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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.




LAWLEY, STEPHEN, born July 22, 1777, in North Carolina, was married there to Mrs. Abigail Wilson, and moved to Smith county, Tenn., where they had four children, and moved to Springfield, Ill., arriving in the spring of 1828. He remained one year near Springfield, and in the spring of 1829 moved to what is now Ball township, ten miles south of Springfield. Of their four children--

MARY, born in Tennessee, was married there to William Wright. They came to Sangamon county in 1827, one year before her father, lived two years near Springfield, and in the spring of 1829 moved to what is now Ball township. The next year the family returned to Tennessee. The parents died there, leaving five children.

ELIZABETH, born in Tennessee, was married there to Paschal Wright. They came to Sangamon county in 1828, with her father. About 1835, the family returned to Tennessee. They had seven children; all lived to be men and women.

PRUDENCE, born in Smith county, Tennessee, was married there to Leonard Fry. They moved to Sangamon county, in 1827, first living in what is now Cotton Hill township, and afterwards moved to Ball township. where they raised a family of eight children. In the fall of 1870, they moved to Bates county, Mo., except one daughter, Mary, who married Barnes Peak, have three children, and live near Edinburg, Christian county, Illinois.

WILLIAM B., born June 24, 1811, in Smith county, Tennessee, came to Springfield with his father, in 1828, and in 1829 went to what is now Ball township. He was married, Dec. 25, 1831, to Amy Meredith. They had two children. DAVIS W., born Nov. 15, 1832, in Sangamon county, was married there to Cassandra Peddecord. They had two children, MARY E. and DAVIS F. D. W. Lawley enlisted Aug. 15, 1862, in Co. E, 114th Ill. Inf., for three years; served full term, and was honorably discharged Aug. 3, 1865. For a second wife, he married Mary Ann Ray. They had four children, IDA F., JAMES W., LUELLA MAY and EVA I. D. W. Lawley lives in Cotton Hill township. STEPHEN T., born Nov. 23, 1836, married in 1859 Mary A. Gaines, a native of Indiana. They have six children, SARAH E., AMY J., MARY M., MARGARET L., ALBERT W., CHARLES A., and LAURA H., and live in Cotton Hill township. Mrs. Amy Lawley died Sept. 12, 1838, and William B. Lawley was married Nov. 28, 1839, to Sarah M. Duncan. They have eight living children. RUTH J., born Sept. 13, 1840, in Sangamon county, married in 1850 to Lawrence Saltenger. They have six children, WILLIAM S., ELMER E., JAMES E., FRANCIS E., MINNIE C., and MARY V., and live near Palmer, Christian county, Ill. ELIJAH D., born Sept. 9, 1842, in Sangamon county, enlisted in Aug., 1862, in Co. E, 114th Ill. Inf., for three years. He was wounded and taken prisoner at the battle of Guntown, Mississippi, June 10, 1864. He was a prisoner to the close of the rebellion, and was disabled for life. He was married in 1868 to Sarah J. Boyd. They have two children, LEWIS E. and FREDDIE, and live at Macon, Macon county, Ill. JAMES P., born Dec. 10, 1844, in Sangamon county, was too young to enlist with his brothers, but ran off, and enlisted July, 1863, in Co. E, 114th Ill. Inf., at Black River. Miss. Served to the end of the rebellion, and was honorably discharged. He was married in 1869 to Nancy J. Jones. They have one child, ROBERT W., and live in Palmer, Christian county, Illinois. AMANDA E., born June 9, 1849, in Sangamon county, married in 1868 to John B. Matthew. See his name. They have two children, CHARLES E. and GEORGE R, and live at Mt. Auburn, Ill. SARAH M., LEONARD W., FRANCIS J., JEROME F. and PRUDENCE A. live with their parents. William B. Lawley and wife live ten miles south of Springfield, in Ball township, Sangamon county, Illinois.

Mrs. Abigail Lawley died Jan. 6, 1853, and Stephen Lawley died Dec. 28, 1861, both on the farm where they settled in 1829, in Ball township, Sangamon county, Illinois.




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