WALNUT GROVE TOWNSHIP

Extract from the 1870 Atlas Map of Knox County, Illinois
Residence of J. M. A. Miller, Section 1

(Extracted from the History of Knox County, Illinois by Albert Perry, Vol. I, pgs 433-434,
submitted by Janine Crandell)

This township derives its name from the location of extensive groves within its limits and Walnut Creek and several tributaries water extensive portions of the township. Surface and soil is therefore fine and undulated. There is but one village within the township, that is Altona.

The first white men that came were Messrs. Jones and Dehart. They built a cabin on Section 31, but owing to the hostilities of the Indians, they left at the time of the Black Hawk War. The ruins of their cabin could still be seen in 1838. John Thompson was the first permanent settler, coming in 1836. He built the first frame house. One elder M. Smith, of the Mormon Church, built a frame house in 1840, on section 15, and in 1842, several hundred of his faith had located here. They intended to build a temple but went to Hancock County upon the advice of Joseph Smith. Since their departure, settlement has been more rapid and there is found a prosperous and intelligence community now living within the township.

The first boy born in the township was John T. Poe; the first girl was Helen Ward, who married A. P. Stevens. The first marriage was between Austin Frederick and Elizabeth Finney. The first death was that of Mrs. Hinsdale, a sister of Amos Ward. She died in August, 1838.

A school house was built on the southwest quarter of Section 16, in 1840, and the first teacher was Robey Tabor. E. L. Gross was another early teacher and he became a distinguished lawyer of Springfield.

The first church that was organized was a Baptist church and they made it a place upon Court Creek, for worship. Elder Samuel Shaw was the organizer of this band.

The township was organized in 1853, like all of the townships in the county and Amos Ward was elected supervisor, and we find the names of Sage, Livingstone, Collinson, Allen, etc., among the township officers.

ALTONA

Altona is the only village in the township. It is a station on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, sixteen miles northeast of Galesburg. It is the center of quite a fine trade and is among the most prosperous villages in the county. During the construction of the Central Military Tract railway, quite a large number of workmen camped near the woods along the railroad line, and Cyrus Willard and J. S. Chambers build a store, on land then owned by Daniel Allen, and supplied the wants of these railroad employees. This was the first building erected in Altona, and was the first and only store between Galesburg and Kewanee. Other stores were built in succeeding years, and the fact that there were no other villages nearby drew the crowd, greatly to the benefit of Altona. A flouring mill was built by Nils Peterson in 1854, and in connection with it a distillery, which being unpopular, was discontinued after a year. The mill, however, was in use for quite a number of years.

Altona was platted in 1834, by John Piatt, for the heirs of John Thompson, E. B. Main and Daniel Allen laid out an addition to Altona, just north east of the original town. At this time the place was called La Pier, but was changed to Altona at the instructions of the railroad officers. There was some confusion over the fact that the post office was known as Walnut Grove. In 1863, the name was changed to Reno in honor of the famous general of that name. About that time, the name Reno was decidedly unpopular, as three men of that name were lynched in Indiana. So the citizens rejected it, and they united upon the name of Altona for their village, station and post office.

Altona is blessed with splendid schools. The sentiment of the community favors temperance and it always was a "hot bed of abolitionists". The churches of the county have been written of so thoroughly in other places that little need be said upon the subject in this place.

The fraternal organizations of Altona consist of the Altona Forum, the Odd Fellows and the Rebekahs. There is also a Masonic lodge.

It has a fine public library which is highly prized and in the constant use by the intelligent citizens.