Grundy County, Illinois - Chapter 40: Wauponsee Township, 1914

Chapter 40: Wauponsee Township

Wauponsee Township is located almost in the center of Grundy County along the southern bank of the Illinois River. It embraces much of Township 33, Range 7. as lies south of the Illinois River, with all that part of Township 33. Range S, lying west of the Mazon River. If. was named in honor of a Pottawatomie war chief, "Wauponsie," which means "a little light in the sky." This old chief's home and principal corn land was at a little grove called Wauponsee Grove. He lived there till October, 1S35, when he went West with his tribe and was killed by his runaway horse throwing him against a tree in Kansas, in 18GS.

Wauponsee Township is broken in the northwestern part, but otherwise is a rolling prairie. sloping gradually towards the northwest. The Mazon River and Waupeean Creek afford a good natural drainage, although in the bottom lands, where the soil is a rich alluvial, there is often an overflow during the spring floods. Higher, the soil is loamy, owing to the sand deposits, and the highest land is a clay suitable for grass and corn. The natural timber is oak, black and white, walnut, blue ash, hackberry and maple.

The principal v\ild game in early days were hogs, some deer, squirrels, woodchucks and prairie chickens, and wolves were in the timber tracts.

Small fruits and vegetables are grown in great abundance, as the soil is well adapted for such products. The soil is so fertile that almost any kind of farming can be earned on with profit, but. corn is the staple crop. Many of the agriculturists successfully devote themselves to stock raising and dairying.

First Settler

The first settler in what is now Wauponsee Township was William Marquis, who came here as early as 1828, from the country in the neighborhood of the Wabash River, making the trip by wagon. Settling on a portion of Section 2. he built a cabin, but only cultivated enough land to feed his family, apparently devoting the greater part of his attention to trading. However, owing to a suspected tendency to take advantage of others, he was not popular, and in time dwelt isolated. In iv;r, he sold liis land to A. Holderman, and wont to Aux Sable Township, buying land and living there until 1S50, when he went to Texas.

The next settlor was Colonel Sayers. who came here in 1S33, settling on a portion of Section 14. lie did not live here, however, but sold liis claim to YV. A. Holloway, and the latter sold, in is.'!."i, to S. Crook, a merchant of New York. Mr. Crook had hoped to establish himself as a merchant, bringing along a small stock of goods, but never opened a store, although be did some trading during the year lie lived in the township. In ls.",c. be left, and became a merchant at Ottawa. Jacob Claypool located on Section 2i>. and went back to Ohio for bis family, bringing them here in the fall of 1S35. With the Claypools came James Robb and his familj : William Brown and family, and John Snowhill ami William Eubanks. In 1S35, Richard Griggs built a cabin on bis claim on Section 33. Perry A. Claypool married and put up a cabin in 1S35, on Section 2S.

First Saw Mill Ami Stokl

George W. Armstrong located here in 1S3G, on Section 18, and soon thereafter buUt a saw mill on Waupecan Creek. He also opened a general store, the first in the township, and perhaps in the county, but he did not remain long in this locality, moving to another county several years later. The mill passed through several hands, and was finally destroyed, there remaining not the slightest trace to show where it stood. Ezekiel Warren came from La Salle County, in 1(339, and bought the Armstrong cabin, but within a couple of years, moved on Section 17.

James Thompson, an Irishman, came here about 1841. In the same year, James Berry, a fellow countryman, also arrived, both being led to this section because of the building of the canal. That enterprise attracted many young men to this part of Illinois and a large number married and established permanent homes, developing into valuable and substantial citizens. The pioneers of Wauponsee Township had to depend upon Ottawa for their mail, while the only grist-mill for many years was that owned by a Mr. Green, at Dayton.

one of the dangers with which the pioneers of this locality had to cope was prairie fires. Many of the more thrifty protected their cabins and stock by plowing a furrow wide enough to check the flames should the dry grass catch on fire, but many neglected this, and saw their little homes swept away while they stood by helpless.

Wauponsee Township lias always been a much traveled section, although no towns or cities have sprung up in its midst, owing largely to the lack of railroad facilities, and the proximitj of the county seat. The old hotel on the -Al.r/.on River, was a tavern noted for its entertainment in olden days, although not much frequented now.

Religious Activities

While traveling preachers held services from 1S34 on, as they happened to pass through the township, the first regular church was established in 1S37 or 1S3S, at Wauponsee Grove, by the Reverend Mr. Rogers of the South Ottawa Circuit. Rev. Harvey Iladley officiated in 1S39. and Rev. John F. Devore held a great revival in 1842 or 1S43. Wauponsee Township was the scene of considerable work on the part of the Mormons, who held regular services until is 1-1. The Methodists built a little church in 1S72-3, hut it was later abandoned. There have been other religious movements. The Union Sunday School, at the Thumb Schoolhouse. was organized in 1S9G and continues to the present, with preaching every Sunday all the year.

The first school was opened in 1843 by Amanda Pickering on Section 20, and had the distinction of being one of the first in the county. The Slatterly Schoolhouse on Section 15, was built about IMS, and was also used as a ber: The Gay and Conely, in the west part; Opdyke, 1SGG-1SG7 ; L. II. Raymond, 1S68; Benthe Stine School in the north part; the Thumb janiin Sample, 1S09-1S70; J. II. I'attison, 1871-