USA > Illinois > Woodford County > The Past and present of Woodford County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c.; a directory of its tax-payers; war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; general and local statistics etc > Part 19
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STATE LAWS RELATING TO RATES OF INTEREST AND PENALTIES FOR USURY.
Legal
STATES AND TERRITORIES.
Rate al- Rate of lowed by Interest.
Penalties for Usury.
Contract.
per cent
per cent.
Alabama
8
8
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Arizona
IO
Any rate.
Arkansas.
6
IO
Forfeiture of principal and interest.
California ...
10
Any rate.
Colorado
10
Any rate.
Connecticut
7
7
Forfeiture of excess of interest.
Dakota.
7
12
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Delaware
6
6
Forfeiture of principal.
District of Columbia
6
IO
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Florida.
S
Any rate.
Georgia
7
12
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Idaho.
10
24
Fine and imprisonment.
Illinois.
6
IO
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Indiana ..
6
IO
Forfeiture of excess of interest.
Iowa ...
6
IO
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Kansas.
8
12
Forfeiture of ex. of in. above 12 per cent.
Kentucky
6
8
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Louisiana ..
5
Maine ....
6
Maryland
6
Forfeiture of excess of interest.
Massachusetts
6
Michigan.
7
IO
Forfeiture of ex. of in. above 7 per cent.
Minnesota
7
12
No Usury Law in this State.
Mississippi
6
10
Forfeiture of excess of interest.
Missouri.
6
IO
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Montana.
IO
Any rate.
Nebraska.
IO
12
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Nevada ...
IO
Any rate. 6
New Hampshire.
6
New Jersey.
7
New Mexico
6
Any rate.
New York.
7 6
8
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Ohio
6
Forfeiture of excess above 6 per cent. 8
Ontario, Canada
6
Any rate. 12
Oregor
IO
Pennsylvania.
6
Any rate
Quebec, Canada
6
Any rate.
Rhode Island
6
Any rate. .
South Carolina
7
Any rate.
Tennessee
6
10
Texas.
8
Utah
10
Vermont
6
Virginia
6
6*
Washington Territory
IO
Any rate. 6*
West Virginia.
6
Forfeiture of excess of interest.
Wisconsin
7
10
Forfeiture of entire interest. .
Wyoming
12 Any rate.
Forfeiture of thrice the excess and costs. Forfeiture of entire interest. 7
7
Forfeiture of contract.
North Carolina
Forfeiture of excess of interest. Forfeiture of excess of interest.
.
12 Any rate. 6
Forfeiture of excess of interest. Forfeiture of entire interest.
* Except in cases defined by statutes of the State.
8 Any rate. 6 Any rate.
Forfeiture of entire interest.
219
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.
STATE LAWS
RELATING TO LIMITATIONS OF ACTIONS: SHOWING LIMIT OF TIME IN WHICH ACTION MAY BE BROUGHT ON THE FOLLOWING :
STATES AND TERRITORIES.
Assault slander, &c.
Open Accts.
Notes.
Judg- ments.
Sealed and witnessed Instru- ments.
Alabama
I
3
6
20
IO
Arkansas
I
3
5
IO
IO
California,.
1
2
4
5
5
Colorado.
I
6
6
3
3
Connecticut.
3
6
6
20
17
Dakota
2
6
6
20
20
Delaware.
I
3
6
20
20
District of Columbia
I
3
3
12
12
Florida
2
4
5
20
20
Georgia
I
4
6
7
20
Idaho.
2
2
4
5
5
Illinois
I
5
IO
20
IO
Indiana
2
6
20
20
20
lowa ...
2
5
10
20
IO
Kansas
1
3
5
5
15
Kentucky
1
2
15
15
15
Louisiana.
3
5
Maine.
2
6
20
20
20
Maryland.
3
3
12
12
Massachusetts
6
20
20
20
Michigan
6
6
6
IO
Minnesota
6
6
10
6
Mississippi ..
3
6
7
7
Missouri ..
2
5
IO
20
IO
Montana
2
5
IO
IO
IO
Nebraska
4
5
5
IO
Nevada. .
2
4
5
4
New Hampshire.
2
6
6
20
20
New Jersey
2
6
6
20
16
New Mexico.
6
IO
IO
IO
New York.
2
6
6
20
20
North Carolina.
3
3
3
IO
10
Ohio
I
6
15
15
15
Ontario (U. Canada).
2
6
6
20
20
Oregon.
2
6
6
IO
20
Pennsylvania ..
I
6
6
20
20
Quebec (L. Canada)
I
5
5
30
30
Rhode Island.
I
6
6
20
20
South Carolina.
2
6
6
20
20
Tennessee
I
6
6
IO
6
Texas
I
2
4
10
5
Utah.
I
2
4
5
7
Vermont.
2
6
4
8
8
Virginia
I
5
5
IO
20
Washington Territory.
2
3
6
6
6
West Virginia.
I
5
IO
IO
10
Wisconsin.
2
6
6
20
20
Wyoming ..
I
6
15
I5
15
Years.
Years.
Years.
Years.
Years.
I
20
I
2
2
2
I
I
2
I
1
1
PRODUCTIONS OF AGRICULTURE, STATE OF ILLINOIS, BY COUNTIES .- 1870.
Improved Land.
Woodl'nd
other un - unproved
Spring Wheat.
Winter Wheat.
Rye.
Indian Corn.
Oats.
COUNTIES,
Number.
Number.
Number.
Bushels.
Bushels.
Busbels.
Bushels.
Bushels.
Total.
19.329.9525.061.578 1,491.331 10.133.207 19.995.198 2 456.578 129.921.395|42.780.851
Adams.
287.926
112,576
19,370
16,191
947.616
20,989
1,452,905
759,074
Alexander
13.836
17,761
1,915
700
368.625
6,240
1,064,052
461,097
Boone
137.307
29,886
2.658
241,042
599
35.871
466,985
579,127
Brown.
57.062
35,491
25 608
13,276
117,502
4,742
337,769
70.852
Bureau ..
398,611
41,866
15.803
465,236
724
43,811
3,030.404
987,426
Calhoun
37,684
63.443
2,754
75
221.298
186
234,041
26.231
Carroll
186,864
29,793
33,302
418,073
260
25.721
1.367 965
776,100
Cass.
92.902
33,493
6.604
12.165
127.054
2.772
1,146,980
168,784
Champaign.
419,368
16,789
58,502
102.577
123,091
45,752
3.924,720
721.375
Christian.
241,472
19.803
19,173
18,360
504,041
10,722
1,883,336
383.821
Clark
118,594
102,201
5,420
195.118
7.308
614.582
212.628
Clay ...
146.922
80,612
5.225
1,894
85.737
3.221
1,019.994
269.945
Clinton
150,177
48.868
8.722
500
610.888
1,619
813.257
446.324
Coles ...
208,337
45,214
3,274
2,651
154,485
8,825
2.133.111
315,954
Cook
348.824
19,635
17,337
144,296
4,904
20,171
570,427
1,584,225
Crawford ..
105,505
78,350
27,185
60
212,924
15,497
581,964
136,255
Cumberland
75,342
40,334
5,604
550
84,697
14.798
403,075
171,880
Dekalb.
334,502
17,722
6,551
398,059
1900
21,018
1,023.849
1.087,074
De Witt.
168,539
29,548
17,633
106,493
11,695
11 540
1,311,635
216,756
Donglas
147,633
11.897
7.316
7,683
65,461
9,017
1,680,225 225,074
DuPage
164,874
17,243
3.851
106,096
693
7,532
331,981
860.809
Edgar.
465.458
66,803
14,282
13 283
247,360
37.508
2,107.615
290,679
Edwards.
57,585
830
122,703
528
352.371
129,152
Effingham
120,343
56.330
26,206
195.716
19,759
620,247
386,073
Fayette.
187,196
93,460
16.786
42,571
1,008
11,577
565,671
154,589
Franklin
80,749
3,994
86,710
365
111.324
5.195
653,209
222.426
Fulton ..
228.132
123,823
4,076
193,669
83,093
512
509,491
27.164
Greene.
175,408
93,242
29.653
21,700
150
4,930
295,97]
269.332
Hamilton
88,996
93,878
3.343
129
92.347
11.672
735,252
203,464
Hancock.
311,517
43,385
18.480
181,378
232,750
133.533
1,510.401
579.599
28,117
44,771
107
13
32.306
865
172.651
26,991
140,954
34,705
14,243
161,112
69,062
96,430
1,712,901
229,286
Henry
265,904
12,620
31,459
462,379
445
35.76€
2.541,683
668,367
Iroquois
322,510
22,478
63,498
57,160
10,480
23,259
430,746
Jackson
78,548
5.991
890
329,036
524
611,95]
149,931
Jasper
90,867.
67,023
12,250
87.808
9,165 461,345
149,214
Jefferson
118,951
94,888
778
100.553
5,934
887,981
285.949
Jersey
94.147
51,427
1,363
558,367
519,120
71.770
JoDaviess.
156.517
82.076
282,758
555
7.185
1,286,326
874,016
Johnson
57,820
3
79,141
92,191
2,468
343,298
74,525
Kane ...
240,120
34,646
399
188,826
325
23.618
674.3331
785.608
Kankakee.
10.978
10,598
103.466
480
12.935
637.399
72,408
Kendall.
14,244
2,283
90,681
1,249
5,163
681,267
468.890
330,829
41,566
25.155
267,764
7.654
113.547
2,708,319
787,952
207,779
21,072
24,399
168,914
221
5,870
517.352
699.069
533,724
2.356
271,181
2,193
48,308
3,077,02:
1,509,642
87,828
72,738
3.273
264,134
1,12]
656,36*
131,386
322,212
12,071
7.409
450.793
2.260
14,829,
1,656.97>
903,197
377.505
12,462 17.394
408
40,963
4,221,640
490.226
205.259
18.153
9,115
196,613
2,214,468
454,648
Maconpin
81,224
7.343
55,239 160 550 1,207,181 861,39>
3.685
2.127,549
475,252
Marion ..
173.081
4.142
173,652
1,034.057
389.446
Marshall.
166,057
2.976
106.129
900
36,135
1,182,903
362,604
Mason
209,453
31,013
125.628
49,182
2,648,72₺
272,660
Massac
33,39₺
30
72.316
544
133,126
22.097
McDonongh
261.635
14,035
273,871
52,401
1,362,490
280,717
230.566
57.998
401,790
29.264
1,145,005
910.397
McLean
494.978
40,36₺
49,087
211,801
10,955
39,824
3.723.374
911,127
Menard.
134.173
34.931
13,952
36,152
45,793
4,283
1.973.886
235.091
Mercer ..
45,977
22,588
289,291
13,203
40.778
2.054,962
452,889
92.810
83.369
666
651,767
1,425
543,71₺
152,251
276,682
47.804
8,495
59
744.891
1,527,898
668.424
293.450
60,217
1,376
18,196
357,523
5.535 3,198,835
198,724
144,220
24,783
13,112
17,128
196,436
6,670
1,753.141
263.992
Ogle
316,883
43.643
14,913
497,038
5,580
157,504
1,787,066
141,540
170.729
48,666
2,516
92,361
99,502
334.892
Perry
93.754 94,454
5,978
13,897
26,382
39.762
9,248
1,029,725 130,610
Pike
233,785
128,953
9,302
1 057,497
25,303
1,399.188
161,419
Pope ..
55,980
87.754
70.457
2,309
815,958
Pulaski.
19,319
12.516
4.174
296
334,259
86,519
140,764
162.274
450
1,031,022
510,080
3.401
482.594
276.575
Saline ...
72,309
70.393
89.304
247.658
23.073
4,388,763!
397.718
Schuyler
62.477
21,294
56,221
165.724
20,841
440.975
119.359 13.462
Shelby
310,179
74,908
9,314
15.526
452.015
23.686
2,082,578
637.812
Stark
138,129
12.375
2,783
124,630
30,534
1,149 878
316.726
St. Clair.
231,117
2,016
2,550
1,562.621
1,008
1,423.121
476.851
Stephenson
254,857
13,701
2.118
135.362
1,615,679
960.620
Tazewell
229,126|
14,846
72.410
59.027
2,062,053
Union ..
75,832
5,300
44,806
249,558
52,476
2.818.027
436.051
Wabash.
54,063
37,558
509
202.201
5.712
72.212
2,982,853
601.054
Washington
177.592
55.852
1,931
672,486
2,576
836.115
Wayne
147.352
146,794
10,486
266
164,689
8.665
1,179,291 870.521
119.652
Whitesides Will
419.442
24,261
6,335
195,286
1,996
8.030
1.131,458 655,710
180,986
Winnebago.
241,373
15,237
408.6061
2.468
137.985
1,237.406
868.903
Woodford
225,504
25,217
23,135
178,139
108,3071
20.426
2,154,185
744,581
30
244,220
21,627
Bond
145.045
78.167
869
184,321
418
289.809
21,823
37.310
457.455
264
31.658
2,162,943
SS0.838
1,868.682
Williamson
128,448
1,618
176
170,787
6.228
421,861
110,793
Warren ..
266,1871
27,294
14,583
186,290
180,231
1,737
679.753
Vermilion.
360,251
44.633
1:610
18
266.105
930
752.771
204.634
Rock Island.
155.214
31,239
$0.755 809
243,541
2.279
20,003
1.459,653
69.793
Sangamon.
421,748
51.085
19,932
200
83.011
568 581.516
414.487
Richland.
75.079
50,618
2 025
150,268
2.404
1,051,544
459,417
Madison.
257.032
89,450 61,579
13,675
198,056
1,339
26,163
1,182,691
659,300
Livingston
41,788
120,206
Logan.
321,709
Macon.
231.059
28,260 31,739
73,261
36,146
270
222.809
Montgomery
3,296
Morgan .. Moultrie.
Peoria.
68.470
220
350,446
1,016
384.446
338,760
67,886
16.511
Putnamı
37,271
17,184
28,137
7.707
Randolph
1,170
31,843
969,224
Piatt.
130
44.922
222
195,735
Scott.
96,195 85,331
76.591 43.167 45,268
527,394
132,417
505.841 124,473
533,398
401.492
White.
92.398
83,606 53.078
31,122
223,930
131,71]
1,508,763
261.390
Gallatin.
49,572
68.750
2,565
577,400
415 1,051,313
64.029
Grundy.
193,999
6,256
4,505
351,310
25.328
962,525
497.395
Ford
141.228
2.996
63,976
Hardin
Henderson
312,182
164.004
Knox
Lake
LaSalle
48,117
Lawrence
Lee ...
37.232
29,223
14.517
25.15]
McHenry.
52,547 53,293
Monroe.
87,642
45,779
799,810
58,912
42,658
42,613
116,949 37.238
3.235
Hom Page (DECEASED) METAMORA
A
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
WOODFORD COUNTY, lying in the central part of the State of Illinois, is bounded on the north by Marshall and La Salle Counties ; on the cast by Livingston and McLean ; on the south by McLean and Tazewell ; and on the west by the Illinois River. It is very irregular in its boundaries, and of a shape rather difficult to compute its exact area, but it is estimated at about five hundred and fifty square miles. At an early period in the history of Illinois, a large tract of land in this section, lying east and south of the Illi- nois River, was known as Tazewell County, and at a still more remote date, this tract was included in the county of Sangamon, with the county seat at Spring- field. From the original county of Tazewell, several of the adjacent counties have been wholly, or in part created, viz .: Marshall, McLean, Livingston and perhaps others. In the formation of Woodford County, Livingston, McLean and Tazewell contributed to its territory. That portion lying west of the Third Principal Meridian was taken from Tazewell County ; the present Townships of Clayton, Minonk, Greene and Panola from Livingston, and the remainder from McLean County. It embraces within its territorial limits seventeen civil town- ships. The county is well drained by the Illinois River flowing along its western boundary, and the Mackinaw, together with their tributaries-Walnut, Panther, Wolf, Rock, Ten Mile, Snag, Partridge, Black Partridge and Richland Creeks, which meander through it in all directions, watering and draining every portion of it. Much of the land is broad rolling prairie, stretching away to the groves of timber and bluffs rising from the banks of the rivers, and numerous water courses, and as an agricultural region is unsurpassed in the State. The south- ern and western portions of the county, supply timber in great abundance, and many of the more valuable species are native to these sections. Black and white walnut, wild cherry, sugar maple, red and white elm, cottonwood, syca- more, mulberry, red bud, hackberry, the different kinds of oak, black and white hickory, etc., flourish in these localities, while some of the more common shrubs, such as hazel, willow, sumac, elder and prickly-ash, grow in profusion. No extensive manufactories nor very large cities exist, but a number of thriving towns and villages, together with two or three small cities, have grown up in the county, equal in prosperity and enterprise to those in any other portion of the
A
.
-
-
224
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
State. Its chief source of wealth is its agricultural products, which have increased to a voluminous extext, since the building of the different railroads through the county. The time, however, is not far distant, when no doubt coal mining will be carried on to a much greater extent than it is now. The geo- logical deposits of Woodford County are extremely rich, combining many rare specimens, and fossils common in other and distant sections of Illinois, and even in other States. But as we shall allude to the subject again in this work, together with the coal fields, we pass now to
THE EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Woodford County has drawn its population from many different sources. Half the States in the Union are here represented, while many of the countries. of the Old World have contributed their delegations to its settlements. The courtly and dignified Englishman, the bonny Scot, the warm-hearted Irishman, the genial Frenchman, the good-natured German, with many others from " be- yond the seas," are here, and together furnish some of the prosperous and solid men of the community. Of our own countrymen, we find the New Englander, from his cold and sterile hills, and the chivalrous Southerner, from his palm- tree groves and " sunny land," dwelling side by side and mingling together, with no sectional lines drawn between them on account of birthplace, or feelings of political prejudices engendered by either against the section from which the other came. And here, too, like way-marks along a lonely highway, we now and then meet with a " wandering son of Ethiopia's fated race," who, since the war, has straggled away from the "Sunny South " to the distant prairies to find a new home. Many of the first settlers were from Indiana, Virginia and Kentucky, with perhaps an occasional family from some other Southern State. Coming, as they did, from a land of hills and vales, and creeks and rivers, bordered with grand old forests, they very naturally shunned the prairies and " pitched their tents " by the rivers and the "purling brooks," under the broad, sheltering branches of the trees. Hence Walnut Grove, as it is still called, and what is now Spring Bay, together with kindred regions and localities, were settled long before any hardy pioneer became imbued with sufficient courage to venture to rear his cabin far out on the vast prairie, which, to his inexperienced eye, appeared at best but a "desert waste." Close in the wake of this early impor- tation of " Hoosiers " * came the Yankees, as all Northern and Eastern people were called by the Southerners, with their thrift and ingenuity, and both the settlements and the population increased slowly at first, perhaps, but at least surely.
From a work entitled " Old Settlers' History of Woodford County," written by Prof. Radford, of Eureka College, we take the "historical table " of early settlers, given below, who came to the county up to 1835, together with the date
* The name " Hoosier " was usually applied to everybody along the border, on both sides of the Ohio River, at that early day.
225
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
of their coming and the place of their location. The only change we have made in the table is to so arrange the names as to bring the dates in regular rotation :
Wm. (or Geo.) Blaylock, near Spring Bay, 1819
William Blanchard, near Spring Bay. .1822
Dillon, near Spring Bay.
Horace Crocker, near Spring Bay
William Philips, near Spring Bay 1823
William Sowards, Metamora. 1823
Solomon Sowards, Metamora 1823
George Kingston, Spring Bay 1823 John Stephenson, Spring Bay. 1824
Joseph Dillon, Walnut Grove. 1824
Austin Crocker, Spring Bay 1824 George Kingston, Metamora 1825
Gershom Harvey, on Mackinaw 1825
Charles Moore, Walnut Grove. 1826
Daniel Meek, Walnut Grove. 1826
Jonathan Baker, Walnut Grove 1826
Charles Fielder, Spring Bay 1827
Benjamin Williams, Partridge Creek 1827
John Bird, Walnut Grove .. 1827
- Wathen, Walnut Grove 1827
Rowland Crocker, Spring Bay 1828
Jacob Wilson, Spring Bay 1828
Amasa Stout, Panther Creek 1828
Adam Henthorne, Panther Creek.
Bilberry, Panther Creek 1828 Robert Philips, White Oak Grove. 1828 Samuel Philips, White Oak Grove 1828
John Harbert, White Oak Grove 1829
Jesse Dale, Spring Bay 1829 Richard Williams, Spring Bay 182
David Matthews, Spring Bay .. 1829
" Widow" Donohue, Spring Bay 1829
George Hopkins, Spring Bay. 1829 Hiram Curry, Spring Bay. 1829
William Atteberry, Walnut Grove 182
John Davidson, Walnut Grove 1829 Jobn Dowdy, Walnut Grove. 1829
Joseph Martin, Walnut Grove. 1829
Matthew Bracken, Walnut Grove 1829 James Bird, Walnut Grove. 1829
Robert Bird, Walnut Grove. 1829
Nathan Owen, Walnut Grove 1829 Eli Patrick, Walnut Grove .. 1829
Allen Patrick, Walnut Grove. 1829 John Harbert, White Oak Grove 1829 William Hoshor, Spring Bay 1830 John Sharp, Germantown 1880 John F. Smith, Germantown. 1830
Joseph Meek, Walnut Grove 1830
Henry Meek, Walnut Grove. 1830 William Bird, Walnut Grove. 1830
Daniel Deweese, Walnut Grove. 1830
Thomas Deweese, Walnut Grove. 1830 Rev. Jolin Oatman, Walnut Grove 1830
Lewis Stephens, White Oak Grove. 1830
James V. Phillips, White Oak Grove.
Josiah Moore, near Panther Creek. 1830
Campbell Moore, near Panther Creek. 1830 Rev. Amos Watkins, near Pauther Creek .. 1830 Warren Watkins, near Panther Creek. 1830
Thomas A. McCord, near Panther Creek .1830
James S. McCord, near Panther Creek. 1830
Matthew Blair, Walnut Grove 1830
Joseph Belsley, Spring Bay 1831
Phineas Shottenkirk, Spring Bay 1831
Rev. Joshua Woosley, Walnut Grove 1831
Francis Willis, Walnut Grove .. 1831
Daniel Travis, Walnut Grove 1831
Caleb Davidson, Walnut Grove 1831
John Butcher, Walnut Grove. 1831
Cooley Curtis, Walnut Grove 1831
Daniel Allison, Walnut Grove. 1831
Isaac Black, Walnut Grove .. 1831
Aaron Richardson, Panther Creek
1831
James M. Richardson, Panther Creek 1831 Joseph Wilkerson, Panther Creek
William McCord, Panther Creek 1831
Samuel Kirkpatrick, White Oak Grove 1831
John Benson, White Oak Grove. 1831
William Benson, White Oak Grove 1831
James Benson, White Oak Grove 1831
David Banta, Metamora 1831
Cornelius Banta, Metamora 1831
Peter Muler, Germantown .. 1832
Thomas Deweese, Walnut Grove 1832
James Harlan, south of Walnut Grove 1832
Noel Meek, near Panther Creek. 1832 Basil Meek, near Panther Creek 1832 John Armstrong, near Panther Creek
William C. Moore, near Panther Creek
Rev. Lewis Stover, White Oak Grove 1832
Louis Guibert, near Spring Bay. 1833
Gingerich, near Spring Bay
Rev. Zadock Hall, Germantown, 1833
James Mitchell, Walnut Grove. 1833
Rev. Ben. Major, Walnut Grove. 1833
Thomas Kincade, Walnut Grove .. 1833
Jonah Brown, White Oak Grove 1833
Jacob Ellis, White Oak Grove.
Reubin Carlock, White Oak Grove. 1833
Winton Carlock, White Oak Grove 1833
Peter Engle, Sr., Metamora 1833
.
.
.
226
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
John Verkler, Metamora .. 1833
Christian Smith, Partridge Point. 1833
Charles Molitor, Germantown. 1835
Morgan Buckingham, Low Point.
Solomon Tucker, Walnut Grove. 1835
John Snyder, Spring Bay 1834
Isaac Snyder, Spring Bay
1834
Peter Snyder, Spring Bay. 1834
David Snyder, Spring Bay 1834
Samuel Beck, Germantown. 1834
James Rayburn, Panther Creek
Thomas Sunderland, Germantown. .1834
James Vance, White Oak Grove. 1835
William R. Willis, Walnut Grove. 1834
Rev. Abner Peeler, White Oak Grove.
M. R. Bullock, Walnut Grove. 1834
Humphrey Leighton, Metamora 1835
Benj. J. Radford, Walnut Grove. .1834
John Page, Sr., Metamora. 1834
Thomas Jones, Low Point. 1834
Rev. James Owens, Low Point .. 1835
Parker Morse, Low Point. 1835
The foregoing dates are doubtless as correct as it is possible to get them, after this long lapse of years.
" Away back in the by-gone time, Lost 'mid the rubbish of forgotten things,"
are many dates and events pertaining to the early history of this county. The information given above does not agree precisely, in all cases, with what we have collected, but the discrepencies are few and of minor importance. From this table. as well as from the information we have been able to gather, the first settlement in Woodford County was made in what is now Spring Bay Township. The man Blaylock, however, whose date is here given, 1819. it seems, never made an actual settlement-never built a house or cabin, nor opened and cultivated a farm. Neither can any of the old settlers now living give the exact date that Blaylock came to the county. That he was "found here," living in "Indian style," and "hunting and fishing," by the first settlers, is as definite as any- thing now to be obtained in regard to him. William Blanchard, of Spring Bay Township, while he did not settle in this county, or the territory now comprising it, until 1830, yet he was living so near as to be familiar with all the settlers and settlements made in this section. Blanchard came to Peoria (then called Fort Clarke) in 1819, and stated to us that there was then but one white family in sixty miles of that place, and to wander far from the fort was not only impru- dent, but extremely hazardous. In the Summer of 1819, Blanchard raised a crop of corn, potatoes and pumpkins, just across the river from Fort Clarke, which he cultivated entirely with a hoe. In 1822, he made a little clearing, on which he put up a cabin, on what is now known as the "Gibson place" (which was also in Tazewell), but within a mile or two of the present line of Woodford, and but a few miles from where he now lives. This was the first cabin built between Peoria and Chicago, and likewise the
FIRST FARM OPENED.
As already stated, this was in Tazewell County, but so near to Woodford, and the party who made the improvement has been for almost a half of a cen- tury living in Woodford County, that to omit its mention would seem like leav-
Rev. Wm. Davenport, Walnut Grove. 1834
Thomas Bullock, Walnut Grove. 1835
Elijah Dickinson, Walnut Grove 1835
Rev. James Robeson, Panther Creek 1835
William Hunter, Spring Bay. 1835
C. P. Mason, Metamora 1835
F. Dixon, on Mackinaw 1835
Isaac Moulton, Low Point. 1835
227
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
ing out an important part of the county's history. Blanchard states that a man named Darby, whose first name he had forgotten, and who came from Ver- mont, made a clearing and built a cabin in the Spring of 1823, on land now embraced in the Crocker farm, in Spring Bay Township. This is supposed to have been the first settlement in Woodford County, and, so far as it is possible to obtain reliable information of events which occurred more than fifty years ago, the supposition is a correct one. Other hardy pioneers soon made their way to the Spring Bay settlement, and in a few years we find here Austin, Horace and Rowland Crocker; Phineas and I. C. Shottenkirk ; John, Isaac, Peter and David Snyder ; Richard and Lewis Williams, William and Jefferson Hoshor, C. A. Genoways, George Kingston, Joseph Belsley, Louis Guibert, George Sommers, Angus McQueen, Elzy and Sampson Bethard, Nicholas Henfling, William Hunter, John Stephenson, Jesse Dale, David Mathis, Jacob Wilson, - Donohue, George Hopkins, Hiram Curry, Charles Fielder, Isaac and William Philips, "Red" Joseph Belsley and Philip Bettelyune. The Croekers and Shottenkirks came from the Empire State, and, with all the energy and enterprise characteristic of the "New York Yankees," at onee took hold and commenced work in earnest. Crocker's mill, one of the first water mills built in the county, still stands a monument to their enterprise, and performs its allotted tasks with as much despatch as it did forty years ago. Philip Betteyune and the Snyders were from Pennsylvania, and, like all the old "Pennsylvania Dutch," of course became the most prosperous farmers. They built good barns, on the principle that "barns will soon pay for dwelling houses, but dwelling houses never pay for barns." Tbe Williamses, from Indiana ; the Hoshors and Genoways, from Ohio, have been active men in their day, and those who still survive have lost none of their former energy. Elzy and Sampson Bethard came from Maryland ; the Belsleys, George Sommers, Louis Guibert, from the vine-clad hills of sunny France; George Kingston, from the "Gem of the Say ;" Angus MeQueen, from the " banks and braes of Bonny Doon," and Nicholas Henfling, from the "Faderland," and from them developed some of the worthy and solid old farmers of the country. Of the rest, William Hunter, John Stephenson, Jesse Dale*, David Mathis, Jacob Wilson, - Donohue, George Hopkins, Hiram Curry, the Philipses and Charles Fielder, but little information could be obtained. Although this was termed the Spring Bay settlement, many of the parties whose names are given above settled in Worth and Partridge Townships. Bettelyune, "Red" Jo Belsley, as he was called, the Snyders and Louis Guibert-perhaps others- settled in what is now Partridge Township; while quite a number, of which were the Williamses, who first settled there with their father, 'Squire Benjamin Williams, were in the present town of Worth. The Illinois River, with its
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