Historical souvenir of Greenville, Illinois : being a ... - University Library

14 Historical Souvenir of Greenville, Illinois.
Mr and Mrs. William S. Wait, Deceased,
William S. Wait, who came to Greenville in 1818. An early writer and journalist; chairman of the National Industrial
Convention at New York City in 1845; in 184-8 he was nominated for Vice President on the National Reform
ticket but declined. He was the prime mover in the projection of the Vandalia Railroad and was one of the
leaders who drafted much of the Illinois Constitution of 1845. He died in 18G5.
that Mr. Thomas White, the oldest
man present when the town was first
surveyed in 1S21, was asked to
name the town and thereupon, casting
his eyes over the green woods,
readily answered:
"Everything looks so green and
nice, we will call it Greenville."
Others say that Mr. White named it
for Greenville in North Carolina.
Another legend is to the effect that
Greenville took the name of Green
P. Rice, the Cumberland Presbyterian
minister, who resided here at an
early date, and was the first Greenville
merchant. Allen Comer, who
came here in 1S17, is authority for
the last story, but Mr. White is commonly
given credit for having named
the town. At any rate it was well
named and to this day, as in the beginning,
Greenville is noted far and
wide, for the many beautiful trees
that surround and interlace it—
city in a veritable green forest.
Caxcs and Slavery tn i8i8.
r\ LD records show that the assess-
^ ment of tax for the year 1817
was $161.50, which was charged to
the sheriff for collection. It is also
recorded that one Samuel Hill paid
a tax of one dollar on one negro.
Of the $161.50 tax, $106 was used
to pay for the killing of fifty-three
wolves.
The tax of 1818 was $279.50. The
first county order ever issued was
Wm. S. Wait, Jr., OcccnsciJ,
For many years a prominent resident
of the cf)unty. Residence of Mrs. Adele Wait, South Third Street.