USA > Illinois > Woodford County > The Woodford County history > Part 13
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Kansas was originally a part of Palestine Township until 1859, when the people of the area petitioned the Board of Super- visors to be made a separate township. At the time of the formation of the township the Kansas uprisings prior to the Civil War were in the news and the name Kansas was chosen.
The Mackinac Mineral Springs Hotel
The Mackinac Mineral Springs Hotel at- tracted many weekend vacationers in the early 1900's. The site was opened along a
branch road to Wyatt's Ford by A. D. Loar and his wife, Bella. The retreat was two and one half miles north of Carlock in Woodford County. The Loars dammed up the streams surrounding the hotel and ere- ated a pond where minerals and sulphur attracted guests to the 139-acre retreat to bathe in the health-giving waters. Water was piped up to the hotel and several bath houses. The hotel was destroyed by fire in 1910. Mr. Loar eventually sold the land to Frank Larson in 1934. Mrs. Larson is still living in the home which was most prob- ably one of the original bathhouses.
Conservation Projects
The new Six-Mile Lake along Six-Mile Creek in McLean County will affect the eastern part of the township. Approxi- mately 650 acres will be used for the lake and surrounding recreational areas. This acreage will affect the farms of William Uphoff, Sam Waller, Edward Hospelhorn, Edwin Uphoff, and Vernon Littell.
Another lake now under discussion will
1 From the East White Oak Union Church Constitution. 1946. Supplied by Mr. and Mrs. Cecil McClure.
Popular weekend resort, the Mackinac Mineral Springs Hotel in 1908. ( Picture taken by Harvey Crump, Carlock, Illinois. )
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affect Kansas Township to a greater degree if it should be built. At present, a proposed dam on the Mackinaw River is still under study. The official starting point of the Mackinaw River Basin project was in 1939, when a federal flood control act was passed which included the Mackinaw Dam. Those projects of less pressing need, including the Mackinaw Dam, were postponed. In 1964, Representative Leslie Arends, at the re- quest of the city of Bloomington, asked Congress to call for a restudy of the project. Congress gave the go-ahead for the study of Mackinaw Dells Dam in June, 1964. In June, 1965, Congress appropriated $252,000 for the investigation of the Mack- inaw River Basin and other Illinois proj- ects. The proposed dam has met with some resistance and the building of the Six Mile Lake has postponed the problem of the Lake temporarily, but the final decision has not been made.
Natural Beauty
Because of the hilly, wooded terrain around the Mackinaw River, Denman Creek, and Vincent's Run, much of the township is difficult to reach. Because of this, much of the original natural beauty of the region has been preserved. Wildlife along the river abounds. Several deer were taken last year in Kansas township. The Mackinaw also attracts fishermen who fish the fast-moving river for bass, catfish, bull- head, carp, gar, and various species of pan- fish. Camping is popular in the vicinity of Wyatt's Ford.
The natural settings also attract people to country living. Nine families have formed an association on 70 acres at the head of Vincent's Run. Five permanent
homes and four weekend cabins surround a ten-acre lake.
The People of the Township
The present population of Kansas town- ship is 229. The population in 1870 was 309 and the figure climbed until 1920 when it reached 337. From 1920 to the present the population has declined, chiefly due to the increased size of farms. The township is dependent upon agriculture for its live- lihood and the area has some excellent farmland and outstanding farmers. Corn is the main crop and soybeans and oats are occasionally produced. In addition, a few farmers raise cattle and sheep.
From 1926 until 1964, John Rocke owned an outstanding dairy on the western edge of the township. His Brown Swiss dairy cattle produced several records. One milk cow produced 20,079 pounds of milk in 305 days, setting a world's record. In a 1945 sale, two cows brought $3,000 apiece.
Harvey Hartter, who raises Black Angus cattle in the eastern part of the township, produced the grand champion steer at the International Livestock Exposition in Chi- cago in 1966. In 1967, he became the first breeder in the country to show both grand champion Angus bull and grand champion Angus female at the American Royal Live- stock Show in Kansas City, Missouri. He is also known in the area as a showman and judge. He has been chief judge of several major steer shows in recent years, including the Illinois State Fair.
Among the excellent farmers in the area is Richard Romersberger who farms 210 acres on the western edge of Kansas Town- ship. Mr. Romersberger serves as executive secretary of the Woodford County Farm Bureau.
History of Linn Township
by RALPH LAIBLE
WOODFORD COUNTY has 17 townships. Lin Township, located to the north, was once a part of Clayton Township. By a legal vote on September 27, 1858, under the Township Organization Act, it became Linn Township, named after William and Simon Linn. Its legal description is Town- ship 28 North Range 1 West of the Third Principal Meridian, with Marshall County to the north, Clayton Township to the cast, Roanoke Township to the south and Caze- novia Township to the west, being six miles square and having 36 sections.
The first actual settler within Linn Town- ship was Harrison Hollenback who moved to Section 3 in 1840. He came here, with his family, from Ohio and built the first house on the prairie south of the timber. The house, 24xIS feet, was built with hewn logs and was one and a half stories high.
The soil of this area is not excelled by any other farming land in the county. It is rich, deep and black with a yellow clay subsoil. Corn is the principal crop. The main streams of water are Crow Creek to the north and east, Snag Creek draining the middle, and Snake Creek in the south- ern part. In early days cattle ran at large and had to be branded so that farmers could identify their livestock. Hogs were fattened in small pens made of rails or posts and boards.
Under the Public School Law, Section 16 was sold and the money was used to build nine school houses, each serving four sections. In addition to the public schools, the Lutheran Church, which was erected in 1862 in the southeast part of the town- ship in Section 36, maintained a private school. It was open for ten months of the
year. The attendance was 25 and the in- struction was given in German.
When the unit school districts were established in the 1950's, the nine school houses were sold at a public auction. The Lincoln School in Section 32 was pur- chased by private citizens, and is now operating without tax monies.
Some of the early settlers were R. S. Burnham. Moses Bixby, Jacob Tjaden, Lion Held, William Jury, Thomas Jury, Doctor Ben F. Feazel ( veterinarian ), F. J. Harbus, J. J. Faw, John Black, Edward Damerell, Peter Kennel, N. W. Peobody, Brint Rob- bins, James White, George Wraggie, S. R. Davison, and Eilert Harms.
On April 5, 1859 the first township elec- tion was held. Elected were H. S. Simpson, supervisor; B. Wilson, clerk; A. Simpson, assessor, R. Burnham, tax collector; A. Martin and J. Pinkerton, police magistrates; A. Thorn, overseer of the poor; and J. Johnson, pound master. There were 13 candidates for road commissioner; S. Wil- son, William Jury, and Simon Linn were elected.
This township didn't have a large area of timber land to be cleared. Farmers set out millions of osage orange plants ( hedge ) to maintain the boundaries of their land, and to protect their crops from roaming livestock. Publie roads had to be built and low-lands had to be drained for crop land and to help control mosquitoes. Thousands of drain tile were laid, the ditches dug by hand. Men known as tilers, spent their en- tire lives at that kind of hard labor.
Good drinking water was very important because of typhoid fever. Men dug wells, by hand, to great depths to avoid contami-
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Woodford County History
Gathering at Linn Town Hall in 1890.
nated surface water. Many men lost their lives in this very dangerous occupation. The creeks and small ditches had to be cleaned and straightened. This work had to be done with horses and men handling flip scrapers. In some of the boggy and mire spots oxen had to be used because they had smaller hooves and could walk where horses could not. A bullet shaped piece of iron, weighing a ton was pulled through the prairie swamp to help create open ditches. It wasn't until about 1935 that these creeks and ditches were dredged by machinery.
The early settlers purchased this rich farm land for a few dollars per acre. Land prices held at a reasonable level until the First World War when prices climbed to a new high of $500 to $600 per acre. Priees then went into a gradual decline and in the depression years ( 1930's) land was sold or taken over by mortgage holders at $100 to $200 per acre. At this writing land prices are ranging from $700 to $1,000 per acre. Unimproved land is selling at the highest prices due to the tax evaluation on real estate with improvements, such as houses, barns and other buildings. Corn and soy- beans are known as cash crop, making up 90% of the farm income.
In the early 1900's a well known person- age of the area was "Doc" Benjamin Frank- lin Feazel, the local veterinarian. After his
death his practice was taken over by Maroin Faw, D.V.M.
The prairie grasses and meadows and pastures have disappeared from the land- scape. The heavy cropping of the soil, wind and sheet erosion are taking the toll of the rich top soil which took years for nature to create.
Farm to market roads have been built so that every farmer in Linn Township has either a gravel or a black top road open for traffic the year around. School busses. and large trueks are carried on these roads.
Linn town board members are: Francis Kull, supervisor; Barbara Theirier, clerk; Henry Arends, road commissioner; Joseph Aeschleman, assessor; and Carl Gerdes, Norvol Ford, and Ralph Laible, auditors.
There are two churches with congrega- tions in Linn Township. In 1914, the Linn Township Amish Mennonite Church was established in Section 33. Peter Zimmer- man and John Kennel were the first bishops. The old structure was torn down in 1954 and a new building erected. John Hostetler is bishop and Harold Hostetler is minister at this writing.
At one time Linn Township had two Lutheran churches, both located in Sec- tion 36. The Missouri Lutheran building was moved to Roanoke in 1917. The St. Peter's Lutheran Church, founded in Roan- oke Township, was moved to its present
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Linn Township
Sunday outing at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Linn Township in 1908.
location in 1871. The building now stand- ing was built in 1910; four years later the parsonage was erected. The Sunday School was organized in 1913 and the Luther League in 1916. In honor of the 75th anni- versary ( in 1933) the church was redeco- rated. A parish hall was erected in 1938. The congregation celebrated its 100th an- niversary in 1958. The church once be- longed to the lowa Synod. Today it is known as the American Lutheran. The first pastor was Paulus Heid ( 1863-1865). Rev. Elmer E. Elczy is now pastor.
Linn Township has two large cemeteries, one located in Section 7, part of the former Robbins farm. Even though the records only go back to 1866, a grave marker states that William Greening was buried in 1860. On March 19, 1923. under an organization act of the State of Illinois, the cemetery
was officially named Linn Township Mount Vernon Cemetery of Washburn, Illinois. The other large cemetery is located in Sec- tion 36, west of the St. Peter's Lutheran Church. Among the old gravestones that are still legible are those of J. D. Schlecher, buried in 1865, and Reemt Looger, buried in 1868.
A few rods to the south. where the Mis- souri Lutheran Church once stood, is a smaller cemetery. Two of the old grave markers bear the names of M. Wessel, buried in 1874, and Marie Weber, buried in 1875. There is a very small cemetery in Section 10, known as the Hawk Cemetery, on the former Hawk land. There are also two tombstones in Section 2. There are probably many unmarked graves of small children.
Metamora Township
by MRS. KENNETH SMITH, MRS. ERNEST SULLIVAN and MRS. MARVIN KEYS
The Early Years
THE VILLAGE OF HANOVER was laid out by the Hanover Company in 1835. The first courageous settlers saw in its land the promise of a good life and through hard work and many heartaches their dreams slowly took shape. The beautiful park in the center of the public square was deeded to the town on June 7, 1836 by William Davenport, a member of the Hanover Company, with the stipulation that it be kept as a park.
Upon learning of another Hanover, Illi- nois, the name of the town was changed to Metamora. The name, according to local history, was the suggestion of Mrs. Peter Willard, who came from the east where a popular play of the time was titled "Meta- mora". The main character in the play was an Indian "Metamoras"-the Indian name of King Phillip.
Moving the county seat from Versailles to Metamora in 1843 and erecting the courthouse in 1844 helped to speed the growth and development of the town. The jail was built shortly after. The courthouse was built by David Irving, who burned his own bricks, felled the timbers, cut logs and hauled them to the sawmill where the lumber was sawed. The building cost $4,400 and was considered one of the most beautiful in the state. Through the doors of this building passed some of the greatest and best known men in our history; per- haps the greatest of all these was Abraham Lincoln who rode the Sth Judicial Circuit, the circuit to which Metamora was as- signed. Lincoln came to Metamora over a span of 12 years ( 1844-56) and his tall, lanky figure was familiar to its citizens.
His sincerity, honesty and wit endeared him to all who met him.
Men told stories of pitching horseshoes with Abe or sitting in the shade of the park just talking. Others told of enjoyable evenings spent around the fire at the Meta- mora House, the hotel in which he stayed while court was in session here, listening to the famous stories Abe was known to delight in telling. Still others remembered best his appearance at court. One of these cases was a murder case in which Lincoln acted as a lawyer for Melissa Goings, ac- cused of killing her husband. According to information found in the Common Law Record 1857-61-Record of Circuit Court at Oct. Term A.D. 1857-Mrs. Goings was attended by Groves and Lincoln, her at- torneys.
It is told that Lincoln asked for a recess in the proceedings during which time he wished to talk to his client in one of the offices downstairs in the Courthouse. When court convened again Mrs. Goings did not appear. The bailiff, under whose jurisdic- tion the accused had been placed, accused Lincoln of telling her to leave as he had seen them whispering. Lincoln denied the charges and said that she had just asked him where she could get a good, cool drink of water and that he told her Tennessee had darn good water. Mrs. Goings was re- portedly never seen in the state again.
Also found in the aforementioned Com- mon Law Record book was an indictment for an attempt to bribe an officer brought against the son of the accused, along with the list of jurors for the trial; the judge, Hon. James Harriett; Hugh Fullerton,
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Metamora Township
The courtroom of the Metamora Courthouse as it appeared when Abraham Lincoln rode the Eighth Circuit.
state's attorney, and the names of the sheriff and court clerk.
During the senatorial campaign of IS58 both Lincoln and Douglas spoke at Meta- mora-Douglas on Sept. 30 and Lincoln Oct. 4. The speeches were made in what was at that time known as Page's Grove about one-half mile out of town. Over 100 years later, a Chicago newspaper reporter visited the scene and in an article that ap- peared in his paper, he referred to the fact that the site was then a sheep's run, and if humans had forgotten what had been said on their behalf there by these great men, be wondered if the sheep knew on what hallowed ground they walked.
Some of the other noted men who prac- ticed here were-Adlai E. Stevenson 1, who lived and practiced law in Metamora for 10 years-he was to become Vice Presi- dent of the U.S. during Grover Cleveland's second administration; Stephen A. Douglas, who defeated Lincoln in the senatorial race, but was later to be defeated by Lin- coln for the presidency; Judge David Davis, appointed to the Supreme Court by
Lincoln and who was executor of Lincoln's estate after his assassination: Robert G. Ingersoll, Judge Samuel H. Treat, Bazil D. Meck, Judge Norman H. Purple, Charles II. Chitty, Robert T. Cassell, Hon. Samuel L. Richmond, and Simon P. Shope. There were many others, too numerous to men- tion, and each in his own right a "great" in our carly history.
In 1894, the county seat was moved to Eureka and until 1921 when the state took over the Courthouse and made it into a state memorial, the people of the town used it as a meeting place both for organi- zations and for social events.
Metamora has gone through the same growing pains as has any other small town. It has seen the coming of the telephone, electric lights, and automobiles replacing the familiar horse and buggy. Businesses were begun, ended, or changed hands- some were enlarged, and the latest equip- ment installed. More churches were built, schools advanced, and the enrollment grew. In spite of the ups and downs, the town grew with the times, and because of
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Woodford County History
the foresight and courage of the early set- tlers, their hopes and dreams have now be- come reality.
Organization of Village
The town of Hanover in the County of Tazewell in the State of Illinois was platted and laid out by William Davenport as agent of the Hanover Company May 26, 1836.
It was incorporated by special Act of the General Assembly Feb. 21, 1845 and its name changed to Metamora. It was incor- porated as a village April 26, 1875 under the general law for the incorporation of cities and villages in force July 1, 1872.
The geographical location of Metamora Township is such that it touches the north- east corner of Tazewell County; lies east of Worth Township, south of Cazenovia, west of Roanoke and north of Cruger, and is known as Township 27 North, Range 2 West of the Third Principal Meridian.
Early Settlers
Settlers began to come into the area, now known as Metamora Township, as early as the 1820's most of them living in cruce cabins along the larger streams. No real settlement was established until in the 1830's when Hanover, later to be known as Metamora, began its growth.
The eastern and southern states fur- nished us with most of the early pioneers, though a few came directly from France, Ireland, and Switzerland.
It would, of course, be impossible to list the names of all the men who played a part in the development of this township, but early histories mention the following persons as living here prior to and includ- ing the 1860's:
John Brickler
Joseph Bachman
Francis Bregeard Rev Christian Engle
Michael Joerger - Picherean Robert T Cassell Jacob Banta Albert Banta
Marcelin Farner
Wm. H Delph
Ebenezer Page
Nathaniel Wilson
Stephen Dudley
John Mason
Samuel S. Parks
Jaroh Reeder
Wm. Lanison
Joseph Marley
F. F. Briggs
Thomas Warren H. L. S Haskell
Dr. J. S Whitmire
Edgar Babrock
Dr. Z H Whitmire
Elijah Plank Rev. Miles
George Ray
Samuel I. Cross
Rev. Henry Palmer
James Bays
Rev. A. B. Cramb
Benjamin Williams
Rev. C. D Merritt
Amos A. Brown
Rev. S R. Hardman
Judge W. P. Brown
Father Win. Deiters
Wilson Tucker
John L. Miller
Jesse Dale
Evan Trunnel
Joseph Wilkerson
J. Sickler
Win. Rockwell
Levi P. Morse
Nathan Brown
David Irving
Parker Morse, Sr.
James Mitchell
J. Sherman
Hon. Joel A. Ranney
Judge Pointer
Rev. Ezra B Kellogg Dr. Leamon
Rev. Wm. Davenport
L. F. Feilitzsch
Peter H. Willard
Thomas Powers
Alfred Baker
Harl
Churches
Mennonite Church. The local Mennonite Church dates back to 1833, when Bishop Christian Engel was instrumental in its or- ganization. Most of the early members had come from Alsace Loraine, France. Services were held in homes until 1854 when a brick church was erected approxi- mately four miles west of Metamora, This was their meeting place for a number of years, gradually falling into disuse after the erection of a frame church one mile east of Metamora in 1869. A second frame building in 1911 replaced the first one; the land occupied by both churches had been donated by Christian Camp.
When the present church building was dedicated in 1952, Henry R. Schertz was the pastor. Today the congregation of 400 people is under the leadership of Rev. Roy Bucher.
In the early days of the congregation, the membership was composed almost en- tirely of farm families. Now the pattern has changed, for more than 70% of the mem- bers operate their own businesses or are office and industrial workers, teachers, or registered nurses.
The past century has brought about many changes in the group, but the basic message of the church remains unchanged. Christian Union Church. Perhaps the ear- liest Sunday School in Metamora was or- ganized by Parker Morse in his own home in 1837.
Williaor Sowards Solomon Sowards Daniel Sowards George Kingston David Banta Cornelius Banta Peter Engle, Sr. John Verkler Christian Smith
John Page, St. Ilumphrey Leighton C. P. Mason .Joseph Verkler John Engle
Rev. John Luccock
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Metamora Township
The first church edifice in the village was the Episcopal Church, erected in IS17. It was a frame building costing about $2,500. Rev. Kellogg was the first pastor. In IS4S, the congregation numbered 25.
The Congregational Church was built soon afterward, with Rev. Sloat as minister, and boasted a membership of 50. First Christian Church, built around 1849 or 1850, was dedicated by Rev. O. A. Burgess; it had a membership of 80. The Baptist Society was organized December 26, 1850. under the ministerial care of the Rev. A. B. Cramb. When the church building was erected in 1854, there was a membership of about 50. This building was later used by the Evangelical Reformed Church.
The Methodist Church, erected in 1855, was a substantial brick building with di- mensions of 36 by 48 feet, and cost $2,300 without furnishings.
In the year 1872, the Methodist and Congregational churches united. In the fall of ISTS, five leading citizens of Meta- mora met in the home of Isaac Wikoff to review the standing of the churches, their small memberships, and the inability of each church to pay a minister a fair salary. It was decided to unite the five congrega- tions into one body to be called the Chris- tian Union.
The Methodist Church building was chosen as the home of the newly organized church. This building was used until 1923. when the present sanctuary was built. At that time, the Evangelical Reformed con- gregation also became part of the Chris- tian Union.
The Christian Union has remained inter- denominational until the present. Many pastors of various Christian faiths have served the congregation, although for some vears the ministers lived elsewhere. Min- isters of the Methodist. Christian ( Dis- ciples). Episcopal, Evangelical, United Brethren, Community Church, and pres- ently the United Church of Christ have served the Christian Union. Rev. Clifford Janssen is the present minister.
St. Mary's Church. Local members of the Catholic faith attended church at Lourdes,
in Worth Township, until 1861, when St. Mary's of Metamora was completed. Early records of the church show such names as Gangloff. Waldschmidt, Alig. Vetter, Hein- inger. Rohman, Elbert, Regele, Miller, Kinhafer, Seckler, Getz, Noirot, Gries, Knoblauch, and Shea, indicating people of German, French, and Irish origin.
in early years, after its organization, the church was served by priests of the Re- demptorist Order in Chicago, Father Mager being the first resident priest. He served both the Lourdes and St. Mary's churches, and is buried in the Lourdes cemetery.
After the formation of the Peoria diocese in 1877, the Capuchin Order took over St. Mary's and, under the leadership of Bishop Spalding, rebuilt the church into its present form. They also added a parsonage on the west side of the building which was used until fire destroyed it in 1910; after which the present residence was erected.
In 1894 another change took place when the church came under the control of the Franciscan Fathers of St. John the Baptist province in Cincinnati. Of this order, Father Edmund Klein was the first pastor to serve the parish, followed by some 20 other priests through the years. Father Raphael Clause is the present pastor. St. Mary's has had a school connected with the parish for nearly all the 104 years of its existence.
Schools
Although the early settlers came into a wilderness, after their homes were built their primary concern was for the educa- tion of the children. The first schools were strictly local affairs, the teacher boarding with first one family then another, hokling school wherever she was currently living. Her salary came from private contribu- tions.
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