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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.



SHORT, JAMES , was born Feb. 5, 1776, in South Carolina, and was one of six sons of Hezekiah Short, who died in South Carolina in 1803. The ancestors of this family came from Scotland. James, the subject of this sketch, was married in South Carolina in 1800, to Lucretia Tennyson, a native of that State. They had two children there, and moved to Greene county, near Greensburg, Ky., in 1804, where five children were born. Mrs. Lucretia Short died Sept. 14, 1817, in Kentcky, and James Short was married there in 1818 to Mrs. Margaret Wright, whose maiden name was Strater. They had two children in Kentucky, and moved in the spring of 1822 to Sangamon county, Ill., settling at the junction of Salt creek and Sangamon river, in what is now Menard county. In the spring of 1827, they moved to Sugar creek, settling three and a half miles southeast of Springfield, where eight children were born. Of the seven children of James Short by his first marriage, two died young. The other five are--

IGNATIUS T., born Nov. 28, 1801, in South Carolina, was married in 1820 at Columbus, then in Pulaski, but now in Hickman county, Ky., to Mary Arnett, who was born in 1802 in South Carolina, also. They moved from Kentucky to Sangamon county, Ill., on horseback, in 1823, settling near Springfield. He was a soldier in the Blackhawk war from Sangamon county. They moved to Macoupin county, Ill., in 1830. Of their six children who lived to maturity, RANSOM A., born Oct. 8, 1824, near Springfield, was married July 20, 1845, at Edwardsville, Madison county, Ill., to Orlean M. Cread. He enlisted in 1846 in the Mexican war, and died at Monterey, Mexico. LOUISA M., born Nov. 27, 1828, was married in 1844 in Madison county, Ill., to George Woodward, who died in 1846. Mrs. Woodward was married in 1847 to Levi Gimlin. They had one child, ZACHEUS, who was born Jan. 12, 1850, and was married in 1871 to Mary A. Parks. They have two children, William W. and Winnie A., and reside near Carlinville, Macoupin county, Illinois. Levi Gimlin died July, 1850, and Mrs. Gimlin was married in 1852 to Charles Emrick. They had five living children. ELNORA, LAURA, THADDEUS D., JERUSHA E. and FANNY live with their mother. Charles Emrick died Jan. 15, 1874, and Mrs. Emrick resides near Carlinville, Ill. MARTHA A., born Jan. 20, 1831, was married in 1849 in Macoupin county, Ill., to Edward Miller. They had one child, MARTHA A, born Jan. 1850, and married Jan. 4, 1867, in Cass county, to George W. Zircles. They have one child, Ada C, and live near Ashland, Ill. Mrs. Martha A. Miller died Jan. 22, 1850, and Edward Miller died in 1851, both in Macoupin county, Ill. WILLIAM HENRY, born March 16, 1840, died unmarried in December, 1856. MARY ELIZABETH, born March 30, 1842, died in November, 1856. HEZEKIAH M., born Feb. 14, 1845, in Macoupin county, enlisted May 12, 1864, for 100 days in Co. G, 133d Ill. Inf., served until Sept. 24, 1864, when he was honorably discharged with the regiment. He entered MeKendree College in the fall of 1867, and graduated there in June, 1874. In September, 1875, he united with the Illinois Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and isnow--September, 1876--preaching on the Chatham circuit, and is not yet married.

Ignatius T. Short died in 1853, and Mrs. Mary Short died in 1855, both near Carlinville, Macoupin county, Ill.

ELIZABETH, born May 12, 1804, in South Carolina, was married in Greene county, Ky., to Randolph Rhodes. See his name. She lives with her son, John T. Rhodes.

ANNA S., born Jan. 3, 1810, in South Carolina, married Andrew McCormick. See his name.

CASSANDRA, born in 1813 in South Carolina, married Harvey E. Armstrong, of Waverly, Morgan county, Ill. She died in 1838, without children.

LUCINDA B., born Oct. 5, 1815, was married to James Q. Wills, of Sangamon county, Ill., June 23, 1836. They had two children, LUCRETIA C., born April 16, 1837, married James Bracken. Mrs. Bracken died Nov. 2, 1860, leaving two children. JAMES D., born April 1, 1841, enlisted in Co. A, 10th Ill. Cav., and died in the army, May 21st, 1862. James Q. Wills died July 3, 1845, and his widow was married April 20, 1849, to B. Y. Singleton, of Sangamon county. They have three children. MARGARET L., born April 23, 1850, married at Petersburg, Ill., Nov. 1, 1871, to James A. Robb. They have two children, EVA MABEL and LESLIE ELBERT, and live near Walshville, Montgomery county, Ill. BENJAMIN Y., Jun., and WINFIELD S. Singleton live with their parents. B. Y. Singleton lives near Petersburg, Ill.

Of James Short's children by his second marriage four died young.

JOHN W., born Dec. 21, 1821, in Kentucky, was married Nov. 4, 1852, in Sangamon county, Ill., to Nancy E. Billings. See Billings family. She died Aug. 20, 1865, leaving one child, MELISSA E., who was born May 7, 1856, and lives with her step-mother. John W. Short was married Aug. 27, 1866, to Mrs. Eliza Dalaney, whose maiden name was Potts. Mr. Short died March 15, 1876, and his widow and daughter reside near Jamestown, Clinton county, Ill.

MARTHA, born in 1822, in Menard county, Ill., married John Potts, of Sangamon county. They had five children, and both died near Jamestown, Clinton county, Illinois.

DORINDA, born in 1824, in Menard county, Ill., married James Tibbs. They had five children, MARGARET, MARY, MARTHA, AMANDA and NETTIE. Mr. Tibbs died in 1856, and his widow lives near Rochester, Ill.

WILLIAM S., born in 1826, in Sangamon county, was married there in 1847, to Harriet Wilson, who was born April 26, 1829. They had three children, OLIVE C., born July 11, 1848, was married November 14, 1868, to Robert Atkinson, and live in Rochester, Illinois. AMANDA M., born Oct. 12, 1850, died young. WILLIAM T., born Nov. 21,

Carolina, married Andrew McCormick. See his name.

CASSANDRA, born in 1813 in South Carolina, married Harvey E. Armstrong, of Waverly, Morgan county, Ill. She died in 1838, without children.

LUCINDA B., born Oct. 5, 1815, was married to James Q. Wills, of Sangamon county, Ill., June 23, 1836. They had two children, LUCRETIA C., born April 16, 1837, married James Bracken. Mrs. Bracken died Nov. 2, 1860, leaving two children. JAMES D., born April 1, 1841, enlisted in Co. A, 10th Ill. Cav., and died in the army, May 21st, 1862. James Q. Wills died July 3, 1845, and his widow was married April 20, 1849, to B. Y. Singleton, of Sangamon county. They have three children. MARGARET L., born April 23, 1850, married at Petersburg, Ill., Nov. 1, 1871, to James A. Robb. They have two children, EVA MABEL and LESLIE ELBERT, and live near Walshville, Montgomery county, Ill. BENJAMIN Y., Jun., and WINFIELD S. Singleton live with their parents. B. Y. Singleton lives near Petersburg, Ill.

Of James Short's children by his second marriage four died young.

JOHN W., born Dec. 21, 1821, in Kentucky, was married Nov. 4, 1852, in Sangamon county, Ill., to Nancy E. Billings. See Billings family. She died Aug. 20, 1865, leaving one child, MELISSA E., who was born May 7, 1856, and lives with her step-mother. John W. Short was married Aug. 27, 1866, to Mrs. Eliza Dalaney, whose maiden name was Potts. Mr. Short died March 15, 1876, and his widow and daughter reside near Jamestown, Clinton county, Ill.

MARTHA, born in 1822, in Menard county, Ill., married John Potts, of Sangamon county. They had five children, and both died near Jamestown, Clinton county, Illinois.

DORINDA, born in 1824, in Menard county, Ill., married James Tibbs. They had five children, MARGARET, MARY, MARTHA, AMANDA and NETTIE. Mr. Tibbs died in 1856, and his widow lives near Rochester, Ill.

WILLIAM S., born in 1826, in Sangamon county, was married there in 1847, to Harriet Wilson, who was born April 26, 1829. They had three children, OLIVE C., born July 11, 1848, was married November 14, 1868, to Robert Atkinson, and live in Rochester, Illinois. AMANDA M., born Oct. 12, 1850, died young. WILLIAM T., born Nov. 21, 1855, lives with his father. Mrs. Harriet Short died July 6, 1865, in Chatham, Ill., and William S. Short resides near Chanute, Neosho county, Kansas. Mr. Short served in Co. C, 2d Ill. Light Art., from Jan. 4, 1864, to Aug. 3, 1865, when he was honorably discharged.

MARGARET C., born in 1828 in Sangamon county, married Edward Neener. They have three children and live near Chanute, Neosho county, Kansas.

AMANDA M., born Oct. 28, 1830, in Sangamon county, married Jonas L. Fletcher. See his name.

James Short died June 7, 1836, and Mrs. Margaret Short died Dec. 25, 1850, both at the homestead where they settled in 1827, three and a half miles southeast of Springfield, in Sangamon county, Ill.



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