Sunday, February 26, 2017

Early Days in Lyman #55

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster 


Continuing . . .

Marshall B. Knight was born in Susquehanna County in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, April, 1831. He was the son of Amasa and Lovina Knight, who were natives of Vermont. About 1845, the family emigrated to Illinois, and settled near Ottawa, where they engaged in farming. The father died in 1850. The mother lived several years after Mr. Knight died. She died in Bureau County, Illinois of small pox. The...re were nine children in the family. Mary married Edward Stricklin. She died in Pennsylvania. Lydia married Myron Fairchilds. She also died in Pennsylvania. Pheobe married Samuel Lindsey. Hulda married M. L. Minder and died in Bureau County, Illinois. Fannie married William Smith. Austin, Marcus, Albert and Marshall B. were the sons. The last named, Marshall B. was about fourteen years old when the family came to Illinois from the Quaker State. He had been on the farm all his life so when his father died in 1850, he began farming for himself in Bureau County, then LaSalle Counties.
In 1851 he married Miss Althea C. Tillotson, a native of the state of Ohio. Her father's family came to Illinois in a covered wagon.
After their marriage in 1851, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall B. Knight continued to farm in LaSalle and Will counties until about 1869, when they moved to Ford County and bought a farm of 160 acres three miles west of Roberts, known now as the Shreves' farm. In 1874, they sold this farm and bought 320 acres one mile north of it, in the corner of Livingston County. Mr. Knight was a very quiet man. He had his convictions and unless there were good reasons for the change, he held to them. In politics he was a Republican. His sons expoused the same political party. In 1880, he took as much pleasure in diffusing the light of Republicanism in the streets of Roberts as we younger fellows did, with our torch lights. Mr. Knight died in 1895, when only 64 years of age. Mrs. Knight died in 1900

Mr. and Mrs. Knight had a family of ten children. Two died in childhood and eight grew to manhood and womanhood.
Mary, the oldest daughter married F. Pettit (one of the early settlers of Lyman. His people lived on section 32. He is a brother of Mrs. Lucy Roberts, deceased.) in 1871. They lived here for several years and then moved to Nebraska. They were in the hotel at one time. They have two daughters, Mr. and Mrs. Pettit live at Norfolk, Nebraska.
Almeda, the second daughter, married Charles Rudd. They had one child. The wife and child are dead. The husband lived at Joliet, Illinois.
Ellen married William Marsh. They had one son and two daughters. The son lives in Chicago and the daughters in Mobile, Ala. The parents are deceased.
Allice married Milton Davis. Mr. Davis was a school teacher. He taught in the vicinity of Roberts for several years. He was a successful teacher. He died in 1892. They had one daughter, Bessie, who married R. E. Chambers, the son of the late, R. B. Chambers. R. E. Chambers and family live at Winter Haven, Florida.
Mrs. Alice Davis married H. J. Campbell of Roberts. He was post master here for many years. In about 1918 they moved to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where Mr. Campbell died in 1931. Mrs. Alice Campbell and Lawrence and Jennie (Sackett) Campbell live at Pine Bluff now.
Eva Knight married Thaddeus Hedger in 1898. Mr. Hedger came from Kentucky. They lived in Roberts for a few years then moved to the Higgins eighty, east of the Fairley farm, from there to near DelRey, Illinois, where, Mr. Hedger died in 1911. Mr Hedger was a hard working man. They had one son, Jollie, who married a sister of Mrs. John Wright, Leota Griffieth, of Kelley Lake, Minnesota. They have a son, Warren, whom they call Junior. He is a nice little boy about eight years old.
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Mrs. Eva Hedger married Hiram Campbell in 1916. Hiram Campbell is the son of W. W. and Fanny Campbell. He is well known in Roberts and vicinity. His work is such that he comes in contact with the farmers as well as the town people. He is handy with tools as well as machines. They live in the house which D. E. Buzick, an early settler, built.
Warren Knight, the oldest of the Knight boys, was never married. He died in 1928, one hot day in summer. He had a stroke and never regained consciousness. He was a very good man. One of the best natured men I ever knew.
Ira Knight married Hannah Holmes the daughter of Christian and Maria (Hansen) Holmes of Brenton Township. They lived on the farm for many years, then moved to Chatsworth, where Mr. Knight died in 1933. They had two daughters. Both are married. One lives in Delevan, the other at Wing. Mrs. Hannah Knight lives in Chatsworth.
Elmer Knight, the younger son, married Nelly Neagle, the daughter of one of the early settlers in Lyman. The Neagles, I think, lived on the Bradbury farm in about 1872. I remember them: James, Thomas and John. I think the father's name was John Neagle. Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Knight lived on the farm until about fifteen years ago when they moved to Pontiac, Illinois. Elmer always met people with a smile. I knew him for fifty years or more and that smile was always there. He was a good farmer and a good neighbor and made friends by kind deeds. Elmer Knight died in 1933. They had two daughters and two sons. All are married. Eva Knight married Chas. Schroen of German Town. They have two sons and one daughter. Pearl married William Kemmer. They have eight living children four sons and four daughters. One child is deceased. Mrs. Nelly Knight lives at Pontiac. She is a very nice woman.
Orville Knight married Margaret Austin, a former high school teacher in the Roberts High School. Mr. and Mrs. Orville Knight live on the home farm. Mr. Knight takes an active part in farm and home work. They are a much esteemed man and wife. I have never been to the farm since they have lived there, but believe they keep the farm and house in fine condition.


--Roberts Herald.  22 April 1936.  Bela Foster.

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