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 169

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 169

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).

The subject of this sketch came to Spring- field, Illinois, with his father, and was married in Sangamon county, Illinois, May 7, 1843, to Miss Milla Dotson, who was born November, 1822, in Loudon county, Virginia; they had four children: Eliza A., born February 25, 1844, and married September 4, 1864, to Benjamin C. Gray, who was born August 12, 1832, near Hopkins- ville, Kentucky; Mrs. Gray died December, 1874; John W., the second child, died under two years of age; Hiram F., born December 17, 1852; he spent two years in California, and traveled over the greater portion of the State, then returned home; he is now unmarried, and lives with his brother, one and a half miles west of Berry sta- tion, on the O. & M. Railroad; James M., born August 6, 1856; studied medicine in Springfield, and attended the Medical College at Ann Arbor, Michigan; after graduating he returned home, and was married to Laura F. North, daughter of Robert North, and resides one and a half miles west of Berry station. Mr. James H. Bell has resided in this county fifty-one years, and re- members well the hardships and privations of the early settler. There were but few schools in his early days, consequently his education was limited. His summers were spent at work on the farm, and the winter time in making rails. To pay for the first land he bought, he made rails at fifty cents per hundred, to raise the first payment. He lived on the farm from the time he was married until four years after the death of his wife, then sold off his stock and moved to Springfield for the purpose of schooling his youngest son, and remained in Springfield three years, and then returned to the farm and con- tinued farming until the present season, and has spent a part of this summer on a trip to Mis- souri, Kansas and Colorado, and has been twice to the mountains, traveling on different roads in

going and coming, for the purpose of making himself acquainted with the west; he has also made several trips to the South, with stock, trav- eling by rail and boat, and at times by land. At one time, in company with a partner, he pur- chased a flat-boat at Peoria, and loaded it with produce, went down the river as far as Vicks- burg, remained there three weeks before dispos ing of the boat and cargo, and while there went and viewed the battle-field, and stood under the shade of the tree that was said to be General Grant's headquarters, and near by was the tree where he tied his horse, the ring and staple still remaining as he left it; after disposing of the boat he returned home by rail. He is now liv- ing a retired life with his youngest brother, two miles west of Berry station.

Melvin Bell, was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, February 9, 1843; the son of Robert and Susannah Bell, who came to Sangamon county in the fall of 1830, where they resided until their death. The subject of this sketch received a common school education, at South Fork, under the instruction of now Doctor, H. O. Bolles, of Springfield, and was married October 12, 1865, to Rachel Martin, who was born in San- gamon county, now Cotton Hill, September 4, 1845. About two years after they were married, Melvin was thrown under a wagon returning from Springfield, and had his right leg broken, which crippled him for life. They have had four children, William J., Alice N., Otis A., and a son who died in infancy. He owns two hundred and seventy acres of land, which is a part of the old homestead, and is in a good state of cultiva- tion, and worth $50 per acre. In politics he is energetic, and is always found in the Democratic ranks.

Preston Breckenridge, a miller at Rochester, was born December 2, 1858, a son of Joseph and Sarah (Matthews) Breckenridge, and grand-son of Hon. Preston Breckenridge. His father en- listed in the One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois Infantry for a term of three years, and was taken sick at Camp Butler, and died at home November 29, 1862. His mother after- wards married Thomas Pike, and they reside in Christian county, Illinois, two miles west of Edinburg. The subject of this sketch received a common school education. He also attended the high school at Taylorville for two years. He then went to Iowa where he engaged as a clerk in a store for about one year. He then came back to Breckenridge, Sangamon county, Illinois, December, 1880. In July, 1881, he, with Wm. B. Hicks, leased the Rochester mill

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

for a term of one year. At the expiration of said one year, they bought the Rochester mill, and also leased the Athens mill for a term of three years. They are now prepared to do a milling business which demands the patronage of the county, and are supplying the neighboring towns with flour not to be excelled by any other mills. He is also a member of the Good Templars at Rochester, and in politics a Re- publican.

Henry P. Clark was born November 2, 1823, in Sangamon county, Illinois, was the son of Edward and Nancy Clark whose sketch appears in the township history of Rochester. He was married December 15, 1853, to Nancy T. Wil- liams, who was born February 26. 1833. Their family consists of four children, Mary J., Sarah V., Edward S. and William T. He now owns four hundred acres of land which is under a good state of cultivation and worth $50 per acre. Himself and wife are members of the Christian Church. In politics they are Republican.

Ebenezer Coe was born August 25, 1812, in Loudon county, Virginia, son of Horatio and Catharine (Grubb) Coe, who were natives of Loudon county, Virginia. His mother died in 1837, and his father in 1841. In 1839, he came to Sangamon county, Illinois, with George M. Green, where he remained until the fall of 1843, and then returned to Loudon county Virginia, and was married September 17, 1844, to Jane Grubb, a native of that county. He returned to Sangamon county in 1851, and engaged in farm- ing near Rochester, where his wife died May 10, 1860, and he again married March 26, 1861, in Loudon county to Mrs. Julia A. Edwards, whose maiden name was Conrad. They came soon after to Sangamon county, where they have had five children, Joseph H., Samuel B., William C. and Mary C., and John Ebie, who died at eight months of age, August 6, 1870. His second wife died December 25, 1869, and he was again mar- ried December 13, 1870, to Harriet Lanham, who was bom in Sangamon county, Illinois, July 18, 1829. He now owns four hundred and six- teen acres of land which is under a fair state of cultivation and worth $50 per acre. Politically, he is a Democrat.

John C. Coe, a retired farmer in Rochester township, was born in Loudon county, Virginia, January 5, 1825; son of Horatio and Catharine (Giubb) Coe, who were natives of Virginia, and farmers by occupation. The father, Horatio, died July 24, 1841, in Virginia, and the mother in September of 1836, in the same State.

The subject of this sketch received a common school education in Virginia, and was raised a farmer in Loudon county, Virginia. In the spring of 1842, he came to Sangamon county, when but seventeen years of age, and worked as a farm hand near Mechanicsburg one year, and in the spring of 1843, came to Rochester and worked by the day and month till the spring of 1849, when, in company with Thomas Rucker, Abraham Clark and Henry Sims, he started for the gold regions of California, by the overland route, with ox teams, taking a large quantity of provisions, and was six months on the way, arriving at their destination September 1.

For a short time they engaged in mining, after which Mr. Coe engaged in teaming from Sacramento to the mines north and east, until 1851, when he returned to his home in Roches- ter. Abraham Clark died in California, and the others came back to Illinois. Mr. Coe thinks he was well paid for the trip. He was married August 11, 1853, to Charity Grubb, who was also born in Loudon county, Virginia, October 1, 1820, the daughter of Richard and Charity (Morrison) Grubb, both of whom have died.

Mr. Coe has had two sons, Richard Horatio, born February 21, 1855, and now resides on his father's farm; and Theodore Curtis Lincoln, born July 13, 1859, and died June 14, 1870. Mr. Coe now owns six hundred acres of land in the township, which he deems worth $75 per acre, and also one-third of two hundred and forty- eight acres in the State of Missouri. He and his wife are members of the M. E. Church at Rochester, and politically he is a Republican.

William J. Cooper, a farmer of Rochester township, was born in Sangamon county, Janu- ary 4, 1844, the son of Jacob and Jane (Kelley) Cooper. His father was a Tennesseean, and his brother of North Carolina. They came to San- gamon county, Rochester township, in 1819, where he located and farmed until the time of his death, August 22, 1864. His mother died Au- gust 24, 1864. Her death was caused by a run- away team two days after, and both buried at the old Cooper grave yard.

The subject of this sketch received a common school education in Rochester township.

He was married first in 1865 to Mattie West, who was born in Sanganion county, February 22, 1849, the daughter of Samuel and Lucetta West. By this marriage, they had two children, Nora Belle, and Mattie. His wife died April 25, 1873. He was again married December 31, 1874, to Leonora O'Leera, of East St. Louis. She was born in England in 1852, and was but a

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

child when her folks came to Illinois. Her father died about 1854, and her mother still re- sides at East St. Louis. By this marriage they have three children: Josephus, Guy L., and Arthur J. He now owns the old homestead of his father, on which he resides, consisting of one hundred and sixty-five acres of land, which is worth $60 per acre. The wife is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Politically, he is a Democrat.

Robert Dawson, of Rochester township, was born in Albemarle county, Virginia, January 8, 1800; son of William and Sarah (Joblin) Dawson, who were also natives of Virginia, and farmers by occupation. His father moved to Kentucky, where he resided until his death, in 1828, and his mother died in Virginia about 1811. The sub- ject of this sketch received a common school education, and was raised on a farm. He was married in Kentucky in 1832 to Cynthia Luny, who was born in Kentucky. He has had three children, Louis, Robert and William. His wife died in Kentucky in 1840, and in 1844, he came to Sangamon county, and settled in Rochester township, where he now resides, with his son, Lewis. Their farm consists of eighty acres which is worth $60 per acre. He is also a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics is Republican.

George Deyo, was born in the town of New Paltz (now Lloyd), Ulster county, New York, February 26, 1822, the son of Joseph Henry and Jane (Deyo) Deyo. He is a descendant, both on his father's and mother's side, from the French Huguenots, by that name, who were among the twelve original patentees of New Paltz. His father had four sons and four daughters, Enis, Noah, Sallie, George, Catharine, Harriet, Phoebe Jane, and William Henry. Harriet died at the homestead, September 1, 1851, Ulster county, New York. All the rest are now living and have families, and reside in the town of Lloyd and Plattkill, except Noah and George, who live near Springfield, Illinois. His grandfather, Henry Deyo, was a miller, and owned and carried on a grist-mill at Shadigee Pond, in Lloyd. His father, Joseph HI., was born in Lloyd, June 26, 1783, inheriting from his father about one hundred acres of land on Vineyard avenue, about one mile south of the village of Highland, to which he afterwards added two hundred acres after his marriage, which occurred May 28, 1812. He settled on the place now owned by his son, William II., where all his children were born. His wife died June 7, 1847. He died July 1, 1858. Both are

buried in the old Highland burial ground. The subject of this sketch received a common school education, and was raised on a farm, and was married first, April 30, 1845, to Rachel Delphina Deyo, who also was born in Lloyd, March 19, 1823. By this marriage they had two living children, Ellen, who married Charles J. Craft, and died in May, 1873, and Anna H., who mar- ried William Cora, and now reside in Sangamon county, Illinois. His wife died March 12, 1853, and he was again married in 1855, to Mary Ann F. Deyo, who was born in Ulster county, New York, October 26, 1829, and they have had five children, Adison J., who married Jerry S. Grub, of Sangamon county, and Sarah A., Irwin R., and Levi J., live near by, and one, John Wil- liam, died November 10, 1862. He came to Sangamon county, Illinois, February 26, 1856, and located in Rochester township, where he has continued to live, where his children were born. He now owns two hundred and sixty acres of land, which is under a fair state of cul- tivation, and worth $50 per acre. Politically, he is Democratic.

William D. Derry, a farmer in Rochester township, was born in Loudon county, Virginia, November 9, 1826; son of Christian and Susan (Carns) Derry. His father was born in Loudon county, Virginia, and his mother in Frederick county, Maryland. They were farmers by oc- cupation, and he so continued until his death, May 19, 1858. His mother still resides on the farm in Loudon county, Virginia. His father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and his mother still draws his pension which he receives from the government. The subject of this sketch received a common school education, and was raised on a farm. He was married February 5, 1852, to Mary A. Rhodes, who was born in Frederick county, Maryland, March 11, 1827, and was the daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Feas- ter) Rhodes, who came to Sangamon county in 1863. He died in November of that year. The fruits of this marriage were seven children, of whom five are now living: Elizabeth, now Mrs. William Cantrall; Charles M., Nora A., Mary D., and Jessie Gertrude. Two, John W., and James E., have died. He came to Sangamon county in 1853, and located in Rochester town- ship. He bought land and began farming. He now owns four hundred and thirty acres, which is situated in Rochester, Clear Lake and Cooper townships, the home farm consisting of four hun- dred acres, situated in Rochester township, is in a good state of cultivation and well improved, and worth about $60 per acre. He and his wife have

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

been members of the M. E. Church since 1846, and he is one of the ardent supporters of the Republican party and its interests.

John S. Dickerson, post office, Berry, was born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, April 2, 1824, son of Isaac and Sally (Smith) Dickerson, who were natives of Maryland. They moved to Shelby county, Illinois, in 1836, then removed to Davis county, Indiana. His mother died in 1836, his father in 1877. John S. received a common school education. In 1847, he came to Sanga- mon county, and married Mary Jane Bell, born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, June 6, 1828, the daughter of Robert Bell. Soon after his mar- riage, he moved to Indiana, but in 1851 returned to Sangamon county, and located in Rochester township, where he now resides, on his farm of two hundred and eighty acres. Mr. and Mrs. Dickerson have had six children, viz : James H., born June 24, 1848, is a practicing physician near Taylorville, Illinois, married Miss Jane Humphreys in 1875; Isaac S., born August 28, 1850, married Miss Mary E. Bornhoff, who was born September 20, 1868, they have two chil- dren, Sinae and Emma; Robert P., born De- cember 4, 1852; Sarah E., born November 14, 1854, married Alexander Allen; Mary S. born November 2, 1856; Almarinda, born January 29, 1859, married Jno. Allen, who died in 1876; she was again married to Dr. A. F. Hammer, and resides at Berry. Mrs. Dickerson is a member of the Christian Church.

Charles Fairchild, a farmer, of Rochester township, was born in Essex county, New York, September 25, 1822, the son of Moses and Adah (Holbert) Fairchild; father born in New York, August, 1793, and the mother in Vermont, July, 1793. They moved to Sangamon county in 1833, and there resided till death.

The subject of this sketch received a common school education and was raised a farmer. He was married January 31, 1848, to Lovina Sattley, by whom he had eight children: Belle E, Mary E., Benjamin S , Adah E., Charles, Robert, Ralph S. and Winfield S. Mary E. died August 22, 1853, in early infancy; Adah E. died August 22, 1853, at the age of two years. Mr. F. owns two hundred and eighty acres of good land, well improved, and worth $75 per acre. In politics, he is a Republican.

Joshua Graham, a farmer of Rochester town- ship, was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, January 6, 1820; son of Nathaniel and Sarah ( Harbor) Graham. His father was born in Penn- sylvania, and when a young man went to Colum-

bus, Ohio, and a few years later to Fleming county Kentucky, where he was married to Sarah IIarbor, who was born in Kentucky. He moved to Sangamon county in the fall of 1826; and in the spring of 1827 moved to a farm three and a half miles east of Springfield, between Sugar creek and South Fork of the Sangamon river, and there continued to farm until his death, which occurred on this farm. His mother died in Springfield, this county. The subject of this sketch received but a common school education while residing with his parents upon the farm. He was married September 25, 1848, to Elizabeth A. Branch, by whom he had eight children, five of which died under the age of five years. Those now living are Nancy E., now married to Isaac Troxell, George E., and Rebecca E., unmarried. After the marriage of Mr. G. he lived on the farm on Fork Prairie, and then moved to the old homestead, where he at present lives, and owns four hundred and forty acres of land, which is under a good state of cultivation, and worth $75 per acre, besides one hundred and forty acres in Christian county, Illinois, which is worth $45 per acre. His wife is a member of the Christian Church. Politically he is a Democrat. Has lived longer on this prairie than any other man.

Nicholas Haynes, was born in Chilicothe, Ross county, Ohio, March 7, 1815; son of Henry and Priscilla (McIntire) Haynes. His father was a native of Little York, Pennsylvania, and his mother of Virginia; both died in Ross county, Ohio. The subject of this sketch received only a common school education in the old-fashioned log school house, and was raised on a farm. He was married in 1840 to Elizabeth MeCarty, who was born in Ross county, Ohio. They have had ten children, viz: Henry, Charlotte, (now Mrs. Reynolds) William, Emily, Nicholas, Asbury, Mary, Ellen, Isabella and John. A son, Lewis, died from injuries received by a runaway horse while raking hay. In the fall of 1865, he moved to Sangamon county and located on German Prairie, where he lived two years, and then to Round Prairie, where he resided for about six years, then to the present farm where he now owns two hundred and forty acres of land which is under good cultivation, well improved, and worth about $75 per acre. His farm is situated on the banks of the Sangamon river, and for water facilities can not be excelled. He had one son in the late war, in the One Hundred and Fourteenth Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, who served three years. In politics, he is a Re- publican.

HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

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Wm. B. Hicks, a miller, in Rochester, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, July 29, 1849, son of John and Elizabeth (Speck) Hicks. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of Maryland. He was a merchant, but the latter part of his life was spent as a clerk in Washington county, Maryland, and died No- vember 28, 1869. His mother yet resides in Maryland.

The subject of this sketch received a common school education in Maryland, and was raised a farmer until seventeen years of age, working as a farm hand; he then entered a mill as an ap- prentice, in which he served three years, after which he continued in the same occupation in Maryland for about one year. He was married November 2, 1871, to Maria Ruthrauff, who was born in Pennsylvania, in 1851, and in the spring of 1852, he came to Sangamon county and en- gaged in milling in the city of Springfield; from there he went to the town of Breckenridge, where he engaged in the same business, running the water-mill and steam-mill both at the same time. Here he carried on milling until July 1, 1880, when he came to Rochester village, where he and a Mr. Breckenridge formed a partnership in the milling business, running the mill there and also one in the town of Athens, Menard county, Illinois, purchasing wheat of the farmers around about. Their mills have a capacity of fifty barrels of flour per day. He has three children: Harvey E., Wm. R. and Grace M. HIe is a member of the Lutheran Church, in the city of Springfield. Politically, he is a Demo- crat.

Charles F. Humphreys, son of Alexander B. V. and Nancy R. Humphreys, was born Febru- ary 3, 1833, in Woodside township, Sangamon county, three and a half miles southeast of Springfield, on the farm now owned by Joseph Shepherd. His school advantages were very limited, but every opportunity was used to a good advantage. On March 26, 1850, he, with his parents moved to what afterwards became South Fork township, Christian county. On August 5, 1861, he enlisted as private in Battery C, Second Regiment, Illinois Light Artillery. He passed through all the grades of promotion up to Senior First Lieutenant, and was commis- sioned for that office June 25, 1864, but was not mustered as First Lieutenant. Was detached as acting ordnance officer of Fort Donelson, Tennessee, serving about one year. Was relieved about the first of April, 1865, and appointed Adjutant of the regiment, which position he filled with marked ability until mustered out

August 5, 1865. After being honorably dis- charged from the service he returned to his home in Christian county, where he remained until January 19, 1875, at which time he was married to Miss Jane L. Williams, daughter of Sammel Williams, who was born in Sangamon county, June 1, 1835. After his marriage, he bought a part of the farm of Samnel Williams, his father- In-law, containing the homestead and lying two miles southeast of Rochester, Sangamon county. He moved on this farm immediately after his marriage, and has lived with his father-in-law and his sister-in-law, and has since bought the remainder of the two hundred acres on which they live. Mr. Humphreys has been a member of the Christian Church nearly four years. In politics, he is a Republican, and cast his first Presidential vote for John C. Fremont, the first Republican candidate for President. During his residence in Christian county, he held several important township offices, and is now one of the school trustees of Rochester township. Mr. Humphreys is six feet two and a half inches tall and is well proportioned ; his standing weight is two hundred and fifteen pounds. He is a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity, holding his mem- bership at the present time in Taylorville, in the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Council.

Frank G. Horning, born in Baden, Germany, August 15, 1830; son of Jacob and Christena (Borrell) Horning, who were natives of Baden, Germany, and both are dead. The subject of this sketch received a common school education in Germany, and was raised on a farm. At the age of twenty-two he emigrated to America, and landed in New Orleans. From thence he went to St. Louis, and thence to Morgan county, Illinois, where he engaged as a faim hand for Samuel Westfield. Thence he came to Sanga- mon county, and located in the town of Roches- ter, where he engaged as farm hand for Samuel Jones and John Highmore. He was married in 1856 to Frances Mitchell, who was born in Ken- tucky in 1837. They have had thirteen children, eleven of whom are now living: Christena A., James F., Laura A., Frank J., John S., Lucinda C., Wm. Riley, George I., Otto, Bessie M. Robert and Viola have died. He now owns one hundred and six acres of land in Rochester township, which is under a fair state of cultiva- tion, and worth $50 per acre. Politically he is Democratic.

John Johnson, a farmer, of Rochester, was born in Rochester township, Sangamon county, October 23, 1828, a son of Andrew and Mary (Williams) Johnson. His father was from Scot-

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land, and his mother of Vermont. His father died when he was but three years of age, and his mother when he was fourteen.

The subject of this sketch received a common school education, and was raised on a farm; left to his own resources at an early day, he labored by the day and month, as employment offered, putting forth an unusual amount of energetic industry to maintain himself, and also to lay by something for future need. He devoted his time industriously to farm labor, and in March, 1849, married Phoebe Bell, born November 1, 1830, the daughter of Robert and Susannah (Baker) Bell. By this marriage they had five children: Isaiah B., John A., Minnie S., Lovina J. and Robert S., who died in infancy. His wife died February 17, 1871, and for his second wife he married Teresa Taff, June 13, 1873, who was born Octo- ber 21, 1846, near Mechanicsburg. He is now the owner of three hundred and eighty acres of land, which is under good cultivation, and worth $50 per acre. He and his family are members of the Christian Church, at South Fork. Politi- cally he is a Republican.

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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 169

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