Source:
Piatt County History
together with a
Brief History of Illinois
from the
Discovery of the Upper Mississippi to the Present Time
by Emma C. Piatt
With Map and Illustrations.
1883
Transcribed by Sharon Wick

PIATT COUNTY, ILLINOIS

CHAPTER XIV.
CERRO GORDO TOWNSHIP
pp. 461 -

     THIS township is seven miles wide and eight and one-half miles in length, thus containing fifty-nine and one-half sections of land.  Almost the entire township is prairie land, a few groves in the southern part being about all natural timber the township contains.  With the exception of the extreme southwestern and northwestern corners of the township the land seems perfectly flat, it being just slightly rolling, however, in the parts mentioned.  The main drainage of the land is toward the south.  A small branch of the Okaw rises in the southwestern part of the township and flows southeast.  Cerro Gordo township is composed of good rich farming land.  It already contains some of the most productive farms of the county; and now that a great deal of artificial draining is being done, it will soon contain a goodly number of the best farms that the county affords.
     In regard to the name of the township, we have had two versions given as to its origin.  One is that Col. Williams, who bought a large tract of land in the eastern part of the township and lived there a number of years, was noted for his deeds in the Mexican war, and that he was thus given the sobriquet of Cerro Gordo Williams.  As he was the largest land-holder in that vicinity, it was not strange that it

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was supposed that when the townships were organized the name of Cerro Gordo was given on his account.
     At the time of the Mexican war a postoffice in Mr. Geo. Peck's house, which was on the old stage route from Urbana to Decatur, was named Cerro Gordo, in memory of the battle of that name.  After the railroad, now known as the Wabash, was built, the postoffice was moved to the same, and ultimately the town was called Cerro Gordo.  When the townships were organized it is quite likely that the name of the principal town was given to the township.  We think that this latter version in regard to the name is the most plausible.
     Cerro Gordo township has two railroads and four stations.  The Wabash railroad enters the township at the northeastern corner, extends southwest, leaving the township about two miles south of the northwest corner.  Milmine and Cerro Gordo are situated on this road, while Lintner and La Place are on the road formerly known as the Indianapolis, Decatur & Springfield, and which passes from east to west about one-half a mile from the southern boundary line.

     Early settlement - The Cunninghams settled at seven mile or Cunningham grove at quite an early day, at least previous to the sudden -freeze in 1836, and they had some neighbors whose names we could not learn.  This grove alluded to is near La Place.  Messrs Joseph, Isaac and Daniel Howell, and John Sea, were the first people who settled in the vicinity of Cerro Gordo.  With the exception of these people, there were not many who came to the township before the railroad was built.  Soon after the building of this road, settlements began to be made at Cerro Gordo.  One of the first deaths in the township was that of Wm. Lee, who lived near Mr. Jos. Howell's.
     Cerro Gordo. - This town was originally named Griswold, but when the post-office was moved to the station from Mr. Peck's house in Willow Branch township, it retained the name of Cerro Gordo, and soon the name of this town was changed.  The town was not incorporated for a number of years after the station was made.
     Mr. McMurray was reported to us as being the first station agent of the place.  The section house for railroad hands was the first building in the town.  Andrew McKinney was the first postmaster, and put up the first dwelling house, and Andrew McKinney and A. L. Rodgers in 1856 had the first general merchandise store of the place.  Wm. Cole and Mr. Sawyer were also among the first to put up dwelling houses.  The first death in the town we could learn of was that of Eugene, a little son of Mr. Denman, who died in 1856 from the effects of a rattle-

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snake bite.  The first birth was reported as that of Mr. Dunbar's child.  Among the first marriages, if not the very first, was that of Isaac McKinney and Miss Campbell.  John Prosser was the first physician and John Fields the first blacksmith we have any note of.  Jno. Garver and Mr. Green were the first teachers in the new school building, which was built about 1866.  The first church was built in 1857, and was dedicated by Mr. Campbell.  The mill now used by Mr. Pitts was put up about 1859.
     Cerro Gordo in 1858 contained only about two business houses and probably only a dozen residences.  For quite awhile after the war Cerro Gordo was at a standstill, but within the last few years it has taken a new start and is now improving quite fast.  There are about twenty-five business firms in the place now, and it is anticipated that the town will make steady improvement from this on.  It now has about 700 inhabitants.  It is well supplied with trees and contains a neat little park.  Nowhere in the county were we met more cordially than by the people of Cerro Gordo.  This town was the first in the county to vote against liquor license, and the residents see no cause to regret the fact that it has been a temperance town for some fifteen to eighteen years.

     Presbyterian church - This Presbyterian church was really organized across the river, in Willow Branch township, and in a school building, by Father Kingsbury, of Danville, and the church was known as the Liberty Prairie church.  Meetings continued to be held there until Wesley chapel, in Macon county, was built, when the society met in that.  About this time most of the members moved into Cerro Gordo and in a little while after the church, in that town was started.  For a time the meetings were held in the school-house, but ere long land was bought and the present building was erected about 1860.  Originally the congregation was of good size, but now there are probably not over twenty-five members.  There is no regular minister, but Mr. Ringland, from Bement, preaches occasionally.  Mr. J. C. Campbell was the first located minister of the church, and he was followed by Mr. McMurray.  The Presbyterian church building was used by various denominations.  Mr. John McKinney was largely instrumental in the building of the church.

     Methodist church - This church building was erected about 1866 by Mr. John Smith, and elder Buck dedicated it.  At present it is a part of a circuit and has a membership of nearly one hundred persons.  Mr. Smart is the minister, and his circuit includes in addition Ridge

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Chapel, Pleasant View and La Place.  The Sunday school was organized about 1868.

     Temperance society - The Woman's Christian Temperance Union was organized about May 20, 1881, by Miss Pitts, of Mansfield, Illinois.  The officers elected were Mrs. E. H. Jeffres, president; Mrs. J. Garver, vice-president; Mrs. J. A. Replogle, secretary, and Mrs. W. F. Donaldson, treasurer.  The Union held four meetings and then adjourned during the hot weather.  Smallpox broke out at this time in the town and withal the society was so affected that few meetings have been held since.  Mrs. Villars lectuured May 3.  Good work, however, it is anticipated will be done.

     German Baptists. - This sect appeared in America in 1719.  About twenty families landed in Philadelphia at this time and settled in various parts of Pennsylvania.  This society is similar to the Friends, in that they use great plainness of dress, take no oaths and do not go to war.  A member of this church told us that "the Testament is our discipline," and that their belief is "faith, repentance and baptism," and that upon this salvation is dependent.  They believe in triune immersion and in observing all the commandments in the New Testament.  The ministers are elected from the congregation, as are also visiting members or deacons, who attend to the church matters and make preparation for communion service.  The elders are the heads of the church.  There are three degrees in the ministry, and when a man is to be installed in the first degree he is brought forward with his wife and installed by the men with hand and kiss and the wife with the hand to the minister and hand and kiss to the women.  The minister of the first degree has only the power to preach, while he of the second degree is installed in the same manner and has power to preach, baptize and marry.  An elder is installed by the laying on of hands and prayer by other elders, has power to preach, baptize and marry, and liberty to go where he pleases.  An elder, only, can organize a church.  the number of elders of a church varies according to circumstances.  The Lord's supper is commemorated yearly, is memory of the coming of Christ; and as a commandment at these meetings, they first have feet washing, then the Lord's supper of bread and wine.  The occasion is a somewhat sociable one, and not necessarily solemn.
     There are three churches or congregations of the sect in Piatt county.  The first was organized in 1856 or 1857, in Macon county, and was known as the Cerro Gordo church.  Mr. and Mrs. David Kuns were the first members of this church, next Mr. Kuns' brother,

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and gradually the congregation grew to a good-sized church.  In 1865 or 1866 the church was divided and three congregations were organized.  Each congregation has its own quarterly councils for the settlement of business.  The southern district of Illinois has started an Orphan's Home, which is located in Macon county, near Cerro Gordo.  There are eighty acres of well improved land, and a good house and barn belonging to the Home.  The Orphan's Home is the Cerro Gordo congregation, as is also the first church building which was erected in Macon county.  The organization was started through the influence of Mr. David Kuns, Mr. Metzger and Mr. Replogle.  The church building in Cerro Gordo, which cost near $2,000, was built about 1878, and was donated with the ground it stands on, by Mr. Metzger.  This was certainly a great gift, and the congregation should feel very grateful for it.  The names of the deacons, as given to us by Mr. J. P. Replogle, are Stephen Shively, J. P. Replogle, Solomon Hufferd, John Hickman, John Blickenstaff and David Blickenstaff.  The names of the ministers are John Metzger, David Troxel, A. F. Snider, Amos Nickey, Adam Bingeman and V. B. Clifton.  The membership of the Milmine congregation is about seventy-five or eighty, and the Sunday school, which has been in existence about four years, has an attendance of from forty-five to fifty members.  The ministers of this congregation are D. B. Gibson, Menno Stauffer, Henry Kuns and Daniel Mohler; and the deacons are Benj. Bowman, David Kuns and John S. Kuns.  The congregation has but one building, but meetings are held both in Milmine and in the country, where Henry Kuns donated one and a half acres of land upon which the church, which cost $2,600, is located.
     The Okaw congregation has a membership of about 200, and a large church building was erected about 1875.  Mr. Peter Fouts is of the opinion that Jacob Wagoner was the first German Baptist minister who preached in this church, and that Robert Miller dedicated the same.  The building is 40 x 60 feet and cost near $3,500, which amount was raised by subscription.  The following are the names of the ministers as given to us by Mr. Replogle: Jacob Wagoner, Jacob Ulrey, Jacob Miller, John Arnold and Philip Siders.  The deacons are Geo. Funk, Elijah Hendricks, Isaac Ulrey, Solomon Miller, Peter Cripe, Isaac Shively and Charles Dicks.  The people belonging to these congregations are some of the best citizens - most peaceful and industrious  - that our county affords.  The majority of them have good farms, which under their able management yield bountifully.  Some of the finest

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country houses and barns in the county belong to the German Baptists, or Dunkards, as they are wrongly called.  We found many of these people hospitable in the extreme, and we are glad to have this opportunity of saying so, and to show to the people of the county some of the work that has been done by them.

     La Place - This town was laid off in 1873, and was named by G. W. Stoner.  Before this name was decided upon the place was called indiscriminately Gatewood and Stoner.  Eighty acres of land are laid off into town lots in a very attractive section of the township.  The ground is rolling and a small stream, Bonnie Brook, runs through the town and into the west branch of the Okaw.  In fact the location for the town is as pretty as any spot in the county.  La Place is considered a very healthy place.  In the year of 881, however, there probably occurred more deaths than in any previous year.  The first house on the section upon which the town is located was built about 1860 by Tho. B. Warfield, and is now owned by the Gatewood heirs.  The hotel kept by William Eicholtz was the first house built within the limits of the town.  The barn was first erected and the family lived init until the hotel building was erected about 1874.  Jacob Reedy was the first postmaster of the town, and A. H. Locke is the present postmaster.  Dr Pierson was the first physician of the town, and he and Miss Reedy were the first couple married.  The town contains about 250 inhabitants, and the business firms number about a dozen.  There are a number of good farms in the vicinity.  Bonnie Brook farm owned by G. W. Stoner, is especially noted for its stock.  The trotting horses are of the Hambletonian, Clay, trotting Normans, and mambrino stock.  The introduction of these horses has done very much to advance the grade of horses in the county.  Mr. Stoner also keeps a good grade of hogs.

     Churches - According to Mr. A. S. Hawthorne, the Methodist Episcopal church was organized in the fall of 1874, at the school-house near La Place.  Five persons - Henry L. Kuns and wife, William Carter, and A. S. Hawthorn and wife - constituted the membership.  La Place circuit was formed at the annual conference of 1876, and W. A. Reynolds was sent as minister.  During the revival held by him the membership became eighty-five instead of five.  The Methodist Episcopal church was erected in 1877, and dedicated in June by Rev. Barnes.  It is Mr. George C. Wagner's opinion that the present Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1873, by Mr. Austin, of

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Cerro Gordo, who was the first stated supply.  P. A. Swart, of Cerro Gordo, is the present minister.

     Milmine or Farnsworth - The town of Farnsworth was laid out by Enos Farnsworth, and surveyed by Mr. C. D. Moore.  It received its name in honor of the former person, who owned the town plat, a good deal of land in the vicinity, and who put up the first residence in the town.  Mr. Farnsworth sold the whole town plot to Messrs. Geo. Milmine and David Kuns, and made the deed to Emma G. Milmine and Margaret Kuns, their wives.  Milmine and Bodman owned the first store which was kept by Mr. E. B. Sprague, now of Bement.  The post-office, which is now kept by Hiram Barber, is named Milmine, we suppose in honor of Mr. George Milmine, and of late years the name is used to designate the town more than Farnsworth is.  Mr. Kuns own a warehouse and an elevator in the place.  Mr. J. O. Sparks has the principal grain office of the town.  The town has a population of about 200, contains several business houses, a union church and a fine brick school-building which was built about 1872, and which contains two large rooms.  Milmine was the scene of quite a serious railroad accident in the summer of 1882.  A freight train ran into another train right at the station.  Several cars and the depot building were badly damaged, a number of cattle were killed and several of the train men were so severely injured that they died.

    Milmine church - The Milmine Christian church was organized in the spring of 1879, and the meetings are held in the union church of the village.  At the time of the organization there were fifteen charter members, but before the meeting closed there were fifty-six in membership, and now the number is increased to about ninety-six.  The church owns a parsonage in Milmine, a half interest in the Ridge chapel, and the Sangamon church on Willow Branch.  Mr. Robert Harris is the first regular minister.  John Biebinger and Henry Taylor are deacons, Isaac Peck is clerk, and John Biebinger, Isaac Peck and Mr. B. Middleton are trustees of the parsonage.

     Lintner - This is a small station on the Indianapolis, Decatur & Springfield railroad.   It was named for William Lintner, of Decatur, who owned some 800 acres of land in the vicinity.  It has a postoffice and a good general merchandise store, and being in the center of a good farming district, a great deal of grain is shipped from the station.
 

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