Palermo, Illinois

We are informed that Rev. Mr. Winn was the first minister of the Gospel in these parts. What year he came is not now accurately known. He was a Methodist, and with the characteristic promptness of that denomination, fol¬ lowed the pioneer to his frontier home, and endeavored to found a church. His efforts do not appear to have been very successful, for no church of any kind existed in \ oung America until the erection of one at Palermo, three or four.years ago. That, too, is a Baptist, and is now the only one of any denomination, we were told, in the township.

Passage source: The History of Edgar County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County--its Cities, Towns, &c. : Directory of Its Tax-payers; War Records of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; General and Local Statistics; Map of Edgar County; History of Illinois, Illustrated; History of the Northwest, Illustrated; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters, &c., &c. Illustrated, published 1879.

There was not a house on the original plat when the survey was made. Persons, however, stood ready to build as soon as good titles to lots could be obtained. 0. H. Rogers and brother built the first house on the plat. It is their present store, which they yet occupy. Next, a blacksmith-shop was built by Eben Hathaway, who still fills the part in life described so beautifully in Longfellow's poem. Michael Ewel and W. C. Smith next erected houses here. In the summer of 1874, the hotel was built and the store now occupied by Harry Boon. In 1875, the warehouse appeared. The schoolhouse was one of the first buildings erected. It is yet used ; and, as no incorporation has been effected in the village, the school is still under district control. As yet, there is no church here. Those who desire to attend religious services go to the Baptist Church at Palermo.

Passage source: The History of Edgar County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County--its Cities, Towns, &c. : Directory of Its Tax-payers; War Records of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; General and Local Statistics; Map of Edgar County; History of Illinois, Illustrated; History of the Northwest, Illustrated; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters, &c., &c. Illustrated, published 1879.

This small village, at Hickory Grove, is the oldest in the towmship. It wras begun in 1863 by Mr. Henry Ross, who built a store there and carried a good stock of goods. It wTas, not long after, joined by another similar enterprise, then a shop or two appeared, and the town was worthy a post office. It had been a kind of central point many years, and mail was brought here as early as the first store, if not a little before. It was at first intended to call the village and post office by the name of the grove ; but finding another Hickory Grove in the State, at the suggestion of Mr. C. L. C. Bradfield, the name Palermo wTas bestowed. We are informed it was named for a Western town. The place has and still enjoys a good local trade. The stores have a good custom, and wrere it on a railroad it would be more than a rival for its more fortunate neighbors. The school is under district control. The town is not incorporated ; even the plat is not recorded.

Passage source: The History of Edgar County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County--its Cities, Towns, &c. : Directory of Its Tax-payers; War Records of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; General and Local Statistics; Map of Edgar County; History of Illinois, Illustrated; History of the Northwest, Illustrated; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters, &c., &c. Illustrated, 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 Young America Township - it names this place 30 more 30 times.