Penn Township (part 3 of 3)

Jlenry and Elizabeth (Sharer) Sedy, the former born in York State, the latter a native of Indiana, were married in Indiana. They were the parents of seven children, two of whom are living : John Seelv, born in Stark county, 111.. March 1, 1830, and Lydia A., wife of Zara Barnett, now of Nebraska. On the death of this lad}', he married Harriet A. Boardman, and on her death married Almira C. Smith, by whom he had three children, namely : William IL, a resident of Bradford ; Rose E., and Sophia, living with mother at Bradford. Ilenr}' Seelv was engaged as a farmer in Indiana until his removal to this State, as told in the general history. He entered 320 acres of land on sections twenty-seven and twenty-eight, Penn. When he first commenced farming his nearest neighbors were -eight miles away, he being the first settler in Osceola township. He at one time was the only stock dealer in the township. He owned the land on which the grove stands, known as " Seelv's Point." In political matters lie was a Republican, and held several offices ; was a member of the Methodist church until he died in March, 1876.

WiUiam 8. Smith, born in Pennsylvania, February 19, 1829, is the son of Peter and Margaret (Searls) Smith, natives of that State, of German origin. They were the parents of eight children, of whom are living : Catherine, Mrs. Andrew Adams, of this township ; Mary A ., widow of Silas Bunnell, of Bureau county ; Charity, Mrs. George Albright, of Livingston county ; Wm. S., of this township, and Joseph, married, residing in Bureau county, all in Illinois today. The father of this family moved to Bureau county, 111., April 10, 1852 ; purchased land there, and was engaged in agriculture until his death in 1S60. William S. Smith received a practical education on the farm and in the schools of his district. From the age of eighteen to the close of his twenty-first year lie served an a})prenticeship to the blacksmith's trade, but on moving with his father in 1852 he aided him in improving his Bureau county farm ; subsequently he worked at his trade there until September IT, 1861, when he enlisted in Company B, Fifty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, serving steadily with that command until September, 1864. In the spring of 1865 he married Miss Elizabeth D., daughter of Thomas and Elvina Cole, natives of Virginia, but early settlers of Illinois, where their daughter was born. After this marriage he moved to Wisconsin ; in two years returned to Bureau count}^ and four years after settled at Castleton, being engaged at his trade all the time, and since coming here in blacksmithing and manufacturing. Their children are: William S., a telegraph operator on C. I. R. R. in Knox county ; Edith M., Mrs. Walter Eagelston, Keokuk, la. ; Lillian M., Rose E., Katie S., and Lawrence E., pupils of the Castleton schools. Mr. Smith is a memljer of Dickerson Tost, No. 90, G. A. R. ; a member of the I. O. G. T. Lodge at Castleton, and l)oth he and Mrs. Smith are members of the M. P. church.

Jo/m S?iare, son of John P. and Est Her (Baker) Snare, was born at tlie old home in Pennsylvania, January 5, 1828, in 1817 came to Illinois and located in Penn township. His first land purchase was made <m section 12, Toulon, of 200 acres. On March 4, 1854, he married Miss Maria T. Ilolgate, daughter of Judge Holgate, (whose history is given in this chapter), and to them five children were born, of whom three are living, Wilden P., married, residing in Toulon township ; Wilna P., wife of Watt P. Mansker, now of Kansas, and Wilbur P., married, residing in Penn township. Since his marriage Mr. Snare has added 400 acres to his original purchase, aggregating 600 acres in Toulon and Penn townships. He has always been a true Republican, a part of the time an unconditional Abolitionist. He was elected justice of the peace for Penn township, but moving to Toulon, did not hold this office, and was superV'isor of Penn. Religiously, he is one of the old members of the Methodist Protestant church, and in school work, an earnest friend of the svstem and conscientious official of his district for years. A reference to the historj^ of Nathan Snare, given in the chapter on Toulon, contains much of the history of the family in this count}'.

James Snare, son of John P. and Esther (Baker) Snare, was born in Huntingdon county, Pa., July 7, 1827. He attended school and Avorked on the home farm until thirteen years of age, when he was indentured to a tailor, who did not at all suit the young aspirant for this trade, so that he was transferred to the shop of J. M. Cline, also a tailor combined with the calling of a Dutch Winebrenarian preacher. For two years he labored with this man, when he entered the employ of John P. Gable, a tailor and Methodist class leader. Subsequently he worked at his trade at JSTewburg, purchased an interest in the Kis- singer tailor shop, which he held about four years. He married Miss Rebecca, daughter of Amos and Alley (Baker) Clark, November 13, 1845. Her parents were natives of Pennsylvania. Her mother was daughter of Captain John Baker of the War of 1812, who as a private soldier led a forlorn hope against the English, which resulted in the victory for the patriots. For this deed of valor he was commissioned on the field. Mr. Snare continued at the trade after marriage, and also sold goods on commission. For years he was connected with the state militia, held two commissions as First Lieutenant from Governor Johnson of Pennsylvania. Resigning his lieutenancy in the fall of 1852 and selling his business interests, he migrated to this township, purchased sixty acres on section 18, where he resided five years, when he traded his home and tract for his brother's property, and in 1860 moved to his new farm of 118 acres on section 7, to which he has since added 197 acres, giving a total acreage of 315. In connectic^i with his large farm and stock interests he also carries on the auctioneer's business. Of eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Snare, six are living : Millie J., widow of George McClvment, now residino- at Wvoming: Martha L., Mrs. Thomas Drvden, of West Jersey; John Charles Fremont, married, resident of Buffalo county, Neb.; Lincoln C, Jesse and James, residing with parents. Mr. Snare's first vote was cast for Fremont. In 1859 he was elected justice of the peace and holds the ofiice down to the present. In 1886 he was elected supervisor, has served as school trustee of Penn, also collector. For over forty-six years he has been a member of the Methodist Protestant church, of which his wife is also a member. During the war he belonged to the Union League. At the breaking out of the rebellion he helped to raise a company and was elected Captain. But as more companies were offered than could be received, the members of this company went off and joined other companies that were received. For over thirty-four years he lias played a complete part in the drama of Stark's progress.

B. S. Sfun-e, born in Huntingdon county. Pa., January 27, '47, is the son of John P. and Mrs. Xancy (Gharrett-Kurfman) Snare, both natives of that State, as related in the history of the Snare family in the chapter on Toulon. Mrs. Snare is the daughter of David and Susan (Barnett) Kurfman, whose ancestors came from Germany to Pennsylvania, where they were born. R. S. Snare came to Penn townshi]) with the family in '47, was raised and educated here, and during his whole life, with the exception of four years, has been identified with the agricultural and stock interests of the county. His first land purchase was fifty-four acres on section eighteen, and forty acres on section twenty-four. His marriage witli Miss Margaret A. Cruni was celebrated September 19, '73. This latly is a daugliter of Samuel Crum, whose family history is giyen in this chapter. To this marriage two children were born, one of wliom only is living. In '78 the family moved to Jefferson county. Colorado, where for three years he was engaged in agriculture, and for one year traveled, in company with his wife, through that country, \nsiting every point of interest, if not every settlement then existing there. AYhile there he served as director of schools, and gave the name

- Rockland - to district twenty-three of Jefferson county. In this township lie has also served as director of schools. Politically he has always been a Tie[)ublican, and in religious affairs a supporter of the Methodist Protestant Church at Snareville.

Edward Somers, son of Edward and Maro-aret (Standring) Soniers, was born at Philadelpliia. Augnst 12, 1834. His father was German and his mother English. The former was a dyer and followed his trade at Philadeli)liia until his death, where his wife also died a few years after him, having filled the position of head-matron in a hospital there for a number of years. Edward, jr.. passed his early years in a factory, when not attending school. From '5(> to '58 he was' engaged in agriculture in Clearfield county. Pa , and in August, '58 he moved to Ilhnois, settled in this township and engaged in farming and stock-growing. On September 6, '61, he enlisted in Company K, Forty-seventh Illinois, at Peoria. He was wounded at Corinth. October 2, '62, but the moment he felt ready to resume active service reported for duty and shared the fortunes of the command until August 27, '63, Avhen he was honorably discharged on account of wounds. On June 11, '<d<d, he married Miss Elizalietli A., daughter of Levi T. and Ann (Johnson) EUis, natives of Virginia, where their daughter was born. Xovember21, '38. This lady died March 16, '76, leaving to her husband's care their six children : Maiy E., born June 10, '67; Levi E., a farmer of Clay county, Neb.; George E.. James. William H. and Elizabeth A., born March' 16, '76. Mr. Smith mai-ried Mrs. Mary (Fletcher) Henderson, May 2, '77, After his first marriage he superintended his grain and stock-growing interests, being unable himself to labor. He fs Repubfican in politics, is a member of James Jackson Post, Elmira; assisted in the organization of Jackson Post, is a su])j)orter of the Methodist church, and altogether is said lo be a man of excellent parts.

JEUsaheth Sturm died here in November, 1886, in her seventy-eighth year. She was born in Clermont county, O.; married to Henry S. Sturm in 1831; emigi-ated from Ohio in' 1835 and settled in Osceola Grove, where she lived until recently. Her husband died about nine years ago. She leaves five children, fifty-one grandchildren, and thii'tynine great-grandchildren.

William IT ^]7^/'ffe» was born December 25, 1819, in the city of New York, of English parents. His father died before he had any knowledge of him; his mother died in the fall of 1821, leaving two children of which he was the vouno-est ; his sister died in 18-1-4 or 45, the last and only relative he knew of in the world; she left two children, the youngest died at the age of three years, the other, Frederic Ike Leaycroft. lived with him until he was twentytwo years old. when he enlisted in the One Hundred and Twentyfourth Regiment. Illinois Infantry, and served during the war and was honorably discharged; he '(Frederic) is now living in Kansas. In the month of November, 1829, the subject of this sketch was indentured as an apprentice l)y the commissioners of the almshouse of the city of New York, to Thomas Elliott, a farmer of Middletown, Delaware coimt\^, JST. Y., to learn the art, trade and inystery of a farmer. At the age of eighteen his master died, and he still remained with the family until March, 1841, and got an honorable discharo-e. In 1841: he mari-ied Miss Nancv, daughter of Peter and Sarah Weaker, oi Delaware county, N. Y., engaged in farming there until 1854, when he settled at Pleasant Grove, Osceola township, purchasing eighty acres on section 34, where he engaged in grain and stock-growing. In the spring of 1860 he joined the Pikes' Peak stampede, traveling from March 22 to May 7 overla-nd. There he worked in the gold mines, also prospected, all with such success that the $23 he started out with increased to $27 on his return home in j^ovember, 1860. In 1865 he sold his Osceola farm and ])urchased 160 acres on section 3, Penn. In February, 1868, his first wife died and in November of that year, he married Mrs. Ellen Philhower, daughter of William and Sarah Schuyler, natives of New Jersey. To them four children were born: Ira J., Charles W., John H., and Fred. A., all residing here or in attendance on school at Bradford. In ])()litics Mr. Whitten 's Re[)ublican. For six years he has served as justice of [)eace, was road mmissioner for a number of years and also school director. He was for., erly a member of the old Free Will Baptist church, but now supports the Methodist church of which his wife and some of his children are members. The five children of Mrs. Philhower are : Ann, wife of Reuben Redding, of Nebraska; George, of Springfield, 111.; Sarah, wife of Henry Wm. Budine, of Henry. 111.; Jennie, residing here, and Peter, a resident of Bureau countv. 111.

C. ^Vihon, father of Rev. G. T. Wilson^ of the M. E. church, died in April, 1883, aged seventy years. He came to Illinois from Ohio over sixty eight years ago.

Lydia White, wife of Henry AVhite, died at Snareville, January 30, 1880, aged sixty-four and one-half years. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1815, married in 1832; and came with her husband to Stark county in 1836.

In the pages devoted to j)ersonal reminiscences and biography, much of the unwritten history of the townshi[) finds a place and also many of the leading families an authentic record.