Sublette Township (part 2 of 2)

Elijah Austin, farmer, Sublette, was born in upper Canada, January 1820. His father, Norman Austin, and his mother, Sarah Landers, were natives of Connecticut. His ancestors were "Revolutioners," and his father served in the war of 1812. In the fall of 1837 Elijah Austin went to Sandusky, Ohio, thence with wagon to the present site of Galesburg, Illinois, passing through Aurora and Monmouth, then only the germs of towns ; lived in Knox county till 1840, when he went back east. Returning to Knox county, he lived there till 1846, thence to Princeton. In 1849 he made a claim on Sees. 17 and 18, of 152 acres. In 1859 he bought from Henry Hannon 80 acres formerly owned by Daniel Baird, who lived on the old La Salle and Grand De Tour road, where Mr. Austin now resides. The latter owns a large farm in Sees. 17, 18, 19, and a few acres in Sec. 20, besides a hundred acres in Sec. 30. In 1843 Mr. Austin married Sarah Burton, of Hancock county, Illinois. They have a famil}^ of seven children living. Abagail, born December 1843 (wjfe of Nelson Yan Fleet, Kansas, son of an old settler in Aurora) ; Mary, born 1845 (Mrs. Joseph Doane, died in 1868) ; Burton, February 1848 (married October 1876, has two children and is farming in Sublette); Elizabeth, May 1850 ; Melissa, September 1852 ; Jane, March 1855 ; Frances A., September 1866; Minnie R., April 1871. The last two are by his second wife, Catherine Austin, to whom he was married September 1863. Elizabeth (Mrs. Blair) is living in Brooklyn township. In politics Mr. Austin is an ex- republican greenbacker, formerly a freesoiler. He is a Mason, a genial neighbor and a kind father.

Silas D. Reniff, farmer, Sublette, born 1816, in Tioga county, New York, is the son of Ephraim and Betsey (Wesson) Reniif, both born in Massachusetts. His grandfather on the father's side was a Scotchman. Ephraim RenifF was a farmer and had a family of eight children. In 1843 he came west, and settled on section 19, where Seth Baird lives. The following year Silas Renift came out and claimed a half-section of land, one half of which he afterward entered. This was a 160 in Sec. 20, where he now lives. He owns 2-10 acres of well improved land, upon which there are good buildings. In 1849 Mr. Reniff was married to Laura Angler, only sister of Thomas Angler. Their issue is a son, Ernest, born September 1855 ; he married Mary Chamberlain, May 1876, by whom he has two boys, Ernest and Laurie, born November, 1877, and June, 1880, respectively. Mr. RenifF has been a very energetic business man, and is now active for one of his age. For many years he has been a general stock dealer and he is now shipping to Chicago. For twenty-seven years he has assessed the town of Sublette, and has been twenty years school trustee. Before coming west he was eight years a teamster to Boston, driving an eight-horse team about a hundred miles to and from that city. Then and for many years after he was an athletic and daring man, and one with whom it was not safe to trifle. He is a staunch republican and a perfectly reliable man. His father died about 1855 and his mother a few years later.

Thomas S. Angiek, farmer and magistrate, Sublette, was born 1822, in Fitzwilliam, Cheshire county, New Hampshire; he is the son of Abel and Laura (Holmes) Angier, born 1797 and 1801 respectively. His grandparents were born in New England, and his great-grandfather Amidon was in the revolution. His mother died when he was eight years old, and his father seven years later. Thomas, the only son in a family of two children, received a common school education ; was married in 1838, to Fannie, daughter of Benjamin B. and Grata (Whitney) Morse, who was born in New Hampshire in 1821. Her ancestors, Whitney and Morse were " Revolutioners," and the latter was in the war of 1812. Mr. Angier, with his w^ife and one child, came west to LaMoille, Bureau county, Illinois, in 1840; thence to Sublette, Lee county, the following spring, settling on the N.E. J of Sec. 31, having bought it the year before. Of a family of ten children only three survive. In the summer of 1861 his eldest sons, Abel, born in 1838, and Leander in 18-41, enlisted in Co. D, 46th 111. Yols. In the winter of 1861-2, before their regiment went south, both were taken sick with diphtheria. Though two others of the family died at this time, they recovered, and were with Co. D till the fall of 1862, when both were in the hospital at Memphis; there Leander died in September. Abel did not again enter the service, and died of consumption in 1873. Ambrose, third in the family, is married and living on the homestead. In 1874 Mr. Angier moved to the village of Sublette, where he has since lived. He is a man in whom the people have entire confidence, having held some office ever since the organization of the township. In 1851 he was elected justice of the peace, in which capacity he has acted ever since. He has been eighteen years supervisor of Sublette township, and much of that time was chairman of the board of supervisors. Besides these he has held other offices ; he is consequently well acquainted with the development of this township, and to him the writer is indebted for much valuable information. Mr. Angler is a republican and a Mason, and may be very appropriately styled " the oracle of Sublette."

Philip Fauble, farmer, Sublette, was born in Lee county in April 1851. His father, John Fauble, was an early settler in Sublette and acquired a large property. His mother is one of the largest tax-paj^ers in the county. In October, 1877, Philip Fauble married Barbara Pope, of Bureau county. Their family : George L., born June 1879, and Katie, December 1880. He has a farm of 200 acres in Sec. 32. This is known as the William Tourtillott farm. In 1880 Mr. Fauble built a fine barn at a cost of about $1,400. He has a good house and a large orchard. His wife owns a quarter-section in Brooklyn township. They are members of the Evangelical church. Our subject received a common school education ; he is a strong republican and a man of pleasing address.