Piatt County, Illinois - Biographical sketches (6 of 7 so headed), 1883

MR. JOHJST ARGO was born in Pennsylvania, in 1793. He moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio, and during the war of 1812 volunteered for a few months to relieve Fort Meiggs. He now receives a pension of $96 a year. His brother Abraham was also in the war of 1812. Mr. Alexander Argo and wife, with David Argo, moved to Champaign county in 1835, where he died in 1836. Mrs. Argo died about 1859 at John Argo's. David Argo married Mary Shreve, settled in Champaign county, and has raised a large family of children, six of whom are living. He quite recently moved to Piatt county to take care of his brother, who is in poor health. John Argo came to Piatt county in 1840. He married Catharine Marsh, and had ten children, all but one of whom lived to reach maturity : Rebecca married Mr. Francis Sporrier, and lived in Sangamon township until she died, leaving four children ; George Argo, who never married, died at the age of thirty years ; Hester, the wife of Robert Osborn, died, leaving four children ; one of her sons, John, married Mary Kinser, and lives on Mr. John Argo's place. Solomon Argo was married in 1865, to Mary Skillins, and has five children, Catharine, Rebecca J., Hannah, Charlie and Nellie. He owns 140 acres of land, and lives within a mile of his brother John's place ; Mary J. married William Kennedy, and died, leaving four children, who are now in Kansas ; Hannah, the wife of Hiram Stottler, died, leaving three children, two of whom, George and John, are in Mansfield ; Evaline, who married Christopher McCloughen, is also dead ; Alexander married

Amanda Vangundy, has five children, Sarah, John, Emmeline, Cora and George, and lives in Sangamon township ; Nancy, the wife of James Coffin, died, leaving three children, who are with their father, who married again, and is living in Sangamon township. Mr. John Argo has been married three times. His second wife was Mrs. Susan Ellis, and Mrs. Martha McKinley became his third wife. She died in 1881. Mr. Argo is growing quite feeble, but his hearing seems as good as it ever was. Since writing the above we have learned of Mr. Argo's death.

MR. J. E. ANDREW, White Heath, moved from Ohio, his native state, to Illinois in 1866, locating in 1869 in Piatt county, where he now owns seventy acres of land. He lives in Sangamon township, and has held several township offices. He married Fannie H. Heath in 1872, and has four children, Marion, Arthur, Nettie and John. Mr. Andrew went to the war when but a boy, and served through two years. Being wounded twice, he still bears evidence of his army life, because of which fact he receives a pension. He was in the battles of the Atlanta campaign and those of the ' march to the sea.' Mr. Andrew was recently elected sheriff of the county.

MR. THOMAS A. BRANCH, for a number of years a resident of Piatt county, was born in Buckingham county, Virginia, in 1808. Mrs. Branch, nee Elizabeth Robinson, was born in Smith county, Tennessee, in 1811. In 1828 Mr. Branch left Virginia and traveled on foot five hundred miles to Monroe county, Kentucky, where he met his future wife. They tell the following stories of themselves. Before leaving Virginia Mr. Branch had his fortune told, and he was informed that he would ' travel a long distance on foot, cross water, and finally meet a young lady who was to be his future life companion.' True enough he did travel a long distance and finally reached a Mr. Robinson's, where he asked for work. In the meantime a certain Elizabeth Robinson had had her fortune told, and she was informed that when she first saw her future husband he would be a "well-built, powerfully good-looking young man, in store clothes." One day, while about her household duties, she happened to glance out the window and spy the young man who had just asked for work of her father, sitting on the fence. She gave the young man in "store clothes" an earnest, searching look, and then with deep conviction said, "That's him." We will not attempt to say how it happened, whether it was the inevitable result of the fortune telling or whether it was simply that two congenial hearts attracted each other; but anyway, a marriage occurred May 27,

1830, and two lives were united for life. Elizabeth's marriage portion was a cow and a pony. In September, 1831, the couple left Kentucky for Springfield, Illinois, which place they reached the next month. On arriving at Springfield they had just $7.25. Mr. Branch traded his blind mare and cart for two cows, a flax wheel and a saddle, while she bought a hog and some meat with her money. They then began living in a small cabin, through the cracks of which "a dog could almost be thrown." They moved from Sangamon county to Piatt county, February 20, 1846. They reached here in a big snow-storm, and had to scoop the snow out of the house on Stringtown lane before moving into it. They moved from this place of George A. Patterson's to the Cline place, then to the ridge, and from there to the farm upon which is a grove which was then called Sheean's Grove. When they settled at this place there were no houses between them and Urbana. Mr. and Mrs. Branch have had twelve children, nine of whom were born before they owned any land. Mr. Branch remarked, as we interviewed him, that when he paid for his first forty acres of land he felt richer than he has ever felt since. Only five of their children are living. Of these, Angelina is the wife of M. L. Osburn, a carpenter of Seymour; she has had five children ; Matilda, the wife of William Trotter, has five children; Sarah is the wife of Emanuel Rhoader, of Monticello (see his name); Lizzie married W. T. Miller, and has two children. For many years Mr. Branch has been one of the successful farmers of Piatt county. He still owns 460 acres of land in the homeplace. His place, when he bought it of Mr. Hubbart, was partially improved, but Mr. Branch has planted out a good many trees and has done other things toward putting it into a better condition. Mr. Branch was not only a farmer but he has done a great deal of good work as a minister in the vicinity of his home and county. In 1880 Mr. and Mrs. Branch calebrated their golden wedding. Some eighty guests were present, and it was averred that all had a truly happy time. Since writing the above we have been grieved to hear of the death of Mr. Branch. William L; Branch was married in 1861, to Jane Webb, who died. He married Mrs. Harris, nee Emma Yeager, in 1873, and they have four children, James 1ST., Lizzie A., Thomas A. and Charles A. Mrs. Harris had one son, William H.

MR. JOSEPH BLY, farmer, White Heath, is a native of Virginia, and his father was in the war of 1812. He came to Illinois in 1850, and has been in Piatt county ever since. He first rented land of Mr. Branch, until he bought his present home-place of forty acres. There was but a cabin on the place when he bought it, and he has made all the rest of the improvements. He was married about 1860, to Martha Jones nee Bushee, a native of Ohio, but of French descent. She has four children living by her first husband. One daughter, Mrs. Susan Smock, is living in this county. Two of her sons were in the army. Her sons, Albert and Charles Ely, are both at home. Her father, as was also Mr. Ely's, was in the war of 1812.

MR. HARVEY BENSON, farmer, was born in Ohio, near Springfield, in 1821. His father, Mr. Andrew Benson, was born in Virginia about 1781, and moved from that state to Ohio. He was married in 1810 or 1811, to Miss Sarah Renick, and had four children, three sons and one daughter. Of these but two are living, the subject of our sketch, and one brother who lives at Springfield, Ohio. In 1840 Mr. Benson passed through this county, went on to Missouri and bought land there. He came to this county about 1856, and after living here several years bought a portion of the land where he now lives. He owns and has improved a good-sized farm, and has been successful in raising stock. Pie was married in December, 1877, to Mrs. Mary Piatt, who died in May 1880.

SQUIRE H. E. BURNETT, formerly a resident of Piatt county, was born in New Jersey. He moved to Ohio in 1836, and in 1854 he came to Piatt county, where he remained until 1858. While living in Centerville he lost his wife. In 1857 he sold goods in Centerville, and at one time he was robbed of $340. Mr. Burnett helped to build the grist-mill at Centerville in 1854 or 1855. An old millwright, Wm. Lee, made the wheels and Mr. Burnett finished the inside of the mill. Mr. .Burnett has been justice of the peace for twenty years at Mahomet, and still holds that office.

MR. ALVIN CALDWELL was born December 11, 1830, in Mercer county, Ohio. He is of Irish and English descent, and came to Piatt county October 24, 1849, and settled in what is now Sangamon township. His first purchase of land was in 1860, and in 1868 he bought the land he now lives on. On November 22, 1857, he married Mary E. Madden, who was born August 24, 1833, and has three children living, Laura, Grace and Alvin.

MR. JOHN HENRY COON, farmer, Monticello, was born in 1797. in Virginia. He moved to West Virginia and from there to Ohio when he was but thirteen years old, and in 1841 he moved to Piatt county. His father, Abraham Coon, and mother, nee Catharine Hensil, moved to Piatt county about 1849, and lived with J. H. Coon for several years, when they died about five weeks apart. Abraham Coon was in the war of 1812, but he never received his land warrant. Mr. J. H. Coon came to this county and looked at the land before he bought it. He then moved out and liked the country from the first, but he did not like the living. He was not here long before he had to go to Chicago, and take two trips to Indiana in order to get something to eat and wear. The wolves were troublesome and the deer were quite plenty. Mr. Coon remembers of killing six deer in four days' time. Mr. Coon was married first in 1817, to Elizabeth Deeds, who was born in 1803 and died in 1824. They had three children, two of whom are now living. John married Eliza Schwisher, of Indiana ; moved to Missouri, and died there. Jacob married Frances Mooney, has five or sixchildren and lives in McDonough county, Illinois ; William, a soldier in the late war, and prisoner for eleven months, married Susan Hughes, who died, leaving two children, now dead. He next married Priscilla Beasley. One son, Harvey, is living in this county. Mr. J. II. Coon was married again in 1826, to Ruth Clemens, who was born in 1809. She died in 1878, after having been in poor health for twenty-five years. Their son Abraham was first married to Drusilla Belanga, who died, leaving one child, Walter, who lives in Missouri. He next married Amanda Beasley, who died, leaving three children. Ruth, who is married ; Ella was the wife of Amos Woolington, but died in 1881, leaving two children, and Austin. Mr. Coon took Susan Ellis for his third wife, and he was again married to Mrs. Sarah Pence, and lives in Cisco. Catharine married Samuel Eurnace, who died, leaving seven children ; Mrs. Furnace then married Jas. Blacker ; Rebecca married Calvin Swisher, but died. Four children, Kate, Jane, John and Sam are still living. Martha Coon married Jas. Cable, but died leaving no family ; Sarah Coon became the wife of Menassah Swisher and had two children, Medorah, the wife of Chas. Thompson and mother of six children, Willie, John, Frank, Ona M., Emma and Ida; and Daniel R. Swisher, who lives at home. Mrs. Swisher was married in 1868, to Edward Munea, a native of Indiana. His father came from France about forty-nine years ago.

MR. JACOB COON (deceased) was born in Virginia in 1802. He was married in that state in 1826, to Elizabeth Applegate. She was a native of New Jersey, but she, with her brothers and sisters, were partly reared in Ohio. Her parents died in Indiana. One brother, Jacob Applegate, and one sister, Mrs. Sarah Ross, came to Illinois in 1842. Mr. Coon's father moved from his native state, Pennsylvania, to Virginia, and from there he moved over the mountains on packhorses to Ohio. He then moved to Illinois, and from there to Missouri, where he died. Mr. Jacob Coon moved in 1842, onto the place now owned by Mr. Spencer, but which was then Mr. Hughes' place. They wintered through that cold winter in a log house with clapboard doors. They had moved from a comfortable house, and Mrs. Holloway pronounces the change as having been just "awful." The next spring they went onto the place still owned by Mrs. Coon and her son. They built a good hewed log house, to which, at a later time, an addition was built. Mr. Coon was considered an excellent hewer, and was employed by many on account of his ability. About the first work he did after coming to the county was to prepare the timbers for the house Mr. Ezra Marquiss now lives in. After Mr. Coon enlarged their house they kept a country hotel for drovers for near twenty years. When the stage ran between Monticello and Champaign they kept the travelers and stage men for a time. The drovers called this house their home, and Mrs. Coon was noted as the woman who kept a barrel of pickles the year round. When Mr. Coon came to this county he brought about $1,000 and five or six head of horses. He "entered sixty acres of land and bought about 260 acres. At the time of his death he owned about 200 acres of land. His son remarks that his principal exploit was hard work ; and from what we hear, this exploit extended throughout his life. He was crippled in one hand. This was caused by the bite of a dog. Mr. and Mrs. Coon had two children born in Ohio, one of whom, Addison S., is still living, and in this county. He married Lufanny J. Buck, of DeWitt county, and has had four children : Orra married Louis Bartley, has two children, Charlie and Fannie, and lives on the old home-place ; Emma married Nelson Bartley, and has two children, Nellie M. and an infant ; Temperance and Homer Jacob are at home. Addison lives on part of his father's place, and has put most of the improvements on forty acres. He also owns 200 acres more. Mr. Jacob Coon died in 1872, and Mrs. Coon next married Mr. Samuel Ellerton. In 1880 she became the wife of Mr. Thomas Holloway, from Indiana. He went from that state to the army, was out three years, and was wounded on the raid under Sherman to the sea. He has received a pension since his discharge. He has been a school teacher in the west for several years. Michael Coon came to Piatt county in 1841, and is still living here. He has been twice married and a number of his children and grandchildren reside in the countv.

MR. RUFUS CALEF (deceased) was a native of New Hampshire, from which state he moved to Peoria, and from there to Bunker Hill, Illinois. He next moved to St. Louis, and from there to Piatt county, where he and Mr. Henry Jacobs entered and bought near 3000 acres of land. When Mr. Calef came west he worked his wa}r to Peoria, and was a hard worker alll his life. He was married in Madison county, to Jean Gait, a native of Scotland. They lived in Piatt county a number of years, and until their death, the one dying in 1877 and the other in 1876. Two of their five children are living1 : Horace married Sadie White, and has three children : Jean, Roscoe and Bessie. Arthur Calef is living at home with his brother. There are some 2,500 acres in the Calef place. Mr. Calef was a great stock dealer. Horace remembers that at one time there were 1900 head of cattle on the place, but is not positive as to whether this is the most that was ever on it or not.

MR. JOHN CLINE was a native of Pickaway county, Ohio. He was married in that state to Letitia Carry, a native of the same county. They moved directly to Piatt county in 1838. Mr. Cline's father, Jacob Cline, *and several brothers and sisters, came out the spring of the same year. John Cline first settled about one mile from White Heath, where he lived, and owned 700 acres of land at the time of his death in 1860. He had six children, all of whom are living : John married Matilda Knott, and has two children, Ida and Delia ; James married Jennie Maffett and lives in Nebraska ; Letitia married Warren Gould and had two children, Nelson and Eva; she next married J. Wm. Shannon, and lives in Philadelphia ; Sarah, the wife of Thomas Plunk, lives about two miles from Monticello, and has six children, Wm., Thos., Albert, John, Chas., Robert, Louis and Harriet Pearl ; J. H. Cline married Josephine Knott, and has four children, Anna, Minnie, Carrie and Ona L. He has been in the merchandise business in White Heath for over three years ; Ezra Cline married Mell Knott and lives one mile northeast of White Heath. He has two children, Cora Alma and Ola Annis. He owns sixty acres of land, arid is the last of the family to have an interest in the Cline farm. Mrs. Cline was married to Wm. Curl in 1869. His first wife died, leaving five children, two of whom live in Piatt county : Mollie, who married Mr. Frank White, and Milton, who was married last to Mrs. Susan Baker. Mrs. Curl now makes her home at Mr. Tho. Plunk's. In speaking of her early life in the county, she remarked that the log cabin into which they moved had a stick chimney, so old and worn out that the dogs could crawl in at either side, and that the doors of the house were made of clapboards. They made molasses from watermelons and beets, and made muskmelon butter. She remembers that the deer, and especially the timber-wolves., were quite plenty when she first came to the county. One of Mr. "Wm. Wright's children was lost, and they supposed it was eaten by the timber-wolves. The child followed a pet deer off. Some bones were afterward found which were supposed to be those of the child.

MR. DANIEL CRESAP (deceased) was of English descent, and a native of Maryland. A history of the Cresap family has been written, and some of the old families have been somewhat noted in early American history. Mr. Daniel Cresap moved from Ohio to Piatt county about 1855, and settled on the old Piatt place near Monticello. After living there two years he moved to the Williams place in Champaign county, and thence to where Frank Cresap lives, just across the line in Champaign county. Mr. Cresap's first wife, nee Miss Marsh, had four children. Of these, Evaline, who was the wife of Mr. Reed in Ohio, is now dead ; Clarinda, who was married, is also dead ; Elvira, the wife of Mr. Edwin Cresap, is living in Champaign county ; Elizabeth, who married James Vangundy, died, leaving one child. Mr. Cresap's last wife, nee Margaret Humes, had five children : Hamilton married Miss Campbell, but died in a few months after his marriage. His widow became the wife of Mr. Bishop, and lived in Piatt county for a time. She is now a widow again. Mr. B. F. Cresap married Sarah A. Vincent in Chicago in 1868, and has had five children, Nellie, Clara, Josephine, Wm. H. and Benj. F. Mr. B. F. or Frank Cresap went to the army from Piatt county in 1862, in Co. C of the 107th 111. Inf. He went out as first lieutenant and was promoted to captain. He was in the siege of Knoxville, in Sherman's march to the sea, and was engaged in battles at Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, Franklin and Nashville. At the battle of Resaca, one of the boys near him had his head shot off, and some pieces of his skull wounded Mr. Cresap in several places. This was the only time blood was drawn on him, and he was never taken prisoner while in the army. He was one of the members of the court martial during a winter and summer of the time he was in the war. Mary Cresap became the wife of B. F. Thomas, and lives in Champaign county ; Daniel is married and lives in Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Cresap both died on the place upon which Frank Cresap lives.

residing in Mahomet, is proud of being a native of old Virginia. He came to Piatt county first in 1856, and located here the next year. He was married in 1856, to Maria Williamson, of Ohio, and has six children living, Mary Jane, George W., Charles K., Eliza E. and Addy B. He went into the army in 1861, in Co. B of the 3d Mo. Cav. He went into another regiment in 1 865, and served until the war was over. He was wounded at Little Rock, Arkansas, and came very near being taken prisoner. He was in the battles at Little Rock, Mt. Zion, Harteville, Helena and Shreveport. Mr. Carter joined the Good Templars fifteen years ago, and he says he holds the pledge sacred to this day.

ME. REUBEN DUBSON (deceased) was born in Pennsylvania. He was married in that state, and in 1855 moved to Piatt county with his wife and nine children : Martin Dubson married Mary Johnson, has five children and lives in Goose Creek township ; John married Sidney Kearny, has two children, Sherman K. and Barbara Elizabeth, and lives within a quarter of a mile of the place upon which his father settled when he came to this county; he and his wife together own 460 acres of land ; Reuben Dubson married Louisa Hartley, has two children, Ella and Daniel, and lives in Goose Creek township ; Hetty lives with her mother in the last-named township ; Elizabeth married William Perkins, of Goose Creek township, and has six children ; Mary, who was the wife of George Yarn er, died, leaving four children ; Samuel married Ella Varner, has four children and lives in Monticello township ; Susie married John Lohr, has one child and lives in Goose Creek township ; William Dubson lives with his mother.

MR. S. A. EVANS, farmer, White Heath, is a native of Ohio. He was married in Piatt county, in 1849, to L. Margaret Mackey, a native of Ohio. They have five children living : Henry C. married Emma Rhoades, has one child and lives at home ; Emma, Ida, Abbie and Arthur are also at home. Mr. Evans owns about 180 acres of laud in the vicinity of Centerville. He has not escaped some of the offices in the township, and has been considered a prominent man in his neighborhood.

MR. JOHN FISHER (deceased) was of German descent and was a native of Virginia. He moved to Ohio, where he lived for ten years, and then in 1841 moved to Piatt county and settled on the place his father, David Fisher, had bought the previous year. His parents both died on this place. After living for ten or twelve years here Mr. Fisher moved to the farm, a portion of which is now owned by his son, George. Mr. Fisher and wife both died on this place. They had a large family of children, only five of whom are now living. Of these, Jacob married Mary Moss, has had four children, Surrilda M., John, Letitia and Tho. Jefferson, and lives in Sangamon township ; George married Snrrilda Collins (see Abraham Collins' sketch) ; Surrilda C. Fisher became the wife of James Phalen, who lives on a portion of the Fisher place, and is the mother of one child, Margaret ; James and Margaret Fisher make their home with George, their brother.

MR. R. D. FISHER, farmer, White Heath, is a native of Ohio, and is of English and German descent. His grandfather, John Fisher, was a lieutenant under Washington in the revolutionary war. His father, Absolam Fisher, moved from Ohio to Illinois about 1858. He had a family of twelve children: Christina was the wife of Isaac J. Hall; George, who married Miss Hart, died, and left two children ; Ebenezer P. lives at Monticello ; R. D., whose name is at the head of this sketch, married Anna Gulliford and lives in Sangamon township ; he has four children, S. Jane, William, Reuben F. and Ella Eliza ; Sydney married William Gale and lives near Maroa; Susannah married Jonathan Huffmes and lives in Missouri.

MR. EZRA FOSNAUGH (deceased), farmer, moved to Piatt county about 1856. He died in 1873, and his widow, Mrs. Eliza Fosnaugh, lives in Sangamon township. Seven of their eight children are still living : James A. Fosnaugh married Kitty Cunningham, of Logan county, has four children and is a merchant in Lane Station, De Witt county ; Selina married George W. McCabe and died, leaving two children; Theodore married Ella Dungan, has two boys, Jesse and Alva, and lives in Sangamon township ; Elifus and Europe Fosnaugh are living at home ; Dora Alice became the wife of William Dungan and has one infant ; the names of Mrs. Fosnaugh's other children are Laura Bell and Irwin.

MR. J. A. FLANIGAN, farmer, White Heath, is a native of Pennsylvania. His grandfather was in the war of 1812. Mr. Flanigan lived in Indiana for about three years, and then about 1861 moved to Sangamon township. He was married about 1866, to Elmira Rairdon, and has three children living : William Tho., Edwin C. and Bessie. He has held the offices of road commissioner and assessor.

MR. GEORGE R. GROVES, farmer, Mansfield, was born in Ohio, from which state he moved to Piatt county about 1859, and settled on Camp creek. He used to be quite in demand as a violin player at all the parties in the neighborhood. He has, however, relinquished this pastime. His first wife, nee Catharine Anderson, died, leaving a number of children : John, who married Miss Oulery, Job, George, Edward, Frank, Minerva, Mattie, Thomas and Kate. Mr. Groves was next married to Jane Tracy, who died in 1881, leaving three children, Emma, Eliza and Andrew.

HUGH V. HANNAH (deceased) was a native of Virginia. From there he moved to Ohio, from which state he moved in 1849 to Piatt county, Illinois, with five children, two of whom are living. Mr. David Ford Hannah is the eldest, born in Ohio in 1827. He was married in 1851, to Francis Ouler} , by whom he had nine children, six of whom still live in the county ; one, Rebecca Hannah, the wife of William Wise, lives near Urbana, Champaign county, and has three children, David, Anna and Rosa ; William Thomas married Minnie Long, and is farming in Sangamon township ; they have one child, William Oscar ; Francis E. married William McKinley, and also lives in Sangamon township, and have one daughter, Ruditha ; the other surviving four of Mr. D. F. Hannah's family, Hugh V., James D., Samuel A. and John W., are still at home. Nancy, daughter of Mr. Hugh V. Hannah, married Samuel Oulery, and lives in Sangamon township. They have seven children. Two of Mr. Hannah's sons died in the army, having enlisted in the 107th 111. Inf. Vance died in Andersonville prison.

MR. JOHN F. HART (deceased) was a native of North Carolina. From that state he moved to Kentucky, and from there to Indiana. He next moveji to Greene county, Illinois, and from there came to Piatt county about 1850. He first lived on Charles Harris' place, but made several moves while in the county, and at last settled on Mr. Samuel Bender's place, where he died in 1865. He was married in Greene county, to Mary Peacock, who died in 1856, leaving seven children. J. C. Hart was married in Piatt county, to Eliza Norris, and has had four children, three of whom, Lennia, Charles E. and Emma, are living. J. C. was in the late war, in Co. E of the 107th reg. He was in battles at Knoxville, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Franklin and Nashville. To return to Mr. John Hart's family : Sarah is not married, and still lives in Sangamon township ; Elizabeth married James Parris, but died, leaving six children, Charles, Nellie, John, Ida, Mahala and Laura ; William Hart went into the army in the 3d Mo. Cav. , and died at Little Rock, Arkansas ; Tarlitia married George Fisher, who died, and she then married James Berton and moved to Missouri ; Aaron is living with his sister Sarah ; George married Emma Murphy, and lives in Illinois. The subject of our sketch was in the Black Hawk war for three months under Col. Fry. Pie used to relate an incident connected with his life in this war. For quite awhile a sentinel was killed every night while the company was camped near some Indians. Finally, one man was on duty who determined to be careful. In the night he was disturbed by a hog which rooted indiscriminately near to and distant from him. He concluded to stop the rooting and so shot at the hog, but instead of a hog an Indian fell dead.

MR. DAVID HEATH (deceased) was a native of Kentucky. His wife, nee Anne Porter, was from Pennsylvania. Mr. Heath moved with his wife and family to Sangamon township in 1845. Soon after settling here he went back to Ohio on business, took sick and died there in 1846. His family knew nothing of his sickness or death until some time after he died. Mr. Heath had bought land, so that his wife and five children had something to live on. At this time the eldest son was about sixteen years of age. Mrs. Heath died about 1876, after having been a widow for thirty years. Four of her children lived to be of age. Mary is the wife of Mr. B. F. Harris, a banker of Champaign ; James C. married Elizabeth J. Hogeland, but died in 1871 or 1872, leaving six children, Francis H., Almor P., Mary A., John F., Anne and Alberta C. Porter Heath, now a successful farmer near White Heath, says he "never was a boy." His hard work began so early that there was no chance for doing as most boys do. He was married in 1865, to Lizzie Hevel, a native of Coles county, Illinois. Three of their six children, Anne Mary, Bessie B. and Noble P., are living. Mr. Heath built one of the finest country residences in the county in 1880. The house is of frame, contains twelve rooms, without the basement, and cost near $5,000. When asked if he had held any offices he remarked, "I was appointed supervisor once, and have been school director. That is as far as I can get."

MR. WILLIAM HICKMAN and wife, nee Susan Flesher, came with their family to Piatt county in 1855, and settlfed on Camp creek, where they still lived at the time of their death in 1880. Five of their nine children are still living : George died in the army ; Elizabeth married Jno. Mounts, of Centerville, and had ten children : of these, Thomas married Angeline Webster ; James married Jane Webster; Louisa married William Wrench, and has four children, Thomas, Charles, Walter and Harriet ; Susan is the wife of Joseph Welch, and lives near Mansfield ; Martha, Emma F. and Jno. W. are the names of the other children. Louisa Hickman married Samuel Maffet, but both are dead ; Harvey married Maria Teats, has nine children, Franklin, Maggie, Elizabeth,

Mary, Jennie, Charlie, Sarah, George and James, and is a farmer; Maria married Benjamin Walker, has eight children, and lives in Seymour ; Mary E. is the wife of Reason Combs, and Harriet married Wesley P. Smith.

MR. SAMUEL HALDEMAN, farmer, Monticello, was born in Virginia, in 1810. His father was a Dane and his mother a German. He lived for ten or twelve years in Louisiana, and then in January, 1856, moved to Piatt county from Ohio. He settled on the Mackey farm for one season, and then bought the old hotel which stood just west of the brick hotel in Monticello. He kept the hotel part of the time, and rented it for a time until he went into the army. After returning from the war he bought land on Camp creek, and now owns a neat little home near the Sangamon. He was married in Ohio in 1849, to Maria J. Bartley, a native of Ohio, and has had nine children, six of whom are living: Rachel was married in 1876, to John Trent, of Wapella, DeWitt county ; Jacob is riot married ; Mary was married in 1872, to James N orris, and has three children, Harley, William and Ollie May ; the names of Mr. Haldeman's other children are Peter K., William and Emma. Mr. Haldeman went to the army in 1861, in Co. A of the 10th HI. Yol. Cav. He remained until 1863, when he was discharged because of an injury received by a falling stable. He now receives a pension. He engaged in the battles of Milliken's Bend, Young's Point, Vicksburg, Mississippi and Richmond, in addition to several skirmishes.

MR. WILLIAM HARPER, farmer, was born in 1820, in Ohio, and is of German and Irish lineage. His father died in Piatt county. Mr. Harper came to Piatt county in 1837 or 1838, and settled about five miles north of Monticello. He married Sarah Wright, who died, leaving four children : Walter Scott was in the army ; George married Martha Mooney, has fonr children, and lives in Champaign county ; Julia Ann married David Durst, has two children, and lives in Piatt county ; Asenath is married, and has four children. Mr. Harper was next married to Mary Cline, who died, leaving two children, Joanne and Elizabeth. He was again married to Sarah Hott, who has three children, Barney, Jerome and Frankie.

MRS. ELEANOR HOWES, nee Brittenbam, was born in Ohio, and is of German and English descent. Her father, Mr. Samuel Brittenham, moved from Delaware to Ohio. Mrs. Brittenham moved to Scott county, Illinois, about 1840. Her son John, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this book, came a year or two earlier. Eleanor was married in 1843, to Mr. John Howes, a native of Kentucky. They moved from Scott county to Hancock county in 1844, from which county they moved to Piatt county in 1861. They were in Hancock county during the Mormon raid. After a good deal of trouble the Mormons were driven to Nauvoo, and Mr. Howes was in the Mormon war. Mrs. Howes has lived in this county ever since 1861. Her husband went to Pike's Peak during the war, and has never been heard of since. He is supposed to be dead. They had six children, but only one of them is living. William, in 1869, married Adelia Cramer, a native of Ohio, and lives with his mother in Sangamon township, on a farm of ninety-five acres. Mrs. Howes owns some property in Monticello, a house and several lots.

DR. J. M. HENRIE, White Heath, is a native of Indiana; his father, from Virginia, and his mother from Kentucky ; moved to Indiana, and from there to Iowa, where Dr. Henrie was reared. He received his medical education at Bennet College, Chicago, in 1878. He practiced a little in Indiana, but virtually began his practice in Piatt county, May 30, 1872, and in the vicinity of White Heath. He was married in 1875, to M. Ella Bond, and has one child, Claudie.

MR. JAMES HTJBBART (deceased) was a native of Ohio. He was a hard worker. While in Ohio he made many rails at thirty-seven cents a hundred. When he came to this county he had about $50. He first rented land, then entered and bought land. Finally he owned at least 1,700 acres of land. He married Lillie Lane, in 1831, and had three children, Mary A., Thomas and William.

MR. WILLIAM M. KINSER, farmer, Gales ville, is a native of Pickaway, Ohio. He moved from there to Piatt county in 1857, and first settled in Monticello township. Mr. Kinser was married to Ruth Cherry, who died, leaving five children, Kate, Randolph, Elijah J., William H. and Joseph. Mrs. Kinser died December 22, 1869, when thirty-six years old. Mr. Kinser married his second wife, Miss Warner, March 24, 1875, and three of their four children are living, Lizzie, John and James.

MR. JOHN KERR (deceased), with his wife and six children, moved from Ohio to Piatt county. Their eldest daughter, Nancy, married Wilson Savage, and lived where Mr. Jacob Reeser lives, until she died, leaving two children, Mary J., the wife of Mr. Merrit, of Champaign, and Emma, the wife of Mr. Bennet, of Lane Station. Samuel Kerr married Martha J. Madden (see Mr. John Madden's sketch) ; Susan married Sebastian Mackey, but moved to Iowa in two years after her marriage; Elizabeth married Kennedy Ramsey, has one child and lives in Boone county, Iowa ; Amanda is the wife of Mr. Hull, and Clara, the wife of Mr. Adams, of Nebraska. Mrs. John Kerr is living with her daughter in Iowa.

MR. WILLIAM KEARNEY (deceased) was a native of Ohio. He married, and in 1851 came with his wife and five children to Piatt county. Mr. Kearney died in 1877 of typhoid fever, and his wife died in 1880, after a six months' sickness. Sidney, who married John Dubson, is the only one of the family now living. Two of the girls died after their marriage. Sarah E., the wife of Amos Conkle, died about 1869, leaving five children, Sarah L., the wife of Joseph Conway, and mother of one child; William, Elijah, Ida F., the wife of Brise Webster, and Eunice. Virginia Kearney, the wife of Hiram Kirkland, died in 1872, leaving one child, William. Mr. Kirkland went to Kansas and is married again.

MR. PRICE KERNS, merchant and postmaster, Lodge, was born in Ohio and moved from there to Illinois in 1859, first to Macon county, and in 1861 to Piatt county, where he has been since. He was agent at Lodge previous to the removal of the station to the crossing. He has a very nice store building, built in 1882, the first and only one in Lodge. He does general merchandising. He owns one block - four lots - in Lodge. His mother did reside in the county, but is in Nebraska now.

MR. B. F. LODGE, farmer, Lodge, was born December 26, 1834, and first came to this countjr as a minister a number of years ago. When on this circuit he used to preach at Bement, Cerro Gordo, Monticello, Baker school-house, Ridge school, Camp Creek, and several other places. The same territory now comprises five circuits and three stations. In all, Mr. Lodge followed preaching for nine years, during which time he was in the counties of Sangamon, Shelby, Cole, Edgar, Douglass, Champaign, Piatt and Menard. He began farming in 1866, after locating at his own request. Mr. Lodge married Mrs. Lyon and has had nine children, five of whom are living: Charles A., Frank B., Fannie May, Howard F. and Agnes C.

MR. JOHN MARQUISS (deceased), son of Abraham Marquiss, married Harriet Mallory, who came with her people to Piatt county about 1836. They lived for a number of years on a fine farm on the Sangamon river. Mr. Marquiss' death was a sudden one. He had gone with stock to New York. The train having stopped on a bridge to get water, Mr. Marquiss got up before day to see to his stock. He fell on the bridge and was injured so that he died May 5, 1856. His family knew nothing of the accident until informed of the body's return. Mr. Marquiss had eight children, four of whom are living :_George L. was married October 26, 1870, to Olivia Vincent, and has had six children, three of whom, Mary O., Bessie G. and Susan E. are living; George was one of the successful school teachers of the county, but now he applies himself to improving the farm upon which he is living ; Abraham Marquiss married Jane Fitzwater, in 1862, and had four children, one of whom, Alice, is living. Abraham was killed at the raising of a house on the farm now owned by Mr. Olentine. Mary Marquiss married Wm. Fitzwater, has an interesting family of children, and lives on their nicely-located farm, which they are continually improving. J. Bruce Marquiss married Jane Burch, and has one child, Seymour, living. Charles married Fannie Dewees, and with their children lives in Monticello. Mrs. Marquiss, with Miss Lou Warner, lives on a portion of the old home-place.

MR. JOSEPH MAXWELL, who lives just beyond the county line in Champaign, was in an early day one of the near neighbors of the Piatt county folks. He was born in 1824. His grandfather was in the revolutionary war through the entire time. His parents moved to Champaign county when he was six years old. They moved to Danville and remained until the fright about the Blackhawk war was over. Joseph began farming for himself before he was of age. He followed breaking prairie for a number of years. In connection with telling of his prairie breaking, he told an anecdote which we will relate. He and two others, as was customary in those times, took care to have a jug of whiskey with them when at their work. But let them hide their jug as carefully as they could, it was sure to be found and partially emptied by some children who lived near. At last they conceived a plan to thwart the children, and told a physician of Mahomet their desires, and he sent them some ipecac, with which they prepared a jug of whiskey especially for their little annoyers, and hid the jug somewhat carelessly. Their plan worked like a charm, and by the middle of the night, not only the children, but their mother, was suffering from the effects of the "jug." When the father came home in the night, he was furious enough to go and swear out a state's warrant against the men who he asserted had tried to poison the children. The trial came off, but as it was decided that the dose of ipecac was good for the children, the accused were acquitted. As a moral to this anecdote we will add : little children, and great grown people too, should beware of jugs. Mr. Joseph Maxwell started to California in 1850. He remained there until his health became poor and he was advised to return to the States. He came back at the end of twenty-six months with about $1,650 in his pocket. He bought a farm where his homestead now is,and was married in 1852 to Rosanna Hyde, a native of Indiana. They have had eleven children, eight of whom are living.

MR. JOHN MAXWELL, Joseph's brother, was also an early neighbor of the Piatt county folks. He is a native of Tennessee, and is now living in Champaign county. He used to be quite a deer hunter, and once had quite a narrow escape of his life. He came up to a deer in the snow and struck it with an ax ; it turned and fought, but Mr. Maxwell gained the victory without realizing his danger until all was over. He told of finding a couple of deer locked together with their horns. One had died, and the other stood entangled with death. The one alive when found was finally killed, and 'twas almost impossible to separate the horns.

MR. JOHN S. MADDEN (deceased) was born in Ohio in 1805. His wife, nee Elizabeth West, was born in 1802, and was of German descent. They moved with their three children to Piatt county in 1835. He laid claims to some land and camped under a white-oak tree until he built a house on Madden's run. In all Mr. Madden entered about JL,700 acres of land, and lived on a portion of it until in 1870, several years previous to his death, he went to Kansas. Mr. Madden's eldest daughter, Martha J., married Samuel Kerr in 1853. He lived in Sangamon township until his death in 1855. Mrs. Kerr and her one daughter, Josephine E., live on their home-place ; Mary E. Madden married Mr. Alvin Caldwell of Sangamon township ; Sarah Madden died in 1866, and Felix H. died in 1880. Both were unmarried ; Silas W. married Cassie Burton of Ohio, has four children, Sherman, Lenora, Irwin and Homer, and lives in Sangamon township. He went into the army July 10, 1861, in Co. F of the 2d 111. Cav. He was in battles at Holly Springs, Mississippi, Bolivar, Texas, Champion Hill, Jackson, Mississippi, and Fourteen Mile Creek, and was slightly wounded. He received his final discharge in January, 1866. His brother, John S., was also in the late war ; married to Cynthia Burton, and has had nine children, Endora A., Minnie and Irene, twins, Chas. A., Horace, John, William, Perry and Mary Josephine. Mr. John Madden Sr. lost his wife in 1844, and in 1845 he married Keturah Matchler, who is now dead. Six of their children are now living : Milton T. married Alice Kilgore, has two children, and is a farmer in

Kansas; Cynthia M., the wife of Benj. Hampton, also has two children and lives in Kansas. The names of the other children are Francis P., Richard L., May Belle and Hester A. Mr. John Madden died in 1874.

MB. RICHARD MADDEN, a brother of Mr. John Madden, moved to this county about a year after John came. In 1837 he married Rhoda Donaldson, a sister-in-law of John and Judge Hughes. He settled on the land where Silas Madden lives, and had three children when he moved to Iowa. Malon Madden died in the army ; Marquiss married a Miss Hill, and lives in Iowa ; Emma Madden married Mr. Hill ; Mr. Richard Madden has been dead for some time ; Mr. Richard Madden's sister Anna married Elijah Hollingsworth, and died, leaving several children. Of these Cynthia married Mr. McKinney and lives in Cerro Gordo, and Anna married Jacob Bush.

MR. CHRISTIAN MACKEY, who was born in New Jersey, married Ann Williams, of Logan county, Illinois, about 1840, and in 1845 moved to Piatt county. Three of his first wife's children are living. Catharine became the wife of William Dickson, and has four children, Harriet Ann, Edward, Harry E. and Joseph. Joseph Mackey married Eliza J. Bunyard and has four children, James W., Charles C., Sydna Ann and Otis Luther ; Lydia Ann married Seth Burnett, and also has four children, Charles E., Oscar Eugene, Alta May and Inez. Mr. Christian was married in 1865, to Mrs. Wm. Hughes, nee Elizabeth Ingram, by whom he has had five children, Jasper, Emma, Cora, Stophel and Elma. Mrs. Hughes was married first in 1854 and had three children. Of these, Mary E. is the wife of Wm. Wright, has three children, Rachel, May and Frankie, and lives near Cisco ; Ann, the wife of Francis Coffin, also lives near Cisco and has two children, Jennie and Elma. George Hughes is unmarried. After coming to this county Mr. Mackey used to go to mill both to Springfield and to the Mackinaw. He lives on a nice farm near the Sangamon river, and from his residence is a most beautiful view of the Sangamon river bottom land.

MR. JOSEPH MACKEY (deceased), farmer, was a native of New Jersey. He and his wife, nee Catharine Cole, moved to Ohio, where Mrs. Mackey died. Mr. Mackey moved to Piatt county about 1846 and bought land of Mr. Rich. Madden. He returned to Ohio at once and married Hester Abbott, coming back soon after and settling on his Piatt county farm, where he lived until his death. Mr. Mackey had seven children, six of whom are now living; John Mackey (see his sketch) lives in Sangamori township ; for Christian Mackey, see his sketch ; Lavina Mackey married George Evans and lived for many years near Centerville. Mr. Evans died in May 1881, leaving six children. Of these Mary C. is at home ; as are also Charles, Allen, Grant and Anna ; Willis, the eldest son, married Mary "Winters and lives in Sangamon township. Mr. Sebastian Mackey married Susan Carr and moved to Iowa about 1852. Cyrus Mackey married Huldali Sears and moved to Nebraska about 1870. Lena Margaret Mackey became the wife of Mr. S. A. Evans.

MR. JOHN MACKEY, farmer, Centerville, moved from New Jersey, his native state, to Ohio, and thence to Illinois about 1846. He was united in marriage in 1840. to Leah Hubbard, and seven of their nine children are living. Mary, the wife of Isaac Wright, of Blue Ridge township, has three children, Emory, George and Grace ; Catharine, wife of Wm. DeGroff, has six children, Aimer, Rachel, John, Lyman, Lilah and Alice ; Alice, who married Lyman DeGroff, also has six children, Elizabeth, William, Lyman, Etta, Nellie J. and John ; Margaret married Sam'l Primer, has iive children, Alberta, Leah F., Frederick, Thornton and Allen, and lives in Sangamon township ; Christian Mackey married Mary Sprague, and has two children, John and Catharine ; Samuel married Hettie Newell, and lives in Sangamon township ; George, who m'arried Jane Sprague, lives with Mr. and Mrs. Mackey. When Mr. Mackey iirst came to Piatt county, he lived the first winter with Mr. Abraham Marquiss. He next lived where Silas Maden now lives, until he moved onto his present farm of 365 acres. Mr. Mackey has held several township offices and has held the office of justice of the peace for nine years.

MR. JOHN MOSGROVE (deceased) was born in Pennsylvania in 1812. He was married in that state to Elizabeth Squire, who died about 1854. He moved to Portage county, Ohio, and from there to Louisville, Kentucky. In 1848 he came to Piatt county, and settled where Mr. William Mosgrove now lives. In about 1852 Mr. Mosgrove built a saw-mill, to which in 1855, or thereabouts, a grist-mill was added. The entire mill burned about 1859, but afterward a saw-mill was erected, the frame of which is still standing. Each of these mills has been known as the Mosgrove mill. Mr. Mosgrove had seven children, two of whom are living : William Mosgrove married Susan Shaffer in 1850. They moved to Missouri in 1866, but returned the next year, and have been in the county ever since. Two of their eight children, Emma and John, are living ; William Mosgrove is at present supervisor of Sangamon township ; James Mosgrove, who went to Missouri in 1866, married Etta Ovington, and has one child. Mr. John Mosgrove, the subject of our sketch, was married in 1855, to Mrs. Elizabeth Shaffer, who is still living. He died in Missouri, in 1867, and his body was brought back and buried in the family burying ground near Mr. William Mosgrove's residence.

MR. WILLIAM McDoNALD, farmer, Monticello, is a native of Virginia. He moved from there to Ohio in 1839, and came to Piatt county in 1856. He was married in Indiana, to Jane Hunt, and has seven children : William, Sarah J., James, Flora E., Frank, Arthur and Charles Oliver. He left the state just before the war, and enlisted in Co. F of the 74th Ind. reg. He was in the battles of Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Perryville, Roland Fork and Hoover's Gap. He came back to the county in 1867, and settled in Sangamon township, where he owns seventy-one acres of land.

MR. ISAAC NORRIS (deceased) was a native of Maryland, from which state he moved to Ohio, thence he moved to Illinois about 1841. He was married in Ohio, to Anna Strunk, and had seven children, two of whom are now living. Of these, Daniel married Mary A. Hubbart, and Eliza married J. C. Hart (see his name). Daniel lived until quite recently, when he moved to Monticello, on the place his father owned. Six of his seven children are living : James I. married Mary Halterman, and has three children, Harley, William and Ollie, and lives near De Land ; the twins, Edward W. and Frank W., are still at home ; Ella is the wife of William Miller, of Monticello, and Ida and Emma are both at home. Mr. Daniel Norris went to the army in 1862, in Co. E of the 107th reg., and was out about three years. He was at the siege of Knoxville, in the Atlanta campaign until Atlanta fell, and took part in the battles at Kenesaw Mountain, Franklin and Nashville. While her husband was in the army Mrs. Norris suffered many hardships. She often had to don her husband's old clothes and feed the stock. Once the old blind mare knocked her back into the sled and kicked the harness over her. She had to chop wood many times. When Mr. Isaac Norris first came to the county, and reached Mr. Ezra Marquiss, he showed his pocket-book, which contained just thirty cents. In addition to this he had two old horses, an old wagon and a "family of children." He rented land of Mr. Abraham Marquiss for a time, but finally bought the place of 200 acres that Daniel has lived on so long. "Uncle Isaac" was a great deer hunter.

lie married Catharine Garty. He moved with bis family, consisting of eight children, to Centerville, Piatt county, in 1857. Six of his children are now living : Dubois, who went from Piatt countj to the army in 107th 111. Inf., Co. D, is living with his brother Wesley, who married Alice Dyson in 1881, and farms in Sangamon township ; Marilla, the wife of John Seaman, lives in Sangamon township, and has two children, Etta Florence and Claude ; Martha makes her home at her brother Wesley Ne well's ; Eunice is the wife of Luke H. Hott. Mr. James Newell next married Elizabeth Kiser, who, since his death in 1868, has been living with their only child, Sarah Hester, who married Samuel Mackey. A brother of the subject of our sketch, Mr. Thomas Newell, came to this county at quite an early day, about 1855, and he, in partnership with Mr. Samuel Maifet, built and run the first saw and grist mill at Centerville. He, however, died about 1856, leaving wife and children, none of whom, so far as we can learn, are now living in Piatt County. One of his sisters was the first wife of Mr. Samuel Maffett, and another, Sarah, married Isaac Morrison, but none of their family are living in this county.

MR. F. M. PEEL, merchant, White Heath, is a native of Ohio, Madison county. His parents now live in Ohio. He moved from Ohio direct to White Heath, in May, 1873, and opened a drug store the same year. He has been in the drug business ever since, but now has added a general merchandise store. He was appointed postmaster in 1875. Mr. Peel and Joanna DeWitt were united in marriage in January, 1871. He went to the late war from Ohio, in the 155th Ohio reg., and again in the 191st Ohio reg.

MR. NICHOLAS OULERY (deceased) was a native of Pennsylvania. He moved to Ohio and thence to Piatt county in 1841, and in 1843 settled on a place which was originally entered by Mr. Osborn. He had four children when he moved to this state. Samuel Oulery, born in 1825, in Pickaway county, Ohio, married Nancy Hannah, a native of the same state, and has had eight children. Thomas Albert died when twenty-two years old. Rachel Catharine, the wife of Frank Coon, has two children, Fannie I. and Myrtle, and lives near Cisco. Francis M., the wife of John Groves and mother of one son, Hugh Edward, lives near the Argo school-house. Nancy Rebecca married Thomas Coon, has one child, Maud, and lives near Cisco. Sarah Isabel lives at home. Mary R. married George McKinley and has one son, Sam'l Edward. Hugh N. and Clara are still at home. Mary J. Oulery married Mr. Levi Stewart (see his sketch). Francis Oulery became the wife of David Hannah. Rachel, who was the wife of George Mathews, died in 1864, leaving three children, James, Fannie and Sarah, who are not married. Mr. Mathews married Susan Hawk and with several children lives in Blue Ridge township. Mr. Nicholas Oulery was for a year and a half in the war of 1812. He was with Perry's fleet on the lake. He died in 1853. Mrs. Oulery lived until 1877, when she too was called home.

MB. NELSON REID, farmer, White Heath, a native of Ohio, moved to Piatt county in 1867. He had been in the county, however, in 1860 and served as a farm laborer for a time. He went back to Ohio, but returned in 1861 and enlisted in the army in Co. C of the 107th 111. He was in the battles of Harper's Ferry, Resaca, Franklin, Knoxville and Nashville. Mr. Reid was married in Ohio, to Caroline Weaver, and has two children, Robert M. and James Nelson. He settled on the place he now lives on when he first moved to the county. He has improved the 100 acres mostly himself. In 1880 he built a neat six-room frame house and is fast making it one of the most pleasant homes in the township. Mr. Reid has been justice of the peace, town clerk, school treasurer, and was elected county treasurer in 1878 and served two years.

MR. WILLIAM RIDGLY, farmer, White Heath, is a native of Virginia, came to Illinois from Pennsylvania in 1855, locating in Sangamoii township, where he has since lived. He owns 280 acres of land, which he lias greatly improved, and in 1880 built a new barn. Three years ago he had one piece of corn which yielded ninety bushels to the acre. This is the third place he has partly improved. Mr. Ridgly was married to Louisa Castor, a native of Ohio, in 1857, and has five children, Frank L., a carpenter in Monticello, Charles H., John G., William S. and Jennie.

MR. DAVID ROBINSON was born in Ohio in 1830. His parents, who were of Irish descent, moved to Ohio, where they died. David is one of a family of thirteen children, who are still living. Four of them are in Piatt county. David moved to Piatt county from Ohio in September, 1851. He has been in the stock business and has farmed most of the time since. He was married in 1863, to Harriet Bowman, but has had no children.

MR. WESLEY P. SMITH, mail agent, Monticello, was born November 5, 1844, within a few miles of Monticello, and with the exception of four years has lived in the county ever since. He was united in marriage April 16, 1865, to Miss Hattie A. Hickman, a native of Ross county, Ohio, and has the following named children, Effie B., Corwin E., Agathie Dell, Mary Luella, Otie W., Earnest F., Allen R. and Edna H. Mr. Smith enlisted in the army October 10, 1861, in Co. D of the 3d Cav. Mo. Yols., Illinois' quota being already full. This company with others was taken by Col. Glover, although Illinois got the credit of sending out the men. Mr. Smith is quite proud of his regiment, although it was called the Missouri regiment. The principal work of the regiment was that of hunting guerillas and protecting life and property. This work was done in Missouri and Arkansas. Though taking part in some very close engagements they were always successful, never having been repulsed and having lost but few men. Mr. Smith was mustered out at Little Rock, Arkansas, November 30, 1864. In March, 1872, he received an appointment as mail agent on what was then known as the Monticello railroad and made the first run into Monticello. His present route extends from Lafayette, Indiana, to Quincy, Illinois. With the exception of about three years Mr. Smith has been in "Uncle Sam's" service since 1861. His present residence is about three miles north of Monticello on what is known as Father Plickman's place.

MR. ADAM SPEAR, farmer, Centerville, is a native of Pennsylvania. He moved to Indiana for a time, and thence in 1863 or 1864 to Piatt county. He was married in 1866, to Mary Dehart, and has lived on his present home-place ever since. He has had seven children, six of of whom are living : Hannah Francis, Eva Gertrude^ Jno. Alexander, Sarah Alberta, Wm. Curtiss and Rosetta.

MR. LEVI STEWART (deceased) was born in 1819 in Ohio. His father, Samuel Stewart, and wife moved to Illinois about 1838 or 1839. His parents both died in Illinois, his father in Piatt county. Mr. Stewart bought the farm upon which Mrs. Stewart now lives, of Mr. Salisbury, who entered the land. Levi Stewart was married in 1847, to Mary J. Oulery, who was born in 1826, in Ohio. Mr. Stewart died in 1864, leaving two children, only one of whom is now living. Hannah Francis, born in 1853, was married October 6, 1872, to Richard Miner. They have one daughter, Etta Rose, and live with Mrs. M. J. Stewart, who has lived on the present place ever since her marriage. Some of Levi Stewart's brothers and sisters married and settled in Piatt county, but they afterward moved away.

MR. WILLIAM H. SMITH is a native of Pickaway county, Ohio, and came to Illinois in 1840. moving to Piatt county in 1843. Here he married Julia A. Wright, who died, leaving four children, who still live in the county : Charles, who is still unmarried, owns a farm of 280 acres within two miles of White Heath ; he was in the late war, in Co. D, 63d 111. Vols., and fought at the siege of Vicksburg, battles of Bentonville and Mission Ridge ; Mary, who married William Dawson, lives in Mansfield ; Sarah is the wife of Vincent Williams, and John, having married Jane Camp, is farming at Centerville. Mr. William Smith was again married, to Barbara Dawson, by whom he has had five children : James, Frank, Edward, Isaac, and a daughter of about ten or eleven years.

MR. JACKSON TROTTER, farmer. White Heath, was born in Virginia in 1825, and is of German and Irish descent. He moved to Ohio when young, and in 1847 came alone to Piatt county. In 1855 his father, William Trotter, and mother, nee Barbara Dick, came to this county in company with their children. His father died in 1863, and his mother in 1865. One of their daughters, Rebecca, makes her home with Jackson, who has never yet succumbed to the wiles of Cupid ; John married Elizabeth Teets ; Elijah married Alice Swetzer, of Indiana, and has five children living ; William Trotter married Matilda Branch ; Hiram Trotter married Susan Stotler, who died, leaving three children ; he next married Lydia Oknan, and has six children; his home is also in Champaign county.

MR. MATTHIAS TEATS, farmer, White Heath, was born in Ohio, and moved from there to Illinois about 1856. He owns forty acres of land near Camp Creek church. Mr. Teats was married in Ohio, to Mary Puffinbarger, and four of their five children are living : Maria is the wife of Harvey Hickman ; Mary E. married J. Trotter ; Jane married Jesse Bushee, a farmer who lives in White Heath, and has two children, Clarinda and Estella ; Caroline Teats died when sixteen years old ; George stays with his father.

DR. W. B. UNANGST, White Heath, is a native of Pennsylvania. Both of his parents, who were from the same state, are dead. Dr. Unangst moved from Pennsylvania to Coles county, Illinois, in 1861. He located at Centerville in 1866, and in 1874 he moved to White Heath. He attended medical lectures at Chicago, but graduated in the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, Iowa. He is a member of the Masonic lodge.

MR. ISAAC V. WILLIAMS (deceased), farmer, White Heath, was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, in 1811, and moved from there to Piatt county about 1835. After living here for a time moved over the line into Champaign county, where he lived for a number of years. He then moved to Monticello, where he lived twelve years, finally locating where his widow now lives, a farm of 194£ acres, which she owns with the children. Mr. Williams married Mary Ann Mallory in 1833, a native of Harper's Ferry, Virginia, and but three of their nine children are living. Frank, their eldest daughter, has kept a hotel at White Heath for a number of years. She owns the hotel. A. Rebecca married Renick Hull, who was frozen to death on the prairie, in Goose Creek township. He left one daughter, Mary, who has been attending school at Decatur. Rebecca next married Edward Bates, who has a general merchandise store at Centerville. They have five children living, Lilian, Fanny, William, Janet and Edward. Mr. Bates was in the late war, and now gets $40 per month pension. Yin Williams, her only son, is a hotel-keeper in Mansfield. He married Miss Smith. Mr. Isaac Williams died January 3, 18T9. When Mrs. Williams crossed through Sadorus to Mr. Piatt's her experience was far from pleasant. When three miles on the other side of Sadorus, in the big slough, their wagon broke, and they had a serious time getting out and to Sadorus. Soon after their arrival there, some one knocked and it was Joe Mallory, who had started three weeks before and was stalled on another road across the same slough. The women folks of Joe's party walked to Sadorus and the next morning started to Mr. Piatt's. It was very cold, and Mr. Williams covered the women with a feather bed to protect them from the cutting winds. On reaching the Okaw they found it a mile wide, and frozen. The sore-footed oxen had a serious time until helped out by a horse, and they finally reached the Piatts'. While there they saw the trees full of prairie-chickens, but Mr. Piatt and William said they were not as good to eat as crows. Mrs. P. Williams learned to cook them, and was complimented by Maj. McReynolds. At another time Mrs. Williams went to Mrs. Souders to get some blue dye, and stayed to supper. It was later than she supposed, and going home the darkness of the woods and howling of the wolves, together with her loneliness, greatly frightened her, and upon reaching home she exclaimed, "I will never undertake to dye as long as I live," a remark which James Piatt, who was there, teased her about as long as he lived.

MR. J. M. WHITE, farmer, was born in Franklin county, Ohio, in 1817. His father, who served in the war of 1812, was born and raised in Virginia, and his mother was a native of Pennsylvania. He is of Scotch and German descent, and is the only surviving child of his father's family. He was married in 1843, to Jane Huffman, who after- ward died, leaving two children, Ophelia J. , wife of Thomas Moffitt, and Frank, who went to the army from Ohio, and was married in 186T, to Mary Curl, and is now living in Sangamon township, the father of two boys, Harry and Frank. Mr. J. M. White was again married in 1849, in Pickaway county, Ohio, to Miss Rebecca Williams, a native of that county, and a sister to Mr. Isaac Williams. Their five children are all living : one, Yincent, is mining in Colorado; Benjamin, who married SalFie Seymour, lives in Sangamon township and has three children, Edwin G., Bennie Renick and Bessie; Sadie W., who was educated at St. Mary's, is the wife of Horace Calef ; John M. and Mary, who attended school at Sisters of Notre Dame, are both living at home. Mr. White came to this county in 1864, and bought his present home farm of 307 acres, near White Heath, of Aaron and Sylvester Sprague. Game was still very abundant, and many incidents are related of hunting foxes, wolves, shooting chickens, snipe and other wild game. Mr. White relates a rather amusing incident of fox hunting in company with Henry Harris and Mr. Seymour. They scared a fox into a hole and Mr. White followed in pursuit. After coming to first one skunk and then another, he came to the object of his search, and succeeded in cutting off the fox's tail. The fox, however, escaped without further injury, and was known for years as the " bob-tailed fox of Sangamon."

MR. CASPER WACK (deceased) was born June 13, 1812, in New Jersey. He moved from his native state to Fulton county about 1839. From that county he came to Piatt county in 1868. Mr. Wack was quite a public-spirited man and did a great deal to improve his portion of the township. He was a carpenter and put up his own buildings on his place. There are 160 acres in the home-place now, and it is all under cultivation. There are a good many forest trees planted on the place and the fruit is abundant. Mr. Wack was married in Virginia, to Mary Jane Linabery. Of their children, William G. married Emily Sherman, in Henderson county ; they have three children, W. G. and Casper and Isabella (twins), and live in Blue Ridge township; Sarah Ann, who was the wife of Mr. B. Metcalf, died, leaving three children, Letitia, the wife of Olonzo Love, Kate and Anna ; Jacob Wack married Harriet Easterday ; he died in 1880, leaving his wife and two children ; Caroline died when twenty-eight years old ; Abigail is the wife of John Davis, of Blue Ridge township, and has four children, Jesse, Mary, Margaret and William ; George L. Wack married Letitia Ashley and lives on the home-place ; Casper married

Lizzie Ashby, has two children, Garrett J. and Wallace, and lives in Blue Ridge township ; Francis is living in Mansfield. Mr. Casper Wack, the subject of our sketch, was married in 1858, to L. Ann Wyckoff, who survives her husband and is living on the farm. Mr. Wack died March 21, 1881.

MR. HARRISON WOLF, farmer, White Heath, was born in Ohio. His father was from Pennsylvania and his mother from Virginia. Pie moved from his native state direct to Piatt county in 1851, and settled about one mile from where he now lives. He owns about 230 acres of land, and has resided on his present home farm for nine years. He was married in Ohio, to Catharine Esrey, who died leaving one child. Sarah, who is now the wife of Mr. Tho. Marvin. Mr. Wolf took for his second wife Anna Heath nee Porter ; she, too, died, leaving three children. Of these, James, a soldier in the late war, married Rachel Wrench, has one son, James Edward, and makes his home with his father ; Taylor married Louisa Wrench, lives in Sangamon township, and has five children, Irwin, Anna Mary, Iowa May, Lizzie and Rachel ; John C., who has been in the county ever since he was two years old, was married in 1874, to Augusta McAfee, and has one son, William Howard.

MR. HENRY C. WILSON, farmer, Monticello, is a native of Ohio. He moved from there to Piatt county, Illinois, in 1866. He married Gettis Bowdre, and has three children. He went to the late war from Ohio and was out three years. He was in the second battle of Bull's Run, at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He was taken prisoner at Chancellorsville and was in Libby prison for six weeks. For the first week or two in prison he had nothing to eat each day except a piece of corn bread about the size of a hand. For the rest of the time he had a smaller piece of bread and some soup made from mule meat. He remarked that he "had to hold his nose while eating the soup." A great many of the prisoners had scrofula terribly. He was paroled and sent back to his regiment. He was wounded at Gettysburg and was sent to the West Philadelphia Pennsylvania hospital. He was shot with an ounce ball, which passed between the fourth and fifth rib on the left side, through the body and out at the side of the backbone. In October, 1861, he took down with typhoid fever at Fairfax, Virginia, and did not know anything until April, 1862. He was reported dead at home and at his regiment, but, though when recovered he was reduced from one hundred and fifty to ninety pounds weight, he went on and served his time out.

MR. W. H. ZUMWALT, farmer, Farmer City, is a native of Indiana, from which state he moved to Iroquois county, Illinois. He came to Piatt county in 1879, and is now living on Mr. D. Roberts' place. He was married in 1864, to Mary Little, and has had five children, four of whom are living, Hattie P., John C., Joseph M. and George L. He went to the army from Iroquois county in Co. F of the 25th 111. reg., and was in .battles at Pea Ridge, Corinth, Stone River and Chickamauga. He was wounded at the latter place and now receives a pension.