Transcribed by Patty Gaddis

WATERS, DANIEL - Sangamon County has a number of pleasant communities in which one may obtain many urban advantages without sacrificing those of a country existence. In Rochester there are very desirable conditions, a fact recognized by many most substantial men, who have located there upon retiring from more active life. One of these is Daniel Waters, born two and one-half miles from Harper's Ferry, Va., September 14, 1830, a son of Levi Waters, born on the east side of the bay, in Maryland, May 6, 1796. The Waters family is a very old one, founded in Virginia prior to the Revolution. Levi Waters married Sarah Dutch, born at Harper's Ferry, in 1799. They died in Virginia. The mother died in 1856, but the husband survived until 1881. Neither ever rode on a railroad train. Five children were born to them: John F., George W., Daniel; Susan C., wife of Richard Russell, and Marla L., wife of Leander Bates, all of whom died in Virginia except Mrs. Bates and Daniel.

Daniel Waters attended school in Virginia and worked for his father. In 1852 he came to Sangamon County, settling five miles east of Rochester, where he engaged to work on a farm. Later he began farming for himself on a rented farm, and in 1864 bought a farm of 100 acres at Buckhart, Cooper Township, forty acres of it was in timber. Later he sold that and bought 280 acres near Buckhart and lived there until 1896, excepting two years at Springfield to educate his children. In 1896 he went to Edinburg, but in 1904 moved to Rochester, where he built his present beautiful home. He still owns two farms in Sangamon County amounting to 344 acres. He is heavily interested in Pullman, Wash., with his son, in land and furniture business.

On February 9, 1892, he was married at his wife's birthplace, by the Rev. J. P. Dimmitt, of the Methodist Church, to Harriet V. Miller, born in Buckhart, Cooper Township, October 13, 1840. Her father, John C. Miller, was born in Loudoun County, Va., October 19, 1812, and came with his father to Sangamon County in 1835, entering 2,100 acres of land, now comprised in Cooper Township. He married Martha Melvine Sattley, born in Rochester Township, September 3, 1819, who still survives. Mrs. Sattley owned many acres of land in early days. The present town of Rochester was located on the portion where still stand the old log house in which he lived, and on this land stood the tree which tradition says sheltered Abraham Lincoln when he made his first speech. Mrs. Waters is one of the following children: George H.; Mrs. Waters; Edmund: Sarah A., wife of George Lucas; Eliza E., wife of John Baldwin; Mary A., wife of S. J. Prather. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Waters; Anna A., born December 19, 1862, died Jun 9, 1893, was the wife of J. J. Troxell, had one, Lulu V., who married Dallas Langley, February 6, 1909, and had one child, Byron, born July 11, 1910; George E., born February 17, 1864, died March 3, 1866; Charles M., born February 28, 1867, lives in Pullman, Wash., where he owns a large department store and considerable land, married Addie Finney, issue, one daughter, Harriet Mildred, a graduate of Pullman State College, and a teacher of German and Latin; twins, Lulla and Lillie, born January 29, 1870, the former dying November 17, of that year, and the latter becoming the wife of C. E. Hazelett, living near Rochester and have one son, Glenn Waters, born February 9, 1891, and who graduated from Springfield High School in the class of 1910. Mr. and Mrs. Waters are members of the Methodist Church, and Mrs. Waters belongs to the W. C. T. U., of which she is Treasurer. She is also active in the Ladies Aid Society and the Missionary Society. Both are very strong Prohibitionists. Mrs. Waters served as Supervisor of Cooper Township eight terms, and was Treasurer of the School Board for fourteen years. He is one of the most highly esteemed men of the township and can look back on a long, useful, blameless life, filled with good deeds.