HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
DIX TOWNSHIP
All that part of Ford county lying in range 7 and 8 east was originally
called Drummer Grove. In 1864 steps were taken by the citizens to have the
name changed to Dix, in honor of General Dix, of New York. The petition was
granted by the board of supervisors. Afterward the following townships were
created or set off from Dix, viz.: Drummer, Sullivant and Peach Orchard,
leaving the present township of Dix.
Among the early settlers of this township were John Waggoner, John D. Bell,
David Metcalf, Ephriam and James A. Blackford, Samuel Todd, George Waggoner,
Asa Trickel, John Wallace, Jackson Pitser, R. Stephen Chamberlin, Joseph
Kendall, John Brown, James Reed, Levi Foutz, Leonard Pierpont, David
Pollock, John Schoonmacher, Jonathan Bedell, Charles Wilcox and Peter
Beatty.
The first post office in Dix township was East Bend, with John S. Waggoner
first postmaster; his commission was dated November 26, 1859.
The first person who died in Dix township was Asa Trickel, who was buried at
the Wallace graveyard near Elliott.
The first schoolhouse built in this township was in district No. 2, built in
the spring of 1859. Miss Cynthia Newlin, daughter of William Newlin, of
Patton township, taught the first school in this district and in the
township.
The first religious service held in Dix township was at the house of John S.
Waggoner, by Rev. Mr. Wenner, who was a United Brethren minister.
ELLIOTT
The land where Elliott stands was donated by S. P. Bushnell, Samuel Elliott
and Gustave Punke. It was the undivided half of forty acres. Mr. Elliott
contributed twenty acres, Mr. Bushnell ten acres and Mr. Punke ten acres. It
was surveyed and laid out by County Surveyor II. J. Howe. John Richardson
built the first elevator in Elliott. J. J. Crawford was the first
postmaster, and Hugh Lambert was the first station agent. The village was
named after Samuel Elliott. The village is surrounded by a fine farming
country and is a good trading point.
The first town meeting was held at the Oregon n, on the 4th day of April,
1865. The meeting was called to order by A. M. Smith, the town clerk. J. S.
Brown was appointed moderator. At this meeting, the following township
officers were elected: supervisor, Ephriam M. Blackford; town clerk, A. M.
Smith; assessor, William B. Holmes; collector of taxes, Benjamin Smith;
justices of the peace, Leonard Pierpont and John S. Waggoner; highway
commissioners, John Bell, Joseph Kendall and David Pollock.
The following sketches are of some of the early settlers and prominent'
citizens who lived in Dix township:
John S. Waggoner, one of the old settlers and business men of Dix township,
was born in Lewis comity, Virginia, June 28, 1822, where he lived several
years; then moved to Boone county, Indiana. He made his home there for about
twenty years. He came to Ford county in the fall of 1855 and settled on
section 33. Mr. Waggoner was the first justice of the peace of the township.
He held the office many years and was also postmaster at East Bend several
years.
John D. Bell was born in England, November 22, 1819, where he remained until
he was twenty-two years of age. He came to America and settled in
Providence, Rhode Island, where he worked at his trade in the print works
for five years. He came to this township in 1857. In 1863, he enlisted in
the Chicago Mercantile Battery and served with it for three years. Mr. Bell
was the first town clerk of this township and also held the office of
assessor and collector. He was the first trustee of the schools.
David Metcalf, a native of England, county of Westmoreland. Here he was born
November 26, 1823, and lived at his home, working at the cooper's trade, for
twenty-eight years. Emigrating to America, he settled in Ford county. In
May, 1851, he married Miss Sarah Bell.
John Richardson, a native of Liverpool, England, emigrated to America in
1849 and landed in Canada. He moved to Buffalo, New York, learned the
mason's trade, and worked at it in Detroit, Michigan. In 1856 he moved to
Iowa and prospected around until his funds were nearly exhausted. He came to
Paxton and worked at his trade several years. He then rented a farm, and in
time, by his frugality and industry, he was able to purchase eighty acres of
land. To this he added year by year until he had accumulated five hundred
acres. This farm he exchanged with Judge Patton, of this county, for one
thousand acres lying in Patton and Dix townships. In 1873, he came to
Elliott and engaged in the grain business. In 1855 he married Miss Sarah
Simons, of Michigan. They had seven children.
Cyrus R. Marshall was born in Windsor county, Vermont, in 1837, where he
lived until 1850, working on a farm. He then moved to Woodford county,
Illinois. In 1878 he came to Dix township and bought one hundred and sixty
acres in section 3. In October, 1857, he married Elvira Johnson, of Peoria
county, Illinois.
Abel Hanson was the first Norwegian who moved into Dix township. He came
here in 1871 and rented a farm for three years. He then purchased eighty
acres in section 14, and later eighty acres in section 22.
Robert Jardine came from Logan county, Illinois. He was born in Scotland. He
came to Dix township in 1867, settling on a farm in section 4.
Andrew Hamilton was born in Fairview township, York county, Pennsylvania,
November 6, 1836. He lived there, working on a farm and at the carpenter's
trade, over twenty-eight years. He came to Illinois, first settling in
Livingston county, where he remained nine years, then moved to Dix township.
He was married, September 14, 1862, to Mrs. Martha E. Carothers. They had
three children.
A. A. Barrow was born in Virginia, July 8, 1848, where he remained until
1867, when he removed to Bloomington, Illinois, with his father, who came to
Ford county and bought several hundred acres of land. Mr. Barrow was
married, December 25, 1872, to Miss Martha E. Barrow.
George Henry Trailor was born in Illinois, October 20, 1836. He lived in
Bureau county for thirty years, engaged in farming. He then sold out and
came to Livingston county, where he bought a farm and lived for six years.
In 1859 he crossed the plains and went into the gold mines of the far west,
meeting with good success. In 1861 he married Miss Eliza J. Swisher, who
died in three years, and by whom he had twin daughters. His second wife was
Miss Mary Butts.
Jesse Todd was born in Indiana in 1834, where he lived seventeen years. He
then moved to Vermilion county, Illinois. Soon after, he came with his
father to Dix township. He married Miss Rosanna Hagin, March 18, 1858, in
Urbana, Champaign county, Illinois. They had eight children.
John M. Miner came to Illinois in 1858 and settled in Homer township,
Champaign county, Illinois. He moved into Ford county in 1863 and was
superintendent of the great Sullivant farm for several years. He was town
collector, town treasurer and school director for many years.
Andrew M. Speedie, son of Matthew Speedie, settled on the east half of the
southeast quarter of section 17.
Samuel W. Wade was the owner of eighty acres in section 4, Dix township.
C W. Preston was the owner of east half of the northwest quarter of section
8, in this township.
J. C. Thornton was born in Virginia, in 1835. He was married to Miss Anna M.
Johnson in 1863. He moved to Ford county in 1864. Here he held various town
offices.
Matthew Speedie came from Scotland in 1850 and settled first in Fall River,
Massachusetts, where he pursued his trade of millwright for sixteen years.
He came to Dix in 1866. He was married June, 1847, to Isabella Colston, of
Scotland.
Henry Harrison Atwood was married, February 28, 1862, to Miss L. M. Daniels,
of Woodbury, Vermont. He was born in Lamoille county, Vermont, in 1836, and
came west in 1850, locating in Ohio. He came to Dix township in 1866 and
became the owner of a farm of four hundred and eighty acres, on which he
raised fine stock.
Samuel Elliott was born in Holmes county, Ohio, in 1837 and lived there
thirty-five years, then came to Dix township. In 1860 he married Miss Anna
Crawford, of Coshocton county, Ohio. Mr. Elliott was instrumental in laying
out the village in this township that bears his name.
John W. Edwards was born in Morganfield, Kentucky, in 1842. In 1868 he moved
to La Salle county, Illinois, from there he went to Marshall county; and
came to Dix township in 1877. He married Miss Chrissa L. Long, of Marshall
county, in 1866.
Aaron C. Bullington was born in Quincy, Illinois, in 1844. His parents moved
to Jefferson county, Missouri, soon after he was born, living there several
years. They came to Woodford county, Illinois. In 1862 the subject of this
sketch enlisted in the Eighty-sixth Illinois Infantry and served in the
Civil war for three years. Mr. Bullington was twice married, first in 1869
to Miss Mary C. Leonard, by whom he had two children. His second wife was
Atlanta V. Blake, of this township, by whom he had three children. Mr.
Bullington settled in this township in 1876. In 1882 he was elected
supervisor.
J. E. Hagin came to Ford county in an early day. He was born in Cape May
county, New Jersey, in 1836. In 1859, he married Miss Barbara E. Crothers.
She died several years afterward, and his second wife was Miss Ellen Myers.
John Hollen, importer and breeder of fine horses, settled on section 3.
C. G. Ryerson was born in Norway in 1832, emigrating to America in 1857. He
settled first in La Salle county, then came to Ford county, locating on
section 28. In 1861 he married Miss Knutson, a native of Norway.
Henry Shields was born in Ireland in 1835. He came to America and settled in
New York state in 1844. He came to Ford county a few years later. He was
married to Miss Almira Sharp in January 1865. He was again married, to Anna
Eliza Spencer in 1875.
Joseph Richmond was the leading druggist of Elliott.
A. T. Blake was born in Virginia, March 28, 1824. His parents moved to Ohio,
where he lived until twenty-two years old, helping his father in cultivating
hops. In 1847 he left Ohio and moved to Wayne county, Illinois, where he
lived on a farm for seven years; then went to Logan county and farmed for
sixteen years; then settled in Ford county. He was postmaster at East Bend
for eleven years; keeper of the poor house for six years; road commissioner
for nine years; and held various other trusts in the gift of the people. In
1847 he married Cyntha Staffs.
John Keesey was born in Maryland in 1814, where he lived for seven years;
then emigrated to Ohio, where he lived about thirty years. He then came to
Ford county, first settling in Patton township, where he lived on a farm for
eighteen years; then moved to Elliott and opened a meat market. He was twice
married — first in Ohio in April, 1837, to Saloma Crise. They had ten
children. In 1880 Mr. Keesey was married to Mrs. Jane Culbertson.
John Shilts, a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, came to the United States in
1853, and to this county in 1868, residing on section 24.
Extracted 06 Jun 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Ford County, Illinois, Volume 1, pages 161-166.
