Townships of Jefferson County Illinois

   Blissville, lying south of Casner on the Washington county line. Blissville township dates back to 1822-3, when Sherman Ross and Jesse Greene "squatted" there, another township of excellent land, part prairie and part timber, much the same as the foregoing townships. Knob Prairie lies in the south part and was so named from the high knob just north od Waltonville. The streams named at first, still follow us.
   Jesse A. Dees, an unique character, was among the first settlers. He could neither read nor write, but he could count, and became quite wealthy in his day. His life could only be told in a biography and we must pass it. The Hirons, the Gilberts, the Fairchilds, the Places, the Seiberts, the Johnsons, the Robinsons, the Mannens, the Norrises, the McConneheys, the Laurs, the Hicks, and many others came soon after and have helped make the township a desirable a place to live as any other township in the county. The township was named for Augustus Bliss, who died with cholera at an early day. Religious and school matters had an even start with the township, but as elsewhere, services were held in private homes, until Grand Ann church was built and the log school-houses raised.
   The first school-house was near Eli Gilbert's. Zion church is in the northern part and there is a Methodist church at old Williamsburg of the Chester and Wabash road, promised to become a booming town, then the business moved to the new town, Waltonville, and Williamsburg went into decline. For the most of the time, Wilson Robinson kept the post office and moved it to Waltonville at the opening of the road. While at Williamsburg it was called Laur in honor of Capt. Joe Laur of the forty-ninth Regiment. The early history of these townships were so similar that it is unneccessary for us to specialize. Suffice it to say that Blissville is one of our very best townships, with a grand future before it.