USA > Illinois > Rock Island County > Past and present of Rock Island County, Ill., containing a history of the county-its cities, towns, etc., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late Rebellion, portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 24
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Rural was set off from Coal Valley Township and organized in 1871. Andrew Donaldson was elected its first Supervisor.
CHURCHES.
The first religions organization in the township was in the year 1852 by the following persons : David Campbell and Jane, his wife, Franci, Bailey and wife, Miss Jane Patterson, Jas. Donon, Sr., and wife, Jas. Donons Jr., and wife, John Donon, Robert Bailey and wife, and John McLain. This organization was called Homestead United Presbyterian ; full mem- bership was fifteen at organization, May 6th. Rev. Wm. Oburn, as a mis- sionary, preached to this congregation, which was under the inspection of the Associate Presbytery of Iowa till 1854. July 18, 1852, he adminis- tered the ordinance of baptism in this congregation, to Susanna, daughter of James and Nancy Donon, she being the first person receiving this ordi- nance in the church. The first regular preacher was Rev. A. A. Rogers, who was ordained and installed Aug. 21, 1855, membership then number- ing forty-five. In the year 1858, the Associate and Associate Reformed Churches having united, Homestead Church came within the bounds of the United Presbytery of Monmouth. In this year Rev. A. A. Rogers was released. In 1859 Rev. William Cook was ordained and installed. Mr. Cook was released in the year 1870. In 1872 Rev. R. S. Campbell was in- stalled as pastor and still continues to hold forth very acceptably. The time intervening between regular pastors, preaching has been supplied by the Presbytery of Rock Island, to which the Homestead Church
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MOLINE
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
now belongs. This church built a substantial house in 1855, costing about $1,400. They also have a parsonage, costing about $1,100. completed in 1870. The first elders were David Campbell and James Donon, Sr. Pres- ent Board of Trustees are John C. Bailey, James McWhinney, William Beatty, Daniel Grant and `David Warwick. Present elders are Thomas Ferguson, John Caughey and J. C. Bailey. Sabbath-school was organized in this church in 1856; it is now kept up regularly each week throughout the year, numbering between sixty and seventy. Present membership, seventy-one.
The Beulah Presbyterian Church is located on Section 14; was organ- ized Aug. 22, 1854. The meetings were originally held in the Bailey School House, on Sec. 2. Francis C. Killing, James Donaldson and John Mc- Candless were the original trustees. House was built in 1859, costing about $1,600. The original members were Margaret and Elizabeth Gordon, John Farrar and Phoebe, his wife, Henry Brown, Mary A. Edwards, Alex- ander Gordon, James Gordon, Maria Gordon, Francis Killing, Jane Killing, and William F. Brown. First pastors were Rev. Thos. M. Chestnut, Rev. Leavenworth, Rev. Jacob Coon, Rev. W. W. Morehead, Rev. William Mc- Clurg, Rev. Moses Noes, Rev. Henry M. Fisk, Rev. David B. Gordon. Rev. Moses Noes has returned and is now their pastor. Present member- ship now numbers forty-five communicants. Sabbath-school is kept up throughout the summer only, containing about eighty pupils.
CORDOVA.
This town lies well up on the bluff's and commands one of the finest views on the Mississippi River, which stretches away in both directions un- til lost by its windings, which at this point are rather abrupt a short dis- tance both above and below the town.
The earliest settler of this place was one Mr. East, who built a log cabin in 1836; also John Marshall and family, Dr. Thomas Baker, Ami R. Rathbun, Theodore and John Butcher all came the same year. Theodore Butcher is the only one now living of those who came in 1836. William and George Marshall, J. L. -, Jonathan and K. S. Cool, and Joseph R. Sexton came in 1838.
The town was laid out in 1837 by John Marshall and Dr. Thomas Baker, and the first frame houses were built the following year by these gentlemen; the one by Dr. Baker is still standing, but has been added to and rebuilt until scarcely a vestige of the original remains that is recogniza- ble. The first school was taught by Dr. Baker in his own house, where he instructed, in a primitive way, his own children together with those of his neighbors. Although Cordova has never risen to very great prominence, the traveler is impressed at once with its evident thrift and its indications of prosperity. It now contains four general stores, one drug store, one wagon manufactory, by T. Karr & Co., one agricultural implement ware- house, and two saddlery shops, two doctors, one preacher, and three church- es. The principal product of this locality being corn, very large shipments are made which principally go to Milwaukee. This interest is largely represented by H. W. Rathbun and Wm. G. Marshall, whose extensive corn cribs strike the eye of a stranger at once, whether he approach the town by river or road. The traffic in lime at this point is very extensive, and is
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
principally carried on by J. Q. Wynkoop, who runs four kilns and furnishes employment to a large number of men.
The one objeet of special pride to which the residents direct attention is their fine graded school, which numbers upwards of three hundred scholars, all under the supervision of a very efficient Principal, Mr. F. M. McKay.
CHURCH HISTORY.
The Baptist Church organized December 28, 1843, held its first meet- ing at Cordova under the supervision of Rev. J. N. Seely, with a member- ship of sixteen, of whom J. R. Sexton, Mahala Sexton, J. L. and Margaret Cool, A. S. and Mary A. Ege are still connected with the church. Their first church was built in 1844 but in 1858 a more modern structure was erected at a cost of $8,000. The pastors have been Rev. Chas. E. Browne who served one year, Rev. Wm. Rutledge five years, Rev. F. Ketchum two years, Rev. N. J. Norton one and one-half years, until he died, Rev. Asa Prescott four and one-half years, Rev, J. N. Seeley one year, Rev. J. D. Cole, D.D., four years, Rev. T. G. McLean three years. Rev. E. N. Elton, the present pastor, has been with the church four years, April 1, 1877. The Sunday School numbers one hundred and fifty. The Rev. H. C. First, of Plainfield, Ills., was converted and baptized here. and Bro. Chas. Ege, a licentiate of this church, is pursuing his studies at the Chicago University.
CORDOVA LODGES.
MASONIC.
Cordova Lodge No. 543 .- R. C. Cool, W. M .; L. Pyle, S. W .; Wm. Haney, J. W .; J. K. Glasscoek, Secretary; A. Bolinger, Treasurer. Or- ganized 1865. Membership twenty-seven.
A. O. U. W.
Jere Bryan, P. M. W .; Robt. Johston, M. W .; W. D. Webster, Recorder; A. Bolinger, Receiver; Howard Myers, Financier. Organized May 11, 1877. Membership thirty-eight.
EDGINGTON TOWNSHIP.
This township is mostly a beautifully undulating and level prairie, well drained to the west, north and east. The prairie soil is a black alluvium of remarkable fertility, varying in depth from eight inches to three feet. In the northern part the land is more rolling, where it is drained by ravines, leading the surplus water to the Mississippi. These low hills were covered, formerly, with a heavy growth of large trees, but now only about half the area is covered and that mostly by a thick growth of young timber. The soil is a yellowish clay, mixed with the black alluvium, in which the former predominates in most localities. The southwest and east is also rolling, the former being drained by Copperas Creek into the Missis- sippi, and the latter by Mill Creek into Roek River at Milan. Among these hills are numerous springs, most of which furnish an abundant and never-failing supply of good water. A good supply of well water can be ob- tained in most all parts of the township at about an average depth of
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
twenty feet, but where the land is rolling it is often necessary to go much deeper. A good supply of stone for building purposes is obtained mostly in the northern part of the township; it is mostly lime and sand stone. In this locality there is an extensive deposit of sand of a superior quality for the manufacture of glass. It is now being taken out of the land owned by M. L. T. Sturgeon. This range of bank sand is remarkably pure, and one of the deepest in the State. It extends in a southwestern and northeast- ern direction through sections 4 and 5. If the people of Andalusia and Edgington fully develop this and other resources of their portion of the county, it is very probable at no distant day they will have extensive glass works at Andalusia or some other convenient place. This sand is now being used elsewhere for the manufacture of glass of an excellent quality. People are aware that settlements and commerce have gone much in ad- vance of manufacturing, and that the era of skilled labor has come to this country, once called "the far west," to accomplish greater progress than can be conceived by the most vivid imagination of the present generation.
The first settlers -- James Robison, Joseph Dunlap, Daniel Edgington and John Edgington, now of Buffalo Prairie-came here in the spring of 1834. Like most early settlers, they located near the timber. The terribly severe and memorable winter of 1831-2, and a desire to be near an abundant supply of fuel and fencing, had much influence in the matter of choosing a location.
Daniel Edgington, after selecting and entering lands, returned to Sten- benville, Ohio, for his family, and moved here the following spring.
· John Edgington remained here, entered land, improved it and built a house, on which farm he still resides. Early in the summer of 1834 James Robison built a log house, and broke the first prairie in the settlement. In June he returned to Warren County, and moved his family here in the fall.
During the summer of 1834 Joseph Dunlap built for himself a double log house on Section 5, near the woods. This cabin has been moved, and is now on Section 16-land owned by John I. Brown. In this cabin the Pres-
bvterian Church of Edgington was organized in 1837. It was here where the early settlers and their families met, with the unaffected manners and free spirit of the frontiersman to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences. After entering lands for other parties and completing his house, Mr. Dunlap returned to Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio, and moved his family here the following spring-1835-with whom Daniel Edgington and family, Geo. W. Kell and" Henry Eberhart and family came and settled in this vicinity. Charles Eberhart and family came to the set- tlement in the fall of that year. The last two named gentlemen and their families came from New Jersey. This same fall the Titteringtons-John and family, Moses and Charles-came from Ohio; and in the spring of 1836 Bernet McNutt and family, of Ohio, and William Snell and family, from Mississippi in the fall, also located in the neighborhood. These pioneers formed the nucleus of the first settlement in this part of the county, which was generally known as the Dunlap settlement. In the fall of 1836 Daniel Montgomery, a brother of Rev. John Montgomery, well known to the early settlers, located out on the prairie on Section 26, where his sons, Robert and Daniel, now reside.
He was soon followed by Alexander Hazlett and family, W. D. Hat- ton, and later by Parley Laflin and family, Joseph Asquith and family, and others who formed the first settlement on the prairie. In 1838 the popu-
V
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
lation increased by the coming of the Parmenters-George, Allen, Lorenzo and Seth; H. H. Parks, A. J. Webster and Timothy Dutton. But as late as 1850 lands in the southeastern part of the township were very cheap. The thriving village of Reynolds, a station on the Rock Island & Mercer County Railroad, is being built on land which, at that time, was purchased for a little more that $1 per acre. These lands, now improved, are worth about $60 per acre.
Soon after this settlement was made James Taylor and family settled in the northeastern part, on Section 12. He had no neighbors for two or three years, after which the Pleasant-now Taylor-Ridge settlement filled up gradually. He was visited several times by squads of Indians, who fre- quented the settlements while on hunting excursions from the Iowa side of the river.
Numerous deer, often seen in herds of fifteen or twenty, and many other wild animals, which were in the timber on the hilly lands close by, was undoubtedly one of the principal causes which induced the Indians to come to this locality. The prairie on fire, and the Indians, were often the most exciting theme of discussion among these pioneers.
Although the Black Hawk war had cowed these Indians to a con- siderable extent, yet their presence in the settlements was the cause of fre- quent alarm and annoyance by setting fires, stealing horses, killing stock and intruding upon the settlers for the purpose of begging.
The early settlers had few luxuries except venison, wild turkey, quails, prairie hens, ducks and other game, and crab apples, wild plums, berries and honey. They suffered many privations, attributable to low prices, great dis- tance from market and points at which they could get milling done, the slow modes of travel by ox teams, the lack of conveniences and the generally unimproved condition of the country. They went to Hendersonville, Knox County, to mill, a distance of about forty-five miles. It took from one to three weeks to make the trip, as very often parties were waiting there to have grinding done.
At this time many of the people manufactured much of their bread- stuffs by pulverizing grain in iron kettles and hominy blocks, some using for that purpose a spring pole, attached horizontally to one of the beams of the upper floor in the house, to which was suspended a stick of wood about four or five feet long, having a strong iron ring on the lower end within which an iron wedge was inserted. The springing force of the pole equal- ized the action of this machine, so that the operator could pound ont three grades of meal, the fine for bread, the second for mush and the very coarse for hominy. This was done mostly in the evening, as the wedges were often used during the day for splitting rails. Iron wedges were also used by hand to accomplish the same purpose. In the fall, when the corn was ripe enough to make what are called "roasting ears," this soft corn was grated to a pulpy batter, out ofwhich, it is said, excellent cakes were made. When the corn grew too hard for this roasting or boiling, it was sometimes soaked and then grated for the same purpose; also, when the corn was dry and hard, a rude plane was used to shave the corn on the ear into hominy, and cakes were spread upon a board and baked in front of the fire in the "fire place."
Mr. Joseph Dunlap built a grist mill which, although constructed in a very primitive manner, was a great help to this settlement.
The burrs of this mill were made from a granite boulder, the lower one,
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
to which was attached an iron shaft and pulley, was driven by a horse power, consisting of a heavy, upright shaft of timber, abont twenty inches in diam- eter and eight feet long, held in position at the top by a large cross-beam resting upon crotches between two oak trees, and the lower end by a log on the ground, in which it revolved. Arms projected from this shaft like the spokes of a wheel, and within their circle a horse hitched to one of them drove the mill by means of a very long raw-hide band passing round tho mill pulley and the arms near their outer ends. This mill was in a cabin six- teen feet square, near the horse power. Its capacity for grinding was about fifty bushels of corn, wheat or buckwheat per day. The bolting was done by hand with a hair sieve when an extra quality was desired; but most people used it as graham flour. No toll was taken; the patrons of the mill hitched on their own horses to do their grinding. In the winter people brought grists to this mill from the Iowa side of the river, which they could then cross on the ice.
After milling at Hendersonville awhile they went to mill in the Weth- ersfield Colony, then to Drury's Mill on Copperas Creek, a distance of sixteen miles; subsequently to Miller's Mill, on Edwards River, and at present they get their milling done at Milan.
Building lumber could be purchased at distant points, but for obvious reasons they utilized the woods for building log houses. Boards, shingles, etc., were split out and dressed by hand. The lower floors in some instances were made of split logs, hewed for that purpose, called puncheons.
Some brought a few window frames with them. Thus they accom- plished their building with the aid of the neighbors who came from many miles around to the "raisings," at which there was no small degree of hilar- ity and generosity.
At this time trade was divided between St. Louis, the village of Chi- cago and other distant markets. Occasionally a few loads of wheat were hauled to Chicago and sold at 40 to 45 cents per bushel, requiring from fourteen to twenty days to make the "round trip." Two or three years later-about 1837, they did most of their trading at Muscatine and Rock Island, but little cash exchanged hands. It was generally understood that the farmer should have cash enough to pay his taxes and the ferriage of his produce across the river; the rest was taken in trade.
Wheat often sold at twenty-five cents and corn at eight cents per bush- el, and sometimes as low as six and one-quarter cents per bushel. Pork sometimes as low as seventy-five cents per hundred weight dressed.
One farmer computed the cost of living for himself and wife per week at seventy-five cents. This was during one year when the prices of produce were very low. Mr. Wm. Miller, of Bowling Township, in the fall of 1846, bought two hundred pounds of pork for $3.
The person of whom he bought, sold that year about one hundred hogs from time to time, and took his pay in trade excepting $3 in cash, with which he paid his taxes on one hundred and sixty acres of land. This same gentleman also bought a yoke of cattle, one cow, a hog and seven pigs and two dozen chickens all for $50; also, had two hundred bushels of corn put in the crib for $12.50. He and his family, consisting of his wife and four children, were boarded at $3 per week for about one month.
Another gentleman, who had recently come to the county, while at Rock Island in 1842, was solicited to hire out and take beef at one and one- half cents per pound in part payment, which he did, the wages agreed upon
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
per day being fifty cents. This man, after he commenced farming for him- self, sold good winter wheat at twenty-eight cents per bushel at the Milan Mills, half cash. Calico was then thirty cents per yard.
The first marriage ceremony was performed by Daniel Edgington, in October, 1836; the parties were Mr. John P. Cooper and Miss Mina Pace, now of Iowa. James Edgington was the first white child born in the set- tlement. He now resides about three miles south of the Village of Edg- ington. This township was organized on April 7th. 1857. The first Super- visor was James Baker; Town Clerk, J. W. Lloyd; Assessor, Caleb C'ar- penter; Collector, William B. Bruner; Overseer of the Poor, Solomon Bruner; Justices of the Peace, Timothy Dutton and Robert Candor; Road Commissioners, William Wait, Jabez Cobeldick, and N. S. Sorter; Consta- bles, J. F. Rand and James Gardner. The following gentlemen have held the office of Supervisor: J. W. Lloyd, 1861-4; William Wait, 1864-6; John G. Parmenter, 1866-7; Willian Wait again in 1867-8: Daniel Edg- ington, in 1868-9; William B. Bruner, in 1869; James Baker, in 1870, and again in 1871, but being removed by death, Abraham Crabb served by ap- pointment in 1871-2; Cyrus Conkling was elected in 1872; John G. Par- menter again in 1873-4; Charles Titterington in 1875; Jolın G. Parmen- ter again in 1876. The following gentlemen have held the office of Town Clerk: John Wood, in 1860; J. W. Lloyd, by appointment, I. T. Walker, in 1861-2; not serving in 1862 Timothy Dutton was appointed, and in 1863 elected, and held the office until the year 1877. The present officers are James Taylor, Supervisor and Assessor; Eli C. Cavitt, Town Clerk; Chas. T. Seaver, Collector; Eli C. Cavitt, William Wait, and William F. Craw- ford, Commissioners of Highways; Justices of the Peace, elected, are Eli C. Cavett and Charles Walker; Lester D. Mudge, Eli C. Cavett, and John Hubbard, School Trustees.
The M. E. Church of Edgington, "Zion," is located about one mile and three-quarters east of the Village . of Edgington. The earliest meet- ings were held in 1836-40, at the residence of Charles Eberhart-a log house, which stood about one-half mile north-west of the location of the present house of worship. Rev. Mr. James was the first minister; he was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Smith, Rev. Mr. Jordan, and Rev. Asa McMurtrie. These ministers were at this time doing missionary work. Subsequently their meetings were held at the school house in Dist. No. 1. A three days' revival meeting was held in Joseph Dunlap's barn, previous to the organi- zation of the Class, which was accomplished in June, 1843, while the meet- ings were being held in the school house. At the organization of the Society, there was a membership of about fifteen communicants. H. H. Parks was the first class-leader. The members, as near as can be de- termined, were : H. H. Parks, Martha Parks, Charles Eberhart, Ann Eberhart, Thomas Titterington, Charles Titterington, Andrew J. Webster, Elizabeth Webster. Monroe Webster, Olive Webster, Christian Eberhart, Abigail Eberhart, Ezekiel Webster, Laura Webster, and Charles Webster. A meeting was called at the Center school house on March Sth, 1854, for the purpose of devising means to build a suitable meeting house. At this meeting, John Wood, J. D. Taylor, H. H. Parks, S. P. Webster, W. B. Bruner, Charles Titterington, and C. Webster were appointed a Board of Trustees, who also discharged the duties of a Building Committee, and erect- ed the present house of worship during that year. The cost of this building, including some improvements, is estimated at about $2,400. At this time
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
Rev. Wm. Bell was pastor in charge, and the society contained about eighty members. John Luccock was Presiding Elder. The dedication services were held in February, 1855, and the sermon was delivered by Rev. Mr. Bowles, of Chicago.
The pastors whose services this church has enjoyed since its early his- tory are numerous, and deserving more than a mere mention, which is pre- cluded by the brevity of this historical sketch. Rev. Parmenis Smith, of Ohio, is the present Pastor, and F. M. Chaffee the Presiding Elder; Charles Titterington, M. L. T. Sturgeon, William F. Crawford, William B. Bruner, Samuel Roose, and Joseph Asquith are Trustees, and, as well as all other official members, they are good and efficient in the discharge of their duties.
The Baptist Church of Edgington Township, organized on August 10th, 1846, has enjoyed a most remarkable history, and extensive religious influ- ence ; sustaining at one time ministerial services at no less than six sta- tions, and acquired a membership of five hundred and fifty-five in the aggregate, of whom three hundred and thirty were received by baptism, one hundred and fifty by letter, and seventy-five by experience. From this Central Church, three others-the Baptist Church at Antioch, in the town- ship of Duncan, Mercer County, in 1866 ; another-the Hamlet Baptist Church, in Perryton Township; and the Andalusia Church, located in the village of Andalusia in 1867, assumed separate organizations. The meet- ing at which this church was organized was held in Mr. Geo. Parmenters' barn, where the village of Edgington is now located. The congregation, when organized, consisted of seven members. The success of this church is in marked contrast with its organization. Subsequently their meetings were held in a log school-house, and later in a frame school-house, both of which stood where the present school building of Dist. No. 3, known as the Centre school-house, now stands. Rev. Mr. Brabrooks, of Davenport, preached the sermon at the organization of the church, and Rev. Mr. Clark, of Mercer Co., was the first regular minister, and preached about every month until 1848. The congregation, when organized, consisted of seven members. Rev. Mr. Clark was succeeded by Rev. Charles E. Tinker from 1848 to 1850. Rev. A. G. Eberhart took charge in 1851 ; this year a meet- ing was held to devise means by which to provide a suitable meeting-house, and Joseph Seaver, Henry Cline, and Elder Eberhart were appointed a building committee, and during the summer of 185- they erected the present church building, at a cost of $2,000, including labor, most of which was provided within the means of the church. Rev. A. G. Eberhart's pas- torate continued into 1853. He was succeeded by Rev. P. Watts in 1854-5, Rev. W. Whitehead in 1856, Rev. John Cummings 1857-8, Rev. O. T. Conger 1859-67, Rev. J. C. Post in 1868, Rev. J. M. Titterington in 1869, Rev. Samuel D. Ross 1871-2, Rev. Mr. Wylie in 1873, Rev. Ansel Post 1874, son of Rev. J. C. Post, preached a few months in 1875. The present pastor, Rev. T. A. Williams, was born in Gibralter, April 21, 1823, where his father was a soldier in a corps of sappers and miners in the British service until ghe was soon afterwards killed; the family then removed to England. Mr. Williams was early brought to a knowledge of the truth, and commenced ministerial services at the age of seventeen years, in South Devon. He was educated for the ministry at Houghton, Huntingdon- shire. He was ordained as pastor over his first charge at Haddenham, Cam- bridgeshire, in 1859, remaining six years; he was then called to the Baptist Church at Swaffham, in Norfolk, in 1865, for seven years. His two last
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