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Historical Encyclopedia
PIATT COUNTY, ILLINOIS
CHAPTER XX.
BOUNDARIES. Cerro Gordo Township lies in the extreme southwestern part of Piatt County, and is bounded on the north by Willow Branch Township, on the east by Bement and Unity Townships, on the south by Moultrie County, and on the west by Macon County. It is seven miles wide, and eight and one-half miles in length, and contains fifty-nine and one-half sections. Almost all of the township was prairie land, there being but little timber, and with the exception of a slight rise in the extreme southwestern, and northwestern, the township is very flat. A small branch of the Okaw provides the greater part of the natural drainage and the land is among the best in the township for agricultural purposes. ORIGIN OF NAME. Considerable dispute has arisen concerning the origin of the name, and several stories are credited. One is to the effect that Colonel Williams, one of the heavy landowners in the eastern part of the township during pioneer days, bore the sobriquet of Cerro Gordo on account of his valor during the Mexican War. The other one is that during the Mexican War, the name of Cerro Gordo was given to the post office then located in the house of George Peck. With the building of the Wabash Railroad, a settlement grew up around this post office, and the town was named Cerro Gordo, and from it came the name of the township. AT any rate it is evident that the name was in some way connected with the battle of Cerro Gordo fought during the Mexican War. RAILROADS. There are two railroads passing through the township, namely: Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Western, and the Wabash Railroad, so that the transportation facilities are excellent and heavy shipments of stock and grain are carried to the Chicago and St. Louis markets. EARLY SETTLEMENTS. Prior to the sudden freeze in 1836, a family by the name of Cunningham located in what is now Cerro Gordo Township, in a grove that stood in the vicinity of La Place. Joseph, Isaac and Daniel Howell and Jon Sea were the first settlers of the village of Cerro Gordo, and another early settler was William Lee who was the first to die in the township. Others who came into the township after the building of the railroads were: A. L. Rodgers, Isaac McKinney, John Fields, William Long, William Cole, John Smith, Amos Peck, Doctor Prosser (first doctor), Willialm Wells, (first shoemaker) and Weed Woods. In the summer of 1857 a child of Theodore Denman died as a result of a rattlesnake bite and this was the first tragic death in the township. John Field and Samantha Long were the first couple married in the township. VILLAGE OF CERRO GORDO.
It was some time after Cerro Gordo
was made a station for the Wabash Railroad, that it was organized as
a village, it having been at first called Griswold, but this name
was changed to correspond to that of the post office. Cerro
Gordo was incorporated as a village May 22, 1855, with W. L.
Pitts as the first president of the board. Among those who
have later served in the same capacity may be mentioned: J. W.
Vent, A. C. Doyle, E. E. Edwards, James Hays and Philip
Dodson. The board for 1916-17 was as follows: S. L.
Landis, president; and William Longnecker, A. L. Peck, J. H.
Grove, C. E. Young, Noah Derr, and Isaac Erkenberry,
trustees; and H. C. Phillips, clerk. PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. Cerro Gordo has an excellent system of water works which was installed at a cost of $20,00, and provides the village with pure water in unlimited quantity. Upward of 22,000 feet of water mains have been laid, and it would be difficult to find better water in any place of its size, or even in those much larger. Further improvements are in contemplation, and will be inaugurated in the near future. CHURCHES. Cerro Gordo has not been backward in providing for the religious welfare of its people from the early days when church services were held in private residences, schoolhouses or any other available audience room. The Christian, Brethren and Methodists all have separate houses of worship, and teh congregations are in very flourishing conditions. The First Brethren Church and the Presbyterian Church own in partnership a church edifice, and alternate in holding services in it. Suitable societies are maintained by all of the denominations, and special attention is paid to the Sunday school work. BUSINESS INTERESTS. The State Bank of Cerro Gordo and the Citizens Bank of Cerro Gordo are the two banking institutions which handle the banking business of this community and the territory adjacent to it. Some of the most reliable business men of Piatt County are located here, and their stocks are complete and varied. The Sackriter Hotel affords accommodations to the traveling public. The professional men are recognized as being in teh front rank of their calling, and the people of the county are proud of the progress and standing of this prosperous and flourishing village. LA PLACE. In 1873 eighty acres of land were laid off into a town and named after G. W. Stoner, but was also called Gatewood. This is one of the most attractive of the villages of Piatt County, and a little stream, a branch of the Okaw, called Bonnie Brook runs through the place. A hotel erected in 1874 was the first building there, but others followed in quick succession. Jacob Reedy, the first postmaster, and Dr. Pierson joined with Mr. Stoner in advancing La Place, and it now has a population of something less than 300 people. There are two elevators at this point and large shipping interests center here, for it is an important station with reference to traffic, on the Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Western Railroad. CHURCHES. In the fall of 1874 the Methodists organized a society, and three years later built a church edifice. This church is still maintained, and supplies the people of La Place with religious instruction. MILMINE.
Enos Farnsworth laid out a town to
which he gave his own name and for a time it was called
Farnsworth, but when the founder sold his holdings to George
Milmine and David Kuns, the name was changed to the
present one of Milmine. This village has a population of about
200, and O. N. East and Hamman Bros. have
elevators. LITNER. Litner, which was named for William Litner, of Decatur, Ill., is a station on the Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Western Railroad. There is Union Church at this point where services are held by various ministers whose services can be obtained from time to time. BURROWSVILLE. Burrowsville is another station on the Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Western Railroad, located about two miles east of Litner. OFFICIALS. Cerro Gordo Township has the following officials: Jesse Roberts, commissioner of highways; James M. Goodwin, justice of the peace; and D. M. Lacy, constable. SUPERVISORS. Since 1872 the following have served Cerro Gordo Township as members of the county board: Supervisors, Philip Dodson, Bowman, Pitts, Clifton, Green, Benjamin Middleton, Sutherland, A. M. Cole, Charles S. McHay, Sylester Craw, B. F. Huff, William Longnecker, Sylveter Craw, P. M. East, and Jacob B. Miller who is the present incumbent.
BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY - 1917
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