Pleasant View Township

Pleasant View Township

HEN the County Commissioners met and established township organization, the name Pleasant View was suggested and adopted for this township, for the reason that from the top of the High Mound near the east line of the township, there is a very beautiful view of farms and fertile fields of the surrounding country, which is indeed pleasing to the eye. This township is situated in the extreme south-west corner of the county, and comprises parts of the congressional townships, 14 N. R. 1 E., and 15 N. R., 1 E., and contains thirty square miles or 19,200 acres of choice prairie laud. There is but little or no timber in the township. It is drained by Mosquito Creek and its tributaries in the northern and central parts, and Dry Branch and Willow Branch in the south-eastern portion. The Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific railway enters it on section 28 of T. 15 N. R. 1 E., and runs in a south-westerly direction, passing out on section 6, of T. 14 N. R. 1 E.

The greater part of the territory embraced within Pleasant View, remained uninhabited in its wild native state for a number of years after the county was organized ; only here and there could be seen the lone cabin of some hardy pioneer who had come to clear the way for the great army of emigrants. The first settlements in this township began in the northern part, and were made by that adventurous class of Kentuckians to whom is due the honor of having done more toward the early settlement and development of Illinois than the natives of any other state in the Union. Some of the men emigrated here prior to 1830. The individual to whom belongs the credit of having first settled in Pleasant View township, was Valentine Claywell, a native of Kentucky, who located in the northern part of the township in 1828. John Reed was also a very early settler in the same locality. John G. Fletcher, at present living near W. W. Auburn in Christian county, settled in this township in the early part of its history. The earliest marriage which occurred in this township was that of William Lewis to Miss Caroline Sprouse, by the Rev. William Ferguson. William Stevens was the first child born. Elder A. D. Xorthcutt, a prominent gentleman, now residing in the adjoining county, has the honor of having delivered the first sermon, in this as well as in other townships of Macon county. It was not until the year 1867, that a regularly located preacher was secured for this township. This gentleman was the Rev. Mr. Hoye, who was located in the town of Blue Mound, and during the following year, the first church in Pleasant View was erected at that place. As most of the early settlements were made near the northern line of the township, the children attended the schools of Blue Mound township, and for this reason, it was not until the year 1862 that a school-house was erected in Pleasant View. During this year a frame school-house was built on section seven of T. 14 X. R. 1 E., and the same year William Sterett taught the same school. In 1865, William Brookshire opened a blacksmith shop on section eight, which was the earliest in the township. There was no mill of any kind here until Mr. James Irwin, a farmer living a short distance south-east from Blue Mound, erected a wind-mill for the purpose of grinding corn. The first land entered in this township was by David Simons, March 15th) 1836, forty acres in section thirteen ; Samuel Widick entered one hundred and sixty acres also in the same section. Both tracts were in T. 14 X. R. 1 E. The following are the supervisors, who have represented Pleasant View, as taken from the record books: - D. D Rowles, elected in 1869, and re-elected in 1870, 1871 ; John Hatfield, elected in 1872 ; E. House, elected in 1873, and by re-election each year has held the office ever since. Prominent among some of the older settlers of the county, now living in the township are : James D. Smith, a native of this state, born in the county in 1845 ; is now residing in section thirteen. E. F. Delbridge, residing on section seventeen, is a native of Prussia, and came to this country in 1858 ; Wm M. Moss, his neighbor, and from the same country, also resides on section seventeen. Wm. F. Brookshire, a native of Kentucky, came here in 1857, having lived twenty-three years in this township. O. T. Crow, living on section three, is an Ohioan, and settled in the county in 1857. During the decade of 1860 there was a large influx of population, and there has continued a steady growth ever since.