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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.



GATTON, MRS. RUTH, was born in 1775. Her husband, Thomas Gatton, died in 1828, in Grayson county, Ky. Mrs. Gatton with her daughters, Maria and Eliza, came to Sangamon county, under the care of her son Josephus, who had returned to Kentucky to be present at the death of his father. Of her children who came to Sangamon county--

JOHN A., born March 11, 1797, in Washington county, Ky., was married in Grayson county to Anna Newton. They had two children in Kentucky, and moved to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving Oct. 16, 1827, in what is now Ball township, where five children were born. Of their seven children--MONICA, born in Kentucky, was married in Sangamon county to Benjamin Burtle. See his name. THOMAS O., born Feb. 17, 1826, in Grayson county, Ky., was married in Sangamon county, Dec. 26, 1850, to Melinda Harper. They had cleven children, six of whom died young. Of the five living--ROSETTA, STEPHEN A. D., and MARY J., were born in Sangamon county, Ill. RUTH J. and MARTHA F. were born in Kansas. T. O. Gatton resides near Osage Mission, Neosho county, Kansas. JOSEPHUS, born in Sangamon county, married Mary E. Harper. They had one child, and Mrs. Mary E. Gatton died. Josephus Gatton married Rebecca McNeely. They live in Cotton Hill township. RUTH A. married Robert Gatton, and lives in Auburn, Sangamon county, Ill. JOHN W. lives in Ball township. SARAH E. married James H. Burtle. See his name. She died. THERESA lives with James H. Burtle. John A. Gatton died in Feb., 1847, and Mrs. Anna Gatton died Oct., 1865, both in Ball township, and are buried near St. Bernard Catholic church, Sangamon county, Ill.

THOMAS, born October, 1804, in Washington county, Ky., was married in Grayson county, Ky., to Martina Thompson, and came to Sangamon county in 1828. A few years later he went to Galena and engaged in lead mining. He moved to Dubuque, thence to DeWitt, Clinton county, Iowa, where the parents both died, leaving three children.

JOSEPHUS, born Sept. 13, 1806, in Washington county, Ky., was taken by his parents, in 1813, to Grayson county, Ky. From there he came to Sangamon county, arriving Oct. 16, 1827, in what is now Ball township. He returned to Kentucky at the time of his father's death. He experienced all the hardships of the deep snow of 1830 and '31. For several weeks the family lived on bread made of corn that was beaten with a pestle until fine enough, then sifted through a deer skin which was stretched over a hoop and burned full of holes with a hot iron. He says the happiest time of his life was when he was able to go to mill and obtain two sacks of corn meal. When the Black Hawk war broke out he did not wish to go, but his mother said her brothers were soldiers in the Revolution, and she wished him to go and never return with a wound in his back. He enlisted in a Sangamon county company, did his duty, and returned in safety. Josephus Gatton was married in Sangamon county, July 24, 1834, to Mary Burtle. They had five living children. RUTH E., born April 16, 1835, was married in 1859 to James A. Able. They have five children, JOSEPH, MARY E., WILLIAM, EMMA and CHARLES, and reside one and a half miles southwest of Pawnee. SARAH E., born May 25, 1837, married John W. Bell. See his name. THOMAS J., born Aug. 23, 1838, married Angeline Durbin. He died April 20, 1867, leaving a widow and three children near St. Bernard's church, Sangamon county, Ill. MARY M., born Feb. 13, 1840, married Nathan J. Durbin. They have six children, and reside in Cotton Hill township. WILLIAM W., born Aug. 19, 1841, lives with his father. Mrs. Mary Gatton died May 5, 1843, and Josephus Gatton was married Jan. 29, 1844, to Eveline Husband. They had six children. J. NEWTON, born Oct. 21, 1844, was married Dec. 15, 1859, to Georgetta C. Mourer. They have two children, GEORGIA and FRANKIE, and reside six miles south of Springfield. ELIZA J., born Feb. 1, 1847, was married Oct. 5, 1870, to John L. Bliss, who was born in Bath county, Ky., Aug. 20, 1846. They have one child, LUELLA, and live seven miles south of Springfield. JAMES H., JOSEPHUS M., SUSAN E. and WATSON T., live with their mother. Josephus Gatton died March 25, 1876, and was buried at Oak Ridge cemetery, Springfield. His widow and children reside six miles south of Springfield.

MARIA, born March 13, 1811, in Kentucky, married James Miller, who died, and she married Joseph Burtle. See his name.

ELIZA E., born May 17, 1813, in Kentucky, married James Burtle. See his name.

Mrs. Ruth Gatton died October, 1832, near St. Bernard's church, Sangamon county, Ill.



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