Jesse Trimmer

As printed in 1874

Jesse Trimmer was born March 14, 1818, in Huntington County, New Jersey. His father's name was John Trimmer, and his mother's name before her marriage was Elizabeth Lauterman. John Trimmer was an active business man, and his worldly circumstances were very fair. In August, 1826, the Trimmer family came to Smith's Grove, McLean County, Illinois. After they crossed the Wabash, on their road to the West, they saw no white person until they reached Smith's Grove. They traveled on an Indian trail and found no wagon track this side of the Wabash. No white person was to be found at that time in Mackinaw timber. Jonathan Cheney was at Cheney's Grove, John Dawson lived at Old Town timber, and about fifteen families lived in Blooming Grove.

In October of that year, before the family had built a house and while they were yet living in a camp, John Trimmer died, leaving Mrs. Trimmer with a family of eight children to oversee and provide for. Mr. Trimmer was buried in a coffin made of walnut lumber, which had been made by splitting thin pieces from a log and dressing them down with an axe and a jack plane. Jacob Spawr, W. H. Hodge, William Orendorlf and John Hendryx helped to make the coffin and assisted at the funeral.

The family settled first on Money Creek, about one mile north of where Towanda now stands, and lived there about ten years.

When Mr. Trimmer came to the country he was a child, and his playmates were the Indian boys, with whom he often ran races. The clothing of the pioneer children consisted of a shirt, but nothing else to speak of. Mr. Trimmer once witnessed a race between George Harness and an Indian boy, in which the latter came out ahead. George was beaten but not discouraged, and declared that if he could pull off his shirt he could beat the little savage. He drew off his shirt, and on a second race came out ahead. The Indians were very friendly and stole watermelons in a sociable way. They sometimes raised corn, and when they moved away the white folks were asked to take care of it in the lots of their cabins. The Indians were always glad to get a night's lodging, and Mr, Trimmer remembers when two of them stayed at his mother's house over night. She gave them mush and milk for supper, but they did not know how to eat it until the little Trimmers commenced.

During the deep snow the Trimmers had the experience common to all of the old settlers. In the fore part of the winter, Frederick Trimmer and one other went to St. Louis to bring goods for James Allin. They returned as far as Springfield, when they were caught in the deep snow. They left their loads and came home with four horses, riding two and driving two ahead in a single file to break the road. As soon as the horse on the lead gave out, it was put in the rear and another took its place. The goods were not brought to Blooming Grove until the April afterwards.

Mr. Trimmer married, March 7, 1839, Amanda Gilmore, who was born and reared in Fayette County, Ohio. She came to Money Creek timber in 1837. Her family was four weeks on their journey to the West, and Amanda walked all the way and drove cattle.

Mr. Trimmer has had ten children, of whom seven grew up, and six are living.

William Trimmer enlisted in the Thirty-third Illinois Volunteers in August, 1861, was discharged from the hospital at St. Louis, on account of continued sickness, and died three months afterwards of sickness contracted in the army.

Eliza Ann was married to John T. McNott, and lives at Normal.

John F. Trimmer was a soldier in the Mnety-fourth Illinois, and afterwards in the Twenty-seventh, and served nearly three years. He lives in Money Creek timber.

Sarah E. Trimmer married Joseph A. Scott, and lives in Hudson township.

Frank, Mary and Enos Trimmer live at home.

Mr. Trimmer is rather less than the medium height; his hair is dark and turning a little gray and his face is broad. He seems in good health, is in comfortable circumstances, and appears to be a man of responsibility and standing. He is m'lean county. 703 friendly in manner and modest in appearance. Very few men have too little self assertion, but this certainly seems to be the case with Mr. Trimmer.

Henry Moats.

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.