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 70
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DANIEL EVINGER, farmer, carpen- ter and millwright ; P. O. Westfield ; is a native of Ohio, having been born in Ham- ilton Co., of that State, Sept. 10, 1820. In November, 1831, when he was 11 years of age, his parents moved to Coles Co., and settled upon Sec. 19, Hutton Tp., where Mr. Daniel Evinger now resides. His parents died upon the homestead, his father in the year 1835, his mother in the year 1855. His father carried on the business of carpenter and millwright, and was also a minister of the United Brethren Church in Hamilton Co., Ohio. After coming to this county, he was mostly en- gaged in farming, although he turned his experience in his trade of carpenter to good advantage in putting up the frame of his residence and barn; the barn still standing, its frame apparently as strong as ever, and is one of the few buildings of that day now standing in Hutton Tp. ; he also filled regular appointments of a minis- ter up to the time of his death, and formed the nucleus of the United Brethren Church of this county, and the first class was organized in the year 1832 in his house ; he also established the first Sab- bath school in Hutton Tp., in the spring
of 1832, near Otterbein Cemetery. The object of this sketch, with the exception of five years, when he resided in Clark Co., Ill., has resided upon the homestead. From the year 1853 to 1858, he was a partner in a steam-flouring and saw mill in Westfield, Clark Co., Ill. ; having sold out his in- terest he was engaged in merchandising for five or six years, since which time he has been engaged in farming and carpentering. Mr. Evinger, with his brother and his son, built all the bridges and culverts from Westfield to Kansas, for the D., O. & M. Narrow-Gauge Railroad ; he also superin- tended the building of the Westfield Col- lege ; has been School Treasurer for a num; ber of years. He married Miss Mary Jones, near Hitesville, March 11, 1841; she was the daughter of William Jones, of Jefferson Co., Ky., who moved to Coles Co., in 1831, and settled one mile south of Hitesville. They had a family of eleven children, five boys, all living, viz., William H., John F., Frederick A., Benjamin H. and David M., and six girls, but one living, Catharine J. (now Mrs. A. G. Brown, of Westfield, Clark Co., Ill.), and five dead, Sarah E. (formerly Mrs. Ezra Shuey, of Cumberland, Co., Ill.), Mary E. and Ora S., the remaining two dying in infancy.
J. B. FLENNER, farmer and stock- raiser ; P. O. Westfield ; was born in But- ler Co., Ohio, Nov. 18, 1829; up to the age of 24, he remained engaged in farming with his parents; in 1853, they started West, stopping in Clark Co. for five years, when they moved to Coles Co., reaching here in August, 1858, and settled on a farm in Sec. 30, Hutton Tp., near "Otter- bein Cemetery," where his mother died Aug. 1, 1859; shortly after, Mr. Flenner settled upon the farm where he now re- sides, his father, since the death of his mother, residing with him ; his farm con- tains 570 acres, all improved, upon which he has built what is considered the finest residence in this section of the county ; has been School Director for three or four terms. He married Miss Ursula Moore (daughter of Levi D. Moore, of Butler Co., Ohio), Feb. 17, 1853 ; they had five children-three boys and two girls ; two boys living-Wilbur F. and Charles B., one dying in infancy ; and two girls both living-Alice F. (now Mrs. Albert Con- nelly, of Hoopeston, Vermilion Co. Ill.),
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and Ella. Mr. Flenner has been engaged in breeding Poland-China hogs for nearly forty years, and was instrumental in de- veloping and establishing this breed of hogs in Coles Co; he raises on an average 250 hogs of this breed each year; one year the average weight was 598 pounds, and average age 18 months. Mr. Flenner's parents connected themselves early in life with the Methodist Church, and were always consistent and upright members of that denomination.
J. S. GARNER, M. D., Salisbury ; was born in Russell Co., Ky., Oct. 14, 1831; at the age of 18, he went to Lancaster, Garrard Co., Ky., where he studied medi- cine in the office of J. S. Pierce, M. D., for three years ; after which, he attended a course of lectures in Louisville, Ky., and commenced the practice of medicine in Wayne Co., Ky., and continued there up to the year 1863, when, having recruited Co. K, 48th Regt. Ky. Vols., was elected its First Lieutenant, and, having served for eighteen months in our late civil war, moved to Salisbury, Coles Co., and has been practicing medicine there ever since. He has held the office of Postmaster for ten years, and holds it at the present time. He married in Wayne Co., Ky., April 24, 1854, Miss Minnie E. Roberts, daughter of 'Squire Roberts ; they have seven chil- dren-Mary E., Emma A., John P. L., Minnie M., Viola B., Edwin M. S. and Lulu M.
EZEKIEL GILBERT, farmer ; P. O. Charleston ; was born in Lawrence Co., Ind., Nov. 20, 1828; in the year 1830, his parents, Simon and Elizabeth Gilbert, who were natives of Kentucky, moved to Vermilion Co., Ill., and, in 1838, came to Coles Co., and settled on the farm now oc- cupied by Joshua Johns, on Sec. 9, and six years afterward moved to the farm on Sec. 7, where their son Ezekiel now resides ; Mr. Gilbert lived with them upto the time of their death. He married Oct. 28, 1847, Miss Nancy H. Stone, daughter of Stephen Stone, a native of Kentucky, who settled in Coles Co. in 1832 ; she was born Dec. 26, 1831 ; they had thirteen children, nine living-Coleman, born Jan. 28, 1851; Edward H., born Jan. 24, 1853, who mar- ried Miss Emeline Strader, of Hutton Tp., March 19, 1871 ; Sarah E. (now Mrs. H. Bennett), born Jan. 10, 1858 ; Amanda
E. (now Mrs. H. L. Brandenburg), born Oct. 27, 1860; Emma J., born Oct. 4, 1862; Rosa B., Oet. 7, 1865; Susan E., Dec. 2, 1867 ; William O., Aug. 24, 1872, and one infant unnamed ; four deceased -John W., born Feb. 27, 1849, died Feb. 14, 1863; Mary F., born Jan. 10, 1855, died July 28, 1855; Eliza J., born Oct. 9, 1856, died Nov. 5, 1856, and one unnamed.
ANDREW GOSSETT, farmer ; P. O. Hutton ; was born in Coshocton Co., Ohio, Aug. 8, 1836 ; when he was 4 years of age, his parents, Luke and Jane, moved to Coles Co. and settled on Sec. 15, Hutton Tp., where they have resided ever since. Mr. Gossett married Miss Polly Kiser (daughter of William Kiser, of Hutton Tp.) Nov. 1, 1860. The March follow- ing, they moved to his farm on See. 23, where he now resides, upon which he has made all its present improvements ; he has been School Director five years ; he owns 190 acres of land. His wife was born July 4, 1842; they had seven children, five living-Jane, born March 18, 1864; Emery S., Dec. 21, 1867 ; Clara, Dec. 29, 1872; Henry L., Nov. 13, 1875, and Ed- win, June 14, 1878, and two deceased- William, born March 10, 1862, died June 14, 1868; Mary, born March 7, 1870, died Jan. 2, 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Gossett are members of the United Brethren Church.
WILLIAM GOSSETT, farmer; P. O. Hutton ; was born in this township June 3, 1850 ; he lived with his parents up to the age of 24, assisting them in farming, and teaching school for four winter terms, two of them in the northeast part of the township on Sec. 22, and two on Sec. 14. While at home, he married Miss Martha Ingram (daughter of Arthur Ingram, of Hutton Tp.), April 16, 1874; she was born Jan. 9, 1855; they had two chil- dren, one living-Elizabeth J., born Aug. 11, 1875, and one deceased-Jesse L., born Aug. 8, 1877, and died Aug. 18, 1878. Mr. Gossett owns 80 acres of land.
JOHN HUTTON, farmer ; P.O. Diona ; is one of the pioneers of this county, and after whom this township was named; he was born in Montgomery Co., Ky., Jan. 20, 1801; in the year 1816, his parents moved to Crawford Co., Ill., where his father died January, 1819 ; his mother and
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family remained there until the year 1834, when they came to Coles Co., and settled on See. 20, where his mother died Nov., 1853, at the age of 77; Mr. Hutton still resides upon the homestead ; he held the office of Supervisor the three first terms after the organization of the township; in the year 1824, Mr. Hutton was upon the spot upon which the city of Charleston, in this county, now stands; at that time not another white man was to be found in the neighborhood, inhabited only by the Kick- apoo Indians, who were owners of the soil. He married the widow of Isaac Baker April 18, 1843; she was a daughter of George Cottingham, a native of Kentucky, who came to Coles Co. in the year 1837 ; she was born Oct. 27, 1813; she had one child by Mr. Baker-Levi H., now living in California, and nine children by Mr. Hutton-six boys, all living-George W., born April 18, 1844; James Alexander, Nov. 19, 1847 ; Isaac Y., Jan. 6, 1850 ; John A., March 13, 1852 ; and Alfred and Albert (twins), born March 24, 1855, and three girls, one living-Martha E., born Sept. 30, 1860 ; two died ; Sarah E. died when four months old, and Mary Jane, (formerly Mrs. Wm. M. Sanders), born May 15, 1846, died Nov. 27, 1878, leav- ing five children-David C., Oscar, Laura E., Annie and Willie.
JOHN INGRAM, farmer and school- teacher ; P. O. Charleston; was born in Vermilion Co., Ill., Oct. 16, 1836; his parents moved to Coles Co., when he was 18 months old, and settled on See. 33; his mother died there in February, 1855 ; his father is still living on Sec. 34, at the age of 65 ; the subject of this sketch still resides upon the homestead ; he has taught school ever since he was 22 years of age. Married Miss Almorinda Garrison of Hat- ton Tp. (daughter of Peter Garrison ) Oct. 1, 1857 ; she was born Jan. 9, 1839 ; her father, Peter Garrison, was born near Syr- acuse, State of New York, May 4, 1804, and went to Lawrence Co., Ind., and from there to Crawford Co., Ill., and, in the year 1835, moved to Coles Co., and settled on Sec. 11, where he died November, 1858; her mother still lives at the age of 65; Mr. Ingram's family consisted of six cliil- dren-five boys, four living-Malden S., born Feb. 2, 1862; Alva C., April 12, 1864; Arthur S., April 3, 1866; and
Thomas O., born March 12, 1870; one deceased-Emery T., born Oct. 21, 1859, died Dec. 29, 1872 ; and one girl, Lanra, born May 24, 1868. His farm contains 134 acres.
JOSHUA JOHNS, farmer; P. O. Charleston ; was born in Pendleton Co., Va., June 6, 1821. When he was 18 years of age, he went to Bath Co., Vir- ginia, working on the farm of William Friel, whose daughter Isabel he married, Sept. 15, 1840, and after living there for three years moved to Pleasant Grove Tp. in this county, remaining there for twelve years when he came to Hutton Tp., and after settling on Sec. 33 remained there fourteen years, and in March, 1867, came to his present farm on Sec. 9; he owns 692 acres ; has held the office of Supervisor one term, and School Director for many years, and is so at the present time. His wife was born Aug. 19, 1824; they had four- teen children-seven boys, four living- George A., born March 19, 1848; James H., July 13, 1851; Leander, Dec. 21, 1853, and Edwin S., born Sept. 23, 1867 ; three deceased-James W., born Jan. 27, 1844, died Sept. 28, 1846; Seton, born Oct. 11, 1858, died Nov. 28, 1859, and one that died in infancy ; and seven girls, five living-Jemima (now Mrs. Wm. Bishop), born April 12, 1855; Virginia, (now Mrs. Frederick Thompson), born Aug. 27, 1857 ; Sarah Ann, born Sept. 13, 1860 ; Mary E., Dec. 19, 1863; and Emily A., born Nov. 18, 1869, and two deceased-Martha E., born June 16, 1841, died March 10, 1865; Minerva, born April 27, 1849, died Sept. 28, 1849. Mr. Johns' parents, James and Jane, came to Coles Co., in November, 1844, and settled on Sec. 33 in this township, where they both died, his father, March 24, 1859, his mother, Sept. 13, 1872; they had three sons-James and William, deceased, and Joshua, the subject of this sketch.
FRANKLIN JOHNS, farmer ; P. O. Hutton ; was born in Pendleton Co., Va., June 6, 1828; when he was 7 years old, his parents moved to Gallia Co., Ohio, and remained there three years, and in the year 1838, came to Coles Co., and the first winter settled on Sec. 33, where they lived up to the time of their death, his mother dying May 2, 1854, and his father but three days after. The subject of this
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sketch was married Nov. 22, 1849, to Miss Nancy Connely, daughter of John Connely, of Hutton Tp., on the homestead, and a few days afterward removed to his pres- ent farm, where he has ever since resided, now containing 140 acres. He has held the office of Supervisor of the County for one year. He had a family of ten chil- dren, six boys, five living-Edmund R., Jeremiah S., James W., Joseph M. and Emery A., and one deceased-Silas L .; and four girls-Sarah J., Armilda, Mary E. and Harriet Ann. Mr. Johns' father was one of the pioneers of this county, and endured the many hardships and pri. vations of that early day.
SETON JOHNS, farmer; P. O. Charleston ; was born in Augusta Co. Va., Nov. 22, 1832 ; he is the second son, and came with his parents to Gallia Co., Ohio, when he was 2 years of age, and from there to Hutton Tp. in the year 1838, and lived with them up to the time of their death, which occurred in May, 1854, his parents dying within three days of each other. The same fall Mr. Johns married Miss Armilda Rennels (daughter of Wm. Rennels, of Hutton Tp.), and immediately after moved to his farm, one-fourth mile east of his present location, moving to his present home on Sec. 33 in the year 1858, where he has resided ever since ; his farm contains 160 acres, all but 40 of which are improved. He has held the office of As- sessor one term. His wife was born April 9, 1837; they had eleven children, nine living ; two boys, one living-Philip S .- and one that died in infancy ; nine girls, eight living-Martha E. (now Mrs. C. H. Gwin, of Hutton Tp.), Elizabeth, Delilah, Mary J., Alberta, Lilian B., and Nora and Flora, twins; one deceased-Rebecca J. His family are members of the United Brethren Church. His brother, Silas Johns, was the youngest of the three boys, being born Aug. 18, 1834, and came also with his father's family to Coles Co .; in 1855, he went to Kansas and Missouri, living there three years; being taken sick, his brother Seton went to Kansas and brought him back to Hutton Tp., where died he of consumption in the year 1860, and lies buried in Whetstone Creek Cemetery, in Hutton Tp.,
WILLIAM KISER, farmer; P. O. Charleston ; was born in Botetourt Co.,
Va., March 11, 1814; the same year, his parents moved to Ross Co., Ohio, remain- ing there until 1842. Mr. Kiser lived with his parents up to the time of his marriage with Miss Mary Ann Coon, of Ross Co., Ohio, which occurred Aug. 22, 1841; in October, 1846, they moved to Coles Co., and settled on Sec. 31, living there until the year 1851, when they came to the farm upon which he at present resides, on Sec. 33 ; his wife was born in Washington Co., Md., near Harper's Ferry, Dec. 7, 1823 ; they had nine children, two boys- Adam L. (born Dec. 4, 1849), and Will- iam H. (born Dec. 30, 1864), and seven girls, five living-Polly (born July 4, 1842), Hannah C. (Nov. 3, 1844), Vir- ginia (Feb. 10, 1847), Margaret E. (June 8, 1853-now Mrs. C. Stone, of Ashmore Tp.), Alice M. (Feb. 12,1862-now Mrs. Richard Bidle), and two deceased-Zema E. (born Nov. 26, 1857 ; died Nov. 12, 1873), and one died in infancy ; Polly is also married to Mr. Andrew Gossett, of Hutton Tp .; Hannah C. to L. Cooper, of Ashmore Tp .; and Virginia to B. F. MeMorris, of Hutton Tp.
BENJAMIN McMORRIS, farmer ; P. O. Hutton ; was born in Loudoun Co., Va., March 25, 1813; his parents moved to Frederick Co., Va., when he was a year old; his father died in the year 1818, and Mr. MeMorris lived with his mother un- til he was 21 years of age, when they moved to Coshocton Co., Ohio; six years after, his mother returned to Virginia and died there in the year 1852. In the spring of 1836, Mr. McMorris married Rachel MeLaughlin, and, three years afterward, moved to Coles Co., and settled in Sec. 9, Hutton Township, where he at present re- sides. His wife died Dec. 17, 1851, leav- ing six children, all living-Nancy (born Aug. 14, 1837), Margaret (July 7, 1839), Benjamin F. (May 16, 1842), Mary J. Nov. 11. 1847), William H. (Aug. 18, 1849), and Rachel (Dec. 5, 1851). He married his second wife, Miss Sarah J. Johns, daughter of James and Jane Johns, in February, 1852; she was born in Vir- ginia, Pendleton Co., Aug. 11, 1825, and was the widow of Win. Cartright ; they had eight children, six living-Elizabeth J. (born Nov. 26, 1854-now Mrs. David T. French, at present residing in Kansas ; married Nov. 14, 1870), John V. (born
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Oct. 15, 1856), Martha A. (now Mrs. John Thornton ; born July 10, 1860 ; married Oct. 16, 1878), Russell J. (born Sept. 29, 1862), Jenette (Aug. 27, 1864), and Jos- eph L. (born March 9, 1867); two de- ceased-Thomas J. and David A.
D. A. PARKER, farmer ; P. O. West- field, Clark Co .; is one of the pioneers of this county, and was born in Butler Co., Ohio, April 27, 1815; in the year 1817, his parents moved to Crawford Co., Ill., ten miles south of Palestine, and, after re- maining there eight years, moved to Hut- ton Tp., Coles Co., and settled on what was afterward known as " Parker Prairie," in the year 1825, where his parents died, . his mother on the 11th day of December, 1830, and his father on the 18th day of March, 1862; they were among the first settlers, and entered the first land in this county. Mr. Parker remained with his parents until he was 21 years of age, when he went to farming for himself, and, on the 29th day of March, 1837, married Miss Mary J. Flint, daughter of Thomas Flint, of Kentucky ; she was born in Vir- ginia March 30, 1819. Mr. Parker set- tled on his present farm in the year 1840, having entered the land, and has resided there ever since, now containing sixty-four acres. His family consisted of nine chil- dren, five living-two boys, George W., born Feb. 8, 1839, and Allen D., born May 17, 1852, and one deceased-Leroy, born April 19, 1850, died in 1854; six girls, three living-Sallie M. (now Mrs. J. B. Redmon, of Hutton Tp.), born Oct. 15, 1844 ; Ellen, Sept. 5, 1854, and Em- ma, born March 20, 1860, and three de- ceased -- Elizabeth, born July 8, 1841, died Aug. 11, 1852; Martha J., born May 27, 1846, died in the fall of 1855, and Frances A., born Sept. 20, 1856, and died May 20, 1860.
JEPHTHAH PARKER, farmer ; P.O. Westfield, Clark Co .; was born in Craw- ford Co., Ill., Feb. 13, 1823; he was 3 years of age when he came with his parents to Coles Co., and remained with them until his marriage with Miss Sarah J. Green, daughter of James Green, of Ohio, on the 11th day of May, 1842; she was born in Miami Co., Ohio, July 3, 1818. About nine months after their marriage, Mr. Parker moved to his farm on Sec. 6, the greater portion of which he improved,
putting upon it its present buildings, and where he has ever since resided, contain- ing 108 acres. They have eight children -John G., born May 17, 1843, and mar- ried Miss Irena Bennett in September, 1864; Nathaniel L., born Oct. 8, 1845, and married Miss Emma Granger, of Wau- kesha, Wis., Oct. 26, 1873; William T., born Aug. 8, 1847, and married Miss Mary A. Thornton, March 10, 1869; Charles L., born Sept. 8, 1849 ; Nelson R., born Jan. 12, 1851, and married Miss Alta A. White Jan. 28, 1875 ; Annie E., born March 10, 1854; James A., born July 2, 1857, and married Miss Nevada Smith in February, 1877, and George C., born June 11, 1859. Of the sons, John G. and Nathaniel L. were in our late civil war, having both enlisted in Co. F, 123d Regt. I. V. I.
JAMES RENNELS, farmer ; P. O. Charleston ; one of the pioneers of this county ; was born in Madison Co .. Ky., Feb. 12, 1807 ; when he was 17 years of age, his parents moved to Lawrence Co., Ind., within ten miles of Little Orleans. While living there the subject of this sketch married Nov. 17, 1825, Miss Polly Connely (daughter of Joel Connely, of North Carolina) ; she was born Feb. 14, 1807 ; her parents were early settlers of this county, having moved from Lawrence Co., Ind., to Coles Co. in the year 1832. In 1832, Mr. Rennels came to Coles Co. and settled on Sec. 32, where he has ever since resided, known as the "Rennels Set- tlement ;" his parents also moved from Lawrence Co., Ind., to near Rockville, about sixteen miles north of Terre Haute, Ind., and in the year 1837 came to Coles Co. and settled in Hutton Tp., about one mile from Salisbury, where his father died ; his mother made her home among her children, and died at the house of her son- in-law, John Connely, within two years after the death of his father. Mr. James Rennels had a family of nine children- five boys, all living, viz., Henry L., Ed- mund, John P., William R. and Joel J .; four girls, one living-Mahala (now Mrs. Wm. P. Level, of Hutton, Tp.), and three deceased-Rebecca A., Martha J. and Sarah E. Mr. Rennels, as one of the earliest settlers of this county, has ex- perienced the many vicissitudes and hard- ships common to the pioneers of a new
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country, and at a good old age, in connec- tion with his good wife, is resting from their labors, surrounded by their children and grandchildren, ministering to their wants and comforts in their declining years.
EDMUND RENNELS, farmer; P. O. Charleston ; is the second son of James Rennels, and was born in Lawrence Co., Ind., Dec. 13, 1829. He came with his parents to Coles Co., when he was only 3 years of age, and remained with them up to his marriage with Miss Martha Waltrip, of Hutton Tp., Feb. 21, 1849, when he moved to his farm on Sec. 31, where he has resided ever since. His wife died in September, 1854. They had three chil- dren, one living Mary Ann (now Mrs. James Stephens, of Charleston Tp.), and two deceased-Sarah E. and Melvina J. He married his second wife, Miss Angeline Davis, of Hutton Tp., Sept. 9, 1858. They had ten children, nine living, three boys living-Henry L., Rama S., and Tella, and one deceased-Riley S. ; and six girls, all living-Viola, Lua J., Sarah E., Lilly B., Efa and Ida P. Mrs. Rennels and her eldest daughter, Viola, are members of the Baptist Church.
JOHN SARGENT, farmer ; P. O. Hut- ton ; was born in this township March 20, 1846; his father, Stephen, was born in Candia, N. H., July, 1, 1797, and at the age of 13 went to New Jersey, remaining there three years, and from there traveled on foot to Ohio, working one year upon a farm in that State ; he then went to Kentucky, near the city of Louisville, working at the trade of stone-mason, and while there made a trip upon a flatboat from Louisville to New Orleans and back. In the year 1836 he came to New Rich- mond (now Westfield), Clark Co., and car- ried on a general merchandise store, and two years afterward purchased and moved upon a farm on Sec. 11, in this county, where he remained up to the time of his death, Nov. 30, 1878. His farm con- tained over 600 acres. He married Miss Nancy Chenoweth, widow of Jacob Har- lan, Oct. 18, 1842 ; she is still living on the homestead, and was born March 25, 1805. They had two children-the sub- ject of this sketch and Maggie (now Mrs. Charles H. Rice, of Vermont), born June 22, 1844, and now living in Denver, Colo. They have four children-Carrie E.,
Henry C., Benjamin P. and Genevieve. Mr. Sargent's mother was born in Kentucky, and journeyed on a pack- saddle to Vincennes, Ind., with her parents, who afterward came to Clark Co., where she resided after her first marriage and death of her husband, Jacob Harlan. The subject of this sketch was born on the homestead, where he has resided ever since the death of his father. At the age of 15, he enlisted in Co. C, 68th Regt. Ill. Vol. for three months. He married Miss Maria A. Turner (daughter of Samuel Turner, of Kentucky), March 24, 1870. They have four children-Maggie P., born Jan. 28, 1871 ; Jesse R., April 23, 1872; Ada O., Sept. 15, 1875, and Carl, born Jan. 25, 1878. Mr. Sargent owns 400 acres of land.
G. W. SMITH, farmer ; P. O. West- field ; was born in Pulaski Co., Ky., April 17, 1813 ; when he was ten years of age his parents moved to Lawrence Co., Ind., and remained there about six years engaged in farming; from there they moved to Vigo Co., Ind., where his parents died. In 1839, Mr. Smith came to Coles Co., and first settled on Sec. 27, in this township, living there until 1863, when he moved to his present farm on Sec. 26, containing 87 acres. He held the office of School Director several terms. He mar- ried Miss Eliza Boland (her parents being natives of Virginia), in Vigo Co., Ind., August, 1840 ; they had nine children, six girls and three boys, five girls living- Sarah Jane (now Mrs. Preston Walker, of Texas), Leanner, Louisa, Polly (now Mrs. Samuel Merritt, of Charleston, Coles Co., Ill.), and Rosetta (now Mrs. Cornelius King, of Clark Co., Ill.), and one deceased, Filinda, and two boys living, George W. and Benjamin T., one deceased, David. The brother of Mr. Smith, Anthony, was born in the same county in the year 1815, and came with his parents also to Vigo Co., Ind .. and engaged in farming up to the time of his death, 1857. He was married to Miss Hannah Sparks, of Ind., who died in the year 1855 ; he left three sons, two living, one of whom William R., Mr. G. W. Smith brought with him to Coles Co. when only 4 years old, who has made his home with him ever since.
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