History of Mercer County : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., gathered from mattter furnished by the Mercer County Historical Society, interviews with old settlers, county, township and other records, and extracts from files of papers, pamphlets, and such other sources as have been available : containing also a short history of Henderson County, Part 72

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 904

USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer County : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., gathered from mattter furnished by the Mercer County Historical Society, interviews with old settlers, county, township and other records, and extracts from files of papers, pamphlets, and such other sources as have been available : containing also a short history of Henderson County > Part 72

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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RIVOLI TOWNSHIP.

county, Pennsylvania, and daughter of John and Lucinda Watson, of that county. Bringing his wife to Illinois with him, he settled April 21. 1861, on his farm, the northwest of section 4, in Rivoli township, building his present residence that year. Ilis farm now embraces 200 acres. They are members of the Hopewell Wesleyan Methodist church, of which Mr. B. is now a regularly ordained minister. having been ordained September 20, 1874, though he has been engaged in , preaching for the last sixteen years. For two years he was pastor in charge of Hopewell circuit and was on the Ball Bluff circuit two years. The last three years he has been associate pastor of the Hopewell cir- cui . They have had six children, of whom five survive at present : Juanita, born December 31, 1860; Clara L., September 23, 1862; William W., July 13, 1865; Sarah L., January 4. 1868 (died October 17. 1868); Edward E., May 23, 1869; and Mary A .. June 7. 1870.

SCHOOLS.

The first official record of the schools of Rivoli township, 14 N., R. 1 W .. is dated February 26, 1848, at which time James Bridger, Nelson Chidester, and Jonathan D. Wood, school trustees, met at the house of R. R. Cox and appointed the latter treasurer, and divided the township into three districts as follows : "The first district shall com- mence at the southeast corner of said township and run three miles west, and then due north until it strikes North Pope creek, then up said creek to the township line, then south along said line to the place of beginning. The second district shall be composed of all the said township north of North Pope creek. The third district shall commence at the southwest corner of said township and run three miles east, then north till it strikes North Pope creek, then down said creek to the west line of said township, then south to the place of beginning." They also "or- dered R. R. Cox to purchase three books for the use of the treasurer, not to exceed in value $2.00."

At the second meeting of the trustees, held April 1. 1848, they dis- tributed the funds on hand. amounting to $19.65, to the several dis- tricts, of which district number one was entitled to receive $6.01; num- ber two, $6.37; and number three, $7.27. They also ordered the treasurer to pay E. H. McConoughty, teacher, $5.20; L. Chidester, teacher, $1.15; and II. Brown, teacher. $1.67. At the next meeting, July 1, 1848, they ordered $3.49 paid to Sarah C. Westfall. teacher. At the next meeting, October 7, 1848, after settling with the treasurer, they find the cash on hand to amount to $11.75. and order the same to be loaned as township funds. January 6, 1849, they find $3.99 in the treasurer's hands, which they order loaned. April 7. 1849, they

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apportioned $27.00 to the districts, as follows : district number one, $8.25; district number two, $8,75; and district number three, $10.00. The teachers ordered paid at that time were L. Cawkins, A. B. MeChesney, and John Libby. It is also recorded at this meeting that "The trustees do hereby agree to act as directors of schools in said township." July 7, 1849, "This day the trustees were to meet," but there was "none present but Nelson Chidester," who " examined the treasurer's books and notes," and "found all to his satisfaction." He. also " presented a schedule from district number two for $7.50," and "ordered to pay Martha Cole, teacher," that sum. He then "ad- journed to meet at the house of R. R. Cox on the first Saturday of October."

October 6, 1849, the teachers ordered paid were Catharine B. Har- vey and Martha Cole. At this time the trustees returned a list of the children in the township, amounting to 105, distributed as follows : dis- triet No. 1, 26; district No. 2, 42; and district No. 3, 37. January 12, 1850, trustees met and an election was held to elect a new board, which resulted in the election of Daniel Jones, James Durston, and John L. Stewart. At this meeting R. H. Spicer presented a petition from citizens of T. 14 N., R. 2 W., asking that all the territory in said town south of North Pope creek be attached to T. 14 N., R. 1 W., for school purposes, and be included in district No. 3 of said town. The prayer of the petitioners was granted. January 19, 1850, the new board of trustees met and appointed R. R. Cox, treasurer, fixing the penalty of his bond at $500. April 6, 1850, the trustees found $20.63 on hand, to which they ordered $15 added, being "money remaining in the hands of school committee." The sum of $35.63 was then distributed to the three districts in proportion to the number of children. At this meeting the schedules of J. S. Mahan, teacher in district No. 1, and Harmon Brown, teacher in district No. 3, were approved and ordered paid. October 5, 1850, trustees approve and order paid the schedules of Melissa Wilber, teacher in district No. 1, and Martha Cole, teacher in district No. 2. April 12, 1851, the Schedule of Nathan T. Smith, teacher in district No. 1, was presented. Settlement with the treas- urer at this time showed a balance of twenty-five cents on hand, which was ordered loaned as township funds. October 11, 1851, trustees filed census of children under twenty-one years of age in the town, number- ing 128, of whom district No. 1 had 33, district No. 2 had 55, and dis- trict No. 3 had 40. At this time it appears that Mary Underwood taught in district No. 1; Martha Cole, in No. 2; and Lydia Ann Wilber, in No. 3. At this time the bond of Alfred Cooper for one-half acre of land for a school-house site in district No. 3 was approved. It calls

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for such land as shall be agreed upon, off the east side of the S. E. { of Sec. 30, on or near the road running east and west. October 4, 1851, appears the first record of the election of school directors, at which time James Bridger presented to the trustees a poll book of an election held at the school-house, in district No. 3, in which it is certified that James M. Garrett, Richard Cooper and William Terry were elected directors. January 10, 1852, an election was held at the school-house in distriet No. 2, to elect three trustees of schools, resulting in the election of George Eckley, James Durston, and John W. Cox. After- ward it was found that John W. Cox would not serve as trustee because he would move out of the township in a short time, and they neglected returning the poll book of said election, so the treasurer gave notice of another election to be held at the same place on February 28. "The legal voters met on that day and concluded that it would not be lawful to elect three new trustees." So they "concluded that the former trustees should serve another term." At this time James Bridger was appointed treasurer.

It is evident from the record that some parties having school funds were not prompt in the payment of interest, as the record of April 17, 1852, says: "We, the trustees of schools, do hereby make it the treas- urer's duty to go according to law if interest is not paid within one month after due, hereafter." The teachers whose schedules were approved at this meeting, were Lewis Cawkins, Theodore Hoagland, E. T. Scott, and E. A. Shaw. At the October meeting, 1852, schedules were audited for Mary Stewart, Jane Littlefield, and Lydia Ann Wilber, teachers.

The names of Thomas I. McNair, Joseph T. Lafferty, Peter Eckley, and G. W. Freson, teachers, appear on the record of the April meet- ing, 1853. The census of children under twenty-one years of age, filed October 1, 1853, shows 176 in the town ; 37 in district No. 1, 92 in district No. 2, and 47 in district No. 3. Jane E. Lockwood and Martha Cole appear on the roll of teachers.

January 7, 1854, an election held at the school-house in district No. 2, resulted in the choice of Christian Harshbarger, R. H. Spicer, and Lafayette Chidester for trustees of schools.

April 1, 1854, teachers' roll shows the names of N. P. Smith in district No. 1, C. E. Cox in district No. 2, and Peter Eckley in district No. 3.

June 3, 1854, a meeting was held at the house of A. E. Doty, in district No. 1, to organize the district, which was done by electing A. E. Doty, James E. Fenton, and R. R. Cox, school directors.

Angust 24, 1854, a strip one mile wide on the east side of district

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

No. 1. extending from the south line of the township to North Pope creek was attached to Oxford school district in Henry county.

October, 1854, the trustees' census showed two hundred and fifty-one children in the town. In the part attached to Oxford district there were twenty children. District No. 1 had 50; No. 2 had 134; No. 3 had 47.

April, 1855, district No. 2 was divided into three districts, and the number of all the districts changed. District No. 1 comprised Secs. 1, 2, 11, 12. 13, 14, and the N. ¿ of 23 and 24. No. 2 included Secs. 3, 4, 9, 10, 15, 16, and the N. 2 of 21 and 22. No. 3 took Secs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, and the N. { of 19 and 20. No. + was comprised of the S. ¿ of Secs. 19 and 20, and Secs. 29, 30, 31 and 32, to which was attached Secs. 25 and 36, and the E. g of Sec. 35 in township 14 N., R. 2 W. District No. 5 included the S. ¿ of Secs. 21, 22 and 23, and Secs. 26, 27, 28, 33, 34 and 35; leaving the S. ¿ of Sec. 24, and Secs. 25 and 36 attached to Oxford district.

April 23, 1855, the first tax for general school purposes was levied by the trustees at the rate of forty cents on the one hundred dollars on all taxable property and real estate.

October, 1855, the number of children in the town two hundred and sixty, divided by district as follows: 1st, 29; 2d, 75 ; 3d, 39; 4th, 46; 5th, 56; and fifteen in the part attached to Oxford.

March, 1856, James Bridger was reappointed treasurer and directed to procure five well bound books for the use of the board of school trustees. The record book of this set not being attainable there is no more official history of the schools until we come down to more mod- ern times, or until 1866.

In 1856 the people in district No. 3 wanted a school, but had no school-house. Mr. Wilshire Calkins being very anxious to have a school, vacated the bedroom in the southwest corner of their house, nine feet square, and in this room schools were taught during the summer. of 1856, 1857-8; the attendance ranging as high as fifteen and six- teen pupils. The furniture consisted of slab benches placed against the four walls of the room, the teacher having standing room in the center where she could reach any schclar in the room without leaving her place. Here Miss Olive Atwater, sister of our whilom county superintendent, S. B. Atwater, taught in 1856. One Friday afternoon there were to be some rhetorical exercises in the school, and Miss Atwater invited Mrs. Calkins to be present. Mrs. Calkins had pro- vided an outside door to the room so that the school need not pass through the house. To this door Mrs. Calkins went at the appointed time, and thinking there was so little room inside concluded to remain

I Streeten

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. on the outside and look in. After standing some time with one foot on the ground and one resting on the threshold she removed the foot from the threshold to the ground to change position. Feeling some- thing yield under the pressure of her foot she continued to bear her weight on the other foot. and being very much interested at the time in the exercises progressing within stood some seconds unthoughtfully rolling the object back and forth under her foot. When at last she thought about what she was doing she concluded to see upon what she was standing. Looking down, judge of her surprise at seeing a very large rattlesnake stretched at full length beneath her feet. and apparently enjoying the novel petting of which it was the recipient. Mrs. Calkins did not continue the amusement. however, and without even awaiting an invitation she very expeditiously took the floor. No reporter being present. however. her speech cannot be given the readers of this history.

From the small beginning reported above. the schools of this town- ship have grown until the number of school children in the township. as shown by the directors' census of 1881. is 504, and $3, 722.51 is the amount of money expended for school purposes during the past year.

CHURCHES.

The first preaching in this township was at the cabin of James Bridger, early in the forties, by Rev. Samuel T. Burr, of the Methodist Episcopal church, at that time on what was known as the Mercer cir- cuit, which included all of this county and part of Rock Island. Knox and Warren counties. It took the minister a month to make the cir- cnit. Elder Joseph Jones. of the Predestinarian Baptist church. also used to preach occasionally at the cabins of the early settlers, and his "Boys-ah! come in off the fence-ah, and hear Father Jones-ah. preach the gospel-ah. to the heathen-ah." is still fresh in the memory of many of the old settlers.

But the first church organization made in the township was the Wesleyan Methodist class formed at Hopewell in the spring of 1848 .. The church was organized first at Oxford in August. 1847, by Rev. C. H. Drake as the First Wesleyan Methodist Church of Oxford, but the membership was mostly resident of this township. and the class was formed at Hopewell as part of the Oxford church. When first or- ganized this church formed part of the Farmington circuit, afterward divided, and the new circuit of Abingdon was formed. which included the Oxford church. Some years later Abingdon circuit was divided. and the new circuit of Oxford was formed. Since then both the Farm-

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

ington and Abingdon circuits have ceased to exist, but the Oxford cir- . cuit continues in a prosperous condition.

Prior to 1861 this church was served by the following pastors : C. H. Drake. B. F. Haskins, R. F. Markham, and J. M. Snyder. March 25, 1865. Hopewell and Hamlet churches were united in one circuit called Hopewell circuit, which arrangement continues to the present time. This circuit also includes Bethel church in Greene township. The ministers in charge following Rev. Snyder have been L. N. Stratton, J. A. McGillora. H. T. Bessie, Milton Smith. A. R. Brooks. and U. D. Lathrop, with Rev. Hugh Breckenridge as asso- ciate pastor with Mr. Lathrop at present.

The original membership of this church, including those who united with the church prior to 1860. before which time no record was kept of the dates of union with the church, were Govert S. Fleharty, Margaret Fleharty, James Durston, Philadelphia Durston, Nelson and Rebecca Chidester. Anna Smith, Martha K. Bridger, William D. Fleharty. Nancy Goodman, Mary T. Underwood, Harriet Woodhams, Martha Shaw, Maria Smith, Laird and Melinda Bean, Walter Good- rich, John Greenman, Catherine Braught, Erastus and Louisa Smith. Margaret J. Fleharty, and Margaret E. Roberts.

In 1870 this church erected a neat building at Hopewell about 32×48×18 feet dimensions at a cost of about $2,500, upon which they have since expended about $500 more. It was dedicated Sep- tember, 1871.

In January. 1856, a church was organized at Oak Ridge by the United Brethren. The organization was effected by Rev. George Weaver, the first class-leader being James Meadows, and steward, Henry Birdwell. Besides the above-named officers the original men- bership included John and Jane Meadows, John and Mary Shroyer, Asa and Atlanta Streeter, Samuel Young. Julia Stevens, Adison Buckly, Cynthia Birdwell. and Rebecca Meadows. This church has no building, having used the Oak Ridge school-house for their meetings.

Zion Methodist Episcopal Church .- This class was organized in 1858, with Christian Harshbarger as class-leader. which office he held continuously until 1879, when he was succeeded by J. Arthur Garrett, who is the present leader. Thus has this class been led during its twenty-four years' existence by two leaders. There is no record obtain- able of the original members of this class, but its present membership is twenty-two. In 1870 the class built a small, plain church in the S. E. { of Sec. 29, which they use for their public exercises, though it has never been entirely finished.

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The Church of Christ, of Oak Ridge, was organized May 21. 1865, by Rev. E. Fisher. The original membership comprised James and Martha Marford. Rebecca Shoyer. Thomas and Matilda Hill, Louisa Braught, Edna Watson. Mary J. Bunyan, Martha J. Thompson, James and Mary A. Meadows, Mary A. Miller, Levi and Margaret J. Spen- cer, and Mary Roosa. James Marford and James Meadows were the first elders, and Thomas Hill the first deacon. In 1873 the society was removed to New Windsor and reorganized there by Rev. T. J. Bur- ton. The society here purchased a church building of the Presbytery of United Presbyterian church. This building was the first church edifice erected in the township, having been built in 1867. This removal proved disastrous to the society; the members living south and west of Oak Ridge, being too far away from the church, the society lost membership and became too weak to pay for the church they bought, so it reverted to the United Presbyterian Presbytery, and the Church of Christ ceased to exist.

The First Congregational Church, of New Windsor, was organized October 11, 1870, by W. W. Allen, Sarah A. Allen, William D. Fleharty, Mary C. Fleharty, Alice Barnes. Mary Ann Mayo, Florence C. Byrnes, Delia A. Hammond, and Charlotte Goold, as members, assisted by the Rev. L. F. Waldo, W. J. Beecher, R. B. Guild, B. F. Haskins, and A. R. Mitchell, pastors respectively of the First Congre- gational churches of Oneida, Galesburg, Galva, Victoria and Viola. with deacons M. C. Metcalf, and R. C. Sexton, as delegates. Rev. L. F. Waldo, moderator, and Rev. W. J. Beecher, scribe. W. W. Allen was elected clerk. Since the organization there have been eighty-four members admitted to the church, making a total membership of ninety- three during the little more than eleven years since the first organiza- tion. October 22, 1870, W. W. Allen was elected deacon, and William D. Fleharty, treasurer. Rev. Cyrus H. Eaton, the first pastor, began his labors April 30, 1871. The society built a small but very nice church during the year 1872, which was completed in the spring of 1873, at a cost of $2,381.64, and dedicated May 25. 1873. T. B. Mayo. A. J. Streeter, and William D. Fleharty were the building com- mittee. The pastorate of Rev. C. H. Eaton ceased November 1, 1874. Rev. B. F. Haskins acted as supply until the Rev. J. A. Waterworth began his labors, May 30, 1875. He continued to serve as pastor until June 1, 1878, and was succeeded by the present incumbent. Rev. R. L. McCord, who began his labors in January, 1879.

The United Presbyterian Church, of New Windsor, was organized in Oxford, Henry county, August 10, 1866, by Joseph M. and Nancy II. Christy, Thomas R., Catharine and Elizabeth MeMiller, Margaret

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

A. Hogue, Elizabeth Mclaughlin, Thomas H. and Sarah Brown, William H. and Margaret Kerr, Sarah Surpluss, Nancy Epperson, Thomas and Eliza M. Ramsey, John M. and Sarah A. Christy, and Stephen and Isabella Woodburn. The first elders were Joseph M. Christy and William HI. Kerr. In 1867 this society built the first church edifice erected in the township of New Windsor. After a four years' struggle this society was dissolved by the Presbytery, some of its members think unjustly.

The New Windsor Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1868, under the charge of Rev. Peter S. Garretson, this being his first appointment, he having traveled one year previously on the Orion cir- cuit as supply. Rev. W. B. Carithers received his appointment to this circuit in 1869, during which year the class procured a lot and pur- chased a building 26×40 feet that had been built for a school-house and converted it into a house of worship. This building the class still nses as its church. Rev. Theodore Hoagland was placed in charge of this class in 1870 and was continned two years. The preachers in charge since Rev. T. Hoagland have been Revs. William Lieber, U. Z. Gilmer, A. Myers, J. E. Taylor, two years ; Geo. Miller, John McCord, and J. D. Calhoun, two years. The class organized in 1868, with a membership of eight, John Coleman, Elizabeth Colemen, Lovina Coleman, Samuel Coleman, Rev. John Abbott, Alice Abbott, W. A. Buckley, and Mary Buckley.

The present membership of the class is forty-five. The church is out of debt and in a flourishing condition.

The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church, of New Windsor, was organized May 24, 1869, with Carl A. Johnson, Tetes Falk, and John M. Blad, as trustees, and Carl A. Johnson, C. Bjorkengren, Carl Adolf Falk, and Carl Falk, as deacons. G. A. Falk, secretary. August 23, 1869, the society decided to build a church edifice, which it did that fall, erecting a building 28× 60× 20 ft. dimensions, which rests on a stone foundation three and a half feet above the surface of the ground. This building cost $6,726.70. The society has a good commodious parsonage also, which cost about $1,500, and a cemetery where it buries its dead exclusively.

It has had three pastors since its organization : S. T. A. Lindahl, T. N. Sannquist and the present pastor, N. T. Winquist, who has been in charge since April, 1879. The latter gentleman being a fine scholar and a very intelligent man. He was born in Stockholm. Sweden, November 9, 1840, and received his education there, coming to America in 1867. He took a course at the Swedish Theological Seminary at Paxton, Illinois, since removed to Rock Island, Illinois.

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To his other scholarly attainments he adds a knowledge of the Hebrew language. This society has a membership of 280 communicants. and 160 children, which it regards as members, making a total mem bership of 440.

The village of New Windsor was originally laid out in 1857 by W. T. Hammond, on the S. E. # of See. 13. and was expected to be a station on the Great Western Air Line railway, which was to be a trans-continental line spanning the country from Philadelphia to San Francisco. But the financial collapse of that year served a perpetual writ of mandamus upon the construction of many great lines of rail- way. The railroad was not built, and the seed that was to produce New Windsor failed to germinate. In 1868 the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, by a series of manipulations known to rail- road magnates, came into possession of the franchises, right of way. etc., of the American Central railroad, which was the successor of the Great Western Air Line, and proceeded to build and equip the road from Galva to New Boston, having it ready to operate in the spring of 1869 as a branch to its main line. With the building of the rail- road, New Windsor sprang into being as if by magic, so rapid was its growth.

On August 2, 1869, the people decided by a vote of thirty-four to seven to incorporate their town. On August 14, A. J. Moore, J. . II. Epperson, P. Casler, E. L. Larkin and G. W. Gregg were elected the first board of trustees, and Joseph M. Christy the first police justice.

At an election held August 1, 1870, the people of the town of New Windsor voted to issue $10,000 in the bonds of the town to the Rock- ford, Rock Island & St. Louis railroad, when said railroad was com- pleted and a depot built in the incorporation. This measure was carried by a vote of forty-three to fourteen. As the conditions were never complied with the bonds were not issued. The road was built three miles east of New Windsor, and Alpha came into being at the crossing of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy branch.

April 19, 1878, the town voted thirty to twenty-two to organize as as a village under the general incorporation law of the state.

The present board of trustees are: W. H. Gladman, president ; R. B. Robinson, J. A. Maxwell, W. C. Cole, C. Shaw, and S. T. Samuel- son ; S. C. Whitcomb, village clerk.

This village enjoys the distinction of having the only telescope for astronomical purposes in this part of the country. Mr. Edgar L. Larkin having erected an observatory here mounting a six inch equatorial. made by Alivin Clark & Sons.

February 3, 1877, the state auditor issued a certificate of organiza-

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

tion granting twenty-five years life to the "Rivoli Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company." with its business office in New Windsor. and authorized to transact business in its line in the townships of Rivoli. Richland Grove, North Henderson, Greene, and Suez, in this county. and Oxford township. in Henry county.

The company organized with thirty charter members. whose aggregate policies amounted to $60,000. The first board of directors were : S. B. Shumway, W. S. Fleharty. H. H. Roberts, A. P. Petrie, T. D. Merryman. N. P. Smith. J. M. Merryman. B. Kasenberg and T. S. Wilson. The officers were : A. P. Petrie, president ; N. P. Smith, secretary. and T. D. Merryman, treasurer.

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Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co. Number of Pages: 904

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 904