Stark, Illinois

Anderson built the first residence there some years a^o. Many cottages have since been erected, and with the stores, depot, grain warehouse, and stores and shops named, give tlie liamlet a business-hke appearance.

Passage source: Documents and Biography Pertaining to the Settlement and Progress of Stark County, Illinois : Containing an Authentic Summary of Records, Documents, Historical Works and Newspapers Relating to Indian History, Original Settlement, Organization and Politics ..., published 1887.

Churcli and Society. - -The Methodist Protestant Church of Yalley was organized in February, 1808, with the following named members : Welden Reagan, Sarah Reagan, Maria Luper, Richard and Ann Hight, Daniel S. and Clarinda Thurston, John C. and Rachel Wright, Thomas and Ann Ileywood, Emma Pilgrim, Alice and Nancy A. Scott, Elizabeth Pettit, JosejJi and Rebecca Essex, John and Mary Haines, Viola (Haines) Keeling, Elizabeth Simms. Of the above six removed. Emma Pilgrim died in 1881 and Joseph Essex also died. There were 123 receptions into the churcli up to June 13, 1886, no less than sixteen becoming members during tlie revival meeting of January, 1884. Wady Petra Grange was presidetl over by Jacob Taylor, witli William Peterson, secretary.

Passage source: Documents and Biography Pertaining to the Settlement and Progress of Stark County, Illinois : Containing an Authentic Summary of Records, Documents, Historical Works and Newspapers Relating to Indian History, Original Settlement, Organization and Politics ..., published 1887.

Joseph Anderson, son of John and Hannah (Davis) Andereon, was born in Butler county. O., March IS. 1827, to which state his father removed from his native Penns3^1vania. About 1821 John married Miss Davis, of Ohio, and for the ten following years made his home there. The family moved to Taze\yell county, 111., in 1831, and there were known among the leading farmers until 1851, when John Anderson retired, selling the farm. Sixteen vears later Mr. Anderson. Sr., died in Indiana in his eighty-second year; bis widow residing with the children until her death, in 1880, at her son's home in her eightj^-third 3" ear. Of their thirteen children seven are living. Joseph Anderson, the fifth child in order of seniority, resided with his parents on the farm until twenty-one years of age. At this time he married Miss Susanna McGinness, of Peoria county, remained two years in Tazewell county, then moved to the farm in Peoria county, where for twentvfive years they made their home, prior to their removal to Stark county. Here he built a modern residence for his home and an elevator for the grain trade which he established, together with other buildings, accomphshing as much to build up Stark village as any other one man. Politically he is Republican, in society matters, holds a high place in (Jdd Fellows circles. His wife is a member of the Congregational church and prominent wherever woman's work is called for. Of their eleven children, George W. is deceased ; James W., conductor on C. I. P. P.; Mary J., in Kansas ; Frank M.. in Stark ; Sarah E., deceased ; John II., engineer at Rock Island ; Lewis AY., Robert C, and Ulyssus L., in Iowa ; Xathan A., here ; and Edward E., deceased. U. L. Anderson is vardmaster of the Central Iowa Railroad at Keithsljuro-, 111. Mr. Anderson is now about sixty years old. He was an infant pioneer of Ohio and came to the military tract of Illinois while it was a wilderness, so that in two states he has passed through the pioneer period, and appears today to be a man of forty rather than sixty summei's. Idleness has not brought him this look of youth, for in every part he has taken, whether on the farm, in the grain warehouse, oi' luml)er yard, he has always been a worker. AVith Mrs. Anderson his home at Stark is a model one.

Passage source: Documents and Biography Pertaining to the Settlement and Progress of Stark County, Illinois : Containing an Authentic Summary of Records, Documents, Historical Works and Newspapers Relating to Indian History, Original Settlement, Organization and Politics ..., published 1887.

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 Valley Township - it names this place 26 more 26 times.