USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. I > Part 70
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On December 19, 1879, a Baptist society was organized in the
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Pin Oak schoolhouse consisting of six members. By motion, this society adopted the name of Mount Zion and organized a Sunday school. On July 23, 1880, the society was recognized by the Payson, Barry, Newtown, Kingston, New Canton and Richfield Baptist organ- izations and thereby became recognized as a church. In the fall of 1887 a church was built and dedicated on December Isth of the same year, taking the name of the society, which was now Mt. Zion Baptist Church. The sermon for this occasion was given by the Rev. F. P. Donglas, assisted by the Reverend First, of Barry. The fol- lowing are the pastors who have served the Mt. Zion Baptist Church with years of service: 1880, Jacob Cornelius: 1881, William Green : during August, 1882, a series of meetings by the Rev. J. W. Thomp- son, an evangelist from lowa: 1883, Reverend Goodwin: 1886. Rev. Frank Donglas and Rev. S. A. Douglas: 1888, Rev. Frank Douglas : 1889, Reverend Kennedy: 1892, William Hawker: 1893, Rev. Joe Douglas: 1896, Rev. W. D. Hawker (closed pastorate in 1901) : 1902. Reverend Andwick: 1903, Reverend John: 1906, Reverend Boyce : 1907. Reverend Bowerman: 1908. Rev. Horace Wheeler : 1910. Rev. James MeKeehan : 1911. Rev. Gilbert Claxton (pastorate from April. 1911. to June 3. 1917.)
HONEY CREEK TOWNSHIP By W. S. Gray
The Town of Honey Creek comprises congressional township No. 1 north of the base line and 7 west of the fourth principal meridian. It is one of the centrally located townships of Adams County and is bounded on the north by Keene Township, on the east by Camp Point, on the south by Gilmer, and on the west by Mendon. It con- sisted originally of abont three-fifths timber and two-fifths prairie land. Excepting a small area in the southeast portion of the town- ship. its entire watershed is drained by Bear Creek, the principal branches of which are Honey and Brush creeks. The township is well adapted to farming and stock raising. Although timber was an important factor to the carly settlers, much of the timber land has been cleared for farming and at the present time not more than one- fourth of the township is timber land. There is an abundance of limestone in the township, excellent for both building purposes and roadmaking, and also an inexhaustible supply of brick clay, but little of which has been utilized for brick making. The early settlers gave much attention to fruit culture and large and beautiful orchards of apple, peach, pear, and other fruit-bearing trees were to be. found near their homes. On account of the advent of inseet enemies these early orchards, which have nearly all passed away, are not being replaced by present owners as generously as was done by early set- tlers. This fact is much to be regretted as there is no more beauti- ful sight than a well kept orchard, a proof of which is "Sunnyside Fruit Farm""' just north and east of Coatsburg, owned and cared for
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by J. R. Lambert. The township derived its name from one of the creeks that drains a large portion of the western half of the township. This creek was ealled Honey Creek because the early settlers found bee trees along its banks, and often these trees when cut down were found to contain a bountiful supply of honey.
The writer has no positive information as to when, where, and by whom the first settlement was made in the township or who was the first child born in the township. The Adams County History published in 1879 by Murray, Williamson and Phelps states that the first settlement was made at Walnut Point, but does not give the date or name of settler. This is the quarter section lying east of Coatsburg, now owned by George H. Gray, being the northeast quarter of section 36. Dr. W. E. Gilliland, an early settler of Mendon Township, and who lived in Honey Creek from 1870 until 1912, the date of his death, makes the following statement in regard to the early settlement of Honey Creek in the history prepared by him for "Past and Present History of Adams County," published in 1905 and edited by the Hon. William H. Collins and Mr. Cicero F. Perry: "The first habitation of which we have any knowledge was built by a squatter named Haven on section 21, prior to 1830." Whether the first settlement was made on section 21 or 36, or possibly some other seetion, it seems from the best information obtainable that the first settlement was made either in 1829 or 1830.
Among the earliest settlers was Enos Thompson, who settled in the southwest part of the township about 1830. He was the father of a large family of sons and daughters and the settlement by this family in the southwest part of Honey Creek and the southeast part of Mendon was known for miles around as "the Thompson settle- ment." Enos Thompson was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, quite a revivalist, and generally known throughout Western Illinois. Martin Stewart, who was also an early settler of Honey Creek, married one of Enos Thompson's daughters. W. H. Thomp- son, who was postmaster in Coatsburg for many years, is a relative of Enos Thompson.
Benjamin Baldwin settled on seetion 18 in 1833, coming to Illi- nois from North Guilford, Connecticut. His grandson, George H. Baldwin, later became the owner of the land settled by his grand- father and in addition aequired other large and valuable tracts of land in Honey Creek and Mendon townships. He has since retired from the farm and is now living in Mendon.
Thomas. James. John. Richard and William White, brothers, came to Adams County from Alabama in 1833 and settled in the central part of Honey Creek in 1834. Their parents came also a little later and lived in the township near their children.
Thomas White became an extensive farmer, and he and his wife Naney were the parents of a large family of children, as follows: .John A., Calvin. James M .. William, Thomas C., Sarah A., Jane, HIngh L., and Theodore. Thomas C. and Hugh L. served their eoun-
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try in the Civil war. Hugh la died while in the service Theodore died in early manhood. John A. married Lizzie White and took an active part in the civic affairs of the county and township. He was also a successful farmer. Joel White of Missouri, Calvin H. of Men- don and John A, of Quiney are surviving sons. Fred L. White of Coatsburg is a grandson. Calvin married a daughter of John Byler and was a snecessful farmer. R. C. White of Camp Point is a son. James M. married Margaret E. Guymon and he lived the life of an active farmer, having a rather stern and positive manner but being always considerate of the opinion of others. He was a member of the Baptist Church and in polities an uncompromising republican. llo and his wife were the parents of the following children: Elnora, Laura II .. William 1., Nannie, James, Alvin, and Mary. Mrs. White died while the younger children were quite small, but Mr. White lived to the ripe oll age of ninety-two years. Of their children Elmora married Geo, Lovejoy but died soon afterward, leaving one son. Laura married William F. Sivertson and to them were born two sons, Leon F. and William. Of this family William now re- mains. William L. White when a young man went to California, is a prosperous business man in Oakland and the father of a fine fam- ily of children. Nannie is a graduate of Knox College at Galesburg, taught school for a few years, and was an employee of the govern- ment in the Treasury Department in Washington for many years. Later she returned to her old home to care for her father in his de- clining years. She now lives at Paloma, acting as cashier at the hank part of the time. Alvin now lives at Peoria, and has had three sons in the military service during the late war, one of them being a graduate of West Point. Mary L. married D. C. Hair. Hle fol- lows the life of a railroad conductor and they live in Mississippi. They have three sons. William White died in early life. Thomas C. married Hannah Hayworth and to them were born a family of six children, two boys and four girls. Thomas served his country in the Civil war and lived on a farm in Honey Creek until advancing age made it necessary for him to retire. He later moved to Wheeling. Missouri, where he and his wife both died and where his son Hugh now lives. Rose Johnson of Paloma is a daughter. Sarah A. marrried Alvin Murrah to whom were born two daughters. Elida and Adella. After the death of Mr. Murrah she was married to John Grigsby, to whom were born three children, Viola, Grace, and JJohn L. Viola died in infancy. Grace lives in San Jose, California, and John L. adjoining the Village of Coatsburg. Jane White married Mr. Crouch and the family moved to Hancock County, near Hamilton, where the children now reside. We have spoken at length of the family of Thos. White and the writer would like to speak at least as exten- sively of all the early settlers but the limitations of these remi- niscences will not permit.
John or "Jackie" White lived to a ripe old age in the township. following the life of a farmer and also operating a sawmill and grist-
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mill on Honey Creek for many years. He kept the county poor farm located on section 16, from 1854 to 1857. Sam White of Loraine and Thomas Z. of Honey Creek are surviving sons.
Richard White never married, was a large landowner in this and Keene Township, and served as supervisor two terms.
James White taught school in the early days of the township and also followed farming.
Two of William's sons, Harrison and James K. P., served their country in the Civil war. Mrs. Fred L. White is a granddaughter.
About the time the White family came also came Jahez Lovejoy, John Byler. Jonathan White. John Black, John Johnson, and others unknown to the writer. In 1836 eame Isaae and Sarah Gray and their family of seven children, Richard, Lavinia, Caroline, Maria, Isaae, Wallace, and George, who settled on the farm just east of Coatsburg. In 1837 also came John Murrah and family, Daniel Gooding and family. Other early settlers were E. Edmonson, Isaac N. Pevehouse, John Camenerrer, John Potter, Joseph Pollock, John Flaek, Henry Booth, Joseph Baker, Jaek Lytle, Bart Asher, C. F. Sivertsen, Ephraim and Elam Frost. James Bailey, John and Benja- min Clair, Daniel Crow, L. A. Weed, Charles Fletcher, Dr. Joel Darrah, A. C. Taleott, William and Perry Tout, Hiram Shrader, William Evertson, James Griffith, Calvin Brink, Isaae Long, James Eckles, John Derriek, Jonathan White, Jr., Eden White, Z. Morton, Nathaniel Henderson, Thomas Asher. William and A. W. Howell, William and Warren Fletcher, Dr. Joseph Fletcher, Doetor Dunham, A. H. Leaeh, Alexander McGuire, Caleb Aaron, Horaee and Chas. Thayer, the Shireys, C. M. Gibbs, C. C. Miller, Peter Horn, Peter George, Calvin Marsh, Thos. Emery, James Barry, Elias Frost, Wm. Hastings, J. B. Frisbie. Sr., Edward Taylor and Cornelius Davis. Jabez Lovejoy and John Byler were near neighbors and among the most useful and influential of the early settlers.
Richard Gray lived in the township until his death in 1909 at the age of nearly ninety-four years. His daughter Maria IIenderson and two of his sons, W. S. and George II .. have lived continuously in Honey Creek Township. Wallaee Gray lived for many years in Gilmer Township but in 1871 moved to Iroquois County where he prospered as a farmer. Isaae early moved to Minnesota and later to Oregon. Lavinia married Stephen Booth and they lived in Gilmer Township till their death. Caroline married a Mr. Lynch and they moved to Towa. Maria married a Mr. Elliott to whom was born one daughter Susan. Mrs. Elliott died soon afterward and was buried in Colum- bus. Isaac and Sarah Gray eame to the United States from the Isle of Wight, England, about 1830, settling first in Union County, indi- 'ana, and thence eame to Illinois. The youngest son, George, was born in Indiana in 1833 and now lives at Hydesville, California, at the age of eighty-five. The children of Richard Gray of his first marriage were Maria M. and Albert H. and of his second marriage Zachary T., Richard M., William S. and George H. Richard M. now
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lives at Philadelphia, Missouri, Zachary T. in Gray County, Kausas. W. S. and Geo. Il. adjoining the Village of Coatsburg. R. M. was elected sheriff of Adams County in 1880 and served two years. Al- bert Il. died March 20, 1916.
The early settlers endured the hardships of pioneer life comnon to all settlers in a new and unsettled territory. They built log cab- ins at first, often of a very erude sort. Not having glass for windows they used greased paper to let in the light. They had to go many miles to mill and to market. It is now ninety years since the advent of the first settler into the township, and the transformation from a wilderness to that of an enlightened community with all the mod- ern improvements of the present day makes the change most wonder- ful indeed. The wolf, fox, wild eat, deer and wild turkeys were com- mon in the days of the early settlement of the township. The old log eabins have given place gradually to the frame and brick dwellings of modern structure. The housewife instead of baking Johnny-cake on the hearth, before the open fireplace, or the corn pone in an iron- covered vessel heated with coals, bakes her snow-white loaf in a mod- ern stove or range.
In addition to agriculture and stock-raising the industries of the township have consisted largely of the sawmill. the gristmill and the flouringmill. Numerous sawmills at different times and places have been used to convert the forest trees into valuable lumber of oak and walnut, a source of great help to early pioneers. The grist and sawmill of Jacky White has already been mentioned. Charles Fletcher also condneted a grist and sawmill on Bear Creek, and later in 1848 built the first steam flouringmill and sawmill in the county outside of Quiney. He moved his flouringmill to Coatsburg in 1869; this unfortunately was destroyed two years later. The mill was rebuilt by Aaron and MeGuire and later owned and operated by I. N. Pevehouse. John Grigsby and C. M. Gibbs. The mill was later purchased by J. N. Shanhaltzer, but like almost all the flouringmills of small capacity it has beeome unprofitable to operate and is now idle. In the early settlement of the township, when timber was plenti- ful and choice, many barrels of various kinds were made and hauled to Quincy.
In 1879 Joseph Frese and son Louis, founded the Forest Oak Nursery at Coatsburg and for twenty-five years built up and carried on one of the best nurseries in Western Illinois. They both have since retired and the nursery has been discontinued.
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, built in 1856. passes through the township, entering from the east on section 36. passing through seetions 36 and 35 and leaving the township at the southwest corner of section 34.
The township has two thriving villages, Coatsburg and Paloma, both doing a good local and shipping business. Coatsburg was laid out in 1855 and named in honor of R. P. Coats, who owned the land at the time. Until the loss by fire recently of one of the general stores.
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Coatsburg has usually had three general stores. Among both earlier and later merchants may be mentioned Fred Haxel. Benjamin White, Gillis, Edward Gilpin, George Phirman, Woodroe Douglas, Martin Mayer, A. Whiprecht, Fred Frike. J. A. Brosi & Son, T. E. Frike. J. B. Wolfe. Among those who have served in the capacity of postmaster may be mentioned H. E. Hawkins, Woodroe Douglas, George Lovejoy, W. H. Thompson. Geo. Phirman, W. H. Hender- son, C. A. Murrah, Mrs. Mary N Henderson, J. R. Lambert, and Mrs. Nellie Lambert. The town was incorporated about 1870. Among those who have served the village as presidents of the Board may be mentioned A. H. Leach, Dr. W. E. Gilliland, J. R. Lambert, W. F. Bartlett and J. B. Wolfe. The following are the present members of the Town Board : President, J. B. Wolfe ; trustees, J. R. Lambert, C. D. Cantrell, Joseph Taylor, Elijah Kendall, Mrs. C. I. Tripp. and Mrs. Ida Kendall.
In 1875 Coatsburg became the competitor of the City of Quincy for the county seat. At the election held November 9th in that year the contest was decided in favor of Quincy. Perhaps no town of its size in the state ships more live stock and grain. Coatsburg also prides itself on its excellent school spirit and many tuition pupils attend the school yearly. Coatsburg has at times one or more restau- rants, blacksmith shops, repair shops, hotel. and barber shop. One rural free delivery mail route goes out from Coatsburg. It also has a bank and grain elevator, both of which are doing a satisfactory business, as well as serving the community in a very helpful way. It also has a printing office which publishes a weekly paper, The Com- munity Enterprise, and does a general jobbing business. R. C. Stokes and wife are publishers and editors. Coatsburg has three active churches, the Methodist Episcopal, the Christian and the Lutheran. One church society, the Baptist, has discontinued services. The population at this time numbers 200.
Paloma was laid out by Daniel Gooding in 1862. That portion of the village south of the railroad was originally called Maryville. It has two good stores, a blacksmith shop and garage combined, a lum- ber yard, a bank, and a grain elevator. It does a good business as a shipping point. It has but one church at this time, the Methodist Episcopal Church, which supports a pastor. Among those who have served Paloma and vicinity as storekeepers are A. Tonzalin. Mr. Bray, Joshua Battorff. Joseph Ogle. Reverend Dinsmore, D. C. Wear & Son, W. H. Johns, Wilkey & Lawless, and Grossman & Son. The following named persons served the community as postmasters: Joseph Ogle, Reverend Dinsmore, Charles Thompson, D. C. Wear, and Louis Frost. The population of the village at this time is 100.
In the early history of the county people voted by settlements rather than by townships. In 1839 the county was divided into vot- ing precincts. By this division people living on sections 1 to 24, in- clusive, of Honey Creek Township, united with the people of Keene Township with the voting place at Woodville, while the people living
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on sections 25 to 36, inclusive, went to Columbus to vote. But in 1849 the county adopted township organization and in 1550 Honey Creek became a separate voting precinct with the voting place at Center Schoolhouse. John A. White, John Johnson, and L. 1. Weed were appointed the first judges of election for Honey Creek. Jabez Lovejoy was elected first supervisor of the township and also the first justice of the peace. John Byler was the first grand juryman and L. A. Weed the first petit juryman. In 1917 Honey Creek was divided into two voting precincts, No. 1 to be at Coatsburg and to comprise the east one-third of the township and also section 34. The remainder of the township comprises precinct No. 2 and the voting place is Center Schoolhouse.
The county-seat contest between Quincy and Columbus in 1841 resulted in a temporary division of the county, that portion of the county lying east of the cast line of Honey Creek was called Mar- quette County. The contest lasted for several years and in 1847 the east one-third of Keene, Honey Creek, and Gilmer townships was added to Marquette and the new county named Highland County. But this arrangement was soon rejected by the people and the Legisla- ture restored Adams County to its original size.
It is not generally known by the present inhabitants of the town- ship that the County Poor Farm was at one time in Honey Creek. In 1847 the County Poor Farm was located on section 16 of Honey Creek Township. Benjamin Grigsby was the first Poor Farm over- seer. He kept the farm until his death in 1850. when his wife, Irene Grigsby, took charge and was overseer till 1854. John or Jackie White then kept the farm for three years, or until 1857. when it was located in Gilmer Township, its present site. Benjamin and Irene Grigsby referred to above were the parents of the late John Grigsby and the grandparents of John L. Grigsby. At the time of its removal from Honey Creek to Gilmer there were sixteen inmates of the Poor Farm.
Even a brief historieal sketch of the settlers of the township would not be complete were the families of Irish and German descent omitted. Among those of Irish deseent may be mentioned the Tay- lors, Daniel Howe, the Wards, the Mealiffs, the Hunters, the Gunns. the Egans, the Hewitts, the Kells, and the Hustons. Among those of German descent are Fred Haxel, Anton Hammer. Mr. Heiden- reich. the Naderhoffs, the Renschels, the Guenthers. the Phirmans, the Dierkses, the Reukens, the Rhoes, the Simons, the Sprengers, the . Tenvordes, the Kuhlmans, the Hyers, the Tiekens, the Peters, the Dittmers, the Whiprechts, the Brosis, the Weisenburgers, the Hens- bachs, the Hildebrands. the Herzogs, the Obenlanders. George Schnauss, and many others whose names the writer does not How reeall.
The oldest living resident of the township is Mrs. Heipke Dirks, who was born November 20. 1832, and has lived here about sixty- five years. The oldest native resident of the township is Mrs. Mary Vol. 1-43
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M. Henderson, born August 26, 1841. Mrs. C. M. Gibbs is a close second, having been born March 2, 1842.
The writer closes this brief sketch of the early history of the town- ship and the families of those who were among its early settlers conscious of the fact that the names of many unknown to the writer have been omitted, and that other interesting facts, unknown or not recalled, which merit a place in even a brief history of the township, will be wanting.
There were no early built churches in Honey Creek Township, but religious services were held at the homes of the early settlers and in the schoolhouses. Perhaps the first church building in the town- ship was built by the Free-Will Baptist Society. It was a small frame building about one mile northwest of Paloma on the land now owned by Benton Shupe. Later the society built a church building in Paloma, but the society has had no services for several years and its membership has largely united with the Methodist Episcopal Church Society at Paloma. This church building has been moved and the site is now occupied by the home of Silas Morton.
The United Brethren denomination has had two societies in Honey Creek, one at Coatsburg and one in the western part of the township. The latter church society was founded by the Rev. Amos Rigney and the building was named Rigney Chapel in his honor. Services have long since been discontinued here. The Coatsburg society was active from 1879 to 1893. The first church building in Coatsburg was built by the Primitive Baptist Society in 1872. Among those who were identified with this church were John Byler and son Absalom, Cornelius Davis, James M. White, R. C. White, Joseph Pollock, Mrs. Allie Johnson, Mrs. Edna Battorff, William Howell, and Cumberland Samuels. The society has held no regular services for several years.
Of the present active churches in the township the oldest is the Methodist Episcopal Church at Paloma. The society was organized in 1858 when the Rev. Peter Cartwright dedicated the first church building of Paloma. This building had been erected by Elias Frost, an early settler and zealous Methodist, and given to the Methodist Society as a memorial to his deceased daughter, Mary. An earlier organized Methodist Society had been formed in 1854 at Richland Schoolhouse in Gilmer Township and a large portion of this society transferred its membership to the Paloma society when it was or- ganized. In 1866 the class at Richland was discontinued and the re- maining members united with Paloma. Among those who were early identified with both these societies were Wallace Gray, Stephen and William Booth, A. J. Lanning (who served for many years as local preacher), Jacob and F. E. Ogle, Jacob Murphy, James and George Davis, Caleb Antrim, and John and Richard Jeffry. The Paloma church was originally one of the charges of the old Columbus circuit. Later the circuit was changed to Paloma circuit and in 1910 Paloma became a station and supports a pastor alone. The present church
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building was built and dedicated in 1900 during the pastorate of the Rev. A. V. Babbs and dedicated by the Rev. W. T. Beadles, present chaplain of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home in Quincy. The church has a membership of abont 100 active members, supports an active Sunday school, an Epworth League, a Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, all of which are progressive in all that pertains to the church's mission. Among the many pastors of the Paloma church have been: W. MeK. Gooding, R. Hannold. J. W. Shncock, S. G. Ferree. Samson, Sturm, R. Gregg. A. M. Danely, J. F. Wohlfarth. C. F. MeKawn, A. A. White, J. L. B. Ellis, A. V. Babbs, Fred Reed, McConnell, E. C. Sanders, and Otis Monson.
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