History of Bureau County, Illinois, Part 57

Author: Bradsby, Henry C., [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago, World publishing company
Number of Pages: 776

USA > Illinois > Bureau County > History of Bureau County, Illinois > Part 57

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).

Dover-has two towns, with a postoffice in each, namely: Dover and Limerick. Dover is one of the oldest villages in the county, being laid out in 1837 by Eli Lapsley. It was at first called Livingston, but changed when made a postoffice. Isaac Delnow and Theodore Nichols put up a small building and opened the first store. O. Madison started a blacksmith shop. People and new

enterprises were rapidly increasing, and soon it grew to be an important business point, commanding a wide trade. It was a point on the old Princeton and Chicago road, and the railroad when built passed south of it. But when the road was built north of it, it cut off one of its most profitable sources of trade, and the town ceased to be so great as it once was.

February 7, 1857, a meeting of the citizens was called to consider the question of build- ing the academy, which has so long been a conspicuous mark of the town. It was locat- ed on land donated by Charles C. Ingalls, Block 4, Ingalls' Addition. There were forty-one stockholders in the institution at first. It was then called the Dover Institute. The first Trustees were Samuel Mohler, Joseph H. Brigham, John Bellangee, M. W. Abel and William C. Stacy. Abel, Presi- dent; Brigham, Vice-President; Ballangee Treasurer; Stacy, Secretary. Building cost $5,099.57. The report of the Board on its completion was made April 5, 1858. At the second election of Trustees, Rev. F. Bascom and A. Kellogg were chosen in place of Sam- nel Mohler and J. H. Brigham; D. F. Ed- wards, first Principal, commencing May 10, 1858. In the session of the Legislature of 1858-59 it was incorporated and called Dover Academy. Mr. Edwards, from ill-health, re- signed in 1859, and started overland to Cali- fornia. He died on the way. Albert Eth- ridge was in charge from 1859 to 1861, when Rev. A. Ethridge, by contract, took charge of the school for five years. This contract was annulled in 1863 by mutual consent. From April 1, 1864 to 1867, D. E. Hurd had control. Mr. W. F. Yocum was then engaged one year; then George H. Wells a short time. The surrounding country had so im- proved the schools in other localities that the academy was nearly abandoned until 1876,

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HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

when at an expense of $2,500 a public hall, three stories, was added to the building. Prof. J. W. Cook was then put in charge of a school in the basement of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which was moved into the academy upon the completion of the new im- provement. He and his assistant, O. W. Carter, ran the institution two years. Rev. F. Reible kept two terms. In 1882 it was leased by the United Brethren Church, and W. H. Mason opened a school and taught till 1SS4, when F. L. Kenoyer was put in charge.

A meeting to incorporate the town of Dover was called May 2, 1870. The call was signed by J. R. Zearing, William Mercer, Robert Braden, A. C. Kellogg, and a vote thereon was had May 14. Twenty-one votes cast; nineteen for and two against. The voters were Phillip Terry, T. W. Nichols, Asahel Wood, S. R. Haggard, A. C. Kellogg, A. L. Steele, S. M. Pratt, M. R. Nichols, George Terry, R. L. Abor, J. R. Zearing, E. J. Major, James Ball, Robert Braden, C. C. Hubbard, William Mercer, John Zearing, Levi Sifferd, Anthony Stovin, William Rob- inson and John Taylor. May 21, 1870, six Trustees were elected as follows: William Mercer, A. C. Kellogg, W. H. Wood, J. R. Zearing, Robert Braden and A. L. Steele.

They entered upon the duties of office and proceeded to organize and start the, village machinery. William Mercer was made Pres- ident, William H. Wood, Clerk, and J. R. Zearing, Treasurer.

First meeting, boundaries of Dover de- clared as follows: Include southeast quarter of Section 24, and the northeast quarter of Section 25, Township 17, Range 9 south, and the south half of the southwest quarter and the west half of the north half of the south. west quarter of Section 19 and the northwest quarter of Section 30, Township 17, Range 10.

W. H. Wood elected corporation Collector, and A. Stovin, Street Commissioner. Pres- ent officers of the town of Dover: President, John Taylor; C. R. Norton, S. M. Webb, R. Braden, A. H. Nichols, R. S. Dean; Treas- urer, R. Braden; Clerk, J. Hoyt; Street Commissioner, H. E. Hensel.

There was cast at the last election, 1883, 19 votes, the year before 21; year before that 31. Largest vote ever had, 1878, 64 votes.

John L. Ament was the first settler in the township, in 1829, on Section 13, afterward occupied by G. C. Weibel. Then Sylvester Brigham made his claim, J. Hensel afterward occupying his place. In 1831 James Foris- toll came; his place was occupied by James Coddington. George Hinsdale the same year made an improvement on Section 13, where J. Taylor afterward lived. James Garvin came here in 1833. Greenbury Hall and D. Ellis in the same year settled on Section 27. Abram Music started the first blacksmith shop. He lived on the J. T. Thomson farm. This was the second shop started in the coun- ty. John Elliott, Marshall Mason and James Wilson were the early settlers on the west Bureau timber, and Obadiah Britt, Thornton Wilson and Abner Boyle on the east side.

George Hinsdale reports that in the early days he and Foristoll traveled by land and water, the round trip 162 miles, to get a plow sharpened.

Limerick was laid out in 1857, by George Limerick. A small place, generally one store and a postoffice. Mr. Limerick put up the first store, and soon Levi Hansel and Will- iam Townsend blacksmith shops.

Berlin .- The account of the civil history and the early settlers of this township may be found in preceding chapters. The town is Malden, and was platted in 1856 by B. L. Smith, who sold to Enos Smith and W. C. Stacy, and they laid off an addition north of

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the railroad. It was originally called Wio- na, but when made a postoffice the name was changed. Joseph Bill opened the first store. The railroad built an elevator in 1855, and this has made this an important shipping point.

The first settlement in the township was made in 1829, by Justus Ament, on Section 18. This was the farm occupied by James Foristoll for many years. Ament sold to Elijah Phillips, who was killed by the In- dians shortly after. In 1834 Elias Isaacs opened the farm on which he lived. The same year Richard Masters settled on Section 6. Mr. Masters was noted for his enterprise in surveying and staking out roads as early as 1836. Thomas Cole came in 1835. J. W. and Israel Huffaker settled on „Section 8. About this time John Wise came. In 1836 George Clark built a frame house on Section 19. This was about the first house built out in the prairie in the county. Enos and Sid- ney Smith made farms in East Bureau. Mar- tin Zearing and Oden Smith made farms on Section 30. Among the early and prominent men in this section were D. Greeley, Benja- min Porter, George Rackley, C. G. Reed, John Ballanger, I. Judd, W. E. Durham, Nathan and Peletiah Rackley, S. Mohler.

Elias Isaac, born February 20, 1804, in Randolph County, N. C. He was a son of John and Anna (Allen) Isaac, of North Caro- lina, who died in Indiana, leaving six chil- dren : Samuel, Polly, Allen, Elias, John and Elijah. The latter died in this county. Elias Isaac footed it from Washington, Ind., to Illinois in 1823. He stopped in Edgar County, where, February 20, 1825, he mar- ried Mary Black, who was born March 2, 1805. Elias and wife moved to Tazewell County in 1831, and the next year to Put- nam County, and in February, 1834, crossed the river into Bureau County (see W. L. Isaac's biography).

Greenbury Hall, a nephew of the Hall killed on Indian Creek, was an early settler in this township. Rev. P. J. Strong was the earliest preacher.

As an evidence of the neighborly kindness existing in the early day, we give the follow- ing: Mr. Brookbank framed a barn for Mr. Isaac, and when it was raised every man ex- cept one was present to assist in the raising from James Garvin's to Lamoille, and from Peru to Green River. Obedialı Britt was an early settler in this section.

Walnut .- Walnut and Red Oak Groves are in this township and are about all the timbor land it has. Walnut Creek is the only stream in the limits of the county that runs west. This stream does until it passes into Greenville, when it turns southwest.

The Aments came and made a claim in this township at Red Oak Grove in 1828. Their improvement was afterward owned by O. Denham. Ament's house was one of enter- tainment when the Peoria and Galena stage road passed through the Grove. No other house after Ament's was built in the township for twelve years. In 1831 James Magby purchased the property and in 1833 he sold to James Claypoll. In 1836 Luther Denham became the possessor of it, and he resided here some years. A man made a claim imme- diately south of the grove and in 1837 Green- bury Triplett and A. H. Jaynes "jumped" his claim. They lived here some time and sold to Truman Culver. In 1843 Oliver Jaynes settled on the south side of Walnut Grove, Richard Brewer on the north side and Peter McNitt on the east side. In 1845 Richard Langford came here and soon Thomas Land- ers, E. Kelly, Thomas Fisher, and George Smith came in 1847. Richard Brewer, J. and P. Van Arman, L. D. Hodges, R. D. Axtell, Bohanen and the Wolfs were among the prominent early settlers. Deacon Jaynes is now a resident of Greenville Township, and

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HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

E. Kelly lives in Walnut. Thomas Sanders was an early settler at the grove. 'Thomas Fisher settled at Red Oak Grove, in 1842, on the Denham place, and was for a while the only settler. Mr. Fisher was then only six- teen years of age. Finneus Wolfe started the first store on the east of Main Street in the village of Walnut. Wolfe and Kelly formed a partnership, opened a small store, which is now owned by James Byers and used for a furniture store. In 1845 there were but six families in the village of Walnut: Richard Brewer, E. Kelly, Edward Triplett, Truman Culver, Thomas Sanders, Greenbury Triplett and James Bartlett. January 29, 1871, the Clinton Branch of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad was completed to Walnut Grove. At that time there were three general stores and a grocery and drug store. Reeve, Phillip & Co. started a bank here in 1876. They sold to Ferris & Knight, who continued running a private bank until it was made a national bank in 1882, Marion Knight, President, N. L. Trimble, Cashier.

Richard Brewer platted the village and called it Brewerville. It was changed to Walnut when it was made a postoffice. Curtz & Williams ship more horses from Walnut than are shipped from any other point in'the county. As high as 300 car-loads have been shipped in a season.

Fairfield .- This township is in the extreme northwest part of the county. It is thirty-six full sections, and noted as the Green River swamps for a long time. When Green River is high it overflowed its banks on Section 1,in this township, and passing through and along by Sodtown, nearly innundated the whole, and the waters passed down into Gold and en- tered the south branch of Green River. Some extensive ditches have been dug, commencing in the northeast part of the township, and passing down into Green River. A third

ditch commences in Section 36, circles into 35, thence into Section 3, in Gold and on to the river. The swamp lands in Fairfield were surveyed in 1852. At that time much of the land had not been entered. The postoffice is Yorktown. The northwest part of the county remained without a single settler for years after the other portions were taken up and occupied. In 1838 Francis Adams and James D. Bingham made claims on Sections 23 and 24. The next year Samuel D. Brady settled on 14, and he was the oldest settler in the township when the surveys were made. In 1840 William Adams located on 12; in 1842 Jacob Sells, Elijah Olmstead, Daniel Davis, and Lewis H. Burroughs. Yorktown was commenced in 1846 by W. and S. Dow, R. H. and S. W. Sheldon, and the McKin- zies. M. A. Myers, H. Hays, D. Baitz, W. H. Chase, Alden Booth and Henry Thacker- berry were of the early settlers.

Greenville. - Like its immediate neighbors, Greenville has had a large amount of swamp lands. No less than 3,000 acres were subject to overflow. Walnut Creek runs from the northeast corner of the township to the south - west corner. Near the center of the town it simply spreads out into wide lagoons, lakes, and marshy lands, and the same is true of Green River, one branch of which rises near- ly in the town's center and runs northwest to the north line of Section 6. There was no such thing as a flowing stream to these waters, except at New Bedford, where the high land on each side of the stream came closely to- gether and created a perceptible flow in the waters passing out. Many years ago Jacob Galer built a mill where New Bedford now stands, but the dam caused an overflow of nearly all the lands above it.

October, 1836, Henry Thomas entered the land on which New Bedford stands. This was the first land entered in the west part of

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HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

the county, except at French and Coal Groves. In 1837 a State road was opened from Henne- pin to Prophetstown, on Rock River. This crossed the river at New Bedford, and then Henry Thomas opened a ferry here. Cyrus Watson built a cabin here about this time, and was surprised to find he was south of the Indian line, and on land already entered. He then moved to Section 20, which was afterward owned by E. G. Jester. Mr. Wat- son was the first white man that ever settled on Green River. In 1839 William Hill, Daniel, James and Peter McDonald settled on Sections 20 and 29. In 1840 Joseph Heath, Joseph Caswell, Justus Hall and Thomas Hill settled in this vicinity. In 1841 Milton Cain made a farm south of the river, and Norman Hall, Joseph N. Kise and William Britt located on the north side. Three Frenchmen, Green, Battist and Char- ley Shane, lived for some time in Brush Grove. They were merely hunters and trap- pers. Caleb Rice afterward had their place. A. H. Jaynes, J. Eastlick, Richard Meek, S. Upson, J. M. Draper, J. S. Montgomery and P. Lanphier were the early settlers.

Clarion. - This is the northeast corner of the county. It is well watered, and a fine piece of land. Big Bureau and Pike Creek drain it. Perkins Grove postoffice was estab- lished here in 1842, but was discontinued years ago.

As fully related elsewhere, Timothy Per- kins settled at the grove in 1833. John Hetzler occupied for years the first house built in the township. Solomon Perkins and Elijah Bevans were here soon after Timothy Perkins came. The place owned by A. G. Porter was originally improved by Perkins. A large part of the first roof was deer skins. It was in this cabin the first wedding occurred, of which we have given a full account else- where. Stephen Perkins made his claim in

1835; Joseph Search in 1834. In 1835 Mr. Hart settled on the west side of the grove. In 1836 J. and A. R. Kendall made a farm on Section 4, on the old Stanard place. Joseph and Elisha Fassett settled on Sections 7 and 18. In 1837 John Clapp and Martin Hopp settled in this part of the county. In 1838 Hiram Johnson, Joseph Allen, Franklin Walker, Moses Dix, Winslow and W. R. Bruce, Harvey Childs, C. L. Dayton and Solomon Williams settled here.

Theodore Babson, David Wells, A. G. Porter, L. H. and Moses Bowen were the early settlers.

Mrs. Black, of Arlington, informs us that James Sampson, now of Amboy, passed through the northeast part of this county, which would probably be on the Picayune Grove trail, through Clarion, as long ago as 1821. He was boldly exploring the country, and making his way toward the lead mines probably. He returned by the same route, and stopped a short time at Picayune Grove in 1829. Mr. S. was certainly the first white man ever in that portion of the county. He is a native of Westmoreland County, Penn., born September 6, 1801.

Mrs. Hiram Gheer resides in Picayune Grove. It was at this grove the skeleton of the supposed murdered tailor was found many years ago. There was nothing to iden- tify the man except that near the bleaching bones were found a tailor's thimble, thread, etc. A silver picayune (6} cents) was also found near the skeleton, and from this fact the grove took its name.

Gold .- Except the southeast portion of this township it is also mostly swamp land. Green River runs through the north part of it, in a nearly east and west direction, and nearly 4,000 acres along this stream once would be covered by the high waters of the river. A ditch now starts in Section 14, passes south

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HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

to the center of Section 22, and thence north- west to the river in Section 6. There was a large supply of timber in this part of the county. In addition to that along the streams Long Island Grove and Trading House Grove were fine bodies of timber. The latter re- ceived its name from a trading house being kept there in a very early day, occupied by Indian traders. After it was abandoned as a trading house the place was a camp for years for hunters and trappers. Eagle Grove was another good body of timber, though not very large. Among the Indian traders as early as 1829 that occupied this trading house was Thomas Hartzell. He was a Pennsylvanian, and in a letter to some of his home friends, published in 1829, and which received wide attention as a curious description of a wild. unknown country, among other things he said: Northeast of the trading house there is a lake, some miles in length, in which there are many islands, covered with a heavy growth of timber. Indians pass from one island to another in their canoes in search of game. In low water sage grass grows above its surface. Here muskrats build their houses, and wild geese make their nests on them. Many years ago where there are now rich farms it was a common sight in winter to see vast sheets of ice, covering miles of the country in all directions, and Green River could be only detected as a blue streak winding its turgid way through the center of it. An account in a previous chapter of the county's swamp land tells what has be- come of these great swamps.

Gold was not an organized township until 1852, and is therefore two years younger than the original twenty-three townships of the county. It was originally included in Fairfield Township, and there was nothing here to organize a township from in 1850. In 1850 Samuel Mathis settled on Section

12, and a few months afterward Milton Cain on Section 5, Jacob Walters on 26, James Limerick on 28, and James Neff on Section 20; in 1851 David Marple and George Detro on Section 27, and in 1852 Joseph Johnson on Section 26. Dr. Boyden was the first physician. The Farrensworth family, D. Alexander, David Watkins and Andrew Marple were the early settlers.

Manlius .- This town lies immediately east of Gold and is almost entirely unlike it in its topography, having little timber, and the large part of it is high and rolling, and sand knolls and prominent rocky boulders are found. Hickory Creek runs from the north- east to southwest of the township. Goose- berry Island, the latter the headwaters of Hickory Creek, is timbered land. Goose- berry Island is simply a great marsh, con. taining about 1, 100 acres. A great number of gooseberries once grew in this marsh, and hence its name. A ditch has drained this land and it is being put under a high state of cultivation. Portions of this swamp and marsh land are peaty, aud like all lands of this kind, contain too much ulmic acid to ever become rich in plant food.

This township was not organized until 1854; to that time it was a part of Greenville. Sylvester Barber was the first settler, 1847, on Section 5. Then near him settled D. Hill. In 1848 Allen Lathrop settled on 9. This was afterward the property of H. Hays. Charles McKune came next. The same year

James Martin settled on the northeast quarter of Section 15. In 1850 W. N. Hewitt and Dr. Moore, on Section 14; the same year Townsend Fletcher, on Section 36, near Hick. ory Grove. In 1851 Thomas Rinehart and Henry Hooper, on Section 13; Jacob Seibel, Albert Thomas, Jesse Cain and Thomas Hope were the early settlers.

Bureau .- This is among the oldest settled

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HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

parts of the county. Henry Thomas, as re- lated elsewhere, came here in 1828. It is all excellent land, rich prairie and originally very fine timber. C. C. Corss and George Hinsdale built one of the first saw mills on Section 33. The section on which Thomas settled was eventually occupied by Elias Carter. In 1830 Ezekiel Thomas and Abrain Stratton settled near Henry Thomas. This year John Sherley made a claim on Section 13. This place afterward was occupied by Harrison Epperson; John M. Gay lived here in 1834. Sylvester Brigham and Peter Cut- wright were early settlers. George Hinsdale improved his farm in 1832. In 1833 Eli Frankerberger bought the Sherley claim, and he sold to Rees Heaton. In 1834 C. C. Corss came. The same year George Bennett improved his place in Section 13. He was mistaken in his location, and when informed of his mistake moved his improvements to his own land, west of the grove, where Alva Stiles afterward resided. In 1837 Nicholas Smith made a settlement. The same year Samuel Fay, then William M. Matson, Isaac Heaton, Sylvester S. Newton, Thomas Til- son, Jesse Ballard, G. A. Mowry, James Morrison and J. N. Hill were the early set- tlers.

The first postoffice in the county, 1830, was the house of Henry Thomas-called Bureau. At that time, it is said, there was no other postoffice within a range of fifty miles.

Truxton postoffice was laid off for a town in 1851. It never proceeded any further than a paper city.

Mineral .- Hickory and Coal Creeks run parallel through parts of this town. They were so fraternal that when one was high the other would receive its overflow, and vice versa. Barren Grove was a large body of fine timber in the southwest. It originally

contained about 4,000 acres. Much of it has been put in cultivation.

Matson says that J. G. Reed built the first house in this town in 1836, on Section 24. From the old settlers now living we learn that G. S. Reed came here in 1834. Curtiss Will- iams, the ubiquitous "Uncle Curt," made a claim here and entered land in Section 35 at Barren Grove; the farm afterward occupied by William P. Boswell. Thomas Grattige came in 1838. He was a native of England, a large farmer. He died in Neponset, leav- ing only a daughter. The Halls-George, John, and Dr. Langley-were English. They came in 1840. John Hall was the first Post- master. John Clark made a farm near Grat- tige's. In 1839 James Carroll and Gardner Mills and George Squires settled here; about the same time E. D. Kemp settled on Sec- tion 25. Kemp was a Pennsylvanian, and died on the place he improved. His descend- ants are still in this county. Enos Campbell came in 1843, and died on his farm. His de- scendants are in the township. David Bee- ver, from Ohio, lived here, a renter for some years, and went to California, 1850. Nelson Wilkinson lived and died in this township. He left no descendants. William Mortherel came in 1843. He left and went to Kansas, where he died. Albert Bush came in 1849. He finally removed to near Aurora. After several years' residence, Jacob Abbott went to Iowa. A. H. Martin, widely known as "Yankee Martin," was from New York. His eccentricities were many, amusing and harm- less. He went to Iowa. Martin Tompkins, of this town, is an old settler-came to the county in 1833 from Champaign County, to which point he came in 1829 from Carter County, Tenn. He first settled in the south- east part of the county, near the river; lived there two years and moved to Tiskilwa (this name, he says, means "Many Waters." In

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HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

another place we give another rendering, "Gem of the Valley." The reader can choose for himself). Mr. Tompkins came to Min- eral in 1864. Garner C. Mills, an old settler here, now lives in Sheffield. William Riley was the first Postmaster in Mineral, and, as related elsewhere, the present Postmaster is Mrs. Elma F. Squires. The first child born in the township was Riley Squires, and the second G. T. Squires; though Matson states that W. S. Reed, son of J. G. Reed, was the first child born here, March 27, 1837. The record above shows that George Squires came here in 1839-two years after W. S. Reed was born.

There are seven working coal shafts in this town. The following are the owners: W. H. Forrest, John Vanvelizer, Peter Duncan, James Sprague, Hauxwell & Loyd, Victor & Fleming, and The Sheffield Mining & Transportation Company. Having given an extended account in a previous chapter of the coal-bearing lands and mines in the county, it is not necessary to here mention them any further.

At the town meeting, April 2, 1850, to form the township, Enos Campbell was Mod- erator; E. Kent, a Justice from Brawby Town- ship, administered the oath of office. Thomas Grattige was chosen Supervisor and Treas- urer; Orrin Hasard, Clerk; Enos Campbell, Collector.

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History of Bureau County, Illinois, Part 57

Author: Bradsby, Henry C., [from old catalog] ed Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Chicago, World publishing company Number of Pages: 776

Author: Bradsby, Henry C., [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago, World publishing company
Number of Pages: 776