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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.



SMITH, GEORGE M., was born April 23, 1785, in Virginia. His parents moved when he was a child to Henry county, Ky. Matilda Dowdall was born in Culpepper county, Virginia, Feb. IS, 1793, Her mother died when she was two years old, and her grandfather Holmes soon after moved to Shelby county, Kentucky, taking Matilda and another sister and brother with him. George M. Smith and Matilda Dowdall were married Aug. 14, 1810 in Shelby county, and afterwards lived some time in Henry county, Ky., where they had four children and moved in 1824 to Jennings county, near Vernon, Indiana, where one child was born, and then returned to Henry county, where one child was born. They then moved to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving in March, 1834, in what is now Island Grove. Of their eight children

Jacob H., born Dec. 23, 1815, in Henry county, Ky., came to Sangamon county, Illinois, with his parents in 1834, and was married in Hennepin, Ill., Dec. 19, 1838, to Joanna Higgins. They moved to Saline county, Missouri, and had five children there. JACOB H. SMITH and his eldest son, GEORGE, were both soldiers in the Union army. They reside at Marshall, Saline county, Missouri.

John W., born July 10 1818, in Henry county, Ky., was married in Sangamon county June 1, 1845, to Ann E. Fox, who was born June 7, 1827, in London county, Virginia. She was the eldest daughter of Dr. J. B. Fox, lately deceased, in Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Smith had eight children in Sangamon county, three of whom died young. Of the other five, AMANDA was married Sept. 14, 1871, to George Parish, and lives in Oskosh, Wisconsin. MARY M., JOSEPH B., WILLIE and CARRIE live with their relatives. Joseph B. Smith is a clerk in a mercantile house in Quincy, Mrs. Ann E. Smith died May 21, 1871 in Springfield. John W. Smith filled many important positions of honor and trust in Sangamon county. He discharged the duties of census commissioner in 1845 by appointment from the county. In 1848 he was elected one of the representatives of Sangamon county in the Legislature, and was again census commissioner in 1855. He was elected sheriff of the county in 1860 for two years, and mayor of the city of Springfield in 1863. He was appointed by the United States government, commissioner on the board of enrollment for military duty for the eighth congressional district in 1864, but soon resigned to accept the position of collector of internal revenue for the same district. He was one of the commissioners named in the law of Feb. 25, 667, to man building of the new state house, a remained on the board until the laws of March 11 and 27, 1869, reduced the number then from seven to three. He was elected Mayor of Springfield in 1871, reelected in 1872. He was appointed by Gov. Beveridge in 1873, warden of the state penitentiary at Joliet. While discharging the duties of that he was on his way from Chicago to Joliet on the night of Saturday, Aug. 16, 1873. The train on which he was traveling collided with a freight train near Sag Bridge, a few miles southwest of Chicago. He was in the smoking car at the time and was terribly scalded by the escaping steam from the broken pipes. He, with a number of others, were taken to Chicago, and died there at eight o'clock, on morning of the 18th. His remains were brought to Springfield and buried at Oak Ridge cemetery, Aug. 19th.

ELSIE A., born Dec. 30, 1821 Henry county, Ky., was married in Sangamon county to Stephen Butler - brother of William Butler, recently deceased, in Springfield. They have ten childred, two of whom are married. The family reside at Mondamin, Harrison co Iowa.

Thomas D., born Aug. 24, 1823 in Henry county, Ky., was married in Sangamon county Jan. 1, 1851 to Julia A. Maxwell. They had seven child in Sangamon county, and moved from Berlin to Humboldt county, Kansas in 1869. T. D. Smith died there March 10, 1873 and his family reside there.

MARY F., born April 24, 1825, near Vernon, Indiana, was married in Henry county, Ky., Dec. 21, 1847, to Owen T. McCormick. They lived in Shelby county, Ky., until November, 1849 when they moved to Island Grove, Sangamon county, Ill., and had five children there. SARAH A. was married Oct. 29, 1842, to Benjamin R. B. Weber. See his name. JOSAPHINE A., OWEN T., Jun., MOLLIE E. and GEORGE R. live with their mother. Owen T. McCormick, Sen., died Oct. 27, 1865, and Mrs. McCormick resides at Pawnee, Sangamon county, Ill.

MARTHA M., born Dec. 24, 1827, in Henry county Ky., was married April 12, 1839 to John Foutch. See his name.

HARRIET O., born Sept. 19, 1830, married Addison Gibson, of Gallatin county, Ky. They left there in July, 1864, oil account of the rebellion and came to New Berlin, where Mrs. Harriet O. Gibson died April 24, 1865, leaving six sons, all of whom live with their father in Kentucky.

GEORGE W., born May 10, 1833, in Kentucky, brought up in Sangamon county, went to Weston, Missouri, married Fannie King, and died there.

George M. Smith died Feb. 27, 1842, at Island Grove, and his widow lives with her children.



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