of Menard and Mason Counties
By T.G. Onstott
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CHAPTER XXXV Page 336 Kilbourne was laid out in 1870 by John B. Gam. The first store in the village was opened up by William Oakford. A saloon was kept by Old Billy Martin before Oakford kept store, but nothing but bad whiskey was sold. Calvin Arterberry bought out Oakford, and Dr. Field opened up a store. A postoffice was established in 1873, with Edward Biglow as postmaster. Rev. Low was the early Methodist preacher and Rev. Curry the Baptist preacher. Cuba was another village in the township of Kilbourne but there are but few who remember it. During the exciting war between Bath and Havana for the county seat, while Bath was the county seat, the Havana people succeeded in bringing the matter up for a vote, well knowing that they had the necessary votes for removal. The Bath people thought to throw an impediment in the way, so they bought eighty acres of land of Dr. Mastic, in Kilbourne township, and made a paper town and called it Cuba, claiming that it was near the center of the county. They had the land platted in lots with a handsome public square, streets and alleys. They were not as successful in this as was Asa Langford, when he traded Watterford lots for the steamboat Navigator.
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