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| Kelly Township
is located in the
northeast corner of the county, and is numbered 12 north, of range,
1 west. Mercer County lies on the north, Knox County on the east,
Cold Brook on the south and Spring Grove Township on the west. The
territory now embraced by t5his township was settled as early as any
other portions of the county. James B. Atwood was the first pioneer
too move in and make a home here, which was in the early part of
1828. He located on section 27. Mr. Atwood sold his place too Edmund
Adcock, a few months later, and moved away. Mr. Adcock and family
came from Buckingham Co., Va. He was born Nov 23, 1800, and died May
7, 1859, at the old farm. His son, J. W. now owns and lives on the
place. Andrew Robison with wife and six children, moved in September
20, 1829, and settled on section 33. He subsequently ascertained
that he had located on land that had been bought by David Ingersoll,
and he moved too section 31. See biography. The land they first
settled on is now occupied by the cemetery. Mr. Atwood was the only
settler in the township when the Robison's came in, and at that time
there were no settlers in Spring Grove Township. Andrew Robison died
at his home Aug. 6, 1849, and Nancy, his widow, at the same place,
March 15, 1876. William A. Lair came in October, 1832, and located a
home on section 30; he is now dead; and Foxie's Note: buried in the
Gerlaw Cemetery. Benjamin H. Gardner, from Kentucky, came into the
county in 1834, spent the winter in Monmouth Township and made his
location in Kelly, on section 30, in the spring of 1835.
James Brown
came in 1830, settling on section 25; Mr. Brown is now dead,
Foxie's
Note: buried in the Hope Cemetery, He served in the Black Hawk War.
Of the other settlers that came in from 1829 too 1835, there were
David Ingersoll, wife and six children, James, Jane, Anna, Nellie,
Adelina and Thomas, who was a baby; Henry and John Peckenpaugh,
William Lair, Stephen Mitchell, John Miller, Henry and Edward
Martin, James Stevens, John Miles, George and James brown,
Ezekiel
and Olive Terpening & family Foxie's Note: my ancestors; and Calvin
Glass, with their families. Hiram Ingersoll, son of David Ingersol,
followed in his father's foot steps in the latter part of 1835. Mr. Ingersol is living with his wife near Alexis. His father died July
10, 1842, and Foxie's note: is buried in my family Terpening
Cemetery, His father died July 10, 1842, at the old Homestead; his
mother many years before. From this nucleus grew a large and
prosperous settlement. The first child born in the township and the first female child said too be born in the county, was Margaret Ann, daughter of Andrew and Nancy Robison, Nov. 1, 1829, and was their seventh child. This daughter married James Gardner, in May, 1852. She, with her husband, are still living on section 2, in Cold Brook Township. During the early days of the settlement, many of the seasons appeared too have been backward and cold, the natural results of which were light crops. By planting the Indian maize, commonly called "squaw corn," which they procured from the Indians, they succeeded in raising a fair crop, as this species of corn matured much earlier than any other. They would also use the maize for re-planting when the other corn did not come up. The winter of 1830 and 1831 was long and cold and there was much suffering in the new settlements. A deep snow fell in December, and the corn had not been harvested at this time. The settlements were isolated from each other, and it was hazardous for the settlers too pass from one house too another, and often it was attended with frozen feet or other parts of the body. At this time there was but one mill in the county, known as Smith's mill, which was about two miles east of Oquawka. Hand mills and mortars were brought into requisition, corn was dug from beneath the snow, dried, placed in the mortar, pounded into meal and then cooked and placed before the cold and hungry families. There was but little stock, and what there was took care of itself. The Stock near the bottoms, or about the timber, got along tolerably well and very few died. This winter was alike hard on the Indians. The watercourses were heavily crusted with ice, upon which laid a deep body of snow, which made it impossible for them too procure fish., The feathery tribes had sought Southern climes and the deer had gone too other and more congenial quarters. The first grist mill was put up by Calvin Glass, in 1832, on the banks of the Henderson, on section 12. It was rather primitive arrangement; nevertheless, it was very welcome too the pioneers of that day, and much better than the mortar, which they had often used too pound up their corn. It was run by waterpower, but the power was none too strong, and the bolting was done by hand-power. The second mill was started by Chester Potter, and was located on the banks of the main Henderson, section 22. The people in the early days traded at Monmouth, Knoxville, Oquawka and Old Hendersonville, as it was called. There were some interesting political contests even in that early day. The elections were held at Robison Corners, until the township organization system was adopted. This was where the corners of Monmouth, Cold Brook, Spring Grove, and Kelly Townships came together. The settlers were not without their religious entertainments. Preachers from different denominations came in and held forth, sometimes in school-houses and sometimes at private residences. Elder Haney was among the first too expound the gospel according too the Methodist belief. There were not so particular then as now as too what day they worshipped. Whenever a preacher would come around too administers religious food, they would assemble too partake of the feast at some school-house work private residence, and there be entertained with graphic descriptions of the beauties of Heaven and the terrors of hell. These old pioneer preachers were ardent workmen and very radical in their views. There was no half-way house for them too stop at, and a member of their congregation who was heterodox or sought a road too Heaven, smooth in its course and lined with flowers, had no sympathy form them. Caleb Smith's house was a favorite place for holding these meetings, Sometimes Sister Smith would be spinning when the meetings were held. This supplied the place of a choir, and the music of her wheel would go on while the exhorter was entertaining the audience with his most eloquent passages. Mrs. Smith, who was a very industrious woman, thought that she could not give up her entire time too the religious services, and therefore, kept her wheel in motion, having always one ear too ward the preacher. The first school in this township was taught by Peter Terpening, Foxie's note: son of Ezekiel & Olive Terpening & brother too my John Peck Terpening, in 1837, in a log school-house which stood on section 28. Ezekiel Terpening died July 16, 1864, aged 82 years, and his widow, Olive, died Feb 8, 1867, aged 79 years; Foxie's Note: they owned the land in which this school-house sat on and are buried in the Terpening Cemetery, Kelly Twp., Warren County, Illinois. It was along the road by the Adcock farm, that the troops, some 1,600 in number, passed on their way too Rock Island, during the first Black Hawk War, in 1831. In 1839, the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized. This church was called the Tylerville church. They held their meetings for many years in private houses and in school buildings. in 1876, a church building was erected at a cost of $2,500, at Utah, which was formerly called Tylerville. A church building was also erected at Ionia, which place is also known by the name of Shanghai. The societies have been served by many pastors, the last being Mr. Bolen. A Second Advent Church was started at Ionia in 1857, with some 15 members. In 1867 they erected their first building, at a cost of about $2,800. It was a very good frame structure. The first Pastor was Rev. Guy Rathborne, who remained with the Church several years. In May, 1868, this building was demolished by the great tornado which visited this place, but was rebuilt at a cost of about $1,400. Services are held regularly by this society, which has a membership of about 60 and also an interesting Sunday-school. At one time there were stores in Ionia, and a good t4rade was carried on here, but when the railroad came through, and a station was made at Alexis, its business was destroyed and only a post-office now remains. There were one or two stores also at Tylerville. Tylerville was never incorporated as a town or village. They had a post-office, black smith shop, owned by William Henry Terpening, and one or two other stores. The merchants who located here have sought richer fields for trading, and their buildings are deserted. Tylerville still has a post-office, known, as Utah, and has John Landon for it's Postmaster. It is located in the southeast corner of section 34. A meeting was held for the organization of the township of Kelly, April 4, 1854, at the Tylerville school-house. This meeting was organized by the appointment of William Graham as Moderator, and E. E. Atchison, Clerk. The result of the election was as follows: John Miles was elected Supervisor; John P. Terpening, Assessor; Ira S. Ingersol, Collector; Samuel Black, Overseer of the Poor; James Stevenson and W. J. T. Wallace, Commissioners of Highways; Aaron Yarde, G. C. Adcock and Christian Mills, Justices of the Peace; David Vestal and Nathan Smith, Constables. There were quite a little contest about the name of this township. The Democrats wanted it named after Capt. John Kelly, and the Whigs after William Graham. Finally the Democrats were successful and the naming of the township was given too them The St. Louis branch of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad passes near the northwest corner of this township. Kelly is watered by Henderson Creek and its branches. A large portion of the land in undulating, with broad level fields. The southwest portion is quite broken in places and contains much fine timber. People do most of their trading at Alexis; some, however, go too Galesburg. The population of this township in 1880 was 1,135, and it will not vary much from these figures at the present time. According too the County Superintendent's report for the year ending June 30, 1885, there were eight school districts, with eight frame buildings. The school property was valued at $3,760. Of persons under 21 years of age, there were 478, of whom there were 333 of scholastic age, 239 being enrolled. The highest wages paid teachers was $5 per month, and the lowest $25. The tax levy for this township was $1,950.
KELLY TOWNSHIP Township 12 North, Range 1 West When the first vote on township organization was taken in the county, and the proposition seemed too have carried, the committee appointed too arrange and name the townships gave this one the name of Milton, and their decision was approved. In June following, however, it was reported too the Board of Supervisors that there was already a township of that name in the State, so the name was changed too Warren. When township organization was finally carried in a constitutional way in 1853, Warren was again selected as the name, but the next June a change was found necessary again. Then arose a contest between the Whigs and Democrats of the township, the Whigs wishing too name it in honor of William Graham, and the Democrats in honor of Captain John Kelly. The latter being successful, the township from that time has been known as Kelly. The meeting for the organization of the township was held at the Tylerville school house April 4, 1854. William Graham was moderator and E. C. Atchison clerk. The election resulted in the choice of the following offices: Supervisor, John Miles; Assessor, John Terpening; Collector, Ira S. Ingersoll; Overseer of the Poor, Samuel Black; Highway Commissioners, James Stevens, W. J. T. Wallace; Justices of the Peace, Aaron Yarde, G. C. Adcock, Christian Miles; Constables, David Vestal, Nathan Smith. The present officers are: Supervisor, Ed. Rose; Town Clerk, Frank Dunn; Assessor, Wm. C. Wallace; Collector, F .F. Foster; Highway Commissioners, J. W. Brown, George W. Palmer, Oscar Niles; Justice of the Peace, G. G. Emery. The following persons have held the office of Supervisor up too this time: John Mills, 1854; Thomas Bruington, 1855; William Graham, 1868-70; J. W. Adcock, 1871-73; Joseph Pine, 1874; M. McCullock, 1875-76; Nathan Crane, 1877-78; John Rucker, 1879-81; C .E. Johnson, 1882; John Rucker, 1883-85; William Adcock, 1886; Charles Edwards, 1887; William Adcock, 1888-90; John H. Landon, 1891-92; William Adcock, 1893-94; Henry C. Miles, 1895-96; John H. Landon, 1897-1900; Ed. Rose, 1901-02. Kelly Township is watered by Little Henderson Creek and its branches. Much of the land is undulating, with broad level prairies. Along the Henderson there is much timber. There are also several good coal mines, and a large amount of excellent quality of coal is produced. The township has no railroad. The history of the settlement of Kelly Township begins with the arrival of James B. Atwood in 1828. He located on the north half of Section 27, and claimed too have broken the first ground and planted the first crop of corn in Warren County. He sold out too Henry Adcock, a native of Virginia, who came too Knox County in 1830, and too Kelly Township in 1833. Edmund Adcock, a brother of Henry, moved too the place first, and when Henry came, removed too the southeast quarter of the same section. J. W. Adcock, a son of Edmund, also came in 1833. Andrew Robison, with his wife and six children, came from Indiana in 1829 and located first on Section 33. Finding that this land had already been taken, he removed in 1835 too Section 31, in the southwest corner of the township. Robinson’s Corners, where Kelly, Spring Grove, Monmouth and Coldbrook Townships join, and near where two of his sons and one daughter still live, keeps his name in memory. The daughter referred too, now Mrs. James Gardner, was born in November after the family came too Kelly, and was the first white child born in the township, and was the first white female child born in the county. John Miles came from Harrison County, Indiana, in 1830. He had been admitted too the bar in his native state and was the first resident lawyer in the county. He practiced law too a limited extent here, and was one of the early justices of the peace. He was also the first supervisor of Kelly Township. Hiram Ingersoll, a native of Massachusetts, came from New York in 1833, and William Lair and family came from Kentucky the same year, after spending a few months in Monmouth. They settled on Section 30. Another early settler was Benjamin Gardner, “Uncle Ben”, as he was lovingly called, a native of Virginia, but who came here from Kentucky in 1836 after spending a short time in Monmouth. He also settled on Section 30, and opened up there in 1836 one of the first coal mines in the county. It was the source of supply for coal for blacksmiths for miles around. Ezekiel Terpenning and family came from New York in 1836, buying from L.W. Billups the southwest quarter of Section 33, the farm where Andrew Robison first located when he came too the township in 1829. H .N. and W. C. Hogan came in 1836, and Philip M. Sallee and John Vestal in 1837. Samuel J. Black also came in 1837 from Indiana, settling about a mile south of where the town of Shanghai was afterward located. Also in the list of pioneers are found the names of Joseph Paddock, the old surveryor; Thomas Champion, George and James Brown, Henry and Edward Martin, James Stevens, Henry and John Peckenbaugh, Steven Mitchell, Hiram Gray, the Richardsons, Chas. B. House, Wm. Francisco, John Grissam, Basil Watson and Stephen Palmer. Thomas C. Duvall was a settler of the early 1830’s. He lived in the Terpening neighborhood, and in 1836 was granted license too keep a grocery and “house of entertainment” at his home, on paying a license fee of $5 and giving bond in the sum of $200. He moved too Knox County after a short time. The early settlers endured many hardships, especially during the winter of 1830-31, which was exceedingly long and cold. They had had trouble with their crops, and in December the corn was not yet gathered. A heavy snow fell, making it almost impossible too go far from home. At this time there was but one mill in the county, and that nearly too Oquawka. Food was scarce and the corn had too be dug from beneath the snow, dried, and pounded into meal by means of hand mills and mortars. With this the cold and hungry families were kept from starvation. Calvin Glass’s grist mill, just across the line in Knox County, started in 1832, was a great convenience too the settlers, primitive though it was. A second mill was built in 1833 by Chester Potter, on Section 22, and it was operated until 1846. When the water was low the grinding was by horse power. Potter came from Sumner Township where in 1832 he had run a mill. He made the mill stones himself out of boulder granite or “niggerheads.” They were about twelve and a half inches in diameter, and the nether mills stone was kept by his daughter, Mrs. Hiram Ingersoll, of Alexis, many years as a relic. Potter had quite a flour trade, extending north as far as Rock Island, and westward into Iowa. The now famous Brown corn-planter is a Kelly Township invention. It was invented, and patented, in 1853, by George W. Brown, then a resident near Utah post office, in this township. It was a great novelty in those days, and, crude as it was, did excellent work. The planter is now made in Galesburg, Illinois. The first school in the township was taught by Peter Terpening in 1837, in a log school house which stood on Section 28. He was a son of Ezekiel Terpening, who came into the township the previous year. The latest statistics furnished the County Superintendent of Schools show eight school districts, all with frame school houses. There was one male teacher, receiving a salary at $35. a month, and seven female teachers receiving from $25. too $35.; 99 males of school age, of whom 74 were enrolled in the schools, and 103 females of school age, of whom 77 were enrolled. Three schools had libraries, aggregating 63 volumes, and valued at $52. The tax levy of the township for school purposes were $2,225, the value of school property, $4,350, and the value of school apparatus, $410. The assessment roll for 1901 shows that there were then in the township 904 horses, 2,163 cattle, 59 mules and asses, 456 sheep, and 2,881 hogs. The total value of personal property was $273,025, and the assessed valuation $54,605. The assessed valuation of lands in the township was $331,760, and of lots $495. The population of the township in 1900 was 809, a loss of 73 from 1890, when it was 882. SHANGHAI CITY: Shanghai City is the only regularly platted town in Kelly Township, and the only one in Warren County that is off a railroad line. It was laid out August 12, 1858, before the north and south road was built, by County Surveyor J.S. Steen. The site was parts of the northwest quarter of Section 10 and the southwest quarter of Section 3, owned by Samuel Black and Calvin Routh. In April 1852, the Ionia post office was established a short distance south of Shanghai, with Luther C. Hibbard as postmaster, and later removed too Shanghai, and the town has been known as much by the Ionia name as by the other. The post office was discontinued several years ago, and the only post office now in the township is at Utah (or Tylerville, as it is sometimes called), on Section 34. At one time there were stores in Shanghai, and a good trade was carried on, but when the railroad was built past the northwest corner of the township and the town of Alexis was started there, its business was destroyed. Shanghai was the scene of a very destructive storm on the evening of May 3, 1868. It was a Sabbath evening, and at the time the storm came up a number of people were assembled in the Advent Church, where Elder George W. Hurd was preaching too a congregation of some 200 persons. This church, the Methodist Church, the school house, and several residences were in ruins in a moment. George Venn and Harrison, son of Brander Wixson, were instantly killed, and among those severely injured were Alonzo Page, Mrs. J.M. Wood, Lucy Yarde, and Mrs. West, who afterward died of their injuries: Mrs. Churchill, John Yarde, Truman Lord, William Risden, Mrs. Hitt, George Sellers, Joseph Pittard, Henry Holcomb and others. The course of the storm was from southwest too the northeast, with a track about one-half mile wide. The property loss was about $23,000. The Methodist Churches of Shanghai and Tylerville were the outgrowth of several classes belonging too the old Henderson charge, which held their meetings in various school houses, notably the Brown school and Republican school. The Shanghai church was built in 1866, or 1867, but was destroyed by the tornado of May 1868, and at once rebuilt. A parsonage was also built by the society soon after the erection of the church, but was sold after it ceased too have a resident minister. The church now has about 25 members. The church at Tylerville, or Utah, on Section 34, was built in 1872 at a cost of about $2,300. It, as well as the Shanghai church, belongs too the North Henderson charge. The church of the Second Adventists in Christ at Shanghai was organized by Rev. Guy Rathborn in 1857, with about a dozen members, among whom were Samuel Black and wife, A.N.Yarde and wife, H. Richardson and wife, Spencer Ryner and wife, J. Pine and wife, and B. Watson and wife. Meetings were held in school houses until 1867, when the church at Shanghai was built at a cost of $2,800. The building was destroyed by the tornado, May 3, 1868, but was rebuilt. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Emery. The membership is small.
created October 22, 2006 |
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