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 95
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MIDDLE FORK TOWNSHIP.
times nearly all its inhabitants were members of those pioneers in reli- gious effort and instruction, the Baptists and Methodists. Even at that day a chord of christian sympathy ran through the members of these churches which has never been effaced. The good brothers, Demorest, Helmic and Fairchild, who sounded the sweet notes of free salvation in the humble cabins of the poor pioneers, were seconded, not antago- nized, by Elder Freeman Smalley, whose Calvinism took on the lovelier shade that toned its stern doctrines and decrees in sympathy with the christian unity of the day. No record which the human hand can make can hope to give full justice to these faithful laborers. They have gone to their reward where the record is full, kept by the hand which notes the sparrows fall, watched by the eye which seeth in secret. These men had no anticipation of earthly reward. An earnest chris- tian, who was himself a member of the Baptist church, but whose reli- gion took on the broader glow of unity, says : " It was one of the pleas- antest sights to see these good Methodist brethren, the local preachers, going out two by two to hold their two days' meetings in the cabins, the barns or the groves; working together like Paul and Silas, one preaching while the other prayed for the blessing of God upon their labors. It was one of the strongest forces in the work of Methodism, and I wonder that they have let it fall into disuse."
There are now eight churches in town, four of which are Methodist. The first religious exercises in the town were probably held at the houses of the Partlow family, who were religious people and came here determined to maintain the cause of the church. In 1829 we find that Reuben Partlow accompanied John Johns, who lived ten miles south- east of the Partlow neighborhood, to Danville to attend meeting, and to ask that the preacher, Mr. McKain, send an appointment to their neighborhood. This was gladly complied with by the good man, who continued to preach for the class formed at John's house in Blount during his year. Coffeen's Hand-book of Vermillion County, pages 25 and 26, says : " A man by the name of MeKain was the first Meth- odist circuit rider of this county. Harshey was the next, and by his preaching a great influence was exerted in favor of Methodism in this vicinity." It is believed that the circuit which was extended to John Johns in 1829 was also the same year made to reach out into Part- low's neighborhood, but if such was the fact, verification of it is not now at hand. This, then, was in the Engene circuit, and extended to Big Grove (Champaign). Under the preaching of Mr. Harshey, who was the second circuit preacher in the county, regular appointments were made at Mr. Partlow's, which in time grew into the Partlow church ten years later. This became, then, the Danville circuit during
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HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
Mr. Harshey's preaching. For at least ten years preaching was had in the houses, and if there were two rooms in the building it was so arranged that the preacher could talk to those in both rooms. Blne Grass, Partlow's and Morehead's were the three earliest preaching points. After Harshey came Risley, Bradshaw, William Moore, Buck, Crane, Littler and others. Mr. Risley was an able preacher and a good man, but fell into trouble; he was thought to have been carried away by a too great anxiety to see one party in a very bitter political contest elected, and lost his influence. Mr. Littler was a talented man and a very acceptable pastor, but got into debt and had not the bravery to face his creditors. Few of them had received any special education in schools for the work they had, but were men led by the spirit of all wisdom. Rev. Mr. Harshey lived and died in Danville, and is every- where spoken of as a man of superior abilities and great power; his in- fluence in favor of Methodism was very considerable. Rev. James McKain, the pioneer, is more fully spoken of in the record of Blount.
In 1840 the brethren put up the first building specially intended for religious worship in this part of the county, on the land of Reuben Partlow, who begged the privilege of donating, which, taken in con- nection with his visit to Danville to ask Mr. McKain to come up here to preach for the new settlers, gives him the right to be called the pioneer of that which we now call Methodism in this town : really the pioneer in religious preaching. This little church down on the bot- tom has long since been replaced by a more convenient one, and one which the people naturally feel proud of. It was a very plain affair : the studding, beams and rafters were poles; the laths were rived out and the shingles home-made; in fact, it was all home-made material except the door, windows and siding. The seats were slabs with legs stuck in them. This building was used for the first school which was held in this part of town, and the second one in town. The people here did not have the school fever very much ; it was not until about 1848 that they seem to have been awakened by the advent of a new wave of immigration to an interest in schools. There seem to have been none but the two already spoken of until the Ingersolls objected to sending their children three miles to school. The present Partlow chapel was built in 1865.
For a long time this was attached to, or was a part of Vermilion cirenit. In 1865 the four appointments were set off and became Blue Grass circnit. In 1877 the parsonage at Marysville was built, and since that time it has been known by that name. The present membership in the circuit is: Marysville, 80; Partlow's, 50; Wallace Chapel, 52; No. 1, 45 : total, 227. The trustees of the Partlow church, at the time
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of its being built, were John Smith, John Wright, Ersom French, Benj. Cross, Wm. Hornbeck, J. B. Courtney and Wm. Crable. A Sabbath- school was established as early as 1840. The Partlows, Reuben, James and John, were leaders, as in every good work. J. B. Courtney, now of Marysville, was superintendent for many years, during which time it often numbered a hundred.
The church at what was called Blue Grass charge was built in 1854, during the ministration of Rev. Mr. Wallace, and was named from him Wallace Chapel. It stands on section 28, one half mile sonth of Blue Grass post-office. The trustees were Eli Starr, J. H. Duncan, Joseph Moss, and the pastor. It is 34×46, and cost $2,100.
The chapel called "No. 1," built in 1867, is the same size, plain, and cost $2,200. The trustees under whose care the church was built were Jesse Piles, William Lefever, J. A. Beals, J. M. Rice and J. Collison.
The church at Marysville was built in 1870. It is a fine building, 36 × 50, with a steeple, well seated and finished off. It cost $3,000. Messrs. Jameson, Tuttle and Bennett were active in the work of getting up this building. Sabbath-schools are maintained in all the appoint- ments. Some of the most efficient and active members in the Sabbath- school work are J. B. Courtney, W. Hornbeck, L. A. Bord, Joseph Moss, J. H. Duncan, Eli Starr, Mr. and Mrs. Chester Potts, and Oliver Postal. The parsonage at Marysville is a good two-story house, and is as comfortable as any minister could wish. It cost $1,500.
The old Middle Fork Baptist Church was organized in 1834, by Elder Freeman Smalley, with abont twenty members. Freeman, Benjamin and James Smalley and their wives, Mr. Herron and wife, Polly Stearnes, Levi Asher and wife, Mr. Parsell and wife, Mr. Stephens (a licensed preacher of English birth) and wife, Mr. Sowders and wite, Mr. Pentecost and wife, Samuel Copeland and wife, and Mrs. White, were all either original or early members of this church. This old church maintained its position and its unity until 1864, when questions and causes growing ont of the war caused a division which proved disastrous.
As early as 1852 a church organization was effected, including those of the parent church who lived about Blue Grass Grove, and others who had recently come in, which was called Hopewell, but by common acceptation was known as Blne Grass Church. The pastors of the old church sneceeding Elder Smalley were Revs. Mr. Dodson, A. C. Blankin- ship and Benjamin Harris. Mr. David S. Halbert, whose life has been intimately connected with the Baptist church, and through whose safe memory and kindness the writer has been enabled to rescue what would
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HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
soon have been among the things forgotten, in regard to this important branch of the church, came to this county in 1836, and in 1840 united with the church. He removed to this neighborhood in 1848, and has since lived here, except the four years which he spent in "Dixie " in the service of his country, in the time of her sorest trials.' He returned, broken in health but strong in the spirit, to his home, and now lives near Marysville. The new church commenced holding meetings at the residence of Mr. Halbert. Rev. Mr. Harris organized this church, with about seventeen members, including on its roll Mr. and Mrs. Halbert, Miss Cossart, John Lawler, wife and daughter, Will- iam Lawler and wife, and Mrs. Glascock. Mr. Harris' pastorate was followed by that of the brothers Martin and Alexander Blankinship and David French. Under their ministration the church prospered, and at one time numbered over a hundred members. Their meetings were held in the school-house at Blue Grass.
The Point Pleasant Church was organized in 1866 by Elder C. B. Seals, who was then a licensed preacher. At the time of its organiza- tion it numbered fifteen, and has had seventy at one time. Under Elder Seals' labors the church was built in 1867, on section 14 (22-14), near the Methodist, "No. 1," Church. It is a plain building, 34 x 46, and cost about $2,000. Since the close of Seals' pastoral labors, Elder Clark Fleming has preached, supplying the church half the time. A Sabbath-school is maintained in summer, but the congregation is so scattered that they have not tried to maintain it in winter. The church numbers about forty-five members.
The United Brethren Church was organized, as is recorded in the history of Ross township, which it is unnecessary to repeat here. Rev. John Hoobler was the pioneer preacher of this denomination in the county. The Marysville circuit has five appointments : Mr. Knight's, at Knight's Branch, five miles southwest; Bean Creek, three and a half miles northeast; Murphy's School-house, seven miles north ; Sperry's, five miles southeast, and Marysville. Rev. J. R. Scott is the present preacher in charge, and preaches at each of these appointments once in two weeks. Rev. J. S. Cooper was his immediate predecessor, and is now a presiding elder. Rev. T. M. Hamilton is presiding elder of this district of the upper Wabash conference. The church edifice at Marysville is 30 × 45, with belfry and bell. It was built in 1873 at a cost of $1,800, under the ministration of W. F. Coffman. This charge numbers fifty members.
The Church at Bean Creek (in Ross) is a neat building, 35 × 45, with cupola and belfry, and cost $2,000. The Albrights, Putnam Cook, and others, were interested in putting up the building. The plain church
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edifice at Knight's was built in 1865 under the management of Elon Sperry, John Selsor and Rev. P. A. Canady, a local preacher.
The appointment at Murphy's School-house (in Butler) expect to build this summer. Interesting and thriving Sabbath-schools are main- tained at these general appointments. A pleasant parsonage with two acres of ground is furnished the pastor at Marysville.
The Christian church was organized here by Elder Rawley Martin, preaching in the school-house about 1860. Preaching was maintained irregularly until 1874, when Elder A. R. Owen preached here once a month and perfected the organization. Elder Smith and Elder Stipp have preached here since. In 1874 a very neat and tasty brick church was erected at a cost of $2,500. It is 35 x 56, with a well-proportioned steeple rising from the front center.
The early preachers through this country did not see much money for a yearly salary. They expected little and got less, but it seldom happened that these devoted preachers returned home without some- thing to show for their circuit ride. The good sisters generally had a brace of chickens, a roll of butter, can of honey, pail of eggs, strip of bacon or dried meat, a little roll of cloth, which the pastor gladly re- ceived in lieu of bank notes, which he feared would not be a legal ten- der by the time of his return home. Thus did they "return again in joy, bringing their sheaves with them."
BLUE GRASS.
The hamlet which has been so long known by the name of Blue Grass, or " Blue Grass City," as some ambitious ones chose to call it, received its name naturally enough from its surroundings, as has been already explained. After the county road -or state road, as it was called - came into general travel, and Owens had got his tavern into running order, the people began to want a post-office and store. The post-office was established in 1843, and John Carter appointed post- master, a position which he retained until Archi McCormick com- menced keeping store, about 1845, when he was appointed. Five years later he sold to John Bodly. Bodly continued in business some years and was quite prosperous, and sold to Wilson, and he to Thomas Owens, the post-office following these changes. Edmund Hartwell, who did not believe in doing anything by halves, built the mammoth store now standing there, dark, "gloomy and worthless," 30 ×65, two stories high, which he occupied for store, carrying a large stock of general merchan- dise, the upper story being rented to the Masonic order, which had a thriving lodge there in those days. This was the only post-office in the northwestern part of the county, and it was no uncommon thing to
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HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
see a hundred persons there for their mail at times. In 1859 John Carter and George Small laid out and platted a "town." It consisted of two blocks, one on either side of the county road. Hartwell, Scott & McDaniels, Groves & Brother, Henderson & Lee and Davis & Hall, successively sold goods there. During and after the close of the war these parties who were engaged in trade sold $25,000 worth a year. Now the shutters are up on the big store, and no one would take it rent free. Berry Ellis started a blacksmith shop about 1845. The La Fayette Oil Mill Company built a flax warehouse there, and for some years Hart- well run that and did a thriving business. After the railroad was built it was moved to Rankin. The only business carried on there now is the two blacksmith shops by Wilson and Artrun, a little grocery and notion store, and the post-office now kept by Mr. Butler. "Killed by the railroads," is the epitaph that might be written over Blue Grass City.
The Havana, Rantoul & Eastern railroad (narrow-gange) runs through the township from east to west, a mile south of its center. Mr. Gifford, the president of the company, lived at Rantoul. He came and called a meeting in 1874, and explained what he proposed to do. He wanted a stock subscription of $2,000 per mile. The citizens had heard a good deal of railroad talk before, and had not much confidence in this, but subscribed some $16,000. He built it, and got it through from Rantoul to Alvin, Christmas, 1876, and from Alvin to Lebanon in 1878, and from Rantoul west to Le Roy in 1879. It has proved a great success - has all the business it can do.
Below is a list in tabular form of those who have been elected to township offices since township organization in 1851 :
Date. Votes. Supervisor.
Clerk.
Assessor. Collector.
. . W. C. Merrill . ... J. Partlow. 1851 M. Oakwood.
M. G. Courtney.
P. Copeland. 1852. M. Oakwood R. Marshall R. Courtney .
1853. M. Oakwood. . R. Marshall. M. G. Courtney . M.G. Courtney.
1854 WV. C. Merrill W. C. Merrill J. S. Webber . .J. S. Webber.
1855 M. Oakwood .S. P. Starr .S. P. Starr. S. P. Starr.
1856 . J. S. Webber S. P. Starr P. Copeland P. Copeland.
1857. J. S. Webber S. Clapp
N. L. Griffin . W. Chambers.
1858 J. S. Webber . S. Clapp
R. Marshall S. Hornbeck.
1859 John Bodly
S. Clapp T. S. Maxey . S. Hornbeck.
1860 John Bodly
S. Clapp
W. J. Leonard ... S. Hornbeck.
1861 . Wm. Chambers ... D. Thomas
1862 Wm. Chambers ... S. P. Starr
D. Thomas W. J. Leonard.
D. Thomas J. B. Courtney. 1863 ... 177 ... W. M. Tennery .. . S. P. Starr
1864. .. 175 ... W. M. Tennery ... S. P. Starr
D. Thomas D. Thomas.
1865. .. 76 ... W. M. Tennery .. . S. P. Starr
R. Courtney D. Thomas.
1866. .. 137 ... W. M. Tennery ... S. P. Starr
.S. Clapp. D. Thomas.
1867 ... 126 ... D. Copeland . .S. P. Starr J. B. Courtney . J. D. Brown.
.Geo. Morehead .. . W. J. Leonard.
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MIDDLE FORK TOWNSHIP.
Date. Votes. Supervisor. Clerk. Assessor. Collector.
1868. .. 139. .. D. Copeland
S. P. Starr
J. B. Courtney ... J. D. Brown.
1869. .. 108. .. S. Clapp. . S. P. Starr
J. B. Courtney ... E. H. Grant.
1870 ... 158 ... W. H. Copeland . . L. C. Messner
D. Thomas E. H. Grant.
1871 ... 179 ... E. H. Grant . C. B. Sargent . E. H. Beals C. E. Pressey.
1872. .. 151. . . M. V. Robins . . . C. B. Sargent E. H. Beals .C. E. Pressey.
1873. .. 139. .. M. V. Robins W. L. Sargent .E. H. Beals .C. E. Pressey.
1874 ... 249 ... C. Albert. W. L. Sargent .E. H. Beals C. E. Pressey.
1875. . . 200. .. M. V. Robins .L. D. Hornbeck. . E. H. Beals. .C. E. Pressey.
1876 ... 239 ... W. H. Copeland .. L. D. Hornbeck .H. C. Wright. ... C. E. Pressey.
1877 ... 330. .. W. H. Copeland . . C. La Grange. Wm. Cossairt ... . C. E. Pressey.
1878 ... 977. .. W. H. Copeland . . P. B. Moreland. . Wm. Cossairt .... C. E. Pressey.
1879. .. 260 ... W. H. Copeland .. P. B. Moreland. . Wm. Cossairt .... C. E. Pressey.
The justices of the peace have been Robert Marshall, James Casse- dy, Septimus Smith, J. P. Button, Perry Copeland, N. L. Griffing, James Courtney, M. Oakwood, S. Hornbeck, H. H. Gunn, L. A. Burd, D. Thomas, S. M. Johnson, W. W. Smith, D. Jameson, D. A. Cox, C. B. Sargent, T. Ellis, M. W. Salmons, W. M. Tennery, S. T. Wright.
RAILROADS.
At a special town meeting held in June, 1870, pursuant to notice, to vote for or against granting $50,000 township aid to the Monticello Railroad Company, the vote resulted: for such subscription, 122; against said subscription, 125. On the 26th of July a meeting was held for the purpose of voting for or against subscribing $40,000 to the same company, which resulted : for such subscription, 169 ; against sub- scription, 55 ; but the road has never been even commenced, and there is no probability that it ever will be. The Danville & Paxton rail- road, one of the roads which was projected by John C. Short at the time he was attempting to make Danville the great railroad center of this part of the state, was more than half graded through the township. It was to run almost directly through the township, from the southeast to northwest corner. Since Mr. Short's failure no work has ever been done on it.
MARYSVILLE (POTOMAC P. O.)
Marysville is a pleasant little village of four or five hundred inhab- itants, built on the prairie, but pretty nearly surrounded by the timber, on section 3 (21-13), on the Havana, Rantoul and Eastern railroad. The land is pleasantly rolling, and capable of easy drainage to the creek. In general appearance its buildings are neat and tasty, though not expensive, with the exception of two or three old " barracks" not now in use. John Smith (plain) was the first man here. Isaac Meneley and Morehead and Robert Marshall were at first living across the creek, but soon came in here to help Smith make a town. Isaac Meneley built
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HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
a shop on the corner, and opposite where Robins' store now stands, and a house north of it. John Smith then lived south of the creek. James Colwell was on the hill west of the town. He had come there to live about 1842. The road from his house to where the town is was trav- eled, and became a street or public road by limitation, and remains so yet. Where main street now is was timber, but north of there was open prairie. When they came to decide on a name for the place, it seems that both Smith and Meneley had in early life attached their lives with Marys. They were both most excellent women (so they thought), and either one abundantly worthy of having a town named after her; and both together they could not exactly be satisfied with Smithtown or Meneleyville, and hit on the plan of calling it Marys- ville, after the two best Marys then living in town.
Douglass Moore bought three acres of Marshall and built on it. Meneley's blacksmith shop was built about 1850, and Smith built a frame store across the street from the blacksmith shop, and went to keeping store. A post-office was established here, and Dr. Ingalls was appointed postmaster. Dr. Ingalls was engaged in the practice of his profession here for five or six years, and built the south part of the present hotel for his residence.
Henry Bass had a store here in 1852, and continued in business for some years. George and Mason Wright established themselves in trade in 1860, and remained here four years, when they went to Danville, thence to Paxton. They had been in trade at Higginsville before coming here. They occupied the old flat-store on the north side of State street.
Lloyd and M. W. Groves, who had carried on a large and prosper- ous business at Blue Glass, came here in 1864, and occupied the store Wright Brothers had left. They were successful merchants here, and continued in business until the death of one of the partners, in 1874, which dissolved the firm. They had a farm lying just north, and Short was then grading his Danville and Paxton railroad, making matters look bright for the young village; and George A. May came here from Indiana and bought the farm, and laid out the large addition to the town. Short failed and his road stopped. Then for a while matters looked pretty dull here, until the Rantoul road was built, since which a number of additions have been made to the village.
The successive postmasters at Marysville have been Dr. Ingalls, Joseph Jameson, John Smith ; then for awhile the office was suspended. When it was reinstated the department changed the name to Potomac, because of the near proximity of Myersville, which name was so read- ily confounded with that of the name which this office bore. Charles
.
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MIDDLE FORK TOWNSHIP.
Sargent was appointed postmaster, after him Rigden Potter, and then C. E. Pressey, the present official.
I. Dillon built the steam grist-mill in 1869, with two run of stone. He run it awhile, when Robbins & Copeland bought it, and afterward sold to Harris & Campbell. It is a first-class mill in every particular, and is doing a very good custom business.
The school-house is a very sightly and well-built two-story brick building, 40×56, with two rooms above and two below. The school is graded to three departments, and is maintained for eight months in the year.
VILLAGE ORGANIZATION.
At the February term of the county court in 1876 a petition was presented to the court by Rigden Potter and thirty-seven others, asking for the organization of Marysville under the act for the incorporation of villages, with the following bounds : commencing at the southeast corner of section 3, town 21, range 13: thence north to the northeast corner of said section ; thence west to the northwest corner of the E. } of the N.E. { of said section ; thence south to the north line of the right of way of the railroad ; thence west along said right of way 40 rods; thence south 40 rods to the center of Main street; thence east along the center of Main street 27 rods; thence south to south line of said section ; thence east to place of beginning. The petition set forth that there were within said proposed bounds three hundred and twenty- three inhabitants. An election was ordered to be held on the 11th of April, to vote for or against said proposition to incorporate. At that election 57 votes were cast, of which 46 were for incorporation, and 11 were against. And the court ordered an election to be held on the' 11th of May for six trustees of said village, to serve until the next time for regular election. At that election 74 votes were cast. Geo. A. May, Caleb Albert, J. L. Partlow, Jesse Lane, M. V. Robins and S. P. Starr were elected. At the organization of the Board, Geo. A. May was chosen president ; L. D. Hornbeck was appointed clerk, and T. D. Austin, street commissioner. The present trustees are C. F. Morse, S. Clapp, T. J. Haney, Jesse Lane, M. Guthrie and Isaac Brown. In 1878, license was granted to sell liquors at a license fee of $500 per year. At these figures, in such a community, it did not pay, and fell into disuse. The publication of the "Marysville Independent" was commenced by Ben. Biddlecome, on the 13th of July, 1876. It was a six-column folio, independent in politics and religion, devoted to the news of the day, and well sustained by the patronage of the business men. It was continued for one year and four months, when it was re-
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