USA > Illinois > Champaign County > Early history and pioneers of Champaign County : illustrated by one hundred and fifteen superb engravings by Melville : containing biographical sketches of the early settlers, the early history of the county obtained from the most reliable sources and many graphic scenes and incidents from the bright and shady sides of pioneer life > Part 19
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Who'll press for gold this crowded street, A hundred years to come? Who'll tread yon church with willing feet A hundred years to come? Pale, trembling age and fiery youth, And childhood with its brow of truth, The rich and poor, on land or sea, Where will the mighty million be, A hundred years to come?
We all within our graves shall sleep A hundred years to come; No living soul for us shall weep, A hundred years to come. But other men our land will till And others then our streets will fill, And other words will sing as gay, And bright the sunshine as to-day, A hundred years to come,
CONDIT, BROWN, NEWCOMB EAST BEND TOWNSHIPS.
AND
Read at Old Settlers' Reunion, July 29, 1886. BY F. B. SALE.
CONDIT.
This township was formerly the east half of Newcomb and was organized into a town- ship in 1867. The first settler was Ethan Newcomb, who settled in the county in 1828 at what is known as Newcomb's Ford on the road or trail from Big Grove to Cheney's Grove and Bloomington. The following are among the old settlers: Fielding Loyd, who settled in 1834; John Phillippe, in 1837; Steven Pusey, in 1839; Lewis Adkins, son of one of the oldest settlers of Big Grove and son-in-law of John Phillippe, in 1840; C. F. Columbia, in 1844; William and Dave Hawk, John and Abe Fisher and Wm. Morain, in 1847; the Cramers in 1852; the Gulicks in 1850; B. Ham in 1853; Alfred, Zack, Richard, Dock, John, Harrison W.and Deskin Gulick, with a widowed mother, all came from Vir- ginia in the year mentioned; Hale A. John- son, the Putnams, F. B. Sale, Wm. Lenning- ton, Newark Lax and many others, came to the township in 1856. Sale had been in the county since October, 1853.
The first school teachers were Columbus Taylor, Miss Betsy Banes, Miss Discy A. Newell, David Cheney, Nancy Butler and F. B. Sale.
The first preaching place was at Phill- ippe's. The Methodist elder John Britten- ham; first preachers, Levi Pitner, A. Brad- shaw, J. C. Long and Mr. Arnold.
The first postoffice was established in 1857, F. B. Sale postmaster; it was called New- comb and retained that name until the com- pletion of the narrow gange railroad in 1876, when the name was changed to Fisher and the office removed to that place.
The first supervisor was A. B. Condit, in honor of whom the township was named. The township now has eight school houses, three churches, has neither railroad, village, saloon, blacksınith shop nor manufactory of any kind, does not owe a cent, and has no dead beats. It is strictly an agricultural township.
BROWN.
Organized from East Bend in 1869. First settler one Wm. B. King, in 1834, who was the only one for years in what is now Brown township. The first entry of land was in 1845 in Sec. 4. Wm. Brown was an early settler on Sec. 3. The town takes its name from him. Thomas Stevens, a wealthy cat- tle dealer, settled in the north part in 1855, (now in Gibson), Ithaman Maroney in the extreme northwest corner about same time. He enlisted in the army in 1862 and did not return to this county. Wm. H. Groves, the oldest living settler, came in 1854, and still lives on section 34. Among the earliest set- tlers we mention Carl Dobson, C. C. Harris, now of Champaign. Wm. Peabody, now in Oregon, David Cooter, John Strauss, Ly- man Smith, - Adams, Steven Brown and others.
The Chicago branch of the Wabash R. R. cuts through the northwest corner of the town and a flourishing village called Foos is the station. The H., R. & E. also runs through the south and on it Fisher is situated.
NEWCOMB.
Newcomb, formerly composed of range 7 and S, in town 21, divided in 1867. Sanga- mon river runs through east side. First set- tler is said to have been one Mitchell in 1835 at Pancake's Point. He was a Kentuckian and did not remain long. Wm. Pancake and Jesse W. Pancake came in 1837; Joseph T. Everett, 1841; Major Sam'l Houston, 1849; J. S. Hannah and J. J. Hannah, 1857; Wm. Lane, Geo. Kimble, P. Hinton, Augustus Blacker, Sam'l Rhodes, Sam'l and Allen Hubbard, B. Lester, Banes Broderick, 1853; Rector and Merrill E. Holloway, J. H. Funston and Hiram Trotter, 1856. First school teacher, Miss Martha Newell, at Jesse Pancake's old house in 1851. First birth, Joseph Pancake, son of Wm. P. and wife. First preaching at J. S. Hannah's, Methodist Episcopal, by Rev. Parker. First postoffice, Shiloh Centre, in 1874. Shiloh church built in 1865: UT. B. church, section 3, built in 1874.
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
EAST BEND
Derives its name from the bend in the San- gamon river. which extends further east in this township than at any other point. It and Brown township once had the name of Sodom. which was the name of the first post- office, Thompson Dickson. P. M.
First Settlers: Franklin Dobson and Lot King in 1937: Nicholas Devore in 1:41, his sons. A. J. Devore and John Devore. still live in same : Harvey Taylor. 1:45: Gardner Sweet, 1448: J. L. Cosner (still there). Thompson Dickson and Harmon Hilberry. 1552: Ben Dolph and Richard Chism. 1854: Noble Byers. John Stansberry and Isaiah Ferris. 1:56; Alfred Houston. Joshua Peck- ham. Phillip Hummel. Charles Knapp and John Harnit. 1555.
The H., R. & E. R. R. runs through the south part. The principal station is Dewey. about 100 inhabitants. mostly German. In the town are three stores, besides dne large implement warehouse. one blacksmith shop. one church. German Lutheran, school house. mill, and an extensive business is done in grain and produce. The principal operators are E. C. Sale. John Heineman and J. H. Linebarger.
ST. JOSEPH, STANTON AND OGDEN TOWNSHIPS.
Rend at Old Settlers' Reunion. July 29, 16%. BY C. H. GALLION.
ST. JOSEPH.
Geographically, St. Joseph township lies in the second tier of townships from the east county line, and is bounded on the north by Stanton, on the east by Ogden and Homer. on the south by Sidney, and on the west by Urbana. The original survey was made in 1521 by Jacob Judy, then deputy surveyor-general. and it was made a politi- cal township when the county adopted township organization.
The Aboriginal history of St. Joseph township is identical with that of the whole county. However, when the Red inen roamed this country in search of a suitable burying ground for their dead braves, they chose the site where the present village of St. Joseph stands. This fact is still evi- denced by several mounds which are yet visible, and from some of which have been exhumed the bones of human beings.
But when the Indian yielded the territory. and it was opened to settlement for the white man, such names as the Staytons. the Swearingens. the Peters' and the Bartleys, came into prominence. The first settler in the township was Nicholas Yount, who
came in 1828, and built a log cabin on the farm where Jno. M. Peters now lives. Two years later. Joseph Stayton, father of David B. Stayton. moved from Kentucky, and was the first permanent settler in the township. In the spring of 1831 Yount sold his improve- ment to W. M. Peters, also from Kentucky, who for many years acted as justice of the peace. and whose descendants consist of the numerous families by that name who still reside in the township. The next fall. Jno. W. Swearingen, also from Kentucky settled near Hickory Grove. In the spring of 1532 came the Bartleys. and soon afterward Caleb Shreve and Jno. H. Strong's father. Orange Strong. settled on the banks of the Salt Fork.
The first person ever buried in St. Joseph township was the mother of Nicholas Yount. and the first child ever born in the township was a child of Joseph Stayton's, which died in infancy. The first school was taught in 1533 by Jno Ford. and the school house was the kitchen of Squire Peters' residence.
The first village in the township was the Old Town of St. Joseph, situated on the State Road at the Salt Fork crossing. At the height of its glory, this village could boast only of three stores, a post office, a tavern, a blacksmith shop and several dwellings. The naming of St. Joseph is described by the following circumstance. It is related that at one time. when Joseph Kelley kept the tavern stand. a stranger came along and stopped with Mr. Kelley. and the two became quite agreeable friends and for several days had a jovial time to- gether. When the stranger departed. Kelley, out of consideration for the good time they had had in company, refused to charge him anything. whereupon the mysterious strang- er told the landlord. that he would "do something for him" for his kindness. Soon afterward, the stranger. whom it seems was some politician of more than ordinary in- fluence, and in some way connected with the administration, at Washington, secured the establishment of a post office, the need of which he had perhaps learned during his stay at Kelley's. Kelley was appointed post master, and in his honor it was called St. Joseph. from Kelley's first name.
The present thriving village of St. Joseph dates its existence from the building of the Indiana. Bloomington and Western railway in 1-66. The earliest settler on the site of the town was Catharine Hoss. who entered 40 acres of land in 1839. The first business house was opened in 1570. in the west part of town by Wm. O. Shreve and Van B. Swearingen. These gentlemen have since been actively identified with the business
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interests of the place. and have contributed not a little to its prosperity.
Shortly after, A. R. Ralph moved up a store building from the old town. and open- ed the first business house in the east part of the village.
In the early part of 1550. the village was incorporated under the laws of the state. and at present comprises some twenty-five business firms, two public halls, two hand- some churches and a large and well con- ducted graded school.
On the construction of the I .. B. and W. Ry., a station called Mayview was establish- ed in St. Joseph township about 4 miles west of the village, and now consists of a store. post office. blacksmith shop. grain elevator and a handsome Methodist church.
St. Joseph township has held its place among the foremost townships. and in an early day. had much to do in the civil government of the county. The law es- tablishing this county provided for the election of three commissioners. to be the highest in authority in the county. Jacob Bartley. of St. Joseph, was a member of the first board. Six of the members of the first grand jury, and three of the first petit jury were from St. Joseph. The first poor farm in the county was in St. Joseph township. the one now owned by Abe Hoy. The first bridge in the county spanned the Salt Fork where it is crossed by the State road in St. Joseph. and the first regular preacher in the county made St. Joseph one of his appointments. The first organized drainage district in the state under the new law. was in St. Joseph. and :: nder the head of public improvements. St. Joseph township donated $25.000 for the construction of the I .. B. and W. Ry. The first supervisor was S. S. Rankin. and the subsequent representatives in the county board have been Mahlon Glascock. V. B. Swearingen. H. W. Drullinger. G. W. Doyle. Jno. L. Smith. David B. Stayton. Abe Thompson. W. O. Shreve and the present incumbent. V. J. Gallion.
STANTON.
Stanton township at one time formed a part of St. Joseph. but was cut off in 1569 and in 1573 it was reduced to its present limits by the incorporation of part of it into Ogden township. The first settler of whom we can learn was John Trimble, who enter- ed $0 acres of land on the east side of the Spoon river, near the Vanfleet farm. But chief among the early settlers was Levi Crayne, who settled on Salt Fork when the whole township was a vast prairie. He came from Ohio and lived longer in Stanton than any other man. Frederick O. Franken-
berg was the first man to settle in the west part of the township. The Whitzell broth- ers came soon after and Jonathan Hunt. who made a settlement there in 1:5: was one of the first justices of the peace. The Hayworths moved on the farm they now occupy in 1931 and are well known and re- spected citizens. E. W. Swisher has long held the office of justice of the peace in the township. and Erastus J. Clark tigured largely in political circles. Although Stan- ton township contains no village. the resi- dents find excellent marketing facilities at St. Joseph. and to the industrious farmers of Stanton is the wonderful growth of that village largely due.
This township is somewhat noted as con- taining the largest settlement of Friends or Quakers in the county.
The first supervisor of Stanton was L. C. Melette. who was followed by Isaac Weaver. J. D. Whitzell. E. T. Johnson. L. H. White. E. M. Russel. Isaac L. Lefever, Jesse Mel- lette and David Maddock. the present su- pervisor.
OGDEN.
Ogden township is situated in the ex- treme eastern part of the county. and is somewhat irregular in shape, being 1012 miles long from north to south, and 3:4 miles wide from east to west. The first sur- vey was made in 1:21 by James Thompson. deputy surveyor. and the organization of the township was effected in 1573. The first settlement was made in Hickory Grove by Hiram Rankin. who soon after moved to St. Joseph. The next settlement was made in Burr Oak Grove, in the northern part of the township. Garrett Moore. who was among the earliest men to make improvements in Ogden township was the first constable in Champaign county. The Richards. Free- mans and the Firebaughs are all familiar names among the old settlers. The first supervisor was E. N. Miles. Eleazer Free- man is at present supervisor.
RANTOUL TOWNSHIP.
Read at Old Settlerx' Reunion, July 29. 158. BY JOHN ROUGHTON.
The country now known as Rantoul was formerly known as Mink Grove, from the grove bearing that name near the present town of Rantoul, which was a general rendezvous for the Indians. The first white settler was Archa Campbell. who built a house in the township in the fall of 1. The house was fourteen feet square. one story. and built ot split logs. it was roofed with rough boards twelve or fourteen feet long.
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
Mr. Campbell's nearest neighbors were Franklin Dobson, on the Sangamon river, nine miles west, and Lewis Adkins, at north end of Big Grove, eight miles south. Mr. Campbell farmed until 1858, when he sold out to Guy B. Chandler. It was through the influence of Mr. Campbell that the Illinois Central railroad located the present station where it now is.
In 1852 Lewis L. Hicks entered a section of land two miles north-east and was fol- lowed by his brother-in-law and sister, Gil- bert Martin and wife in 1853. In 1855 John W. Dodge came here from Twinsburg, Ohio, for the purpose of pre-empting land for the Ohio colony. He remained until November and by that time had caused to be erected no less than eighteen cheap houses, on as many quarter sections, within a radius of six miles of the grove. He caused to be bought for himself and his friends 3,295 aeres of land, costing, including commis- sions $3.09 per aere. John Penfield, one of the prominent men of the township remov- ed here in 1856. In 1855 John Roughton started a blacksmith shop near the resi- dence of A. Darnell. J. W. Dodge per- manently located here May 9, 1856, soon after his brother-in-law, James T. Herrick, arrived, followed by James Smithers, John B. Perry, Columbus Carnes, Frank Eads, Anderson Brown and Benjamin Bradley.
J. J. Bois was appointed agent of the I., C. R. R. May 1, 1857 and holds that position at present. He was also agent for the Ameri- ean express company until January 24, 1866, when he was succeeded by E. J. Udell, the incumbent, who discharges the duties of that office to the entire satisfaction of everyone. Mr. Udell has also been tel- egraph operator since September 1, 1864.
G. W. Carter settled in 1856, Abraham Cross in same year, John A. Benedict arrived November 1, 1856, he has since died, his biography and portrait appears on another page of this book. Wmn. O. Bissell came in 1855. The town plat of Rantoul was platted in the summer of 1856, by John and Guy D. Penfield, who have done much to build up the town since. Among the new comers to the town were Muns West, C. F. Post, T. E. Frederick, Dr. D. M. Mar- shall, Win. R. Johnson, Zimri Reynolds, Dr. J. Sweatt, Isaiah Estep and Mrs. N. L. Seaver.
The town is well supplied with stores, which are supported by a rich country. The growth of the township has been wonder- ful and it is not surpassed in improvements and energy of its citizens by any township in the county.
LUDLOW, HARWOOD AND KERR TOWNSHIPS.
Read at Old Settlers' Reunion, July 29, 1886. BY J. M. IIARNIT.
The Illinois Central R. R. was completed to Pera, now Ludlow, in 1853, and a turn table put in there, which was moved to Cham- paign in 1854. The first agent was John Imeas. He died in Ludlow in 1870. The first school was taught by Miss Mary Wood, in the R. R. freight house, in 1858.
The first settler, not considering the em- ployers of the I., C. R. R. were Dr. Emmons, Jas. Barklow, B. F, Dye, Isaiah Estep, L. L. Hicks, R. W. Claypool, A. Hunt and Seth Parsons.
John W. Dodge, now of Rantoul, and others, known as the Ohio settlement, settled in the years 1855, 6 and 7; about the same time Uncle Sam'l Lewis, and his son Win. and family, G. C. and W. H. Walker, with their father, now dead. Z. Genung, John Roughton, Sam'l Livingston and James and Patrick Malloy, a number of whom are still residents of the township have witness- ed the growth of the county from raw prairie land to a fine farming country. Squire Roughton's farm being now regarded as the best improved in the township. There was but little improvement from '58 to '65, after which the township settled rapidly and is now very largely under cultivation.
John Springsteen was the first blacksmith, John P. and Samnel Middlecoff the first merchants, Uncle John, as he is called, still resides here, John P. Middlecoff resides in Paxton and his brother Samuel died in the service of his country-in the war of the re- bellion. I believe M. Huffman was the first post master. The town, to-day, has two general stores, three grain buyers, one hardware, two grocery and provision stores, one boot and shoe store, two blacksmith shops, a graded school and two churches- the M. E. and Christian, and it is said there are but two stations on the line of the Illin- ois Central from which that company transports more grain than they do from Ludlow.
HARWOOD.
Jeremiah Delay was the first settler locat- ing on section 30, in 1852; Jacob Huffman settled on seetion 1 the same year, and Michael Huffman the next year on section 3. Ile was the first Justice of the Peace in Pera township. Mr. Bullock settled on sec- tion 33 shortly after, but in what year I am not informed ; James Custer settled on sec- tion 1 in 1854; A. N. and Wm. Leneve set- tled on section 12 in 1855, and J. D. Ludlow
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
on seetion 7; John and William Crawford, O. P. and Holsomber Soper, settled in the township, shortly after; Dr. J. C. Maxwell, James Marlatt, R. W. and A. Claypool, made improvements in 1856. The first school taught in the township was taught in a log building, on section 11, where John S. Weber's farm residence now stands. (and had previously served as a pre-emption shanty for several different parties) in the year 1860, by Augustus S. Crawford, from this until the close of the war, the settle- ment was slow, but in 1865 the township be_ gan to settle rapidly, until to-day, there is not a quarter section of untilled land in the town. The township is divided into school distriets two miles square.
KERR.
Win. McMillen was the first settler-he settled at Sugar Grove in 1831; John Mann- ing settled there shortly afterwards, and died soon after; Samuel Kerr settled near Sugar Grove in 1834; Allen Skinner settled where Lewis Kuder now lives, in 1835, and entered land there ; D. S. Holber located on section 21, perhaps in 1836, and Jolin Walker in 1838. The log house built by him is still standing and owned now by Wm. Tomlin- son. Solomon Wilson came shortly after- wards, and the same year Samuel Sanford and Robert Brian came, likewise Thomas Short and Win. Carter. L. Kuder, the oldest settler now living in the township, located there in the fall of 1838. His brothers, Solo- mon, Christopher, John and Elias, were early settlers in this township, also Josephus, James and Perry Martin and Levi Wood, and all were largely engaged in growing and feeding stock. Lindsey Corbley was an early settler here, and beeame wealthy deal- ing in stock, and making good use of the rich pasture lands owned by him in this township. Solomon Mercer, Lafayette Pat- ton, William Snyder and A. C. Hilard, were likewise early settlers in this township. The first school was taught by Levi Asher, in 1838, in a log school house on section 21.
CHAMPAIGN AND HENSLEY.
Read at Old Settlers' Reunion, July 29, 1886.
BY II. J. DUNLAP.
Although the history relating to the set- tlement of both the towns of Champaign and Hensley has been assigned to me, 1 be- lieve that Champaign was fully discussed last year, while Hensley, so far as I am able to learn, has never had any well organized at tempt made to set forth in unperishable his- tory the names of her first settlers. The first settlers of any community are not always the most permanent, although, in the case of
this township, many who came at an early date yet remain. I am indebted to Lothrop's history for some of my facts; to Salem Hensley and Joshua Diekerson, for others. When I first saw the township in April or May, 1856, there were but few houses except in the northwest corner, now it is one of the most prosperous towns in the county and better farmers, farm buildings and farm sur- roundings, it would be hard to find. I be- lieve that a man named Robert Childreth was the first man to locate and he settled in the northwest portion of the town but did not remain long; he came about the year 1834. After him came Isaac and Jacob Ham- mer in 1836. They located near Childreth and built a log house. These men were fol- lowed shortly afterward by John Philips, and Fountain Busey and, in 1837, by Heze- kiah Phillippe who moved from Condit. Mr. Phillippe died several years ago but the homestead is now occupied by his son, An- drew J. Phillippe. 1 find among those who came soon before 1855 the names of Andrew and Joshua Dickerson, James M. Graham, now in Kansas, William Fisher, Richard Waugh, who now lives in Mahomet town- ship, a man named Warerman who built a house on the Bloomington road near where a new house was recently built by A. C. Burnham, Charles Miner and Samuel Hyde, both good farmers and who have gone to their reward, David Wolfe who still lives, Nat. C. Beasley, who died several years ago, Samuel and James Shaw, both dead, Thom- as Herriott who removed later to Kansas, H. C. West still a resident, and John S. Beasley also deceased. Among those who came in 1855 were A. P. Hensley and his sons, two of whom, Salem and P. S., still remain in the town. The first house was of logs and I presume that the first frame house was one built in 1853 or '54, on the Simpson farm as it was known, for Willis King. Joshua Dickerson built a frame house for Mr. Ross on the David King place in '55, and says that there were only three houses visible from the ridge. The first school was held in a log house built by the Hammers in the northwest part of the town and the first school house was built in the Waugh neigh- borhood later. I am unable to tell much about the early settlers of the town although I was personally acquainted with many of them; but I never had the least idea that I should be called upon to tell of their virtues, for I am sure they had but few if any faults, but had 1 known of it 1 might have asked many questions that would have brought out interesting answers.
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
THE PREEMPTORS' FIGHT.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE HOTLY CONTESTED BATTLE BY THE PREEMPTORS OF CEN- TRAL ILLINOIS IN DEFENSE OF THEHE LAND.
BY JOHN ROUGHTON.
The grant of lands made by congress to the Illinois Central R. R. Co., designed to aid in the construction of their road, includ- ed every alternate or even numbered section on either side of the entire length. All lands still in possession of the government and lying within fifteen miles of the road were reserved to the United States (taken out of market) so that the company might select other lands in lieu of even numbered sec- tions on its immediate line which had pre- vionsly been taken up for settlement. In 1855 the railroad company having made their selections those still remaining were again brought into market by the proclama- tion of the president, Franklin Pierce. Pre- vious to the time appointed for public sale a large majority of said lands were entered under the then existing Preemption Aet. At said sale, which soon followed, all the lands in the then Danville district, those which were as well as those which were not preempted were sold, provided that should the preemptor make satisfactory proof to the government the purchaser would re- ceive back his money without interest. The speculators, who in those days were dubbed "Land sharks," taxed their ingenuity in de- vising methods by which to entice, or if need be, to drive away the poor man from his home and fireside. With some who cared not to become actual tillers of the soil they easily effected a compromise. Others affrighted by threats of litigation accepted a small bonus and left their lands. Those re- maining in Champaign county, occupying as they then did nearly four thousand acres being more resolute could not be intimidated. Then came the tug of war and in dead earn- est did Greek meet Greek, each determined to fight it out to the bitter end. Were those lands subject to preemption was the only issue. The speculator set up the plea that "they were reserved to the United States," and therefore exempt by the aet under which the preemptions were made. On the other hand it was claimed that while it was true that these lands had been "reserved" for the purposes above set forth, it was equally true that the president by his proc- lamation put an end to the reservation and by his declaration that they were now sub- jeet to private entry he announced the fact that they were also subject to preemption. Litigation commenced. The supreme court.
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