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NO. 26.DEATHS RECORD.axe red iire ireDEATH OF ONE OF THE FIRST SETTLERS OF MORGAN COUNTY.of rncl«* If (iram Reeve af the Ad-vaticeil A({(i of 87 Year* Heath of John strinjfain at I.a*\ejfa*. N. Itf.-Mar-uuvrite Stevenson, till!lli- ; REEVE.UK The old settlers of Morgan county x^ will be pained to learn of the death of tp Uncle Huram Reeve, which occurred iy; j Sunday, June 25, at the family resile* dence east of the city. Uncle Huram nd ^eeve was *orn North Carolina in ' May,1806, and was therefore 87 years ofdyIdHe removed to Morgan county in1820, and was one of the central figures of the pioneer days of Central Illinois. He possessed a remarkable memory and from him has been obtained much of the data in compiling the history of Morgan county by latter day historians. He was a genial, generous old gentleman and possessed a wide circle of friends, and was one of the most active members of the Old Settlers’ Association of Morgan county. Columns might be written of his early life, which was made up of interesting incidents, one of which occurred in connection with the dedication of the beautiful Diamond Grove cemetery. This event occurred in September, 18D9, when the first monument, that to the memory of Isaac Fort Roe, who died October 12, 1821, was unveiled. In recording the death of Mr. Roe the historian says that Uncle Huram Reeve had in his possession the nails used in making the linn tree coffin in which Mr. Roe was laid away. Mr. Roe came to Morgan county in 1819, just the year previous to the coming of Uncle Huram, and his was the first death in the county. Uncle Huram first settled on a farm near what is now the Diamond Grove cemetery, but tars afterward removed to the farm four miles east of the city on the Springfield road, where his declining years were passed in peace and quietude. Referring to the life of the deceased, one historian says:“Huram Reeve was the seventh child of Isaac and Kerenhapuck Reeve, who, with his family, settled in township 15, range 11, Morgan county, in 1820. He was the first blacksmith in the county. He started by putting an anvil on a stump and fastening his bellows to saplings. The first death in the township was that of his son, John, who died in 1822. Mrs. Reeve died in 1852. Her husband died several years later, at the advanced age of 100 years. The subject of this sketch came to Morgan county with his father. He followed agricultural pursuits. He was married, at the age of 28, to Miss Margaret McMillan,of Kentucky. They had, by this union, five children, only one of whom is now living. Mrs. Reeve died in 1847. He was married to his present wife, Miss Ursulla Proctor, July 10, 1807. Mr. Reeve commenced life very poor, but by persevering industry he succeeded in acquiring a comfortable competence. Politically Mr. Reeve was a whig, and afterwards became a republican. He was person ally acquainted with the pure patriot and noble martyr, Abruham Lincoln. Mr. Reeve was a member of the Presbyterian church, and was one of the ry few now living who, more than 50 years ago, made up the 100 citizens in the present limits of Morgan county.” Mr. Reeve lived to a ripe old age to ^ j witness the growth and progress of the v county from u wild, unsettled region II ; to its present rank among the wealthy } 1 and cultivated counties of the state.About three weeks ago Uncle Huram 1 was taken down with pneumonia and ' on account of his advanced years there J* was little or no hope of recovery from the wry beginning of his illness aiuL^ f the result was no surprise to his famil^fl and friend*. He is survived by his | wife and one sou.The funeral will take place from the , Jacksonville Presbyterian church at t* bGJO o’clock Tuesday morning. The , funeral procession will leavethe family t residence, four miles east of the city, on 1 the Springfield road,about nine o’clock.* Interment will be in the Diumoud j Grove cemetery.
Newspaper Details
Jacksonville Weekly Illinois Courier
Jacksonville, Illinois, US
Wed, Jun 28, 1893
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Patty M.
IL, USA 30 May 2024
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