Walkerville Township

Walkerville Township

Walkerville is a small village, of about one hundred inhabitants, situated in Township 11, Range 13. It was laid out by John Walker, who was one of the early settlers of the county, and who conceived the idea and founded the town in 1835. He was the first to settle in the new village. 'Squire Vinyard erected one of the first residences in the place, Jason C. Lewis built the first store, where he subsequently dealt in dry goods and groceries. He was appointed the first postmaster. 'Squire Vinyard also sold goods, and afterward was placed in charge of the postoffice. He sold out his goods toKinser & Brantlett, who became bankrupt and do not now live in the place. Their successor was Ezra Swank, who now keeps a small store and is the postmaster. 'Squire Vinyard also presides over a stock of goods ; and John Painter is the justice of the peace. No church building has been erected, but religious services are often held in the school house. The school building was erected in 1858 or 1859 by Newton Cox. Andrew Kelly built the first blacksmith shop and worked in the village for a number of years. He was succeeded by his son, Doctor Kelly, and the present proprietor is William Brubaker. Walkerville was once a flourishing village, and built up rapidly, but like many towns not on a railroad was forced into a decline.

Source changes here: from Past and Present of Greene County, Illinois, by Miner, Ed. (Edward), published 1905; 2,239 words in this source stream.

Walkerville Township

In 1835, John Walker, one of the early settlers, conceived the idea of laying out a town on his farm on section 24, T. 11, R. 13. This he proceeded to do, and on the i8th of July, 1836, he filed for record with the clerk of the circuit court, a plat of the town. Mr. Walker was the first resident of the town site.

The pioneer store building was put up by Jason C. Lewis, in 1836, and dealt in all the miscellaneous goods usually dispensed in stores in early times, and sometimes now, in small places. The postoffice was established about this time, and Mr. Lewis was appointed postmaster, and served several years.

They were succeeded by Ezra Swank, who kept the postoffice in his store. In the postmastership he was succeeded by Jesse Ballard, and he in 1884, by E. J. Greene, and he in turn by Kane Fields. Kane Fields started in business here in May, 1884.

The Christian church of Walkerville, was organized April i, 1861, at the school house in Walkerville, Revs. J. W. Miller and Hiram Hess officiating.

Andrew Kelley, early in the history of the little village, built a blacksmith shop and therein set up the first forge. He continued for many years and was succeeded by his son, D. Kelley, and he by Washington Brubaker.

The business of Walkerville is represented by the following: James Howard, Jr., has a store in which he carries a general stock of merchandise, and does a good business. He began trade in 1890, and cuntinued until 1892, when his store house and stock were consumed by fire. He then removed to a farm on Apple Creek and engaged in farming one season, returned to Walkerville, purchased the Peter Simons store building and resumed merchandising. After one other move he settled down to business again in die Simons building where he is at present.

Walter Jones, the cash grocer, began business in Walkerville in January, 1900, which he continued until 1903, when he retired for a time, but in February, 1905, he resumed in his present quarters where he sells g-roceries. notions, and lunches.

Walkerville Camp was organized in April 5, 1900, with the following charter members : J. W. Adams, M. D. R. Adams, F. W. Cox, Major Cox. M. A. Cox.

A small village located upon section 23 of Wrights township, on the line of the C, B. & O. R. R., bears the name of A\'rightsvi]ie. This was laid out by A. J. Wright, on June 18, 1872. The first business transacted here was by the town proprietor, A. J. Wright, who erected a platform shortly after the railroad was built, in

1870, and shipped grain. Tlie first carload was sent from here in May. 1870, and was wheat raised by William T. Cooper, and purchased by Mr. Wright. No other Inisiness was done here, except the grain Iniying, until

1871, when -A. J. Wright built the first store. This was a small frame Iniilding 20 by 24, with shelves and counter on one side only. The first stock of goods was put in at a cost of $292.92. The store was opened Feb. i, 1 87 1. The first article sold was a dollar's worth of sugar to John Doyle.

Tiie second store was opened by William and Daniel Merrick, in June, 1873. Several other small stores were started, but none of them continued long.

William Ickes was the first blacksmith. He constructed a shop in the fall of 187 1, and continued in business two or three years, and afterward nio\ed to a farm.

A Baptist church house is located about a mile from the village, where regular services are held and where a Sunday-school is maintained. Rev. Ford is the pastor. Sunday-school is also held in the village.

Eldred

west of Carrollton, and is at present the western terminus of a l^ranch of the C. & A. Railway, formerly the L., C. & W. It is situated at the foot of the towering bluffs that skirt the bottom lands, north and south, visible either way from the little town for many miles. It is about three and one-half miles from the Illinois river. The bluffs formed by a solid and almost perpendicular wall of Burlington lime stone, which rises sometimes to the height of two hundred feet, and immediately back of which, and not infrequently at its very brink, rises a series of conical hills fmni one to two hundred feet higher, and which, during the summer months, are covered to the summit with the richest verdure, present the most picturesque and fascinating scenery in the state. Eldred has at present about 300 population and is growing rapidly. It has two grain elevators which handle the immense grain vield of the rich bottom lands contiguous. Hussev & Co. own anrl operate one and Jijhn Langer the other. Each have a capacitv of 5,000 bushels.

Three general stores furnish supplies for the community, one owned and operated by Fickle & Borman, one by John E. Hetzel, and the other by Lewis & Beebe. Eldred has two blacksmith shops. C. P. Gibson owns and operates one and Gregan & Borman the other. William Buchanan and Will Camerer own and run a barber shop each. R. C. Bradly and William Camerer each operate a pool room. Alvin Merriwether conducts a large first-class livery stable, and John Langer has a large stock of lumber for all purposes. Two excellent Ijoarding houses furnish provisions for the "inner man." A good graded school is conducted loy Alable

Ellis and Amy Pinkerton as teachers. The postoffice, with C. H. Borman as postmaster, has one star and two rural routes. The star route is carried by Samuel F. Smith, of Eldred, route No. i, rural, south In- Elmer Sanderson ; route No. 2, north, liy A. J. Borman. The site of the town was laid out in lots in 1S97.

The ^'illage of Berdan, lying on the north line of Carrollton tow'nship, was laid out and platted on the 20th day of September, 1865, by W. R. Kelley, Louis Oswald and L. E. Worcester, and was named for Jame Berdan, who, at that time was prominently connected with the C. & A. R. R., on which line the town is built.

The pioneer business house was a grocery and notion store operated by Richard Vedder. George Slight conducted a grocery store, in connection with a saloon, until 1881, when he sold to Patrick Leyden.

M. L. Milledge located in Berdan in 1882 and started in business as a dealer in groceries, medicines and notions, in addition to which be carried on the business of general blacksmithing. He was postmaster eight years; also a justice of the peace and notary for a number of years. He erected the building in which he now does business in 1883.

Isaac M. Mace located in Berdan in 1891 and engaged in the business of blacksmithing, erecting the next year the shop in which he is now located. He also sells gasoline engines and fixtures, and is quite an electrician.

Past And Presext Of Greexe Couxtv

R. C. Reynolds tegan the grocery business in 1897. in which he continued for two years, when he sold to L. O. Campheli, who, purchasing the grocery stock of P. Leyden, continued the business until September, 1900, when he sold to F. C. I.rikin. who still continues it.

Berdan has a Union church building occupied jointly l)y the Baptist and Methodist denominatiiins. The Methodists have a parsonage. i\ev. Mr. Rains is the Baptist pastor. .\ large union Sunday-school is maintained with .M. L. Milledge superintenilent.

.V Home I'^orum Lodge was organizeil in the village in 1893. afterward changed to the .American Guild: also in 1898 a Court of Honor was organized.

The Modern Woodman lodge was organized in 1898. and erected a large hall which they occupied until 1901. when it was totally destroyed by fire. It was, however, soon afterward replaced.

The village boasts of an excellent school, conducted in a building recently enlarged, with James Pinkerton principal and Miss Mary Statts assi.stant.

Creamery. - Berdan, not to be outdone by its sister towns, has projected a creamery which is to be completed ready for business in a short time. 1". C. Lakin and others have organized a dairy company and the building is now in course of construction, just south of the crossing of the railroad. The building is to be 20 by 30 feet in dimensions, with Ixiiler room and ice house attache<l. r.erdan is a pleasant little burg, and surrounded with a productive country. F. C. Lakin is postmaster.

The Ijcautiful village that bears the above name was laid out by Greene Weaver, in the summer of 1834, and the plat of the same was filed for record on the 2d of October, 1 834. It is located on the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 26, and is beautifully situated as to surroundings. Some of the finest farms in eastern Greene countv are in the immediate vicinity of this "loveliest village of the jjlain."

The first building erected on the site of the town was put up about the year 1832. It was a store room. Greene Weaver had Ijeen sent from Carrollton with a stock of goods by John Evans, with which he was to stock a store at ^It. -\iry, but he came to this place, built the building and put in the stock of goods, and was thus the pioneer merchant of the village. About the year 1840 he sold out to John .\rmstrong, an Englishman, who had come to the county, early in its history. He had originally a store near the town, and in the year above named, had mo\ed to the "burg" and bought out Mr. Weaver. He was made postmaster and served for years. i le was in partnership with Alexander King and with T. S. Patterson, and about 1845, sold out to the latter. He died in this town about 1854 or 1855. Mr. Patterson ran the store until 1876. when it was sold to John Morrow, and two years later to Z. D. Morrow.

The business of the village, in 1885, was rejiresented by five general stores, one drug store, three blacksmiths, two woodworking shops, and a grist mill.

1880. He erected a building 30 Ijy 60 feet in size, at a cost of about $700, tlie second story of which was, and is occupied by the I. O. O. F. lodge. Mr. English put in a stock valued at about $1,500 and ran it successfully for about two years, when he sold to George Wood. In about a year he disposed of it to Rigg & Spencer.

Zachariah D. Morrow was engaged in the sale of hardware, groceries, etc., in this village. This business was established by J. B. Morrow in April. 1880, who built the edifice and put in a stock of boots, shoes and groceries, valued at $2,000. He operated this business until July 14, 1881, when he sold to O. A. Morrow.

Syrrel Whitaker was engaged in the general merchandising business here. John L. Stoddard established this business for his daughter Lillie May, Oct. 15, 1882. putting in a stock of about $700. April, 1885, the lady proprietress getting married, the stock was thrown on Mr. Stoddard's hands, antl he ran it for some months, when he sold out to Mr. Whitaker.

The pioneer drug store of .Vthensville was opened by Messrs. John Jones and James Butler, in 1861. They ran it but a short time, when they were succeeded by Dr. J. E. Waters, who continued the business for several years. Augustus Lewis & Bro. were the next to manipulate drugs in this store, and after about three years, gave way for Barnard & Waters. In a very short time, they were succeeded b}- Downs Hardcastie, who was burnt out in about a year thereafter. In 1879 Dr. J. E. Waters started another drug store.

The postoffice of Athensville was established in 1835, at the store of John Armstrong, located about a quarter of a mile east of the present site of the village. Mr.

.Vrmstrong was the first postmaster. \\'hen the village was laid out he moved store and office to this place. In 1845, '^ - S. Patterson succeeded to the office, which he retained until 1876, when John Morrow became the postmaster. Two years later it was transferred to his brother, Zachariah, who acted in that capacity until 1879, when he was succeeded by Isaac Massey. W. P. Rigg is the present postmaster and has held the position for ten years.

The business of the little village at present is represented by the following : Geo. \\'. Morrow & Sons operate a large general merchandise establishment, dealing in agricultural implements and other farm supplies. Mrs. John Ruyle continues to carry on the general store operated by her husband. Esquire John Ruyle, lately deceased, and keeps a large stock.

The Baptist clnnxh has a membership of about one hundred and seventy-three and maintains a flourishing Sunday-school twelve months in the \ear. The pastor is Rev. (). .\. Cannean. I'ecil Standefer is church clerk. B. P. Johnson is the superintendent and Cecil Standefer clerk of the Sunday-school.

The Christian church is the only other denomination in the village, but they ha\e no pastor at i)rescnt, no Sunday-school, and hold no meetings.