Effingham County, Illinois - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 16 of those read), 1883

RECURRENCES of the past, with the recollections and associations which make it pass in life-like review before our' mental vision, will continue to be, as of yore, a source of satisfaction, especially when they connect themselves with incidents reflected back from our own experiences. These reminders vanish with the life of the participants, when no landmarks remain to save us the pictures faintly delineated in the tablets of memory. To preserve these from forgetfulness before they have lost their distin- guishing originality is the work devolved upon the historian. History fails in its great mission when it fails to preserve the life featiu'es of the subjects committed to its trust.

Local history, more than any other, commands the most interested attention, for the reason that it is a record of events in which we have a peculiar interest, as many of the participants traveled the rugged and thorny pathway of life as our companions, acquaintances and relatives. The township of Watson, which forms the subject of the following pages, is a somewhat diversified and broken bod}- of land, lying a little east of the central part of the county. The following townships form its boundaries : Douglas and Teutojiolis on the north; Bishop on the east; Union on the south; Jackson on the west; and comprising, under the Congressional survey, Township 7 north. Range G east. It was named in honor of a prominent official of the Illinois Central Railroad, at whose suggestion the village of Watson was laid out and improved. The siu'face of the county is considerably varied, being high and rolling in the north and east, while the central part and the land lying along the several water-courses is much broken, and in some places rugged, hilly, and almost wholly unfit for cultivation. The southeastern portion consists of a gently undulating prairie land, interspersed with a number of small groves, and contains some of the most valuable farming lands in the township. Along the eastern border from the northern boundary south to the village of Watson, there is a stretch of level prairie varying from a mile and a half to two miles in width, the majority of which is very fertile and in a high state of cultivation. North of Bishop Creek, in the eastern part of the township, is a small tract of prairie also, but of more irregular surface, the greater poriion of it being rather uneven, though very fertile.

Originally, about three- fourths of the township's area consisted of timber land, much of which has of late years been cleared and brought into cultivation, while a great deal of the most valuable timber was cut and sawn into lumber at an early day, that business at one time being carried on quite extensively. The largest and best growth now standing is found in the central part of the township, on the broken region alluded to, and along Salt and Bishop Creeks, and consists mostly of the following varieties: Walnut, oak of several different kinds, elm and sycamore in the low ground along the streams, where they often grow to gigantic sizes; hickory, ash, maple, locust, etc., with a thick gi-owth of underbrush, chiefly hazel, intervening on the high lands. The soil on these high and broken lands is rather thin, chiefly a white clayey nature, but, by proper tillage, it has been made to yield some very fair crops, especially wheat and oats, while it seems well adapted to fruit. Salt Creek, Little Salt Creek and Bishop Creek, with their several tributaries are the water-courses by which the township is watered and drained. The Illinois Central Railroad passes thi-ough the township, and has been the means of developing the country's resources in a very marked degree by bringing its rich farming lands into easy and direct communication with the flourishing cities lying along that line.

In 1830, a man by the name of Davenport, from Tennessee, emigrated to the wilderness of Illinois, with the hope of securing a home for himself and children. He located a little north of the present site of Watson Village, and improved a small patch of ground, which he afterward entered. Here for several years this lone pioneer family lived, in their little pole hut, imcheei-ed by the presence of friends or neighbors, toiling in the meantime for a scanty existence, which the wild condition of the country at that time could scarce afford. The region surrounding the rude domicile abounded in gray wolves, large, gaunt and fierce, while an occasional black one was to be seen, and was much more to be dreaded. The right of Davenport to the few pigs and sheep which he brought with him was hotly contested by these denizens of the woods, and, in order to maintain his claim, a tight inclosure was made, in which the stock was penned and carefully guarded every night; yet, in spite of this precaution, a number of unlucky porkers were nabbed up and carried ofl" by the alert enemy.

Davenport lived here until the year 1840, and made, diu-iug the period of his residence, a number of improvements, chiefly in the way of building, clearing and fencing. His death, which occiu-red in the above-named yeai', was the lu-st event of the kind in the township, and his grave, marked by the simjjle epitaph of his life and death, can still be seen in the old cemetery which he set ajiart for the burial of the dead. The next settler was John Hutson, who came from the far-off State of Alabama, and located in the southwest corner of the tovmship about the year 1835. He made but few improvements, aside from a small cabin; sold his claim about two years later, to a man by the name of Hart, and went to the State of Missouri, where he afterward died. The place is now in possession of Edmund Loy, an [pearly settler near the to^vn of Ewington.

An early settlement was made on Salt Creek, near the northeastern part of the township, by Benjamin Bryant, a short time after Hutson came to the country. Bryant was from Kentucky, and appears to have been a man of rather reckless character, and not particularly noted for piety. His residence in the township will cover a period of perhaps eight years, the greater part of which was spent in hunting, trapping, etc., but little attention being given to his improvements. On account of some domestic troubles, he left the country rather abruptly, and took up his residence in Missovu'i, near St. Louis. His family remained here, where numerous descendants still live, and are of the substantial citizens of the county. Among the early settlers of Watson was a man of the name of Browning, a relative of the Davenports, who came into the present limits of the township as early as the year 1838, and opened a little farm on Section 29. He sold his claim shortly afterward and left the community, and the farm is now in possession of J. V. Bail, of Watson Village. A man named Hafhill was one of the early pioneers of this section, having located near the northeastern part of the township some two years after Hutson made his appearance in that neighborhood, but he does not seem to have made any permanent improvement.

One of the most noted characters in the early settlement of this part of the county was an old hunter known as " Ci " Blansett. The date of his arrival was not ascertained, but he probably hunted over every acre of the township when there were but two or three scattering settlements in it. He built a rude log cabin near the Hafhill place, around which he cleared a little garden spot, where he raised a few vegetables. His chief support, however, was derived from his rifle, and many stories are told of his encounters with wild beasts and his wonderful success in hunting. When he had killed a sufficient number of deer to make a load, he would pack the hams and skins in his wagon, and, with an ox team, start for St. Louis, where an exchange would be made for groceries, ammunition and other commodities. As the country settled up and game became scarce, Blansett concluded that, like Daniel Boone, it was high time for him to leave; so, loading up his few household effects, and turning his face toward the sotting sun, took his departure for the far West, where he could find a home more to his tastes, away from the fetters of civilization. John Funk came from the South about the year 1840, and settled near the central part of the township, where he resided for five years. He earned the reputation of being a good citizen, and

Prominent among the early settlers was Michael Sprinkle, a man well known throughont the township, and universally respected, and who came in the year ]841. He located near where Watson now stands, and afterward sold out to his son and moved to Ewington. Several years ago, he moved back into this township, where he still resides, one of the oldest settlers now living within its limits. From the year 1841 to 1840, the following settlers made their advent into the township and settled in different portions of it: Daniel Einehart, William Moody, Alexander McDuester, Thomas Hillis, John Taylor, Daniel Le Crone, William Le Crone, and the Loy family. Rineharfc was prominently known in the early settlement as a man of more than ordinary intellectual abilities, and to him the citizens were wont to look for their instruDjenta of writing, legal advice, and other items of knowledge generally belonging to the legal profession. He settled on the farm where Michael Sprinkle now lives, to whom he sold the place after he had occupied it about twelve years. From this township he went to Ewington in the year 1853, but moved back again, and died in Watson some nine years ago. For a number of years, he served the people of the county as County Clerk, and discharged the duties of thai office in an acceptable manner. A son of Erastus N. Einehart is the present State Senator from this district, and a prominent man of Effingham. Moody entered the land where William Le Crone now lives, which he occupied about live or six years, when he disposed of the place and moved to Missouri. McDuester improved a tract of land near the northern boundary of the townshij), which is still in possession of his family. Hillis and

Taylor both came from Ohio and purchased claims in the northeastern part of the township. Daniel Le Crone came also from Ohio, about the year 1842, and settled where his son, William L., now lives. The family originally came from Pennsylvania, but had been residents of Ohio a short time before moving here. One son lives in the city, of Effingham, where for a number of years he has been a leading physician.

The Loys were an important family in pioneer times, and the name continues to hold a respectable place in the county. They were from Alabama, and made the long journey to this part of the country with teams - an undertaking at that time quite formidable, and fraught with a great deal of peril. It would compare well with the embarkation of the Pilgrims, who left their native shore two hundred years earlier to make their way acro.ss the deep, to find a home in the New World. Indeed, the hardships of the wilderness road which lay before them were nearly as great as those experienced by those on board of the Mayflower, while the length of time required to complete the journey was almost as great. The roads in the South at that time were but poor, and, after crossing the Ohio, consisted of mere trails, through sloughs, over hills, fording creeks and ferrying rivers. There were but few bridges across the streams then, especially on this side of the Ohio, and during the journey many of the water-courses were so swollen by rains that the emigrants were compelled to go into camp for several days to wait for the flood to subside in order to cross over. Their little stock of provisions soon gave out, but they did not suffer for food, as the limber and prairie were full of game, and the rifle supplied them with plenty of meat. The cattle easily subsisted on the grass that grew along the ri>ad. In this manner, the long, weari- some journey was at length completed, much to the relief of all concerned. The original place of settlement was in Shelby County, wh(ae the family remained but a few year.s, and afterward moved to this county and located in Jackson Township. From the latter, John Henry Loy came into Watson about the year 1845. He had several sons, all of whom were prominently connected with the early history and development of the county. Joseph Loy, the oldest, came to this township from near Ewington, about the same time his father settled here, and located a farm a short distance east of the village of Watson, where he still lives. John and Dewitt C, brothers of Joseph, selected their homes in the northern part of the township, where each has a very handsome property, and are among the well-to-do citizens of the county. Another brother, Thomas Loy, was a jirominent settler also, and figured rather conspicuously in the early polities of the county, having been called to fill the offices of County Treasurer, Surveyor and Representative at different times dm'ing his life. This comprises the early settlement of Watson Township as far as we have been able to learn, though there may be other names equally entitled to a mention in these pages. Their early struggles and hardships, and trials incident to the pioneer's life, are but a repetition of those experienced by all settlers in a new and uninhabited region, and is illustrated by the Loys' trip to the country. Many daring deeds by these unknown heroes have passed into oblivion, and many of the foregoing list who labored hard to introduce civilization into this part of the coixntry now lie in obscm-e graves, unmarked by the simplest epitaph. Those of the number who still live little thought, as they first gazed upon the broad waste of prairie, the unmolested groves, dense and tangled with brush and brier, that all this wilderness, in their own day, would be made to blossom as a garden. Little thought had they of seeing beautiful homes, waving fields of golden grain, green pastures and grazing herds, where the bounding deer, crouching and howling wolf, held unmolested sway.

The majority of the early pioneers of Southern Illinois were men of moderate circumstances, and came here desirous of bettering their fortunes. Like all pioneers, they were kind to a fault, and ever ready to do a favor. They came with but a meager outfit of this world's goods, but, strong in faith and hope, expected to increase their worldly store, and provide a home where to pass their declining years. The emigrant, upon his arrival, began at once preparations for a shelter. Diu"- ing this period, the family lived in a wagon, or occupied a temporary hut made of poles, with no floor except that of mother earth, and no windows except the interstices between the logs forming the walls. Should the time of arrival be in the spring, this simple structure sufficed for a house until the crojis were sown, when a more comfortable abode was prepared for winter. The crops were principally corn and a few potatoes. Wheat and the other cereals were not raised for a number of years after the firs settlements had been made, on account of the poor condition of the soil, which, at that time, was very wet and marshy, esisecially ou the prairies. A serious difficulty was experienced in raising corn, owing to the early frosts, which were sometimes so severe as to completely I'uin the entire crop, thus bringing upon the people a great many hardships. Edmund Loy speaks of one of these frosts.

which occurred about the year 1847, as having entailed a great amount of suffering upon the community. It happened so late in the season that replanting was out of the question, and the corn for family use had to be purchased at the exorbitant price of $1.25 per bushel, equivalent to about three times that amount at the present day. The wheat used was purchased from the older settlements further south and east, and formed but an insignificant part of their diet, white bread, cakes, pies, etc. , being luxuries enjoyed only at rare intervals. Wild game of all kinds was numerous, deer being so plenty that they would come into the stable j'ards, and feed with the domestic stock; during the cold winters, wild turkeys were more common than chickens are now. An incident is related of a family that kept a pile of corn in one room of the house, and were compelled to keep the door tightly closed in order to save it from a drove of these birds that flocked on the porch. Wolves were everywhere to be seen, and proved such a trouble to the farmers' live stock that systematic hunts had to bo planned for the purpose of ridding the country of them.

The fu-st improvement to which the pioneer looks after having procm'ed a habitation for himself and family, is a mill, a piece of machinei-y that always accompanies civilization. Meal was fu-st obtained by crushing the corn when di-y in a kind of rude mortar made by chiseling out a hollow in the top of a round oak stump. The pestle was an iron block made fast to a sweep, and with this simple contrivance a coarse article of meal could be manufactured. A still simpler means was often resorted to before the corn had become hard enough to shell, namely, the common tin grater. The first mill patronized by the early residents of AVatson stood on the Little Wabash in the northern part of what is now Union

Township, and was operated by Frederick Brockett, one of the earliest pioneers of Effingham County. It served as a source of supplies for a number of years, until a small horse-mill was erected in the southwest part of the township, near the village of Watson. The name of the persim who built and operated this mill is unknown, and the time it was in operation could not be ascei'tained. Each person who brought a grist was obliged to furnish his own team, wait his turn and do his own grinding. On one occasion, when there was quite a crowd at the mill waiting their respective turns, two men got into an angry discussion with the proprietor about their time, and several sharp epithets were bandied back and forth. The crowd interfered and prevented a fight, but the two belligerent farmers swore that they would be even with the " d - d miller, and that right early." On going to start the mill the following morning, the miller found no buhrs, they having disappeared during the night. A number of persons had by this time arrived at the mill with their grists, and among others the two parties that figured in the quarrel with the miller the previous day. After searching the place for some time and not finding the buhrs, a strong two-fisted giant of a farmer got upon a stump, and said he knew who took them, and added with a significant look in the direction of the two suspected parties, that if " them air stones ain't brung back before another day, I'll kick the everlasting stuffin' out of the fellers that caiTied 'em off." These words had the desired effect, for on the following morning the mill was in readiness for running. Thomas Loy built a horse-mill in the northern part of the township about 1851, and operated it for several years, and did a very good business. Aside from these two there were no mills built in the township until the year 1867,

The subject of education has from an early date received a good deal of attention in this township. Long before the law authorizing a system of public schools was in force, the pioneers of Watson took steps toward the education of the youth in the primary branches of learning. Comparatively few of the first settlers were men of letters, most of them having been children when the matter of book learning in the States where they were brought up was yet considered a matter of minor importance. And yet these j^eople seemed to fully realize the losses they had sustained in the neglect of their own schooling, and were therefore anxious to do the nest best thing, by making amends in the case of their own children. The first school was kept in a little pole building that stood near the noithwestern part of the township about the year 1846. The second schoolhouse was built a few years later, and stood about one hundred yards west of the place occupied by tl> e one alluded to. The teacher who conducted the first school in this building was a man named James Leavitt, but we are unable to state from whence he came or whither he went. No certificates of qualification were at that time granted, so we are unable to enlighten our readers as to Prof. Leavitt's scholastic attainments. One of the early schoolhouses was built near where Henry Loy now lives, in the northern part of the township. It was erected by the neighbors for a young man who had come into the community a short time previous for the purpose of securing a school. After he had canvassed the neighborhood and gotten the names of nearly all the settlers on his subscription list, a very bad report concerning him was circulated. It was stated that he was a gambler, pickpocket, blackleg, and had run away from his wife, who was at that time living in Ohio. He denied the report and branded it as a villainous lie, but many of the people gave it credit, and swore he should not teach the schools, while those who did not believe it, were as determined that the school should go on. The feeling of the neighborhood waxed hot over the affair, but the opposition carried the day, for a party of men met one night, proceeded to the schoolhouse and tore it to the ground. Among those who gloried in the part they took in the transaction were James Loy, Robert and William McCannon. The teacher left, and it was afterward ascertained that the rejaorts concerning him were tinged considerably with the truth. The fii'st frame schoolhouse was built in the summer of 1859, and is known as the Boggs Schoolhouse. It was in this building that the first public school of the township was taught the winter following its erection. Th9 present schoolhouses are in the main good and well furnished. The schools are ably conducted by competent teachers, and the advantages of a liberal education are within the easy reach of all.

Among the early pioneers of Watson were many pious men and women, and its religious history dates from the jjeriod of its settlement. The first preachers were Methodist, and came as one crying in the wilderness, and wherever they could collect a few of the pioneers together, they jjroclaimed the glad tidings of salvation " without money and without price." The first religious services held within the present limits of the township were conducted at the residence of John Loy shortly after he came to the country. A class was organized at the place which afterward grew into a flourishing chui'ch known as " Loy Chapel," where services are still held. John Loy was the first Class Leader, and Revs. Allen and Williamson amontj the earliest pastors. Among the original members can be named Elizabeth Funk, Cathai'ine Biyant, Mahala Loy, Thomas Loy and wife and John Loy and wife. Loy's residence served as a preaching place about two years, when meetincrs were hold at a neighborintr schoolhouse. Their present neat church edifice was erected in the year 1874, and is a veiy comfortable and substantial house of worship; it is frame and cost the siuu of $1,- 100. The membership has fallen oflf considerably of late years, there being only about thirty- live members now belonging, under the pastorate of Rev. J. Harpsr. Connected with the church is a flourishing Sunday school, under the superintendency of a very worthy gentleman.

A Lutheran Church was established several years ago, which is at this time a flourishing organization. They have a neat temple of worship in the northern part of the township, where services are regularly held. Few facts or statistics, however, relative to this church were obtained.

The Village of Watson. - This thriving little town is situated near the southeast corner of the township, and dates its history proper from the 26th day of October, 1857, at which time it was surveyed into lots by the Deputy County Surveyor for John L. Barnard, proprietor of the land. The necessity of the town was created by the Illinois Central Railroad, which had been completed through the country a short time previous, and it is to the suggestion of one of the officials that the town was laid out. The first building erected was a small storeroom, in which a general stock was kept by David Trexler, who, after one year, sold out to Martin LeCrone. The latter increased the stock, built up an extensive trade, and for about one year did a very flourishing business. The building was burned about the year 1860, entailing quite a heavy loss on the proprietor, as the greater amount of the goods was destroyed. A second store was started in the year 185 J, in a building erected for the purpose by C. T. BuiToughs, who did a good business with a general assortment of goods for about six years. Kire Bradley started the third store some time dm-ing the year 1800, and continued in l)usiness four years, when he was succeeded by Moore & Greenleaf, who in turn disjaosed of the stock to J. F. Bartley. Some time later, Barkley & Abraham opened a store and erected a substantial building, a short time afterward, and sold goods as partners for about eight years, when the entiie stock was purchased by the latter, who shill runs the busi- ^ ness. The large frame storehouse near the central part of the village was built in the year 18(34 by Hiunes & Howe, who stocked it with a line of goods representing a capital of $6,000 or 57,000, and for five years continued the business together, when the firm was changed to Humes & Cooper. Cooper bought Humes' interest one year later, and condiicted a very flourishing trade for two years, when he closed out the entire stock, and for some time the building stood idle. Jt is at present owned by "W. M. Anderson, and occupied by the Schooley Bros, as a fiu'niture store. H. A. Vance opened a hardware store in the year 1867, but closed out his business after running it for two years. The room in which he kept his stock was aftei-ward occupied by F. Lloyd & Co.'s general store. The last named was succeeded by W. T. Jaycox, who purchased their goods, although he occupies another building at this time.

A steam saw-mill was built in the year 1867 by A. J. Vance, to which a set of buhrs was afterward added. It has been in opei'ation ever since, and is at present ran by W. M. Anderson, the proprietor. Dr. G. S.

Shindle was the first physician in Watson. He was an old settler of the county and came here whon there were but two or three houses in the village. There have been the following disciples of Esculapius located here at intervals daring the last twenty-five years: J. Boss, J. M. Wilhite, P. M. Martin, S. G. Huff, who ojjened the first drug store in the town; J. N. Groves, Scott, J. N. Matthews, L. W. Hammer and H. C. Finch.

The first hotel was built by Robert Thompson, and operated by him for about fifteen years. William La Kew kept a good public house for several years; also, J. V. Bail attends to the wants of the traveling public at the present time.

' J The citizens of the town have always taken a just pride in their schools, which, in point of eificiency, are as good as any in the entire county. A frame house was erected in the year 1864, and used until 1872, when the present commodious brick structure was erected. This is one of the best finished and best furnished schoolhouses in the county. It contains two large, comfortable rooms, and was built at a cost of §1,600. The first teachers were N. E. Clutter and Annie McPherson; the present teachers are Prof. W. H. Diets, Principal, and M. E. Hillis, assistant.

There are three church organizations in the village, which ought to speak well for the morality of the citizens. From facts generously furnished by J. D. D. Williamson, we give the following history of the oldest churches (the Methodist) in Watson. We have no records further back than the year 1852. "UTien this place was an apjiointment on the Ewington Circuit, and J. D. Gilham, pastor, services were held at that time in the old log schoolhouse that for a number of years stood in the western part of the village, but is now a thing of the past. In this rude temple the plain backwoodsmen of the ime , accompanied by their wives and familie.?, ' were wont to seek spii'itual comfort - that balm that comes not from human hands, and if the memories of many of the old people of the town are trustworthy, precious sermons were enjoyed here and many souls brought to Christ. In the year 1853, Rev. David Williamson, just transferred from the Indiana Conference, was appointed to the Ewington Circuit, of which Watson was still a part. This was a year of much good to the chm*ch, and many were gathered into the fold, through the effective labors of this devoted servant of God. Services were still held in the old log scl;oolhouse, and for several succeeding years, until the building of the frame schoolhouse that is now used for a dwelling in the north part of the town. At this place meetings were conducted until the new brick chiu'ch schoolhouse was erected, when the organization was moved to it. Among the earlier members of the church can be named Mi. Jaycox, Mi-. Kaufman, now deceased; Mrs. Kaufman. Mrs. Mary Loy and Mrs. Polly LeCrone, now living. The present building whore the congregation worships was erected in 1870. It is a neat frame sU'Uctxu'e, situated in the southeastern part of the town, and cost about $1,000. At different times AYatson has been an appointment in the following circuits in the order in which they are named: Ewington. Mason, Effingham and Watsou. The following are the pastors (as many as we could obtain) in the order of their ministry: John D. Gilham, 1852; David Williamson, 1853; J. Vest, 1854; J. S. Estlep, 1855; R. H. Massey, 1856; G. W. Cullom, 1857; R. G. Ayres, 1858; then David Williamson again, in 1859 and I860; William Butt, 1861 and 1862. The last-named was a strong Republican in politics, whilst the majority of the charge were as strongly Democratic. By his outspoken political sentiments a strong antagonism was unwisely aroused, which injured his work as a religious teacher; he was a man of brilliant attainments, a finished orator and scholar. G. W. Cullom took charge of the church again in 1863 ; Charles Mapes, 1864; G. W. Branine, 1865; J. H. Lockwood, 1867, 1868; T. N. Johnson, 1869; J. H. Hill, 1870; David Williamson, 1871; G. M. Whitesell, 1872; J. D. Crum, 1874; Cullom again in 1875; Olin Rippeto, 1877; G. W. Butler, 1878-78; D. W. Phillips, 1880; L. A. Harper, 1881 ; J. W. Noll and Rev. Hoar, 1882. The church is now in a fairh- pros - perous condition, with an active membershijD. The Christian Chiu'ch was re-organized from the remnants of an old chuixh that had formerly met at a place about two miles east vi Watson, in the year 1874. There-organization was effected at the Boggs Schoolhouse, where services were held until the year 1874, when their present building was erected in the village. It is a frame house, 44x28 feet, and represents a capital of about $1,600. It was dedicated in ihe spring of 1875 by Elder J. G. BuiToughs, who at the time was pastor. The original membership was aboTit forty, which is about the number now belonging. Elder T. S. Wall was pastor two years. C. B. Black, one year and six months. The pastor now in charge is Elder W. T. Gordon. Their Sunday school, which is one of the largest and most flourishing in the country, is under the able management of W. S. Schooley, Superintendent, and hp.s an average attendance of about seventy scholars.

An old organization of the Presbyterians had been in existence at this place for a number of years, but for some causes unknown the society had been abandoned some time prior to the year 1875. It was re-organized in 1879, chiefly by the labors of Rev. A. H. Parks, with a membership of thirty persons. Services were held in the Christian Church, which had been generously thrown open to them, until they were able to fit up a house of worship, which was done some time later. An old chiu-ch building that had formerly belonged to a society of the Baptists was purchased and refitted at a cost of about 11,000; it stands in the west part of the village and is the best church edifice in the town. The first officers were C. M. Service, W. M. Lockwood and William Wilson, Elders; Henry Leckman, James Russell, W. W. Ashbaugh, W. T. Jaycox and D. C. Ashbaugh. Trustees. Rev. Parks is the only pastor the congregation has had, though they have preaching at intervals by transient ministers. The membership does not seem to have increased much since the re organization, thei'e being about the same number now on the records as were enrolled at the first meeting. Of the Baptist Church referred to nothing was learned.

The following parties represent the present business interests of Watson: W. T. Jaycox and W. M. Abraham keep general stores; Schooley Bros, handle all kinds of furniture; J. A. Spinkle has a neat drug store; Fleming & Selby, wagon and carriage makers; C. C. Smith, boot and shoe maker; J. V. Bail, i Watson upon petition of the citizens. W. blacksmith. The railroad business is man- M. Abraham is the present Postmaster.

aged by Mr. Claar, while Miss Lidy deftly manipulates the telegraph keys. The first post ofiSce was established about the year 185(3, and John Irwin was appointed Postmaster. It was known as Salt Creek Post Office until the year 1808, when the name was changed to