Pgs 412-686 - Illinois Ancestors

492 BIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES
Abram and Martha Slifel; both natives of Pennsylvania, but of German
and Welsh descent. That year, with his brother, he engaged in
mercantile business in Bucks County, Pa., but in 1836, he moved
to Osceola Grove, locatecl 160 acres, ancl farillecl and worked at his
tracle here until the lands were placed on the ~na~rlcet, when he entered
his claim. Archibald ancl wife have no cllildren of their own, but
raised four, naniely : Anne Sweet, deceased ; Orsinus Sweet, Carlos
Newman, deceasecl ; ancl Einma Leonarcl, married and living in Minnesota.
In 1874 he solcl his lands at the Grove, moved to Kewanee, establishecl
a private boarding house, but on the death of his wife in
187'7, sold his Rewanee interests, returned to Elmira, and resides with
his brother. In politics he is Delilocmtic, and for over fifty-four years
has been an earnest inember of the Baptist church. Charles Vandyke
married Eleanor, his brother's wife's sister in April, 1836, nncl
the same montll came to Illinois with his b~otlier. After a stay of n
few inonths at the Grove he returfied to Pennsylvania, where he left
his newly-wedcled wife in April, engaged in agriculture there until
18l1, when he revisited Elinira, purchased eighty acres, to 1v11 ich,
within a, few years, he added 240, ancl coltivi~ted this tmct until 1875,
when he solcl the farin, and purchasecl sixty acres a point south, to
which he has adclecl 126 acres of choice lancl. Of their eight chilclren
five are living, namely: Abram, of Osceol~~ Township; Theodore,
single ; Charles IT., single ; Alice, married, resicling at Osceola antl
Janies I-I., resicling here. Charles Vandyke has a.lrrays been a farmer.
In politics he is liepublican like his sons. Adeline Uondelle has
been with the falnily over forty-five years. Since 1845, Charles has
been prominent in the public affairs of the township, i~nd* like his
brother has a$lways been ii leading ineinber of the olcl Baptist church.
Socially, the family hold n high place, and are noted foY their hospitality.
They have in their possession a Welsh dictionary, a China boi1~1,
center table ancl clothes chest, brought to America in 1738.
C%arks ant1 E'lZen (Slt$eyaj Vc~q~dyke settled at Spoon river in 1836,
the saine year of their ini~rriage, when they erected their cabin, laic1
the pun cl~eon floor, put in an olcl-fashioned fire-place, swung the crane,
h11n.g on the kettle and opened up in grancl style, with one table, four
chams, one balte-kettle, orle mush-pot, one bed, a rolling-pin, a hic1tor.y
broom, two stout hearts and as llisny full grown appet~tes. The Vandykes'
golden wedding took place April 21, 1886.
Hewes Tlrh,ite, one of the pioneers, was the father of Wells White,
born at Mansfield, Pa., June 7, 1836, came with his parents, I-Iemes
and Anna (Williamson) White to Illinoisin 1837 and settled at Osceola,
in 1838-9. Helves White carried on blacksmithing there until 1847,
when the filmil~ lnovecl to Toulon. Here the father died in 1863 and
the mother in '18'76, leaving three sons ancl five daughters. Wells
White carried on . the wagon, carriage and blacksmith business
~vl~ich 11js father establisl~ed at Toulon. He married a Miss Hill, of.
Michigan, to whoin a son ancl a daughter have been born. This son,
Frank, is also the head of a family, his wife being Miss Mary, daughter
of John Johnson, of Toulon.