This, however, is not the case; for in the unwritten, unrecorded history of the men who made the township is found the minutiae and the most interesting parts of her history. -These sketches are arranged alphabetically.

John W. Agard was born in Odessa, Schuyler county, New York. He was educated at Cazenovia, New York. March 1, 1834, he and Martha P., a daughter of General Thomas, were married at Kingston, Luzerne county, Pa. In 1836 he resolved to make his home in Illinois. He arrived in Wyoming September 25 of that year, and though he lived in other places since he always looked upon Wyoming as his home. From 1836 until 1845 he followed farming as a business, occasionally working as a carpenter, In 1845 he applied to the M. E. Rock River Conference for a preacher’s license. He took an active part in the work of the conference, and was for several years one of the leading presiding elders. He returned to Wyoming, there to devote himself more fully to the care of his sick wife, completing this duty with her death September 21, 1870. Mr. Agard then considered it his duty to give his-time and attention to the care of his wife’s father, the aged General Thomas. A few months after General Thomas’ death, which occurred July 7, 1879, Mr. Agard removed to Chicago, where he resided until his death, October 11, 1881.

John R. Atherton, born in Kentucky, in 1802, moved with parents to Ohio in 1803, married Jane Armstrong in 1825, moved to a point near Nauvoo in 1835, and to Stark county in 1844, where he settled on what is now the James Biggs farm; died January 31, 1885.

Julius Barnes, son of Martin and Ruth (Dart) Barnes, was born at Florence, Oneida county, New York, August 27, 1826. His parents were natives of Connecticut, who, with their family, moved into York state. Their children numbered six sons and four daughters, all of whom, with the exception of two sons and one daughter, grew to manhood and womanhood -- one son and one daughter dying in late years. In 1836 the entire family moved to Elmwood coming the whole distance by wagon, and occupying six weeks in making the trip. Julius received his education at Elmwood, and was there engaged in agriculture and stock-raising until 1853, when he settled in Valley township and improved a farm of 160 acres there, since extended to 400 acres. For thirty years he resided on this farm; was school director of his district for fourteen years consecutively, and served in several township offices, always taking a pride in the progress of the community. In 1853 he married Miss Sarah, daughter of Arni and Susan (Bosworth) Kellogg who came from Clinton county, N. Y., to Stark county in 1836. Mrs. Barnes, however, was born in Vermont. Their children are Martin J., a farmer of Davis county, Ia.; Mrs. Mary A. Tilton, of Bement, Neb.; Rufus A., of Davis county, Ia.; Franklin A., farmer on old homestead; Alvin S., of Otoe county, Neb., Edson S., who died in his fifth year; Frederick H. and Emma L. Mr. and Mrs. Barnes, originally Methodists, but of old Presbyterian families, are members of the Congregational church. He was a member of the Stark County Agricultural Society but since the organization of the Central Agricultural Society has given it full support. He devoted

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much attention to fine stock growing up to 1883, when he moved into Wyoming, where he has a pleasant residence and a farm of 70 acres of well located and fertile land.

Jonas Ballentine, born in N. Carolina, April 3, 1815, married Miss M. R. Edwards in 1841, settled in Stark county in September of that year, died near Monica, Peoria county, in his 63d year.

Mrs. Eunice (Ferguson) Bass, born in Northampton, N. Y., in 1820, married E. B. Bass there in 1840, came with her husband to Illinois in 1854, settled five miles northeast of Toulon, and resided there until 1878, when she moved into the village, where she died August 10, 1885.

Thomas A. Beall, Sr., born in Dubois county, Ind., March 11, 1823, is the son of Asa and Mary (Coyle) Beall, natives of Kentucky. The former of Fayette county and the latter of Bullitt county. The father was a millwright and helped build the first grist mill at Cincinnati, O. He died in Peoria county in June, 1873, aged eighty-four years, his wife preceded him in 1872, leaving three sons and two daughters. Asa Beall was a son of Thomas Beall, an old settler of Kentucky. Asa Beall removed with his family to Illinois in 1832 and located where is now Mossville, Peoria county, but removed to Kickapoo, where be resided for many years. His children are: Thomas, Harriet, wife of James Rogers; William, a farmer of Valley township, Francis, a resident of Peoria, and Josephine, wife of William Lawrence, of Peoria county.

Thomas Beall was educated in Peoria county and there married Miss Ophelia, daughter of David and Roxanna (Minter) Bush, of Pennsylvania and Kentucky, respectively, and pioneers of Peoria county. At thirty years of age he left there and purchased a property in Valley township, section 2, known since as the Beall farm. Of his five sons and six daughters, Marion is a farmer in Harlan county, Neb.; Fred’k, an attorney-at-law, of Alma, Harlan county, Neb.; Asa, a minister of the Methodist church (Peoria conference); Hattie, the wife of David McLeish, a minister of the Methodist church, at Roseville, Ill.; Thomas Allen, at Hedding College, pursuing a literary and classical course; Mary, at Squire Rogers; John is a clever musical genius; Susie, Effie, Minnie and Ada residing here. He is a supporter of the Methodist church, while Mrs. Beall and many of the children are members of that church.

John Berfield, son of Benjamin and Martha (Sloan) Berfield, was born in Summer Hill township, Crawford county, Pa., April 24, 1814. His father was born in Clearfield county, Pa., and his grandfather at London, Eng., who came to our shores as a British soldier during the Franco-Indian War, settled in Mahoning county, and afterwards embraced the cause of the Revolution; lived to see the country rid of tyranny, and a family of five sons and two daughters growing up in a free state. His wife was a Miss Hall, who, like the old soldier, ended her days on the old farm beside the Susquehanna. Mr. John Berfield’s father served in the War of 1812; settled in Crawford county, Pa., where he raised a family of four sons and five daughters. In 1834 he moved to Peoria county, Ill., and in 1836 took up land in West Jersey township, where he and his wife died in 1840, and were buried in the

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McClenaghan cemetery. His wife was a daughter of John Sloan, of Crawford county. Of his family, Elizabeth, wife of Nathan Stockton, of Peoria county, is dead; Maria, wife of Jacob Kightlinger, of Yates city is dead. The former was the mother of two sons and three daughters, and the latter of eleven children, seven of whom are living. Sarah, wife of Mr. Ball, of Dakota, is dead; Carson and John, of Stark county; George, who died in 1845; Martha, wife of Joseph N. Benedict, of Moline, deceased, leaving three children--Wheatley B., a farmer, near Hokah, Minn., and Mary Anne, wife of Miner Hedges of Denver, Col., deceased. John Berfield received a fair education in his native county, learned the carpenter’s trade there, and on coming to Knox county, now a part of Stark, purchased and improved a farm in what is now West Jersey township, and ever since has been identified with the county’s progress. He married here Emily, daughter of Squire Thomas Colwell and a native of Ross county, Ohio. They are the parents of two sons and two daughters, who are also the heads of families. Mr. Berfield has served as justice of the peace for West Jersey, supervisor of Toulon, whither he moved in 1852; has been township treasurer of schools and member of school board, as related in the histories of these townships. Mr. and Mrs. Berfield at one time were members of the Baptist church, and are numbered among the most useful citizens and honored pioneers of the county.

Patrick M. Blair, son of William Preston and Hannah (Craig) Blair, was born at Frankfort, Ky., April 10, 1829. His father was also born at Frankfort, son of James Blair, a native of Richmond, Va., --attorney general of Kentucky, and grandson of John Blair, also a native of Virginia--a name known in the judicial history of Virginia. James Blair served with distinction in the Revolution, and William P. Blair in the War of 1812 as captain in the U. S. army. After the war he was in command of the first regular garrison at Ft. Clark (now Peoria); subsequently in command at Rock Island, Council Bluffs and Ft. Smith. Ark., where he married Miss Craig, daughter of one of the first settlers of Arkansas. Patrick M. Blair was educated at St. Louis University, studied law in the office of his cousin, Montgomery Blair, and was admitted to the Illinois Bar at Ottawa in 1850. In 1846 he visited Toulon; returned to St. Louis in 1848, and took up his residence at Toulon in 1854. He was married November 5, 1851, to Miss Harriet M. daughter of Dr. Hall, born in Derbyshire, Eng., July 26, 1832. In 1854 he and John Berfield established the first lumber yard at Toulon, where his present residence now stands. In 1858 he and G. A. Clifford opened a law office. Before the war this partnership was dissolved, and one with Judge James Hewitt formed. In 1860 he was elected circuit clerk, which position he held eight years, the vote being in 1868 for Mr. Blair 1128, a majority of 570, the largest majority given at this election. In 1867 he assisted in organizing the R. I. & P. R. R. Co.; was one of the incorporators, and in 1869 was elected first vice president, serving until succeeded by Captain S. F. Otman. In 1886 he was appointed master in chancery, as successor to Allen P. Miller. Of the four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Blair none are living. William P., born December 19, 1854, died December 25,

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that year; Frances L., born January 20, 1856, died April 23, 1873; Thomas H., one of the founders of the Sentinel, born July 30, 1858, died August 28, 1881, and Walter H., born in 1862, died December 26, 1884.

Mrs. Elva M. (Wright) Black, born near Toulon in 1858, married Samuel G. Black in 1876, died October 30, 1885.

Herbert Blakely, born in Tennessee in 1807, moved to Knox county, Ill., in 1853, to Toulon in 1883, died here December 25, 1884.

Thomas W. Bloomer, born in Fayette county, Ohio, January 15, 1833, is the son of Jesse and Matilda (MacDonald) Bloomer, the former a native of Ohio and son of Wm. Bloomer, a farmer who settled in Fayette county on moving from Alabama. Jesse Bloomer was a farmer in Fayette county Ohio when he died. Thomas W. received a fair education there, and there learned the blacksmith’s trade at Washington, Ohio. In 1855 he came to Stark county with his uncle Squire MacMillen. Here he established business for himself and has since been identified with Wyoming. He was married in Fayette county Ohio to Miss Mary J. Kimble, daughter of Nathan Kimble, a merchant of Washington. They have one son and one daughter, Jesse C., a real estate dealer, and Ida A., the wife of George H. Lyons of Wyoming, a traveling salesman. A reference to the history of Wyoming will point out Mr. Bloomer’s connection with the city council, school board, masonic circles, while in the general history many references are made to him. He is one of the original members of the Central Agricultural Society.

Andrew F. Bloomer, formerly of Wyoming, moved to York, Neb.

Wm. Boggs, who settled at Wyoming years ago, died in January, 1886.

Major Bohanon, of Trivoli, Ill., father of Mrs. J. D. Pierson, of Toulon died in September, 1884, in his 85th year. He came from Syracuse, N. Y., to Peoria county in 1835.

William J. Bond, a native of Maine, was born in Lincoln county, township of Jefferson, January 25, 1827. His father was William Fullerton Bond, a farmer, and son of Henry Bond, a farmer originally a brick-mason, a native of Winchester, Mass. William J. was one of three sons and three daughters of William F. and Hannah (Jackson) Bond, the latter daughter of Joseph Jackson, who served in the Revolution. He spent boyhood in his native county. At the age of seventeen years he engaged as clerk in a mercantile house, and after a few years became a partner in a general store at Jefferson. In 1860 he went to Rockland, Me., and was engaged in mercantile work until coming West in 1868. During his stay at Rockland he served in the council of that city six years, was clerk of the city three years, and member of the board of assessors of Rockland for eight years. In 1868, sold out his interest, came west, and after spending four years in Missouri in traveling trade, he was sent here in 1872 to take charge of his coal mining company’s interests. Those interests he subsequently purchased, and was prominently connected with business here until 1881. Upon the organization of the Central Agricultural Society he became a stockholder. He was married in Missouri to Miss Amelia Gregory.

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