USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Peoria > Peoria city and county, Illinois; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 49
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
the chapel and schoolhouse was laid on the 3d day of April, 1839. The erection of the buildings soon followed with the other necessary buildings; residences for the teachers, boarding houses for the scholars and workmen, so that in a few years, but later than 1850, nearly all of the various industries of the times were represented in the little village of Jubilee and the near surroundings. A sawmill was constructed on Kickapoo creek, two miles south from the college to which was soon added a flour mill, with both steam and water power. A store building near at hand was filled with such goods as were used by the early settlers. A blacksmith shop and a shoemaker shop were added for the con- venience of all near by. A small hand printing press was operated in the college building, on which was printed at short intervals a small sheet entitled "The Motto." Farming and stockraising were carried on extensively by the college which introduced and operated the first agricultural machinery seen in the vicin- ity, such as McCormick's reaper, Allen's mower, Emory's tread power and thresher. Students soon filled the buildings and the college flourished for a number of years.
The first graduating exercises held at the college occurred July 7, 1847, at which five persons received their degrees in the arts and sciences. A large booth was erected for the occasion, constructed of poles set in the ground and covered with branches from the trees. A band from Peoria city furnished the outdoor music. The exercises were attended by several hundred people and it was indeed a happy and proud event to the founder of the college. A little knowledge of the work and the difficulties encountered in the building of such an institution in those early days may be obtained when we realize that the stone was first dug front the quarry and shaped. The brick was burned within a few rods of where it was used and nearly all the timbers were cut and hewn from the native forests by hand. On one occasion, in 1842, one of the settlers made the journey to Chicago in the winter with a team, bringing from there a barrel of salt for use at the college and a load of lumber with which to make sash for the build- ings. Other settlers procured some of the materials for their first homes in the same way.
Township organization was adopted April, 1850, and the usual township of- ficers elected. The formation of school and road districts was completed in a few years afterwards, the number of each at the present time being eight. The schools in each district hold from six to eight months of school each year.
Religious services and Sunday schools were held at various times in several of the schoolhouses until the building of various edifices for public worship, of which Jubilee has three-the Episcopal at the college, German Methodist and Lutheran. Five cemeteries situated in different parts of the township give the unwritten history that many have finished their labors and gone to the other shore. But few of those are living who purchased their land from the govern- ment, and at this writing but one is living on the land which was purchased by them from Uncle Sam.
For a time elections were held at private houses or at the residence of the townl clerk. Elections and town meetings are now held at the town hall in the center of the township. Some changes of town officers have been made at every annual meeting and but few have served the township many years in succession. Three members of the Illinois general assembly have been chosen from the township, namely : William Rowcliff, H. R. Chase and Peter Cahill. As township officers, William Church, H. I. Chase, Gilbert Hathaway, James H. Forney, J. B. Slocum, John Moss, William Rowcliff, H. R. Chase, Richard Pacey, Peter Cahill and Cecil C. Moss have served as supervisors. Those having acted as town clerk are: David Sanborn, William M. Jenkins, George Radley, Noah Alden, George Paul, William H. Paul, S. S. Stewart, Charles Hayes, F. E. Coulson, R. H. Van Renssalaer, George Stewart, F. T. Keefer, L. Hasselbacher, L. S. Barrett, S. P. Bower. Gilbert Hathaway held the office of school treasurer for twenty-seven years, Thomas Pacey and Charles Hayes about twenty years.
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
BRIMFIELD TOWNSHIP
Brimfield township is one of the richest agricultural sections of the county. It doubtless has more good arable land than any other township, there being not over forty acres that cannot be plowed and cultivated. There is an abundance of bituminous coal underlying the surface of the whole township in five or six veins, some of which are being successfully worked. Two groves are found in the township, one of which, situated in the southwesterly part, is called Atkin- son's Grove, from the first settler, the other French ( French's) Grove, west of the town of Brimfield, besides which there is a point of timber a half mile northeast of the village. There are quarries of lime and sand stone and an abun- dance of living water.
Philip Atkinson is considered to have been the first settler, he having arrived in the township in 1834. He was a protestant Irishman and well educated, as were his whole family. He settled in the same grove which bears his name. Two of his sons became Methodist ministers; Philip, the youngest, became a college professor and afterwards wrote a work consisting of four volumes on the sub- ject of electricity.
In the year 1837 a number of newcomers settled in the township, or in its immediate vicinity. Among these may be mentioned L. S. Booth and family, who settled in the west end of Atkinson's Grove; Levi Jennings, a Quaker, who settled on the section on which Zion's church now stands; John Tucker and family, Isaac Cutter and family and Daniel Simon and family, all of whom settled in French Grove; John Sutherland, who settled on the northwest of French Grove near the present Presbyterian church. Northeast of Brimfield there was another group of settlers, among whom were William Compher, who represented the district in the legislature in 1838-40. Others were Jacob Wills, who was the first blacksmith, and the man who opened the first coal bank ; a Mr. Martin, whose son, still living, was the first child born here; Thomas John- son and family, a Mr. Schenck and family, David Shane, Hiram and William Shane, sons of William Shane, Sr., with their families; and Isaac Harrison and family.
As the village of Brimfield, which early became the center of population, is on the extreme eastern edge of the township, it has been thought not out of place to mention some who were not within the township, but who were within the old precinct of Brimfield. East of the village, along the state road, was the following group of settlers: Thomas Martin, William Lambert and family, Clark D. Powell, who was one of the county commissioners and a justice of the peace, a man of liberal education and a very pleasing speaker. He also had a brother, Thornton T. Powell, who with his family settled in the same vicinity. About two miles southeast of the village was a small colony from Pennsylvania, consisting of Roswell, Asahel and Isaac Walker, with their families, Isaac Hark- ness, a prominent citizen who afterwards removed to Harkness Grove in Elmwood township, Edson Harkness, a brother of Isaac, with his son Wright and family, and Ichabod Rowley and his family.
In 1836 Jacob Snyder with a large family, H. N. Wiley, John F. and Hiram Wiley, with their sisters Elvira and Marcia, William Lynch, William Berry, Daniel Stansberry and family, a Mr. Hoyt, Noah Alden, a very old man with two sons, Hiram and Noah, all arrived.
In 1837 the following came: James Berrian, Thomas N. Wells and family ; in 1838, Bradford Hall and family, David Sanborn, John W. Perran, Samuel and George Pulsifer, a Mr. Marvin, Captain Fisher, S. H. Judson, John Shores, Edward Hayward and M. D. Villings.
May 6, 1836, a town was laid out on section 25. called Cambridge, but the stage route from Peoria to Burlington having been located a half mile north of it, another town was laid out by Abner Clark (June 9, 1836) on section 24, called Charleston, and the former was abandoned. The first settlers in Charleston
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SCENE AT PEORIA COUNTY OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION PICNIC Little girl drove calf and cart twenty miles to Peoria.
OLD TIME WEDDING SCENE AT BRIMFIELD Peoria County Old Settlers' Pienie, showing Judge N. E. Worthington to the left standing
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were Woeniger and Jacob Van Houten, the latter being the first postmaster. The mail was then carried from Peoria on horseback.
When Mr. Guyer came to Charleston in December, 1836, he found two families living here-Van Ilouten and Woeniger, the former on lot 10, block 16, the latter on lot 6, block 16. The proprietor of the town had an empty log cabin which had been moved from Charleston, into which Mr. Guyer moved with his stock of goods, which was the first stock of general merchandise in the town. He boarded with Van Houten until he moved away, leaving Mr. Guyer for company, a dog and a cat. About the same time Woeniger also took his departure, leaving Mr. Guyer alone to "keep bach" with only the dog and cat for his companions. Two or three months later Dr. Prouty, a young man from New Hampshire, came and took up his abode with Mr. Guyer. About that time James Wolcott came to look at the country, bought Van Houten out and returned to New York for his family, who upon their arrival took their first meal with the two bachelors. Early the next spring Mr. Guyer built a two-story log house, into which he moved his goods and "kept bach" upstairs. Mr. Wolcott's coming here brought quite a number of enterprising and intelligent families. Mr. and Mrs. Wolcott were both very intelligent and refined people, and their house was the center of all the social gatherings of the village. They had a son, James P. Wolcott, and a daughter, Lucretia, both very accomplished young people, who made the social circle of the home very attractive. Among others who had the pleasure of enjoying those social gatherings at the Wolcott home may be mentioned the following well known citizens of the county: Mr. and Mrs. Thomas N. Wells, Mr. and Mrs. Washington Cockle. Charles Wells, Mr. and Mrs. William Fessenden, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Belcher, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Judson, Mr. and Mrs. William Tobey, Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell, Hon. and Mrs. W. W. Thompson and two daughters, Mr. and Mrs. David Sanborn, Hon. S. S. Guyer of Rock Island, L. L. Guyer, Drs. Prouty and Kellogg. John M. Wiley and H. N. Wiley and their two sisters, and Edward Hayward.
Mr. Wolcott was a man of more than ordinary talents, at one time a manu- facturer of Wolcottsville, Massachusetts, from which place he moved to New York city, where he was for a time in partnership with A. S. W. Goodwin, as brokers in merchandise. He was a good public speaker and it is said that his speeches would compare very favorably with some of the best made in Congress. He was a whig in politics and quite a strong politician. He was a brother-in-law of the Hon. W. W. Thompson, who was a democrat, and their discussions of the political questions were often quite animated and interesting. Mr. Wolcott died in 1855 and Mrs. Wolcott died in 1862.
Daniel Belcher arrived in the winter of 1838 and in the following spring he erected the first frame house which was kept as a hotel by him and the members of the family who survived him, for a period of about fifty years.
In 1838 Charleston received quite a stream of immigrants, among whom were A. S. W. Goodwin, with his family, one of whom, his aged mother, was the first person who died and was buried in Charleston. William Tobey, the far famed manufacturer of the steel plow, Daniel Caldwell, L. A. Jones and his brother Darius, the first carpenters, came with their respective families.
In 1839 came Charles H. Freeman, William H. Fessenden, Curtis Cody, James M. Wiley and others.
From 18440 to 1850 the surrounding country filled up very rapidly, and now farms were laid out and improved in every direction. During the session of the legislature to which Hon. W. W. Thompson had been elected, the name of Charleston was changed to Brimfield, the name of his native place in Massa- chusetts.
About this time a lyceum was formed at Charleston, which was the leading one in this part of the state. Its officers were W. W. Thompson, president, and L. L. Guyer, secretary. The meetings and debates were very spirited and at- tractive, the most prominent members of the Peoria bar often attending them.
Vol. I-20
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Its prominent members were James Wolcott, W. W. Thompson, James P. Wol- cott, A. S. W. Goodwin, William Compher, Clark D. Powell, Thomas N. Wells, William H. Fessenden, David Sanborn and Samuel Pulsifer.
Of these, W. W. Thompson, William Compher, David Sanborn and Washing- ton Cockle, another resident of the vicinity, became members of the legislature. Clark D. Powell was county commissioner. William H. Fessenden removed to Peoria and there became postmaster. James L. Riggs, another resident, became sheriff of the county in 1850 and 1852, removed to Peoria and there laid out two additions which bear his name.
The first election was held in 1837 at the home of Mr. Cutter in French Grove. This was a precinct election, which at that time included Brimfield and part of Jubilee townships. John F. Wiley and Clark D. Powell were elected justices of the peace and Samuel Johnson, constable.
In 1838 the Frink and Wallace stage line was started, carrying the mails from Peoria westward. Postage was paid at the end of the route; that on letters carried 300 miles or over being 25 cents ; under that distance 1834 cents, or less, according to distance. During the rush of immigration the coaches were of the finest construction, drawn by finely matched and richly caparisoned teams of four horses each. Charleston was the first station from Peoria where horses were changed. and, as the yelp of the stage driver was heard, the inhabitants turned out to witness the grand equipage round up in magnificent style in front of Belcher's tavern. Mr. Belcher was a dignified and affable landlord who was always ready to welcome passengers to the best table a prairie country could set ; a table that would put to blush many in the more pretentious hostelries of the present day.
As other means of travel, such as steamboat lines, canals and railroads began to open up, the stage lines were deserted of all through travel, the splendid coaches were withdrawn and those of inferior grade, driven by two horses, were substituted.
The first schoolhouse was built in 1839. The first teacher was Miss Ellen Bartlett, of Peoria. Among the arrivals this year were Charles H. Freeman and Captain Fisher.
The first marriage in town was that of L. L. Guyer and Miss Elvira M. Wiley. Rev. George Wilkison performing the ceremony.
CHURCHES
The Baptist church of Brimfield was organized Saturday, May 4, 1850, with nine members, as follows: Eli Bailey, Elizabeth Bailey, Dorothy Getty, Deborah Alden, Elizabeth J. Aiken, Elizabeth Layman, A. E. Martin, A. Taylor and Matilda Taylor. On the following day, Sunday, five persons were received by baptism, being baptized by Elder Simeon G. Miner, of Canton. They were Lewis Atkinson. Eddy Baker, Eliza Baker, Mrs. Margaret Martin and Miss Jane Layman. The above fourteen composed the whole number of the church when it was received into the Illinois River Association, which met in Peoria, in June, 1850. Lewis Atkinson, who had formerly been a Methodist preacher, was the first pastor of the church, Elder Bailey the first deacon and Adonijah Taylor its first clerk, all of whom were elected at the organization of the church. The number of members in 1851 was eighteen.
Early in the year 1852 the church resolved to erect a house of worship. Five trustees were elected, a building committee chosen and most of the timber de- livered on the ground that spring. During that conference year ten members were added to the society. The frame of the building was raised in August, it being 38x60 feet in size, and was finished in 1854, at a cost of $3.000. The church increased in 1853 to thirty-five members. In February, 1854, Rev. E. N. Jencks was called and entered upon pastoral duties on the Ist of April following.
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
The First Congregational church was organized March 29, 1847. At that time the following persons became members: Bradford Hall and wife, Cather- ine Hall, Margaret Cummings, Julia Ann Jones, James Delano and wife and Elizabeth Delano. On the 10th of April following seven others were added to the number. At first services were held in the schoolhouse or in the Methodist church. In the latter part of 1852 the members planned to build a house of wor- ship. The heavy timbers were cut, hewed and squared in the woods near by. The work progressed slowly. In May, 1854, the new church was dedicated, under the pastorate of Rev. J. E. Roy, D. D., since field secretary of the Ameri- can Missionary Association of the Congregational church, located at Chicago. The building was 50x36 feet and was a handsome structure for those times. The first pastor was Milo N. Mills, followed in order by George Sills, John Somers, L. 11. Parker, J. E. Roy, H. W. Cobb, M. W. Fairfield. J. Vincent, L. Benedict, I. W. Atherton, C. E. Leach, A. J. Drake, W. Wakefield, A. J. Mar- shall, H. P. Chase, L. P. Norcross, J. E. Storm, E. W. Jenney, William Parker, J. S. Onion, I. L. Rozelle and the present pastor, W. H. Jordan, who came in August, 1894.
In February, 1899, the members resolved to build a new church. The old building was sold and removed, the new structure was erected on the old site and was dedicated November 26, 1899, at a cost of about $5,000. The society also owns a good parsonage near by.
The Protestant Episcopal church .- Rt. Rev. Philander Chase, Bishop of Illinois, began to preach in Guyer's Hall in the year 1838, and continued to preach there until 1845, when the parish erected a new stone church. In 1844, Rev. Mildoller came to this place from Brooklyn, New York. He was an able preacher, and contrary to the customs of the country, he was the owner of several valuable tracts of land lying to the south of the village, on one side of which he formed the design of erecting a parish church. To this end he had worked among the people outside of the village, had obtained a subscription of about $600 and had had a board of trustees appointed. Mr. Guyer having learned of this project, promised the minister some assistance if he would build in the village. This he declined to do, saying that he could get the money he needed in Brooklyn. Mr. Guyer communicated his information to Mrs. Belcher, who was a member of Bishop Chase's church, to whom she in turn told what she had heard. The Bishop, having been promised assistance if he would order the church to be built in Brimfield, did so. The church was erected in 1845. It is a stone building and still stands.
The Presbyterian church was organized May 3, 1854, by Rev. John Turbitt, and ruling elders, James Yates and W. H. Wilson, as a committee from Presby- tery. This organization continued until 1865, when it was dissolved by action of the Presbytery. A reorganization was effected May 15, 1870, by Rev. J. H. Smith, Rev. J. R. Reasoner, and ruling elder, John Cameron, as a committee of Presbytery. There were fifteen members. In 1871 a house of worship was erected at a cost of $4,000. The pastors who served the church are: Revs. James H. Smith, J. L. Martin, Carson and MeLeur. The church was not pros- perous as a Presbyterian organization and in 1900 the members united with the Congregationalists.
LOGAN TOWNSHIP
Logan township was settled as early as 1830. It is located in the southern part of the county, and is bounded on the north by Rosefield, east by Limestone, south by Timber and west by Trivoli township. The north portion of the town- ship's topography shows high, rolling prairie; the southern portion originally was covered with timberlands, broken in places by small streams, emptying into Copperas creek. Limestone abounds here to the extent that quar- ries have prevailed for a number of years. Coal has also been quarried for some time past. The first shaft was sunk in 1870 on the farm of Thomas
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
Forbes, to a depth of forty feet, where a four-and-a-half-foot vein of coal was reached. At first the coal was hoisted by horse power but in 1883 an extensive shaft, with steam hoisting apparatus, was put in operation at Hanna City, a small village on the lowa Central railroad. A large portion of Logan township is composed of fine farms, whose owners are prosperous and enterprising. Be- fore the community was more thickly settled, there were large tracts of valuable timber, which have been changed into fields producing large crops of corn, oats, wheat, etc.
The first election in the organized township of Logan was held at Smithville, April 2, 1850. John Lobaugh was moderator and John Stewart, clerk. The following officials were elected: Supervisor, Thomas P. Smith ; commissioners of highways, James H. Patterson, John McCullough and Richard Bourne; town clerk, John Stewart; assessor, William Dryden; justices of the peace, John Smith and S. W. Brooks; constables, Robert Smith and Merritt Tracy.
THE FIRST SETTLER
The first settler is conceded to have been an old Indian trader, answering to the name of Triall. He set up his stakes in the southern part of the township in 1830. Soon thereafter came Peter Maynard, who located in the district in 1831. In 1832 came James Harker, John G. Bohanan, a Mr. Buck and Thomas Phillips. The latter settled on section 2. In the winter of 1833-34 Henry Heaton and John T. Runkle added to the small colony, and in 1834 Simon Reeves ar- rived in the township and located on section 34. There were quite a number came in 1835, among whom can be remembered John Van Arsdall, Thomas P. Smith, Robert Kinney, Richard Bourne and George Sturgess. It might be here men- tioned that Robert Reeves, father of Simon Reeves, was one of the pioneers of this section of Illinois, coming to Peoria county from New York in 1816. He did not remain, however, but returned to his home in Plattsburg, New York, and eventually immigrated to Fulton county, this state, in 1824. It is said that Simon Reeves brought the first stove to this neighborhood in 1844. Frank Libby is given credit for introducing in 1850, the first threshing machine in Logan town- ship ; Alfred Reeves and J. B. Miller, the first reaper. John Milligan, who had been a sailor, settled on section 35, and in all likelihood, was the first "cobbler" in this section.
The first white child born in the township was Henry Smith, a son of Thomas Smith. The birth occurred in 1834.
The first marriage was that of James Harker, Jr., to Susan Van Patten, in 1834
The first church organized was that of the Presbyterian denomination, at Smithville. This occurred in 1836.
The first school was taught in the winter of 1836 in a log cabin on section 36. The pedagogue was John L. Clark. Dr. Clark afterward taught a private school in his own house on section 22.
Logan township's schools have always kept to a high standard and equal to those of other townships maintaining a high mark for efficiency. There are now nine districts, in each of which is a modern country schoolhouse.
SMITJIVILLE
Smithville is in the central part of the township and is one of the oldest towns in the county. It was sought by those who settled there, mainly because of the timber, rich soil and abundance of water, all requisites to the pioneer. It took its name from its founder, Thomas P. Smith, who laid out and platted the village on section 22. Here the first postoffice was kept by Thomas P. Smith, who had been at one time a county commissioner. Early in its history William H. Brooks presided over the village smithy, and John D. Smith proclaimed on
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
a rudely painted sign his vocation as that of a chair and cabinet maker. The firm of Nesbitt & Smith were the pioneer merchants of Smithville, displaying their wares for the first time in the year 1847. The town has not grown with leaps and bounds. On the contrary it has taken a slow, plodding pace, and notwithstanding its years, has only to its credit a population of about 380 souls.
There are other small towns in this community, such as Hanna City, which was laid out in 1882 on part of the southwest quarter of section It, by Robert G. Mccullough; and Eden, on the southwest quarter of section 8, laid out in 1883, by Milo MI. Long.
CHURCIIES
The first church to be organized in this district and one of the first in the county, was that of the United Presbyterian, first known and designated as the Associate Reformed. It was called the Church of IIarmony and came into being in 1836. Rev. John Wallace was sent to this town by the Presbytery of this society. Thomas Smith and Thomas P. Smith were ordained as ruling elders. Rev. Andrew Fulton became the first pastor. The first place of worship belong- ing to the society was built in the timber in 1840 and occupied until 1852, when it was replaced by a brick edifice erected in Smithville, at a cost of about $2,500.
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