USA > Illinois > Knox County > History of Knox county, Illinois > Part 47
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As an agricultural township, Ontario is one of the very finest in the State. Its groves and orchards, its dwellings, barns and out- buildings are among the very best; and its fine stone bridges are unsurpassed. This township is without a parallel, in the regularity of its roads, although its highways are all parallel, or cross each other at right angles, and its roads are all on section lines, except one, a half mile in length, crossing the center of section 13. The first settlers were largely from Oneida county, New York, among whom were the Wetmores, Chapmans, Cranes, Camps, Mosher, Hollister, Savage, Powell, and others. Among the early officers of the town- ship were Wikoffs, Hammonds, Brott, Butler, Haskins and others. Before it was organized, April 3, 1853, Rio township was united with it, as a voting precinct. The first Justice of the Peace in the precinct was Royal Hammond. The election was held in what is now Rio township. A warm time was liad, and the merits of the Abolition candidate hotly discussed. However, he was elected, and after the first case, which proved to be a dog case,-Thomas v. Maxwell,-in which the plaintiff was awarded the verdict, the Justice was declared "white" by lis opponents. The first child born in this township was Sarah Elizabeth Melton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Melton; and is now Mrs. Ralph Voris, of Oneida. The first school-liouse was built on the northwest quarter of section 32, in 1839. Ontario township was organized, and the first annual meeting was held in the school- house on section 32, April 5, 1853. I. M. Wetmore was moderator and W. J. Savage clerk. After adopting the order of business for annual meetings and the usual prelemminary work was disposed of, the following gentlemen were elected as the first officers of the town-
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ship: Supervisor, Edward Crane; Town Clerk, Wm. J. Savage; Assessor, John Burt; Collector, E. C. Brott; Overseer of the Poor, T. F. P. Wetmore; Commissioners of Highways, G. W. Melton, James Hammond and John Powell; Constables, E. C. Brott and J. W. Crane; Justices of the Peace, Ezra Chapman and S. E. Mosher. The following named gentlemen have served as Supervisors of Ontario township, since 1853: Ed. Crane, the year 1853; James Hammond, 1854-5-6-7; W. B. LeBaron, 1858; James Hammond, 1859; W. B. Le Baron, 1860-1-2-3-4; A. S. Curtis, 1865; Orin Beadle, 1866-7-8-9 70-1; A. S. Curtis, 1872; O. B. Beadle, 1873; Ed. Crane, 1874; A. S. Curtis, 1875-6; Geo. L. Stephenson, 1877-8. The present officers of the township are: Supervisor, G. L. Stephenson; Town Clerk, O. P. Cooley ; Assessor, B. S. West; Collector, L. Burt; Commissioners of Highways, J. C. Burt, N. Fay and Wm. Smith; Constables, F. M. 1 Doolittle and O. Powell; Justices of the Peace, E. Shedd and D. R. Drenkel.
Religious services of some kind were maintained by the early set- tlers in this neighborhood from the very first. After the school-house on section 32 was built, preaching was kept up by ministers of differ- ent denominations, with considerable regularity. Revs. Waters, Bartlett, Bremer, Moore and Gale were among the ministers who preached the gospel here then. The first church organization was effected by the Presbyterians, in 1840, Rev. J. G. Wright officiating, at Henderson. The services alternated between Henderson village and the school-house, in Ontario, then called the Camp school-house. This church is now extinct. There are now three church edifices in Ontario township outside of Oneida.
Several immigrants hailing from New York State about 1837 camped near the southwest corner of Ontario township, by a creek, during the winter. They split some rails, and in the spring launched out to the eastward on the paririe, put up a rail pen and moved in, and lived there during that summer, but erected a log cabin into which they removed before winter set in.
MAQUON TOWNSHIP.
When the red men roamed unmolested over this beautiful county their principal village was in this township, on Spoon river. As they were driven westward by the advance of civilization, a Mr. Pal- iner, a bee-hunter, came to the township and stopped at their vacated village. He arrived in 1828, but made no improvement in the way of fencing, or preparing a permanent home; and as it was not his inten- tion to remain, he could not be termed a settler. He stayed here bu
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a short time, when he removed farther west. Interesting remains of this Indian village and of their burying ground are found. It will be noticed that their trails, as marked on the map in this work, lead from near the town of Maquon.
James Millan settled on section 25 in 1830. Among other early set- tlers were Wm. Darnell, Wm. Parner and Mark and Thomas Thurman. The first Justice of the Peace was Mark Thurman. The first death was that of a little daughter of Mark Thurman, named Rebecca, who was also the first child born in the township. The first marriage was that of Elisha Thurman to Miss Anna Hall. Although they went to Fulton county to have the ceremony performed, yet they resided in this township at the time. The first school-house was erected on sec- tion 34 in 1834. The first school was taught by Benjamin Brooks. In the northern part of the township, on section 4, is situated the town of Maqnon. Spoon river passes diagonally across the township in a southwestern direction. The township contains a good proportion of prairie and timber lands.
HAW CREEK TOWNSHIP.
The prairie and timber land of this township is finely proportioned. Spoon river enters at section 1, flowing south makes its exit at section 35. The C., B. & Q. railroad makes its entrance at section 7, running southeast, converges with the river. The town of Gilson is in the township. This was the second township settled in the county, Hen- derson being the first. In 1829 Parnach Owen, then a young man living with his widowed mother in Ohio, had a strong desire to go westward. He was strongly urged to remain in the bounds of civili- zation, but without avail. His mother, seeing his determination to emigrate to a new country, concluded to accompany him. Accord- ingly she with her two daughters prepared for this western journey. Knox county was their destination, and in September of that year they arrived in this township, where, on section 18, they erected their log cabin. When we reflect that the first white persons inhabiting this vast region of country were a widow lady and her children, it would seem that she possessed bravery unequaled, patience untiring, and a devotion and love for her son that would permit no separation but that of death. Could we give a detailed account of the life of this noble woman, of the trials and hardships and sufferings endured, it would be read with great interest. Mrs. Owen and family nioved in- to Knoxville soon after that city was laid off, her son doing the sur- veying. Parnach Owen took an important part in organizing the county. He was a land dealer and speculator, and we are told that
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he has owned more land in Knox county than any other man. He died in Iowa, Mrs. Owen in Knoxville, and the two daughters are still living. One is the wife of Dr. Rice, of. Lewistown; the other the widow of the late John G. Sanburn and residing in Knoxville.
James Nevitt came to the township in the early part of 1832. The first child born in the township was his son, Charles Nevitt, in 1832. The first death was that of Eleanor Jarnagan, in the winter of 1834. The first school-house was built on section 8 in 1836, and the first school was taught by James or Susan Dempsey. The celebrated Peter Cartwright preached the first sermon in the township about 1831. Linneus Richmond and W. W. Dickerson came into the township at an early day. Mr. Dickerson came in 1827. He remembers hav- ing to go to Chicago for salt one winter, to Peoria to mill, and many other inconveniences. Walter Bell, an aged resident of the township, came into the county 25 years ago. He was 85 years old Aug. 2, 1878. He is one of the few surviving veterans of the war of 1812. He also served in the regular army. He rode on the first horse car and the first steam car ever run in the United States, and saw the first steamboat run on Chesapeake bay. Mr. Bell enjoys good health, is able to be up and around, and will probably live several years longer.
PERSIFER TOWNSHIP.
This township, which is bounded on the north by Copley, on the east by Truro, on the south by Haw Creek and on the west by Knox, is largely composed of timber land, There are some as fine farms, and wealthy, enterprising farmers in this township as can be found in the State.
R. C. Benson was the first man married in the township. He wedded the only young lady in the township that was old enough at that time to be a bride. She was Miss S. J. Bradford, daughter of Charles Bradford. Benson came to the township in 1835, and was married January 5, 1837. After his arrival he took a claim of 160 acres, and'after building a cabin and breaking six acres, sold it for $400 and a horse. He then purchased the farm upon which he now resides with the same money, and a squatter's cabin for $4.50, which he moved upon his farm. He daubed the stick chimney with black mud or soil, and the first rain that came washed the chimney down. For another chimney Mr. Benson hollowed out a large sycamore tree some seven feet long and three feet in diameter, and with skids rolled it up and set it on end upon the jamb of the fire-place. This made a good chimney and was used for a long time. The floor of this rude cabin was made of lin puncheons; the door was made of walnut boards
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fastened to battens with wooden pins; the liinges were of wood, one piece set into an auger hole in the door jamb and the other pinned to the door so as to connect with the other piece. The latch was also made of wood with a buckskin string hanging out, inviting neighbors and weary travelers to enter. This is but a fair sample of many of the abodes of the early settlers of Persifer.
Mr. Benson planted two cotton-wood trees in front of his house 39 years ago. These are large stately trees at present. The life of Mr. Benson is but a sample of that of many pioneers of Knox county; and we feel it due to posterity to relate a more detailed description of the manner in which he lived,-of the hardships and trials and suffer- ings encountered during his early life in Persifer township. When he came to the township he was exceedingly poor; he, however, had a gun and an old horse; with these, and two willing hands he started out to make a farm. He did not have even any grain to live on, but subsisted mostly on game. His first task was to fence in a small yard; so with ax, maul and wedge he went to the timber. He could cut the trees and make about 200 rails per day, and frequently in the evening kill a deer. They were seldom out of venison and wild honey. Deer were plentiful at that time. Mr. Benson tells us the largest number he ever saw in one day was 75, and the largest num- ber he ever shot in one day was 25. The most he ever killed and got in one day was three. Once he killed two at one shot. The largest number of bee-trees found in one day was six. The heaviest ladened tree he ever found was a sycamore on Spoon river. From this tree he secured a common tub full, two pails and several sugar-troughs full. The tree was thin-shelled, and when it fell it split wide open. The honey ran out in a large stream upon the ground. After he had filled all of his vessels he stood in honey several inches deep! He finally managed to get some mneal, when the family feasted upon mush and milk, venison and wild honey for some time.
By the second year he had a small piece of land ready to plant in corn. He took his old horse and laid it off. His wife followed and . dropped the corn, and he covered it with a plow. They had a large dog, which they left at the house to take charge of their child. Snakes and wolves, and other dangerous animals were numerous, but the faithful dog would let nothing have his charge; and when the child would try to crawl away, would drag it back into the house.
The first Sabbath school of Persifer township was held at the house of Charles Bradford in 1838, by Rev. S. S. Miles. The lesson was abont the three Hebrew children. The first sermon was preached by 28
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Rev. S. S. Miles, June, 1836, in same house. The first school-house was built in 1841. John McIntosh was teacher.
Hon. R. W. Miles now represents the township in the Board of Supervisors, and has filled the office for eighteen years. He is chair- man of that honorable body, John W. Manley, James M. Maxey, John Biggerstaff, James Dawsett and R. C. Benson have served as members of this Board,-the latter by appointment to fill the vacancy made by the resignation of R. W. Miles.
A tribe of Indians settled or located on Court creek, Persifer town- ship, whose custom was to make sugar from the maple trees. They used brass kettles in which to boil the sap. It seems, one spring, after they had made considerable sugar, they were compelled to leave .. Among the Indians was a squaw and her son called "Bill." This woman had accumulated great wealth. Not being able to carry all her money, she filled one of her kettles with gold and silver and buried it on the bank of the creek. She was afraid of the whites; so after reaching her destination in the West she sent her son back after her money. Bill made extensive searches up and down the creek, bu failed to find it, and the treasure is supposed to be still buried some- where on Court creek. On the Taylor farm, in 1841, a cellar was being dug, when at a depth of about four feet three bars of copper were found. These had been forged out by hand. A well was sunk, when down about 22 feet the remains of a camp-fire were found. Char- coal and rubbish were discovered, which plainly proved that at one time, within the life of man here, that was the surface.
COPLEY TOWNSHIP.
There was raised in this township last year (1877) 7,695 acres of corn, which yielded 199,203 bushels. But 187 acres of wheat were sown, which produced a crop of 2,434 bushels; 1,136 acres were devoted to oats, with a yield of 29,810 bushels. There were 308 acres of rye, from which were harvested 5,433 bushels. On the whole, in the production of these cereals, Copley ranks favorably with any other township in Knox county. Its lands are mostly prairie. There are, however, some fine tracts of timber in the southern portion of the township. It is supposed that Larkin Robinson was the first pioneer, he having settled on section 18, in 1837. John McDowell settled on section 16, the following year. He afterwards removed to section 14, where he died in 1867. His son, John McDowell, Jr., resides in the township, at present. A son of Matthew Herbert was the first child born in Copley.
The number of acres of improved land in this township is 21,360;
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of unimproved lands 1,183; total valuation of both $399,214. Of corn grown in 1878 there were 8,229 acres; wheat, 234 acres; oats, 1,523 acres. Of meadow there are 2,311 acres; of orchard, 184 acres; of woodland, 1,866 acres. Value of town lots, $7,920. There are 781 horses in this township, valued at $29,501; cattle, 1,680, valued at $22,401; of mules there are 21, valued at $1,065; sheep, 666, valued at $1,162; hogs, 3,180, valued at $7,931; carriages and wagons, 303, valued at $6,263; piano-fortes, 3, valued at $190. Total value of farming implements and machinery is $6,843. Total value of per- sonal property in the township is $130,988.
WALNUT GROVE TOWNSHIP.
John Thompson was the first permanent settler. He was originally from Pennsylvania, but removed from Ohio to Illinois in July, 1836, and settled in Knox county, on section 16, the present site of the vil- lage of Altona. Previous to this Jones and DeHart settled on section 21, but were scared away by the Black Hawk war in 1832. Mr. Thompson's nearest neighbor lived at Fraker's Grove, eleven miles distant.
During the years 1836-7 a band of Indians, about 30 in number, camped for a short time just west of Mr. John Thompson's residence, and near the present high-school building of Altona. An old Indian and his squaw remained long after the body of Indians left, and most excellent neighbors they were.
John Thompson, Jr., was the first male child born in this township. The second child was Helen Maria Ward, now Mrs. A. P. Stephens, of Creston, Iowa. In 1838, Mr. Ward made the first wagon tracks ever made between Walnut Grove and Victoria.
At one time Walnut Grove township was the home of a large num- ber of Mormons. It was revealed to Joe Smith, the prophet, that a branch church should be established, and all the inhabitants of this beautiful land should yield up a portion of their increase to the build- ing of a temple, sacred to the Mormon religion. While the great head of the church was at Nauvoo, Hancock county, Illinois, it was intended that a branch church should be established here, and a society of about 100 members was organized. The citizens generally were very much opposed to this plan, and a very strong intimation, backed up by the most resolute and hardy land proprietors, to the effect that the property of the Mormons and the temple of the prophet would not in an emergency be protected by them, resulted in a new " revelation," commanding them all to leave their homes and go to Hancock county where the main body of Mormons liad settled.
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This they all strictly obeyed, many of them making great sacrifices in so doing.
Amos Ward was the first Postmaster in the township. He hield the office for a long term of years, when it was much more trouble- some than remunerative. A little drawer in a book-case served as a deposit for all the mail, for ten years.
The first school-house was built about the year 1841. It was con- structed of logs, and was 16x16 feet. Mary Frail, now Mrs. Tupper, of Altona, was the first female teacher, and Eugene Gross, who sub- sequently has figured quite prominently in the Legislature of this State, the first male teacher. The character of the school was good.
Prominent among the early settlers was Simeon L. Collison, wlio resides in the southern part of the township. He came from England to the United States in 1830, and to Knox county in 1838. About the first lawsuit in the neighborhood was for the ownership of a tree. The contestants were so fierce as to come to blows. The case was tried before a jury, in a log cabin. After all the evidences were taken, the jury retired to a small rail pen, to decide upon the merits of the question.
SALEM TOWNSHIP.
Among the first settlers of this excellent township were Solomon Sherwood, Henry Dalton, Alexander Taylor, Felix Thurman, Avery Dalton, Benona Hawkins, Johu Darnell, Sala Blakeslee, William Kent, John Thurman, and John Haskins. Taylor arrived first, and settled on section 5. The first birth was Laura, daughter of John Haskins, in 1835. The first marriage was that of Avery Dalton, to Delilah Dalton. The first death was Anderson Corbine, in the summer of 1835. The first sermon was preached by Rev. Henry Summers, on section 13, on the 4th of November, 1836. Emeline Shinn was the first to die in the township, on the 9th of August, 1839. The first postoffice was established at a place in the southwest corner of the township, called Middle Grove. The first school was taught by Abid Drew, on section 13, in 1838. The first Justice of the Peace was William Davis. There are three towns in this town- ship, and more miles of railroad than in any other township in the county except Galesburg. The first frame building in Salem town- ship was erected by Sala Blakeslee, in 1837. It was a barn, 30 by 40 feet in size; and burned down the same year. Mr. Blakeslee also brought the first timothy seed into the township, in 1834. On his farm are ten chestnut trees, growing from seeds planted by him, in 1846. They will now measure two feet in diameter. He also has a
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rail fence, which is remarkable for its perfect state of preservation. In 32 rods, which was built in 1844, there are not more than five rails but what are sound and good yet. It has never been re-set. He claims that the rails do not rot, for the reason that they were cut in August, and the fence laid while the moon was in its last quarter. He has logs in a corn-crib that were cut in 1829, and gate posts that were cut in 1832.
This is one of the corner townships of the county, and joins Fulton county on the south and Peoria on the east. The soil is fertile and the landscape beautiful. Indeed, one of the finest views in Knox county is obtainable from Summit in this township.
ELBA TOWNSHIP.
In the year 1835 or '36 John King erected a cabin on section 2 of this township. This was the first attempt known to settle this section of beautiful country. In 1836 came Darius Miller and his brother, who was familiarly known among the pioneers as King Miller. Soon followed John Thurman, Jacob Kightlinger, L. A. Jones and J. H. Nicholson.
The first marriage in the township was that of Moses Smith to Miss Tabitha George, by Jacob Kightlinger. The first death occurring was that of John King, the first settler, who died in 1836, the year after his arrival. The first birth was Tabitha Smith, on section 35. Jacob Kightlinger was the first Justice of the Peace. His commission was dated August, 1839. Here lived the Rev. John Cross, who figured so prominently in the management of the Underground Railroad, and of whom some quite interesting sketches may be found in the chapter on that road in this book. It is said he preached the first sermon at the house of John Tucker on section 1, in the year 1841, but we find Rev. S. S. Miles preached in April, 1839, two years before Mr. Cross preached in this township. From the year 1837 to 1850 there had been a gradual increase of population. During these years they began to think of the need of some educational facilities, and in 1842 a school-house was built. Religions services were held in the school-house soon after its erection, the first being by the United Brethren denomination, with Mr. Cady as leader and preacher.
In 1867 a Good Templars' lodge was organized, which met for some time at the house of Mr. Robert Jerman, then occupied by Mr. John Lewis. The society flourished, and in 1869 built the Good Templars' Hall, a quarter of a mile west of the school-honse. It was a one-story wooden structure; and as the members of the order be-
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came scattered, and the lodge discouraged, it was sold in 1876, and removed by Mr. Jerome Curtiss and used as a dwelling.
A post-office was established in the southern part of the township, section 15, in April, 1870, under the name of "Spoon River." In January, 1871, the name was changed to Elba Centre. Miss Rebecca Boyce was selected as postmistress, and lias retained the position to the present time.
In the spring of 1872, the old school-house was remodeled and mod- ernized, and in the following year a hall was built opposite in which to transact township business.
Two churches were built in 1874,-one by the Methodists a mile west of the Centre corners, the other by the Presbyterians a mile to the north of the same point. The first was dedicated in June by President Evans of Hedding College, Abingdon, and the latter in September by a minister from Galesburg.
TRURO TOWNSHIP.
This township contains a greater number of miles of Spoon river than any other township in the county. That river touches 17 sections, which is, seemingly, as many as is possible for the same number of miles of a stream to cross in running through a township. The first settler in Truro was John Dill, who came to the township in 1832, and erected his cabin on section 19. Malon Winans, United States' Mail Carrier, was the first person meeting with death in this township. He lived in Lewistown, Fulton county, and was making his first trip with the mail. O. M. Ross, who came into Fulton county in 1822, carried the mail between Springfield and Monmouth for some years, or rather it was carried by his son, Harvey L., who, when he began in 1832, was but 15 years of age. In 1834 Mr. Ross let out a part of the route, fromn Lewistown to Monmouth, to a relative of his, Malon Winans. Mr. Winans had a son whom he in- tended to put upon the route, but concluded to go over it himself first that he might make all necessary arrangements for stopping-places. But his first trip was his last, for in attempting to swim Spoon river with the mail-bag strapped to his back, he was drowned.
The first marriage ceremony performed in the township was by Rev. J. Cummings in 1833, when he united Jake Ryan and Miss Stambaugh. The first birth was Andrew Dill, in 1833. The first sermon was preached at the residence of Widow Lambert on section 31, in 1834, by Rev. John Cummings. A ferry was established on Spoon river at section 30, in 1834, by John Coleman.
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