Barr Township

Barr Township

Barr township is located in the northwest part of the county and' is bounded on the north by Scottville, on the west by Greene county, on the south by Western Mound and on the east by South Palmyra townships. Its soil is a rich clay and in the western portion along Taylor's creek is found some timber. The northern portion is mostly prairie, except in the extreme northwest corner, where it is rough and -broken. The township is afforded good drainage by Solomon's, Joe's, Taylor's and Watts' creeks and their tributaries.

Joseph Elliott was the first white settler in the township. He "squatted" on land on section 21, in 1828 or 1829, and thereon built a log cabin and cultivated some land. He later sold to William Handlin.

John Markham settled here in the year 1830 and in 1835 was followed by Benjamin and Hugh Barr, for whom the township was named, a Mr. Kennedy, Silas Drum, and a man by the name of Wiggins. Other early settlers were James B. Steidley, Hampton Bates, John Barnett, John Parks, Adam James, William Taggert, Thomas Coddle and Michael Buchanan.

The first marriage in the township was that of John Rummons and Mrs. Fanny Markham, the ceremony being performed by John Barnett, justice of the peace.

The first religious services in the township were conducted by Joseph J. Gray, a Presbyterian minister, in a schoolhouse on section 20. Rev. James Corrington organized the first church society, which was a Methodist. They built the first church on section 20 and called it Asbury chapel. Charles Maxfield and wife, and Nathan Henderson and wife were among the first members. Soon afterward Samuel Rees and wife, J. B. Steidley and wife, John and David Henderson, with their wives, and William Taggert and wife also became members of this organization.

Barr's Store is the only village in the township, and is located on section 9. It was laid out in 1865 by John B. Steidley, receiving its name from the Rarr

Western Mound is one of the western tier of townships and lies in town 10 north, range 9 west. It is bounded on the north by Barr township, on the west by Greene county, on the south by Chesterfield township, and on the east by Bird township.

It was originally covered with a heavy growth of timber but much of this has now been cleared off. It is well drained. The northwestern portion is drained by Joe's creek, which flows in a southwesterly direction across the township, while the entire northern, eastern and southern portions are drained by Hodges', Solomon's, Lick and Bear creeks. The surface is generally hilly, especially along the creeks. The bottom lands are among the most fertile and productive in this section of the county. Sandstone is found outcropping on Hodges' creek and has been quarried for building purposes. Coal has also been found in the bluffs of this creek and has been mined to supply the local demand since the first settlement.

In 1827 Bennett Tilley and family, natives of North Carolina, William Smith and family, Andrew Hughes, Henry Etter and a Air. Robinson and their families, arrived here and made permanent locations. The following year Huriah Smith with his father, Richard Smith, and family, settled along Hodges' creek on section 31. In the spring of 1829 Norris Hayes and family and J. Coddle and family settled on section 31. Among the arrivals in 1829 were Daniel Deadrick and family, who came from Greene county, Illinois and James McFarland and family from Tennessee. In 1831 Jeptha Reeder came from Tennessee, with his family, consisting of five daughters and one son, Paschall Reeder.

In 1832 a number of families settled here, among who were John Morris, who located on section 34 ; William Chism and Jacob Kelly, with their families, who came from Kentucky ; James Carr and family and Joel Hubbard and family, the latter from Tennessee.

In 1834 Rev. Charles Holliday, a Methodist minister, settled here. John Dews came in the same year and entered eighty acres on section 28 but did not locate here until the following year. Samuel Hullett, a native of England, came here from Morgan county, Illinois, in 1835. Griffith Edwards was also among the earliest settlers.

The early settlers suffered many privations and hardships, being compelled to go long distances to mill and market. Edwardsville. a distance of forty miles, was the nearest trading point.while many would go to St. Louis, a distance of fifty miles.

The first child born in the township was a son of Samuel Judy and wife in the year 1828. The second birth was that of Polly Ann Smith, a daughter of Huriah Smith and wife, born February 17, 1830.

University Of Illinois

The first death was that of Mrs. Nellie Smith, wife of William Smith. She died September i, 1828, and her daughter Nellie died on the 7th of the same month, one week later.

The first sermon in the township was delivered in 1829 by Rev. John Mc- Cray, a Baptist minister. The first church was organized by him in 1831 at the home of Daniel Deadrick. During the summer months services were held in the groves, while in the winter they were held in Mr. Deadrick's home, the minister walking twenty miles from Waverly to conduct the services. Bethel church was the first to be built and was erected by the United Baptist denomination in 1848. being located on section 3.

The first school was conducted in the home of Mr. Hubbard and the first teacher was William Hamilton. In 1836 James Bates taught in a house built on section 8.

The first mill was erected on Bear creek, on section 24, by Richard Smith, in the year 1834 or 1835. It was a horse mill and was the only one in the township for many years. Later Paschall Reeder built a tread or ox mill.

The first entries of land were made by Thomas Judy, which was a tract of eighty acres on section 32, May 31, 1827; Nathan Collins, April 22, 1831, eighty acres on section 31 ; Henry Wilkerson, May 21, 1831, eighty acres on section 2. Other early settlers were John Dews, who came in 1834; John Kerley, in 1839; David Holmes, in 1830; Adam Dams, in 1836; and W. C. Edwards, in 1834.