Pioneer and entryman of McLean County, Illinois. Went to California during the Gold Rush.

Charles Stine, eldest son of Mary and Elias Stine, was born near Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina. His family moved first to Monroe County, Indiana, where his father entered land and farmed for nearly 20 years. Charles Stine moved in 1846 to Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois, joining a brother's cooperage business, and the following year moved to the county's Old Town Township to farm and raise cattle.* His parents and younger siblings moved to McLean County in 1848 or 1849, and in 1850 Charles Stine purchased 40 acres in Old Town Township as a home for his parents.

Charles Stine, with several companions from eastern McLean County, traveled on foot to California from March to August 1850 to search for gold. Unsuccessful, he returned to Illinois in 1852 by way of Panama and New York. He became an entryman of Arrowsmith Township, McLean County, Illinois, obtaining on 1 July 1854 two warrants for a total of 200 acres of Federal land.

Charles Stine and Miss Hester Frances Stansbury were married on 27 January 1853 in McLean County, and farmed for over 40 years in Arrowsmith Township, where their 10 children—9 daughters and 1 son—were born.

Charles and Hester Stine moved in 1899 to Saybrook, in adjoining Cheney's Grove Township, to live with their daughter Temperance Ann Hatch. The couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 1913. Charles Stine died the following year at age 85, survived by his wife and eight of their children.

Notes

Mary Stine's maiden name has not been discovered.

A list of old settlers of eastern McLean County and their year of arrival included: "1846. Charles Stine." ("An Old Log Cabin Home," The Weekly Pantagraph, Bloomington, Illinois, 11 Jun 1886, p. 7.

1850 U.S. Census, Kelsey & Vicinity, El Dorado Co., California; dwelling 5, family 5, lines 19-23, p. 416 (printed), 27 Nov 1850.
22. Chas Stine, 22, miner, Ga.
• Charles Stine's North Carolina-born mother shown as having been born in "Ga" in the 1860 U.S. Census.
• Three of Charles Stine's traveling companions —Thomas Cheney, Simeon Rice, and Moses Hah—enumerated mining elsewhere in El Dorado Co.

—U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Patent Search," database, General Land Office
Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search: accessed 17 Sep 2021), warrant for Thomas See, assigned to Charles Stine, 1 Jul 1854, McLean Co., Illinois, 023N - 005E, Section 26, SW¼NW¼, 40 acres, warrant. no. 59045.

—U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Patent Search," database, General Land Office
Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search: accessed 17 Sep 2021), warrant for Simeon Simpson, assigned to Charles Stine, 1 Jul 1854, McLean Co., Illinois, 023N - 005E, Section 18, W½SE¼ and SW¼, Lot/Trct 1, 160 acres, warrant. no. 17455.

—Both warrants issued to War of 1812 veterans.

"Marriage License issued to Cha's Stine & Hester Frances Stansbury January 18/53 on aff't of Stine on file."
"I do hereby certify that on the 27th day of January AD 1853 I joined in holy stat of Matrimony Charles Stine and Miss Hester Stansbury [...] S. H. Martin Min." (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-8924-R9MS-Q?i=685)

"STINE, CHARLES A. & STANSBURY, HESTER, 27 Jan 1853, McLean Co.; vol. C, p. 74. (Illinois State Archives, Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900.)

1855 Illinois state census, Township --, Range 5E [Arrowsmith Twp.], McLean Co.; p. 97 (written), 3 Jul 1855.
[16.] Gabriel Stine.
[19.] Charles Stine.
[20.] Mary Stine.
[21.] James H. Gray.
• "Zekiel" Arrowsmith, for whom the township was named, on the same page. Mary Stine's daughter, Malinda, was married to James H. Gray.

1860 U.S. Census, Arrowsmith Twp., McLean Co., Illinois; dwelling 524, family 524, lines 25-30, p. 85 (written), 9 Aug 1860
25. Charles Stine, 32, farmer ($2,500; $200), N. C.
26. Hester F. -----, 30, Tenn.
27. Jemima J. -----, 6, Ills.
28. Sarah M. -----, 5, Ills
29. Eliza A. -----, 3, Ills. [son Elias A. Stine]
30. Mary E. -----, 1, Ills.
• Next household headed by Mary Stine, Charles Stine's mother.

1865 Illinois state census, Arrowsmith Twp., McLean Co.; p. 176 (written), 3 Jul 1865.
[11.] George Painter.
[12.] Buckley Skeen.
[25.] Charles Stine.
[28.] Mary Stine.
• George Painter and Buckley Skeen were Charles Stine's co-brothers-in-law.

1870 U.S. Census, Arrowsmith Twp., McLean Co., Illinois; dwelling 63, family 63, lines 36-40 and 1-5, pp. 20B-21 (printed), pp. 8-9 (written), 27 Jul 1870.
36. Stine, Charles [head], 42, farmer ($6,000; $900), North Carolina.
37. ----- Esther F., 38, keeping house, Tennessee.
38. ----- Jemima J., 16, at home, Illinois.
39. ----- Sarah M., 15, at home, Illinois.
40. ----- Elias A., 13, Illinois.
1. ----- Mary E., 11, Illinois.
2. ----- Cora A., 9, Illinois.
3. ----- Harriet O. 7, Illinois.
4. ----- Louisa B., 5, Illinois.
5. ----- Temperance A., 2, Illinois.

Mention that Charles Stine came to McLean County in 1848. ("An Old Log Cabin Home," The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Illinois, 11 Jun 1886, p. 7, col. 3.)

Mention that Charles Stine came to McLean County in 1846. ("Auld Lang Syne," The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Illinois, 27 Aug 1886, p. 4, col. 4.)

1900 U.S. Census, E.D. 95, Saybrook, Cheney's Grove Twp., McLean Co., Illinois; dwelling 10, family 10, lines 44-47, p. 337 (printed), p. 1A (written), 1 Jun 1900.
44. Hatch, Geo., head, Jun 1854, 45, married 12 years; born in Illinois, father in New York, mother in Ohio; drayman [wagon driver].
45. ----- Temperance, wife, Aug 1867, 32, married 12 years, no children; born in Illinois, father in North Carolina, mother in Tennessee.
46. Stine, Chas., father-in-law, Jun 1829, 72, married 47 years; born in North Carolina, parents in "New York;" retired farmer.
47. ----- Hester, mother-in-law, Nov 1831, 48, married 47 years, 10 children (9 living); born in Tennessee, father in Virginia, mother in Tennessee.

"—Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stine have returned from a five months visit with relatives in the west." ("Saybrook," The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Illinois, 10 Nov 1905, p. 6, col. 7.)

"Married Three-Score Years [...] Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stine to Commemorate on the 27th a Notable Life Anniversary," The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Illinois, 24 Jan 1913, p. 6, col. 3.
• Significant biographical details.

"Charles Stine, of Saybrook, is Dead," The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Illinois, 14 Feb 1914, p. 7, col. 5.
• Survived by wife and eight of their ten children. Birth and death dates in the obit. same as on headstone.

"The will of Charles Stine was admitted to probate. There is real estate to the value of $20,000 and personalty of $500. The personal estate goes to the widow, Esther Stine, and she also received a life estate in the realty. The property at her death is divided among the children and grandchildren. Mrs. Stine declined to qualify as executrix and George Hatch and James B. Wampler were named with a bond of $1,200. The will was dated November 4, 1908." ("Will of Charles Stine," The Weekly Pantagraph, Bloomington, Illinois, 3 Apr 1914, p. 8.)

* This brother probably elder half-brother Noah Stine, who in 1850 was enumerated in Bloomington, working as a cooper.

Reviewed 20 November 2023.