The History of McLean County, Illinois

By W. LeBaron Jr.

This is a comprehensive description of McClean County as it existed when the authors were writing and researching about it at the end of the nineteenth century. It contains a full history of the area, extant laws, descriptions of famous inhabitants, maps, and much more. It will be of interest to sociological studies, historical studies, and geographical studies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: DigiCat
• Release date: Nov 28, 2022
• ISBN: 8596547425458

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W. LeBaron Jr.

The History of McLean County, Illinois

EAN 8596547425458

DigiCat, 2022

Contact: [e-mail]

Table of Contents

Allin

Early Settlements

Education

Organization

Political And War Record

Railroad And Highways

Religious Intelligence

Anchor

Churches and Schools

Early Settlers

Organization of Township

Arrowsmith

Arrowsmith Village

Early Settlers

Township Officers

Belleflower

Belleflower Township

Belleflower Village

Early Settlers

Blue Mound

Blue Mound Township

Crops and Farmers

Politics

Schools, Churches, Etc.

Cropsey

Early Settlers

Organization of Township

Railroads

Schools and Societies

Downs

Early Churches

Early Mills

Early Settlers

General History

Politics and the Government

The Village on Downs

Dry Grove

Churches

Dry Grove Township

Early Industry

Early Settlers

Organization of Township

Roads

Schools

War and Politics

Martin

Churches

Early Settlements

Martin Township

Township Organization

Money Creek

A Murder in Money Creek

Churches

Early Progress

Early Settlements

Highways

Money Creek Township

Schools

War and Politics

White Oak

Early Settlements

Organization of Township

White Oak Township

Yates

Early Settlements

Organization of Township

Yates

Allin

Table of Contents

Allin Township was formerly called Mosquito Grove. It lies on the western side of McLean County, and is the second township from the south side of the county. It includes a full Congressional town, and no more. It is designated Town 23 north, Range 1 west of the Third Principal Meridian. It is bounded on three sides by other townships of the county, viz., on the north by Danvers, on the east by Dale and on the south by Mount Hope; Tazewell County lies on the west. The Third Principal Meridian forms the eastern boundary, being the line which separates it from Dale Township.

Early Settlements

Table of Contents

John Henline, was there in late 1828. He came with his wife, Mary Darnell, and brother, William. John was born November 7, 1786. The building of thecabin and work chopping the timber was difficult. John Henline sustained a broken leg the first day. Two years after first arriving to McLean county, Mr. and Mrs. John Henline returned to kentucky to purchase farm equipment. Mrs. Henline dug up a number of apple sprouts and transplanted then in Illinois. The new settlers in the area eventually built a fort on John Henines land just north of the site of the present day Evergreen church. When ever the alarm was given, the settlers would gather in the stockade from all over the settlement. The alarm came from a large cannon named Old Yauger. The family built a mill on Henline creek. People within 50 miles of the settlement brought their grain. The children of Mr. and Mrs John Henline were as follows: China, George, John, Jackson, Martin, David, and William. The first log cabin in Brooks' Grove, was put up by Miles Brooks. He moved into it on the 14th day of March, 1830. He was a native of Virginia, but, early, moved to Kentucky. From Kentucky, he came to Indiana, and from there to Illinois, in 1829. He first stopped at Cleary's Grove, in Menard County. When he settled at the grove which has ever since borne his name, he found very few people in that part of McLean County. There was a cluster of families north, at Stout's Grove, and others northeast, at Twin and Dry Groves, but his neighbors were not inconveniently near nor extremely numerous. Miles Brooks opened up a farm there, and continued to reside at the grove. His son, Presley T. Brooks, still owns the farm, and has resided upon it until recently. He has been a noted man in the township from its earliest history. His children reside in the township, two sons doing business at Stanford. Mr. Brooks married a Larison. The Larisons are well known in the early history of McLean County.

The first settlement made at Brown's Grove, was by William Brown. He was from Tennessee. He came to the grove at an early date-some say, about the time that Ephraim Stout came to Stout's Grove, in Danvers Township. If this be true, he was the first inhabitant of what is now Allin Township. William Brown did not remain at the grove which bears his name, but sold out and moved to Mackinaw Creek, where he lived until his death. He had several children, who lived in Allin with their father. They all went with him to the Mackinaw, up above Lexington, where some of them still remain. A son-in-law of Mr. Brown, by the name of Poor, is particularly remembered. He, too, followed the sire ti other parts. There were a number of the Stouts, who moved to Brown's Grove at an early date. They were some of the same company that first inhabited Danvers Township. These were given to hunting and sporting. They spent most of their time in that way. They did very little at farming, and when the country began to fill up with .he tides of emigration from Eastern States, they found a more congenial element in other lands.

Robert Means came early to this same grove. He afterward died of the bilious fever. Mr. Warlow says that he had a young brother, twelve years old, who died about the same time, of the same disease. When a person now has simply bilious fever, he is not considered dangerously ill. But then it was otherwise. He thinks that the doctors killed them. Bleeding was the process for all diseases. The doctors came out from Bloomington and found their patients suffering from an extremely high fever. They then performed the bleeding operation. When the patient's blood was nearly all gone, the fever would abate. When the physician again made his appearance, if the patient was a little better, he would bleed him again. It is true that some survived the treatment; but others died, when, it is thought, the better knowledge of to-day would have relieved the suffering and preserved the life.

Benjamin Harlow entered land on the north side of Brown's Grove in the fall of 1836. Here he built a cabin and reared his family. The Warlows were from -New York. They moved to Ohio, and then to Illinois. They spent the first two years at Dry Grove. Richard A. Warlow still resides near the site of the old log cabin, first built on the north of the grove. He is the oldest inhabitant of this part of the township. He has been a prominent person in the history of the township, having held about all the offices within the gift of the people.

The settlement at Brooks' Grove grew slowly, the Brooks family being the only settlers of note for some time.

Mosquito Grove was settled by the Reddens. This grove, as remarked previously, was a small patch of woods on the branch of Sugar Creek that flows through Stout's Grove. The grove is in the prairie, some miles from any other timber. It, very ,naturally, was selected by a number of brigands and desperadoes as the seat of their depredations. As early as 1836, these men began to collect at Mosquito Grove. They were led by Grant Reddon, who was assisted by his two sons, Jack and Harrison. Although these men were not quite as notorious as the terrible Benders, of Cherry Vale, Kan., whose notorious infamy aroused the whole State, yet their deeds were carried on much after the same fashion. The grove became the rendezvous for thieves. counterfeiters and criminals generally. This gang infested the grove for nearly ten years, and yet the people were aware of the den's location all the time. They were afraid of the Reddons, who were known to be desperate characters. Jack Reddon is said to have assisted in the murder of Col. Davenport, at Rock Island. Crimes of various kinds were committed, horses were stolen, and even murder was supposed to have been perpetrated. A peddler, who came from Peoria, was traced as far as Mosquito Grove, but was never heard of afterward. The Reddons were seen with clothes that the peddler was known to have ; so that the evidence of abduction seemed almost conclusive. The brother of the peddler traced the matter so far, but none of the murderers were ever brought to trial. At last, the situation became desperate. The people began to realize that it was a great detriment to the country, as well as a dangerous thing to permit in their midst. An armed band was formed, and the Reddons compelled to leave the country. This put an end to their work in this country. Where they started again in their nefarious business is not known ; but it seems unfortunate that the leaders were not brought to trial. But, perhaps, the evidence was not sufficient to convict, although suspicion amounted to a conviction and almost to a certainty.

Education

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The first school in the township was taught on the north side of Brown's Grove, at the residence of one Mr. Stout. This man had gone up into the northern part of the State. About Elgin, somewhere, he married, and his wife proved to be an Eastern lady, with more education than the average pioneer woman. Accordingly, when she cause to Brown's Grove, it was thought best that she utilize her superabundance of knowledge, and teach school. She taught in her own house. Later, a schoolhouse was built, and the youth taught in the usual way. Mr. Warlow remarks the difference between then and now. Then, three months were all that the year afforded. Now, eight and nine months are the number usually taught. Then, private houses and log cabins were the seats of learning. Now, neat frame schoolhouses appear for the accommodation of all. The people seem to take pride in their schools, and keep them up to the times.

At present, the status of the schools is indicated by the following : Number of children under twenty-one years, 621 ; number of children between six and twenty-one, "4; number of scholars enrolled, 287 ; number of schoolhouses, 7 ; amount paid teachers, $3,225; total expenditures, $4,142.16; estimated value of school property $6,000 ; highest wages paid per month, $60.

Organization

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The Commissioners who first laid off the county into townships for political purposes, reported Town 23 north, Range 1 west as constituting such a division, and named it Mosquito Grove Township. The name was afterward changed to Allin, in honor of Mr. Allin, whose efforts in behalf of Bloomington are very well known to all the early inhabitants.

The first election held, April 6, 1858, for the election of township officers, resulted as follows : Presley T. Brooks, Supervisor ; John M. Jones, Town Clerk ; Green B. Larison, Assessor ; John Armstrong, Collector ; John WV. Godfrey, Overseer of the Poor ; Thomas Veal, Leonard McReynolds, Jarvis Mack, Commissioners of Highways ; Richard A. Warlow, John Cavett, Justices of the Peace; Henry M. Kerbaugh, Katie E. Cooper, Constables.

This list, besides introducing many new names, takes us back to the early settlement of the township. It includes at least two of the oldest settlers now in it-Presley T. Brooks and Richard A. Warlow.

The late election, for 1879-S0, resulted in the choice of the following township officers : John L. Kaufman, Supervisor ; Abel Brooks, Town Clerk ; Leonard McReynolds, Peter D. Springer, Justices of the Peace ; Awes Harrison, John Armstrong, Andrew Springer, Road Commissioners; Sigh Hennershotz, Constable; Scott Wier, Assessor; Michael Garst, Collector.

Political And War Record

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Unlike the greater portion of McLean County, Allin is Democratic. In all State and national questions, it turns out strongly for the old party which it has honored with its suffrage for so many years. In township elections, the dominant party is generally remembered, although the returns do not always show strict party tendencies.

Further than a general scare, we hear of no harm from the Indian war of 1832. If there were persons who enlisted in the companies sent out from this county, we were not fortunate enough to learn their names. They rest in their unknown graves, with hone to cherish their deeds of valor.

Allen Palmer and Joseph Bozarth were in the Mexican war. These were all, we suppose, that were among the few whom the Government accepted to fight its battles ; for it will be remembered that of the 8,370 men who offered themselves from the State of Illinois, only 3,720 could be accepted.

During the war of the rebellion, Allin furnished its share of men for the defense of the Union. We learned the names of the following who gave their lives to the cause : Austin Bond died from the effects of the measles ; James Gourley, John Brooks and Josiah Bozarth died while in the United States service ; William Ryan volunteered and was captured and paroled, when he returned home. Afterward he went again as a teamster, and was kicked to death by a rebellious mule. If any fell in battle we know them not. To meet an enemy on the field of battle, and there to be shot down like a beast, is hard, regardless of all the glory that is attached to heroic deeds; but