Source:
Historical Encyclopedia
of
Illinois and History of Piatt County
Vol. II - 1917
Transcribed by Sharon Wick

PIATT COUNTY, ILLINOIS

CHAPTER XXII.
MONTICELLO TOWNSHIP

Boundaries - First Settlements - Railroads -
City of Monticello - First Settlers - First Business Houses -
No Controversy Over Location of County Seat -
Incorporation - Present City Officials - Post Office -
Public Buildings - Public Improvements - Water Works -
Sewerage - First Department - Cemeteries - Manufacturers -
Allerton Library - Churches - Methodist - Presbyterian - Christian -
Catholic - An Old Proclamation - Monticello of Today -
Officials - Town Clark - Assessor - Collector -
Highway Commissioner - Justice of the Peace -
Constable - Supervisors....... Page 594 - 597

BOUNDARIES.

     While Monticello Township is one of the four smallest townships in Piatt County with regard to actual area, it is the most important owing to the fact that it is in the very center of the county and contains the county seat.  It is bounded on the north by Goose Creek and Sangamon townships; on the east by Champaign County; on the south by Bement Township, and on the west by Willow Branch Township, and contains forty-eight square miles.  The land rises in a ridge in the southwestern part and so runs diagonally to the northeast so that the whole township is slightly rolling and very beautiful.  Lake Fork and the Sangamon River drain the township, and there has never been very much of it submerged land.  In the early days considerable timber was found along the water courses, and the soil is black loam, with a little clay in the hills near the river.     

FIRST SETTLEMENT.

     The first settlements of Piatt County were made in Monticello Township, the pioneers being the Hayworths, Daggetts and Martins.

RAILROADS.

     Two railroads, the Wabash and the Illinois Central, pass through the township, so that it has excellent facilities for passenger and freight transportation, while the interurban service of the Illinois Traction makes still closer connections between the county seat and other portions of the county.

CITY OF MONTICELLO.

     In 1837, some years before the county of Piatt was organized, the people who had located in that portion of Macon County that later was to form the new division, found that it was burdensome to have to travel as far as Decatur for their trading, and so took up the matter of founding a town of their own.  Abraham Marquiss, William Barnes, Major McReynolds and James A. Piatt formed themselves into a committee to decide upon the most desirable site on the Sangamon River.  They selected the present site of Monticello as the most desirable on ether bank of the river, and a joint stock company was founded which bought the land, once owned by James A. Piatt, and a town was laid out that is now embraced within the confines of the county seat.  On July 1, 1837, McReynolds after the country seat of Thomas Jefferson.  It was platted by James A. Piatt and surveyed by a Mr. McClelland, and it would have been difficult for these gentlemen to have acquired a more desirable or more beautiful site than the one their judgment selected.  Three days after the plat of the town was placed on record, July 1, 1837, a grand barbecue was held, to which the whole surrounding country attended, and the promoters of this entertainment sold $2,700 worth of town lots.
     As the original plat of Monticello did not include the Hayworth house, which stood for many years after those later built had been torn down, so it cannot be said to be the first in Monticello, although it was for years the oldest in the city, subsequent to the extension of the city limits way beyond it.  Houses did not go up very rapidly, for the records show that in 1839 there were but four residences in the original town, the first having been a small storehouse built on a site later occupied by Dr. Noerker's drug store.  In it a Mr. Cass carried on a small mercantile business.  The residence of Nicholas Devore, which was quite large for that time, being a four-room house, was long known as the "old Fort."  Another early resident was John Tenbrooke, who kept the first tavern, and James Outten had another residence.  A Mr. Hull, a blacksmith, built a shop and opened it for business, and all this occurred before the close of 1839.

FIRST BUSINESS MEN.

     Daniel Stickel may be regarded as the first regular merchant, and he established himself in 1841.  The first druggist was J. C. Johnson and he was also the first regular postmaster, while Dr. King was the first physician.  For a few months, during the very early forties, a lawyer spent a few months at Monticello, but found the place so law abiding that he left.  Mr. Outten's home was open to all the clergy, and among those who held services in the restricted space of his home was old Peter Cartwright, who held a number of services during 1843 and 1844 in the courthouse, and he also organized and conducted several camp meetings.
     It is interesting to readers to quote the following from Miss Piatt's account of the city in 1856:
     "In 1856 quite a good deal of business was done in Monticello.  In the Monticello Times of that date we find that T. Milligan and H. C. McComas advertised as attorneys-at-law; N. G. Coffin, Noecker & Hull and T. Wheeler as physicians; R. B. Winchester as saddle & harness makers; Marbelston & Bro. as Clothiers; J. E. Duncanb as tailor; Young & Co. as furniture dealers; J. H. Hollingsworth, O. Bailey, Piatt & Kerr, and Braffett & Foster as dry goods merchants; J. C. Johnson & Bro as druggists; Dunseth & Shroeder as bricklayers; D. Kekkeher as boot and shoe merchant; B. T. Meeks as hardware merchant; David Cornprost as grocer, and John Painter as butcher."

NO CONTROVERSY OVER COUNTY SEAT.

     There was never any question as to the desirability of Monticello as the seat of county government, so the county was spared the dissensions which have racked so many other sections of the state relative to this important matter.  Local jealousy has been so fomented in some counties as to actually retard progress, and the tax payers have been taxed many times over to meet the cost of the moving of old buildings from one site to another, or the erection of new ones to meet the demands of such a change.  Piatt County is to be congratulated upon its freedom from these troubles and upon the united work of its people toward a harmonious advancement of all sections.

INCORPORATION.

     On Apr. 10, 1872, the president and board of trustees of the village of Monticello called a meeting in order to take steps for incorporating it as a city.  These officials were J. l. bond, President; Charles Watts, E. G. Knight, J. M. Holmes and Samuel Bender were trustees, and W. D. Shulz was clerk.  The population was then 1,060, it now being 3,000, and a mayor and six aldermen were elected, as follows:  Daniel Stickel, mayor; and William T. Foster, B. B. Jones, E. G. Knight, J. A. Hill, John Keenan and James M. Holmes were the aldermen.  The officials at present are:  Charles McIntosh, mayor; Frank F. Miner, clerk; Ernest M. Dilsaer, treasurer, and E. M. Shonkwiler, attorney.

POST OFFICE.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.

WATER WORKS.

SEWERAGE.

     In 1896 the present sewerage system was installed, which with the fine water supply makes Monticello one of the best equipped cities of its size in the country from a sanitary standpoint.
     The fire department has an equipment that is adequate and there are thirteen men enrolled as members of the fire department.

CEMETERIES.

     On May 2, 1873, the Monticello Cemetery Association was organized with the following officers:  J. W. Coleman, president; H. E. Huston, secretary and treasurer; and W. E. Lodge, Charles Watts, and George F. Miller, directors.  This association bought twenty acres of land about one mile north of Monticello, and had it laid out on modern landscape plans so that it is very beautiful.  Intermingled with the natural forest growth are many cedars planted by Mr. Coleman.  On the highest point is a block devoted to the heroes of the Civil War who have answered the last call.  Later more acreage was added as needed.  W. F. Lodge is the present president of this association.  Other cemeteries in Piatt County are: 
Ater Cemetery,
Croninger Cemetery,
Frantz Cemetery, and
Willow Branch Cemetery, beside old burial places which were used by the pioneers.

MANUFACTURERS.

     As Piatt County is essentially an agricultural district, the business centers around those industries connected with this branch of activity, but there is one concern at Monticello that has attained a nation-wide celebrity.  The Pepsin Syrup Company was organized in 1893 by C. H. Ridgely.  Dr. W. B. Caldwell, Harry H. Crea and others for the purpose of producing Dr. Crea,who had secured control of the company, sold to Allen F. Moore and A. C. Thompson, the former becoming president and manager, and the latter vice president.  Still later John F. Hott became the vice president, and the secretary is John F. Thompson.  Mr. Moore continuing president and manager and is treasurer as well.  The annual output aggregates nearly $1,000,000; employment is given to eighty-seven people at the home plant and there are twenty-two men on the road.  The advertising campaign costs $200,000 annually.  In 1914 the plant was enlarged and made fireproof, and it and the beautiful grounds are an ornament to Monticello.  Sales re made all over the United States.

SHARON WICK'S NOTE:  For better copies of photos, contact the local library.

[PHOTO: HONSELMAN CABIN, MONTICELLO]

[PHOTO: LIBRARY AND OPERA HOUSE, MONTICELLO]

THE ALLERTON LIBRARY.

CHURCHES.

     The Methodist Church at Monticello can be traced back to 1843, so that it is only two years younger than Piatt County.  The first church building was erected in 1851, while James C. Buckner was the pastor, and later a parsonage was added to the north.  During a remarkable revival held in 18957, 400 members were added, and an era of prosperity came to this church, so that improvements were made in it and the parsonage.  In 1869 the original church edifice was found to be too small to accommodate the congregations, and a new church was begun, that was dedicated to the closeof the following year, while in 1890, a new parsonage was built.
     The following have served this church as pastors:  Revs. Addison Godrid, John A. Brittenham, L. C. Pitner, J. C. Rucker, I. L. Green, W. J. NEwman, Joseph Lane, A. Doncarlos, W. C. Blendell, C. Arnold, Miles A. Wright, Edward Rutledge, C. Y. Hecox, A. R. Garner, Isaac Grove, D. P. Lyon, J. B. Honts, J. T. Orr, Ira Emerson, W. H. H. Adams, P. C. Carroll, M. Fortune, Isaiah Villars, M. W. Everhart, J. Montgomery, J. W. Muse, David Gay, G. S. Alexander, E. A. Hamilton, Joseph Long, J. D. Fry, M. S. McCoy, J. F. Wohlfourth, Joseph Foxworthy, W. S. Calhoun, J. H. Waterbury, J. S. Dancey, W. Aitken, H. H. O'Neal, Walter Aiken, W. V. Gowdy, W. E. Bell, A. B. Peck, and W. G. Lloyd, the present pastor.  The handsome new church edifice was built in 1911 at an cost of $18,000, while the furnishings cost $7,000, making the entire cost something like $25,000, which is a very conservative figure.  A magnificent $2,000 pipe organ was installed, so that this church is one of the finest in this part of the state.  The seating capacity is 300.
     The First Presbyterian Church of Monticello was organized on Oct. 27, 1842, by Rev. Joeph Adams.  Previous to that time a Cumberland Presbyterian minister held frequent services in the village of Monticello, when conveniences for such services could be provided.  The organization of this church was effected with the following named persons as charter members:  James Hutson, Sarah Hutson, Mary Meyhart, Elizabeth Young, Archibald Moffitt, Samuel Moffitt, James J. Paterson, Anna Patterson, Hugh O'Neal and Mary O'Neal.  Two of their number were chosen ruling elders, viz.:  James Huston and Archibald Moffitt.
     For the first nine years of its existence services were irregular, and most of that time the church was without a pastor.  In 1851 Rev. R. H. Lilly came and gathered up the fragments of the membership and effected a re-organization, and held services sometimes in the courthouse, the Methodist Episcopal Church building and sometimes at private houses.  Twenty years later the organization was sufficiently strong to undertake to build a church house.  The late George F. Miller, at one time sheriff of Piatt County, donated the site for the church building.  They built a wooden structure 25x60 feet fronting on South Charter Street, on the north side of lot 5, block 8 of out lots in Monticello.  The building cost about $4,000, and the bell purchased for the old building still calls the people to worship.
     The following are the names of the several pastors who have served the church and the approximate year of their coming to the same:
     R. H. Lilly, 1851; John Huston, 1858; T. P. Emerson, 1865; J. H. Dinsmore, 1867; S. A. Hummer, 1869; William R. Glenn, 1873; A. F. Ashley, 1876; M. P. Ormsby, 1880; Rev. Coyle of Tennessee, 1883; Milton E. Todd, 1883; Fred L. Forbes, 1885; Maurice Waller, 1887; Daniel E. Long, 1890; Milton E. Todd, 1894; Henry G. Gleiser, 1898; George W. Gill, 1911; Morton C. Long, 1912; R. B. Fisher, 1914; Paul J? Gilbert, 1916, and the present incumbent, with an average pastorate of three years and six months for each since 1861.  Reverend Coyle's pastorate was the shortest, while Reverend Gleiser's pastorate was nearly thirteen years in duration.  Rev. George W. Gill met a tragic death at Harper's Ferry, Va., while rescuing his son from being run over by a locomotive engine in August, 1912.
     In the year 1903 the church began casting about to build a new house of worship.  To this end it purchased lots 9 and 10 in block 11, of the original town of Monticello, where the building now stands.  The work began in 1906, and the church was dedicated on July 21, 1907, at a cost of about $20,000.
     The working boards and societies connected with this church follow:  Ruling elders, C. J. Bear, M. R. Davidson, William Dighton, Frank Hetishee, H. E. Kaiser, Charles McIntosh; deacons: Henry Sackriter, August Lehr and Charles Mosgrove; Ladies' Aid Society, Mrs. Mary McIntosh, president: Monday Evening Club, Miss Pearl Martin, president; Christian Endeavor Society, Robert Shonkwiler, president; Junior Endeavor Society, Miss Lena Bragg, president; Home and Foreign Missionary Society, Mrs. Elsie Hetishee, president; Sunday school superintendent. Mrs. Jessie Dighton; trustees, William Dighton, Frank V. Dilatush, J. D. Leiper, Carl S. Reed, D. W. Culp and A. C. Miller.  The church has a membership of about 250 and is in the healthy condition.  It raises in revenues on an average of $2,600 a year for running expenses, and for the various boards connected with the church.
     The Catholics have a mission at Monticello known as St. Philomena's Church.  There is a little brick church edifice, built in 1906, and services are held in it by priests from other parishes, usually from Bement.
     The First Christian Church of Monticello had its beginnings some twenty-one years ago under the pastorship of one of the ablest ministers of this denomination, although for some years the congregation worshiped without any regular home.  Then about 1908 or 1909, the congregation purchased from the Baptists the grounds and church edifice at the corner of East Main and Independence streets, where services are held regularly.  The membership has increased until it now numbers about eighty.  The present pastor is Rev. E. W. Akeman.  A strong Sunday school is maintained in connection with the church and several well organized church societies.  In 1915 A. T. England made the church a present of a parsonage which adjoins the church property on East Washington Street.

AN OLD PROCLAMATION.

     Interesting in these days when once more our country is engaged in a mighty war, is the following, which appeared throughout Piatt County during the exciting days of the early sixties.  In connection with this it may be stated that during the Civil War Piatt County finished more troops pro rata than any other county in the United States.

"WAR!  WAR!
18000 MORE MEN WANTED
FROM ILLINOIS!
WILL BE DRAFTED IF THEY DO NOT
IMMEDIATELY ENLIST!

     The War is assuming gigantic proportions - A regiment is to he raised in Piatt and adjoining counties.  There will be a large war meeting held in Monticello on

NEXT SATURDAY.

      Let all the people, men, women and children, turn out.  Good speakers and martial music will be procured.
          Monticello, July 30th, 1862.
                                                                 MANY CITIZENS."

MONTICELLO OF TODAY.

     The beautiful little city of Monticello is one of the important centers of this part of the state.  While it is not wide in area, nor does it boast as large a population as some other communities, yet this is a distributing center for a wide territory, and in important shipping point for many of the leading agriculturalists over one of the richest and most productive farming sections of Illinois.  Its well paved streets, handsome public buildings, substantial business houses and elegant residences prove to the visitor that it rightly lays claim to being the wealthiest county of its size in the state.

OFFICIALS.

     Monticello Township has W. D. Britton as township clerk; R. A. Griffith as assessor; Harley Harris as collector; Charles Yockey is highway commissioner; L. M. Taylor is a justice of the peace; and William Wildman is a constable.

SUPERVISORS.

     Since 1872 the following have served Monticello on the county board: Daniel Stickle, Andrew Deighton, John Piatt, W. G. Wack, A. J. Langley, L. J. Bond, W. H. Kratz, Pitts, W. H. Kratz, John Bender, George A. Stadler, C. A. Tatman; C. J. Bear, C. A. Tatman, W. F. Stevenson, E. E. Moffett, H. P. Harris, John Bender, A. J. Pike, and when he resigned Charles Watts was appointed to compute in his terms, and Roy H. Jones, who is the present incumbent.

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