EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster
Continuing . . .
In 1875 the town election was held in the hall. The hall had been erected by the Roberts Dramatic Club. It was used for church, school, elections, political meetings, social gatherings, wrestling matches, and once in a while a fistic bout took place within its walls. At the town meeting that year (1875) the following officers were elected.
Supervisor, A. V. Burcham
Town Clerk, W. B. Flora
Assessor, Joseph Hurst
Collector, John Bunker
Road Commissioner, John Davis
School Trustee, G. H. Thompson
Overseers of Highways,
Dist. 1, George Woodward
Dist. 2, Anderson Paddock
Dist. 3, J.F. Smith
Dist. 4, J. L. Smith
Dist. 5, A. T. Light
Dist. 6, W. R. Kennedy
Dist. 7, James Roberts
Dist. 8, W. H. Thompson
Dist. 9, A. V. Burcham
Dist. 10, John Bunker
W. B. Flora was one of the firm of Flora & Newman. He came from Kentucky. He was in the Union army and was with the boys who were sent into Indiana and Ohio to arrest the ravages of Morgan and his "rides" in their raids in those states. "Morgan's Guerrillas" were a terror to the people and it was no picture show but one for real action that needed brave men to execute. They captured Morgan and placed him in prison.
Mr. Flora was held in great esteem. He had been a school teacher before he cam to Roberts. He filled many offices in this township and was supervisor when he was appointed to the office of county clerk in the nineties. He married a sister of E. L. Newman, his partner. Mr. Flora died several years ago after a life's service for his country.
George Woodward was the son of Samuel Woodward, the first supervisor in Lyman. He was a jovial fellow. He was given to jokes and pranks. The last time I saw him he told of a joke he and the Peck boys played of Rev. Lumund Wilcox. George Woodward was our near neighbor for several years. He moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, about fifty years ago. He died about ten years ago. His wife is still living. She was one of the pupils of the Marston school.
W. H. Thompson, overseer in dist. 8, is a stranger to me. I knew of several William Thompsons and this may be one of them with a wrong letter as his middle initial. District No. 8 included Roberts.
In March 1859, there came to this community a young man aged twenty-four years. He had come to America from Ireland six years previously. When he first came he worked in a hotel in Cincinnati. He then came to Chicago and worked in the Tremont House. At the age of twenty-four he decided that he should have a home of his own. He came to what was then Stockton township, Vermillion County, now Lyman township, Ford County. He purchased the northeast quarter of section twenty-six and built himself a home about the middle of the farm. This man was Patrick Russell a man whose name appears throughout all the records from 1859 to 1935 in our local history. He died several years ago but the family name is still here. During the seventy-six years since his landing here this farm has been in two counties and three townships. The Counties were Vermillion and Ford. The townships, Stockton, Brenton, and Lyman.
Three months after Mr. Russell landed here he had his farm ready to make his home real. He then returned to Chicago and shortly afterward came back here accompanied by Mrs. Patrick Russell, who had been Miss Mary Guilfoyle. After several years had passed the farm home was moved to the northeast corner of the farm where it has been replaced by a modern home. This is one of the very few homes that has never changed family ownership since the first sod was turned.
The school house formerly stood on this farm. Mr. Russell was a successful farmer, a good neighbor, and an interesting companion. I saw much more of him since 1900 than I did before that time. I occasionally met him in the earlier days. Mrs. Russell was a noble woman. Those who had mothers like Mrs. Russell are indeed fortunate. She was ever spoke of in the highest terms.
Mr. and Mrs. Russell had four sons and three daughter. Two sons and one daughter died in infancy. Two daughters, Ella and Margaret were teachers. Those still living are John who still live in Lyman township, in Roberts, and Ella (Mrs. Patrick Gallihue) who lives in Pella Township north east of Piper City. They are among the oldest persons now living here who were born in Lyman township.
As we said in an earlier paragraph of this letter, the Russell family still occupy the original Russell farm; to which they had added other farms. The third generation now occupy the place and the Hon. Joseph W. Russell is one of them.
Although the Russell family lived only four miles from my home I do not remember ever seeing them except in town during the early years. I may have seen them at social functions but do not remember. During the past forty years I have known them very well. I knew both John and Joseph and we that knew the work they did pronounced it well.
--Robert Herald. 19 June 1935.
by Bela Foster
Continuing . . .
In 1875 the town election was held in the hall. The hall had been erected by the Roberts Dramatic Club. It was used for church, school, elections, political meetings, social gatherings, wrestling matches, and once in a while a fistic bout took place within its walls. At the town meeting that year (1875) the following officers were elected.
Supervisor, A. V. Burcham
Town Clerk, W. B. Flora
Assessor, Joseph Hurst
Collector, John Bunker
Road Commissioner, John Davis
School Trustee, G. H. Thompson
Overseers of Highways,
Dist. 1, George Woodward
Dist. 2, Anderson Paddock
Dist. 3, J.F. Smith
Dist. 4, J. L. Smith
Dist. 5, A. T. Light
Dist. 6, W. R. Kennedy
Dist. 7, James Roberts
Dist. 8, W. H. Thompson
Dist. 9, A. V. Burcham
Dist. 10, John Bunker
W. B. Flora was one of the firm of Flora & Newman. He came from Kentucky. He was in the Union army and was with the boys who were sent into Indiana and Ohio to arrest the ravages of Morgan and his "rides" in their raids in those states. "Morgan's Guerrillas" were a terror to the people and it was no picture show but one for real action that needed brave men to execute. They captured Morgan and placed him in prison.
Mr. Flora was held in great esteem. He had been a school teacher before he cam to Roberts. He filled many offices in this township and was supervisor when he was appointed to the office of county clerk in the nineties. He married a sister of E. L. Newman, his partner. Mr. Flora died several years ago after a life's service for his country.
George Woodward was the son of Samuel Woodward, the first supervisor in Lyman. He was a jovial fellow. He was given to jokes and pranks. The last time I saw him he told of a joke he and the Peck boys played of Rev. Lumund Wilcox. George Woodward was our near neighbor for several years. He moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, about fifty years ago. He died about ten years ago. His wife is still living. She was one of the pupils of the Marston school.
W. H. Thompson, overseer in dist. 8, is a stranger to me. I knew of several William Thompsons and this may be one of them with a wrong letter as his middle initial. District No. 8 included Roberts.
In March 1859, there came to this community a young man aged twenty-four years. He had come to America from Ireland six years previously. When he first came he worked in a hotel in Cincinnati. He then came to Chicago and worked in the Tremont House. At the age of twenty-four he decided that he should have a home of his own. He came to what was then Stockton township, Vermillion County, now Lyman township, Ford County. He purchased the northeast quarter of section twenty-six and built himself a home about the middle of the farm. This man was Patrick Russell a man whose name appears throughout all the records from 1859 to 1935 in our local history. He died several years ago but the family name is still here. During the seventy-six years since his landing here this farm has been in two counties and three townships. The Counties were Vermillion and Ford. The townships, Stockton, Brenton, and Lyman.
Three months after Mr. Russell landed here he had his farm ready to make his home real. He then returned to Chicago and shortly afterward came back here accompanied by Mrs. Patrick Russell, who had been Miss Mary Guilfoyle. After several years had passed the farm home was moved to the northeast corner of the farm where it has been replaced by a modern home. This is one of the very few homes that has never changed family ownership since the first sod was turned.
The school house formerly stood on this farm. Mr. Russell was a successful farmer, a good neighbor, and an interesting companion. I saw much more of him since 1900 than I did before that time. I occasionally met him in the earlier days. Mrs. Russell was a noble woman. Those who had mothers like Mrs. Russell are indeed fortunate. She was ever spoke of in the highest terms.
Mr. and Mrs. Russell had four sons and three daughter. Two sons and one daughter died in infancy. Two daughters, Ella and Margaret were teachers. Those still living are John who still live in Lyman township, in Roberts, and Ella (Mrs. Patrick Gallihue) who lives in Pella Township north east of Piper City. They are among the oldest persons now living here who were born in Lyman township.
As we said in an earlier paragraph of this letter, the Russell family still occupy the original Russell farm; to which they had added other farms. The third generation now occupy the place and the Hon. Joseph W. Russell is one of them.
Although the Russell family lived only four miles from my home I do not remember ever seeing them except in town during the early years. I may have seen them at social functions but do not remember. During the past forty years I have known them very well. I knew both John and Joseph and we that knew the work they did pronounced it well.
--Robert Herald. 19 June 1935.
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