USA > Illinois > Henry County > History of Henry county, Illinois : it's taxpayers and voters, 1877 > Part 65
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Mr. Hamilton has officiated as Class Leader much of the time since the organization of the church. David Hadley is also Class Leader, and has been since 1867. James Henderson and F. M. Barnes are now Stew- ards, and Mr. Crane is and has been Recording Steward for ten years. Levi A. Hamilton is Steward for the Rock Island District. The present membership of this church is sixty. The Sabbath School was organized with this church. The first Supt. was Wm. Hitchcock ; the next, Levi A. Hamilton, followed by others, among whom are the names of Eben Wood- ward, Hiram Williamson, and David Hadley. The school as now constitu- ted, was organized May 14, 1876, and the last-named gentleman appointed Supt .; F. M. Barnes, Asst. Supt .; David Smith and Alice Woodward, Secys. The school is divided into seven classes. The teacher of the first class - adults, fourteen - is F. M. Barnes ; of the second - adults, seventeen - Robert Henderson; third - young ladies and gentlemen, eighteen - is Mrs. John Petteys; fourth -boys from 10 to 15 years of age, nine - James Henderson ; fifth - girls from 10 to 15 years, six - Mrs. A. A. Crane ; sixth -children from 8 to 10 years, ten in number - Mrs. James Henderson ; seventh - infant class, eighteen scholars - is taught by Mrs. Hiram Williamson. No. of officers, four ; teachers, seven; scholars, ninety-one. Total, 102.
A Presbyterian Church was organized in this Township by Rev. S. T. Wilson, Rev. J. C. Barr, Rev. David Kelly, and Ruling Elder Edmund Buck, of Andover, on Nov. 4, 1867, and Hiram Woodward and Charles Crabb were ordaincd Elders of the church.
The first sermon was preached by Rev. S. T. Wilson, of Rock Island. There were seventeen communicants, which subsequently increased to a membership of forty-two.
During the existence of this church there were ten baptisms. O11 June 5, 1870, William Sherrard and Johnson Mclaughlin were ordained Elders. The services were held in Hinman's School House. Subse- quently this church was dissolved, and a few of its members joined the present Presbyterian Church, of Munson.
There was also organized a Christian Church, on April 13, 1856, by Elders Levi Purviance and Hiram Petteys, composed of fourteen mem- bers. Rev. Levi Purviance preached the first sermon. The meetings were held in the school house, at Morristown. Rev. Hiram Like was the next regular minister. There was a Sabbath School in connection with this.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
The Osco and Western Mutual Fire Insurance Company was organ- ized March 15, 1876, under an act entitled, " An Act to Incorporate and Govern Mutual Fire Insurance Companies in Townships," approved April 3, 1872. The following officers were clected: A. McWhinney, Pres. ; J. H. Smith, Treas. ; A. A. Crane, Secy. ; and R. H. Hinman, J. T. Petteys, Bela Andrews, A. McWhinney, J. H. Smith, H. E. Stoughton, D. L. Keleher, and M. B. Lloyd were elected Directors.
This company bids fair to be a grand success. The report of the Secy. shows the aggregate amount of policies issued to be $63,990 ; receipts, $81.00 ; amount of expense, $43.25: amount in the treasury, $37.75.
WOODHULL
Is the largest town in the southwestern part of the county. It was laid out by Maxwell Woodhull of New York City, September 30, 1857. The original town was platted east of Division Street, and in 1867, Mr. J. W. Horn, a resident of town, laid out the portion north of the railroad and west of that street, except so much as belonged to Hugh Russell, Esq., who had laid out his portion, the northwest part, six years earlier, and on his plat the first buildings were erected. In 1870, Mr. Horn laid out a second addition, which embraces that part south of the railroad, west of Division Street, and including his residence. The first house erected within the present limits of town was the Widney Hotel. It was built for a dwelling, but being purchased by Mr. E. A. Widney, was con- verted into a hotel. This branch of the C. B. & Q. R. R. was surveyed in 1847, but several years elapsed before the grading was finished. In 1868, it was sold to the C., B. & Q. R. R. and by that company completed and put in running order. Until that date it was known as the Ameri- can Central Railroad. The buildings were at first erected on the west side of town (west of Division Street), except a few opposite the present post-office. By the time the cars commenced to run over the railroad, there were a half dozen stores, as many shops, and quite a number of carpenters and masons. The town has a growth peculiarly its own. Almost every other village or city in the county received a sudden impc- tus from the building of railroads, but this latter fact seemed to have but little effect on Woodhull. The town has maintained a steady growth from the erection of the first store and dwellings in the plat. Before tlie town was surveyed, a post-office called Heathland was kept at Mr. F. Heath's house, a short distance north of the village site. When the town was determined upon, it was thought to name the office and town Leoti, and was called by that name some time. In compliment to Mr. Wood- hull, the present name was given them.
Shortly after the first store was opened by M. N. Hurd, it was de- stroyed by fire with all its contents. Again in 1871, a building owned by T. S. McConnell, and containing a stock of goods owned by a Mr. Wright, was wholly destroyed by the same element. At this time, the fire also consumed an unoccupied building near. These two have been the only serious fires the village has experienced.
Probably no town of the size of Woodhull has commanded the grain and stock trade in such dimensions. During the year 1876, more than a half million of dollars were received at this place in exchange for prods
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
uce, and in 1870-71 and '72 more broom corn was shipped from Wood- hull, than from any point in the United States. In 1869, a good brick block was erected by J. D. Bell and Andrew Eason, and in 1876, a simi- lar one was built, the upper story of which contains a good lecture hall and the office of the Enterprise, a good local weekly paper.
It was no uncommon affair, before the railroad was completed, to see wagon after wagon filled with grain pass through Woodhull to Oneida, and returning the owners would make all their purchases here. The firm of Elder & Skinner sold in one year over $80,000 worth of goods. This trade is yet undiminished ; what is lacking in sales, is atoncd for in purchases of the farin products.
There are now about one dozen stores, a few more shops, three large elevators, one lumber yard, three hotels, and a large number of mechan- ics. The town has never granted a license to saloons of any kind, and steadily maintains a firm temperance standing.
Woodhull was incorporated in 1870, and the following board of officers elected : B. Taylor, President ; J. V. Kennagy, Clerk; W. O. Gamble, Treasurer, and Rev. W. C. Wagner and James Walton, Trustees. There are now seven trustees, instead of the original five elected. Their names appear elsewhere.
SCHOOLS.
Until about the year 1869, schools were held in the district school house. About that time they were graded, and the present building erected. It contains four rooms, three of which are occupied as school- rooms, the fourth as a recitation room. The report of the Principal, Mr. S. G. Mugrave, for January, 1877, shows 150 scholars enrolled. and an average attandance of 102.
CHURCHES.
The largest church here is the Swedish Lutheran. It was organized on Oct. 15, 1868, with thirteen members, whose names werc as follows : G. Lagergron, Y. E. Carlson, E. Hawkinson, S. Hawkinson, T. M. Lind- quist, C. Lindquist, S. T. Petterson, Y. Grenborg, Y. Clas, N. T. Hulstrom, M. Olson, T. Olson and O. Truedson. They were organized in the old Presbyterian Churchi, where they met for divine worship for some time. In 1869, they built a house of worship costing $2,000. It proving too small, they erccted the present commodious house of worship in 1876, at an expense of $5,000. The pastor is Rev. T. M. Sandquist. The num- ber of communicants is now 275. A good Sunday-school is regularly maintained.
The Catholic Church was organized about six years since, with six or eight families. They, with the aid of other churches of their denomina- tion more wealthy, have just completed a very fine village church. The . number of families has not greatly increased since the organization. Ser- vices are held here by priests from other places.
THE PRESS,
In December, 1875, the Reporter made its first appearance. It was published by Magner & Carlin, editors and proprietors. It was continued until December, 1876, when the office was purchased by J. J. McHose,
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
who enlarged it from a three-column page paper to a seven-column folio, and the name changed to the Woodhull Enterprise. It is still continued with R. H. Magner and J. J. McHose as editors, and is issued weekly. It is an excellent local paper, and is all its name indicates.
It would be well to mention here before closing the history of Wood- hull, that Gen. Schenck, late Minister to England, is largely interested in property here and at Nekoma, and pays these villages a visit nearly every other year.
WOODHULL OFFICIALS.
Pres., J. B. Ridenour ; Clerk, Robt. Magner ; Treas., S. W. Neely. Trustees, William Templeton, J. E. Kellogg, J. W. Cox, S. W. Wiley, William Cornell.
MORRISTOWN.
In the Summer of 1852, Henry Selby built a store and laid out a town upon Sec. 6, in the northwest corner of the township, which was ealled Morristownl. This formed a nueleus of a thriving settlement, having a post-offiee, blacksmith shops, two stores, a church, school-house, harness shops, ete., but the subsequent building of the railroad, and the location of the station at Osco, has taken mueh of the business away to Osco and other points. The village now contains twelve dwelling houses, two stores, one shoemaker shop, a meeting-house and a sehool-house.
DAYTON.
But five or six families reside on the original plat of Dayton.' Among them is George Brandenburg, one of the earliest settlers, and whose hospitable mansion was once the only tavern in the county. It is one of the oldest towns, and was laid out October 31, 1836, by Mark M. Aiken. It was at one time the stopping place on the Chicago, Dixon and Roek Island stage route, and but for the rapid development of towns near it, and the railroads passing it by, might have been one of the larg- . est towns within the county.
OPHEIM (formerly Edwardsville).
Is a small village a few miles north of Alpha, on the Chicago, Rock Island and St. Louis Railroad, containing about one hundred inhabitants. It has an exeellent trade in grain and farm produets. One good store, a few shops, an elevator and a lumber yard comprise the business interests.
CHURCHES.
The Swedish Methodists maintain a good ehureh here. It has been organized but a few years, and does not yet support a regular minister.
OAKLEY (GREEN RIVER STATION)
Is a small town on the Chieago and Northwestern Railway, about one mile east of Colona. Prior to the crossing of the roads being established at this latter place, Oakley commanded a good grain trade. It was laid out August 11, 1865, by Thomas F. Davenport, and now contains about
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
1
one hundred inhabitants. The town supports two or three stores, as many shops, one hotel and an clevator. The children are sent to the dis- trict school near, and the people attend church at Cleveland or Colona.
COLONA
Was laid out July 25, 1855, by Mareus Warren, and at present eontains nearly two hundred inhabitants. The first building erected in town was the warehouse built by J. A. Sawyer in 1854, just at the completion of the railroad. Considerable trade in grain and wood is carried on here, and in the early days of the railroad Mr. M. Davis, the first inhabitant of the place, supplied almost all the wood used on this division of the rail- road. This elevator was used until the. tornado of May, 1859, occurred, which blew it down in common with many other buildings. It also destroyed the Roek River railroad bridge, 1,200 feet long, hurling it entire into the river below. Its eourse was to the east, and great ruin was occasioned by it. Owing to the intersection of the Chieago and Northwestern, and Rock Island and St. Louis Railroads, a good trade is maintained at Colona, supporting two or three good stores, several shops and an elevator.
SCHOOLS.
Sehool was held, in, what is now the Catholic Church, until about 1871, when the present comfortable three-room building was erected. Three departments are conducted, and each enjoys a good attendance.
CHURCHES.
There are three congregations in town-the Catholic, Methodist and Presbyterian ; the latter, however, do not now sustain regular preaching, but maintain their Sunday-school.
ALPHA.
This village is situated in the southwest part of the county, at the junction of the Galva and Keithsburg Railroad with the Rockford, Rock Island and St. Louis. It was laid out by Anson Calkins, June 1, 1872, and at present contains about one hundred inhabitants. There are three or four stores, as many shops, a depot, and two hotels.
Prior to the building of these railroads, the town of Oxford, a few miles to the southwest, supplied the wants of the citizens of that locality. It was laid out by Daniel and James M. Briggs, February 25, 1858, on the west half of Seetion 30, town of Oxford. At this place, in 1860, existed the wildcat " Bank of the Mississippi Valley," whose assets were said to be one worthless iron safe, one eent-old fashioned copper-part of one lead peneil, a rusty steel pen and a half sheet of foolscap with figures on it.
The starting of the towns of Alpha and Windsor, in the county im- mediately west, both near to Oxford and on the railroad, eaused a general removal of all houses to these places, and the town of Oxford is now extinct, the town plat being used for farming land. One church, the , still remains ; the others being taken to Alpha and
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Windsor. Alpha bids fair to become a good business town, having the advantage of the railway crossing. There is no reason why a good town will not be seen here within a few years. The children are sent to the district school near, but in a short time it is expected to erect a com- modious school-house in the village.
One church, the Baptist, now supports regular divine service. It was organized in September, 1876, with seven members. There are now thirty-six, and an attendance of ninety-five scholars at the Sunday- school. They occupy a very comfortable church, erected some two years ago. The pastor, Rev. J. C. Lewis has been with the congregation some three years, commencing lis labors prior to the organization.
NEKOMA
Is a small village east of Woodhull. It was laid out by M. Z. V. Wood- hull, of Washington City, July 21, 1869. It enjoys a good grain trade, and at one time was thought to be the commencement of a large town. It is, however, too close to Galva, Woodhull and towns south to expect to attain a great size. It contains two or three stores, as many shops, an elevator and several artisans.
CHURCHES OF HENRY COUNTY.
HANNA TOWNSHIP.
The first church organization in the Township of Hanna, also the first in the county, was at the house of P. K. Hanna, in the Fall of 1835, where the Methodist Society was organized. Rev. Colin D. James was the first pastor. Among the active workers of the church were : John P. Hanna, C. Renshaw, James Searle, Thomas Hill, William Shafer, as class leaders ; P. K. Hanna, and Daniel Walsh, as local preachers. And also Henry Hand, who deserves to be mentioned as one of the most ear- nest supporters of the church.
In 1854, the society built a brick church at a cost of three thousand dollars, known as the " Rock River Chapel." This was used by the so- ciety until the Fall of 1875, when they built a much finer church in the village of Cleveland, at a cost of four thousand five hundred dollars. The board of trustees are P. K. Hanna, Henry Hand, Thomas Hill, Will Shafer, J. H. Sale, J. A. Sawyer, and Milton Hill. The present mem- bership is eighty ; Sabbath-school attendance, one hundred. Rev. P. K. Hanna and wife, Geo. A. Colbert and wife, Mrs. Sullivan and two daughters, were among the original members.
The Evangelical Church was organized March 25, 1873, in school-house No. 7, of Edford Township, in which place services had been held some time previous. The original membership was twenty-three persons, among whom were the following: Geo. Pobanz, Jno. Hintz, F. Pobanz, Wm. Pobanz, Jno. Neumann, Jno. Erdmann, Julius Parpat, Carl Nitz. Their present church-building was erected at a cost of $3.000, and is under the pastoratc of Rev. Gustav A. Regier. The membership is now sixty-two, and the Sunday-school fifteen.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
CORNWALL TOWNSHIP.
The Calvary Presbyterian Church of Rock River Presbytery, was organized Jan. 2, 1868, at 10 A. M., in the Methodist Episcopal Church, on the north linc of Burns Township. The organization was effected by the following committee of Bureau Presbytery : Rev. J. C. Barr, Rev. J. Milligan, and Ruling Elders Alex. White, Charles M. Priestly, Rev. J. S. McClung, and Moses Thatcher. Rev. J. C. Barr preached a sermon from Isaiah xl., 31. John Fleming was at this meeting elected, ordained and installed as Ruling Elder of the church. Their earliest meetings were held in school-house No. 4, on Sec. 27.
In 1870-71, a church was built on Sec. 27, N.W. corner of S.W.t. at a cost of $3,500. Rev. J. S. McClung was stated supply of the church from the date of its organization until March, 1871. The present pastor, Rev. F. I. Moffatt, served the church as stated supply from Octo- ber, 1871, up to Dec. 10, 1872, when he was installed pastor, in which capacity he still officiates. The original members were: H. S. Rogers, Mrs. Phoebe Rogers, W. W. Winters, Mrs. Virginia Winters, Wm. Allen, Mrs. Margaret Allen, Thomas Rowland, Mrs. C. T. McClung, Mrs. A. C. Torence, John Fleming, Mrs. Mary A. Fleming, Mrs. Sarah A. Calender, A. E. Benedict, Mrs. Harriet T. Benedict, Gabriel Romig, James J. Dickey, Mrs. Caroline E. Dickey, Isaac Callender, James Orr, Alexander Walker, W. H. Torrence. The present membership is seventy-three ; Sabbath-school attendance about forty.
COLONA TOWNSHIP.
United Presbyterian Church. The United Presbyterian Church of Colona was organized Dec. 22, 1866, in the Colona school-house, with twelve members, and were constituted a church by Rev. H. Wallace and Elder A. Blair, of Davenport, Iowa, committee from Presbytery, and Rev. J. Todd, missionary, in accordance with a petition drawn up by S. H. Weed, and signed by ten members and eighty adherents of the cause. By request, the U. P. Presbytery of Rock Island sent Rev. Henry Wallace, of Rock Island, to view the field, who preached in the school- house the latter part of June, 1865; this was the second sermon preached in the village of Colona. Two weeks later, Rev. William Cooke, of Homestead Church, preached. Rev. J. F. Martin came as missionary Sept. 15, 1865, and was succeeded by Rev. J. P. Finney, and he by Rev. S. H. Weed, Licentiate, July 15, 1866, and he by Rev. J. K. Blair, and Rev. John Todd. The earliest meetings were held in the Colona school- house ; meetings were also held in private houses. The names of the original members are Andrew Stewart, Grace Moderwell, Christina Mod- erwell, Jos. Moderwell, Jane Moderwell, James Montgomery, Sr., Sarah Bell, William McGonagil, Sr., Elizabeth McGonagil, Mary Cochran, Barbara McFerran, and Margaret McCall. Joseph Moderwell and An- drew Stewart were elected and ordained ruling elders of the organization. Wm. McGonagil is at present a deacon.
September 30, 1867, the congregation chose S. H. Weed, J. J. Baum, and James Bell, building committee. A frame church, 32x50 feet, with belfry and spire, was built, and was opened for worship Oct. 18, 1868.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
The cost was $2,108.33 in cash, and about $1,000 in work and material was donated. April 3, 1873, a bell was procured, costing $253.76.
Rev. S. H. Weed, having been ordained Nov. 23, 1867, labored as a missionary till June 15, 1869, when he was installed pastor, which office he held till April 30, 1876. At present the congregation has no pastor, but is under the care of Rev. J. A. Reynolds, of Rock Island, and Elders F. Ferguson and J. Caughey, of Homestead Church, by appointment of the Presbytery.
The total number of members is fifty-eight, two of whom died, three were suspended, and thirty-two have removed, leaving at present twenty- one persons in full membership, and fifty-four baptized non-communing members. The average attendance at Sabbath-school is about forty. Capt. J. E. Wilkins, Rev. S. H. Weed, James Bell, and Andrew Grass, have all been superintendents in the Sabbath-school. Elder Jos. Davis has removed to Nebraska. Capt. J. E. Wilkins, who served as deacon, has removed to Iowa.
EDFORD TOWNSHIP.
The Church of God was organized Sept. 16, 1876, at the " Howard School-house," where those interested in forming a church had been hold- ing services since the 8th of April, previous. Among the original mem- bers were W. T. Harris and L. E. Harris. Preliminary steps have been taken for the erection of a house of worship at an early day. The pas- tors have been W. R. Coovert and M. S. Newbommer. They now have thirty-eight communicants, with an attendance of thirty-five in Sunday- school.
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. The earliest meetings of this body were held in the Central School-house in 1867, and the church organization was effected the same year, with a membership of about a dozen persons. This has been very materially augmented since, until they have gathered in about fifty families. The church building was erected in 1872, at a cost of $2,500. The present pastor is Rev. I. P. Guenther.
GRAND VIEW M. E. CHURCH.
Grand View M. E. Church. Rev. Mr. Colbert organized the first class in 1842. Among those who rendered valuable service to this church in its early history, werc the following : Revs. Philip Hannah, William McHenry and N. Smith, as local preachers ; and later, Rev. Zach Welch. Among the early pastors, Rev. Bart. Cartwright, Revs. Harvey and Burr. Rev. H. J. Humphrey, Rev. G. W. Brown, Rev. C. M. Wright, and Rev. Mr. Falkenbury.
The later pastors were Revs. G. M. Morey, Ralph Kinney, A. C. Frick, M. D. Heekard, J. W. Odell, J. J. Fluharty, C. M. Swartz, Lorin Webb, J. W. Megan, Ahab Keller, G. C. Woodruff, and the present pastor, Rev. J. W. Otterman.
The first organization worshiped for several years in the house of Mr. Southworth, and afterwards for many years in school-houses. The present church edifice was erected in 1871, under the labors and direction of Rev. C. W. Swartz.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
BISHOP HILL.
Swedish M. E. Church. This church was organized in the Fall of 1864, with about twenty members. The principal ones were Eric Beng- tron, Jonas Engstrom, Eric Soder, Jons Watstrom, George Erickson. The earliest meetings were held in the Bishop Hill School-house, also in private houses. Soon after the organization a wagon shop was pur- chased for $400; meetings were held in the second story of this house, until 1868, and in that year the congregation completed, ready for use, a very commodious house of worship, at a cost of $3,500. The following preachers have labored herc : N. O. Westergreen, one year; Peter Chall- man, one year; A. J. Anderson, four years ; Eric Shogren, three years ; H. W. Eklund, one year ; J. E. Dergren, three years.
The congregation now have one hundred and eighty-four members, and a Sabbath-school of eighty scholars. Jonas Engstrom, who acted as trustee in the church in its early days, is preaching in Kansas, having emigrated with several others from Bishop Hill to Kansas some years ago.
The Lutheran Church, Opheim. This church is a branch of the Swedona Lutheran Church, and has no regular organization of its own ; Rev. A. Andreen preaches.
KEWANEE TOWNSHIP.
German Evangelical Church, Kewanee Township. Until the erec- tion of their church edifice in 1866, the members of this congregation held their meetings for divine service in the school-house on Section 28. They were organized here about this time with twenty-eight members. Owing to a division in the church, and the forming of another church near, the membership is now sixteen. The attendance at Sunday-school is now twenty-scven.
The following ministers have successively held the pastorate here : Revs. Herman Lessner, G. F. Gruber, C. G. Haack, - Hilmer, - Rein, G. W. Regier and - Hantel. The Rev. William Meyer, pastor of the church at Princeton, Bureau County, is now [pastor in charge, preaching once a month.
YORKTOWN TOWNSHIP.
Evangelical Association, section 27, Yorktown Township, was organ- ized in 1851, at the house of Peter Luther, with seventeen members. They have increased to one hundred and seventy-five, and a Sunday- school of two hundred scholars. In 1867 they erected a church edifice at a cost of $3,000. Their pastors since 1854 have been as follows : Revs. William Kolb, John Schneider, J. C. Anthus, J. C. Spielman, John Dengel, R. Rothermund, A. Hcilman, Joseph Schnee, M. Heyl, A. Gock- ley, P. Himmel, E. Freeden, M. Heyl, V. Forkel, A. Goetschiel, A. Woe- her and C. Gagstetter.
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