Northern Township in Franklin County, is in the north-eastern corner of the county.
 It took its name because of the fact that it originally represented the northern portion
 of county.
     Herrin  Taylor, Eli  and  Lazarus  Webb,  doubtless were the  first settlers  in the
 Northern Township settling about 1815.
     The large  prairie in  Northern and  Ewing  Townships  was  named  after the Webb
 family.
     The Middle Fork Baptist Church was  established in  1818 -  one hundred years ago. 
     This was originally the arm of the Sugar Camp Church located  in  Jefferson County.
     The charter members of this old church were Chester Carpenter and wife, Eli Webb
 and wife, and  John Manis and wife. This church can truely celebrate its one-hundredth
 anniversary  this centennial  year. This church is the oldest church in the county.
     Jacob Phillips and Jacob Clark settled near Macedonia about 1817. Jacob Phillips
 established the first water mill in Franklin County in the year of  1834, on Middle Fork
 Creek, near Macedonia. The location of this famous old mill was on the farm now  owned
 by Robert H. Johnson.
     The northeast corner of the township was settled by emigrants  from  "Pennsylvania
 Dutch Settlement.
     The Johnsons, Vises, and Fisher settled in and around Macedonia.
     Macedonia is lively village for both Hamilton and Franklin Counties. It has a population
 of about 400 people. It has a strng bank, that is doing a large volume of business.
     H.C. Vise has been an active merchant in the town for nearly fourty years.
     Rev. Hosea Vise, a pioneer Baptist preacher has been the means of organizing more
 Baptist churches in Southern Illinois than any other man.
     The Johnsons were early settlers of Macedonia, in fact, the village  was first called
 Johnsonville then later, Macedonia. These Johnsons were neighbors of Andrew Johnson -
 the president, in Tennessee. It is said that Andrew Johnson was a tailor, and made the
 wedding  suit for  John K. Johnson. The  Bains,  Barnfields and  Robersons occupied the
 southwest portion of the township.
     The schools of Northern Township are: Snowflake, Sugar Camp, Taylor Hill, Webb's
 Prairie,  Independence,  Macedonia,  Accommodation,  New Harmony,  West Point,  and 
 Stockwell.   The  churches  are  Methodist - Macedonia and  Walnut Grove;  Baptist -
 Macedonia, Frisco  and Liberty;  Free Baptist - Stockwell; United Brethern - Oak Hill;
 Regular Baptist - Middle Fork.
     Webb's Hill has been a noted commercial place of business. John S. Webb opened a
 store many years ago, and at his death  his son  continued the business. The  firm  now
 is A. N. Webb  and Son. They  have,  perhaps the  largest  country store in Southern 
 Illinois and are doing a large volume of business.
     Northern  Township  has very  progressive farmers who are rapidly developing that
 part of the county in a agricultural way. The township  is nominally  Republican, but not
 very strong, forvthere policy is always to votefor a good man regardless of his political
 affilation. Andrew Phillips,a grandson of Jacob Phillips the early pioneer, is the present
 supervisor.
 
 
[(1918) Franklin County History Centennial Edition by H.M. AIKEN]