Young Hickory Township

Young Hickory Township

This township was named by the people at the first regular township election in 1850, and in honor of General Jackson. It was first named " Hickory," but there being another township by that name in the State it was changed to its present name. Although a small township, Young Hickory has a very interesting history.

Upon the southeast quarter of section 2H, in the valley of Big Coal creek and near its confluence with Spoon river, owned by Nathaniel -Aylsworth, stands a mound in the shape of a frustum of a cone. Around this hundreds of bullets have been picked up. Some of these ancient missiles are exactly like the minie and Springfield balls of to-day. There is also another kind, which are pointed at one end and flat at the other. This, no doubt, was the location of one of the chain of forts erected by the French from Lake Michigan to the Gulf of Mexico, as it is on a direct line from old Fort Clark, now Peoria, to Fort Madison, on the Mississippi river, both of which were French forts and constituted a part of this great chain of defence. Sixty years ago the Pottawatomie Indians lived on this same section, and U])on the southeast quarter buried their dead. Mr. Aylsworth found the skeleton of an Indian in the trunk of a large white-oak tree, which he cut down several years ago. Another was found in the trunk of an elm. Peter Beer and James Kline exhumed an Indian skeleton here, which had buried with it jewelry, silver coin, a gun and a British General's golden epaulets. Here, also, ujwn section 28, are the once famous trading-house springs, the largest being at the head of Goose Lake, on Spoon river. A part of the remains of this old Indian tradinghouse was to be seen only a few years ago mouldering away by the spring, while the latter flowed ou as fresh and gayly as it did the day the house was i)uilt.

It is claimed by some that Laban Reynolds was the first settler, and by others John Beer is accorded tiiat honor. It is not positively known when the former settled here, but the latter located upon the southeast quarter of section 28 in 1829. Thomas Hummell came during the same year. Robert Combs and Henry Alms settled here in 1835, and David Cowman and Ludwick Kline and others came the following year. Robert Combs and the widow of Henry Alms are all still living here, each of them at the ripe old age of eighty-three. Mr. Alms fought in the war of 1812, and his father served in the Revolution under Washington.

The first school-house in the township was upon section 36 in 1835, and the first teacher was Mr. Barnes. There is no regularly surveyed town in Young Hickory, yet Midway is a little village of about forty inhabitants, and is situated upon sections 2 and 11. It contains a store, blacksmith-shop and pdsttjffice. London Mills is also another ])ostotiice in this township. It is located upon the northwest quarter of section 3. In it are two stores and a blacksmith-shop.

There are seven school-1 oases and three churches in the township. The Christians (Xew Lights) had an organization here at one time, but some of the members have moved away, and some have died, until the congregation has grown so small that regular services are no longer held. The first death in the township was that of Joseph Smith.

Waterspout. - In 1868, upon the farm of AVm. Taylor, occurred a wonderful phenomenon. On passing his large spring near the old trading-house spring he observed that a great flood had . swept the vegetation and logs down the hill and along the course of the spring. On tracing it up the hill he found the place at which it struck the ground. It washed out a great hole like that of a cellar. In 1874 the same thing recurred, and in the very same spot, which is precisely over the spring. Mr. T. also states that almost every tree upon the hill in the vicinity of the spring has been struck with lightning.

Amaruf/ia. - Near the center of the township is the spot where in early days some of the settlers would congregate for sport, such as horse-racing, shooting matches, prize fights, etc. Some of them would take a little too much bourbon, and appeared very ridiculous, to sav the least, which on one occcasion brought Ibrth the following remirk from one of the old settlers: "They look more like Amariigians than anything else." The people took up the name and christened the place Amarugia, by which that vicinity is known even to this day, and the time was when all persons living in Young Hickory were known as Amarugians for twenty to thirty miles around.

Midwaii Episcopal Methodist Church. Organized in '64 under the name of Christian L^nion. In 1866 it adopted the name. Episcopal Methodist. Some call it the Southern Methodist, which, however, is wrong. It is true there was an agreement between the M. E. Church, South, and the Christian Union of Illinois in convention assembled in 1866, to adopt the name Episcopal Methodist and become one Church, providing the communicants of the respective Churches should ratify such agreement. This was done by the latter unanimously, but the former refused to do it. The church edifice was erected in 1868. Present membership 37 ; Pastor, Rev. J. W. Jones.

ganizcd about tlie year 183G, with 12 members. A building was er>3cted in 1851. A portion of the members disconnected tliemselves from tlie Church during tlie war, and finally became the Episcoj)al Methodist Church. The old house was sold and a new edifice erected in 1869. Rev. Mr. Brink, Pastor.

Lynn Chapel United Brethren Church was organized in 1856 by Martin Philllppi, with only three members, viz: Mr, and Mrs. Phillipi and Isaac Fry. The present membership is 25. Services are held every alternate Sunday by Rev. N. S. Norton, Pastor. The church structure was erected in 1872.

Biographical Sketches

Nathaniel Ayhworth is a native of Seneca county, N. Y., where he was born March 20, 1820. He is the son of Daniel and Anna (Hopkins) Aylsworth. In the year 1835, he went to Ohio and engag;ed as boatman on the Ohio canal, and in 18;3() was emjjloyed on a Government steamer, and the same year voted for Martin Van Buren, being but 16 years old; came to Fulton county in 1837, and slept in the only house that was then In Canton ; taught school 4 years. He had the cholera during the ]irevalence of that plague in 1849, and was alone in his store in Ellisville, but cured himself. He was married Dec. 18, 1854, to Mary Hatfield, whose mother is living with them at the age of 81 years. They have had 5 children, 4 of whom are living, - David, Austin, Lydia A. and May. Mr. A. is au engineer by trade; owns and operates a saw-mill on Big Coal creek ; also a farmer.

R. W. Combs was born in Greenbrier county, Va., Nov. 22,1796; came to Fulton county, in 1835; in younger days he worked at the wagon-maker's trade, but has generally followed flirming; owns 395 acres of land; lives on sec. 1 ; P. ()., Midway; was Justice of the Peace 16 years, has been School Director and Assessor; marrie(J Martha Parker June 4, 1818; has had 6 boys and 4 girls, of whom 3 are dead and the rest married.

3Iorrison Darland was born Nov. 8, 1812, in Preble county, O., son of Isaac and Jane Darland; came to this county in 1835, is a successful farmer and has 369 acres of land; resides on sec. 13; P. O., Fairview; has been School Director and Road Commissioner; in 1837 he married Ann Shreves, and they had 3 boys and 1 girl: two living. In 1855 he married Jane Rist, and tliey have 2 boys and 2 girls, - the boys living. Mr. D. first settled on the land where Fairview now stands.

Hardji A. Normll was born Sejit. 29, 1831, in N. C. ; son of James and Mahala Norvill ; was brought to Fulton county when 4 or 5 years old; is a farmer on 80 acres of sec. 9; has been School Director, Commissioner of Highways, Constable and Pathmaster; has 2 sons and 1 daughter living. P. O., London Mills.

married October 15, '46 to Martin Phillijipi, who brought his family to Fulton Co. in 1855. They have had 10 children, 9 of whom are living and all, except 3 youngest, members of the U. B. Church. Emma and Amanda are teaching school; three are married, and Wm. remains at home, runs and takes care of the farm. Mr. Phillippi departed this life Jan. 20, '73. Mr. P. filled the offices of Class-Leader, Steward and S. S. Superintendent. Mrs. P. is a sister of Esquire Swartz, of Fairview. P. O., Midway.

Joseph Prosser was born Oct. 7, 1825, in Ohio, son of Joseph and Eliza Prosser; came to this county in 1840; is a farmer on sec. 10, in good circumstances; has 169 acres of land; was Corporal in Co. B, 103(1 111. Inf ; married Betsey E. Xorvill in 1845; has had 5 sons and 5 daughters; one boy and three girls have died. P. O., Midway.

Jacob W. Rose, son of Isaac Rose, of Deerfield tp., was born in Somerset Co., Ohio, April 1, 1832. His parents came to Fulton Co. in '38. He is Justice of the Peace for Young Hickory tp. He celebrated Washington's birthdav in 1855 bv marrving Willmina Hageman, who has borne him 3 children ; of these but one (John) is living. Thev have with them a grandchild, whose mother died when it was but a week old. Mr. R. is a farmer; his saw-mill burned down in June, 1878.

Lewis Schufer was born in Germany, June 16, 1825, son to Jacob and Elizabeth; came to America in 1833 and to Fulton Co. in 1848 ; never went to school ; learned the tailor's trade, clerked some, and taught school awhile; has followed farming since 1852; has 67 acres; is on sec. 23; P. O., Ellisville; served in most of the township offices; Sept. 1, 1853, married Susan Rist ; has 2 boys and 1 girl, - Mary E., born Aug. 7, 1854; Franklin P., June 7, 1858, and Webster Lee, Julv 18, 1866.

G. \V. Shreves 'was born in Bedford Co., Pa., Feb. 13, 1831, son of Samuel and Abigail (Cook); came to the county in 1854; js a prosperous farmer on sec. 12, owning 180 acres; has been School Director and Road Commissioner; in 1854 he married Isabel Anderson, and they had 2 boys and 2 girls; 2d wife, Caroline Suodgrass, whom he married in 1866. P. O., Midway.

Robert Snodfjrass was born in Knox Co., 111., in 1843, son of James and Clara S. ; is a successful farmer on sec. 12, this tp., having 166 acres of land; was in the war, in Co. D, 103d 111. Inf.; Dec. 1, 1866, married Sarah J. Gunnett ; George M., born Dec. 22, 1870, is their onlv living child. P. O., Midwav.

Daniel A. Swcgle, farmer, sec. 13; P. O., lairvicw, is a son of Isaac and Margaret (Allegar) Swegle, of Fairview tp., and was born in this county Feb. 19, 1854; was married Sept. 10, '78, to Miranda Hart, daughter of Geo. W. Hart, of Fairview tp.

son of John S. Voorhees, of Fairview, and was born Nov. 17, '37, in Somerset conntv, N. J. ; was brought to this conntv when but 6 months old. Enlisted Aug. 13, '62, in Co. D, 103rd 'ill. Inf., and was wounded 3 times. Was married Sept. 29, '64, to Margaret Hageman, daughter of Isaac Hageman. She died suddenly March 1, '79. The youngest child, Cluirles Leslie, followed his mother July 5, '79. Mr. V. is a member of the Christian Church, of which his wife had been a consistent member for several years.

Hm. IW'cnrr, who died the past spring (1879) at his residence in Young Hickory tp., came to this county at a very early day. He was a native of Pennsylvania. His wife was Polly Cornwell, of that State. Their children are: Abigail, Isaac, Joshua, David, Nancy and Mary.

Peter W/iittiel was born in Beaver county, Pa., Dec. 4, 1804. He was a member of the Penn. Rifle company, and his brother, Henry, was in the war of 1812, and is now living in Texas at the age of 89 years. Mr. W. married March 11, '40, Isabel Aton, by whom he had 7 girls. She died May 30, '65. He married widow Kline in '73. Three of his children only are living, - Mary A., Lissie, and Queen. His grandson, James, is living with him. P. O., EUisville.