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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.



SHELLHOUSE, LYDIA, was born in Georgia. Her maiden name was Leadbetter. She married Daniel McDowell, and had three children. Mr. McDowell died, and she married Lewis Shellhouse. Leaving her three children with their relatives in Georgia, she and Mr. Shellhouse moved to Kentucky, where they had four children, and Mr. Shellhouse died there.

The widow and her two youngest children came to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving in what is now Ball township in the fall of 1830, just in time for the "deep snow." Of her four children--

CASWELL, married in Kentucky, to Elizabeth Laughlin, came to Sangamon county several years later than his mother, and died in Ball township.

REBECCA, married in Kentucky to Joseph Laughlin, moved to Christian county, Ill., and both died there.

WILLIS, born in Kentucky, came with his mother to Sangamon county in 1830, married Sarah Easley, had six children, and she died. He married Martha Nuckolls. They had four children, namely: JOHN H., resides with his mother. CHARLES M., married Milly A. Blount, and lives in Christian county, Ill. WILLIAM B., married Amanda M. Lockridge, who died July 28, 1873, and their only child, JENNIE F., died a month later. Mr. Shellhouse lives in Ball township. LYDIA A., married James H. Pulliam. See his name. Willis Shellhouse died Oct. 24, 1852, and his widow resides near the centre of Ball township, four and a half miles southeast of Chatham Illinois. The house she lives in was built by Robert Pulliam in 1020. It was built of round logs, and hewn or scutched after it was put up. Being but one story high, no upper floor was required, but three heavy beams, about six by eight inches, serve as joists. On top of these there is a covering of two-inch plank, all hewn from solid logs, because there was not at that time a saw-mill so far north in Illinois. The interior is neatly whitewashed, and with the blazing wood in the wide, open fire-place has every appearance of quiet comfort. It is, beyond a doubt, the oldest dwelling house in Sangamon county.

ORLENA, born in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county to Clark Nuckolls. See his name.

Mrs. Lydia Shellhouse died in 1842, in Ball township.



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