USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, together with historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources > Part 79
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He then hunted up his confederates and told them their help was not needed. Smith was arrested and turned state's evidence. Sanders got a short term in the penitentiary, and Moore went into the army. On Persons' death the property came into the hands of Sangster & Swazey, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and about 1867 John Mains, the present proprie- tor, bought it. It stands practically as it did forty years ago.
A. J. Miller took up land three miles east of Rossville in 1834. He increased his farm to about six hundred acres, and remained on it till he died, in 1871, and his family reside there yet. Willard Brown came from New York and took up a farm a little southeast of where Alvin now is in 1835, and remained there until he died, in 1878. He was a good specimen of the hardy pioneer; a hardy, honest, upright, true man ; a good citizen and faithful father. Several of his children still live here to honor and revere the memory of his upright life. L. M. Thompson entered land southeast of Rossville. He now lives in the village. He has long been interested in everything pertaining to the public affairs of his town, and is a public-spirited and useful citizen. Abram Mann, who, on account of his intelligence, education, great worth and wealth, held a commanding position in the new settlement, came here first in 1836. He was an Englishman, and had been only a short time in this country, living for a year in Herkimer county, New York, where Abijah and Charles A. Mann,-prominent then and since in the politics and business relations of central New York, -lived. When he came to this county he lived in Danville a year, and entered several sections of land around where he afterward made his home, and the next year commenced his large farming operations here. His wife dying, he took his four children back to England in 1839, for a few years, and engaged Dr. Brickwell, then an energetie and progress- ive young man,-now an honored and esteemed physician of Ross- ville,-to superintend his affairs. After his return from England he put his large estate into productive cultivation. He went largely into cattle-feeding, aiming to feed up all that was raised on his large farm. He was a strong friend of education and religion, and exerted a good influence by his example and the liberal use of his means,-never ostentatious, but always giving a generous support to all that was good. He lived here until 1865, bringing up his four children to honest and frugal industry, inculcating the spirit of strong religious faith which possessed him, and the liberal sentiments which were a marked trait in his character. One act which marks the character of the man may be mentioned. In 1856, believing that the society then worshiping in the school-house needed a church, he offered to make and furnish all the brick necessary to put up such a church as the society should choose
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to build - the larger they should decide to build the better. Messrs. James Gilbert, Messic, Demorest, B. C. Green and R. R. Ray were selected by the church to see that a good house of worship was put up. The building is 30 x 45, and cost, including the donations made, $3,300. Of Mr. Mann's children, two were married and have died. The other two remain on the farm. In 1875 they built probably the finest resi- dence in Vermilion county, at a cost of $25,000, brick.
John Ray, about 1835, came to live where his three sons, George T., Wm. G. and John, now live, near the junction of the East and North Forks. The " Ray boys," as they are still called, are good citi- zens, and have the reputation of excellent men among their neighbors. B. C. Green came here from Ontario county, New York, about 1840. He was a young man without means, with fair common-school educa- tion, and had heard of the Gilberts who had preceded him some years. He first bought a piece of land west of Rossville, where Thomas Arm- strong now lives. He afterward sold this, and bought forty acres and entered forty acres east of Rossville, but sold again and bought where he now resides, of Mr. Comstock. For several years he worked around as he could find work to do, splitting rails, working out by the day, or at the stone mason trade. He worked in Danville, taking down the old buildings there and making them into barns, sheds and shops, for by this time Danville began to put on airs, and must get rid of the old buildings which did not comport with increased prosperity. He tells with a commendable pride about walking from Danville, losing two days work there, to vote for building the first frame school-house, "when as yet he had no child." School-houses were not so popular then, and the plan of having the best school-house in the county was likely to fail. Green's children have since enjoyed the blessings of free schooling in that little frame house, which has been used from that time to this, but has recently been supplanted by a finer new one. In 1845 he had got a few dollars ahead, and commenced making what is now one of the best farms in Ross township, consisting of one thou- sand acres in ranges 11 and 12, just north of the timber.
All settlers hugged the timber line, for the protection which that natural barrier presented. Wild game was plenty. You could shoot prairie chickens from the roof's of the houses. Wild geese were plenty on the prairies, staying here awhile spring and fall. Deer were so plenty as hardly to attract much comment, and wolves would hardly keep away from the dooryard. Sheep could hardly be protected from them day or night. The farmers used to make the trip to Chicago with a drove of hogs, and return in about ten days. Hogs could travel in those days. They used to run in the timber till corn harvest, and
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then they were collected and fed until they were in " light marching order,"- fat enough that they would not actually run away from the herd, - and then start Chicagoward. Of course the large hogs we have now, well fatted, could never make the trip as they did then. Sometimes when they "got their hogs up" to commence feeding, they were so wild, having run in the timber all the year, that they were afraid to eat, and as a precautionary measure, the corn was put into the pen on the sly, so that the stubborn fellows would not get the hint that they were expected to eat it; and again, it sometimes became necessary to hunt them down with dogs and bring them in one at a time,- a custom which gave rise to the story which has been so often told about the first sheriff of Vermilion county (which the writer is happy to say lacks confirmation), that when he was sent out to bring in the first grand jury to serve at Butler's, he found them so wild and afraid of the officer that he had to " let slip the dogs " and hunt them as the farmers hunted their hogs.
There were times of prevailing sickness among the settlers, and cer- tain diseases which were more or less prevalent at all times. Especially was this so of those who settled along the streams. Many injured their constitutions by overwork, or, rather, by careless work.
RELIGIOUS.
The early religious life of the people in a new country, and the faithful labors of the early preachers, are always subjects of deep in- terest, but seldom of record here. There seems to have been a pre- vailing opinion that the record of their labors would be kept in a higher book than those we inspect here; so that very much of it has to be collected from those whose memories are not now the best. There seems to be no doubt that Rev. Enoch Kingsbury was the pioneer Presbyterian minister in Ross. He was engaged in preaching in the county almost from its first settlement. His general labors through the county are frequently spoken of. His particular labors at Ross- ville in organizing and ministering to the church there are a matter of record. This church was organized at Mr. Gilbert's house in 1850, by Mr. Kingsbury, six members uniting to form the church : Joseph Hains, Millie Bicknell, Eliza Kingsbury, David and Elizabeth Strain, and Mrs. Nancy Gilbert. Mrs. Gilbert is only left of those who there pledged their lives to the cause. Mr. Gilbert did not himself join the church till some months after. Services were held in Mr. Gilbert's house until the Odd-fellows built their hall, when, in common with all other denominations, services were held there. Mr. Kingsbury's long service terminated in 1868, when Rev. W. N. Steele was employed,
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and continued to minister to the church until 1874. At that date Rev. John H. Dillingham, the present pastor, who had been for several years city missionary at St. Louis, was employed, and has con- tinned to serve the church till now. They have a pleasant house of worship, and the membership now numbers eighty-seven. The first Sabbath-school at Rossville was the Union school, held in the hall until the churches were built, and Mr. E. Townsend acted as superin- tendent. After this each denomination held its own school.
Like most other localities, the Methodists were largely in the ma- jority among the early preachers of the gospel here. The absence of all formalities, the plain, unvarnished presentation of the truth, the acceptance of all who had gifts to preach, faith to pray, and willingness to work, and, more than all, the free salvation they preached, made that denomination the great civilizer and christianizer of scattered communities, and the barrier against utter want of religious teaching. The preaching of the early fathers was maintained with much regu- larity in their times, but at irregular places: at first in the cabins of the people, and afterward in the school-houses as they were erected. John Demorest was one of the first local preachers, and, with Daniel Fairchild, went over this country holding their two-days meetings, and helping the traveling preachers continually. Samuel Gilbert's house, near where Mann's chapel was afterward built, was one of the earliest points; after this at Ray's school-house, at Goudy's school-house, at Myersville, and the Asbury chapel, near the state line. At first it belonged to the Danville circuit, but about 1855 it was cut off and made the Myersville circuit. During the former period the Munsells, W. T. Moore, Elliott, Crane and Bradshaw were the preachers. Dur- ing the latter, Messrs. Muirhead, Horr, Huckstip, Lyon and Edward Rutledge preached. During this period the appointments were : North Fork, Asbury, East Fork, Myersville, State Line and Fairchilds. The books placed at the disposal of the writer do not show any written record farther back than 1864. At this time Rev. W. H. H. Moore was presiding elder; J. Muirhead, preacher, and the appointments were: Ross, East Fork, Mann's, Rossville and Myersville. In 1865 A. Shinu was presiding elder; Mr. Muirhead, preacher. In 1866 and 1867 D. P. Lyon was preacher. In 1868 it became Rossville circuit, . with appointments at Rossville, Eight Mile. Mann's and at a school- house ; J. A. Kumler, preacher. In 1870, Preston Wood was presiding elder, and Kumler, preacher; in 1871, B. F. Hyde, preacher ; in 1873, T. W. Phillips, presiding elder; J. Miller, preacher; in 1874, J. H. Noble, presiding elder. In 1876, J. Shaw was preacher, whose pastorate still continues ; in 1878, J. McElfresh, presiding elder. Houses of wor-
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ship are now occupied at Rossville, Mann's and at East Fork, one mile east of Alvin. The Sabbath-school at Rossville numbers eighty-tive, and is under the superintendeney of Mr. D. C. Deamnde. Mr. John Johns, of Danville, pretty good authority, says he believes Rev. James McKain was the first Methodist preacher who labored in the northern half of the county. He preached here when it belonged to the Eugene circuit, as early as 1829, though he does not know that he preached in what is now Ross.
About 1848 several families belonging to the United Brethren de- nomination settled in the western part of Ross and along Bean creek. William Cork, the Albrights, Caleb Bennett, Mr. Putnam, and others of that faith, were anxious for preaching there. Rev. Joel Cougill, a member of the upper Wabash conference, was appointed there in 1851, and organized a class, with Samuel Albright as elass-leader. He was followed in succession by Messrs. Pencer. Edmonson and Coffman. In 1873 a church was built there, on section 30, 36 x 50, with belfry. A little later a church was formed at Rossville, and these, with Hoopeston, became the Rossville circuit. Messrs. Anderson, Jones and Cork have preached here. There are now twenty-four members. They have purchased the Christian church, and have maintained a Sabbath-school. Mr. A. Boardman is elass-leader and superintendent of Sabbath-school.
Below is a list of those who have been elected to township office since the organization of the township :
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Date. Vote. Supervisor. Clerk. Assessor. C'ollector.
1851. . . 49. . . John Hoobler. . R. Brickwell. A. Gilbert James Gilbert.
1852 ... 47 ... T. Mckibben. . R. Brickwell. A. Gilbert. James Gilbert.
1853 ... 60 ... T. Mckibben. . R. Brickwell.
James Holmes T. Armstrong. 1854 ... 59 ... T. Mckibben. . L. M. Thompson. . James Holmes J. Holmes.
1855. . 96 ... T. Mckibben. . L. M. Thompson. . James Holmes. .J. Holmes.
1856. .. 82. .. A. Gilbert.
1857 ... 72 ... A. Gilbert.
1860. .. 170 ... J. R. Stewart. . L. M. Thompson. . A. M. Davis L. M. Thompson.
1861 ... 207. .. J. R. Stewart. . A. M. Davis. . . A. M. Davis . A. T. Search.
1862. .. 110. .. A. Gilbert ..... S. W. Harris. .... Jacob Helmick . Thomas Gundy.
1863. .. 170 ... A. Gilbert. . L. M. Thompson. . G. A. Collings. . Thomas Gundy.
1864. . . 127. . . J. J. Dale .Geo. W. Smith. .. G. A. Collings .Geo. A. Collings.
1865 ... 97. .. A. Gilbert. .G. W. Smith. .. A. Davison T. Mckibben.
1866 ... 80. .. A. Gilbert. Henry Boyd. J. W. Dale J. W. Dale.
1867 ... 132 ... A. Gilbert. .J. D. Bingham. .. J. W. Dale J. W. Dale. 1868. . . 139. .. A. Gilbert. Wm. I. Allen. .J. W. Dale. J. W. Dale. 1869 ... 87 ... A. Gilbert. Wm. I. Allen .. .F. F. Randolph J. W. McTaggart.
1870. .. 138. .. A. Gilbert. J. D. Bingham . J. J. Davison. J. W. McTaggart.
1871. .. 193. .. A. Gilbert ..... J. D. Bingham . A. T. Search. J. Fisher.
1872. .. 217 ... A. Gilbert .. .. G. W. Smith. .J. W. McTaggart. . J. T. Search.
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. L. M. Thompson . . James Holmes J. Holmes.
.L. M. Thompson . . James Holmes J. Holmes. 1858. . . 107. .. A. Gilbert .... . L. M. Thompson. . James Holmes. J. Holmes. 1859. .. 191. . . J. R. Stewart. . L. M. Thompson . . J. H. Gilbert J. Holmes.
A
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HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
Date. Vote. Supervisor. . Clerk. Assessor. Collector.
1873 .. .199 .. A. Gilbert. . . .G. W. Smith J. W. McTaggart .. J. T. Search.
1874 ... 261 ... A. Gilbert. .G. W. Smith J. Fisher. W. H. Collings.
1875. .. 168. .. A. Gilbert. . .G. W. Smith. .A. T. Search. J. H. Braden.
1876. .. 204 ... A. Gilbert. G. W. Smith A. T. Search. W. D. Foulke.
1877. .. 210 ... A. Gilbert .. .. . J. H. Williams . .. John Cook.
A. T. Search.
1878 ... 360 ... W. Chambers. . H. Shannon ...
J. Fisher J. C. Gundy.
1879. .. 340. .. W. Chambers. . D. C. Deamude. .. J. S. Tursher. J. C. Gundy.
Justices of the peace : James Holmes, J. M. Demorest, L. A. Burd, Samuel Albright, J. J. Dale, A. Gilbert, W. I. Allen, W. Salmons, W. D. Foulke, John Davison.
ROSSVILLE.
Rossville is situated on the dividing line between Ross and Grant townships, at the point where the state road from Danville to Chicago crosses the old state road running from Attica, Indiana, to Blooming- ton. Its corporate limits now inelude what used to be known as Liggett's Grove on the south and Bicknell's Point on the north. The Chicago & Eastern Illinois railroad runs along its eastern boundary. It is eighteen miles from Danville, and about six from Hoopeston. The north fork runs about one mile west of it. The land upon which it is built is beautifully rolling, giving natural advantages of landscape which have been well used in beautifying the homes of its citizens.
The first settlement within its limits, as has been before stated, was by John Liggett, who gave his name to the locality. His early death, however, gave the place to Alvan Gilbert, whose quick eye and accu- rate judgment readily saw that in course of time there would be a trad- ing point there, and perhaps a place of considerable local importance. The building of the La Fayette, Bloomington & Muncie through the next northern tier of townships, instead of following, as seemed likely, the old traveled road, somewhat changed the anticipations. For a while it was called Bicknell's Point, and again it was known far and near as "Henpeck," though who gave it this name, and why, is not now very apparent.
After the tide of immigration which was consequent upon the rail- road building of 1851 to 1855 had filled these prairies around the groves with hardy settlers, it beeame evident that some one must " keep store at Henpeck," and Samuel Frazier, of Danville, put in a stock of goods there in 1856, and continued to sell for four years. The depression consequent upon the financial storm of 1857 put back the enterprise of the little village some years, and it was not until after the close of the rebellion that it may really have been said to grow mueh. Several business ventures were tried, few of which proved successful. In 1857 Thomas Armstrong and the North Fork Odd-Fellows Lodge
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built the two-story frame store now standing on the southwest corner of the principal cross-roads. It was built as a joint enterprise, the I.O.O.F. owning the upper story. This room, although belonging to a secret and rather exclusive society, has been for many years the only "public hall"-an apparent contradiction of terms in Rossville. Here all the societies and lodges ever organized at Rossville have found their homes, and for years the gospel was preached by those advanced guards of religions instruction and higher civilization, the traveling and local humble Methodist preachers, and by old Father Kingsbury, the pioneer Presbyterian preacher of this county. Some worthy poet ought to tell, in measures which the historian cannot hope to reach, how here the glad tidings of free salvation reverberated through the room, while righteousness was dressed to "square and compass " by Masonic goat- riders. Here the stern decrees, popularized in more austere communi- ties by calvinistic doctrinaires, and election, preordination and predes- tination, were made household words, while rabid grangers held the mythical middleman by the nape of the neck over a boiling, seathing, sulphurous perdition, ready to let him fall at the drop of the hat. Here for years the long-to-be-remembered union Sabbath-school was held, which crowded the hall to its fullest capacity, where many a dear little one now singing the glad song of the redeemed in heaven learned to lisp the simple truths of religion. It does take off the rough edges of those who are opposed to secret societies to recall the good which has been done in that plain old hall. The store-room in the first story was occupied as soon as built by Whitcomb & Upp, with a general stock of goods, with George S. Cole as clerk. In the spring of 1859 W. R. Gessie opened a stock of goods here, with Wm. Mann as man- ager. It was in operation for some time, and the goods were then shipped back to Ohio.
The spring of 1862 brought to Rossville a man who, from that time to the present, has been one of the most important factors in its business prosperity. Perhaps no man in the community has been more thoroughly energetic (with the possible exception of Mr. Alvan Gil- bert, who was to all intents the father of Rossville,) in building up the young town than W. J. Henderson. He opened up a general stock of goods in 1862, and the people soon learned that he had come to stay. 'In 1864 he built the frame store which so long stood on the ground upon which now stands his magnificent brick block, since which time he has been engaged in trade, in farming, keeping hotel and looking after all the interests of Rossville. In 1859 Gideon Davis built the south part of the large hotel and occupied it until he sold it to John Smith, who in turn traded it to Dr. M. T. Livingood, who purchased
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HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
it with a view to enlarge and improve it for the better accommodation of the traveling public. In 1873 he built the north part, 24×44, two stories high, at an expense of nearly $4,000. It could hardly be called a financial success, but the Doctor accomplished his purpose of giving to Rossville the best hotel in the county north of Danville. About 1862 Alvan Gilbert built the store now occupied by J. R. Smith, on the corner north of the Odd-Fellows' building, which was occupied by Short Brothers, of Danville, with a general stock of goods for two vears.
Jonas Sloat opened a blacksmith shop in 1857. The post-office known as North Fork was established in 1839 at Gilbert's, near Mann's Chapel, and in 1853 it was removed here and Alvan Gilbert appointed postmaster. It continued to bear that name until Rossville was laid out, when the name was changed. Alvan Gilbert and Joseph Satter- thwait laid out and recorded the original town of Rossville about 1857. It contained only four blocks at the crossing of the Chicago and Attica roads, and the two principal streets were named so from that fact. Gil- bert and Satterthwait's first addition was laid out and recorded in April, 1862, lying all around the original town. Gilbert's second addition lay south and east of this, seventeen blocks. W. T. and W. H. Livingood's, of eighteen blocks, is east of the original town. W. J. Henderson laid out an addition of nine blocks north of this, and Gil- bert a third addition south of the former. It was incorporated under the general incorporation act in force July, 1872. As soon as the act was in force a petition was signed and the county court ordered an election under the act to be held on the 27th of July, to vote for or against incorporating, which election resulted in favor of incorporation by a vote of 53 to 15. Under this petition the bounds were fixed as all of the east half of section 11 and west half of section 12, town 22, range 12, embracing one mile square, the north half of which is in Grant and the south half in Ross. On the 24th of August an election was held for six trustees, clerk and police magistrate, resulting in the election of R. E. Purviance, Isaac B. Warner, W. C. Tuttle, William Laidlow, W. F. Lefevre. Ira Green, trustees ; B. Z. Duly, clerk ; J. W. McTaggart, police magistrate. These officers put the new village into successful operation and provided a code of ordinances under which it has prospered without licensing dram shops.
The present officers are: J. C. Gundy, president ; William Thomas, E. M. Gilbert, James Stafford, J. Warner, trustees; R. S. Williams, clerk ; Mr. Deamude, treasurer; W. S. Demoree, police magistrate ; D. C. Lee, constable. The clerk receives one dollar per meeting : trus- tees, fifty cents when present; treasurer, one per centum.
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The progressive growth of the village has been uninterrupted since that time, several good buildings have been erected, and many pleasant residences. Putnam & Albright built the nice briek block on the north- east corner of Attiea and Chicago streets in 1873. It is two stories high, sixty-five feet deep, and twenty feet wide in front by thirty-three in the rear. It is occupied below by a store and bank, and by offices above. It is neatly and substantially built. W. J. Henderson built the fine briek block which he ocenpies, in 1875. It is 35 x 90, two stories, having a good publie hall above. The store-room is one of the finest in the county, thirty-three feet wide in the clear, with counting- room and safety-deposit vault, neatly finished off in oiled hard-wood, and presents anything but a rural appearance. It cost $7,500. Mr. Deamude built, the fine brick block which stands next to Henderson's, in 1876. It is 24x 80, two stories, having office and tin shop above. It was built for the hardware trade, which Mr. Deamude has so long carried on here, and occupied by him until his retirement from trade last year, and is now nsed by his sneeessor.
The original brick two-story school-house was built in 1868, 36 x 65, and was occupied the next year. In 1874 it was found too small, and a two-story addition, 30× 40, was built. The grounds are ample and neat. The entire cost, furnished, was about $10,000. The school is graded, and employs six teachers, and is run eight months. It is justly the pride of the district.
The Methodist church was built in 1869. It is briek, 34 x 56, and cost $5,500. It was dedicated in July, 1870, by Elder Moody, "the fighting parson," who acquired his title while serving as chaplain in the army, by the business-like way with which he upheld the " sword of the Lord and of Gideon," by praying all night and fighting all day with just the same spirit and faith.
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