Athensville Township

Athensville Township

Sometime previous to 1830, a man named s Scroggs from Morgan County came into this county and settled very near where Athensville was afterward located. Others made improvements east of Athensville about 1831 or 1832, among wliom was Mr. Rigsby. He took possession of a place which had previously been occupied by Sandy Wiggins. It was about a mile east of the present town. John Ruyle settled two miles east of this place about 1831, and near him was a man named Jackson. Orphy Shepherd made his home a mile northeast, and Mr. Morton settled about the same distance west of Athensville. Not far from his cabin were the improvements of Mr. Musgrove and Alexander Robinson. Just north was Benoni Banning, who had made an earlier settlement near Hickory Grove.

The first building in Athensville was probably erected in 1832 or 1833, by Greene Weaver. Mr. Weaver had been sent from CarroUton by John Evans with a stock of goods, which he first undertook to sell at Mt. Airy. This stock he brought to Athensville with him, at the date above mentioned. After a time Mr. John Armstrong, from near Carrollton became the proprietor, in part at least, and continued the business for several years. Hon. Alexander King was for several years a partner of Mr. Armstrong and continued with him until the death of the latter some fifteen years since. Mr. Armstrong was an Englishman by birth, but emigrated to this county during the early history of Greene County. He was well acquainted with the early settlers and few men have been more generally esteemed by those around them than John Armstrong.

The Christian denomination erected a church at an early day, in which Mr. Weaver, who was a minister of that denomination, took an active part. It was used for many years, bnt when the school house was erected the old church was abandoned. The Baptists now hold meetings in the hall over.

The people of that part of Greene County are more inclined to agricultural pursuits than to town building, and for that reason Athensville has not grown to the dimensions of some other towns in the county. Nevertheless it is a place of same business. There are three stores in the town. John English sells dry goods, etc., and Chas. Mason and W. D. Hardcastle keep a general stock. There are besides three blacksmiths and one shoemaker. Tilmon S. Patterson is the postmaster and has acted in that capacity for some years. Rev. John Johnson is the Baptist minister.

Barrow

Barrow is a small village of about one hundred inhabitants, situated on the St. Louis branch of the C. B. & Q. railroad in the northern part of Greene County. The place was originally laid out by Robert Thompson in 1869, as a result of a contract, whereby, the railroad company built a side track at this point and agreed to maintain it in return for the right of way freely granted through Mr. Thompson's land. The next year the first dwelling and first blacksmith shop were built by James Ashlock. John Williams erected the first store building and the residents in the vicinity, put up a depot costing about $500.

In 1871, Mr. Thompson sold out his farm and his entire interest in the town to Mr. Alfred Barrow, by whom it was again laid out, platted, and for whom it was named. Mr. Barrow donated one acre of land for stockpens and two acres for other depot grounds. Very soon Mr. Barrow erected a fine residence in the town for himself and several smaller buildings for rent. The people united in the erection of a neat and commodious church which is used by the Methodists and by two Baptist Churches. There is also a good church building about half a mile south of the village. It was during 1871, that the first warehouse was erected by Smith, Edwards & Barrow.

The growth of the town has been very slow, although the richness of the soil about it is a guarantee of steady increase ; seventy thousand bushels of wheat have been shipped from Barrow during one season. The village now contains about twenty-five dwellings, one church, one town hall a first class building, one saw and grist mill, one elevator, one blacksmith and wagon shop, two stores, one boot and shoe shop, one tile factory, one boarding house, etc. Only one or two deaths have occurred in the town during its existence.

New Providence

New Providence, a small place located near the center of Greene County, was laid off May 5, 1867, by F. M. Bell, John Bell and Jesse S. Allen. The place is often spoken of as Belltown, from the name of one of its most enterprising citizens, through whose influence a new name was given it, and is an old landmark. It was a center of trade forty years ago, and was at one time a very ambitious village. Messrs. F. M^ and John Bell were originally farmers, but subsequently became owners of the grist and saw mill built by Thos. Allen very early in the history of the county. F. M. Bell was afterward sheriff of the county, and Bell Brothers built the new mill. They were succeeded by Jesse Allen, and later F. M. Bell and H. Tunison owned the establishment. The present proprietor is Mr. Thomas Johnson. Mr. Finis Bell owns the only sa\v mill in the place.

The first store in the place was probably built by the late B. F. Baldwin, who sold goods here until he removed to White Hall. The postoffice was also in the building and Mr. Baldwin was the first postmaster. WJien the C. & A. road was opened the postoffice was removed to Berdan. The first church of which we have mention was a frame structure, erected for the Presbyterians. The first pastor of this organization was Rev. H. Knowles. Rev. R. M. Smith is the present incumbent. P. R. McFarland is the blacksmith of the village. New Providence contains probably nearly one hundred inhabitants, who are distinguished for tlieir sobriety, industry and respect for religion.