Untitled Document

POINT PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.

This township is in the extreme southwestern corner of Warren County. It is all rolling prairie, except Sections 12, 13 and 14, which are somewhat broken. The soil is rich and the township ranks among the foremost in the production of corn and the smaller grains. The raising of hogs is also an important feature. The land is drained from the east and southeast part by the middle and south branches of Nigger creek, which convey the water into the Illinois river.

The other part of the township is drained by Ellison and Honey creeks, which empty into the Mississippi. The 16th section is on the divide between the two rivers. There are no railroads in the township, and no villages or trading points, but for all that it is well named, being a pleasant place in which to Hve, and having many comfortable and beautiful homes. The township was organized April 4, 1854. There were few settlers then, and only ten votes were cast. Albert Mitchell was moderator of the meeting, and J. D. Conkling was clerk. The officers chosen were: Supervisor, Warren Park; town clerk, Andrew Livermore; assessor and collector, E. J. Haz- leton; highway commissioners, Thomas Boyd, Franklin Booth, and Andrew Livermore; overseers of the poor, Warren Park and Lucius Watson.

The present officers of the township (1902) are: Supervisor, W. T. Livermore; clerk, William Moore; assessor, A. E. Davis; collector, George Lee; highway commissioaers, Benjamin Lee, John L. Jones. E. M. Bycroft; Justice of the peace, E. M. Rycroft; constable, J. D. Piper.

Those who have served the township as supervisor up to the present time are: Warren Park, 1854; Albert Mitchell, 1855-57; R. T. King, 1858-59; Leonard Connell, 1S80; Albert Mitchell, 1861; George W. Stice, 1862-63; R. T. King, 1864-67; George W. Stice, 1868; James M. Humes, 1869-70; R. T. King, 1871-72; A. S. Smith, 1873-76; Thomas Pennington, 1877; A. S. Smith, 1878-80; W. T. Boyd, 1881-83; A. S. Smith, 1884-86; W. T. Boyd, 1887; A. S. Smith, 1888; W. T. Boyd, 1889-96; W. T. Livermore, 1897-1901.

The assessment for 1901 shows 871 horses, 1871 cattle, 46 mules and asses, 108 sheep, and 3,999 hogs in the township. The total value of personal property of every description was $207,825, and the assessed valuation $41,565: assessed valuation of lands, $257,070.

The population of the township, according to the census of 1900. was 718 ; against 812 in 1890.

SETTLERS

Point Pleasant was about the last township in the county to be settled. The first comers were David Sovereign and Abraham Belding, who located on Section 13 in 1835. Mr. Sovereign removed to California in a few years, and Mr. Belding to Missouri. William Park- hurst came next, from New England, settling on Section 24. He afterwards removed to Minnesota. In 1849 came Lucius and Isaac Watson, James Owen and John A. Waugh, the Watsons locating on Section 1

CHURCHES

The Cumberland Presbyterian church of Point Pleasant township, was organized by the Rev. William McCamy in June, 1864. There were eighteen charter members, viz.: Josiah Kirkpatrick, Lucinda Hindman, Mary Hughen, Eliza Hindman, W. R. Hindman, Amanda J. Johnston, Haney M. Ratekin, John B. O'Neil, Mary Dixson, Mary E. Dixson, Elizabeth Hughen, Esther Hughen, Susan F. Dean, Mary Dean, J. M. O'Neall, Maloney O'Neall, and Elizabeth Curtis. The first elders were Josiah Kirkpatrick, John B. O'Neil and W. R. Hindman, and the first pastor was Rev. John Crawford. He served ten years, and was followed by Revs. J. D. Foster, J. H. Morgan, J. T. Murray, C. A. King, F. P. Lawyer, S. P. Bixler, E. L. Latham, R. W. Norris, J. E. Blair, J. M. Bell, T. D. Harris. J. L. Crawford, Jr., the present pastor, has served eight years.

The present membership is twenty-six, and the elders are A. J. Johnston, Emma J. Boyd, and A. J. Ratekin. Sabbath school is maintained nine months of the year, with a membership of thirty-five. The church building was erected by the Methodists and Presbyterians Jointly in 1867, and dedicated January 5, 1868. It was bought from the Methodist society a few years later for $500.

The Methodist society of Point Pleasant Township was organized in the year 1853 at the home of Burrell Booth on the southeast quarter of Section 12. Rev. Harry Preston was the first circuit preacher, ana Rev. Richard Haney the first presiding elcier. In 1834 a school house was built on the northeast quarter of Section 12, and meetings were held there until December, 1867, when a church was built at a cost of f$2,000 on the southwest quarter of Section 12. Here the society worshiped until 1875 when the church was sold to the Cumberland Presbyterians for 5500. At this time part of the members went to Swan Creek, and the rest, with other new members, formed the Colfax Methodist Church near the center of the township, building a church in 1875.

The charter members of the original society were Burrell Booth and wife, Frank Booth and wife, Zadoc Stephens and wife, Nathan Stephens and wife and James D. Conklin and wife. The society had regular preaching service every two weeks, and Sabbath school most of the the time. Much labor was bestowed upon the community by both pastors and members dur ing these years, and the membership was fifty when the society separated.

The Colfax Methodist Church was organized at Center school house in the spring of 1875, the members being David and Jennie VanGilder, E. F. and L. A. Dehart, J. A. Williams, J. M. and Rhoda Chapman, Charles and Catherine Guna, M. B. and C. B. Torrence, Eliza J. Altman, W. H. Dehart, John R. Conklin and Sarah J. Morey. The church was built in the same year the society was organized, 1875. at a cost of $1,700.

SCHOOLS

The first school house was built in 1849, and the first school opened January 27, 1850, with Eunice Belding as teacher. The second school was taught by Ruby L. Stice, commencing July 15, 1850, in a school house near the east side of the township, and known as the Emrich school house. The figures on file with the County Superintendent show that there are now nine school districts, all with frame buildings; one male teacher receiving $45 a month, and eleven females receiving from ?25 to $40 a month; 105 males and 103 females of school age in the township, of whom 90 males and 88 females are enrolled in the schools. There are three school libraries, with forty volumes, valued at $90. The tax levy for school :| purposes is $2,852; value of school property, §3,500: value of school apparatus, $225; and Oonded debt for schools, $200.

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