History of the early settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois : "centennial record", Part 10

Author: Power, John Carroll, 1819-1894; Power, S. A. (Sarah A.), 1824-; Old Settlers' Society of Sangamon County (Ill.)
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : E.A. Wilson & Co.
Number of Pages: 824

USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > History of the early settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois : "centennial record" > Part 10

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).

SANGAMON COUNTY.

sole. This would make a walk all around the shoe that a mouse might travel on. It was frequently the case that awls could not be obtained. Then they would take a common table fork, break off one of the tines, and sharpen the other for the awl. Shoes made as I have described, with the upper leather hair side out, not more than half of it removed, and without any blacking, would certainly look very odd. There can be little doubt that the above is a fair description of the first tanning and shoe making ever done in Sangamon county.

When the first settlers came there were no stores filled with dry goods, as there are now, and if the goods had been in the country there was no money to buy them. The only way families could supply themselves with clothing was to produce the materials and manufacture their own goods. Those who first came from the Southern States- as most of them did-brought their cotton, flax and hemp seed, raised the fibre and did all the work. They at first picked the seed by hand, carded it on hand cards, spun it on wheels designed for spinning wool or flax, wove it into cloth, and made it into gar- ments for men and women's wear. That which was designed for underclothing was prepared without coloring, as a matter of course, but for outer garments, and particu- larly ladies' dresses, something better was required. Some among the earliest brought a little indigo, madder, and same other drugs, but for greater variety and economy, a large number of barks were used, such as black walnut, butternut, several varieties of oak, hickory, etc. When peach trees grew the leaves were used for making one of the brightest colors. Some of the cotton yarn, dyed with each of those colors, skilfully arranged in weaving, and made into dresses, looked remarkably well. Some of the old boys now living say that the young ladies of their time, thus attired, looked equally as charming in their eyes as those of the present era, with their flounces made of goods from the looms of Lyons and the shops of Paris, do to our young men. Flax and tow was never colored, and was mostly used for men and boys' wear in the summer. A tow shirt, with a draw string around the neck, and reaching below the knees, was a full dress in summer for boys up to ten or twelve years of age. Some of our most sub- stantial farmers were thus attired in their boyhood days.

Elisha Primm says that his father built a cotton gin in 1822. He says that from the time the first settlers came into the county until the winter of the "deep snow," 1830 and '31, this was as good a cotton country as Georgia. He says that this was attested hy men familiar with cotton growing in the Southern States. Elisha attended the gin built by his father, which was run by horse power. The people brought cotton to be ginned, from all distances up to twenty miles. Sometimes it would accumulate on his hands until he would have as much as 3,000 pounds. The price for ginning was a toll of one pound in every eight, after the cotton was ginned. It sold from 12 to 1633 cents per pound, and occasionally higher. After the " deep snow" the seasons appeared to shorten, and cotton was generally bitten by the frost before it had time to mature, and cotton raising was finally abandoned. It seemed as though the seasons were overruled so as to be adapted to the wants of the pioneer settlers, when there was no other way for them to be supplied with clothing, but when roads were opened and capital came in, bringing merchandise, the seasons gravitated back to their normal condition.

FIRST PRODUCE MARKETED :- Mr. William Drennen believes that the first pro- duce marketed in the county was on Sugar creek, in the Summer of ISIS. George Cox sold half a dozen small green pumpkins to an Indian for twelve and a half cents.

-10

HISTORICAL PRELUDE.

This note was written while I was standing on the spot, a few yards north of the Sulphur Springs, south of Loami, where once stood a sycamore tree in which A. E. Meacham took a ten foot rail, held it in a horizontal position against his waist, and turned entirely around inside the trec. It was about eighteen fect in diameter outside, and was long used as a wigwam by the Indians. The entrance was at the east side. It was safe when there were only Indians in the country, but some vandal, claiming to be civilized, set fire to it and burned it down.

The Sulphur Spring spoken of above, bubbles up at the foot of a hill near Lick creek, and in its natural state, when animals approached it to drink the water, was a quag- mire, but the early settlers made an excavation, eight or nine feet deep, and walled it up, so that the water flows out over the top of the wall, clear and pure. Soon after it was thus improved two old topers, on a very hot day, visited the spring, taking with them a jug of whisky, intending to have a good time laying in the shade near by, drinking their whisky, and for variety, taking an occasional sip at the sulphur water. One of them undertook to cool the whisky by holding the jug in the water, and while doing so let it slip from his grasp. To cut a forked limb from a tree and make a hook of it would be too much work. In order to rescue the jug, the one who let it slip con- sented that the other should take him by the heels and let him down head foremost. The whisky was secured in that way, at the imminent risk of drowning one or both of the men. It must have been liberally watered or it would not have sunk.

There are at least one hundred and fifty grave yards and burial places in Sangamon county, and nine-tenths of them are so much neglected that, so far as marking any par- ticular locality or grave, the following lines, taken from a Scottish grave yard, are peculiarly applicable :

" In this church yard lies Eppie Coutts, Either here or hereabouts; But whaur it is none can tell, Till Eppie rise and tell hersel."

The first death of a white man in Sangamon county was that of an Indian ranger. The Sulphur Spring near Loami was known to the Indians, and was very early a camp- ing ground for the whites. When the settlements had not extended farther north than the vicinity of Alton, Indians, according to their custom, killed some of the frontier settlers, and were pursued by some Rangers. While camped at the sulphur spring one of them died, and was buried by his comrades on a beautiful knoll near the spring. It was known to the very earliest settlers as the grave of the Indian Ranger, and was the nucleus of the present Sulphur Springs Cemetery. The land was entered hy Jonathan Jarrett, who intended a small part of it for a cemetery and church purposes, but died without making a deed. A regular company has been organized, according to law, and it is now handsomely fitted up and well cared for. There onght to be a monument over the grave of the Indian Ranger, to show that it was the first burial of a white man in the county.

EXPLANATION.

The names of early settlers, or heads of families, in LARGE LETTER ; Names of the second generation in ITALIC CAPITALS; third, in CAPITALS; fourth, in SMALL CAPITALS; fifth, in Italics.

ABEL, ROSWELL, was born July 23, 1785, on Sharon Mountain, Litch- field county, Conn. Three brothers by the name of Abel came from England about 1750. One of them settled in Con- neetieut, one in Virginia, and what became of the other is unknown. Jonathan, who settled in Conn., brought up a family of five sons and two daughters. His son David was the father of the subject of this sketch. David Abel, and two of his brothers, William and Andrew, were Revolutionary soldiers. William settled in Canada after the Revolution, and brought up a family there. This branch of the family has lost sight of Andrew. David was born on Sharon mountain, married and lived on the same farm until four children were born, and then moved to Washington county, N. Y., where six children were born. Each brought up families. David Abel presented the gun which he carried through the Revolution, to his son Roswell, with instructions to present it to his son, if he had one, but if not, to a brother's son. He has it vet in his possession, at the home of his son Roswell P., to whom he bequeaths it. The brass breech bears the inscription "Liberty or Death," every letter of which is vet distinct.

Roswell Ahel, whose name heads this sketch, was married Oct. 22, 1807, to Betsy Mason. She was born Oet. 22, 1790, at Fort Ann, Washington county, N. Y.

Her father, Coomer Mason, was a Revo- lutionary soldier, also. He had two brothers, Shubal and Hail, who fought at the battle of Benington. Roswell and Betsy Abel had three children, born at Granville, Washington County, N. Y. They moved to Springfield, Ill., arriving July 15, 1836. Of their children-

LIZETTE, was born December 4, 1809, married Oct., 1829, in Essex county, N. Y., to Calvin Peabody. They came to Springfield in 1838. They had five living children, namely: CHARLES P., born Feb. 25, 1837, married April 5 1866, to Jane Cheeseman. They have three children, HARRY, IDELLA L., and MARY. HELEN, born Jan. 28, 1835, married Oct. 24, 1865, to Amos Atwood. They have two children, HELEN M., born Jan. 18, 1867, and EMMA C., born August 14, 1869, and reside near Farmington, Daco- tah county, Minnesota. JOHN C., born March 13, 1843, married Feb. 4, 1868, in Enterprise, Mo., to Emily Kinsman. They have four children, BURTON, FRANK - LIN, WILLIAM and HARRY, and reside in Brookfield, Mo. SARAH E., born in Sangamon county, married July 11, 1857, to Dr. Orlando Lent. They had one child, CHARLES J. He died Nov. 4, 1874, in his 17th year, and Dr. Lent died while on duty at Paducah, Ky., Military Hospital, in 1863. His widow married T. M. Elliott, and resides near Grantsville, Linn county, Mo. EDWIN R., born Dec. 12, . 1844, enlisted Dec. 14, 1863, in Vaughn's Battery 3d III. Art. He was married Jan. 24, 1867, in Missouri, to

EARLY SETTLERS OF

Clara Sockman. They have three child- ren, ORLEY, FRANCIS and TRUDELLA, and reside near Browning, Linn county, Missouri. Calvin Peabody moved from Sangamon county, Illinois, to Linn county, Missouri, in 1865, and died there, Sept. 7, 1870. His widow resides near Brown- ing.

CHLOE E., born April 19, 1812, in New York. Married Nov., 1839, in Springfield, to John Armstrong. See his name.

ROSWELL P., born June 30, 1815, in Washington county, New York; came to Sangamon county, Illinois, with his parents in 1836. Married September 30, IS46, at Greencastle, Pa., to Margaret J. Loose. She was born there, Jan. 22, 1820. They reside at Rochester, Ill.

Roswell Abell and wife have been married more than 69 years. They re- side with their son, Roswell P., at Roches- ter, Sangamon county, Illinois.

ABELL, JEREMIAH, was born in 1770, in Rockingham county, Va. He was there married to Hannah Aiken, who was born in 1771. They emigrated to Adair county, Ky. Mr. Abell was the owner of some slaves, but he liberated them in Kentucky, and moved with his family to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving in 1829, in what is now Auburn township. Their daughter-

PENELOPE, married in Adair county, Ky., to Samuel McElvain. See his name. They come to Sangamon county with her parents.

Their son, Dr. J. R. Abell, resides at Taylorville.

Rev. Jeremiah Abell was regularly ed- ucated for the ministry, preached many years in connection with the Presbyterian church, and received the title of Doctor of Divinity. After coming to Illinois he severed his connection with the Presbyte- rian church and united with the Methodists. Ile moved, about 1846, to McDonough county, and died there in 1852.

ADAMS, JAMES, was born Jan. 24, 1783, in Hartford, Conn. Harriet Dentou was born Jan. 31, 1787, in Hartford, also. They were there mar- ried about ISog, and moved to Os- wego, N. Y., where they had five child- ren. They moved to Springfield, Illinois, arriving in the spring of 1821, soon after the place was declared to be the county

seat of Sangamon county. Of their four living children,

LOVENIA E., born May 3, IS13, at Oswego, N. Y., married, in Springfield, to Peter Weber. Sce his name. They both died in the north part of the State. She died Sept. 5, IS38.

CHARLOTTE B., born May 2, IS15, in Oswego, N. Y., and died Jan. 10, IS32.

LUCIAN B., born Dec. 10, 1816, in Oswego, N. Y .; married in Springfield, March 14, 1847, to Margery A. Reed, who was born July 9, 1824, in Williams- port, Penn. They have four children. JAMES L., born Jan. 22, 1848, in Spring- field, graduated in a commercial college in Chicago, and is employed in a railroad office in Vallejo, California. ELDORA J., ENOLA A. and HARRIET L., re- side with their parents in Springfield. Lucian B. Adams studied law and ob- tained license to practice in 1840. For twenty years he discharged the duties of a justice of the peace, and the greater part of that time acted as police magistrate, U. S. commissioner and notary public. He is now U. S. commissioner.

VIENNA M., born July 10, ISIS, in Oswego, N. Y .; married in Springfield, to Charles G. McGraw. See his name.

James Adams was a lawyer, and en- gaged in practice when he came to Spring- field, in 1821. He was elected justice of the peace in 1823 or '4 and was elected successively for many years. He took part in the Winnebago and Black Hawk Indian wars of 1827, and IS31 and '2. He was elected Probate Judge of Sangamon county, and died in office, August 1I, 1843. His widow, Mrs. Harriet Adams, died August 21, 1844, both in Springfield.

ALEXANDER. THOMAS, was born about 1768, in Ireland, and his parents came to America when he was about four years old, landing at Charles- ton, S. C. Lynna Goodlett was born Oct. 11, 17So, in Greenville District, S. C. They were there married, and had three children, all of whom died under eight years. In 1806 they moved to Christian county, near Hopkinsville, Ky., where they had two children, and moved to San- gamon county, Ill., arriving in Oct., IS28, three miles east of Auburn. In 1829 they moved to what is now Chatham township, south of Lick creek. Of their two children,

SANGAMON COUNTY.

MARY ANN, born in ISio, in Ken- tucky; married in Sangamon county to John L. Drennan. (See his name.)

DAVID, born Oct. 3, 1814, in Chris- tian county, Ky .; came to Sangamon county in 1828; married March 13, IS33, to Catharine Darnielle; had 14 children, all born in Sangamon county, six of whom died in infancy, and LYNNA died at 13 years. Of the other seven, JOHN T., born Dec. 25, 1835, enlisted on the first call for 75,000 men, April, 1861, for three months, in Co. A., 2nd Kansas Cavalry, served full term, and enlisted Nov., 1861, in Co. D., 2nd Mo. Art., for three years. Re- enlisted as a veteran Jan., 1864. He lost his right hand April :3, 1865, at St. Charles, Ark., by the premature discharge of a cannon, while firing a salute on hear- ing of the surrender of the rebel forces under Gen. Lee. He now (1873) resides with his parents. DAVID S., born Nov. 20, 1842, enlisted August 13, 1861, in Co. B., 30th Ill. Inf., for three years; served until August 9, 1862, when he was dis- charged on account of physical disability, at Memphis, Tenn. He was brought home, and, after a lingering illness, died, March 10, 1866. CATHARINE, born Dec. 20, 1844; married May 29, 1862, to Lafayette Beach. (See his name.) Ilad one child, CHARLES D. HIRAM, born March 30, IS47; enlisted March 14, 1864, in Co. C., 11th Mo. Inf., for three years. Served until July 14, 1865, when he was discharged on account of physical disabil- ity. He was married March 9, 1873, to Mary M. VanDoren. They reside five miles southwest of Chatham. WILLIAM, born Oct. 1, 18.19; married March 14, 1872, to Emma Price, and reside in Chat- ham township. MARY BELLE and CYRUS reside with their parents, six miles southwest of Chatham, on the farm where the family settled in 1829.

Thomas Alexander died Dec. 18, 1835, and his widow died August 12, 1844, both in Sangamon county.

ALEXANDER, HENRY, was born June 10, 1So2, in Fleming coun- ty, Ky. His father moved to the adjoin- ing county of Bath when he was a child. Ile was married June 24, 1827, to Polly Gragg, of Nicholas county, and lived in Bath county until 1833, when he moved to Montgomery county. They had four children in Kentucky, and moved to San-

gamon county, Ill., arriving Oct. 22, IS35, in what is now Rochester township, where four children were born. Of their child- ren,

FESSE F., born Dec. 10, 1828, in Bath county, Ky., married in Sangamon county, Ill., March 4, 1852, to Naney A. Hendrix, who was born April 22, 1829, in Fleming county, Ky. They had five children; one died young. LUCRETIA, their second child, born June 26, 1855, married March 12, 1874, to James A. Walker. The other three, LAURA, GEORGE and REBECCA reside with their parents, near Appleton City, St. Clair county, Mo.

IHRAMI, born in Kentucky; married in Sangamon county to Eliza Hendrix. They have seven children, and reside in Jefferson county, Iowa.

LUCINDA A., born in Kentucky; married in Sangamon county to Isaac Groves. (See his name.) Their daugh- ter Susan married John W. McClelland. (See his name.)

WILLIAM G., born in. Kentucky; married in Sangamon county to Julia McIntyre. They have four children, and reside near Illiopolis.

FAMMIES O., born in Sangamon county ; married Sarah Ham. They have three children, and reside 'in Champaign county.

REBECCAand HENRY H., (twins) born in Sangamon county.

REBECCA married John W. Smith, had four children, and she died in 1870. Two of the children died also, near Wil- liamsville.

HENRY H. married Emily Sargent, and resides in Illiopolis.

POLLY S., born in Sangamon coun- ty; married Benjamin Keck; have three children, and reside in Illiopolis.

Mrs. Polly Alexander died August 25, 1868, and her husband, Henry Alexander, resides with his children.

ALEXANDER, JOHN S., was born Sept. 24, 1793, near Lexington, Ky .; married Mary Simpson, who was born April 16, 1799, in Fayette county, Ky. They were there married, and had four children. The family moved to San- gamon county, Ill., arriving in the fall of 1826, in what is now Fancy creek town- ship, where six children were born. Of their children,

EARLY SETTLERS OF

SARAH S., born Nov. 7, 1820, in Kentucky; married March 6, 1837, to Samuel D. Cantrall. (See his name.)

GAMES H., born March 19, 1822, in Kentucky; married in Sangamon county to Ann E. Hardin. They live in Wash- ington Territory.

HANNAH H., born June 1, 1824, in Kentucky; married James Kilgour, and died. (See his name.)

WILLIAM, born June 12, 1826, in Fayette county, Ky .; married in Sanga- mon county to Eveline Lacey; had three children, and she and all the children died, He married Catharine Hill. They have three children, FREDIE, FRANKIE and a babe, and reside at Williamsville.

ASA C. and MARGARET C., (twins), born March 15, 1829, in Sanga- mon county.

ASA C. married Mary J. Tabor, and resides in Ford county.

MARGARET C. married Harrison Blue; had two children, and he died, April, 1852, and she married George Martin, and resides in Iroquois county.

GEORGE, born Feb. 13, 1831, in' Sangamon county; enlisted in a Kansas regiment in 1861 or '2, and died in mili- tary hospital at Springfield, Mo.

JOHN S., Jun., married Dorcus A. Mills.

SAMUEL C., born Jan. 31, 1838; married Amanda Hall, and lives in Ford county.

MARY Y., born April 15, 1840, in Sangamon county; married August 7, 1856, to Andrew J. Hedrick, who was born August 23, 1834. They had three children, HARRISON H., RUTH A. and ALICE V. Mr. Hedrick enlisted August 15, 1862, in Co. I., 34 Iowa Inf., for three years. He was discharged on account of physical disability, March 13, and died May 8, 1863, in Menard county. Mrs. Hedrick married, Oct. 12, 1864, to William Reesburg. They have one child, WILLIAM H., and reside near Illiopolis.

Mrs. Mary Alexander died Nov. 1, 1852, and John S. Alexander died July 15, 1853, both in Sangamon county.

ALKIRE, HARMONAS, was born in ISo4, in Bourbon county, Ky. His parents moved, when he was quite young, to Pickaway county, O. In 1826 he visited Sangamon county on business for other parties. Returning to Ohio, he

went to Lafayette, Ind. The next year he came to Sangamon county again, on business, and was married in Springfield, Dec. 31, 1829, to Martha McLemore. She was born July 10, 1810, in Burke county, N. C. Her parents moved, in 1811, to Knoxville, Tenn., and moved from there to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving, Dec. 23, 1828, at Springfield. Soon after mar- riage Mr. Alkire returned to Lafayette with his wife. They had two children born there, and then moved to Sangamon county, arriving, August, 1832, in what is now Fancy Creek township, where they had eight living children. Of the other ten children,

MARY ANN, born at Lafayette, Ind .. is unmarried, and resides with her parents.

GAMES 2., born Feb. 3, 1832, at Lafayette, Ind .; married, Oct. 4, 1866, to Addie H. Ross, who was born March 6, 1838, in Miami county, O. They have two living children, ANNIE M. and MARGARET A. J. Y. Alkire is farm- ing and practicing medicine. Resides three miles west of Sherman.

MARGARET f., born Dec. 17, 1833, in Sangamon county; married Isaac Mull, who was born March 2, 1820, in Mason county, Ky. They have five children, IDA M., HENRY E., JENNIE, MAT- TIE E. and CHARLES C., and reside four miles north of Springfield.

CAROLINE M., born Jan. 24, 1835, in Sangamon county; married April 6. 1865, to Conrad Shamel. They have three children, CHARLES H., CLAR- ENCE A. and JOHN Y., and reside near Springfield.

WILLIAM W., born July 26, 1837, in Sangamon county; married Judith S. Lightfoot. They have three children, HERBERT, EMMETT and AR- THUR, and reside four miles southwest of Troy, Doniphan county, Kan.

DANIEL, born in Sangamon county, is a traveling preacher in the M. E. church, at present, 1873, resides with his parents, recruiting his health.

ALBERT H., born in Sangamon county, is a traveling preacher in Illinois Conference, M. E. church, 1873.

PRISCILLA E., married George W. Neer, and resides near Taylorville.

MATTIE E., married Edward J. Myers. They have two children, MARY

SANGAMON COUNTY.

A. and EDWARD L., and reside in Fancy Creek township.

LEANDER died June 5, 1871, in his I Sth year.

Harmonas Alkire and his wife are liv- ing on the farm where they settled in 1832. It is three miles west of Sherman. He confirms the statement of Washington Crowder that the sudden change took place December 20, 1836, because he en- tered a piece of land that day, and the papers bear the above date.

ALLEN, ROBERT, was born in the year iSoo, in Greensburg, Green county, Ky. He was married there to a Miss Anderson, and came to Springfield, Ill., in 1831. Col. Allen engaged in the mercantile business as a member of the firm of Allen & Blankenship, soon after coming to Springfield. He also became a mail contractor on a very extensive scale, and brought a large number of fine stage coaches from Nashville, Tenn., being the first ever introduced into the State. He made Springfield his headquarters, and on some occasions had as many as five hun- dred horses on hand at one time. Col. Allen was one of the directors of the old State Bank. He was connected with the army in the Mormon war in 1845, and in the Mexican war of 1846-7. Not long after coming to Springfield, Mrs. Allen died, and Mr. Allen was married in April, IS33, to Jane Eliza Bergen. They had two children, one of whom died young. Their son,

ROBERT, Jun., born Feb. 28, 1837. in Springfield, and brought up in the city. When the rebellion broke out he was commissioned, August 28, 1861, as Captain of Co. - , 30 Ill. Inf., and served as such un- til May 25, 1863, when he was promoted to Major of the regiment, in front of Vicksburg. He served part of the time in the Quartermaster's department; also aeted as Assistant Inspector-General of the 3d Div. 17th Army Corps, and re- signed August S, 1864. Major Robert Allen was married Dec. 5, 1865, in Spring- field, to Anna M. Purdy, who was born May 12, IS3S, in Trenton, N. J. They had three children. GEORGE B., the youngest, died August 12, 1872, in his second year. HENRY T. and FAN- NIE M. reside with their parents in Springfield. Major Allen is a practicing attorney.

Col. Robert Allen died Dec. 1, 1854, and his widow, Mrs. Jane Eliza Allen, died March IS, 1857, both one mile north of the old State house in Springfield.

ALLEN, WILLIAM S., was born June 16, 1774, in Bourbon county, Ky. He was married to Abigail Snede- gar. They had five children in Kentucky. Mr. Allen came to Sangamon county in 1835, purchased land and prepared a house. He returned to Kentucky and brought his family, arriving Nov. 1, IS36, in what is now Ball township. Of their children,

MARIA L., born in Bourbon county, Ky., was married there to Shelton Watts. They had three children there, and moved to Sangamon county in 1839. Of their children, NANCY J. married John Dren- nan, and resides near Tolono, Champaign county, Ill. WILLIAM S. married Sarah Knotts, and resides near Tolono, Ill. BENJ. FRANKLIN married Isabel F. Thompson. Scc R. B. Thompson sketch. Shelton Watts died July 16, 1843, and his widow married John Brownwell. Sec his namc.

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.

History of the early settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois : "centennial record", Part 10

Author: Power, John Carroll, 1819-1894; Power, S. A. (Sarah A.), 1824-; Old Settlers' Society of Sangamon County (Ill.) Publication date: 1876 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : E.A. Wilson & Co. Number of Pages: 824

Author: Power, John Carroll, 1819-1894; Power, S. A. (Sarah A.), 1824-; Old Settlers' Society of Sangamon County (Ill.)
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : E.A. Wilson & Co.
Number of Pages: 824