Sangamon County, Illinois - The whole text, 1876 (part 3 of 31)

Other evidences of the suddenness and intensity of the cold are numerous. Rev. Josiah Porter, of Chatham - see his name - remembers that the cold wave reached Chatham about half past twelve o'clock, noon; that he consulted his watch at the time, and knows he is correct. His recollection of the suddenness and intensity of the cold corroborates the account given by Mr. Crowder. Although Mr. Porter was in Chatham at the time of the sudden change, and resides there now, he was then doing the work of an evangelist, which led to his traveling over a large portion of Illinois and Indiana. In the discharge of his duties he became acquainted with a remarkable circumstance that occurred in what is now the west part of Douglas county, near the corner of Piatt and Moultrie counties. Two brothers by the name of Deeds had gone out to cut a bee tree, and were overtaken by the cold and frozen to death. Their bodies were found ten days later, about three miles from home.

The extent of that cold wave may not be generally known. That it first touched the earth west or north-west of here is highly probable, from the fact that it reached here at half past twelve, noon, according to the time noted by Mr. Porter. He also learned that it was nearly sundown when the cold reached the point in Douglas county where the two brothers perished. I also learned from a gentlemen in this county that at the fime, his father kept a hotel at Labanon, Ohio, and although his account would indicate that the cold wave had spent some of its force, yet when it arrived there it froze some wagons fast in the mud in an incredibly short time, while some travelers were discussing the terms for staying all night. It reached there at nine o'clock. Putting the statements as to time and place together, it would appear that the cold wave traveled something near three hundred miles in eight and a half hours, or about thirtv-five miles an hour. These statements have been given to me altogether from memory, more than thirty-five years after the event, and no doubt vary greatly from what a scientific report at the time would have presented.

A great many instances have been related to me, in all parts of the county, of the suffering by men and animals. It has been told me time and again that chickens and geese, also hogs and cows, were frozen in the slush as they stood, and unless they were extricated by cutting the ice from about their feet, remained there to perish.

Andrew Heredith was a merchant miller and pork packer in Cincinnati, Ohio. Through misfortunes incident to business he failed. Among other misfortunes, he had a pork house burn there. Preston Breckenridge, of this county, happened to be in Cincinnati, and remembers being an eye witness to the burning. After his failure, Mr. Heredith was aided by friends to commence business in Sangamon county. He built a flouring mill about three miles west of Loami, near what is called Lick creek, and called the place Millville. He bought wheat and made flour; also bought and drove fat hogs to St. Louis. In the fall of 1836 he bought and drove two lots to St. Louis, and made some money each time. He used all the capital at his command, and all the credit his successes gave him, and collected a third drove of between 1,000 and 1,^00 hogs, and was driving them to St. Louis. The country was so sparsely settled that he found it expedient to start with three or four wagons, loaded with corn to feed the hogs. When a load was fed out there were generally a sufficient number of hogs exhausted by traveling to load the wagon. Mr. Heredith had reached a point on the open prairie eight miles south of Scottville, Macoupin county, when the cold wave overtook him. Finding that men and animals were likely to perish, he called the men together, upset all except one of the wagons, in order to leave the corn and hogs together, righted up the wagons, and with all the men in them, drove to the nearest house, and before they could reach there all became more or less frozen, but none lost their lives.

The hogs, thus abandoned, piled on each other. Those on the inside smothered, and those on the outside froze. A pyramid of about 500 dead hogs was thus built. The others wandered about and were reduced to skeletons by their sufferings from the cold, the whole proving a total loss. Mr. Heredith was a man of good business qualifications, and of great energy. He was making superhuman efforts to retrieve his fortunes, but that blow crushed him; he never rose again, but sank down and in a short time died. In the biographical part, see his name.

JAMES HARVEY HILDRETH: - At the time Rev. Mr. Porter gave me his recollections connected with the " sudden change," he told me that some years later he met a man in DeWitt county, by the name of Hildreth, who was crippled in his hands and feet. He said Mr. Hildreth informed him that it had been caused by his being caught away from shelter at the time of the " sudden change." Mr. Hildreth then gave him a detailed account of his sufferings and experience, which Mr. Porter gave to me from memory. This made such an impression on my mind that I was anxious to know more of the incident. In the course of my travels over the county, I was at the house of Mrs. Thomas J. Turley. See the Turley and Trotter names. How the subject came up I do not remember, but I learned from Mrs. Turley that Mr. Hildreth was her cousin. She gave me additional information, and referred me to another cousin - of herself and Mr. Hildreth - Mr. Moses Kenny, of Kenny, Logan county. I deferred writing to that gentleman until I was drawing my work to a close, and when I did so, was answered by Mr. John Kenny, of the same place, who informed me that his brother Moses was dead. Mr. John Kenny answered all my inquiries, and referred me to Mr. A. L. Barnett, of Clinton, DeWitt county. He, also, kindly responded. All the parties consulted bear the very highest character for truthfulness. It is from this mass of information that I give the following account of the case. Although the particular event I am about to relate did not occur in this county, it illustrates an atmospheric phenomena that affected this entire region of country j and was so remakable that the like of it is not on record, nor known by any person now living, and it is to be hoped that it may never be known again. It is to be regretted that there is no scientific knowledge on record of the event. The country was so new, and the settlers of a class generally of limited education, so much so that I have been unable to learn of a family in the county who owned a thermometer at the time. But now to the subject.

James H. Hildreth was born about 1812, in Bourbon county, Ky. He came to Illinois about 1833 or '4, and settled on Vermilion river, near Georgetown, Vermilion county, and engaged in cattle trading. Mr. Hildreth, then twenty-four or twenty-five years of age, was a very stout and rugged young man. He left home on the nineteenth of December, 1836, in company with another young man by the name of Frame, intending to go to Chicago, both on horseback. On the second day out, December 2oth, they entered the border of a large prairie, and the next timber was many miles distant, on Hickory creek, a tributary of Iroquois river, and now in Iroquois county. It rained all the forenoon, and the earth was covered with water. They encountered a slough containing so much water they did not like to attempt passing through it. In order to head the slough they rode some miles in a northeast direction, and having crossed it, turned northwest to regain their course. That was about the middle of the afternoon. It suddenly ceased raining and the cold wave came in all its fury from the northwest, striking them square in the face. They were then out of sight of any human habitation, and their horses became absolutely unmanageable, and drifted with the wind, or across it, until dark closed in upon them. How long they were discussing what to do is not stated, but they finally agi'eed to kill each the others horse. They dismounted and Hildreth killed Frame's horse. They took out the entrails, and both crawled into the carcass as far as they could, and lay there, as near as Hildreth could judge, until about midnight. The animal heat from the carcass having become exhausted, they crawled out, intending that Frame should kill Hildreth's horse, and both crawl into it. Just then the one having the knife dropped it, and it being dark, they were unable to find it. Being thus foiled in their purpose, they both huddled about the living horse as best they could, until about four o'clock in the morning. Frame by that time was so benumbed with the cold that he became sleepy, and notwithstanding Hildreth used every exertion to keep him up, he sank down in a sleep from which he never awakened.

The feelings of Hildreth at this juncture can only be left to the imagination. He managed, by jumping about, to keep from freezing until daylight, when he got on his horse and started in search of shelter. In mounting he dropped his hat, and was afraid to get off, fearing he would never be able to mount again. Thus, bare headed, he wandered about for some time, until he reached the bank of a stream, supposed to be Vermilion river. Seeing a house on the opposite shore, he hallooed as best he could until he attracted the attention of the man, who, after learning what he wanted, said he could not assist him. A canoe was lying at the opposite shore, but he affected to be afraid of the running ice. Hildreth then offered him a large price if he would cut a tree and let it fall over the stream so that he could cross. The man still refused, and directed Hildreth to a grove which he said was a mile distant, where he would find a house. He went, but it was five miles, and the house proved to be a deserted cabin. He returned to the river opposite the house, called again for help, and was refused. He then dismounted, crawled to the bank, and found that the ice had closed and was sufficiently strong to bear him, and he crawled over. Arriving at the fence, the brutal owner of the place refused to help him, and he tumbled over it, and crawling in the house, laid down near the fire. Hildreth lay and begged for assistance, and when the man would have relented and done something, his wife restrained him. The frozen man lay there until four o'clock that afternoon, when some hog drovers came along and moved him to another house, where he was properly cared for. The name of the inhuman wretch was Benjamin Russ. After learning of his inhumanity, a movement was made to punish him, but he fled. Mr. Hildreth always expressed the belief that his offering to pay liberally for cutting a tree across the river, led them to think that he had a large amount of money, and that if, by their neglect, he perished, they could obtain it. Such a being was very rare among the early settlers of central Illinois, who were remarkable for their readiness to divide their comforts with all new comers, and especially those who were in affliction.

Mr. Hildreth met with a heavy loss, financially, by his failure to go to Chicago. He was conveyed back to the house of his brother in Vermilion county, where all the toes were taken from both feet, and the bones of all his fingers, except one joint of the thumb on his right hand, which enabled him to hold a pen or a drover's whip. Soon after recovering sufficiently to enable him to travel, he removed to DeWitt county, where he continued trading in cattle. He was married, April 7, 1847, in DeWitt county, to Adaline Hall. His left foot never healed entirely, and nearly twenty-two years after his misfortune, it became alarming, and he had the leg amputated below the knee. It soon healed, but his lungs, already diseased, caused his death about the middle of June, 1858, near Mt. Pulaski, Illinois.

He has three children now living. Henry resides near Chesnut, Logan county. John lives in Logan county, near Kenny, DeWitt county. His daughter Sarah married William Weedman, and resides near Farmer City. Mrs. Adaline Hijdreth married Harrison Meacham, and resides near Clinton, DeWitt county, Illinois.

Notwithstanding his great calamity, James H. Hildreth was a useful man in the community where he lived. Most men would have given up in despair, and become a charge upon their friends; but he was active and energetic, and continued in the business of a farmer and stock dealer until he was physically unable to do more.

Mr. Preston Breckenridge expresses the opinion that the velocity of the cold wave, given in another part of this sketch, is too slow. He thinks it must have moved at least seventy miles an hour, judging from his present knowledge on the subject. He had just taken his dinner, and was sitting near a window, between one and two o'clock in the afternoon, in view of a pool of water, ten or twelve inches deep. He heard a terrific roaring sound. Suddenly the rain ceased, and it became quite dark. The first touch of the blast scooped all the water out of the pool. Some of it returned, but in a moment it was blown out again, and scattered in frost and ice, leaving the pool empty, and the bottom frozen dry. He says it had been raining slowly all the fore part of the day, and so warm that he thinks a thermometer would have stood as high as forty degrees above zero, possibly higher, and that the first touch of the tempest would have brought it down to zero in a second of time. Mr. Breckenridge is well acquainted with many incidents illustrating the unparalleled suddenness and severity of the cold. He relates a case of two young men who lost their lives near Paris, Edgar county, Illinois, after efforts to save themselves similar to those made by Hildreth and his friend. I might cite any number of incidents illustrating the intense suffering caused by the :cold in Sangamon county, but the number of those who perished was comparatively small, for the reason that jt was more thickly settled than the county north and east. There must have been about ten thousand inhabitants in the county at the time.

A REMARKABLE INCIDENT: - The following incident was related to me by Benj. F. Irwin, who received the statement from Rev. John M. Berry, a Cumberland Presbyterian Minister, who resided a short distance northeast of Pleasant Plains. Families coming into the new settlements were many times put to great inconvenience to pro cure food, and especially breadstuff. Stealing was seldom resorted to, as there was a general desire to divide with new comers. A man who owned a mill, occasionally missed meal and flour, and concluded to lay in wait and see what would be the result. Soon after dark one evening, he placed himself under the bolting chest, and had not long to wait. A man entered the mill, and the first thing he did was to kneel down and pray fervently for pardon for what he was about to do. He laid his whole case before the Lord; told him of his willingness to work, his inability to obtain employment by which he could earn bread, and asked the Lord to open the way for him, and as though he fully expected his prayer to be answered, he took only a sufficient quantity of flour to supply his immediate necessities, and was about to depart. The owner of the mill recognized the man as one for whom he had formed a feeling of great respect, and would have been willing to help if he had known that he was destitute. He called out from his place of concealment for the man to stop. A real thief would have run, but the man with the flour halted without hesitation, when he was told to fill his sack, and when that was gone to come and get more. They were friends before, but were much warmer friends after, to the end of their lives. The facts were kept quiet, and the names of the parties were never known except to a small number of persons; but the miller ever after asserted that he had more confidence in that man than any other he ever saw. The sequel proved that the miller must have been a man of sterling principle, for if he had been like ordinary mortals, the other would have been ruined.

PANTHERS: - -John Harlan was among the earliest settlers. He heard a coon making a piteous noise, went out with his gun and found a panther trying to catch it. He shot that and two other panthers in succession, and that gave the name to Panther creek, or Painter creek, as it was generally spoken.

A boy by the name of Jordan, at the age of 14 years, shot a panther in the Lick creek timber, in what is now Loami township. When dead it was found to measure eleven feet from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail.

A Mrs. Brown, wife of Henry Brown, who was an early settler on Lick creek, in what is now Chatham township, had been to one of her neighbors, and was returning, late in the afternoon, on foot, accompanied by two large dogs. The dogs ran to her, one on each side, which caused her to look, when she saw a huge panther on each side of the road. She walked quietly forward, the dogs keeping close to her side, and so passed the danger. She regarded her escape as almost miraculous, and never could speak of it without a shudder.

MILLS AND MILLING: - Before mills were built here the settlers had to go to Eclvvardsville for grinding; but sixty or seventy miles was too far to take a grist every day, and it was necessary that something should be more readily obtained. A piece of tin that can now be had anywhere for a few cents, was then an object of great interest. Every old tin vessel was saved, torn in pieces, cut to a suitable size, punched full of holes, and nailed to a board for a grater. While the corn was. soft, meal could be grated in a very short time, sufficient to make bread for a whole family, by rubbing an ear of corn back and forth on the grater. That implement is always pronounced by the old settlers "gritter"

Mr. William Drennan remembers that the first mill in Sangamon county was built by Daniel Liles on the farm where Daniel G. Jones now resides, near Horse creek, and on the line between Ball and Cotton Hill townships. It was erected in the fall of 1819, and was made on the plan known as a band mill. That was a horizontal wheel, with arms fifteen feet or more in length, and of sufficient height for the horses to pass under the arms. Several holes would be bored near the outer end of these arms. One wooden pin was placed in each one of the arms. A band of rawhide stretched around those pins and the trunnel head would communicate the power to the burrs, which were usually made of any loose stone picked up on the prairies. A mill of that kind would grind eight or ten bushels a day. Liles' mill never had any roof, and when it rained the track became very muddy. If his customers complained, he would assume an air of injured innocence and ask if they expected him to work in the rain. If they said no, but that he should do it when the weather was fair, his invariable reply was, that they did not need it then. The people came to this mill thirty or forty miles, and although it was kept running day and night, sometimes they would have to wait several days for a turn at the mill. One man told me that when he was a boy his parents started him to mill, supplied with an extra quantity of feed for his horses and some meat for himself, with the understanding that he was to parch corn as a substitute for bread. He had to wait so long for his turn that when it came he had nothing to grind, himself and horses having consumed all the corn, and he would have been compelled to lose his turn, but the miller kindly loaned him a grist, which he repaid the next time he went to mill.

The earliest mills were only intended for grinding corn, and at first no effort was made for bolting flour, but those who raised the first wheat would cut it with the old fashioned reap hooks, called sickles, thresh it on the ground with a flail, separate the chaff and wheat by a man taking a measure of wheat, standing on an elevated place, and pouring it out slowly, with a shaking motion, while two others stood below with a common bed sheet, folded double, and taking hold of each end and giving it a quick motion toward the failing wheat, would thus blow the chaff away, while the wheat, being heavier, would fall perpendicular. The wheat thus cleaned would be taken to the corn mill and ground, of course very imperfectly. The next point was to separate the bran from the flour. At first this was done by making a light frame, three or four feet long, and one and a half by two feet wide, and stretching a piece of the thinnest cloth that could be obtained, over it. Some of the wheat meal would be put on this cloth and the frame shaken from right to left, after the manner of a seive or meal sifter, and the finest part of the wheat meal would go through. That was made into bread, usually biscuit. That implement was called a search, usually pronounced sarch. Some of the earliest settlers will tell you that the sweetest morsel they ever tasted in their whole lives was the first piece of wheat bread thus made, after having been a whole year, and sometimes longer, living on the coarsest of corn bread.

HONESTY OF THE EARLY SETTLERS: - John Sims remembers that a few years after they came to the settlement their corn was all frost bitten, and he went to Madison county to obtain corn for seed and bread. He had to pay $1.00 per bushel for it, and wishing to haul all he could, he filled some sacks and laid them across the corn in the wagon bed. He stalled in the mud, in Macoupin county, and left his wagon there, several miles from any house, and where people traveling hundreds of miles had to pass it. When he went home for more teams, some unexpected obstacles presented themselves, and it was two weeks or more before he returned. When he did so, some of his corn was gone, but closer examination revealed the fact that money was tied in the sacks from which the corn was taken. Some was tied with horse hairs and some with strings, in small bunches, in all between eight and ten dollars; sufficient to fully compensate for the corn taken. He has hauled dry goods and groceries, in large and small packages, has stalled and left his wagon for days and weeks, and never knew anything to be stolen.

When the land office was opened, in 1823, in Springfield, the receiver was ordered to send the coin to Louisville, Ky. The route was so difficult to travel and so long, that he was permitted, after one effort, to send.it to St. Louis for safe keeping. Mr. Sims had a good team, and was called on to do the hauling. On more than one occasion he has loaded his wagon with boxes of gold and silver, amounting to from thirty to fifty thousand dollars. He has gone without any guard, been two or three nights on the road, would feed his horses tied to the wagon, sleep on some straw thrown over the boxes, and was never molested, and never thought there was danger.

A SNAKE STORY: - Gen. James Adams was bitten by a rattlesnake in 1821, and wishing to obtain some rattlesnake oil, he advertised that he would pay fifty cents for the first one brought to him, and in order to make sure of getting one, he offered twenty-five cents for each additional one. A man by the name of Barnes found a den near the mouth of Spring creek, killed all he could, loaded them in a wagon, drove to Springfield, and left his wagon in an out-of-the-way place. He first took one snake and received fifty cents, then two, and received twenty-five cents each. He then took Gen. Adams to the wagon and showed him the whole load. Adams refused to pay for them. Barnes then called his attention to the advertisement, but he still refused. Barnes then called on two men, Reuben Burden and John White, who counted the load, and there were 122 snakes. He then demanded his money, $30.75. This brought the General 'to a compromise, and the matter was settled by his paying $5.00 extra. Joseph E. McCoy is my authority.

Albion Knotts says that when they come to the country, in 1819, his father soon learned that the next supply of shoes for his family would have to be manufactured by himself, although he- had never made a shoe. This discovery was barely made when he found that he must produce the leather also, as there were no tanners in the country. He first cut down a large oak tree, peeled off the bark and laid it up to dry. He dug a trough in the log, as large as it would make, for a tan vat. He then gathered up all the hides he could obtain. The next question was how to remove the hair. It was known that it could not be done by regular tanners' process, both for want of the proper materials, and the knowledge in using them. Some person suggested that it might be done with water and ashes, but great caution would be necessary, lest the solution be made too strong. In that event it would ruin the hides. In his extreme caution he did not make it strong enough, and so removed but a little more than half the hair. In place of grinding the bark he beat it up on a stump with the poll of an axe. He then put the hides in the trough, covered them with the pulverized bark, put on weights to keep the mass down, and filled the trough with water, changing the bark several times during the summer. As winter approached he took the hides out, though not more than half tanned, and made them into shoes. He made them on what was called the stick dou<n plan. That is, in place of turning the upper leather under the last, it was turned outward and sewed with a straight awl through the upper and sole. This would make a walk all around the shoe that a mouse might travel on. It was frequently the case that awls could not be obtained. Then they would take a common table fork, break off one of the tines, and sharpen the other for the awl. Shoes made as I have described, with the upper leather hair side out, not more than half of it removed, and without any blacking, would certainly look very odd. There can be little doubt that the above is a fair description of the first tanning and shoe making ever done in Sangamon county.

When the first settlers came there were no stores filled with dry goods, as there are now, and if the goods had been in the country there was no money to buy them. The onlv way families could supply themselves with clothing was to produce the materials and manufacture their own goods. Those who first came from the Southern States - as most of them did - brought their cotton, flax and hemp seed, raised the fibre and did all the work. They at first picked the seed by hand, carded it on hand cards, spun it on wheels designed for 'spinning wool or flax, wove it into cloth, and made it into garments for men and women's wear. That which was designed for underclothing was prepared without coloring, as a matter of course, but for outer garments, and particularly ladies' dresses, something better was required. Some among the earliest brought a little indigo, madder, and same other drugs, but for greater variety and economy, a large number of barks were used, such as black walnut, butternut, several varieties of oak, hickory, etc. When peach trees grew the leaves were used for making one of the brightest colors. Some of the cotton yarn, dyed with each of those colors, skilfully arranged in weaving, and made into dresses, looked remarkablv well. Some of the old boys now living say that the young ladies of their time, thus attired, looked equally as charming in their eyes as those of the present era, with their flounces made of goods from the looms -of Lyons and the shops of Paris, do to our young men. Flax and tow was never colored, and was mostly used for men and boys' wear in the summer. A tow shirt, with a draw string around the neck, and reaching below the knees, was a full dress in summer for boys up to ten or twelve years of age. Some of our most substantial farmers were thus attired in their boyhood days.

Elisha Primm says that his father built a cotton gin in 1822. He says that from the time the first settlers came into the county until .the winter of the "deep snow," 1830 and '31, this was as good a cotton country as Georgia. He says that this was attested by men familiar with cotton growing in the Southern States. Elisha attended the gin built by his father, which was run by horse power. The people brought cotton to be ginned, from all distances up to twenty miles. Sometimes it would accumulate on his hands until he would have as much as 3,000 pounds. The price for ginning was a toll of one pound in every eight, after the cotton was ginned. It sold from 12 to i6^i cents per pound, and occasionally higher. After the "deep snow" the seasons appeared to shorten, and cotton was generally bitten by the frost before it had time to mature, and cotton raising was finally abandoned. It seemed as though the seasons were overruled so as to be adapted to the wants of the pioneer settlers, when there was no other wav for them to be supplied with clothing, but when roads were opened and capital came in, bringing merchandise, the seasons gravitated back to their normal condition.

FIRST PRODUCE MARKETED: - Mr. William Drennen believes that the first produce marketed in the county was on Sugar creek, in the Summer of 1818. George Cox sold half a dozen small green pumpkins to an Indian for twelve and a half cents. - 10

Sulphur Springs, south of Loami, where once stood a sycamore tree in which A. E. Meacham took a ten foot rail, held it in a horizontal position against his waist, and turned entirely around inside the tree. It was about eighteen feet in diameter outside, and was long used as a wigwam by the Indians. The entrance was at the east side. It was safe when there were only Indians 'in the country, but some vandal, claiming to be civilized, set fire to it and burned it down.

The Sulphur Spring spoken of above, bubbles up at the foot of a hill near Lick creek, and in its natural state, when animals approached it to drink the water, was a quagmire, but the early settlers made an excavation, eight or nine feet deep, and walled it up, so that the water flows out over the top of the wall, clear and pure. Soon after it was thus improved two old topers, on a very hot day, visited the spring, taking with them a jug of whisky, intending to have a good time laying in the shade near by, drinking their whisky, and for variety, taking an occasional sip at the sulphur water. One of them undertook to cool the whisky by holding the jug in the water, and while doing so let it slip from his grasp. To cut a forked limb from a tree and make a hook of it would be too much work. In order to rescue the jug, the one who let it slip consented that the other should take him by the heels and let him down head foremost. The whiskv was secured in that way, at the imminent risk of drowning one or both of the men. It must have been liberally watered or it would not have sunk.

There are at least one hundred and fifty grave yards and burial places in Sangamon county, and nine-tenths of them are so much neglected that, so far as marking any particular locality or grave, the following lines, taken from a Scottish grave yard, are peculiarly applicable:

The first death of a white man in Sangamon county was that of an Indian ranger. The Sulphur Spring near Loami was known to the Indians, and was very early a camping ground for the whites. When the settlements had not extended farther north than the vicinity of Alton, Indians, according to their custom, killed some of the frontier settlers, and were pursued by some Rangers. While camped at the sulphur spring one of them died, and was buried by his comrades on a beautiful knoll near the spring. It was known to the very earliest settlers as the grave of the Indian Ranger, and was the nucleus of the present Sulphur Springs Cemetery. The land was entered by Jonathan Jarrett, who intended a small part of it for a cemetery and church purposes, but died without making a deed. A regular company has been organized, according to law, and it is now handsomely fitted up and well cared for. There ought to be a monument over the grave of the Indian Ranger, to show that it was the first burial of a white man in the county.

Explanation

The names of early settlers, or heads of families, in LARGE LETTER ; Names of the second generation in ITALIC CAPITALS; third, in CAPITALS; fourth, in SMALL CAPITALS; fifth, in Italics.

ABEL, ROSWELL, was horn July 23, 1785, on Sharon Mountain, Litchfield county, Conn. Three brothers by the name of Abel came from England about 1750. One of them settled in Connecticut, one in Virginia, and what became of the other is unknown. Jonathan, who settled in Conn., brought up a family of five sons and two daughters. His son David was the father of the subject of this sketch. David Abel, and two of his brothers, William and Andrew, were Revolutionary soldiers. William settled in Canada after the Revolution, and brought up a family there. This branch of the family has lost sight of Andrew. David was born on Sharon mountain, married and lived on the same farm until four children were born, and then moved to Washington county, N. Y., where six children were born. Each brought up families. David Abel presented the gun which he carried through the Revolution, to his son Roswell, with instructions to present it to his son, if he had one, but if not, to a brother's son. He has it yet in his possession, at the home of his son Roswell P., to whom he bequeaths it. The brass breech bears the inscription " Liberty or Death," every letter of which is yet distinct.

Roswell Abel, whose name heads this sketch, was married Oct. 22, 1807, to Betsy Mason. She was born Oct. 22, 1790, at Fort Ann, Washington county, X. Y.

Her father, Coomer Mason, was a Revolutionary soldier, also. He had two brothers, Shubal and Hail, who fought at the battle of Benington. Roswell and Betsy Abel had three children, born at Granville, Washington County, N. Y. They moved to Springfield, 111., arriving July 15, 1836. Of their children -

LIZETTE, was born December 4, 1809, married Oct., 1829, in Essex county, N. Y., to Calvin Peabody. They 'came to Springfield in 1838. They had five living children, namely: CHARLES P., born Feb. 25, 1837, married April 5 1866, to Jane Cheeseman. They have three children, HARRY, IDELLA L., and MARY. HELEN, born Jan. 28, 1835, married Oct. 24, 1865, to Amos Atwood. They have two children, HELEN M., born Jan. 18,1867, and EMM AC., born August 14, 1869, and reside near Farmington, Dacotah county, Minnesota. JOHN C., born March 13, 1843, married Feb. 4, 1868, in Enterprise, Mo., to Emily Kinsman. Thev have four children, BURTON, FRANKLIN, WILLIAM and HARRY, and reside in Brookfield, Mo. SARAH E., born in Sangamon county, married July 11, 1857, to Dr. Orlando Lent. They had one child, CHARLES j. He died Nov. 4, 1874, in his 1 7th year, and Dr. Lent died while on duty at Paducah, Ky., Military Hospital, in 1863. His widow married T. M. Elliott, and resides near Grantsville, Linn county, Mo. EDWIN R., born Dec. 12, 1844, enlisted Dec. 14, 1863, in Vaughn's Battery 3d 111. Art. He was married Jan. 24, 1867, in Missouri, to and reside near Browning, Linn county, Missouri. Calvin Peahody moved from Sangamon county, Illinois, to Linn county, Missouri, in 1865, and died there, Sept. 7, 1870. His widow resides near Browning.

R OS WELL P., born June 30, 1815, in Washington county, New York ; came to Sangamon county, Illinois, with his parents in 1836. Married September 30, 1846, at Greencastle, Pa., to Margaret J. Loose. She was born there, Jan. 22, 1820. They reside at Rochester, 111.

Roswell Abell and wife have been married more than 69 years. They reside with their son, Roswell P., at Rochester, Sangamon county, Illinois.

ABELL, JEREMIAH, was born in 1770, in Rockingham county, Va. He was there married to Hannah Aiken, who was born in 1771. They emigrated to Adair county, Ky. Mr. Abell was the owner of some slaves, but he liberated them "in Kentucky, and moved with his family to Sangamon county, 111., arriving hi 1829, in what is now Auburn township. Their daughter -

Rev. Jeremiah Abell was regularly edircated for the ministry, preached many years in connection with the Presbyterian church, and received the title of Doctor of Divinity. After coming to Illinois he severed his connection with the Presbyterian church and united with the Methodists. He moved, about 1846, to McDonough county, and died there in 1852.

ADAMS, JAMES, was born Jan. 24, 1783, in Hartford, Conn. Harriet Denton was born Jan. 31, 1787, in Hartford, also. They were there married about 1809, and moved to Oswego, N. Y., where they had five children. They moved to Springfield, Illinois, arriving in the spring of 1821, soon after the place was declared to be the county

LOVENIA E., born May 3, 1813, at Oswego, N. Y., married, in Springfield, to Peter Weber. See his name. They both died in the north part of the State. She died Sept. 5, 1 838.

LUC I AN B., born Dec. 10, 1816, in Oswego, N. Y.; married in Springfield, March 14, 1847, to Margery A. Reed, who was born July 9, 1824, in Williamsport, Penn. They have four children. JAMES L., born Jan. 22, 1848, in Springfield, graduated in a commercial college in Chicago, and is employed in a railroad office in Vallejo, California. ELDORA J., ENOLA A. and HARRIET L., reside with their parents in Springfield. Lucian B. Adams studied law arid obtained license to practice in 1840. For twenty years he discharged the duties of a justice of the peace, and the greater part of that time acted as police magistrate, U. S. commissioner and notary public. He is now U. S. commissioner.

James Adams was a lawyer, and engaged in practice when became to Springfield, in 1821. He was elected justice of the peace in 1823 or '4 and was elected successively for many years. He took part in the Winnebago and Black Hawk Indian wars of 1827, and 1831 and '2. He was elected Probate Judge of Sangamon county, and died in office, August n, 1843. His widowr, Mrs. Harriet Adams, died August 21, 1844, both in Springfield.

Alexander, Thomas

ALEXANDER, THOMAS, was born about 1768, in Ireland, and his parents came to America when he was about four years old, landing at Charleston, S. C. Lynna Goodlett was born Oct. 11, 1780, in Greenville District, S. C. They were there married, and had three children, all of whom died under eight years. In 1806 they moved to Christian county, near Hopkinsville, Ky., where they had two children, and moved to Sangamon county, 111., arriving in Oct., 1828, three miles east of Auburn. In 1829 they moved to what is now Chatham township, south of Lick creek. Of their two children, n.\ VID, born Oct. 3, 1814, in Christian county, Ky. ; came to Sangamon county in 1828; married March 13, 1833, to Catharine Darnielle; had 14 children, all born in Sangamon county, six of whom died in infancy, and LYNNA died at 13 years. Of the other seven, JOHN T.,born Dec. 25, 1835, enlisted on the first call for 75,000 men, April, 1861, for three months, in Co. A., 2nd Kansas Cavalry, served full term, and enlisted Nov., 1861, in Co. D., 2nd Mo. Art., for three years. Reenlisted as a veteran Jan., 1864. He lost his right hand April 13, 1865, at St. Charles, Ark., by the premature discharge of a cannon, while firing a salute on hearing of the surrender of the rebel forces under Gen. Lee. He now (1873) resides with his parents. DAVID S.,born Nov. 20, 1842, enlisted August 13, 1861, in Co. B., 3oth 111. Inf., for three years; served until August 9, 1862, when he was discharged on account of physical disability, at Memphis, Tenn. He was brought home, and, after a lingering illness, died, March 10, 1866. CATHARINE, born Dec. 20, 1844; married May 29, 1862, to Lafayette Beach. (See his name.} Had one child, CHARLES D. HIRAM, born March 30, 1847; enlisted March 14, 1864, in Co. C., iith Mo. Inf., for three years. Served until July 14, 1865, when he was discharged on account of physical disability. He was married March 9, 1873, to Mary M. VanDoren. They reside five miles southwest of Chatham. WILLIAM, born Oct. i, 1849; married March 14, 1872,10 Emma Price, and reside in Chatham township. MARY BELIZE and CYRUS reside with their parents, six miles southwest of Chatham, on the farm where the family settled in 1829.

Alexander, Henry

ALEXANDER, HENRY, was born June 10, 1802, in Fleming county, Ky. His father moved to the adjoining county of Bath when he was a child. He was married June 24, 1827, to Polly Gragg, of Nicholas county, and lived in Bath county until 1833, wnen ne rnoved to Montgomery county. They had four children in Kentucky, and moved to Sangamon county, 111., arriving Oct. 22, 1835, in what is now Rochester township, where four children were born. Of their children,

JESSE F., bor.n Dec. 10, 1828, in Bath county, Ky., married in Sangamon county, 111., March 4, 1852, to Nancy A. Hendrix, who was born April 22, 1829, in Fleming county, Ky. They had five children; one died young. LUCRETIA, their second child, born June 26, 1855, married March 12, 1874, to Jame^ A. Walker. The other three, LAURA, GEORGE and REBECCA reside with their parents, near Appleton City, St. Clair county, Mo.

LUC1NDA A., born in Kentucky; married in Sangamon county to Isaac Groves. (See his name.} Their daughter Susan married John W. McClelland. (See his name.}

Alexander, John

ALEXANDER, JOHN S., was born Sept. 24, 1793, near Lexington, Ky.; married Mary Simpson, who was born April 16, 1799, in Fayette county, Ky. They were there married, and had four children. The family moved to Sangamon county, 111., arriving in the fall of 1826, in what is now Fancy creek township, where six children were born. Of their children,

Earlt Settlers Of

WILLIAM, born June 12, 1826, in Fayette county, Ky.; married in Sangamon county to Eveline Lacey; had three children, and she and all the children died, He married Catharine Hill. They have three children, FREDIE, FRANKIE and a babe, and reside at Williamsville.

MARGARET C. married Harrison Blue ; had two children, and he died, April, 1852, and she married George Martin, and resides in Iroquois county.

GEORGE, born Feb. 13, 1831, in Sangamon county; enlisted in a Kansas regiment in 1861 or '2, and died in military hospital at Springfield, Mo.

MART J., born April 15, 1840, in Sangamon county; married August 7, 1856, to Andrew J. Hedrick, who was born August 23, 1834. They had three children, HARRISON H., RUTH A. and ALICE V. Mr. Hedrick enlisted August 15, 1862, in Co. I., 34 Iowa Inf., for three years. He was discharged on account of physical disability, March 13, and died Mav 8, 1863, in Menard county. Mrs. Hedrick married, Oct. 12, 1864, to William Reesburg. They have one child, WILLIAM H., and reside near Illiopolis.

born in 1804, in Bourbon county, Ky. His parents moved, when he was quite young, to Pickaway county, O. In 1826 he visited Sangamon county on business for other parties. Returning to Ohio, he went to -Lafayette, Ind. The next year he came to Sangamon county again, on business, and was married in Springfield, Dec. 31, 1829, to Martha McLemore. She was born July 10, 1810, in Burke county, N. C. Her parents moved, in 1811, to Knoxville, Tenn., and moved from there to Sangamon coimty, 111., arriving, Dec. 23, 1828, at Springfield. Soon after marriage Mr. Alkire returned to Lafayette with his wife. They had two children born there, and then moved to Sangamon county, arriving, August, 1832, in what is now Fancy Creek township, where they had eight living children. Of the other ten children,

JAMES T., born Feb. 3, 1832, at Lafayette, Ind.; married, Oct. 4, 1866, to Addie H. Ross, who was born March 6, 1838, in Miami county, O. They have two living children, ANNIE ' M. and MARGARET" A. J. Y. Alkire is farming and practicing medicine. Resides three miles west of Sherman.

MARGARET y.,born Dec. 17, 1833, in Sangamon county ; married Isaac Mull, who was born March 2, 1820, in Mason county, Ky. They have five children, IDA M., HENRY E.JENNIE, MATTIE E. and CHARLES C., and reside four miles north of Springfield.

CAROLINE M., born Jan. 24, 1835, in Sangamon county; married April 6, 1865, to Conrad Shamel. They have three children, CHARLES H., CLARENCE A. and JOHN Y., and reside near Springfield.

WILLIAM W., born July 26, 1837, in Sangamon county; married Judith S. Lightfoftt. They have three children, HERBERT, EMMETT and ARTHUR, and reside four miles southwest of Troy, Doniphan county, Kan.

DANIEL, born in Sangamon countv, is a traveling preacher in the M. E. church, at present, 1873, resides with his parents, recruiting his health.

1832. It is three miles west of Sherman, lie confirms the statement of Washington Crowder that the sudden change took place December 20, 1836, because he entered a piece of land that day, and the papers bear the above date.

ALLEN, ROBERT, was born in the year 1800, in Greensburg, Green county, Ky. He was married there to a Miss Anderson, and came to Springfield, 111., in 1831. Col. Allen engaged in the mercantile business as a member of the firm of Allen & Blankenship, soon after coining to Springfield. He also became a mail contractor on a very extensive scale, and brought a large number of fine stage coaches from Nashville, Tenn., being the first ever introduced into the State. He made Springfield his headquarters, and on some occasions had as many as five hundred horses on hand at one time. Col. Allen was one of the directors of the old State Bank. He was connected with the army in the Mormon war in 1845, an<^ U1 the Mexican war of 1846-7. Not long after coming to Springfield, Airs. Allen died, and Mr. Allen was married in April,

ROBERT, Jun., born Feb. 28, 1837, in .Springfield, and brought up in the city. When the rebellion broke out he was commissioned, August 28, i86i,as Captain of Co. - , 30 111. Inf., and served as such until May 25, 1863, when he was promoted, to Major of the regiment, in front of Vicksburg. He served part of the time in the Quartermaster's department; also acted as Assistant Inspector-General of the 3d Div. 1 7th Army Corps, and resigned August 8, 1864. Major Robert Allen was married Dec. 5, 1865,111 Springfield, to Anna M. Purely, who was born May 12, 1838, in Trenton, N. ]. They had" three children. GEORGE B., the youngest, died August 12, 1872, in his second year. HENRY T. and FANN 1 10 M. reside with their parents in Springfield. Major Allen is a practicing attorney.

Col. Robert Allen died Dec. i, 1854, and his widow, Mrs. Jane Eliza Allen, died March 18, 1857, both one mile north of the old State house in Springfield.

ALLEN, WILLIAM S., was born June 16, 1774, in Bourbon county, Ky. He was married to Abigail Snedegar. They had five children in Kentucky. Mr. Allen came to Sangamon county in 1835, purchased land and prepared a house. He returned to Kentucky and brought his family, arriving Nov. i, 1836, in what is now Ball township. Of their children,

MARIA L,., born in Bourbon county, Ky., was married there to Shelton Watts. They had three children there, and moved to Sangamon county in 1839. Of their children, NANCY J. married John Drennan, and resides near Tolono, Champaign county, 111. WILLIAM S. married Sarah Knotts, and resides near Tolono, 111. BENJ. FRANKLIN married Isabel F. Thompson. See R. B. Thompson sketch. Shelton Watts died July 16, 1843, and his

MART E., born Feb. 28, 1819, in Bourbon county, Ky., was married in Sangamon county, 111., June 16, 1841, to James W. Stephenson. They had nine children. MARGARET A., born July 1 6, 1842, was married Sept. 2, 1875, to Andrew Little. They reside near New Canton, 111. JAMES A., born June 30, 1843, WILLIAM E., born July 24, 1845, FINIS E., born Oct. 18, 1849, and PRESLEY B., born March 14, 1851, reside with their parents. MARY E., born Nov. 7, 1854, was married June 6, 1872, and resides in Mexico, Mo., and ELLEN, born Sept. 9, 1856, resides with her parents. Two children died in infancy. James W. Stephenson and family reside near New Canton, 111.

WA TERM AN P., born Jan. 8, 1820, in Bourbon county, Ky., was married in Sangamon county, Feb., 1849, to Louisa Watts. Thev have four children. MARIA L. and WILLIAM S. reside with their father. MARY E. was married Oct. 29, 1873, to John L. Clay ton, and resides in Ball township. JULIA A. resides with her father. Mrs. Louisa Allen died Nov. 26, 1857, and W. P. Allen was married Oct. 18, 1858, to Catharine Vaughn. They have six children, MARGARET E., HARRIET R., LOUISA J., JOHN, JOSEPH F. and ALPH. R., and reside in Ball township, on the farm settled by Mr. Allen's father, in 1836.

JOHNW.,\)orn in Kentucky, brought up in Sangamon county, was married in Menard county, Illinois, to Jane Watkins. they reside near Atlantic, Cass county, Iowa.

ALLISON, ISAAC F., was born July 2, 1801, in Virginia, and his parents moved to Mason county, Ky. He was married about 1827,10 Deborah Callerman. They lived in Fleming county, Ky., a short time, and moved to Sangamon county, arriving in the fall of 1829, on Spring creek, where seven children were born.

JOHN, born in 1828, in Fleming county, Ky., raised in Sangamon county, enlisted in the 4th 111. Inf., under Col. E. D. Baker, in 1846, and died the same year at Matamoras, Texas.

JAMES M., born April 13, 1840, in Sangamon county ; enlisted August 5, 1861, in Co. A., 38th 111. Inf.; discharged on account of physical disability, March 29, 1862. He re-enlisted, in Sept., 1862, for three years, in Co. K, 115 111. Inf.; was transferred, in 1864, to Co. A., First U. S. Engineers, and was honorably discharged with the regiment, Sept. 19, 1865. He was married Nov. 18, 1866, in Sangamon county, to Julia A. Dunham. They have two "children, MARTHA D.- and ALICE M., and reside five miles northcast of Springfield.

Mrs. Deborah Allison died May 29, 1860, in Sangamon county, and Isaac F. Allison died December 22, 1869, in Crawford county, near Jacksonville, Neosho county, Kan.

Allison, Margaret

ALLISON, MARGARET, came to Sangamon county as one of the family of Thomas Black. See his name. She arrived in 1819. Her parents lived in Philadelphia. She died within one year after arrival, in the 29th year of her

*ALSBURY, REV.CHAS. D., was born Oct. 25, 1817, in Indiana. He came to Sangamon county, 111., and was married March 14, 1839, to Ann Cordelia Cloyd. They had five living children, namely :

ANN, born in 1841 or '2; married April 4, 1 86 1, to John W. Anderson. They have four children. CHARLES W., "MINNIE A., JOHN C. and MELISSA J., and reside in Woodside township.

Rev. Charles D. Alsbury was a preacher of the gospel in connection with the Baptist church. He died, and his widow resides one and a half miles northwest of Woodside.

Aylesbury, Charles

AYLESBURY, CHARLES, was born in North Carolina and married in Virginia, to Mrs. Jan,e Huggins. They moved to Kentucky, and from there to Springfield, 111., in 1823. Mr. Aylesbury entered the land south of the public square. They brought some children with them. Mrs. Aylesbury's daughter, by her first marriage,

CHARLES, born in Greenbrier coun- - ty, Virginia, and married there to Mary Reav. They had two children, and came to Sangamon county in 1823, and settled on Spring creek, where they had nine children. JOHN, born in Virginia; married in Sangamon county to Sarah West, and reside in Piatt county. ELIZABETH, born Jan. 8, 1822, in Greenbrier county, Va. ; married in Sangamou county, August 9, 1849, to George W. Buchanan, who was born Nov. 27, 1823, in Morgan county, 111. Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan had six children. MARY j. married B. F. Nurbonn, and resides with her father. JAMES F. died in 1871, aged 19 years. SUSANNA, ELIZABETH, ALBERT and ISAAC, reside with their father. Mrs. Elizabeth B. died, and G. W. Buchanan resides west of Loami. BRICE died in Sangamon county, aged 20 years. EDWARD and NANCY are married, and live in Missouri. Charles Aylesbury, wife and three children reside in Piatt county.

ALEXANDER, born in Virginia; married in Sangamon county, to Ginsey Jordan, raised a family, and moved to Decatur. He enlisted in an Illinois regiment, served three years, re-enlisted as a veteran, was furloughed home, and died in Springfield.

Charles Aylesbury, Sen., died in 1861, in Loami township. His widow resides with her son Levi, in Macon county. She is now - 1873 - more than 96 vears old.

ALVEY. WILLIAM, was born Sept. 1 6, 1799, in Washington county, Ky. He came to the southern part of Illinois in 1824, and to Springfield in May, 1825. He was married Nov. 6, 1825, near Springfield, to Madaline Watson. They had six children, all born in Springfield.

SIMON B., born Oct. 16, 1827, in Springfield, went to Oregon in 1849, was married in Yamhill county, Oregon, August 30, -1853, to Dollie V. Elder, daughter of A. R. Elder, formerly of Springfield, 111. They have five children, vi/: ALICE M., born Oct. 10, 1854, in Yamhill countv; married, August 30, 1873, to James H. Downey, of Steilacoom City, W. T. WILLIAM A., born June 25, 1864, in Oregon. EDITH S., born Sept. 17, 1867. EDWARD B., born Feb. 28, 1873, and JUNIA AFTON, born June 24, 1874, reside with their parents in Steilacoom City, Pierce county, Washington Territory.

Ef.IZA A., born Oct. 17, 1829, in Springfield; married at Marengo, Iowa, to Dr. George W. Wallace, who was born in Columbiana county, Ohio. ' Studied medicine with Dr. McCook, one of the - ir celebrated McCook family. Moved to Iowa in the spring of 1848. They had seven children, namely: GEORG.E W., MARY E., FLORENCE, WILLIAM A., CLARA, ALFRED F. and LINCOLN. Dr. W. died April 4, 1865, at Salisbury, Sangamon county. Airs. Wallace and family reside in Springfield. ^ MART E., born July 12, 1831, in Springfield, married, about 1859, to J°" siah Hickel. Thev reside in Kansas.

James W., Henry P., Homer W.

J. WILLJAM,\)orn March 12, 1834, in Springfield, was married there, May 20, 1860, to Alzina A. Brown, (daughter of Ira A. Brown.) They have six children, viz: MEL VINA; HELEN B., JAMES W., HENRY P., HOMER W.

William Alvey moved to Marengo, Iowa, in 1848, and Mrs. Madeline Alvey died there, May 12, 1849. He was married April, 1850, to Eleanor Penny. He died May, 1855, at Marengo, Iowa.

AMOS, MRS. SARAH, was born June 13, 1793, in Washington countv, Md. Her maiden name was Friend. She first married Phillip Swinley; had two children, and Mr. Swinley died. Mrs. Swinley was married the second time, August 2, 1810, to James Amos. They had two children, and James Amos died Feb. 6, 1823, in Maryland, also. Mrs. Amos came with her children to Sangamon county, arriving March i, 1838, in Springfield. Of her children,

BARBARA E. SWINLET married in Virginia to Thomas Lemon, who died, and Mrs. Lemon came with her child to Sangamon county in 1839, an<^ died in Decatur, April, 1865. Her daughter VIRGINIA married Joseph Strong, in Decatur, moved to Hannibal, Mo., and died there, June, 1872, leaving three children.

SAMUEL K. SWINLET, born April 21, 1802, in Washington county, Md.; married there to Maria Rice, and came to Springfield with his half brother, Joshua F. Amos. Mr. Swinley settled near where Woodside station now stands. While there he served as one of the county judges with J. Wickliffe Taylor and Armstrong. His wife died there in the fall of 1852. Judge Swinley moved to

Decatur in 1857 or '8, was there married to Ruth P rather, of Washington county, Md. He died early in 1872, and his widow resides in Decatur.

28, 1812, in Washington county, Md., and came to Springfield, 111., June 10, 1835. He was married March i, 1838,111 Springfield, to Julia A. Hay, daughter of John Hay, Esq. They had three children born in Springfield. SARAH E., born Oct. 30, 1839, married Oct. 30, 1861, to Levin W. Shepherd, who was born in London county, Va., Sept. 3, 1836. He served one year each, 1860 and 1861, as clerk and comptroller of the city of Springfield; was a member of the Board of Supervisors of Sangamon county in 1868 and 1869. In 1862 he was appointed by President Lincoln Assistant Quartermaster in the U. S. Army, and stationed at Fort Ridgely, Minn. Transferred to Keokuk, Iowa, where he commanded that Fort for six months. Thence to Columbus, Ky., as Depot Quartermaster; thence to Chicago, as Disbursing Quartermaster; thence to Tennessee, thence to Fort Kearney, Nebraska, at which place he resigned, Oct., 1865, and became a lumber merchant in Springfield, 111. Afterwards removed to Kansas; was first President of Peoples National Bank of Ottawa. Resides now in Denison, Texas, which place he laid out in 1872, and sold the first lot there. Col. Shepherd was twice brevetted for faithful services during the war. GEO. A., born Sept. 4, 1841, married, Oct. 30, 1866, to Josephine A. Andrews, eldest daughter of Col. George W. Andrews, at Wapakonetta, Auglaixe county, Ohio. She was born there, May

29, 1844. They have two children, GEORGIA and ROBERTA, and reside in Humboldt, Kansas. Mr. George A. Amos is engaged in the practice of law. JOHN M., born August 18, 1844. He enlisted in Col. Phillips' three months regiment. Stationed at Rock Island, 111., in 1864. He was married Oct. 30, 1867, to Caroline J., youngest daughter of Oramel Clark, Esq. They have four children, JOHN J., GEORGE O., JULIA R., and

CURTIS H., and reside near Springfield. Mr. Joshua F. Amos and wife reside adjoining Springfield, on the west. Mr. Amos spent six years, from 1845 *° 1851, in Lagrange, Mo. In 1852 he, with

Nathaniel Hay, established the well known firm of Amos & Hay, which continued until the decease of Mr. Hay. Mr. Amos has retired from active business.

ROBERT J. AMOS, was born March 2, 1815, in Washington county, Md. Came to Springfield June, 183=5, and settled in Woodside township. Hewent to Decatur in 1850, and was there married, in 1856, to Mrs. Mary Packard. They have two children, ANNIE and ROBERT, born in Decatur. They moved, in 1869, to Humboldt, Kansas, where they now reside.

ANDERSON, JAMES, was born in 1784 in Botetourt county, Va. Nancy Fletcher was born in 1786, in Rockbridge county, Va. They were there married, in 1802, and had two children in Virginia. They moved, in 1808, to Kentucky, where they had three children, and in 1813 moved to Indiana, where one child was born. They moved to Sangamon county, 111., in 1820, and settled in what is now Ball township. Of their six children -

ROBERT A7;, born in Virginia, married, in Sangamon county, to Rebecca Wilson, who died, and he married Clarissa Woods, moved to Wisconsin, and both died there.

Anderson. Moses

by a relative to that part of Davidson which is now Cheatham county, on Hanpeth river, Tenn. Cassariller Stroude was born Nov. 2^, 1812, in Dickson county, Tenn. M. K. Anderson and Cassariller Stroude were married in her native countv, Sept. 13, 1827, and moved to Sangamon countv. 111., arriving March 2, 1829, in what is now Cartwright township, four miles east of Pleasant Plains, and south of Richland creek, where they had nine children. Of their children -

THOMAS p\, born Sept. n, 1829, in Sangamon countv, married Dec. 25, 1852, to Martha L. Child. They had five children. LAURA died, aged two years. CHARLES, EDWARD, HENRY and TAVXER reside with their parents, one mile north of Richland Station.

Mary, Clara, Anna, Reuben

WILLIE ANN, born Sept. 17, 1831, in Sangamon county, married Francis Corson, who died, leaving one child, MOSES E, and she married George Springer. They have five children, MARY, CLARA, ANNA, REUBEN and CHARLES, and reside in Parsons, Kan.

SARAH J., born March 14, 1834, in Sangamon county, married John D. Mc- Cullough. They have four children, LAURA, WILLARD, EDWARD and LILLIE, and reside at Franklin, Morgan county.

ME LINDA E., born Nov. 4, 1838, married Joseph Potter. They have five children, CHARLES, EUGENE, NELLIE, HATTIE and LULU, and reside at Palmer 111.

CYNTHIA A., born Dec. 10, 1840, married Edward D. Ballard. They have three children, HARRIET, JAMES A. and CLIFTON D., and reside one and a half miles north of Richland station.

GEORGE W., born April 3, 1843, in Sangamon county, married near Athens, June 12, 1862, to Melinda F. Moran, who was born May 16, 1845. They have five children, FRANK, MOSES W., JAMES W., JENNIE and GEORGE, and reside two and a half miles north of Richland station.

WILLARD WICKLIFFE, born April 28, 1848, married April 8, 1869, to Susan Moran, who was born Dec. 14, 1848, in Menard county. They have two children, HARRY and CASSARILLA, and reside two miles north of Richland station.

Mrs. Cassarilla Anderson died August 17, 1850, and M. K. Anderson was married Dec. 31, 1850, to Mrs. Marena T. Hall, whose maiden name was Stroude. They had three children. JOHN T. and ELIZA F. died between seven and nine years.

Moses K. Anderson taught a military school in Dickson county, Tenn., and the old system of military training being in vogue when he came to Illinois, he was very soon elected captain of a company, and in a short time was promoted to Colonel and Brigadier-General. He was appointed, about 1838, by Gov. Carlin, Adjutant-General of the State, and continued to hold the office by successive appointments, until 1856. During the time, Gen. Anderson was called upon to discharge the duties of his office in connection with the Mormon war, at Nauvoo, and the Mexican war.

Wrhen Gen. Anderson came to Sangamon county he borrowed of Eli Blankenship the money to enter his first So acres of land, and paid fifty per cent, for the use of the money. He has since given each of his children a good farm, and has 500 acres left. He has been four years county judge, six years alderman in Springfield, and 20 years justice of the peace. He is of the opinion that the "deep snow" of 1830-31 was five feet deep on a level in the timber.

Anderson, Tavnerb

ANDERSON, TAVNERB., born Nov. 30, 1809, in Butler countv, K\ ., went with his brother Moses K., to 'lYn nessee, and from there to Sangamon county, 111., arriving March 2, 1829, in what is now Cartwright township. He was in the Black Hawk war, was married Dec.

ME LINDA J/., born May 23, 1844, married Y. B. Clark. They had seven children; all died but one. Mrs. Clark died Sept. 3, 1872. Their child is in Texas. Mr. C. resides at Clarksdale, Christian county, 111.

HARRIET F., born Jan. 7, 1846, in Sangamon county, was married Dec. 5, 1868, to William' H. McDonald. They had four children, two died. They reside near Clarksdale.

GEORGE E., born Dec. 24, 1849, in Sangamon county, was married Sept. 33, 1874, to Mollie Boyd. They have one child, and reside near Clarksdale, 111.

born April 15, 1789, in Cumberland county, Ky. Elizabeth Buchanan was born in Cumberland county, Pa. Her parents moved to Lincoln county, Ky., when she was seven years old. Her father died in that county, and she went to live with a married sister in Cumberland county. John Antle and Elizabeth Buchanan were there married. They had five children. The family them moved to Morgan county, 111., in 1829, and from there to Sangamon county, arriving Jan. 9, 1830, in what is now Salisbury township. Of their children -

SALL Y, born Jan., 181 1, in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county, Sept., 1833, to Marshall Bragg. Mr. Bragg died, and his widow and three children reside in Keokuk county, Iowa. A married daughter resides in Logan county, Illinois.

Sidney D., Ely Ann, James S.

HENRY, born Sept. 12, 1813, in Cumberland county, Ky., married in Sangamon county, Jan. 18, 1837, to Nancy Duncan. They have eight living children. SARAH A. married Charles Bottroff, and resides in Cartwright township. SIDNEY D., ELY ANN, JAMES S., NATHAN McC., LURANA, MARTHA F. and MARSHAL B., reside with their parents, adjoining Salisbury on the west.

ANDRE W 7., born in 1815, in Cumberland county, Kentucky, married in Sangamon county to Ann Dardon, Oct., 1840. They have one child; and reside near Scio, Linn county, Oregon.

MARTHA, born August 8, 1818, in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county, March, 1839, to Simon Stevens. Thev had five children, one died young. JOHN enlisted August, 1862, in Co. H., 114 111. Inf., for three years, and died in the armv in 1863. MARSHALL A., GEO. S. and WILLARD T., reside with their mother. Mr. Stephens died in 1863, and his widow resides in Salisbury township.

Rev. John Antle preached to five churches, called Separate Baptists. One each at Salisbury and McKinnie Settlement, in Sangamon county, Baker's Prairie and Sand Ridge, in Menard county, and one in Morgan county. The only pay he received or expected was the hope of reward in a better world.

ARCHER, WILLIAM, was born July 30, 1793, in North Carolina, and in 1807 his parents moved to Tennessee, where he was married to Elizabeth Jackson. They had one child, and moved to Madison county, Illinois, where they had one child, and Mrs. A. died, and he married Elizabeth Holt, Dec. 20, 1818. She was born Dec. 3, 1793? in Oglethrope county, Ga., and, losing her parents when quite young, she was taken by an uncle, Robert White, to Madison county, 111., in 1811. Wm. and Elizabeth Archer had twins in Madison county, and moved to Sangamon county,, arriving April 30, 1820, in what is now Curran township, where they had nine children. Of all his children -

WINSTON, born Sept. 12, 1814, in Tennessee, raised in Sangamon county, married Mary Robinson, moved to California, and died in 1866, leaving a widow and six children, near Petaluma, Sonoma county, California.

JACKSON, married Oct. 7, 1844,10 Elcy F. Meacham. They had three children. ELIZABETH J. was killed in her eighth year by a fall from a wagon. MARY A. born May 14, 1848, married Feb. 1 6, 1865, to Andrew Alson, who was born March 6, 1838, in Sweden, and came to America in 1855. They had three children. The second, CHARLES, died in his fourth year. ANNA E. and CLARA A. reside with their parents, six miles west of Springfield. GEORGE R. born r\.ugust 13, 1851, resides with his mother. Jackson Archer died April 7, 1852, in southwest Missouri, while on a journey for his health. His widow married Wm. Duff. See his name.

CARROLL married Nov. 24, 1842, to Delilah Renshaw. They had three children. MARTHA T., born May 27, 1847, married to Lorenzo Stillman, have three children, and reside near Curran. ANN E., born August 5, 1849, married Sept., 1870, to Edward Robison, and reside in Linden, Kan. SARAH C., born Feb. 8, 1851, married November 21, 1872, to Henry Gaines, and resides near Odell, 111. Mrs. Delilah Archer died May 31, 1865, and Carroll Archer was married Sept. 4, 1866, to Elizabeth Houghton, who was born Oct. 25, 1830,, in Menard county. They have two children, EDWIN and MARIA BELLE, and reside three miles northwest of Curran.

M'ARY, born May 24, 1822, in Sangamon county, married Nov. n, 1840, to Alexander Penny; had one child, WILLIAM, born Nov. 3, 1844, enlisted August 14, 1862, for three years, in Co. F., 14410 111. Inf., was captured at the battle of Guntown, Miss., June, 1864, and died in Andersonville prison, Feb. 24, 1865. Alex. Penny died in 1868, and his widow married Mathew Redman, who was born May i, 1828, in county Wexford, Ireland. They reside five miles west of Springfield"

JOHN, born Oct. 3, 1826, married Susan Taylor. They have one child, AMERICA, and reside in McDonough county, near Fandon. He was^a soldier in a cavalry regiment from that county in suppressing the rebellion.

W., Thomas C., Minnie L., Mary

WASHINGTON J., born July 19, 1832, married Dec. 29, 1861, to Mrs. Melinda Hammond, whose maiden name was Cox. They have five children, GEORGE W., THOMAS C., MINNIE L., MARY A. and WILLIAM, and reside three miles north of Curran.

William Archer died August 31, 1867, from the effects of being thrown from a horse, and his widow resides at the farm where they settled in 1820.

In the fall of 1873 Mrs. Elizabeth Archer, then eighty years of age, gave to the writer a piece of a dress made with her own hands more than sixty years before. The family of her uncle, with whom she moved from Georgia to St. Clair county, 111., in 18 1 1, brought some cotton in the bolls, for the purpose of using the seed in growing cotton in their new home. Miss Holt, as her name then was, obtained the consent of her uncle to apply the cotton to her own use. She picked it from the bolls and separated the cotton from the seed with her fingers, and spun it on a wheel, borrowed from a neighbor more than thirty miles distant. She had a rude loom constructed for the purpose, and had just commenced weaving, when the first assassination among the white settlers by Indians took place, as the beginning there of the war with England. That occurred in June, 1812. She, with her uncle's family, fled to Fort Bradsby, a rude wooden fortification near by. Appealing- to the Lieutenant in command for protection, he reported the case to Governor Edwards, who authorized him to grant her request. A guard was accordingly placed around the cabin,"and kept"there until the weaving was completed. The design was unique and beautiful. The cloth was carefully preserved, some of it bleached to snowy whiteness, and made into a dress. She wore it the first time to a quarterly meeting in 1815, just after the close of the war, and attracted universal attention as the finest dressed lady in all that region of country.

ARCHER, MOSES, came to Sangamon county with his brother William. He was four times married, and died at Galena before the rebellion. His son -

ARCHER, MICHAEL, came to Sangamon county two years later than his brother William, and married EfFy Duff, moved to Missouri, raised a large family, returned to Sangamon' county during the rebellion, and Mrs. Archer died in Sangamon county. He returned to Jasper county, Mo., and died there in 1871.

ARCHER, ROBERT, was born Sept. 17, 1801, in Tennessee, and came with his brothers, Moses, Michael, Obadiah, their sister Jemima, and their mother, in 1821, to Sangamon county, where their brother William had settled the year before. Robert Archer and Matilda DufF were married Feb. 6, 1825, and had three children in Sangamon county.

ARCHER, OBADIAH, came with his mother, sister and brothers to Sangamon county in 1821. He has been twice married, and resides at Galena, 111.

Mrs. Martha Archer, mother of William Moses, Michael, Obadiah and ^e came with her children to Sangamo county, in 1821, and died at the house o her son Moses, several years later.

Armstrong, Hugh

ARMSTRONG, HUGH M., born Feb. 13, 1839, in Warren county Ky., and moved with his* father and fam ily to Madison county, 111., in 1816. Hug came to Springfield Nov. 8, 1829. H was married in Springfield June 3, to Lavina M. Dryer, daughter of Joh Dryer. See his name. They had te children, in Springfield ; five died young Of the others -

Charles A., Hugh M., Willia

CATHARINE L., born July 20, 1830, was married in Springfield, July i 1853, to Samuel M. Culver, who w born in New York. They had five chil ren. CARRIE M. died aged seven year CHARLES A., HUGH M., WILLIA H. and GILBERT R., reside with the parents in Springfield.

CYNTHIA y., born Nov. i, 183 was married in Springfield, July u, 186 to H. F. Hollingsworth, a native of Ca roll county, 111. They have one chil MAHLON F., and reside near Freepo Stephenson county, 111.

ALBERT H., born July 22, 1845, l Springfield, was married Dec. 19, 1868, t Jennie Merriweather, who was born Jul 19, 1845,111 Green county, 111. They hav four children, KATE M., AXNI" HARRIS HALE and ALBERT D and reside in Springfield. Mr. A. machinist.

Hugh M. Armstrong was brought u a hatter and engaged in that business wit his brother Hosea in Springfield, in ] 82 He was afterwards interested in wo carding, and, in connection with Josep and E. R. Thayer, originated, and f< some years conducted, the Springfiel Woolen Mills. He now resides on a far near Batavia, Kane county, 111.

ARMSTRONG, JOHN, was born Nov. 14, 1814, in Chester county, Pa., came to Springfield, 111., August i, 1837, and was married Nov. 14, 1839, to Chloe E. Abel. They had eight children, two of whom died young.

WILLIAM P., born Sept. 7, 1840, married Frances E. Maxon. He died I-\-l). i% 1874, and she died in June of the same year, both in Springfield.

/. rCTE.,}wrn Jan. 5, 1846, in Springfield, married Jan. 5, 1870, to C. H. Foster. They have two children, GERTRUDE E. and FREDRICK F., and reside in Pawnee. Mr. Foster is a merchant there.

Mr. Armstrong has been a contractor and builder for many years. He was appointed by President Lincoln, in 1861, to the office of Post Master in Springfield, and' held the office until August 5, 1865. He now resides in Springfield.

Armstrong, Thomas

ARMSTRONG, THOMAS, was born Jan. 27, 1785, in Augusta county, Va. He was there married, iSov., 1815, to Jane Burgess, who was born [une 3, 1796, in Greenbrier county. They had seven children in Augusta county, and moved, in 1827, to Logan county, Ohio, where they had two children, and moved to Sangamon county, 111., arriving Oct. 21, 1840, in what is now Cotton Hill township. Of their children -

SARAH J., born May n, 1817, in Virginia, married Daniel Keys; had one child, SARAH. She married Robert Jones, and resides in Kansas. Mrs. Keys died Sept. 28, 1844. See his name.

ANGELINE, born Nov. 15, 1833, in Logan county, Ohio, married in Sangamon county, to David Hall. They have three children, and reside near Nevvtonia, Newton county, Mo.

JOHN B., born June 9, 1839, in Logan county, Ohio, raised in Sangamon county, married near Pana, to Sarah King, and resides in Christian county.

Averitt, Thomas

BAKER, EDWARD DICKINSON, was born Feb. 24, 1811, in London, England. His father, Edward Baker, was an educated gentleman, and his mother a sister of Capt. Thomas Dickenson, of the British navy, who distinguished himself at the battle of Trafalger. Edward D. was the eldest of five children. About the close of the war with England, in 1815, his father and family emigrated to America, landing at Philadelphia, Penn. Here Mr. Edward Baker engaged in teaching. On account of the financial embarassments of the family, as soon as Edward D. was old enough, he was apprenticed to a weaver. In 1826 his father moved to Belleville, 111., where he opened a select school, and young Edward D. Baker evinced such a taste' for literature that the late Gov. Edwards, then a resident of Belleville, gave him free access to his library. From Belleville young Baker went to St. Louis, and to procure funds for necessary expenses, drove a dray for at least one season. From St. Louis he went to Carrolton, 111., and began the study of law and at the same time acting as deputy in the county clerk's office. He was married April 27, 1831, to Mrs. Mary A. Lee, a widow with two children. In the spring of 1832 Mr. Baker enlisted in the Black Hawk war, and in 1835 moved to Spring- Held, and soon after became a law partner of Stephen T. Logan. He delivered the oration at the laying of the corner stone of the- old State house, July 4, 1837. ^n t^ie latter year he was elected to the General Assembly to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Hon. Dan Stone, and was re-elected the following year. In 1840 E. D. Baker was elected State Senator for four years, and elected to Congress in 1845. When the war broke out with Mexico, Mr. B. hastened home, raised a regiment, which was accepted by the government as the 4th III. Inf., Col. E. D. Baker, commanding. Arriving on the Rio Grand, he discovered that the troops were in need of additional tent equipage, munitions of war, etc., and for a few months accepted the position of bearer of dispatches to the war department, and repaired to Washington. Congress was in session, and not having resigned his seat in the House, availed himself of his privilege as a member, and made a speech of great and almost magical power in favor of a vigorous prosecution of the war, and in behalf of the volunteers then in the field, and rejoined his regiment. After the battle of Cerro Gordo, the term of Col. Baker's enlistment expired, and his men not wishing to re-enlist, he reluctantly left the field, and, returning home, resumed the practice of his profession. In the spring of 1848 he moved to Galena, 111. As one of the Whig electors for the State at large, he took an active part in the Presidential campaign of 1848. He took his seat as Representative in Congress, the second time, in Dec., 1849. In 1851 he entered into an agreement with the Panama Railroad Company to grade a portion of that road, but after several months exposure to a tropical sun, he and his men fell sick and abandoned the country. In 1852 he emigrated with his family to California, establishing himself in practice in San Francisco. There he delivered the funeral oration of two of his early friends, fallen bv the fatal bullet of the duelist, Ferguson and Broderick. The latter stands alone as the most brilbrilliant funeral oration ever delivered on the continent of America. After the death of Boderick, Col. Baker moved to Oregon, and was elected U. S. Senator from there in 1860. For the first time in his life he was placed in a position congenial to him. The decorum and courtesy that usually marks the intercourse of Senators, was most grateful to his habits ot thought and feeling.

Col. Baker was a man of action as well as of words, and soon after the fall of Fort Sumter he recruited a regiment in Philadelphia and vicinity, which was called the California regiment, and soon after, President Lincoln tendered him a Brigadier-General's commission, but he declined it, probably because it would have vacated his seat in the Senate. At the first session of the 37th Congress, convoked by President Lincoln, July 4, 1861, Col. Baker was in his seat, and participated prominently in the passage of those important measures which became necessary to place the nation on a war footing. On the adjournment of this special session, Col. Baker rejoined his regiment, which was attached to and formed a part of the army of observation on the Potomac. He, however, was restless in camp, and a vague presentiment of his approaching fate seemed to haunt him wherever he went, and he said to a friend that since his campaign in Mexico he could never afford to turn his back on an enemy. He returned to Washington, settled his affairs, and called to bid the President and family farewell, when the lady of the Executive Mansion, who, in her, then, high position, was gracefully mindful of early friendship, gave him a boquet of late flowers. As though partially soliloquizing, he said : " Very beautiful ; these flowers and my memory will wither together." He pressed with quiet earnestness on his friend, Col. Webb, the measures which might become necessary in regard to the resting place of his mortal remains, then mounted his horse and rode gaily awav to his death. He was leading his men at Ball's Bluff, and, when ten feet in advance of them, fell, pierced by eight bullets, Oct. 21, 1861. His body was borne tenderly away, embalmed, and removed to Washington City, where appropriate funeral honors were paid to his remains; then sent to New York City, and from there by steamer to

Charles, Caroline, Robert

LUCT S., born about 1832 in Carrolton, 111., brought up in Springfield, was married in San Francisco to Charles Hopkins. They have four children, CHARLES, CAROLINE, ROBERT and RALPH, and reside at Olympia, Washington Territory. Mr. Hopkins is U. S. Marshall for that Territory.

CAROLINE C, born in Carrolton, 111., brought up in Springfield, was married in San Francisco to Robert J. Stevens. They have two children, ROBERT and CARRIE, and reside in Washington City.

ED WARD D., Jun., born in Springfield, married Saccha Alma Bradshaw. He is a Captain in the U. S. Army, and is on duty at some western military post.

The great and fatal mistake of Col. Baker was one that did honor to his noble and chivalrous spirit. He had fairly and honorably reached the highest position in our government that any adopted citizen could attain. In the Senate of the United States he was the peer of any man in the nation, and his counsels there were worth a hundred fold more than it could have been in the field. When he volunteered to lead a regiment, he was liable to become subordinate to men far, very far, inferior to himself, and that proved to be his destruction ; but he had, no doubt, weighed well the step he was about to take, and thereby laid the most costly sacrifice on the altar of his adopted country that it was possible for any citizen to make, even though he were to the manor born.

BAKER, JOHN L., was born June 20, 1805, in Campbell county, Ky. He is a brother of Thomas, and was married in 1828, in Butler county, Ohio, to Rachel Biggs, who was born in that State, - 12

Oct. 6, 1 804. They had three children there and moved to Shelby county, Ind., where they had two children, and from there to Sangamon county, 111., arriving in 1835, in what is now Loami township, where they had two children. Of their eight children two died young.

MARGARET, born April 27, 1829, in Ohio, was married in Sangamon county, 111., to Henry Westfall. They have seven children, SMITH M., ANN E., HELEN, INA, LEONA, GEORGE and CHARLES, and reside near Elkhart Logan county, 111.

Sibyl,. John L., Alice, Mary

THOMAS N., born Jan. 28, 1831, in Ohio, was married in Sangamon county to Frances Freddy. They have six children, all born in Sangamon county, namely: SIBYL,. JOHN L., ALICE, MARY, DON CARLOS and ETTA, and reside near Ottawa, Kansas.

James, Orthello, Horatio

REUBEN F., born Jan. 24, 1834, in Shelby county, Ind., was married in Sangamon county to Elizabeth Mahard. They have seven children, JOHN, GEORGE, JAMES, ORTHELLO, HORATIO, ALICE and ARMINDA, and reside near Nebraska City, Neb.

EPHRIAM, born March 31, 1835, in Indiana, was married in Sangamon county to Anna Mahard. He died in Sangamon county, leaving a widow and two children, EBEN and CHARLES. The widow and children reside in Missouri.

JOHN W., born Dec. 13, 1837, in Sangamon county, 111., was married there to Sarah Mahard. They have four children,J AMES E., ELIZABETH, THOMAS *and M. ALICE, who reside with their parents, near Ottawa, Kansas.

PAULINE L., born Sept. 22, 1844, in Sangamon countv, married James S. Cloud. They have four children, M. ALICE, DORA, MINNIE E. and JESSE M., and reside in Ottawa, Kansas. John L. Baker and wife reside in Ottawa, Kansas.

BAKER, THOMAS, was born March 3, 1794, in Campbell county, Ky.; brother to John L. Nancy Robertson was born Oct. 9, 1806, in Harrison county, Va. They were married Dec. 29, 1823, in Kanawha county, West Va., at the house of Jonathan Jarrett. Sen. Mr. and

Mrs. Baker had two children in West Virginia, and moved to Sangamon county, 111., arriving Nov. 1826, in what is now Loami township, where they had eight children. Of their ten chilldren -

West Virginia, married in Sangamon county, August n, 1844, to Lucretia Minter. They moved in the fall of that year to Tarrant county, Texas. He died there in 1871, leaving a widow and ten children.

WILLIAM, born Feb. n, 1829, in Sangamon county, married Jan. 10, 1850, to Margaret Morris. They have ten children, and reside near Bancroft, Daviess county, Mo.

MART A., born Dec. 27, 1831, in Sangamon county, married Nov. 8, 18^3, to Barnard A. VanDeren. See his name. They had two children, THOMAS N. and MAGGIE L. Mr. VanD. died, and she married, Nov. 2, 1868, to John Lowery, who was born Sept. 15, 1837,111 county Down, Ireland. They had two children, MARY A. and BARNARD A.; the latter died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Lowery reside four miles south of Loami.

THOMAS,]\\\\., born Oct. i, 1836, in Sangamon county, married April 23, 1861, to Mary J. Hall. She died August 21, 1866, leaving one child, GEORGE W. Mr. Baker was married March 19, 1867, to Mrs. Harriet Cosser, whose maiden name was Hall. They have two children, JOSEPH F. and HATTIE, and reside three and a half miles southwest of Loami.

NANCY, born March 28, 1839, in Sangamon county, married William G. Miller. See his name. She died, leaving two children with their father, who is married and resides in Loami township.

CYRUS W., born May 19, 1842, in Sangamon county, married April 13, 1862, to Sarah A. Jarrett. They have three children, HENRY, BARNARD A. and JO. C., and reside one and a half miles southwest of Loami.

SARAH J., born Dec. 7, 1846, in Sangamon county, married Nov. 2, 1865, to Joseph O. Joy. They have three childdren, CHARLES W., WILLIE A. and JOHN W., and reside three miles southwest of Loami. Mr. Joy was a soldier in suppressing the rebellion.

ISAAC N., born Dec. 11, 1849, in Sangamon county, married April 21, 1870, to Sarah E. Post. They have one child, HARRY O., and reside at the homestead settled by his parents.

Thomas Baker, Sen., died Jan. 5, 1852, and his widow resides at the homestead settled by herself and husband in 1826. It is one and a half miles southwest ot Loami.

BAKER, ISAAC, was born near Fredericktown, Md. He served as a fifer in the Revolution, the last two years of the war. Phoebe Waddell was born near Baltimore, Md. They were married there in 1787, and moved to what became Bourbon county, Ky., where twelve children were born, eight of whom married there. The parents and four youngest children came to Sangamon county in the fall of 1829, in what is now Rochester township. Of their children -

JAMES, born July, 1788,111 Bourbon county, Ky. It is believed he was the first white child born in the county. He was married Sept. 17, 1813, in Nicholas county, Ky., to Nancy Squires, who was born Oct. 22, 1794, in Fauquier county, Va. They had eight children in Nicholas county, and moved to Sangamon county, 111., arriving Nov., 1828, at Springfield, and a week later left for what is now Logan county. In Jan., 1831, he moved to Rochester, Sangamon county. They were five days moving twenty miles, through what is known as the " deep snow." Mr. B. was a soldier in the Black Hawk war. Two of his children were born in Illinois. Of his ten children, S. WILLIS, born Oct. 10, 1814, in Kentucky, died unmarried, in Illinois, June 25, 1850. THOMAS J., born March i, 1816, in Kentucky, died in Sangamon county, Oct. 17, 183*2. MARGARET J., born Dec. 20, 1817, in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county, Nov. 15, 1838, to Daniel S. Stafford. She died in less than a year. MARTIN E., born Jan. 27, 1820, in Nicholas county, Ky., married March 4, 1852, in Springfield, to Mary C. S. Williams, who was born Feb. 3, 1826, in Montgomery county, Md., and came to Springfield in 1839. They have and reside four miles southwest of Illiopolis. ELIZA E., born Nov. 7, 1822, in Kentucky, died July 3, 1835, in Sangamon county. KITTY *A., born Jan. 22, 1824, in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county, in 1848, to Oliver Stafford; have seven children, and reside in Mt. Pulaski. JOHN S., born Nov. 7, 1826, in Kentucky, taught school in Sangamon county many years; went to California in 1854, and died July 30, 1873, in San Francisco. WILLIAM F., born June 29, 1828, in Kentucky, brought up in Sangamon county, married, Feb. 7, 1860, in Christian county, to Elizabeth Green ; have four children, and reside near Grove City. MARY E., born Oct. 22, 1830, in Logan county, married, Nov. 4, 1852, to Leander Green. (See his name.] MARTHA A., born August 1 1, 1833, in Sangamon county, married Dec. 29, 1859, to William Crenshaw; have two children, and reside in Georgetown, Ky. James Baker died Feb. 14, 1869, and Mrs. Nancy Baker died Oct. 3, 1872, both in Christian county.

JACOB, born August 9, 1790, in Bourbon county, Ky., was a soldier from that county in the war of 1812. He was married in Nicholas county, Ky., to Jane Branch, sister of Edward Branch. See his name. Four of their children were born in Kentucky, and he came to Sangainon county with his father, arriving in 1829, near Rochester, where five children were born. Of his seven children, JULIAN, married first to Alfred Waddell,who died, and she married Willis Runnels, and both died. Her sons, ALFRED Waddell, resides in Greenfield, Mo., JESSE and WILLIS reside near Nashville, Mo. SUSAN, born in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county to James Virden, who died, and his widow resides seven miles east of Springfield. They had five children. PLEASANT, born April 25, 1819, in Nicholas county, Ky., married in Sangamon county, June 24, 1846, to Lavina W addell, who was born in Kentucky. They had five children ; two died in infancy. JULIAN and WILLIAM n. reside in Clear Lake township. ALVIN resides with his father. Mrs. Lavina Baker died April 20, 1857, and Mr. B. married Mary E, Cook, a native of Scinto county, Ohio. They have five children, MARY, SUSAN j., ELIZA A., PLEASANT and LAURA E., and reside in Clear Lake township. ISAAC, born Oct. 6, 1821, in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county to Almyra Pike. He died, leaving one child, ISAAC, who resides south of Rochester. POLLY A., born in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county to Daniel Barr. JANE, born July 15, 1827, in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county to John M. McCune. See his name. ALVIN, born in Sangamon county, married Hester Hornbaker. He died in iS56,leavingtwochildren,En\VAKi> and ALONZO. Mrs. Jane Baker died, and Jacob Baker afterward married twice, and died May 18, 1872.

THOMAS, born about 1792, in Kentucky, married there to Sarah Delav. They had four children, and came to Sangamon county in 1828, with his brother, James, and settled near Rochester, where one child was born. Of his children, ISAAC resides near Medoc, Mo., ELIZABETH, born in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county to Jabez Capps. See his name. JOHN resides near Medoc, Mo. WILLIAM resides in Virginia City, Montana. JEMIMA married and died in Mt. Pulaski. Thomas Baker died March, 1874, and his widow resides near Medoc, Mo.