Edgar County IL Archives History - Books .....History Of Embarrass Township 1879
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Book Title: History Of Edgar County, Illinois

EMBARRASS TOWNSHIP.

   This township is situated in the middle of the extreme western part of Edgar
County, and is, at its nearest part, nine miles from Paris, the county seat. It
contains forty-four sections of Congressional Towns 14 and 15 north, and 13 and
14 west. It is bounded on the west by Coles and Douglas Counties, and on the
north, east and south by Shiloh, Buck and Kansas Townships. It is crossed from
southeast to northwest and west by Catfish Creek, a branch of the Embarrass
River, into which it empties after leaving the township, forming a junction with
that river in Coles County, eight or ten miles west of the township line. The
creek, it is said, derives its euphonious name from the catching of a monster
catfish by Thomas Dohhette, one of the earliest settlers of this region.

   The Embarrass River, from which the name of the township is taken, is the
largest river in Southeastern Illinois. It rises near the center of Champaign
County, and, pursuing a general southerly direction, passes through Douglas,
Coles, Cumberland, Jasper, Crawford and Lawrence Counties, and empties into the
Wabash a few miles south of Vincennes. Embarrass Township is the only one in the
county entirely drained by this river; therefore the propriety of calling the
township by that name. In former years, the name was pronounced almost
universally "Ambro," or "Ambrah," accenting on the first syllable, but the more
modern pronunciation is in accordance with the English method.

   The Paris & Decatur Railroad, mentioned more at length on another page, was
built in 1871, and affords communication with the county seat and other points
along its line, and also an outlet for the products of this portion of the
county. It crosses the township from east to west, in almost a direct line.

   About one-third of the township was formerly covered with timber, but the
early pioneers considerably reduced that proportion. All of the earliest
settlers located primarily along the stream of water, and a number of them
actually cleared the land covered by the timber to make themselves farms. The
best of the land is outside of the timber belt, though there is but little of it
which can be termed poor. The prairie produces the best corn, while it is
claimed the timber farms are the best for wheat. Large crops of both these
standard grains are raised.

   Like other early-settled portions of the county, the vicinity of Catfish
Creek was occupied mainly by southern people, from the State of Kentucky; but
later Ohio and the Eastern States sent a large proportion.

   John Crist is said to have been the first settler in the township. But few
now living remember him, as he removed to Texas a couple of years after locating
here. He built a little cabin, but made no improvement of any consequence
besides, as he supported himself and family by hunting. This was, to a man with
but little means with which to improve land, an easy method of providing for the
household. Deer, turkeys, prairie-hens and other game were as plenty as domestic
animals and fowls are now. It would be a poor marksman that could not bring in
enough game in a day to last a family a week. Crist had it all his own way for a
year or two. His nearest neighbors were eight or ten miles away, over on the
Embarrass, in Coles County. South of him, at the head of the North Fork of the
Embarrass, lived a few families—the Boyers, Pinnells and Wait—and these were
distant a dozen miles, at least. Not a soul lived in all the territory now known
as Buck, and as for the country north, you could have traveled forty miles
without coming upon the track of a human being, either white or red; for the
Indians, like the whites, stuck close to the timber, which afforded them the
most of their living.

   But Mr. Crist did not long remain in undisputed possession of all this vast
hunting-ground, as he had evidently hoped to do, for, in a year or two after
locating here, several other families unloaded their wagons near him, built
cabins and began farming, hunting and catching big catfish, to the no small
disgust of Mr. Crist. He soon began to feel himself somewhat cramped for room,
and, when about five families had permanently settled, he sold out his little
improvement and went where he imagined he might spend his years in peace,
unmolested by the report of any other hunter's rifle. In 1828, Benjamin Wayne,
Nathaniel Wayne, Thomas Darnall and Isaac, Joel and Thomas Dohhette made their
appearance at Catfish.

   The first-named of these was also a noted hunter. He it was who bought out
the claim of Crist. He, with all others named, was from Kentucky, though all
were not from the same part of that State. Wayne had a faculty, or a weakness it
may have been, for telling marvelous stories about his hunting expeditions. It
was nothing for him (in his words) to bring down two or three deer at one shot,
and to send a rifle-ball through the heads of a dozen wild turkeys that happened
to be roosting on a limb in range with his eye was a feat which he boasted but
few could perform beside himself. He was as great on pulling teeth as on killing
turkeys. He claimed to have extracted with an old pair of pullicans, in his
time, no less than three bushels of molars. He died a year or so after his
settlement here.

   Nathaniel Wayne was not a relative of Benjamin. This Wayne was a
hotel-keeper, or, rather, a "tavern-keeper," as they were then called. The Wayne
Tavern was a small double log house, which, most of the residents of the town
will remember, stood, until four or five years ago, near the timber, at the
crossing of the Springfield road. Doubtless, it will strike some of our readers
as a singular place, as well as an unpropitious time, for the erection of a
hotel. Within an area of a hundred square miles there were not more than three
families, including his own; but this road was the highway over which numerous
emigrant-wagons passed daily, and to accommodate this class of travel, Mr. Wayne
erected such an extensive house, and called it a tavern. Mr. Wayne removed to
Wisconsin thirty or more years ago, where he has since died. The Dohhettes were
three brothers, who fell in love with the Wayne family (that is, the Benjamin
Wayne family), and married the most of them. Wayne had three daughters, and
marriageable maidens were scarce in this country then—so were young men. So it
is not to be wondered at that the affinity mentioned should culminate in the
espousal of the three couples. We do not know whether the preliminary
arrangements were in process at the same time, or not, but presume they were. If
so, the reader is left to imagine the amount of billing and cooing there was
going on at one time in Old Man Wayne's little cabin; how the three boys all
rode the same old gray mare back and forth from the Dohhette house to that of
Wayne; how the bridal outfits of the three prospective ribs were gotten up with
so much care from the homespun linsey-woolsey, and the future benedicts were in
a quandary how to procure the extra blue jeans for so important an occasion; and
the many other details which must have been in those early times intensely
interesting. Weddings were not such exclusive affairs as we now find them. No
one would think of getting married without inviting all of the neighbors, and no
greater affront could be put upon one than to omit him from the list of
invitations.

   In 1832, one of the Dohhette boys—Thomas, we believe—accompanied the regiment
raised in this part of the State to rid the country of the presence of Black
Hawk and his allies. None of any of these families now live in the county, all
having removed to other parts.

   Thomas Darnall will be recognized as one of the pioneers of Grand View. After
residing there for about six years, he removed to this part of the county, and
lived here until his death, which occurred nearly forty years ago. Aaron Darnall
was a son of the above, and settled in this township at the same time. He was a
preacher of the Gospel, and followed that profession here and at other places
until three years since, when he died in Edgar Township.

Joseph Smart settled in the southeastern part of the township, at the head of
Catfish Creek. He had also formerly lived in Grand View for a short time, but
doubtless finding himself crowded (there being then fifteen or twenty families
in that township), concluded to find a place where he would have room
commensurate with his strength. Nor did he long experience that freedom which he
desired, hut moved again in about 1855, this time to Wisconsin. Mr. Smart was a
native of Kentucky. He came to Embarrass Township in 1829. In 1830, James Scott
settled at the head of Catfish Creek. He was also from Kentucky. Mr. Scott is
said to have been one of the best informed men in the country in his time. He
was not a great orator, but from an extensive reading had become well posted in
history, literature and the sciences. He took especial pleasure in the higher
mathematics, and algebra, geometry and astronomy were his favorite studies. As
he increased in years his passion for these studies grew more and more intense,
and when he was unable to move about, he was seldom seen without one of these
favorite works in his hand. For a number of years before his death, he was the
only man in this part of the State who believed in the feasibility of crossing
this country with railroads, and who predicted that they would be built through
this section. He died thirty years ago. A son of his still resides here, and a
daughter lives in the village of Redmon. Another Kentuckian, James Flack, now
living near the village of Dudley, came in about 1830. Mr. Flack has always been
counted one of the most reliable men of this part of the county, both
financially and morally. The first Methodist Church in the western part of the
county was organized at his house, and the meetings of the same were held there
until a building was erected, Mr. Flack being the Class-Leader. His ideas of the
religion of peace, however, did not prevent his taking his gun on his shoulder
to pursue the fleeing Sacs under Black Hawk, in 1832. Mr. Flack believed with
Jackson, then President of the United States, in peace, even if he had to fight
for it. Another soldier in the Black Hawk war was Henry Ousley. He and his son
William came from Kentucky and settled here a year or two before the Indian
trouble. He died here near thirty years since. William Ousley was one of the
most highly respected citizens in this part of the county, and the manner and
causes leading to his death are of most mournful character. He had suffered for
a great many years from asthma, during nearly all of which time he had not been
able to lie down to sleep an hour. Life was, therefore, a great burden, which he
seemed unable longer to bear. A year before his death he began "setting his
house in order" by paying all of his debts, making repairs about his farm and
house, and then, when all was arranged to his satisfaction, caused his own death
by swallowing poison. A two-ounce vial of laudanum found by his side after his
death, told the story of his years of constant suffering. In his pocket was
found a written paper in which he recounted his sufferings, and in which  he
stated that he had contemplated this act just a year before, and that he had
only just completed his arrangements for his demise.

   George Roberts and L. R. Noel were also soldiers in the war of 1832. They
were brothers-in-law, both having married daughters of James Scott. Roberts died
three years ago in Paris, to which place he had removed. The other members of
the family still reside there. Roberts was from Kentucky.

   Col. Noel was a good business man and filled several important positions of
honor and trust, among which was that of Receiver of the Land Office at
Danville. This office he filled for eight years. He was also a member of the
State Legislature, being elected to the Upper House. He died some years since at
Perryville, Ind. He was a native of Kentucky.

   James Wilkinson, mentioned in Grand View as being the first bridegroom in
that section in 1823, came with his family to this settlement in 1831, and
resided here four years. At the end of that period he removed to Texas. The Lone
Star country the next year (1836) rebelled against Mexico, and for some time a
kind of guerrilla warfare was kept up between Texas and the government of
Mexico. Mr. Wilkinson enlisted in the Texan army to fight the "Greasers." While
engaged in this, he contracted a disease from which he never recovered. After a
residence in Texas of eight years, which saw the annexation of that country to
the United States as one of the members of this country, Mr. Wilkinson returned
to this county, and both he and his wife died.

   William Blood, Joseph Bradbury, Jacob Housel, Isaac Keller, and the Hollis
brothers were all old settlers, coming to this township during the years 1832-36.

   Blood is an Englishman. He still resides near the village of Warrington.

   Bradbury, a brother-in-law of Blood, now resides in Paris, where he has lived
twelve or fifteen years. We believe he is also a native of England.

   Jacob Housel died about fifteen years ago. His two sons, Eli and Frank, are
well known in this part of the county. Eli lives on the old homestead. They were
natives of New Jersey.

   Isaac Keller was from Kentucky, formerly, but had lived a couple of years in
the vicinity of Big Creek where he had located, about 1830. Mr. Keller died many
years since—probably thirty-five. John Keller, a son of the above, is a minister
in the Christian Church.

   Zadoc, William and Henson Hollis were "Buckeye" men. William resides at
Oakland; the others are dead.

   About 1838, quite a delegation arrived from Ohio. Samuel and Milton Burt
(father and son), Levi D. Gillis and Richard Turley were relatives, and came out
to this place together. We believe Turley and Gillis were both sons-in-law of
the elder Burt. Samuel Burt has been dead about thirty years. Milton resides in
Paris, and is the proprietor of the Exchange Mill, in that city. Turley
continues to reside in the township. Gillis died some twenty years since, but
his widow and sons are still here. Henry Jarvis was one of the earliest settlers
of this section. He died many years ago and left a large family, who have since
all moved to other parts.

   This is surely one of the most prolific regions in the State. We had learned
of one family of twenty-three, and another of twenty-four, but now cometh
Thornton Lansdown, who saith he "can see that last and two better." Doubtless
Lansdown, had he lived until the present, would have been a "granger" ignoring
the small merchants and middle-men. They could do so much better buying directly
from the manufacturers, hats, shoes, calico and all kinds of eatables not
produced on the farm. School-books could be bought by the dozen, at a good
discount; and when the circus came along it would be so much cheaper to buy a
family ticket. It was somewhat amusing to hear the teacher call the roll in the
evening—three Lansdowns to one of every other name. It took four baskets to
carry the dinner.

   But time and space will not allow us to introduce more of these old pioneers.
It would be pleasant to do so, but most of those coming after the last date
named are mentioned in the biographical part of this work. The township
continued to increase in population by immigration, as rapidly as other portions
of the county.

   At the organization of the county, this part of the county was named
Fairfield Precinct, with its voting-place at Paris; but about the date of our
last arrival, which was some ten years after the location of the pioneer, Crist,
and fourteen after the organization of the county, a voting-place was
established in the midst of the Catfish settlement. This order of things was
kept up with little variation until 1856, when the township of Embarrass was
formed, with bounds co-extensive with what we now find them. By that time, the
population of the township had increased to nearly four hundred, and the number
of voters to about one hundred.

   The first township meeting for the election of officers and other business
was held April 7, 1857, at which the following persons were elected to the
respective offices: Charles Brown, Supervisor; James B. Downs, Assessor; Jabel
Bandy, Collector; William Hollis, Clerk; William Ousley and William McCord,
Justices of the Peace; Joseph and Robert E. Smith, Constables; David Smith,
Moses Burnett and Henson Hollis, Road Commissioners, and Alexander Wilson,
Overseer of the Poor. The township, at the last date given, was all occupied
either by actual settlers or by speculators, but many of the large farms have
been divided to accommodate additional settlers: also two thriving little towns
have sprung up within its borders, so that now we find the population of the
township more than trebled. The population, as given in the census of 1870, was
1,250; but from the number of votes cast at some of the recent elections, it is
safe to put the estimate at not less than 1,600. The highest number of votes
cast has been 320. The present township officers are: W. M. Casteel, Supervisor;
Peter Chesrown, Assessor; T. A. Buckler, Collector; George W. Brown, Clerk;
Charles Merkle, Eli Honsel and Thomas Ferguson, Commissioners of Highways;
Charles Merkle and Jesse Borton, Justices of the Peace, and George Kees and
Andrew Hambleton, Constables.

EDUCATIONAL.

   The first attempt at a system of instruction for the youth of this
neighborhood was made in 1834. There were then about fifteen families scattered
up and down the creek, and though some of them were illy situated as to
circumstances and location, to avail themselves of the advantages of a school,
they nevertheless organized it, and the school was voted a great success. We
very much doubt if the children in these days had the poor advantages of the
pioneer children, that they would do as well, educationally, as did they of the
olden time. The honor of being the pioneer educator of this section is said to
belong to Edward Brown. The school was taught in an unoccupied cabin, and was
attended by fifteen or twenty scholars. It may be guessed that the character of
the instruction was of the most rudimentary kind, being simply a little
spelling, reading and writing. A year or two later, a temporary log cabin was
erected for the purposes of education and religious meetings. This building was
erected on the mutual-assistance plan, the neighbors meeting together on an
appointed day bringing with them such tools, axes, saws and hammers as they
happened to possess, and putting it up without the help of architect, plans or
details. In this humble temple of learning, we are credibly informed, Samuel
Wood first essayed to "wield the birch and ferule" and "teach the young ideas
how to shoot." This school was located near the timber, near what is still known
as the "Smart Place," and near where the United Brethren Church now stands. The
schools, prior to 1855, were, in the main, taught by subscription. A dollar to a
dollar and a half was the usual amount paid as tuition for a term of three
months for one pupil, and if several children were sent from one family—like the
Lansdowns —the price was discounted a little. Included in the price of tuition
was board, which the teacher obtained at the different cabin residences in the
neighborhood, squatting on each family for a week at a time. When teachers began
to receive wages sufficient to enable them to contract board at a single house
for the term, some of the old pioneers took offense at the plan, construing this
into an insinuation that their establishments were not of the high-toned
character to suit the fastidious teacher.

   Edward Eggleston, in one of his works, entitled the "Hoosier Schoolmaster,"
describes the methods and customs pertaining to an imaginary locality in an
adjoining State, which, with the change of a few names and an increase in
respectability of the characters, might well fit the old-time schools of this
region.

   A wonderful change for the better has come to this part of the county in
methods of instruction, in schoolhouses and in the interest manifested in the
education of the children. The old idea, as Eggleston expresses it, "Lickin' and
Larnin', Lickin' and Larnin'," has given place to the improved methods as taught
in institutes and normal schools; and the true meaning of the word educate—to
lead out—is made the object of the school. The little old log cabins, with
puncheon seats and oiled-paper windows, have long since been transformed into
hog-pens or grain-bins, and are scarcely considered good enough for the modern
pig and his feed; and, in their places, we find the neat, white modern
schoolhouses, dotting the prairie all over, with comfortable seats and desks,
blackboards, and all the comforts and conveniences adapted to the wants of the
school.

RELIGIOUS.

   As early as 1832, a class of the Methodist Episcopal denomination was
organized here, with James Flack, William Ousley and James Jarvis, their wives,
and Mildred Keller and Sarah Keller as members. Preaching was had occasionally,
sometimes in the grove, and at other times in the schoolhouse. Class-meetings
were held in the dwellings of the members. Rev. Mr. Lane is remembered as the
first preacher to minister to the congregation.

   Five or six years after the organization of the class, through the influence
of John McReynolds, the building since used by the society was erected. The
society honored Mr. McReynolds by naming the building "The McReynolds Chapel."
This Church has prospered well and done a great deal of good in this community.
Rev. A. P. Forsyth, Member-elect to Congress from this district, has preached
for the Church occasionally for the last few years. Rev. W. C. Lacey is present
Pastor.

   The Baptist Church, at Monca's Point, though on the line between this and
Coles County, draws much of its support from Embarrass Township. The Church was
founded about forty years ago by Rev. John Shields, an eccentric though earnest
and successful preacher of that denomination. A story is related of a brother of
the divine that will bear mentioning. The brother, Robert by name, was far from
being pious, and, though often pleaded with and prayed for by his reverend
brother, continued his crooked ways, to the no small regret and mortification of
his pious relatives. On one occasion, some strange preacher, coming to the
neighborhood, happened to be introduced to this "black sheep," as he was called.
They had heard of the Rev. John Shields, as his reputation for piety and sound
doctrine were not confined to Edgar County; and one of the clergymen remarked
that he had heard of him before. Robert replied that "probably it was his
brother of whom they had heard the good report." The minister then said, "There
are two of you, then; and are you both preachers?" Robert, determined to support
the good impression already made, replied in the affirmative. "Of what
denomination are you?" further queried the divine. Bob, seeing himself now
cornered, and his conscience not allowing him to further impose on his pious
friends, replied, laughing : "Oh, John he preaches Souls' Salvation, and I
preach H—1 and D—nation!" This society, many years ago, built for its use a
small frame house of worship, in which the meetings were held until about two
years ago, when their present substantial edifice was erected. Rev. Andrew
Patton is the present Pastor.

   The United Brethren organized a Church of that denomination, in the eastern
part of the township, about fifteen years ago, and built a church edifice five
or six years after. This has been an important organization here, and is the
mother of the church at Redmon.

   This denomination also have a church in the western part of the township,
about a mile west of the village of Isabel, of which Rev. Samuel Ross is Pastor.

   The history of any locality is said to be incomplete without a tragedy; and
in this particular Embarrass Township answers the demand, one of a very
disgusting and aggravated character having taken place here a few years ago. A
respectable citizen, by the name of B. Wood, was murdered under circumstances
which naturally caused the greatest excitement and indignation. Mr. Wood had
employed a young man to assist him in his farm labors, and between them there
seemed to be nothing but the most cordial feeling; though subsequent events
prove that there must have been some powerful incentive to the commission of so
heinous a crime as that of the one taking the other's life. The season was well
advanced, when it was noticed that Mr. Wood was absent from home. Upon inquiry,
the balance of the Wood family, including the laborer, professed ignorance of
his whereabouts. Strict search and due inquiry were made for him far and near,
in which the man who was subsequently convicted of his death joined, but he
could nowhere be found. Some time after Mr. Wood's disappearance, some one, in
passing along the road, noticed a dog in the adjacent field scratching at
something, as though he was in search of some animal burrowed there. Upon coming
nearer, what was his horror in finding that the object of the dog's search was
the body of Mr. Wood! It was afterward proven that the laborer had shot him,
buried him here, and, to conceal the spot, had plowed over the grave. The man
was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to the Penitentiary for life. Mrs.
Wood was also arrested as an accomplice, but the evidence adduced failed to
convict her, and she was set at liberty.

VILLAGE OF ISABEL.

   No township in the county can boast of so many villages as Embarrass, as it
contains no less than five.

   The location of the Paris & Decatur Railroad was the signal for a system of
town-building; and, indeed, in the case of those located in this township, it
seemed to be a part of the scheme, as the incorporators of the railroad were
largely interested in the real estate constituting the town plats.

   The land on which the town of Isabel now stands was formerly owned by John
Stokes, who subsequently sold to James M. Sherman. In 1868, John Corzine came
from Ohio, bought the land and moved to the farm the next year. The railroad was
not then thought of, and the only public attraction peculiar to this locality
was the little village of New Athens adjacent.

   In 1871, the road was built, and the next year Messrs. Corzine, Timmons &
Housel laid out the town. The platting and surveying were done by George W.
Foreman, then County Surveyor, April 8, 1872.

   But few ladies are honored in the manner that Mrs. Corzine has been. Queen
Victoria, and a few other notables, have namesakes in the shape of towns and
cities, but at this moment we cannot recollect, out of the fifteen hundred towns
and cities in the State of Illinois, more than five or six named after women.
Isabel Corzine's name, therefore, is bound to go down through the ages to come
as worthy of having a town named in her honor.

   The house now occupied by John Corzine, at the time of the laying out of the
town, had already been built nearly twenty years; but the first improvement
really made after the town was laid out was by J. W. & C. D. Pearce. This was
the store-building now used by L. Bolen. The Pearces had been keeping a store
and the post office at Catfish Point, which institutions they moved to the
place, and began business in 1872. These gentlemen have continued in business
here most of the time since. John Stokes soon after built a storehouse, and put
in a stock of groceries. This house is now vacant. Lewis Kees followed, with a
store-building and dwelling-house, and also a grainhouse. This last has since
been transformed into a dwelling. Mr. Kees has since removed to Oakland. Then
Corzine & Walls built a grain-elevator, and began buying grain. Mr. Corzine had
previously bought a little grain on the track.

   Dr. J. G. Mulvane came from Ohio and settled here in 1872, and began the
practice of medicine. He also built a dwelling and storehouse and put in a stock
of drugs. There were, at the time of the founding of the town, two stores, a
blacksmith-shop and a dozen other houses in New Athens; most of these have since
been moved to Isabel. Prior to 1877, school was kept in a part of a
dwelling-house; but during the year mentioned, a neat frame building for school
purposes was erected at a cost of about $500. James Browning is in charge of the
school at present. The population of the village has increased to about one
hundred, at this writing. Isabel is nicely located in the western part of the
township.

VILLAGE OF REDMON.

   Redmon, situated in the eastern part of the township, was laid out for J. B.
Warnick and Joseph Redmon, after the latter of whom it was named, by George W.
Foreman, County Surveyor, January 9, 1872. The first buildings were erected, as
nearly as can now be remembered, in the order in which they are mentioned. J. S.
Gordon erected the store-building now occupied by him, and opened the first
stock of goods, though, in reality, one house now occupied by D. B. Fitts, had
been built a number of years before the town was thought of.

   Very soon after the improvement was made by Gordon, E. B. Thompson and David
McCall came and put up a blacksmith-shop, the latter also erecting a
dwelling-house.

   William Roth, now of Chrisman, Philip Ray, John Steele, James Crafton, now of
Paris, and William Deem, were amongst the first to erect dwellings. John Mason,
also, about the same time built his storehouse. The store now occupied by
Stanley Casteel was erected in 1876 by Thomas B. Roth.

   James S. Gordon was appointed first Postmaster; and, notwithstanding his
political views, they being somewhat in opposition to the party in power, has
continued to hold the same under two administrations. The only explanation that
any one could give us of this unusual state of affairs was that Mr. Gordon not
only gave the Government good satisfaction, but that the inhabitants of the
vicinity were also pleased with his administration of postal matters.

   The school in this place is held in a hall at present, but a building for
educational purposes is contemplated in the near future.

    The United Brethren of this place, two years ago, erected a very neat and
commodious church-building, at an outlay of $1,300. Of the congregation
worshiping here, Rev. Samuel Ross is Pastor.

   An organization was effected by the Presbyterians of Redmon and vicinity,
last year. They have no church edifice of their own, but expect to build soon.
At present their services are held in the United Brethren Church. Rev. Mr.
Mitchell, of Kansas, is Pastor.

NEW ATHENS.

   This was once a thriving little village, situated near the present site of
Isabel, but the advent of the railroad through the township blasted the bright
anticipations of its proprietors, and it contains only a half-dozen lonesome
buildings; and any one passing through the place would be as liable to inquire
at one of them "the way to New Athens," as at any other four corners he might
find. It was laid out in 1840 by John Potter.

WARRINGTON.

   This place has a history similar to that of New Athens. It was laid out in
1851 for John W. Sanders; but the same road that killed Hitesville was the means
of its desolation. No business of any kind is done here now; and all that can be
said of it is, that "it was a good place for a town," but it still "lacked the
one thing needful," in these latter days—a means of trade and communication with
the outside world. The village is, or was, situated on the south line of the
township.

CAT-FISH.

   This was not a regularly laid out town, though considerable business has been
done here. There is still a mill, a store and a blacksmith-shop to be seen. The
name of the town or hamlet is not legally recorded, but to perpetuate the
ancient name, and the event in which Thomas H. Dohhette and an admirable
specimen of the piscatorial family figured very largely, we give it as above.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

THE HISTORY OF EDGAR COUNTY, ILLINOIS,

CONTAINING

A History of the County—its Cities, Towns, &c.; Directory of its Tax-Payers; War
Record of its Volunteers in the late Rebellion ; Portraits of Early Settlers and
Prominent Men; General and Local Statistics; Map of Edgar County; History of
Illinois, Illustrated; History of the Northwest, Illustrated; Constitution of
the United States, Miscellaneous Matters, &c, &c.

ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO: WM. LE BARON, JR., & CO., 186 DEARBORN STREET.

1879.


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