SALEM TOWNSHIP

(Extracted from the History of Knox County, Illinois by Albert Perry, Vol. I, pgs 443-445,
submitted by Janine Crandell)

Salem township lies in the southeast corner of Knox County. It is well watered by small streams and its natural features are beautiful. There are two ridges crossing the township known as divides, one of them entering from the east at the southeast corner of Section 1 passes westward. Just north of Yates City it then curves quickly to the south and southeast passing through Section 14, then turning abruptly to the west it curves and crosses the northern part of Section 22 and then turns northwest and leaves the township on the north side of the town of Douglas, formerly called Summit. The waters north of that flow into French Creek, and there are quite a number of little streams which, with small tributaries, cover nearly all of the county. The other divide starts in Section 25 and passes northward for about one and half miles, then turning a little north and west and leaves the township at the corner between Section 18 and 19. This is known as the French Creek and Willow Watershed. It passes nearly parallel with the first divide described, and Pease branch drains the land between the two divides, and Willow Creek and its branches take care of that portion of the township south of this last watershed. Parties who are interested in studying the drainage of Knox County, will do well to make frequent references to the geological map prepared by Mr. Jelliff illustrating his article on geologic and topographical topics.

The township is well provided with railroad facilities. The Peoria division of the Burlington passes through Yates City. A branch runs to the south into Fulton County and so on to Vermont and Rushville. At Vermont it goes to the south and eastward and reaches St. Louis.

It is a delight to drive over this township. Excellent views may be obtained from almost any point upon the ridges described above.

Good belts of timber were found along the streams which have been described, most of which have been cut away.

Salem township was organized under the General Law April 5, 1853. The election was held in a log schoolhouse, near Michael Egan's home, on section 29. S. S. Buffum was elected supervisor. John Sloan was one of Salem's most excellent citizens, and at one time served eight succeeding terms of one year each as supervisor of the township, and at other periods he served from one to three years. His advice was found most excellent in constructing the new courthouse at Galesburg.

The first settlement was made by Alexander Taylor in 1834, then came Felix and John Thurman, Henry and Avery Dalton, Solomon Sherwood, Benoni Hawkins, William Kent, John Darnell, John Haskins, and Sala Blakeslee, most of the whom brought their families with them. Mr. Avery Dalton is still living at Elmwood, Illinois. These early settlers brought their religious faith with them, and, from time to time, held prayer meetings at different places. In 1835 or 1836, Rev. Henry Somers visited the settlement and preached the first sermon at the home of William Kent, on section 13.

James Mason built the first saw mill on Kickapoo Creek, in Section 13, in 1835. Another one was built a little later by Anderson Corbin, on Section 14.

The township is well supplied with excellent bridges, mostly constructed of iron with good substantial stone abutments. The rows are in fairly good condition having been graded and dragged, but no macadam has been laid.

There is a large quantity of coal beneath the surface which has been mined for local use, from an early date, along the banks of the stream, upon the north and south sides of the township. The mines on Kickapoo and Littler's creeks are the most productive. Messrs. Pittman and Barlow, blacksmiths and farmers, of Fulton County, are said to have taken out coal from Section 25, in the year 1832, which they used in their own forges.

Stock-raising is an important industry of this township. It has added a great deal to its wealth. N. G. Daughmer and son, David Corey and son, H. A. and James Sloan, E. H. Ware, Frank Runyon, A. D. Moore and R.J. McKeighan, were all successful stock-raisers.

The schools of Salem Township have the benefit of a very valuable library which was started by Professor W. L. Steel, now superintendent of the city schools of Galesburg. At that time he was principal of the graded school in Yates City, and in September, 1878, proposed to the school board, composed of J. D. Hoyt, J. M. Taylor and L. A. Lawrence, the organization of a school and public library, to be under the control of the board, and open at all hours to pupils of the school and to the public, upon payment of a membership fee. The plan was adopted, a constitution and by-laws framed and nearly one hundred dollars received from a public entertainment given on Thanksgiving Day of that year. The movement was supported by the public from the first and has been regularly and systematically carried on. The library has steadily grown and, at the present, has about 2,500 volumes of all classes of books which the young men and women of the city and township so thoroughly appreciate and use.

A post office was established in 1837, at the place called Middle Grove which was near what is now Uniontown.

The underground railroad had a well defined road through Salem antebellum times and many a colored man or woman found safe passage over this road on his way to Canadian freedom.

Douglas

Douglas, formerly Summit, is Salem township's second village and was laid out on the northeast corner of the northeast quarter of Section 7, by W. G. Ware in October, 1856. It was surveyed by E. T. Byram.

Its existence is due to the building of the Peoria and Oquawka railroad.

The surrounding country has made it a lively trading place in general merchandise.

Uniontown

This is the oldest village in the township of Salem. It was laid out by Moses Shinn in June, 1839, was surveyed and platted by George A. Charles.

It is beautifully situated in the western extremity of a high divide and overlooks a wide expanse of prairie.

It was of considerable importance in the earlier days, and was upon the original survey of the Peoria and Iowa railroads.

In addition to the usual stores and enterprises connected with a growing town in those days, it had a factory for plows and wagons, and the burning of brick was also one of its industries. A primitive shingling machine was owned by Elisha Van Pelt in 1843. Cottonwood and black walnut were the timbers generally used.

It had a school in 1843, in a frame building originally intended for a store, on the corner of the public square.

It is said to have been named from Uniontown, Portage County, in Ohio.

A later survey for the railroad, in 1856, located a line about two miles further north from the town, and from that time the village rapidly declined until 1869, when the Legislature vacated the plat.