LANGSTON, JECHONIAH
, was born in the year 1769, in South Carolina. His father was a Whig, and Jechoniah was often sent by his father to convey information to Whigs of the whereabouts and doings of the Tories. On one occasion the Tories were about to kill his father, and he informed the Whig soldiers in time to save his life. He was then about ten years old, and soon after, some of the Tory soldiers caught him, and taking a leather strap used for fastening their extra clothing behind them on their saddles, they hung hung him to a beam outside his father's barn, and watched him until he ceased to manifest any signs of life; and then took him down to save the strap, and left him on the ground dead, as they supposed; but after a long time he came to life. He was married in South Carolina, and after the birth of one child, his wife died. He left the child there, and went to Wayne county, Ky., where he was married to Nancy Dodson. They had three children in Kentucky, and moved to Champaign county, Ohio, where two children were born; and then moved to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving Feb., 1820, in what is now Fancy Creek township, where they had four children. Of their children--JOSEPH D., born Dec. 25, 1805, in Wayne county, Ky., married July 23, 1829, to Elizabeth Cantrall. She was born Aug. 29, 1808, in Ohio. They had five living children in Sangamon county. WILLIAM C., born April 25, 1830, married Oct. 28, 1851, to Elizabeth J. Fagan, who died Dec. 26, 1853, and he married June 17, 1855, to Eliza J. King. They live in Fancy Creek township, seven miles north of Springfield. EMILY, born in 1832, married Asaph Bates. They had five children, THERESA E., JOHN T., ELIZABETH A., EMILY S., and JOSEPH W., and Mrs. Bates died May 8, 1872. THERESA and JOHN, twins, born May 11, 1834. She died June 22, 1856. JOHN married April 11, 1862, to Martha Price. They had one child, EVA JANE, and he enlisted Aug., 1862, in Co. C, 114th Ill. Inf., for three years. He was killed at the battle of Nashville, Tenn., Dec. 15, 1864. JAMES B. born Nov. 29, 1836, married Eliza Taylor; have five children, SARAH A., MARY A., JOHN O., IDA S., and BEULAH, and live near his father, in Menard county. Joseph D. Langston and wife reside in Menard county, one mile north of Sangamon county line, and one mile west of Peoria road, and fifteen miles north of Springfield.
Joseph D. Langston remembers that during the fourteen months from the time his father moved into his new home until Sangamon county was organized, they were under the jurisdiction of Madison county, and the authorities at Edwardsville claimed that they were entitled to some revenue from the isolated settlers. They were so scattered that it was not thought advisable to send out an assessor, and after him a collector, but the sheriff, Bowling Whitesides, would send out a deputy, with instructions to assess and collect as he went. Mr. Langston remembers that late in 1820 or early in 1821, the deputy came, riding one horse and leading another, with a pack saddle on it. He would engage in a promiscuous conversation, and without making his business known, would fix some value on their property. He would direct the conversation in such a manner as to ascertain how many coon skins they had on hand. He would then make his business known, and proceed to make his assessment and collection. Mr. Langston said it was a remarkable fact that the tax in almost every case amounted to exactly the number of coon skins they had on hand. When the officer had accumulated all his horse could carry, he would go to Edwardsville, make a deposit, and return for another load. And that was the way the first revenue was collected in Sangamon county.
JAMES W., born June 15, 1808, in Wayne county, Ky., married in Sangamon county, Nov. 11, 1838, to Mrs. Harriet L. Skinner, whose maiden name was Constant. They had five children in Sangamon county. WILLIAM H., born July 6, 1841, enlisted June 10, 1862, in Co. H, 70th Ill. Inf., for three months, served four months and thirteen days as Sergeant, and was honorably discharged Oct. 23, 1862. He again enlisted, Jan. 30, 1864, in the naval service for one year, at Mound City, Ill., served until May 4, 1865, when he was honorably discharged at Philadelphia. He was married Nov. 3, 1870. at Jacksonville, Ill., to Belle B. Rowe, who was born Sept. 12, 1848, at Hazleton, Luzerne county, Pa. They have one child, IRENE, and reside at Louisana, Pike county, Mo. MARY G., born July 19, 1843, married April 10, 1866, to George W. Thompson, who was born March, 1837, in Washington county, New York. He was Captain of a company in the 16th Ill. Inf., and served from 1862 to the end of the rebellion. They have four children, HARRIET M., LAURA L., LILIAN GRANT and GERTRUDE, and reside near Warrensburg, Macon county, Illinois. ELIZA J., born April 23, 1846, is unmarried, and lives with her mother. MARTHA E., born Oct. 3, 1849, and died in her eleventh year. LAURA died in her second year. James W. Langston died March 16, 1855, and his widow, Mrs. Harriet Langston, resides in Mechanicsburg, Illinois.
JECHONIAH, Jun., born in Wayne county, Ky., married in Sangamon county to Mary Martin. They had eight children. Mr. Langston died, and his family live near Macomb, McDonough county, Illinois.
MARTHA, born April 20, 1816, in Champaign county, Ohio, married in Sangamon connty, Dec. 1, 1844, to John R. McKee, who was born Nov. 10, 1820, near Cincinnati, Ohio. They had one child, EMMA, who died in her third year. Mr. McKee enlisted, Aug. 1, 1861, in Co. F, 33d Ill. Inf., for three years. He re-enlisted Dec. 31, 1863, at Indianola, Texas, and served until Oct., 1865, when about one month before his regiment he was mustered out. Mr. and Mrs. McKee live at Williamsville, Illinois.
MARY G., born in Ohio, married in Sangamon county, Aug. 13, 1840, to Alexander M. Doake, who was born in Kentucky. They both died, leaving one child, MARGARET J., who married to Lewis Ludy. They have five children, and live at Emporia, Kansas.
MARGARET, born in Sangamon county, married Isaac Booth. They both died, leaving one child, ALICE, who married George Simpson. They live in Missouri.
NANCY H., born in Sangamon county, married Joseph Shepherd. They had one child, CHARLES, who died, aged seven years. Mr. S. died, and she married Samuel Yocom. See his name.
ELIZABETH, born in Sangamon county, married John Ludy, moved to Emporia, Lyons county, Kansas. Mrs. Ludy died, leaving five children, three of whom died. The family live at Emporia, Kansas.
JANE, born in Sangamon county, married Lewis Ludy, and died in Sangamon county, leaving two children.
Jechoniah Langston died, Feb., 1852, in Sangamon county. His widow moved to Kansas, and died, Aug. 19, 1866, near Emporia, Lyons county.