Excerpts of History, Henry County, Illinois

This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: 
Bernard Ozinga
<ozlynn@chartemi.net>


Here is something that I found in the book "Portraits; Biographical
Sketches of Henry Co", published 1885, now located at the Geneseo
Public Library:
 
The Biographical Album of Henry County, Illinois in 1885 shows the
following: (found at the Geneseo Public Library June 15, 2001)
under "History of Munson Township:

"This is the center township of the county, and very appropriately
is she crowned queen in beauty of landscape, deep, rich soil,
splendid farms, and general agricultural wealth...There is no town
in it, yet on the assessor's books, but more especially to the
traveler eye in passing over this great, rich garden and viewing for
the first time it's broad, rich acres, well trimmed and better
tilled farms, commodious and elegant farm houses and comfortable
out-buildings for the fat cattle, and sleek horses, and great barns,
bursting with hay and grain, it presents an enchanting view of
comfort, plenty, ease and content, that is one of the pleasant and
wholesome sights in the wrangling, struggling world...No railroad
touches its boundaries but it finds easy market and shipping at
Geneseo and Cambridge. It branches in the southwest corner.
It has no waste land and in a few years every quarter-section
will be tile drained. there are seven commodious schoolhouses
for the education of the young and the pious and godly find
convenient and comfortable places of worship in any part of the
township. Many of the first settlers here moved to the line of
the railroads when they began to build through the county. The
majority of these going to Geneseo."
 
Same Publication under Osco Township:
 
"The first symptoms of the tremendous financial revulsion of 1837
were beginning to be felt in the city of New York as early as 1835.
There was crop failure, and prices began to climb toward high and
impossible figures for many of the poor in the cities. Shrewd
business men began to dimly forecast the serious outlook, and there
were not a few who promptly began to furl their sails before the
coming storm. Every movement of this kind touched to the quick the
sensitive nerves of the laboring people, and early in the spring of
1836, the cry of "Bread! Bread!" rang out upon the streets of New
York, and the mob gathered in front of the door of the four store of
Eli Hart ; Co gutted the building from cellar to roof, because
as the hungry people said, they had bought up the flour of the
country and were putting up the price to $10 and $12 a barrel, out
of the possible reach and means of the poor. fortunes began to
topple, and many men, who a short time before had supposed they were
on the top wave of financial prosperity, suddenly saw but little
else before them than pinching poverty.
 
It was largely this class of men who turned their eyes Westward and
gave to Northern Illinois that stream of immigration that marked so
strangely the settlement of this portion of the State. They were
intelligent, educated in the avenues of business, energetic,
hopeful, and determined upon the full realization of that sublime
watch-word that has peopled this continent - "Homes for homeless,
and land for all". This was the grand idea in American civilization.
It bore rich fruits, especially in the Mississippi Valley - that
garden and granary of the world.

In the winter of 1825, a notice was published in the New York Papers
calling a "Meeting of all persons interested" at Congress Hall, to
organize a colony of those interested or desirous to emigrate to
Illinois. so few people responded to this first call, that a second
notice was published, and at this meeting an organization called the
"New York Colony" was formed, and between 40-50 members were
enrolled. The members signed an agreement, and Charles Oakley and
C.C. Wilcox were made Trustees and authorized to go to Illinois and
locate for the Colony about a township of land, the general idea
being to locate somewhere near the Illinois river. When Oakley
reached this place he found it already taken up by the Providence
Colony, and he pushed on West; and to this fact the welfare of Henry
County, Illinois, is indebted to the Colony coming here. The land in
Townships 16 and 17, north, ranges 1 and 2 east, covering at the
time about 30 sections. Each individual in the Colony bound himself
to erect within two years a building to cost about $200. In case he
failed to do this on his tract of land, the land reverted to the
Colony, with this unfortunate condition - the Colony thus taking
reverted lands was to pay therefor at the rate of $3.00 per acre.
This tempting offer was enough to make a great many neglect to build
and let their lands be forfeited. this and the fearful panic of 1837
overloaded the Colony, and it was wholly unable to comply with its
agreements of pay anything for the forfeited lands, and hence the
entire sales thus soon were made void and worthless. The lands and
town-lots were to be put up at auction where members could bid for
preference in selections. this distribution took place in the fall
of 1836. (The lands were entered in June of that year). Only a few
of the Colonists came in the summer of 1836. Charles Oakley ;
C.C. Wilcox did not remain long. In 1837, John Appleton;
Charles W. Davenport were the two Colonists that were here. Thomas
Fitch, the father of Mrs. Davenport died in Morristown, a short time
later, aged 80 years. For the next 14 years, the settlement of this
Colony, with the families above ; a few others, in all, 10-12
families, were all there were in the New York Colony, in this part
of the county. These pioneers worked their way in the wilderness,
patiently awaiting the next oncoming tide that the next wave of
immigration would bring to them. Nothing really came until 1852,
when commenced the memorable rush of people to this portion of the
county".


Lynda; B.J. Ozinga

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Contributed by:
Bernard Ozinga
<ozlynn@chartemi.net>