Early Days in Lyman Conclusion

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Conclusion

As the time has come, when I must lay down my pencil and let others entertain you, (or pester you as I have). I am wondering how many really have enjoyed the writings. The Editor has not, I am sure, neither would you, were you called upon to decipher a page or two of this manuscript. You would think that you had come across a few pages of hieriglyphics from the Orient.
In so far as W. O. Sanders is concerned, he has done his part well. It has used much of his patience, I am positive. Had he not taught school for many years, he could not have succeeded so splendidly.
It has been a task for him. It has cost him many dollars. I am out only my time. I thank those, who have aided me. Without those, who and the help from your parents and grand parents, I could have not written what I have. Though many, who have aided me in my writings, have passed to their home beyond, the stories they told were recorded, so that I might use them.
I have written, mostly of the good deeds of those I have met, which helped to make the community in which we have lived, those I revere. There were many, who lived without the radius of my younger days, that I could simply mention, as I knew them slightly. They came in a time when they had to give up many things that helped to make life sweeter.
In winter they had little to burn. In the summertime germs of malaria. Though, they did nto know then, the germ and it's made of speading disease, it was the same as it is today, with no means of staying it's progress.
Have you, who have always had warm homes, plenty to eat, and clothing to keep you warm, ever tried to put yourself in the place of one, who is hungry and cold? It is a rare thing here not to see the children, who not for a fad, but because of need, going without sufficient food and clothing. Could you sit down to a corn meal diet for weeks, and thank God for the food? Some could and did. Have you even been so hungry that the sight of a piece of white bread and butter would create a longing to get your teeth into a smilar piece? I have seen children go to the cupboard for a lunch and find a cold potato or a left over pancake and be thankful. The earlier settlers saw things worse. If you have ever gone to a well for a pail of water and maybe hooked out from one to half a dozen snakes, you can appreciate pure cold water, and be in a position to sympathize with the people, who suffered while they were preparing for those in the future.

--Roberts Herald. 29 April 1936. Bela Foster.

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..
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.

Early Days in Lyman #54

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .
Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Bradbury have two daughters, who are successful teachers. These are Helen and Dorothy. They have three sons, Robert, Herbert and Ralph. ...
Robert farms the place known as the Peter Gose farm, now known as the S. W. Netherton farm. Herbert and Ralph are at home. Their first son, Franklin Eugene is deceased.
Robert Bradbury, Sr., is one of those handy men who can work at almost anything. He likes things convenient and he makes them so. He is a plumber by trade and can be relied upon to do this work right. He has an eye for invention and makes use of it. His work takes him miles aways from home. Robert E. Bradbury's brother, James F., lives in Chicago. The two brothers and their sister, Mrs. Ida Cowden own about 240 acres of land in section three. Mrs. Bradbury was formerly Miss Amy Mosher. Her sister, Mrs. Nellie Yackee and her brother, Frank Mosher live in Roberts. Her sister, Mrs. Ethel Willy and her brother, Harry Mosher live in Chicago.
The ancestry of Robert E. Bradbury came to America in the early part of the seventeenth century. They came in a time when America was the land of the Indians. His grand-father was English descent and he married a French-English. The grandfather was from Massachusetts and she was from New Hampshire. In 1848, the family of fourteen moved to West Virginia and two years later came to Peoria County Illinois. They farmed there until 1868, when they moved to Eppard's Point Township in Livingston County.

 
--Roberts Herald. 15 April 1936. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #53

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .
A. J. Bradbury, a native of Massachusetts, came with his parents to Peoria County, Ill., when he was a small boy. In 1872, he married Miss Christina Watson. To their union were born three children, two sons, Robert E. and James F. and one daughter, Ida, the wife of Dan Cowden of Nebraska. In 1892, A. J. Bradbury and sons, Robert E. and James F. moved to Ford County, where they purchased a farm of 390 acres in the Pan Handle near Piper City. A. J. Bradbury retired to Piper City, where he spent his remaining years.
Robert E. Bradbury, their oldest child was born in Livingston county in 1875. He was reared on the farm and learned early in life the duties of a farmer. He attended the district school and like most boys in those early days, had to relinquish the summer school and pursuing his school studies in winter only. He realized how much easier it was to start in school in the winter if he would keep his mind active during the summer months. Perhaps one spring day his father had told him to polish a plow that has been neglected and become corroded so that much polishing was needed before the surface was even. Anyway, he succeeded in getting many things not taught in the country shcool, that were permissable for any boy to persue and thus educate himself in many channels.
He remined in his father's household until he was twenty-three years of age, when he rented a portion of his father's farm and became master of ceremonies on that location.
In 1902, he came to the Town of Lyman and located on section 3, on what was known as the Crigler farm. This was part of the A. M. Haling farm purchase in 1866.
I could see right away that he was a young man with much energy. Soon after he came he wanted a new house. I noticed he intended to build it upon the rock, though he used a little sand and that is not all, right in the middle of the sand pile was a bumblebeee's nest. I was tending the masons. (L. E. Bressie and Frank Brown). I was plenty warm with my work but when those bees came at me I was almost boiling. Edward Stueri, R. E. Bradbury's hired man, put a jug of water before the bees and after a shot or two with their hypodermic needles, they all went in bathing.
In 1905, Robert E. Bradbury and Miss Amy Mosher were united in the bonds of matrimony. I had known her father and mother and their fathers and mothers and have known her in and out of school. She was and is and I dare say will always be a wife, a daughter, a mother, a sister, a friend that will grace the home in which she lived.
I remember in 1872, her uncle, John McDonald and his mother came to our place and John took me to the grove to get hazelnuts. It was so kind of him to do it. Mrs. McDonald helped mother while I was gone. I remember too, he put up some boards before the bedroom window to keep the afternoon sun from the room in which father lay sick, which allowed the circulation of the air also. He was so kind. He was always saying or doing something that cheered my heart. Not because it was me. It was his nature to be doing deeds of kindness.
 
--Roberts Herald. 8 April 1936. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #52

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .
Emma Eppelsheimer married Henry Ruedger, son of John Ruedger and early settler of Lyman Township. He was a Civil War veteran and came here from near Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ruedger lived in Thawville, where they conducted a general merchandise store. Mr. Ruedger was accidently killed in Gilman by a train. They had two sons and four daughters. Mrs. Ruedger married Mr. H. B. Wait and they live in Harvey....
George Eppelsheimer Jr. married Ruby McNaught, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. McNaught, who lived in the northweast corner of Lyman on what was known as the John Allen farm. Mrs. Ruby (McNaught) Eppelsheimer was one of my pupils in the Martson district. She like her school mate Zerelda (Lesch) Eppelsheimer, was a model pupil. Roy McNaught, only son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. McNaught, was killed in Texas during the World War. He was in training as an aeroplane pilot.
As I see the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. George Eppelsheimer I am reminded of the McNaught girls, when they were small. They have three sons. Their first born is deceased. They live on the McNaught home place.
Sylvia Eppelsheimer married Lamar Lachenmeyer. They live at Thomasboro in Champaign County. They have two children, a boy and a girl. Amelia Eppelsheimer married Harry Olson of Thawville. They live on a farm a few miles from Thawville. They have four sons and one daughter. One son is deceased....
Louis Eppelsheimer married a Miss LaBare of Loda. They have three sons. They live in Michigan. Stanley, the youngest of the George Eppelsheimer family lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Elizabeth Eppelsheimer, Philip's older sister married Joseph Adams of Weston, McLean County. They had three children, two sons and one daugher. Katherine, the younger sister of Philip Eppelsheimer, married Levi Pfaat, son of Peter Pfaat, who was one of the Lyman's early settlers. He lived in the southeast quarter of section twenty-two when I first knew him. Later he bought the Peter Gose store and ran the business for a few years and then moved to Kankakee, where he died.
Levi Pfaat and Herman Felwock ran a meat market here for a few years. Mr. and Mrs. Pfaat had three daughters. The family have all passed on except one daughter.
Louis Eppelsheimer, youngest brother of Philip and George Eppelsheimer moved to Gilman when a young man and engaged in the sale of agricultural implements. He is deceased and his widow lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.

 
--Roberts Herald. 1 April 1936. Bela Foster. 

Early Days in Lyman #51

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .
Philip and Margaretha (Stieb) Eppelsheimer, natives of Germany, with their six children (two having died previously) boarded the boat at Hamburg in 1867 and bid their native land "good-bye" sailed for New York where they landed nine days later. They then continued westward to Illinois and stopped at Ottawa, where they made their home for four years. After that they came to Ford County and purchased a farm in s...ection 3, Town of Wall. This was just across the line of Lyman. Their farm was the northwest quarter of the section. Philip Eppelsheimer Sr. took the east eighty and built his house at the west quarter of the section. Philip Eppelsheimer Jr. took the west eighty and later built his house near the middle of the west side. In later life the father and mother made their home with Mr. and Mrs. Philip Eppelsheimer Jr.
In 1874 Philip Eppelsheimer Jr. married Margaretha Waldorf a native of the same town in Germany from which he came. They were married in Ford County. They had no children but adopted two. One of these, Dora Eppelsheimer is married to Charles Rueck, son of the Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Rueck of this township. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Rueck live in Roberts and Mrs. Margaretha Eppelscheimer lives with them.
Philip Eppelsheimer Jr. died more than twenty years ago. I visited him a short time before his death and he related to me a vision that he had that removed any beclouded vision he may have had about the remission of sins. This family were members of the Evangelical Church and were good Christian people, kind neighbors and good citizens. He was a very successful farmer and left a farm and other property for his family. Mrs. Eppelsheimer is now more than ninety years old. She is a sister of the late Mrs. Rossbach who lived in Roberts for many years. Mrs. Harrison Shambrook and Mrs. Walter Shambrook are daughters of Mrs. Rossbach. Lawrence Rossbach is a son of Mrs. Rossbach. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Shambrook live on the Jacob Eppelsheimer farm.
Jacob Eppelsheimer, brother of Philip Eppelsheimer Jr. spent many years on his farm here then moved to Gilman. Later he moved to Chicago. His first wife died more than fifty years ago. He married again and has three sons, Frank, George, and Fred. Frank lives in Chicago, George lives in Kankakee....
George Epplesheimer, a brother of Philip Jr. married Amelia Mead, daughter of Beckima and Mary Mead of Chatsworth. A brother of hers, William Mead, lived here many years ago. Mr. and Mrs. George Eppelsheimer farmed in Wall Town until they returned to Roberts some fifteen years ago. Mr. Eppelsheimer is deceased. Mrs. Eppelsheimer lives with her children. They had four sons and five daughters. All are living except Ida, who married Sylvester Havener. Both Mr. and Mrs. Havener died many years ago leaving a son and a daughter, Orville and Evelyn. Orville is married and lives in California. Evelyn married Ernest Wright, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bernhard Wright. They live on the Gullett farm here.
Elizabeth Eppelsheimer married Andrew Havener, who was killed by a stroke of lightning many years ago. I was carrying mail and chanced to see the stroke that killed Mr. Havener but did not know it had killed him until I completed my route for the day. They had three sons and one daughter. Pearl is the wife of Harry L. Whorrall. One son is deceased. The others are married.
Mrs. Havener then married Fred Barber, who is now a retired mail carrier. Mr. Barber was a widower whose deceased wife had been Elizabeth Havener, sister of Andrew Havener. Mr. and Mrs. Barber now live in the former O. J. Roberts home. They have three sons and two daughters, Clifford, who works for C. W. Hicks, Aldeen, who married Marion Hodges, Lenmore, Delaine and Betty in school.
Levi Eppelsheimer, oldest son of George and Amelia Eppelsheimer married Zerelda Lesch, daughter of Stephen and Rose Lesch, former Lyman residents. They lived on what in early days was known as the Justin Wyman farm. Zerelda (Lesch) Eppelsheimer was one of my pupils in school and one of the best pupils that I ever had. She would not stoop to do an evil act. Mr. and Mrs. Levi Eppelscheimer have three living children. One died in childhood.

 
--Roberts Herald. 25 March 1936. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #50

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .
ANTHONY COLTEAUX
Anthony Colteaux, the son of Peter and Margaret Colteaux, was born near Port Washington, north of Milwaukee. His father's family consisted of three sons and three daughters, all of whom are deceased except Michael Colteaux of Iowa.
Mr. Colteaux was brought up on a farm and was well aware of what it means to be a farmer in Wisconsin. A young man in those days did not need to waste away for want of exercise. Work was to be found any time of the year.
In 1875, he married Miss Anna Mary Gonwa, the daughter of Frank and Anna (Shoemaker) Gonwa, of Port Washington neighborhood. Their family consisted of two sons and seven daughters. The father, mother, one brother, and two sisters are deceased.
A. Colteaux and wife came to Illinois in 1878 and began farming a few miles from Buckley, where they resided eight years.
While they lived near Buckley two young men from near Roberts used to visit them often and as they were bachelors, we conjecture did their own cooking, were much pleased to eat some of Mrs. Colteaux's cooking.
In 1885, they moved to Roberts and kept house in the second story of the Chambers building.
A few years later they started a restaurant where Kesting's barber shop is located.
Mr. Colteaux was drayman here for many years.
They moved their restaurant into the Whorrall building, where they did a good business for several years. Mr. Colteaux died, January 5th, 1917.
Mrs. Anna Colteaux is living in a neat bungalow in the north part of town. Though her health has been poorly for some time, she is gradually improving. She has two sons, Frank and Dr. J. A. Colteaux, who think very much of their mother as they should, and visit her often. Both sons are married.
Frank Colteaux is a traveling salesman. He has had success at this business. He has alwyas been a fine fellow to meet. His face is a beam of sunshine. Having known him for half a century I believe I am right when I say that I have never met a boy who carried the good traits of childhood along with him all the way for fifty years, and more....
He married May McHanna, a cousin of Mrs. W. H. Wakelin. They have a daughter, Teresa and a son, Theodore. Two very nice children. They are well educated and both are entertainers. The whole family seem to have happy hearts and the overflow of their joy goes out to the world.
Walter J. Gonwa, a nephew of Mrs. Anna Colteaux, came to live with his aunt, when he was about five years old. His mother had died a short time before. He was a nice young man. He married Belle Newman, the daughter of Samuel and Mahala Schaeffer Newman of Roberts. They have a son. He is a young man now. Walter Gonwa is a dentist practicing at Christman, Illinois. He is the son of John Gonwa, a carpenter of Roberts.

DR. J. A. COLTEAUX...
Before I cease my writing, I wish to give you a short sketch of one of Roberts born in 1886 in the upper story of the Chambers store building. We remember him as a boy and saw him grow to manhood. All of the days and years that it took him to become a full grown man he did not forget to cultivate a character that is worth more than wealth or political honor. While reputation and wealth are all right, yet we always look above either of those to see the man who is built in the background, as it were with a spotless character. When a boy, he was industrious. He was always a son who thought of aiding his mother. That is no more than a son should do, but so many boys and girls put pleasure before mother, and seek the pleasure, while mother works alone. We have noticed too, that the love for mother is with him still. He was not a boy to sit on a stump while the other boys played their games. He was up and playing just as hard and as good as the best.
After he had finished his common school education, he decided that he would like to be a physician. He went to college and preserved his integrity and came out at the head of his class. He received his diploma and started practicing medicine in his own neighborhood in 1912.
He has had wonderful success as a physician and surgeon. If you could see his hospital on most any forenoon except Wednesdays and Sundays you would realize the amount of practice he has. He has an average of 35 patients a day. They come from a radius of 50 or 60 miles.
On Friday, March 13 (today), the towns represented by patients are: Buckley, 6; Cullom, 1; Ellsworth, 1; Fairbury, 1; Gibson City, 3; Kentland, Ind., 1; Loda, 2; Melvin, 3; Onarga, 2; Paxton, 3; Ridgeville, 1; Roberts, 3; Strawn, 1; Thawville, 2; Watseka, 1; and Wall Town, 1. Aside from the hospital patients, Doctor Colteaux travels an average of 150 miles per day visiting patients.
He has many minor operations, many surgical operations, many x-rays, many fractures. You readily see that Dr. Colteaux is a busy man. His success and his kind disposition make for him the support that he rightfully receives. His helpers at the hospital are all competent painstaking.
Dr. J. A. Colteaux is married and has a son and a daughter. Wilfred is in school at Urbaba and Jeanette is in the Roberts High School. She graduates this year.
We spoke of the family in a former article.

 
--Roberts Herald. 18 March 1936. Bela Foster. 

Early Days in Lyman #49

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .
Joel Kenward was a Normal student and taught school a number of years. He went into the jewelry business in Roberts. He afterward ran a general store in Fisher. He married Carrie MaHanna, a sister of Mrs. W. H. Wakelin. They had one daughter. She married Henry Koyen. They live in Fisher and run a general store there. Both Mr. and Mrs. Joel Kenward are deceased....
John Kenward Jr. farmed here a while and then went to California. He was accidently killed in a lumber yard in 1902.
Ira Kenward is a graduate of Wesleyan University. He taught school a while and then went west and practiced law at Boise City, Idaho.
Patience Kenward ran a millinery store in Roberts for several years. She never married. She died in 1923.
Samuel Kenward married Olive Foster and went to housekeeping on the Kenward home place. He farmed for about five years and then sold out and moved to Bradley, where they resided until the death of Mrs. Kenward in 1905. They had six children born to them. Two died in childhood. The remaining are: Hazel, Nancy, John and Harry. Harry was a babe, when his mother passed away. His aunt, Mrs. E. S. Haling, took him and was a real mother to him. He is a very nice boy. It is very seldom that any slang escapes from his lips. He lives at Thawville, Illinois.
Hazel Kenward married Otto Pflueger, a government teacher. Mr. and Mrs. Pflueger taught school in the Phillippine Islands for a few years. The live at the shool there. They have one son. This is his second year in school.
Nancy Kenward lived with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John Kenward, after her mother died. She was always a very industrious girl, and was always ready to do her part. She taught school for a short time and then after joining hands in matrimony with Otto Seng, the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Seng, moved to North Dakota, where they lived until 191?, when they moved back here. At present they are living on sixt...y acres that was part of the Kenward estate.
Mr. and Mrs. Otto Seng have one son and one daughter, (Lawrence and Della). Lawrence is in High School and Della will be next year.
John Kenward, Mr. and Mrs. S. S. Kenward's older son, lived with his uncle, W. P. Kenward for several years and then went to Seattle, Washington, and lived with his father and sister, Hazel, until his sister, went to the Philippine Islands, after that he and his father roamed together until his father's death in 1933. He is in the newspaper business in Seattle now. He is a large strong man.
Aaron Kenward not the youngest, but the samllest of the boys farmed while he lived here. He was his own cook, housekeeper, chore boy and boss for several years on this farm in eastern Wall. He married Mary Adamson, the daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Adamson two early settlers of Lyman. Both Mr. and Mrs. Adamson and their two daughters are deceased. Lizzie Adamson married George Hewson. The Adamson children were my pupils for two or three years.
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Kenward went to North Dakota after living in Roberts a short time. They had one son and one daughter. The son married Lillie Bressie, the daughter of C. E. Bressie, formerly of Roberts, one of they young early settlers. The daughter is married. They live near Page, North Dakota.
W. P. Kenward lived on the farm until his parents moved to Roberts in 1885. He went to school for a few years and when his brother left the farm he worked it....
He married Julia Gullett, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Gullett, who had recently occupied the farm that Mr. Van Steinberg had owned.
Mr. and Mrs. Kenward went to housekeeping on the Kenward home place. Mrs. Kenward was a good housekeeper. She was always neat and had a continued smile upon her face. I carried their mail for several years and never had any quarresl with the W. P. Kenward family. They had four daughters and two sons, who grew up and are now four women and two men just as nice as they were girls and boys, and their mother has that same smile on her face that she had when a school girl. I believe Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Kenward realized that a home filled with sunshine and smiles was an ideal environment for boys and girls. The children are all married. I remember the boys name as they were like their mother's smile permanent but the girls have changed their names except Leona.
Mr. Kenward went into business in Melvin many years ago. He has had very good success and we believe he merits it all.
Leona Kenward lives in Champaign, Ill. Hilda is married and lives in Decatur, Ill. Grace Kenward Rudolph and family live in Chicago. Della Kenward married Gust Paul. They live in St. Louis. Roy Kenward, M. D. is married and is doing an extensive business in the Melvin vicinity. John Kenward is married and in the mercantile business in Melvin.
Janie Kenward married Neils Jensen. They have made their home here ever since. Mrs. Jensen was born on the homestead in Wall Town. She and her brother, Willard, are Suckers. The balance of the children are Badgers being born in Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Jensen have one daughter. She is a graduate from the University of Illinois. She married Roland Koyen of Washington Island, Wisconson. The have one daughter.
Peter and Niels Jensen, the sons of Rasmus and Anne Jensen, (deceased) of Jutland, Denmark, left their two brothers and three sisters and set out for America in 1888. They came to Chicago, Ill., and after remaining in the city for about six months came to Roberts, Ill. Peter put up a carpenter shop and went to work at his trade. He married a sister of Mrs. James Parkin and in a short time they moved to Boise Cit...y, Idaho, where he died in 1913. Mrs. Jensen and family still reside there.
Niels Jensen was brought up on a farm and knew what it meant to work, so when he came here he went to work and has been at it the most of the time since he came. Though the work was so much different then the work in Denmark he soon learned the way of doing things in America and could do as well as the best. He has been a very handy man for our town. He would fit in any place, and the places have been many. He has filled many offices in the Village, the Town of Lyman and the School District. Besides he has held many offices in the K. of P., Woodman and Church. He was manager of the Roberts Tile Factory and engineer for many years. He had a way of managing men that was pleasant to all. I was there for hours some days and saw how like clockwork his men performed. It would be nice to see more men do their part in the manner that Niels Jensen has done. He was out in Toronto, Kansas, one year drilling for oil. He saw the failure of the project and advised them that drilling in an underground lake of asphalt would not make a successful oil well.

--Roberts Herald. 11 March 1936. Bela Foster.  

Early Days in Lyman #48

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

William Houtzel married Millie Drager, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gottlieb Drager of Buckley. Mr. Drager, deceased and Mrs. Drager lives in Roberts. Mr. and Mrs. William Houtzel had five children. Mabel, a school teacher, is deceased. Raymond, Clarence, Harold and Ruth are at home on the farm in Iroquois County.
Louis Houtzel married Emma Abernathy of Missouri. They live near Buckley. They had five children: Loretta, (deceased); Leo; Mary; Dorothy, and Laurence live at home with their parents. Laurence has quite a reputation as a singer.
Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Clark were married fifty years ago in Gibson City. A. G. Clark was a small boy when he came with his parents to Gibson City from Rossville. Forty three years ago Mr. and Mrs. Clark moved to Lyman township. He farmed several years. Mr. Clark is an excellent horseman and horses in his care always look young even in their twenties. He has occupied several farms near Roberts. For several years he was manager of the "County Farm" near Paxton.
Mr. and Mrs. Clark and their two daughers, Mrytle and Maud, were always a help in the church. Myrtle married John Houtzel. We mentioned her in our article last week. Maud married Roy L. Jennings. They live at Paxton. They have three sons. Two are married, one at home. They have one grandchild.
Henry Allen and his brother, John came to Ford County about 1870. John remained but Henry left and returned later. John bought a farm in the northwest quarter of section one and Henry bought just across the road in Brenton township. John never married while here. He left here in 1883 and sold his farm to J. W. McNaught. Henry married a widow, Mrs. Blakeley with one child, Emma. She (Emma) married Robert Roberts, son of John Roberts one of the earliest settlers of Lyman Township. I taught the Henry Allen school in 1885, more than fifty years ago. Emma Blakely and her half sister, Lottie Allen were pupils of mine. I taught the winter term. One day during the next term (the spring term) Lottie started home from school. The water was very high in the creek just south of the school house. As Lottie did not come home the family and neighbors began a search. Her body was found in the water. Her spirit had gone to the home "not made by hands."
Charles Allen is the only member of the Henry Allens family that is still living.
John C. Kenward, son of John and Mercy (Standing) Kenward was born at Sussex, England, in 1832. When 18 years old he came to America. He had worked in a mill for several years in England and here he worked first in a mill at Perrysburg, Ohio. Then for a short time in a mill at Marshall, Michigan. In 1851 he landed at Rock Island, Wisconsin, and engaged in fishing. The next winter he spent at Waukegon where he d...id chores for his board. In the spring he went to Washington Island, Wisconson. Here in 1852 he married Nancy Westbrook, daughter of Joel and Lucinda (Kilborn) Westbrook. Mr. and Mrs. Kenward lived on Washington Island for 18 years, where he was keeper of the light house. In 1869 he bought a farm in Wall Town, still known as the Kenward farm and is now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hubner and family.
The family moved here and became one of the pioneer families of this vicinity. Later he bought an additional quarter section on the north side of the road in Lyman township.
As a farmer he was a success. His was one of the best farms in this vicinity. Mr. and Mrs. Kenward had a family of ten children. Eight grew to manhood and womanhood. Joel, John, Samuel, and Patience are deceased. Ira, Aaron, and Janie and Willard are living.
In 1855 Mr. and Mrs. Kenward rented their farm and moved to Roberts. He purchased a half interest in the Roberts Brick and Tile Factory and became foreman of the plant. He was not a man to let grass grow under his feet. He successfully carried on the work until his son-in-law, Niels Jensen, took up the work. He was a man who was a great church worker. When he was absent from church there was always a good reason.
Mr. Kenward served as assessor in Wall Town before moving to Roberts and also served for many years as assessor in Lyman.
Mrs. Kenward died in 1908 and Mr. Kenward in 1915.

--Roberts Herald. 4 March 1936.

Early Days in Lyman #47

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .
William J. Houtzel was born in Blesenbach, Germany. He came to America in the late sixties or early seventies. He settled in Ford County, Illinois. In 1841 he marreid Anna Roeder a native of Blesenbach, Germnay who had (at the time) but recenlty come from her fatherland. They began housekeeping on the farm near Roberts in the Town of Lyman....
The first I remember of him must have been in the late seventies when he farmed for J. B. Miserve a grain buyer of Roberts. My brother Robert, worked for Mr. Miserve in the elevator at the same time and used to help some on the farm. It seems to me now that it was the Fred Hertal farm. Mr. Houtzel was a good farmer and and an energetic young man. When I become acquainted with the family they lived on the Schaeffer farm, now owned by J. J. Russell and occupied by Edward Russell and wife and little Jerry. In 1886 or 1887 I taught their school. It was Louis' first school. At that time they had severn children. All except the oldest and the youngest came to school. Shortly after they moved to the Landel farm when Louise a little tot came to school. She had such a sweet disposition and kept it during her few years on earth.
They resided on the Landel farm until it was sold to Fred Roeder, when Mr. and Mrs. Houtzel and Louise moved to Roberts where they resided until they were called home. Mr. Houtzel received his naturalization papers in 1890. Mrs. Houtzel died in 1914, Mr. Houtzel in 1921 and Louise Houtzel in 1926.
Kate the oldest daughter married Charles Otto. They reside in Milwaukee, Wis. They have two adopted children, Clarence and Evelyn. Both are married. Eveyln (Otto) Doecks and husband and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Otto occupy the same house in Milwaukee.
Maggie, the second dughter, marrried Anderson Brouteon, a brother of Mrs. A. G. Clark and Mrs. D. J. Forster. He is a native of the Buckeye state. He was at one time Road Commissioner of Lyman. He and his wife were both good workers. They have six children, all married. Mr. and Mrs. Brunton live at Cassopolis, Mich.
William married Ruth McFarland of Loda. They reside at Lansing, Mich. They have three children.
Elmer married Mae Carlson of Paxton. They live in Paxton with their two children.
Della married Ralph Helmericks. They have three children and live in Urbana, Illinois.
John Brunton the fourth child, the boy, who used to bring me lunches when I was on the mail route, is married and they have one child. They reside in South Bend, Indiana.
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Brunton have their home in South Bend also and have two children.
Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Brunton, (the youngest) live in Cassopolis, Mich.
Mary Houtzel married Fred Woodward, the son of William and Bessie (Heney) Woodward of Thawville, William Woodward was the son of Samuel Woodward, the first Supervisor of Lyman Township. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Woodward lived in Buckley for several years. They now live at Tonica, Illinois. When Fred was a boy he helped me many times in the field. When I was a boy I worked for his father quite a lot. So it is, the interests of one are often woven in the woof of the interests of a community. I always like to work for his father and he, I believe, was pleased to help me. We were schoolmates. Many times when a boy, I warmed my cold feet in this mother's oven.
John Houtzel married Myrtle Clark the daughter of A. G. and Nancy (Brunton) Clark of Roberts. Mr. and Mrs. J. Houtzel farmed for several years and then moved into Roberts, where they have since resided. John is Highway commissioner of the Town of Lyman. The weather has given him plenty of work in keeping the roads open this winter. Mr. and Mrs. John Houtzel have four children living, (their first child died in infancy), all girls: Vera, Arla, Violet, and Cleta.
Vera Houtzel married Richard Kief, the son of John and Jessie (Truesdell) Kief of Lyman. They are farmers and live two miles from Roberts. The have three children. Richard, the oldest is in school.
Arla Houtzel married Orris Allen of Thawville. He was the son of Charles and May (Coultas) Allen. Chas. Allen is the son of Henry Allen an early settler of Lyman. Mr. and Mrs. Orris Allen had two children. Mr. Orris Allen is deceased. Mrs. Arla Allen is a teacher. she teaches school at Ridgeville. I have heard good reports of her as a teacher. She and her two children make their home with her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. John Houtzel.
Violet Houtzel married Eugene Beland of Paxton. They live in Roberts. Mrs. Beland has been office girl for Dr. J. A. Colteaux for several years. She is almost a model of perfection in her work. She was always a very bright child. I remember when she was almost a tot she told me she could write her name. I have her a pencil and paper and sure enough there was her name in legible letters.
Cleta Houtzel, the youngest, is in high school here.

--Roberts Herald. 26 February 1936. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #46

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster 

Continuing . . .
James Alfred Cooper, the son of William and Ann (Watson) Cooper was born at Amboy in 1858. His parents were natives of England. They came to Illinois in the early fifties of the nineteenth century settling in the northern part. Mr. Cooper worked in the coal-mining business for a few years and then took up farming. In the sixties he came to the Town of Lyman and settled on the north-west quarter of Section 12. H...e died about 1870 leaving his wife and several children. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge. Mrs. Cooper had to leave the farm so the Masons bought land of Michael Ringeisen and erected a house for her to occupy. She lived there a few years. She married a man by the name of Loering and they moved to the vicinity of Gibson City.
The Cooper children attended school in the Marston schoolhouse. Their names as I now remember were Ashton, Sarah Jane, Alfred, Frank Wallace, Arthur, Warren (Smith).
I believe Alfred and Frank went down by Melvin. Frank lived with Samuel Shute. He died about the time he reached manhood.
Alfred lived with William Hurst who fathered him, and was as kind to him as if he were his own son. In December of 1880, he married Cynthia Kennedy, the daughter of William and Barbary (Barnett) Kennedy, early settlers of Lyman.
Mr. and Mrs. Cooper farmed for about ten years, when he sold out and entered into the implement , lumber and coal business with W. C. Wright in Roberts. He chose for his partner one of the best men Roberts ever had. They carried on a successful business for about ten years. Mr. Cooper and his family consisting of his wife and three boys Charles, Elmer, and Beryl went west and located in Kansas. Mr. Cooper died several years ago and his wife makes her home with her children.
While here, Mr. and Mrs. Cooper and family were regular attendants of the M. E. Church and Sunday School and Epworth League and were substantial supports.
Of the W. C. Wright family the surviving members are Belle, Morna, and Bayne and wife and daughter, Margeret and son, John, all very fine people. Belle is a very ardent worker in the U. P. Church in Denver, Colorado. Jessie died when they were living here.
There are very few families that make such good neighbors as the Wright family. They were true to the church, to their neighbors, to the town and to duty. I received a letter from Belle a few days ago. In the letter was a church program which she edits. It is a neat four page leaflet which shows that their church is not dead by a long way. They have many workers.

 
--Roberts Herald. 19 February 1936. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman # 45

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .
John Phipps was a native of New York. He came to Illinois when a small boy and grew to manhood in Kendall County. In 1862 he enlisted in the army and saw many of the hardships of war. In 1865 he was honorably discharged and returned to this home in Kendall County....
In 1865 he was wedded to the daughter of James and Eliza (Courter) Britton. Miss Britton was born in Pennsylvania in 1841. In 1856 she came with her parents to Kendall County, Illinois.
In 1867 Mr. and Mrs. Phipps and family came to Ford County and settled on the northwest corner of the northwest section of the Town of Lyman, then a part of Brenton. Mr Phipps was a good farmer and kept good stock. Had he been buying twenty or thirty years later perhaps he would have bought the flatter land, but in those days, the land looked different from what it did after tile was used. He could see the most of his land in the wettest weather. I imagine in 1869 he looked over his farm and was thankful that it was different from thousands of acres he could see covered with water.
Mr. Phipps died in 1889 and Mrs. Phipps several years later.
Their son, Edward, worked the farm after his father died. In 1888 he married Mammie, the daughter of Oliver and Olive Kilpatrick Woodrow. She was their only daughter and was a school teacher. She and her parents and two brothers, Bert and William, resided two miles northeast of Thawville for several years, then moved to section one of the Town of Lyman. The family was regarded with much respect. Bert is the only member of the family living. He lives in Missouri. He was a good worker in the Congregational Church at Thawville where they held their membership.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Phipps had four sons and one daughter. One son is deceased. The other sons and daughter are married. The father and mother are both deceased. The daughter married Lewis Koonconourt. John Phipps lives on the home place and James lives on the C. Holmes farm in Brenton.
Edward Phipps' sister, Ada, married John Hawthorne, on of Lyman's early settlers.  He came here when the tall grass was plentiful and it was so wet and being a sailor managed to farm a little.  He told me he raised 300 bushels of corn that year.  I think his corn was all sod corn.  He did well to raise so much with water all around.
Mr. and Mrs. John Hawthorne farmed near Roberts until they moved to Chatsworth about 20 years ago. They had two daughters and one son. Agnes, Myrtle and Roy. Myrtle married Lewis Ristoe. She is deceased. The younger one is attending school. They live on the northwest corner of section 5, where they farm 240 acres.
John married Ada Phipps.
Mr. and Mrs. John Hawthorne reside in Chatsworth at the present time.
Robert Hawthorne Sr. farmed for some 25 years, then moved into Roberts with his wife. They had four sons and four daughters. Hugh married a daughter of James McBride of Brenton. They farmed for several years and then retired to Piper City. They had one son, Kirker, who lives in Piper City. Mrs. Hawthorne died several years ago.
Their daughter, Lillian, married Frank Britton, the brother of Mrs. John Phipps, Sr.
Rebecca married Wilbur Woolsoncroft (deceased). They had three sons and three daughters. Mrs. Harvey and Edward are deceased.
Mary married F. A. White, a native of Kentucky and a very fine man. He was in business in Roberts for many years. He died a few years ago. He left, besides his wife, two sons and three daughters all of whom are highly esteemed. Two daughters and one son are teachers.
Janet Hawthorne married Chas. E. Bressie, the son of L. E. Bressie, an early resident of Lyman. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bressie are deceased. They left five daughters: Mrs. Jessie Samuels of Clinton; Mrs. Lessie Joseph and Mrs. Lillian Kenward, of North Dakota; Mrs. Autie Minch, of Roberts, Ill.; Mrs. Edith Roberts of Roberts, Ill.
Robert Hawthorne Jr. married Susan Swanick, the daughter of Arthur Swanick, a native of Ireland.
Mr. and Mrs. Swanick and family of three daughters and one son came to Lyman from Mendota in the early seventies. I think he must have bought the only raw prairie land on section 6 at that time. They resided on their farm unitl nearly 1890 when they moved to Paxton for a short time, then moved to Roberts where they lived until Mr. Swanick died....
Their oldest daughter, Alice married D. B. Smith. She was killed in a railroad accident in Guthrie in 1892. She was a teacher for several years. She left beside her husband, two daughters, Gertude and Emma. Gertrude married Elmer Squires, the son of Philip Squires. They have three daughters, all attending school.
Emma married a Mr. Henry, deceased. She has two girls both attending school. Mrs. Henry is a successful school teacher.
Susan Swanick Hawthorn the wife of Robert Hawthorn taught school for several years before her marriage. She died last year and left, beside her husband, two daughters. They have resided at Urbana for several years, having gone there to educate their daughters, Rosine and Mary Frances. Mrs. Swanick died in Champaign. Mr. Hawthorn was a business man of Roberts for many years. He was a man with a jovial heart. He had a smile and a pleasant word for all of his customers.
Sarah Swanick married Edward Roberts, a druggist in Roberts for several years. He died several years ago. His widow lives in Champaign. She has many friends to whom she is very dear. Her brother, John visits her quite frequently and stays for several days. He nearly makes her home, his home. He has no family. He owns the homestead and land in Livingston County and some land in Canada in which place he holds his citizenship.

 
--Roberts Herald. 12 February 1936. Bela Foster.

Francis Alonzo Roberts

Francis Alonzo Roberts
Born 1835, Wenona, Marshall Co., IL
Died February 7, 1873, Wenona, Marshall Co., IL 
 
In the fall of 1871, land that became our village was surveyed by Francis Alonzo Roberts after whom the town was named. F. A. Roberts usually went by his middle name, Alonzo. He was a resident of Evans, Marshall County, Illinois, which is about eighty miles to the northwest of Roberts.  
Alonzo’s grandfather, Jesse S. Roberts, and father, Livingston Roberts, were the first settlers of Marshall County, Illinois in 1828. Livingston Roberts and his wife, Margaret Dent, had a large family and were well-known in the county. Roberts Township in Marshall County was named after the family. Margaret was the daughter of John Dent who came to Magnolia, Illinois in 1833.  
Livingston Roberts followed the teaming business making five or six trips to Chicago. The return trip brought loads of merchandise for the new settlement.  Their first home was a 20’ x 26’ structure built using stones from the creek. He built a brick home in 1871.  The walls were solid brick and the thickest wall was eighteen inches thick.  The large home had six fireplaces and a spiral gooseneck staircase in the hall and a rose-colored window.    
The home was known as the Halfway House because in was halfway between Springfield and Chicago. It was a stagecoach stop and people would stay overnight. There was a three-story barn on the property with a lite lantern in the cupola each night to guide travelers to the inn.  The stagecoach with four horses could drive into the barn and turn around in there. It was a wellknown stopping place for travelers.  Supposedly, Abraham Lincoln often stopped there. 
The following was written of Alonzo Roberts’ father, Livingston, in Records of the Olden Times; Fifty Years on Prairies, by Spencer Ellsworth: “The home early became a stage station, where the horses were changed and the passengers procured meals. It was in this way, that Mr. Roberts earned the one hundred dollars with which he first purchased land. Roberts Point was also the general stopping place for the many movers who passed through this region and no one was ever turned from their door.  They furnished dinner for as many as eighty-nine persons and during one summer the least number that sat down at their table was twenty-seven. The hospitality of the Roberts household was proverbial and a hearty welcome was ever extended to the guests.  
Mr. Roberts was a peace-loving, honorable man, who was never concerned in any lawsuit and his word was so implicitly trusted that, although he signed papers for the amount of one hundred thousand dollars, he was never asked for security, In the early days he carried one end of the surveyor’s chain, laying out the state road from Springfield to Chicago. He was a strong, vigorous man and tireless worker and never failed to be present to assist his neighbors at a house-raising. He served as an officer of the regulars and was one of the fifty men who drove the Reeves gang from the country. Although his home was a regular station on the Underground Railroad, he never turned a Negro from his door hungry. He served as a lieutenant during the Black Hawk war and during those troubles a stockade was built around the Roberts cabin. His early political support was given the Whig party, but later he became a republican and for many years served as postmaster, school director and road commissioner.  This honored pioneer, who was so prominent a figure in the development of Marshall County, died March 27, 1889 and his wife passed away January 28, 1892. They are buried in the Roberts Cemetery on the homestead.”   
In 1860, Alonzo married Elmira Stateler of Wenona, IL.  She was the daughter of David and Mary Stateler. The following was written in Evans Township Biographies, Marshall County: “Mr. Stateler is a retired farmer living in Wenona.  He was born in Ohio in 1806 and came to Putnam County in 1831. He married Mary Myers in 1830, a native of Philadelphia and they have five children living – Mary, A. H., Elmira, Marshall and Bradford. He claimed 220 acres in Roberts Township in 1831 and entered it when it came into market and opened a large farm and followed this business up to 1865 when he moved to Wenona. Mr. Stateler has filled all the responsible offices in his township and taken a leading part in public affairs. He made money in farming and knows how to enjoy it.”  
A son, Charles Jason, was born to Alonzo and Elmira on November 11, 1861 in Wenona, Illinois. A daughter, Nellie, was born in 1862. The July 3, 1865 census reports that the family was living in Evans, Marshall County, IL.  
Alonzo and Elmira bought a home on the North end of Main Street in Roberts, Dec. 30, 1867, from John and Mary Hansel. It was then that Alonzo moved his family from Evans, Marshall County, Illinois to Roberts, Ford County, Illinois. Sadly, daughter, Nellie, died in January 1869 of diphtheria.  
Sometime in April, 1870, Elmira Roberts and her son went to stay with her folks, David and Mary Stateler, so that the doctor in Wenona could deliver her baby that she was carrying. A daughter was born to Alonzo and Elmira on May 3, 1870. The child was either stillborn or died in infancy for she is not listed in the 1870 census taken June 1, 1870.   On that day in June, Elmira E. Stateler Roberts (age 29) and son, Charles Jason Roberts (age 6) were living with her folks and siblings in Wenona, Marshall County, Illinois. They return to their home in Roberts, IL, but three years tragedy happens again for the family.  
The Henry Republican Newspaper, Feb. 6, 1873 stated:  “Alonzo Roberts, one of the older sons of Mr. Livingston Roberts lies in a critical condition at Wenona from the effects of a tumor on an arm, the removal of which is not way improving his condition and we fear has imperiled his life. He has a beautiful farm in Ford County and a post office named after him there. There is no hope of recovery.  His age is about 40 and has a wife and one child.”  
The Feb. 13, 1873 issue of the Henry Republican states:  “At Wenona, Feb. 7, of tumor, Alonzo, aged about 40, son of Livingston Roberts.  The funeral was attended with the burial rite of Odd Fellowship.” 
July 1875, the home was sold to Patrick W. Sproule but in the 1880 census, Elmira Roberts (age 38) and son Charles (age 17) was still living in Roberts, Illinois.   
Alonzo and Elmira’s son, Charles, married Nan Dawson and was an insurance salesman in Champaign, Illinois. A daughter, Jean, was born on June 8, 1895. She married Frank Ramey in 1919 and lived in Rockford and later in Winnetka, IL. Jean and Frank had two children:  Richard Roberts Ramey, born Sept. 9, 1925, died July 11, 1959 and Janet Ramey, born Nov. 10, 1921 and died October 1991. Charles died on January 15, 1937 and is buried in the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Champaign, Illinois.  His daughter, Jean died February 19, 1979 and is buried in Rose Lawn Cemetery in Champaign, Illinois. 
Mrs. F. A. Roberts died on May 24, 1895 in Chickasaw County, Mississippi.  

--I obtained this article from Jean Fox.  She posted it to the Roberts Illinois History Page in September 2016.

Early Days in Lyman #44

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .
Joseph Whorrall, a native of England, the son of William and Sarah (Yardley) Whorrall, was born January, 1835. He was the youngest of thirteen children, eight sons and five daughters. He came to America in 1851 and settled in Woodford County, Illinois. He and his brother, who accompanied him to America, at once engaged in farming on a farm of 160 acres. They paid $120 for the quarter. It had no improvements so t...hey began improvements.
In 1853 his father and mother followed the boys and settled in Woodford County where he engaged in land speculation.
In 1867, Joseph Whorrall married Miss Deborah Manning. Unto their union were born nine children, seven sons and two daughters.
In 1875, Mr. Whorrall came with his family to Ford County and purchased a quarter of section of land on Section 32 at $35 per acre. The farm was formerly owned by the Pettits, who came here in the early days of Ford County.
Mr. Whorrall was a painstaking and successful farmer. In his later years he moved to Roberts. He cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln and remained a Republican throughout the remainder of his life. Mr. and Mrs. Whorrall and the most of their children were members of the Methodist Chruch and have in the past been a very great support of the same. Mr. and Mrs. Whorrall are deceased.

Edwin Whorrall (deceased) was a photographer for many years also a tinner. The last years of his life he worked at the tinner's trade. He was a hard working man. Edwin Whorral was united in marriage with Nellie MeHaffe, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. Mehaffe of Roberts. Mr. Mehaffe was a carpenter who did much work in Roberts. Edwin Whorrall died about a year ago. He left a wife, four sons and two daughter and... many grandchildren. Ray married Louella Fairley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Fairly. They live in Glen Ellyn. Forrest is married. Edna married Frank Marshall. Della married Elmon Colvin. Glenn married Marie Maplethorpe. Harold married Geraldine Ortlepp, the daughter of Mrs. Emma Ortlepp of Roberts.
Joseph E. Whorrall, painter and paper hanger married Miss Annie Gimble, the daughter of Conrad Gimble who came to Lyman about 1880. They lived on section 12 for a while and then on the Miss Wright's farm west of Roberts for many years. Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Whorrall are deceased. They left one son, Harry Whorrall, who married Pearl Havener, the daughter of Mrs. Fred Barber. They run a restaurant in Roberts.
Elizabeth Whorrall married O. J. Roberts (deceased), the son of James Roberts one of the earliest settlers of Lyman. O. J. Roberts farmed for many years then came to Roberts and entered the grain and coal business. He died two years ago and left his widow and two sons and two daughters. Mrs. Roberts lives in town with her daughter, Mrs. Flossie Talbot and children.
Alice Roberts married John Buzick, the son of Nelson and Maria (Woolsoncroft) Buzick, two of Lyman's early settlers. They have one son and one daughter. They live in the south. Ralph Roberts married Pearl Johnson, the daughter of William and Caroline Johnson, both descendants of old settlers. They have three children and live on the farm settled by James Roberts in 1858. Flossie Roberts married Walter Talbot (deceased), the son of John and Mary Talbot, two early settlers of Lyman. She has one daughter and fours sons. Ora Roberts married Estella Edlands, the daughter of Mrs. Maud Edlands. They have two children. they live in Chicago.
Sarah H. Whorrall married Sela Foster, deceased, the son of Eliab and Martha J. Foster, early settlers of Lyman. Mr. and Mrs. Sela Foster have lived nearly all their wedded life in Roberts. Sela Foster who died in 1933, left beside his wife, four daughters, all married. ...
Pearl J. Foster married John Montague, the son of Ransom and Mary (Smith) Montague, two early settlers of Lyman. Mr. and Mrs. John Montague live in Alberta Canada. They have one son, Ralph, single and one daughter, Ethyl, who married in 1934.
Blanche L. Foster married Charles W. Wright, the son of Bernhard and Louisa Wright, residents of Lyman for over forty years. Mr. Wright is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Wright carry on the hardware store formerly operated by Mrs. Wright's father, Sela Foster. They live with Mrs. Sarah H. Foster in Roberts.
Oma D. Foster married Dr. R. E. Squires, the son of Philip and Sarah (Ridge) Squires who lived in North Lyman for several years before coming to Roberts to live. Mr. Squires is in California. Dr. and Mrs. R. E. Squires live in Piper City where they have a flourishing business. They have one daughter, Ruth, who is attending Wesleyan University.
Mae Foster married Frederick Gebhardt, of Sterling, Ill. They are both working in Chicago, where they have held positions for several years.
Miles Whorrall married Sarah Maplethorpe. They live in Indiana.
William Whorrall (deceased) married Anna Newman, the daughter of Isaac and Kate (Peacock) Newman, who were early settlers in Lyman. They had two daughters and two sons. One daughter is deceased.
Walter Whorrall has his third wife. He has six sons and eight daughters. They live in New York State.
Herbert Whorrall married Anna Black, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Black of Thawville. They have one daughter. She is married.
Henry Whorrall married Zillah LaRose of Loda. He is a photographer in Gilman. They have three daughters and one son. The son and one daughter are married. They have one grand child.

--Roberts Herald.  5 February 1936.  Bela Foster.

A Transcription

LYMAN ITEMS.
 
The agent of the Wood Reaper and Mower was in town to-day looking after the interests of the firm.
Thompson and Lyman are putting up an addition to their store, for a ware-room we believe....
David Howe, one of our old citizens, expired after a long and lingering illness on Monday, February 20th.
Eli Conger has returned from his "In??" visit, bringing back some dry goods. We wish Eli all the joys imaginable, which are supposed to cluster round the married state, and hope that he and the "bride of his youth" will glide peacefully down the stream of time. Bet the girls say that it is a burning shame that he had to go to "Hoosierdom" for a wife, and wish the other young men to understand that they can be supplied nearer home.
Christian Stutzman, oldest son of C. Stutzman, of this town, expired after a short illness on Wednesday, February 28th.
Johnson & Meserve are shipping corn to Chicago and a consequence corn has advanced and trade is looking up a little.
Thompson & Lyman are painting their building.
F. G. Atwood, our Collector, is making preparations to remove from the township.
Some more LaSalle folks passed through town on Saturday morning to Wall township.

--Paxton Record.  7 March 1872.

 

Sale of Schute, Minch and Roeder School Houses

SCHUTE DIST. NO. 44  Section 31
MINCH DIST. NO. 43  Section 33
ROEDER DIST. NO. 42  Section 35

--Roberts Herald.  26 February 1947.

SCHUTE SCHOOL
NOTICE OF SALE
Former School District No. 44
School house 26 x 27 feet, 10 foot ceiling...
1 shed 9 x 12 attached to the building
Window guards
Blackboards
1 pump
Sidewalk
Flagpole
Book case and books
Piano and bench
2 inside toilets
1 merry go round

--Roberts Herald. 26 February 1947.

Shute School

SHUTE SCHOOL
Another photo from Carol Leary.  She writes:
This is another picture of Shute school that belonged to my mother. Marie Gullett Bertram taught at this school in 1919, 1920 and 1921. It was her first teaching job. She taught 44 years in and around Ford County.

 

Location of the Shute School. 1884 and 1990. Still looks like a building on the plat in 1990. Did someone use the school as a home? I don't see a building on the 2016 plat.

Gullett Family

Thank you Carol Leary for the great picture. Carol writes:
My great grandparents William Gullett Sr., wife Maria Baskerville Gullett and their family. Their oldest son was William Jr., my grandfather.

Edward Van Steenbergh and the Hay Press

EDWARD VAN STEENBERGH
Edward Van Steenbergh is one of the most extensive farmers of this township. Born in Ulster County, N. Y., in 1814, he came to this township in 1871 settling on Section 28. He owns a splendid farm of 640 acres, and annually ships large quantities of hay to Chicago.

--Historical Atlas of Ford County Illinois. 1884. Page 75.

Van Steenbergh Hay Press

I believe this picture of the Van Steenbergh property (Historical Atlas of Ford County Illinois, 1884) shows the Hay Press. This was just down the road from Joe Rock's across the tracks and 54. Looks like a big operation at the time. The RR tracks have a side track at the operation and scales, from the 1884 plat of Lyman Township.

Early Days in Lyman #43

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

Joseph B. Leach, the son of Elisha B. and Ruth (Metcalf) Leach was born near Springfield, Mass., 1833. His mother died when he was only three months old. His aunt, Fannie Crane, Of Mormon Hollow, Mass., mothered him. When he was about eight years old he went to live with L. B. Anderson, a farmer of Montague, Mass. He did not have much time for education, about one month in a year. The most of his education in his youthful years was by observation. He would watch for new words and learn their meaning and thus, little by little, he increased his vocabulary.
When he was fifteen years of age, he started out to make his own way. He had intended to make a mechanic of himself but learned the tinner's trade instead. He worked at his trade until 1861, at the break out of the Rebellion.
He went to Utica, New York, and worked for a manufacturer of locomotive head-lights. He continued with him until President Lincoln issued his call for seventy-five thousand troops. He enlisted and served for two years and six months and was honorably discharged.
On his return after his discharge, he spend a year in the Adirondack Mountains, after which he again worked in Utica, New York.
In 1865, he came to Onarga, Ill., and farmed for one year, then he entered the employ of Cultra and Pearson, in Onarga, with whom he remained seven years.
In 1873 he came to Roberts and was tinner of Thompson and Lyman in the hardware store. He remained in the store though the owners changed until 1888. He had invented and patented an improved roaster and baker which was in great demand. A stock company was formed and a small factory started in Roberts. The factory was moved to Paxton where they had better shipping facilities where it was operated for several years. The income from the pan business was sufficient to give Mr. and Mrs. Leach a good income.
In 1857 Joseph B. Leach married Mary E. Jones, a native of England. To their union was born one child which died in infancy. they had two adopted daughters, Adda and Jennie. Adda married Leonard Wampler and moved to Indiana in 1905. They have two sons. Jennie married William Kenney of Wall Town. Mrs. Jennie Kenney died a short time ago. She leaves beside her husband, several children.
Adda Leach was a good worker in the church. She was greatly missed when she left here. She was always willing to do her part. So she was willing to work in the Congregational Church, so was Mr. J. B. Leach an ever-ready helper for the Methodist Church. He had much talent and was not backward about using it.
Elmer Enoch, the son of Joseph and Sarah Enoch was born in McLean County in 1860. His father was a Republican and you, who knew Elmer remember he was a very strong Republican. His mother died when he was but a youth. His father, being in the stock business, naturally educated him in that direction. His father was born in McLean County and knew what it meant to work for a living and Elmer inherited that busines...s like spirit. When he was a young man he came to Roberts and started up in the live stock business. He was a nice man to deal with. Being a good judge of stock, he could tell almost to the pound what it would weight. I sold lots of stock to him. To give an idea of the business he did here -- in 1891 he shipped over the Central Railroad one hundred fifty-five carloads of stock, the largest shipment made on this division. His sales amounted to $100,000 that year.
He married while he lived here, Miss Jemina Olive, of Zanesville, Ohio. They had two children, one dying when about three years old. Elmer Enoch died in the early nineties. His wife and child moved back to McLean County.
I noticed that 196 cars of corn, 65 cars of hogs, 12 cars of cattle, 31 cars of flax seed and 24 cars of oats were shipped from Roberts in 1883. Mr. Enoch shipped twice as many cars of stock (1891) as was shipped in 1883. He shipped nearly half as many cars of stock alone as was shipped of grain, seeds and stock combined the year before he came to Roberts. One reason was that 1883 was a poor grain season.

 
--Roberts Herald. 29 January 1936. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #41

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

In 1899, W. O. Sanders was elected Town Clerk of Lyman. He served more years in that office than any other person to date. He served sixteen years, thirteen of which were consecutive.
One day in the early summer of 1897 there came a rap at the door of the room in which I was sitting. On opening the door the visitor told me his name was W. O. Sanders. I invited him in and waited a minute or two for the talk I was expecting to hear. Any one who was schooled in Sanders text books would naturally expect him to be one of the family and he was. As he did not make any explanation I proceeded with my work. I had no idea that he intended to stay so long. Had I waited for him to introduce his books before I resumed my work I would be waiting yet. He did not even tell me his father was Sanders but he was. His Mother was Sanders.
His mother belonged to the Indiana branch of the Sanders family who came to northwestern Indiana in 1841. His great grandfather, William Sanders came to northern Indiana with the earliest settlers. His father was from the Ohio branch of the Sanders family who came to the country south of Toledo in the early part of the last century.
After studying his family history I decided they embraced not only the Sanders New Series but the Sanders "Union Series" as well. The chronological record of the Sanders ancestry is so complete that it reads something like the generations of mankind as recorded in the Bible.
When I first saw the ancestry of the Sanders family I thought it was complete but, when I saw the record of Mrs. Sanders ancestry, it was the finest record I ever saw. It took eighteen years time and travel through twenty-one states, five nations, and three continents to compile it.
The record covers not only ancestors but all other members of the family and goes back to J?? Beyser who was born January 19, 1669, married ?? Dorothea Wannenwatch, May 1698, and died April 12, 1728, at Pluderhausen, Wurttemberg, Germany.
The first of the family in America was Michael Beyser, who came here in 1826.
In 1902, J. E. Pankin, who had been Assessor of the Town of Lyman for several years, was chosen Town Clerk which office he held for one year.
In 1916, J. W. West, son of William West and brother of Mrs. Beulah Bond and William West, D. V. M., of Sibley, was elected to the office of Town Clerk. He was a painter, had lived in and near Roberts since his boyhood days. He married Gertrude Neagle, a step-daughter of J. E. Parkin. At the present writing he lives in Paxton, where he applies his trade. Mr. and Mrs. West have three daughters. He served as Town Clerk from 1816 to 1820, inclusive.
In 1822 Frank L. Mosher was chosen clerk of the Town of Lyman. He is the son of Mrs. Maggie Mosher, who was one of the early settlers of Lyman. She came here when she was a young girl. She attended school in the Marsten School when Martha E. Wyman, George Lyman and Marie Tinklepaugh taught school. She was the older daughter of John McDonald who came with this family of four children from Quebec, Canada, in the day of the sixties, while the Rebellion was in progress.
He is also a grand-son of Alexander Mosher, who helped to charm the snakes out of the Illinois prairie grass. His uncle, Alexander McDonald, was at one time Town Clerk of Lyman, therefore it is a justice to Frank to give him an office. He has held the office for the longest period consecutive service of any of the many clerks who have filled that office.
He is married and has two children, a son and a daughter. They are fine children and we are pleased to note they are following in the foot steps of their father and mother.
F. L. Mosher is still in office and when his unfinished term is ended he will surpass W. O. Sanders in time of service as Town Clerk of Lyman.

--Roberts Herald. 15 January 1936. Bela Foster.