USA > Illinois > Piatt County > History of Piatt County; together with a brief history of Illinois from the discovery of the upper Mississippi to the present time > Part 38
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Unity township has had a "neighborhood detective society," which has been in existence over twenty years. Some twenty or thirty of the best citizens comprise the organization, and much good has resulted in the way of keeping order in the neighborhood.
Harshbarger church .- This church, of the Christian denomination, was organized in 1842, and for a time the society met at houses and schoolhouses, until 1858, when the present church building, the second in the county, was erected on land donated by Mr. Harsh- barger. The first man who preached on Lake Fork was Nicholas Prior, and the first sermon was preached in 1837, to about ten persons, comprising the entire neighborhood of men, women and children. John Collins was the next preacher, Thomas Holden the next, and then Thomas Welch came. After that Father Wilkins dedicated the church building just referred to. The Christian conference has been held six
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times in Unity township, four of which times it was held in the Harsh- barger church.
First birth, death, marriage, etc .- Mr. Daniel Harshbarger was the first person to make a profession of religion and the first person who was baptised on Lake Fork.
Mrs. Gamaliel Gregory was the first person born in Unity town- ship.
Harrison and Jessie Monroe were the first who died within the limits of Unity township. They were buried on the bank of Lake Fork.
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Harshbarger's twins were probably the first who were buried in the Harshbarger cemetery. This cemetery, which contains two or three acres of ground, was deeded to the public by Mr. Daniel Harshbarger.
Mr. Joseph Taylor and Sarah Monroe (now Mrs. Thomas Goodson) were married in 1838, on the site of Richard Monroe's present home, and were the first couple married in the township.
Mr. Daniel Harshbarger was the first justice of the peace of Unity township, and Jonathan Wildman the first school-teacher.
Coffins for the dead were made by the neighbors of the deceased. Mr. Joseph Moore has an old drawing knife which he used many a time to make coffins.
Mr. Moore says that it was over twelve years after the first settle- ments were made in the township before there were any bridges over the Lake Fork or before there was a blacksmithshop in the neighbor- hood. Before blacksmithing was done it was customary to put buckskin boots on the horses for them to slide over the ice with.
Mackville .- There used to be a beaver dam near where Mackville now is. There was also another land-mark, an eagle's nest; and it was not uncommon to hear the question, "How far are you from the eagle's nest?"
Mackville was started by a Mr. McNutt (according to "Buckskin Joe " Moore), who rented a house that stood on Mr. Moore's present. field, and used it for two years as a store. He then bought three acres of land of Nathaniel Shonkwiler where Mackville now is, and put up a storehouse now owned by Mr. James Sampson. We suppose that the village was probably first called Mack's village, which was soon shortened to Mackville. According to Mr. J. Sampson, Mr. McNutt kept the first store in the present Mackville, in a house which stood on the west side of Lake Fork, and which is still standing. The first
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
school in the district was taught in a log house on the place now owned by the widow Shonkwiler, and Mr. James Lewis taught the first school in the present school-house of Mackville in 1858. The first church was held in the school-house in 1858.
The church building was dedicated in 1872. Mr. Riley and Col. Buckner were probably the first preachers in Mackville.
Dr. Mitchell was the first regular physician of Mackville, and he was followed by Dr. Jas. Lewis, Dr. Lucas and Dr. Marshall.
At the time of our visit to Mackville there were over twenty-five houses, seven or eight business houses, a Methodist church building and a school-house. We understand, however, that a number of these buildings have been moved to Atwood, the nearest railway station.
Atwood .- Mr. Joseph Moore reports that Mr. Christopher Moss- barger was the first resident where Atwood now is. He owned a horse mill at this place, and did good work in the way of grinding grain for the neighborhood. He and Mr. Geo. Heath once laid off a town, and upon Mr. Moor's laughing and asking why he did so, Mr. Mossbarger solemnly answered, "Why, people come here. Railroads come here." The neighbors, however, thought such was nonsense. After a town was thus laid off, it did go back for a number of years, and trees grew up again. Mr. Andrew Richey bought out the heirs of Mr. Mossbarger, and still lives there.
Atwood was laid out in 1873 on land then owned by Geo. Nolind and Harvey Otter. In 1881 an addition was made to the town and called Randal's addition. At the time of the laying out of the town, however, this land was owned by Mr. Levi Budd.
It was related to us that the name was given to the town by lawyer McCoutry, and that originally in speaking of the town it was customary to say "at the wood." Hence the name.
Atwood is only partly within the limits of Piatt county, a portion of it lying in Douglas county. The first house in the place was a store building, erected in August 1873, by Rich. Helton and David Barrett. They each moved a dwelling-house over from Mackville, and these became the first residences of the town. The first school was sustained by subscription. As Atwood is in the Mackville district it has no school-building of its own.
L. C. Taylor was the first postmaster of Atwood ; Dr. Bennerfield, now Ivesdale, the first physician ; Jno. Lucas put up the first drug store, and Joseph Moore kept the first hotel.
Freddie A. Richey was the name of the first child born in Atwood,
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and Clarence B. Snodgrass, who died December 14, 1873, the name of the first person who died there.
The members of the Christian church erected a churcli building, which was dedicated August 15, 1880, by Rev. J. Phillips, of Grays- ville, Indiana, and Rev. W. H. Orr, of Philo, Illinois.
Atwood of to-day is growing rapidly. There are from fifteen to twenty business firms in the place, and new buildings are continually being erected. Over thirty new buildings were put up last year. The town contains nearly 500 inhabitants, which is twice what it contained five years ago.
Atwood is in the midst of a good territory, has good people in it, and we predict that it will continue to make rapid advancement.
. Royal Templars of Temperance .- The Atwood Council of Royal Templars of Temperance was instituted July 1, 1879, by Mr. Martin J. Watson, grand lecturer, in Drew's Hall, on the Piatt county side of the county line. The following are the names of the charter members : J. S. Marshall, Albert C. Lucas, Theodore J. Richey, Joseph W. Merritt, W. R. Marshall, J. C. Mathes, W. P. Myers, W. H. Mosbarger, Adam Starr, Mrs. R. J. Mathes, Mrs. Hannalı M. Mosbarger, G. W. Snodgrass. The first officers were A. C. Lucas, select councilor ; I. J. Richey, vice-councilor; J. W. Merritt, past councilor ; J. C. Mathes, chaplain ; W. R. Marshall, secretary ; J. S. Marshall, treas- urer ; W. P. Myers, herald ; A. Starr, sentinel; G. W. Snodgrass, guard ; W. H. Mossbarger, financial secretary.
Mutual Aid Association .- The Indiana Mutual Aid Association of Terre Haute, Indiana, has several agents in Piatt county. It is formed on the same plan as the Royal Legal Friendly Society of England, and is similar to the Masonic, Odd-Fellows and other mutual associations.
The object of the association is to furnish protection to all. All beneficiaries must be of kin to the members. There are no annual dues and no premiums. Assessments are made upon the loss of members, according to the class to which each member belongs. The membership in this county amounts to quite a number, and Mr. T. A. Wilson and Mr. Ritchie, of Atwood, and W. J. Porter, of Monticello, are agents.
Hammond .- It has not been a great many years since there was scarcely a trace of inhabitants in the vicinity of Hammond. A few people ventured to locate in prairie round about, and they had a trial to get a start in such place. The people who lived near the
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timber wanted the prairie land for grazing purpose, and they took no pains to keep their stock at liome.« One of the early settlers told us that for the first few years after he located on the prairie, he used to get up night after night to ride around his place to see if any stray stock was on it. However, such trials were finally overcome and comfortable homesteads are dotted all over the prairie land.
Hammond is located at the crossing of the railroads originally known as the Indianapolis, Decatur & Springfield, and the Chicago & Paducah. The town was laid out in July, 1873, by C. D. Moore, assisted by C. H. Love. The place was first called Shumway, but the name was soon changed to Unity, and the people still being dissatis- fied, the owners of the town site, Warren and Powers, of Decatur, selected the name of Hammond, in honor of the president of the Indianapolis, Decatur & Springfield railroad.
The very first building put up in what is now Hammond was a grain office erected by Mr. Sanford, of Bement. Olonzo Newton put up and kept the first store building in the town. He also erected the first residence, which is now a part of the hotel kept by Mr. Jno. Ten- brooke, and his wife cooked the first meal of victuals eaten in the town. Mr. J. R. Wortham opened a mercantile house in 1873, and he is still in business in the town. J. M. Baldwin opened the second general merchandise store. M. D. Cook, who was the first postmaster, had the first drug store. W. R. Evans, at present a grain merchant, had the first hardware store. George Ragland was the first blacksmith and Dr. Abram the first physician of the place.
Hammond of to-day contains from fifteen to twenty business firms, over 200 inhabitants, and bids fair to become quite a place. In 1876 the Chicago & Pacific railroad built an elevator with the capacity for storing 3,000 bushels of grain. In 1881 Brown & Boyd, of Indian- apolis, built a large grain elevator in the town, with a capacity for 35,000 bushels of grain. John S. Metcalf was the superintendent and J. R. McCormick the foreman of this building. The town is fast becom- ing quite a grain center. There have been as high as 200,000 bushels of grain cribbed there at one time.
Hammond had the first tow-mill that we have heard of in the county. It was begun by G. W. Folkerth, but is now owned by Davis & Finney, of Tuscola, and the Kiser Brothers, of Hammond. Monti- cello has followed the example set by Hammond, and also has a tow-mill.
Hammond has a very neat and attractive school building, erected in 1882, of which the people are justly proud.
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Two church organizations are in existence at the place. The Meth- odists, who organized in 1876, recently dedicated a new church build- ing. Dr. W. H. H. Adams dedicated this church in 1882. There are over thirty members in this denomination. The Christian church was organized by Elder Culley, of Decatur, in 1877, and though the mem- bership is not large, it is hoped that ere a great while they may be enabled to erect a house of worship.
Good Templars .- While many of the citizens of Hammond belong to lodges in other towns, this is the only local organization in the place. This lodge was organized in December, 1880, by Col. J. D. Long, of Kentucky, and contains over thirty active members. We are glad to find these temperance organizations in various parts of the county. They show that the people are striving for better things; that they are endeavoring to reach a higher plane of existence.
Pierson .- The railroad switch at this place, which is on the Indi- anapolis, Decatur & Springfield railroad, was laid about 1876, and it was named Pierson probably for the man who owned land in that vicinity. The postoffice was started in 1877, under the name of Dry Ridge, but the name was soon changed to Pierson. Francis F. Flack was the first postmaster, and Mr. Reuben Willey the second.
Nothing was done in 1876 save the laying of the switch and the putting up of one grain office, but in 1877 Mr. Willey put up a grocery store. The town itself was not laid off until May 1881, when C. D. Moore surveyed it on land owned by Mr. W. C. Pierson. The first dwelling-house erected in the town as laid off at that date is one built the same year and in which Chas. W. Weaver resides. Mr. Willey's house, built in 1875, was the first residence erected near the switchi. There are now several business houses at the station.
Baptist church .- This church organization has had an existence of about thirteen years, and, as far as we could learn, is the only Bap- tist church in Piatt county. The first minister who preached after the . organization was Rev. Geo. Christ. Nathan Griffen was the minister in 1881. In 1881 a church building was erected in the town of Pier- son, which cost $1,000. This building presents a neat appearance, and was the first house erected in the town as laid off. The member- · ship is about seventy-five.
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CHAPTER XVI.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
M R. J. H. BAKER, a farmer of Unity township, began his earthly existence August 29, 1833, in Coles county, Illinois. His father died about 1830, and his mother married Mr. Tyre Hayes, and about 1849 moved to Piatt county. Mr. Baker's sister Martha married Mr. James Drew, a native of Hamilton county, and who settled on land he now owns just over Piatt county's southern line, in 1839. Mr. Drew has owned some 120 acres in Piatt county. He remembers when there was scarce a house between his place and Monticello. He has furnished some interesting items relating to the settling of the southeastern part of Unity township. Mr. Baker's mother had five children by her last marriage, only one of whom, Eliza Hays, wife of Rich. Hultz, is liv- ing. Three of her sons were triplets, all of whom were in the late war. John F. died of small-pox in Missouri. The others returned from the army. Mark died here, and Andrew went to California and died there. Mrs. Hays died about 1859. Mr. J. H. Baker married Sarah Harshbarger, April 12, 1860. Six children have blessed their union, five of whom are living. Florence and husband, Jno. McKin- ney, live in Douglas county; Daniel Leslie, John Wesley, Barbara Ellen and Cordelia are all at home. Mr. Baker moved onto his present place about 1855. He owns eighty acres, upon which he has put most of the improvements. There was but a log cabin on it when he was married. Now (1881) he is building a fine ten-room frame residence; it has an east front, and will soon be one of the most beautiful residences in all the country about. Mr. Baker has been road commissioner, and formerly belonged to the Masonic lodge.
MR. ISAAC BAKER, a native of Coles county, born 1831, came to Piatt county in 1849. He first lived on Mr. Simon Shonkwiler's place, and next where Mr. Joe. Baker now lives. He married Miss Huldah Quick and moved onto the farm where he now lives. He owns 248 acres, upon which he has planted 160 orchard trees. Mrs. Baker died in 1875, having had six children, five of whom are living, John Franklin, Alice Matilda, Martha, Benjamin L. and Naomi. Mr. Baker has been assessor, collector, road commissioner and school director.
MR. SAMUEL BRYSON, a farmer, is of Irish and German lineage, and
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was born in 1811, in Pennsylvania. In 1833 he moved to Ohio, and in 1855 emigrated from there to Piatt county and settled on his present home place in 1857. He owns 125 acres in this county. He was married in 1838, to Anna Nicewander, and seven children have blessed their union, six of whom are living. Francis E. married B. F. Schooley, and they with their four children, Samuel, Anna, Otis and Earnest, live on a farm in Unity township. John Bryson (see his name) lives in Hammond. Mary, the wife of John Quick, has three children, Nora, Carrie and Ivy. Eva is the wife of J. R. Brown, a farmer; two children, Millard M. and an infant, have come to cheer them in their life's journey. Anna married James Quick, who is a farmer in Bement township; they have one little girl, Maud. Lou, the youngest of Mr. Bryson's family, is at home. . Mr. and Mrs. Bryson, with noteworthy pride, make the statement that " all our girls were school teachers." Eva attended school at Decatur, while Anna was a student at the State Normal.
MR. J. A. BRYSON, dealer in farming implements at Hammond, claims Licking county, Ohio, as his birthplace. He came to Unity township in 1855 and has remained in it till the present time. He was married in 1868, to Melissa Wildman, and one child, Della May, has blessed their union. Mr. Bryson went to the army in Co. H of the 107th Ill., and Knoxville, Franklin, and those of the Atlanta campaign, were the principal battles in which he was engaged. He was taken prisoner at Goldsboro, Kentucky, but was paroled the same evening. He relates that Dennis O'Leary, who went from Monticello, was the first man killed in his regiment. O'Leary was shot in a regular battle at Loudon, Tennessee, by one of Longstreet's men, who were dressed in Union uniform. The poor fellow died thinking that he had been shot by a Union soldier, but the mistake was afterward ascertained ; a convincing of which was the mark of a bullet and three buck-shot through a tin cup in his haversack.
MR. JOHN BARRITT, hotel keeper in Atwood, is of German and Irish descent and is a native of Kentucky. He moved from there to Coles county, Illinois, and then to Piatt county, in 1856. He moved to Atwood and opened a hotel there in 1876. He was married in 1825. to Elizabeth Reese, of Kentucky, who is still living. They have had eight children, five of whom are living. Sarah J. married Nathaniel Shonkwiler, and lives in Atwood. David married Lydia Ann Shelby, and lives in the hotel ; they had one child, Tadie E., who is the 26
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wife of Tho. D. Smith and lives in Atwood. Margaret married Jas. Browning and lives in Moultrie county. Peter married Belle Mullen and lives in Moultrie county. Isaac married Mary Shonkwiler and has four children, Emma, Nathaniel, John and Elizabeth.
MR. THOMAS BLACKWELL, farmer, native of Kentucky, his parents' native state, was married in 1853, to Margaret Dills, a native of Ken- tucky. They moved from Kentucky to Clay county, Illinois, and from there to Fayette county, and in 1872 settled in Piatt county. He bought his present home in 1875 and now owns about 160 acres. He has been successful as a farmer and his neighbors testify to his worth and honor as a gentleman. Mr. Joel Blackwell married Clara Metzger, and they with their two children live in Edgar county. Martha E. married Harry Metzger, a farmer in Bement township, and has one child, Jno. Thomas. Mary, the wife of William Anderson, lives near Hammond. The names of the other children are Minerva T., Benjamin, Nancy Ann, Jno. William and Alta Florence. Mr. Black- well went to the army from Kentucky, and was in the state service. They had to come to Illinois to organize to keep from being pressed into the rebel service. He served about two years.
MR. P. J. BUTLER, a farmer of Unity township, was born in Ire- land, and came to America about 1851. He was married about 1876, to Mary J. Ryan. . They have had two children, one of which, William Francis, is living. Mr. Butler has put all the improvements on his place of 160 acres. He has planted out some two hundred and fifty trees, and built the house they live in. He went to the army in Co. E, 85th Ohio reg. He was only in skirmishes. His principal work was the guarding of prisoners.
MR. FRANKLIN BROWNING, farmer in Unity township, is of Scotch lineage and is a native of Kentucky. He inoved from there to Coles county in 1856, and to Piatt county in 1857. He was married in 1852 to Priscilla Barritt, who died leaving two children, Sarah Margaret, who married Abner Fisher, and lives in Atwood with their three chil- dren, James, Jessie and an infant ; and Jolin Henry, who married Kate Wren and lives in Douglas county. Mr. Browning was married to Angeline Duvall, in 1863. They have had three children, two of whom, Alvah and Maria, are living. Mrs. Browning thought the prairie a desolate place to live when she first settled there. She was unreconciled to the place for eight years, but after she made a visit home about ten years ago she was content with her prairie home. Mr. Browning bought the present home about 1864, and now owns
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about forty acres. He has been school director and trustee, and is a member of the Masonic lodge at Mackville.
MR. AZOR BUNYAN (deceased) was a native of England, and came to America, - Ohio-when fourteen years of age. He, moved from Ohio to Indiana, where his father dicd. He went back to Ohio and married Catharine Carpenter, and lived there till 1864, when he moved to Piatt county. He bought the land where his family live upon his coming to the county, and lived there till their house burned in 1873, when he moved to Bement, where he died in 1874. Mrs. Bunyan with her children moved to the farm. and in 1875 built their present frame dwelling of five rooms. Mrs. Bunyan has had ten children, cight of whom are living. Lucinda, the wife of Henry Keller, lives in Kansas. Albert, a soldier in the army, married Caroline Scott and lives in Kansas. Harriet, married Wallace Davy, a carpenter of Michigan. Silvester is at home. George married Rebecca Clark, who died, leaving three children, Daisy C., Jesse B. and Cora. John married Nora Wallace, and is a farmer near Windsor. Emma, the wife of Jno. Brown, of Hammond, has three children, Simeon, Allie May and Albertus. Clara was the wife of Tho. Strickler, of Lovington ; she died, leaving one child, Mattie. William married Laura Reais, and lives in Unity township ; they have one child. Mr. Bunyan was in the late war as sanitary agent.
MR. JNO. CRAIN, farmer, has lived on the farm where he now lives the greater share of his life. His parents are both dead ; his mother died in Illinois and his father in Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Jno. Crain have liad five children, Thomas H., Otis, Charles, Virgil and Walter. Mr. Crain went to the army in 1862, in Co. H of the 107th Ill. reg., and remained until 1865. The principal battles in whichi he engaged were those at Loudon, Knoxville and Atlanta. He was slightly wounded while in Georgia.
MR. FRANK CRAIN, Gainesville, Texas, was united in marriage in 1874 to Mary E. Layson, who died in 1877. He was next married to Lizzie Tutin, of Wisconsin, and in 1877 moved to Texas, where he deals in stock. Hc has one daughter. Mr. Crain's father improved a 3,700 acre farm in Piatt county, spending the latter years of his life here. Upon coming to the county, however, he was not able to enter forty acres of land.
MR. VOLNEY SNYDER, farmer and carpenter, Pierson, is a native of Ohio, and moved to Piatt county in 1854, coming into the southern part of the county in time to fight prairie fire many a time. He
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remembers of fighting fire all night once on the Crain farmn. Mr. Snyder was united in marriage to Mrs. Cook née Lydia Monroe, who died in 1877, leaving seven children, two of whom were Mr. Snyder's. William H. farms with his father, and Andrew J. is farming in Kansas. Mr. Snyder owns 160 acres of land, upon which he is putting improvements.
MR. JAS. BOWLS (deceased) was a native of Pennsylvania, from which state he moved to Ohio and then to Illinois, settling in Piatt county in 1856. He had nine children, two of whom are living. Margaret became the wife of Wm. Thompson, who died leaving five children. Of these Rebecca married Mr. Frank True, and the names of the other children are John J., Geo. W., Wm. W. and Rachel. James A. Bowls married Lucy Brown, has four children, Chas., Jno., Jas. and a baby, and lives in Unity township. Jno, W. Bowls died in the army. One grandson, Marion W., lives with Mrs. Bowls in Bement.
MR. J. R. CANTRALL, a farmer near Hammond, is a native of Dewitt county, and moved to Piatt county in 1870. His grandfather, Levi Cantrall, was an early settler of Dewitt county, having moved there about fifty years ago. Mr. J. R. Cantrall went to the army in Co. D of the 107th Ill. reg., and was in a hospital, on account of sick- ness, a good deal of the time. His principal battles were those of Franklin and the siege of Nashville. He considers himself ten years older than he would have been had he not gone to the war. He tells of one man who was known to die in the army from homesickness. Mr. Cantrall married Captain Love's daughter, Jennie, and they live on a place adjoining Mr. Love's. They have had three children, Alva L., Edna E. and Myrta M.
MR. ALFRED CLARK, farmer, was born in 1817, in Kentucky. He is the last of a family of eleven children. His grandfather's posterity, up to the time of the war, numbered 3,500 persons. It would now reach near 10,000. . His father was in the war of 1812. Fifty years ago Mr. Clark attended a Sunday school in Kentucky with one hun- dred children, and out of that number he is one of the five who are still living. He moved from Kentucky to Sangamon county, Illinois, about thirty years ago, and in 1870 moved to Piatt county. He has lived on his present home farm of eighty acres, which he has improved himself, for about eight years. He was married in Kentucky, to Mary E. Chevis, who died leaving two children, Sarah A., the wife of Benj. Upham, county clerk at Jacksonville, and the parent of five
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