In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1887) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1813
From Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and bio (1887), 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)
William Wiley was born August 24, 1813, in Garrett County, Kentucky. His father's name was John Wiley, and his mother's name before her marriage was Hannah Sampson. Both were of English descent. When William was three or four years of age his father's family moved to Switzerland County, Indiana. When Mr. Wiley Yas eighteen years of age, he went with his father during the winter season on a flatboat down the Ohio and Mississippi. In the Ohio River their boat grounded on a sand bar, and by the falling of the water was left twenty or thirty feet in the air; but the water rose and they floated on their way. They often made landings on the shore of the Mississippi, and the negroes would come on board to trade sugar for meat. They said that all the meat they could get was ol)tained in that way. Their only allowance (he thinks) was a peck of meal per week. They were poor, and lacked the energy of the negroes of Kentucky. The latter were matter, sleeper and greasier.
In the fall of 1835 the Wiley family came to Mackinaw timber, in the present township of Lawndale. The weather during the journey was cold and rainy, and the Wileys were often mixed downing the sloughs. They reached the Sangamon in JSTovember. Their sheep refused to cross until William Wiley took one by force and dragged it over.
At Mackinaw timber, William Wiley helped his father make a farm, and then made one for himself, where he now lives.
Mr. Wiley speaks most eloquently of the sudden change of m'lean county. 697
December, 1836, and of the great difficulty in driving his cattle from the creek bottom to prevent them from freezing fast in the water.
The deer, in an early day, were very thick in the Upper Mackinaw timber, and in the fall of the year would make bad work in the cornfields. Mr. "Wiley has counted eighty deer in a line coming from the prairie into his cornfield at the edge of the timber, during the evening of a cold day.
John Messer, the great hunter on the Mackinaw, frequently came to Mr. "Wiley's, and they went out hunting together. The two men once went to Burr Oak Grove, where they killed several coons, and became much excited in the sport. Mr. Messer put his hand into a hole to feel for coons, and unexpectedly got a bite, for a vicious coon grabbed his thumb. He said nothing, but kept his hand perfectly still until the coon let loose. He told Wiley that the coon was very strong, and induced that gentleman to try his skill; but Wiley first put on his buckskin mittens, and when he heard the coon snart, withdrew his hand. That little joke could not be passed around.
Mr. Wiley speaks of old Milton Smith, and says, that when he came to the country, he brought with him from Kentucky an old negro woman, whom he had hired in order to hold her in a free State. But she was a high-tempered woman, and when she learned to use the oxwhip, she occasionally mistook old Milton for the steers she drove.
The old settlers particularly enjoyed practical jokes. Mr. "Wiley speaks of a yellow jacket's nest, with an advertisement or notice posted over it to draw people there. Those who were victimized appreciated the joke so highly that they allowed the notice to stand, and called the attention of others to it.
On the 30th of September, 1841, William Wiley married Nancy Hopkins. They have had eight children, six of whom are living. They are:
John Wiley, who lives just east of his father's. He enlisted in the Eighth Illinois Infantry, and was in the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, siege of Vicksburg, and many others.
Robert Wilcy, who enlisted in the regiment some time after its organization, died of the measles about six months after his enlistment.
Joseph Wiley served in the same regiment during the last eio-teen months of the war. He lives at home Avith his father.
William R., James, Amelia and Xancy E. Wiley, live at home.
Mr. Wiley is about five feet and ten inches in height. His eyes are dark, his hair is black, but his whiskers are white with age. He is a good man, and is blessed with a family of intelligent and happy children.
Lytle Royston Wiley.
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.
ILLIAM WILEY, an old and highly esteemed resident of Colfax, this county, now retired from the active labors of life, is a native of Garrard County, Ky., and was born Aug. 24, 1813. His grandfather, William Wiley, Sil., a native of Maryland, was a farmer by occupation and married Miss Sarah Royston. They emigrated to Kentucky at an early day and thence to Indiana. Among their children was a son, John, who became the father of our subject. He was born in Maryland, and being reared to agricultural pursuits, followed farming in a modest way all his life. The wife of his choice was formerly Miss Hannah Sampson, whose family removed from Maryland to Kentucky in the early history of the latter State. They became the parents of five sons and five daughters, all of whom lived to become men and women, married, and had families of their own, except a son and daughter who died before reaching their majority.
William Wiley was the second child and eldest son of his parents and was about five years of age when they removed from his native State to Indiana. They located first in Switzerland County, and thence, in 1834, removed to McLean County, Ill., first stopping in Martin, and a few years later removed to Money Creek Township. There they settled on a farm which remained the home of the parents until their decease, the death of the mother occurring previous to that of the father. After the
T death of his mother, William Wiley, in the fall of 1841, was united in marriage with Miss Nancy Hopkins, a native of Indiana, and the daughter of Robert and Mila (Bartholomew) Hopkins. Mr. Wiley and his bride settled on a farm in Martin Township, this county, one mile west of what is now the town site of Colfax. Here they resided forty years, thence removing into the village of Colfax, in February, 1882. They had a family of seven children, consisting of five sons and two daughters — John, Robert, Joseph. William, James, Mila and Nancy. Three of the sons served as Union soldiers in the late war. Robert died at Vicksburgin 1863: John served three years, returned unharmed, and is now deceased; Joseph enlisted at the age of sixteen, and served eighteen months, and is now farming in Nebraska; Mila, the eldest daughter, became the wife of S. Smith, and Nancy married L. Fincham; both live in Martin Township. Mr. and Mrs. Wiley are prominent members of the Methodist Church, Mrs. Wiley having been a member fifty-six years. Their son William is a minister of the Methodist Church, and is at present stationed at Lewistown, Fulton County, this State,
FLETCHER, of Blue Mound Township, is a native of the British Empire, and emigrated from his native England to the
United States in 1851. He is the son of f Michael and Mary (Johnson) Fletcher, also natives of England, in which country the father met with an accidental death. After coming to this country the mother made her home in Bloomington Township where she died within less than one year thereafter. The parental household included eleven children, nine of whom came to America.
The subject of this history was born Sept. 11, 1823, and from the time he was twenty-one years old until he started for America, two years later, was engaged in farming, and burning and drawing coke. He reached New York City in the spring of 1851, and then went to Canada, but after a few weeks returned to the States and stopped at Youngstown, Ohio. After a short stay there he went to Delaware, Ohio, where he remained nearly one year and a half. From there he came to this county in the fall of 1853. making the trip from Delaware, Ohio, to Bloomington, Ill., with a horse team. Upon arriving in Bloomington, he had only about nine cents in cash, but his team was worth about $150. He employed himself for the first four months in chopping wood. The following spring he rented a farm in Bloomington Township, upon which he remained two years, then removed into the city and engaged in hauling wood and at other occupations where he could employ his team. After a while he took up his above in Normal Township whence he removed to Towauda Township, where he rented a farm which he operated for eight years following. In 1867 he purchased 200 acres of land in Blue Mound Township, on section 19, where he has since lived.
Mr. Fletcher is a striking example of the self-made man. Upon coming into this vicinity, as it has been seen, he was comparatively without means. His industry and energy, however, secured him friends from the start, while his honesty and integrity retained them. He has been prospered remarkably in his undertakings, and is now the possessor of 350 acres of valuable land under a fine state of cultivation. Upon this he has a fine set of farm buildings and everything pertaining to a modern country estate. Himself and family are surrounded by all the comforts and enjoy many of the luxuries of life. They have a wide circle of warm friends, and in all respects may be reckoned among the best citizens of this wealthy and populous county. Fletcher Station was named after our subject. He has proved himself a skillful and progressive farmer, and of late yeai-s, in addition to the raising of grain and other farm products, has turned his attention to the breeding of fine horses, his favorite being the Clydesdale.
Mr. Fletcher was married in the county of Durham, England, May 1, 1848, to Miss Ruth, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Taylor) Robson, natives of England. Mrs. Fletcher was born in Durham County, England, March 17, 1832, and of her union with our subject there have been born twelve children, seven of whom are living. The record is as follows: Elizabeth, the eldest, became the wife of Charles Krause, and resides in Bloomington, Ill.;
William married Miss Laura Shuck, and John, who married Miss Ellen Maxwell, resides in Dakota; Mary, Mrs. May wood Bid lie, is a resident of Money Crock Township; George F. married Miss Alice Lambert, and is farming in Blue Mound Township; David married Miss Edna Biddle, and lives in Normal Township; Howard is at home with his parents. With one exception, those deceased died in infancy; Michael died in Blue Mound Township when twenty years of age. Mr. Fletcher is an earnest supporter of the Republican party, and has filled with credit the minor offices of the township.
\US1I WIRT, tile manufacturer and coal dealer at Saybrook, this county, was born in Highland County, Ohio, in 1848. He is e son of James and Margaret (Newman) Wirt, natives of Virginia, the former born in 1792, and the latter in 1807. They were married in 1822. James Wirt followed the joint vocations of lawyer, bricklayer and farmer, in all of which he was proficient. The young people remained in Virginia after their marriage about six years, and thence removed into Highland County, Ohio, where the father of our subject followed bricklaying and farming, and in due time became owner of 100 acres of land, which he cultivated, with the assistance of his sons, until it became quite valuable. He remained in Ohio until 1850, then desiring to remove still further westward, came into the Prairie State, locating in Bloomington, this county, for a short time, and then purchased 280 acres of land. To this he subsequently added until at the time of his death, in 1868, he was the owner of 400 acres. The mother died one month after the decease of her husband. Included in the property of James Wirt was the Dawson farm, upon which was made one of the first settlements in McLean County, and which in early days was frequently used by the Indians as a camping-ground.
The parental family of our subject included nine children, the record of whom is as follows: William married Ella Reid; Mary is deceased; John married Miss Almarinda Miuton, of Padua Township, and still resides there; Catherine, the wife of W. S. Vandervoort, is a resident of Padua Township; Ellen married John M. Stipp, of Arrowsmith Township; James B. married Miss Hettie Ilowell; Addie A. became the wife of Austin M. Kimler; Rush, of our sketch, was the seventh child; Florence, Mrs. William Clarke, is a resident of Nebraska. Mr. Wirt was a good citizen in all that the term implies, having held the office of Supervisor and various other positions within the gift of his townsmen. He was a straightforward Republican, and both parents were members in good standing of the Methodist Church.
Rush Wirt remained under the home roof until he attained his majority, reared to farming pursuits and educated in the common schools. He afterward operated for himself on the old homestead, finally purchasing 100 acres, upon which he farmer for five years, and then engaged in the manufacture of drain tile in Saybrook for nine years following. In the meantime he also handled considerable coal, and has been uniformly successful in his business transactions. Besides being interested in the manufacture of drain tile, Mr. Wirt owns a handsome residence, situated on State street, and also has 480 acres of land in Kansas.
The marriage of Mr. Wirt with Miss Arminta Hoshaw took place at the home of the bride's parents in 1878. Mrs. Wirt is the daughter of James and Elizabeth (Day) Hoshaw, of Ohio, whence they afterward removed to Illinois and then to Iowa. A f ter a few years spent in the Hawkeye State Mrs. Hoshaw returned to Ohio on a visit, and there died in 1869. Mr. H. still survives, and is now a resident of Iowa. They were the parents of four children— America, Arminta, Matilda and Martha. Mr. Hoshaw was married the second time, to Mrs. Evaline Gregory, the issue being one child, a son, James.
Rush Wirt and wife are both prominently connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church of Saybrook, to which they contribute liberally and cheerfully. Mr. Wirt belongs to the Masonic fraternity and the K. of P. He assisted in organizing Arrowsmith Lodge No. 737, of which he was Secretary for eighteen months, and held all the of- '
McLEAN COUNTY.
fices in his lodge until his removal from Arrowsmith. The children of Mr. and Mrs. AVirt are as follows: Lelia E., born Nov. 9, 1879; Herman C., in 1881, and Ethel T., June 19, 1883.
As printed in Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and bio (1887). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Milton Smith (b. 1808)
The printed record stops around 1887. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.