The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 130

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr.
Number of Pages: 1092

USA > Illinois > McLean County > The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 130

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).

CHIARLES ALLEN, farmer, Sec. 32; P. (). Heyworth ; born in Marion Co., Ohio, May 19, 1845. His father. David S. Allen, was born in Pennsylvania, and emigrated to Ohio, then to Illinois, aud located in Padua Township, McLean Co., in 1845. Here he entered eighty acres of prairie and twenty of timber, upon which he lived until 1860, when, after living in Christian Co. three years, he returned to McLean Co. and settled in Downs Township, where he died, March 17, 1864. Ile married, in Ohio, Betsey Love ; she died in MeLean Co. in 1848, and lies buried in the Dawson grave yard, in Padua Township. The subject of this sketch lived with his parents until the winter of 186-1, when he enlisted in the 150th I. V. I., and went forward to battle for the Union. He was forwarded to the front, and, during the year 1864, was engaged upon duty in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and, in the spring of 1865, he was discharged, and returned to Downs Township, and followed farming upon rented land until 1871, when he purchased his present place of 100 acres, upon which he then settled and has since lived. His marriage with Charity E. Cusey was celebrated Dec. 30, 1868. They have two children-John Cusey, born Oct. 22. 1871 ; Charles A., June 11, 1876. Mrs. Allen was born in McLean Co., Nov. 21, 1844. She is a daughter ot Senator John Cusey, one of the early settlers of McLean Co., whose biog- raphy appears in this work.

C. E. BARCLAY, farmer, Sec. 19; P. O. Downs ; born in Mason Co., Ky., Sept. 10, 1824. His father, Stephen Barclay, was born in Brown Co., Ohio, Aug. 11, 1800. He was married in Kentucky to Nancy Downing. She was born March 22, 1800, in Kentucky. They were the parents of six children, as follows-Susan, now Mrs. Sylvester Peasley, born June 7, 1822; Charles E,, Sept. 10, 1824 ; Harriet P., March 2 1827; James, May 14, 1829; Sarah, April 25, 1832; William, Feb. 16, 1835-the last four are deccased. The subject of this sketch was brought up to farm labor, with his father, until 28 years of age, when, in the fall of 1853, he emigrated to Illinois, and the year of 1854, farmed upon the place of Campbell Wakefield, in Randolph Township, and in the fall of 1854, purchased his present place of 160 acres, which was in a wild state, and which he has brought from its wild prairie condition to its present high state of culti- vation, by his own hard labor. He was one of the first settlers upon the prairie; but a very few houses were in view at the time of his locating here. He has followed farming constantly during his residence here, and for the past fifteen years has been engaged in feeding and shipping stock. His marriage with Angeline Biggers, was celebrated May 19, 1850. She was born in Mason Co., Ky., Jan. 23. 1832. She died in MeLean Co., June 4, 1867, leaving seven children-James S., born July 29, 1851; Mary A., Aug. 19, 1853; Nancy S., April 17, 1855, (the above three are married and live in Kansas); Charles D., Sept. 9, 1857; John II., May 21, 1860; Susan P'., Feb. 20, 1862; George E., July 23, 1865-the last four are now living at home. His marriage with

958

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

Elizabeth Willhoit was celebrated Jan. 23. 1868. She was born in Owen Co., Ky., May 8, 1842, she was a daughter of Willis C. and Maria ( Hancock ) Willhoit, who emigrated from Kentucky and located in McLean Co., Ill., in the spring of 1852. Mr. Willhoit died in McLean Co., April 9, 1873. Mrs. Willhoit is still living : is now in the 74th year of her age. They were the parents of ten children, eight of whom lived to grow up; seven are now living; six of them are living in McLean Co. The children of Charles E., and Elizabeth ( Willhoit ) Barclay were five in num- ber-Lillie M., born March 7, 1869; Willis J., Nov. 1, 1870; larry T., May 8, 1872; Hattie E., Aug. 20, 1875; William E., June 25, 1877. Of township and school offices he has had his full share, among which we mention Assessor for three terms, Commissioner of Highways three terms, School Director ten years, Town ( lerk one year, and one of the Board of School Trustees for fourteen years, and other petty offices.

WILLIAM R. BARTON, farmer, Sec. 29; P. O. Heyworth. One of the oldest settlers of McLean Co .; born in Union Co., Ind .. Oct. 13, 1823; his father, Samuel Barton, was born in Loudoun Co .. Va., in 1794. He emigrated from Virginia to Pennsylvania, thence to Union Co., Ind. He was married in Pennsylvania to IIannah Pitznoggle. She was born in Pennsylvania, of German descent. She died about the year 1846, in Boone Co., Ind. Mr. Barton now lives in Boone Co., Ind., where he has lived for nearly half a century. He is now 85 years of age. They were the parents of nine children, of whom six are now living. The subject of this sketch lived upon the farm of his father, until 1855, when he emigrated West, and located in Downs Town- ship, and in the spring of 1856, purchased forty acres of his present place, upon which he then settled, and where he has since lived. He has since added. by purchase, until he now owLs eighty acres of well-improved land, which he has secured by his own hard labor, energy and industry. His marriage with Louisa A Sweet, was celebrated Oct. 17, 1844. She was born in Henry Co., Ind., Jan. 17, 1828. She died March 5, 1868. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom nine are now living-Eli, Catharine, Albert, John, Charles, Wilton, William, Mary and Ellen ; of the above children, John was born Jan. 17, 1854; he was united in marriage with Lizzie J. Cruff, Feb. 10, 1875; she was born in Indiana, Jan. 29, 1852. She was a daughter of William Cruff, who located in Bloomington, in 1856. an.l now lives in McLean Co.

DAVID F. BAYLOR, farmer, Sec. 8; P. O. Downs ; one of the early settlers of McLean Co., Ill. ; born in Champaign Co .. Ohio, Sept. 27, 1832 ; he is a son of Jacob Baylor, who was born in Pennsylvania. May 16. 1805, and emigrated to Ohio, and located in Champaign Co., Ohio. He was married, March 25, 1830, to Nancy Beatly ; she was born in Champaign Co., Ohio, Aug. 30, 1810, ; she now lives upon the old place, where they located thirty-nine years ago. He fol- lowed farming and teaming in Ohio until 1837, when he emigrated to Illinois with his family and located at Blooming Grove, and, in 1839, located on Sec. 8, Downs Township, where he secured eighty acres of land, upon which he settled, and where he lived until his decease, which occurred Jan. 6, 1848. He frequently made trips by team to Chicago, taking up grain, and bringing back salt, groceries, etc., the trip consuming upward of two weeks; he also made trips to St. Louis, taking grain to market and freighting back goods for Bloomington merchants; he continued farming and teaming until he had accumulated 200 acres of land at the time of his death ; they were the parents of eight children, of whom five are living. The subject of this sketch emigrated to Illinois with his parents in 1837, and lived upon the home farm until 1866, when he located upon his present place, where he has since lived ; he has eighty acres in his home farm, and also an interest in the old homestead. His marriage with Annette R. Mannen, was celebrated April 12, 1859; she was born in McLean Co .. Ill., Feb. 15, 1840; she died April 17, 1864. leaving two children-Cary O., born April 6, 1860 ; Maria I., born Nov. 25, 1862. He

was united in marriage with Clara B. Philips, Nov. 19, 1865 ; she was born in Greene Co., Penn., Jan. 7. 1842; they were the parents of five children, of whom four survive-Maggie F., born in 1867 ; Francis B., born April 22, 1868; Eliott II., born Aug. 17, 1872; Vera L., born Oct. 8, 1-75. The deceased, Alfred N., was born Aug. 18, 1870: died Aug. 5, 1872.

HENRY CLAY BISHIOP, farmer, Sec. 5; P. O. Downs; one of the oldest living settlers of Downs Township : born in Clark Co., Ohio, Dec., 3, 1824; he was the second son of William Bishop, who was born Sept. 8, 1794, in Virginia. During the war of 1812, he was a teamster, and went to Fort Meigs and Fort Wayne. About the year 1820, he went to Virginia and mar- ried Margaret Lake; she was born in Virginia in 1803 ; she is now living in Bloomington at the advanced age of 76 years ; they were the parents of nine children, who lived to grow up, eight of whom are now living. In 1833, he came to Illinios and located upon Sec. 30, Old Town Township, McLean Co .; upon their arrival here they were obliged to sleep in a wagon for three weeks, and lived in the abandoned hut of a hunter for the first winter, and the following year. built the Six-Mile House, a double log cabin, which was used for many years as a stopping place for travelers. He entered land, to which he afterward added until he had 2,000 acres; of their children, eight are now living; three of the sons are farming in this county ; one is a physician of Bloomington, and one a physician of Chicago. Mr. Bishop was a man universally respected, and died Oct. 5, 1895, at the advanced age of 61 years. The subject of this sketch remained at home until 1852, when he went to California overland, crossing the Rocky Mountains at South Pass ; there were six in the party, and they had two teams of cows hitched to the wagons ; the trip con- sumed five months : he remained in California until 1856, the most of the time being engaged

959

DOWNS TOWNSHIP.

in mining , he then returned and engaged in farming, which business he has since successfully followed ; he located upon his present place in 1865, where he has 355 acres, upon which he has good farm-buildings, and some town property in Normal.

GEORGE BISHOP, farmer, Sec. 10: P. O. Downs; born in Randolph Township, McLean Co., Ill., Nov. 28, 1848; he is a son of James Bishop, who was born in Champaign Co .. Ohio, and emigrated to Illinois and located in Randolph Township at a very early day. The subject of this sketch attended the common school in his youth, and completed his education at the Nor- mal University at Bloomington, after which he remained with his father until the 7th of March, 1871, when he was united in marriage with Susan Welch ; she was born in McLean Co., 1H., Sept. 24, 1850 : she is a daughter of Henry Welch, one of the pioneers of McLean Co., whose sketch also appears in this work. Upon the marriage of Mr. Bishop, he commenced farming for himself, which business he has since successfully followed ; he removed upon his present place in 1873, where he is engaged in farming 240 acres, all under a good state of cultivation ; they have four children by this union-Ella, born Jan. 28, 1872; James H., Feb. 28, 1874 ; William L. W., May 6, 1876 ; Alfred F, April 6, 1878.

ARTHUR A. BISHOP, farmer ; P. O. Downs ; born in Randolph Township, MeLean Co., Ill., April 10, 1855 ; he is a son of James Bishop, one of the old settlers who emigrated from Ohio, and located in McLean Co., at a very early day. The subject of this sketch attended the coramon schools in his boyhood, and assisted his father in farming until 22 years of age, when he was united in marriage with Susan Welch ; she was born in Downs Township, Sept. 7, 1856 ; she was a daughter of George Welch, who was born in Vigo Co., Ind., in 1829, and emigrated to Illinois with his mother and located in Downs Township in 1835 ; he was married to Jane Miller ; she was born in Ohio in 1835; she died in Downs Township, Oct. 1865 : Mr. Welch died Nov. 20, 1856. The children of Arthur A. and Susan (Welch) Bishop are two in number-George Welch, born Nov. 10, 1877 ; Charles E., born March 27, 1878. Upon the marriage of Mr. Bishop, he settled upon his present place, where he has since followed farming ; he has eighty acres of good prairie land, and ten acres of timber in Randolph Township.

WESLEY BROWN, farmer; P. O. Le Roy ; born in Muskingum Co., Ohio, Nov. 1, 1837. He is a son of John Brown, who was born in the same county and State, and now lives in Padua Township, McLean Co. Wesley Brown remained with his father, in Ohio, until 1855, when he emigrated to Illinois and located in McLean Co., and on Dec. 1, 1859, he was united in mar- riage with Sarah E. Case ; she was born in McLean Co , Sept. 27, 1840; she is a daughter of Lewis Case, one of the early pioneers of McLean Co., and whose biography appears among the sketches of Old Town Township, in another part of this work. Upon the marriage of Mr. Brown, he rented land, upon which he farmed until 1862, when he purchased his present place upon time, and in 1864, lost his residence and contents by fire, which was a serious drawback ; but he has since erected a good house, and paid for his farm of 160 acres by his own hard labor, in which he has been nobly assisted by his wife; their children were seven in number, of whom six are now living, viz., Lewis E., John E., Charles W., Mary O., Salina L. and Roy W. ; the deceased died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been members of the Protestant Methodist Church since 1857 ; Mr. Brown is one of the strongest Republicans, having joined the party upon its organization, and has never in his life voted for a Democrat for any political position.

AARON BUCKLES, farmer ; P. O. Le Roy ; one of the early pioneers of McLean Co .; born in White Co., Ill., Dec. 9, 1827; he is a son of Abram Buckles, who was born in Virginia, June 18, 1800; he, with his father, moved to Illinois in 1810, and located in the grove bearing his name, in Empire Township, McLean Co., in 1832, and was, consequently, one of the early settlers of this county ; he entered good land, to the extent of some 300 acres, and lived in this county until his decease, which occurred May 17, 1878, nearly 78 years of age, He was married to Mary Williams ; she was born in 1805, and died in McLean Co., Ill., Dec. 19, 1876 ; they were the parents of twelve children, of whom ten are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Buckles were both members of the Baptist Church for upward of fifty years. The subject of this sketch was brought up to farm labor until 20 years of age, when he engaged in milling, at Le Roy, for a period of ten years, and again returned to farming, which business he has since followed. He located upon his present place in March, 1863, where he has upward of 160 acres of land, under fence and good cultivation. His marriage with Elizabeth Dean was celebrated July 20, 1851 ; she was born in Harrison Co., Ind., Aug. 22, 1833 ; they have three children by this union- Robert W. H., born June 27, 1852; Isaac E., born June 21, 1854; John W., born Ang. 29, 1856. Mrs. Buckles is a daughter of John L. and Anna (Fox) Dean ; her father was probably born in Virginia, in Oct., 1807; Mrs. Dean was born June 13, 1813; they were the parents of four children, of whom two are now liviug. Mr. Dean died in Louisiana, in 1839; his widow then came to Illinois, and was married again, in Fulton Co., to William D. Brewer : they now live in Missouri.

WILLIAM COLAW, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 1; P. O. Downs; one of the old settlers of McLean Co .; born in Highland Co., Va., near the Potomac River, Jan. 30, 1815, where he attended the public schools during the winter until about 18 years of age, during which time he worked upon a farm in summer, and followed farming in Virginia, until March 20, 1833, when

960

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

he was united in marriage with Sabina Gum : she was born in Virginia, Aug. 24, 1814, and died in Illinois, Jan. 30, 1859; they had eight children, of whom five are now living-William, Amos, Benjamin, Dyer and Jane. He married for his second wife Phoebe Wood, upon the 16th of May, 1860; she was born in Virginia, in 1828; she died in Illinois, Sept. 28, 1868, leaving three children, of whom two are now living-llarvey and George. His marriage with Sarah Ann Wilson was celebrated Dec. 23, 1873 ; she was born in Tazewell Co., Ill., July 11, 1836 ; she is a daughter of James H. Wilson, who was born March 19, 1797; he was a patriot in the American army during the war of 1812, and was in many battles, among which was the battle of New Orleans, under Gen. Jackson : he was one of the early settlers of Taze- well Co., locating there in 1834; he now lives in Clark Co .. Mo. Upon the marriage of Mr. Colaw, he engaged in farming in Virginia, until he emigrated to Illinois and located upon Section 1, Downs Township. in Dec., 1854, where he has lived for a period of a quarter of a century. He first purchased 240 acres of his present place, to which he has since added, by purchase, until he now owns 700 acres, all of which he has made by his own exertions. He has taken a deep interest in the cause of religion, having been a member of the MI. E. Church for fifteen years.

ROBERT COLLINS, farmer, Sec. 25; P. O Le Roy : one of the early pioneers of McLean Co .; born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, Jan. 25, 1819. His father, Robert Collins, died when the sub- ject of this sketch was 7 years of age, when he was bound out and was brought up to farming in Ohio until 17 years of age, when he emigrated to Illinois and located in what is now Randolph Township, October 16, 1836, where he lived until the spring of 1839, at which time he located forty acres of land of his present .place, to which he has since added, by purchase, until he now owns 224 acres, upon which he has good farm buildings. Coming to Illinois without capital, he has accumulated all of the above property by his own hard labor, in which he has been nobly assisted by his amiable wife, to whom he was united in marriage by Hiram Buck, June 25, 1840. Her maiden name was Maranda Buckles. She was born in White County, Illinois, August 25, 1825. She was the daughter of Abraham Buckles, who was born in Kentucky, and was among the first settlers of McLean Co .; he died in 1878. The children of Robert and Maranda Collins were-John A., born May 6, 1843 ; Anderson J., Feb. 11, 1846; Mary A., Jan. 29, 1848 (she was married to James Eskew and died April 20, 1879, leaving four children ) ; Tabitha J., March 31, 1849; Americus E., Mav BI, 1850; Sarah E., Nov. 25, 1851; Maranda P .. Nov. 6, 1853; William R., March 26, 1855, died March 25, 1865 ; Alfaretta E., Feb. 26, 1857 ; Mahalia, Feb. 10, 1859; Clarissa B., July 24, 1864 ; Barbara F., Sept. 14, 1866; Rosetta, Aug. 8, 1870. Mr. Collins located upon his place when there were but few settlers ; not a house was to be seen west of him for a distance of six miles, where now are located one or more houses upon every quarter-section-such has been the marvelous development of the country during the forty years' residence of Mr. Collins upon his home. He has taken a deep interest in the cause of religion, having been a member of the M. E. Church for a period of forty-two years, thirty years of which time he has been Steward and Class-leader. Mrs. Collins has been a church member for nearly forty years, and, of the children, all are members save three.

CORNELIUS COVEY, farmer ; P. O. Le Roy ; one of the early settlers of McLean Co .; born in Cayuga Co., N. Y., Feb. 26, 1814. He was a son of Edward Covey, who was born in the State of New York in 1772. He emigrated to Orange Township, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, in 1816, and was the third settler of that township. He emigrated to Illinois in 1835, and located in what was then McLean Co., near Farmer City, where he lived until his decease, which occurred Nov. 28, 1854. He was married in New York to Hannah Northrup. She was born in Connecticut in the year 1785, and died March 19, 1861. She was a daughter of Stephen Northrup, who was born near Hartford, Conn., and volunteered as private at the commencement of the Revolution- ary struggle and served through the war. In September, 1780, he was detailed as the bearer of the dispatches from West Point, upon the Hudson, to Hartford, Conn., where Gen. Washington and his suit were in session, announcing the traitorous designs of Gen. Arnold. Mr. Northrup drew a pension until his decease, which occurred when 78 years of age. The father and mother of Mr. Covey removed from New York to Ohio with oxen and sled, in the month of February, and used oxen many years upon his farm. The subject of this sketch emigrated with his parents to Illinois in 1835, and, after living near Farmer City until 1845, sold out and located upon his present place, where he has lived for a period of thirty-five years. At the time of locating here. his capital consisted of $450 in cash, one team and one cow. He first purchased 100 acres of land, to which he has since added until he now owns 292 acres. with good farm buildings. In 1847, he took a load of wheat by team to Chicago, loading back with salt and groceries. A few years he did his trading at Peoria, which at that time was considered quite convenient. Upon Mr. Covey locating upon his present place, there was not a single house in view, west, where how upon every quarter of a section stands one or more residences. His marriage with Dicy Johnson was celebrated Sept. 5. 1836. She was born in White Co., Ill .. July 29, 1817. Her father was born in Kentucky. Her mother was Catharine Reed, born in East Tennessee in 1785. They emigrated to Illinois in 1823. The children of Cornelins and Dicy Covey were eleven in number, of whom six are now living, viz .: Edmond, James R., Byron, Lorenzo, Stephen H. and

HUDSON

963

DOWNS TOWNSHIP.

Ellsworth. He has given his five oldest children $1,200 in land. He had three sons in the Union army, two of whom served in the 30th Regt. for over four years. He as well as all of his sons are strong Republicans, and labor for the support of their party. Ile has taken a deep interest in the cause of religion, he with his wife having been members of the Baptist Church for upward of a quarter of a century. He has been a hard-working, industrious man, and, aside from the above-mentioned property, paid taxes upon $8,000 worth of personal property in 1878.

JAMES R. COVEY, farmer ; P. O. Le Roy ; born in MeLean Co , III., Feb. 18, 1842; he is a son of C. Covey, whose sketch also appears in this work ; he attended school and assisted his father in farming until Sept. 19, 1861, when he enlisted in the 39th Regt. I. V. I .; was first sent to Chicago, then Benton Barracks, Mo., then-to Maryland, and was in the battle at Alpine Sta- tion, Va., Jan. 4, 1862; they were incorporated in the famous division of Gen. Shields, engaged in the battle of Winchester, Va., March 23, 1862, remaining with Shields during the Valley cam- paign ; was then in the Peninsular campaign, then to Suffolk, Va .; from there to North Carolina, then to Port Royal, where he saw the naval engagement between the iron-clads and Ft Sum- ter ; was engaged in the siege of Morris Island, S. C., which resulted in the occupation of Fts. Wagner and Gregg by the 39th, Sept. 7. 1863; they afterward engaged in the battles of Drury's Bluff. Bermuda Hundred, Deep Bottom and Deep Run ; before Petersburg Aug. 24 to Sept. 24, 1864; Chapin Farm, Oet 7, 1864; Darbytown Road, Oct. 13 to 27, 1864, and, during the entire fall, was engaged in continual fighting ; in April, 1865, the 39th was engaged in the gallant charge upon the rebel works at Petersburg, which was the direct cause of the evacuation of Richmond the following night; they then followed the retreating rebels, and succeeded in obtaining a position between Lee and Johnson, and, after severe fighting one day, Lee surren- dered at Appomatox Court House ; he was then mustered out of service, and received his dig- charge Dee. 6, 1865, having served in the Union army upward of four years; he enlisted as private : was promoted to Corporal Oct. 31, 1863, and to Sergeant Aug. 27, 1864; he re-enlisted as veteran at Hilton Head, S. C., Jan. 1, 1864; was wounded by a piece of shell at Morris Island, S. C., Sept. 14, 1863. Upon receiving his discharge, he returned home, attended the Wesleyan University at Bloomington one term, taught school one winter, and, the spring of 1868, commenced farming for himself, which business he has since successfully followed ; he located upon his present place in 1875, where he has eighty acres, with good buildings. His marriage with Lizzie Jones was celebrated Oct. 8, 1868; she was born in Kentucky March 25, 1851 ; three children were the fruit of this union, of whom two died in infancy ; the living-Hyatt E .- was born Sept. 1, 1875.

FRANK COWDEN, farmer; P. O. Downs; born upon Sec. 31, Old Town Township, McLean Co., Ill., Dec. 22, 1854; his father, Frederick R. Cowden, emigrated from Kentucky and located upon Sec. 31, Old Town Township, in 1832, and is consequently one of the very oktest settlers of McLean Co .; his biography appears among the sketches of Old Town Township, in another part of this work. The subject of this sketch attended the common school in his youth, and assisted his father in farming until 20 years of age; in December, 1874, he engaged in the merchandising trade, with his brother John J., at Gillum Station, which business he followed eighteen months, when he removed his stoek of goods to Downs and associated with J. A. Davis in the merchandising trade, and continued the same until March 7, 1879, when he disposed of his interest and engaged in farming; he has seventy-six acres of land, situated at Downs Sta- tion, with good buildings. His marriage with Harriet L. Adams was celebrated July 3, 1877 ; she was born in Downs Township. McLean Co., Jan. 12, 1859; they have one child by this union- Charles Elmer, born May 16, 1878. Mrs. Cowden is a daughter of Wiyett Adams, who now lives in Downs Township, and whose biography appears among the sketches of this work.

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.

The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 130

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr. Number of Pages: 1092

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr.
Number of Pages: 1092