USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, Illinois, Volume One > Part 15
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Shortly after the town was laid out Mr. Smith built a store and Samuel Weeks built a blacksmith shop. Thomas Haworth built a store on his land and rented it. John Dicken built a tavern. James Frazier kept a hotel here awhile. Ephriam Goodwin built a little store on the east side of the street which he occupied as a confectionery for awhile. William Canaday continued the business there
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for a time. Walter and Price erected a building on the northwest corner for a drug store.
With the advent of the railroad in 1873-1874 the town was given adequate shipping facilities and business of all kinds increased.
The first postmaster at Ridgefarm was Abraham Smith, the founder of the town.
A petition of incorporation of the Village of Ridge- farm, signed by Uriah Hadley and others, was filed in the county court on March 3, 1874. There were then according to the petition three hundred and fifty inhabi- tants in the village. The court ordered an election held at the store of J. C. Pierce on March 21, 1874, to vote on the question of incorporation. George H. Dice, R. H. Davis and J. H. Banta were appointed judges of election. At the election fifty-one votes were cast, forty-nine for incorporation and two against it. The court ordered an election held on April 22 to vote for six trustees to serve until the regular election. The following were elected trustees: J. H. Banta, M. A. Harold, T. C. Rees, A. J. Darnell, A. B. Whinrey, and Moses Lewis. The trustees elected A. J. Darnell the first president of the village and T. C. Ross the first clerk.
Ridgefarm was early to establish good schools and as early as 1875 erected a large brick school building.
The town has good schools, a number of churches and the principal fraternal orders, lodges and clubs are well represented here. A Masonic lodge was instituted at Ridgefarm October 2, 1868.
The census of 1920 gave Ridgefarm a population of eight hundred and fifty-five.
Vermilion Grove is a village of two hundred and twenty inhabitants located in Elwood Township about two miles
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north of Ridgefarm. The Haworths and Canadays made the first settlements here in the very early history of the county.
In 1876 Elvin Haworth platted for record a subdivi- sion of the southeast quarter of section thirteen, upon which the village is built. It was called Vermilion at first until the railroad was built, but when the post office was established in 1873 it was changed to Vermilion Grove on account of there being another post office in the state named Vermilion. John Stafford engaged in the mercan- tile business here in 1873.
GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP
Georgetown Township was one of the first to be gen- erally settled in the county. The abundance of timber and water supply were some of the attractive features to the early settlers who were not inclined to settle on the open prairies. Another inducement to early settlers was the close proximity to the salt works. This was also an impor- tant item of consideration to the pioneers.
Henry Johnson was the first permanent settler in what is now Georgetown Township. He made his home on sec- tion thirty-six, two miles west of the present village of Georgetown. This was in 1820. The same year Mr. But- ler settled at Butler's Point, and Seymour Treat. Absa- lom Starr, a brother-in-law of Henry Johnson, settled in this township in 1821. Henry Johnson, Absalom Starr, Gotham Lyons and John Jordan all settled near each other. Johnson's place was known for several years as "Johnson's Point." He lived there about twelve years when he sold his place to Levi Long and moved farther west. Achilles Morgan settled on section fifteen in 1825.
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He was a man of strong character and ability and was recognized as one of the leaders of the community. He was one of the first county commissioners of Vermilion County. He and Mr. Butler organized the first county commissioners court at Butler's Point. Amos Williams was appointed clerk and Charles Martin, constable. This was in March, 1826. Achilles Morgan came here from Virginia and was a member of a prominent family of the Old Dominion who were renowned as famous Indian fighters.
Among other early settlers were Fletcher, Haworth, Folger, Henderson, Newlin, Canaday, and Mendenhall who came from East Tennessee and the Carolinas. Ben- jamin Brooks from Indiana was an early settler. Bob Cotton and the O'Neal family settled here about the same time. Here James O'Neal was born in 1822. He was probably the first white boy born in Vermilion County.
Other early settlers were James Stevens who came from Indiana in 1826 and settled on section nine, and James Waters came in 1832. Isaac Ganes and John L. Sconce settled here in 1825. James Graves and his sons, O. S. and L. H. Graves, and John Cage, all from Ken- tucky, settled on sections seventeen and eighteen in 1828. Isaac Sandusky, also from Kentucky, settled on section nine in 1828. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. He was a successful man of affairs and became a very exten- sive land owner, as also did his sons, James, Harvey and Josiah Sandusky.
Subel Ellis was an early settler here. He located on section twenty-nine and was one of the first to improve a farm in that locality. Jacob Brazelton settled here in the early twenties and was the first justice of the peace in this part of the county. Joseph and Abraham Smith,
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who came in 1828, were neighbors of Brazelton. Prebble, Foley and Dickason came here in the late twenties. Daniel Darby had a wagon shop on the old salt works road for a time but later went farther west. William Haworth, Mr. Stowers and Moses Scott were also early settlers. John Kyger and William Sheets came to this township in 1835 and were numbered among the prominent early day settlers.
One of the inconveniences incident to pioneer life was the scarcity of grist mills. The early settlers of George- town were compelled to go to Indiana to get their grind- ing done. The first grist mill in the township was built by John Brazelton. It was a horse power affair, located on his place near the Vermilion River.
In 1840 William Jenkins built quite a pretentious water mill on the Vermilion River. This was later swept away by high water. In 1850 Henderson, Kyger and Morgan built a large steam mill at Georgetown.
William Milikan built the first carding mill in the county here in 1830. It was a tread power mill operated by oxen.
The pioneers of Georgetown were men of deep religious convictions and religious services were held at a very early day in various parts of the township. The Methodists held their first meetings in a school house in the village of Georgetown. Father Anderson was one of the first Meth- odist ministers. Other pioneer Methodist ministers of the township were Reverends Fox, James, Muirheads and Cowan. Services were first held in school houses and soon a number of churches were built, at various places-one in the village of Georgetown was perhaps the first.
The Cumberland Presbyterian organization made an early appearance in this township. Mount Pisgah Church
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of this denomination near the western line of the town- ship was the first of that denomination in the county. It was organized by Reverend James Ashmore and Reverend Hill. Meetings were held in a school house until 1842 when a church edifice was built of logs, which was later replaced by a frame building. Reverend James Ashmore was pastor of this church for forty-two years. Other pas- tors who served this church were Reverend W. O. Smith, Reverend G. W. Jordan, Reverend H. H. Ashmore and Reverend Thomas Whitlock.
Reverend Allen Whitlock organized the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Georgetown January 19, 1860. The building was erected in 1860.
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Westville was organized in 1871 by Reverend W. D. Smith.
Brook's Point Christian Church was organized by Elder Martin in 1870.
The Friends built a brick meeting house in George- town in 1874.
Georgetown and Westville are located in this town- ship.
Georgetown Village, which is now one of the impor- tant towns of Vermilion County, was founded in 1827, about seven years after the first settlement of what is now Georgetown Township. The plat was acknowledged in June, 1827, about two months after Danville was laid out.
The town was laid out by James Haworth on his land, and there were only four blocks in the original plat. These blocks were divided into eight lots each. Thus there were only two streets recognized in the original plan of the town. These were State Street running north and south and West Street intersecting it at right angles. These streets were sixty feet wide and a public square was pro-
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vided for at the intersection of the streets by cutting out the corners of the four central blocks on the plan of the square at Danville. This plan was followed in laying out quite a number of towns in this section of the county about that time.
It was said that Mr. Haworth acted as his own sur- veyor in laying off the lots. The "surveyors chain" used in this highly technical operation was a large grapevine which he had cut one rod in length. With this surveying instrument, Mr. Haworth measured and laid off the lots, which probably accounts for quite a little variation in the size of the lots. Some of the original lots measure as much as six feet more than others.
Later as the town grew, other additions have been platted and recorded. Among the names of those who platted additions in the early days were James Haworth, A. Frazier, Samuel Brazelton, Mahlon Haworth, J. B. Haworth, A. F. Smith, and Mr. Henderson.
Georgetown was named after George Haworth, a crippled son of Mr. Haworth the founder of the town. There are other traditions as to what the name was derived from but this seems to be the most authentic and reason- able. George Haworth after whom the town was named died in 1854.
The first building here was a doctor's office. It was built by Doctor Smith, who was considered a very well qualified physician for that time. After practicing here for a time he went to Mackinaw where he died. The sec- ond building erected in the town was a blacksmith shop, always a time honored essential institution of pioneer towns, and John Sloan was the first blacksmith. Next a store was built by Samuel Brazelton. This was located on the square and was the beginning of merchandising in
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Georgetown. The store was built of poles and a small stock of goods kept for sale. A log tavern was soon built and kept by Mr. Brazelton. Other log houses were soon built. A man named Frazier kept a store here.
A school house was soon built on the square. It was a crude log structure not even up to the standard of log house architecture of that pioneer age. H. Givens taught the first term of school here, perhaps, in 1828, the follow- ing year after the town was founded. Owen West was the next teacher here after Givens. Some of the first pupils to attend this school were Luzena Brazelton, Bracken Lewis, George Lewis, Millikan Moore, Eli and Mahlon Haworth and James Staunton. The books used were English reader, Talbott's arithmetic, American speller and Murray's grammar. Preaching services were also held in this old log school house by traveling and local preachers of the Methodist Church.
The post office was established here about 1828. The mail route ran from Georgetown via Carroll, a post office in the McDonald neighborhood, to Paris.
Abraham Frazier was a very early merchant here. Early in life he was a tanner. His brother, Abner Frazier, came here from East Tennessee in 1830 and clerked for him. Two of Abner Frazier's sons were later engaged in the mercantile business in Georgetown for many years. Benjamin Canaday was also an early merchant in George- town. He was a tinner and at first made tinware which he traded for goods in Louisville. He brought the goods back with him and started with a little stock which he kept in a log house where he lived at Vermilion Grove. About 1830 he came to Georgetown and opened a store in partnership with the Haworths. Later he was in part- nership with Abraham Frazier for a time. Canaday and
SODAS CANDY
DRUGS
STREET SCENE, WESTVILLE, ILL.
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COAL MINE NEAR WESTVILLE, ILL.
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the Haworths belonged to the Society of Friends and at an early date commenced religious meetings here.
Canaday continued to be a leading merchant in George- town for a number of years and later built a large brick store. He amassed a comfortable fortune, for that time, and gave liberally to charity, churches and other worthy causes.
Another early merchant in Georgetown was James Shannon. He had a brother, Dr. John Shannon, who was engaged in the practice of medicine at Georgetown in its early days. The two brothers left here after a few years and went to Mackinawtown, Tazewell County.
Dr. Thomas Heywood was one of the earliest to prac- tice medicine here. He was educated in Ohio and came here to practice medicine. After a time he removed to a farm in Carroll Township and continud to practice medi- cine there until his death. Dr. Richard Holmes was also an early doctor here. He later went to Ohio.
William Taylor was the first cabinet maker to locate in Georgetown. He came here from Brown County, Ohio, in 1831. He purchased a log house where he made his home and a log store where he carried on his cabinet work. He worked at his trade here for thirty years, until furni- ture factories began to introduce their wares here. He continued, however, to make coffins, which he had done for many years.
Elam Henderson came to Georgetown in 1831 and per- haps had more to do with the early improvement of the young town than any other man. He had lived in the township since 1824, where he had been successfully engaged in farming and had become prominent in county politics. He had been elected county commissioner and associate justice.
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He engaged in the mercantile business in the village of Georgetown and was instrumental in building a better class of buildings. He was one of a company to build a mill. He established the Citizens Bank and was one of the early grain buyers. J. H. Gadd, who became one of the early lawyers, came here with his mother and brothers in 1834. G. W. Holloway was another early settler who took an active part in early religious and educational affairs. He came here in 1835 and was engaged in busi- ness for many years.
Among the doctors who came here when the village of Georgetown was still young was Dr. A. M. C. Hawes. He was educated in Lafayette, Indiana, and read medicine with Dr. O. L. Clark and after preparing himself for the practice of the profession he came to Georgetown. He was a very successful doctor. His practice extended into Indiana, Edgar County and Champaign County. He was one of the progressive early day students of the science of medicine. He was one of the organizers of the County Medical Society and was its first president and was selected as its annalist to prepare for the society the history of the profession in this county.
Among some of the other men who figured in the early history of Georgetown was Jacob Yapp, who was a lead- ing business man here for years and active in the forma- tion of public welfare. Joseph Bailey was also an early business man and was engaged in mercantile pursuits here.
Since the first settlement in Georgetown its people have always taken a keen interest in the advancement of edu- cation. No sooner had the first settlement been made when the pioneer subscription school made its appearance. These schools were continued under constantly improving conditions until 1844 when the Georgetown Seminary was
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organized and for twenty years continued to be the center of more advanced education in Georgetown and the sur- rounding country. This institution flourished long before there was a high school in the county.
The promoters of Georgetown Seminary were Presid- ing Elder Robbins, J. H. Murphy, Douvelle, and Mr. Cur- tis. The seminary was under the charge of the Methodist Conference, and the teachers were selected by that body.
The first principal was Jesse H. Moore, then a local preacher who later became a very prominent preacher and a presiding elder in the Methodist Church. He served in the Civil War and became a general. Later he served as a member of Congress from this district and was after- wards United States pension agent at Decatur, Illinois. He served as principal of the Georgetown Seminary four years. During his administration the school was held in a frame building which had been built for a church, and which had been moved to the grounds later occupied by the district school building. The seminary building was erected in 1848. It was a plain brick structure, two stories high and capable of accommodating two hundred pupils.
After the new building was completed, Professor J. P. Johnson, who later went to Kansas, was in charge as prin- cipal, for five years. During his management the school increased in numbers and popularity. Pupils came from a hundred miles distant. A great many came from Dan- ville to attend the school.
Professor Asa Guy had charge of the seminary from 1853 to 1855. He was assisted by his wife and a Miss Hazelton. Reverend Mr. Railsback was principal for four years and after him Reverend Mr. McNutt.
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During a portion of the existence of the seminary there was a working understanding between the district and the trustees of the seminary. There was no definite agree- ment as to authority or management, but so just was the understanding and so successful the management that the partnership was very satisfactory. The seminary was built by the proceeds of contributions from the citizens in general, consisting of money, cattle, hogs, chickens or any- thing that the donors were inclined to contribute.
After the seminary had so well performed its mission for a period of seventeen years it was succeeded by the public school which had been improved by state legisla- tion. In 1861 the directors of the district assumed full charge of educational affairs.
Asa S. Guy was the first principal of the public school here after the seminary was disbanded. He was assisted by T. Barnett and Rebecca Lawrence. This was the begin- ning of the public school system in Georgetown which has kept pace with the improved conditions and progress throughout the country, and few if any towns of the size of Georgetown in the state have better schools. In the matter of education Georgetown has always maintained the high standard which it attained at the beginning.
Georgetown was incorporated under the general act of 1872, on February 22, 1873, by a vote submitted to the electors.
Georgetown has always been an important mercantile center. Its railroad and highway facilities are good and it is one of the live industrial towns of the county.
All the major religious denominations have organiza- tions here, and lodges and fraternal organizations are well represented.
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Georgetown has a population of three thousand and sixty-one according to the last official census.
WESTVILLE
Westville is the third largest municipality in Vermilion County. It was laid out on section nine, Georgetown Township, in May, 1873, and owing to the fact that it was in the midst of a rich coal field its growth and develop- inent were rapid. Originally only two blocks were platted by William P. and E. A. West from whom the town takes its name.
Among the pioneer business men here were Parker and Ellsworth, who commenced business on the present site of Westville in 1872. Later they were bought out by Cook and Alexander. Other early merchants were Dukes and Doops, Boone and Jumps Brothers and J. W. Lockett and Brother. Practically all of these carried on a gen- eral mercantile business.
H. C. Myers opened a drug store in 1877, and shortly afterwards he was succeeded by Dr. W. D. Steel who also was engaged in the practice of medicine.
Jonathan Clayton opened a blacksmith shop here in 1872. The post office was established in 1876 and S. W. Dukes was the first postmaster.
Westville has good schools, churches, banking facilities and progressive merchants. Mining is the chief industry and the population is made up of the industrious and thrifty classes.
The population of Westville is four thousand two hun- dred and forty-one.
CHAPTER XIV
TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES-Continued
MIDDLEFORD TOWNSHIP: LOCATION-ARRIVAL OF THE PARTLOW FAM- ILY IN 1829-NUMEROUS EARLY SETTLERS-A POPULAR TAVERN -- RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS-MERCANTILE ESTABLISH- MENTS-NEWELL TOWNSHIP: EARLIEST FAMILY-LENEVE BROTH- ERS-PIONEER LOG SCHOOL HOUSE-ADVENT OF METHODISM-PILOT TOWNSHIP: ATTRACTIONS TO SETTLERS OF 1830-INFLUENCE OF RELIGION AND EDUCATION-COLLISON-ROSS TOWNSHIP: THE DAVI- SONS AND GRUNDYS-LEADING PIONEERS-RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION VILLAGE OF ROSSVILLE.
MIDDLEFORK TOWNSHIP
Middlefork Township is bounded on the north by But- ler, on the east by Ross, on the south by Blount and Pilot townships and on the west by the county line. At the time of township organization in 1851 it included not only all of Butler Township but all of what is now Ford County, extending up to the Kankakee River, and was more than sixty miles long. However, there were no settlers within this entire country except a few who had settled around Horse Creek.
There were about twelve sections of timber land in the township. There are numerous streams, which together with abundant groves and timber made this section the most desirable place for early settlement in northern Ver-
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milion County. It soon became a land of fine farms, com- fortable homes and prosperous people. Early settlements were of course along the streams in the timber. In com- mon with the average pioneers they thought that they couldn't live out on the prairie.
The first settlers found corn growing here, but the Indian method of cultivation differed considerably from that which was soon to follow in the present day corn belt. The only variety of corn found here when the white man came was the red and white spotted ears. When corn was harvested it was buried in caves which were dug in dry knolls.
The first settlement was made in what is now Middle- fork in 1828. Mr. Partlow and his wife came here from Kentucky in 1829 with their four sons, Samuel, James, Reuben and John, and their son-in-law, Asa Brown. They were all married and had families when they came here. They first built a cabin at Merrill's Point and the sons took up claims in sections five, six, seven and eight, south of where Armstrong is now located. They were all ardent Methodists and two of the sons, John and James, became Methodist preachers. About 1840 they built the first meeting house in this part of the county-a rude log cabin on the bank of a stream of Reuben's land. The Partlow family exercised a strong religious influence on the com- munity.
William Bridges came here in 1830. Michael Cook was one of the first settlers here. He died soon after coming. Charles Bennett settled at Collison's Point in 1828 among the first here. He came from Ohio, and was the first settler on Bean Creek. He died in 1840. Richard Court- ney came here from Franklin County, Ohio, in 1835, and entered land in the famous bluegrass tract which the In-
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dians had just abandoned. There were then standing on the place the stalks of the former year's crop of corn which had been raised by the Indians. The untouched grass of thousands of acres grew rank around and through the grove. The few cows that the settlers kept came in at night loaded down with milk and almost every hollow tree in the grove was the home of bees. There never was a land, to which the immigrant seeking new homes, flowed more literally with milk and honey than this. The Court- ney family at one time started breaking prairie and planted a hundred acres to corn. They got a good crop, but did not know what to do with it. It was only six cents a bushel and no market for it at that price. Deer, geese, turkeys and prairie chickens were numerous.
Douglas Moon came from Ohio in 1834 and took up land south of where Armstrong now is. Mr. Meneley, who was a millwright, built a sawmill a short distance down the stream from Marysville in 1837. He afterwards sold it to a Mr. Smith and it later burned. Smith rebuilt it and in 1872 a grist mill was added. It was the only water mill ever built in the township.
Bean Creek, the eastern branch of Middle Fork, was first known as Sullivan's branch. The first settlers along this creek were Mr. Bennett, Mr. Allen, W. H. Copeland and Mr. Albright. Farther up the creek were George Copeland, John Mills, David Copeland and John Smith (English) who settled there about 1845. There were three John Smiths settled in Middlefork Township and by way of designation were called "English" John Smith, "Ticky" John Smith and "Plain" John Smith. The former of these Smiths was an Englishman. He became the owner of three thousand acres of land and was a big cattle man here. Plain John Smith came here from Pennsylvania
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