Samuel Wadsworth Trotter Home
 S.W. Trotter House presently ( Photo courtesy of Michael Farmer) note: Michael took this picture a great distance away off the property. The picture was blown up and enhanced by Faded Staff. |
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This was taken from Thelma Clay Galbreath as
written: S. W. Trotter, a farmer P.O. Enterprise, IL was
born in Elm River Township, Wayne Co., IL, Sept. 25, 1837 and died, June
16, 1908. He was born on the old Trotter homestead; He obtained his
early schooling here, was raised on the farm, and has always lived in
the vicinity of his birthplace. He bought
timber land at the present
home site north of Enterprise. Virgin with Oak, Hickory and Walnut
timber covered the area. Each winter he and his four sons cleared about
10 acres and burned most of the logs on the spot to get them out of the
way and planted corn. Later the stumps were dug out and pulled out by
teams of oxen. The first 36 acres Samuel bought was paid for with
fur money from coon and mink, trapped in the area. Many small log cabins
about the area were occupied by neighbors. Samuel acquired 380 acre's
during his life time, a large area which was devoted to the raising of
stock. He built a beautiful home about 18 years before the death of his
wife in 1887. This was in the center of his land. Samuel was a Democrat and filled the offices of
township assessor 1864-65, collector of taxes 1870-77 and 1867
Commissioner of highways. Just a short time before his death, he sat in the
east room of his farm home and wrote his will with a fine point pen in a
beautiful handwriting. He divided his estate as fairly as he knew how,
giving each of his nine children land or money of the same value. Since,
he lived with Bertha, his youngest daughter, before and after her
marriage to Robert W. Clay; he gave her the home place. He lived with
them until he died on, June 16, 1908. The story continued by Bettie Wheat: |
 S.W. Trotter & family taken before 1908 ( Photo courtesy of Mrs. Bettie Wheat) |
| My Great-Grandfather Samuel Wadsworth Trotter gave
the house to his youngest daughter Bertha C. Trotter Clay.
I’m sure they lived there and later moved to Cisne.
The house then went to Bertha’s daughter Thelma Clay Galbreath
wife of Joseph Galbreath. I
don’t believe they lived there but kept the place up. Then the house was
passed to Thelma’s youngest daughter Oletah Galbreath who was married to
Charles Lindquist. They lived in Butler Co., Ohio Oletah died Apr. 10,
2007. Ralph and Dorris Trotter accompanied Bettie to take recent
pictures. |