USA > Illinois > Champaign County > A Standard history of Champaign County Illinois : an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, civic and social development : a chronicle of the people, with family lineage and memoirs, Volume I > Part 47
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TOLONO HIGH SCHOOL
A. B. Campbell has also published and edited the Tolono Herald since 1891. He bought the newspaper of E. B. Chapin, whose father, E. J. Chapin, a business man of Tolono, had founded it in April, 1875. Its editorial control was conferred upon the son, who, in the year mentioned, sold the plant to Mr. Campbell and moved to Champaign to enter upon the publication of the News, of that city.
The importance of Tolono as a grain center and shipping point is emphasized by its three elevators owned and operated by J. A. Creamer, Horton Brothers & Company and William Murray. The Creamer elevator was built in 1898 by Carrington & Hannah. An abundant supply of pure water has been guaranteed its people since 1895, when
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its water works were put in operation, and its buildings and streets are lighted by electricity, supplied by the Central Illinois Public Service Company. Its school facilities are excellent, as indicated by the report of the county superintendent, and four churches meet all the require- ments of the religious elements. These organizations are the M. E. Church, Rev. Lewis Campbell, pastor ; Presbyterian, Rev. W. W. Wilson ; the Baptist, Rev. F. A. Morrow (Sadorus) and St. Joseph Catholic, Rev. Joseph Flannigan. A number of secret and benevolent bodies are also active, the ladies especially having become quite prominent in that regard. In this list are the Royal Neighbors of America and the Order of the Eastern Star. The former, although organized as late as Decem- ber, 1900, number 130. The first Eastern Star Chapter at Tolono (No. 111) was organized in 1872, but surrendered its charter in 1883, and the present organization was effected in 1889. It is known as Tolono Chapter No. 45 and has a membership of about forty-five.
In a word, there is no excuse for either men or women to get lone- some or stagnate in the little village of Tolono.
SIDNEY . TOWNSHIP
The township of Sidney in the southeastern part of the county is mainly watered and drained by the Salt Fork, which, in the early days, was quite heavily timbered on both sides. It also contains the beautiful Linn Grove, in the extreme southwest corner four miles from the present village of Sidney. The Salt Creek Timber and Linn Grove received some of the first pioneers of the county who immigrated from Vermilion County, Indiana. The land office in which the earliest entries of lands in Sidney Township were made was at Palestine, Crawford County, and those who made them were often called "Salt Forkers."
FIRST LAND ENTRIES IN COUNTY
The first entry of lands not only in the township, but in the entire county, was recorded by Jesse Williams on February 7, 1827, and was located on the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 12, on the south side of the Salt Fork. It is not known whether he actually oeeu- pied his claim, but it is a fact that Thomas L. Butler became its owner and made it his homestead for many years. In 1833 Mr. Butler also entered lands in the same section.
In October, 1827, John Hendricks made the second entry, covering the other half of the quarter in Section 12 which had been claimed by
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Williams. In November of the same year Josiah Conger entered a tract as the northwest quarter of Section 5, and others in the Salt Fork Timber followed in 1828. Not long afterward William Nox, Sr., Adam Thomas and others took up claims and settled south of Salt Fork, near the present village of Sidney.
Nox's POINT
Before there was a village the locality was generally known as Nox's Point, and sometimes as Williams' Point, the names being derived, of course, from Jesse Williams and William Nox.
TOWN OF SIDNEY LAID OUT
As has been stated, Dr. James H. Lyon came to the locality of Nox's Point about 1835, invested in lands there and on November 9, 1836,
THE TOWN HALL, SIDNEY
placed upon record the plat of the town of Sidney. The place was named for the daughter of Joseph Davis, who was associated with Dr. Lyon in the founding of the town which had been designated as a station on the Northern Cross Railroad. The plat of Sidney shows twenty-eight blocks of twelve lots each, with a public square, wide streets and con- venient alleys. But the Northern Cross project failed to materialize as far east as Champaign County, and Sidney had to wait for its growing days. Until the Wabash line appeared twenty years afterward not to exceed a dozen buildings were expected on that impressive plat. It is
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said that Lyon & Davis introduced the first fine live stock into the town- ship and, being natives of Kentucky and typical southern gentlemen, also laid out a race track.
THE VILLAGE IN 1854
The summer and fall of 1854 witnessed a revival of confidence in the fair future of Sidney, as it was then fairly certain that the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railroad (Great Western) would make Sidney one of its stations. In June a tri-weekly mail was established between Urbana and Vincennes, the stage passing through Sidney, Bloomfield and Paris, and in July a postoffice was opened in town, with J. S. Cunningham as postmaster.
In September, 1854, this picture of Sidney was drawn by the editor of the Urbana Union: "One day last week we managed to escape the thralldom of office duties and struck out across the prairie, in a south- easterly direction. Two hours' ride brought us to the village of Sidney. This place was laid out about 1836 by Joseph Thomas, during the opera- tions on the Northern Cross Railroad, with a fine prospect for future success. But, at the abandonment of the system of internal improve- ments adopted by the State, its prospects lapsed. The prospect now of its being a point on the Great Western Railroad causes the people to feel encouraged. Three lines have been run near the village-two within one hundred yards and one about a quarter of a mile away. It will make no difference which of the lines is selected, either will be sufficiently near. Messrs. Thomas & Jones have laid off a new plat to supersede the old one, and lots are now in the market.
"Sidney possesses many favorable qualities as a location. Its site is no doubt the best in the county, being high and rolling. It is situated in the edge of the southern extremity of the timber, on the Salt Fork of the Vermilion River, and surrounded by prairie that is unsurpassed by any in the county. About four miles to the southwest, at an eleva- tion of ninety feet above the creek, is the Linn Grove, which is regarded by all who have seen it as the most beautiful location in Illinois. It is now the property of Enoch Johnson, and is frequently made the place of resort of the pleasure seekers from this place, although twelve miles distant.
"There are now two dry-goods stores in Sidney, one owned by J. S. Cunningham and the other by Messrs. Upp & Casey, both doing good business.
"Leaving Sidney in the afternoon we went north along the edge of
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the timber for about three miles, when we struck out on the prairie to the westward, and were soon coming over its trackless sod.
"Before leaving the settlements we passed many fine farms, among which we took particular notice of that of Lewis Jones, Esq., which lies wholly on the prairie and embraces many acres of unsurpassed fertility. The corn is above the medium crop and will surprise its owners, we think."
THE VILLAGE OF 1917
The present village of Sidney contains over 500 people and is situated in a productive grain country at the juncture of two lines of the Wabash road, with the Chicago & Eastern Illinois only a mile to the east. The
SIDNEY'S MAIN STREET
Sidney Grain Company owns three elevators, which handle a large bulk of corn, and two banks furnish the financial medium by which their operations, as well as the transactions of the merchants and house- holders, are carried on from day to day.
BANKS
On the 1st of January, 1885, Miller Winston founded a bank with a capital of $12,000. The founder is still at the head of it. There has been no change in capital, although the average deposits now amount to $200,000; individual responsibility, $350,000; individual profits, $5,300.
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The State Bank of Sidney was founded in April, 1911, with the following officers, who still serve: president, George Cole; vice-president, Luther Fisher; cashier, J. F. Rankin. The capital stock of the bank is $25,000; surplus and undivided profits, $2,000; average deposits, $100,000.
Sidney offers such inducements as a desirable place of residence as a good school, a newspaper, churches and societies. There are 168 pupils enrolled in the Union school, which is under the superintendency of George H. Primer; the building, which was erected in 1900, cost $12,000.
The Town Hall at Sidney was completed in 1907.
THE SIDNEY TIMES
The Sidney Times was founded in 1885, under the name of the Sidney Derrick, by J. C. Carpenter. Two years afterward he sold it to T. D. Jerauld. After about a year it came into possession of Mont Robinson and his daughter, Mrs. Ida Davison, who changed the name to the Sidney By-Way. Later, another daughter, Miss Eva Robinson, became its sole proprietor and editor, and as she was a practical printer, with her other qualifications, conducted the paper successfully for several years. It was then sold to George Clinkenbeard, his successors, previous to the adoption of the present name, being John A. Noble and F. D. Denton. About January 1, 1905, Mr. Denton changed the paper to the Sidney Times, the present proprietor, Fred H. Wood, assuming charge of it in 1913.
CHURCHES AND LODGES
There are four churches at Sidney: the Methodist, Presbyterian, Christian and Nazarene. The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1857, and, although the first house of worship was com- menced in the following year, it was not completed until 1864. Its pastors have been Revs. George Fairbanks, Peter Wallace, John Long, William MeVey, Isaac Grover, Benjamin Newman, J. C. Rucker, II. H. Keith, (. Y. Hickox, W. C. Avey, B. F. Ilyde, J. C. Rucker (second term), George Alexander, Abner Clark, J. Frank Poorman, H. G. Wass, D. G. Murray, J. A. Lneas, J. W. Eckman, J. Seymour, Otho Bartholow, M. G. Coleman, Joseph Long, W. E. Means, W. P. Bownan, E. E. Bean, Gilmore Cunningham, E. L. Pletcher, W. A. Poe, William L. Cunning- ham, R. E. Mathias, O. B. Hess, J. M. Judy and Alfred Wicks. The church now has a membership of 200. The house of worship of the present was erected in 1899.
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The Presbyterian Church was organized March 4, 1884, as Vaile Chapel, and an exclusive house of worship was completed in July, 1886. Under the name of First Presbyterian Church the meeting house of the present was erected in 1899. The successive pastors have been Revs. R. V. Hunter, W. P. Jaques, B. B. Brier, W. N. Steele, J. E. William- son, W. R. More, E. P. Gilchrist, Henry Love, Guy E. Smock, James E. Foster, E. M. Snook and George A. Hartman. The church has a present membership of about 100.
The Nazarene church was organized in April, 1915, has a member- ship of about forty, and has been served by Revs. B. B. Sapp, R. J. Kunze and (Miss) C. M. Ryan.
The Masons, Knights of Pythias and Odd Fellows have lodges at Sidney. Sidney Lodge, No. 347, A. F. & A. M., was chartered April 10, 1860, and the first meeting under dispensation held on the following 3d of May. The Worshipful Masters have been W. A. Smith, G. W. Hartman (four terms), William Freeman (four terms), W. A. Robin- son, S. G. Boyd, W. H. Robinson, Frank Thompson, William Hays, W. M. Hanson (two terms), G. E. Raymond, C. L. Golden, J. H. Smith and J. F. Rankin. The lodge has a membership of about sixty. Besides J. F. Rankin, W. M., are the following elective officers: J. W. Cole, S. W .; V. I. Johnston, J. W .; G. C. Allen, secretary, and Luther Fisher, treasurer.
Model Lodge No. 360, Knights of Pythias, was organized May 16, 1892, with the following officers : Miller Winston, C. C .; W. F. Temple, V. C .; G. D. Boone, P .; C. W. Witt, M. at A .; Sam Sholts, M. of W .; H. L. Rud, M. at A .; M. Hess, I. G .; D. D. Rudicil, O. G. These gentlemen served as the early heads of the lodge, which has increased in membership from 22 to 78. Present officers: W. G. Francis, C. C .; G. C. Griffin, V. C .; W. D. Wood, P .; E. J. Lehman, M. at A .; William Swinney, M. of W .; J. W. Mumm, I. G .; H. B. Swarts, O. G .; F. H. Swarts, K. of R. & S.
CHAPTER XIX
AYERS AND RAYMOND TOWNSHIPS
FIRST PREEMPTION IN AYERS TOWNSHIP-THE GREAT SULLIVANT ESTATE-THE HEADQUARTERS, BROADLANDS-BROADLANDS OF THE PRESENT-LONG VIEW-SETTLEMENT OF RAYMOND TOWNSHIP- WILLIAM M. SHAWHAN.
In the southeastern corner of Champaign County is the small town- ship of Ayers, comprising less than twenty-four square miles, six sec- tions from north to south and three and three-quarters from east to west. It is mostly watered by the Ambraw and the Little Vermilion rivers, and contains some of the choicest farm lands in the county. They were not taken up as early as those in other parts, such as the sections along Salt Fork to the north, which were more heavily timbered.
Broadlands, the only village in the township, contains some five hundred people, and rightly suggests some agricultural enterprise, or land holdings, of unusual magnitude. In the early '50s, in fact, its site was the headquarters of the largest landed estate in the county, and one of the most noted in the state.
FIRST PREEMPTION IN AYERS TOWNSHIP
The first preemption was made by a man named West, who built a shanty near the north line of the township, in what was known as Lost Grove, as early as 1850. Three years afterward he sold his right and small improvements to John F. Thompson, who brought his family there in 1855, and developed his holding into a substantial homestead which he occupied until his death.
THE GREAT SULLIVANT ESTATE
In the meantime Michael L. Sullivant, a leading and wealthy citizen of Columbus, Ohio, had been consolidating his holdings on the Ambraw, both in what is now Ayers Township and adjoining territory. He had commenced to buy direct from the government in 1852, and when the railroad lands of the Illinois Central came into the market he purchased
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many of its alternate sections until he became the owner of 21,000 acres. At one time he was the owner of nearly every desirable tract in the township of Ayers. Having gathered his land Mr. Sullivant com- menced to improve it on a grand scale. In February, 1855, the Ohio Statesman, of Columbus, thus noted the departure of his first expedi- tion : "The outfit was an admirable one. The wagons were constructed in such a manner as to answer the purpose of tents, and will be used as such until suitable buildings can be erected by the mechanics of the company for their accommodation. The Messrs. Sullivant have purchased vast tracts of land in Central and Northern Illinois, and are preparing for cultivation several thousand acres of land during the present season. The party that left today intend to prepare the land for ploughing, hedging and planting, and to erect the necessary buildings for the tenants. They take along several bushels of locust seed, walnuts, hickory nuts, chestnuts, red cedar berries, and a con- siderable quantity of Osage Orange seed for the purpose of hedging. Another party will leave here in about a month, destined to the same place, and still another, about the same time, will open another farm of several thousand acres in Northern Illinois for Mr. Sullivant."
THE HEADQUARTERS, BROADLANDS
At a high and central point of his principal holdings Mr. Sullivant erected a boarding house, with numerous barns and outbuildings, which he called Headquarters. Near by he erected a large residence, and commenced to improve his lands methodically and scientifically (as lie thought). At one time he also rented large tracts of his land in Ayers Township to Alexander, the Western cattle king, who afterward became so prominent in live stock transactions in Chicago. Mr. Sullivant called the headquarters of his great estate Broadlands, but his attempt to farm upon such a stupendous scale was ahead of the times and resulted in financial failure. His holdings passed to other hands, were divided, and sub-divided, and the community, as a whole, greatly benefitted there- by. But the memory of the grand enterprise remains in the name of the village and the station on the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad.
BROADLANDS OF THE PRESENT
Broadlands is a leading center for the handling and shipping of grain, its three elevators being owned by Paul Kuhn & Company, of Terre Haute and the Broadlands Grain and Coal Company and Henry Allen,
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local proprietors. The last named was built in 1904 and has a capacity of 35,000 bushels.
The Bank of Broadlands was established in November, 1892, with A. M. Kenney as president and D. P. McIntyre as cashier. Mr. Kenney retained that office until 1908, when Mr. MeIntyre succeeded him, Will A. Coolley assuming the cashiership. Since January, 1917, Mr. Coolley has been president of the bank, which has a capital of $25,000 and average deposits of $100,000.
There are four churches at Broadlands: The Methodist, Rev. J. R. Warlick, St. John's German Lutheran, Rev. D. Blasberg, the Evangelical Lutheran, Rev. R. Krenzien and the United Brethren, Rev. C. T. Short- ridge.
The Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel Church was organized in 1875, its first house of worship having been erected in the following year. The present church building was completed in 1895. There are about fifty voting members and some 130 communicants. The schoolhouse the lecture hall were remodeled in 1913. The successive pastors of the Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel Church have been Revs. E. Martens, C. Baumann, C. H. Mueller, J. B. Graupner, C. F. J. Johanning, H. Hafner, C. Boevers and R. Krenzien.
The United Brethren Church of Broadlands was organized by Rev. J. H. Penney, its first pastor, in the fall of 1893. The list of successive pastors is as follows: Revs. J. H. Penney, McBride, A. J. Nugent, B. B. Phelps, Duger, Rosenbarger, Jinkins, O. McHargue, Dunseth, Sher- ril, White, Watson, Hall, McBride (second term), L. H. Coolley, G. W. Padrick, G. W. Ball and C. Tuttle Shortridge. The church has a pres- ent membership of about ninety.
Besides these religions organizations, three secret and benevolent lodges are established at Broadlands, representatives of the Masons, the Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America.
Broadlands is an incorporated village, and is a pleasant little place with unusually good pavements and well lighted streets, through the accommodations of the Central Illinois Public Service Company.
LONG VIEW
Long View is a station and little settlement on the Chicago & Eas- tern Illinois Railroad about five miles southwest of Broadlands, in the southern part of Raymond township. It is a brisk grain center, with two elevators; has a good bank, a high school and two churches. A number of stores add to its standing.
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
The Long View Bank was established in 1899 by Michael H. Keefe, Arthur C. Amster, Clyde C. Amsler, Emil L. Wiese and Samuel A. Howard, with a capital of $5,000 which was increased to $10,000. Later Mr. Howard sold his interest, the capital was decreased to $8,000, and all the bank interests were centered in the hands of Messrs. Wiese and A. G. Anderson, of Broadlands. In 1912 Mr. Keefe and E. Clarence Churchill bought a one-half interest in the bank. The present officers are: Emil L. Wiese, president; E. C. Churchill, vice-president; A. G. Anderson, second vice-president; M. II. Keefe, cashier. The capital stock is $10,000, and the firm owns and occupies a substantial briek building. Its responsibility is $250,000. The bank owns some 1,300 acres of good land and stock in the Ogden Avenue State Bank of Chicago.
SETTLEMENT OF RAYMOND TOWNSHIP
Raymond township itself was not settled at an early date, as it con- sists almost entirely of prairie lands lying within the valley of the Ambraw River. Much of the eastern part of the town in the '50s was embraced in the great Sullivant estate, the headquarters of which were at Broadlands. Permanent settlers were not numerous until many years afterward, when the land holdings became small and the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad was built across the southeastern corner of the township in the '70s. That period also marked the establishment of Long View as a station and a village.
WILLIAM M. SHAWHAN
The first permanent settler, William M. Shawhan, did not arrive from Indiana until 1855, and he bought the improvements of a squat- ter near Linn Grove and the Ambraw Timber. Mr. Shawhan had already acquired a comfortable competeney and was also deeply in- terested in church and school work before he came to Raymond Town- ship. Although he had been engaged in the cattle trade for some years, when he settled, with his large family, on Section 19, he did not enter actively into such pursuits, but rather devoted his energies to the work of the Disciples Church. Ile preached in the cabins of the settlers and was a true missionary of the Gospel. His influence was far-reaching and of the best, and his descendants have profited by it to the present.
CHAPTER XX
SADORUS AND PESOTUM TOWNSHIPS
"STAYERS" OF SADORUS TOWNSHIP-SADORUS VILLAGE-IVESDALE-PE- SOTUM TOWNSHIP-PESOTUM VILLAGE.
Sadorus Township, in the extreme southwest corner of the county, contains two villages, the one which gave the township its name being the nucleus of some of the most interesting ancient history of the region. Sadorus Grove, embraced by the upper branches of the Kaskaskia, was the estate of Henry Sadorus and his family in 1824, as has been already fully described. After fifty-four years of residence and useful work the patriarch passed away, looking with pride, like those of the biblical days, upon many descendants of several generations to continue the family line.
"STAYERS" OF SADORUS TOWNSHIP
Henry Ewing and family, also Hoosiers, built a cabin in the grove just north of the present village of Sadorus, two years after Mr. Sa- dorus settled therein. The Ewings, William Marquis and Aikens Wright, who settled in the neighborhood during the next few years, were floaters, but William Roek, Walter Beavers, the Millers and others were stayers, and left families. Ezra Fay settled in Section 35, south- eastern part of the township, in 1835, and was one of the first ministers of the sect known as Christians (New Light).
At a somewhat later date John Cook, Zephania Yeates, the Hixon brothers and others settled in the Grove region, and in the '50s, the Riee and Craw families, William Harrison, William Ellers, F. Langhlin and others.
SADORUS VILLAGE
Sadorns village commenced to take shape with the establishment of the railroad station on the line of the Great Western in 1858. Its three grain elevators, which foreibly speak of the cereal productiveness of the surrounding country, are operated under the ownership of R. E. Cham- bers & Foote, DeLong Brothers & Company and Baldwin & Company.
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
The Bank of Sadorus and the Farmers First State Bank are also in- stitutions which make the village a reliable financial center for the village and adjacent farming communities. In the matter of schools, social and religious organizations, and other advantages of a higher nature, Sadorus is fully equal to other villages of its population.
IVESDALE
Ivesdale, a village of about five hundred people, is on the northi- western border-line of the township, on the Wabash Railroad. It was incorporated as such June 12, 1871. Although it has a twelve-hour
FIRST HENRY SADORU'S HOME (1824)
service of electric light from the Bement Light and Power Company, it has no water works. Its supply of water, however, is good and abundant from private sonrecs. Ivesdale has a modern brick village hall, where the corporate business is transacted and which is open to lectures and meetings called for public improvements.
Two institutions, mention of which should in no wise be omitted, are the First National Bank and the Ivesdale News. Both are a part of its substantial life.
The Ivesdale News was established in September, 1897, by John II. Ryan, and continued under his management until January, 1909, when
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it was purchased by Theodore A. Thoma. It continued under his man- agement until December, 1912, when it was disposed of at a sheriff's sale to C. S. Coe. It was leased by Miss Elsie B. Sutton in January, 1913, and continues under her management.
The places of worship in the village comprise three churches, as follows: Methodist Episcopal, Rev. H. L. Thrall, pastor, Sadorus; St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Rev. C. C. O'Brien; German Lutheran, with no regular pastor. The following lodges have halls at Ivesdale: Mod- ern Woodmen of America, Court of Honor, Knights of Columbus, An- cient Order of Hibernians and Catholic Order of Foresters. The Ancient Order of Hibernians in Ivesdale was organized in September, 1887, the Modern Woodmen lodge in December, 1895, and the Court of Honor in April, 1897.
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