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CHAPTER I. - HOW THIS SECTION BECAME KNOWN TO THE CIVILIZED
WORLD |
Page 5 |
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Vermilion County has been in existence less than one Hundred
years - By what names the County was known before this time
- Where find early history of any section east of the
Alleghany Mountains - Colonies of Great Britain, Holland,
and Spain, where located - What Nation discovered the
Mississippi Valley - Exploring expedition of Joilet and
Marquette - LaSalle discovers the Wabash Valley - Vermilion
County a part of New France.... |
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CHAPTER II. - THE
ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS OF WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS VERMILION
COUNTY, ILLINOIS |
Page 12 |
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The American Indian -
The two Great Nations East of the Mississippi River - Origin
of the Iroquois - The Algonquins the Friend of the French -
The Iroquois the Friend of the British - The Miami
Confederacy - The Illini nearly related to the Miamis - The
Plankeshaws a Tribe of the Miami Confederacy - The Habits of
the Miamis - The Plankeshaws along the Wabash River - The
Kickapoos - Their Villages in this section - The Peace Medal
- The Kickapoo Treaties - The Pottowatomies the Last to
Leave this Territory - The Removal of the Pottowatomies in
1838 - The passing of the Indian |
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CHAPTER III. -
PIANKESHAW |
Page 24 |
|
Danville was built on the site of the Old Indian Village of
Plankeshaw - Plankeshaw an important Indian Village -
Chippecoke, The Capital seat of the Plankeshaw - Origin of
the name of the Vermilion River - Extract from the Journal
of George Croghan - n Entry in M. Gamelin's
Journal, locating the Village of Plankeshaw - Pottowatomies
told Gurdon Hubbard about Plankeshaw - Life of
the Dwellers in Plankeshaw - Manners and Customs of the Race
who first lived in Danville - French Traders in Vermilion
County ............... |
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CHAPTER IV.
GOVERNMENT OF THIS SECTION PRIOR TO 1819. |
Page 32 |
|
History of Vermilion County Antedates its Organization -
First Government, that of France - The Provinces of Canada -
of Louisiana; Where was the dividing line? - The seats of
Government for Dwellers in what is now Vemrilion County - A
Part of the British Domain - The Illinois County of Virginia
- Seat of Governent at Kaskaskia- The Northwest Territory;
Seat of Government, Mariette, Ohio - Indiana Territory; Seat
of Government, Vincennes - Illinois Territory; Seat of
Government, Kaskaskia - The Commonwealth of Illinois -
Vermilion County a part of six different counties, with as
many seats of government. |
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CHAPTER V. -
EXPLORING THE VERMILION RIVER FOR SALT. |
Page 36 |
|
Indian Treaties determine the exploration of the Vermilion
River for Salt - Salt the demand of the early 19th century -
Joseph Barron's knowledge of the Salt Springs on the
Vermilion - The North Arm Prairie the nearest inhabited spot
- Supposed Route of the First Exploring party - Known Route
of Second Exploring Party ... |
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CHAPTER VI. -
THE VERMILION SALINES. |
Page 40 |
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Salt was anxiously sought by Early Explorers - The Salines
of Southern Illinois - Supposed to have been worked by the
Prehistoric People - Joseph Barron, for many years Governor
Harrison's Interpreter, visited teh Vermilion Salines in
1801 - Again at the same place in 1819 with a party to
explore it to afterward work at the Springs - Second
Expedition to the Springs organized without knowledge of
Barron - Little evidence of any previous attempt to work the
Springs to profit - Blackman took lease on his own name -
Differences among conflicting claimants settled in 1822 -
John W. Vance leased the Salines in 1824, and worked them to
profit - Evidences of early use of Salines ... |
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CHAPTER VII. -
UNITED STATES LAND SURVEYS. |
Page 49 |
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Plan of Survey of the extensive territories of the United
States - The "Harrison Purchase" - The Later Survey |
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CHAPTER VIII.
- EARLY MILITARY INVASION OF VERMILION COUNTY. |
Page 53 |
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Invasion by Spanish Troops - Object of this March across the
State of Illinois - Evidence of this company of Soldiers
crossing Vermilion County - Illinois Rangers - The Command
under Gen. Samuel Hopkins - Gen. Hopkins' Army a Band of
undisciplined men - Regiment, a Mob on Retreat - Cannon Ball
found in bluff of Middle Fork River - What does it prove? |
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CHAPTER IX. -
FIRST SETTLEMENTS. |
Page 57 |
|
The First Settlement was made at the Salt Springs - The next
were made at Butler's Point and Johnson's Point - Brook's
Point - Morgan's - The M'Donald Neighborhood - Yankee Point
and Quaker Point - The Little Vermilion - Vermilion and
Elwood - Walker's Point - Danville; When Settled - The
LeNeve Settlement - Settlements on the Middle Fork of the
Big Vermilion - Motives for Settlements - Direction whence
Settlers Came ... |
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CHAPTER X. -
TRAILS AND EARLY ROADS |
Page 63 |
|
Origin of the Modern Road - First the Buffalo, then the
Indian, then the Pack-Horse - The Danville & Fort Clark Road
- The Ottawa Road - Hubbard's Trace. |
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CHAPTER XI. -
PIONEER LIFE IN VERMILION COUNTY. |
Page 66 |
|
Food - Shelter - Clothing - Early Conditions and Customs -
Means of Travel - Sickness - Provincialisms |
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CHAPTER XII. -
THE ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF VERMILION COUNTY |
Page 75 |
|
County Organization in Illinois dates back to 1779 - The
County of Illinois - St. Clair and Randolph as Counties of
the Northwest Territory - Knox County - Knox and St. Clair
Counties - Madison County - Edwards County - Crawford County
- Clark County - Edgar County - Vermilion County - Reduced
to Present Limits - Belongs to Second Class - Government of
the County - Township Organization; when Effected - Origin
of Name of Vermilion County |
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CHAPTER XIII.
- PHYSICAL FEATURES OF VERMILION COUNTY |
Page 80 |
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Topography - Drainage - Relief - Prairies - Ridges - Valleys
- Geology - Rocks Seldom appear at surface - Coal Beds -
Moraines - Vermilion County belongs to the Illinois Glacial
Lobe - The Champaign Moraines - Oil Well Dug at Danville
Water-Works - Well Dug for same purpose at Danville Junction
- Altitude - Extreme Weather Experienced. |
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CHAPTER XIV. -
EARLY GROWTH. |
Page 87 |
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The First Commissioners' Court at the Residence of James
Butler - Amos Williams appointed clerk - At the Second
Meeting the County was divided into two townships - First
Grand Jury - William Reed appointed assessor - At Next
Session certain property was taxed - Commissioners appointed
to locate county seat - Provisions of the Act Establishing
Vermilion County - Location of the County Seat of the Salt
Works - Major Vance refused to give up lease - New
Commissioners appointed to locate county seat - Denmark
desirous of its location there - Guy W. Smith and Dan
Beckwith give land at mouth of North Fork of the Vermilion
River - Present location selected - Lots sold April 10, 1827
- Name of the new town - First public building the stray
pound - First Court House - New Court House begun in 1832 -
Navigation of the Big Vermilion River - Rafts and Flat-Boats
carried produce down the Vermilion River - Condition of
Danville as late as 1836 - Denmark - Northeast part of the
county - The Ferry across the Big Vermilion - Produce hauled
to Chicago - Community of Friends - Growth of different
settlements. |
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CHAPTER XV. -
SOME OF THE MAKERS OF VERMILION COUNTY. |
Page 98 |
|
Seymour Treat - Dan Beckwith - Francis Whitcomb - 1820 -
Henry Johnson - James D. Butler - Henry Johnson - 1821 -
Absolom Starr - Jotham Lyons - John Jordon - William Swank -
John Myers - Henry Canaday - Benjamin Brooks - Thomas O'Neal
- John Haworth - Achilles Morgan - Henry Martin - 1822 -
Robert Cotton - Steven Dukes - Asa Elliott - John Mills -
Alexander McDonald - I. R. Moores - 1823 - John Le Neve -
William M'Dowell - 1824 - Aaron Mendenhall - Cyrus Douglass
- Robert Dickson, John Snider - Dr. Asa Palmer - Hezekiah
Cunningham - Eli Henderson - 1825 - Amos Williams - Levi B.
Babb - 1826 - William Watson, Michael Weaver - Abel Williams
- Samuel Gilbert and Sons - Samuel Baum - John Larrance -
William Current - Andrew Patterson - Samuel Copeland -
Larkin Cook - Andrew Juvinall - Samuel Scone - William Jones
- William Wright - James Graves - James Barnett - John
Chandler - Absolom Collison - Joseph Smith - Samuel Campbell
- Otho Allison - James Donovan - William Bandy - James Smith
- William Blakeney - Charles S. Young, Charles Caraway -
Latham Folger - William Cunningham - William Current - James
Elliott - John D. G. Cline - John Johns - John Cox - Ephrim
Acree - Adam Pate |
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CHAPTER XVI.
INDIAN WARS AS AFFECTING THIS SECTION. |
Page 139 |
|
Indians did not annoy early settlers - Passing of the Indian
to the North and Northwest - Habitat of the Winnebagoes -
Indignities on the Winnebagoes by the White Men - The Cause
of the Winnebago War - Gurdon Hubbard's Narrative of the
Winnebago War - Hezekiah Cunningham's Narrative of the
Winnebago War 0 The Black Hawk War - The Pottawatomies did
not contemplate the Capture of Fort Dearborn in 1832 - Part
taken by the Citizens of Vermilion County in the Black Hawk
War - Colonel Payne's Block House |
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CHAPTER XVII. - THE
THIRTIES IN VERMILION COUNTY. |
Page 148 |
|
The Permanent Court
House - William Millikans' Carding Mill built - First Log
Meeting House built - Opening of a road from Fort Clark -
Newcomers to Vermilion County in 1830 - Revival in the
interests of Mormanism - Land Office - Congress Petitioned
to Grant strip of land between Chicago and Vincennes for
railroad - Newcomers to Vermilion County in 1831 -
Pennsylvania House built - First Newspaper started in
Vermilion County - Goshen Baptist Church organized - Postal
Route established from Chicago to Vincennes - Newcomers to
Vermilion County in 1832 - Brady Branch Corncracker -
Newcomers in 1835 - Kirkpatrick's Mill on Stony Creek -
Kyger's MIll built - State Bank Chartered - Newcomers in
1836 - Amos William's Mill - Sawmill - First Steam Sawmill -
R. R. Graded through Vance Township - Postal Route from
Danville to Springfield via Decatur - Postal Route from
Danville to Ottawa - Postal Route from Indianapolis to
Danville - Newcomers in 18357 - Grading Roadbed from
Champaign County East - Shepered's Ill - Vermilion Rapids
Platted - Newcomers in 1838 - Sawmill Northwest of Alvan -
Newtown laid out - Christman Mill - Newcomers of 1839. |
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CHAPTER XVIII.
- MEN AND EVENTS FROM 1840 TO 1860 IN VERMILION COUNTY. |
Page 172 |
|
New comers in 1840 - Rev. Ashmore's Work - O. L. Davis came
to Vermilion County in 1841 - Henson Vinson - New Comers in
1842 and 1843 - John L. Tincher - Dr. Samuel Humphrey - New
Comers in 1844 and 1845 - William I. Allen - Samuel H.
Vredenurgh, M. D. - Olive Branch Lodge organized - First
Brass Band -New Comers in 1846 and 1847 - New Comers in 1848
and 1849 - Danville Seminary incorporated in 1850 - Chas.
Wolvreton - Odd Fellows' Charter - Higginsville Post-Office
Established - Vermilion County Agricultural and Mechanical
Association - Union Seminary Organized - New Comers of 1850,
'51 and '52 Vermilion County Agricultural Society - Thos.
Hoopes - J. G. English - New Comers in 1853, '54 and '55 -
New City Charter for Danville - Newell Horse Company - H. M.
Kimball - A. C. Daniel - Raymond W. Hanford - Chas W.
Keesler - James Knight - John Beard - A. H. Kimbrough, M. D.
- New County voted down - New Comers in 1845, '57' and '58 -
Farmers and Mechanics Institute - Vote on Forming Ford
County - New Comers - John Sidell. |
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CHAPTER
XIX. - VERMILION COUNTY DURING THE CIVIL WAR. |
Page 197 |
|
Public Sentiment in 1860 - Volunteers to the service -
Regiment formed from Vermilion County men wholly or in part.
- What the Women did - Newcomers from 1860 to 1864 - Riots
in Danville during this time. |
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CHAPTER XX. - AFTER
THE WAR. |
Page 218 |
|
Conditions following the Civil War - New comers in the
decade immediately after the close of the war - Building of
Towns and Cities progress in the Northern part of the county
- Development of Natural Resources. |
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CHAPTER XXI. -
SOME ELDERS SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF VERMILION COUNTY |
Page 228 |
|
James O'Neal claims to be first white child of White
Children - Mrs. Elizabeth (McDonald) Harmon, one of the
first white children born in Vermilion County - James
O'Neal, born in 1822 - Mary (Cox) Patterson, born in 1823 -
William P. Swank, born in 1824 - Perry O'Neal, born in 1825
- James H. Stevens, born in 1826 - D. B. Douglass and Rhoda
M. Hester, born in 1827 - Abner Snow, S. P. LeNee and Andrew
Gundy, born in 1828 - Sons and Daughters of 1829 - of 1830 -
of 1831 - of 1832 - of 1833 - of 1834 - of 1835 - of 1836 -
of 1837 - of 1838 - Henry Fletcher and Lizzie (Love)
Painter, born in 1839 - Sons and Daughters of 1840 - of 1841
- of 1842 - of 1843 - of 1844 - of 1845 - of 1846 - of 1847
- of 1848 - of 1849. |
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CHAPTER XXII.
- AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS. |
Page 260 |
|
Cattle Raising - Horse Breeding - Swine - Fruit growing -
Corn production - Sheep Industry. |
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CHAPTER XXIII.
- FAMOUS FARMS. |
Page 275 |
|
Pilot Grove Farm - Fairview - The Mann Farms - The Allerton
Farm |
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CHAPTER XXIV.
- EARLY MILLS AND MILLING. |
Page 284 |
|
First Corncracker Mill was made by James Butler in 1823 -
The Gilberts Mill, built in 1828 at Danville - Mill on the
Salt Fork, 1826 - Shepherd's Mill - Brazelton's Mill -
Whitesill's and Howard's Mills on the Middle Fork - The
Higginsville Mill - Kirkpatrick's Mill - The Old Kyger Mill
- Amos William's Mill - The Hale - Galushu Sawmill - Steam
Sawmill at Danville - The Wright - Cook Ford Sawmill - The
Haworth Mill - The Menely Mill - The Myersville Mill - The
Mill at Alvin - The James George Mill at Middle Fork - The
Jenkin's mill on the Vermilion - The old Woolen Mill - The
steam mill at Georgetown built in 1850 - The Amber Mill -
Doughterty Mill at Fairmount - The Wood's Mill on the North
Fork - The Lustro Mill at Danville - The Danville Mill - The
Garland Steam Stone Sawmill. |
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CHAPTER XXV. -
MANUFACTURING INTERESTS. |
Page 297 |
|
CHAPTER XXVI.
- EARLY MERCHANTS. |
Page 300 |
|
CHAPTER XXVII. - FIRST
BANKS AND BANKING INTERESTS |
Page 305 |
|
CHAPTER XXVIII. -
BUILDING ASSOCIATIONS. |
Page 307 |
|
CHAPTER XXIX. - THE
PROFESSION OF MEDICINE IN VERMILION COUNTY. |
Page 309 |
|
CHAPTER XXX. - THE
BENCH AND BAR - THE FEDERAL COURT |
Page 315 |
|
CHAPTER XXXI. -
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION. |
Page 326 |
|
First School in the County - Hiram Tincnor's School - School
in Newell Township - How a School was established - Elisha
Hobbs - Vermilion Seminary - One of the First Schools in
Danville - The Danville Academy - The Georgetown Seminary -
The Danville Seminary - The Union Seminary - Seminaries give
place to the Public School - Schools in Oakwood Township -
Schools in Pilot Township - School at Denmark - The Lamb
School - The Cunningham School - Early Schools in Danville -
Amos Williams builds a school house - James Davis - Mrs.
Cromwell - The Public Schools in Vermilion County - Private
Schools. |
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CHAPTER XXXII.
- THE DANVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY. |
Page 338 |
|
Date of Organization - Officers and board of Directores -
The Culbertson Library - Rev. James W. Coe, First Librarian
- Locations - Building - Circulation - Classified Contents
in 1910. |
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|
CHAPTER
XXXIII. - CHURCHES AND MINISTERS OF VERMILION COUNTY. |
Page 342 |
|
The Presbyterian Church - The Cumberland Presbyterian Church
- The United Presbyterian Church - The Methodist Church -
The Baptist Church - The Church of Christ - The Christian
Church - The Episcopal Church - The United Brethren Church -
The German United Brethren - The German Lutheran - The
German Methodist Episcopal Church - The Roman Catholic
Church - The Society of Friends - The Other Churches - The
Mormons - The Christian Scientists. |
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CHAPTER XXXIV. - THE
VERMILION COUNTY PRESS |
Page 359 |
|
CHAPTER XXXV. -
TRANSPORTATION IN VERMILION COUNTY |
Page 361 |
|
CHAPTER XXXVI. - THE
POSTOFFICE IN DANVILLE |
Page 367 |
|
CHAPTER XXXVII - THE
NATIONAL HOME FOR DISABLED VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS |
Page 369 |
|
CHAPTER XXXVIII. - THE G. A. R. -
FINISHED |
Page 371 |
|
CHAPTER XXXIX. - THE
WOMAN'S CLUBS IN DANVILLE |
Page 372 |
|
CHAPTER XL. - THE D.
A. R. |
Page 374 |
|
CHAPTER XLI. - COAL
AND COAL MINES |
Page 375 |
|
CHAPTER XLII. -
ABANDONED TOWNS OF VERMILION COUNTY |
Page 378 |
|
CHAPTER XLIII. - A FEW OLD BURYING GROUNDS.
- FINISHED |
Page 382 |
|
The Mt. Pisgah Burying Ground n- The Dalbey Burying Ground -
The Vermilion Grove Burying Ground - The Gundy Burying
Ground. |
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CHAPTER XLIV. -
HEROES AND DISTINGUISHED PEOPLE. |
Page 389 |
|
J. G. Cannon - W. J. Calhoun - J. W. Wilkin - Mrs. Mary
Hartwell Catherwood - Hiram W. Beckwith - Gurdon Hubbard -
Samuel M'Roberts - Rev. James Ashmore - Harvey Sowdowsky -
Rt. Rev. Vicar Genearl O'Riley - Col. O. F. Harmon - J. C.
Davis - Michael Kelley |
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CHAPTER XLV. -
TOWNSHIPS OF VERMILION COUNTY. |
PAGE 392 |
|
First Division of the County - Precincts Under
Commissioners' System - Township Organization - Changes in
Boundaries
|
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PORTRAITS |
|
|
Adams, Samuel |
114 |
|
Allen, Lawrence T. |
|
|
Allen, William L. |
160 |
|
Allhands, Francis M. |
168 |
|
Baldwin, H. E. |
|
|
Boggess, John |
134 |
|
Canaday, Ann, Mrs. |
106 |
|
Canaday, Frederic |
106 |
|
Catlett, Herald |
194 |
|
Chesley, Robert |
|
| Collison,
F. A. |
246 |
|
Cunningham, Hezekiah |
110 |
| |
|
| |
|
|
Dale, John W. |
194 |
|
Dickson, James A. |
|
|
Dickson, John, Mrs. |
114 |
|
Chesley, Robert |
168 |
|
Douglas, J. M. |
|
|
Douglass, T. W. |
168 |
|
Duncan, Darious |
168 |
|
Elliott, John |
106 |
|
Elliott, Sarah M. |
106 |
|
Fairchild, F. M. |
246 |
|
Fairchild, Harrison |
246 |
|
Fairchild, H., Mrs. |
246 |
|
Finley, Watts |
164 |
|
Forbes, Thomas C. |
160 |
|
Frazier, Abner |
164 |
|
Frazier, Samuel |
160 |
|
|
Gilbert, Solomon |
160 |
|
Goodwine, J. W., Sr. |
172 |
| Harmon, O. F. |
|
|
Harris, H. W. |
194 |
|
Holoday, William & Elizabeth |
116 |
|
Hoopes, Thomas |
194 |
| Hubbard,
Noah E. |
186 |
|
Hubbard, Noah E., Mrs. |
186 |
|
Ingle, George W. |
172 |
| Johns,
John |
134 |
|
Johns, John, Mrs. |
134 |
| Kester,
Henry B. |
186 |
|
Kester, Henry B., Mrs. |
186 |
| |
|
|
Le Neve, John |
114 |
|
Le Neve, Rebecca (Newell) |
114 |
|
Le
Neve, S. P. |
|
|
Lenover, Samuel |
68 |
|
Leverich, John G. |
164 |
|
Loring, C. E. |
|
|
McDonald, Katherine (Alexander) |
110 |
|
McKibben, George |
|
|
McKibben, T. J. |
|
|
McKibben, Thomas |
|
|
Mead, Levi |
134 |
|
Meade, William |
168 |
|
Mendenhall, Richard & Louisa |
116 |
|
Miller, James |
194 |
|
Mozier, A. H. |
194 |
|
Palmer, Levin T. |
160 |
|
|
Pearson, John |
|
|
Phillips, James H. |
190 |
|
Price, W. H. |
164 |
|
Prather, George W. |
246 |
|
Reilly, Luke |
172 |
|
Rouse, Edward |
164 |
|
Sandusky, Josiah |
246 |
|
Stearns, Seneca |
168 |
|
Thompson, L. M. |
164 |
|
Voorhees, Peter |
172 |
|
Webster, W. H., Rev. |
172 |
|
Williams, John |
186 |
|
Williams, Thomas |
186 |
| |
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| |
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| MORE TO COME |
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|
ILLUSTRATIONS: |
|
| The Boggess House in
Early Times |
60 |
| Group of old
Settlers taken at Old Settlers Picnic in Long Grove,
in August, 1897. |
72 |
| Bridge Across the
Vermilion River Near Danville Highest Bridge in
Illinois |
82 |
| First Store Building
in Danville |
90 |
| Palmer National Bank
Built on site of First Store |
90 |
| Home of Enos
Campbell |
120 |
| Sword Carried by Dan
Beckwith in the Black Haw War |
128 |
| Barker House built
in 1830 |
150 |
| William Bandy House
on East North Street |
150 |
| Old Lincoln Hall |
178 |
| Thomas Forbes
Property built in 1850, on North & Walnut Streets |
178 |
| Property of William
Giddings on South Hazel Street |
178 |
| Harmon property on
E. Main St., Built in 1850 |
178 |
| The Enoch Kingsbury
Home on South Walnut Street |
178 |
| In Use as a Business
house since it was built in 1850 |
178 |
| Old Red Bridge over
the Vermilion River |
182 |
| MORE TO COME |
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