HAW CREEK TOWNSHIP

Extract from the 1870 Atlas Map of Knox County, Illinois

(Extracted from the History of Knox County, Illinois by Albert Perry, Vol. I, pgs 439-442,
submitted by Janine Crandell)

The surface of this township is quite pictorial and attractive. About two-thirds of its area is fine prairie, and the remainder has been timber land. The timber was chiefly on the east and the west where the surface is more hilly, the prairie land lying between, and extending north and south across the township. Spoon River enters the township at the northeast corner and winds through the first and second tiers on the section on the east and leaves the township at the middle of Section 35. There is a high ridge, constituting a watershed, extending from the middle of the north line southwesterly and south, passing into Maquon township pretty near the west line of Section 31. All of the area between Spoon River and this watershed is thoroughly drained by small streams that enter into Spoon River. These streams not only drain the land well, but afford excellent stock water.

There is an underlying vein of coal through the center part and also just west of this watershed. It is from 20 to 28 inches thick and therefore cannot be profitably worked, yet more or less of it is mined for home use. The farmers are progressive and the newer knowledge in regard to farming is quickly taken up.

There are no colored people within the township. The population is almost wholly of native-born citizens, who are noted for their sobriety and industry and are universally well informed.

The first family that settled in this township, was that of Mrs. Elizabeth Gilmore Owen, a widow who was accompanied by her son, Parnach, and her daughters, from Ohio, in 1829. The neighbors were quite remote, some being in the other townships. Parnach Owen was a land speculator, and his business took him from home quite a great deal. Two years after their arrival, they removed to Knoxville. The son, Parnach, was prominent in the organization of the county, and was its first official surveyor. Other families came about the same time, James Nevitt, Samuel Slocum, David Teel, and David Enochs. Then came Woodford Pearce, David Housh, Joshua Burnett, Jacob Harshbarger, Linneus Richmond, William W. Dickerson, and others.

There was a well established settlement in 1834. The first sermon was preached by the noted pioneer, Rev. Peter Cartwright, in 1831. Rev. Richard Haney and Rev. William Clark were also among the early Methodist circuit riders. Susan Dempsey was the first school teacher, and her work began in 1836. A church was erected in 1864, on section 17. Prior to that time, the schoolhouses of the township were used for religious services, and a regular old-fashioned campground had been selected in a grove not far east of Gilson. The Methodists of the county gathered there annually for a season of religious worship, until about two years ago, when the improvements were all destroyed by fire. The real-estate was then given to Hedding College of Abingdon, and has been sold.

It will be interesting to notice a little more fully the organization of the camp association. Pursuant to a notice, published in the Knox County Republican, the Knox County Methodists met in Orange Chapel, September 19th, 1868, for the purpose of organizing a campground association. Peter Godfrey, J. C. Elwell and Joshua Burnett, Jr., were elected trustees to purchase and hold land for the association. They bought of N. G. Clark, between 11 and 12 acres of ground for four hundred and seventy four dollars. On September 3, 1869, the number of trustees was increased to nine, and on October 5, 1872, another acre was purchased for forty-five dollars. It is located on a line of the C. B. and Q. railroad, a mile southeast of Gilson, and is well adapted for the purposes for which it was purchased. The improvements have been good in the form of fences, corrals and buildings, wells have been dug, all costing about one thousand five hundred dollars. The meetings begin on Tuesday, before the fourth Sunday in August, and last one week. In 1882, they began charging a gate fee for all visitors. About eight hundred dollars was accumulated in the treasury with which substantial improvements were made.

In the beginning, the only available markets, for farm products, were along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers and on Lake Michigan. Grain was hauled to Chicago, the sellers bringing back merchandise for the local markets. The Peoria branch of the Burlington Road now runs through the township, and affords a good market at Gilson, in the northwest, and Maquon in the south.

The township was organized in 1853, at the same time with all other townships of the county. William M. Clark was elected supervisor; Woodford Pearce, clerk; Isaac Lotts, assessor; Joseph Harshbarger, collector; Jacob Wolfe, overseer of the poor; John N. Lynn and Enoch Godfrey, justices of the peace; John Pickrel and William Lewis, constables; Milton Lotts, L. N. T. Randall and Benoni Simpkins, commissioners of highways; all good stalwart citizens.

Two villages were established within the township; one called Mechanicsburg and the other Gilson. Mechanicsburg was built first. It had a store, wagon and a blacksmith shop, and a post office which was named Haw Creek. On March 5, 1857, the post office was removed to Gilson and the village of Mechanicsburg fell to decay.

A large grist mill was built in an early day on Section 34, on Spoon River. For many years the mill did a flourishing business. The flow of the river ceased to be regular and as the mill could be operated only a portion of the year, it has been abandoned.

In 1849, there was a great cholera scare in the township of Maquon. It was occasioned by the arrival of three immigrant families, Stanniford, Richardson and Foster. The scourged appeared shortly after their arrival and the community was considerably disturbed. It resulted in the death of Mr. Stanniford, Mrs. Fred Foster, Mrs. Thomas Richardson, William Richardson and two children. All others escaped.

This is the township in which occurred what is known as the "Rand Tragedy". In 1877, a tramp entered the residence of Woodford Pearce of Gilson, and departed with quite an assortment of personal property, including seventy-five dollars in money. The hue and cry of theft was raised and a posse soon started in pursuit. Rand was discovered in a grove nearby. He was armed, and observing the approach of his pursuers he retreated into a cornfield, firing as he fled; his shots were returned and during the conflict William Keller was shot in the ankle. The field was soon surrounded by a large number of men and boys. The tramp again took flight, firing as he ran. A horse, ridden by James Pickrel, was wounded, and the rider's knee bruise. Another horse, carrying Charles Maston and Charles Cramer, was shot and killed, and a bullet through the heart killed Charles Beldon. Shots were also exchanged with Charles McKown, at very short range. The tramp received a slight flesh wound in the arm and side, and McKown was shot through the left lung. Night coming on, the tramp made good his escape. He had cast aside his vest and shirt, and in one pocket an express receipt was found given to Frank Rand. This clue led to his ultimate capture in St. Louis, through the skillful efforts of Frank Hitchcock, the sheriff of Peoria county. Before this, however, Rand had committed another robbery near St. Elmo, Illinois, at the house of John Scholes, killing Mr. Scholes, another man, and dangerously wounding a third. When his arrest in St. Louis was attempted, he resisted and killed one policeman who was assisting in making his arrest. He was tried and convicted in Galesburg, Illinois, and sentenced to life imprisonment in Joliet penitentiary. Seven years later, he broke the warden's skull with an iron bar, and was shot by a prison guard.

Gilson

The village of Gilson was laid out July 10, 1857, on the southeast quarter of Section 7, by Linneus Richmond and James Gilson. It is just on the edge of the timber of Haw Creek, eleven miles from Galesburg, and is on the Peoria branch of the Burlington Road. The engines, at that time, burned wood and a large trade for the sale of wood to the railroad company grew up. The trees have been cut away leaving Gilson now the appearance of a beautiful prairie village.

Gilson has a graded school and two churches. Its business is mostly confined to a local trade.