Union Township

This excerpt was taken from the History of Fulton County, published by Chas. C. Chapman & Co. in 1879, pages 880-881.

Union township was first settled by Robert Grant, Isaac Hulick and a Mr. Betson, who located in 1829 on section 12, near where the ancient town of Troy stood. Job Babbitt settled on the same section in 1831. The first Justice was James Ogden.  Rev. Mr. Betson preached the first sermon. Melinda Babbitt was baptized at Troy in 1832, which was the first baptism in the township, and also the first in Cedar creek. The first married was John Rogers to Miss Taylor. Mary Ogden was the first child born in the township. The first death was a son of Rev. Mr. Betson. Among the early pioneers who settled in this township prior to 1838 were Rev. Richard Haney, Stephen Tompkins, Job Babbitt, John Gallet, and others. Jonathan Babbitt is the oldest pioneer now living in the township. The first school in Union township was taught by John Parkerson in 1836, in old St. Augustine. The first mill was built by Nathaniel B. Childs in 1833. For further history, see history of Avon, biographies, sketch of the Churches, etc.

TROY.

The town of Troy was founded by Nathaniel B. Childs, in 1833. It was a prosperous town in the days of ox carts and mule teams, but has mouldered away since the advent of railroads in Fulton county.

ST. AUGUSTINE.

This village was founded in 1836 by Smith and Mattingla. It was an enterprising little town, but there being no suitable place for a depot, new St. Augustine was founded near by in Knox county, on the completion of the C, B. & Q. Railroad, and like many other once fortunate places old St. Augustine is one of the towns of the past.

AVON.

This lovely little village is situated in the western part of Union township, on the C, B. & Q. Railroad, and was founded March 5, 1854, by R. Woods, O. H. Woods and D. N. Wright, and now has a population of about one thousand inhabitants. The town of Avon was chartered March 8, 1867, by a special act of the Legislature, and the first corporate election was held the same year, at which the following officers were elected: D. H. Small, President; J. L. Coe, L. H. Hewett, A. J. Churchill, and M. R. Gutridge, Trustees; Simon Stevens, Police Magistrate; J. W. Frampton, Clerk. The first name of the town was Woodville, but in 1843 an application was made for a postoffice, and as there was an office of that name in Adams county, the town and office were changed to Woodstock. On April 4, 1852, the Postmaster General, James Campbell, changed the name to Avon, as the county seat of McHenry county had also the name of Woodstock. The first postmaster was Stephen Tompkins, who held the office 7 years. It is said that he at first kept the postoffice in his hat, so that he would not have to leave his work when any person called for mail, as he was a shoemaker, and was very busy.

Mr. Tompkins is the oldest merchant in Avon; commenced business in 1839, and has been engaged in business ever since, with the exception of one year. In 1865 he took his son, A. B. Tompkins, in partnership with him, since which time the firm was known as S. Tompkins & Son, until January, 1878, when they took another son into the firm, and is known now as S. Tompkins & Sons.

For sketch of other leading business men of Avon, see biographies.

The Avon District Agricultural Board was organized under the corporate name of the "Avon Agricultural Society," Oct. 11,1872, with the following officers, viz: L. F. Ross, President; D. H. Gorham and John Woods, Vice Presidents; H. V. D. Woods, James Lockwood, O. Crissey, Geo. L. Snapp, L. H. Hewett, R. A. Saunders, John A. Butler, A. A. Mailliard, W. J. R. Fennessy, J. B. Hatch, and Wm. J. Austin, Directors; A. B. Tompkins, Treasurer, and A. J. Churchill, Secretary. The present officers are, D. H. Gorham, President; O. Chatterton, J. B. Hatch, S. Tompkins, and L. M. Green, Vice Presidents; Treasurer, O. J. Beam; Secretary, A. J. Churchill. Authorized capital, $10,000.

One of the leading features of this society, is that it offers two classes of premiums, one to the general public, and one to the stockholders of the society. In the early part of its history the society maintained monthly stock sales, when all the farmers could bring stock, farming implements, etc., and sell them at auction, the company employing the auctioneer. It had held eight annual fairs, each with considerable profit to the stockholders.

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