Pgs 412-686 - Illinois Ancestors

VALLEY TOWNSHIP. 645
The justices of peace electecl in Valley are namecl as follon~s : '54,
D. D. Furbracile and J. M. Rogers ; '58, Joseph WOOC~TQ~~~, Jacob
Spears ancl J. M. Rogers ; '60, Simon Dixon ; '61, Joseph Woodivarcl,
T. Beall ;'65, Joseph TVooclwarcl, George Wier; '69, George TV. Nison,
Joseph Wolf, Tllolllas Beall, Edivarcl Colgan ; '73, Ecli~a~cl Cola-czn ancl
Eli H. Yallary ; '77, C. F. Newel1 and E. Oolgan; '81. Jacob ~%ullow,
CI. T. Neivell; 'S3, Morris Smith; '83, TIT. I;'. Speers ; '85, llIichae1
Ryan, Eli 11. Mczllary ; 'SG, Emstus Morro\v.
Williwn T. Ditinon was electecl clerk in 1879, ;tnd still contin~~es to
fill tl~t
office most acceptably.
On 3ilarcll 26, 1869, Valley to~\rnsbip votecl $20,000 aicl to the D.,
P. i% EI. R. 12.
~Yiiyhbo~i~zg Setile117ents.-Lawn Riclge clates its set tlenlent back to
1845, when Cllarles Stone lnncle his home there. IIe ~vas follo\vecl b
" Deacon " Snlitli ancl Joshua Powell, the deacon being the first black-
smith. Alden 1[~111 settled in the toivnship about 1845, ancl shortly
a,fte~ tlie United Presbyterian Church mas organized there. In IS46
the Congrey.;~tionnl Church of Blue Ridge was fountled, and in 1850
the &iIetllocllsts organizecl at the Cent're. On October 5, 1864, La~vn
Iticlge Loclge, No. 4 15, was chnrterecl. Close by, the lost towns of
Chnmbersbnrg and Trog City were laid out in 1836,-the former by
John T. Sllepliertl anti Jesse J. Cox, ancl the latter by Sanford lilock.
The wolf hunt of IS30 was organizecl December 25, 1830, with
the Roots, Sillimans, Reclclicks, Clevelancls, Coopers, Holines, Miners
ancl Reecls leacling hunters. In 1845 the great hunt ~vss organized:
Alcron Toi\rnshil~, of Peoria county, i~as first settlecl by Hugh
$Iontgomeqr, in 1831. Tlle same year D. Prince, James Morroi~ ancl
Thomas l\forro\v settlecl there. In 1832 Rev. I-Iill, of the Methodist
I&iscopd circuit, preachecl at Jalnes &Ior~*om's house, ancl four years
later Mrs. Elester StoddiLrd taught in the first sclloolhouse. In 1871
the first house of ~vorship was erected by Seventh Day Baptists.
Valley C7e7)~ete~:j/.-In Valley cemetery are interred the foilowing .
~vell-known residents: TV. Down died in 1878 ; Jnlnes Jacltson, '71 ;
Jane Iioclges, '59; Margaret Jacl;son, '8%; Lovina. Ann Eby, 'TO;
Harry IIu11, '78 ; Sally 11~111, '62; Carlton A. Fox, '72 ; Willianl &farlatt,
'86. A number of young people are interrecl, alnor~g whoin are
George 0. Marlatt, Company E, One-hunclrecl-zincl-twelfth Illinois Volunteer
Inf;~nt.ry, cliecl April 8, 1864, in Libby prison; Joseph &I. Marlatt,
cliecl in 1873; Lizzie Down, cliecl in 188%; and Willianl Down, Jr.,
in 1883. At Cimp Grove, La\\~n Iticlge, Wyoming, and other restingplaces
for the clencl in the vicinity, Inany old settlers are at home,
while th~~ougl~oot the \vest others have found the end of life's journey.
Xtcl7.X: nllc~ye was never platted. It grew up spontaneonsly, so
soon as tlle rail ro;~cl mas opene(1, as the coinpetitor of' Wacly l'etra for
tlie tlaacle of the township. The business circle is ~nade up as fol10~1-s:
Joseph Anderson grain and tile ; Simpson $ Smith, geaelaal store ;
TVillialn Speers, l~re stock ancl insurance; Nrs. Rotli\i-ell, 1ni1linel.y ;
Erastus Morro w, creanlery ; Cllczrles 3T. IInll, merchant ; Joseph Brown
and D. Martin, blacksn~i tlls ; John Burr, shoemalcer ; John Brool;s, restaurant
; Eric Weberg, railroacl agent ; E. Morrow, postmaster. Nr.