PHILEMON STOUT. Many of our readers will recognize this name as that of a prominent and popular resident of Ball Township. The Stout family is well known in the county and is looked upon as one of the most respected, honorable and useful in this section. The origin of the family in America is quite romantic. Sometime during the seventeenth century a young couple just married in Holland embarked on a vessel bound for the New World. The voyage was prosperous until they were nearing the port of New Amsterdam, now New York, when the vessel was wrecked off the coast of New Jersey and nearly all on board drowned.

The young Hollanders escaped with a small number of others and succeeded in reaching the shore where they were attached by Indians and the entire party tomahawked and left for dead. The young wife survived, although scalped and otherwise mangled, having her bowels cut out and these she had to carry in her apron. She had sufficient strength to crawl from the scene of the slaughter and secrete herself in a hollow concealed by underbrush. She lay there a day or two, during which time her mental and bodily sufferings may be imagined but cannot be described. She finally made up her mind that she would die of hunger and thirst if she remained quiet, while if she attempted to seek sustenance she would again be exposed to death at the hands of the savages. Reasoning that the latter would be preferable to starvation she summoned her remaining strength, and dragged herself out to an open space where she would be seen by the Indians whom she thought were near, as a deer had just passed with an arrow sticking in its body. Three Indians appeared on the trail and seeing her two of them rushed forward with uplifted tomahawks, but the third, a chief, restrained them. He took her to New Amsterdam where he received a ransom for her, and she was thus placed in the hands of friends who gave her proper surgical treatment and nursing. The name of her husband is not known, but her name was Van Princess, and her Christian name, Penelope, has stood in tradition and literature for more than twenty-five centuries for the highest ideal of a true and loyal wife. Our modern Penelope had no doubts as to the death of her husband, for she had been an eye-witness to the catastrophe. After her recovery she became acquainted with and married an Englishman, Richard Stout by name. They went to New Jersey where they made a home and reared a family of twelve sons. Penelope Stout lived to be one hundred and eleven years old and at the time of her death her posterity numbered four hundred and seven.

One of the sons, Jonathan Stout, and his family were the founders of the Hopewell settlement in Hunterdon County, N.J., where the Hopewell Baptist Church was afterward organized with fifteen members, nine being Stouts. The society was founded at the house of a Stout and for thirty years th meetings were held chiefly at the houses of the Stouts, after which they erected their first house of worship. Jonathan Stout lived until his descendants were multiplied to one hundred and seventeen.

Richard and Penelope Stout's youngest son was David, from whom our subject is directly descended. The line is traced through Benjamin, Jedediah and Philemon, Sr. The last named was born in New Jersey, May 15, 1785, and in childhood went with his parents to Fayette County, Ky. He was married in Woodford County, February 8, 1810, to Penelope Anderson, a native of Mercer County, N.J. Soon after their marriage this couple settled in Scott County, but in 1820 returned to Fayette County. In 1836 they came with their seven children to this county and located in Ball Township. They made their journey in the primitive fashion, with a team and wagon, and crossed the Ohio River at Louisville, Ky., and the Wabash at Vincennes.

The father of our subject bought three hundred and fifty acres of land where the son of whom we write now lives. There he occupied a log house and devoted himself to agricultural employment until his death, January 31, 1846. His good wife lived until November 23, 1860, and was an inmate of the home of our subject when called hence. They were the parents of thirteen children, seven of whom grew to maturity. Of these Jackson died in Ball Township in 1839; Elihu is farming in Auburn Township; charlotte A., is the wife of S. L. Ridgeway and lives in Maryville, Mo; Mary, formerly the wife of Dickson Hall, died in Taylorville in 1890; Eliza P. is the widow of William Forbes of Woodside Township; Martha A. married R. G. Simpson and lives in Ball Township; our subject is the fourth among this number.

Philemon Stout, Jr., was born near Georgetown, Scott County, Ky., April 19, 1822. He lived in Fayette County until he was nearly fifteen years old when he accompanied his parents to this State. He was rather a weakly child, but he attended the district schools whenever it was possible to do so, while living in Kentucky. In this State he had but four weeks' schooling. He helped his father to improve the raw land, doing the breaking and cultivating with oxen and a plow with wooden moldboard and iron share. The greatest drawback to the comfort of the family was ague and other sickness. They hauled grain and drove cattle to St. Louis, Mo., which was the nearest important market.

After the death of his father our subject sill remained on the homestead, contributing to the support of the family and finally buying the farm. Success crowned his efforts in raising grain and dealing in stock, and starting with three hundred and fifty acres on section 10, Ball Township, he became the owner of over two thousand acres in Woodside and Pawnee Townships, for which he paid as high as $57 per acre. His present prosperity he attributes to the blessings of Providence. In 1884 he deeded two-thirds of his property to his children and now has seven hundred and seventy acres in his possession. All the land is tillable and well improved, there being five tenant houses upon it. It consists of four hundred and eighty acres on section 15, two hundred and fifty acres on section 10, and forty acres on section 16. Mr. Stout carries on the home farm of two hundred and fifty acres, feeding cattle and raising diversified crops. In 1854 he put up a fine residence and other buildings have been erected as need required, while thrifty orchards and well-kept groves add to the beauty and value of the farm. The home estate is nine miles from Springfield and is well supplied with living springs and water from Sugar Creek.

In Ball Township in 1848 the marriage rites were celebrated between our subject and Melissa Shoup. The lady was born in Piqua, Ohio, to Jacob and Sarah (Downing) Shoup, the former a native of Pennsylvania. In 1832 Mr. and Mrs. Shoup came to this State, where the husband farmed until his death. That event took place in 1848 and his wife passed away two years later. They were the parents of sixteen children. Mrs. Melissa Stout shared her husband's fortunes until 1855 when she breathed her last. Of the four children whom she bore, the first-born, Samuel J., is the only survivor. Sarah P. and George W. died in early childhood and John F. when ten years old.

Samuel J. Stout was born August 22, 1849, received his early education in the common schools of the township and then spent a year and a half at Lincoln University. He now owns sixteen hundred acres of land in this county, three hundred and ninety-three acres being in Woodside and the rest in Ball Township. He has valuable improvements on his land and is the largest stock-dealer and breeder in the township. He raises Polled Angus cattle and is the keeper of the animals belonging to the Percheron Horse Company, of which he is a member. He belongs to the Agricultural Society of Sangamon County and is a Director and Stockholder of the Farmer's Bank in Springfield. He has been Township Supervisor two terms. In politics he is a Democrat. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, holding membership in the Blue Lodge at Chatham, the Chapter at Auburn and the commandery at Springfield. He is one of the most popular men of the county, as well he may be, being full of energy, intelligence and social spirit. He was married July 29, 1870, to Emma Brassfield, a native of Menard County, who died December 20, 1875. In 1881 Mr. Stout married Emma Davidson, who was born in Pawnee Township, this county, March 25, 1858. Her father, Samuel Davidson, is a prominent farmer. This union has been blest by the birth of three children - Nellie Van Princess, Samuel Philemon and Emma Melissa.

The subject of our sketch contracted a second marriage near Athens, Menard County, in 1856. His bride was Miss Louisa P. Brassfield, who was born in Madison County, Ky. Her father, James E. Brassfield, was an early settler in Menard County, and he and his wife spent their last years in the home of our subject. To Mr. Stout and his present wife three children have been born. The eldest, James, is bookkeeper and stockholder in the Farmers' Bank at Springfield; the youngest, Melissa M., is the wife of William t. Lewis, teller in the same bank; Joab P., the second child was born April 3, 1860, and is successfully engaged in farming in Ball Township, owning and operating four hundred acres of well-improved land. He was married in Coles County, September 15, 1886, to Ida F. Sawin, a daughter of Elder John G. and Louisa (Jones) Sawin. Her parents were born in Indiana and Coles County, respectively, and her father combines the occupations of a farmer, a merchant and a minister in the Baptist church. Mrs. Ida Stout was graduated from Lee's Academy in Coles County, Ill.; she is the mother of two children - John Philemon and Frank S.

The subject of this sketch has been School Director and Trustee for years, has served in the capacity of Highway Commissioner several terms and as Township Supervisor for six years. He was formerly Justice of the Peace but resigned the office. He belongs to the Democratic party and is a strong advocate of temperance. His religious belief is expressed by the creed of the Baptist Church in which he has been a Deacon for years. He gave the site for the house of worship and contributed to the building fund. He is a man of liberal nature and his abundant means provide him with opportunities for assisting in all worthy enterprises. He is good-natured, hospitable, proves a jolly companion and one whose fund of information is found to be extensive.

In connection with this biographical review the reader will be pleased to notice a lithographic portrait of Mr. Stout.