Adams Township

Adams Township

Adams embraces T. 36, R.5. Itlieson the north line of the county, and is drained by Little Indian - creek, which runs southwardly near the centre of the town, and furnished a fair supply of timber for the early settlers, The Chicago, Burlington &

Quincy Railroad passes northeastwardly across the north side of the town, and Leland Station is a thriving village. The first settlement was in 1836, but the settlements were few, and scattered, till the advent of the railroad, atter which the town rapidly filled up.

Mordecai Disney, and son-in-law, Sprague, setfled on S. 27, in 1836, on the east side of Little Tndian creek, and were the first in the town; they claimed all the country, and sold claims to all that came ; they left in a year or two, probably to repeat the same speculation elsewhere.

Nathan Townsend, from Sullivan County, New York, in 1836; came through by wagon, stopped ab 'Ottawa for the winter, and settled on S. 27, in the spring of 1837. He died in 1857. Hischildren are: Charles, now living near Streator; John, and Alva, rein Kansas; Mary Ann, married John Nichols, she died 1841; Olive, married Charlton Hall, she died 1853 - (Elder Batcheller married them, and attended both the funerals); Margaret, married Edwin Beardsley ; Deborah, married Reuben Bronson ; Phebe, married James Stoutenbury ; George, and James, are at Kankakee; Perry, was murdered at Pike's Peak.

Aaron Beardsley, with his family, came from Massachusetts to La Salle County, in 1835, and first lived in the town of Serena, and moved into Adams in 1836, buying a claim of Disney, on S. 23 - some gay it was in 1838.

Reuben Bronson came from Green County, New York, in 1838; lived a few months at Holderman's Grove; settled in Adams in the fall; married Deborah Townsend ; bought the claim of Thove Kettleson on 8, 22; has served as Justice of the Peace four years. They have five children: Rahana, married Theron J. Baresford, and lives in Amboy; Albert, lives near Amboy; Jay, is at school ; Alice, and Arthur, at home.

Nathaniel S. Pierce, and wife, Mary E. Simmons, from Middleborough, Massachusetts, im 1838 ; setted on S. 28, in 1840; he raised a lange family, and became wealthy; he died in 1876, aged 74. His children are: Deborah §., Mary B., Robert Richey, Samuel N., Nathaniel, Lney 8 Hannah Yi, Susan,

Andrew Anderson, Ole T. Oleson, Halyar Nelson, and some others, emigrated from Norway in the spring of 1836, and came to LaSalle County in the summer of the same year, and settled in the town of Adams in the spring of 1837, on Sees, 21 and 22. Mr. Anderson is quite wealthy. Ole T. Olezon died long since: his widow lived until January, 1877, when she died - over 9) years of age. Their gon, Nels Oleson, lives on the old place. Halvar Nelson settled on Section 15, in 1837, and died soon sfter. John Kallum located there about the same time, and died soon after. His sons, Jacob and Mark, lived on the old place until recently ; they removed West.

Hans O. Hanson and family, came from Norway in 1839 and settled on Section 15 in 1840; the father and mother are both dead. he oldest son, Ole H., lives on the old place; another son, Alexander, lives near, on Section 20; the oldest daughter, Ber. tha, married Thomas Mosey, and lives in Freedom ; Lovina, married P. H. Peterson; Helen, is married and lives in Towa,

Tn 1837, a number of Norwegians came from Stavinger, (the place from which the first colonists came to America), and settled mostly in Mission. One family, that of Osman Thomason, settled in Adams in 1839; he died in 1876, aged 92.

Ansel Dewey, and wife, Philancy Alvord, from Lenox, Mass., settled near Troy Grove, and removed to the town of Adame in 1849, where he still resides, He has eight children: Mary E., marricd Samuel

Maria L., and Frances C., are at home 5 Chauncey B., married Mias Blodget in Vermilion County ; Wm. A., at home ; Henrietta, married Charles 8. Brown in Vermillion County ; Charles O., in Ottawa.