WHITLEY TOWNSHIP
(Moultrie County)

THIS was the first settled portion of country in Moultrie county, and contains some of the best facilities for agriculture in the state. The prairie is second to none, and the timber is abundantly sufficient to supply all the wants of the people. T he township is situated in the extreme south-eastern part of the county, and except six sections on the south, includes all of town 12, range 6, besides six sections off the north-east corner of 12-5. It contains 23,022 acres of land, and at last assessme nt was valued at $229,870. It originally was about one-fourth timber, but at present writing a sufficient amount is left for fuel, fencing etc. It will thus be seen that it contains all the advantages of both, prairie and timber. Numerous creeks and broo ks abound, flowing mainly in a westerly direction, and finally empty their waters into the Okaw. The most important stream is Whitley Creek, that enters the township on section 12, and passes out in the northwest part of section 6. The main body of the la nd is high and rolling, and with the neatly improved farms scattered throughout its borders, it is a landscape pleasant to look upon. Two railroads pass through it, the I. & St. L. on the south, and the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific on the west.

LITTLE more than a century ago, there was nothing to disturb this wild waste but the Indian in pursuit of game; but the hardy pioneer came and paved the way for civilization. The first to grapple with these hardships, were John Whitley and family, and his son-in-law, Samuel Lindley. They came in the fall of 1826, and settled at the head of Whitley creek timber, now Whitley's Point, on section 12, where J. M. Edmond's farm now lies. Mr. Whitley was a native of Maryland, and when he moved here, broug ht with him his wife and a large family of children viz: John, Sharp, Mills, Randall, William, Josiah and two or three daughters. All the sons, except Josiah, were married, and had families when they came. They, with their families and Samuel Lindley all settled in the same neighborhood with the old gentleman. Here they built their cabins, and broke the first ground in the county. A rude horse mill was constructed by the elder Whitley, which of course was the first mill of any kind built in the township. He as well as his boys were very fond of the sports of the day, such as wrestling horse-racing, etc. They remained here only a year or two, when they scattered in various directions; some went to Texas, and others to Missouri. The old gentleman moved up t he Okaw, into Coles county about 1838, where he died a few years afterward. The township was named in honer of its oldest settler, John Whitley. William Price, also a pioneer, but a single man, came a year or two after the Whitleys and squatted near them, and married one of the old man's daughters, but soon afterward left the country. Hal McDaniel, a Tennesseean, also came with the Whitleys, and located on section 11, about a mile west of the elder Whitley. He had a wife and family of four or five children, but remained here but a short time, when he left for parts unknown. The next settlers were Samuel and Jonathan Anderson, two br others, who came from Tennessee, and located on the farm, where Caleb Evans now lives, see. 1-12-5. Their advent here was some time after the Whitleys, but just in what year we are unable to ascertain; they left about 1834.

The above mentioned parties were what might be properly called squatters or pioneers, but we now come to a point in the history of the township of a different class of people, who did not come as mere transient, but permanent settlers, and whose names sti ll exist among the first families in this and Shelby county. Grandfather Isaac Waggoner was a native of South Carolina, and for three years served as a soldier in the Revolution. In the fall of 1827, he, in company with his wife and four sons, George, Amo s, Elisha and Gilbert, and two daughters, Emsey and Mary, left their home in Rutherfurd county, North Carolina, and emigrated to Illinois; arriving in what is now Moultrie county in the latter part of March, 1828, and settled on Section 7 of this township , on the place now owned by T. Leggett, near the Whitfield Church. George was married and had four children. Amos, Elisha and Gilbert were also married but had no children when they came. Mary whose husband's name was Webb, had one child. In the fall of t he same year, John and Isaac, eldest sons of grandfather Waggoner, came with their families and settled on Section 12, the farm where David Pierce now lives. John Waggoner died in 1844, and from a large family of children, but two are now living in the to wnship, to wit: Sally, widow of David Harrison, and Nancy, wife of A. H. Edwards. Isaac, Jr., died in this township in the fall of 1853. Joel, another son, came in 1830, but afterwards moved to Arkansas. George, third son of Isaac, Sen., raised a large fa mily, all except one of whom are still living in the county. Alvin, the eldest, is living on Section 11, at the age of 60 years. Elizabeth, wife of John Dougherty, is living in East Nelson township, and Hannah, wife of Thomas Dougherty, living in the nort hern part of the county. Sally, Celia and Narcissa, maiden ladies, are residing at the old homestead on Section 11. Elisha, another member of the old family, died here in 1858. His widow and family moved to Missouri. Gilbert is the only survivor of the ol d stock. He, with his aged wife Patsy, are passing their old age at their farm on Seetion 6. They have a large and respectable family of children grown up about them, who also have families. The widow Sott, J. H., and Francis Marion of Sullivan and vicini ty, Dr. E. E. Waggoner of Shelbyville, and Mary Ann, wife of Charles Carter of Decatur, are the representatives of Amos. He died in 1854, but at this writing his aged widow is still living.

Harrison Smith, a native of Nortli Carolina, came with John and Isaac Waggoner in the fall of 1828, and settled on Section 11. He had a large family, some of whom are still living here. In 1829, Wright Little settled with his family near the Waggoners, wh ere he lived until his death. His only survivors live in Shelby county. William Walker, a son in-law of Isaac Waggoner, Sen., came in 1830, and located on the J. H. McCormic place, Section 11. He raised a large family, none of whom are living.

Gideon Edwards, a native of Kentucky, came to this township in 1830; he was a simple man, and in the following year married Emsey, daughter of Grandfather Waggoner. She died after raising a large family. He afterward married a second and third wife, each of whom bore him children. Subsequently he moved to Coles county, where he died in 1864; but three of his children are now living in the county; John W., (a brother of Gideon,) also Isham and Jeduthun Hardy, all natives of Kentucky, came in the spring of 1830, and located in the Waggoner neighborhood. John W. had a large family of children, three of whom are now living in the county. He moved to Nelson township in 1848, where he resided until his death, 1851 ; his widow, Grandma Edwards, still survives hi m. The Hardys remained here but a short time when they moved from the county. The advent of Samuel Hughes was in 1830: he was a blacksmith by trade, and a genius withal, and manufactured rifles as well as doing the smithing of his neighbors. He moved with his family to Missouri at an early day.

John Hannon, also a blacksmith, came in the same year, and did the first blacksmithing in the county; his shop was in Gilbert Waggoner's stable; he remained here but a short time.

The second tract of government land entered in the township was on sec. 1, 12-5, by Isaac Renfro; he came here early in 1830, and located the above tract of land, which is now owned by Mr. Luttrill.

In the same year, Joseph Hendricks, a native of Kentucky, came and settled on sec.10, just opposite the Christian Church. None of the family are living.

Samuel Smyser, a native of Kentucky, moved to this township late in the fall of 1831, and purchased the claim of Mills Whitley, on sec. 10. His wife's maiden name was Rebecca Frazier, and to them were born six children: Alfred N., William, Martha, Elizabe th, John J., and Hugh F. Mr. Smyser was an enterprising and business man; he died about 1866, and left a handsome property to his family. Mrs. Smyser survived him only a few years.

In the fall of the same year came Phillip Armantrout, a native of Virginia, and settled with his family on sec. 9, in the edge of the timber, where his son Jesse now lives. He raised a family of twelve children, most of whom are still living in the townsh ip and among the best citizens in the county. The old gentleman died in 1869; his widow is still living among her children.

Europe, William and John Hendricks, natives of Kentucky and

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Andrew Gammell and family, natives of Tennessee; the widow Hannah Cox and family, Peter Algood, and Daniel Brown, all settled in 1831. The latter is still living on his farm across the road from the Whitfield school-house.

In 1832, Andrew Drain settled on section 9. In the same year came George Munson, Robert Duncan, Caleb Shaw and families. None of the representatives of the latter two are living in the township. The old stock of the Munsons have passed away, but some of t he grandchildren still live here.

1833 chronicled the advent of Arthur Scott and family, natives of Kentucky. He purchased the Anderson improvement on sec. 1, 12-5, now owned by Caleb Evans. In the same year came Adam Hostetter and family, and about the same time William Haydon. Several o f the representatives of the former are still living in the township.

Among other early settlers are the Ellingtons, Davises, John Chamberlain, Ebenezer Noyes, A. H. Edwards, William Martin, William K. Baker, the Apples, the Reeds, the Cennedys, and others.

There being such a close connection between the Pioneer, and a portion of the Township histories, it is almost impossible to avoid some repetition; for a more complete narration of facts, relating to early settlers, see Pioneer chapter.

The first land entry in the township was by Caleb Shaw, on the 13th of January, 1830, and described as follows: the S. E. 1/4 of sec. 8, T. 12, R. 6 East. Jan. 19th, 1830, Isaac Renfro entered the W. 1/2 of the S. E. 1/4 of sec. 1, T. 12, R. 5. Feb. 25th , 1830, John Whitley, sen. entered the E. 1/2 of the N. E. 1/4 of sec. 12, T. 12, R. 6. March 11th, 1830, Robert Duncan entered the E. 1/2 of the N. W. 1/4 of sec. 10, T. 12, R. 6 E. March 27th, 1830, Wright Little entered the E. 1/2 of the N. W. 1/4 of s ec. 7, T. 12, R. 6. August 20th, 1880, Henry S. Apple entered the E. 1/2 of the N. W. 1/4 of sec. 2, T. 12, R.6 E. Nov. 27th, 1830, Arthur Scott entered the S. W. 1/4 of sec. 1. The first road surveyed through the township was in about 1833, and was known as the Shelbyville and Danville road, and extended in a north-easterly and southwesterly direction. The township is now well supplied with good roads and bridges.

The first marriage in the township was William Whitley to Celia Duncan in the fall of 1828; the ceremony was performed by Esquire Baker. The name of the first child born it is impossible to give, but it was in the Whitley family prior to 1829. The followi ng are the names of some who were born in 1829: George and Bethany Waggoner, Dr. E. E., son of Amos and Narcissa Waggoner, and Robert, son of Wright Little. John, jr., a young son of John Waggoner, was the first death as near as can be ascertained; this w as in a very early day. The first place of interment was the private property of Isaac Waggoner, on the firm now owned by T. Legett. The old man Waggoner and several of the family are buried there. At present there are three church cemeteries, to wit: Smy ser, Lynn Creek, and Whitfield.

The first school taught here was in a small log-cabin, erected for the purpose by the settlers, near Geo. Waggoner's cabin on sec. 11. The school was taught by Samuel Anderson in the fall of 1828. Among other early teachers were J. Hardey, Gideon Edwards, J. Edwards, a Mr. Ellis, and Wm. Hayden. The first sermon preached in Whitley was at the cabin of Samuel Little in l828. Rev. Miles Hart, a Methodist, was the preacher; he officiated here for several years, and is yet living, though in another part of th e county. Wm. Martin, a Baptist, preached here as early as 1829, and organized a society in the same year. Elders T. Grider, B. W. Henry, John Storm, Revs. Willis, Whitfield and others were among the preachers. In 1835, the first church was built by the B aptist denomination on section 8. It was a hewed log structure with puncheon seats and floor. The Christians built their house soon afterward, locating it on sec.10. Its size and style was about the same as the above. The first justice of the peace was Jo hn Whitley, sen.; this was when this part of Moultrie belonged to Shelby county. J. W. Edwards,Wm. Hayden and Amos Waggoner were also early justices. The present are, Thos. Smith and J. N. Martin. Dr. Slater was the first physician, and practiced as early as 1834. Dr. Montague was the next on the tapis, and practiced in an early day. The first post-office was established in a very early day at Whitley's Point on sec. 12, in Daniel Ellington's store. He was the first postmaster, and mails were received onl y once a week, on Saturdays.

The office was removed to what is now the village of Summit in 1855, but still retains its former name. As has already been stated, the first mill was a rude concern, constructed by John Whitley. The next was a single-gear horse mill, built by Wm. Wigger in 1833, on sec. 1 -12-5. It was afterwards bought and operated, for a year or two, by Arthur Scott and sons, when they built a small water mill on the Okaw, a little above the mouth of Whitley creek. It was a rude affair with only one set of burrs, manuf actured from the rocks, which abounded along the creek. Steampower was not introduced until 1853. Two mills were built about the same time; one by Whetstone and Brown, the other by two gentlemen from Kentucky, Fleshner and partner. These were both saw and grist-mills. John Hendricks introduced the first blooded stock in the township as early as l836. It was the Henry Clay breed, and imported from Kentucky. O. A. Sargent, Z. T. Frost, Wm. K. Baker, Z. B. Whitfield, Caleb Evans, and Robert Waggoner are amon g the prominent raisers of improved stock today. As early as 1836, E. Noyes, platted for a town 80 acres on the E. 1/2 of N. E. 1/4, and named it Essex. A store was kept here for a time by Henson & Linn, and a blacksmith shop by John Baldwin, but they hav e long since passed out of existence.

Supervisors.--The following are the supervisors who have represented the township since township organization : Alvin Waggoner was elected in 1867, and re-elected in 1868 ; William Armantrout elected in 1869; Isaac Fleming elected 1870; H. P. Phill ips elected 1871, and served two years; J. N. Walker elected in 1873, and served until 1875 ; G. M. Edwards elected in 1875, and served three terms; J. K. P. Rose elected 1878 ; Z. B. Whitfield elected in 1879, and is the present incumbent.

After returning to Moultrie county, he first engaged. in farming in Whitley township. In 1865 he moved to Summit, and began the mercantile business; he then had little knowledge of " keeping store," in comparison with that which he has since gained, and s ome of the Summit people relate that when a lady came in about a month after he opened his store, and asked for " hose," the merchant replied that he was out just then, and would have some before time to make garden. He was married on the second of Novemb er, 1873, to Maggie Wilson of Summit, daughter of W. N. Wilson. He has three children: Mack Gammill, Tola Jane, and Stella May. Since 1872 he has acted as post-master of the Whitley Point post-office. His father was a whig and republican, and Mr. Gammill is an earnest republican, and a sincere believer in the principles of that party. He is well and favorably known as a business man. As a representative of one of the younger class of business men of Moultrie county, his name should be mentioned in this bo ok.