LeRoy Community - History - McLean County Illinois Genealogy & History

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Community of LeRoy
History
McLean County, Illinois

(Transcribed by: Teri Moncelle Colglazier)

Amos Neal built the first log house in LeRoy in 1835 on the southeast corner of Center and Chestnut Sts. T. J. Barnett built the second log house, a 14 by 16 ft. building, in Block 15.
The original town of LeRoy, 28 blocks, was laid out by Gridley and Covel in 1835, and has been enlarged until it covers more than one section of land and is still growing.
A few families were in LeRoy in 1836: Edgar Conkling, Dr. Moran, Amos Neal, Hiram Patterson. Moses Kimler. and Leonard P. Morron.
Hiram Buck came to Illinois in 1833, and to LeRoy in 1837; James Wiley in 1837; Daniel Proctor in 1837; Stephen Conkling, Harmon Buck and families in 1839. They were millwrights by trade and built the first steam saw and grist mill on the south side of town in 1840. It was of great benefit to this community to have our wheat and corn made into flour and meal at home. A little later, Josiah Horr introduced a wool carding machine and we thought it great when we could have our wool made into rolls right here. All the farmers kept some sheep, and homemade clothes were in style, and the spinning wheels were kept whizzing.

Elisha Gibbs and sons, Simeon and David, were mill-wrights by trade. They built the first steam saw and grist mill and wool-carding attachments in LeRoy in 1840.
It was 40 ft. by 46 ft. and 2-1/2 stories high. It had one set of three-foot stones and cost $4000. It was built on the slough on the south side of town, south of the present Owens' Bi-Ritc store, south of the railroad.
It burned in 1844.

[Heritage of the prairie : a history of LeRoy and of Empire and West townships, McLean County, Illinois (1976) LeRoy Historical Society; LeRoy Bi-Centennial Commission]
The village of LeRoy [in Empire Township] was platted by Asahel Gridley and Merritt Covell in 1835, but hard times delayed its growth. Hiram Buck located here in 1837 and became first postmaster of LeRoy. He was also justice of the peace and member of the county court in the 50’s. Hiram, John W. Badderly and Amos Neal were LeRoy's first merchants; others were Baker, Greenman, the Parke brothers, Morehouse and Barnett. Joseph Keenan was merchant and banker.
Modern LeRoy has two miles of paved streets, several good churches, a bank, a newspaper, a branch of the Bloomington Canning company, a pretty park in the center of town, several fraternity lodges, a post of the American Legion, a commercial club and many organizations of women.
For many years a successful agricultural fair was conducted at LeRoy. The population of ... LeRoy 1,000.
["Official souvenir program, McLean County Centennial, Aug. 27, 28, 30, 1930" by: McLean County Illinois Centennial Souvenir Program Committee, Harold Lang and Eugene Funk]

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