USA > Illinois > McLean County > Heritage of the prairie : a history of LeRoy and of Empire and West townships, McLean County, Illinois > Part 3
USA > Illinois > McLean County > Le Roy > Heritage of the prairie : a history of LeRoy and of Empire and West townships, McLean County, Illinois > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10
With the purchase of electricity from the Bloomington- Normal Power and Light Company the Wartenas continued to expand the operation of the LeRoy Electric Light, Power and Heating Company by including Downs, Ellsworth, Cooksville and Colfax in their service area involving about 100 miles of transmission lines and embracing more than 1000 customers.
Illinois Power and Light Company, a growing statewide utility, purchased the Wartena interests in 1926 and took over serving the area. The utility later shortened its corporate name to Illinois Power Company. IPC is now the second largest electric utility in the state.
LeRoy's first mercury vapor light system was first turned on in October, 1951, replacing the old ornamental cluster light system. The LeRoy Kiwanis Club sponsored a meeting a year earlier attended by business men and interested citizens at which groundwork for the new lights was laid. Then Illinois Power Company advanced an alternate plan to the city council, which was accepted. Thirty mercury vapor lights were placed on Center St. from the High School to Rt. 150, on Main St. from the City Park south to the Presbyterian Church, on Chestnut St. from the Methodist Church south to Cedar St. and two blocks on East Street.
TELEPHONES
At a special city council meeting September 23, 1897 a permit was granted to Central Union Telephone Company to erect poles and stretch wires on streets and alleys in the city of LeRoy. This is the first mention of public telephone service in LeRoy. At the regular meeting of the council on February 14, 1898 the McLean County Telephone Company was granted permission to erect poles and stretch wires in LeRoy. Then permission was granted in May, 1899 to the Farm and City Telephone Company to set poles and string wire on the streets and alleys of LeRoy. In 1906 a contract was given to A.T. & T. to set poles and string wires in the city.
19
CH Z
STALEY
FAS
FRA
SCHOOL
17 118
40
+ 18
A-17
0
A-
at
......
ST
ST
ST
ST
ST
SF
ET
la
GRAFEN
A-15
O
WARREN
3
A-14
ZI
150
WAS
NGTON
A-3
sr
NORTH
A-13
T22NAAE
ST
o
...
30
LC ..
O
A-12
FA-2
5T
9
a
Job
ST
HEM OCK
o
9
.... ...
0
ST
A -40
GILMORE
OR
YHITE
WALNUT
ST
CARL
PC
T SUNNYSIDE CT
A49
DLE DUCK
SUNSEY
SUNSET
A
-
REVISIONS
·
STOCET
CORP
LIMITS ETC
OATE
DATE
OF
COUNTY HIGHWAY
LEROY
COUNTY HIGHWAY EXT
VICLEAN COUNTY
ARTERIAL STREET NON-ART "AFT ST
2 POPULATION 1970 LENSUS 2435 SCALE N FEET 600 200
ON-OPENED STREET
CORPORATE MITS
STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS & BUILDINGS DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS BUREAU OF LOCAL ROADS & STREETS ARTERIAL STREET MAP
LEGEND
PAV T
BIT
GRAN
SH. FAPILL. MARKED
OR JS MARKED RT
LOULOU ····· 00080000
ST
CH 40
A-17
CH
20 21
FAS
1477
MONE
ST
000
U
MEADOW LN
A.15]
N
ST
.
PC. RR.
CENTER
·
0
4-29
00
MAIN
NUT
YND
30
494
4-13
A.21
ST
CITY OF LEROY 1975
20
City Council
Left clockwise: DeGraff Murrell, Bob Abner, Dennis Henson, Mayor O. J. Lere, Juanita Dagley, city clerk, Loren Bean,
GAS
Legal and financial obstacles were cleared in October, 1951 for the Union Gas and Electric Company of Bloomington to construct its 35-mile natural gas main to serve LeRoy, Farmer City, Bloomington and Normal. LeRoy natural gas customers are now served by Northern Illinois Gas Company.
WATCH HER GROW!
Except for a slump from 1910 to 1930, LeRoy has shown a steady growth from its inception. In 1874 when LeRoy changed from a town government and adopted a city charter a special census was taken showing a population of 1018. A hundred years later in 1974 a special census was taken showing the city had grown to 2631-a gain of 1613 citizens. Earliest available census figure is for 1850 when a population of 210 was recorded. A tabulation of official census figures, showing LeRoy's growth trend, from that early date to the present follows :
Year Pop.
Year Pop.
1850 -- 210
1920 -- 1680
1860 -- 654
1930 - 1595
1870 -- 862 1940 - 1783
1874 -- 1018
1960 -- 2088
1890 -- 1258
1966 -- 2436
1900 -- 1629
1970 -- 2435
1910 -- 1702
1974 -- 2631
LEROY FIRSTS
Elisha Gibbs and sons, Simeon and David, were mill-wrights by trade. They built the first steam saw and grist mill and wool-carding attachments in LeRoy in 1840. It was 40 ft. by 46 ft. and 212 stories high. It had one set of three-foot stones and cost $4000. It was built on the slough on the south side of town, south of the present Owens' Bi-Rite store, south of the railroad. It burned in 1844.
George Cook, Jaek Gassaway.
31 LEROY MAYORS
Thirty-one mayors have served LeRoy since August, 1874 when the city charter was adopted. The first mayor served less than a year until the first regular election in 1875. LeRoy mayoral elections are held in odd-numbered years. Mayors were elected for two-year terms until 1937 when four-year terms were instituted by statute. Mayoral election years and mayors who were elected and served LeRoy follow:
1874 -- M. S. Stout
1875 -- J. W. Wright
1877-J. M. Suggett and Samuel B. Barnum
(appointed to fill term)
1879 -- A. B. Johnson
1881-Joseph Patterson
1883 -- Zachariah Chick
1885 -- J. Keenan
1887 -- M. R. Galusha
1889 -- Amos Rutledge
1891 -- George W. Payne
1893 -- Joseph Keenan
1895 -- Thomas Clarey
1897 -- W. H. Dooley and Amos Rutledge (elected to fill term)
1899 -- William H. Cline
1901 -- Oscar Bonnett and T. W. Vanatta (appointed to fill term)
1903-1905-1907-T. W. Vanatta
1909 -- J. A. Tuthill
1911 -- L. A. Vasey
1913-1915 -- A. G. Bailey
1917 -- Z. T. Strayer
1919 -- A. G. Bailey
1921 -- H. H. Crumbaugh
1923 -- Z. T. Strayer
1925 -- E. F. Hall
1927-William H. Cline
1929-1931 -- Clark A. Smith
1933 -- Rev. Oceola McNemar
1935 -- George B. Strayer
1937-1941-1945 -- Lyle V. Morgan
1949 -- Merle A. Schlosser
1953 -- William D. Vance
1957-1961 -- Charles H. Henson
1965-1969 -- Edward B. Williams
1973 -- (). J Lere
21
1950 -- 1819
1880 -- 1068
EMPIRE TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS
1858 - 1861
James Wiley
1861 - 1862 Montgomery Crumbaugh
1862 - 1863 R. F. Dickerson
1863 - 1865 Malon Bishop
1865 - 1867 R. F. Dickerson
1867 - 1870 James Bishop
1870 - 1871
J. V. Smith
1871 - 1872
J. H. L. Crumbaugh
1872 - 1873
John Kline
1873 - 1875
D. O. Howard
1875 - 1879
Hiram Buck
1879 - 1880 1880 - 1881
Joseph Keenan
1881 - 1886
W. H. Dooley
1886 - 1888
Samuel F. Barnum
1888 - 1890
James Bonnett
1890 - 1892
Oscar Bonnett
1892 - 1894
Thomas Clary
1894 - 1896
Samuel F. Barnum
1896 - 1900
Oscar Bonnett
1900 - 1901
Thomas F. Wiley
1901 - 1908
James Vance
1908 - 1912
George E. Dooley
1912 - 1914
C. Guard
1914 - 1916
1916 - 1926
George E. Dooley William Vance
1926 - 1928
G. Grant Smith
1928 - 1933
Harry Denning
1933 - 1935
G. Grant Smith
1935 - 1937
Oscar Kirchner
1937 - 1941
William Vance
1941 - 1953
H. A. Denning
1953 - 1961
John Lee Smith
1961 - 1973
E. G. Dean
1973 -
John Kline
OLD REMINISCENCES
SIDNEY D. BAKER
Sidney D. Baker died at Council Grove, Kans. He was born Feb. 14, 1820 in Washington County, and came to Blooming Grove when he was six years old. His father surveyed the original townsite of Bloomington, named the town and streets, and about a year later, Sidney D. Baker was permitted to go to school in the first court house in Bloomington. He finished his schooling in the seminary on South Main street, taught by W. C. Hobbs. He went to Iowa in 1840, and came back to Illinois in 1842, and entered into partnership with E. E. Greenman in LeRoy. He told this story in 1906:
"We opened our mixed stock of goods, and as our capital was small, we had to replenish often, always had fresh goods. I would go to Pekin by team, there I would take the boat to St. Louis, buy my goods, ship them by boat to Pekin, then I would haul them to LeRoy, a distance of 60 miles, often getting mired in the mud. Our trade increased from year to year until our present quarters became too small, then we built a two-story brick building. We sold out after 18 years. We were very successful in this business. We also had the post office in our store, Mr. Greenman being postmaster. I was justice of the peace in 1847.
"I was commissioned under Gov. French. Barley H. Coffey, McLean County clerk, swore me into office. I married several couples, but became disgusted when trying a case as the defendant swore to a lie and I knew it, so I threw up the office. March 14, 1848, I married Laura A. Edwards. We commenced housekeeping in a log house, the main part, being log of one room and a frame kitchen. These rooms had puncheon floor. We paid $1 per month rent. The rats were so bad they would almost carry our clothes off at night. We lived here a year when we built a new home. There were seven
children came to gladden our home, of whom two are living. (Frank W., with whom 1 am making my home, and Eva B. Smith of Topeka, Kans.) I dealt quite a good deal in government and other swamplands, ditching them and turning up sod and selling at good profit to people from east, who settled on these farms. Today they are beyond my greatest expectations in value. I told my son, Frank, before we left Illinois that I expected to see the day when McLean County lands would bring $50 per acre, but now they are selling at $100 and more per acre. I handled a great many horses. I would drive them across country to Milwaukee to market and on one occasion, I remember of one of my best ones getting a leg hurt so I could not take him farther than Chicago. When I returned from Chicago, he was still lame and I received an offer for a lot on Water Street even-up for him, and this perhaps was the biggest mistake of my life by not accepting this offer, but the lot was a frog pond. Then I found a man who gave me 12 dozen Seth Thomas clocks for a horse, and I sold them at good profit. I shall always have a warm side for our old town of LeRoy and its first settlers. My wife and five children are buried in the LeRoy cemetery, four children having died in infancy and one who lived to be seven years old. My wife was laid to rest in 1898, and that's where I expect to be laid when I am called home. I am the only living charter member of Masonic Lodge No. 221 of LeRoy.
"In the year of 1873, I moved to Topeka, Kans. thinking it would benefit some of the family who were never very rugged. I was delighted with the city until grasshoppers came and cleaned up all growing crops, a sight I can never forget; millions of them, thick as bees were on railroad tracks, so thick trains could not move, the mashing of the "hoppers" made wheels so slippery. This seemed to be dead shot for Kansas, although I have profited by other people's misfortunes. I bought up several carloads of horses and shipped them to Illinois, making a good profit. I moved back to Bloomington in the spring of 1875, and soon after began erection of two store buildings on South Center street. In one, my son, Frank, and I opened up a retail grocery store and continued some six years. When son's health failed, we sold out. I speculated in land awhile, and in the fall of 1882, my son's family and my wife and I moved to Council Grove, Kans. I have a comfortable home and 2,000 acres of tillable land which some day will be worth as much as Illinois land." -- S. D. Baker
[August 14, 1914]
Charlie Whitaker, as he was enjoying the pleasant shade in the city park last Sunday, became reminiscent. Among other things he mentioned, was that 70 years ago, he hauled a load of wheat to Cliicago. His father also took a load. Mr. Whitaker's load was drawn by a team of horses, and contained 30 bushels. His father, Marshal Whitaker had a load of 45 bushels, drawn by two spans of oxen. It took four days to make the trip to Chicago, and as there were no bridges they had much experience fording the creeks and rivers.
Pontiac was the only town in his memory, through which they went. Near to Chicago was a large swamp the worst place on the road. Mr. Whitaker remarked that LeRoy now, is a better town than Chicago was at that time. The dwelling houses were mostly shacks and the streets were in bad condition. The price received for the wheat after being delivered 150 miles by wagon, was 50c per bushel.
The wheat was sacked and it was often necessary when stuck in a mudhole, to unload the wagons, pull out, and then reload. In order to get enough sacks for a trip like this, the whole neighborhood had to be depended on for sacks, which were about as scarce as stovepipe hats are at the present time.
FIRSTS
Amos Neal built the first log house in LeRoy in 1835 on the southeast corner of Center and Chestnut Sts. T. J. Barnett built the second log house, a 14 by 16 ft. building, in Block 15.
22
John Kline
Old Time Memories of LeRoy and Vicinity
An interesting paper was read on May 14, 1915 by Thomas Buck at the McLean County Historical Society meeting:
The original town of LeRoy, 28 blocks, was laid out by Gridley and Covel in 1835, and has been enlarged until it cov- ers more than one section of land and is still growing. A few families were in LeRoy in 1836: Edgar Conkling, Dr. Moran, Amos Neal, Hiram Patterson, Moses Kimler, and Leonard P. Morron. Hiram Buck came to Illinois in 1833, and to LeRoy in 1837; James Wiley in 1837; Daniel Proctor in 1837; Stephen Conkling, Harmon Buck and families in 1839. They were millwrights by trade and built the first steam saw and grist mill on the south side of town in 1840. It was of great benefit to this community to have our wheat and corn made into flour and meal at home. A little later, Josiah Horr introduced a wool carding machine and we thought it great when we could have our wool made into rolls right here. All the farmers kept some sheep, and homemade clothes were in style, and the spinning wheels were kept whizzing.
The first schoolhouse was built in 1839, and David P. Bunn taught the first school in it in 1840. It is still standing only a few rods from where it was built, two blocks north of the park on the Pete Hendryx block, west of the Thompson house and facing north on the I.C.R.R. The Methodist Church was built about the same time just west of the Alfred Morris residence.
John Baddely started a town one-half mile south of the southwest corner of LeRoy, and named it Monroe. He was running a general store there in 1834, but Gridley and Covel gave him a certain number of lots if he would move his building to LeRoy. He did, on the ground where the Christian Church now stands, and continued in business. Dr. David Edwards, also a Methodist preacher, came to LeRoy in 1840 and was pastor in the old church several years. Edgar Conkling put up the first lightning rod near his residence which is now the Emily Pray home. It was a large white oak pole set in the ground, was about 50' high, and his thought was lightning would strike the highest object and thus protect his house.
I well recollect when grass grew a foot high in two business stores of our city. I remember when the small town of LeRoy was on the inside of a half-mile race track.
There is one man who looms up in my estimation, head and shoulders above any of the pioneers; Edgar Conkling and his wife, Belinda, who was his equal in every good work. He put up a frame building on the old Park's corner, now Gilmore's restaurant, and was doing business as a general store in 1837. He invested his money in land and laid out a large number of blocks on the north side, known as "Conkling's addition to LeRoy." He was a hustler and seemed to have faith that LeRoy was going to be a big town. He employed carpenters and partially built about 25 small houses on the different blocks of his additon, supposing it would help the sale of lots; but the houses were never finished. The hard times began in 1838, and for about six years, LeRoy stood still. Later he sold out his holdings and went to Cincinnati and became quite wealthy, lived to a good old age, and was called to the higher life many years ago.
There were lots of snakes here in the early days. The Dickerson boys killed a bull snake that measured eight feet in length. One snake, the blue racer, we boys were afraid of. When we came to the tall grass, we would roll up our pants to our knees, spit on our hands, and then run for life to the short grass. The blue racer ran with his head about a foot from the ground, and it was said he would run as fast as a horse. Two boys went north of town for their horses; they had rope halter, heard a rustle in the grass and ran about a mile thinking a blue racer was after them ... but it was only the rope which had dropped down, making a rattle.
Frank Kimler says that in 1836 the dogs chased a wolf through Main Street to the woods and lost it. Charles Whitaker is the best posted man on dates in LeRoy.
Frank Kimler was here in 1835, before there was any town. Amanda (Buck) Crumbaugh and myself were here in 1837. Mrs. Ellen (Buck) Kline and Charles Whitaker were here in 1838. These four persons with myself are the only ones left who attended school in the old schoolhouse; are still living in LeRoy, and are as sound as a dollar.
On the 4th of July, 1840, LeRoy had a celebration and barbecue. General Asahel Gridley of Bloomington gave the address. One thing he said was that it would not be many years until there would be a railroad through McLean County; north, south, east, and west. Gridley smiled and so did the people. In 1854, the cars were running from the south part of the state on the I.C. through McLean County through Chicago. In 1870, cars were running on the I.B. & W., now the Big Four, from Indianapolis, west to Peoria.
The city of LeRoy is beautifully located, almost surrounded by fine groves of timber. Buckles Grove is on the southwest, south, and east; Old Town Timber on the north; and Kickapoo Timber on the northwest, leaving a small opening on the west. All these groves have fine streams of water. I think something should be done to stop destruction of the growing timber of Buckles Grove. Every growing bush and every grove tree should be protected from the woodman's axe. If not, those who are here later on will look to the south and to the east as something artificial. But the beautiful forests of Buckles Grove will be gone. The groves were God's first temples and we have no right to destroy them.
We must not forget the early pioneers and their families of what is now Empire Township. They are the Buckles, Johnsons, Conoways, Dickersons, Merrifields, Bishops, Clearwaters, Whitakers, Crumbaugh, Brittins, Murphys, Gilberts, Rices, Dunlaps, Halls, Martins, Rutledges, and Jacksons. These are the ones who built the cabins and tore up the tough prairie sod and made it produce grain and vegetables for food and flax and wool for clothing. You may say what you please of the early settlers of LeRoy, and tell of the wonderful things they did. That is all right, but don't forget the early pioneers of Empire Township. They had problems to solve and they solved them.
I will say to you people gathered here to the McLean County Historical Society, that this little history I have given from memory as a boy, since 1837, to the present time, is about the last you will ever get from anyone who was here in those early days. The time is near when there will be no one to go back to the 30s and tell you the story as I have. Later, what you learn of early times of LeRoy and vicinity will be second-hand. -- Thomas L. Buck
PRAIRIE PIONEERING
Lewis Cass Crumbaugh, whose father, Henry Crumbaugh, was a great cattle man, spent his boyhood summers herding cattle and his winters feeding them. They used an "Old Virginia Wagon" which was made entirely out of wood and built out wide over the wheels so it would hold 150 bushels of corn. Every night they would round up the cattle and put them in the "poind" to keep them from the wolves, and many times Mr. Crumbaugh shot both wolves and deer on the prairie. On Sunday it was a regular chore to salt the cattle in the morning and in the afternoon he would ride horseback to the Brittin schoolhouse where Sunday school was held. At that time there were only four houses between Old Town and the Mackinaw timber near Colfax, a distance of 15 miles.
He married Miss Rachel Travis of Indian Grove, south of Fairbury. At the time there were only two buggies in this part of the county, so he borrowed one to bring home his bride. He had to get his license in Pontiac. It rained and snowed and froze and it took him all day to make the trip. They commenced farming in a two-room house built near his father. He bought his first table at a sale for 25c.
23
THE TREE HOUSE
Garden Center & Greenhouse Florist Complete Landscaping Service
Rt. 150 - LeRoy, Ill.
Phone 962-9121
Toni's
Sportswear & Dresses For The Young and The Young At Heart
123 E. Center St. LeRoy, Illinois
Prudential
Phillip W. Moss Agent and Registered Representative
LUTC GRADUATE
The Prudential insurance Company of America
Prudential GEROldGuard
12 Year Service
207 Prospect Rd Bloomington. Il 61701 Office 309 663-7363 Residence 309 962-9274
PEKIN
PRAY INSURANCE AGENCY J. LARRY KIRBY
PH. 962-2111
122 E. CENTER LEROY, ILLINOIS 61752
C. D. Jones and Frank Crumbaugh had the first two filling stations in LeRoy.
The gasoline tanks were kept inside and they brought the gasoline out in buckets and poured it into the cars. C. D. Jones and A. H. Morris were given permission by the City Council on July 8, 1910 to put gasoline tanks in the streets and alleys for storage and sale purposes. Later, Ed Wirt hauled and delivered to the rural area two barrels of gasoline at a time, each containing 55 gallons, in a spring wagon, for the F. Crumbaugh Oil Co.
SPRATT'S TEXACO SERVICE
GERRY'S PLACE
202 E. Center LeRoy, Illinois
STEAK -- CHICKEN -- CATFISH Served Family Style With Salad, Spaghetti, or Choice of Potatoes
Live Entertainment Friday & Sat. BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY
Compliments of LeRoy Lanes
& Lounge
Happy 200th Birthday America
24
History of West Township
-
-
DHS PAPKE
> "HỆ CTN CÁ
West Park (donated by S. H. West)
West Township is located in the southern tier of townships in McLean County, Illinois. Bellflower Township is to the east and Empire Township to the west. Originally the entire area was covered by prairie grass with the exception of 30 acres in the northwest corner of the township.
Kickapoo Indians had occupied the area and there were no white settlers before 1850. In 1851 Henry West and his son, Simeon H. West, came to Illinois from Nicholasville, Ky. and settled on what was then known as "The Ridge" on the north side of the township. Some of the settlers decided to form a township government and decided on the name of Kickapoo, but soon learned that another township had that name so they gave the name West to the township in honor of the first supervisor, Henry West.
The land was very fertile and the area to the south of the first settlement was covered with prairie grass three feet tall, waving in the wind and full of rattlesnakes. Information soon spread about the fertile land and other families came to settle. Some of the first families along with Henry and Simeon West were the Hedricks and Cawbys whose later descendants were the Riddle, Murray, Fenstermaker. Dooley, Taylor, Horine and Reynolds families.
In the extreme northwest corner of West Township is located West Park which was given to McLean County by Simeon H. West. The park consists of 20 acres, the north half to be left untouched as virgin timber. Today the undergrowth is very thick and is home for all manner of wildlife. The south half of the park is very beautiful with many fine trees. For many years the park area was only an open area. William Dean, being township supervisor, some years ago organized the neighborhood men and built an enclosed brick shelter house with a large fireplace and tables and benches in the building. The park is popular in warm weather with gatherings of organizations as well as campers.
About a mile east of West Park is the site of an old Indian fort. A large stone marker designates the site of the former Indian settlement. Simeon H. West was instrumental in having the marker placed there.
Not far from the Indian settlement site is located the oldest home in West Township which is now occupied by the Merle Kirby family. The house was built by Henry West in 1851 and Mr. West, being a friend of Abraham Lincoln, Mr. Lincoln made the West home a frequent stopping place on his travels over Illinois as a young lawyer.
On one occasion when Mr. Lincoln was spending the night in the West home, Mr. West asked Mr. Lincoln's advice on a legal matter. A few days later when Mr. West received a thank you letter from Mr. Lincoln, enclosed was a bill for $5 for legal advice rendered.
In years past country schools were located every two miles across the township. Some of the schools were Hamilton, Rosencrans, Kumler, Kimler, Grizzelle, Mt. Olive, East Crumbaugh, West Crumbaugh, Dockum, Salt Creek, White Star and Love.
In the country schools, one teacher taught an average of 20 students in all eight grades. Many times there were only two or three students in a grade and in others both girls and boys were taller and sometimes older than the teacher. One of the social highlights of the school year was the school Christmas program which the entire community attended. There also were annual box suppers held in the various schools which were attended by all.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.