History of the early settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois : "centennial record", Part 34

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 34


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128


mon county in 1826, married May 19, 1836, to Mary Elder. They had five children, two of whom died young. Of the other three, GEORGE W., born June 7, 1837, married July 23, 1857, in Springfield, to Sarah Kent; have three living children, JOHN D., LYDIA F., NET- TIE B .- the third child, IDA J., died in her fourth year. George W. Constant resides two and a half miles southwest of Illiopo- lis. JOHN W., born Sept. 22, 1839, married in Springfield, Jan. 30, 1865, to Clarissa G. Ingels. They have four child- ren, MATTIE F., HARRY, MARY P. and WILLIE, and reside two and a half miles northeast of Illiopolis. SAMUEL W., born July, 1843, enlisted August 17, 1861, in Co. H, 30th Ill. Inf., for three years, was captured at the battle of Atlanta, Ga., July 22, 1864, was two months in Andersonville prison, exchanged Sept. 19, 1864, and honorably discharged on the 27th of the same month. He was married in Sangamon county, Dec. 24, 1867, to Mary J. Semple. They have one child, NELLIE D., and reside in Macon county, near Illiopolis. Mrs. Mary Constant died Sept., 1847, and Jonathan Constant was married Nov. 26, 1848, to Lavina Crocker. They had two children. MARY B., born Sept. 17, 1851, married June 6, 1872, to Squire Campbell, and died Nov. 19, 1872. LEWIS ALLEN, born Dec. 7, 1853, resides with his father. Mrs. La- vina Constant died August 26, 1858, and Jonathan Constant married Dec. 20, 1860, to Mrs. Sarah Ridgeway, whose maiden name was Bridges. They reside three miles northwest of Mechanicsburg.


MARGARET, married in Ohio to Greenbury Lanham, and had one child. The father and child died in Ohio. She died in Sangamon county.


NELSON, born in Clermont county, Ohio, married in Sangamon county to Elizabeth Walker. They have five child- ren, and reside near Farmer City, De Witt county, Ill.


Jacob Constant died Sept. 21, 1828, and Mrs. Eleanor Constant died Sept. 4, 1835, both in Mechanicsburg township, near where they settled in 1826.


CONSTANT, THOMAS, brother of Isaac, also of John, who was grandfather of Rezin H., was born Aug. 14, 1796, in Virginia. He was married June 17, 1796, in Kentucky, to Margery Ed-


220


EARLY SETTLERS OF


monson. They had seven children in Kentucky, and moved to Xenia, Ohio. From there they moved to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving in the fall of 1820 in what is now Fancy creek township. Of all their children-


FOHN, born May 9, 1797, in Clarke county, Ky., married in Springfield, Ill., to Mary Latham, daughter of Judge Latham. They had four living children, and Mrs. Mary Constant died May 3, 1841. Mr. C. was married to Elizabeth Singleton. They had two children. Of the children by his first marriage, JAMES T. went to California, and died there. The other three were GARRETT, MARY and MARIA L. The children by the second marriage were JULIA and JOHN. Mr. Constant died, and his widow and children reside in Springfield.


ELIZABETH E., born June 14, 1799, in Clarke county, Ky .. was married in Xenia, Ohio, to William F. Elkin. See his name.


ARCHIBALD E., born May 10, ISO1, in Clarke county, Ky., married in Springfield, Ill., to Maria Latham, daugh- ter of Judge Latham. They had five children; two died young. MARGERY is teaching in the Bettie Stuart Institute, in Springfield. MARY married Temple Elliott. See his name. KATIE resides among her friends. Mr. Constant came to Sangamon county in 1819, settling on Wolf creek; afterwards moved to Spring- field, and purchased a quantity of land in what is now the Third ward, and known as Constant's addition. He was a Major in the Black Hawk war, from Sangamon county. He moved to Elkhart, Logan county, about 1863. Mrs. Maria Constant died there Nov. 13, 1868, and Archibald E. Constant died in Elkhart, Jan. 19, 1875.


WILLIAM, born May, 1803, in Clarke county, Ky. He was a physician, and was married in Sangamon county to Phobe Johnson. She died, leaving three children. Dr. Constant was married in Jeffersonville, Ind., and had two children, KATIE and JOHN. Dr. William Con- stant died in 1865.


MARY, born June 22, 1805, in Clarke county, Ky., was married in Sangamon county, Ill., to Dr. Garrett Elkin. See his name.


NATHAN E., born April 8, 1807, in Clarke county, Ky., was married in San-


gamon county to Sarah Dement. Mrs. Sarah Constant died, and he was married August 25, 1843, to Mary M. Stewart, daughter of James Stewart. See his name. They had three children. WILLIAM F. married Elizabeth A. Lake. They have one child, and reside two miles west of Williamsville. NATHAN E., Jun., enlisted August, 1862, for three years, in Co. G, 114th Ill. Vol. Inf. He was cap- tured at the battle of Guntown, Miss., June . 11, 1864, taken to Andersonville prison, where he remained three months. After that to several other prisons, to evade the Union army, then back to Andersonville. From there to Florida, and guarded in the woods until April 28, 1865, and released at the close of the rebel- lion. He had the usual experience of prisoners in the south. He and seven others cooked all their rations the first three months at Andersonville, in half a canteen. Sometimes he would give a. day's rations for a chew of tobacco, and not a very large chew at that. He says words cannot describe the suffering that was endured by the Union soldiers in southern prisons. Robbery and murder prevailed among the prisoners until they found it necessary to organize a court and a regular jury, convicted six of their num- ber and hung them. He says Wirz allowed them to go outside to hold the trial (of course guarding them), and fur- nished the lumber for the gallows. Mr. C. says that although ten years have elapsed since he was in that den of hor- rors, when he is not well the most dainty food smells to him like Anderson- ville prison rations. One blanket was all they were allowed for eight men. Nathan E. Constant, Jun., was married, after his return from the army, to Amanda Mor- ton. They have three children, FANNIE E., WILLIAM and FRANK, and reside three miles west of Williamsville. Nathan E. Constant, Sen., died August 25, 1843, and his widow married Miletus W. Ellis. See his name.


ISAAC, born April 5, 1809, in Clarkė county, Ky., was married in Sangamon county, Ill., Feb. 14, 1835, to Lucinda Merriman, daughter of Reuben Merri- man, (now residing in Oregon). They had eight children. LAVINIA, born March 12, 1834, in Sangamon county, was married in Jackson county, Oregon,


22I


SANGAMON COUNTY.


April, 1854, to Dr. Jesse Robinson. They have four living children, EDWARD C., CHIESTER L., THOMAS and MARY A., and reside in Oakland, Cal. WILLIAM T., born Nov. 2, 1836, in Sangamon county, Ill., was married in Oregon, April 3, 1862, to Jessie Bledsoe. He died August 4, 1867, leaving a widow and three children, ISAAC, WILLIAM T. and JULIA B., in Jack- son county, Oregon. ELIZABETH M., born Jan. 2, 1839, in Sangamon county, married Jan. 1, 1856, in Jackson county, Oregon, to William T. Leever. They have seven living children, W. CONSTANT, LAVINIA, IDA, EDMONSON M., JULIAN D., THOMAS S. and ADA, and reside in Jack- son county, Oregon. JULIA A., born Sept. 17, 1841, in Sangamon county, was married in Oregon, Dec. 5, 1861, to W. A. Owen. They have five living children, EUDORA, MINNIE, MABEL C., GLENN and WILLIAM, and all reside in Jacksonville, Oregon. MARGERY E., horn Feb. 5, 1845, in Sangamon county, was married to Constantine Magruder, April 22, 1875. They reside at Central Point, Jackson county, Oregon. ELIZA A., born Oct. 20, 1851, in Sangamon county, Ill., died March 3, 1866, in Jack- son county, Oregon. Isaac Constant was in the Black Hawk war from Sangamon county. He went to Oregon in 1849, took a claim under the homestead law, and re- turned to Illinois in 1850, disposed of his property, and with his family and some of his neighbors, emigrated to Oregon in 1852. They were among the first families who settled there. After they arrived, Mr. Constant had to go two hundred miles with pack animals, for provisions. The valley was teeming with Indians, but he lived to see them all pass away, and sur- rounded by a large circle of friends, he resides near Jacksonville, Jackson county, Oregon.


MARTHA, born August 23, IS11, in Xenia, Ohio, was married in Sangamon county, Ill., to William S. Stone. They had three children; one died in infancy. Of the other two, ELLEN, born in April, 1837, is unmarried. MARGERY, born March, 1838, was married in 1855 to Thomas Smith, of Independence, Mo. They have two living children. Mrs. Martha Stone died in St. Louis, Mo., in March, 1854. Mr. Stone died in Indepen- dence, Mo., in 1870.


ADALINE, born March 28, 1813, in Xenia, Ohio, was married in Sangamon county, Ill., March 25, 1835, to James D. Allen. Of their children, MARTHA, born Jan. 6, 1836, was married in Greens- burg, Ky., Oct. 31, 1854, to George L. Harris. They have three children living, THOMAS A., BLANCHIE and ADALINE. George L. Harris enlisted in the 6th Kan- sas Cav. Reg., and was killed July 29, 1864, at the battle of Fort Smith, Ark. Mrs. Harris was married March 21, 1873. in Shawnee, Kansas, to James Sharp. They reside in Shawnee. JULIA J .. born Jan. 19, 1841, in Shawnee, Kansas, was married Dec. 10, 1856, in Indepen- dence, Mo., to Joseph F. Hagan. He was drowned in the Missouri river July 15, 1860. His widow married Wolf Bach- rach, of Kansas City, August 9, 1865. They have one daughter living. Mrs. Julia Bachrach died in Kansas City, Mo., June 2, 1872. HATTIE, born August 19, 1844, died March 13, 186S. EMILY F., born Nov. 1, 1848, was married in Shawnee. Kansas, Jan. 27, 1875, to James T. Gillespie. They have one child, and reside in Shawnee. THOMAS, born Jan. 12, 1838, died July 21, 1845. Mr. and Mrs. Allen reside at Shawnee, Kansas, where they have lived for nineteen years.


MARGERY, born Nov. 24, 1814, in Xenia, Ohio, was married in Sangamon county to Josiah Francis. See his name.


LAVINIA, born Sept. IS, 1816, in Xenia, Ohio, was married in Sangamon county, Ill., April 2, 1839, to William Lavely. See his name.


EMIL 1; born Nov. 21, ISIS, in Xenia, Ohio, was married in Sangamon county to N. B. Stone. They had'six children; three died in infancy.


JULIA A., born Sept. 20, 1820, in Xenia, Ohio, was married in Sangamon county to Newton Francis. See his name.


Thomas Constant died Dec. 14, 1840, and Mrs. Margery Constant died March 1, 1842, both in Athens, Illinois.


CONSTANT, REZIN H., was born July S, ISO9, in Clarke county, Ky. His grandfather ( John Constant) was shot in the thigh by an Indian while he was with a surveying party in Kentucky. He lived fifteen years after, but it finally caused his death. His son Jacob was the father of Rezin H. Neither this John


222


EARLY SETTLERS OF


nor Jacob ever came to Sangamon county. Rezin H. was married in his native coun- ty, July 27, 1830, to Abigail D. Constant. On the 9th of September following they started west with the family of his father- in-law-who was also his uncle, Isaac Constant-and arrived in Springfield Oct. 7, 1830, just in time to experience all the hardships connected with the " deep snow. "' R. H. Constant enlisted at Springfield, June 10, 1832, in Capt. Jesse Claywell's company, Col. James Collins' regiment, and Gen. James D. Henry's Brigade of Ill. Vol. Inf. He was com- missioned Lieut., and was in the battle of Wisconsin, and commanded his company at the battle of Bad Axe, August 5, 1832, which terminated the Black Hawk war. Mr. Constant was one of the representa- tives of Sangamon county in the legisla- ture of Illinois for 1846 and '47. They had eight children in Sangamon county, namely-


SARAH A., born Jan. 11, 1831, mar- ricd in Sangamon county to Henry B. Grubb. They have five children, RICH- ARD, CATHARINE, ROBERT, GEORGE and HARLAND, and live in Springfield.


AMANDA, born Feb. 11, 1833, mar- ried Charles Dougherty. See his name. She died, leaving three children.


AMY; born Oct. 10, 1834, died in San- gamon county, July 25, 1852.


ALFRED S., born August 19, 1836, married in Sangamon county to Mary E. Wilson. They have four living children, JAMES R., FRANK, LUCIAN L. and HARRY W. Alfred S. Constant enlisted July 25, 1862, in Co. I, 114th Ill. Inf., for three years. Served until Jan. · 16, 1863, when he was discharged on ac- count of physical disability. He resides near Barclay.


ELIZABETHI P., born March 15, 1839, married in Sangamon county to Ninian M. Taylor. See his name.


THOMAS S., born April 30, 1841, died in Sangamon county, March 26, I857.


GEORGE M., born Jan. 31, 1844, en- listed at Springfield, June, 1862, for three months, in the 70th Ill. Vol. Inf. Served full time, and was honorably discharged with the regiment. He was married to Margaret E. Bates. They have two


children, CRESSEY and PEARL, and reside at Mason City, Ill.


MARY C., born April 22, 1846, mar- ried in Sangamon county to David A. Taylor. See his name. They live near Gibson, Ford county.


Mrs. Abigail D. Constant died August II, 1846, and Rezin H. Constant was mar- ried Sept. 27, 1847, to Mrs. Mary L. Har- bert, whose maiden name was Halbert. They had three children-


CORDELIA F., born April 1, 1849, in Sangamon county, married there to Dr. Hamilton R. Riddle. See his name.


IRENA, born Sept. 7, 1851, in San- gamon county, married Dr. Isaac H. Tay- lor. See his name.


SABRA G., born April 5, 1853, in Sangamon county, married Feb. 21, 1872, to Russel O. Riddle. See his name.


Mrs. Mary L. Constant died May 18, 1863, and Rezin H. Constant resides in Clear Lake township, near Barclay.


CONSTANT, JOHN born Sept. 13, 1781, in a fort or picketed station in Clarke county, Ky. He was married March 11, 1802, to Susan Edminston, who was born July 27, 1783. They had eleven children in Clarke county, Ky., three of whom died young, and the family moved in company with Robert Cass and family to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving Oct. 7, 1826, at Buffalo Hart Grove. Of their eight children-


MIRIAM, born Dec. 6, 1802, married in Kentucky, August 25, 1825, to Nathan- iel Massey, and came with her parents to Sangamon county. They had one child, SUSAN, that died at fourteen years. Mrs. Massey married John Sinclair. See his name, with the Correll family.


JOHN W., born Oct. 29, 1804, in Clarke county, Ky., married there, Aug. 1, 1826, to Lucinda Cass, and moved to Sangamon county with his father in the fall of that year. They had four children : ARMINTA J., born August 6, 1827, in Sangamon county, married Horace B. Enos. See his name. JOHN T., born Feb. 13, 1830, married April 16, 1854, to Elizabeth C. Burns. They had six child- ren, two of whom died under three years. MATTIE S., ROBERT F., EMMA M. and CORA K. reside with their parents at Buf- falo Hart Station. ZACARIAH, born August 1, 1832, died Oct. 31, 1856. WM. R., born Sept. 26, 1833, enlisted


223


SANGAMON COUNTY.


August, 1862, for three years, in Co. A., 73d Hl. Inf. He had two fingers shot from his right hand at the battle of Stone's river. Served to the end of the rebellion, and was honorably discharged with his regiment. He was married March 14, 1867, to Mary A. Perry. They have two children, and reside near Sabetha, Nemaha county, Kan. Mrs. Lucinda Constant died Feb. 23, 1836. and John W. Constant was married March 22, 1838, to Susan Grovc. They had one child, ADAM H., born April 26, 1839, enlisted July 26, 1862, in Co. I, 114th Ill. Inf., for three years. Served full term, and was honorably dis- charged August S, 1865. He was married August 26, 1862, (one month after he en- listed), to Mary F. Greening. They had three children. ULYSSES GRANT died young. ALFRED H. and GERSHOM K. live with their parents, three miles east of Buffalo Hart Station. John W. Constant died August 29, 1838, eight months before the birth of his son, Adam H. His wid- ow resides with her son, Adam H.


JACOB D., born Oct. 15, 1So7, in Clarke county, Ky., married April 4, 1832, in Sangamon county, to Sarah Correll. They had four living children. LOUISA J., born Feb. IS, 1833, married George McDaniel. See his name. MARY E., born August 8, 1834, died March 23, 1851. HARRIET L., born Dec. 31, 1835, died May 26, 1855. SUSAN, born June 20, IS37, married Augustus Bruce; had three children. HELEN died in her third year. ADELAIDE and WILLIAM reside with their parents, at Corinne, Box Elder county, Utah. Mrs. Sarah Constant died Feb. S, 1842, and Jacob D. Constant married Han- nah Garretson. They had two children. ANN E., born Sept. 20, 1844, married Eleazer Tuttle, have two children, and live in Atlanta. THOMAS, born Jan. 19, IS16, lives with Robert McDaniel. Jacob D. Constant died Oct. 19, 1846, and Mrs. Hannah Constant died Oct. 22, 1850, both in Buffalo Hart Grove.


MARGERY, horn March 20, ISIo, in Clarke county, Ky., married to Isaac Dawson, and died without children, Feb., IS45, in Sangamon county.


HARRIET L., born Dec. 22, ISII, in Clarke county, Ky., married in Sangamon county, Aug. 13, 1829, to Isaac L. Skin- ner. They had one child, SALLY, born Jan. 10, 1831, (in time of the " deep


snow.") She went to Clark county, Ky., on a visit, and was there married, Feb. 6, IS51, to Henry Hall. They had two children. Mrs. Hall died May 29, 1860, at Kankakec. BELLE and ISAAC N. Hall reside with their father at Momence, Kan- kakee county, Il. Isaac L. Skinner went to Kentucky to visit his father, and died there Aug. 26, 1831. His widow married in Sangamon county, Nov. 11, IS3S, to James W. Langston. See his name.


THOMAS E., born Nov. 15, 1813, in Kentucky, died in Sangamon county Sept. 9, 1830.


WILLIAM A., born Jan. 29, 1816, in Clarke county, Ky., married in Sangamon county, March, 1842, to Mary A. Starr. They had seven children. JOIIN E., born March 29, 1843, enlisted at Spring- field, Ill., July 20, 1861, for three years, in what became Co. B, uth Mo. Inf .; re- enlisted as a veteran in same company and regiment, Jan. 1, 1864, and was honorably discharged Jan. 15, 1866. He was married Jan. 15, 1871, to Hester F. King, have one child, EARL, and live near Buffalo Hart station. HARRISON CLAY, born Sept. 14, 1844, married Nov. 12, 1867, to Mary E. Enos. They have one child, CHARLES EDWARD, and reside one mile east of Buffalo Hart station. ALLEN S., born Aug. 7, 1846, enlisted May 3, 1864, in Co. I, 133d HI. Inf., for one hun- dred days, and was drowned July, 1864, at Rock Island, while bathing in the Mississippi river. EMMA, born Aug. 12, ISIS, ALICE, born Dec. 1, 1850, re- side with their mother. HARVEY, born July 14, 1853, died Oct. 9, 1860. WILLIAM T., born Oct. 13, 1855, re- sides with his mother. William A. Con- stant died Aug. 15, 1855, and his widow married March, 1857, to Casper Byerline. They have two children, CHARLES F. and NOAH, and reside one mile east of Buffalo Hart station.


ELIZA Y., born Oct. 23, 1821, died Oct. 19, IS37.


John Constant died Nov. IS, IS35, and his widow, Susan Constant, died March IS, 1864, both in Sangamon county.


CONSTANT, ISAAC. brother of Thomas, Abigail, John and Jacob. He was born April 3, 1789, in Clarke county, Ky .; was married July 4, ISII, in the same county, to Amy Dean. They had eight children in Kentucky, one of whom


224


EARLY SETTLERS OF


.


died there. The family moved to Sanga- mon county, Ill., arriving Oct. 7, 1830, in what is now Williams township. Of their seven children-


YOHN, born July 7, 1812, in Ken- tucky, died in Sangamon county Sept. 20, 1835.


REBECCA, born Aug. 21, 1813, in Kentucky, died in Sangamon county Nov. IS, IS32.


ABIGAIL D., born May 3, 1815, in Kentucky, married Rezin H. Constant. See his name.


MARY A., born Dec. 23, 1816, in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county to Miletus W. Ellis. Sec his name.


GEORGE W., born Oct. 23, 18:8, in Clarke county, Ky., married in Sangamon county, III., Nov. 26, 1840, to Martha B. Stewart. They had three children in Sangamon county. WILLIAM S. mar- ried Parthenia Bates. They have one child, and live two miles northwest of Williamsville. JAMES H. married Mary Keagle. They have two living children, WILLIAM and LUCY, and live two and a half miles northwest of Williams- ville. MARY A. married March 29, 1871, to James H. Groves, and reside two miles east of Williamsville. Mrs. Martha B. Constant died June 1, 1850. G. W. Constant was married Oct. 7, 1852, to Mary W. Stapleford. She was born in Milford, Kent county, Del., and came to Springfield Oct. 14, 1836, in company with her brother-in-law, Benjamin S. Clements, who was the first Mayor of Springfield. George W. Constant and wife reside at Williamsville.


ATERY G., born June 8, 1821, in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county to Louisa Fisher. They had six children. JULIA, the third child, married James Bates. Sec his name. ELLEN and ALBERT died young. CHARLES A. lives in Springfield. ISAAC F. and AVERY live with their mother. Avery G. Constant died March 6, 1858, and his widow resides at Williamsville.


SAMUEL D., born Feb. 21, 1823, died, aged six years, in Kentucky.


GAMES, born July 12, 1825, in Ken- tucky, died in Sangamon county March 2, IS.42.


- Isaac Constant died Dec. 25, 1854, and his widow died July 7, 1860, both in Wil- liams township.


COOPER, AMBROSE, brother to Meredith, was born Dec. 1S, 1796, in Botetourt county, Va., and taken by his parents to Smith county, Tenn., where he was married to Mary Kilbraith. They had two children in Tenn., and in IS21 moved to St. Clair county, Ill., where they had one child, and moved to Sangamon county in the fall of IS23, and settled two miles east of the present town of Sher- man, where they had one child. Of their four children-


HUGH L., born in Tennessee, and married in Sangamon county, to Elizabeth Taylor. They moved to Iowa, where he died, leaving a widow and five children. One of them married and remained in Iowa. The mother and four children moved to Piatt county, Ill. Two of the sons married there, and moved to Kansas. The widow and two children live in Piatt county.


WILLIAM, born in Tennessee, raised in Sangamon county, went to Cal- ifornia, and was married there to Sarah Ide. He came back to Sangamon coun- ty, and after a stay of some years, started on his return to California with his family. He died at sea, one day's sail from New Orleans, leaving a widow and two child- ren. ANN E. is married and lives at Lebanon, Linn county, Oregon. ALICE and her mother reside at Red Bluff, Tehama county, Cal.


ANN, born in St. Clair county, married Samuel Yocom. See his name.


MEREDITHI C., born May 29, 1824, in Sangamon county, married in 1846 to Frances A. Chapman. They have five children, and live in Williams township.


Mrs. Mary Cooper died Oct. 17, 1827. Ambrose Cooper was a soldier from San- gamon county in the Black Hawk war, in 1831, and when the campaign was over he went to the Galena lead mines, remain- ing until the spring of 1832, where he en- listed in another campaign against the Indians, and was in the battles that finally subdued them. He returned to Sangamon county, and was married in April, 1836, to Eliza Wilson. They had seven children, four of whom died young.


STEPHEN L., born May 6, 1840, in Sangamon county, enlisted in Springfiekl, July 20, 1861, for three years, in what be- came Co. B, 11th Mo. Inf., served full term, and was honorably discharged Aug.


225


SANGAMON COUNTY.


1, 1864. He was married Oct. 11, 1865, to Rebecca Summers, who was born Nov. 5, 1842, in Bracken county, Ky. They have two children, RUFUS and AL- VEY, and live near Dawson.


HENRY, born Aug. 12, 1842, enlisted in Springfield July 20, 1861, in what be- came Co. B, 11th Mo. Inf., for three years; re-enlisted as a veteran January, 1864, and was honorably discharged Jan. 20, 1866, and resides with his parents.


DABNEY, born Sept. 2, 1846, lives with his parents.


Ambrose Cooper and wife are now (1874) both living one mile south of Bar- clay.


COOPER, MEDEDITH, born April 7, 1792, in Botetourt county, Va. His parents moved to Smith county, Tenn., when he was a young man. Polly Witcher was born July 21, 1794, in Cocke county, Tenn., and her parents moved to Smith county when she was but fifteen years of age. Meredith Cooper and Polly Witcher were there married, June 16, IS12. In September of that year Mr. Cooper enlisted for three months in a Tennessee regiment, and served four months against the Indians in Alabama, who were the allies of the British govern- ment, with whom we were then at war. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper had two children in Tennessee. In the spring of IS17 Mr. Cooper went to St. Clair county, Ill., raised a crop, and returning, brought his family in the fall of that year. The mov- ing was done on two horses, as there were no wagon roads; and if there had been, they were unable to own a wagon. As a specimen of real life at that time, I give the statement of Mrs. Cooper, now quite aged, that she rode one horse, carried a child in her arms, and with a feather bed lashed to the saddle behind, wended her way, while her husband carried the other child, with all the household goods and farm implements he could put on the other horse. Three of their children were born in St. Clair county. The fame of the rich soil of the San-ga-ma country was known in St. Clair county, and Mr. and Mrs. Cooper resolved to emigrate thither. This time they put all their worldly goods and five children in an ox-cart, and arrived in the autumn of 1823 in what is now called Fancy Creek township, near the present




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.