Richland County, IL
Township Histories
Noble-There is no room in Richland County for any considerable town other than the county-seat. It possesses the advantage of the public business, a central location, the best railroad facilities and equal manufacturing advantages with any other point in the county. It is, therefore, likely to maintain its position without fear of a rival within this limited area. The location of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, however, stimulated the enterprise of land owners, and wherever opportunity offered, a town was platted along its line. Of these, in Richland County, Noble has proven the most successful. This was laid out in Noble Township, on the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 16, and the northeast quarter of Section 17, both in Township 3 north, Range 9 east. This was projected by Alfred Kitchell, Esq., and was laid out parallel with the railroad which at this point runs in a southwesterly direction. Its orginally consisted of twenty-one blocks, of sixteen tons each, and this has been found sufficient to accommodate its growth to date. It has a population of some 600 inhabitants and was incorporated under a general law, in 1862. A dozen business houses, besides the hotels and various shops, constitute the business of the town. A large flouring mill did a good business at one time, but is now doing a limited custom work. A considerable business is done in buying and shipping grain, and the local merchants find considerable trade in the surrounding country. The village is located in the midst of a fine agricultural region, and from 1865 to 1875, did a very large grain business. Since then business interests have flagged until the recent agitation in regards to the location of the Terre Haute & Western Railway through the village. It is hoped, in the event of the building of this road, that business will again take on its old prosperity. The past two years have been remarkable for the amount of apples marketed here.
Claremont- This village is another railroad town, laid out in 1853, by Jacob May. The original town consisted of fifty-five lots and was situated on the Trace road, on Section 4, Township 3, Range 14, and Section 34, Township 4, Range 14. A small addition was made by W. Schifferstein on the north side of the road, in the same year, but the railroad eventually being located considerably to the south of this location, the proprietor made two additions in 1854, to reach the road. It at first , did considerable business. A large flouring mill was built, a hotel and several stores; but of late years, it has lost much of its early thrift, and is only a small village of some 200 inhabitants. The mill is idle, though there is still some trade in grain and in the few stores gathered there.
Parkersburg- In the southeastern part of Madison Township, is the village of Parkersburg. This was laid out in 1859, by John D. Parker, on the line of the Peoria, Decatur, & Evansville Railroad. For a time it was terminus of this road and for a time it did a large business for its size. Business houses of good dimensions were erected, but with the completion of the road its glory departed and it is now chiefly conspicuous for the evidence of the business that once existed. It first consisted of some seventeen lots, but it has been extended by additions, from time to time by the proprietor, until it now numbers some sixty or seventy-five lots.
Fairview- In the northeast corner of the same township and on the same line of road, was laid out by Shadrach Ruark, quite early, but no record was made of the plat, and in 1848, it was replatted. It contained some sixty-five lots, and assumed considerable proportions upon paper, but it is a little more than a post office with the usual mercantile attachment. The post office is now known as Calhoun.
Wakefield- was laid out by Pleasant M. Stanley and Thomas Wakefield, in 1853, in the northwest corner of Denver Township. It consisted orginally of forty-eight lots, but has since been vacated. Wilsonburg, on the line between Noble and Denver Townships, Stringtown, in the northern part of German Township, and Fransonia, in the northeastern part of Decker Township, have not been platted and are merely post-offices.
Dundas- is eight miles north of Olney, in Preston Township, on the Danville,Olney, and Ohio River Railroad, and the P.,D.&E road, the two lines running parallel through the county to Olney. This little village was laid out by Alexander Stewart, James Kinkade, and W.W. Kermicle, in 1877. The original plat consisted of sixty-four lots, and quite a little village has gathered at this point. A Church, several stores, and shops and several members of the professions make up the business and social show of the place.
Glenwood- was simply a paper town. It was laid out by W.B. Crouch, a real estate agent of Cincinnati, in 1874. It was situated on the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, in Section 13, Township 3 north, Range 8 east,, just west of Noble village, in the township. It consisted of sixteen blocks and 200 or 300 lots. These were sold under misrepresentaion and resulted in the death of one of the propritors, who was shot by one of the victims of the swindle.