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 174

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 174

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).

Harrison D. Lyon was born May 17, 1815, in Shelbyville, Kentucky, and is the son of Henson and Nancy Lyon, nee McCann. His father was born July 28, 1790, in Loudon county, Virginia, and was taken, about 1800, to Clarke county, Kentucky. His mother was Nancy McCann, born January 8, 1795, in Clarke county, Ken- tucky, and they were there married, August 10, 1814. They moved to Shelbyville, where they had a family of nine children, and from there they moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriv- ing October, 1834, in what was then called Port- land, south of the Sangamon river, and seven miles northeast of Springfield, where one child

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

was born. In March, 1835, they moved to a farm two and one-half miles east of Springfield, where they resided until their death. His mother died December 5, 1845, and his father, September 29, 1867. The subject of this sketch received a common school education, and was raised on a farm; came to this county with his father, and was married, April 6, 1843, to Mary E. Hick- man. Their family consists of four children: Mary E., William H., married March 12, 1874, to Sarah A. Day, who was born in New York; Euclid F. and James F.

William H. Marsh was born December 15, 1804, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania; son of Reuben and Ann (Benjamin) Marsh, both of whom died in Pennsylvania. He was married in the city of Lancaster, May 14, 1829, to Lydia Brady, who was born April 7, 1810, in Chester county Pennsylvania, and they had two children, Lucy A., now Mrs. Mitchell Graham, and De- Witt C. Mrs. Marsh died July 24, 1835, and April 9, 1835, Mr. Marsh married Mary Lytle, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who was born March 17, 1808. Their four children are Lydia C., Martha A., now Mrs. Charles Reed; Isabel and Delia, now Mrs. Albert Gennings. Mr. Marsh moved his family to this county, arriving May 15, 1837, and was engaged by the State House Commissioners, as foreman in the erection of that edifice, under the direction of the architect. He occupied this position a part of 1837, all of 1838, and a portion of 1839. He was next em- ployed as foreman on the abutments of the bridge at the Sangamon river for the Northern Cross Railroad, now the Wabash and Pacific road, at Riverton. When gold was discovered on the Pacific coast, Mr. Marsh attempted to go to California, but became disabled at the Rocky Mountains and returned. He was keeper of the Sangamon County Poor House two years, ter- minating the fall of 1859; then moved upon his farm, situated two and one-half miles north of Springfield; the farm consists of eighty acres, worth $150 an acre. He has for many years been an active member of the school board, and a strong supporter of the free-school system; he is also a member of the First Presbyterian Church at Springfield, and politically is a Re- publican.

Thomas L. McKinnie was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, February 4, 1808; son of Lewis and Nancy (Saunders) McKinnie. He came to this county with his parents in Novem- ber, 1826, and located on the farm where he has since resided. He was married August 27, 1840, to Sarah A. M. Jones, who was born in

Virginia October 16, 1819. They have five children: Mary E., now Mrs. W. F. Helvety; William L., Henry H., Columbia A., Julia F. Mr. McK. owns one hundred and seventy-five acres of land which is worth $75 an acre. He is a member of the Baptist Church at Bethel, and is a Republican.

William P. McKinnie, brother of the preced- ing, was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, May 20, 1810; came to this county November 15, 1826; commenced at once to build a house four miles northwest of Springfield, and moved into it in February, 1827, where he continued to reside until his death, October 7, 1841; and his wife October 8, 1843. William P., the subject of this sketch, was brought up on a farm, obtain- ing his education in the common subscription schools. He was married, May 12, 1839, to Sarah J. Threlkeld, who was born October 16, 1817, in Shelby county, Kentucky, and came to this county in 1832. They have had ten children: Mary A., now Mrs. William A. Montgomery; Thomas L. S., Lucy J., now Mrs. Charles H. Judd; Sarah E., now Mrs. Joseph E. Corbin; William A., Virgil W., Nancy E., now Mrs. John W. Taylor; Harriet M., now Mrs. Isaac Ilazlett, and Charles E. Mr. McKiunie com- menced plowing at the age of ten years, and has followed farming all his life; has done plowing every season since he commenced till this season (1881). He also writes and reads easily, with- out glasses. He now owns eighty acres of land, besides having given some three hundred acres of land to his children, and aided them in estab- lishing homes for themselves. He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church, and he is a Republican in politics.

Samuel H. Reid, Jr., (deceased) was born May 20, 1818, in Warren county, Kentucky, and came with his father to this county. Was mar- ried October 20, 1846, to Elizabeth Davis, and their family consisted of three children. His occupation was a farmer, which he continued up to his death. His widow still resides on the home farm, three miles west of Springfield, Illinois, on the old farm settled by his father in 1827.

Samuel H. Reid, Sr., (deceased) was born in 1781, near Richmond, Virginia. His parents moved, when he was a young man, to Davidson county, Tennessee, near President Jackson's country seat, the Hermitage; and from there to Warren county, Kentucky. While visiting his brother, Judge Alexander Reid, at Shelbyville, Samuel H., became acquainted with Elizabeth

HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

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Roberts. They were there married, and lived near Bowling Green, Warren county, until six children were born. Mrs. Reid and three of the children died there. Mr. Reid was married in Warren county to Jane Gott, and moved at once to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving in Sep- tember, 1827, and settled on a farm he had pre- viously purchased, three miles west of Spring- field, where they had four children, seven in all, viz: Samuel H., Sarah T., (twins), David A., Adaline, William M., Lucinda and James.

Samuel H. Reid, Sr., was a ruling elder in the church organized by Rev. John G. Bergen, the first ever organized in Springfield, now the First Presbyterian Church. He afterwards became a ruling elder in the Second Presbyterian Church, and continued to the end of his life. He died September, 1836, and his widow died sixteen days later, both in Sangamon county.

Simon P. Rickard was born in Fauquier county, Virginia, October 16, 1821, son of Peter and Elizabeth (Everhart) Rickard, natives also of Virginia, who, in the fall of 1830, moved to this county, settling in what is now the southeast corner of Gardner township, where they con- tinued on a farm until their death, the latter in January, 1858, and the former September 17, 1860. The subject of this sketch was eight years old when he came to this county; was raised on a farm and received his education in the common schools. November 12, 1846, he married Sophia J. Ernst, who was born August 24, 1823, in Vir- ginia. They have had seven children, of whom four are now living, viz: Laura E., now Mrs. Edwin Watts; Helen M., now Mrs. Sidney French; Thomas E., and Alletta E. The three deceased are George E., Anna J. and Susan C. Mr. R. owns seven hundred acres of land, in good condition, worth $75 an acre. He is a Pres- byterian and a Republican.

Charles F. Watson was born in the town of Cannon, Connecticut, October 23, 1827; son of William and Julia E. ( Elmore ) Watson, natives also of Connecticut, and both deceased; mother died in 1830. Charles attended common school, and two years at the Berkshire county ( Connec- ticut) academy; he was brought up on a farm; at the age of seventeen he taught school; then clerked in a store; in 1852 he went with ox-teams to California. He returned in 1854, when he re- entered railroad business, on the Illinois Central line; two years afterward he bought three bun- dred and eighty acres of land near Springfield, and began farming. In 1876, he married Saman- tha A. White, who was born in Piqua county, Ohio, the daughter of Wellington and Mary Ann

( Primmer) White. Mr. and Mrs. Watson's chil- dren are Georgia May, Alice C., Charles W., and Douglas. Mr. W. has held the township offices of supervisor and road commissioner, and is a Democrat.

C. L. Whitcomb, of the firm of Tisdale & Whitcomb, was born at Stockbridge, Windsor county, Vermont, June 18, 1827, where he at- tended school and worked on his father's farm until twenty-one years of age, when he went into the mercantile business for himself at Brookfield, Orange county, Vermont. On Feb- ruary 5, 1856, he married Miss Marcella Kilburn. She was born in Union Village, Vermont. She was a daughter of Nathaniel Kilburn, born near Union Village, Vermont. He was a farmer, and died about 1835. His wife, Sophia Powers, was born also in Vermont. She was a member of the M. E. Church, and is still living at Union Village, Vermont. In the spring of 1857, C. L. Whitcomb came to Illinois and settled near Maroa, where he farmed six years, then in 1865, came to Springfield and bought property on Monroe street, between Eleventh and Twelfth; remained here two years, then moved to Wil- mington, Illinois, and opened the Braidwood coal mine, now owned by the Chicago and Wilming- ton Coal Company. He was director and super- intendent for that company. In the spring of 1877, he came to Springfield and entered into a partnership with H. T. Tisdale, in the Sanga- mon County Dairy. They bought out H. H. Hawley, and now have their dairy just outside the city limits, southeast of the city, where they have the largest and most complete dairy in the county. They are farming over eight hundred acres, on which they keep a hundred cows for milking, and where they raise horses, cattle and hogs. They raise and keep the Short Horn grade of cows for dairy purposes. Mr. and Mrs. Whitcomb have five children, viz: Nellie, Belle, Louie, Harry and Natty. Mr. Whitcomb resides on the dairy farm. In politics he is a Democrat, and cast his first vote for James K. Polk, for President. The father of C. L. Whit- comb, Chamberlain Whitcomb, was born in Stockbridge, Vermont. He was a farmer. He held many offices in his township. In politics he was a Democrat, and died January, 1873. His wife, Eliza Taggard, was born in Stockbridge, Vermont. She is the mother of six children, four living. Mr. Whitcomb's mother is now in her seventy-seventh year, a hale and hearty old lady. Mr. C. L. Whitcomb is the present treas- surer of Commissioners of Highways, in Wood- side township.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

TOWNSHIP OF TALKINGTON AND VILLAGE OF LOWDER.

The township of Talkington is situated in the southwestern part of the county, and was so named in honor of Job Talkington, one of the earliest settlers. The township comprises town- ship thirteen, lying in ranges seven and eight, and has thirty-six whole and three fractional sec- tions. The township was not generally so early settled as other parts of the county for the reason that the greater part of it is prairie, and from the further fact that speculators and others were deceived in regard to the location of the land. Being in Sangamon county the idea was that the lands would be subject to entry from the Spring- field Land Office, whereas the record was in the land office at Edwardsville. The township now is regarded as one of the best in the county, was long considered by the early settlers as worth- less, except for grazing purposes. The vast prairie would be fine for herding cattle, but being so far from timber it could never be settled. So reasoned all the early settlers, many of whom settled upon the poorest land to be found because it was in the timber. The rich prairies of Sang- amon county for many years were uncultivated, save a few acres immediately adjoining a piece of timber. Many amusing incidents are related of how the early settlers avoided the prairie.

One of the first settlers of the township was William Eustace, who settled in the northwest- ern part about the year 1835. From 1838 to 1840, a settlement was made near the central part, by Abijah Pete, Theodore Watson, Asahel Coe and Hezekiah S. Gold. John Allsbury, Jacob Leonard, Daniel Leach, Debt Calhoun and a man by the name of Broady, made a settlement on John's creek, somewhere between 1840 and 1845. After this the township continued to set- tle up slowly, until after the Mexican War, when

a number of land warrants were laid. About this time came in Elisha Tanner, Ephriam Wem- ple, Wm. T. Blaney, Americus Blaney, Joseph Talkington, Michael Summer, James A. Sum- mer, Henry Summer, Richard Fisher, David Haddix, Geo. W. Lowder, Enoch Haddix, Wm. L. Deatherage, Wm. Post and others.

From this time forward the township settled up rapidly, until at the present time it is about all under fence, and under a high state of culti- vation. No better body of land can be found, and no farms are in a better state of cultivation, than those in Talkington. The land is high and rolling, giving a splendid drainage without being much broken. John's creek heads near the cen- ter of the township, and runs a little east of north. The soil of this township is exceedingly rich, averaging about three feet in depth. The greater part of the land is included in a kind of elevated plateau, lying between Sugar and Apple creeks.

EDUCATIONAL.

The township of Talkington was settled at too late a day to boast much of the traditional log school houses, dimly lighted and well venti- lated, but primitively rude buildings, though the first building for school purposes was of that material, and erected in 1851, but at the time at which it was built, glass window lights had taken the place of greased paper.

The first school in what is now Talkington township was in the upper story of the dwelling house of Charles Hoppins, and was taught by Miss Parsons. There are now six good school houses in the township.

RELIGIOUS. .

The first minister of the gospel to preach "Christ and Him crucified" in Talkington town-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

ship, is unknown. Several ministers of different denominations came in about the same time. Among the first was John Allsbury, and services were first held in private dwellings and then in the school house. The brethren of the Methodist Episcopal Church were the first to organize and erect a house of worship, which they did in 1867. It was located on the north-

west corner of section twenty-one, about two and a half miles from the present village of Lowder. There are now two churches in the township. Living within convenient distance of the village of Virden, in Macoupin county, Waverly, in Morgan county, and Auburn, in Sangamon, the people have church privileges in abundance, and at their liking.

ORGANIC.

Talkington township, as an organic body, was set apart by a commission appointed by the Board of Justices of Sangamon county in 1861, and its first election for township officers was held in April of that year. The following named served in the several offices given, and for the time mentioned: James E. Dodd, Supervisor; Ben- jamin F. Workman, Assessor; William P. Camp- bell, Collector; Robert D. Smith, Clerk ; John R. Spires and J. W. Lowder, Justices of the Peace.

VILLAGE OF LOWDER.

George W. Lowder purchased a tract of land in and became a citizen of Sangamon county, and what is now Talkington township, in 1850. A sketch of Mr. Lowder will appear in connec- tion with this chapter. In March, 1872, Mr. Lowder had surveyed and platted a new village, comprising a portion of the northwestern quarter of section twenty-six, township thirteen, range seven west. To this village was given the name of Lowder, in honor of its founder. It is sit- uated on the line of the Jacksonville and South- eastern Railroad, and is twenty-five miles from Jacksonville.

The location of the village is an excellent one, and it is surrounded by as fine a country as can be found in Sangamon county, or the State.

The first building erected here was in the summer of 1872, when James McCormick erected a store-room and dwelling combined.

The first stores were occupied in the fall of 1872, by George W. Cox and William White, and in June, 1873, Mathew Lowder opened a store. Sanford Peck succeeded Cox & White. He sold to John W. Gray, and Mr. Lowder sold to Howard & Co.

In the same year the village was laid out, a petition was unanimously signed and forwarded

to the post office department for the establish- ment of an office at this point. The application was favorably received, the office established and Charles Cowan was appointed postmaster. Mr. Cowan subsequently died and Sanford Peck was appointed to fill the vacancy. John W. Gray was next appointed and served for a short time, and was succeeded by William H. Beatty, the present incumbent.

The village of Lowder has now about two hundred inhabitants, and has a flourishing Metho- dist Episcopal Church, two blacksmith shops, a wagon shop and a store for the sale of general merchandise and two groceries.

At the depot is a large elevator for grain, of which a large quantity, two hundred and twenty- five cars, is annually shipped. W. H. Beatty is now, and has been for years, the resident buyer and shipper of grain. Mr. Beatty was also the first agent of the railroad company up to October 1, 1881. W. S. Warner is now agent.

The Methodist Episcopal Church building was erected in 1874, and is a neat frame house of worship, thirty by fifty feet. The class was organ- ized in the winter of 1873-4. The regular services are held every two weeks, with Rev. A. C. Byerly as pastor. A prosperous Sunday school is held during the summer of each year.

William H. Beatty, Lowder, Illinois, was born in New York, December 28, 1837. When about eleven years old, he came to Illinois and lived on a farm in Jersey county some nine years, when he came to this county, in the fall of 1857, and settled on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, his father had entered in 1849, for $120. In 1866, the subject of this sketch bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres near Prospect, and went to farming for himself. In March, 1872, he sold his farm, and came to Lowder, built an elevator, and has bought and shipped grain since; has been postmaster since May 15, 1879; is agent for the Jacksonville & Southeast- ern Railroad and the United States Express Company; is a member of the I. O. O. F., Au- burn Lodge, No. 543. In politics, he is a Re- publican. He was married to Mary J. Chris- topher, March 8, 1866. She was born in Jersey county, Illinois, the daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Fisher) Christopher, natives of Ohio. The father of Wm. H. Beatty was Francis Beatty, who was born in Ireland, County of Cavan. He came to America in 1837, and settled in New York City. His wife, Sarah, nee Argue, was also a native of Ireland, County of Monaghan. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which denomination William H.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

Beatty and wife were also members. They have a family of three sons, viz .: Francis, William, and Edward S. Mr. Beatty owns a blacksmith shop, six lots, and a nice dwelling in Loami, where he resides. He has held numerous offices in his township; was justice of the peace four years.

William W. Brian was born October 13, 1827, near Waverly, Illinois. IIe remained on the farm with his father until he was eighteen years of age, when he bought an interest in a saw-mill, located in Macoupin county, four miles southeast of Palmyra, on Day's Prairie. June 25, 1856, he was married to Miss Ellen Duncan, who was born April 1, 1838, daughter of William Duncan, born in Kentucky, and who was in the Black Hawk war. Her mother was Clementine French, born in Kentucky. The father of William W. Brian, James Brian was born in Kentucky and came to Illinois in the fall of 1832. He was in the Black Hawk war. In politics, he was a Dem- ocrat. He died August 3, 1858. IIis wife, Eliz- abeth Stanley, was also born in Kentucky. Mrs. and Mr. W. H. Brian have had twelve children, eleven of whom are living, eight boys and four girls, viz: Adelia, Authur, Archie, Alvin, Al- fred, Athen, Alvardo, Anderson, William, Nora, Eva and Lucy. Mrs. William Brian is a mem- ber of the Methodist Church at Prospect. Mr. Brian has his farm of five hundred and sixty acres under a high state of cultivation.

Leander M. Bumgarner, deceased, was born in North Carolina, November 14, 1819, where he was married to Elizabeth (Lowdermilk) Bum- garner, April 14, 1848; she was born in North Carolina January 30, 1824. She was a daughter of William Lowdermilk and Lavina (Robnet) Lowdermilk, who were natives of North Caro- lina. In the fall of 1850, Mr. Bumgarner came with his young wife to Illinois, and settled in Morgan county, and in 1858 came to Sangamon county, and settled in Talkington township; he came to Illinois with only limited means but by hard work and close application to business had accumulated at his death, which occurred March 17, 1881, a fine farm of three hundred and ten acres. in section thirteen, Talkington township, where his wife and children reside; he was a member of the board of supervisors for two years, and respected by all who knew him, he and his wife had a family of twelve children, viz: Michael L., who married and resides on Lick creek; William T. born in Illinois, Novem- ber 27, 1846, married Miss Mary Loveless, December 30, 1869; she was a daughter of Wil- liam and Mary A. (Beli) Loveless, and was born

in Macoupin county, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. T. Bumgarner are members of the Baptist Church, and have had four children, two living, viz: Maria A., and Samuel L. Mr. Wm. Bum- garner is a member of the Masonic lodge at Vir- den, Illinois; after William was Winfield S., who married Jennie, daughter of Amons and Atha J. (Organ) West; Amanda J., Augustus, Leander M., Jane J., Mollie E., now the wife of James Clayton; Libbie E., Thomas S., and Leafy S. The family are members of the Bap- tist Church.

William P. Campbell, Talkington township, section eleven, was born April 7, 1846, near Loami; lived there until he was twenty-five years of age, when he married Miss Sarah Dodd, who was born in Bradley county, Tennessee, December 11, 1846; he then bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Talkington town- ship, section eleven, where he now lives. Mr. C. and wife have had four children, three of whom are living, one boy and two girls. He is a member of the Masonic lodge, No. 354, at Auburn, Illinois; has been township collector since 1879, and school director of the John's Creek school for the past nine years. In politics he is a Democrat. He and wife are members of the. South Fork M. E. Church. Ilis father, William P. Campbell, Sr., was of Scotch descent. He was sergeant in the Black Hawk war, and died August 24, 1868. His wife was Miss Elizabeth Carson, born in Sangamon county, December 25, 1825, of Scotch descent. She is still living on the old homestead in Loami town- ship. The father of Mrs. Wm. P. Campbell, was Charles Dunn, who was born in Knox county, Tennessee, June 19, 1811. He came to Sangamon county at an early day, and settled on a farm in Loami township, where he still resides; he is a member of the Masonic Lodge, No. 354, at Auburn. His wife was Mary T. Jones, born in North Carolina February 5, 1815. They were married February 24, 1831, and had a family of twelve children.

George Evans Cole, M. D., at Lowder, Illi- nois, was born near Tiflin, Ohio, March 3, 1848. He remained on the farm with his father until he was of age; he attended college at Tiffin until 1873, when he came to Illinois, and taught school in Montgomery and Sangamon counties until 1876, when he commenced the study of medicine under Dr. Spaulding, at Virden, Illi- nois; he graduated and received his diploma at Cleveland, Ohio, February, 28, 1879. He then came to Lowder, Illinois, where he commenced the practice of medicine. His father, Elisha

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

Cole, was born November 28, 1801, in Fairfield county, Ohio; in politics, he was a Democrat, and a member of the M. E. Church; he died in February, 1880; his wife, Priscilla (Evans) Cole, was born in Virginia; she is still living, in Seneca county, Ohio, and is a member of the M. E. Church. George Cole is a Mason, being a member of Eden Lodge, No. 310, in Eden town- ship, Seneca county, Ohio. In politics the Doc- tor is a Republican.

Charles Cowen, was born in New Hampshire, November 27, 1829. He was a son of John and Mary (Cory) Cowen, of that State. Charles Cowen came to Illinois and settled in this county in December, 1852, when he bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He was married to Miss Cynthia E. Keller, September 4, 1851, at Jerseyville, Illinois. They had eight children. Mr. Cowen was a Republican in poli- tics, and the first postmaster at Lowder. He was a member of the M. E. Church. He died April 6, 1874. Cynthia E. Cowen was born at Jerseyville, Illinois, February 8, 1832. She is living with her family on the old homestead; has her farm well stocked, and all under good culti- vation. Her father, William Keller, was born in 1801. Mrs. Cowen says when she first came to Sangamon county the prairie had a wild ap- pearance, the settlers being very far apart. They went to Waverly to mill. Their first church was at the log school house, which was a very small building, door and ceiling very low, and the tall people had to bow their heads to get inside. Bird England was the first preacher. He had about twelve members, of different denominations. This church, or log school house stood where Prospect now is. Their second preacher was Balden, who preached there a short time, they having no regular preacher in those times. Balden was a very tall man, and a loud talker, a regular old school Methodist. The room being small, the members had no trouble in hearing him. He traveled as circuit rider, going from settlement to settlement. Mrs. Cowen's family are as fol- lows: Mrs. Laura A. Hamel, living in Kansas; John C., also in Kansas; Wilburn E., Frank W., Rosa J. Minnie E., Lizzie M. and James S.

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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 174

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