History of McLean County Illinois Collections

Township Officers of Martin, Illinois

The following is the roll of officers who have been elected to the various township offices since its organization: Date Votes Cast Supervisor Clerk Assessor Collector 1859 27 J.S.W. Johnson M. Brooke E.W. Anderson S.W. Bray 1860 35 J.S.W. Johnson M. Brooke E.W. Anderson H.C. Langstaff 1861 33 H.C. Langstaff M. Brooke E.W. Anderson P. Horney 1862 30 H.C. Langstaff M. Brooke R.D. Anderson W.G. Anderson 1863 38 J.S.W. Johnson M. Brooke W.G. Anderson J.W. Ritter 1864 33 R.R. Williams J.E. Wood W.L. Anderson H.C. Langstaff 1865 31 W.G. Anderson J. Pool J.S.W. Johnson B.W. Smith 1866 63 W.G. Anderson … Read more

Township Officers of Cropsy, Illinois

The township was organized in April, 1858, at a meeting held at the house of Levi Straight. A. A. Straight was chosen Moderator, and A. J. Cropsey, Clerk. The town was divided into two road districts on the half-section line running through the town north and south, which now has the iron bridge on it. Below is given, in table, the officers who have been elected to the principal offices during the official life of the town. Date Votes Cast Supervisor Clerk Assessor Collector 1858 A.A. Straight B.A. Wiggins J. Harkness J. Darr 1859 J.H. Van Eman E.W. … Read more

Township Officers of Arrowsmith Illinois

The following list shows the Township officers who have been elected from 1858, the year township organizations took effect, until 1879. Date Votes Supervisor Clerk Assessor Collector 1858 56 E. Arrowsmith S. O’Neal A. Fenstermaker J. Fenstermaker 1859 47 James Ellis J. Fenstermaker A. Fenstermaker F. Kimler 1860 James Ellis J. Fenstermaker S. O’Neal P. Hileman 1861 Jacob Smith J. Fenstermaker P. Hileman J. F. Payne 1862 54 Jacob Smith J. Fenstermaker A. Fenstermaker Hugh Birney 1863 81 John McDowell J. Fenstermaker A. Fenstermaker S. F. Bane 1864 97 John McDowell J. Fenstermaker A. Fenstermaker J. F. Payne … Read more

Town Officers of Yates, Illinois

In May, 1857, before the township had been officially organized, the people, feeling the necessity for schools, elected the first. Township School Board. G. IV. Hanks, J. C. Hanks and E. D. Westervelt were chosen Trustees. They elected F. P. Beach Treasurer, an office which he continued to hold until 1865. In 1860, the township was divided into five districts, and the trustees caused the north half of the school section to be divided into eighties and sold. The next year, however, they took back one eighty acre tract. In 1865, the Trustees elected J. C. Hanks Treasurer, and, in … Read more

Town Officers of Downs, Illinois

The following figures, taken from the last report of School Treasurer E. Homer, show the condition of the schools: Principal of Township Fund, $3,683 ; whole number of children under twenty-one, 607 ; whole number between six and twenty-one, 397 ; number of districts, 9 ; whole number enrolled, 370; average number of months taught, 7.l ; whole amount paid teachers, $2,268; whole amount paid for other purposes, $868 : total amount paid, $:3,136. In addition, is the Independent Kickapoo School District, which is located partly in this and partly in Old Town. The following is a list of those … Read more

Town Officers of Blue Mound, Illinois

Below is given in table the names of those who have served the town in an official capacity during its history: Date Supervisor Clerk Assessor Collecttor 1858 J.H. Doyle N.T. Linthicum A.J. Willhoite D. Wheeler 1859 J.H. Doyle J.T. Smith A.J. Willhoite D. Wheeler 1860 D. Wheeler J.T. Smith J. Snail William Elbert 1861 D. Wheeler J.T. Smith J.A. Barton W.T. Elbert 1862 J.T. Smith J.M. Carey M.S. Gill P.J. Foster 1863 William Elbert D. Wheeler J. Snail Isaac Smith 1864 William Elbert D. Wheeler J. Snail Isaac Smith 1865 William Elbert D. Wheeler A. McMullen Milton Barton 1866 J.H. … Read more

The Village on Downs, Illinois

There seems to be a difference of opinion in regard to the true name of this station. Priceville is the name by which the neighborhood was known for several years; when the station was established near the center of Section 4, in 1870, the railroad officials called it Downs. The same year, the Downs Post Office, which was for several years at Mr. Peasley’s house, was transferred to the station, and the post office authorities have since known it as such. Soon after, the small office of” Delta,” in Old Town; was discontinued, and all mail matter for that place … Read more

School History of Money Creek, Illinois

The first school was taught in a house erected for school purposes, about forty-five or forty-six years ago. This house was built of logs. For windows, it bad openings-where a log had been cut away. These were covered with greased paper. During the long winter-days, these semi-transparent, slits furnished all the light from without. Whenever the huge log-fire could be made to burn with sufficient brilliancy, it may be supposed that the youth suffered nothing from want of light. But, unfortunately, this was seldom the case. The chimney was built of mud and sticks, and it failed to “draw.” Mrs. … Read more

Railroad History of Cropsy, Illinois

The center of the old town of Cropsey was, and is yet, about fourteen miles from the nearest railroad station, being about equidistant from Saybrook, on the south, and Fairbury, on the north. This of itself was enough. during the era of railroad-building and bond-voting, to make it of interest to railroad-builders and popular with voters to go into the bonding business. Several propositions were made and votes taken in this direction. None of these propositions were received favorably until the Decatur State-Line Railroad took form. This road was to run from Decatur, where it well connect with the Decatur … Read more

Railroad And Highways of Allin Illinois

The Jacksonville Division of the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis Railroad passes through the township, extending in a nearly east and west direction. Before the building of the Jacksonville Division of the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis Railroad, the farmers in the west and south part of the township had to haul their produce long distances to market. Accordingly, when a proposition was made to secure the railroad through the township by taking $25,000 worth of stock, the scheme was strongly supported. The men of the eastern side were not so anxious to take a $25,000 debt, but their interests … Read more

Organization of White Oak Township, Illinois

White Oak Township was organized in the spring of 1858, the first election having been held April 6, 1858. The name of the town was a fortunate selection, as thereby this fraction of a township, the smallest in the county, has obtained a name that entitles it to the historical record of the whole grove. White Oak has always possessed a large share of influence in the councils of the county at large-much more than some of the newer and larger townships have been able to secure. The town has had no debt, or, if it ever bad any, it … Read more

Money Creek, Illinois Roads

In the early history of this settlement, Indian trails were the only roads. There was a very prominent trail passing through the settlement, which connected the Wabash with the Illinois. Indian paths, of course, followed the most direct and convenient course. The first road made by white men did the same. Many of these became regularly-established highways, and, as a result, we find the township crossed in all directions by roads that follow section or half-section lines but little. In townships that are composed of prairie-lands almost wholly, we naturally look for roads on every section line, but, where there … Read more

Military History of Dry Grove, Illinois

In the Black Hawk war, Dry Grove was well represented. Col. William McCullough enlisted as a private in the company commanded by Merritt Covel. His great courage, spirit and daring are well known by all. James Phillips, Thomas Brown and Berry Wyatt were under Col. McClure. Col. McCullough was on the battle-field of Stillman’s defeat, and there supplied himself with a gun which a hostile Indian was wont to use against the whites. McClure’s command did not reach the scene of action in time ” to save the day ” nor participate in the flight. We are thus saved the … Read more

History of Yates, Illinois

Yates Township, known officially as Town 3.5, Range 5, was, until 1862 a part of Chenoa; at that date it was separately organized, and by resolution of its citizens, took the then popular name of ” Union,” at their first town meeting in 1863. This is easily accounted for, for at that time fully two-thirds of her fighting population were ” at the front ” doing their full duty in carrying the tattered flag ” on to Vicksburg and the “sacred soil” generally; while fully three-fourths of those who remained at home were praying and paying to help on the … Read more

History of White Oak, Illinois

The township of White Oak is one of the most interesting in McLean County; it is the smallest in area-containing a little over seventeen sections of land-being a trifle less than half a Congressional township. Its population, in 1870, was 532, 9 less than shown by the census of 1860. At the present time, its population is probably about the same as in 1870; but as most of the other towns in this county have gained largely, it is doubtless true that White Oak now contains fewer inhabitants than any other town in McLean County. It has remained about stationary … Read more

History of Weston, Illinois

Previous to the year 1366, there had been a switch and a water-tank about two miles east of where Weston now stands, which was on the west line of Livingston County, three miles from Fairbury. This watering place was, for this or for some other reason not known to the oldest inhabitant, called Weston. When, in the year above mentioned, the switch and town plat were laid out on Section 3 of Yates, westward the name of Wesson took its way, and became attached to this place. The plat and its surroundings embrace about 120 acres in the southeast quarter … Read more

History of Stanford, Illinois

The original survey of Stanford included the southwest fourth of the northwest quarter of Section 21, together with forty acres off of the north side of the southwest quarter of Section 11. George P. Ela was the County Surveyor at that time, and he laid off the town. His certificate of survey is dated October 7, 1867. The village was surveyed for John Armstrong. It was then called Allin. Since the first, there has been an addition. This includes five acres from the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of Section 21, and is called Maurer’s Addition. Stanford is located … Read more

History of Schools in Dry Grove, Illinois

The citizens of Twin Grove and Dry Grove suffered all the inconveniences usually experienced by the original inhabitants of any country. The few who dwelt within convenient distances of one another were not, at first, sufficiently numerous to support a school. So far as can now be ascertained, the first school taught in the township was held in a log cabin on the farm that Jacob Hinshaw bought of Abraham Carlock, when Hinshaw first carne to the settlement. The teacher was Daniel Crooks. His was, as all others at that time, a subscription school. The number of pupils or the … Read more

History of Schools and Churches in Blue Mound, Illinois

The town is now provided with suitable schoolhouses, and good schools are maintained. From the report of 1877, the following figures are taken : _N-umber of districts. 9 ; whole number of children under 21 years, 621 ; number between 6 and 21 years, 429; number enrolled in schools, 384 ; value of school property, $6,000 ; amount of town fund, $6,823; amount paid teachers, 82,523. Total expenses, 83,626. The citizens of Blue Mound very early took the matter of religious service and religious instruction in hand. Mr. John Speed Stagner, who, in many respects, is a pioneer in every … Read more

History of Potosi, Illinois

Potosi can hardly he called a village, though it has long been a center for the citizens to collect, get their tri-weekly mail, and trade. When the post office was established,. it was, for a time, kept by citizens at their houses. Some thirteen years ago, Dr. H. W. Green, a recently-diploma physician, came here, looking for a place to practice, and soon after, started a drug store, which grew into his present large general trade in merchandise. The post office was removed to his store. Dr. Green, in addition to his extensive medical practice and his general merchandise, takes … Read more