USA > Illinois > McLean County > The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 85
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J. K. Blandon ..
1869 William McHugh
H. Green
S. A. Stoops
726
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
case to the Supreme Court, where Judge Tipton's decision was reversed and a new trial granted, which resulted in holding the bond good, thus throwing an additional security over all school funds. The Reform School ease was never carried to the Supreme Court, through the negligence of the State officials, or it might have been reversed.
For some years, the people of all this prairie country suffered great inconvenience in consequence of the expensive fencing necessary to protect their crops from the great herds of cattle which were allowed to roam at will over the prairie. In 1872, the town- ship provided by ordinance against cattle running at large, at their regular town meeting. The ordinance followed the one of the town of Cropsey, which had been sustained and proved successful in its operation.
SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, ETC.
The town is now provided with suitable schoolhouses, and good schools are main- tained. From the report of 1877, the following figures are taken : Number of districts, 9; whole number of children under 21 years, 621 ; number between 6 and 21 years, 429 ; number enrolled in schools, 384; value of school property, $6,000 ; amount of town fund, 86,823; amount paid teachers, 82,523. Total expenses, $3,626. The citizens of Blue Mound very early took the matter of religious service and religious instruction in hand. Mr. John Speed Stagner, who, in many respects, is a pioneer in every good work, had, by a recent consecration of his life to religious work, and ordination to the work, according to the custom and rule of the " Christian " Church, come into his new home determined to build up religious institutions. Meetings were at first held in his house. Elders David Sharpless, Anderson and Knight were the first to hold religious services in this neighborhood. After the schoolhouse was built, meetings were held with considerable regularity there by the same preachers, followed by Elder U. H. Watson, Father Johnson and others.
In 1865, the present " Blue Mound Christian Church " was built under the direc- tion of Messrs. Stagner, Arnold, Doyle and Willhoite. The building is about 26x40, plain, without spire or decoration, and cost about $1,200. A Sabbath school is main- tained during the warmer part of the season. The " Grand View Prairie " Presby- terian Church is located on Section 2, on land donated by Mr. Golden. The edifice was erected in 1872. Messrs. J. S. Campbell and Newton Cook, of Lexington Township, and Robert Barr, of Blue Mound, were Building Committee, and had charge of the work. The church is about 30x42, aud had a tower, which has been blown away in a storm. The name was taken from a town in Ohio, which was dear to the remembrance of those who organized the church here. Rev. Mr. Elliot, who was stated supply of the church at Pleasant Hill, preached in the schoolhouse here occasionally. Later, Rev. Mr. Cris- well, who, since the church organization, has regularly supplied the pulpit, held a pro- tracted meeting, which resulted in a request for regular church organization, which was accomplished by the Bloomington Presbytery, April 19, 1873, Rev. Mr. Conover, a member of that Presbytery, officiating. The original members were Mr. and Mrs. Davis, Spears, Barton, Campbell, Barr and Hastings, who were received by letter, and twenty- three others on profession.
The " Union " M. E. Church was built on Section 5, about 1861. Rev. George Snedaker, of Pleasant Hill Circuit, formed a class at Union Schoolhouse about 1860. After him, Rev. David Carmack preached and organized Union Church, consisting of
LEXINGTON
729
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
some twenty-five members, among whom were the families of Andrew Smith, R. M. Hopkins, H. C. Hayes, S. W. Evans, William Russell, A. Brumhead and M. S. Sill. The edifice is about 30x45, plain, and cost about $2,000. It is now the head of " Union" Circuit, and has a comfortable parsonage, costing $1,000.
The names of those who were in this enterprise, and to whom the church is indebted for their nice buildings, were A. Smith, R. M. Hopkins, HI. B. Downey, S. W. Evans, M. S. Sill, I. Smith, H. C. Hayes, F. M. Bowers and S. M. Beebe. The clergymen who have in turn served this church, are the Revs. Robert Pierce, John Lucock, Dr. Aldrige, Frank Smith, Mr. Ferris, Isaiah Giddings, J. Kern, Jacob Souders and J. W. Flowers. A Sabbath school, numbering about seventy-five, is maintained by R. M. Hopkins. The church numbers one hundred.
The " Free-Will " Baptists formed a society in 1868. Elder Thomas Blanden came here from Kentucky and held meetings in the schoolhouse, and organized a church of about twenty members, and built a large, plain edifice, about 28x36. The leading men in this enterprise were James Scott and H. P. Thompson. The organiza- tion is weak, and does not now maintain regular religious services. The church is used irregularly by other denominations.
A short notice of some of the larger and more successful farmers is appended :
John Fletcher, of English birth, has a splendid farm of 600 acres in Sections 19 and 20. He has good buildings, farms well, and carries about one hundred head of cattle.
Joshua Brown, who, besides the farm he lives on, owns other large farms, has 460 acres in Section 31. He was from Tazewell County. Has good house, barns, sheds, etc., attends closely to his business, keeps his fields neat and tidy. He carries about one hundred head of cattle.
Nathan J. Parr, who has lived here fifteen years, has half a section in Section 23, and eighty acres in Section 14. He has good farm-buildings, and is a good farmer.
William A. Golden, an early settler, farms about half a section, situated in Sec- tions 1, 2 and 12. He has a substantial house and barn, and his farm is kept in excel- lent condition, and his buildings well cared for.
M. S. Sill had until last year what is generally considered one of the best and best appointed farms in Blue Mound. He sold it to Samuel Etnire, and moved to Normal. The farm consists of 240 acres in Section S. The buildings are large and attractive, with good sheds, and all has an appearance of thrift and success.
Daniel Shay, an Irishman by birth, has recently put up a fine, modern house on his farm in Section 27. The farm is 160 acres, and is in excellent culture.
Leonard H. Bender came here from Pennsylvania in 1870. He has a fine farm of 200 acres in Section 22. The house is probably the largest in the town, and everything about it indicates care, thrift and good attention.
On the Mound in the northeast corner of Section 28, John Butler has good improve- ments surrounded by a good farm.
Zachariah Arnold has a good farm of 160 acres in Section 35, and his brother Thomas a like farm right in the center of Section 27. Both are considered excellent farmers and good citizens.
A. H. Conger, on Section 18, has a fine farm of 200 acres, with nice house, barn and out-buildings. Several others might be named. Indeed, a trip over the township
EE
730
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
shows few ill-managed farms or neglected buildings. The general care of roads and hedges is apparent, and it is altogether a good place to live in.
YATES TOWNSHIP.
Yates Township, known officially as Town 25, Range 5, was, until 1862, a part of Chenoa; at that date it was separately organized, and by resolution of its citizens, took the then popular name of " Union," at their first town meeting in 1863. This is easily accounted for, for at that time fully two-thirds of her fighting population were "at the front " doing their full duty in carrying the tattered flag " on to Vicksburg " and the "sacred soil" generally; while fully three-fourths of those who remained at home were praying and paying to help on the glorious cause. No stronger friends of the Union could be found on any six miles square of contiguous and compact prairie anywhere, than here. The name was objected to on account of its having been frequently adopted of late by other townships near by ; and on the following year was changed to Yates, after the then Governor of Illinois. Nothing could better show the tendency of public sen- timent in the young township than the successive selection of these "radical " names. Yates is the northcastern township in the county, and forms, with Chenoa and Gridley on the west, the northern tier of townships which "cap " the county of McLean on the map, not unlike the mansard roof of a house. Like the other townships in this vicinity, some of the land is flat, but at least ninety per cent of it is rolling, and almost every acre capable of the highest cultivation. There is little difference in the lay of the land in the different parts of the township, except that that portion along the railroad (first tier of sections) is more level, and that portion farther south more rolling; the northern portion shedding toward the Vermilion, and the southern half toward the Mackinaw. Yates is a full Congressional township, the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Railway running across its northern tier, upon which is Weston, the only post office in the township; the soil is rich and deep, capable of a wealth of production far beyond anything yet accom- plished ; free from township debt; settled with sober, industrions, economical people, giving a large place in their minds to religious and educational improvement; it would be indeed difficult to find its superior in all respects in this or any other State.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
Previous to the year 1856, there were few settlements in the township. There being no timber, it was not subject to early settlement. About this date, there came the general rush into the prairie country, but there being no station in this township, gen- eral settlement was delayed a few years. The first settlement seems to have been made on the " Harris place," so-called, on Section 10, just south of where Weston now stands. The land was entered by Mr. T. C. Buntin, of Terre Haute, Ind. The land was rented to Boyd and others, when, in 1867, it was sold to Harris, who, a few years later, traded it to W. H. Levers, for Chenoa property.
David Vance, who, through a long official connection with the school interest, and the general interest he has taken in the affairs of the township, church and every good work, is rightly regarded a most worthy and useful citizen, came onto Section 15, in 1866. He had previously lived in Lawndale and Lexington, coming there from Ohio,
731
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
in 1853. He proved a man of excellent judgment and enlarged public spirit. A friend of education, he was carly elected School Treasurer, and has done much to conserve the financial affairs of the schools. He was one of the most efficient in building the first house of worship, the Methodist, and has exercised a careful oversight in its financial matters.
John Pool came here from the Mackinaw in 1865, at which time only the farm of J. M. Pettigrew (Section 8), and the Harris farm (Section 10), were occupied in this northern part of the township. Squire Pool soon took an interest in the affairs of the new township, was early elected a Justice of the Peace; engaged a portion of his time in surveying, and, in 1872, built a store in Weston, where he has continued in business, quietly attending to his large and prosperous mercantile affairs, and honestly serving the public in his official capacity.
John D. Banta settled on Section 26 about this time, on a farm upon which he remained several years. He took a lively interest in the affairs of his town, and was, while he remained a citizen of the township, often intrusted with its official interests.
Hugh Henning took up a farm and still lives in Section 22. A year or two later, Joseph Burger purchased a farm in Section 25, and still remains on it. The brothers J. C. &. G. W. Hanks settled, in 1866, in the southeast part of the township, and were among the very first to take an interest in its affairs. As a singular coincidence, or more properly a pair of coincidences, they were both elected members of the first Board of School Trustees in 1857, and both of the first Board of Commissioners of Highways in 1863. They early were recognized as among the best men in the neighborhood, a reputation which they have in no way marred during a life which extends through the entire history of the township.
The same year, J. E. Wikoff took up a farm on Section 32, and, the following year, the brothers Christian and Fritz Jacobs made homes near by each other in Sections 29 and 31. These men seemed well satisfied with their locality, and well they might be, for it is of the best farming land; and they have remained, making good homes and good citizens. About the same time, Christian Ziller opened up a fine farm in Section 11, a half-mile from where Weston now stands, and still lives there, enjoying the fruits of his industry, thrift and intelligent economy.
Anton Adam, an intelligent and thrifty German, was among the earliest on the ground, moving here from Ohio, in 1865, and making a farm on Section 2. Here he has lived ever since, minding his own business, taking care of " Old Adam," as he says ; has got a nice place, looking tidy, comfortable and frugal. He was one of the leading spirits in building the beautiful and sightly German Church at Weston.
Rev. W. P. Graves, long a member of this Conference, and at this time in charge of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Weston, bought what is now known as the Wilson farm, as early as 1864. The following year, he had a portion broken, and built a house, but sold it in 1866. James Brady opened up a farm at about the latter date. E. D. Westervelt and F. P. Beach commenced farming here the same year.
ORGANIZATION.
In May, 1857, before the township had been officially organized, the people, feeling the necessity for schools, elected the first Township School Board. G. W. Hanks, J. C. Hanks and E. D. Westervelt were chosen Trustees. They elected F. P. Beach
732
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
Treasurer, an office which he continued to hold until 1865. In 1860, the township was divided into five districts, and the trustees caused the north half of the school section to be divided into eighties and sold. The next year, however, they took back one eighty- acre tract. In 1865, the Trustees elected J. C. Hanks Treasurer, and, in 1868, sold eighty acres of the school land for $42.75 per acre. In 1869, David Vance, the present Treasurer, was elected. In 1871, the township was divided into nine districts, of four sections each, except that the south half of Sections 9 and 10 are attached to District 5, which makes that district five sections and District 3 only three. In 1876, eighty acres of land were sold for $25.30 per acre; 240 acres still remaining unsold. From the first, the affairs of the school fund seem to have been very judiciously managed, and the men who have had charge of it seem to have been worthy of the confidence reposed in them. The township now has a fund of $11,151, nearly all placed on real estate, and about $6,000 worth of land left unsold. This fund is the largest, save one, in the county, and will, eventually, be the largest. In some of the districts, no tax is neces- sary. In No. 3, only $75 has been levied in three years ; and the aggregate of debt for schoolhouses in the township is only $1,700.
The following figures are taken from the report of 1876: Number of districts, 9; number of teachers employed, 15 ; number of children under twenty-one years, 608; num. ber between six and twenty-one, 374; number of scholars enrolled, 252; amount paid teachers, $3,016; amount paid for incidentals, $246.25 ; total paid, $4,432.22.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
At the September (1862) term of the Board of Supervisors, this township was set off from Chenoa, to which it had been previously attached, and at the first town-meeting, in April, 1863, F. D. Beach was elected Moderator, and John D. Banta, Clerk.
On motion of George W. Hanks, the new township was named Union. A year later, it was changed to Yates, in honor of the then war-Governor. The township was divided into four road districts. Eighteen votes were cast. The officers elected at this and successive elections are as follows :
Date.
Votes Cast.
Supervisor.
Clerk.
Assessor.
Collector.
1863
18
J. O. Irwin
J. D. Banta.
F. B. Beach.
F. P. Beach.
1864
28 J. O. Irwin.
J. D. Banta
Alman Muzzy
J. L. Westervelt.
1865
30
J. D. Banta.
A. Muzzy
J. C. Hanks
Oscar Westervelt.
1866
37
J. D. Banta
A. Muzzy.
J. C. Hanks
Oscar Westervelt.
1867
61
11. C.Langstaff.
A. Muzzy.
T. T. Smith.
T. C. Sutton.
1868
62 E. B. Powell.
T. B. Hayslip.
J. C. Hanks
H. B. Wikoff.
1869
80
D. Vance.
T. B. Ilayslip.
J. C. Hanks
H. B. Wikoff.
1870
143
J. E. Wikoff
Wm. R. White.
George Wolfe.
William L. Pancake.
1871
61
J. E. Wikoff.
Wm. R. White.
G. S. Johnston
William L. Pancake.
1872
187 J, E. Wikoff.
Wm. R. White.
G. S. Johnston
A. S. Lang.
1873
112 C. C. Wright.
Wm. R. White.
J. H. Amsler
J. II. Wilson.
1874
170 C. C. Wright ..
G. W. Conarroe.
John Rupp.
J. R. Maxwell.
1875
185 C. C. Wright.
G. W. Conarroe.
...
P. J. Peister.
J. R. Maxwell.
1876
130 C. C. Wright.
J. R. Maxwell
P. J. Peister.
D. R. Grady.
1877
162 C. C. Wright.
L. V. Smith
W. W. Shedd.
D. R. Grady.
1878
130 C. C. Wright ..
L. V. Smith.
W. W. Shedd
D. R. Grady.
The names of those who have been elected Commissioners of Highways are G. W. Hanks, J. C. Hanks, J. R. Jones, J. W. - , J. L. Westervelt, J. M. Pettigrew,
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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
H. B. Wikoff, J. R. Gorham, J. D. Banta, Apollos Powell, D. V. Davis, Abram Stevens, J. Castle, Simon Beckler, G. Arnold, J. T. Green, P. Coons. Those who have served as Justices of the Peace are T. C. Powell, John Pool, Erastus Thayer, G. A. Wolfe, G. M. Allison, Justus Castle.
The principal interest of the citizens of Yates is, of course, farming, their princi- pal crops being corn, oats, rye, and hogs. Very few have attempted cattle-feeding, and have escaped the financial disasters which have overtaken so many in the older and richer portions of the county. The richness of the soil, and its suitableness for cultiva- tion in any kind of season, has given a healthy success to the farming community, while the absence of great wealth on the part of any has kept out a tendency to extrav- agant living and inordinate display, which, sooner or later, must affect the entire community. There are many good farms-no large ones-in Yates. Some of the best it may not be amiss to name, even at the risk of leaving out some quite as worthy of notice.
C. C. Wright, who, for several years, has ably represented this town on the Board of Supervisors, has a farm of 240 acres, in the northwestern portion of the township, which is well managed and in excellent condition. Abram Stevens has 320 acres, extending back from the village of Weston, a portion of it being in Livingston County, which, though rather flat, is well drained and very productive. He has a fine residence near Weston, and everything about him looks neat and comfortable. John Rupp owns a half section in Section 22, which is regarded one of the best in Yates. O. T. Phil- lips has a fine farm of 320 acres, three miles west of Weston, which is a very good farm and well cultivated. Simon Beckler farms 250 acres on Section 13, which is excellent land and well cared for. John T. Green has a fine farm of 450 acres, just west of the village, which is one of the largest and best in the township.
THE VILLAGE OF WESTON.
Previous to the year 1866, there had been a switch and a water-tank about two miles east of where Weston now stands, which was on the west line of Livingston County, three miles from Fairbury. This watering-place was, for this or for some other reason not known to the oldest inhabitant, called Weston. When, in the year above mentioned, the switch and town plat were laid out on Section 3 of Yates, west- ward the name of Weston took its way, and became attached to this place. The plat and its surroundings embrace about 120 acres in the southeast quarter of Section 3, which the abstract of title shows passed from the United States to Horatio N. Wheeler, of Peoria, and from Wheeler and wife to W. F. Bryan, of Peoria, so that there is no trouble in regard to the title of all town property. It was understood that Mr. Cruger, the Vice President of the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Railway, was to be a partner in this town speculation, but no such arrangement was made, and Mr. Bryan continued sole owner.
The town was surveyed by the late Nelson Buck, of Pontiac, and embraced twenty-three blocks besides the public common, lying between the depot-grounds and the blocks, and one square which has been set apart for a public square, and set out to trees. For some years, there was no depot-building or freight-house. Mr. H. D. Legerwood was agent, and Dr. H. E. Johnson was Postmaster, and kept a few groceries for sale. J. O. Exley came here in 1868, from Philadelphia, and built the large store
734
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
which he still occupies for a residence and store, and put in a stock of goods. About the same time, Mr. McKee, a carpenter by trade, built a store and rented to Henry Culp for mercantile purposes. Dr. Holderness, now of Chenoa, also built, and opened a small stock of drugs and medicines. The grain trade, by this time, demanded better accommodations than shovel and apron, and John Boland built the elevator now stand- ing. Boland soon after sold it to Exley, who put in a run of stones to grind corn, and put in steam power. George Hancock put up the first blacksmith-shop, and G. W. Allison the first wagon-shop, the same year. A. W. Howard and C. C. Enslow, under the name of A. W. Howard & Co., soon after this commenced the grain business here, and built the western elevator. The firm carried on a large business here, buying grain and selling goods, for ten years.
In 1871, Mr. Boyd built the eastern elevator, 24x48 feet, 30 feet high to the top of the square, and has a capacity of 15,000 bushels. He remained in trade only about a year, since which Haynes, Jorden & Co., of Chenoa, have occupied it; three years later, Mr. A. Rakestraw entered into partnership with them and carried on a large business in the firm name of Rakestraw, Haynes & Co. In 1872, John Pool left his farm and came to Weston to engage in the mercantile trade. He has built a large and lucrative trade, carrying the largest stock of goods in the village. The same year, Edgar Blaisdell came from Chenoa, where he had been in trade six years, and became business manager for Haynes, Jorden & Co. Three years later, he purchased the western elevator, a fine building 24x32 feet, 40 feet to the top of the square, which, together with the old building, 24x30 feet, 18 feet high, has a capacity of about 25.000 bushels. He is a business man of large ability, and, besides his large grain trade, is agent for Mr. Bryan, Postmaster, and, in partnership with Mr. Purdy, is interested in the store. A good idea of the business of Weston can be got from the following figures: Of the erop of 1878, there have been purchased here 83,000 bushels of corn, 38,000 bushels of oats, 8,000 bushels of rye. Grain is usually shipped from here to Philadelphia, occasionally to Peoria and to Chicago. There are now twenty-five residences in Weston, three churches, three elevators, eight stores, and a dozen shops, offices, etc.
The Methodist Church was built in 1873; is a plain, four-walled structure, with- out ornament, 32x46, and cost $1,700. Since its organization, the Weston Church has been a part of Chenoa Cireuit, and has been regularly supplied by the pastors of that charge, whose names appear in the history of that place. It has about fifty members, and begins to feel the need of a pastor for full time.
The Christian Church was built the same year ; is 30x40, plain, like the other, and, like it, is kept nicely painted ; cost, $1,400. Elder H. D. Legerwood was the carliest and is the present Pastor of this church, and it is through his faithful labors, in a great part, that this comfortable house was built and religious services kept up.
By far the sightliest church edifice is Zion Church, the building of the German Evangelical Church, which was built in 1875 and 1876, and dedicated to religious wor- ship in February, 1876. The building is 24x36, twenty feet high, with a spire sixty- five feet high, from in front of the centre. The trustees who had this building in charge, and who so faithfully did the important work, were Messrs. Anton Adam, Joseph Adam, Kiradan Raedle, John Nagel and J. Jikadanz. The building cost about $1,800. This church belongs to the Illinois Conference, and is in the Pontiac Circuit,
735
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.
the other appointments being Sand Ridge, Owego, Ocoya and Rooks' Creek. Rev. George Eichenlaub is Pastor.
The Weston School is in charge of Mr. David Vance, Jr., who is doing faithful work in behalf of education ; number of pupils enrolled, 50; average attendance, 39. Pupils are taken through the statutory studies.
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