Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 129

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1058

USA > Illinois > Crawford County > Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical > Part 129

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

Deers, wolves, panthers and wildcats abounded

in the early days of the settlement, the ravenous animals making it difficult to raise hogs and sheep. Meat was plentiful as a result of hunt- ing, but until rude mills were built in the town- ship, the people were compelled to go to Palestine for their flour and meal.

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

The present Board of Supervisors of Crawford County by townships is as follows :

Township Supervisors

Licking .O. G. Holmes, Chm.

Prairie .J. D. Newlin

Hutsonville .Oliver Meeker

Oblong .C. B. Smith

Robinson .G. E. Kespler

La Motte

.W. D. Catterton

Montgomery

. W. O. Edgington

Honey Creek

.E. F. Montgomery

Martin

.G. L. Keck

Southwest .L. Musbrush

OTHER COUNTY OFFICERS.

County Judge-J. C. Maxwell.

County Clerk-Charles O. Harper.

Circuit Clerk and Recorder-Ira I. Wilkin.

Sheriff-Charles V. Coulter.

County Treasurer-A. A. Correll.

State's Attorney-Manford E. Cox.

Superintendent of Schools-A. F. Nightingale.

CHAPTER VIII.

TOWNS AND VILLAGES.

SKETCHES OF EARLY VILLAGES IN CRAWFORD COUNTY-THEIR FOUNDERS AND FIRST SETTLERS -ROBINSON, PALESTINE, HUTSONVILLE, OBLONG, HARDINVILLE AND OTHER VILLAGES OF AN EARLY DAY-RECENT DEVELOPMENTS DUE TO THE DIS- COVERY OF COAL OIL.

As new communities developed throughout the western and northern portions of Crawford County, the necessity of removing the county- seat to a more central and convenient locality became more and more manifest, and agitation

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to that end began to take shape in 1843. This resulted in the passage of an act authorizing the removal from Palestine, and providing that, on the site chosen by popular vote, forty acres of land should be donated by the owners for plat- ting and selling to secure the means necessary for the erection of the county buildings. The villages of Hebron and Hutsonville were contes- tants for the honor and proffers of land were also made from other points, which figured in the election that was held to decide upon the various propositions. The results of the vote were indefinite, and a second election was had to determine the matter, a point five miles south- west of the site of Robinson being the final choice. It was located at the middle of the dividing line between Sections 33 and 34 in T. 7 N., R. 12 W., and the donors were William Wilson, Finley Paull, Robert C. Wilson and John W. Wilson, each giving ten acres. The tract was prairie land, bordered by dense timber, and partly covered with thick brush. But two dwell- and 240 feet east and west. The streets each side of the square (east and west sides) are 50 feet broad. The main streets through the ings stood within view of the site of the new county-seat, which was platted by the County Surveyor, William B. Baker, December 25, 1843, his official report being as follows: "The size of the lots in the town of Robinson is sixty-five feet front, east and west. and 130 feet long. The public square is 260 feet north and south center of the town each way, are eighty feet, and all the rest are sixty feet, save the border streets on the outside of the lots, which are forty feet." The plat showed seventeen large blocks which were subdivided into 120 smaller ones. Lots 77 and 78 were bought December 3, 1844, by Francis Waldrop, the price being $45.75. The next sale was to William B. Baker. who pur- chased lots 101 to 108 inclusive, and lots 69, 70, 71, 72 and 80 for a consideration of $300. No more sales were recorded until. December, 1846, W. H. Stanett then buying lot 74 for $22.50; Leonard D. Cullom, lots 79, 80 and 82, for $41; and Francis Waldrop, lot 56, for $30. William Barbee and Thomas Barbee bought lots 22, 23 and 24, in 1874, paying $33. Lot 98 was sold to D. A. Bailey for $25; lot 75 to William Brown, for $25; lot 54 to Mary Johns, for $20; lot 99, to Anna Longenecker, for $15; lot 67, to William Young, for $12.12; and lots 41 and 42, to George C. Fitch, for $30. J. M. Grimes,

David Lillie and Robert and Henry Weaver purchased lots in 1848, several others being sold in that year, at from $11 to $25. James Weaver put up the first building in Robinson, a frame structure of small size, which was subsequently moved to the northeast corner of Main and Marshall Streets, and used for a hotel kitchen. In the spring of 1844, Francis Waldrop erected the second building as a store and dwelling, and this was afterwards moved to the northwest corner of Cheapside and Locust Streets, its kitchen being used at one time (before the re- moval) as a court room by the county commis- sioners.

The third house in Robinson was the home of William B. Baker, which stood in a grove a little south of the portion of the town origin- ally platted, and was built of peeled hickory logs. In the fall of 1845 Judge Robb, the first physician of Robinson, put up a log house, 18 feet square in size, which was also situated on the outskirts of the village plat, and on the northern edge of the plat Asa Ayers laid out twelve lots in 1858.

The estimated population of the town in 1865 was somewhat under 400. From this time on new plats were frequently recorded,-that of William C. Dickson, containing 20 lots, in 1865; and Robb's First Addition, 24 lots. The rail- road agitation of 1875 stimulated further activity in this direction, and in that year seven addi- tions, comprising 93 lots, were made, seven more, aggregating 193 lots, being platted in 1876, and in 1877, three others containing 70 lots. Two additions were laid out in 1878 and one in 1881, with 27 and 36 lots, respectively.

The officials of Robinson village, up to 1866, were a Justice of the Peace, Constable and Road Supervisor. On March 2d of that year, the village was incorporated, Thomas Sions, A. P. Woodworth, E. Callahan. D. D. Fowler and Thomas Barbee being elected Trustees. This Board was organized the next day with Thomas Barbee as President ; J. C. Olwin, Clerk ; Thomas Sims, Treasurer; and Joseph Kent, Constable. The corporation limits embraced one square mile, including the east half of Section 33 and the west half of Section 34 in T. 7 N., R. 12 W. Ordinances were passed regulating sidewalks, prohibiting gambling and the sale of liquor as a beverage, etc. The early policy in regard to the liquor traffic underwent periodical modifica- tions. license being granted in 1870 under a

G. L Buchanan

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fee of $300, and no license voted again four years later. Since 1874 the license fee has fluc- tuated, being sometimes as high as $1,200 per annum.

Among the first merchants who conducted busi- ness in Robinson were Barbee and Brown, who occupied log stores in the middle of the east side of the public square, and in 1852 the build- ing of brick stores began, John Dixon, who started in trade in 1849, putting up the first brick store on the corner of Main and Marshall Streets. In 1854, the first hotel, the "Robinson House," was erected by Thomas Barbee, who had previously kept a public house on Marshall Street near Main. In consequence of the dis- covery of coal oil in Crawford County within the last few years, an unprecedented develop- ment has occurred in some portions of the County, especially in the vicinity of Robinson. The population of the city according to the census of 1900 was 1,680, but in 1909 is es- timated as approximating $7,000. Previous to 1861 but little money was in circulation in Craw- ford County, goods being sold on one year's credit, and merchants buying all the cattle, hogs and grain brought to market in the fall, the principal firms having a stock farm for feeding purposes as well as individual ware- rooms and packing houses along the Wabash and shipping their pork. cattle and grain to New Orleans in the spring.

The system of trading and long credits largely disappeared with the coming of the war and consequent expansion of currency, the influx of railroad facilities, and the subsequent build- ing of the Paris & Danville Road especially tended toward placing the trade of Robinson on a sounder basis, the construction of the nar- row-gauge line at a still later period having a similar effect on the business of the county at large.

THE CITY OF ROBINSON IN 1908 .- The city of Robinson is reached by two trunk lines of rail- road, while a third is projected. It is the cen- ter of the oil field, in 1908 the number of oil wells in the county being between five and six thousand, and the value of the product in 1907 estimated at $17,000,000. Drillings for oil are constantly going on and the increase in pro- duction increasing, while evidence is being se- cured of the presence of the best quality of bi- tuminous coal. In 1908 the city was the seat of five machine shops, three tank factories, one

oil refinery, a planing mill, a flouring mill, an ice plant building, glass factory, two natural gas companies, with unlimited supply for do- mestie and manufacturing purposes, and three banks with deposits aggregating more than $2,- 000,000.

The city is surrounded by a rich agricultural and horticultural district, has a free mail de- livery service, two building and loan associa- tions, two newspapers, three bookstores, an opera house capable of seating 1,000 auditors, a fine 30-acre park, two schoolhouses with a third in course of erection, six churches : Baptist, Catho- lic, Christian, Methodist, Presbyterian, and United Brethren; a Carnegie public library, a hospital, four good hotels, twelve miles of con- crete walks, and street pavements in course of construction, while the number of buildings be- ing erected is increasing every year. The popu- lation, as elsewhere stated, is estimated at ap- proximately 7,000 in 1908, with a rapid increase every year.

The city officials of Robinson in 1908 were :

Mayor-J. H. Ferrel.

City Clerk-H. M. Lewis.

City Attorney-Stoy J. Maxwell.

City Treasurer-Ross Smiley.

Engineer-O. R. Hedden.

Street Commissioner-George L. Walker.

Chief of Police-Fred H. Metcalf.

Aldermen- First Ward, W. K. Highsmith, F. S. Wilbur ; Second Ward, George E. McQueen, R. S. Duffield; Third Ward, H. E. Green, L. E. Stephens.

ROBINSON CITY SCHOOLS .- The Board of Edu- cation of the city of Robinson consists of John S. Abbott, president; J. C. Eagleton, Dr. J. W. Carlisle, L. H. Brigham and C. M. Eaton, with F. L. Dewey. clerk ; J. G. Slater, superintendent, and A. B. Houston, truant officer. The number of teachers employed in the two city schools is fourteen, of whom three are connected with the high school department in the South Side School, with L. W. Chatham, principal.

TOWN OF PALESTINE .- The town of Palestine. situated in Lamotte Township, Crawford County. two miles west of the Wabash River was laid out May 19, 1818, by Joseph Kitchell, Edward N. Cullom and County Agent, David Porter, then containing, besides the public square, 160 lots, 75 by 142 feet each, of which lot 111 was the first to be improved, a small house of two rooms being built thereon by John Houston and

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Francis Dickson a year or two after the plat was recorded. One of these rooms, 16 by 18 feet, located on the street corner, was fitted up for a store and, in 1820, Houston and Dickson stocked it with goods brought from Vincennes, this being the first merchandise ever brought to that region for sale. Twelve years later, the town, with a population of about 550, had two groceries, five dry-goods stores, three black- smith shops, two saddleries, two tan yards, two shoe shops, two mills, two taverns, a wagon shop, tailor shop, hatter shop, cooper shop, and car- penter's and cabinet maker's shop, besides a carding machine and cotton gin. One church had then been built. In addition to the early settlers already mentioned, the better known residents were David W. Stark, Dr. Ford, Daniel Boatright, Guy W. Smith, George Calhoun, Asa Kitchell, A. B. Winslow, Mr. Ireland (partner of J. H. Kitchell in a general store), and Elisha Fitch, who conducted one of the taverns men - tioned. The other public house was kept by I. N. Wilson, and was patronized by people who came to Palestine from a distance for the pur- pose of attending court, buying land, etc. Both taverns had antique signs, the one on the Fitch place being a new moon, and that on Wilson's, the rising sun, the latter inn being the headquarters of the stage line.

For a long period Palestine was the only place within a wide stretch of country where the buying, packing and shipping of pork was carried on, and it was the sole point in Crawford County where wheat was bought for shipment. A grain warehouse was built there by O. H. Bristol & Co., in 1842, and did an extensive business, being filled to its utmost capacity with wheat two or three times a year. About the year 1831, a large distillery was commenced. which was afterwards bought and completed by Harmon Alexander, who used it for the manufacture of linseed and castor oil on an extensive scale.

On February 16, 1857, the General Assembly passed an act incorporating the town of Pales- tine, which was organized in the following April under special charter. It was reorganized twenty years later, officers being elected in April, 1877, under the general incorporation law of the State.

GOVERNMENT LAND OFFICE .- The Government Land office, which for many years rendered Palestine one of the most important points in Illinois, was established there May 11, 1820, and

was the only place for entering government lands in the southern part of the State. It was operated as such until the bulk of the Govern- ment lands south of the Danville District had been entered. The Registers of the office were: Joseph Kitchell, from its inception to 1841; Jesse K. Dubois, 1841 to 1842; James McLean, 1842 to 1845; Harmon Alexander, 1845 to 1849; James McLean, 1849 to 1853; and Harmon Alexander, 1853 to 1855. The Receivers during the same period were: Guy W. Smith, 1820 to 1839; Augustus C. French, 1839 to 1842; 1842 to 1845 David McGahey; 1845 to 1849 William Wilson ; Jesse K. Dubois, 1849 to 1853, Robert C. Wilson, 1853 to 1855. In 1855 the office was moved to Springfield, the State capital.

The town of Palestine, which bears the im- press of decadence from its pristine vigor, and is now but a reminiscence of the stirring activities of its palmy days, still boasts many attractive residences, surrounded by spacious and ornate grounds. It has given to the public service some men of pronounced ability and usefulness, among them a Governor, Augustus C. French ; an Attorney-General, Wickliffe Kitchell; and a Circuit Judge and member of Congress, James C. Allen.

VILLAGE OF HUTSONVILLE .- The tract of land on which Hutsonville now stands was originally entered from the Government by Andrew Harris. His father, Israel Harris, who bought a por- tion of the claim, built a tavern on the bank of the river (the Wabash), standing on the old State road, running from Vincennes through Palestine, York, Darwin, Paris, and Danville, and continuing on to Chicago. Not being success- ful in his hotel ventures, Mr. Harris traded the building and land to Robert Harrison, who laid out the village in April, 1832, the original plat including but 48 lots, most of which were soon sold. Mr. Harrison subsequently platted 80 more lots, under the name of Harrison's Addi- tion to the Town of Hutsonville, so named in memory of Isaac Hutson, before referred to. Other "additions" were platted in course of time. The first dwelling in the new town was built late in 1832 by William Cox, and fronted the river on lot 32. It was a hewed log house, weather boarded some years afterwards, and col- lapsed early in the '80s. During the same fall William M. Hurst put up a kitchen on the river bank, which he lived in until the next spring, when by adding to it, his one-story home was

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finished. These two men were the first store- keepers in the town, going into business as Cox & Hurst in August, 1832. The next store opened was that of Scott & Ross, residents of Terre Haute, Ind., in 1835. Neither of these enter- prises was of long continuance, as the credit system then in vogue soon exhausted the small resources of the early merchants, In 1843 the store trade of the town dwindled to nothing, the people going to York, for merchandise, but a few years later other stores were opened, and after 1852 several merchants carried on a profitable business, some of them also packing pork and handling grain.

In later times many men in Hutsonville have made snug fortunes in merchandising, while others have succumbed to misfortunes, mostly in the shape of fires and floods. The largest measure of success in early times was attained in the line of pork-packing, which was represented by the Preston Brothers; Carson, Hurst & Mus- grove ; H. A. Steele, John A. Merrick and others. William Cox was the first Postmaster of Hut- sonville, being appointed in 1832. At the outset the mail was carried on horseback over the old State road until Murphy and Goodrich estab- lished a coach route in 1838, the old method being soon resumed, however, by reason of the failure of the coach line, and continuing until the advent of railroad facilities. As the center of a rich agricultural region and in close proximity to the oil-producing section of Crawford County, the village of Hutsonville has shown evidence of de- velopment during the last few years, and there is reason to believe that the population of 743, according to the census of 1900, will be materially increased in 1910.

WEST YORK .- West York, a small village situa- ted near the north line of Hutsonville Town- ship, was laid out at the time when the Cairo, Vincennes & Chicago Railroad (now a part of the "Big Four") reached that point. Among its early residents were two merchants, G. W. Bishop and Jesse C. Musgrave, to whom belongs the distinction of shipping the first carload of grain out of Crawford County. The grain was loaded March 25, 1875, and forwarded on a con- struction train, no freight cars having been put on the road at that time.

BELLAIRE .- The village of Bellaire, in tbe western part of Licking Townsbip, was started in 1844. Shortly after it was platted, John Ryan built a small, hewed-log house in which

he opened the first store in the place, which was destroyed by fire at the end of six years.

BERLIN .- The village of . Berlin was started in the eastern part of Licking Township ( Section 36) in 1852, Richard Porter, a blacksmith being the first to locate there. He was followed by Dr. McAllister, of Hutsonville, who built a dwell- ing, and soon a small hamlet sprang up, which was laid out as a town in 1854, by Catron Pres- ton and Catlin Cullers.

ANNAPOLIS .- In 1856, a small store was opened by A. G. Murkey on Section 12, in the eastern portion of Licking Township, at the intersection of the Martinsville and Hutsonville roads. To this point, which was then called the "Corners," the farmers of the adjacent region hauled their produce, which was exchanged by Mr. Murphy for merchandise in Terre Haute. Two years after the latter started this store, Thomas Spencer, of Ohio, located in the same vicinity, purchasing a tract of land and laying out the village of Spencerville. Several other stores followed the Murphy venture, and the place soon became quite a trading center. Adjoining Spencerville on the west, another village was laid out in October, 1879, being named Anna- polis by Silas and Sarah Hollowell, owners of the ground thus platted. Both settlements being virtually one village, soon came to be known as Annapolis, which being in the midst of a good agricultural district, has become a place of considerable business activity.

OBLONG VILLAGE .- The village of Oblong was regularly laid out in 1872, although the locality had long been a scene of considerable business ac- tivity, and the Oblong Post-office had been estab- lished in 1854, D. W. Odell being the first Post- master. S. R. Thomas is the present Postmaster. Owing to the development of oil in its vicinity, Oblong has been having a considerable growth in the last two years. In 1908 it had two banks, five dry-goods houses, eight groceries, five hard- ware stores, two hotels, one flour mill, one weekly paper (the "Oblong Oracle"), five oil well sup- ply concerns, five oil-producing companies, and one telephone company. The population of Ob- long, according to the census of 1900, was 743, which has been probably doubled in the last nine years.

HARDINVILLE .- The village of Hardinville, in Martin Township, was laid out in Section 34, in the southwestern part of Martin Township. in September, 1847, its projector being Daniel

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Martin. Among its early merchants were Wil- liam Shipman, Charles Inman, John Higgins, Preston Bros., and Miller & Parker. Trade slowly dwindled away until 1882, but one store then being left in the place. In later years there has been a marked revival of its prosperity.

NEW HEBRON .- Among the villages of Honey Creek Township, New Hebron is one of the best known. It was laid out by Dr. Nelson Hawley in 1840, the first house being built by Thomas Swearingen, and a tread-wheel mill, believed to be the first in the township, was built by Dr. Hawley, and afterwards converted into a steam mill, with a saw attachment. A school house was erected about 1842, built of logs, which gave way to a brick structure in 1858, and this in turn to a frame building.

THE VILLAGE OF FLAT ROCK (a modification of the old town of Flat Rock) was laid out by J. W. Jones, April 20, 1876, and has since been one of the liveliest trading points in the county.

DUNCANVILLE .- Laid out September 6, 1876, and Port Jackson, which had its inception as a village May 22, 1855, are among the other points of interest in the township, the latter, however. having sunk into decadence since new railroad facilities gave rise to other towns.

STOY .- In common with other portions of the oil-producing sections of Crawford County, the village of Stoy has shown a marked increase in population and business during the last few years.

Other villages and post-offices in Crawford County include Canaan, Eaton, Gordon, Handy, Heathsville, Landis, Morea, Pierceburg, Rich - woods and Villas.

CHAPTER IX.

EARLY CHURCHES-FRATERNITIES.

COMING OF EARLY MINISTERS TO CRAWFORD COUNTY AND DENOMINATIONS WHICH THEY REPRESENTED -FIRST CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS AND LIST OF MEMBERS -- OTHER ITEMS IN CHURCH HISTORY- FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS IN ROBINSON.

On horseback or on foot, the pioneer preachers of Crawford County of various sects went about

among the early settlers, receiving the hospitali- ties of humble abodes wherever night brought their daily journeys or their ministrations to a close. They were welcomed in every cabin; the nearest neighbors were notified of their presence, and gospel meetings were attended by as many as could be gathered together. The first public religious work in the county was done by Bap- tists. Then came the Methodists, to whom be- longs the destinction of organizing at Palestine the earliest church in this locality, and erecting the first place of worship.

Daniel Parker and Thomas Kennedy were the early preachers in Crawford County, both belong- ing to the Hardshell Baptist denomination and both being early settlers of the county. Elder Newport, was also a diligent and zealous Bap- tist preacher, who itinerated throughout this section, his home being in what is now Clark County. Elder Parker preached in many parts of the country, extending his evangelistic work far and wide, and finally organizing a religious colony which flourished there under the name of the "Pilgrim Church." While living in Illi- nois he was prominent in a political connection, besides his ministerial duties serving as State Senator. Mr. Kennedy also took an active part in civil affairs, filling at various times the offices of County Treasurer, County Commissioner, Pro- bate Judge, etc.

The first Methodist to preach in the county was Rev. John Dolliphan, who settled previously to 1820 in what was afterwards cut off as Lawrence County. The first pioneer preacher of this denomination in the settlement at Pales- tine was named Fox, and a few years after the building of the Methodist church there, one was erected by the Presbyterians. Among the earliest places of worship in the county was one at Hebron.

CHURCHES IN ROBINSON .- In the matter of reli- gious endeavor the first organized body in Robin- son was the Methodist Episcopal church. Of its incipient stages little is now known, but a new brick edifice, costing $5,000, was erected as its place of worship in 1866. the pastor then being Rev. Mr. Massey, and the Sunday school Superintendent. John Maxwell.

The first Presbyterian church of Robinson was organized in 1848, sixteen members forming the nucleus on October 28, of that year, most of whom had belonged to the Palestine church, to which they afterwards returned. A reorganiza-

Ethellent Callahan

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tion under the name of the "First Presbyterian church of Robinson" was effected November 8, 1872, by Rev. Thomas Spencer and Elder Finley Paull, with William C. Wilson, John H. Wilkin and Rufus R. Lull as elders, and Rev. Aaron Thompson as its first pastor. Mr. Thompson was followed in the pastorate by Rev. Thomas Spencer and Rev. John E. Carson, successively.

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Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 129

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1058

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1058