| Notes |
- Portrait and biographical album of Vermilion County, Illinois. Chicago, Illinois, Chapman Brothers, 1889.
Page 231-232.
Laban Gritten is classed among the leading farmers and stock raisers of Pilot Township, he having contributed much towards making it a great agricultural center. His farm on section 22 is comparable with the finest and best in this section of Vermilion County, is so cultivated as to produce large harvests, and its buildings and all other appointments are first-class. Mr. Gritten has evolved this desirable farm from the wild prairies of Illinois, as they were many years ago, before they had been changed by cultivation, it having been government land when he purchased it more than thirty years ago, and situated in the midst of a sparsely populated, scarcely civilized country.
Mr. Gritten is a Kentuckian by birth, born in Mercer County, Jan. 19, 1832. His father, John R. Gritten, was born in the same county in 1807. He married Nancy Atkinson, who was born there in 1806, and they came to this county with their family in 1842, and located on a farm of 120 acres, pleasantly situated in Blount Township, where they have built up a comfortable home, and now, in life's decline are enjoying the hard-earned fruits of their united labor. Three of the children that have blessed their union are still living: Ann, residing in Danville Township, is the widow of Frank Watson, of Ohio, and has five children - William John, Nancy J., Margaret and Martha; Lloyd married Sarah Gritten, daughter of one of the first settles of the county, and they have four children - Wesley, Annie, Ella and Elisha; Laban is the subject of this sketch, and we write further on him.
We have seen that his parents brought him there in pioneer times, when he was a mere lad, and here they bred him to a life of usefulness, and fitted him for an honorable career, and to their careful training he doubtless owes much of his prosperity. He became many, self-reliant and a good worker, and in early manhood prudently invested his money in government land, proposing to make farming his life work, and purchased 320 acres of land at twenty-five cents an acre. He now has the land all under excellent cultivation, and has greatly increased its value by the many fine improvements that he has made, including substantial buildings, etc. He does a general farming business, has his farm well stocked with stock of high grades, from the sale of which he makes good profits, and he raises a good deal of grain and other farm produce, from which he derives an income amply sufficing to carry on his agricultural operations in good shape, and for all his personal wants.
Mr. Gritten has been twice married. His first wife was a Miss Sarah Potter, who was a English descent, and her father, an early settle of this part of Illinois, took part in the black Hawk War under General Taylor. Five children were born to our subject in that union, of whom one died; the others are Orsmus, Charles, Edward and Thomas. Orsmus, a carpenter in Danville, married Miss May Gritten; Charles, living with his father on the homestead, married Matilda Gritten, and they have seven children - Clarence, Arthur, Orsmus, Elzora, Oliver, Ross and Rock. Edward, a farmer in this, married Miss Bell Davis, of Ohio, and they have one child, Jesse B.; Thomas, a blacksmith at Bixby, married Martha Schank, and they have three children - Earl, Maude and Olive.
For his second wife Mr. Gritten married Miss Lydia Pile, a native o Breckenridge County, Ky., and of their eleven children the following five are living: Oracena, Alvina, Jacob, Eli and William.
William and Elizabeth Pile were the parents of Mrs. Gritten, the father a native of Virginia, the mother a native of Kentucky, and both are deceased.
Mr. Gritten may well be proud of his farm, whose increased value is due to his hard labor and excellent business capacity and management. He possesses sober judgment, keen discernment and a resolute nature that has overcome all obstacles in the path to success. In his political views he sides with the Democrats, and give his hearty approval to party measures.
- Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
Purchaser Information
Purchaser: GRITTON SABORN
Residence" VERMILION
Social Status:
Legal Description
Aliquot Parts or Lot: W2
Section Number: 22
Township: 21N
Range: 14W
Meridian: 2
County of Purchase: VERMILION
Details of Sale
Acres: 320.00
Price per Acre: .25
Total Price: 80.00
Type of Sale: FD
Date of Purchase: 11/24/1854
Volume: 238
Page: 109
[11]
- Laban Gritton expects to commence work on his new hotel this week - at least, he said so.
Champaign County Gazette, Champaign, Illinois. Wednesday, 24 August 1861, page 4.
[12]
- Paid $207 for Ten Pounds of Fish.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
Danville, July 25. - D.C. Crawford, Laban Gritton, Ezra Dickason and Nelson Mortenzer, wealthy farmers living in the northwest part of this county, were arrested to-day for seining. Their fines and costs amount to $207. They only caught ten pounds of fish.
The Indianapolis Journal, Indianapolis, Indiana. Saturday, 26 July 1890., page 3.
[12]
- Laban Gritten, a farmer near Rankin, while driving a nail in a board, accidently drove the nail into the fleshy part of his hand. The wound became very swollen and resulted in lockjaw. The arm was amputated below the elbow Friday. It is thought he cannot recover.
The Champaign Daily Gazette, Champaign, Illinois. Monday, 20 December 1886., page 4.
[12]
- Laben Gritten is hauling ice from the creek and filling his ice-house.
The Champaign Daily Gazette, Champaign, Illinois. Thursday, 5 January 1888, page 1.
[12]
- Labe Gritten shipped a team of find heavy horse to Chicago this week.
The Champaign County News, Champaign, Illinois. Saturday, 14 March 1891, page 8.
[12]
- Penfield
The other evening, when Labe Gritten went to his pasture south of town to drive home some cows, he saw two foxes in the pasture. Now Mr. Gritten is 82 years of age and only has one arm, yet he returned home and got a gun, went back to the pasture and killed both foxes.
The Champaign County News, Champaign, Illinois. Wednesday, 1 May 1901, page 5.
[12]
- Laban J. Gritten is consigned to grave Funeral for well known farmer held at country home Wednesday Laban J. Gritten died at the home of his son, William Gritten, three miles northwest of Collison, Monday, March 28, at 6 o'clock a.m. Mr. Gritten was born in the state of Kentucky, January 19, 1831. He lived 75 years, 2 months, and 9 days. He came to Illinois with his parents, who settled in Blount township, Vermilion county, and he has been a resident of this county ever since. Mr. Gritten, when but a young man, moved to Pilot township and located in the northwest corner of the township, near No. 5 school house, where he entered a tract of land at 25 cents per acre from the government, and resided there until 1907. Since that time he has made his home with his children. Mr. Gritten has been married three times and has lost three wives by death. He is the father of 19 children, all of whom are dead but eight. Those who survive him are: Charles Gritten, Covington, Ind., Mrs. Dora Dingler, Rossville, Ill., Mrs. Dollie Elder, Danville, William Gritten, near Collison, Mrs. Remelia Grimes, Carlisle, Ind., George Gritten, Penfield, Laban Gritten, Penfield, Mrs. Clara Meyers, Chicago. There were born into these various families 40 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren of whom 38 grandchildren and all the great grandchildren survive him. He is survived also by one sister, Mrs. Anna Watson, who is 76 years of age, and lives in Blount township. Up to the last moments of his life he was perfectly conscious and in talking to the children said he was prepared to go at any time. About 22 years ago last January he lost his left arm, which was buried on the home place. It was his request that it be taken up and buried with his body, which was accordingly done. The children were all present at his death except Mrs. Grimes, who was prevented by sickness from coming to his bedside. The funeral services were held at the home of William Gritten on Wednesday morning, and were conducted by the Rev. C.F. Gaumer of Alvin, assisted by the Rev. R.C. Read, of Collison, the remains being laid to rest in the Knight's Branch cemetery.
[2, 4]
- Laban Gritton Is Dead At Collison
Had Long Been Resident of Vermilion County.
Collison, Ill., March 29. - Laban Gritton, who has been a continuous resident of this county since 1856, died at the home of his son, William Gritton, near Collison, yesterday, after a short illness of pneumonia. The deceased was 80 years of age and removed to his county with his parents in the year 1840, settling on a farm six miles north of Danville. The old Gritton farm near Buck's Grove was purchased by the deceased from the government in 1856, the price being 25 cents per acre. Mr. Gritton is survived by seven children as follows: Charles Gritton, Covington, Ind.; Mrs. David Elder, 729 South street, Danville; William, near Collison; George at Buck's Grove; Romilla Grimes, Sullivan, Ind.; Mrs. Dora Dingler, Rossville, and Labon Gritton, Jr.
The funeral will be held at the William Gritton residence, Wednesday afternoon at 1 o'clock and the burial will be in the Knight's Branch cemetery.
The Champaign Daily Gazette, Champaign, Illinois. Tuesday, 29 March 1910.
[4, 12]
- Pioneer Resident Taken
Death of Laben Gritten on Farm South of Penfield.
Penfield, March 31. - Laben Gritten, the oldest resident of the north part of the county, died at his home south of Penfield Monday morning at 2 o'clock.
Mr. Gritten came to this county over fifty years ago. The land which he owned was bought by him at twenty-five center per acre. Mr. Gritten was highly respected by all.
The decedent had been married three times. His last wife died several years ago. To the first union were born seven children all of whom survive, namely: Charles Gritten of Covington, Ind.; George of Penfield, William of Collison; Laben, Jr., Mrs. Cora Denglar and Mrs. Clara Meyers of Danville, and Mrs. Roumellla Grimes of Sullivan, Ind. One sister, who lived at Carney, Neb., also survives.
Mr. Gritten was a member of the Christian church and Rev. John Cossett of Danville, his pastor, conducted his funeral from his late home Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock. Interment was at Knight's Branch cemetery, south of Penfield.
The Champaign Daily News, Champaign, Illinois. Thursday, 31 March 1910.
[4, 12]
- Has Arm Buried With Him
Unusual Request of Laban Gritten Who Recently Died
Collison, Ill., April 2. - Perhaps one of the most novel requests ever made by a citizen of this part of the county was that made by Laben Gritten, an aged resident of Blount township, who passed away at the home of his son, William Gritten. The decedent had the misfortune to lose an arm 22 years ago last January and the dismembered part of the body was buried on the on the home place, where it remained since the accident happened. Realizing that he was going to pass away, Mr. Gritten made the request that the arm be disinterred and that it be buried with his body in the Knight's Branch cemetery. While, of course, the arm had long ago returned to dust, the children of the decedent sough to carry out the dying wish of their father and the ashes of the arm he had lost more than two decades were taken up just preceding the burial of the body and were interred with the later, Wednesday morning.
Mr. Gritten was born in the state of Kentucky, January 19, 1931, and came to Illinois when but twelve years of age. His parents located in Blount township and he had been a resident of this county ever since. When but a young man he moved to Pilot township and located in the northwest corner of the township, near No.5 school house, where he entered a tract of land at 25 cents per are from the government, and resided there until 1907. Since that time he made his home with his children.
Mr. Gritten had been married three times and has lost two wives by death. He is the father of nineteen children, all of whom are dead but eight. Those who survive him are Charles Gritton of Covington, Ind.; Mrs. Dora Dingler of Rossville; Mrs. Dellie Elder of Danville; William Gritten of near Collison; Mrs. Remelia Grimes of Carlisle, Ind.; Groge Gritten of Penfield; Laban Gritten of Penfield; Mrs. Clara Myers of Chicago. There were born into these various families forty grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren of whom thirty-eight grandchildren and al the great-grandchildren survive. He is survived also by one sister, Mrs. Anna Watson, who is 76 years of age and lives in Blount township.
The Champaign Daily News, Champaign, Illinois. Saturday, 2 April 1910, page 11.
[4, 12]
|
1832 - 1910 (78 years)
[1, 2, 3] 
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set