A. Stubblefield

As printed in 1874

Absalom Stubblefield, eldest son of Robert Stubblefield, was born november 27, 1815, in Fayette County, Ohio. In 1824 he came with the Stubblefield family to Funk's Grove, in what is now McLean County, Illinois. The family traveled with an oxteam, as was usual in those days. They came first to Randolph and afterwards to Blooming Grove, by mistake, then went to Funk's Grove, Mr. Stubblefield's first experience was a hard wrestle with a little Indian boy, a son of Jim Buck, one of the chiefs of the Kickapoos. The boys were of about the same age and size, but Absalom had the muscle and brought the little Indian to the ground. This was at Blooming Grove, whither the family had gone, when it first came to ]McLean County, thinking it Funk's Grove, being misled by their directions. When they saw their mistake they came to Funk's Grove. The only family then living at the latter grove was that of William Brock. Isaac and Absalom Funk were then li\dng with Brock. The Stubblefield family arrived there December 18, 1824, and immediately beo-aufarmino;. When Absalom Stubblefield became old enouo;h he hunted wolves, which he killed with a hickory club. The Kicka- 2D00 Indians were then plentier than game. Old Machina, the chief, was very fi-iendly. During the war of 1812 he fought against the United States, as he was promised a great many ponies by the British, if he would whip the whites. In the war of 1812 he led on his warriors to the fight, but saw them fearfully cut to pieces at Tippecanoe, and he received no compensation for his trouble or his losses, and he declared that he would never again fight against the whites. During the winter of the deep snow, Absalom Stubblefield went to mill ten miles distant on the Kickapoo. He was obliged to break the way with horses, and as the horses on the lead became tired, those in the rear were put ahead to break the way. During this winter the horses and cattle were fed on a piece of ground, which was tramped over and over again, and the ice, where they stood, was not thawed until in June and July. In December, 1836, when the sudden change in the weather came, Mr. Stubblefield was at the house of Robert Funk, where had been snowballing. Suddenly the wind came cold from the west. Mr. Stubblefield mounted his horse and rode home, and on his arrival there, was frozen fast to his saddle, and was obliged to give himself a hard french to get loose.

When Absalom Stubblefield was only nine or ten years old, he selected the place, where he determined to have his farm, and was advised by his grandfather to deal in stock, to raise calves and sell them, and when they became large, to buy his land. He made some money by splitting rails, then bought calves, raised and sold them, and earned fifty dollars, with which he entered forty acres of land.

Mr. Stubblefield has had some experience Avith fires on the prairie, though he has always been well protected by Sugar Creek, as the forks are on the east and west. But he has often been called on to fight fire for his neighbors. At the south end of Funk's Grove the settlers were unprotected, and those across the prairie on the Kickapoo were also exposed to fire, and the settlers m'lean county. 601 on each side were anxious to have it fired in the fall, when the wind was blowing away towards the other side of the prairie. When the wind blew from the south, the settlers on Kickapoo were likely to take advantage of it, and send the fire rolling up to Funk's drove; but if it blew from the north, some one at Funk's Grove was likely to fire the prairie and send the fire over to " those fellows on Kickapoo."

The old settlers loved their practical jokes, and Mr. Stubblefield tells a good one, which was played upon a " fresh" young man, who "wished to steal watermelons. James Biggs told the young man of the sight, and so aroused his imagination, that he determined to go after them. They were on the premises near where Mr. Delavan now lives. The young man went for them, and Biggs, who was secreted near by, watching the performance, fired a charge at him. The " fresh" young gentleman ran for home, but in his right fell into a pond of water and lost his watch, but found his way out and reached home covered with mud.

Mr. Stubblefield has led a hardy out-of-door life, and has become very well developed. He is six feet and one inch in height, and weighs two hundred and seventy-six pounds. He is very muscular, and in his youth practised wrestling, which was considered by the early settlers the best of sport. He is exceedingly humorous, and never likes to see a joke spoiled for relation's sake. He has been a successful farmer, is very prompt to meet his obligations, and his word is as good as the best security. He has been married three times, and has always been happy in his domestic life.

He married Miss Eliza Pearson, February 23, 1840. By this marriage he had six children, of whom four are living. They are:

:Mifilin H. Stubblefield lives in DeWitt County.

Thomas T. Stubblefield lives five miles northwest of his father's,

Jesse P. Stubblefield lives in Dale township.

Robert W. Stubblefield lives at home.

Mrs. Stubblefield died October 11, 1851. On the second of September, 1852, Mr. Stubblefield married Miss Alley Wilson,

I of DeAYitt County. By this marriage he had six children, of whom five are living. They are:

Asa, AVilliam J., Lafayette, Charlotte and Mary A. Stuhhlefield, all of whom live at home. Mrs. Alley Stubblefield died April 18, 1869. On the twenty-fourth of January, 1870, Mr. Stubblefield married Mrs. Campbell, widow of Mark Campbell of Franklin County, Pennsylvania. ITo children have been born by the latter marriage. She has three children: David, Mary Bell and William Wilson Campbell.

John Stubblefield.

As printed in The good old times in McLean County, Illinois / containing two hundred and sixty-one sketches of old settlers, a complete historical sketch of the Black Hawk War and ... all matters of interest relate (1874). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.