USA > Illinois > Macoupin County > History of Macoupin County, Illinois : biographical and pictorial, Volume I > Part 47
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The first justice of the peace was Lewis Solomon, Sr. He was elected when Macoupin county formed a part of Greene county. Mr. Solomon also introduced the first blooded stock in the township.
The first blacksmith shop was erected on land belonging to Lewis Solomon, Sr., and was operated by a Mr. Stratton.
The first postoffice was established in 1859 at Vancil's Point at the residence of Mr. Solomon.
SOUTH PALMYRA TOWNSHIP.
South Palmyra township occupies the congressional town II north, range 8 west, and is bounded on the north by North Palmyra, on the east by South Ot- ter, on the south by Bird and on the west by Barr township.
The first settlers in this township were Seth Hodges and John Love, who came about the year 1816. Hodges' creek was named in honor of Seth Hodges.
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
Levi Day and family came about 1824. He erected a small cabin and began to improve a farm. George Mathews and family arrived in 1827. About 1823 David T. Taylor came here from Tennessee and settled on the creek near Seth Hodges. He afterward moved to near the town of Palmyra and became one of the first constables of the county. Felix Hoover settled here in 1829, and in the same year came William Hodges, a local preacher. Rev. John Howerton, a Baptist minister, came here from Tennessee in 1830. James Cave also came about the same time. Isaac Massey came from Tennessee in 1829. Ezekiel Ross settled here in 1833. His brother, Robert Ross, and family settled here about 1829, but after a few years moved to South Palmyra and located on sec- tion 8. Judge Samuel Lair arrived here about 1833. Elijah Wills and family came from Kentucky and after spending a short time in North Palmyra town- ship located here in 1832. Andrew Russell and John G. Chiles were also early settlers, the latter coming in 1833. Oakes Shaw came here in 1836.
Felix Hoover is supposed to have raised the first wheat about 1830, as he broke the first prairie land in the township.
Other early settlers were W. B. and James Gardiner, who came in 1836, and Joseph B. Steidley came about the same time and bought the improvements of James Solomon, who with his brother Henry had come in 1834.
Seth Hodges made the first entry of land on section 28, December 23, 1823. He had lived here some years previously as a "squatter." The next entry was made by Felix Hoover, April 10, 1829.
W. G. Ross came here from Tennessee in 1829 and located on section 18. Baxter M. Skeen came in 1832. B. F. Bivin in 1834 and Henry Etter, came from Tennessee in 1836. M. C. Tongate came in 1837, as did also C. P. and Achilles Tongate.
The land in this township is well drained on the west side by Solomon's creek, through the central portion by Massey creek, and in the southeastern por- tion by Otter creek. The oldest cultivated farms in this section were near the creeks and were covered with timber when the settlers arrived. Later they branched out on the prairie, which has also proved good land for farming.
The first school was held in a log building, located in the southern part of the township. James Howard taught the first school in 1831.
The first church was erected one mile south of the present town of Palmyra, It was constructed of hewed logs and covered with split boards. The first regular minister was John Howerton, of the Baptist faith.
The first child born in the township was in the family of John Love, in 1824.
The first marriage occurred in August, 1828, the contracting parties being Theodorus Davis and Jane Burlson.
The first mill was built by Andrew Russell. The second mill was erected in 1835 by James Cave, near the present town of Palmyra.
PALMYRA.
The village of Palmyra is located on the township line between North and . South Palmyra. The portion in South Palmyra lies on the northwest quarter of section 4. The portion lying in North Palmyra township is on the southwest
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quarter of section 33. It was laid out in 1855 by D. N. Solomon, J. F. Nifong and H. Berry. The old town of Newburg was situated on section 4 and was laid out in 1855 by James Cave.
The first house in the town was built in 1835 by William Owens.
The first hotel was conducted by W. B. Gardiner. Scott & Bosworth estab- lished the first store in the town. The first postoffice was opened in 1841 with Oakes Shaw as postmaster. The first blacksmith shop was opened by James L. Warfield.
The first church was erected by the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination in the year 1857. The first preacher who delivered a sermon here was Rev. L. S. Williams, a Presbyterian, in 1838, at the home of Oakes Shaw.
The first school was taught in the fall of 1836 by Miss Eliza Hersey.
Dr. Thornton claimed the distinction of being the first physician in the town- ship, coming here in 1840. He was followed by Dr. H. J. Vanwinkle.
About 1842 the name of the town was changed from Newburg to Cumming- ton, and the latter was continued for thirteen years, when new buildings were erected a little west of the old town, where the land lay higher. Business was then changed to the new part of the town, and the name was once more changed to Palmyra. After it was surveyed in 1855 the town took on new life.
In 1855 a hotel was built on the north side by R. F. Bracken.
The first mill in the town was built in 1856 by A. C. Farmer, F. E. Shaw and J. F. Nifong. A little later Nifong & Solomon built a sawmill.
In 1867 the Christian denomination built a house of worship, and the first pastor of the new church was G. M. Goode.
Palmyra has not grown to any appreciable extent in the past twenty years. In 1890 there were 1,527 inhabitants; today the number is but little greater, being only 1,536.
The Bank of Palmyra, a private institution, was established in 1881. Its president is L. P. Smith ; cashier C. E. Mahan.
BIRD TOWNSHIP.
Bird township is a rich agricultural district, bounded on the north by South Palmyra, on the east by Carlinville, on the south by Polk and on the west by Western Mound township. It is afforded excellent drainage by Otter, Lick, Bear and Silver creeks. It is mostly prairie but some timber is to be found along the streams.
Among the first settlers here may be mentioned Samuel Love, G. M. Mc- Ginnis, who settled on section 18 in 1829, Green Lane, who settled on section 6, and a Mr. Boatman who came in 1830 and settled also on section 6. About this time Peter Brown also settled here. In 1834 several settlers came, among them being Isaac and Mace Moore, Jerry Odel and John Smith. Horatio Adams came in 1832 and settled on section 4. In the spring of 1834 James Husky settled on section 5. He improved a large farm and eventually became very pros- perous. In the spring of 1835 he built a large brick house, which was the first of its kind in this part of Macoupin county. The brick was manufactured on his own farm. The first settler in the southeastern part of Bird township was
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
a Mr. Gates who came in 1834. Lewis Edwards and William A. Brown may also be mentioned among the first settlers, the former locating on the north side of the township in 1832 and the latter on section 3 in the same year. John Wheeler, who came here from Kentucky, settled on section 7, in 1834, and in the same year William Wheeler, who came here from Indiana, settled on sec- tion 8. In 1834 William J. Bates, a native of Tennessee, also came and settled on section 22. In the same year George W. Arnett came from Tennessee and settled on section 9. Thomas Leach, a native of England, settled on section 29, in 1835.
R. H. Barrick came here from Kentucky in 1836, settling on section 22. Thomas Joiner, a Kentuckian by birth, settled in the township in 1842, improv- ing a fine farm on section 3. Robert Whiteley, who was a native of Yorkshire, England, settled here in 1844. John Kissinger, a native of Kentucky, came to Bird township in 1846 and eventually became one of the largest farmers of this section of the county. F. Reineke came here in 1849 and settled on section 31. Joseph Bird, from whom the township derives its name, came here from Penn- sylvania in 1851 and became one of the leading farmers and stock-raisers of this part of the county. He is now living retired in Carlinville.
The first church was built on the old Husky place in 1836 by the Methodist denomination. The first minister to conduct services here was Dr. Vance, who also preached in other sections of the county for many years. This building was also used for school purposes.
The first marriage in the township occurred in 1833, the contracting parties being Robert McGregory and Lucinda Edwards.
The first practicing physician was a Dr. Lightfoot. He practiced here for years but eventually removed to the west.
The first blacksmith and wagon shop was built by C. E. Masters in 1859.
POLK TOWNSHIP.
Polk township is located in the western half of Macoupin county and is bounded on the north by Bird, on the east by Brushy Mound, on the south by Hilyard and on the west by Chesterfield townships. The soil is very rich and productive, being drained by Macoupin creek and its tributaries, the principal ones of which are Silver creek, Lick creek, Dry fork, May's branch and Sugar creek. Along these streams was originally found timber, consisting of oak, maple, hickory, white and red elm, black and white walnut, sycamore and cotton- wood. There is still some timber to be found in this region. Along the water courses the land is broken and rolling but in the valley and bottom fine grazing land is to be found.
The first settlements were made in this township in 1825, when Daniel Dead- rick, Irvin Smith, Shadrach Reddick and Abraham Smith came with their fam- ilies and located near where the Chicago & Alton railroad crosses Macoupin creek. Each erected a log cabin and began to improve a farm.
In 1826 James Hall and family located here and in 1830 Peter Wagoner and William Rhoads came with their families, settling on the north side of the prairie, south of the creek, on section 28. Mr. Wagoner built the first house on
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
the prairie and from this settlement the place became known as Wagoner's prairie. Mr. Rhoads erected his home near the town of Steubenville, that be- ing the first and only town ever laid out within the borders of Polk township.
The first sermon preached in the township was by William Jones, a Baptist. This was in 1826 and the service was held at the home of Daniel Deadrick. 1'. C. Raffurty was the first resident clergyman. He was also of the Baptist faith and began preaching here in 1852. The first church was erected by the United Baptists in 1871, on section 35, at a cost of $2,000.
The first schoolhouse was built on section 6 in 1839, and Ebenezer P. Up- ham was the first teacher, while the first female teacher was Miss Virginia Bement who taught here in 1842.
Between the years 1827 and 1836 the first marriages occurred in the town- ship, the contracting parties being James Holben and Matilda Hall, Henry Miller and Catherine Wagoner, William Grimes and Nancy Wagoner, and George C. Keller and Elizabeth Raffurty.
William Deadrick was the first child born in the township, his birth occur- ring in May, 1825.
The early settlers had to go long distances to mill, sometimes going to John Irvin's mill south of Carrollton, in Greene county, and at other times to Tegard's mill, east of Carlinville. There was no mill in Polk township until 1850, when Stephen Marshall erected a grist mill, which was located on section 28, on Ma- conpin creek and was run by water power.
The first persons to enter land were James Mason, who entered eighty-two acres on section 6, November 9, 1831 ; Robert Holliday, who entered forty acres on section 20, February 28, 1834; and on the same date Peter Wagoner entered one hundred and sixty acres on section 33.
The Raffurty family came to Polk township in 1833; Daniel Elliott came in 1831 ; Elias M. Dorman in 1834; George W. Rhodes in 1833; S. F. Rhodes and Daniel Hayward in 1838; S. A. Pepperdine in 1830; Mathew S. Gillespie in 1834; D. R. Johnston in 1836.
After the building of the Chicago & Alton railroad through the township, settlements were made quite rapidly and among some of the early settlers, follow- ing the completion of the road, were Edward G. Duckles, E. B. Eldred, A. H Eldred, Isaiah Rhoads, Edmund Rhoads, John Hounsley, Cant Candler and John M. Yowell.
Macoupin Station is located in the northern portion of section 23 and con- tains only a store and a postoffice.
SCOTTVILLE TOWNSIIIP.
Scottville township is located in town 12, range 9. It is bounded on the north by Morgan county, on the east by North Palmyra township, on the south by Barr township, and. on the west by Greene county. The surface is undulating and both timber and prairie land is to be found here. It is well drained for Apple, Panther. Turner, Joe's and Big Nigger creeks all flow through the town- ship.
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
In 1825 Andrew Hettick came with his wife and six children and located at the head of Negro Lick. He put up a small log cabin, which was the first build- ing of any kind in the township. His nearest neighbor was Edward Prather, in Greene county, eleven miles distant. It was not until three years later that other settlers came into the township.
Isaac E. Pruitt entered the first land in the township, one hundred and sixty acres on section 21, in 1828. The sesond entry of land was made by Jacob S. Gibson, which was an eight-acre tract on section 12, on the 8th of January, 1829. Andrew Hettick entered eighty acres on section 27 in the spring of the same year.
Those who came here during the years 1828, 1829 and 1830 were William Thompson, Lawrence McManus, John Record, Colonel Powell H. Sharp, James H. Cherry, William Watson, John Redfern and a Mr. Sego.
The first schoolhouse was built of logs and located on the south side of Negro Lick. This was in the summer of 1829 and that year a Mr. Scruggs be- came the first teacher.
The first mill in the locality was erected in 1828 by Hugh Conoway. It was located in the southern portion of the township and was operated by horse power. A little later a second mill was erected in the same locality "by Fountain Land. About the same time James H. Cherry put up a tread mill and Thomas Lutrell built a water mill on Apple creek. Prior to the building of these mills the settlers had to go to Allen's mill on Apple creek, four miles north of Carrollton, in Greene county.
A Baptist society was formed in the south part of the township by Rev. Stephen Coonrod. a Baptist minister, who preached the first sermon in the town- ship, holding services for some time in the homes of the settlers. Eventually ministers of the Methodist, Christian and Presbyterian denominations came into the township, holding services either in private homes or in a schoolhouse until churches could be erected. The first church edifice was erected by the Christian denomination in Scottville.
The first marriage in the township was in 1828, the contracting parties being Samuel Thompson and Miss Artemesia Hettick, a daughter of Andrew Hettick.
Dr. W. H. Palmer was the first physician to locate here.
SCOTTVILLE.
The village of Scottville is located on scctions 16 and 21. The proprietors . of the town were Jefferson Weatherford and Tristram P. Hoxey. It was laid out by Benjamin Stephenson in 1835.
The first postmaster in the town was Sargeant Gobble, and Dr. John Candle was proprietor of the first hotel. Alfred Ruyle opened the first blacksmith shop in the town.
Rev. Samuel B. Culp, a Baptist minister, was the first regular pastor in the town.
Dr. Wesley Goode came in 1835, he being the first physician to locate here for practice.
The first school was taught by James Howard.
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
In 1854 the first mill was erected by William M. Evans, and John and Isaac Mansfield.
The first child born in the village was Robert McFarJan.
Scottville is another of the villages of the county that has gone backward. In 1890 it had 363 people within its limits. At the time of the census in 1900, the population had increased by one and the census of 1910 shows only 301 for that year.
BARR TOWNSILIP.
Barr township is located in the northwest part of the county and is bounded on the north by Scottville, on the west by Greene county, on the south by Western Mound and on the east by South Palmyra townships. Its soil is a rich clay and in the western portion along Taylor's creek is found some timber. The northern portion is mostly prairie, except in the extreme northwest corner, where it is rough and ·broken. The township is afforded good drainage by Solomon's, Joe's, Taylor's and Watts' creeks and their tributaries.
Joseph Elliott was the first white settler in the township. He "squatted" on land on section 21, in 1828 or 1829, and thereon built a log cabin and cultivated some land. He later sold to William Handlin.
John Markham settled here in the year 1830 and in 1835 was followed by Benjamin and Hugh Barr, for whom the township was named, a Mr. Kennedy, Silas Drum, and a man by the name of Wiggins. Other early settlers were James B. Steidley, Hampton Bates, John Barnett, John Parks, Adam James, William Taggert, Thomas Coddle and Michael Buchanan.
The first marriage in the township was that of John Rummons and Mrs. Fanny Markham, the ceremony being performed by John Barnett, justice of the peace.
The first birth in the township was that of Martha Ann.Steidley, daughter of James B. and Rachel Steidley, February 9, 1835.
The first death in the township was that of John Markham in January, 1835.
The first religious services in the township were conducted by Joseph J. Gray, a Presbyterian minister, in a schoolhouse on section 20. Rev. James Cor- rington organized the first church society, which was a Methodist. They built the first church on section 20 and called it Asbury chapel. Charles Maxfield and wife, and Nathan Henderson and wife were among the first members. Soon afterward Samuel Rees and wife, J. B. Steidley and wife, John and David Hen- derson, with their wives, and William Taggert and wife also became members of this organization.
The first school in the township was taught in a private residence by Miss Elizabeth Ann Steidley.
The first schoolhouse was built of logs on section 20, in 1836, and was taught by J. B. Steidley.
A steam flour mill was erected by Shane & Henderson in 1863.
The first mill in the township was a horse power sawmill, operated by J. B. Handlin.
Barr's Store is the only village in the township, and is located on section 9. It was laid out in 1865 by John B. Steidley, receiving its name from the Barr
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
family. Benjamin R. Barr conducted the first store here and was also the first postmaster of the village.
WESTERN MOUND TOWNSHIP.
Western Mound is one of the western tier of townships and lies in town 10 north, range 9 west. It is bounded on the north by Barr township, on the west by Greene county, on the south by Chesterfield township, and on the east by Bird township.
It was originally covered with a heavy growth of timber but much of this has now been cleared off. It is well drained. The northwestern portion is drained by Joe's creek, which flows in a southwesterly direction across the town- ship, while the entire northern, eastern and southern portions are drained by Hodges', Solomon's, Lick and Bear creeks. The surface is generally hilly, especially along the creeks. The bottom lands are among the most fertile and productive in this section of the county. Sandstone is found outcropping on Hodges' creek and has been quarried for building purposes. Coal has also been found in the bluffs of this creek and has been mined to supply the local demand since the first settlement.
The first settlement was made in the township in 1826 by Samuel Judy. He first located on the southeast corner of section 32.
In 1827 Bennett Tilley and family, natives of North Carolina, William Smith and family, Andrew Hughes, Henry Etter and a Mr. Robinson and their families, arrived here and made permanent locations. The following year Huriah Smith with his father, Richard Smith, and family, settled along Hodges' creek on section 31. In the spring of 1829 Norris Hayes and family and J. Coddle and family settled on section 31. Among the arrivals in 1829 were Daniel Deadrick and family, who came from Greene county, Illinois and James McFarland and family from Tennessee. In 1831 Jeptha Reeder came from Tennessee, with his family, consisting of five daughters and one son, Paschall Reeder.
In 1832 a number of families settled here, among who were John Morris, who located on section 34; William Chism and Jacob Kelly, with their families. who came from Kentucky; James Carr and family and Joel Hubbard and fam- ily, the latter from Tennessee.
In 1834 Rev. Charles Holliday, a Methodist minister, settled here. John Dews came in the same year and entered eighty acres on section 28 but did not locate here until the following year. Samuel Hullett, a native of England, came here from Morgan county, Illinois, in 1835. Griffith Edwards was also among the earliest settlers.
The early settlers suffered many privations and hardships, being compelled to go long distances to mill and market. Edwardsville, a distance of forty milcs, was the nearest trading point, while many would go to St. Louis, a distance of fifty miles.
The first child born in the township was a son of Samuel Judy and wife in the year 1828. The second birth was that of Polly Ann Smith, a daughter of Huriah Smith and wife, born February 17, 1830.
ST. PAUL'S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL
ST. PAUL'S EVANGELICAL PARSONAGE
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
The first death was that of Mrs. Nellie Smith, wife of William Smith. She died September 1, 1828, and her daughter Nellie died on the 7th of the same month, one week later.
The first marriage was that of Huriah Smith and Sally Tilly, the daughter of John Tilly, of North Carolina.
The first sermon in the township was delivered in 1829 by Rev. John Mc- Cray, a Baptist minister. The first church was organized by him in 1831 at the home of Daniel Deadrick. During the summer months services were held in the groves, while in the winter they were held in Mr. Deadrick's home, the min- ister walking twenty miles from Waverly to conduct the services. Bethel church was the first to be built and was erected by the United Baptist denomination in 1848, being located on section 3.
The first school was conducted in the home of Mr. Hubbard and the first teacher was William Hamilton. In 1836 Jaines Bates taught in a house built on section 8.
The first mill was erected on Bear creek, on section 24, by Richard Smith, in the year 1834 or 1835. It was a horse mill and was the only one in the town- ship for many years. Later Paschall Reeder built a tread or ox mill.
In 1844 Lee Overstreet erected the first blacksmith shop in the township.
Dr. Zopher Jayne located on the southwest corner of the township in 1837 and was the first local practitioner of this section.
The first entries of land were made by Thomas Judy, which was a tract of eighty acres on section 32, May 31, 1827; Nathan Collins, April 22, 1831, eighty acres on section 31 ; Henry Wilkerson, May 21, 1831, eighty acres on section 2. Other early settlers were John Dews, who came in 1834; John Kerley, in 1839; David Holmes, in 1830; Adam Dams, in 1836; and W. C. Edwards, in 1834.
CIIESTERFIELD TOWNSHIP.
Chesterfield township is situated in the western tier of townships, and is bounded on the north by Western Mound, on the east by Polk, on the south by Shipman and on the west by Jersey county. Macoupin creek enters the town- ship at section 25, and flowing in a northwesterly direction passes out at sec- tion 6. Coop's creek empties into it near the center of the township and Sugar creek empties into it near the east line. It is mostly prairie land but some parts are quite broken.
The first settlement in the township dates back as early as 1827 and at this time was settled mostly by English emigrants. From that time until 1829, there came here from Kentucky, Abram and Richard Smith, Bennett Tilley and George Nettles, all of whom settled north of the creek a short distance from where the village of Chesterfield now stands. In 1831, John, Henry, Samuel, Jesse, Jacob and Josiah Rhoads, six brothers, with their families, settled in the southwestern part of the township at what was known as Rhoads' Point, the present site of Medora. About this same time John Loper settled here on section 21. John Gelder also came with his family in 1831 and settled on section 10. Others of the early settlers were Daniel and Thomas Morfoot, of English birth, Josiah Collins and family, Jolin Reddick and family and Lewis Elliott.
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
The year 1833 witnessed the arrival of Rev. Gideon Blackburn, W. H. Car- son, G. B. Carson, John Carson and James Carson in the township. The former located on Macoupin creek on section 21 and became the founder of Blackburn University, now known as Blackburn College, at Carlinville. The Carson bro- thers settled on section 32, a little south of the settlement made by Rev. Black- burn.
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