Page 662

BENJAMIN F. CUMMINS is a well-known and greatly respected resident of Gardner Township, with whose farming interests he is closely identified. He comes of an early pioneer family of this county and was born in Cartwright Township May 30, 1825. His father, William Cummins, was born in Bourbon County, Ky., in 1861, and was a son of John L. Cummins, a native of Westmoreland County, Pa.

The grandfather of our subject was reared as a farmer and he also learned the trade of a shoe maker and had a shop which he carried on in Paris, Ky. He removed to Kentucky with his father, who was a native of Ireland and a Scotch-Irishman by descent, and he became one of the earliest settlers of Kentucky, locating there soon after Boone, the famous frontiersman, made his settlement in that State. He had seven sons who were also pioneers of Kentucky, having removed thither with teams. The grandfather of our subject served under Mad Anthony Wayne in fighting the Indians in 1794, and was with that General when he died on the way to Washington. He also served in the war of 1812, and he was an admirer of Gen. Harrison. He removed to Ohio and was a pioneer of Batavia on the Miami River in Greene County, where he carried on his calling as a shoemaker for several years and also engaged in farming.

In the month of October, 1819, the grandfather of our subject came by teams with his family to this county. He was accompanied by his son-in-law, Abram Sinnard, who was appointed Justice of the Peace by Gov. Bond and married the first couple in Sangamon County, and he lived here until 1847, when he moved to Iowa and there died. Each family drove through from Ohio to Richland with a team apiece, and on every Sunday Grandfather Cummins and Sinnard would rest while the other movers would push on, but they would overtake them before the week ended. Mr. Cummins squatted on the Creek, and subsequently entered eighty acres of land on the Beardstown road in Cartwright Township. He improved that land, sold it to William Stevenson and then entered land in Cartwright adjoining Abe. Sinnard's place. In 1835 he sold that farm and removed to Indian Creek Precinct, Morgan County, where he bought land and farmed until his death at the venerable age of eighty-three years. He was a man of much force of character, was well informed on all subjects and was a strong Whig. When he came here the county was very sparsely settled, there being then only three families west of Springfield, and his name has an honorable place among those of the early pioneers of this section of the county.

The father of our subject was eighteen years old when he came to this county. He was married in 1822, bought land in Cartwright Township, on which he settled and actively engaged in its improvement. He had bought timber land, as he did not then think the prairie capable of living in. In 1849 he sold his possessions here and removed to Iowa, bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Wapello County, which he subsequently sold and removed to Guthrie County, where he died in 1872. He volunteered in the Black Hawk War in Lincoln's company and was mustered in April 21, 1832. He was mustered out in the following May, and then re-enlisted. He was Lincoln's right hand man when the latter had his famous wresting match with the bully Thompson at Beardstown. Early in life a Whig, later he became a Republican. In Iowa he joined the United Brethren Church. When a young man he married Polly Williams, a native of Bourbon County, Ky. Her father died in that State, and her sister, Rachael Williams, came to this county with her and her brothers, Elijah and Shelton Williams, traveling on horseback. That was in 1821; finally the uncles of our subject went back and later removed to Arkansas, where they became the owners of large tracts of land. The mother of our subject died in Cartwright Township in 1826. The father of our subject was twice married. Of his first marriage two children survive - John S., a resident of Guthrie County, Iowa, and our subject. They had three half brothers who took part in the war and William served throughout the Rebellion. He was taken prisoner at Pittsburg Landing and was incarcerated for a short time.

Our subject passed the first ten years of his life in the place of his birth, living with his grandfather after the death of his mother when he was a year old. His grandfather moved to Morgan County in May, 1835, and he continued to live with him. He had but limited school advantages and was early set to work. On Saturdays when he was not in school he had to cut wood for twenty-five cents to pay his fees in the subscription school that he attended, which was taught in a log house, furnished with slab benches and heated with a fireplace. He was quite young when he commenced to drive oxen, and it was a proud day for him when he was engaged to drive five yoke for old William Orear. Deer and wild turkeys and other game were abundant, and as our subject was a good shot he much enjoyed hunting.

When Mr. Cummins was eighteen years old, on the 14th of May, 1843, the most auspicious event in his life occurred, he being then united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Angelo, a native of Crawford County, Pa. She was a daughter of O'Kenos Angelo, a native of New Jersey, who was a pioneer farmer of Morgan County. Our subject lived with his grandfather on his farm until 1846, and then bought a water sawmill on Indian Creek, which he operated for three years. He then sold it and turned his attention to farming. He served as Constable for ten years, and was Deputy Assessor, assessing the county, except the corporate limits in Jacksonville.

In 1859 Mr. Cummins sold his property in Morgan County and coming back to this county rented land in Curran Township on the Jacksonville Road. In 1862 he bought twenty acres here, and locating in the timber, began clearing it, and has placed it under substantial improvement. He has here a fine orchard, good buildings, neat and well-fenced fields which are watered by Archer Creek, and he has added to his property until he has eighty-four acres of land on section 33. He cultivates his land and also pays attention to raising cattle and hogs and has acquired a good competence.

Our subject stands among the most honored and useful members of the community, and has borne an honorable part in the management of civic affairs. He is now serving his fifth term as Justice of the Peace. Politically he is independent, always using his influence to secure the election of the man whom he thinks best fitted for the office, regardless of party affiliations. Religiously he is of the Baptist faith.

To him and his good wife, who shares the respect in which he is held, have been born thirteen children, of whom the following is recorded: William lives in Chicago; Andy O. is a resident of Nebraska; Marie (Mrs. Phelps) lives in Central City, Neb.; John H. died January 1, 1863; Cynthia (Mrs. Grundy) lives in Springfield; Mary died in February, 1887; Amanda died February 12, 1855; Samuel is a farmer in Gardner Township; Frances (Mrs. Koogler) lives in Springfield; Lincoln is a resident of Buffalo Heart, this county; Stephen H. is an attorney of Springfield; Nancy E. lives at home with her parents; Edward E. assists in the management of the home farm; William and Andy took part in the late war, the former as a member of the One Hundred and Thirtieth Illinois Infantry, and the latter belonging to the Tenth Illinois Cavalry. They also have a grandson twelve years old living with the, the only child of their deceased daughter Mary, they having adopted him as their own since their daughter's death, changing his name from Delbert Brown to Delbert Cummins.