Kelly Township

Kelly Township

ELLY Township is located in the northeast corner of the county, and is numbered 12 north, of range i west. Mercer County lies on the north, Knox County on the east, Cold Brook on the south and Spring Grove embraced by this township was settled as early as any other portion of the county. James B. Atwood was the first pioneer to move in and make a home here, which was in the early part of 1828. He located on section 27. Mr. Atwood sold his place to Edmund Adcock, a few months later, and moved away. Mr. Adcock and family came from Buckingham Co., Va. He was born Nov. 23, 1800, and died May 7, 1859, at the old farm. His son, J. W., now owns and lives on the place. Andrew Robison with wife and six children, moved in Sept. 20, 1829, and settled on section 33. He subsequently ascertained that he had located on land that had been bought by David Ingersol, and he moved to section 31. (See biography.) The land they first settled on is now occupied by the cemetery. Mr. Atwood was the only settler in the township when the Robisons came in, and at that time there were no settlers in Spring Grove Township. Andrew Robison died at his home Aug. 6, 1849, and Nancy, his widow, at the same place, March 15, 1876. William A. Lair came in October, 1832, and located a home on section 30 ; he is now dead. B. H. Gardner, from Kentucky, came into the county in 1834, spent the winter in

Monmouth Township and made his location in Kelly, on section 30, in the spring of 1835. James Brown came in 1830, settling on section 25 ; Mr. Brown is now dead. He served in the Black Hawk War.

Of the other settlers that came in from 1829 to 1835, there were David Ingersol, wife and six children - James, Jane, Anna, Nellie, Adelina and Thomas, who was a baby; Henry and John Peckempaugh, William Lair, Stephen Mitchell, John Miller, Henry and Edward Martin, James Stevens, John Miles, George and James Brown, Ezekiel and Olive Terpening and Calvin Glass, with their familes. Hiram Ingersol, son of David Ingersol, followed his father in the latter part of 1835. Mr. Ingersol is living with his wife neat Alexis. His father died July 10, 1842, at the old homestead; his mother many years before. From this nucleus grew a large and prosperous settlement.

The first child born in the township and the first female child said to be born in the county, was Margaret Ann, daughter of Andrew and Nancy Robison, - Nov. i, 1829, and was their seventh child. This daughter married James Gardner, in May, 1852. She, with her husband, are still living on section 2, > in Cold Brook Township.

During the early days of the settlement, many of the seasons appeared to have been backward and - cold, the natural results of which were light crops. By planting the Indian maize, commonly called "squaw corn," which they procured from the Indians, they succeeded in raising a fair crop, as this species of corn matured much earlier than any other. They would also use the maize for re-planting when the other corn did not come up. The winter of 1830 and 1831 was long and cold and there was much suffering in the new settlements. A deep snow fell in December, and the corn had not been harvested at this time. The settlements were isolated from each other, and it was hazardous for the settlers to pass from one house to another, and often it was attended with frozen feet or other parts of the body.

At this time there was but one mill in the county, known as Smith's mill, which was about two miles east of Oquawka. Hand mills and mortars were brought into requisition, corn was dug from beneath the snow, dried, placed in the mortar, pounded into meal and then cooked and placed before the cold and hungry families. There was but little stock, and what there was took care of itself. The stock near the bottoms, or about the timber, got along tolerably well and very few died. This winter was alike hard on the Indians. The watercourses were heavily crusted with ice, upon which laid a deep body of snow, which made it impossible for them to procure fish. The feathery tribes had sought Southern climes and the deer had gone to other and more congenial quarters.

The first grist mill was put up by Calvin Glass, in 1832, on the banks of the Henderson, on section 12. It was rather a primitive arrangement; nevertheless, it was very welcome to the pioneers of that .day, and much better than the mortar, which they had often used to pound up their corn. It was run by waterpower, but the power was none too strong, and the bolting was done by hand-power. The second mill was started by Chester Potter, and was located on the banks of the main Henderson, section 22.

Iison Corners, until the township organization system was adopted. This was where the corners of Monmouth, Cold Brook, Spring Grove and Kelly Townships came together. The settlers were not without their religious entertainments. Preachers from different denominations came in and held forth, sometimes in school-houses and sometimes at private residences. Elder Haney was among the first to expound the gospel according to the Methodist belief. They were not so particular then as now as to what day they worshipped. Whenever a preacher would come around to administer religious food, they would assemble to partake of the feast at some school-house or private residence, and there be entertained with graphic descriptions of the beauties of Heaven and the terrors of hell. These old pioneer preachers were ardent workmen and very radical in their views. There was no half-way house for them to stop at, and a member of their congregation who was heterodox or sought a road to Heaven, smooth in its course and lined with flowers, had no sympathy from them. Caleb Smith's house was a favorite place for holding these meetings. Sometimes Sister Smith would be spinning when the meetings were held. This supplied the place of a choir, and the music of her wheel would go on while the exhorter was entertaining the audience with his most eloquent passages. Mrs. Smith, who was a very industrious woman, thought that she could not give up her entire time to the religious services, and, therefore, kept her wheel in motion, having always one ear toward the preacher.

The first school in this township was taught by Peter Terpening, in 1837, in a log school-house which stood on section 28. He was the son of Ezekiel and Olive Terpening, who were early settlers. Ezekiel Terpening died July 16, 1864, aged 82 years, and his widow, Olive, Feb. 8, 1867, aged 79 years. It was along the road by the Adcock farm, that the troops, some 1,600 in number, passed on their way to Rock Island, during the first Black Hawk War, in 1831.

In 1839, the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized. They held their meetings for many years in private houses and in school buildings. In 187", a church building was erected at a cost of $2,500, at Utah, which was formerly called Tylerville. A church building was also erected at Ionia, which place is also known by the name of Shanghai. The societies have been served by many pastors, the last being Mr. Bolen.

A Second Advent Church was started at Ionia in 1857, with some 15 members. In 1867 they erected their first building, at a cost of about $2,800. It was a very good frame structure. The first Pastor was Rev. Guy Rathborne, who remained with the Church several years. In May, 1868, this building was demolished by the great tornado which visited this place, but was rebuilt at a cost of about $1,400. Services are held regularly by this society, which has a membership of about 60 and also an interesting Sunday-school. At one time there were stores in Ionia, and a good trade was carried on here, but when the railroad came through, and a station was made at Alexis, its business was destroyed and only a postoffice now remains.

There were one or two stores also at Tylerville. The merchants who located here have sought richer fields for trading, and their buildings are deserted. Tylerville still has a postoffice, known as Utah, and has John Landon for its Postmaster. It is located in the southeast corner of section 34.

school-house. This meeting was organized by the appointment of William Graham as Moderator, and E. C. Atchison, Clerk. The result of the election was as follows: John Miles was elected Supervisor; John Terpening, Assessor; Ira S. Ingersol, Collector; Samuel Black, Overseer of the Poor; James Stevens and W. J. T. Wallace, Commissioners of Highways ; Aaron Yarde, G. C. Adcock and Christian Mills, Justices of the Peace ; David Vestal and Nathan Smith, Constables.

There was quite a little contest about the name of this township. The Democrats wanted it named after Capt. John Kelly, and the Whigs after William Graham. Finally the Democrats were successful and the naming of the township was given to them.

Kelly is watered by Henderson Creek and its branches. A large portion of the land is undulating, with broad level fields. The southwest portion is quite broken in places and contains much fine timber. People do most of their trading at Alexis ; some, however, go to Galesburg.

According to the County Superintendent's report for the year ending June 30, 1885, there were eight school districts, with eight frame buildings. The school property was valued at $3,760. Of persons under 2 i years of age, there were 478, of whom there were 333 of scholastic age, 239 being enrolled. The highest wages paid teachers was $45 per month, and the lowest $25. The tax levy for this township was $1,950.