Montgomery County – Its Early Officers and Citizens
By A. H. H. Rountree, in the Hillsboro Democrat, December 17, 1873
Crozier SLAYBACK and family are all that bear the name in Montgomery County. The rest are all settled throughout the western states.
Ashton SLAYBACK who also married into the WEBER family has been sketched. He has no descendants in the county.
CHAMBERLAIN west to California several years ago; he now resides in Idaho and we believe is unmarried.
Clement went to Missouri a few years ago and there married and settled.
Anderson went to Texas many years ago and there married and settled.
Mary SLAYBACK and her sister Eurilla went to California many years ago with Allen GRAY and there married brothers of the name LOWE, and from there moved to Coos County, Oregon, where they settled. Their husbands are both county officers. David, Eurilla’s husband being county judge.
Of Mrs. SLAYBACK’S PECK children we remarked that two of them, Mrs. Newell and Owen PECK never came to Illinois. Nancy and Phoebe however, did come and married here. Nancy married John TENNIS and raised quite a family. After the death of her husband, she and family removed to California, where she married again, and still lives. Of her children, Clarinda married Wm. P. HARKEY, son of Solomon HARKEY and with her husband and family reside there. The rest of Mrs. TENNIS’ children, James, Lansing, and Parthenia, are all married and prospering.
Phoebe PECK married Allen Gray and went to California. Beyond the names of the three oldest children: Adam, Polk, and Dorey, we can give no further information.
The SLAYBACK at an early day took a prominent position and living on the State Road, David kept a “Public House” and his name was know far and wide as a good stopping place for travelers. Indeed there was once quite a rivalry between the “Slayback Route” and the “Seward Route” to Springfield, and that rivalry was so great and bothered the Legislature that had charge of the establishment of roads – so much that the whole matter of establishing of roads and changing roads was delegated to the counties, to get clear of the whole subject.
The KENDRICK Family: Rev. John C. KENDRICK married in New Hampshire Rebecca WARE, (sister of Uncle Obediah WARE) and came to Montgomery County in 1838, in company with Calvin MACK, in a two-horse wagon. They had two small children and were eight weeks making the trip. They landed in October 1838 at Obediah WARE’S and lived for a year or two on this place now owned by Thomas E. HARRIS near Ware’s Grove. From there he moved and settled the place now known as Fillmore. Afterwards Mr. KENDRICK bought out the John DAVID place near John L. DYERS, where he lived and died and raised five of nine children: Jane, Mariah, Lydia, Jerome, and Martha.
Jane KENWICK became the wife of Jacob WEBER and died early leaving one child, Ella, who lives with her father.
Mariah married Capt. ROBINSON; they moved to St. Louis and resided there several years and returned and are now living six miles north of Hillsboro. They have three living children out of four; William, Samuel and Angy.
Lydia KENDRICK married Samuel OSBURN, whom we have sketched. They have four living of six children: Lewis, Charles, Jesse and Katy. They live a few miles north of Hillsboro.
Jerome KENDRICK first married Amanda WOOTEN, who died within three months of marriage; he says he afterwards stole and married Rebecca LIVENGOOD, daughter of Rev. J. LIVINGOOD, near Butler. They have three living children of four: Carrie, George and Ida.
Martha KENDRICK married Jerome ROBERTSON of North Carolina. They have one child Lulie. They live near Montgomery Church.
Rev. J. C. KENDRICK lost his wife in 1853 and afterwards married a widow lady by the name of HARRIS. They had one son, Leroy, who is now about grown. Mr. KENDRICK died at his homestead, where his widow now resides. He was a local Methodist preacher.