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FIRST SETTLERS

The first settler of the township was James Robinson, who located here in 1833. His son, Matthew Robinson, is living. From him the writer gained some idea of the customs and privations of the pioneers. They hauled their wheat to Chicago with oxen. Mr. Robinson's father, James Robinson, went with several ox- teams, himself driving a span of horses. His load of wheat was exchanged for one of salt, which he divided with his neighbors who were unable to make the long trip. Incredible as it now seems, it took one month to make the round trip, when oxen were used.

Joseph Dunlap. Daniel Edgington and John Edgington all came in 1834. These earliest settlers located along the timber in order to be handy to the supply of fuel. Here they entered the land they had selected, and began developing it.

All of them were from Ohio, where pioneer conditions had already been overcome. James Robinson built the first log house in the township, putting it up in the spring of 1834, and Mr. Dunlap built the second, erecting it in the timber. In this house, the Presbyterian church of Edgington was organized, in 1837.

The year 1835, brought Uncle George Kell, Henry and Charles Eberhart, and in the fall, Charles, Moses and John Titterington arrived from Ohio. In the spring of 1836, B. McNutt brought his family to the little settlement, from Ohio, and William Snell arrived from Mississippi. In the fall of that same year, Daniel Montgomery, Alexander Hazlett and family, W. D. Hatton, Parley Laflin and family and Joseph Asquith, also settled here. These few formed the nucleus of the present Edgington township.

In 1838, the population was increased by the arrival of George Allen, Lorenzo Parmenter, Allen Parmenter, Seth Parmenter, H. H. Parks, A. J. Webster and Timothy Dutton. As late as 1850, lands in the southeastern part of the township were sold very cheap. James Taylor came about 1850, and with others settled on section 12. William Miller settled just over the line in Bowling township. These early settlers were often visited by Indians, who were friendly, and with whom they traded.

When Chicago was not used as a market, grain was hauled to Hendersonville, Knox county, a distance of forty-five miles, and the round trip took from one to three weeks according to the state of the road, and the motive power used, horses traveling much faster than oxen.

In 1839, John Crawford came from southern Indiana on horseback to look the country over. On his way, he was chased by a band of highwaymen, but they failed to catch him. Being pleased with the locality, the following year he brought his family to Edgington township by steamboat. After he was settled, he used to hold a singing school.

An amusing story is told of a young hunter, pursuing game on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi river, hearing a steamboat whistle, took it for some wild animal, and fearing it, fled home. Several members of the Elliot family came in the forties, but the elder generation are all gone, although the name is well represented in the present one. The Robinsons, Davis family, Wakefields, Haseletts, Everetts came about the same time, in the early forties. J. Asquith came in the early forties from England, and a Mr. Snider from Switzerland.

The year 1850, found Edgington township fairly well settled. Some of the pioneers were from Ireland, among them being the Kelleys, McChans, Horns and McCartys and old Mr. Itamer, who so often called his fellowtownsmen to Fourth of July celebrations with his drum.

Others were from Indiana, such as the Bakers, Rails, Websters, Campbells, Singers, Fishers, Tylers, Dr. Tyler, Lloyd and W. B. Bruner, the Moores. Barnes and many others. The friend of the writer, J. L. Harris, came with his family in the fifties. His father's name was Thomas McLaughlin Harris. They, with Luther Criswell, Clay, Hoses and Eldridge Moore and a Mr. Carpenter, came from Ohio

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