USA > Illinois > Coles County > The History of Coles County, Illinois map of Coles County; history of Illinois history of Northwest Constitution of the United States, miscellaneous matters, &c., &c > Part 27
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There were James, Silas, Nathaniel and Daniel Parker, who were all brothers of Benjamin Parker. Daniel Parker was also a Baptist preacher of the hard- shell or ironside faith, and mentioned in the history of Edgar County as one of the first preachers in that county. He together, with Benjamin and Silas Par- ker, finally removed to Texas, where the latter two were killed by the Comanche Indians. They had bought a lot of cattle, and were herding them when the Comanches are supposed to have come upon them, drove them to their herder's shanty and murdered them, as when found their bodies were sticking full of arrows. A daughter of one of the Parkers was captured by the Indians, after their removal to Texas, and kept for some time in captivity. When released, she wrote a narrative, descriptive of her trials and sufferings while among the savages, which many of the people still living in this neighborhood have read. Old " High " Johnny Parker went to Texas with his son Benjamin. The old gentleman was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and as such, Col. Dunbar succeeded in getting a pension for him, as a reward for his services in fighting for the independence of his country. There are still many descendants of the Parkers living, who are among the substantial men of Coles County.
Charles S. Morton was another of the very early pioneers of Charleston Township, and one of the energetic and enterprising men of that early day. He was from Fayette County, Ky., within three miles of the city of Lexington, the home of Henry Clay. Though he came to a rich county, it does not equal that which he left. Fayette County is in the very heart of the blue-grass region, than which no finer land is to be found below the sun, and Lexington possesses more wealth (to the amount of population), perhaps, than any city in the United States. Mr. Morton came to this settlement in the spring of 1829, and brought his wife with him to look at the country, thus con- sulting her taste and happiness in the selection of a home, as all good men ought to do. Three months later, he brought his children to his new home. We have said that he was an enterprising man. He kept the first store in Charleston Township-brought the goods with him when he came to the country and opened them out in a small pole cabin, where he continued business until Charleston was laid out, when he moved into the village, and was the first merchant here also. He also had the first horse-mill in the township, and his residence was the first in the neighborhood, perhaps in the county, that could boast of the luxury of a glass window, and we are creditably informed that people came for miles to see how a house looked with the modern improvement of a glass window. He built a row of pole cabins near where the Charleston post office now stands. which were known as the Penitentiary, and these he would let to families mov-
.
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
ing to the settlement three months frec of rent, which time sufficed, if they were industrious, to provide a cabin of their own. A daughter of Mr. Morton married Dr. Ferguson, and another J. K. Decker, Esq., and a son, Charles H. Morton, lives in Chicago. Capt. Adams thus speaks of him in an address delivered by him some time ago: "Mr. Morton traveled down through the journey of life among us, bearing an irreproachable reputation for truth and integrity, and has left behind him children, grandchildren and great-grandchil- dren, all intelligent and prosperous, and scattered from here to Chicago." He died in January, 1848. Mrs. Ferguson and Mrs. Decker still can describe very vividly how, in their young days, they used to dance on puncheon floors and dirt floors and any other kind of floors, and that, too, as often as a fiddler could be obtained. As musicians were scarce, whenever one chanced to present him- self it was invariably the signal for a dance, which was usually prolonged
." All night, till broad daylight,"
when the boys would
" Go home with the girls in the morning."
Col. A. P. Dunbar is another of the pioneers of Charleston, who came here from the " Dark and Bloody Ground." He is a native of Fleming County, and came to Illinois in 1828, but returned to Kentucky, where he read law and was admitted to the bar, and, in 1831, came back to Coles County and located in Charleston, and was the first lawyer to hang out a "shingle" in this city. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1836, when Coles County embraced Cumberland and Douglas Counties, and was re-elected in 1844-45, and, at this session, had Abraham Lincoln for his deskmate. IIis father, Alexander Dun- bar. was a soldier of 1812 and was with Commodore Perry in the battle on Lake Erie. Col. Dunbar's law library was destroyed by fire in 1877, since which time he has retired from the practice of law. Among the carly settlers of this township are Levi, Samuel and James Doty, and John Bates, who settled in the southeast part of the town about 1830-31. They came from Crawford County, but were originally from Kentucky. Levi and James Doty still live in the township, and Samuel moved away years ago. Bates, also, is living yet in the town.
Charleston Township, as well as the entire county, was originally settled mostly by Southern people, Kentucky, perhaps, contributing the largest delega- tion to the population. In addition to the names already mentioned, we have from the old Blue-Grass State, Thomas G. and Dr. W. M. Chambers, Isaac N. Craig, Edmund Curd, Alexander Perkins, John Monroe, Levi Hackett, James M. Miller, Richard and Thomas Stoddert, Col. Thomas A. Marshall, Hon. U. F. Linder, Dr. Samuel Van Meter and Hon. O. B. Ficklin, and probably others whose names we have failed to obtain. The Chamberses were from Harrison County. Thomas came to Illinois in 1838, and settled in Charleston, where he still lives. He commenced his business life as clerk in"a dry goods store, and. in 1840, embarked in the business for himself, and continued it until 1866,
L. D. Cash
OAKLAND
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
when he established the banking house of T. G. Chambers & Co. In 1866, he became President of the First National Bank, which position he now holds. He is a public-spirited and enterprising citizen, and has always manifested a lively interest in the Coles County Agricultural Society, together with many other enterprises calculated to promote the interests of the city and county. He is also President of the Old Settlers' Association. Dr. Chambers gradu- ated as a physician in Transylvania University, at Lexington, Ky., in 1833, and practiced his profession in that State until his removal to Coles County, in 1855. In 1861, he was appointed Brigade Surgeon in the Union army, by President Lincoln, and served in the Army of the Cumberland until 1865. He has been President of the State Medical Society, both of Kentucky and Illi- nois. Isaac Craig is a native of Montgomery County, and came to Illinois with his father's family in 1828, settling in Clark County. Here he remained until 1835, when he came to Coles County, where he has since resided. He was one of the prominent farmers of this township, until his retirement from active business. He is a stockholder and Director in the Second National Bank of Charleston. In the Black Hawk war of 1832, he served in the Sec- ond Brigade of Illinois Volunteers, under Gen. M. K. Alexander, of Paris. Edmund Curd was born in Jessamine County, and from there removed to Hardin County, Ohio, where he remained a few years, and then came to this township. arriving here in 1836, and entered into partnership in the saddlery business with John R. Jeffries, who had come to the place a short time previ- ous. For more than thirty years, he continued in this business. His grand- father removed to Kentucky from Virginia at an early day, and settled on the Kentucky River where the Southern Railroad now crosses it. His grandfather's little family consisted of fifteen children, and from them almost that entire neighborhood was peopled. Alexander Perkins went from Kentucky when quite young, with his parents, to Marion County, Ind., where he grew to man- hood, and removed to Charleston in 1836. He was one of the early brick manufacturers in the county. Hon. John Monroe was from Barren County, and came to this township in 1833. He read medicine with Dr. George Rogers, of Glasgow, Ky., but never practiced the profession. He was an active busi- ness man, and accumulated a handsome property. He served a term in the State Legislature, and died in Charleston, in 1877. Levi Hacket was from Scott County, and settled here in 1835, where he remained until 1861, when he removed to Douglas County. James M .. Miller came from Spencer County . to Charleston in 1838, where he still lives, a prominent merchant. Richard and Thomas Stoddert came from Grayson County, and may be numbered among the pioneers of Coles. The family consisted of the mother and nine children (the father having died before leaving Kentucky), who came at dif- ferent times from 1836 to 1838. They are descendants of the old Massachu- setts Stodderts. The grandfather, Benjamin Stoddert, was a Major in the Continental army in the war of the Revolution, and afterward the second Sec-
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
retary of the United States Navy. Thomas Stoddert settled here in 1836, and Richard in 1838. The brothers formed a partnership in a tannery, which, in that line, and in other departments of business, was continued for thirty years. Richard is a man of considerable wealth, and is a large land-owner. He has held several offices, of which County Treasurer and Sheriff are the most im- portant. Thomas, in 1849, drove an ox-team across the plains to the land of gold. He still lives in Charleston, and is engaged in farming and merchandis- ing. Col. Thomas A. Marshall was born in Frankfort, and is a son of Hon. Thomas A. Marshall, for more than twenty years a Judge of the Court of Appeals of Kentucky. The Marshalls comprise one of the grandest old families of Kentucky, which has, perhaps, produced more great men than any other family in that proud old commonwealth, so prolific of great men. Col. Marshall, after settling in Charleston, resumed the practice of his profession (law, in which he had graduated in Kentucky), and turned his attention to politics. In 1856, he was associated with Abraham Lincoln, Lyman Trumbull, David Davis, John M. Palmer, and others, in the organization of the Repub- lican party. He served two terms in the State Senate, and was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1847. In 1861, he became Colonel of the First Illinois Cavalry, and served until the muster-out of his regiment, in the fall of 1862. He was an able financier, and one of the first bankers in Coles County. Dr. Samuel Van Meter came from Grayson County, with his mother's family, and settled here about 1827. . He read medicine under Dr. Trower, and practiced the profession until 1849, when he went overland to California, the trip occupying five months. He remained in the Golden State a year and a half: then returned to Charleston, and resumed the practice of the healing art. In 1857, he founded, in Charleston, the Illinois Infirmary, the fame of which has extended to all parts of the country. Patients came to it from the Pacific coast, and even from beyond the Atlantic. His partner, for a time. in this famed institution was Dr. H. R. Allen, now of the National Surgical Institute at Indianapolis. As an illustration of the popularity of the Illinois Infirmary, its receipts for 1868 were $186,000. It continued in successful operation until 1877, when Dr. Van Meter, worn out with constant care, closed it and retired from active business. Hon. U. F. Linder was from Hardin County, and removed to Illinois in 1835, and to Charleston in 1838, where he resided until 1860, when he removed to Chicago. He was Attorney General of the State under the administration of Gov. Duncan, a man of intelligence and fine orator- ical powers. He died June 5, 1876. Hon. O. B. Ficklin located in Charles- ton in 1837. He went to Missouri from Kentucky, with his parents, when quite young, and commenced the study of the law with Henry Shurlds, Esq . and, in the winter of 1829-30. entered the office of Robert Farris, of St. Louis. In 1830, he was admitted to the bar at Belleville, Ill., having been examined by Hon. Edward Coles. By the advice of Hon. William Wilson, he located at Mount Carmel. Ill., where he resided until 1837, when he removed to Charles-
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
ton, as noted above. In the Black Hawk war, he enlisted in Capt. Elias Jurdin's company, and, upon the organization of the army, was appointed Quartermaster, and attached to the brigade of Gen. Alexander, of Paris. In 1834, he was elected to the Lower House of the State Legislature, and by that body chosen State's Attorney for the Wabash Circuit. At the election in 1838, having removed to Coles, he was elected Representative from this county, and re-elected in 1842. In 1843, was elected to Congress from the Wabash District. His colleagues were Robert Smith, John A. McClernand, John Wentworth, Joseph P. Hogue, John J. Harding and Stephen A. Douglas. He was re-elected to Congress in 1844, in 1846, and again in 1850. In 1856, was a member of the Democratic Convention that nominated James Buchanan for President, and one of the electors that cast the vote of Illinois for " Old Buck." He was a member of the National Democratic Convention at Charles- ton, S. C., in 1860; was present at the disruption of that body, and attended the adjourned meeting at Baltimore, when Stephen A. Douglas was nominated. In 1864, he was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention at Chicago, that nominated for President Gen. George B. McClellan. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1869-70, and is at present a member of the Legislature from this county.
Among the substantial citizens given to Charleston Township by the " Old Dominion "-the venerable mother of States-may be numbered Albert Compton, Isaiah H. Johnston, R. M. Coon, Dr. Thomas B. Trower, Nathan Ellington, Jonathan Linder, the Cossells, William Frost, Leander Gillingwater, and perhaps others. Albert Compton came from Fairfax County, and, in 1833, settled in Charleston Township. He was a shoemaker, and worked at that trade for a number of years after coming to this neighborhood. He has retired from active business life, and, living in the city of Charleston, he enjoys in his old age a well- earned competence. Isaiah H. Johnston is almost & native of Coles County, having been here since he was three years old. His father came from Russell County, Va., in 1830, and settled in what is now Pleasant Grove Township, in the history of which he is noticed among the early settlers. After the death of his father, he continued on the farm until he was twenty-seven years of age, when he opened a store in the neighborhood. In 1857, he removed to Mattoon, and in that city, continued the mercantile business until 1860, when he was elected Sheriff of the county. When his term of office expired, he resumed merchandising, and finally, in company with T. A. Marshall and John W. True, established the banking house of T. A. Marshall & Co., which, in 1871, became the Second National Bank of Charles- ton. In 1873, he became its President, an office he still holds. In 1869, he built an extensive porkhouse, and, in 1871, together with John B. Hill and Thomas Stoddert, erected the Charleston Pork-Packing House, which receives further notice in another chapter. R. M. Coon cannot be termed an old set- tler of this township or of the county, but his extraordinary experience of the
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
early times will be of some interest in these pages. At the age of twenty-one years, he entered the employ of a stock-drover. There were no railroads then, and stock-trains, but the usual custom, or, rather, the invariable custom, was to drive all stock to market. In this line of business he drove stock from Ohio and Kentucky to Virginia, and to North and South Carolina, making thirteen trips in this capacity across the Alleghany Mountains. He came to Charleston in 1849, and about twenty years ago, engaged in gardening. He has set out eight different orchards, and has eaten fruit from the last one planted. Dr. Thomas B. Trower came to Illinois in 1830, and located in Shel- byville. He came from Albemarle County, and after practicing his profes- sion in Shelbyville for six years, removed to Charleston, where he still lives. He has held many high positions in the medical fraternity, in all of which he has discharged his duty with satisfaction to those interested. Not only is he a fine physician, but an excellent business man, an able financier and a statesman. He was at one time President of the Moultrie County Bank, at Sullivan, and Vice President of the First National Bank of Charleston. While a resident of Shelbyville, he served three terms in the State Legislature, and was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1847. Jonathan Lin- der came to Coles County with his father's family previous to 1830, making the journey in wagons, and settled in this township. Some years later, he revisited his native State (West Virginia), making the trip both ways on horse- back, a distance (the round trip) of over one thousand miles. He died in 1877, leaving one son, Jacob Linder, who lives on the old homestead. In 1829, Michael Cossell, Jr., came to the township, and the next year his father, Michael Cossell, Sr., and two other sons, Isaac and Solomon, moved in. Isaac and Solomon are both living, the latter in Charleston Township and the former in Ashmore. The elder Cossell and his son Michael are dead. Nathan Elling- ton was one of the early settlers here. He was an carly Justice of the Peace, an early school-teacher of Charleston and a man of most excellent character. Ifis tragic death was deplored by all good men. He was the first County Clerk of Coles County, and filled the office to the satisfaction of the people. William Frost and Leander Gillingwater settled in Charleston Township about the same time, and were both Virginians. They came to the settlement about 1830-31, and both died here, Frost but a few years ago, and Gillingwater a few years after he came to the country.
From the Hoosier State, Charleston Township has received some good mate- rial. Jacob K. Decker, James Skidmore and William Linder came from Indiana. Mr. Decker is a native of Knox County, and settled in Charleston Township in 1836. His parents were natives of Virginia, and came to Knox County in 1810, and were living in Fort Knox, on the Wabash, at the time the battle of Tippecanoe was fought. Mr. Decker married a daughter of the pio- neer Charles Morton, mentioned in the beginning of this chapter, and as a farmer and merchant has laid up a competence for old age. Mr. Skidmore
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
came from Owen County (Ind.) with his parents in 1833. They first settled in Morgan Township, but remained only a few years, when they returned to Indiana. After the death of his father, Mr. Skidmore came back to Illinois, then went to Missouri, and finally returned to Illinois and settled in Charles- ton, where he still lives. William Linder came here in 1835, and died in 1843. He has a son, G. W. Linder, still living in the township.
From Tennessee, the land of cotton, the township has drawn some excellent citizens. John Jeffries, William Collom, James Y. Brown, Isaac Lewis and Hiram Steepleton, came from Tennessee. Jeffries came to Crawford County with his parents when but a small boy. In 1835, he removed to Coles County and settled in Charleston, where he engaged in the saddlery and harness busi- ness, which he continued until November 5, 1860, the date of his death. He served one term as Sheriff of Coles County, was an enterprising citizen, a good business man, and accumulated a handsome property. James A. Mitchell and William Collom were from Washington County. The latter came to Illinois in 1829, and stopped first in Edgar County, and, in 1831, removed to Charles- ton. He built and kept the first tavern, a log cabin of one room, in the city of Charleston. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and fought under Gen. Jackson against the Creek Indians ; also participated in the battle of the Horse- Shoe. He died August 8, 1851. Mitchell settled in Charleston in 1830, and was quite a prominent man in the neighborhood. He died many years ago, but has a son still living in Charleston. James Y. Brown settled in Charleston Township in 1827, and remained a resident of it until his death. Lewis and Steepleton settled in the town in 1827, and Steepleton died here ; Lewis moved to the north part of the State, where he was living the last known of him.
Dr. Aaron Ferguson was a native of North Carolina, and in early childhood came with his parents to Bloomington, Ind. After attaining his majority, he read medicine with Dr. Maxwell, and graduated in the profession at Transyl- vania University, Lexington, Ky., and, in 1830, located in Charleston. His wife was a daughter of Charles Morton, mentioned as one of the early settlers of this township. Dr. Ferguson was a close student, somewhat retiring in his nature, never seeking public office. He died in 1876. Charles R. Briggs came from Washington County, N. Y., to this township in 1839, and, after farming one year, located in the city of Charleston. He has made painting of fine stock a specialty, a profession in which he excels, as hundreds of speci- mens of his genius to be found in the city and county testify. He opened the first livery-stable in Charleston with one horse in it to begin with, and so increased his trade that at one time he had in his stable forty-two horses. T. J. Marsh came from Baltimore and settled first in what is now Morgan Town- ship in 1836. His first residence in the wild West was a cabin built of rails, ten feet square, in which he lived with his entire family for three months, when they removed to Charleston. He was a carpenter and builder, and erected the first iron-front store in Charleston. Many other monuments of his enterprise
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
are to be found in the city. George Birch, whose father is noticed among the pioneers of Ashmore Township, is a native of England, and came to America with his parents in 1833. After spending a few years in Pennsylvania, they removed to Illinois and settled in Ashmore Township, as above. He has hauled wheat to Chicago in the early times for 623 cents a bushel, and driven hogs to Clinton, Ind., for $1.25 per hundred pounds net. He has for a year or two. been a resident of Charleston Township, and by close economy has amassed considerable property. Eli Wiley, a lawyer of Charleston, came to Illinois with his parents in 1826, and, after spending several years in Edgar and Clark Counties, removed to Charleston in 1835, where he still lives.
The Eastins, mentioned in the county history as first settling in Kickapoo, as it was then called, were Charles Eastin and three sons, Van, John M. and Harman. The elder Eastin, after a few years, moved into Charleston Town- ship. and, after several other removals to different sections and neighborhoods, finally died in Charleston. John M. Eastin located in this township in an early day (about 1830) and lived for awhile with Charles Morton. He resides at present in Charleston. Harman Eastin went to the Mexican war and was killed. He married Miss Lavina Cox, when this county was included in Clark, and went to Darwin for his marriage license. The Eastins were originally from Kentucky, but had lived for a number of years in Indiana, before coming to Illinois. They left Lexington, Ind., in February of 1830, in wagons, and were nineteen days on the road. To add to the severity and discom- forts of the trip, there was quite a snow, which continued on the ground during their journey. Dr. John Carrico was a native of Meade County, Ky., and came here about 1830-31, and was the first physician in Charleston Township. He was also the first Representative from this county in the Legislature of the State, and died soon after his term of service expired. Hon. James T. Cun- 'ningham, another Kentuckian, came to Coles County in 1830, and was one of the active and energetic men of the times. He served in the Legislature dur- ing the sessions of 1836-37, and was the choice of his party for Congress in the campaign of 1860. Dr. Byrd Monroe, also a Kentuckian, came here in 1833, and was a man of prominence. In 1838, he was elected to the State Senate, an office he filled very acceptably to the people he represented. Isaac Odell was among the early settlers in this township, but had first settled in Pleasant Grove, where he is mentioned among the pioneers of that neighbor- hood. A son of his is said to have been the first birth in Charleston Township.
Col. H. R. Norfolk came to Charleston Township in 1833. He was born in Maryland, but mostly raised by an uncle in Cincinnati, Ohio, and mar- ried his wife in Natchez, Miss. She was a native of New York, and is still living. Col. Norfolk died in December, 1865. He was the second merchant in Charles- ton. Reuben Canterberry came from near Lexington, Ky., and settled in Charleston, in the fall of 1832. He died here many years ago, and his widow married again and moved out of the county. William Martin, I. Lyman and
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