Henry County IL Archives History - Books .....Osco 1877
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Book Title: History Of Henry County, The

THE TOWNSHIP OF OSCO.

    The town of Osco was originally known by the governmental description of
Town 16, North Range 20 East of the 4th P. M., and is situated west of the
center of the county. It is almost exclusively prairie land, less than one per
cent, of its surface being originally covered with timber. Its surface is
beautifully undulating with just sufficient declination to make perfect
drainage, and with no level, wet or marshy areas to mar its beauty or
excellence. The soil is a rich, black .alluvium of marvelous fertility, and
varying from eighteen inches to two feet in depth. In the early days of its
settlement it was noted for the luxuriance of the grass and other vegetation
which grew upon its broad prairies.

    Owing to the prevailing opinion among the early settlers that the open
prairies were uninhabitable on account of the severe winds which then prevailed,
the excessive cold of the winters, and the distance from timber (which was then
the only fuel), the area which now comprises the town received but little
attention. Thriving settlements had sprung-up in various parts of the county, in
the vicinity of streams and timber, but Osco remained unsettled, an uninviting,
treeless plain. The first settlement within the limits of the town was made by
Israel Crocker, on the north half of Section 3, at a place which was known in
those days as Crocker's Grove. Here, according to the traditions of the early
settlers, the elder Crocker located in the year 1838, and built a house of
considerable size (which is now standing), and inclosed with a sod fence about
160 acres of land, and imported and placed on his farm a large flock of sheep,
out of which he intended to amass a fortune. Ill success attended the venture,
and after eight or ten years struggling with bad luck with his sheep, and poor
health in his family, he finally succumbed to adverse circumstances and sold out
to Ben Graham, who continued the business so inauspicously begun by Mr. Crocker,
with about the same results. After the settlement of Mr. Crocker in 1838, no
further attempt was made until the year 1851, a lapse of thirteen years. In May
of that .year, Albert Melton moved upon the Crocker Grove farm, which had been
purchased by F. P. Brown; in June, Willis Hinman settled in the south part of
the township, and was soon followed by S. C. Welton and Benjamin Manning, Philip
Emmert and John Weedlem. The next year came Francis Gerard and Hiram Woodward,
followed soon after hy A. A. and E. M. Crane, Jared H. Smith, Lester C. Welton,
and others, who have, in the short space of twenty-five years, transformed the
wild and uninhabitable prairie into a rich agricultural settlement, with not one
acre of uninclosed land within its limits.

    On May 24, 1852, the first school district was organized, by a meeting
called at the house of Willis Hinman, and comprised the whole township. In the
Summer of 1853, the first school-house was built, upon the northeast corner of
the southwest quarter of Section 26, and was for a long time known as the Hinman
School-house.

    In 1854, the district was divided, the north half being set off, and was
known as District No. 2. In this district two school-houses were eventually
built, one in the northeast corner of the town, known as the Van Order
School-house, and one at Morristown, in. the northwest corner. The division
above mentioned remained with no permanent alteration, save the division of the
north district, until the year 1859, when the town was divided into nine
districts, each two miles square, which division, with some slight alterations,
remains at this day. The first Board of School Trustees was elected in May,
1852, and consisted of Willis Hinman, Samuel Hamilton and S. C. Welton. The
first Board of School Directors were elected in June, 1852, and consisted of the
same persons.

    In 1857, the school section (16) was sold, realizing the handsome sum of
$12,586, which has been increased by subsequent additions, until now it amounts
to $13,958. The total number of pupils attending the school at present, is 369,
of whom 174 are males and 195 females.

  In the Fall of 1856, the town voted in favor of adopting township
organization, and in April, 1857, the first election was held at the house of
Nathan Dunklebarger, and resulted in the election of Lester C. Welton,
Supervisor;	Woodruff as Town Clerk; A. A. Crane, Assessor; R. H. Hinman,
Collector; Willis Hinman, Ellis Blackwell, and A. McNaughton, Commissioners of
Highways; A. Welton and A. Purviance, Justices of the Peace.

    Osco is remarkable for the excellence of the stock raised by the farmers of
this township, who sold this last year 5,205 head of hogs for $ 120,741; 1,285
head of cattle for $56,598; 99,660 bushels of corn, which brought $35,992. Also
considerable broom corn, barley, oats, timothy and clover seed, butter and eggs.
There is a healthful and good supply of water, at an average depth of 26 feet,
the average supply being ten feet of water.

    The present town officers are: R. H. Hinman, Supervisor; C. D. Cramer, Town
Clerk; J. S. Showalter, Assessor; Charles Lindquist, Collector; H. Stoughton, D.
H. Smith, S. P. Peterson, Commissioners of Highways; J. H. Smith, H. E.
Stoughton, D. H. Smith, School Trustees; A. Purviance, E. Rogers, Justices of
the Peace. The following named gentlemen have also held the office of
Supervisor: Duke Wells, 1859; D. A. Ireland, 1860; R. H. Hinman, 1861-62; A. A.
Crane, 1863; H. Woodward, 1864; E. M. Crane, 1865; J. H. Smith, 1866-69; Hiram
Woodward again in 1870; J. S. Showalter, 1871; L. A. Hamilton, 1872, and the
present Supervisor was elected again in 1873-76, and the following have held the
position of Town Clerk after Geo. C. Woodruff in 1857: S. W. Morton was elected
and held the office in 1858-60; Wm. Hitchcock, 1861-64; Cyrus Kerr, 1865-66; J.
R. Ammerman, 1867-68; John G. Brown, 1869; John Christiance, 1870-74, and the
present Clerk was elected in 1875-76.

OSCO.

    This village was laid out on Nov. 30, and Dec. 1, 2, 3, 1870, by Patterson,
Holmes County Surveyor, on the S. E. N. E. Sec. 29-40 acres, then owned by Orion
E. Page, who caused the same to be done. It originally contained 11 blocks laid
off into 183 lots. The streets leading east and west as named from north to
south, are North Street, North R. R. Street, Market Street and South R. R.
Street, and two avenues, leading north and south; the west one is called Lincoln
Avenue, and the other in the eastern part Washington Avenue. The first house was
built in July, 1871, by G. P. Woodworth and Samuel Smith, the next by D. L.
Purviance the same year. It now contains twelve dwellings, eight business houses
and a blacksmith shop. There are about 80,000 bushels of corn and 90 to 100 cars
of stock shipped annually from this place.

CHURCHES.

    The Evangelical Lutheran Church is located at Morristown. The first meetings
were held in the Fall of 1860, in Edford Township, in what is now known as
Weidlein's school-house. The congregation was organized Feb. 9, 1861, with the
following named members: Philip Emmert, Aleman Conrad, John Weidlein, F. W.
Smith, S. S. Bjerrum, John J. Whiteline, Fred. Cook, Margaret Emmert, Elizabeth
Conrad, Ellennora Weidlein, Caroline Smith, Mary Bjerrum, Doretha Emmert and
Sophia Weidlein. F. W. Smith was elected Elder, and John Weidlein, Deacon. The
present church building was erected in the Spring of 1863, at a cost of $1,650,
and dedicated Sept. 20 of the same year. F. W. Smith and John Weidlein were the
building committee. Rev. F. R. Scherer was the first pastor; he served from Feb.
9, 1861, to Feb., 1864; Rev. Eli Fair, from Feb., 1864 to Feb., 1865; Rev. A. M.
Tanner, from April, 1866, to April, 1868; Rev. G. W. Schaeffer, from April,
1868, to April, 1869; Rev. R. B. Whitehill, from July 11,1869, to March 10,1872;
Rev. E. S. Rees, from March 27, 1872, to July 6, 1873; Rev. Lloyd Knight, from
July 6, 1873, to April 1, 1875; Rev. S. S. Lawson is the present pastor, having
served since May 16, 1875.

    Sixty-three is the highest number of members at any one time. The present
church officers are George S. Emmert and Andrew Weidlein, Elders; F. W. Smith
and J. J. Whiteline, Deacons. Philip Emmert has been Treasurer and Secretary
since the organization of the church. The Sabbath-school is kept up constantly,
has an average attendance of fifty scholars and teachers, and a library of about
300 vols. Connected with the church is a parsonage, built in the Fall of 1866,
during the pastorate of Rev. A. M. Tanner, at a cost, including additions and
repairs, of •$1,050. The present pastor, Rev. S. S. Lawson, was born in York Co.
Pa., Nov. 24, 1838; is the son of the late Rev. S. B. Lawson, and brother to
Rev. J. Smith Lawson, of Pittsburgh, Pa.; was educated at Pennsylvania College,
Gettysburg, Pa.; entered the ministry in 1860, at Massillon, Ohio; served in the
army as chief clerk of the Adjutant General's Department of the 4th Army Corps,
from Jan. 1, 1864, to the close of the war; resumed the ministry at Leesburg,
Ohio, in 1866; came to Illinois in 1870, and served pastorates at Ottawa and
Freeport, prior to his present charge.

    The Protestant Episcopal Church of Osco Township (Grace Church) was
organized Jan. 25,1875, with a membership of twenty-two. Among those who were
active in establishing this church are the names of J. H. Smith, Eben Coll, L.
C. Welton, S. C. Welton, R. H. Hinman and W. W. Hinman.

    Eben Coll and J. H. Smith were appointed Wardens, and L. C. Welton, Bela
Andrews, Robert JMcClain, Jerry Hadley, R. H. Hinman, S. C. Welton, James M.
Welton and George Poppleton, Vestrymen.

    J. H. Smith was appointed Treasurer, and was efficient in organizing and
maintaining this society. Bela Andrews was appointed Clerk. These, gentlemen
have all continued to discharge the duties of their respective positions up to
the present time, excepting James M. Welton, in whose place W. W. Hinman was
appointed, April 17, 1876.

    Their earliest services were held in what is known as the Hinman
school-house, in District No. 7. From 1856 to 1878, occasional services were
held by Rev. A. Welton, of Cambridge; Rev. S. Goodale,of Geneseo; Rev. William
Green, of Geneseo, in 1865; P. B. Morrison, of Geneseo, 1866; Rev. G. C.
Giiswold, the same year; Rev, J. B. Calhoun, of Osco, in 1869-70; Rev. F. Nash,
of Geneseo, during 1871-73. At this time plans were devised, and location
seleeted for a suitable meetinghouse, the building of which was accomplished in
the Fall of 1873, at a cost of $2,750, while Rev. J. H. Chamberlaine, the
present pastor, was in charge.

    This building is located on the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of
Sec. 26. Regular services were held from this time to Jan. 25, 1875, when the
church organization was finally consummated. These services have been continued
in connection with a Sabbath-school. The membership of the church at present is
forty-one. The present pastor, Rev. J. H. Chamberlaine, took charge Sept. 15, 1873.

    The Sabbath-school was organized May 24, ____, and now has a library of
nearly 200 volumes, and is also supplied with suitable papers. The attendance at
present, of teachers and scholars, is about forty, there being usually six or
seven classes and as many teachers. Charles A. Coll is Superintendent.

    The M. E. Church of Osco Township was established in Oct. 1859. Among those
prominent in its organization were: William Hitchcock, Levi A. Hamilton, and
Edmund Valentine. It was mostly through their influence that a minister was
appointed in charge. Rev. H. J. Humphrey preached the first sermon. Mr. John
Chandeler was at that time Presiding Elder; Wm. Hitchcock, Steward, and Levi A.
Hamilton, Class Leader. The meetings of this church were held for several years
in the Center School House, a small frame building located on the S. E. corner
of Sec. 16. Rev. James Sheldon was appointed in charge, in Nov., 1861, and E.
Ransom, Elder, Sept., 1860; Rev. J. M. Bartels, Sept., 1862; G. C. Woodruff,
Elder, Sept., 1863; Rev. J. W. Odell, Sept. 1864; B. C. Swarts, Elder, Sept.,
1864. At this time a meeting was held to devise means by which to provide a
suitable meeting house, and A. A. Crane, Thomas Barnes, and H. Rivenburgh were
appointed a Building Committee. During the Fall and Winter of 1865-6, the
building of the proposed house was accomplished, at a cost of $2,500, obtained
mostly by subscription in the township, and in June, 1866, the dedication
services were held, and the sermon delivered by Rev. Dr. Raymond, of Evanston,
Cook Co. This meeting house is located on the S. W. corner of Sec. 15.

    Rev. John Grundy was appointed, in Sept., 1865; Rev. Geo. M. Morey, in
Sept., 1866. At this time the church was unusually prosperous.

    Subsequently there were appointed Rev. Theodore Hoagland, Sept., 1868;
William H. Hunter, Elder, Sept. of the same year: Rev. Thomas Head, Sept., 1869;
Rev. Wm. Sedore, Sept., 1870; Rev. Peter Warner, Sept., 1871; Rev. H. C. King,
Sept., 1872; H. Ritchee, Elder, Sept., 1872; F. M. Chaffee, Elder, Sept., 1878;
Rev. J. Q. Adams, Sept., 1874; and the present pastor, Rev. E. M. Bentley,
Sept., 1876.

    Mr. Hamilton has officiated as Class Leader much of the time since the
organization of the church. David Hadley is also Class Leader, and has been
since 1867. James Henderson and F. M. Barnes are now Stewards, and Mr. Crane is
and has been Recording Steward for ten years. Levi A. Hamilton is Steward for
the Rock Island District. The present membership of this church is sixty. The
Sabbath School was organized with this church. The first Supt. was Wm.
Hitchcock; the next, Levi A. Hamilton, followed by others, among whom are the
names of Eben Woodward, Hiram Williamson, and David Hadley. The school as now
constituted, was organized May 14,1876, and the last-named gentleman appointed
Supt.; F. M. Barnes, Asst. Supt.; David Smith and Alice Woodward, Secys. The
school is divided into seven classes. The teacher of the first class - adults,
fourteen - is F. M. Barnes; of the second - adults, seventeen-Robert Henderson;
third - young ladies and gentlemen, eighteen - is Mrs. John Petteys; fourth
-boys from 10 to 15 years of a^e, nine - James Henderson; fifth - girls from 10
to 15 years, six - Mrs. A. A. Crane; sixth - children from 8 to 10 years, ten in
number - Mrs. James Henderson: seventh - infant class, eighteen scholars - is
taught by Mrs. Hiram Williamson. No. of officers, four; teachers, seven;
scholars, ninety-one. Total, 102.

    A Presbyterian Church was organized in this Township by Rev. S. T. Wilson,
Rev. J. C. Barr, Rev. David Kelly, and Ruling Elder Edmund Buck, of Andover, on
Nov. 4, 1867, and Hiram Woodward and Charles Crabb were ordained Elders of the
church.

    The first sermon was preached by Rev. S. T. Wilson, of Rock Island. There
were seventeen communicants, which subsequently increased to a membership of
forty-two.

    During the existence of this church there were ten baptisms. On June 5,
1870, William Sherrard and Johnson McLaughlin were ordained Elders. The services
were held in Hinman's School House. Subsequently this church was dissolved, and
a few of its members joined the present Presbyterian Church, of Muuson.

    There was also organized a Christian Church, on April 13, 1856, by Elders
Levi Purviance and Hiram Petteys, composed of fourteen members. Rev. Levi
Purviance preached the first sermon. The meetings were held in the school house,
at Morristown. Rev. Hiram Like was the next regular minister. There was a
Sabbath School in connection with this.

    The Osco and Western Mutual Fire Insurance Company was organized March 15,
1876, under an act entitled, "An Act to Incorporate and Govern Mutual Fire
Insurance Companies in Townships," approved April 3, 1872. The following
officers were elected: A. McWhinney, Pres.; J. H. Smith, Treas.; A. A. Crane,
Secy.; and R. H. Hinman, J. T. Petteys, Bela Andrews, A. McWhinney, J. H. Smith,
H. E. Stoughton, D. L. Keleher, and M. B. Lloyd were elected Directors.

    This company bids fair to be a grand success. The report of the Secy, shows
the aggregate amount of policies issued to be $63,990; receipts, $81.00; amount
of expense, $43.25: amount in the treasury, $37.75.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

THE HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY, ILLINOIS, ITS TAX-PAYERS AND VOTERS;
CONTAINING, ALSO, A BIOGRAPHICAL DIRECTORY; A CONDENSED HISTORY OF THE STATE;
MAP OF THE COUNTY: A BUSINESS DIRECTORY: AN ABSTRACT OF EVERY-DAY LAWS; WAR
RECORD OF HENRY COUNTY; OFFICERS OF SOCIETIES, LODGES, ETC., ETC.

CHICAGO: H. F. KETT. & CO., 15 LAKESIDE BUILDING.

1877.

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