USA > Illinois > Knox County > History of Knox county, Illinois > Part 46
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GALESBURG TOWNSHIP.
This is one of the finest bodies of land in Knox county. It con- tains more miles of railroad than any other township in the county. The corporate limits of the city of Galesburg cover nine sections. Gaddial Scott broke the first land in the township. He, with Edward Morse, were the first settlers. Mr. Scott settled on section 19 in 1834. Mr. Morse settled on section 3. As the history of the city of Gales- burg mostly includes the history of the township, we will not repeat it, but refer the reader to that portion of this work.
Galesburg township, including the city of Galesburg, contains 18,318 acres of improved, and 1,658 acres of unimproved lands. Value of land outside of city, $557,117. In 1878 6,649 acres of corn were raised, 51 acres of wheat, and 1,309 of oats. There are. 3,839 acres devoted to meadow, 371 to orchard, and there are 338 acres of woodland in this township. The total valuation of the town lots in the city is $2,059,710. There are owned in the township 1,245 horses,
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
valued at $56,205; cattle 1,827, valued at $27,888; mules 52, valued at $2,475; sheep 356, valued at $686; hogs 3,774, valued at $8,672; car- riages and wagons 739, valned at $32,608; piano-fortes 209, valued at $18,730. Total value of its agricultural tools and .machinery is $6,054. The total valuation of personal property of the township is $1,367,970.
HENDERSON TOWNSHIP.
This township was the first in the county to have the home of a white man located within its boundaries. Here, in February of 1828, Daniel and Alexander Robertson settled. Many of the first inci- dences of the county occurred in this township, and, as a greater por- tion of the first chapter of this work is located here, and many other historical items given all through the book, we refrain from repeat- ing. Here, on sections 23 and 26, the Indians had their corn-fields and cultivated the soil for years.
In an early day, on section 30, near the creek, a well was dug. On arriving at a depth of 60 feet the workmen came to what seemed to be an Indian camping-ground. Ashes, stumps, and general rub- bish were there as fresh as though the fires had just gone out. A red cedar log was also found.
H. M. Sisson, of this township, has done much to better the class of stock, and deserves credit not only from the citizens of the town- ship, but of the county. He has, perhaps, the oldest horse in the county. It has been in his family for thirty-six years, and he has plowed with it each year for thirty years.
This township has a fine body of timber known as Henderson Grove. A beautiful stream of water passes through this delightful grove, which takes a southwesternly course, and, after receiving several branches, enters into the Mississippi. The timber in this grove is large and lofty, and occupies an area of several square miles. The prairie around is undulating, very rich and dry. Along the edges of the timber the first pioneers settled, and here, too, in Log City the Gales- burg colony made their temporary quarters.
RIO TOWNSHIP.
This township lies in the extreme northwest part of the county, and for agricultural purposes is not surpassed by many townships in the whole Northwest.
In the spring of 1830 Joseph Rowe located on section 33, being the first settler in the township. He was soon followed by Reese Jones and Joseph Halliday, the former locating on the northwest cor-
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ner of section 6, within a stone's throw of the corner of the county. Soon thereafter came Abe Jones, and in 1832 John Cresswell settled on section 27, near Fort Aggie, which was situated within forty rods of the southwest corner of the same section. This fort was built dur- ing the Black Hawk war in 1832 and was named in honor of Cress- well's wife. It stood unmolested until 1836, when Joseph Hahn tore it down and constructed a barn out of the logs, near where the fort stood, for the purpose of tramping out wheat with horses, as was often done in pioneer days when the present mode of threshing was unknown.
In 1836 came Nelson and Lewis Coe, and John Wooley. Wooley had come into Knox township in 1832, where he remained four years. Luther Fitch came in 1840. After that period accessions to the popu- lation of Rio were numerous until now it numbers about 1,200.
The township received its name in this wise: About 1851 a meet- ing was held by request of the County Court to select a name for the township. In connection with this meeting a proposition was made to lay off a village plat on the school section. While this was being discussed, some one made a motion to lay off the proposed town along the slough east of the road and north of the barn of E. A. Bartlett, for the reason that the land was good for nothing else. This motion pre- vailed, which, as it was intended, killed the project altogether. Sev- eral names for the township were proposed. The Mexican war had just closed, and the Rio Grande river as the boundary line of the United States and Mexico was in the mouth of every war man in op- position to Rio Nueces river as claimed by the Mexicans. Thus at this meeting Rio Grande had a majority of admirers; and besides, there being many streams in the township, it would very appropriate- ly admit of the name, the Spanish word rio meaning river. No reso- lution however was passed in regard to selecting a name, as quite a number thought the matter had better be left with the county author- ities. Lewis Coe was opposed to passing over the question so in- differently, as through his instrumentality the meeting had been called. He accordingly took it upon himself to attend the meeting of the Court to suggest a name. He could see no good reason for the "Grande" part of the name, and therefore only presented the word "Rio" as suitable. This was accepted and adopted, and thus ever since the township has worn the beautiful Spanish name.
There are four churches in Rio township. One union of Congrega- tional and Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, Regular Baptist and Protestant Methodist.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
CHESTNUT TOWNSHIP.
Spoon river enters this township near the center of section 24 and flows west one mile, and south one mile, west again a mile and a half, then south, making its exit near the center of section 34. For agricul- tural purposes Chestnut ranks among the best townships in Knox county. The village of Hermon is in this township near its western line.
In 1833 Anson Dolf broke ground and sowed wheat on section 17, but did not make a permanent settlement here until the spring of 1834. That year John Terry came and settled on section 16. He was from Greenbriar county, Virginia. William McFarland came in 1839. He came from Loudon county, Va. Both these pioneers now reside in Abingdon. John Terry was the first Justice of the Peace and performed the first marriage ceremony, by uniting a Mr. Gray to to a Miss Cope, both coming from a distance riding the same horse. The first child born was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Shaver, on section 17, in 1835. The first death was that of Jacob Harford.
ORANGE TOWNSHIP.
Orange township is bounded on the north by Knox, on the east by Haw Creek, south by Chestnut and on the west by Cedar. It is well divided between prairie and timber lands, and is one of the very best townships of land in the county. It was settled at an early date. Joseph Wallace was the first white man to make his home here. He settled on section 15 in 1830. James Ferguson settled on section 11 the following year, and Samuel Mather on section 14 in 1832. The first birth was Cynthia Ferguson, daughter of James and Martha Ferguson. She was born in 1833. The first death was a Mr. McCramer, who died in 1833, on section 15. James Ferguson was the first Justice of the Peace, being elected in 1833. The first school- house was erected on section 14 in 1836. The first teacher was Thomas Ellison. The first church was organized by the Methodists, on sec- tion 22, and known as Orange Chapel. The first sermon that was preached in the township was by Jacob Gum, the old pioneer preacher of the county, at the residence of James Ferguson. The first mar- riage ceremony was a double wedding. Alexander Robertson was united to Narcissa Ferguson and David Fuqua to Lydia Bowmar.
KNOX TOWNSHIP.
In this township the first town in the county was laid off. Adjoin- ing Knoxville is the finely equipped county poor farm, the buildings of which are excelled in all their appointments by none in the State.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
The township has timber land distributed very freely over it. Here some of the earliest settlers of the county located, the present site of Knoxville being first settled by Parry Morris. John Montgomery, who settled on section 30, was among the first settlers. He has gone from this place to Rushville, Schuyler county, to have his milling done. The first sermon preached in the township was by Elder Jacob Gum, the first preacher in Knox county. The first deatlı occurring was that of a child of a Mr. Taber. David Huggins of this township made the first cheese that was ever manufactured in the county. This he- carried to Galena, and sold for 72 cents a pound. The first churchi organized in the township was in 1835, and by the following six per- sons from three different denominations, but seemingly inclining to the Presbyterian faith, as they called their church the " Old School Presbyterian:" David Huggins and wife, Mrs. Jackson and daughter, M. Owen and Mrs. J. G. Sanburn.
Knox township contains 20,857 acres' of improved, and 950 of un- improved lands, the total valuation of which is $365,340. In 1878 there were 5,433 acres devoted to corn, 244 acres to wheat, 979 to oats. Its meadow lands embrace an area of 2,449 acres; its orchards 256 acres; its woodlands 2,199. Its town lots are valued at $14,865. The township contains 882 horses, valued at $36,359; cattle 2,151, valued at $32,403; mules 55, valued at $2,300; sheep 447, valued at $936; hogs 4,139, valued at $7,359 ; carriages and wagons 375, valued at $11,- 717; piano-fortes 37, valued at $2,912. Total value of its agricultural tools and machinery. $6,497. Total valuation of personal property in the township is $436,659.
SPARTA TOWNSHIP.
Ancient Sparta, after which this township was probably named, existed before the Christian era 800 years, and was the capital of Laconia, and the rival of Athens in the history of ancient Greece. Sparta has been handed down through all history as a synonym of simplicity of personal habit, domestic economy and courage. Mr. Amos Wilmot is accredited with suggesting the name of Sparta for the township at its organization. Mr. Wilmot was born in Connecticut, Marchi 3, 1802, and was one of the first settlers in the township. After a prosperous life of 76 years, and with a hope of a happy immortality, he died at his home Aug. 28, 1878.
Hezekiah Burford settled on section 23 in 1834. He is now in Monmouth, Oregon. Cyrus Robbins, from New York, settled on section 5 in 1836. His two brothers Levy and · Reuben settled on section 5 the same year. These brothers planted out a nursery, from
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
which they established large fruit orchards and shady groves, which have ever since been known as " Robbins' Grove."
Asaph DeLong and Luman Field, from Vermont, and Wm. M. Heath from New York, settled on section 31 in 1836. Julius DeLong came from Vermont in January, 1838, and settled on the south half of the southwest quarter of section 31, the present home of his son, Hon. M. P. DeLong, who has represented his township at different times in various offices from the very first organization. He has been an active member of the Knox County Agricultural Society for fif- teen years; was its president three years during that time; has served as Justice of the Peace three terms of four years each, and is now in the fourth term; was elected and served as Supervisor of his township in 1874, when the farmers were organizing into farmers' clubs and granges throughout the Northwest, which in time became national, for the purpose of counter-balancing the influence of the giant monopolies of the railroads' which existed at that time. We will refer to these organizations again farther along in the history of this township. The prairie fires in the early settlement of the township were something to be dreaded. The broad, wide-spreading prairies for untold years had lain beneath the sun and the showers, gathering richness, until the vegetable growth was something marvelous, and the tall native grasses would in places hide man and beast. And when a fire chanced to start in this waving ocean of dried and inflam- mable material, it was a sure messenger of death to every living thing or creature in its relentless course, unless due precaution had been previously exercised to guard against it. The roar of the flames when driven by a strong wind could be heard two and three miles away, as was the case one night when these early settlers were awakened by Miss Maria Field, daughter of Luman Field, and sister of the late Hon. Loyal C. Field, of Galesburg. She, living with her parents near where Center Point now is, awakened about midnight, and discovering the danger of the settlement, ran from house to house, and gave the alarm. A fire had started at Red Oak, in Henry Co., Ill., and now was rushing southward, two miles wide, before a furious wind from the north, with a terrible roar that will never be forgotten by those who heard it. Fortunately the citizens in this township be- ing forewarned, were fore-armed and prepared to give battle when the fire came. Trenches and " back fire " and wet blankets were used to save the buildings, fences and stocks; and even then the heavy wind would carry wisps of burning grass so far that a continual effort was required until the billow of fire had passed.
Section 30 was appropriated in the usual legal way by Richard
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Joseph and William Armstrong, S. S. Russell, and Stephen Smith. Section 19 was taken and improved by Thomas and George W. Faulkner, Morvan Baker, and Anson Rowe.
James and Abram Neely came from Cayuga, New York, the latter in 1836, and made him a home on section 8. He now lives in Missouri. The former made a home on section 30, where he has since lived. Part of section 8 was afterwards occupied by T. G. Hadley, who originally came from " way down" in Maine. Also on section 8 may be found G. S. Hawkins, who was for many years a merchant in Henderson, also A. S. Fitch, who, with many others from this loyal township, was one of "the soldiers in blue" during the civil war. Section 8 also includes the premium farm owned by A. N. Phelps, Esq., and contains 200 acres without a foot of waste land. This farm was granted the first premium by the Illinois State Agricultural Society in 1868, and again in 1870. It had been awarded the first premium by the Knox County Agricultural Society previously for five successive years.
Mr. Phelps was born in Westfield, Mass., September 9, 1819. He came, with his mother and his two sisters, to Galesburg in 1836. The amount of his worldly possessions at that time was enough to buy a box stove and a cow, valued at $30. The eldest daughter became Mrs. G. Avery, of Galesburg, and the youngest the wife of B. Kilbourn, of Wisconsin. The mother died at Galesburg, November 23, 1855. The father, Aaron Noble Phelps, had died previous to the family's moving west, at Westfield, Mass., in March, 1830. He and his wife (Miss Clarissa Root) were married in 1814. Their only son, A. N. Phelps, and Miss Sarah J. Adams were married March 29, 1847, and moved to their present home in 1856, which has since taken the pre- miums already mentioned.
Johnson Babcock was born in 1770, in Rensselaer county, New York. Miss Zilpha Green, was born near Poughkeepsie, New York. These two were united in marriage in 1796. Ransom Babcock, their son, was born September 20, 1822, and in 1839 he came from Onon- daga county, New York, to Knox county, arriving at Galesburg the 12th of July; was married to Miss Mary Miller, September 1, 1842. Mrs. Babcock was born January 7, 1825, and is the daughter of James H. and Hannah (Preston) Miller, originally from New England, who came from Michigan to Knox county in 1838.
William S. Patterson, on section 18, is one of the most extensive farmers in the township. His single shipments of cattle and hogs have at times amounted to $30,000 or $40,000, especially during the civil war, when the price of live cattle was eight cents per pound, and
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
live hogs ten and twelve cents per pound. He introduced many choice breeds of cattle and hogs. One car-load of short-horns were purchased by him in Kentucky and brought home in 1871. William S. Patterson was born in Columbus, Ohio, December 13, 1825, and at Henderson, Ill., September 30, 1834, was united in marriage with Miss Matilda Miller, whose parents were James H. and Hannah (Preston) Miller, natives of New England. Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Pat- terson moved to their present home in 1855.
William Williamson, one of the township commissioners for 1878, has also introduced the short-horn cattle on his farm. His residence is located on section 21.
Mr. Robson, the present supervisor, owns 500 acres of land. The Robson Bros. have been extensive shippers of stock. William Rob- son came to his present home in Sparta township in 1863, and he has made single shipments from Wataga station amounting to $35,000. He has also introduced short-horn cattle, Poland China and Berkshire hogs.
Niles Bros., whose residences are located on sections 21 and 19, are fron Chathanı, Columbia county, New York. They were pro- prietors of the Wataga mill for seven years before turning their atten- tion to farming. They introduced the short-horn cattle on their farms in the spring of 1874-30 head that year-at a cost of from $100 to $500 each.
Henry Rommel's farms are located on section 28.
Mons Olson's home is located south of Wataga, on sections 28 and 33, and what is known as the Mound, which is one of those beautiful elevations that occur occasionally in this part of the Mississippi valley.
Ed. Kennedy and Thomas O'Connor are prominent real-estate hold- ers in the southeast part of the township.
Anson Rowe, born in Vermont, came to Center Point with his family in 1838, and settled on section 19. His son, Lorenzo Rowe, moved on his farm, section 19, in 1850.
Eber Goddard came from Massachusetts at a later day, and settled on section 4.
C. C. West came from New York in 1837, and has a farm on sec- tion 3.
B. Pickrel, whose birth-place was in Virginia, came to the county in 1837, and to Sparta township in 1867 ..
One of the institutions of the township is the Wataga Nursery, tem- porarily begun by O. W. Hoff in 1864, and permanently established in 1869, on the southwest quarter of section 16, one block south of the Wataga Mills, by Hoff & Cooper, whose term of partnership was for
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
five years, since which time O. W. Hoff has owned and conducted it. Mr. H. has been in the business since January, 1858, working at first with T. K. Phoenix, at the Bloomington Nursery. He came from his native place, Greenbush, Rensselaer county, New York, in 1855.
The township was organized in 1853. Thomas H. Taylor was elected Supervisor, and was re-elected in 1854. Mr. Taylor was born July 14, 1815, on the Isle of Wight; came to New York in 1823, and to Sparta township in 1846; hauled the lumber for his house from La Salle, Ill., 80 miles; shipped the first load of pork and wool through the Illinois canal; was appointed Postmaster under Buchanan, and resigned after holding the office three years; is now living on sec- tion 14.
Peter Davis was elected Supervisor in 1855, without opposition. Mr. Davis was born in 1801, in Kentucky, and came to Knox county in 1834; died at his home, in Sparta township, March 15, 1871.
J. W. Holyoke was elected Supervisor in 1856, and was re-elected for nine successive years; then he was elected Representative; then lie was elected Supervisor four successive years; after an interval of four years was again elected Supervisor in 1875, which office he occu- pied for three years.
Jolin Grey was Supervisor in 1865, and Abram Ebright in 1866. H. P. Wood was elected three terms,-1871-2-3.
In 1872-3 the farmers began to organize throughout the States into clubs and granges. "The Sparta Farmers' Club" was organized in the Town Hall, March 1, 1873; adopted a constitution that was fur- nished in printed form to local clubs, and the following objects were embodied in Article II: "Its objects shall be improvement in the theory and practice of agriculture and horticulture; to promote the moral, intellectual, social, and pecuniary welfare of its members; and by active and cordial co-operation with other clubs, and with its county committee, to assist in carrying to a successful issue the objects of the State Association." Whatever they might be was not known to the general membership,-perhaps not to any in the local clubs; and it was generally thought that, to be consistent with the expressed objects of the clubs, none but agriculturists and horticulturists should be mem- bers. This caused a division of sentiment; for the merchants and lawyers claimed they should be made welcome, as "all their interests were in farms." The result was that at the first annual re-election of officers the County Farmers' Association was captured by the poli- ticians, and a professional lawyer elected Supreme Judge. This diverted the attention of the people from the primary and meritorious
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and expressed objects of the organizations; and they practically ceased to exist.
M. P. De Long, one of the first settlers in Knox county, and a very worthy farmer, was elected Supervisor of Sparta township in 1874.
The Town Hall was built in 1867.
The first coal banks opened in the township were near where Charles W. Rhodes now lives, sections 21 and 22. Levy James, A. A. Spooner, Lomas & Babcock, and others, took part in opening banks, until in 1855-6 there were about 40 banks; 30 of them near Wataga, and managed chiefly by Holyoke and Dolan. Also Taylor and Parkinson had quite a number of banks, at different times. About 1856 there were employed 250 men; and probably 100,000 bushels of the " Black Diamonds ". were put into the market annually from the deep ravine that runs east from the village. Of late there has not been so much mining in the coal fields at this point. There have been two shafts sunk near the C., B. & Q. R. R., on the west side, both of them about 80 feet deep. The one near the village, by the Illinois Carbon Coal Company, changed hands before completed, and has not been worked:The Sparta Steam Shaft is about ¿ a mile southwest of the village, on the east side. The shaft has been estab- lished about 7 years, and yields a good quality of coal. This is run at present by Peter Dolan, who paid out for mining, during the month of September, 1878, $1,200. Banks have been opened on sec- tion 28, by H. ; Rommel and Oliver Stream, south of the village. About one mile east of the village there are banks worked by Robert Campbell, Andrew Johnson, Henry Bellamy, Peter Knight, Milo Tompkins, Robert Thompson, Ed. McDermot, Andrew Danielson, Lewis Nodine, James Taylor, and two or three others, whose names we do not have. Price of coal at the banks at the present time is 5} cents per bushel of 80 lbs. There have been but few accidents, compara- tively, in the mines in Wataga or adjoining territory. Emanuel Harris lost his life by the bank caving in. Wm. Hitchey was fatally injured, May 18, 1857, in the air shaft, by the falling of clay. He lived but three or four days. Paul Convery, Nov. 23, 1859, lost his life by the bank caving in. Peter Cling, on the morning of Oct. 17, 1875, fell from the top of a shaft down some 71 feet. He lived, but had to have one leg, the left, amputated. A visitor from the East was down the Sparta Steam Shaft, when the platform started upward, and his head was caught between that and the wall of the shaft. The result was, he nearly lost his scalp and skull, but lived to report to his friends.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
ONTARIO TOWNSHIP.
This township was named Ontario at a meeting of its citizens in 1850, being assembled for that purpose, by the order of tlie Commis- sioners appointed by the County Court. Many of them were formerly from the State of New York, and they named the township after the beautiful lake which forms a part of the northern boundary of that State. The first improvements in this township were made by Alex- ander Williams, in 1833, on the northwest quarter of section 30; which consisted in breaking and fencing 20 acres. This property was purchased by Isaac Wetmore, in 1836, who lived at that time on sec- tion 36, Rio township. G. W. Melton settled on section 31, that same year. A cabin previously erected on this quarter section, was tlie first building in the township. Both these gentlemen are still living on the same farms, and have proven themselves first-class farmers, as well as good citizens, as have also many others in that vicinity.
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