Individual Details

Birth

1860 Census, Osceola Stark, IL

Marriage

Storms Mathias to Reiley Eliz., Vol. A, Pg. 3
Stern, Joseph to Hudleston Nancy, A93
Sturm, Jacob to Moore Betsy, B165
Storms, Eliz. to Robison Samuel, A11

Sept. 4, 1806 was joined together as husband and wife, Mathias Storms and Elizabeth Reiley by James Bishop, Esq.

July 2, 1818, This is to certify that I joined in the rites of marriage matrimony Joseph Stern and Nancy Hudleston on the day and date above mentioned. Robert Steepleton, M.

This is to certify that I have solemnized marriage between Samuel Robison and Elizebeth Storms on the 21st day of December, 1809. Rec's 17th Feb 1810. Robert Renick.

B 165
And hereby certify that Thursday, 24th day of June last I joined together in holy state of matrimony, Jacob Sturms and Elzabeth Moore. From under my hand this 4th day of July 1822. William Lee JP
(Side note: Jacob Sturm to Betsey Moore, issued June 24, 1822)

Military

Mathias Sturm, Private
Capt. Gabriel Cox's Company, Ohio Militia

His brother, Nicholas, was the Lieutenant of the same company.

Tax List

p. 362 - 1819 Tax Record -- Perry and part of Essex Townships, Shelby Co., Ohio
Sturms,
Wm.
Henry
Henry, Jr.
Mathias

Census

p. 197A
Mathias Sturm
Males:
2 under 10
2 10-16
1 26-45

Females:
4 under 10
1 26-45

Note

William Weaver filed warrant on War of 1812 military land, Osceola Twp., 14N7W Section 11.

Possible relative of mother, Elizabeth Weaver?

Note

On the 1820 US Census Shelby Co. Ohio, is a Edward Riley, over age 45, on the same page as Henry Sturm. This could be a brother of Elizabeth, perhaps a father. Further doc. of this relationship is an Edward Riley that is also found in 1810 in Mason Co. KY, where the Sturms came from.

Tax List

p. 368 - 1824 Tax Record -- Green Twp., Shelby Co., Ohio
Sturm,
Henry
Henry, Jr.
Jacob
Mathias
Wm.

Biography

Nicholas Sturm [brother of Matthias], who was born in Ohio, coming of good stock, the male members of the family having been generally engaged in agriculture. Nicholas Sturm was reared in his native state, early in life taking up farm work. He married a German lady who had become a resident of the United States when young. After their marriage they came to Illinois at a period not later than 1826, making settlement in the wilds of Medina Township, this county. On land secured from the Government they lived until the wife was called hence in 1827. She was then in the prime of life, regarded highly as a woman of intelligence and the virtues that are especially revered in frontier settlements.
Nicholas Sturm was a second time married, subsequently going to Iowa, where he lost the fortune he had gained in the Prairie State. Hither he returned, finally dying at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Dickinson, in Medina Township, when 73 years old. He was a good citizen, a member of the democratic party and earnest in supporting what he thought wise and progressive.

Census

Mathias Sturms
Males:
1 5-10 Simon
1 10-15 Matthias Jr.
1 15-20 Samuel
1 20-30 Henry S. (Nicholas was married)
1 40-50 Matthias
Females:
1 5-10 Margaret
1 10-15 Mary
2 15-20 Hannah, Susannah
1 40-50 Elizabeth

Residence

"where he remained until 1832, when he became a resident of Peoria county, Illinois. It was in that year that the Black Hawk war was waging, determining the right of the white man to the land comprised within the borders of this fair state"

Residence

there were still many evidences of Indian occupancy throughout Illinois when in 1833 Mathias Sturm came to Stark county. He located in that section now comprised within Osceola township, becoming one of the first settlers of this district.

Residence

p. 489
Matthias Sturms, who came in Sep 1834 brought his wife and 10 children. Held Methodist services in his home.
Henry S. m. Miss Osborne (in Ohio), not same as Henry Sturm who settled in 1838.
Nicholas, who was a juror in 1839
Samuel
Matthias, junior
Simon
Dau. m. John Kirkpatrick (in Ohio)
Dau. m. Peter Pratt

Matthias died Feb 1862 age 66

Residence

By 1835 some of the family had moved to Stark Co. Illinois to take advantage of a federal land grant for veterans of the war of 1812.

Note

(possible) -- Lewis or Louis Sturm, brother of Henry and Matthias Sturm to LaPrairie, Illinois; 1834 to Essex Twp., Stark Co., Illinois; in 1835 returned to Ohio it is believed.

Residence

Henry Sturm was part of a large clan who had come from the wooded mountains of Germany and settled in Ohio. These men were all blacksmiths and carpenters, as well as farmers, so they looked to America for a better life with plenty of work, land and good soil.

After a generation in Ohio, they moved on to the Spoon River District. One of the first to arrive was Matthias Sturm. He and his wife arrived in 1835 with 16 grown children and a couple of in-laws. Even though the family settled in Osceola Grove and built up a community there, Matthias, or Uncle Tias, as he was called, bought several pieces of ground in the area of Seeley's Point, including 50 acres of the point located in Section 21, just north of what is now Illinois Route 93. This he gave to his son Lewis, who shortly sold it to his uncle Henry Sturm Jr. Henry did nothing with it, as he had plenty of timber in Section 28, until the Hall family of parents and six sons and their families arrived from England in 1854-1856. Then he sold the 50 acres to the Halls, who also did not disturb it.

Land

p. 573
Matthias Sturm, lot 12, sec. 16; Apr. 8, 1850
also listed: Isaac Sturm, George D. Sturm, John E. Dalrymple, I. Dalrymple, Israel Seely

p. 574
Mathias Sturm, s.e. qr. sec 20; May 5, 1836
Matthias Sturm, s. hf. s.e. qr., sec. 21, May 5, 1836
Nicholas Sturm, s.w. qr. and s.e. qr. n. e. qr., sec. 29; Oct. 3, 1849 sec. 29; Oct. 3, 1844
Nicholas Sturm, s.e. qr. of n.w. qr. and n.e. qr. of s.w. qr., sec. 29, Oct. 3 1844.

Land

p. 67
The assessment of 1839, for the first district of the new county, was made by Isaac Spencer. In the following list the names of owners and values of personal properties are given, the figures denoting dollars:...
[4 sons of Matthias]
Sturm, Henry S. 240;
Sturm, Samuel 97;
Sturm, Matthew, Jr. 97;
Sturm, Nicholas, 285;

[Seeleys possible relatives]
Seeley, Israel, 59;

[Henry is brother of Matthias]
Seeley, Henry, 327;
Sturm, Matthias, 257;

Census

Matthias Sturm
Males:
1 under 5
1 5-10
1 15-20
1 30-40
1 50-60
Females:
1 under 5
1 10-15
1 20-30
1 50-60

Land

p.515
6 Jun 1843 Mathias and Elizabeth Sturms to Isaac Ridgway all of Stark Co, $200 SW1/4 of SE1/4 Sec 21 14N7E

p. 516
6 Jun 1843 Mathias and Elizabeth Sturms to Henry S. Sturm of Stark Co, $200, SE1/4 of SE1/4 Sec 21 14N7E

p. 517, 518
6 Jun 1843 Mathias and Elizabeth Sturm to Henry S. Sturm of Stark, $40, NE corner of Sec 20 14N7E, beginning at the NE corner of the named quarter thence 40 rods west, thence 80 rods south thence 40 rods east thence 80 rods north to the beginning

Land

Illinois public domain land records lists:
STURM MATHIAS FD E2SW 24 14N 06E 4 80.00 1.25 100.00 MALE 11/10/1843 UNKNOWN 714 202
STARK

STURM MATHIAS FD W2SW 24 14N 06E 4 80.00 1.25 100.00 MALE 11/10/1843 UNKNOWN 714 202
STARK

STURM MATTHIAS FD SE 20 14N 07E 4 160.00 1.25 200.00 MALE 05/05/1836 UNKNOWN 708 041
STARK

STURM MATTHIAS FD S2SE 21 14N 07E 4 80.00 1.25 100.00 MALE 05/05/1836 UNKNOWN 708 041
STARK

STURM MATTHIAS SC LOT13SWSW 16 14N 07E 4 40.60 4.00 162.40 MALE 04/08/1850 UNKNOWN 819 049
STARK

Land

Matthias Sturm, c. hf. and w. hf. of s.w. qr., sec. 24; Nov. 14, 1843

Organizations

p. 106
The Stark County Mutual Protection Society, orgainized August 12, 1848, to oppose the operations of horse-thieves and gamblers, may be credited as being the initial association of pioneers, which led to the formation of many, if not all, of the secred and benevolent agricultural and religious associations of the county in after years. The first meeting was held in the courthouse in Toulon. . .

Consititution and by-laws were reported. At this juncture Dr. Chamberlain moved the adoption of a resolution favoring an anti-gambling society in conjunction with the anti-horse-thief organization. The report was amended so as to cover this resolution, and the consitution adopted and signed.

The original members were: . . . Matthias Sturm, Henry Sturm . . .

Census

p. 67 531/558
Matthias Sturm, Sen., 65, farmer, 2,500, VA
Elisabeth, 68, VA
Hannah Kirkpatrick, 35, OH
Ira Porter, 16, farmer, OH
Jane Kirkpatrick, 12, IL
Morris ", 11, IL
William Kirkpatrick, 28, Laborer, OH
Melinda A. Shaw, 19, OH

Land

p. 573
Osceola Township
Matthias Sturm, lot 13, s.w., s.w. qr. sec. 16; Apr. 8, 1850
also listed: Isaac Sturm, George D. Sturm, John E. Dalrymple, I. Dalrymple, Israel Seely

p. 574
Mathias Sturm, s.e. qr. sec 20; May 5, 1836
Nicholas Sturm, _____ sec. 29; Oct. 3, 1844

Census

p. 148 1005/977
Mathias Sturms, 75, farmer, 2,500/400, KY
Elizabeth, 77, KY
Morris Kirkpatrick, 21, farmer, IL
Hannah ", 52, widow, OH
Ira Porter, 25, laborer, OH
Susan Thurston, 6, IL

Will

Stark Co., Illinois Probate Records, File Box 14

I, Mathias Sturm, of Elmira in the County of Stark and state of Illinois do hereby make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following. To wit:

First, it is my will that my funeral expenses and all just debts be fully paid.

Secondly, after the payment of such funeral expenses and debts I give, devise and bequeath unto my beloved wife, Betsy, the farm on which we now reside situated in said County known and described as part of the Southwest quarter of Section twenty-four in Township fourteen North Range six East of the fourth principle meridian being all the land which I own on said quarter also the Northwest quarter of the Southeast quarter of Section twenty-four in Township and Range aforesaid-during her natural life, all the livestock, horses, cattle, sheep, hogs etc. by me now owned and kept thereon also all the household furniture and other articles of personal property not here enumerated or otherwise disposed of in this will during her natural life after having disposed of a sufficient amount to pay and discharge the expenses and debts aforesaid. And at her death the property aforesaid to her bequeathed or so much thereof as may remain unexpended to be disposed of as following: viz.

Thirdly, I give and devise unto Hannah Kirkpatrick the North East quarter of the South West quarter of SEction twenty-four Township and Range aforesaid containing forty acres more or less with all its appurtenances and to her and heirs and assigns forever.

Fourthly, I give and devise to my son Henry S. Sturm, a part of the South west quarter of Section twenty-four in Township and Range aforesaid bounded as follows: Beginning twenty rods North of the South East corner of said quarter, running thence North twenty rods thence West to the West line of said quarter, thence South twenty rods thence East to the place of beginning containing twenty acres, more or less and to his heirs and assigns forever.

Fifthly, the remainder of my real and personal property to be so disposed of that my daughters Mary Pratt, Susan Oxberger, and Margaret Ridgway shall have one hundred dollars each one of them out of the proceeds thereof. And all that may remain after paying one hundred dollars each to my daughters aforesaid to be divided equally between my sons, Nicholas Sturm, Henry S. Sturm, Mathias Sturm, and Simon Sturm, Samuel Sturm, and their heirs and their assigns forever.

And Lastly, I hereby constitute and appoint my sons Nicholas Sturm and Henry S. Sturm (not requiring Bonds of them) executors of this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all former wills by me made and ratified and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament.

In witness whereof I the said Mathias Sturm have hereunto set my hand and seal. This twenty-third day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.

Matthias (his X mark) Sturm, seal

Cemetery

Title: Osceola Grove Cemetery Records
Page: 42
Text: Sturm, Mathias: d. 1 Feb 1862, age 72 yrs. 8 mos. 2 dys. E-14

Note

http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~sturm/seeley.htm

Interview with Henry Seeley Sturm
from Stark County and its Pioneers
by Mrs. E. H. Shallenberger
(Cambridge, Ill.: B. W. Seaton, Prairie Chief Office, Book and Job Printer, 1876
Pages 353-6)

The Sturms

This is a very large family. The writer had no convenient means of ascertaining how many of this name inhabited, and still do inhabit Stark county. One branch of this genealogical tree seems to have taken root on LaSalle Prairie, Peoria county, at an early day. From there (we think) came Lewis Sturms, among the first names mentioned in our annals, but who must have left again after a few years.
In September, 1834, came Matthias Sturms, or as he was familiarly called "Uncle Tias;" with him, from the state of Ohio came his wife and ten children, one son-in-law, Kirkpatrick, and one daughter-in-law, the wife of my informant, Henry Sturms.

Of these children of Matthias, we can record but little, save their names. The sons as we recall them, were Henry, Nicholas, Samuel, Matthias and Simon. His daughters became Mrs. Kirkpatrick and Mrs. Peter Pratt.
Henry married a Miss Osborne, whose family also became residents of the Sturms settlement, and her father was noted among the first settlers as a successful bee hunter.
We have elsewhere had occasion to speak of the characteristics of this Sturms family; their very numbers rendered them of importance in a new county, and as we remember them in their prime; they were all stalwart, active men, of rough exterior but kind at heart.
At the date of our visit to Henry, now an old man, we found him greatly changed. He is in straightened circumstances, and this misfortune is heightened by the loss of his sight. Confinement to the house in consequences of his blindness, has robbed him of his early vigor, and he seemed sadly depressed in spirits, asserting that "he know nothing that could be of use to anyone." But as we strove to divert his thoughts from the sad realities of the present, to recollections of the past "when he was as well off as his neighbors," memory seamed to awaken once more, and he discoursed freely of the "good old times."
He spoke of the encampment of Indians at Walnut grove much as Mr. Seeley had done; thought "he and his wife had seen five hundred pass their door in a single day; they were not afraid had been used to Indians in Ohio, and these Pottawatomies were friendly to the whites." He told us of hunting adventures with out end, thinks he has killed deer at all hours from sundown to sunrise, averaging, at a good season of the year, thirty a week. "He knew their licks," and climbing a tree convenient to them waited their approach and shot them from her perch. "He would then tie them to the tail of his horse with ropes carried for the purpose, and haul them home."
Has dragged in three at a time in this way. To the youthful reader, this may sound like a very improbably tale; our horses would certainly object to such proceedings. But the Sturms were not the only men who brought their game home in this fashion as plenty of witnesses yet living can testify. They say it required the knack of an experienced hunter to do it successfully, "there was a great deal in knowing just how to tie them on." Henry Sturms further said that one Sunday morning some thirty years ago, as he and a cousin were walking along the bluffs of Spoon river, he spied in the water a slightly wounded buck; he immediately sprang upon his back, jumping from an elevation of about ten feet, and seizing the animal by the horns, "ducked him" till he was exhausted and breathless, falling an easy prey on the bank.
They considered it "bad luck" to carry firearms on Sunday, and on this occasion had in their possession no weapon larger than a pen knife, so proceeded with great care and deliberation to dispatch the poor beast with that; and finally the two men dragged him home (but a short distance) in triumph.
These anecdotes will suffice to show something of the life they lived, and the metal of which they were made.
This man is among those who would think the undergrowth or thickets with which our woods now abound are of quite recent growth. He is sure all in the vicinity of Osceola grove, have sprung up since his time. Grapes, plums and crab-apples, he says were very scarce when he first saw the Spoon river county, but wild strawberries were abundant.
It is curious that upon a matter so simple as this, different opinions should exist, some old settlers protesting that when they first saw these groves they were entirely clear of undergrowth, others, as confidently asserting the opposite state of facts.
Mr. Sturms remembers that in his early hunting excursions he frequently came upon the remains of buffalo, think they had once ranged through these parts in large herds, but had perished during "the winter of deep snow," an era we can not date just now, but it occurred some ten or twelve years before the settlement of the Spoon river country.
Our informant recalls several valleys containing acres of land literally covered with the bones of these animals; one of these lying between his own place and that of Mr. Searles, in Osceola township. He described particularly the peculiar construction of the shoulder bones, which produce the distinctive hump of this species of buffalo, and we conclude he must have gathered his facts from the observation of the remains, as it is not supposable he ever consulted books for such information.
He concludes the buffalo sheltered from the fierceness of the storm in these narrow wooded valleys, but the snow which fell to a depth of four feet on the level prairie, would drift up those gorges and down the hills, and actually bury them alive, and as the intense cold soon crusted it over, there would be no escape from starvation. That the deer perished in a similar manner, about the same time, is a fact well established, and in this connection it may not be inappropriate to remark that the elk bones were also found by the early settlers. Dr. Hall remembers a huge skeleton of this animal that lay on the high prairie towards Providence, and served as a "land mark" for years--its bones glittering in the sunlight, could be seen for miles. So Mr. Sturms' theories are not without collateral support.

Besides the large family of Matthias, senior, there was another Henry Sturms, brother of the former, whose children for the most part are residents of Stark County. Of this family, we have even less knowledge. Peter, a local preacher of the Methodist faith, and a well to do farmer lives not far from Bradford in a locality known by the suggestive, but not euphonious appellation of "Hell street." Possibly his philanthropy led him there, that he might beseech of his neighbors to choose better ways. In conclusion we may say of these families, that although they have never been prominent in politics or claimed "high places in the synagogues," yet they have been by no means wanting in religious fervor.

The cabin of "Uncle Tias" was one of the first meeting places of the Methodist fraternity, and the Sturms' school house was remarkable for displays of "the power" and enthusiasm generally, that would astonish the most ardent advocate of camp meeting excitement, now-a-days.
But the present generation, the Sturms of to-day is quite another being to the Sturms of forty years ago. They are losing the characteristics of backwoodsmen, or frontiersmen, and growing just like their neighbors.
In fact, public schools, equal rights, and Paris fashions are obliterating all the differences among our western people, reducing them to a dead level, or as near that as nature permits. This may be right and best, but after all, we rather enjoy contemplating the diversities ion the genus homo, and can hardly see how society would be the gainer by making people all just alike, if this were possible.

Residence

then Kentucky and afterward Ohio, then Illinois.

Religion

The cabin of "Uncle Tias" was one of the first meeting places of the Methodist fraternity, and the Sturms' school house was remarkable for displays of "the power" and enthusiasm generally, that would astonish the most ardent advocate of camp meeting excitement, now-a-days.

Note

Stark County history describes the Sturms' as coming from Germany, then Ohio for a generation, then Illinois.

This may be a shortened history, or perhaps the Sturms did not go through PA and VA.