Assumption Township (part 3 of 3)

J. Alonzo Waddle was the fourth of niue children. He was seven years old when he came to this count)'. In the spring of 1870 he began ftirming for himself on section twenty three of May township. October twentj'-seventh, 1870, he married Jane E. Henry, who died on the twenty-second of March, 1872. His second w ife was formerly Miss Anna R. Fulton, a native of Mercer county, Pennsylvania. Her father, W. K. Fulton, ou coming to this state, settled in Mercer county. Her marriage to Mr. Waddle took place on the fourth of Fcbruarv, 1875.

Pastor of the Stonington Baptist church, was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, December ol.st, 1849. On his father's side his ancestors were of Scotch descent, and for two or three generations had been residents of the state of Delaware. His father, David McBride, was born in Kent county, Delaware, and married Hannah Taylor, who was born in England, and who, on coming with her father to America, settled at Gloucester, N. J. David McBride lived for a time on a farm in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and then moved to Kent county, Delaware. Here the subject of our sketch was principally raised. From eleven to seventeen he was alternately engaged as a sailor and a soldier. From December, 1864, to September, 1865, he served in the 213tli Pennsylvania regiment, having enlisted at the age of tifiteen. He first came west in 1868, but returned to Delaware, and in the fall of 1870, entered the Wyoming Institute, at Wyoming, Delaware, in which he was a student for nearly two years. Leaving school in February, 1872, he came west, and was first employed in teaching music in Jersey county. April 20th, 1873, he married Mary Bellamy, a native of Greene county, and daughter of David Bellamy. This marriage took place at Stonington, and he afterward went to farming in Stonington township. August 16th, 1873, he was ordained a minister of the Baptist denomination, and installed pastor of the Providenc? church, in Stonington township, of which he had charge for two years. P''or eighteen months he was pastor of a Baptist church near Oconee, in Montgomery county. He took charge of the Stonington Baptist church in the spring of 1873. Till the spring of 1880 he resided on his farm in Stonington township, but at that date moved to the Stonington church. He has four children.

Tom C. Ponting

to England at the time of the Norman conquest. His mother, Ruth Sherne, came from a Saxon family. Tom, as he was christened, was the third of nine children, of whom eight are now living. Three came to America. John settled in Knox county, Ohio, and is now one of the representative citizens of that part of that State. Another brother, William, died in this country. The father carried on a business of some magnitude in England, but some of his enterprises proving disastrous, Tom, at the age of seventeen, determined to come to America.

This was in the year 1847. The first winter after coming to this country was spent at Columbus, Ohio. In 1848 he went to Milwaukee, AVisconsin, and for a few months sold cattle for a firm at that place. He then resolved to go into business on his own account. He had brought one hundred and twenty-five dollars from England, which, with forty-five dollars that he had afterward earned, constituted his whole capital. His first investment was forty-five dollars in a mare, which he traded for nine heifers. The heifers he drove to Jlilwaukee and sold for ninety dollars cash. This was his first speculation. He was considered an excellent judge of cattle and stock even at that age. He then went to buying stock, camped out, and carried his camp before him on horseback as he moved from place to place. In 1849 he came to Eastern Central Illinois to purchase cows and calves. He camped out at Champaign, then an open plain without any inhabitants on the surrounding prairie. He sold the calves and lean cows to emigrants, and the fat cows to butchers. His means were still limited. He and his partner were without a wagon. It was an easy matter to pick up a calf, carry it on ahead horseback, and by this means get their purchases together. He came to this county in 1850 to purchase cows for the Milwaukee market. There were no banks at that time, and the money to pay for their cattle, in big Mexican silver dollars, was carried in shot bags across their saddles. An old wagon covered with cotton drilling, and two yoke of oxen, constituted their outfit. At night a good place was selected to pitch their tent and they camped out. In those early times they found the settlers through the State sociable and hospitable, and at the farm-houses a merry time was often had. The evenings were sometimes spent in music and dancing.

In 1853 he started out through Missouri, Arkansas, and thence down through the Indian Territory into Texas. That was a wild country in those days. Northern Texas contained few settlements, and the country was not as familiar as it has since been made by the opening up of railroad communication. In passing through the Indian nation they met few evidences of civilization. Among his experiences was that of sleeping one night in a pigeon-roost, which he left the next morning at daybreak to find a hut in which an Indian had his habitation. He was, of course, unacquainted with the Indian vernacular, but managed by signs to make it plain that he wanted something to eat. He was served up with a dish of " tomsee-shofa," a mixture of cow's liver and lights and corn. It was placed before him in a wooden bowl. The point of a cow's horn answered for a spoon. He tendered a two dollar and a-half gold piece in payment. When the old Indian received it he laughed all over, but gave back no change.

Texas herds were then wide between. They succeeded in gathering together three hundred and fifty steers and forty-five horses, which they drove into Illinois and fed for a time on the farm on which Mr. Pouting now resides. This was the first experiment in Texas cattle, none having previously been seen in this country. In June the cattle were started for New York. An old ox with a bell was led ahead, and the strangers from Texas followed behind. At the Wabash the ox was placed in a ferry-boat, and ferried over, and the steers swam across in good order behind. At Muncietown, Indiana, they were shipped on board cars. They created a great sensation on their arrival in New York. Their long horns fixed attention, and people said, "They must be Iowa cattle," knowing they must have come from some distant point, and Iowa at that time being far ofi' and little known. When it was discovered that they were from Texas, people were astonished. Solon Robinson interviewed Mr. Pouting, and published a long account of their first experiment with Texas cattle, in the New York Tribune. The next year, 1855, began the great rush to Texas for cattle, and the trade in long horns has been kept up ever since.

In September, 1856, he married Margaret, daughter of Michael Snyder. Her father is one of the oldest settlers of Prairieton township, and a history of his life is found elsewhere. Mr. Pouting was born in this county on the 1st of September, 1839. I'p to the year 1857 Mr. Pouting had succeeded in a financial wav remarkably well, but when the crash of 1857 came it swept away all his means and left him twenty thousand dollars worse off than nothing, it being necessary for him to pay out both his own and his partner's liabilities. But his nature was not such as to readilv give way to disaster, and he set resolutely to work to repair his broken fortunes. He had good friends, and people seemed never to doubt his honesty. In a few years he placed himself square on his feet again. During the war of the rel>ellion, when prices rose and opportunities were oflered for making money rapidly, he was not in a situation to embark in enterprises of any considerable magnitude. He was advised to take advantage of the bankrupt act, but he and his wife considered that they would prefer paying their obligations, which they did, at last, successfully.

For a considerable number of years he handled Texas cattle, but during the last two or three years has devoted his attention to Colorado, Oregon, and Montana stock. During the last three years he has been breeding short horns, and among his herd are a number of as fine cattle as can be found in the United States. He was raised in a part of England abounding in Hereford cattle, and has always retained a great admiration for that stock. Until within the last few years no Herefords could be found in this State. In 1879 Mr. Pouting introduced the stock in this part of Illinois. He believes that they will be found superior to short horns, making more pounds of beef to a less quantity of corn. His farm consists of eleven hundred acres. He and his wife have three children : Jessie A., Theophilus W., and Everett A. He was originallv a whig, and is now a republican. He is a man, however, on whom party ties sit lightly, and he frequently votes independent of party considerations. Though of foreign birth he is a genuine American in his sentiments. He has a great admiration for this country, and believes that it offers the finest business opportunities, and the best chances for development, of any laud on the face of the earth.

NICHOLAS SANDERS, (Dece.v.sed). Nicholas Sanders, who died on the twenty-second of September 1878, was one of the pioneer settlers and leading citizens of May township. He was born at Hopkiuton, Rhode Island, on the seventh of April, 1805. The Sanders family had been residents of New Eugland from an early period, and was known for its strict temperance principles. Several members of the family advocated total abstinance - a very unusual thing in those days, when everybody occasionally indulged in the use of intoxicating drinks. Nicholas Sanders was one of thirteen children, twelve of whom grew to maturity, married, and had families. His father was named William Sanders, and his mother's name before marriage was Nancy Vinson.

About the year 1812 his father buuglit land at V.jhintowii, Ci.iineeticut, moved to that locality, where he followed farming.and carried oil a saw and grist-mill. There the suliject of this sketch was principally raised. He obtained a good business education in the common schools of Connecticut. On the twentieth of February, 1S2.'), he married Sarah Douglass, wlm wa- born at \'(.l\int(iwn, Connecticut, June the thirtieth, l^ii4, the daugbtrr cf William Douglass and his wife Ruth, whose maiden name was Wilkinson. Her greatgrandfather came to America from Ireland and settled in Xew England. After his marriage .^^r. Sanders engaged in farming, which he i)rincipally followed till his removal to Illinois.

lie came to this state in the year 1837, and settled on section one of the present May township. His tir-t re-idenre was in a log cabin, at the point of the timber, and his reMdiiice was afterward in the same vicinity till the termination of his life. He came to Illinois almost entirely without means. He hail paid for eighty acres of hind before leaving Cuuneeticut, and had lieside barely sutiieieut funds to pay for the reia.ival tt. this state of the small amount of goods which constituted his only jiersonal property. He devoted his attention toward improving his laud. About the year 18.51 he openeil a store in a small way, laid in a limited stock of goods, and began the business of merchandizing. He carried on this store for about eighteen years. As the county became settled he gradually built lip a large trade, and anniuilly s(dd large 4uantitie> of goods. At that time< »lil Stonington was a place of I'onsiderable importance, and the centre of a large trade which, since the biiihling of the railroads. ha< Ik\ii tlrawn to other localities. By reason of in-utheient means, he was obliged to commence the mercantile business in a very modest manner, in a small frame building. He had uo previous experience at selling goods, but the manifest honesty which characterized his dealings and his constant endeavors to oblige his customers, caused a rapid increase in his trad<', and he was soon compelled to enlarge his facilities, and add to his aecommodations. Accordingly, he built the brick store which now stands adjoining his former residence. In this building he carried on business for a con.siderable number (jf years, till his failing health induced him to close out the business to other i)arties. He had inherited a vigorous constitution, and his health had generally been good, but he was struck with paralysis, and after a few years of feebleness, died on the twenty-second of September, 1878. He had five children. The oldest, Sarah Loiusa, died at the age of about eleven, a few weeks after the removal of the family to this state. The two sons of this gentleman, N. D. Sanders and J. L. Sanders, are now re.siding in the vicinity of Old Stouington. One of the daughters, Lydia L., is the wife of C. T. Chapman, and the other, Julia L., married Alfred Briggs.

As a merchant and business juan, Mr. Sanders bore a reputation which for hone.sty and integrity has not been excelled by that of any other citizen of this county. During the long number of years in wdiich he had business relations with hundreds of people, friends and strangers, no imputation of dishonesty was ever breathed against his character. He was one of those men of whom it could be truthfully said, " His word is as good as his bond." His veracity was unquestioned. He possessed considerable determination of character, and generally accomplished \vhat he set out to do. His early life was in the days of the old whig and democratic jiarties. He was a member of the whig organization, and usually supported its candidates. He was opposed to slavery as a matter of principle, and was one of the first to connect himself with the republican party on its organization. During the war of the rebellion, Christian county knew no stronger union man, nor one whose lieart beat more devotedly for the maintenance of the union and the preservation of

His religious and moral character can well besjiokeu of in terms of the highest praise. He was a strong advocate of the temperance cause, and exemplified the benefits of that cardinal virtue in his dailv life. From the year 1330 he had been a member of the Baptist Church. He was one of the founders of the Stouington Church, and among its most active and influential members. He was charitable and benevolent, and was alwa3's foremost in the support of every good object and religicms enterprise. One year he sujijiorted a niissionarv at his own exjiense, and cluring the same time paid one-fourth of the support of the pastor of the Stouington Church. 1)V a provision of his will he left two thousand dollars, the interest on which is to be used fcu- the support of some missionary minister of the Baptist denomination in Christian county. These flicts speak of the sincerity of his religion better than words can do. His death was lamented by a large circle of friends and neighbors. His remains now repose in the Old Stouington Cemeter)', where his last resting-place is marked l\y a suitable monument, wdiich his friends have erected to bis memiu-v.

V. A. Baker

V. A. BAKER, ili;. BAKi;r,, one of the farmers of May township, was born in Hardin county, Kentucky, October 19th, 1838, and is the sou of William Baker and Caroline Utterbeck. When five years old his father moved to Richland county, Illinois, where the subject of this sketch lived till he was eighteen years cf age, when he came to Shelby county, and worked for a couple of years near Jloweacjua. He then came to May town-ship, in Christian county. In 1861 he went back to Richland county. December 1st, 1861, he enlisted in Compauv C, 63d Regiment Illinois Infantry. For over two years he was on detached service, and stationed at Cairo, wdiere he was on police duty. He rejoined his regiment at Huntsville, Alabama, just before General Sherman started out on his famous march from Atlanta to the sea. He accompanied Sherman through Georgia and other southern states, and arrived at Goldsboro, North Carolina, just as the southern confederacy was falling to pieces and the war was closing. He was discharged at Goldsboro, April 9th, 186.5, and reached Washington the morning of the day, on the night of which, Lincoln was assassinated. He returned to Christian county. He was married August 29th, 1867, to Mary H. Keiser. Mrs. Baker was liorn April 22d, 1838, in Fayette county, Kentucky. Her father, James L. Keiser, was born at Lexington, Kentucky, and married Abigail Stipp ; he then moved from Kentucky to Christian county, in March, 1853, and settled on a farm in section two of May township, on which he lived till his death, March 19th, 1866. Mr. Keiser was one of the substantial farmers of May township ; he came to the county with but little means, and began life with nothing on which to rely except his own industry. He accumulated considerable property, and when he died owned six hundred and eighty acres of land, beside other property. He was a good business man, industrious, and a good trader. In early life he had been a whig in politics, and was afterwards a democrat. He was a man of excellent character. ]\Irs. Baker was the third of seven children. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Baker began farming where they now live, on section fifteen, in May township, im one of the earliest improved farms in tliat part of the county. They have two children, Vincent August and Anna Victoria. Mr. Baker has been independent in politics, and has generally voted for the best man fiir the office. His first vote for president was cast for Lincoln, in 1860. He is known as a good business man, and to

Robert A. Hazlett

Ha/.lett, grandtather of Mr. Hazlett, came from Irelaud and settled in North Carolina before the Revolutionary war. Chandler Hazlett, his grandfather's brother, was a soldier in the Revolution. He was wounded at the battle of Bunker Hill, and there is still pres'erved in the family a book which he picked up as he crawled off that hotly contested field. Mr. Hazlett's father, John Hazlett, was born in North Carolina, moved to what is now "West Virginia, and frmu there to the state of Ohio. He married Nancy Pattou, in Gallia county, Ohio, February Tth, 1817. In 1819 he niove<l to Mercer county, West Virginia, ou the opposite side of the Ohio river. In 1827, he came to Illinois. Robert A. Hazlett was born eight miles below Gallipolis, in (Jallia county, Ohio, on the 29th of October, 1817. He was eighteen months old his father moved over to ^Yest Virginia, and ten when the family came to Illinois. His father settled in Sangamon county, four miles north-west from Springfield, and died January 31, 1842. His mother died March 2d, 1857. Mr. Hazlett was raised in Sangamon county. January 3d, 1839, he married Elizabeth H. Steele, who was born in Christian county, Kentucky, Ai)ril 11th, 1821. In 1856, he settled in Mt. Auburn township, in this county, where he lived till February, 1879, when he moved to his present farm in May township. Jlr. and ^Mis. Hazlett have had fourteen children, whose names are as follows : Rachel, now the wife of George T. Fagan, John, Nancy J., who married David Boy, Sarali Eliza, who married George Moler, James Robert, George Francis, who died in 1805 at the age of fourteen, Virgil, Norman, Jasper and JMartin, who died in infoncy, Elizabeth, Laura Bell and Vallandigham. Mr. Hazlett is now one of the oldest settlers of this part of the state. He was first a whig, and since has been a democrat. He served a term as justice of the peace in Mt. Auburn township, and was also once a collector of that township.

Joiixson Toavnship

HIS township comprises town twelve north, range two west, and lies directly south of Taylorville. A large jiortiou of the territory is prairie, which remained unoccupied for many years after the organization of the c(.iuutv. A few settlers with log cabins and small improvements - graced the linings of the timber at an early day. The south-east corner of the township extended over the South Fork into the Buckeye settlement. This section and that part of it bordering along Brushy Branch ou the west side were the first settled with enterprising farmers. But soon thereafter the prairie portion began to be settled rapidly, and now is one solid net-work of well improved farms. It is well watered by the South Fork of the Saugamon, and its affluents. Its bottoms are covered with a rich growth of limber, amply sufficient for building purposes - fencing and fuel. The farmers direct their attention mostly to the raising of corn and feeding stock. The following comprises the names of some of the early settlers : John Z. Durbin, Jesse Hinkle settled ou .section 28th in 1837, John Vin.-on, Aliram Lantz, AVm. Durbin, Benj. Harris, Lemuel Rauey, John C. Clark, Dr. J. H. Clark, Jeremiah Welch. Benj. Viuson, Samuel McKeuzie, W. S. Berry, Noel Rape, Samuel Angel, John Keller, J. A^'. Morgan, Henry Baker, Jacol) Funderburk, Joseph Dawsmi, Johu Bowman, Alex. Johnson, Henry Rape, Richard Johnson, Dr. U. C. :\IcCoy, A. J. Willey, Thos. E. Voss, Peter Brown, Samuel Large and J. H. Calloway. IMost of these were residents of the township twenty-five years ago. At the organization of the county this whole territory was in the " South Precinct, " embracing Bear Creek, with their voting place at Jno. Z. Durbin's residence on the W. 2 section 24 - township 12 - 2 now the residence of John Dappard. This arrangement was only temporary. For many yeare thereafter the northern two-thirds was attached to the Taylorville Precinct, whilst the south third formed a part of "Nevada " precinct. It thus remained till townshii) organization was effected in 1866, when it was organized as Johnson Township. It

At the first election of township officers April 3d, 1866, Tavner B. Anderson was elected first Supervisor, and Samuel J. Shivers and Richard Culley were elected Justices of the Peace. The voting place was fixed at the residence of Samuel J. Shivers, on the sixteenth section, being the mo.st central for the convenience of its inhal)itants. Its p(.>pulatiou, at the census of 1870, was 640 - since which time it has increased in pojmlution. At the Presidential election in 1876. there were 243 votes cast. It is strongly democratic.

" ^louud school-house, " one of the first built in the Buckeye [irairie, upward of thirty years ago, is on the N. E. ], section 35 - in the south-east part of the township. On J. W. Brown's land there is a neat M. E. church building near the Bowman school-house, erected in 1874. The following are the first land entries as taken from the county records : January 9, 1836, Thomas Young, Sr., Lot 1, N. E. 1 section 5, 80 acres ; May 10, 1836, Jesse Murphy, N. I N. E. .1 section 6, 86.96 acres ; May 18, 1836, Hiram Rountree, N. i N. E. 1 section 1, 78.60 acres.

Half Acre

This once uoted place had its location on the banks of the Sangamon, in the north-western corner of Johnson township, ou the public road from Taylorville to Bear Creek. It was specially located on the N. W. I N. W. 1 section 8. Its proprietor was Edward Bradly, a genial sou of the Emerald Isle, who purchased a half acre of ground and founded the town. To give it an air of business he opened a grocery store and saloon in the year 1855. The county court, impressed with its rising prospects, granted license to its proprietor to sell " spirituous litpiors for six months, " at the moderate charge of S25, - and the executing of a bond in the penaltv of S500. It contained a steam saw-mill ojierated by Bell and

Christian ; several log cabins were erected, and a few families located here soon after the town was established In time it became iiotorious as a place of dissipation and rowdyism, giving rise to the name "Hell's Half Acre. " It was a half-way town for those who were weary, passing to and fro iVdm Bear Creek toTaylorville, and homeward. A fight could be inijirovised at any hour to order.

Surveys. - The land in this township was originally surveyetl by Wm. Gordon, Dej)uty U.S. Surveyor - returned and certified, Jan. 25th, 1819 - Wni. Rector, Surveyor General. In the midst of a raging storm the saloon building and contents were struck by lightning and burned. Soon the mill was removed, and now nothing remains to mark the spot where once stood the famous " Hell's Half Acre."