Vermilion county Illinois, CHARLES E. WHITTON ==================================================================== Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Joy Fisher ==================================================================== p. 260-261 CHARLES E. WHITTON has been a resident of Illinois nearly all his life, though he has lived in Vermilion County but a short time. He was born in Oneida County, N. Y., July 3, 1847, and when a boy, came West with his parents, Robert and Mary (Ferguson) Whitton. They settled on a farm in Grundy County, Ill., and the father and mother are now living at Hammond, Ind., near Chicago. The former is an Englishman by birth, and came to this country with an elder brother when quite young, while the latter is a native of Oneida County, N. Y. Charles E. Whitton was brought up on the home farm in Grundy County, and when Fort Sumter was fired upon, ardently desired to enter the Union army, but was not accepted because of his 3routb. On Feb. 7, 1865, however, he stole a few months of the time necessary, and at the age of seventeen years and six months enlisted in Company C, 147th Illinois Infantry, and served for a year. On the declaration of peace, his company was assigned to Provost Marshal duty in Georgia, and was so engaged until Jan. 20, 1866, on which day they were mustered out. After his return, being still but a boy, although a veteran, Mr. Whitton went to school, and for two years studied with an especial view of preparing himself for the profession of school teaching. In this vocation he was subsequently engaged for more than twelve years, mostly in Iroquois County, Ill., and in Benton County, Ind. In the latter county he was also Superintendent of Schools for two years, discharging the responsible duties of that position satisfactorily to the people, and with credit to himself. During all the years he was teaching he was also working at farming during the summer months. In the spring of 1884 lie began work on a rented farm in Iroquois County, but his first wife dying about that time, Mr. Whitton gave up this place, and after his second marriage lived for three years on a farm in Iroquois County, belonging to his present wife. This they sold in 1888, and then bought and removed to the fine farm of 200 acres, on section 21, in Grant Township, where they now make their home. As stated, Mr.Whitton has been twice married— first in 1877, to Miss Salinda Jones, who died in the spring of 1884, leaving two boys, Lewis and Lawrence. On Dec. 16, 1884, Mr. Whitton was united in marriage with Mrs. Laura B. Dunham, widow of Quincy Dunham, of Logan County, Ill. She is a daughter of David and Mary (Houser) Alsop, and was born in Spencer County, Ky., Aug. 26, 1849. Both the parents were also born in that county, where Mr. Alsop was a farmer. They emigrated to Logan County, Ill., when Laura was but nine years old, and she has ever since been a resident of this State. Her mother died in 1875, and her father is still living in Logan County. He, too, although a southerner by birth, was a soldier of freedom, and served for three years in the Union army as a member of Company F, 106th Illinois Infantry. In fact, all of Mrs. Whitton's connections showed themselves to be true patriots, her father, her father-in-law, her first and her second husband, all having served bravely in the Union ranks. William Dunham, her first husband's father, was Chaplain of the 106th Illinois Infantry, the same regiment in which her father was a soldier. He served through the war, but contracted a disease from which he never recovered, and which terminated his life in 1877. Laura B. Alsop (now Mrs. Whitton) was married to Quincy Dunham, Dec. 15, 1870. He, like Mr. Whitton, was a youthful soldier, having been born Aug. 6, 1847, in Warren County, Ohio, and on Feb. 10.1865, when seventeen years and six months old, enlisted in Company M, 6th Illinois Cavalry, serving for nine months, and was discharged Nov. 5, 1805. After his return from the army, young Dunham was engaged in farming pursuits in Logan County until his death. He bought the farm in Iroquois County, on which Mr. and Mrs. Whitton lived after their marriage, but never occupied it himself. The circumstances attending his death, which occured Dec. 9, 1881, were very sad. A man whom he had hired to work on the farm was found to be suffering from smallpox, and Mr. Dunham contracted the disease, and died from it. His brother, Monroe Dunham, who was married to a sister of Mrs. Whitton, and a sister of Mrs. Lucy Zollars, with a child of Monroe's, named Maud, also fell victims to the same dread disease, as did five of their neighbors, making nine in all who died before the pest could be controlled. Mr. and Mrs. Quincy Dunham became the parents of six children, all of whom are now living with their mother, and are named Clarence E., Mary L., William D., Arthur A., Pearl E. and Grace L. Mr. and Mrs. Whitton have one child, a bright little girl, named Estella K. Though not long residents in Vermilion County, they have lived near its borders, and are well known in this part of the county. Both are respected members of the Christian Church, and he is a member of Boswell Lodge, No. 486, A. F. & A. M., of Boswell, Ind. Mr. Whitton is known as an industrious, hardworking man, who attends closely to the duties of his farm, in which he is ably assisted by his energetic and capable wife. The farm they now own is a fine property', and under their careful management is being rapidly improved, and when their plans are fully carried out, it will be one of the best properties of its size in this neighborhood.