Sangamon County, Illinois - Biographical sketches, 1881 (part 17 of 21)

Joseph Gattan, post office. Pawnee, son of John A. and Annie E. Gattan, born in Kentucky, married about 1821. The fruits of this marriage was eight children three sons and five daughters, two deceased. The subject of this sketch was the third child and born in Sangamon county, June 12, 1829, and was raised on a farm. He married Miss Mary E. Harper, daughter of James Harper, born in Sangamon county, Illinois. The fruits of this marriage was five children, two sons and three daughters, all living, Martha J., Ann E., Sylvester O., John H., Etha A. Occupation, farmer. First wife died, and he was again married to Miss Rebecca McNeally, now deceased.

Mrs. Charlotte Griggs was born in New Jersey, April 22, 1821; daughter of John C. and Dorotha Hamilton; the former born at New Jersey, July 17, 1788, and the mother of the same place, in 1795. They had ten children, namely, Alexander, Martin V., John, James, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Jane, Ann, Mary, and Phoebe; James died at the age of nine months, Jane and Ann after arriving at maturity; Alexander died in 1865, and John, about 1850. Charlotte was married in Madison county, Illinois, March 4, 1846, to Mr. Samuel Griggs, son of Samuel and Sarah Griggs, who were born in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, and they have had six children. John, born in Jersey county, Illinois, January 2, 1848; George A., September 4, 1850; Edward D., February 22, 1853; Samuel

H., September 28, ISr.O; Nellie A., in 1862 and died in August, 1864; and Jerome T. born in this county, December 20, 1865. Samuel Griggs, Sr., died March 17, 1867. Mrs. Griggs was of Scotch and French ancestry. They settled in this county in March, 1865, having purchased the farm where they now live. She owns one hundred and sixty acres of land, and is connected with the Baptist Church.

Jacob Henkle is the eleventh born and fifth son of Justus Henkle and Elizabeth (Judy) Henkle, who were natives of Virginia, from whence they removed to Belleville, Illinois, in the fall of 1817, and in the middle of the following March, moved to Sangamon county, locating on the west side of the court house, in what is now Pawnee township. Here Mr. Henkle made improvements and when the land came into market, entered a tract and opened up a farm. Jacob Henkle was born in Randolph county, Virginia, July 25, 1812, and was therefore but six years of age when his father landed in the then uninhabited wilds of Sangamon county. At the age of nineteen young Jacob enlisted in the Black Hawk war, serving three months, from March 1831 . Something over five years later, November 20, 1836, he was united in marriage to Nancy Hatchett. They have had ten children, all born in Sangamon county, whose names, in the order of their birth, are as follows: Dicey E., John Y., Diana F., Martin V., Sarah J., Elvira, Harrison H., Mary A., Amanda and Laura A. Mr. Henkle is the oldest resident of Sangamon county, having lived here for over sixty-three years, and is classed with the county's most successful and wealthy farmers. He is the rightful owner of five hundred and five broad acres, well improved, and spread out over as fine an agricultural belt as can be found in the great grain producing State of Illinois. Mr. Henkle's first tchool days were spent at a school held in the loft of his father's house. Soon after this a school house was erected, the material of which was obtained by each parent contributing logs in proportion to the number of children in the family, of school age.

Andrevi J Hiner, postoflice, Pawnee, was born in Virginia, May 23, 1816, and is a son of Anthony and Mary M. Hiner, natives of Pennsylvania; the former was born in 1781; the grandparents moved from Pennsylvania, about 1788; their children were, Elizabeth, Mary, Joel, Andrew J., Samuel, Rebecca, Catharine, Lucinda, and Betsy; Mary, Betsy and Samuel are deceased. Anthony Hiner moved to Indiana in 1831, and died there in 1837. Andrew J. came to Scott county, Illinois, and worked as a farm hand; died the same year. In 1843, hemarried Miss Margaret, daughter of William and Elizabeth Jackson, who came from Tennessee in 1828 or '29; they were of German and Irish extraction. Mr. and Mrs. Hiner had one child, James, who was born March 28, 1845, and died November 2, 1876, aged thirty-one years. Mr. Hine>r owns four hundred acres of land, the accumulation of his own and his wife's industry and economy; he came to this county in 1845, purchased land, and entered more on the prairie; he is of German extraction.

Daniel T. Soppin, post ofiice. White Oak, Montgomery county, w^as born in Lebanon, Madison county, New York, in 1819; his father, Curtis Iloppin, was born in Guilford, Connecticut, July 12, 1785; his mother, Mary P. Hoppin, was born in Lanesborough, Massachusetts, February 11, 1787; they were married about 1807, and had 10 children, namely: Chandler C, Elizabeth A., Siley M., Franklin B., CharUs T., Daniel T., Ann M., Louisa M., Mary. P., Ebenezer B. Daniel was the sixth child. In 1844 he collected three hundred and sixty-five head of sheep in New York, and drove them to this county in ninety days, with a loss of only three head. In March, 1848, he married Miss Cordelia Bradley. Her parents came from New York to this county; they are of English extraction. Mr. and Mrs. Hoppin have had three children: Ann E., born February 13, 1852; George B., born March 29, 1862; and Chester B., born April 17, 1867; Ann E., died January 19, 1874. Is a farmer; makes a specialty of sheep raising; his two brothers were with him and they were among the largest sheep raisers in the Slate.

Patrick Howard, post office. Pawnee, was born about 1824; his parents were natives of Ireland; mother was the daughter of Martin and Mary Long; they had six children: Margaret, Patrick, Michael, John, Alice and Jeremiah; John and Jeremiah died in Ireland; Alice died in Ohio; Patrick came to America, landing at New Orleans October 28, 1851; came to Ohio, and lived about four years; then to this county, working as a farm hand for Robert North. In 1863, he purchased land in Pawnee township, and commenced farming for himself. In 1 858, he married Miss Mary McCue, daughter of John and Catharine McCue, natives of Ireland. They had five children, viz: John, born November 18, 1858, died July 6, 1859; Jeremiah, born November 24, 1860, died September 24, 1861; Patrick, born November 9, 1862; Mary, March 6, 1864; Michael, October 13, 1867. Mr. Howard was naturalized about 1856. He owns eight hundred and ninety-four acres of land, known as Beaver Dam - Joe Ledlie's old farm, the result of his own industry; feeds cattle and hogs for market; is quite extensively engaged in raising sheep for wool and mutton. Mr. Howard has been engaged in business for twenty-three years, and during all this time has never had a law-suit in any court in the United States.

W-illicun C. Johnson, M. Z>., post office, Pawnee, was born in Callaway county, Missouri, December 30, 1838; his father, Thornton Johnsun, was born in Fairfax county, Virginia. February 16, 1801, and was of English descent; his mother, Mildred H. (Lanham) Johnson, was of English descent; they were married in Fairfax county, Virginia, September 20, 1821. They had thirteen children, namely: Emily P., born August 12, 1822; Charles E., September 22, 1826; Edward L., December 14, 1828; Thomas G., August 25, 1830; John H., March 15, 1833; Emeline F., May 15, 1836; William C, December 30, 1838; Benjamin F., July 17, 1841; Sarah E., November 24, 1843; Joseph L., June 22, 1846; Mildred H., September 11, 1849; Samuel F., born August 28, 1850; Edward and Samuel are deceased. William C, came to this county in the winter of 1858-59; worked on the farm for John C. Whitcraft, at $16 a month; commenced studying medicine with William H. Veatch, M. D., and in 1860-61 attended Rush Medical College, Chicago, then returned to Auburn, where he married Miss Mary J. Ham, February 13, 1861, daughter of Roland and Dina Ham, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Illinois. They have had three children: Alice B., born May 15, 1862, in Montgomery county, Illinois; Minnie H., born September 22, 1865, and died August 2, 1866; Carrie G., born April 11, 1872. Dr. Johnson commenced the practice of medicine in Montgomery county, and removed to Pawnee in August, 1862; he graduated February 3, 1869. The Doctor has had good success as a practitioner and is devoted to his profession. He is a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 620.

Willimn H. Jones, post office Pawnee, was born November 24, 1824. His father, Samuel Jones, was born in Mount Holly, New Jersey; and his mother, Charlotte (Hendricks) Jones, was a native of the same State. They had twelve children: Susan, Hannah, William H., Agnes C, John, Sarah Ann, Louisa, Austin, Samuel, Caroline, George H , Benjamin F.; Samuel died in 1863. They came to this county in 1856; the father was a tailor. In 1854, William H. married Mrs. Julietta (Noble) Turner, daughter of James and Sarah Turner, who was born July 28, 1833. They had five children, namely: Elwood S., born November 1, 1855; Lewis T., October 11, 1857; Charles H., January 28, 1859; William D., December 24, 1860; and Sarah J., March 21,1863, and died July 28, 1865. Mrs. Jones died January 13, 1865. The family are of Scotch and French descent. Mr. Jones owns one hundred and fifty-two acres of land, acquired by the exertions of himself and family. His land originally cost seventy-five cents an acre; it now has first-class improvements. He has held several township offices.

Albert Lorenzo Kuhisch, post office. Auburn, is a son of John and Agnes Kubisch ; the former, born in Poland Province, at Posen, Village of Neutasch, Kries Czarmikan, Kingdom of Prussia, May 7, 1787 The mother, a native of the same place, born October 6, 1790. They were married in their native place, and had eight children, viz : George, born April 24, 1812; Jacob, born January 7, 1814; Kristine, born March 12, 1819 ; Valentin, born February 11, 1822; Thomas, born January 24, 1823 Justin, born July 23, 1825 ; Peter, born April 11, 1828 ; Albert L, born July 30, 1831. All now dead, except Justin and Albert L. Father, John Kubisch, died November 19, 1843 ; mother, Hedivig Kubisch, died March 21, 1851 ; Jacob, March 1, 1817; Valentin, March 3, 1822; Thomas, July 22, 1842 ; Peter, March 20, 1851 ; Kristine, April 5, 1869 ; George, July l^, 1871. The subject of this biography was the eighth child, and left Poland in September, 1855 ; landed at New York ; from there came to Chicago, thence to Wisconsin, where he remained two years. In 1857, went to St. Louis ; started for New Orleans, and was detained at Grand Gulf, on account of yellow fever ; while there, was taken sick and sent to the hospital ; after being dismissed, traveled about a year through the Southern States, then came to this county, in the fall of 1860, and worked for Reuben Brown a year, then went to Humphrey, and stayed until March, 1862, when he enlisted in the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, and was taken prisoner, with part of his regiment, at Harper's Ferry ; was paroled, and sent, first to Annapolis, Maryland, and then to Camp Douglas, Chicago, where he was discharged. He returned to this county, bought one hundred acres of land, where he now lives a bachelor's life. The farm is well improved. Mr. K. is intelligent, and especially well informed in ancient history; reads in the Polish, German and English languages, and is very liberal in his views of religion. Before he was a soldier, had traveled extensively in Russia. After living in this country twenty-one years, he returned to his native land, and visited the scenes of his childhood, but found so great a change that he felt like a stranger. Mr.K. is a member of the Masonic lodge, and belongs to Blue Lodge, No. 354, Auburn township, and also belongs to Royal Lodge, No. 92.

James M. Lewis^ son of Edden and Winnefred Lewis, both natives of Caldwell county, Kentucky. They were married in Kentucky ; mother's maiden name Winnefred Easley, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Easley. They had eight children: William R., died in 1849, James M., John W., died in 1860, Margaret E., Sarah, Martha A., Samuel, Mary, died in 1865; parents moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1829; bought a small farm, and entered other lands; mother died in 1835; father in 1850.

The subject of this sketch was married four times, first, to Miss BarrillaM.Lockridge, March 6, 1851, by whom he had two children: Cyrus E., born November, 1852; James W., 1857; ^ife died, May 4, 1857. Married Mrs. Emily C. Ricks, [nee Simpson,) August 30, 1860; had two children: Belle, born 1861; son died in infancy; wife died, April 24, 1864. Married Miss Mary A. Clayton in 1860; had two children:' Julia, born January 5, 1866; Manfred S., born 1868, died in March, 1877; wife died, June 20, 1868;

He married for his present wife, Miss Malissa Jane Burris, and by this marriage four children have been born: Alice, born February 10, 1878. John R., June 30, 1873; Samuel B., March 15, 1875; Adella M, February 25, 1877, died March 24, 1880. Mr. L. owns three hundred and twenty acres of valuable land.

Mrx. Jennette McTaggart, post office. Pawnee, is a daughter of Thomas and Jane Carsevell, natives of Scotland. They were married in 18 29, and had seven children- - one son and six daughters, all living. Two are married and living in Scotland. Alexander McTaggart was born in Scotland, about 1834; came to this country with his parents. He married the subject of this sketch in September, 1859, and they have had six children: N. L., born November 26, 1861; Jane, October 16, 1863; Margaret R., December 19, 1868; Amanda, October 11, 1870; John Thomas, July 10, 1873. Margaret died September 22, 1S67; Jane, October 1, same yaar. Mr. McTaggart died April 15, 1874, of typhoid pneumonia. Mrs. McT. owns three hundred acres of land, valued at ^60 an acre. Ttiere are good improvements. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Taggart are well educated.

J^noch Megredy, father of James Megredy, was born in 1794, in Cecil county, Maryland; of English and Scotch ancestry; and was married August 20, 1816, to Mary S. Jones, who was born April 7, 1798, in Cecil county, Maryland; of English parentage. He engaged in merchandising, and about the year 1823, moved into an adjoining county in Pennsylvania and continued the mercantile business until 1832, when he returned to his farm in Cecil county, Maryland, (located on the original Nottingham survey), with the intention of removing to Illinois at an early date, but through the influence of his father, was induced to postpone the trip for a time. His father died in 1836, and on April 15, 1837, started for Illinois, and landed in Sangamon county June 16, 1837, where part of the family have resided to this time (1881), on land purchased of Z. Peter, who was one of the commissioners appointed to locate the present Capital of the State. The farm is on section four, township fourteen, range five, at the confluence of Lick and Sugar creeks.

James J. Megredy, son of Enoch Megredy, was born in Cecil county, Maryland, February 2, 1819. Came to Illinois with his father, and was married December 30, 1841, in Sangamon county, Illinois, to Anna R. Hall, who was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, October 7, 1822. They had ten children. Moved from the present Woodside to Brush creek, (Oak Ridge), and settled on the present location, section two, township thirteen, range five, in 1851. This part of Sangamon county being at that time very sparsely settled, and some of the land unentered, a quarter section was entered and improved, and an eighty acre tract added, upon which the house was built in 1867, where the family now reside, surrounded by an intelligent and prosperous community. In 1856 and '57, J. J. Megredy was elected, with S. M. Cullom, present Governor, representative of Sangamon county to the State Legislature; and subsequently, to the board of supervisors; and has been continuously connected with the educational interests of the township since 1857. Post office, Pawnee, Sangamon county.

Christian liichert, post office, W^hite Oak, Montgomery county, is the son of Christopher F. and Magdalene Richert, natives of Germany, the former born in 1791 and died in 1861, and the later born in 1793 and died in 1833. Their five children were: Christopher S., born December 21, 1821, Gottlieb R., in 1823; Christian, the subject of this sketch, January 6, 1825; Frederick in 1827; Benjamin, in 1829. Gottlieb and

Frederick died in 1849. Christian came to this country in 1854, and after a year spent at Auburn, New York, came to Jersey county, this State and thence to this county, working first as a farm hand, and subsequently renting land until he bought where he now lives. February 2, 1853, he married Miss Catharine Mower, at Jerseyville, also a native of Germany. They had seven children, viz: John, born March 10, 1859; Wilhelmina P., born December 22, 1860, and died the 12th of April, of the same year; Carl Wilhelm, born November 17, 1862; Louisa M., July 24, 1864; Pauline S., June 8, 1867; Edward H., May 9, 1872; Emma, June 22, 1874'. Mrs. K was born October 3, 1832 and died January 10, 1878. Mr. R. was naturalized about 1861. His early educational advantages were good. He now owns two hundred and eighty acres of valuable land, the accumulation of himself and family. He takes great interest in the improvement of his live stock.

Daniel H. Starkweather, post office. Auburn, is a son of Asa and Louisa (Harvey) Starkweather, natives of Vermont, the former born Jahiiafy 7, 1807, and mother, August 7, 1812. They were married September 4, 1834, and came to Morgan county, Illinois, in wagons. After four years' residence they removed to Jersey county, where they resided until their death; the former in September, 1845, and the latter in 1856. They had five children, two sons and three daughters: Daniel H., born November 13, 1888; Mary L., May 9, 1841; Emily, July 2, 1843; Asa and Louisa, May 26, 1846; Louisa died the same year. The father entered land in Morgan county and improved a farm, Daniel H. was brought up on a farm. August 21, 1862, he married Lucinda Kirkpatrick, by whom he had two children: Emily W., born May 28, 1863, and Amanda C, December 22, 1864, and died April 23, 1865. Mrs. S. died April 3, 1865, February 25, 1866, Mr. S. married Sarah A. Utt, who was born in (ireene county, Illinois. Their children were: Walter U., born February 28, 1867, and died November 12, 1868; Asa E., March 9, 1869; Charles, November 24, 1871, and died December 3, following; Harry, February 18, 1873, and died the 24th of that month; James, born December 30, 1876; Bessie, December 5, 1880. Mr. S. owns one hundred and sixty acres of land, worth $50 an acre. He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church.

Erminia M. Valentine, postottice. Pawnee, is a daughter of John and Mary Maddy,the former born in Virginia, in 1812, and the latter in Ohio; in the latter State, in 1835, they were married, and they had two children: Erminii, the subject of this notice, born in Gallia county, Ohio, in 1836; and Hudson, born in the same State, in 1838, September 20, 1855, Erminia married Alfred Leonard, whose parents were born in Virginia; they immediately came to this county, purchased school land and improved the land where she now lives. They had eight children: Mary E., born July 30, 1856; Charles W., born October 15, 1857, and died August 31, 1858; George A,, born November 26, 1858, and died September 1, 1860; Sarah F., born August 28, 1861; James E., born July 8, 1863; Efiie L,, and Emma J., born September 6, 1865; and Olive B., August 25, 1872. Mr, Leonard died March 21, 1873, aged 53 years, and Olive B. Leonard died October 7, 1881, aged nine years, one month and twelve days. In March, 1880, Mrs. L, married Isaac Valentine, who was born in Ohio, in 1827, She owns twohundred and forty acres, valued at $50 an acre, well improved, and everything denotes prosperity,

John B. Weber, post oflSce, pawnee, son of John B. and Elizabeth Weber; father was born at or near Nuremburg, Germany, in 1778, and his mother born in Shepherd stown, Jefferson county, Virginia, December 30, 1790; father came to the United States about 1800, settling in Virginia; in 1805, he married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Philip Shutt, and by that marriage there were six children, all sons, who grew to maturity, viz: William, born in 1807; George E., John B., April 7, 1810; Philip W,, Jacob J. and Peter S.; the two latter are deceased.

The subject of this sketch was born in Jefferson county, Virginia, and came to this county in April 16, 1836, locating in Springfield; September 23, 1832, in Shepherdstown, Virginia, he married Sarah Ann Waltz, and of his ten children, seven lived to years of maturity, viz: George William, Sarah Elizabeth, Virginia, Andrew J., George P., James W., Amanda M., Cornelia E., Benjamin R. and Charles E.; the two first mentioned died in Virginia in their second year, and Virginia died in Springfield, also in her second year; Andrew J. was killed at Vicksburg, June 30, 1863, he was Colonel of the Eleventh Missouri Infantry; James W. was a member of the Tenth Illinois Cavalry, was honorably discharged, and on his way home was assassinated. John B., the father, learned cabinet making in Maryland; followed the business two years in New York City, six years at Shepherdstown, Virginia, and five years in Sangamon county, Illinois, where he was disabled by the loss of a hand by a buzz saw, after which he was elected copyist of the land records of the State; after following this business six years he went to California, in 1849; returning in the fall of 1851, he purchased a farm in Pawnee township, where he has since continued to reside, and where he has one of the best farms in the county; has been sheriff and collector - 1854-6; was Quartermaster and Commissary during the Mormon War, under Governor Ford, in the fall of 1846. His first wife died August 5, 1866, and November 28, 1867, he married Mrs. Nancy J. Drennan, nee Dodds.

George P. Weber, post office, Pawnee, is a son of John B. and Sarah A, Weber, and was born in this country, December 2, 1842; his parents settled in Pawnee township, where he remained until 1861, when he enlisted in the First United States Rifle Regiment, afterwards called Eleventh Missouri Infantry. On returning home, he married Miss Vienna Meader, daughter of Timothy E., and Miriam H. Meader; she was born in this county April 21, 1842. They have had five children: Mary A., born October 5, 1864, Sarah A., January 31, 1866; Timothy, June 16, 1869; Eli, April 26, 1871; and Eva, November 25, 1880. Mr. W. is one of the number of successful farmers of south Sangamon. He has the only herd of Holstein cattle in the county; he also raises Cotswold sheep and Berkshire swine.

county in 1837. He married Miss Amanda M. Shepherd, who also was born in the same county as he, November 8, 1811. Their five children are all living, viz: John P., born March 19, 1840; Mary E., January 8, 1842; William S., March 11, 1844; Amanda E., March 3, 1846; Sarah C, February 19, 1848; Emma S., November 26, 1851, Mr. Weber was at first a carpenter and millwright; was in California in 1849-50. In 1851, he purchased his present farm, and he now owns two hundred and fifty-seven acres, valued at |50 per acre. Raises stock for market. His son, William S., served in the late war. Mr. and Mrs. W. are members of the M. E. Church, also all their children.

John Wetizler was born December 25, 1840, the son of Joseph and Monicha Wenzler, natives of Germany, the father born January 5, 1805, and the mother in 1811; they were married about 1830, and had eight children, Christian, Polly, Catharine, Lewis, John, Bertie, Lena and Mary; Polly and Lewis are deceased. John emigrated to this county in 1854, and worked as a farm hand. March 7, 1871 he married Elizabeth Clouse, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Clouse, father a native of Germany, and mother from Ireland. They have had three children, John Franklin, born July 10, 1878; two died in infancy. Mr. W. owns two hundred acres of valuable land, acquired by his own industry and economy. He received a good education in Germany, and two terms of country school in this county, and is a member of the Masonic lodge at Pawnee.

The township of Rochester was first settled in 1818, It comprises township fifteen, north of range four west. Among the early settlers were James McCoy, Archibald Sattley, Robert Sattley, Oliver Stafford, William Roberts, James Bowling, John T. Benham, James Gregory, Fields Jarvis, John Warrick, Daniel Parkinson, Isaac Keys, Levi Gooden, Philip Clark, Edward Clark, Andrew Jones, Andrew St. John, William Woods, Christopher Payne, Levi Locker, the Sheltons, and others.

William Roberts was from Pennsylvania, and moved here in the spring of 1819. He subse quently moved to Adams county, Illinois, and there died.

James McCoy was born July 25, 1791, in Nicholas county, Kentucky. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, from Kentucky, in the dragoons under Colonel Dick Johnson, and was in the battle where Tecumseh was killed. He returned to Kentucky, and was married in Nicholas county, September 15, 1814, to Jane Murphy. They moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving in the fall of 1818, on Horse creek, in what is now Cotton Hill township. Mr. McCoy and Levi W. Goodan owned a wagon together, and each had a horse, a wife and two children, and both families moved from Kentucky in that wagon together. Their wives were two of the six women who came to Sangamon county that year, the wives of the two Drennans, Joseph Dodds, and Mr. Yancil being the other four. Mr. and Mrs. McCoy had twins there. One of them died in infancy. In the spring of 1819, they moved to what is now Rochester township.

James McCoy died March 25, 1844, and Mrs. Jane McCoy died January 22, 1852, both on the farm where they settled in 1819, adjoining Rochester on the east.

James McCoy bought the first full sack of salt ever sold in Springfield. He paid for it in coon skins. Salt was brought in sacks of about four bushels. His brother, Joseph E., says that he assisted in catching the coons, and it took all winter to procure enough to buy that sack of salt. This occurred in 1821 or 1822.

Jabez Capps, born September 9, 1796, in the city of London, England, came to America in the summer of 1817, arriving near what is now Springfield, Illinois, in the spring of 1819, and is believed to have been the first school teacher in Sangamon county. He was married in 1828, near Rochester, to Prudence A. Stafford, who was born in Vermont. Mrs. Capps died May 13, 1836. Jabez Capps was again married near Rochester, Illinois, September, 1836, to Elizabeth Baker.

Mr. Capps was a merchant in Springfield from 1827 to 1830, when he formed a company and laid out the town of Mt. Pulaski; bought his goods from Springfield, and continued in business until 1870. Mr. Capps was postmaster at Mt. Pulaski for fifteen years, and county recorder four years. He and his family reside in Mt. Pulaski.

John Capps was born December 16, 1810, in London, England. Came to America with his mother, brothers and sisters, arriving in Springfield, lUfnois, in November, 1830. He was married there September 5, 1833, to Nancy Clements, who was born October 2, 1817, in Lincoln county, Kentucky. (She is a cousin of Mrs. Mathew Cloyd); in 1844, moved to Mt.

Christopher B. StaflEord, was born July 22, 1797, at Coventry, Kent county, Rhode Island. He was married in Essex county, New York, in 1820 to Laura Eggleston, who died within one year, and he married her sister, Sophronia Eggleston, and moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving July 25, 1824, at Rochester. Mrs. Sophronia Stafford died, and he was twice married after that. His last two wives were sisters, by the name of Shelton. Christopher B. Stafford was an ordained preacher in the Baptist Church more than forty years. Thirty years of that time he was a justice of the peace, or rather a peacemaker, as it is said of him that he used his office to settle difficulties without law, although by that way of doing business he generally deprived himself of fees. He died March 17, 187u, near Rochester, Illinois.

Jewett Stafford, was born January 13, 1795, at Coventry, Kent county, Rhode Island, was taken by his pai'ents in 1804, to Essex county. New York. In 1812, he went as a soldier from that county in the war with England, was in the battle of Plattsburg, Boquet river, near Willsboro, his home. Jewett was married in 1818 to Harriet Eggleston, in Essex county, New York. She was born there March 4, 1802. They moved to Sangamon county, arriving July, 1825, where Rochester now stands. Mr. Stafford died in 1862.

Nathaniel Graham, was born in Pennsylvania. When a young man he went to Columbus, Ohio, and a few years later to Fleming county, Kentucky, where he was married to Sarah Harbor. They had eight children in Fleming county, and the family moved to Springfield, Illinois, arriving in the fall of 1826. In the spring of 1827, they moved three and a half miles east of Springfield, betwen Sugar creek and the south fork of Sangamon river.

John Delay, was born in Virginia, taken by his parents to Bath county, Kentucky, and was there married to Elizabeth Branch, a sister to Edward Branch. She was born November 25, 1785, near Lynchburg, A^irginia. They moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1829, and settled near Rochester.

John Lock was born January 10, 1799, in the town of Farrisburg, Addison county, Vermont. Maria Jaquays was born August 31, 1802, in the same county. They were there married, January 5, 1820, and after the lapse of a few years, moved to Essex county, New York. The family moved

John and Jacob Warrick were from Kentucky, and were large raw-boned men, one of them weighing two hundred and eighty pounds. They were as strong as they were large. They moved to Adams county.

Fields Jarvis came from the neighborhood of Edwardsville. He was a giant in height, being six feet eleven inches in height. He went north about the time of the lead mine excitement.

First Born

Joseph E. McCoy, son of James and Jane Mc- Coy, was born March 1, 1819, and was the first born in the township, and in the entire county of Sangamon. He now resides in Beloit, Mitchell county, Kansas.

First Death

The first death in the township was that of George Simpson, who died in 1820, and was the first person buried in the cemetery at Rochester village.

First Entries

The public lands of Sangamon county were first surveyed in 1821, and the first sales made by the general government were on the 6th of November, 1823, at which time Isaac Keys, Sr., entered the northwest quarter and the west half of the southwest quarter of section thirty-one, township fifteen, range four west; this being the first entry in the township, if not in the county. November 17, Philip Clark entered the east half of the northeast quarter and the east half of the southeast quarter of section seventeen, and Edward Clark the east half of the northwest quarter of the same section; and William Chilton the west half of the southwest quarter of section four. These were the only government sales in the township prior to 1824.

The first school in Rochester township Avas held in 1823, Samuel Williams being the teacher. A description of the school house where this school was kept, is given by Mr. Williams in his reminiscences in this chapter.

A petition, duly signed by seventy-three legal voters of the township, was presented to Wm. F. Elkin, the Sangamon county agent of school lands, ordering the^teenth section to be offered at public sale at the court house in Springfield, on the fourth Monday in April, 1832, in conformity with the law - the law being that the section could not be sold unless petitioned by three-fourths of the qualified voters of any township containing not less than fifty legal votes. This petition was sworn to and subscribed before Z. Peters, Justice of the Peace.

The proceeds of the sale of the sixteenth section amounted to $1,160. This fund was loaned at twelve per cent, till 1846, and from then till 1850 at eight per cent, and afterwards at ten per cent. The interest was distributed by the commissioners to the treasurers of the school districts, organized under the act of 1825, until 1833, when he distributed the interest direct to the teachers. This method of distribution was continued u»til the act of 1845, when the commissioner paid the interest to the township treasurer, and finally the fund was passed over to the care of the township.

The first township trustees in office under the act of 1845, were Samuel Williams, Robert Bell and James Bashaw. Mr. Williams was appointed township treasurer September 17, 1845, and was by virtue of his office, superintendent of schools in the township.

There has been great improvement in educational work since Samuel Williams taught school in the old log house, so aptly described by him. There are now in the township nine districts and nine school-houses, valued at 812,300.

Where and by whom the first religious exercises in the township were held is unknown,* but it is well-known the Methodist circuit rider, and itinerant preacher was here at a very early day. The first now remembered was a Rev. Mr. Hale. He was a rough man, and feared not to tell men they were sinners, and preach to them the condemnation. He told them upon one occasion that he " did not come to plaster them over with untempered mortar, and he would tell them that if they did not repent they would all go to hell." Rice and Miller were also early ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

There are now, including those in the village of Rochester, four churches in the townshij), represented by the following denominations, Methodist Episcopal, Christian and Universalist.

"As has very often been the case, so in regard to this section of our country, Methodism was introduced here by local preachers. As early as 1821, Rev. James Sims located near the spot where the village of Rochester now stands, and preached the gospel to the few early settlers round about, some of whom came from many miles distant to hear the word; and soon this earnest herald of Christianity formed a society of like faith with himself; when the Indiana Conference, learning of his success, sent them a traveling preacher, by the name of Rice, the first one sent among them. In 1822, he was followed by Rev. John Miller, and he by Rev. Hargrave, in 1823, and Glenville Phelps in 1824. In 1825, Rev. Peter Cartwright came as supply; then came James House, in 1827, and Rev. Tarken and John Sinclaire, in 1828. Then in

1831, Rev. Sabastian; and in '32 Christopher J. Houts. Then from this date to 1848 we find the names of Moses Shunk, Peter Akers, David Mott, Henry Frank, Rev. Lucket, and Peter Ketchum (a. local); John T. Stamper, as presiding elder, and C. W. Lewis. About this time, before and after, these early preachers supplied the scattered population of territory which now forms contiguous counties, and parts of the States of Indiana and Illinois. At an early day we also find the names of Richard Bird, Isiah Haines, and George Fairbanks, as circuit preachers, perhaps on what was then called Decatur Circuit, and afterwards Sangamon; for in those days church organizations were few and far between; and Mr. M. D. McCoy, of Rochester, informs us that the first Quarterly Conference that he attended as a steward from that place, was at a distance of forty miles and was held at Decatur. Since then hundreds of Methodist Churches have been erected in the territory then constituting but one circuit, embracing all the cities, towns, and villages therein; and we find along the line, down to the present time the names of many well-known earnest and successful ministers who have at various times preached in and about Rochester, and organized and ministered to societies thus constituted, in circuits of various names, which, at different times, embraced the township, or parts thereof, siicli is Methodism at work - as it has always been, everywhere. Most of the names we shall mention are found elsewhere, perhaps, in this volume; but our township has a claim upon their record: H. Buck, Wm. Travis, Mobley, Sloan, Semple, Lane, Hopkins. Wm. Prentis, J. C. Kimber, S. H. Clark, D. P. Lyon, Jonas Dimit, Newton Cloud, J. L. Crane, Wm, T. Bennett, John Nottingham, Wm. Murphey, Leonard Smith, T. M. Dillon, J. C. Daily, Wm. Curnut, G. W. Dungan; and the present resident pastor is Rev. J. M. Dunavan. Several of those named were here only as presiding elders, and preached at their quarterly meetings.

"One not yet named in this connection deserves special mention as a long resident pioneer of this part of Sangamon county, who labored faithfully and successfully as a local preacher, and has left many seals to his ministry and monuments of his philanthropic benevolence. We allude to Rev. John Cooper, who married many couples, and baptized more persons than any other one man of his day, and lived to see vast numbers converted and gathered into the Church of Christ. His record is found also in connection w'ith the history of Cooper township, as his residence was in that part of the county; but his Christian field was much wider in extent.

"The first society, or class at Rochester, of the M. E. Church, was formed by him and of which he was leader in 1821; and the first M. E. preacher had but four members, John Cooper and his wife, Nancy Giger, and one other not recollected, and was the nucleus around which grew a circuit, now composing five presiding elders' districts. Till the year 1827, preaching in and about Rochester, was done only in private houses, when a log school house was elected, and thence on till 1852, that served the purpose of a church. In that year the small brick one was built by means of general contribution, but under the auspices of the Universalists of the lilace, yet used by consent by other ministers, till 18V5, when the present neat and convenient frame house was erected at a cost of -|2,350. The work of Christianity among them seems to be permanently established in the community, and many of the best and influential citizens are its supporters. One of the earliest class leaders was Joseph E. McCoy, who is yet a resident of the vicinity, and is known as 'Uncle Joe,' now quite old, yet hale and active, at d waiting to be called home. He held the office of leader thirty-three years, from 1821 to 1854, when his nephew, M. D. McCoy, was appointed,

"The Sunday school was organized at Rochester in 1828, and continued for many years during the summer, and for the last twenty years during the whole year, being superintended most of the time by Mr. M. D. McCoy. Dr. E. R. Babcock, of the village, held the position two years, and Mrs. G. W. Dungan, the pastor's wife, was a very efficient superintendent one year. For the last thirty years this school has been known as the M. E. Sunday School of Rochester.

"At present there are four church buildings owned by the Methodist Episcopal Church in the township, and two others jnst over the line in adjoining ones, supported by one-half their membership, residing in Rochester township. Round Prairie, in the northwest quarter of the township, has long been a point of some note in the Christian work of Methodism, and although at times embraced in the work of Rochester circuit, it has for many years been one of the appointments in the Springfield circuit, and is at present served by Rev. A. H. Gunnett, as pastor. At a very early day a society was formed here and preaching and other religious services were held in a small brick school-house erected on an acre of ground presented by Mr. B. S. Edwards, of Springfield, and afterwards in a larger frame house, taking the place of the former one, removed. About the year 1860, a good frame house was erected upon an acre of ground adjoining the school-house lot, presented by A. H. Kalb, for that use, in accord wnth the will and precious purpose and desire of the former owner, Absalom Kalb, now deceased. This church is known as Round Prairie Chapel. It cost about $1,000. The house is deeded to trustees agreeably to the rules of the M. E. Church, but ministers of various other denominations of Christians have preached in it at times and the venerable Father Albert Hale, of the Presbyterian Church, had a stated appointment there for a number of years, and received the cordial welcome and liberal support of the whole community, and only increasing feebleness by age caused him to discontinue his ministerial services at the place.

"Such, then, has been the history of Methodism in this new field, as in all others where it has gone in this and other lands, first on foot and horse-back by the early pioneers, then in gigs and buggies, and now more extensively by railway and steamboats.

"Its founder said, 'The world is my parish,' and his followers are now in all parts of the earth, numbered by many millions in the church militant, and the church triumphant.

Christian Churches Of Rochester

"In the fall of 1831, Elder Hugh Bowles, from Kentucky, with his family, arrived in Sangamon county. During the ensuing winter, and some months after, he abode with his old friend, Isaac Baker, Sr. While remaining in this vicinity. Elder Bowles devoted much of his time to preaching the gospel, in different neighborhoods. Among the early settlers in the county, were many isolated members of the Church of Christ, of the denomination called Christians, who, since their arrival, had remained un-united, in a church capacity. After consultation with the brethren, and due reilection, Elder Bowles resolved to organize a church in this vicinity 'founded on the Bible, and the Bible alone, as the all sufficient and only infallible rule of religious faith and practice.'

This resolution he proceeded to carry into effect, at a public meeting, held at the residence of Thomas Baker, about one and a half miles south of west from Rochester, on the 5th day of April, 1832. At the close of the meeting, Thomas Baker and Samuel Williams were chosen as Deacons of the congregation.

"The names of those who originally united in the organization, were as follows: Elder Hugh Bowles and Mrs. Bowles, Anderson Bowles and his wife, Joseph, Walter and Elizabeth Bowles, Annie Payne, Isaac Baker, Sr., and Mrs. Baker, Joseph Baker and his wife, Thomas Baker and his wife, James Baker and his wife, Andrew Richards and his wife, Isaac Martin and his wife, William Ruddell and his wife, William Poor, Sr., and his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Delay, Mrs. Deborah Stokes, Mrs. Levi Gooden, Mrs. Mary Williams, Sr., and Samuel Williams, and perhaps others whose names are not now recollected, after a period of more than forty-nine years, and the original record having been lost. Near the time of Elder Bowles' removal to his future home in Logan county, Illinois, he committed the care and general oversight of the church to Elder Isaac Martin, who, not many months after, with the approbation of the members, ordained Andrew Richards and Samuel Williams as elders of the congregation. By the services of Elder Martin and the frequent visits of Elder Bowles and his zealous son Walter, and the occasional aid of several pioneer preachers of the Gospel, members were frequently added to the church, not only in its near vicinity, but also from distant neighborhoods. Under these circumstances, meetings were frequently held on the same Sunday in Rochester, on the south fork of the Sangamon river, and in the Richardson settlement on the south side of the river.

"At a meeting held by Elder Bowles in the summer of 1837, near the residence of Isaac Bell, in the grove, he informed the brethren that after due consideration and counsel with the brethren and advised by himself and many other persons, Brother Williams had resolved to take part in preaching the Gospel; and there being no objections, he was authorized to do so. About that time, as my memory serves me, Robert Bell and John Stokes, Sen., were set apart as additional elders in the church. In the summer of 1851, Elder P. Vawter visited the church and held a meeting four or five days, which resulted in about thirty additions. During several years the meetings were in private dwellings, in small school houses, in groves, and frequently in latter years, in the large and commodious barn of Robert Bell. In the summer of 1852 our new meeting house was ready for use, and on the first Sunday in June, as my record shows, the first public discourse was made in that edifice, which was situated just over the line, in Cotton Hill township ; but a majority of the members have always resided in Rochester township, there being but two members residing in Cotton Hill when organized.

"In the fall of 1852, William M. Brown held a protracted meeting in this house, which resulted in more than fifty additions to the church. The names of those who have been employed by the church as preachers, since the year 1852, are as follows: William A. Mallory, in the year 1853; A. McCollom, 1854; A. Johnson, in 1855; Wicklif Taylor, monthly visits, free of charge, from 1855 to 1860; Elder Dunkinson, in 1864. In December, 1864. Alfred Lewis, Lawson H. Smith, and John Stokes, Jr., were ordained as elders; Benjamin Auxier and J. A. Waddle, as deacons. In the fall of 1867, E. C. Weekly and Elder Moppin held a protracted meeting, resulting in about seventy additions. After that. Elder Weekly preached during the year 1868; Elder John Wilson, in 1870; Samuel Lowe, in 1871-72; E. C. Weekly, in 1873; and A. J. Kane, from 1874 to 1881; since then, Elder W. W. Weeden.

During the last forty years, the number of members in the church has ranged from one hundred to one hundred and lorty. Its present number is one hundred and thirty. The elders are John Johnson and I. B. Williams; and its present deacons are Benjamin Auxier and Mr. Hunter.

First Rocheser Christian Church

"As the first Rochester church formed an integral part of the old South Fork Church, its early history is included in the record of that church. Its territory included the Round Prairie, Rochester, and thence south one and a half miles to the sectional line running east and west across the township. After the year 1841, the Rochester chui'ch was considered as an independent organization, its elders being Andrew Richards and Samuel Williams, and after 1842, its deacons were Samuel West and William S. Bashaw. In August, 1842, Elder William Brown held a five days' meeting in Rochester, which resulted in about twenty-four additions to the church, among whom were Benjamin West, Samuel West, Dr. B. F. Dickerson, James McCune, and others. Our meetings were usually held either in Rochester or a school house in the northeast corner of the township. During about twenty years, the church continued to prosper, being sustained by its own public services and the occasional aid of Elder William M. Brown, A. J. Kane, Walter Bow^les, William A. Mallory, and several other preachers. But about the year 1862, Elder Richards and other leading members having died, and I being no longer ab'e to preach, in consequence of failure of health, and the members not being able to build a house in Rochester, it was thought best for those who could be thus better accommodated to unite with the brethren in the German Prairie, and others over the Sangamon river. A good lueeting house was there built and a prosperous church organized. It may be proper to add that the first Rochester church was seldom disturbed, either by internal strife, or by contentions with other religious organizations. It usually contained from fifty to eighty members.

Second Rochester Christian Church

" Near the close of the year 1874, there were some members in the South Fork Christian Church, who thought it advisable to sustain preaching in Rochester, and by the contribution of church members and other persons favorable to the effort, the services of Eider A. J. Kane, of Springfield, were procured one Sunday in each month. In this manner he served the brethren in Rochester four years. Near the close of December, 1875^ he continued his meetings several evenings and during the last two, five persons obeyed the Gospel. But instead of continuing the interesting meeting he was under the necessity of leaving to attend a protracted meeting of his own appointing in Fulton county. In order to continue the meeting the services of James Logan, of California, were obtained. During a meeting of four weeks continuance, many persons professed faith in Christ, and were baptized. Before the close of the meeting Elder Kane returned, and before the departure of Elder Logan most of the new converts and other old members residing within two or three miles united together as a church of Christ.

"In September, 1877, our new meeting house, thirty-six by fifty-six feet was ready for use, and the dedication sermon was preached by Elder W. W. Everest, President of Eureka College. In December, 1877, Elder P. Vawter held a protracted meeting, which resulted in sixteen or twenty additions to the church. In 1878, Henry P. Clark and James McCune, were chosen as elders, and William Windsor and Samuel WolJ ford, deacons of the church. Elder Burton succeeded Elder Kane as preacher for several months, in the year 1879, and perhaps some longer, and after a few months vacation. Elder W. A. Mallory !^ucceeded him and still continues to serve the church as pastor. Since the organization of the church, nine or ten members have died, and many have moved to distant localities, while others, choosing to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, have abandoned their religious profession; yet there still remains thirty-six or forty members faithful to Christ. The church is now out of debt, and the present indications are, that it will survive some of the degrading vices of the present day."

Mineral Springs

By special request of the publishers, Mr. K. visited a mineral spring, located in the southwest corner of section twenty-one, township fifteen, range four, about eight miles southeast of Springfield, and writes of it as follows:

"No special attention has been given to preparing the spring for public use, but the present owner had it walled up with brick a few years ago, and enclosed it with a board fence within a space of twelve feet square, allowing any who so wished to come and take water from it as they might desire.

company with Rev. A. H. Gunnett, and was hospitably entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Olcott, who furnished every facility to aid him in his research. The spring is about one-third of a mile from the family residence, in a narrow ravine, through which passes a small rill heading in the prairie, a few hundred yards north of the spot, which unites with another similar stream a few yards south.

"The water within the brick wall was four feet in diameter, and about five feet in depth at the time of the visit; but subsequently a small vein of water which seems to be of the same kind as that in the spring is found issuing from the side of the ravine, a short distance below the junction of the two mentioned, and, as is supposed, has lessened the amount that issues at the spring above. On making further observations at the spot, the writer calculated that the level of the water in the spring is about fifty feet lower than the general level of the prairie a short distance north of the place, the lard sloping off toward the south fork of the Sangamon river, which is pi'obably not more than oneeighth of a mile distant, southward.

" There have been numerous instances of the effiicacious uses of the water producing satisfactory results. Dr. Shields, of Ball township, was the owner of this spring many years ago, and relates that he at times, before the country was settled up, saw many wagon loads of persons from the southern part of the State, and elsewhere, that came to the spring and camped there for the benefit of the medical qualities of the water; so that more than fifty years ago it was renowned as valuable. But many remarkable cures therefrom have been known of later times, and numerous witnesses can be obtained to testify thereto. Mr. Olcott is also now using the water with good effect, upon himself. He further says that though he has fed a great many hogs, he has never had any cases of cholera among them, and he ascribes it to the fact that they have always had access to the water issuing from the spring. A similar testimony is given by his neighbor, Mr. Dickerson, through whose feed-lots the water passes.

Sir - The sample of mineral water received fremyou has been as thoroughly analyzed as the small quantity would permit, with the following results: It is trans- parent and clear, with a sulphuretted odor and taste. One United States standard gallon contains 72 lo-lOO grains of solid mineral water, consisting of potash, soda, lime, magnesia, carbonic and sulphuric arids, chlorine and sulphur. It is a valuable and unusual mineral water, belonging to the class known as sulphuretted saline waters, and it is certainly worthy of an exhaustive analysis. Respectfully,

Jiy /Samuel Williams. The following incidents the writer, Rev. Samuel Williams, gives as facts connected with the early history of Rochester townuhip:

"In the fall of 1821, in company with Elias Thompson, Orange Babbitt and Samuel Draper, with their families and some stock, we crossed the Wabash river near Terre Haute, and after traveling a few miles through heavy timber, we came to the eastern edge of the great Illinois prairie. There we saw a patch of cotton and a small log house, but we did not see another house until after traveling several days, when we arrived at the house of Titus Gragg, near what is now called Campbellsburg, in Christian county.

"In March, 1822, my father and the family having arrived, he rented a part of Fields Jarvis' farm, situated in the southeast part of the township, on the farm now owned by Benjamin Auxier. Further north, there was another farm, which was also rented in 1822, by Elias Thompson. At the north edge of the timber were the residences of John Warrick and Daniel Parkinson, and across the prairie, further north, lived James McCoy, with whom his brother Joseph usually resided, Archibald Sattley, Robert Sattley, Oliver Stafford, William Roberts, James Bowland, John T. Benham asd James Gregory, Sr. Further west, Isaac Keys,Sr., Levi Gooden, James Vaughn, the large blacksmith, and Philip Clark, Sr. And in the Round Prairie, Edward Clark, Andrew" Jones, Andrew St. John, Wm. Woods, Christopher Paine, some of the Sheltons, Levi Locker, and a family in a house near the present residence of Joshua Graham. Andrew Johnson, the father of John and Samuel Johnson, was a millwright by occupation, and he came from Scotland at an early date, and he and James Gregory, Sr., were the principal architects in the erection of Mr. Clark's mills. Besides these, there may have been other settlers in the tow^nship whom I did not know, or whose names 1 cannot recollect after a lapse of more than fifty years.

" In those early times, there were many wild wild bees, wild deer, turkeys, raccoons, minks, muskrats, and some others, still hunted in many places by small parties of Indians.

" There were also many patches of cotton and flax in Sangamon county. The women spun and wove the raw material into cloth, from which substantial clothing for both men and women was made. But cloth of a finer texture, mostly white, but delicately striped with bright colors, was also made, which was chiefly designed for women and children's fine dresses. When clothed with such dresses, the young women appeared, not only modest, but very attractive.

" In the year 1822, there was a military company muster in the township, at which many persons were present, some of whom lived many miles distant. Elias Thompson was captain. Some of the men had guns, others used various substitutes. Before proceeding with the exercises, there was some debating with reference to the choice of military tactics, some preferring those of Scott, and others Duane's. The performance was awkward and in some respects comical. After the drill was ended, the captain, as was customary in those days, treated the company to two or three gallons of whisky. Soon after, some of the men became very boisterous, and several of them stripped to the pants for a fistic fight, but finally wiser counsels prevailed, and all went home peaceably.

"There being much rain in those early days, there was much ague in the country. Drs. Darling and Jayne were the first physicians, and in later times were Dr. James P. Kipper, and Dr. Todd, of Springfield.

"In the year 1822, Rivers Cormack, a local Methodist preacher, and William Roberts, of the Baptist persuasion, were the only preachers. Mr. Roberts was rather eccentric, and manifested considerable antipathy against preachers, who received money as pay for their labors. He is said to have given it as his opinion, that ' the Gospel cannot be carried on silver wheels. '

"In the summer of 1823, I taught my first school, the first in the township, in a log cabin, located on the open prairie, on the land now owned by Robert Billings. In 1824, there was a school taught in the Sattley settlement, by Richard E. Barker. In 1824-5, there was a school taught on the south side of the river, near Mr. Clark's mills, by Jabez Capps, a worthy man, and an excellent scholar, but, as reported, so easy and indulgent with children in regard to his discipline, that his school was considered by some as very defective. The first school house on Round Prairie was built in the year 1827 or 1828. William Jones was the first employed as teacher, and taught one day, when the house was burned down at night, supposed to be maliciously, as there had been some contention before it was built, as to its location.

" The following is a description of a school house on Sugar creek, in which I taught school in the year 1824: It was built of logs; was about fourteen by sixteen feet in size, very low; had a clapboard roof, kept down by poles; the chimney was made of wood and clay, with stone back-wall, and jambs; the size of the fire-plaee was about three feet by six; the house was daubed, both inside and out, with clay mortar, up to the roof. If I remember correctly, it had a puncheon floor below, but none above; the door shutter, was made of clapboards fastened together with wooden pins, and hung on heavy wooden hinges. When raising the house the upper and lower half of two logs, in the south end and west side, were cut out for window spaces, in which, strips of wood were placed up and down, on which paper was pasted, and afterwards greased, in order to admit the light; in the lower logs two-inch augur holes were bored, in which strong pins were inserted, as a basis for the puncheon writing desks or tables. The seats or benches, were made of split logs. There were two or three clapboard shelves, on which spare books and the childrens' dinner-baskets were usually placed. There was a small puncheon table and a split bottomed chair, for the use of the teacher. This completed the furniture of the room. Now all was ready for the admission of teacher and pupils, who in those early times enjoyed much pleasure, and seemed proud when meeting together in this very modest and humble school house.

" During fifty-six years, great changes have occurred. Then the Government had not sold any land in the township; now it is all owned by individuals. Then there were no bridges across the large streams and canoes supplied the place of ferry-boats. Then there were no mills, except two second-rate horse-mills; now there is one good steam flouring mill, four substantial meeting houses, nine school districts furnished with commodious school houses. There are now two drug stores, one dry goods store, two grocery stores, one good livery stable and a firstclass flouring mill."

pie, as to whether the county should organize under the Township Organization Law. The vote being favorable, Rochester, in connection with other townships in the county, was organized in April, 1861.

Village Of Rochester

The village of Rochester is one of the oldest in the county. The lands on which the village was located were entered by Archibald and Robert Sattley, and transferred by them to L. V. Ilollenbeck, one of four brothers - Lawrence V., Andrew F., William Henry and Henry William - who came to what is now Rochester township in 1829 or 1830.

Shortly after arriving here L. V. Hollenbeck erected a carding and corn-mill and distillery, run by a tread wheel, and located on the small branch just at the north end of Water street.

The town of Rochester was surveyed and platted by James Gregory, Esq., December 16, 1831. L. Y. Hollenbeck was proprietor of all north of Main street. A. F. Hollenbeck, administrator, acknowledged the plat before C. B. Stafford, justice of the peace, which is recorded in book H, page 141 of records.

C. B. Stafford built a two-story log cabin, where he kept the post office and stage stand. It stood on the corner of Main and Water streets, east of the Iron Bridge. Robert Sattley built his rude cabin a ehort distance to the westwaid of this, and near the spot where stands the Rochester House. A third log cabin was built by Micas Johnson, on the lot just west of the railroad depot. Several of the primitive cabins of these hardy pioneers may yet be seen.

Incorporation

The town of Rochester was incorporated February 1, 1869, under the provision of the general town incorporation laws of the State, passed in 1831, which were afterwards amended from time to time, and elections have been regularly held since that time.

On the 3d day of June, 1873, under a provision of the general incorporation act of 1872, entitled " An act to provide for the incorporation of cities and villages, approved April 10, 1872 ; in force July 1st, 1872," the organization of the Town of Rochester was changed to that of the Village of Rochester undt r said act. The certificate required by law was filed in the office of the recorder of deeds, of Sangamon county, and one copy with the Secretary of State.

The first school in the territory now comprising the village and vicinity of Rochester, was in the winter of 1823- '4 and was taught by Richard E. Barker, in a log house built for another purpose, and transformed into a school house, in which religious services might be held. In 1826, this house was burnt down, and for a time the people had no place of meeting, and the children were without a school house.

The first public school building, proper, was also a log cabin, built late in the fall of 1831, eighteen by twenty feet in size, in the most improved style of those times, having greased paper for window lights and one whole end of the house for a fire-place. However, it could boast of a fair quality of seats and desks made of sawed walnut boards. The lumber of the house was donated by Edward Clark, then running a saw-mill. The condition of the gift was that the house should be used as a school house, and if used for any other purpose, he should have pay for the lumber, at customary prices. But, to whatever uses the house was put to, no pay was ever given to Mr. C. for his lumber

This house was replaced by another and more improved one in 1837, and the first teacher who occupied it was Samuel Williams, who had a short time before taught school in a private house. Several succeeding school houses were erected on the same site, and for some years this was the only school for miles around, and the little house was crowded, at times, with sixty and seventy children.

"The second school house in the village of Rochester was of stone obtained at Samuel Williams' quary on the south fork of the Sangamon river. In the same year this was built, one of frame was also built, about two miles west of the village, near the present south fork bridge, and a few rods west of the residence of John Clark, son of Edward, and now constitutes a part of John's residence. The stone house above mentioned, was twenty by twenty-four feet, and was equal to that of any other village anywhere about.

In the autumn of 1865, the old stone house was removed, and a two-story frame one put in its place, being twenty-six by forty feet, and costing $3,600. From that time the school was graded, and taught by a principal and assistant. The following have been the principals: Everett, Hasbrouck, Stephen Goldsmith, A. O. Houston, I, K. Bradley, J. J. Berry, D. W. Binns, W. T, Crow, Robert Bradbury, Wm. R. Corey, Miss L. D. Burroughs, C. P. Johnson, Timothy McGrath, and S. A. Tobin.

On Friday, September, 10, 1880, the house took fire from a defective flue, and was consumed. School had commenced on the previous Monday. No other place being attainable for the school, preparations were immediately begun for the erection of another upon the same site, which was near enough finished by the spring of 1881, to resume the school.

The house is built of brick, and contains four rooms; but at present only two of these are needed. It is thirty-two by fifty feet, and situated on the west side of Main street, in the central part of the village, and presents a commanding appearance, being a creditable ornament to the village. It cost |5,000, which was procured by issuing bonds.

Dr. E. R. Babcock is a physician and surgeon in the village of Rochester, and was born in Lewis county, New York, March 21, 1826, the son of Job and Sarah (Williams) Babcock.

His father was a farmer on the banks of St. Lawrence river till his death in 1834. His mother died in Michigan, 1862. Dr. B. was educated in the common schools of his native county, and at the academy there. At the ago of twenty-four, he began the study of medicine under Dr. Bruster, of Jefferson county. New York, and in 1851 attended the State University at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and for some years practiced medicine in New York, and then graduated at Burlington University, in Vermont, 1861. In 1863, he came to Sangamon, and soon was placed in charge of Post Hospital at Camp Yates, near Springfield, as surgeon, eighteen months, when he resigned (January 1, 1865), and accepted an appointment on the Board of Examining Surgeons for the Eighth District of the State, which he held till the close of the late war. He spent the summer of 1866 in the East, and returned in the fall to the village of Rochester, where he has continued the practice of medicine to the present time. He was married in 185*7 to Martha Bruster, who was born in New York, the daughter of Dr. Bruster, his former preceptor, and has had two children: O. B., who was born March 26, 185*7, in Jefferson county. New York, and married to Emma Merriam, also born in Jefferson county. New York, but at the time of marriage resided in Romeo, Michigan. Young Dr. O. B. Babcock graduated in the study of inedicine, and is now practicing with his father. A younger son, born September 2, 1872, died March 1, 18'73.

son, has a large share of patronage in, and many miles around the villages in which they reside, enjoying the confidence of all who know them, both being good and influential citizens of the county, while the Doctor and his intelligent and amiable wife are useful members of the M. E. Church. Politically, they are all active Republicans.

Jamea M. Sell, a farmer in Rochester, was born August 6, 1856, in Sangamon county, the son of James and Milla (Dotson) Bell, whose sketch appears in this book. He was raised on a farm, and educated in the common schools till 1872. He then attended the schools of the First Ward, in Sj)ringfield, Illinois, and in 1875, he entered upon the study of medicine, under the direction of Dr. H. O. Bolles, of Springfield, and afterwards graduated in the State University, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the year 1879, after which he practiced medicine at the village of Blackburn, in Christian county, Illinois, during one year. He was married April 29, 1880, to Laura F. North, who was born in Sangamon county, Noveml)er 7, 1859, the daughter of Robert North, who was born October, 1814, in Buckingham county, Virginia, and taken by his parents to Jefferson county, Tennessee, when he was a boy. He came to Sangamon county with his brother, John North, who had been back to Tennessee. They arrived in September, 1832, in what is now Cooper township. Robert North was married in Sangamon county March 29, 1838, to America Schmick. She was born February 10, 1816, in Lincoln county, Kentucky, and came to Sangamon county in company with her mother, brother-in-law - John Clemons, one brother, two sisters and two nephews, arriving in the fall of 1829, and settled three miles south of Springfield. Robert North and wife had six children living in Sangamon county. He was one of the most successful farmers in Sangamon county, and was a resident of Cooper township till his death, September 24, 1880. The widow is yet living at the old homestead. Since their marriage they have moved to the farm now situated in Rochester township, and now own nine hundred and twelve acres of land in Rochester, Buck Hart and Cooper townships, which is under a good state of cultivation, and worth $40 per acre. His wife is a member of the M. E. Church. Politically, they are Democratic.

James II. Bell was born November 30, 1822, in Nicholas county, Kentucky, the son of Robert Bell, who was born March 8, 1795, in Bourbon county, Kentucky. His father was born in Ire- land, and had but four children, Robert, and three sisters. After his sisters were mairied, he had no knowledge of any relative in America, bearing his family name. He was a soldier from Bourbon county in the War of 1812. Robert Bell and Susannah Baker were married February 12, 1818, in that county, and moved to Nicholas county, Illinois, arriving in the fall of 1830, and settled four miles south of the present town of Rochester, where he continued farming to the time of his death on June 25, 1872, near lUiopolis, from injuries caused by a runaway team, four days previous. Mrs. Susannah Bell was made a cripple for life by the same accident. They had lived more than fifty-four years as man and wife, and she survived him till February 29, 1876.

The subject of this sketch came to Springfield, Illinois, with his father, and was married in Sangamon county, Illinois, May 7, 1843, to Miss Milla Dotson, who was born November, 1822, in Loudon county, Virginia; they had four children: Eliza A., born February 25, 1844, and married September 4, 1864, to Benjamin C. Gray, who was born August 12, 1832, near Hopkinsvllle, Kentucky; Mrs. Gray died December, 1874; John W., the second child, died under two years of age; Hiram F., born December 17, 1852; he spent two years in California, and traveled over the greater portion of the State, then returned home; he is now unmarried, and lives with his brother, one and a half miles west of Berry station, on the 0. & M. Railroad; James M., born August 6, 1856; studied medicine in Springfield, and attended the Medical College at Ann Arbor, Michigan; after graduating he returned home, and was married to Laura F. North, daughter of Robert North, and resides one and a half miles west of Berry station. Mr. James H. Bell has resided in this county fifty-one years, and remembers well the hardships and privations of the early settler. There were but few schools in his early days, consequently his education was limited. His summers were spent at work on the farm, and the winter time in making rails. To pay for the first land he bought, he made rails at fifty cents per hundred, to raise the first payment. He lived on the farm from the time he was married until four years after the death of his wife, then sold off his stock and moved to Springfield for the purpose of schooling his youngest son, and remained in Springfield three years, and then returned to the farm and continued farming until the present season, and has spent a part of this summer on a trip to Missouri, Kansas and Colorado, and has been twice to the mountains, traveling on different roads in going and coming, for the purpose of making himself acquainted with the west; he has also made several trips to the South, with stock, traveling by rail and boat, and at times by land. At one time, in company with a partner, he purchased a flat-boat at Peoria, and loaded it with pi'oduce, went down the river as far as Vicksburg, remained there three weeks before dispos ing of the boat and cargo, and while there went and viewed the battle-field, and stood under the shade of the tree that was said to be General Grant's headquarters, and near by was the tree where he tied his horse, the ring and staple still remaining as he left it; after disposing of the boat he returned home by rail. He is now living a retired life with his youngest brother, two miles west of Berry station.

Melvin Bell, was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, February 9, 1843; the son of Robert and Susannah Bell, who came to Sangamon county in the fall of 1830, where they resided until their death. The subject of this sketch received a common school education, at South Fork, under the instruction of now Doctor, H. O. Bolles, of Springfield, and was mai'ried October 12, 1865, to Rachel Martin, who was born in Sangamon county, now Cotton Hill, September 4, 1845. About two years after they were married, Melvin was thrown under a wagon returning from Springfield, and had his right leg broken, which crippled him for life. They have had four children, William J., Alice N., Otis A., and a son who died in infancy. He owns two hundred and seventy acres of land, which is a part of the old homestead, and is in a good state of cnltivation, and worth $50 per acre. In politics he is energetic, and is always found in the Democratic ranks.

Preston Breckenridge, a miller at Rochester, was born December 2, 1858, a son of Joseph and Sarah (Matthews) Breckenridge, and grand-son of Hon. Preston Breckenridge. His father enlisted in the One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois Infantry for a term of three years, and was taken sick at Camp Butler, and died at home November 29, 1862. His mother afterwards married Thomas Pike, and they reside in Christian county, Illinois, two miles west of Edinburg. The subject of this sketch received a common school education. He also attended the high school at Taylorville for two years. He then went to Iowa where he engaged as a clerk in a store for about one year. He then came back to Breckenridge, Sangamon county, Illinois, December, 1880. In July, 1881, he, with Wm. B. Hicks, leased the Rochester mill for a term of one year. At the expiration of eaid one year, they bought the Rcchester mill, and also leased the Athens mill for a term of three years. They are now prepared to do a milling business which demands the patronage of the county, and are supplying the neighboring towns with flour not to be excelled by any other mills. He is also a member of the Good Ttmplars at Rcchester, and in politics a Republican.

Henry P. Clark was born November 2, 1823, in Sangamon county, Illinois, was the son of Edward and Nancy Clark whose sketch appears in the township history of Rochester. He was mairied December 15, 1853, to Nancy T. Williams, who was born February 26. 1833. Their family consists of four children, Mary J., Sarah v., Edward S. and William T, He now owns four hundred acres of land which is under a good state of cultivation and worth $50 per acre. Himself and wife are members of the Christian Church. In politics they are Republican.

Ebenezer Coe was born August 25, 1812, in Louden county, Virginia, son of Horatio and Catharine (Grubb) Coe, who were natives of Loudon county, Virginia. His mother died in 1837, and his father in 1841. Jn 1839, he came to Sangamon county, Illinois, with George M. Green, where he remained until the fall of 1843, and then returned to Loudon county Virginia, and was married September 17, 1844, to Jane Grubb, a native of that county. He i-eturned to Sangamon county in 1851, and engaged in farming near Rochester, where his wife died May 10, 1860, and he again married March 26, 1861, in Loudon county to Mrs. Julia A. Edwards, whose maiden name was Conrad. They came soon after to Sangamon county, where they have had five children, Joseph H., Samuel ]?., William C. and Mary C, and John Ebie, who died at eight months of age, August 0, 1870. His second wife died December 25, 1869, and he was again married December 13, 1870, to Harriet Lanham, who was bom in Sangamon county, Illinois, July 18, 1829. He now owns four hundred and sixteen acres of land which is under a fair state of cultivation and worth $50 per acre. Politically, he is a Democrat.

John C. Coe, a retired farmer in Rochester township, was born in Loudon county, Virginia, January 5, 1825; son of Hoiatio and Catharine (Giubb) Coe, who were natives of Virginia, and farmers by occupation. The father, Horatio, died July 24, 1841, in Virginia, and the mother in September of 1836, in the same State.

The subject of this sketch received a common school education in Virginia, and was raised a farmer in Loudon county, Virginia. In the spring of 1842, he came to Sangamon county, when but seventeen years of age, and worked as a farm hand near Mechanicsburg one year, and in the spring of 1843, came to Rochester and worked by the day and month till the spring of 1849, when, in company with Thomas Rucker, Abraham Clark and Henry Sims, be started for the gold regions of California, by the overland route, with ox teams, taking a large quantity of provisions, and was six months on the way, arriving at their destination September 1.

For a short time they engaged in raining, after which Mr. Coe engaged in teaming from Sacramento to the mines north and east, until 1851, when he returned to his home in Rochester. Abraham Clark died in California, and the others came back to Illinois. Mr. Coe thinks he was well paid for the trip. He was married August 11, 1853, to Charity Grubb, who was also born in Loudon county, Virginia, October 1, 1820, the daughter of Richard and Charity (Morrison) Grubb, both of whom have died.

Mr. Coe has haci two sons, Richard Horatio, born February 2], 1855, and now resides on his father's farm; and Theodore Curtis Lincoln, born July 13, 1859, and died June 14, 1870. Mr. Coe now owns six hundred acres of land in the township, which he deems worth $75 per acre, and also one-third of two hundred and fortyeight acres in the State of Missouri. He and his wife are members of the M. E. Church at Rochester, and politically he is a Republican.

William J. Cooper, a farmer of Rochester township, was born in Sangamon county, January 4, 1844, the son of Jacob and .Jane (Kelley) Cooper. His father was a Tennesseean, and his brother of North Carolina. They came to Sangamon county, Rochester township, in 1819, where he located and farmed until the time of his death, August 22, 1864. His mother died August 24, 1864. Her death was caused by a runaway team two days after, and both buried at the old Cooper grave yard.

He was married first in 1865 to Mattie West, who was born in Sangamon county, February 22, 1849, the daughter of Samuel and Lucetta West. By this marriage, they had two children, Nora Belle, and Mattie. His wife died April 25, 1873. He was again married December 31, 1874, to Leonora O'Leera, of East St. Louis. She was born in England in 1852, and was but a child when her folks came to Illinois. Her father died about 1854, and her mother still I'esides at East St. Louis. By this marriage they have three children: Josephus, Guy L,, and Arthur J. He now owns the old homestead of his father, on which he resides, consisting of one hundred and sixty-five acres of land, which is worth $60 per acre. The wife is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Politically, he is a Democrat.

Robert Dawson, of Rochester township, was born in Albemarle county, Virginia, January 8, 1800; son of William and Sarah (Joblin) Dawson, who were also natives of Virginia, and farmers by occupation. His father moved to Kentucky, where he resided until his death, in 1828, and his mother died in Virginia about 1811. The subject of this sketch received a common school education, and was raised on a farm. He was married in Kentucky in 1832 to Cynthia Luny, who was born in Kentucky. He has had three children, Louis, Robert and William. His wife died in Kentucky in 1840, and in 1844, he came to Sangamon county, and settled in Rochester township, where he now resides, with his son, Lewis. Their farm consists of eighty acres which is worth |60 per acre. He is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics is Republican.

George Deyo, was born in the town of New Paltz (now Lloyd), Ulster county. New York, February 26, 1822, the son of Joseph Henry and Jane (Deyo) Deyo. He is a descendant, both on his father's and mother's side, from the French Huguenots, by that name, who were among the twelve original patentees of New Paltz. His father had four sons and four daughters, Enis,Noah, Sallie, George, Catharine, Harriet, Phoebe Jane, and William Henry. Harriet died at the homestead, September 1, 1851, Ulster county. New York. All the rest are now living and have families, and reside in the town of Lloyd and Plattkill, except Noah and George, who live near Springfield, Illinois. His grandfather, Henry Deyo, was a miller, and owned and carried on a grist-mill at Shadigee Pond, in Lloyd. His father, Joseph H., was born in Lloyd, June 26,1783, inheriting from his father about one hundred acres of land on Vineyard avenue, about one mile south of the village of Highland, to which he afterwards added two hundred acres after his marriage, which occurred May 28, 1812. He settled on the place now owned by his son, William H., where all his children were born. His wife died June 7, 1847. He died July 1, 1858. Both are buried in the old Highland burial ground. The subject of this sketch received a common school education, and was raised on a farm, and was married first, April 30, 1845, to Rachel Delphina Deyo, who also was born in Lloyd, March 19, 1823. By this marriage they had two living children, Ellen, who married Charles J. Craft, and died in May, 1873, and Anna H., who married William Cora, and now reside in Sangamon county, Illinois. His wife died March 12, 1853, and he was again married in 1855, to Mary Ann V\ Deyo, who was born in Ulster county, New York, October 26, 1829, and they have had five children, Adison J., who married Jerry S. Grub, of Sangamon county, and Sarah A., Irwin R., and Levi J., live near by, and one, John William, died November 10, 1862. He came to Sangamon county, Illinois, February 26, 1856, and located in Rochester township, where he has continued to live, where his children were born. He now owns two hundred and sixty acres of land, which is under a fair state of cultivation, and worth |50 per acre. Politically, he is Democratic.

William J). Derry, a farmer in Rochester township, was born in Loudon county, Virginia, November 9, 1826; son of Christian and Susan (Cams) Derry. His father was born in Loudon county, Virginia, and his mother in Frederick county, Maryland. They were farmers by occupation, and he so continued until his death, May 19, 1858. His mother still resides on the farm in Loudon county, Virginia. His father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and his mother still draws his pension which he I'eceives from the government. The subject of this sketch received a common school education, and was raised on a farm. He was married February 5,

1862, to Mary A. Rhodes, who was born in Frederick county, Maryland, March ll, 1827, and was the daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Feaster) Rhodes, who came to Sangamon county in

1863. He died in November of that year. The fruits of this marriage were seven children, of whom five are now living: Elizabeth, now Mrs. William Cantrall; Charles M., Nora A., Mary D., and Jessie Gertrude. Two, John W., and James E., have died. He came to Sangamon county in 1853, and located in Rochester township. He bought land and began farming. He now owns four hundred and thirty acres, which is situated in Rochester, Clear Lake and Cooper townships, the home farm consisting of four hundred acres, situated in Rochester township, is in a good state of cultivation and well improved, and worth about $60 per acre. He and his wife have

John S. Uickerson, post office, Berry, was born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, April 2, 1824, son of Isaac and Sally (Smith) Dickerson, who were natives of Maryland. They moved to Shelby county, Illinois, in 1836, then removed to Davis county, Indiana. His mother died in 1836, his father in 1877. John S. received a common school education. In 1847, he came to Sangamon county, and married Mary Jane Bell, born in Nicholas coimty, Kentucky, June 6, 1828, the daughter of Robert Bell. Soon after his marriage, he moved to Indiana, but in 1851 returned to Sangamon county, and located in Rochester township, where he now resides, on his farm of two hundred and eighty acres. Mr. and Mrs. Dickerson have had six children, viz : James H., born June 24, 1848, is a practicing physician near Taylorville, Illinois, married Miss Jane Humphreys in 1875; Isaac S., born August 28, 1850, married Miss Mary E. BornhofF, who was born September 20, 1868, they have two children, Sinae and Emma; Robert P., born December 4, 1852; Sarah E., born November 14, 1854, married Alexander Allen; Mary S. born November 2, 1856; Almarinda, born January 29, 1859, married Jno. Allen, who died in 1876; she was again married to Dr. A. F. Hammer, and resides at Berry. Mrs. Dickerson is a member of the Christian Church.

Charles Fairchild^ a farmer, of Rochester township, was born in Essex county. New York, September 25, 1822, the son of Moses and Adah (llolbert) Fairchild; father born in New York, August, 1793, and the mother in Vermont, July, 1793. They moved to Sangamon county in 1833, and there resided till death.

The subject of this sketch received a common school education and was raised a farmer. He was married January 31, 1848, to Lovina Sattley, by whom he had eight children: Belle E, IViary E., Benjamin S ,Adah E., Charles, Robert, Ralph S. and Winfield S. MaryE. died August 22, 1853, in early infancy; Adah E. died August 22, 1853, at the age of two years. Mr. F. owns two hundred and eighty acres of good land, well improved, and worth $75 per acre. In politics, he is a Republican.

Joshua Graham, a farmer of Rochester township, was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, January 6, 1820; son of Nathaniel and Sarah ( Harbor) Graham. His father was born in Pennsylvania, and when a young man went to Columbus, Ohio, and a few years later to Fleming county Kentucky, where he was married to Sarah Harbor, who was born in Kentucky. He moved to Sangamon county in the fall of 1826; and in the spring of 1827 moved to a farm three and a half miles east of Springfield, between Sugar creek and South Fork of the Sangamon river, and there continued to farm until his death, which occurred on this farm. His mother died in Springfield, this county. The subject of this sketch received but a common school education while residing with his parents upon the farm. He was married September 25, 1848, to Elizabeth A. Branch, by whom he had eight children, five of which died under the age of five years. Those now living are Nancy E., now married to Isaac Troxell, George E., and Rebecca E., unmarried. After the marriage of Mr. G. he lived on the farm on Fork Prairie, and then moved to the old homestead, where he at present lives, and owns four hundred and forty acres of land, which is under a good state of cultivation, and worth $75 per acre, besides one hundred and forty acres in Christian county, Illinois, which is w^orth $45 per acre. His wife is a member of the Christian Church. Politically he is a Democrat. Has lived longer on this j)rairie than any other man.

Nicholas Haynes, was born in Chilicothe, Ross county, Ohio, March 7, 1815; son of Henry and Priscilla (Mclntire) Haynes. His father was a native of Little York, Pennsylvania, and his mother of Virginia; both died in Ross county, Ohio. The subject of this sketch received only a common school education in the old-fashioned log school house, and was raised on a farm. He was married in 1840 to Elizabeth McCarty, who was born in Ross county, Ohio. They have had ten children, viz: Henry, Charlotte, (now Mrs. Reynolds) William, Emily, Nicholas, Asbury, Mary, Ellen, Isabella and John. A son, Lewis, died from injuries received by a runaway horse while raking hay. la the fall of 1865, he moved to Sangamon county and located on German Prairie, where he lived two years, and then to Round Prairie, where he resided for about six years, then to the present farm where he now owns two hundred and forty acres of land which is under good cultivation, well improved, and worth about $75 per acre. His farm is situated on the banks of the Sangamon river, and for water facilities can not be excelled. He had one son in the late war, in the One^ Hundred and Fourteenth Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, who served three years. In politics, he is a Republican.

Wm. li. Hicks, a miller, in Rochester, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, July 29, 1849, son of Jciui ui.d Eliziibtth (Sptck) Hicks. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of Maryland. He was a merchant, but the latter part of his life was spent as a clerk in Washington county, Maryland, and died November 28, 1869. His mother yet resides in Maryland.

The subject of this sketch received a common school education in Maryland, and was raised a farmer until seventeen years of age, working as a farm hand; he then entered a mill as an apprentice, in which he served three years, after which he continued in the same occupation in Maryland for about ore year. He was married November 2, 1871, to Maria Ruthrauff, who was born in Pennsylvania, in 1851, and in the spring of 1852, he came to Sangamon county and engaged in milling in the city of Springfield; from there he went to the town of Breckenridge, where he engaged in the same business, running the water-mill and steam- mill both at the same time. Here he carried on milling until July 1, 1880, when he came to Rochester village, where he and a Mr. Breckenridge formed a partnership in the milling business, running the mill there and also one in the town of Athens, Menard county, niinois, purchasing wheat of the farmers around about. Their mills have a capacity of fifty barrels of flour per day. He has three children: Harvey E., Wm. R. and Grace M. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, in the city of Springfield. Politically, he is a Democrat.