Stonington, Illinois

HIS township is bounded on the north by Mosquito, east by Macon county and Prairieton township, south by May aud west by Buckhart township ; it comprises the Congressional town 14, range 1 W., is six miles square - and contains a fine body of land - its farmers are among the most enterprising in the county. This towu.ship entered into one of the four original precincts formed on the organization of the county. It then embraced the whole south-western portion of the county. And when curtailed in its boundaries, it has continued to retain its original name. At the first election held August 5, 1839, Peter R. Ketcham and David Simons were elected Justices of the Peace, and William L. Hammer Constable. For the other constable there was a tie between Frederick Fitch and Nicholas Sanders. The latter drew the prize by lot. The Judges of election were Elijah Palmer, David Simons and Peter R. Ketcham. As this returning Board adjudicated in their own cases, it is presumable there was more honesty in "counting" in tho.se days than now. The area of the precinct was then 195 square miles, and cast 48 vtites. The same territory at the election in 1876 cast a vote of 2,400. At the first election there was not a single vote cast in what is now Rosemond, Pana am! Assumjition, then included in Stonington Precinct.

Passage source: History of Christian County, Illinois, published 1880.

The pioueer settlers in Stonington township, were Peter R. Ketcham, Christopher Ketcham, John Biggs, Elijah Palmer, Nicholas Sanders, Deacon Peabody, Thos. P. Chapman, Samuel N. Peabody, William S. Peabody, Frederick Fitch, Allen B. Peabody, Leonard G. Lillie, Andrew B. Chapman ; later came Asa Bowman, J. G. Armstrong. C. Tyler Chapman came in 1849. John T. Slaughter came in 1845. Matilda Compton, 1840. W. S. Spingate, 1834.

Passage source: History of Christian County, Illinois, published 1880.

The annual prairie fires were a great annoyance to the early settlers. Many years ago, some emigrant wagons passed where Stonington is now located, going towards Mt. Auburn. The emigrants at night camped in the tall wild grass that grows so luxuriantly in the low land, of that vast prairie. During the night the prairie was set on fire ; it came sweeping toward them with almost the velocity of the wind, and not knowing how to avoid it they nearly all perished in the flames. Had they burned the grass for some distance around their camp - they would most probably have passed through the danger unscathed. Greeu B. Ketcham, a citizen of Stonington township, was elected as one of the early Coroners of the county. He could neither read or write. There was a time in the country's history, when this seemed to be a necessary qualification. A writ was placed in his hands to be served on the sheriff'. As he could not read it, but was informed as to the nature of its contents, a wag, comprehending the situation, informed him that in order to make a legal service, where the officers could not read it, he was to communicate the nature of it, and at the same time place his hand on the person named in the writ. The sheriff humored the joke; both officers had their horses saddled ; each made for his horse, when 2.40 time was made, sheriff' H. in the lead and the Coroner close in the rear. Round and round the public square, at the county seat, first up one street and down another. At length the writ was served, and the green Coroner made for his cabin well nigh exhausted.

Passage source: History of Christian County, Illinois, 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 Stonington Township - it names this place 10 more 10 times.