Wethersfield Township

Wethersfield Township

A I5BOTT CHARLES F., P.O. Wethersfield; lives with his father; Dem. Ind; born 111. ** ABBOTT JOSEPH H., P.O. Wethersfield; Lib; Meth. Epis;from England. AMES HENRY B. Blacksmith; P.O. Kewanee; Rep; Meth; born N.Y.

BLISH SYLVESTER COL. Deceased, was the son of Dea. Thomas Blish, and was born Dec. 3ist, 1790, in the town of Glastenbury. State of Connecticut; was married to Rhoda Cheney, Jan. I, 1811. From private in the Connecticut State Militia, he attained the respective positions of Lieut., Capt., Major, Lieut. Colonel and Colonel, positions secured through merit, military pursuits being naturally congenial to him. He was a member of the Connecticut Legislature in 1833, always being a man of prominence in politics and matters pertaining to the general interests of the people. In the Winter of 1836 he was appointed one of the purchasing committee for the Wethersfield colony, came to Illinois as one of the committee, and purchased the land in Henry county, and lelurned home in August of that year. In the month of June 1837, he started with his family in wagons for Henry county, 111., and arrived ther£ about the first of August, and settled on the N. W. % of section four (4), in Wethersfield township, Henry county, 111., where he opened a farm and resided until his death Oct. 8, 1855. He was appointed postmaster at Wethersfield, 111., in 1838, which office he held until 1849, '' being the first and only post-office opened in this part of Henry county up to that time. He was a prominent man in the early history of Henry county, and his house was the general stopping place in that vicinity for many years. He was also one of the original proprietors of the town of Kewanee, and the first postmaster in the town, which office he held until his death. His body was the second interment made in the Kewanee cemetery, which grounds he gave to the town of Kewanee for burial purposes.

Voters And Taxpayers Of

BLISH WILLIAM H. Farmer; P.O. Wethersiield; was born in Glastenbury, Conn., May 25, 1812; came to this county July 1837; Dem. Ind; married Klua Hollister, Jan. 25, 1836, she died Nov. 19, 1858; second wife was Hannah Gage, married April 17, 1860; she was born in Herkimer county, N. V., Sept. 27, 1833; had eight children by first marriage, four deceased; the living are Charles S., born Dec. 5, 1836; John G., born June 23. 1840; Rhoda C., born June 10, 1850; Addie E., born June 14, 1855; has three children by last wife; Magfie G. born April I, 1861; William H., Jan, 14, 1863; Hannah E., born Nov. 15, 1871; Mr. . is School Treasurer of Wethersfield township, and Justice of the Peace ; was County Assessor and County Treasurer before township organization.

BOYD JOHN J. Sec. 21; P.O. Kewanee; farmer and stock raiser; born N.J. Jan. 28, 1826; came to county 1868; Rep; 80 acres; has held the office of roadmaster; wife was Erne Poysher, born N.Y. 1820; married 1853.

BROWN OLIVEU W. Retired Farmer; P.O. Kewanee; born in North Coventry, Conn., June 20, 1820; came to the state in 1838, and to the county in 1839; Rep; Meth; married Elizabeth M. Kent, daughter of Ebenezer Kent, Sept. 6, 1846; she was born in Castile, N.Y. , July 31, 1830; has eight children living, Clark K., Emily M., George O., Frank G., Eben.K., Milton H., Cyrus A., Mary O.; 'lost one boy and one girl; has been Assessor several years; was the first pall bearer in the Tp., and heard the first Methodist sermon preached here.

CAVANAGH PATRICK, Farmer, Sec. 26; P.O. Saxon; born in Ireland in 1817; came to Henry Co. in 1840; Dem; Cath; owns 200 acres land, val. $15,000; married Bridget Hunt, of Ireland, in 1839; seven children, James, Lawrence, Thomas, Ann, Mary Jane, Agnes and Bridget.

DICKSON SAMUEL, Farmer, Sec. 30; P.O. Galva; bom in Knox Co. O., June 29, 1834; came to this county Aug. 1854; Dem; Ind: owns 210 acres of land, valued at $12,600; married Ann E. Prather Dec. 1857; she was born in Knox Co. O.; they have three children living, Elwood, Minnie, born March 8, 1869; and States, born Nov. 8, 1870; lost one son, Pitt.

T7LLENWOOD JOHN, Sec. 18; P.O. Kewanee; Dem; from Ohio; 77 acres, val. $5,000. *-* ERICKSON JOHN, Sec. 33; P.O. Galva; farmer; Rep; Meth; born in Sweden. ERICKSON PETER, Sec. 33; P.O. Wethersfield; fanner; Rep; Meth; born in Sweden; 160 ac. ESPEY WALKER, Sec. 32; P.O. Galva; farmer; born in Sweden; 80 acres; three children.

CLYDE FRED. Sec. 2; P.O. Kewanee; farmer; Rep; Cong; from England; 320 acres. GOOD ALBION, Farmer; P.O. Wethersfield; born in Lancaster Co. Pa., July 27, 1828;

Jennie, April 12, 1872; Ralph, Nov. 4, 1874; served three months in,the I24th I.V.I., Co. A. GOOD SAMUEL W. Sec. I, P.O. Kewanee; farmer; Rep; Lib; from Ohio; 86 ac. $6,450. GREEN C. K. Sec. 26, P.O. Saxon; farmer; Ind; Meth; born N.Y; 80 acres. GREEN WM. H., P.O. Kewanee; sewing machine agt; Rep; Bapt; from Pa; seven children. GRIFFITH JASPER, P.O. Wethersfield; laborer; Rep; Lib; from Wis; came to Co. 1872. GUEST WM. Wethersfield; wheelwright; Dem; from Canada.

HURD LEWIS, M.D., P.O. Wethersfield; Physician; was born in Hamilton, Madison Co. N.Y., Aug. 19. 1811; came to this county in Oct., 1836; Rep; Cong; owns 85 acres of land, val. $7,000; married Caroline W. Little, on Aug. 22, 1837; she was born in Hollis, N. H., Sept. 15. 1821; had seven children, all deceased, Anna C., born Aug. 13, 1838; Lewis G., born Oct. 3, 1840; Julius A., born July 6, 1842; Eliza O., born July 18, 1849; William L.. born April 17, 1852; Edwin II. N., born July I, 1854. Mr. and Mrs. Hurd were the first couple married in Henry Co. by the Rev. I. Pillsbury, of Andover. Anna C. Hurd was the third child born in Wethersfield.

JEWELL WILLIAM C. Retired Farmer; P.O. Wethersfield; born in Allegheny Co. Pa. June 8, 1812; came to this county, Dec. 24, 1855; Rep; Meth. Epis; owns 5 acres of land, val. $1,600; married Hannah Rudolph, Aug. 15, 1838; died July-4, 1841; she was born in iSi3;hacl two children, one boyand one girl; the son died in the army, 111. Vol.; James L. Jewell, born Oct. 3, 1839; Hannah J., born March 24. 1841; second marriage was Margaret Clemens, married March 10. 1842; she was born Aug. 2, 1813; had four children by last wife, three living and one dead; the names of the living are : E. A., born Feb. 22, 1844; C. M., born Sept. 26, 1845; Susannah, born Aug. 19, 1848.

JOHNSON OLOF, Farmer, Sec. 33, P.O. Kewanee; born in Sweden, in 1836; came to Henry Co. in 1864; Rep; Meth. Epis; owns 80 acres of land, val. $5,000; married Margaret Chisholm, of Scotland, in 1869; three children, John Alford. Simon Donald and Eli/abeth.

KEIM MOSES, Fanner and Stock Raiser; Sec. 23, P.O. Kewanee; born in Pa. in 1831; came to Henry Co. in 1861; Uem;. owns 84 acres land, val. $6,000; married Alwilda C. Foster, of Pa., in 1862; four children, Emma P., Flora L., F'reddie L. and Forest C.

LESTER EMILY A. Mrs. Widow of Charles Lester, P.O. Wethersfield; born in Rexford Flats, N.Y. June 28, 1836; married and came to this county in 1860; Meth; Champlin, father of Charles Lester, was one of Wethersfield's colonists, and is now living in Conn, at the advanced age of ninety-two; Mr. Charles Lester, born in Lyme, Conn. June 29, 1815; married Julia Ann Snyder, 1839: he had seven children by this marriage, three deceased, and the living are Champlin M . residence, Sciota, Iowa; Sarah R., Wethersfield; Parker J., Sciota, Iowa; I'hebe A., Virginia City, Nevada; by second marriage, one - deceased - Clara L., was born March 2, 1868; Mr. Lester died Feb. 14, 1876.

LITTLE ABJfER BAILEY, (deceased), whose portrait appears in another part of this work, was born in Salem, N. H. Feb. I, 1774; he removed to Wcihersfitld, Henry Co. 111. in 1836; he spaded the first ground broken in the Tp. for garden seeds; he was Moderator at the first Town Meeting, and cast the first vote in Wethersfield Tp; married Nancy Tenney of Hollis, N. H. Jan. 20, 1802; Mr. Little died Sept. 1863, in the c)0th year of his age, leaving children, viz.: Mary B., Catharine M., Elizabeth B., Caleb J., Henry G., Ruth C., Laura A., Caroline W., Rodney A. and Sarah F.

LITTLE R. A. Sec. 9, P.O. Kewanee; born in Hollis, N. H. Sept. 16, 1826; came to this county in March, 1837; Rep; Pres; owns 177 'acres land, value $3,500; married Lavintia Irwin, April 8, 1852; she was born May 6, 1834, in Delaware Co.'N.Y.; had ten children, two deceased and eight living, their names are Ralph I. born Jan. 28, 1853, Walter, born Oct. 8, 1854, Frank E. born Aug. n. 1856, Clarence F born April 8, 1858, L. H. born Feb. 6, 1862, Mary A. born Sept. 10, 1865, Nancy E. born Feb. 3, iS7r, Roy A. born Oct. 2, 1874; the first farm taken of the Wethersfield purchase, now owned by R. A. Little, is the west half of the northeast quarter of section 9, range 14 north, and 5 east; Mr. R. A. Little has been Teacher of Glee and Sacred Music and Leader of Choir (a part of the time) about thirty years.

MATTHEW JOSEPH A. Farmer. P.O. Wethersfield; was born in Jefferson Co. Ohio, Nov. 24, 1821; came to this county Nov. 4, 1843; Dem; Ind; owns 50 acres land, value $3 900; married Martha M. Baker. Sept. 14, 1855; she was born Dec. I, 1840; had eight children, four living; their names are Garry S. born July I. 1856, Gard, born May 25, 1858, Jay, born March 12, 1861, Milley, born Aug. o, iS6S;'Mr. Mayhew's parents removed from Jefferson Co. Ohio, 1822, to/ Washington Co. Ohio, Warren Tp. and lived there till they came to this Co.

terms as Justice of I'eace; has held the office of Supervisor for nine years. MINER S. J. Wethersfield; teacher; Rep; Bapt; from 111. MOONEY THOS. Sec. 5, P.O. Kewanee; farmer on E. Wolcott's farm; Dem. MORTON GILBERT S. Sec. 19, P.O. Galva; tenant farmer; Rep; born in Mich; one child. MORTON HARRY C. Sees. 19 and 30, P.O. Galva; farmer; Rep; born in Mich; 160 ac. MOTLEY JOHN I-'., P.O. Kewanee; lives with his father; Rep; Epis; from England. MOTLEY THOMAS S. W. Sec. 2, P.O. Kewanee; farmer; Rep; Epis; from England. MOTLEY WILLIAM C. lives on Sec. 2; farmer; Rep; Epis; from N.Y. MOTT FRANK, Sec. 29, P.O. Kewanee; works for E. Ferriss; Dem; Bapt; born in N.Y. MOWITT WM. R., P.O. Wethersfield; Rep; Cong; from England; came to this Co. 1863. MURCHISON A. Farmer, Sec. 13, P.O. Kewanee; born in Rosshire, Scotland, July 7,

MURRAY TAMts, Sec. 31; P.O. Gaiva; farmer; Rep; Ind; born in England, 1838. 3IURCHISON JOHN, Farmer and Stock Raiser; Sec. 27; P.O. Kewanee; born in Scotland. 1832; came to Henry Co. in 1851; Rep; owns 240 acres land, value $15.000. Married

Jamima Chisholm, ot Scotland, in 1858; nine children : Elizabeth, Kate, Christy E. Margaret A., Mary, Isabella J., Finlay, Donald, and Lewis H.

PAGE HAZLETON, Farmer and Stock Raiser; P.O. Wethersfield; was born in Goffstown, N. H. Sept. 24, 1808; came to this County, June 1837; Rep; Cong; owns 112 acres land in Henry Co. 111., and 160 in Iowa, and 320 in Kansas. Married Mary Ann Cook, Nov. 13, 1834; she died May 6, 1850; had five children by first wife, two deceased, and three living are Robert C. born Aug. II, 1835; Joseph H. born Sept. 24, 1839; -^nn J- born April 15, 1845. Present wife was Mrs. Jenett Gutchess, married May 31, 1852. She was born in Conquest, Cayuga Co. N.Y. Nov. 19, 1822; Mrs. Gutchess had one son, Jacob I. Gutchess; he was born in Conquest, N.Y. 1844. Mr. Page has served several years as School Director.

PALMER G. N. Farmer; Wethersfield; was born in Lake County, Ohio, May 16, 1828; came to this County in Oct. 1850; Rep; Cong; owns 83 acres land, value $7,000. Married Hannah E. Livingston, July 3, 1850. She was born in Oswego, N.Y. July 25, 1831; had nine children - seven living and two sons deceased - the names of the living are, Hortense Elizabeth, Esther Miriam, Nellie Adaline, Ida Blanche, Charity Rose, Hattie Maud, and Caroline Lulu.

POTTER MALINDA Mrs. widow of David H.; Farmer; Sec. 32; P.O. Galva; born in Ohio, in 1822; came to Henry Co. in 1850; Reg. Christian. Married Malinda Linzy, of Ohio, in 1848, and died in 1869. Mrs. P. owns 104 acres land, value $7.750; has six children, Andrew H., Cassimere S., Vanranciler, King David, Ingeber, and Celestia C. T.

RAY JNO. Farmer and Stock Raiser; Sec. 21; P.O. Kewanee; born Ireland Dec. 1828; came to Co. 1859; Rep; Cong; owns 160 acres, value $12,000. Wife was Ellen Martin, born in Ireland, married Feb, 14, 1852. Mr. Ray has been member School Board for eight years.

REQUA GEO. C., P.O. Wethersfield; carpenter; from N.Y.; came to Co. 1869; val. prop. $1,000. ROBB JOS. Farmer and Stock Raiser; Sec. 27; P.O. Kewanee; born in Ireland in 1825;

STEVENS IRA, Retired Farmer, Sec, 15, P.O. Wethersfield; born in N.Y. in 1793; came to Henry Co. in 1847; Rep; Pres; owns 42 acres land. val. $2,100; was Corpl. in the War of 1812; married Mrs. Mary Ann Decker, of N.Y. in 1857, for second wife, with four children, \Vm., Chas., Horace, Lorenzo; Mr. S. had five children, \Vm., Ira, Charlotte, Adelaide, and Isabella.

TEST I) AVID, Farmer, P.O. Wethersfield; born in Philadelphia, Pa. Nov. 20, 1805; came to this county 1855; Ind; Quaker; owns 10 acres, val. $2,000; married Sarah A. Herritage, April 22, 1832; she was born Feb. 20, 1866; had four children, three daughters and one son, two decased; living are, Mrs. Anna Dickson, born April 17, 1837; Mrs. Elizabeth Good, Nov. 28, 1841; the names of the deceased are, Jno. H. died Sept. 9, 1863, at Yicksburg, Miss, in 124th I. V. I. Co. A; Mary L. died Nov. 16, 1876, at Wethersfield.

\VILLAKI) JOHN F. Deceased; one of the pioneers of Henry Co; was a resident of Wethersfield for 38 years; he was the eldest son of Win. and Hannah Willard, of Wethersfield, Conn, and was born in that place June 18, 1805; converted under the labors of the Rev. Dr. Nettleton at the age of 14, he c|evoted several years of study with a view to the ministry; this he was obliged to relinquish, too close application to his studies impairing his health; Feb. 17, 1836 he married Mary A., daughter of Dea. Origen Wells, of Newington, Conn., and in Oct. of the same year he came to the West, being one of the first three of the "Old Wethersfield Colony," to make a home on this (then) desert prairie; during the month of Nov. he cut the first set of cabin logs, solitary and alone, on the premises now occupied by Mr. C. C. Blish; this, as far as the colony was concerned, was the first work done; two others of the colonists soon joined him, and these three spent a long and dreary winter in their cabin, making preparations for the coming season. There are few who have experienced more of the vicissitudes and hardships of pioneer life than did Mr. Willard during a number of years following. Possessed of great energy and perseverance, and having the welfare of the colony at heart, he was one of the leading spirits among them, and did much to make its establishment a success. In September of th^p next year Mr. Willard and some others of the colonists were gladdened by the arrival of their families from the East. He soon after selected as his future home the place occupied by him during his life. In 1846 he established there what was known as the "Henry County Nurseries," and devoted himself to the cultivation of the useful and beautiful trees, plants and flowers with which this section is now so abundantly supplied; and during his later life one of his greatest pleasures was in the fact that his hand had done so much in making this dreary wilderness " bud and blossom as the rose." During his early pioneer life he devoted much of his time to the establishment of . religious services in the colony, and by a long life devoted to that work, he aided much in the development of that moral and religious sentiment which has at this day so amply provided for the educational wants, and still more abundantly supplied with religious organizations the wants of all. In politics he was a Republican from the earliest formation of that party. A member, and Deacon for many years, of the old Wetherstield Church, by his energy and wise counsel he was instrumental in doing much for the cause he so much loved. Having lived a useful and honored life, he died, respected and loved and lamented by all who knew him. Sept. 23, 1874.

Source changes here: from Portrait and Biographical Album of Henry County, Illinois : Containing Full-page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County, Together with Portraits and Biographies of All the Governors of Illinois, and of the Presidents of the United States; Also Containing a History of the County, from Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, published 1885; 3,200 words in this source stream.

Wethersfield Township

HE delegated agents of the colony which located here, E. Goodrich and Col. S. * Blish, entered land in township 15 north, range 4 east, for the colonists, May 12, 1836. William and Samuel Carson entered lands in the same vicinity, August 8, and Ed. G. "Delevan August 1 2th following. The next spring Jacob

Kemmerling settled in the neighborhood, and he raised the first crop in this township. The Carsons had gone outside the township to raise their first crop. These first improvements were made along the eastern side of the township, skirting the timber or in it. In 1841, Dr. David Norton commenced an improvement in Round Grove, to be devoted to dairying purposes. His father was widely known in the East as " Old Connecticut," and he made cheese in large quantities, but he never knew the secret of the proper coloring matter to give his cheese the rich yellow appearance, and therefore, though his cheese was the purer and better, he was at a disadvantage in the market, and had to content himself with a lower price. He eventually gained this coloring secret, however, and to this was due the worldwide famous Goshen cheese and butter.

In 1843, Dr. Norton got his log dairy building up, and was ready for operations. As an explanation of the then advanced state of the country, it may be stated here that he had to get his help to raise his log house from a distance of fifteen miles. But the range for his cows was unlimited. He was soon producing more cheese than he could find a remunerative market for. He wagoned it to Chicago and there found great trouble in selling it for enough to pay for hauling it. And again, two or three goodsized cheese would be liable to overload the market. To stand now on the side of the tracks of any road from the south, and see the daily trains containing hundreds of cars loaded with strawberries, and still the market is never overstocked, and all this change in a short life-time, is like a fairy dream. The Doctor shipped to St. Louis, hauled it to Peoria, Rock Island, Galena, and tried to peddle it out, when finally he branded it " Goshen cheese," and he then could readily sell all he could make. He abandoned the business in 185 1.

In 185 1, there were three families in Round Grove, - Seller's, Norton's and Charles. Dr. Norton removed to Galva when that place was started, and built the finest block of business houses in that place.

Concerning the Wethersfield Colony, a member of that organization says : "The Protestant Christians of our country were in a ferment about the years 1834-5 and '6 over the probable expansion of Roman Catholicism in the Valley of the Mississippi, and that earnest efforts were made to pre-occupy with Christians of the right stamp that vast field for human industry and development. Several colonies in this county, including that of Wethersfield, owed their origin principally to this feeling. Mr. Pillsbury and his associates, Slaughter and Pike, as stated elsewhere, had been commissioned by the New York Association, in 1835, to select a location for the " Andover Colony. " Upon the return of Mr. Pillsbury in the fall of '35, he was written to by the Rev. Caleb J. Tenney, of Wethersfield, Conn., upon the possibility of locating another colony in the region of the Andover Colony, and an interview requested. The interview induced the Doctor to project another colony in Henry County, to be styled the " Wethersfield Colony. "

Dr. Tenney was an eminent divine and well acquainted with the prominent men of that region who would be likely to favor an enterprise by which the Papacy might be thwarted, addressed many of them in relation to the matter he had then at heart and in hand, urging various substantial reasons for supposing a colony could be formed, religion and education in the West promoted, and the projectors of the enterprise secure a liberal return for the money invested.

The efforts of the Doctor led to a meeting in the Conference room of the Congregational Church in Wethersfield, somewhat late in the fall of 1835. At this meeting lhe project assumed a tangible shape, and another meeting was appointed to be held in the same place soon after, at which an organization was effected for the purpose of locating acolony in Illinois, by means of which the mental, moral and religious growth of that part of the country might be promoted and their own means for doing good increased.

The company was styled the " Connecticut Association." The stockholders in the concern resided at different points, from Maine to New York. Some of them were quite wealthy and others occupied prominent positions in the religious world. The great Temperance Agent will be recognized . in the Rev. John Marsh. Dr. Payson in his day was a distinguished Christian minister, and Gardner Spring an eminent divine in New York, at the head of one of the most aristocratic Presbyterian Churches in the nation.

The stock of this Association was valued at $250 a share. During the winter of 1835-6, roo shares were taken and $25,000 paid Into the treasury. As early as February, 1836, Rev. Ithamar Pillsbury, Col. Sylvester Blish and Elizur Goodrich were appointed a " committee of purchase, " to proceed to Illinois and select the land. The first named gentleman was appointed because he had already 'performed the same duty for another colony and was supposed to be familiar with the details of such an enterprise. The last najned got his appointment because he was a competent surveyor and could " run out " the lands, when necessary to determine boundaries, without additional cost to the company. Col. Blish was appointed on account of his eminent fitness for the post as a man of energy and prompt business habits. The route of the committee was through Baltimore, over the mountains to Wheeling, down the Ohio by steamboat, up the Mississippi to the mouth of the Illinois River, and up that to Peoria; thence to Knoxville, Henderson Grove and Andover, where was a house or two, but none of the colonists had yet arrived, nor did they till ,in July of that season. At Andover neither feed nor horses could be obtained, and the party had to foot it, a distance of 20 miles over to " Barren Grove " (with only a deserted cabin on the route, in Sugar-Tree Grove) along the south side of which they commenced at once to select the company's land. They camped out during the several nights they had to remain. It will be borne in mind that Mr. Pillsbury had been out the preceding fall and assisted in " locating " the lands for the colony at Andover, and had been on and over the ground they now proposed to select from, his " prospecting " at that time obviating the necessity now of protracted examination of different localities.

As they were sent out to enter lands for the company, some, of course, had to be purchased, but he looked upon the enterprise as chimerical to a very great extent, and advised that the bulk of the money be taken back, because the land would not be settled up even along the grove, for one hundred years to come. The despondency of the surveyor affected neither the clergyman nor the soldier, and they compelled him to trudge around, compass in hand, till they, at different times, succeeded in selecting and entering 99 quarter-sections of land, in townships 14-5 and 15-5, the first entry being made May 7, 1836. The following month of March, another quarter-section was purchased, which made the entries a round hundred. $5,000 of the purchase fund was returned to the treasury. Mr. Pillsbury declined having his name appear upon the entries, and the purchase was made of the Government, by Goodrich and Blish, who deeded the land in trust, for the purposes of the association, to the secretary and treasurer, Chester Bulkley, who afterwards deeded to individual members, or to those who purchased of the company.

The Committee of Purchase having returned and reported their doin'gs, a committee of three other gentlemen was appointed to survey and lay out a town plat, and to divide up the timber land into lots of twenty acres each. This committee consisted of Rev. Joseph Goodrich, John F. Willard and Henry GLittle. Mr. Goodrich had but recently returned from a missionary expedition to the Sandwich Islands where he had spent several years, and returned to his native land in broken health, to assist in securing Protestant domination on the fertile and almost boundless prairies of the West. s

November n, 1836, the committee to survey and plat the town - Rev. Joseph Goodrich, John Willard and Henry G. Littler-arrived on the ground./ The timber was divided into lots of 20 acres each

John Kilvington was the only one then found living near the colony's location. He lived north towards where Kewanee now stands. He came in the spring of 1836. The committee made their home at Kilvington's. The party wintered at French Grove, Peoria County, and the next spring John F. Willard, H. G. Little, Nelson Simons, William Wheeler, W. T. Little, Sullivan Howard and Simeon B. Stoddard returned to Wethersfield. Willard built a cabin, and in 1836-7 he, in company with N. Butler and Joseph Goodrich, " bached " through the winter. In the early part of 1837, Sullivan Howard put up a board cabin. He had hauled his lumber from Spoon River, seventy miles. Henry G. Little " raised " his cabin in March, 1837, and soon after William T. Little built another. In this last Abner B. Little and his family resided with his son's family. There were nine persons easy and comfortable in a single room 18 by 20 feet in dimensions. Elisha Wolcott and Caleb Little arrived in April, Evan Wheaton in June and C. B. Minor in July. Sylvester Blish and his son William, and also Selden Miner, came in August, and a little later Luther C. Sleight. In 1838 David Potter and family, John H. Wells and Francis . Loomis came. There were eight children in Potter's family ; all still living, and all the boys becoming very prominent in the affairs of the county. David Potter planted the first orchard in the settlement and had the first fruit. Champlain Lester came in 1839, in the spring, and Zerias Hotchkiss in the summer. Potter raised a family of eight children, four boys and four girls.

Col. Sylvester Blish, a son of Thomas Blish, of Glastonbury, Conn., married Rhoda Cheny, Jan. 1, 181 1, and got his title of Colonel by promotion in the Connecticut militia. He was in the Legislature of that State in 1833. He brought his family in a wagon and landed here in August, 1837. He was the first Postmaster in Wethersfield and held that position from 1838 to 1849. He was one of the proprietors of Kewanee, and was Postmaster at that place, holdthat position until he died. He is affectionately remembered all over the county as one of the best men that ever made the county his home. He settled on the northwest quarter of section 4, where he really lived until he died, Oct. 8, 1855.

since maturity has been spent in public office. He was Sheriff, and arrested Root in a few minutes after he (Root) had shot Jansen. He was re-elected ir 1852. He also served as County Judge, and now and for many years has been a leading member of the Board of Supervisors. Judge Potter is a liberal and large-minded gentleman, a man of great natural force of character and at the same time of liberal and broad culture, and full of those eminent qualities of head and heart that deeply impress themselves upon old friends and new acquaintances. He is one, of those chosen few who contribute greatly toward making this world a bright and cheerful place to1 live in.

H. G. Little's father, Abner, came in 1837. He was from Salem, N. H. He was the father of ten children, all of whom came to Henry County. His wife, Nancy Little, nee Nancy Tenny, of Hollis, N. H., died July 7, 1847, aged 66 years. Abner Little died Sept. 8, 1863, aged 89 years.

The colonists built a mill, and the evidences of^ their lack of financial ability is given in the fact that&v they expended over $9,000 on it, involved themselves badly, and sold the whole concern to Jeduthan Hubbard for $2,000. Out of the long array of colonists_ in the list of eager organizers, only four came West$^ and personally aided the organization in killing ofiV the horrid Pope of Rome, and thereby "brace up "(>) the true God. These were Col. Blish, Charles Richards, Sullivan Howard and Francis Loomis. Selden Miner sent his two sons, and Gardner Spring sent one of his sons. Ithamar Pillsbury had his hands full here at Andover. James E. Carson opened a store in the settlement in r839, but closed out in less than one year, leaving the people without a stor& until Garey E. Smith opened his in 1845. In 1849 Daniel McClure opened a store, and the next year William Blish commenced merchandising.

The first school-teacher was Parmelia Stewart, who taught in the Old Colony log church. She was the daughter of R. R. Stewart. She eventually laid down the birch, and married Dr. Hume of Geneseo

Rev. Ithamar Pillsbury was the colonists' preach er. He contracted to give them one- fourth of hisjf; time. No regular Congregationalist Church was organized until Oct 19, 1839. Pillsbury ministered to the faithful nearly all over the county. He antedated the " circuit-riders," for the substantial reason that he "footed" it. Clothed and shod in enthusiasm mostly, armed with a pocket Bible only, he sallied forth and bared his breast to the pitiless elements and the swollen streams, where no bridges spanned their turbid waters,, the " wild varmints " of the desolate plains, and everywhere proclaimed the solemn and divine commands of peace on earth, and down with the Papists ! Pillsbury was an earnest, sincere and enthusiastic follower of Christ. His deep and solemn convictions of his faith and tenets never cooled, and there was but one road before him, the path of duty, and the more rugged and difficult that way became the more eagerly and earnestly did he push his course along it. For many years he was the leading and prominent figure in the religious movements in the county, and when he passed away from earth his flock sincerely mourned the lo.ss of the Good Shepherd.

Rev. W. F. Vaill was sent as a missionary from . Connecticut in November, 1838, and in the following vear the Church was fully organized, at the house of John H. Wells, with 15 members: Rev. Joseph Goodrich and wife, Rev. Vaill, Nancy T. Little, Mrs. Rhoda Blish, John H. Wells, Mrs. Julia Wells, L. C. Sleight, Hosea Buckley and wife, Deacon Zenas Hotchkiss and wife, and Francis Loomis.

The first election in Wethersfield precinct was held in the little log cabin of Henry G. Little, in August, 1837. The one room was i6xr8. Three families were living in this room - Mr. Little's, Col. S. Blish and W. H. Blish : the two latter had just arrived in the county. There were two sick men in the room - Hazel ton Page and W. H. Blish. This was the state of affairs in the leading house of that part of the county at that day, and where the sovereigns met to cast their votes, talk over the prospects of the country, and cheer each other up in their new homes in the new country. It is said that even Henry G. Little, - now of Grinnell, Iowa, who loves to dwell on the good old times, and never admits there were any "hardships, - even he has been known in forgetful moments to admit that on that election day his cabin was " a little crowded T

Rev. Vaill remained Pastor eight years. Meetings were generally held at Colonel Blish's, but sometimes in other residences. In the summer of 1838 a log church was built, and this served the worshipers until 1849, when a frame house was erected. A parsonage was built in 185 1. When the Kewanee Church was organized many of the Congregation£.rists united - with that Church, and hi" time about all went there. Rev. Samuel Ordway succeeded Vaill, and he remained three years. He in turn was succeeded by Rev. Darius Gore, who remained about the sarne length of time, when R. S. Thrall came, who preached about 18 months. Then Rev. W. T. Bartle was Pastor for two years ; then the next 18 months Rev. Thomas Snell, and he was succeeded by Rev. Robert Rudd - one year. Rev. B. B. Parsons was installed Aug. T7, 1859. He was followed by Rev. L. D. Pomeroy for four years, and then came Rev. Rider, two years. Then W. T. Bartie was again called and served them two years, and this practically ended the separate existence of the Wethersfield Church, and it became absorbed in the Kewanee congregation.

The Methodist Episcopal Churfh was organized in this settlement in 1841. Meetings were held in residences and the school-house until 1853, when a building was put up. The building of the church commenced, in i85r, but was not completed until 1853. Again, the Kewanee Methodist Episcopal Church absorbed this church and it ceased to exist.

The Baptists commenced in 1843, witn eight members : Elder Edward Otis, Charles B. Miner, Mary G. Miner, Edward Otis, Merrill Otis, Hileman Otis, Hannah and Sarah Otis. The first three above were from Connecticut, and the others from Ohio.

The Church was too feeble for a regular Pastor, and Elder Otis, Jonathan Miner and others of the flock, and occasionally a preacher from abroad, officiated. Meetings were generally on the north side of the grove, and sometimes in a school-house at the west end, and often, when the weather was good, in the open air. Elder Charles E. Tinker was secured to preach one Sunday in each mouth, in 1845. ' During his ministrations the Church gradually transferred its membership to Annawan. Another Church was then, established at Wethersfield, in May, 1851, with eleven members : Ezekiel Cole, Mrs. Maria Cole, John Ewing, Mrs. Keziah Ewing, Mrs. Jane, White, Mrs. Susan Ellenwood, Mrs. Caroline Purviance, Mrs. Maria F. Miner, Charles B, Miner, Mrs. Mary A. Miner and Austin Sykes. Elder J. M. Stickney commenced preaching for these In July, 1852. He was succeeded by J. S. Mahan. The congregation dropped to nine members. ' In 1854 a revival added about 50 new ones. Mahan resigned in 1855. Dr. J. M. Winn for a short time, and then Elder S. P. Ives succeeded. In 1856 it voted to merge itself into the Kewanee Church.