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Named after Christian County in Kentucky through the influence of emigrants from that county.
Established February 15, 1839 as Dane County (Laws, 1839, p. 104). Name changed to Christian County in 1840.
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AQUILLA M. COUNCIL, a farmer residing on
section 15, South Fork Township, was born on the same farm April 27, 1843. His parents were Aquilla and Sarah E.
(Melugin) Council, natives of North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively. Their
family comprised nine children: Amanda, Rebecca, Joseph and James, who are all deceased; Sarah, widow of L. J.
Duncan, and now living in Edinburgh; Elizabeth, wife of
J. Young, a farmer of South Fork Township; Aquilla; William, who lives in Jasper County, Mo.; and Amelia, wife of James Galloway, a farmer and stock-raiser of
Taylorville Township. The father of our subject followed the occupation
of farming during his lifetime, and removed from Tennessee to Illinois in 1829, making the trip by team. He located in Sangamon County, about sixteen
miles from Springfield, where for about three
years he was engaged in farming rented land. He then came to this county and purchased a small tract of land from
the Government in what is now South Fork Township. He erected a log house and engaged in cultivating this farm
until his death. He took quite an active interest in politics, being a supporter of the Democracy, and held a number
of local positions of more or less responsibility during the early years of the county's history. For a number
of years he was Justice of the Peace, and for years was Township Treasurer. He departed this life July 13, 1857,
and lies buried in Finley Cemetery, South Fork Township. His wife is still living, though well along in years,
being now eighty-three. Aquilla M. Council, whose name heads this
sketch, was born and reared on the piece of land where his father first located, and which he has inherited. His
first schooling was in the early subscription schools, after which he attended those of the district. After his father's
death he remained on the home farm with his mother, and soon after took entire charge of the place. His homestead
now comprises three hundred and fifteen acres on section 15, all well improved and valuable land, which is well
adapted to general farming and stock-raising. On Christmas Day of 1868, Mr. Council married
Miss Martha Williams, by whom he has had three children. Phoebe is the wife of Charles Baufman, a boot and shoe
merchant of Edinburgh; Alice is deceased;
and William T. is still at home. Mr. Council bears an honored record as one
of the devoted defenders of the Union, having enlisted as a private in Company D, One Hundred and Thirtieth Illinois
Infantry, on the 14th of August, 1862, and was mustered in at what was then Blueville, but is now Edinburgh. The term of his enlistment
was for three years, and with his regiment he was at once sent to Mississippi, where he took part in the engagement at Ft. Gibson [ed. Probably Port Gibson]. He was in the battles of Champion Hills [ed. Champion Hill],
Black River [ed. Big Black River
Bridge], and look part in the sieges of Vicksburg and Jackson, Miss. In Mansfield, La., he was taken prisoner, and was held a prisoner for thirteen and a-half
months in Camp Ford, near Tyler, Tex., being only released at the close of the war. He received an honorable discharge
July 6, 1865, after having spent many a weary month on marches and many days in hotly-fought battles for his country's
sake. |
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