South Wheatland Township

South Wheatland Township

l^lWlHE township of South Wheatland is bounded on the north by Decatur ; east by Long Creek and Mt. Zion ; south Ew by south Macon ; and west by Blue Mound township. %/ It is well watered by several fine streams. Sand creek enters at the northern part, and flows in a southerly direction through the township. The Sangamon river enters at section twTenty-five, and passes out in section twenty-six. Ward's branch and Smith's branch also rise in the northern part, and flow in a southerly direction.

The face of the country in the northern part is hilly and broken, particularly that portion bordering on and in close proximity to the Sangamon and Sand creek. As you travel south the country becomes more undulating, and in the extreme southern part, or lower tier of sections, is a beautiful rolling prairie. The southern portion of the township is as fine farming country as any in the county. The soil is a rich, black, deep loam, admirably adapted to the production of wheat, rye, oats, corn, and tame grasses. In the matter of improvements, it will rank with any township in the county. The greater portion of the farms are well improved, with good fences, and mostly under-drained, also possessing large and commodious farm-houses, good barns and out-houses for shelter of stock and storing the products of the soil.

Its name, " Wheatland," was proposed in the county board by Kobert Carpenter. No objection being made, it was so named. This township is among the older settled portion of the county. Being plentifully supplied with timber and good water, emigration was attracted to it before other and fairer parts of the county were settled. In an early day, emigrants to the " Great West" made settlements close to the timber, believing that such districts and places were more healthful, and, at the same time, afforded shelter

There were other reasons, also, that weighed against making settlements on the open prairie. Before the country was settled, the green-headed fly, the prairie pest, swarmed in the summer-time, and no live stock could live in the open country during certain seasons of the year. Then again the flat, open country was filled with sloughs and swamps, and, together with the rank, decaying vegetation, sent forth the deadly malaria, which produced chills and fever and bilious attacks, that kept the old pioneer in a state of constraint and active agitation.

From the best evidence at hand and facts that are indisputable, it is believed that a man by the name of William Downing was the first settler in the territory now embraced in South Wheatland township. His coming dates back to the year 1822. He settled at a place now owned by the heirs of Jacob Libby. He remained here but a short time, and then moved to Bond county, Illinois. His departure was hastened, as he said, by the Indians, bands of whom visited this section on predatory expeditions. His stock was stolen, and family kept in a constant state of alarm by these marauding and thieving parties.

The first actual and permanent settler was a man by the name of John Ward. He was of a numerous and large family, and was a native of Logan county, Kentucky, and lived close to the Tennesssee line.

He came to this section in 1825, and made a settlement on the place now owned by his brother-in-law, Joshua G. Perdue. A few months later, he was followed by his brothers, Thomas, Lewis, James, Jeremiah, and William. They all settled in the neighborhood, and in turn were followed by other members of the family.

Elisha Freeman came in 1826. Hiram Robinson, a citizen of Bond county, came the same year. Then came Robert and Andrew W. Smith, and others, from Tennessee.

Joshua G. Perdue came to the township in 1832, and is yet a resident, and lives on the same place where he settled nearly a halt' century ago. He was born in Montgomery county, Tennessee, and came with his father's family to Illinois, in 1820, and settled in Bond county.

The names of other settlers living in the township in 1832 were Lambert Bearden, Ephraim Cox, Winkfield Evert, ffm. Wheeler, and Dr. Spears. John Ward, the first settler, kept a grocery and ferry at what was then known as the " Indian Bluff'," on the Sangamon river. His stock consisted only of the staple and necessary articles in demand, which consisted of coffee, sugar, salt, tobacco, powder, and last - but by no means least - whisky. The last was a necessary adjunct, and an important factor in the first settlements of Illinois. The goods in those days were purchased in St. Louis and hauled in wagons to their destination.

In 1834 Robert Smith and Wm. Cox ventured out on the prairie away from the timber, and built houses. They were followed by Perdue in 1835. Various were the speculations made as to what would be their probable fate, for their foolhardiness in going so far from the timber. But contrary to all expectation, this hazardous undertaking was attended with suecess, and soon others followed, and then commenced, in fact, the improvement and rapid development of the country.

The first land entries were made March 17th, 1831, by David Foster, lot 3 in section 1, 131.04 acres. Jeremiah Ward entered May 27th, 1831, lot No. 2, 80 acres in section No. 2. Wm. H. Brown entered lot No. 1, 80 acres, July 1st, 1831, in section 1, T. 15 N. R. 2 E. We find in township No. 16 N. R. 2 E., in that portion which belongs to South Wheatland precinct, Lewis Ward entered November 9th, 1827, 80 acres in section 31. Also on same day John Ward entered 80 acres in section 33.

The first physician to practice the healing art in the township was Dr. Reed. He was soon followed by Drs. Spears and Crissey. How skilled they were in the healing art is not positively known, further than they were death on " ager." of and expounded the doctrine as promulgated by the Cumberland Presbyterian church. In the absence of regular houses of worship services were held in the houses of the brethren in different parts of the township.

The first school was built in 1835, on John Wilson's land, and the second one near Mr. Wykoff's. They were both rough-hewn log, slab-seated school-houses, of the pioneer days of Macon county. Mr. Seward is credited with being the first teacher. He was followed by John Freeland, and the latter by a Mr. Lindsay.

The first mill in the township was built as early as 1829. It was then known as a horse-mill. It was owned and operated by Robert Smith. It did considerable work, and was a great convenience to the people for miles around.

The surplus'products of the farm were hauled to St. Louis, where they were sold, and such goods as were needed for the settlement bought- After Springfield settled up it became the market, and continued so until Decatur was old and large enough to supply the goods.

The grinding of grain into flour and meal for the settlement was done in Montgomery county until mills were started in Decatur. The township is well supplied with raw materials. The Illinois Central runs through from north to south. The St. Louis branch of the Wabash runs through the western part, and the Midland road through the eastern part.

The town of Elwiu, on the Illinois Central, was laid out soon after the completion of the road. It is a small place, with several small stores, blacksmith shop, and post-office.

Biographical Sketches

The subject of this sketch was born in Kentucky April 22, 1818, and died June 14th, '1877. His father, John Hamilton, was born in Virginia. He afterward moved to Texas, and died there about 1866. William D. came to Illinois about 1837. He taught school in Macoupin and Morgan counties for eight years, and afterward engaged in mercantile business in Scottville, Macoupin county. On the ninth of September, 1852, he was united in marriage to Miss Octavina Green. She was born in Morgan county, Illinois. Her parents, James and Mary Green, were natives of Virginia. Their respective parents removed to Licking county, Ohio, when Mr. and Mrs. Green were married. Mrs. Green's name was Thompson prior to her marriage. Mr. Green remained in Ohio until about the year 1820, when he emigrated to Illinois, and settled in Morgan county, where he remained until his death which occurred in 1862. He was a soldier of the Black Hawk war. He was also one of the very early settlers of that portion of Illinois. His wife, and mother of Mrs. Hamilton, died in 1846. By this marriage there were four sons and two daughters. Three of them have survived the parents. Their names are, Ann, wife of Thomas, Anderson DeHondray, and Octavina, wife of the subject of this sketch. The date of Mrs. Hamilton's birth was June twenty-eighth 1831. She is the youngest of the family. She remained at home until her marriage. Mr. Hamilton was engaged in general merchandizing at the time of his marriage, in which he continued until 1856, when he purchased land in Macon county. It was raw and unimproved ; he built a shanty on it sufficient to shelter him and his wife, and moved into it, and there remained for four years, when he moved back to Morgan county and farmed Mr. Green's place. One year later he sold out, and removed to South Wheatland township, where he purchased three hundred and one acres. He commenced its improvement, and there remained until his death. He was a man of considerable prominence in his neighborhood, and was several times elected Justice of the Peace. He was a member of the Christian church, and was also a respected member of the order of Freemasonry. Politically he was a democrat. In his private life he was of a domestic turn of mind, preferring his home to every other place. He was a kind husband, an affectionate father, and a firm friend, and was much respected by all who knew him. By his marriage there were ten children, five of whom are living. A portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton heads this article.

Captain Isaac S. Boardman

It is a pleasure to write the life and history of such a man as Capt. Boardman, a man who has lived patriotically and honorably, and who has faithfully served his day and generation. He was born in Seneca county, New York, and is at the date of this writing, September 10th, 1880, seventy-six years old. When about five years ofage, his parents, Amos and Silva Boardman, located in Dearborn county, Indiana. About seven years were spent in that county, when a change of residence made them citizens of Ripley county, where Mr. Boardman obtained his legal majority. He only had such advantages as were common in the district schools of that day, advantages though, which he made good use of, and by which he secured fair business qualifications. He next located in Bartholomew county, and after a residence there of several years, led to the hymeneal altar, Miss Margaret Chitty, a lady of excellent personal qualities, with whom he lived in happy wedlock over a quarter of a century, and who finally died in this county, after becoming the mother of eleven children, nine of whom are still living - four sons and five daughters.

The Captain continued to live in Bartholomew county, till he became a resident of this county in 1854, and for many years was noted as one of its most trustworthy and honored officials. He was first elected to the joint office of County Clerk and Recorder, a trust he held in continued succession up to the adoption of a new state constitution, fourteen years later. After this he was Circuit Clerk till his removal to Illinois.

for the field of action. He was in the army a little over a year, commanded a company during the time, and participated in the battle of Buena Vista.

On coming to this county he settled in Wheatland township, then known as a precinct, and has pursued the quiet calling of a husbandman. He has been a successful farmer, and has given considerable attention to the stock interest, especially to sheep raising. He is quite a land owner, and has done his full share in pushing forward the improvements of his section, both material and social, and is still fully alive to every question affecting the welfare of both the county and township, in which he has been well known as an efficient Supervisor.

In politics he is a democrat of the old Jackson school. He cast his first vote for the hero of New Orleans in 1828, and has supported all the regular national nominees up to date, being fully established in the belief that the party with which he has acted embodies the correct theory of government, and the proper doctrine in defining the relations between state and federal authority, viz., that of strict construction.

The family are English in descent The Captain's great-grandfather migrated to America at an early date. Thaddeus was the Christian name of his grandfather, who was an early settler of the Green Mountain State He married Miss Rebecca Smith. There the Captain's father was born and raised. His wife, Miss Noble, was a native of Connecticut. They raised a large family, and finally died in Ripley county, honored and respected by a large circle of friends and relatives.