a most gallant officer. Being in command of the regiment at the battle of Farmington, Miss., he was ordered to cover the retreat of the main army, across a swamp; in doing this, he was compelled to change front three times, and each time under the most galling and destructive fire. Yet although himself painfully wounded, he maintained the most perfect order and discipline among his men, and when all was safe, retired as if moving from dress parade, mid the heaven-rending thunders and hurtling shot of the baffled and enraged foe. Ill health compelled him to retire from active service, and, returning to Homer, he engaged in the hardware business, where he now is, prosecuting the same with vigor and energy, his usual characteristics.

J. O. Gillman, grain dealer, Samuel Custer, dry goods merchant, E. Cusick, blacksmith, Morris, furniture dealer, and scores of others, are driving, earnest men. Other statistics of the town will be found in this book.

SOMERS TOWNSHIP

Is bounded on the east by Stanton, on the north by Rantoul, on the west by Hensley, and on the south by Urbana, being Town 20, Range 9 east. The land is much the same as that described in every other town in the county. The Salt Fork rises in the northern part of the town, and runs south through the town, giving ample supply of water for stock purposes; and ample drainage to the lands to the east and north-east.

The attention of the farmers of the town is directed mainly to stock raising, and the improvement of stock, of which they have the finest quality of bloods.

The first land entered here, was by Sarah Coe, January, 1829: the west half of the south-east quarter of Section 27, Town 20, Range 9.

The first settler of whom we have been able to learn, was one Mr. Rineheart, who came from Ohio in 1827, and commenced the inprovement of a farm north of the grove. Elias Kirby, also from Ohio, settled there about the same time. In 1828, one Moore came and located on a farm at the head of the grove, which he afterwards sold out to one Lewis Adkins, who carried on the improvements. One P. Stanford came the same time that Moore did. William Corray, of Ohio, John Whittiker, of Kentucky, and John Brownfield, of Pennsylvania, came to the town in 1832, and all have performed their part in the settlement of the county. Mr. Brownfield for many years held the office of County Commissioner, and Judge, and performed the duties with fidelity. His three sons, Thomas, Joseph, and James Brownfield, are still residents of the township, prosperous farmers, and among its honored and respected citizens.

The character of the prairie soil, contiguous as it is to the timber and flowing streams, and, also, good markets, has attracted farmers who desire to engage in stock raising and feeding, although it is equally adapted to mixed husbandry. Among the wide-awake farmers of the town we name A. M. Fauley, who is at present directing his attention to swine breeding and raising; his essay, in another part of this book, will be read with interest. In this he has been pre-eminently successful, and the many premiums he has taken, where his stock has been in competition with that of other breeders, attests their purity and value.

Dr. Henry Haley, also in the stock-raising business, has a farm of about 700 acres well advanced in improvement, though comparatively new. His barn and dwelling, with their surroundings and all the arrangements and appointments of the farm, are admirably designed, and perfected with intelligent skill and care.

M. Powell, Richard Allen, B. P. Prather, E. E. Goodrich, Thos. Wilson, C. R. Morehouse, and many others, have farms of which any town may well boast, in quantity, quality, and the manner of their cultivation.

Violins and Guitars.

The farm of H. C. Stewart is also a model worthy of imita tion, showing the common sense handling of its owner.

STANTON TOWNSHIP.

This town is bounded on the north by Compromise and Rantoul, on the west by Somers, on the south by St. Joseph and South Homer, and on the east by Vermillion county; and occupies the Congressional Town of 20, Ranges 10 and 11 east, and 14 west, being six miles by ten, and containing sixty square miles. Of this town we would probably hazard nothing in saying, that in all respects a more perfect body of land for agricultural purposes does not exist. An important tributary of the Salt Fork passes through this town, and in its course is joined by another from the north-east, which gives ample drainage and water privileges, to aid the farmer in the prosecution of his work. The first land entered here was by Samuel McClughen, October, 1836: the east half of the north-east quarter of section 20, Town 20, Range 14. John J. Trimmel, May, 1850, entered the east half of the south-east quarter of section 26, Town 20, Range 10; and Josiah Brown, June, 1853, entered the south-west quarter of section 31, Town 20 Range 11.

The first settler in the township was Samuel McClughen, who came from Ohio in 1834, and settled at the beautiful grove at the east end of the town, known as Burr Oak Grove. Here he engaged in tilling the soil, and here he built the first house, and planted the first orchard in the town. He was born in Ohio, in 1810, and, though he some years since departed this life, he still lives in his works and plans, that are manifest in the farm which he made, and where his estimable widow still resides. Mr. McClughen was for many years the sole inhabitant of the town; Mr. Trimmel, it is believed, being the next

settler.

He came there in 1843, and still resides in the town. In 1862, at the organization of the town, there were but thirty families, all told, within its borders, while eight years later the records show 209, an increase of which the citizens may well be proud; and in looking over this town, noting the character of the soil, productions, and men, it is not hard to see that at no distant day, in population, in intelligence, wealth, and all that goes to render a home in any community desirable, it must take and hold a high rank.

The first to settle at the head of Salt Fork timber was Levi Craine, who came from Indiana, and located there in 1856. One James McGill, also, came to the town in 1853, and William Scott in 1854, all of whom are still upon their farms, giving to the town and county the benefit of their earnest, well directed labor.

Milton Babb is one of the prominent farmers of the town, and we may add, of the county. His large, well-stocked farm has few equals, and no superiors. He located there in 1860, and has, since that period, brought his land to a high state of cultivation. His farming is that of stock-raising principally; as also is that of M. Putnam, who can also show as fine a farm as any in Central Illinois; very few can show better. E. J. Clark, also a practical farmer, is making his mark in the agricultural world, and deserves great credit for the untiring energy and persistent zeal with which he conducts the affairs of his farm. He located there in 1866, from Indiana.

There are two church buildings in the town, the Christian and the Friends, and each have beautiful houses of worship.

Although no railroad runs through the township, yet but a short distance south of the township line, is the track of the L., B. & W. R. R., running parallel with the same its entire length, giving excellent facilities for shipping farm productions.

Banjos and Tamborines.

SCOTT TOWNSHIP

Is bounded on the east by Champaign, on the north by Mahomet, on the west by Piatt county, and on the south by Colfax; being Town 19, Range 7 east. The first land entered here, was by I. V. Williams, September, 1835, the east half of north-west quarter of Section 6, Town 19, Range 7. Mr. Williams also was the first settler, building the first house, and planting the first orchard.

With the exception of a small tract in the north-west corner, there are no nature-planted trees in the town, and for that reason, which we have seen obtained everywhere, settlements were very slow, and not until after the war, or about 1865, was there any particular attention paid to this town. The surface of the prairie here, for the most part, is gently rolling, though in the north-western and western parts the swells are more abrupt and sharp, the sloughs or water-courses narrower, and the streams more rapid than on the prairies usually. This part was first settled, proving, what we have often stated, that the more level lands were not understood or appreciated. In traveling over this town, we have been struck with the new appearance of a very large majority of the farms, especially in the southern portion. Like Colfax, this section seems to have changed, in a day, from the broad, unbroken surface of a grassgrown prairie, to extensive tracts of rich black mold, surrounded by narrow belts of green, undisturbed prairie, which mark the highways and winding watercourses, while houses of greater or less pretensions tell of the habitations of men; or, later, we see the broad acres supporting a luxuriant growth of corn and other cereals in the place of the rank wild grasses, that, but a few years since, were its chief glory. There is no soil, or condition of soil, that surpasses that of Scott township, in all that can be desired for mixed cultivation, while the ease and certainty with which abundant supplies of water may be brought to the surface, answers every objection that can be urged against stock-growing or feeding.