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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.




WISE, FREDERICK, born Oct. 15, 1797, in Nelson county, Kentucky. In 1814 he went to the Southern part of Illinois, and in the spring of 1820 came to Sangamon county in company with Mason Fowler and his two sons, and all worked to prepare a home. Mr. Fowler returned for his family, and brought them to Horse creek, Sangamon county, in the fall of that year. In October, 1820, F. Wise was married to Rebecca Fowler. The day had been fixed for the marriage, and a messenger went to Vandalia for the license. By some unavoidable delay he did not return in time. A justice of the peace by the name of Clawson was ready to solemnize the marriage. Wishing to accommodate the young couple and the invited guests, Mr. Clawson took the ressponsibility to marry them, and when the license came it was properly endorsed and returned to the office where it was issued, and all was right. They had six children, and all except one born in Sangamon county. Of their children--

REBECCA A., born August 31, 1821, in Sangamon county, married August 10, 1837, to James Snodgrass. See his name.

JACOB M., born Feb. 7, 1827, in Sangamon county. He enlisted in Springfield in June, 1846, in Co. A, 4th Ill. Inf., served until October, 1846, when he was discharged on account of physical disability at Matamoras, Mexico; married Dec. 13, 1846, in Springfield, to Nancy J. Millstead. They had three children. AMANDA A., married Dec. 7, 1873, to T. H. Gray. She lives in Illiopolis. ALVIN A., married Sept. 25, 1872, to Mary Mitchell, and lives in Illiopolis. GEORGE lives in Illiopolis. Mrs. Nancy J. Wise died June 28, 1858. J. M. Wise was married to Nancy E. Grider, and for his third wife married May 2, 1866, to Mrs. Lydia Griffith, whose maiden name was Bechtel. She died July 18, 1868. J. M. Wise was married Dec. 8, 1868, to Martha F. Griffith. They have three children, MAY, MASON and EDDIE, and reside in Illiopolis, Sangamon county, Illinois. J. M. Wise enlisted February, 1865, in Co. K, 152d Ill. Inf. for one year, served until the end of the rebellion, and was honorably discharged with his regiment.

SARAH E., born August 23, 1831, in Madison county, Illinois--the family having moved there and returned before the birth of the next child. She married in Sangamon county, October, 1848, to Chas. A. Sponsler, and has three living children. ALICE A. married George Washburn, and lives in Mount Pulaski. ARTILLA J. and GEORGE live with their parents in Mount Pulaski, Illinois.

FRANCIS M., born Feb. 8, 1834, in Sangamon county, died in Macon county, in May, 1859.

JOHN T., born July 16, 1840, in Sangamon county, enlisted July, 1861, in Co. A, 21st Ill. Inf., and was killed Dec. 31, 1862, at the battle of Stone river, Tennessee.

LOUISA J., born Feb. 6, 1843, in Sangamon county, married May 13, 1863, in Springfield, to William Boring, who was born Dec. 20, 1837, in Triadelphia, West Virginia, and came to Sangamon county in 1860. He enlisted April 23, 1861, in Co. 1, 7th Ill. Inf., under the first call for seventy-five thousand men for three months. He served his full term, and reenlisted in the same company and regiment for three years. He was wounded Feb. 15, 1862, at the battle of Fort Donaldson, which terminated in the amputation of his right leg above the knee. Mr. and Mrs. Boring have three children, SARAH J., ELLA and NELLIE, the two latter twins, and reside in Illiopolis, Illinois.

Mrs. Rebecca Wise died Feb. 27, 1849, and her husband, Frederick Wise, died August 16, 1850, both in Springfield, Illinois.




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