History

 

The village was incorporated August 12, 1865, under the name of Young America, and on August 19, 1872, incorporated under the general law. On the latter date also a vote was taken on changing the name of the village, two names being proposed, America and Marquette, the name of the first white man on Illinois soil. Eleven votes were cast for the name America, 38 for Marquette, and 132 against any change. Young America therefore remained the name of the village until May 22, 1874, when the name Kirkwood was adopted with but one dissenting vote. The first trustees were J. K. Cummings, J. B. Sofield, A. Carmichael, Orrin Lanphere and J. L. Batchelor, with Mr. Cum­ mings as president of the board, and Mr. So- field as clerk. The board established the boundaries of the village, shortly after its first organization, as follows: Beginning at the southeast corner of the northwest quarter of Section 9, thence one mile west, thence one mile south, thence one mile east, theace one mile north to the place of beginning. The presidents of the village board to the present time have been:

J. K. Cummings, 1865

Albert Mitchell, 1866-67

S. D. Perkins, 1868

J. C. Lockwood, 1869-70

George W. Kellogg, 1871

David Woods, 1872

Hugh Gilmore, 1873

Henry Cresswell, 1874

Hugh Gilmore, 1875

G. W. Kellogg, 1876

H. W. Allen, 1877

J. B. Sofield, 1878

H. Gilmore, 1879

George W. Kellogg, 1880-81

J. M. McClanahan, 1882-83

F. M. Davidson, 1884

(Records missing for 1885-87)

C. H. Mundorff, 1888

(Records missing for 1889)

C. A. Carmichael, 1890

W. H. Hartwell, 1891

George Abbey, 1892

C. H. Mundorff, 1893-94

Paul D. Salter, 1895

C. H. Mundorff, 1896

J. M. McClanahan, 1897

W. C. Tubbs, 1898-1901

C. H. Mundorff, 1902

The present officers of the village are: C. H. Mun­ dorff, president; G. A. Baxter, clerk; R. R. Davison, treasurer; J. H. Gilmore, W. K. Gamble, J. C. Ackerman, J. F. Kyler, Jas. A. Green, W. J. Smith, trustees; J. S. Glover, police magistrate; S. P. Holmes, marshal; J. S. Allard, street superintendent; R. L. Everett, fire marshal.

Although the townsite was platted in 1854, there was really no town until after the rail­ road was completed through it in 1855. The postoffice was established January 1, 1856, under the name of Linden, and with W. W. Gilmore as postmaster. June 9 following, the name of the office was changed to Young America, and then to Kirkwood, when that became the name of the village. The office is now a presidential one, and the postmaster is John Holliday, who has been in charge since 1897. The postmasters up to the present time have been:

W. W. Gilmore

James A. Ramsdell

George Williams

W. M. Galbraith

John E. Willett

Ellas Schenbarger

John B. Sofield

Nealy Gordon

A. B. Holliday

G. O. Cole

John Holliday

Two rural routes were started from this' office February 1, 1902, with Carl H. Thomson and F. L. Gibson as carriers

History of Warren County

Submitted by Wini Caudell .

 

 

©Wini Caudell and Contributors

All Rights Reserved

Illinois Ancestors