Ophir Township

Ophir Township

The town of Ophir is identical with Township 35, Range 2, and_js prairie region, with the exeeption of abont one section of timber on Sections 18 and 19, being a part of Troy Grove, which was originally as fine a tract of timber land as there was in the county. It lies mostly in the town of Troy Grove, and at an early day was surrounded by pioneer settlers,

The first one here was Joseph Reynolds, and with Elias Carey and Hiram Thornton, were the only families at this point at the breaking out of the Black Hawk war. They all left, and Reynolds did not return, After the war, settlers came in quite rapidly and were about equally divided between the towns of Ophir and Troy Grove, the grove of heavy timber being the centre of the settlements.

Soxeph Reynolis, brother of Martin Reynolds, of Deer Park, came from Champaign County, Ohio, to Morgan County, TL, then to Tazewell County, and next to Deer Park, and to Troy Grove in the spring of 1880; was the first settler here. He settled on 8. 19, T, 35, R. 2; left at the breaking ont of the Indian war in the spring of 1832, and in the follow. ing fall sold his claim to Asahel Baldwin; went to the Big Woods, and from there to Hickory Oreek, now New Lenox, Will County, where he died, and where his three sons, Smith, Newton, and Milton, now reside,

Elias Carey, and wife, Margaret Collins, from Ohio, on to the Wabash, In 1829, or 1830, and to Troy Grove, in 1831. Settled on S. 24, T. 35, R. 1. He left during the Black Hawk war, but returned at its close, and made 4 farm in Ophir. He died in Mendots, in 1888. Hix children are: Nancy, now dead ; Sally, married William Thompson, now in Towa; Minerva, married W. Pollins, in Mendo! Abijah, and John, went to Oregon ; Calvin, to California; Washington, is now here: Absalom, in Towa.

Justin D. Wixom, from Erie County, New York, to Ohio, and, with his father's family, from Ohio to Sangamon County, Ilinois, in 1827; from there to Tazewell County in 1820, and to Troy Grovein 1883, and eettled on S. 18, He married Wealthy Ann Johnston. He diced in 1860, aged 58,

Acshel Baldwin, from Colebrook, Connecticut, in the fall of 1832; bought the claim of Reynolds, on §.19. Married Flora Holcomb, and in 1884 moved

John Jobnston, and wife, Delila McCarty, from Ohio, in the fall of 1882; he died in 1843. His children were: James; Cynthia, married James Hall, of Marshal! County ; Aurelia, married James N. Reader;, Wealthy Ann, married Justin D. Wixom; George, married Mary Ann Beaver, settled on S. 25, 'T. 35, R. 1 - he died 1876.

Gideon Gillett, and wife, Ruth Goddard, from Granby, Connecticut, came in September, 1893. He died in 1866. His children were: Emeline, died single; Almon, died - his widow married Levi Carter; Luna, married Pliny Dewey ; Ruth, married Simon Cooley; Dennis T., married Mary Smith, in Iowa; Daniel S., married Susan Worsley, inTowa ; Samuel N., married J, Weisman; Simeon B., married Eliza Baker.

Leonard Towner, from New Jersey to Ohio, and from there to Ophir in 1883; he married Sniia, daughter of Justin Dewey ; settled on S. 18, T. 35, R. 2. Has fourteen children; Ezra, in Washington Territory ; Jane, married Joseph Billings, of Mendota; Nathaniel, married C. Ormsby, in Missouri; Lorenzo, is dead ; Matilda, married Eakin Smith, is in lowa; Hiram is in Washington Territory; Letitia, married Mr. McKim; Justin D., married Miss Gordon, second wife Miss Bugg, live in Vieksbung; Daniel, married Flora Hoffman, live in Mendota ; John H., is in Kansas; James, married, lives in Mendota; Katharine, is in Towa; Mary, marned Mr. Tobias, in El Paso; Horace E., is in Texas,

Stephen R. Beggs, and wife, Elizabeth Heath; a Methodist preacher of note on the frontier. He came in 1884; Inid off a town where Triamph now is, and named it La Fayette. It failed to make a town. Beggs moved to Plaintield, and to Chicago. He published '*The Early History of the West and Northwest," a sort of autobiography of himself

Joseph Worsley, born in England, came from Ohio here in 1834, married Margaret Weltzell, and settled on S. 30, He died 1870, aged 87. His children are: John, who married Matilda Morehouse ; Frederick W., married Caroline Dewey ; William Y., married Lovina Cooper, lives on S$. 10, T. 85, R. thas been Justice of the Peace, and Town Supervisor; Ann, married Charles Webster; Margaret, married William D. McDonald; Joseph F., married Esther Orandall; Henry, married Miss Eastman.

Edwant Y. Waldo, from Suflield, Connecticut, in I8S4; settled on S. 18, T. 35, R. 2. His father Was Chaplain to Congress when over ninety years of age; died at the age of 101, He had three wires. Hannah Merritt, Phebe Rice, and Mary Johnson. Had two children: Anna, married a Mr, Torry, of Indiana; Charles, married Miss Geer, of Bureau County.

Abner D. Westgate, from New York, 1836. His wife was Caroline Watern His children were: David, who married Miss Waterman, of Ophir; Thomas, is single ; Joseph, married Miss Fleming ; George, is in Missouri; Emily, in Ophir.

Joseph B. Westgate, and wife, Emily Bradwin, from New York, in 1886, He died in 1848. His widow died 1874. They had three children : Joseph, James, and Mary. They have all left the county.

Robert Carr, and wife, from Connecticut, in 1837, settled on S. 20. Mra. Carr died in 1875. Mr. Carr is still living, at the full age of 80 years. His son, Daniel, married Bridget Gardner, and lives on S. 29. He, with Mrs, Scranton, are his only children, William H, McDonald, from Erie County, N. ¥., shua Brown in 1835, and settled on , R. 2, where he still resides. He married Margaret Worsley.