The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 50

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 50

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

in repair and was large enough to accommodate the growing youthful popula- tion. When more room was demanded, a comfortable brick house was erected in this part of the township, which, for a while, was large enough to accommo- date all who desired to attend from this part of the township. After the organ- ization of the township it was assigned to District No. 6, where it still fulfills its mission. It is the only brick school house in the township.

The township organization went into effect in the Spring of 1858. From the time of the building of the railroad until this date, the township had filled very rapidly with settlers, and at the Spring election, held on April 6th, the highest number of votes cast for any one candidate was 61 (for S. P. Coldren as Assessor), which showed a population of about three hundred and fifty persons. At this election, Eli Myer was elected Supervisor, receiving 40 votes ; W. C. Babcock, Clerk, 45 votes ; S. P. Coldren, Assessor, 61 votes : William Perry, Collector, 40 votes ; T. P. Virgin, S. T. Turner and S. L. Payne, Com- missioners of Highways, the first receiving 56 votes, the second 60 and the third 59: J. A. Wright and O. P. Craycraft, Constables, receiving 51 and 33 votes respectively ; and E. B. Persons, Justice of the Peace, 54 votes. As it may

1 be of some interest to the readers of these pages, we append the names of the Supervisors and Clerks from that year until now, giving, where the records show it, the number of votes cast for each :

1859-Supervisor. Otis Richardson, 37 votes; Clerk. W. C. Babcock, 68 votes. 1860-Supervisor, Otis Richardson. 39 votes : Clerk, W. C. Babcock 75 votes. 1861-Supervisor, E. B. Persons, 32 votes ; Clerk, Eli Mye1, 52 votes. 1862-Supervisor, William Manlove : Clerk, Eli Myer. 1863-Super- visor, William Manlove : Clerk. Eli Myer. 1864-Supervisor, Francis Umphenour ; Clerk, Eli Myer. These two continued in office till 1867. 1867-Supervisor, Francis Umphenour: Clerk, Geo. S. Babbitt. 1868-69- Supervisor, Geo. A. Sutton ; Clerk, D. J. Handly. 1870-71-Supervisor, E. A. Sweet ; Clerk, D. J. Handley. 1872-73-Supervisor, E. A. Sweet ; Clerk, Josiah Herr. 1874-Supervisor, D. J. Taylor ; Clerk, G. J. Graves. The last two named have held these offices continuously since, and still retain them. The other township officers were : Assessor, J. N. Guthrie; Collector, E. B. Myer ; Road Commissioner, B. F. Myer : Justices of the Peace, Osborn Ashley and W. H. Wagner.

During all these intervening years, the growth of the township had been decidedly onward, and when the organization was effected active measures were at once inaugurated to lay out and improve the roads on the section lines. Previously, they had gone stragglingly across the prairies in any and all direc- tions, only diverging from any due course on account of the numerous sloughs in the central portions. Here the land remained idle until about 1865. when it was sold to more adventurous farmers as swamp lands. who now own prosper- ous farms. The schools partook of the change in common with the growth of he township. From a report made by Eli Myer in October, 1858. we learn

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

there were for the year ending October 1, 1857. two schools in the township. One had been taught ten months by a male teacher, and one three months by a female teacher. The male teacher received $33.33} per month, the female teacher, $25.00. The amount of the principal of the township fund was $3,418.13; the amount of interest, $341.81. and the amount of common school fund received by the Township Treasurer, $273.88. The amount paid for teachers' wages was $308.33, and for building and repairing school houses, $531.09. He states that there are 92 children attending school-48 boys and 44 girls ; and for the next year reports 265 persons under 21 years of age. For 1858, he does not report an increase in schools or teachers ; but after that year, owing to the organization of the township and the more effective measures adopted, a marked increase in the schools appears. until the present number -nine-was reached.

The growth of the township carried with it a steady improvement in the dwell- ings of the people. Now many fine residences are seen, and many evidences of culture and ease appear. From the 12x12 or 16x16 cabins of the early pioneers, which in some cases, like those of Judge Myer and 'Squire Payne, who each had large families, and often were compelled to accommodate as many more travelers-for hotels were few then and far between-have grown the fine, capa- cious farm house, with its large, airy rooms, and cool, shaded yard. Instead of hauling salt, sugar or other necessaries from Ottawa, Chicago or Danville, or rafting their lumber across the streams, they now enjoy the home market, the neighborhood post office and good bridges. There was no starv- ation, however, or lack of generosity in these old-time days, for they tell us when their supply of corn meal gave out. they went to their neighbors just beyond Pontiac, eight miles away, from whom they could borrow meal for breakfast.

In the early days of the township, the Democrats claimed the greatest num- ber of adherents ; since then the tide has gradually turned, and the Republicans are in the ascendency.

During the war the township furnished a goodly number of soldiers, who gal- lantly did their duty wherever called.

At the close of the war, the village of Ocoya again comes into notice. Roadnight, who had, as has previously been stated, purchased 40 acres and made a switch, built a small warehouse and depot, and leased them to D. S. Shireman and E. M. Babbitt, who continued the grain business with varying results, for several years. The village was all this time in its primitive con- dition, and making no progress. Indeed, it could not yet properly be called a village, for no plat had been surveyed. nor had any move been made toward laying out a town.

In 1869, Duff & Cowan purchased the land, and surveyed and platted the ground, giving it the old name. "Ocoya." They failed in business shortly after, however, and no plat of the town was ever recorded.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

John A. Bogie. of Paris, Bourbon County, Ky., an extensive owner of land adjoining the town, laid off " Bogie's first addition to Ocoya," April 30, 1870. The record of this plat is the only recorded instrument relating to the town of Ocoya.

On the failure of Duff & Cowan, Reuben Macy purchased the 40 acres originally intended for a town site, and in 1871 built an elevator. He was- associated with C. N. Coe, of Cayuga, a short time, but, purchasing his interest. for several years managed a store, of which he became the owner. He removed here in September, 1867, and at once took an active part in the growth of the town. Finding his business too much for one person, he associated his- son-in-law, John McCalla, with himself, who came to Ocoya in 1870, and at once took the store. He remained here until 1877, when he sold to the present owner, E. M. Reily, who is also Postmaster, and came to Pontiac. Macy con- tinued actively engaged in mercantile pursuits until a few years ago, when he traded his interest for 80 acres of land adjoining the village, which he now farms.

The school is still conducted in the district school house, a little south of town. In this building the first religious services in this part of the township were held. In 1865, E. A. Sweet established a Sunday school, of which he was the Superintendent twelve years. It was quite prosperous in its time, and continued to meet in the school house until the completion of the Baptist Church in the village, when it was taken there. Its average attendance has always been nearly one hundred, and it has had a marked influence for good on the community.

The Baptists were the first to attempt a religious organization in this settle- ment. It organized in the Sunday school referred to, and from that beginning arose the present church. One of its best friends and supporters was Judge Myer, who at his death willed to it $600, to be used in the erection of a suita- ble house of worship. Two lots were donated by Duff & Cowan, on which the church was to be erected ; and after the Judge's death, friends of the church went actively to work to raise the balance necessary to complete the building. As it was erected when material and labor of all kinds were high, it cost nearly $2,000, probably much more than such a building would cost now. It is a neat frame structure, and was completed in the Autumn of 1872, and has been reg- ularly occupied since. The dedication services were held on Sunday, Novem- ber 17, conducted by Elder Goss, at which time a very appropriate hymn. com- posed by Reuben Macy for the occasion, was sung.

This congregation is the only one in the township ; people in the eastern and southern parts going to McDowell or Chenoa, or meeting at- irregular intervals in different school houses.

But little remains to be said of Eppard's Point. In the biographical part of this work the personal history of many of its settlers is given, and in the statistical portion its yield of the cereals will be found. The people are indus-

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

trious, and need only to use the natural advantages bestowed so freely upon them to secure a competence and a life of comfort and ease in their declining years.

FORREST TOWNSHIP.

Forrest lies in the southeastern part of the county, and is bounded on the north by the township of Pleasant Ridge, on the east by Chatsworth, on the south by Fayette and on the west by Indian Grove. It is all prairie, except a narrow belt of timber along the south branch of the Vermilion River, which flows across the northeast corner of the town. The prairie portion, however. has been supplied with timber sufficient, through the energies and industry of man, for shelter from the burning rays of a Summer sun and the piercing blasts of the Winter storms. Beautiful groves are found in all parts of the town in such plenitude that, should the ghosts of Shabbona, Pontiac, Saunemin or any of their dusky warriors leave their " happy hunting grounds " for a visit to the scenes of their youth, they would, doubtless, find more changes in this section than did Rip Van Winkle in the little village among the Catskill Mountains after his twenty years' slumber. Where, a few years ago, grew the tall grass. the willows and rosin-weeds, now flourish the corn and other crops of the thrifty farmer ; while little artificial groves of trees here and there relieve the level sur- face of the monotonous aspect borne by the prairies in their natural state. Much of the land in Forrest was denominated "swamp lands," and donated by the State to Livingston County, and hence, through this means, this section obtained rather a hard name abroad, and was for years avoided, save in the little skirt of timber along the river ; when, after a few years of efficient drainage and good farming, these lands have become as productive and as well adapted to agricultural purposes as those of any portion of the county ; and, with two rail- roads -- the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw and the Chicago & Paducah-intersecting it, the town has every facility for moving the vast amount of grain and stock produced annually within its limits.

The first actual settlement made in the territory now embraced in Forrest Township was by Charles Jones. He came from Bordentown, N. J., and entered the land where the village of Forrest now stands in 1836, and remained there about seven years, when he sold out his claim and improvements to James Beard and removed into Pontiac Township. After remaining in Pontiac several years, he at last removed into Belle Prairie Township. Having lost his eyesight and become almost totally blind, with the weight of fourscore years resting upon him, he lives with his children, quietly waiting for his summons home. His wife died in 1841. His recollection is still good as to the early privations endured in settling in the wilderness. Mr. Jones relates an instance of going to Chicago with a load of produce, some forty years ago, and glutting the egg market there with a few barrels of eggs, and was compelled to throw away a part

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

of them. Chicago, as well as Forrest Township, has grown and expanded some- what since that day.

John Thompson was born in the State of New York, but had lived some time in Franklin County, Ohio, from whence he came to Illinois in' 1837, and settled permanently in Forrest Township, about three miles from the present village of the same name. He remained upon his original settlement until his death, which occurred in 1849. Mr. Thompson was a soldier in the war of 1812, and par- ticipated in many of the fierce battles fought during our last struggle with John Bull. The name of his Captain was Drake, but to what regiment he belonged the surviv- ing members of his family have forgotten. After his death, Mrs. Thompson suc- ceeded in getting a land warrant for his services during the war of 1812, which she laid on Section 13-the section on which they had settled when they first came to the country. When the Thompsons first settled. here, prairie wolves were plenty, and their dismal howl was the usual evening carol to lull the tired laborer to his night's repose. Mrs. Wilson, a daughter of Thompson's, now living in the village of Forrest, gave us much of the information pertaining to the family, and related how, upon one occasion, when her father was down at McDowell's, in Avoca Township, the wolves came around their cabin in such numbers and appeared so ravenous as to excite in the family fears of an attack from them. Their cabin had been but a short time built, and was without a door, other than a quilt hung before the opening. At this opening, the brave mother, Mrs. Thompson, stood with an axe to defend her offspring, whom she had placed on the bed, the safest place within the cabin, against these voracious wild beasts. The wolves, however, made no attack, but howled around their cabin, rendering the night hideous with their doleful music. Mr. Thompson had money when he settled here, and horses ; but the latter all died the first season with the milk sickness, except a pony, and it he traded for provisions. He sometimes had to go fourteen miles, on foot, to get corn, and carry it home on his shoulder. It was often the case that, after he had procured corn and brought it home, he would have to pound it in a kind of mortar made in the top of a stump. This substitute for meal his wife would sift, and the finest of it make into bread and the remainder cook as hominy. Mr. Thompson seems to have been a man of iron constitution, as, in those early days in the wilder- ness, his exposure in trying to build up a comfortable home would kill a dozen men of the present day. His wife used to tell him that he would kill himself, but he would reply that it was hard to kill an old soldier. Charles Jones set- tled the year previous ; and, aside from these two families, no others settled in this immediate vicinity for several years. When Nathan Townsend, the first settler in Pleasant Ridge, moved to the country, he came by where Thompson lived, and Mrs. Wilson informed us that his children were almost starved. He had been on the road some time and was out of food; the country was thinly settled and provisions almost wholly unattainable. Mrs. Thompson took them in, divided her scanty store and gave them shelter until they had somewhat recuperated and looked around for an eligible location.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

Mrs. Wilson, referred to as a daughter of Thompson's, was married first to W. C. Popejoy, of Avoca, who died some years later, when she, after several years, married Nicholas Wilson. He was a native of Sweden, and came here at an early day, and for many years was known in this section as a dry goods peddler. His team ran away with him in Chatsworth, one day, by which acci- dent he was killed.

Another of the early settlers in Forrest Township was Orin Phelps, a son- in-law of Charles Jones. He was originally from New Jersey, but had lived some time in St. Louis, before coming to this neighborhood. He remained in Forrest until 1847, when he sold out and removed into Belle Prairie Township, where he still resides. one of the thrifty farmers of that town. There were but few families living in what is now Forrest Township when Phelps settled in it. John Thompson, he states, was living in the little grove southeast of Oliver's Grove, and a family named Brooks, living in the creek bottom, are all he remem- bers besides Mr. Jones, his father-in-law. The man Brooks, whom he alludes to here. is the same Charles Brooks mentioned in the early settlement of one or two other townships. It was from him that Townsend bought his elaim when he settled in Pleasant Ridge.

George and Frederick Cranford were among the next settlers, and repre- sent a kind of second era in the settlement of the town. They came from Mus- kingum County, Ohio, and settled here in 1853, at which time there were but a few people in the settlement, and they were squatted in the timber.

Of this latter era of settling in Forrest, Israel J. Krack occupies a prom- inent place. He came from Tippecanoe County, Ind., a county distinguished and hallowed, almost, in consequence of containing the battle field of Tippeca- noe. where Gen. Harrison won his great battle over the Indians. Mr. Krack was present on the Tippecanoe battle ground in 1840, at the grand rally, when Harrison was a candidate for President of the United States. He says that never before or since has he seen so large a crowd of people together. There were "more than any man could number " of excited Hoosiers and natives of the surrounding hills, and the burden of their song of rejoicing was :

Tippecanoe and Tyler too. With them we can beat little Van :

Oh ! Van, Van, Van is a used-up mau !

The Marshals of the Day tried to form the crowd in procession, but room for the parade could not be found, and the leaders gave it up in despair. When Krack removed to Forrest, there were in that township the Thompson family (Mr. Thompson, the head of the family, had died some years before), Charles Cranford, George Williams, John Towner, Fred and James Farnsler, Samuel L. Hillery and Levi Ide. George Williams and the Farnslers were from Indiana, John Towner from New York and Ide was from Ohio. The lat- ter is mentioned in Pleasant Ridge as dying at the house of Nathan Townsend, and as the first death in that township. Hillery bought out Orin Phelps, and settled on the claim made by Phelps, where he remained some time.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

James Beard was one of the early settlers of Forrest, but of him not much information could be obtained. He bought Charles Jones' improvements, which originally consisted of but one "forty," and around this he entered enough additional land to make a half section, and this place Krack bought when he removed to the town. It was the most important place in the neighborhood, near the center of the township, and a kind of nucleus around which other set- tlements clustered as people came into the settlement. A law suit of huge proportions was brought by Oliver in regard to this place, in which Beard, Krack and a man named Covault were made parties, involving some techni- cality in the entry of it. But after dragging some time and being continued from one session of court to another, was ultimately dismissed without trial.

Among the early settlers may also be added the following persons who settled in the township up to 1860: John Francis, John Harper, William Edwards and his sons, Charles Holmes and perhaps a few others. Francis came from Ireland, and is still living on the place of his original settlement; Harper is dead ; Edwards was an Englishman, and moved away several years ago ; Holmes was from the old Bay State, and lives now in Chicago. S. A. Hoyt, who is further noticed in the history of the village, is a New Yorker, and came here before there was any village. A farm, entered in that early day in what was termed the " Swamp Lands," was sold by him recently for $38 per acre, which shows what efficient drainage will do.

In these early times. the few people living here used to go to Indian Grove and Avoca to church, and not think it a very great undertaking either. A man would hitch a yoke of cattle to his wagon, or to a big sled, the family get aboard, and off they would go, on Sunday morning, ten or twenty miles to church. The first church services were held in people's residences, and in warm weather, under the trees. These were the temples of worship until the building of school houses. The church history is mostly confined to the village of Forrest, where it will be again referred to.

Byron Phelps, a son of Orin Phelps, is supposed to have been the first white child born in Forrest Township. He grew up to manhood's estate, and is meu- tioned in another part of this history as having filled the office of County Clerk satisfactorily. He now lives in Decatur. John James Thompson, a little son of Mr. Thompson, so often mentioned in the early history of Forrest, was the first death, and took place in 1838, the next year after Thompson came here. There were no neighbors in reach, and the family themselves had to bury the child. Mr. Thompson dug a kind of trough out of a walnut tree, in which the corpse was placed, then covered with a slab, and in this rude coffin was buried by its own family. Chas. Jones' wife died in 1841, and is noted among the early deaths of this township. She was buried in the northwest corner of what is now Judge Burton's deer park, and where she still sleeps. Orin Phelps and Miss Jones, Chas. Jones' daughter, are supposed to have been the first parties to commit matrimony in the township. Since then, there has been much " marry-

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

ing and giving in marriage." and still there are brows waiting for the orange blossoms.

Just when the first school house was built, and who taught the first school in Forrest Township, were points we could not have fully determined. Mrs. Wilson informed us that she went to school in the old Court House in Pontiac before there were any schools in Forrest, but she could not call to mind who taught the first in her own neighborhood. In 1855. the public school system was adopted in Illinois, and the people of Forrest seem not to have lost a single day in organizing their schools. On the 24th day of February, 1855, we find a record of a meeting held at the residence of I. J. Krack, at which .. Three School Trustees. viz .. Sam'l Hillery, Chas. Cranford and James Farnsler. were elected for Town 26 north. Range 7 east." Cranford was elected President of the Board. At a meeting held April 7, 1856. John Towner was elected School Treasurer of the town, and a tax of 10 cents on the $100 was voted for school purposes. The township was one school district. The present School Board is J. B. Hinman, N. B. Eastman and Thomas B. Riley. The last annual report of Treasurer Bullard shows the following: No. of males in township under 21 years of age, 343 ; females, 303 ; total, 646. No. of males between 6 and 21 years, 228 ; females, 217 ; total, 445. Males at school, 188 : females, 152; total. 340. Estimated value of school property, $12,400 ; estimated value of school apparatus, $210 ; principal of township fund. $11,286.99 : tax levy for support of schools, $3,523.22; highest wages paid any teacher, $80; lowest wages paid any teacher, $25 ; average wages paid male teacher, $53.92; aver- age wages paid female teachers, $36.48 ; whole amount paid teachers. $3.384.41. There are nine school districts in the township, in each of which there is a good. comfortable frame school building. The very best of teachers are employed, and the schools are in the most flourishing condition.

As stated in the history of Chatsworth, this township was a part of the former, and was called Oliver's Grove. At the September meeting of the Board of Supervisors in 1861. Forrest petitioned that body to be set off, which was granted. April 1, 1862, the following township officers were elected. viz. : John Towner, Supervisor ; Chas. Cranford, Town Clerk ; Nicholas Wilson, Collector : I. J. Krack, Assessor ; John Francis and John G. Harper, Justices of the Peace ; Edward Francis and Wm. Edwards, Jr .. Constables ; and Wm. Edwards, Sr., Overseer of the Poor.

The following table shows the Supervisors and Clerks from township organ - ization to date :

Supervisors.

Town Clerks.

1863

Jno. G. Harper.

George H. Townsend.

1864

Jno. G. Harper.

.George H. Townsend.

1865.

Jno. G. Harper. George Cranford.

1866

Bronson Smith

.George Cranford.

1867.

Bronson Smith.

George Cranford.

1868.

Bronson Smith.

J. G. Francis.

1869

Bronson Smith. Lucian Bullard.

524

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

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The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 50

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