FOUR FAMILIES ALONG JONATHAN CREEK

FOUR FAMILIES ALONG JONATHAN CREEK
by
ORRIS DREW

The story starts about 1794 or 95 in Tennessee. A young Job Bolin marries Pricilla ? and they start a family. They have a little boy, James, in 1796 and then Job dies. Pricilla marries Archibald Standerfer and they have their first child together in 1798 or 99. They move to Illinois before 1820 and one final known child, Franklin in born.

Meanwhile, in 1792, over in South Carolina, Langston Drew with his wife, Nancy and three little boys sell the last of their inherited property and start west. They are next found in 1811 in Gibson County, Indiana, with two boys and four girls. The oldest boy, John, marries and several children are born before the family moves to Hamilton County, Illinois, around 1818, where a couple more children are born. John's children are Margaret, Sarah, Chesley, James, Paulina, John, Frederick, and Madison, John Drew moves north to Shelby County, Illinois in the late 1820s and onto Jonathan Creek in 1830.

And over in Fleming County, Kentucky, Isaac Fulton Jr. and Elizabeth Bennington Crail have married and started a family of five-- Martha, Thomas, Isaac, John B., and James. They all marry in Fleming County. Thomas marries Patsy ? and has one Child, Jane, before moving to Jonathan Creek about 1830. After the move to Illinois, Thomas and Patsy Fulton continue to have children until her death. Besides Jane, who I've already mentioned, they had Margaret, Elizabeth J., John, William W., Arminda, James and Martha, nicknamed Patsy. Patsy ( the mother) dies 27 January 1845, probably from complications of childbirth. Thomas probably hired a housekeeper named Elizabeth Fletcher. That may or may not be a true statement, but we do know that Thomas Fulton married Elizabeth Fletcher 17 November 1845. He was 48 years old and she was fifteen. At this time I have no idea where Elizabeth Fletcher came from to Moultrie County nor who her parents were. Thomas and Elizabeth Fletcher Fulton have five children before he dies 18 November 1856. They are Thomas, Zerelda, Amy, Isaac and Robert R. Fulton.

John B. Fulton came to live on Jonathan Creek in 1838. With him were his wife, Amy Hardin, and five children --Margaret, Elizabeth, Sarah, Isaac and Angeline. After they arrived on the banks of Jonathan Creek, they had Barnabus, Permelia and John B. Then of 14 December 1847, Amy Hardin Fulton dies. John B. married Martha Ann Mathews on 24 December 1850. They have Eliza, James, Thomas, Wesley and David. John B. Fulton dies 22 December 1863 and on 31 January 1866, Martha Ann Fulton marries Albert Berry. They have no children.

Now also in 1830 came the Standerfer's up from Hamilton County, Illinois to Shelby County, Illinois. In the history book, History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin, and Williamson Counties, Illinois ( Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887) on page 88, it tells of the Standerfers coming to what was then Shelby County (now Moultrie County which came into being in 1843) and settling in what is now Jonathan Creek Township about seven or eight miles northeast of the present Sullivan, Illinois. In the history book, Combined History of Shelby and Moultrie Cos., Illinois ( Philadelphia: Brink, McDonough & Co., 1881) on page 274 it tells that Archibald Standerfer and his family came to what would be Jonathan Creek Township in 1830. Also on page 46 of the same publication it notes that he was an early settler. In an unpublished work entitle, Bolin 1-2 by Norman Bolin, the writer tells of an interview with H.E. Bracken, grandson of James Bolin, wherein he tells states that James Bolin with his half-brothers, Jerry, (Jeremiah), Frank (Franklin), and Arch (Archibald ) and their sister Sally (Sarah) came to Moultrie County at the same time. Although Mr Bracken could remember no others, William also came with them, as did their sister Elizabeth. Their brother Job stayed in Hamilton County as he was already married and evidently his wife wouldn't leave her family. James Bolin was already married at this time and they came to the creek with four little children. Elizabeth Standerfer, the oldest of the Standerfer children was married to Ben Auxer.

On 10 December 1857, Elizabeth Fletcher Fulton, widow of Thomas Fulton marries Franklin Standerfer, who had been married to Paulina " Polly" Drew. In 1858, in Moultrie County, Illinois their son Franklin is born. It is likely he had some full brothers as Elizabeth is only 28 at his birth. I have no further records.

In 1860, the census records show the five children of Franklin and Paulina, the five children of Elizabeth and Thomas and their son Franklin. So, with the first "family" of Thomas Fulton being eight children and second being five and the first family of Franklin Standerfer being five, the family is now nineteen and encompasses all four families.

The combined second generation of the four familes is forty-three. Standerfers with eight, including stepson James Bolin, Tom Fulton with thirteen, John Fulton with thirteen and John Drew with eight.

Now the mixing takes place! William Standerfer marries Margaret "Peggy" Drew 10 December, 1829. Archibald Standerfer Jr. marries Sarah " Sally" Drew 14 April 1830. Franklin Standerfer marries Paulina "Polly" Drew 18 March 1841. Chelsley Drew marries Malitha Bolin 26 September 1844 ( She was 14) . William Bolin marries Jane Fulton 6 September 1847. Then Madison "Matt" Drew marries Martha Ann Standerfer 8 March 1857. Martha Ann is third generation, daughter of Jeremiah Standerfer. Andrew Standerfer marries Zerelda Fulton 19 July 1866. Andrew and Zerelda are step-brother and sister of Franklin Standerfer-Paulina Drew-Thomas Fulton-Elizabeth Fletcher family.

Thomas Fulton, son of Thomas marries Mahulda Elizabeth "Huldy" Drew 14 November 1867. She is third generation daughter of Chelsey and Malitha Bolin Drew. Benjamin Standerfer, third generation son of Archibald Jr. and Sarah Drew Standerfer marries Martha "Patsy" Fulton, daughter of Thomas in Douglas County, Illinois in May 1867. Margaret Bolin, daughter of William and Jane Fulton Bolin, marries Charles William Drew (first cousins and both third generation) 4 February 1882. Thomas D. Fulton, son of John , marries Amy Bolin, third generation daughter of his cousin Jane, 7 May 1883.

Then suddenly about 1883, the Standerfers are gone from the creek. Only one family even remains in Moultrie County. That is the family of Oliver Standerfer, son of Benjamin and his first wife, Jane Moon. (Grandson of Archibald Jr. and Sarah Drew Standerfer). The same is true of the Fultons. One family, David, youngest son of John, and his descendants remain on the creek. Shortly after 1900, only one Drew family remains on the creek. Charles Drew and some of his descendants still remained after 1900. Most of the Bolin family do not leave the area.

And now, at the beginning of 2000, the name Fulton is represented on the creek by Elvon Fulton, grandson of David, youngest son of John. The last of the Thomas Fulton's family left the area shortly after 1880. Charles E. Bolin, of the line of William and Jane Fulton Bolin is the only one with the Bolin name living on the creek. And Orris Drew, of the line of Chessley and Malitha Bolin Drew is the only one with the Drew name. When these three men die or move off the creek, the names will leave with them. Elvon Fulton never married. Charles Bolin's only son left the area some time ago and Orris Drew only had daughters.

In the late 1880s members of the four families owned most of the 21 sections (640 acres in a section) of farmland along the Jonathan Creek. At the beginning of 2000, descendants are only in six sections and have collectively no more that 2400 acres.

Possibly because of a need to improve their situation, or a desire for adventure, the lives of these four families along Jonathan Creek have forever touched and enhanced the history of Moultrie County, Illinois.



copied from twillastinytreasures.com