Settling of Land Near Homer by Family Just Century Ago Recalled by Local Resident Danville Commercial News Monday, April 29, 1940, page 5 Pioneer days in Eastern Illinois were recalled last week by Milton J. Yeazel, local retired salesman, who observed the 100th anniversary of his father’s settlement of land near Homer. Only surviving member of the James Yeazel family of 16 children, Mr. Yeazel, who lives at 19 Conron Ave., said that his father purchased land about a mile west of Homer April, 1840, in order to avoid the legal delays and involved procedure of government preemption. This was during the administration of Andrew Jackson and much land in Illinois was available free to settlers who wished to prove up a claim. Pioneer Yeazel was born in Springfield, Ohio, in 1817 and with his young wife and their two children made the difficult ox-team trip westward to his new holdings, passing through Danville en route. With true pioneer spirit, the former Ohioan soon erected a log cabin on grounds located a half mile north of the present Homer-Sidney Highway. In a few years, the cabin was replaced as a dwelling by a brick home, which was considered a show place of its day. Following the death of his first wife, Maria Spencer, James Yeazel married Elizabeth Littler Babb, member of a prominent Homer family. Just 48 years after his migration to Illinois, James Yeazel died in the home he had carved out of the wilderness.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 15:29:11 +0000
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