Oakwood Township (part 2 of 2)

William B. Dolph was born in Indiana on the 17th of September, 1853. He came to this county with his parents in 1854. His father is a farmer, and W. B. was brought up on a farm till sixteen years old. He then attended school at the Champaign Commercial College. He was married in 1875 to Maiy Corwin. They have two children. They now live in Oakwood Station.

Sanford S. Dickson, merchant, was born in the south part of this county, on the 22d of July, 1855. His father was Simon A. Dickson. He moved about with his father until the latter went into the army; then the mother and children went to Indiana and staid three years. They again moved to the farm and Mrs. Dickson married Dr. Smith. From the age of sixteen Mr. Dickson managed for himself. After two years he went into the store of J. Littler, at Fithian. J. A. Cowles bought Littler out and Mr. D. became partner on the 1st of January, 1877, and then moved to Mnncie. The firm is J. A. Cowles & Co. Mr. D. was married on the 29th of January, 1879, to Frances O. Selby. Mr. D. is now the postmaster at Muncie.

John E. Thompson, farmer, was born in Clarke county, Ohio, on the 5th of March, 1824. His father was a farmer, and brought up his son in the hardy culture of the soil. Mr. Thompson came to Edgar county first, and then to Vermilion county, in 1856. He came at that time to the place where he now lives. He married Sarah E. Simpkins on the 7th of June, 1849. They have had six children, but four only are living, three sons and one daughter. The daughter married J. F. Funk. One son went to Colorado. Mr. Thompson owns eighty acres of land, and farms much more. He is a member of the Fithian Lodge of I.O.O.F., and a man much respected in the community in which he lives.

James H. Black, farmer. We were directed to Mr. Black for the facts in regard to the early history of this country. It certainly was fortunate, for few men are better acquainted with the early history than he. He was among the first to venture on these prairies, and has lived to see their development in a marvelous way. Mr. Black was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, on the 6th of January, 1814. His father was a farmer, and was born in the same county. His father came to Indiana while that was yet a territory, to where Wayne county now is. This was in 1814 or 1815. The family came to Warren county in 1822 or 1823. At that time they had to go south to mill about sixty miles. Mr. Black, jr., remained in this neighborhood till 1856. Then he came to where he now lives. He bought two hundred and forty acres of land, and has lived here ever since. He was married in 1834 to Eliza Ann Odell, a native of New York. They had seven boys and three girls, - only two sons and two daughters now living. Four of the boys were in the array. Two of them died there. They also had a son cruelly murdered in the state of Kansas by a man who got into difficulty with him in regard to some land. Mr. Black has divided up his land among his children, and kept only eighty acres for his homestead. John Black, father of James H., was born in Kentucky about 1785. He lived in Kentucky till he had four children, and then came west. After moving, as noted above, he came to Mound Prairie in 1822 or 1823. His was the third house there. The first on that prairie was John A. Lewins, who had come in the spring of the same year. Thomas Cunningham had entered the land previously, and came on with his family soon after. Mr. Lewins' family arrived, and then in the fall of the same year came Mr. Black. Mr. Black also maintains that the first man at Perrysville was Jacob Andrix. Soon afterward came George Hicks, who came in west of Perrysville. Mr. Andrix's house was on the Indian trail from Fort Harrison to Tippecanoe.

John McFarland is knowm as one of the best farmers of Oakwood township. His farm shows the hand of a careful manager, and his purse feels the weight of successful farming. Mr. McFarland was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, on the 25th of May, 1821. His father moved to Ohio while John was young. They lived in Marion and Belmont counties. Mr. McFarland married Rachel S. Oxford in Perrysville, Indiana, in 1849. They had four children. Mrs. McFarland died, and he came to Illinois. In the spring of 1856 he married the widow of Aaron Dalbey. They have four children. Mr. McFarland now owns three hundred and twelve acres of land, including the original farm of Aaron Dalbey.

Abraham 111k is a native of Germany. He was born in Wurtemberg on the 2d of February, 1835. His father was one of the principal taxpayers of that country. Abraham went to school till fourteen years old, and then worked in his father's vineyard. He came to New York in 1853. He says that Illinois has the best reputation in Germany, so he came to Chicago. After working in several places he came east of Homer, and worked on the T. "W. <fc W. R. R., and lost his work. He came to the place where he now lives, and bought first forty acres. Since he has added to his forty till it is one hundred and ninety-three acres. He was married to Catharine Ford in 1857. They have eight children. The eldest, Julia, is now teaching.

H. C. Wright, farmer, was born in this count}-. He owns one hundred and twenty acres of land in the east end of Oakwood township. His father was one of the first in this neighborhood. Thomas X. was the father's name. He owned considerable land in here. He has been

John G. Kirsh was born in Bavaria, Germany, on the 18th of October, 1837. Like all German children, he attended school till fourteen years old. He left the Fatherland at the age of sixteen, and reached New York in August, 1853. He worked at Terre Haute and Indianapolis in hotels. At Covington he learned the carpenter trade. He came to Danville in 1857 and worked at his trade. In 1858 he married Eliza J. Kinney and came to the country. They had one child. He then went into the United States army, in Co. I, Capt. Vinson, 125th Inf. He was with the regiment in the fight at Perryville, on the 8th of October. He was left, sick, at Bowling Green, Kentucky, but joined the regiment at Nashville, in February, 1863. He was with the regiment until after the battle of Mission Ridge, but was then detailed to guard a Union man's property, first by Harman, and then by J. C. Davis. He joined the regiment again near Atlanta, and went with it to Savannah. When the army started to join Grant in the north, Mr. Kirsh was captured. He had gone out with a small foraging party, and they were lost and then captured. The first night afterward he and three others escaped, and traveled for some time, nearly reaching the command, but were re-captured and taken to Augusta, and then to Macon, and afterward to Andersonville. Mr. Kirsh was in the terrible prison three months. He more than substantiates all the terrible stories we ever heard about the den. Mr. Kirsh, with others, was taken to Jacksonville and liberated at the close of the war. He was reported dead at one time, but he finally reached Springfield, and was mustered out. After the war Mr. Kirsh was married to Mrs. Armstrong, whose husband was killed at the battle of Sliiloh.

Dr. Samuel T. Smith was born in Fayette county, Tennessee, on the 11th of December, 1818. His father was Nicholas Smith, a farmer, and also an ordained elder in the Christian church. Dr. Smith is of German descent. He moved to Wayne county, Ohio, with the family, in 1820. Here there were a vast number of the Smiths - over four hundred. The Doctor was raised on a farm. He moved to Williams county in 1840, and remained there till 1850. He sold his farm and went to studying medicine in 1845, with Drs. Hall and Morrison. He served as justice of the peace at this time. He stayed here till 1850. At the breaking out of the California excitement he engaged with a train from St. Louis, and went as physician in the Great April Line. Here he learned much of cholera. He came back in 1852 to Ohio, and next year to Illinois. He practiced medicine in Grundy county four years, and then came to Vermilion, in 1858. He went into the 39th

111. Reg. as physician; was post surgeon at Mitchell ville, Tennessee. His health failed and he came back to Conkey Town, and then to Fithian, in 1871. In 1877 he moved to Muncie, where he still remains. In 1866 he was married to the widow of Simon A. Dickson. They have three children. The Doctor has a large practice in this part of the county, and is well known in professional circles over the county as a first-class M.D.

"William H. Noble, Fithian, farmer, was born in Butler county, Ohio. His father was a farmer. They came to Indiana and then to Illinois in 1858. Mr. Noble bought land close to Fithian. He has been on the place most of the time since, although he went to the railroad when the new station started up. Mr. Noble has been an officer in Oak wood for a long time. He is noted as an officer of wonderful executive ability, accuracy in transacting business, and ability to please.

James W. Barton was born in Shenandoah county, Virginia, on the 4th of August, 1845. James came to this county when thirteen years old. He enlisted in the United States army at St. Joseph, Champaign county, in the 51st Reg., 111. Vol. Inf., Co. B. They went to St. Louis first, and then to Cumberland, Kentucky. They wintered at Nashville, and were in the fight at Murfreesboro'. Then they went to Chattanooga. Mr. Barton went into the hospital on the 4th of April, 1864. He was in hospital at various places, but recovered sufficiently to join the regiment again at Nashville ; but his health soon failed, and he was discharged on the 4th of December, 1864. He came back, and has been in this county since. Exposure to the inclemency of the weather, long marching and the hardships of army life have broken his constitution, but he has been unable so far to get a pension.

W. J. Gohn, farmer, is a native of Ohio, being born in Wayne county on the 23d of March, 1845. His father was a shoemaker by trade. He came to Illinois in 1862 from Indiana, where he had lived two years. W. J. went to Indianapolis in 1864, and staid till January, 1870. He was dealing in agricultural implements. He came back in 1870, and went in the same business in Danville, in 1870-71. Since that time he has been on the farm. He was married to Hannah J. Campbell on the 14th of September, 1871. She is a daughter of Joseph Campbell, one of the earliest settlers of Newell township. They have two children.

William C. Harrison, deceased, was born in Indiana on the 25th of March, 1837, near Ladoga. His father was a farmer, and an early settler in that county ; he is still living. Mr. Harrison came to Vermilion county in the spring of 1862. He was married to Nancy Graybill in Indiana. She was a native of that state. They settled on a farm half a mile south of Oakwood Station. He bought fifty acres first, and increased it to two hundred and seventy-two. Mr. Harrison died on the 23d of February, 1879. He took a severe cold and a sudden attack of lung fever. Mr. Harrison was an honorable and upright citizen. He was a member of the republican central committee. He was prompt and reliable in business, and offered a life worthy of emulation. He died without owing a cent except his doctor bill. His children are: James IT., John K., Robert I., Charles B., Sarah E., Thomas S., William Scott, Clark E. Two of the eight are dead.

Ezra J. Bantz is of English and German descent, his ancestor being from Maryland and Kentucky. He was born in Preble county, Ohio, on the 12th of January, 1827. His father was a farmer, and taught his son the same business. When Mr. Bantz was seven years old his father moved to Delaware county, Indiana. Mr. Bantz, sen., died there, and the son began for himself. This was in 1848. Mr. Bantz came to Vermilion county in December, 1864, but moved his family in 1865. In March, 1848, he enlisted in the U. S. army, in the 15th Inf., regulars, under Capt. Jones. He enlisted at Logansport, Indiana. They went to Newport, Kentucky, and remained in the barracks there till ordered to New Orleans. But before the command had time to start, the city of Mexico had been taken, and the troops never went. Mr. Bantz has a medal, given him at Washington, D.C., which recognizes him as one of the veterans of the Mexican war. E. J. Bantz was married to Nancy Thornburg on the 9th of November, 1848, in Indiana. They have five children: two daughters and three sons. When he first came Mr. Bantz bought one hundred and sixty acres of land, but has increased it to four hundred and five.

William Hill was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, on the 7th of March, 1836. His father was a farmer, and brought his son up in the same vocation. Mr. Hill came to Vermilion county in 1864. He was married on the 2d of October, 1856, to Corrilla Francis. They have five children. They first came to one and a half miles north of New Town. They moved to their present residence in March, 1879.

James Hargan, farmer, was born in Hardin county, Kentucky. His father was a farmer, who lived and died on the same place that he first occupied after his marriage. James Hargan left Kentucky in the fall of 1853, and went to Putnam county, Indiana. Mr. Hargan was born on the 6th of March, 1826. He was married on the 21st of February, 1856, to Catharine Grantham. They have seven children living. Ida May died in the spring of 1879. The two eldest boys are married ; they entered the matrimonial state in the spring of 1879. Mr. Har- gan came to Illinois in 1865, and came to the place where he now lives at that time. He is a man who takes an interest in public welfare, and is now one of the highway commissioners of this township. He takes interest in organization of societies, both church and otherwise, and is himself a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

It is with pleasure we record the facts in regard to a man's history whose life presents a record of services rendered for the public good. George W. Graham was born in Monongalia county, Virginia, now Marion county, West Virginia, on the 25th of October, 1835. His father's name was Ebenezer Graham. George W. was brought up on a farm, where he remained until his fourteenth year. The ten years succeeding this date found him in various parts of Marion and Wirt counties. At the expiration of this time he came to Henry county, Indiana, where he remained nearly two years. When the spring of 1861 came it found him wending his way to his native state. The war cloud was threatening, and he proposed to be on the scene of action. He entered the service immediately as a scout and guide, being employed by Gen. George B. McClellan on the recommendation of Gov. Pierpoint. He continued in this service about three months, until the 7th of August, when he enlisted in the three years' service of the Union army. He remained in the 6th Va. Inf. nine months under Capt. Maulsby. The company was then transferred to the Independent Battery Light Artillery. During 1862 they served in various parts of West Virginia, keeping the front line of the rebels back till they were sent into the valley, in the winter of 1862. The first fight of importance in which the}7 were engaged was at Martinsburg, on the 15th of June, 1863, where Capt. Maulsby was wounded and Mr. Graham took command. He led the batterv from this time on. They were at Winchester on the 22d and 24th of July, and followed the illustrious Sheridan through his valley campaign. Mr. Graham's career was marked with success from the beginning. As a scout and guide, he rendered important service in directing the movements of the army, on account of his acquaintance with the country. When he enlisted he entered as a private. He held all the noncommissioned offices in the company, and then went through the commissions to the head of the list. He received his first commission in the spring of 1862; was afterward first lieutenant, and then took command of the company in June, 1863. He was mustered out at Harper's Ferry in the fall of 1864. He staid in Virginia about one year afterward, and then came to Vermilion county, Illinois, in summer of 1865. He first stopped on Salt Fork, near old Major Vance's salt works, bought forty acres of coal land, and worked a good part of the time in the coal busi- ness. He came to Fithian in the spring of 1871 ; here he united with his brother, and formed the firm of Graham Brothers, and has continned in the mercantile business ever since. These gentlemen have been quite successful in life, and by their industry have gained a considerable portion of this world's goods.

Enoch T. Graham, of the firm of Graham Brothers, is a native of Virginia. He was born in Monongalia county on the 4th of May, 1820. His father, Ebenezer Graham, was a farmer, and brought up his children in that best of methods, the method that makes honest toil the base of future prospects. Enoch remained on the farm until he reached the years of maturity. After the death of his father he bought out part of the heirs, and held the homestead. He held this until the j^ear 1862. Mr. Graham was established in mercantile business in Wirt county, Virginia, for some time. Before the beginning of the war in 1861 he closed out, and, having sold out his interest in the homestead, came to Henry county, Indiana, in 1866. Here he bought a farm, and remained two years. Then he bought eighty acres of land in Champaign county, Illinois, and remained there two years. From Champaign county he came to Vermilion, in 1871. He and his brother formed the partnership which still exists, and began business immediately in the village of Fithian. They keep a general stock of dry goods, groceries, clothing, etc. Mr. Graham has never been pierced by Cupid's arrows, but remains a free, un trammeled man of single blessedness. The season of his life which Mr. Graham regards as most trying was from 1861 to 1863. He was a delegate from Wirt county to the convention which met at Wheeling, on the 11th of June, 1861, to reorganize the government of Virginia. As will be remembered, this convention appointed Pierpoint governor, and he went ahead with the restored government till the state of West Virginia was admitted to the Union. Mr. Graham was elected, on his return, clerk of the circuit court, and held the office till 1863. These men were all declared traitors by the old government, and many of them were caught and sent to Libby prison. Mr. Graham had to fly to the Ohio River twice during his term of office, in order that raiding parties might not destroy the public documents in his possession.

L. R. Myers is a native of Pennsylvania, but was brought up on a farm in Ohio, where he moved when young. He came to Vermilion county to the place where he is now living just north of Muncie. He is operating the old Vance place, which belongs to the heir of Richard Fox. In 1869 he married Sarah E. Lowman, who was living in this county at the time. They have six children.

niilion county, be is a native of the Wabash valley. He was born in Fountain county, Indiana, fifteen miles east of Covington, on the 13th of February, 1834-. His father was one of the earliest settlers of that part of the country, and his mother is still living. She is eighty-four years old, and as lithe and active as many a young woman. She can walk a mile almost as quick as anyone, and is constantly engaged in some kind of work. Her husband cleared seventy acres of heavy timber in those early times, and she spun and wove the cloth for the children's clothing. Mr. Purnel, jr., was brought up on the farm near Covington. His father died in 1852. In 1854 he married Nancy Henry. He came to his present residence, just south of Muncie, in 1871. He bought two hundred and fifty acres of land here, and has a fine farm clear of encumbrances. He has four children.

Thomas Firebaugh, Ogden, farmer, was born in Champaign county, Illinois, on the 22d of August, 1845. His parents were early settlers in that part of the state. Thomas came to Vermilion in 1872, and settled where he now lives. He was married in 1868 to Lucinda Hobick. He has five children. He bought eighty acres of land here from Thomas Hannah in 1871. Mr. Firebaugh is a member of the Christian church.

Source changes here: from History of Vermilion County, Illinois : a Tale of Its Evolution, Settlement, and Progress for Nearly a Century, by Jones, Lottie E, published 1911; 1,240 words in this source stream.

Oakwood Township

Oakwood township lies on the western border of Vermilion County. Its greatest length is from east to west and is twelve miles. Its width north and south is six miles. It includes a part of six congressional towns and the whole territory consists of sixty-five and three-fourth square miles. The township has a diversified surface and soil. There is little of the soil that cannot be said to be deep, rich and very productive. The eastern part of the township used to be covered with a heavy growth of timber, but this has been cut until now there can hardly be said to be much timber left. Within the past ten or more years there has been much draining of the land in this township ; indeed a note of warning has been sounded lest this draining into the streams becomes a menace to those who own land along the banks and suffer from the overflow of the same.

Stony creek flows one-half way across the township from the south. There is plenty of water for the township. On the eastern border is the Middle Fork of the Vermilion river ; on the south side is the Salt Fork ; through the center is Stony creek, which rises in the northwest corner of the township and flowing southeasterly empties into the Salt Fork.

Oakwood township is crossed by the Peoria division of the New York Central Railroad. Like the greater part of Vermilion County, Oakwood township is an agricultural section. It is traversed from east to west by the trolley of the Illinois Traction system, which follows the railroad within a few feet all the way across the township. Oakwood township is truly historic ground, it being where the salt springs were located, and where the first settlement of the county was made. The coal industry of Oakwood township has been of importance. This is fully considered in the chapter on coal and coal mining. Oakwood finds her early history in that of Pilot, Vance and Catlin or more explicitly : On the 2d day of October, George A. Fox, supervisor from Vance township, offered a resolution creating a new township from the territory of Vance, Catlin and Pilot, in accordance with the prayer of certain petitioners from said townships. At this time Mr. West was supervisor from Pilot and Mr. Church was supervisor from Catlin townships. The supervisors concluded to delay action until the March session of the next year in order that all persons connected with the proposed change could have opportunity to approve or disapprove of the meas- ure. Accordingly on the 9th of March, 1868, the petition presented at the meeting of the previous fall was again taken up, and Mr. Fox urged the passage of the resolution to create a new township. A great effort was made to have the matter again delayed, but it was without success. The prayer of the petitioners was granted and an election was ordered for the purpose of selecting township officers.

This village was laid out by Benjamin Coddington, and the plat of it was riled June 15, 1838. The first man to locate in this township was Stephen Griffith. The plat of Newtown was simple. It was located on a cross road and the streets were but two, called Main street and High street. These streets were the roads which crossed at this point. Newtown at present does not in the least suggest the possibility of being an abandoned town. It is a bright, well painted little village which presents the appearance of having attained its desire and in no way disappointed that other more favored villages have because of railroads and other advantages made long strides in its advance. Newtown had a future at one time but that is so far in the past that it would never be guessed at present.

Conkeytown is another old village which had outlived its usefulness. The old mill which was a landmark for so long a time is gone and likewise many other well known buildings. Mr. Conkey came to this section in 1851 and operated a general country store. He came from Eugene, Indiana. Mr. Denman set up a blacksmith shop and Mr. Conkey had a post office. Conkeytown was a village of promise but its glory is gone, the village has long since been merged into a farm and every year less and less of the old town remains. Muncie is a village on the railroad fourteen miles west of Danville. This village was surveyed by Mr. Alexander Bowman and its plat recorded in September, 1875. The station at Muncie was first opened in 1876. William Lynch was the first agent. Since Dr. Fithian owned much land through Oakwood township when the railroad first went through a station was made on his farm and given his name. So it was Dr. Fithian had Mr. Guy, the county surveyor, lay out a village and plat the same which was filed in 1870. This plat was a perfect square, containing eight full and eight fractional blocks, lying on both sides of the railroad. This village was either more favorably located or was more extensively advertised than the other stations on the road, for it has been more prosperous. It has been a great point for buying and shipping of stock and grain.

Oakwood station was laid out in 1870, but has never been the active village that Fithian has proved to be. This place has been a good shipping point for the coal interests on the Salt Fork, but this interest has been so very uncertain during recent years that no village can grow on the many strikes.

Sidell township occupies the southwestern corner of Vermilion County having Edgar and Champaign counties respectively for the western and southern boundaries and Vance to the north and Catlin to the east. Until 1867 Sidell formed a portion of Carroll township, for political purposes. The name of Sidell was given to the township in honor of John Sidell who owned much property in the township. The valley of the Little Vermilion river runs nearly through the center of the township having the ridges or strips of high land which bounds this valley on the northern and southern boundaries of Sidell township. This beautiful valley has more the appearance of a basin here and encloses some of the richest farming land in Illinois. The prairie flies which infested these prairies were a dreadful pest. In August a man was obliged to do all his traveling with a team in the night.

There were a few scattering settlers in this section before 1850, but there was nothing like general cultivation of this portion of Vermilion County until 1855 or '°°- It was m !8S3 that Michael Sullivant entered forty-seven thousand acres lying in a body in Sidell township and Champaign County. The portion lying in Sidell township went into the hands of his son Joseph, and he kept it as a stock farm so long as he was able. This tract afterward became the famous Allerton farm. One of the farms of Sidell township is the one yet known as the Allen farm. This farm was a sheep farm while yet Mr. Sullivant was running his estate, and the way the sheep were managed together with the other arrangements of the affairs of this farm makes it even yet pointed out as a famous place.