Richview, Illinois

Physicians, W. H. Burns, H. B. Lucas, G. W. Downey, J. B. Houston. John H. Breeze, lawyer. Justices of the Peace, George Lowe, George T. Hoke. E. Wright, Police Magistrate. Trustees of the town of Richview: W. S. Merrell, President of the Board, H. P. Ingram, S. T. Howard, E. C. Matthews, I. R. Johnson and L. A. Gamble. E. Wright, town clerk.

Passage source: History of Washington County, Illinois, published 1879.

Washington Seminary was projected in 1856 or 1857 by a few leading citizens of Richview, who desired, as is said, in the first deed, " to establish a seminary of elevated character, to diffuse the benefits of a good education and advance the great interests of civilization, morality and piety." On the completion of the Illinois Central Railroad, the company found it best to establish their station for Richview on their own land, nearly a mile distant from the village. As a compromise the railroad company gave about sev¬ enty-five lots near the station, for the establishing of a school in Richview. These lots were sold for about four thousand dollars in June or July, 1857, and in October, 1857, the foundations of the present building were laid. Hon. Wm. M. Phillips was one of the agents in the compromise and the lots. On Dec. 31st, 1857, about four acres, the land on which the Semi¬ nary stands, was sold for 8200 by E. A. Spooner and Joseph Barber to Alex¬ ander Shipley and Wm. M. -Logan, Trustees T. 2 S. R. 1 W. About eight hundred dollars in possession of the school district was also added to the fund. The lower story was divided into two rooms, and a graded school opened in 1859 by N. E. Way, Esq., assisted by his sister, Mrs. Cope, who taught about two years. Miss Minnie Graham, now Mrs. Moudy, also taught. Prof. H C. Hillman followed for a year, assisted by Mrs. Cope and Mrs. Ballou. Miss Irw T in and Mrs. Ballou followed. But the building was found too large and expensive to finish; the grounds were not enclosed; and by vote of the district, the trustees sold the seminary to R. G. Williams for 81,500, August f2d, 1864. Rev. R. G. Williams sold out July 8th, 1870, to S. J. P. Ander¬ son, D.D., of St. Louis. The heirs of Dr. Anderson sold it April 1st, 1874, to Rev. Edgar W. Clarke, A.M., from Sterling, III. He has been assisted by

Passage source: History of Washington County, Illinois, published 1879.

(Old Richview) was laid out in 1839 by William B. Livesay on Sec. 10. It was formerly called Richmond. It gradually grew, and became quite a business centre, having five stores, two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, three physicians and a population of between five and six hundred. About the year 1852 the name was changed to Richview. When the Illinois Cen¬ tral Railroad was built, the track was laid about a half mile east of the " old town." The railroad company built a depot and switch about three-fourths of a mile north-east of the village on a forty-acre tract of land owned by the company in the year 1854, and in 1855 laid out an addition to the town. They named the station Richview. The year previous Shipley and Barber laid out an addition between the two towns. Subsequently four other addi¬ tions to the town have been laid out by the following parties: one by George Lowe, J. M. Livesay, L. D. Livesay, and one by Foster and Phillips. In 1857 Lem. Brown laid out an addition. Richview now (old and new) has a population of about one thousand inhabitants.

Passage source: History of Washington County, Illinois, 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 Richview Township - it names this place 1 more 1 time.