USA > Illinois > Effingham County > History of Effingham county, Illinois > Part 30
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The same year that brought the Radlys here. H. B. Hobbings found his way to this part of the county, and settled a short dis- tance west of the former's place. on the National road. He was originally from Penn- sylvania, but had lived in Cincinnati several years before removing to this place. He sold his farm to a Mrs. Thoele, after having occupied it for about eight years, and moved to a distant State. In the fall of 1848, John H. Wernsing, a German, came from Cincin- nati, and settled near the head of Bishop Creek in Section 30, where he made extensive improvements, and where he lived a number of years, an upright citizen, highly respected
by all who knew him. Several members of his family still live in the county, one of whom, Henry Wernsing, is the present Treas- urer of Effingham County. About the year 1848, B. H. Dryer came to the township and located near the Wernsing settlement. He came from Cincinnati also, as did many of the original settlers of the eastern part of the county, and was prominently identified with the early history of this community. The place where he originally settled is now owned by Henry Hierman. Henry Rump came here about the same time that Dryer made his appearance, and, like the former, sought a place in the timber near the creek. He was a fine, straightforward man, and by industry and good management accumulated a large tract of land, which is at present owned by the Hutrip heirs. A man by the name of Thare, a Presbyterian preacher, probably the first minister in the township, bought and improved a piece of land lying west of the town of Montrose, on the National road, where he built what was afterward known as the " white house," a large two story build- ing, and one of the first frame structures erected in the township. He held religions services at this place, and at other points in the country, preaching wherever he could obtain a room sufficiently large to accommo- date an audience. In 1849, he moved to Ewington, where, for a number of years, he was considered one of the leading preachers of his faith. A son-in-law of Thare, John Lorkins, took possession of the place, to which he added considerable improvements, and resided there until the year 1860, at which time he disposed of the property and moved to the State of Iowa. The Hartlips were an early family in St. Francis; the exact date of their arrival was not learned, al- though it was several years prior to 1850. 'They located farms near Bishop Creek, in
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IHISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.
the Wernsing neighborhood, where several descendants are still living.
Among those who came in 1849, 1850 and 1851, and later, may be mentioned William Wallace, James Rolfe, Thomas Gibbon and Newton Gibbon. Wallace settled about one mile west of Montrose, where he made a few slight improvements, the chief of which was a small cabin he had moved from the old Marble farm, having purchased it for a mere trifle. He sold the place to Thomas Gibbon, who came about one year later (1851), and with his family moved out of the township. Gibbon improved this farm quite extensively, and still occupies it. He came from Greene County, Ind .. and for a number of years has been one of the leading citizens of the com- munity in which he resides. Newton Gib- bon, his brother, located a short distance west of Montrose. where he still lives. He was the first Justice of the Peace elected by the people of St. Francis, and has filled sev- eral other offices of trust at different times. James Rolfe came to Illinois, from Indiana, in the year 1844S, and settled in Cumberland County, from which place he moved to St. Francis Township two years later. and located a home lying west of the Thomas Gibbon · farm. He is a native of Maryland, and claims to be a regular descendant of the John Rolfe who married the Indian princess Pocahontas.
Through all the years of which we have been writing, settlers had been steadily com- ing into the township: numerous claims had been made and improved, cabins built, prairies broken and in many places more comfortable and substantial farm buildings erected. The National road, to which allu- sion has already been made, was laid out through the township, and other highways were soon after established and improved. The crop raised by the first settlers was
generally corn, to which they looked for their chief support; other cereals were but little grown until the country began to settle more thickly. The soil at that time was poorly adapted to raising small grain, and it was not until several years had elapsed from the first settlement that any wheat was grown in the township at all. For a number of years, there were no mills in the eastern part of the county, and to obtain meal and other bread- stuffs the citizens of St. Francis had to go to the little horse mills in and around Ewingtou, an undertaking which sometimes required two or three days, not that the distance was so great, but the machine ground so slowly, that delays were often experienced in waiting for the respective turns.
Some of the first settlers went as far as Terre Haute for groceries and dry goods, and, as there were good mills there. they took advantage of the occasion to lay in a supply of flour and meal sufficient to last them several months.
An important adjunct to the pioneer's exist- ence, and one that often entered largely therein, was the enjoyment or necessity of hunting, wild game of all kinds being very plentiful. The settler was often obliged to quit his work and join with his neighbors in a kind of crusade against wolves. which were very destructive to young pigs and to domestic fowls which might stray far away from the house.
In St. Francis, the solitary settler rejoiced to hear the early messengers of God proclaim the glad tidings of joy, or weep at the story of the crown of thorns and the agonies of Golgotha and Calvary. It is a fact highly commendable to the first residents of this township, that. with all their trials incident to a settlement in a new and undeveloped country-naught but hardships and poorly compensated labor to weary and burden both
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HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.
mind and body-they never failed to discharge those higher obligations due their Creator. Religious services were often held at private residences by itinerant ministers of the Methodist Church, and were attended by all the citizens far and near. Those who lived in the northern part of St. Francis attended divine worship with the congregations in the adjoining county of Cumberland, and it was not until recent years that any religious society had an existence in this township. The Lutherans are very strong here, and have a flourishing church a few miles southeast of the village of Montrose. This church was organized in the year 1868 by Rev. H. H. 'Holtermein, at the schoolhouse in that' neighborhood, and had an original member- ship of thirteen. For three years. the con- gregation used the schoolhouse as a place of worship, when steps were taken to erect a more commodious edifice, as the congregation had increased so in numbers that a larger house was a necessity. In the fall of 1871, their present structure was erected, which is a credit to the church and an honor to the community ; it is a frame building, 25x40 feet, and cost about $1, 100. The church owes much of its prosperity to the untiring labors of Rev. Holtermein, who for eleven years was its faithful pastor; his chief aim seems to have been its good and all his efforts for its advancement were crowned with success.
He was succeeded in the year 1879 by the present pastor, Rev. H. Kouerst under whose charge the congregation has been steadily increasing in membership and influence. There are at this time on the records the names of forty five members in good standing. Connected with the church is a denomina- tional school, which was established by Rev. Holtermein in 1872. A vacant room in the pastor's dwelling was used for this until 1879, when their present neat little house was
erected. This is a frame building and cost about $600. The school has been well attended since its organization, and, under the charge of the two pastors mentioned, has ae- complished much good in the neighborhood.
The early school history of St. Francis is limited. The first settlers in the northern part of the township sent their children to the schools of Cumberland County, which had been established in a very early day, while those who located along the Southern border patronized the schools of Teutopolis. It is thought that Miss Lizzie Rolfe taught the first school in St. Francis about the year 1854, using for the purpose what was then known as the Fair building. It stood a little west of the village of Montrose and was in use as a schoolhouse about two years, and was formerly a dwelling. Newton Gib- . bon built the first house expressly for school purposes in the year 1856. It was a frame building and stood a little north of Mont- rose. It was moved to the village when the place was first started, and is at present used for a cooper shop. Like other parts of the county, this township is now well supplied with good frame schoolhouses, all of which are well furnished with modern appliances, and the advantages of intellectual culture are . open and free to all. Schools last about seven months of the year and generally begin the first Monday in October.
The Vandalia Railroad passes through the township in a southwesterly direction, and has been the means of advancing the ma- terial interests of the people in many ways. Since its completion in the year 1868, the real estate of the township has steadily ad- vanced in value. Much of the vacant land that was formerly regarded as almost worth- less, has been bought up and improved and good grain and stock markets have been brought near.
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HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.
The only mill of any kind in St. Francis was erected about twenty years ago by John F. Waschefort, and stands in the southern part of the township, near Teutopolis. It was built as a combination mill, and for a number of years sawed a great deal of lumber and ground an immense amount of grain. It was afterward rebuilt, the saws removed, two buhrs added, and since then has been run exclusively as a flouring mill. It is op- erated by steam, has a capacity of forty or fifty barrels per day, and is owned by Ferdi- nand Waschefort.
The following account of a bloody tragedy that occurred in the northern part of the township several years ago was related by Mr. Rolfe: "Two brothers by name of Hetcher owned a farm near where Montrose now stands, and rented a part of their ground one year to a young German to put in corn. They were to have one third of the crop as rent. that share to be left in the field when the corn was gathered. About the time the corn was ready for cribbing, the young man sold it to two parties by name of Thomas Duckworth and George Shindle. and made no mention of the portion to be paid as rent. When they came to gather the crop, the Hetcher boys told thom to let the one-third remain, which the others very positively refused to do, saying that they had bought the entire crop. paid for it and were going to gather the same. Hetcher then forbid them the field until the difficulty could be adjusted. Duckworth and Shindle carried the matter to a lawyer by name of Dennet, who advised them to go. back and gather the corn, and gather it all, as it justly belonged to them. Upon Duckworth asking him what to do in case the Hetchers came out and objected, re- ceived the reply, "Why, kill them, to be sure;" not thinking, as he afterwad said, " that the d-d fools would do it." Shindle
and Duckworthi armed themselves with re- volvers and went back to the field next morn- ing, where they had been at work but a short time before the Hetcher boys came out. A few hot words were passed, when Duckworth and Shindle drew their weapons and shot their antagonists dead on the spot. The boys were arrested and tried, but, owing to some quibble, were acquitted. They left tlio country, however, before gathering the crop.
Montrose, the only village in the town- ship, a place of about 300 inhabitants, is situated in the southeast quarter of Section 3, on the Vandalia Railroad, and was laid out by J. B. Johnson, proprietor of the land, ' July 19. 1870, the plat being made by Cal- vin Mitchell, County Surveyor. The first building in the town was a store house built by Browning and Schooley, a short time after the survey had been made. They stocked it with a miscellaneous assortment of merchandise and for two years conducted a flourishing business, when they sold the stock to other parties and left the village. The sec- ond building was a storehouse also. moved here from a little place known as Bowen, about two miles east of the township line in the adjoining county, by Dr. H. G. Van Sandt. The house stands near the cen- tral part of the town, and is at present occu- pied by the store of Stephen Smith, to whom the doctor sold it after he had been in the place a couple of years. A third store was started in the town, in the year 1871. by P. H. Wiwi, who erected a very neat business house, which, like the stores already alluded to, was stocked with a general assortment of goods. In addition to his mercantile busi- ness, Wiwi erected a grain house, which he operated very successfully, handling moro grain during the year than was shipped from any other point on the road of the same size. He opened a market for live stock also, and
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HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.
for the past ten years has been considered one of the heaviest shippers of cattle and hogs in the county. In the year 1872, a third store was put in operation by James John- son, who moved a building to the place from the little village of "Jim Town," as it was called, in Cumberland County, where for sev- eral years he had been a very successful mer- chant. After locating here, his business in- creased so rapidly that a larger and more commodious building became a necessity, so he erected another house a few years since, a large two story, which he stocked with goods valued at about $6,500, by far the most com- plete store in the town. The old building is at present used for a freight-room and granary. Ross Twedey erected a business house about the same time that Johnson camo, and for two years sold goods, when he disposed of his stock to William McGin- nis, who in turn sold to Stephen Smith, the present proprietor, after running the busi- ness until the year 1874. Dr. Van Sandt erected a very commodious storeroom and dwelling house in the western part of the town several years ago, where he still does business in the general line, with a fine as- sortment of drugs, also, the only store of the kind in the place.
The Montrose Anchor Flouring Mill was built in the year 1871, by William Weigel & Son, and is one of the best mills in the east- ern part of Effingham County; it is three stories high, frame, and cost the proprietors the sum of $6,000. It is operated by steam, has three run of buhrs, and a grinding capacity of about forty barrels per day. Weigel & Son operated it three years, doing a flourishing custom and merchant trade, when they sold to Newhouse & Co., who ran it for a short time. Weiss & Docken- dorf were the next proprietors; they operated the mill as partners a couple of years, when
Weiss bought the entire interest and is the present owner. A blacksmith shop was built in the town, about 1871, by James Tubert, who worked at his trade here for two years, since then there have been several shops operated by different parties; at present there are two shops in operation. The Brazil House, first hotel of the place, was built about 1872, by Nelson Shull, who still runs it. Evan James built a second hotel about six years ago, the James House. H. G. Van Sandt was the first physician in the place, and has practiced his profession here con- tinuously since 1870, having at this time a large and lucrative practice. Dr. John John- son located in the town about one year after the place had been started, and for two or three years ministered to the ills of the vil- lage and surrounding country. Drs. Hallen- beck, Gladwell, Schefner, Minter and Park have at different times practiced medicine.
After the village had made considerable progress in its business, and the population had increased, efforts were made to induce the railway company to lay a side track through the town and voluntary subscriptions to the amount of $700 were raised toward that end. This mark of public enterprise pre- vailed and a switch was accordingly laid, and afterward a neat substantial brick depot erected. Since the switch was laid, the business of the company has so increased that there are no points on the entire line of the size of Montrose where as much shipping of grain and live stock takes place.
The citizens of the town early took an interest in educational matters, and a school was in progress, taught by Miss Eva Gilmore, one year after the first house had been erected in the village. The house in which this first school was taught was moved to the town from a point two miles in the country, and served for educational purposes until
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HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.
1876, at which ,time the fine brick house now in use was erected. The present building is 22xốt feet, one story high, and cost $1,600 to erect and complete it.
The religious history of the town dates from its first settlement, a fact which ought to speak well for the morals of the community. There are at present two religions organiza- tions in tho town, with as many houses of worship-the Southern Methodist and the Roman Catholic-neither of which seems to be doing that amount of good for the Master which the great founder of Christianity mani-
festly designed that they should do. In close proximity to these temples of the living God stand two black plague spots in the shape of gin shops, from which radiate bale- ful influences counteracting the good which the churches ought to exert. and spreading over the place a moral malaria which we must confess does not present a very agreeable commentary on its character.
"Wherever God erects a house of prayer,
The devil's sure to build his chapel there; And t'will be found upon examination
The latter always has the biggest congregation."
The Methodist Church was organized about the year 1868 one mile north of the town, by Rev. P. D. Vandeventer, with a membership of twenty persons, the majority of whom have since left the country. The organization was effected in a little log schoolhouse which for six years afforded the congregation a placo of worship. The or- ganization was moved to the town of Montrose in the summer of 1870, and the present edifice erected. which is a frame building and cost about $1,600. Since its organization, the church has been ministered to by the follow- ing pastors in the order named: P. D. Vandeventer was the first pastor: he remained with the congregation one year; J. A.
Beagle succeeded Vandeventer and preached one year also: J. F. Hensley came next and remained two years; he was followed by W. B. Lewellyn, who was pastor one year; J. A. Greeing was the regular supply for one year; C. T. McAnally succeeded the last named and remained the same length of time; N. A. Anld preached one year: W. A. Cross one year; J. M. McGrew one year; J. C. Bird had charge of the congregation two years; then J. F. Hensley served a second time as pastor for one year. The present pastor is Rev. H. K. Jones, who is now on his second year's labors. Connected with the church is a flourishing union Sunday school, which is well attended with an average of about fifty scholars, of which the pastor is the superin- tendent.
The St. Rosa Roman Catholic Church of Montrose dates its organization from the year 1879. Prior to that year, the Catholics of this village, of whom there were a goodly number, met with the church at Teutopolis, to which they were attached. In November of 1879, Father Francis, of the latter place, upon request of the members at Montrose, organized them into au independant congre- gation and steps were taken to erect a house of worship forthwith. The building was completed in the spring of 1880, the membership at that time numbering some twenty-five families. Like all their church editices, this house displays a great deal of taste, and money was not used sparingly in its erection. It cost the sum of $3,000, and is an ornament to the town. There are about twenty-five families connected with the church at present under the charge of the same priest who brought about the organiza- tion.
Wo will conclude this brief sketch of Montrose with the following exhibit of its
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HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.
business interests. There are now five general stores, kept respectively by G. H. Van Sandt, James Johnson, Stephen Smith, P. H. Wiwi and George Sturtzen; two warehouses, two
hotels, two blacksmith shops and express office. The present Postmaster is H. G. Van Sandt, who was also the first Postmaster of the place.
CHAPTER XXI .*
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP-ITS PHYSICAL FEATURES-TIMBER GROWTH, ETC .- EARLY SETTLEMENT- PIONEER HARDSHIPS-INDUSTRIES AND IMPROVEMENTS-THE STATE OF SOCIETY-EDU- CATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS-BEECHER CITY-A VILLAGE OF LARGE PRETENSIONS -ITS BUSINESS, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES, ETC.
" My country 'tis of thee, Sweet land of LIBERTY, Of thee I sing."
"THERE is no history more eagerly sought after than that which truthfully delin- eates the rise and progress of the State, coun- ty or community in which we live. There is pleasure as well as profit to every well-edu- cated and inquiring mind in contemplating the struggles of the early settlers in all por- tions of the Great West; how they encoun- tered and overcame every species of trial, hardship and danger to which human beings were ever subjected. But these things strike us more forcibly, and fill our minds with more immediate interest, when confined to our own county or township, where we can yet occasionally meet with some of the now gray-haired actors in those early scenes, with whom life's rugged day is almost over, wliose 'bravery in encountering the perils of front- ier life has borne an important part toward making our country what it now is, and whose acts, in connection with the hundreds of others in the first settling of our vast do- main have compelled the civilized world to acknowledge that the Americans are an in- vincible people.
To some of our readers it may appear rath- er small and insignificant work to record the
history of a single county or township. But it must be remembered that our vast Repub- lic is comprised of States, the States are di- vided into counties, and the counties into townships, each of which contributes its share toward the general history of the coun- try. And the little township of Liberty, occupying so small an extent of territory -- only about eighteen square miles-has a history fraught with interest to its own citi- zens, at least, if to none others.
The township of Liberty lies south of Shelby County, west of Banner Township, north of Moccasin Township, east of Fayette County, and comprises the south half of Township 9 north, in Range 4 east. About two-thirds of this township is prairie, alter- nating between level and rolling. The tim- ber is confined to the water-courses, and is principally oak, hickory, walnut, elm, syca- more, sugar tree, cottonwood, etc., and the land upon which it grows is mostly broken and hilly. The principal stream is Wolf Creek, which passes diagonally through the township from northeast to southwest, with several small tributaries. Moore Creek flows through the east part, and empties into Wolf Creek. The Springfield Division of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad passes through the southwest corner of the township, and has one station and shipping point - Beecher
* By W. 11. Perrin.
.
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HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.
City-which has proved of great advantage to the people.
The first white man, perhaps, that ever set foot upon the soil of Effingham County -- Griffin Tipsword-figured conspicuously in Liberty Township. He has descendants still living here and when he died he was buried in the Tipsword Graveyard on Wolf Creek. One or two of his sons spent their whole lives in Liberty and are also buried in the quiet graveyard that bears the family name. But as Mr. Bradsby has devoted considerable space to the Tipswords in a preceding chap- ter, we will pass them here without further mention.
No township in the county or perhaps in any of the surrounding counties can boast a greater diversity of nationality among its early inhabitants than Liberty Township. Many portions of our country, as well as different countries, contributed to its early settlement. In this little division we find the grave New Englander. the enterprising Buckeye, the hot-blooded Southerner and the awkward Hoosier, as well as the plodding German, the phlegmatic Englishman and the warm-hearted son of the " Ould Sod." Like the small streams that unite in forming the great river, these different kinds and races of people have blended into a population without an equal, in point of intelligence, enterprise and industry.
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