USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, Illinois : a tale of its evolution, settlement and progress for nearly a century, Volume I > Part 30
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George W. Hoskins was born three and one-half miles southwest of George- town, near the Little Vermilion river, February 20, 1830. His father, Azariah Hoskins, came to Vermilion County in 1825, by flatboat front their home in Virginia, down the Ohio river to Cairo, in Illinois, where they took wagons and came to Vermilion County. It took several weeks for them to make this trip. Mr. Hoskins, the father of George W. Hoskins (who was born in Ver- milion County) settled on what was known as the Helt Prairie, and later re- moved to the vicinity of Georgetown in the timber, and married Sarah Swisher. When George W. Hoskins was about a year old his father moved to what is known as the Walnut Grove, or where Rossville is now located. He had bought a tract of land there and it did seem to be very near to the end of
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the settlements. There was only one family living in the grove and only one white family living between their house and Chicago, which was better known as Fort Dearborn. Danville had only one store in it at that time. George Hoskins never had any but home-made clothing, up to the time he was twenty years old. The material from which his garments were made was the product of his mother's spinning wheel and loom, and the cut and making was her work as well. When he was twenty years old he hought some cloth, hired a tailor to cut it, and had a neighbor woman sew it. They had no matches but hunted punk in the woods and made a fire by using flint and tow. This fire was care- fully kept, and if by any misfortune it should go out, someone must run to the neighbors and borrow a little on the shovel. The corn they raised was worth ten cents per bushel and other produce corresponding in price. He mar- ried Mary E. Gritton, who was born in Indiana in 1850, and afterward bought a farm in Ross township for which he paid $6 per acre. Mr. Hoskins was the parent of six children who lived to maturity and others who died in infancy. All of their children married and settled within six miles of them; they had bought the old home farm in 1867. Mr. Hoskins has served as tax collector and school director and been identified with the building of churches and schools in that neighborhood.
James S. Sconce was born at Brooks Point November 14, 1831. There was no citizen of Vermilion County better known or more respected than this son. His father was Samuel Sconce and his mother Nancy (Walters) Sconce. Mr. Sconce came to Vermilion County in 1829, and here found Nancy Waters, who had come with her parents to near Brooks Point the previous year. James Sconce had one brother and one sister. These children were early taught in- dustry, and James lived on the farm until he was twenty-four years old, when he went into the store of Sconce & Bailey, drawing a salary of three hundred dollars per year. In 1859 he went to Kansas and preempted 160 acres of land, which, after a time, he traded for land in Illinois. It was when he began feeding cattle for himself that his fortune began. James Sconce, it is said, was the best feeder in Vermilion County, and no one has ever excelled him. His judgment was good and he seemed to know instinctively how to proceed. He married the only daughter of Harvey Sodowsky, the well known short- horn breeder of Vermilion County, and the man to whom a debt of gratitude is die as having introduced shorthorn cattle into this section. After his mar- riage, Mr. Sconce lived for one year in the home of his father-in-law, after which he located on the farm which has been made famous because of what he and his wife and son have done to improve it. At the suggestion of Mrs. Sconce, the name of Fairview has been given the farm, and each year it has grown more appropriate by reason of improvements made. Mr. Sconce bought and fed cattle and swine and rapidly accumulated a fortune. At his death in 1888, Mr. Sconce was estimated to be worth from $200,000 to $300,000, every cent of which he had accumulated by farming and stock raising. The memory of this good man has not dimmed, and now he is spoken of to strangers in terms of praise not often given. His life was simple, his methods straight- forward, his manner gentle. He was kind-hearted to those in distress, gener- ous to the poor, indulgent to the weak, and charitable to the erring. Mr.
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Sconce was a man of pleasing appearance, tall with keen blue eyes. He was a man who would naturally have many friends; he was popular and worthy the friendship of any man. He took great interest in matters educational, and particularly made the Wesleyan University his charge, making generous pro- vision for its welfare. He was ever ready to help any struggling young man who was trying to help himself, and in his death such as they lost a friend in- deed. In brief, Mr. Sconce proved by his life that he was a man any county might be proud to call son.
Mrs. Sconce, the wife of James Sconce, was herself a daughter of Ver- milion County, of whom no less can be said. She was the only child of Harvey Sowdusky, and by reason of her lifelong wealth might have indulged herself in any luxury possible, but her disposition was otherwise, and she has lived in a spirit of unselfish helpfulness to others that is as rare as it is admirable. She makes her home on the well loved "Fairview" farm, which she shares with her only son, Harvey. Her works of kindness are many, and her chari- ties extended. Her home is ever the home of the preachers of the. Methodist church, and to her any good cause appeals and receives her aid. Mr. and Mrs. Sconce were the parents of two children. The daughter became the wife of Mr. Will Cathcart, who is a banker of Sidell and lives at that short distance from her mother and brother. Harvey Sconce, the brother, has proven that he is as capable of the management of Fairview as the son of James Sconce and the grandson of Harvey Sowdusky should be.
Jonathan Pratt and Nancy Stevens, natives of Indiana, both of them met and were married in Danville and began their married life at Brooks Point, but afterward moved from there into the Big Vermilion district. While liv- ing there Mr. Pratt enlisted in the Illinois Rangers, soon after the Black Hawk war, while yet they were located about Danville. He proved himself a fear- less soldier, when he was taken ill with cholera near Galena and died within six days of the expiration of his term of enlistment. This couple were the parents of two children, a son and a daughter of Vermilion County. Thomas, the son, was the youngest and was born at Brooks Point, as was his sister. When he reached manhood he, living in Brooks Point and the vicinity of the Big Vermilion, having received as good an education as was possible at that time, went off for himself, and for one year was a butcher in Danville. He was also interested in a market in that city. He afterward went to Westville, in Georgetown township, and was buying and shipping grain from that point for five years. For the next fifteen or more years he bought and shipped stock of all kinds. He lived in Georgetown township until 1880, when he went to Catlin township, having bought the farm of Mr. Sandusky. Mr. Pratt mar- ried Miss Nancy Scott in Brooks Point in 1851. She was a daughter of Ver- milion County, and was born in Brooks Point January 23, 1829. She died at Brooks Point December 5, 1870. Mr. Pratt afterward married Miss Mary E. Clayton. He was the father of ten children. Mr. Pratt has always been `à man of unsullied reputation and a creditable citizen of the county.
Amos Smith Williams, the son of Amos Williams, the man who held all the offices in Danville at the time of its first being, was a prominent citizen of Vermilion County for many years. He was born in Danville August 22, 1831,
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in the home place on South Walnut street. He was one of six children, all but one of whom were born in Danville. The exception was the oldest child, a daughter, Maria Louise, who was born at Butlers Point. Amos Smith Wil- liams or "Smith" Williams, as he was better known, went to school in Dan- ville, and when he was ready for the higher studies, he went to Paris, Illinois. He spent seven years in California, at the expiration of which he came to Dan- ville and opened a hardware store. He was later interested in a queensware store and in the coal interests, and the last years of his life he was retired from all business cares. He had accumulated mnuch property, besides that which he had inherited from his father's estate, and left his family with means of a luxurious living. He was associated with many interests of the city, and in most of them he was successful. He was instrumental in establishing the Iron Wagon Works and the starch factory, also a box factory, and he was vice president of the first street car company organized in Danville. Mr. Wil- liams was a man of rare business sagacity, and energy to put through an en- terprise when his judgment showed it to be a good one. He was wise in worldly works, and besides, was a man of the kindest heart, whom to know was to admire. Mr. Williams died February 14, 1891. In 1860, Mr. Wil- liams married Miss Sarah Jane, a daughter of George Greyson, a pioneer of Vermilion County, who came in the early thirties. Miss Greyson was herself a daughter of Vermilion County, she having been born in Danville, October 19. 1835. Mr. and Mrs. Williams were the parents of five children, all boys but one. One of these children died in infancy. Of the others, Lynne, the oldest, became the wife of Well Beckwith and always lived across the street from her mother. Carroll has always lived with his mother, a devoted son. Mr. Williams and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church in their younger life, but in later days Mr. Williams became very much in- terested in the Episcopal church, and went into its communion; but Mrs. Wil- liams never left the church of her youth.
Diadama ( Bloomfield) Atwood is a daughter of Vermilion County, whom all who know her life, love to honor. She was born in Pilot township in 1832, and has always lived there. Her father, Samuel Bloomfield, came to Vermilion County a pioneer, and became the father of twelve children. Mrs. Atwood was taught to read and write and whatever more was possible to crowd into the schools, which were in session only during the winter months about the neighborhood. After her father died she bought the old home place of ninety-two acres, and she secured forty acres through the division of the estate. They lived on the home farm and Mr. Atwood not only supervised its management, but was also a preacher in the Christian church. Mr. Atwood enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Illinois Infantry, under the command of Colonel Harmon and Capt. Vinson, but he was not in any battle, yet his health was so completely undermined that he came home and died in less than six weeks from the exposure of the army life. Mrs. Atwood has lived her life since, a widow indeed, spending her time in the care of their children and grandchildren and in useful work. Her youngest child was but four years old when Mr. Atwood died, so that her task of rearing these little ones was no light one. When Mr. Atwood died the farm consisted of 160
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acres of land, but before the property was divided she had increased it to such an extent that there were three hundred and seventy-two acres. She gave each of her children forty acres and kept one hundred for herself, upon which she lives, and besides this has other farms elsewhere. She has been prosperous and at one time has fed more than forty head of cattle. She deserves much credit for her pluck and good management of her affairs.
Daniel Brewer was born on the 5th of September, 1832, on a farm four miles northeast of Danville, in Vermilion County. He was a son of Richard Brewer, and his wife, Christina (Roderick) Brewer. Daniel Brewer spent his boyhood's days on the farm, and went to school near Danville at what was known as the Lamb district school. Mr. Brewer was married to Mariah Cun- ningham, who was a native of Clinton County, Indiana. They were the parents of eight children but all but three died in childhood. Mr. Brewer sold his farm and bought in Jamaica township, on section 30. His memory of Danville is when it was a hamlet of a few houses of round logs in one of which his sister Mary was born. The land on which the city of Danville was built was at that time worth fifteen dollars per acre. Their trading was done in Covington, Indiana, and Chi- cago. It was in Chicago that his father bought leather and hauled it in wagons. Calico was a precious article, and was worth twenty-five cents per yard. This was the popular material from which to make best dresses. Wheat was then worth fifty cents a bushel and corn from ten to twenty cents per bushel. When the canal was finished at Covington corn went up to twenty-five cents per bushel. Mr. Brewer has bought and sold cows for ten dollars.
Jotham Lyons was born in Georgetown township, near the place his father first settled when he came to. Vermilion County. His birth was September 25, 1832. He lived the life of the sons of the pioneers to this section and attended the same schools that have so many times been described. The same privations and the same freedom were his. Jotham Lyons married Miss Worth, a daugh- ter of a pioneer settler of Wisconsin. They were the parents of six children, all but one of whom grew to maturity and had families of their own.
John J. Partlow was the son of James Partlow, who in his turn was the son of Samuel, both of the latter being pioneers of Middle Fork township. James Partlow took up a tract of land on the Middle Fork as soon as he came in 1831, which was part timber and part prairie. He put up a rail pen for the temporary shelter of his family but John was not born until the log cabin was finished. He went to school in the log schoolhouse which had greased paper for window glass, and later attended the Georgetown Seminary, and the Danville Seminary. He had been employed in a drug store some two years before this, and after- ward he went as clerk in the dry goods store of V. & P. LeSeure, where he stayed three years. He then went into partnership with Mr. R. A. Short, and remained there for two years at which time he bought out Mr. Short and con- tinned the store by himself for twelve years. He went into the employ of the C. & E. I. R. R. at this time and continued in this service until his death. In 1857 Mr. Partlow married Frances Giddings, the eldest child of William and Caroline Giddings.
Golden Patterson was born on the same place where he now lives, which was the old homestead, July 17, 1833. His father came from Tennessee, a pioneer
LIDE (JOHNS) COPELAND
PERRY COPELAND
J. A. CUNNINGHAM
W. T. CUNNINGHAM
GEORGE DILLON
DAVID MEADE
JOHN FRAZIER, SR.
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HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
to the Little Vermilion and his mother came with her father, William Golden, to near the same place. Mr. Patterson, the father entered 500 acres of land from the government when he first came, and it rose in value until now it is worth a large price. Mr. and Mrs. Patterson were the parents of six children, the youngest of which was Golden. The mother of these children died when this youngest was an infant and the father survived her about ten years. Golden Patterson learned the trade of carpenter, but worked at it but little always seeming to be too great a success as a farmer to take up other employment. He has accumulated a large tract of land and has a fine farm. Mr. Patterson enjoys the confidence and esteem of all his neighbors and is well and favorably known throughout the county. It was in 1830 that Alexander Church and his wife and young family came to Vermilion County from Virginia and settled in three quarters of a mile west of present day Catlin. Mr. Church had married Ruth Caraway before he came west and her relatives came to Vermilion County at the same time. Mr. Church made his home on section 3, and the land has re- mained in the possession of the family ever since. Two years later, a little son came to this home and William-Church saw the light of day in the pioneers home in Vermilion County. This was the tenth child born to Mr. and Mrs. Church and before long the mother died. William grew up to all the discom- forts of a new settler's life, to all the privations and pleasures as well. Alex- ander Church lived until 1892 and had he lived two months longer he would have reached the age of ninety. William Church went to a subscription school in a time that the inconveniences of the school room were often as nothing to the advantages of having a good teacher. In those days the pupils were expected to do things that the present day school-boy would resent, if he were asked to do. But an unruly pupil made objections at great risk. A hickory rod always hung in plain sight and it was used to a purpose when occasion called its use forth. In 1852 William Church married Miss Hester M. Douglas, who was her- self a daughter of Vermilion County. Miss Douglas, was born in Catlin town- ship, October 7, 1834, her parents being Thomas W. and Delilah ( Payne) Douglas.
Thomas W. Douglas had entered land on the site of the county poor house. Mr. and Mrs. Church became the parents of five children, all of whom grew to maturity, and had families of their own.
1833 :- Asa Partlow, the son of Reuben and Elizabeth Partlow, was born in Danville, on South Hazel street, January 6, 1833. He was educated in the schools of Danville, attending the Methodist Seminary. In 1854 he became one of the firm of Lamm, Partlow & Company, which did business in the building where the present Danville National Bank is located. The building on that corner was remodeled a few years ago, but the location is the same. The other members of the firm of Lamm, Partlow & Co. were the father of Asa Partlow and Mr. William Lamm. After the death of Mr. Lamm, which occurred in 1863, the firm name was changed to A. Partlow & Co., and later to Partlow & Draper, with a change of location to the Giddings block on Main street, near Hazel. February 26, 1857, he married Mary Murdock, who was also a resident of Danville.
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Asa Partlow was a pioneer in the Building & Loan buisness and was the first Secretary of the People's Building and Loan Association and continued in that office until it paid out, a period of ten years. He was secretary of the Equitable Building and Loan Association, until on account of failing health he gave it up. He died suddenly and was buried in Springhill Cemetery. Mr. Partlow was the father of three children, all of them boys. They all resided in Danville, except the oldest, Harry, who died. The other two are Edmond R. who took his father's business when failing health compelled him to give it up and Augustus, who is an attorney in Danville.
Uriah Folger was born in Elwood township, April 23, 1834. His father, Asa Fogler, came to Vermilion County in 1831 and settled in the Elwood neigh- borhood. He was a tanner, and also a shoemaker and he carried on this busi- ness for years, doing such work for the settlers around. He had so much to do that he employed four or five men at times.
Uriah Folger received his early education in the subscription school and his advanced training in the Bloomingdale Academy under Prof. Hobbs. He was an apt pupil, and has always been a typical quaker. He spent the years of his manhood as an exhorter in the church of the Society of Friends and was always considered a model of kindness and good deeds.
Jonathan Larrance was another son of Vermilion County, born in this neigh- borhood in this same year, 1834. His parents came to this section in 1827 and made themselves a home. Jonathan Larrance attended the Vermilion Academy, then called the Vermilion Seminary, where he received his education in books. His entire life was spent in the same neighborhood where every one knew him and he knew every one. He was a good farmer and accumulated much prop- erty, and at his death in 1885, he left 295 acres of well improved land to his heirs. He was the father of seven children, six of whom survived him.
Thomas F. Collison was born on the farm where he always lived, October 12, 1834. When he reached the time when he was old enough to go to school a governess was employed to teach him. The other children of the household were taught by her and any in the neighborhood who chose to come were wel- come in the Collison home. Later he attended the subscription school, which was a typical pioneer school. In these schools the boys who were pupils were required to cut the fire wood and take it to the schoolhouse. In this school a testament was used as a reader and an old elementary spelling book was another of the text books.
Mr. Collison lived at home until after the death of his father and when the estate was settled his share was one hundred acres of unimproved land and ninety dollars in money. Mr. Collison has been a man of great success in life. He has built one of the finest homes in the county. He has now retired from active work on his farm and lives in Danville. He has been a son of which Vermilion County is justly proud.
James A. Dickson, another worthy son of Vermilion County was born near Indianola, December 5, 1834. His parents had come from Kentucky to Ver-
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milion County in the twenties and settled on the Little Vermilion. Mr. Dick- son, the father, died when James was but three years old and his mother kept the family together and in 1853, she built a large house on the place, so suc- cessful had her efforts been. She died in the following year. James Dickson was one of a family of six children, all of whom died comparatively young. He worked on the farm after he was sixteen years old and had stopped going to school, and then on a piece of swamp land belonging to his brother and then bought some land of his own in what was Carroll township and now is called Jamaica township. The first wife of Mr. Dickson was Mary Frances Busby ... and he later married Miss Amanda J. Shepperd, herself a daughter of Ver- milion County. She was the daughter of John and Nancy Shepperd, who were married in Vermilion County. John Shepperd owned the well known Shepperd mills.
Amanda J. (Shepperd) Dickson, was born in Vance township. December 20, 1832, and died July 11, 1888. Mr. Dickson lived on the farm he first bought for eleven years, when he sold it and bought one on sections 22 and 27 in Ja- maica township with a portion of it in Georgetown township. He is a man of prominence in his community and well liked by all.
W. T. Cunningham was a well known man of Danville up to the time of his death. He was born in Danville. February 8, 1834, the son of Heze- kiah Cunningham and Mary (Alexander) Cunningham, who made their home in Danville in 1828. Mr. Cunningham, familiarly known as "Bud," grew up and went to school in Danville. His first work for himself was as clerk in a drug store, where he remained for five years. He was appointed to clerkships under the government both in Danville and Washington. President Lincoln, of whom he was a personal friend appointed him collector of the Seventh District. He was afterward elected Clerk of the Circuit court and repeatedly reelected. Later he was made Master in Chancery. Mr. Cunningham married Miss Lucy Lamon in 1859. She was the daughter of John Lamon, one of the early settlers of Vermilion County. They were the parents of five children, one of whom died in infancy. Mrs. Cunningham died in 1875.
Later Mr. Cunningham married Miss Stansbury.
Michael Fisher was born in Carroll township, within half a mile of Indianola, November 6, 1835. He was the son of David Fisher, and there were four chil- dren in the family beside Michael. This son was brought up on his father's farm and went to the subscription schools during his school days. He was mar- ried in 1864 to Maryette Baum, daughter of John Baum, herself a daughter of Vermilion County. She was born in Indianola. Mr. Baum continued farming for a dozen or more years after he was married and then he went into Indianola and had a hardware store.
Mr. and Mrs. Fisher were the parents of three children, a son and two daughters. One of the daughters became the wife of Joseph Sidell and the other, the wife of Harvey Sconce. Casper James Langley was born in Danville town- ship, February 25, 1835. His father located in this place in 1830, coming from Kentucky. Casper Langley was the youngest child of a family of four. He lived on the farm helping his mother after his father's death. He was thir- teen years old when his father died. He was very prosperous and accumulated
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much property during his active life. He married Miss Anderson, from New York state, in 1865, and they were the parents of nine children.
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