James Scoville was born February 21, 1810 in Washington county New york. He traveled on foot from home to Erie, Pennsylvania, then again on foot across Michigan to Chicago and then to Milwaukee in November 1834. At that time there were no bridges, and he was compelled to wade or swim all the streams. He had left his family in New York while he was seeking work. He was employed by Junot & Rogers, at Milwaukee, in the lumber business, at $25.00 per month. When he was through with his work at his place, he walked all the way back to New York. Mr. Scoville was married November 15 1832. Children: Ira, born May 24, 1834; Mattie, born March 12 1836; Amelia, born March 12 1838; Mary E born December 17 1841; Sarah born November 29 1843; Paulina born January 20 1845; James born March 30 1848; Ettie born April 12 1850; Emma born January 17 1852 and Ella born December 12 1855. Mr Scoville made no claim on Government lands, but bought a timber lot from Wm . Wick, built a cabin on a prairie lot in October 1839 and moved his family into it in November He also held the claim of the grove northeast of Genesee, which was then called Sight Grove, afterwards Prospect Grove. When he settled in Genesee Grove his entire worldly possessions consisted of a span of horses and a wagon. The provisions for his family and the feed for is horses had to be brought from Warren county, one hundred miles south, for the first year's supply. In the second year the products of the farm were sufficient. His first house was a log cabin 18 x 20 feet, all in one room, and was used as a kitchen, dining room, parlor, sleeping room, granary, harness room and wood house. In addition to all this, his cabin was the stopping place for all strangers who passed that way. Mr. Scoville and his wife are now far down the sunset side of life, and have secured not only the necessaries, but also many of the luxuries of life. They are among the solid people of Whiteside County.
Extracted from Bent & Wilson History of Whiteside County Page 223-224
The subject of this sketch attended the common schools of his native state, and as soon as old enough to be of any assistance he commenced to aid in the work of the farm. On the 11 th of November, 1832 he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Hills, who was born in Oneida county, New York January 24, 1813 a daughter of Ira and Sarah Jane (Hurlburt) Hills, both natives of Connecticut. In early life her father followed the cooper's trade, but on his arrival to New York turned his attention to farming. He became a resident of that state a few years prior to her birth, and when she was four years old he moved to Pennsylvania, purchasing land in Erie county, where his death occurred. He was a prosperous and successful man and was highly respected by all who knew him. He was an officer (captain) in the war of 1813 and his services received a land warrant, with which he secured land in Ohio, but never located thereon. His wife survived him about twenty years and died at the home of a son in Galesburg, Illinois. In their family were eleven children, of whom seven reached man and womanhood, namely: Nelson, Riley, Lester, Cynthia, Elizabeth, Sarah and Mary Ann. Mrs. Scoville is now the only one of this family living.
After his marriage Mr Scoville and his wife located in Erie county, Pennsylvania, where he purchased land from the government and engaged in farming until 1839 when he started overland in a prairie schooner for Illinois. After twenty-one days spent upon the road he arrived in Galesburg, where he remained two months and then came to Whiteside county, locating in Genesee township on the line between Whiteside and Carroll counties. Here he took up two hundred acres of wild land and from the unbroken prairie he developed a fine farm, which he placed under a high state of cultivation. His first home here was a rude log cabin of two rooms, which were utilized as sitting room, parlor, kitchen and bed room for two years, when a more commodious and better residence was erected. This was the home of Mr. Scoville and his wife until they left the farm and moved to a place near Coleta, where he had purchased two hundred acres. He finally retired from farming in 1 88 1 and took up his residence in Sterling, where he died January 29 1884 honored and respected by all who knew him. His widow now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs Olmsted, in Milledgeville, Illinois.
To them were born ten children, as follows: Ira, a resident of Grundy county, Iowa, married Mary J. Bushnell and has six children; Mittie, a resident of Sterling, is the widow of Edward Millard and has four children; Amelia married Benton Harris, who died leaving four children, and she is now the wife of Peter Dull, of Milledgeville; Mary is the wife of John P. Bull, of Genesee township, and they have four children; Sarah is the wife of H. T. Healy, of Carroll county, and they have twelve children; Paulina is the wife of Elhanan C. Winters, of Rock Falls, whose sketch is given elsewhere in this work; James died at the age of four years; Etta is the wife of Charles Olmsted of Milledgeville, and they have two children; Emma married William Calkins, of Milledgeville, and died at the age of thirty-one years, leaving two children; and Ella is the wife of Colonel Bushman, of Genesee township, and the) have nine children.
In his political affiliations, Mr. Scoville was a strong Republican, and he served as school trustee in his district for many years. He was a prominent and influential member of the Methodist Episcopal church, tool; an active part in all church work and served as steward and class leader the greater part of the time. He was very charitable and benevolent, always willing to lend a helping hand to the poor and needy, and gave to the support of any religious body.
The Biographical Record of Whiteside County, Illinois"
James Scoville, deceased, was one of the prominent pioneers and representative citizens of Whiteside county, whose last days were spent in retirement in Sterling. He was born in Washington county, New York February 21 1810 a son of Edward and Susan (Case) Scoville, also natives of that state. The father followed the occupation of farming in New York until 1841 when he came to Whiteside county, Illinois, and took up a tract of one hundred and twenty acres of government land in Genesee township, upon which he made his home until his death. He died, however, in Pike county, Illinois, in 1859 being taken ill while visiting there and never recovering. His wife had died a few years previously. They were the parents of nine children, Paulina, Sanford, James, Stephen, Alexander, Sprague, Angeline, Susan and Mary Jane, all of whom lived to maturity, married and reared families with the exception of Sprague, who died at about the age of eighteen years.
