Richview Township

Richview Township

(Old Richview) was laid out in 1839 by William B. Livesay on Sec. 10. It was formerly called Richmond. It gradually grew, and became quite a business centre, having five stores, two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, three physicians and a population of between five and six hundred. About the year 1852 the name was changed to Richview. When the Illinois Cen¬ tral Railroad was built, the track was laid about a half mile east of the " old town." The railroad company built a depot and switch about three-fourths of a mile north-east of the village on a forty-acre tract of land owned by the company in the year 1854, and in 1855 laid out an addition to the town. They named the station Richview. The year previous Shipley and Barber laid out an addition between the two towns. Subsequently four other addi¬ tions to the town have been laid out by the following parties: one by George Lowe, J. M. Livesay, L. D. Livesay, and one by Foster and Phillips. In 1857 Lem. Brown laid out an addition. Richview now (old and new) has a population of about one thousand inhabitants.

General Stores

are House & Bingham, J. A. Edminston, C. W. Oppenlander, W r . W. Shanks, Samuel G. House, Cooper & W r all, and L. R. Barnes. Druggists, W. S. Merrell and B. F. Willis. Hardware and tinware, John H. Askins, William Sproul. Furniture and undertaker, R. B. Keyes. Meat shops, H. P. Ingraham and J. Dillingham. Blacksmith shops, N. F. Tate, Wm. Sproul, James Whitchurct. Wagon shops, L. Benjamin and Morgan Woley. Tombstone manufacturer, H. H. Harkness. Flouring mill, S. J. Chapman. Castor Oil mill, Cooper & Holcomb. Exchange Bank of Richview, S. P. Cooper, Prop. Mr. Cooper is also engaged in the grain trade.

Lumber Professional

Physicians, W. H. Burns, H. B. Lucas, G. W. Downey, J. B. Houston. John H. Breeze, lawyer. Justices of the Peace, George Lowe, George T. Hoke. E. Wright, Police Magistrate. Trustees of the town of Richview: W. S. Merrell, President of the Board, H. P. Ingram, S. T. Howard, E. C. Matthews, I. R. Johnson and L. A. Gamble. E. Wright, town clerk.

Washington Seminary was projected in 1856 or 1857 by a few leading citizens of Richview, who desired, as is said, in the first deed, " to establish a seminary of elevated character, to diffuse the benefits of a good education and advance the great interests of civilization, morality and piety." On the completion of the Illinois Central Railroad, the company found it best to establish their station for Richview on their own land, nearly a mile distant from the village. As a compromise the railroad company gave about sev¬ enty-five lots near the station, for the establishing of a school in Richview. These lots were sold for about four thousand dollars in June or July, 1857, and in October, 1857, the foundations of the present building were laid. Hon. Wm. M. Phillips was one of the agents in the compromise and the lots. On Dec. 31st, 1857, about four acres, the land on which the Semi¬ nary stands, was sold for 8200 by E. A. Spooner and Joseph Barber to Alex¬ ander Shipley and Wm. M. -Logan, Trustees T. 2 S. R. 1 W. About eight hundred dollars in possession of the school district was also added to the fund. The lower story was divided into two rooms, and a graded school opened in 1859 by N. E. Way, Esq., assisted by his sister, Mrs. Cope, who taught about two years. Miss Minnie Graham, now Mrs. Moudy, also taught. Prof. H C. Hillman followed for a year, assisted by Mrs. Cope and Mrs. Ballou. Miss Irw T in and Mrs. Ballou followed. But the building was found too large and expensive to finish; the grounds were not enclosed; and by vote of the district, the trustees sold the seminary to R. G. Williams for 81,500, August f2d, 1864. Rev. R. G. Williams sold out July 8th, 1870, to S. J. P. Ander¬ son, D.D., of St. Louis. The heirs of Dr. Anderson sold it April 1st, 1874, to Rev. Edgar W. Clarke, A.M., from Sterling, III. He has been assisted by

Miss Nanny Anderson, Mrs. Helen Keeney, Mrs. M. A. Clarke, and his sons, E. L. and A. O. Clarke. The attendance at Washington Seminary, espe¬ cially under Mr. Williams, was large; but after graded schools were estab¬ lished in the neighboring villages and cities, the number of scholars decreased. The " hard times," and also the normal schools established by the state, have lessened the attendance here, as in similar institutions. Some of the promi¬ nent men in the county, and some of its successful teachers have been trained in this seminary. The number of students for several years has been small; but the aim has been to do thorough teaching, and elevate the standard of scholarship. During the past year a normal class has been successfully con¬ ducted. At the present time, besides classes in the usual studies, there are students in geometry, navigation, surveying, astronomy, chemistry, Latin and Greek. - Washington seminary was incorporated Feb. 16th, 1865, with a board of thirty trustees, with power to grant degrees, having a full college charter.

Biographical Sketches George T. Hoke

Among the representative men of Riehview township none stand forth more conspicuously than does the subject of this sketch We herewith present a brief sketch of Mr Hoke's life, feeling as though the history of Riehview township would be incomplete without a notice of that gentleman.

His ancestors on the paternal side were German, and on the maternal' English. His father, John Hoke, was a native of Kentucky, and his grand¬ father, George Hoke, a native of Pennsylvania. His ancestry date back to an early period in the settlement of this country. His mother's parents were from Maryland. Thomas L. Moore, her father, was a revolutionary soldier. The subject of our sketch was born in Harrison county, Indiana, October 1st, 1819. His father died at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1821, on a trip to New Orleans. After the death of his father, his mother returned to Jefferson county, Ky., to her people, and emigrated with them in 1822, to this county and settled about two miles east of old Covington, where she became acquainted with Livesay Carter. They were united in marriage July, 1823, and soon there¬ after settled two miles east of Nashville, and there lived with Mr. Carter for over fifty years, when she died. Mr. Carter followed in about two years. Mr. Hoke assisted on the farm and attended school in the winter until grown. His first venture in business for himself was peddling merchandise. In 1844, he opened a store in Nashville, invested five hundred dollars, and at that time had the entire trade of the place. Was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca Fulton. October 4th, 1844. He continued merchandising in Nashville until 1851, when he sold out to Dr. Lucas. He then in company with Judge Watts and Sheriff Jack, purchased the press and office fixtures of the "Nashville Era /' the first paper in the county. They together published the Nashville Era for about four months, when Mr. Hoke sold his interest to David Logan. In 1852, he leased the only saw and grist mill in Nashville at that time. He carried on the mill far a short season, and in 1853, moved to Riehview and clerked in the store of Dr. Lucas for about two years. In 1856, commenced merchandising near the depot Riehview, and so continued until the year 1874, when he sold out his stock of goods. About this time he built his present residence, a view of which can be seen elsewhere in this work. Mr. Hoke was elected Justice of the Peace in 1856, to fill a vacancy, and has been re¬ elected five times, and at the expiration of his present term will have served twenty-one years as Justice of the Peace in Riehview township. He was also appointed a Notary Public by Gov. Yates and has been re-appointed three times, making sixteen years as Notary. In 1876, after a very spirited contest, was elected County Commissioner, and is at present in the. county board. In politics he is a staunch Republican. Religiously, he is a member of the M. E. Church. He is also a Master Mason, where we leave him, believing that in all proper places he will prove himself worthy and well qualified.

D. A. White

Is among the oldest native born citizens of Washington county. He was born in what is now the north-west part of Riehview precinct July 30th, 1826. He was the son of Samuel and Elizabeth White, and was the eldest of a family of eight children.

Samuel White was a native of South Carolina. His father, Andrew White was a native of England, and emigrated to this country when a young man, and settled in South Carolina, where he remained a few years; he then moved farther west and settled in St. Clair county ahout 1810. It was here that Samuel White was raised; during his minority he assisted on his father's farm. In 1823 he was married to Miss Francis Thornhill. She only lived about six mouths/and he was agaiu married in 1825 to Miss Elizabeth White, the same name but no relative. Upon his second marriage he imme¬ diately moved to Washington county and settled jiear what is now called Newman's Point, where he remained two years. He then removed to Grand Point, where he made a permanent settlement. He died on the place he im¬ proved November 8th, 1871. He lived a Christian life, and by his death the community lost a good citizen. Ilis amiable disposition endeared him to his friends and family.

The subject of our sketch lives near the old homestead, and has a fine, well improved farm. He was brought up on a farm and thoroughly educated to farm life; during his boyhood he attended the common schools in the neighborhood during the winter mouths, and thereby received a fair educa¬ tion. March 19th, 1844, he was married to Miss"Mary A. Downs. The following August she died, and Mr. White was married the second time July 9th, 1845, to Miss Matilda George. By this union they had one child born to them, Charles L. now living at home. Mr. White had the misfortune to Lose his second wife April 10th, 1848. He was again married to Mrs. Elizabeth Livesay, October 29th, 1843. They have had five children born to them, three sous living. John M. lives near the old homestead, Joseph II. now in Texas, and James I. M. at home. In politics Mr. White is a Demo¬ crat; he has never aspired for political favore, desiring rather to make his mark by improving a model farm. He is a member of the Masonic frater¬ nity and also an Odd-fellow; he takes great interest in both societies. As above stated, in his youth he had the advantage of such education as the country schools of that day afforded, which at best was meagre, but yet with his great love for reading he keeps himself thoroughly posted on the events of the day, and is better informed and speaks more intelligently upon questions of a public nature than those of far greater pretensions. Quiet and unassuming in his manners, genial in dispositions, he dispenses a liberal hospitality with the ease and grace of the olden time.

E UBOIS PRECINCT is situated in the south-eastern corner of the county; bounded on the north by Ashley precinct, east by Jef¬ ferson county, south by Perry county, west by Nashville precinct, and (comprises fractional portions of the congressional township of ranges 1 and 2 west.) It contains about 39 square miles.

Early Settlers

Were principally from the states of Kentucky and Tennessee. The first settler was George Palmer. He located on section 29 in the year 1827, on the farm now occupied by Joseph Filley; later in the same year John Vaughn settled on section 30, where Mr. Spencer now resides. The following year, 1828, S. W. Anderson, Robert McCord, L. Stewart and L. Waters settled in this township; in 1829 came David Stilley, H. Stilley and Peter Sronce. From 1830 to 1832 the following families located here. Henry Bridges, Abraham Phillips, William Tilley and (Alexander White the pioneer blacksmith.)

First Marriage First School-House

The first school-house built was on section 32, and the first school taught was in 1839 by a Mr. Johnson. Previous to that time the children attended school in Perry county.

First Preaching First Store

Was carried on and owned by a man named Tibbies who emigrated from one of the Eastern states. The building was a log shanty situated on section 29; his stock of goods was very small but of a general character.

Fir8T Mill

Was a horse mill owned by David Stilley and operated first about the year 1831, which was in use until about 1840, when a steam mill was put up on the Beaucoup near the Nashville road in township 3, range 2 west; the I. C. R. R. was built through the township in 1874.