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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890

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The Biography of John FOUTCH 

Pages 295-296, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins 

[Surnames: FERIS, FOUTCH, HARRISON, LACOST, LITTLE, LOARSH, RAY, WHIRRIL] 

    
JOHN FOUTCH. It is impossible for those who are reared amid the comforts of our present civilization, to fully realize the struggle through which the pioneers passed in opening up the country which is now considered a vast garden spot, capable of supplying the wants of its numerous inhabitants and thousands of dwellers in other parts of the world. The picture presented by our imagination, vivid as it seems to us, bears but a faint resemblance to the reality, yet even this suffices to thrill our hearts with gratitude to all those who bore a part in work on the frontier. The subject of this sketch is one of the early settlers of the county and has just reason to be proud of his labors and the success he has achieved. His home is in Isabel Township, the estate comprising four hundred and forty acres of improved land and the residence being a beautiful brick structure as attractive and well built as any in the township. 
    
Our subject is a lineal descendant of Abram Foutch, a native of the New England States, who served from the beginning to the close of the Revolution and laid down his arms, covered with scars. He then settled in Virginia, resuming his former occupation of farming, but after a considerable time removed to Indiana to spend his last days with his son John, near Connersville. He breathed his last at the advanced age of ninety-six years. 
    
The above mentioned John Foutch was born and reared on a farm in Virginia and shortly after his marriage crossed the mountains on pack horses to Bourbon County, Ky. There he was one of the first settlers, taking up Government land upon which he built a small log cabin, making it his home about ten years. He next located in Western Ohio near the Indiana line, but after a short time changed his abode to the other side, in Franklin County, Ind. Here again he was one of the first settlers. Various wild animals roamed through the country, deer being plentiful and bears frequently seen. On leased land Mr. Foutch built a cabin from buckeye logs and in the course of time became the owner of a large farm, on which he pursued extensive operations. In the summer of 1823 he sold it and became a resident of Sangamon County, Ill. The journey to the new home was made with an 0x-team and consumed twenty-one days. The route lay through a wilderness with here and there a section that had been opened up to settlement, and the family slept in the wagon or under a tent at night. 
    
Mr. Foutch purchased Government land, erected a log cabin which was afterward supplanted by a commodious brick house, and carried on farm work until he had passed the age of four-score, when he closed his eyes in death. He had served under Gen. Harrison in Indiana during the Indian War. He was a member of the Baptist Church as was his wife, whose consistent Christian character made her highly respected. Mrs. Foutch, formerly Nancy Whirril, was born in Maryland and died in Sangamon County, when about three-score and ten years old. She was the mother of ten children. 
    
In the family of the couple just mentioned our subject is numbered. He was born in Bourbon County, Ky., October 25, 1806, and spent the greater part of his boyhood in Indiana, working on the farm as his strength would permit and attending the pioneer schools. The schoolhouse were constructed of round logs and had rough slab benches with wooden pin legs for seats. The windows were made by cutting out a log on each side of the building and pasting greased paper over the hole. The writing desks were slabs resting on pins driven in the wall and extended around the sides of the rooms. The schools were supported by tuition paid by each pupil, and the teacher boarded round. Young Foutch was seventeen years old when he came with his parents to this State driving a team on the way. After reaching Sangamon County he spent four or five years in breaking prairie with a huge plow drawn by three or four yoke of oxen. As he was the oldest child at home the brunt of the work fell upon him. During the first years of his residence here he frequently saw sixty and seventy head of deer in a herd. 
    
When he had attained his majority young Foutch began working for himself and took to himself a companion in life. His marriage was solemnized in Sangamon County and there he farmed until the spring of 1832, when he came to this county and settled on one hundred and sixty acres still occupied by him on section 22, Isabel Township. He had purchased this land with a soldier's warrant and settled upon it with virtually nothing in the way of capital. He was one of the earliest settlers and says that the other pioneers were as poor as himself. Indians still roamed in considerable numbers over this section of the State and various wild animals were plentiful. Mr. Foutch killed many a deer and wild turkey, and also brought down coons, his great recreation being hunting, in which he took delight. 
    
The original dwelling on the homestead was a little hewed log hut put up by Mr. Foutch, having a hole for a window but no glass, a board being used for a shutter. During the first few years our subject did teaming and any other work he could find by which to earn an honest dollar, while endeavoring to cultivate the land he had obtained and bring it to a condition that would supply his wants. The farm was all prairie and the large timber which now covers a portion of it has been grown since he took possession. Other important changes have taken place since the days when he was obliged to go to Springfield to get his grist ground, among them being the nearness of good mills, markets and neighbors. Mr. Foutch has been an unusually hardworking man and has carried on extensive agricultural operations, but of late years he has retired from the toils of life. He has added to his original purchase from time to time until he has acquired his present large acreage. 
    
The first marriage of our subject was solemnized in the fall of 1826, his bride being Miss Johoda Ray. That worthy woman died in the middle life after having borne four children, two of whom, James and Francis M., grew to maturity. Mr. Foutch was again married May 8, 1847, to Miss Letitia Ferris, who still lives to share in all his joys as she has previously done in his struggles. She is the mother of nine children, eight of whom grew to maturity and six are still living. The survivors are John, Thomas, Mrs. Louisa Lacost, Charles, Edward and Mrs. Anna Loarsh. Those who died in maturity were William; Abraham L.; and David, who died March 31, 1890, aged thirty-four years. 
    
Mrs. Foutch was born in Franklin County, this State, July 17, 1817, and is one of nine children comprising the family of David and Louisa (Little) Ferris. Her parents were born in Tennessee and are numbered among the early settlers of Franklin County, this State, where the father died at the age of fifty years and the mother at the age of fourscore. 
    
Both Mr. and Mrs. Foutch have been members of the New light Church for many years and are regarded as efficient and consistent members. Mr. Foutch is a Republican and has held some of the minor offices in the township.