USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume 2 > Part 39
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TOWN-SITE BOOMERS IN SCHUYLER COUNTY ACTIVE IN 1936-TOWNS PLATTED AND ADVERTISED IN EASTERN CITIES-ATTRACTIONS FURNISHED TO EMIGRANTS FROM THE EAST-CHECK PRODUCED BY THE PANIC OF 1837-A SPECIMEN OF TOWN ADVERTISING-IMPORTANCE ATTRIBUTED TO THE LA MOINE RIVER AS A NAVIGABLE STREAM-THIE BROOKLYN OF TODAY-LONG LIST OF ABANDONED TOWNS AND VILLAGES-INTERESTING REMINIS- ULNCES OF SEVENTY YEARS AGO.
As early as 1930 the town-site boomers in- vaded the Military Tract, which was then re- garded as the extreme western frontier of the United States, and through their efforts this soc- tion of the country was well advertised in the
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HISTORY OF SCHUYLER COUNTY.
East and South, and many new settlers were at- tracted here by the persistent land agents, Up to this time there were widely scattered settlements. where a few families had kept together and made their improvements, but these were not known as towns, the neighborhood generally taking the name of the oldest or most prominent settler, and it was only the newly platted county-seats that were designated by a village name.
With the close of the Black Hawk War, the tide of immigration from New England and Kon- tucky brought many new settlers into the Mil- itary Tract, and Schuyler County received its full share. The settlers from the East were usually attracted to the towns that they might enjoy the advantages of the schools, churches and social intercourse, and this brought about the rapid growth of the earlier settlements and the founding of many new towns.
One can faney the bustle and activity of those years ; the optimism induced by the attractiveness of the country and the large returns offered in the advancement of land values. Richness of soil and salubrity of climate made this the favored section of the western frontier, and the first settlers ex- ploited the excellence of the country in their letters to relatives and friends in the East, and urged them to locate in the new country which was destined to be both populous and wealthy.
The rapid increase in population caused towns to spring up like magie, for the promoters in those carly days were as persistent and as elo- quent as those we now meet from Texas or Okla- homa, and their operations marked an economic advancement in the development of the country which history should record.
The spirit of speculation was rife in Illinois in the early 'thirties, nor were transactions in "city lots" contined to the western markets, for land titles came gradually to form a part of the circulating medium in New York, Boston and Philadelphia,
On paper each of these new cities was des- tined to become the metropolis of a dense popula- tion, and where water power was available, it offered an added inducement to boom the place as an industrial conter. Every village with the smallest prospect of growth, and some uninhab- ited spots in the wilderness, had a large area staked off into town lots and platted in a highly ornamental style for the information of pur- chasers, and all the eastern papers carried the ad-
vertisements of these new towns which were striving to attract the new settlers.
The years 1-35 and 1836 were the halcyon period for this land speculation, for in 1837 came the hard times felt so generally throughout the country. As a result of this economie situation, town-site booming in Illinois received a sudden check. and many of the towns promoted by land speculators developed very perceptible signs of decadence, and some were wiped off the map en- tirely and now are not known as having existed, save by those who search the old court records in the preparation of abstracts of title to farm lands, which now occupy the early town-sites.
That the early town-site promoters were ae- complished in holding out great inducements to prospective purchasers, and laid great stress on the advantages of water-power. is shown in the following advertisement of the town of Brooklyn, which appeared in the Rushville Journal of July 30, 1836;
"1,000 lots for sale in the City of Brooklyn- Sale October 27, 28 and 29, 1836.
"This city is situated on the La Moine River, nearly in the center of the Military Tract. on a direct line from Beardstown, on the Hinois River, to Commerce, on the Mississippi River, by way of Rushville and Carthage; from Quincy on the Mississippi to Peoria on the Illinois; from MIt. Sterling to Macomb. On one of these routes a state road is already established and the other two are petitioned for and will be established the ensuing spring.
"The City of Brooklyn in its local situation with regard to other places of business, is a place of very considerable importance: being 14 miles from Rushville: 23 miles from Carthage; 37 miles from Commerce : 40 miles from Quincy ; 18 miles from Macomb: 25 miles from Beardstown and 70 miles from Peoria.
"History has not yet given an account of a country (in point of health, beauty and fertility) equal to the one surrounding this city. La Moine River is a most delightful stream, affording wa- ter at all seasons of the year for immense ma- chinery. It has been examined by competent en- gineers from its mouth to this CITY, and the estimated cost to construct dams, with locks to make it a perpetual navigable stream, is $30,000. The water-power gained by the construction of said dams must. and will, pay 10 per cent per an- num on the stock exclusive of tolls. The pro- prietors think the stock worth a premium of 10
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JAMES DEWITT
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HISTORY OF SCHUYLER COUNTY.
per cent. They intend having a company char- tered at the next session of the Legislature of this State to accomplish this great and desirable object.
"The proprietors have no hesitaney in saying that there is no hazard in the purchase of lots in this City, as there is no city on any canal in the United States, which has advantages equal to Brooklyn in point of health, beauty and soil ; the farmers producing from one-half to double the quantity of wheat and corn over any other State in the Union.
"The number of 1,000 lots will be laid off for a beginning, many of which will be sold in differ- ent cities throughout the United States. Agents selling abroad will recollect that all numbers of lots marked for sale at home, will not be of- fered abroad.
"TERMS-10 per cent on all sales, cash in band. The balance in six and twelve months.
"Other sales from time to time as required. The best mills in the State are now in successful operation in the immediate vicinity of the City ; two other mills are in successful operation, one five miles above. the other six miles below.
"W. C. RALIS. "Jos. DUNCAN. "BENJ. CLARK. "DR. GREEN, "Proprietors."
This advertisement was published in The Rush- ville Journal ; The Saturday Courier. Philadel- phia ; Courier and Enquirer, New York : Adver- tiser, Lonisville, Ky. : Eagle. Maysville. Ky. : Mis- souri Republican. St. Louis: Courier. Palmyra, Mo. : Argus, Quincy: Patriot. Jacksonville; and Journal, Springfield.
This is one of the several advertisements of Schuyler's boom towns, and it is reproduced to show the enthusiasm that marked those prosper- ous and hopeful days in the early 'thirties, when every hamlet had a chance to become a metrop- olis. It was not for lack of publicity. or of the rich fertile country that surrounds it. that caused Brooklyn to fall short of the promise of its pro- moters, but rather the development of the vast system of railroads which has left this com- munity, abundantly favored by nature, some twelve miles inland. The placid waters of the La Moine River continue to flow along its border, but its glory as a navigable stream and its value as a source of water-power have departed. To-day Brooklyn is a thrifty country village, with a rich
trade territory, and her citizens set hope to achieve that proud distinction looked for by the early promoters, with the building of electric rail- roads that will some day traverse the western part of Schuyler County.
In our research for historical data among the court records and old papers, we find towns men- tioned which are now not heard of, but are of in- terest. nevertheless, from a historical standpoint. Prominent among the decadent cities of the pio- neer days is Atlas, once the county-seat of Pike County, and well known to all the early Schuyler settlers. Atlas is located in the south-western part of Pike County, three miles from a railroad station, and its population has now dwindled to a few families. Commerce, a village on the Mis- sissippi River, is also frequently mentioned in the early records and its passing came with the re- christening of the village by the Mormons, who located there in 1838 and changed the name to Nauvoo.
But it is the story of the abandoned villages of Schuyler County that will be of most interest to the readers of this volume. The idea of deserted or abandoned hinnan habitations, forsaken and forgotten towns and villages, has long been the theme for writers of romance, but when we con- template the situation from its historical stand- point, intense interest is added. No old ruins mark the sites of these now forgotten villages in Selmyler County, for they were typical of the times in which they were created. and the old log or frame structures have long since been moved away or destroyed by the owners. Only the sites remain, revealing nothing of the past history, and such facts as we have been able to gather have been gleaned from county records or the reminiscences of old settlers.
Most prominent of these abandoned villages is Brie, which was located on Section 20 in Fre - erick Township. Located on the river. it was the landing place for all the steamboats that plied . upon the Illinois. Founded about 1931. its his- tory is spanned by a decade, for the great flood of 1844 forever blasted the hopes of those who looked upon Erie as the river port for all Schuy- ler County. But the town will always live in history. for it was the landing place of many of the first pioneers of Schuyler County. In lovat- ing the town it is probable the river landing had more controlling influence than the general topography of the country, for the river bank at this point is low and swampy. Erie's improve-
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HISTORY OF SCHUYLER COUNTY.
ments were confined to a big warehouse built by Ransellar Wells and a hotel, which was operated by a Mr. Seaman. Hon. L. D. Erwin. of this city, was warehouse clerk for Mr. Wells in the early 'forties and. during those years, an immense amount of business was transacted there, for it was the shipping point for the country fifty miles northward, and nearly all of the merchandise to supply the Rushville stores was delivered at Erie by steamboats.
Schuyler City was another river town that failed to fulfill the promise of its promoter. It was laid out by B. V. Teel in 1836, on Section 4 in Frederick Township near the mouth of Sugar Creek, and it flourished for a time as a steamboat landing and shipping point. One of the old pio- neers, in reciting the story of the founding of Schuyler City said, the ground where it was sit- uated was so low a fog on the river would cause an overflow. After the flood of 1844, Schuyler City was beard of no more.
While Brown County was yet a part of Schuy- ler. the town of Milton was platted and exten- sively advertised by William C. Ralls and Lewis Gay, the proprietors. The town was laid out in 1836 on MeKee Creek. five miles from the Il- linois River, and in the prospectus advertising the sale of town-lots, the promoters referred to it as located at the head of slack water navigation. Milton long ago passed from the memory of man.
With the water courses as the principal chan- nels of commerce, it is natural the town-site pro- moters should choose the site for their villages along the inland streams, which gave promise of development for water-power as well as naviga- tion. And, while some of the' towns so located exist today. there were others now wholly aban- doned and, in some cases, even their location can- not be identified.
In Woodstock Township on the northwest quar- ter of Section 11, Township 1 S., 2 W .. Samuel A. Cliff founded the town of New York in 1836. The town-site was surveyed by Allen Persinger and the improvements consisted of a store and a mill. Micha Warren, afterwards a resident of Rush- ville. erected and operated the mill.
That same locality, which in pioneer times, was designated as "Agne Bend." was a favorite local- ity for the promoters and the town of York was laid. but never platted. York was located on the Gilead road to Calhoun County and its tavern afforded entertainment to many wears travelers.
Richmond is another town we find mentioned in
the early newspapers, but its history has passed from the memory of the old pioneers and not un- til the record of survey was found could it be located to a certainty. The town was laid out by Allen Persinger, March 15. 1536. for Win. Wilson on the northeast quarter of Section 13, 1 S., 2 W. Six blocks were platted and the location on the north bank of Crooked Creek. and adjacent to the main traveled road, was considered an ideal one. G. O. Wilson advertised a barbecue to be held at Richmond in 1-36, and that is the only mention of the town-site in history. Another town was lo- cated on Section 2, 1 S. 2 W. but even its name has passed into oblivion.
Centerville was one of the inland towns of Woodstock Township, and was founded by Isam Cox on the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 21. Its only history exists in the county records.
Ridgeville, the voting place of Browning Town- ship before township organization was perfected. was located on Section 16. The village was laid ont by Isaac Garret. April 19, 1836. and. in after years it boasted of a store, postoffice, church and school house, but when the postoffice was dis- continued. it soon lost its identity as a town site.
Mosco, located on the northwest quarter of Section 6, Frederick Township, also gained dis- tinction as a government postoffice, and Anthony Messerer was Postmaster, but the town was never platted and when Frederickville was founded on the river, the postoffice was moved down from the bluff.
Iu 1536 Joseph Haskell made plans to establish a town just below where the old Camden bridge stood, but the plat was never put on record and the improvements were not sufficiently extensive to attract geuoral attention at a time when the competition in town-site booming was keen.
Mt. Meacham was one of the few abandoned towns that achieved sufficient distinction to se- rure a postoffice. It was laid out by W. L. Gay, on the southwest of Section 17 in Oakland Town- «hip, and a unmber of quarter-acre lots were plat- ted. Mr. Gay had a store there and was post- master.
Newburg was founded in the spring of 1840 on the north-east quarter of Section 28, in Bain- bridge Township, by Joseph Newburg, and of all the abandoned towns of Schuyler County, it alone is designated in the plat book of Selyler County. The town was surveyed by Francis E. Bryant, April 24. 1540, and twenty-four lots were platted
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HISTORY OF SCHUYLER COUNTY.
on either side of Main street. Two lots were set aside by Mr. Newburg for a school building site and a Methodist "meeting house," but they were never utilized.
In the early days, however. Newburg showed thrifty signs of growth and boasted of a store, blacksmith shop, grist mill, saw mill and two sa- loons, but in time the town diminished in in- portance and. timber by timber. brick by brick, it scattered to the four winds : the town lots were varated, and even the name became a misnomer, for the government postoffice, which was main- tained there for many years by L. O. Huff, was known as Center. The inauguration of the rural mail route removed the last vestige of even a distinguishing name to the locality which. in 1501, gained renown as the headquarters of the Populistic agitation in Schuyler County.
CHAPTER XVIII.
CITY OF RUSHVILLE -- DEVELOPMENT.
VILLAGE FOUNDED IN 1820-FIRST COUNTY-SEAT NAMED BEARDSTOWN-SENT OF JUSTICE CHANGED TO RUSHVILLE FEBRUARY 20, 1826-IT IS FIRST NAMED RUSHTON-FIRST SALE OF LOTS-TOWN IS INCORPORATED AS A VILLAGE MAY 10, 1831- HEARTY WELCOME EXTENDED TO NEWCOMERS- REV. JOIN SCRIPPS CONTRIBUTION TO VILLAGE HISTORY-FIRST ELECTION AND FIRST VILLAGE OFFICERS- THREE EPOCHS OF TWENTY-FIVE YEARS EACH IN RUSHVILLE HISTORY-FIRST RESIDENTS AND FIRST INDUSTRIES-BUSINESS HOUSES IN 1834-IMPRESSIONS OF A VISITOR IN 1833- GROWTH RETARDED BY PANIC OF 1\36-37-EARLY STAGE ROUTES-FAILURE OF INTERNAL IMPROVE- MENT SCHEME-MERCANTILE AND MANUFACTUR- ING ENTERPRISES 1850-75-FORMER CITIZENS OF RUSHVILLE WHO ROSE TO DISTINCTION-RUSH- VILLE OF TO-DAY-MUNICIPAL. HISTORY-CITY IS INCORPORATED UNDER GENERAL CHARTIR LAW IN MAY, 1SOS --- LIST Of MAYORS FROM 1SUS TO PRES- ENT TIME.
The city of Rushville is one of the oldest towns in the Military Traet and. while it has not gained
the prestige that comes from big commercial en- terprises and large population, it is rich in its hi torical relations. The city was founded in 1426 by a commission appointed by the Illinois Legislature to establish a county seat for Schuy- ler County, and it has this honor without ques- tim or contest and is, today, the only mcorpor- ated city in the county.
From the date of the founding of Rushville to tlu present time there has elapsed a period of eighty years, and yet there are those living who remember when there were scarcely a dozen houses in the city. This brings us home to the fact that, while Rushville can claim prestige as one of the early Illinois towns, its history is spanned by a single life and its present stability achieved by two generations.
Soon after Schuyler County was organized three Commissioners from Morgan County selected a site for a county-seat on the south half of See- tion 35 in Rushville Township, which was named Beardstown, but the location was not favored by the residents of the county and a new commis- sion was appointed. Lovi Green. Thomas Blair and Benjamin Chadsey were the new Commis- sioners, and their first choice of a town-site was on the prairie about a mile north of Rushville. Here was an ideal location for a town-site, but the quarter-section selected had already been entered. and the county finances would not per- mit of any extravagance. so the Commissioners looked about for a cheaper tract and finally on l'ebruary 20. 1820, selected the south-west quarter of Section 30, 2 N .. 1 W. The price of this quar- tor-section was only $200, but before the town- site was tinally agreed upon, the Commissioners bargained with Jacob White to purchase the east half for $150, and with the money thus ob- tained the county was able to make the necessary payment and on December 26, 1826. the govern- ment patent was issued.
The report of the Commissioners selected to locate the county-seat was made to the County Commissioners on March 6, 1826. and on their recommendation the town was named Rushton. in honor of Dr. William Rush. a celebrated Phil- adelphia physician. On April 24th, however. the name was changed to Rushville.
After the town site was selected and approved by the County Commissioners Samuel Horney drew a plan for laying out the town, and de- signed that one tier of ten dere lote In surveyed off the rast side of the quarter, each to be divided
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HISTORY OF SCHUYLER COUNTY.
into two five-acre lots, and ninety-six lots agree- able to the plan. The first publie sale of lots was announced for July 4, 1526, and notice of such sale was ordered published in the Edwards- ville Spectator for six weeks. Before the sale took place the County Commissioners ordered an additional tier of ten-acre lots to be surveyed off the west side of the quarter, and on June 5, Jonathan D. Manlove was ordered to survey the public square.
The first sale of town lots did not bring much money into the county treasury, and a second sale was announced for October 13, 1826. In the records of the Commissioner's Court of April 1. 1828, there is notice of another sile of lots on June 7, 1528, and the record states that no lots are to be sold for less than $5, and bond for deed will be issued to those who execute notes. There were numerous sales made at subsequent date, and in some instances the county had to bring suit to force the payment for the lots sold as the court records show.
During these early years Rushville was having a steady growth as the tide of emigration from the East and South was turning to the fertile prairies of Illinois, and the town was on the State road from Springfield to Quincy. It is a faet worthy of note that the first railroad built in Illinois, from Springfield to Meredosia, had its effect in shaping the destiny of Rushville. for with its completion much of the travel westward to Quiney was deflected to the south and. in con- sequence. Rushville lost its proud distinction of being one of the gateways to the West.
In 1831 Rushville had sufficient population to permit of its organization as an incorporated town, and, on May 10 of that year, an election was held to gain the coveted distinction. In the poll of those who voted to incorporate are found many names familiar to the present generation, for children and grand-children of these early pioneers still continue to make Rushville their home. The twenty voters who were unanimous in favor of incorporation were: John Seripps, Hart Fellows, William C. Ralls. I. J. C. Smith, Richard Redfield. Andrew Ross, William Layton, A. E. Quinby, Sammel Brazzleton. Samuel Beat- tie. William Putman. Proctor P. Newcomb, Thomas W. Scott. E. Grist, Joel De Camp, John M. Jones, John Mitcheltree. B. V. Teel. Jadios .A. Clindsey and Luke Seeley.
At this election the first Board of Trustees was elected, and we find that the following gon-
tlemen were selected to administer affairs : John Mitcheltree, I. J. C. Smith, William McCreery, John Scripps and Benj. V. Teel. An organization was effected by electing B. V. Teel Chairman ; John B. Watson. Clerk ; I. J. C. Smith, Treasurer; and Thomas Hayden, Constable.
A most interesting account of the incorporation of Rushville from the pen of Rev. John Scripps is found in the Prairie Telegraph. It reads :
"Early in the year 1831, we of Rushville. be- ginning to look up and wanting to be something somewhat consequential, in appearance at least among ourselves, if no farther, conceived the idea of becoming a borough under the general law of the State recently passed granting the boon to any town, hamlet or village numbering a popula- tion of 150 souls.
"Resolving to avail ourselves of the privilege, we set about like men. but had close work of it and much managing to make up the requisite legal number ; but persevering and persistent, we enlisted in our emmeration every transient strag- gler, every human formed biped we could lay any kind of clain to, and babies ; why every pigmy spraddler, as it counted one, was an acquisition as important as any adult who might shoulder his rifle, swing an axe or twirl her spinning wheel : and had any lady presented her lord with a pair or more of them on census day, she would have been lauded to the skies, her name heralded as a true patriot to the best interests of Rushville, and the acquisition hailed as quite a God-send. But we had nearly failed, for with the most gumelastie stretching of our calculations, we could only contrive 149 into our list. But 'fortune favors the brave.' so it does the perse- vering, and so it did us. For just at this critical juncture. while our every anxiety was on the stretch to call up some forgotten identity to fill that hated vacuum, down from Peoria. on their way to Alton, came two pedestrian knapsacked tramps. bolting into the tavern and calling for a dram (which we believe the very patriotic land- lord bribed them with). to say they intended to become denizens of the place if they could get 'shopped' -- which they couldn't, for they were tailors, and there was no shop in town. The ladies. God bless 'em' made our clothes in those days, and every married man had a tailor of his own ; so our prospective citizens couldn't get 'shopped.' But that was their business and not ours; we took their word for it. and their professed willingness to be two of us for the
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HISTORY OF SCHUYLER COUNTY.
deed. and as none of us inquired about their subsequent denizenship, or non-denizenship, we didn't know and never said, and we shut our eyes and closed our ears to any diminutions of our 150 that might be going on between census and election, at which later time, probably, we will not hazard a say that it was so, but probably it might have been a tighter simmeeze to have recognized 130 than 150 at the former, as the population, as has been observed, was quite loose-footed and very unsartin.
"On the 25th of May, 1831, we held our first municipal election and twenty voters attended to cast 100 votes for five Trustees. No candidates offered; no nominations were made: no party lines drawn; but the votings were given on the true old Republican principle of every man vot- Ing for the identities he most approved of. The polling resulted in the election of Dr. Teel. 11 votes; Dr. Smith, 13; William McCreery, 13; John Mitcheltree, 14; John Scripps, 14; scatter- ing, 35.
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