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Downs Township History

McLean County, Illinois

(Transcribed by: Teri Moncelle Colglazier)

Downs Township occupies, in the southern tier of townships, the fourth from the eastern border of the county, and is described as Town 22 north, Range 3, and the northern two tiers of sections of Town 21 north, Range 3 east of the Third Principal Meridian. Downs was principally a prairie town, having no timber except Diamond Grove, a small collection of timber on the Kickapoo, in Sections 5, 6 and 7, and skirting of " Old Town Timber," along the northern border of Sections 1, 2 and 3, and "Johnson's Point," a small grove in Section 25-covering in the aggregate scarcely four sections of the forty-eight which constitute the town. The township took its name from Lawson Downs, who came here from White County-though originally from Tennessee-in 1829, and took up a claim at "Diamond Grove," on Section 6, some years before the land here came into market. The Kickapoo is the only creek in Downs, running for about three miles across its northwestern corner. °' Blue Branch " and " Jacoby's Branch " run through the -town, and the Long Point Creek, a branch of the Kickapoo, forms in the southern part. The land in the northern half is high and considerably rolling, containing some of the finest farms in tfie county. The southern portion is more flat, and contains fewer which attract the pleasureable attention of the traveler. [The History of McLean County, Illinois, Chicago: W. LeBaron Jr. & Co., 1879] Savanna was the name first given to this territory when townships were organized in 1858. It finally took the present name in honor of Lawson Downs, who settled there in 1828. Other early settlers were Henry Jacoby, Thomas Toverea and Sylvester Peasley. The latter served as supervisor for many years and was a prominent and influential citizen. John Cusey, a cattle raiser and compatriot of Isaac Funk, was another pioneer. Sevier Stringfield and John Rice built sawmills along the Kickapoo creek in the early days. The whole township has a population of 1,127. ["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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