USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume II, part 1 > Part 44
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VILLAGES .- There are three villages in Mechan- icsburg Township-Buffalo, Dawson and Me- chanlesburg-of which Mechanicshurg is the oldest, having been laid off and platted by Wil- liam S. Pickrell, November 12, 1832. Originally occupying a pleasant site, it had a promising future, but the location of time Wabash Railroad, three miles farther north, counteracted its de- velopment, although it has always maintained a fair degree of prosperity. From 1882 the vil-
lage was connected by a horse-car Ilne with the Buffalo station on the Wabash Rallway three inlles north, but this has given place to a short electric line connecting with the Illinois Trac- tion System, an interurban line between Spring- field and Decatur. The village was incorporated under special charter in 1870, but in 1906 came under the provisions of the General Incorpora- tion Act.
Clear Creek Postoffice was established in this vicinity in 1830, but after the founding of the village of Mechanicsburg the postoffice was re- moved to that place and took its name.
The first brick house was built at Mechanics- burg by Sowell Cox, and John Elkin erected the first brick store-building in 1867. The first mer- chants in the place were Crawford & Peas, who opened a store there in 1835. In the fali of 1837 William and Upton Radcliff embarked in the same line of business, and Thompson Brothers in 1844. Tbe Thompson Brothers established a bank in 1870, which is now conducted by A. F. Thomp- son & Co.
A steam grist-mill was erected at Mechanics- burg by Nightingale & Powell in 1844, but subse- quently passed into the bands of Denmick Brotli- ·^ers. The new proprietors buiit a larger mill on the same site, having three run of burrs. A coal ilne was opened there In 1904 which furnishes employment to more than 100 miners.
The first religious services in the township were conducted in the home of Jesse Pickrell. There are now three churches in the village- Methodist, Episcopal and Presbyterian.
The first school house in Mechanicshnrg was a frame structure erected in 1837, the second a brick building put up in 1842, and the third, also of brick, erected for what was then the Mechan- icsburg Academy in 1854. The Academy was in- corporated in 1854, and was conducted snecess- fully for a number of years, when it was discon- tinued and the building utilized for publle school purposes.
Mechanicsburg has never had a licensed sa- loon, although an unlicensed saloon was opened there in connection with a boot and shoe store in 1853, but was soon after driven out of busi- ness.
The village of Buffalo, on the Wabash Rall- road, fifteen miles east of Springfield, was laid out and platted in May, 1854, hy Charles R. Wells. Being three miles north of Mechanics- hnrg, and the station nearest to that village, it
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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY
was known for a uumber of years as Mechauics- icsburg Statlon, while the postoffice bore the name of Watson. The postoffice and the sta- tion now bear the same name as the village.
The first house in the village was erected in 1854 by Josiah Green and Harvey Thompson, who operated a store there under the firm name of Thompson, Green & Company. Mr. Thomp- son became the first postmaster.
A steam flouring mill was erected by Baker & Enlow in 1859-60, but in 1866 It became the property of George McDaniel, and was conducted for some years by McDaniel & Sons. There has also been a grain elevator there for many years, having been erected in 1858 and remodeled in 1878. It is the shipping point for considerable grain,
The Buffalo Tlle Works for the manufacture of ail ciasses of tiling was established by Fondy, Eyman & Company, in 1877.
The village has two churches-one Methodist and one Christian-the former erected in 1867. and the latter In 1876. There is also a good school-house in the village.
The place was incorporated as a town in 1861 and a village government adopted in 1878. There is one private bank in the village, the Buffalo Bank, with Arthur A. Pickreii, Presi- dent, and George B. Conover, Cashler.
· The village of Dawson, on the line of the Wa- bash Railroad, twelve mlies east of Springfield, was laid out and platted during the same year as Buffaio (1854), but a few weeks later than the iatter, by Thomas Lewis and Joseph Lediie. It was named In honor of John Dawson, an early settler and one of the "Long Nine" in the Gen- eral Assembly of 1836-38. The village has two churches, a good brick schoolhouse and a coal mine is operated there.
According to the census of 1910 the total pop- ulation of Mechanlesburg Township was 2,390, of which 475 belonged to the vliiage of Buffalo, 620 to Dawson, and 417 to Mechanicsburg.
NEW BERLIN TOWNSHIP
As explained in connection with the history of Island Grove Township, New Beriin Township constituted a part of the former from the date of township organization in Sangamon Couuty in 1861 until 1869, when it was set apart witb
its present boundaries and under the name of Its principai viilage.
The township embraces an area of approxi- mately thirty-two square miles or sections of land, consisting entirely of prairie, a smail branch of Lick Creek being the only stream within its borders. As a consequence of the absence of timber, it was one of the last sec- tions of Sangamon County to be settled, but after settlement began, soon became one of the most prosperous farming and stock-growing por- tions of the county.
Among the earliest settlers of this region were Thomas Ray, John Foutch and a man named Johnsou, who came about 1830 and purchased 3,300 acres of land near what is now the Bates Station, and Included a number of large farms now owned by the Smiths and the Browns of Isiand Grove, together with a considerable por- tion of the town of New Beriin.
The most noted comers of this period were the Brown aud the Smith families, who came in 1833, and were prominently identified with both Island Grove and New Beriin Townships. Wii- liam Brown, who was the head of the Brown branch of the family, as well as the father-iu- law of James D. Smith, was a native of Fred- erick County, Va., born April 19, 1779, came with his father, James Brown, to Bourbon County, Ky., in 1784, and in 1805, in Fayette County, Ky., married Harriet B. Warfield. He was a lawyer in Kentucky, served as a soldier in the War of 1812, in which he won the title of Coi- · onei, served in the State Legislature and one term in Congress. In 1832 he came with his son-in-law, James D. Smith, to Illinois and made large purchases of land in and about Isiand Grove, Sangamon County. Then, returning to Kentucky, during the following year he brought his family to Illinois and after making prepara- tions for the erection of a country residence, he stopped for a time In Jacksonville, where after a brief illness he dled, October 6, 1833. William Brown, Jr., of this family, was a prominent iaw- yer in Jacksonville and died there in 1871.
One of the noted members of this family was James Nichoias Brown, who was born at Bryan's Station, Fayette County, Ky., and near Cyn- thiana, Ky., married Polly A. Smith. Before coming to Iliinois they had three children, all of whom dled in infancy, but iater had six chil- dren, of whom only one, Benjamin W., born Oc- tober 10, 1844, Is now living, his residence being
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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY
on the old homestead three mnlles west of New Berlin. Captaln James N. Brown served four terms as Representative in the General Assem- bly from Sangamon County (being elected In 1840, '42, '46 and '52). Originally a Whig, he became a Republican on the organization of that party, and was a close personal and political friend of Abraham Lincoln. During his last term in the Legislature he drafted and secured the passage of the bill which led to the organi- zatlon of the Illinois State Agricultural So- clety, was chosen its President for the first and second terms and presided at the first State Fair held in October, 1853. He held various offices of publie trust up to the day of his death, and was recognized as one of the most enterprising and successful farmers and stockmen in the State. llis death, which occurred November 16, 1868, ended a most useful life.
James D. Smith, the brother-in-law of James N. Brown, was born in Harrison County, Ky., December 5, 1805, married Ruth Ann Brown, danghter of Col. Willlam Brown, and In 1832, . with his father-in-law, made a tour through Central Illinois, finally selecting land in the vicinity of Island Grove, Sangamon County, to which they removed in 1833. Here Mr. Smith became a successful farmer and reared a family of seven children. On November 7, 1871, while returning to his home from the village of Ber- lin, Mr. Smith was thrown from his horse and killed, and the honor pald to his memory at his funeral indicated the high estimation In which he was held by the community.
Outside the village of New Berlin there is a Union church situated on Sectiou 6, Town 14 N., R. 7 W., and there are two schools in the rural districts. The village has one graded public school and a parochial school of the Catholle Church.
VILLAGES-RAILROADS .- There are two villages within the confines of New Berlin Township, -- Bates, near the eastern border of the townshlp, and New Berlin, near the center-both on the Ilne of the Wabash Railroad, which extends from east to west through the central portion of the township, Island Grove Is a flagging station In the western part of the township.
The first building in New Berlin was of brick, erected in 1836 and occupled as a store hy Henry Yates, the founder of the town, as he was, two years earlier, of the village of Berlin. Mr. Yates also built the first dwelling house In the
place, which was occupled by Phelan Jones, and Mr. Jones' danghter, Mary, and William Rut- ford were the first couple mnarrled there. In this house also occurred the first death, that of Mrs. Homer Starks.
There are three churches lu the village of New Berlin, a Catholle, Lutherau and Congre- gational, though other denominations-especially the Methodists and Baptists-at times hold ser- vices in the village. The Catholle Church was organized in 1860, and the erection of a church building begun the same year, but not completed until two years later. Besides a graded school established in 1867, both the . Catholics and the Lutherans maintain parochial schools.
New Berlin has two State banks and one weekly newspaper.
The village plat of New Berlin was recorded October 26, 1838, and the village formally in- corporated In August, 1865. The present popu- lation according to the censns of 1910 ls 690, and that of New Berlin Township 1,241.
PAWNEE TOWNSHIP.
The township of Pawnee, situated in the south- eastern corner of Sangamon County, as orlgl- nally organized In 1861, was composed of the west half of Town 13 N., R. 4 W. and all of Town 13 N., R. 5 W. In 1869 this arrangement was changed by the cutting off of two tiers of sections from the western portion of the town- ship, and their annexation to Auburu Township. This geographical division continued in force until July 13, 1896, when Divernon Townshlp was created, taking off two and a half tiers of sections from the western portion of Pawnee. (See Divernon Township.) Pawnee Towuship now embraces the western half of Town 13 N., R. 4 W. and a strip one and a half miles wide from the eastern portion of Town 13 N., R. 5 W., making a total of twenty-seven square miles. It is bounded on the north by Ball and Cotton IIIII Townships, east by Christian County, south by Montgomery and west by Divernon Townshlp. The townshlp is traversed through Its central portion by Horse Creek and Its tributaries, and was originally fairly well tlinbered, its soll being of a deep black loam, especially well suited to the growing of corn and other cereals.
Belng in the southern portion of Sangamon County. Pawnee Township was the locatlou of
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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY
one of the earliest settlements in the county, Justus Henkie coming here about the middle of March, 1818. Mr. Henkle was born in Virginia about 1775, married Elizabeth Judy in Randolph County, that State, and In 1817 came with his wife and a family of eleven children to Beiie- ville, IlI., the following spring coming to the Sangamo country, and settling on the west side of Horse Creek about a mile north of the pres- ent village of Pawnee. Here he opened up a farm, entered land when it came into market, and died in 1841, leaving a numerous family. Jacob, the youngest son of Justus Henkle, also born in Virginia, was a soldier in the Black Hawk War from Sangamon County.
When Justus Henkle came to the Sangamon County region In 1818, he was accompanied, or soon followed, by a number of St. Clair County families, including John Neeiey, from Tennessee ; Henry Funderburk, of South Carollua ; John Dixon, of St. Clair County ; Robert Davis, and a Mr. Short, both from the South. In all they are said to have constituted a colony of fifty- three persons who settled in the same vicinity and kept in close connection for mutuai pro- tection against the Indians. The Indians, mostly Kickapoos and Pottawatomies, were generaily friendiy, and the early settlers had no trouble with them.
Martin Baker was the next settier to arrive after Mr. Henkle, coming the same year. He was from Tennessee and remained but three years, when he returned to his native State.
William Baker soon foliowed Martin Baker and settled in the same iocality, but later moved to Rochester Township, where he re- mained only a few years, when he moved to Texas and died there.
George Dixon came in 1820, but subsequentiy moved to Buck Hart, where he died.
Joseph Durbin, born in Kentucky in 1776, there married Elizabeth Logsdon, and with his family moved to Sangamon County, in 1829, settling in what is now Pawnee Township.
The southern portion of the townshlp, being mostly prairie land, had few settlers previous to 1850, but is now well settied and under a high state of improvement.
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES .- Pawnee Township has had much the same experience as other rural districts in Sangamon County in connection with the history of early schools. The first school in the township was taught by John Johnson in
the summer of 1824, in the upper room (or loft) of the cabin of Justus Henkle, who had come here in 1818. This school consisted of some ten or twelve children who were instructed in the primary branches-what was then cailed the "three R's." The primitive log cabin has since given place to more modern brick or frame structures, and Pawnee Township is now as well supplied with up-to-date school buildings and ac- commodations as any rural sections of Sangamon County.
The first religious services in Pawnee Town- ship were conducted by the celebrated Lorenzo Dow, who visited that region while on his way to Fort Clark (now Peoria) in 1819. The Rev- erends Cormack, Sims and Cartwright, of the Methodist denomination, were frequent visitors here at a later period and the Methodist Church has always been an important factor in this region, Pawnee Village giving name to the cir- cuit. The Pawnee Church was established there in 1864-65, the result of a revival conducted by Rev. W. M. Reed.
A Cumberland Presbyterian Church was or- ganized previous to 1857, services being held in school houses for a number of years, but in 1850 a church edifice was erected in what is now the southwest corner of the township.
The Brush Creek Presbyterian Church was or- ganized December 31, 1870, and a frame church edifice erected In the village of Pawnee about the same time. This building was destroyed by fire In July, 1872, and a new edifice costing $2,700 erected and dedicated in January, 1873. (The above describes church conditions as they ex- isted about 1881.)
VILLAGE OF PAWNEE .- Pawnee village, situated in the second tier of sections in the northern half of Pawnee Township, is the center of a rich agricultural region and of late years has had a prosperous growth. A store was started there in 1854 by J. R. Mengal and a member of the Ful- lenwider family residing at Chatham, and a post-office was established soon after, when the village recelved its present name. The post- office became a money-order office in 1881.
The village is located on the Chicago & Illi- nois Midland Railroad about nlne miles east of Auburn. This road was originaily constructed largely through the influence of citizens of Paw- nee Township and is now operated as a branch of the Chicago & Alton Road, the Ilne extending from Auburn to Taylorvilie, Christian County,
James Paul Garver
L'BRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
731
HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY
covering a distance of 4812 miles, and at the iatter point forming a junction with the Spring- fieid Division of the Baltimore & Ohio South- western.
Pawnee has one weekiy paper, the "Pawnee Herald," and two banks, one the National Bank of Pawnee, and the other, the Pawnee State Bauk.
The population of the vlilage (1910) was 1,399, and of the entire township, 1,947.
ROCHESTER TOWNSHIP.
Rochester Township, situated directly south- east of Springfield, and embracing the exact area of Governmentai Townshlp 15 N., R. 4 W. of the Third Principal Meridian, is bounded on the north by Clear Lake Township, east by Cooper, south by Cotton Hill and west by Woodside Town- ship. Being traversed from south to north by the South Fork of the. Sangamon River and its tributaries, with the northeast corner crossed by the North Fork of the Sangamon, the town- ship Is abundantly watered and originally was one of the most heavily timbered townships in the county. As a consequence, it attracted early settiers, the settiement having begun in 1818, the year Iliinois was admitted into the Union as a State, most of the territory now embraced within Sangamon County being then, and until three years later, a part of Madison County.
Among the early settlers were James McCoy, Archibald and Robert Sattiey, Oliver Stafford, William Roberts, James Bowling, John Benham, James Gregory, Flelds Jarvis, John Warrick, Daniel Parkinson, Isaac Keys, Levi Gooden, Philip and Edward Clark, Andrew Jones, An- drew St. John, William Woods, Christopher Payne, Levi Locker, the' Sheltons and others.
James McCoy, who was probably the first permanent settier in what Is now Rochester Township, was born In Nichoias County, Ky., July 25, 1791, served during the War of 1812, uuder Col. Dick Johnson, and was In the Battie of the Thames; in 1814, in his native county married Jane Murphy, and in the fail of 1818, with Levi Gooden came to Horse Creek in what is now Cotton Hill Township. He and Gooden owned the wagon jointly with which they trav- eled, each had one horse, a wife and two children, and their wives were two of the six women who came to Sangamon County during that year. In
the spring of 1819 Mr. McCoy moved Into what is now Rochester Township and settled on land which he improved adjoining the present vil- lage of Rochester, and there died March 25, 1844, his wife dying January 22, 1852. An incident told of Mr. McCoy's pioneer life was the pur- chase in 1821 or '22 of the first full sack of salt ever sold in Springfield, which he paid for in coou skins, and it is said that It took all the winter for himself and his brother to secure enough skins to pay for it.
Wiliiam Roberts came here from Pennsyivanla iu the spring of 1819, but iater moved to Adams County, Ill., where he died. William Sheldon, fromn Tennessee, came also about the time Rob- erts did, but later went to the Gaiena iead mines and died there.
Jabez Capps, who was a native of London, England, born September 9, 1796, came to Ameri- ca In the summer of 1817, and in 1819 to what Is now Springfield, and is believed to have been the first school teacher in Sangamon County. He married (first) near Rochester In 1828, Pru- dence A. Stafford, and (second) in the same vici- nity, In 1836, Elizabeth Baker. He was mer- chant in Springfield from 1827 to 1836, duriug the latter year organized a company and iaid out the town of Mt. Pulaski In Logan County, where he continued in business, and also served as Postmaster and County Recorder. He died there April 1, 1896, in the one hundredth year of his age.
Christopher R. Stafford, born in Coventry, R. I., July 22, 1797, married in Essex County, N. Y., as his second wife, and sister of his first wife, Sophronia Eggleston, and in 1824, came to Sanga- mon County, Ili., arriving at Rochester July 25. He was twice married after coming to Sanga- mon County, his last two wives being sisters of the name of Sheiton. He was a Baptist minis- ter for more than forty years, and for thirty years a Justice of the Peace. He died near Rochester March 17, 1870.
Jewett Stafford, born in Coventry, R. I., Jan- uary 13, 1795, was a soldier from New York in the War of 1812, in 1818 married Harriet Eggles- ton in Essex County, N. Y., and In July, 1825, came to Sangamon County, locating where Roch- ester now stands. He died in 1862.
Nathaniei Graham, a native of Pennsylvania, In early manhood, went to Columbus, Ohlo, and thence to Fieming County, Ky., there married Sarah Harbor, and after they had eight children,
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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY
in the fali of 1826, moved to Springfield, Ill., but in the spring of 1827 settled in the southwest corner of Rochester Township.
Jolın Delay, born in Virginla, was taken by his parents to Batlı County, Ky., there married Eliza- beth Branch, and in 1829 moved to Sangamon County, settling uear Rochester.
John Lock, horn in Addison County, Vt., in 1820 married Marla Jaquays, a few years later moved to Essex County, N. Y., and in May, 1832, to Rochester, Sangamon Connty.
Other early comers were Daniel Parkinson, wlio came in 1820, but soon after left for the Galena lead mines; John and Jacob Warrick, from Kentucky, hnt later moved to Adams County ; Fields Jarvis came from the vicinity of Edwards- ville, Ill., but soon after went to the lead inine region ; Elias Willlams, Sr., came from Vermont to Sangamon County in 1821, and died there in 1823.
A number of historic naines have been inti- inately identified with Rochester Township since the Civil War period. One of these is Milton D. McCoy, whose father, James McCoy, came to the township in 1818, where the son was born October 16, 1823, and spent his life. Andrew H. and D. G. Kalb were sons of Absalom and Susan- na (Larkin) Kalb, who came to this locality in 1849. They were descended from Polish-German ancestry and related to Baron DeKalb who served as a soldier in the War of the Revolution, D. G. Kalb who was born in the city of Frederick, Md., in 1815, although advanced in years, enlisted in the One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois Volunteers and served three years during the Civil War. Sev- eral others of the Kalh famlly enlisted in the Civil War from Sangamon County. Among these were two sons of D. G. Kalb, one of whom was killed at the Battle of Guntown, Miss., June 11, 1864. Preston Breckenridge, for many years the owner and operator of a steam-mill at Rochester, was a grandson of Preston Breckenridge, an early settler of Cotton Hill Township. Joseph Breckenridge, his father, dled while a soldier of the Civil War, in November, 1862. Willlain A. Wliltesides, who was born in Fayette County, Ky., In 1815, came with his parents to Sanga- mon County, Ill., in 1830 or '31, finally settling In Rochester Township. The Sattleys, who came to the immediate vicinity of Rochester Village, are still represented in the township.
FIRST EVENTS .- The first white child born in
Rochester Township was Joseph E. McCoy, son of James and Jaue E. McCoy, born March 1, 1819-Is also believed to have been the first white child born in Sangamon County.
The first death was that of George Simpson, who died in 1820 and was the first person buried in the Rochester Cemetery.
The first survey of public lands iu Sangamon County was made in 1821, the first sale taking place November 6, 1823, when Isaac Keys, Sr. bought the northwest quarter of Section 31, in Town 15 N., R. 4 W .- this being the first en- try in the township if not in the county. Philip and Edward Clark and Willlam Chilton made entries in the same township on November 17, 1823, these being the only sales of government lands in the township previous to 1824.
The first school In Rochester Township was established in 1823 and was taught by Samuel Williams. In 1832, the township school land (Section 16) was sold, bringing a returu of $1,160. The township is now well supplied with schools, there being nine districts within its limits, with the same number of school houses.
The time and place of the first religious exer- cises in the township are unknown, but they were probably held by Methodist itinerants, who were active even in that day. Two of the early Methodist preachers were named Rice aud Miller. Including the village of Rochester, there are now four churches in the township.
VILLAGE OF ROCHESTER .- The village of Roches- ter, sitnated on the line of the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railroad, seven miles sontheast of Springfield, is one of the oldest villages in the county, having been located on land originally entered by Archibald and Robert Sattley, but later transferred hy them to Lawrence V. Hol- lenbeck, one of four brothers-Lawrence V., Andrew F., William Henry and Henry William -who came in 1829 or 1830.
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