USA > Illinois > Atlas of the State of Illinois, to which are added various general maps, history, statistics and illustrations > Part 27
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was horn at Grand Rapids. A joint National and State sur- veying eorps located the canal in 1830. The county was or- gauized in 1831, with an area of 48 hy 108 miles, since re- duced to ono-fourth that amount, the first Commissioners being John Green, James B. Campbell and Abraham Trumbo. The Illinois volunteers for the Blackhawk war were organized at Ottawa for the march to Rock River. The canal was com- menced in 1834 and completed in 1848. La Salle is now, in size and population, the second county in the State, with a population of over 60,000 in 1870. Ottawa, the county seat, lies along the Illinois River, has large manufacturing enter- prises, a fine country trade, and a population of 10,000. La Salle and Peru are twin sisters, connected hy a horse railway, containing 12,000 inhabitants, and abounding in heavy mining and manufacturing enterprises. Streator lies on the Ver- milion, in a developed coal region, and has 5,000 inhabitants, being known throughout the West for its thrift and progress. Mendota, at the crossing of the Illinois Central and Burlington Roads, is an extensive stock-shipping point, with 4,000 inhab- itants. Marseilles is a manufacturing town with an unrivaled water power. Seneca, Earlville and Leland are thriving grain towns, and Utiea is noted for its cement manufactories.
LAWRENCE COUNTY.
LAWRENCE COUNTY is in the southeastern quarter, has an area of 364 square miles, was organized from Edwards in 1821, and is shown by the last census to have a population of 12,533. The early settlements in the Wahash Valley radiated from Vincennes, just opposite, which is reported to have been founded as early as 1710-11. General George Rogers Clark and his forees passed through Lawrence County in February, 1779, on his way to capture Fort Vincennes. The earliest settlements within the county were at St. Francisville, in the southeast, and on the Allison prairie in the northeast. Col. Wm. M. Small, who has been in the region sinee 1797, and is still living, remembers the residence of Toussaint Dubois, on the Illinois side, with four or five other houses, in the early years of the century. John Small for some years maintained a ferry from Vineennes. Mr. Allison lived near Russellville previous to the war of 1812. During that memorable struggle, a fort was erected for the protection of the settlement, and at the elose of bostilities a large number of Camphellites located iu the region. Families of the name of Tugas established a ferry at St. Francisville. The ancient Cahokia and Kaskaskia trace roads, running aeross the county, were made by tho Indians and buffalo. John Small built, in 1807-8, the first water mill in all that territory, on the Embarras River, seven miles from Lawrenceville. After the war, settlers began to come in rapidly. Toussaint Duhois held a tract of over 1,000 acres near Lawrenceville. A noted deer hunter was John Allison, who frequently killed 15 or 20 a day. In 1819, a dozen negro families located four miles north of Lawrenceville. A colony of Shakers built the old mill at Charlottesville. The cotton gins erected hy Organ and Helvenstein are among the very oldest in the region. Of the pioneers are remembered James Lauterman and the Clubhs, Kineaids and Buchanans, from Kentucky, and Moses Laus, from South Carolina. The first Circuit Court was held by Hon. William Wilson, in June, 1821. Henry Dubois was Sheriff, and James McLean, Clerk. The grand jury, under Samuel Harris, retired to a grove for consultation, and one of its members was William Adams, now a resident of Russellville. The site . of Lawrenceville was selected as the county seat, twenty acres were laid off, and the sale of town lots ordered. The first courts were held in the house of Toussaint Dubois, now known as " Broadway." The Emharras River runs southeasterly through the county. The Ohio & Mississippi Railroad passes through the center, the Paris & Danville runs southward to Lawrenceville, and the Chiro & Vineennes touches St. Francisville. Lawrenceville has a central position, with a population of about 500. Russell- villo is in one of the oldest localities, the site of a fort in 1812, has two steam saw and grist-mills, and several stores. St. Francisville was colonized by the French, who have rich farms all about it. Sumner, on the western border, is the largest town, and the center of considerable trade. Embraced in the popu- lation of the county are 1,634 natives of Ohio, and 1,206 of Indiana, while the foreign-born numher 357.
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LEE COUNTY.
LEE COUNTY lies in the northeru quarter of the Stato, and has an area of 792 square miles. As early as 1828, a half breed, named Ogee, built a cabin on the site of Dixon and es- tablished n ferry. In the following year, a Mr. Gay was com- missioned Postmaster at that point. In April, 1830, John Dixon, a native of New York, purchased the interest of Ogee for $1,800. Mrs. Dixon was the first white woman who lived in the Rock River valley within tho boundaries of Lee County. The Winnebagoes were very friendly to these pioneers. Col. John Dement was one of the earliest settlers, Both he and Mr. Dixon participated in the Blackhawk war, which struggle greatly retarded the progress of the region. As late as 1836, Dixon possessed but four families, and two years later, nearly forty. Next in order came Capt. H. Graham and Alexander Charters, commonly called the "Governor." Zachariah Melu- gin founded the colony at Melugin's Grove, in 1834. Joseph Crawford arrived at Dixon in 1835, and Charles F. Ingals settled south of Leo Center in 1836. In July of that year, Col. Nathan R. Whitney erected at Franklin Grove the first house in Lee County, away from tho timher, Cyrus R. Miner heing the pioneer of that place. Dr. Oliver Everett, from New Hampshire, came to Dixou in 1836. Two years after, a Fourth of July celebration was held at Dixon, at which sixty- two persons were present. From this time immigration greatly increased, and the county was organized from Ogle in 1839, Dixon being selected as the county seat. Charles F. Ingals, Nathan R. Whitney and James P. Dixon were the first County Commissioners ; Isane Boardman, Clerk; Aaron Wakely, Sheriff, and Joseph Crawford, Surveyor. The court house was built in 1840, and paid for by the citizens, Father Dixon giving eighty acres of land. The Land Office was that year removed from Galena, Col. John Dement being appointed Receiver. Dixon was incorporated as a eity in 1859, and has now a population of 5,000. Her water power is excellent, and as a manufacturing town she is second to none of equal size in the State. There are seven churches and two elegant school buildings. Amhoy has a population of 3,000, and enjoys a good trade in the midst of a rich agricultural region. Ashton has two stone quarries in successful operation, and bountiful deposits of peat aro known to exist in some scetions. Lee County bad, in 1870, a population of 27,123. Her railroads are the Illinois Central and Chicago & Northwestern, which eross at Dixon, and the Chicago & Iowa and Chicago & Rock River.
LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
LIVINGSTON COUNTY lies in the northeastern quarter of the State, and has an area of 1,042 square miles. The pioneer of the region was Martin Darnell, who located in Belle Prairie Township, in 1829, and was immediately followed by Mr. Rook, who gave his name to the locality where he erected his cabin. About 1832, claims were taken up in Avoca by Wm. McDowell and his four sons, and by William and Nathan Popejoy. In the following year, Franklin Oliver located in Chatsworth. Other early settlers were the Moons, who took up claims in Reading ; Andrew MeMillin and three sons, who located in Rook's Grove and Pontiac ; Lewis and Seth Yonng and Henry Weed, original owners of the town of Pontiao, wbo located in 1834-5; John Foster, John Darnell, the Spences, Daniel Rockwood, Jeremiah and Martin Travis. The Spences and Isaac Furgit arrived previous to the organization of the county, and John Darnell and Miss Spence were the first couple married. Organization was effected in 1838, tho Com- missioners being Robert Breckenridge, Jonathan Moon and Daniel Rockwood. Abraham W. Bcard was appointed Clerk, and John Recob Treasurer. Samuel HT. Treat held the first Circuit Court at Pontiac, in October, 1839. Tho proprietors of the new county seat gave $3,000 toward the construction of the county buildings and set off a squaro of two hundred feet on which to place them; gave an acre for jail grounds, and built a substantial bridge across the Vermilion River. Indians were abundant at an early day, but evacuated the region soon after the Blackhawk war. A census taken in 1840 showed a population of 749. The earliest preachers were eireuit riders, who visited Avoca, Pontiao and Reading. The first churches were built in 1848, at Newtown and Avoca.
COUNTY HISTORIES.
Iu 1854, the Alton Railway was built through the county, from which period the process of development may almost be said to have commenced, the county inerensing in population with great rapidity. The second railway was the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw, to which have since been added the Chicago & Padneah, Chicago & l'ekin, and the western division of the Chicago & Alton. In 1870, Livingston County had a popu- lation of 31,471. It is one of the best agricultural regions in the State, producing large quantities of corn and oats, and shipping great amounts of live stock. The surface is level in the western portion, and rolling in the eastern. It is watered hy Vermilion River and Indian Creek. Coal underlies the entire county, and shafts are in successful operation at Fair- bury, Pontiac and Cornell. Pontino lies on the Vermilion River, at the crossing of the Alton and Paducah roads. It is a grain und stock shipping town, and is the seat of the State Reform School. Fairbury, Dwight, Chatsworth and Odell are thriving towns. Cornell was laid out since the Padueah road was completed, and has grown to a town of 500 or moro in- habitants. The total assessment of the county in 1875 was $14,413.750. For 1872, the wheat crop covered 11,062 aeres, corn 210,207, aud other products 51,636.
LOGAN COUNTY.
LOGAN COUNTY lies in the center of the State, and has an area of 389,022 acres. The first settler within its domain was James Latham, who removed from Union County, Kentucky, in 1819, and erected at Elkhart the earliest cabin north of the Sangamon River. His youngest son, Robert B. Latham, to wbom Logan County is so deeply indebted, migrated with the family when one year old. James Latham was in 1824 ap- pointed by President Adams as Indian Agent at Fort Clark, to which point he removed and where he died two years later. Another pioneer was Robert Buekles, a native of Tennessee, who located on Lake Fork in 1822, when not more than six fiumilies lived within the county. He earried corn on horse- back twenty-five miles to mill, and lived fifteen years in tho wilderness without a stove. He once stated that he had slain a thousand deer. At that period, the settlers raised cotton and flax, from which they manufactured their own eluthing. Mr. Buckles was the father of fifteen children, all of whom, save one, married and settled near Mount Pulaski. The county was organized from Sangamon in 1839, and is believed to have re- eoived its name from Judge Logan, President Lincoln's first law partner. In 1840, the population was 2,383. During that year, a portion of Tazewell County was established, and five years later a part of De Witt was added. Postville was the first eounty sent, whence a transfer to Mount Pulaski was made in 1847, and subsequently Lincoln was selected as the county seat. Mount Pulaski was laid out in 1836, and Jabez Capps was the first settler. It now has a population of 1,500, and enjoys a thriving trade. Atlanta was originally named Xenia, is an important cattle and grain-shipping point, and had in 1870 1,460 inhabitants. Lineoln was laid out by Robert B. Lathaui, John D. Gillett and Virgil Hickox, in 1853, and incorporated as a city in 1865, J. C. Webster being ehosen Mayor. In April, 1857, tbe court house and records were destroyed hy fire. In 1868, a coal shaft was put in operation at a cost of $70,000. Lineoln University opened in 1866. The population, in 1870, was 5,680. A vein of coal five or six feet in thickness under- lics the county. The soil is fertile, and corn is the staple erop. The region is admirably watered by Salt, Sugar, Deer, Prairie and Kickapoo Creeks, and their banks are skirted with timber. Six railway lines operate within the county 115 miles of rail. The population in 1870 was 23,129.
MACON COUNTY.
MACON COUNTY, situated near the exact center of tho State, was organized in 1829. It contains 579 square miles, and, by the census of 1870, 26,481 inhabitants. The surface of the county is mostly level prairie, though some portions aro heavily timbered. The Sangamon River flows in a southwesterly direction through the county, and, with its numerous trihuta- ries, serves to water this region most admirably. This county contains moro miles of railroad than any other in Illinois ex-
cepting Cook, and Decatur is the greatest railroad center in the State outside of Chicago. Not less than 150 miles of rail- way are already completed in tho county. The different lines are the Illinois Central, Toledo, Wabash & Western, Decatur, Sullivan & Mattoon, Indiana & Illinois Air Line, Pekin, Lin- coln & Decatur, Paris & Decatur, and the Peoria, Atlanta & Decatur Roads. The advantages to be derived from so many rail- roads can scarecly be estimated. It requires no prophet to show that Macon County is destined to become oue of the most wealthy in the country. The assessed value of farms in 1870 was $10,132,379. Value of livo stock, 81,608,466. The ehief agricultural productions are corn, oats, spring wheat, po- tatoes, fruits, rye, barley, butter, sorghum, pork and wool. The number of manufacturing establishments was 138; num- ber of steam engines, 21; number of hands employed, 653; amount of capital invested, $770,455 ; and value of manufac- tured products, $1,559,629. The agricultural implements manufactured amounted in value to $116,250 ; carriages and wagons, $79,120; pumps, 82,600; engines and hoilers, $58,- 000; saddlery and harness, $56,640 ; marble and stone work, $52,200 ; woolen goods, $42,200; sawed lumber, $39,200; and gents' elothing, $36,5-45. Of the population of the county, 12,249 were born in the State, 3,730 in Ohio, 2,063 in Penn- sylvania, 1,523 in Indiana, 1,279 in Kentucky, and 731 in New York. Of the foreign born, Germany contributed 783, Ireland 780, and England 324. The churebes rank in the following order : Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Christian, United Bretbren, Romish and Episcopalian.
Decatur, the county seat and principal city, contains about 10,000 inhabitants. It was laid out in 1829, the original town covering about twenty acres. It is situated on tho north bank of the Sangamon River, on a succession of slightly undu- lating ridges, which afford excellent facilities for draining. Decatur enjoys unsurpassed eommereial advantages. It is situated in the midst of a fine agricultural district, and its numerous railroads place it in easy distance of heavy timber lands, rich coal fields and valuable stone quarries, while the great iron and lead mines of Missouri are within easy access. The eity contains several magnificent business blocks and well- arranged stores, besides many elegant churches, schools, public buildings and private residences.
Macon is a handsome town of abont 1,000 inhabitants, and located in tbo midst of a rich agricultural district. Maroa, in the north part of the county, is a place of considerable trade. The other towns are Niantie, Harristown, Warrensburg, Blue Mound, South Wheatland, Forsyth, Oakley, Mount Zion and Hervey City.
MACOUPIN COUNTY.
THE territory comprised within the limits of Maconpin County was originally a portion of Madison, and was ceded to Greene when that county was set off from Madison. As early as 1820, the list of settlers included the following names : Seth Hodges, John Love, Richard Chapman, James Hall, Samuel Leir, George Mathews, David Coop, Joseph Burough, William Wilcox, Edward Mckinley and Bennett Nolan. At that time, improvements were very limited, and the Indian tribes roamed over tho prairies at will. The most numerous of these tribes were the Osages, Delawares, Kiekapoos and Potta- wattomies. The region was, doubtless, as fine a one for game as there was in the State. Macoupin is an Indian word, signi- fying " white potato." County organization was effected in the year 1829, and the first court was held on April 12th, at the house of Joseph Burough. Tho County Commissioners were Seth Hodges, William Wilcox and Theodorus Davis. Tristram P. Hloxsey was appointed County Clerk, and three election distriets were ercated. William G. Coop was the first Treasurer and Assessor. The County Court was held at private houses until 1830, when tho log court house was completed. As it contained but two rooms, it was the eustom of the jury to re- tire for deliberation to an adjoining thicket. In this building was also held the first Circuit Court of the county, Samuel D. Lockwood being the Presiding Judge, John Harris, Sheriff, and David Coop, Coroner. In 1837, a two-story brick replaced the log court house, and thirty years later was commeneed tho ercetion of the present magnificent structure. The first Sur- veyor was Joseph Burough, who laid out the county seat in 1829. John L. Davis took the census in 1830. The first
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educational structure of any importance was erected at Carlin- ville in 1835, and is still standing. Macoupin ean now boast of as fino schools as any county in the State. The first store was owned by Starr & Winchester, and kept hy William Bar- rett. The Methodists of Carlinville erected the first ehurel. The first railway built through the county was the Chicago & Alton, which reached the county seat on July 4, 1852. Four others have sinco gone into operation. Maeoupin has becomo ono of the largest and fiuest farming counties in the Stato. The surfaco is mostly level, garnished with narrow belts of timber running nearly the entire length of the county. Both corn and wheat are successfully cultivated. There are coal shafts and banks at various points. Carlinville has one of the finest universities in the State, and all the principal towns have fine public schools. Agriculture predourinates in the southern part of tho county and stock raising in the northern. Carlin- ville las a population of over 4,000. Blackburue University, founded by the Rev. Gidcon Blackburne, has a fund of $80,- 000 and an attendance of 200 students. Bunker Hill is situ- ated on the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad, and located on a gradually sloping mound. The site was originally known as Wolves' Run. The population is about 1,800. Stanton con- tains about 1,500 inhabitants and is located on the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railway. Virden and Girard are the largest grain shipping towns in the county, baving each about 1,500 inhabitants, with fine educational facilities.
MADISON COUNTY.
THE name of Madison was, in 1812, given to a tract or country in Southwestern Illinois, and it was not until 1843 that the last cessiou of territory from its domain was made, leaving twenty- four townships, containing 720 square miles. The earliest record of settlement in the county is that at Goshen, of Ephraim O'Connor, who located six miles southwest of Edwardsville, in 1800, and during the next year disposed of his possessions to Col. Samuel Judy, wbo resided there for forty years. The early immigrants were principally from the Southern States. The foundation of the present county was laid hy the Judys, Gillhams and Whitesides. Messrs. Hanuiberry and Wiggins located six miles north of St. Louis, in 1801. The year fol- lowing was signalized by the murder of two whites, Dennis and Van Meter, hy Turkey Foot, a Pottawattomie Chief. Settle- ments were soon made at the foot of the bluffs, near Canteen Creek and Wood River. The first land surveys were made by John Messenger, in 1806. The farmers of that period con- structed flatboats, and loading thereon their grain and live stock, shipped it to New Orleans. Next came troubles with the Indians, causing tho construction of Fort Russell, at a point near Ed- wardsville, and the organization of a company of mounted rangers, which marched to Peoria Lake and gave battle to the red men. In 1814, Mrs. Reagan, with four children, was massacred by Indians. The county Beat was established at Edwardsville, in 1813. The earliest public building was the county jail, erected in 1816, followed by a court house in 1817. Jesse B. Thomas held the Circuit Court. Iu 1818, the popu- lation of the county was 5,456, nud in 1870 about 60,000. In 1819, the wife of Rev. Thomas Lippincott organized into a Sunday school some twenty children, said to have been the first organization of the kind in the State. The first execution was that of Elipbalet Green, in 1823, for the murder of a fellow workman. The earliest public school was taught in 1804, by James Bradsbury. Samuel Judy was the first Representative in the Legislature. In June, 1840, the city of Alton and region roundabout were terribly shaken by the explosion of six tons of powder near the Penitentiary, causing a loss of $30,000 to 840,000. The greatest flood was that of 1844, when the Mississippi inundated almost tho entire American Bottom. The soil of the county is varied and exceedingly rich, and the natural resources include an ineshaustible supply of coal, abundant timber, building stone and limestone. Edwardsvillo now has a population of 3,000, with two railways and several manufacturing establishments. Alton is said to have had the pioneer cabin of J. B. Cardinal as early as 1783, but was platted in 1817 hy Colonel Rufus Easton, after whose sou tho town was named. The State Penitentiary was located here in 1827. Rev. E. P. Lovejoy was murdered in 1837. Upper Alton is a flourishing village, possessing Shurtleff College. Collinsville has the largest coal mine in the county, and a population of about 2,000.
COUNTY HISTORIES.
MARION COUNTY.
MARION COUNTY lics in the center of the southern half of the State, has an area of 576 square miles, was organized in 1823, and, hy the census of 1870, had a population of 20,622, over half of whom are natives of Illinois-Ohio and Peun- sylvania coming next-while 1,415 are of foreign birtb. There are 173,081 acres of improved land. Tho tobacco crop for 1870 was 13,250 pounds, and that of wool, 40,285 pounds. The northwestern portion of the county is watered hy the Kankakee and branches, tho southwestern by Crooked and Raccoon Creeks, the eastern by the Little Wabash and branches, and there is no lack of water for all ordinary purposes. The rocks all beloug to the upper coal measures, and the larger portion of the county is underlaid at a small deptb with a seam of stone coal from a few inches to two feet in deptb. There are forty-one places where it has been discovered. No place is far distant from a quarry of sandstone. Sand for plastering and mortar can bo casily obtained on many of the creeks. Nearly half the county is timbered land, the remainder prairie. In the creek bottoms, the growth of choice timher is heavy, and the bottom lands have a deep, rich soil. Fruit growers bave planted fine orchards on the high, rolling prairies.
The railways are the Illinois Central and the Ohio & Mississippi, the crossings of the main and braneb lines of these roads being at Odin and Sandoval. Centralia is a town of nearly 4,000 inhabitants, is the seat of the Illinois Central machine shops, and is one of the chief towns of Southern Illinois. The county seat is Salem, on the Ohio & Mississippi Road. Kinmundy is n fruit shipping eity, on the Central Road.
MARSHALL COUNTY.
MARSHALL COUNTY occupies a central position iu the north- ern half of Illinois, with an arca of 393 square miles. It was organized in 1839, and contained 16,956 inhabitants in 1870. In the fall of 1827, Col. John Strawn, of Ohio, made an ex- tensive claim on the western side of Round Prairie, and, the following year, removed thither with his family, where he re- mained for two years with only the Indians for neighbors, and to-day ranks as the second oldest settler in the county. In 1830, Robert Bird, Sr., and Hoel Doddy located farther to the east, and soon afterward, James Dever settled on the southern part of the prairie. Others, with the tben enstomary dread of tho open country, made claims on the edge of the forest, and by 1834, it had become almost completely skirted by farms, while very few ventured out toward the center. The State highway, from Springfield io Ottawa, was the only legal road across it. For mails and trade, the settlers relied on Henne- pin. Grain was generally hauled to Chicago with four-horse or ox teams, a weck being consumed iu the journey. Jesse Roberts was the pioneer of the region, locating at the point wbich bears his name in the spring of 1828, at which time he had no neighbors to the southward nearer tban Washington, and very few northward to the Illinois River. George H. Shaw settled at Shaw's Point in 1831, nnd was followed hy Charles S. Edwards. During the Blackbawk war, they sent their families to Tazewell for protection. James Martin nnd the Birds were the first in Belle Plaine, and Samuel Hawkins and the Benningtons at Bennington's Grove ; Robert Barnes at Half Moon Prairie, and Solomon Swards nt Crow Creek. At the latter point occurred the murder, by the savages, of Father Gabriel, of La Salle's expedition, by the Kickapoos, and in this region, in June, 1827, Gen. Cass held a council with a number of Pottawattomies. At Henry Prairie, the pioneers were Maj. Elias Thompson, Henry and Charles Nock, and the Hart and Reeves families. The latter were found to bo leagued with the " Banditti of the Prairies," and, at a council of the settlers, were formally banished from the region and their buildings subsequently burned. William Coulson located in Lawn Ridge in 1837, and Francis Grady at Camping Grove, in 1840. The county is separated by the Illinois River, and tapped on the east by the Illinois Central Railroad, on the west by tho Peoria & Rock Island Railroad, und in tho southeast hy the Alton hranch. Lacon, the county seat, and Henry, the chief business point, lie on the Illinois
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