The History of Peoria County, Illinois. Containing a history of the Northwest-history of Illinois-history of the county, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc., etc., Part 97

Author: Johnson & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Johnson & Company
Number of Pages: 932

USA > Illinois > Peoria County > The History of Peoria County, Illinois. Containing a history of the Northwest-history of Illinois-history of the county, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc., etc. > Part 97

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599

HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.

KICKAPOO VILLAGE.

The village plat was laid off in July, 1836. The plat was entered for record in the name of John Coyle. The town site is in the southwest quarter of Sec. 6. About one- half of this quarter section was laid off in town lots with a public square in the center. The first house on the village site was erected by Mr. Jenkins on the site now occupied by Valentine Schlenk's hotel property, long known as the Kickapoo House. The original building is included in the hotel building. It was designed for a storeroom, and was used for that purpose for a short time by Mr. Jenkins, when additions were made for hotel purposes.

The honor of opening the first store is generally accredited to Richard F. Seabury, now of Peoria.

At one time, until the railroads surrounded it, there was a good trade at this ancient village.

Baptist Church. - This church society was formally organized on the 29th day of March, 1851. Irregular services were held previous to this date at various places, as a good many Baptist people had settled in the vicinity of the village. The organization sermon was preached by Elder H. G. Weston.

The following were the constituent members : Moses Smith, Evan Evans and wife, Thomas Fallyn and wife, Anthony Fallyn and wife, Joseph Fallyn, George H. Frye and wife, John Ford and wife, George W. Weston and wife, Elizabeth Bell and Fanny Hux- table. Soon after a subscription was circulated and a frame house of worship was built, and completed in 1853, during the administration of Elder Freeman as pastor.

The present membership is about thirty-five. Services are held every alternate Sun- day, Elder Armstrong of Stark county officiating. John Marshall is church clerk.

German Catholic Church. - In 1861 the German Catholics hereabouts bought the ground and the standing walls of the Episcopal church edifice, which had been burned, for $324, and at once commenced to reconstruct the building. Rev. Father Fronenhofer was priest at that time, and under his careful management the edifice was completed in the Fall of 1862, for the sum of $842, making the cost of the church edifice thus far $1,166. In 1869 an addition was made to the church building costing $1,725.

The lots and old parsonage building adjoining the church were bought in 1862 for $350. The house was remodeled and repaired. August 4, 1876, the church authorities contracted with Gottfried Herweg, of Peoria, for the erection of the present parsonage at $1,600. The society includes forty-five families, Rev. Father Anton Schmitz has been the officiating priest since September 20, 1877. A good school is maintained in connection with this church about nine months of each year, in which both German and English is taught.

Episcopal Church .- The first church edifice erected on the village plat was the Episcopal Church, built in 1845. The settlement of Bishop Chase at Jubilee, and the erection of a college there, influenced a goodly number of people of the Episcopal faith to locate in the vicinity. They erected a house of worship which continued in the pos- session of the Episcopal people for fifteen years, until partially destroyed by fire in 1860. The ground and the standing brick walls were sold to the German Catholics, by whom it was re-constructed, the old walls forming a part of their present very handsome church edifice.

Methodist Episcopal Church .- The first M. E. services here were held about 1843. At that time Kickapoo was included in what was then known as the Brimfield Circuit, Rock River Conference. The first services were conducted by a Rev. Mr. Whitmon, at the house of William Young. In 1854, Rev. Henry Somers was presiding elder of the Kickapoo Circuit, and Rev. P. F. Rhodes, preacher in charge. Under the ministerial labors of Mr. Rhodes, guided by Mr. Somers, the present church edifice was commenced and completed in 1855, at a cost of $1,662. It was dedicated by Rev. Mr. Johnson, of

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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.

Peoria. The present membership at the Kickapoo appointment is about twenty-five members, and a well conducted Sabbath school, James Dunseth, superintendent.

English Lutheran Church .- The Lutheran church edifice was built in 1867, at a cost of 82,250. Regular services were maintained until the Spring of 1877. Since then, services have been held at irregular periods. The Missouri Lutherans hold services in this church edifice every two weeks.

EDWARDS STATION.

This is a mining and railway station on the Peoria and Galesburg division of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, and is located on section nineteen. By rail it is fourteen miles, and by wagon road, ten miles, west from Peoria. It is not a regularly laid out town, but more of a mining hamlet. The houses are built with but little regard to the points of the compass. The first man to settle here was Isaac Jones, who built a cabin on the side of the hill, very nearly where Wilkinson & Wantling's coal shaft is operated. He died in 1840.

The next house on the ground covered by the Station was built by Conrad Beck, in 1851. The school-house was built in 1865.

E. D. Edwards opened the first store, in 1851. He died in 1857. In 1876, Wilkin- son & Edwards opened a general store which still continues.

In 1853, two years after he commenced business at the Station, E. D. Edwards built a steam flouring mill here, which was successfully conducted until 1866 or '67, when it. was destroyed by fire. It has never been rebuilt.

Coal Mining .- In 1860, Dr. Wilkinson commenced buying coal bearing lands in the vicinity of the Station. He bought from time to time, as such lands were offered, until he now owns nearly 1,000 acres of coal bearing land adjacent to the Station.

In December, 1876, Dr. Wilkinson had completed arrangements for a thorough de- velopment of his mining interests, and associated Isaac Wantling, an experienced miner, with him in their management. Active operations were commenced in January, 1877, and successfully prosecuted ; they possess a capacity for supplying twenty car-loads of coal per day, which can be indefinitely increased. There are two drift veins of four and five feet in thickness that are easily accessible, on the Wilkinson lands, the extent of which is unknown. Each one of these drifts, as far as worked, will yield 1,000 bushels of coal to each square rod, or 40,000 tons to the acre.

M. E. Church .- The first services were held at the Station and the society organized by Rev. J. Kearns and his colleague, Rev. Mr. Sedor, in 1867 or '68. The class num- bered twelve or fifteen members. James Greenough was the first class leader. Regular services are held in the school-house every two weeks. A Sabbath school has been care- fully fostered and steadily maintained, until it numbers sixty-five members; A. W. Thayer, superintendent.

Temperance Reform Club .- The Red Ribbon Reform movement was inaugurated in February, 1879, and at the close of the year the membership numbered abont one hundred.

The population of the place is about one hundred and fifty. School is maintained from six to nine months each year. S. S. Edwards, postmaster; A. W. Thayer, railroad and express agent.

Schools .- In 1851, Miss Sarah Smith taught the first school at Hale's Mill, occupy- ing a cooper shop as the school-house. Previous to that what pupils there were went to the Kingsley school-house some distance west. A few loenst trees are now the only relic to mark the location of the old school-house.

In 1840, Mr. Samuel Dimon, who came to the county and neighborhood in 1838, hanled the logs for the first school-honse erected in what is now district No. 1. Miss Ilarriet Hitchcock is believed to have been the first teacher in that first school-house.

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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY

Mr. Dimon subsequently wielded the birch and ferrule as teacher for two or three quarters in the same building. A fine brick structure now takes in its place.

Besides this school-house, the school-houses at Kickapoo, Edwards Station and Potts- town, which are elsewhere mentioned, there are four other districts, making a total of eight districts in the township.

The first school-house in district No. 5, was located on the northwest quarter of Sec. 9, a frame structure, was erected in the Spring of 1851, at a total cost $260. The first school in this building commenced in the Fall of 1851-H. Gregory teacher.

This school-house served the purposes of the district until 1877, when the present frame structure was erected on the same ground at a cost of $510.

The school-house in district No. 6, is situated on the southeast quarter of Sec. 16. It is a frame building and was erected about August, 1860, at a cost of $300. The first school commenced in the Fall of 1860 - a man named Pehamer, teacher.

The school-house in district No. 7, is located on the northeast quarter of Sec. 33. It is a frame building, was erected in the Summer of 1867, and cost $500. Miss H. Pritchard taught the first school that Winter.

The school-house in district No. 8, is a frame building and located on the northwest quarter of Sec. 13. It was erected in the Summer of 1867, at a cost of $528. The first school was taught in the Winter of 1867-8, by Miss Hattie C. Hamison.

Coal Mines and Mining. - At the site of the old mill there is now quite a village, whose inhabitants derive their subsistance from mining the coal that abounds in such measureless profusion beneath the hills of the Kickapoo. The first coal mining done at that point was by Jacob Darst about 1849 or '50. In miner's parlance, he began "strip- ping" about that date and continued it about five years. Frederick Ruprecht and John Woolenscraft purchased from him some bluff land and commenced "drifting " the same year. In 1851, Ruprecht bought his partner's interest and operated the mine two years, when he sold out to Anderson Grimes and Judge Bryant; they in turn sold out to Samuel Potts, who has been the heaviest operator since that time. By reason of his large mining interests, the place has become generally known as Pottstown. Henry Vicary operates a mine which was opened about 1850, and known as the Vicary lower vein. Mr. Potts and Mr. Vicary, who represent the leading coal banks, are both Eng- lishmen and had mining experience in their native country. Until within the past two years the product of these mines was exclusively sold at the Peoria market, and hauled by wagons; but having constructed a tramway to his mine, Mr. Potts ships by rail to various points abroad. The supply is thought to be inexhaustible. Parker & Clifford operate a mine, employing eight men to whom they pay $5,184 per annum.

POTTSTOWN

has been chiefly quilt up by Mr. Potts for the use of his operatives and their families, since 1869. In 1875 Mr. Potts began the manufacture of brick, which has since been quite an important business in the hamlet. William H. MeLaughlin opened the first store in the place in March, 1872. Having changed hands several times, the business is now conducted by Joseph Middleton.

The Red Ribbon Club. - The temperance reform movement reached Pottstown in August, 1878. It met with a hearty encouragement by nearly all the most influential citizens ; a club was organized and is in a healthy condition.

The Patrons of Husbandry have two quite flourishing lodges in Kickapoo. No. 446 was chartered May 16, 1873, and was organized with thirty members. In the Fall of 1879 the membership was thirty-five and the lodge in active working order. It holds stock in the Peoria grange store.

Orange Grange, No. 843. - This grange was organized, with about forty members, January 10, 1874. It now numbers over fifty. The lodge owns a hall in school district

602

HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.

No. 1. Meetings are held weekly -Saturday -in the Summer. and semi-monthly in Winter.

The Big Hollow Butter and Cheese Factory Company was organized in 1878, with a capital stock of $15,000, and erected a building 30 by 60 feet. It began operations in May, 1878, and has a capacity of 10,000 pounds of milk, or 1.000 pounds of cheese per day. -

LIMESTONE TOWNSHIP.

The first settlers in this township were Abner Eads, who first settled at Fort Clark, in April, 1819, and the Moffatts : Joseph Moffatt and three sons, Alva. Aquila and Ben- jamin F. The Moffatts came in June, 1822. Alva Moffatt settled on See. 13, and still occupies a home on that section.

In 1824, Aquila Moffatt made a claim on the northeast quarter of See. 13, and en- closed and broke five acres of ground, which, with the exception of about six years. he has continued to occupy. Benjamin Moffatt now lives near Hollis. The rest of the family removed to Jo Daviess county.

The settlement of this township was not rapid. The Harker family came to the county in 1829. Daniel Harker, now a resident of this township, was then a boy of fifteen. Henry W. Jones came very early, and built the first hewed log-house in the township.

James Crow and family came about the same time as Jones. but the Black Hawk Indian seare of 1832, frightened them back to Ohio, where they remained until after the elose of the troubles. They returned in 1834.

James Heaton and Joshua Aikin came in 1834. Aikin settled on the Kickapoo creek and built a grist-mill. Pleasant Hughes came in 1837, and settled on Sec. 29. where his widow still resides. In 1837, Daniel Harker, who was married on the 10th of July of that year, occupied a house he had previously built on the southeast quarter of See. 31, and still lives on the same place. In 1838, his father moved over from Logan township, and settled on the southwest quarter of the same section, where he died June 16. 1849, at the age of seventy-five years.

There is a large German element in this township. The earliest settler of this nationality was Conrad Bontz, who came in 1844. Christian Straesser and the Hallers in 1847. The Beatly Johnson family in 1848; George Ojeman in 1849, and the Rolfs in 1851. The Straessers and Hallers were natives of Wurtemberg. The remainder were nearly all from the Kingdom of Hanover. Many of these people are largely engaged in grape culture, and some of them in the manufacture of wine. Ed. Relfs, deceased in 1872, is believed to have planted the first vineyard, and to have also made the first wine. Before his vineyard matured he made wine from the wild grape.

With the rarest exceptions, these people are among the very best people in the com- munity. They are industrious, energetic and honest, and rank high as successful farmers.

When the township organization system was adopted by the people of Peoria county in 1850, the township was named Limestone, because of the almost inexhaustible quar- ries of that stone that exist in the north part of the township.

Nearly the whole township is underlaid with coal, and the mines now worked extend four miles along the eastern tier of sections, and there are several hundred miners em- ployed in the different mines. Peoria is largely supplied with conl from the Limestone mines.

The first coal mining in the township was done by a man named Warner. He opened a bank at a point on the south-east corner of section 24. The Moffatts mined coal at the same place soon after, and shipped it to St. Louis by keel boats.

603

HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.

Petrifactions .- At Secord's limekilns and stone quarry, on the south-east quarter of section, some rare petrified curiosities have been found. These curiosities consist of petrified timber, shells, etc., and are found all through the quarry, at a depth of from three to seventeen feet. Among those most worthy of note was an elk's head, with the horns attached, which was in a perfect state of preservation. It was found at a depth of seven feet from the surface, while quarrying rock for the County Infirmary. Every part of it was thoroughly petrified, and as solid as the stone from which it was taken.

A petrified turtle, with its form preserved intact, was found in the quarry from which stone is taken for lime, or what Mr. Secord calls the " North Quarry." Mr. S. and others who saw it say it looked as " natural as life." It was found in a crevice between the layers of rock.

Christ Church (Episcopal) .- The first services of this Episcopal community were held at the pioneer home of John Benson. Sometimes meetings were held at the homes of some of the other settlers. After Bishop Chase came, in 1836, regular services were observed almost every Sabbath. In time, the members so increased that a house of wor- ship became a necessity, and in 1843, they began to cast about for ways and means to build a church. John Pennington gave two acres of ground in the north-west quarter of section 4. for a church site and cemetery, and in May, 1844, the corner stone was laid. The building was not fully completed until the Fall of 1845, nor consecrated nntil December of that year. The original cost was about $1,500. Of this sum, $1,100 was contributed by friends in England. Dowager Queen Adelaide gave £20; Lord Kenyon gave £20. Rev. John Benson is the officiating clergyman.

Some years ago Rev. John Benson, James Clark and Isabella Douglas deeded to Christ Church forever, a tract of twenty acres of ground just across the public highway from the church edifice. This is called a glebe, and is intended for the use and benefit of the officiating clergyman.

The first grave in Christ Church cemetery was that of Henry Wilson, who died 17th September, 1838.

Limestone M. E. Church .- This church society was organized in 1849, with twenty- seven members. The church edifice, a neat frame structure, is located on section 4, and was built in 1860 at a cost of $1,000. It was dedicated by Peter Cartright, D.D., on the 21st day of October, 1860. The preacher in charge at that time was Rev. John Borland. A Sunday school of twenty scholars is maintained in connection with the church ; Henry Goodrich, superintendent.

Presbyterian Church .- The Presbyterian society was organized on the 30th day of April, 1859, by Rev. B. Farris, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at Peoria. The church building is a handsome frame structure, located on the Farmington road, on the north-west corner of section 8. It was erected in 1864, at a cost of $1,600. Rev. M. L. Wood was the first pastor.

The German Lutheran Church Society was organized in 1855 with eighteen members. The first church edifice was built in 1856 at a cost of $1,000. In 1876 this building became too small to accommodate the increasing congregation, and a new and more com- modious one was erected at a cost of $4,000. The church is supplied with a bell which cost $400, and an organ costing nearly as much. The society owns three and a half acres of ground where the church stands, which includes the cemetery. The first pastor was Rev. F. Warnke. He remained three years. Rev. Mr. Banger is the present pastor.

North Limestone M. E. Church. - First class was formed about 1850. The original members were eleven in number. Rev. Humphrey was the first preacher. Under the pastorate of John Borland, the church was built in 1860; the cost was $800. Number of members at the present time, thirty-one. Connected with the church is a prosperous and large Sabbath school.

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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.

Schoolx. - Mr. Barton remembers that about 1836 he attended a school which was taught in a log house that stood on the ground just in the rear of his house. It was a subscription school, and the teacher was Simeon Ward. This was the first in the township. Limestone township is divided into ten school districts, nine of which have either a neat and comfortable frame or brick house, supplied with furniture and ap- paratus well adapted for modern school use. Schools are kept up from six to nine months during each year, and the best material obtainable is employed as teachers. The schools compare favorably with the public schools of the country.

LOGAN TOWNSHIP.

Logan township was settled in the year 1830. The first settler was an old Indian trader by the name of Triall, who located in the lower end of the township in that year. In 1831 Peter Mayward came and settled near him. In 1832 James Harker, J. G. S. Bo- hanan and Mr. Buek arrived. In 1833 J. I. Runkle, Thos. Phillips and H. J. Heaton came. In 1835 T. P. Smith, John Vanarsdall, Richard Bourne. George Sturgess and Seth Sturgess came. In 1836 and '37 M. A. Gardner, Wm. Forbes and Win. Stratton settled in the township.

The first child born was Henry Smith, son of Thos. P. Smith, in the year 1:34. The first marriage was that of James Harker Jr. to Miss Susan Van Patten in the year 1>34. The first church service was held at the house of Thos. Lane. The first church was or- ganized in Tunber township in the year 1840, and was removed to Smithville in the year 1853. The first school was taught by Dr. Clark, in the Winter of 1836. in a log school- house on section 36.

The schools of Logan township are second to none in the county outside of the city of Peoria. Their buildings are in good repair, and first-class teachers are employed.

The northern and center portion of the township is fine farming land. The southern portion, though broken, is interspersed with some fine farms.

SMITHIVILLE

is situated on section 22, near the center of the township. Was laid out and platted by Thomas P. Smith. It is a village of about two hundred inhabitants. There are two general stores. J. B. Miller & Son have the leading business, and carry a stock of 83.500. J. H. Lucas deals in drugs, patent medicines, paints and oils, hardware, queens- ware and general merchandise. He established the house in 1871, and handles a stock of 83,000. There are two churches, two blacksmith shops, and a good, comfortable school building in the place.

The Harmony Church, Smithville, was organized in the year 1836. by Rev. John Wallace, with ten constituent members. Rev. Andrew Fulton was its first pastor. The original officers were : John MeFadden, Thos. P. Smith, Thomas and F. Smith. The society has built two houses of worship, the first in an carly day, costing $500, and the one in present use, at a cost of nhout 82,500. The church now numbers fifty-two mem- bers, officered by John M. Pinkerton, James and B. Miller. John Harper is the present pastor.

The United Presbyterian Church, of Bethel, was organized in the school-house in District No. 2, June 8, 1853, by a committee of the Associate Reformed Church of Illinois, (Second Presbytery. ) consisting of Wm. E. R. Erskine, minister, and Robt. Pinkerton, ruling elder, with thirty members. Original officers - John MeCollough and James Pinkerton ; ruling elders, Samuel Wiley, Samuel S. Glasgow, and N. C. Pat- ton ; Robert G. Patton, recording clerk and treasurer. Present church officers - John Harper, minister ; Thos. E. Patton. Stewart Glasgow. W.m. S. MeCollough, ruling elders :

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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.

J. P. Wiley, treasurer ; J. A. McCollough, recording clerk. S. Glasy is Sabbath school superintendent.

The first church was built in 1854. a frame building thirty by forty feet. The first pastor was Rev. Philip H. Drennen, who was settled in the Spring of 1855, and resigned in the Spring of 1857. Rev. Elijah MeCoy was called in the Fall of 1858 and remained until 1865. In the Autumn of 1867 Rev. T. P. Proudfit was installed as pastor, and re- mained until the Spring of 1871, when the congregation united with the Harmony congregation of Smithville, Ills., under one pastoral charge. In the Spring of 1873 the Rev. John Harper was settled as pastor of the congregation of Bethel and Harmony in which position he remains. In the Summer of 1874 the congregation erected a frame church, thirty-four by fifty-two feet, at a cost of $3,011.20.

In 1858 the United Presbyterian Church was formed by the unions of the Associate, and the Associate Reformed churches of North America. The church is in a prosperous condition, with a membership of fifty-two

Kinney M. E. Church. - The first class was formed about the year 1840, and con- sisted of eighteen members. The first pastor was Wm. Pitnar. After holding services a few years in private houses a rude school-house was built, which was used, until in 1848 a brick church was erected. This building was occupied twenty years. Under the pastorage of J. L. Ferris, ( 1869,) the old church was pulled down and a neat and com- modious frame building erected on the old site, at the cost of about $2,200, and was dedicated by Rev. J. H. Rhea, D. D. The church is well finished and furnished, includ- ing a good organ. There are at the present time forty-three members. L. V. Weaber is pastor. The official members are : W. O. Norval, located preacher and class leader : G. W. Dumans, Sr., local preacher; W. C. Green, steward and trustee; W. T. Dumans, steward ; T. C. Smith, Geo. W. Dumas. Jr., and Alex. P. Parr, trustees.

Smithville M. E. Church. - The first class was formed in 1850. The number of mem- bers being seven, viz. : B. Kline and wife, Richard Taylor and wife, Alfred Reeves and wife, and a young man named Grinnard. For some time services were held in an old log school-house, Rev. Mr. Humphrey being the first preacher. The church building now in use was erected in 1854 and is now valued at about $800. it is not large, but within is cheerful. There is no indebtedness on the church property. Number of members at pre- sent time is twenty-five. A flourishing Sabbath school is sustained. The parsonage for the Smithville circuit is good property valued at $1,000. L. V. Webber is the present pastor. Gideon Wondee is class leader and trustee. F. M. Tipton recording steward and trustee. Luther Couch, steward and trustee, and Sunday school superintendent.

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The History of Peoria County, Illinois. Containing a history of the Northwest-history of Illinois-history of the county, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc., etc., Part 97

Author: Johnson & co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Johnson & Company Number of Pages: 932

Author: Johnson & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Johnson & Company
Number of Pages: 932