History: Girard - 1 Jan 1998 - Macoupin County Illinois
Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives ©1997 Carolynn Jones Bettis


Girard Macoupin County IL History

contributed by Carolynn Jones Bettis

Excerpted from "The History of Girard, Illinois, 1855-1955," by the Historical Committee - 
Mrs L T Weddle, Howerton Tipton, H V Stutsman, Mrs Edgar Davidson, Advisor.

(This is an extensive writing on the history of Girard. If you are interested in more of the 
specifics of this writing, email Carolynn Jones Bettis <bettis@ctllc.com>)

In 1852, the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company built a railroad through section 32 of 
Girard Township. The following year Girard was laid out near the railroad by Barnabas 
Boggess and Charles H Fink. The plat of Girard was surveyed by Mathew Savage. Girard 
was incorporated 14 Feb 1855.

With the new town, Girard settlers would no longer have to travel to Stirrup Grove in North 
Otter Twp to get their mail. The railroad would deliver it right to their town. That did not 
happen for some years. Girard had not built a side track, dug a railroad well and met some 
other demands. Although they had a post office, Girard continued to get their mail by 
horseback from Stirrup Grove and later from Nilwood and Virden. The first postmaster was 
James Mitchell.

The first addition was added by Thomas Lewis and John Way; the second addition was 
added by Barnabas Boggess. The first house was moved from Liberty School west of Girard 
by nineteen yoke of oxen and was occupied by Dr Abram Miller/Dr Abraham Mellar.

The coal mine was sunk in 1869 and closed in 1922. By 1891, the Girard coal mine 
employed 200 men.

Names of other early settlers of Girard include:
Sam Boggess, McManners, W E Eastman, N Branham, J S Warfield, Billie Jones, Alfred 
Mayfield, Joseph Rafferty, George Wood, Julius Hamilton, William Carlin, George 
Yerington, Dr White, Andrews, Frederick Macknett, Jesse Metcalf, James Hedges, Sutphin, 
John J Stowe, Edward Gough, James H Wolfe, Thomas Cherry, George Kemp, Andrew 
Rathgeber, Henry Stukenberg, Alexander McDonald, Angus Maxwell. 

James McCraner, Benjamin Leigh, Charles Evans, H T Chilton, James Harvey, Joseph 
Wrightsman, M V Kitzmiller, W C Bell, T W McBride, W T Jones, John F Roach, J W 
Woodruff, A H Cornman, A C Tell, Willare Magoon, John Everly, Alexander Johnson, 
Thurman, Moore, Nathan, Belle Woods, Kate Eastham, Fannie Eastham, John Ewing, Jacob 
Deck, O'Reilly, Hoblin, Walker, Miner, John C Beeby, Joseph Filbrun, Lancaster, Ervins, 
Columbus C Armstrong, Aros K Young, H C Harper, J E Wones, Herzberger, Herman.

Henry K Young, Edward Parks, Sr, Alfred Cottingham, Daniel Cottingham, Dr Clark, 
Thomas Calhoun Cherry, Bailey, Carr, Lowe, Jacob Bowersox, James Michaels, Jacob 
Buzal, John Bellamy, Daniel Macknett, Julius Hamilton, Baker Andrews, James Metcalf, Wm 
S Littlepage, Daniel Delaney, F W Ring, G W Jorns, E W Ruckel, F W Haster, Fred Storz, 
Henry C Hamilton, G A Donaldson, T C Dodson, Henry Stutsman, Bart Hopson, Edgar 
Davidson, G G Garretson, George Dohm, John Ruyle, Routzahn, Coverdill, Ball, Boston, 
Fletcher, Stewart, Lynch, England, Hays, Woolley, Coe, Thacker, Brubaker, Miller, Tietsort.

Gibson, Wm Hindle, B P Andrews, Dr A R Cribfield, W A Soloman, McChesney, Milton, H 
H Keebler, Wm Snook, Thomas Organ, Wm E Milton, Chas E Fish, Crenshaw, Powers, 
Stuve, George Tipton, Luke Mayfield, Leroy Mayfield, Carrie Macknett, Thomas Warren, 
Julius Rutherford, John Roach, David Stead, Davis, Joseph McKinney, Frank Sage, H H 
Keebler, Babcock, M Randall, Charles Metcalf, Hattie Shepherd, Harris Cherry, Albert 
Simmons, Charles Gibbons, James Kitzmiller, and Drury.

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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Carolynn Jones Bettis