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 XIX.
WILLOW BRANCH TOWNSHIP
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     PART of this township is situated just west of Monticello township.  It contains fifty-nine and one-half sections of land, and is one of the finest townships in the county.  The land is part rolling, and there is a good portion of prairie and timber land.  The Sangamon river, which runs diagonally from northeast to southwest through about the middle of the township, drains the entire township.  The ridge, which has been before alluded to, crosses the lower part of the township.  Mr. Elijah Taylor says that a point of this ridge, not far from his home, is considered the highest point of land along the Wabash railroad, between the Wabash river and the Illinois river.  The bluffs along the Sangamon in this township are in some places of good size.  Those known as Cedar Bluffs contain, as far as we have heard, the only cedar trees in the county.  In addition to the well timbered land which borders the streams there is a goodly portion of fine farming land.  The northwestern part of the township for a number of years was swampy, but of late years the draining done by the farmers is fast making every foot of land tillable.
     Wolf run and Wild Cat creek are the principal tributaries to the Sangamen from the north.  It is supposed that Wolf run obtained its name from the fact that wolf dens were frequently found in its banks,

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and because several wild cats were found near the other stream it thus received its name.  Willow branch is the main tributary from the south and it is supposed that it received its name from the fact that a large willow tree used to stand near the place where the stream was most frequently forded.  It is supposed that the township took its name from this stream.
     Willow Branch township has but one railroad - that which was until lately known as the Champlain & Decatur road.  There are two stations on this road, Allerton and Cisco.  The former is but a small station on the land owned by Mr. Samuel Allerton, of Chicago.  There is also a switch on the road known as the Wild Cat switch, from which point grain is shipped.
     In regard to the early settlers of Willow Branch we will simply mention the names.  Further particulars will, in general, be found in their personal sketches.  The Aters and Pecks, Armsworths, Wm. Madden, Jno. West, Sam'l D. Havely, Michael Dillow, George Widick, Peter Croninger, Henry Adams, and a number of others.  Mr. Edward Ater taught the first school in the township.  Mr. Geo. Widick made brick near Monticello as early as 1842, and Willow Branch has the first brick house, owned by one of the Aters, built in the county.
     A lane running across the northern part of the township has long been known as Stringtown lane.  Most of the early settlements in that part of the township were built on or near this lane.  A portion of the northwestern part of the township has been styled Kentucky, we suppose because some of the settlers in that vicinity were from the state of that name.
     Other lanes in the southeastern part of the township are called Christian and Cow lanes.
     Many of the early settlers of the township have passed away, but some still remain.  The township is proud of all their pioneer settlers, and justly feel that they did a noble work when they began to make settlements in Willow Branch.
     Cisco. - This is a small town, but is improving all the time.  The depot was built in 1874, and E. F. Dallas was the first grain merchant and ticket agent.  E. F. Dallas was the first grocer of the place, but Oscar Harper soon bought him out, and was the first postmaster of the town.  Mr. Dallas and Dr. Caldwell were about the first business men of the place.  Washington Nebaker kept the first drygoods store in 1874, while Walker and Carter had the first hardware store.  James Glick was the first blacksmith, J. B. Hamilton the first druggist, and

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Dr. Weinstein the first physician.  Before the station was made Mrs. Tho. Watrous was probably the first person who died there.  After the station was located Etta Clothier was probably the first one who died, and Chas. Clothier was probably the first birth.
    One version in regard to the name of the town is, that one of the men on the surveyors corps had been on the Union Pacific survey, and that he named the town for a town in Nevada so named.  Cisco has a population of over two hundred, contains a Methodist church building, which was erected about 1875, at the cost of near $2,200, a public hall, one hotel and two boarding houses.  There is one lodge of Knights of Red Cross, an Odd-Fellows lodge and a Good Templars lodge.  Cisco contains about twenty business firms and is quite a thriving little village.  Wm. H. Telford has the largest business house of the place and Samuel Nogle keeps the hotel.  Mr. Winterbottom was the first minister located at Cisco, but he also had "The Chapel" in charge.
    Churches.- The Sangamon church building was erected about 1809 and dedicated to the Christians, but the Baptists own a portion of the church.
     Ridge chapel was built in 1808. on land donated by Mr. David Moyer.  Several denominations hold service there.
     In regard to the United Brethren and Centenary church, we can give no further items than have already been given.
 

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