USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II > Part 46
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John Beck and Colbert Blair were also Ken- tuckians, and among the first settlers. Henry Piatt, father of the writer of the above quoted notes, and grandfather of the present super- visor of this township, came from Tennessee to the county in 1817 and is said to have built the first cabin in the township and probably the first one in the county. He was of Revolutionary ancestry, and deserves the credit accorded of being really the very first settler of the county. Soon after arriving here, the wife of James Card died, and as no planks could be obtained with which to make a coffin, one had to be made of puncheons, and in this rough way she was in- terred with as much solemnity as if her remains had been enclosed in one of the costly caskets of today.
HURRICANE.
The first effort at, town building in Fillmore Township was on the Hurricane and not far from the Fayette and Bond County lines. It was laid out in 1837, a post office obtained with Benjamin Roberts as postmaster, and was then called Van Burensburg. It was platted by
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Joshua White in 1842, and the original plat contained some forty lots with a public square near the center, and for a while there seemed to be fair prospects that a town would be built ; indeed a start was made. A couple of stores were opened, a church was built near the north line of the plat, which paralleled the old state road to Vandalia, the old state capital. An Odd Fellows Lodge, called Golloway Lodge, named from Mr. Golloway, who surveyed the town, was instituted, and other evidences were shown of a coming town. Later a new impetus was given it by the addition of some 150 lots and the changing of the name to Hurricane, but the growing inspiration was short lived and soon the little burg sank into the "innocuous desue- tude" of inactivity, and today it is little more than a reminiscence. The building of the Clover Leaf Railroad near by seemed to be its solar plexus knockout.
FILLMORE.
With the building of the Clover Leaf Rail- road in 1881 the town of Fillmore was laid out and for a while a considerable boom was the good fortune of the place. The business in- terest surrounding it however was not suffi- cient to keep up the growth so that the village's growth has been more in values than in num- bers. It is a very well located and conducted little village of between 500 and 600 population. Its business is represented by three general stores ; one grocery store; two hardware stores; two restaurants; one hotel ; one harness shop ; two barber shops; two blacksmith shops; two garages; one livery barn; one grain elevator; one poultry house ; one stock buyer ; two banks ; electric lights, and both telephone systems in use in the county. The religiously inclined are represented by Methodist, Baptist, and Luth- eran church organizations and houses of wor- ship. The public school ranks among the best of its size in the county and is ample for the large enrollment that it has.
The village board now consists of the follow- ing: Edward Whitlock, mayor; Earl Walcott, clerk ; and Frank Walcott, Ezra Wright, Ned Allen, aldermen. Fillmore has had the follow- ing police magistrates : John A. Williams, 1891 and 1893; Timothy L. Lane, 1892; David Wil- liams, 1897; E. H. Donaldson, 1900, 1901 and 1904; and M. B. Kessinger, 1909, 1911 and 1914.
CHAPMAN.
With the building of the railroad, an attempt was made to promote a town in section 28, but the location was too close to Fillmore and it has not had the success that it was hoped would be its lot. There are two general stores and one grocery store, an elevator, a blacksmith shop, and a branch of the Pevely Creamery. The town has electric lights and both phones. There is one church in the village, used as a Union Church. Its school is ample for the needs of the people and whether the place grows or not it serves the purpose of supplying the needs of the farmers who surround the burg.
THE FIRST ELECTION IN HURRICANE.
The following is taken from The Democrat, published March 19, 1873, and written by Henry Piatt :
"The first election that was held on the Hur- ricane was held at Joseph Wright's, for senator and representative to the state legislature in the year 1819. Joseph Wright and Aaron Casey acted as judges. Joseph Whitten and John Woolen acted as clerks. Candidates for the senate, Martin Jones and Johnson; for repre- sentative, Colonel Wheelock and Capt. Crisp. Jones and Crisp were elected. However their election was contested on the grounds of the ballot box of the Hurricane Precinct not being according to law, and an adjournment before six o'clock in the evening. But it was proven that the ballot box was sufficient to contain the votes without fraud, and that every vote in the pre- cinct was cast so that they were considered legally elected by the legislature, notwithstand- ing the election was contested on the illegality of the ballot box, it was the only ballot box in the county ; all other precincts in the county having hats and tin buckets in the place of boxes; it was the law that the county commis- sioners furnish the different precincts in the county with boxes. The commissioners had nothing to pay, and the people would not fur- nish them for nothing. Joseph Wright went to Perryville for a box, it being the county seat of Bond County. The reader will remember that this was prior to the laying off of Montgomery County. Mr. Wright failing to get a ballot box made one himself. Not having any lock and key, the lid was fastened by nails. Tbe ham-
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
mer was laid on the table and was called the L. V. Hill, 1896 and 1897 ; Sylvester McFarland, key. The object of the contestants was to 1898; D. M. Grigg, 1899 and 1901; James Wil- son, 1905; William H. Little, 1906; John Q. Bost, '1909. throw out the Hurricane Precinct, which was an unanimous vote for Jones and Crisp. This pre- cinct has continued to vote the one way ever since until now; the settlers being generally CONSTABLES. from Kentucky and Tennessee."
POLITICS.
The township has been carefully and con- servatively represented by its commissioners and supervisors, and efficiently looked after in its local affairs by its local officers. We give a few of those having most to do with the public. This township has furnished at least three of the sheriffs of the county, Joseph Wright, Aus- tin Whitten and Aaron Butler.
SUPERVISORS.
The following prominent citizens of Fillmore Township have been honored with positions on the county board of supervisors: Lyman C. Allen, 1873 and 1879; Elijah H. Donaldson, 1874 and 1875; Aaron G. Butler, 1876, 1877, 1SS6, 1SS7, 1893, 1894 and 1895; J. H. White, 1878; Squire Hill, 1880 and 1SS1; O. M. Williamson, 1SS2; Samuel C. Alexander, 1SS3; Asa Prater, 1884 and 1885; J. T. Alexander, 1SSS ; W.,Henry Hill, 1889, 1890 and 1891; L. W. Link, 1892; H. I .. Prater, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899 and 1900; C. E. Landers, 1904, 1905, 1906 and 1907 ; G. W. Mil- ler, 190S and 1909 ; Louis Isbell, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913 and 1914; H. T. Piatt, 1915 and 1916. Dur- ing these years the township has had the honor of having two men who served as chairman, H. I. Prater and Louis Isbell.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
Fillmore Township has had the following jus- tices of the peace, during its history as Hurri- cane Precinct and Fillmore Township: Jolin T. Beckham, 1857, 1861, 1865 and 1869; John Goeschennour, 1859: Charles Swetland, 1863; Martin W. Nelson, 1864 and 1865; Henry Piatt, 1869; Henry Piatt, 1874; George W. Miller, 1873, 1885, 1SS9, 1893. 1897, 1901 and 1916 ;. George W. Hickman, 1877; George T. Beckham, 1877 and 1SS1; Washington Wright, 1880 and 1881; Lyman C. Allen, 1885 ; Charles Swetland, 1889, 1893, 1897, 1901, 1905 and 1909; Ned B. Allen, 1890 and 1893; Thomas H. Patton, 1894;
Fillmore Township has had the following con- stables: John P. Isbell, 1860 and 1863; F. C. Wright, 1860, 1861 and 1865; Henry T. Mason, 1861 and 1873; Asa Prater, 1865; Absolom B. Watkins, 1867 and 1869; William S. Hinton, 1869; William T. Prichett, 1870; Thomas Wil- son, 1870 and 1SS5; Charles C. G. Walker, 1873; Charles Swetland, 1874; Cyrus H. Bost, 1875 and 1904; M. W. Miller, 1877, 1881, 1886, 1893 and 1897; John H. Gass, 1877; Wiley Beckham, 1SS1; James T. Brower, 1SS9; Morgan M. Mc- Cann, 1889; W. W. Wilson, 1893, 1897 and 1901; Jacob Koons, 1897; Moses Freeman, 1900; O. C. Davidson, 1909; and Joel H. Toberman, 1916.
CHAPTER XXVI.
GRISHAM TOWNSHIP.
BEAR CREEK PRECINCT - SPARTAN GRISHAM - DRAINAGE-EARLY SETTLERS-ORIGINAL SETTLE- MENTS - MILLS - HONORABLE NAMES - BEAR CREEK REMINISCENCES-FIRST CHURCHES-FA- MOUS HUNTERS-PIONEER CLERGYMEN-UNDER- GROUND RAILROAD-EXCITING EVENTS-SCHOOLS -PANAMA - MAGISTRATES OF PANAMA - DON- NELLSON-FIRST POSTMASTER-EARLY BUSINESS MEN-PRESENT BUSINESS INTERESTS-LEADING PHYSICIANS-MRS. EMMA T. BANKS-CHURCHES OF DONNELLSON-PETER CARTWRIGHT-PECULIAR ENDOWMENT-QUAINT CHARACTER- GRISHAM OF- FICIALS HONORED-SUPERVISORS-SOME OTHER OFFICIALS-JUSTICES OF THE PEACE-CONSTA- BLES.
BEAR CREEK PRECINCT.
Under the former precinct organization, Bear Creek Precinct included territory both west and east of Donnellson, but as Bear Creek Church and cemetery, the hub of the precinct, were in
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
the present territory of Grisham, we have as- sumed that Grisham Township is the successor to Bear Creek Precinct.
ADOPTION OF NAME.
When, in 1873, township organization was adopted, the committee on allotment of terri- tory included the twenty-four sections of town 7-4 with town S-4 making a township ten miles long by six miles wide. Henry Missimore, who was the assistant supervisor of Hillsboro Town- ship, that first year under the township form of government, believing that the citizens of town 7-4 could more economically govern themselves as a rural community, than to help bear the bur- den of supporting the county capital, secured a division of Hillsboro Township. The township was named for Spartan Grisham, who resided near the west line of the township and who had been one of the county commissioners un- der the county form of government, had also been for many years a justice of the peace and at one time was school commissioner for the county.
SPARTAN GRISHAM.
Mr. Grisham deserves more than passing no- tice. He was the son of Austin and Fannie Powers Grisham, and was born in Dixon County, Tenn. The ancestors of Austin Gris- ham came from England in an early day, and the grandfather of Austin Grisham was a Revo- lutionary soldier, Austin himself was a soldier in the War of 1812 and was in the battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815. Austin Grisham first settled in Bond County, in 1817, and about 1820 came to Montgomery County, locating on the west line of Grisham Township, where after a long and useful career he died December 9, 1858. Spartan Grisham grew to manhood in the township, then precinct, named after him, and by an active, honorable and prominent life richly earned the honor paid to him in naming the township after him.
DRAINAGE.
The township as thus established by being divorced from Hillsboro Township, is drained by the main stream of Shoal Creek, into which the Town Fork and Lake Fork with their trib- utaries empty within its bounds. The Heady
Branch and the Parish Branch from the east and the west also empty into the main stream. The eastern part of the township is drained by Bear Creek. These streams, while affording am- ple drainage, at the same time give us some of the best bottom soils to be found in the county. In an early day these bottoms contained much valuable timber, such as black walnut and white oak as well as the cheaper grades such as syca- more and cottonwood. Large quantities of the laurel oak grow on the more swampy parts of the bottoms, but this has never been considered very valuable.
EARLY SETTLERS.
That Grisham Township had settlers almost as early as Hillsboro and Hurricane seems cer- tain. Austin Grisham from Tennessee came to Grisham Township as early as 1819. He first settled on the mound now owned by David At- terbury, and known as the Joseph Barlow mound. Later Mr. Grisham located in the west- ern part of the township, where his son Spar- tan lived, to be succeeded by his grandson, and this is now the property of William Leow. Soon after Mr. Grisham located in the western part of the township Green B. Compton, John Jor- dan, Melchoir Fogelman, David Copeland, the Kessingers, the Penters, the Bryants and others located either in Grisham Township or along its western border. A little later, George Fore- hand, Joseph and John A. Barlow, Boone Cope- land, J. J. Bailey, the Streets, the Simpsons, the Champs, Doctor Stoddard, and others settled near the northwest corner of the township. This settlement, however, as a whole was preceded by the Aydelott or Bear Creek settlement in the southeastern portion of the township. Clement C. Aydelott, a Methodist minister, located one and a half miles northwest of the present town of Donnellson. The farm on which he located later for many years belonged to his son George R. Aydelott, and later to the Allen brothers. The Bear Creek Church and cemetery was lo- cated near the residence of Mr. Aydelott. Wil- liam Young came into the township about 1828, settling first near Waveland Church and later on the Young farm, known in later years as the Gardner farm, one mile west of Donnellson. The Clotfelters, the McLains, the Paisleys and others soon followed and the Bear Creek settle- ment became one of the best known as well as earliest settlements in the county. The church
Thomas Kantkes Mrs. Minnie Nantheo
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
and cemetery were established and other evi- dences shown of civic advancement, later to be scattered and moved to the town of Donnellson. Clement C. Aydelott taught a subscription school in a cabin just a little distance east of the Ed- wards chapel, which was among the first schools in the county and was the first in Grishani . Township. The next schoolhouse built and school taught was in section 7 in the western part of the township. The house was located near a spring about a quarter of a mile east of the present residence of Edward Johnson. One of the earliest teachers in that school was Eliza Brown, who died recently at near the century mark. Neither of the early school buildings can now be located.
ORIGINAL SETTLEMENTS.
About three miles northwest of the Bear Creek settlement, Thomas Edwards in 1826 lo- cated on the farm, more recently known as the Charles H. Edwards farm. John Elder came into the community soon after Mr. Edwards, and located on the John Price farm. This he sold to the Prices and later located near tlie southern line of the township on what is now known as the Amos Missimore farm. The Wil- sons, the Cannons, the Coxes, the Clotfelters, the Thoms, the Browns, and others coming into this settlement soon after the above made it one of the populous communities of the county. Two churches were built in the settlement, one, a Methodist, on the Thomas Edwards farm, and the other, a Presbyterian, on the Thom farm. Mention of these will be made further on. Still another settlement was made near the junction of Lake Fork and the main stream of Shoal Creek known as the Mt. Pleasant settlement, so called from the name given to the church established and still given to the cemetery that was laid out near the church. Among the peo- ple who located here may be mentioned the Finley's, the Haydens, the Rankins, the Burkes, the Hamptons, the Moss's. and others. The cemetery alone marks the location of this set- tlement, and thanks to James E. Rankin, who for many years made this the object of his especial care, laying it out into lots and put- ting cornerstones to mark the boundaries of the lots. Later A. B. Copeland, with the aim in view of having the cemetery assured of the care that is required to keep it in presentable condition, raised by subscription a sum of
money sufficient to forever care for its upkeep. This fund was placed in the hands of the judge of the county court who appointed Thomas M. Barlow of Walshville the trustee to care for the fund and expend the income on the ceme- tery as its needs required, without compensa- tion. An action similar to this was taken with regard to the Edwards Chapel Cemetery, and we understand that N. B. Wilson is the trustee.
MILLS.
Many attempts in business direction have had their origin in Grisham Township, but its un- favorable location has operated against it and in favor of the towns near by, as is always the case in the early settlements when locations were selected by the mere caprice of those who located there. For instance we mention : A woolen mill that was put into operation near the north line of the township, by Rev. James Street and operated by his sons for several years after the death of Mr. Street. The Nich- olson Mill, for meal grinding and sawing, was built at what is known as the McPherson Bridge. This was a water power affair, well built and well patronized, but was washed out by the dangerous floods. The old logs that con- stituted the foundation of this mill were still seen in the bottom of the stream by the writer not many years ago. McPherson & Lewis after- wards ran a steam saw-mill near the same lo- cation, which did a large amount of business for many years. That too has long ago ceased to do business, and corn grows where it once stood. William Ross built a saw and grist mill in 1845 not far from the southern line of the township near where Charles Kessinger now lives. This too was a fine mill and was well patronized for some years, but in time gave way to the diversion of business to more favored lo- cations. The place is still known as a splen- did fishing ground, and many a seeker after piscatorial pleasure seeks yet for the old Ross Ford, to while away his time and fight mos- quitoes and swim in the historic spot.
HONORABLE NAMES.
Grisham Township though small in bounda- ries has been the abode of a splendid class of citizens whose names are worthy of remem- brance. John Price, a native of Kentucky and of Virginia ancestry, lived near the Edwards
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Chapel practically all his life, having been born in 1816, and married in 1841, to Ellen Nora Lor- rin, who was seven years younger than he. He was a Methodist class leader, a Republican, and a model citizen.
Peter L. & Davenport, a Virginian by birth, though a resident of Kentucky, before coming to Illinois. He owned a splendid bottom farm near the middle of the township and here reared a large and respectable family. He assessed the township several terms and was never accused of unfairness. He was a Mason, a Republican, and a member of the Christian Church,
Charles H. Edwards for many years occupied the old Edwards homestead, where his father and others built the Edwards Chapel. He was married to a daughter of William Cannon and reared a large family. He was a justice of the peace for many years; was active in township affairs, a successful farmer, held many posi- tions of trust, and was Methodist in religion, and a Democrat in politics. He was once the independent candidate for county judge, and though defeated received a creditable vote.
Walker F. Hickman, a veteran of the Civil War, a Republican politically, and religiously a Presbyterian, was a Kentuckian by birth though educated in the Old Hillsboro Academy. He was married to Melesia Mclain, and a splendid family was reared to bless the union. He was a justice of the peace for many years.
George R. Aydelott, born and reared in Mont- gomery County, lived practically all his life on the place that he owned two miles northwest of Donnellson. His father was a pioneer Meth- odist preacher and George succeeded to the re- ligious and political faith of his father, being a Democrat. He served as collector and also as supervisor of his township and ever justified the confidence of his many friends.
J. H. McPherson, a native of Kentucky, an extensive farmer and the manager of the best saw-mill in Montgomery County, at one time began life without a dollar and died possessed of the finest farm in the township. His father was a soldier of the War of 1812, and took part in the battle of New Orleans. One son and one daughter now live to honor his memory.
Thomas Carson Donnell was born near Greensboro, Guilford County, N. C., August 12, 1812, and was the oldest of eight children born to George and Dilly Donnell. At the age of ten years he came with his parents, starting from North Carolina in October, 1822, and ar-
riving in Bond County, Ill., December 24. He made the trip in one of those old time Virginia wagons. His uncle, Joseph Paisley, father of Mrs. Whitehead of Hillsboro, came with them and settled in Montgomery County, Thomas Carson Donnell was married to Jane Finley Oc- tober 8, 1833, and to this union ten children were born. He entered 300 acres of land from the government, on which is now located a part of the town of Donnellson that was named in his honor about the year 1858. Thomas Carson Donnell was a Black Hawk War soldier, a Whig until the Republican party was organ- ized when he became a staunch supporter of that party and voted at every presidential elec- tion. Religiously he was a Presbyterian and contributed liberally to the erection of four churches in the Donnellson Presbyterian or- ganization from 1830 to the present one erected in 1890. Of his living children, J. M. now lives in Wilbur, Ore., and Mrs. Henry Hawkins lives in Donnellson. "Uncle Carson" was one of those venerable and honored citizens of his com- munity where he lived long and well, and passed away from earth March 21, 1904, in his ninety- second year. His wife went in her eighty-ninth year. Like the patriarchs of old they were gath- ered to their people to receive their palms of victory.
Among the old settlers not mentioned above we may name: Carson Donnell, Rankin Don- nell, Boone Copeland, David Copeland, George Forehand, A. J. Taylor, C. C. Root, John J. Moss, Spartan Grisham, William Jordan, Jo- sephi Barlow, John A. Barlow, Green B. Comp- ton, Jolin Price, Charles H. Edwards, James H. McPherson, Josiah Kessinger, W. R. White, Uriah Wilson, John Elder.
BEAR CREEK REMINISCENCES.
The following article is written by James Hutchinson, who was born November 8, 1828, in Trigg County, Ky. Speaking of himself he says: "My father was the Rev. W. T. Hutch- inson, who was a native of Montgomery County, Ky., and was a minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. My mother was Mary (Davidson) Hutchinson. I was educated in Cumberland College at Princeton, Ky. In 1848, W. T. Hutchinson with his family located four miles north of Greenville. Soon after locating in Bond County, I came to Montgomery County and taught school in the Walnut Grove and
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Lazy Neck Districts, some four years. In 1854, I bought ten acres of land from T. C. Donnell and laid out, soon afterwards, the town of Don- nellson. The surveying and platting was done by James Starr, a brother of our county sur- veyor, D. M. Starr. The original town site was in section 24, town 7-4, and did not include that part in East Fork which was laid out on the lands of Mr. Ross. The platting of the town site was done in 1857, under my direction. One of the provisions of the charter of Donnellson, and one that has had a salutary effect for the good of the community, was that no intoxicat- ing liquor is to be sold on land inside of the corporation, on penalty of the forfeiture of the deeds to the lands.
"Among the earliest settlers of the Bear Creek or Donnellson community were : William and Joseph Paisley ; Carson and Rankin Donnell ; the Rosses, the McLains, the McCaslins, the Woods, Anthony Hill, the Bighams, Thomas Johnson, William and Douglas Young, C. C. Ay- delott, David John and Reuban Lewey, the Thackers, the Laws, the Wafers, the Rankins, the Finley's, Elijah Gwuin, and James Rutter, the pioneer wool carder, who ran a tread-wheel carding machine in the community. Another of the old settlers, the father of Preston Paisley, came to the community. He was bitten by a rabid dog and died from the effects and was buried in the Bear Creek Cemetery.
"The first church in that community was a frame structure that stood about ten rods south- east of the Bear Creek, or Aydelott Cemetery. Among the active members of the old church were : Thomas Johnson, William Paisley, John Donnell, Joseph Paisley. Joseph Bigham, Allen Thacker, and Dr. Barber. All Presbyterians. The first teacher that I remember in the Bear Creek community was the Rev. C. C. Aydelott, and later I began teaching, and others that I could name. The first schools were on the old subscription plan, which about that time was being changed for the better. Then the patrons paid one-half of the tuition and the state paid the other half. The patrons' part was paid in whatever they saw fit or could pay with. Tbe average amount paid a teacher was $20.00 a month. I remember that when I collected cash for my first term that I just had enough to pay for my board.
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