Brimfield Township (10N., R. 5 E.) is one of the richest agricultural sections of Peoria County.  It doubtless has more good arable land than any other Township, there being not over forty acres that cannot be plowed and cultivated.  There is an abundance of bituminous coal underlying the surface of the whole township in five or six veins, some of which are being successfully worked.  Two groves are found in the township, one of which, is situated in the southwesterly part, is called Atkinson's Grove, from the first settler, the other French Grove, west of the Town of Brimfield; besides which there is a point of timber one-half mile northeast of the village.  There are quarries of lime and sandstone, and an abundance of living water.
     Philip Atkinson is considered to have been the first settler, he having arrived in the township in 1834.  He was a Protestant Irishman and well educated, as were his whole family.  He settled in the small grove which goes by his name.  Two of his sons became Methodist ministers.  Philip, the youngest, became a college professor and afterwards, wrote a work consisting of four volumes   on the subject of electricity.
     In the year 1837 a number of new-comers settled in the township or in its immediate vicinity.  Among these may be mentioned L. S. Booth and family who settled in the West End of Atkinson's Grove; Levi Jennings, a Quaker, who settled on the section on which Zion's Church now stands; John Tucker and family, Isaac Cutter and family.  Daniel Simons and family, - all of whom settled in French Grove; and John Sutherland, who settled on the northwest of French Grove near the present Presbyterian Church.  Northeast of Brimfield there was another group of settlers, among whom were William Compher who represented the District of the Legislature in 1838-40.  Others were Jacob Willis, who was the first blacksmith and the man who opened the first coal bank; a Mr. Martin, whose son, still living, was the first child born here: Thomas Johnson and family; a Mr. Schenck and family; David Shane; Hiram and William, sons of William Shane, Sr., with their families, and Isaac Harrison and family.
     As the village of Brimfield, which early became the center of population, is on the extreme eastern edge of the township, it has been thought not out of place to mention some who were not within the township, but who were within the old precinct of Brimfield.  East of the village, along the State road, was the following group of settlers: Thomas Martin, Wm. Lambert and family, Clark D. Powell who was one of the County Commissioners and a Justice of the Peace, a man of liberal education and a very pleasing speaker.  He also had a brother, Thornton T. Powell, who with his family settled in the same vicinity.  About two miles southeast of the village was a small colony from Pennsylvania consisting of Roswell.  Asahel and Isaac Walker, with their families; Isaac Harkness, a prominent citizen who afterwards removed to Harkness Grove in Elmwood Township; Edson Harkness, a brother of Isaac, with his son, Wright and family, and Ichabod Rowley and his family.
     In 1836 Jacob Snyder, with a large family,  H. N. Wiley, John F. and Hiram Wiley with their sisters, Elvira and Marcia,  William Lynch, William Berry, Daniel Stansberry and family, and Mr. Hoyt, Noah Alden, a very old man with two sons, Hiram and Noah, all arrived.
      In 1837 the following came:  James Berrian, Thomas N. Wells and family, David Sanborn, John W. Perran, Samuel and George Pulsipher, Mr. Marvin, Captain Fisher, S. H. Judson, John Shores, Edward and M. D. Villings.
     On May 6, 1836, a town was laid out on Section 25 called Cambridge, but the state-rout from Peoria to Burlington having been located one-half mile north of it, another town was laid out by Abner Clark (June 9, 1836) on Section 24, called Charleston, and the former was abandoned.  The first settlers in Charleston were Woeniger and Jacob Van Houton. - the latter being the first Postmaster.  The mail was then carried from Peoria on horseback.
     When Mr. Guyer came to Charleston in December, 1836, he found two families living here. - Van Houten and Woeniger - the former on lot 10, block 16; the latter, on lot 6, block 16.  The proprietor of the town had an empty log-cabin which had been moved from Charleston, into

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which Mr. Guyer moved with his stock of goods, which was the first general stock of merchandise in the town.  He boarded with Van Houten until he moved away, leaving Mr. Guyer, for company, a dog and a cat.  About the same time Woeniger also too his departure, leaving Mr. Guyer alone to "keep bach" with only the dog and cat for his companions.  Two or three months later, Dr. Prouty, a young man from New Hampshire, came and took up his abode with Mr. Guyer.  About that time James Wolcott came to look at the country, bought Van Houton out and returned to New York for his family, who, upon their arrival, took their first meal with the two bachelors.  Early the next spring Mr. Guyer built a two-story log-house, into which he moved his goods and "kept bach" above stairs.
     Mr. Wolcott's coming here brought quite a number of enterprising and intelligent families.  Mr. and Mrs. Wolcott were both very intelligent and refined people, and their house was the center of all the social gatherings of the village.  She had a son, James P. Wolcott, and a daughter, Miss Lucretia, both very accomplished young people, who made the social circle of the house very attractive.  Amongst others who had the pleasure of enjoying these social gatherings at the Wolcott home may be mentioned the following well-known citizens of the county: Mr. and Mrs.. Thomas N. Wells, Mr. and Mrs. Washington Cockle, Mr. Charles Wells, Mr. and Mrs. William Fessenden, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Belcher, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Judson, Mr. and Mr. William Tobey, Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell, Hon. and Mrs. W. W. Thompson and two daughters, Mr. and Mrs. David Sanborn, Hon. S. S. Guyer of Rock Island; Mr. L. L. Guyer, Drs. Prouty and Kellogg,  Mr. John M. Wiley and H. N. Wiley and their two sisters, and Mr. Edward Hayward.
     Mr. Wolcott was a man of more than ordinary talents, at one time a manufacturer in Wolcottsville, Massachusetts, from which place he moved to New York City, where he was in partnership, for a time, with Mr. A. S. W. Goodwin, as brokers in merchandise.  He was a good public speaker, and it is said that his speeches would compare very favorably with some of the best made in Congress.  He was a Whig in politics, and quite a strong politician.  He was a brother-in-law of the Hon. W. W. Thompson, who was a Democrat, and their discussions of the political questions were often quite animated and interesting.  Mr. Wolcott died in 1853, and Mrs. Wolcott in 1862.
     Daniel Belcher arrived in the winter of 1838 and, in the following spring, erected the first frame house, which was kept as a hotel by him and the members of his family, who survived him, for a period of about fifty years.
     In 1838 Charleston received quite a stream of immigrants, among whom were A. S. W. Goodwin, with his family, one of whom, his aged mother, was the first person who died and was buried in Charleston; William Toby, the far-famed manufacturer of the steel plow; Daniel Caldwell, L. A. Jones and his brother Darius, the first carpenters, with their respective families.
     In 1839 came Charles H. Freeman, William H. Fessenden, Curtis Cady, James M. Wiley and others.
     From 1840 to 1850 .....................MORE TO COME

MORE TO COME

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did so.  The church was erected in 1845.  It is a stone building and still stands.  It was the first church built in the village, or nearer than Jubilee College.  Rev. Mildoller never returned, but died soon after leaving here.

     CATHOLIC CHURCH, BRIMFIELD - Previous to 1840, but few Catholics lived in the vicinity of Brimfield, and those few lived in sod houses.  Others soon followed the pioneers, bringing some means with them, and erected better dwellings.  They were first visited by Rev. Rauh and Rev. Rosetti, in succession, from Peru, Illinois; then by Father Brady, Father Doyle, and Father Drew, stationed at Peoria.  Until 1852, divine services were held in several private houses.  In 1852 the Catholics had increased to thirty-five.  They concluded to erect an edifice for divine worship at Alec McDonald's place in Scotland Prairie, but by the advice of Rev..... Father Brady, changed their purpose and built a little church at Brimfield, 22x36 feet, Rev. Father Brady being the first priest to officiate.  In 1864 Rev. Theodore Vanderpoel attending, and addition 22x36 feet was built.  Jan. 13, 1867, he was succeeded by Rev. M. Lyon.  Services have been regularly kept up ever since.
     METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH - The Rev. Zadoc Hall organized the first class in this village, Nov. 1, 1836.  He was the first Methodist preacher who held meetings in the place.  The class was formed at the house of Jacob Snider, and consisted of the following members:  Jacob Snider, Catherine Snider, Samuel Snider, L. L. Guyer, Martha Johnston, Margaret Johnston, Catharine Johnston, David Stansberry, Susannah Stansberry, Susan Stansberry, Ephraim Hoyt, Francis J. Joyt, Isaac Harrison, Sarah Harrison, Eliza Martin, Susannah Wills, Benjamin F. Berry and Polly W. Berry.  Samuel Snider was chosen leader of the class.  Brother Hall, who preached every four weeks, and twenty-eight appointments on his circuit, traveling about 300 miles.  This was called the Kickapoo Mission, the district embracing the entire north part of the State.
     In the fall of 1837 the Illinois Conference held its annual session, and John St. Clair was returned as Presiding Elder of this District.  The name of the mission was changed from Kickapoo to Wyoming; and John Johnston was sent as "circuit rider."  The pulpit was supplied by local preachers a part of the time.  In the fall of 1838, the conference sent S. W. D. Chase as Presiding Elder to this District, and this work was changed from Wyoming Mission to Peoria Circuit.  The Rev. John Brown supplied the pulpit with the aid of the local preachers.  The preachers had to travel over more territory then than the Presiding Elders do now, and their pay was form $60 to $100 per year.  The spring of the same year Mr. Guyer organized the first Sunday-school that was established here, and probably the only one between Peoria and Burlington, Iowa.
     In the fall of 1839, the name of the District was again changed to Knoxville District, and two preachers were sent to the Peoria Circuit.  According to the custom of the Methodist Episcopal Church, each year, or every two years, witnessed a change in the ministers.  In the winter of 1840-47 a religious revival was experienced, resulting in a large addition to the church.  The corner-stone of a new church edifice was laid by Rev. A. E. Phelps in August, 1848, and the following year the structure was finished and paid for.  It was of brick, 28x44 feet, and well finished and seated, forming a pleasant contrast with the log houses and barns in which the society had previously worshipped.  The same year the name of the circuit was changed from Peoria to Brimfield, and became a two weeks' circuit with two preachers, thus giving this church preaching every Sabbath.  From this time the membership increased rapidly, insomuch that the new church became too small, but the congregation did not feel able to build a larger one until after the Civil War.  In 1876 a brick addition was erected, new pews and new pulpit were procured and the entire church carpeted, the whole costing $2,200.  This church served the purposes of the congregation until the year 1900, when it was torn down and a new church, modern in style, was erected, heated by a furnace, lighted with gas manufactured on the premises and carpeted throughout.  The whole cost (over $7,000) has been paid with a surplus on hand.

     THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH was organized on May 3, 1854, by Rev. John Turbett and Ruling Elders, James Yates and W. H. Wilson, as a committee from Presbytery.  David Lucas, George L. Lucas and Ira Blanchard were chosen Ruling Elders.  This organization continued only until 1865, when it was dissolved by action of the Presbytery.  A reorganization was effected May 15, 1870, by Rev. J. H. Smith, Rev. J. R. Reasoner, and Ruling Elder John Cameron as a committee of Presbytery.  There were fifteen members, William Johnson being chosen Ruling Elder.  In 1871 a house of worship was erected at a cost of about $4,000.  Rev. James H. Smith, Rev. J. L. Martin, Rev. S. C. Scott, Rev. Mr. Carson, and, Rev. McLeur have been pastors.  The church had not been prosperous as a Presbyterian Church, and, having united with the Congregationalists, was dissolved in the year 1900.