History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois. Edited by W. H. Perrin. Illustrated

Preface

. THE historjof Bond anil Montgomery Counties, after months of persistent toil and research, is now completed, and it is believed that no subject of universal public importance or interest has been omitted, save where protracted effort sailed to secure reliable results. We are well aware of our inability to furnish a perfect history from meager public documents and numberless conflicting traditions, but claim to have prepared a work fully up to the standard of our promises. Through the courtesy and assistance generously afforded by the residents of these counties, we have been enabled to ti'ace out and put on record the greater portion of the important events that have transpired in Bond and Slontgomery Counties up to the present time. And we feel assured that all thoughtful people in these counties, now aud in suture, will recognize and appreciate the importance of the work and its permanent value.

A dry statement of facts has, as far as possible, been avoided, and incidents and anecdotes have been woven in with facts and statistics, forming a narrative at once instructive and interesting. To those who have kindly assisted our corps of writers in gathering material, and furnished us data of historical value, we acknowledge our indebtedness ; and to Williamson Plant, Esq., of Greenville ; Judge A. N. Kingsbury, of Hillsboro ; H. A. Coolidge, Esq., of Litchfield ; and Rev. T. E. Spilman, of Nokomis, our thanks for able contributions are especially due. August, 1882. THE PUBLISHERS. CONTENTS.

PART I. Page

CHAPTER XI

—Greenville— Educational— Common Schools— Xlmira College — Religious — Presbyterians and Methodists — Erection of Church Buildings— Secret and Benevolent Orders, etc 109 BOND COUNTY. Page,

Chapter I

— Introduction to Bond County— The Early State of the Country — Difficulties of Occupying It — Coming of the Pioneers — HilPs Station and Jones' Fort — Perils of the Wilderness — Timber and Prairie — Prairie Fires — Hard Faro of tho Settlers 11

CHAPTER XII.

— Retrospective— Building of Jails— Situation of the City — More of Early Business and Business Men — Agricultural Warehouses — Banking Business — Shops and Mechanics — Summary.... 121

Chapter II

— Trials of the Pioneers — Skins as a Circulating Medium— War of 1812— Murder of Cox and His Son- Progress of Emigration — Early Manners and Customs 19

CHAPTER XIII.

— Ripley Precinct— Topography— Early Settlers—Old Ripley — Churches — Schools — Villages 129

CHAPTER XIV.

— Mulberry Giove Precinct— Its Configuration — Early Settlements — Rev. J. B. Woolard and Other Pioneers — First Birth, Marriage, etc. — Churches and Schools — Village of Mulberry Grove 133

Chapter III

— Organization of Bond County— Its Present Boundaries and Topography — Courts Organized — County Seat at Perryville — Jail Building — Lynching — Lawyers Lost in the Prairie — Permanent Location of the Seat of Justice 25

CHAPTER XV.

— Pocahontas Precinct— Topogifiphv, etc.— Pioneer Settlers— The Plants and Johnsons— The Old Methodist Church — Town of Pocahontas — Other Villages — Schools and Churches 140

Chapter IV

— Early Agriculture— Hog Raising— Difficulties of Teaming — Roads to St. Louis and Springfield — Sermon on a Load of Apples— Building Mills and Manufactories 33

CHAPTER XVI.

— Beaver Creek Precinct— General Description — Manners and Customs of Pioneer Times — First Post Office, Blacksmith, Stores, etc. — Mills and Carding Machines — Villages — Educational and Religious 145

Chapter V

— Early Society— Whisky and Fighting— Working Frolics — Gold and Silver Mines — Gaylord's Swindle — Slavery — Magoon Kidnaping Case- Early Physicians 39

CHAPTER XVII.

— Fairview Precinct — Descriptive— The Name — Isam Reaves and Other Pioneers — First Election — Early Schools — Religious — "Old Hurricane" and Other Churches — Village of Fairview 151

Chapter VI

— Religion— First Preachers and ChurcheB— Methodists and Presbyterians — Moody's Camp-Ground — Sunday-Schools — " The Jerks " — Temperance — Education — The Improvement in Schools — Statistics — The People aud the State Debt — War History 47

CHAPTER XVIII.

— La Grange Precinct— Boundaries, etc. — Its Settlement by White People — Pioneer Hardships —

Chapter VII

— Railroad History— The Internal Improvement System — Old National or Cumberland Road — Mississippi & Atlantic Railroad — The Present Vandalia Line aud Its Officers — The Press of Bond County 54 Churches and Schools 158 CHAPTER XTX.— Zion Precinct— Its Topography— Early Settlements — Life on the Frontier — Pioneer Industries — " Old Zion " Camp-Ground — Village of Woburn — Schools and Churches 162

Chapter VIII

— Greenville Precinct— Boundaries and Configuration — Early Settlement — Pioneer Industries and Improvements — Sketch of William S. Wait — Villages — Gold and Silver Mines — Educational — Religious 67

CHAPTER XX.

— Cottonwood Grove Precinct— Early History — The McCords and Robinsons — Old Shoal Creek Church — Village of Bethel— Schools and Churches 166

Chapter IX

— City of Greenville— Locating the County Seat at Perryville — Its Removal to Greenville — Laying-out of Greenville — The Name — Early Settlers of the Town — The Kirkpatricks and Others — First Business Men and Prominent Citizens — The Roll of Pioneers 73

CHAPTER XXI.

— Okaw Precinct — Description and Topography — The Pioneers' Habits and Modes of Living — Schools, Churches, etc i 169 MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Chapter X

— Greenville— Sale of Lots— Building a Court House — Public Buildings of the County — Taverns and Their Changes — Uncle Jimmy's Grocery — County Officers — The Water Supply — War History of Greenville and Bond County— The Hilliard Rifles, etc 101

Chapter I

— Introductory — Descriptive *nd Topographical —Varieties of Timber — Geological Features — Limestone and Sandstone — Coal Measures — Quality of Coal— Quarries— Climatology — Past Compared with-Present CONTENTS. VI Paoe. Page

CHAPTER XV.

— Litchfield — Educational — The Press — The Journal— the Hsonitor and other Papers— Banking Interests—The Coal Business— Sanitary Condition of the City 289

Chapter II

— Early Occupation of the Country— The Mound- Builders— Their Remains and Fortifications— The Indians—Coming of the Whites— Difficulties Encountered by Emigrants on the Way— Growth and Development of the Country 1M

CHAPTER XVI.

— Nokomis Township— Position and Boundaries—Surface, Soil, Streams — Forest Growth— Agricultural Products— Early Settlements — Roads —Schools- Churches, etc 303

Chapter III

— Organization of Montgomery County— The Act of Legislature Creating it— Early Officers and Courts — Location of the County Seat — Court Houses and Public Buildings — Divisions iuto Precincts and Townships — Convenience of Township Organization — The Poor Farm — Politics and Parties 186

CHAPTER XVII

— Town of Nokomis— Its Location and Settlement—The First Stores, Mills and Other Business— Grain Trade — Manufacture of Agricultural Implements — Schoolhouses, etc.— The Press— Religious History— The Differenl Churches, Preachers, etc 307

Chapter IV

— Early Religious History— Educational, Past and Present, with Statistics — Compulsory Education and its Geneial Effects— The Press 194

CHAPTER XVIII

— East Fork Township— Boundaries— Water Courses— Early Settlers— Mills— Cattle Raising— Roads- Churches— schools — Secret Societies 3H

Chapter V

— Agriculture— Improved Methods and Implements — County Agricultural Association — Offices, Fair Grounds, etc. — Railtoads 199

CHAPTER XIX.

— Fillmore TownBhip — Boundaries — First Growth— Pioneers — Mills— Schools— Churches, etc 320

CHAPTER XX

— Butler Glove Township— Boundaries— Soil- Timber — Early Settlers— Roads — Educational and Religious—Village of Butler— Business Inteiests— Secret Societies, etc 327

Chapter VI

— War History of Montgomery County— The Black Hawk War— Muster Rolls of Companies— Tlw Mexican War — The Great Civil War — Regiments, Officers, etc. — Litchfield's Participation — Incidents, etc 205

CHAPTER XXI.

— Raymond Township — Boundaries— Early Settlement — Schools — Churches— Business Interests— The Fire — Secret Societies 340

Chapter VII

— Hillsboro Township— Description— Boundaries and Topography— Early Settlement— The McAdamses, Rutledges, Boones and other Pioneers — Primitive Customs, etc — Mills, Roads and Bridges — Early S.hools, Churches, etc 215

CHAPTER XXII.

— Irving Towi ship— Boundaries— Soil— Pioneer Settlers— Schools — Churches — Physicians and Merchants 35u

Chapter VIII

— City of Hillsboro— Its L:.ying-out, Location and First Sale of Lots — Sti eels and Additions — Judge Rountree and other Pioneer,* — Stores, Mills, etc. — Manufactoiies — Grain and Railroads — Incorporation, etc 221

CHAPTER XXIII.

— Zanesville Township— Position— Boundaries, etc.— Soil and Products— Pioneer Settlements — Roads and Mills— First Election aud First Birth— Schools and Churches— Village of Zanesville— Its Growth and Decay 362

Chapter IX

— Hillsboro— Its Religious History— The Methodist Church — Organization, Memb> rs and Preachers — The Presbyterians — Other Religious Organiza'ions — Benevolent Institutions — The Masons — Odd Fellows, etc. 232

CHAPTER XXIV.

— Walsh ville Township-Territory Embraced —Soil and Timber— Crops— First Settlements— Schools — Electione — First Marriage— Religion, elc 368

CHAPTER XXV.

— Witt Township— Soil, Timber and Configuration—Schools, Past and Present — The Circuit-Rider — Churches and Sunday Schools — Mills and Other Industries 378

Chapter X

— Hillsboro— Educational— Pioneer Schoolhouses — Hillsboro Academy — The Public Schools — Newspapers — Ups and Downs of the Business — The News and the Journal of To-day 242

CHAPTER XXVI.

— Harvel Township — Position and Boundaries — Topography — Productions — Pioneers — Schools — Village of Harvel— Industries— Churches — Secret Societies... 384

Chapter XI

— North Litchfield Township— Description and Topography — Character of Soil —Early Settlements — The Briggs Family — Other Pioneers — First Preachers and Churcties — Schools and Teachers — Pioneer Incidents — Tax Receipts, etc. — Early Diseases and Deaths — Effects of the War 218

CHAPTER XXVII.

— Rountree Township— Soil and Drainage- Timber — First White Man — Pioneers — Schools — Roads — Various Denominations 391

CHAPTER XXVIII

— Bois D'Arc Township— Boundaries and Topography — Its Early Settlements — First Deaths — Early Roads, < Iturches and Schools 396

Chapter XII

— South Litchfield Township— Its Description, Boundaries and Topography — Settlement of White People — Early Customs and Industries — Facts and Incidents — Educational and Religious — Miscellaneous Topics 255

CHAPTER XXIX.

— Grisham Township —Location — Soil and Drainage — Early Settlers — Religious — Secret Societies, etc 401

Chapter XIII

— City of Litchfield — First Settlers— Laying out a Town — Growth and Development — Public Sale of Lots — Improvements and Increase of Business. — Population in 1857 — First Circus — Pioneer Business Men — The Machine Shop and Mill ot Beach, etc 260

CHAPTER XXX.

— Pitman Township— Position and Boundaries — Physical Features— Productions— Early Settlers aud Mills — Schools and Churches — Secret Societies — Robbery, etc 413

Chapter XIV

— Litchfield— Increase of Population— Early Politics — The Journals — Douglas and Lincoln — Incorporation asaCity — Late Business Men — Physicians — During the War— Fires — Removal of Railroad Shops, etc 275

CHAPTER XXXI.

— Audubon Township — Topographical and Descriptive — Physical Features — Early Settlements — First Birth, Death and Marriage — The Littles — Churches and Schools — Old Town of Audubon, etc CONTENTS. VII

Part II. Addenda

Page. Biographies too Late for Insertion in Proper Places 326 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. Bond County. — Beaver Creek Precinct 61 Errata. 333 Cottonwood Grove Precinct 87 Fairview Precinct 69 Greenville City and Precinct 5 La Grange Precinct 72 Mulberry Grove Precinct 46 Okaw Precinct 91 PORTRAITS. Pocahontas Precinct 55 Blackwelder, Alfred 117 Ripley Precinct 39 Chapman, William 135 Zion Precinct 78 Cress. Jacob 153 Montgomery County.— Audubon Township 325 Dounfll, George 99 Butler Grove Township 2U0 Henry, A. G 45 Bois li'Arc Township 272 Harkey, Solomon 171 East Fork Township 291 Kingsbury, A. N igg Fillmore Township 300 Kirkland, T. C 207 Grisham Township 195 Lane, J. Bowers 225 Hillsboro City and Township 93 McDavid, John T., Sr 243 Harvel Township 244 McPherson, James H 261 Irving Township 282 Plant, Williamson g3 Litchfield City, and North and South Litchfield Townships 123 Phillips, J. J 279 Nokomis Township 318 Sinclair, J. C 297 Pitman Township 259 Thomas, L. H 315 Rountree Township 278 Wait, William S 27 Raymond Township 209 Waggoner, W. R 333 Walshville Township ". 187 Waggoner, G. W 351 Witt Township \ 311 Watson, William 3^9 Zanesville Township.....'

PART I

H ISTORY OF BOND AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES,

CHAPTER L

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