Townships of Jefferson County Illinois

   Elk Prairie township lies next south of McClellan, borders on Franklin county, and has good farming lands. Big Muddy creek and other streams make part of it quite broken. A great many elk horns were found in this territory and hence the name Elk Prairie.
   Among the first settlers were the Stephensons, the Whitmans, the Laniers, Kings, the Teeters, the Martins, Cochranes, the Holders, the Wilbanks, the Pickets, and the Andersons, Robinsons, Bodines, Petersons, and Masons. Like others, Elk Prairie suffered for mill facilities and roads. Religious and educational interests were allowed to sleep for awhile but when they did come to the front, they both made good headway and today they make favorable showing with other parts of the county.We notice a neat Methodist and good Christian church near Dareville.
   The town of Winfield was in Horse Prairie which extended into this township, laid out by Dr. Gee and a Mr. Graham. Isaac Boswell, Isaac Clampet and John Knowles did business there. Dr. Gee married J. J. Fitzgerrell's daughter and began practice there, but soon moved to his farm. A good church and school-house was built and Elk Prairie began to "show up." Col. G. W. Evans, of the Sixtieth Regiment, was its first Supervisor. It is another splendid township, both in land and people. Mr. Robinson still lives on the farm he settled sixty years ago.