USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Princeville > Township histories, Peoria County, Illinois; Princeville, Akron, Millbrook, Jubilee, Hallock, Radnor > Part 4
USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Akron > Township histories, Peoria County, Illinois; Princeville, Akron, Millbrook, Jubilee, Hallock, Radnor > Part 4
USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Millbrook > Township histories, Peoria County, Illinois; Princeville, Akron, Millbrook, Jubilee, Hallock, Radnor > Part 4
USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Jubilee > Township histories, Peoria County, Illinois; Princeville, Akron, Millbrook, Jubilee, Hallock, Radnor > Part 4
USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Hallock > Township histories, Peoria County, Illinois; Princeville, Akron, Millbrook, Jubilee, Hallock, Radnor > Part 4
USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Radnor > Township histories, Peoria County, Illinois; Princeville, Akron, Millbrook, Jubilee, Hallock, Radnor > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8
T
46
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES
-the latter being always victorious by large and in- creasing majorities at each town meeting. In a short time after this decision was rendered, peace was re- stored, and party tickets and practices were resumed.
The present officials of the township (1902-03) are as follows: H. C. Stewart, Supervisor; Charles A. 'Timmons, Town Clerk; Alex. Gray, Assessor; James P. Byrnes, Collector; William Pullen, Frank Kraus and George W. Gruner, Road Commissioners; George Rowcliff and Charles A. Timmons, Justices of the Peace; Peter Currey, Constable; George Rowcliff, M. D. Potter and G. L. Runner, School Trustees; Henry C. Houston, School Treasurer.
EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS
At an early period in our township history the sturdy pioneers set about to provide such educational facilities as their means and situation would permit. The first building for this purpose was built a short distance southeast of the Rock Island & Peoria depot at Princeville. This was used on Sunday as a place of worship, and the remainder of the week as a school room. A few years later this building was burned, and the next school house to be built was near where the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway crosses the public road, one mile east of the west line of the town- ship.
Soon after, the township was divided into three school districts. District No. 1 commenced on the west side, two miles from the north line, thence east in a zig-zag line to the southeast corner of the township. The school house referred. to above was in this dis-
47
AKRON TOWNSHIP
triet. District No. 2 and District No. 3 were six miles long and from one to three miles wide. In some of these districts school was kept, for a few months of each year, in some farmer's home. As soon as the township was fairly settled, it was redistricted into nine districts, cach two miles square, in which condi- tion they remain at present, excepting where a small amount of territory adjacent to some village has been taken to form a Union District. We now have nine frame school houses, in good condition, with seating accommodations for at least thirty scholars each. Two of these buildings have been erected within the past three years. The bonded indebtedness of these districts amounts to $1,020. Wages of teachers in- creased steadily from $10 to $12 a month, with board among the patrons in early days, to $65 per month in 1876. Since then the wages have declined to the pres- ent time, when the highest monthly wages reported are $45. The largest enrollment and attendance was between 1870 and 1880, when there were 345 pupils enrolled out of 409 persons of school age, or 87 per cent of the total. In the report of 1901, 344 pupils are returned between the ages of six and twenty-one, and a total enrollment of 216, or 60 per cent. This falling off is largely due to the superior advantages offered by schools in the city or large towns.
Only two church buildings stand upon Akron soil. One, the property of the Seventh Day Baptists, is located on the east line of Section 24. The other is owned by the Apostolic Christian Church (commonly known as "Amish") and is situated on the southwest corner of Section 3. The Seventh Day Baptist Society was organized September 3, 1852, through the efforts of the late Anthony Hakes and a few others of like
48
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES
faith and zeal. In 1870, under the leadership of Rev. Wardner, the Society, having become strong in mem- bership and means, decided to build a suitable house of worship. The move met with universal favor, and ere the close of the year they had completed and paid for their present church building, which cost between $5,000 and $6,000. Rev. R. B. Tolbert is at present serving this church as pastor. This society has a Christian Endeavor Society and a Sabbath School in connection with its church work.
The Amish church was organized about 1870, and, for a number of years, their services were held at the homes of the members in geographical rotation. In 1880 they erected the building now used as their place of worship. This house is provided with vestibule. audience room and a large and commodious kitchen fully equipped with range, dishes, tables and chairs Two services are held each Sabbath and between these a simple meal is served in the kitchen. One thing worthy of mention and imitation is the splendid pro- vision made for the comfort of teams driven to church. They have more expensive and a greater number of horse-sheds than are to be found around any other public building in the county. Christian Streitmatter served as pastor from the organization to 1895. Since then the pulpit has been filled by Ludwig Herbold and Frank Wortz, the latter filling that office at present.
The scarcity of church buildings in the township is not a true index of the religious character of our people. Many of our citizens are regular attendants and supporters of churches near the border line in adjoining townships. With two churches at Lawn Ridge, two at Edelstein, three at Dunlap, three at Princeville and one at. Stark, our people are well sup- .
49
AKRON TOWNSHIP
plied with church privileges, and as large a percentage of our inhabitants are church-going as those of any other country township.
IMPROVEMENTS AND INDUSTRIES
The last half century has witnessed a wonderful transformation in public and private improvements. The sod house and log cabin of the pioneer have given place to comfortable and commodious residences. Around these are to be found large, well-built and well-kept buildings for the protection of farm animals and storage of products. All of the ponds and swamp land that formerly produced nothing but bull-frogs and ague, now annually yield large crops of grain. The mud-road and log-bridges have been, in a great measure, replaced with gravel roads and steel bridges or culverts. At present all the principal water courses are spanned with iron bridges or supplied with steel or cement culverts. We now have fifteen miles of gravel road and the mileage is annually increasing. Our township expends about $2,000 annually for road repair and improvement.
Our mail facilities have kept pace in the march of improvement. Up to 1859 our people were dependent upon Princeville and Southampton for post office ac- commodations. These offices were first supplied with a weekly mail, then with a tri-weekly. About 1860 a post office, named "Akron" was established four miles east of Princeville, and T. P. Burdick was the Post- master. Three years later the office was moved one- fourth mile farther west, and William Saunders was appointed Postmaster, which office he held until 1866,
50
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES
when the office was discontinued. In 1870 this office was re-established near the center of the Township, with Mrs. Deming serving as Postmistress. About one year later she resigned and William Houston was ap- pointed. her successor. This position he held until the office was discontinued. Mail for the Akron office came by stage, which made three trips a week between Peoria and Toulon. After re-establishment the mail was carried daily over the Princeville and Southamp- ton star-route. We now have a rural delivery route from Princeville, covering eighteen miles of road and supplying a large number of our people with daily mail at their doors.
In 1871 the first railroad, the Peoria and Rock Island, entered the township. Since then the Atchi- son, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway has been built through the township from east to west near the center. Last year the Chicago & Northwestern Rail- road ran a line across our town a half mile west of the eastern border. This road has located a station named Akron near the southeast corner of the town- ship. There are now seventeen miles of railroad in the town, and all but one school district has the bene- fit of railroad property to help pay school expenses.
Nearly all our inhabitants are engaged in agricul -. tural pursuits, many of them owning the land which they till. These people are industrious, intelligent and enterprising. Very few, indeed, are the persons who call upon the county for aid. Although our voters are loyal to party, they are in no way office-seekers, for, during the past thirty years, not one of our citi- zens has held any County, State or Federal office. In rich, fertile soil and tillable acreage, in substantial and convenient farm buildings, in intelligent, indus-
51
AKRON TOWNSHIP
trious and peaceable people, in good roads and bridges, in railroad mileage, in Sabbath observance and church attendance, in freedom from litigation and paupers, Akron Township stands second to none in the county.
MILLBROOK. TOWNSHIP
BY WILLIAM H. ADAMS
Millbrook Township is located in the northwest corner of Peoria County. The south two-thirds is a rich prairie soil, raising abundant crops of small grain; the north part, along Spoon River, being an argillaceous loam, produces also the finest of blue grass. Owing to the presence of quantities of lime and iron in the soil, the pastures impart a strength, elasticity and firmness to the horses, rivaling the celebrated stock of Kentucky.
. Underneath the surface is a porous subsoil varying in depth from one to two feet, which is succeeded by the glacial drift, and this by the coal measures. Vein No. 6, usually about four feet in thickness, occupies an area equal to twelve sections; while No. 3 probably underlies the whole township. The first is reached by drift along Plum Hollow, the latter by a shaft on Section 6, on Walnut Creek. Fine beds of gravel suit- able for making roads are found along Spoon River, and shale, suitable for the manufacture of fire-brick, is found in several localities.
The Township is rich im evidence of the dwellings of a prehistoric race. At: the confluence of Walnut Creek and Spoon River there appears to have been a large village, which is shown by the finding of a num- ber of stone and flintt implements, the presence of. funeral mounds, and otherr usnal! accompanying evi -- dences of the presence of a large population. On a high bluff between the two streams are traces of an old fort, octagonal in form, the outlines of which are
. 52:
53
MILLBROOK TOWNSHIP
nearly obliterated by the lapse of time. In the north- west angle is an oblong elevation, sixty-four by forty- seven feet, and six feet in height. An exploration has disclosed the presence of small pieces of galena, copper beads and awls, leaf-shaped flint implements, red ochre, charcoal and faint traces of human bones, all of great antiquity. Twenty rods west of this is a low mound sixty-two by nineteen feet. On Section 4 is an important group of mounds, the first of which is a small round one from the center of which to the center of the second is a distance of thirty-nine feet ; thence to the center of the third, thirty feet; thence to the south end of the fourth is fifty feet. The fourth measures eighty feet from south to north, with a cross at the center, thirty-three by twelve feet and two feet high. From the west end of this one to the center of the fifth is one hundred and twenty-three feet. This is a common round mound forty feet in diameter and three feet high; thence to number six is fifty-eight feet. This one is ninety-eight by eigh- teen feet and two feet high. Thence in a northwest- erly direction it is seventy-five feet to still another one hundred and four feet by eighteen feet and two and a half feet high, from the north end of which it is one hundred feet to another one hundred and forty by twenty feet and three feet high. On the top of this grows an oak tree three feet in diameter. An immense number of flint or hornstone chips are found scattered through the materials of which the mound is constructed, the nearest known out-cropping of which is at Burlington, Iowa. This group commences in the valley just above high water mark and extends northwesterly, terminating on a bluff sixty feet above high water.
.
54
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES
First Settlers .- William Metcalf was the first white settler. In the spring of 1833 he, with his wife, two children and a boy named Amos McRill, came by wagon from Richland County, Ohio, camping out at night and arriving at French's Grove. That fall he made some improvements on the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 9, 11 N., 5 E., by erect- ing a cabin and fencing a small field, and in the spring of 1834 moved on to the land. John Suther- land, a native of Pittsburg, Pa., came to Peoria in the year 1834 and bought the lots on which the Na- tional Hotel now stands and was one of the original members of the Presbyterian Church, known as the Lowry Church. In August, 1835, he located on See- tion 32, 11 N., 5 E. He was a man of high moral principles, of unquestioned probity and business in- tegrity, and inflexible in his determination to do right. It is said that, after leaving Peoria, he frequently walked from his home in Millbrook to Pco- ria to attend church. He, of course, sided with Lowry in his controversy with the adverse party. He died September 30, 1845, leaving numerous descendants, who still reside in that part of the county.
Mr. Sutherland and his family formed the nucleus at French's Grove, around which gathered a commu- nity noted for its high moral and religious character. Among others who, by precept and example, added much to the reputation of the settlement for enter- prise and thrift, were Daniel and John A. McCoy, John Smith, Sr., John Smith, Jr., and Therrygood Smith, from Richland County, Ohio, settled where Rochester now stands, in October, 1835, a young man named John White cutting down the first tree where the village afterward grew up. The first settlers were mostly
55
MILLBROOK TOWNSHIP
from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, Scot- land and Ireland, and, as a rule, were industrious, en- terprising and ambitious to earn homes for them- selves and their families. Their influence in the com- munity has given it a character which will distinguish it for generations yet to come.
Rochester .- The site of Rochester was chosen for its excellent water power furnished by Spoon River. It was surveyed on the 13th of July, 1836, by George C. McFadden, deputy under Thomas Phillips, County Surveyor. On the 29th of the same month the plat was acknowledged by John Smith, Jr., before James P. Harkness and recorded in the Recorder's office.
About this time Clark W. Stanton, a carpenter from Rochester, New York, arrived and bought from Smith a half interest in the town site and mill-seat, and in the following spring, bought Smith's entire interest for the sum of $3,200. The first store to be opened was that of Thomas J. Hurd, of Peoria, who, in the summer of 1836, brought a small stock of goods to the place and opened out in a small log building on the river bank. He was succeeded in a few months by Stacey & Holmes. In the winter of 1836-37 John Smith, Jr., opened a stock of goods, but the ensuing spring sold out to Hon. David Markley of Canton, in Fulton County, then a prominent politician of the state.
Mills-As might have been expected, the utilizing of the water power of Spoon River was one of the enterprises first to attract the attention of early set- tlers. In those early days the owner of a mill, if a good one, had a real bonanza. Flour and lumber were two of the essentials of life; and people would travel many miles and await their turn in patience
56
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES
to get a supply of, either. It was in the fall of 1836, after the enterprising Clark W. Stanton had pur- chased one-half of the interest of John Smith, Jr., in the mill-seat, that they, in company, erected the first saw-mill; and so great was the demand for lumber that the mill was kept running night and day. After Stanton had purchased Smith's remaining interest he crested a grist mill, which began to grind some time in the summer of 1837. People came to it from Prince's Grove, Slackwater, Massilon, Scotland Prai- rie, Newburg, French's Creek, French's Grove and Lafayette. By adding improvements from time to time, it became one of the most complete and best equipped flouring mills in Central Illinois. Benjamin Huber, who had an interest in it, says that, late in the fifties, the mill would grind two hundred and fifty to three hundred bushels of wheat per day and one hundred bushels of chop feed or corn, and that it was crowded with business. But the march of im- provements, with the coming of railroads to other points, sapped it of its business, and it is now going to ruin, part of it having already tumbled into the river.
About 1839 or 1840, Gilbert Arnold built a saw- mill on Section 6 on the bank of Walnut Creek; but this, too, has long since gone out of sight.
In 1856 John Carter, a wealthy farmer, residing in the eastern part of the township, undertook the erection of a grist-mill on Spoon River on Section 3, but being unskilled in mechanical engineering, he was at the mercy of any charlatan that came along calling himself a millwright. Through floods, law suits and ignorance, he was ruined financially. The mill, how- ever, was finally finished and did a fair business but, for the past few years, it has been abandoned.
57
MILLBROOK TOWNSHIP
Education .- The first school house in the town- ship was in Rochester, and built by Dr. John L. Fifield, Clark W. Stanton, Russell Stanton and Jonah Lewis, without the assistance of public funds. It remained until 1867, when it was replaced by a large and com- modious brick structure, which still remains. The first school in the township was taught in the winter of 1836-37 by Caleb North in a log house on the south- west corner of the northwest quarter of Section 20, for which he received $10 per month. Elisha J. Suth- erland is probably the only pupil of that school now living. The township is now divided into eight full and two fractional union districts, in all of which public schools are regularly taught. The zealous in- terest taken by the people in the cause of popular education, is manifested by the flourishing condition of these schools and the liberal taxes, voluntarily im- posed upon themselves by the tax-payers, for their support. The school houses are, as a rule, of the most improved pattern and furnished with all modern ap- pliances to secure the comfort, health and advance- ment in study of the pupil, the cost varying from $600 to $4,500. They compare very favorably with those of any other township in the county. Some of the districts, notably No. 2, have fine school libraries.
In the year 1845 Rev. Robert Breese and his accom- plished wife, who was a graduate of the celebrated Holyoke Seminary, established a school of high grade in Rochester called the "Breese Seminary." Mrs. Breese was the real principal, her husband devoting his time principally to ministerial work.
Religion .- Constituted as the early communities were, it could not be supposed otherwise than that the promotion of religion would be their first and
r
58
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES
chief concern. Accordingly we find that in the sum- mer of 1836 Rev. George G. Sill, a missionary, preached the first Presbyterian sermon in the house of John Sutherland. A church of that denomination was organized at Rochester in the summer of 1838, with sixteen members, Joseph Warne, ruling elder, which was taken under the care of Presbytery in Oc- tober of the same year. Rev. Robert B. Dobbin suc- ceeded Rev. Sill, but how long he preached does not appear. In 1845 Rev. Robert F. Breese was installed pastor of the churches of Rochester and French's Grove, which he continued to serve until his death, September 2, 1851. The Rochester church was dis- solved by Presbytery sitting at Brimfield September 20, 1854, in consequence of the division between the old and New Schools, the New School members having withdrawn and formed another church in Stark County.
The French Grove Presbyterian Church was organ- ized October 20, 1851, by Rev. Addison Coffey, Rev. William McCandlish and Ruling Elder John Reynolds, a committee previously appointed by Presbytery. There were fifteen members and William Reed and George S. Purselle were ordained and installed the first Ruling Elders; Rev. John C. Hanna, a licentiate, was appointed to supply the church one-half of his time and the church at Rochester as often as consistent with his other engagements. Rev. Charles McLuer is now pastor of this church, which is in a prosperous condition, having a good Sunday-school, of which Mr. W. H. Todd is Superintendent.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Rochester, or- ganized in the year 1836, was the first church organ- ization in the township.` Rev. William Cummings
59
MILLBROOK TOWNSHIP
preached the first sermon in the house of John Smith. The original members were John Smith and wife, Therrygood Smith and wife, William Metcalf and an unmarried daughter of John Smith, and John Smith, Sr., was chosen first class-leader. A house of worship was commenced in 1838, which was blown to frag- ments by a cyclone on May 8th of that year. Through removals and death, the church at one time became almost extinct, but there are now houses of worship at Rochester and Laura, the former being the legiti- mate successor of the first church, and worshipping in a building formerly belonging to the Congrega- tionalists.
The Methodist Church of Laura was built in the summer of 1889 at a cost of $1,300 and furnished at a further cost of $200. The first pastor was Rev. D. D. McComen. The church is connected with the Monica charge, its members numbering about sixty.
The Christian Church at Rochester was organized December 18, 1844, by John W. Underwood, with four members, the first meeting of seven persons having been held in the old school house in November and conducted by Milton King. They began building a house of worship in 1858, but it was blown down by the cyclone of May 8th of that year. In the summer of 1864 they erected another, which cost between $3,000 and $4,000. In the course of time, in conse- quence of deaths and removals, the membership be- came too feeble to maintain an organization and, a few years since, Jonathan Pratz, the only remaining Trustee, deeded the church building to the Directors of Glendale Cemetery Association, by whom it was repaired, repainted and placed in good condition. It is now used for moral and religious entertainments,
.
60
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES
and is free to all approved ministers of the Gospel. From here, after the last sad rites have been per- formed, the dead are carried forth for interment in the beautiful Glendale Cemetery. A flourishing Sun- day-school, under the superintendence of Mrs. M. Stevenson, meets here weekly. The present directors of the Association are William H. Adams, President ; W. Winchester, Secretary; S. H. Winchester, Treas- urer, and Elder Aley, W. H. Wilcox and Henry Sweat.
The Congregational Church, Rochester, was organ- ized June 30, 1841, at the house of Elias Wycoff, in Stark County, with nine members, the ministers pres- ent being Rev. S. S. Miles and Rev. S. G. Wright. After entering into covenant, Messrs. William Web- ster and N. Wycoff were duly elected and installed Ruling Elders, and Rev. S. G. Wright designated as Moderator of the Session. In 1854 the meetings were held at Rochester, at which time Rev. Charles B. Don- aldson was acting as pastor, and at a meeting held April 14th of that year, the name was changed from Spoon River Congregational Church to Elmore Con- gregational Church of Rochester. During the sum- mer and fall of 1866 was erected a house of worship costing $2,300, which was dedicated January 22, 1867. The dedication sermon was preached by Rev. W. G. Pierce of Elmwood, who was assisted in the services by Rev. James Wycoff and Rev. B. F. Haskins, the last named continuing to be the pastor for twelve years. From a variety of causes the society ceased to maintain its organization, and the church edifice is now owned and used as a place of worship by the Methodist Episcopal Church of Elmore.
The Church of the New Jerusalem (Swedenbor- gian) once had an organization in Rochester, the first
r
61
MILLBROOK TOWNSHIP
meeting having been held at the house of John Smith Jr., on Section 18. At this meeting Rev. John R. Hib- bard, an eminent divine of Chicago, made an address. The society consisted of John Smith and wife, Gilbert Arnold, Caleb North, G. P. Wycoff and the Adams and Pulsipher families of Southport. The numbers having been depleted by deaths and removals, meetings are no longer held.
The First Sunday-school was organized in the spring of 1844, Mrs. Breese, wife of Rev. Robert Breese, being the first Superintendent. She was a woman of fine attainments and great force of char- acter, and made the school a success in every respect. Of those who attended this school the following sur- vive: E. J. Sutherland, James Sutherland, Miss Co- lumbia Duim, of Galesburg; Sarah Smith, nee Bodine, Kansas; M. A. Dooley, nee Bodine, Missouri; Mahala Hurd, nee Bodine, West Jersey, Stark County; Ac- enatlı Neal, nee Matthews, Peoria, and Irene Abby, nee Stanton.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.