STRAWN, Enoch
Enoch STRAWN, residing in section 32,
Hopewell township, is one of the oldest living
settlers in the southern part of
Marshall
county. His father, Colonel John STRAWN, was a native of Bucks
county, Pennsylvania, and was a son of Isaiah and Rachel (REED)
STRAWN, both of whom were also natives of Pennsylvania. The grandfather, with his
family, came to Putnam county,
Illinois, about 1835, locating on a farm
where the parents both died. Their remains were interred in the
cemetery south of the present city of Hennepin. John STAWN grew to manhood in his
native state and married Mary McCLISH, of Scotch descent, but
born in the Scioto
valley of Ohio. They were married in Pennsylvania, and in 1813, moved to Perry County, Ohio,
locating in Hopewell
township, where he improved a farm of four hundred acres given
him by his father. He built an immense barn there and otherwise
improved the place, subsequently selling out, and coming to
Marshall
county in 1828. After selecting his land he returned to Ohio, and brought his family to this county
in grand style with a six-horse match team. The outfit caused
great astonishment all along the route.
The family arrived in Marshall county in August, 1829, and located on section 4,
Richland
township, where Colonel STRAWN pitched a tent in which the
family lived all winter. At the time of their settlement there
were no other white families in this locality. Indians were
numerous and flocked in to see the family in great numbers. In
the spring of 1830, the colonel built a double log cabin and
lived in it for ten years. He made brick on the farm, and built
the brick house, still standing, in 1839. It is the oldest brick
house in the county.
Colonel STRAWN mainly gave his attention to
his farm, improving an entire section of land. From the very
first he was prosperous and added to his possessions until he
became one of the wealthiest men in
Marshall
county. His wife was truly a helpmeet to him. She was a noted
woman in this locality, and was well and favorably known
throughout Marshall and surrounding counties. To Colonel
and Mary STRAWN were born eleven children – William, who married
Helen M. BROADDUS, who is now deceased; Rachel, the deceased
wife of Jesse B. BANE, also deceased; Mary Ann, widow of James
THOMSPON; Enoch, the subject of this sketch; Caroline, the
deceased wife of William THOMAS, of Lacon; Emily, deceased wife
of D. HOLLAND, also deceased; Salome, the deceased wife of
William ORR, also deceased; Susan, the widow of Enoch OWEN; Levitia, the deceased wife of A. PICHEREAU, of Lacon, and two
who died in infancy. The mother of these children dying, Colonel
STRAWN married Miss Mary HOSKINS, by whom one son was born –
John, who lives in
Chicago. This wife dying, he married Miss
Ellen CALVERT, by whom he had two daughters, Mary, the deceased
wife of Eugene WATROUS, and Helen, wife of Henry HART, living in
Chicago.
Colonel STRAWN was a noted man in the early
history of Marshall
county, which he assisted in organizing. He was a member of the
Methodist Episcopal church, of which body is first wife was also
a member, and was a class leader in the same for many years. He
was a soldier in the war of 1812, and also commanded a regiment
in the Black Hawk war, where he received his title as colonel.
Politically, he was a democrat, but never an office-seeker. No
man in Marshall
county occupied a more prominent position during the first and
second decades of its history. He assisted in the organization
of both Hopewell
and Richland
townships, giving names to each. During his life he accumulated
three thousand five hundred and twenty acres of land, and as his
children went out from under the home roof, he gave to each a
farm.
The subject of this sketch, who is the only
son now living of Colonel and Mrs. STRAWN, was born in Hopewell township, Perry county, Ohio, January 18, 1822. When but seven years
of age he came with his parents to Marshall
county, and grew to manhood on the old homestead in Richland township. His school life was of
short duration, having attended but eleven days after his
removal to Illinois. He remained at
home until thirty-two years of age, assisting in the cultivation
of the farm. On the 7th of April, 1853, he married Hester Ann
VanBUSKIRK, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Joseph VanBUSKIRK, a
pioneer of Marshall
county. Immediately after marriage, with his bride he settled on
section 33, Hopewell township, where he lived until he built his
present residence on the Four Corners.
His wife died January 10, 1857, leaving two children – Mary, the
deceased wife of John HOLLAND, of Iowa, and Mrs. Hessie ONG.
For his second wife, Mr. STRAWN married
Julia GORE, of Lacon, a daughter of John GORE, who was also a
pioneer of Marshall
county. By this union were ten children – Ada Cora, who married
Edgar MYERS, is now deceased; Enoch Landen lives in Iowa; Clara
Alice, wife of Charles DAY, lives in Hopewell township; George
W. is at home; Milan is deceased; Marion is at home; Glenn is
also at home; Levisa Julia is at home; Pearl is deceased;
Matilda Myrtle is also under the parental roof.
Politically, Mr. STRAWN has always
advocated the principles of the democratic party. He has been
justice of the peace for a period of thirty years, and has
performed the wedding ceremony of more couples than any other
man in Marshall
county. His farm of eighty acres is carried on by his sons,
while he practically lives a retired life. A continual residence
of sixty-seven years in
Marshall county
has brought him into contact with more persons than any man now
residing within its borders.
Extracted March 2011 by Norma Hass from
The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois,
1896.
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