The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois, Part 71

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 848

USA > Illinois > Mason County > The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois > Part 71
USA > Illinois > Menard County > The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois > Part 71

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).

VILLAGE OF FOREST CITY.

The village of Forest City was surveyed, in 1859, by J. F. Coppel and . Alexander Cross, for Walker, Kemp, Wright and Waggenseller. The original plat contained forty-seven acres. An addition of forty acres lying east of the original town was made in 1865 by D. S. Broderic. The lines of original sur- , vey were run north and south, but were never recorded. The plat, as recorded, lie ; parallel with the railroad line. The village is located seventeen miles dis- tant from Pekin and thirteen from Havana. It was, at one time, quite an exten- sive grain mart, but the growth of Mason City on the east, and points on the I., B. & W. R. R., south, have deducted largely from the amount of its annual

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

shipments. Alexander Cross built the first residence on the town site, and occupied it in the latter part of 1859. The house is still standing, and has been converted into an office by Dr. James S. Walker. Thomas H. Ellsworth built a residence and became a denizen of the place in 1860. Josiah Jackson, S. T. Walker, T. A. Gibson, E. T. Nikirk and others were among the earliest citizens of the place. Cross & Walker built the first storeroom and began merchandising in 1861. In 1864, or 1865, Rodgers & Bros., built the second store-building in the village and opened up a stock of general merchandise. The business interests of the village continued to grow till, at one time, it had four good stores in full blast. In 1861, Messrs. Cross & Walker built a grain warehouse and began purchasing grain. The grain trade increased so rapidly that in 1864 they built an elevator at a cost of $6,000. It has a capacity for storage of 40,000 bushels. The grain interests of the village, at present, are looked after by S. T. Walker, agent for Smith, Hippen & Co., of Pekin, and Z. Miller. The annual amount handled approximates 250,000 bushels. Quite an amount of hogs and cattle are shipped from this point. The trade and traffic of the village reaches, perhaps, $40,000 per annum. The post office was estab- lished in 1861, and Alexander Cross was appointed Postmaster. He received his commission from Montgomery Blair as Postmaster General. Mr. Cross has acted continuously from his first appointment down to the present time, and has been efficient and accommodating, as might readily be inferred from his long continuation in office.

A neat frame school building, two stories high, was erected in 1877, at a cost of $1,500. This is the pride and ornament of the village, and is a fitting monument to the liberality of the citizens of the district, who submitted to a heavy taxation in order to secure the building. The M. E. Church, the only house of worship in the village, was erected in 1863 or 1864. Rev. S. B. Ifirsey was the first Pastor. It is a neat frame building, pleasantly situated in a small grove in the western portion of the village. It has a membership of about fifty souls, who meet regularly for worship. A fine and flourishing Sun- day school is held in connection with its services. Dr. George Mastiller was the first physician to locate in the town, as well as the first in the township. E. N. Nichols, M. D., was also in the township quite early. The former is at present a resident of Kansas, and the latter, some years ago, took up his abode in Missouri. Drs. James S. Walker and G. W. Dunn are at present resident physicians, each well skilled in his profession, and enjoying a good practice. A Lodge of Good Templars was organized in 1865. The charter members were Thomas H. Ellsworth and wife, T. G. Onstot, Josiah Jackson and wife, T. A. Gibson and wife, Miss Sarah Ellsworth, and others whose names could not be obtained. In February, 1867, the hall in which the lodge meetings were held was consumed by fire, and the Lodge soon after became extinct. Forest City Lodge, No. 246, I. O. G. T., was organized Jan. 27, 1879, by J. Q. Detwiler, State Deputy. A charter was granted to Thomas A. Gibson and wife, Josiah

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

Jackson, George W. Pemberton, Mrs. Nancy Cross, Susie Cross, G. W. Nikirk, Harry Dunn, Lydia Ellsworth, Mary Ellsworth, Solomon Nikirk, Lillie Ni- kirk, Lizzie Nikirk, W. D. Thomas, E. E. Bird, Ira W. Bruning, Isaac Beard and William F. Bruning as charter members. The Lodge is in fine working order, and, at present, has a membership of about sixty-five. Regular meetings occur on Saturday evening of each week.

A substantial iron bridge, erected at a cost of from $1,800 to $2,000, spans Quiver Creek, just south of the village. In the winter of 1876, the citizens constructed a gravel road from the village to, and for some distance beyond, the bridge. The gravel was obtained at Mackinaw, the P., P. & J. R. R. furnish- ing transportation free, and for once, at least, disproving the oft-repeated assertion that railroad corporations have no souls. The neat and substan- tial passenger depot at this point, under the management of Mr. E. T. Nikirk & Son, is an ornament to the town and a credit to the officials of the road. Forest City Township has been largely Republican in her political complexion since the earliest formation of the party. In the days when the old Whig and Democratic parties vied with each other for supremacy, this " district " could always be relied upon for a handsome Whig majority. During these latter years, the Republican party has held the field whenever party lines were strictly drawn. At the outbreaking of the late civil strife, her loyal sons were not slow in attesting their fealty and devotion to the Stars and Stripes. At each and every call, she furnished her full quota, and no draft was made upon her patriotic citizens to fill up the oft-depleted ranks of the patriot army. Many of her noble boys are taking their long, deep sleep in Southern soil, beneath a Southern sun, far from the spot of their early child- , hood. They fell in the discharge of duty and in the defense of their country's honor. Fond fathers and loving mothers cherish with fondest delight the memory of the brave boys whose lives were offered a willing sacrifice upon their nation's altar. Of such we may say, in the poet's fitting strain :

"Soldier, rest ! thy warfare's o'er, Sleep the sleep that knows no breaking ;

Dream of battle-fields no more, Days of danger, nights of waking."

Forty years ago, Forest City Township was without an inhabitant. Now her surface is thickly studded with comfortable homes, and thrift and enterprise greet us on every hand. Her citizens are alive to every movement that tends to advance the interests of their section, and her annual productions rank sec- ond to but few townships in the county. Bishop Station, a small village on the P., P. & J. R. R., three miles southwest of Forest City, was laid out for Henry Bishop in the spring of 1875. The post office was established in 1871, four years prior to the date of laying out the town. A grain elevator, two general stores and a blacksmith-shop comprise the business buildings of the village. These, with some half-dozen residences, include all that there is in the town.

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

We have been able to obtain but very little of its history, though diligent inquiry has been made. Its citizens have been backward in giving us anything like a connected history of the place, laboring, perhaps, under the misappre- hension that we were desirous of buying the town at the present low ruling price, and not recognizing the fact that we were simply desirous of obtaining data from which to compile a historical sketch of the place. However, the prospects for its rapid development into a village of any considerable importance is not, at present, very flattering. Its location-about midway between Forest City and Topeka-precludes the possibility of its ever being more than a point of local interest.

LYNCHBURG TOWNSHIP.

A latter-day statesman, making a speech in Congress, a year or two ago, wishing to indulge in a little sarcasm at something or somebody, in the course of his remarks said that " When God Almighty made the world, he had an apronful of sand left over, which he poured out on the Atlantic coast, and called the spot New Jersey." If this be true, one might be led to the conclu- sion that He also had enough left to make, not only Lynchburg Township, but the greater part of Mason County. Anyway, the sand is here in considerable quantities, whether it was spilled from somebody's apron, or was washed down from Lake Michigan during the drift period. How it came here is a conun- drum, to solve which is no part of our work in these pages.

Lynchburg Township lies in the southwest part of Mason County, in the forks of the Illinois and Sangamon Rivers, and is bounded on the north, west · and south by these streams, and on the east by the township of Bath. It is pretty well divided between prairie and timber land, the latter lying contigu- ous to the water-courses. It is well watered by the rivers flowing along its borders and the number of its little lakes within its limits ; and to the irriga- tion thus produced is doubtless owing the prolific nature of this sandy soil, and the fine crops it so abundantly brings forth. In addition to the lakes and riv - ers, is Snicarte* Slough, which runs through the north part of the town, and is almost equal to a little river.

Lynchburg has no villages or railroads. The hamlet of Snicarte approx- imates the nearest a town it has ever known. The shipping facilities consist of water transportation, and the hauling of freights over to Bath and Saidora Station, where they are shipped via the P., P. & J. R. R. Upon the whole, the township is a flourishing one, and boasts of many wealthy and energetic farmers. With this preliminary introduction and description, we will now devote a few pages to its

*Snicarte is a French word, and is pronounced with the accent on the last syllable. It is said to denote lost channel, and to have been given to this slough by the early French settlers along this river, owing to the sudden and abrupt termination of the slough in this section.

653

HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

EARLY SETTLERS.

The first settler in Lynchburg Township was Nelson Abbey, in 1833. He came from the Green Mountains of Vermont, and built the first cabin in the terri- tory now embraced in this township, on Section 4. He sold out at an early day and removed to Missouri (near St. Jo), where, at the last account of him, he was still living. As in other portions of Mason and Menard Counties, many of the early settlers in this section were from Kentucky. From that State we have William and John Rogers, the Phelpses, Isaac Bright, Jerry Northern, William P. Finch, Amos S. West, William Davis and perhaps others. Davis came to the town and made a small improvement in 1838. He settled some distance south of where the old village of Moscow stood. At the first breaking-out of the California gold fever, he went to that land of enchantment. Further, we know nothing of him. Amos S. West came to Illinois and set- tled first in Morgan County, and came to Mason County in 1844. He located in this township, but finally moved to Kansas.

The Phelpses came to the neighborhood in 1838 or 1839. George W. first settled in Cass County, and afterward removed to Bath Township, whence he came to this place, as mentioned above. He finally sold out, returned to Kentucky, and from there removed to Missouri, where, as the novel-writers say, we at present leave him. R. J. Phelps was a son-in-law of John Camp, and settled about three-quarters of a mile east of Snicarte. He lived here some time, and then removed about a mile further east. His first wife died between 1844 and 1846, and he married a second time, a sister to Mark A. Smith, an old settler and a prominent citizen of Lynchburg Township. Mr. Phelps was one of the early Justices of the Peace of this section. He accu- mulated considerable property, and, after the death of his second wife, he married again, and then removed to the southwest part of Nebraska, where he now lives.

Bright settled in the southwest part of the town in 1840 or 1841, but died about 1844. He was also an early Justice of the Peace in this quarter of the.

county. His widow married one of the Phelpses, and finally removed to Texas. Jerry Northern came to the settlement about 1839 or 1840. He set- tled in Cass County upon his arrival in Illinois, where he remained for a time, and then came here, as above stated. He had a large family, and was also a man of some means and owned quite a farm. He at length sold out and moved away. His sons were Edmund A., John, Wellington and Frank, of whom none, we believe, now live in the town.

The Rogerses came in 1838 or 1839. William settled one mile west of Snicarte, and John three miles southwest of the same spot. They were brothers, and the first mentioned was a doctor, while John was a blacksmith. Each was the first of his profession in this section of the country. William Rogers was a brother-in-law of Nelson Abbey. John Rogers died about 1868 or 1869.

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY. 1

William P. Finch came in 1842 or 1843, and was one of the early peda- gogues, also a Justice of the Peace. A daughter of his married J. A. Phelps. His two youngest sons are still living in the township.

Amos Smith came from Vermont, and settled in this township in the win- ter of 1839, about a mile from Snicarte. Amos Smith, Jr., and Benjamin F. Smith, his sons, came with teams to Whitehall, N. Y., and by canal and Lake Erie from Buffalo to Cleveland, and by way of the Ohio, Mississippi and Illi- nois Rivers to Beardstown, where they arrived in 1837. Amos Smith, Jr., was elected Justice of the Peace at the organization of the county, an office he held until his death, in 1850. He was also one of the first County Commissioners. Amos Smith, Sr., the father, died in 1841. Benjamin F. Smith was a car- penter. He accumulated considerable property, and died in 1867. Mark A. Smith, another son of Amos Smith, Sr., came to the town in 1839, and is still living, one of the enterprising men of the county. He arrived with his family at Moscow, in Mason County, on the 15th of October. with a fortune consist- ing of 37 cents in ready money. He tells the following story of his early experience here : When he landed, the family and goods were left on the bank of the river, while he went to explore the town and to procure a team. The town consisted of two log cabins, deserted at the time. He traveled six miles to Abbey's, procured a team and returned about 3 o'clock for his family. He took them to Abbey's, where three families were domiciled in one cabin until others could be built. In 1853, he built a warehouse, and engaged in the grain trade, and, in connection with merchandising, still follows the business to some extent.

Simon Ward came from North Carolina in 1838. He used to follow selling wood to steamboats, at that time quite an extensive business. He removed to Texas, but, after some years, came back, and finally died here. He set out the first orchard in the present township of Lynchburg, in 1835, on Section 35, of the Congressional Town 20, Range 10 west. James Ward, a. son, still lives on the Burr Oak Ridge.

George W. Carpenter was from Tennessee, and came to the settlement early. He raised a large family, and lived there many years, but at last moved to Kansas. James D. Reeves came about 1838-39, but his native State is not remembered. He settled one and one-half miles south of Moscow, where he had a cabin and a small improvement when the Smiths came to the settlement. He moved away several years ago.

Rev. John Camp was from Pennsylvania, and came about 1838. He was a local preacher of the M. E. Church, and hesitated not, it seems, to mingle in the politics of the day, as we learn he was the first Probate Judge of Mason County, being learned in the profane as well as the divine law, and is men- tioned as a man of " moderate learning and moderate ability." He built a horse-mill at an early day, where the pioneers used to get their hominy. He died in the township.

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

John Stewart, mentioned as one of the first settlers in Bath Township, is also an early settler in this, and is still living. He settled originally on Sni- carte Island, on that portion now included in Bath, and which he sold to Amos Richardson, and by him was sold to John Knight. He then settled in what is now Lynchburg. Caleb Brown and family came from New York, and first settled in Adams County, whence they came to Lynchburg in 1843-44. His family consisted of two sons and several daughters. John Healey was also an early settler, but of him little information was obtained. Jonathan Sack- man came in 1840-41 ; remained in the settlement but a year or two. He was elected a Justice of the Peace, and, after receiving this high honor, moved away. He came from Schuyler County to this township, but his native place is not known. John J. Fletcher, an Englishman, came to the town in 1848, and is still living, an enterprising citizen, and we acknowledge our indebted- ness for many points in the history of this township.

The Marshalls came from Overton County, Tenn., about 1839-40. There were four brothers of them, viz .: George, John, David and Elisha. John died here, years ago. George and Elisha removed to Adams County, and David to Missouri, many years ago.

Thomas Bowles came here in 1838-39, but was one of those characters often found in a new country, that do not add much credit to its population. It is said that he strove hard to make money otherwise than by the sweat of his brow. In other words, he was somewhat addicted to "shoving the queer " whenever an opportunity offered. Two men, named Ashley Hickey and Aaron Ray, became interested with him. Hickey furnished means to purchase mate- rial and tools for their new enterprise, and Bowles went to St. Louis to make the investment, but, instead of doing so, spent the shekels in " riotous living," perhaps, and returned home with the story that he had bought the tools and ordered them shipped to the place ; but, as they came not, he was accused, first, of falsehood, and then of swindling, and, finally, kicked out of the neighbor- hood.

James M. Ingram came from the Hoosier State in 1840, and settled in this section. He was drowned, some two years later, in Snicarte Slough. Zeph Keith was from Tennessee, originally, but settled in Cass County, whence he removed to . this place about 1842-43. He is mentioned as a genial, jolly good fellow, and, after remaining here some years, removed to Kansas. The Lanes came from Pennsylvania about 1842. Jacob Lane, the father, died here in 1873, but his sons are still living in the town. The Mays, Pleasant May and his son William, were from Kentucky or Virginia, and came in 1837. William died here in 1850, and the old gentleman moved to Missouri. George May was a brother to Pleasant May, and laid out the village of Lynchburg, as noticed in another page. William Bailey came from Kentucky in 1839, and moved to Kansas several years ago. Thomas, Richard and William Ainsworth are natives of England, and came to America in 1842, and located in this

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

township. Thomas, the eldest, had $800; the other two had $50 apiece. They borrowed some money from Thomas to enter land, and all agreed to work together until they had forty acres of land in cultivation. They are now com- paratively wealthy men. Thomas and William live in Lynchburg Township, and Richard in Mason City. The Laymans are from Ohio, and came here about 1845-46. The father, David Layman, was a native Virginian. He died here in 1854. Several sons are still living in the township. William Howarth came to Lynchburg with the Ainsworths in 1842, and is still living in the town. This includes a list of the early settlers, as far as we have been able to obtain them. Owing to the very sandy nature of this portion of the county, it is not so thickly settled as other and more favored localities. Neither has the town much history of particular interest, beyond its actual settlement.

RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL.

The first religious society was organized by the Methodists, in 1838. The early preachers of this faith were Revs. Robert Anderson and Williams-the latter familiarly known as " Daddy Williams." The original members were John Camp and wife, George Marshall and wife, James D. Reeves and wife. The present membership is about sixty communicants. A frame church was built in 1849-50, at a cost of $1,400, and was dedicated by Peter Cartwright. The church is known as Fairview M. E. Church, and is located on the line between Sections 10 and 15. George A. Bonney took an active part in build- ing up the society. The Sunday school was organized in 1848, with Thomas Ainsworth as the first Superintendent. They have a library of about two hun- dred volumes, and over a hundred children attend the school regularly. William Ainsworth, the present Superintendent, has served in that capacity for the past twenty-two years.

Hopewell Baptist Church was organized in January, 1840, by Revs. Daniels and Thomas Taylor, with the following original members : George W. Camp- bell and wife, William Davis and wife, Benjamin F. Smith and wife and Mrs. Lydia Phelps. It was organized at the residence of William Davis, about two miles east of Snicarte. Services were held at private houses until the building of a schoolhouse in the neighborhood, in 1852. This was then used for church purposes until 1865-66, when a frame church building was put at Snicarte, 30x40 feet, at a cost of about $1,200. Many members of the Church have moved away, and it is now on a decline, numbering only about thirty-five mem- bers. They were without a shepherd the past year. In 1864, a Sunday school was organized, with Josiah English as Superintendent. The present Superin- tendent is John H. Reemtsen, and the usual attendance is from fifteen to twenty children.

Who taught the first school, and in what year, we were unable to learn. William P. Finch was, however, an early teacher ; but whether or not he was the first, is an unsettled question. There was a school taught by Mrs. Camp,

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

a sister of Mark A. Smith, before there was a schoolhouse in the township. H. G. Rice taught the first school, perhaps, after the building of a house for school purposes. At present, there are five schoolhouses in the town, one log and four frame buildings. In these, good schools are maintained for the usual term each year. The first marriage in Lynchburg was that of William Cole and Miss Nancy May. The first birth-Henry Ward, a son of Simon Ward, born in 1834, and in the same year, occurred the first death, that of Mary Jane Smith, daughter of M. A. Smith. The first mill was built by John Camp in 1835, on Section 3, of Town 19, and was a small horse-mill. It was of con- siderable benefit to the neighborhood at that early day. The only mill in the township, at present, is a steam saw and grist mill at Snicarte, owned by Hiram Goodrich. It grinds corn, but makes no attempt. at grinding wheat. The latter grain is taken mostly to the Bath and Chandlerville mills. The first two-story house was built by John J. Fletcher on Section 1. Amos Smith was the first Justice of the Peace. The officers of the township, at present, are as follows : J. H. Layman, Supervisor ; John J. Fletcher, Justice of the Peace (the other Justice, which the town is entitled to, moved away recently); Sam Johnson, Town Clerk, and Mark A. Smith, School Treasurer. In an early day, the people of this section got their mail at Havana. Later, when a post office was established at Bath, it served them until Snicarte became honored with an office. The township has no railroads, large towns or manufactories, but is devoted entirely to agricultural interests. It is, like other towns in Mason County, Democratic in politics. The part taken in the late war will be found in our war record in another chapter.

Snicarte is the nearest approach to a village in Lynchburg Township, and it, we believe, has never been laid out or surveyed. A small grocery store was opened here by Mark Smith in 1858. This was changed to a general store the next year, enlarged and quite an extensive stock of goods opened out. Mr. Smith continued in the mercantile business until 1873, when he sold to Henry C. Hoseman, who still keeps a small stock of goods. A post office was estab- lished here about 1859-60, with Horace Rice as Postmaster. Mr. Rice was Postmaster from the establishment of the office until his death, when M. A. Smith became Postmaster. He held the office until he sold his store to Hose- man, when the latter gentleman succeeded to the office, and is still Postmaster. John A. Reemtsen also has a store at this place, keeps a large stock of goods, and does quite an extensive business. M. A. Smith commenced the grain busi- ness here at an early day. He built a grain warehouse in 1853, and, some years later, built a larger one. In these, he has handled grain, more or less, every year since their erection. He still deals in grain. These branches of business, together with the mill already noticed, a church, blacksmith-shop and a few dwelling houses, constitute the hamlet of Snicarte.

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The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois, Part 71

Author: Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 848

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 848