Cotton Hill Township

Cotton Hill Township

The township of Cotton Hill lies in the southeastern part of the county, and is bounded on the east by Cooper township and Christian county; west, by Ball township; north, by Rochester, and south, by Pawnee township and Christian county. The soil is of good quality, and the township is well watered by Horse creek and the south fork of the Sangamon river, and Brush creek, and numerous springs. Horse creek enters the township on section thirty-one, and running in a northerly course, passes out from section six. The Sangamon river enters on section twelve, and by a meandering course, passing through sections twelve, eleven, two, three and four, into Rochester township. Horse creek waters the western half, from south to north, and enters Rochester between sections five and six.

Early Settlers

The first settlers of the township were Henry Funderburk and William Nelson. The date of their arrival is a matter of dispute, which does not seem to admit of settlement. The first settlers of the township are either now dead, or have no means of establishing satisfactorily their claims. J C. Power, when compiling ''The History of the Early Settlers of Sangamon County," claims that he spent much time to correctly fix the date of the first settlement. Jacob Henkle thinks that Funderburk came in 1817, as his father and family came in 1818, and he says that he well remembers shocks of corn on the Funderburk place, which must have been raised the year previous. He does not remember William Nelson so well, and it is an undisputed fact that they came about the same time, or together, and both raised a crop of corn that same season. Other parties, or their descendants, maintain that Funderburk and Nelson did not come until 1818; that the question was often discussed as to

The place where he first settled was on section thirty, of this township. He remained here but one or two years, when he moved across the line into Ball township, where he died, in 1843,

Mason Fowler, was born about 1766, in Virginia. He was married and had five children in that State, and the family moved to the vicinity of Nashville, Tennessee, where they had seven children. They moved thence to Southern Illinois, in 1816, and in the spring of 1818, Mr. Fowler, with his two sons, Edward and John and a young man by the name of Frederick Wise, came to what is now Cotton Hill township, Sangamon county. They raised a crop, built a house that Slimmer, returned south and brought Mr. Fowler's family to their new home on Horse creek, in the fall of that year. Edward and John were born in Virginia, married in Sangamon county to two sisters by the name of Hale, and moved to Wisconsin, near Galena. The two brothers and ten other citizens, including an Indian agent and interpreter, were riding over the countT-y without suspecting danger, and were attacked by Indians, and eleven of them killed. Only one escaped - a man by the name of Pierce Holly, who had the fleetest horse, and that alone saved his life. Thomas, another son of Mason Fowler, after the death of his brothers, Edward and John, left home with the avowed pui'pose of avenging their death. After an absence of ten years with the Indians, he visited his friends in Sangamon county, went again to the Indians,

William Baker was born about lv98, in Sevier county, Tennessee. He came to St. Clair county, Illinois, when a young man. Phoebe Neeley was born December 14, 1799, near Nashville, Tennessee, and was taken to St. Clair county, Illinois, when she was a young woman. Williarh Baker and Phoebe Neeley were married about 1818, near Belleville. They had one child born there, and the family moved to Horse creek, in what became Sangamon county, in the spring of 1819, in what is now Cotton Hill township, where seven children were born. They then moved to a mill on the north fork of the Sangamon river, three miles north of Rochester. William Baker went to Texas previous to 1844, started from there to California about 1852, and died on the road. Mrs. Phoebe Baker died, August, 1861, in Rochester.

David Funderburk was born January 9, 1795, in Orange District, South Carolina, and was bound as apprentice to a hatter, but instead of teaching him how to make hats, his master put him to work in the fields with the negroes and otherwise treated him harshly, so he ran away and enlisted in the Third United States Rifle Regiment for five years, from August 15, 1814. It was so near the close of the war with England that he was not in any battle. His five years were spent in garrison duty on the frontier, and was at Ft. Osage, on the Missouri river, near the present line between Missouri and Kansas, when his term of enlistment expired, August 15, 1819. He, with eight other discharged soldiers, fastened two canoes together, with a platform over them, and all left for St. Louis with their knapsacks. Mr. F. says that they were somewhat crowded, and on the way down he stole a canoe, and taking a comrade left the other seven who began drinking and ran their craft on a sawyer, which upset it, and they lost everything except what they had on their person, but the men clung to the sunken log, and but for the stolen canoe they must all have drowned. Mr. F. and his comrade took them all safely to shore. He has always, in his quaint way insisted that that was "Providential stealing." On arriving at St. Louis, he learned that his uncle, Henry Funderburk, had moved into the San-ga-ma country, and he determined to visit him. He found his unc-le on the 31st of August, 1819, in what is now Cotton Hill township, between Brush and Horse creeks, and went to work to supply himself with clothing, in place of that which was lost on the

Christopher Haines was born July 4, 1795, in Russell county, Virginia. His parents soon after moved to Allen county, Kentucky. He was married in that county, October 12, 1815, to Myrah Gatewood. They moved to Bureau county, thence to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving October 22, 1829, in what is now Cotton Hill township.

John Rape was born about 1794, in South Carolina, and taken to Tennessee by his parents, at eight years of age. He was a soldier from Tennessee, in the War of 1812, and arrived at New Orleans the day after the battle of January 8, 1815. His father, Gustavus Rape, was a soldier from North Carolina during the war of the Ameiican Revolution. John Rape was married August 18, 1818, in Tennessee, had two children there, and moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving in Cotton Hill, February, 1826. He died January 29, 1872.

Henry Rape came to Sangamon county in 1825, and settled in Cotton Hill township. He subsequently married Polly Snodgrass, and died November 11, 1851. Mrs. Ripe never formed a letter with a pen until her sixtieth year. Her son, James H., was in the army, and she found it diflScult to induce others to write to him as often as she desired, so she resolved to learn, and commenced by copying letters and other documents, and was soon able to communicate with him. She continued this correspondence, to the great satisfaction of both, until his three years of service terminated.

Mathias Vigal was born August 28, 1779, in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. His father died and his mother married Adam Mung. They moved to Jefferson county Kentucky. Mathias Vigal and Mary Roney were married in Jefferson county. They moved in 1820, to Clark county, Indiana, and from there to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving in the fall of 1830, in what is now Cotton Hill township. Mr. Vigal died December 25, 1862.

Abraham Viney and family were from Kentucky, though Mrs. Viney was by birth a Virginian. He married in Sangamon county in what is now Cotton Hill township, in the fall of 1819, and died August 4, 1820.

Elias Williams was born near Clarendon, Vermont, February 27, 1770. He there married and the family moved to Essex county. New York, about 1804, where two children were born, thence to Hamilton county, Ohio, where one child was born, and from there to Butler county, in the same State, where three children were born. In 1819, the family moved to Wayne or Henry county, Indiana, and from there to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving in February, 1822, in what is now Cotton Hill township, where he remained about one year and then moved into Rochester township.

Robert W. Sanders was born April 10, 1815, near Harper's Ferry, Virginia. His father died when he was a child, and his widowed mother, with her eight children, moved to Rutherford county, Tennessee, in 1827. Robert W. was married there, in 1834, to Kesiah Johnson. They had two children in Tennessee, and moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving in the fall of 1838, in what is now Cotton Hill township, where two children were born. Mr. Sanders assisted in quarrying the stone for the State House, then in process of construction at Springfield. His family suffered greatly from sickness, and in 1840 he returned toTennessee,whei'e he died May 31, 1857, leaving a widow, nine sons, and one daughter. Robert W. Sanders was a minister in the Baptist Church for thirteen years previous to his death. The widow felt that some great calamity was about to befall that part of the country where she lived, and without any definite idea of what it was, she meditated long upon the subject, and when her children were wrapped in slumber, she resolved, if possible, to take them again to Illinois, as a place of safety. She wrote at once to her eldest son, who had returned to Illinois soon after the death of his father. He was glad to give them such aid and encouragement as he could, and they all arrived in Sangamon county, October 10, 1859, just in time to understand the situation of the country and add five soldiers to the Union army.

Joseph Dixon was among the earliest settlers on Horse creek. He was the principal mover in establishing Zion Chapel, in Cotton Hill township, in the spring of 1821, to which he afterwards deeded five acres of land for church and cemetery purposes. His family are buried there, but he died in 1844, at the house of a daughter, near Franklin, Morgan county, Illinois, and was buried there.

Fikst Events

The first birth in the township was that of Sarah Funderburk. This was also the first birth within the present limits of Sangamon county, and the honor of being the first born is rightly claimed for Sarah Funderburk, who was born April 8, 1819.

Rivers Cormack preached the first sermon in the township, Mr. Cormack was a local Methodist Episcopal preacher. Peter Cartwright was the first circuit rider to visit the township, in 1821, at which time his circuit embraced Sangamon and Christian counties, and part of Macoupin.

Elijah Henkle and Mary Funderburk were united in marriage by Zachariah Peters, in 1819. This was the first couple married in the township, and he was the only justice of the peace in the county, at that time.

Religious

Among the first religious teachers in Cotton Hill township, were Rev's. James Sims, Rivers Cormack, and Peter Cartwright, Mr. Cormack having preached the first sermon; all of whom were ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and who have long since died; and this denomination is foremost in point of numbers, in the township. This denomination has two church organizations and two church edifices, one on section nine, erected in 1869, at a cost of about $2,000; the other on section twenty, erected in 1864, at a cost of $2,200. The Baptists have a church edifice on section thirty, erected in 18 - , at a cost of $2,500. Each of these churches have regular services, and are doing much for the moral welfare of the community. There is also a Disciple or Christian Church edifice on section one.

Educational

Cotton Hill is behind no exclusively agricultural township in the county, in point of education. There are now eight school houses in the township, as large a number as in any other township of its size in the county. These school houses are valued at $6,500.

Between the years 1836 and 1838, speculation was rife throughout the West. Thousands of villages were platted and visions of untold wealth floated before the minds of many who were possessed of small tracts of land. Paper villages were the rage. Johnson Whaley, of Cotton Hill, platted the southeast quarter of section fourteen, township fourteen, range four, the plat being recorded June 2, 1837. How many town lots were disposed of, the prices obtained, and what else was done here, history and tradition are silent. The village plat was long ago vacated.

The village of New City, in the corner of sections nine, ten, fifteen and sixteen, originated with the building of the prairie chapel by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1869, and that by a good school house in 1868, and that by a residence by W. H. Park about 1875, and a store house by the same about the same time, a blacksmith shop by Zimmerly & Lederbrand, and the same season a residence by Dr. W. B. Smith. A town hall was erected in the same year. There are now two physicians and a notary public. The place is pleasantly and centrally located and promises to be a place of note in the far future.

Organization

At the first election held under township organization on April 2, 1861, there was chosen for supervisor for 1861, Craig White, and for town clerk, E. L. Rusk, and for assessor, W. H. Boyd, and collector, Thomas Williams; for commissioners of highways, T. C. Spicer, J. B. Williams and J. H. Colean; for justices of the peace, William C. Williams and John T. Evans; for constables, James Snodgrass and Benjamin Britain, and C. P. Barton as overseer of the poor. The present town oiHcers are:

Among the spirited and enterprising farmers and stock feeders of the township in the past and present might be named: Preston Breckenridge, George Bronk, Craig White, John Penn & Sons, of the past; of the present, John North, J. R. Kincaid, D. L. Rusk, David Marshall, W. H. Vigal, J. H. Colean, L. M. Babb, George Paine, etc.

As school teachers, W. H. Vigal and his son, E. A., and daughter, Marcia, also Miss Sarah A. Williams, now W. H. Vigal's wife, and D. M. Vigal, his brother; W. S. Matthews, Mary Miller, William Shake, Mary Jane Shake, Thomas Williams, Emeline Hatler, Rose Hatler, Sarah Lawley, Peter and Benjamin Deardorff, brothers, and Virgil Deardoff, J. H. Beam, Joseph Orton and others, and thus in literatui-e and morals the township has acquired a highly commendable reputation. And one skillful young physician in the person of J. D. Mathews, was raised and educated here, and graduated with honors at St. Louis as an M. D., and is now practicing at Mt. Auburn, Christian county.

Jacob Boyd was born in Franklin county, Ohio, October 30, 1807. His father, John Boyd, was born February 5, 1777, in Pennsylvania, and his mother, Susannah (Hyner) Boyd, was born in Virginia, December 22, 1780 ; they were married June 26, 1802, and had nine children. They moved to Ohio about the year 1806, and to this county in 1819 ; they came with a wagon, camping out and doing their own cooking. The father was frozen to death in the great snow storm of 1830, as he was returning from work at a mill on the north fork. He was a millwright by occupation. Jacob has always been a farmer, and had limited school advantages. He was married December 1, 1833, and by this marriage there were seven children - four sons and three daughters. The sons are all farmers. Mrs. Boyd's father was named Thomas Boyal, an Englishman by birth,; he settled in Ohio, and came to this country in 1824. His first house was a log cabin, sixteen by sixteen, with a puncheon floor ; the furniture was home-made. Springfield was the first town where there was a store.

W^illiam, H. Boyd was born in Rochester township, this county. May 1, 1837. His parents, Jacob and Rebecca Boyd, were natives of Ohio, and emigrated to this county in 1819, where they have resided ever since, engaged in farming. William H. was raised on a farm, and received a district school education. He remained at home until he was twenty-two years of age, then married Miss Mary A. Vigal, daughter of Jnhn T. Vigal, a native of Kentucky. She was born in this township April 30, 1837. They have one child, Delilah, born in this township, March 27, 1860. The family are members of the M. E. Church. Mr. Boyd has held several township offices. He owns four hundred and two acres of land, two hundred and sixtv acres

Cleophas Breckenridge, son of Preston and Catharine (Moler) Breckenridge. The father was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, August 5, 1807; the mother was also born in Kentucky. They were married November 17, 1827, and came to this county in 1834. They had thirteen children - twelve grown to maturity - eight sons and four daughters. The father was elected to the legislature of 1851-2, beating Abraham Lincoln for the nomination. He was also a member of the board of supervisors for the year of 1873. He died July 25, 1880. Cleophas, Hugh, Joseph and Preston were in the army. The name Breckenridge was derived from a circumstance that occurred in one of the religious wars that took place in Scotland. Two brothers, named Mcllvain, were Protestants, and engaged in the conflict, when their party was defeated. They took refuge on a ridge, under some shrubs called "brack," and finally escaped and came to America, settling in Virginia, and in remembrance took the name of "Brack-on-ridge," from whom the family descended. Mr. Breckenridge has in his possession a twig plucked from this brack or bush in Scotland, and brought to America by John Craig. Mr. B., is a lover of strange and quaint old relics, and of the many among his collection are two gourds, carried by his grand-father through the War of 1812, one of which he used for dipping water and the other for carrying priming powder. Mr. B., also has a pocket compass used by his grandfather during the same war, for a guide in cloudy weather, and as a time piece when the sun shone.

The subject of this sketch was the sixth son, and was born in this township, at the old homestead, August 7, 1836. He was married to Lillian T. Cave, from Kentucky, January 30, 1868. They have two children living: Inez A., and Ida B.; one who died in infancy. When Mr. B., first settled here, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land and commenced farming, and erected a carding machine, the first in this section of the country; also owned and run the first water mill on the south fork of the Sangamon river. Mr. C. Breckenridge noM^ owns four hundred and eighty acres of land valued at $50 an acre; two hundred and fifty acres are under good cultivation. He raises grain, and feeds cattle for market. Himself and wife are members of the Christian Church, at the south fork, which, at present, is in a flourishing condition. In politics, he is a Republican.

James Clay, post ofiice, New City, is a native of England, who came to America in 1844, and settled on section fourteen, township fourteen, range four, where he has ever since resided. In July, 1861, he married Dorcas Davy, a native, also, of England; she died August 5, 1872, and January 25, 1874, he married Mrs. Mary A. Kearns; she was born in Ohio, September 10, 1836, daughter of Jacob and Jerusha Harman. She married Perry J. Kearns, September 10, 1854, by whom she had two sons and four daughters; four of these children died in infancy; one son, William, M. D., died August 17, 1878; Iva Ellie, the only survivor, married Thomas L. Matthews, December 31, 1877. Mr. K. enlisted August 12, 1861, in the One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was wounded at the battle of Tupelo, Mississippi; he died from the effects of a wound, August 10, 1864. By the second marriage one child was born, September 2, 1875, who died August 19, 1876, named Ola Eva. Mr. Clay owns two hundred and seventy-three acres of land, valued at |50 an acre; and the family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The following is the record of the Kearns family: William, M. D., was born October 16, 1855; Mary E., April 20, 1827; Louis H., June 27, 1858; Eva Ellie, August 27, 1859; Ida Eva, October 6, 1860; Liewy Bell, September 14, 1862. Sally M. Clay, an adopted daughter of James and Mary A. Clay, was born November 15, 1875, and died October 11, 1877; she was a daughter of Mr. Ashford, who lost an arm in the late war.

Aaron C. Colean, farmer, post ofiice, Pawnee, is a son of Joseph H. and Maria L (Gillham) Colean, natives of Illinois. They had nine children, four sons and five daughters. Five died in childhood, and four grew to maturity. Aaron was the fifth child, and was born March 4, 1848, in Jersey county, this State. He came with his parents to this county in 1855, and October 3, 1869, married Mary J. Spicer, daughter of Thompson C. and Melvina Spicer, who was born in this county, November 2, 1850. They had four children: Luther E, born May 0, 1871; Etta A., born October 27, 1872; Charles A., born February 25, 1876, and Mary Melvina, born November 4, 1877. Luther E. died August 13, 1872. Mr. C. OAvns two hundred acres of land, worth $50 an acre. His antecedents were Spanish and French; hers were German. Both are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He enlisted in the Thirteenth United States Regiment, served three years in the late War of the Rebellion, and was discharged in November, 1867.

Joseph 11. Colean, farmer, post office, Pawnee, a son of Francis and Polly (Cox) Colean, the former a native of Illinois, and born July 15, 1794, and the latter born November 3, 1797, in North Carolina; they were married in Madison county, August 20, 1814, and were the parents of fourteen children; ten grew to maturity - six sons and four danghters. The father was a corporal to General Harrison, during the War of 1812, when about eighteen years of age, and was at the battle of Tippecanoe. Joseph H., the subject of this sketch, was born August 31, 1818, in Madison county, this State, and has always followed farming. On October 3, 1839, he married Maria L. Gillham, and they had nine children; five died in childhood. Of the four living, three are sons and one daughter; their names are Aaron C, born March 4, 1848; Mead W., born in Jersey county, September 9, 1852; Maria Louisa, born in Sangamon county, December 12, 1855; Joseph Harrison, born in this county, August 8, 1858; they descended from Spanish and Fiench ancestors. Mr. C. owns four hundred acres of valuable land, worth $50 an acre; the improvements are a commodious dwelling house, a large barn, and other buildings in good order. He was educated in the old-tashioned log school house where there were puncheon floors and seats, oiled paper used for windows, and the room heated by a mud and stick fireplace.

Francis Marion Cross, a farmer, post office. Pawnee, is a son of Alvin and Margaret (Forbes) Cross, whose father was born in Kentucky about the year 1800, and his mother, also born in Kentucky, June 2, 1802; they were married in Tennessee, and had twelve children, six sons and six daughters; five sons and three daughters were raised to maturity; the father died in 1858. Francis M. Cross, was born December 14, 1838, in this county. He married Emily A. Hayden, November 16, 1870; she was a native of Pike county, Illinois. They have three children, William F., born October 5, 1872; Henry Edgar, born April 28, 1870; Charles J., born February 20, 1880. Mrs. Cross' mother, Elizabeth (Vancil) Hayden, was born in this county, May 2, 1830, and her father, Abner Hayden, was born in Virginia, December 3, 1816; they were of German extraction. Mr. Cross' parents were Scotch and French. Mr. Riley Cross, a brother, died in the army during the Mexican war, and his father was in the Black Hawk war. Mr. Cross owns one hundred and eighteen acres of land, worth -^40 an acre. He is a member of the Christian Church, and his

Michael Fay, farmer, post office. Pawnee, was born in Baden, Germany, July 18, 1824, and was brought by his parents to this county in 1831; first settled in Island Grove, and in 1861 came to this township, where he married Mrs. Mary Greenawalt, widow of Jacob Greenawalt, daughter of William and Elizabeth Bradley. Mrs. Fay had seven children by her former husband: Francis M., John W., George W., Sarah, Sarah E , William J., Mary F., and James N. Mr. Fay was first married to Jennie A. Youngblood, and had two children, Sarah F., who married Lewis Clein, and lives in Burlington, Kansas; Martha married Henry Beel, and lives in New Berlin, this county. By a second marriage to Martha Burton, he had a son, Andrew J., who married Etta B. Laughton, and lives in Burlington, Kansas, and Jacob H., who married Mary Reynolds^, and lives in this county.

l>avid Funderburk, was born in South Carolina, January G, 1795. His father, Joseph Funderburk, was born in South Carolina, about the year 1769, and his mother, Mollie (Sturkey) Funderburk, was also born in South Carolina, aboutl767; both parents were of German descent, the date of their marriage was about 1792. They had five children, Margaret, David, Joseph M., Daniel and Henry. David was the second child, and was apprenticed to Conrad Barch, a hatter, but instead of teaching him the trade they required him to work on the plantation with the negroes; he ran away and enlisted in the Third United States Rifle Regiment for five years; this was in 1814. He was discharged at the expiration of his term in 1819; then came to this county and worked at whatever he could find to do until the lands came into market in 1823, when he entered the land on which he now lives, on section eighteen, town fourteen, range four. In 1821, he married Hannah Henkle, who was born in Virginia, and died September 22, 1873, and was of German origin. They had twelve children, eight of M'hom are still living, namely: Mary Jane, John, Newton, David, Phoebe, William, Frank, and Thomas J.; all are married. Mr. F. owns three hundred and ninety acres of land, mo-tly timber, about one hundred and sixty acres under good cultivation. His early school advantages were very limited, having attended only about four months, and that at irregular periods. The first school in his district was kept in a log house on Horse creek. The first camp meeting in the county was held on the land now owned by Daniel G. Jones, October 19, 1S19.

Rev. Mr. Walker, an old man, was presiding -elder, and Rivers Cormack, preacher in charge. Mr. Sims and Mr. Randall were also there as preachers; there were only four or five tents, and about one hundred people present. David and Frank were both in the array; ihe former in the Eleventh Missouri Regiment, and the latter in the One Hundred and Fourteenth. The Funderburk family generally have been Republicans, and are members of the M. E. Church.

James M. Haines, a farmer; post ofiice, New <City, son of Christopher and Mira (Gatewood) Haines; the former born in Virginia, in 1795, and the latter in Alabama, June 9, 1797; married October 12, 1815. They had seven children born in Kentucky, and moved with them to this county, in 1829; entered land and commenced farming, which he continued until his death, March 29, 1850.

The subject of this sketch married Myrah Ricks, of Kentucky, May 24, 1853; had nine children: Alice E., born July 22, 1854, and married Dr. W. B. Smith, June 7, 1877, and with him resides at New City, in this township; Benelta S., born February 16, 1856; Margaret Emma, born December 19, 1857; William C, torn February 5, 1860; Ulysses G., born July In, 1863; Ida M., born May 4, 1865; Newell E., born October 15, 1867, and died February 17, 1868; Freddie G., born April 9, 1869, and died September 19, 1869; Arthur G., born June 13, 1871. Mr. H. owns three hundred and eight acres of land, of which two hundred and fiftysix are under cultivation, and worth $50 per acre. The house in which he attended school in Sangamon, was a small log cabin, with puncheon floor and split slab benches, with oiled paper for window lights. Thomas Laughlin was his first teacher, in 1833. His father was born July 5, 1795, in Virginia, and died in Sangamon county, March 30. 1850, and his mother Mira (Gatewood) was born in 1797, and died in this county November 18, 1859. They were members of the Protestent Methodist Church. Mr. Jas. M. Haines and his family are of the M. E. church, and in polit'cs they are Republicans.

John G. Haines, son of Christopher Haines, a farmer in Cotton Hill township, was born, January 5, 1818, in Allen county, Kentucky, came to Sangamon county October 22, 1829, with his parents. (See sketch of Jas. M. Haines). The subject of this sketch married Mary A. Palmer, February 20, 1840, the daughter of Ambrose Palmer, of East St. Louis, and came to this county in the year 1835. They had eight children, Hester Ann, born Julv 29, 1848, and married A.

J. Maxfield, and lives in Springfield, Illinois; Dotia C, born April 15, 1843, died January 8, 1873; James T., born January 18, 1846, and died October 9, 1846; Margaret V., born November 22, 1841, and died November 2, 1852; Mary F., born November 8, 1852, and died December 13, 1852; Martha J., born Jan. 15, 1854, and married June 12, 1873; Jno. F.,born June 15, 1856, and died October 18, 1860; Nancy A., born January 10, 1859, and died September 14, 1859. Mrs. H. died January 31, 1874, and Mr. H. married again September 7, 1874, to Eliza P. Criteser, the daughter of Peter Criteser, of Ohio, and Ann (Cowgill) Criteser, of Indiana. They have three children, Winfred I, born July 19, 1875; James M., born March 22, 1877; and Samuel S., born October 25, 1871. Mr. Haines was justice of the peace eight years previous to 1869, and has held other oftices of trust in the township. He served with the Second Artillery, Company C, in the late Union army, one year, and was crushed while mounting a cannon at Paducah, Kentucky, March 7,1862, and was discharged by reason of injury, August 6, 1862, and has never fully recovered, and is drawing a small pension. He and wife are members of the M. E. church. They are Republicans in politics.

Andrew Jones was born in Culpepper county, Virginia, January 10, 1783. His parents died when he was a child. About 1808, he went to Bath county, Kentucky. There he married Eleanor Goodan, in 1812, who was born March 16, 1793, in Pennsylvania, and was taken by her parents to Kentucky when she was quite young. They had five children in Bath .county, after which the family moved to this county, in 1825, and settled at Round Prairie, in Rochester township, locating on government land, where a son, John, was born, October 4, 1829. They made a home, and resided there until their death. The father died in 1854, and the mother in 1859, leaving five children, who settled in the immediate vicinity.

Daniel G. Jones, the subject of this sketch, was born November 15, 1822, in Bath county, Kentucky, where he was raised on a farm, and received an elementary education in the schools of the neighborhood. He remained at home until he was twenty-seven years old, then married Amanda J. Brunk, in 1849. She died September 28, 1865, leaving two children, Laura and George. Her parents were George and Mary Brunk, who came to this county in 1821, and en tered land in Ball township, where they remained many years. She was born January 1, 1830. Mr. Jones moved to the place where he is now living in 1855, and has a farm of seven hundred and ten acres, valued at #50 an acre; has a fine residence, and is one of the solid men of the township. His father came to the township in limited circumstances. Their first house was a log cabin about high enough for a man to stand in, sixteen feet in size, covered, and a puncheon floor. The family consisted of nine persons.

On May 5, 1869, Mr. Jones married Mary F. Rickard, who was born near Springfield, Illinois, August 16, 1840. At the age of twelve years, she was sent to the Science Hill Female Academy, Shelbyville, Kentucky, and took the full course of study. Her parents were Noah and Harriett (Talbott) Rickard. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have two children: Mary R., born November 3, ISVO, and Helen, born January 4, 1876. Both reside at home with their parents.

John R. Kijicaid, post oftice. Cotton Hill, is a son of James and Mary (Gwin) Kincaid, who were natives of Virginia, and were married about 18-29. They had three sons and one daughter ; all are living except one - James W. - who died as a soldier, in the late war. The subject of this sketch was the second child, and w^as born in Virginia, November 14, 1833. He was taken by his parents to Ohio, and came to thie State April 15, 1857, He taught school in the winter, and broke prairie during the summer months, for several years. He was married January 1, 1863, to Miss Mary J. Meredith, daughter of Davis and Mary Meredith, who came from Ohio to this county in 1829. Mrs. Kincaid was born December 3, 1842. They are the parents of eight children, five of whom survive, viz: Luther E., born March 23, 1864; Mary J., born December 28, 1865, and died September 4, 1867 ; James W., born September 25, 1868 ; Louisa A., born August 28, 1870, and died August 11, 1871; Margaret E., born June 14, 1872, and died July 20, 1873 ; Catalina M., born May 30, 1874; Fred. C, born June 29, 1876 ; Charles J., born October 12, 1878. Mr. Kincaid purchased land in this county in 1874, and has resided on it since. He received his education principally in the common schools of Ohio, and attended the academy at Gallipolis, Ohio, two years. He owns a large farm of two hundred and fifty acres, valued at $50 an acre, and has a neat, commodious frame dwelling house. Mrs. Kincaid is a member of the M. E. Church. Mr. K. votes with the Republican party.

James 31. Martin, post office, Springfield, ^Evans' Box), is a son of George and Leah (Fahs) Martin. His father was born in Hampshire county, Virginia, October 28, 1805, and died October 25, 1841; his mother was born in same county, August 12, 1802, and died August 8, 1860. They had six children, two were born in Virginia, one in Ohio, and three in this county; four lived to maturity. John Martin, the father of George, purchased land in 1834, the same now owned and occupied by James Martin, the subject of this biography; they were of Scotch and German ancestry. James married Mary Williams, daughter of I. B. Williams, who was born in Ohio; her grandfather was a native of Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. Martin have had seven children; four died in childhood, and three are living, namely: George B., Mary Frances, James H., John Edgar, William L., Phoebe Adaline, and Susan Alice. Mr. Martin owns ninety-six acres of land, seventy under cultivation; it is worth $40 an acre. He is, in politics, a Democrat.

David Marshall, post oflice Cotton Hill was born November 6, 1843. His parents, Stephen and Amada (Smalley) Marshall, were natives of New Jersey, and came to this State and settled in Macoupin county in 1845. His father was a miller, also farming to some extent. They had nine children - two died in childhood, and seven grew to maturity. David was the seventh child and came to this county about 1857. On October 27, 1864, he married Emily C. Spicer, born August 13, 1843; they had four children, two died in infancy and two are living, Mary F., born November 3, 1867, and Louisa, born May 27, 1875. Mrs. Marshall's parents, U. D. and Nancy Clifton Spicer, were natives of Delaware. He was born September 24, 1793, and died February 15, 1855; the mother born October 30^ 1800; and the father, Mr. Marshall, owns one hundred and ten acres of land valued at $50 per acre; makes a specialty of cattle and hogs for market. He had limited advantages for early education, and always worked hard; he iised to work sixteen days for a hog, and worked all summer for five acres of corn. He bought a colt, and the next year worked for six acres of corn, and in the winter worked for his board. When he was sixteen years old he worked for seven acres, and when he was seventeen, herded cattle for $30 a month; bought calves and run them with the herd, then sold oiit, and had about $400, with which he bought forty acres of land, cut the wood off, and sold it in Springfield; from that time he continued to prosper as a speculator. They are Democrats politically.

Ann Popp, the former born in 178:5, in Germany, where he also died; the mother's birth is unknown; she was born, and died in Germany; they were married in 1821 and had five children, three of whom died young. John was the fourth child, and came to this country and settled in New Jersey, where he lived four years, then came to this county and settled were he now lives, in 1860. He married Susan J. Billings who was born in this county; her parents were from Maryland, and of Welsh and German ancestry; they had five children, Mary E , born December 21, 1861, and died March 20, 1876; Herschel V., born July 20, 1863, and died January 17, 1872; Judith A., born September 3, 1865, and died December 1, 1866; Theodore, born March 31, 1867; and Julia A., born January 18, 1872. Mrs. Popp died December 1, 1874. Mr. P. owns seventy acres of land, worth $40 an acre. He had good educational advantages, having attended the higher schools in the old country, and the English schools after arriving here; he belongs to the German Lutheran Chui-ch.

James T. liape, post oflice, New City, is a son of John and Elizabeth Rape, whose children were as follows: Joseph, born January 25, 1840; John, born December 16, 1843; James, born September 27, 1845; Mary, born October 18, 1848; Samuel, born January 20, 1852; Nancy Eveline, born April 27, 1856; and Emily Jane, who died at the age of nineteen. James T., the subject of this sketch, was born in this county, September 27, 1845, and always lived on the farm now occupied by him. On January 10, 1866, he was married to Miss Mary West, who was born in Vermilion county, Indiana, and of German ancestry. They have had five children, four of whom are living: Delia M., born May 22, 1868; Florence R., born December 15, 1869, and died at the age of nine months; Fred R., born September 28, 1871; Izora R., born March 31, 1875, and Pearl, born March 9, 1878. Mr. Rape owns seventy-five acres of land, and has held several township oftices. In politics they are Democrats. The family are generally Methodists,

Andrew Milslagle, post office. New City, was born in Virginia, March 25, 1801; his parents were Jacob and Elizabeth (Cooper) Mislagle, the former born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, They had eleven children, five sons and six daughters. Andrew was the first son and came to this county in 1834. In 1832, he married Miss Mary Martin, in Virginia. They had six children, two of whom died in infancy, and two after arriving at mature age. The living are:

Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Mopin, and now living in Kansas; and Jacob M., who married Elizabeth Peek, and resides on the homestead with his parents. When Mr. Milslagle first came here, he entered land and commenced farming, and has continued that occupation ever since. He owns one hundred and fifty acres of land, eighty of which is under cultivation. He belongs to the U. P. Church. His son, William, was in the army, a member of the One Hundred and Fourteenth Regiment, Illinois Volunteers, Infantry, and died at home in July, 1863, from diseases contracted in the army. Mr. Milslagle has been married twice. His first wife died in 1837, and his second in 1845, and he is now a widower,

William B. Smith, M. D., post office, New City, was born in Williamsburg, Claremont county, Ohio, March 15, 1846; son of Robert D., and Margaret (Burkitt) Smith, the former of Ohio and the latter of Kentucky. They lived and died in Claremont county, Ohio, the mother on July 10, 1849, of cholera, the father, January 15, 1862. William B., attended the higher schools of Ohio and Kentucky, until he was twenty-one years of age, when he commenced the study of medicine in Dover, Kentucky, with his uncle, and was with him three years; afterward studied with Samuel Burkitt, and H. Clay Lassing, of Boone county, in the winter of 1869 - 70. He attended lectures at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and at Keokuk, Iowa, in the spring of 1878. where he graduated with honors. He practiced three years in Kentucky and seven years in this State. He mai-ried Alice E., daughter of J. M., and Myra O. Haines, of Cotton Hill township, where she was born. They have two children, Robert M., born March 9, 1880, and Newell Jay, born September 13, 1881. The doctor has a good practice in the county; is at the present time town treasurer, and has been two years. He was elected justice of the peace, but declined to serve. He laid out the village of New City, and gave it the name, and was the first postmaster in it.

Hartman Spengler, post office, New City, was born in Baden Baden, Germany, February 10, 1840. His parents were Michael and Catharine Spengler and were natives of Germany. The father was born April 1, 1812; the mother's birthday unknown; they were married in Germany in March, 1837; they had five children, of whom three are living, and all in the United States. Hartman was the first child, and came to this country with his parents in 1843, when four years of age. On May 16, 1867, he married Miss

Malinda Moyer, who was born in Pennsylvania, November 5, IS 43, daughter of Abraham Moyer, who was born also in Pennsylvania, and of German parentage. Mr. and Mrs. Spengler have had eight children, seven of \vhom are living: Thomas M., born March 14, 1868; Samuel H., born October 11, 1869; Winnie L., born November 6, 1870 and died November 21, 1879; Artemus L., born September 9, 1872; Mary M., born November 1, 1874; Alice J., born January 21, 1877; Rose A., born November 23, 1878; and Gilbert, born March 24, 1880, and an infant son born November 4, 1881. Mr. S. owns forty acres of land, valued at |40 an acre. He has been supervisor of Cotton Hill, two terms. Mr. S. is a Presbyterian and she a Lutheran.

Alfred Vigal, of Cotton Hill township, section twenty, son of John T. Vigal, was born in this township, April 28, 1835, where he has since resided, and married, December 17, 1857, to Dianna Carpenter, who was born in Delaware county, Ohio, February 6, 1831. She came to Shelby county, Illinois, when eight years old, and thence, in 1839, to Sangamon, where she married and had eight children - Clara J., born October 2, 1858, and married October 20,1880, to Charles C. Jones, and resides in this township ; John F., born January 30, 1860 ; an infant, born January 29, 1861, and died February 20, 1861 ; Adaline, born February 11, 1862, and died January 19,1875; Tonia, born June 19, 1863; an infant, born February 10, 1865, and died same day; Edwin, born Novembers, 1867, and Mary, born August 26, 1870. Mr. Vigal's father, John T. Vigal, was born near Louisville, Kentucky, April 8, 1808, and married March 10, 1830, in Clark county, Indiana, to Hannah Coble, who was also born there. May 20, 1811. They came to Sangamon county the same year of their marriage, and settled in Cotton Hill township, where he has continued to reside since that time, and had nine children - five sons and four daughters. Three sons and one daughter (Mrs. W. H. Boyd) are yet living, all in this township. Mrs. John T. Vigal died May 12, 1853. Mr. Alfred Vigal has always been a farmer, and owns ninety acres of valuable land, well cultivated.

William H. Vigal, farmer, on section twentyone, post cfiice, New City, is a brother of the preceding, and was born January 22, 1833. He was raised on a farm and received a common school education. He married Miss Sarah Willian, daughter of Thomas Willian, of Kentucky, and was born in Cotton Hill township, August 29, 1833; they have had six children, as follows:

Martha A., born September 3, 1857, now Mrs. Chester G. Willaims; Everett A., born November 6, 1859; Metta E., born December 2, 1865^ William M., born February 2, 1869; Ermen C, born October 17, 1873; Freddie H., born May 16, 1871, and died December 22, 1879. Mr. V. has held the office of supervisor for several years, and also other local offices of trust. He owns three hundred and sixty acres of land, under good cultivation, worth $40 an acre; he raises corn, and is largely engaged in feeding cattle. Mr. V. is a self-made man, and has earned his propeity by hard work, industry and economy. He has a fine residence; his wife and oldest daughter are members of the M. E. Church, In politics. Republican.

Jonathan Weaver, post office. New City, is the seventh son of Jacob and Susan Weaver, natives of Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and of German ancestry. They had fourteen children, most of whom grew to maturity. Jonathan was born December 20, 1816. Becoming an orphan at the age of six years, he was put on a farm until he was eighteen years of age, and then was apprenticed to carpentry and cabinet-making. In February, 1842, he married Miss Mary Ruth, daughter of Aaron and Elizabeth Ruth, of Franklin county, Pennsylvania, who was of English descent. She died the following year, in January, and on May 14, 1846, Mr. W. married Mary Hammer, of Washington county, Maryland, who was born July 7, 1818. By this marriage there were five sons: George H., born July 1, 1847; Willie H., February 1, 1850; Samuel R., April 24, 1853; Jonathan L , March 16, 1856; and James B., October 15, 1863. Mrs.W, died November 21, 1872, and was buried at Oak Ridge Cemetery. Mr. Weaver's farm comprises one hundred and twenty acres, which is valued at $35 an acre. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and politically a Republican.

Richard White, post office. Pawnee, was born in Tennessee, October 15,1830. His father, Craig White, was born in January, 1800, in Tennessee. At the age of eighteen, he married Sally Lane, of North Carolina, and they had thirteen children. They came to this country in 1830. They had but little money, and bought land at second hand. Richard was but a few weeks old when his parents settled here. In March, 1866, he married Hannah Ward, who was born in Virginia, March 20, 1845. They had two children: William, who died in infancy, and Lilly Elizabeth, born October 16,1869. Mr. White owns one thousand acres of land, valued at $40 an acre, and is engaged in general farming.