Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 47

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897, ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913, ed. cn; Strange, Alexander T., ed
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 810

USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II > Part 47

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

"At the time and prior to the laying out of the town of Donnellson, great herds of deer could be seen on the prairies and prairie chick-

ens, ducks, geese and other wild fowl were abundant and could be seen and heard both day and night. In 1851, when Donnellson was laid out, there was a remarkable drouth, corn was an entire failure, owing to the drouth and chinch bugs, and the people were alarmed as to how they were going to carry their stock over till another crop was raised. But the following winter was a very mild one, and late grass was abundant, so that they got through in much bet- ter condition than was anticipated.

"Trade in the stores in the early days con- sisted principally in the exchange of game and produce for necessary provisions and clothing for family use. I opened and ran the first store in Donnellson, first using the kitchen of my res- idence, and later a better room for the purpose. The game bought by the store was sent to St. Louis in wagons and sold. Every one hunted more or less, making their living mainly from the chase. Deer was hunted and killed by al- most every one, but he who could get a bear was considered especially fortunate, and bear meat was esteemed as very delicious. The writer was very fond of hunting in those days, and on at least two occasions it was my good fortune to kill two deer at one shot, and I have also killed two prairie chickens on the wing at one shot more than once. Al. Brown and myself prided ourselves in thinking we were the crack shots of the community.

"Along the religious lines I will say, that among those who were found blowing the gos- pel trumpet in the early days may be men- tioned : the Reverends John Barber, J. M. Bone, William Finley, Joel Knight, and W. T. Hutch- inson, my father, all of the Cumberland Presby- terian Church. My father's last effort was at a meeting of the Presbyterians, held at Walsh- ville in 1867, as soon after his coming home from that meeting he passed to his reward. For many years annual camp meetings were held at the Bear Creek Church, or on the grounds adja- cent to it, and the above ministers were among those the most active in these camp meetings. The Methodists were also willing and able help- ers in these meetings. They had a church a few miles northwest of the camp ground, at what is known as the Edwards Chapel. Among others. the Rev. Alfred Bliss, the father of the 'Pagan' edi- tor of the Montgomery News, preached there and took part in the camp meetings. The Baptists, though frequent attendants and helpers in these meetings, had no nearby church. The Reverend

876

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Triben, a resident minister from Ohio, and El- der Hopper from Bunker Hill, are remembered as able and forcible ministers, and Reverend Hopper immersed quite a number of converts to his church in the East Fork Creek, east of Don- nellson. The ministers were all self-sacrificing men of God, and deserve much credit for the religious interest they aroused and maintained in the community, from which a law and order loving people owe much of their early inspira- tion. The practice of early religious services has changed much since that day, especially the Presbyterian, whether for the best is not for me to say. Both the Presbyterians and the Meth- odists have commodious church edifices now in Donnellson, and the churches are made up of most worthy citizens. The oldest male Presby- terian in the community at the present is Frank McLain, and the oldest female member is Eliza- beth Grantham. Of Mrs. Grantham, I may also say that she is the only living student of my first effort at teaching school, which was taught four or five miles northeast of Donnellson. An- other pupil of a later term, Mrs. Mary Clark, nee Miller, also lives in Donnellson with her niece.

"You ask for any incidents that I think may interest the present day readers, and I will give one or two. One that I hope will not be re- peated, was that at one time during the Civil War, when we thought it necessary to patrol the streets of Donnellson with armed men. It was at the time of what was known as the Van Buren Raid, otherwise called the Clingman Raid. Reports of invasion were in the air; shots from ambush were fired at night and at least two buildings, the residence of Peter Ar- mentrout and that of James H. Russell, were shot into, at least a half dozen shots being lodged in these buildings; fear and terror took possession of the timid, and an armed patrol was thought essential to safety. But the ear of the Lord was open to our cry and we were unharmed. At that time the whistle of the Clover Leaf Railroad, which runs through the town, would have frightened the inhabitants, as well as the herds of deer, and flocks of feath- ered game that infested the prairies and for- ests. This we did not have, but we did have at one time what was called the 'Underground railroad.' A certain political faction known as Free Soilers had a station near Donnellson. These stations fed and fostered many an escap- ing slave on the way to liberty at the risk of their lives and at great danger to those harbor-

ing them. These stations extended all the way from the Ohio river to Canada. At length a 'mighty star arose from the East' that proved a power in crushing the evil of slavery. When Harriet Beecher Stowe's book, 'Uncle Tom's Cabin,' appeared, the cause of freedom was greatly facilitated. The men connected with the Donnellson station were men of conviction and good citizens ; whatever may be said of the acts of other stations. Another of the exciting events of the early days was the enrollment and mus- tering in of men subject to the call of the gov- ernment to arms to serve as soldiers against any invading foe of our commonwealth. Capt. J. B. Black was by governmental appointment an enrolling officer. He was a Kentuckian and acted for the government in this capacity as long as the government required, beginning about 1823. In the early days of the Bear Creek settlement the mail was received once a week by a carrier on horseback from Spring- field on his way to some point farther south. At that time the post office was at the residence of William Russell, two miles north of Donnell- son. About 1857, under the administration of President James Buchanan, the post office was moved to our store in Donnellson. Since those days changes have followed each other in rapid succession in postal management as well as in social affairs. Postage has been reduced from ten cents to two cents and improvements in all other lines in proportion, for which we are truly grateful."

SCHOOLS.

Grisham Township has seven school districts largely within its territory, and the funds of these districts were for many years in the early days in charge of James E. Rankin as the school treasurer, when he was by age compelled to re- sign. A. B. Copeland became his successor and after a long period of service he turned the office over to A. T. Strange, who for another long period cared for its interests. Then for a few years the office was shifted from one to another till some ten years ago the present occupant, F. F. Thacker, came into the position, and his cautious ability will probably keep him there for many more years.

PRESENT CONDITIONS.

Grisham Township is crossed by both the Clo- ver Leaf and the Big Four Railroads. The Clo-

Apple

D. W. Wessler &Family

877

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ver Leaf enters the township at Donnellson, at the southeast corner of section 24, running due west nearly two miles, leaving the township and county at Panama. The Big Four enters the township from the north in section 3, and run- ning in a southwest direction, leaves the town- ship near its southwest corner. There are no stations on the Big Four, though an attempt was made to establish a town in section 7, early in this century. S. P. Chapin and others at- tempted to promote the building of a town, which they named Grisham; the site was plotted and lots sold, but failing to secure the sinking of a coal shaft, as had been promised, the lot holders refused to build, and as a result the proposed town site was abandoned.

PANAMA.

Just two miles west of Donnellson, borings showed that a fine vein of coal was located, and after securing the coal field, the promoters sunk a shaft, and around the shaft the town of Pan- ama grew up. It is a mining town of some 1,500 population, largely composed of those of foreign birth, who do not as yet assimilate well with our native people. The town has a post office, a bank, a lumber yard, several stores, and unfortunately several places where booze may illegally be obtained, interfering to some extent with the security and stability of the town and clouding the future prospects for growth and permanency, but this no doubt will soon be remedied.

Panama has had the following police magis- trates : John Dolin, 1907; Jacob Freisland, 1907; T. A. Lewis, 1909; D. R. Bennett, 1910 and 1911; Max Von Brunn, 1913; and J. J. Wil- liams, 1916.

DONNELLSON.

The following is written by Dr. J. B. Cary : "The town of Donnellson is situated in the southeast corner of Grisham Township, and is peculiarly located, being in the corner of four townships and two counties, viz., Grisham and East Fork in Montgomery County, and Shoal Creek and LaGrange in Bond County, and was laid off in town lots in 1860 by James B. Hutch- inson on forty acres of land that was entered and owned by Carson Donnell. Mr. Hutchinson kept the first store and was the first postmas- ter. His first stock of goods was kept in the

kitchen of his house, a log house that was a part of the residence of Miss Bertha Thacker and which she only recently had torn down and sawed into stove wood. Mr. Hutchinson also kept a nursery for the sale of fruit trees. The growth of the village has been somewhat slow, but it has ever maintained the reputation of being a desirable village in which to live. Michael Hampton built the first hotel. Clem Boyd and Joel Paisley built a good frame build- ing, and kept a good general store for several years. They sold their store to Michael Hamp- ton and Foster Rankin, and moved to Lincoln, Ill., where they engaged in the mercantile busi- ness. Hugh and James Hill were the next mer- chants. The Hills moved from here in 1867 to Decatur. Hugh Hill shortly after leaving here got. a patent on a hog ring, from which he be- came quite wealthy. We now have two general stores, bakery, restaurant and store combined, hardware store, furniture store, bank, lumber yard, elevator, harness shop, two blacksmith shops, two firms dealing in live stock, a drug store, two barber shops, an undertaker, a good hotel, a livery stable, two churches, good school- house for our town, good cement walks on all of the principal streets, built without the money obtained from the saloons. This town has never had a saloon in it and I sincerely hope it never will have. We have a first class electric system and a good prospect for a north and south inter- urban railroad. The future of this town is very promising, as it is one of the best points on the Clover Leaf Railroad for shipping stock and grain. We have two telephone systems, and as good, live up-to-date town as you will find any- where for its size. We have an abundance of good water, pure and healthful, a healthful lo- cation and good sanitary conditions.

"I came here in November, 1867, and there are but two persons living here now that lived in the town when I came, namely Mary Gates and Mrs. Julia Boone. Mrs. Boone has lived here continuously all her life. Mrs. Gates lived in Bond County for some years. I am, next to Mrs. Boone, as to continuous citizenship. Last, but not least, I mention the different physicians that have located here: Doctor Wallace was the first physician to locate here, then Doctor Barber, Doctor Trueworthy, Doctor Covert, Doctor LaGrange, Doctor Haynes, Doctor J. B. Cary, Doctor Edwards, Doctor Holdread, Doc- tor McLean, Doctor Beeson, Dr. W. A. Allen, Doctor Wilson, Dr. A. B. Cary, Doctor Kessinger

878

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

and Dr. R. W. Allen. Dr. J. B. Cary and Dr. W. A. Allen are the only physicians that have remained here any great length of time. Doctor Barber was an old man when he came here. After a few years' residence he died.

"We add here that no description of Donnell- son is complete that omits to mention the school labors of Mrs. Emma T. Bangs. She came to Donnellson in 1893, soon after the death of her husband, and began her work as a teacher. She soon became so endeared to the people that no thought of her leaving was ever entertained. She was just completing her twenty-first school year when, in 1914, she was called away by death. She was in her eighty-fifth year, and Doctor Blair is authority for the statement that she was the oldest teacher in the state of Illi- nois."

The Presbyterian Church of Donnellson was organized at the residence of William Robert- son, two miles north of Greenville. The first members were Robert Paisley, Elizabeth Pais- ley, Jonathan Berry, Polly Berry, William Young and Phenely Young. The date of this meeting we have not found. The name adopted was The Bear Creek Congregation. This organ- ization was approved at a meeting of the Pres- bytery, held at the residence of John Kirkpat- rick, in Montgomery County, May 1823, this be- ing the first meeting of the Presbytery. The elders of the church reported at that meeting of the Presbytery were: Robert Paisley, Jonathan Berry, John Kirkpatrick and Joseph McDavid. The first minister was Rev. Green B. Price. He was followed by Rev. Joel Knight, Rev. A. M. Wilson, Rev. Joseph Gorden, Rev. J. M. Bone, Rev. B. H. Blackwell, Rev. J. W. Blosser, Dr. Adam Bell, Rev. E. R. Rodgers, Rev. J. H. Hen- dricks, Rev. E. M. Johnson, and Rev. William Frieze. Today it is an active, progressive church, a credit to the community.

The Methodist Church, known as the Ed- wards Chapel, was organized in 1829, six years after the Presbyterian Church above described. The early members were: Thomas Edwards, after whom it was named; Rev. C. C. Aydelott and Mrs. Aydelott, Thomas Grady and Mrs. Grady, John Hammond and Mrs. Hammond, and others. Among the first preachers were Reverends Holliday, Ames, Walker and Dow. The church was dedicated by Rev. Peter Cart- wright, in 1850. In 1872 the old church being inadequate to the demands of the public was

rebuilt. That house is now in a sad state of repair, owing to a lack of rural support.

The Waveland Presbyterian Church was or- ganized at the residence of W. P. Brown in 1843 by Rev. A. C. Allen, with the following members: John Brown, Sarah Brown, Len Brown, Newton G. Brown, William P. Brown, Elizabeth Brown, Rufus Brown, Margaret Craig, Jesse D. Wood, Minerva Wood, Sarah D. Black- wood, Emiline Blackwood, Levi H. Thom, Mar- garet Thom, George Nicholson, George S. Clot- felter, Elizabeth Barry, Joseph McLain, Abigail McLain, Enos Clotfelter, and Elizabeth Brown. The first board of elders were: John Brown, Levi H. Thom and Dr. Jesse D. Wood. The first minister was Rev. A. C. Allen, followed by Rev. Thomas W. Hynes, R. M. Roberts, William Hamilton, John S. Howell, James H. Spillman, W. P. Baker, Willis Patchen and W. B. Rodgers. This church still keeps up the membership and holds regular services, though most country churches give up their country interests and unite with the stronger churches of the villages and towns near by.

PETER CARTWRIGHT.

No minister of the gospel did more for the cause of religion and especially the establish- ment of the Methodist Church in Montgomery County in the formative period of the county's history than Peter Cartwright. He was a fighter from Virginia with Revolutionary blood in his veins, who as a young man was a bold gambler and horse racer but who early dis- avowed these vicious practices and joining the Methodist Church at once assumed the clerical garments of that denomination. He was not only a preacher of great force but a bitter op- ponent of slavery. He ran for Congress as a Democrat in 1846 being defeated by Abraham Lincoln. He became a presiding elder in his church and also an author of several books of considerable merit.

Donnellson has had the following police mag- ·istrates : E. S. Ballard, 1897 and 1898; James Edwards, 1903; James E. Price, 1907; C. M. Hayworth, 1913; and S. B. Compton, 1914.

PECULIAR ENDOWMENT.

A peculiar endowment was made in this town- ship a few years ago by William Jordan, who

879

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

lived on the old John Jordan farm in district 7, now 134. Mr. Jordan had outlived his chil- dren and had amassed quite a little estate, and in his old age was considering the matter of marrying a young woman who would care for him during his lonely old age, made an agree- ment with the lady, known as a pre-marital agreement, in which she was to receive from his estate such sums and properties as stipulated and agreed on, and with this agreement entered into, he married her, and later made a will in keeping with the agreement. This will was read over to the young lady by the writer, and agreed to by the wife, as ample and satisfac- tory. The will provided that the estate should be held in trust for the support of his home district school, and the excess to go to the sup- port of other schools of the township. After the death of Mr. Jordan, the wife seeing that she could obtain much more than she was to get under the will, decided to attack the will and, if possible, get the pre-marital agreement part of it cut out. She succeeded, and the fund was cut about the middle. However, enough was saved to the trust fund to accomplish its purpose, and under the management of A. T. Strange, who was bamed as trustee, the home district has never since that day made a tax levy for school purposes.

QUAINT CHARACTER.

Every community has at times its quaint characters, and their eccentricities may take one form or another according to their peculiar notions. Isreal Johnson was one of the early settlers of town 7-4, and though an excellent citizen. manifested his eccentricity in the nam- ing of his numerous family. His four oldest boys he named Logan, Lonzo, Lawson and Lan- son. His first four girls were named Melana, Melina, Melona and Melena. These were all pupils of the writer at one time as well as two others, and it will not be surprising to the reader when we say that we experienced much difficulty, as well as being often placed in ludi- crous positions, in our efforts to distinguish the members of the Johnson family by the proper cognomen.

GRISHAM OFFICIALS HONORED.

Grisham Township is the smallest in the county with the exception of Harvel. Nor are

its lands so valuable as in the alluvial prairie soils, and yet with two railroads crossing it, and with two towns in its borders, it is no baga- telle in the county's budget of business. It has had one of its members, James E. Wilson, made distinguished by being placed over the board of supervisors for one year as chairman.

SUPERVISORS.

The following have served as supervisors : 1874 and 1875, W. J. McCulloch ; 1876 and 1877, A. T. Strange; 1878, 1879, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897 and 1898, George W. McPhail; 1880, 1881, 1882, 1SS3 and 1SS6, George R. Aydelott; 1884, 1891, 1892, 1899, 1900, 1901 and 1902, James E. Wilson ; 1885, Fred W. Krummell; 1887, 1SS8 and 1890, Christ W. Angerstien; 1889, R. C. - Clark ; 1903, 1904, 1905 and 1906, Henry W. Wal- kerling; 1907, 190S, 1909 and 1910, Edward Bai- ley ; 1911, 1912, 1913 and 1914, William Vogel; 1915 and 1916, Charles Major.

SOME OTHER OFFICIALS.

Some of the parties who have served the township as town clerk have been: George W. McPhail, D. F. Davis, James E. Price, Hugh McCaslin, A. T. Strange, and Henry Hoekstra. Among those who have been collectors may be mentioned : A. T. Strange, W. H. Root, John White, Bert Kessinger, Mr. Dunn, and Charles Krummel. Assessors have numbered among them Peter L. Davenport, James E. Wilson, James E. Price, George Vogel, and others. No attempt is made to give complete lists of these officers.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

Grisham Township has had the following jus- tices of the peace: Spartan Grisham; Joel C. Traylor, 1857 and 1861; James B. Hutchinson, 1857; William J. Young, 1861, 1865 and 1869; William Gordan, 1865; Samuel B. Williams, 1869 ; Andrew B. Copeland, 1874, 1877, 1881 and 1SS5; Charles H. Edwards, 1877, 1881 and 1SS5; John B. Titsworth, 1SS9; William M. Hampton, 1SS9; Walker F. Hickman, 1893 and 1897; James L. Palmer, 1893, 1897 and 1901; D. F. Davis, 1901; William H. Root, 1901; Schuyler M. Kessinger, 1904; F. M. Jones, 1905; Hugh B. McCaslin, 1905; S. Z. T. Kessinger, 1906;

880

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Fines E. Chapman, 1908; and L. H. Tanksersley, 1910 and 1913.

CONSTABLES.

Grisham Township has had the following con- stables : George M. Roper, 1860; J. C. Hanner, 1860; George W. Kessinger, 1865 and 1881; John W. McCaslin, 1865; James S. Jones, 1869 ; Elisha F. Brown, 1869; John Allison, 1876; Wil- liam Cannon, 1876; James L. Palmer, 1877, 1885 and 1889; William B. Bishop, 1877; George W. Bailey, 1881; S. A. Dockery, 1885, 1893 and 1907 ; George W. Hampton, 1889; George E. Ed- wards, 1890; William Vogel, 1893, 1905 and 1909; Thomas Davenport, 1897; William Woods, 1898; C. C. Compton, 1898; D. A. Nall, 1901; F. M. Jones, 1901; Charles F. Morgan, 1905; H. L. Kessinger, 1910; and L. F. Edwards, 1911.

CHAPTER XXVII.

HARVEL TOWNSHIP.

ORIGINAL DIVISIONS-PRESENT BOUNDARIES -- SOIL -EARLY SETTLERS-HARVEL-WABASH RAILROAD -LOCATION-ORIGIN OF NAME-FIRST MER- CHANT-FIRST POSTMASTER-FIRST PHYSICIAN -FIRST LAWYER-FIRST AND PRESENT HOTELS- EARLY BUSINESS MEN-CHURCHES-SCHOOL- PRESENT BUSINESS INTERESTS AND IMPROVE- MENTS-HARVEL POLICE MAGISTRATES-SUPER- VISORS-JUSTICES OF THE PEACE-CONSTABLES.

ORIGINAL DIVISIONS.

When the county was laid off into townships by the supervisors on the adoption of township organization, what is called the panhandle, a strip of land nine miles east and west of twelve miles north and south, was put into two town- ships, Bois D'Arc and Harvel. But soon after- wards a public sentiment began to assume force in favor of a division. Efforts were made at two or more terms of the board, and in 1874 these efforts were successful, the whole of con- gressional township 11-5 being detached, leaving Harvel Township the smallest township in the

county, being only three by six miles in extent. The undivided township was represented that year by a bachelor named Joseph Pitman, and in selecting a name for the township thus de- tached, the mover of a motion to give it a name said, that as Mr. Pitman was a bachelor, and too good a man to be lost to memory and had no children to perpetuate his name, he moved that the township be named Pitman to perpetu- ate the name of so distinguished a member of the board, and the motion was passed without dissent except in a weak way by Mr. Pitman himself.

PRESENT BOUNDARIES.

The present boundaries are: Bois D'Arc on the north; Christian County on the east; Ray- mond Township on the south, and Pitman Town- ship on the west. The surface is generally level, prairie soil. At no time was there much timber, and now there is practically nothing left of the native growth. For many years a lone elm tree stood in the midst of the prairie from which ' the school district there takes its name. This tree was very old, and it is traditionally re- ported that beneath its branches the red men gathered to hold council before the white men invaded their territory.

Harvel Township has been noted for the rich- ness of its fine black loam, and it is essentially a farming community, some of the best and most valuable farms in this part of the state being within its limits. Corn has always been the principal crop, although wheat, oats, rye, barley, timothy, clover, flax, garden products and fruits are raised in abundance. Stock rais- ing is carried on very profitably, as the grazing land is rich.

EARLY SETTLERS.

Owing to the scarcity of the timber, Harvel Township was settled somewhat later than some other portions of the county, although its lands were surveyed and open to entry at the same time as the rest of the country. According to the records the first permanent settlement made in what was to become Harvel Township was in 1854 by Herman Poggenpahl, who located on the northeast quarter of section 30, near the central part of the township, where he lived for many years, becoming one of the township's most influential citizens. C. Courcier came here

J. L. Neisler + Wife

881

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

that same year, locating near Mr. Poggenpahl. It is interesting to note that the latter was a German, and the former a Frenchman of more than ordinary intelligence and culture. The in- fluence of these two upon the township was beneficial, although Mr. Courcier sold his farm boundary line between Christian and Montgom- ery counties, a small part of the village being in Christian County. Three years later, when the township was laid out by the county board, it was given its name from the town that John Harvel had thus laid out. The survey of the to Joseph Vincent in 1866 and went to Texas, . town was made by Colonel Monroe, who had where he acquired vast holdings and spent many years. Later this farm came into possession of Adolphus Hull. Nicholas Hankinson was an- other settler of 1854, and located on land di- rectly north of Mr. Poggenpahl's claim, but later sold to William Baill. Several of his de- scendants became prominent in the development of the township. William F. Jordan bought the southwest section of section 7, in 1855, and the southwest quarter of section 7. A. C. Jordan located in section 6, and C. H. Jordan located on land lying along the western boundary line in section 19. Jean B. Millet, a Frenchman, came to the township in an early day, buying land about two miles north of Harvel in section 2S. This was in 1855. This was the farm that was later owned by William Bockwitz. John Munsterman also located in the township in 1855, as also did Conrad Weller and B. Tulpin. been in the Confederate army but not being in accord with the secession movement, left the service. He was made surveyor by Josiah Whitten in 1867, and was elected to the posi- tion later, but after his election did not serve. William Van Sandt was perhaps the first mer- chant in the village, but Mr. Tulpin opened up a stock of goods in 1870, and during that year a post office was obtained, George Van Sandt being the first postmaster. In 1870 Nester De Moline put up a blacksmith shop and ran it for some years. In 1873, D. O. Settlemire of Litch- field built an elevator and in 1876 Henry Nie- haus built another. Later Niehaus sold his ele- vator to H. C. Millot. A flouring mill was built in 1871 by George Slater. Henry Bennett was the first physician of Harvel, locating here in 1869, and others of the same calling who have practiced here are: Drs. John W. Petrie, F. M. Cox and W. D. Matney. G. W. Slater and FIRST SCHOOL. L. L. Slater were early attorneys-at-law in ac- tive practice at Harvel. The first hotel was built by Leonard May about 1870, and he con- ducted it for several years. In 1878 Henry Haupman built a large brick hotel opposite the depot, at a cost of $3,000.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 47

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897, ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913, ed. cn; Strange, Alexander T., ed Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 810

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897, ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913, ed. cn; Strange, Alexander T., ed
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 810