All Rights Reserved © Copyright 1999, 2000 All material contained on these pages are furnished for the free use of those engaged researching their family origins. Any commercial use, without the consent of the host/author of these pages is prohibited. We have tried to use images that were obtained from sources permitting free distribution, or generated by the author, and are subject to the same restrictions/permissions. All persons contributing material for posting on these pages does so in recognition of their free, non-commercial distribution, and further, is responsible to assure that no copyright is violated by their submission.
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.



BROWNELL, JOHN, was born Aug. 14, 1800, in Rhode Island. During his infancy his parents moved to Seneca county, N. Y. He came west with the family of William Seely. Mr. B. and the other members of his family came by water to Shawneetown, and from there in wagons, arriving in what is now Ball township, July 5, 1819. John Brownell was married to Nancy Pulliam, in 1821. Of their eleven children born in Sangamon county, two died in infancy. Of the nine living--

WILLIAM, born Dec. 10, 1822, in Sangamon county, was married Jan. 20, 1848, to Elizabeth Bridges. They had four living children, and Mrs. B. died, Feb. 17, 1869. Mr. Brownell was married in Sangamon county, Dec. 29, 1869, to Sarah E. Vaughan, who was born Mar. 3, 1840, in Kentucky. They had two children. Of the children by his first marriage, MARGARET J., born Nov. 24, 1848, in Sangamon county, was married Nov. 3, 1866, to John M. Sutton, who was born July 29, 1845, in Michigan. They have three living children, WILLIAM N., DELLA M. and BURTIE E. J. M. Sutton resides in Auburn. JOHN W., MIRANDA I. and COLUMBUS V., and by the second marriage, ORAH V. and EDWARD, reside with their father. William Brownell and family reside in Auburn.

WILSON K., born Jan. 18, 1825, in Sangamon county, was married May 17, 1855, to Sarah Murphy, a native of Maine. They had two children, ELIZA and SARAH, and Mrs. B. died, Feb., 1859. Wilson K. married Polly A. Lawson. They had four children, who all died. Mrs. Polly Brownell died, and Wilson K. resides in Ball township.

GEORGE W., born July 16, 1827, was married Jan. 20, 1848, in Sangamon county, to Miranda Bridges. They had ten children. MARY ISABEL, born Nov. 5, 1848, was married May 26, 1864, to Henry Willard, who was born in Missouri in 1841. They had two children,

IDA A. and GEORGETTA. Mr. W. died, and she married May 20, 1869, to Calvin McClure, who was born in Ohio Feb. 10, 1829. They had one child, GERTRUDE. Mr. McClure died March 15, 1873, and Mrs. McC. married James McCulley, who was born Aug. 18, 1848, in Sangamon county. They have one child, ISAAC F., and reside in Chatham township. JOHN I., born June 7, 1850, was married Aug. 27, 1873, to Susanna Graves, who was born Feb. 14, 1849, in Macoupin county. They have one child, CLARENCE H., and reside near Taylorville, Ill. WILLIAM W., born Aug. 2, 1852. BEBECCA E., born Jan. 15, 1855, in Sangamon county, was married Nov. 13, 1872, to James Hurst. They have one living child, WILLIAM. MELISSA M., born Jan. 25, 1856, married Nov. 20, 1873, to Isaac Bowls, who was born in Ohio, in Dec., 1852. JOSEPH S., NANCY J., GEORGE H., VIOLA M. and CHARLES E.; the latter died in infancy. All the other unmarried children reside with their parents, near Taylorville, Christian county, Ill.

MARY A., born Dec. 12, 1829, was married March 13, 1849, to Pleasant Kent, who was born in Ohio. They had twelve children, seven living. One child, ELIZA, married William Miller. They have two children, and reside in Woodside township, Sangamon county.

IRRILDA J., born June 26, 1832, in Sangamon county, was married Feb. 22, 1853, in same county, to L. T. Porterfield, who was born May 16, 1833. They had eight children; two died young. Of the other six, JOHN H., MARIA M., AMANDA J., FRANCIS L., MARY L. and HATTIE J. L. T. Porterfield died April 26, 1869. His widow and children reside in Auburn, Sangamon county, Ill.

ELIZABETH M., born Dec. 9, 1835, in Sangamon county, was married July 29, 1856, in same county, to Milton Pike, who was born June 5, 1823. See his name. They had eight children; one died in infancy. ALICE and LILLIE, twins, born June 5, 1857; Lillie died June 13, 1867, and Alice died April 9, 1872. MARY M., EDDIE F., HATTIE T., FREDDIE B. and MINNIE A. Mr. Pike and family reside in Auburn, Sangamon county, Ill.

MARIA L., born July 24, 1838, was married June 2, 1857, in Sangamon county, to Joseph C. Campbell, who was born in Wayne county, Ill. He enlisted Sept. 6, 1861, in Co. I, 29th Reg. Ill. Vol. Inf., died Sept. 15, 1864. His widow married James Rape, and they reside near Taylorville, Ill.

FRANKLIN, born Aug. 23, 1843, married Sarah Reed. They had four children; two died young. They reside in Ball township.

FRANCIS M., born April 3, 1846, in Sangamon county, was married Sept. 4, 1871, in Macoupin county, to Emma Brooks, who was born Jan. 28, 1844, in Kent county, Delaware. They reside in Auburn.

Mrs. Nancy Brownell died Aug. 28, 1856, and John Brownell was married March 29, 1860, to Mrs. Maria L. Watts, whose maiden name was Allen. They reside in Ball township, on land entered by Mr. Brownell in 1822.



Return to 1876 Biography Index
Return to Sangamon County ILGenWeb