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EARLY SETTLERS OF SANGAMON COUNTY - 1876
By John Carroll Power

These biographies were submitted by a researcher and evidently abstracted from the 1876 History of Sangamon County, IL. Errors could occur, so one should always verify the correctness by obtaining copies of vitals and performing all necessary research to document what is contained herein.



ALLEN, WILLIAM S., was born June 16, 1774, in Bourbon county, Ky. He was married to Abigail Snedegar. They had five children in Kentucky. Mr. Allen came to Sangamon county in 1835, purchased land and prepared a house. He returned to Kentucky and brought his family, arriving Nov. 1, 1836, in what is now Ball township. Of their children,

MARIA L., born in Bourbon county, Ky., was married there to Shelton Watts. They had three children there, and moved to Sangamon county in 1839. Of their children, NANCY J. married John Drennan, and resides near Tolono, Champaign county, Ill. WILLIAM S. married Sarah Knotts, and resides near Tolono, Ill. BENJ. FRANKLIN married Isabel F. Thompson. See R. B. Thompson sketch. Shelton Watts died July 16, 1843, and his widow married John Brownell. See his name.

MARY E., born Feb. 28, 1819, in Bourbon county, Ky., was married in Sangamon county, Ill., June 16, 1841, to James W. Stephenson. They had nine children. MARGARET A., born July 16, 1842, was married Sept. 2, 1875, to Andrew Little. They reside near New Canton, Ill. JAMES A., born June 30, 1843, WILLIAM E., born July 24, 1845, FINIS E., born Oct. 18, 1849, and PRESLEY B., born March 14, 1851, reside with their parents. MARY E., born Nov. 7, 1854, was married June 6, 1872, and resides in Mexico, Mo., and ELLEN, born Sept. 9, 1856, resides with her parents. Two children died in infancy. James W. Stephenson and family reside near New Canton, Ill.

NANCY died in Kentucky, aged 19 years.

WATERMAN P., born Jan. 8, 1820, in Bourbon county, Ky., was married in Sangamon county, Feb., 1849, to Louisa Watts. They have four children. MARIA L. and WILLIAM S. reside with their father. MARY E. was married Oct. 29, 1873, to John L. Clayton, and resides in Ball township. JULIA A. resides with her father. Mrs. Louisa Allen died Nov. 26, 1857, and W. P. Allen was married Oct. 18, 1858, to Catharine Vaughn. They have six children, MARGARET E., HARRIET R., LOUISA J., JOHN, JOSEPH F. and ALPH. R., and reside in Ball township, on the farm settled by Mr. Allen's father, in 1836.

JOHN W., born in Kentucky, brought up in Sangamon county, was married in Menard county, Illinois, to Jane Watkins. they reside near Atlantic, Cass county, Iowa.

Mrs. Abigail Allen died Sept. 10, 1843, and William S. Allen died Dec. 11, 1848, both in Sangamon county, Ill.



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