David England (1804 - 1887)

Born 23 Nov 1804 in Bath Co. KY

Ancestors

Died 22 Dec 1887 at age 83 in Sangamon Co. IL

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Biography

David Engalnd who married Margaret Higgins in Nov. 18, 1823, built his house on the site of the tenant house one half mile southeast of H. H. England's residence. Both sites are still in possession of Mr. H. England. David was devouted (sp?) to his church, often riding many miles on a horse to attend services in neighboring communities. He was for many years elder of the church organized by his father. Holding that position at the time of his death. He had a fall from an apple tree late in life breaking his leg. It left him slight crippled. He was very fond of telling stories of pioneer life and his early experiences. He tells of seeing Indians bury their dead by putting them in troughs suspending them in trees. Also building pens around them and leaving them to decay. He related a story of finding a panther in the river bottom measuring nine feet from tip to tip. He would find as many as five bee trees in one day. The land evidently flowed with honey, if not with milk. His last home was built in the village of Cantrall on a lot adjoining the church yard. Aunt Peggy, his wife, as she was familiarly known, was a very pretty woman with brown eyes. In later years she always wore a lace cap, black for every day and a white one for Sunday. She used to tell the story of the girls in her day carrying their shoes and stockings in their hand on going to church and putting them on as they neared the meeting house. When a young man asked to accompany her home, she very much feared punishment, for walking through the tall grass in her good shoes.

David England Obituary

Taken from "Daily State Register, Springfield, Illinois, Friday morning, December 23, 1887", Page 3.

David England died yesterday morning at 1 o'clock at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Evaline Metts (Mitts) in Cantrall. Mr. England was born in Bath County, Kentucky on November 25, 1804 and consequently at the time of his death was in his 84th year. November 4, 1823, he married Miss Margaret Higgins, whom he survives from 4 or 5 years, and by whom he had 14 children, 7 sons and 7 daughters. Mr. England came to the county with his father, STEPHEN ENGLAND in the year 1819, one year after Illinois had been admitted as a state into the Union, and settled on the north side of the Sangamon River, near the place where the Chicago and Alton Railroad crosses that stream. His brothers-in-law, Andrew Cline (Clarno), and Wyatt Cantrall also located their claims in the same time and near the same place. This brave man edured all the harships of pioneer life, but also made of the right kind of metal, as a subsequent life has proved. He has ever since lived in the same locality and was one of the substantial and always reliable old settlers of Sangamon County. . For the past few years his home has been with his daughter, Mrs. Evaline Metts (Mitts), a most worthy and greatly beloved woman, who has cared for him with all the loving kindness of a most affectionate daughter. On Friday, one week ago, he fell asleep, never suffered and never awoke, old age being the simple cause of his death. He will be buried today, the funeral to take place from the Christian Church in Cantrall at l o'clock this afternoon.

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