1882 History of Wapella Township, DeWitt County, Illinois

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives
Copyright 1999 Earliene Kaelin

This township received its name from the village of Wapella situated 
on the Illinois Central railway in the southern part of the township. 
There is probably no body of land in that county that surpasses it 
for, fertility of soil and general productiveness. It contains a 
variety of soil; the central and southern portion being a deep, rich, 
black loam, specially adapted to the raising of corn, though other 
grains can be cultivated with good success. In the last few years 
tiling has been introduced to a considerable extent, and at this 
writing there are but few acres of the land that are not under good 
cultivation. The township contains over 28 sections of land, about 
one-third of which originally was timber. There in at this time plenty 
of good timber to supply the wants of the people for fuel,lumber and 
fencing purposes. The timber belt is mainly in the north, along Lone 
Brush Creek and its tributaries. This land is somewhat broken, but 
well adapted to the raising of wheat, blue-grass, fruits, and 
vegetables. It is of a light yellowish color, and rather shallow 
in depth. Lone Brush Creek enters the township in the north-east 
part of section 13, taking mainly a westerly course, and passes out 
in notion 19, when it discharges its waters into Rock Creek, and 
from thence into the Kickapoo. Several good springs may be found 
along the timber not far from the creek banks. The Illinois Central 
railroad enters the township in the western portion of section 15, 
and passes entirely through it from north to south, and crosses the 
line of Clintonia and Wapella in section 8. The township is bounded 
on the north by McLean county, on the east by Wilson and Harp 
townships, on the south by Clintonia, and west by Waynesville and 
Barnett.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS

The first settlements were made in this township in 1829, by John P. 
Glenn, William Vinson, and John Young. The former was a native of 
Virginia, but subsequently went to Kentucky, and moved here and 
settled in section 14, in the spring of 1829. He had a wife and 
several children, but moved with his family to Iowa, in an early 
day. None of his representatives an now residing in the county. Mr. 
Vinson also came from Kentucky about the same time and located in 
section 23. He had a wife, but no children, and migrated to Iowa 
about the same time as Mr. Glenn. John Young came from Kentucky in 
1829, and settled in section 25. He was a man of family, and had 
a wife and seven children, Polly, Larkin, Bryant, John, Sarah, 
Nancy, and Kate A.  Mr. Young and his wife died several years ago. 
None of the family reside in the county.

Abraham Swearingen, another early settler, was born in Pennsylvania, 
and went to Kentucky when he was a mere boy, where  he grew to 
manhood. Here he married his first wife, Elizabeth Lowe, in the year 
1816. Ten years afterwards he moved Illinois and stopped for a few 
years in Vermilion county. In the spring of 1830, he came to this 
township and settled in section, 15, entering the E. 1/2 of the 
S. E. 1/4 of said section. At this time he had a family of seven 
children, Daniel, George W., Lydia, John H., Elijah W., David P., 
and Samuel R. The following were born in the township:. Elizabeth, 
Lemuel A., Sarah E., Zilpah, Jemima, Abraham, and Mary J. The 
foregoing are all children of the first marriage, six of whom are 
yet living. John H. resides in the township in section 22, and is 
a successful farmer. Mrs. Swearingen died many years ago, when W. S. 
married his second' wife, Amy Crum, in 1843. From this union two 
children have been born, Isaac S., and Jacob W., both of whom are 
living Mr. Swearingen is now in his 86th year of age, hale and 
hearty for one of his years, and is now with his second wife, 
residing the old homestead in section 15. He has been here 51 years,
lived in three different counties, Tazewell, McLean, and De Witt, 
and yet never moved from section 15 since his settlement.  We will 
leave the old settlers to explain this seeming anomaly to their 
grandchildren. Mr. S. represents 100 grandchildren, 150 great 
grand-children, and 2 great-great grand-children, being 252 
descendants in all.

Samuel Spencer came here in 1830, from Kentucky, in the spring of 
the above year and entered the W. 1/2 of the N. W. 1/4 of section 
26, when he returned home. In the fall of the same year he moved 
to the township, bringing his family with him, consisting  of his 
wife, and seven children, William, Lettia, Ann, Lorinda Joseph, 
John, and Sarilda. Other children were born to them after coming 
to the county. Mrs. Spencer died in 1867 and Mr. S. lived until 
about five years ago. None of the family now reside in the county 
John Troxell located here in the spring of the same year as Mr. 
Spencer. He was also from Kentucky, and had a wife and sever 
children. He settled in section 28, but moved to Iowa in an early 
day. Frederick Troxell, a brother of the former, came from Kentucky 
and settled here in the same year, in section 32. He also had a 
family, and remained for several years, when his wife died. He 
again married and shortly afterward migrated to Missouri None 
of the family are living in the county.

Another pioneer was Jonathan Harrold. He was born Virginia but 
moved to the state of Indiana in an early day, and migrated to 
Illinois in 1833, and settled a little northeast of, Waynesville, 
where he remained until his death, which occured in 1836. He brought 
seven children with him, to the state, James M., Isam, Mitchell, Eli, 
Mary, Naomi, Sophronia. Their mode of conveyance was the old, four-
horse wagon, crooked bed, and sometimes in that day called a Steamboat.
In 1842, three children, Isam, Mitchell, and Eli came to this township,
procured 200 acres of land lying in section 32 and 33 and settled 
thereon. Mitchell died in 1873. Isam. and Eli are both yet living 
in section 32. Henry and David Troxell, Joseph Nelson, and Jonathan 
Atherton are among the old settlers. David Troxell settled on the 
farm now owned by Eli Harrold in section 32, and died many years 
ago. Henry died about 1874. Joseph Nelson is yet living a little 
north of Wapella, and is one of the oldest men in the county. Jonathan 
Atherton came from Sangamon county, and settled in section 29. He is 
yet living at the old homestead. His wife was born in the County in 
1829. They have four children living, three sons and one daughter. 
Mr. Atherton is a substantial farmer, and one of the prominent citizen
of the township.

The following are the first land entries made: June 6th, 1829, John 
P. Glenn entered the W. 1/2 of the S. E.1/4 of section 14. On the same 
day, John Young entered the E. 1/2 of the S. E. 1/4 of section 15. 
William Vinson, also at the same date, entered the E. 1/2 of the N. E. 
1/4 of section 23. January 19th, 1830, Frederick Troxell entered the E. 
1/2 of the N. E. 1/4 of section 32. Abraham Swearingen, on the 26th of 
May of the same year, entered the E 1/4 of the S. E. 1/4 of section 15. 
June 1st, 1830, Samuel Spencer entered the W 1/2 of the N. W. 1/4 of 
section 26. At the same date John Troxell entered the W. 1/2 of the 
S. W. 1/4 of section 28.

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that the first to strike 
a blow toward the settlement of this township were the pioneers Glenn,
Young, and Vinson, as they entered their, land on the same day, and 
were all living here in the spring of 1830, to the personal knowledge 
of one party who is now living, and has been kind enough to furnish 
a good deal of the data of the early history of this township. Their 
houses were all small log cabins, as they had not the means or 
facilities to build better. The fireplaces were constructed very wide, 
and the winter backlogs were hauled into the house by a horse. The 
crops raised consisted of a small patch of corn, with a few garden 
vegetables. At this time the nearest markets were at Peoria and 
Chicago. Milling was sometimes done at Springfield, then a town of 
only two or three hundred inhabitants. Wild game was plenty, and 
"Uncle" Abraham Swearingen tells of the killing of seven deer while 
standing on the same log.

The first child born was Elizabeth, daughter of Abraham Swearingen, 
in July, 1830; she is now living in the township, and is the wife 
of Peter C. Somers. The first death occurred in the same year: the 
deceased was Melinda, a daughter of John Troxell: she was buried 
on the land occupied by Mr. Troxell, in, section 22. This finally 
became a neighborhood place of interment, and subsequently dedicated 
to public use as such, and is now known as the " Crum burial-ground."
The first school was taught by Edom Shugart in the winter of 1831. 
The school-house was a pole cabin without any chimney, merely a 
hole in the roof for the smoke to escape. It was situated in section 
27, on the farm now owned by George Hume. It was constructed for a 
schoolhouse, but was such a miserable excuse for this purpose, that 
only one term of school was taught in it. James K. Scott was the 
pioneer preacher, and held the services in the cabins of the settlers. 
William Ryan and John Montgomery were also early preachers.

The first church house was built by the Christian denomination in 1856. 
It is a plain frame building, and situated in the little hamlet of 
Zabriska, in section 22. The church is yet standing and in a fair 
state of preservation, and the passer-by would conclude that it was 
built by the Catholics, as the cemetery grounds are situated in the 
same lot close by the church.

The first justice of the peace elected was John Montgomery Senior. He 
died only two years ago, a citizen of the towns and was nearly a 
centenarian at his death.  The second justice was John B. Swearingen, 
who now resides in Minnesota.

The first post-office was established in 1845, and was kept Abraham 
Swearingen at his private residence in section 15. In 1849 it was 
moved to the hamlet of Zabriska, and subsequently to Wapella.

The first mill was built by Samuel Spencer in 1832, situated in section 
22, on the land now owned by J. L. Barr It was a fair mill for that 
day, and run by a single horse, had the capacity of grinding about 
twenty-five bushels of corn per day. The mill with all its belongings 
disappeared long ago.

The first saw-mill was located at Zabriska, and constructed by 
William Rolefson in 1843. It bad a small circular saw, was run by 
horse-power. Nothing of it remains at this time.

Isam Harrold was the first blacksmith, and the shop was situated on 
his premises in sec. 32. It was a log cabin constructed for the 
purpose of a shop in the year 1845. He then had but a meagre set 
of tools, just enough to shoe a horse or mend a king bolt. The shop 
is yet standing, and is conducted by Mr. Harrold  for his own and 
his neighbors' smithing purposes.

At this writing the township abounds in fine farms and improvements 
of all kinds, its inhabitants not being obliged undergo a single 
privation or hardship in order to enjoy the conveniences of what 
this day and age afford. Good, substantial schoolhouses are located 
all through its territory, and thus best advantages to obtain a 
common school education are given to all alike, rich or poor. The 
roads and bridges are kept in a fair condition, and reasonably 
passable, except in the wet season of the year. This will be 
remedied in time by the general system of tiling, which improvement 
is being pushed forward rapidly. The old State Highway passes 
through the town from north to south, along which is located one
of the telegraph lines of the State. A novice, at a distance, would 
conclude that it was another line of railroad.

The following are the supervisors who have represented the township 
since its organization : George A. Hume was elected 1859, and 
selected chairman of the board for that year. Thomas Loer, elected 
in 1860. Walter Karr, elected in 1861, served one term. Thomas Loer,
re-elected in 1862, and served until 1865. W. R. Carle was elected 
in 1865, and served one term T. L. Groff, elected for the year 1866. 
W. R. Carle, re-elected in 1867. H D. Watson, elected in 1868; and 
William Wright in 1869. E. B. Harrold was elected in 1870, and 
served until 1875. Jacob Parlier, elected in 1875, and served four 
terms F. L. Harpster, elected in 1881, and is the present incumbent.

VILLAGE OF WAPELLA

This town was laid out by David A. Neal in the fall of 1854 and the 
first lots were sold in the spring of 1855. Neal was in the employ 
of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, and was then the vice-
president of the road. He it was that gave it a name, and it was 
first spelled Wapellah. The first survey was made by the civil 
engineer of the railroad company, the then county surveyor of 
De Witt being Alexander Barnett, who simply recognized said survey 
without certifying to it officially. For this reason and some little
dispute with regard to some of, the corners it was again surveyed 
in 1861, by Oliver Lakin, then county surveyor. The lines, streets, 
and all were left intact, no change being made from the original 
platting.

The following is the official description of its boundaries:
 
Commencing at the nortb-east corner of the south-east quarter of the 
south-east quarter of section 34, town 21, range 2 east the 3rd 
principal meridian ; thence running west one-half mile, thence south 
one mile, lacking fifteen rods; thence east one-half mile; thence north 
one mile, lacking fifteen rods to the place of beginning. At onetime,
soon after the railroad was built, in 1854, 5, it looked as though 
Wapella might be the leading town in De Witt county. The Central 
Railroad built an immense brick hotel here, and located the machine
shops and round-house at this point, expecting to make this the central 
objective point between the northern and southern termini of the road. 
The question of moving the County Seat from Clinton to Wapella was mooted 
in, 1857, and the battle between the two places waxed warm, but the effort 
proved a failure. In 1879, another effort was made to the same end, but 
proved abortive as before. In this effort it was proposed to change the 
boundaries of the county line, the petition asking for a portion of the 
southern part of McLean county to be joined to De Witt; thereby making 
Wapella more central. The machine shops were subsequently moved to Clinton, 
and the question of changing the county seat was abandoned.

The first to settle in what is now the village of Wapella was Gibson Coy, 
in the summer of 1853, at the time of the grading of the Central Railroad.
His house was a board shanty, 16x4O, situated in the middle of what is now 
called East and West Centre street. The shanty had bunks arranged one above
the other, extending along on either side of the building, and were filled 
with straw for sleeping purposes. Samuel Rounds was the architect, and by
trade a mason and bricklayer. He afterwards made the brick for the machine 
shops and hotel for the Railroad Company, and aided in their construction. 
The second inhabitant was Philip Donnigan. He built a small shanty for a 
dwelling, 12x16, and it was situated on North Main street. This was the 
same year as the above. Daniel Thompson sold the first goods. The 
storehouse was a little shanty, and located in the lot now occupied by 
A. D. Metz's business house on South First street. This was in the fall 
of 1854. He continued here in business until 1878, when he moved to Lead 
City. Mr. Thompson was also the first postmaster, and the office was 
established in 1855. He kept the mail matter in his store, and every 
person helped himself to his own mail. The second frame house constructed 
in the place was a story-and-a-half building, 18x26, and situated on South 
First street. It was built in the fall of 1854, and utilized for a hotel, 
and kept by A. J. Foster. The sleeping rooms were in the upper story. The 
beds were eight in number, and so closely packed together that one could 
scarcely pass between them. It was no uncommon occurrence to stow away 
the guests with three in a bed. At that time it was neither lathed nor 
plastered. It is yet standing and occupied by Isaac Bolin for a dwelling. 
The large brick hotel built by the railroad company was commenced in 1854, 
and completed the following year at an expense of about $20,000. It is now
utilized by the company for a general freighthouse and ticket-office.

William Graves was the first blacksmith in the town. His shop was a 
board shanty, and situated on Locust street, between South First and 
South Second streets. This was in 1854. The shop was torn away long ago.

The first brick edifice constructed, except the railroad buildings, 
was built by Johnson and Rigg for a storehouse in 1855. It is occupied 
by J. M. Green for a grocery, boot and shoe store.  Father O'Harry held 
the first church services in 1854, in the shanty of Philip Donnigan. Dr. 
John Wright was the first to practice medicine, about the same year as the
above. He then lived with Joseph Spencer, a mile north of town. The 
first teacher was J. C. House, who taught in the summer of 185?. The 
school-house was a board shanty, 16x2O feet, and situated lot 5, block 
7, corner of Locust and North First streets. It was built by Lewis Celeskia, 
and is yet standing. It was last used for a barber-shop on Locust street. 
Gibson Coy was the first elected Justice of the Peace, in 1856. He soon 
afterwards resigned, and Thomas Loer was elected to fill the vacancy. 
The first church building was constructed by the M. E. Church in 1858, 
and located on the corner of Locust and South Third streets.  It is a 
frame building, 35x45 feet in size, and cost about $1,500.  It has a 
cupola and bell, and is still in good condition for holding church services. 
The town now contains three other churches Catholic, Christian, and Presby-
terian, a full history of which will be found in the Ecclesiastical chapter. 
The first fruit tree and the first fence-post was set by J. D. Metz in 1855.  
The latter was placed at the corner of South First and Locust streets.
It was removed only two years ago.

Incorporation: The preliminary meeting for incorporating the town was 
held on the 9th of February, 1867. Daniel Thompson was chosen president of 
the meeting, and F. M. Vanlue, secretary.  A vote being taken for and against
incorporating, resulted in 37 ayes and 17 nays. The first election for offi-
cers was held on the 16th of February following. Daniel Thompson, T. Green, 
E. Swift, F. M.  Vanlue, and J. D. Metz were elected trustees.  At the 
meeting of the board, Daniel Thompson was chosen president, and F. M. Vanlue 
secretary, for the ensuing year.  The present village officers are, President, 
W. R. Carle; other members of the board, G. R. Davis, H. B. Ives, A. James 
Butterworth and A. D. Metz. Village C Norvell.

The town now comprises about 400 inhabitants, American and Irish 
nationality. It is strictly a temperance town, and it is said by the
inhabitants that it is prospering under this regime, there not having been 
an inmate of the calaboose  for more than two years, and business being 
good for a country town. It has had its ups and downs in various ways, by 
first losing the hope of making it at some time the future county seat, 
and subsequently the removal of the machine shops house of the Central 
Railroad. In the winter of 1867, the smallpox prevailed in the town to 
an alarming extent.  It is said that there were not less than a hundred 
cases of this dread disease and varioloid, only five of which, however, 
proved fatal. And yet with all its drawbacks, it is a growing and thrifty  
little village, with fair side-walks, business houses and other improvements 
to make it a pleasant place in which to reside.

PRESENT BUSINESS, ETC.

Carle & Butterworth's Warehouse:-This is one of the largest grain houses 
in the county, and is situated on the west side of railroad and south of 
south First street. The building is a brick and was formerly used by the 
Illinois Central Railroad Company for their car shops. It is two stories, 
and 41XI60 feet in size. It contains 5 dumps and a storing capacity of 
50,000 bushels of grain, besides cribs sufficient to contain 25,000 bushels 
of  corn.  The dumps including approaches are 320 feet in length.  firm 
is composed of experienced grain dealers.

Warehouse of E. Kent & Co., is located just west of the railroad and 
north of south First street. The business was established in 1877, and 
the building of the firm is leased from the Central Railway Company. It 
was originally a part of the car shops of the company, and is a brick 
building, 32 feet high, and 40x100 feet on the ground. It. contains three 
dumps, and a capacity of storing 25,000 bushels of grain; also, 400 feet 
of cribs which will hold 20,000 bushels of corn.

Corn Grist Mill, owned and operated by A. A. & W. Alexander. This was 
the first and only enterprise of the kind established in the town. It 
was built in 1876, and is situated west of the railroad track in the 
northern part of the town. The building is a frame, one story, and 
22x84 feet in size. It has an engine power of 25 horses, and has the 
capacity of grinding 150 bushels of meal daily. Three men are given 
employment, The proprietors propose to enlarge their mill, and make 
many new improvements, suitable to a first-class flouring mill.

A tile factory and saw mill are also situated about two miles north 
of the village near the Central Railroad. The former is owned and 
conducted by Karr & Downing, the latter by John Marker. The engine 
of the tile works also runs the saw mill.

The present school-house was built in 1868, at a cost of $7,000 
including furniture and ground. It is a neat frame building, two 
stories high, and 34x5O feet on the ground. It also contains an L 
14x18 feet, and of the same height as the main building. Three 
teachers are employed, and therefore the school is fairly graded. 
The house has a cupola and bell, and is surrounded by one acre of 
ground. Maximum attendance 150 pupils. Carle's Hall is situated 
in the building over the store-room of A. J. Latimer. The hall is 
22x48 feet, and is conveniently seated with chairs, and can 
accommodate an audience of 100 persons. It has a stage 10x22 feet.

General Merchandiser. -A. J. Latimer, C. C. Smith, S. E. Coy.
Groceries, Provisions, Etc. - E. F. Turner.
Druggists.- F. L. Harpster, T. W. Davis.
Groceries, -Hardware, Etc. - A. D. Metz.
Groceries, Boots and Shoes. - James M. Green.
Groceries and- Confectionery. - J. H. Lighthall.
Millinery and Notions.- Mrs. M. M. Gossard.
Physicians. -  T. W. Davis & Son, J. H. Potter.
Dressmaker.-Miss Ida Blossom.
Meat Market.-Clark & Bolin.
Postmistress. Mrs. R. Nelson.



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Earliene Kaelin
<jeniann@wa.net>