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Note: Interred at Walden Cemetery, Wilson Twp., DeWitt County, Illinois, on the homestead place Excerpts from The Good Old Times In McLean County Illinois(1874), by E. Duis, Chapter on Jesse Walden: P. 820. His father, Elijah Walden, was American born, but of English descent, P. 820. Mr. Walden, sr., was a very religious man and a member of the Methodist Church, and his brother was a Methodist preacher. Sketch of Elijah Walden by John Berry Orendorff (03 May 1827 - 24 Jun 1907), son of Thomas & Mary Malinda (Walker) Orendorff, grandson of William & Nancy (Driskill) Walker, and thereby great nephew of Sally (Walker) Walden, William Walker's sister and Elijahs wife, circa 1898. Unedited transcription by Joseph Wendell Walden, June 2015, from a photocopy of the hand written original text in the Walden file located at the McLean County Historical Society, Bloomington, Illinois Sketch of Eligah Walden and Family - as Early Pioniers to Blooming grove he his wife, and Only Daughter named Rhoda, came to Blooming grove at a very earley date. I think So fare as knone at this time, their is no question when they came from facts gatherd, and my Own knolage of what I see and hurd while quite yong. Think there is no doubt but they came the Summer or fall of 1824 -. Mrs Waldens maden name was Sally Walker - a Sister to William Walker that came to the grove the spring of 1824, he being my grand Father. Eligah and Sally Walden had two sons Jessey and William. They didnt come to Illinois with their Parents. They came in the Fall of 1829. They were boath Maried in Indiania and came here at the head of small Famleys. Eligah Walden was born in Hanover county virginia, and while yet in his teens he emegrated to Rutherford county North carolina. Their he formed the acquaintence of Miss Sally Walker, that later On became his Wife. after a few years resident in North carolina, they moved to Wodford county Kentucky. then again in a few year they moved to clark county Indiana, clost to Charleston where they Remained till they came to Illinois First Settling on the Sangamon River clost to where Springfield is now located. after two Or three years residence their they came to Blooming grove. The two sons and Famleys came to Sangamon County in 1828 then to Blooming Grove the fall of 1829. Mrs Sally Walker Walden died the fall of 1829. I think she was buried in the Horine cemetry half a mile South of where She died. at the time of her death her and Husband and Only Daughter Rhoda were living on a claim they had taken when they first came to the grove in 1824. On March 19, 1829 Rhoda maried george Spore a cousin to uncle Jakey Spores of Lexington, Ill - that is Still liveing at the Ripe age of 96 years. Rhoda kept hous for her Father till he maried a gain a bout two year, the Spring after the deep snow her Husband Staid with them. The Walden Famleys all wintered On the South Side of Blooming grove the winter of the deep Snow - William and Jessey Walden, with their famleys Spent that Terrible winter in a log caben on William Walkers Farm, Just west of the Illinois central Rail Road then Joining the Timber on the South. The farm is now Owned by James Houston. The Waldens and Walkers were American born but English desent - Eligah Walden was a very Religuous man. he was a John Weslen Methadice that lived up to what he professed, all ways true to religuous principals and don much to Christanize the early white settlers - he all So was a moral Instructer to the Indians while they rimained here. They took great Interest in his religuous instructions. He was a good Man that don much good in Shapeing good Morals in and earley day that was of lasting benafit in christanizeing the People of Blooming grove, and adjoining Settlements. While here he mad a record of good deeds that Should go down in History as a reward to his Sainted Memory. his general Occupation was farming - but when not ingaged in Farming - he folowed makeing Boots Shoes and Mocacines - at which he was quiet and expert - he took the measure of the foot then cut and Sewed all foot ware - as at that time Peging was unone here. I think the first Shoe Pegging done here was in thirty-five Or six - that was considered a wonderful invention at first - People Said the Man that Studed that Out was a genes - uncle Liga as he was called, made Boots and Shoes Out of cattle Hides, Mocacins out of Deer and Elk hides, and he made Over Shoes Out of Buffalow hides - These shoes all ways had the furr On the inside of the Shoe to keep the feet warm while Out with a team Or Horse back the terable cold Snowy winters of that Period was much more Severe than the winters of the present time. The hides that was made into Over Shoes was tanned with the fur on - uncle Liga was a Man of Medium Size, about five foot ten inches high, Heavy built - Weight a bout 180 Pounds - dark complection, black Eyes and black hair - with a firm Expresion but all ways met a friend with an extended hand and Smiling face that gave Expresion of a kind gentle disposition that mad all feel welcom at his Home. he took his claim of One Hundred and Sixty acres in the heavey Timber, On the South east quarter of Section 16. it joined Thomas Orendorffs claim on the North. This claim was located Two miles South of Bloomington on the main Street Road. he claired of and fenced ten acres of heavy Timber to make him a Farm. The new Brick School House that was lateley built on the main Street Road located two miles South of Bloomington is on the North west corner of that claring - he built a caben - built a Stabel - dug a well, got water from it by the Old Fashion Process of Setting a fork in the ground a Propper distance from the well. Then placed a long pole in the fork that was Set in the ground - the heavey end rested on the ground, the Small end extended a bove the well. This long Pole went by the name of Sweep. To the end of this pole Or Sweep - was attached a long Slim Pole Or grape vine, that had the Old moss covered bucket that hung in the well fasend to the end of the vine Or pole So by pulling down on the sweep the bucket would be lowered to the water and if the Sweep was Properly aranged it took but little effort to rais the bucket filled with water - Mrs. Walden died in the caben they built on this claim - I think she was the first White Woman that died in Blooming grove - he remained on this claim I think till the fall of 1832 he left his claim and moved down on Salt creek, South of Marion in dewit county east of Clinton - he Maried a gain before he left Blooming Grove. dont Rember the name of his last Wife - un to them was born Several children dont Remember the number. The parents has bin dead over Fifty year - they were Buried on Salt Creek clost to where they took their claim - uncle Eligah took his claim in Blooming grove On what afterwards was Set a Side for Educational Purposes - as at the time the People had begun to agatate the question of free Schools - So the unfortunate Poor - could have equal Educational advantags with the more welthey class of People in Our common Schooles - So by agutateing and Sending Petitions to Our Repesentatives in congress asking them to Set a Side a Portion of the Public Lands to be sold as a School fund - to establish free Schooles - So they Passed a Law - donateing Every Sixtinth Section of every Town Ship - of all goverment Lands, that hadent yet bin Sold - The Bloomington Town Ship Section - no - 16 - came in the center of Blooming grove - So as to take uncle Eligah Claim, as it was to be Sold in five and ten acre lots - at auction to the hiest bider he pulled up and left it - with all the Improvements that he had placed on it - dont think he ever got a cent for his claim Or the work he don on it. I think the Reason he located where he did was to get advantage of a Small Claring the Indians had made for a Truck Patch while they lived their - I Should think their was and acre or more - the Indians had cultivated - at this place. Rhoda and Husband georg Spore Moved to the South part of the State a bout Thirty five or Six - they Remained Their til the Rebellion Broke Out - in Sixty One they Moved back to Lexington this county they then had four or five children - the two Oldest was grone the Oldest Son and Father Served three year as union Solders - time of Rebellion - they Boath got back a live But the Father was completely use up - he and his Wife Onley lived Som Six or Seven year after the war - they died in Lexington and were Buried in the Lexington cematry - the last I new of the children they were liveing in and a round Lexington - except One Son he was Practing Medacine in Mackanaw Town. William and Jessey Remained at the grove Some five Or Six year - then they Moved to the north Side of Randolph grove - after a Few years Residence their they Moved to Smiths grove - South east of Towanda about 1845 William Moved Clost to his Fathers on the Salt creek - he and his Wife has bin dead Seaveral year. think they were boath Buried at the Same cemetry where his Father was Buried. They accumulated quite a compatency - that left their children well Provided with good homes - and Pleasant Surounding the famley is well none as Stock men and cattle Feeders of over Dewit county - Their is Several children of this Famley - Jessey Walden Still Remained at Smiths grove til he died - ten Or Twelve year a go. His Wife Preceded him in death a bout ten year. She left besides her Husband five Or Six children none of them was grone when She died - but their Father Staid on his Farm and kept them to gather a few year - til they become of age and Some of them had Maried and left the Parental Roof. His children leaveing the Old home caused him to feel lonely - So much So - he concluded to look up a companion - to Share his Sorows and Joys. Such a party he Soon found - a Widow lady a bout his Own age - that had bin Maried Once the same as him. her Maden name was glasebrook but when She married Walden her name was McCorkle - her Husband had bin dead a bout Twenty year - her and Jessey were cousins they Onley lived to gather a Short time til he died he was buried by the Side of his first Wife at Smith grove his last Wife moved back to Bloomington her former home - She died two years a go and was Buried by the Side of her first Husban in the Bloomington cemetry. Jessey was the Owener of a fine Farm whitch his last Wife got a large Slice from it by the last Marage they had no children - but by the first Mearag - they had six or Seven that was left in moderate cercumstances - now liveing in deferent of the county.
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