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 99

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 99

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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY

friends. To the honor of the ladies, be it recorded that the Ladies Mite Society of this church gave $1,000. The present membership of this church (January, 1880,) is 126. Rev. Samuel R. Belville is the minister in charge. Edward Auten is secretary and treasurer. Trustees are, Josiah Morrow, Milton Cutler. William Simpson. The elders are Wm. HI. Wilson, George Roweliff. Samuel Auten, who is also clerk of session.

Princeville Press. - The first paper published in Princeville was the Princeville Weekly Citizen. by G. T. Gillman, started in the Summer of 1868, and lasted six months. The next venture was the Princeville Times, by C. A. Pratt. established in July, 1874, and run four months. The next was the Princeville Independent, by J. E. Knapp. first issued March 10. 1877. Changed hands September 29. 1877. J. G. Corbett becoming editor. Changed again October 13, 1877, to the firm of J. G. Corbett & H. E. Charles, as editors. October 18. 1878, the firm was changed to J. G. Corbett & P. C. Hull, edit- ors. October 3, 1879, it was bought by the present proprietors. J. E. Charles and P. C. Hull ; P. C. Hull, editor. It is now a permanent institution, with a rapidly increasing circulation.

I. O. O. F .. Diligence Lodge, No. 129, was organized at Princeville, on the 23d day of August, 1853, with seven charter members viz : R. F. Henry, T. J. Russell JJosiah Fash. The first officers were : H. M. Barney. N. G. : R. F. Henry, V. G. : Milton Wilson. Rec. Sec. The lodge meets over D. W. Herron's drug store. It has a membership of fifty. The present officers are ; S. S. Coburn, N. G. ; Frank Stater. V. G. : D. D. MeDougall. Rec. Sec. ; A. J. Pratt, Treas. ; C. W. Russell, Warden ; Joseph Lyman, Conductor.

MONICA

Is a flourishing little village in Princeville township, situated on the Buda branch of the C., B. & Q. R. R., twenty-five or twenty-six miles northwest of Peoria. It was laid out and platted on the 26th day of June, 1875, by S. S. Cornwell, a native of Duch- ess county, New York, who emigrated to this county in 1838, and located on section 28. where he still resides. The town was first named Cornwell, which was afterwards changed to Monica. The Hon. Wm. J. Phelps gave it its name, after a Grecian princess. The first store was built by Andrew D. Rogers, for hardware purposes. Then followed H. P. Hanover, who erected a store building and opened out a stock of groceries and boots and shoes.

Mt. Zion M. E. Church was organized in 1858. The first sermon was preached in Nelson school-house, in district No. 8. by Rev. J. S. Millsap. The original members were eighteen in number. Fifteen of the original members are still living. The first house of worship was erected in 1867. on the southwest corner of section 20, a frame building. :2x45. and cost 82,208.20. It was removed to Monica in the Fall of 1877. and enlarged and fitted up. at an expense of nearly 81.300. The present membership is eighty. The officers are : John Nelson, Roger Cook. John Goodman, Reuben Deal, George Belford. O. W. Cummings and Clark Hill, trustees; Phillip M. Nelson, George Belford, George Campbell and C. W. Miller, stewards ; Clark Hill and E. C. Lincoln, class leaders. Rev. S. Brink fills the pulpit.

The Monica Blue Ribbon Club was organized by the people of Monica and vicinity on the 17th December, 1-78, and has been the means of doing a great deal of good. The first officers were. L. B. Martin, M. D., president : W. E. Elliott, Ist vice-president ; D. D. Clark, 2d vice-president ; L. L. Campbell, secretary ; S. S. Cornwell, treasurer. The membership is about one hundred and fifty good workers. The present officers are, Joseph Motes, president ; C. R. Coker, Ist vice-president ; Mrs. M. Curtis, 2d vice-pres- ident ; R. L. V. Deul. secretary ; S. S. Cornwell, treasurer.

Schools. - The present school building in Monica is a handsome frame structure, 22×41, two stories high. and was erected in the Fall of 1878. The cost of structure was 82,100. The first teacher was T. C. Young. Average attendance of scholars is seventy.

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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.

The present business men are : L. L. Campbell, dry goods ; Herrington, Herger & Co., general merchandise ; B. B. Bowman & Co., hardware ; George Campbell, groceries ; W. W. Hurd, dealer in grain and live stock, who has an elevator of 48,000 bushels capac- ity in the village ; A. D. Hutchinson, also grain ; M. A. Stowell, lumber; P. R. Ford, proprietor Monica House ; F. Fairfield, harness ; Joseph Gotz, boots and shoes ; Dr. D. F. Duke, physician

RADNOR TOWNSHIP.

[TOWN TEN NORTH, RANGE SEVEN EAST. ]

In early times the territory included in this township was attached to Kickapoo pre- cinct for election and other purposes. Under the law providing for township organiza- tion, the name Radnor was proposed for this municipality by Evan Evans, the first super- visor, after Radnor, Pennsylvania, and Radnorshire, Wales, the home of his ancestors, and the name was adopted.

To a man named Miller is ascribed the honor of building and occupying the first cabin in this township. The Miller cabin was probably built about the latter part of 1832, or early part of 1833 : and until 1835, if he remained here that long, he was " monarch of all he surveyed." In 1835, a number of persous came and founded homes.

Erastus Peat, Griffith Dickison, and some other members of the Dickison family, were the next settlers after Miller, but the date of their settlement is not easily accessi- ble. They probably came about 1834-5. John L. Wakefield moved over from Kickapoo township about 1835-6, and located on section 18, his present home. George D. Harlan, the Dunlaps, Calvin Blake, Griffith Dickison, Daniel Corbert, Elihu Pratt, Daniel Robin- son, Robert Cline, Jedediah Hitchcock, Moses Harlan, William Gifford, and Harvy Still- man, came in 1837.

The first precinct election was held at the house of Alva Dunlap, on the north west quarter of section 14. Richard Scholes is reported as the first justice of the peace. The first couple married was George McMillan and Miss Phoebe Hill. The first birth was in the family of Henry Martin, on the southeast quarter of section 35, in 1836. The first death was that of Henry Martin the same year. The first post office was known as Orange Prairie, and was located at the residence of Enoch Huggins, who was the postmaster, on section 36. That post office was discontinued some years since, and was succeeded by the post office at Dunlap, Miss Frances Dunlap, postmistress. This is the only post office in the township.

The first schools were taught in the Summer of 1837, and were subscription schools. These schools commenced almost simultaneously. One of them was taught by Miss Mary Twitchell, in a log building on the Gifford place. The other school was taught by Miss Phoebe Cline, in a small building on the Wakefield place, on section 18. From the time of these primitive schools to the present, the educational interests have not been allowed to languish. Schools were carefully and steadily maintained in every neighborhood - in every part of the township where there were children enough to make a school. Sometimes they were taught in rooms belonging to private houses, and some- times in houses that had been vacated for better ones. At last the township was dis- tricted, and public school-houses were built, until now there are nine as handsome school- houses in Radnor township as in any other political division in the county. Each district is composed of four sections, and the school-houses are located, as nearly as may be, at the adjoining corners of these sections. They are ail supplied with modern furni- ture, and made as comfortable every way as possible. School is maintained about nine months in each of them.

The earliest preaching was about 1837, by the Rev. Mr. Cunningham, of the M. E. church. He visited here occasionally, and preached in the houses of the settlers. The

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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.

first church edifice was erected on the land of Mr. A. Yates, in 1-50. There are now four church buildings, and as many congregations. Of these the Methodist people have two, the Presbyterians one, and the Catholics one.

The Glendale Methodist Church was erected in 1861, and is located on the corners of seetions 25, 26, 35, and 36. It is an appointment of the Kickapoo circuit, and is supplied by the " circuit rider." The other Methodist congregation is known as

Salem Church, and is located on the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 16. It is also an appointment of the Kickapoo circuit. Rev. C. W. Green has preached to these congregations since the Conference appointments of 1878.

The Presbyterian and Cathohe churches are located in the village of Dunlap. and will be further noticed in the sketch of that promising hamlet.

Industries. - Agriculture and stock-growing are the leading industries of the town- ship. In these respects, and especially the former. it is more than an average with the other townships of the county. The farms are all in good condition, and remuneratively productive.

Coal Mining. - Although the entire township is underlaid with a rich deposit of coal, only two banks have been opened. Both of these openings are in the southwest part of the township and are the principal sources of fuel supply.

What is known as Evans' mill, on the east fork of Kickapoo creek, was built about 1842-3 by a man named Pierce. It is located on Sec. 29, and is the only mill in the county driven by water power.

DUNLAP VILLAGE.

This village is located on the Peoria and Rock Island Railroad, fifteen miles north- west from Peoria, and is an outgrowth of that railroad enterprise. The situation is a commanding one, and is in the center of an agricultural district that is unsurpassed in any part of the county. The village site embraces forty acres of Alva Dunlap's home place. and was laid off by that gentleman in 1871.

The honor of building the first house in the village, belongs to Dr. John Gillett. He commenced building in June, 1871, and completed and occupied the building with a stock of drugs and groceries in October of the same year.

In the Fall of 1871 George W. Blake built a business house at the corner of B and Rail- road Streets, and occupied it with a stock of groceries. II. I. Smith built a residence in the Fall of 1871, and commenced the business of a blacksmith. Hugh Yates built a store and residence combined on First Street in 1872. Miss Frances M. Dunlap commeneed the dry goods and notions trade in the post-office building at the corner of First and A Streets in the Spring of 1876, where she still continues. The post office of Dunlap was established in September, 1871, with Miss Dunlap ns postmistress, n position she still holds. J. Kreaner commenced the tin and hardware business on First Street in 1877. A. Huber, the village shoemaker, added a stock of boots and shoes in the Fall of 1878. Ben. C. Vaughan, blacksmith and wagonmaker, commenced business in 1872. The Mathews' elevator was erected in 1877. David Smith's warehouse was re-constructed and fitted up with elevator appliances the same year.

Schools and Churches. - The first school, after Dunlap was surveyed, was taught by Miss Susan Rathburn in a small building just over the south line of the village plat, and commenced in September, 1871. The school-house was built in 1877, and cost about 8900. The first prayer meeting was held at the residence of George W. Pyle, corner of Third and B Streets, July 2, 1875.

The Presbyterian Church edifice at Dunlap is a graceful and elegant structure. Pre- vious to the completion of this building, the Presbyterian people worshiped in a building erected on the land of Mr. A. Yates, in 1850. The Catholic house of worship was erected in 1879.

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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.

RICHWOODS TOWNSHIP.

Richwoods is situated in the eastern portion of Peoria county, joining Peoria town- ship on the north. Was so called by its first inhabitants because of its heavy timber of sugar maple, elms, walnuts and oak, and when the township organization was effected the name was retained.

It has within its limits Springdale Cemetery, containing one hundred and seventy acres of land, beautifully situated on the bluff overlooking Peoria Lake and the Illinois river. The county fair grounds - Jefferson Park -is also in this township. Mr. William German was the first settler of the township. He came in 1832 and located on Sec. 29. Later in the same year came Thomas Essex, a native of Virginia, and settled on the same section. In 1833 Benjamin Slane. Marginus Belford, and William Nixon, came and settled on Sec. 27. Mr. Slane remained but a short time, then removed to Princeville township. He was the first supervisor from that township. Also later in 1833 Stephen Carroll, Levi McCormick, and a man by the name of Barton, settled in the township. In 1834 Josiah Fulton and family removed from Peoria. The first marriage was Charles Ballance, of Peoria, to Miss Julia Snebly, in 1835. The first death was Mr. Stephen Carroll's father. The first minister was Rev. Isaac Keller, who preached in a log school-house on Sec. 27, in 1835. Nathan Giles immigrated to the township in 1836; was a native of Oneida county, N. Y. John Berket of Lancashire, England, came to the county in 1836. Smith Frye came from Washington county, Penn., in 1834; was an active, influential man. Was elected sheriff of the county in an early day. Mr. Frye was killed by a pistol shot at the stock yards in Peoria, in 1860, by a man named Carroll. Benjamin Lusk settled in the township in 1834. He was from Duchess county, N. Y., has two sons living in the township. John Heines also came as early as 1834. He was born in Frederick county, Va. In 1833 William O. Stringer settled on Sec. 8, and was among the earliest settlers of the township.

Schools. - In 1851 the Snebly and Chauncey wood school-house was built, being the first frame building used for school purposes in the township, (previous to that log cabins were used,) eighteen by twenty-four feet, and cost $400. The next was the Stringer school-house in the northern part of the town, in 1853, at a cost of about $400, which is still standing and occupied for school purposes. The next was the brick house on section 28, known as the Fulton school-house, which was pulled down and a fine building erected in 1858, on section 33, in its stead, known as the Jackson, or Yates school-house, at a cost of $1,000. In 1853 the Spears school-house was erected, a brick building, eighteen by twenty-four, and cost $400. It was afterwards abandoned, and the district being divided up, there has been two houses erected, one known as the Louks, and the other the Sipp. They are frame buildings costing about $600 each. In the northwest corner of the township a frame building was erected, known as the Snebly and Johnson school-house, costing about $500. In the year of 1865 or '66, there was a frame building erected on section 15, on the Illinois Bottoms, known as the Littleton school- house, and cost about $400. The Hines school-house was built in 1872, on section 28, - and cost $500. The schools are in a flourishing condition, always pay very good prices for teachers, and having sessions of six to nine months a year.

ROSEFIELD TOWNSHIP.

This township first was settled about the year 1833, by Amos Stevens, who located at the Kickapoo Forks, and built the first log cabin and broke the first prairie. Winney Rynearson and a brother of A. Stevens came in shortly after. John and David Combs, Lewis Cooledge, and Wm. Mixon came in 1835; Benjamin Miller and Joseph Bohrer a

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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY

year later. The first church was a Methodist, organized in 1537. The first sehool-house was built on section s, in 1838. Roswell Smith was the first teacher in the school-house : but the first school was held in a private house, taught by Martha Miller, daughter of Benjamin Miller, in the year 1837. The township is generally broken, except in the southwest corner, where some beautiful farms and good substantial farmers are to be found.

OAK HILL.

The village of Oak Hill is situated on the C., B. & Q. R. R., about twenty miles from Peoria, in Rosefield township. It was laid out and platted by Joseph Bohrer and Win. M. Dodge, in 1855. Mr. Bohrer was born in Frederick county. Va., on the 9th day of May, 1805. Was married February, 1829, to Harriet Dawson, and lived in Morgan county, Va., until 1836, when he emigrated to Illinois and located in Rosefield township. There is at present three general stores, one owned and occupied by A. Y. Forney, who commenced business in 1865, who also has been postmaster about the same length of time. Mr. Jacob Dawson has been in business since the C., B. & Q. passed through, most of the time dealing in stock and grain ; but at present in the mercantile business. W. W. Miller owns and occupies one of the stores. He came to the township among the earliest settlers. There is one church (Methodist) ; a good school building ; two black- smith shops and one warehouse.

In 1865 the camp ground of the M. E. Church was bought by the Peoria district, where thousands of people congregate yearly to worship. It is situated a short distance northwest of town, in a beautiful grove, and has a fine spring of water on the ground.

Oak Hill Church .- In 1837 or '38, the first M. E. Church was organized on section 14, and known as the Combs meeting-house. Since that time the church has gone to decay. The church at Oak Hill was organized in 1845, and held their meetings in a school-house until 1858, when they erected a church editice under the supervision of Rev. G. R. Palmer, and at that time had a membership of about sixty. The board of officers were Cutten Dawson, Daniel Brown, Austin Nixon, Jacob Gunth, Isaac Weth- rell, W. W. Miller, A. Dawson ; and building committee, Austin Nixon, W. W. Miller, J. Dawson ; class leader was A. Nixon, after the new church was built. The cost of building was 81,200. Rev. C. W. Green has charge of the church, and is doing a good work. Has a school building 28x36, 16 feet C., and the attendance is forty. School is conducted by Miss Ida Burt.

The Methodist Church at Teras. - This church was organized in Rosefield township, in 1854, and is known as the Wrigley Church. The original members were ten in num- ber. The first class leader was Joseph Dunn. Trustees were Robert Wrigley and Henry Robins. The first pastor was J. M. Snyder. For the first few years the society wor- shiped in a brick school-house. Their present church was built some time about 1860, a frame building, 26x34 feet, and will accommodate between 200 and 250. It cost $1,600.

Rosefield M. E. Church. - The first Methodist class within the vicinity of the pre- sent church edifice was formed in 1844, or perhaps a year or two earlier with twelve original members. The first church edifice was built in 1854 ; and in 1871 was abandoned and a new church erected across the road, costing $1,650, and was dedicated by Rev. R. N. Morse. Although the building is not large, it is however, neat and attractive. und the church is free from debt. The house is supplied with a good organ. At the present time the membership is twenty-four. Nelson Shepherd is class leader and Sunday school superintendent ; John Yinger, steward ; and these with John Van Ansdall, trustees. The pastors have been the same as at Pleasant Grove with few exceptions, prior to 1850.

Rosefield Farmer's Mutual Fire and Lightning Insurance Company. - This corpor- ation is composed of the resident farmers of the towns of Rosefickl, Elmwood, Trivoli und Logan, who organized themselves together under the State laws enacted March 24, 1874,

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for the purpose of mutual protection against loss or damage by fire or lightning. The first election occurred on the 6th of March, 1875, when the following Board of Directors was chosen : J. H. Hart, James Richardson, S. S. Glasgow, N. Huffman, Thomas Lapsley, A. J. McFarland, John Yinger, J. J. Harding and Thomas Clinch. On March 13, fol- lowing, the directors elected J. H. Hart, president, Thomas Clinch, treasurer, and O. B. Green, secretary. At the date of organization the schedule of property upon which policies were issued aggregated sixty-three thousand dollars. The business office of the company is located at the school-house of District No. 3 in Logan township, Peoria county.

TIMBER TOWNSHIP.

Timber township forms the extreme southern point of the county, and was originally chiefly covered with timber. The north part is rolling; the southern part is bottom lands. The Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw railroad, passes across the lower portion, and opens to market some valuable lands. Timber township is settled by an industrious and energetic class of citizens, who have made some of the best farm improvements in Peoria county. It is well watered and rolling, and is well adapted to stock and grain raising. One of the old settlers asserts that they have not had a failure in crops for forty-five years. It is claimed that a man by the name of Daniel Hinkle was the first settler in the township.

Benjamin Duffield immigrated to Timber township from Nicholas county, Va., in the Spring of 1832, where he died the following year. He married Miss Elizabeth Shock, of Shenandoah county, Va., by whom he had seven children, five boys and two girls. Mrs. G. has been in the township over forty-seven years. She married Samuel A. Glass- ford, a native of Ohio, who came to the county in 1842.

Mr. G. laid out the town of Glassford, December 9, 1868. The first name given to it was Glascoe, but it was afterwards changed for the reason that there was another town by that name in the State. The town contains two general stores, one Baptist church, a good school-house, two blacksmith shops, one flouring and saw mill, two shoemaker shops, a warehouse and one wagonmaker shop.

The first school-house, says Mrs. G., was a small log building near Dry Run, 16x18, with greased paper for windows. The benches were made of slabs turned flat side up with pins for legs. Here some of the best people in the township got their education.

The first church erected was at Lancaster, by the M. E. society, which has since been moved to Coperas creek, and is now used by the Christian Union. The first meet- ing was held at Wm. Eyman's, one mile above Kingston.

John Congeton immigrated to the county in 1835. In the Spring of 1836, there was an election at the house of Wm. Duffield ; he was appointed as one of the judges of elec- tion, and the whole number of votes cast was seven. Daniel Hinkle was not only the first settler in Timber, but the first justice of the peace.

Col. A. L. Fahnenstock came to the county in 1837, from Adams county, Pa., and located at Lancaster. Iu 1856, he embarked in the mercantile business in Lancaster ; afterwards removed to Glassford, where he handles a large stock of general merchandise. He has held several local offices ; was county treasurer two years. He entered the army as captain and was commissioned as colonel, but not mustered. Charles Fahnenstock, son of the colonel, is also engaged in the same business.

Win. H. Davis, has one of the finest flouring mills, outside of Peoria, in the county, equipped with the latest improvements. It was erected in 1872, and cost $17,000. There is also a saw mill worked by the same power, which cost about $3,000.

Lancaster is situated on section 17, and was laid out by Samuel F. Bollinger. Since the railroad passed through the township the business has gone chiefly to Glassford.

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Kingston, formerly Palmyra, is situated on the Illinois river, and was laid out by James Monroe. The chief business is coal mining.

TRIVOLI TOWNSHIP.

Is situated in the south part of the county, and is among the best townships in the county, taking into consideration the quality of the land, the improvements, its citizens, and the material advantages it possesses as to proportion of timber, prairie, water, etc., ete. Its farmers are generally old settlers who have by years of toil, not only improved its lands, but have erected fine dwellings. The first settler in the township was Isaac Harkness, who came in 1830 and located in the north part of the township. The fol- lowing year (1831) eame Levi Harkness, Gardner Gilbert and wife, and about the same time Samuel Emery, Sr., Robert McConnell, Methiah Bourne came. In 1832 Samuel Clark and wife, and Benjamin W. Crane and wife came, and in 1834 eame John Hiatt, Eli Wilson, son and wife, settled in the township. In 1835 several other families fol- lowed, among them we find Curtis Cady and wife, Page Hiatt and wife, David R. Gregory and wife, and Samuel M. Mack. In succeeding years the town filled up rapidly. The first physican was Lewis A. Hunneford, who followed his profession for a number of years. The first preacher was Peter Bourne. The first school-house was built on section 4. near the residence of Isaae Harkness. The first teacher was Miss Sarah Waters, and was paid by subscription. The first church organization was at the Harkness school-house, and the first preacher there was Rev. Samuel Emery, a Methodist. The first post- master was Robert McConnell, and the first store building was erected by David A. Gove, and run by Milo Smith. Blacksmith shop was built in 1834 in the southwest part of town by Ilenry A. Green. The first hotel was kept by M. Bourne.

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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 99

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