taken from "Roanoke Centennial History"
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Roanoke is geometrically the center township in Woodford county. It is bounded on the north by Linn, on the east by Greene, on the south of Olio and on the west by Metamora, and is known as Congressional Town 27 N., Range 1 W. It contains thirty-six sections of the finest land in Illinois, being mostly high and rolling, with soil rich and productive. Panther Creek flows from near the middle of the western part, east, crossing the line into Greene Township. The creek is fringed with a fine grove of timber, once extending from the village to the township line, and embracing about one thousand acres. The A. T. & S. F. Railroad passes diagonally through, from the northeast to the southwest, crossing Panther Creek near the southern boundary of the village of Roanoke. Until abut the year 1850, the broad prairie, from the head of Panther Grove to within a mile of Metamora, was literally a "desert waste." Not a house, fence or tree could be seen north, west or south. There were five or six cabins only in the whole township, and they were in the edge of the timber. A few families had wandered off from their native states, and, attracted to the point of timber so much, perhaps, on account of the abundance of game as for the purpose of opening farms, had built them habitations which barely protected them from the weather and the hunger of wild animals. Doubtless this explains why, in most instances, the best lands in this part of the country had been left for later settlers. After a while, the timber and adjoining prairies were all taken up, and shanties here and there - north, south and west - began to make their appearance. This was the condition in 1855. At the first election held under township organization, there were just thirty votes polled; which probably indicated a population at that time of 150, some then on account of peculiar religious views, not desiring to take any part in politics. From 1855 to 1878, the increase in population was steady, reaching abut 1,500, judging from the census of that time. The first road laid out was the section line road from Metamora east, to intersect the State road, on the Third Principal Meridan. Since the, roads and bridges have followed from time to time, as the growing country demanded, until the township justly lays claim to as good a system of thoroughfares as any in the county. The land at a distance from the timber, which by the first settlers was considered worthless, and which they supposed would not be occupied in a century now sells for around $2,000 per acre. The township was organized April 3, 1855, by the election of the following officers. There were at the 1855 election thirty voters, with eleven offices to be filled. Had there been as many applicants for office as at some subsequent elections, every man must have been candidate. Since that time, the vote doubled every eight years until 1878. The duties of the officers were not arduous, nor the prerequisites great, but they were filled with dignity and honesty. Surely the temptations for plunder were comparatively small. Be it said to the credit of the Clerk and his successors, the records have been kept intact. By an arrangement with the village, township records are kept in the Village Hall. There has never been a township hall. The village board met to choose a location for the new Town Hall on a 15 foot strip of property adjoining the present hall site, offered by B. F. Fisher. This gave frontage of 40 feet. The proposed building was about 32 X 85 in size. The Roanoke Town Hall was erected in the last part of 1891 and early part of 1892 on the site now occupied by the Maple Lanes Bowling Alley, at the cost of $1820.37 but the contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, J. N. Fisher. The Roanoke Township Supervisor and township officials holding office at that time agreed to and did pay $500 toward the construction of the building with the understanding they would have free use of the building to hold their meetings, their elections, storage for their records, and that they were not to be taxed for any part of the cost of maintenance. According to available records, the first meeting of the Roanoke Village Council held in the new hall was on March 7, 1892, and the last meeting on July 18, 1916, at which time the building was sold to Bohdaine and Sand for $2750. The present city building was purchased from Altorfer Brothers Company for $1800. The old Town Hall was used for many kinds of entertainment and possession of it changed several times until 1942 when it was so badly damaged by fire it had to be torn down.
Village of RoanokeOn December 17, 1872, the village of Roanoke was laid out, the next fall after the completion of the railroad. It was surveyed and platted by D. H. Davison, county surveyor, for Hiram Barney, David Fauber, and Benjamin Kindig, and recorded January 16, 1873. Lots were offered for sale, and immediately improvements began to be made. The Post Office was reopened after having been closed for six years. The population increased to three hundred persons, the requisite number for incorporation as a village. On April 10, 1872, a petition had been sent to Judge McCullock in Metamora requesting an election, which was ordered for the 18th of July, 1874, in the office of Dr. James M. John in Roanoke. Those signing the petition were: Hiram Barney, F. M. Miller, Jas. M. John, P. A. Fisher, P. B. Brown, C. P. Lyons, Sam W. Shulenberger, M. L. Mock, T. J. Childress, E. M. DeBruler, Paul Pfeiffer, Jacob Engel, Abraham Fisher, J. W. Frantz, John Frantz, W. H. H. Simpson, R. T. Ogle, A. W. Carson, C. K. Snyder, M. V. Gish, T. W. Gish, Peter Rohman, John R. Aden, Henry Meginnes, F. A. Shafer, Chas. W. Crow, Frank Jeter, J. C. McCullock, J. M. Woods, S. M. Sims, George Karl, J. F. Wheelwright and W. B. Rickey. The original plat of the village of Roanoke was surveyed in 1872 and became a village in 1874. The plat consisted of seven blocks east and west, four blocks north and south and the west line, and seven and one-half on the east line. Hiram Barney's plat was composed of 15 blocks and was bounded by Main, Front, Ann and Pleasant Streets. The D. T. Fauber plat was about the same size and was bounded by Main, Front, Ann and Monroe Streets. The Benjamin Kindig plat was smaller and was bounded by Main, Front, Monroe, and Adams Streets. The town at once began to improve. Henry Frantz put up the first building erected after the town was laid out, and John Frantz opened a store. Jacob Engle also opened a store. The first doctor in the town was Dr. John, who served several terms as coroner. Fauber and Hall first bought grain in Roanoke, although they never had an elevator. They also dealt in coal. The lumber yard was conducted by Doc Miller but soon after passed into the hands of Phillip Moore, who was one of the pioneers in business life in this vicinity. An election was held August 15, 1874, for the purpose of electing six village trustees for the Village of Roanoke at the office of James M. Johns in the Village of Roanoke. The following gentlemen were elected: J. C. McCullock, W. R. Rickey, George W. Renn, C. R. Snyder, M. L. Mock, J. A. Fisher. The first mayor was Samuel W. Schullenburger and the first clerk was G. P. Lyons.
MayorsThe mayors and their terms down through he 100 years have been: Samuel Schullenberger 1874-1877; D. Mooney 1877-1878; W. A. Renn 1878-1886; David T. Fauber 1881-1886; Cyrus F. Brown 1886-1888; Warren Gish 1888-1889; Charles F. Yeck 1890-1891; Warren Gish 1891-1892; Charles F. Yeck 1892-1894; Cyrus F. Brown 1894-1895; S. W. Hoopman 1895-1896; Warren Gish 1896-1898; Thomas Brown 1898-1899; Patrick Morris 1899-1900; Charles Gish 1900-1901; Joseph Claudin 1901-1907; Edgar Fetters 1907-1909; Albert Ray 1909-1911; Edward Husseman 1911-1927; E. L. Herbst 1933-1941; Melvin Ladendorf 1941-42 (entered service); Wade Wrenn, acting mayor pro-term 1942-45; Wade Wrenn 1945-1953; Melvin Ladenford 1953-1961; E. L. Herbst 1961-1965; Robert Risser 1965-1973; Elmer Wehrli 1973-. There were 21 different mayors, four still living. Ed Husseman holds the record of 20 years of serving as Roanoke's mayor. In 1929, when he was elected, it was decided that they mayor's term would run four years. Three trustees and clerk would also be elected every four years.
Village CouncilThe Village Council made the ordinances down through the years thus making rules for the village. Last year the village council voted to codify the ordinances. Many of the older ones were no longer necessary and have been omitted. Present village council members are: Mayor, Elmer Wehrli; Clerk, John Paluska; Trustees: Joe Amigoni, Jr., Roger Whittington, Elmer Rocke, Duane Kolb, Arthur Ladendorf and Gerald Hodel; Village Treasurer, Joe Isoardi; Street Commissioner, Hank Micheletti; and Water Commissioner, Ernest Moritz. The council meets the first and third Mondays of the month in the village council room at 201 W. Husseman Street. The council room, built as an office for the ABC washing machine factory, was purchased by the Village in 1914. Prior to that meetings were held in the building where the bowling alley now stands.
Fight for County SeatIn the fall of 1873, an event of much importance occurred in Woodford County in which Roanoke played a central role. The citizens of the village and vicinity, fully realizing that this was the most central point in the county, and with its other advantages in mind, moved for the location of the count seat in this place. A petition, with the requisite number of names, was accordingly presented to County Judge Meek, and an election was ordered to determine the question. The election was closely contested at every polling place in the county and a heavy vote polled. The returns showed a decided majority for Roanoke. In the meantime, injunctions had been served on county officers restraining them from removing the county records from Metamora. In a contest of election, before Judge Burns, a majority of six votes was declared against removal. Under law, the matter could not be submitted to voters oftener than once in ten years. In 1884, Roanoke again petitioned for an election. A light vote was polled and the majority stood heavily against removal: 1122 for and 2441 against.
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