The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 83

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron
Number of Pages: 884

USA > Illinois > Livingston County > The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 83

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from some city property in Odell, valued at $6,500.

JAMES RUSTON, farmer; P. O. Rowe; one of our early settlers ; was born in Cambridgeshire, England, May 27, 1829 ; eame to this country in 1835. He was married to Miss Margaret Kirkpatrick ; she was born in Evansville, Indiana, Sept. 13, 1837 ; they have had ten children, six of whom are living-Alice, Fletcher, Mat- tie B., Delinzo, Edith and ; deceased, Mary E., Ann Eliza, Francis A. and James. Mr. R. was a soldier in the late war; he enlisted in the 129th I. V. I. ; served nearly three years, and was dis- charged with honor at the end of the war.

AARON ROSS, farmer ; P. O. Odell ; an early settler ; was born in Allen Co., Ohio, Sept. 20, 1836 ; came to this State in 1852, and to this county in 1853, and settled in Esmen, where he now resides. He is one of nine heirs to 240 acres of land, valued at $10,000. He was married Sept. 28, 1866, to Miss Martha J. Gossard, who was born in Allen Co., Ohio, Dec. 15, 1845 ; they have had six children, three of whom are living-Elizabeth E., Nora A. and Rachael V .; deceased, two infants and Luella J. Mr. Ross was a soldier in the late war, having enlisted in the 129th I. V. I., and receiving severe injuries while there ; he was a participant in the battles of Resaca and Kenesaw, and altogether was in about fifteen battles ; he served nearly three years, and was discharged with honor at the end of the war, June 19, 1865.

JOSEPH ROSS, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Odell ; was born in Auglaize Co., Ohio, March 31, 1842 ; came to this State with his father's family in 1852, and settled in La Salle; removed from there to Esmen, Livingston Co., in 1853, where he now resides. Is one of nine heirs to 240 aeres of land, valued at $9,600. Was married April 22, 1877, to Miss Mary Ross ; she was born in Ross Co., Ohio, Oct. 4, 1847; they have one child- Addie B., born Dec. 6, 1876. Mr. R. is at present School Director in his own town- ship.

H. D. ROBERTS, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Cayuga ; one of the early settlers ; was born in Columbia Co., N. Y., May 8, 1831 ; came to this State in 1837, and settled in Dupage Co .; removing thence to Livingston Co., in 1857. Was

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married Jan. 19, 1860, to Miss Abigail J. Bowers ; she was born in Meigs Co., Ohio, April 3, 1841, died June 3, 1873; by her he had six children, five of whom are liv- ing-Abigail L., Eva A., Ezra A., Gro- vener H., and William H .; deceased, Susan Henrietta. Mr. Roberts was mar- ried again June 25, 1875, to Miss Mary Perry; she was born in Litchfield Co., Conn., Oct. 25, 1832. Mr. R. has held a number of public offices in his own town- ship. Owns eighty acres of land, valued at $3,200.

ROBERT SUMMERVILLE, farmer ; P. O. Cayuga; was born in Warrington Co., N. C., Nov. 15, 1827 ; came to this State in 1862. Was married June 1, 1845, to Miss Esther Collins ; she was born in Grandville Co., N. C., May 2, 1828; they have had eleven children, nine of whom are living-William, Rob- ert, James, Joseph, Grantison, Willis, Gracie, Martha and John ; deceased, Louis and Ann Eliza. Mr. S. was born a slave in the South; obtained his freedom in 1862, when he came to this State and en- gaged in farming, and he now owns 160 acres of land, valued at $6,400.

C. W. STERRY, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Rowe; was born in Franklin Co., Me., Aug. 12, 1826 ; came to this State in 1852, and settled in Chicago, where he remained five years ; removed thence to Esmen, Livingston Co., in 1857. Was married Sept. 21, 1847, to Miss Eliz- abeth Day ; she was born in Maine ; they had three children, all deceased ; Mrs. Sterry died March 25, 1855. Mr. Sterry married again Nov. 25, 1858, to Miss Amanda Hadley; by her he had one child, now deceased; Mrs. S. died June 9, 1859.

Mr. S. is now married to his third wife, who was Miss Mary C. Ross ; by her he has had six children, four of whom are living-Eliza, John, Mary and Jessie ; deceased, IIattie and Josephine. Mr. Sterry has continued the business of a farmer and stock raiser since his arrival in this county ; he now owns 248 acres of land valued at $10,000. Has held office of Town Clerk six years, Supervisor three years and Town Treasurer six years.

J. W. TURNER, farmer ; P. O. Cor- nell ; one of our early settlers ; was born in Fountain Co., Ind., April 7, 1829 ; came to this State in 1851, and settled in New- town ; removed from there to Esmen in 1856. Was married Feb. 14, 1851, to Miss Lucinda J. Songer ; she was born in Fountain Co., Ind., March 31, 1834; they have had nine children, five of whom are living-Leander F., Emily J., Almina, John W. and Andy ; deceased Rosetta and three infants. Mr. Turner has been a farmer and stock raiser from boyhood, and he now owns 200 acres of land, valued at $8,000.

OLA TJOMSLAND, Pastor of Luth- eran Church ; P. O. Rowe ; was born in Norway March 13, 1836; came to this country in 1872, and settled in La Salle Co .; he removed from there to Esmen, Livingston Co., in 1874. He was married to Miss Anna Margaretta ; she was born in Sweden; they have had four children, three of whom are living-Astre, Anna and Katherina Mr. Tjomsland, previous to his coming to America, was a missionary in South Africa, where he remained nearly nine years ; he is really the first settler in the vicinity of Rowe station, and is at present pastor of the Esmen Church.

AVOCA TOWNSHIP.

JOHN BODLEY, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Fairbury ; came to Livingston Co. in 1852, and entered the land com- prising his present farm, containing 326 acres, finely improved, and valued at $50 an acre ; here he has resided to the present time; he was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, Feb. 9, 1829; when he was but a

year old his parents removed to Fountain Co., Ind., where he lived until his removal to Livingston Co., as above stated. He was married on the 5th of June, 1850 to Miss Mary A. Voliva, of Fountain Co., Ind. ; she was born there Oct. 7, 1833 ; they have four children living-Thomas, John, Will- iam and Maggie A ; one daughter, Mary

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES :

E., died in September, 1876, and Sarah E. in May of the same year ; Della A. died in August, 1875, and one child, Eddie, died in 1868. Mr. Bodley served two terms as member of the Board of Supervisors ; he has also been Commissioner of Highways some four years, and School Director about fifteen years.

WM. N. COMBS, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 34; P. O. Fairbury ; was born in Sidney, Kennebec Co., Me., Oct. 25, 1840 ; he lived there until he was 10 years of age, when his father removed with his family to Bloomington, Ill .; about two years later they removed to Pleasant Hill, in the same county, where his father built one of the first steam mills in that part of McLean Co. After receiving an English education, Mr. Combs engaged in teaching for several years. He was married on the 12th of January, 1865, to Miss E. Elliott, of MeLean Co; she was born in Knox Co., Ohio, Feb. 8, 1844; he removed to Liv- ingston Co. in 1869, and after following the dry goods business and dealing in stock in Fairbury for about six years, settled on his present farm in 1875, where he owns eighty acres of land, valued at $4,800. He was elected Collector in the Spring of 1878; he also held the same office in McLean Co.

MOSES CHAMPLIN, farmer and stoek raiser, and dealer in grain; P. O. Fairbury ; has been a resident of Livings- ton Co. since 1860, having moved here from Marshall Co., where he had resided for two years previously ; he was born in Albany Co., N. Y., on the 23d of Decem- ber, 1809 ; when he was about 6 years of age, his parents removed to Madison Co., N. Y., and about six years later to Jeffer- son Co .; there he lived until he came to Illinois, in 1858 ; he settled in 1863 on his present farm, on Secs. 20 and 29, where he owns 320 acres of land, valued at $12,- 800. Mr. Champlin was married in No- vember, 1833, to Miss Tirzah Stanley, of Jefferson Co., N. Y., who was born in Oneida Co., N. Y., in March, 1810 ; they have six children-Lewis C., Hannah L., Alson P., Henry C., Nancy M. and Ella J.

ALEXANDER DEMOSS, JR., farm- er and stock, Sec. 10; P. O. Fairbury ; is a native of Hamilton Co., Ind .; he was born June 6, 1835, and was but 5 years of age when his parents removed to this county ; he is the fourth son of James De-

Moss, Jr., who was the oldest son of James De Moss, Sr. ; his father built the first mill in Pontiac, and the first court house in Liv- ingston Co. Alexander DeMoss was mar- ried to his present wife in the Spring of 1873 ; her maiden name was Miss Harriet O'Neal; she is a native of Rook's Creek Tp., Livingston Co. ; they have three chil- dren living-Cora E., Franklin H. and Ora A. He had been married at the age of 21 years to Miss Sarah Sparks, daugh- ter of Sanford Sparks, of Avoca Tp. ; she died Oct. 24, 1870. Mr. DeMoss owns a farm of sixty acres, valued at $40 an acre.

HENRY J. DEMOSS, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 25 ; P. O. Fairbury. Among the early settlers of Livingston Co., was James DeMoss, who came with his family from Indiana in 1840. The family consisted of four sons and one daughter, all of whom settled in the county. The oldest, James DeMoss, Jr., was the father of the subject of this sketch ; he had five children, of whom Henry J. was next to the oldest ; he was born near Hillsboro, Ohio, June 21, 1830 ; when he was 2 years old his father removed to Hamilton Co., Ind., and thence to Livings- ton Co. as above stated ; after several removals the family settled about a mile north of Avoca. Mr. DeMoss was mar- ried May 1,1852, to Miss Mary A. Pope- joy, daughter of Nathan Popejoy, one of the earliest settlers of the county. She was born in Dayton, Ind., Sept. 27, 1832; they have six children-Levi, Maggie, Theodore P., Edward W., Isadora and Henry Boyd. After his marriage, Mr. DeMoss resided two years on the place where he now lives, and then entered a farm in Pleasant Ridge, where he resided until 1874, when he returned and pur- chased his present farm; he owns 106 acres of land finely improved and valued at $50 an acre. He has served several terms as School Director and School Trustee.

THOMAS DEMOSS, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. McDowell ; one of the early settlers of Livingston Co .; came to the county when he was but 10 years of age ; he was born in Hamilton Co., Ind., Nov. 20, 1830 ; he is the youngest of the four brothers-sons of James DeMoss-who came with their father at the same time ; they first settled on the farm now known as the Snow farm, in Owego Tp., where they lived seven years. Mr. DeMoss

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settled on his present farm in 1850; he has 100 acres of land on See. 3, valued at 84,000. Hle was married April 20, 1853, to Miss Leah Carson, a native of Indiana ; she died on the 27th of Sept., 1857, leav- ing one child-Melinda. Mr. DeMoss was married a second time, Nov. 29, 1860, to Miss Rhoda J. Graves, of Avoca Tp .; she was born in Rensselaer Co., N. Y., July 30, 1841 ; they have eight children living-Ida L., Della M .. Henrietta, Olive, Mattie, Thomas, Wallace and infant ; one child, Dora, died Oct. 28, 1872.

ASA DEMOSS, farmer and stock raiser : P. O. Pontiac ; the fourth son of James DeMoss, Sr .; was born in Highland Co., Ohio, June 8, 1822 : his grandfather came originally from Virginia, and settled at the mouth of the Miami River in Ohio at a very early day, and built a fort there, and lived there until just at the close of the war of 1812, when he was killed by the Indians. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and resided in Ohio, Ken- tueky and Indiana, coming to Livingston Co. in 1840. Mr. DeMoss has always lived in this county since that time. He was married Jan. 29, 1853, to Miss Marcie R. Reynolds, daughter of George T. Rey- nolds, another of the early settlers of the county ; she was born in Brown Co., Ohio on the 17th of September, 1832; they have one daughter living-Rebecca A. (now Mrs. John Wilson, of Avoca Tp. ); one child, William N., died when but a child. in 1856. Mr. De Moss owns about 200 acres of land, valued at $6,000. He has served one term as School Trustee and several terms as School Director.

WILLIAM DEMOSS, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 3 ; P. O. Pontiac; was born in Highland Co., Ohio, on the 23d of March, 1828; his parents removed to Rush Co., Ind., and thence to Hamilton Co. in the same State ; in 1840, the family came to Liv- ingston Co. ; he is the fifth son of James' De Moss, Sen. IIe was married Sept. 14, 1850, to Miss Charlotte Sparks, daughter of Sanford Sparks, of Avoca Tp. ; she was born in Brown Co., Ohio, on the 12th of Sept., 1829; they have two children- Arthur and Otis. He owns a farm of 124 acres, valued at $40 per acre.

R. B. FOSTER, farm and stock ; P. O. Lodemia ; came from Fountain Co., Ind., to Livingston Co., in 1855, settling in Avo-

ca Tp .; he was born in Fountain Co., Ind., March 8, 1831, and lived there until his removal to Livingston Co .; he owns eighty acres of land in his home farm, on Sec. 21, and 160 acres on Sec. 29, valued at $7,000. He was married on the 14th of Feb., 1851, to Miss Mary J. Bodley, who was born in Fountain Co., Ind., in Aug., 1831; they have seven children living-Ophelia, Wallace D., Frances, Emma, Flora B., Wilbur and Ira A. Mr. Foster served eight years as Justice of the Peace, one year as member of the Board of Supervisors, and one term as Town Clerk ; he has also been Town Treasurer for the past eight years, and served a num- ber of terms as School Director; he has also been local minister of the Avoca Cir- cuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church for the past six years.

WILLIAM FUGATE, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 35; P. O. Fairbury ; a resi- dent of Livingston Co., since 1856 ; was born in Wayne Co., Ind., near Richmond, March 26, 1820; when he was 3 years of age, his parents removed to Tippecanoe Co., Ind. ; there he lived until his removal to Livingston Co., as above stated ; in 1842, he made a journey on horseback across Illinois and through the State of Missouri, traveling more than a thousand miles. He was married April 24, 1848, to Miss Mary J. Ray ; she was born in Madison Co., Ind., on the 10th of June, 1833; they have five children-Mary F., Henderson, Marion A., Daniel and Cloe M. On ar- riving in Livingston Co., he settled on his present farm; in August, the following year, his buildings were burned down and he has since erected his present eommo- dious buildings ; he owns 320 acres of land, valued at $16,000. Mr. Fugate served one term on the Board of Super- visors.

MRS. MARY GLINNEN, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 12; P. O. Fairbury ; among the early settlers of Livingston Co., was James Glinnen, who came from Lewis Co., N. Y., in 1844 ; he was born in County West Meath, Ireland, and came to the United States in 1840. He was married about 1837, to Miss Mary Dunn of his native county ; the four years from 1840 to 1844, they spent in Maryland, Dela- ware, and Pennsylvania ; on arriving in Livingston Co., they spent a year in Pon-

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

tiae, and then came to Avoca Tp. Mr. Glinnen died in 1858, leaving a family of three sons and one danghter-Dinnes, Mary (now Mrs. John Monahan of Char- lotte Tp.) ; Christopher and Matthew. Mrs. Glinnen owns 105 acres of land in the home farm, and 120 acres in Pleasant Ridge.

DINNES GLINNEN, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Fairbury ; was born in County West Meath, Ireland, on the 9th of May, 1836, and came to the United States at the age of 7 years. He is a son of James Glinnen, who died in Avoca Tp., in 1858 : he came with his parents to Liv- ingston Co., in 1844; since the death of his father, he has managed the affairs of the estate ; he is a successful farmer and business man, and one of the large prop- erty owners of the county. During the war he was largely engaged in buying and shipping stock, in which he was very sue- cessful ; he now owns 920 acres of land in Avoca and Pleasant Ridge Tps. He served one term as School Trustee, and has been School Director for the past nine years.

J. G. JONES, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. McDowell ; was born in Vigo Co., Ind., near Terre Haute, June 17, 1825. When he was quite young, his parents removed to Fountain Co., Ind., where they resided until their death, which took place in January and June, 1878, respectively. Mr. Jones was married March 20, 1848, to Miss Delilah Jones, who was born in Davis Co., Ky., Feb. 19, 1828, and when but a child removed with her parents to Indiana ; they have seven children-Leon- ard, George W., John F., Edgar, Hester C. Mary and Olive M. Mr. Jones came to Livingston County in 1854, and settled in Eppard's Point Township, where he re- mained six years, and then came to his present farm on Section 7, where he owns 202 acres of land, valued at $10,000.

C. W. JOHNSON, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Fairbury ; is a native of But- ler Co., Ohio ; he was born on the the 19th of December, 1820 ; he made his home there until 1848, when he went to Indiana and spent eleven years in different parts of the State. On the 20th of January, 1859, he was married to Miss Mariam A. Jessop, of Howard Co., Ind. ; she was born in Darke Co., Ohio, Jan. 10, 1837 ; they have

two children-Quincy S. and Indiana G. After his marriage, Mr. Johnson settled in Howard Co., Ind., where he resided until his removal to Livingston County in 1865; he settled at that time on his present farm on Section 27, containing eighty acres, valued at $45 an acre. He held the offices of Township Trustee and Township Treasurer in Howard Co., Ind., and is at present Township Trustee.

JOHN McDOWELL, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 21 ; P. O. Fairbury ; was born in Scioto Co., Ohio, on the 5th of May, 1813 ; in 1828, his father's family removed to Tippecanoe Co., Ind., in 1832, came to Livingston County and settled in Avoca Township; he is the next to the oldest of the family of eight who came at that time. Of the family, two sisters are deceased ; one is married and lives in Avoca Town- ship ; two of the brothers live in Fairbury, and one in Kansas and one in Nebraska. Mr. McDowell was married Nov. 16, 1837, to Miss Elizabeth Moore, of Indian Grove Township ; she was born in Overton Co., Tennessee, on the 20th of June, 1820; they have four children living-Sarah A., Serepta J., Mary A. and Lewis P. Mr. McDowell opened his present farm in the Spring of 1853, moving with his family on the 12th of April. He owns 240 acres of land, with good buildings, and valued at $45 an aere.

J. W. McDOWELL, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 22; P. O. Fairbury ; was born Dec. 25, 1849. in Avoca Township, on the farm now occupied by him ; he is a son of James McDowell, one of the five brothers who came to Livingston County from Indiana in 1832 ; a few years later, his father opened up the farm now occupied by him and containing 900 acres of land. Mr. McDowell was married on the 13th of February, 1877, to Miss Chloe M. Fugate, daughter of William Fugate, another of the early settlers of Avoca Township; she was born in Avoca Township Dec. 5, 1859 ; they have one child-Gertie M. Mr. McDowell is at present Town Clerk, to which office he was elected in 1877 and re-elected in 1878.

J. C. MORRISON, farmer and stock raiser; P. O. Pontiac ; was born in Erie Co., N. Y., Feb. 17, 1831; in 1840, he came with his father's family to Livingston Co., and set-

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AVOCA TOWNSHIP. .

tled on what is now Sec. 5, Avoca Tp., where he still resides ; at that time, Pou- tiac contained two log cabins and one frame house, about sixteen feet square ; there was not a house from their house to the Mazon River, a distance of fully twenty-five miles; his father died in the Summer of 1840, leaving six children, of whom Joseph C. was the youngest ; some years afterward, he purchased the interest of the other members of the family in homestead of 120 acres, which their father had entered from the Government ; to this he has added from time to time, until he now has 900 acres in his home farm, valued at $36,000, besides land in Kansas. He is a progress- ive, enterprising and successful farmer ; has been engaged in the stock business for twenty years, keeping on his place from 200 to 500 head of cattle, besides a large number of hogs, and fine blooded horses. He was married on the 12th of June, 1851, to Miss Naomi Reynolds, of Pontiac; they have eight children-Albert J., J. Newton, Charlotte, Samuel, Addie, Della, Alta and John J.

JOHN O. MORRISON, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Lodemia; is a native of Livingston Co .; he was born in Avoca Tp. in July 15, 1850 ; he is the oklest son of Samuel Morrison, one of the carly settlers of the county, who came to Avoca Tp. in 1840. He was married on the 12th of . January, 1876, to Miss Mary A. Mc- Cashland, daughter of Thos. McCashland, of Avoca Tp .; she was born in Union Co., Ind., Jan. 24, 1853. Mr. Morrison re- sides on a farm belonging to his father, located on Sec. S, and containing 200 acres of land, valued at $8,000.

S. M. PRICER, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Pontiac ; is a native of Ross Co., Ohio ; he was born Feb. 16, 1824; he resided there until 1863, when he removed to Marion Co., Ill, and one year later removed to East St. Louis, where he lived one year, removing thence to St. Louis, Mo. ; two years later to Quincy, Ill., thence to McLean Co., where he resided till his removal to Livingston Co. in 1873. He was married May 12, 1853, to Miss Mary E. Latham, of Washington, Fayette Co., Ohio ; she was born in Hanover, N. H., Ang. 23, 1835. Mrs. Pricer has 380 acres of land in Sec. 1, Avoca Tp., valued at $40 an acre. Mr. Pricer has served as

Postmaster in South Salem, Ross Co., Ohio, some five years, and Treasurer about the same length of time.

HUGII ROBINSON, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 26; P. O. Fairbury ; has lived in Livingston Co. for the past twenty-four years ; he was born in Fayette Co., Ohio, July 14, 1842 ; when he was twelve years old, his parents came to Illinois; they came with covered wagons across the prairie, and were frequently in such danger from prairie fires that they had to light back fires with matches as a protection ; they settled in McLean Co., and in 1854 came to Avoca Tp. His father, James K. Robinson, died Dec. 11. 1860, his mother having died in 1853. Mr. Robinson began farm- ing for himself in Indian Grove Tp, and lived there until his removal to his present farm in 1872; he has eighty acres of land, valued at $3,200; he is considerably interested in fine stock, espe- cially Norman horses, of which he now has some fourteen head. He was married on the 3d of March, 1870, to Miss Lizzie Hartley, of Avoca Tp .; she was born in the Province of Ontario, Canada, July 17, 1845 ; they have three children-Minnie M., Lillie G. and Jessie E. Mr. Robin- son has served three years as School Di- rector. In May, 1864, he enlisted in Co. F, 69th Ill. Vols., for three months, and served till the expiration of his term of enlistment.

A. P. STRAIGHT, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Fairbury ; was born in Wash- ington Co., N. Y, on the 12th of January, 1803; when he was quite young his father removed to Ontario Co., N. Y., where he resided about twenty years, and then re- moved to Chautauqua Co., in the same State. Mr. Straight was married in Chau- tauqua Co. in July, 1824, to Miss Philena Simmons, of that county ; she was born in July, 1803. In 1857, Mr. Straight come to Livingston Co. and settled near Fair- bury ; he removed to his farm on Sec. 28 in the Spring of 1877, where he owns 170 acres of land, valued at $50 an aere ; he also owns forty acres on Sec. 34, and a dwelling and several lots in Fairbury. Ile has seven children living-Emily (now Mrs. N. C. Johnson, of Kent Co., Mich.), Mary (now Mrs. James H. Odell, of In- dian Grove Tp.), Levi (now a resident of Fairbury), David (an attorney at law in

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES :

Fowler, Ind.), Rufus (a farmer living in Indian Grove Tp.), J. William (an attor- ney at law in Bloomington, Ill. ) and Caro- line (wife of S. S. Rogers, of the Fairbury House, Fairbury) ; two sons-Alonzo and Leander -- were killed in the army.

AARON SHAW, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 25 ; P. O. Fairbury ; was born in Cape May Co., N. J., Oct. 5, 1800 ; when he was 16 years of age, he removed with his parents to Cumberland Co., N. J. He was married on the 24th of January, 1824, to Miss Sarah Whitehead, of Cum- berland Co .; she was born in Salem Co., N. J., March 3, 1799. In 1835, Mr. Shaw removed to Tippecanoe Co., Ind., where he resided until 1856, and then came to Livingston Co. and settled on his pres- ent farm, where he owns 200 acres of land, valued at $8,000. Mrs. Shaw died May 23, 1871, leaving five children-Rachel (now wife of John Bennett, of Avoca Tp.), Priscilla ( now Mrs. J. H. Burdick ), James W., of Avoca Tp., Else (now Mrs. Daniel McLean, of Fairbury) and Thomas E., of Avoca.

T. N. SMITH, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Fairbury ; a resident of Livingston Co. since 1853; was born in Smithfield, Jefferson Co., Ohio, July 27, 1831 ; when he was quite young his parents removed to Tuse. Co., Ohio, and thence to Mansfield, Crawford Co. ; from there they removed to Seneca Co., thence back to Jefferson Co .; two years later, they removed to Washing- ton Co., Ohio, and there he made his home until his removal to Livingston Co., in 1853; in 1855, he opened a farm in Saunemin Tp., and remained there nine years and then settled on his present farm ; Mr. Smith owns about 900 acres of land, good buildings and well improved, which he has earned by industry, economy and good management ; he started in this county with but $100, and his landed interests now amount to not less than $30,000. He was married May 2, 1855, to Miss Rebecca Gilpin, daughter of Samuel Gilpin, of Avoca Tp. ; she was born in Delaware Co., Ohio, Oct. 17, 1830 ; they have eight chil- dren living-John B., Orpha A., Thomas A., Mary V., James R., Loren L., Martha J. and Birdie ; one daughter, Clara C., dicd in 1873. Mr. Smith served about eight years as School Treasurer, and some five years as Commissioner of Highways.

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The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 83

Author: Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron Number of Pages: 884

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron
Number of Pages: 884