Oakwood, Illinois

The history of Oakwood township is important, not only on account of its early settlement, but because of its natural advantages as well. Its prairies are rich and extensive, its timber land fully sufficient, while the wealth of its coal banks is incalculable. Oakwood lies on the western border of Vermilion county. Its greatest length is, from east to west, twelve miles. Its width, north and south, is six miles. Like all other townships of Vermilion county, it is made up of parts of several congressional towns. Its north line is two miles north of the south line of town 20 N. Its south line is two miles north of the south line of town 19 N". The west side is the boundary line between Vermilion and Champaign counties. It is the middle line of range 14. On the east the boundary line is broken. Beginning at the south line of the township, at the southeast corner of section 19, T. 19 N., range 12 W., the boundary extends north one mile, thence east two miles on the south side of sections 17 and 16; thence north one mile; thence west one mile to the southeast corner of section 8; thence north one mile; thence west one-fourth mile; thence north one mile, and thence back east to the section line, where a north course on the east side of sections 32 and 29, in town 20, range 12, leads to the northern boundary. It will thus be seen that Oakwood includes a part of six congressional towns; that the greater portion of it is in range 13 W. ; that there is just one half of one congressional town in range 14; that but a small portion is in range 12 W., and that the whole consists of sixtyfive and three-fourths square miles.

Passage source: History of Vermilion County, Together with Historic Notes on the Northwest, Gleaned from Early Authors, Old Maps and Manuscripts, Private and Official Correspondence, and Other Authentic, Though, for the Most Part, Out-of-the-way Sources, published 1879.

In surface and soil the township is diversified. There is little of the soil, however, that cannot be said to be very deep, rich and productive. On the eastern end of the township the broken surface is not quite so attractive to the eye, nor perhaps as remunerative to the laborer; but it furnishes timber for those who dwell in the prairies. On the east end of the south side the same remark would apply. The western border is particularly flat in some places, so that the music of the cheerless frog may often be heard as he boasts of his broad domain. Beside the fiat surface, there is little else to complain of in regard to Nature's gifts fro Oakwood. This defect is largely overcome by draining. In fact, the level land is said to be superior to any other, when well drained. The farmers of Oakwood are draining, within the last few years, as rapidly as they can. All kinds of ditching is done, but tile draining is the most certain and successful, although we were told of a mole ditch which had been in successful operation for more than twenty years. Oakwood is prairie land, with the exception of a band of timber on the east and southeast, and a belt which follows Stony Creek about half way across the township, from the south. These furnish all the timber necessary for the improvement of the prairie portions. There is plenty of water in most parts. On the eastern border is the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River; on the south side is the Salt Fork ; through the center we find Stony Creek, which rises near the northwest corner of the township, and flows southeasterly through sections 31, 5, 8, 9, 16 and 22, and empties into the Salt Fork.

Passage source: History of Vermilion County, Together with Historic Notes on the Northwest, Gleaned from Early Authors, Old Maps and Manuscripts, Private and Official Correspondence, and Other Authentic, Though, for the Most Part, Out-of-the-way Sources, published 1879.

The early settlements in this township take the lead of anything in the county, both in regard to priority of settlement, and their importance in the subsequent growth of the country ; and although these pioneer efforts were of such importance in the development of the wealth of this country, the particulars have faded away until accuracy is almost impossible in many cases. The early settlement at the old Major Vance salt works, the first in the township, is fully discussed in another place. It is only necessary to refer to it here. As an example of the general misconception which has arisen in regard to this settlement, we would say that in Oakwood township we found very few persons who had ever heard of Mr. Treat or Blackman, and none had a just conception of the affair, or a positive knowledge of any of the details. Again we were informed that a settlement was made and a cabin built on the Middle Fork as early as 1818, when the evidence shows that the settlement at the salt works was not onty the first here, but the first anywhere within the limits of Vermilion county.

Passage source: History of Vermilion County, Together with Historic Notes on the Northwest, Gleaned from Early Authors, Old Maps and Manuscripts, Private and Official Correspondence, and Other Authentic, Though, for the Most Part, Out-of-the-way Sources, published 1879.

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 Oakwood Township - it names this place 40 more 40 times.