Talk:Hallock Township, Peoria County, Illinois

Material furnished by Daniel Hakes and John G. Spicer

The following was copied into the article as unformatted text. It's moved here in case any of it proves useful. --Spiffy sperry (talk) 18:50, 27 December 2007 (UTC)

HALLOCK TOWNSHIP HISTORIES

The geographical designation of this township is "Township 11 N., Range 8 E. of the Fourth Principal Meridian." It contains a large extent of bluff and timber lands, a belt of which runs through its center from north to south, varying in width from nearly four miles on the north, to a little over one mile at its southern boundary. The twelve western sections, are almost entirely free of timber, and are of a most excellent quality of land. The southeast corner, situated on LaSalle Prairie, is also almost entirely clear of timber, and is splendid farming land.

The first settler in this township, without doubt, was Lewis Hallock, who came to it about the year 1820, and, after some months roving about among the Indians, took up some land and built a cabin in what is now called Hallock's Hollow. He was a native of Long Island, had left home when a young man, wandered westward and, for many years previous to his appearance in Peoria County, lived among the Indians in Wisconsin and elsewhere, gaining a livelihood by hunting and trapping. At the time of his settlement he was a single man, and about 1825, lived for some time with a Frenchman called Osier (known in Peoria by the name of Ogee), who was the Government interpreter to the Pottawattomie Indians, and had married into the tribe.

In the winter of 1829, he married a Mrs. Wright, a daughter of Hiram Cleveland, and brought her to his cabin in the hollow. By her he had one child, a girl called Clarissa, who afterwards married Henry Robinson. Hallock died, April 1, 1857, on his old farm, at the age of sixty-one years. He was a man of sterling character, upright and honest in all his dealings. About 1825, settlers from the East began to drop into the district. Simon and Aaron Reed came from Jackson County, Ohio, in November of that year, and they were closely followed by Moses and Samuel Clifton, Francis Thomas, Joseph Meredith, Cornelius Doty, Resolved and Hiram Cleveland, Gersham Silliman and family and William Wright. In 1830, Joel Hicks and family and Jeriel Root, with his sons Erastus C. and Lucas Root, came. The greater part of these settled near the north end of LaSalle Prairie. In 1830, Joseph Meredith settled on Section 12, and kept a small tavern for the accommodation of the stage-drivers and travelers on the main road between Galena and Springfield.

In the last days of June, 1836, Roswell Nurse, with his son, Isaiah Nurse, and Ebenezer Stowell, came to the township on a prospecting tour. They started from Chenango County, New York, walking to Buffalo and coming thence to Toledo by water, where they again took the road and traveled to Hallock Township on foot, with rifle on shoulder and all their equipments in one knapsack. Taking due note of the fine land lying yet unclaimed in the township, they pursued a zigzag course toward Quincy, still prospecting, but found no land more inviting, and, on arriving, forthwith entered their land in the Government Land Office at Quincy, and returned to take possession. They found at this time no one living north of Northampton, but, in the fall of the same year (1836), Erastus Root took up his residence on Section 3, now occupied by his son, Lorenzo Root.

The winter of 1831 was an exceptionally severe one all over the West. During the winter two men, strangers to the settlers, named Dr. Franklin and McMillan, with six yoke of oxen and two sleds, loaded with goods and bound for Prairie du Chien, stopped at Simon Reed's and, after a stay of about a week, during which they built another sled and hired a man by name of Cooper to go with them, started some time in the month of January, and were soon caught in a terrible northeast snow storm, which filled up their track and caused them to lose their way. Night overtook them when out on the prairie near Boyd's Grove, and they turned the oxen loose and tried to reach Boyd's on foot. Two of them perished, and the third-McMillan--got there next morning badly frozen. Eleven of the oxen were frozen to death, and one came to Meredith's.

The deepest snow ever known in the township fell during this winter. It was three feet deep on the level, and the drifts were in some places fifteen to twenty feet deep. The cold was steady and intense. The deer and wild hogs died in great numbers, and the prairie chickens and quails were almost entirely destroyed. The Black Hawk War in 1832, found the settlers in this district not only prepared for self-defense, but to take the field against their treacherous foe. In April, of that year, Thomas Reed, Edwin S. Jones, Lucas Root, James Doty, Elias Love and Simon Reed, volunteered in Abner Ead's Company, and their services were accepted. Simon Reed was detailed to act as teamster, and served until the close of the war.

James Doty was killed in the battle of Sycamore Creek or Stillman's defeat, May 14. The others named were at the front for thirty days, and afterwards served as "rangers" on the frontier between Peoria and Rock River, until they received their discharge at the close of the war. Previous to this outbreak the Indians were quite numerous and very friendly. The Pottawattmies had three towns in or near the township--one on the land now occupied by Emory Stillman, in Medina Township, one at Smith's Springs between Rome and Chillicothe, and one on the Senachewine creek, not far from the bridge.

The first mill built near the township which the settlers in the northern part could easily reach was that built on Senachewine by William Moffatt on the northeast quarter of Section 18, Township 11 North, Range 9 East, one and a half miles east of Northampton, about the year 1834. The first mill built in the township, and the only one that ever did any amount of work, was erected in the year 1838 by Thomas Ford, on the northeast quarter of Section 13.

Prior to the adoption of township organization, this settlement formed part of LaSalle precinct. Simon Reed was the first Justice of the Peace, and was appointed to the office prior to 1828, and Cornelius Doty was elected Justice in the fall of 1831.

This election took place at the only polling place in LaSalle precinct, covering nearly one-half of the northern part of Peoria County, on Section three of Medina Township.

In 1850 township organization was adopted, and the township received its name, out of compliment to its oldest settler, Lewis Hallock, by vote of the citizens. The first town meeting was held at the house of Reuben Hamlin in Northampton, on Tuesday, April 2, 1850. William Easton was chosen chairman pro tem. and Charles Barker, Clerk, after which Charles Barker was elected by ballot Moderator of the meeting, and Robert Will, Jr., Clerk for the day. After the polls closed the following officers were declared elected: Walter S. Evans, Supervisor; Erastus C. Root, Assessor; Lyman Robinson, Collector; Isaiah Nurse, Joel Hicks, Simon Reed, Commissioners; Jesse Jenkins, Overseer of Poor; Munson Hinman, Town Clerk; William Easton and Nathaniel Chapin, Justices; Augustus Barton and Eliphalet Russell, Constables.

The present Town Officers are Alfred Tallett, Supervisor; J. W. Gullett, Town Clerk; M. B. Vars, Assessor; William E. Wideman, Collector; Loren N. Gallup and M. M. Burdick, Justices; Thomas Burns, A. T. Bristol and W. J. Burns, Commissioners; J. R. Kidd and I. A. Barton, Constables; William Wideman. Thomas Keach and William A. Hervey, School Trustees, and Thomas Vars, School Treasurer. Mr. Vars has been Township Treasurer in charge of the school fund since October, 1875. He is a retired farmer and lives in Edelstein.

VILLAGES

The Village of Northampton was laid off on Section 13, by Reuben Hamlin and Mr. Freeman in July, 1836. The first house therein was also the first erected in the township as a tavern. It was built in the winter of 1835-36 by Reuben Hamlin, and was kept as a public house by him for many years. He came from Northampton, Massachusetts, and he named the village, of which he was the founder, after it. Aaron Reed was the first settler near the site of the village and his old log cabin was replaced by a house which stands beside the bridge, near the south end of the village.

Nathaniel Chapin, a native of Massachusetts, was quite a prominent resident of the village about 1840. He held the office of Justice of the Peace.

The population of the village is, at present, but little over 60, and it contains one good general store, kept by Mr. P. E. Phillips, who is also Postmaster. It has also a harness shop and a brickyard owned by Thomas Goodwin. It has also one Methodist Episcopal Church.

The Village of Lawn Ridge stands upon the boundary line dividing Peoria and Marshall Counties, and has a population of about 200. Nathaniel Smith (later a resident of New York State, but now deceased) was one of the earliest settlers in it. It has two churches--a Methodist Episcopal and a Congregational--whose congregations are drawn about equally from the two counties. Located on the Peoria side of the line, William Even runs quite an extensive agricultural implement, carriage and stove business; Fred Green operates a meat market; William Nickerson is postmaster and sells patent medicines; Newton Brag succeeds his father in the blacksmith and repair shop, and Ed. Kruse is the popular proprietor of the hotel.

Edelstein, a flourishing village, situated on the northwest quarter of Section 18, has sprung up since the location of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad through the township. It was founded in the year 1887. It was at first intended to locate it on the south side of the railroad, but it was later determined to locate it on the north side on land owned by Samuel Burns. In the year 1887, Mr. A. J. Ramsey erected the first store building south of the railroad, but afterwards removed it to the north side. During the same year Robert A. Green, of Lawn Ridge, erected a grain elevator and did a thriving business in grain and stock for about three years, when he sold out to E. E. Kendall and A. R. Cline, who were succeeded in March, 1894, by the present proprietor, A. J. Speers, whose business in grain, coal, tile, seeds and stock during the past year has amounted to over $130,000, and his shipments of grain have been 366 cars. In 1894, Messrs. Kendall and Cline built another elevator northwest of the depot, near the site of one that had been burned, which they operated successfully until 1898, when they were succeeded for one year, by J. W. Cole, who sold out to A. J. Hawley and J. A. Speers. During the construction of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad in 1901, from Nelson to Peoria, this elevator was removed to Akron, a station on that road three and one-half miles southwest of Edelstein.

In 1888 Mr. E. W. Houghton established a successful trade in lumber, lime, stone, brick and cement under the management of Mr. Rollin L. Houghton who, in connection therewith, established the Exchange Bank of Edelstein, and continued to manage both branches of business until his death in May, 1900. There is no bank at the present time. In 1889, Mr. J. A. Potter, of West Hallock, built the store now occupied by J. H. Johnson, which was managed by his son Anthony Potter for about one year, after which it passed in rapid succession through the hands of several owners until, in the year 1896, it came into the possession of the present proprietor, Mr. Johnson, who does a flourishing business amounting to $20,000 per year.

One of the leading business men of Edelstein was C. Y. Brayton, a nephew of N. B. Curtiss, banker of Peoria, who began business in the fall of 1888 by building and opening a general store, which he continued to operate with an extensive stock of goods until his death, which occurred in March, 1900. Since that time the business has been carried on by his widow and son under the name of Mrs. C. Y. Brayton. In 1888, Mr. F. W. Rotterman established the business of dealing in hardware and carriages in connection with the trade of a tinner. This he continued until 1898, when he was succeeded by F. A. Sager, whose business was so prosperous that, in 1899, he added a stock of farm machinery and harness. His business in 1900 amounted to $22,000.

M. J. McDonna operates a blacksmith, wagon and general repair and paint shop.

In 1891, Mr. W. R. Peck became owner and proprietor of the drug business in the village, and in 1893 he was appointed Postmaster, since which time, notwithstanding the political changes in the administration, he has served the public in both capacities to their entire satisfaction.

J. G. Spicer & Son have, for many years, been operating a creamery about one mile southeast of the village. Of the quality of the butter produced by them it is only necessary to say that, at the Columbian Exposition of 1893, they secured the highest score on their four months' exhibit, in token of which they have a valuable medal and a beautiful diploma--the highest award made to any exhibitor in this line. They have also carried off many first prizes at State Fairs and other exhibitions of like products. In 1900 they handled over 800,000 pounds of milk, for which they paid over $8,000. Their butter is largely used on the tables of many of the leading families of Peoria. In connection with the creamery they also have an artificial iceplant intended principally for their own use but from which they also supply the village and surrounding country with ice. Edelstein has one hotel which, since 1896, has been carried on by Mrs. L. V. Weber, who is doing a successful business.

The Knights of Pythias have a Lodge, organized in 1892, which has now a membership of 32, and own the two story building known as the Knights of Pythias Hall.

The Modern Woodmen of America have a Camp organized in December, 1892, which is in a flourishing condition with a membership of about 55. West Hallock.--The hamlet of West Hallock is about one-half in Akron Township, opposite Section 10 of Hallock Township. It contains a cheese factory, which has been in operation for some years, mentioned in the history of the township in which it is located. It also has a good general store and postoffice, and feed mill, blacksmith and machine shop under the ownership and care of Mr. N. S. Burdick. On an adjoining lot Alfred Tallett operates a woodworking, general wagon and repair shop, with a planing mill attached, deals in wind-mills, pumps, etc., and does a general gas and steam-fitting business.

TOWNSHIP CHURCH HISTORIES

The Congregational Church at Lawn Ridge was organized by Rev. Owen Lovejoy, who was then a settled minister in Princeton, Illinois, in March, 1845. The original members were six in number, viz.: Ebenezer Stowell and wife, Nathaniel Smith and wife, and Dr. A. Wilmot and wife. The organization took place in a small brick school house in Hallock, which had been built about seven years before. A preacher was shortly afterwards hired and, with help from the Home Mission, regular services were maintained until about 1848, when, owing to the rapid settling up of the prairie around Lawn Ridge, the place of meeting was transferred there. At first they met in the small school house, and some years later built a small cuhrch [sic] which they continued to occupy till about 1876, when the present fine building was erected, at a cost of about $6,000. Rev. J. H. Runnells, is the present pastor.

Lawn Ridge Methodist Episcopal Church--The church which is known as the Lawn Ridge Methodist Episcopal Church, was built during the summer of 1856, on the land of David Shane, Sr., about three miles south of Lawn Ridge, and it was dedicated by Rev. H. Summers, under the name of Mount Hedding Methodist Episcopal Church. The leading movers in its erection were David Shane, Sr., Isaac Weidman, and John Ferguson. About fourteen years later, it was decided to move it to Lawn Ridge, which was done in the spring of 1871, and the church was rededicated July 22, of that year, under its present name. It is a plain, substantial, but well-finished building, with a seating capacity for over 200 people. The present pastor is D. C. Martin.

Seventh Day Baptist Church.--The only church in the village of West Hallock is that of the Seventh Day Baptists. In the year 1845, Elder Anthony Hakes, of Berlin, New York, came to the Township, and was followed, some three years later, by his brother, Daniel Hakes, and John Simpson. In due time accessions were made to their number, and meetings were held from house to house until the erection of the Academy building, when it was made their place of worship. On the 3d day of September, 1852, at the house of Elder Anthony Hakes, the church was organized by Elder Stillman Coon, with fourteen constituent members, Elder Coon being the first pastor. The society grew yearly in numbers, and, in 1871, it was found expedient to erect a larger and more comfortable building for their sole use. The present house was accordingly put up in the summer of that year, at a cost of $5,500, the whole of which was pledged by the adherents and friends of the church before anything was done towards its construction. The building is a neat and substantial one, and can comfortably seat 250 people. Elder A. Hakes was the founder of the church, and for many years preached to the Baptists at Union and in the surrounding country. His ministration at funerals of all sects and classes was especially popular. He was ordained to the gospel ministry in 1856 and had charge of the congregation for some years. Rev. R. B. Tolbert is the present pastor, who has been with them since November, 1899. A live Sabbath School and an enthusiastic Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor are well maintained each Sabbath.

Hallock Methodist Episcopal Church.--The first Methodist sermon preached in this district was by Rev. Milton Smith, a local preacher, about the year 1839, in a log cabin which stood on the site afterwards occupied by the house of Isaiah Nurse, on Section 3. In 1841 a two days' meeting was appointed to be held in the brick school house then in process of erection at Hallock. From this time forward regular preaching was held every two weeks till 1849, when a successful joint movement was made by the Methodists and Congregationalists in the vicinity for the erection of a church, in the summer of that year. Robert Will donated the land now occupied by the church, school and graveyard. The church was used on alternate Sundays by the Methodists and Congregationalists, until the meeting place of the latter body was changed to Lawn Ridge, and it is now and always has been, a free church, used for the meetings of all denominations. The first cost was about $800, and when it was finished and completely seated, some seven or eight years later, near $1,200. It had a seating capacity of 200. This church having become unsafe, it was decided by the quarterly conference, held in October, 1897, to erect a new one. A mass meeting of the citizens was called; N. L. Robinson, A. M. Root, S. R. Stowell, J. L. Root, J. S. Gallup, Frank Harlan and H. H. Nurse were appointed a building committee, funds were raised and, by the next spring, the building was commenced under the direction of R. B. Beebe, the contractor. It has a seating capacity of 250, cost $2,500, and was dedicated September 4, 1898, by Rev. F. W. Merrill, Presiding Elder of the Peoria district. It is one of the neatest churches in this part of the county. Rev. D. C. Martin is the present pastor.

The Union Baptist Church is located at Union, on Section 26, and its congregation was formerly connected with the Chillicothe Baptist Church. It was organized, June 19, 1858, with thirteen members, as follows: Thomas B. Reed, Sanford Reed, Amy Silliman, Simon Reed, Walter S. Evans, Sarah Kirkpatrick, Mary Baggs, Francis Reed, Nancy Sprague, Levi Sprague, C. Reed and Amy Reed. In July of the same year, Elder Anthony Hakes was chosen pastor, and preached once in two weeks. The church was erected immediately after the organization by the Methodists and Baptists of the neighborhood in common, and was, in consequence, called the Union Church. It was occupied by these societies in common until 1873, when the Methodist interest was bought out by the Baptists and the building assumed its present name, but no regular services have been held here for some time.

The first religious services in the village of Edelstein were held on October 21, 1891. Through the efforts of P. M. Nelson, President of the Peoria County Sunday School Association, and Rev. John Bliss, of Princeville, with a few families in and around the village, a Sunday School was organized with a full corps of officers, Rollin S. Houghton, now deceased, being Superintendent. The Sunday School continued regularly with occasional preaching by Rev. Stephen Burdick, of the West Hallock Seventh Day Baptist Church, and Rev. Charles E. Marsh, of the Lawn Ridge Congregational Church, until the spring of 1893, when Rev. Marsh commenced regular preaching services in connection with the Sunday School until such time as a church might be built, the services being conducted in the public hall. In March, 1894, a series of revival meetings were conducted by Rev. H. L. Wanna-maker, of the Congregational Church Missionary Society of Peoria, which resulted in the formation of a Congregational Church composed of twenty-seven members coming from several denominations. Steps were at once taken to secure money to build a new church. The corner-stone was laid August 4, 1894, and the church dedicated December 30th of the same year, by Rev. James Tompkins, of Chicago, Rev. Stephen Burdick, of West Hallock, and Rev. Charles E. Marsh, of Lawn Ridge. The church cost $2,800, substantially all paid before dedication. Rev. Charles Marsh was the first pastor. He continued to fill that position until July, 1900, when he resigned, since which time several ministers have supplied the pulpit, the present one being Rev. R. B. Tolbert, of West Hallock. A good Sunday School and a Christian Endeavor Society as auxiliaries to the church work, are regularly maintained, both having a good attendance.

The St. Matthew's Catholic Church was commenced in the year 1900 under the supervision of Rev. C. A. Hauser, pastor. With the liberal donation left by the late Matthew McDonald, the church building was erected at a cost of $2,350. There are at present about thirteen families in connection with the church, the membership being about fifty. Rev. C. A. Hauser was succeeded by Rev. C. P. O'Neill, the present pastor. The building committee who superintended the erection of the church were John McDonnell, Michael McDonna and Thomas Burns.

SCHOOLS

The first school ever taught within the present bounds of the township was located on Lewis Hallock's farm, and was taught during the winters of 1829 and 1830, by Lucia Root, daughter of Jeriel Root. The first school house built in the district, stood near Joel Hick's place on Section 32. It was erected in the fall of 1836, and was removed about eight years afterwards to the Hallock farm. In the northern part of the township a little school was taught during the summers of 1839 and 1840, in a log cabin where the house of Isaiah Nurse was afterwards erected. Fiducia Bliss was the teacher. In 1841 the first school house, in what is now School District No. 1, was erected. It was 18 feet square and was built of brick. Sarah Fosdick was among the earliest of the teachers. The present school house in that district was built in 1856, and stands near the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of Section 3. It is well fitted up and can accommodate sixty children. In School District No. 5, the first school was taught in an old log cabin, which stood a little south and east from where O. M. Miller's dwelling was afterwards erected, and was used for that purpose about the year 1851. Joseph Gallup was then its teacher. In 1856 the present school house was built. School District No. 6 was originally composed of portions of Peoria, Stark and Marshall Counties, and was reconstructed with its present limits in 1860. It was the last school district to be organized in the township. The first public school was built about 1857, at a cost of about $800, and, in 1866, to accommodate the growing wants of the district, the present school house was erected at a cost of about $1,400.

In West Hallock District, the structure now occupied as a public school was erected in the fall of 1856 as an academy, and was occupied as such for about five years, when the district was formed by a special act of the Legislature. It then fell into the hands of the School Trustees, and has since been conducted as a public school.

The school house in District No. 4 was erected about 1870, and stands on Section 32. It was the first school in that section.

The citizens of Edelstein, feeling the necessity of better school privileges in the village than they would have under existing conditions, the friends of education, after several unsuccessful attempts, succeeded in 1894 in having established the Edelstein School District No. 7, and, in the same year, erected a school house at the cost of $1,000. The Board of Directors then consisted of J. G. Spicer (President), E. E. Kendall and Thomas Burns. Since then James Shane and Mr. A. J. Speers have succeeded Mr. Kendall. At the time of the organization of the district there were only twenty-three children of school age; there are now 89 of whom 53 are in daily attendance at the school.

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