Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 64

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228

USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois > Part 64

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tention on account of its high standard and drew pupils from all parts of the county. It has always ranked high among the graded schools of the state and is a souree of pride to the people of Camp Point.

The Odd Fellows were the first to cultivate the secret society field and a lodge was organized Oe- tober 17, 1856. The Masons were next with a lodge in 1858. Other lodges have been started until there are now enough to supply the de- mand for a time.

CLAYTON TOWNSHIP.

This is one of the most beautiful and fertile townships in Adams county, her lands consisting of rich prairies interspersed with groves of tim- ber bordering on little Missouri Creek, which has its course in the western portion of the township, and flows east, dividing it nearly in the center. It is one of the richest agricultural districts in the county, and is bounded on the north by Northeast township, south by Concord, west by Camp Point, and east by Brown county. The soil is a dark, vegetable loam, highly productive, and nearly all tillable except the narrow bluff along the little Missouri. The farms are highly cultivated, and the improvements of a fine char- acter. The staple crop is Indian corn, while quite a large area is devoted to grass and grazing. Clayton, the only village in the township, is a thriving place of over one thousand inhabit- ants.

The main line of the Wabash Railway extends across the township from east to west, a mile north of its southern boundary. At Clayton, the Keokuk branch leaves the main line and runs in a northwesterly direction. The Chicago, Burl- ington and Quiney Railway also touches the northwestern corner.

The first white settlement made in this town- ship was in 1829 about two and a half miles north of the village of Clayton. hy Obadiah Nicks, who settled with his family on the north- west corner of Section 23. David M. Campbell, the second settler, came April, 1830, and located on the southeast of Section 21. In the fall of 1830 Rev. John E. Curl settled on the southwest of Section 31, and Jacob Pile, on Section 23. In the fall of 1831, Daniel Pile set- tled on the farm now owned by John Logue on on the southwest of Seetion 31. and Jacob Pile, on Section 23. In the fall of 1831, Daniel Pile set- tled on the farm now owned by John Logne on Section 24. Mr. Pile was elected first justice of the peace in the township. After 1833, settlers flocked in rapidly, and public lands were soon converted into farms. In 1834, John Marrett, Rev. R. K. MeCoy. Chas. McCoy and Edward Davis settled in the town.

The people early took an interest in educa-

tional matters, and as early as 1832, we find a school started in the township, which was taught David M. Campbell, first school teacher of the township. This school had, at first, only one session, and that on Sunday, at the houses of the pioneers. The first marriage in the township was that of Josiah Gantz to Miss Curl. They were united in wedlock by Rev. David Wolf in the winter of 1830, on the farm of Wm. Curry. The first death was that of Sarah J., infant daughter of David M. Campbell, in August. 1832.

In those early days, hotels were "few and far between" and accommodations meager, but "heart room-house room," was the prevailing motto with many of those noble men who came to make a home and a fortune in the great West.

Among this number were David M. Campbell and his kindhearted wife, whose hospitable na- tures never said no to a weary traveler seeking food and shelter. Though their cabin was but sixteen feet square they entertained and lodged as many as eleven of the aristocracy of Quincy at one time.

The present village of Clayton was laid out in the year of 1834 by Chas. MeCoy, Rev. Reuben K. McCoy and John McCoy. three brothers.

The town was located on the northeast quar- ter of section 34. Charles MeCoy was an ardent admirer of Henry Clay, and so he named the in- fant town Clayton in honor of the great states- man. The Rev. R. K. Medoy was for thirty years pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at Clayton. Ile erected the first house in the place during the summer of 1834. He died in 1874, after a long and useful life, and beloved by all who knew him. Chas. MeCoy built and opened the first store with a small stock of goods, but he sold it a few years later and it was re- moved to Brown county.

It is related that Clayton had been partially settled, and not proving satisfactory to the pro- jeetors of the enterprise, the buildings were nearly all moved out to farms, and the town was almost abandoned for a number of years, but it finally began to revive after the railway was built. Several additions have been made to the original town of Clayton, so that it is now situ- ated on parts of sections 27, 34 and 35, at the junction of the Keokuk branch with the main line of the Wabash railway. It has had a steady, substantial growth and now boasts of a num- her of churches, hotels, banks, wagon and black- smith shops, a marble works: several dry goods, millinery and grocery stores, hardware stores, barber shops, meat market, etc. It also has that indispensable accompaniment of every prosper- ous town. a newspaper printing establishment. called The Clayton Enterprise.

The first school house was erected in the village

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in 1836. Amos Andrews taught in it. In 1877 the fine brick building, two stories high, with seven rooms, was built, at a cost of sixty-five hun- dred dollars. Between the years 1836 and '37. several additions were made to the original build- ing to supply the demands of the rapid growth of the vicinity, the last costing thirty-five hun- dred dollars. Early in 1877 it was destroyed by fire. In 1849 the Clayton Academy was built by the First Presbyterian Church, and used for the high school for a time.

The Old Settlers' Association of Adams and Brown counties was organized at Clayton in the year 1869, the first president being John MeCoy. Annual reunions have been held at Clayton, with the possible exception of one year, when it was held at Mt. Sterling.

The Presbytery of Schuyler, at its spring meet- ing in 1836, appointed a committee to organize a Presbyterian Church in Clayton. That commit- tee consisted of Rev. R. B. Dobbins and the Rev. Cyrus Riggs, and Elder Joseph G. Walker. These brethren met at the residence of the Rev. R. K. McCoy, in Clayton, to transaet the business as- signed them by the Presbytery, on the 9th day of April, 1836.

The first minister was the veteran missionary, Rev. Reuben Kemper MeCoy. For four years after its organization the church had no house of worship, their religious services being held in the district school building and wherever else the congregation conld be assembled. Many of their most interesting meetings were conducted be- neath the great forest trees on the camp-ground; "the groves were their first temple."

In 1839, three lots in Clayton, Nos. 63, 64 and 65 Washington street, were donated to the church by Elder MeCoy. Here was erected a briek church in 1840, at a cost of about $3,000. A few years later a tower and a bell were added. In 1865, the brick walls were removed and frame was substituted. In addition to the church, the people own a parsonage valued at $1,700.

The Clayton Christian Church was organized in 1855, Dr. T. G. Black and others being the original members. The first elders were Dr. Black and Geo. Lecklen. The edifice in which the society worship, was erected in 1855, at a cost of about $3,500. A large and flourishing Sunday School is attached to this church.

The M. E. Church was organized about 1836. It was a part of Pulaski charge, afterwards at- tached to the Columbus charge, and later to the Mt. Sterling cirenit. The church services were held in school honses, and private houses until 1850, when the first church edifice was erected on the site where the present edifice stands. The Board of Trustees at that time were Joseph Donglass, George MeMurray, John C. Newton, James D. Hard and Robert R. Garner. That

church was used for twenty-five years, when it became inadequate and was removed and a fine brick structure erected in 1875, at a cost of $7,- 000. The Sunday School is quite large.

Like all other advanced sections, we find here the Masonic order in a healthy condition, doing a good work. Now there are many members in the following orders: Clayton Lodge, No. 147. A. F. and A. M., Clayton Chapter, No. 104, R. A. M. and Delta Commandery, No. 48, K. T. The 1. O. O. F. was organized in 1852, with Dr. T. G. Black, N. G.

COLUMBUS TOWNSHIP.

Columbus township is situated about eighteen miles from Quincy in a northeasterly direction. The first settlement made in Columbus township was in 1830, when James Thomas left Kentucky and settled here on section 30. He was followed by Jacob Conner, Clements Wilks, George John- son, Mathew Ray, Philip Ray, George Smith, Wm. Roseberry, W. L. Wilmot, and Jas. Wisehart.

The town of Columbus was laid out by County Surveyor Williams, under the direction of Wil- lard Graves, in March, 1835.

The first sale of lots took place in March, 1836, and nearly one hundred houses were erected that year. Francis Turner and John Robison also settled about 1835. Col. Geo. Smith, who figured prominently in the township, settled on section 4, October 20, 1836. Daniel Harrison and Abra- ham Jonas, settled in Columbus village in 1836 and 1837. T. H. Castle, Frederick Collins, Clem- ent Nance and many others soon followed.

The original plan was to make Columbus the county seat of Adams County, and it was located at the nearest practicable point to the geograph- ical centre. The exact centre is Gilmer, about a mile west of the site of the town, but that tract was military land, and owned by parties in the east whose whereabouts were not known, and con- sequently it was not accessible. The village grew rapidly and prospered for several years.

About 1840, the county seat contest between Columbus and Quincy began to be agitated, and grew hotter until 1841, during which time a news- paper called the Columbus Advocate, was estab- lished in the village by a man named E. Ferry, in the interests of Columbus.

Mr. Abraham Jonas, above mentioned, being a writer of considerable ability, penned articles upon the then-all-absorbing question, in favor of the Columbus interests, and sent them to the Quincy papers for publication, but they were re- fused, hence the birth of the Advocate, to which he became the chief contributor.

Religions exercises were held by the Presby- terian, Methodist and Christian societies at the private residences and school houses in the town- ship until 1836, when the Christian society erected

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a house of worship in the village. The Presby- terian society built a church in 1838. This so- eiety was later discontinued, however.

The Methodist society erected their first ehureh several years later.

The First Baptist Church of Columbus town- ship was organized March 13, 1879, at the Inde- pendent School House, on Section 3, by Rev. Silas Odell, and Rev. Mr. Wood, with fourteen con- stituent members.

The German Methodist Church was built in 1842. There are also several churches at Pa- loma.

A Mr. Bartholomew and his two sons, Gilead and Samuel, creeted the first steam mill on see- tion 3, in 1835. It was a grist and saw mill. Later it fell into the hands of the Mormons, who eon- templated strongly making a settlement, and starting a town there, but when they were driven from Nanvoo, they abandoned the idea and some years later, the mill was removed. The second steam mill was erected in the village about 1865, by Lock and Hendricks. Willard Graves erected a saw mill on MeKee's creek, on seetion 16, about 1838, which was operated several years, and was finally abandoned.

Daniel Harrison was the first to commence mer- chandising. He afterward associated with him Abraham Jonas, John F. Battell, L. Davis, F. Collins, A. Tonzalin, Sr., and Clement Nanee were all engaged in merchandising. Lyth Griffin was the first in the saddlery and harness business. Thomas Greenleaf and Sons manufactured wag- ons and buggies quite extensively. M. T. Green- leaf introduced a machine lathe. Thos. Durant ran a wool carding machine with animal power ; afterward the business was enlarged and a steam engine added by II. II. Butler. Henry Pratt and others erected a mill and successfully for a while made linseed oil.

The first school was on section 30, in 1832, and was taught by Thomas Bailey. The township or- ganization law went into effect in 1850, and the first election of officers occurred in April of that year. Alexander M. Smith was elected super- visor, A. Tonzalin, Ir., town clerk : John P. Nich- ols, assessor; Win. Roseberry, collector; Andrew Redmond and Jas. A. Bell, justices.

The supervisors who have succeeded Alexander Smith were John A. Nichols, Wm. Bellew, Har- vey Earl, Win. Roseberry, John M. Earl, A. B. MeNeal, James Lurly, Seldon G. Earl, John E. Lowe. Thos. Marshall, H. H. Homer, G. E. Flagg, D. L. Wilhoit, R. E. MeNeal, Clem. H. Hair, Wil- kie Bruns, Clem. W. Hair.

During the war of the Rebellion, Columbus township put her shoulder to the wheel, and dem- onstrated her loyalty by word and deed, coming up with her quota of men at every call of the government. This proved the kind of men and

citizens Columbus had, and has now at the pres- ent day.

CONCORD TOWNSHIP.

Concord township was organized at the spring election in 1850. Edward Sharp was elected su- pervisor, Wm. Hobbs, clerk; David Hobbs, as- sessor, and Shannon Wallace, collector. The first settlement was made in 1832. John Wells settled on section 25, John Ausmus on section 7 and O. Il. Bennett on section 9; followed soon after by the Wallaces and Hobbs and Elijah Ellison. The first school house was built on section 4 in 1835; the first teacher was Win. Hobbs; the first min- isters of the Gospel in Concord township, were Granville Bond, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, J. B. Curl of the Christian Church, and Win. Ilarvey, of the regular Baptist Church, Wm. Hobbs, David Hobbs, and John Ansmus, who were residents of the township, preached oc- casionally.

The first marriage was of Edward Wells and Elizabeth Collins. The first birth was a child of Win. and Mary Briscoe. It died soon after, and was the first death in the township.

The first church was built in 1860, on section 30, by the Lutherans. The next was erected on section 23, by the people for a Union Church, but owned by the Baptists or the Dunkards.

The German Lutheran Church was organized in 1862, by the following members who estab- lished the church ; Henry Lessinan, Christ Voll- bracht and Frank Kestner. The first minister of the church was B. Burfeind. He served six years. The entire cost of the church parsonage and four acres of ground used as a cemetery was about $2,000.

In the north and northwest portions of the township, the soil is excellent. In the southern part there is more timber and broken land.

ELLINGTON TOWNSHIP'.

Ellington is a regular Congressional township, which lies north and east of Quiney. It origin- ally embraced that portion of the city north of Broadway and all of the township directly north of the city, known as Riverside. However, in 1887, the township was divided and now Elling- ton is bounded on the north by Ursa and Mendon, separated from them by the 40th parallel of lati- tude : on the west by Riverside and east part of Quincy ; on the east by Gilmer ; and on the south by Melrose and a part of Quincy.

The surface is undulating, and in some parts quite broken, and was originaly half timber and half prairie. The rare fertility of the soil, which is composed nearly equally of mineral and veg- etable properties, the excellent drainage, so well adapting it to a great variety of erops, and di- versity of seasons, and the superior class of im-

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provements which dot its beautiful farms, have ment at Washington distributed the seed of the won for it the cognomen of "Banner" township. sorghum or African sugar cane here. People who

The soil is of rich, black loam and the land price easily averages from $75 to $100 per acre. while the farms rent from $5 to $10 per acre. In addition to the facilities for farming. the township can boast of rare advantages in stone qmarrying. There are several stone quarries four or five miles northeast of Quincy on 36th street. It may be interesting to know that the stone for the foundations of the old court house and the old Quiney house, which stood where the New- comb Hotel now stands, was quarried on R. W. Putnam's land, section 17, abont five miles north- east of the city on 36th street. Also, the stone for the foundation of the residence of Governor John Wood, now known as Chaddock College, was taken out of a quarry owned by him, at the time, abont four miles northeast of Quiney, on 36th street, on section 20.

In 1844, some promoters from the east came to Ellington and tried to establish a silk industry. These men proposed to furnish plants of the Morus multicaulus, or white mulberry, and the silk worm eggs, and then they promised to buy the cocoons when matured. Of course they gave complete instruction for condneting all parts of the industry. It was taken up by a few of those enterprising spirits who were able to do it, and who were desirous of ascertaining and develop- ing all the resources of the newly developed conn- try. Among these were Avery Turner, who lived abont five miles northeast of Quiney, and Hub- bard and Baldwin, who lived together on a farm in Honey Creek township, about two miles south- east of Mendon. On this latter farm there are two or three chups of white mulberry still grow- ing. The project failed from two difficulties. First, no one in this part of the country. at that time, had snitable arrangements to carry the worms over winter : second. labor in this country, could be more profitably employed in other lines. The preparations for the extension of this in- dustry were very lavish, and when the plans were proved failures, many of our best country people were nearly ruined. Several large build- ings and quantities of mmulberry trees, planted for food for the silk worms, were located on the northwest corner of section 30. The buildings are now used as barns near by. After the fail- ure of the silk industry, abont 1848, the first Osage oranges, used as hedges, were introduced into this part of the country, by Avery Turner and Hubbard and Baldwin, mentioned above. The seeds were brought here from the South about the time of the Mexican war, 1848. There are hedges which have been "turning stock" since 1850. or at least 55 years, on the old Bald- win homestead.

About the year 1855, the agricultural depart-

cannot remember back to the time of the war of the Rebellion ean have no conception of the im- portance the sorghum industry then assumed. It was the chief source of "sweetening" of most of the people at that time-since the principal sources of supply were ent off by the war.

In the early settlement of this county, quite a number of people enltivated small quantities of fax. This was raised for lint and was worked up by the women of the families who raised it, into linens for clothing, sheets, tablecloths, towel- ing and sacks. At one time there was located in Quiney. what was then called a "rope walk," or works where the lint of hemp and flax were wrought into ropes and all kinds of cordage. However, most of the hemp came from Mis- souri -- but the flax was furnished to a great de- gree, from Ellington, and neighboring town- ships.

Ellington has the advantage of superior drain- age, as several creeks with their numerous branches checker its surface. Cedar Creek, the largest of them, originates in a large spring, a mile or two northeast of Quiney, and flows south of west to the river. Leonard's or Homan's Creek has its source near the center of the town- ship in one of the largest and finest springs in the county, once owned by Capt. Leonard, from whom it and the creek take their names. Mill ('reek, along whose borders is the most broken and sterile portion of the township, flows across the northeast corner.

The Chicago. Burlington & Quincy Railroad, also used by the Wabash Company. enters Elling- ton a mile sonth of the north, and extends diag- onally to Quiney in the southwest corner.

The society of the township is cosmopolitan, made up of inhabitants of varied birthplace and nationality, although a majority of the pioneer settlers were natives of Kentucky. The first set- tlement was made in 1828, by Sammel Seward, on section 23, and he was soon followed by Henry Jacobs and John S. Wood, who settled on seetion 17. and John M. Sterne, and James Frasier, on sertion 5. in 1829.

llenry Frasier, son of James Frasier, was the first child born in the township, on section 5. in 1829. The first death was that of Mr. Cook, who died from over-exertion in hunting in the "deep snow." the winter of 1830-31. J. M. Sterne, an old resident, in speaking of that memorable snow storm some years ago, said: "It began to fall on the night of December 27, 1830, and was two and a half feet deep outside and six inches deep inside my rabin the next morning." Ile made a path to his spring by a supreme effort, and from here he carried water and saturated the snow on the roof, making a covering snow-proof

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and wind-proof for the rest of the winter. The snow continued to fall at intervals until January 1. 1831. when it was four and one-half feet deep. The high winds drifted it, making the "rough ways smooth" and connecting the prairie into one vast level of crystals.

The first school house in Ellington was erected on Mr. Sterne's farm, on section 5. in 1836. There had been schools in vacant cabins and sev- eral terms in Wesley Chapel, prior to that date. Wesley Chapel was the first house of worship. and was erected in 1831, on section 5, by the Methodists. Isaac Sawin was the contractor, and J. M. Sterne helped to how the timbers. John Kirkpatrick, a local minister of the M. E. Church preached the first discourse. The first little school has been replaced by a number of new and more modern schools, and the little chapel by more imposing edifices. The little school is now the home of a porcine family. It is said that it has still the same shingles on it that kept out the snow and rain fifty years ago, and that they are still in a fair state of preservation. The Wesley Chapel is now used as a barn for hay.

There are five progressive schools in Elling- ton. They are the Rock School, in N. W. S. E. See. 5: Washington School, S. W. corner S. W. See. 11: Center School. N. W. N. W. Sec. 20; Franklin School, east side, Sec. 28; and the El- lington School. N. W. corner S. E. gr. See. 31.

There is a church about one mile west of Wes- ley, near N. W. corner gr. of N. W. qr. of Sec. 6. called Pleasant Grove, but no services have been held there for years. Ellington Memorial Presbyterian Church is in S. W. corner of N. W. Sec. 17. and Rev. II. Jacobs is the minister at present, services being held every two weeks.

The village of Bloomfield is the only town of which Ellington can boast. It is situated ten miles northeast of Quincy, on the northeast quar- ter of section 3. It was laid out about 1837, by Ansel Clarkson. For some years it seemed a child of promise. Store buildings were erected, a postoffice was located there. a wagon factory established, and in every way the little town bade fair to become a great city. But from about 1861, the village rapidly declined. The wagon factory, run by the farming men of the distriet, did not prove a profitable enterprise, and was abandoned after a few years.

The religious proclivities of the village are chiefly Catholic, and the only house of worship in the place was erected by that denomination in 1862.

It is said that the old pioneers better under- stood the transforming the wilderness into the productive farm and the comfortable home than the technicality of law, as evidenced by the fol- lowing true incident : Henry Jacobs and JJohn S. Wood purchased a quarter section of land on

section 17, jointly. Some time after, wishing to divide it. instead of going to the trouble to quit-claim, they simply eut the patent in two in the middle, supposing that to be legal beyond question.

However, in the spring of 1850, the town was organized and the first election held at the house of Mrs. Jacobs, near the center of the township, and John P. Robbins was elected supervisor : Wm. Powell, assessor: Erastus W. Chapman. town clerk. The first justices of the peace were Angustus E. Bowles and Wm. 11. Cather.

Since then, JJohn Sharp. J. T. Turner, E. W. Chapman, Jetha Dudley, Baltis Sigsbee, Wm. Ilulse. James W. Singleton, John B. Murphy, John W. Mars, Thomas Payne, Geo. W. Powell, Francis Aneals, John Aron, Seldon G. Earel. F. W. Simmons, John T. Simmons, Chas. Aron and C. T. Sterne, have succeeded Mr. Robbins as su- pervisors.

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Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 64

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1228

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228