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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.



POLEY, JOSEPH, was born Feb. 1, 1802, in Logan county, Ky. His father, Charles Poley, or Pouley, was a native of Paris, France, and was educated there with the view of his becoming a preacher in the Lutheran church. When he came to America he abandoned the ministry, married, moved to Logan county, Ky., and brought up a family there. He then moved to Muhlenburgh county, in the same State, where his daughter, Pauline, married John Jacob Rauch. See his name. Joseph Poley, whose name heads this sketch, was married there, Nov. 20, 1825, to Hannah Gossett, and moved to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving in the fall of 1829 in what is now Auburn township. They had four children--

ELISHA, born Sept. 20, 1826, in Muhlenburgh county, Ky., and married in Sangamon county to Sally Shaver, who died, and he married Mary E. Thrasher. They moved overland, in company with his brother-in-law, Abram Gamble, arriving with their families in Solano county, California, in Sept., 1860. In November, Mr. Poley and Mr. Gamble rode five miles on horseback, without saddles, to vote for Abraham Lincoln. A few years later, Mr. Poley moved back to Auburn, Sangamon county. They have three children--JOSEPH G. and ELBERT, born in California, and HARRY, born in Sangamon county. Elisha Poley is a member of the firm of Poley & Butler, commission merchants, Chicago, Illinois, and now--August, 1876--expects to move his family there, from Auburn, soon.

NANCY C., born March 24, 1828, in Muhlenburgh county, Ky., was married at the homestead in Sangamon county, Oct. 23, 1851, to Thomas S. Parks. See his name.

LIZZIE and WILLIE both died young.

Mrs. Hannah Poley died in 1832, in Sangamon county, and Joseph Poley was married, Nov. 6, 1834, in the same county, to Frances Gates. See Gates family. They had ten children in Sangamon county.

ALONZO G., the youngest, died in infancy.

Of the other nine--

BENJAMIN F., born Aug. 8, 1835 in Sangamon county, married, Dec. 30 1863, to Nancy E. Groves, who was born April 1, 1843, in Macoupin county, Ill They have three living children, FLORA ANSON and ORVILLE, and reside four and one-half miles southeast of Au?? burn, Sangamon county, Illinois.

PETER J., born in 1836, and died Nov. 15, 1859.

MARY C., born May 5, 1838 in San gamon county, was married, June 4, 1857?? to Abram Gamble, who was born Dec. 25, 1825, in Carroll county, Ohio. They have three living children, CHARLES E., FANNIE L. and GEORGE A. In 1859 Mr. and Mrs. Gamble moved to Kansas, and in the spring of 1860 they were joined by Elisha Poley with hi?? family and Benjamin F. Poley, and moved overland to California. Mr. and Mrs. Gamble returned to Auburn in 1866. No enjoying good health here, they started in the spring of 1867, and crossed the plains to California. They now--1876-?? reside in Napa City, Napa county, California.

CAROLINE, born Dec. 16, 1839, in Sangamon county, married, March ?? 1864, to B. O. Foster. They have three children, FLORENCE P., CARRI?? A. and FRANK L. Mr. and Mrs. Foster lived several years in California, but now--1876--they reside in Auburn, Sangamon county, Illinois.

ISAAC J., born April 14, 1842, i?? Sangamon county, was married Oct. 3?? 1865, in Adams county, Illinois, to Mar?? C. Wolf, a native of that county. The had four children--LORENA died in infancy. LENA A., GENEVRA and LEWIS ELMORE live with their parents. Isaac J. Poley is a banker in Auburn, Sangamon county, Illinois, and resides there.

MATILDA F., born Jan. 10, 1844, in Sangamon county, was married, Nov. 2?? 1862, to G. W. Barnett. They have three living children, ADAH F., FREDDIE C. and ARTHUR, and reside near Carlinville, Illinois.

JOSEPH, Jun., born May 1?? 1846, in Sangamon county, was married April 15, 1873, at Liberty, Adams county Illinois, to Josephine Collins, who was born June 28, 1852, in that county. The have one child, WILMER M., and reside on his farm, near Auburn, Illinois.

LOUISA E., born July 4, 1848, in Sangamon county, married, April 1, 1868, to J. K. Reeder, and reside near Auburn, Illinois.

CHARLES M., born Nov. 30, 1850, in Sangamon county, is not yet married--August, 1876--and resides with his mother.

Joseph Poley died Aug. 17, 1866, and his widow, Mrs. Frances Poley, resides at the family homestead, two and a half miles southeast of Auburn, Sangamon county, Illinois. Joseph Poley acted as justice of the peace for many years; he was a man whose counsels were often sought by his neighbors. His advice, when followed, always led to the settlement of difficulties without litigation, and in a peaceful and friendly manner. His five sons and five sons-in-law are all, with perhaps one exception, free from the use of tobacco, and all avoid intoxicating drinks. Neither of them was ever charged with an act in violation of law; and it is averred by one of the sons-in-law, that, as a logical sequence, they all invariably vote the Republican ticket.

Mr. Poley brought some money with him to the county, but his greatest success was after coming here. He left his heirs the title to three thousand acres of land, two thousand five hundred of it was in one body.



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