Joy, Illinois

John Farran. At an early date Hiram W. Thornton purchased nearly all the lots in Millersburg and later had part of them vacated and merged into his farm. After 1848 Mr. Thornton quit practicing law and at first became a merchant. He became a member of the Legislature, county recorder, had a large library and was prominent, able and influential. He became connected with the Warsaw & Rockford Railroad, which was projected across the county from Millersburg to Keithsburg. In the end he became president of the road and about 1854-5 'le bought the Beason Farm about one mile east of the present site of Joy and laid out the village which he called Monroe. It was located at the proposed junction of this road and the present C. B. & Q. Line. The former road not being built, Joy was established a short distance to the eastward and has become a promising little city. Thornton in the end lost the Beason property. His family were useful and prominent. His daughter during the war probably did more to aid the soldiers in the hospitals than any other lady in the county. Early in the '50s a strong temperance movement took root at Millersburg and was largely sustained by the Thorntons. Several lodges were established there and elsewhere in the township with a large membership. At Millersburg the educational reform movement in 1857-8 was conducted with vigor and great success. The churches were excellent in early times and the workers were active in visiting homes and inducing the parents to become members. Charity movements were instituted in the churches of Millersburg as earlv as 1840.

Passage source: Past and Present of Mercer County, Illinois, published 1914.

In 1894 Millersburg boasted of its fine schoolhouse with two teachers, its three large, commodious and well attended churches, several prosperous merchants, one harness maker and its clubs, societies and leagues. The Children's Epworth League was a prominent organization at this date. A little later the Home Forum Association had great influence in this community. Its president was J. T. Gilmore. It met in Van Tuyle's Hall. By 1895 the Mercer County Creamery at Millersburg was an important industry. It was one of the first, if not the first, to run all the year round. Mr. Henry was manager. In 1894 they shipped 1,100 tubs of butter, having a total weight of 66,000 pounds; 250 cases of eggs, the receipts being about $14,000. In July, 1896, Col. Hiram W. Thornton died at his home here. All things considered, he was unquestionably one of the most prominent and useful citizens of the county. In recent years the Harvest Home Association has become prominent with its social work and its picnics. In August, 1899, 1,500 people assembled and enjoyed an instructive and delightful program. Present were the Joy Band and the Millersburg Glee Club. The orators were Reverend Kile, Rev. J. O. Slyter, Reverend Fleming and Rev. J. A. Alford. On this occasion the ladies served thirty-five gallons of free coffee, and conducted two stands of refreshments.

Passage source: Past and Present of Mercer County, Illinois, published 1914.

On May 11, 1908, Millersburg came near being entirely swept out of existence by a tornado. The whole south part of the village was wrecked and destroyed. The path of the storm was from two hundred feet to two hundred yards wide and everything therein was torn to pieces. In all twenty-one houses were either blown away or damaged. Sixteen barns were damaged or torn to pieces. Among the damages were the following: Presbyterian Church blown away, $7,000; Presbyterian parsonage wrecked, $1,500; Reverend Wyllie's household goods ruined, $500; L. B. Turner's house and barn damaged, $400; Thomas McAfee's house and two barns destroyed, $4,000; H. Felton's house damaged, $1,000; J. T. Gilmore's house damaged, $500; John Cady's house blown away and other damages, $400; N. W. Thornton damage to property, $200; Will Wakeland's house blown away, $300; Sarah Thornton's house damaged, $300. On all of the above there was no insurance. But there was insurance in part on the following losses: L. R. Hyatt, two houses and three barns damaged, $3,000; George Bristlime's house damaged, $800; J. U. Roberts' store wrecked, $300; G. S. Thornton's house and barn damaged, $3,600; T. M. Duncan's house and barn damaged, $1,700; Mrs. J. N. Close's house destroyed, $700; E. R. Gilmore's house and barn damaged, $1,100; W. A. Vetter's house damaged, $700; W. W. Wakeland's house and shop damaged, $ 1 ,000 ; R. A. Turner's store damaged, $2,800; M. D. Murdock's house blown away, $1,500; Steve Miller's damage to restaurant, $500. Not a life was lost, singular as it may seem. Articles of various kinds were carried in many instances many miles. There were many narrow escapes. The same storm passed directly over Joy but was too high to do damage. The country districts in the path of the storm were devastated and many houses and barns were wrecked.

Passage source: Past and Present of Mercer County, Illinois, published 1914.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Millersburg Township - it names this place 5 more 5 times.