joe Ledlie's old farm, the result of his own industry; feeds cattle and hogs for market; is quite extensively engaged in raising sheep for wool and mutton. Mr. Howard has been engaged in business for twenty-three years, and during all this time has never had a law-snit in any court in the United States.


William C. Johnson, M. D., post office, Pawnee, was born in Callaway county, Missouri, December 30, 1838; his father, Thornton John- son, was born in Fairfax county, Virginia, Feb- ruary 16, 1801, and was of English descent; his mother, Mildred H. (Lanham) Johnson, was of English descent; they were married in Fairfax county, Virginia, September 20, 1821. They had thirteen children, namely: Emily P., born August 12, 1822; Charles E., September 22, 1826; Edward L., December 14, 1828; Thomas G., August 25, 1830; John II., March 15, 1833; Emeline F., May 15, 1836; William C., Decem- ber 30, 1838; Benjamin F., July 17, 1841; Sarah E., November 24, 1843; Joseph L., June 22, 1846; Mildred H., September 11, 1849; Samuel F., born August 28, 1850; Edward and Samuel are deceased. William C., came to this county in the winter of 1858-59; worked on the farm for John C. Whitcraft, at $16 a month; com- menced studying medicine with William H. Veatch, M. D., and in 1860-61 attended Rush Medical College, Chicago, then returned to Auburn, where he married Miss Mary J. Ham, February 13, 1861, daughter of Roland and Dina Ham, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Illinois. They have had three children: Alice B., born May 15, 1862, in Montgomery county, Illinois; Minnie H., born September 22, 1865, and died August 2, 1866; Carrie G., born April 11, 1872. Dr. Johnson commenced the practice of medicine in Mont- gomery county, and removed to Pawnee in August, 1862; he graduated February 3, 1869. The Doctor has had good success as a practi- tioner and is devoted to his profession. He is a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 620.


William H. Jones, post office Pawnee, was born November 24, 1824. His father, Samuel Jones, was born in Mount Holly, New Jersey; and his mother, Charlotte (Hendricks) Jones, was a native of the same State. They had twelve children: Susan, Hannah, William H., Agnes C., John, Sarah Ann, Louisa, Austin, Samuel, Caro- line, George H., Benjamin F .; Samuel died in 186S. They came to this county in 1856; the father was a tailor. In 1854, William H. married Mrs. Julietta (Noble) Turner, daughter of James


and Sarah Turner, who was born July 28, 1833. They had five children, namely: Elwood S., born November 1, 1855; Lewis T., October 11, 1857; Charles H., January 28, 1839; William D., December 24, 1860; and Sarah J., March 21, 1863, and died July 28, 1865. Mrs. Jones died Janu- ary 13, 1865. The family are of Scotch and French descent. Mr. Jones owns one hundred and fifty-two acres of land, acquired by the ex- ertions of himself and family. His land origi- nally cost seventy-five cents an acre; it now has first-class improvements. He has held several township offices.


Albert Lorenzo Kubisch, post office, Auburn, is a son of John and Agnes Kubisch; the former, born in Poland Province, at Posen, Vil- lage of Neutasch, Kries Czarmikan, Kingdom of Prussia, May 7, 1787. The mother, a native of the same place, born October 6, 1790. They were married in their native place, and had eight children, viz: George, born April 24, 1812 ; Jacob, born January 7, 1814 ; Kristine, born March 12, 1819 ; Valentin, born February 11, 1822; Thomas, born January 24, 1823 Justin, born July 23, 1825 ; Peter, born April 11, 1828 ; Albert L, born July 30, 1831. All now dead, except Justin and Albert L. Father, John Kubisch, died November 19, 1843; mother, Hedivig Kubisch, died March 21, 1851 ; Jacob, March 1. 1817; Valentin, March 3, 1822; Thomas, July 22, 1842 ; Peter, March 20, 1851 ; Kristine, April 5, 1869 ; George, July 19, 1871. The subject of this biography was the eighth child, and left Poland in September, 1855 ; landed at New York; from there came to Chi- cago, thence to Wisconsin, where he remained two years. In 1857, went to St. Louis ; started for New Orleans, and was detained at Grand Gulf, on account of yellow fever ; while there, was taken sick and sent to the hospital ; after being dismissed, traveled about a year through the Southern States, then came to this county, in the fall of 1860, and worked for Reuben Brown a year, then went to Humphrey, and stayed until March, 1862, when he enlisted in the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, and was taken prisoner, with part of his regiment, at Harper's Ferry ; was paroled, and sent, first to Annapolis, Mary- land, and then to Camp Douglas, Chicago, where he was discharged. He returned to this county, bought one hundred acres of land, where he now lives a bachelor's life. The farm is well improved. Mr. K. is intelligent, and especially well informed in ancient history; reads in the Polish, German and English languages, and is very liberal in his views of religion. Before he


984


HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.


was a soldier, had traveled extensively in Russia. After living in this country twenty-one years, he returned to his native land, and visited the scenes of his childhood, but found so great a change that he felt like a stranger. Mr. K. is a member of the Masonic lodge, and belongs to Blue Lodge, No. 354, Auburn township, and also be- longs to Royal Lodge, No. 92.


James M. Lewis, son of Edden and Winnefred Lewis, both natives of Caldwell county, Kentucky. They were married in Kentucky ; mother's maiden name Winnefred Easley, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Easley. They bad eight children: William R., died in 1849, James M., John W., died in 1860, Margaret E., Sarah, Martha A., Samuel, Mary, died in 1865; parents moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1829; bought a small farm, and entered other lands; mother died in 1835; father in 1850.


The subject of this sketch was married four times, first, to Miss Barrilla M. Lockridge, March 6, 1851, by whom he had two children: Cyrus E., born November, 1852; James W., 1857; wife died, May 4, 1857. Married Mrs. Emily C. Ricks, (nee Simpson,) August 30, 1860; had two chil- dren: Belle, born 1861; son died in infancy; wife died, April 24, 1864. Married Miss Mary A. Clayton in 1860; had two children: Julia, born January 5, 1866; Manfred S., born 1868, died in March, 1877; wife died, June 20, 1868;


He married for his present wife, Miss Malissa Jane Burris, and by this marriage four children have been born: Alice, born February 10, 1878. John R., June 30, 1873; Samuel B., March 15, 1875; Adella M, February 25, 1877, died March 24, 1880. Mr. L. owns three hundred and twenty acres of valuable land.


Mrs. Jennette McTaggart, post office, Pawnee, is a daughter of Thomas and Jane Carsevell, natives of Scotland. They were married in 1829, and had seven children-one son and six daughters, all living. Two are married and liv- ing in Scotland. Alexander McTaggart was born in Scotland, about 1834; came to this country with his parents. He married the subject of this sketch in September, 1859, and they have had six children: N. L., born November 26, 1861; Jane, October 16, 1863; Margaret R., December 19, 1868; Amanda, October 11, 1870; John Thomas, July 10, 1873. Margaret died Septem- ber 22, 1867; Jane, October 1, same yaar. Mr. McTaggart died April 15, 1874, of typhoid pneumonia. Mrs. McT. owns three hundred acres of land, valned at $60 an acre. There are good improvements. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Taggart are well educated.


Enoch Megredy, father of James Megredy, was born in 1794, in Cecil county, Mary- land; of English and Scotch ancestry; and was married August 20, 1816, to Mary S. Jones, who was born April 7, 1798, in Cecil county, Mary- land; of English parentage. He engaged in merchandising, and about the year 1823, moved into an adjoining county in Pennsylvania and continued the mercantile business until 1832, when he returned to his farm in Cecil county, Maryland, (located on the original Nottingham survey), with the intention of removing to Illi- nois at an early date, but through the influence of his father, was induced to postpone the trip for a time. His father died in 1836, and on April 15, 1837, started for Illinois, and landed in San- gamon county June 16, 1837, where part of the family have resided to this time (1881), on land purchased of Z. Peter, who was one of the com- missioners appointed to locate the present Capi- tal of the State. The farm is on section four, township fourteen, range five, at the confluence of Lick and Sugar creeks.


James J. Megredy, son of Enoch Megredy, was born in Cecil county, Maryland, February 2, 1819. Came to Illinois with his father, and was married December 30, 1841, in Sangamon county, Illinois, to Anna R. Hall, who was born in Rock- ingham county, Virginia, October 7, 1822. They had ten children. Moved from the present Woodside to Brush creek, ( Oak Ridge), and settled on the present location, section two, township thirteen, range five, in 1851. This part of Sangamon county being at that time very sparsely settled, and some of the land unentered, a quarter section was entered and improved, and an eighty acre tract added, upon which the house was built in 1867, where the family now reside, surrounded by an intelligent and prosperous community. In 1856 and '57, J. J. Megredy was elected, with S. M. Cullom, present Gov- ernor, representative of Sangamon county to the State Legislature; and subsequently, to the board of supervisors; and has been continuously con- nected with the educational interests of the township since 1857. Post office, Pawnee, San- gamon county.


Christian Richert, post office, White Oak, Montgomery county, is the son of Christopher F. and Magdalene Richert, natives of Germany, the former born in 1791 and died in 1861, and the later born in 1793 and died in 1833. Their five children were: Christopher S., born Decem- ber 21, 1821, Gottlieb R., in 1823; Christian, the subject of this sketch, January 6, 1825; Fred- erick in 1827; Benjamin, in 1829. Gottlieb and


985


HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.


Frederick died in 1849. Christian came to this country in 1854, and after a year spent at Auburn, New York, came to Jersey county, this State and thence to this county, working first as a farm hand, and subsequently renting land until he bought where he now lives. February 2, 1853, he married Miss Catharine Mower, at Jerseyville, also a native of Germany. They had seven children, viz: John, born March 10, 1859; Wil- helmina P., born December 22, 1860, and died the 12th of April, of the same year; Carl Wil- helm, born November 17, 1862; Louisa M., July 24, 1864; Pauline S., June 8, 1867; Edward H., May 9, 1872; Emma, June 22, 1874. Mrs. R. was born October 3, 1832 and died January 10, 1878. Mr. R. was naturalized about 1861. His early educational advantages were good. He now owns two hundred and eighty acres of val- uable land, the accumulation of himself and family. He takes great interest in the improve- ment of his live stock.


Daniel H. Starkweather, post office, Auburn, is a son of Asa and Louisa (Harvey) Stark- weather, natives of Vermont, the former born January 7, 1807, and mother, August 7, 1812. They were married September 4, 1834, and came to Morgan county, Illinois, in wagons. After four years' residence they removed to Jersey county, where they resided until their death; the former in September, 1845, and the latter in 1856. They had five children, two sons and three daughters: Daniel H., born November 13, 1838; Mary L., May 9, 1841; Emily, July 2, 1843; Asa and Louisa, May 26, 1846; Louisa died the same year. The father entered land in Morgan county and improved a farm. Daniel Il. was brought up on a farm. August 21, 1862, he married Lucinda Kirkpatrick, by whom he had two children: Emily W., born May 28, 1863, and Amanda C., December 22, 1864, and died April 23, 1865. Mrs. S. died April 3, 1865, February 25, 1866, Mr. S. married Sarah A. Utt, who was born in Greene county, Illinois. Their children were: Walter U., born February 28, 1867, and died November 12, 1868; Asa E., March 9, 1869; Charles, November 24, 1871, and died December 3, following; Harry, February 18, 1873, and died the 24th of that month; James, born December 30, 1876; Bessie, De- cember 5, 1880. Mr. S. owns one hundred and sixty acres of land, worth $50 an acre. He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church.


Erminia M. Valentine, post office, Pawnee, is a daughter of John and Mary Maddy, the former born in Virginia, in 1812, and the latter in Ohio; in the latter State, in 1835, they were married,


and they had two children: Erminia, the subject of this notice, born in Gallia county, Ohio, in 1836; and Hudson, born in the same State, in 1838. September 20, 1855, Erminia married Alfred Leonard, whose parents were born in Virginia; they immediately came to this county, purchased school land and improved the land where she now lives. They had eight children: Mary E., born July 30, 1856; Charles W., born October 15, 1857, and died August 31, 1858; George A., born November 26, 1858, and died September 1, 1860; Sarah F., born August 28, 1861; James E., born July 8, 1863; Effie L., and Emma J., born September 6, 1865; and Olive B., August 25, 1872. Mr. Leonard died March 21, 1873, aged 53 years, and Olive B. Leonard died October 7, 1881, aged nine years, one month and twelve days. In March, 1880, Mrs. L. married Isaac Valentine, who was born in Ohio, in 1827. She owns two hundred and forty acres, valued at $50 an acre, well improved, and everything denotes prosperity.


John B. Weber, post office, pawnee, son of John B. and Elizabeth Weber; father was born at or near Nuremburg, Germany, in 1778, and his mother born in Shepherdstown, Jefferson county, Virginia, December 30, 1790; father came to the United States about 1800, settling in Virginia; in 1805, he married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Philip Shutt, and by that marriage there were six children, all sons, who grew to maturity, viz: William, born in 1807; George R., John B., April 7, 1810; Philip W., Jacob J. and Peter S .; the two latter are deceased.


The subject of this sketch was born in Jeffer- son county, Virginia, and came to this county in April 16, 1836, locating in Springfield; Septem- ber 23, 1832, in Shepherdstown, Virginia, he married Sarah Ann Waltz, and of his ten chil- dren, seven lived to years of maturity, viz: George William, Sarah Elizabeth, Virginia, An- drew J., George P., James W., Amanda M., Cornelia E., Benjamin R. and Charles E .; the two first mentioned died in Virginia in their sec- ond year, and Virginia died in Springfield, also in her second year; Andrew J. was killed at Vicksburg, June 30, 1863, he was Colonel of the Eleventh Missouri Infantry; James W. was a member of the Tenth Illinois Cavalry, was hon- orably discharged, and on his way home was assassinated. John B., the father, learned cabi- net making in Maryland; followed the business two years in New York City, six years at Shep- herdstown, Virginia, and five years in Sangamon county, Illinois, where he was disabled by the loss of a hand by a buzz saw, after which he was


115-


986


HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.


elected copyist of the land records of the State; after following this business six years he went to California, in 1849; returning in the fall of 1851, he purchased a farm in Pawnee township, where he has since continued to reside, and where he has one of the best farms in the county; has been sheriff and collector-1854-6; was Quarter- master and Commissary during the Mormon War, under Governor Ford, in the fall of 1846. His first wife died August 5, 1866, and Novem- ber 28, 1867, he married Mrs. Nancy J. Drennan, nee Dodds.


George P. Weber, post office, Pawnee, is a son of John B. and Sarah A. Weber, and was born in this country, December 2, 1842; his parents settled in Pawnee township, where he remained until 1861, when he enlisted in the First United States Rifle Regiment, afterwards called Eleventh Missouri Infantry. On return- ing home, he married Miss Vienna Meader, daughter of Timothy E., and Miriam H. Meader; she was born in this county April 21, 1842. They have had five children: Mary A., born October 5, 1864, Sarah A., January 31, 1866; Timothy, June 16, 1869; Eli, April 26, 1871; and Eva, November 25, 1880. Mr. W. is one of the number of successful farmers of south San- gamon. He has the only herd of Holstein cattle in the county; he also raises Cotswold sheep and Berkshire swine.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.