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

SHILOH TOWNSHIP.

   This part of Edgar County was, in its first division, included in Carroll
Township. After the creation of Vermilion County, in 1826, the limits of that
precinct were considerably curtailed, and not many years after were divided.
Before the adoption of the township system, in 1856, Young America Precinct had
been made, including in its boundary a great part of what is now Shiloh
Township. It embraced quite an extent of territory which, as it settled, soon
became necessary to divide to accommodate the population.

   In the spring of 1866, a petition was prepared and signed by Jacob Rogers and
49 others, residing in the south part of Young America, and north part of Buck
Township, asking for a new township to be created out of these. The petition was
presented to the Board of Supervisors on March 3 of that year, and by them
granted. The limits were defined, and the name Bull's Head given it. This name
does not seem to have been very acceptable to the denizens of the new district,
for a petition was at once prepared and circulated, asking for a change of name
to Shiloh. It was numerously signed, and presented to the Board on the 27th of
April. It was at once granted, and the objectionable name passed away.

   It may be well to state that, going farther down into the political history
of Shiloh Township, the territory included in it formerly belonged in part to
Embarrass and Pilot Grove Precincts. When Buck was formed mainly from the latter
precinct, and Embarrass changed to its present limits, the northern part of that
and Pilot Grove was merged into Young America. Hence when Shiloh Township was
formed, it was taken from Young America and Buck Townships.

   When Shiloh Township was created, there were few residents there. It is one
of the youngest in the county, this region remaining unsettled until after the
late war. A few residents had gathered about Mulberry Grove, in its southern
part, but in the northern portion, prairie land, none were living. This scarcity
of population is evidenced in the fact that when the township was created, only
fifty names were on the petition. Several of those who signed the petition were
residents then of Buck Township, which left a still smaller population in
Shiloh, or, as it would be better expressed, that part of Young America made
into Shiloh.

   The township is almost all prairie. Its surface is rather too level for good
drainage, and on this account more than any other may be based the reason for
its slow settlement. In the northern and western portions this is eminently the
case. Before it was settled, the long prairie grass, luxuriantly abundant here,
held the water falling on the surface of the earth, and rendered the ground at
most seasons of the year, too wet for cultivation. No natural drainage
presenting itself, the prairies did not offer a very inviting farm to the person
accustomed to more rolling or even hilly and wooded homes in the Eastern States.
Those who lived in the adjacent vicinity often expressed themselves as unwilling
to give anything for the land, and allowed it to remain free in its own domain.
It had, however, been observed by keen speculators, when the railroad had been
surveyed through it, and knowing some day would see it dotted with the homes of
industry, they were content to purchase and wait.

   Brushy Fork, of Embarrass River, traverses the central northern part of this
township. It rises in Goose Lake, a good sized pond, just west of Mulberry
Grove. The creek has one or two small affluents, which afford some drainage to
the country they traverse. Ditches are needed here to bring the land to a proper
condition for profitable cultivation.

   Much good has been done by tile-draining, which is getting to be the chief
mode of carrying off the surplus water. It is cheaper than the open ditch in the
long run, and much more effective. In addition to this, no land is lost by the
space occupied by the ditch. Artificial springs are also made at the outlets of
these ditches, if desirable, and water secured at no expense in dry seasons.

   The eastern part of the township is drained by Brouillett's Creek, which
heads a little way southwest of Goose Lake. It passes directly through the head
of Mulberry Grove, and leaves the township about a mile and one-half south of
its northeast corner.

TIMBER.

   With the exception of Mulberry Grove, and a few straggling growths of small
trees and brush, the entire township is prairie land. The small, ragged growth
of timber seen occurs mostly along the eastern boundary or on the south side
next to Buck Township. Mulberry Grove received its name from the Indians, who
fancied it resembled a mulberry in shape. They gave many names to small growths
of timber occurring at frequent intervals on the prairies, all of which accorded
with their fancied resemblance to some external object. In many places, all
these names are yet preserved. The grove here contains about fifteen hundred
acres of land, and has in its day produced some excellent timber. The best of
this is now all gone, and only an inferior second growth takes its place. The
first settlement in the township was made near this grove, and the first cabins
built from logs obtained there.

PRODUCTS.

   At present, corn is the chief crop raised here. Oats, rye, barley, wheat and
other cereals are also grown, but not so extensively as corn. It is the great
staple product of the Prairie State, and, like cotton in the South, is king. A
great deal is now used in fattening stock, as experience has proven that corn
can be driven to market with more profit than hauled. Cattle and hogs are raised
in great numbers. Swine command a steady market, while cattle are not behind.
Prior to the settlement of the prairies in this township, stock-growers in
Indiana and elsewhere drove large herds of cattle up here, herding them in the
summer, and feeding them in the winter on the stalks of corn left standing,
purchased for that purpose.

   The entire population of the township, we were told, are engaged in farming.
An examination of the list of tax-payers, elsewhere in these pages, shows every
man a farmer but one. This exhibits conclusively the occupation of the people.
Hume and Metcalf on the north, Isabel, Redmon and Paris on the south, are the
principal markets for this township. From these places the grain, stock and
other marketable produce find their way to Eastern and Northern cities.

AREA.

   Shiloh Township is ten and one-half miles long on the northern border: seven
on the eastern, five on the lower southern; after a turn of three miles
northward, it again proceeds five and one-half miles west, where it turns north
four miles. This gives an area of fifty-seven sections, or 36,480 acres, if all
sections and half-sections contain the full number of acres in a Government
section. The township is composed of parts of Towns 15 north, Range 13 west, 15
north, Range 14 west, and 15 north. Range 12 west.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

   Compared with many other townships, Shiloh possesses but little history; when
they were old, it was just starting. The timbered parts of the county received
the early emigrants, and for many years no attempt was made to settle the
prairies. One reason for this was, the first settlers came from a timbered
country, and knew but little about the prairies. Another was, they had no plows
that would turn the prairie sod, and allowed it to remain as a pasturage. The
soil was found to be rich, however, wherever tested, and could not be permitted
to remain wild. When it began to settle in earnest, people came in as by magic,
and in from three to five year's time after they came on the prairie, and
demonstrated it could be cultivated, not an acre was left unclaimed.

   Mr. Jerry Myers, now living near Hume, states that he came to the south part
of this township in the spring of 1848 or 1849, probably the former year. When
he came, he found Archibald Myers and George Bailey living near the grove, while
the next settlers, north, were the Reed family, living at Hickory Grove, where
Palermo now is. Between Mulberry and Hickory Groves, there was not a single
resident.

   Archibald Myers had been living here a number of years, and had a comfortable
home, made of logs cut in the grove. His house stood southwest of the grove, and
here, on the land he entered, he lived until his death. Mr. Bailey lived near
him and had a start similar to his. Mr. Jerry Myers settled in the eastern part
of the grove, and built him a house of material obtained principally therein. He
had lived, prior to this time, near Baldwinsville, in Hunter Township. When he
came to Shiloh, then Young America, he went to a new country, probably to grow
up with it; at least, he followed the sage's advice and went West, even if he
did not go far. For four of five years, these three families were alone in this
neighborhood. They went to Paris for milling purposes, trading, and for their
mail. While they were here, the railroad project revived, and the Indianapolis &
St. Louis, then Terre Haute & Alton, Railroad began to awaken the slumbering
hopes of a growing city at this point. When these families went to the county
seat, they traveled in as direct a line as possible, across the prairie. They
were not intercepted by fences until near their destination.

   East and south of this neighborhood was thickly settled. Hence, all their
communications with others brought them there for any "neighboring" purposes.
They were, however, surrounded by good land. Drovers, who came annually here to
herd and feed stock, took back good accounts* of the fertility of the soil,
could it be properly drained, and others were contemplating a move here.

   In 1855, Mr. D. D. Wood came to this settlement, and erected a "Jackson
log-house," as he called it. It was made of hickory logs, hewed slightly on the
inner side, and being a firm friend of "Old Hickory," he denominated his house
by the name given. He lived with Jerry Myers while constructing his Democratic
cabin and prepared for his family. He located just west of the grove, near Goose
Lake. He was the fourth settler in the township. From this time on, it is
impossible to tell of each one as he located. They now began to come in rapidly,
taking up the country in the south part of the township. The story of one is the
story of all, and to repeat each is useless. The Craigs and others came in at
this period, each one building him a cabin where he could not afford a frame
dwelling, and each one opened a farm. As one after another came in and the
circle of neighbors widened, improvements, material, social and otherwise, were
introduced, conducing much to their pleasure, comfort and happiness.

SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.

   Jerry Myers says the first school established in the township was started in
the winter of 1855-56. By this date, enough persons had settled about the grove
to warrant the erection of a frame schoolhouse, which was built near where Mr.
William Kiles now lives. He thinks the school was taught by a Mr. Edmonson, and
that there was a very fair attendance of scholars. This was the only schoolhouse
in the township for four or five years. By that time, the population had so
increased that another was necessary and it was erected. Then again, when the
settlers were numerous enough, and so scattered as to warrant the erection of a
third house, that appeared, and so on until the present number was reached.

   There is but one church in the township. That is situated in the southeastern
part, near the township line. It is owned by the Protestant Methodists, who
erected it about seven years ago. They have a small congregation, part of whom
live in the adjoining township of Edgar.

   About 1849 or 1850, the United Brethren built a church just over the line in
Edgar Township, which may properly be termed as the first church in the
community. This, the first residents in Shiloh attended, and many yet go there
for divine services, who are members of that denomination.

   Shiloh Township is so young, compared to the other parts of Edgar County.
that its history must necessarily be brief. We have here recorded the earliest
settlement, which, in the future, will be valuable to the coming historian.

   Before closing, we will add the names of the present officers of Shiloh
Township, chosen at the last election:

Supervisor, W. E. Means.
Clerk, Silas Russell.
Assessor, James Poor.
Commissioners of Highways, Isaac Morris, Vincent Gassett and James Shepherd.
Justices of the Peace, Daniel Higgins and J. D. Marquans.
Constables, J. S. Roberts and G. W. Murphy.


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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