HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
PELLA TOWNSHIP
The territory now organized into Pella township originally formed a part
of Stockton, and from 1861, when Brenton was organized, up to 1870 it formed
a part of that township.
This township was the youngest of the sisterhood of townships in Ford
county, and was unfavorably located for early settlements, on account of its
being mostly a low, level prairie and exceedingly wet, except in the driest
times of the year. The Vermilion swamps extend across the northern part of
the township, the south fork of the north Vermilion river, a slow, sluggish
stream, flows across the center, and various marshes and sloughs are
scattered over the township, and much of the land was long regarded as
irreclaimable. But of late years many Irish families have moved in and
bought the wet lands, and at once began the work of ditching and tile
draining, and such other changes were made as to warrant the belief that
Pella ranks as one of the best townships in the county.
The first settler in this township was Robert Hall, who bought land in
sections 16 and 28; he came in 1857. The next settler was Henry Atwood, who
settled on the southwest quarter of section 22. Henry Mitchinson came the
same year and settled on the northwest quarter of section 22. Lyne Starling,
a cousin of M. L. Sullivant, of Sullivant township, settled on section 35.
The first man to locate in Pella after the war, was John Bales; the same
year James McCarty and James Taggart came. In 1868, Edward Doran. The McTier
family, Robert Wells, Andrew Hickman, Hugh Rice, Abraham Fadden, M. C. Kice,
Daniel Marble, William Andrews and Owen Murtaugh, settled in this township,
and about the same time Charles Yates, James Sheldon, the Reed boys,
Charles, Arby, Thomas, Butler and Ed. Thomas Correll, J. S. Ruff, Patrick
McNoughton, Andrew Stuart, William Michael, and John Ward. Lyne Starling,
who came from New York, built the house in section 35, known as the old
Brenton House. This house was built of the best material and in a very
substantial manner. The building of this large house and the extensive
preparations for farming on a large scale by Mr. Starling were quite an
encouragement to the settlers. The Starling property was all of sections 1
and 3, east half of 17, and northwest quarter of 5, in Brenton, and 31, 33
and 35 in Pella.
The first marriage in Pella was between Henry Atwood and Miss Mary Wylie.
They were married by W. P. Pearsons, of Onarga, November 16, 1850.
The first school taught in Pella was at the house of Henry Atwood in 1863,
his wife being the first teacher. The first schoolhouse built was the Reed
schoolhouse, in district No. 1, Butler Reed being the first teacher.
The first town meeting was held at the Center schoolhouse.
Pella used to be an immense hay field during the war, thousands of tons
being annually cut, pressed and shipped to market.
There is no village, postoffice or church in this township, the trading
point for most of the citizens being Piper City, which lies close to the
south line of the township.
Joseph Mitchinson, one of the leading citizens, was born in England, in
June, 1838. His parents were farmers, and Joseph worked on the farm for
several years, then left there and came to America. He settled in this
township in 1858, on section 22. He became the owner of one hundred and
twenty acres of rich farming land. In 1865 he married Elizabeth Agnew, of
England, by whom he had six children.
William P. Moore, one of the leading farmers and stock-raisers of Pella, was
born in Perry county, Ohio, in 1834. He left there in 1866, and settled in
Warren county, Illinois; after living there two years, he moved to Pella
township and settled on a farm in section 32. In 1862, he enlisted in the
One Hundred and Fourteenth Ohio Regiment, and served in the Civil war until
its close. He was married to Eliza Hickman, of Pennsylvania, in 1857, by
whom he had six children. Mr. Moore was road commissioner for many years.
Charles A. Cook was born in London, Ontario, November 3, 1845. He left
Canada and settled in La Salle county in 1857, and came to Ford county,
Pella township, in 1870. He became the owner of a rich farm in section 30.
Mr. Cook was twice married; first to Angeline Dean, in 1870; she died in
1877. In 1879 he married Miss Carrie Montelius; she died in 1883.
Extracted 06 Jun 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Ford County, Illinois, Volume 1, pages 166-167.
