Unionville, Illinois

The first settler in the territory now embraced by Union Grove Township was Joshua T. Atkinson, who was born in Massachusetts in 1810. He first came to Whiteside County in the fall of 1834, settling in Prophetstown, and occupying a cabin with J. W. Stakes. The following spring he and Stakes made claims in what was then Union Grove Precinct, on both sides of Rock Creek, and commenced their improvements. These claims were made in what is now Union Grove and Mount Pleasant Townships, and were situated in the northern portions. They afterwards divided their interests, Atkinson taking the west side and Stakes the east. He had put up a cabin, which was the first built in the township. It was located where Unionville now is, sections i and 12. Along in the spring (1836) Daniel B. Young came in. He was born Sept. 16, 1800, in New Jersey. He went from there to Ohio, and from Ohio he came to Union Grove. He remained for a while, looking around, and finally purchased Mr. Atkinson's claim on section i, which consisted of 640 acres of land with improvements. After making some further preparations, he returned to Ohio for his family. In the fall he came back, bringing his family, and settled down on his purchase. The following

Passage source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Whiteside County, Illinois : Containing Full-page Portraits and Biographies of All the Governors of Illinois, and of the Presidents of the United States, published 1885.

Mr. Young married Betsey Jackson in 1824. They came to Union Grove with seven children. Five children were born to them in Union Grove. All are living except two, Tryphena and Abigail. Mrs. Young died Jan. 13, 1872. Mr. Young sold his farm to H. M. Teller, and is now living in Morrison. John Richards and family came in 1836, locating on section 34. He came around the lakes. The vessel in which they took passage was wrecked and they lost all their money and most of their goods, and came very nearly being drowned. Mr. Richards died several years ago, but his wife is still living.

Passage source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Whiteside County, Illinois : Containing Full-page Portraits and Biographies of All the Governors of Illinois, and of the Presidents of the United States, published 1885.

Mrs. Phoebe Vennum, one of the early settlers here, is still living, residing with her son Edward, who is now quite an old man. She was 101 years old on the 23d of June last. She is in reasonably good health, bright and active, and gives promise of remaining with her friends many years longer. Mrs. Vennum remembers very well when George Washington was President of the United States, and the political events following in the eighteenth century. The War of 1812 is a new event to her. She has witnessed during her life a nation's birth and growth, a growth which places it ahead of all the nations of the earth; and one for grandeur and great achievfa)

Passage source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Whiteside County, Illinois : Containing Full-page Portraits and Biographies of All the Governors of Illinois, and of the Presidents of the United States, published 1885.

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 Union Grove Township - it names this place 4 more 4 times.