USA > Illinois > Woodford County > The Woodford County history > Part 19
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The first attorneys were Bazel D. Meek, who began practice in 1863, after serving in the Union Army, and R. T. Cassell.
Veterinary medicine was practiced as early as 1894 by W. W. Giles and probably by others.
Business and Industry. Shortly after John Darst sold the lots in the original town of Eureka, R. M. Clark, who had a general store near the college, built the first build- ing in the new business district, at the site which is now 202 North Main St. Abishae Myers built a hotel across the street to the east of Clark's store. By 1859 there was a growing business area along the west side of the square and down the Main street hill to the railroad, as well as on the north and south sides of the square. The business roll included food stores, clothing and general stores, meat markets, a harness shop, a wagon and blacksmith shop, hardware, drugs, and lumber and coal dealers.
There were also small industries, such as steam sawmills and brick-making plant. Down on Mill Street were two flour mills, and at the office of one J. A. Davis served as the community's first banker. A few years later there was a handeraft furniture shop, just north of the railroad.
The biggest of the early industries was the sawmill and briek and tile works oper- ated until 1897 by the Gudeman brothers, at the north end of Callender street. As- sociated with this enterprise were the be- ginnings of Eureka's water system in 1886 and electric service in 1893.
In the 1890's Alex Campbell had a meat packing enterprise which at one time em- ployed 30 men and shipped some of its products to England. There was also a creamery at the north end of the street now so named-Creamery Street. After 1897 Albert Gaylor operated a one-man cigar factory.
A eanning enterprise established in 1895 lasted only one season, but in 1898 the plant was taken over by Roger B. Diekin- son and prospered under the direction of his sons Eugene and Richard. It was sold in 1929 to Libby, MeNeill and Libby, and continued until 1960.
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From 1SS4 to 1903 there were several attempts at coal mining but none reached the production stage.
Shortly after 1900 F. B. Stumpf, a drug- gist, was Eureka's first auto owner and dealer.
Motion picture entertainment began in 1904 the early shows being indoors in the winter and outdoors during the summer.
A major wholesale business was the out- growth of the purchase, in 1914, by Henry Klaus of the first wireless telegraph equip- ment in the area. Encouraged by his father, Caesar Klaus, Henry was soon selling equipment by mail order. The business grew and in time moved to Peoria.
Newspapers. Eureka's first newspaper was the Woodford Journal, started December 10, 1867, by John W. Karr. From 1873 to 1913 it was published by members of the Radford family. Competition developed with the Woodford County Republican, established in 1896 and a third newspaper which eventually took the name Woodford County Democrat. In 1906 the Democrat was purchased by the Radfords and merged with the Journal. In 1913 P. E. Low, who had been publisher of the Re- publican from 1900 bought out the Demo- crat-Journal, and gave the combined publi- cation the name Woodford County Journal, which has since retained under publishers A. E. Potts to 1937 and Burrus Dickinson since then.
Public Utilities. Public water and electrical service came to Eureka through the enter- prise of Joel and Albert Gudeman who operated a brick and tile works on the north side of the city. In 1886 the city ac- cepted their gift of some land, drilled a well, constructed a water tower, laid mains and contracted with the Gudemans to pump water into the system.
In 1905 the city established its own pumping plant at a site north of the county jail, but wells never provided an adequate water supply. A proposal for a bond issue for an impounding system was voted down in 1930. A second attempt on April 15, 1941 resulted in a favorable vote and the de-
velopment of the Lake Eureka water sup- ply and plant.
Electrical service began in 1893 from the Gudeman brothers steam plant by a new corporation, the Eureka Brick, Tile and Electric Co. Some 20 arc type street lights were installed and lines were strung to service the business district and some residences. The electric system was sokl to C. C. McDonald in 1897. In 1905 a second electric plant was built by W. J. Whetzel, just north of the new city water plant. The Whetzel plant was successful and after a year McDonald suspended his operation. In 1911 the Whetzel system was purchased by a Peoria company and later became a part of the Central Illinois Light Co. This company eventually extended service to rural areas and added gas service in 1957.
Dr. N. B. Crawford, in 1885, installed a telephone from his office to his residence. It was the first phone in Eureka and pos- sibly the first in the county. In 1897 there was one other phone in the city, in H. C. Baird's office, for long distance use only. During the next few years soveral associa- tions of farmers installed lines and by 1901 another association had a erude form of dial equipment attached to 70 phones in the city of Eureka. The various associations were merged into one company which was sold in 1912 to M. F. Melick and his sons, who operated it until it became a part of the General Telephone System in 195S.
A city sewage disposal system was ad- ded to the public utilities in 1949.
Agriculture. Although earlier organizations of farmers had their impetus in other town- ships, the Farm Bureau organization was born in Ohio. The desire for this organiza- tion was kindled by a speech delivered at Eureka College, December 18, 1914, at an agricultural short course, by E. T. Robbins, who had been the first extension adviser in Tazewell county. The organization was perfected January 22, 1915. Two Olio farm- ers, Howard Leonard, who was later state director of agriculture, and Frank Felter were president and secretary, respectively. Their purpose of securing a Woodford
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County farm adviser was realized on Janu- ary II, 1916, when M. L. Mosher was em- ployed.
The first grain marketing facility was an elevator built in 1863 by J. M. Murray. A second was built in 1901 by Pierce A. Felter. In 1916 the Eureka Farmers Co- operative Association, with Jo Major as president, acquired both elevators. The older elevator on Callender street was scheduled for dismantling when it burned to the ground on March 22, 1919.
Another marketing cooperative, the Eureka sales barn, originated in 1919, but suspended when the building was sold to the Farm Bureau in 1935 and was remod- eled to become a part of the organization's office building.
Population and Economic Base
The first population count in Olio Town- ship was in 1860 when there were 604 per- sons living in Eureka and about 200 more outside of the village. Growth continued consistently until 1900 when the township population was 2,251. Then for 30 years there was little change. From 2,162 in the township in 1930 there was another growth period to 3,256 in 1960, the biggest jump coming between 1940 and 1950.
The population of the City of Eureka grew to 1,661 by 1900, but dropped to 1,525 by 1910 because several areas were disconnected from the city. It changed very little until 1930, then increased to 2,53S in 1960.
The township population outside of Eureka has held steady between 600 and 700 since 1890. There has been a decline in the number living on farms but they have been replaced by other residents who built homes outside the municipal limits.
Agriculture and related occupations pro-
vided most of the township's income until around 1920. The development of high- ways broadened the economic base by making it convenient for Eureka area resi- dents to take employment in the Peoria area and it is currently estimated that about 600 are so employed. Within the last 20 years, however, the number of employment opportunities in the community has in- creased greatly, from such sources as Eureka College, the hospital and nursing homes, and the expansion of governmental functions at the county seat.
Historical Societies
The county Old Settlers Association was organized in IS74 at Eureka. The original constitution limited membership to persons who had been residents when the county was formed in 1841. After a period of rela- tively little activity, it was reorganized in 189I with less restrictive membership pro- visions. There were three annual meetings in El Paso and several in Eureka. In 1901 Metamora was chosen as the permanent home of the Old Settlers Association.
The Woodford County Historical Society was organized December 3, 1903 at Eureka with B. D. Meek as president. The organi- zation held meetings at which papers on county history were read and relies were exhibited. It was particularly active from 1916 to 1941, under the presidency of Levi J. Freese. In 1926 this society dedicated boulders marking the sites of Lincoln's speech in Eureka, the founding of Walnut Grove Academy, and of the villages of Bowling Green and Versailles.
In 194I the society originated the plan- ning for a pageant given July 30, 31, and August 1 in observance of the centennial of Woodford County. Since then the so- ciety has been inactive.
Palestine Township
by MRS. HENRY E. STOCKHAUSEN
PALESTINE TOWN. UP, a fertile spot in Woodford County, was destined to become the site for three villages. Two villages de- clined and ceased to exist in less than 40 years. The other village, Secor, has sur- vived the changes of time for more than 100 years.
In 1836, the first settlement in Palestine township was laid out and named by Francis M. Willis, who came from Bowling Green, Kentucky. A plat of Bowling Green shows a public square with streets named for the chief cities of the state. Early in- habitants came from Kentucky, Virginia, the Carolinas and other southeastern states. Wild game, such as deer, prairie chicken, squirrel, pheasant, quail, wild turkey and geese, provided the settlers with ample food supplies. Panther Creek and the Mackinaw River supplied an abundance of fish.
With the purchase of the first water- powered grist mill in Woodford County by Francis M. Willis from Charles Moore, growth was encouraged. J. M. and Aaron Richardson opened the first general store in 1837. The building boom increased with the addition of a hotel, a cheese factory, hardware store, more than one blacksmith, a pork packing plant, some distilleries, and even a short-lived post office. In time the town boasted of 40 buildings and a popu- lation exceeding 300. The stagecoach line from Bloomington to Peoria passed through Bowling Green.
Abraham Lincoln, David Davis, and Reverend Cartwright stopped at Bowling Green during their travels in this area. But when the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad by-passed Bowling Green, decline began. In 1878, the Woodford County records
show it ceased to be. Now only an inseribed boulder and a couple of marker slabs in the cemetery mark the spot where once this thriving village of Bowling Green existed.
Another early settlement, about five miles south of Secor, was Poketown, named for "Poke" Burger who was its first settler. Here was a general store, two backsmith shops and a school. Like Bowling Green, Poketown, too, passed into oblivion with the coming of the railroad.
As a business venture, three brothers, sons of Francis Secor of New York City, had connections with the railroad during its early history. Charles A. Secor, for whom the village was named, was a mem- ber of the firm of Cruger, Secor, and Com- pany which was awarded the contract for the construction of the eastern extension of the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad. After the completion of the railroad the town was surveyed and platted by D. II. Davi- son, county surveyor, June 10. 1857. One hundred years later on June 21-22-23, 1957, the Secor Centennial Celebration com- memorated this event.
Early Settlers
Early settlers include such names as Eli and Joel Powell, Van Seyoc, Williamson, E. T. Van Alstine who built the first house and conducted the first store, Jacob Lahr who had the first blacksmith shop, Ru- dolph Harseim who conducted the first general store, Deacon Trosher who estab- lished the first boarding house. Dr. P. L. Tribbey who practiced medicine, Fry, Bil- linger, F. X. Hanssler who opened the first furniture store. Moore Collins and sons who manufactured tile and brick, Under- hill who built the famous "Woodford
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BOWLING G LAID OUT IN 1836
Marker showing the site of the once thriving and prosperous village of Bowling Green, named and land out by Francis M. Willis who came from Bowling Green, Kentucky.
House", H. Ludwig who operated a tin shop, II. Dierking, J. Seibel, A. Englis who established a carriage and wagon repair shop, H. Johnson who wrote contracts and legal instruments, J. E. Robeson who of- fered first class accommodations in the New Home Hotel, L. Riehl, and many others.
Businesses
In the midst of a prosperous agricultural region, naturally, one of the first businesses to flourish was a mill and an elevator. The first elevator was built by Peter Crow, who came to Woodford County in 1852. Through the years old elevators were replaced by larger and more modern ones. Some were destroyed by fire, one in 1910 and the last on March 15, 1967. A new elevator, valued at $380,000, with a 350,000 bushel capacity, is now under construction.
To carry on local business, a bank was necessary. The first banking interest in Se-
cor was carried on by Henry Dierking. The First National Bank was organized January 1, 1902 with E. J. Harseim as cashier. Oper- ation of this bank continued until Presi- dent Roosevelt's proclamation of March 6, 1933 which closed the bank and it was never reopened.
Early communication was begun when E. T. Van Alstine acted as the first post- master when the Secor post office was be- gun on September 3, 1857. This service has been continuous. In 1960, a new post office building was constructed. C. H. McGough, the postmaster, has served since 1949. The first telephone exchange began in 1899. The company became a cooperative ex- change until January 1, 1967 when it was sold to the Deer Creck Telephone Com- pany.
General merchandise stores provided everyday needs. Garages, a hardware store, taverns, and a laundromat continue the usual village business.
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Churches
Early settlers were greatly concerned about the spiritual needs of the com- munity. The Christian Church, the first one built after laying out the village of Secor, opened for worship in 1862 with Reverend James Robeson as minister. This church be- eame inactive about 1943.
In 1865, two more churches were organ- ized-St. John's Evangelical Lutheran, with Reverend Herrmann Sieving as the first resident pastor, and the Methodist Episco- pal, with Reverend Webber as pastor. Both organizations constructed buildings which have been replaced, remodeled, or im- proved throughout the years to meet the growing needs of the congregations. In 1898, part of the Christian Church organi- zation withdrew and built the present Church of Christ which is still active. In the southern part of Palestine Township, Centennial Chapel was built in 1876 by the United Brethren and the Methodist de- nominations and was used jointly by both. Later the church functioned as an inter- denominational church until it was de- stroyed by fire December 18, 1960.
Schools
Closely following the establishment of the village the school was started in the Secor arca. The first school was held in the home of Mrs. Clement Oatman before Pal- estine became a township. In 1857 the first small frame school building was erected with William Hendron as teacher. In 1860 a much larger frame building was con- structed, which served as the educational center until 1906 when a safer and more modern brick structure replaced it. Two years of high school, besides the eight ele- mentary grades, were taught until 1940. In 1941 the Secor school was an elementary school of eight grades with only three teachers. In 1948 the Secor school beeame a part of the El Paso Community Unit District No. 375, serving the first six grades. Since then there have been times when seven grades were taught, or sometimes six, and at present only the first four. Other students are transported by bus to El Paso. Mrs. Jennie Reger Butler taught two gen- erations of primary students from ISSO to 1903. She was greatly loved and respected by all. Other teachers who served ten or
KD-
The Secor business district-Gilman Street in 1957.
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Woodford County History
more years in the Secor school are Lida (Rock) Powell, Leona Mae Frye (de- ceased ), Linda Faw, Irene ( Porth) Wes- sel, Neva (Zeiger) Stockhausen, and Thelma (Grubb ) Shuman.
The Secor Volunteer Fire Department is one of the area's valuable organizations. Organized in 1946, it has efficiently served this fire district to the present time. Dorsey Hibbs was the first fire marshal.
Besides the various church organizations, the Secor Household Science Club has been active as a ladies civic group since 1919.
Miss Minnie Vautrin, daughter of E. L. Vautrin, who purchased the first black- smith from Jacob Lahr, is probably Secor's most famed personality. She became a world renowned missionary to China. Ar- riving in China in 1912, she studied the
Chinese language, customs, and culture. Then she founded a girls' school in Lu- chowfu. This was so successful she was asked to be a member of the faculty at Gingling College at Nanking. Here she labored for years, enduring the Japanese invasion and the war years until 1940. She was awarded the highest honor, "The Em- blem of the Blue Jade," by the Chinese government for her undying efforts and courage. Broken in health, she returned to the United States, but lived only until May 16, 1941. She was known as the "God- dess of Mercy" and her memory will re- main always, a threat to the pagan and an inspiration to the humble.
Palestine Township, lying in the heart of the fertile Illinois agricultural area, remains rural in character.
Stean engine and
threshing crew. Note the manpower on hand for the work to be done.
Panola Township
by MRS. ETHEL EFT
PANOLA TOWNSHIP lies south of Minonk. cast of Greene, north of El Paso town- ships in Woodford County, and Hudson Township, of McLean County. Gridley Township of McLean County and Waldo Township of Livingston County, form the cast boundary.
Two groves, one located in Sections 30 and 31 on the south branch of Panther Creek, and the other two miles northeast in Section 17 of the north branch of Panther Creek, were the only wooded areas in the township. Both branches of Panther Creek begin in Waldo Township and flow west across Panola Township; the two branches join in Section 26 in Greene Township and then flow southwest to the Mackinaw River.
A swampy area was located in Sections 3, 10 and 1I in the north central arca, while another lay in the southeast corner of the township. Though ditches were dug, and tile laid in increasing numbers over the years, the drainage problem still re- mained. The Panther Creek Drainage Dis- trict was organized with Peter Donner, Charles Forsyth and Arch Nethercott ap- pointed the first commissioners. After ex- tended litigation. the contracts were let October 11. 1919, for the work of dredg- ing, as well as straightening and widening the channel of the south branch of the creek, and laying thousands of feet of tile for auxiliary drainage.
The project, which cost upwards of $153,000, began at Route 51 and extended cast to the head waters in Waldo Town- ship. It drains over 12,000 acres in Panola. El Paso, Gridley, and Waldo townships.
The first train over the Illinois Central
Railroad passed through Panola, May 23. 1853, though the station was not built un- til later. Benajah Stockwell became the first official station agent in Panola for the I.C.R.R. when it opened in early 1854. Through a series of promotions, he eventu- ally became the general freight agent for the Illinois Central system.
Stockwell's first promotion must have come early. for N. L. Seever, the second agent, also came to Panola in 1854. He was followed in 1857 by Jonathan D). Parks, who was the first master of the Panola Lodge A.F. & A.M., which later moved to El Paso in 1862. Dennis Sharp was an em- ployce of the railroad in 1853, and in 1854 Michael Kelly was employed as a "woods- man" for the wood burning engines. As Panola was located on the prairie, with two small groves the only wood available, he must have had to hanl the wood from timber arcas in Greene township to the west.
Michael Krng, who came to America from his native Bavaria in IS49, became the operator of the railroad's first pumping station which was located on the north branch of Panther Creek. The family lived in a small cabin cast of the tower. They later owned land in Section S west of the railroad.
William Crosley, who with Isaac Ham- mers, Sr. had operated a store in Gabe- town, moved the building to Panola in 1854; locating it west of the railroad. Thomas Patterson was his partner for sev- oral years. later selling his interest to Samuel G. Lewis. A second floor was added to the buikling when it was moved from Gabetown, or soon after, and in that
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Woodford County History
room the Masonic Lodge was organized. It was used as a meeting place for many years.
Simpson Y. and Lydia Barnard lived two miles west of Panola on the stage route between Bloomington and Hanover ( later Metamora). He was postmaster for Josephine, (as the station was called), which he moved to a new building in Panola in 1853. He was postmaster there for several years before moving back to his land in Greene township.
A blacksmith shop and wagon factory were built in 1856 by John Adams; Ilenry Saltsman opened a hotel and livery stable the same year. William Tompkins' general store began business in 1855. Tompkins became tax assessor for the township the same year.
The first rural mail route in Woodford County began operation out of the Panola post office in 1900. John C. Render was the first carrier on the 28 mile route. He was succeeded in 1901 by Peter Fisher who served for 16 years. A second route was begun on February 4, 1904 with Peter Hauck as carrier. After the two routes were combined in 1917, Mr. Hauck continued as the only carrier until 1935, when the route was discontinued from Panola, and the area was served by carriers out of El Paso.
The post office was usually located in a store, with the store proprietor serving as postmaster, though at times a private home served as an office about ten years until the office was closed February 1, 1954.
Jane Nesmith was the first public school teacher in Panola. The schoolhouse, which was built in 1857, cost $600. The building was moved to another location in 1913 and a brick building was erected on the site. After the El Paso Community Unit District was organized in 1948, classes were held in it for about a year. It was later sold and used for a residence.
In 1860 a grist mill, which had been in operation on the north side of Panola for some time, blew up with such extensive damage it was not rebuilt. No one was in- jured.
A coal shaft dug in ISSS struck a vein of water at a depth of 80 feet, preventing further digging, and the shaft was filled in. In 1899-1900 a typhoid epidemic, which caused several deaths, was attributed to contaminated water from the well at the depot, which was believed to be the same vein struck when the coal shaft was dug.
Fred Larison, who had an elevator in El Paso in the early 1900's, purchased an elevator which had been built south of the depot, and added a lumber yard. Both buildings burned when a gasoline engine backfired and set fire to the elevator Aug- ust 18, 1917. They were not rebuilt. Archie Kingdon was manager for an elevator built on the north side of Panola by the El Paso Elevator Company about 1910. It burned in February 1914 and was rebuilt on the same site. Shortly after 1 a.m. August 3, 1967, this elevator also burned from an un- known cause.
N. S. de Vries donated a plot of ground in the southwest part of town on which the town hall was built in 1892. A plot fifteen feet square located South of the town hall was purchased from John Adams in Janu- ary 1897 for twenty dollars as a site for a "calaboose" which was built the following month, though the size of the structure was not included in the minutes of the village board.
A marshal was elected in 1896 with a salary of $4 per month "providing that at least one saloon license at $500 per year would be taken out; otherwise the village would dispense with a marshal." License to "run a pool table for $5 per year" and two saloon licenses were granted, so the marshal was retained. One or more saloons operated in Panola during most of the vil- lage's business life.
The last general store and the post office closed in 1954; an elevator owned by the El Paso Elevator Company burned August 3, 1967. Storage tanks of the Woodford County Service Company are the only business facility now in Panola, with the distributor residing in El Paso. Only 14 residences remain in the village at the be- ginning of 1968.
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