USA > Illinois > Champaign County > Philo > Philo area centennial, 1875-1975 > Part 3
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The Morrow Plots, the oldest experiment fields in America, located in Champaign, were laid out by the University in 1876. In 1885 during Pea- body's regency the Urbana State Institution was changed to the University of Illinois.
Village of Philo
The Village of Philo was laid out by the son of Philo Hale. E.B. Hale, in 1864 and included 80 acres. The Wabash Railroad in Illinois was based on the Old Northern Cross Railroad, as a part of the Internal Improvement scheme in 1837. The first section was operated for a time by mules, but it was abandoned as an enterprize ahead of the times and was unprofitable.
In 1847 the line sold and the Sangamon and Morgan Railroad reconstructed the part of the road, which opened for business in 1849.
It wasn't until 1856, when several Ohio and Indiana companies were consolidated as the Toledo, Wabash and Western Railroad, that the railroad was built through southern Champaign
County. Philo, midway between Sidney and To- lono, was originally called the Summit by the railroad, because of the elevation; it sometimes took two engines to pull the train. In 1858, Philo settlers petitioned that the railroad station stop be called Philo.
At the Philo Township election of 1859 or 1860, which was held at "Hale Bowses Grove, it was decided to hold future meetings at the Philo Station on the Great Western.
In 1860, the village is called Philo in records. Also in 1860, J.D. Johnson was elected the first Supervisor and the township was still called Hale. In 1861, the township was changed to Philo Township.
In 1889, the Great Western became the Wa- bash, famous for songs and cannon balls. The "Cannon Ball" would stop in Philo for passen- gers, originating at or going to St. Louis or De- troit.
During the early years, before the automobile, passengers could travel from Philo to Champaign (via Sidney and the branch line) three times each day, morning, noon and evening.
This railroad is now called the Norfolk and Western.
The last passenger train to stop in Philo was in 1957.
Some of the writers of this book can remember going to Tolono and riding the Illinois Central to Champaign to shop and returning that evening.
The village of Philo was incorporated April 19, 1875. The certificate of Incorporation was issued July 10, 1875. Members of the first town council were president T.H. Metheny in 1870 and J. Barnes was clerk in 1871.
Elam Elithrop built the first house in Philo, which stood where the home of John Cain now stands. Wright, the station agent, built the second house, the only one between Route 130 and the depot. The oldest house in Philo, now occupied by the Floyd Cross family, on the corner of Washington and Jackson Street was built and occupied by Michael Walsh, when there were only three houses on the present site of Philo.
The Mr. Wright mentioned above was the first agent for the Toledo, Wabash and Western Rail- road. The house which he built was used for a depot and passenger house. Elithrop's first house was later used for a harness shop.
From Lathrop's Champaign County Directory we read that in 1870 Philo had "a fine school house, two churches, one mill, eight stores, three blacksmith shops, two hotels, two grain dealers with warehouses, and one lumber yard." It also
reports that Philo's citizens are energetic, go ahead and thriving people.
To 1875
It is said that after the railroads went through, and especially after the Civil War, that many people came to this region, taking up 40 or 80 acres, working it for a while, and sometimes, then selling it and going elsewhere, some to the Gold Rush in California in 1949. But many stayed and gradually added to their land, culti- vating and improving it as much as possible.
In the beginning their small cabins had been made from unhewn logs. Then Joe Smith, who had come with Mr. Sadorus, erected his cabin, which, as quoted from Judge Cunningham in Stewart's History of Champaign County, "was built of split linn logs, sixteen by sixteen feet, covered by split oaken boards, with linn punch- eons for a floor." In the fall the cabins were daubed, that is, the logs were filled with clinks, clay and mud to keep the cold out. A single sash window bought in Eugene, Indiana, several years later, gave the Sadorus family one glass window, the first in Champaign County. Later the settlers drove, often taking several days, to Indiana, where they purchased materials for their homes. Samuel Love in 1853 purchased poplar weather boarding from a sawmill in Covington, Indiana, for their first home.
The pioneers began with little patches of corn which they took care of during the summer, and had gardens to supply their needs. On some farms they only planted the high ground at first. It is said that some early settlers even grew flax and cotton, so they could make their clothing, which did not prove practical later when goods could be bought. They also hunted, and had hogs, cattle and chickens. Their nearest trading post was Eugene, Indiana, sixty miles away. We read that when they had a surplus of wheat, oats or corn, or when their animals were ready for market, they either made a trip to Indiana or to the trading post on Lake Michigan-Chicago. They would then return with needed supplies such as salt, coffee, sugar and other articles. At an early date it was said Mr. Sadorus and others got fifty cents a bushel for oats in Chicago. But in 1862, a Mr. Leigh of St. Joseph, said that during the winter they hauled corn to Champaign and got nine cents a bushel for it.
There was a great deal of cattle herding in the early days. Jesse Meharry herded cattle three years from Mattoon to Rantoul before he took up residence in 1865, on land entered by his fa-
ther. The Love family drove or herded their cat- tle to Indiana before the railroads came. When the railroads came through, the Wabash in 1856, there was a great change. Cattle were still driven from the farms to the railroad until trucks came into use. Every town had a stockyard, for cattle and hogs, where they were kept until loaded on the train.
We have already mentioned the early settlers in the Philo area during the '50's. Besides those mentioned in an earlier chapter, Horace Arnold also came in the '50's, in 1857; as well as Samuel Brown, in Crittenden Township, in 1858, he later moved to Philo township; and there were also the J.C. Fords, Hoovers, W.G. Carson, and a Wil- liam Martin Ellars, who was later postmaster in Philo. And there were probably more.
During the next two decades and in the early '80's there were many who came to this area. We hesitate to mention any of them, because we know we cannot name all of them.
Among these settlers, especially the ones who have descendents living here now (we also name some who were born here during this period) were the following families. Besides the ones already mentioned in this book, some of the early settlers were E.B. Hazen; John Locke; John C. Parry; C.F. Cole; David H. Jessie; the R.A. Fran- cisco's; the Wingfields; John W. Mumm, Sidney Township; The Facklers; P.D. Everitt; William and Jesse Meharry; Dr. B.C. Morris; Edwin G. Rice; John Edwards and James Louis Edwards; George Mumm; J.H. Clark; Marshall Burr; Cap- tain John Wimmer; Wallace and Davis Silver; B.J. Nash, who introduced the drainage system; Samuel Porterfield; Morris Cole; Oliver and Wil- liam Wood; the Faberts; Captain Joseph David- son, Tolono Township; B.G. Tabler, later village clerk; the Brewers; Charles A. Daly; Thomas McCormick; J.R. Hoover; Van Vlecks; Consoers; Helms; Patrick Quinn; the Rush family; James M. Bartholow; Samuel Van Brunt; the Collins family; John Trost; Peter Hartz; Abraham Ordel; Michael Lowry; Livingfoss family; Ryan;
Penny; John £ Krumm; L.C. Porterfield; Whitmore; Robert Penman; John Thrash; Patrick Madigan; Cyrus Arnold; William Stock- yard; Brelsford; Jerry Gorman; Eli Trost; Wil- liams; Thomas and W.M. Gordy; Truman Cord; Wimmer family; William Clennon; Paris Robin- son; Charles S. Oderbrecht; Jesse Newton Dick; Martin Clennon; W. E. Rickey; Charles W. Reed; Elijah Plotner; Richards; Franks; Lafenhagen family; Samuel Grove; Charles E. Lowry; Roger Frank Little; Woodcock; Burr family; Service family; Bocock family; C. Doss; Noble
family; C. V. Cottrell;
Michael Kearns; Dilley family; Godsell; Snyder family; Buddie; G.C. Stewart; Cranford; Thomas Ruckman; D.R. and J.A. Maddox; Anders family; and Melohns, plus many others we should name.
Dr. B.C. Morris who came to Philo in 1865 is, according to the records, the first doctor in Philo Township and was the first to sell goods and drugs. He was followed by Dr. Hall who was here until 1869, a Dr. Jones followed and Dr. J.M. Bartholow was in Philo until 1895. Dr. Calvin E. Parker, instead of following his profession, started a bank and had other business enter- prises. Other doctors were Dr. J.D. Mandeville, Dr. Tinsley and Dr. R.L. Jessie. They were fol- lowed by Dr. Charles Ryan, who lived where Dwight Reed now lives, and Dr. John Gernon, who later lived there. Dr. Joseph Scheurich prac- ticed many years in Philo. He was followed by Dr. Brennan and Dr. Horde and Dr. Huff, who were here a short time. Dr. Magdalena Stoll is the first lady doctor to serve in Philo.
Philo has had many professions represented here. In the early days we read that S. Fee was a lawyer here. Timothy Madigan, son of the late D.M. and Mrs. Madigan, follows the same pro- fession.
And there were many carpenters. One, Lewis Crawford, is said to have built sixteen houses during the early growth of the town.
Because of the swamps and poor drainage there was a need for tiling. When clay tiles be- came available and with the organization of the Drainage Districts, the work of draining the land was much improved. The dredge boats that cleared and made the streams and rivers wider and deeper also helped. George W. Burton, who had come to Urbana in 1852, helped saw the ties for the Illinois Central Railroad and then for a time was in the bakery and grocery business at the corner of Main and Market Streets.
He and James Johnson did the first ditching in the county. He also invented the first open ditch- ing machine and did much to put farming land in good tillable condition. Two of his sons, Allen and Charles Burton, were in the tile manufac- turing business in Philo, being known as the Burton Bros. It is said B.J. Nash of Section 9, in Philo Township, was the first to introduce drain- age in Philo. And John Stipes had a tile factory, just east of the Howard Eaton's.
It is also said that there was a brickyard in Section 27, Philo Township. It was operated by Blind Man Wood, otherwise known as Oliver Wood, who before he was twenty years old had the "California Gold Fever" and he and Abra- ham Ordel, then a young man, went as far as St.
Joseph, Missouri, but because of a dispute with leaders of the company, turned back to Cham- paign County. Mr. Wood went later and, while working as a laborer in the mines, lost his eye- sight in an explosion. After returning home he married Mrs. Mary (Winn) Hubbell, whose hus- band and four of their six children had died of cholera. The son of this union was William Wood, who later lived on the same farm, which was said to have had the largest apple orchard of any in the county. And if the brickyard wasn't there, at least Mr. Blind Man Wood worked in a brickyard.
There were several blacksmiths, one run by Minnie Hinner's father, Mr. Hwyer, in what is now Howard E. Mumm's yard; Ott Wingfield's at the northwest corner of the Grade School schoolyard; and Griff Dickason's, where Bounds now live. Georgianna Collins' husband, when they came to Philo in 1870, was a blacksmith, and Mr. Foltz also was a blacksmith.
There were several wells in Philo, one of them may be seen on one of the early views of Philo. Well digging was one of the many occupations of the early settler. One of the town wells was lo- cated on the north side of Washington Street. approximately in front of the west part of the Central Propane Building; another one was lo- cated on the south side of Washington Street, about 50 feet east of Harrison Street; and ano- ther is said to have been somewhere near the pre- sent water works, or on the red corner. There was also one in front of the Richard Kamerer home. And there were probably many more.
There were hotels, also, the first one erected by Dr. B.C. Morris. Mr. Lannon operated a hotel at one time where the Charles Fyffe lot is. It was also run by a family named Tate at one time. And there was a hotel where Dr. Stoll's office is now, but not in the same building, which once was run by Mrs. Cranford.
Philo had a buggy shop, which was next to a blacksmith shop and operated by Mr. Towner, who repaired and made wheels even after cars were being used. There was a bicycle shop on the north side of the street, operated by Frank Ordel. This shop was next to a poultry house.
There were many other businesses, a cobbler shop, livery stables, groceries and others.
Yankee Ridge school held classes in 1857 or 1858, with Miss Emeline Keebler the teacher, with twenty pupils attending. This school was lo- cated near the Eaton farm.
The post office was established April 17, 1860. Coleman P. Wright was appointed postmaster. It was discontinued on December 6, 1860. And it
was reestablished on August 13, 1861, with Martin H. Bennett postmaster.
The Civil War began April 6, 1861, and ended April 9, 1865. Abraham Lincoln, who has been one of our greatest presidents, was assassinated on April 14, 1865. We do not have an accurate list of the men from this area who took part. Among them we believe were Noah Carson, Dave Walsh, George Gilgees, Sam Wingfield, John J. Fackler, Filander Love, F.M. Fagaly, Mr. Farmer and the Hon. Clark R. Griggs. Some of the men were in Col. Sam Busey's Regiment.
In 1870, the Philo Herald was published with John S. Harper editor and publisher. It was printed in the office of the Homer Journal. It was not listed after 1870. There was no newspaper published again until 1889.
In 1870, Philo had 71 dwellings, 69 families, and a population of 291.
The Chicago Fire was on October 8-9, 1871.
The old settlers of Philo Township organized and held annual meetings beginning in 1873. Their thirteenth annual meeting was held at Rankee Ridge schoolhouse on June 12, 1886, and was well attended. They were later held at Hale Park, the lovely park which had been given to the village by the Hale family. The Old Settlers Society of Champaign County began in 1970.
Most of the settlers planted fruit trees and forest trees by their homes, the latter for protec- tion from the wind. Mr. Mathias L. Dunlap had the first nursery and fruit farm, which was car- ried on by his sons, Hon. H.M. Dunlap and H.J. Dunlap.
In S.S. "Judd" Love's diary, written in 1873, it says "bought new planter 65.00," and on June 11, 1873 it says, "Mr. Walsh shelling corn at 11/2 cents per bu.," and also in 1873, "plow trial at Mr. J.B. Porterfields Crossley Plow made at Apple River." On September 29, 1873, we quote "commenced threshing-Mr. Trust and Ordel are threshing for us" and on September 23, 1874, "threshed with steam thresher."
Many remember the threshing rings and the bountiful dinners in the first part of this century. After the threshing season was over, "the thresh- ing ring" gathered at a home for a social evening and ice cream and cake.
There were recreations before 1875 also. Family picnics and reunions, square dancing, box socials, church and school affairs, quilting bees and many others. On Sundays, after church families would be together for dinner and had time for visiting. And there were celebrations, such as the Fourth of July. B.F. Harris had written "the people were glad to celebrate the Fourth of July with jolifycation."
ORIGINAL TOWN OF PHILO
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Philo History 1875-1900
In 1875 an election was held in Philo. with a vote of 56 to 13. in favor of incorporating as a village. The charter. dated July 1875. was signed by B. Tabler. village clerk, who was also super- visor of the township for several terms. The very early records of the town council meetings were burned in a fire.
The first of the annual old settlers' picnics was held in 1875. The picnics always took place on the third Saturday in June with foor races. bi- cycle races. (later) and usually a guest speaker. Occasionally. Senator Dunlap was the speaker "under Philo's spreading trees". Groves in various locations of the county were the meeting
place until the settlement's population increased Records show thet early settle :. Mr. Sadores, of Sadores led his neighbors to Lima Grove souti :- east of Philo for a day's "neighbor Philo had its own oid settlers pionac.
In 1875 the United States celebrated tennial with a fair in Philadelphia, and "in Aex- cultural Hall. farmers were impressed by a steam-powered thresher separater that could thresh and clean from 800 to 1.000 bushels of wheat per day. Housewives marvelled at a new floor covering. a waterproof. washable surface that could last a dozen years or more: it was called linoleum". /Time-Life Books) How much better than sorobbing wooden planks!
This Page sponsored by
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY GRAIN. Philo. Illinois
FERTILIZER DEALER SUPPLY. INC .. Philo, Illinois
Early Farm Scene.
On September 25, 1877, Calvin E. Parker be- came Philo's postmaster, following Sylvanus Fee. According to Mr. Howard Love the corn rosted and almost froze in August during the 1880's. The corn was still green and turned 'sour." The "stink" was reported as "terrible."
The town records say that the first brick side- walk in Philo was laid in 1880.
In 1881 Alice Chapel, a Methodist Church, was built southeast of Philo directly across the road from Lynn Grove Cemetery.
The Philo Exchange Bank, originally housed on the site of the Hazen and Franks Lumber Yard office, was founded by Calvin Parker in 1883.
A popular recreation of this Victorian Age was joy riding in a rented rig (horse and buggy) at James Wand's Livery Stable, east of Howard Eaton's present home; a rig cost $2.00 for 5 hours or $4.00 for all day Saturday.
Fred Hess became Philo's postmaster Decem- ber 29, 1884, succeeded by Mark Ellars Septem- ber 2, 1885.
Newspaper notes reveal that in 1887 "Tom Mattox laid his own tile" to drain his farm land. Previously only the high land, the so-called ridges, had been tilled. "The scourge of the pio- neers, the diseases caused by undrained sloughs and swamp land, largely disappeared with syste- matic and greater care as to public sanitation." (Time-Life Books)
Large planks were used for Philo's first side- walks. Hale's Second Addition, plotted April 16, 1888, included all land east of Adams Street and south to Van Buren. It was south of the railroad tracks.
In the late 1880's Philo had its first rural "telephone of sorts," built at the expense and by the ingenuity of individuals. Mr. Howard Love reminisces that three households, Rices, Loves, and Kearns, strung a line through the field con- necting the three parties, and since the apparatus had no bell to signal with, one talked and listened through the same instrument at a pre-arranged time. Finally, in 1929, the Philo "hook-up" brought a line out to Love's home.
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Cannonball.
Philo Depot.
In 1889 the Great Western Railroad through Philo became the Wabash Railroad, famous for the song, "The Wabash Cannonball." The town dray, pulled by two horses, hauled freight from the depot to its destination.
"In 1890 the United States had 63 million people, and 11 million of its 12 million families lived on an average income of $380 a year." (Butterfield, The American Post) What did they do for entertainment? Parties were held in the home with games like "Wink'Em" and "Skip to my Lou." Stereoscopic viewing and "flicks," which were projected slides, took the place of television. Quilting "bees" for the ladies were talk and sew "klatches." Some of the popular patterns for quilts were the Log Cabin, Double
Tulip, Garden Wreath, Rob Peter Pay Paul, and Joseph's Coat. The piano in the parlor was a popular gathering place for family and friends. Musical ability was highly valued. The "Gibson girls" of the Gay Nineties read Godey's Ladies Book for styles and the Delineator was also popular.
A note from the local paper of 1891 informs that the "Tile Factory will be ready May 1." This was Charles Burton's Tile Factory. From 1875 to 1895 Stipes' Tile Factory was located at the site of the village lots on Washington Street across from Wm. McCormick's home. The depressions. from which the clay was removed, are still visible.
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Barning raising at the George Mumm Farm
Martin Clennon remembers that in 1892 a barn was raised on the farm where Lawrence Clennon now lives. Carpenter Lannon from Longview was in charge and put the sides together on the ground. Horses and a wagon brought 8 x 8 timbers, nails and hinges from the lumber yard at Tolono. Six-year-old Martin Clennon rode by horseback to summon neigh- bors on the day of raising the sides. Twenty-five or thirty neighbors arrived to help and by noon
the barn was mostly up. Neighbor ladies helped to prepare the noon meal. Sometimes square dances were held in new barns.
In 1892 Philo voted to build, at the cost of $1,500. a town hall; the Masons would own the top half.
After the invention of the safety bike, with two equal wheels, bicycling became a pleasing past- time.
Sterling Bicycle "BUILT LIKE A WATCH- IMPERIAL CYCLES. Go Lightly Kind.
Repair shop fitted to do al! kind of LATHE work, VULCANIZING, BRAZ- ING, BAKE ENAMELING and TRUE- ING. Good supply of SUNDRIES and REPAIRS.
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FRANK ORDEL, PHIĻU, II.LA.
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Philo had a population of 491 in 1893. It had two newspapers, tile manufacturing, milling and other businesses. The Budget newspaper, estab- lished in 1889 by Ida and Mont Robinson, pub- lished 4 pages each Saturday for $1.00 per year.
The Sidney By Way reports that Will Thrash shot 1,322 sparrows in two and one half days. He killed 55 in one shot. A bounty of $26.00 was paid to him for his efforts in eradicating the pests.
Michael Lowry became postmaster in 1893. On February 10, after a sleet storm, Scott Fisher had 9 hogs slide down the slope of the Salt Fork River. Four lodged on the bank, but five went over into the Salt Fork and were drowned.
In 1895 Father McKinnery built the St. Thomas Church. The Philo Weekly Budget of October 17, 1896 reports that Frank Brewer is selling "All kinds of steaks, roast, and bologna, at 10 cents a pound or 3 pounds for 25 cents."
Time to rest on the farmn.
The Budget also says, "The misses Belle Wim- mer and Gertrude Lovingfoss had their buggy upset while coming home from the rally Monday eve. The horse was raised a Democrat, and when the young ladies shouted for McKinley he got mad and tilted over the vehicle."
The Philo Business Directory of 1898 included:
F.C. Hess & Bros. - General Merchandise Lyman E. Hazen - Lumber, Lime, etc.
Samuel Wingfield - Groceries, Provisions, etc. Wm. M. Parkman - Philo Exchange Bank R. Bauman - Wagon work and Blacksmithing Paris Robinson - Stoves, Hardware & Tinware
J.C. Mandeville, M.D. - Physician & Surgeon G.E. & R. Stewart - Grain, Feed, Meal, Bran, Coal & Oils of all kinds
F.C. Hess & Bros. - Drugs, Wallpaper, fancy goods, paints, glass, etc.
A.S. Trim - Wagon maker and general re- pairer in the line & various branches
E.B. Hazen - Grain, coal, flour, salt, also agricultural implements
Van Vleck & Son - Grain, coal, flour, salt, also agricultural implements
Otto Grothe - Dealer in boots and shoes; also repairing, and new made to order.
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Otto Grothe's Shop
Interior of Philo Exchange Bank in (or circa) 1911. Lyman E. Hazen in teller's window. Presbyterian minister. The Reverend Lewis F. Cooper, and son James as customers.
The Wabash Trunk Line had 4 east bound trains stopping in Philo daily (except Sunday) and 3 west bound trains. Four of these trains dropped mail and four carried passengers. "The Wabash offers very low rates for Sunday travel" (The Budget).
Meshech S. Brewer became postmaster in 1897 and remained until Charles Lowry took his place in 1914.
In 1898 Jess Wimmer went to serve in the Spanish-American War.
By the end of the nineteenth century "The United States had established itself as the indus- trial giant of the world" (Butterfield) and Philo was prospering, with the railroad to haul the far- mers' produce to market and many businesses supplying services to the farmers. Philo inhabi- tants would have been surprised indeed if they could have seen the technological improvements of the coming twentieth century.
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