Vermont Township (part 2 of 2)

John Searl, farmer and minister, sec. 19; P. O., Vermont; was born in Campbell Co., Ky., son of James Searl, a native of Steuben Co., N. Y., and who married Anna Mayall in Ky. ; in 1834 emigrated to Sangamon Co., 111., with an ox team, and next year settled in Vermont tp. ; he died May 10, 1852, and his wife April 7, 1870. John was in his third year when his parents settled in Fulton Co.; was liberally educated as he grew uj); in 1849 he married Rebecca Parrish, daughter of Enoch Parrish ; in 1878 was licensed by the M. E. Church to preach. His living children are: Emma, Nancy, Jasper E., Elizabeth and Aldia B. He has 148 acres of land.

George Shaver, farmer, sec. 12; P. O., Ipava ; born in Penn. in 1816 ; his father, a Penn. farmer, married Mary Glass, of New Jersey, and they had 10 children, George, the youngest; March 8, 1838, he married Margaret IMcEliianey, daughter of AV^m. and Catharine McE., and they had 9 children, of whom 6 are living, - Kate, Camelia, Ann, Maggie, John and Samuel. In 1846 this fiimily emigrated to this county, settling near Bernadotte, but the following autumn he located permanently in Vermont tp. Jan. 9, 1873, Mrs. S. died, and Jan. 23, 1876, Mr. S. married Miss Mary, daughter of John Matthewson, of Vermont.

E. Sidwell, grain dealer and shipper, A^ermont, was born in Belmont Co.,0., Nov., 1828; in 1839 he accompanied his father, Thos. Sidwell, to this tp., who gained considerable re})utation as an agriculturist and sheep-raiser, and died in 1870. His wife's maiden name was P^lizabeth Polk, and she died in 1845. El wood S., the subject of this i)iography, grew to manhood in this county, followed farming for many years, and in 1850 entered business with Cephas Tolaiul and John S. Douglas ; in 6 years the style of the firm was changed to Sidwell & Kelly, which continued 3 years. Mr. S. was then in business at Odin, 111., awhile, and in 1868 returned to Vermont, engaged in mercantile pursuits for a time, and then with Wm. Provine bought an interest in the old East Mill. He now conducts the grain elevator, which has a capacity of 12,000 bushels. He married Miss Mary Anderson of Fulton Co., daughter of Robert Anderson, of Kentucky. They have one child, Mrs. S. died in 1871 ; and in 1875 he married Mrs. Anna Swazey, daughter of Dr. Owens, of McDonough Co.

well educated and came to this country in an early day, locating in Cass Co., where he was a farmer and finally died. ^Irs. S. subsequently married a Mr. Biggs, and is still living. Robert came to Fulton county in 1871, and in 1.S73 married Electa Brown in Pleasant township, a daughter of Capt. Brown, of Ipava. Has had two children, - Charles E. and Calvin, the latter deceased.

C. \V. Sperry, manufacturer of fine boots and shoes, Vermont, was born in Ohio; in that State and New York he learned his trade; in 1869 he married Docia Moore, a daughter of Thos. J. Moore of Virginia; came to Vermont in 1870; has had 3 children, - Dewitt beiniT the onlv one now liviny;.

Charles G. Stafford, farmer, sec. 12; P. O., Vermont; was born in Appinoy, R, I., in 1815, which place was also the native place of his father, Thomas R., a sailor; of his 9 children 7 are living; Charles married Mary P. Burress, daughter of John R. Burress, in Providence; worked princially at carpentering; in 1856 he settled in this township; owns 193 acres of land; is a farmer, and has succeeded well; of his 9 children these 4 are living: Willard, Sarah, Salina and Corrilla, - all married except the last. Mrs. S. died Aug. 1, 1878.

Benj. Stevens, farmer, sec. 8; P. O., Vermont; was born in Philadelphia in 1812; married Maria Dennis, daughter of Archibald D., of Cumberland Co., Pa. Their only child, Sarah A., died in 1844. Mr. Benj. Stevens was reared on a farm, but also worked at carpentering some ; moved to Steubenville, O., where he followed his trade for 18 years ; then was 3 years in Iowa, and then (1872) he settled in Vermont, but he now has a home on a farm.

Wm. Stoops, agriculturist, sec. 10; P. O., Vermont Michael Stoops, a native of Penn. and a farmer, early settled in Ohio, and in his Nth year married Ellen Van Sickle. They had 9 children, the eldest of whom was the subject of this sketch, born Jan., 1815, in Hamilton county, O. Mr. Michael Stoops, in 1836, came to Fulton county. In early day Mr. Stoops suffered the extreme privations of frontier life. The first two winters the bill of fare for the family was hominy and venison; the wife's dress" linsey-woolsey; the man's, buckskin. They had to get their groceries in Lewistown on credit, and that was very dilficult. Milling was almost impossible and the noted grater had to be used. Mr. Wm. Stoops' first wife was Hannah Lyndsay, who died Jan. 33, 1852: they had 8 children. His second wife was a Miss Keziah Clark, who died Dec. 28, 1860: they had 5 children. His third wife, now living, was Mr. Margaret Wentworth, of Kentucky, daughter of W'ni. Hannah. They were married in 1862 and their children are 4.

Geo. Swarf z, cabinet-maker and joiner, is a native of Vermont, is yet a young man, but is one of the most live business men in the village, and one of the best workmen in the county. He is associated with his mother and brother in the cabinet factory at Vermont. He was united in marriage with Miss Emma Wors lell, of Vermont, in 1875. They have one child, a bright little girl.

S. J. Swarfz & Son, manufacturers of furniture and upholstery, and undertakers. About the year 1844 Benj. Swartz, a chair-maker, of Northumberland Co., Pa., began business as a cabinet and chairmaker in Vermont, with a capital of 75 cents; but in one year he was able to return to Penn. and marry Miss Sarah Hamer, sister of Col. Hamer, of Vermont. Coming back to this place he pursued his calling and made money ; although very generous he accumulated a great deal. He died Nov. 27, 1875, and Mrs. Swartz took charge of the property, under the firm name above given. They conduct a very successful business. The survivors of the family are 7 in number. The G children are, John H., a member of the firm ; George, who married Miss Emma Worsdell, of Vermont, and has one child ; Nellie M. ; Margaret C. ; Anna M. and Ida E. Sarah F. is deceased.

Benjamin Taylor, physician and surgeon,. Vermont, was born in Chester Co., Pa., April 5, 1829; his father, Benjamin T., was also a native of Penn., and a farmer by occupation, who married Miss Hannah Richardson, and had 13 children, the subject of this sketch being the youngest; he came to Vermont in 1850 and purchased a piece of land ; but he concluded to study medicine, which he did under Dr. Clark, of Rushville, and afterward became his partner, soon attaining prosperitv- In 1853 he married Marietta Clark, by whom he had 9 children; she died in 1868, and Oct. 21, 1869, the doctor married Gabriella Gilson, daughter of Wm. G., of this State; of this marriage 6 children are born, 5 of whom are living. He is a relative of the late Bayard Taylor, the traveler, historian, poet and U. S. Minister.

D. ir. Ten Eych, druggist, Vermont, came to this place from Havana in February, 1877, bought out the stock and business of T. J. Crail at an assignee's sale, and since then has been doing well. He has had 11 years' experience in his business, and is careful and reliable.

Thomas & Vermillion, brick-makers, Vermont. As early as 1855 Mr. Thomas followed brick-making, being employed by Mr. Glower; in 1869 he formed a partnersiiip in the business with Horace Miner, and after several changes in the style of the firm, he entered into partnersiiip in 1876 with Ret. P. D. Vermillion. They have shipped as many as 400,000 brick in one year.

George C. Thomas, farmer and stock-rai.ser, sec. 2 ; P. O., Ipava ; born in Fulton Co., in 1844. His father, Wm. Thomas, was born in Washington Co., Pa., in 1800, and was brought uj) a farmer; moved to Ohio; in 1832, married Eliza Dobbins, daughter of Boyd Dobbins, a native of Virginia; came to Vermont tp. in 1835; he and his wife are still living. They had 8 children, 7 of whom are living, - Melissa, Martha, William* Thomas, Erastus, George C, and Leander. George is the only one residing on the old homestead. In 1864 he married Rebecca Beers, daughter of Samuel and Phoebe

R. T. Thomafi, farmer, sec. 23 ; P. O., Ipava. Wm, A. Thomas was an Ohio farmer who married Eliza Dobbins and had 8 children, and settled in Vermont in 1.S29, Those old people still live here. Robert T., their fourth child, was born in this tp. in 1839 ; enlisted in Co. H, 28th 111. Inf., re-eidisted as a veteran, and at the close of the war was honorably discharged. In 1867 he married Mrs. Elizabeth Koons, widow of James Koons and daughter of Abram Kost, and they have had 5 children, 3 of whom are living, - Hattie M., Arzula and Mary.

Hiram S. T/iomns, postmaster, Vermont, was born in 1814 in Adams Co., Pa. His father, Isaac Thomas, was a farmer, in limited circumstances, and Hiram was brought up to hard work. Although he did not attend school after he was 14 years of age, his native good judgment has enabled him to school himself successfully in the practical affairs of life. In 1824 the family emigrated to Ohio, and in 1843 Mr. Hiram S., then a man of a family, emigrated to this tp. He first was a tailor by occujiation, but in 1843 he began to lecture on temperance, and continued with great success for manv years. He stumped the State for the temiierance party in 1848, and was nominated by the party for the Legislature. In 1861 Vermont had grown to some importance as a commercial center, and Mr. T. was appointed Postmaster, which position ho iias ever since filled except for a short period, with satisfiiction to the public. While Mr. T.'s temperance principles prevail in Vermont so that there are no saloons there, he has otherwise done much for the business interests of the place. In Lidiana, in 1843, he married Mary Witchell, daughter of John and Bathshoba W., of Ohio. Cordelia and Edwin are their children, the former station agent at Vermont and the latter the wife of Dr. Parker, of Ipava.

Cephas To/and, retired merchant, was born in Washington Co., Pa., in 1816. His father, James T., also a native of Pa., a farmer, married Margaret McWhirtcr, who died when Cephas was in his 6th year. The latter then lived with an uncle until 14 years old, when he for years followed the tannery business. Fire destroyed his establishment in Alexandria, Va. He came, in 1840, to McDonough Co., 111., where he taught school, and the following year he commenced business in a tannery in Vermont, and then with Enos Moneyhon in this place he entered the dry-goods and grocery business; they dissolved partnorshij) in a few months, and Mr. T. entered partnershi)) with J. H. Hughes and W. B. Wright in the same business, adding the grain trade, and after some time Mr. T. became a partner of John Shaffer, located at Sharpe's Landing, and did a large business shipping grain. The warehouse burned down, and Mr. T. went into the stock trade and succeeded well. In 1866 he became a member of the firm of Toland, Sidwell & Douglas, Vermont, and three years afterward retired to a farm of 320 acres which

Dr. W. II. Xance was born in Floyd Co., Indiana, Dec. 24th, 1814, a son of William Nance. He married Miss Susan, daughter of Joal) and Hannah Lane, April 14th, 1836, and the same year moved with his parents to Columbus, Adams Co., Ills. He studied medicine under the care of Dr. D. G. Stewart of New Albany, Ind., but did not complete a full course of study till after moving to Illinois. In the urgent demand for physicians at that time in Illinois, he entered into a full practice without graduating, and continued for several years; but in the year 1848 entered the Medical Department of the University of Missouri, located in St. Louis, and in 1849 graduated, and again resumed his practice in Vermont, Ills., where he had resided for some years previously. For many years he enjoyed an enviable reputation as a practitioner, and in the course of his arduous labors succeeded in accumulating- a verv comfortable living. His father, William Nance, was a native of Virginia, brought up on a farm in that State, and about the year 1802 or 1803 was married to Miss Nancy Smith of Rockingham Co., N. C. Soon after this they moved to Kentucky and remained one year, and then crossed the Ohio into the dense wild forests of Indiana Territory, and settled near the foot of the falls of the Ohio river, a short distance below where the City of New Albany now stands.^ In 1811 William Nance was a volunteer under Gen. Harrison (at that time Governor of the Territory) in his campaign against the Indians, and was in the noted battle of Tipj)acanoe. In 1836 he came to Adams Co., Ills,, where he died in his 68th year, while Mrs. Nance lived to the good old age of 82 years.

Dr. Nance retired from active practice in 1862 on account of serious injuries received by a fall from a buggy, and is now with his good lady and youngest daughter enjoying the comforts of a retired life, after the heat and burdens and cares and responsibilities of an active professional career have disappeared in the distance.

JoHepli Vaughn, farmer, sec. 24 ; P. O., Ij)ava ; was born in Washington Co,, Pa., in 1808. His father, Jas. Vaughn, Mas also born in Penn., and married Mary Schneider, by whom he had 10 children, Joseph being the eldest but one. When the latter was about 11 vears of ajje the familv moved to Ohio, and four vears afterward to A^irginia, where Joseph married Lavina Huff, daughter of John HuH''. To those were born 9 ciiildren. Mrs. V. died in 1863, and in 1865 Mr. V. married Mrs. Margaret Mitchell, daughter of Robert Robinson and relict of- John Mitchell. Of their five children four are living, - Mervin, Sarah, Lauriette and Robert,

Isaac Walker, farmer, sec. 17; P. O., Vermont. Jesse Walker, the father, was born in Ohio, and followed teaming over the Alleghanics; he married Mary Wyant in Penn., by whom he had 7 children. Isaac, the third, was born in Penn. in 1838; about 1852 he came with the family to this tp. ; a portion of the time, however, since then he has resided in Henry Co.; in 1861 lie married Matilda Brock, daughter of Thos. H. Brock, of Ohio, by whom he has 3 children, - Laura E., Dora B. and Charley.

\V. D. Walker, farmer and small-fruit-grower, was born in 1830 in Penn., in which StaiC his father, S. B. W., was also born and pursued the occupation of fuller. Mr. S. B. married Nancy Forsyth, and 6 children were born to them, \Vm. D., the subject of this sketch, being the fourth. Just before he was 21 he came afoot to LaSalle Co., 111., but in a year returned to Ohio, and married Sarah Stover, daughter of John and Sarah Stover, of Pa. In 1858 he emigrated to Vermont tp. He has had 3 children, - Amos (died in infancy), Katy, who married Samuel A. Walker, of Mc- Donough Co., and resides at Table Grove.

E. G. Webster, head salesman for J. & H. Mershon, was born in Virginia in 1812, passed his boyhood in Kentucky, where he obtained a good education and married Sarah A., daughter of John Lawson ; in 1850 he came to Vermont and was immediately employed by Joab Mershon as salesman of dry goods, which j)osition he has held ever since, - a fact which speaks volumes for Mr. Webster's integrity. He has had 11 children, 7 of whom are living, namely, J. W. and Luella, residents of Kansas; Sarah E., at Minonk. 111. ; Minerva, at Elgin, 111. ; Emma C, John and Edward in Vermont. The last named is now studying medicine at Keokuk.

/. H. Welch, farmer and stock-raiser, sec. 21 ; P. O., Vermont; was born in Fulton Co. in 1834; his father, T. J. Welsh, was a native of Virginia; in 1855 he married Rachel Knock, daughter of Rev. Wm. Knock, and they have 5 children, viz : Wm. J., Maria E., Laura, Freddie and Affie G.

Geo. Whitney, merchant, Vermont, was born in 1835, in Henniker, N. H. ; remained on the farm with his father, Asa Whitney, until his 19th year, when he came to Springfield, 111., where he commenced on the Wabash railroad as brakeman, and was promoted to the position of baggageman and finally conductor; in 1803 he entered business with Grover Ayres, a leading merchant of Springfield, and two years afterward he retired from the dry-goods business and began brick-making; in 1871-6 he was passenger conductor on the Rock ford, Rock Island & St. Louis railroad, and now he is a member of the prospe"ous dry-goods firm of Ayres (Grover Ayres) & Whitney, Vermont.

Lewis Winans, deceased, was the son of M^ihlon and Elizabeth Winans. He was born in Seneca Falls, N. Y., April 21, 1826; was brought to Illinois in 1831, and ten years later left home to do for himself He first learned the wagon-making trade ; he (juit this and engaged as clerk in a dry-goods store at Canton. In 1846 he embarked in business at Vermont in connection with H. R. Smith. Mr. S. was killed shortly afterward and the business was settled up, and Mr. W. entered the services of Mr. Lynn of Ver- mont as clerk, with whom he remained till 1849, when, in company with J. H. B. Stevens and S. Hcizer, he again embarked in the mercantile business. In the fall of the same year he was married to Miss Sarah M. Scott. In 1867 he engaged in business at Vermont alone, and continued until Dec, 1874, when, on account of illhealth, he retired from active life, and July 9, 1875, he died. He was a zealous and devout member of the Presbyterian Church, and a man loved and respected by all who knew him. Mrs. Winans resides at Galesburg. Their children living are Ross, who lives at Canton, Fannie, the wife of Esquire J. R. Rothraan, Table Grove, Myron, Lou, Henry, George and Charlie.

Keziah 11 ooc/, farmer, sec. 25; P. O., Ipava ; was born in Harrison Co., O., in 1814, son of Robert Wood, a native of Va., a farmer, who married Mary Kester and had 13 children ; Keziah was the 10th; was reared in Ohio, a Quaker; married Mary, daughter of John S. Kinsev, and has had 3 children, Elizabeth onlv surviving, who married Henry Phillips. Mr. Wood came to this tp. in 1846, buying 60 acres of land : he now owns 130 acres, well improved.

Granville Wright, agriculturist and stock-raiser, sec. 8; P.O., Table Grove; born in Overton Co., Tenn., in 1820. Jonathan Wright, his father, was a native of North Carolina, a wheelwright at first, afterwards farmer; he married Jane Berry, a daughter of Wm. Berry, of Abingdon, Va., and had 6 children, of whom Granville was the eldest. About 1829 thefauiily moved to Montgomery Co., Ind., and in 1836 to this tp., purchasing and settling upon 160 acres of land. In 1846 he was married to Miss Elizabeth M. Curr, daugiiter of Amaziah Curr, by whom lie had 6 children, 4 now living and in this county. Mrs. W. died in 1860, and the next year Mr. W. married Miss Amazinda, daughter of James Fonton, and of this marriage there were two children. This wife died in 1868, and Mr. W. married Lucy M. Kinney, daughter of R. W. Upson. They had one child, who died Dec. 16, 1876. Mr W. now owns 320 acres of valuable land in this tp., and 380 in McDonough Co., and is a prominent stock-dealer. He has never sought office, but has been School Trustee.

Josiah Zoll, farmer, was born in Jefferson Co., O., in 1810, son of Peter Zoll, a native of Maryland; his mother's maiden name was Catharine Wintcrbaker. He learned and followed the tanner's trade. In 1832 he married Ruth Crothers, and two years later he came and settled in tliis tp. Here he toiled through many a tedious year, but with great success, as he is now able to take up his residence in town and enjoy for the remainder of his days the fruits of his labor.

Town Clerks

Upon the. southeast quarter of section 10 of this township the first permanent setth'r of the grand old county of Fulton located. This individual was John Evelaud. He located here with his family in 1820. We speak at greater length of Mr. Eveland and his settlement here in the first chapter, and refer the reader to that instead of repeating the account here. This is only a fractional township and the smallest in the county except Ellisville township. There are 12,372 acres of land in Waterford, 5,995 of which are improved. The average value of land of this township is below that of any other in the county. There are, however, some fine farms and enterprising farmers in Waterford. There are several very interesting mounds, thrown up doubtless by the pre-historic Mound-Builders. Some of these have yielded some rare and interesting relics. There are in the township 322 horses, 284 cattle, 47 sheep, and 668 hogs.