My Childhood Memories-Page 11
Chapter 17: Otter Creek Families
On this page I would like to give you some historical information I have found about Jersey County IL and the families that lived in the Otter Creek area that my parents knew, and who were among the early settlers of the Jersey County.
Jersey County lies northeast of where the great Mississippi and Illinois rivers meet. It is the former home of the Kickapoo, Menomini, Potawatomi, and Illiniwek Confederation Indians. The first European explorers to visit the area, Father Marquette and Louis Jolliet, arrived in 1673, where they encountered the fearsome painting of the Piasa bird. The present day Pere Marquette State Park, located near Grafton, is named in Father Marquette's honor.
Jersey County was founded on February 28, 1839, and was formed out of Greene County. The county was named for the state of New Jersey, from which many of the early settlers emigrated - which was itself named for the Channel Island of Jersey in Great Britain. The area quickly evolved into small agricultural communities. As the area soon began to flourish, a county government was established and a courthouse was built in Jerseyville, the county seat. The present courthouse is a magnificent architectural structure that was built in 1893.
(Note: The above information about the history of Jersey County I found at - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_County,_Illinois
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The source of the following information pertaining to the early history of Otter Creek Township I found at this Jersey County Historical Website-Jersey County ILGenWeb, copyright Judy Griffin 2002-2004. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data and images on any of this site's webpages may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or for other presentation without express permission by the contributor(s). http://www.rootsweb.com/~iljersey/index.html
Here is the information about families whose descendants my parents knew and often mentioned when I was a boy growing up on our farm in the Otter Creek area in the 1940's and 50's-the White, Dabbs, and Kirchner, Mcdanel, and Humiston Families that I copied from the site below. It tells where they settled near Otterville in Otter Creek township. Other families mentioned on the historical site who were early settlers in Otter Creek Township-McDow, Dougherty, Worthy, Waggoner, and Vanausdall families, I have heard my parents mention knowing of them also.------------------------
Otter Creek Township and Otter Creek
My parent's farm was located in Jersey County, Illinois in Otter Creek Township about a mile north of Otter Creek. Our farm was located about 2 miles west of where the north and south forks of Otter Creek merged to form one creek, not far from where it flowed out of Otter Creek township and entered Rosedale Township. Here is some information I found on the Jersey County ILGenWeb Historical website about Otter Creek Township and Otter Creek.---
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The source of the historical information below I found specifically at this reference site on the above mentioned Jersey County ILGenWeb site about early Jersey County, Illinois history in the Otter Creek Township area where my parents and I lived- http://www.rootsweb.com/~iljersey/JCHistory/JC-OtterCreek.htm
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Otter Creek
From History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois, Springfield, IL: Continental Historical Co., 1885, pp. 274-301. There may be typographical errors in the transcription.
This sub-division of Jersey county is bounded on the north by English, on the east by Mississippi, on the south by Quarry, and on the west by Rosedale. The township is well wooded, the principal prairie land being found in the eastern part and in the south row of sections. Otter Creek, with its two forks, North and South Otter, run through this township. North Otter comes in from English about the center of the cast line of section 12, and South Otter creek comes in from Quarry about the center of the south line of section 36. The two effect a junction on section 8, and thenceforward pass onward as one stream - the main Otter creek, flowing out of the township, and passing into Rosedale, at the line between sections 6 and 7. These streams, with their numerous little tributaries, serve to furnish an abundant supply of water for stock and agricultural purposes, and giving ample drainage facilities. Considerable attention is given to stockraising in this township, a number of the farmers taking an interest in the improvement of their- live stock. The eastern part of the township has the best farm land, and generally the best improved, though there are a number of good places in the west and south parts.
The village of Otterville lies on section 11, and affords a number of business enterprises for the accommodation of the citizens of the township. There is no railroad running through it, though all parts are within easy access of railroad points. There is some hilly country in the township, but very little indeed that would resist efforts at cultivation.
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The White Family
The first permanent settler within the bounds of what now constitutes the township of Otter creek was Joseph White, a native of South Carolina, but who came to this county from Kentucky, in 1821 or 1822. His two grand-sons, Daniel P. and John L., are both residents of the townships.
Daniel P. White is a son of Joab and Maria (Randall) White, and was born in what is now Jersey county, in 1834. He was here reared, and in 1855 was married to Mary M. Terry, a native of this county, who died in 1872. In 1874 he was married to Sarah W. Moss, who was also born in Jersey county. She died in 1876, and in 1882 Mr. White was married to Mrs. Mary J. (Turner) White, widow of Louis White, of Mississippi township. Mr. White has always been a resident of this county, and always followed farming. He is the owner of a valuable and well improved farm, comprising 80 acres. He is a republican in politics, and an enterprising and worthy citizen.
John L. White was born in Jersey (then Greene) county, Aug. 2,1823. His father, Joab White, was born in South Carolina, and his mother, Jane (Lofton) White, in Kentucky. John L. White is the oldest man, with one exception, born, raised and now residing in the territory comprising Greene and Jersey counties. He was reared here, and in 1843 was married to Martha L. Sansom, a native of Ohio, Three sons were born to them - James J., born in 1845, now living in Kansas; Lewis A., who died in 1880, and Charles Henry, now living in Mississippi township. Mrs. White died Feb. 14, 1851. Mr. White was again married, Oct. 4,1851, to Rosa J. White, a native of Jersey county. By this union, there were four daughters, three of whom are living - Susan, wife of John T. Wagoner, of Otter Creek township; Mary Jane, wife of James P. Achford, of this township, and Fannie Evelyn, living with her parents. Josephine died in 1857.
Thomas White, in 1824, located east of Otterville, where he lived for many years.
Hiram White a farmer of Otter Creek township, was born in Clinton county, Ill., Dec. 16, 1843. He is a son of Thomas and Rebecca White, who came to Jersey county in 1845, and settled on section 26, Otter Creek township, where Hiram White now lives. Thos. White died in 1850 and his wife, Rebecca in 1884. Hiram White was married in 1868; to Julia Hill, a native of Georgia. They have three children - Nettie Delight, Iva Nellie and Elda May. Mr. White served five months in the army during the war of the Rebellion, enlisting in the 27th Ill. Inf. He was discharged for disability and returned Home. He owns 80 acres of valuable land and is engaged in general farming. He is a member of the I. O. O. F.
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My parents often mentioned knowing members of the White family who were probably descendants of the early White family settlers in the Otter Creek area. My parents knew the Roy White family well, and often spoke of them, and said the White family of the Union Forest area were among the earliest settlers in the area. They have their own White Family Cemetery with ancestors dating back to the beginning of Jersey County. The White children that my parents knew well were Roy, George, Nola (who married Oscar Henson), Tacie (who was my teacher at Pleasant Cove and also taught my mother at Franklin School), and Rosie White. Tacie's parents were George and Rose (Bray White. The Springman's and Henson's were also early settlers in the area. My parents knew John and Gladys (Henson) Springman, Hazel Springman, Howard Springman, and Oscar and Nola May (White) Henson. They lived near the north fork of Otter Creek near the Union Forest Church which my parents and I attended when I was a boy. Roy White and his wife both attended the Union Forest Church at the time and were in their eighties I believe.
Tacie (White) Schaaf (1896 to 1950) who was my teacher in the first grade. She died the next summer, Aug. 1950, after my first grade of a heart attack. She also taught my mother and sister before me.
Nola Henson who my parents often mentioned as being such a wonderful and thoughtful person attended the Union Forest Church there, and was very helpful and kind to people in the community. Her maiden name was White, and she was married to Oscar Henson.
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The Dabbs Family
James Dabbs settled on section 9, in this township, in the spring of 1826. He was a native of South Carolina, and was married in that state, in 1802. Several years after that event they emigrated to Barren county, Ky., where they resided until 1819, when they removed to the vicinity of Wood river, Madison county, Ill., from which place they came here, as above stated. Jesse Dabbs, a son, was a resident of the county until 1875, when he died. James Dabbs and his wife, Mary, were worthy members of the pioneer band. He died a resident of the county, Dec. 19, 1841, his wife living until Sept. 8, 1852.
Samuel Dabbs, a native of South Carolina, made a settlement on section 8, in this township, about the year 1826. His son, W. W. Dabbs, is a resident of the township still, living near the old homestead.
W. W. Dabbs is a son of Samuel and Mary (Link) Dabbs, who were pioneers of Jersey county. Samuel Dabbs was a native of Kentucky, and his wife of Tennessee They came to Illinois in 1805, and to what is now Jersey county, in 1826, settling. upon See 8, Otter Creek township, which was the birth-place of the subject of this sketch. He was born on the 8th day of June, 1836.
He obtained his education in the common schools of that township, and there grew to manhood. Nov. 5, 1855, he was married to Catherine Worthey, a native of Tennessee. Nine children were born to them - John W., George F., Linley, Hattie E., Margaret E, Emma E., Nellie Jane, Oscar and Mary E. Mr. Dabbs owns a large farm, comprising 534 acres, and follows farming. He was engaged in, a meat market 13 years. Politically Mr. Dabbs is a republican, having voted with that party since its organization. He has held the office of school director and is a member of the A. F. & A. M. Samuel Dabbs died Dec. 12, 1853, and his widow, Mrs. Mary Dabbs, Sept. 12, 1855. Both are buried in the old cemetery at Otterville.
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My parents, who are passed away, knew the Dabbs family of the Otterville area well, and a lot about their family history. I remember them telling me the Dabbs family were among the first settlers of the Jersey County, IL area.
My parents had a farm a few miles from Dabbs Hill in the Fieldon, IL area. We lived in Otter Creek township. I remember when I was a boy in the 1950's with my parents on the farm in the Fieldon Area, we often drove up Dabbs hill. We knew Sherman Dabbs, Arthur Dabbs, Kearney Dabbs, and Morris Dabbs and their families well. They were descendants of William and Catherine (Worthy) Dabbs mentioned in the article above by Jersey County historical website as early settlers of the Otter Creek area.
They all lived at that time on Dabbs hill or nearby. Arthur Dabbs was married to my mother's cousin whose maiden name was Frances Gropple. She was my mother's Aunt Kate's daughter. Aunt Kate was a sister to my mother's mother Caroline Haushalter Kraushaar. Frances had been married before to a man whose last name was Walker. Arthur Dabbs had been married before also. They lived at the foot of Dabbs Hill, in a small house just a little to the north of the main road. I remember my parents and I went to visit Frances and Arthur at their farmhouse there by Dabbs Hill when I was a little boy, and she was sick and in a wheelchair after having one of her legs amputated due to diabetes at the time.
Morris Dabbs was our Otter Creek township Road Commissioner at that time. Arthur Dabbs was a brother to Lester Dabbs. Linley Dabbs the son of William and Catherine (Worthy) Dabbs was their father. Lester Dabbs was Sherman Dabbs's father. Morris Dabbs and Kearney Dabbs were cousins to them also. Their father William Oscar Dabbs was a brother to Linley Dabbs. Morris's elderly parents were still alive at that time. My parents knew them and other Dabbs family members well.
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The Kirchner Family
Charles R. Kirchner, a farmer of Otter Creek township, is a son of George C. and Elizabeth (Thurston) Kirchner, natives of Prussia, who came to America in 1825. Charles R. was born in Jersey county in 1850. He here grew to manhood, receiving his education in the district schools of English township and the graded schools of Jerseyville. In 1870 he was married to Charlotte Hinson, a native of this county. They have three children - Lula Bell, Harry Wesley, and Della Leo.
Mr. Kirchner owns a farm of 120 acres, located on Sec., 15. Mr. and Mrs. Kirchner are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. George C. Kirchner improved one of the first farms in English township, located on Sees. 31 and 32. George Kirchner died Dec. 11, 1881, and his wife, Elizabeth, in the fall of 186.5. Both are buried in the Jerseyville cemetery.
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My parents often mentioned knowing members of the Kirchner family who were probably descendants of the early Kirchner family settlers in the Otter Creek area. My father went to school with some Kirchner children I think I heard him say, or at least he knew them well. Their parents were Henry and Rose Springman Kirchner. The Kirchner children were Ed, George, Elmer, Rosie, Emma, Nellie, Margaret, Louise, and Alice (who married Justus Russell, his first wife), and Julie. They lived in the Rosedale Township area.
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The Humiston Family
Linus Humiston, of Otter Creek township, is a son of Jason and Margaret (McNeal) Humiston, the former a native of Wallingford, Conn., and the latter, of Morgantown, W. Va. Linus was born in Washington county, O., in 1825. He remained in that county until 21 years of age, engaged in farming and carpentering. He obtained a good education in the public schools, and taught school one term of four months, in Ohio. In Sept., 1847, he came to Jersey county and settled in Otterville, where he has ever since resided. He has followed teaching school and carpentering. He was employed about 10 years as teacher of the Otterville school. In Feb., 1864, he enlisted in the 124th Ill. Inf., and served till July 17, 1865, when be was transferred to the 33d Ill. Reg., and was mustered out Dec. 6. 1865. He participated in the following battles: Benton, Yazoo City, Clinton, Jackson Cross Roads, Miss., and Spanish Fort, Ala. Mr. Humiston was married in 1873, to Ellen Spangle, a native of this county, and daughter of Andrew Spangle, of this township. Mr. and Mrs. Humiston have two children - Andrew Jason and Luther Burton. Jason Humiston, father of the subject of this sketch, died in Ohio, Nov. 20, 1854, and his wife, Margaret, March 31, 1849, in the same state. Here is some more information about the early history of Otter Creek Township.
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My parents mentioned knowing members of the Humiston family who were possibly descendants of the early Humiston family settlers in the Otter Creek area. When I was a boy there was a very large farm called the Humiston farm just across Otter Creek to the south. At that time the farm was owned by 2 elderly Humiston sisters who lived elsewhere. My Uncle Lon used to farm it for them at one time. It was very remote and the road wasn't too good I remember. The road crossed Otter Creek, but there wasn't a bridge, so if the creek got up you couldn't get in or out.
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The McDanel Family
McDanel and his wife settled in Otter Creek township in the fall of 1828, on Sec. 7, where he lived for many years. He constructed a dam and mill for sawing lumber on Otter Creek in 1828, and two years later a mill for grinding corn. Mr. McDanel came here from Madison county, and died in Sept., 1859, leaving a large landed estate. His wife, Rachel (Cooper) McDanel, died May, 1861. Gregg McDanel built a large flouring mill at Upper Grafton, in 1857, through the persuasion of Henry Shaff, a young miller, which proved a disastrous failure. His son, Charles McDanel, resides on the old homestead. Charles McDanel is a son of Gregg and Rachel (Cooper) McDanel, who settled in Madison county in 1820. They removed to Jersey county in 1828, locating on Sec. 7, Otter Creek township, where Charles now resides. Gregg McDanel died in Sept., 1859, and his wife in May, 1861. Both are buried in the Noble cemetery. Charles McDanel was born in Madison county, Ill., in 1827, and was one year old when his parents settled in this county. He was reared to the occupation of farming, also worked in a saw and grist mill. He received a good education, attending the district school and afterwards Shurtleff College, at Upper Alton. In November, 1865, he was married to Amanda Dabbs, who was born in Otter Creek township. Mr. and Mrs. McDanel are the parents of eight children - Sarah Leonora, Rachel A., Charles G., Georgiana, Ada Maria, Mark L., William R., and Grace Adella. Mr. McDanel is one of the most extensive land owners in Jersey county, having 1,400 acres, and carries on general farming. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M. Mr. McDanel has spent almost his entire life in this. township, and has witnessed its development. He has contributed his full share toward effecting the transformation from a scene of natural wildness to a country of comfortable homes and a land teeming with wealth and material prosperity. These solid comforts of life have been secured by the industry and sacrifice of those early settlers, and among them Mr. McDanel is now in the enjoyment of an abundant competency and can spend his remaining years in peace and happiness.
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My parents mentioned knowing members of the McDanel family who were possibly descendants of the early McDanel family settlers in the Otter Creek area. When I was a boy there was a very large farm called the McDanel Farm just to the east of our farm near Otter Creek that was mostly in timber. My father and I used to go coon hunting there sometimes. I don't know if the McDanels owned the farm at the time or not. Often in those days farms were still called by the name of the original owner even though someone else had bought the farm, and the original owner had not lived there for many years.
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The First Cemetery
The Otterville cemetery is located on the northwest quarter of Sec. 14, on land lying within the corporation limits. It was formerly called the Noble cemetery, being on land belonging to William Noble. The first interment made there was that of the mortal remains of Daniel White, oldest child of Josiah White, who died in the fall of 1829. This was also the first burial in the township, The plot of Otterville cemetery was filed for record May 28, 1877.
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Educational
The first school taught within the limits of what now constitutes Otter Creek township, was presided over by Mrs. Caroline Ripson. It was opened in the Summer of 1832, in the cabin built for Ezra Hurd, who had died the fall before. The district is now in good shape, most of the schoolhouses being commodious and neat structures, and well kept up. An excellent standard of tutors is held and the teachers are quite up to the mark, in all respects.
The first school house in the Pleasant Grove district was erected in 1870, and was 16 x 20 feet in size. The first teacher was Mary Jane Slaten. The present building was put up in 1875. It is 16 x 24 feet in size, and cost $300. The first teacher was Alice Hughes. Mrs. Kate B. Owens is the present teacher.
Grant school house in district No. 2. was erected in 1883. It cost $450. Kate McKinstry taught the first term of school in this building.
The school building in district No. 3, known as Buckeye school house, was erected in 1880, by John C. Lewis, contractor. The building is 20 x 36 feet in size, and cost $500. The enrollment in this school is 35. The teacher is Ned Yerkes.
Liberty school house, in district No. 4, was built in 1885, at a cost of $500. In size it is 20 x 36 feet. The enrollment is 20.
Shiloh school house was built in 1872. It is a frame building 22 x 32 feet in size, and cost $1,200. There is an enrollment of 75 in this school, with an average attendance of 40. S. T. Cannedy is the present teacher.
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First Items
The first death was Daniel, son of Josiah White, born in 1828.
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The first marriage was that of William McDow and Delilah Waggoner, in the spring of 1830. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Joseph Basey, a Methodist minister, on the farm now owned by Edward Howard.
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Josiah White's oldest child, Daniel, died in the fall of 1829, and was buried in what was known as the Noble cemetery, now the Otterville cemetery. This was the first death in the township, and the body was the first interred in that cemetery.
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The first grist mill in the county run by water power, was erected by Gregg McDanel in 1828, and was located in Otter Creek township, on section 7, on the south bank of Otter creek. It was built in 1830. A saw mill had been built by the same party, in 1828, on the opposite side of the creek. The dam was afterwards washed away, and both mills went down. The first justice of the peace was Gilbert Douglas, Sr., elected in 1824, His son is a resident of Des Moines, Iowa.
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The first constable was Jay Montgomery Hurd, elected in 1833.
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The first resident physician was Dr. Silas Hamilton, who located here in 1830.
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The first school was taught by Mrs. Caroline Ripson, in the summer of 1832.
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The first store in the township was opened at the forks of Otter creek, in 1832, by Woodberry Massey, who met with such a tragic fate, three years. afterwards, at the Dubuque lead mines.
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Village of Otterville
This is one of the oldest towns in Jersey county. It is located on section 14, the principal part being on the west half of that section. It was surveyed and platted by Geo. I. Foster, county surveyor, Oct. 6, 1866, and the plat was filed for record August 14, 1867, although the place is, really, many years older than that would seem to indicate.
