Piatt County, Illinois - Biographical sketches (2 of 7 so headed), 1883 (part 1 of 2)

Biographical sketches

MR. J. H. BAKER, a farmer of Unity township, began his earthly existence August 29, 1833, in Coles county, Illinois. His father died about 1830, and his mother married Mr. Tyre Hayes, and about 1849 moved to Piatt county. Mr. Baker's sister Martha married Mr. James Drew, a native of Hamilton county, and who settled on land he now owns just over Piatt county's southern line, in 1839. Mr. Drew has owned some 120 acres in Piatt county. He remembers when there was scarce a house between his place and Monticello. He has furnished some interesting items relating to the settling of the southeastern part of Unity township. Mr. Baker's mother had five children by her last marriage, only one of whom,. Eliza Hays, wife of Rich. Hultz, is living. Three of her sons were triplets, all of whom were in the late war. John F. died of small-pox in Missouri. The others returned from the army. Mark died here, and Andrew went to California and died there. Mrs. Hays died about 1859. Mr. J. H. Baker married Sarah Harshbarger, April 12, 1860. Six children have blessed their union, five of whom are living. Florence and husband, Jno. McKinney, live in Douglas county ; Daniel Leslie, John Wesley, Barbara Ellen and Cordelia are all at home. Mr. Baker moved onto his present place about 1855. He owns eighty acres, upon which he has put most of the improvements. There was but a log cabin on it when he was married. Now (1881) he is building a fine ten-room frame residence; it has an east front, and will soon be one of the most beautiful residences in all the country about. Mr. Baker has been road commissioner, and formerly belonged to the Masonic lodge.

MB. ISAAC BAKER, a native of Coles county, born 1831, came to Piatt county in 1849. He first lived on Mr. Simon Shonkwiler's place, and next where Mr. Joe. Baker now lives. He married Miss Huldah Quick and moved onto the farm where he now lives. He owns 248 acres, upon which he has planted 160 orchard trees. Mrs. Baker died in 1875, having had six children, five of whom are living, John Franklin, Alice Matilda, Martha, Benjamin L. and Naomi. Mr. Baker has been assessor, collector, road commissioner and school director.

was born in 1811, in Pennsylvania. In 1833 he moved to Ohio, and in 1855 emigrated from there to Piatt county and settled on his present home place in 1857. He owns 125 acres in this county. He was married in 1838, to Anna Nicewander, and seven children have blessed their union, six of whom are living. Francis E. married B. F. Schooley, and they with their four children, Samuel, Anna, Otis and Earnest, live on a farm in Unity township. John Bryson (see his name) lives in Hammond. Mary, the wife of John Quick, has three children, Nora, Carrie and Ivy. Eva is the wife of J. R. Brown, a farmer; two children, Millard M. and an infant, have come to cheer them in their life's journey. Anna married James Quick, who is a farmer in Bement township ; they have one little girl, Maud. Lou. the youngest of Mr. Bryson's family, is at home. . Mr. and Mrs. Bryson, with noteworthy pride, make the statement that " all our girls were school teachers." Eva attended school at Decatur, while Anna was a student at the State Normal.

MR. J. A. BRYSON, dealer in farming implements at Hammond, claims Licking county, Ohio, as his birthplace. He came to Unity township in 1855 and has remained in it till the present time. He was married in 1868, to Melissa Wildman, and one child, Delia May, has blessed their union. Mr. Bryson went to the army in Co. H of the 107th 111., and Knoxville, Franklin, and those of the Atlanta campaign, were the principal battles in which he was engaged. He was taken prisoner at Goldsboro, Kentucky, but was paroled the same evening. He relates that Dennis O'Leary, who went from Monticello, was the first man killed in his regiment. O'Leary was shot in a regular battle at Loudon, Tennessee, by one of Longstreet's men, who were dressed in Union uniform. The poor fellow died thinking that he had been shot by a Union soldier, but the mistake was afterward ascertained; a convincing of which was the mark of a bullet and three buck-shot through a tin cup in his haversack.

MR. JOHX BARRITT, hotel keeper in Atwood, is of German and Irish descent and is a native of Kentucky. He moved from there to Coles county, Illinois, and then to Piatt county, in 1856. He moved to Atwood and opened a hotel there in 1876. He was married in 1825, to Elizabeth Reese, of Kentucky, who is still living. They have had eight children, five of whom are living. Sarah J. married Nathaniel Shonkwiler, and lives in Atwood. David married Lydia Ann Shelby, and lives in the hotel ; they had one child, Tadie E., who is the wife of Tho. D. Smith and lives in Atwood. Margaret married Jas. Browning and lives in Moultrie county. Peter married Belle Mullen and lives in Moultrie county. Isaac married Mary Shonkwiler and has four children, Emma, Nathaniel, John and Elizabeth.

MR. THOMAS BLACKWELL, farmer, native of Kentucky, his parents' native state, was married in 1853, to Margaret Dills, a native of Kentucky. They moved from Kentucky to Clay county, Illinois, and from there to Fayette county, and in 1872 settled in Piatt county. He bought his present home in 1875 and now owns about 160 acres. He has been successful as a farmer and his neighbors testify to his worth and honor as a gentleman. Mr. Joel Blackwell married Clara Metzger, and they with their two children live in Edgar county. Martha E. married Harry Metzger, a farmer in Bement township, and has one child, Jno. Thomas. Mary, the wife of William Anderson, lives near Hammond. The names of the other children are Minerva T., Benjamin, Nancy Ann, Jno. William and Alta Florence. Mr. Blackwell went to the army from Kentucky, and was in the state service. They had to come to Illinois to organize to keep from being pressed into the rebel service. He served about two years.

MR. P. J. BUTLER, a farmer of Unity township, was born in Ireland, and came to America about 1851. He was married about 1876, to Mary J. Ryan. ' They have had two children, one of which, William Francis, is living. Mr. Butler has put all the improvements on his place of 160 acres. He has planted out some two hundred and fifty trees, and built the house they live in. He went to the army in Co. E, 85th Ohio reg. He was only in skirmishes. His principal work was the guarding of prisoners.

MR. FRANKLIN BROWNING, farmer in Unity township, is of Scotch lineage and is a native of Kentucky. He moved from there to Coles county in 1856, and to Piatt county in 1857. He was married in 1852 to Priscilla Barritt, who died leaving two children, Sarah Margaret, who married Abner Fisher, and lives in Atwood with their three children, James, Jessie and an infant ; and John Henry, who married Kate Wren and lives in Douglas county. Mr. Browning was married to Angeline Duvall, in 1863. They have had three children, two of whom, Alvah and Maria, are living. Mrs. Browning thought the prairie a desolate place to live when she first settled there. She was unreconciled to the place for eight years, but after she made a visit home about ten years ago she was content with her prairie home. Mr. Browning bought the present home about 1864, and now owns

MR. AZOR BUNYAN (deceased) was a native of England, and came to America, - Ohio - when fourteen years of age. He, moved from Ohio to Indiana, where his father died. He went feack to Ohio and married Catharine Carpenter, and lived there till 1864, when he moved to Piatt county. He bought the land where his family live upon his coming to the county, and lived there till their house burned in 1873, when he moved to Bement, where he died in 1874. Mrs. Bunyan with her children moved to the farm, and in 1875 built their present frame dwelling of five rooms. Mrs. Bunyan has had ten children, eight of whom are living. Lucinda, the wife of Henry Keller, lives in Kansas. Albert, a soldier in the army, married Caroline Scott and lives in Kansas. Harriet, married Wallace Davy, a carpenter of Michigan. Silvester is at home. George married Rebecca Clark, who died, leaving three children, Daisy C., Jesse B. and Cora. John married Nora Wallace, and is a farmer near Windsor. Emma, the wife of Jno. Brown, of Hammond, has three children, Simeon, Allie May and Albertus. Clara was the wife of Tho. Strickler, of Lovington ; she died, leaving one child, Mattie. William married Laura Reams, and lives in Unity township ; they have one child. Mr. Bunyan was in the late war as sanitary agent.

MR. JNO. GRAIN, farmer, has lived on the farm where he now lives the greater share of his life. His parents are both dead ; his mother died in Illinois and his father in Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Jno. Grain have had five children, Thomas H., Otis, Charles, Yirgil and Walter. Mr. Grain went to the army in 1862, in Co. H of the 107th 111. reg., and remained until 1865. The principal battles in which he engaged were those at London, Knoxville and Atlanta. He was slightly wounded while in Georgia.

MR. FRANK GRAIN, Gainesville, Texas, was united in marriage in 1874 to Mary E. Layson, who died in 1877. He was next married to Lizzie Tutin, of Wisconsin, and in 1877 moved to Texas, where he deals in stock. He has one daughter. Mr. Grain's father improved a 3,700 acre farm in Piatt county, spending the latter years of his life here. Upon coming to the county, however, he was not able to enter forty acres of land.

MR. YOLNEY SNYDER, farmer and carpenter, Pierson, is a native of Ohio, and moved to Piatt county in 1854, coming into the southern part of the county in time to fight prairie fire many a time. He remembers of fighting fire all night once on the Grain farm. Mr. Snyder was united in marriage to Mrs. Cook nee Lydia Monroe, who died in 1877, leaving seven children, two of whom were Mr. Snyder's. William H. farms with his father, and Andrew J. is farming in Kansas. Mr. Snyder owns 160 acres of land, upon which he is putting improvements.

MR. JAS. BOWLS (deceased) was a native of Pennsylvania, from which state he moved to Ohio and then to Illinois, settling in Piatt county in 1856. He had nine children, two of whom are living. Margaret became the wife of Wm. Thompson, who died leaving five children. Of these Rebecca married Mr. Frank True, and the names of the other children are John J., Geo. W., Wm. W. and Rachel. James A. Bowls married Lucy Brown, has four children, Chas., Jno., Jas. and a baby, and lives in Unity township. Jno, W. Bowls died in the army. One grandson, Marion W., lives with Mrs. Bowls in Bement.

MR. J. R. CANTRALL, a farmer near Hammond, is a native of Dewitt county, and moved to Piatt county in 1870. His grandfather, Levi Cantrall, was an early settler of Dewitt county, having moved there about fifty years ago. Mr. J. R. Cantrall went to the army in Co. D of the 107th 111. reg., and was in a hospital, on account of sickness, a good deal of the time. His principal battles were those of Franklin and the siege of Nashville. He considers himself ten years older than he would have been had he not gone to the war. He tells of one man who was known to die in the army from homesickness. Mr. Cantrall married Captain Love's daughter,' Jennie, and they live on a place adjoining Mr. Love's. They have had three children, Alva L., Edna E. and Myrta M.

MR. ALFRKD ("LARK, farmer, was born in 1817, in Kentucky. He is the last of a family of eleven children. His grandfather's posterity, up to the time of the war, numbered 3,500 persons. It would now reach near 10,000. His father was in the war of 1812. Fifty years ago Mr. Clark attended a Sunday school in Kentucky with one hundred children, and out of that number he is one of the five who are still living. He moved from Kentucky to Sangamon county, Illinois, about thirty years ago, and in 1870 moved to Piatt county. He has lived on his present home farm of eighty acres, which he has improved himself, for about eight years. He was married in Kentucky, to Mary E. Chevis, who died leaving two children, Sarah A., the wife of Benj. Fpham, county clerk at Jacksonville, and the parent of five children ; John II.. now in an abstract office at Charleston, and a soldier for five and one-half years in the late war, married Susan MclSTutt. Mr. Clark was married the second time, to Nancy A. Toutman, who is the mother of nine children, all of whom are living. Chas. A. married Jennie Kinzer, and lives in Cerro Gordo township. They have one child, Lyman. Thomas married Francis Lindsay, farms in Cerro Gordo township, and has two children, Horace and Benjamin. Henry Clay and wife, nee Hannah Thompson, with three children, live in Missouri. Francis married Mary Hedges, and they, with their one child, live on Friends creek. Wm. E. is at home. Lid a, the wife of Thos. Killian, a farmer in Morgan county, has one child. Alfred, Mary N. and Jennie D. are at home. Mr. Clark has never lost a child, nor has either of them ever deprived him of a whole night's rest. Mr. Clark relates that his son, John H., was on the frontier during the war, and that, after his time Was out, the regiment was ordered to proceed farther. J. H. wrote to his father of the affair, and Mr. Clark was advised to see Mr. Oglesby, and he wrote to him, referring to several leading men of Springfield. As a result Mr. Oglesby wrote an excellent letter to Mr. Clark, stating that the regiment was .ordered back within three-quarters of an hour after the receipt of the letter.

MR. O. T. CHAMBERS, native of Indiana, moved from that state to Piatt county, Illinois, in 1864. He first rented a farm one mile from where he now lives, and then bought a farm near Pierson station. He and his wife own 280 acres of land. He was married in 1871, tp Sarah Wildman, and has three children living, Augustus, Hattie Daisy and Jesse Orville. Mr. Chambers went into the army from Indiana in 1861 in Co. F, 31st Ind. reg. The principal battles he engaged in were those of Fort Donelson and Shiloh. He was wounded at the latter place in September, 1862, and was discharged on account of the wound, which did not heal until two years afterward.

MR. HENRY P. CHAMBERS, farmer, moved from Indiana, his native state, directly to Piatt county in 1864. He owns 40 acres of land, which he has improved himself. He was married in 1875, to Sarah E. Stark, a native of Indiana. They have had two children, Elmer P. and Myrtie Stella.

MR. G. W. CARTER, a farmer in the southwestern part of Unity township, was born in Ohio and reared in Kentucky. He moved from the latter state to Vermilion county, Illinois, in 1852. From this county he moved to Macon county and, in 1869, settled on the place where Le now lives. At that time the place was raw prairie. He has put all improvements on it, including the setting out of about four hundred and fifty trees. Mr. Carter made mention of a deer which was killed in Unity township in 1870. This was probably the last deer killed in the county. On March 12, 1835, Mr. Carter and Miss Sarah M. Fugate were married. They have had sixteen children, only five of whom are living. Sarah married Mr. John B. Starr, who died, leaving one child, Fannie ; she married Mr. A. Foreman, and they with their one child live in Champaign county. Mrs. Starr married Mr. John J. INeyhard and lived in Piatt county until her death ; she left five children. Cora B., Sally, Anna and George are now living with their grandfather, Mr. G. "W. Carter. Joseph Carter married Rebecca E. Ward ; he died, but three of his children, Rosa, Dora and Taylor, are still living ; Mrs. Carter married again and is now living in Macon county. Richard A. Carter married Margaret Clifton ; they had five children, George, Jared, William, Joseph and D. Richmond. Zachariah T. Carter married Jane Davenport ; she died, leaving two children, one of whom, Addy Nevada, is now living ; he married Mrs. Fannie Fisher, and now is a farmer in Missouri. Mary C. married W. Benjamin McDaniel, a farmer, who lives in Kansas ; they have five children. Lemuel S. Carter married Katie A. Brown and lives on a farm in Unity township ; they have two children, Clara M. and Leon M. Mr. Lemuel Carter is probably the only professional hunter in this county. He has been a hunter ever since he was a child. He ships yearly on an average 700 clucks, 1,200 rabbits, 1,500 prairie chickens, 2,500 quails and 2,500 snipe. He ships to Chicago over $1,000 worth of game a year. He has killed as high as forty-two prairie chickens in one day, and in one day's hunt he has shot, one at a time, sixteen dozen snipe. ITe sold this lot to another hunter on the ground for $25. He considers that he handles the finest dogs in the state ; they are imported, and are Irish setters, English pointers and Scotch pointers. He owns one dog now for which he has a standing bid at St. Louis of $300. Mr. G. W. Carter was ordained a Baptist minister in 1844. He has preached in Vermilion, Champaign and Christian counties in this state. Mr. Carter's eldest son, George, married Martha V. Foreman, and has four children, Charles T., Mississippi, Susan and Flora Belle.

MRS. GEORGE DEEDS, nee Eunice Wildman, is a native of New York. She moved to Pennsylvania, from there to Ohio, and then came to Piatt county in 1845. She was married in 1846, and moved to Will county, where she lived till 1861, when she came back to Unity township, where she has lived in one house for eighteen years. Mr. Deeds went to Missouri, and while at his brother's he took sick and died. Mr. Deeds was a farmer. They had no children. Some of Mrs. Deeds' nieces have from time to time lived with her.

MR. S. S. DUDLEY, a farmer in Unity township, is a native of Ashland county, Ohio. He moved from Ohio to Connecticut, and from that state to Illinois in 1864, and in 1866 settled in Piatt county on the land where he now lives. He owns 240 acres of land, and has put all the improvements on it, including the planting out of some two hundred fruit and ornamental trees. He was married in 1867, to Miss Elizabeth J. Porter, of Moultrie county. They have two children, Eddie Earnest and Mary Ethel. Mrs. Dudley has been afflicted with the third-day ague for six years, three weeks being the longest absence of the chill during that time. This fact shows that the malaria is not yet all out of Piatt county. Mrs. Dudley, in speaking of her early home on the prairie, stated that it was quite customary for herself and her several mile distant neighbors to exchange visits, taking their cows and staking them out to enjoy a new field of grass while the women chatted over knitting or sewing. While making these visits Mrs. Dudley became quite an expert snake-killer. In speaking of the first settlers in his immediate neighborhood, Mr. Dudley stated as his opinion that a Mr. J. P. Way, who settled in T. 16, R. 5, Sec. 23, was the earliest settler in his vicinity. Mr. Way was from Connecticut, and moved from this county to Nebraska. The most of the land in the southern part of this county was formerly owned by speculators. Those who settled in the prairie tried to open farms without fences, and immediately trouble arose between the stockmen, who wanted plenty of range for their stock, and the farmers, who wanted to till the land. They almost fought over the matter. A gentleman who is now a prominent citizen of Moultrie county was once known to watch his stock all clay with a gun in hand. The first few years Mr. Dudley farmed he used to get up each night and ride over the place to see if stock was on the farm. Wolves have frequently been seen in Mr. Dudley's neighborhood since the war. A deer was killed by Tom Loyd, of Macon county, in section 23 of Unity township, in 1867, which was one of the last killed in Piatt county. The first six winters Mr. Dudley was in this state he was a school teacher. He taught two schools at Milmine, two at Ridge Chapel, and two at Lovington. He was school treasurer for six years of district No. 6, township 16. He was the third treasurer, William Bouser being the first, and John Garothers the second. In 1870 school land was sold in this township for $13,660. At first the whole school township was laid off into four districts, but finally, after quite a struggle among the people, it was laid off into nine districts. Mr. T. J. Kiser, of Hammond, is the present treasurer of the township. Mr. Dudley was not in the army, but during the . war was in the government employ, and helped to rebuild Fort Hale, at New Haven, Connecticut. Since being in this county he has been connected with the Sabbath-school movement. For two years he was president of the Unity Township Sunday-school convention. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

ME. JAMES DA VIES, a farmer of Unity township, was born in England in 1812. His parents were natives of the same country. He came to America, in 1856, at the instigation of a brother then in California, and who afterward moved to that state. While crossing the ocean they encountered a fearful storm, which lasted two days and nights. Mr. Davies' mother came to America, and died at the age of seventy-nine. Upon landing in America he moved to Ohio, and from there, in 1863, he emigrated to Coles county, Illinois. He next moved to Douglas county, and in 1867 he settled in Piatt county. Mrs. Davies, nee Anne Phillips, was born in England in 1815, and in 1840 her marriage with Mr. Davies was celebrated in Shropshire, where they lived until their emigration to America. Both have relatives in England and in America. They have had six children. Walter was killed at the battle of Murfreesborough. Elizabeth married Mr. Easton (see his name). The rest of the family are all school teachers. Diana attended school at Valparaiso. Anna has taught about twenty-four terms of school, and attended school at Valparaiso. Hortense H. has attended the State Normal and the school at Valparaiso. Her school-teaching experience lasts through twenty terms.

MR. JOHN H. EASTON, farmer, is a native of Ohio. His father was a native of Massachusetts, and his mother of New York. He is of English lineage. In 1854 he moved from Ohio to Illinois, spending the winter in Will county, but was bound for Piatt county. After farming for others for five years, he began teaching, and has taught in this and other counties for sixteen years. He bought land with the fruits of his educational labors. He bought his present home, a farm of 120 acres, in 1881. His first wife, nee Elizabeth Helton, died March 25, 1865. She had one son, Henry O. He next married Elizabeth Da vies, August 12, 1868. She has had three children, Alberta D., Maud Mary and Walter. Mr. Easton went to the army, in Co. F, of the 2d 111. Cav., and was out thirteen months, but, though in plenty of skirmishes, was in no regular battles. Owing to sickness, lung and typhoid fever, he had to come home. Mr. Easton taught eight terms of school at Mackville. He has been township assessor.

MR. JAMES M. EYRSE, farmer, Unity township, is of Scotch and Irish lineage, and a native of Virginia. He can trace his ancestors back to Virginia colony days. He moved from Virginia to Tazewell county, Illinois, in 1854, thence to Macon county, and from there to Piatt county in 1871. At that time he bought his farm of 120 acres, where he now lives. In 1849 he married Ann Eliza Whisman, who died in 1859, leaving three children. Eliza Y. married David Lewis, a farmer in Douglas county. They have one child. Virginia A. is unmarried, and lives at home. Henry J. married Sally M. Galford, a native of Ohio, and lives in Unity township. They have one child, Laura Belle. At the time of Mr. Eyrse leaving Virginia, he ranked as major in the militia of that state. He served in the Mexican war in a light infantry company from Virginia. He was in the 1st Va. reg., Augusta volunteers, under General Taylor. He was in no regular battle, and the principal skirmishing was done in opening communication after the battle of Beuna Vista between Camargo and Monterey. Upon our asking for camp-fire stories, Mr. Eyrse remarked that their company was made use of, and had "no chance to joke over campfires." Mr. Eyrse is regarded as quite a good drill master at the present day.

MR. EZRA FAY (deceased) was born May 27, 1813, in New York. He was of German and Irish descent. Moved from New York to Ohio, and from there to Illinois in 1835. His widow lives on the land he bought soon after coming to the county. He married Acena Holden, October, 1831. She died in 1839, leaving one daughter, who married Samuel Vanfleet, of Indiana. He next married Elizabeth Hogland. Three of their children are living. Hi chard, a 'farmer in Unity, township, married Mary Frellinger, and has four children ; Sarah J. mar-

MR. JOHN FORD, a farmer in Unity township, is a native of Ireland. He came to America and to Monticello in 1859. He moved onto the present farm of about two hundred acres near thirteen years ago. He has been a hard worker, and got his farm by feeding cattle and working by the month. He was married in 1866, to Elizabeth Madden, a native of Ireland. They have six children living : Maggie, Patrick, Malci, Jane, John and Kate. Mr. Ford is a, member of the Catholic church.

MR. ISAAC FULTON, proprietor of the second store (grocery) in Pierson, started in business there in 1881, and anticipates making Piatt county his home. He was married in 1878, to Miss Anna Wacaser, and has one child, Harry Lee.

MR. GAMALIEL GREGORY, farmer, is a native of New York. He moved to Ohio, and in 1855 to Piatt county. His father, Josiah Gregory, was of English descent. He settled in Champaign county in 1858, and moved to Bement in 1878. Mr. G. Gregory married Mary Monroe, November, 1856, born in this county July 29, 1837. Her parents both died in this county. She has five sisters and two brothers living. She has three children living. Wm. G. Gregory married Kate Crawford, has one child, and is a druggist in Coles county ; J. R. is farming at home ; Rosalia married George Mumper, a farmer in Champaign county. Mr. Gregory has been town collector and town clerk, and is a member of the masonic lodge at Bement.

MR. GILBERT GREENE, farmer, was born in Tennessee in 1824. He lived in Kentucky until he was twenty-five, and in 1854 came to Piatt county. He started to Champaign county, "got out of the way a little, found this county good enough, and so stopped." He first settled about one and a half miles below his present home, then, after two years' residence in Champaign county, settled on the Prairie in Bement township. The next move was to the place he now lives on, which he has improved. He has a fair sized orchard, which bears a good deal of fruit. He was married in 1845, to Martha Ramsey. Of Mr. Greene's children, Wm. Boyd married Mary Lane, and in 1871 moved to Nebraska ; they have four children. Ruth married Shannon Fristoe, and lives in Bement ; they have three children, Horace, Walter and Jesse Pearl. Margaret C. married Allen Moore, and lives in Neosho county, Kansas ; they have five children. Susan married

MR. JOHN W. C. GRAY, farmer, is a native of Pickaway county, Ohio. His mother is a native of Ohio and lives with one of her children in Iowa. His father was a native of Iowa. Both of Mr. Gray's grandfathers were in the revolutionary war, and two of his brothers went to the late war. one of whom served throughout the rebellion. Mr. Gray is one of a family of six children. He would not have settled in Piatt county had it not been for Mr. Jack Riddle. While on business in the county for Mr. Kious, Mr. Riddle persuaded him to work for Mr. John Piatt. While working for him he was hired to ship cattle in 1856. A portion of the year 1856 he herded cattle at Blue Mound for Mr. John Piatt. Mr. Gray relates some interesting items in regard to snakes, which were found on the prairie at an early day here. He says that by actual count and record in the season of 1856 he killed 1,100 rattlesnakes, and has killed as high as thirty-three in one day. That same season he saw as many as from nineteen to twentynine deer in one herd, and he captured eleven fawns, some of which were sent back to New York. Mr. Gray was married in October, 1861, to Mrs. Eliza Crain, who died February 26, 187H. In April, 1877, he married Mrs. R. (Murry) Myres, who had one child at the time of her last marriage. She is a native of New Hampshire and came with her parents to Menard county, Illinois, in 1846. When Mr. Gray began improving his farm, it was overrun with hazel-brush and willows. His ten acre orchard is in as good a condition as any orchard in the county and contains all small fruit that will succeed in growing in this part of the state. Pie built his present residence about nine years ago. He thinks he has the best cellar in the county. He settled on his present farm in 1869, having previously lived where Mr. James Wharton now lives. Mr. Gray's well selected library of at least two hundred volumes shows that he is one of the farmers of the county who believes in keeping up with the times. He was justice of the peace for six years and has been elected road commissioner and supervisor.

MR. HENRY GROSS, a merchant and farmer of Mackville, is a native of Germany. He came to America in 1853, and for eight years remained in New York, and then moved to Chicago, where he remained till 1857, when he moved to Marion county. In 1858 he moved to Piatt county and settled on the land where Mackville is located. Mr. Gross came alone from Germany, the rest of his family came after- ward. He now has four brothers and one sister in the county. His parents, Casper Gross and wife, came to America during the war. Mr. Henry Gross married Sophia Gross, a native of Germany, in 1861. They have had eight children, two of whom are dead. Sigel T. Gross is bookkeeper in the store of Gross & Biggs, of Mackville. Anna, Alexander, Thusnelda, Henry and Sophia are at home. Mr. Henry Gross is the first and only postmaster that Mackville has had. He was school director for ten or twelve years, and filled a vacancy as justice of the peace. He has also been collector, clerk and supervisor of Unity township.

ME. JNO. GORDON (deceased) was a farmer in Unity township, and owned 120 acres of land. He married Anna Sloam. Both were natives of Ireland, came to America in 1863, and to Piatt county in 1866. They had eight children, six of whom are living, Felix G., Rosealla, Maggie, Mary, Ida May and Catharine S. On the 17th of March, 1879, one of their boys was buried; on the 18th of the same month their house burned down ; on the 29th of the month an infant was born ; and about a year from this time Mr. Gordon died.

MR. GEORGE GOODSON (deceased) was a native of Douglas county, Illinois. He moved in Piatt county in 1873. He was married in 1871, to Candacy Pierson. She has no children. Her parents were from Indiana, and moved to Piatt county in 1867. Mr. Charles Goodson was married, January 28, 1882, to Emma Gow, who until recently made her home at John Harshbarger's. They reside near Goodson station.

MR. JNO. GOODSON, farmer, was born in Douglas county, Illinois, and came to this county in 1878. In 1862 he went to California and began farming and stock raiding, and remained there fourteen years. He was married in California, to Miss Julia Ingerham. They have one daughter, Mollie. Mr. Goodson came back in 1879 and built a nice farm residence of nine rooms. He is fast getting things in good shape about the farm, and it bids fair to be one of the best places in the county. He is a stock dealer and has some fine sheep and cattle. Mr. Goodson went to the army, was taken prisoner and sworn not to fight until he was exchanged. He was not exchanged and so went to California.

MR. ROBERT GRIFFEX (deceased) was married in Indiana, to Louisa Thompson, and moved to Piatt county in 1870. He lived on Mr. Quick's place for a time, and then moved to the place he lived at the time of his death about five years ago. He left a widow and five children. Laura married John Bogard, and moved to Missouri. Harriet, the wife of Christopher Denny, lives with her child, Myrtle Olive, in Unity township. Mary Ellen, Henry Charles and William Edgar are at home. Mrs. Griffin owns about twenty-one acres of land. Mr. Griffin was a soldier in the late war.

MR. DANIEL H.VRSUBA.RGKR, a retired farmer, was born in Champaign county, Ohio, and is of German descent. His father moved from Ohio to Montgomery county, Indiana, and in 1823 made the .second settlement in that county. He died in Illinois in 1857. His wife died in Indiana in 1853. Mr. Daniel Harshbarger was married in 1834, to Miss Huldah Quick, of Montgomery county. They moved to Piatt county in 1837, and for the first summer lived with Daniel's father in a cabin built the same year. In the fall Daniel went into his own round-log cabin covered with clapboards and containing a hickory pole bedstead. When he came to the county he had $200 in money, five sheep, one horse, one cow, one hog, and some spinning wheels upon which Mrs. Harshbarger did all the spinning for the family. Mr. Harshbarger now has a walnut chest which is a hundred years old and a pair of steelyards, which came from Germany, that are one hundred and fifty years old. This family remained in their round-log cabin until 1848, when they built the second brick house in the county. The brick was burned by Jim -Sennet on Mr. Harshbarger's place. Mr. and Mrs. Harshbarger still occupy this with their son John and his family. When about fifty-five years of age Mr. Harshbarger stopped his longcontinued hard labor and deeded his ten or eleven hundred acres of land to his children, with the proviso that they were to keep himself and wife. After stating this fact to us he very contentedly remarked, u the children all appear to be reconciled to the way I divided it." Mr. Michael Harshbarger is Mr. Daniel Harshbarger's oldest living son '(see his name). His daughter Sarah married Mr. Joseph Baker (see his name). Mr. John Harshbarger was married in 1868 to AnnaGaw, from Indiana. Their children are Carrie, William D. and Frank Merritt. John is a farmer and stock dealer and lives on the old homestead place where he has lived all his life. Miss Emma Gaw, Mrs. John Harshbarger's sister, is making her home with them at present. Miss Emma seems to possess natural talent for drawing. We suggest that she should embrace all possible chances of cultivating such talent. Barbara Harshbarger married William Carroll and is living in Douglas county. Their children's names are Ivory Belle, Ivol, Icel Lee and Florence Mabel. Mr. Daniel Harshbarger was the first justice of the peace in his section of the county. He served as such for twelve years, until they began lawing, when he refused to serve longer. A gentleman who has known "Uncle Dan " a long while *&ays that he is " as honest as the day is long," and that his extreme sense of justice led him to be considered one of the best peacemakers in the county. His law was, "Do right whatever the consequences," and he has been known to prevent suits many times by going out of his way to see the men and persuading them to come to settlement. He married the first couple who united in the bonds of matrimony in Unity township, and for six or eight years performed the marriage ceremony for all who were married in Lake Fork timber. "We must tell a little joke on " Uncle Dan " which was related to us by a neighbor of his. What we have already told of his peace-making abilities would lead one to think that it would grieve him very much to have a neighbor think ill of him. One morning when out he met a neighbor, Mr. Thomas Goodson, who, instead of giving his usual "good morning !" said in a very sober tone of voice "I thought I would tell you there is a coolness between us." " Uncle Dan," with a surprised and anxious look, and in that deep and earnest tone of voice of his, said, "Why, Tommy, Tommy, what is it ! I never had a hard feeling toward you in the world." Mr. Goodson, after carrying his joke to the desired extent, remarked that "it was the sharp breeze which caused the coolness between them." Mr. Harshbarger held the office of supervisor for one year. He was the first person to make a profession of religion on Lake Fork and was baptized June 28, 1842, by Mr. John Collins, and in the same fall Mrs. Harshbarger, Mrs. Joseph Moore and Mrs. James Utterback were baptized. Mr. Harshbarger relates that in early days in their neighborhood the people used often to get quite lonesome. At Mr. Monroe's they used to go on top of the house to watch across the prairie, hoping to see some one coming. In case they should, word would soon be sent around and all the neighborhood would collect at one house. Since writing the above we have received the following items from Mr. John Harshbarger. He took the measure of twelve of the apple trees which his father set out in 1839 and found that they averaged in circumference five feet and one inch- - the largest measuring seven feet and three inches. The tallest tree was forty feet and seven inches in height, and in the twelve the following varieties are represented, Early Harvest, Golden Pippin, Vandaver Pippin and Spitzenburg. These trees are in a thriving condition and in 1.881 some of them bore as high as twenty-five bushels of apples apiece. Mr.

MR. SAMUEL HARSHBARGER, farmer, was born in Ohio in 1811. He moved from Ohio to Montgomery county, Indiana, in 1823, and from there to Piatt county in 1837. He was married in Indiana, to Sarah Quick, who had eleven children, seven of whom are living. Clarrissa was the wife of Nathaniel Shonkwiler. Aaron married Arvilla Wildman, who had seven children. He moved to Texas, and next married Jennie Romine. His third wife was a Miss Waters. Elizabeth Harshbarger married Alfred Taylor (now deceased), and has five children. She lives in Champaign county. Ambrose Harshbarger married Margaret Richardson and lives on the old homestead place. They have six children, Samuel, Caroline, who married Wm. Taylor, and lives in Douglas county, Lucy, Effie, William and Henry. Jefferson Harshbarger married Francis Sexton and has four children. He lives in Champaign county. Isaac married Mary J. Goff. He has a large family of children, and lives at Atwood. Samuel married Emmazilla Wildman, and lives in Unity township. They have a family of children, some of whose names are : Delia, Arthur, Clara B. and' Reuben Horace. Naomi Harshbarger is the wife of David Corell, a sewing machine agent of Bement. They have two children living, May and William. Sylvia Harshbarger, deceased, was the wife of David Cade, of Douglas county. He was married again in 1881, and lives in Champaign county. The death of the first Mrs. Harshbarger occurred in 1853. Mr. Harshbarger next married Mrs. Melissa Holden, the widow of an old settler in that part of the county. She died about 1870, and Mr. Harshbarger took for his third wife Miss Eliza Randolph. The second year after Mr. Harshbarger moved to the county, there were seven families in the neighborhood, and at one time every member of the seven families was sick except himself and son Aaron. Mr. Harshbarger had to leave the sick and go to mill at Eugene, Indiana, seventy miles distant. Before going he threshed the grain- by having the horses tramp it. He was gone eight days, and upon his return did not expect to find all the family alive. Mr. Harshbarger relates one of his deer hunts in the following manner: '"I was standing in the woods on a log when I saw a big buck coming toward me. I let him come close and then shot. The gun cracked and the deer came bawling and jumping toward me, and I - climbed up a sapling." Mr. Harshbarger has long been regarded a ' ' bee hunter. " He has worked with bees ever since he was fifteen years old. He has had bees every year since. He has made hundreds of dollars with his -bees alone. He lias found at least seventy bee-trees in his lifetime. The most honey he ever got out of a tree was ten gallons after it was strained. Mr. Harshbarger was ordained a minister in the Christian church in \ 843, and has preached on a large circuit extending throughout this county and into Macon, DeWitt, Champaign, Vermilion, Douglas and Moultrie counties. He has evidently done a great deal of good in his lifetime, and his kindly countenance and earnest words indicate that he will do much more yet.

MR. MICHAEL O. HARSHBARGER, farmer, near Atwood, is a native of Indiana, and came to Piatt county in 1837. He was married October 30, 1862, to Emeline Stevens, who died in 1865, leaving one boy, Charles M. He next married Arvilla Whetsel in 1869. She had two children, Dora May and John Lee. Mr. Harshbarger owns about 460 acres of land, part of which lies in Douglas county. He has evidently been a hardworking man, as the result of his labors shows. In 1876 he built one of the finest houses in the county. It contains fifteen rooms and cost $8,000. The brick for the house were made on his own farm. He burnt some 180,000 brick and "Sold enough to pay for putting up the walls of his house. This is an example of thrift and energy not often shown in this country. In 1881 he built one of the best frame barns in the county. It is 68 X 60 feet, is two story, will hold sixteen horses and contain one hundred ton of hay. Mr. Harshbarger has made his money by farming and raising stock. When he was married he had $600 and some land which his father, Mr. Daniel Harshbarger, gave him. In conversing with Mr. Harshbarger we quite readily discovered strong filial devotion, which most men of his age, if they have it, are quite successful in covering up. Since taking the above notes from Mr. Harshbarger, we have regretted to hear that his wife died on January 9, 1882.

MR. RICHARD HELTON, merchant, was born in 1822, in North Carolina. His parents were natives of the same state, from which they moved to Wayne county, Indiana, sixteen miles in the woods from Newport. They, with eight children, landed at this place between Christmas and New Year's, and the snow was knee-deep. They lived here beside a big log and a camp-fire until spring, hauling all provisions on a one-horse sled from Newport. Mr. Helton moved to Douglas county in 1857 or 1858. He was married in 1838, to Ann Willis. - They have lived for ten or twelve years in Piatt county. He was the first person who built a house in Atwood. His store was the first in the town and he opened the first grain office in the place. Henry Helton and wife, nee Josephine Willingham, have one child, and live in Douglas county. Joel married Francis Smitson and is a grain trader in Atwood. Alexander married Mary Faulhaber, lives in Atwood and is also a grain dealer. He has three children, Birdie and Gertie, twins, and Alfred. George and Rebecca, the youngest daughter, lives at home. Janie married Thomas Barnes, a carpenter, and lives in Atwood. Mr. Helton is a member of the masonic order and of a life insurance society.

MR. J. A. HAWKS, a miller and tile maker, of Mackville, is of English and German descent, and is a native of New York. He came west in 1869. He taught school at Mackville for four terms after he first came to the county. He was in the general merchandise business for a time with Mr. Gross and then began milling. In 1876 he bought the mill which Griggs & Marshall had built. He was married in 1877, to Mary Mitchell, a native of Ohio. They reside in Mackville and have no children. Mr. Hawks went to the war from New York, in Battery G, 3d ]ST. Y. Lt. Art. Roanoke Island, Plymouth and Kingston were the principal battles in which he engaged. He was never wounded, but was taken prisoner and was one month bby

MR. S. Y. HAGEMAN, hardware merchant, Hammond, is a native of Pike county, Illinois. He moved from there to Logan county in 1863 or 1864, and in 1875 settled on a farm in Piatt county. After staying there five years he left his farm, not selling it, however, and moved into Hammond, built a store building and, with his brother, A. J. Hageman, opened a hardware and grocery store in June, 1881. He was married in 1874, to Lizzie Rathbun, of Pike county. They have had three children, two of whom are living, Oscar Y. and Silas.

MR. JOHJST "W. KAGEY, a farmer of Unity township, is a native of Virginia. He moved from that state to Illinois in 1869, and in 1870 moved to Piatt county. In 1876 he bought his present home of 80 acres. He was married in 1865, to Mollie E. Shaver, a native of Yirginia. Two children, B. Frank and C. Claudius, have blessed their union.

MR. SAMUEL KARICOFE, farmer, Yoorhies, was born in Yirginia, from which state he moved to Indiana, and thence to Piatt county, where he bought land in 1869, and now owns 160 acres. He was

MR. T. J. KISKR, n lumber merchant of Hammond, is a native of Macon county. He came to Piatt county in 1873, and began his present business. He is school treasurer of his township. He was married in December, 1873, to Eliza Adamson. They have two children, Ethlyn E. and Loran P.

MR. WILLIAM K. KISKR came to Piatt county in 1876 and went immediately into partnership with T. J. Riser in the lumber business. He was married in 1879, to Miss May Baldwin.

MR. JOHN LOVE ("Capt. Love"), a farmer near Hammond, is a native of Pike county, Missouri. His father was a native of South Carolina, and his mother was born in Ireland. They moved from South Carolina to Pike county, Missouri. His father was one of a little colony that went out in 1815, and in 1818 he died in Missouri. Capt. Love's stepfather, Mr. Welch Allison, moved to Macon county in 1834 or 1835, and his mother died near Decatur in 1836. Capt. Love was one of a family of four children. His brother Andrew moved from Decatur to near Lovington, on the old Snyder place. Andrew had a post-office in his house, which was named Lovington. After the town was built it was named the same. Capt Love came to Macon county from Missouri in 1834, then returned to Missouri, and again in 1835 came to Decatur, and in January, 1836, began clerking for Mr. William Cantrall. After about seven months he began clerking for Renshaw & Finley (afterward Renshaw alone), and remained here for several years. From what we hear of Mr. Love at this time, he must have been considered quite a business manager. Although but eighteen years old, he had a man's business entrusted to him. His health having failed somewhat, Mr. Love went to his brother's farm, near Lovington, and went into the stock business. Pie was with his brother most of the time from this on, until his marriage, in 1842, to Charlotte Emerson, a sister of Judge Emerson. He then settled on a farm of his own near Lovington, which place he afterward sold, and moved to Judge Emerson's place, in Macon county. In 1853 he stopped farming, and bought out a little store in Lovington, and remained there till 1856. He sold out then, and somewhat unexpectedly went to Sullivan, where he remained till 1851), when he sold out. During the year 1860 he was out of business. After his return from the army, he bought a farm in De Witt, and remained there till 1868, when he moved to the farm he now lives on. He owns all the section except 160 acres, which he gave to his daughter. Capt. Love's first wife died in 1869. Their eldest daughter, Mary Ellen, married Dr. J. W. Snyder, and they, with their two children, live in Oilman. M. Jennie married John R. Cantrall (see his name). Mr. C. H. Love married Adaline Evans, and lives in Christian county. They have two children. He helped Mr. C. D. Moore to .lay out the town of Hammond, and was the second grain merchant in the place. Capt. Love was married in 1871, to Sarah A. Cooper, a native of Iowa. Her mother, sixty years of age, is living with Mrs. Love. Her parents moved to Iowa in 1844, in which state her father died, after which her mother moved to Sangamon county. On June 28, 1861, Mr. Love went to the army as captain of Co. E of the 21st III., Grant's own regiment, organized from the seventh congressional district. He did a great deal of traveling about, but was in only one regular battle, that of Frederickstown. He was taken sick with a severe attack of pneumonia, and was ultimately discharged because of chronic diarrhoaa. Although sick, he had been with the company several times. Upon Capt. Love's leaving the regiment the officers and his men gave him articles in sealed envelopes, with the injunction that he was not to open them until he reached Nashville. Upon our urgent and repeated appeals, and against his protestations, we have at last succeeded in gaining his permission to have these testimonials printed in connection with the sketch of his life.

Testimonials To Capt. John Love

WHEREAS, Owing to long and almost irreparable ill health, our honored comrade in arms and fellow officer, Capt. John Love, of Co. E, 21st 111. Vols., has been compelled to retire from our present field of labor ; therefore be it

Resolved, I. That Captain John Love has our warmest sympathies in his afflictions, and that it is with feelings of sincere and profound regret the decrees of an inevitable fate have declared that we must give him the hand of along and perhaps final farewell.

II. That in Capt. Love we recognize all the attributes of a refined gentleman, an agreeable associate, a noble companion in arms, and that in him the Government loses one of his brightest ornaments, most valuable, patriotic, devoted and faithful in all of his duties.

III. That bidding adieu to our old associate - the ever faithful companion of all our hardships, privations and dangers, such as only a soldier can realize - we can heartily breathe an earnest " God bless you," and when in the future we are engaged in the arduous duties of the soldiers' life, we will recur with memories of

IV. That we make this voluntary testimonial to his virtues and moral worth, because such are alone due to the brave, earnest, hopeful and uncompromising defenders of the right - the Government of our Fathers. Signed by officers

Memorial Of Respect

About to take farewell of your company and rejoin your family in Illinois, it may be a pleasure to yourself and friends, that your company thus express their lasting friendship and esteem for one who has been so long their captain, and our serious regret for the misfortune, and sympathy for the long and lingering sickness that has at length deprived us of one whom we will so sadly miss.

We shall always admire the high sense of duty that stamped all your actions ; try to imitate the purity of morals and principles that characterized all your conduct ; reflect the indefatigable zeal that has always actuated in all your effort to suppress this foul rebellion ; and feel grateful for the anxious care you always manifested even in your sickness for your company. In you we feel not only the loss of an earnest, dutiful officer, but a sincere, tried and impartial friend. While we remain in the field with a determination to fight to the last, the execrable friends' fiends of this hideous rebellion, we hope health may be restored, that your life may be spared for many years of usefulness, that you may long enjoy the sweets of social intercourse, a blessing to your family, an honor to your friends.

A. M. ASHMORE, CHISTOPHER BICK, H. A. SMITH, A. M. BONE, ROBERT BEAN. PETER CORFER, ANDREW K. BONE, E. M. McGuiRE, E. HANEY, GEO. W. SHERWOOD, J. A. MITCHELL, A. M. MITCHELL, THOMAS FARREL, FINIS E. KENNEDY,

MR. JOHN LOWE, farmer, is a native of Kentucky. He moved from there direct to Illinois in 1861, and to Piatt county in 1869. He lived for a time in Sangamon township. He married Sarah T. Atkin, who has three children, Edward, William and Albert, living. Mr. Lowe went to the army from Vermilion county in Co. B of the 25th 111. He was out four years, serving one year in the 149th reg. He engaged in the battles of Pea Ridge, Perryville, Murfreesborough, Mission Ridge, and also those of the Atlanta campaign. He was never wounded or taken prisoner.

MR. T. F. LIVENGOOD, farmer and minister, is of German descent, and was born in 1830, in North Carolina. He moved from there to Indiana, and thence to Moultrie county, Illinois, and to Piatt in 1861. He married Catharine Pearson, of Indiana, in 1850. His son, Athan

A., married Margaret Moore, and lives in Champaign county. David F. married Barbara Meeker, and lives in Douglas county. Permelia is the wife of Yinceiit Quick, and has two children, Oscar and Lena. The names of the remaining children are Mathias E., Albert, Sarah, Lilley, Cora, Ella Pauline and Addie. Mr. Livengood was ordained as a minister in the Christian church in 1866. He formerly preached on a circuit running through Champaign, Piatt, DeWitt, Moultrie, Douglas and Vermilion counties. Now he travels only in Douglas, Vermilion, Champaign and Piatt counties. He has organized seven churches in Champaign county, where most of his preaching has been done, one in DeWitt and one in Piatt county. When he settled in this section of the country he found the people hospitable. At an early day here the people always called upon the new settlers, congratulating them on coming into the county. Mr. Livengood preached his first sermon in the Taylor school-house in Douglas county. Upon our asking him in regard to the first couple he married in this county, he said: "I remember how I was scared, but don't remember their names." He told us of once going fifteen miles, swimming the West Okau and traveling bad roads, to marry a couple. He says he " had a good time otherwise, but got no pay." Since he was ordained a minister he has made an average of one hundred conversions each year. The largest amount he has ever received in one year from one church has been $140; the least amount, nothing.

MR. WILLIAM G. LEAVITT, farmer, Hammond, was born in 1825, in New Hampshire. He was married in his native state, to Mary French, a widow. They had ten children, eight of whom are living. Sarah and Margaret are married and living in New Hampshire. Harriet, the wife of V. C. Sleeper, lives in Wellington, Kansas, and has three children. Abbey married Scott Moonan; has six children, Willie Walter, Fred, Park, Charles and Sarah. James William is married, has one child, and lives in Cerro Gordo township. Herbert married Elnora Simms, has one child, and lives in Kansas. Harry W. and Luther M. are living at home. Mrs. Leavitt died in 1872, and Mr. Leavitt, in 1873, was married to Mrs. Mary T. Osgood. Mr. Leavitt, upon moving from New Hampshire, settled in Menard county, from which place he moved to Piatt county, and bought the half section of land upon which he still lives. At present, however, he owns 240 acres of land. He improved the farm himself, and has planted out at least five hundred trees.

born in Ohio in 1822. He moved from that state to Macon county, Illinois, in 1859, and to Piatt county in 1872. At a previous time he moved into Piatt county, but only remained two years. He was justice of the peace for about six years. About 1843 he and Phebe Cooper, born in Ohio in 1825, united their lives, and ten children, nine of whom a*re living, is the result of their union. Jeremiah E. was killed in the late war ; Rachel L. is married and lives in Maroa ; Albert is married and lives in Missouri ; William is in Decatur ; Sarah C. is married to N. B. Wallace, and lives in southern Illinois ; Walter H. is a barber in Decatur, while Joseph, Jacob, Matthew and Zarelda A. are at home.

MR. J. W. LYNCH, blacksmith, Hammond, is a native of this state, and moved from southern Illinois to Christian county, and thence to Piatt county in 1868. He was raised a blacksmith, and Was the second blacksmith in Hammond, having bought out George Ragland, of that place. Mr. Lynch first married Miss Nancy Booker, who died, after having one child, William Henry. He next married Elizabeth Balmer, who is the mother of six children, Edward, Sally, John, Myrtie, James and Charles.

MR. JESSE MONROE (deceased), a farmer, was born in Maryland. His father was a soldier in the revolution. He married Sarah Gordon, a native of Ohio. Pier father was a captain in a spy company in the revolutionary war. At an early day, 1828, Mr. and Mrs. Monroe settled in Indiana. Later, in 1836, after some of their family were married, they moved to Piatt county, Illinois, to help locate their children. William Monroe and James Utterback came and entered land for themselves and Mr. Jesse Monroe, in 1836, which was the first entry of land in Unity township. Mr. Monroe, the subject of our sketch, had seven daughters and six sons. Four of his sons died in their youth. At the time .of his settling in this county, four of the children were married. Two of them, however, moved with their father, and the others came at a later date. William Monroe married Sarah J. Moore in Indiana, and moved to Piatt county in 1836. Eliza married Mr. William Crain, and lived on what is yet often called the Crain farm, although owned by a near dozen different persons. She had three boys and two girls. Harvey married Cynthia Lane, of Indiana. After living two years in this county, he moved to Indiana, where, after coming home from the army, he died, leaving three children. Sarah E. married Samuel Hamilton, and moved into Douglas county. They have three children. John Grain is married, and lives on a part of the Grain farm (see his name). Emily married John Clapp, and lives on the old Grain homestead. Frank Grain, now of Gainesville, Texas, was married in 1874, to Mary E. Layson, who died in 1877. He next married Lizzie Tutin, a native of Wisconsin. They have one daughter. He went to Texas in 1877, and is a stock dealer there. Martha Monroe married Mr. James Utterback in Indiana, and moved to Piatt county in 1836. They lived in this county for about twenty years, and then moved to Iowa, where he has become quite a wealthy and prominent citizen. Ruth Monroe married Mr. Samuel Mosbarger, and lives in Douglas county. They have seven children, all grown. Sarah Monroe and Mr. Joseph Taylor married about 1838, and were the first couple married in Unity township. The wedding ceremony was performed on the place where Richard Monroe now lives. Mrs. Taylor married Mr. Thomas Goodson, and now lives in Tuscola. Nancy Monroe married Ezra Fay (see his name). Lydia Monroe married Mr. John Cook, and moved to Champaign. Both are dead. Two of their daughters married, but died of consumption, each leaving one child. Three of Mr. Cook's sons are living. Richard Monroe lives on the old homestead place (see his name). Mary E. Monroe married Mr. Gamalial Gregory (see his. name). Two of Mr. Jesse Monroe's children, Jesse, Richard's twin brother, who died at the age of fourteen, and Harrison H., died within two days of eath other, and were the first ones buried in Unity township.

MR. WILLIAM MONROE, formerly a resident farmer in this county, moved back to Indiana in 1865 and has remained there since. He was married January 28, 1835, to Sarah J. Moore. They have never had any children, but have done their share of taking care of others' children. During their married life they have had in charge as many as thirty-four children, sending twenty-two of them to school. Eight girls have been married from their house. The first winter, 1836-7, that Mr. Monroe spent in Piatt county he lived in the same house with Mr. James Utterback and family. On January 8, 1837, he moved into his own house, a log cabin 16x18 feet. The cabin was not yet complete. The roof was on and the floor laid, but a bed-quilt served as a door, while the fireplace was only built half-way to the mantlepiece and the hearth was not filled up. Two elm logs were thrown in the back of the fireplace to build the fire against, and in lieu of chairs and table Mr. and Mrs. Monroe sat in front of the fireplace on the edge of the floor, having their food placed on the floor between them.

On the day they moved Mr. Monroe killed a deer, and the wolves getting scent of it followed him home. That evening as he and his wife cooked it and ate the meat off the bones they threw them over the incomplete chimney into the yard, where they were eagerly snatched up by the waiting wolves without. When Mr. Monroe went out to drive them off they ran away, barking like little dogs. This winter proved to be quite a severe one. Mr. Monroe gradually completed his cabin, but in the meantime he used often to find their bed in the morning covered by an inch or two of snow. Mr. Monroe made quite a narrow escape with his Ijfe at the time of the sudden freeze in 1836. He and James Utterback started to East Fork, Coles county, for corn, when the snow was about knee deep. It began raining and continued until the ground was covered with a slush of snow and water. The men's clothes were thoroughly soaked with water and they were about half-way across the prairie when suddenly a piercing, fierce cold wind struck them. In ten minutes the slush was frozen sufficiently to bear the weight of a man. They unhitched their teams, leaving the oxen, while each mounted a horse and ran down to a Mr. Holden's. When they reached Mr. Holden's Mr. Monroe could not get off his horse. He was frozen fast to the hair of the horse, so that they had to pull him loose. He was then taken into the house, where all possible care was given him. It was over a week before they got their teams home. When Mr. Monroe got home after his trip for corn, he found Mr. Christopher Mosbarger, an old millwright, there, with his tools. As the folks were without bread, the millwright exclaimed, "Boys, get your oxen and grub hoes and cut the ice ; by gracious, we makes a mill with prairie 'nigger-heads.'" In about four days the mill, the first on Lake Fork, was complete. The same mill was afterward moved to where Atwood now is and was run by a horse. It would grind from ten to twenty bushels a day. Mr. Monroe's folks were in the county five years before officers of any kind found them. Mr. William Monroe got up a petition which led to the location of a road from Monticello to I^ake Fork, the first local road in that section of the county. William Monroe and Hiram Heath made the furrow across to Monticello. John Tenbrooke was the surveyor. After this, William Monroe got up and circulated a petition for the opening of a state road from Charleston to Bloomington. The legislature granted the petition and Daniel Stickle and Judge Hughes were appointed commissioners. George Heath was surveyor. The new road traversed the county very nearly in the track of the old road, which crossed from Monticello to the head of the timber, crossed the Fork and on down on the east side of the stream. A mail route was established, the mail being carried on horseback. Mr. O. C. Denslow was the first postmaster, and was on the land owned by Mr. Samuel Harshbarger. The postoffice was moved to Mr. Jesse Monroe's house and Richard Monroe was appointed postmaster. The route was discontinued after the Toledo, Wabash & Warsaw railroad was built. Mr. Monroe, when he went to Yandalia to enter his land, carried apple seeds home in his saddlebags and planted them. He reports that he and his neighbors did well in their farming. They were all sociable and peaceable. Nor were they lacking in hospitality. Mr. Monfoe states that he has taken persons into the house to stay over night, until in the morning those nearest the door wouM actually have to get out of the way to permit the others to arise.

MR. RICHARD MONROE, farmer, is a native of Indiana. He came to Piatt county in 1836 and has lived longer in Unity township than any other person. He was married March 1, 1863, to Anna E. Gosney and lives on his father's old homestead. Mrs. Monroe's. mother lies buried at the Bement cemetery. Her father married Mrs. M. Byers and lives in Bement. In 1876 Mr. Monroe built a very iine frame house containing ten rooms. He is gradually improving his place until in neatness and appearance it can compete with any other in the county.

MR. JOSEPH MOORE, "Buckskin Joe," farmer, was born in Ohio in 1812. He is of German and Irish descent. Twenty-four years of his life were spent in Kentucky, in which state he married Emelia B. Whittaker. He says that he visited this country about 1832, that he liked it better than the timber land where he had been living, so he went home, married, and came out here - Piatt county - about 183.6. When he reached this part of the country he had just seventy-five cents, one-third of which he gave to Henry Sadorus for meal. His father was dead, but his mother and all the family came to this county. His mother died about 1857 or 1858, and now all the family are gone except himself and one sister. Mr. Moore efitered a part of his present home place in 1838, and in 1844 put up what he supposes to be the first hewed log house in the township. He still lives in the house, which is 32 X 36 feet, and of which all the window and door casings are of hewed wood. In 1843 he put out an orchard of about five acres. His orchard seemed so large, his house appeared of such great size, that his neighbors declared that "he put one forty in the orchard, another in the house, and cut the timber off the other forty to put his house on." Mr. Moore tells some interesting facts in regard to the young ladies whom he knew in the pioneer days of this county. Two girls started from where Comargo now is and walked through Piatt county and on to the trading house which was twelve miles below Monticello. Upon their return they were overtaken by a hailstorm, and when they reached Mr. Moore's they were covered with the marks of the falling hailstones. Mr. Moore's sisters used to get on horses and travel to Charleston, twenty-eight miles distant, in order to receive letters from their lovers. When we asked Mr. Moore to tell us some hunting stories he exclaimed, "Oh, 'twill be useless to begin to tell my hunting excursions !" When asked how many deer he had killed in a day he said, " Only as high as seven in a day." lie used to get from fifty cents to $1 for deer skins and from twenty-five cents to $1.25 for coon skins. He says that he and another man once made a bargain that they would quit hunting when they could not kill a deer a day - and they did quit. As there are four Joe Moores in Unity township, the people of that place have chosen to give the subject of our sketch the sobriquet of "Buckskin Joe." We suspect that his hunting propensities had something to do with the chosen name. Mr. Moore's eldest daughter, Mary, married Mr. Martin Parrent and went to Nebraska, wrliere she died in 1881, leaving one daughter, Mary Ruth. William Moore lives not far from his father's residence (see his name). Robert W. Moore married Melissa Shults and lives in Unity township. Their children's names are Margaret, Oscar, Rhoda, Dora and Jessie. Nancy Moore married James Goodson and had one daughter, Harriet. Mr. Joseph Biggs became her second husband. They have one daughter and live in Douglas county. In 1864 Mr. Joseph Moore married Mrs. Thomas Wilkinson nee Elitha Parrent. She came to the county in 186-4. Mr. Moore helped to haul lumber for the first courthouse in Piatt county. He remembers of loaning fifty cents to one of his neighbors (the gentleman is yet one of his neighbors) with which to pay his first taxes. Mr. Moore was wounded in 1840 by 'd pitchfork. As a result he has lost a good portion of the bones of one hand. One glance at " Uncle Joe," as he is often called, will convince any one that he is a pioneer settler. And he is proud of having been one. Why shouldn't he be ? We of a later generation often fail, no doubt, to give the pioneers due credit for all the work they accomplished - and under difficulties any of us would find it hard to overcome. They should, every one of them, feel a pride in that they have struggled through the long years and have made themselves what they are. Mr. Moore, when we went to hear him tell his old-time tales o'er, displayed to us the characteristic and genuine pioneer hospitality. As soon as he perceived us he seemed to take it for granted that we had come to spend the day. He did not use many words but in terse pioneer sentences bade us welcome. We were scarcely seated in his hewed log house when we caught a glimpse of our horses disappearing into the stable. All this took place without a word that we expected to stay more than a few minutes. When the time for departure came he bade us good-bye and invited us to return in his same characteristic way. He, and his old-time stories are known throughout the county. From all parts of the county have we been directed to be sure and see " Buckskin Joe Moore" if we desired to hear some good old tales in regard to early times in Piatt county.

MR. WILLIAM F. MOORE, farmer, was married in 1867, to Elizabeth Owen, a native of Ohio, and of Welsh descent. She died of consumption, leaving one child, Owen. Mr. Moore next married Anna Stafford, who was born in Piatt county, but was reared in Indiana. Her father, Jno. W. Stafford, was from Virginia, and her mother from Kentucky. They lived for about fifteen years in Piatt county, and both died on the place Mr. Moore lives on now. When last married Mr. Moore settled on his present home place. In 1876 he moved the house to its present position, and in 1880 built a new barn. The farm contains 400 acres, and has improved a good deal since Mr. Moore has had it in charge. Mr. and Mrs. Moore have but one child, Carry.

MR. BENJAMIN MOORE (deceased) moved to Piatt county in 1839, and settled on land which he had entered previous to his moving out from Montgomery county, Indiana. He celebrated his marriage with Sarah Monroe just previous to moving to Illinois. Friends who were coming induced Mr. and Mrs. Moore to come to Illinois. They endured many hardships and exposures when they settled in the new country. Wolves used to run chickens up to the yard fence in daylight. Mrs. Moore now lives in a log cabin built in 1841, and for which her husband hewed the logs. Mr. Moore died October 11, 1852, aged thirty-six years. They had four children, two of whom are living. Aaron went into the army for three years. Upon his return he married Martha Pervine, but died about three years after, from disease resulting from exposure in the army. Allen J. lives with his mother, and has charge of the home place. Chas. B. married Martha Shonkwiler, and lives in Unity township, on part of the land that Mr.

MR. ISAAC MOORE, a farmer near At wood, was born in Ohio in 1823. He moved from his native state to Kentucky, from there to Indiana, and thence to Piatt county about 1865. He was first united in marriage to Phebe Kelly, who died leaving one child, that also died. His second wife, nee Mary Thomas, died leaving two children, Rebecca E., who has one child, and who is the wife of L. T. Hageinan, a carpenter of Sullivan ; and Ezra, who is still at home. He took for his third wife Mrs. Benj. Meeks nee Clementine Newton, whose daughter, Anna Meeks, is still living at home. They have four children living, Chas., Bertie, Cora and Frank. Mr. Moore owns about eighty acres of land.

MR. LUTHER MOORE, a farmer, was born in 1814, in Scioto county, Ohio. His parents lived in Crawfordsville, Indiana, for a time. His father came to Piatt county and bought forty acres of land where Mr. Moore now lives. Luther came the next fall, 1837. Soon after coming to his land Mr. Moore put up a little cabin, made three or four thousand rails, fenced his land and broke it, and then, in 1840, married Mary J. Stewart, of Coles county, and went right to housekeeping. He has modified and added to his residence from time to time since, until he has the present neat house. When he first came to the county he had nothing but one sled and a horse. His orchard of about one hundred trees are from seeds which were carried from Indiana in the vest pocket. Of Mr. Moore's first wife's children, Geo. W. died in the late war ; Allen married Catharine Greene, and lives in Kansas ; Isaac G. married Janie Epperson, and lives inJPolk county, Nebraska ; Sarah J., the wife of Joseph Wiley, has two children, and lives in Sedgwick county, Kansas ; Wm. H. and Hannah are twins, the former married Hester A. Taylor, has two children, and lives in Bement township ; the latter married Wm. Mosbarger, a hardware merchant of Atwood, they have two children ; Benjamin F. , a farmer, married Julia Maxey, and lives in Unity township. Six of the first Mrs. Moore's children are dead. In 1864 Mr. Moore married Sarah E. Kearny, a native of Pickaway county, Ohio, and became a resident of Piatt county in 1861. Her mother died very suddenly in this year, and her father died in 1864. Her brothers and sisters went back to their old home in Douglas county. Since then they have become widely scattered. One sister, who has been blind for twenty years,

MB. PETER MAXEY, carpenter, Atwood, is a native of Kentucky, his parents1 natal state. He is of French descent, his great-grandfather and grandmother on both sides came from France before the revolution and settled in Virginia. His parents moved from Kentucky to Coles county, Illinois, in 1836. Peter Maxey came to Unity township in 1858, and for a time was a farmer. He helped to build some of the first houses in Atwood. In 1851 he married Minerva Fitzpatrick, of Irish lineage and a native of West Virginia. They have had ten children, seven of whom are living. Deborah J. is the wife of Mr. L. Bishop, a mechanic in Unity township; Juda is the wife of Francis Moore, a farmer of Unity township; Laura married Thos. Cogdell, a farmer; Theodore, Cora Bell and Oliver are at home. Mr. Maxey went to the Mexican war in 1846, in Co. G (the Ottawa Co.), under Capt. Reed and Col. Newby. He was in the long, wearisome and tedious march to and from Sante Fe, New Mexico. He was in no skirmishes. He was also in the late war, starting out August 1862, in Co. H of 107th 111. reg., and remaining nearly three years. He was not wounded, but was in the following engagements: Huff's Ferry, Campbell Station, Knoxville, Rocky-faced Mountain, Dalton, Resaca and Peach-tree Creek, at which place he was taken sick. Since writing the above, have heard of the death of Mr. Maxey, which occurred June 21, 1882. About seventh-five soldiers took part in the funeral ceremonies, commanded by Capt. Anderson of Atwood. Mr. Maxey was born in Kentucky in 1830, and has been a member of the Christian church for twenty-six years.

MR. JAMES McDowELL (deceased) was born in 1820. He was married September 25, 1845, to Lydia McKinstry, and in 1858 moved to Decatur, Illinois. At the end of one month they moved from there to Bement, Illinois. They stayed the first night in Bement at Dr. Buckley's, and immediately put up a one-room shanty, 25 X 16, on the lot where Mr. T. T. Petit now lives. The next day after moving into the shanty they had ten boarders. In September they moved into a part of what is now the Bement House. Mrs. McDowell was in the hotel from this time until 1870. Mr. McDowell died November 1, 1860, leaving his property about $1,700 in debt The money for the payment of this debt had to all be made out of the hotel, and in less than three years Mrs. McDowell paid off the debt. She says that she will always feel grateful to the people of Bement and Piatt county for their kindness in this emergency. Mr. J. Virgil McDowell married Miss Gelia McCose, of Michigan. They with their one child, Amy, make their home at Champaign, where Mr. McDowell is employed in the First National Bank. Samuel married Miss Maize McCose, of Michigan, and lives in Chicago. Mary E. married N. S. Buckner, now presiding elder in Kansas, in 1869, and died in 1870. Gharries B. married Ella Felix, and is a fruit agent in New York city. Ella married Mr. Cary Moore, now a commission merchant in New York. They have three children. William McDowell is in Chicago. Mrs. McDowell married Mr. James Wharton in 1864.

MR. CHRISTOPHER MASTERSON, farmer, was born in Indiana in 1835. He is of German descent. He was married in 1861, to Elizabeth Quick, a native of Piatt county, born in 1844. He moved into Piatt county in 1875. His father bought land in Piatt county in 1857, and was well acquainted throughout the southern part of the county. His mother was a sister of Messrs. Daniel and Samuel Harshbarger. Mr. Masterson belongs to the Masonic lodge. He has been deacon in the Christian church four years, and a trustee for seven years.

DR. Jxo. S. MARSHALL, a resident physician of Atwood, was born in Ohio in 1832. He is of German descent, and parents, now both dead, moved from their native state, Virginia, to Ohio. He moved from that state to Illinois 1862 or 1863, and has been practicing medicine in Unity township ever since. For eight years he has had an interest in merchandise, and for the last two years has been alone in the business. He is the oldest resident physician of Atwood. He married, in 1853, Eliza Drury, who died February 29, 1881, leaving three children. William R. married Lucinda Tarrant, who died, leaving three children. Albert L., who assists his father in the merchandise business, married Mollie A. Grove, and has one child, Bertha. Elmer E. is studying telegraphy.

MR. [SAAC C. MILLER, farmer, near Atwood, is a native of Indiana. His father was from New Jersey and his mother from Pennsylvania. He moved from Indiana to Clark county, and from there to Piatt county in 1852. He was married in Indiana in 1828. to Angelina Lee, a relative of Gen. Lee, and who died in 1833, leaving one daughter, who married O. P. Cook, of Paris, Illinois. He next married Jane Wildman in 1858, who died, leaving six children, Clarissa, Catharine, Eliza, Isaac C. B., Amzi W. and Sarah Belle. He was married in 1877, to Mary Green. Mr. Miller has lived on his present homeplace

MR. JACOB MITCHELL (deceased) moved from Ohio to Illinois, where he and his wife both died in 186T, leaving a family of boys. Of these, William married Lillie Taylor, has one child, and is a merchant of Milmine; John married Cynthia Tatman, and has one child; Jacob owns a farm of eighty acres in Unity township ; Joseph is a farmer, and George lives in Willow Branch township. Their father left about 160 acres of land in addition to some timber land.

MR. GEORGE MOON, farmer, Mackville, is a native of Virginia, from which state he moved to Indiana, and thence to Coles county, Illinois, and from there to Piatt county in 1857. He first married Mary Ann Babb, who was the mother of four children, Eli, Eliza, Isaac and Alfred. He next married Ellen Nelson, who gave birth to twins, Franklin and Francis.

MR. JOSEPH McCABE, farmer, Yoorhies, moved from Ohio, his native state, to Piatt county in 1865, settling in Willow Branch township, but afterward moving onto his present farm of 160 acres in Unity township. He was married in Ohio, in 1846, to Elizabeth Miller, and five of their six children- are living. John married Sarah Bunyan, lives in Unity township, and has three children, Ulrich, Ellsworth and an infant ; Jos. H., Samuel, Albert W. and Charlie are at home. Mr. McCabe has held a few of the lesser offices while living in the county.

MR. A. J. MYERS, a druggist of Hammond, is a native of Macon county. He moved to Piatt county in 1876, bought a stock of drugs of a druggist in Hammond, and built his present store building. He and his partner, Dr. Noe, have the largest drug store in Hammond. Mr. M}rers was married in 1873, to Miss Ella Payne. They have three children living, Leonora May, Effie Viola and Ethyl.

MR. J. W. MERRITT, blacksmith, Atwood, was born in Virginia, his parents' native state. They moved to Illinois in 1854. He was married in Coles county, January 16, 1857, to Irena Conly, who was a native of Indiana. They have had seven children, J. W., Jr., is married and lives in Atwood ; Anna married Robert Sipe, one of the tile firm, Sipe & Son, and lives in Atwood. The names of the remaining children are Dazella, Elmer, May, Bertie and Claud. Mr. Merritt went to the army from Coles county in Co. E of the 25th 111. reg. He was in the following engagements : Pea Ridge, Stone River, Chickamauga, Perryville and Corinth. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Chickamauga, September 20, 1863, and was in four different prisons, Libby,

V Of Illinois

Danville, Andersonville and Florence. At Florence the stockade was not completed and the guards were insufficient, so that he, in company with some others, made their escape. It took them seventeen days to travel from Florence to Newburn. They swam streams and traveled by night, and even then they would have had a serious time to get through had they not been helped by negroes whom they had taken into confidence. When they got home the folks had given Mr. Merritt up as dead. He says : - " All things considered, I didn't enjoy prison life very much."

MR. THOMAS MORRIS, farmer, Bement, is a native of Ireland, who came to America in 1853. In 1855 he came to Piatt county, and about fourteen years ago bought his present home-farm, which now contains 240 acres of land, which he has improved himself. The farm was bought by hard days' labor, and the improvements were made in the same manner. He was married in 1861, to Mary Connor, a native of Ireland, and has had nine children, six of whom are living, Michael, David, James, Mary, Thomas and Henry.

MR. GEORGE W. NOLIND, farmer, was born in 1822, in Pike county, Ohio. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of Virginia. Both are dead. He moved to La Fayette, Indiana, when there were but three log houses in the place. He stayed in Indiana about twelve years and then came to Coles county, Illinois, and in 1847 moved to Piatt county. He was married in 184T, to Sally Terry, a native of Virginia. When asked if his children were boys, he said, ' Yes, we had three boys - but all wore petticoats." Lieurena is living at home. Lucinda married Willis Bushell and lives in Unity township ; she has four children, Kosa, Lily, Leander and George. Isabel married E. E. Kichey, and lives in Unity township, they have three children, Euth E., Elmer and Noble. Both of Mr. Nolind's daughters live on his land. He improved most of the place himself. He says that at an early day here if one did not try to be a neighbor the people would make him be one. When he first settled in the county he knew everybody in Monticello, and there were no neighbors between that place and his farm near the southern county line. He was not a hunter, but once, after killing a deer, he labored under the delusion that he was' until he hunted a whole week without killing anything. At the end of this week he brought his gun to the house and hung it up, saying, -'There ye'll hang till I sell you," and it did. After this the gentleman said " That's George's hunting." He acknowledges that he was a great wolf chaser, and that he could soon run down a horse while after a wolf. He "often bought a gun, but would rub it up and sell it." Mr. Nolind is a cheerful old man, and says he "never allows to get old." He has been gray-headed ever since he can remember, and has never been confined with sickness for an hour.

D. O. NOE, M.D., is a native of Missouri, and has been in the county about six years. His practice extends throughout the southern part of Piatt county and in the northern part of Moultrie county. He is kept quite busy in his work and considers that he has been successful as a practitioner. The year of 1880 passed with his losing but one or two patients, and those just at its close. Dr. Noe's specialty is with diseases of women and children. During the summer of 1881 he did not lose a single child patient. Dr. Noe is a graduate of the St. Louis Homoeopathic Medical College ; also of Missouri School of Midwifery, and of the St. Louis College of Homoeopathic Physicians and Surgeons. He was first educated in the old school, but uses both the old and the new. He was married in 1875, to Clara Van Hook. They have one child, Stella.

MR. OLONZO NEWTON, of Hammond, put up the first residence in that place. He is a native of Virginia, from which state he moved to Ohio, and from there to Pike county, Illinois, in 1855, and thence to Piatt county in 1859. He settled first at Monticello, and for a time was clerk in a clothing store. In 1865 he married Mary J. Wilkinson, who is the mother of three children, Charles W., William Edward and Walter Bertie. Mr. Newton put up the first store in Hammond, was the first railroad agent there, and at present (1881) is running the first flax mill of the place. He was a captain in the late war. He went out in 1862, in Co. H of the 107th 111. Inf. and served two years, but was in no engagement during the time.

MR. JOHN NIGHSWANDER, farmer, is a native of Ohio. His parents moved from Ohio to Illinois, and in 1860 he came to Piatt county. He was married in Piatt county to Sarah Fay, and has had six children, one of whom is dead ; N. Alice, Flora, Charlie, Mattie and Ella. Mr. Nighswander owns eighty-five acres of land.

MR. JAS. P. OWINOS, grain buyer, is a native of Howard county, Missouri. He was in Piatt connty in 1845, and in hunting some stray stock found no house between Mr. Joe. Bakers, of Unity township, and Mr. Jas. Piatt's, of Monticello township. He did not settle in the state, however, till 1876, when he began dealing in stock at Atwood. Pie began buying grain in 1879. Mr. Owing's first wife nee Mary J. Hackett, died leaving three children. He next married Elizabeth

Truax, who died leaving no children. He was married again in 1879, to Mrs. Helton tiee Elizabeth J. Shelby, who has been a resident of the county for ten or twelve years. Mr. Owings went to the Mexican war on June 20, 1846, from Charleston, in the 3d 111. reg., under Capt. Bishop and Col. Foreman. From the time he left New Orleans until he got back to Dallas, Texas, he had no biscuit and butter. He did not want to return by water, but finally started, and was in two storms on the Gulf. When they got off at Galveston, they were just twelve hours rim from their starting place. He, Sam'l Logan, Geo. Wells, Win. Sublet and John Foster came home then by land. The principal engagements in which he took part were those at Point Isabel and Matamoras and was ordered to Monterey, Cerro Cordo and Buena Yista. * He was under the*brigade commander Gen. Shields.

MR. BALTUS ORR, farmer, Hammond, is of German and Irish descent, and was born in Ohio, from which state he moved to La Salle county, Illinois. He came to Piatt county in 1865, and settled near Bement. He moved from there to his present home in Unity township in 1869. He owns 160 acres of land, which he has improved himself. Mr. Orr draws rather a doleful picture of the appearance of the surrounding country when he settled on his. farm. He says deer and wolves were plenty. There was no house between his farm and Bement, and part of the time, he thinks, he could "swim a horse half-way to Bement." But now, quite happily, there is a change in the condition of affairs. Deer and wolves are exterminated, many houses have been built, and ditching has been done until most of the land is in good farming condition.' In 1880 Mr. Orr's corn crop averaged sixty bushels to the acre. Mr. Orr was married in 1865, to Hannah Boring, and has one child, Addie.

.MR. JOHN PEMBLE, farmer, was born in East Kent, England. When he was seventeen he came to New York. He moved from there to Michigan, and then, after traveling in the west somewhat, he settled in 1855 within nine miles of Bement, Piatt county. He was married in 1865, to Mary A. Allerton. He was in the army for three years, going out in Co. E of the 21st 111. Corinth, Murfreesborough and Perry ville were the principal battles in which he engaged. His parents lived in Cerro Gordo.

MR. J. P. PONDER, farmer, was born in 1816, in North Carolina. He first moved to Tennessee, and from there went to Kentucky, from which state he came to Piatt county in 1864. He owns 160 acres of land, besides some town property. He was married in North