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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.



ROLL, WILLIAM, was born near Springfield, Essex county, N. J. He engaged in school teaching at Green Village, Morris county, and was there married, Feb. 9, 1809, to Mary Eddy, who was born Feb. 18, 1793. They had eight children, and moved to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving June 7, 1830, at the house of his great-uncle, Jacob C. Roll, near the town of Sangamo, and a few weeks later moved into the town, where they had one child. Of their nine children--

ANN P., born August 11, 1810, in New Jersey, married in Sangamon county, to Alfred Riley. They had four children; one died, aged fifteen. WILLIAM, born April 11, 1835, is married, and lives in Springfield, Ill. LUTHER, born Oct. 10, 1836, is married, and lives in Springfield, Ill. HARRIET lives with her mother. Alfred Riley was run over by a team in the streets of Springfield, and after two days' suffering, died Nov. 23, 1870. His widow lives in Springfield, Illinois.

PHEBE L., born March 1, 1812, in New Jersey, married Thomas S. Edwards, who died in Bureau county. She lives with her brother, John E. Roll.

JOHN E., born June 9, 1814, at Green Village, N. J. came to Sangamon county June 7, 1830, married Jan. 31, 1839, to Harriet Vandyke, who was born Jan. 29, 1815, in New York City. They had three living children in Springfield. WILLIAM V., born November 6, 1839, FRANK P., born March 7, 1852, and JOHN L., born June 25, 1854, all live with their parents. In coming to Sangamon county J. E. Roll walked from St. Louis, with Clawson Lacy and Alfred Riley. While the family lived in Sangamo, Abraham Lincoln built the boat spoken of in his biography. He began in March, 1831, just as the deep snow went off. Mr. Roll made the pins for putting the boat together. They made a canoe to go with the boat as a yawl. John Seaman and Walters Carman got into it to take the first ride. It upset with them, and floated away while they took refuge in a tree. Lincoln saved them by swimming to the tree with a log, having a long rope attached. After getting all on it, those on shore drew it in. J. E. Roll learned the trade of a plasterer and brick mason, and for thirty years followed the business of building and dealing in real estate, having built about one hundred houses, on his own account, in Springfield. He has been in the boot and shoe trade for the last seventeen years. J. E. Roll and family reside in Springfield, Illinois.

MARY C., born Nov. 29, 1816, in New Jersey, married in Sangamon county, May 2, 1840, to John Bagby. They have four children, and lives near Marion Centre, Kansas.

ELIZABETH W., born April 22, 1819, in New Jersey, married in Sangamon county to Isaac H. Smith, who was born either in North or South Carolina, and died in 1851, in Springfield, leaving a widow and five children. Of their children: WILLIAM married Esther R. Brokaw, have three living children, ADA, LIDA and LILLIE, and live in Mason City, Ill. JOHN was killed by a passing train on a railroad, in childhood. ELIZA P., born July 26, 1848, married George E. Mott. See his name. Their son, HARRY W., died Aug. 27, 1876, aged six years and five months. JAMES and EDWARD live in Springfield. Mrs. Elizabeth W. Smith resides in Springfield, Illinois.

SARAH and WILLIAM, twins, born August 19, 1822, in New Jersey.

SARAH, married in Sangamon county to William P. Short, had seven children; three died young. WILLIAM died in the Union army. William P. Short and family reside near Teheran, Mason county, Illinois.

WILLIAM died in Springfield, Aug. 24, 1839.

NANCY, born March 13, 1828, in New Jersey, married in Sangamon county to Jeremiah Riggins, have five living children, and reside in Mason City, Illinois.

ALPHEUS P., born Sept. 17, 1830, in Sangamo, Sangamon county, Ill., married in Mason county to Mary Mosslander. They have four children. Their son, JOHN E., was married Jan. 18, 1876, in Sangamon county, to Phoebe D. Roll, daughter of Pierson Roll. See his name. John E. Roll and wife live near Teheran, Ill. The other three children live with their parents. Alpheus P. Roll and family reside near Teheran, Mason county, Illinois.

William Roll died August 11, 1844, in Sangamon county, and his widow lives with her daughter, Mrs. Riggins, in Mason City, Illinois.



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