In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1879) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1809
From The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men (1879), 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 relati (1874)
Lewis Case was born, February 27, 1809, in Ontario County, New York. His father's name was Abner Case, and his mother's name before her marriage was Olive Rolland. Both were full blooded Connecticut Yankees. Abner Case was a soldier in the war of 1812. He was a private and served under Generals Scott and Harrison. He saw the burning of Buffalo, the blowing up of Fort Erie, and was at the battle of Lundy's Lane. During the latter fight he was stationed in an orchard. During his service under General Harrison he was slightly wounded, having three fingers of his left hand shot off. Mr. Case drew a pension until his death, which occurred January 6, 1854. His wife died on the day following, and both were buried in the same grave in "Wisconsin, near Madison.
Lewis Case lived in Ontario County until he was sixteen years of age. There he received his education, which was that of the common school. The scholars in that section of country complied with the custom of those days, which was to bar out the schoolmaster on Christmas day. At one time they barred out the master and the contest lasted three days. They fortified themselves in the schoolhouse and stood the siege. The people near by gave the scholars plenty to eat, lots of cake and cider and fuel to burn in the fireplace. The schoolmaster tried to smoke them out by covering the chimney, and for a while it seemed that he would succeed; but the scholars put out the fire by pouring on cider, and stopped the smoke. After three days the contest ended in breaking up the school
In the year 1824, the family moved to Huron County, Ohio. They lived in the woods among the large timber wolves, which were very plenty. At one time a timber wolf was caught by the fore leg in a trap, and the dogs were collected from all over the country to fight it, but it whipped them all.
In July, 1833, Lewis Case came with his wife and child to McLean County, Illinois, and settled on Kickapoo Creek, on the north side of Old Town timber. When they first came, they went to Bloominffton, and the first man to welcome them and m'lean county. 739 give them their dinner was General Gridley, who then boarded at James Allin's. During the following winter, the families of Lewis Case, Abner Case, Charles Lewis and Thaddeus Case, fifteen persons in all, wintered in a little house fourteen feet square. Their household goods were put up around the sides of the room on pins. They had two bedsteads and two trundle beds. A part of the folks were obliged to retire at night before the remainder could make their beds on the floor. During that winter Mr, Case cut, split and hauled logs for a house. In the spring the house was built, and in April they moved into it. It was a small cabin, but Mrs. Case had room in it for a spinning wheel and a loom. She spun and wove the clothing for the family, and when her girls were large enough they also were taught to spin and leave. She made linsey, jeans and linen, and the family lived happily in the rude cabin with their homespun attire. For three years they remained in the little cabin and then moved to where they now live.
For thirteen years, the house of Mr. Case was used as a preaching place by the Methodists. This was the first denomination here. After a while the Cumberland Presbyterians came in and joined with the Methodists and built the Union Church. But the old church having served its time, the Methodists built a new one called the Hopewell Church. The old building was sold for eighty dollars in money, which was divided between the two denominations that built it. George Gar now uses the old church for a barn. The people seemed to enjoy themselves very well at the meetings held at private houses. The congregation often filled the house, and sometimes the bedding and furniture were carried out to make room.
The early settlers were always anxious to have their children educated, and were willing to make all sacrifices. School was kept during one summer in Mr. Case's barn. Mrs. Case was careful to see that her children attended punctually and regularly, and says that one of her children missed only two or three days in the year.
Mrs. Case was an industrious woman. She made clothes tor people and took her pay in work. She made coats for the men, and they in return made hay or ploughed for Mr. Case. She made a coat for Senator John Cusey, and he made hay for a week to pay for it, and worked well. Mr. Case was also industrious and made shoes and cobbled for the neighborhood.
On the 13th of October, 1831, Mr. Case married Sarah Hendryx, in Huron County, Ohio. He has had five children, ol whom four are living. They are:
Mary Ann, wife of Peter B. Price, lives at Downs Station.
Olive, wife of J. W. Savage, lives near Downs.
Sarah Elizabeth, wife of Wesley Savage, lives in Downs township, near the eastern boundary.
Hannah Emeline, wife of Sylvanus Michael, lives in Old Town, near the western boundary.
Mr. Case is five feet and nine or ten inches in height. His head is partially bald, and his nose is Roman. He is a worthy man and thinks much of his family and friends. He is hospitable and kind to all. He has succeeded well and has accumulated enough property to make him comfortable; but his industrious habits cling to him, and he continues to carry on his farm as in the days of the early settlement.
Harvey Bishop.
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.
LEWIS CASE, farmer. Sec. 25; P. 0. Holder; one of the early pioneers of McLean Co.; born in Ontario, N. Y., Feb. 27, 1809, where he was brought up to farm labor until 1824, and, at 13 years of age, emigrated to Huron Co., Ohio, from which place he emigrated to Illinois and located upon Sec. 25, Old Town Torfnship, in 1833; his capital at that time consisted of one yoke of oxen and wagon (with which he hauled his foniily and worldly goods from Ohio), two featherbeds and bedding, and $50 worth of leather, which he traded for a cow, one hog and seven pigs, and provisions for the winter; he niunaged to get in a crop of corn, and, in the fall, he lost his cow. four pigs and one of his oxen, which left him in a worse condition than when he located; the following summer, he made a short poke and plowed his corn with his single ox; he built his first house of hewed logs, besides which he got out the rails and fenced forty acres the first year; about the year 1885, new settlers came in and gradually increased until school districts were formed and churches were held. The first religious meeting held in Old Town Township was in the log house of Mr. Case, and in this log house the early settlers assembled from a distance of many miles, where they worshiped God some thirteen years. Mr. Case erected the first frame barn, in which were held two quarterly meetings, and where school was kept. Mr. Case first entered forty acres of land, upon which he erected a rude log cabin; to this forty acres he lias since added until he now owns upward of six hundred acres; in the place of the log house stands the best of farm buildings, and his taxes have increased from 25 cents to f 2-''-'0. His marriage with Sarah Hendrix was celebrated Oct. 13, 1831, in Ohio; she was born in New York State. Jan. 14, 1810; they were the parents of five daughters, of whom four are now living, viz, Mary A., Olive, Sarah and Hannah E. Mr. and Mrs. Case have taken a deep interest in the cause of religion, having, with his wife, been a member of the M. E. Church for about half a century, and tiieir children all being members of the same Church. The writer of this article is inclined to give Mr. Case the credit of being the oldest continuous living settler of this township, but not feeling perfectly satisfied in this matter, he feels safe in saying that the two oldest continuous residents of Old Town Township are Lewis Case and Frederick R, Cowden.
As printed in The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men (1879). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Harvey Bishop (b. 1821) John Cusey (b. 1822) Peter B. Price
Their biographies name Lewis Case: Wesley Brown (b. 1837) Robert H. Rutledge John Price (b. 1802) John Longworth (b. 1809)
The printed record stops around 1879. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.