SPANGLER, James C.
James C. SPANGLER, a leading agriculturist
of Belle Plain township, residing on section 14, was born in Richland township,
Marshall
county, November 5, 1847. Thirteen years previous his parents
had taken up their residence in the latter township, and the
name of the family is therefore engraved on the rolls of
Marshall
county’s pioneers. The father, William SPANGLER, was born in
Franklin
county, Ohio, July 13, 1811,
and in 1834 started for
Illinois. At that time the Indians still
inhabited this region and wild animals were frequently seen,
while various kinds of wild game was plentiful. At one time, Mr.
SPANGLER was compelled to climb a tree and remain there for
several hours through the night to save himself from wild hogs.
He hauled wheat to Chicago and with the
proceeds derived from his crops purchased the necessary dry
goods and groceries for his family. Many were the hardships and
privations to be endured, but at length a comfortable home was
established here on the frontier. William SPANGLER married Emily
McCUNE, who was born in Pennsylvania, June 16, 1818. Of their twelve
children seven are living, namely: William, John B., Charles C.
and James C, twins; Mary L., wife of James O. RAMP; Carrie, wife
of H. T. FOSTER, and Belle, wife of William T. ILIFF.
James C. SPANGLER spent his boyhood days in
the usual manner of farmer lads and was early inured to the
arduous labors incident to frontier life. The common schools of
the neighborhood afforded him his educational privileges. After
arriving at years of maturity he was married January 18, 1872,
to Amanda CARRUTHERS, who was born in
Richland township, Marshall county, February 3, 1851. Her father,
William B. CARRUTHERS, was born near Terre
Haute,
Indiana, January 22, 1826, came to Marshall county in 1844,
and was married September 14, 1846, to Minerva OWEN, by whom he
had two children: Charles E., born June 16, 1848, and Mrs.
SPANGLER. The grandfather, Timothy OWEN, removed from
Mansfield, Connecticut, in 1819, to Sciota county, Ohio, where on the 25th of March, 1823, he
wedded Jane DEVER. In 1832 he came to
Marshall
county, and spent his remaining days in
Richland
township. In his family were ten children, five of whom are
living: Minerva, David D., Ruth O., wife of William KUNKLE;
Samuel H., and Jane, wife of George KUNKLE. Mr. OWEN located
here immediately after the Black Hawk war, entered one hundred
and sixty acres of land on Round Prairie, and afterward
purchased other lands from the government. He killed as many as
three deer in one day, for those animals were very numerous at
that time. He followed farming, carpentering and wagon making
and for many years manufactured all the coffins needed in the
settlement. He also made many barrels and invented the first
corn-planter drawn by horses in the United States. He possessed much
mechanical genius, and with tools could produce almost anything
that was needed. In 1833, on Crow Creek he built the first
sawmill in Marshall county, and in 1836, he began
operating the first gristmill in the county, the same being
patronized by people who came for thirty miles. This mill as
destroyed by fire about 1853, the day after the insurance had
expired, and thus vanished one of the old landmarks of the
county. Mr. OWEN died on the old homestead May 3, 1885, aged
eighty-six years, and his wife died March 5, 1883, at the age of
eighty years. Mrs. SPANGLER’s father served in the union army as
a member of Company C, Sixty-fifth Illinois Infantry, was for a
time with General Sigel’s command, and afterward went with Sherman on the celebrated
march to the sea. At the time of his discharge he was in the
company commanded by Captain Henry FISHER, of
Lacon,
Illinois.
Mr. and Mrs. SPANGLER had nine children,
eight of whom are living, as follows: Hattie B., wife of William
McCULLOCH, of Varna, Illinois, by whom she has one child, Nita;
Emily J., wife of Warner BROADDUS, of Varna, by whom she has one
son, Lynn S.; Charles E., Fred, Walter R., Calla E., Anna V.,
and J. Cliff.
Mr. SPANGLER removed to his present farm in
1870, and here owns and operates three hundred and forty acres
of valuable land, which is under a high state of cultivation and
well improved. He follows farming and stockraising and his
systematic methods, industry and honorable dealing have brought
to him a handsome competence. He has served as school director
and road commissioner and is deeply interested in all that
pertains to the welfare and advancement of the county, where his
entire life has been passed.
Extracted May 2011 by Norma Hass from
The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois, 1896.
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