Millbrook Township

Millbrook Township

In the Spring of 1833 William Metcalf, then a young man, witii a wife and two children, left Richhind county, Ohio, to seek a home in the then far West. They came by wagon, camping out on tlie way, and arriving at French Grove, lirimficld township, ended tiieir journev. Mr. Metcalf erected a house on Sec. !-, of Milllirook, and removed his family into it in tlie Spring of 1834, and was the first settler in the townshij)- John Sutheilaiid. ii native of I'ittslnirgh, I'a., came to Peoria in 1H34, bought the land where the Iiigersoll hotel now stands- He removed to .Milllirook in 183.5, and located on .See. 32. Mr. S. wius one of the organizers of the First Presbvterian Chuicli of Peoria. He died September 30, 184-5.

Is situated in tiii' iiortiiwest portion of the county, in .Millbrook lownsiiip, on Sec. 7, 36 miles from Peoria, and 24 miles from Galesburg. It contains three dry good stores, two churches, two blacksmiths, one wagon shop and undertaker, two milliners, (Uie drug store, one butcher shop, and post oflice. There is a po|iulatiou of about 200.

Was and is the only town laiil out and iiiatleil ami recoicled in Millbrook township, which was done July 2, 1H.{6, iiy John Smith. Jr- The only houses at the lime were those occupied liy John Smith, Jr., and Clark .Stanton. Some time 1836 a man by the name of Hurd, of Peoria, brou ,'ht the first stock of goods to the town and opened out in a small log cabin on the bank of the river. He was soon after succeeded by Stacy &

Holmes, who sold goods for about two years. .John Smith Jr., opened out a stock of goods some time during the Winter of 1.S8R-7, and remained in business until the Summer of 1857, when he sold out to the Hon. David Markle}', of Canton, Fulton county, Illinois, t?ien a prominent merchant and politician. This stock of goods was finally moved away.

The first school-house in the village was built by Dr. Fifield, C. W. Stanton, Russell Stanton, and Jonah Lewis, without the assistance of the public funds. The frame of this house is a part of E. Markley's dwelling. This was replaced by a large commodious brick, now in use, in 1867.

The first church was luiilt b\' the Carapbellites in 18.58, a frame structure, costing about $1,000, which was blown down by c3'clone on the 8th day of May, of the same year. In 1865 they erected their present church. The mill at this place has added very materially to the prosperity of the town since Mr. Holtz, of Elmwood, has had charge. It was built in the year 1837. People at that time came from Kewanee to get their milling done. The post office was first established in 1846, Mr. Therrygood Smith acting as postmaster, and as the first justice of the peace. The first death that occurred in Millbrook township was an infant son of C. W. Stanton, on the 1st day of August, 1836. The first marriage in Millbrook took place at the residence of C. W. Stanton, December 15, 1837, the ceremony being performed by Therrygood Smith, Esq. The parties married were Mr. T. Greeley, a native of Salisl)urj-, N. H., who came to Millbrook in 1836. Miss Chloe A. Barnes, a native of New York, who came to Millbrook the same year of her husband. The first white child born was the infant son of C. W. Stanton, which died, as previouslj' mentioned. The first physician was John Fifield, who was a native of Salsl)ury, Hillsborough county, N. H. He came to Peoria, March 10, 1838, and soon after to Rochester, where he practiced until about 1845.

Christian Church. - This church was organized December 18, 1844, by John W. Underwood, with four original members. The first meeting was held in a school-house in November, conducted by Elder Milton King. Seven persons attended this meeting. In the Summer of 1864 the church built a house of worship costing between $3,000 and $4,000. It was dedicated by John O'Kane in June, 1865. The present membership is twenty-five. The officers are John A. Pratz, Jonathan Pratz, and O. P. Willett ; pastor - Dr. John Doyle. The first Sunday school was organized in the early part of 1844. The Rev. Robt. F. Bruse, superintendent. There was a regular attendance of twenty children.

Congregational Church was organized June 30, 1841, at the house of Elias Wycoff, Jr., in Stark county. Ministers present were S. S. Miles and S. G. Wright. The original members were nine in number. After entering into covenant, Wm. Webster and N. Wycoff were elected ruling elders, and duly installed in office, and S. G. Wright moderator of session. In 1854, the meetings were held in Rochester, in Millbrook township. It appears on record that Chas. B. Donaldson was acting pastor after December, 1854. At a meeting of the church held April 14, 1866, the name was changed from that of Spoon River Congregational Church to that of Elmore Congregational Church of Rochester.

During the Summer and Fall of 1866 the soeietj' succeeded in building a house of worship, costing $2,300. Five hundred dollars was donated by the Congregational Union, the rest was raised by its members and the citizens. It was dedicated on Wednesday evening, January 22, 1867. The dedication sermon was preached by Rev. Wm. G. Pierce, of Elmwood, assisted by James Wycliff and B. F. Hawkins. Previous to the sermon it was announced that the donations and subscriptions would be sufficient to free the church from debt. The Rev. B. F. Hawkins filled the pulpit for twelve years. On June 28, 1878, Rev. C. S. Benton was called to the pulpit for one year. Their pastor at present is Thos. Armstrong.

M. E. (.'hitrrh was oifjiiiiized in tlie year 183^5. Rev. Win. Cummiiiijs j>reaclied tlie first sermon in the latter part nf .May or the early part cf June. This was tlie first church or<,'anize(l in tlie township. Tlie original members were .John Smith, .Sr.. and wife, Tlierrygood Sniitli, an unmarried daajT^hter of .John Smith, and \Vm. Afetcalf. John Smith, .Sr., was chosen class leader. In the year 1858 the .society commenced the erection of a house of worship, and had it inclosed and roof on, when it was lorn to fragments by a cyclone on the 8th day of May of that year. Throuj^h misfortunes and various causes the organization, at one time very strong, became extinct.

Presbyterian Church. - Old School. - Some time in the Summer of 18.36. Rev. Geo. G. Sill preached tiie first Presli3-terian sermon in the house of John on section 32. The church was organized some time previous to 1838, by Rev. Geo. G. Sill. Among the members was John Sutherland, Mrs. Christina Sutherland, Mrs. Maiv Matthews. John Piatz, Elias Wycoflf, \Vm. \V(;bster. Miss Mary Wycoff, Mrs. Matthews. The organization was dissolved years ago, and Mrs. Matthews is tlie only one of the members now living there.

French Grove Preihyterian Church. - Rev. .V. Coffee, Rev. Wni. McCandlish, and ruling elders Rice and Reynolds were appointed at Crow Meadows, September 22, 18.")2. to visit Hiinificld, French Grove, and .Scotland, to examine the religions state of affairs, and organize a church or churches, if the way was clear. The committee reported at Princeville, Aj)ril 1.5, 18.53, that they had organized a church to be called the Church of French Giovc. The exact date of organization can not lie ascertained. The licentiate. Joiin C. Hanna, supplied the pulpit one half of the time, and tlie church at Rochester as often as consistent with his other engagements. \Vm. Reed and John Coe are the present elders. Rev. J. M. Boyd supplies the pulj)it. The church is in a flourishing condition, having a membership of one humlred. The society has a large and prosperous Sunday school. Mr. J. C. (^oe. superintendent.

Swedcnborf/ian, or Church of Xetr Jerunalem. - The first meeting held by these peoi)le was at the house of John .Smith, .Fr., on section 18. The meeting was addressed by the eminent divine, Rev. John R. Hubbard, now of Detroit, Mich. After this, meetings were held once a month. Either at this meeting or a subsefiuent one an association was formed, consisting of the following members: John Smith, Jr., and wife, Gilbert Arnold. Caleli Noitli, G. P. Wycoff, ;ind the Adams and Pulsifer families of Southjinrt. Deaths and removals have so depleted their ranks that they no longer hold meetings.

School*. - The first school in Millbrook was taught by Caleb North, in a log house 12x14 feet, in the Winter of 1.^30-7, for which he receiveil $10 per month.

Millbrook is divided into eight full school districts and two fractional union districts. The citizens of the township manifest a zealous interest in their schools, as shown by their flourishing condition and the liberal tax imposed to sustain them. The school buildings are of a superior order, varying in cost from -'?('iOO to -ill, 500. Perhaps no townshi|i in Peoria county can exhibit a finer class of school-houses, or show a more liberal taxation, in proportion to its wealth, for the support of their schools. The trustees of the school fund for 187W were: John Doyle, president ; E. h. Witlett and John Mason ; S. H. Winchester, clerk and trcas.

Daniel Pri;ice came to Princeville in 1822, and settled on section 21, built a log cabin 14x14, being the pioneer of civilization in this part of the county. He was a native of the nortliern part of Vermont. The first settler who moved his family into the townsiiip was Slei)hen French, a native of (^)nnecticut, who emigrated to .'^angamoa county, 111., some time previous to 1828. He came to Peoria county aiul settled near Peoria that year, and soon afterwards became a resident of Princeville, and was the first justice of the peace and first postmaster in the place. Mr. French has a son, Demmeck French, living in the township, who was the first white child horn in the county. The first school was taught in a log house near where Hitchcock & Voores' mill now stands, by Miss Esther Stoddard. The first male teacher was Theodore F. Hurd, now a successful merchant and farmer of Galva, 111. The first sermon was preached by Rev. Robt. Stewart, a Presbyterian minister. The first death was that of the father-in-law of Isaac Essex (name unknown). The first birth was a child in Mr. S. French's family.