Early Days in Lyman #37

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

In 1917, Fred T. Shambrook was elected Supervisor of Lyman. He had been Highway Commissioner for several years. He had spent the greater part of his life in the confines of the Town of Lyman. He was a good farmer, a good neighbor, and a good friend. He was painstaking with his own work and had proved himself so as Commissioner of Highways, so the voters elected him to the office of Supervisor. He filled this office in 1917 and 1918.
In 1919, Elmer Chambers, the son of R. B. Chambers, who served so many years as Supervisor of Lyman, was chosen as Supervisor. He had a good business education and was competent to fill the office of Supervisor, which he did for two years, 1919 and 1920.
In 1912 we elected another small man to office. The people had heard in the past that "The nicest goods are done up in small packages," so they united in sufficient numbers to put James E. Parkin into office as Supervisor of Lyman Township. Little did they think that this small hard working man would fill the office until the present time. I have known him ever since he was a boy and the boy was the same honest, straight forward being that the man is. His father died when he was a small boy. He made good use of the country schools he attended and when he was older attended school at Valparaiso, Indiana. He is a very good bookkeeper. He managed the Farmers Elevator here for seven years. He worked for Risser and Anderson for three years and Anderson and Kenward in the tile factory for several years.
Mr. Parkin was Assessor for fourteen years; Town Clerk, one year; Collector, one year; a member of the Village Board, School Director and Treasurer of the Congregational Church many years. He has been a useful man. When he finishes this year it will be fifteen consecutive years as Supervisor of the Town of Lyman. He has helped to carry out several improvements in the town as well as in the country.
 
--Roberts Herald. 18 December 1935. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #36

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

In 1882 J. B. Meserve was chosen Supervisor of the Town of Lyman. He had been in business here ever since the town of Roberts was started. He was a very pleasant man and had many friends. He managed the elevator which was recently torn down. After he sold that, he erected a small building where the Alexander Lumber yards are now and continued the grain business. He bought some flax seed and other small seeds as his store room was small. It was the Anderson and Jensen house in the east part of Roberts. He did some farming with his town work. He did not act as Supervisor very long. He resigned and Lycurgus Burns, Sr., was chosen to fill his place. Mr. Burns was a very prosperous farmer. He had a family of two daughters and three sons. I do not know that he ever said, "A person who does not work should not eat" but it looked like he wanted his boys to exercise their muscles to keep them healthy. He was a hard working man. He had one of the nicest farms in the Town of Lyman.
In 1883 Mr. Burns was again chosen to fill the office of Supervisor, which he did very well.
I would like to introduce you to the man we chose for Supervisor in 1884, Byron Lisk. He was a good and a Republican. The reason I speak of his politics is because he fitted me out with a uniform and torch and he and I, together with many others elected a President of the United States. He did the voting and I helped to diffuse light to the people of our town. Mr. Lisk was in business here for several years. He had a family of girls that were as nice as any group of five girls I ever saw, though they were not quintuplets. We, all, were sorry to have them move away from here even though they did go to California. Mr. Lisk was a student in the Marston School, now district No. 36. He lived about four miles east in Iroquois County.
Lyman and Lisk ran a hardware store in Roberts. Lyman sold out to Harding. Harding sold out to Allan Lisk. The Lisk Bros., were about as near alike as Smith Bros. Both were model men. Byron Lisk was Supervisor in 1886-1887.
In 1885 W. B. Flora was elected Supervisor. He was elected again in 1889, 1890, 1891, and 1892. In 1892 Mr. Flora was appointed county Clerk to fill the office vacated by Merton Dunlap, so he resigned as Supervisor of the Town of Lyman and the Board appointed Amos Arnold, a staid old settler of the prairie. He had filled some offices before. He was nominated by one of his near neighbors, A. Cook. He filled the office to the satisfaction of the voters and they elected him in 1893 and 1894 to the same office.
In 1888, E. O. Newman, a brother-in-law of W. B. Flora was elected Supervisor of Lyman. He was not so good an executive officer as Mr. Flora though they had been partners in business for many years. He was a strong Democrat and in most of the years of the nineteenth century Lyman was Republican.
In 1895 the people elected J. P. Smith, Supervisor. He came here when he was a small boy. He knew what it was to have a rattle snake sound his alarm when he was going to strike. He had seen the wild animals of the new country skipping about. I would think that he had gone forth as did the other young men and bagged a few of them. He had the advantage of some being able to conceal himself with less effort. He was a student in the Marston school. It was while he was Supervisor in 1896 or 1897 that we paid off the balance of our bonds of $25,000.00. In the spring of 1897, he presented the cancelled bond to the electors at the spring election. They were placed on file and undoubtedly could be seen now. Could the President of the United States say the same to the people of our county, would it not be much better that an increase of an amount of increased indebtedness that we cannot realize? J. P. Smith held the office of Supervisor for ten years straight, 1895 to 1904 inclusive.
In 1905, R. B. Chambers was elected to the office of Supervisor of the Town of Lyman. He came here when Roberts was about four years old and had been in business here for nearly thirty years. He was elected Supervisor for twelve years in succession from 1905 to 1916 inclusive. That shows the faith the people had in him. Mr. Chamber's wife died several years ago. he has two sons living, Elmer of Florida, and Louis, of Roberts, Ill.
 
--Roberts Herald. 11 December 1935. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #35

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

In the spring of 1868, the voters assembled in the schoolhouse in Dist. No. 2 for the first time to elect the officers for the town. They chose their temporary officers and as they looked around, as I surmise, to see whom they would vote for, for Supervisor. (In those days every man prepared his own ballot and of course made it to his liking.) Their eyes fell upon Samuel Woodward, a tall, raw-boned, smooth-shaven man, wearing a tile hat, a little faded, which bespoke of much wear. Perhaps he reminded them of one Abraham Lincoln, who had so recently given his life for his country; I know not. At any rate they elected for the first Supervisor of the Town of Lyman, a newly born political unit of Ford County.
There was not much kicking on the election. Mr. Woodward was a Republican and had shared his boys for the defense of his country in the late war. He was educated and was never known to forget the Sabbath. It is not recorded whether he wished to hold the office another year or not. In 1869 the voters turned their eyes to another man for Supervisor. He was not a tall man. He was about five feet and ten inches tall. He was rather fleshy, wore a full beard, always dressed neatly, carried a watch with black silk braid with gold fastenings. He always looked like he had just stepped out of the band box. He had been very successful in making money. He was a fluent talker and had a little of the New England accent. He had a college education and in his nation state, Connecticut, had had much to do with the modes of government. His advice was sought on many occasions. Everything around his home was neat. He had served as the first Town Clerk, so was in position to know about the needs of the Town. This man was A. M. Haling.
In 1870 Peter Gose was elected for Supervisor. He had been active in Town matters. He was poor when I knew him. Though he seemed to eat plenty, he was very thin. He was well educated. He and a young school teacher, William Graham, the first teacher in Dist. No. 5, now 40, went into the mercantile business in Roberts in the early days of our town.
In 1871 Peter Gose was again elected to the office of Supervisor.

In 1872 O. D. Sackett was elected Supervisor. He was a jovial man. He entered the political arena early in our town's history. He had filled several offices in the Town of Lyman with satisfaction to all.
In 1873 O. D. Sackett was again elected to the chief office of the Town and in 1874 he surrendered it to his brother-in-law, H. B. Ferguson, who lived on what is known as the Iler farm. He was an ex-teacher. He was bookkeeper for J. B. Meserve, grain merchant in Roberts. He was a quiet man and resembled Rutherford B. Hayes, he was a clean man.
In 1875 A. V. Burchaus, a farmer living two miles southeast of Roberts, was chosen Supervisor. He had held offices in the town ever since its organization.
In 1876 Joseph Hurst was elected to the office of Supervisor. He lived one mile west of Roberts. He had held many offices in the Town of Lyman and was acquainted with the most of the citizens. He had helped in the development of the township. He had seen the country when it was nearly all raw prairie land. He like many others, depended on his gun of meat for meat for his table. He had 1280 acres of land, but when the crops were a failure as they were in excessive wet and dry years, acres did not mean much to him. When the officer took his gun from him on execution he was very low in spirit. But as the officer repented of his act and returned, it was the sunshine after a storm. The wild meat did not cease to come to his table. The venison and crane geese, ducks, prairie chicken and rabbits with smaller game, gave them a meat supply for the family. He persevered and made a successful farmer.
He served as Supervisor in 1876, 1879, 1800 and 1881.
W. B. Flora was elected Supervisor in 1877. He was a business man in town. He came here in 1871 and carried on a successful business. He was held in good repute by the people. He had filled other offices to the satisfaction of all.

--Roberts Herald. 4 December 1935.  Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #34

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

It is fitting that we mention the early teachers of this community. Years ago when school teachers were not so numerous and the terms of school were short the people looked to a teacher as a little above the average of humanity. In those days it seems that it was necessary for a teacher to live a life that harmonized with the life the people thought he ought to live. His failure to do so was equal to a resignation and he sought new pastures.
There was a winter term of three months and a summer term of three months. The winter term was December, January, and February and the summer term was June, July and August. A man teacher was needed for winter when the young men were in school. In the summer months a lady teacher was required. With three exceptions my teachers were all ladies.
By 1880 most of the country schools had changed to seven or eight months school per year. Our school gave us only three winter months until 1881 when the large pupils petitioned for a four months term and was granted the request.
That was about the time they began to hire teachers by the year. Many of those early teachers were from Onarga Seminary. Teachers worked under much more unfavorable conditions than in recent years. Supplies and black board were limited. Frequently two pupils used the same set of books. In our school we had about 48 square feet of black board for nearly fifty pupils in winter. Others were the same. Some were worse. In order to give extra work it was necessary for the teacher to double his energies.
 
--Roberts Herald. 27 November 1935.

Early Days in Lyman #33

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

Nathan M. Higgins was born in Huntington, Massachusetts, October, 1845. He was one of a family of twelve children, three of whom died in early childhood. His father died when he was ten years old. His mother passed away five years later. Three years after his mother's death he went west and settled at Ft. Wayne, Indiana. He worked in a store there for two years and then went to St. Louis, Missouri. In the fall of 1866 he went to Elmwood, Illinois, and worked for his brother, Prentice until the fall of 1869 when he came to Ford County to inspect the prairie lands. He bought the southeast quarter of section 34 in the Town of Brenton. There were no improvements. He moved to this farm in the spring of 1870 where he lived until his death in 1907.
Mr. Higgins was a model of industry. He was one of the most energetic persons in the community in which he lived. His work was as regular as clock work. I have worked with him in the same field and until the very latest years of his life I never felt able to meet him in contest of work.
In 1872 he married Miss Mary Jane Mosher, daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Mosher of Elmwood, who later were neighbors of his in Ford County. I made the acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Higgins nearly sixty years ago. The same esteem that I had for them in the early days remained through out all this time. They were ideals of industry to me when I was a boy. I wished to have the energy that they had so that all would trust me as we did them. From them I learned to shun the idea of being late at work or quitting too soon in the evening. My neighbors helped much in forming my ideals.
It was my lot to solicit our community for money and produce for the church and for those unfortunates because of fire and hail. I never went empty handed from the Higgins home.
Mr. and Mrs. Higgins had four sons and two daughters. Three of the boys were pupils of mine. I do not know whether they prized my friendship as I did theirs or not. Like Mickey in the story, "on the Potter's Wheel", "Me faught they did."
One thing in the Higgins children I have always admired is their love for their mother. At present Mrs. Higgins is not in good health but we hope she will soon be well again.
Mary Elizabeth is the wife of William Gardner and lives at Fisher. Charles and Alexander live at home with their mother. Roy and Effie live in Chicago. Milo has a family and lives on the former Mosher farm one mile south of the Higgins homestead.
Alexander and Elizabeth (McLaughlin) Mosher were natives of New York where they lived at Fonda, near the Erie Canal until 1855 when they moved to Illinois settling at Elmwood. In 1877 they came to Ford County. They purchased the former home of Artemus A. Haling one of the early settlers from Connecticut who became tired of life on the wild prairie and went back to the Town of Lyman. They Mosher farm was a part of the A. M. Haling purchase in 1866.
Mr. Mosher suffered from asthma which interfered with his working but he was always jovial and always had a joke to hand to those he met. He was a good manager and with the help of his family soon had the farm on a good producing basis. He died in 1893. The family consisted of two sons and four daughters, namely Mary Jane Higgins, of Brenton Township, Margaret Moore of Alma, Michigan, both are now widows. Elizabeth who married Theophilis Glenn, both are deceased. Their son, E. M. Glenn married Della Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Smith and twin sister of Mr. J. A. Colteaux. Dr. and Mrs. Glenn and family live at Wichita, Kansas.
Lewis Mosher, the oldest son in 1912. (confusing, I think some info is missing here) She still resides in Roberts. they had five children. Three reside here and two live in Chicago. They are Mrs. W. H. Yackee, Mrs. R. E. Bradbury, and Frank L. Mosher here and Mrs. Casper Willy and Harry Mosher in Chicago.
John Mosher married Lena Fencken of Roberts. He also died in 1912. His widow lives in Chicago. Their one daughter, Gladys is an accomplished musician and lives in New York. John Mosher was in business in Roberts for many years. He was also a township official, being road commissioner. Also was an official in the Congregational church.
Hattie Mosher married Jacob Houk. They lived in Roberts. Both died many years ago leaving five children. These were Ernest, Guy, Hattie, Leone and Jessie. Guy and Jessie are deceased. Ernest married Minnie Munson. They live in Piper City where he is in the furniture and undertaking business. Hattie married Eugene Davis. They live two miles north of Roberts. Leone married Ellis E. Cook and they live two miles west of Roberts.
 
--Roberts Herald. 20 November 1935. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #32

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

Gottlieb Hahn was born in Germany and came to Illinois in 1847 at the age of twenty years. He located at Hennepin, Putnam County, where he was employed for one year. He then moved to LaSalle County where he worked for two years. During those two years in his spare time he dressed timbers and built a log house 14 x 16 feet. This was to be his home. In 1850 he married a widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Warner, widow of George Warner. She had five children. Two daughters and three sons. One son died in childhood.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hahn were born five children. In 1867 the family moved to Livingston County, four miles northwest of the present location of Roberts. He bought 160 acres of land and built a house. The farm was raw prairie land. In the previous fall he had stacked his hay. Most of the stock was kept in stables. Mr. Hahn plowed around the building and hay stacks. There was a large swampy place north of his place where the grass grew as high as corn in Iowa. When he returned with his family he found the building standing but the stacks were burned. He had to buy hay from the neighbors. Probably he was glad to find his house standing when all around had burned clear of vegetation. The prairie was soon broken and the prairie fire was a thing of the past.
Mr. and Mrs. Hahn lived on this farm for more than twenty years. They moved to Roberts and Mr. Hahn was busy most of this life. Mrs. Hahn died in 1911 and Mr. Hahn in 1915.
Mrs. Hahn's daughter, Elizabeth, married Mr. J. Moore, a widower with twelve children. I knew only four of them. The oldest, also named Elizabeth, married a Mr. Hummel. Jennie married Warren Hastings of Onarga. She is now deceased. Mr. Hastings is a relative of R. B. Chambers. Mae married Albert Bressie, son of L. E. Bressie of Roberts. They had two daughters. Mr. Bressie was a locomotive engineer. He died several years ago. One of the daughters also died recently. Mrs. Bressie and her two daughters and two sisters, Rose Moore and Lessie Moore live in Chicago. Rose and Lessie are seamstresses and are adept at the work. The family are well known to Roberts people and held in high esteem. Lessie takes much interest in the political affairs of Chicago, the state, and the nation. She speaks her beliefs in language that is easily understood. Mrs. James Moore lives with her son in South Dakota. Mr. Moore died many years ago. The home of James Moore was in Livingston county were Menzo Johnson now lives.
William Hahn
William Hahn was born in LaSalle county in 1855. He came to the home northwest of Roberts with his parents in 1866. On Christmas day in 1878 he married Miss Mary Brown daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Brown. Mr. Brown was a cousin of Abraham Lincoln. F. M. Brown came to Roberts early in it's history and remained.
Mr. and Mrs. William Hahn lived in Livingston County and farmed there until 1891 when he moved to Roberts. He and William Bond bought out D. Walker who owned a wagon shop. They went into the wagon repairing business. Mr. Bond also went into partnership with Dr. E. G. Reinhardt and bought out the drug store of Dr. Cassingham. Between two places he kept himself busy. About ten years ago Mr. Hahn's eye sight failed. Mr. and Mrs. William Hahn had three sons, Marshall, Elmer and Clyde. Marshall and Elmer were married. Marshall and Clyde died several years ago. Clyde died in July of the same year.
Marshall married Miss Rose Swanick, daughter of John and Anne Swanick of Lyman Township. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Hahn had two children, Mary Ann Hamilton and Clyde Hahn. Mrs. Rose Hahn is now married to Mr. Henry Schneider. They live in Cornell. Elmer Hahn is married and lives in California.
Mr. and Mrs. William Hahn and his family were great church workers and supports of the church. They always took part where their help was needed. Mrs. William Hahn died in 1925. In 1928 Mr. Hahn married Mrs. Matie Martin, widow of A. W. Martin, one of the early settlers of Roberts. She is a talented woman and is also a worker in the Congregational Ladies Aid.
 
--Roberts Herald. 13 November 1935. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #31

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

The Congregational Church

The Congregational Church, which was organized in the northeast corner of Town 25 in the early sixties held services in the homes of the settlers at first, then in the Martson School House. After the G. C. & S. R. R. was built and Thawville was laid out the members of the church, with the aid of church friends, erected a church building and parsonage in the northwest corner of Thawville. I do not remember the year but it must have been about 1873. The people who lived in sections one, two, eleven, and twelve of Lyman, mostly attended the Thawville Church. The Congregationalists who lived south and west of those sections organized a Congregational Church in Roberts, in 1875.
The first members of this organization were Frank Butler, W. S. Larkin, Elizabeth Larkin, Lucy Larkin, Olive Larkin, John Hummel and Sarah M. Hummel. The Roberts and Thawville churches united in selecting Rev. J. J. Weage for their first minister. Services were first held in the school house and in the town hall. Rev. F. J. Brobst followed Rev. J. J. Weage. While he was pastor here the first church building was erected in 1879, dedicated in 1880. Many accessions were received during the first few years of the organization. Rev. J. B. Johnston followed Rev. Brobst. He was a noble man and had a fine family. His was the first minister's family I became acquainted with, by attending church.
The Congregational Church at Roberts and Thawville had revival services while Mr. Johnston was here. Many members were added to each church. He was here two years. He also preached at the Smith school house Sunday afternoons part of the time. (He returned here about thirty years ago and delivered some lectures. He then lived in Colorado. He preached here in 1881 and 1882.)
Rev. W. Wilson, a brother of Mrs. Robert Currie, followed Rev. Johnston. He was then a small man but full of energy. I remember one blustery mid-winter day, snow banks many feet deep in places, when he walked from Thawville to Roberts in the morning and back in the afternoon. He stopped at the Woodward home to preach a funeral sermon at two o'clock. Teams could not reach the cemetery. It took men all day the next day to get to the cemetery and back.
Several years afterward he was preaching in the Northwest. He was an itinerant preacher in Wyoming, I believe. He made long journeys in all kinds of weather. He was covered by a snow slide and although diligent searches were made, his body was not found until the avalanche was melted in the spring. Sometimes it takes courage to battle the elements as it does to battle sin which is so prevalent at the present time.
Rev. William Kettle was the next minister. He was a young scotchman and was much loved by his congregations. He was the last of the union preachers. The first year he lived at Thawville. The next year at Roberts. He was a friend of young and old. Churches were well filled in those days.
Rev. Kettle was in the East the last I heard of him. He is no longer young.
Rev. W. E. Silence preached here in 1889 and 1890. Rev. Elbert J. Collins from 1890 to 1892. He was the minister here when we moved to town. He had a nice family of children. Two of his boys visited friends here a short time ago. It was a pleasure to see them. They are such nice clean men. Rev. E. J. Collins is deceased.
Rev. D. H. Snowden was the next pastor (1892-1893). He was a portly man. He had served in the U. S. army during the war of the Rebellion. Mrs. Snowden was of great help to the church. Then followed Rev. W. D. Trover (1893-1894). He was the father of Mrs. E. J. Collins. Mrs. Trover was much like her daughter. She was an excellent Sunday School teacher. They had one daughter yet at home. She was full of kindness to all.
Rev. F. H. Richards (1894-1895) was a young man from Webster City, Iowa. He had not finished school. He said he saw "G.P.C." and thought it meant, "Go Preach Christ." His critics said it might have meant, "Go Plant Corn." He became a very successful preacher. Rev. William C. North (1895-1896). It began to look like the Congregational preachers were becoming annuals.
Then came Rev. J. H. Runnalls (1896-1900). He was here four years. He had three sons and two daughters. Rev. and Mrs. Runnalls are deceased. His sons and daughters live in Illinois, Colorado, and California. The membership of this church is about 100. The attendance is small, about what the weekly prayer meeting was in the former days.
 
--Roberts Herald. 23 October 1935. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #30

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

The Methodist Church of Roberts was organized in 1871. It sprang from what was known as "Pierce's Mission." The first place of worship other than in the homes was the Graham School House which stood on Section 29 just across the road south from the home of A. B. Graham, the present home of Joseph Sans. Before this the meetings had been held in the homes. The first service as nearly as I can find out was held in this school house in 1869. The membership included: Ole Johnson (the father of Mrs. Grace Squires) leader; Anna Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Van Steenberg, J. H. Sedore, Mr. and Mrs. G. P. Lyman, Alfred and Julia Smith, Horace and Hannah Lester, Mr. and Mrs. John Kenward, William Kenward, Julia Walker, Mr. and Mrs. Westerbrook, Horace and Jane Snelling, Robert Hawthorne, Sarah Arnold, Thomas and Hamilton Darg, James English, Charles Koon, John Kenward, Jr., Caroline Guise.
Father Pierce was a scotchman who lived at Oliver's Grove. He was a local preacher who visited the surrounding townships and established missions. Some of these missions became the nuclei of Methodist Churches. The attendance of some of these mission meetings exceeded the church attendance of the present day in numbers as well as in earnest work.
When Roberts was laid out in 1871 the mission at the Graham school house was moved to the Roberts school house and then to the town hall until 1882 when the First Methodist Church at Roberts was built at a cost of $2,800.00. When the mission was moved to Roberts the names was changed to The Methodist Episcopal Church and Rev. T. P. Henry was assigned as the first pastor. This was in a circuit of three appointments, Roberts, Melvin, and the Bell School House. The new church in 1882 was dedicated by Bishop G. W. Gue, presiding Elder, January 22nd, 1882. The first Board of Trustees consisted of Thomas Wakelin, M. H. Rice, G. B. Gordon, G. P. Lyman, and E. Van Steenberg.
On Christmas Eve 1902, after a service of almost twenty-one years this church burned. The thermometer was standing at zero and the wind was blowing from the west which gave the fire much draft so that the building lasted but a short time. A Christmas tree had been placed in the building. The children had been practicing their program. Now all had gone home to supper when at five o'clock the alarm was sounded. In a short time the church was gone.
During the next year a new building was erected. This cost $11,000.00. This was dedicated April 3, 1904 with the entire cost subscribed and a few hundred dollars left in the treasury to pay for forgotten items.

--Roberts Herald. 9 October 1935. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #29

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster
 
Continuing . . .
A write-up of the early days in Lyman Township would hardly be complete if it were confined to the township boundaries. Many people who lived just over the edge in adjoining townships have had prominent parts in the development of this township.
About the time of the early Lyman settlers there were several families came to the vicinity which is now the northeast corner of Wall Town. These included such names as Currie, Trigger, Dodd, Gilkerson, Kenney, and others. Each of them shall be taken up in time but today we shall write of the Curries. In 1869 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Currie settled in the northeast quarter of Section 7-24-9. His brother, James Currie settled in the southeast quarter of the same section. Other members of the Currie family, cousins, also came about that time.
Robert Currie was a man of strong individuality. He hated pomp and show. He was a university graduate, educated in Scotland and England, licensed to practice law also educated and trained as a theologian but preferring the independent life of a farmer. He was a very successful farmer. Joined to his life as a farmer he was a "capitalist" as well and his investments were generally sound. To his neighbors he was simply a farmer like themselves. To the railway and utility magnets he was a shrewd investor.
Robert Currie and his wife are both deceased. They left one son and three daughters. The son, Arthur Currie still lives on the home farm. The daughters are Miss Altheria Currie, a school teacher, who spends her vacation on the old home farm with her brother. Miss Mary N. Currie is a teacher in the Roberts High School. She also spends her spare time "down on the farm." The youngest daughter is Mrs. Irene Phelps of Chicago.
Mr. and Mrs. James Currie are still living on their old home places. Like his brother, Robert, he is well educated and enjoys the benefits of a literary life. However his prime occupation is that of farming in which he has been very successful. Mr. and Mrs. James Currie have three sons and one daughter. These are Robert T. Currie who lives on a farm adjoining his father's, Rollo Currie and Paul Currie who conduct a machine shop in Paxton. The daughter is Miss Mary Currie who is teaching school in New Mexico down near the "Old Mexican line."
There are many items of interest relating to the Currie families. An uncle of theirs whose name was William Currie was a ship carpenter before coming to America. When he came across he went to Mexico and became interested in mining and was very successful. He visited the families here about 1884 and while here used his skill as a ship carpenter to make many household articles which remain as heirlooms in the families. Soon after he was here he returned to his home across the Atlantic and while he never returned to this vicinity he is well remembered by those that live here. This William Currie was an uncle of Robert and James Currie.
Gabriel, William, Thomas, and Jennie Currie were cousins of Robert and James. Gabriel died many years. We know but little of him here. William married Miss Margaret Smith, sister of John P. Smith of Roberts. They moved to Nebraska long ago.
Thomas Currie lived on the farm in Section 11 which is now occupied by Raymond Currie. He died several years ago. He left his widow and one son, Raymond Currie who live in Roberts.
Miss Jennie Currie married Frederick Fenic Dodd and they lived in section fifteen. Mr. Dodd died several years ago. They had two sons and one daughter. The daughter is Mrs. Burley F. Allgood. Mr. and Mrs. Allgood have one daughter, Mrs. Hazel Martis.
Albert Dodd married Miss Mary Olson of Thawville. They have one daughter, Lois. They live near their mother's home. Thomas Dodd married Miss Beulah White. They lived at the home of his mother in Wall Town and he conducts the farm.
In connection with the Currie families there is one thing that should not be omitted. In the early days when this community was mostly open prairie the wagon roads followed the higher places regardless of lines. The road from what is now Lyman township to Loda which was the nearest market went across the Robert Currie farm. The original sod still remains in Arthur Currie's pasture. The old trail crossed this pasture and the tracks of the wagons which carried the produce from this community are still visible.
No plow has ever touched the virgin sod in that field. The same old blue grass sod that greeted the first white settler and the same old tracks in that blue grass sod that the first white settlers made, are all plainly visible across that pasture.

--Roberts Herald. 2 October 1935. Bela Foster.

The Evangelical Church & an 1876 Map

The Evangelical Church which was located two miles south and two miles east of Roberts was founded by the people living in that area who felt the need for a place of worship.  The exact date of its beginning is unknown because the early records cannot be found.  In the family records of the wedding of Fred Rueck, Sr. and Rosa Drechsel, it is noted that they were married on May 27, 1886, by Rev. Weir, pastor of the Evangelical Church, at the home of Mrs. Ebert near Roberts.  Due to this information, it can be assumed that this church was in existence before that time.
The congregation was made up of many farm families that lived in the area; however, some members lived in the village of Roberts and came out to the country to attend services.
Although not large in numbers, this group was very active, having an active Young People's League, Sunday school classes for all ages, and the Women's Missionary Society.
Many dedicated and talented ministers served this parish.  Large crowds gathered to worship and to attend the many special programs that were held throughout the years.  Some of the Pastors were:  Rev. E. Nichols, Rev. Ralph Weyrick, Rev. J. Wesley Siebert, Rev. William Graham and Rev. C. L.Shriver.
Names still familiar today were those of the members who attended this church.  Such family names as Zahn, Ebert, Houtzel, Drechsel, Dietterle, Rueck, Steinman, Eppelheimer, Roeder, Stutzman, Wagner, Conner, McCorkle, Walters, Taylor, Brown, Dodd, Lackey, Berlet, and Thomas were on the church roll of membership.
When the depression came in the thirties, it became necessary for this congregation to share a pastor with the Evangelical congregation in Danforth, Illinois.
Many of the farmers who were members began moving to other areas too far from the church to make it possible to continue worshiping there so it became necessary for the congregation to disband and to join other church groups.
One of the last events held in the church was the wedding of Geneva Walters to Clarence Brinkman of Melvin on December 19, 1936.
The building was purchased by the late Henry Tjarks of Gibson City and was torn down.

--Roberts Area Centennial,  100 Years of Plowing, Planting, Progressing.  1872-1972.  1972

 

1876

 

 

1884

 

2016

 

--Posted to the Roberts Illinois History Group Page by Daniel Flora.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1724425851108326/  19 September 2016.

 

 

--From my GG Grandfather Johann Roeder's ledger. Subscriptions to the German Zion Ev Church in Roberts. Johann gave 30$.  Daniel Flora.





J. P. Smith

Then and Now.

https://archive.org/stream/historyoffordcou02gard#page/578/mode/2up/search/smith


Buried Lyman Township Cemetery

John P. Smith, son of James F. and Elizabeth (McKelvey) Smith was born near Kempville, Ontario, Canada, July 17th, 1855, and departed this life at his home in Roberts, Illinois, Wednesday, afternoon, March 2, 1938, at 5:30 o'clock, aged 82 years, 7 months, and 15 days. When barely four years of age he came to Illinois with his parents and settled on the wild prairie land of Ford County. The father arrived here on the second day of May 1859, just two months and fifteen days after the county was organized. The mother and children did not come until a few months later after the father had built a home.
They did not come to Roberts because the village of Roberts was not started until twelve years after their arrival and they lived in this prairie home ten years before the organization of Lyman Township. However their home was three miles north of the present location of Roberts on the farm where the Smith School stands.

1884 

 

2016

The boy John P. Smith remained on this farm until he was nineteen years of age. He attended the country school and later the Northern Indiana Normal School, now the Valparaiso University, at Valparaiso, Indiana. He specialized in telegraphy and bookkeeping and then accepted a position with the Gilman, Clinton and Springfield Railway as agent at Cornland where he served seven years. This Railway is now a part of the Illinois Central Systems.
Later he came back to Roberts and entered the General Merchandise business with this father and brothers. In 1889 he started the grain business but after a few years sold that business and established a bank which he conducted for twenty-five years. He was always, very popular in his business relations.

 

 

 

 

 

In 1920 the forming of the Roberts State Bank united the Roberts Exchange and the John P. Smith Bank and Mr. Smith retired from active business relations but during the eighteen years since that time he has been in frequent consultation with those who sought his advice and help in their own business ventures.

On the sixth day of October, 1880, Mr. Smith then at Cornland married Miss Sarah N. Day of Logan County, who preceded him in death April 25, 1937.  To them were born three children, one son Clyde who met a tragic death at the age of nine years, and two daughters, Della and Edna, twins, who survive him. Della is the wife of Dr. E. M. Glenn of Wichita, Kansas, and Edna is the wife of Dr. J. A. Colteaux of Roberts. He also leaves four grandchildren, Miss Jeanette and Wilfred Colteaux of Roberts, and Mrs. Sterling Kreuger and Jack Glenn of Wichita, Kansas. He leaves one sister, Mrs. Margaret Currie of Lincoln, Nebraska, and three brothers, Rev. William A. Smith of Ashland, Oregon, and David B. Smith and James R. Smith of Kansas City, Missouri, also a large number of other relatives and friends who mourn his passing. Two sisters Mrs. Jane Light and Mrs. Mary Montague preceded him in death.
Mr. Smith was a devout member of the Methodist Church at Roberts and always supported it with his presence, his advice, his official action and his finances. He served on the official Board for so many years that only the records can establish the number. He leaves a vacancy in the church circles that will be hard to fill. He was a member of the Masonic order joining at Mount Pulaski when he was at Cornland and transferring to Melvin Lodge 811. His membership extended over a period of about sixty years.
He served as a public official of the Village of Roberts from the time of its incorporation until recent years. He also served many years on the school board and was supervisor of the town of Lyman for several terms.
The funeral services were held at the home in Roberts Friday afternoon March 2, at 2:00, Rev. John T. Killip and Rev. E. B. Morton officiating. Burial was in Lyman cemetery. Those from outside the state who attended the funeral were his brothers, David and James, Roy McGovern and son, Robert of Kansas City, Missouri, the daughter, Mrs. E. M. Glenn of Harper, Kansas, who had been with him for thirteen weeks preceding his death, and others. Telegrams were received from the brother in Oregon and the sister in Nebraska, sending regrets at being unable to attend. Several other telegrams were received. The banks of flowers and tokens of remembrance showed the esteem in which he was held.
Others from a distance were Mrs. Irene Mathes, Mrs. John Siregg and Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Day of Springfield; Mrs. and Mrs. George Read of Lincoln, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Read and Mrs. Read of Broadwell, Dr. and Walter Gonwas of Chisman, Mrs. R. E. Squires of Piper City and Mr. and Mrs. Angelo Stephesn of Paxton.
It was one of the requests of Mr. Smith that Tennyson's poem, "Crossing the Bar" should be read at his funeral service which was done. This poem is published in another column of this paper.
The following tribute from a daughter was also read:
I am grateful to Heaven
For blessings it sent.
For Peace and Good Friends
For success and content,
I am grateful for health
And for skies bright and blue,
But most grateful of all
For a father like you.

--Roberts Herald.  9 March 1938.

The Death of the their little son, Clyde. Buried Lyman Township Cemetery.

Horrible Death of Little Clyde Smith At about 2 o'clock P.M., Monday, Clyde Smith, aged 9 years, son of J. P. smith, was sent to the north end of his father's elevator under the dump to fill a bucket with kindling wood, but for some unknown reason, instead of going where the wood was, he crawled under the storage bins which are between the dump and the power house, and was the caught by the tumbling rod that connects the elevator with the power, which rod in his attempt to pass over caught his clothing and wound him around the shaft, breaking every bone in his body and hour after hour his body and limbs beat the ground at every revolution. Indications are that he was instantly killed. He was not missed by his parents until towards evening, his father supposing he had procured the wood and taken it home, and his mother thinking he had neglected the errand he was sent on. Vigorous search was made and about 7 o'clock, not finding him elsewhere, his father and grandfather concluded to re-search the elevator. So in company with Mr. Woolsoncroft they began and soon found Clyde, who had been dead for several hours, so wrapped about the rods that his clothes had to be cut off before he could be gotten off. We shall not attempt to describe the shock to the father thus to find his boy within 10 feet of where he had been working all afternoon. Nor shall we attempt to describe the mother's loss. Words cannot do it. The funeral rites were conducted by Revs. Davenport and Sillence, at 2 o'clock Tuesday, at Clyde's home. No bereavement has called out more heartfelt sympathy among us than this, not has any event taught us more plainly, "When we are in the midst of life we are in death."
In behalf of ourselves and family relations we desire to render grateful acknowledgments to all our neighbors -- and friends for loving service and sympathy in the darkest hour of our lives, and may an ever ??? and all wise providence shield you from the heart anguish and agony which called forth your loving sympathy and assistance in our behalf.
J.P. Smith and Family.

--Paxton Record.  5 June 1890.

Store Advertisements 1917

--Roberts Herald.  December 1917.

Green Street Looking East

--Added to the Roberts Illinois History Group page by Jean Fox.

Now it appears what used to be the Roberts Exchange Bank (the one story building on the right) is (in this photo) Roberts Plumbing and Heating.

The Depot and Elevator

--Added to the Roberts Illinois History Group page by Jean Fox.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church

1972 Roberts Centennial Celebration

1963

It says WEST ON MAIN ST.  But really the main drag in Roberts was Green Street.  And what some of us called North Street was really Main Street.  This is looking west on Green Street. 

Congregational Church

Early Days in Lyman #28

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

In 1875 the Illinois Conference of the Zion German Evangelical Churches created a new mission in the counties of Livingston, McLean and Ford. Rev. F. C. Stuewig was the first missionary assigned to this mission. He made his first visit here at the home of Peter Pfaat in 1865. (Peter Pfaat came here from Lyons, New York in 1858.) The church services were held for several years in the homes of Peter Pfaat and of Katherine Althen. After the Patrick Russell school house was built the meetings were held in that school house. It was built about eight rods east of the present Edward Russell home. Later it was moved to the present school site in the district. The members of this church when organized in 1866 were Peter Pfaat, Margaret Pfaat, Katherine Althen, Margaret Leber, George Barrick, Louisa Barrick, Lydia Barrick, Catherine Barrick, Christian Mosier, Anna Wilcoxson.
Peter Pfaat was the first class leader. Many Germans came to this locality to see how they would like it and being pleased they bought homes and settled here. This added many workers to the society. 1873 they built a new church building on the north east corner of section 34. It was dedicated by Bishop J. J. Escher. The preacher in charge at that time was Rev. J. Kurtz. The officers of the Zion Church Evangelical Association were: Henry Baker, Daniel Raabe, Abraham Shaffer, Christian Stutzman and Peter Pfaat.
This church was divided in the nineties. The rent became wider until one side was forced out. They built a new church one mile east of the old church. This new church stands in the south west corner of section 25. Services are held there regularly and the attendance is better than most of the village churches have at the present time.
The old church was sold and torn down and used in building the Gottlieb Hubner's dwelling in Roberts. The parsonage was brought by J. J. Russell and moved to Roberts. The present pastor of the Evangelical Church is Rev. William C. Graham.
The German Zion Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1873. The church was erected at once in the east part of the village. They raised $2400 with which to put up the building and with much donated work they soon had the only church building in the of town of Lyman. The Evangelical shared that honor with them that same year. The first board of trustees consisted of the following: John Grube, Frank Bastian, Henry Michaels, John Wieting and Fred Haug with their pastor Rev. Frank Meier as chairman. The most of their membership lived in the central part of the township.
Soon most of the members moved to the northwest. Losing so many members, the services ceased. The church building was sold to the Catholic denomination which was increasing in membership at that time. This church was organized in 1886 when the building was purchased. Father J. P. Quinn organized the church with 81 members. One third of these were adults. Services were held each third Sunday.
The church had a steady growth. At first the church was united with the Gilman Parish and later with Gibson City and Melvin. More recently the church has been united with Piper City.
The American Lutheran Church was organized in the an early day and for many years the church held services in the afternoons in the Congregational Church building. This church has been united with the Melvin parish during most of the time since its organization and pastor lives in Melvin.

--Roberts Herald. 25 September 1935. Bela Foster.
 

Early Days in Lyman #27

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

W. T. Gourley came to Ford County from Indiana in 1866 when about seven years of age.
He was left an orphan when two years old. He lived with an aunt until he was seven years of age. He then came to Ford County and made his home with a cousin until he reached the age of 18 years of age. He used to heard cattle on the prairies. There was quite a lot of government land and individually owned land that could be rented at that time. He continued herding in the summer and attending school in winter until he was about eighteen years old. He was a very industrious lad. When eighteen years of age he bought a team and a few farming tools, rented some land and was master of the situation. So successful was he that he felt that he ought to put his cash into a small farm. Accordingly he purchased forty acres of land about one mile east of the Wagner schoolhouse. He felt he was a real farmer. He tilled his own soil.
In 1880 he (W. T. Gourley) married Miss Margaret Thomas, the daughter of Lewis and Elizabeth Thomas, of Onarga. Onarga was her natal home. She was one of a family of four children. Her father was a soldier in the Civil War. He was captured and confined in that awful Libby prison. He was never released. He, like so many others, died in prison.
Mr. and Mrs. Gourley had one daughter and four sons, Gertie, Wilbur, Roland, Walter and Arthur. All are living except Gertie. She married William Eshleman. They moved to Indiana several years ago. She died about one year ago. When she was about six years of age in 1888, she was my pupil in school in the Wagner school.
The boys are all married. Mr. and Mrs. Gourley are living on their farm in the northwest corner of Section 2, Town 25. I have known Mr. Gourley for many years. In all his success he has had many misfortunes in machinery. I have seen him when it was much of a task to walk and yet he had a smile. We hope that he will be blessed with health the balance of his life.
The farm that Mr. Gourley owns on Section 2 was occupied by Justin Wyman when we came here. He moved to Chatsworth and ran a general store. His son, Arthur Wyman lives in Chicago. Arthur Wyman's grandparents and uncle Charles and aunt Martha lived one-fourth mile east. The house has been torn down. Charles Edward Wyman practiced law in Roberts in the early days of the town. He attended school at the old schoolhouse in District No. 36 when I started to school. I think he lives in California.
Stephen Lesch lived on the Gourley farm just preceding Mr. Gourley. He sold the farm to Mr. Gourley. The Lesch family came from Chicago to the farm in about 1882. Mr. Lesch was a good farmer and hard worker. He had a nice family. They were my pupils. Mr. Lesch moved to Ridgeville, Indiana. Florence Lesch, the oldest girl, married Edward Jones of Thawville. They moved to Chicago. She died while on the operating table a short time ago.

--Roberts Herald. 18 September 1935. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #26

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

The Skeels and Thrasher families came to Thawville about the same time in 1871. B. H. Skeels enlisted in the U. S. army as a private in 1863. In 1865 he was discharged from the service as First Lieutenant of twenty-fifth Illinois volunteers. He had married Miss Lovina Wiswell of Waverly, Illinois, in 1857, six years before he went to the war. After the war he returned to Onarga and lived there until 1871 when with his wife and two daughters, Louella and Dean, he moved to the present site of Thawville.
Mr. Skeels and Jesse S. Thrasher put up the first two houses in the new town. Mr. Skeels was station agent for the G. S. & S. R. R., for three years. The P. Risser & Sons of Onarga purchased the Thawville Grain Elevator and engaged Mr. Skeels to run their business. He continued in the grain, lumbar, and coal business for many years. During part of this time he did banking and undertaking also. Besides he held several public offices. He was a very busy man. Still he had time to give attention to church and school work. If there was to be any special extra work to be done Mr. Skeels was asked to take part and to manage the affair.
In 1889 when Mr. Maddin brought the grain business Mr. Skeels started his bank. This he continued until his death in 1902. "When a good man dies, the People mourn." How true this was in this case. When his remains were laid to rest in the local cemetery the people mourned. His life was testimony to the quotation, "By their fruits ye shall know them."
Mrs. Lovina Skeels and her grandson, Chauncey Thrasher carried on the banking business until 1920 when the Thawville State Bank was incorporated.
Louella Skeels was married to W. J. Thrasher in 1874. They resided in Thawville and he worked for P. Risser & Sons at the elevator. In those days much corn was sold in the car and the company had many cribs. Some of the cribs were 10, 20, and 30 rods long. Nearly all were single cribs. They had a steam engine and a large sheller that would shell much faster than the cylinder shellers of that day. Mr. Thrasher used to run the engine. In 1880 the family moved to the Messerve farm where Fred Woodruff now lives. Two years later they moved to Roberts. Mr. Thrasher ran the elevator here owned by P. Risser & Sons, known as the Messerve elevator. He ran the business for seven years. He died in 1889. Mrs. Louella Thrasher died in 1902. After Mr. Thrasher died Mrs. Thrasher moved to Thawville and lived with her father. She had three sons.
Chauncey then about fourteen years of age went to work in his grandfather's bank. In 1896 he married Phoebe Townsend, the older daughter of Fred Townsend. The have three sons and two daughters. All are married. They have seven grandchildren.
Belias married Julia Lasson. He works in the bank with his father. Jesse W. married Mildred Lowry. The live in Champaign. Chauncey Jr. married Thelma Barnes. They live at Port Canton, Ohio. Margaret married Elon Greok. They live in Chicago. Ruth married Herman Baach. They live in Thawville.
Roy Thrasher, second son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Thrasher lives in Gilman. He is married. The third son, Frank, is married and lives in Onarga.
Dena, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Skeels, married C. B. Thrasher. He died in 1886 and she in 1896. They had one daughter, Edna, she married Mr. Spencer, now deceased. They had three daughters, all are married and live at Eugene, Oregon.
J. S. Thrasher, who put up the first elevator in Thawville went into the live stock business after leaving the elevator. About 1885 they moved to Gilman where he continued in the live stock business. Mrs. Thrasher ran a boarding house. They have five daughters and three sons, Adah, Mary, Kate, Anna, Ella, William J., Charles B., and Albert. All of these were married except Kate. All are dead. Albert was the last to die. His death came as the result of coming in contact with a high power electric wire at Kankakee a few years ago.
 
--Roberts Herald. 11 September 1935. Bela Foster.

Early Days in Lyman #25

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .
In 1856 Mr. and Mrs. Saul Burt and family of five sons and two daughters came to Ford County with the Lymans and lived with them the first year. Mr. Burt and Mrs. Lyman were brother and sister. Mr. Burt had married a young widow, Mrs. Kingsley, with a son and a daughter, David and Mary Kingsley. To them were born four sons and a daughter, Morris, Oscar, Ollis, George, and Ida. The Burt family then moved to a farm one mile west and half a mile north of the Lyman home. They lived there about thirty years. The father, mother and children were active in church work. The children were singers and helped in the musical part of the services. Mr. Burt was teacher of the Bible class as I first saw him. He was active in the work when the services were held in the home and also after they had moved the services to Thawville.
He was also active in public affairs; and is frequently mentioned among the town officers. Although he lived across the line in Brenton township he had many friends on the Lyman side.
David Kingsley married Mary Hitchcock, daughter of a Congregational minister at Onarga. They had two sons, Frank and Charles and two daughters, Ada and Alice.
Frank married and lives in the southern part of Illinois near Newton. Charles married Josie Remsburg. They had one daughter. Charles and his sister, Alice, were pupils of mine in 1887. Both are now dead. She married John McCann of Gilman.
Ada is married and lives in Minnesota.
Katherine Kingsley married E. D. Smith of Onarga, a wagon maker. Mr. Smith and Mr. Atwood had come to Ford County in 1856. Mr. Atwood had settled near where Piper City is now and Mr. Smith west of there near the Livingston county line. In 1857 Mr. Smith moved to Onarga and worked at the wagon maker's trade. In 1858 he married Katherine Kingsley. Later he farmed west of Onarga several years and then moved to the Lyman farm in Ford County in 1880. His children attended the Marston school and played ball with the rest of us on the 160 acre ball park.
In 1881 Mrs. Smith died leaving a family of four sons and two daughters, Cora the oldest daughter and Friend, the oldest son, besides the father and step mother have gone to the home beyond.
George Smith, the second son, married Julia Havens, the daughter of Edmund T. Havens, and granddaughter of E. F. Havens. They now own the farm formerly occupied by Mr. Bentley, about two miles west of Onarga, an up-to-date residence.
Mr. and Mrs. George Smith have four daughters and one son Gladys, Mildred, Julia, Jennie and Benjamin. One son, Edmund, was killed overseas during the world war. One daughter, Cora, a teacher, died several years ago. Gladys, the oldest daughter, married a Mr. Lane. They live in Michigan. Mildred married a Mr. Wilson, now deceased. She and her daughter, Louise, live with her Father, Mother, and daughter Benjamin (???). Julia and Jennie are twins. Julia married Mr. Mason. they live in Mishawaka, Indiana. Jennie married Mr. Sullivan, now deceased. She lives in Chicago.
H. D. Smith married Carrie Crawford, daughter of John Crawford, one of Lyman Township's prosperous farmers of years gone by. She died in 1931. He lives in Thawville. The had three children, Katherine, Harriet and John. Katherine married Mr. Jacson and their home is near Thawville. Harriet married Mr. Grace and their home is in Chicago. John married Winnie Weber. They live in Thawville.
Alex (Al) Smith married Rena Iler, daughter of B. F. Iler, another of Lyman Township's early farmers. They have four daughters, Mildred, Susanne, Almeda, Aldeen. They live near Onarga.
Morris Burt, oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Saul Burt, married the daughter of Captain Beach of Onarga.
Oscar Burt married Oral Norton, a sister of the late Mr. L. B. Wilcox. She was a school teacher. Her home was in New York. She taught school here for one or two years.
George Burt married Lou Ella Watson, the step daughter of Mr. King who built the first house at the section corner where George Fuoss lives. She was a step sister of E. I. King who was a former business man of Roberts. He was a carpenter and wagon maker with Henry Tinklepaugh.
Ida Burt married George Ashman who was a cabinet maker in Roberts. They lived here a few years and then moved to Gilman. He was in business there and proved very successful. Mrs. Ashman was one of our teachers. I have a little card she gave me. 

--Roberts Herald. 4 September 1935. Bela Foster

Early Days in Lyman #24

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster

Continuing . . .

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Townsend and family came here from England about fifty years ago. He lived for a time on the John Allen farm. This farm is now owned by J. W. McNaught, of Onarga, and is occupied by Mr. and Mrs. George Eppelsheimer and family.
George Eppelsheimer is the son of George Eppelsheimer who formerly lived at Roberts, now deceased. His wife is Ruby (McNaught) daughter of J. W. McNaught.
Later Mr. Townsend bought a farm just at the east edge of Thawville. He set out a lot of fruit trees and shrubbery and had a nursery, small at first but gradually extending it. He made a success as the soil was ideal for fruit, especially strawberries. He made more off his fruit than off his grain farming. Being a lover of flowers he desired to be among them and almost any time his smiling face could be seen among the beautiful blossoms.
There was a tile factory pond at the north edge of Thawville where many of us older people had worked during our younger days. The factory had been abandoned and the pit was used only as a dumping place for the trash of the town. This became an "eye sore" and a dangerous place for boys and even men to use for sports.
Mr. Townsend thought something like this "If I had that place I could make it a beauty spot instead of a menace of the town." He did not over estimate his art. He purchased the lot and began his transformation. It soon became a spot much visited by local people. Its magnetic influence has reached out until it includes statewide attraction. The rays of attraction reach hundreds of miles. In a few cases even thousands of miles. Those readers of this paper who have visited Mr. Townsend's park will agree with us that God through Mr. Townsend has brought a little of Heaven to earth to turn people's thoughts to the beauty of an ideal character which like that little park in Thawville is made only with the help of God.
Mr. Townsend is past eight-two years old and by the fruits of his labor we know him to be a master workman. He has been a member of the Congregational Church for fifty years. During many of these years he has been in the choir. Were I to give a list of the regular attendants of the church his name would appear in the list near the first. When we have attended that church during the flowering season we could always look for the beautiful bouquets placed there by our friend of early times, Fred Townsend.
Mr. and Mrs. Townsend had three children, two daughters and one son. I well remember that little curly headed boy. How he has changed!
Phoebe Townsend married Chauncey Thrasher, son of W. J. And Luella (Skeels) Thrasher, a nephew of Miss Kate Thrasher, a teacher of mine in 1873. He also was a student at the Marston school house. He is now a banker in Thawville.
Nellie Townsend married L. Ikens of Onarga.
George Townsend married Alice Hathorn, the daughter of the former business man of Roberts. Later he was a business man in Thawville where he ran a general store of many years. In an early day he farmed the west eighty acres of what is now George Sturm's farm.
Mrs. Townsend died a few years ago. She was a very quiet and highly respected woman.
Returning to Mr. Townsend's garden. In this garden spot are many varieties of plants. Some are rare and very costly. I can not attempt to name them. Some day when you visit the park try counting the different varieties. Do not try to count the fish. Just feed them a few crackers and see how many appear. Then look over the records and see from whence the people came.
I wish that every town could have a beauty spot like Thawville has and could have a man like Mr. Townsend to attend to it. Many towns have the unsightly place but is minus the man to convert it into a beauty spot for the town. We hope Mr. Townsend many live many years yet to enjoy the fruits of his labor.
Not every man, a person sees,
Can make spots beautiful with trees.
It takes much knack, or call it skill,
A place like Townsend's place to fill.
You must persist, day after day,
Pulling and tugging on the way.
When days are fair the flowers bloom,
Some in the morn, some afternoon.
Some face the sun for colors bright.
Some seek the stars at dead at night.
For joyful hues they looks above
Where e'er abideth Faith and Love.
Not in the silt where their roots grow
Do lily petals get their snow.
The clouds appear and dark days come,
Most every season will have some,
But Townsend's plan works every day,
In driving of the blues away.
It points to Him who stayed the storm
and changes darkness into morn.
His face beams joy to others please,
An outstretched hand, he'll gladly seize,
And by his grasp, we all can tell,
His wish for us, "I wish you well."
Let's thank him for the good he's done
Not just a few but everyone one.
We'll wave the flag and a good cheer,
We'll give Fred Townsend while he's here.

--Roberts Herald. 28 August 1935.  Bela Foster.