BIG SPRING TOWNSHIP
(Shelby County)

IS situated in the extreme south-east part of Shelby county. It is bounded on the north by Ash Grove, west by Prairie township, south by Effingham county, and east by Cumberland county, and is six by nine miles in extent. The township is about equa lly divided between prairie and timber. The Little Wabash river passes through its entire length from north to south; along this stream the land is quite broken. The other streams are Copperas, Drake, Bills, Brush, Hog, Rattlesnake and Clear creeks -- all tributaries to the Wabash.

The first settlers were: Fancher, Weatherspoon and the Daniels. B. Fancher settled the place where John Spain now lives, known as Big Spring Post-office, in 1827.

Samuel G. Weatherspoon settled about a half a mile south of Big Spring, in 1828, near the Wabash; and the following year he built a small water-mill on this stream -- ground corn only -- it was considered at that time quite an improvement upon the horse-m ills. In 1832 he began grinding wheat, and instead of a bolt be used a sifter, also run by water-power. Two years later he put in an upright saw, which was quite an acquisition to this part of the country at that time, as here the early settlers could get timber sawed out without the expense of so much labor. Prior to the putting in of this saw, the lumber, what little was used in the early settlement of the country, was sawed out by the use of the whip-saw, where two logs were laid across a deep ravine; cross-timbers were then placed on these, and the log to be sawed was rolled on--one man stood above and one below, and by the use of a long thin saw they could turn out some very nice lumber; but it was a slow business, and very hard work. The mill has lo ng since been washed away, and

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Bazel Daniel settled one-half mile north-east of Big Spring, about 1828.

William Daniel built a cabin near Fancher's in 1831.

Nathaniel Daniel built his cabin within half a mile of Big Spring the same year.

Fancher and the Daniels only held "squatter claims." They improved about four acres each, on which they raised a little corn. However, they spent most of their time in hunting. Fancher left this country in the fall of 1832 for the west, and was soon follo wed by Bazel Daniel and his son William; Nathaniel and Amon remarried. The Daniels were from Tennessee. Bazel Daniel was a native of North Carolina.

The second entry of land made in this township was by Francis Simpson, August 10th, 1833; he entered the extreme north-east forty in township, 10-6. The third entry was made by William Morgan, Feb. 8th, 1836; he entered the south-west quarter of the south -east quarter of section fourteen, in Copperas creek. The following November 30th, Preston Ramsey and Daniel Stuart entered forty acres each in the north part of the township. Ramsey's land was in section eighteen, and Stuart's in section five. Amon Danie l, son of Bazel, settled in the south part of the township, section five, in about 1835. Feb. 6th, 1837, he entered forty acres in this section the same day. Nathaniel Daniel entered forty acres in section eight. Amon Daniel raised quite a large family, a nd improved a food farm, where he resided until his death. Nathaniel raised a family of six children, and resided in the township until his death. Three of his children are now living. Paul Daniel in Prairie township, and the other two in Texas.

John Spain, a native of North Carolina, though from Tennessee, here came into the township in 1832. Eight years later he settled permanently at Big Spring, where he now resides. About thirty years ago he got a post-office established here, called Big Spri ng, and he has filled the office of post-master without intermission up to the present time. The mail route has been changed several times; when the office was first established, the mail came by the way of Cochran's Grove post-office. The mail now comes from Stewardson once a week.

John Young, who lives in the east part of the township, near Copperas creek, settled there in 1840. For fourteen years previous to his settlement here, he lived in Coles county, about ten miles distant from where he now resides. He was a soldier in the Bl ack Hawk war, and went from Coles county under Captain Ross. Mr. Young was born on the road, while his parents were emigrating from Georgia to Kentucky in 1804.

William Hart settled farther down the Copperas creek in about 1842. Thomas Robinson was the next to settle in this part of the township, and Charles Sawyer and John Waggoner soon followed. William Garrett settled in the north part of the township on the s ide of Wabash creek as early as 1841.

Joseph Baker settled first on Sand creek, in the year 1827, and in 1845 moved to Big Spring township, and located on section 2, town. 9, range 2. Jesse and James Baker settled near by the following year.

Among the first German settlers in the vicinity of Sigel were Harman Siemer, John Sankmaster, Joseph Luke, Henry Kateman and Joseph Werman. There is now a large German population throughout the township, so much so that the wooden shoe is in constant dema nd, and one of the prominent articles of trade in Sigel. The Germans here are a hard-working class of people, and are doing much towards the improvement of these lands. H. Siemer built a saw and grist mill about three-quarters of a mile northwest of Sigel in 1855; this mill had three run of burrs, and did a good business until about 1867, when it was moved into Effingham county. Siemer also had at this place a still house, where he made whiskey for several years, and until the high tax was put upon that a rticle, when he sold it out to one Zirngible, who carried on the business for about two years, when it became necessary for him to emigrate with his still, going to Missouri. The Swedes came into the township, and settled in the west and north part quite numerously about 1860. But in some way they became dissatisfied with the country, and the most of them have since left.

The first school built in this township was in an empty cabin on the place of John Spain, Thomas Bell being among the first teachers. This cabin was used for school purposes for a number of years.

Early preaching in the township was at the residence of John Spain, by the Baptists and Methodists. William Martin, Aaron Hood, and Thomas Frailkill were the first preachers.

Physicians. -- J W. Wilhite, P. E. Chapman, William Bartles.
General Stores. -- Hemman & Hoffman, B. H. Kollmeyer, H. J. Schneiderjon.
Drug Stores. -- T. G. Frost, P. E. Chapman.
Post-master. -- T. G. Frost.
Hardware and Farm Implments. -- F. W. Jaeger.
Hardware and Tin Shop. -- Christian Trager.
Grain Dealers. -- Hemman & Hoffman, E. Orr.
Boots and Shoes and Shoemaker. -- G. Schneider.
Blacksmith Shops. -- Henry Gier, Henry Schwerdts, Henry Mense, Jacob Krein.
Wagon Maker. -- Frederick Fincke.
Butcher Shop. -- E. W. Paxton.
Wooden Shoemaker. -- B. Ruschhoff.
Saloons. -- D. Widmeir, John Kirn.
Hotels. -- City hotel by E. Orr; Union hotel by Dr. J. W. Wilhite; Sigel hotel by Mrs. B. Berchtold.