Sharon Township

Sharon Township

OMPRISES all of the Congressional (Township 7, Range 1 West, and a part of Township 7, Range 1 East) of the third prinoipal meridian, and is bounded on the north by Hurrioane and Ramsey Townships, and East by the Kaskaskia River; south by Vandalia and Bear Grove Townships, and west by Bond County. That portion bordering on the Kaskaskia is muoh of it heavily timbered, and the bottom lands are rioh and productive. Several creeks run through the township. The prinoipal ones are Hurrioane and Boas. The township abounds with many fine ferms. The prinoipal productions are wheat, grass, com and oats. Stook-raising also receives considerable attention. The township is well supplied with ohurohes and sohools; the people industrious and moral.

Vera

Is a flourishing little village of about two hundred and fifty inhabitants, situated on the line of the Illinois Central Railroad, and in the midst of a good fermlng district. Vera is also quite a shipping point for fruit. One season the shipment of peaches reaohed 80,000 boxes, and 10,000 bushels of apples. The town is well supplied with ohurohes and schools. The largest store of general merchandise is kept by Little and Stokes. Mr. L. is also postmaster. A small grocery store is oarried on by John Fifer. The hotel of the town is kept by C. Stanbum. J. M. Parkes owns and operates a good flouring mill of four run of burrs, which is the largest enterprise in the township. The R. R. Co. have recently built a new freight and passenger depot. There is also a cooper and blacksmith shop in the town. Dr. John 8. Barton is practising medicine at this point.

Early Settlers . - Joseph Hinds, wife, and three sons, John, Joseph and Samuel, settled with his family on Boaz Prairie in the spring of 1819. The same year came William Peyton and family, and A. Pelrioho. Soon after came Joseph Chaffin, who settled on Section 81, Tp. 7, 1 E. Capt. Smith, Gideon Buckmaster, Benj. Buokmaster, settled here about the year 1822 or 1828. The Buokmasters became quite a numerous family. John Enochs was also one of the pioneers of Sharon Township. Jerry Denton, Benj. Williams, Sr., Joseph McKinney, Sr., Samuel and William Russell oame to the township in 1819 or 1820.

Horse MUL - Joseph McKinney built and operated the first horse mill fbr grinding grain. It was erected on Boaz Creek, on Section 28, about the year 1827.

Fint Blooded Stock . - The first blooded stock of hogs and cattle were brought to the township in 1855 by Joseph Chaffin. The hogs were Berk¬ shire and cross, and the cattle were of the Durham stock; since which time the people have continued to improve their stock, until now the stock of Sharon will compare favorably with other townships of the county.

Biogkaphical Sketches John Enochs

Is one of the oldest settlers in Fayette County. He was born in 1794, near Waterloo, Monroe County, Illinois, which was the first settlement of white people in what was then St. Clair County. His father, Isaac Enochs, was a native of North Carolina, and came to Illinois Territory when fourteen years old, and his mother, Sarah (Gibbons) Enochs, was born in New Jersey, j His parents were among the earliest settlers of the State. The early years of our subject were spent as most of the youths of that period, in clearing j the land of a newly-settled country. When eighteen years of age - at the < breaking out of the war of 1812 - he enlisted under command of Col. Russell, of Kentucky. Afterwards was under oommand of Col. Stevens, of Illinois, and was stationed at Fort Russell, a short distanoe from Edwardsville, Madison County, Illinois. He participated in the Edwards' campaign and was present at the battle in 1812, that was fought with the Indians near Peoria. He remained in the service two years.

He was married in 1814 to Margery Furguson, a native of Kentuoky. ! She died July 12,1815. Mr. Enochs was again married in 1819, to Polly Moore, also of Kentucky, by whom he had one ohild. Both mother and j child died soon after the birth. In 1824 he married Miss Sarah H. Wood, I daughter of Samuel Wood, of Kentuoky. By this union he bad two ohil- ! dren, one of whom died in infknoy. Jane, who married Robert Vaughn, is j now living near her fhther, in Sharon Township. After a long and happy J married life Mrs. Enochs died Ootober 20,1876. In April, 1877, he mar- j ried Mrs. Ester Ann Burgers. They are now living on the old homestead.

Mr. Enochs came to Fayette County in 1820, and worked at oarpenterlng, 1 at whioh he continued for about three years. In 1828 he was eleoted Sheriff j of the County, and re-elected to the same offioe in 1880. He has been Jus¬ tice of the Peace and County Treasurer, and has held other positions of publio trust While Sheriff it became his duty to infliot the penalty of whipping two men, viz.: Parks and Mean, for horse-stealing.

Mr. Enochs is a man who started in life with nothing but good health, willing hands, good morals, and a strong determination to succeed, and has gained by his industrious and persevering habits a competency; and for his manliness and honesty, a life of honor.

He is now eighty-five yean of age, and is almost the last surviving of those hardy, earnest and self-sacrificing pioneen of Illinois. Now in his old age he can look back over a life of oeaseless activity of both mind and body, conscious of having made diligent use of the talents committed to him, and displaying a character remarkable for its native shrewdness, for its extraor¬ dinary energy, fbr its power of endurance, fbr its keenness of perception and promptness in action, fbr its social geniality, and fbr its domestic affection. Thus he enjoys, as advancing years leave their traoes upon the vigorous frame, the pleasure of a well-earned reputation,

John Hillory Buckmaster

A native of Calvert County, Maryland, the eldest son of Gideon and Ann (Williams) Buckmaster, was born the 26th of December, 1818. His parents were of English ancestry, and natives of Maryland. They emigrated to Illinois in 1824. when their son John was six yean of age, and entered land and located in Fayette Co., where they died a number of yean after.

In his 22od year, Mr. Buckmaster commenced farming for himself. He was married August 6th, 1840, to Miss Mary Ann McLilila, daughter of John and Nancy McLilila, who were natives of Kentuoky, and were among the early pioneen of their state, where their daughter was bom.

By the above union they have had eight children, four of whom are dead. They are as follows in order of birth: - Gideon D., who died Oot 8th, 1848; Frances J., now Mrs. Levi Brown; Elisabeth A. the wife of Peter Jefferson; Joseph J. died May 28th, 1855; Gideon D.; Inbell; Luther B. died Jan. 26th, 1863, and Benjamin F., the youngest, still living at home.

In early life Mr. Buokmaster was a Whig, and on the dissolution of that party he identified himself with the Republioan party, and voted for Mr. Linooln, in 1860. Daring the war he was a staunch and outspoken advooate of the union cause. He enlisted In 1862, in the 97th Illinois Infentry regiment* and was mustered in at Camp Butler, after whioh his regiment was ordered to Kentuoky. He was engaged in the first Campaign of Vioksbuig, under Gen. Sherman. After the repulse, was ordered to Arkansas Post, from where they were again ordered to Vicksburg, where he participated in the siege and capture From thenoe they were ordered to Jackson, Miss., and fought in that battle. He also participated in several other battles, among the principal, Port Gibson, Blank River, Champion Hills, and was present at the surrender of Vicksburg, July 4th, 1863. Was mustered out at Galveston, Texas, in 1865.

Iverson M. Little

The youngest ton of John and Syntha (Patterson) Little, was bom July 17, 1844, in Fayette County. His parents were natives of Tennessee, and oame to Illinois at an early day. Until his twenty-first year he lived in his native county. In 1864 he enlisted in the Fourteenth Illinois Cavalry, and was sent to Nicholasville, Kentuoky, to join his regiment. The regiment was ordered to Knoxville, Tennessee, and from there to Cleveland, where they joined Gen. Stoneman's oommand. They were in the battles of Big Shanty, Kenesaw Mountain, and the disastrous engagement in whioh Gen. McPher- son lost his life. They were next ordered to Macon, Georgia, in which ex¬ pedition they lost nearly one-half their regiment, by being taken prisoners. They were then ordered back to Nicholasville, remounted, and sent to Pulaski, where they joined Gen. Schofield's command; thence to Waynes¬ boro', and joined Gen. Hatch's cavalry, where they had a severe engage¬ ment with Forest's cavalry. The Union troops were in much smaller num¬ bers, and had to fall back. They were reinforced by infantry from Colum¬ bia, on the double quick. They then fell back to Columbia, from where a detachment was sent down Duck Run to guard a crossing, when a fight ensued, and they had to cut their way out Traveling all night they reached Franklin in the morning, when they were again engaged. From here they returned to Pulaski, where they were mustered out. Mr. Little returned home, and engaged in various business enterprises. For the past five years he has been merchandizing at Vera, where he is also Post¬ master and Agent for the Illinois Central Railroad.

April 16,1868, he married Miss Sylvin Hawks. They have six children, five of whom are living. Mr. Little is a most excellent citizen, as his war record will demonstrate.

Andrew Ray

Is the eldest of a family of eleven children - five boys and six girls - born to James and Martha (Hutson) Ray, both natives of Ohio. James Ray, during the last twenty-five years of his life, was an itinerant Methodist preacher, and about the year 1838 or 1840 removed with his family from Ohio to this State, locating first in Marion County, and finally in Fayette, settling upon eighty acres of land in Section 21 of Sharon Township, where the subject of this sketch now resides. James Ray died in Lima, Adams County, January, 1858. Mrs. Martha Ray died on the 20th December, 1877.

Andrew Ray was born on the 22d of May, 1827, in Madison County, Ohio, and came with his father to this county in the spring of 1845. The profes¬ sion of his father taking him much from home, the care of the family and farm devolved upon Andrew. This fact, coupled with the scarcity of schools in his early yonth, gave him but little opportunity for acquiring a good edu¬ cation ; he, however, obtained sufficient for the requirements of his business. Remaining with his father until the country required his services, h?, upon the 9th of August, 1862, joined the Ninty-seventh Regiment of Illinois In¬ fantry Volunteers, entering the service as Second Lieutenant, and on the 22d of January, 1863, was promoted to the Captaincy of Company F. Mr. Ray was with Sherman's Army at the first attack upon Vicksburg, by way of the Yazoo River; afterwards with Grant when the town was captured. He was then ordered to join the attack upon Jackson, Miss., which occurred in July, 1863; and finally in the siege of Mobile of the same year, this being the last engagement of any note during the late war. During his military career, Mr. Ray on several occasions narrowly escaped death. His coat was three times pierced by bullets, and his sword (which he yet retains as a trophy) was struck from his hand by a shot during a charge at Mobile; but himself luckily escaped without a scratch. Upon the return of the troops from Bayou Tesch the train collided with some cars left upon the track by the Confederates, and killed and wounded some sixty men. Mr. Ray was con¬ siderably shaken, but with his usual good fortune escaped serious injury.

His company was mustered out on the 29th July, 1865, at Galveston, Texas, and after an absenoe of three years and twenty days in all, Mr. Ray returned to his home, where he has since devoted the whole of his time and attention to farming and fruit-growing. He has in his home-farm 169 acres of land, in addition to outlying property, and a business house in Vera, all of which has been obtained by bis own industry and strict attention to business.

In 1846, October 25, A. Ray was married to Harriet Buck master, the daughter of an old settler in the county, by whom he has had five children, three of them yet living. Losing his first wife, Mr. Ray again married, his second partner being Kate E. Burns, a native of Vermont By this marriage there were two boys and two girls, one of each still living.

Mr. Ray, in politics, is Republican. He has never held any official posi¬ tion in the county, though frequently urged to do so. He is an elder of the Presbyterian Church, Vera, of which his wife is also a member. Mr. Ray is a good citizen, and one of the enterprising men of the county.