Old Kane, Illinois

There have been in the history of the county two places about a mile apart, having the name of Kane. One of these. Old Kane (or Homer as it was formerly called) is situated in Township 9, Range 12, and the other, New Kane, is in Township 9, Range 11. As a preliminary to a sketch of New Kane which is at present the center of trade and activity, some notice of the old town should be given. The first settlements ever made in Greene County were probably in Township 9, Range 12. Here it was that Daniel Allen and his sons Daniel, Jr. and James made improvements in 1816, having spent the previous Winter on the Macoupin opposite the mouth of Taylor's Creek, in what is now Jersey County. They were followed not long after by R. B. Huitt, Rev. C. J. Gardiner and John King. Shortly before the year 1830, came Gen. Jacob Fry and James Stone. In 1836, a man by the name of Stedman, Alexander Smith, Jacob Backus, Enoch Backus, Col. N. M. Perry and others resided near Section 36, on which Old Kane is situated. They were a long distance from any market, Jerseyville on the south and Carrollton on the north were their nearest towns and each was seven or eio-ht miles awa3^ There was a beautiful location for a village on Section 36 and the propriety of establishing a new town was often discussed. Col. N. M. Perry, now deceased, was prominent in these deliberations, as were also Z. H. Adams and a Mr. Brainerd. Col. Perry was the first to settle in the town and he sold the first lot. Z. H. Adams built the first store, where he sold drugs, groceries, calicoes and all the raisellaneous merchandise necessary in a new country. Col. Perry erected the second store building in the now rapidly growing village. He was a gentleman of great activity and occupied a very prominent place in the history of the county. He sold goods in this town for some time and quite successfully until the panic forced him to retire from business for a time. He subsequently resumed business and continued as a merchant in the place for about thirt}' years. Very soon a dwelling house was built by Samuel Pope and he erected the first blacksmith shop. In 1838, the Baptists began the erection of a church in the town, which was completed soon after. It is still standing, one of the old landmarks of the county. The Methodists erected a building later. Although surrounded by some of the richest farming lands in the State, there were few natural advantages to assist the town to a rapid growth.

Passage source: History of Greene County, Illinois : Its Past and Present, Containing a History of the County ; Its Cities, Towns, Etc. ; a Biographical Directory of Its Citizens ; War Record.., published 1879.

John Green was one of the first settlers in the young village. J. B. Enslow, who had been a farmer in Montgomery County, built the first store, in which he opened a stock of groceries. Not long after, Samuel Gardiner, who is the present postmaster, moved from the old to the new town. He was a harness maker, and followed his calling for some time. He afterward embarked in trade, and has sold dry goods and groceries for many years. He moved a building which he owned in Old Kane to the new town, in Avhich he has ever since sold goods and handled the mail of the little city. John E^itch was the first blacksmith in New Kane, and Dr. P. Fenity was the first physician. Dr. Fenity had practiced some six years in the old town, where he had secured a lucrative business. He has proved a very valuable man to the town and has contributed liberally of his means to further the best interests of the place. None have taken a deeper interest in the intellectual and moral concerns of the community. Shortly after the new town was laid out Peter and W. M. Felter added materially to the appearance of the place by the erection of a large brick building, since used as a dry goods and grocery store, and now occupied by Dr Albro Allen. Kane now began to feel iier importance. The old town sank into insignificance, and, having vanquished that rival, the new town began to reach out for the trade which iiad hitherto gone to Jerseyville and Carrollton. Kane became an important ship[»ing point, and grain, cattle and hogs poured in from all partsof the surrounding county. As the town grew in importance the necessity of a suitable house for the promotion of education became apparent, and the motion to build was carried with scarcely a dissenting vote. The present buildino- has undergone some changes since its erection, and will compare favorably with any other school building in the county. The first teacher in Kane was E. H. Remick, whose services were so highly appreciated that he was retained in the position for four years. His successors have been Rev. H. J. Spears, William Terry, Ward Coombs, James W. DeAvel, J. G. Harley, John Worthington, Mr. Allen and Miss Alice Bridges.

Passage source: History of Greene County, Illinois : Its Past and Present, Containing a History of the County ; Its Cities, Towns, Etc. ; a Biographical Directory of Its Citizens ; War Record.., published 1879.

King Solomon's Lodge moved from Old Kane to New Kane, and occupied the upper story of Felter's brick hall, February 26, 1870. In 1875, the members with unanimity agreed to build a new hall, which they should own and occup}', and which should be free to them and to all those who should come after them through all coming time ; and on the 6th of January, 1876, dedicated it to God and the Brotherhood, according to the solemn and impressive rites of the order, free of debt, at a cost of fl,500.

Passage source: History of Greene County, Illinois : Its Past and Present, Containing a History of the County ; Its Cities, Towns, Etc. ; a Biographical Directory of Its Citizens ; War Record.., 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 Kane Township - it names this place 4 more 4 times.