Marion Township

Marion Township

In 1854 a petition was presented to the board of supervisors of Lee count}^ to organize a new township, wdiich at that time composed a part of Amboy and Hamilton. The petition, to which a large number of names was attached, was voted upon and carried, and upon the new township was conferred the historic name of Marion.

The lii'st supervisor was Alford Wulcott ; first assessor Sherman W. Caldwell ; first justices, Abram Morrison and A. S. Phillips; first town clerk, Simon Djkman ; first collector, David Morrison.

The first permanent settler in Marion township was David Welty, who had formerly been a mercliant in Bufialo, ISTew York. Being in poor health, his physicians advised him to come west, and in 1838 he came to Lee county and located on Sec. 34, in what was then Hamilton township, and now Marion.

When the question of voting bonds to the railroad came before the people of Marion, it was carried in the negative by an almost unanimous vote.

In 1876, through the efibrts of Messrs. Conderman, Jones and McCrystal, a station was located in the central part of the town, which is now known as Walton. This station is composed of one large elevator, one store, one blacksmith and wagon shop.

In the early part of January, 1870, one Spangler shot and killed Timothy Kane. Both were farmers and residents of Marion. The trouble between them arose from a dispute about some cattle. Kane's cattle had broken into Spangler's field, and the latter had shut them up in a lot, where they had been but a short time when Kane came and demanded their release. High words passed between thevmen, and Kane finally attempted to drive the cattle out of the lot, whereupon Spangler seized a gun secreted near at hand and shot and killed him. Spangler was afterward tried in Dixon, and acquitted on the ground of self defense.

Geoege Keith, farmer, Dixon, was bora in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, May 7, 1818. His parents were George and Mary (Mills) Keith. Young George came to America and landed in Halifax, May 1841, on his birthday, which event he inaugurated by getting " how-come-yonso," through the machinations of some of the sailors on board. He worked in Halifax some three years at gardening, and was married to Miss Ann Eddie April 1844. She was also a native of Scotland, and died in this towmship in 1875, at about sixty years of age. Mr. Keith moved to York state from Halifax, then to Michigan, and to Illinois in 1845, working a number of years in the nursery business at Rockford, when, after losing several thousand dollars by an unscrupulous party, he left and finally located in Marion township in the winter of 1861-2, and after paying his board to Mr. Brooks he had the magnificent sum of four cents in his pocket with which to support a wife and eight children. To cap his misfortunes, the second day after his arrival his children were taken sick with intermittent fever, lasting several weeks, he having been their attending physician. By his ministering care he landed them safely from the sick bed to health, and the}^ are all living and well to-day. By his indomitable energy he has come out of his misfortunes and now has nnder cultivation a 240- acre tract. The children are as follows : Mary Ann, George, William, Margaret, Ellen, Frank, Fred, and Jemima.

Arthur McOrystal, Walton, son of William and Ann McCrystal, was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, in 1837. In 1842 he came with his father to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, district of Richmond, and there received his education. In 1855 he came with his father to Lee county. His father bought land in ]N".E. ^ of Sec. 22, in Marion township. Arthur was supervisor two years, and in 1877 was the greenback candidate for sheriff, and received 890 votes. Mr. McCrystal was married in 1868, to Miss Bridget Sheridan, also a native of Ireland. He is a prosperous farmer and also quite a prominent politician.

Benjamin Brooks, Dixon, son of Asa and Dorcas Brooks, was born in Tolland county, Connecticut, where he resided until forty-five years of age. During his residence there he was engaged in farming and lumbering. In 1840 Mr. Brooks was elected to the legislature from his district, which position he held for one year. In the spring of 1856 he came to Lee county and bought W. ^ of N.W. ^ of Sec. 9. Since that time he has been a prominent citizen of Marion township. He served several terras as supervisor, and during the rebellion took an active part in raising troops to aid in tlie suppression of the rebellion, iiesides contributing largely out of his private funds. Mr. Brooks was married in 1829, to Miss Martha Wilbur, by whom he had eight children, of which two only are living.

Charles E. Abell, Walton. The subject of this sketch is the son of Jabez L. and Sarah Abell, and was born in Middlesex county, Connecticut, in 18Jr9. He resided there until seven years of age, when he moved with his father's family to De Kalb county, Illinois, and remained ten years. At the end of that time he came to Marion township and bought land in Sec. 11. In the fall of 1874 Mr. Abell moved to the village of Harmon, where he spent three years in teaching school. In 1877 he returned to Marion township and engaged in the dry-goods and grocery business at Walton Station, and is also buying grain at that place. He was married in 1873, to Miss Lvdia A. Rathburn, a native of Lee county.

James R. Hawkixs, Amboy, son of John R. and Lucretia Hawkins, was born in Lorain county, Ohio, in ISiO. He remained there until eight years of age, when he came with his father to Lee county. His father purcliased land in Sees. 8 and 10, in East Grove township, where he made his home until his death, which occurred in 1855. On March ?>, 1865, Mr. Hawkins enlisted in Co. E, 7th 111. Cav., and was discharged JSTovember 7 of the same year, and since that time has been engaged in farming in East Grove township.

Feanklin H. Church, Walton, son of Elisha and Rlioda Church, was born in Broome county, jN^ew York, in 1825. He resided in his native county until twenty-nine years of age. In 1854 he came to Dixon and engaged in a store as clerk, in which position he continued for eight months, and afterward engaged at various pursuits during his residence of two years in Dixon. In 1856 he came to Marion township and bought land in Sec. 2, where he has since that time resided. Mr. Church was married in 1852, to Miss Hannah Waters, also a native of Kew York.