of Menard and Mason Counties
By T.G. Onstott
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CHAPTER XXXVI Page 338 The most notable feature of this township is that there is not a village in the whole body. Kilbourne is the nearest town on the south, while Easton is the nearest on the north, Havana on the west and Mason City of the east. Bull's Eye Prairie is in the center, Crane Creek on the eastern boundary runs south the whole length of the township. Bull's Eye, before artificial drainage, was a wet prairie and the road across it was nearly impassable during the wet season. There was no settlement, only on the outskirts, that were bordered with a scrubby Black Jack timber, and the land was so sandy as to be unfit for cultivation. Crane Creek was settled in a very early day. Most of the early settlers were from Menard. The first settlement was made in Walker's Grove. In 1829, the year that Ross made a permanent settlement in Havana, George Gannas and his brother made a squatter claim on the east side of Walker's Grove. They did not remain long and soon returned to the state from whence they came. Very few of the early settlers were fitted for pioneer life, leaving, as they did, older settled communities, surrounded by the comforts of civilization, and coming to a country where none of these were to be had. With their wives and children deprived of these advantages, no wonder they weakened and found more congenial places to rear their families. The year of 1830 an influx of emigrants came into the township. These were James Price, Enoch Estep and Spence Clary. Price is remembered for his Indian wife. She was a fine specimen of the Indian race. On leaving Walker's Grove in a few years he went farther west to the Indian Reservation. Here he lost his life while boating. Clary remained a citizen as long as he lived and was buried on the farm of Henry Sears. He was in the war in 1812, and is spoken of as a hard working man. Estep was from North Carolina and built his cabin near Revis Springs. J.A. Revis, from Warren county, Kentucky, came in 1831. Revis Springs and Revis Lake derive their names from him. His father, Charles Revis, had come in an early day and had built a hotel at Vandalia. James Revis died in 1838 and was buried on the bluffs of the Sangamon. Time has obliterated the place, and the spot is not now known. Their sons now fill their vacant places. In 1830 a number of additions were made to the settlements. John Yardley and his two sons, James and John, came direct from Kentucky, stopping a short time in Menard county. Soon after they located on Crane Creek. Old man Yardley, his son John and his son-in-law, Sol Norris, moved to Texas. James Yardley still resides on the farm and has been a good citizen. Josiah Cook next put in an appearance from Green county, Kentucky. By his death many promises to pay were cancelled. James Sutton came to Walker's Grove the year following. He sold to James Estep and moved to Havana township. In the year of 1820 he came to Menard county. He laid his claim within the limit of Petersburg. James gave up his claim to his father and moved across the Sangamon to Baker's Prairie, but finally came back and improved the north part of his first claim and when it came into the market entered it. He moved to different localities, but returned to Mason county where he died. Harvey Haskins was in the Grove in 1833. It was no trouble for him to move as by walking and carrying his baby, and attended by his wife, who carried their effects in a sack, the feat of moving was easily accomplished. In 1822 Henry Sears came to Illinois. He lived in various localities, most of the time in Menard and Sangamon. In 1834 he came to Walker's Grove and purchased the improvements of James Estep. He sold them to James Walker in 1837, and the following spring moved to Crane Creek where he was a citizen of Sangamon, Menard and Mason without ever changing his residence. Uncle Henry Sears, as an eccentric man, was always noted for his peculiarities; a man of undoubted integrity and honesty. His word was as good as his bond. He was a member of the first petit jury every held in Mason county. Abner Baxter, from Kentucky, settled in the Grove soon after Sears. Abner had a reputation as a fiddler and his services were always in request at the hoe-downs. He was a member of the board of county commissioners in 1844. The year 1836 added Jesse Baker, a brother-in-law of Sears, to the settlements. He was a great hunter and perhaps killed more deer than any other man in Mason county. Alfred Summers came from Kentucky and settled on the farm now owned by Henry Sears. He died in 1837 and his death was one of the first to occur among the early settlers. Passing back to 1835, we find Josiah Dobson, John Close and his sons, George and Jack Close, and also Turner Close. Jack Close finally moved to Havana. James Walker came from Dearborn county, Indiana, and bought a large tract of land in what is now called Walker's Grove. He lived and raised a large family, who have been largely identified with the interest and growth of the county. He built the first frame house in the county. Robert Cavin, from South Carolina, is thought to have settled in the township in 1837. Charles and John Haynes became citizens in 1838. At the close of 1839, Isaac Teters, Hiram and George Walker, Huff Hines, Henry Norris and Lemuel Pelham became citizens here. Teters came from St. Clair county and moved to Texas. Hiram Walker also moved to Texas. Henry Norris was from Kentucky and was the brother of Solomon Norris, one of the first settlers. Huff Hines was a fellow but a few remember. Lemuel Pelham was a Buckeye and to use Henry Sear's expression "shackeled around" and from the length of time he spent in each locality, he must have been one hundred and fifty years old. Asher Scott and his brother, Martin, came with him, but settled in what is now Sherman township. Around the year 1840 Charles Veach, Elijah Riggin and Ensley Hall were added to the population. Veach was from Delavan and lost his life by the caving in of a well. Ensley Hall came from Tennessee to Menard, then to Mason and again located in Menard. Rev. John L. Turner, a Baptist preacher, made a settlement near James Hawks in 1840. He was a quiet man, a zealous minister, worked six days in a week and then preached more scriptural sermons than the preachers of the present day do after spending the whole week on one or two sermons. He also held offices in the gift of the people. He preached from the time he came to the state till his death. Samuel Conwell came from Indiana. Conwell was an oddity. The early settlers thought Conwell proud because he did not dress in western style. Coon skin caps and buckskin pants were the fashion then and Con soon found himself unpopular and he went by the name of "that D---d Yankee." Con first introduced Berkshire hogs and he was sued several times, the charge was "swindling the people." Conwell always came out victorious and Jesse Baker was led to say, "we can't correct this Jerusalem Overtaker of anything." Conwell was the first man to introduce improved implements and fine hogs in the country, so he deserves mention for that. The year 1841-32 brought in Henry Seymour, James H. and Joseph Norris, George Hall, Christian Trueman and Harvey Stone. The Norrises were from Kentucky; Joseph moved to Texas. George Hall bought the Walker farm. The Stones were from Ohio. Harvey, after a few years, went back to Ohio and Christian moved to Iowa. Henry Seymour was from Germany. Samuel Nutz, with his sons, settled in 1844. Harvey Hathorn came in 1846. He was from Kentucky and of Scotch descent. The same year a number of the Tomlins moved in the northeast part of the township. In 1850 Allen Robinson and James Hawks moved in. Hawks settled in Walker's Grove. Elisha Davenport came to what is now Mason county, but he did not become a citizen of Crane Creek till 1849. Many others came about this time, but whose names are omitted because of want of space.
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