USA > Illinois > Macoupin County > History of Macoupin County, Illinois : biographical and pictorial, Volume I > Part 45
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The first man to settle in the township was General John Harris, who came in 1829 and located in the northeast part of the township near the point of timber which is now known as Harris' point. He was a colonel in the Black Hawk war and later served as brigadier general of militia. He also represented the county in the state legislature. At his death he was buried in the woods a short dis- tance north of Sulphur Springs. In the year 1829 other settlers who came were David Steele, John, Samuel and Edley McVey, all of whom settled on what is known as Sherrill's branch, a tributary of Macoupin creek.
Judge Yowell and his son, James H. Yowell, also came in 1829. William S. Street came here in 1831 from Kentucky and after farming for some time, en- gaged in merchandising in Nilwood. D. B. Boston, a native of Indiana, became a settler here in 1833.
The first birth in the county was that of John Harris, a son of General John Harris, who met his death at the age of twelve years by drowning.
The first death was that of John L. Harris, a nephew of General Harris, who was accidentally killed while assisting in the erection of a log house.
In 1829 the first couple was married in the township, the contracting parties being Nathan McVey and Susan Akins.
A Methodist and Baptist society were organized in 1829, the latter by David Gimlin. The following year, 1830, Thomas Chasteen organized a Christian so- ciety. In 1830 a church was erected at Sulphur Springs and was used as a union church. In 1846 the Methodists erected a church of their own.
The first school was conducted in the union church and was taught by a Mr. Harris. This was used for school purposes until 1838, when a log schoolhouse was built near Macoupin creek. Enoch Hall was one of the pioneer teachers.
The first mill was built by Lewis Pitman. In 1838 he built a grist mill which was run by horse power. He also put up the first blacksmith shop.
A tannery was built by John McVey in 1837.
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The first settlers to enter land were as follows: John Harris, January 2, 1829, eighty acres on section 12; Robert Palmer, January 20, 1829, eighty acres on section 2; Samuel M. Harris, October 31, 1829, eighty acres on section 33. The first furrow was turned by Andrew Bigham.
NILWOOD.
The town of Nilwood is located on section 18, on the line of the Chicago & Alton railroad and is about eight miles northeast of Carlinville, the county seat. It was laid out by Samuel Mayo and Philander Bayly and surveyed in 1855 by F. H. Chapman.
The first buildings in the town were erected by J. Benneyworth and H. Cooper, the latter building a dwelling house, which was completed July 9, 1852.
The first child born in the town was Charles Cooper, son of H. Cooper, Octo- ber 10, 1853.
Rev. Bardrick and Jane Benneyworth were the first couple married in the town.
A store was established in 1857 by a Mr. Bristow.
The first school was taught by a Mr. McKee.
In 1857 five dwellings and two stores were erected and from that time on the village began to grow.
In 1862 the Methodist denomination built a church and Rev. McDougal was the first minister. The Baptist people put up a church in 1869.
In 1857 J. Benneyworth built the first grist mill and in 1873 he opened and operated a coal mine.
Most of Nilwood lies within Nilwood township. In 1900 there were 420 in- habitants. The population now numbers but 399. The chief industry of the vil- lage is from the contiguous mines. There are but one or two business houses, a church and schoolhouse. The Illinois Traction System's interurban electric road runs through the town and parallels the Chicago & Alton.
THE NILWOOD STATE BANK.
This bank is a comparatively new concern, being incorporated August 12, 1908. The organizers of the institution were F. W. Cooper, Ferdinand Winter, Charles Klaus, and B. F. Darneille. Its first officers were as follows: President, W. C. Ledferd ; vice president, Ferdinand Winter ; secretary and cashier, F. W. Cooper. These gentlemen with the following names constituted the first board of direc- tors : Charles Klaus, R. C. Adams, C. R. Welton and S. M. Welton.
The present officials are: President, Ferdinand Winter ; vice president, John C. Anderson; secretary, F. W. Cooper; cashier, F. D. Huber ; assistant cashier, Otto L. Klaus. The directors are: Ferdinand Winter, F. W. Cooper, John C.
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Anderson, Charles Klaus, R. C. Adams, C. R. Welton and S. M. Welton. The institution is capitalized at $25,000.
HONEY POINT TOWNSHIP.
Honey Point is one of the eastern tier of townships and is bounded on the north by Shaw's Point township, on the east by Montgomery county, on the south by Cahokia and on the west by Brushy Mound townships.
The first entry of land was made by Aaron Hammer, August 19, 1819, which was a tract of eighty acres on section 32. The second entry was made by Har- din Hall, May 24, 1831, which was eighty acres on section 17, and two days later, on the 26th of May of the same year, Thomas Carr entered eighty acres on section 18.
The earliest settlers who came sought the edge of the timber but eventually settlements were made on the prairie land. In 1832 Elijah Mitchell came, and in 1833 he was followed by Thomas D. Moore, Robert Scott and a Mr. Rucker. Other early settlers were Judge Olds, John Perkins, James Sinclair, M. J. W. Hart, James Mounce and Thomas I. Williams.
J. W. York came here in 1828. Peter Keplinger, John McReynolds, W. N. Culp, J. D. Sanders and James Hunt were also among the earliest arrivals.
This township received its appellation from the following incident: Near the center of the township, on the banks of Honey creek is found a grove about three quarters of a mile wide, extending westward almost three miles, and sur- rounded on all sides by prairie. It is said that during the Black Hawk war a company of soldiers under Colonel Whiteside, in marching from St. Louis to Springfield, camped in the east end of the timber for the night. In the morning their attention was attracted to a large number of bees and they later discovered a number of bee trees filled with honey, and ever after this section of the county was known as Honey Point township.
The first school was conducted in a building near the center of the township in the Honey Point timber.
The first resident ministers were Elders Mitchell and Brown and others who came to preach were Isaac Haycraft, J. B. Rhoads and Messrs. Carr and Williams.
The township contains no village or postoffice but the village of Clyde is located near the southern border just across the line in Cahokia township.
CAHOKIA TOWNSHIP.
Cahokia township constitutes what is known as town 7, range 6 west, and is bounded on the north by Honey Point township, on the west by Gillespie, on the south by Staunton township, and on the east by Montgomery county. It lies in the southeastern portion of the county and the land is rolling prairie, well drained by Cahokia creek and its tributaries. There is also some timber to be found.
Ephraim Powers settled near the southeastern corner of the township about 1828. and in 1830 Thomas Kinder and his family located on section II. In 1831
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Peter B. Karnes and family settled here. Soon afterward others who came were John Kinder, Amos Snook, B. L. Dorsey, John Blevins, Tolton Blevins, Lodwick Jones and Nathan Duncan. All these settlers at once made improvements and developed good farms.
The first birth in the township was that of William S. Karnes, son of Peter B. and Sarah Ann Karnes, whose birth occurred May 30, 1832.
The first death was that of Mrs. Kinder in May, 1832.
The first marriage also occurred in the spring of 1832, the contracting parties being Christopher Kinder and Miss Mary Ann Cook.
The first religious services were held in 1834 at the home of James Caulk, by William Burg, a United Baptist minister. Larkin Craig was also a pioneer minister of this locality.
The United Baptist people erected the first church here about 1840. It was located on section 2, on land belonging to Thomas Kinder. It was built of logs and served as well for school purposes. A man by the name of Arnold was the first teacher here. This building was finally destroyed by fire.
The first schoolhouse was built of logs, on section 10, about the year 1835. The first teachers in this school were Evan Hazzard and John Wilton.
John Blevins built the first blacksmith shop in 1833 and was the first black- smith in this district.
Eaton & English put up the first grist mill, which was operated by horse power.
The first entries of land were made as follows: John Blevins, eighty acres on section 10, April 22, 1831; Peter Kinder, eighty acres on section 10, May 9, 1831; George A. and John Kinder, the same amount on the same section on that date, while Jacob and William Kinder entered at the same time eighty acres on section 14. Others of the early settlers were Nancy Snook, Larkin Craig, Nancy Keel, George Bayless, Hugh Rice, William Anderson, William Eickmeyer, E. S. Holme and J. M. Rhoads.
CLYDE.
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The village of Clyde lies on section 3, in the northeastern part of the town- ship and is located on the Indianapolis & St. Louis railroad. Robert J. Hornsby was proprietor of the village and it was surveyed and platted by F. H. Chap- man in 1854.
BENLD.
Benld is one of the growing mining towns of Macoupin county. In the cen- sus of 1900, it was not mentioned, but the census of 1910 gives it a population of 1,912. Most of this population is made up of foreigners who gain a liveli- hood from the large mines located there. The village is substantially built, with probably a half dozen brick business structures in the center of the place.
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The Macoupin County railroad passes through the town and the Illinois Trac- tion System's electric road passes on its western border, giving its people easy access to the outside world.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK.
The First National Bank of Benld was chartered in 1905, with a capital stock of $25,000. Its president is F. W. Edwards and cashier, C. R. Eagle. The last published report of this national institution showed deposits to the amount of $65,000.
STAUNTON TOWNSHIP.
Staunton township is situated in the extreme southeast corner of Macoupin county, and is bounded on the north by Cahokia township, on the west by Dor- chester township, on the south by Madison county and on the east by Mont- gomery county. The township is mostly rolling prairie, well adapted for all kinds of agriculture. Several creeks run through the township, the principal one of which is Cahokia, which enters in the north part of section 5 and flow- ing in a southwesterly direction, passes out on the west of section 19. The streams are bordered by belts of timber, which include various kinds of oak, ash, sugar maple, walnut and hickory.
John Wood claimed the distinction of being the first settler in the township, coming in the year 1817. He was a blacksmith and millwright by trade and came here from Virginia, settling on the southeast half of section 36. In the same year' Richard Wilhelm and Cennith Seymore, both natives of Pennsylvania, came to Staunton township from Alabama, and settled on section 24. In the spring of 1819 Telemachus Camp, who was a native of Georgia, also came here from Alabama and located on section 19. In November of the same year John D. and Richard Chapman, who were natives of North Carolina, came here from Tennessee, the former settling on section 18, while the latter established his home on section 24. In 1820 several families were added to this section, these being Jesse Chapman, who came from North Carolina and settled on section 17; James B. Cowell, who came from Tennessee and settled on section 30, while Lewis and William Cormack settled in the same neighborhood. The following year, 1821, Rodger Snell, a native of North Carolina, came from Tennessee and settled on section 31. From this time on many came and settled in Staunton township and during the succeeding seven years this district became quite thickly settled, the people coming from North and South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and some from Pennsylvania.
The first religious service was held here in the fall of 1820, at the home of Richard Chapman, the minister being Rev. Parham Randle, of the Methodist faith. Rev. James Lemon, a minister of the Baptist faith, preached in the home of. Telemachus Camp, in the fall of 1821. The first church was built and dedi- cated in 1828 and was not only used by all denominations for religious services. but served as well for school purposes and public meetings of all kinds. It stood on the land where the city cemetery is now located.
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The first school was conducted on the subscription plan and was taught in the summer of 1822 by :William Wilcox. He taught eight hours a day, five days in the week, for two dollars a scholar.
In 1825 the first school house was built. It was constructed of split hickory logs, with clapboard roof and dirt floor. The second building for school pur- poses was made of hewn logs, with a shingle roof and oak plank floor. It was 18x20 feet in size and one story in height. The first teachers were Rodger Snell, Tristram P. Hoxey, Philip Denham and Archibald Hoxey.
The first couple to be married in the township was Jesse Chapman and Com- fort Alexander. The ceremony was performed on the 29th of May, 1820, by John Y. Sawyer, a justice of the peace, at Edwardsville, which was the only place a license could be secured. The second couple married in the township was William Wilcox and Polly Cormack, in 1823.
The first white child born in the township was Benjamin, son of John D. and Sarah Chapman, in the spring of 1820. On the 23d of October of the same year a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Telemachus Camp. He died on the 15th of December following, this being the first death in the township.
The first store was opened by Stephen G. Hicks in 1831 and in 1834 John Cormack also opened a mercantile establishment.
Dr. Luke S. Coons came in 1835 and was the first physician here.
In the fall of 1820 Richard Chapman purchased a pair of millstones and fitted up a band mill. Up until 1823 the settlers were dependent upon this mill for their bread stuffs. In the latter year John Wood built a horse mill on Sil- ver creek, a few miles distant, and soon thereafter Stephen Wilcox erected a mill on section 25. In due course of time these gave way to tread mills, water mills and steam mills in their order, which furnished excellent facilities for the manu- facture of flour.
Telemachus Camp made the first entry of land, August 18, 1819, on section 19, his place comprising one hundred and sixty-three acres. On the 2d of April, 1825, he entered eighty acres on section 31. December 22, 1828, Nathaniel Buckmaster entered eighty acres on section 29, and Rodger Snell entered eighty acres on section 31.
STAUNTON.
The town of Staunton is located on the northwest part of section 32 and a small portion extends into section 29 and section 31. The Wabash railroad runs along the east side of the town, and running northeast passes through the whole length of the township. The town seems to have been started by the opening of a store by Stephen G. Hicks in 1831. The town was laid out in 1835, by David Hendershot, the streets running north and south. It was not in- corporated, however, until the 23d of February, 1859.
CHARTERED AS A CITY.
In 1891 Staunton received its charter as a city. At that time it had a popu- lation of 2,209. It has now 5,048 people within its corporate limits, is growing steadily and is at this time the largest city in Macoupin county. E. E. Godfrey was the first mayor under the city charter and served in that capacity from
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1891 until 1899. In the latter year he was succeeded by John Coerver, who died in August of that year. R. M. Purdy was acting mayor until the following No- vember, when E. E. Godfrey was appointed to fill the position. His successor, J. H. Harding, was elected in the spring of 1901 and served until 1903. C. F. Hackman was mayor from 1903 until 1906, when George H. Luker was elected and is the present incumbent.
CITY HALL.
In 1884, what was then considered a large and substantial city hall, was erected. It is a two-story brick building and stands on the corner of Main and Wood streets, occupying part of the public park. It has outgrown its usefulness, has been condemned as being unsafe, and it is only a question of a short time when a more modern structure will take its place. In this building are the council chamber, city offices, and fire department. The city is well policed and the civil government is run economically, but in a manner which shows a very progres- sive spirit on the part of the citizens.
ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT.
In 1896 the city constructed an electric light plant, at an original cost of about $10,000. It was built near the water works plant, outside the corporate limits, about one mile from the city. Subsequently, it was removed into the city and housed in a well built brick structure, and at various times improvements have been added to the plant. In 1911, $9,000 was spent upon this utility. Staunton citizens take a great pride in their electric light establishment and claim to have one of the best plants of its kind in this section of the state. The service is con- tinuous and the patronage so generous that the city is enabled to light the streets practically free of cost, or in other words, the electric light plant is self-sustaining.
CITY WATER WORKS.
Staunton also owns its water works, which were built in 1888, and in oper- ation the latter part of that year. This improvement is built upon a tract of land consisting of twenty-seven acres. Here a dam was constructed at a cost of some $12,000. There is a brick power house, wherein are installed powerful pumps, which give sufficient pressure for any emergency. The water is whole- some and is piped throughout the city to many consumers. This is also a self- sustaining city utility and the plant itself is fully worth $50,000.
A WELL BUILT CITY.
The city of Staunton is not only the largest place in Macoupin county, but its business center is also the most substantially and more modernly built than any other town in the county. On its main street are some splendid buildings, devoted to mercantile purposes and its streets and sidewalks are of the best. There are now about eighteen blocks of brick paving and many miles of cement sidewalk.
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The city also owns a beautiful cemetery in the northwest part of the place, with- in the corporate limits.
MINING AND OTIIER INDUSTRIES OF THE CITY.
The chief industry of Staunton consists in the mining of coal. Mines Nos. I and 2 of the Mt. Olive & Staunton Coal Company are located on the Litchfield & Madison railway-which runs through the city-near the north line of Madi- son county, Illinois, about one and a half miles from Staunton. These mines rank high among the important producers of the state of Illinois.' The com- pany is an Illinois corporation, having its offices in Staunton. This coal is largely used for domestic purposes and is a very superior steam product. It is also a famous coal in the large clay burning districts near St. Louis.
Staunton also has an artificial ice plant, which was built by Paul Walters and Charles Becker, in 1896.
POSTAL SAVINGS BANK.
H. A. Fischer is the postmaster at this place. Under the direction of the de- partment at Washington he opened a postal savings bank on June 27, 19II, one of the first to be established by the government in the state of Illinois. The first deposit made at this office was for $100, by a farmer, on the day that the innovation was started, and at the time the office closed for receiving deposits on that first day, $1,100 had been taken in by the postmaster. Since the open- ing of the system at Staunton, the average daily deposits have amounted to $800. This clearly demonstrates the virtue of the government's postal savings banks.
The first postmaster here was Dr. Coons. His successors were: Hugh Cald- well, Thomas Blair, C. Godfrey, C. Panhorst, W. F. Hackman and D. G. William- son. The present incumbent, H. A. Fischer, was appointed by President Roose- velt, April 10, 1906, and by President Taft on the 23d of April, 1910.
WALL & COMPANY, BANKERS.
The banking house of Wall & Company was established in 1893 by Hampton W. Wall and J. C. Panhorst. This financial concern continued in business until 1898, when Mr. Wall died and at his death Mr. Panhorst retired. The institu- tion then passed into the hands of the sons of Mr. Wall, William P. and Charles R., who conducted the business under the name of Wall Brothers. In 1901 Will- iam P. Wall secured full control of the business of Wall Brothers, and on March I, 1902, Cornelius Godfrey secured an interest in the concern and since that time the business has been conducted under the firm name of Wall & Company, Bankers, William P. Wall, president; and C. Godfrey, cashier. The bank's re- sponsibilities are $100,000.
WALL & QUADE, BANKERS.
In 1902, after retiring from the Wall Brothers bank, Charles R. Wall and Otto E. Quade, under the firm name of Wall & Quade, established a banking
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institution. It is located in the corner of the Quade-Miller-Hackman block. Here are well appointed banking rooms, in which is a beautiful vault, the outer walls of which are covered with onyx and the inner walls steel lined. In this vault is a Mosler safe and safety deposit boxes. Both these banks are among the strong financial institutions of Staunton.
LIBRARY AND LODGES.
Staunton has a library of several hundred volumes and an active commercial club, the members of which have an eye single toward the interests of the city. There are numerous lodges, a few of which are here mentioned: Staunton Camp, No. 572, M. W. A .; Parnassus Lodge, No. 581, K. P .; Staunton Lodge, No. 177, A. F. & A. M .; Royal Neighbors; Musicians Protective Union Local No. 219; St. Michael's Branch, No. 32; Western Catholic Union; Eastern Star; Red Men, Odd Fellows, Ben Hurs and others.
NORTH OTTER TOWNSHIP.
North Otter is situated in the northern tier of townships and comprises town- ship 12 north, range 7 west. The township is bounded on the north by Sanga- mon county, on the west by North Palmyra, on the south by South Otter and on the east by Virden and Girard townships. It took its name from Otter creek, which flows through the eastern part of the township, and it was so called from the fact that in early times large numbers of otters were found on the banks of this creek.
In 1829 the following settlers came to this locality: Hugh Gibson, John Pope, John Chandler, Jesse Cox, John Stewart and G. L. McGinnis. All brought their families with them. William C. Crump came in 1833, while the year 1834 witnessed the arrival of W. C. Alderson.
The first birth in the township was that of William H. Cox, on the 22d of November, 1829.
The first preacher in the locality was "Uncle Johnny" Stewart, a local preacher of the Methodist church. The Methodist denomination erected the first church here about 1866.
The first school was taught by George Boggess.
The first mill was erected by Thomas Sprouse. It was operated by horse power.
Dr. Goode located here in the '30s and began the practice of medicine. He was the only practitioner here until the arrival of Dr. Chapman in 1876.
The first two entries of land were made in 1828 by Owen T. Merry and Har- din Lodsdew, each entering eighty acres on section 19, in the month of Novem- ber. In February, 1829, James McGinnis entered a like amount on section 19.
SOUTH OTTER TOWNSHIP.
This township is located in what is geographically known as township 11, range 7 west, and is bounded on the north by North Otter township, on the west by
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South Palmyra, on the south by Carlinville and on the east by Nilwood town- ship. In the eastern and southern portions the land is mostly prairie and is a rich, black soil, while in the northwestern portion some timber is to be found, including oak, hickory and cottonwood. The general surface is undulating but near the creeks the bluffs are quite abrupt and the soil is mostly clay. The land is afforded good drainage by Otter creek and its tributaries. A portion of the village of Nilwood is located in the eastern part of this township.
The first settler in the township was a man by name of Days, who moved a log house across Otter creek from South Palmyra township. The first new buildings were erected by Samuel and Henry Miller. Other of the early settlers were Irvin and Martin Pullam, Joel Bond, Alvey Graves, William Etter, Comfort Smith, Samuel Clark, David Davidson, J. Adams, T. S. Barrow, M. M. Ross, Robert and Thomas Bacon, G. D. Crawford and others.
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