Farrington Township

Farrington Township

CHARLES S. BURKE, farmer, P. O. Pigeon, was born in Jefferson County January 31, 1854, and is a son of Joseph F. Burke, of this township. Our subject was brought up on the farm and has always been a farmer. He was married, in 1876, to Miss Mary E. Hutcherson, by whom he had two children, viz., Augustus C and Mary E. Mi's. Burke died November 10, 1881, and on the 15th of March, 1883, Mr. Biu-ke married Miss Ruannah J. Fults, daughter of Isaac Fults, of Allen County, Ind. Mr. Burke owns eighty acres of valuable land and resides on Section 35.

WILLIAM A. DALE is a native of,Smith County, Tenn., born February 17, 1814. His father, William Dale, was born in Maryland. Our subject came to this county in

March, 1839, where he has since resided. He was married, in 1834, to Martha Johnson, by whom he had ten children; of these but two are living, viz., James and Nancy. Mrs. Dale died November 2, 1864, and he again married, September 30, 1865, to Mrs. Sarah White. She had three children by her first husband, one living, viz., Frances. Mr. Dale is a member of the Baptist Chm'ch. He was Captain of the militia company that used to drill at Moore's Prairie.

PETER DAMITZ, farmer, P. O. Logansville, is a native of Prussia, and was born April 8, 1840. His father, Ernst Damitz, brought his family to Warren County, 111., in 1847, where he died in February, 1883, at the age of seveaty-nine years. Our subject went to California in 1802, where he learned the stone mason's trade. He worked at his trade also in Nevada, Utah, IMontana and Idaho. He traveled through Colorado, and returned to Illinois in 1866. The next year he went to Lynn County, Kan. , where he followed his trade and farmed. Mr. Damitz has built enough stone fence to reach half way from Mount Vernon to St. Louis. In 1876, he married Mrs. Sai-ah A. "Wagner, who died when on their way to Colorado in 1878. Mr. Damitz again married, in February, 1880, Mary A., daughter of Lewis Cooper. They have one child - Lewis E.

EGBERT FRENCH, farmer and stockraiser, P. O. Pigeon, was born in Harrison County, Ind., February 13, 1832, and is a son of Mason French (deceased) a native of Virginia. Mr. French was brought up on the farm and attended a subscription school in a log cabin and sat on a slab bench. He came to Jefferson County in March, 1854. He was married to Eliza J. Matheney, by whom he had fourteen children, nine living - -Samantha A., Sarah D., M. Hamilton, John N., Albion T. and Albert C. (twins), Viola B., Robert W. and Agnes M. Mr. French was Constable of this township two years. He owns 280 acres of land. Has been a member of the United Brethren Church for forty years.

SAMUEL GREENWALT, farmer, P. O. Logansville, was born in Wayne County, 111., April 18, 1841, and is a son of David Greenwalt (deceased), a native of Kentucky, who came to Wayne County about 1820. Our subject was brought up on the farm and educated in the common schools. He was married. March 13, 1865, to Ellen Harvey, by whom he has had eleven childr^^n, eight living - Martha C, Olive R., Annie E., Margaret, George S. , Bertha, Frederick and Walter. Mr. Greenwalt came to this county in the fall of 1865. He was a soldier in the late war for Uncle Sam three years in Company K, Forty-ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and jiarticipated in the battles of Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Landing, Tupelo. Little Rock. Pleasant Hill. La., Fort Derusa, La., Nashville, and others. He owns 240 acres of valuable land, and is engaged in farming and stock-raising. He held the office of Highway Commissioner for three years.

DR. L. B. GREGORY, farmer and stockraiser, P. O. Logansville. The subject of this sketch was "hom in Simpson County, Ky., February 19, 1826, and is a son of Benjamin Gregory (deceased), a native of North Carolina, who brought his family to this county in 1832, where our subject has since resided, except a short time in Missouri. He was reared on the farm and educated in a subscription school, in a log cabin with dirt floor, split pole seats or benches, and no window - just a large door. He graduated from the Cincinnati Medical College in 1856. He at once began the practice of medicine in his neighborhood, and built up a large practice He has been trying to give up his practice, but has freouent calls from fi'iends. The Doctor began life without a dollar; he educated himself, and' is therefore a self-made man. He now owns 1,400 acres of valuable land, and is extensively engaged in fanning and stock-raising and dealing in stock. He also has a general store, in which he does a ^ood business. His land is divided into seven farms. He maiTied Eliza Cochran, bv whom he has had eight children, seven living - Charley, Mary E., Leander M. , Sophronia, Lenna B., Ida and Leona. The Doctor also has the post office, name Logansville. He is the present Supervisor for Farrington Township; resides on Section '^4.

NOAH HYRE, farmer, P. O. Logansville, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, July 15, 1844, and is a son of Absalom Hyre (deeeased), a native of the same county. Our subject was brought up on a farm, and has been a farmer for the most part all his life. He is also a cai'penter by trade, and carries that on in connection with farming. He was married, December, 1866, to Caroline Hackett, by whom he has had eight children; of these six are living - Flora B., Harriet J., Charles W., John P.. Maud R. and .James V. Mr. Hyre owns forty acres of land.

JOHN W. JOHNSON, farmer and mechanic, P. O. Pigeon, is a native of Nashville, Tenn., and was born July 17, 1831. His father, William B. Johnson (deceased), was also a native of Nashville, and brought his family to this county in the fall of 1831, when the wolves were howling, and panthers, bears and wild cats were roaming at will through the dense forests of this then wilderness. Our subject attended a subscription school in a log cabin with puncheon floor, clapboard door, stick chimney, greased paper over a crack in the wall for a window. He was married in June, 1854, to Caroline Payne, a daughter of Joseph Payne (deceased). They had seven children, five living, viz., Mary (Webb), Josejih L. (in Arizona), Emma D., Hattie C. and Laura. Mrs. Johnson died in March, 1871. She was a member of the Methodist Church, as also are Mr. Johnson and the most of his family. Mr. Johnson is also a Mason in good standing. He owns 320 acres of land and is engaged in farming, stock-raising and blacksmithing. He also owns a set of buhrs for grinding corn, which is propelled by steam power. These buhrs were cut from a large bowlder in this county by a Frenchman from St. Louis in 1817. They were used many years in an ox-tread mill; then they lay idle for about thirty years. They do first-class work, are tifty inches in diameter and grind faster than any other set of stones in Jefferson County.

PERRINGTON T. MAXEY (deceased). The subject of this sketch was born in this county September 10, 1822, and was a son of Elihu Maxey (deceased), a native of Tennessee, and a pioneer of JefTerson County. Mr. Maxey was brought up on a farm and educated in the old-fashioned subscription school (for a description of the pioneer schoolhouses see biographies of John W. Johnson and Dr. Gregory of this township). He was married, February 19, 1846, to Harriet E., daughter of William B. Johnson (deceased), and a sister of the well-known John W. Johnson, of this township. They had eight children, five living - Frances M.. Ellen M., Emma L., Horace T. and Franklin M. Mr. Maxey was a blacksmith by trade; also carried on the farm. He died April 13, 1865, leaving his family a farm of 160 acres on Section 29, where his widow and son Franklin still reside. Mr. Maxey was a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

DANIEL E. MILNER. farmer. P.O. Hickory Hill, was born in Wayne County, 111. , February 21, 1849, and is a son of John Milner (deceased) a native of Grayson County, Ky. Our subject was brought up on the farm and received his education in the common schools and the High School of Xenia, 111. He wont to Missouri in 1876, where he engaged as sawyer for four years. In June, 1881, he came to this county, was married January 27, 1881, and has one child - Leola V. He owns eighty acres of land.

WILLIAM WILSON, farmer. P. O. Logansville,wa8 born in Licking County, Ohio, August 12, 1812, and is a son of James Wilson fdeceased). Our subject came to this township in 1851, among the deer and wolves. He married Susan Boudinot, a great niece of the eminent and philanthropic Hon. Dr. Boudinot, of CoJonial Congress fame. They have had nine children, seven living - Caroline, Horace, William E., Harriet (Coyle), Mary (Stonesifer), Kate (Ellis), and Ann L. (Pearce). Mr. Wilson was eleven months in the late war in Company I, Forty-eighth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was disabled and discharged from duty. He now di-aws a pension; he owns 120 acrts of land. WILLIAM L. YOUNG, farmer and merchant, P. O. Pigeon, was born in White County, Tenn. . December 24, 1843, and is a son of Robert S. Young (deceased), a native of Kentucky, who brought his family to this county in 1854. Our subject was reared on the farm and educated in the common schools. He is a farmer and merchant at Farrington. He married Laura C. Byard, by whom he has had seven children, six living - John G., James E., Cora C, Adda R., and infant boy and girl (twins). Mr. Young established his store in July. 1880, keeps a general stock and does a good business. He owns 120 acres of laud, is a member of the Masonic order. Mr. Young has held several ofi^ces of trust.

JAMES B. YOUNG, farmer, P. O. Pigeon, was boru in White County, Tenn., March 27, 1852, and is a son of Robert S. Young (deceased). Mr. Young was brought to this county by his parents in 1854; ho was brought up on the farm and educated in the common schools. He taught school for five winters. Since that time Mr. Young has devoted all his time and attention to thfi farm. He was married, December 9, 1880, to Miss Lydia Brewer, a daughter of Jacob Brewer (deceased). They have one daughter - Maud. Mr. Young and wife own 160 acres of land. He is a member of the United Brethren Church. He was Assessor for Webber Township one year, and is present Clerk of Farrington Township.

Source changes here: from Wall's History of Jefferson County, Illinois, by Wall, John A, published 1909; 353 words in this source stream.

Farrington Township

The first settlers of Farrington township were more disposed to hunt than to farm, for there was sure to be captured by hunting more than by farming; but while they had all the fresh meat they could eat and then some, they had to hunt for bread-stuff to go with it. Farrington is in the northeast corner of the county, bordering on Marion county north and Wayne county east - mostly woodwall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL. 197 land, but some of the richest earth in the whole county. Adams Fork and Horse creek are its principal watercourses. Its people are farmers and stock raisers. Among its first settlers were the Wells, the Gregorys, Haynes. W. B. Johnson, Joseph Norman and others. Some of these families accumulated large bodies of land and the Gregorys owned at one time nearly two thousand acres of as good land as could be found. Doctor Gregory was a typical pioneer character and we have heard him tell of collecting the taxes in Farrington when the coon skins and deer hides were a legal tender and how the people paid these in for taxes. The first citizens were of the home-spun, rugged, out-spoken order, and there has been no very great change in this respect in the township even to this day. Of course, they were favorable to school and churches, but they didn't stop their other avocations at their expense. The first roads through the township were the Mount Vernon and Maysville and Xenia roads. The first Supervisor was M. A. Morrison. The village of Farrington was laid out in 1856, on Jehu J. Maxey's land and Lear, Abe Casey, Drs. Johnson and Bradford, Munsell, Ingalls, some more of the Maxeys, W. L. Young and others helped boost it along, but notwithstanding the good men and the beautiful location, the town finally went down. Loganville was laid out, but never materialized. The Johnsons, Morrisons, Greens, Wilsons, Youngs, Burks, Brookmans, Donahoos, and that class of substantial citizens are now holding up the interests of Farrington township. It is about evenly divided politically. It is certainly a good township.