Danvers Township (part 2 of 2)

Mr. Warlow is about five feet and eleven inches in height. His hair is white,, and stands up from his head. He has a prominent nose and light gray eyes. He has rather a sanguine temperament, and he likes to tell funny things. He has been very successful in life and is hospitable and kind.

Source changes here: from The History of McLean County, Illinois; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men, by Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, published 1879; 2,361 words in this source stream.

Danvers Township

This village is pleasantly located on the Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western Railroad, about ten miles west of Bloomington. It is situated on the prairie between Dry Grove and Stout's Grove. The surface of the country in its immediate vicinity, is sufficiently rolling, requiring no draining, and makes what is apparently a healthy location. Long before a railroad was built in Illinois, this little village was a regular station, but it was on the stage-route from Bloomington to Pekin and Peoria. The town was surveyed by Elbert C. Dickason. The certificate of the surveyor is dated January 15, 1836. A plat of the village was filed with the County Commissioners, and approved by them, March 7, 1836. The original survey included a rectangular land from the northwest corner of Section 23, 72 rods wide and 96 rods long, being longest from north to south. It was 4 blocks wide and 5 long, with a public square in the center. The village was owned by Israel W. Hall and Matthew Robb. They ordered the surveying and filed the plat. The place was then called Concord. But during the remainder of the year nothing was done to build up the village. Since that timer two additions have been laid off. The first of these was the McClure Addition. It included five blocks on the east side of the original village. This addition is located in Section 24. Peter Folsom was the Surveyor. His certificate is dated December 12, 1851. Charles J. McClure was the owner. Plat was filed and approved by the Commissioners, December 23, 1851. It is known as C. J. McClure's Addition to the village of Concord. The second addition was made by Otis Hall and Andrew_Vance, a plat of which was filed with the County Board, June 10, 1869. This was located on the west side of the original village. It is called simply Second Addition, and includes a row of five blocks.

It will thus be seen that the village of Danvers (formerly Concord) is one of the oldest in McLean County. Bloomington had scarcely been in existence a decade when Danvers was born, and, although it has not grown so rapidly as many of its more favored sisters, it has had a steady increase during the past ten years. Its location in the midst of a prosperous farming community, will necessarily cause it to continue to grow and prosper as long as these interests remain. Its healthful location with good school and church privileges, will always make it a desirable place of residence for retired farmers and others.

The first building erected after the village was surveyed was put up in 1837 by Nicholas Conger, but he never lived in the house. The proprietors of the village never lived within its limits. The first actual residents were J. G. Reyburn and family. They had been among the earliest settlers of Walnut Grove, in Woodford County. In the spring of 1837, they moved to Stout's Grove, and remained there one year. Then they came to the village of Concord, which makes the date of first settlement 1838. Mr. Reyburn kept a grocery store at the time. Afterward, he added other articles to his line of goods, making a general country store. Soon after Mr. Reyburn, Asa R. Rankin came in. Then came Hodge & Yance with a dry goods store and a general country trade. Although Concord was on the old stage-route, there was no post office established here until about ten years after the first settlement. The people went to Wilkesborough for their mail. The first mill was a saw-mill, and was put up and owned by Hobson & Havens. They ran it for some time, and then it passed into other hands. This was the first of the kind in the township. There had been a horse-mill for grinding corn, at an early date, on the farm of Ephraim Stout, near Sugar Creek. John Guthrie ran the first blacksmith-shop in the village. The first in the township was on the farm of Robert McClure, and was operated by a Mr. Burt. Mr. Reyburn's was the first regular store in the township, but there had been a few goods kept before this by Thomas Drain. Concord continued to grow for ten or twelve years, until it became a village of considerable trade. But after that time, for more than half a score of years, it was almost lifeless. Mr. Ira Abbott, the present Postmaster and oldest business man in town, came here in 1854. At that time, T. J. Bunn, now of Bloomington, and Kaufman, of Pekin, were in business here : but there was a long time after this that Mr. Abbott kept the only store in the village. From 1854 to 1862, there were not more than three houses built.

The first post office was established here in 1848 or 1849, but it was called Stout's Grove Post Office. Israel W. Hall was the first Postmaster. The village was called Concord until 1861. Ira-Abbott was appointed P. M. in 1861, and immediately got up a petition to have the names changed. A meeting of the citizens was held at Mr. Abbott's store. It was first decided to call the place Sumner, but there was a post office of that name already in the State. It was then agreed to name it Danvers, out of regard for Israel W. Hall, who came from near Danvers, Mass. These are the only two places in the United States of this name.

Since the beginning of war times, Danvers has had a fair growth for a country village. It has always operated under its special charter, until recently, when it was incorporated under the general laws of the State. The incorporation takes in one mile square. There are, at present, four general stores, kept by Ira Abbott, C. C. Rowi-11 & Co., Randolph & Hougham, NafFziger & Crist ; four groceries^C. R. Stuckey, Jacob Yoder, George Bunn, who also "keeps a loan office, M. Sebastion, who also adds boots and shoes to his line of trade ; Popple Bros, keep hardware and farming implements ; D. H. Parkhurst keeps a drug store. The lumber-yard is owned by S. W. Baker. The staff" of life may be obtained from Wheeler & Fansom, at their large flouring-mill - at least, the necessary ingredients may be had there. William Naffziger will accommodate the traveling public at his hotel on the corner. Miss Williams will adorn the young ladies so that " catching beaux " will be no difficulty and prepare married women to keep their husbands at home, if they will patronize her millinery-shop. Meat-shop is kept by Edward Bunn.

The first school-building was erected in 1852. Who taught the first school in it we were unable to learn. In 1864, a new house was built. This has continued until the present. It is a two-story frame, and though somewhat worse for the wear of fifteen years, furnishes comfortable apartments for their excellent schools. Two teachers are employed. The Principal, John P. Yoder, has had charge for a number of years, and enjoys a deserved popularity.

Although Danvers was forty-three years old on the 7th of March, 1879, no attempt has been made to establish a publication of any kind until quite recently. On the 29th of March, 1879, appeared the first issue of the Danvers Independent. This journal is issued every Saturday by Dr. D. C. Gideon and George Bunn, who are editors and proprietors. It is devoted to the business interests of Danvers and vicinity. It is a neat, twenty-four column paper, run by energetic business men, and will, as it grows older, no doubt, receive a large patronage and be a credit to the village.

The Methodists were the first to build a church. They built a house of worship in 1852. It was 30x36 feet. It is still standing, but is not put to use of any kind. The meetings are now held in the Presbyterian Church. Preaching is had every two weeks by Rev. Mr. Van Pelt, of Bloomington. The Methodists have their times of refreshing and of religious dearth. At present, the society is not large.

The Congregational Church was organized in January, 1862. Their first Pastor was Jerome D. Jones. They began with about twenty members. Prominent among them may be mentioned I. D. James, Br. Parkhurst and Ira Abbott. The church was erected in the fall of 1862. It is 35x50 feet; cost of construction, $1,600. This was considered very cheap for the times and the character of the edifice. The present number of communicants is about fifty. The Rev. M. M. Longley is Pastor. This is the only Congregational Church ever in the township.

The Cumberland Presbyterians, as noted in the history of this township, were the first to organize a church at Stout's Grove. The society met in the church at the Grove for a great many years ; but after the village of Danvers began to grow, the greater portion of the membership was on the east side. It was decided to build in Danvers. Accordingly, in 1865, a house was erected. This was just at the close of the late war, when everything was costly. The building cost about $6,000. It was dedicated in April, 1865. Size of church, 40x50 feet. First preacher in the new church, J. A. Chase. Since the first, they have had a number of ministers. The present Pastor is the Rev. J. C. Van Patten. The Presbyterians have ever been strong and influential in this part of the county. Besides being the first to organize, they have been the most permanent and numerous of the English churches. Their house of worship is the largest in the village. The present membership is about one hundred.

Although the Baptist Church is the most recently built and its membership gathered together at a comparatively recent date, the edifice is one of the neatest churches to be found anywhere. It was built about five years ago. The Pastor at the time of building was H. H. Ballard. The house cost $2,700. They have a very fair membership and respectable congregation.

It will thus be seen that Danvers has four organized churches in town, with several not far off in the country. They certainly have the opportunity to be a religious people.

The Cemetery

" Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree's shade, Where heaves ihe turf in many a moldering heap, Each in his narrow cell forever laid, The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep."

When the Cumberland Presbyterians built their first church, in 1834, they very naturally prepared a burial-place for their dead. This cemetery is located beside the railroad, about two miles northwest of the village of Danvers. It is the principal place of burial for all this section of country. There are other cemeteries, but here are found the resting-places of many of the pioneers. Here, too, with regard to Danvers, " The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep." Many tokens of affection may be seen in .this beautiful country cemetery. It is cozily hovered round by the native forests, and the only thing that would seem to disturb the slumbering spirits is the thundering by of the iron steed. It seems quite out of taste to us that railroad companies must carry their traffic beside the quiet churchyard, where rest the only mementoes of many sacred dead. Among the many tombs - some with elegant and costly, others with humble and touching monuments - we noticed only a few. Here rest the remains of Matthew Robb and wife ; there, those of the Drain family ; and farther along, some of the McClures. Yonder is a poor fellow who was killed by a runaway team ; while here is an inscription in memory of one who died in the Sunny South. Passing on, we find the names Stevenson, Wheeler, Danly, Taylor, Naffziger, Rowell, Wilson and hosts of others, inscribed on glistening marble, bringing to mind days long past, and telling of the sacred memories that still linger in the hearts of the living.

was a small post village, four miles west of Danvers. It was on the old State road, and had, at one time, more than " half a score of dwelling-houses, a blacksmith-shop, two grocery stores and a saloon." The mail was carried by the stage-coach line, in those days, from Bloomington to Pekin, and, as this little place was on the route, a post office was established there in 1861 ; James Dunseth was made Postmaster. The office was afterward moved a mile farther west, but was still called Hamlin. In 1867, James Parker was made Postmaster. But the I., B. & W. R. R. began to carry the mail in 1870. The office was then moved still farther west, across the line, into Tazewell County, and is now at Lilly, the next station west of Danvers, on the I., B. & W. R. R.

was a little village on the old State road in the eastern edge of Danvers Township. It lay on the west side of the Third Principal Meridian. This meridian forms the east boundary of Danvers Township. Wilkesborough was never a place of much importance. It had a little store or two and a post office. Mr. J. 0. Barnard was Postmaster. There was an office here for, perhaps, ten years. It remained until 1848 or 1849. The exact date we could not ascertain. All this time the people of Concord, now Danvers, were obliged to go to Wilkesborough for their mail. When the office was discontinued at Wilkesborough, it was moved to Concord, and called Stout's G-rove Post Office, and so remained till 1861, when the names of the post office and village were changed to Danvers. The village of Wilkesborough is not now recognized. There is nothing to indicate to the stranger. the previous existence of any such place. Its course has long since been run. It lives only in records and the memories of those who still cherish fond recollections of the " good old times in McLean County."