Orion Township

Orion Township

Mr. John Wolf and family came to this township in 1828, and settled upon sec. 18. John Orendorff and AVm. Ulmer came into this neighborhood about the same time. Of this family we speak in the personal sketches. Sarah Motsingcr was the first child born in the township. The first school was taught by Patsey Brown u])on sec. 18. The first school-house erected was in 1838, and Esquire S. N. Breed, now of Canton, taught the first school in it. The first preaching done was in Mr. Wolf's house. Ozias Hale was the first resident preacher. He had charge of the Duck Creek Baptist Church, which is now the First Baptist Church of Canton. John (3rendorff erected the first frame house and burned the first kiln of brick. The first saw and grist-mill was erected upon the west branch of Copperas creek by Gabriel Walling.

The township is mostly covered with timber land bordering upon the three branches of Copperas creek with their various little tributaries. At the north line of section 35 Co})peras creek divides, and what is known as the East Branch of Copperas creek flows east and nortii through the township, and what is known as the Middle Branch flows southeasterly. Near the southwest corner section 26, what is known as the West Branch of Copperas creek enters the Middle Fork.

-^There are 9,931 acres of im})roved land in the township, and 13,- 529 acres of land which is not in cultivation. This is not exceeded by any other township in tiie county except by Liverpool, which has a much larger area.

Kuwait Station was laid out by Jonas Rawalt, ujion his land on section 30. It is on the line of the T., P. & W. liy., and only a few miles from Canton.

Breed's Station is another little place upon the line of the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Ry. in tiiis township. It is upon the southwest quarter of section 27, and laid oH' by C. G. Breed.

Personal Sketches

Lewis L. Jones, co[\]-m\nQr, was born in South Wales in 1827; began working at mining when he was 10 years of age; came to the United States in 1848 and si)ent a year in St. Louis, then went to St. Clair county, III., commenced mining in Caseyville, and in 18G7 came to Canton and worked on the first shalt ever sunk there. His present mine on sec. 30, Orion tp., he opened in the spring of 1871. The coal is of fir.st quality, and the working is 4 ft. 8 in. Mr. Jones married Elizabeth Morgan, a native of Wales. They have had 8 children, 6 of whom are now living, - William, Lewis, Elizabeth, Thomas, Margaret and Hannah.

John B. Kvlli/ was born in Cortland Co., N. Y., in 1820; moved to Trivoli township, Peoria Co., 111., in 1838, and 4 years afterwards to his present farm, sec. 11, Orion tp., where he owns 320 acres. He was married to Miss Rachel, daughter of Joseph Proctor, of Orion tp., and a native of Hamilton Co., 111. They have had 14 children born to them, 10 of whom are living, - P^lizabeth, Nelson, Alonzo, deceased, William, Jane, Hannah, deceased. Hansom, Alice, Stephen A., John, Orin, deceased, Casie, Emy, deceased, and Warren. Nelson and Alonzo both enlisted in the army. The latter joined the 12th 111. Cav., which went .with Gen. Banks on the Red River expedition, where he contracted disease, which terminated fatally at Baton Rouge.

Josiah Kefcham, farmer, was born in Warren Co., N. J., in 1838, brought by his parents in emigration to Canton, 111., in 1853, followed farming 3 miles east of Canton until 1802, when he entered the 103d 111. Inf., and participated in the battles of A'icksburg, Jackson, Mission Ridge, etc., and on the Atlantic, and "on to Richmond." In 1866 he married Mary E. Addis, a native of Ful- Co., and they now have 4 children, - Jennie, Richard, Eva and Sherman. Josiah's father, George Ketcham, was also a native of New Jersey, m.irried Jane Bannatta, of the same place, and had 10 children. He came to Canton in 1853, and after farming 3 miles east of Canton until 1868, he sold the farm, moved into town, and has since followed wagon-making.

Win. H. Lowe, farmer, was born in this t]). Aug. 7, 1842. His father, John Lowe, was a native of Virginia, came to Fulton Co. in 1837, and settled on sec. 31, Orion tp., where Wm. H. was born; married Isabelle liiley, a native of Ohio ; they were both mendiers of the M. E. Church. In 1868 he moved to McDonough Co., where he died in 1877, and where ^Nlrs. L. is still living. They had 6 children. AVm. H. married Ann E. Br^ed, a native of this tp., and they have had 5 children, - Mary, Charles, John, Anna and Jilanche. Mr. L. enlisted in the 55th 111., was in the ])rincipal engagements in the Southwest, was also in the 15th Army Corps, with Gen. Slierman in his march to the .sea, and during the war he was wounded in the neck by a bullet.

Thoniati Manvcl was born in Wales in 1802, son of Thomas and Catherine (Jenkins) Manuel ; obtained his education in Sundayschool in his native country ; emigrated to America in 1854, and to Fulton Co. in 18(55; by occupation he is a miner, but for 16 years he kept hotel, the Kingston House 14 years of this time; at present he is a farmer on sec. 27, Orion tji. In 1854 he married I^lizabeth Jones. They have adopted a sou named William. Latter-Day Saints.

John Orendorff, farmer, was born in AVilks Co., Ga., passed much of his early life in several of the Southern States, came to Illinois in 1818, and in 1820 married Margaret Sale, related to the family of Gen. Geo. Washington, and born in Wilks Co., N. C. ; April IG, 1825, he became a resident of tiiis tp., taking a farm which he occupied for 49 years. He died Jan. 28, 1876, his wife having died July 19, 1867. He was Justice of the Peace many years, and solemnized the first marriage in the county ; he also erected the first saw-mill in the tp., and made the first brick; he erected the first frame dwelling in Orion tp. He was a strong, industrious, honest, social and philanthropic man. At a camp-meeting held by Peter Cartwright near Canton in 1832, he and his wife were converted and joined the M. E. Church, and remained consistent members of the same until death. Their house was a home for the itinerant. They had 5 sons and 2 daughters : one son died young, and all the other children still live in this county, except the younger daughter, who is married and lives in Fort Wayne, Ind. The elder daughter is the wife of Wm. Parlin, of (Linton. Wm. J., the second son, is one of the firm of Parlin cV' Orendortf. John W. is a farmer in Banner tp. Henry H. is a dealer in agricultural implements at Canton. Washington S.'s sketch is next given. We give Mr. John Orendorlf's portrait in connection with that of his son, Wm, J,

Washington Sale Orendorff, farmer, son of foregoing, was born in Sangamon Co., 111., Aug. 20, 1822. In early day he was brought to this tp., and he still lives on the old homestead, which now comprises a handsome brick residence and 200 acres of well cultivated land.

Jonas Rawalf, farmer, was born in Northumberland Co., Pa., in 1804 : his father, John Rawalt, was also a native of Pennsylvania, and his grandfatiior was a General in the Revolutionary war. Jonas first came to Fulton Co. in 1829, and was one of the first County Surveyors. He was married in Clarke Co., Ind., March 2.'>, 1825; has had 10 children. John, the eldest son, died in tiie army ; Enoch in the west part of Fulton Co.; Henry and Seth died in inl'ancy ; James lives in Urbana, O. ; Mary married Wm. M. Ganson, Clerk of the County Court for six years, and lives in Mason Co. ; Jicnjamin lives in Nebraska; Elizabeth married a Mr. Whiteford and lives in Mason Co. ; Milton lives on sec. 31, Orion tp. ; and Jonas R. resides on sec. 29, same tp. The subject of this sketch was the first County School Commissioner, Sn])ervisor fi)r the first ten years after township organization was adopted, and was the first member of the Legislature from Fulton Co. He was also Major in the 7th 111. Cav., and three of his sons were in the war, - John in the 56th Inf., Enoch in the 8th 111. Cav., and Bcnj. F. in the Minnesota Inf. Jonas Rawalt is a Whig and Republican, and a New Jerusalem Church man (" Swedenborgian "). His wife died Oct. 27, 1878. , Five of the children have been educated at the Urbana (O.) University.

Amos Weller was born in AVarren Co., N. J., Oct. 16, 1833, son of Michael and Priscilla Lydia Weller, natives also of N. J. Occupation, farmer; has been also bookkeeper. In 1857 he married Martha Johnson, and their children are one boy and four girls, all living. Democrat.

Jacob C. Wolf, farmer and stock raiser, sec. 17; P. O., Canton. Mr. W. was born in Orion township on sec. 18, in 1839, and is the son of Thomas F. and Joanna (Coleman) Wolf, He was united in marriage with Helen Roe, of Peoria Co., 111. Five children have been born to them, - E. Lellias, Thomas F., Jasper R., Ann Eliza and Herman Leroy.

Jasper X. Wolf, farmer and stock- raiser, sec. 18; P. O. address, Canton. Mr. W. is a member of an old and respected family of this county. His parents, Thomas F. and Joanna (Coleman) Wolf, were early settlers, to this county. Jasper N. was born in this township, sec. 18, in 1850. In July, 1873, he took unto himself a wife in the person of Susie Olive Wolf, of Canton. He was married in Banner township. Olive Zulnna and Lola Correna are their children. Mr. W. has served in many of the local offices.

Jeremiah P. Ho//* was born in 1841, on sec. 18, Orion township, Fulton county, 111. His parents are Thomas F. Wolf and Joanna AVolf, nee Columan. ^Mr. W. has served his township as Supervisor for 1 1 years and filled other positions. He is engaged in agricultural pursuits upon sec. 18, where he owns a farm. He was married to Emma Wise, of Canton township, and has a family of 4 children, - Luella, Geo. AV., Bertha May and Willie Clifford. Both himself and wife are members of the M. E. Church.

Thomas F. Wolf was born in Virginia in 1805, but his family early moved into Ohio, where he was raised and lived till 1826, when he started for Illinois. He met with Mr. John Coleman, who was just moving liis family to Illinois, and ho came with him and soon after reaching Fulton county he married Joanna Coleman, his eldest daughter, this being the first couple the late John Orendorff married in Fulton county. His father, John Wolf, with his wife, came to Fulton county in 1828, where he lived and died. Mrs. Wolf is thought to have been the first ])erson to die in Orion township. Mr. Thos. F. Wolf and wife were blessed with 14 children, 9 of whom are living. The family are all married. Mr. W. was Justice of the Peace for many years and held many other local offices. He was a good farmer and very successful, but worked very hard in his younger days and somewhat impaired his otherwise vigorous constitution. He died in 1863. Of his sons we also speak. They represent among the best farming interest of the county.

William Webster Wolf, farmer and stock-raiser, was born in Orion township, this county, in 1852. His parents were Thomas F. and Joanna (Coleman) Wolf. He was married in Feb., 1872, in Orion township to Esther Kelly, a native of Ottawa county, O. They have 2 chiklren : Alvin and eloseph. Mr. W. owns a farm on sec. 18, where he now resides. P. O., Canton.