Christy Township

Lawrence Co

jjHRISTY TOWNSHIP is in the eastern part of the county, and is bounded on the north by Petty, on the east by Bridgeport, on the south by Lukin, and on the west by Richland county. The surface is divided between timber and prairie land, and is drained by the tributaries of Little Muddy, Little Raccoon, Indian, and Bonpas creeks.

The first permanent settler in the township was Benjamin Sumner, a native of North Carolina, who came in 1817, and on the 25th day of October of that year, entered the N. E. quarter of section 14, where he erected a small round log cabin. He had a wife and two children, Seley who died young, and Famuel who was born in Georgia, in 1815, and is still living on section 10, near Sumner. He was three times married. Simpson and Sullivan Sumner, of the town of Sumner, and Mrs. William Musgrove, children by the second marriage, are still living, and are among the old residents. Seven children of the third wife are yet living. About 1827, Mr. Sumner built an incline ox grist and flax mill on his premises. This was the first mill built in the township. He* afterward kept a small general store on his place. He was a careful, industrious farmer, never spending any time in hunting or sporting of any kind. His industry was rewarded by large acquisitions of land which before his death, occurring on Christmas day, 1878, he divided among his children. At one time, when Mr. Sumner was away from home, his wife Elizabeth, who was an expert in the use of the rifle, shot a deer, and had it dressed and put away, on his return.

Moses Laws, a North Carolinian, came from that state in 1818. He was a widower with seven children, William, John, James, Lewis, Sarah, Elizabeth and Annie. All married in the county, and reared families. William married a sister of Benjamin Sumner, and settled on the site of Hadley ; John on the state road north of that village and kept a stage stand, as early as 1838; James also on the state road in what is now Richland county ; Lewis married Silva Basdin, and settled two and a half miles northeast of Sumner, where he reared a family The Laws now in the county, are descendants of William and Lewis. William Laws of Sumner is a son of Lewis. William Blanchard, a Kentuckian, in 1818 settled on section 13, where he resided for about ten or twelve years. Joseph Williams, came from Ohio, in 1819, and settled in the same section, just south of Benjamin Surauer, where he lived until his death, about twenty-five years ago. None of his family lived in the

Peter Shidler arrived in the Spring of 1818, with a family of three or four girls and two boys. He located in section 10, and lived in a tent on the farm where Samuel Sumner now resides. He was a native of Ohio, and was the Nimrod of this part of the county. He was moreover, a lover of sport, and at his cabin the youngsters often gathered and joined in the merry dance. Jake and Tom Shidler, and Prov. Rawlings were the fiddlers. Shidler, a few years later, moved a mile northeast of Sumner, on the state road, and kept a tavern and stage stand. He built a double log-house, and subsequently, a frame. It is said he kept the best of corn - juice, at a " fippenny-bit " a drink, and on his table could always be found choice meats of deer and wild turkey, the fruits of his unerring rifle. He afterward moved over on the Embarras river, where he died. In 1821, Isaac Higgins, purchased Shidler's improvement in section 10, and lived there five years and returned to Ohio. Robert Higgins, his brother, also lived in the neighborhood, a short time. In 1820 John Gorden settled in section 11.' Jacob Severey, an old resident of the county, is living in the township. In 1824, Eli Clubb, a native of Kentucky, came with a young wife and settled on section 11, where he reared a family. In 1824, Andrew Christy came from Ohio and settled north of Sumner, where he entered land. He had a large family, but none of its members remained in the county but William Y., who was born in Ohio, in 1806. He became one of the most prominent and influential men in this part of the county. He spent his life as a farmer, but, at the same time, possessing the confidence of the citizens, he did a great amount of public business, such as administering estates, etc., and also represented the county in the legislature for two terms. He died in January, 1869. The township and the prairie in which he settled are known by his name. J. S. Christy, in the drug business at Sumner, is his son. The first school in the township was taught by James Swain ey, in 1823, in a log house that stood in section 11. Uncle Samuel Sumner relates that the boys turned the teacher out, because he would not treat. He finally yielded, and bought a bucket of whiskey and honey, on which they all got drunk. Prior to this school the children of the settlement attended the Spring Hill school, now in Bridgeport township. Early land entries : May 2d, 1818, Reziu Clubb entered the S. W. quarter of section 12 ; October

This thrifty and business-doing place sprung into existence with the -building of the O. and M. R. R. through its site in 1854 and 1855. It was laid out in the spring of the former year, by Jacob May, a native of Pennsylvania, who settled in Richland county, in 1834. The original site of the town was on the N. W. \ of the N. E. i, and the N. E. i of the N. W. i of section 9, and the S W. i of the N. E. i of -S. E. i of section 4, T. 3, R. 13, and was surveyed and platted by Peter Smith, county surveyor, Jan. 27, 1854. Since that time there have been several additions laid out. The first sale of lots occurred February 9, 1854. They brought from $10 to $167, according to location. The land whereon the town was laid'out was entered by Benjamin Sumner. Richard King, recently deceased, built a log cabin on its site a year or two before it was laid out. William Laws erected a small one-story frame house near the R. R. in the east part of the town, but it was not occupied till about 1856, when a saloon was kept in it by Benjamin Sumner. The first building in the town was a small one-story frame store-house, which can still be seen where it was erected, on lot 15, block !), fronting the railroad on the north. It was built by Thomas L. Jones, and Jacob May placed in it a stock of goods in the spring of 1855. He was the first village merchant ; and after his retirement from business, it was resumed, and has since been carried on by his sons, who have enlarged their building, and increased their stock, according to the demands of the'r growing trade. The next building that did duty as a store-house was a small one-story structure in the northern part of the town, erected by J. P. TyfFe, for a residence, and occupied with a stock of goods by Nicholas Shown, who operated the store for Mr. May. Following this, was a frame two-story dwelling, built by Jesse Landis, and completed in 1856. A. poriion of it was arranged into a store and used by Mr. May. This building is now known as the Landis house, and is occupied by the same, who built it. In the fall of 1855 Simpson Sumner erected a frame one-story dwelling and store-house, on the north side of Railroad street, and moved his family into it. In. the winter of this year Sumner and ; Chauncey French opened a general stock of goods j under the firm name of Sumner & French. The first ; hotel was built in the winter of 1855 or 1856 by J. C. : W. Applegate, who moved into it in that year. It was ! called the Mansion House, and stands on the corner of Walnut and South avenue, and is the private residence of Mrs. John Walker. In 1856 James K. Spencer put up a blacksmithshop, and began the business of smithing. The town was incorporated in the winter of 1858- 1859, under a special act of the legislature. The records were lost about 1870, and it is impossible to give a complete list of the first officers ; but J. C. W. Applegate, Chauncey French, and Albert Sherraden, were on the board, and Joseph Hardecker was clerk. In 1873 it was incorporated under the general act as a village. The present officers are C. Hoopes, president; William Laws, William Dumpley, J. C. Casey, John Brian, H. Combs, C. H. Gordon ; clerk, P. May and Joshua Judy; constable, E C. Davis.

The first resident physicians of the town were Drs. H. Smith, J. M. Bosart (still a resident), G. A. Williams, living in the vicinity, and Sutton. The following are the names of some who have been intimately associated with the life and growth of the town : J. L and J. P. Jones ; J. C. W. Applegate, who was a carpenter and builder; Chauncy French, who was for five years a merchant; Alfred Sherraden, also a merchant for a number of years ; S. J. Elegood ; T. R. Hazzard ; Hoopes & Corrie, who for twelve years were prominent merchants ; N. Barnes ; William Laws ; Warren May, who was identified with the progress of the town since its infancy; A. N. Lent, dealer in grain for several years, and an active business man ; S. J. Eckensode, for ten years a merchant; S. K. Knox, who erected a distillery and engaged in other business. Thomas L. Jones, a native of Pennsylvania, came from Ohio, and in 1839 settled ten miles south of Sumner, in the vicinity of which he afterward moved. In 1861 he came into the town and began the business of a general merchant ; in 1862 he formed a partnership with his brother, J. P. Jones, which continued till 1863, when they were burned out. He then engaged in the hardware business with his, son C. B. Jones, which still continues.

Prior to 1858 the children attended school about a mile west of town. In the fall of that year, the first schoolhouse, a small frame building, was constructed. In 1867 a two-story brick school building, with foundations 32x48 feet, was erected, and two teachers were employed. Some years later, a partition was put in the lower robm, and a third teacher was added. In 1882 the building was partially torn down, remodeled and an addition 22x34 feet made. The whole was put under one roof, with a belfry in the centre. It is now a two-story building, containing six rooms, a principal's office, halls, cloak-rooms, etc. It is supplied with the most approved kind of school furniture. The property is worth about §10,000.

mile east of town, and deeded it to the village trustees, who by additions have increased it to an area of three acres. It is set with shade and ornamental trees and traversed by walks. It is yet under the control of the village board.

The New Light, now Christian denomination, built the first church in town, in 1864. It is a frame building, 60x63 feet, and was erected at a cost of about 82000. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. Maples, of Ohio. The Methodist Episcopal church was erected in 1868-9, at a cost of 86000. It stands on a foundation 70x36 feet, in the south part of the town, and is a neat building, with a steeple. It was dedicated by Bishop Bowman in May, 1874. The Christian hausen.

Present

and reconstructed. It is now a three-story brick, and is equipped with twenty-five set of rolls, and has a capacity of four hundred barrels.

Globe Mills were built by Sexton, Milligan & Co., in 1882. The building is a frame, three and a half j stories high, with sheet-iron lining. It contains four sets of burrs and a double set of rolls, and has a capa- j city of one hundred barrels a day. It is at present merely a custom mill.

A building was put up by Knox, Burget & Clements, in 1868, for a distillery, but the business did not prove a success. In 1870 Gregg & Shepparcl put into it two sets of burrs and milling machinery. In 1878 J. AV. Witters purchased the property and has since operated

Woolen Mill was built about 1866, and is known as a j ganized at Lawrenceville, Oct 3rd, 1856, and removed one-set mill. Its capacity is 100 to 150 yards of fabric j under special dispensation of John M. Pierson, G. H. P., a day. For about ten years it did a good business, but ! to Sumner, August 10, 1870. First officers appointed since then it has been confined to custom work, for two j were, N. B. Huff, H. P. ; C. Hoopes, King; C.B. Jones, or three months in the season. J Scribe ; W. D. Gelpin, P. S. ; T. M. Stevens, C. .H. ;

Planing Mill - Was established by Combs Brothers J. R. Jones, R. A. C. ; S. G. Ellegood, M., 3d V. ; T. in 1876, in the eastern part of the town. In 1882, a new R- Hazzard, M., 2d V. ; J. C. Judy, M , 1st V. ; A. mill was built in the central part. It does planing, i Washburn, Tyler. The present membership is 47, and dressing, matching, scroll-sawing, and all kinds of the financial condition good, turning. j Joppa Lodge, No. 334, A. F. and A. M., was or-

Jr. Deacon ; H. Bopp, Tyler ; Isaac Evans, Scc'y. The Lodge worked in this manner till October 2, I860, when it was chartered with officers as above, and fifteen members The present membership is eighty-six. The chapter owns a three-story brick building, valued at $5,000, with furniture worth §500. The lodge is in good financial working condition.

Sumner Lodge, No. 249, 1. 0. 0. F., was instituted and chartered October 15, 1858, at Hadley, whence it [ was subsequently moved to Sumner. The charter members and officers were - William E. Robinson, E. Lathrop, Aaron Dailey, Philo Bell, and B. F. Haynes. The present membership numbers thirty-five, and the financial condition of the lodge is excellent.

This village was laid out on the southwest corner of section 6, township 3, range 13, by William and Lindsay Laws, under the name of Fertile City. It. was surveyed and platted Sept. 16, 1853, by Peter Smith, county surveyor ; and the plat was recorded October 4th, 1853. On the site of the town stood a horse-mill, built by William Laws as early as 1835. At one time a considerable amount of business was done at this point. Among the early business men were William E. Robinson, Logan and Dailey, Yocum and Miller, James French, D. L. Wilson, 8. R. Robinson and T. Green. A steam saw and flour-mill, built by Lindsay Laws, was in operation here some years ago. The town has now gone out of existence. Black Jack Post-office, which was located at a point two miles northwest of Sumner, was moved to Hadley about 1856. William E. Robinson was the first post- master.

Caleb Hoopes

THE efficient postmaster at Sumner, was born in Delaware county, Pennsylvania, June llth 1827- His father, Eber Hoopes, was a native of Chester county, same State. His grandfather was a Quaker of English birth. His mother's maiden name was Hannah Yerkes, who being a Methodist in religious faith, caused the excommunication of his father from the Friends' Society through the matrimonial alliance. Of a family of eight children, Caleb was the sixth in order of birth. Eber Hoopes was by profession a civil engineer and merchant. He died in November, 1835. After the war of 1812, he merchandised in Nashville, Tennessee. Caleb located in Crawfordsville, Indiana, in 1834. For a number of years he engaged his services as clerk in dry goods establishments in Wabash township. In 1850, he went to Vinceunes where he continued in the same business, and in 1851 he came to Lawrence county. He enlisted in the month of September, 1802, in Co. I. 130th Regt. Ills. Vol., in which service he was made 2d sergeant. He participated in the battles of Port Gibson, Champion Hill, Black River Bridge, Vicksburg and Jackson, Mississippi. He was in the service one year. Mr. Hoopes had seen service before, having been an equal length of time in Co D. 1st Indiana Regiment, under Colonel James B.

Drake. He came to Sumner in 1864, when for twelve years he engaged in the business of general merchandising. In May, 1867, he was appointed postmaster of Sumner, a place he has since successively held." He was married to Margaret C. Deuisou, daughter of William and Elizabeth Denison, December 2d, 1852. By this union there are six living children, Sarah E., Mary E., Thomas F., Margaret M., Martha J., and William S., and two dead, Ida and Robert D. Politically, Mr. Hoopes is a pronounced and influential Republican. He is a most genial gentleman ; a true friend and honest official.

Dr. Hugh A. Murphy

THE medical fraternity of Lawrence county, numbers in its ranks no more 'successful practitioner than Dr. Hugh A. Murphy. He was born in Walash county, Indiana, June 29th, 1845. His father, James Murphy, was a farmer, a native of Virginia, whence he came to Indiana about the year 1836. In the family were twelve children, eight of whom are living. Of these the five sons were William M., a commercial traveler in Missouri ; David, a farmer in Iowa ; Wicks, an editor and publisher in Kansas ; Nathan, a commercial traveler in Iowa, and the subject of this sketch. In common with his brothers Hugh obtained a fair common school education. Upon the breaking out of the war his patriotism led him to enlist in his country's service, which he did Sept. 26th, 1861, in Co. B. 47th Regt. Indiana Vol. Inf. In the service he remained until Dec "l3, 1865. Much of the time he was engaged in hospital duties, as an assistant. Here he acquired a love for the study of medicine, which in 1873. He had, before this, practiced with Dr. Bates, with whom he formed a co-partnership which continued during five years. After graduation he came to Sumner, where he has since resided. For four years he followed the drug business, and in 1881 he took possession of the Christy farm, where he now resides. Although he farms largely, his old time patrons will not permit his absolute retirement from his profession. He married Clara J.

he vigorously prosecuted under the tuition, first of Dr. I Foster, daughter of Charles Foster, October 6th, 1874. Perry, then of Dr. M. D. Frazer, of Bridgeport, Law- j By her he has five children, one son and four daughter?, rence county, Illinois. In September, 1867, he went to j Jessie May, Charles Melvin, Carrie Ethel, Mamie Elsie Cincinnati, when he entered the Ohio Medical College. I and Vida Ann, by name. He is an uncompromising After attending a course of instruction there he com- | Democrat. He comes of patriotic stock, numbering menced practice in chancery, Lawrence county, Illinois, j among his ancestors soldiers of both the Revolutionary where he has most successfully followed it for fifteen war and war of 1812, in which last his grandfather was years. In April, 1883, he, in connection with J. M. Bosart, bought the drug store of W. W. Shepherd, in Sumner, to which place he moved and now lives. He was married to Emma Kingsbury, daughter of Harlie and Mary Kingsbury, natives of Ohio, of Puritan stock,

March loth, 1871. By this union there have been born four children - Carrie Laura, Hugh K., Milton F., and Mary G., by name. The Doctor is a Democrat, politically ; a member of the Masonic, and of the Knights of Honor Orders.

WAS born in Lawrence county, New York. Nov. 18th, 1843. His father, Harvey Theodore McDowell, was, in early life, engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods, but exchanged this occupation for that of carpentering, which he has constantly followed since. In New York he married Mary E. Howe, and by her had two son?, William Edward and James O. Mrs. McDowell died in 1846. William E. in 1856. In the year 1859 father and son came West, making a tour of the state of Illinois, occupying six or seven months, and finally locating in Olney, Richland county, where they remained two years, and where his father was united in marriage with Sarah Nelson. Harvey T. and wife soon after located in Franconia, Richland county, where they have since continued to reside. James O. McDowell, -wishing to see more of the world, traveled north through Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, returning after two years' wandering. Having acquired a fair common school education, and being by nature fitted for professional life, he entered upon the work of teaching immediately upon his return to his home, in what is known as the Curtis District, in Edwards county. After a six months' term he returned to carpentering, which he had followed in connection with his father, only again to parents, who were natives of the state of New Jersey, were early settlers in Ohio, whence they came to Lawrence county, Illinois, in the year 1838. His father's name was Joseph Petty, whilst the maiden name of his mother was Elizabeth Clover. Joseph Petty's ancestors were French and his wife's German. In the family were seven sons and four daughters. Of these, the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth. Of the eleven children, two, the oldest and youngest, Peter and Perry, by name, are dead. The others are all living in the neighborhood where the parents first located in Lawrence county. By name they are Mary Ann, Balsor, George W , William, Moses, Jacob, Lavinia, Nancy E. and Hannah. Joseph Petty was among tKe substantial, energetic farmers of his vicinity. Upon coming west his first move was to pay $500 for a tract of eighty acres of land, although it was surrounded by the finest prairie, open to entry from the Government, at $1.25 per acre. His reason for making the investment was, that a log cabin was ready for occupancy. In life, he was quite successful, owning at one time as much as eight hundred acres about the old homestead. He died in April, 1864 ; his widow still lives. G. W. Petty had like opportunities afforded the youth of his section of country for acquiring an education. He was married to Sarah Jane Burget, on the 8th of November, 1859, by whom he has six children. The marriage ceremony was performed by Isaac Potts, at that time Judge of the county court. The names of the children of G. W. and Sarah J. Petty are : Annie Laurie, Belle E., Rosa C., Nellie, George and William. Mr. Petty is a Democrat, as he yield up the plane and saw for school-room work, upon expresses it, he was rocked in a Democratic% cradle, the recurrence of the winter months, this time in the j reared in the Democratic faith, from which he has never departed. He held the position of Road Commissioner three terms, the last of which he served as President. He is a member of the Masonic order, in which he takes

Sugar Creek district, same county. In 1867 he entered the office of Dr. Clark, at Franconia, as a student of medicine. He next attended lectures in the Cincinnati Medical Institute, from which institution he graduated great interest.

University

Lodge in 1876, and of the Chapter, in the Conclave of the Grand Comnmndery in Chicago, in 1880. He is, as he has always been, a farmer, although for two and a half yearj he was the proprietor of a drug store in Sumner.

Dr. Zeba D. French

IN few professions do men endear themselves so much to their patrons as in the practice of medicine, and he whose name appears above is no exception to the quite universal rule. Dr. French was born in Dubuque, Iowa, June 24th, 1837. His father, Chauncey French, was by chance a native of Indiana, having been born in that state when his father's family were on their way west from Massachusetts. By avocation he was a farmer and stock dealer, which he varied by two years' experience in mining, prosecuted in Iowa and Wisconsin, and merchandising which he followed about six years in Sumner, Lawrence county. The later years of his life he passed upon his farm in the vicinity of the same village, where he died in October, 1869. His wife, whose maiden name was Jane Travis, died in 1859. To them were born ten children, five of whom are now living ; William W., a railroad employee in Kansas ; Martha, now in California; Jennie Sumner, of Sumner; Henry Clay, a railroad conductor in Kansas, and the subject of this sketch. The family came to Lawrence county when the doctor was but two years Old, in 1839. Zeba D. French obtained a fair common school education, which was supplemented by a year's attendance in the High School at Evansville, Indiana, in 1856-57.

He early became infatuated with the study of medicine, and entered the office of Dr. Panebaker of Sunnier as a student. This he followed up with study under Dr. H. Smith a year, then with Dr. \V. W. Hilt, of Vincennes, Indiana, and attendance upon lectures in the Chicago Medical College in 1 859-60. Late in 1860 he began the practice of his profession in Charlotteville, Illinois. In 1861, when the call was made for soldiers in behalf of the cause of the Union, he enlisted in the first company that went out from Lawrence county, Co. I. 8th Regiment Illinois, three months' men. In November following he re-enlisted in the llth Missouri, where he was promptly placed in the hospital department as Hospital Steward. He was with his command in this capacity until August, 1864. The duties of his position he discharged with credit. After his term of service, he entered the Iowa Medical College, at Keokuk, Iowa( whence he graduated, in 1865. The same year, April 23rd, he was united in marriage with Mary Frances Crawford, daughter of- John B. and Elizabeth Crawford, natives of New York. By her he has two children, Nellie Z., born July 4th, 1867, and Earl Chauncey, born Nov. 27th, 1876. His wife died in Ripley county, Missouri, where the doctor was engaged in practice about three years, Feb. 27th, 1877. He was married to his present wife, Elizabeth Cowden, daughter of J. P. Cowden.Oct. llth, 1882. The doctor is a very pronounced Republican ; a member of the Masonic, Odd Fellows and Knights of Honor orders, and of the -Centennial Medical Society. He is faithful in the discharge of all duties ; firm in his friendships and skilled in his profession.