The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 45

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron
Number of Pages: 884

USA > Illinois > Livingston County > The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 45

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On the formation of the township in 1861, it was detached from Nebraska Township, and includes all of Congressional Township 27 north, Range 3 east, and has since been a separate organization.

Scattering Point Creek is the only stream of water in the township. It rises near the center, flows northward through Nebraska, Rook's Creek and Amity townships to the Vermilion. Owing to the small supply of running water. the farmers devote their attention more to raising grain than any other branch of that business. In this they are quite successful, as their well cultivated farms will testify.

NEBRASKA TOWNSHIP.

The western part of Livingston County remained unsettled more than twenty years after the settlements along the Vermilion River. The land was in the grant given to the Illinois Central Railroad, which was completed and in operation to the Illinois River by 1854. After that date, land comprised in this grant came into market.

Mr. Isaac Sheets, a native of Ohio, and an early settler in Woodford County, came to the present limits of Nebraska Township in the Summer of 1855, and located on Section 35. Here he broke prairie. planted a crop and built a house. This was the first habitation in what is now Nebraska Township,

169

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

and for about a year Mr. Sheets and his family lived alone. Before his settle- ment, however, explorers and others had been over the land, and marked the rich prairies, with their gently undulating surfaces. as an inviting place for a future home. It was then just as nature had formed it, unbroken by the signs of civilized life, unmarked by the hand of the white man. The tall prairie grass waving before the wind afforded excellent hiding places for the wild prairie chicken, wild duck. sand hill cranes, or their enemy the wary prairie wolf. Here and there a large sloughi appeared, full of tall grasses and rank weeds, on which the crane or wild goose reared their offspring in sure security. Not a road broke the monotony of the scenery ; not a house or sign of white man could be seen ; and during the Summer of 1855, Mr. Sheets had an undisputed view over what is now Nebraska Township, and over a region now covered with prosperous, highly cultivated farms and tasteful residences.

The opening of the next season brought several settlers, many of whom had been over the country before and partially selected their claims. The land- each alternate section-belonged to the railroad. and from that corporation the majority purchased their lands.

The settlers of that season were, D. Graft, Adley Brock, Wm. Norris, H. Van Doren and Moses Hapwood. All of these brought families, and all entered lands. As soon as possible, each one erected a house and began improvements, and before long the life of the settlement was in full activity.

In the Summer of 1856, the settlement was constituted a voting precinct, and at the Fall election, which placed James Buchanan in the Presidential chair, the few voters assembled at the house of Mr. Van Doren and cast their votes. The precinct then included all of what is now Waldo Township, and remained in that form until after the division of the county into townships, in 1857, and until that township had enough voters in its limits to justify a town- ship organization.

The settlers enumerated are believed to be all who made a permanent resi- dence in Nebraska Township, in 1856. As yet no school or church was established, and what few there were, assembled in the houses of those nearest the center, and held divine services there.

The opening of the next season brought the families of Mr. John Hoover, Levi James, M. Q. Bullard, Mr. Doolittle, and a few others, to the little scat- tered settlement. These built homes, opened farms, and in some instances raised crops. The plows were the large breaking plow, with the huge mold-board, and required two or three yokes of oxen or teams of horses to pull them through the new, tough prairie sod. Sod corn was the common crop the first year, or where the settler was sufficiently prepared, a crop of wheat was grown. At that date, and even until after the commencement of the war, prices for farm products were exceedingly low, corn bringing often but 10 to 20 cents per bushel. Wheat brought but little more than double that price ; potatoes and other root crops did not pay for their cultivation, while fruit was not yet to be had.

470

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

The government lands in the townships had generally been bought up by speculators, who held them at higher figures and on closer terms than the first settlers were able to pay. The common price of the railroad lands at first ranged from $10 to $20 per acre, according to location. In this township, the settlers paid from $15 to $20 per acre. They were required to pay two years' interest at the rate of 6 per cent. in advance. This secured them the land, the remaining payments to be made each year, in small amounts, the railroad com- pany basing their calculations on the average cost of living and the average receipts for produce. The poor prices realized, however, did not cnable many of the settlers to meet the payments when due. They could not make, owing to the low prices for everything, near what they expected. The railroad con- pany did not want them to leave, as its prosperity depended on that of the people along its route, and reasoning that the prices of labor and its products were so low and no prospect for improvement, especially if the settlers were- obliged to leave, in many cases took the land for the improvements made, and then immediately resold it to the original settlers for $6 and $7 per acre, in cash. This second sale in many cases occurred just prior to the war, when a great amount of corn existed in the country, and from which the settlers after- ward derived large sums of money, enabling them to materially better their condition. Where a purchaser could not pay all in cash, he was allowed a reason- able time, and by such a policy, many a home was saved which in after years, with its associates, afforded immense revenues to the company.

The settlers of 1855-59 experienced about the same trials, required the same perseverance, and lived in the same manner. Each one went upon new, raw land, as it was termed, and each one was compelled to reduce it to a state of cultivation. Among those coming in 1857 may be justly mentioned : C. Bruce, E. F. John, Peter E. and Patrick Flanagan and S. Williams. In 1858, Stephen M. Pillsbury and his family came from Bureau County, where they had been residing for two years, and purchased the farm Mr. Pillsbury yet owns. His sons have all become prominent men, one of whom, N. J. Pillsbury, is now Judge of the Appellate Court. He has been a prominent lawyer for several years, and has held several offices of trust. One other son is now a merchant in the county seat, while the two others, one a lawyer and one a physician, reside in Iowa. Samuel Wilcox, another prominent citizen of this township, came- from Bureau County, which, indeed, furnished many settlers about that time.

When a school was established in the neighborhood, it very naturally took the name it now bears, " Bureau School." In the Fall of 1856, the first school in the township was established, a house built, and here J. A. Dakin, a Bureau County man, taught

" The young idea how to shoot "

for the space of three months. This school could supply the demand but a short time, owing to the rapid influx of settlers, and in 1858, four additional districts were created, and the Winter of 1858-59 saw five good schools in operation.

471

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

The next year, in Nebraska Township, was conducted the second teachers' insti- tute held in Livingston County. The first had been held at the county seat in 1859, but as Nebraska Township contained more teachers than any six miles square in the county, and more persons interested and working in the cause of education, prominent among whom were the Pillsbury family, it was decided that the next annual institute should he held there.

The five schools in operation in 1860 soon proved insufficient, and as the- population increased and occupied the township, other schools were established, until now there are nine in successful operation.

About 1859, German Lutherans came into the western side of the township and established an excellent private school near their present church, which they have always maintained, affording a course of higher education and instruc- tion in their own language. In this building they met for religious services until the completion of their church, opened in 1866. This school is well pat- ronized and has steadily kept to its purpose, holding open nearly nine months in the year. The Lutherans are quite in the majority here, and possess several fine farms. Like their neighbors in the adjoining townships, the German Men- nonites, they are a frugal, industrious class of people and adhere tenaciously to their individuality.

In addition to the German Lutheran, four other churches are maintained in the township, viz., the Baptist, Congregationalist, Methodist and Catholic. The first two are the oldest. The Baptist Church was organized early in the life of the township, and for several years held meetings, alternating with the Congregationalists, in the old Nebraska school house. In 1870 or 1871, they erected a church on the southeast corner of Section 7, which they yet occupy. The Congregationalist Church was organized about 1859 or 1860, and for some time services were held in the Nebraska school house. In 1875, they built their present house of worship on Section 11, and now have a prosperous con- gregation. The Union Methodist Church was organized about 1869, and, like the others, until it was able to build, used a school house in which to hold meet- ings. This they did until 1873, when they purchased a large school house. remodeled it, and moved it to its present location on Section 20. It is owned and controlled rather by a union than by any denomination, although the Methodists occupy it more than others, owing to their excess in numbers, and were among the principal movers in the undertaking. The Flannegan brothers, mentioned as among the early residents, were the principal supporters of the Catholic Church. It has been organized some time, and erected, in 1875, a very neat frame church on Section 36. The congregation is now prosperous. and supports regular services.

Two post offices are established in the township-one on Section 10, in a store kept by Seymour Thomas. At this place another store is also kept by Mr. Patten. The " corners" are generally known as Zookville, from Mr. B. Zook, who opened the first store here in 1872. About three years after, he

472

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

sold to the present owner. Another store was started in 1876, by John McCarty, who soon after sold to Mr. Patton, the present owner. A blacksmith shop always appears with every "corners," and Zookville was not long until

Week in, week out, from morn till night You could hear his bellows blow,

and from that time, we believe, the words of the poet have been verified.

The other post office referred to is on Section 19, at the "corners," where the Lutheran school house and church stand. As a wind-mill had been built here about the first of any building, the "corners" took the suggestive name of Windtown, which appellation, like many another Western name. clings tenaciously, and probably always will, to the embryo village. A store was built here in 1872, by Herman Schmidt, who sold in 1875, to John Linnemann. the present proprietor. The post office is kept in this store, and is very conven- ient to the surrounding neighborhood. This place, like Zookville and all small villages, has its blacksmith shop and sinewy blacksmith, who made his appearance with the start of Windtown, and since then you can

Hear him swing his heavy sledge, With measured beat and slow.

The Lutheran school, the common school of this district, the store, the blacksmith shop and a few dwellings comprise the "corners " at Windtown.

To supply the deficiency of water-mills in the township, and make the item of milling more convenient, about 1869 a wind-mill was built on the farm of Geo. Sauer. It remained in running order and was a "thing" of great con- venience to the residents of this locality, until its removal in 1872, to Gridley. McLean County. The latter town and Minonk, in Woodford County, are the principal trading points for the people of Nebraska Township, owing to the distance from Pontiac.

The township possesses some of the finest farming lands in the county, The surface is gently undulating, and the soil exceedingly productive, and is well adapted to the raising of corn, of which cereal immense crops are grown.

The eastern portion of the township is crossed by Scattering Point Creek a small tributary of Vermilion River, which rises about the center of Waldo Township, and is the only stream of water in either that or Nebraska Town- ships. Good water is easily obtained in wells at a depth of from twenty to thirty feet. Wind pumps are coming into general use, and furnish a never failing supply of clear, cold water.

The vote for township organization was cast Nov. 3, 1857. At this election 738 votes were cast in favor of such a division, and forty votes against it. This decided the matter, and John Darnall, Robert Thompson and Absalom Hallam were appointed commissioners to divide the county into townships. This was accomplished by the 1st of January after, and on the 25th of that month, the committee having invited the inhabitants of each of the divisions to meet and name their townships, which we find from the records they cheerfully did, on

SAUNEMIN TP. R.S. Holdridge

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

Feb. 13th made its report and was discharged. Owing to the sparse population in some parts of the county, the township organization then in some cases included what is now several townships. This was the case in Nebraska, which included, until about 1861, all of Waldo. At the first election in Nebraska, as well as in all other townships, a full set of officers were chosen, and from that time Congressional District Township 28 north, Range 3 east, has maintained an uninterrupted existence.

The farmers are in nearly all cases in good circumstances, owners of their lands and depend more on the culture of the cereals than the raising of stock, the absence of running water making this the more profitable mode of farming.

SULLIVAN TOWNSHIP.

This is one of the newly settled towns of Livingston County. Settlements were made in Belle Prairie, Indian Grove, Pontiac, Avoca, and other points along the Vermilion River, more than twenty years before the prairies and marshes of Sullivan Township were sought by the white man, or disturbed other than by the Indian and the wild beasts of the plains. These vast prairies, stretching away beyond the reach of human eye, presented to the early settler all the monotony with much of the dreariness of the African desert. And thus almost a generation had passed since the first settlements in the timber, before the most courageous ventured out on to the prairie.

Alexander Harbison pre-empted a quarter section of land here in 1855, the first claim made in the township. J. G. Chesebrough came with him to look at the land, and pre-empted a like tract, adjoining Harbison's. These gentlemen were from New York. Harbison first hauled a load of lumber to his claim, then brought his wife, and the first night slept under a shelter made of the lumber. The next night they improvised a kind of tent, and the next, which was the third night after he brought his wife to the place, they slept in their cabin, which was a small structure twelve feet square and one story high. This was the first permanent settlement in this township, and here Mr. Harbison remained for ten years, when he removed to Five-Mile Grove in Saunemin Township, and in January, 1866, removed to the village of Fairbury, where he still resides. Z. B. and J. G. Chesebrough settled in Sullivan in 1855, soon after Harbison: The Chesebroughs, as already stated, were from New York, and came West the year previous to their settlement in this town, but had stopped in Ohio, where they remained until they came here. Z. B. Chesebrough, the eldest, pre-empted land adjoining that of J. G. Chesebrough, and they built a house in partnership on the quarter section line, so as to have one-half of the house on each man's land, in order to hold the pre-emption right to bothi claims. The elder Chese- brough made this his permanent home, where he died in 1861. The other, a young man at the time, after some years married and removed into Saunemin Township. James Maddin came from Wheeling, Va., and settled first in Lacon,

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

then called Columbia, Marshall County, in 1834. Peoria was then called Fort Clark, and five miles above was a place called " Little Detroit." He remained there until 1852, when he came to Sullivan and settled in the southeast part of the town, where he still lives. He is in that portion which, as a Congressional township, would be in Charlotte, but owing to the Vermilion River, which runs through the latter, a part of it is attached to Sullivan, as a political and school town. R. F. Griffing came from Peoria to Sullivan in 1858, where he settled and where he still lives, one of the prominent citizens of the town.

Rev. Felix Thornton came from Tennessee, near the old home of General Jackson. Although he came from the "Land of Dixie," he was a most invet- erate Republican. When the war of the rebellion came on, he sent his two sons and his son-in-law into the Union Army, and told them that if more soldiers were needed, that "he and the old 'oman would come next." He removed from his native place, in Tennessee, to Virginia, and from the Old Dominion came to Illinois and settled in Sullivan Township, in 1856. He pre- empted his land the year before, and after settling, remained on it but about eighteen months, when he sold out and removed to Five-Mile Grove, in Sau- nemin Township. Being of a migratory, or roving disposition, he finally sold out there and removed to Iowa, where he still lives. He was bought out, in Sullivan Township, in 1858, by R. F. Griffing, who came here from Peoria, as already noticed. Oscar Adams came to Sullivan with Rev. Mr. Thornton. He was his son-in-law, and pre-empted a claim and built a house on it, but did not live long to enjoy it. He enlisted in the One Hundred and Twenty- ninth Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and died at Crab Orchard, Kentucky.

This includes the settlements made up to the period when people began to settle on what was termed the " Swamp Lands." From 1858 to 1860, the fol- lowing new comers entered land in the Swamp District, as the surrounding section was called, and which comprised much of as fine land as any portion of the county : David Longmire, Joseph Royle, Jacob Lighty. Abraham Harsh- barger, Samuel Graybill, Joseph Small, Daniel Rowan, Hunter Randall, Fred- erick Hack, Lawrence Haag, John Heckelman, Samuel Harshbarger, George Rosenbower, James Sage and David Taylor. These settlers came in and entered lands and proceeded to make improvements, and the township settled rapidly from this time forward. Abraham Gibson came from Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1859. He lived for a time in Pontiac, until he got his buildings completed. when he settled permanently in this township.

The names already given and the settlements described were the first, as before stated, and after the date to which these extend, there came such an influx of immigrants that dates become confused, and their settlements too modern to entitle them to mention on the score of antiquity, and we pass with- out further mention of them to other incidents connected with the township's history.

477

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

Sullivan, being a newly settled township, has no church buildings within its geographical limits ; but it is not to be inferred that the people are heathen or infidels. They are neither, but a moral and religious community, who support the Gospel as liberally as do those who worship in gilded temples. They use their school buildings for houses of worship as well as for temples of learning ; and before they possessed these convenient edifices, the settler's cabin was improvised into a sanctuary of worship. Rev. Felix Thornton, mentioned as an early settler, preached the first sermon in the township, soon after his settle- ment. He was a Methodist minister, and preached his first sermon in Sulli- van Township in Mr. Harbison's cabin. Harbison, in the meantime, had built an addition to his original edifice, and had now what was considered in those days quite a commodious residence. The first school was likewise taught in Harbison's house, about the years 1857-8, by Miss Eliza Rowan. Mr. Harbison was the first School Treasurer of the township, and was elected the same year this school was taught. S. B. Chesebrough, Jacob Lighty and Samuel Graybill were the first Directors ; and Joseph Royle, David Longmire and David Taylor were the first Board of School Trustees for the township. For some time after the first organization of schools, those of Sullivan and Saunemin were together ; but about 1858-9, they were separated, and each town conducted its own schools ac- cording to its own notions of educational advancement. The school fund was small, and after the division of the two townships, Sullivan had but two school districts, in each of which a school was supported for the usual period each year. Harbison says that, at this early date, the funds in his hands belonging to the township were not large enough for his per cent. on them to pay his taxes, which usually amounted to about six or eight dollars. From the last annual report of the School Treasurer, to the County Superintendent of Schools, we extract the following information :

Number of males in township under 21 years. 286

Number of females in township under 21 years ..

235

Total.

521

Number of males in township between 6 and 21 years. 164

151

Number of females in township between 6 and 21 years. Total

315

Number of males in township attending school. 106

109

Number of females in township attending school. Total.

215

Number of male teachers employed.

Number of female teachers employed. Total.

Amount paid male teachers $865 76

Amount paid female teachers.

1,538 99

Total. .$2,404 75

Estimated value of school property. .$5,434 00

Amount of tax levy for support of schools.

1,927 00

Principal of township fund.

7,852 29

School districts.

Schools in township.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

There are at present nine districts in the township, in all of which are good, substantial school houses. Schools are maintained in each district for the usual period. good, competent teachers are employed, and the schools are of a charac- ter of which the people of the township may well be proud.

The first marriage in Sullivan Township was that of Dr. Perry, of Pontiac, and Miss Emily Gibson, and took place in 1858. The solemnization rite was performed by Rev. Felix Thornton, before alluded to as the first minister in the township. The first child born was Willie L. Chesebrough, who was born on the 25th day of November, 1856. The first death that occurred in the town- ship was Mrs. Abraham Harshbarger, who died in 1859. Several other deaths followed soon after that of Mrs. Harshbarger, but she is generally supposed to have been the first that died in what now comprises Sullivan Township.

The first blacksmith was Anson Ackley, who opened a shop at his place in 1870. and did blacksmithing for the whole neighborhood.

A post office was established in the same year, and also a store, both of which were the first of their kind in the township. The store was kept by Edward Ward, who was likewise Postmaster. The post office is called Sullivan Center. after the hamlet in which it is located, that is of the same name. The little village at present contains two stores, kept by Abel M. Morrill and Edwin B. Morrill, cousins ; one blacksmith shop, kept by Frank Carry ; one wagon shop, by J. J. Brown, and a shoe shop, by M. Davis : and had one physician- Z. L. Kay. The place has never been incorporated. nor has it yet risen to the dignity of a village.

The cemetery is a pretty little burying ground, and was laid out by Nelson Buck in 1863, and is kept in good order. Mrs. Griffing, wife of R. F. Griffing, was the first person buried in it. She was taken up from the farm where she had been originally interred, and removed to this new burying place, when it was found that it was all that four stout men could do to carry the coffin, a fact that gave rise to the supposition that the remains had become petrified. Her husband and friends, however, would not consent to have the coffin opened and examined.

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The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 45

Author: Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron Number of Pages: 884

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron
Number of Pages: 884