USA > Illinois > Jersey County > History of Jersey County, Illinois > Part 42
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St. Louis, Mo., is about twenty miles almost due south from Grafton, and during the great fire at St. Louis in 1849, the flames and smoke could be plainly seen from the bluffs at Grafton. In that year the Asiatic cholera was epidemic along the river towns, and at Grafton there were many deaths from that disease. The writer remembers particularly the cases of a Mr. Woodward, who was a merchant at Grafton at that time. In the morning he taught a class in Sunday school, was attacked by the cholera, and at four o'clock that afternoon he was dead. The writer was a member of the Sunday school class he taught in the morn- ing. The disease at that time seemed to be especially virulent, and most always terminated fatally. The physicians at that time had not been 30
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able to master or control the disease. Later, in 1854, there was another epidemic of cholera, and although some deaths, it was not as virulent as in the former cases.
As before stated, William H. Allen built the first grist-mill at Grafton, in 1854-5, and operated it for a number of years, and later his son, James M. Allen took control of it, and conducted it until the mill was finally closed. William H. Allen and his son-in-law, Edward A. Pinero, opened the Bank of Grafton, which was conducted by that firm until 1873, when Mr. Allen purchased the interest of his partner, and con- ducted the bank alone until July 5, 1883, when Ernest A. Meysenburg and Christopher P. Stafford became associates with Mr. Allen and the bank continued to be operated by them until Mr. Allen finally removed to Los Angeles, Cal. Thereafter it was conducted by Mr. Meysenburg who is still president and manager of it. This bank has been very successful in its operations. Mr. Meysenburg came to Grafton in 1867, and was associated in partnership with Henry Eastman in a general mer- cantile business which was conducted for about four years, when Mr. Eastman retired, and B. J. Smith entered the firm, which became Meysen- burg & Smith. In 1876, Mr. Smith retired, and C. P. Stafford bought his interest, and the firm then became Meysenburg & Stafford. In 1883, Mr. Meysenburg sold his interest in this business to Mr. Stafford, and entered the Grafton Bank as cashier, being connected with it ever since. Mr. Meysenburg was married October 7, 1869 to Mary H. Fichner, a daughter of James Fichner of Grafton, and Mr. Meysenburg is now the chief financial and business man of Grafton.
FERRIES
A ferry was established at Grafton in 1833, by James Mason, and was continued until 1862, changes being made in its form. The first boat is said to have been operated by horse power, and then a hand-power ferry was installed. A man by the name of Gibson operated this hand power ferry for many years. Subsequently another horse ferry was put into operation, and in 1856 or 1857, a steam ferry was established by Judge William H. Allen, which was operated until 1862. The Civil War having destroyed communication between Illinois and Missouri, necessarily compelled the suspension of the ferry. After the close of the war, a hand ferry was established at Grafton, which has been continued in operation since that time.
There has been quite an extensive business done in the building of
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dredge boats for operation on the Mississippi River, also the building of steel motors by the Rippley Hardware Company. Recently the Rippley interests have passed into the hands of a new corporation, which is engaged extensively in the boat building business for navigating the Mississippi River. Extensive interests have been developed in the quarrying and shipping of a blue shale deposit mentioned in the chap- ter of geological deposits of Jersey County by Hon. William McAdams elsewhere in this work. This shale is being used for the manufacture of various articles and promises to be the source of considerable prosperity to Grafton and its vicinity. Grafton controls the business over a large territory extending up the Illinois River bottom, and to the lower part of Calhoun County, and while it is the oldest settled town in Jersey County, and has had its varied experiences of inflation and depression, it seems now to have become settled upon a substantial basis of per- manent prosperity and steady business operations.
In 1855 James A. Dempsey, an Irish gentleman, came to Grafton from Philadelphia, Pa. He had been in the Indian country of the west for several years, and had accumulated considerable means, and after arriving at Grafton, he built a distillery in what is known as "distillery hollow," which was completed in 1856 or 1857. It was not operated with much success by Mr. Dempsey, 'and finally during the war in 1863, it passed into the hands of other parties, and was conducted by C. B. Eaton, who came to Grafton in 1863. He was the father of George M. Eaton, who later engaged in business at Grafton, and subsequently went to Jerseyville, but now lives at Los Angeles, Cal. This distillery was later burned, and was never rebuilt. A flouring mill was established at Mason's Landing by Gregory McDaniel and a man by the name of Schaff about 1856 or 1857, but was never operated with much success, and was finally torn down and removed.
RAILROADS
In 1882, on the first day of January, what is now known as the Chi- cago, Peoria & St. Louis Railroad was operated from the station of Bates on the Wabash west of Springfield to Elsah on the Mississippi River. The first train was run over the road on January 1, from Bates, over the top of the bluff to Elsah, this being known as the "Shoofly." In the contract for right of way, the railroad company had pledged itself to operate a train to the Mississippi River on or before January 1, 1882, and in order to comply with that stipulation, the road was con-
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structed from the top of a very high bluff trestles to the bank of the river. The road was later completed to Grafton under the bluff, and was oper- ated until 1888, when the road passed into the hands of another com- pany, of which Henry W. and Frederic Fisher were the managers and operators. Under their management the track of the road from Dow in Mississippi Township was changed from Dow on a southwesterly course to Lock Haven, and thence along the river bluffs to Alton, while a branch extended from the Lock Haven station westwardly under the bluffs, and intersected the original road at Elsah, and extended thence into Grafton. This road has been in operation ever since over the last named route. The original track from Dow southwestwardly that ran over the bluffs to the river, was taken up and used in the extension of the road upon the new route, and the road from Loami has been extended into Springfield, so that since that time Grafton and Elsah have been in direct communication with Springfield over this line. The road ter- minates at Grafton ; going thence from Grafton to Chautauqua, Elsah, Lock Haven, Belltrees, Dow, McClusky, Jerseyville, Fidelity and Medora, all in Jersey County, and it is a very convenient one for our people, bringing them into communication with different parts of this county, and giving excellent shipping facilities for produce to city markets. This road was further extended from Alton to St. Louis, so that the people of Grafton and other points in the county can get into St. Louis direct over this line. They can also then make the trip by steamboat on the Mississippi River, or go overland to St. Charles, and thence to St. Louis. The latter is the main automobile route between Grafton and St. Louis.
PRESENT OFFICIALS
Grafton has a population of 1,200. Its present officials are as fol- lows : J. W. Newland, mayor; Joseph Marshall, city clerk; D. C. Slaten, Max Zoephel, and Joseph Frieman, justices of the peace; Thomas N. Calloway and Clarence Wallace, constables; Henry Edwards, Albert Larbey, Leon Allemany, Max Zoephel and Peter Frieman, aldermen ; Edwin P. Edsall, township school treasurer; Bird Crull, township clerk ; and E. P. Edsall, supervisor.
BUSINESS INTERESTS
The business interests of Grafton are as follows: Grafton Bank- E. A. Mysenberg, president ; R. L. Mysenberg, cashier ; deposits, $200,000.
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Powder Manufacturing Co .; Rippley Boat Co .- Leon Rippley, foreman, 125 employes, manufactures 124 life boats per month; W. S. Lamarsh, dry docks ; Peter Frieman, skiff builder, Baxter Machine Shops. Stores- Stafford Mercantile Co., E. H. Easterly, manager; John H. Eastman & Co., John H. Eastman, manager ; Brainard, Marshall & Miller, and Aaron Politoskey. Fish Markets-W. H. Shafer and Joseph Simmons. Meat Market-Amburg & Staten. Feed Mill-J. M. Albrecht. Drug Stores- Flautt Drug Co., Bird Crull, manager; and George La Faivre. Quar- ries-Grafton Stone Quarry Co., and C. M. Hanes Stone Quarry Co. Lumber-Grafton Lumber Co., Henry Edwards, proprietor and man- ager. Stave & Barrel Factory-Charles Godar. Undertakers-Frank Rippley, undertaker and general merchandise; and George Rippley, undertaker. Confectionary-August Miller and Charles Reubel. Shoe- makers-Martin Fox and John Lenhart. Harness Maker-A. G. Wright. Hotels-Reubel Hotel, McAmburg, manager. Physicians-Dr. F. G. Warner, Dr. A. B. Curry and Dr. G. M. Dempsey, dentists. Insurance- E. P. Edsall, insurance, real estate and notary public. Railroad and River Transportation-Eagle Packet Co., Mrs. Ella Allemang, agent ; C. P. & St. L. R. R. Station, J. W. Newland, agent; National Express Co .; Grafton Ferry, E. W. Wilson, proprietor. Postmaster, W. T. Byrons. Blacksmith-W. F. Daubman. Churches-Methodist, Baptist, St. Patrick's (Catholic). Grafton Telephone Exchange. Transfer-Alva Wallace.
SUPERVISORS
The supervisors of Quarry Township from 1879 to 1918, have been as follows: E. A. Mysenburg, 1879-1880; William H. Allen, Jr., 1881; Christopher P. Stafford, 1882-1900; James M. Allen, 1901-1906; William H. Journey, 1907-1912 ; I. C. Duncan, 1913-1914; G. M. Dempsey, 1915- 1916; Edwin P. Edsall, 1917-1918.
CHAPTER XLI
RICHWOODS TOWNSHIP
FIRST SETTLEMENTS-FIRST RESIDENCE-EARLY EVENTS-ORIGINAL OWNER OF SITE OF FIELDON-NUTWOOD DRAINAGE AND LEVEE DISTRICT-SUPER- VISORS.
FIRST SETTLEMENTS
The first settlements in this part of the county seem to have been made in the bottom immediately under the bluff in the western part of the precinct. Jolin Gunterman was the first settler to enter land, his entry bearing the date of January 10, 1821, when he secured a quarter section, to which in the fall of the same year, he added eighty acres more. His claim was the site of the farm later owned and occupied by Jacob Reddish. His entries of Illinois bottom land amounted in all to 320 acres of land, but by 1827 he had disposed of the greater portion of it. John Gunterman was a native of Kentucky. His son, also John Gunterman, later moved to a farm west of Fieldon.
On January 10, 1821, but later in the day than John Gunterman, Samuel Gates of Greene County, entered on section 8, of the same town- ship, 160 acres, which is now known as the Watson farm. It was also in the bottom land, and lay south of Mr. Gunterman's claim. A tract of 240 acres south of the Watson farm, on section 17, now owned by Stephen Reddisli, a son of Zadock Reddish, was entered on January 18, 1821, by Moses Leeds. He sold this land in 1825 and moved to the American bottom. Another entry of bottom land was made by John Medford in February, 1821, of the southeast quarter of section 8.
There was no land taken up on the bluffs in Richwoods Township until July, 1822, when Jolin Neal and Mathew Darr each bought a forty acre tract of section 14, township 8, range 13, and John Gunter- man, in the following December, became the owner of forty acres in the same vicinity. These entries were made on land three miles north of Fieldon, and today it seems strange that such locations should have been
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chosen in the timber in a locality so uninviting, when the rich and beau- tiful prairie, already cleared and prepared for cultivation, was open to the choice of the first settlers. They, like the general run of Illinois pio- neers, shunned the prairies, and seemed to think that the timber land was the only fit place for habitation.
Thomas English entered land on section 30, township 8, range 12, in 1830. James Brice entered forty acres on Otter Creek, on section 21, township 8, range 13, where was built Brice's Mill. James Walden lo- cated on section 12. Daniel McFain, who was one of the earliest settlers, located in the bottom at the foot of the bluff, and gave his name to McFain's Lake. Northward from McFain's, in the bottom along the bluff, locations were made by Thomas Furgeson, Amos Lynn, Stephen Evelyn, Mrs. Medford and sons, Jared Cox, Jesse Watson, John Gunter- man, Peter Gunterman, Thomas Turner and James Turner. On what is known as Borer's Creek, lived Jacob Borer, who had a saw and grist mill. At the place where the Macoupin passes through the bluffs, lived one Mason Cockrell, and between his place and Borer's, on Macoupin Creek, were V. A. Gibbs and Sanford Beck. Where Otter Creek passes through the bluff, lived John Gilworth, who afterward removed to another part of the county. These were the families living in this part of the county in 1830, according to the recollection of Capt. J. E. Cooper.
The first house of Richwoods Township was built by John Gunter- man on section 5, in March, 1820. Luther Calvin, Byron McKinney, John Medford and John Smith settled here soon after 1820.
The first death in Richwoods Township was that of an infant daughter of John Medford, who passed away in 1823. The first school was taught in the fall of 1824, and it is said that the first sermon was preached in the same year by Rev. Isaac Newton Pickett.
The first justice of the peace was Samuel Gates, who was elected in August, 1828. A man named Daley was the first settler on the land that later became the site of Fieldon. Two men, named Baugh and Bridges, had a saw and grist mill on Otter Creek in 1830.
NUTWOOD DRAINAGE AND LEVEE DISTRICT
The Nutwood Drainage and Levee District was organized in April, 1906. This district comprises about 10,000 acres of bottom land between the bluffs and the Illinois River, and Otter Creek on the south and Macoupin Creek on the north. Of this, 7,000 acres are in Richwoods Township, and 3,000 acres are in Greene County. The lands in the
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district were mostly low bottom, covered with timber, which was over- flowed by backwater from the river each year, and these lands were of no cultivation value prior to the erection of the levee to keep out the backwater and the drainage ditch and pumping station to remove the surface and land drainage water. When thus protected, this bottom land produces abundant crops.
RESULTS OF PROPER DRAINAGE
Since these drainage and levee improvements have been made, the most of the land has been cleared and put under cultivation. Stephen Reddish, L. H. Mamer, Jett A. Kirby, Frank Rowden, Heitzig & Row- den, Sherwood & Harrison, Reardon Brothers, Cottingham & Eagleton, and E. C. Letts are among the principal landowners in the district. The rich alluvial soil in this district is very deep.
CURIOUS DISCOVERY
Zadoc Reddish, father of Stephen Reddish, informed the writer that in digging a well at his first log cabin in the twenties, at a depth of twenty feet, a tree was struck that had to be cut out and removed before the well could be completed, thus showing that the tree must have floated there and been gradually covered by soil deposits from streams flowing from the higher lands. Antiquarians inform us that in the remote past Lake Michigan extended over northern and central Illinois, with the southern rim between the bluffs in Calhoun and Jersey counties, near the present mouth of the Illinois River. IIon. William McAdams, a dis- tinguished geologist and antiquarian who resided in Otter Creek Town- ship for many years and spent much time in the investigation and study of the geological formations in this region of the country, informed the writer that upon the bluff in Calhoun County, near the present mouth of the Illinois River, there was a fissure, upon one side of which the geological strata are in their normal condition, and upon the other side of the fissure the strata at the surface in normal condition should have been 1,400 feet below the surface, thus demonstrating that at some time in the remote past there had been a great convulsion and upheaval that had broken up the southern shore or rim of this great lake, and let the water drain into the Mississippi River, leaving the Illinois River for the drainage of the lands originally covered by this great lake. This theory would account for the tree in the bottom of the Reddish well, the tree
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having lodged there, in the bottom of the lake, and been gradually covered with sediment, the accumulation of ages. At any rate, the soil · in this district would seem to be inexhaustible.
COMMISSIONERS
Aaron O. Auten, Stephen M. Reddish and George W. Edwards were the first commissioners, and Clarence G. Reddish was the first treasurer of this district. The present commissioners are L. H. Mamer, Ira Cot- tingham and Frank Rowden.
FIELDON
PRESENT CONDITIONS
The population of Fieldon is 300. The business interests of Fieldon are as follows: Bank of Fieldon, William Wieghard, president; Louis H. Kruger, vice president; Frank Rowden, cashier; deposits, $113,000. Merchants, F. J. Heitzig, Wheaton Brothers, and Paul Gilliland. Black- smiths, Edward Miller and Stephen Bank.
LOCAL OFFICIALS
William Baum, president village board; clerk, Kersey Pruitt; treas- urer, Anton Wheaton; trustees, Edward Hanshalter, Joseph Wheaton, F. V. Heitzig, Richard Dunham, William Scheff and Albert Skiff; jus- tices of the peace, Henry L. Schmidt and Garrett Coop; constables, Leo Vahle and James Ontis ; township school treasurer, William Baum ; town- ship clerk, Fred J. Walz; highway commissioner, Charles King.
SUPERVISORS
The following have served Richwoods Township as supervisors from 1879 to 1918: Charles C. Busby, 1879-1882; Isaac N. Moore, 1883-1884 ; John A. Kraus, 1885; Charles C. Busby, 1886; J. G. Arkebauer, 1887; William J. Lawler, 1888; Mortimer J. Parker, 1889; William Goshom, 1890-1895; Stephen M. Reddish, 1896-1899; Clarence M. West, 1900- 1901; Frank Rowden, 1902-1905; William Wieghard, 1906-1910; George W. Edwards, 1910-1912; William A. Spencer, 1912-1914; Joseph A. Borman, 1914-1920.
CHAPTER XLII
ROSEDALE TOWNSHIP
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BOUNDARIES-EARLY SETTLERS-SCHOOLS-CHURCHES-RAILROADS- CHANGE IN NAME-SUPERVISORS
BOUNDARIES
Rosedale Township is fractional township No. 7 north, range 13 west, and is bounded on the south by Quarry, on the east by Otter Creek, on the north by Richwoods, and on the west by the Illinois River. It has an average width from east to west of about five miles; the bottom lands between the bluff and the river being from a mile to a mile and a half in width; of very rich alluvial soil, but to a considerable extent subject to overflow from the river in extreme high water; except a strip next to the bluff of one quarter to one-half a mile in width. The principal streams are Otter and Coon creeks, flowing from east to west, into the river. The eastern part is broken and hilly, and was originally covered with immense forests of hardwood timber; but as time passed these forests were cleared, and much of this land has been made into farms. These lands are peculiarly adapted to the production of a superior quality of apples, and other fruits. One of the most notable of these fruit farms is that of R. P. Shackelford, on section 36. The bottom lands are well adapted to the production of wheat, corn, oats, grass, clover, alfalfa, and live stock. Shipments of these products are made by river landings, at the mouths of Coon and Otter creeks. There is no railroad nearer than Grafton to this township; and there is not a bank, nor an incorporated village; though the farmers are industrious, thrifty, and well to do.
EARLY SETTLERS
Among the earliest settlers were William Larue, who came in 1818, and Walter Creswell, who came in 1819. The latter was appointed justice of the peace by Gov. Shadrach Bond in 1820, and was the first in what
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is now Jersey County. In after years the writer knew him very well. John Killworth, who came in 1820, lived ten years near Nutwood, and then moved to Ruyle Township. In 1820 also came Elisha Fowler, and Thomas, Samuel, and William Creswell, brothers of Walter, above men- tioned. John Gilbert, and A. P. Scott, came in 1824. Silas Crane, who came in 1825, was a Methodist Episcopal minister, and afterward removed to English Township. Enoch Spaulding, John Stafford, and Lewis and Amos Lynn came in 1828. The latter were chair makers. In 1829 Wil- liam Starr, R. C. Bangle, and Coe Edsall, settled here. Jolın Dabbs came in 1831 and James Nairn in 1832. Later, he moved to Calhoun County and in 1835, James and Nancy Wedding, with their sons, Thomas, Nicholas, and Benjamin Wedding became settlers of the township. The daughters of Thomas Wedding (who died Dec. 28, 1885), and James Wedding, son of Benjamin Wedding, now own and occupy the lands originally settled upon by James Wedding in 1835. In 1842, came Wil- liam G. Thompson, without means, working as a farm hand by the month. When he died, November 14, 1885, he was the owner of about 1,500 acres of land. He left a large family, of whom his daughter, Mrs. Bertha C. Crull, owns his original homestead, and a large portion of his other lands. His son Grant Thompson also resides in this township, and is the principal purchaser of the crops and products of the township. He has also been elected supervisor several terms. William G. Thompson and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he was a member of Full Moon Lodge No. 341, A. F. & A. M. Other prominent early settlers were : Thomas K. Phipps, Hezekiah Funk, Thomas Jeffer- son, and Andrew Jackson Crull, Henry Smith, John Maltimore, Robert Smith, Jonathan Plowman, afterward sheriff, John L. Johnson, Isom Mathews, A. J. Thompson, James L. Bierne, Davis M. Highfill, W. C. Gleason, Freeman Sweet, John L. Reed, Henry L. Legate, William S. Brown, J. Donald Sinclair, Solomon Phillips, and many others.
SCHOOLS
The first school was taught by Moses E. Morrell, in a log cabin, on section 21, which was attended by Lloyd T., John H. and Elizabeth Belt, two or three children of Levi Harrison, and children of William Ennis, and Amos and Lewis Lynn. Jonathan Plowman, later sheriff, was one of the early teachers. He was married to a sister of T. J. and A. J. Crull. Benjamin Wedding was also one of the early teachers, and he also suc- ceeded Plowman as sheriff in 1856, when he moved to Jerseyville and
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died there September 26, 1907. He was born in Scioto County, Ohio, April 14, 1826. He was married to Miss Tabitha Johnson, August 9, 1847. During 1854-6, he was coroner; was revenue collector during 1864- 8; mayor of Jerseyville during 1870-2; a justice of the peace for eight years, and pension agent from the time of the passage of the first pension law, during the Civil War until his death; and he was one of the most honored, and honorable citizens of the county. He left surviving him, his widow Tabitha and five sons, namely: Barclay, James, Thomas, Phillip, and Heber, all residing in Jerseyville, except James, who lives in Rosedale Township. Charles and A. L. Wedding, grandsons of Nicholas Wedding, also live in Jerseyville, the former being proprietor of a large auto garage and agent of the "Ford" auto and Fordson tractor; and the latter is agent of the Railroad Express Co.
CHURCHES
Rosedale Township has three churches : a Union church at Nutwood, and Methodist churches at Rosedale and Meadow Branch. The two latter are attached to the Grafton Circuit. The former has no regular pastor.
CEMETERIES
William Ennis and his wife were buried in Union Cemetery at Rose- dale, in 1835; James Wedding in 1837, and Nancy his wife, in 1841; and other members of the family and people of the township since that time have been interred there. There is also a cemetery at Meadow Branch Church.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER POWER COMPANY
The Mississippi River Power Company has purchased a strip of land, 100 feet in width, extending from the electric power dam, across the Mississippi River between Keokuk, Iowa, and Hamilton, Ill., and thence extending through the counties of Hancock, Adams, Pike, Calhoun, Jersey, to Alton, in Madison County, for the purpose of the construc- tion, maintenance, and operation, over and upon said premises, of a line for the transmission of electricity, electric railway, telephone and tele- graph lines, which crosses the Illinois River, at the north line of section 32-3, in Rosedale Township, thence southeast to the north line of Quarry Township thence east to section 1, in Elsah Township, thence south and
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