USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II > Part 43
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Moses Berry and Perry Masters were the first to ship their household effects to Butler. The railroad was then in course of construction, and when their goods came they were stopped about a half mile east of town. They were brought in a car attached to a work train, and as the work was a half mile east, the train would not stop until they reached the place of the work. The goods were unloaded and when evening came the car was pushed back before the work train, This was in the fall of 1854. The road did not reach Hillsboro, so as to run trains till 1855, when a great celebration was held in that village.
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
FIRST SCHOOLS.
The first schoolhouse in the Butler community was built of logs in 1849. It was a single-room affair, and was afterwards sold to Dennis Crowley and became a part of the residence which he built. Another and better school build- ing was then erected, containing two rooms. This was built by John McGowan in 1857, and remained till 1865, when the present commodious building was erected. Among the teachers who have contributed to Butler's store of wisdom may be mentioned : Andrew Watters, James C. Colvin. Abbie Cunningham, Jesse C. Barrett, Jane Hickman, Helen Colvin, M. V. Zimmerman, George B. Mitchell Florence Seward, C. L. Howard, M. E. Richardson, Etta Doerr, L. B. Whitman, Camilla Jenkins, Geo. A. Franklin, W. S. Cress and others.
Some time during 1856, the Butler postoffice was established with Henry Richmond as the first post master. Among those who have filled the office since Mr. Richmond's exit. have been Miss Laura Gray, Miss Orila Washburn, Miss Faye Hoes and Miss Fannie Washburn. It is usually the rule to change postmasters as often as the policial administration changes, but in Butler it is a common saying that the office changes hands only when the occupant gets quarried. Such has been the case for the past and probably will be with the present occupant.
BUSINESS MEN.
The following persons have engaged in busi- ness in Butler during its past history : General Merchants-William Wood, Samuel Haywood, Thomace Wallace, Wallace & Nelson, Alexander Coudy, Coudy & Mehagen, Thomas Morrison, C. Meisner. G. Geist. Henry Wilsom, S. M. Hedges & Brother. J. R. Roth. Staten & Wickersham, J. Baum & Co., L. D. Washburn. A. W. Marshall, Cheatham & Bros., A. H. McAllister, Fred Arn- sted, Susan Gunterman. Watkins & Mackey, A. B. Seward & Co., J. H. McGowan, Brown & Brother. Cannon & Willians. Williams & Colvin, Colvin & Son, McReynolds & Garret, McGowan & Watkins. Grain Merchants-William Wood, Samuel Haywood, Charles Coudy, Frank Lyford & McGill, M. McMurty, J. H. Haywood. Jolın Nelson, Alexander Hoxey. G. D. Brockman, Kirkenbaum & Co., Thomas Elliman & Brother, Capt. William Young, John G. Moore, H. & J. S. Weaver, Dickerson & Brother, Mr. Hay,
George Vannevar, Brown & Brother, A. B. Davis, Davis & Elliman, John Noonan L. Washburn, Brown & Brother, Hay Press-J. B. Christy. Merchants in Hay-J. B. Christy, S. M. Har- wood, J. H. McGowan. J. R. Mitchell. Carpen- ters-William Wilson, Henry Wilson, S. M. Hay- wood, J. H. McGowan, Joseph Chenneworth, Charles Coudy. Charles Viirhes, George Van- sant, Jerome Vansant. John Hostetter, Athan Cannon, Marcus Cannon, M. M. Stuckey, Wil- liam Brockman, H. H. Titcombe, T. J. Watkins, Charles Westcott and William Wharton. Cab- inet Makers-Carl Brell. Conrad Schroeder and William Vansant. Wagon Makers-John Born, Herman Tetzlaff and George Cooper. Harness Makers-John Fehr. John Vroman, Bedford Stanley, Charles E. Moore and Alex Matchler. Hardware Merchants and Tinners - Fred Schmidt and Thomas Kessinger. Millers- ' John Cunningham, George Baker, J. Hoffman, August Roth, B. F. Rhodes, John Strunk, Thomas Kessinger and J. N. Wood. Tailors-Fred Weber, Fred Klemme. Hamilton Hess and John Hess. Blacksmiths-Robert Brice, Joseph Rogers, J. C. Sammons, Belford Rchmond. Lewis Schardon and Peter Simmons, Butchers-James Brock- man. Bryant McReynolds. Wallace, Nelson & Thompson. Fred Luddeke. John Van Doran, Fred Anderson & Amasa Washburn, and Henry Stanley. Shoemakers-McReynolds & Railing, L. D. Washburn, Christian Keachley, Herman Wygant, Frank Shuferd, Claude Hough and Rolland Rakow. Butler Hotel Keepers-Bryant McReynolds, Richard Barrett, Elnora Duke, Mary Pollard. Thomas Kessinger, William Brockman, Minerva Steer, J. M. Webb and Hen- derson Howard. Postmasters-Henry Richmond, Samuel Haywood, Alexander Coudy. Bryant McReynolds, J. H. McGowan. Dressmakers and Milliners-Mrs. Lewis Vansant, Miss Carrie Lockhart, Mrs. Cordelia Schardon, Mrs. Laura Gray and Miss Anna Boyd. Jewelers-Charles Witherspoon and J. W. Webb. Justices of the Peace-Henry Richmond, John Gaston, George Burnap. William Wood, James Judd, William Eliman, G. D. Brockman, Jerome Kendrick and A. W. Marshall. Police Magistrates-Henry Richmond. James Judd, J. B. Christy and George W. Brown. Constables-D. W. Manners, Wil- liam Wharton. M. M. Stuckey. John Van Doran, Charles Wright and Daniel Best. Village Clerks-D. W. Manners, J. H. McGowan, James Judd, J. E. Hickman and A. W. Marshall. Cheese Factory-The Mont Cabanne Creamery
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Co. Physicians-Drs. Charles Harper, Sargent, J. B. White, Jesse Stick, C. R. Ross, Daniel Schardon, P. L. Brown, Ben Pierce, J. H. Kester, John Enloe and A. Gifford. Druggists-Ross & Brown, E. L. Thomas, Frank Seward, Charles Slayback, William Diddle, G. W. Parr and W. A. Wesner. Express Agents-T. R. Wallace, A. R. Fink, Coudy & Mehegan, James Judd, Thomas Elliman and William Elliman.
The Butler House was built and operated by Bryant McReynolds, who established it in 185S, and it was used as a hotel till about 1882, when the business not being profitable it was con- nected with a dwelling and is now occupied by A. M. Washburn as a private residence.
BUSINESS MEN OF 1881. 1
Among the business and professional men of Butler in 1881 were: Dr. J. W. Weisner, drug- gist and dealer in groceries, notions and fancy articles ; Hoes and Brothers, dry goods merehants and dealers in boots, shoes and groceries; Web- ber, merchant tailor; Robert Bryce, blacksmith and 'dealer in agricultural implements; Brown & Brothers, grain buyers and stock dealers, and owners of elevators here and at Hillsboro; Robert Henderson, barber; J. C. Sammons and Conrad Hentus, blacksmiths ; William N. Brook- man, Henry Wilson, Hiram Nail and James White, carpenters; J. C. Emery, miller; and H. Howard, veterinary surgeon.
FIRES.
In 1866 Butler had a very destructive fire that wiped out the large store building occupied by J. R. Roth and several other buildings, entail- ing a very heavy loss. The following year the planing mill owned by D. W. Manners was burned to the ground, while in 1875 another big conflagration occurred. In 1877 the records of the village were burned when a fire de- stroyed Seward's Hall and adjoining property. In that same year a creamery which had been built two years before and which was doing a large business, was totally destroyed.
EARLY SCHOOLS.
We give below, according to our best informa- tion, the names of those who have taught school in the village of Butler. The record commences about 1857, but early dates cannot be given.
The teachers were: Charles Seward, George Paisley, Rev. Daniel Lee, Rev. Mize, Edwin Keeler and Charles Parks. Since 1863 we have had the following teachers: 1863, Andrew Wat- ters ; 1864, James C. Colvin ; 1865, Jesse C. Bar- rett and Miss Abbie Cunningham ; 1866, E. Hod- son and Miss Jane Hickman; 1867, S. T. San- ford and Miss Jane Hickman; 1868, J. C. Bar- rett, Miss Jane Hickman and Miss Lucy Stookey .; 1869, J. C. Barrett, Mrs. Helen Colvin and Miss Lucy Stookey; 1870, Miss Fannie Kiddoo, Mrs. Helen Colvin and Miss Lucy Stookey; 1871, M. V. Zimmerman, Mrs. Helen Colvin and Miss Lucy Stookey; 1872, George B. Mitchell, Mrs. Helen Colvin and Miss Florence Seward; 1873, C. L. Howard, Miss M. E. Richardson and Miss Alice Hickman; 1874, R. M. Henderson, Mrs. Mary B. Mitchell and Miss Etta Doerr; 1875, L. B. Whitham, Miss Mary E. Smith and Miss Sylvia Gardner ; 1876, William S. Cress, Miss Alice Hickman, Miss Sylvia Gardner and Miss Susie Hostetter; 1877, George A. Franklin, Miss Camilla Jenkins, Miss Sylvia Gardner and Miss Annie Anderson; 187S, George A. Franklin, Miss Camilla Jenkins, Miss Sylvia Gardner and Miss A. E. Luderman.
In addition to these the following at various times have taught subscription schools : Charles Seward, Sarah Casey, Charles Lockhart, Frucina Sargent, Mary Pogue, Mary Pool. Maria Brooks, M. M. Stookey, Fannie Seward, Miss Stroud, T. J. McGrath, J. B. Christy and Jennie Van Dorn.
EARLY CHURCHES.
There were three early churches founded in Butler Grove Township, outside of Butler. the first being known as the Montgomery County Methodist Episcopal Church, which was held in a church building about five miles north of Hills- boro. and about the same distance northeast of Butler. It was organized in 1836 and is now in good working condition and regularly sup- plied with ministers sent by the Methodist con- ference.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Butler, also known as Ware's Grove Church, was organ- ized December 24, 1860, by Rev. J. Livingood, with a membership of five, namely: Jacob Scherer, Henry Meisenheimer, Mrs. Rachel Meisenheimer, Mrs. Mary Scherer and Mrs. Rebecca Cross. In 1862 they erected a church edifice. The subsequent history of this church,
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
with its pastors, is as follows : Rev. Livingood, J. B. Cromer, George C. Cromer, and for the last twenty or more years by Rev. Ezra Keller of Hillsboro. While there are larger churches in the county, there is no more devoted congre- gation than that of Ware's Grove Church.
The other early church was known as the Cherry Grove Methodist Episcopal Church, which was established in 183S and located about three and one-half miles northwest of Butler. It was reorganized as the Cherry Grove Church in 1851. This country church for many years was a prominent center of religious interest in the township but as the village of Butler and other neighboring communities built churches more accessible to the people and better equipped, naturally the rural church ceased to attract and after a period of relaxation the church house was sold by order of the Confer- ence and the membership scattered to the vari- ous surrounding churches.
PRESENT CHURCHES.
The Butler Methodist Episcopal Church was organized by. Reverend Boon, and the following was its original membership: Mrs. Alexander Gray, Moses Berry, Mrs. Eliza Berry, Mrs. J. M. Ghaston, Thomas Wood, William Williamson, James Wood and wife, and Mrs. Benaiah Kelly. The first pastor was Rev. J. E. Lindly. Other pastors have been : Reverends Aldridge, Calric, R. W. Travis, T. S. Johnson, O. E. Orr, J. H. Holloway, W. F. Lowe, M. M. Cooper, J. D. Bodkin, R. M. Beech, J. W. Laphamm, E. D. Randall, W. C. Howard, William Brandon, Munch, Baker, Ewing, Edwards, Baldwin, Edridge, Pierce and Paul Shields. The original church edifice was a frame one, put up at a cost of $2,500. The church today is in efficient hands, and its ministers are selected by the Methodist presiding elders, with consideration for the needs of the church.
The Butler Presbyterian Church was organ- ized in 1S5S by a committee consisting of Rev. R. M. Roberts, F. W. Washburns, M. D. and J. F. Eckles. The original members were: Mrs. W. H. Harper, Mrs. Catherine Coudy, Israel Seward, Mrs. Mary Cunningham, Mrs. Martha Burnap, Robert Bryce, S. H. Hedges, Mrs. Deliv- erance Hugg, Mrs. Mary McReynolds, Mrs. Steere and Mrs. Sarah Ware. The first pastor was Rev. R. W. Roberts. Succeeding him have been : Reverends W. L. Mitchell, Todd, Cornelius
C. Canfort, Lougheed, Moses Paisley, J. E. Spill- man, A. S. Hughey, Livingston Graham, Lee Kortkamp and John Lyns. Just now the church is without a pastor, but the pulpit will soon be filled. The original church edifice was erccted in 1864.
FRATERNITIES.
Butler has several well organized fraternal organizations. Butler Lodge No. 617, I. O. O. F., was organized in 1865, with the following char- ter members: Henry Richmond, G. W. Brown, Jr., W. B. McReynolds, Samuel Berry, Alexan- der Gray, William Williamson and George Grassell. The charter bears the date of October 11, 1865. This lodge after a period of about forty years ceased to attract the membership and interest as in its earlier days, and when some ten years of age surrendered its charter and ceased its functions.
Butler Lodge No. 459, A. F. & A. M., was estab- lished in 1865, with nine charter members. In 1866 the Masons and Odd Fellows erected a hall together, and after a career of three decades of fraternizing, the membership became greatly reduced and the charter was suspended, the mem- bership in the main transferring to Hillsboro.
Other fraternal organizations of Butler are: The Modern Woodmen of America, J. H. Rainey, consul; and The Royal Neighbors, Mrs. Ida Brown, presiding officer.
CLUBS.
Butler has a woman's club. It is called the Domestic Science Club and embraces nearly all the active women in the township. It now claims the largest membership of any women's club in the county. It is a part of the woman's club movement, but partakes largely of the com- munity club character, and its members co- operate with all other women's club organiza- tions of the county.
A LOCAL GENIUS.
Every community has its popular or unpop- ular eccentric or comical characters, and Butler had its peculiar character. He was a quiet man, but the Butler street corner critics did not know what was occupying- his brain. Mr. Appleby, the inventor of the grain binder, was a cousin to Charles and Scott Hoes, of But-
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
ler. About 1866, when Mr. Appleby was worry- ing his brain over the invention, he was stopping with the Hoes boys and the first attempts to bind were made in this county. One who looked on at some of the first attempts, as many did, with curiosity and an abundance of crit- icism, related to the writer that in the first trials the machine had to be stopped after the binding of every bundle, to adjust some of its parts which had not at the time been sufficiently matured to do their work. Like every discoverer or inventor, in the eyes of the onlookers, Mr. Appleby was a crank; but the cranks of the critic and pessimist are the geniuses of every age, and after failures numerous the practicabil- ity of the idea was demonstrated. Walter A. Wood began manufacturing harvesters with the Appleby binders and the critics of the Appleby efforts became the admirers of Wood's success- ful machines.
PRESENT CONDITIONS.
Butler at this time has a population of about 50. It has a park and as good streets and side. walks as can be found anywhere in a village of its size. Its business interests are repre- sented by two very complete general stores, a grain elevator, hay market, barber shop, black- sınith shop, electric light supplied from Hills- boro, two telephone systems, and educational facilities are afforded by the excellent school, which is held in a four-room schoolhouse. There are four teachers: Professor Lester R. Grimm, principal; Mrs. Murell Watson, Miss Mary Damann and Miss Bertha Burton. The present members of the village board are : J. H. Rainey, president, and A. F. Anderson, George W. Dryer, Conrad Huestis, C. H. Hose, A. M. Washburn and Jesse Seward, aldermen.
POLITICS.
From the organization of the township till 1889 political lines were scarcely known in the township elections. From that time to the pres- ent the lines are closely drawn, the Republicans usualy winning. The township is a very good one as to soil, good farming, best roads in the county and a patriotic, noble citizenship. In 1908 a few of the thirsty men of the township tried to secure the privilege of having thirst parlors in the village, and a vote was secured by them on the question of permitting saloons
to run in the township. The question was de- feated by a vote of 146 to 49, so that Butler Grove may be set down as moral, dry and clean for all time to come.
SUPERVISORS.
Few townships in the county have been more honored in the representation in county position than Butler Grove. Israel Seward, Thomas E. Harris and J. C. Barrett were in the office of superintendent of schools; Mr. Jenkins in the circuit clerk's office ; William A. Young was sheriff and also chairman of the board of super- visors for more than one term. Besides. William A. Gray has "sit" on more dead bodies as coro- ner than any other man in the county.
The supervisors have been as follows: Wil- liam A. Young, 1875; Thomas E. Harris, 1874, 1875 and 1876; Charles W. Jenkins, 1877, 1878, 1879 and 1880; John B. Turner, 1881, 1882 and 1883; Isaac Doyle, 1884, 1885 and 1888; William H. Cass, 1886 and 1887; David S. Ware, 1889 ; James H. Ward, 1890, 1891, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911 and 1912; Justice H. Ware, 1892 and 1893; T. Scott Hoes, 1894 and 1895; M. L. Rob- inson, 1896, 1897, 1898 and 1899; Jesse W. Os- born, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904 and 1905; Charles O. Brown, 1913; Wesley D. Burris 1914 and 1915; Arthur Ware, 1916.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
The following have been justices of the peace : Henry Richmond, 1857; James M. Gaston, 1857 ; William Wood, 1865; George Brewster, 1865; John W. Barton, 1869; Garret D. Brockman, 1869; Jerome W. Kindrick, 1873; William Ellman, 1871 and 1873; David S. Ware, 1876 and 1877; Charles Kasselberry, 1877; Hender- son Howard, 1881, 1885, 1891, 1897 and 1901; Andrew W. Marshall, 1878 and 1881; Samuel S. Peebles, 1885 and 1889; Charles J. Lapp, 1889 and 1893 ; James H. Suits, 1893 ; Jeremiah Livin- good, 1871; H. S. Stanley, 1897; C. O. Brown, 1900; James S. Suits, 1901; Louis D. Osborn, 1905; Lyman Ware, 1905 and 1909; Joseph R. Grantham, 1906, 1911 and 1913; S. S. Wroman, 1909; R. O. Brown, 1913.
ASSESSORS.
The following have served as assessors : James R. Osborn, 1873 and 1874; John P. VanDoren,
Mrs Meary Miller
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
1875; J. C. Barrett, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1SSO, 1881 and 1882; H. C. Latham, 1883; George W. Dryer, 1884, 1885, 1886 and 1887; W. A. Gray, 18SS and 1890; C. J. Berrie, 1889; George Ware, 1891; C. T. Scherer, 1892, 1893 and 1894; R. B. Jenkins, 1895; James Sammons, 1896 and 1897 ; George W. Mitts, 1898 and 1902; Lency Ward, 1899; J. J. Seward, 1900; Arthur Hodges, 1901; James Osborn, 1903; Jasper Mack, 1904; John A. Walters, 1905; R. J. Wilson, 1906; Perl Van Hyning, 1907; Roy Ware, 1908; Frank Ware, 1909; John Pickerell, 1910 and 1911; Chas. San- ner, 1912 and 1913; Wiley O. Storey, 1914 and 1915; Frank Reike, 1916.
COLLECTORS.
The following have served as collectors : L. D. Washburn, 1873; Charles M. Slayback, 1874; A. B. Seward, 1875 and 1876; David Colvin, 1877; William Ellman, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1SS1 and 1882 ; C. O. Brown. 1883 and 1884; T. S. Hoes, 1885, 1886, 1SS7, 1SS8 and 1891; George W. Dryer, 1889 and 1898; M. L. Moyer, 1890; C. O. Swartz, 1892. 1893, 1895 and 1896; J. W. Hough, 1894; L. S. Brown, 1897 : H. E. Brockman, 1899, 1900, 1903, 1910, 1911, 1912 and 1913; M. M. From- knecht, 1901; George Walker, 1902; Arthur Berry, 1904, 1905, 1906 and 1909; R. G. New- come, 1907; Jesse Seward, 190S; Louis H. Ernst, 1914 and 1915; Emma Trueblood, 1916.
HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS.
The following have been highway commis- sioners: Jacob Cress, 1873 and 1875; Moses Berry, 1873, 1874 and 1877; Thomas Colvin, 1873; D. C. Burris, 1876; D. S. Ware, 1878; Wil- liam H. Cass, 1879, 1882, 1885 and 1888; Durin Dailey, 1880, 1883 and 1886; M. L. Robertson, 1881. 1884 and 1887; John C. Grassell, 1889, 1892, 1895 and 1904; T. F. Hodges, 1890, 1893, 1896, 1905 and 1908; John A. Wallis, 1891; H. B. Cass, 1894; Charles Burris, 1897; S. S. Vrooman, 1898, 1901 and 1910; James Watson, 1899; O. B. Cass, 1900; George Robertson, 1902; A. C. Sammons, 1903; John B. Turner, Jr., 1906; C. F. Kober, 1907; Edward Foster, 1909; James M. Osborn, 1911; A. D. Phillips, 1912; Henry Wilson, 1913; A. B. Harris, 1914, 1915 and 1916.
TOWN CLERKS.
The following have served as town clerks : Charles Slayback, 1873; A. J. Diddle, 1874 and 1875; C. A. Brown, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880.
1SS1 and 1882; William F. Gray, 1883 and 1884 ; J. W. Hough, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1SSS, 1890, 1891 and 1892; C. T. Scherer, 1889; George Hoes, 1893 and 1894; William Bushiby, 1895, 1896 and '1902; Thomas Elliman, 1897; Charles William- son, 1S98; L. S. Brown, 1899; James Barrett, 1900; John L. Dryer, 1901; William Cooper, 1903; George W. Mitts, 1904, 1914, 1915 and 1916; George S. Walker, 1905 and 1907; George A. Gray, 1906; Charles McLain, 190S and 1909; Homer Cress, 1910 and 1911; Harry Fish, 1912; J. H. Rainey, 1913.
SCHOOL TREASURER.
Robert Brice was made school treasurer in 1862, serving for forty-six years, being then superseded in 190S by T. Scott Hoes, who is yet in the position and, if Providence permits, will continue in this office for another life period.
CONSTABLES.
The following have served as constables: Joseph S. Thrall, 1859; I. T. Lamb, 1859; R. C. Morrison, 1861; Henderson Howard, 1861; John H. Turner, 1861; George W. Brown, 1863; Nor- ris Crane, 1865; John P. Van Doran, 1865, 1875, 1877 and 1881; M. M. Stuckey, 1867, 1869 and 1873; Robert W. Kennedy, 1869; William L. Wharton, 1871 ; D. M. Cress, 1873; John M. Gar- rett, 1877, 1882, 1SS5, 1897, 1901, 1905 and 1909; James H. Suits, 1881; Marshall A. Winters, 1889 and 1893; A. M. Washburn, 1889; Fred H. Anderson, 1893. 1899 and 1901; Louis W. Bremer, 1898.
CHAPTER XXIV.
EAST FORK TOWNSHIP.
IN GENERAL - BOUNDARIES - EARLY SETTLERS- EARLY MILLS - COFFEEN - ORGANIZATION - IM- PROVEMENTS - BUSINESS INTERESTS - CLOVER LEAF RAILROAD-COFFEEN PARK-POSTMASTERS
-BANKS-ELECTRIC LIGHT-SCHOOLS-TEACH- ERS-POLICE MAGISTRATES- SCHRAM CITY-DE- FUNCT TOWNS-KORTKAMP-SCHRAM GLASS JAR WORKS-KORTKAMP COAL MINE-BUSINESS IN-
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
TERESTS-OFFICIALS-MC DAVID FAMILY-SUPER- VISORS - TOWN CLERKS - JUSTICES OF THE PEACE-CONSTABLES.
IN GENERAL.
East Fork Township, although not quite so old in point of settlement as Fillmore, was not long behind it, and had its beginning as a sort of side enterprise to the Hurricane settlement. Its pioneers, coming largely from the same south- ern states and being neighbors in sympathies and privations as well as adjacent teritory, have during the nearly one hundred years they have been associated, intermarried with each other until any description of the one befits the other as well.
East Fork, like Fillmore, covers a large area, being ten miles by six miles, and has a soil quite varied in character. The Clover Leaf Railroad across the southern end has given the township Coffeen ; while the Big Four Railroad across the northern end has given it Schram City.
BOUNDARIES.
East Fork Township is located in the south- ern part of Montgomery County, and contains sixty square miles of land, being one of the largest sections of the county. On the north it is bounded by Irving Township; on the east by Fillmore Township; on the south by Bond County, and on the west by Hillsboro and Gris- ham Townships. McDavid's Branch and the East Fork of Shoal Creek are the most impor- tant of the water courses of this township. Other tributaries are Bear Creek, Brush Creek, Wolf Pen Creek and Indian Camp Branch. The original timber has been cut from the land, but in early days there was considerable growth in the southern part. In the western part of this township the Fox Indians had a village near a beautiful spring on McDavid's Branch, and in this vicinity a number of relics of their life have been found, but these Indians left definitely as early as 1828, although numbers revisited the scene of their former activities for some years thereafter, being very friendly with the settlers.
EARLY SETTLERS.
Joseph B. Williams, the grandfather of the late Rev. J. A. Hampton, and the great grand- father of John M. Hampton, president of the County Farmers' Institute, was the first white
man to settle in East Fork Township. He came here from Kentucky in 1818, and settled on what has for the past century been known as the Williams-Hampton Mound. The northeast quarter of section twenty-one, in town 7-3, was entered by him August 19, 1819, and the title to cighty acres of this tract has been in the family ever since and is now the property of a nephew of J. M. Hampton. Joseph Williams' daughter Nancy married William R. Hampton, and Rev. J. A. Hampton was a son of this mar- riage. J. M. Hampton is a son of Rev. J. A. hampton, and the present owner, Stacy Hamp- ton, is a nephew of J. M. Hampton, so that the line of descent of the family shows a continuous ownership of the originally entered land to the present owner.
The Hampton Mound and the Rush Mound at Hillsboro, and the Greenville Mound at Green- ville are in nearly a direct line with each other, and according to a tradition handed down from the earliest known account, these mounds were Indian camping grounds, and there is an abun- dance of evidence to show that they were used as signal stations. The Indians signaled with each other by setting fires on the crest of the mounds. On these mounds a large number of Indian relics have been found. Mount Moriah, a similar mound about three miles east of the Hampton Mound, also shows evidence of having been a camping ground and being used as a sig- nal station as the others were. Not only have stone relics been found on Mount Moriah, but the jawbone of a giant man that was remark- able in size was found there. In fact the bone would close over the jawbone of any man whose jawbone was tried. Whether that bone was from an abnormally grown man or from one of a race of giant men, is left for the student of natural history to decide.
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