MAQUON TOWNSHIP

(Extracted from the History of Knox County, Illinois by Albert Perry, Vol. I, pgs 451-453,
submitted by Janine Crandell)

The advent of William Palmer and family at the place where the village of Maquon is situated, seems to be the date from which all matters of importance in relation to the township of Maquon are reckoned. The starting point is fixed at some time in the year 1827. Mr. Palmer seems to have been a typical pioneer. He is known as the "bee man" as that seems to have been one of his favorite pastimes or means of support, or both. Mr. Palmer's cabin was made of black hickory poles, and on all sides are said to have been Indian gardens. Just why the habitations of the redmen, at this point, are called gardens, is not explained for they were occupied only during the winter, and in the summertime the Indians went away to find better hunting grounds to the west. They returned annually in the fall and remained during the winter until the year 1832, when, as one of the results of the Black Hawk War, they left forever. Mr. Palmer remained there five or six years, planted an orchard and cultivated the ground vacated by the Indians. His cabin, being located on the Galena trails, afforded a stopping place for people passing back and forth. Mr. Palmer sold his cabin to one Nelson Selby and removed to St. Louis. This cabin was constructed much like other cabins of that day. It was small, consisting of one room, practically without windows, and with but one door. The chimney, of course, was built of sticks laid up, after the same manner in which the cabin itself was built, and then packed and plastered with mud so as to withstand the heat of the fire in the fireplace. Nevertheless there were frequent fires at Mr. Palmer's mansion on account of the "burning out" of the chimney.

Another character of Maquon township is spoken of, that of Simeon Dolph, the pioneer ferryman of Spoon River. He also built a similar cabin which was located where the Rathburn house now stands. He did not remain long. The cause of his leaving is supposed to have been in consequence of a suspicion of foul play being dealt out to an unknown traveler.

In 1829 Mark Thurman with his family took up a residence upon Section 25, and soon followed William Darnell, William Palmer, Thomas Thurman and James Milam. These people came from Ohio, and from that time on the settlers came in increasing numbers, and in 1837 the village of Maquon was laid out. A pretty little story of the name of this town and township will be found in the article upon the Indians of Knox County, where also will be described the trails and relics which were found numerous in and about the village of Maquon. Township organization was completed in 1853, and James N. Foster was elected supervisor; Nathan Barbero, assessor, and James L. Loman, collector.

The first school house was a log building erected in 1834 on Section 33. Benjamin Brock was the first teacher. Another school house was erected in 1836 or 1837, a little south of Bennington. The first school north of Spoon River was conducted by Miss Mary Fink in a shed adjoining the residence of Peter Jones, father of John Jones. The New Testament was the only reader. It is said by some of Miss Fink's pupils that she could read and write but could not cipher.

The township originally contained Maquon, Bennington and Rapatee. Bennington was located near the center of the township but it failed to develop although it was a township voting place until 1858.

Rapatee

This village has made some progress and is a snug little town on the Iowa Central Railroad. It was laid out by Benjamin Adams on the southeast quarter of Section 33, and has churches, stores, blacksmith shops, elevators and other interests common in such a town.

Maquon

The village of Maquon is situated near the site of an old Indian village on the north line of the township on Section 4, with a view of the Spoon River to the south. It was surveyed in 1836 by Parnach Owen, assisted by John G. Sanburn, William McGowan, Judge R. L. Hannaman, Mr. Richmond and Mr. Biers.

Nothing that has ever been said to the knowledge of the writer, indicates that the people of Maquon are different from other people. They have always been a law-abiding people and as honorable in their dealings as other folks so far as is known, but for some reason not stated, the village was slow in establishing religious and educational influences. They had a distillery and a racetrack; both of these institutions have gone and a school and a church have taken their place, and both are well supported. The people today are abreast with those of any other town in the county, and there is no town in the county where the women are more alive to the interests of their own sex than in Maquon. We are indebted to the women of that village for a large part of all that is known and preserved of Indian life throughout this part of the country. The village was incorporated March 19, 1857, and the town has steadily grown and today it has about 700 inhabitants. Notwithstanding the fact that it once supported a distillery, it has not supported a saloon for many years. At present it has ample banking facilities, grocery stores, dry goods, drug stores, newspapers and other industries that supply about all the wants of the inhabitants of the village and the surrounding county.

The Maquon physicians have always been reliable and up-to-date. The private Bank of William Swigart has been in operation since 1881. The banking interests of Maquon are fully set out in the article on banks of the county.

Mr. A. M. Maple was for many years a prosperous merchant and left the business in the hands of his son, C. F. Maple, in 1896. These gentlemen have always been highly spoken of for their honesty and fair dealing.

The religious and banking interests of Maquon have been referred to in this article but the reader is respectfully referred to articles on those subjects found on other pages of this history book. If any information is wanted in regard to any one of the churches of Maquon, a reference to the matter will be found in the article written upon that Church under its respective denomination, in the article written for the whole county. The reader is further referred to the article on banking in Knox County for affirmation in regard to the several banks of Maquon.

Maquon has had its share of experience with the different fraternal organizations. The Odd Fellows have been represented by the Maquon Lodge No. 256, I. O. O. F. and the Degree of Rebecca. The Masons have been represented under the Maquon Lodge No. 530, A. F. and A. M., and there has been a flourishing order of the Eastern Star for the wives and daughters of the Masons. Maquon Lodge No. 171, K. of P., and the Bertie Lenore Temple have also flourished here. These orders are all fraternal orders and there is not much that can be said to the public in regard to them.

It has been stated that the village of Maquon was incorporated on the 19th of March, 1857. At that election there were 55 voters, 41 cast their ballots for, and 14 against incorporation. Notices of this election were posted on the 9th of March.

It seems from the record that saloons were licensed under the head of groceries, and it was provided "that the applicant should keep an orderly house and that he will not permit any unlawful game or riots in his house, or token of unusual unrest therein, and that he will not in any manner sell any kind of intoxicating drink to any persons who may in any degree be perceivably, already under the influence of intoxicating liquors". It was provided further that "groceries shall be determined to include all houses and places where wine, rum, brandy, gin, whisky or other similar spirits or mixed liquors are sold".

About the year 1860 the people began to be a little negligent of their duties as citizens of the village. In that year an election was called for the 26th day of March, for the purpose of electing a town-board. The polls opened but not a voter appeared. The president, A. J. Dunlay, Carl T. Thurman, A. M. Maple, Horace Jones and Alfred Thurman took up the reins of village government and labored another year. Everything seemed to go along all right until 1865, when eighteen votes were cast for village trustees.

No considerable amount of sidewalks were built until 1865, when a walk was built to the depot from the public square.

A calaboose was talked about December 13, 1865, at a meeting called for that purpose. It seems a calaboose had been built by the citizens and organized on the West End, Block 11. This building was made of 3 X 6 planks spiked together and consisted of but one small room, having one door and a small hole for a window. Iron bars were placed over the hole that served for a window. Two years and one month later it was moved and seconded that the building be sold to the highest and best bidder, for the highest cash, and the proceeds used for building a plank walk. There is nothing to show that it was actually sold. This building had been bought by the citizens of Maquon village and was taken possession of by the village at the time above referred to.

Foregoing facts regarding Maquon township and village have been gathered from various sources and the writer would make special acknowledgments to Mrs. Eva Chapin Maple and to Miss Jenny McKenney.