Pgs 412-686 - Illinois Ancestors

CHAPTER XYI.
PENN TOWNSIIIP,
HE commissioners appointed under tllle act of 1851 to
tlicitle the county into townships gallre the present ]lame
to tomnsliil) 13, north, wnge 7, east, in 1S53. Prior to this
time it nT:ts 1ino11.n as Spoon river precinct, and soiletimes
given the name of some 1e:ztling old settler, or cnlle i
accortl~ng to the nnml~er of assessors' district. The townsl~il)
is r~ch in its fertile lantls. 3l;lnp large f;i~ms are
foantl here, and all -large nntl suli:~ll- teli of the hus-
L4:~ntlman's cn1.e and toil. Coal fields underlie the tomsl~ip,
and a goocl tluality of fire-cl~~y is founcl in some
places. The streams and yirulets, cominon to the other
to~vnships, m;iy be said to be wanting here, although Cooper's
Defe;~t cyeel;. iL moclost stream, courses through its llortllern sections.
Tlle fact of good water being found a few feet helom the surface more
than coinl,ensates for the absence of strealus. Except in dry seasons,
such as tlli~t of last gear, artificial wells p~.otluce an ;~bunrl an t supply.
The villages of the to\~~iisllil) are Castleton, Wnlclen ant1 Camp Grove.
Tlie pol~ulation in ISSO was 1,216, now estimated at 1.300. In this
tolvrlsllip is foullcl the only Gemla11 Evi~:elicdL~wan cl~arch in
the county. I-Iere also IS the center of the Heasant Vie\]- circuit of the
Ikletllodist Protestalit cilurch. The origin of the name "Coopex's
Defeat Creek," :IS rleterminetl by the pioneer of Peoria, Tuptain
I-Glee (Ricltey), is as follo\\rs: " The winter of 1531-33 was the
winter of the (lee11 snow, the \ve;~ther i~efoiae Cllristlllas being pleasant,
when a 1mrty of four men were equil~petl bv :I, twtler by the name of
John I-Ianll~n, then of Peoria, \vlio was buy;ng furs for the American
- Fur Company. Fitting the~ri out with an ox team of two yoke ant1
1)rovisions for their journey from Peoria to the Winnebago sn-amps,
nritll provisions to trade with the Winnebagos and Potta\vatoinies, they
proceetled on their journey. Snow commenced to fall, the air grew
colder, antl continued to &ow more so as t1ie.y journeyed along, until
they mere compelletl by the fierce cold and driving snow to abanclon
their team. The snow was so tleep the cattle got swamped, and they
were left to their fate. With Boyd's Grove in view, the men started,
b
0-uiclecl by a large tree ant1 a lid] t at the grove. Ei tlgeway was the only
one wl~o'succeetled in 1nal;ing his way to the grove. The otlier three,
two of 1\~110171 mere 1311 and Jerry c'ooper (tlre other name forgotten),
perished on the prairie near a streal11 soutll-west of Eoycl's Grove. The
bones of the men and cattle were seen in the spring follo~ving, also the
sled, as the solcliers of the Black Hawk war were marching. all
mounted, 260 strong, to make battle with the Sac and Fox Indians."
603