Ellison, Illinois

Isaac A. Watson and Wm. P. Thompson settled in this township in 1835. Kenner Brent, his wife, Elizabeth, and a large family of children,among whom were Kenner, Jr., David C., Wm P. and Paul, came in March, 1836, locating on section 18. They were from Lancaster Co. Va. Mr. Brent and his wife, Elizabeth, are both dead. Some of their children are still living in the township. Mr. Brent was in the war of 1812, where he distinguished himself for his bravery in several active engagements, Seneca Salsbury and family from Ohio, located in 1836, on section 4. Among those that soon followed these pioneers and settled in the township before 1840, are Mr. Meacham and family, C. Higler and family, Mathew Cox and family, Samuel Baldwin and Jesse Coleman with their families ; also, Mr. Staley ; John and Edward Ray, with their families ; Benton Godfrey, Paul, William and John Birdsell, Daniel Leacock, James Gregory, William Talbot, Decatur Loftus, and family from Tennessee ; William Brown and family from Virginia. Mr. Jarvis was a large, powerful man, and a noted bee-hunter. The early settlers depended upon Field almost entirely to furnish them with honey. Horace Sexton and wife, Hannah, came in and settled in the northwestern part of the township, in the spring of 1840. When they settled, there was but one house between them and Monmouth. They came from Ashtabula Co., Ohio. Horace Sexton died at the old homestead, in Oct., 1877 ; his widow is still living. Seneca Salsbury and wife are both dead, the former but recently. It is said that at the time he erected his dwelling house, it was the finest house in the county. Mr. Salsbury was the first Postmaster in the township.

Passage source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Warren County, Illinois : Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County, Together with Portraits and Biographies of All the Governors of Illinois, and of the Presidents of the United States ; Also Containing a History of the County, from Its Earliest Settlement Up to the Present Time, published 1886.

The first couple to enter into the sacred ties of matrimony were Decatur Loftus and Mary Barrett. Their honey-moon and after life were spent on section 25. The first birth and death are not remembered. This township has not been exempt from the wrathful winds of earth, though it has been shown that it deserved no such affliction. On the 3oth day of May, 1858, towards sunset, the blue sky became overcast with dark, ominous clouds. Soon the roar of the wind was heard in the timber west of Ellison Village. The dreadful sound increased and in a few seconds a tornado with lightning-like speed and destructiveness overshadowed the town. But a few moments and only a few, buildings were left standing, and nearly all of the inhabitants were more or less injured, and many of them killed.

Passage source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Warren County, Illinois : Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County, Together with Portraits and Biographies of All the Governors of Illinois, and of the Presidents of the United States ; Also Containing a History of the County, from Its Earliest Settlement Up to the Present Time, published 1886.

This town is the home of Mrs. Nancy Wilcox, grandmother of the celebrated opera singer, Emma Abbott. A very good story is related about the grandmother. In the fall of 1854 Mrs. Wilcox attended the Methodist Love Feast, in the Methodist Church at Ellison village, which was presided over by the Rev. Richard Haney. During the meeting, or Love Feast, Mrs. Wilcox arose to give her religious experiences. Among other facts related by this lady, was one of the difficulties which beset her before she joined the Church. When she had made up , her mind to number herself with God's people, she addressed her husband, saying: " Isaac, my beloved husband, I have decided to give my heart to God, and to join the Methodist Church." Her husband very energetically replied: " Nancy, I'll be damned if you do!" Mrs. Wilcox, with equal emphasis, replied : " Isaac, I'll be damned if I don't! " Since that day Isaac died the death of the righteous and Mrs. Wilcox is still living, in her good old age, the life of a Christian.

Passage source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Warren County, Illinois : Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County, Together with Portraits and Biographies of All the Governors of Illinois, and of the Presidents of the United States ; Also Containing a History of the County, from Its Earliest Settlement Up to the Present Time, published 1886.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Ellison Township - it names this place 4 more 4 times.