Morgan Township

Morgan Township

And never has a summer's morning smiled Upon a lovelier scene tlian the full eye Of the enthusiast revels on - when higli Amid thy forest solitudes he climbs

The breathless moment^when his daring step Is on the verge of the cliff, and he can hear The low dash of the waves with startled ear." - Halleck.

In this little narrow strip of earth, small and irregular in shape, known as Morgan Township, are represented the two extremes of nature, as it were - the beautiful level prairies and the wild broken country bordering the Embarrass

River. The latter, before the advent of the "pale-face" marred its virgin beauty, was covered with primeval forests, and to the west the prairies stretched away in nature's waving meadows. Upon the brakes and hills and bluffs rising from the river grew giant trees, which for centuries had defied the fury of the and still they had flourished in all their glory for years and ages. Giant oaks, spreading elms, towering walnuts, waving cottonwoods, with their trembling leaves, and many other magnificent forest-trees grew here in almost endless profusion. And beyond, as the ocean extends out from the beach, which limits it, extended the prairies, clothed in all the beauty of nature. Such was the aspect of the section of country to which this chapter is devoted when the pale-face came with all his bustling enterprise and proceeded, literally, to turn things topsy-turvy.

Morgan Township lies in the north, or rather in the northeast, part of the county, and is bounded north, by Douglas County ; west, by Seven Hickory Township ; south, by Charleston, and east, by the Embarrass River. Through the north part of the town flows the classic stream known as " Greasy Creek," which, together with the origin of the name, is referred to in the county history. A little south of Greasy Creek is Dry Branch, another little stream flowino- into the Embarrass. As before stated, this township contains both timber and prairie, and is pretty equally divided between the two ; the timber-land lying adjacent to the Embarrass River, and the prairies next to Seven Hickory Township. Morgan is a fractional town, containing about twenty-four or twenty-five sections of land - two-thirds of a regular Congressional township. It has neither villages nor railroads, but the Indianapolis & St. Louis and the Illinois Midland Railroads pass near enough to be of considerable benefit to it in transporting its surplus grain and stock.

The first white settlers in Morgan Township are supposed to have been John Caldwell and his son, who bore the same name, and John Kennedy, They came from Fayette County, Ky., near the city of Lexington, and settled in the timbered portion of the township in 1830 - 31. The CaWwells lived here about twenty years, when they removed to Edgar County, where the elder died several years ago, but his son is still living in that county. This is about all that is known of the Caldwells at the present day. Kennedy remained but a short time, and moved back to Kentucky, where he resided several years, when he returned to Illinois, and died a few years ago in the city of Charleston.

Aaron Collins is another of the early settlers of Morgan Township, and is supposed by some to have settled here previous to the Caldwells and Kennedy, but after this long lapse of years it is hard to say which of these families was the first to pitch their tents in this section. Collins came from North Carolina in 1830-31, and built the house where his son-in-law, Reese McAllister now lives. He has been dead a number of years, but a son, Aaron Collins, Jr., still lives in the township.

Daniel R. and David R. McAllister, the latter usually called Reese McAllister, came to Morgan Township in 1833. They were from Indiana here, but were originally from Alabama. When moving to this place, they stopped in Ashmore Township, where they remained from spring until fall, when they removed to this township. Reese has resided here ever since, upon the place where his father-in-law, Aaron Collins, first settled, and Daniel, to the time of his death, which took place in 1871. John Skidmore came from Indiana to this settlement in 1831-32. He lived here in quiet until the breaking-out of the gold fever, when he started for California, but died on the way, and never reached the land of gold. Gibson Gastin came also from Indiana about the same time Skidmore came, and after remaining in the neighborhood a number of years, removed to Texas, since which time all trace of him is lost.

David Morgan, for whom the township was named, settled near what was called Greasy Point, April 20, 1834. He was originally from Washington County, Ky., near Springfield, the county seat, but removed to Vermilion County, Ind., where he remained several years before coming to this neighborhood. He was a prominent man in the community, and the first Justice of the Peace. He died in 1860, but has two sons, William and James Morgan, still living in the township, splendid representatives of the honest old pioneer, who has passed away. The latter still lives on the old homestead, where his father settled nearly half a century ago. Benjamin Clarke came from Kentucky about 1830 - 31, and died here several years ago. His wife is still living, and is the only one of the early pioneers who came here a grown-up person that survives. A son, Jackson Clarke, and several married daughters, live in the township still, and another son lives in Kansas.

Gowin Adkins, and Abraham Adkins, a cousin, settled in the town in 1833-34. The father of the latter came with him, and was of the same name. They are all dead ; Gowin died many years ago, but had a son and daughter. The former went into the army during the late war, and died while in the service of his country. Moses Golliday came from Pennsylvania, and settled in the township a year or two before the Adkinses. He bought out Caldwell ; David, a brother, came about the same time, and both he and Moses are dead. John Golliday, another brother, is still living.

Isaac Craig, an esteemed citizen of Charleston Township, was an early settler of Morgan. He came here in 1835. He was originally from Kentucky, and came to Illinois with his father in 1828, first settling in Clark County. Isaac Craig remained a resident of Morgan Township about twenty years, and then removed to Edgar County, where he resided for fourteen years, and then removed to Charleston, where he still lives, just north of the city. He was in the Black Hawk war - volunteered in one of the Clark County companies, but having friends in Edgar County, got a transfer to Captain Brimberrj's company of Edgar County. An early settler of the name of Johnson, located on the creek, but he was a "bird of passage," and did not remain long, hence not much is known of him.

The Chastenes were rather noted characters in this settlement, in an early day. Mr. Morgan bought a claim from one of them (there were two of them, Jesse and William Chastene), upon which there was a cabin, and twenty-five apple-trees which the old fellow had planted out. Mr. Morgan closed up the trade, and went to Palestine and formally entered the land. He then went to his home in Indiana, to move his family here, and when he arrived, old Chastene had dug up every apple-tree and carried them off to some new claim. These Chastenes are the amateur pork-packers alluded to in the general county history, and from whose questionable operations the little stream of Greasy Creek obtained its classic name.

Alexander Montgomery came from Indiana to this township. He was originally from Alabama, and was a brother-in-law to the McAllisters, and settled here the fall after they came to the town. He died here years ago. These are all of the earliest settlers in Morgan Township. Next is rather a later era, and includes such as John Winkelblack, Daniel Beck, Thomas West, Irwin Digby, Cooper Wallace, Y. E. Winkler. Winkelblack and Beck came from Virginia ; the latter is dead, but Winkelblack is still living. Thomas West was from Vermilion County, Ind., and came some years after the Morgans. He now lives in Douglas County. Digby came from the same section, and still lives in Morgan Township. So, also, was Wallace from Vermilion County, Ind., and his father, now living in Douglas County, was originally from Kentucky. Cooper Wallace has been dead a number of years. Winkler came from Indiana, but was originally from Kentucky also. He is still living. This concludes the list of the early settlers, so far as could be obtained.

General Features

When the first white people came to Morgan Township, there were plenty of Indians in this section. They once had a camp not far from where Reese McAllister now lives, and there are traces of it still to be seen there. The likeness of a man cut in the bark of a tree is still visible, though it shows every appearance of having been executed years and years ago. Many places have been noticed in this immediate neighborhood, supposed to be Indian graves, though, so far as we could learn, none of them have ever been examined to see whether they contain anything like human skeletons. A year or two ago, Henry Curtis, a son of Samuel Curtis, was one day " digging fish-bait," and dug up a human skull, and, upon examination, a few other bones were found, and rocks were laid in order, as though intended to form a rude sort of covering, ere the dirt was put on the corpse. But whether this was an Indian, or some lone white man, who had been murdered* in this wild spot, will probably never be known. But the evidence was pretty strong that it was a human being, either white, red or black, and had been carefully buried there, near the banks of the Embarrass River.

But, although Indians were plenty here when the whites first came, they were not at all troublesome, but were quite friendly toward the white people. They would furnish them with game, and hence proved of some benefit, at least. But long years have passed since the wild yell of the savage disturbed the echoes of this little community. But few are still left that can remember them as residents of Morgan, and soon, " Lo ! the poor Indian!" will live only in fireside tales.

Wolves and panthers, with occasionally a bear, inhabited this country forty or fifty years ago, and snakes were a spontaneous growth. Rattlesnakes were also very plenty. Mr. Morgan and his sons killed ninety rattlesnakes in one summer, on a ten-acre lot, and it was not a good season for rattlesnakes, either. Wolf-hunts were common, and their scalps commanded a bounty. A number of neighbors would band together, with dogs and guns, and the havoc made among the hateful little pests would sometimes be terrific. A man could pay his taxes in scalps, and, if he had an overplus, could pass them over to the Treasurer and get a county order for the balance due him.

We don't know whether the same custom prevailed here, or in Coles County, during the circulation of wolf-scalps as currency, that we have heard of in another section of the State, viz., that a man could go into a "grocery " and get a glass of whisky, throw down a wolf-scalp, and the grocery-keeper would give him back a coon-skin, or two opossum-skins, in change. But prairie wolves, like the poor savage, have gone West to grow up with the country and the grasshoppers.

The winter of the deep snow is remembered by the few old settlers still living in this part of the country. Though this fall of snow was but little over half as deep in this latitude as in the northern part of the State, yet it is acknowledged as the deepest ever witnessed here. It fell in December, 1830, and remained on the ground until the next March. Here it was only about two feet deep, but in the northern part of Illinois it was four feet on the level prairies. It was a hard time on stock, and on people, too, in a newly-settled country. Many wild beasts died from starvation while it lasted, and domestic animals had nearly as hard a time here, for, at that early day, the few people then in Coles County had not been in it long enough to have a surplus of hay and corn.

As a sample of the hard times the pioneers had to undergo, Mr. Morgan informed us that he had known thousands of bushels of corn to sell at 8 cents a buf hel, an excellent cow and c.ilf for $8, good horses for ^40, and wheat from 25 ^ents to 37| cents a bushel And, for y jars, the prices ranged at these figures, and, evin then, it was almost imposrible to get money for anything one hf'.d to sell, for there was but little of that commodity in the country.

But these hard times are all past now, and Morgan Township is, to-day, as prosperous a community as one will find in Coles County. True, we still find a few of the primitive log cabins of the earlier days, but they are not used as a matter of necessity, but from choice. They have become endeared to their owners, and are cherished as sweet mementos of the past. As a rule, Morgan Township has excellent residences, well-improved farms, good roads, and, indeed, everything to indicate a prosperous community.

Who was the first person born in Morgan Township is not now remembered. The first death is supposed to have been the wife of Aaron Collins, who died in the early days of the settlement of Morgan, or Greasy Creek, as the settlement was called. A child of Jefferson Florer was the first party buried in the Greasy Point Cemetery, near where James Morgan lives. This is one of the prettiest little burying-grounds we have noticed in the county. Located on high ground, and kept in excellent order, with many pretty marble slabs and some quite elegant monuments, it is, altogether, a lovely place.

The first marriage in the neighborhood was Clara Collins and Thomas Creighton, and they were married by David Morgan, a Justice of the Peace. The population of the township shows that the good old custom, begun thus early, has been kept up, and that there has been " marrying and giving in marriage," since this first couple stepped off" the shores of single blessedness.

Morgan Township has never had any mills, except one or two portable sawmills in the timbered sections along the Embarrass River ; one of these, however, we believe, once added a set of buhrs for grinding corn. Mr. James Morgan says that, when his father first settled in the township, they used to go to the Wabash, and to Decatur, to mill ; that two or three neighbors would join together, and, hitching three or four yoke of oxen to a wagon, would start off" to mill, and sometimes be absent a week or ten days. Milling is now done at Oakland and Charleston, and sometimes at mills in Douglas County.

There was no blacksmith-shop in Morgan Township at a sufficiently early to be made a matter of history. That useful trade is pretty well represented at the present day, however, and shops are to be found in every neighborhood. In the early day, the blacksmi thing was done by the workmen in the Oakland settlement.

David Morgan was the first Justice of the Peace in Morgan Township, and when the county adopted township organization, Nathan Thomas was elected the first Supervisor, and was succeeded the next year by John Winkleblack. The present Supervisor is J. B. Williams ; J. L. Rardin and Jesse Hudson, Justices of the Peace.

Schools And Churchfs

The first schoolhcuse was built in Morgan Township about 1839-40, bit who tauf.ht the first school in it cannot be told at this late day. There were schools in the settlement, however, before this house was built, but until it was erected, the settlers cabins were utilized as temples of learning. And as this is but a fractional town, it has but three schoolhouses within its limits, viz., Winkelblack's, Hazel Dell and California Schoolhouses. This results from the fact that many of the school districts are partnership districts with Seven Hickory Township, and with Sargent Township, in Douglas County. A strong effort is being made to get a new district in the northeast part of the township, a move that it seems should terminate successfully, for there is certainly abundant territory and population for a district and a house in this section.

There are two church edifices in the township. The first sermon preached, Avas by the Methodists. The Revs. Fox and McCane were early in the field, but, we believe, never established a permanent society. The first Cumberland Presbyterian ministers were Revs. James Ashmore and Hill. The Cumberland Presbyterian Union Church is located in the north part of the town, and was built in 1856-57. The society was organized in May, 1842, by Rev. James Ashmore, at the house of David Morgan. Preaching was held at the house of Mr. Morgan and at Aaron Collins', until the church was built. The present membership is 110, under the pastorate of Rev. J. P. Campbell. A Sunday school is maintained during the summer season, with an average attendance (last summer) of sixty-three children, under the superintendence of James Morgan, who is, also. Clerk of the Church Session.

There is also a Cumberland Presbyterian organization at the California Schoolhouse, but they have no regular preaching at the present time, although the organization is still kept up, also a Sunday school during the summer season.

Salem Missionary Baptist Church is in the extreme southern part of the town. It is a substantial frame building, and was put up about fifteen years ago, at a cost of |1,000. Rev. Mr. Thornton is the Pastor, and has a flourishing congregation for a country church. A Sunday school is carried on during the summer season.

Our readers will notice on some of the old maps a little place in Morgan Township called Curtisville. Notwithstanding its dignified name, it was never much of a village. A small store, a blacksmith-shop, with a "neighborhood " post office, comprised all of Curtisville. The store was kept by a man named Cutler Mitchell, and the post office was simply an office for the convenience of the neighbors, and whoever went to town brought out the mail-bag. It was not a regular office, nor was the mail brought regularly, but as it suited the convenience of some one who had other business at town.

Rardin Post Office is much the same kind of a place that Curtisville once was. We say once was, for what little there was of the place, has passed away, and there is nothing left to tell where it once stood but a dwelling and a blacksmith-shop. Rardin is on Section 4, and consists of a small store and a blacksmith-shop, together with a post office. Samuel Rardin keeps both the post office and the store. This little place and Curtisville, are the nearest that this neighborhood has ever approached to having a village in its midst.

Morgan Township is Democratic in politics ; in fact, it may be termed a Democratic stronghold. It has always been Democratic, from the earliest period of its existence to the present day. During the late war, Morgan did its part nobly, filling every call without a draft. But after all these years, it is impossible to obtain the names of those who participated in the long and sanguinary struggle. We shall not attempt to do so, but pass from the subject with a well-merited tribute to their bravery.

This township contains but little of special interest to the historian. Without villages, towns or cities, railroads, mills or manufactories, there is but little to write about, after the settlement of the town is described, unless we go off into a panegyric on its honest, honorable and upright citizens. This, however, is not our purpose, as the duty of an historian is to deal in facts, and not in fulsome flattery of persons or things. And thus we close our chapter on Morgan Township, with the statement that it is one of the most prosperous in this county, and is inhabited by people who " move on in the even tenor of their way," quietly attending to their own business, and not meddling with that of others.

JAMES H. BUSBEY, former, Sec. 22 ; P. 0. Oakland ; one of the pioneers of Coles ; born in Clark Co., Ohio, April 22, 1823, where he attended school and engaged in farming, until 16 years of age, when he emigrated to Coles Co., 111., and located in what is now the south part of Douglas Co., in the fall of 1839. He is son of Hamilton Busbey, who was born July 5, 1792, in Virginia; he emigrated to Ohio about the year 1815, where he lived until he emigrated to Illinois, where be died Dec. 16, 1847 ; Mrs. Busbey, whose maiden name was Sophia Lewis, was born in Virginia, March 31, 1796 ; she died April 1, 1855, leaving eleven children now living - Thomas C, Susan

M., Elmira M., William D., James H., Harriet E., Ann L., John H., Maria, George W., Henry C. The subject of this sketch remained with his parents until their decease, which occurred as stated above ; he remained upon the old farm until 1856, when he rented land, and engaged in farming until 1861, when he purchased his present place, where he has since continued to live ; he owns upward of eighty acres of prairie and timber lands. He married, Oct. 12, 1856, to Sarah J. Naphew ; she was born in Ohio Oct. 19, 1831 ; they have six children now living by this union, viz. : Nancy E., born June 29, 1858; Sophia R., born Jan. 21, 1860; Orrin U., born Nov. 16, 1861;

A. J. CLARK, farmer, Sec. 17 ; P. 0. Charleston; born in Coles Co., 111., April 22, 1834, within one-half a mile of where he has since lived ; he is the youngest son of Benjamin and Sarah Clark, who emigrated from Kentucky and located in Coles Co., 111., about the year 1829, where his father lived until his death, which occurred April 18, 1856, while on a visit to Indiana ; he was born in Kentucky in the year 1798; his mother, who still lives within one-half mile of where she has lived for nearly one-half of a century, was born Jan. 1, 1800. Mr. Clark remained with his father until 1856, when he commenced farming for himself, upon the old homestead, where he has since continued to live, and where he owns 120 acres of land, mostly under cultivation, and 90 acres mostly timber, in Sees. 16 and 21. His marriage with Christina V. Robinson was celebrated June 1, 1865 ; she was born in Clark Co., Ind., Jan. 11, 1850; her parents located in Illinois when she was 2 years of age ; five children were the fruit of this union, two of whom are deoeased ; the names of the living are - Lillie May, born Jan. 24, 1867 ; Willis P., born Dec. 9, 1868; Clarence V., born July 17, 1875. Mr. Clark met with a severe loss by the failure of the proposed Charleston & Danville R. R., having contracted to furnish 5,000 ties, and the failure to complete the railroad left the ties upon his hands, by which he suffered to the extent of $1,500.

WATSON COLLINS, farmer deceased ; one of the early pioneers of Coles Co. ; born in North Carolina May 12, 1813, where he was raised to farming until 1831, when he emigrated with his father, Aaron Collins, and located upon Greasy Creek, Morgan Tp.; like most pioneers, the family were poor, and the subject of this sketch turned his attention to do what was in his power to the support of his father's family ; one occupation was getting out fence-rails at 25 cents per hundred ; one season he worked at Vincennes, Ind., at $6 per month, the earnings being used for the support of the family and to procure stock; breaking prairie with five or six yoke of oxen was another occupation : his milling was done at Terre Haute, Freeport, Eugene and Palestine, this trip consuming from four to eight days, made with three or four yoke of oxen ; his furniture was homemade ; for chairs he made stools, and bedsteads were made by boring a hole in the side and end logs of his house, in which poles were inserted, entering a post where the ends met ; this was known as the raccoon bedstead ; there is now in the family a cupboard made by Mr. Collins, which is put together by wooden pins, not a nail being in use - a relic valued highly ; he commenced the stock business by first buying a single calf, which business he increased until he became a large stock-dealer, feeding from 150 to 200 head of cattle for several years previous to his death, at which time he owned upward of 500 acres of land, and had 500 rented for his stock, etc. His marriage with Minerva McAlister was celebrated in 1836 ; she was born in Alabama April 13, 1815 ; she died March 21, 1857, leaving four children now living, viz., Mary Jane (born March 24, 1841), Margaret E. (born March 6, 1845 - now Mrs. William Reynolds), Martha V. (born Oct. 26, 1850 - now Mrs. W. E. Worsham), and Eliza A. (born June 29, 1856 - now Mrs. Andrew Walton.) Mr. Collins died March 25, 1877, mourned and respected by all who knew him.

SOLOMON COLLINS, farmer, deceased ; the subject of this sketch was one of the early pioneers of Morgan Tp. ; he was a native of North Carolina, and emigrated to Illinois with his father, Aaron Collins, and located upon Greasy Creek, Morgan Tp., about the year 1831 ; he suffered all the hardships and privations of frontier life, but was known as a hard-working, industrious and successful farmer, and at the time of his death was held in high esteem in the township in which he lived. He married Theney Carter ; she was born in Kentucky, and, at the time of her death was the mother of three children, viz., John J., William A. and Elizabeth B. His second wife was Mary Taylor, by whom he had two children - Hiram and Thomas. John J. Collins, the oldest son, was born in Morgan Tp., Feb. 7, 1850, where he attended the common schools and assisted his father in farming until 12 years of age, since which time he has made his home with Joseph Carter, whom he assisted in farming in summer and attended the common school in the winter, until 1871, when he entered the Westfield College, where he attended two years, since which time he has been engaged in schoolteaching during the M\ and winter and farming in summer.

LAFAYETTE CRAIG, farmer. Sec. 18; P.O.Charleston ; born in Clark Co., 111., Mar! 27, 1832 ; he emigrated with his parents when 3 years of age, and located in what is now known as Morgan Tp., in December, 1835, in which township he has since continued to live for a period of upward of forty-three years ; he is a son of Isaac N. Craig, and with his father is one of the earliest pioneers of Morgan Tp. ; the subject of this sketch was employed in his early days in watching sheep during the day to protect them from the wolves, and at night would drive the sheep in close pens near the house, for safety during the night ; there were no roads in those days, and to go to Charleston and other points, they would ibllow by-paths, taking a direct line to whatever point they wished to go ; he remained with his father and assisted him in farming until 21 years of age, when he was employed by his father for two years, at $100 per year, when he, with his brother farmed upon the old farm for six years, receiving half of the crops for their labor ; he then continued farming alone on the same conditions, for a period of three years longer ; he removed upon his present place in the spring of 1864, where he has since continued to live; he owns 161 acres of land in his home farm, and 110 in other parts of the county. He married Jan. 3, 1856, to Jemima Fowler ; she was born in Coles Co., Oct. 14, 1836 ; she died March 26, 1862, leaving no children ; his marriage with Margaret J. Woodfull was celebrated Feb. 12, 1863; they have six children now living by this union - Willis N. Ida May, Alma L.. Robert H., Oscar A., and Thomas D. Mr. Craig was the first Collector of Morgan Tp., which oflSce he held for two years, when he was elected ^ Supervisor for ten years in succession ; took the census in 1865, and served for two years as School Director.

THOMAS H. CRISPIN, farmer; P. 0. Rardin ; born in Pickaway Co., Ohio, May 5, 1833, where he attended school and assisted his father in the mason trade until 14 years of age, when he went to Bellefontaine, Logan Co., Ohio, where he learned and worked at the trade of mason and plasterer until 1852, when he emigrated to Carlinville, 111., and followed his trade for six years ; he located in Coles Co. in the spring of 1859, on Sec. 30, Morgan Tp., where he engaged in farming one year, then six years upon Sec 9 ; he located upon his present place in 1864, where he has since continued to live, and where he owns 110 acres of prairie and timber land. His marriage with Susannah J. Painter was celebrated in 1852 ; she was born in Macoupin Co., III., Nov. 15, 1833 ; they have seven children now liv- . ing, having lost one by death ; the names of the living are Nancy C.,born Jan. 19, 1853; Isabel J., born July 27,' 1854; Jacob J., May 2, 1856 ; Thomas J., Feb. 16,1858; William H., Dec. 15, 1860; Geo. B. McClellan, Oct. 1,1863; Mary H., Dec. 16, 1868 ; Jesse, March 21, 1875 ; the deceased is Alonzo G., born Sept. 10, 1866, died April 19, 1868 ; Mrs. Crispin died Aug. 18, 1871. He married for his second wife Agnes McKiney Aug. 24, 1873 ; she was born June 7, 1855.

WESLEY DAUGHERTY, farmer, Sec. 8 ; P. 0. Charleston ; born in Coles Co., 111., Jan. 18, 1834; he is the youngest son of John B. Daugherty, who emigrated with his family from Indiana and located in Coles Co., 111., about the year 1833, where he lived until his decease, which occurred July 10, 1857, being then 60 years of age. The subject of this sketch remained with his father and assisted in farming until 19 years of age, when he was employed as farm laborer for about four years, when he engaged in farming upon rented land, which he followed two years ; he located upon his present place in the spring of 1857, where he has since continued to live during a period of upward of 22 years ; he owns 120 acres in his home farm, upon which he has good buildings and about 20 acres of timber upon the Embarrass River. His marriage with Phoebe Clark was celebrated Feb. 18, 1856; she was born in Coles Co. May 25, 1836. They have five children now living, viz. : Paulina, Albert, Joseph, Charles W. and Hetta J. Mrs. Daugherty was the daughter of Benjamin and Sarah Clark, who emigrated from Kentucky, and located in Coles Co., 111., about the year 1828 or 1829; Mr. Clark lived here until the spring of 1856, when he went to Indiana upon a visit, where he died April 18, 1856 ; his birth occurred in Kentucky, in the year 1798. Mrs. Clark now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Daugherty, within one-half mile of where she first located, and where she has continued to reside for nearly half a century ; she was born Jan. 1, 3 800, and although now in her 80th year, is in po.ssession of all her faculties, and voluntarily devotes a large part of her time to sewing and knitting. Mr. Daugherty has filled the office of School Director several years during his residence here, and which office he now holds.

SHEP FLORER, farmer ; P. O. Oakland ; born in Newport, Vermilion Co., Ind., March 29, 1839 ; he was the son of Alexander B. Florer, of the early pioneers of that county, and who was elected Second County Clerk, which office he held fourteen years ; was elected Recorder of the county several times, which office he held for many years ; he was also an eminent lawyer of that part of the State of Indiana until his death, which occurred Aug. 9, 1863; Shep Florer was raised in the above county, at the age of 14, he commenced clerking for Jones, Culbertson & Co., and at 17 he was appointed Deputy Auditor of the county under Henry D. Washburn, and afterward as Deputy Clerk and Recorder at 20 years of age ; he did a heavy grocery trade in that town ; at the beginning of the war, he enlisted in Co. C. 18th Ind. Vols., and served his country three years as private messenger for Col. Tom Patterson and Gen. H. D. Washburn. On Sept. 23, 1864:, he located with his mother, A. A. Florer, at Milton Station, Coles Co., 111., where he sold general merchandise for five years, and on the 11th day of October, 1870, he moved to his mother's farm of 529 acres, situated in Morgan Tp., Coles Co., where he now resides. He married June 24, 1866, to Louisa A. Hawkins; she was born in Rush Co., Ind., March 7, 1848 ; she removed with her parents to Coles Co., 111., in 1850,wbereher fiither and stepmother now reside ; five children were the fruit of this union, two of whom are deceased, the names of the living are Mary Elizabeth, born May 13, 1876, and Katie and Clara, twins, born June 11, 1878.

ARIS GALBRKATH, farmer ; P. 0. Rardin ; was born in Nicholas Co., Ky., Jan. 20, 1812. His parents removed to Scott Co., Ind., when he was 2 years of age, where he lived until 18 years of age, when he emigrated with his mother to Illinois and located in Edgar Co., in the Fall of 1830, where he engaged as farm laborer for two years at $8 per month ; in 1832, he located in Ashmore Tp., Coles Co., 111., working one year for $100, out of which he saved money to enter 40 acres of land, which he improved one year, when he sold out and purchased 240 acres, which he improved for ten years, which he then sold and entered 160 acres of prairie and purchased 40 acres of timber in Morgan Tp., upon which he Uved until 1875, when he removed upon his present place, after renting his old homestead; he now owns 300 acres of land with three sets of buildings. When Mr. G. located here, wolves and Indians were plenty, and to obtain quail, prairie chickens or other game, was only necessary to shoot from your door or window. He married Dec. 8, 1835, to Jane Reed ; she was born in Spencer Co., Ky., Oct. 9, 1817 ; they have three children, now living by this union - James T., born Oct. 9, 1836; William R., Nov. 4, 1838 ; Ann Eliza, born Jan. 5, 1841, Mrs. G. was a daughter of Thos. Reed, who emigrated from Kentucky and located in Illinois in 1829; he died in Ashmore Tp., in the winter of 1845. Mr. Galbreath has taken a deep interest in the cause of religion and education, havinij been a member of the C. P. Church for fifteen years: his wife having been a member for twenty-five years. He has held the offices of Assessor, Town Clerk and School Director ; the latter office he now holds.

JACKSON GERARD, farmer ; P. 0. Hinesborough ; was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, June 28, 1828 ; his grandfather was one of the early settlers of Ohio, locating in the above county about the year 1784, where he lived until his decease, which occurred about the year 1838. The father of the subject of this sketch, William Gerard, was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, in the year 1785, and lived there until his death, which occurred in the year 1836 ; he served through the war of 1812, with the Frontier Rangers, being stationed during the winter of 1813 near Vincennes, Ind., guarding the frontier from the attacks of the Indians. His mother was born in New Jersey, July, 1792, and emigrated with her parents to Ohio, in the year 1794; they did their trading in Cincinnati, when the building occupied as the P. 0. was the only frame building there; Mrs Gerard died July 7, 1874, in Butler Co.. Ohio. The subject of this sketch lived with his parents until 7 years of age, when he made his home with an older brother until 21 years of age, when he located upon a farm in Butler Co., Ohio, where he lived twenty-four years ; he emigrated to Illinois in 1874, and located upon Sec. 30, Morgan Tp., where he now resides ; he owns 102 acres in his home farm, upon which he has erected good buildings ; he also owns 140 acres in other parts of the county. He married Nov. 3, 1850, to Emily Stites; she was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, Jan. 20, 1834 ; they have four children now living, having lost two by death. The names of the living are: Eli, born July 4, 1854; Mary A., now wife of Dr. J. T. Montgomery, Feb. 18, 1856; Charles W., born April 11, 1859; Anna M., born Oct. 15. 1861.

ELI GERRARD, farmer ; P.O. Charleston ; born in Butler Co., Ohio, July 4, 1854, where he attended school and engaged in farming until he emigrated West and located in Coles Co., in the fall of 1 874 ; here he engaged in farming with his father until the spring of 1876, when he removed upon his present place, where he has since lived. He is the oldest son of Jackson Gerard, whose biography appears in this work. His marriage with Laura B. Smith was celebrated Aug. 31, 1875; she was born in Ohio Oct. 10, 1856 ; they have two children now living by this union, viz., Clara L., born June 8, 1876, and Elizabeth A., born Dec. 29, 1877.

JESSE HUDSON, farmer and Justice of the Peace ; P. 0. Charleston ; born in Jessamine Co., Ky., June 27, 1840, where he attended school until 11 years of age, when he emigrated to IlUnois and located in East Oakland Tp. in October, 1851 ; here he remained and assisted his father in forming until upward of 20 years of age, when he raised one crop upon his father's farm, of which he gave one-third

I for the use of the land ; the following year he farmed upon rented land, and in 1864, he removed to Morgan Tp., where he rented land four years, and, in 1868, purchased his present place, where he has since continued to live ; he first purchased eighty acres of land, mostly upon time, giving his notes for $2,180, which he met promptly, and has since added, by purchase, forty acres more, for which he paid $1,200 cash ; he built a brick addition to his house in 1872, and, in 1877, erected the finest barn in Morgan Tp. The above property he has accumulated by his own hard labor, energy and good business management, in which he has been nobly assisted by his wife, to whom he was married Oct. 10, 1861 ; her maiden name was Harriet Stark ; she was born in Indiana Nov. 15, 1842; they have two children now living, viz., Laura B., born Dec. 12, 1869, and Emma May, born Nov. 8, 1871. Mr. Hudson has held difierent township offices, and has been elected to the office of Justice of the Peace for the second term, which office he now holds.

JOHN H. JOHNSON (deceased), farmer and minister ; born in Washington Co., Penn., Dec. 12, 1812, where he attended school in his youth - the last few years at the college at Way nesburg, Penn.; after which he was licensed as a minister of the C. P. Church, officiating as circuit preacher until his removal to Ohio, where he was settled as local preacher for three years, until his removal to Coles Co., 111., about the year 1854, where he first settled as Pastor of the C. P. Church in Ashmore Tp. for several years ; then in Morgan Tp. until 1868 ; at the above date, he emigrated to Jasper Co., Mo., where he purchased ninety acres of land, upon which he labored while not engaged in his ministerial labors, until the fall of 1877, when he removed to Carthage, Mo., after renting his farm, that he might have better facilities for the education of his dauahter ; here he lived until his decease, which occurred Jan. 31, 1878, after an illness of ten days ; his remains were brought back to Coles Co., 111., and buried in the beautiful cemetery near St. Omer, Ashmore Tp., by the side of his first wife, to whom he was married in Pennsylvania ; her maiden name was Lucinda j Hamson ; she emigrated to Illinois with I him, and died during his ministerial labors in Ashmore Tp ; his marriage with Nancy (Rardin) Gollady was celebrated Feb. 13, 1856 ; she was a sister of John and Jacob L. Rardin ; born in Campbell Co., Ky., April 22, 1824, and emigrated with her parents, Samuel and Catharine Rardin, to Morgan Tp.in the fall of 1842 ; her first marriage with George Gollady was celebrated April 22, 1852; he was born April 23, 1819, and emigrated from Virginia about the year 1836, and located in Morgan Tp., where he lived until his decease, which occurred Feb. 3, 1854; Mrs. Johnson has one daughter by her last marriage, viz., Teresa C, born in Coles Co., 111., March 13, 1859 ; Mrs. Johnson, with her daughter, returned in the fall of 1878, and again located upon her farm in Morgan Tp., where she resided previous to her removal to Missouri.

JOHN B. JONES, farmer. Sec. 3 ; P. 0. Rardin ; born in Franklin Co., N. Y., Sept. 1, 1829; he removed with his parents when quite young to Whitehall, Washington Co., where he attended school and engaged in farming until 15 years of age, when he learned and worked at the shipcarpenter's trade for three years ; then for two years followed sailing on the lakes, and his trade ; after which time he located at Astoria, L. I., where he engaged at his trade until 1857, when he emigrated to Illinois, and located in' Ashmore Tp., Coles Co., March 1, of the same year; here he purchased land and engaged in farming until 1870, when he located upon his present place, where he has since continued to live, and where he has eighty-nine acres, upon which he erected his residence in 1871 ; here he located in the timber and has, during the last eight years, cleared and placed under cultivation upward of fifty acres of land by his own hard labor. His marriage with Sarah Smith was celebrated Dec. 24, 1 856 ; she was born in Queens Co., N. Y., May 13, 1839; they have three children now living by this union, viz., John Paul, born Nov. 8, 1857 ; Stephen B., born Feb. 8, 1865, and Isaac P., born May 11, 1868 ; the names of the deceased are George W. and William H.

W. C. McLAIN, farmer ; P. 0. Charleston ; one of the very oldest settlers of Coles Co., 111., being born in Ashmore Tp., Coles Co., Jan. 12, 1829 ; his father, Matthew McLain, emigrated from Indiana in the year 1828, and located in the above township, at the above date, where he lived until 1846, when he removed to Wisconsin, and the year following both he and his wife died. The subject of this sketch emigrated to Wisconsin with his parents, and after their decease returned to Coles Co. and was employed as farm laborer until 1851, when he rented land i and farmed one year, and on March 28, i 1852, started with three other ox-teams overland to California, going via St. Joe, Mo., Fort Kearney and Fort Laramie, crossing the Rocky Mountains via the Sweetwater Gap, arriving at Placerville, Cal., Aug. 16, of the same year, being nearly five months upon the road ; here he engaged in freighting for several months from Sacramento City to Placerville, a distance of forty-five miles, and late in the fall engaged in mining upon Weber Creek until the spring of 1853, when he went to the North Yuba River, and ensraged in mining during the summer of 1853, when he and his company, among which were two of his brothers, opened a mine, sinking a shaft 140 feet, which they named Galena Hill, and which has since proved to be one of the best deep diggings in California ; working this mine until the dry season set in, when they worked seven months and flumed the North Yuba River, after taking the water out of the river and working one-half day in thebed of the river, in which they obtained $2,800, the flume burst in, and their seven months' labor was lost ; he then returned to Galena Hill where he engaged in mining until March 15, 1855, when he sailed from San Francisco, via Panama and New York, arrivino- in Ashmore Tp. April 11 following; he then rented and engaged in farming one year, when he removed to Morgan Tp., where he has since engaged in farming ; he located upon his present pla?e in February 1866, where he has since continued to live ; he owns sixty acres in his home farm, upon which he has good improvements, mostly made by his own labor. He married Aug. 8, 1850, to Mary A. Galbreath; she was born in Coles Co., Ill, Oct. 18, 1834; she died April 11, 1866, leaving two children - Philena and Mary A. His marriage with Mahala Mitchell, daughter of John Galbreath, was celebrated April 14, 1867 ; she was born in Coles Co., 111., Feb. 18, 1840; her parents were among the early pioneers of Coles Co., who located about 1830. Mrs. McLain has two children by her previous husband, W. R. Mitchell, viz., John F. and P. A. Mitchell, now Mrs. Hu^h Daugherty.

ALEXANDER McGREGOR, farmer ; P. 0. Charleston ; the subject of this sketch was born in Perthshire, Scotland, July 1, 1807, where he attended the common schools in his youth and assisted his father in farming until upward of 21 years of age, when he located in Grlasgow as clerk and salesman in the wholesale store of Robert & John Henderson, with whom he remained until 1842, when he emigrated to America, landing in New York in April, of the same year, coming directly West ; he lived in East Oakland Tp. until the spring of 18-13, when he located forty acres of land in Morgan Tp., upon which he settled and, about 1845, entered forty more and afterward added by purchase until he had 535 acres, which he , made by his own hard labor ; he has always been one of the most industrious and hard-working men of Morgan Tp., and is held in high esteem as a citizen ; he has always taken a deep interest in the cause of religion and education, having been an active member of the Presbyterian Church for upward of half a century ; on Jan. 9, 1872. he was stricken with palsy, and upon the 13th of the same month received his second shock, since which time he has been confined to the house, and is nearly in a helpless condition, which affliction he has borne with Christian fortitude. His marriage with Margaret Dollar was celebrated June 11, 1833; she was born in Perthshire, Scotland, Nov. 18, 1811 ; five children were the fruit of this union, three of which are deceased ; the names of the living are William and John. Mr. Mc- Gregor was a strong Union man during the war of the rebellion, two of his sons sew- [ ing in the Union Army, Alexander being | killed at the battle of Perryville ; Mrs. i McGregor died April 27, 1876; Mr. ' McGregor continues to live upon the old homestead with his younger son, John, by | whom he is kindly cared for ; John was born in the old homestead Feb. 1, 1848, where he has always lived ; he married April 12, 1877, to Rosanie C. Craig; she i was the daughter of James W. Craig, one j of the early settlers of Coles Co. ; they |

DANIEL R. McALISTER, farmer, deceased ; one of the early pioneers of Coles ; Co. The subject of this sketch was born in Alabama May 29, 1821 ; he emigrated \ to Illinois at 10 years of age, and located in what is now known as Morgan Tp., in the year 1831, where he lived until his death, which occurred Nov. 9, 1867; he was one of the most industrious and hardworking men of Morgan Tp., and by his industry and good management had accumulated a good property at the time of his 1 death. His marriage was celebrated Feb. 11, 1844 ; six children were the fruit of this union, three of whom are deceased ; the living are Martha J. (now Mrs. J. B. Williams), Clara B. (now Mrs. Dunlap) Mc- Ghey and 3Iargaret R. (now Mrs. G. E. Johnson ). Mrs. McAlister makes her home with her oldest daughter, Mrs. J. B. , Williams, and although in her 63d year, is in possession of all her faculties, and daily assists in the various household duties.

J. T. MONTGOMERY, physician, P. 0. Charleston ; born in Cedar Co., Mo., Oct. 18, 1852. He emigrated with his parents and located in Alton, 111,, in 1861, for about six months, then Windsor for three years, where his father was located as minister of the C. P. Church. He located in Oakand. Coles Co., in March, 1867, when he attended school until 1871, where he worked as farm laborer during the summer and fall, in which way he obtained the means to attend the Mt. Zion Academy until he had exhausted the proceeds of his summer's labor, when he engaged as clerk in the dry goods store of Wilcox & Burroughs, at Fairmount, 111., where he remained until winter, when he taught school for six months, and having laid up sufficient means to defray his expenses in further educating himself, he went to the Normal School, at Normal 111., for six months; he continued in this manner, teaching, then expending his savings in schooling himself until he received his education, graduating from the Chicago Medical College in the Centennial Class of 1876, having devoted four years to the study of medicine ; he then engaged in partnership with Dr. W. J. Peak, at Oakland, under the firm name of Peak & Montgomery. He located upon his present place in August, 1876, since which time he has successfully followed the practice of medicine, having a large and extensive practice, which is yearly increasing. He married Oct. 12, 1876, to Mary A. Gerard, daughter of Jackson Gerard, whose biography appears in this work ; she was born in Butler Co., Ohio, Feb. 18, 1856. They have one child by this union - Sarah Emily, born Julv 8, 1877.

WM. MORGAN, farmer ; P. 0. Hardin ; born in Sullivan Co., Ind., Dec. 13, 1827; he emigrated with his parents when 8 years old and located in what is now known as Morgan Tp. in 1834, and before the organization of the township, which is named in honor of his flither, David Morgan, who resided here from 1835 until his death, which occurred in October, 1860. The subject of this sketch lived with his parents and assisted in farming until 1850, when he engaged in flirming for himself upon the place where he has since lived ; he owns 320 acres in his home farm and 320 acres in other parts of the township ; when Mr. Morgan first located in this township, it was inhabited by Indians, whose camps were along the river, their chief camps being along Brush Creek, where the mounds may be seen to this day ; wolves were plenty, and to obtain quail, prairie chickens, turkeys or deer, it was hardly necessary to step outside of the door-yard ; his trips to mill consumed four days, and the distance was fifty miles, either to Eugene on the Wabash, or to Terre Haute ; at that early date, he had only two neighbors, and from his location at the north part of what is now Morgan Tp. to within a half mile from Charleston, a distance of twelve miles, there was not a single habitation ; for roads, to avoid getting lost, a single furrow would be plowed from point to point ; this was the way the road was laid out to Charleston and other parts. His schooling was obtained under disadvantages, in an old log school house, whose fire-place was the whole of one end of the building ; the scholars were obliged to gather their wood from the stump, take it to the schoolhouse, chop it and take it in. His marriage with Margaret Shirre was celebrated Sept. 6, 1850 ; she was born in Glasgow, Scotland, May 28, 1835 ; they have four children, now living, by this union - William David, now attending the

JAMES MORGAN, farmer. Sec. 20; P. 0. Oakland ; one of the early pioneers of Coles Co. ; born in Vermilion Co., Ind., April 20, 1830 ; he was the youngest son of David Morgan, who was born in Wa.shington Co., Ky., Nov. 18, 1797 ; he emigrated from Kentucky to Indiana with his family, where he lived until he emigrated to Coles Co., 111., where he located Aj^ril 20, 1834, in what is now Morgan Tp., the township being named in honor of David Morgan. He married Oct. 7, 1818, to Jane Rodman ; she was born in Kentucky, June 9, 1799 ; six children were the fruit of this union, five of whom emigrated to Illinois with the family at the above date, one having died in infancy ; the names of the living were Sarah, Catharine J., Mary E., William and James; Mr. Morgan died Sept. 10, 1860 ; Mrs. Morgan died Jan. 31, 1832. The subject of this sketch was 4 years of age when he emigrated to Coles Co,, 111., in 1834 ; he lived with his parents until 19 years of age, when he managed the farm until the decease of his father, since which time he has continued to live upon the old homestead, where he has lived for a period of fortyfive years ; he owns upon his home farm 112 acres, and 8 acres of tunber in Oakland Tp.; when Mr. Morgan came here, Indian camps were along the river, wolves and game were plenty, and Mr. Morgan remembers his first labor in his boyhood as watching and protecting the sheep from destruction by the wolves during the day, the sheep being driven in close pens for protection during the night ; his trips to mill consumed from four to six days, either to Perryville, Eugene, or Terre Haute, the distance being sixty miles. His marriage with Clarissa J. West was celebrated Oct. 12, 1849 ; she was born in Vermilion Co., Ind., Oct. 6, 1831 ; they have five children by this union, viz.: Robert, born Oct. 9, 1850; Leonard C, June 22, 1853; William J., Feb. 21, 1855 ; Melvin, June 8, 1858, and David, Aug. 23, 1869.

JOHN NOCK, farmer ; P. 0. Charleston ; born in Germany Feb. 20, 1835; he emigrated with his parents to America when 2 years of age ; coming directly West, they located first in Ross, then Waverly Co., Ohio, until 1849, when they located in Charleston, Coles Co., 111., where he learned and worked at the carpenter trade until 1863, at which date he located upon his present place, where he has since continued to live ; he owns upon his present place 165 acres, upon which he has good buildings, and which is mostly under cultivation. He married Aug. 5, 1863, to Mary Golladay ; she was born upon the place where she now lives, and where she has lived since her birth, which occurred Dec. 18, 1841 ; they have seven children now living, by this union, viz. : Katie and Annie (twins), born Aug. 24, 1864; Minnie, Jan. 4, 1869; John, Oct. 8, 1872; James, Nov. 13, 1874; Jackson, Nov. 28, 1876; Emma, April 17, 1878. The father of Mr. Nock, John Nock, died in September, 1851 ; his mother died Aug. 27, 1875 ; the parents of Mrs. Nock, Moses and Catharine Golladay, were among the early pioneers of Coles Co., locating here in 1836 ; Mr. Golladay was born in Virginia, Oct. 15, 1809; he died in Morgan Tp., March 12, 1862; Mrs. Golladay was born in Virginia March 25, 1819 ; she now lives with her daughter, Mrs. Nock, upon the same place where she has resided for upward of forty-three years, and is one of the oldest living settlers now in Morgan Tp. F. M. PARKER, farmer; P. O. Rardin; born in Edgar Co., 111., March 18, 1849 ; he is the eldest son of Wm. M. Parker, who emigrated from Kentucky, and located in Edgar Co., 111., in the year 1829; he died in Coles Co., Feb. 14, 1873 ; his mother was born in Kentucky, and emigrated with her parents, and located in Coles Co. in 1828 ; the subject of this sketch remained with his parents, and assisted in farming, until 20 years of age, when he was employed as farm-laborer for about four years : he first commenced farming for himself in 1871, in Edgar Co., and the year following in East Oakland Tp., Coles Co. ; he removed upon Sec. 5, Morgan Tp., in December, 1873, where he has since successfully followed farming. He married Sept. 14, 1871 to Sarah J. Roberts ; she was born in Muskingum Co., Ohio, March 11, 1848 ; she is daughter of Thomas Roberts, whose biography appears in this work ; they have four children by this union - Rhoda A., born June 30, 1872 ; James W., born May 1, 1874;

Cara A., born Mav 21, 1876 ; Dora R., born April 29, 1878. Mr. Parker has held the office of Road Overseer for two years, and Collector of Morgan Tp. for 1878.

SAMUEL RARDIN, merchant and Postmaster, Rardin ; born in Morgan Tp., Coles Co., 111., Jan. 2, 1850, where he attended the common schools until 1872, when he entered the Westfield College at Westfield, Clark Co., Ill, which he attended during the years 1872 and 1873, when he returned home and assisted his father in farming until the year 1875, when he was appointed, under the admintration of President Grant, as Postmaster at Rardin, which office he now holds, and which is the only post office in Morgan Tp. ; upon receiving the above appointment, he erected a store, and purchased a stock of goods ; he engaged in the merchandise trade, which business he has since successfully followed. He is the oldest son now living of John H. Rardin, who emigrated from Kentucky and located in Morgan Tp. in 1842, and whose biography appears in this work. He also owns forty acres of prairie land, upon which he has a residence, and which is rented.

J. L. RARDIN, farmer and Justice of the Peace ; P. 0. Rardin ; one of the early settlers of Morgan Tp. ; born in the State of Indiana Dec. 12, 1814; his parents removed to Campbell County, Ky., when he was 4 years of age, where he was engaged in clearing land and farming, with the exception of five years in Ohio, until 28 years of age, when he emigrated with his parents to Illinois, and located in what is now known as Morgan Tp., in the fall of 1842, upon the place where he has since continued to live during a period of nearly thirty-seven years ; he first entered eighty acres of prairie land, which is now a part of his home farm, and eighty acres of timber upon the Embarrass River ; at the time 1 of his locating here, his capital consisted of one team and wagon, his provisions for the j winter and $25 in money ; his first log I house and stable, which he built in 1842, was occupied by him until about the year 1853, when he erected his present house ; and, a few years later, built a frame barn ; he now owns in his home farm 160 acres I and upward of 300 acres in other parts of I the township. Mr. Rardin has taken a deep interest in the cause of i-eligion and education, having been a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for upward of twenty years ; of school and township offices, he has had his share, having held the offices of Supervisor, School Trustee and School Director several terms, and has held the office of Justice of the Peace for upward of thirty years in succession. He married Feb. 1, 1838, to Sarah Rankin ; she was born in Ohio Aug. 7, 1815; she died May 3, 1848, leaving two children now living, viz., David (born Jan. 27, 1839), Nancy (born Sept. 29, 1841). His marriage with Mary Ann Sousley was celebrated March 9, 1354 ; she was born in Fleming Co., Ky., Aug. 27, 1829 ; they have three children now Hving by this union, viz., George (born March 16, 1860), Ellen (March 18, 1862), Lucy (Aug. 18, 1873. Mr. Rardin located here when wolves were plenty, and to protect the sheep they built close pens at the side of the house, in which the sheep were nightly driven ; game was also abundant, and to obtain a quail, wild turkeys, prairie chickens, wild geese, ducks or deer was the work of a few minutes. His milling was a work of four days' labor, driving oxen to Danville, Montezuma or Terre Haute, and sometimes he was obliged to wait from two to three days to get his sjrist ground.

JOHN H. RARDIN, farmer ; P. 0. Rardin ; one of the early pioneers of Morgan Tp.; born in the State of Indiana, Feb. 24, 1818; he removed with his parents when 3 months old to Campbell Co., Ky., where he lived until 25 years of age, where he was engaged in farming until he emigrated to Illinois and located in what is now known as Morgan Tp. in the fall of 1842, living within one mile of his present place since that date, a period of nearly thirty-seven years ; at the time of locating here, his capital consisted of one team, without a dollar in money ; he worked by the day to pay for his first dwelling, which was an old log house ; he manufactured his first bedstead by boring a hole in one of the end and side logs, running a pole from each and entering a post at either end ; the following year, he went back to Kentucky, where he worked as farm laborer one season, at $9 per month, in which way he obtained means to enter forty acres of land, and upon which he commenced his first farming ; he has since disposed of the above, but now owns in his home farm, 280 acres, and 160 acres in Oakland Tp., all of the above being accumulated by his own hard labor, energy and industry ; although in his 61st year, and having suffered all the hardships and exposure of frontier life, he is now in possession of all his faculties, and daily attends to the care of his stock, and such other duties as his farm requires. He married March 6, 1845, to Melinda Clark ; she was born in Kentucky Oct. 25, 1824 ; they have three children now living by this union, viz., Mary Ann, born Feb. 13, 1846, now Mrs. Porter Johnson ; Samuel Rardin, born Jan. 2, 1850, now merchant and Postmaster at Rardin ; James K., born June 28, 1851, now practicing law at Charleston ; Mrs. Rardin died Mareh 13, 1857. His marriage with Rebecca Hurst was celebrated in the spring of 1859 ; she was born in Edgar Co., 111., April 17, 1825 ; she died April 17, 1870, leaving one child, now living - Malinda J., born May 15, 1862. He married for his third wife Mrs. Nancy Campbell, Dec. 17, 1873 ; she was born in Jefferson Co., Ind., Jan. 30, 1830; she was the daughter of John McCrory, one of the early pioneers of Clark Co., 111., who located in Clark Co. in 1838 ; they have one child by this union - John H. Rardin, born Feb. 3, 1875.

ISAAC ROBERTS, retired farmer and blacksmith ; P. 0. Charleston ; born in Bourbon Co., Ky., Feb. 25, 1807; his grandfather emigrated from Wales in the early part of the seventeenth century, and located in Virginia, then to Kentucky, where he died ; his father, Azariah Roberts, was born in Kentucky about the year 1775, and died in Indiana about 1847. The subject of this sketch removed to Scott Co., Ky., when quite young, where he lived until 22 years of age, and learned and worked at the blacksmith trade until 1828, when he removed to Hendricks Co., Ind., and followed his trade until 1852, during a period of twenty-four years ; he then emigrated to Illinois, and located upon his present place in June, 1853, where he has since continued to live ; he first purchased 120 acres of land upon his present farm, to which ho has since added until he has 360 acres, which he has accumulated by his own hard labor, energy and industry. He married in April, 1822, to Nancy Bowles ; she was born in Bourbon Co., Ky., in November, 1807; she died Feb. 28, 1866 ; nine children were the fruit of this union, five of whom are deceased ; the names of the living are William D., born April 29, 1829 ; Aratus, born Oct. 20, 183.3 ; Isaac M., born June 16, 1847, and Alpheus, born Feb. 24, 1850 ; Mr. Roberts' children are all living within one mile of his present home. William D. married in 1850 to Ann Douglas ; she died Feb. 25, 1S66, leaving three children ; he married for his second wife Cynthia Lanman ; she died Dec. 27, 1878, leaving four children. Aratus married in 1854 to Araminta Bradfield ; she died in 1858, leaving one child - Charles W., born March 16, 1857 ; his second marriage with Auyziller Nelson was celebrated in 1865 ; they have three children now living by this union - Alpheus, Aratus J. and Ella. Isaac M. married Feb. 18, 1867, to Patience Marymee ; she was born in Indiana Jan. 30, 1844 ; they have three children now living, John T., born March 10, 1868;

WM. H. REYNOLDS, for.; P. 0. Oakland ; born in Fairfield Co., Ohio, May 29, 1837, where he was brought up on a farm until about 18 years of age, when he emigrated to Clark Co., 111., and located for one year; thence to Coles Co., where he hired as farm laborer for two years, when he rented land and farmed three years. He enlisted July 25, 1861, in Col. Oglesby's regiment - the 8th I. V. I. - going in camp at Cairo, where he remained about two months, during which time he was engaged in reconnoiterin^ expeditions in Missouri; he then joined the Army of the West under Gen. Grant, and was in many severe battles, among which were Ft. Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, siege and capture of Vicksburg, after which he went with the army South to New Orleans, and went into winter quarters, remaining until the spring of 1865, when they went to Mobile, which place they captured after remaining there two months; went to Shreveport, La., then to Marshall, Tex., where he received a furlough, and while at home was mustered out of service by special order from the War Department April 20, 1866. Mr. Reynolds was in the Union Army nearly five years, and while he had many narrow escapes ; was wounded only once, while making a charge at Raymond, Miss., having the flesh torn from one of his fingers. At the battle of Shiloh, he received a bullet through his pants, one through his blouse, and one struck . the stock of his gun ; his comrades at either side were killed ; at the battle of Hollv Springs, he was made prisoner, but was released by an attack of the Union army j for three years, and after receiving his discharge, he re-enlisted as veteran, and served until 1866. After receiving his discharge, he returned to Coles Co., where he engaged in farming until 1872, when went to Kansas and located 160 acres of land, upon which he lived until 1876, when he returned to Coles Co., 111., and located upon his present place, where he has since lived ; his home farm contains 162 acres, mostly praii'ie land. He married in 1855 to Mary E. Harvey; she died in February, 1860 ; he married for

; Collins was celebrated May 23, 1869 ; they have four children by this union, viz., Maynard Oscar, Martha J., Ida May, John W. Mrs Reynolds was born March 6, 1845 ; she was the daughter of Watson Collins, one of the early pioneers of Coles

I Rardin ; born in Wurtemberg, Germany,. Oct. 18, 1823, where he attended school and engaged in farming until 21 years of age, when he was drafted in the 2d Regt. of cavalry, where he served two years, when he received a furlough, subject to the call of the King, and, at the expiration of about four months, war being declared between Germany and Denmark, he was called into service and served during the war, which continued for a period of two years, at the close of which, the German rebellion breaking out, in which he served until the same was subdued, which was about twelve months ; he then engaged in farming until 1853, when he emigrated to America, landing in New York Nov. 10, of the same year; he then went to Pennsylvania, where he worked upon a farm for six months, at $8 per month ; he then went to Indiana, where he worked as farm laborer for two years, at $16 per month ; he then located near Charleston, Coles Co., 111., where he was employed by Jacob P. Decker eight months, when he removed to Morgan Tp. and located upon Sec. 9, in the spring of 1857, where he has since lived ; he owns upward of one hundred acres, upon which he has good buildings; he erected his house in 1869. His marriage with Melissa Gillaspie was celebrated March 18, 1857 ; she was born in Clermont Co., Ohio, Jan. 19, 1838; they have two children now living by this union, viz., Rosa C, born Dec. 15. 1860, and Nancy C, born Dec. 29, 1862 ; Mrs. Sailer was the oldest daughter of Augustus Gillaspie, her mother being a sister of John H. and Jacob L. Rardin, whose biography appear in this work ; her parents were among the early pioneers ol Coles Co., making the journey with teams from Ohio, in company of John H. and Jacob Rardin, and locating in this township in the fall of 1842. Mr. Sailer has reared fi-om childhood James E. Archer, who was born in Oakland Feb. 11, 1856 ; his father died when he was 9 months old, and Mr. Sailer has educated him and treated him as one of his own children since his adoption.

PETER TAYLOR, farmer. Sec. 19 ; P. 0. Oakland ; born in Champaign Co., Ohio, April 25, 1820, where he lived until 1853 ; his father, John Taylor, died when he was 13 years of age, and, he being ^he oldest son, remained with his mother and managed the farm until 23 years of age, at which time he rented land and engaged in farming until the fall of 1853, when he emigrated to Illinois with his family and located in what is now known as Morgan Tp. ; he then rented the A. B. Florer farm, where he lived for twelve years, the last few years of which he had power of attorney to transact business in the name of A. B. Florer in his absence ; he removed upon his present place in 1865, where he has since continued to live, and where he owns sixty acres of land, upon which he has good farm buildings. He married Jan. 12, 1843, to Elizabeth

IMoody ; she was born in Ohio Nov. 12, 1817; she died Dec. 18, 1860, leaving five children now living, having lost three by death ; the names of the living are John T., Oliver S., William H., Emery M., Francis B. His marriage with Mary Housel was celebrated Feb. 2, 1862 ; she wa& born in Champaign Co., Ohio, March 4, 1829 ; five children were the fruit of this union, three of which are deceased ; the names of the living are Loyal P. and IraD.

JOHN T. TAYLOR, farmer; P. 0. Rardin; born in Champaign Co., Ohio, Dec. 24, 1843, where he lived until 9 years of age, when he emigrated with his parents to Illinois and located in what is now known as Morgan Tp., in the fall of 1853, and where he has since continued