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CHAPTER XLVII.
MONMOUTH TOWNSHIP.

(Township No. 11 North, Range 2 West.) Monmouth Township lies in the north central part of Warren County, having Spring Grove Township on the north, Coldbrook on the east, Lenox on the south, and Hale on the west. The land is well watered by Cedar and Talbot Creeks and their branches. These creeks enter the township from Coldbrook, Cedar flowing in a northwesterly direction through the township, and Talbot flowing in a westerly direction and uniting with Cedar on Section 9. Along these streams the ground is considerably broken, and there is much timber. In other parts of the township the land is more level. It is all good farming country. The main line of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railway enters the township at the southeast corner, following the south line into Section 35, then veering northward too Monmouth, then southwesterly again and out of the township on Section 31. The Rock Island and St. Louis division of the same railway enters the township on the north, on the line between Sections 3 and 4, following a southerly course through Monmouth and out of the township from the southeast quarter of Section 31. The Iowa Central Railway cuts across the southwest corner of the township, entering from the west on the line between Sections 30 and 31, passing through Monmouth, and going into Lenox Township from Section 34. Monmouth is the only city or town in the township.

Monmouth Township was organized April 4, 1854, and took its name from the city situated within its territory. The first election was held at the court house, and John Leeper was moderator, and B. P. Corwin was clerk. The officers chosen at that time were: Supervisor, Josiah Whitman; clerk, A. S. Gilbert; assessor, Samuel Wood; collector, James McCoy; highway commissioners, C. V. Brooks, R. S. Hall, James Mekemson; justices of the peace, C. W. Hunnicut, W. F. Smith; constable, James McCoy; overseer of the poor, a. C. Gregg. The present officers are: Supervisor, J. P. Higgins; assistant supervisors, E. C. Hardin, J. D. Diffenbaugh, A. T. Bruner; clerk, J. H. Hanna; assessor, C. H. Davis; collector, H. D. Claycomb, Jr.; highway commissioners, James Struthers, L. M. Levine, Barney Miller; justices of the peace, J. H. Hanna, J. P. Higgins, J. D. Huey, C. H. Davis, Geo. E. Cox; constables, George Penyx, B. Eilenberger, E. P. Graham, R. H. McLoskey. The supervisors of the township from its organization too the present time are: Josiah Whitman, 1854; Samuel Hallam, 1855; J. Leeper, 1856; Hiram Norcross, 1857-58; John G. Wilson, 1859; Samuel Hallam, 1860-63; Josiah Whitman, 1864; James T. Owens, 1865; George Sickmon, 1866; John G. Wilson, 1867-68; Thomas Avenell, 1869; N. A. Rankin, 1870; W. A. Grant, 1871-72; Chauncy Hardin, 1873-75; George Sickmon, 1876-77; Samuel Douglas, 1878-81; C. A. Dunn, 1882; J. Ross Hanna, 1883; Moses Sipher, 1884; G. W. Claycomb, 1885-1901; J. P. Higgins, 1901-02. The assistant supervisors have been: Josiah Whitman, 1862-63; John Brown, 1864; William Clark, 1865; William P. Sykes. 1866; John F. Owens, 1867-68; N. A. Rankin, 1869; W. A. Grant, 1870; C. V. Brooks, 1871; Amos Burford, 1872; Alex. Rankin, 1873-74; John B. Meginnis, 1875; O. S. Barnum, 1878; Alex. Rankin, 1879; Geo. Sickmon, 1880; Amos Burford, 1881; C. P. Avenell, 1882; A. T. Bruner, 1884-87; Amos Burford, 1888; J. W. Bolon, 1889; C. P. Avenell, 1890-93; William Chicken, 1891-92; J. C. Burk-holder, 1893-98; C. H. Hoy, 1894-95; A. T. Bruner, 1896-1902; Jonas Holgate, 1897-99; E. C. Hardin, 1899-1902; J. D. Diffenbaugh, 1899-1902. The earliest settlers in the township were John B. Talbot and his mother, and Allen G. Andrews, a nephew of Mrs. Talbot. They were New Englanders, but came here from Kentucky in the summer of 1828. The Talbot's located in the northeast corner of the township on Section 2. The son was a justice of the peace under appointment from Peoria County before the organization of Warren County, and was one of the first county commissioners and otherwise prominent in the affairs of the county after its organization. The mother died late in the '40s, and Mr. Talbot moved in 1850 too Oregon, settling near the mouth of the Columbia river. Talbot creek, which flows across the north part of Monmouth township, received its name from the Talbot's. Mr. Andrews located on Section 6, in the northwest corner of the township, and remained there until his death in 1849. He was an educated man and a Spanish scholar, having spent several years in the West Indies. In November of the same year, 1828, the family of Adam Ritchie, afterwards called "Sandy" too distinguish him from his cousin Adam, of Hale Township, came from Fulton County too the Talbot home. They had come too Hale township that spring, but on account of rumors of Indian troubles, went down too near Canton, where they had spent the previous winter. There they met Mr. Talbot, who offered too share his two room cabin with them if they would return too Warren County, and they accepted. Mr. Ritchie himself at that time was . working in the lead mines of Galena. In the Talbot home, on December 23, a child was born, Henderson Ritchie, the firstborn son of Warren County. Mr. Ritchie made the first improvement on Cedar creek on Section 6, where Olmsted's mill now stands. In 1831 he removed too Hale township, Beacham Dunn securing the property vacated by Mr. Ritchie. Mr. Dunn built a mill and dam here in 1833, one of the first grain mills in the county. He disposed of the claim too Ariel Rodgers in 1834, and he too Silas Olmsted some three years later. Olmsted rebuilt the mill, and it has since been known by his name. Abraham Swartz came in the spring of 1829, settling in the timber just northeast of Monmouth. The timber was called Swartz's Grove for many years after he established his home there. He afterwards moved into Knox County. Peter Butler came also in 1829, settling in the southeast corner of the township on Section 36, the present Sierer farm. He had a stockade and blockhouse on the place, and it was a place of refuge for the community during the Indian scares. Mr. Butler was from Kentucky, and had been a major in the militia of that State, so was always known as Major Butler. He commanded a company of "Rangers" during the Black Hawk war, was county commissioner here in 1830-32 and 1840-41; county surveyor, 1831-35; sheriff, 1832-34; and also served the county as representative in the legislature and as senator. He went too Oregon in 1853, and died there June 24, 1856, of typhoid fever brought on by exposure and fatigue.

With the organization of the county in 1830 and the location of the county seat at Monmouth in the spring of 1831, there were many additions too the residents. In 1830 came the families of John and Robert Kendall from Greene county, Ohio. John Kendall settled a mile and a half north of Monmouth, afterwards moving too Section 16. He was the father of Mrs. Ed. Jones and B. F. Kendall, both of Monmouth. Quite a colony came at the same time with these families, some settling in other parts of the county. Mrs. Jones was a child when the colony came, and is the only one of the company remaining here, and the oldest settler in the township. Her father died at her Monmouth home in 1878. Robert Kendall settled on what is known as the Barnum place on the east side of North Sunny Lane, and now within the corporate limits of Monmouth. A stockade or fort was built on the place during the Indian scare. Mr. Kendall moved too Henderson county, where he died. In the colony with the Kendall's was Samuel Gibson, who located on a farm just west of the city on Broadway, where he died a few years ago. He was a native of Tennessee^ but came here from Greene county, Ohio. James Hodgens settled just northwest of Monmouth on the farm recently occupied by John Lundberg. His home was one of the voting places at the first general election in the county. The grove was known as Hodgens' Grove. Others who came at the time of the establishment of the county

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seat at Monmouth, most of them coming here from Oquawka, were Daniel McNeil, Jr., Jacob Rust, Joel Hargrove, William Causland, John C. Osborn, General James McCallon, and W. S. Paxton. These are spoken of more particularly in the history of the city of Monmouth. Robert Wallace came from Kentucky in 1831, after Monmouth had been laid out, and located his home on the school section, No. 16, along the stream north of Monmouth. He put up the first grist mill in the township. For a while he did all his grinding by hand, but, seeing the demand for meal, he put in a mill with water power, and did an extensive business. The mill stones were cut out of prairie boulders. Mr. Wallace had several hounds, and had quite a reputation as a hunter. He died in 1846.. Hezekiah Davidson came from Kentucky in 1831, locating on a farm on Section 28, just east of Monmouth 'on Broadway, where he resided up too his death in 1841. He was the father of Alexander and Elijah Davidson, Jr., who were prominent in the early days of the county, and of the late Attorney J. W. Davidson and of Thomas H. Davidson, who still resides in Monmouth. Marsham Lucas also came in 1831, settling first on Section 31, southwest of Monmouth, then removing too a farm four miles east of Monmouth. He assisted in laying out the city of Monmouth and also many of the early roads in the county. He was the father of Mrs. W. H. Frantz, of Monmouth, and of the late J. C. Lucas. James Struthers came from Greene county, Ohio, in 1832, making his home on Section 10, in the north part of the township. Robert Wallace came from Kentucky in 1832, and his father, William, and his brothers, Smith and William J. T., the next year. They all settled in the northeast part of the township, on Sections 12 and 13. William. Turnbull came from Greene county, Ohio, in 1833, and bought from Robert Kendall the Barnum place on North Sunny Lane, comprising what is now that part of Monmouth lying north of Boston avenue and between B street and Sunny Lane. He also bought what is known as the Spicer farm, just north of the other. Mr. Turnbull died in 1834. He left the Spicer quarter too his son, David, who resided there a while, then finding the title was not good, moved into Hale township. He died at the home of his son, Captain John M. Turnbull, in Monmouth, in 1871. Other sons of William Turnbull were John, James, Alexander, Gilbert and Thomas. Alexander resided in Monmouth a number of years, was county commissioner from 1836 too 1838, and also coroner for one term. Gilbert Turnbull located in Henderson county. Other pioneers of the township outside of the city were: John E. Murphy, who came early and bought several quarters in the northeast part of the township residing on the southwest quarter of Section 2 until his removal too Coldbrook township in 1S37; Jacob Wright, who settled in 1835 on the southeast quarter of Section 2, where he ran a small distillery, the first in the county—the father of Mrs. Eliza Jane Shaw, Mrs. Amanda Davis, and Mrs. Minerva Sallee; Thomas S. Sublet, who located on the northwest quarter of Section 12, but carried on a saw-mill on the southeast quarter of Section 9, built in 1836; Caleb Smith, who came from Kelly and lived a short time near Sublet's; William Hopper, father of Mrs. J. F. Owens and the late W. L. Hopper, who came in 1837, and bought from John E. Murphy the west part of Section 2; David Morrow, who came also in 1837 and bought the Sublet place, on which he afterward erected a steam saw-mill which he and his sons carried on for years; Peter Bruner, who came from Kentucky in 1836, settling on Section 17; L. M. Gates, who came from Ash-tabula County, Ohio, in 1836, stopping a while in Monmouth, then settling on Section 1, and whose widow still lives in Monmouth, making her home with her daughter, Mrs. Hugh R. Moffet; Jacob L. Buzan, who came in 1832, settling first just east of town, and remaining here until his death in 1885; John Shehi, who came with Buzan; Jacob Bliss, who located on the northwest quarter of Section 12; W. P. Sykes, on Section 9, north of Monmouth; Jamison Leeper, southeast of Monmouth, near the Lenox line; Jacob Ryner, who bought part of the Talbot place on Section 1; L. S. Olmsted, proprietor for years of Olmsted's mill; Daniel Claycomb, who came in 1836 too Section 24; Ed. Grounds, an early settler of the southeast quarter of Section 26; Josiah Whitman, on the northwest of 25; and Seth Smith, who came in 1838. In December, 1858, a petition was presented too the Board of Supervisors, asking that the township be divided, the city of Monmouth being made a township by itself. The request was granted, and the county clerk was directed

954 HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.

too call an election too be held at the school house on Section 16 in April of the following year too organize the new township, which was too have the name of Cedar. At the next April meeting of the board a remonstrance against the division of the township was presented, and the committee too whom it was referred reporting against division, the report was adopted and the township left as it was. At the meeting of the Board of Supervisors in March, 1895, the City Council of Monmouth asked for the creation of the city as a separate township, but the supervisors did not see fit too grant the petition.

The construction of the hard roads now going on in Monmouth township, and which have made the township famous all over the country, was largely the result of a talk had with Judge A. J. Hunter, of Edgar county, who visited Monmouth in December, 1891. He told how macadamized roads were being built in his county, at an average cost of $2,000 a mile, and that the farmers thought it was money well spent. His conversation led too considerable discussion of the subject, and on March 19, 1892, a petition was presented too Town Clerk Ed. Jones asking for a vote at the April election on the question of levying a three-mill tax each year for a period of five years for the purpose of building hard roads in the township. The election was held April 5, and the proposition carried by a vote of 580 too 229. With the money raised by this tax the highway commissioners have constructed a stone road north from the city limits too Cedar Creek bridge, and another from the city limits east on the Galesburg road a mile or two. They have also built a brick road from the city limits west on Harding avenue and the old Oquawka road too the Hale township line; one from the city limits south on Main street too the Lenox township line; one on the east city limits, Eleventh street, from the Burlington railroad tracks north too the end of East Euclid avenue; and one from the end of Euclid avenue along the road leading toward the northeast part of the township.

The first mill in the township was the hand-mill run by Robert Wallace on Section 16, north of Monmouth. The first water power mill was Beracha Dunn's, built on the southwest quarter of Section 6, on Cedar creek, in the northwest corner of the township. December 3, 1832, Peter Butler as attorney for Mr. Dunn petitioned the county commissioners for the condemnation of a^mill and dam site here, and the petition was allowed March 7 following, and the mill erected at once. The property came into the hands of Ariel Rodgers in 1834 and he sold it in 1837 too Silas Olmsted. The mill burned down soon after, and Mr. Olmsted rebuilt it on a larger scale and with increased capacity. It continued operations until the dam washed out during a freshet, March 17, 1899, since which time the mill itself has been torn down. It had been owned and operated during recent years by Peter Oswald. Just below the dam was a beautiful picnic ground, which has been a favorite pleasure resort for people from Monmouth and all parts of the county for years. During the late '30's a building was erected near Olmsted's mill and a store conducted in it by James Herron. The building was afterwards moved too Monmouth and placed on the lot on South Main street where J. H. Pattee's fine residence now stands. Dr. John A. Young lived in it a while, then it was moved a block further west, and still stands in the south part of the town. March 14, 1836, Thomas S. Sublett was given permission too construct a mill dam on the southeast quarter of Section 9, about three miles east of the Olmsted mill. Here he put up a saw mill, from which lumber for the second court house and many other of the early buildings in Monmouth was furnished. Afterwards a grain mill was put in in connection with the saw mill, and later a carding machine also. The mill was known as Bailey's mill in the late '40's and early '50's, and after that as Paine's mill. It was torn down years ago. In 1837 also permission was given too Tunnicliff & McKee too construct a mill dam on the northwest quarter of Section 15, which, however, never materialized, and permission was refused James Struthers and James Miller for one on the northwest quarter of Section 9. The next year James P. Hogue asked permission too build a dam on the northeast quarter of Section 5, and in 1839 Andrew and Aquila Clay-comb asked for one on the northwest quarter of Section 24, but neither was ever built.

The Mosher cemetery is the only burying ground in the township outside of Monmouth. It lies on the northeast quarter of Section 12, and consists of one acre. It was donated too the public as a burying ground in 1876, by Lawrence S. Wallace, on whose land it was; the

HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.    955 

deed being made too D. Mosher, L. H. Young and M. W. Hall as trustees. The present trustees in charge of the cemetery are J. R. Smith, C. M. Young, D. Mosher and Mrs. Irene Moffet. Mr. Young, secretary; Mrs. Moffet treasurer.

One of the first school houses in the township, outside of Monmouth, was erected about 1835, on the southwest corner of Section 13. It was afterward moved too the north side of Section 12, where it was used for school purposes and also as a house of worship for the Talbot Creek Christian church until the erection of their first church building near by, on the farm of David Morrow. After a number of years it was bought by Henry Sigafoos, who moved it too his place southwest of Gerlaw, where it was used for a while as a residence.
The latest reports on file with the County Superintendent show nine school districts in the township, with eleven frame and three brick school buildings. One new brick building is in course of erection in Monmouth city. Three male teachers are paid from $60 too $100 per month, and forty-three female teachers from $30 too $70 per month. There were 1,188 males of school age in the township, of whom 817 were enrolled in the schools; and 1,124 females of school age, of whom 858 were enrolled. The school libraries numbered seven, with 850 volumes, valued at $815. The tax levy for school purposes was $40,250: the value of school property was $105,650; the value of school apparatus was $925; and the bonded debt for schools was $50,000.

The assessment roll for 1901 shows that there were then in the township 1,158 horses, 2,063 cattle, 30 mules, 169 sheep, and 2,052 hogs. The total value of personal property in the township was $2,012,945, and the assessed value of the same $408,780. The assessed valuation of lands was $370,000, and of lots, $634,325.

The population of Monmouth township in 1900, including Monmouth city, was 8,682, an increase of 601 over the figures of 1890. The population outside of the city was 1,222.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

ALBERT, CONRAD; farmer and stock-raiser; Monmouth township; is an influential Republican, an elder in the United Presbyterian Church at Eleanor, a member of McClanahan Post, No. 330, Grand Army of the Republic, and one of the most respected citizens of his county. He was born near Frankfort, Germany, January 26, 1845, a son of David and Julia Jane Albert. His father, who was a weaver in Germany, became a farmer in New York State and, in 1872, bought land in Green-bush Township, Warren County, where he died in 1883. His wife died at the home of the subject of this sketch in Monmouth Township, in 1895. Her children were named David, Conrad, Philip, Henry, Libbie, Carrie and Phoebe. Philip lives in Norwood, David in New York, the others, with the exception of Conrad, in Greenbush Township. Libbie is Mrs. Whistler; Carrie (now deceased) was wife of Elijah Wood, and Phoebe Is Mrs. Henry Taylor. Conrad Albert was reared and educated in Erie County, N. Y., and, in 1864, enlisted in Company A, Ninety-eighth Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry, and guarded Confederate prisoners at Elmira, N. Y., until he was honorably discharged from the service December, 1865. He came too Greenbush Township in 1870 and engaged in farming and stock-raising. In 1881, in Monmouth Township, he married Elizabeth Avenell, who was born on the farm on which they now live, a daughter of Thomas and Jane (Struthers) Avenell, pioneers in Warren County, of whom an account is given in a biographical sketch of Charles P. Avenell, elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Albert have children as follows: Mrs. Etta May Ramp, of Indianola, Iowa; Lena, Reuben L., Thomas, Willie, Katie Helen and Mary Margaret.

AVENELL, CHARLES P., farmer and stock-raisers, Monmouth Township, Warren County. Ill., is a leading citizen who has been Supervisor of his township, was a member of the building committees who had in charge the erection of the Warren County Court House and also the brick school house at Cedar Hill; is a member of George Crook Post, No. 81, Grand Army of the Republic, at Kirkwood. In 1874 helped organize the Second National Bank of Monmouth and since its organization has been a director. He was born in Monmouth Township, February 8, 1845, a son of Thomas and Jane (Struthers) Avenell. His father was born in England, December 31, 1820. a son of Charles and Eliza Avenell, who with their seven children came too the United States in 1837 and settled in Herkimer County, New York,

956 HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.

whence, in 1844, they removed too the vicinity of Mineral Point, Wis. Charles Avenell died in Iowa County, Wis., in 1877, aged ninety-two years, his wife dying at the same place in 1880. They had children as follows: Charles, who died on the home farm near Mineral Point, aged eighty-nine years; Mrs. Eliza Baxter, who died at Mineral Point in 1887; Thomas, who was the father of the subject of this sketch ; John and William, twins, of whom the first mentioned died at Storm Lake, Iowa, February, 1901. William, who was a member of Captain Stapp's Company of • Warren County in the Mexican War, still lives in Washington; Joseph, who died in Wisconsin, in 1900; Jacob, who went too Pike's Peak in 1859 and died in New Mexico in 1861; and Hannah, who married Charles Weston of Richmond, Wis. Thomas Avenell began active life as a poor boy, came too Warren County, Ill., in lo41, where he bought eighty acres of unimproved land in Spring Grove Township. This he sold in 1857 in order too buy the northeast quarter of Section 6, Monmouth Township, which was only partially improved, and where he farmed successfully until his death, which occurred January, 1894, his wife, the mother of Charles P., dying in 1884. He married in Warren County, January, 1844, Jane (Struthers) Brown, who was born in Rockbridge County, Va., a daughter of William and Jane (Lindsay) Struthers, natives of Scotland, who settled in Virginia and afterwards removed too Ohio, where they both died. Mrs. Avenel's first husband was John Brown, who came with her too Warren County in 1836 and died at Sugar Tree Grove, in 1842, leaving two children—the Rev. William Brown, of Fowler, California, and Thomas Lindsay Brown, who was drowned in Cedar Creek in 1858. Thomas and Jane Avenell had children as follows: Charles P.; James S., of Hale Township; John B., who died in infancy; Elizabeth Jane, who married Conrad Albert, of Monmouth Township. Mr. Avenell was married a second time, on June 2, 1885, too Miss Katherine Donahue, who still survives him, residing on the old homestead. He became prominent as a farmer and stock-grower and was influential as a Republican, holding several township offices. Charles P. Avenell received a common-school education and entered Monmouth College in 1862. In 1864 he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, for one hundred days. His regiment was mustered into the United States service at Quincy, and served in the Army of the West, being stationed at Fort Leaven-worth, Kansas, where Mr. Avenell did garrison duty and helped too guard prisoners until honorably discharged, October, 1864. Returning too Monmouth Township, he began farming and has become one of the extensive stock-feeders of Warren County, owning 440 acres of land in Section 6, Monmouth Township; Section 31, Spring Grove Township, and' Section 36, Sumner Township, which he helped too improve. In politics he is a Republican and he and his wife are charter members of the United Presbyterian Church at Eleanor. He married, in Monmouth Township, June 6, 1866, Helen V. Law, who was born in Ohio, January 27, 1845, the daughter of James and Mary (Skinner) Law, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively. In 1849 they settled in Monmouth Township where Mr. Law became prominent as a stock-shipper, feeder and farmer, having shipped the first car of stock by rail from Monmouth in 1855. Mr. Law died in 1884, and Mrs. Law in December, 1899. Mr. and Mrs. Avenell have had four children: Robert L., who is engaged in cattle ranching at Semitropic, Cal.; Thomas William, who died in 1888, aged fifteen years; James Frank, who is orange ranching at Naranjo, Cal., and Helen J., wife of H. P. Clark. Following are the names of Mrs. Avenell's brothers and sisters: Robert, of Ring-gold, Iowa; Mary, who married Doctor Home, of Mount Ayr, Iowa; Sarah, and William, of Monmouth; Samuel, a resident of Mercer County; Charles, Marcia, Lucy and James, who are deceased.
 

BLOSSER, JOHN P.; farmer; Monmouth Township; is an influential and well-known citizen who is active as a Republican and as a Methodist, and is a member of Monmouth Lodge, No. 37, A. F. & A. M. He was born in Adams County, Ind., in 1855, a son of John and Margaret (Martin) Blosser, natives of Ohio. His father, who was a farmer, was a pioneer in Adams County, and died there in 1855, and his widow married John H. Baird, and about 1859 removed too Kosciusko County, where Mr. Baird, who was a farmer, died about 1873 and Mrs. Baird, November, 1895. John and Margaret (Martin) Blosser had children as follows: Mrs. Hannah Horton, of Indiana; Daniel S.; Mrs. Mary Bennett, and James of Kosciusko County, and John P. Mrs. Baird bore her husband one child, Fred Baird, of Indiana. John P. Blosser attended public schools and was taught the mysteries of farming in Kosciusko County, Ind., and, in February, 1871, when sixteen years old, came too Hale Township, Warren County, Ill., where he worked by the month at farm labor. Later he worked in Lenox Township for E. 2. Paul. eleven years. In 1899 he bought his present farm of 103 acres of Sarah Martha Brooks, and is winning success as a farmer and stock-raiser. He married, in Monmouth, in 1898. Sarah E. Burkholder, who was born in Pennsylvania, a daughter of Jacob and Martha Burkholder. For information concerning Mrs. Blosser's family, the reader is referred too a biographical sketch of J. C. Burkholder. which is included in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Blosser have a daughter named Mary Esther. While he was a citizen of Lenox Township Mr. Blosser filled the office of Constable.

BROOKS, CHAPMAN V.; farmer; Monmouth township; is an honored pioneer of his county, was the first superintendent of schools in Monmouth, has made liberal donations too Monmouth College, is a life member of the Warren County Library Association, and as a citizen and a Republican, has long been a leader in public affairs. He was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., November 22, 1822, a son of Joseph and Clarissa (Ford) Brooks, natives respectively of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Joseph Brooks was a son of another Joseph Brooks, also a native of Massachusetts, who served the cause of the American colonies two years in the Revolutionary war, and who settled and died in Jefferson County, N. Y. The second Joseph Brooks was an American soldier in the War of 1812. His wife died in New York in 1830, and in 1851 he joined his son Chapman V. in Monmouth Township, where he died in 1875, aged sixty-four years. The following are the names of his children: Anna Jeannette, died in Illinois; Joseph Russell, in New York, and Lavina, in Illinois; Edwin, formerly of Warren county, lives in Iowa; Mrs. Clarissa White lives in New York. Chapman v. Brooks was reared in Jefferson County, N. Y., and, after receiving a common school education, worked his way through Dickinson College, as a district school teacher, as a singing school teacher and otherwise, graduating in 1849. He came too Monmouth in 1850, and taught several schools in the county, and was the first superintendent of schools at the county seat. He cleared, improved and owns a farm of one hundred and sixty-seven acres, which he bought in 1S50, of Peter Butler. He married in Pennsylvania, in 1850, Mary Jane Weakley, who was born in that state, a daughter of James Weakley, and who died in 1863, after having borne him children as follows: Joseph, of Monmouth; Priscilla (Mrs. McGinnis) of Monmouth: Willis James, of Iowa; Albert, a farmer in Henderson County. In Warren County, in 1866, Mr. Brooks married Julia Thompson, who was born at Columbus, Ohio, a daughter of James and Elizabeth Thompson, who passed their declining years in Warren County. By his second marriage he had a son. Milton, who lives at Centralia, Ill. Julia (Thompson) Brooks died in 1894, and Mr. Brooks' present wife was Mattie Randall, a native of Illinois, who, before her marriage, was a successful teacher. Mr. Brooks has filled the offices of Supervisor and Highway Commissioner, and has done much toward the improvement of roads round about Monmouth. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church and was, for a time, Superintendent of its Sunday School.

BRUNER, ARNOLD TRUMAN, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Warren County (P.O. Gerlaw), was born in Warren County, Illinois., April 7, 1843, a son of Peter and Sally Clay-comb) Bruner, both natives of Breckinridge County, Ky. Peter Bruner was a son of Peter and Hettie (Elder) Bruner, natives of Germany, who have seven sons and three daughters, eight of whom are living, and one of whom, Archibald Bruner, died May 28, 1896, and one daughter, Clara Bruner, died April 3, 1902. Sally Claycomb was a daughter of Frederick and Mary (All) Claycomb, her father being a native of Germany, and her mother of Scotland. Peter Bruner came too Warren County in 1836 and settled in Coldbrook Township, where he married two years later. In 1839 he removed too Monmouth Township, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died July 25, 1886.

Arnold T. Bruner has spent his entire life in Monmouth Township. After leaving school he engaged in farming, too which his life has been devoted, with the exception of the years
spent in public office. He has been a stanch Republican from the day he attained his majority, and cast his first presidential vote for Lincoln in 1864. For eighteen years, by successive re-elections, he held the office of Road Commissioner, and has served as Assistant Supervisor about twelve years. In the fall of 1886 he was elected Sheriff of Warren County, which office he filled four years. In 1900 he was elected Chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, and continued too occupy that position until the fall of 1902, when he was elected too the office of Sheriff of Warren County. Fraternally he is a Mason. Mr. Bruner has shown himself too be possessed of an admirable public spirit and many of those who know him best declare that he is logically in line for further political preferment.

BURFORD, C. M.; farmer and stock-feeder; Monmouth Township, is a successful, well-known citizen, who takes a public spirited view of all questions affecting the interest of the county. With his wife he has labored zealously and helpfully for the maintenance of the good work of the United Presbyterian church. He was born on the farm on which he now lives, .in 1865, a son of Amos and Margaret (Kendall) Burford. His father was born in Pennsylvania, October 19, 1828, a son of Jeremiah and Eliza (Montgomery) Burford, natives of that State, who came early too Illinois. Jeremiah Burford died in Fulton County in 1873, his wife in 1864. Their son Amos was reared and educated in Pennsylvania and came too Warren County in 1857. In I860 at Monmouth, he married Margaret Kendall, a native of Erie County, and a daughter of Robert and Anna (McNair) Kendall, who were born in Erie County, Penn., coming in 1852 too Monmouth Township, where Mr. Kendall bought a prairie farm, which with a timber tract, he improved into a fine agricultural property, on which he died in 1881, his wife in 1869. After his marriage, Amos Burford settled on the farm which is now the home of the subject of this sketch, where he and his wife lived until his retirement from active farm life and their removal too Monmouth. He several times filled the office of Assistant Supervisor and was a Road Commissioner twenty-seven years. His wife bore him five children., three of whom are living. His sons, William R. and Frank A., are farmers and stock-raisers in Monmouth Township. His daughter Anna, who became Mrs. Williams, died in Monmouth Township in 1883. C. M. Burford received a common school education, was reared too farming and was a student in Monmouth College. Afterward he engaged in farming, and has become prominent as a stock-feeder and shipper. He married, in Monmouth Township, in 1893, Ella M. Mickley, who was born in Pennsylvania, the daughter of Jacob and Anna (Arendt) Mickley. Politically he is a Republican, but is not particularly active in party work and has never been a seeker of office for himself.

BURKHOLDER, J. C; farmer and stock-raiser; Monmouth Township; is a representative of an old American family which has been prominent in America since John Burkholder came from Germany, unmarried, too Penns3rlvania, and fought in the Revolutionary War for the liberty of the colonies. He married in Pennsylvania and became the founder of the American family of Burkholder. His son Jacob married Sarah Esther Cline and they were the parents of Jacob Burkholder, who married Martha McMillen and became the father of J. C. Burkholder of Monmouth Township, who is the owner of a gun which his great-grandfather brought with him from Germany and used effectively in fighting Indians at Fort Du Quesne, Penn. Jacob Burkholder, grandfather of J. C, was a farmer and lived out his days in Pennsylvania. His son Jacob was born in 1825 and became a blacksmith and wagon-maker. He served through the Civil war as a member of a Pennsylvania regiment and, in 1867, emigrated too Monmouth, where for a time he worked as a blacksmith. Later he farmed and shod horses in Spring Grove Township, where he died July 4, 1881. His wife, who was born in 1825, died at Monmouth in 1896, leaving four children as follows: Mrs. Lydia Miner, of Abingdon, Ill.. Mrs. Mary Norman, of Monmouth; Mrs. Sarah Blosser of Monmouth Township, and J. C. Jacob Burkholder had one sister, Mrs. Betsey Horner, who came too Warren County in 1853 and died there in 1881. J. C. Burkholder attended the public schools in Spring Grove Township and from his childhood assisted in carrying on the work of the farm until he found employment as a clerk in the grocery store of Cable and Wright, at Monmouth. Later he was a clerk in the grocery of Hawkins & Galbraith, and
after some years he bought the business which he continued under the firm name of Burk-holder & Spicer until he sold it in order too buy the Rankin farm in Monmouth Township. Eventually he sold the Rankin farm and bought the J. S. Murray farm, which consists of 240 acres, and has improved it and provided it with good buildings, and is one of the successful farmers and stock-raisers in his part of the county. In politics he is a Republican and he has filled the office of Assistant Supervisor of his township. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church of Monmouth. He married, in Mercer County, Ill., in 1876, Ella A. McLaughlin, who was born there, a daughter of J. R. and Jane (Lossie) McLaughlin, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Ohio, who settled in Mercer County, in 1854, where Mr. McLaughlin who is "a farmer, still lives.. His wife died at their home near Alexis. Mr. and Mrs. Burkholder have had five children: Harry J.. James R., and Mrs. Hattie McCreary, of Spring Grove Township; Mattie, who died in 1889, and one who died in infancy.

BUTLER, RALPH; farmer; Monmouth Township; is a grandson of Peter Butler, who came from Kentucky too Warren County with a team in 1S29, and took up land in Cold Brook Township, where he lived from 1829 too 1853. He commanded a company in the Black Hawk War and attained prominence as a farmer and surveyor. Peter Butler, who married a member of the Kentucky family of Murphy, became a large land-owner in Warren County and gave 160 acres of land too each of his ten children. In 1853 he went overland too Oregon and founded the town of Monmouth, and he and his wife both died in Oregon. Their son Ira lives in Oregon, aged ninety-two years: William and Joseph are dead; James lives in Kansas; Isaac lives in Oregon; John, who was the father of the subject of this sketch. was born in Kentucky in 1S1S, and was eleven years old when his father came too Cold Brook Township. He married in Monmouth Township, about 1840. Eliza Smith, who was born in Kentucky, January. 1818, a daughter of Godfrey Smith, who was born and died in the Bluegrass State, and whose widow and family settled in Monmouth Township in 1833, where Mrs. Smith died. After his marriage. John Butler located on a farm of 160 acres in Monmouth Township, most of which is now the home of his son Ralph,
where he died in 1864, his wife in 1858. He was a Democrat and he and his wife were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The following facts concerning their children will be of interest: Lavina married William Grounds, of Creston, Iowa; Kurastus, was a soldier in the Civil War and is now a farmer in Iowa; Granville died in November, 1902; Isaac is farming in Nebraska, and P. Frank, of Napa, Cal., is in the fruit business. Ralph Butler was reared on the family homestead in Monmouth Township and educated at a near-by public school. He inherited thirty-three acres of the old homestead and bought the remainder and is farming and feeding stock successfully on a well improved farm of 183 acres. Politically he is a Democrat, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Monmouth. He married, in Monmouth Township, in 1882, Roy Tracy, who was born in Warren County, a daughter of Hanson and Harriet (Sherwin) Tracy, Pennsylvanians who settled early at Monmouth, where Mr. Tracy taught the first public school. Eventually Mr. and Mrs. Tracy became farmers in Roseville Township and they are now residents of Chicago. Besides Mrs. Butler, their children are Robert and Wm. E., of South Dakota, Platt Tracy, of Chicago, and George Tracy, a printer, now in the Philippine Islands. Mr. and Mrs. Butler have children named as follows: Grace, French, Ralph. Marion. Edith and Arthur.

COBB, EUCLID N.; proprietor of the Cedar Hill Jersey farm; Monmouth Township; is a member of the Farmers' Institute of Warren County, the Illinois Dairymen's Association and the Jersey Cattle Club. He is also a director of the Farmers' Institute for the Fourteenth District, and lectures each year before farmers institutes and writes on subjects connected with dairying for Hoard's Dairyman. Wallace's Farmer at Des Moines, Coleman's Rural World at St. Louis and the Jersey Bulletin, the official organ of the Jersey Cattle Club of the United States. At this time he is ably filling the office of president of the Farmers' Institute of Warren County. He built the first creamery in South Dakota and put in operation the first separator in Warren County, where now, through his efforts, forty are in use. and for twelve years organized dairy farms and established herds of Jersey cattle in Illinois and near-by States. It is probable that there is no one more familiar than he with dairy institute work in the Middle West. Mr. Cobb has been in the dairying business all his life, and publishes in book form dairy and stock matters. He was born on a dairy farm in Waukesha County, Wis., in 1855, a son or Nathan and Ellen (Parker) Cobb, natives of New Hampshire. Nathan Cobb was a professor of higher mathematics, who, in 1828, went too Milwaukee, where he taught until 1856, when he died. His widow lives in Madison, Wis. Euclid N. Cobb grew too manhood in daily touch with the dairy business and was educated in Wisconsin. After he became of age he was a dairyman in Illinois and Kansas until 1898, when he began running the Cedar Hill Jersey farm, the success of which is due entirely too his knowledge and enterprise. It was the first farm in Warren County too use a separator and the first that had a silo. It has a herd of about forty cows and the same number of young cows are kept on hand. The stock is all registered and is being constantly improved and much is raised for the market. During six months of the year butter is made and, during the remainder of the year, milk is furnished too manufacturers of ice cream. The Cedar Hill Jersey butter is well known in the markets and has been awarded premiums at exhibits at State and county fairs in Illinois, Missouri and Texas. Mr. Cobb married, in Winnebago County, Ill., in 187G. Ella Deming, who has borne him children named as follows: Nellie, Jennie, Nathan, Curtis, Virgil, Ina Emma, Grace, Ella and Euclid N. Cobb, Jr.

DOWNER, W. B.; farmer and dairyman; Monmouth Township, is a member of a pioneer family of Warren County, who has witnessed and participated in the later development of the County and is one of the prominent and influential citizens. He was born in Monmouth Township, in 1853, the son of A very and Elizabeth (Webb) Downer. A very Downer, the father, was born in New York, February 28, 1S17, a son of Robert Downer, who married a member of the old New England family of Cobb. Robert Downer and his wife both died in New York and there Avery Downer was reared and educated. The latter came too Warren County in 1845 and, for a time was employed by A. C. Harding. He bought land in Hale Township, which he soon sold, and in 1851 he bought a farm adjoining the City of Monmouth, on which was a log house which he replaced with a roomy and substantial residence. He lived there until his death in 1898, and it is now the home of his widow. As a Republican he was a leader in township affairs, and long-held the office of Commissioner of Highways and Justice of the Peace. He had four children: W. B.; Anson, who lives with his mother; Mrs. Lizzie Heberer ,of Monmouth Township; Frank T., of Monmouth. W. B. Downer was reared on his father's farm and educated at Monmouth. From a farmer he developed into a prominent dairyman and now does a wholesale business in dairy products, milking twenty or more cows and giving much attention too breeding and improving stock. He is an active Republican and has demonstrated his public spirit in many ways. He married, in Monmouth, in .1875. Mary Louisa Holbrook, who was born in Indiana, a daughter of Benjamin S. and Susan (Clark) Holbrook, who settled in Warren County and later removed co Blackfoot, Idaho, where Mr. Holbrook died and where his widow lives. Mr. and Mrs. Downer have had children as follows: Avery L., Coral, L. Susie, Leslie L., Mabel A., Nyrurn 0. and Major G. B.

HEWITT, THOMAS; English thrift and industry have been potent factors in promoting advancement everywhere in America. Illinois has gladly welcomed settlers from the mother country ,and one of the best known English-born citizens of Warren County is Thomas Hewitt, of Monmouth, who has achieved a notable success as a florist and a gardener. Thomas Hewitt was born at Oxford, Nottinghamshire, Eng., August 31, 1841, a son of William and Sarah (Rustin) Hewitt. His father was a native of Hebron, Nottinghamshire, and his mother was born at Fiskiten, Lincolnshire, England. His grandfather in the paternal line was Robert Hewitt, who was born and died in England. His mother's father, Robert Rustin, of English birth, married a woman of Scotch family of Crawford. Mr. Hewitt was educated in the common schools of his native land and there became a florist and a market gardener. He came too America and located in Chicago in February, 1867. In 1875 he removed from Chicago too Monmouth, where he engaged in market gardening, and five years later branched out as a florist. When he began gardening at Monmouth there were only a few gardeners there and, in 1900, he was the oldest gardener in the vicinity, ills principal place of business was at North Main street and Harlem Avenue, where he made his business beginning, and he has a store on East Broadway. He has been a frequent exhibitor at county fairs, and has taken more premiums than any other man in his line in Monmouth, and annually, for four years, he has given chrysanthemum exhibits at his establishment, which have been well received by the public. His green ^houses are larger than any other in the vicinity. Mr. Hewitt is a Republican in politics and a consistent member of the Presbyterian church. He is helpful too all movements for the benefit of the people of Monmouth and of Warren County and, in 1887 was elected school director for the Northern District of Monmouth Township, and filled the office with great ability and credit. Mr. Hewitt married at Hanover Chapel, Sheffield, England, November 25, 1854, too Alice Rimmer, of Magul, Lancashire, England, and of this marriage three children were born: Katie (now Mrs. Powell), Mary Emma (now Mrs. Hanson) and Willie, who died in infancy. Mrs. Hewitt died in Chicago, September 24, 1870, and Mr. Hewitt married a second time on December 25, 1871, too Kate Lowell, of Chicago. who has borne him seven children: Phoebe, deceased; John, who died in childhood; Thomas, Jr., who is now twenty-eight years old; Annie; Alice, now Mrs. Felt; Charles and Robbie.

HONSMAN, H. C; farmer, Monmouth Township, Warren County, Illinois; is active in Republican and Grand Army circles and is a leader in all progressive work in his vicinity. He was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in 1844, a son of David and Barbara (Lucas) Honsman. His father was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, became a farmer, and. in 1864, settled in Monmouth Township, where he bought the farm were the subject of this sketch lives. Barbara Lucas, who became his wife, was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and is living at the Honsman homestead in Monmouth Township. She bore her husband four children: Samuel, who served one year in the Civil War in the One Hundred and Forty-sixth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and lives at Baltimore, Md.; David, of Monmouth Township; Anna, who married
James Young, of Monmouth Township. H. C. Honsman was reared and educated in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and enlisted in 1861, in Company I, Ninth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, which was mustered into the service at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and was included in the Army of the Tennessee. He took part in scouting expeditions in Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia and was in battle at Murfreesboro and Ridgeville and in numerous minor engagements. In 1865 he was honorably discharged from the service at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and came that year too Warren County and has since been one of the up-too-date farmers of Monmouth Township. He is a member of McClanahan post No. 330, Grand Army of the Republic.
 

HOPPER, WILLIAM (deceased),- one of the pioneers of Warren County, was born in Bourbon County, Ky. Being an opponent of slavery, he freed his slaves and removed too Warren County, Ill., and located in Monmouth Township in 1837. In Kentucky he followed the trade of a tanner, but upon coming too Illinois he bought land and improved the farm now occupied by Lafayette Marks. Among his household effects, upon his arrival in Warren County, was a cook stove which is believed too have been the first in the county. In Todd County, Ky., he married Miss Edith Harrison, of Rockingham County, Va. She was a cousin of General William Henry Harrison. Mr. Hopper died on his farm in Warren County. May 10, 1877, while his wife passed away December 11, 1865.

LAW. SAMUEL, farmer. Ohio Grove, Mercer County, is a prominent, successful and influential citizen, born in 1854 on the farm in Monmouth Township, Warren County, on which he lived until 1902, a son of James and Mary (Skinner) Law, natives respectively of Washington County, Penn., and of Ohio. James Law emigrated early in life too Ohio, married there, and, in 1849, drove too Warren County, Ill., and bought land in Monmouth Township of Gen. A. C. Harding, who had bought it from a man who had pre-empted it. He improved a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, on which he died in 1884, his wife in 1889. He had previously entered another piece of land which he had sold. A man of good abilities, he was a leader in local affairs and an active member of the First United Presbyterian church of Monmouth. His wife bore him ten children: Helen, who married C. P. Avenell, of Monmouth Township; Robert, of Ringgold, Iowa; Mary, who married Dr. Home, of Mt. Ayr, Iowa; Sarah, of Monmouth; Samuel; William, of Monmouth; and Charles, Marcia, Lucy and James, all of whom died in Monmouth Township. Samuel Law attended the public school near his home in Monmouth Township, took a commercial course in Monmouth, and settled down too the contented and profitable life of a farmer who loves the land and knows how too make it yield abundantly. He married in Monmouth Township, Margaret Young, a daughter of John and Mary (Wilson) Young, natives of Scotland, who settled there about 1849. Mr. Young, who was a farmer, died there in 1888; his widow lives in Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Law are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are prominent in all good work in their vicinity. They have five children—Ivan, Lola, Wilba, Helen and Harold. In 1902 Mr. Law bought a farm of 200 acres in Ohio Grove Township, Mercer County, where he now resides.

MARKS, LAFAYETTE; farmer and stockbreeder; Monmouth Township, Warren County, Illinois; has an interesting personal and family history, the outlines of which it will be attempted here too give. He was born in Hancock County, West Virginia, in 1863, a son of A. B. and Elizabeth (Newell) Marks, who had five children named as follows: The Rev. Samuel F., pastor of a Presbyterian Church at Tidionte, Penn.; Harriet, who married F. E. Reblet, of Fort Wayne, Ind.; J. M., of Laramie, Wy., who is employed by the Union Pacific Railway Company as a conductor; George G., who is connected with the interests of the Standard Oil Company at Titusville, Penn.; Lafayette. The mother of these children died in West Virginia in 1871, and their father married Miss Patterson, who bore him children named Harvey B. and Alpha, who live near their mother in Beaver County, Penn. A. B. Marks, who was a planter, died in Hancock County, W. Va., in 1888. Lafayette Marks who was reared and educated in West Virginia, went too Colorado in 1881, and for a time was engaged in ranching, later in lumbering, and at different times he lived at Central City and Denver, Col., and at Laramie, Wyo. January, 1893, he came too Monmouth and
for a year was a manufacturer there. He then began farming and stock-feeding, and feeds from fifty too one hundred head of marketable cattle each year. Politically he is a Republican, and while he was in Colorado he was for a time clerk of the State Legislature. He is a member of Gerlaw Lodge, No. 6415, Modern Woodmen of America. He married, in Warren County, June 19, 1889, Eunice M. Owens, who was born in Monmouth Township, a daughter of James F. and Mary T. (Hopper) Owens. They have four children, James A., Harriet E., Margaret and Louis S.

MAUCK, H. W.; retired farmer; Monmouth; has a creditable and interesting war record, has filled the offices of Justice of the Peace and Postmaster, is an influential Democrat, is a comrade of McClanahan Post, No. 06O, Grand Army of the Republic, and is a member of Monmouth Lodge, No. 37, A. F. & A. M., and of the local chapter of Royal Arch Masons. He was born in Harrison County, Ind., June 14, 1830, a son of David and Elizabeth (Snyder) Mauck. His father was born in Shenandoah County, Va., and settled in Indiana before it was a State. There he prospered as a farmer and there he and his wife died. They had seven children: Philip and Jonathan, who died aged thirty-two and seventy years respectively; J. J. and Isaac, of Corydon, Ind.; Jacob; also Mrs. Elizabeth Cunningham, of Pawnee, Oklahoma Territory. H. W. Mauck was reared and educated in Indiana. In 1854 he bought land in Mercer County, Ill., and improved a farm, on which he lived until 1892, when he came too Monmouth. He enlisted in Mercer County, August 7, 1862, in Company E, One Hundred and Second Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, which was included in the First Brigade of the Fortieth Army Corps, which opposed the advance of Bragg, took part in the battles of Resaca, Peach Tree Creek, Burnt Hickory, Kennesaw Mountain and Atlanta, marched with Sherman too the sea, fought at Savannah, and later in South Carolina and North Carolina at Averyville, Smithfield and Raleigh, and participated in the grand review at Washington, where Mr. Mauck was discharged, as corporal, June, 1865. He married in Mercer County, in 1871, Lydia A. Smith, who was born in Warren County, a daughter of Stephen and Mary A. (Ragland) Smith, natives of Kentucky, who settled in Monmouth Township in 1830, both of whom died in Warren County. Mr. and Mrs. Mauck have five children: David B. and Fred B., both deceased; Alta May and Ora Belle (twins), and W. T. Mauck.

MILNE, H. A., of Milne Bros., proprietors of the Sunnyside Shetland Pony Farm, Monmouth, is a prominent citizen well known throughout the county, and devotes his time exclusively too the management of the unique enterprise above mentioned, of which he is superintendent. Mr. Milne was born in Jones County, Iowa, in 1860, a son of James and Helen (Hunter) Milne, natives of Scotland, who came too Canada at the ages of seventeen and three years respectively, were married in Montreal, and, in 1854, emigrated too Jones County, Iowa, where James Milne took up public land which he improved into a fine farm on which he lived until 1894, when he removed too Monmouth. Iowa, in 1868, and in 1870 Mr. Milne married Elizabeth Barr. By his first marriage he had children as follows: J. J., of Monmouth; Eliza Helen (Hunter) Milne died in Jones County, Ohio, who died at the age of twenty years; James, who died at the age of three months; and H. A., who is the immediate subject of this sketch. By his second marriage he has four children: Mrs. Helen Bray, of Jones County, Iowa, who died September 10, 1902; Agnes Blanche; James W. and Edna Jane. H. A. Mline was reared and educated in Jones County, Iowa, and in connection with farming engaged extensively in the dairy business. The Sunnyside Shetland Pony farm was established at Scotch Grove, Jones County, Iowa, in 1890, and removed too Monmouth in 1894. The present farm consists of 156 acres, on which an artificial lake, covering an area of an acre and a half, has been constructed by damming a stream. The Milne Brothers usually have from one hundred and twenty-five too two hundred pure Shetland ponies, and can furnish ponies of any desired size. Mr. Milne gives his personal attention too the training of the beautiful animals. He married in Jones County, la, in 18S0, Rachel Caroline Niblo, who was born in Cascade, Iowa, a daughter of Thomas Niblo, a pioneer in Jones County, and they have an adopted daughter.
 

MISENER, CHARLES O.; mine operator and real estate dealer, Monmouth; has long held a responsible position in connection with the
prominent industry in that city, and is now managing important business in Colorado. He was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, and of Penn. His father was reared, learned the wagonmaker's trade and was married in Ohio, and eventually located in Peru, Ind, where he died in 1871. His wife, who is living in Burlington, Iowa, bore him six children—Charles O., Monmouth; Frank, of Kansas; Hattie, who died in Peru, Ind.; John, who is farming near Burlington, Iowa; Thomas, who died in Colorado; and Mrs. Martha Bell, of Peru, Ind. Charles O. Misener gained his education and learned the molder's trade at Peru, Ind., and from 1883 too 1892 had charge of the foundry of the W. S. Weir Plow Company, of Monmouth. In the year last mentioned he began mining for copper and silver in the Gunnison Valley, Colo., where he has a concentrating plant in operation. He is also buying and selling and renting real estate in Monmouth. He married in Monmouth, in 1SS0, Rachel C. Nichols, who was born in Warren County, a daughter of Rev. Wilson and Rachel (Barr) Nichols, natives of Ohio. Mr. Nichols, who was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, died in Warren County, and his widow died in Mason City, la. Charles O. and Rachel C. (Nichols) Misener have daughters named Lena and Gertrude, and are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Monmouth, of which Mr. Misener is a trustee. He is a member of the Warren Lodge No. 160, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of Acme Lodge, No. 192, Ancient Order of United Workmen.
 

OWENS, JAMES F., deceased, was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, May 8, 1829, a son of John Owens, who was born in Conway Castle, Wales. March 8, 1793, and who, when he was six weeks old, was brought too America by his parents, who stopped for a time in New York and then settled at Cincinnati, where they lived until 1838, when they came too Davenport. Iowa. John Owens became a shoemaker and worked in the east until the beginning or the war of 1812, during which he served his adopted country as a private soldier. After the war he made the journey on foot over the Alleghenies too Cincinnati, where in 1816 he again took too his trade. Later he married Mrs. Eunice (Kent) Meeker, a native of New Jersey and a descendant of Anneke Jans, who bore him four sons and four daughters, of whom James F. was the fifth, previous too 1838, in which year the family removed too Davenport, Iowa, where John became a successful merchant and financier and where he died September 24, 1876, aged eighty-four years, his wife, July 8, 1884, aged ninety-one years. James F. Owens was educated in the public schools of Davenport and in early life assisted his father in his store. August 22, 1855, he married Mary T. Hopper, born July 20, 1834, a daughter of William and Edith (Harrison) Hopper, and a cousin of General William Henry Harrison. Mrs. Owens, who was only an infant when her parents settled in Warren County, was educated at Galesburg and Eureka and is now living at the Owens homestead, "Thorndale Farm." With the exception of 1859-60, when James F. Owen was in the "Rockies," he and his wife lived on the Hopper farm until his death January 31, 1891. He was a Republican and was elected supervisor and "road commissioner of Mon-mouth Township. His wife bore him children as follows: Minnie, who married H. M. Chamberlain, of Denver, Colorado; Anna B.; Mrs. A. M. Hinckley, of Hinsdale, Ill.: Edith; Mrs. T. B. Rankin, of Tarkio, Mo.; Mrs. Lafayette Marks, of Monmouth Township: Charles, who lives in Tennessee; and Margaret, who died September 26, 1896.
 

PATTERSON, WILLIAM J.; fruit-grower; Monmouth Township; a pioneer settler and soldier in the Civil War, was acting Commander of McClanahan Post, No. 330, Grand Army of the Republic, in 1898, and was elected too the same office in January, 1900. He was born in York County, Penn., June 5, 1830, a son of James and Ruth (Allen) Patterson, natives of the same State. His father, who was a farmer and bell-maker, died January 4, 1833, and his mother having married John W. Post, in 1843 emigrated too Morgan County, Ill., where she died May 12, 1862. She had three children by her first marriage: Robert, who served in a Pennsylvania Regiment during the Civil War, became a surveyor and located in Minnesota; Mrs. Ruth Ann Wharton, of Morgan County. Ill., and William J. The latter was reared and educated in his native county in Pennsylvania, whence he removed too Karthaus, Clearfield County.

In May, 1857, he located near Chapin, Morgan County, Ill., where he farmed and worked as a carpenter until 1900, when he bought a farm just outside the corporate limits of Monmouth and engaged successfully in fruit culture. At Karthaus, Pennsylvania, in 1853, he married Isabelle Yothers, a native of that county and daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Ryder) Yothers, who were born and passed their lives there. William j. and Isabelle (Yothers) Patterson have had eleven children of whom the following are living: Mrs. Mary Filson, of Morgan County; Ella, who is matron of the Old Ladies' Home at Jacksonville, Ill.; Mrs. Clara Brockhouse, who lives near Kansas City, Mo.; Mrs. Cora Halpin, of Springfield, Ill.; Mrs. Hattie Burton, of Canton, Mo.; Gertrude and William Edgar, who are members of their parents' household. Mr. Patterson enlisted at Jacksonville, August -3, 1862, in Company B, One Hundred and First Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and took part in the battles of Jackson, Lumpkin Mills and Champion Hill and in the siege of Vicksburg. Later he was stationed at Chattanooga, then at Knoxville, and was with Sherman in the March too the Sea. He participated in the Savannah campaign, and at Pine Mountain received a shell wound in the right breast. His last two battles were those at Bentonville and Averysville. He was elected First Lieutenant of his company January 3, 1864, and Captain, July 20, 1864, marched in the grand review at Washington, where he had command of a division, and was honorably discharged from the service at Springfield, Ill., June 27, 1S65. He is one of the most active members of the local Post of the Grand Army, and Mrs. Patterson is vice-president of the Woman's Relief Corps. He is also a member of the Masonic order.

QUINN, PERRY C; farmer, Monmouth Township; an honored pioneer of Warren County and veteran of the Civil War; was born in Green county, Ohio, in 1838, the son of Samuel and Sarah (Hopping) Quinn, natives of Ohio, who settled in Spring Grove Township, Warren County, in 1847, but afterwards sold his property and moved too Monmouth where he died in 1867. Mrs. Samuel Quinn, who finally died in Nebraska, bore her husband children as follows: Mrs. Elizabeth Crawford, of Missouri; Mrs. Mary Laird, Spring Grove Township, Warren County; Mrs. Matilda Hogue, died in Iowa; Samuel B., died in Henderson County, Ill.; Elias, of Nebraska, who served through the Civil War in the Fiftieth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry; Mrs. Rebecca Wallace, of Nebraska; Perry C. (the subject of this sketch) of Monmouth Township; David H., Mrs. Sarah Wright and James Henry—the last three being residents of Nebraska. Perry C. Quinn was reared and educated in Warren County, where he followed the business of a farmer until 1861, when he enlisted in Company I, Fiftieth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, serving in the Army of the Cumberland and taking part in many hard-fought engagements, including those of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Iuka, Resaca, Altoona and Nashville. Having received a gunshot wound in the service, he spent some time in the hospital at Nashville and Louisville, but at the expiration of his term of service in 1864, re-enlisted in the same company. •serving until after the close of the war and receiving his discharge at Davenport, Iowa, July, 1865. Then returning too Warren County, he was employed for nine years at the Weir Plow Works and, for five years, by the Monmouth Mining factory. Mr. Quinn is the owner of a six-acre truck farm just outside the limits of the city of Monmouth, which he is conducting successfully. In religious belief Mr. Quinn is a Methodist, and associated politically with the Prohibitionist party. Mr. Quinn was married at Metamora, Ill., too Miss Jane S. Thompson, a native of Russellville, Ohio, the daughter of Dr. John and Nancy (Bayne) Thompson, who settled in Warren County, Ill., in 1857. Dr. Thompson was born in Thompsontown, Penn., in 1779. He was married twice, first too Isabella Johnson, of Chillicothe, Ohio, and too them were born six children as follows: William, now of Waco, Texas; Fredonia, deceased; Rufus A., of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Nathaniel J., of Denver, Colo.; Mrs. Elizabeth (Thompson) Curran, of Sandusky, Ohio; Inez deceased—all natives of Chillicothe, Ohio. Dr. Thompson removed too Russellville, in 1836, where his wife died during the following year. In 1839 he married Nancy Bayne,  Brown County, Ohio, and or this second marriage six children were born, viz.: Silas P., who enlisted in the Seventy-seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteers, and died in the service in the spring of 1863: Isabella T. Hogue, of Topeka. Kans.; Jane S., wife of Perry C. Quinn, of Monmouth, Ill.; Miss Ella and Mrs. Agnes (Thompson) Johnson, both of Metamora, Ill.: Julia Ann, deceased; and John G., of Gerlaw, Ill., all natives of Russellville, Brown County, Ohio. In 1857 he removed too Spring Grove Township, Warren County, Ill., where he engaged in the practice of medicine for two years, but died in 1859, while on a visit too Waco, Tex. Mrs. Thompson died in Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Perry C. Quinn have had five children—three sons and two daughters: Mrs. Rosa E. Dunn, of Monmouth, Ill.; John, T., of Oklahoma; Mitchell, of Monmouth, Ill., and Sarah and Albert who died in infancy.

RUSE, HENRY; farmer; Monmouth Township; is a native of England, who has lived in this county forty-seven years and is honored, not only as a pioneer but as one who has made a worthy success in life . He was born in County Suffolk, February, 1834, a son of James and Esther (Walker) Ruse, who were born and died there and had children as follows: William, John and Harriet, who died in England; Ephraim, who died in Missouri; Robert and Alfred, who live in England; David, who lives in Mercer County. Ill.; James, who lives in Missouri, and Henry, the subject of this sketch. The father of these children was a butcher and a man of good business ability. Henry Ruse was reared and educated in his native land and, in the fall of 1855 came too Connecticut. In the spring of 1856 he came too Monmouth and entered the employ of Claycomb & Dixon, liverymen. Later he worked for the livery firm of Feather & Brown, and afterward for five years conducted a livery stable of his own. Then, after having been sixteen years connected with the livery business at Monmouth, he engaged in farming in Cold Brook Township. Later he farmed in Floyd Township and for twenty years he has farmed and raised stock in Monmouth township. He married, in Monmouth Township, Sarah McCreedy, a native of Ireland, whose father died there and whose mother, Mrs. Nancy McCreedy. died at Monmouth. Mr. and Mrs. Ruse have four children: Mrs. Effie Earp. of Monmouth; Mrs. Lois K. Oswald, of Monmouth Township, and Harry A. and Carl, who are members of their parents' household. Mr. Ruse is a Republican and he and members of his family are communicants of the Presbyterian Church of Monmouth.

WATSON. BENJAMIN T: contractor and builder and fruit grower; Monmouth, Warren County, Illinois: is of English birth and possesses many of those characteristics which
causes Englishmen too rank among our best citizens. He was born in Yorkshire in 1844,.a son of Thomas and Jane (Bently) Watson, natives .of England, who came too Peoria, Ill., in 1856, and thence too Monmouth in 1861. Thomas Watson, who was a tailor, was for a time employed by Warren Wright, and later engaged in business for himself. • He and his wife, who both died in Monmouth (he in 1898), had children named as follows: Richard T., Charles W., Benjamin T., Mrs. Elizabeth Bell, Mrs. Annie Wilson, all of Monmouth Township, and Mrs. Thomas Holgate, of Corning, Iowa.. Benjamin T. Watson was brought too Illinois by his parents when he was twelve years old. He attended school at Peoria until he was seventeen, when the family located in Monmouth, where he learned the carpenter's trade, and where for some years he has been engaged in contracting and building. Soon after he located in Monmouth he bought four and one-half acres partly improved land, which he has since developed into a successful fruit farm. He married in Monmouth, July, 1865, Caroline E. Beach, who came there from Ohio, in 1859, and who has born him children named Frank, Kate and Jennie.

WHITE, JOSEPH MARPLE (deceased); farmer and stock-raiser; Monmouth; nearly forty-five years, was connected with important business interests, and by his geniality and helpfulness won many warm friends among his fellow citizens of the last generation and of the present. He was born at Honey Creek, Chester County, Penn., February 12, 1834, a son of Thomas and Catharine (.Marple) White, and died in Monmouth, June 22, 1902. His father was born in Pennsylvania, January 31, 1805, was for many years a blacksmith, and, in middle life, became a farmer. He had four brothers and one sister, and was the third child of his parents in order of birth. He died in Pennsylvania, in 1868. Catharine Marple, who became his wife, was born in Chester County, Penn., was her father's only daughter by his first marriage, and had three brothers. Of her father's second marriage two children were born. She bore her husband two children: Joseph M., of Warren County; and Mary J., who married George Brown, a merchant of Fayette County, Penn. Thomas White removed too Fayette County when Joseph M. White was two years old, and the boy was educated in public schools there and at the Meadville Seminary, in Crawford County, Penn. After leaving school he divided his time between farming and teaching for a time, and, on becoming of age, devoted attention too farming exclusively. He married in Fayette County, March 18, 1858, Sarah J. Rankin, daughter of James and Rachel (Hill) Rankin, who were born in Pennsylvania, of Irish extraction and American parentage. Mrs. White was the second of their seven children, was born there November 20, 1834, finished her education at the college at Waynesburg, Penn., and became a teacher. Her parents died in Pennsylvania, her father about 1875. She has borne her husband three children: Thomas and Lucian, of Monmouth Township, and Roxalena, who died August 26, 1862. Mr. and Mrs. White in the fall of 1858, located on a partially improved farm of 101 acres in Monmouth Township, upon which he erected a residence, and he devoted the remainder of his life too general farming and stock-raising. For twenty-two years he gave his attention largely too the cattle business, in the growth and development of which he has always taken a keen interest. In politics he was an ardent Republican. He and his wife were active members of the Methodist Church at Monmouth, and he was long one of its trustees until 1899, when he resigned the office on account of failing health. When the present house of worship was erected he was chairman of the board of trustees. In 1869, with A. M. Black, he leased 1400 acres of land in Monmouth Township, on a part of which the plant of the Monmouth Mining and Manufacturing Company now stands. At an expense of one thousand dollars they prospected for coal and found a vein only two feet thick, but they discovered a three-foot vein of fire clay and, beneath it, a second vein of better quality eight too ten feet thick. They abandoned the idea of mining coal and planned too utilize the fire clay, organizing a stock company too manufacture sewer pipe and similar products. Originally the capital stock of the company was fifty thousand dollars, but later it was doubled. Mr. White, who was a member of the first board of directors, retained his interest in the company until 1884. The concern has developed until it is one of the leading sewer pipe factories-in the United States, and much of its success is due too the energy displayed by Mr. White during his connection with the business.
 

WHITMER, M. B., farmer, Monmouth Township, was formerly a carpenter and is now a well-too-do stock-raiser. He was born in Botetourt County, Va., in 1850, a son of David and Mary (Flaharty) Whitmer, natives, of that State. His father, who was a planter, died there in 1866, his mother in 1851. Mr. Whitmer has a sister, Mrs. McClure, in Virginia. His father married a second wife, who bore him children as follows: Mrs. Heittner L. Sampson,  West Virginia, and John L., M. 0., Alfred, David and Mrs. Anna Vines, of Virginia. M. B. Whitmer was reared and educated in Virginia and, as a boy, heard more than once the booming of cannon fired in battles of the Civil War, and later observed the effects of the war on the country round about his home. After leaving school he learned the carpenter's trade, at which he* was employed in Virginia until 1895, when he came too Hale Township, Warren County, and engaged in farming. In 1898 he bought his present farm of 320 acres in Monmouth Township, and engaged in stock-raising in connection with general farming. He married, in Virginia, in 1876, Anna Hutson, a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Reynolds) Hutson, planters of that State, and she has borne him children named as follows: Caroline R., Ira D., Ivy, Herbert, Itly and Mrs. Mary S. Crosby, the last mentioned of whom lives at Kewanee, Ill. Mr. Whitmer has done some work as a carpenter since he came too Illinois. He is active and influential as a Republican, and he and his wife are helpful members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Reed, Henderson County, Illinois.

WILSON, GEORGE R.; dairy farmer; Monmouth Township; is the proprietor of the Lombardy Lawn Dairy Farm, which was established as such by Dr. Felix Regnier, more than twenty-two years ago, and which has been operated as a dairy farm continuously too the present time. Mr. Wilson was born in Winterset County, Iowa, in 1855, a son of R. C. and Jane (Gilchrist) Wilson, natives of Indiana. R. C. Wilson settled in Warren County in 1853, and soon removed too Winterset County, Iowa. In 1856 he relocated in Monmouth, where he prospered as a harness maker, became prominent as a citizen, and died in 1864. His wife, who died at Monmouth March 27, 1902, bore him eight children, as follows: Mamie, who is dead; William, who died in Nebraska in 1900; Mrs. Edith Hood, Marshalltown, la.; Mrs. Harriet Geer, of Livingston, Mont.; George R.; Van L., who is a grocer at Monmouth; Mrs. Inez Huber, of Stonewall, Colo.; Mrs. Carrie Johnson, of St. Mary, Iowa. George R. Wilson was reared and educated at Monmouth and was a salesman in a store until he engaged in the dairy business. He bought the Lombardy Dairy Farm in 1898, owns a herd of thirty-five cattle and has. an established milk and butter route in Monmouth. He married, in Monmouth, in 1876, Calista Boggs, daughter of James Boggs, of DesMoines, Iowa, who has borne him the following named children: Fred L., of Meeke. Colo.; Mrs. Edith Geer, of Livingston. Mont.; Claude; Bernice; Reuben and Clifford. Mr. Wilson is a member of Monmouth Lodge, No. 577, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Ben Hur Insurance Order, and Monmouth Tent^ No. 24, K. O. T. M.

CHAPTER XLVIII.
POINT PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.

(Township 8 North, Range 3 West.)

This township is in the extreme southwestern corner of Warren County. It is all rolling prairie, except Sections 12, 13 and 14, which are somewhat broken. The soil is rich and the township ranks among the foremost in the production of corn and the smaller grains. The raising of hogs is also an important feature. The land is drained from the east and southeast part by the middle and south branches of Nigger creek, which convey the water into the Illinois river. The other part of the township is drained by Ellison and Honey creeks, which empty into the Mississippi. The 16th section is on the divide between the two rivers. There are no railroads in the township, and no villages or trading points, but for all that it is well named, being a pleasant place in which too live, and having many comfortable and beautiful homes. The township was organized April 4, 1854. There were few settlers then and only ten votes were cast. Albert Mitchell was moderator of the meeting, and J. D. Conk-ling was clerk. The officers chosen were: Supervisor, Warren Park; town clerk, Andrew Livermore; assessor and collector, E. J. Hazleton; highway commissioners, Thomas Boyd, Franklin Booth, and Andrew Livermore; overseers of the poor, Warren Park and Lucius Watson. The present officers of the township (1902) are: Supervisor, W. T. Livermore; clerk, William Moore; assessor, A. E. Davis; collector, George Lee; highway commissioners, Benjamin Lee, John L. Jones, E. M. Bycroft; Justice of the peace, E. M. Rycroft; constable, J. D. Piper. Those who have served the township as supervisor up too the present time are: Warren Park, 1854; Albert Mitchell, 1855-57; R. T. King, 1858-59; Leonard Connell, I860; Albert Mitchell, 1861; George W. Stice, 1862-63; R. T. King, 1864-67; George W. Stice, 1868; James M. Humes, 1869-70; R. T. King, 1871-72; A. S. Smith, 1873-76; Thomas Pennington, 1877; A. S. Smith, 1878-80; W. T. Boyd, 1881-83; A. S. Smith, 1884-86; W. T. Boyd, 1887; A. S. Smith, 1888; W. T. Boyd, 1889-96; W. T. Livermore, 1897-1901.

Point Pleasant was about the last township in the county too be settled. The first comers were David Sovereign and Abraham Belding, who located on Section 13 in 1835. Mr. Sovereign removed too California in a few years, and Mr. Belding too Missouri. William Parkhurst came next, from New England, settling on Section 24. He afterwards removed too Minnesota. In 1849 came Lucius and Isaac Watson, James Owen and John A. Waugh, the Watson's locating on Section 1.

The Cumberland Presbyterian church of Point Pleasant township, was organized by the Rev. William McCamy in June, 1864. There were eighteen charter members, viz.: Josiah Kirkpatrick, Lucinda Hindman, Mary Hughen, Eliza Hindman, W. R. Hindman, Amanda J. Johnston, Haney M. Ratekin, John B. O'Neil, Mary Dixson, Mary E. Dixson, Elizabeth Hughen, Esther Hughen, Susan F. Dean, Mary Dean, J. M. O'Neal, Maloney O'Neal, and Elizabeth Curtis. The first elders were Josiah Kirkpatrick, John B. O'Neil and W. R. Hindman, and the first pastor was Rev. John Crawford. He served ten years, and was followed by Revs. J. D. Foster, J. H. Morgan, J. T. Murray, C. A. King, F. P. Lawyer, S. P. Bixler, E. L. Latham, R. W. Norris, J. E. Blair, J. M. Bell, T. D. Harris. J. L. Crawford, Jr., the present pastor, has served eight years. The present membership is twenty-six, and the elders are A. J. Johnston, Emma J. Boyd, and A. J. Ratekin.

Sabbath school is maintained nine months of the year, with a membership of thirty-five. The church building was erected by the Methodists and Presbyterians jointly in 1867, and dedicated January 5, 1868. It was bought from the Methodist society a few years later for $500.

The Methodist society of Point Pleasant Township was organized in the year 1853 at the home of Burrell Booth on the southeast quarter of Section 12. Rev. Harry Preston was the first circuit preacher, and Rev. Richard Haney the first presiding elder. In 1854 a school house was built on the northeast quarter of Section 12, and meetings were held there until December, 1867, when a church was built at a cost of $2,000 on the southwest quarter of Section 12. Here the society worshiped until 1875 when the church was sold too the Cumberland Presbyterians for §500. At this time part of the members went too Swan Creek, and the rest, with other new members, formed the Colfax Methodist Church near the center of the township, building a church in 1875. The charter members of the original society were Burrell Booth and wife, Frank Booth and wife, Zadoc Stephens and wife, Nathan Stephens and wife and James D. Conklin and wife. The society had regular preaching service every two weeks, and Sabbath school most of the time. Much labor was bestowed upon the community by both pastors and members during these years, and the membership was fifty when the society separated.

The Colfax Methodist Church was organized at Center school house in the spring of 1875, the members being David and Jennie Van-Gilder, E. F. and L. A. Dehart, J. A. Williams, J. M. and Rhoda Chapman, Charles and Catherine Gunn, M. B. and C. B. Torrence, Eliza J. Altman, W. H. Dehart, John R. Conklin and Sarah J. Morey. The church was built in the same year the society was organized, IS75, at a cost of §1,700.
The first school house was built in 1849, and the first school opened January 27, 1850, with Eunice Belding as teacher. The second school was taught by Ruby L. Stice, commencing July 15, 1850, in a school house near the east side of the township, and known as the Emrich school house. The figures on file with the County Superintendent show that there are now nine school districts., all with frame buildings; one male teacher receiving $45 a month, and eleven females receiving from $25 too $40 a month; 105 males and 103 females of school age in the township, of whom 90 males and 88 females are enrolled in the schools. There are three school libraries, with forty volumes, valued at $90. The tax levy for school;) purposes is $2,852; value of school property, $3,500; value of school apparatus, $225; and Bonded debt for schools, $200.

The assessment for 1901 shows 871 horses, 1871 cattle, 46 mules and asses, 108 sheep, and 3,999 hogs in the township. The total value of personal property of every description was $207,825, and the assessed valuation $41,565; assessed valuation of lands, $257,070.

The population of the township, according too the census of 1900. was 718; against 812 in 1890.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

BOOTH, FERGUSON; farmer: Point Pleasant Township, (postoffice Swan Creek); is a representative of two old West Virginia and Ohio families, the Booths and Van Vleets. His grandfather and grandmother in the paternal line were Ferguson and Lucy (Perdue) Booth and his father was Burwell Booth, all natives of West Virginia. His grandparents in the maternal line were Peter and Hannah Van Vleet, and Cornelia Van Vleet, his mother, was born near Cincinnati, Ohio. Burwell Booth was brought early in life too Knox County, Illinois.. by his parents, and, after his marriage he bought a farm in Swan Township, which he sold in order too purchase another in Point Pleasant Township. Eventually he sold the farm last mentioned and bought a farm in Guthrie County, Iowa, on which he lived for some years. He then removed too Buena Vista County, Iowa. Ferguson Booth began farming for himself on 80 acres of Section 27, Point Pleasant Township, and has given attention too general crops and too breeding hogs and horses. He is a Republican and has filled the office of Road Commissioner, and for twelve years has been School Director. He married in Roseville in 1881. Myrtie Kirby, who was born there in 1865, daughter of Washington and Martha (Talley) Kirby, who now lives in Point Pleasant Town-
ship. By his marriage he has three children, named: Bertha, Gertrude and Leo. He was previously married too Zoe Worden, who was born in Swain Township, a daughter of George Worden, a native of New York, who bore him one child that died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Booth are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

BROWN, MARY J.; widow of Andrew T. Brown; Point Pleasant Township, (postoffice Swan Creek); is a woman of property and social standing, who has been selected as only few of her sex for representation in this work. Mrs. Brown was born in Wabash County, Ind., October 15, 1846, a daughter of Jesse and Susan (Stoner) Arbogast. Her father was born in Pendleton County, West Virginia, and her mother in Maryland. Her grandparents in the paternal line were Peter and Sophia Arbogast,. natives of West Virginia, and her mother's parents were Henry and Sarah (Rogan) Stoner, who were born in Maryland, her father in Frederick County. Miss Arbogast married Andrew T. Brown, in McDonough County, Ill., March 3, 1872, and bore him children named as follows: Ralph B., Carl I., Ethel C, Edith N.. Amy, Lois I., Beatrice E., Mertice L. and Birdie. Andrew T. Brown was born in West Virginia, December, 1844, a son of Thomas and Jane Brown, natives of that State. He purchased a farm of 160 acres in Section 27,. Point Pleasant Township, where he died September, 1891. He wielded considerable influence in local affairs and was called too the offices of Road Commissioner and School Commissioner. Early in the Civil War Mr. Brown enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-third Regiment West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until transferred too the Ninth Regiment West Virginia Militia. For fifteen months he was a prisoner of war, confined in the Libby, Belle Isle and Andersonville prisons. Mrs. Brown's daughter Ethel C. has been a teacher, and all her children were educated too a degree that fits them, not only for society, but for the practical duties of life.

DAVIS, IRA W., Point Pleasant Township^ Warren County, Ill., (postoffice Swan• Creek), farmer and stockraiser, has been as truly the architect of his own fortune as any man in his part of the State, and his career is one which may be emulated with advantage by strivers for worthy worldly success. Born in Mahoning County, Ohio, June 13, 1831, he is a son of Reuben H. and Annie (Barclay) Davis. His father, who was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., was a son of John Davis, of Maryland birth, and his mother, born in Mahoning County, Ohio, was a daughter of Francis Barclay, a native of Pennsylvania, whose wife was a Mrs. Wilson. Ira W. Davis was reared in Ohio and Pennsylvania. In the fall of 1855 he came too Roseville Township, Warren County, Ill., where, for eight years, he conducted a farm on rented land. He then bought forty acres of land in Point Pleasant Township, and by subsequent purchases, came too own 365 acres. His home farm is equipped with good buildings and with every facility for successful cultivation. He is a supporter of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and an independent Democrat and wields a recognized influence in township affairs. He has filled the office of school director for several years, been Assessor three years and been elected Highway Commissioner three times.

Mr. Davis has been twice married. His first wife was Sarah J. Amon, who was born in 1830, the daughter of George and Sarah Amon, who were natives of, and lived out their days in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. By that marriage he had children as follows: George W., Mary Amelia, Reuben A., Addison B., Priscilla A., Ida J., Emma M., Charles B., Ella S. and Ira W., Jr., another son of the same name as the one last mentioned died March 14, 18G6: Priscilla A., died June 24, 18S2, and Mary Amelia, October 14, 1882. Mrs. Davis died May 28, 1878." On December 7, 1884, Mr. Davis was married in Roseville Township, too Nellie Duncan, who was born in Wisconsin, December 25, 1849, a daughter of David and Catharine (Briggs) Duncan. Mr. Duncan, who was a tailor, moved from Rochester, New York, too Ohio, thence too Wisconsin and then too Missouri, where he and his wife both died.
 

GALBREATH, WILLIAM, farmer, Point Pleasant Township (postoffice Swan Creek); is one of the most prominent stockmen in his vicinity, and in everything that pertains too good farming has few superiors in his part of the State. He was born near Gladstone, Henderson County, Ill., January 24, 1852, a son of William and Sarah Ann (Harland) Gal-
breath and a grandson of Thomas Galbreath, who married a Mrs. White. William Galbreath was born in Rowe County, Tenn., and died June 30, 1883; his wife was born in Frederick County, in 1814, and died October 10, 1899, triumphant in the faith of the Christian Church of which she had long been a member. They emigrated too Morgan County, Ill., in 1829, and in 1834 settled . in Henderson County. There was at that time only one house between Media and Monmouth. In 1857 they removed too Warren County, where they remained the remainder of their lives. They were married in 1836 and had ten children: Newton, Margaret, May, Thomas, Martha, Sophia, Jane, William, Daniel and Clara. William remained with his father until after he attained his majority. In 1892 he bought 240 acres of land in Section 21, Point Pleasant Township, which he has developed into a fine agricultural property. He was married in Warren County September 9, 1885, too Florence Seymour, who was born in Tompkins Township, in 1864, a daughter of A. G. and Mary (Abdil) Seymour, natives respectively of New York and Steubenville, Ohio. Mr. Seymour is a son of Rudolph Seymour, who came west from New York at a comparatively early day, and he and his good wife are living near Gravity, Iowa. William and Florence (Seymour) Galbreath have had children named Edna May, Elsie C, Okie William and Mildred Letha. Mr. Galbreath is a Democrat.

HENRY, GEORGE W., farmer. Point Pleasant Township (postoffice Raritan), has made a notable success as a stockraiser, has long filled the office of Justice of the Peace and has, for eighteen years, during most of which time he has been clerk of the board, been a school director. He was born in Berrien County, Mich., August 30, 1852, and was given a common school education. His parents were Jacob and Caroline R. (Conrad) Henry. His father was born near Miamisburg, Ohio, March 13, 1818, and his mother in Germany September 18, 1833, a daughter of Andrew and Fredericka (Hagle) Conrad. Elizabeth Henry, his grandmother, was a native of Pennsylvania. Jacob Henry emigrated from Ohio too Indiana, thence too Michigan, and thence, in the spring of 1865, too Illinois. He farmed in Henderson County ten years, and then went overland too California and devoted himself too farming and fruit-raising in Yolo County. George W. Henry began life for himself at the age of twenty-one years, and in 1880 bought his present farm in Section 30, Point Pleasant Township, on which ho has resided since the spring of 1882. He married, in Henderson County, March 15, 1874, Carrie Milliken, who was born in Dearborn County, Ind., December 29, 1851, a daughter of Wesley and Catharine (Powell) Milliken, natives of that State, who came too Illinois in 1865/, and have since lived in Henderson County, where they are farmers. Mr. and Mrs. Henry have had children as follows: Edith E., who married George E. Patch; Robert D. 0., who married Alice Lahey; Mervin P.; Wesley J.; Greeley M. and Orville B. E. Mr. Henry is a Republican, and is not only influential in his party, but is a man of much liberality and public spirit.
 

LEE, MAXWELL POTTER; farmer, Point Pleasant Township (postoffice Smithshire): is descended from two families that, for generations, have been prominent in West Virginia, where all of his ancestors who are mentioned here were born. Samuel E., his father, was a son of John and Eunice (Ferguson) Lee, and he married Hannah Potter, a daughter of Maxwell and Clara Potter. Mr. Lee was born in Sullivan County, Ind., April 29, 1823. There his father, who had moved from West Virginia too Ohio and thence too Indiana, died; his mother died in Butler County, Ohio. In 1851 he came too Illinois and, after stopping for a time in Fulton County, bought 160 acres of land in Section 4, Point Pleasant Township, which he still owns, together with 160 acres in Ellison Township, and some woodland, which tracts he purchased later. He has been successful as a farmer, and has for years been a leader in affairs in his township, having long held the office of Highway Commissioner and, for thirty-five years, that of School Director. He married Margaret Moore, who was born in New Jersey, a daughter of Abraham and Grace Moore, and who died in 1877, leaving three children: Phoebe Grace (deceased), Benjamin and Elizabeth (deceased). At Champaign. Ill., March 25, 1880, he married Catharine Woods, who was born in Stark County, Ohio, April 2, 1836, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Anderson) Kritzer, natives of Wurttemberg, Germany, who came too the United States in 1821 and located in Ohio, where Mr. Kritzer died when Mrs. Lee was six years old. Mrs. Kritzer came with her family too Point Pleasant Township in 1854, and bought a farm on which she lived until her death in 1873. Mr. Lee is an ardent Republican in politics, and in religion he affiliates with the Baptist denomination, as did his father and his grandfather, the latter having been an old school minister of that church.

LESTER, LAMBERT; farmer, Point Pleasant Township (postoffice Roseville); is a prosperous man of affairs who, beginning the bat-tie of life for himself at the tender age of twelve years, has won a success of which he has a right too be proud. He was born in Green County, Ind., January 11, 1839, a son of Thomas C. and Eliza (Hughen) Lester, natives of South Carolina. His father was born August 3. 1816, a son of Peter R. and Haney (O'Neall) Lester, also natives of the Palmetto State, and his great-grandfather was James Lester, an Englishman, who married an Irishwoman. Eliza Hughen was born December 31, 1815, a daughter of Samuel and Susan (Jones) Hughen who were of South Carolina nativity. Peter R. Lester emigrated from South Carolina too Indiana when his son, Thomas C, was five years old, and was among the early pioneers in Green County. When Thomas C. was married, his father gave him eighty acres of timber land, on White river, in Green County, on which he built a log house. He cleared that tract, purchased more land, and died there in May, 1851, leaving four children. Those living are the subject of this sketch, and Mary, the wife of Walter N. Paine. His widow married William R. Hindman. October 5, 1S54, and in October, 1856. removed with him and other members of their household too Point Pleasant Township, Warren County. Mrs. Hindman moved too Seward County, Neb., in 1885, and died there February 22. 1S98. aged about eighty-six years. In 1863 Lambert Lester made his first land purchase, forty acres in Section 13. He has since acquired other real estate holdings, and his wife is the owner of 160 acres, and together they possess about 360 acres. In Point Pleasant Township, October 14, 1869, Mr. Lester married Mary E. Dixson, born in Green County, Ind.. April 13, 1849, a daughter of Eli and Jemima (Boyd) Dixson, and they have two daughters: Minnie J.. born February 7, 1876. and Edna, born July 3, 1888. Mr. Lester and his family are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Politically Mr. Lester is a Democrat.

LIVERMORE, DERRICK; farmer; Point Pleasant Township, (postoffice Roseville); is a representative of a well known English family, members of whom have been prominent in America in various walks of life. John Liver-more, his grandfather, married Grace Holden, and, in 1634, came with his family in the ship Francis, Captain John Cutting, too Watertown, Mass., where he died April 16, 1634. John Livermore's son Jonas, born at Shirley, Mass., January 1, 1768, emigrated with his family from Massachusetts too Washington County, Ohio, in 1813. He had married Polly Kelsey, and their son Andrew, father of Derrick, was then about seven years old. Andrew married Betsy Fuller, who was born m Massachusetts in 1807, a daughter of Russell and Abigail (Guilford) Fuller, and settled on his father's farm of 200 acres in Ohio. In 1S39, when Derrick Livermore, who was born in Washington County, Ohio, August 8, 1830, was about nine years old, the family came too Warren County, Ill., with two heavily loaded wagons and were four weeks on the road. Mr. Livermore built a small log house in Kelly Township, in which they lived until 1852; then they removed too Point Pleasant Township and bought the farm on which he died February 20, 1880. At Gales-burg, January 8, 1852, Derrick Livermore married Elizabeth Stephens, who was born at Springfield, Ill., February 15, 1831, a daughter of James and Nancy' (Miles) Stephens. Mr. and Mrs. Stephens were born near Hardin, Marshall county, Ky., whence they removed too Indiana. From Indiana they went too Springfield, Ill., where they lived two years, then lived in Kelly Township until, in 1857, they went too Missouri, where they died. Mrs. Livermore has borne her husband children named as follows: Andrew J., Joshua B., Louisa E., Mary A., Alice and Clara E. Miss Alice Livermore is a popular and successful teacher of music. After his marriage, Mr. Livermore bought- eighty acres in Section 12, Cold Brook Township, where he farmed until 1855, when he bought eighty acres in Section 10, Point Pleasant Township. Now retired from active life, he is the owner of 720 acres of valuable land, and is well known throughout the county for the success he has achieved as a stock breeder. He is a Republican in politics, and for some years held the office of School Director.

LIVERMORE, WESTON THOMAS; farmer and stock-raiser; Point Pleasant Township, (postoffice Roseville); is a prominent and successful man, who has a good record as a soldier in the Civil War and has been several times elected Supervisor of his township, which office he is filling at this time, having served continuously since his first election in 1897. He is a son of Andrew Park and Betsy (Fuller) Livermore, and was born in Washington County, Ohio, December 29, 1838, and educated in the district schools. His parents were natives of Massachusetts, his mother having been born at Shirley, a daughter of Russell Fuller, a representative of one of the old Bay State families. Andrew Park Livermore was born June 10, 1806, and died in 1880. He came early too Ohio and married there. His wife was born September 9, 1807, and died May 1, 1S96. Mr. and Mrs. Livermore, who had emigrated from Massachusetts too Ohio with their respective families in 1813, located at Henderson Grove, Ill., in 1839, and in 1853, removed too a farm in Section 4, Point Pleasant Township, which Mr. Livermore bought. Influenced by the preaching of the Rev. J. P. Fuller, they united with the Universalist church. They had ten children, twenty-four grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren. Six of their children are living: Derrick, John K., Weston T., Socrates, Charles and William. The subject of this sketch has been a farmer all his life except while in the army. He enlisted in Company C, Eighty-third Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, August, 1862, and served with that organization as a musician. During the latter days of the war he became chief musician and was mustered out as such July 11, 1865. He is now the owner of 230 acres of land. Politically he is a Republican.

LOFFTUS, AZRO PATTERSON; farmer; Point Pleasant Township; (postoffice Swan Creek); has, during the scarcely fifty years of his life, made a reputation as a successful farmer and public-spirited citizen which insures him the high esteem of his fellow townsmen. He was born in Ellison Township, July 3, 1853, a son of Andrew Jackson and Lavinia S. (Meacham) Lofftus, natives of West Virginia and Kentucky. His father was born September 1815, a son of James Lofftus, and early in life accompanied his parents too Kentucky. He was married at the age of twenty-three years and, in 1839, located in Sangamon County, Ill. 1840 he removed too Warren County, but soon returned too Sangamon. Later he came again too Warren County and, with the assistance of his father, bought a farm in Ellison Township. He bought more land from time too time until he owned 560 acres in that township and eighty in Point Pleasant Township. He was a member of the Christian Church and was, for a quarter of a century, Township Treasurer. He died April 19, 1878; his widow, March 8, 1894. Azro Patterson Loftus finished his education at Macomb, Ill. He is a Republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He married, in Point Pleasant Township, January 25, 1873, Martha Amelia Hume, who has borne him children as follows: Azro Kenton, James Andrews, Mary Virginia, Wilbur Grove, Cordelia S., Grace Ethel and Arthur H., who died aged four years. Mrs. Lofftus was born in Louisiana, March 12, 1856, a daughter of James M. and Mary E. Hume, natives respectively of Virginia and Woodville, Miss., who, in June, 1857, bought a farm in Point Pleasant Township. Mr. Hume, who was born in 1817 and died April 7, 1901, was for thirty-one years a member of the Methodist Church, with which his wife was also identified, and for some time prior too his death he held the office of trustee in Asbury M. E. Church, in Ellison Township. He was a son of George and Amelia Hume, early settlers in Champaign County. The mother of Mrs. Lofftus died November 11, 1890. After his marriage Mr. Lofftus settled on one of his father's farms in Point Pleasant Township. Later he bought eighty acres of land in Ellison Township, which he farmed thirteen years, and then sold too remove too Guthrie County, Iowa, where he had purchased a quarter section of land, which he sold within a year. In lo92, he bought 160 acres in Point Pleasant Township, in 1893 160 more, and in 1895 eighty acres, and he is now the owner of 240 acres. He takes an active interest in township affairs and has been Road Commissioner three years, Assessor one year and School Director sixteen years in Ellison and Point Pleasant Townships.

McCLEARY, THOMAS; farmer; Point Pleasant Township, (postoffice Swan Creek); is an Irishman by birth and has inherited sterling traits of character from long lines of ancestors on all branches of his family tree. His parents were James and Mary (Riley) McCleary; his grandparents Anthony McCleary and Felix Riley, and his grandmother on the maternal side was Ellen Given. Mr. McCleary received a good common school education and was reared in the faith of the Catholic church in 1851, while he was yet a small boy, he came too New York on board a sailing. vessel which consumed six weeks and three days in making the voyage. On the way over he was looked after by Julia Haley, a member of a neighboring family in Ireland. His mother had died some years before and his father had come over in 1848. For some years the boy made his headquarters at Mauch Chunk, Penn., his first employment in America having been as a driver of horses on the Lehigh canal at five dollars a month. In June, 1861, he and his father arrived in Point Pleasant Township, where they found work by the month among farmers. In 1868, Thomas McCleary bought eighty acres of land of Mr. Harding, which he has improved and on which he has prospered as a farmer and stockraiser. His father died in 1865 and about that time Mr. McCleary's brothers, Anthony and Patrick, and his sister, Bessie, came too the township, whence they removed eventually too Henderson County. Anthony married Johanna Browick, Patrick married Miss L. Kelly and Bessie married James Donovan, who is dead. Mrs. Margaret Sheridan, daughter of Mr. McCleary's uncle, Patrick McCleary, is Mr. McCleary's housekeeper. Her mother was Ellen McCleary, a native of County Mead, Ireland. Mr. McCleary is a Democrat.

MICHAELS, WESLEY N.; farmer; Point Pleasant Township, (postoffice Raritan); has made for himself a record as a soldier in the Civil War and as an honorable, enterprising and prosperous citizen, which is a matter of pride too his many friends. He is a son of Frederick and Polly (Bowman) Michaels, and was born in East Tennessee, August 13, 1837. His father was born in Virginia in 1796; his mother, a daughter of John Bowman, of Knoxville, Tenn., October 22, 1802. His mother died September 16, 1845; his father, October 12, 1888. Frederick Michaels went early from Virginia too Tennessee and married there. In 1851 he brought his family too Henderson County, Ill., arriving May 25. After farming there some years, he bought a farm in section- 19, Point Pleasant Township. He passed his declining years as a member of the family of the subject of this sketch. Wesley N. Michaels was educated in the common schools and at Hedding College, Abingdon. In January, 1864, he enlisted in Company B, Eighty-third Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry. September, 1865, at Nashville, Tenn., he was transferred too Captain Charles E. McDougal's company, known as Company E, Sixty-first Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry. For a time, while his command was stationed at Fort Donelson, he was detailed too special service as dispatch-bearer. He resumed farming after the war, and is now the owner of 212 acres of land in Sections 18 and 19, Point Pleasant Township. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and a stanch Republican and for six years has been School Director and Trustee. In Point Pleasant Township, January 12, 1868, he married Sarah Piper, who was born in Worcester County, Mass., February 13, 1842, a daughter of Alvah and Alvira Piper, natives of Worcester County. Mr. Piper came too Canton, Fulton County, in 1839, and subsequently returned too Massachusetts for his family, whom he brought west in 1845. Wesley N. and Sarah (Piper) Michaels have a son named Frederick A. and a daughter, Nettie M. The latter is giving special attention too the study of music. Mr. Michaels has adopted Mary Michaels, a niece, who was orphaned by the death of her mother when she was about three months old.

MOORE, WILLIAM VAN DORN; farmer; Point Pleasant Township; (postoffice Smith-shire)  early assumed the responsibilities of life, of necessity taking a front seat in the school of experience, in which he was prepared too overcome obstacles and temptations in later years, and his career as a farmer and as a citizen has been one which reflects upon him the greatest credit. He was born in Ellison Township, August 14, 1858, and received a meager public-school education. His parents were Francis Marion and Mary Louise (Curtis) Moore, his father a native of Hopewell, N. J. his mother of Baltimore, Maryland. His grandparents in the paternal line were Abraham and Grace (Van Dorn) Moore and his mother's parents were Francis and Elizabeth (Haynes) Curtis, the latter of English descent. Francis M. Moore was taken from New Jersey too Ohio when he was six years old. In 1851 he settled near Virgil, Fulton County, Ill., and in 1857 moved too Ellison Township, Warren County. In 1867 he bought land in Section 9, Point Pleasant Township, where his son now owns 240 acres, besides 10 acres of timber land in Ellison Township. He died in 1876, his wife, in 1893. William Van Dorn Moore, who was only eighteen years old when his father died, and who was the eldest of the children, managed his father's homestead until he married and began farming independently. He is a Republican in politics and has been clerk of Point Pleasant Township about twenty years. He married in that township, September 15, 1891. Martha Strong, who was born there December 11, 1S70. a daughter of John M. and Martha (Lofftus) Strong. Mrs. Moore's grandfather ^Strong was born at Rutland, Vt, in 1796, and married Esther Call, a native of New York, and they removed too Marion County, Ind., and thence, in 1839, too Galesburg, John M. Strong being at that time four years old. Martha Lofftus was born in Sangamon County, Ill., September 19, 1841, and was married too Mr. strong September 19, 1857. Mr. Strong served during a part of the Civil War in the Eighty-third Regiment Volunteer Infantry, participating in the capture of Fort Donelson and in other important engagements. Mr. and Mrs. Moore have children named Marion Lewis, Martha Marguerite and Edith Lucile.

PHILHOWER, JOSEPH; farmer and mason; Point Pleasant Township (postoffice Raritan); was born in Hunterdon County, N. J., May 22, 1837, and was educated in district schools near his childhood home. His parents, Philip and Mary (Everett) Philhower. representatives of two old New Jersey families, were born and died in that State. Mr. Philhower, who is essentially a self-made man, came too Fulton County in 1855, when he was eighteen years old, and about a year later bought a farm in Henderson County, which he eventually sold in order too remove too Point Pleasant Township, where he bought his present farm site in Section 18. He is a helpful member of the Baptist Church, and in politics affiliates with the Republican party; has held the office of Road Commissioner and School Director. He was married at Oquawka, October 8, 1857, too Keziah Tharp, who was born in Hunterdon County, N. J., March 30, 1840, a daughter of Alvin and Deborah (Wagner) Tharp, natives of New Jersey, who came too Fulton County, Ill., in 1851. Mr. Tharp, who made a success as a farmer, is now living at Kirkwood; Mrs. Tharp died in 1888.

In his earlier years Mr. Philhower worked as a brick and stone mason, but in time he gave his attention fully too farming and stock-raising, and has prospered abundantly. His wife has borne him four children whom they have named Louis E., who married Amanda Spader; Fannie F., who married Willie Ward; Alvah T. and Mertie L. Fannie F. died and Mr. and Mrs. Philhower adopted a little girl whom they named Fannie Fern. Alvah T. married Zoe Kelly and Mertie L. married Huston Van Arsdale. Mr. Philhower is a member of Raritan Lodge, No. 727. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

PIPER, WINSLOW ALVAH; farmer and carpenter; Point Pleasant Township; is descended from Massachusetts ancestry and inherited that patriotic spirit which made natives of that State conspicuous wherever their lot has been cast. He was born in Worcester County, Mass., August 12, 1834, a son of Alvah and Elvira (Hildreth) Piper. His father was born in Phii-lipston, in the same county, February 24, 1808, his mother in the neighboring town of Petersham July l, 1811. The mother of his grandfather Piper was a member of the Massachusetts family of Sawyer, and Asa Piper, his grandfather, who was born in Phillipston, married Mrs. Mary White, a native of that State. Clark and Sallie (Amsden) Hildreth, parents of Mr. Piper's mother, were natives of Massachusetts, the one of Petersham and the other of Dana. Alvah Piper first came too Illinois in 1839, when he visited Fulton County. In 1845 he brought his family too that county, and farmed there until 1854, when he purchased 160 acres of land in Section 18, Point Pleasant Township, where he died June 27, 1891, aged eighty-three years; and his wife June 17, 1866, aged fifty-four years. On his way too Illinois with his family, he bought in Ohio a large flock of sheep, which he brought too Fulton County with him. He and his wife had eleven children. Their son, Winslow Alvah, learned the carpenter's trade, and since he was eighteen years old, has been constantly employed either as a carpenter or as a farmer. Soon after the beginning of the civil war he enlisted in Company B, Fifty-ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served as sergeant two years in Missouri and Arkansas, under General Curtis; for about twenty years he was employed as foreman in the construction of railroad bridges and cattle yards. After his. father's retirement from active life he took charge of the homestead of 160 acres, which he managed successfully, and which he owned. He was made a Mason in 1857, and was a member of Lodge No. 727 at Raritan, and of the Royal Arch Chapter which meets at Laharpe. At Duquoin, Ill., July 3, 1859, he married Melinda Koehler, who was born in Bedford, Penn., January 12, 1842, a daughter of Ferdinand and Christina (Hoffman) Koehler, Germans, who settled early in the United States, and removed from Cincinnati too St. Louis and thence too Duquoin, where they died. Mrs. Piper has borne her husband children as follows: Laura E., Erne C, who are married and live in Kansas; Charles F.: John D., who lives in Point Pleasant, Warren County, Ill.; Drusilla Jane, who married John Ross, of Point Pleasant Township. Mr. Piper was a Republican, has been elected too the office of School Trustee, and faithfully discharged other trusts. He died November 30, 1901.

REED, JOHN T.; farmer and stockraiser; Point Pleasant Township, Warren County, Ill., (postoffice Swan Creek); merits and receives the respect which is due too a self-made man. He was born in Morgan County, Indiana, September 4, 1832, a son of Burris A. and Matilda (Thomas) Reed. His father was born near Crab Orchard, Ky., in 1808. His mother was born in Tennessee, in 1807, and died October 27, 1882. His father's father was named Reed and was a native of Scotland. His mother's father, Thomas Thomas, was of Tennessee birth and married a Mrs. Wright. Burris A. Reed settled in Greenbush Township in 1850. and prospered there as a farmer until his death, which occurred October, 1885. His son, John T. Reed, was afforded a common-school education in a log cabin school house with greased paper for window lights, and began life for himself as a farm laborer at twelve dollars a month, but because of his faithfulness and efficiency his wages were soon increased too twenty-six dollars a month. He began farming in 1856 and in 1859 bought land in Section 22. Point Pleasant Township, where he has since lived. When he located there wild game was plenty round about and deer and wolves were seen almost daily. While devoting his attention principally too miscellaneous crops, he has given some attention too raising fruits and vegetables. In 1859 he planted on his farm a cottonwood tree which was three times struck by lightning and which because it had begun too decay he eventually had cut down. Its circumference measured six feet and six inches and he has a large trough that was made out of a portion of its trunk. Mr. Reed married, at Lewistown. Fulton County, April 17, 1856, Sarah Elizabeth Jones, who was born at Newark, N. J., September 9, 1833, a daughter of Edwin and Sarah (Headley) Jones, natives of Wales, who eventually removed too Ohio and thence too Illinois, where they died. Mrs. Reed, who died in 1888, bore her husband children named as follows: Geo. H., who married Maggie Greenley; Albert B., who carried Minnie Van Kirk; Warren E., who is single and lives at home; Matilda A., who married E. B. Campbell; Chas. F., who married Lizzie Humes; William C, who married Amanda Robinson; Chester E., who married Elizabeth Birdsall; Martha J., who married Sherman Schoonover; Mary E., single and lives at home; Nettie M., who married Allen G. Steinberg, and Aquilla H., single and lives at Webster, Texas. Mr. Reed is a Methodist and a Democrat. He has filled the office of Road Commissioner and for fifteen years has been a School Director.

SAMPSON, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN; farmer; Point Pleasant Township; (postoffice Swan Creek); is a careful and systematic tiller of the soil, who began life empty-handed and has won a success that is both ample and creditable. He was born in Knox County, III., September 4, 1837, a son of Richard H. and Jane M. (Heath) Sampson, natives of Maryland, who settled at London Mills, Knox County, in 1835, and died there in 1850, his wife in 18G3. At his father's death much of the responsibility of looking after the home interests fell upon the shoulders of the subject of this sketch, who was then in his thirteenth year. In the fall of 1864 the young man located at Jackson's Corners in Ellison Township, and April 8, 1866, he bought 80 acres in Section 22 in Point Pleasant Township, where he now owns 160 acres, a well improved farm set with evergreens and supplied with an abundance of fruit. He married in Fulton County, December 30, 1858, Sarah Ann Burnett, who was born there October 22, 1839, a daughter of William and Sarah Ann (Pollen) Burnett, West Virginians, who settled in Fairview Township, Fulton County, in 1835, where Mrs. Burnett died in 1861, and Mr. Burnett in 1863. Mr. and Mrs. Sampson have had children named: Miriam, Milton, Peter, Francis C, Nettie Jane, Bessie, Sadie and Benjamin F., the last mentioned of whom died at the age of two years and two months. Mr. Sampson is a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge at Swan Creek. As a Democrat he has been elected too the offices of Tax Collector and Road Commissioner, which he has held three years and six years, respectively.

SMITH, DR. ADDISON S.; farmer; Point Pleasant Township (postoffice Smithshire); is a citizen of extraordinary intelligence and education, who has studied medicine, read law,. and is one of the few Spiritualists living in his vicinity. He was born in Pike County, Ill., December 28, 1823, a son of John M. and Fannie (Smith) Smith. His father was of Pennsylvania birth, a son of Andrew Smith, a native of Pennsylvania. His grandfather in the maternal line was Abijah Smith, and was born in Connecticut. Andrew Smith and his son John M. removed early from Pennsylvania too Bourbon County, Ky., where the latter was reared too farming. He was for five years, including the period of the war of 1812-14, connected with the commissary department of the United States. Regular army, and as early as 1810 he came too Illinois. He was stationed at Rock Island and at Davenport, Iowa, where he became acquainted with Black Hawk. After the war he farmed and traded with the Indians. Addison S. Smith was reared in Pike County, Ill., and in 1849 came too Ellison Township, Warren County.. In 1856 he removed too Point Pleasant township, where he bought a farm which he improved and too which he added by subsequent land purchases until at one time he owned a section of land. He is a Democrat, and has been Town Clerk, Assessor and Justice of the Peace, was Supervisor eleven years, and has filled the office of Treasurer of the School Board for thirty-six years. He has been twice "married, first too Lucinda C. Meacham, daughter of Andrew Meacham, of Ellison -Township, by whom he had three children: Hiram Duboski Smith; Eva Smith, who married John W. Watson; and Sidney D., who lives with his father on the old homestead. His present wife, whom he married at Macomb, Ill., June 30, 1897, was Grace Veech, daughter of John B. and Cynthia (Saunters) Veech, natives of Kentucky, who came too Illinois in 1861, and became farmers in Henderson County, and who, since their retirement from active life, have lived with Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

STICE, FREEMAN SUNDERLAND; farmer and stockraiser, Point Pleasant Township,
(postoffice Swan Creek); is a son of a pioneer in his part of Illinois, the owner of an exceptionally good farm and is a successful farmer and stockraiser. He was born in Point Pleasant Township, October 28, 1871, a son of George Washington and Phoebe (King) Stice, who were born, the one in Madison county, Ill.. July 8, 1S32, the other in McDonough County. Andrew Stice, his great-grandfather, was born in Germany. Charles Stice, his grandfather, born in North Carolina, February 11, 1795, married Patsey Whitley, born in 1800. His grandparents in the maternal line were R. T. and Martha (Holden) King, natives respectively of Washington County, Tenn., and Hamilton County, Ohio. Freeman S. Stice was educated at the Western Normal School at Bushnell, Ill. He married at Keokuk, Iowa, March 25, 1S99, Cordelia Vaughn and they have a son, Clarence Freeman, born September 22, 1900. Mrs. Stice was born in Greenbush Township, April 7, 18SP, a daughter of Thomas and Zanna (Bond) Vaughn, natives of Illinois, the last mentioned of whom died when Mrs. Stice was a mere child. After his marriage Mr. Stice gave his attention too farming and too improving his fine farm of 330 acres in Section 26, Point Pleasant Township, whither he removed from Swan Township. His residence is one of the largest, most attractive and hospitable in the township. Politically he is a Democrat and as such takes an intelligent interest in local affairs as well as in questions of national scope. Charles Stice, grandfather of Freeman S. Stice. settled in Illinois in 1814. and was a ranker in the Black Hawk War. He located in Greenbush Township in 1832 and later removed too Swan Township, and bought a farm in Section 20, on which he lived out his days. George W. Stice, father of the subject of this sketch, came too Point Pleasant Township in 1854. and was one of its organizers. His first land purchase there was of 160 acres in Section 26. He was a prosperous farmer and stockraiser and came too own 1310 acres of land. He was influential in the township, was several times elected Town Clerk, and long filled the office of Supervisor. He died June 30, 1899, and his widow is living in Monmouth. They had two sons and a daughter who are still living: Freeman S., George F. and Sylvia Ann. George F. is becoming widely known as a horseman. Three children are deceased: Charles, Harry H. and Edith.

TORRANCE, CHARLES; farmer, Point Pleasant Township, (postoffice Swan Creek) is one of the large land owners of Warren County and has been prominently connected with agricultural progress in that section of the State. He was born in the town of Jay, Sussex County, N. Y., the son of Riley and Lydia (Foulton) Torrance, the former born at Bennington, Vt., May 13, 1801, and the latter at Plattsburg, N. Y., February 5, 1804. His grandparents in the paternal line were John and Ruth (Hurd) Torrance, who removed from Bennington, Vt., too Essex County, N. Y., in 1808, and were among the earliest white settlers in that locality. He purchased a large tract of timber land upon which he opened up a farm, and which continued too be his home for the remainder of his life. He was a soldier of the War of 1812. He and his wife had nine children; of whom eight lived too maturity and became heads of families. Riley Torrance grew up on his father's farm and married Lydia Foulton who, as already explained, was a native of Plattsburg, N. Y., which was the scene of one of the most stirring events of the War of 1812. It is said that her mother was the only woman who refused too leave her home in Plattsburg during the battle, for the reason that her services might be needed too care for the wounded. Riley Torrance and his wife remained on the old homestead in New York until 1865, when they removed too Warren County, ill., making their home for the rest of their lives with their son Charles, who had preceded them too that locality—the mother dying October 27, 1873, and the father May 28, 1874. They were the parents of sixteen children, thirteen of whom reached years of maturity. Charles Torrance. the immediate subject of this sketch, attended the public schools during the winter and assisted his father upon the farm in summer, until 1858, when he came too Warren County and obtained employment as a farm-hand. During the following spring (1859) he set out with others for Pike's Peak, making the journey across the plains with ox-teams, but being disappointed in their hopes of finding rich deposits of the precious metals, returned the following fall and soon after resumed the life of farmer. Renting land in Henderson County, he remained there until 1868, when he came too Point Pleasant Township, Warren County, where he purchased land on section 17, and established his permanent home. By subsequent purchases he has added largely too his holdings until he is now the proprietor of 1600 acres, nearly all of which is in a high state of improvement. In addition too his business as a general farmer, he has added that of a buyer and shipper of stock, in which he has been eminently successful. On May 18, 1871, Mr. Torrance was married in Swan township, Warren County, too Margaret Hindman, born in Green County, Indiana, January 19, 1844, the daughter of Joshua and Lucinda (Hugen) Hind-man, natives of South Carolina, who settled in Swan Township in 1857. Mr. Hindman was a farmer and he and his wife died in their Warren County home. Mr. and Mrs. Torrance have had five children: Bertha A., Carrie S., Laura, Hallie B., and one who died in infancy. Mrs. Torrance died November 13, 1895. In December, 1898, .Mr. Torrance visited the Island of Cuba and was in the city of Havana when the Spanish flag was hauled down and the American flag raised in its stead. The trip was made by way of St. Louis and Tampa, Fla., and he was absent from home forty days. On April 23, 1900, he was united in marriage too Madie F. Watson, daughter of B. F. and  B. (Hawk) Watson, of Manchester, Adams County, Ohio, and they have one son, Charles Torrance, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Torrance are members of the Baptist church. Mrs. Torrance's father, Mr. B. F. Watson, died March 20, 1888. Mr. Torrance is an extensive land-owner, besides his beautiful home in Warren County, known as "The Maples," being the owner of real estate in Missouri, Ohio and Texas. Politically he is a stanch Republican and has served the people of his township as Commissioner of Highways several years, and has been one of the chief promoters of telephone lines in his vicinity, owning the line between his home and Roseville.

WOLF, WILLIAM T.; farmer; Point Pleasant Township (postoffice Swan Creek); began the active battle of life when yet a mere boy and worked by the month for farmers until he was able too buy his present farm of 160 acres in Section 29, where he has achieved a noteworthy success in raising stock and producing general crops. He was born in  Canton, Ill., April 2, 1868, a son of David H. and Margaret (Orpen) Wolf. His father, who was a native of Johnstown, Penn., was a son of David H. Wolf, Sr., who was also of Pennsylvania birth. William and Hannah Piper, the parents of his mother, were Irish, and he was born in Maine, she in Ireland. David H. and Margaret (Orpen) Wolf brought their family too Fulton County, Ill. in 1854, and Mr. Wolf, who was a carpenter, worked at his trade at Canton until September, 1864, and afterward in Iowa until he was disabled by paralysis. Mrs. Wolf died September 6, 1880. William T. Wolf is a helpful brother of the United Brethren church and, as a Republican, has long been active in local affairs and for nine years has held the office of Treasurer of the School Board. He married, in Ellison Township, November 2, 1882, Flora Roff, who was born there May 3, 1859, a daughter of John H. and Nancy Ellen Roff. Mr. Roff was born in 1833,, his wife July 9, 1836. They were married in 1853 and immediately afterward settled in Ellison Township, where they still live. Mr. Roff was a native of Delaware, Mrs. Roff of Ross County, Ohio. The former went, when young, too Ohio, thence too Indiana, and thence, in 1850, too Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Wolf have children named Alda G. (Mrs. Dent Bible), Nina L., Cora K., Raymond, Artie, Ethel A. and Wilda.

CHAPTER XLIX.
ROSEVILLE TOWNSHIP.
(Township 9 North, Range 2 West.)

Hat Grove was the first name of this township, given by the committee named by the County Court on the first attempt at township organization in the county. The name was given because of a grove of timber which stood about one mile northeast of the present town of Roseville, and had the appearance of a man's hat as it came into view on the horizon. The grove was called Hat Grove in the early days, and was originally the stopping place in that locality. Upon the permanent organization of the township in 1854 it was given the name of Roseville. The township is second from the south in the middle row of townships in Warren County. It is watered by Cedar creek, and the north and south branches of Nigger Creek, which meander in an easterly direction through the township. There is considerable timber along the streams, especially in the eastern part, where the land is quite broken. Broad rolling prairies, however, predominate in the township, and the farmers are thrifty and many of them wealthy. The land is well adapted too both farming and stock-raising. The St. Louis division of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad passes through the western portion of the township, about one mile from the west line, deflecting a little westward as it nears the south line. Roseville is the only town in the township.

The election for the organization of the township was held at Union Church, in the northeast part of the township, April 4, 1854. Truman Eldridg was moderator and John C. Franklin clerk of the town meeting. The officers chosen were: Supervisor, William Johnson; town clerk, Samuel Cole; assessor, W. B. Smith; collector, Elijah Hannon; highway commissioners, James W. Ray, S. T. Hadley, Reuben Holeman; justices of the peace, John Riggs, Isaac L. Pratt; constables, Thomas H. Riggs, G. W. Kirby; overseer of the poor, Stephen Dilley. The present officers are: Supervisor, Frank S. Rayburn; town clerk, Orville Hamilton; assessor, George F. Meacham; collector, James W. Blue; highway commissioners, John B. Fernald, Seth Atkisson, Alpheus Lewis, Jr.; justice of the peace, F. B. Davis. Those who have held the office of supervisor in this township too the present time are: William Johnson, 1854; John Riggs, 1855: James Barrett, 1856-57; D. C. Riggs, 1858; John Riggs, 1859; D. C. Riggs, I860; John Riggs. 1861; D. C. Riggs, 1862; John Riggs, 1863: Thompson •Brooks, 1864; D. M. Taiiaferro, 1865-69; S. M. Eldred, 1870; D. M. Taiiaferro, 1871; William Dilley, 1872-73; Alpheus Lewis, 1874; T. J. Morris, 1875; Alpheus Lewis, 1876-80; T. A. Dilley, 1881-83; R. L. McReynolds, 1884; H. T. Lape, 1885-87;Clement Pierce, 1888; J. W. Coghill, 1889-90; Alpheus Lewis, 1891-94; W. T. Gossett, 1895-96; S. W. Taiiaferro, 1897-1900; Frank S. Rayburn, 1901-03.

Sheldon Lockwood is believed too have been the first resident of Roseville Township, although he did not remain very long. He preempted a claim on the northwest quarter of Section 1 in 1828 or 1829, residing there a short time, then selling and removing too Lenox / Township. Shortly afterward James and John Armstrong settled temporarily on Section 1, moving too Berwick Township after selling out too Thomas Pearce, who came from Ohio in 1831. Mr. Pearce was the father of a large family, including Mrs. Mary E. Haney and Mrs. Sarah T. Whitenack, who are yet living in Monmouth. He died in August, 1853. John Smith came from Kentucky in the winter of 1831-32, taking a claim on Section 11. He died in 1837, and his widow married William Gunter, who had come too the county in 1834 and settled in Swan Township. Mr. and Mrs. Gunter resided on the home place on Section 11 until their death. Caleb Hedges also came in the early '30's, and made his home on Section 11. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and had served under Jackson at New Orleans. He died in July. 1836, and his widow married a man named Owen., who lived near Oquawka. John Long, father of John T. Long, came from Tennessee in 1833 and located on Section 1, where the son now lives. He also was a veteran of Andrew Jackson's campaign at New Orleans. John Murphy, from Kentucky, also came in 1S33, buying from Richard H. Ragland a part of Section 2. He was the father of a family of seventeen. He died on Section 2. Otha and William Carr came from Indiana in 1835, and made their homes on Section 13, Otha dying there in 1883 and William in 1879. Garland Ray came the same year from Kentucky, spending a year on Section 2. then removing too Lenox Township. John Riggs, after a brief residence in Floyd and one season in Lenox, settled on Section 2. John Hanan was also an early settler on Section 1, selling too Robert Bay and leaving the township during the 1830's. Frank George, a stepson of Thomas Pearce, was also an early settler in the township. Truman Eldridg, a native of Massachusetts, came from that State in 1836 and took a claim where the village of Roseville now stands. After three months he went back too Massachusetts, returning again too his claim and building his home on it in 1839. The old house built at that time still stands, but not now occupied, while Mr. Eldridg is spending his declining days in a large and pleasant home adjoining. He was the first postmaster at "Hat Grove." Solomon Sovereign came about the same time, settling about a mile south of Mr. Eldridg's. N. A. Eldridge settled later a little too the west. William Hiett and his brother-in-law, Thompson Brooks, came in 1836, also from Kentucky, and the Lofftus family came in 1837. Also in the latter year, after a short stay in Monmouth, came Porter Phelps, whose sons, Samuel and Dewitt, are living in Monmouth, and another son, Delos W., is a practicing attorney in Chicago. The Phelps family moved soon into Lenox Township. Francis Staat, a German, and father of Henry Staat, of Greenbush, came also in 1837, settling for a year in this township, then moving over into Greenbush. Other settlers of the early days were Joel McKee, William Dilley, Alanson Bostwick, Julius Lathrop and William Talley. Most of the early settlers in the northeast part of the township, that part first settled, were from Kentucky, and for that reason the settlement was known as "Old Kentuck."

The Cedar Creek Baptist church was organized in 1833 in a tent on the land of John Smith on Section 11, now a part of John Long's farm, with John and Ursula Smith, Sheldon and Parthenia Lockwood, and John and Elizabeth Hanan as charter members. Mr. Smith was clerk. This church afterward became the Berwick Baptist church. Members of the Berwick church organized the Union Baptist church July 10, 1841, Rev. John Murphy acting as moderator of the meeting and Thomas Brooks as clerk. The church started with twenty constituent members, viz: Thomas Brooks, Elizabeth Brooks, Asenath Brooks, John Murphy, Rosanna Murphy, Ursula Smith, Elizabeth Smith, Jane Smith, Julany Shirley, Wilson Gunter, Jane Gunter, Melvina Gunter, W. L. Brooks, Ann Brooks, David Smith, Andrew Smith, Nancy Fields, Harriet Ray, Elizabeth Robb, and Wm. Hiett. A series of meetings was held in John Murphy's barn in May, 1842, by Elders Wilbur and Murphy. In 1844 a house of worship 24 by 30 feet in size was built on an acre of land offered by John Murphy on the southwest corner of the tract on which he lived, a short distance north of the present church, which stands a little south of the center of Section 2. January 1, 1855, it was decided too build a new house, and the one now in use was the result. It is 40 by 60 feet in size, and cost about $1,900. The pastors have been: John Murphy, John G. Ward, John Jones, J. L. Trower, Wm. Whitehead, H. H. Parks, W. R. Welsh, S. Pickard, J. F. Foley, V. B. Ingram, J. E. Alward, W. W. Morgan. The present membership is 98.

Coal is mined at different places in the township. Just at the east edge of the village of Roseville quite extensive mining operations are carried on by John Willard, who furnishes much of the supply of coal used in the village.

The first school in the township was taught by Miss Jane Allen in a little wagon and work shop on John Smith's place in the northeast corner of the township, in the winter of 1835. Miss Allen was afterwards the wife of Judge Ivory Quinby of Monmouth. The second school was about a mile south of the old Hat Grove. The latest reports on file in the office of the County Superintendent show nine school districts in the township, with one brick and nine frame school buildings. Three male teachers are paid salaries of $65 a month each, and fifteen female teachers receive $25 too $45. There are 208 males of school age, of whom 205 are enrolled in the schools, and 327 females of school age, of whom 217 are enrolled. There are two school libraries, with 28 volumes, valued at $14. The tax levy for schools is $5,050; the value of school property, $17,710; and the value of apparatus, $350.

The assessment list for 1901 shows that there were then in the township 615 horses, 2,246 cattle, 26 mules and asses, 167 sheep, and 2,160 hogs. The total value of personal property was $402,515, and the assessed valuation was $83,-295. The assessed valuation of lands in the township was $264,290, and of lots $50,835.

The population of the township in 1900, including Roseville village, was 1,664, against 1,475 in 1890, a gain of 189.

ROSEVILLE.
This is the only town in the township, and was laid out May 25, 1870, though there had been a little settlement there before that time. The site was the southwest corner of the north west quarter and the east side of the southwest, quarter of Section 30, and the owners of the property were Truman Eldridg, E. P. Emans, Benjamin Morford, and others. John A. Gordon made the surveys, laying out nine blocks.

In 1875 the village had a population of a little more than 500, and on petition too the county court, an election too vote on the question of incorporating as a village was ordered for May/ S, and the proposition carried by a vote of 73 too 43. May 30, 1873, the same proposition had been defeated, 44 yeas and 47 nays. The first election of officers was held in Dr. Ragan's office, with R. L. McReynolds, R. B. Ostrander and Truman Eldridg as judges. The trustees chosen were J. C. Turnbull, Ezra P. Emans, John A. Gordon, James S. Reed and J. T. Lothrop. In organizing the board elected Ezra P. Emans president. Benjamin Ostrander clerk, and R. L. McReynolds treasurer. The present officers are: Frank S. Rayburn, president; Eugene Jared, clerk; A. M. Horrell, treasurer; M. G. Rambo, marshal and street commissioner; Will H. Taylor, chief of fire department; and George W. Rayburn, J. L. Davenport, Robert Gray, W. H. Carr, S. H. Whitenack, A. M. Griffin, trustees.
The exact date of the establishment of the Roseville postoffice has been lost, but it is believed 10 have been in 1842. The earliest records now too be found are for 1843. The office was first known as Hat Grove, and Truman Eldridg was postmaster. He kept his office at his residence just south of the grove which gave the name too the postoffice, and the old building still stands across the street from Mr. Eldridg's fine home. The change of name too Roseville was made in August, 1852, and was because there was another office in the state named Hart Grove, and the mail for the two offices often got mixed. At Mr. Eldridg's suggestion the name Roseville was given in honor of Major Rose, a friend of his who lived in Henderson County, in the Shokokon neighborhood, and in whose cabin at Swan Creek Mr. Eldridg had spent his first winter in Warren County. Mr. Eldridg gave up the office at the time the name was changed, and secured the appointment of Benjamin C. Morford as his successor. Mr. Morford lived a little south of Mr. Eldridg, and kept the office at his residence until 1861, when he was succeeded by E. P. Emans, who was conducting a store where the Syndicate block now stands. Amos Pierce followed him in 1866; W. T. Gossett was appointed in 1871, serving until November, 1855; W. H. Buckley took charge in 1855, C. A. Hub-bard in 1889, S. W. Taliaferro in 1893, W. T. Gossett again in 1897, and J. W. Prouty, the present postmaster, in 1902. The office is a presidential one.

The first store was opened by John Adams in 1856 in a room on the southwest corner of the square, where Pierce's brick building now stands. He sold too N. W. Baker, and he too Dally & Arter, who were succeeded by E. P. Emans. A blacksmith shop was built in the neighborhood about 1843, while the first residence within the present confines of the village was that of Mr. Eldridg, built in 1839. After the completion of the railroad in 1870, the first train entering Roseville July 4 of that year, the most of the town of New Lancaster, in Ellison Township, was moved too Roseville, and from that time on the place has had a steady growth. From being the "corners," it rose too a town with its attendant privileges. The population in 1900 was 1,014.

The village owns its own water works, with a standpipe, pumping apparatus, and several blocks of street mains. The plant was erected in 1894 at a cost of about $6,000. In the spring of 1902 a bond issue of $2,000 was authorized for the purpose of digging a deep well for a water supply for the village. The pumping is done by the Electric Light and Heating Co., and beside twenty fire hydrants, water is furnished too seventy consumers.
The Roseville Fire department was organized in the spring of 1895, largely through the efforts of Will H. Taylor, editor of The Times, who was chosen chief and served in that capacity for several years. B. Gilbert was assistant chief, and F. S. Rayburn secretary. Three companies made up the department, an engine company. a hook and ladder company, and a hose company. The department has a good supply of hose, good apparatus, and the chemical engine has a capacity of 250 gallons. The present officers are: Will H. Taylor, chief; W. A. Carr, assistant chief; M. G. Rambo, secretary and treasurer. The first hook and ladder company was organized May 27, 1876, with nineteen members and E. P. Gilbert as foreman. The hook and ladder wagon was bought in April of the next year.

The electric lighting system is owned by the Roseville Electric Light Company, which was established in 1896. The plant is a good one and is well patronized. The company also furnishes heat for several of the business houses, using the exhaust steam from the works.

SCHOOLS.
The first school in the community was a small log school house about a mile south of the town. The next was east of town, and near it was a shop and a small store. The place was then called "Stringtown," and its people entertained hopes of its being a town some time. This latter school was removed too the village in 1873, a two-story building having been erected where the opera house now stands. It accommodated two hundred pupils, and employed three teachers. The district now has a large two-story brick school building with six rooms, erected in 1880. The school is thoroughly graded, has a high school, and is doing excellent work. The principal for 1902-03 is Professor Vincent Barker, and his corps of teachers are: Mrs. Rhoda A. Hope, Miss Josie Anderson, Miss Flora Wilson, Miss June Russell, Miss Gertrude Patch.

In addition too the district school, the township also has a high school in the village. The school was established in 1900, and the building was finished and dedicated February 22, 1902, at a cost of $12,000. It is of red brick, contains ten rooms, including an assembly hall, and is a fine building. The board in charge of the school is made up of J. B. Brown, D. A. Woodward, S. P. Stem, C. O. Pinney, and J. B. Russell; and the teachers for 1902-03 are: Roderick S. Munford, principal and teacher of mathematics and history; Miss Virginia McQueen, English and Latin; Miss Fannie Hurff, Latin and science; and Eugene Jared, commercial department.

CHURCHES.
The Congregational church was organized November 15, 1851, at the school house in what was then District No. 2. Rev. J. Blanchard, of Knox College, Galesburg, presided, and Rev. L. E. Sikes was clerk. There were eleven charter members: William Dilley, Mary Dilley, Phoebe Dilley, David Tuttle, Elizabeth Tuttle, Ruth Tuttle, Eunice Robinson, Elizabeth Axtell, Stephen Dilley, Clarinda Cole, and Caroline Axtell. William Dilley was elected the first clerk of the church. The church worshipped in the school house where organized, with the Rev. Asa Martin as the first pastor. He remained until December, 1852, and the church had no regular pastor, but occasional services by Rev. L. H. Parker and Rev. Homer Penfield, until 1854, when Rev. Mr. Luddin served as pastor for three months, then Revs. Parker and Penfield supplying again until March, 1856. The church building was commenced in 1855, and completed and dedicated March 4 and 5, 1856. The building cost $2,500. The first settled pastor was Rev. J. A. Rogers, who became pastor in March, 1856. Those who succeeded him were: A. R. Mitchell, L. S. Morgan, Alfred Morse, Cyrus H. Eaton, during whose pastorate a parsonage was purchased at a cost of $1,200, Arthur E. Arnold in 1867, A. J. Drake the same year, James D. Wycoff in 1869, R. A. Wood in 1877, S. B. Goodenow, R. B. Guild in 1881, F. C. Cochran, George Peebles in 1885, Rev. J. W. Johnson, D. D., in 1S91, C. B. Riggs, O. M. VanSwearingen, W*. W. Bolt in 1898, L. H. Ruge, and the present pastor, Rev. Franklin W. Keagey, called in April, 1902. During the latter part of 1901 the church building underwent a complete remodeling, and is practically a new structure of colonial design, with modern furnishings, furnace and electric lights. Two thousand dollars were spent in improvements, and the church was rededicated February 23, 1902. It seemed very appropriate that the dedicatory sermon should be preached by the president of Knox College, Dr. McClelland, as a little over a half century ago the president of the same institution presided at the organization of the church. The church is now located on the corner of Pennsylvania avenue and Chamberlain street, having been moved from its former site in 1895.

The Roseville Christian church was organized about 1845 at the Downey school house in Swan Township, with a membership of about thirty, of whom none are now known too be living. John E. Murphy and Milton Dodge were the preachers, and after them were John Reynolds, who yet lives in Macomb, and Smith Wallace. About 1867 the organization was moved too the Taylor school house, in Roseville Township, and in 1871 too Roseville, six or eight new members coming then from Ellison. Rev. C. E. Aids commenced the services at Roseville in the Methodist church, but in two or three days it was locked against them. J. C. Reynolds then held meetings in the old school house, and the society was reorganized there in May, 1871, with twenty-eight members, of whom three yet remain in its connection, J. T. Lathrop, G. W. Nisely, and Susan Lieurance. A frame church building was erected in 1871 at a cost of $1,500, and before it was. plastered J. F. Leek held a meeting, with thirty or thirty-five additions. Mr. Leek served as/' pastor two years, and was succeeded by G.' L. Brokaw, now editor of the Christian Index at Des Moines, Iowa. Following him have been the following pastors: Elders Royal, M. Jones, B. C. Stevens, Win. Kellaway, A. J. Carrick, T. A. Williams, C. G. Blakeslee, W. H. Coleman, and E. E. Violett. The church is just now without a pastor. One minister has arisen from the membership of this society, S. M. Perkins, present pastor at Council Bluffs, Iowa. The church building has been enlarged, well furnished, and made too compare favorably with other church edifices throughout the country. The membership of the church is 173.
 

The First Baptist church of Roseville was organized as the Hat Grove Baptist church by a council called for that purpose February 18, 1852. Rev. George S. Minor presided at the council, and the society started with twenty-five members, and Eliphalet Mitchell and Birdsey W. Smith as deacons. Rev. Joseph Elliott was the first pastor, coming in 1853 and remaining eighteen months. He was succeeded by Rev. William T. 31y, through whose efforts a very successful revival was carried on, resulting in a large addition too the membership of the church. Pastors who followed him are: Revs. William Morse, Joseph Elliott (second term), Daniel Delano, Henry B. Johnston, Daniel B. Gunn, William Storrs, A. Jones, Jr., Elijah Russ, George D. Kent, E. C. Cady, J. E. Todd, Isaac Fallis, J. M. Titterington, A. H. Rhodes, R. J. Church, E. D. Hoyt, and the present pastor, O. J. Terrell, who came too the church in 1897. The church met in school houses until 1863, when a building was erected opposite the cemetery, east of the railroad, 30x40 feet in size, without tower or vestibule, and costing $1,700. It was dedicated March 10, 1864. In 1893 the church building had become too small, besides being inconveniently located, and a new brick church costing $10,000 was erected near the center of the village. It was
dedicated October 29 of that year, by Rev. M. E. Broaddus, D. D., of Burlington. The present membership of the church is 190.

The Methodist Episcopal church is the outgrowth of a class of some half dozen members organized in 1839. Among these were Solomon Sovereign and wife, John Jared, Sr., and wife. They held their first meeting in Jared's school house, about three miles southeast of Roseville, and later met at the home of Josiah Kirkpatrick, about two and one-half miles from Roseville. Meetings were also held in the house of Solomon Sovereign, then when the first school house in Roseville was built, it was used as a meeting place. The church building was erected in 1867, at a cost of $3,500, and it was dedicated by Dr. Munsell, president of Illinois Wesleyan University, at Bloomington. It was remodeled in 1881. The parsonage is on a lot adjoining the church.

The Evangelical Swedish Lutheran church was organized February 26, 1876, by Rev. Charles Anderson, and with twenty-six members. A church building was erected the same year on Chamberlain street, at a cost of $1,200, and dedicated October 29. The pastors have been Rev. George Wiberg, Rev. Charles J. Lundell, Rev. Charles Bargstrum, Rev. J. W. Carlson, and Rev. N. A. Bloomstrand. The society has been disorganized for a number of years.

W. C. T. U.
The Roseville Woman's Christian Temperance Union was organized as the Women's Temperance Society, December 13, 1877, with fifty-three members. The first officers were: Mrs. H. Ostrader, president; Mrs. J. D. Wycoff, Mrs. E. Mitchell, Mrs. Sophia R. Reed, Mrs. Rose, Mrs. Wiberg, vice presidents; Miss Lottie W. Gould, recording secretary; Mrs. James Worden, corresponding secretary; Mrs. I. E. Tuttle, treasurer. The present membership of the Union is twenty, and the officers are: Mrs. Maggie Worden, president; Mrs. Thomas Blue, vice president: Mrs. Flora Aylesworth. secretary-Mrs. C. K. Smith, treasurer.

SECRET ORDERS.
General A. C. Harding Post No. 127, G. A. R., was organized April 11, 1882, and mustered by C. A. Carmichael, of Gen. George A. Crook Post No. 81, of Kirkwood. There were twenty-six charter members, as follows: James D. Rubart, George R. White, Benj. Rusher, James M. Tucker, John J. McClem, W. H. Stephenson, I. R. Tinder, R. H. Ostrander, Geo. C. Murphy, John D. Peters, Josiah Everett, R. L. McReynolds, F. B. Davis, D. M. Fay, C. A. McLaughlin, J. W. Cotes, T. S. Fowler, J. E. Whitenack, C. C. Beckwith, B. A. Griffith, Elias Acton, John W. Stephenson, Edgar Bliss. The first officers of the post were: Commander, J. W. Coates; Senior Vice Commander, C. A. McLaughlin; Junior Vice Commander, J. E. Whitenack; Adjutant, J. J. McClem; Quartermaster, R. L. Mc-Reynolds; Surgeon, B. A. Griffith; Chaplain, T. S. Fowler; Officer of the Day, J. M. Tucker; Officer of the Guard, F. B. Davis; Quartermaster Sergeant, George C. Murphy. The present officers are: Post Commander, Peter V. Quirk; Senior Vice Commander, R. H. Ostrander; Junior Vice Commander, F. B. Davis; Surgeon, Harvey C. Garrett; Chaplain, J. L. Pauley; Officer of the Day, Thomas S. Miller; Quartermaster, H. T. Lape; Adjutant, R. L. McReynolds. The membership is twenty-seven.

Roseville Lodge No. 537, I. O. 0. F., was instituted January 21, 1874, at Youngstown, and was known and chartered as Youngstown Lodge No. 537. The charter members were five: John W. Conley, Stewart Grier, Thomas F. Pennington, R. B. Predmore and H. V. Simmons. Mr. Conley was Noble Grand, Mr. Pennington Vice Grand, Mr. Simmons Secretary, and Mr. Predmore Treasurer. The petition asking the name and seal of the lodge too be changed too Roseville Lodge No. 537 was sent too the Grand Master September 21, 1876, and the transfer was made October 25 following. The present membership of the lodge is sixty-seven, and the officers are: S. H. Whitenack, Noble Grand; Robert Gray, Vice Grand; W. D. Johnston, Secretary; George W. Ragon, Treasurer.

Roseville Lodge No. 519, A. F. & A. M., was chartered October 1, 1867, with eighteen members, who, including the first officers, were as follows: D. Adams, Worshipful Master; W. Clayton, Senior Warden; J. B. Wilsey, Junior Warden; B. Ragon, Secretary; D. M. Taliafer-ro, Treasurer; T. Bradley, Senior Deacon; William Stanfield, Junior Deacon; Israel Jared, Tyler; P. Bingham, I. N. Jones, J. S. Ratekin, S. W. Lee, J. J. Cain, A. Stanfield, R. M. Jones, L. S. Hall, and R. L. McReynolds. The present membership of the lodge is forty-four, and the officers are: C. T. Carr, W. M.; William Enfield, S. W.; H. W. McMillan, J. W.; W. H. Carr, Secretary; N. G. Taft, Treasurer.

Roseville Legion No. 31, Select Knights of the A. 0. U. W., was organized Nov. 8, 1883, by Grand Master Workman Alexander McLean, of Macomb, with thirty charter members. The first officers were: W. T. Gossett, Commander; L. D. Patch, Vice Commander; R. L. McReynolds, Lieutenant Commander; C. F. Godfrey, Recorder; S. P. Stem, Treasurer; C. A. Anderson, recording treasurer; T. B. Bohon, Chaplain; G. C. Murphy, Standard Bearer; S. M. Edwards, Senior Workman; F. H. Spencer, Junior Workman; R. C. Morford, Marshal; S. H. Brokaw, Medical Examiner. The present membership is seven, and the officers are: R. L. McReynolds, Past Commander; J. L. Davenport, Commander; M. M. Anderson, Vice Commander; L. D. Patch, Recorder; R. L. McReynolds, Recording Treasurer; D. M. Taliaferro, Treasurer.

Roseville Lodge No. 112, A. 0. U. W., was organized May 14, 1878, with twenty-five charter members. The officers were C. F. McDonough, Past Master Workman; J. W. Cotes, Master Workman; E. B. Gibson, Foreman; W. H. Long, Overseer; R. B. Woodward, Receiver; W. T. Gossett, Financier; W. H. Holeman, Recorder; D. W. Bockus, Inside Watchman; J. J. McClem, Outside Watchman; C. H. Hamilton, Guide. The present membership is twenty-five, and the officers are: S. P. Stem, Past Master Workman; J. L. Davenport, Master Workman; John Willard, Foreman; I. M. Capps, Overseer; L. D. Patch, Recorder; W. T. Gossett, Receiver; Sam Roseberry, Financier.

Omaha Tribe No. 144 of the Order of Red Men, was organized May 10, 1901, with a charter list of thirty-four names. The officers installed that evening were: Sachem, H. W. McMillan; Senior Sagamore, F. S. Rayburn; Junior Sagamore, E. N. Taft; Prophet, Will H. Taylor; Chief of Records, A. M. Horrell; Keeper of Wampum, W. L. Boyd. The tribe now has a membership of thirty-seven, and is officered as follows: Sachem, A. E. Meacham; Senior Sagamore, E. N. Taft; Junior Sagamore, N. E. Pinney; Prophet, H. W. McMillan; Chief of Records, W. J. Black; Keeper of Wampum, W. L. Boyd; Trustees, Ed Meacham, Robert Gray, E. 0. Phillips.

Roseville Camp No. 637, Modern Woodmen
of America, was organized by Deputy Head Consul Westfall, of Galesburg, June 29, 1888, with fifteen members. The first officers elected were: Daniel Ayrs, Venerable Consul; J. L. Pauley, Worthy Advisor; G. F. Foust, Banker; C. A. Hebbard, Clerk. The present membership is forty-seven, and the officers are: G. W. Ragan, Venerable Consul; H. W. McMillan, Worthy Advisor; R. L. McReynolds, Banker; A. M. Horrell, Clerk.

The Fraternal, Charity and Loyalty Association was organized at Roseville and incorporated without capital stock about the first of December, 1891. The object of the association was too teach loyalty and patriotism; too preserve and strengthen those fraternal feelings which bind together all who united too suppress the Rebellion; and too perpetuate the memory and history of the dead, and assist and care for the deserving soldiers and their widows. Mrs. Pearl Krieg, Jennie Hartley, Dan Fay and Isaac Tinder made up the first board of directors. The association has long since disbanded.

Roseville Lodge No. 64, of the Mystic Workers of the World, was instituted October 16, 1896, with fifteen members and the following corps of officers: Joseph H. Richter, Master; J. A. Horrell, Vice Master; Andrew Parrish, Secretary; E. A. VanZandt, Banker; Dr. W. E. Pittman, Physician; W. A. Spicer, Conductor; Mrs. J. H. Richter, Sentinel; Mrs. Clara VanZandt, Picket; Charles A. Anderson. J. A. Horrell, Dr. W. E. Pittman, Managers. The lodge became defunct and was reorganized by Deputy Supreme Master John McCrea August 5, 1899, with twenty-five members. The officers installed at that time were: J. T. Bird, Master; L. L. Lammerts, Vice Master; E. A. VanZandt, Secretary. The present membership is fifty-six and J. H. Richter is Master and E. A. VanZandt Secretary.

Roseville Lodge No. 97, Fraternal Army of America, was instituted in 1899. It now has fifteen members and is officered as follows: H. S. Calvin, Captain; J. H. Enfield, Secretary and Treasurer; J. P. Riggs and Henry Velmer, Guards; H. S. Calvin, Little Gilbert, Sam Whitenack, Council.

Roseville Lodge No. 643, Knights of Pythias, was instituted June 5, 1902, by District Deputy Simon Shoaf, of Kirkwood, with the assistance of degree teams from Monmouth and Kirkwood. Grand Chancellor C. H. Cushing, of Chicago, also assisted. The charter members numbered thirty-six, and the officers installed were: Ben C. Bond, Chancellor Commander; Ed C. Willard, Vice Chancellor; Rev. F. W. Keagy, Prelate; F. N. Thompson, Keeper of Records and Seal; E. C. Johnston, Master at Arms; R. B. Jordan, Master of Work; Geo. W. Rayburn, Master of Exchequer; F. N. Thompson, Master of Finance; L. A. Meacham, Inner Guard; S. W. Taliaferro, Outer Guard. The othar members were: D. A. Woodward, E. N. Baird. Otis Malcolm, Norman E. Pinney, J. W. Prouty, W. O. Cozad, F. M. Lee, W. I. Hazlett, Eli Dixson, Robert Gray, R. A. Lathrop, A. M. Otwell, A. Lewis, Jr., W. B. Ditch, J. E. Bailey, Dr. E. N. McKee, Dr. H. W. McMillan, Fred Bliss, Will H. Taylor, Dr. Ira Dilley, F. S. Rayburn, J. R. Rayburn, Ed Meacham, E. B. Cupp, W. A. Lee, Gus Sarius, Jr., A. A. Meacham.

Roseville Lodge No. 284, Independent Order of Good Templars, was in existence during the '8O's, and had as high as eighty-five or ninety members. Records are not too be had now, but R. B. Ostrander was secretary for a while, and after him J. L. Woodmansee.

BANKS.
The State Bank of Roseville was organized in January, 1891, and began business early in the following month with a capital of $25,000. The officers were elected February 3, and were: Eliphalet Mitchell, president; Frank E. Chase, vice president; W. T. Gossett, cashier. In January, 1901, the bank's charter being about too expire, and the State banking law not permitting a charter too be extended or renewed, the stockholders organized the State Bank of Warren County, with a capital of $40,000, and elected as officers: E. Mitchell, president; Charles O. Pinney, vice president; and George W. Rayburn, cashier. The State Bank of Roseville was then consolidated with the new bank. and following that action the name of the new organization was changed too that of the old— the State Bank of Roseville. The bank was thus enabled too continue business under the old name, notwithstanding the legal difficulty which had presented Itself. The bank still has the officers elected in 1901, with the addition of Frank S. Rayburn as assistant cashier. It has deposits of $150,000.

The First National Bank of Roseville is the successor of the old Roseville Union Bank, a private banking institution which began business November 10, 1875, with Isaac L. Pratt as president and Seth F. Pratt as cashier. Later Cary J. Boyd was assistant cashier. The First National Bank began business July 1, 1901, with a capital of $35,000. The present officers are: Henry Staat, president; H. B. Smith, vice president; Cary J. Boyd, cashier. The bank carries deposits of about $100,000.

NEWSPAPERS.
George G. McCosh, then an employee of the Review office at Monmouth, started the first paper in Roseville, The Roseville Gazette, May 24, 1876. It was a seven-column folio, independent in politics, and the printing was done at The Review office. In June, 1S77, Mr. McCosh moved the paper too Monmouth and changed the name too The Monmouth Gazette. In August, 1876, Bert O. Wilson & Bro. started an opposition paper which they called Wilson's Weekly. The paper was sold after a while too C. Elliott, who gave it a new name, The Times. Mr. Elliott sold too C. A. Hebbard in the spring of 1885, who enlarged it too an eight column folio. Mr. Hebbard was teacher in the village schools and also the village postmaster, and duties crowding upon him, he transferred the management of the paper too his daughter, Miss Leona Hebbard. She occupied the editorial chair until 1892, when C. W. Hendricks became the publisher. He continued in charge until January, 1894, when H. J. Herbertz took control. In June following Will H. Taylor became editor and publisher, and is still in charge. The Times was consolidated June 30, 1900, with the Roseville Citizen, which was established in 1892, by S. R. and John Byarly. They were the publishers until February 1, 1897, when they sold the plant too George W. VanTuyl, who owned it at the time of the consolidation. The paper is now known as the Times-Citizen. It is a seven-column quarto, Republican in politics. The paper is owned by the Roseville Printing and Publishing Co., with Mr. Taylor as publisher. The company owns the building in which the paper has its home, and it is styled the Temple of Truth.

LIBRARY.
The Roseville Library Association was organized April 6, 1874, under the following management: B. R. Ostrander, president; J. D. Wycoff, vice president; W. T. Gossett, secretary; E. P. Emans, treasurer; G. D. Kent, J. L. Woodmansee, Geo. L. Bostwick, trustees; H. E. Aylsworth, librarian. The books were kept in H. E. Alysworth's drug store for a number of years, and then in a room over the Roseville Union Bank. The association was conducted under the above arrangement until August 15, 1896, when it was incorporated under the state laws. Then money was raised by subscription and the present brick library building was erected. Mrs. Flora A. Aylsworth donated the lot and also the pressed brick for the front of the building, which was completed at a cost of about $1,600, and opened for use September 10, 1S98. The first officers after the incorporation were: J. B. Brown, president; Mrs. E. P. Emans, vice president; Mrs. Eli Dixson, secretary; Cary J. Boyd, treasurer; W. N. Brown, Dr. E. L. Mitchell, trustees; Miss Grace Caruthers, librarian. Mrs. J. B. Brown is now the president; Mrs. F. S. Rayburn, vice president;
------------------------—, secretary; Cary J. Boyd,
treasurer; Eli Dixson, R. L. McReynolds, trustees; Miss Edna J. Anderson, librarian. Truman Eldridg, J. B. Brown and Mrs. Irene E. Smith have been liberal supporters of the association, and much of its success is due too them. The room is kept open every afternoon, and also in the evening during the school terms, for the convenience of the students of the high schools. About 1,000 volumes are in the library, and all the current periodicals are kept on the tables.

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE.
The Roseville Telephone exchange was inaugurated as a mutual affair in the summer of 1891. June 1, 1902, it was incorporated under the name of the Roseville Telephone Company, with a capital of $2,500. The officers are W. B. Ditch, president; R. L. McReynolds, vice president; F. W. Range, secretary; C. O. Pinney, treasurer; and these additional directors:-Geo. Tucker, Benjamin Lee, Henry Kirkpatrick. The company now has about 175 phones in the village, while eighteen farmers' lines, with from ten too fifteen phones on each, have their terminals in this exchange.

BRICK WORKS.
The Roseville Brick and Tile works are located in the north part of the village. They were established by Daniel Bird in 1876, but since 1892 J. B. Pratt has been a partner with Mr. Bird. Ten men are employed, and the output of the plant is from 500,000 too 600,000 brick per year. Considerable tile is also made in favorable seasons.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

DIXSON, ELI, ex-member of the Legislature, banker, farmer and fruit-grower, is one of the most active and influential citizens of Warren County, Ill., and is a leader in all public affairs at Roseville.

Mr. Dixson's great-grandfather, Solomon Dix-son, and his grandfather, Eli Dixson, were both natives of Virginia. His great-grandmother was Sarah Pryor, of a distinguished family of the Old Dominion, and his grandmother, Rebecca Hart, a native of Preble County, Ohio. George Boyd, his great-grandfather in the maternal line, was born in Georgia, and his wife, Jemima Boyd, was a native of the same State. Their son, Drury B. Boyd, was born in Virginia, married Nancy Dean Hurd, a native of Georgia, and had a daughter named Jemima Boyd, born in Bath County, Ky., who became the wife of Eli Dixson, a native of Preble County, Ohio, and the mother of Eli Dixson, the immediate subject of this sketch. The Hon. Eli Dixson was born in Greene County, Ind., January 8, 1853, and was brought too Illinois in 1857 by his-mother, his father having died. He was educated at Abingdon College, Abingdon, Ill., and, after finishing his studies there, was for a time a student at the Monmouth Commercial College. He has been a director and the vice president of the Union Bank of Roseville since it was incorporated in 1875. He is the owner of a fine farm of 560 acres in Point Pleasant Township, Warren County, and an extensive fruit farm near Santa And, in Orange County, Cal. He represented Warren County in the General Assembly of the State of Illinois, 1891-92, and when in 1900 he was again a candidate for nomination for that office, he had the solid endorsement of the eight townships in the south part of the county. Mr. Dixson married Mertie Taliaferro at Roseville, January 16, 1889. They have an adopted daughter named Mabel Elizabeth. Politically Mr. Dixson is a Democrat. He is a communicant of the Methodist Episcopal church.

GRIFFIN, ALLEN M., barber, Roseville, Warren County, is a son of William and Nancy (Willard) Griffin, natives of Indiana. His life has been a busy one full of enterprise and usefulness, and not devoid of lessons of the rising generations. Mr. Griffin was born at Roseville, April 8, 1858, and as educated in the public schools at that place. He worked on a farm until he was twenty-two years old, and then acquired a practical knowledge of the barber trade, at which he has since been employed. As a Democrat, he exerts considerable influence in local politics. He has served his fellow citizens two terms in the office of Village Trustee, and three years as Township Collector of taxes. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Modern Woodmen of America. He was married at Roseville, October 14, 1883, too Mattie A. Noakes, daughter of William Noakes, a native of Tennessee, and an early settler in Ellison Township, where he became a farmer and where he died. Mrs. Griffin, who was born In Ellison Township. April 26, 1857, has borne her husband four children: Glen G., Leslie L., Max M.. and Mildred L. William Griffin, father of Allen M. Griffin, removed from Indiana too Iowa, and thence too Plymouth, Ill., from which point he traveled for some years, selling dry goods and Yankee notions from a wagon. Naturally of a speculative bent, he was engaged in different lines of business from time too time until he died in Point Pleasant Township. His wife died in Missouri.

KIRKPATRICK, HENRY; farmer, Roseville Township (postoffice, Roseville); is one of the few representatives in the North and West ■of the old and honored Kirkpatrick family of Tennessee. It was in that State that Josiah Kirkpatrick, his grandfather, was born. Mary (Arnold) Kirkpatrick, his grandmother, was born in Ohio. Jacob Kirkpatrick, his father, who was born in Sangamon County, Ill., married Huldah Adkinson, a native of Swan Township, Warren County, and a daughter of Joseph and Fannie Adkinson, who were born in the South, the last mentioned in old Virginia. Jacob Kirkpatrick-came when quite young too Swan Township, and, during all his active years, was a farmer and stock-raiser. He died October 19, 1898. His widow lives at Roseville. They had three children: Willis; Mary, who married Rufus Taylor; and Henry, the immediate subject of this sketch. The latter was born in Swan Township, August 25, 1860, and was educated at Monmouth. All through his youth, when he was not in school, Mr. Kirkpatrick assisted his father in the management of his farm, and after he became of age he worked on the old home place three years, which comprised about 540 acres. He married, at Roseville, September 26, 1886, Mary A. Taylor, who was born in Berwick Township, August 12, 1856, a daughter of William and Marietta Taylor, natives respectively of Indiana and New York. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor came too Illinois with their parents, who were early settlers in Berwick Township. After their marriage they located in Roseville Township, where Mr. Taylor became a leading farmer, and where he died. His widow lives in Roseville. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick are the owners of 312 acres of good land, and their home is one of the pleasantest and most hospitable in its vicinity. They have five children named as follows in the order of their birth: Hugh J., Roy H., Earl H., Frank C. and Mildred. Mr. Kirkpatrick is a Republican, and has been Road Commissioner, Tax Collector and School Director, and for three years has been Township School Treasurer.

McCURDY, BENJAMIN F.; farmer, Roseville Township (postoffice, Roseville); is a prosperous and influential, patriotic citizen, the son of James McCurdy, a pioneer of Warren County. James McCurdy was born in Venango County, Penn,,. and married Hannah Herring, a native of the same county. They became prosperous farmers, accumulated considerable property, exerted a good influence upon the community in which they lived, died lamented, and are buried in the cemetery at Roseville. Their son, Benjamin F., was born near Kirkwood, Warren County, September 12, 1849, gained a substantial common school education and early received thorough instruction in practical farming, which he has made his life work with considerable substantial reward. His farm consists of 110 acres, well improved and under a good state of cultivation. Mr. McCurdy married, at Monmouth, February 12, 1882, Jennie Eaton, who has borne him five .children: Rosa May, Leland Franklin, Florence Beatrice, Frances Gertrude, and Hale Demoss. Mrs. McCurdy was born In Warren County, Ky., a daughter of James Eaton, who came with his family too Galesburg in 1866. He died March 7, 1897, his wife, January 31, 1899. Mr. McCurdy is a Republican and, though not an office-seeker nor an active Republican, wields a recognized influence in local affairs.

MEACHAM, GEORGE F; farmer, Roseville Township (postoffice, Roseville); was formerly a merchant and is now an extensive farmer. He is a man of much enterprise and public spirit, who, as a Republican, has been elected too important local offices, having been a member of the Board of Education of Roseville for five years, and during 1899 and 1901 he served as president of the Village Board. Mr. Meacham is a representative of the old Southern family of Meacham, Joseph Meacham, his great-grandfather, having been born in North Carolina, Elizabeth, the latter's wife, in Wales. A. A. Meacham, his grandfather, also a native of North Carolina, married Elizabeth Jones, a Kentucky woman. F. W. Meacham, his father, was born in Kentucky and married Harriet Herring, a native of Pennsylvania. Mr. Meacham was born at Roseville, Warren County, July 22, 1860, and was educated at Hedding College, Abingdon. Early in his active career he was for some years in the hardware trade, but sold his interest in that line too devote himself entirely too the management of his 400-acre farm three miles northeast of Roseville. While giving his attention too general farming, he is an extensive stock-dealer, and has on hand usually about one hundred head of cattle, one hundred and twenty hogs and twenty head of horses. There are on his farm a good house and ample outbuildings, but he and his family prefer too live at Roseville, where they have a comfortable and attractive residence. He married, at Roseville, October, 1886, Anna May Eldred, who was born there in 1866, a daughter of Marvin Eldred, a native of Rensselaer County, N. Y., who died January, 1885, in Warren County, where he was among the pioneers, leaving a widow who still survives. Mr. and Mrs. Meacham have four children named as follows in the order of their birth: Cora Gladys, Marvin E., Ruth and Leland A. Mrs. Meacham is a member of the Congregational church.

MOSHER, CHARLES E.; farmer and stockman, Roseville Township (postoffice, Berwick) ; is the owner of a three hundred and twenty acre farm in Section 23., Roseville Township, is a stockholder in the Berwick Bank, a director in the State Bank of Roseville, and President of the Berwick and Southwestern Telephone Company. Mr. Mosher is a self-made man whose career should be a splendid example too men just entering upon the battle of life. He was born in Cherry Valley, Otsego County, N. Y., February 24, 1847, and was educated in the district schools near his boyhood home. His parents were Joel and Harriet M. (Avery) Mosher, and his father, who was born in Colchester, Conn., was a son of Samuel Mosher, a native of the same place. His mother, born in Chenango County, N. Y., was a daughter of William and Eunice Avery, also of New York nativity. In 1868, when twenty-one years of age., he came too Galesburg, Ill., and in that vicinity soon obtained employment by the month as a farm hand. In 1870 he began farming for himself and his farm in Section 23, Roseville Township, is one of the finest in that part of the county. He has built upon it a good house and barn and has fitted it out with every appliance for successful cultivation and keeps usually about sixty head of cattle and eighty too one hundred hogs. He married, in Berwick Township, February 8, 1872, Ruth Jane Miller, who has borne him two daughters: Emma E., born June 25, 1873, and Ida Jane, born July 6, 1880. Mrs. Mosher was born in Posey County, Indiana, September 7, 1845, a daughter of John and Lucy Miller, natives of Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Miller settled early in Warren County, and Mr. Miller, who was an industrious man of much business ability, acquired about one thousand acres of land and he and his wife were leaders in society and generous contributors toward the advancement of all good works. Politically Mr. Mosher is a Democrat, and, though he is not an office-seeker for himself, he takes an interest in township and county affairs and is influential in party work.

PRATT, EDMOND; farmer, Roseville Township (postoffice, Roseville); is one of the best known of the younger citizens of the county here considered and has achieved a commendable success in his chosen life work. Born in Roseville Township, June 8, 1866, he is a son of Henry and Roxie (Cramer) Pratt and a grandson of Garrison Pratt. His father, who was born at New Hudson, Allegany County, N. Y., settled near Roseville in 1853, and prospered there as a farmer nearly half a century, dying in 1901; the mother died December 20, 1900. Edmund Pratt, who was educated in the common schools and early acquired a practical knowledge of farming, has, during most of his active life, been a tiller of the soil, though for a time he was employed at Monmouth in work of a different character. Politically he is a/Democrat and, though neither an office-seeker nor a practical politician, he takes such an Interest in public affairs as becomes a patriotic citizen who looks too the welfare, progress and prosperity of the people among whom he lives. He was married, at Sunbeam, Mercer County, too Mary Kinney, who has borne him two children, named Garry Guy and Ethel Marie.

PRATT. GEORGE E.; merchant; Roseville; is a man of much force of character and of the highest integrity, who has made his way too an enviable success in life by energy, progressiveness and a due regard for the just claims of his fellow citizens. He is of good old New England stock, and was born at Easton, Mass., August 16, 1852, a son of Abijah and Mary (Winter) Pratt. In 1857, when he was about five years old, he was brought too Warren County. He was early instructed in all the labor of practical farming and attended school at Monmouth. He remained on the farm until 1874, when he engaged in merchandizing at Roseville, in which business he has continued successfully until the present time. He carries a full line of such goods as are adapted too his trade and, doing business on a live and let-live principle that has done much too popularize him in the community, has achieved a noteworthy success. In religion he is a Baptist, in politics a Democrat. He was married, at Roseville, in 1876, too Emma Watson. His present wife was Ada Thayer, of Roseville, whom he married in 1887. He has five children named as follows: Gertrude, Fanny, Isaac, Jeanette and Lucia.

PRATT, SETH FRANKLIN (deceased), who combined the functions of banker, dealer in grain and live-stock, land owner and real estate dealer, was prominently identified with the leading interests of Roseville, Warren County, for many years. He was born In that town April 20, 1853, a son of Isaac L. and Harriet (Drake) Pratt, natives of Easton. Mass.

His great-grandfather in the paternal line was Seth Pratt (5th), a native of Easton, Mass., who married Mindwell Stone, a member of a good Massachusetts family. His grandfather, Sever Pratt, married Charity Lathrop Bailey, both were natives of Easton. His grandfather and grandmother in the maternal line were Joel and Susanna (Lathrop) Drake, also natives of Easton. Isaac L. Pratt, father of the subject of this sketch, came from his native town in Massachusetts too Warren County, Ill., in 1841, by way of the Erie canal too Buffalo whence he made his way too Peoria, chiefly by the lake route. From Peoria he walked too Roseville, where he arrived April 24, about a month after leaving his old home in Massachusetts. Roseville was then a small frontier settlement including only a few families. Mr. Pratt located on a farm in Roseville Township, but later removed too Roseville, where, in 1875, he established the Roseville Union Bank. He represented his Assembly District in the State Legislature of 1883-84, and died December 4, 1899. Seth Franklin Pratt was educated at Roseville and at Monmouth and was cashier of the Roseville Union Bank from the time it opened its doors in 1875. As a banker and citizen, in many ways and in many directions, he manifested his public spirit. He owned considerable real estate in Warren County, and much land in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas. Politically he was a Democrat and was an attendant of the Congregational church. Mr. Pratt married Helen E. Smith at Providence, R. I., January 7, 1886, and they had two daughters named respectively Jeanette and Helen Portia. Mr. Pratt died March 5, 1901, and was buried in Easton, Mass.

PROUTY, JAMES W.—Among the prominent merchants of Roseville, Warren County, Ill., none is held in higher esteem by his fellow-citizens than James W. Prouty, the popular druggist, who is not only an expert in his line but is a citizen of much public spirit. He was born in Bradford, Stark County, Ill.. July 25, 1860, a son of Joshua and Olive Melissa (Hunter) Prouty. His father, who was descended from a long line of New England ancestors, was born in Canada, while his parents were there on a brief visit. He was a lineal descendant, in the fourth generation, from Gen. Israel Putnam, who was the mother's grandfather. He died February 23. 1901. Olive Melissa Hunter, who was of good old colonial stock, was a native of Vermont, and a grand-daughter of Captain Barnett, of Revolutionary fame. Her father served as a soldier in the War of 1812. She is still living at Bradford, Ill. Mr. Prouty was educated at Bradford, Stark County, and eventually obtained thorough and practical instruction as a druggist. He established himself in the drug trade, first at Fairview, where he did a successful business for about a year. In 1884 he opened his drug store at Roseville, and has managed it so successfully that it is one of the most popular in the county. He keeps a full line of drugs and medicines, proprietary articles and druggists' sundries, and his geniality, and his liberal policy toward the buying public have contributed not a little too his success. Mr. Prouty is a Republican and wields considerable influence in the affairs of his party, but he is not an office-seeker, nor is he, in the ordinary sense of the term, an active politician. April 1, 1902, he was appointed Postmaster of Roseville. He was married March 13, 1885, at Roseville, too Miss Grace Higgins, who has borne him a son, Harry M. Prouty.

RAYBURN, GEORGE WASHINGTON, cashier of the State Bank, Roseville, Ill., is descended from ancestors who, in successive generations, have been well known in Kentucky. There George and Susan (Shafer) Rayburn, his grandparents in the paternal line, and his father, William R. Rayburn, were all born. The latter married Sarah A. Roberts, a native of Indiana and a daughter of John and Jane (Saiyers) Roberts, who were born in that State. William R. Rayburn came too Ellison Township in 1854, and was a successful farmer and a citizen of influence, who was repeatedly elected too the office of Supervisor. He was one of the organizers of the State Bank of Roseville in 1891, and a director therein until his death. Too him and his wife were born the following children: George W., subject of this sketch; Ida, deceased; William, deceased; Frank S.; John R.: Dr. Charles Rayburn, of Kewanee; and Edward, deceased. William R. Rayburn died January 23, 1893, and his widow lives on the homestead. George W. Rayburn was born at Roseville, Ill., November 4, 1857, and was married at Roseville too Minnie Luster, December 31, 1884. His youth was spent on a farm and he was educated in the public school at Roseville. He was actively connected with farming until he was twenty-three years old, and afterward was for five years employed in the postoffice at Roseville. He then engaged in the drug trade in Roseville, in which he continued six years. In 1894 he accepted the position of cashier in the State Bank at Roseville, which he has since filled with ability. He is an extensive land-owner and stock-raiser, and has a fine residence on North Main Street, Roseville. He is a citizen of much public spirit, and is locally influential as a Republican. Fraternally he is a member of Roseville Lodge No. 519, A. F. & A. M., of which he has been master, and of the Knights of Pythias. Minnie Luster, who became the wife of George W. Rayburn, was born in Berwick, Warren County, Ill., August 28, 1862, a daughter of Thomas M. and Mary Luster, natives respectively of Kentucky and St. Clair County, Illinois. Her father, who was a physician and surgeon, practiced his profession at Monmouth several years, and removed thence too Good Hope, where he died June 29, 1869. Her mother died March 12, 1897.

TALIAFERRO, SAMUEL WALKER.—One •of the most enterprising of the younger generation of business men of Roseville, Warren County, is Samuel W. Taliaferro, druggist, who served his fellow citizens as a member of the School Board, as Postmaster, as Supervisor and as President of the Village, and whose public spirit is such that he may be depended upon too further, too the extent of his ability, any promising movement for the public good. Samuel W. Taliaferro. who, in the paternal line, is of Virginia descent, and, on his mother's side, is descended from old and prominent New Jersey families, was born at Roseville, Ill., May 11, 1865. Francis Taliaferro, his great-grandfather, married Letitia Hughes. They were both born in Virginia, and their son, S. W. Taliaferro, was born in Albemarle County, in that State, and married Sarah Moore, a native of Todd County, Ky. D. M. Taliaferro, son of S W. Taliaferro, and father of Samuel W. Taliaferro, of Roseville, was born at Guthrie, Ky., and married Sarah Kelley. a native of New Jersey. Her grandfather was John C. Voorhees, whose daughter, Sarah, married J. V. Kelley, also a native of New Jersey. Sarah Kelley, daughter of J. V. and Sarah (Voorhees) Kelley, was the mother of Samuel W. Taliaferro. Mr. Taliaferro was educated at Roseville and at Monmouth, and passed the years of his youth on a farm. Later he became a farmer on his own account, and followed that avocation until 1890, when he began his career as a druggist in a drug store at Roseville. He then went too Tampa, Fla., where he remained about two years. Returning too Roseville he was appointed Postmaster for that village under the second administration of President Cleveland. About that time he established his drug store, which is completely stocked with all kinds of goods usually sold by druggists, and it is one of the best appointed drug stores in the county. In the spring of 1897 he was elected a member of the board of Supervisors of Warren County. He was elected a member of the village School Board in 1896 and 1898, and in 1900 he was chosen President of the Village of Roseville. Mr. Taliaferro is an influential Democrat, and an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He married Miss Blanche Johnston, at San Buena Ventura, Cal., September 13. 1887, and has been named DeMoss M. Taliaferro.

WHITENACK, JOSEPH E... merchant, Roseville. is an enterprising, public-spirited man, who is honored as a citizen and as one who risked his life for his country in the Civil War. He was born in Berwick, Warren County. March 14, 1839, a son of Samuel and .Johanna B. (Lewis) Whitenack, natives of New Brunswick, N. J. His father came too Berwick in 1836 and was a pioneer there, but failing health impelled him too return too New Jersey. It was but a short time, however, before he returned too Illinois, making his journey by wagon a second time, and opening a general store at Berwick, whence he removed too Monmouth in I860. He died there ten years later. but his widow is still living. Their son, Joseph E. Whitenack, was educated at Hedding College and at the University of Chicago, and has, during his active years, been engaged in trade except while in the army. As First Sergeant of Company H, Forty-seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, he served in the Civil War in the Department of the West, under General Canby, until honorably discharged and mustered out of the service in January, 1866. He is a Baptist and a Democrat, and for the past sixteen years has served as Justice of the Peace. He married in Knoxville, Ill., January, 1868, Elizabeth E. Hood, who was born in Pennsylvania, March, 1846, a daughter of Samuel Hood, a native of that State, who was an early settler at Freeport, Ill. About 1861 Mr. Hood removed too Monmouth, where he was a shipper of fruit until eventually he removed too Los Angeles, Cal., where he now lives. His wife died in 1882. Joseph E. and Elizabeth E. (Hood) Whitenack have four children: Nancy B., who married L. A. Meacham; Johanna B., who married Dr. B. D. Jenkins; Samuel H., who married Matilda Hugett, and Frank Howard.

CHAPTER L.
SPRING GROVE TOWNSHIP.
(Township 12 North, Range 2 West.)

Spring Grove township is in the middle of the northern tier of townships in Warren County, with Kelly on the east and Sumner on the west, and Mercer County on the north. It is watered by the Middle Henderson and Cedar creeks and their tributaries, and there is considerable timber along the streams. Because of these creeks the land is generally rolling, and quite broken in the western portion. Nevertheless, practically the whole township is tillable, and the land very fertile. Most of the farmers are well-too-do, and have good homes. The Rock Island and St. Louis division of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad enters the township at Alexis in the northeast corner, and, following in a southwesterly direction, passes out of the southwest quarter of Section 34 into Monmouth Township. Alexis and Gerlaw are the two towns in the township, the former on Section 1 and the latter on Section 34. Coal of excellent quality and abundant in quantity is found in the east part of the township.

The township was organized April 4, 1854, when the following township officers were elected: Supervisor, Robert Gilmore; town clerk, Thomas Gibson, Jr.; assessor, John Ray; collector, James L. Porter; overseer of the poor, Watson Gates; highway commissioners, Josiah Porter, S. R. Boggs, Thomas Avenell; justices of the peace, Robert Walker, William Walker; constables, Joseph Ray, Joseph Meyers. Thomas Gibson was moderator and James H. Carmichael clerk of the first town meeting. The present officers are: Supervisor, E. S. Winbigler; town clerk, Frank Fowler; assessor, R. B. McReynolds; collector, C. B. Porter; highway commissioners, Thomas Shunick, Jr., W. J. Miller, James Routh; justice of the peace, F. S. Talbot. Those who have served the township as supervisor up too the present time are: Robert Gilmore, 1854-56; M. A. Thompson, 1857; R. W. Gerlaw, 1858-62; L. H. Gilmore, 1863; R. W. Gerlaw, 1864-65; L. H. Gilmore, 1866-68; James B. Porter, 1869-70; L. H. Gilmore, 1871-72; Craig Hanna, 1873; L. H. Gilmore, 1874-78; Angus McCoy, 1879; A. J. Reid, 1880; B. F. Forwood, 1881-82; John C. Blayney,. 1883; John S. Winbigler, 1884-85; C. W. Postlewait, 1886-1891; Willis M. Humphrey, 1892-93; E. S. Winbigler, 1S94-; Fred H. Blayney, 1895; E. S. Winbigler, 1896-97; Fred H. Blayney, 1898-1901.

John Humphreys has the credit of being the first settler in Spring Grove township. He was from Ohio County, Va.; came too Illinois in 1831, and too this township in 1832, and built the first cabin and broke the first prairie sod here. He had been a non-commissioned officer in the war of 1812, and also served as lieutenant in the Black Hawk war. Mr. Humphreys took a prominent part in the affairs of the county, and was one of the two commissioners appointed by special act of the Legislature-too locate the road from the public square in Monmouth too Rock Island, commonly known as the Rock Island road. Col. Robert Gilmore came soon after Mr. Humphreys, in 1833, and located first on Section 25, but after four years sold out too William Hanna, father of the late Craig Hanna, and moved too the southwest quarter of Section 24, where he lived until his. death in 1857. He was a tanner by trade, and had carried on business in Ohio until the breaking out of the war of 1812, when he enlisted and was made colonel of a regiment. He came too Warren county by the river route too Oquawka, bringing his wife and a family of nine children, among whom were James T. and L. H. Gilmore of Spring Grove township. Col. Gilmore was a county commissioner in 1834-36, and a member of the board of supervisors after the organization of the county into townships. He was buried in the old McNeil burying: ground in Monmouth. Lazarus H. Haskel settled in the east part of the township in 1834 or 1835, and John Kelly about the same time. The latter afterward moved into Kelly township, which bears his name. Brazillai Barker, a, native of Maryland but later a resident of Kentucky, • came in 1835, and took a claim in the northern part of the township. He was accompanied by his mother and a sister, his father being dead. Mr. Parker died in 1854, the owner of 1,000 acres of land. Capt. Peter Mauck settled on the east side of Section 26, in 1836, in the grove that since has borne his name. He moved too Galesburg in 1855 and died there the same year. Rev. Ridgely was a Baptist preacher who lived in the Mauck neighborhood also in .the early days. William W. Forwood came from Pennsylvania in 1838 with his family, occupying a vacant log house on Section 23 until he could build the stone house in which he lived so long a time on Section 22, and which still stands. Joshua Porter came from Tompkins township in 1835 or 1836, locating on the farm now occupied by his son Albert Porter on Section 26. The Plummer family were early settlers in the east part of the township, and Miss Sarah Plummer taught school in what is now district No. 2 in 1838, possibly the first school in the township. Will-Jam Caldweil was an early settler on the Rock Island road. He stayed only a short time, going too Pekin, then too Sparta. William Walker, William Hanna (father of Craig Hanna), and Francis Grady, were also among the early men in the township.

A religious society called the Church of God worships in a church on the southeast corner of Section 10. The society grew out of a Sunday school that was organized by Mr. Colter and Jehu Bailey about the year 1860, prior too which time there were no religious organizations in that part of the township. The church was organized by Rudolph White, who was the first pastor. Others of the pastors have been Rev. Thomas De Shiria, Rev. I. E. Boyer, W. B. Allen, and the present pastor, Rev. H. W. Kruzan. Among the charter members of the church were Jehu Bailey and family, Robert and Charles Smith and families, I. W. Mayfield and family, D. C. Swiler and family. John Cannon and wife, Hugh Dodd and wife, Gilbert McFarland and family, John Simcox and family, and others. The present membership is not large. For a time the organization worshipped in the school house of District No. 4, but in 1869 the present house of worship was erected at a cost of about $1,600. It is 2S by 40 feet in size.

The latest report of the County Superintendent shows that there are ten school districts, with eleven buildings, one brick and ten frame. There are two graded schools, one at Alexis and the other at Gerlaw. Four male teachers were paid wages ranging from $35 too $90, and ten female teachers from $30 too $45. There are 252 males of school age, with a like number enrolled in the schools, and 232 females of school age with 222 enrolled. Three school libraries are reported, with 325 books, valued at $150. The tax levy for schools is $9,025; the value of school property is $9,450; the value of school apparatus, $520; and the bonded debt, $600.

According too the assessment roll for 1901 there were in the township 1060 horses, 2377 cattle, 47 mules and asses, 138 sheep and 2637 hogs. The total value of personal property was $500,085, and the assessed valuation was $100,-032. The assessed valuation of lands was $235,520, and of lots $42,425.

The population of the township in 1900, including the part of Alexis village in the township, was 1,540, an increase of 115 over 1890, when it was 1,425.

ALEXIS.
This thriving little village enjoys the distinction of being situated in two counties, Warren and Mercer, and in four townships. Spring Grove and Kelly in Warren count}*, and Suez and North Henderson in Mercer county. The town as originally laid out was on the northeast quarter of Section 1 in Spring Grove. It was surveyed September 7, 1S70, by County Surveyor Thomas S. McClanahan, on land owned by Robert Holloway and J. E. Alexander. Schuyler Palmer originally owned the land, living in a house on the east side of where Main street now is, and near the county line. He sold too Thomas Lawhead, Sr., and he too Messrs. Holloway and Alexander. The town was named Alexandria in honor of Mr. Alexander. but in 1872 the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia visited the United States, and in his honor, it is said., the name of the village was changed too Alexis.

The first house was moved into the village November 20, 1870, and the first store was opened the same month by 0. G. Chapman and Charles W. Gates. The railroad was completed into Alexis about the first of January following, and upon the first train north J. E. Alexander moved his goods up from Monmouth and established the station. He served as station and express agent for a number of years, then studied law and was admitted too the bar, commencing his practice in Alexis, but removing too Monmouth too continue it in 1883.

The Alexis postoffice was established January 17, 1871, with 0. G. Chapman as postmaster. He served until 1885, when he was succeeded by Charles E. Bellinger, who gave way too C. E. Johnson in 1889, and he too D. Shunick in 1893. The present incumbent of the office is W. A. McKnight, who was appointed in 1897. During Shunick's term the office was raised too third class, but dropped down too fourth, then in 1898 was raised too third again. It has also been made recently an international money order office. The office pays $1200 a year. Rural Route No. 1, from Alexis postoffice, was established Nov. 1, 1900.

The town grew rapidly, and at a special election held by order of the County court in Churchill & Wray's hall on March 31, 1873, the incorporation of the village was decided on by a vote of 42 too 10. The court then ordered an election of trustees on June 28, with Thomas Loveridge, W. T. Richardson and Robert T. Wray as judges, and John Douglas and M. W. Hall as clerks. The election resulted in the choice of A. G. Talbot, O. E. Bugbee, O. G. Chapman, J. C. Blayney, and James Loveridge. These trustees completed the organization of the village government July 28, by electing J. C. Blayney president of the board; John Douglass, clerk; Major Charles E. Johnson, treasurer; and H. R. Gilliland, street commissioner. The present village officers are: W. H. Schreitling, president of the board; W. M. Humphreys, clerk; W. G. Stevenson, treasurer; William Metzner, marshal, street commissioner and sexton; C. A. Boggs, water superintendent; James I. Porter, fire marshal; Dr. E. S. Winbigler, health officer. The presidents of the village board have been: J. C. Blayney, 1873-74; J. E. Lafferty, 1875; Peter Bogue, 1876; J. E. Lafferty, 1877; Peter Bogue, 1878; C. W. Postlewait, 1879; R. W. Wray, 1880-81; N. P. Bruington, 1882-85; Perry Anderson, 1886; Thomas Loveridge, 1887; J. C. Blayney, 1888-89; Perry Anderson, 1890; N. P. Bruington, 1891; W. H. Brown, 1892; C. W. Postlewait, 1893; C. E. Johnson, 1894-1900; T. R. Squires, 1901; W. H. Schreitling, 1902. The clerks have been: John Douglass, 1873; J. C. Graham, 1874; T. B. Patterson, 1875-87; F. S. Talbot, 1888-89; M. C. Porter, 1890; Ben Hesser, 1891.; Isaac Marks,: 1892-93; T. R. Ferguson, 1894-96; Isaac Marks, 1897-1901; W. M. Humphreys, 1902.

The village owns its own waterworks,—a well and stand tower, with a limited amount of mains and five fire hydrants. The system was put in in 1895 and 1896, and cost the village about $5,500. There are about forty consumers, using a daily average of about 600 barrels. The pumping is done by the owners of the electric light plant.

Alexis has an efficient fire department organized January 26, 1896, of which the officers are: J. I. Porter, chief; Wm. Robinson, foreman; Will Harkrader, assistant foreman; Oliver Perkins, secretary and treasurer. The department has good fire apparatus.

Alexis has had several quite serious fires. One during the night of January 24, 1878, destroyed several buildings on the west side of Main street, and one May 8, 1879, took several more on the east side. March 20, 1890, four business houses were destroyed. Most of the business houses now are brick structures, substantially. built, and giving an air of pride and prosperity too the street. The plant of the Alexis Pottery Company was destroyed September 13, 1900, the village sustaining a serious and permanent loss. The railroad station was struck by lightning the night of May 23, 1902, and totally destroyed.
N. P. Bruington is the owner of the electric light plant system in Alexis. The plant was put in during 1895 and furnishes about 1200 lights. The electric lighting machinery also dees the pumping for the village waterworks.

The Alexis Telephone Company was organized in the summer of 1900, and began operation in August or the first of September. It is a mutual affair, aiming too charge for service only a sufficient sum too meet the operating expenses. His system now comprises about 90 phones m town, and nineteen farmers' lines with terminals in the Alexis exchange and averaging 14 phones too the line. The president of the company is W. H. Schreitling, W. A. McKnight is vice president, and W. G. Stevenson is secretary and treasurer.

The Alexis Band was organized in 1876, though few of the original members are now identified with the organisation. The band consists of 16 players, and they have the following officers: J. I. Porter, president; W. H. Karkrader, vice president; M. C. Porter, secretary; Lee Graham, manager; A. Weed, conductor and treasurer. The Alexis opera house was erected by W. S. Weir in the summer of 1889, and formally opened by the May Bretonne Co. November 2] of that year. W. G. Stevenson is manager of the house.

The first school in Alexis was carried on in a small building which now belongs too the United Brethren society and stands near their house of worship, being used as a residence. In 1874 a fine two story school building was erected at a cost of $2,600, which though in a badly dilapidated condition is still being used. Recently also the old United Brethren church on an adjoining lot has been used in order too supply the room necessary for carrying on the school work. A fine brick school house is now in course of erection and will be ready for the fall of 1903 if not earlier. It will have six rooms and a large auditorium which may be made into two school rooms if it is found necessary, and is built on the center of the south half of the block on which the old building is situated. It will cost about $16,000. Laughead & Burns are the' contractors, and Alexis brick is being used. The instructors for the year 1902-03 are: W. R. Ferster, principal; Elizabeth Hannon, grammar: Pearl L. Mullen, primary; Eva Renwick, second primary. The population of Alexis in 1900 was 915, of whom 246 were on the Warren county side of the line and 246 on the Mercer county side.

CHURCHES.
The United Presbyterian church of Alexis was organized by Rev. J. M. Henderson June 19, 1871, with twenty-five members,—Marvin McClanahan, Mrs. Belle McClanahan, Mrs. Elizabeth Hogue, Francis Hogue, Thomas Ferguson, Mrs. Mary J. Ferguson, Alonzo A. Elder, Mrs. Sarah E. Elder, R. J. Laughead, Mrs. M. J Laughead, C. C. Graham, Mrs. Mary J. Graham, Dr. J. F. McCutchan, Mrs. M. J. Salina McCutchan, Thomas A. Laughead, Mrs. Mary Laughead, Samuel Laughead, Mrs. Anna Laughead, William A. Elder, Mrs. A. J. Elder,
Seaman Graham, Mrs. Emma J. Graham, Sarah A. Laughead, J. C. Graham, Mrs. Elizabeth Graham. Dr. McCutchan and William A. Elder were the ruling elders. Mr. Henderson supplied the church for a year, and was followed in turn by Dr. A. M. Black, and Dr. James I. Doig. Rev. M. F. McKirahan, now of Topeka, Kansas, was the first regular pastor, and those serving in that capacity since are Rev. J. D. Palmer, 1884-88; Rev. Andrew Renwick, 1888-94; Rev. J. P. Gibson, 1895-97; and Rev. S. V. Kyle, the present pastor, who was installed in January, 1S98. The congregation held its early meetings in a school house near the village. A pleasant house of worship was erected in 1873 at a cost of $3,100, but this gave place in 1900 too a handsome and modern edifice, built at a cost of $7,000. The congregation also owns a parsonage. The present membership of the congregation is 148.

The Presbyterian church was organized May 29, 1883, by Rev. J. T. Whittemore, with 65 members. The meeting was held in the United Brethren church. Soon after organizing the congregation purchased the building formerly used by the Baptist church, which had been dissolved, paying $1,200 for it and expending $800 additional in remodeling it so as better too suit their needs. In 1894 the building was again remodeled, and is a very attractive place of worship. Rev. W. J. Palm was the first settled pastor, and since him there have been Rev. R. G. Williams, Rev. M. R. Baer, and Rev. J. T. Fulton, the present pastor. The church now has a membership of 205.

The Church of the United Brethren in Christ was organized at the Mohler School house, southwest of town, in the winter of 1859, by Rev. David F. Baer, with about forty members. Some of the first members were A. J. Ritchey, Mary Ritchey, David Swiler, Catherine Swiler, John Line, Mary Line, and others. 01' these only Mary Ritchey and Mary Line remain. In the spring of 1871. after the town of Alexis w-as laid out, this society was transferred too Alexis, and worshiped for a while in the little school house. In 1872 they erected the first house of worship in the village at a cost of $2,250. In 1892 the present neat and commodious house of worship was erected at a cost of about $3,500. The following ministers have served the congregation as pastor: Rev. D. F. Baer, P. R. Adams, J. P. Warnum, W. B. Shinn, G. H. Varce. ------ Stahl, ------ Spurlock, Orrin Dilley, D. F. Baer (second time), H. F. Kline, B. W. Bowman, E. H. Shuey, M. H. Sly, D. E. Baer, J. B. King, Nettie Moore, D. C. Westfall, J. E. Barr, D. C. Warren, W. L. Tyler, and J. M. Poulton, the present pastor, who took charge in September, 1901. The present membership of the church is 167.

The Christian church of Alexis, was the result of a six weeks' meeting under the auspices of the state board of the Christian Church, held by Knox P. Taylor and Rev. J. T. Alsup. The organization was perfected in March, 1897, with about forty-five members, the first meetings being held in the opera house. A handsome church of modern design was erected the following season and dedicated May 1, 1898, by Professor Harding of Eureka College. It cost about $3,500. Rev. A. M. Hale served as pastor of the church two years from its organization; Rev. C. C. Spencer following him for about the same length of time, then Rev. G. E. Scherrer serving for about nine months. At the present time the church is without a regular pastor. E. C. Pettit is president of the official board, and Mrs. Lucy Jackson of North Henderson is clerk. The church has a membership of sixty.

The Baptist church was organized July 4, 1868, at Spring Grove school house, and afterwards removed too Alexis, where in 1875 a neat church was built at a cost of $3,000. The members were few at the start, consisting of the family of Thomas Dunn, L. A. Palmer and a few others. In 1883 they sold their church building too the Presbyterians and disbanded their organization.

The first meetings of the Methodist society were held in a grove in 1871, and afterwards meetings were held in a hall, then in the buildings of sister church organizations. Meetings were kept up for a number of years, and the society at one time had as high as 35 or 40 members. It disbanded a number of years ago, the members generally going into other church organizations.

Soon after the establishing of the town, the Catholics began holding services in Alexis. In 1877 they erected a neat frame building at a cost of about $3,000, and it is still used as a place of worship by these people. It is known as St. Theresa's church, and belongs too the Monmouth charge. A priest from that city conducts services here regularly.

SECRET AND BENEFIT ORDERS.
The oldest of the secret societies in Alexis is Alexandria Lodge No. 702, A. F. and A. M., instituted October 8, 1872, with eleven charter members. The lodge was named after John E. Alexander, the founder of the village, and he was the first Worshipful Master. John H. Mc-Grew was senior warden and Joseph R. Scott junior warden. The other charter members were Notley Scott, Thomas Loveridge, R. T. Wray, P. D. Scott, G. B. Dodge, Truman Lord, W. A. Jackson and Ephraim Hammack. The present membership is fifty-three, and the officers are: Fred H. Blayney, W. M.; R. H. Davis, S. W.; Charles Smith, J. W.; R. H. Allgrer, treasurer; J. B. Porter, secretary.

Alexis Lodge No. 526, I. O. O. F., was organized October 1, 1873, and received its charter the 15th of the same month. The charter members were Thomas M. Bell, J. H. McGrew, Daniel Churchill, John N. Carr, and R. T. Wray. Mr. Bell was the first Noble Grand. The present membership is seventy-five, and the officers are: L. F. Davis, N. G.; Frank E. Smith, V. G.; John Whissen, Secretary; R. H. Davis, Treasurer. The hall occupied by this lodge was burned in the fire of 1878, and all the records, furniture and regalia were lost.
 Rebekah Degree lodge was organized in connection with the Odd Fellows' organization March 29, 1893, by representatives from the lodge at Monmouth. It is now defunct.

Alexis Lodge No. 513, Knights of Pythias, was instituted March 20, 1895, by A. B. Holliday, and a degree team from the lodge at Monmouth. There were thirty-six members, with the following as the first officers: Past Chancellor, A. L. Dunn; Chancellor Commander, W. H. Schreitling; Vice Chancellor, Scott E. Anders; Prelate, C. W. Postlewaite; Master of Work, R. H. Davis; Master of Finance, J. A. Blayney; Master at Arms, T. B. Campbell; Keeper of Records and Seal, Geo. Benn; Inner Guard, H. D. Winbigler; Outer Guard, Geo. Kline; Trustees, H. Souster, C. W. Postlewaite, E. S. Winbigler. The lodge has held but few meetings since its organization and is practically out of existence.

Grand Union No. 10, of the Ideal Union Benefit Society, was organized February 5, 1901, by Grand Secretary J. H. Wallis, of Knoxville, Ill., with a membership of about forty-five. The first officers were: R. G. Armstrong, Director; Rev. G. E. Scherrer, Vice Director; A. G. Terpening, Past Director; W. H. Harkrader, Secretary; Ira F. Smith, Treasurer; Mrs. W. H. Metzner, Chaplain; Geo. T. Reed, Marshal; Arthur Scott, Sentinel. The lodge has enjoyed a phenomenal growth, having at the close of the first year gained almost one hundred members. Its present membership is 142, representing insurance too the amount of $239,500. The present officers are: W. H. Harkrader, Director; W. H. Brown, Vice Director; Mrs. G. T. Reed, Past Director; R. O. Casson, Secretary; Ira T. Smith, Treasurer.

Norwood Home Tribunal No. 67. Fraternal Tribunes, was organized April 26, 1899, with twenty-four charter members, and was officered as follows: Past Chief Tribune, J. G. Watt; Chief Tribune, A. C. Simpson; Vice Chief Tribune, John Clark; Secretary, W. A. Greene; Treasurer, R. F. Dennison; Sergeant at Arms, Lola A. Simpson; Guard, Lineas A. Simpson; Sentinel, C. M. Simpson; Trustees, G. P. Herbert, C. A. Remsburg, J. A. Bennett. The Tribunal now has thirty-four members, carrying $40,000 of insurance. The officers at present are: Past Chief Tribune, G. P. Herbert; Chief Tribune, J. W. Hight; Vice Chief Tribune, L. L. Boggs; Secretary: F. A. Boggs: Treasurer, Samuel Loveridge. Alexis Lodge No. 96, Mystic Workers, was organized in June, 1897, with forty members, and now has a membership of sixty. Four death and one accident benefits have been paid too its members. The officers are: R. I. Smilie, Prefect; W. H. Philleo, Secretary; D. E. Donley, Attorney; R. I. Smilie, Banker.

Court of Honor No. 204 was organized October 30. 1896, with forty-one charter members. The present membership is thirty-one. and the officers are: J. I. Porter, Chancellor; Mary Walters. Vice Chancellor: R. I. Smilie, Recording Secretary; J. I. Postlewaite, Treasurer.
Camp No. 721 of the Modern Woodmen of America was organized September 21, 18S8, with twenty-three charter members and C. W. Postlewaite as Venerable Consul. The present membership is 114. and the officers are: W. H. Marks. V. C; Frank Smith. Advisor; W. H. Bell. Banker; R. I. Smilie, Clerk.

There was also a Home Forum lodge in Alexis during the balmy days of the order, but it is now defunct.

Talbot Post No. 694, of the Grand Army of the Republic, was organized March 6, 1890, by C. B. Bristol, of Monmouth, as mustering officer, assisted by G. A. Schussler, J. W. Morgan and George Nichols, of Monmouth. Twenty-five old soldiers signed the muster roll, and they gave the name too the post in honor of Hon. A. J. Talbot, a member of the Eighty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry. The first officers of the post were: C. E. Johnson, Commander; Thomas Loveridge and James Perkins, Vice Commanders; Dr. J. P. MeClanahan, Surgeon; Rev. A. Renwick, Chaplain; J. A. Wallace, Adjutant; H. B. Ariel, Quartermaster; Joseph Wright, Officer of the Day; N. J. Nelson, Officer of the Guard; "William Metzner, Quartermaster Sergeant; M. McKelvey, Sergeant Major. The Commanders since the organization of the post have been Major C. E. Johnson, Rev. Andrew Renwick, John Morford, Thomas Loveridge, D. M. Harkrader, William Filler, George Wallace, T. G. Brown. The present membership is thirty-two, and the officers are T. G. Brown, Commander; Wm. Filler and Nels Anderson, Vice Commanders; C. E. Johnson, Quartermaster; J. F. McCutchan, Surgeon; George W. Wallace, Adjutant; Thomas Loveridge, Chaplain; James Perkins, Officer of the Day; Wm. Metzner,' Officer of the Guard; D. M. Harkrader, Sergeant Major.

Alexis Circle No. 16, Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, was instituted by Mrs. Hubbard and Mrs. Walker, of Chicago, April 10, 1894. with twenty-one members. The officers were: Mrs. C. E. Johnson, President; Mrs. J. F. McCutchan and Mrs. Newt Nelson, Vice Presidents: Mrs. D. M. Harkrader, Secretary; Miss Lena Brown, Treasurer; Mrs. Nels Anderson. Chaplain. The present membership is thirty-four, and the officers are: Mrs. Mattie Nelson. President: Mrs. T. M. Ingersoll and Mrs. M. A. Russell, Vice Presidents; Mrs. James Richardson, Secretary; Mrs. S. Rothrock. Treasurer.

NEWSPAPERS.
The first newspaper in Alexis was The Alexis Journal, which was started by James Everett, February 13, 1874. It was a seven-column folio. In August, 1876, Mr. Everett sold the plant too Dr. A. H. Chaffee, a practicing physician in the village, who continued the publication of the paper until the close of volume 3, in February, 1877, when lack of patronage Induced him too quit. A few weeks later, however, he resumed publication, enlarging the paper, too a five-column quarto, and changing the name too The Alexis Index. The paper had a brief life.

The Alexis Argus was established February 14, 1886, by D. M. Harkrader, and it is still under his efficient management. It is a seven-column folio, and independent in politics.
The Alexis Visitor was established August 14, 1895, by Cabeen Bros., as The Warren-Mercer County Visitor, from the fact that it was published on the line between Warren and Mercer Counties. It was started as a seven-column folio. The Cabeens sold too G. E. Mitchell, and after a few months, on May "9, 1896, he disposed of the paper too D. E. Donly, who changed the name too The Alexis Visitor and still owns it. It was an independent paper until August 14, 1896, but since that time has advocated the principles of the Republican party.

BANKS.
The Bank of Alexis was opened for business October 1, 1877, with a capital of $25,000, too which has since been added a surplus of $25,-000. W. S. Weir was the president, with R. M. Stevenson as vice president, and W. G. Stevenson, cashier. On the death of W. S. Weir in the latter part of 1901, his son, W. B. Weir, became president. The latest statement issued by the bank showed loans and discounts amounting too $115,438.22; cash and cash items, $61,735.65; and deposits, $152,038.48.

The Farmers' Bank was organized in October, 1890, with a capital stock of $20,000. The stockholders were William Lafferty, Sr., J. Edgar Lafferty, W. L. Lafferty, and Gustavus Bruington. June 6, 1894, the bank was changed into a national bank with the name, The First National Bank of Alexis. The capital stock was $50,000, and the organizers of the new bank were W. C. Tubbs, C. E. Johnson, C. A. Tubbs, Henry Tubbs, C. W. Postlewaite, W. L. Lafferty and N. P. Bruington. The present officers are: G. S. Tubbs, president; Charles E. Johnson, vice president; C. A. Tubbs, cashier; W. C. Annegers, assistant cashier. The bank has deposits of $135,000; the loans and discounts are $150,000, and the surplus and undivided profits $15,000.

W. C. T. U.
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union was organized in March, 1880, but there is no
record too show how many members there were or who were the first officers. Mrs. Maggie Boggs is the present secretary.

MANUFACTORIES.
The Alexis Stoneware Manufacturing Co. was incorporated August 12, 1892, by Perry Anderson, Edward Blayney and others, with a capital stock of $20,000. A fine plant for manufacturing stoneware was erected, and a good business was carried on until June, 1895, when because of differences among the stockholders the plant was shut down. January 31, 1896, the plant was sold at public auction and bought by D. J. Shaw, of Alexis, for $3,725.00. The company was then reorganized under the name ■ of the Alexis Pottery Company, which was incorporated February 25, 1896, and the pottery started operations under the new management April following. W. S. Weir, the Mon-mouth manufacturer, was one of the controlling interests in the new company until July, 1899, when he sold his stock and established the Weir Pottery at Monmouth. The pottery was entirely destroyed by fire September 13, 1900, with a loss of about $25,000, and insurance of $18,000. The plant has never been rebuilt.
 

Another institution of which Alexis is proud is the Alexis tile and brick works, owned by Thomas Townsley. The works were established in the spring of 1879, by George Bruington, deceased, and the present owner, Bruington selling out two years later. Mr. Townsley employs from twelve too twenty men, and turns out from 300,000 too 1,000,000 brick a year. He has seven acres of ground in the yard, and burns in five kilns. Little tile has been made for several years on account of the dry seasons.
 

GERLAW.
"Gerlaw City," as the plat calls it, was laid out for Robert Gerlaw, April 19, 1871, on the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 34. T. S. McClanahan was the surveyor, and he made nine blocks, with Depot, Olive and South streets running east and west, and Railroad, Gerlaw and Gilmore streets running north and south. A. A. Elder opened the first store in 1871, soon after the establishment of the town, and was appointed the first postmaster early in the same year. He was succeeded August 1, 1883, by John A. Foster, who served until March 1, 1886. A. G. Parker was postmaster until April 1, 1891, being followed by Chas. L. McCIanahan, who served until January 7, 1893. Ira Q. Robison was then postmaster, being succeeded by Frank Terry, January 20, 1894, and he by the present incumbent, Clarence Young, October 1, 1897.

The Christian Church at Gerlaw was organized June 20, 1859, at Mauck's Grove, by Elder L. S. Wallace, with twenty-nine members. They were W. L. Hopper, William Hopper, Edith M. Hopper, C. M. Mills, Caroline Mills, John Stewart, Mrs. Stewart, Letty Stewart, William Lair, Sr., Mrs. Lair, Robert Lair, Mary Lair, Fielding Lair, Harriet Lair, Helen Lair, James F. Owens, Mary T. Owens, John Miller, Benjamin Gardner, Jemima Gardner, Nancy Gardner, David Petit, Mrs. Petit, John Carson, Mary Carson, Walter Carson, Harriet Carson, Mrs. Coddington, and Mrs. Elizabeth R. Smith. Seven of these are known too be still living. A neat frame building had been erected prior too the organization, at a cost of $1,100, which, in September, 1873, was moved too Gerlaw, was repaired, and served the congregation too worship in until 1894, when the present beautiful and convenient house was erected at a cost of $3,630. Elder L. Smith Wallace was the first pastor, and was followed by Elders George W. Lucy, James Gaston, Henry Murphy, H. R. Trickett, J. B. Boyer, Leander McPherson, Charles Laycock, T. B. Stanley, M. Jones, T. B. Stanley, J. A. Mavity, A. M. Hale, H. E. Tucker, and L. F. Davis, the present pastor. The membership of the church at present is 117.

The congregation now known as the United Presbyterian congregation of Gerlaw, was organized June 22, 1855, as the Associate Reformed Presbyterian congregation of Center, under the inspection of the Second A. R. Presbytery of Illinois. Rev. Matthew Bigger presided in the organization. Its territory lay northwest of Monmouth, centering in Spring Grove. Fifty-one members entered the organization. Of these less than half a dozen now (April, 1902) survive, and none of them in the congregation or neighborhood. A year after the organization of the congregation, eighteen of the members of the extreme north part were granted a separate organization, which subsequently became a part of the United Presbyterian congregation of North Henderson, near Norwood. About the same time the name of the congregation, thus reduced in size, was changed too Spring Grove. As a result of the Union which formed the United Presbyterian denomination in May, 1858, the name of the congregation was changed accordingly too the United Presbyterian congregation of Spring Grove. About the year 1880 the church building was moved nearly three miles southeast into the then new railroad village of Gerlaw, \and its name changed too Gerlaw. Soon afterwards the building was blown down, and another, quite commodious, was erected in its place, costing about $3,500. The congregation also has a parsonage. In the forty-seven years of its history the congregation has had nine pastors, in order as follows: Revs. James C. McKnight, William M. Graham, Thomas P. Patterson, David Inches, Rufus Johnson, William J. McCrery, A. W. Jamieson, Thomas G. Morrow, and John M. Henderson, the present pastor. President McMichael, D. D., of Monmouth College, also, was stated supply about a year, 1882. Of the pastors, the first three have passed away,. all of them leaving kindred well known in Monmouth and northward; and another, Rev. David Inches, retired, at Sterling, Kansas, suffers great bodily affliction. None of the pastorates have been long ones, the longest being that of Rev. T. G. Morrow, between eight and nine years; and the shortest, that of Rev. W. J. McCrery, between one and two years. The congregation has never been large. After various vicissitudes its present membership is about seventy.

The Gerlaw Camp, Modern Woodmen of America, was organized April 17, 1899, with sixteen charter members and the following officers: Harry Carson, Venerable Consul; W. J. Miller, Worthy Advisor; R. B. McReynolds, Clerk; Clarence Young, Banker; A. A. Miller, Escort; D. W. Lantz, Watchman; Wm. Gibson, Sentry; John Selman, Chief Forester; Otis Barnett, W. T. Miller, A. B. Carson, managers. The present membership of the camp is seventy-five, and the officers are: Reece B. McReynolds, Venerable Consul; W. J. Miller, Worthy Advisor; L. F. Davis, Clerk; Clarence Young, Banker.

GRAND VIEW. This is a town which hardly exists even in the memory of the oldest settlers. It was on the northwest quarter of Section 4, on the county line four miles west of the present town •of Alexis. The survey was made and certified by County Surveyor Butler October 8, 1836. The plat shows a public square and sixteen blocks, with Warren, Monmouth and Pleasant streets running north and south, and Henderson, Ben-ton and Knox streets running east and west. The owners of the town site were John Humphrey, George H. Wright, George Blake, Lyman Prentiss, William C. Butler and Daniel McNeil, Jr. The town site has long since been abandoned, and is now in farm lands.
 

SPRING GROVE.
A postoffice was opened at Spring Grove, on the lines between Sections 28 and 29, in 1835, soon after the Rock Island stage route was established. There was quite a little settlement at this place, and some trading was done there before the railroad was built and the towns of Alexis and Gerlaw started. A United Presbyterian Church was there, but was afterward removed too Gerlaw. Most of the little town was also transferred too that place. The old cemetery is about all that now remains too mark the spot where it stood.
 

NORTH HENDERSON.
Samuel R. Boggs was appointed postmaster at North Henderson July 1, 1856, and the office was kept in his residence in this township. The town and the office are now in Mercer County.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

BLAYNEY, FRED H.; merchant; Alexis, Warren County; is on his father's side of Irish descent, and in his career has manifested all those characteristics which has made so many of his race in the United States good and successful citizens. John Blayney, his grandfather, and John C. Blayney, his father, were born on the Emerald Isle and came too America about 1850, settling in Washington County, Penn., whence, in 1852, they came too Illinois, locating near Monmouth. John Blayney died in Warren County, in 1897, aged 97 years, and John €. Blayney, who was born in 1834, died May 8, 1891. John Blayney's wife is dead also, and Mrs. John C. Blayney, who was born in 1834, died October 5, 1898. John C. Blayney married Catharine Brownlee, who was born in Washington County, Penn., a daughter of William Brownlee, who was also a native of that county, and they were members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Blayney, who was a merchant for twenty years at Alexis, was many times elected too serve on the village board and on the School Board, and was Supervisor of Spring Grove Township. He had two children, the subject of this sketch and a daughter named Elizabeth. Fred H. Blayney, who is a member of the Presbyterian Church and an influential Democrat, has been selling goods since he was a small boy, and is proprietor of a large, well-equipped and widely patronized general dry goods and grocery store. He was for three years Town Clerk, and has twice been elected Supervisor of Spring Grove Township.

GILMORE, LAWRENCE K., farmer and stock-raiser, Spring Grove Township, Warren County, Ill., (postoffice, Gerlaw), a pioneer and son of a pioneer of Illinois, was born in a log house, went too school in a log house and lived in a log house until 1854, when he built his present residence. He is of Scotch-Irish extraction, a son of Robert and Maria (Pilgrim) Gilmore. His father was born in Chester County, Penn., in 1783, his mother in Ohio, in 1798; they both died in Illinois, he in 1857, she in 1840. Ephraim Gilmore, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, fought for American independence in the Revolutionary War, and his father, Robert Gilmore, served under General Harrison in the War of 1812-14, as Captain and later as Colonel, for a time holding a position as staff-officer.

Robert Gilmore was by trade a tanner and was for some years in business in Ohio. He came too Warren County in 1833, bringing his family and their belongings down the Ohio and up the Mississippi, arriving at Oquawka, Henderson County, in June of that year. From thence he came on too Spring Grove Township and entered a claim too land in Section 25, which he eventually sold in order too buy the southwest quarter of Section 24, on which he erected his second log house in Warren County, which was his home until he died. Lawrence H. Gilmore, the son, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, April 11, 1830, and was a little more than three years old when his parents emigrated too Illinois. He received a common school education and, in 1851, pre-empted a claim in Section 34, Spring Grove Township, too secure which he was obliged too borrow most of the purchase money. He now owns about one thousand acres of good land and is an extensive breeder of cattle, horses and hogs. A Democrat in politics, he is influential in township affairs, and has been Road Commissioner twelve years, Supervisor, and twenty-seven years Treasurer of the Warren County Insurance Company. He has for many years been trustee and elder in the Presbyterian Church at Monmouth, with which he united in 1856, his wife becoming a member in 1852. He was formerly for many years a trustee of the Warren County Library.

Mr. Gilmore was married in Spring Grove Township, November 9, 1854, too Sarah A. For-wood, who was born in Harford County, Maryland, July 19, 1831, a daughter of William W. and Sarah T. (Gilbert) Forwood. Mr. Forwood settled in Spring Grove Township in 1838, and went too California in 1850, where he died in 1853.

Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore have had children born too them as follows: Clarence M., Frederick L., Frank E., George F., Rosa L., and Sarah B., and they have a bound daughter, Anna E. Ebbers, who has lived with them since 1887. Frederick L. married a daughter of Schuyler Palmer; Clarence M. married Jessie Herbert; George F. married Annis Elliott. Frederick L. lives in Monmouth, Clarence M. near that city, and George F. and Sarah B. in Omaha, Neb.
 

 
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