William Beavers, farmer; P. O. Hutton; is one of the pioneers of this county, and was born in Loudoun Co., Va., on 23d day of July, 1797; at the age of 17, he left home, driving a team to Barren Co., Ky., remaining there for four or five years. In the year 1818, he married Miss Nancy Bradenburg (daughter of Henry Bradenburg), and after remaining at the home of her parents one year, rented a farm for one year, and, in 1820, went to Clay Co., Ind., remaining there for seven years; in 1827, he came to Clark Co., Ill., near Westfield, and lived there for three years, and, in the year 1830, entered and moved upon the land upon which he now resides, on Sec. 10, near the village of Salisbury; he owns eighty acres. Mr. Beavers first built a log cabin, with a “puncheon floor.” The Kickapoo Indians at that time owned this land and lived all around him; while cutting some ” bee-trees ” in Long Point, this county, he saw the ” runners ” that had been sent by Black Hawk calling the Indians together. Mr. Beavers is remarkably active at his time of life, now being in his 82d year; his mother died in Virginia while he was an infant, and his father in Locust Grove, Adams Co., Ohio, where he had moved some years before. His wife was born in the year 1803; they had seventeen children, seven boys living – Matthias, Henry, Solomon, William, Barnett, John and Joseph; three girls-Sallie Ann (now Mrs. William Ashby), Nancy (now Mrs. Joseph Dyer) and Martha J. (now Mrs. Andrew Strader); seven deceased-Rebecca M., J. Calvin, Polly, Elizabeth and Fannie, and two who died in infancy.
