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EARLY SETTLERS OF SANGAMON COUNTY - 1876
By John Carroll Power

These biographies were submitted by a researcher and evidently abstracted from the 1876 History of Sangamon County, IL. Errors could occur, so one should always verify the correctness by obtaining copies of vitals and performing all necessary research to document what is contained herein.



RAPE, JOHN, was born about 1794, in South Carolina, and taken to Tennessee by his parents at eight years old. He was a soldier from Tennessee, in the war of 1812, and arrived at New Orleans the day after the battle of Jan. 8, 1815. His father, Gustavus Rape, was a soldier from North Carolina during the war of the American Revolution. John Rape was married Aug. 18, 1818, in Tennessee, had two children there, and moved to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving in what is now Cotton Hill township, in Feb., 1826, where they had five children. Of their children:

CATHARINE, born Dec. 31, 1821, in Tennessee, married in Sangamon county to Benjamin R. Ridgeway. See his name.

AMELIA, born May 29, 1823, in Tennessee, married in Sangamon county, Dec. 25, 1840, to Wesley Beam. See his name. H died, leaving five children, and she married, July17, 1855, to James Howlett. They have six children, WILLIAM M., DANIEL N., AMELIA L., and MARTHA E., twins, JAMES F. and GEORGE B. McL. Mr. Howlett had three children by a former marriage. They reside in Cotton Hill township.

DANIEL, born March 30, 1826, in Sangamon county, married July 7, 1853 to Myrah Snodgrass. They had three chidlren, CHARELS F., MOSES F. and FLETCHER E. Mrs. Rape died March 10, 1869, and he married, Sept 2, 1869 to Mrs. Rebecca J. Hardin, whose maiden name was Snodgrass. They have one child EDWIN, and live near New City, Sangamon county, Illinois.

JACOB, born Nov. 5, 1827, in Sangamon county, married Dec. 26, 1850 to Rachel Beam. They have five children, THOMAS J., MELINDA J., CHARLES W., JOHN W. and LEWIS M., and live in Cotton Hill township, two and one-half miles south of New City, Sangamon county, Illinois. Jacob Rape says that it was so difficult to obtain farming implements, that himself and a brother covered corn many days with wooden hoes, made for the purpose by their father.

ALFRED N., was born May 5, 1830 in Sangamon county. He enlisted Aug. 12, 1862, in Co. K, 124th Ill. Inf. for three years, served full term, was in fifteen battles, and was honorably discharged Aug. 15, 1865. He was married, Oct. 17, 1871, to Mary A. Constant. They had one child, WM. EDWARD, who died in infancy. They live three miles southwest of New City, in Cotton Hill township, Sangamon county, Illinois.

FRANCIS M., born Nov. 20, 1831, in Sangamon county, married Melvina Snodgrass, had two children, MARY D. and NANCY I. and Mrs. Rape died, and he married Oct. 8, 1869 to Mary J. Hayden, a granddaughter of Penrod Vancil. They have two children, ROSA E. and FLORA E., and live in Cotton Hill township, new New City, Sangamon county, Illinois.

AMANDA, born Oct. 25, 1835, in Sangamon county, married Aug 5, 1852, to Preston Haines. They had three children - NANCY J., born April 9, 1855, married June 9, 1873, to Benj. K. Haines. See his name. AMELIA C. and JOHN W. live with their mother. Preston Haines enlisted in 1861, for three years in Co. B, 11th Mo. Inf. He died Feb. 14, 1863, in Military Hospital, at Keokuk, Iowa. His widow married, June 14, 1871, to W. T. Williams, have one child, MARTIN L., and live in Cotton Hill township, Sangamon county, Illinois.

Mrs. Polly Rape died July 19, 1838 and John Rape was married Feb. 3, 1839, to Elizabeth Snodgrass. The had seven children in Sangamon county -

JOSEPH, born Jan. 25, 1840, married, March 7, 1872, to Frances M. Reavis, who was born Feb. 23, 1856 in Fayette county, Ill. They have one child, NOAH F., and live near New City, Sangamon county, Illinois.

JOHN, born Dec. 16, 1843, lives near New City, Illinois.

JAMES T., born Sept. 27, 1845, married Mary West, have two living children and lives near Cotton Hill P. O., Sangamon county, Illinois.

MARY E., born Oct. 18, 1848, married Sept. 13, 1863, to Thomas McLoon, a native of Ireland. They have three children, MARY B., LAURA A. and JOHN E., and live near New City, Illinois.

SAMUEL D., born Jan. 20, 1853, lives with his mother.

NANCY E., born April 27, 1856, married, Feb. 19, 1874, to B. F. Young, and lives in Cotton Hill township.

EMILY F., born Aug. 12, 1859, lives with her mother.

John Rape died Jan. 29, 1872, and his widow lives on the farm where he settled in 1826. It is in Cotton Hill township, near New City, Sangamon county, Illinois.



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