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BIOS-Past & Present of Bureau Co. 1906 > Charles L. Savage


12 Feb 2005

Source: Past and Present of Bureau Co., IL
Originally published 1906
Pioneer Pub. Co.
Chicago, IL
Reproduced on CD purchased from OLD GLORY ACCENTS

Transcribed by: Denise McLoughlin
Tampico Area Historical Society
www.tampicohistoricalsociety.citymax.com

Pages 909 - 910

Charles L. Savage

 

Charles L. Savage, one of the oldest living residents of Bureau county, residing in Selby township, near Depue, was born in Morgan county, Illinois, August 5, 1831, and has made his home within three miles of his present location throughout his entire life.

His paternal grandfather served in the Revolutionary war, being taken prisoner with Burgoyne.

His wife was Hannah Rich, a native of Vermont.

His father, Peter S. Savage, was a native of Cayuga county, New York, and was married in the east to Miss Dolly Shontz, a native of Pennsylvania. On leaving his native state, Peter S. Savage went to Indianapolis, Indiana, making his way to that place by raft and ox team. In 1822 he made the shingles used for the old log state house there. In 1824 he went to Morgan county, Illinois, where he entered from the government a tract of land, on which the city of Jacksonville now stands. In 1831 he sold that tract to a syndicate for sixteen thousand dollars and the same year entered another tract in Putnam county, this state, which is now known as the Lebe Coyle farm. He then returned to Morgan county, where he spent the winter, but in the spring of 1832 came again to Putnam county, locating on a claim two and a half miles east of Hennepin, and here in the winter of 1833-34 his wife died. In 1835 he was again married, his second union being with Miss Charlotte Hamler, and on the 1st of January, 1836, the family removed to Bureau county, settlng on a farm on section 32, Selby township. After residing for a number of years on this place he removed to Labette county, Kansas, where he resided until his death in 1880, when he had reached the age of eighty-four years.

In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Peter S. Savage were the following named:

Jane first married George W. Venchioneur, who died at Hennepin in 1835, and after his death; wedded John G. Greener, whose death occurred in 1900, and she is also  now deceased, her death having occurred in 1853.

James, who accompanied his brother Morgan to California in 1846 and became conspicuous as an Indian chief, having several tribes and fully three hundred warriors at his command, died in that state many years ago.

Morgan, who while enroute to California, was married to Miss Anna Brisben, who became the mother of twelve children, died in 1904 at Corvallis, Oregon.

Harriet is the wife of Perry Piper and resides at Princeton, Illinois.

William and Silas both died in infancy.

Charles L. is the next member of the family.

John, who served as a soldier in the Civil war, resided for a number of years in Bureau county but later removed to Red Willow county, Nebraska, and subsequently to Freewater, Oregon, where his death occurred in 1904 at the Soldier's Home.

There were also two daughters of Mr. Savage's second marriage:

Ann, who became the wife of William Piper and is now deceased; and

Amanda, who married Frank Walker and resides in Nebraska.

Charles L. Savage, having lost his mother when about two years of age, accompanied his father on his various removals and was reared to farm life, remaining at home and assisting in the operation of the home place until after he had attined his majority. He then, on the 8th of Februry, 1853, was united in marriage to Miss Henrietta Young, who has proved to him a faithful companionand helpmate on life's journey.

He then started out in life on his own account and was first employed at breaking prairie and and threshing. He has always been a hard-working, industrious man, and by the assistance of his estimable wife he was enabled in a few years to purchase land of his own, adjoining the village of Depue, and with the exception of four years spent in Depue continued to be their home for forty years but he recently sold his land to the Mineral Point Zinc Company, which corporation is expending five million dollars in the erection of a model plant.

In 1894 he purchased ninety acres of land, which he made his home for several years but which is now operated by his son Harry.

In March, 1904, he bought a farm of three hundred and twenty acres known as the Ben Smith farm, situated near Princeton, for which he paid forty-seven thousand dollars, and in January, 1905 he and his family removed to his home on section 34, Selby township.

For over forty years Mr. Savage was also engaged as an auctioneer, havinig in 1862 taken upthis line in connection with his farming interests. He has cried as high as ninety-eight sales, mostly on farm lands, in a year in northern Illinois, where his services have been highly satisfactory.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Savage have been born four sons:

Charles Henry, born November 17, 1853, is a farmer and engineer, residing at Depue. He is married and his children are: Warren who is married; James; Mrs. Lillie Papkee; Henrietta, the wife of John Seaburger; and Mary.

James Martin Savage, born in January, 1855, died on the 25th of March, 1893. He had been married to Miss Betsy Olafson and of this marriage there are two daughters, Carrie, the wife of George Barnes, and Charlotte, who is the wife of John Marple.

Perry Alvin Savage, born in 1869, died in 1882, when about thirteen years of age.

Harry Charles Savage, born in 1871, and now operating the home farm, was married to Miss Nancy Fox and they have five children, Amanda, Morgan Charles, Lydia Carolee, Theodore, and baby.

Politically Mr. Savage has always been an advocate of republican principles and has been a delegate to conventions of his party, and as always been an active campaign worker. He was president of the Depue council for several years, served as deputy sheriff for four years under Sheriff Beatty, and as deputy provost marshal under Norton during the Civil war. He has also been a report for the mercantile agencies of Dunn, Douglas, Brock and others of Chicago and New York for over forty years.

Though starting out in life without capital, he possessed a strong will and through his preseverance and industry is now in possession of a valuable property being classed among the well-to-do and influential citizens of Bureau county, where he and his family are highly esteemed. Over the record of his public and private career there falls no shadow of wrong, for he has ever been most loyal to the ties of friendship and citizenship and his history well deserves mention on the pages of this volume.

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