USA > Illinois > McLean County > The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 53
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153
John and Reuben Draper took up land farther west, and made farms. They were from Tennessee, and both died here with families around them.
The same year, the brothers William, Robert and Samuel Leeper came. The former bought a farm on Section 24, and Samuel in Section 4, south of Heyworth. H. M. Miller settled on Section 36, where he remained a few years. In 1835, Capt. George Martin came from Ohio with Mr. Wakefield, and still resided here at the time this sketch was written, but died about the middle of April. He was a worthy and upright man, much respected by all.
In 1834, William Rust came to Randolph from Hamilton County, Ill., where he had moved, a few years before, from Tennessee. He brought with him a large' family, and commenced by renting some of the Stewart land. Two years later, he bought a piece of land now owned by W. C. Noble, and went onto it. In 1847, he bought the mill at Lytleville, and ran it in connection with Wooster and Hougham. Finding the water insufficient, he put in steam, and it was quite prosperous. He sold out in 1867, and died in 1873. Mr. Rust's sons went to work with energy to help their father get a farm. They worked out for Mr. Funk and others, and, as the result of their hard work in those days, have made farms and are in comfortable circumstances. They were engaged driving cattle and hogs for Mr. Funk at those times when it was about as much as the hogs were worth to get through to market and get back home. Such experiences, though grievous to bear, have an influence in making strong and useful men. John, William and Harvey are honored and respected citizens.
Samuel Turman, in 1836, bought the saw and grist mill at Lytleville, and carried it on for some time. He was an energetic business man, and undertook to supply Bloomington with flour.
A. R. Nickerson, who now resides at Heyworth, came from Maryland to Bloom- ington in 1834. Ten years later, he bought a farm on the north line of the township,
471
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
near Dr. Karr's. He has several sons, and bought a section of land in Martin Township in 1865. He came to Heyworth in 1871, where he has been engaged in business.
Mr. Johnson took up a claim about 1832, and sold it to Squire Wakefield. Further west Mr. Richards had a claim, but he soon moved over onto Salt Creek.
Near Short Point, Mr. Kennedy and Fred Bernard settled. The latter had one of the finest farms in the county. His widow now resides with her son-in-law, in Bloom- ington.
Nathan Low, father of the present, active business man of that name at Heyworth, purchased land of Weedman in 1829, intending to make it his home, but he decided to settle in Bloomington, and never built here.
The manner of living was of course primitive, and many privations were under- gone. Sickness, that bane of a new country, was not wanting. The cold, the deep snow, the wilderness and the savage foe were the final assurances of success. The res- idences were small and uncomfortable; mail facilities were scanty. Mills were rare, persons having to go to Peoria, to the Mackinaw and other distant points for their grinding. When corn was only 10 cents a bushel, grinding cost 123 cents, so that a load of corn would not pay for its grinding. The settlers kept good horses, but no car- riages. For the men, the only sport was hunting deer and wolves; and for the women -well, if they had any sport, it is not on record. The children had short schooling, and were early pressed into such work as they could perform. The large families which were so common-now so rare-were looked upon as blessings rather than burdens, and were made useful rather than ornamental.
The settlers of Randolph Grove were almost without exception religious people, civil in their behavior, and even before total abstinence came to be demanded as a Chris- tian virtue, drinking was rare, loafers, cowards and criminals were unknown, and not- withstanding the warmth of political controversy, quarrels and litigations were kept in abeyance by a spirit of Christian forbearance. McLean County cannot show a more civil and pleasant neighborhood. Religious services were early instituted in the little cabins, and Ingersoll, himself, would have found very little to cavil at in Randolph Grove. The first to preach the Gospel here was Ebenezer Rhodes, in 1823. Jesse Walker, the missionary, also preached here that year.
In 1825, Rev. William See was sent here by Conference. He owned the Maberry property, and had a blacksmith-shop there. He rode the Kickapoo circuit two years. The circuit required six weeks to go around. He preached in Blooming Grove, Peoria, Lewiston, Beardstown, Waynesville, Salt Creek and Randolph Grove. He went from this to Chicago, and James Kinzie married his second daughter. Mr. See, A. M. Stringfield and Mr. Barnett were the first ones to go from here to Chicago. When it began to be known. Smith L. Robinson followed as circuit preacher for one year, and Rev. James Atty and Jesse Walker, the missionary, were next. Mr. Walker was an old man, and so few of the settlers had tea and coffee, that he was in the habit of tak- ing those useful commodities with him in his pocket, so that he should not be without them. Rev. William Crissey preached on this circuit in 1831, and Rev. Stephen R. Beggs after him.
The Cumberland Presbyterians held services here early. The Johnsons-Archie and Neal-were the first of that denomination to preach here.
472
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
Rev. Robert Patten, of that church, came to Lytleville at an early day from Ten- nessee, and soon went back there.
Mr. Baldwin, of Lytleville, a Baptist preacher, was for several years in the habit of holding religious meetings in various places, and Elder Elijah Veatch also frequently filled appointments here at an early day.
Rev. W. J. Newman, Methodist, and several others of that denomination labored here.
Robert H. Rutledge and Charity Weedman were the first couple who got a license to marry from the County Clerk of McLean County, and Nathan Low the first to get a deed recorded.
" Uncle Billy " was, if not the first, among the first to haul wheat to Atlanta and bring it back again.
The Downs Mutual Insurance Company, organized in 1875, has its Secretary's office in this township. Under its original charter, the territory which it was author- ized to operate in only included the townships of Bloomington, Randolph, and the four lying east of this latter. In 1878, its charter was so amended, as to extend its oper- ations over the county. It has over $115,000 of policies in effect, and has met with but a single loss of $400 in nearly four years. Sylvester Reasley, of Downs, is President; J. C. Elder, of Randolph, Secretary, and William Karr, Treasurer.
The large amount of black-walnut timber which was originally growing here has been very generally cut off. Latterly, a great many logs have been sent by rail to Indianapolis, where they are sawed and shipped east as Indianapolis lumber. Not a very bad cheat, either, as it is in all respects just as good as the best Indiana walnut.
The following is a record of those who have been elected to township offices :
Date.
Votes Cast.
Supervisor.
Clerk.
Assessor.
Collector.
1858 ...
174
A. M. Stringfield.
S. J. Reeder
T. S. Groff ..
Walter Karr.
1859 ...
..
..
A. M. Stringfield.
S. J. Reeder
W. r. Noble.
George A. Ross.
1860 ...
...
A. Welch.
S. J. Reeder.
W. C. Noble.
George A. Ross.
1861 ...
Albert Welch
J. C. McFarland
W. C. Noble.
J. Munson.
1862 ...
206
S. J. Reeder.
J. C. MeFarland.
O. C. Rutledge
T. C. Stringfield.
1863 ...
254
A. M. Stringfield.
J. H. Tilghanan
Elias Brock
G. W. Freeman.
1864 ...
266
Albert Welch
T. (. Stringfield.
W. C. Noble.
John Munson.
1865 ...
268
George Crookshank ..
Iliram Noble ..
Moses Harbard
O. B. Myers.
1866 ...
307
George Crookshank ..
J. C. MeFarland
S. McTeer
William Bishop.
1867 ...
362
Wm. Karr.
A. W. Elder
A. S. Vanordstrand .. William Birdsell.
1868 ...
377
W. W. Elder.
A. W. Elder
Elias Brock
R. O. Nelson.
1869 ..
341
W. W. Elder.
A. W. Elder.
W. C. Noble.
J. H. C. Dill.
1870 ...
362
|A. M. Stringfield.
O. C. Rutledge
Abram Fry.
J. E. Hill.
1871 ..
312
A. M. Stringfield
O. C. Rutledg
Abram Fry
Geo. E. Moore.
1872 ...
315
1. Vanordstrand
O. C. Rutledge
Abram Fry.
J. N. Ball.
1873 ...
324
I Vanordstrand
F. W. Chrisman.
Abram Fry
J. B. Robertshaw.
1874 ...
338
George W. Freeman .. S. T. Thery
Abram Fry
Joseph Noble.
1875 ...
335
George W. Freeman ..
S. T. Thery
C. N. Vandervoort. ..
John Shannon.
1876 ...
341
George W. Freeman ..
James Blake
C. N. Vandervoort ...
M. MeCorkle.
1877 ...
373 1. Vanordstrand.
Nathan Low
Elias Brock
M. Crews.
1878.
325 I. Vanordstrand.
John Shannon
Elias Brock
M. Crews.
1879 ...
. ...
G. W. Freeman.
John Shannon
J. J. Hancock
J. P. Passwaters.
..
Those who have been elected Justices of the Peace since township organization has gone into effect are George Crookshank, Samuel MeGowen, John Kelly, J. R. Stewart, A. Kelly, C. N. Vandervoort, Z. A. Newton, William Thompson, F. S. Wat- kins, W. W. Elder, Harrison Howser.
473
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
Commissioners of Highways : A. R. Nickerson, Richard Passwaters, Jesse Funk, I. Vanordstrand, Harvey Seldon, James Funk, Thomas Karr, Thomas Hair, David Campbell, William Benjamin, W. H. Ijams, John F. Rust, F. S. Watkins, E. J. Moore,. William Karr, Z. A. Newton, G. A. Marker, J. O. Davis, J. Dorland, George Clark, W. F. Ijams.
HEYWORTH.
When the Illinois Central Railroad was built and the cars commenced running, in 1855. it was known that there would be a station somewhere in Randolph's Grove, but it was not so easy to find out just where it would be located. There was an interest at Bishop's, two miles north of where Heyworth now stands, which, it was thought, could not well be defeated. John Nichols, of Bloomington, who was understood to rely on the influence of Gen. Gridley, who had again become an important factor in all the affairs of the county, and who, in the Legislature, had secured the building of the railroad through Bloomington, had purchased a piece of land of Enoch Passwaters and laid out a town on it. A side-track had been put into a gravel-bank near by, and every thing looked as though the station would be there. The contest grew lively between Wakefield, Funk and Vanordstrand on the one side, and Nichols and his party on the other. So far as pluck, energy and push were concerned, the parties were pretty nearly equal. Gridley has a habit of speaking out in meeting or in any other place he happens to be, and indulged in some pointed remarks in regard to the officials of the road, which had the effect to displease them, and the salve offered just at this time by Wakefield, of an undivided half of the entire forty acres which he proposed to lay out, carried the point, and Wakefield laid off forty acres in the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 34, and immediately transferred an undivided half to the corporation, after making the reservations spoken of before. Frisbee soon after
laid out an addition west of, and Wakefield has since laid out and platted his first, see- ond and third additions on the south and east sides of the original town. The next most important thing after a child is born is deciding upon a name. Those interested here had decided on calling it Elmwood ; but finding that the name had been appropriated by Mr. Phelps in Peoria County long before, the President of the railroad, proposed to call the new station Heyworth, the name of one of the English directors of the road. This was in 1856, and everybody around the south end of the grove felt happy.
Mr. Wakefield fulfilled every obligation which he made in regard to the new town, and, true to his well-fixed principles, inserted in every deed he made an inhibition against the sale of spirituous liquors on the premises conveyed. Whether this or the well-established sentiments of the citizens is the cause, it is a fact that no license for the sale of liquor has ever been granted in Heyworth.
O. C. Rutledge, who is still in business at Heyworth, purchased and shipped the first grain that was ever sent from this point. This was in 1855, before the station was established. The wheat was weighed in bags, on a small platform scale, and carried out to the car on the track. It was extremely difficult to get cars, and he often had to load in the night, the train waiting for the men to load, if they did it briskly.
As soon as the station was established here in 1856, J. C. Frisbee moved an old station-house here, and commenced buying and shipping wheat. Elder & Rutledge and J. S. & G. T. Barber also engaged in the same line of business. Isaac Vanord- strand commenced, together with Mr. Ludington, a business which he has very successfully
474
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
carried on, with one or another, to this time. He is a man of great business capacity and energy, and has, besides his large mercantile business, been foremost in everything which has been for the interest of his place. He has been largely engaged in the purchase and sale of land, and has always taken a lively interest in educational matters, and in the politics of the town and county. Always a Democrat politically, he has been in political unison with the majority in Randolph, and has frequently served his town in official position with the same energy and business-like attention which he gives to his own large business. According to general belief at Heyworth, he has acquired a very fair competency.
Mr. O. C. Rutledge, who is now and has long been his partner, is a man of good business habits and excellent judgment. He is now the oldest native-born citizen of Randolph residing in the town. Two daughters of Jesse Funk were born here before him, and probably one or two children to Gardner Randolph; but none of them reside now in the township. The extensive business of this firm embraces grain, lumber and and all the line of articles usually going with it-exchange, banking, real estate, Joan and conveyancing. commission, live stock, etc., and almost anything else that the public wish them to undertake.
In the early days of the grain trade of Heyworth, very little but wheat was pur- chased ; but this came from many miles roundabout, especially to the east. Trade was drawn to it from the farmers off as far as Le Roy and Farmers' City, there being no railroad in that direction nearer than the Chicago Branch of the Illinois Central.
William H. Wilson & Co. were the first to commence mercantile business here in 1856. The firm name was soon changed to Coursin & Wilson, and continued the busi- ness for some time and sold to McFarland & Co. J. C. McFarland, who has, during the entire life of Heyworth, been one of the leading men in business, in religious and other public interests, came here in 1857. For twenty-one, years he has continued one of her most enterprising citizens. For three years, he served his country in the Ninety- fourth Regiment as Major, returning to continue his mercantile and other interests. In 1877, he was elected Circuit Clerk and County Recorder, which makes his home temporarily in Bloomington. No man is more thoroughly respected, or more worthy of such respect.
His first business was a general store, conducted in a building which stood on Block 17, just east of the railroad and south of Main street. In this building he con- ducted the post office, also ; it burned in 1860, consuming everything, including the mails ; he saved only a pitchfork and six candles from the building.
He then built the store owned by him across Main street from the former store, and continued in trade for a year, when O. C. Rutledge went into the firm and contin- ued in business until Maj. McFarland returned from the army, when he sold out his interest to McFarland, and he soon sold to Short & Bayless.
In 1864, S. Hill & Son came from Ohio and engaged in trade. In 1866, McFar- land went into the firm, which did business as McFarland, Hill & Co. until 1869 when they sold to Brittenham, who moved the goods to Monticello. Hill & Son brought on a new stock of goods in 1870, which they soon sold to Wise & Co.
Short & Bayless, about this time, sold their business to Jefferson Moore. Wamsley & Co. opened a store here in 1867 and continued in business ten years, when they sold to Short & Dillon, and they to Samuel R. Nickerson. Plummer & Trowbridge com- menced in 1874, and after a year, Trowbridge sold out.
Thomas . Mitchowe BLOOMINGTON
4
-
477
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
E. Witter had the first shoe shop, and carried it on for several years.
G. M. Delano, the present Postmaster, commenced harness-making in 1857. In 1861, President Lincoln appointed him Postmaster, and he has never resigned it.
John Morsman commeneed blacksmithing in 1856, but remained only eighteen months. After him came Jacob Hagel, who is here yet with John Peters.
George Uhrich came here from Ohio in 1858, and continues business.
A. Millmine opened a boot and shoe stock in 1864; two years later, N. Low bought him out and continues in trade.
Dr. A. F. Rogers, from Le Roy, put in a stock of drugs and medicines in 1865. In 1869, he sold to A. Wise, who soon after moved the stock away.
D. A. Abbott ran a drug store here a few years, and, in 1871, took it to Missouri. Soon after which, MeFarland & Co. opened a drug store and sold out in 1877, when MeF. went into the Circuit Clerk's office.
In 1874, Mr. Wallace opened a drug business, and died two years later.
W. D. Gilman, who bought the McFarland stock, still owns it. He is engaged in trade at Bloomington.
J. P. Kenton, from Ohio, commenced a grocery trade here in 1860, and his son- in-law, J. B. Robertshaw, about the same time, commenced working at his trade as carpenter and builder. Both are still here, the latter engaged in the furniture trade and undertaking.
John Kelley built the present hotel in 1856, and, a few years after, sold to David Campbell.
Heyworth was incorporated in 1869 by a special act. The charter gives the corporation, which is in the hands of five Trustees elected annually, one of whom shall be elected President-all the authority needed to run a city of the first-class, even to borrowing money on the credit of the town and lighting the city with gas, except that they can only grant license to sell intoxieating drink upon a vote of the legal voters at the annual term election. The question of license must be submitted cach year, and has never yet been voted in the affirmative. The present Town Board is A. R. Nick- erson, J. J. Hancock, J. B. Rutledge, William Marker and C. Perkins.
The present business men are : General merchants, E. D. Plummer, S. Nickerson ; grocers, W. W. Elder & Co., Rutledge & Battersell, J. R. Kenton & Son, A. F. Rogers & Co .; drugs, Will D. Gilman, F. H. Hill; hardware and implements, Capt. J. H. C. Dill, S. Mann ; grain, lumber, etc., Isaac Vanordstrand & Co .; furniture, J. B. Rob- ertshaw ; hotel, D. Campbell; butchers, Rutledge & Cunningham ; millinery, etc., Miss Martin, Mrs. Shannon, Miss Buck ; harness, S. R. Shannon ; boots and shoes, Nathan Low; blacksmiths and wagon-makers, Hull & Uhrich, Stagel & Peters, A. Kelley; tailor, D. D. Dunseth.
In 1857, Coursin & Wilson built a large mill west of the railroad, south of Main street, opposite the Vanordstrand warehouse. This mill was burned in 1860, together with the building opposite. Mr. Alexander Wilson had been educated to business and and had for many years carried on a wholesale grocer's business in Pittsburgh, Penn. He closed in 1837, and went across the river and engaged in trade for some years. He came to Heyworth in 1857, and went into this mill operation, by the loss of which he suffered heavily. He built the first good dwelling-house in ILeyworth, that on the block next east of the railroad, at the cost of about $3,000. He was a man of superior
.
478
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
business qualifications, a leading man in church and public enterprises. While living in Pittsburgh, he was Superintendent of the large Sabbath school of the First Presby- terian Church and of a large mission school, such a man as would be greatly useful in any community. He died in 1862, and his widow resides in Allegheny City. Maj. McFarland has quite recently purchased the Wilson residence and expects to repair it for his residence.
Upon this same block, for a long time stood the pioneer residence of Capt. George Martin, whose recent death removes from the town the earliest resident within its borders. The cabin was removed by McFarland after he purchased the lot upon which it stood for thirty years. Capt. Martin was so long the "oldest inhabitant " that he was almost considered a fixture.
In 1868, Dice, Hall & Co. built the present mill, a two-story, three-run mill, at a cost of about $1,800. It stands just east of the railroad, two blocks north of the hotel. In 1869, MeFarland bought out Hall's interest, and it was sold, a few years afterward, to Ellsworth & Mayers. It has done a large and good business a portion of the time, but is not now running. The engine exploded some years since and killed the engineer, Cooley.
The good supply of timber induces many of the inhabitants to burn wood for fuel. The coal supply comes from Du Quoin. No attempt has ever been made to find coal here, though there can be no doubt of its existence at a reasonable depth.
CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, SOCIETIES, ETC.
The Randolph Grove Presbyterian Church was organized in 1844, by Rev. Josiah Porter, of Waynesville, of the Presbytery of Illinois, N. S., with twelve members, all of whom were received by letter from churches in the western part of Hamilton County, Ohio. Previous to the organization, Rev. Mr. Watson had preached occasion- ally and there had been occasional preaching by others, but seldom by the regular Presbyterians. The original members were Mr. C. Wakefield and Margaret, his wife, J. M. Wakefield and Nancy, his wife, Homer Buck and Mary, his wife, Robert Spence and Anna, his wife, John Finnie and Elizabeth, his wife, Mrs. Margaret Karr and Mrs. Hannah Elder. For a year or two, Mr. Porter continued to serve the little Church, preaching in the east room of Mr. Wakefield's house, where the organization had been effected. The Church at once connected itself with the Presbytery of Sangamon, O. S., all of its members being attached to that branch of the Church.
A Sabbath school had been established by the Wakefields and Mrs. Elder as early as 1838, in their house, and has been pretty regularly kept up from that time.
In 1848, Rev. D. I. Perry, father-in-law of Judge Scott, of Bloomington, was engaged to preach once a month, which engagement continued two years. After him, Rev. A. H. Rogers, of Waynesville, was employed for two years one-fourth of his time.
In 1853, the first church-edifice was erected at a cost of $900. It is now used as a school-room for the primary school. After this, the successive pastors were Revs. J. HI. Moore, S. H. Stevenson, John Wilson and A. L. Knox. During the ministra- tions of Mr. Knox, which continued to 1870, the Church increased to 121 members and the new church-building, was erected. It is 3Sx70, two stories, with the belfry and spire foundation projecting out from the front center a few feet. It cost, including the bell, $9,000, and is really a fine structure. Rev. W. R. Glenn served the Church
479
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
one year, and was followed by Rev. H. R. Peairs, the present Pastor. The present membership is about 140 and of the Sabbath school, 90. A parsonage was built in 1864 at a cost of about $1,800.
Though only one Methodist Episcopal is in Heyworth, there are three others in Randolph Township, and their history is so united that it will be given under this head. The writer finds it far more difficult to get the exact data of this, the pioneer denomina- tion all over the country, than of the one given above, and is, as a matter of necessity, obliged to depend largely on the memory, seldom very accurate, of the leading members.
The earliest labors of the Methodists in this Grove are given in the proper place, the Township History. After those, the regular appointments of the Randolph Grove Circuit were usually at the schoolhouses near by, where the present churches, the Hey- worth, Shiloh, Sparta and Wesley Chapel, now stand. In 1853, Mr. Carlos was preach- ing at these several appointments; the next year, Rev. Mr. O'Neil, and after him the Rev. Mr. Barthlow; others followed whose names could not be learned. In 1864, Rev. Mr. Hendall was sent to this circuit, and was instrumental in building the " Shiloh" Church, which stands on John Maberry's land, on Section 25, near the eastern bound- ary of the township. The following year, Rev. Thomas E. Wamsley was on the circuit, and started the matter of building churches at the other appointments. The previous year, he had been engaged in completing the church at Wapella, and thought all things were possible. Several attempts to build the church at Heyworth had been made, and ended in talk. Father Wamsley got a subscription paper, and went through the usual form of getting signatures. He then hired a man to lay the foundation, and engaged mate- rial for building, and then there was no alternative but to collect what had been sub- scribed. The people took hold very liberally, and a good, substantial building, 34x50, with belfry, spire and bell, was erected at a cost of about $3,000. The same year, under Father Wamsley's ministration and energetic spirit, Wesley Chapel No. 2, was built on the land of Jonathan Houser, on southeast corner of Section 16, which is about the same size, plain, at a cost of about $2,800. Mr. Houser, John Rust and George Crookshank are remembered as very efficient workers in this enterprise; of course, among many others.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.