Effingham County, Illinois - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 15 of those read), 1883

MASON TOWNSHIP - TOPOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE - SETTLEMENT - BROOM, THE STEWARTS AND OTriER PIONEERS - A FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION - SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES - AN INCIDENT - VILLAGES - GROWTH .AND DEVELOPMENT OF MASONITS BUSINESS IMPORTANCE - EDGEWOOD - LAID OUT AS A TOWN - STORES, SHOPS, CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES.

In the full strength of years, matron and maid, And the sweet babe, and the gra3r-headed man - Shall, one by one. be gathered to thy side By those who, in their turn, shall follow them."

HISTORICALLY, Mason holds a front place among the townships of EflSngham County. More than fifty years have dissolved in the mists of the past since the echoes of the woodman's ax first rang through the lofty forests of Mason as he felled the treas for his lone cabin, or cleared -away the timber for a garden, or for a " patch " of corn. Its forests and prairies are now fertile fields, dotted over with prosperous homes, and the Indians, who once hunted the deer in their midst, have disappeared in the dis- tant "West. The young men have grown old, and the old men are in their graves, who first saw this country in its pristine beauty, and joined hands to reduce it from a wilderness to its present state of civilization and prosperity.

Mason Township lies in the southern part of the county, and, according to the Congressional survey, is Township 6 north, and Range 5 east. It is pretty well divided between woodland and prairie; the latter is rolling sufficiently to drain naturally. The woodland is somewhat hilly, with the exception of a few post-oak flats, and along the river and other streams it rises in places to abrupt bltiffs. The timber is white, black and post oak and hickory on the high lands, and in the bottoms, cottonwood, walutit, suaJ^-A^ J3y, gar maple, sycamore, hackberry, soft maple, elm, etc., with a thick g^rowth of hazel in many parts of the township. The watercourses are the Wabash and its numerous tributaries. The Little Wabash just touches the northeast corner as it trends southeastwardly. Fulfer Creek enters the township through Section 7, from West Township, receiving on its way, in Mason, Limestone Creek and several smaller streams, and finally emptying into the Wabash in Section 1; Willow Branch in the south part, the North Fork of which heads near Mason Village, and, flowing southward, unites with the main stream in Section 34, when it passes out through Section 35 into Clay County; Coon Creek has its source in Section 14, and passes into Union Township, whore it empties into the Wabash. Jackson Township lies on the north. Union Township on the east. Clay County on the south and West Township on the west. The Chicago Branch of the Illinois Central Railroad passes diagonally through Mason, and the Springfield Division of the Ohio & Mississippi passes through the southwest corner, crossing the Illinois Central at Edgewood. These roads furnish the township and its inhabitants communication with all parts of the country, and bring the best markets to their very doors.

The settlemeDt of Mason Township dates back more than half a century. The first white people who came here were from the South - mostly fi-om Tennessee. The first settlements of which we have any account were made in 1829. Jonathan Parkhurst was one of the first, and came originally from New Jersey, but had lived some years in Tennessee before emigrating to Illinois. When he came to the State, he settled in White County, then an almost unbroken wilderness, and, a few years later, came here and located in Mason Township, afterward moving over into Jackson. John McCoy, Alexander Stewart and some of the Lillys also came in 1829. McCoy moved to Indiana, remained awhile, and then came back here, where he lived until his death. The Lillys were either from Kentucky or Tennessee. William settled on the Bailie place, and afterward moved to the southern part of the State. Andi-ew, a son of William, married McCoy's daughter, moved with him to Indiana, came back with him, and afterward moved down near Cairo, where he died. Stewart moved back to Tennessee, remained awhile, then came back to Illinois, and, some years later, moved to Missouri.

John Broom came also in 1829. He is a native of Tennessee, and he and his fatherin-law, Benjamin Allen, with their families, came to Illinois, arriving iri this township in the early part of November, 1829. He settled on Limestone Creek, some three miles west of Mason. He was penniless when he arrived, and in debt, besides, to his father-inlaw; but, nothing daunted, he went to work with a stout heart and willing hands. For the first years of his wilderness life, he subsisted on the products of his rifle, deer, bear, turkeys and other game being quite abundant. The first land he owned was an eightyacre tract, which he paid for with money earned in blasting rock in the quarries, for the National road, when it was in course of construction, and for which he received the liberal sum of 37| cents per day. By persevering industry, he has accumulated considerable property, and now as he is passing down the shady side of life, he is enjoying the fruits of a well-spent life. For several years he has been a resident of Mason Village, his health preventing him from active life on the farm. He has held many ofiices - Constable, Justice of the Peace, Associate County Judge, etc. la his youth.

poverty prevented him from receiving an education, and thus, realizing the need of it, he has always been a zealous friend of schools, and an earnest supporter of all measure^ for the benefit of learning. His fatherin-law, Benjamin Allen, was a good farmer and a respected citizen. He died on the place where he settled, and the bones of himself and wife molder together in the dust upon the old homestead, the place now owned by Mr. Dovore. Mrs. Charlotte Kepley was a daughter of Allen, and a widow. Afterward, she married John Allen, who, although of the same name of her father, was not related to him.

The first wheat sowed in Effingham County was by Judge Broom and Mr. Allen. They went all the way to Shelby County, and, with their horses, assisted Andrew Wakefield to tramp out wheat in the oldfashioned way, by laying the wheat on the ground and driving horses over it - receiving for themselves and their horses a bushel and a half of wheat per day. They worked long enough to obtain four bushels of wheat. This they brought home with them on horseback, and prepared a piece of ground, in which it was sown.

Additional settlers in Mason Township were John and Josiah Stewart, Andrew Martin, John Trapp, a man named Frost and another named Winkler, Micajah Davidson, Wesley Robinson, Vincent McGuire, Gideon Loiider, etc., etc. John and Josiah Stewart were brothers to Alexander Stewart, and both finally moved back to Tennessee and remained there. Martin was from Kentucky, and, a few years after settling here, moved into Jackson Township, where he died. John Trapp lived on the Horton farm, and is elsewhere mentioned. Frost was one of the first settlers in the township, and moved some years later to the Sangamon country.

Winkler moved into Jackson Township, and died. Davidson first settled in Jackson, then moved into Mason. He had a horse-mill in Jackson, and, after moving here, built one in this township. He was a great mechan ical genius, and could make almost anything he tried to make. Robinson came from Indiana in 1830-31 and was unmarried. He followed hauling salt from -the works and selling it to the settlers. He married and settled down to business on the place now occuf)ied by his son Jonathan. McGuire was an Irishman, and had a son named John, who was killed while at work on the old Na tional road, by a bank caving in on him. The old man was a miser, and a great lover of the " crayther." Both he and his wife, it is said, used to get gloriously drunk. Judge Broom and Uncle Jimmy Tm'ner often cradled wheat for him. He finally left the township and moved to the south part of the State, where he died many years ago. Louder was from Tennessee, and came to Illinois, first settling in Clay County, and afterward in this county in Jackson Township, making his home at Ben Campbell's, whose wife was Louder's aunt. He finally moved over into Mason and settled in the southeast corner of the {ownship, where he died, and where his widow still lives. This brings the settlement down to a period where emigrants were coming ia rapidly and the country was fast settling iip.

Among the later settlers we mention a few whose names have become prominent in the history of the township and the county. At the head of the list stands the name of Hon. Isaac L. Leith. He came fi-om Ohio and settled here in 1840, and since that time has been closely identified with the interests of the county, holding a number of important positions of honor and trust. He was one of the Commissioners for laving out the county into townships, and devised a plan of organization, which was accepted. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention, and on the Building and Finance Committees for building the present court house of Effingham. Although the " frosts of many winters " rest upon his head, he is still hale and hearty, and good for many years of life. James, David and Wilkinson Leith are his brothers, and came to Illinois in the same year (1840), and are all now dead.

Stephen Hardin, Dr. Matthews, Martin Eobinson, Eobert Kankin, David Tm-ner, Elijah Henry, IMorgan Wright, Jacob Goddard, A. W. Henry, and a number of others, past arid present, were early settlers, or at least came in from 1840 to 1850. They have borne a prominent part in the history of the county, and in the development of that portion in which their lots have been cast. In the biographical part of this work they are more fully noticed.

In the pioneer days, the people had their sports, which were perhaps as enjoyable to them as our more refined amusements are to us in this fast age. Log-rollings, houseraisings, corn-huskings, usually accompanied with the old-fashioned quilting pai'ties, were common occurrences. These gatherings were heartily enjoyed by all. The muster and election days, and Fourth of July celebrations were important events. Dr. Matthews, in his pioneer sketches of Mason, thus describes a "Glorious Fourth," which is worthy of reproduction in these pages: " On the Fourth of July, 1832, a" grand barbecue was instituted by Judge Broom and a few of the Vaudalia boys, at Ewington. Bear meat and venison smoked upon the spits, whisky toasts were drunk freely in tin cups and gourds, red-hot speeches were made, and the American Eagle flopped his wings and crew with patriotic pride above the hills of the Wabash. Judge Broom was selected to read the Declaration of Independence, and he did so, standing on aa old cottonwood log just north of the bridge. He says he couldn't spell half the words of the sacred document, and to this day is in total ignorance as to how he blundered through it. But nobody was competent to criticise him, and nobody laughed. The Judge pronounces that the happiest day of his life. Of that jolly band of celebrators, he is the sole sui-vivor in Effingham County. They all have dropped away, weary of the march, long ago. " The above was no doubt the first Fourth of July celebration ever held in the county.

Education was not neglected by the pioneers, and schools were established very early. The first school taught in Mason Township, and perhaps the first in the county, was taught by Col. Sam Houston. Judge Broom signed one scholar, for which he was to pay the sum of $2.50. To obtain the money necessary to liquidate this liability, Mr. Broom " pulled fodder " for old Vincent McGuire, at IGj cents a day. He received the money in half-dollars (Hull's, perhaps), without holes in them, and paid his tuition on the day the school was out. As the country prospered and the population - in the way of children - increased, schoolhouses were built and schools established. Every neighborhood now has a good, comfortable schoolhouse, and maintains a flourishing school.

Among the first preachers who proclaimed the Word in this neighborhood were Revs. Whitoly and Surrells. They were Regular Baptists, and preached in j)eople's houses in many parts of the county, long before any churches were built. The Wabash Chiirch (Missionary Baptists) was organized as early as 1845. The first building was a log structure, put up for both church and school purposes, and was used until the present frame church was built, about the year 1860. It is a comfortable church building with a large membership, but no regular pastor at present. The Sunday school is kept up. This church has been the mother of churches, as a number of those in the surrounding country have been started with members from this church. An incident occurred in the township in September, 1857, little to its credit as a community - the murder of Martin S. Hammond. Although he was a desperado, whose takingoff may have proved advantageous to the country, yet the manner in which it was done was cowardly beyond all question. He was riding along one day with a Mrs. Langford, when a shot was fired from ambiish, by whom has to this day remained a mystery. But one shot was fired, and it was a load of buckshot. Two shots took effect in Hammond - one in his arm and one in his back - from which he died some fourteen days after. Mrs. Langford received a shot in the left shoulder, which was supposed at first to be fatal, but from which she finally recovered. John T. Martin and L. Mulinix were arrested as suspected parties, tried and acquitted. Hammond, at the time he was assassinated was under arrest and bond for counterfeiting, and it was believed that he was shot by those interested in his eternal silence.

As an illustration of the hard times endured by the pioneers. Judge Broom says that, for the first two or three years after he came here, he took his plows on horseback, and sometimes on foot, four or five miles north of Shelby ville, to a blacksmith, named Thomas Jackson, who was a Methodist preacher, and knew him (Broom) in Tennessee, before they moved to Illinois, and would sharpen his plows on a credit. He could not, in summer time, travel with horses during the day, on account of the " green-head " flies, which were such torments the horses became almost unmanageable from their annoyance. Judge Broom also relates, by way of illustrating the pioneer period, how, when he came here, he had nothing, and was in debt besides. He went to Vandalia and stated his circumstances to a merchant there, who sold him on credit a few plates, knives and forks, and a pot or two for cooking. The next spring, he took beeswax, deerskins and venison hams enough to him to pay for the things.

Villages. - The village of Mason is situated in the midst of a beautiful rolling prairie, on the Illinois Central Railroad, about twelve miles south of Effingham. The original plat comprised the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter, a part of the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter, and a part of the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 22, of Mason Township. It was surveyed and platted February 26, 1853, by George Wright, surveyor, for Aaron W. Henry, Josiah W. Eobinson and Robert M. Eankin, proprietors of the land.

A number of additions have been made to the town since it was originally laid out, some of which are as follows: An addition was made by Stephen Hardin, embracing a portion of the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 22, and the plat recorded August 9, 1859. An addition was made by H. E. Wolcott, of a part of northeast quarter of southwest quarter of Section 22, and the plat dated September 22, 1859. An addition was made by J. J. W. Billingsley of a part of the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 22, and platted January 10, 1860. An addition was made by A. Kimbourt of a part of the southeast quarter of the northwest quai'ter of Section 22, and submitted to record June 29, 1860. An addition was made by S. H. Bailey, of what was known as "Bailey's Addition," and the plat recorded May 1, 1863. And on the 29th of Jane, 1868, an addition was made by A. J. Starr, of a part of the north half of the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 22, all of Mason Township. These numerous additions give Mason plenty of elbow room, and plenty of space for spreading out her wings. There need be no more additions made until it becomes a city of 5,000 inhabitants.

There is a prologue to the history of Mason, in what was once known as the village of Bristol, and in order to get back to the commencement of Mason, it will be necessary to say a few words of Bristol. It was laid out by A. W. Henry and his father, Elijah Henry. It was situated about one mile southeast of i\[ason, on the place now owned by David Turner.

A. W. Henry opened a small store about the time the place was laid out. A post office was established, of which Henry was Postmaster. Elijah Henry Lad a blacksmith shop, and, although not much of a workman, he used to hire a blacksmith to carry on his shop. This comprised about the sum total of Bristol.

When Mason was laid out, Bristol took it into its head to move over and start the new town. This little feat is thiis described by Dr. Matthews in the Effingham Republican : " On a lovely morning in the spring of 1852, tradition informs us that the town of Bristol, Effingham County, was ruthlessly torn from its foundations, loaded upon an ox wagon and quietly hauled away. Its departure from the venerable forests that had so long protected it from the howling tempests was heralded only by the rumble of the vehicle that bore it away. There was no weeping, no sighing, no tender ties broken as the moving town passed over the hills and was lost to sight, for be it known that the citizens of

Bristol, one and all, trudged along in the rear of their departing metropolis, like infatuated school-boys after a brass band, resolved to share alike in its prosperity or downfall. It was almost sunset when Bristol reached its destination. The spot was an enchanting one, on a beautiful elevation, just over the border of a fertile and rolling prairie. And there, as twilight darkened upon the scene, our pioneer fathers, with little regard to ceremony, unloaded their much-loved town." Such was the existence of Bristol. The building of the railroad gave birth to Mason, and the laying-out of Mason was the death of Bristol. It was, after all, but a change of base. Mr. Henry was the proprietor of Bristol, and, when the railroad went through, leaving his town out in the cold, he, together with Rankin and^Robinson, laid out Mason on the railroad, and moved his town over as a starter. His store was raised and put on " skid-poles," six yoke of cattle hitched to it, and hauled over to the new town, as described in the extract above made. The little storehouse thus moved across the prairie is still standing, and is used by Dr. P. G. Paugh as an office.

A. W. Henry was the first merchant of Mason, as well as of Bristol. He opened his store door in Mason as soon as his store arrived and was unloaded. He continued in business until 1857-58, when he retired, and is still living, some three miles from the village. He was the first Postmaster of Bristol and of Mason, the post office having been moved hither with his store, and its name afterward changed to Mason, to correspond with the name of the village. Henry Clay Henry, a nephew of Aaron Henry, is the present Postmaster. Mr. Henry was a man of enterprise and of considerable business energy. He sold gocds to the people, and, in return, bought their surplus products, thus keeping trade going and business prospering. The next store was kept by Stephen Hardin, still a respected citizen of the village, and a man who has served not only the people of his town, but of the county. He has long since retired from the mercantile business, and now devotes his attention to other pursuits. He moved his store from Georgetown, in Clay County, to this place in 1856, and, in partnership with William McCracken, followed merchandising for several years. Other stores were opened as the increase of population demanded. Shops were established and all kinds of business inaugurated as the town grew in importance.

The first residence was built by Afr. Rankin, one of the proprietors of the town, and opened by him as a hotel. He afterward sold to Michael Sprinkle. It finally became the property of Jacob Goddard, who kept it as a hotel. It was owned by him and occupied as a hotel until Goddard built the present brick hotel, now kept by his widow. The next house built after that by Rankin was erected by Greenberry Wright. It was long known as the Winteringer property, and stood on the east side of the main street. But after the completion of these buildings, there was a cessation in improvements for a few years, and not until 1855-56 did a new spirit of industry in this line strike the people. Then buildings sprang up on every hand, and the town grew rapidly.

In this connection, another extract from Dr. Matthews' correspondence comes appropriately in place: " To such an extent were business enterprises advancing that a lack of shipping facilities became apparent, and, about the year 1856, Messrs. I. L. Leith and Stephen Hardin opened negotiations with the of&cers of the railroad company, and obtained the privilege of laying a side-track. In seven days from the time ground was first broken, the grading was completed, the ties all hewed and hauled, and everything was in readiness for the laying of the iron, which was done by the request and at the expense of the people. " Immediately upon the laying of a side track, the shipping of stock and grain, and particularly the latter, became an extensive business. A grain warehouse was put up by J. J. Billingsley, which is still standing, and was the first erected for that purpose in the town. There are now four grain warehouses, which are operated by Gibson, and Wade, and William Donnelson, and Thistlewood. A large amount of grain is annually shipped from this point - sometimes as much as six and eight carloads in a single day.

Mason has never made any pretensions to manufactories. A few shops, an occasional kiln of brick, a few saw-mills and the present flouriug-mill cover its manufacturing industries. The flouring-mill was built in 1863 by Luther & Sisson. The latter gentleman still owns it, and has considerably improved it since it was first built. It is a substantial frame building, with three run of buhrs, worth some $6,000 or $8,000, and has all the modern improvements.

The first school in Mason was taught in 1853, by Whiting Avery. It was on the subscription plan, and, owing to the sparsely settled community and the slimly populated village, it was hard work to get enough pupils to form a school. In 1860, the handsome two-story brick schoolhouse was built. The building was put up by the School Board and the Masonic fraternity together - the lower story for the school and the uj^per story for the Masons. The school, however, grew so rapidly and increased in numbers that the board finally bought out the Masons, and since then the entire building has been used for the school, of which the usual at-

There are two church buildings in Mason - Methodist and Baptist. The Methodist Church was built in the fall of 1853, and Tided until the building of the present one, in 1868-70. The membership is nearly one hundred, and the pastor (1882) Eev. Mi-. Harper. The building is a frame, and cost perhaps $1,000. A good Sunday school. is kept up throughout the year. The old church, the first one built by the Methodists, was taken, when abandoned as a church, for a pork house. It was occupied as such a year or two, and then it "became a saw-mill, later a stave factory, and is now standing idle, after a long and useful life.

The Baptist Church grew out of the old Wabash Baptist Church, one of the old chm-ch organizations of the township. The building was erected about 1858, and, a few years ago, repaired and much improved in appearance. It is now an excellent church edifice, barring a little paint which is lacking, and which would be of considerable benefit to it. A goodly number of members belong here, but they are without a regular pastor. A Sunday school is maintained, under the superintendence of Mi-. Holbrook.

A. Presbyterian Church was organized here and kept up for several years. They occupied the lower story of the Masonic Hall, but, after a brief existence, it finally died a natural death.

The Masons first met in Goddard's Tavern, and afterward in the upper story of Hardin's store. After they sold their interest in the brick building to the School Board, they built a new hall, which they now own. The lower story is rented out for any purpose, such as meetings, dances, etc., and the upper story for a lodge room. The Presbyterians rented the lower story and "seated" it, but, after the church became extinct, the Masons bought the seats and took charge of the room. There is a lodge and chapter as follows;

Mason Lodge, No. 217, A., F. & A. M., was organized as a lodge with the following charter members: John S. Wilson, J. H. Robinson, Morgan Wright, Isham Mahon, Owen Wright and Greenberry Wright. The last-name"d was the first Master; John S. Wilson, first Senior Warden; and J. H. Robinson, first Junior Warden. There are now fifty members, officered as follows: H. N Ruffner, Worshipful Master; T. J. Bowling, Senior Warden; J. C. Leith, Junior Warden; L. Smith, Treasurer; Isaac S. Reed, Secretary: C. R. Hanson, Senior Deacon; A. Bailie, Junior Deacon; and S. H. Bailie, Tiler.

Mason Chapter, No. 76, R.-.A.-.M."., was organized March 21, 1865, and the charter members were C. B. Kitchell, Isaac H. Elkin, Jacob Goddard, J. D. Moody, B. H. Bodwell, Thomas H. Heeley, William H. Wallace, William McNeile and William B. Cooper. The first officers elected were: James Claypool, High Priest; I. L. Leith, King; and Jacob Goddard, Scribe. There are now thirty-five members, and the following are the officers: H. N. Ruffner, High Priest; H. B. Turner, King; Stephen Hardin, Scribe; T. J. Bowling, Captain of the Host; C. R. Hanson, Principal Sojourner; J. C. Leith, Royal Ai-ch Captain; John Mc- Cloy, W. F. Scott and J. L. Furneaux, Grand Masters of the Veils; Laurence Smith, Treasurer; J. L. Goddard, Secretary; and Henry M. Drewry, Tiler.

The railroad accommodations of Mason are not the best to be seen in the count}', by any means, and scarcely up to what might naturally be expected of a town from which so much shipping is done. In support of this assertion, we make one other extract from the Mason correspondence of the Republican: " There is probably no village on the Central Railroad entitled to as much sympathy and assistance as our own town, and there is certainly none that has received less. We shall make no pitifnl month of the matter, nor cherish ill feelings about it, but it is a fact that scores of places far less deserving than this have been the objects of repeated and lavish expenditures by the company. Thus far, however. Mason has paddled her own canoe siiccessfully, and, thanks to the vim of her citizens she can continue to do so, with credit to herself and country. ' Never say die ' is her motto. But there is one consoling thought, the people of Mason are independent. Whenever panics drive them to 'brown jeans ' and ' shoddy,' they lose none of their native pride. They dance and have festivals and church fairs, and get drunk, with as much dignity and regularity as though their purses were stuffed. The average Masonite is irrepressible. He can play billiards and pray and shout and dance with equal vivacity." Under this veil of humor and sarcasm is concealed a palpable fact, and that is, that the old, tumble-down, rickety railroad buildings, depots, etc. , are a disgrace to a great railroad such as the Illinois Central, and the people are justified in grumbling. They certainly deserve a respectable depot, if nothing more.

The history of Mason during the late war belongs in part to a distinct chapter. But a brief mention of the part taken in the great struggle by the town cannot be well avoided. In 1861, the village of Mason was a microcosm. Not a movement of Scott, an order of the President nor an editorial of Greeley "but was discussed and thoroughly ventilated by the people here, utterly regardless (jf what others might say or think. A few days after the fall of Fort Sumter, a flag, half as big as a quarter- section of land, was raised in the central part of the town, bearing the patriotic inscription, "Death to Traitors!" Politics was a study for each one, and there was much whistling to keep up a show of courage and hopefulness. Mason was no more loyal or disloyal than other portions of the country. There were those who opposed the war, and those who favored the most vigorous measures for prosecuting it until the rebellion should "be crushed out; and this class predominated. Excitement was high, and the drum was heard daily as it beat for volunteers.

In the spring of 1863, a paper called the Loi/alist was established, the lietter to aid the cause of the Union, and its loyal bolts were hurled at the heads of traitors with a boldness and a bitterness unequaled by Prentice or Brownlow. But these subjects are fully given in preceding chapters, and are merely alluded to here as a part of the history of the village, which could not be wholly omitted.

Toward the latter years of the war, and especially in 1863, the village of Mason improved and prospered as it never had before. Indeed, at such a rate did it travel on the high road to wealth that it really had the cheek to set itself up as a rival to Effingham. A large number of buildings were erected, and some of the best yet put up in the town, among them Vey's brick store, and Karelin's and Baker's dwellings. After the close of the war, however, and the general stagnation of business which followed, together witli the contraction of the currency, a check - a very material one - was put to the prosperity of the place. Improvements were few and of an vmimportant character, and for the last decade the increase in population and importance have been exceedingly small.

The village was incorporated in 1865, under an act of the Legislature. Its charter was amended by legislative enactment in 1S67. Since then it has been governed by a Board of Trustees who look faithfully to the interests of its citizens. The present board is as follows, viz. : Stephen Hardin, Ross Billingsley, James Drewry, Goddard,

James Richmond and D. S. Turner. Of this board, Stephen Hardin is President; Willis Richmond, Clerk; George Mills, Treasurer; and Joseph Donnelson, Marshal.

The business of Mason at the present time may be thus summarized: Seven dry goods and grocery stores, by R. G. Gibson, A. Conoway, Henry Hoggs, H. Tyner, Lawrence Smith, Ross Billingsley and Wiley Burk; one hardware store, by Hom-y Rankin; two drug stores, by R. S. Miller and J. P. Hutchinson; and two millinery stores, three blacksmith shops, three wood shops, two butcher shops, two shoe shops, one harness shop, one copper shop, one hay-i:)ress, one saw -mi 11, one grist mill, one liverj' stable, four grain warehouses, a post office, schoolhouse,two churches and two lodges.

Edge wood is situated about three miles south of Mason Village, at the crossing of the Illinois Central and the Springfield Division of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroads. It is located on the south half of the northeast quarter, the north half of the southeast quarter, the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter, and the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter, of Section 32, of Mason Township. It was surveyed and platted December 24, 1857, for the Illinois Central Railroad. The first house built was a dwelling erected by James Buckner; the next was put up by Byron Woodhull. The first store was a general assortment of goods kept by Ichabod Stedman in the station house, and was o[>ened in 1859. A storehouse was erected in the latter part of 1859 by Stephen Balcom, and is now occupied by the hardware store of T. A. Scheiflin. Mr. Balcom was in business for two years, and was one of the most enterprising business men ever in the town. He built the " Balcom Corner" in 1861, on Broad and Chestnut streets, consisting of four large storerooms, offices. Masonic Hall, etc. His death, in 1863, was a severe loss to the little town. Stedman & Emery built the tine store now occupied by Dr. Joseph Hall as a drug and jewelry store. In 1864, J. N. Faulk put up a large building in the east part of town. A. Goodnight was the first blacksmith.

The post oiHce was e.stablishod in 1858, and Byron Woodhull was appointed Postmaster. Joseph Hall is the present Postmaster. The first school-teacher was Malissa Stedman. The schoolhouse was erected in 1864, and is a frame building. Miss Lilly Landenbergnow teaches the young idea to shoot - paper wads.

Ichabod Stedman erected a flouring-mill, saw mill and carding machine combined in 1 862, which was quite a mammoth establishment. He operated it until 1862, doing a large and profitable business, when it was destroyed by fii-e. Charles Heilgenstein built a steam flouring-mill in 1868, which was also bui-ned. It was rebuilt by Kay & Thistlewood some five years ago, and is a large - three-story building, containing three run of buhrs, and does a fine business.

The first religious organization was made by the Methodists several years before any church building was erected. They built a house in 1870, at a cost of $1,800, but were unable to pay for it, and had to give it up. It is now used as a public hall, and the church occupies the schoolhouse. Rev. Mr. Mall is the present pastor.

in 1866 by the Franciscans. There were originally about thirty families, and Father Kellin was the first rector. The church cost about $3,000, and the membership comprises forty-three families, under the pastorate of Rev. Father Reisin, who has been with them three years.

Edcrewood Lodge, No. 484, A., F. & A. M., was organized October 3, 1866, and the charter issued by Most Worshipful H. P. H. Bromwell, Grand Master. The charter members were B. W. Burk, Thomas Hamilton, John McDonald, John S. Kelly, Jonathan Hooks, Thomas A. Austin, Jay N. Faulk, James L. Gillmore, F. C. Healey, David Dyer, William McNeile, A. Stedman, John Harrison, F. H. Belm, John Broom, M. A. Broom, G. W. Gary, L. D. Coonly, E. Pesk, J. A. Nevins, James McCaffrey and John Scasefl. The first officers were: John S. Kelly, Master ; Jonathan Hooks, Senior Warden; and Thomas A. Austin, Junior

Warden. The present officers are: Joseph Danks, Master; John McCloy, Senior Warden; George Charlotte, Junior Warden; John McDonald, Secretary ; and Henry Tookey, Treasurer.

The village of Edgewood was incorporated in 1869, and a Board of Trustees elected, as follows: E. Barbee, James Johnson, J. F. Erwin, Joseph Fiechs and Joseph Hall. E. Barbee was President of the Board, and Joseph Hall, Clerk. The present board is J. C. P. Vandervort (President), Joseph Hall (Clei-k), Charles Kay, H. Tookey, B. Peterson and A. Goodnight.

At present, the town presents the following business outlook: One dry goods store, two grocery stores, two general stores, one hardware store, one drug and jewelry store, one furniture store, one restaurant, two mills, two churches, one schoolhouse, two hotels, several shops, three warehouses, two physicians, two railroads and one depot.