USA > Illinois > Iroquois County > History of Iroquois County > Part 7
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Limestone was introduced into the township by the first farm advisor, Mr. Lewis W. Wise, who came to the county in 1912. Use of phosphate and sweet corn as soil builders followed soon after limestone. Two-row cultivators which came in the 1920's were considered a great help. The steam-powered threshers were introduced before 1900 and used until combines were widely accepted in the 1940's.
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It was a great day for the farmer and every member of his family when the thrashing machine, manned by three men, came down the lane. The machine men had to be fed three meals a day, with lunches in be- tween and were usually given a night's lodging.
Considerable livestock was raised on each farm. Disease was preva- lent among farm animals, as well as humans. Home remedies were used but sometimes not too effective. The first veterinarian, Dr. Stringer, came to the township in 1905, and was soon the busiest man around. He was followed in 1910 by Dr. Carl Yoder. Dr. J. V. Oltman, Dr. Scanton, and Dr. R. M. Hampton followed. Dr. Oltman practiced here until his death in 1950, and Dr. Hampton retired in 1962. Dr. Winkler was here from 1952 to 1962, and Dr. A. J. Day came in 1961.
The corn was picked or "shucked" by hand. Once again the house- wife had a big job as extra men were hired and given room and board as well as so much a bushel for picking (usually three cents in 1900, six cents by 1930).
Haying also meant extra keep. Usually the neighbors came with their hayracks and sometimes, an extra mowing machine or two. Bailing hay by machine became general about the same time as machines were used for other farm jobs. All of the machines followed the acceptance of the tractor as a necessity.
Tractors and motorized trucks of all sizes came on the scene in the 1930's and revolutionized the whole farming system. Larger plows, larger cultivators, a whole new method of harvesting-the combine and corn picker-made it possible for one man to farm more acres than in the past. This trend has continued down to the present.
A large creamery, the Watseka Dairy Products Company came to the township in 1935, using the Volberding Ice Cream Company plant on Ash Street in Watseka. This Company bought whole milk from farmers. When the business was expanded and other plants operated in this sec- tion of Illinois and Indiana, the name was changed to the Crystal Dairy Products Company. A spice factory, The Crystal Food Products Company was started on the same premises on Ash Street in 1959.
In 1928, a shirt factory, The Walton Duplex Company was built along the north side of the T. P. & W. tracks east of Eighth Street, but this com- pany did not stay long. The building was leased to Western Condenser in 1939. That Company was consolidated with T. R. W. and in 1967, em- ploys 300 people from many parts of the county and is of great economic value.
Uarco, Inc. came to Watseka in 1951 and built a plant on the north side of the T. P. & W. tracks at the west city limits, almost on the banks of Sugar Creek. It is a progressive and constantly growing plant, em- ploying 650 people in 1967. It is a great asset to all of Middleport as well as to the surrounding townships.
The American Telephone and Telegraph (A. T. & T.) Company built a large Repeater station on the Cemetery Road in Middleport in
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1926, with an addition in 1928. Operations such as this one have grown more important through the years with the rapid advances in communica- tions, radio, and television. It affects the daily lives of all in many ways.
The Iroquois County Farm Bureau was organized in the Old Court House in Middleport Township in November, 1913. The Iroquois County Home Bureau was organized in 1928. The name was changed to Home- makers Extension. These two groups sponsor 4-H Clubs; Middleport has 4 Home Economics 4-H clubs and 2 agriculture 4-H Clubs in 1967. The first clubs in the county were organized by high school Home Eco- nomics teachers in 1926.
The public schools were constantly improved over the years. Mid- dleport had a school at Pittwood, West Watseka, and the North Side grade school in Watseka in addition to eight one room schools. Today, all of the rural districts have been consolidated into a Middleport school at Pittwood, West Watseka, and District #69 which has three buildings now.
The only private school in the township is the Welles School for Re- tarded Children. This school was started in March, 1953 by Miss Nona West, county nurse. Seven families with retarded children met and or- ganized the Iroquois Association for Retarded Children. By October, twelve children were registered and the school was opened in one room at the Lutheran school at Woodworth. By 1955, the Welles trustees be- came interested, and the school was moved to the old Welles school property on East Cherry Street west of the Presbyterian Church. Since no funds from taxation were available at this time, the school was sup- ported by parents and voluntary contribution. Children from all over the county were enrolled, and the parents furnished transportation. After seven years, the Welles property was sold and a new building constructed on the Cemetery road at the northeast edge of Watseka by the Welles trustees.
In 1962 a sheltered Workshop was opened in the building on Cherry Street. A substantial donation in 1964 from the Sophia Steinhilber estate made possible the construction of a new building adjacent to the Welles school for the workshop. The workshop program is for young adults sixteen or over who are not employable on their own. Work is solicited from local industries or businesses, and the young people paid for their work. The workshop requires close supervision.
In 1967, 33 children from age five through the workshop age are attending Welles School. Some state funds are available today, with about 50% of the required budget coming from taxes and 50% from do- nations. This school is operated by a board of 9 members elected by the association.
The Watseka Public Library on the corner of Cherry and Fourth Streets was built in 1903 and ready for occupancy in 1904. Mr. George H. Miller, a Bloomington architect, designed the building. The contract was let for $12,050 and $2000 was allowed for fixtures and furniture. The second floor auditorium was to be for the use of Watseka Women's Club
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and other organizations. In 1967 the Library contains 15,000 volumes and has approximately 2000 borrowers, with an annual circulation of 18,500.
In the fall of 1907 all of the churches got together and built a huge, rough board "Tabernacle" on the west side of Third Street between Cherry and Locust. The seats were rough boards set on tile and the only heat, a pot-bellied coal stove, in the front. The platform had a piano, a pulpit, and room for a choir. Music was an important part of the service and was led by a professional musician who was hired with the evangelist. "The Old Time Religion" was belted out each evening to be heard for blocks away. Many people confessed their sins and joined some church during these meetings-some to remain faithful and others to "slip back to their sinful card playing, dancing, and gambling." The churches active in 1900 were Methodist, Catholic, Christian, Presbyterian and Friends. Congregations were formed later by Episcopalians, Missouri Synod Lu- theran, American Lutheran, Baptist and Church of Christ. Seven Day Adventists met at the home of Mr. David Johnson, the barber, in the early years. There were two churches at Pittwood, Christian and Seven Day Adventists. The latter church was discontinued many years ago, as it was in Watseka.
The first concrete or paved road crossed Middleport in 1915 when a narrow road was built west of Watseka. Illinois State Route 1 was paved
Stanley house built in 1867 at the corner of Fifth and Cherry Streets in Watseka. Dismantled in 1966.
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in 1920 and U. S. Route 24 was paved in 1921. From this time until today the roads of Middleport Township have been constantly improved until there is a good network of farm-to-market roads over the whole area.
Watseka Main Street in 1876. Looking northeast from Courthouse at Second and Cherry Streets.
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Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad crossing Chicago and Eastern Illinois tracks in Watseka .. Old railroad tower on right.
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Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad depot with Iroquois Hotel in background taken in 1914.
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Milford Township
The settlement of Milford began in 1830 along Sugar Creek, the area taking its name from a ford by a mill on this stream. At the time of this settlement it formed a part of Vermilion County and was the only settlement, except Bunkum, now Iroquois, between North Fork and Chi- cago. Milford is situated in the southeastern part of Iroquois County, bounded on the north by Belmont, east by Stockland, south by Lovejoy, and on the west by Ash Grove townships.
The earliest settlement in Milford of which any account can be ob- tained was made in the timber on the banks of Sugar Creek. Early in the year of 1830, Samuel Rush, Robert Hill, and Elisha Miles emigrated from Indiana and settled upon land in the northern part of the Township. Mr. Rush claimed that he was the first white settler, and it is said that he was here in the fall of 1829. Mr. Rush drove his team of oxen hitched to a covered wagon to a place near Sugar Creek. He removed the cover from his wagon and used is at a cover on his first house. As soon as he could, he built a three-sided house of logs with the roof and floor of bark; a fire was kept burning in front of the open side. This house was on the Rush homestead where Donald Theesfield now lives.
The only road in the country was what was known as the Hubbard Trail, between Danville and the lake shore by the way of Bunkum. Mr. Hubbard, who lived in Danville, had a trading post in Bunkum. As there was no regularly laid out road, the route he followed was named after him.
The first Post Office in Milford, named Driftwood, was established at the house of Levi Thompson, about the year 1833. Thompson was post- master. The mail was usually carried on horseback, the carrier stopping at Thompson's house over night. Previous to this time, letters were brought from LaFayette, Indiana, or Danville by any person who might by chance come to Milford. Asa Thomas built the first house in the
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township south of Sugar Creek. The first marriage ceremony performed was that of Elizah Sapp and Miss Ally Thomas, daughter of Asa Thomas. Sapp was obliged to walk to Danville, a distance of thirty-five miles for the license.
The first adult person who died was Mrs. Singleton who was fatally burned by falling into the fireplace in her home. Her grave was prepared by first laying poles on the bottom and sides, then putting her body in and covering it in the same manner.
March 3, 1874, the village of Milford was incorporated. July 1, 1874, the Milford post office was made a mail order office. The postmaster at this time was James Woodworth, father of Frank Woodworth. March 3, 1874, Citizens State Bank was organized by A. M. and E. S. Jones, twin brothers, and their sister Priscilla Jones.
The first township election was held in the year of 1856. Fifty-one votes were cast. Elected were Supervisor, Town Clerk, Assessor, Collector, Overseer of the Poor, and Road Commissioner. September 5, 1859, the people voted to levy a tax of 1% to pay for a new school. The building contract was let at a cost of $320.00. It was to be 18' x 24', of good ma- terial throughout, to be painted, and to include ten seats and a teacher's desk. The new school was finished in March, 1860. The teacher's salary was eighteen dollars per month.
In 1876, Donovan and Vennum Bank was called First National Bank, with Horace Russell, cashier. This building was located where Milford Township building is now situated. The Milford Building Loan Asso-
SEHESARL
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EAT ARKETY
Meat market in Milford, Illinois taken in 1898.
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ciation was founded in 1883. Warren Davis spent seventy years in Citizens State Bank and Milford Building Loan.
Edward L'Hote bought the Herald News in 1878; Warren Hart- berg now owns and has operated this paper since 1931.
In February, 1932, the Nazarene Church was organized; the Baptist Church was organized in 1961.
In 1960, a census of Milford Township was taken. The population was 2240, of which the population of the village of Milford was 1699. The timbered areas and prairie have changed somewhat from the days of the first settlement. Today the country side is a thriving agricultural region. Milford is very proud of their industries and the new Citizens State Bank building, Decker Sales Commission Co., Ritenour Concrete Products, Reeves Brothers Construction Co., Howard Industries, and Jessie Machine Shop.
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Milks Grove Township
Milks Grove is the northwestern township in Iroquois County. It is bounded on the north by Kankakee County, on the east by Chebanse, on the south by Ashkum, and on the west by Ford County. Originally this township was named "Hickory Grove" due to a well-developed grove of hickory trees of about 300 acres in the center of this area. The name of Milks Grove was given to the township because of the influence Mr. Lemuel Milk had in its development.
Colonel William Howard of New York came to this area sometime in the late 1840's. Colonel Howard's occupation was that of a drover, buying cattle and driving them to market. Consequently, he never lived in the township but did own land in it. Mr. Rutledge H. Enos came to the township as Mr. Howard's representative. The area was known as Enos' Grove as a result of this man's living there.
In 1850 Colonel Howard proposed that Mr. Milk buy out the Colonel's interest in the Grove. Mr. Milk bought half interest and Colonel Howard gave the remaining half of land to his son. With the death of Col. Howard in 1853 Milk bought the interest from the Colonel's son.
Actually Lemuel Milk came to the area bearing his name in 1851. He developed extensive land holdings in the area, but primarily he was interested in raising first sheep, and later cattle. He developed quite a cattle-feeding operation over the approximately fifty farms he owned. Ranging in size from 80 acres to a section, these farms were not all in this township.
The township grew in population until some years after the Civil War. The first settler was Mr. R. H. Enos who had managed the Grove Farm for Col. Howard and later for Mr. Milk. The township was first organized in 1872. The first township officers were R. C. Munger, super- visor; B. W. Gilborne, clerk; Samuel Walker, assessor; and C. W. Summer, collector.
The early history of Milks Grove Township is so much a part of the life of Lemuel Milk that a few more facts about him seem to be pertinent. Mr. Milk was a farmer, stock raiser, and merchant. By steadily increasing his land ownership, he possessed 9,000 acres at one time. He owned land in Kankakee County as well as other property in Kankakee, Wilmington, Manteno, and Chicago and approximately 12,000 acres in Indiana.
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Onarga Township
When the first settlers came to what is now Onarga Township, they were attracted by Spring and Shave Tail Creeks whose banks were sur- rounded by timber and good land. The first white man to enter the area was Gordon S. Hubbard, a fur trader. The first white settler was Jesse Amos who came from Sugar Creek and stayed with the Indians during the summer and fall of 1833. In may, 1834, the second settler, John Miller, made his claim and built a shelter for his wife and four children.
Ira Lindsey, Jonas Smith and son, James, and J. B. Grice left West Virginia in 1834 and came to Illinois, accompanied by Abram Lehigh, who had emigrated from New York to West Virginia, to Ohio and to Indiana. Frederick A. Lehigh, born August 14, 1835, was the first white child born on Spring Creek.
The nearest mill at this time was thirty miles away, the only market eighty-five miles, and the closest doctor twenty miles away. Jonas Smith was the first county surveyor. The first election in Spring Creek was held in the home of James Smith in the fall of 1835. Judges appointed by the county court were Levi Thompson, Ira Lindsey, and John Johnson.
Ira Lindsey, one of these judges, was the first to build a brick house in 1834 and also a large barn. He was also the justice of the peace.
Other early settlers included James Martin who worked for Lindsey and Ayers. Samuel Mason Ayers arrived in 1834. In the spring of 1835, Col. James Frame settled in the area and operated a hand mill for grinding corn. In the fall of 1835, Jonathan Wright arrived; the first wed- ding on Spring Creek was that of his daughter, Louisa, who married Jacob A. Whiteman of Bunkum. Several families settled in Spring Creek in 1836 including the Thomas Pangborns, the Caleb Jewetts, Oliver Millers, Alexander Harpers, and the Reuben Skeels.
Thomas A. Norvell was keeper of the first hotel in Onarga. The first blacksmith was John Shipley. The first business opened in Del Rey in 1853 was by Frank Walker; Gardner and Pecks operated the first general store. In 1854 the first United States post office opened in Del Rey with an annual net income of $1.57. The Onarga post office opened in 1855 with an annual net income of $16.99.
After the Illinois Central Railroad from Kankakee to Spring Creek (a distance of thirty-one miles) was opened December 2, 1853, many families migrated to the area.
During the early days nothing but surface wells were dug. These became dry during the summer months. Much of the sickness among the settlers and loss of livestock was blamed on these dry wells. In 1854 Thomas Lindsey bored in the bottom of two wells. The railroad well at Onarga hit a vein at one hundred feet. Samuel Harper, two miles east of Onarga, struck a stream at eighty-five feet which was the first flowing well in the county. It was estimated there were over 2,000 flowing wells in the county at one time, most of them in the Onarga area.
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At the time the Illinois Central Railroad reached Onarga in the fall of 1853, there were only two or three houses and a freight-passenger depot. A few pioneers lived on the banks of Spring Creek, but there was not a house on the prairie west of the station for twenty miles. W. P. Pierson occupied the first building in 1853; James Watts built a house which he sold to Nelson Skeels in 1853; and the railroad built a boarding house in 1853. When Pierson first arrived, he used the freight house as an office, and in 1853 started the first business selling lumber, furniture, hardware, farm implements, and household articles. (In the crash of 1857, Pierson's was the only business along the railroad that did not fail. )
Onarga was laid out in 1854 by David A. Neal, vice president of the railroad. It is on a high ridge, twenty-three feet above Gilman at the north and the creek bed three and one-half miles south. At a general election in November, 1855, the township system of local government was adopted with Onarga, one of the eleven townships created. It was twelve and three-fourths miles east and west by ten miles north and south. In 1861 two tiers of sections were taken from Loda on the south and a five and one-half miles strip from the north. In 1879 an additional strip, four and one-half miles wide from north to south, was taken to create Ridgeland Township. The present area is approximately eight and one- half miles east and west and six and one-half miles north and south.
On April 1, 1856, at the first township election, eighty-eight votes were cast electing Ray W. Andrews, supervisor; Dr. A. N. Crawford, town clerk; Dr. Lemuel Boyd, assessor; Nelson Skeels, collector; and Thomas A. Norvell, Jacob Riner, and Daniel Wright, commissioners of highways.
Dr. A. N. Crawford settled in the area in 1854, later selling to Dr. John L. Parmalee. A lumber yard opened in 1856, and a banking busi- ness started in 1867.
An election on February 9, 1863, resulted in the incorporation of the village of Onarga. The first trustees elected March 16, 1863 were Charles H. Wood, G. G. Webb, Winslow Woods, Cyrus Austin, and Richard A. Hungerford. March 30, 1876, it was organized under the general village charter.
Allen Pinkerton, the famous detective and founder of the Pinkerton Agency, purchased a large tract of land (254.22 acres) in 1864. He left it remain in its original condition of raw prairie for several years. He later sold several small tracts of land including twenty-five acres for the site of the Iroquois County fair, operated by the Iroquois County Agri- cultural Society. In 1873 he began his idea of a prairie farm, "the acme of western rural development," and after seven years of labor and great expense, "The Larches" became the model farm of Iroquois County. Over 1000 evergreens, 85,000 larch and many maple trees were planted on the grounds, and the orchard contained pear, quince, cherry, and 2000 apple trees. A modern home resembling a southern mansion was built. In addition there were two greenhouses, barns, stables, corn crib, ice house, and fruit house, as well as a snuggery or wine cellar adjoining the resi-
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dence. An artificial lake one hundred feet long was at the rear of the house; marble and terra cotta vases further beautified the grounds. Al- though time has caused much deterioration, the house still stands.
There are five known cemeteries in Onarga township. One is at Del Rey, known as the Lehigh cemetery. The Onarga cemetery, organized in 1858, contains the graves of the Timothy Websters (father and son) shot as Civil War spies and made famous by Allen Pinkerston's book, The Spy of the Rebellion. In addition there are the Frame, Pangborn, and Jefferson cemeteries.
The first school was organized in 1836 in the Lehigh cabin, with neighborhood schools being added, until in 1880, there were thirteen. The first village school was built in 1856. The present two-story brick school was built in 1867; an addition with an unusual mansard roof was built in 1872, and the gymnasium in 1937. As early as 1865, separate schools for Negro children were organized, but were suspended and the students attended the public schools. The first high school class, con- sisting of five girls, graduated from the Onarga High School in 1880. The first male graduate was F. L. Brodie in 1883, who had been born a slave in Windsor, South Carolina. At the age of sixteen, he learned the alpha- bet, entered the Onarga schools in 1878, and at the age of twenty-two, studied at Biddle University. Ordained in 18SS, he became a minister and a teacher.
Private schools have also played an important part in the history of Onarga Township. The Rev. John Thomas, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, opened a select school known as the Onarga Institute in 1862. Pupils numbered over one hundred. This school was suspended in 1872.
The educational convention of Middleport District of the Methodist Church met in Onarga on June 10, 1863, and voted to establish a seminary. Onarga was chosen as the location and the people of Onarga raised $7000 for this purpose. A three-story building was completed in 1864, costing $11,100. The school achieved great renown as a "high grade seminary and continued until 1918, when it opened as a school for boys stressing military training. The following year the school was leased to J. Edward Bittinger, who, with his sons Leigh N. and Lyle M., operated the school until 1952. Since then, it has operated under the management of the Grand Prairie Seminary board with Col. Leslie E. Adams, superintendent. The school consists of an office and dormitory, infirmary, class room building, gymnasium and auditorium.
With the sale of shares at $5.00 and with the donation of one hundred flfty books, a library association was formed in 1858. In 1863 a building was erected in which the library continued operation until 1870 from taxes assessed against the shareholders. The library was donated to the village in 1872, and in 1907 the present Andrew Carnegie library was built, now containing over 8000 volumes.
The first newspaper in the township was the Onarga Mercury first pub- lished in 1859. Following this paper was the Onarga Advertiser in 1865
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Auditorium of the Grand Prairie Seminary in Onarga, Illinois taken in 1911. This school is now known as Onarga Military School.
which merged with the Grand Prairie Review in 1866. The Onarga Review started publication in 1865, and the Courier in 1870; in 1872 these papers merged and have since been in continuous publication. The present owner of the Onarga Leader-Review, Marvin M. Craig, who purchased the paper in 1939, is the oldest publisher in the county in length of continuous ownership and operation of a newspaper.
First mention of church services was in 1835 when pastors held services in the homes. Louise Wright taught a Sunday School in 1837. In 1838 a Methodist Church was organized with the services being held in the log cabin schoolhouse. The church, built in 1856, was the first in the county. The present Methodist Church was built in 1924.
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