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Lawndale Township History
McLean County, Illinois
(Transcribed by: Teri Moncelle Colglazier)

During the 1820’s the news had spread to Kentucky and Tennessee that there was good land available for settlement in the new state of Illinois. People whose ancestors had moved into those states from the East coast now decided to move, hoping to find better and cheaper land. This area, known only as Township 25 north, Rage 5 east, had a small tract of timber in its southwestern corner. In 1828, travelers from Madison and Boone Counties in Kentucky came to this land just north of the Mackinaw River. They were part of a group of 42 that arrived in Tazewell County a few days earlier. John, George and William Henline and their families were the first settlers in what became Lawndale Township. Their father, two brothers and a sister stayed and settled near Armington. John Henline chose a spot in Section 30 several miles from the river and away from the lowlands that flooded, but near a small stream that took his name and is today known as Henline Creek. William chose land in Section 32 a little to the southeast of John’s land. They had selected places where timber was available for that was a necessity to the pioneer. The timber provided him with fuel, building material, and a place of shelter for the game he needed for food. George settled in Lawndale Township for about 5 years and then moved to Money Creek Township after he stopped for a few years near Pleasant Hill. These families had few neighbors, but they knew the settlers at Pleasant Hill. Mrs. John Henline’s brother, Major Darnell, became the first white settler in Livingston County for he chose a spot near the Indian Grove timber about 10 miles to the northeast. That area was not organized into Livingston County until 1837. Sometimes Indians wandered by during those first years. There was a group that was enumerated at near 700, who lived near Indiana Grove. They were friendly to the white settlers, had been converted to Christianity, and knew of the white man’s language and customs. Several books tell of the experiences of the settlers during those years. Then came the Black Hawk War, and John Henline and others built a fort for protection, if necessary, under the direction of Capt. Covel of Bloomington. Another fort was built at Money Creek. Capt. Covel was chief in command, and the men of the frontier followed his orders. It was not necessary to use the fort, but George Spawr, one of the mounted guards who roamed the country, sounded a false alarm to see if the militia would come in time and there was a big scurry for the place of protection. The Spawrs, Pattons, Fosters and several other families had established a settlement near Pleasant Hill, later called Selma. Some of the Henlines made a trip back to Kentucky in 1830, for tools and supplies. Then came the winter of the “Big Snow” that tested their ability to survive. By now Mrs. John Henline’s brother-in-law and family, John Boone Thompson, was living to the northeast between the Henlines and Major Darnell. Only a few more families came here to settle during the next few years. Martin Batterton came in 1833, and married America Taylor of Knox County, a relative of Mrs. Wm. Henline, and settled nearby. John Smith and his wife, Cassander Wiley Smith, and family of 8 children who had left Kentucky in 1818, and lived in Switzerland County, Indiana for about 16 years came to the Mackinaw in the fall of 1834. They also settled in Section 30 just south of John Henline. It was 1835 before the families could make legal entries for the land. John Henline entered land for his son, J. J. because he was not old enough to do so. Thomas Smith, John Smith’s oldest son, also entered land. A few years later J. J. Henline married Sarah Smith. Each family had a large number of children and soon there were numerous marriages among these families. Curtis Batterton had arrived from Kentucky and married Melinda Henline, one of William Henline’s daughters. Benjamin Taylor, America’s brother, came back from Knox County, married Martha Henline, another of William’s daughters and they settled in Section 32 near her parents. Cynthia Henline married John Henline Jr., her cousin, and China Henline, also a daughter of William, married Perry J. Foster. McLean County had been divided into 5 voting precincts and people of this area were in the Mackinaw Precinct and voted at Pleasant Hill. By 1850, there were still only 50 families listed south of the Mackinaw and this included those in what is now part of Lexington Twp. Land had not come onto the market until 1835, when it was surveyed, then land could be entered and a title secured. Men roaming around trying to find what land had been taken up were discouraged and not given any information. Hard times and a financial panic in 1837 hit the nation. The difficult winter of 18346, when the temperature dropped rapidly caused many animals to freeze as did many people caught away from home in the severe weather. This was the winter of the “Big Freeze”. During these years the score or so of families in what became Lawndale held close to the timber, occupied the prairies with their cattle, and raised a few cattle or hogs for sale. These had to be driven to market many miles away at Peoria, Pekin or Chicago. They did not want to sell the timber land and did not want to buy the prairie land. Then came the era of railroad building. The Illinois Central was built from Freeport to Cairo and another form Chicago to St. Louis passing through Lexington. Soon Pleasant Hill lost its importance as a trading place. Now settlers were coming in from Ohio and New York looking for places to settle. John Cassedy came from New York in 1851. He had helped his father clear land in Michigan so after earning some money in the big city he deposited enough for a land warrant and went in search of a spot. He decided to settle near the railroad land, got a track map of Lawndale and Indian Grove Township at the land office in Danville, and began looking for a place with 40 acres of timber and the rest prairie. This was not to be found. He took up a claim for 40 acres near Indian Grove and then chose prairie land in Section 18. He returned to New York to work for the same company and came back to Illinois in 1855. He raised three crops before he could see his corn. Another financial panic had hit the country in 1857. In 1860 he shelled 1200 bushels of corn, took it to Lexington, sent it to Chicago, and netted seven cents per bushel. Some of the settlers from Ohio during the 50’s were J. W. L. Matheny; Joel Smith in Sec. 5; Jon F. Smith, Sec. 4; James B. Williams, Sec 8; James Wilson, Sec 25; John Hawthorn, a native of Pennsylvania who had moved to Ohio, came to Sec. 28; and Joseph Hamilton, Sec. 3. From Kentucky had come John Burdette to Sec. 9 and 16; H. H. Hughes to Sec. 10, and many others. By 1860 there were 57 families in Lawndale Township. In 1858, there was a change in the county government. The townships became political organizations and officers were elected in each township. John Cassedy was elected the first supervisor; T. S. Smith and J. T. Ayers, Justices of the Peace; John Burdette, Clerk; J. H. Hays, J. R. Moon, and Alfred Heath, Commissioners of Highways; and J. H. Burdett, Assessor. The township was divided into four road districts. A name was to be chosen. John Cassedy suggested Lawndale, and it was approved without dissent. A few scattered schools had been built, and in April 1866, the township was divided into five districts. By 1878, there were nine school districts. After the Civil War ended there was a rush of settlers into all areas. By 1878, thirteen teachers were employed for there were over 357 children between 6 and 21, 518 under 21, and 272 were enrolled in school. Some of the families coming to Lawndale about this time were Kilgore, Weeks, Arnold, Mitchell, Benson, Rich, Skinner, Bechtel, Bourquin, Wilson, Hickey, Maddox, White, Myers, McNabb, Lawrence, Williams, Neil, Vance, Hiser, Abbott, and Garner. In all, there were 151 households in 1870 Men of Lawndale had enlisted in carious companies during the Civil war. Some enrolled in Capt. Patton’s Company, then Capt. Oglesby’s. Several went into Normal and some into Livingston County. No complete list of those going was ever compiled. Church was held in the homes at first. J. W. L. Matheny’s home provided shelter for itinerant ministers. Land was given by Joel Smith for a Methodist Church in Section 5. A congregation had been formed in 1860, and the church was erected in 1865. It became known as the Lawndale Methodist church, was part of the Pleasant Hill Circuit, and the minister lived there. In 1868, another Methodist church was built on land given by John Smith in Section 30. Evergreen Methodist was built here. It was also a part of the Pleasant Hill Circuit. A cemetery was laid out by each church. Here we find graves of many of those who lived in the community near each church. During the 1870’s and 80’s, there was a big movement of Illinois people to Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa where land could be obtained by homesteading. Trainloads of people and their possessions left for the west each year. Many members of the families of these first settlers are found on the records of those who moved west. Then came a migration of German families who settled mostly in the northeastern part of the township. New names included Petersen, Winterland, Heins, Schuler, Hadeqig (Hadaway), Brandt, and later Alpers, Bose, Juers, and Reinitz. They organized a Lutheran congregation and a small frame church was built. Nearby was a cemetery for members of their families. This congregation is still a very active congregation and a beautiful new church has replaced their earlier church building. Township government had prevailed, and a town hall was built near the center of the township by the appropriately named Lawndale Center schoolhouse. The schoolhouse became the town hall after the consolidation of schools. There has never been a town established in Lawndale Township. Nearness to Colfax, located at its edge, was probably a factor for this. Lawndale remains the only township in McLean County not to have a railroad built across any part of it. There is no concrete pavement, but State Route 165 touches four miles of its southern edge. There are several fine, improved asphalt, State-Aid roads that cross the township in both north - south and east - west directions. Lawndale has contributed men to the support of their country during the Spanish - American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict and the undeclared war in Viet Nam. A descendant of John Smith, one of the first settlers, named Elmo Scott Watson became a well-known author, journalist, university teacher and laid a claim to fame in the literary world. In the political realm, John Cassedy was also a State Legislator. In the Sports World Fred Fincham obtained notice as a boxer. [History of Lawndale, Martin, And Anchor Townships And The Villages Of Colfax And Anchor - McLean County, Illinois - A Project Of The Bi-Centennial Committee Muriel Martens Hoffman Historian - April 1976] This is another township without a town or village. Its lands are prairies of much fertility. Its first settlers located in the 50's. John Cassedy early resident, became a member of the legislature. John Henline settled here in 1828 and Henline creek is named for him. Residents of that part of the county in the Black Hawk war banded together and built a block house for protection against hostile reds. Indians who had formerly lived in this county had by that time removed to Oliver's Grove in Livingston county. Colfax, located just beyond the boundaries of Lawndale, is the trading of that township. Anchor and Lexington are also near by. Population of the township is 650. ["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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