Sheldon, Illinois

The years 1859 and 1860 will ever be memorable in the history of the broad prairies south of the Iroquois. The latter days of the former year dawned on the completion of the Toledo, Peoria & "Warsaw railroad, which proved to be, comparatively, the beginning of the era of settlement of the vast prairies through which it passed. As early as January, 1860, a switch was placed on Sec. 2, T. 26 IN"., R. 11 "W., and named Sheldon ; thus, during that cold winter month, the seed of a future city was planted. Soon after the completion of the switch, Messrs. Sherman & Smith put up a small shed and pair of scales, and began grain-buying. This firm was the first to ship goods outward from the switch. Probably the first goods shipped to the switch were five cars of lumber to Mr. Jacob Wingard, who was improving on his farm about one mile south of the switch. The business of the station was transacted from Gilman until March 1, 1860, when William B. Fleager came from there and took charge of the switch - a charge that would have sent less energetic men away in despair. The first day he failed to find a place to board, and so returned to Gilman that night. But the next day found him there again, and he was more successful, finding a boarding place with Mr. William Bussert, who lived about three-quarters of a mile from the switch. He, however, remained there but a short time, as the walking was so very bad, and so he concluded to " batch " it. Accordingly he procured a car, placed it on the switch, and had it serve as residence, depot, freight-house and all combined. He dwelt there until some time in May, when he erected the first resi- dence at the switch, the style of which was two buildings, size 14x20 and 12x16, one placed two feet behind the other. Upon their completion they were occupied by himself and family. In September following, Mr. H. Messer, the county surveyor, surveyed the village of Sheldon, the plat consisting of one ten-acre piece along the railroad, and about 200 lots around the same. The place was laid out on land belonging to the Hon. Judge Chamberlain and James Lawrence, who became the proprietors of the town. The lots were priced from $25 to $75, and the sale began at once. The first purchase was two lots for $100, made by William B. Fleager, who in October following built the first store at the place, and occupied the same with a stock of groceries in November. Later he received the appointment of postmaster. Other early settlers in the village were William Smith, Dr. Barry (who was the first physician to take up a residence in the township), Hugh McCutcheon and William Wood. Dock Brandon opened the first blacksmith shop in the village about 1862. October 8, 1865, Messrs. E. G. Collins and John Steele began business in their steam flour-mill. In 1870 a steam elevator was erected by William B. Fleager. Thus the village steadily increased, and on December 26, 1871, it was incorporated; the vote stood, for incorporation, 24; against, 1. January 2, 1872, the following trustees were elected : William B. Fleager, S. A. Barry, Thomas Thornil, W. B. Fowler and J. E. Tyler. At a meeting held January 8, they elected S. A. Barry, president, and David Greenl'ee, clerk. On May 5, 1874, under Art. II of the act for the organization of villages, Sheldon was reorganized ; the vote standing, for reorganization, 44; against, 13. The trustees were B. Bishopp, J. E. Tyler, R. Eoss, William Sloan, O. King and E. Carroll ; A. B. Caldwell, police magistrate, and David Greenlee, clerk. The first meeting of the new board was held June 17, 1874. B. Bishopp was elected president, and J. E. Tyler, treasurer ; all were sworn in by D. Greenlee, justice of the peace. The village pursued the even tenor of its way, each year adding to the number of its residents and business houses until 1875, when a movement initiated by W. B. Fleager, and joined by other leading citizens, produced a scene of activity seldom ever witnessed outside of the larger cities, - it being no less than the building in one continuous block of fifteen two-story brick store-buildings, known as " Central Block," thus securing to Sheldon not only the best business block in the county, but the best for many miles around. But such has been the magnitude of the improvements of this thriving, growing city, that they are not confined alone to the " Central," south of which stands the old pioneer, " Fleager's Bank Block," which is a two-story brick, containing the bank and a large double-front store- room, between which a broad hallway leads to Fleager's hall and the " Enterprise " office. East of the north end of the " Central " is " Commercial Block," which consists of three adjoining one-story brick storerooms. These blocks, with the single one-story brick store-room opposite the " Central," complete the list of brick business stands in the city, the remaining places of business being frame.

Passage source: History of Iroquois 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 1880.

March 10, 1871, Messrs J. B. Spotswood and E. A. Burns began the publication, from a press in Kentland, Indiana, of a six-column folio, weekly independent newspaper, called the " Sheldon Courier." It was supported by a liberal number of cash advertisements and subscriptions, but expired in a few months.

Passage source: History of Iroquois 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 1880.

The " Sheldon Enterprise " is a five-column quarto, weekly independent newspaper, first published December 31, 1874, by H. R. Fields and H. L. Henry. The first copy was sold for $2.50 at auction, to Joe Bell. Since February 1, 1877, it has been under the management of D. J. Eastburn, the present editor and proprietor.

Passage source: History of Iroquois 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 1880.

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 Sheldon Township - it names this place 57 more 57 times.