INDIAN POINT TOWNSHIP

Extract from the 1870 Atlas Map of Knox County, Illinois
Residence of George W. Cox, Section 14

(Extracted from the History of Knox County, Illinois by Albert Perry, Vol. I, pgs 447-448,
submitted by Janine Crandell)

It is supposed that the first white man coming into Indian Point, for the purpose of making a home, was Azel Dorsey, who came from Cedar, in 1829. He remained but a few years. The first permanent settlement was made five years later by John B. Latimer who emigrated from Tennessee with his family, in 1834. Then came John H. Lomax and Stephen Howard from Kentucky, John Howard, Isaac and Alexander Latimer and John Crawford, in 1835. Mr. Crawford was a minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. In 1836 Mr. Daniel Meek purchased the home of Alexander Latimer, and with him came John Killiam. Other people came along and the list of names, including so many sturdy men, is tempting, but we cannot mention them all. Mr. Merriweather Brown and Bartlett Boydstun were among them. Mr. Brown was at one time a county commissioner. Mr. Brown's son, William A., was superintendent of the building and bridge department of the C. B. and Q. Company at Galesburg. Mr. Meek was an extensive breeder of fine livestock and took great interest in public affairs. The early settlers of Indian Point encountered no Indians although traces of their occupations were found. The remains of their wigwams together with arrow heads, spear heads, axes and other implements were numerous. This circumstance gave the name to the township of Indian Point. The Mount Hope Farm is the highest point of elevation within the township and from it may be obtained a view extending twelve miles to the east and commanding most of Indian Point and Cedar, also Orange, and a large part of Chestnut township. Most of the farmers have been engaged in raising grain and livestock. To mention the names of W. W. Byram, Robert Byram, J. W. Dawdy, Robert Smith, James Bowton, William Cable, Frederick Hall, T. H. Row, and some others, brings a vision of fine well-kept herds of cattle. Mr. J. W. Dawdy and son were especially successful in raising Shorthorn cattle. The Byrams also dealt largely in Norman horses, raised by themselves. Fine Poland China hogs were also produced upon the farms of Indian Point.

The first Protestant religious services were held in the township, of which any record has been preserved, were conducted by Rev. John Crawford, a Cumberland Presbyterian. They were held at the House of John Howard in 1848. The first church organization was effected under the Rev. Mr. Williams, a Methodist, at the Valley school house. They both disbanded in 1858, and subsequently the M. E. Church organized a class, but this did not continue long. A Roman Catholic mission was established, at the present site of St. Augustine, and at a comparatively early date. It was conducted by the Rev. Father St. Cyr in 1837. In 1843, a church building was dedicated by the Rev. Bishop Kendrick of St. Louis. Twenty years later a new structure was built. The first school was built and opened in the winter of 1837, and was taught by Dennis Clark, later judge of the county court. The school district embraced Indian Point and part of Warren County, and the school house was constructed of logs and located on Section 16. There was an enrollment of thirty pupils the first winter.

The township is now crossed by two railroads, the C. B. and Q., and the Central Iowa.

St. Augustine

The original site of St. Augustine, known as "Old St. Augustine" was in Fulton County. When the Burlington Road was built, the company found a side track could not be built nearer the village than the sight of the present depot. The business soon drifted away from the old town site. In 1854, the new St. Augustine was laid out by E. T. Byram, one-half mile north of the old village.