Fulton County, Illinois Ghost towns Part 1
Ghost towns are abandoned villages that since disappeared or are no longer the population they were in their hey day after an economic down fall, disaster or whatever. For me I consider a ghost town a town that no longer exists but may or may not leave traces behind of it's existence. Fulton County has a lot of old historical towns like Canton which was founded in 1825 and Lewistown which was founded years before Canton. These towns are example of towns that managed to make it despite economic disasters and natural ones. Former towns which have signs marking their location like Civer between Canton and Cuba and Tuscumbia around Bernadotte are examples of towns that didn't make it and ceased to exist and into oblivion of history. The only thing that is exists is those two signs that mark the location. It's sad in a way but it is what it is and people who lived in these areas did what they had to for survival of the time period so if they moved to other communities can you really blame them especially in the horse and buggy and dirt road era. Okay I'll shut up. The information for these towns are from various History of Fulton County books for this area so let's get this started.
Astoria Township:
"Washington": Washington was the first village in the township which was surveyed in 1834 in the northwest corner of section 24. The village contained 48 lots. In 1836 the town was laid out by Robert McClelland and Zachariah Gilbert. There was a small general store here, a few cabins, blacksmith shop, and a school house near by which was also used to hold church services. The village never grew and due to another town over in Tazwell County with the same name it went out of existence.
"Vienna" : Zachariah Gilbert, Benjamin Clark and a Mr. Bacon laid out the town on June 9, 1837. Gilbert and Clark bought out Bacon's interest in the town. Due to another town in the state with the same name the name was changed to Astoria. This isn't exactly a ghost town. Astoria still exists but the former name of it ceased to exist.
Banner Township:
"Delevan": It was platted bya James W. Willis on his farm in 1837. He laid out for a public square, center square, market square and a railroad depot. There were talks of a railroad being built in that area at the time which would pass through but it never materialized. Today nothing remains. There is a Delevan today over in Tazwell County.
"Mill's Point": Near the mouth of the Coppers creek where it empties into the Illinois River a small town was platted in 1842 by John D. Mills. The town never really materialized even though Copperas creek was a busy place. Just like many paper towns it went into oblivious.
"Commerce": Another town on the Copperas Creek on the mouth of it where it empties into the river. Just like MIll's Point it never materialized and platted in 1843 by a Lyman B. Suydam (distant relation to my grandmother's Suydam's in the county....very distant. I think he ended up in Dekalb or somewhere up there eventually).
"Coppera's Creek Landing": was a landing that at one time had several warehouses and even a store.
Bernadotte Township:
"Tuscumbia": Tuscumbia was one of the many villages that sprung up in the township and was platted Hampton on March 2, 1837. It consisted of 54 lots. The first school was a log cabin with greased paper instead of glass for windows. This was Isaac Howard's first school. For awhile the town flourished but by 1855 was abandoned. Today there is a sign to mark the location off Bernadotte Blacktop. One of the pictures I will add is the location of this town site.
"Cameron Grove": was a picnic area and settlement three miles up the Spoon River north of Bernadotte.
"Providence" in section 23 was a small community with a lovely church and cemetery both of which are still there.
"Bennington": The records of the US Postal service name a Post office of Bennington in this township which was established September 20, 1823 and discontinued May 20, 1835 after which time mail went to Bernadotte.
Buckheart Township:
"Hooda": Hooda was a small mining settlement near Bryant/ Other than this not much is known. My Great great Grandmother Florence Marion ( Crawford) Graham died of Typhoid Pneumonia in this settlement on Feb 7, 1900. She was married to Lewis Butler Graham and left behind three children: Allen, Albert and Jennie ( Graham) May. Jennie married my Great Grandfather Dean. I'm guessing Lewis worked at the mine. I was told he was a very harsh man and my great grandfather who was a very tall man stepped in while Lewis was about to beat Jennie with a belt and picked him up and threatened to beat him but good if he ever touched Jennie again or so the story went. Lewis would die in the 1930's and was listed at a time in a poor house type deal which was south of Canton at one time. I guess you can say Karma!
Cass Township:
"Totten Prarie": was a small settlement in Section 27 where William Totten settled in and is credited for the name in 1823. There is an Old Totten cemetery still around today in section 34. The cemetery is on private property and behind a barn so permission is needed to see it.
"Cameron": was another settlement near Totten settlement in section 28. Soon after Totten came a man named Thomas Cameron settled nearby or a year later in 1824 on the southwest corner of section 28. These areas became known as "Totten and Cameron settlements". A place where all newcomers came first. In 1829 a school was started with D.S. Baughman as the teacher.
" Travis": was an old town site near Poverty Ridge which was near Seville and the Old Fuller mill. It is said that the foundation of the mill can still be found. Travis did not become anything but an old forgotten town site which never organized.
"Poverty Ridge": was a place where poverty stricken people would go. A community of people which was built around a school house and near the old town site of Travis. If you go to Poverty Ridge in time for dinner there would always be a plate for you or so it was said.
Deerfield Township:
"Wiley": Emsley Wiley came to this township in 1835 and bought 160 acres of land. 1838 records show him as county coroner. In 1839 he set aside one acre for a school and a meeting house. He platted a city to be named "Wiley". Although did not materialize his dream of a school and meeting house did and in 1839 the first rude log school house was built. In 1844 Mr and Mrs Wiley sold their land and moved farther west. On January 16,1880 the Wiley Lutheran Church was organized. There is a church and cemetery there today in section 21.
"Westminster" (Sect 16). was a paper town founded by David Everly after the Everly's moved here coming from the east. Only three lots were ever sold but the village never materialized so it went into oblivion.
"Midway" was a small settlement south of Wiley church.
Ellisville township:
"Ellisville Station (Mayton)": was an old mining settlement. It consisted of a Railroad depot on the Narrow Gauge later CB&Q, a grocery store, butcher shop, and a barber shop. Plus it consisted of many company owned miner's houses/ The mining company and the ssettlement vanished after the Mining company went under in 1926. It lasted from 1896 to 1926. It had a post office that ran from Jan 1, 1909 until August 1913.
Fairview Township:
"Parrville": In 1883 land was bought in section 30 by Samuel Parr for obtaining coal lands. In January 1900 Parr opperated his mine near the Narrow Gauge Railroad for better shipping to and for the outside markets. A drift mine was opened and a small settlement set up there consistng of little houses for the miners. The mine here lasted until 1925. The Narrow Gauge served them then CB&Q. It was west north west of Fairview, Illinois.
Farmington Township:
"Columbia": (Sect 24). In 1834 Thomas Lord established Columbia which was north of the present village of Norris and Ghilchrist. It died while "Abourning". Later on in the century a brick and title plant existed near the site where the Railroad ran by.
Harris Township:
" Vanopolis": (Sect 24). Around 1840 the hamlet of Vanopolis was platted by W.H. Van Epps. He was in hopes that his town would prosper but sadly it did not. It was believed a railroad would be built here however the railroad wasn't built for some thirty years and it went to Warsaw not Quincy. As a result in January 1844 the town was vacant and only Fuller's Mill remained to mark the site after that.
"Leaman": It was between Seville and Mariette and was a little hamlet like Vanopolis. It once had a population of forty five. The Marietta Stone Coal Company was established here in 1870 and prospered through the 1870's til the death of Mr. Leaman. The panic of 1893 killed the hamley and the last building was torn down in 1916.
Isabel Township:
"Spoon River Village": It was the oldest village in the township. It was a settlement as early as 1821. It was laid out in lots and streets in 1838. A post office was established here from Feb 20, 1838 and discontinued April 28, 1847. It had an icehouse later on here. The village never grew. It is believed Hiram Wentworth owned the property on which it stood.
"West Havana": was a railroad terminal west of Havana on the Fulton County side to which the Fulton County Narrow gauge later CB&Q shipped freight and hauled passengers down here whom would which be shuttled acrossed on thhe Wagon bridge after leaving the terminal. It had a depot and a store here. The Railroad line was abandoned in the 1935 time frame and torn out about then so West Havana ceased to exist after wards.
"Bessler's Station" was a station on the Fulton County Narrow Gauge from 1868 til 1910.
"Point Isabel" ( AKA Point Pleasdant or Bloody Point). It had one of the earliest if not the earliest mill here in this area. It was in section 29 acrossed the river from Havana. It is in the vicinity of West Havana. It was known as Bloody Point due to pitched battles fought by the redneck and belligerent residents of Fulton and Mason Counties. Mr. O.M. Ross conducted a ferry here and the Scovel's ( relation to my family the May's) ran it as Ferryman for a while. This area was a shipping point of the township.
"Otto": It was laid out and platted by Hiram Wentworth on Feb 17,1845. At one time it had a school house,store,tavern doctor, post office, mill, brick kiln, and a cooperage here. The post office was established April 22,1847 and after being discontinued and reestablished several times it was discontinued for the final time December 14,1903. The school house ran from 1875-1885. The only thing that remains is a cemetery which some of the Graham relations to me are buried here.
Joshua Township:
"Sugarville": was one of the unincorporated villages of Fulton County and was situated on Put Creek halfway between Canton and Fiatt off Route 9 where two cemeteries are off the highway. The settlement was first called Sugar Grov as there were many sugar maples in that area from which maplr syrup was made. Joseph H. Gardiner built a mill here in 1857. He sold it to Edwin Savill. There was a blacksmith shop,wood repair shop, grist and saw mill, boot and repair shop, grocery store and coal bank here which had a mine. Today nothing but two well kept cemeteries remain. It was first known as "Gardiner's Corner". The pioneer site is still called sugarville. Even I call it that and well aware of it's location. I should photograph the area.
"Bybee Station (Bybee)": It was a station and hamlet on the old Fulton County Narrow Gauge between Fiatt and Fairview. In 1880 David Bybee deeded the land for a station. There was a post office here and a blacksmith shop. The store here was ran by a Mr. Breckenridge. In 1905 two trains a day in both directions passed Bybee. Around 1905 to 1910 CB&Q took over the Narrow Gauge and around widened it up to standard rail. In 1913 only just one train a day came through Bybee. Only a railroad Right of way and a cemetery remain to mark the site.
I will make a part two to this blog since there is so many to list. The pictures I added are the former town site of Tuscumbia over by Bernadotte off Bernadotte black top. Down the road is the old Randolph cemetery and a good view of the valley overlooking the Spoon River. I'm also including pictures of the Bybee area in Joshua township. I took a picture of the old Railroad right of way and where it crossed the road as well as a picture of the over grown Bybee cemetery in the middle of the field. I imagine permission is needed to visit it. It's not in good shape by what I seen ad heard.
Astoria Township:
"Washington": Washington was the first village in the township which was surveyed in 1834 in the northwest corner of section 24. The village contained 48 lots. In 1836 the town was laid out by Robert McClelland and Zachariah Gilbert. There was a small general store here, a few cabins, blacksmith shop, and a school house near by which was also used to hold church services. The village never grew and due to another town over in Tazwell County with the same name it went out of existence.
"Vienna" : Zachariah Gilbert, Benjamin Clark and a Mr. Bacon laid out the town on June 9, 1837. Gilbert and Clark bought out Bacon's interest in the town. Due to another town in the state with the same name the name was changed to Astoria. This isn't exactly a ghost town. Astoria still exists but the former name of it ceased to exist.
Banner Township:
"Delevan": It was platted bya James W. Willis on his farm in 1837. He laid out for a public square, center square, market square and a railroad depot. There were talks of a railroad being built in that area at the time which would pass through but it never materialized. Today nothing remains. There is a Delevan today over in Tazwell County.
"Mill's Point": Near the mouth of the Coppers creek where it empties into the Illinois River a small town was platted in 1842 by John D. Mills. The town never really materialized even though Copperas creek was a busy place. Just like many paper towns it went into oblivious.
"Commerce": Another town on the Copperas Creek on the mouth of it where it empties into the river. Just like MIll's Point it never materialized and platted in 1843 by a Lyman B. Suydam (distant relation to my grandmother's Suydam's in the county....very distant. I think he ended up in Dekalb or somewhere up there eventually).
"Coppera's Creek Landing": was a landing that at one time had several warehouses and even a store.
Bernadotte Township:
"Tuscumbia": Tuscumbia was one of the many villages that sprung up in the township and was platted Hampton on March 2, 1837. It consisted of 54 lots. The first school was a log cabin with greased paper instead of glass for windows. This was Isaac Howard's first school. For awhile the town flourished but by 1855 was abandoned. Today there is a sign to mark the location off Bernadotte Blacktop. One of the pictures I will add is the location of this town site.
"Cameron Grove": was a picnic area and settlement three miles up the Spoon River north of Bernadotte.
"Providence" in section 23 was a small community with a lovely church and cemetery both of which are still there.
"Bennington": The records of the US Postal service name a Post office of Bennington in this township which was established September 20, 1823 and discontinued May 20, 1835 after which time mail went to Bernadotte.
Buckheart Township:
"Hooda": Hooda was a small mining settlement near Bryant/ Other than this not much is known. My Great great Grandmother Florence Marion ( Crawford) Graham died of Typhoid Pneumonia in this settlement on Feb 7, 1900. She was married to Lewis Butler Graham and left behind three children: Allen, Albert and Jennie ( Graham) May. Jennie married my Great Grandfather Dean. I'm guessing Lewis worked at the mine. I was told he was a very harsh man and my great grandfather who was a very tall man stepped in while Lewis was about to beat Jennie with a belt and picked him up and threatened to beat him but good if he ever touched Jennie again or so the story went. Lewis would die in the 1930's and was listed at a time in a poor house type deal which was south of Canton at one time. I guess you can say Karma!
Cass Township:
"Totten Prarie": was a small settlement in Section 27 where William Totten settled in and is credited for the name in 1823. There is an Old Totten cemetery still around today in section 34. The cemetery is on private property and behind a barn so permission is needed to see it.
"Cameron": was another settlement near Totten settlement in section 28. Soon after Totten came a man named Thomas Cameron settled nearby or a year later in 1824 on the southwest corner of section 28. These areas became known as "Totten and Cameron settlements". A place where all newcomers came first. In 1829 a school was started with D.S. Baughman as the teacher.
" Travis": was an old town site near Poverty Ridge which was near Seville and the Old Fuller mill. It is said that the foundation of the mill can still be found. Travis did not become anything but an old forgotten town site which never organized.
"Poverty Ridge": was a place where poverty stricken people would go. A community of people which was built around a school house and near the old town site of Travis. If you go to Poverty Ridge in time for dinner there would always be a plate for you or so it was said.
Deerfield Township:
"Wiley": Emsley Wiley came to this township in 1835 and bought 160 acres of land. 1838 records show him as county coroner. In 1839 he set aside one acre for a school and a meeting house. He platted a city to be named "Wiley". Although did not materialize his dream of a school and meeting house did and in 1839 the first rude log school house was built. In 1844 Mr and Mrs Wiley sold their land and moved farther west. On January 16,1880 the Wiley Lutheran Church was organized. There is a church and cemetery there today in section 21.
"Westminster" (Sect 16). was a paper town founded by David Everly after the Everly's moved here coming from the east. Only three lots were ever sold but the village never materialized so it went into oblivion.
"Midway" was a small settlement south of Wiley church.
Ellisville township:
"Ellisville Station (Mayton)": was an old mining settlement. It consisted of a Railroad depot on the Narrow Gauge later CB&Q, a grocery store, butcher shop, and a barber shop. Plus it consisted of many company owned miner's houses/ The mining company and the ssettlement vanished after the Mining company went under in 1926. It lasted from 1896 to 1926. It had a post office that ran from Jan 1, 1909 until August 1913.
Fairview Township:
"Parrville": In 1883 land was bought in section 30 by Samuel Parr for obtaining coal lands. In January 1900 Parr opperated his mine near the Narrow Gauge Railroad for better shipping to and for the outside markets. A drift mine was opened and a small settlement set up there consistng of little houses for the miners. The mine here lasted until 1925. The Narrow Gauge served them then CB&Q. It was west north west of Fairview, Illinois.
Farmington Township:
"Columbia": (Sect 24). In 1834 Thomas Lord established Columbia which was north of the present village of Norris and Ghilchrist. It died while "Abourning". Later on in the century a brick and title plant existed near the site where the Railroad ran by.
Harris Township:
" Vanopolis": (Sect 24). Around 1840 the hamlet of Vanopolis was platted by W.H. Van Epps. He was in hopes that his town would prosper but sadly it did not. It was believed a railroad would be built here however the railroad wasn't built for some thirty years and it went to Warsaw not Quincy. As a result in January 1844 the town was vacant and only Fuller's Mill remained to mark the site after that.
"Leaman": It was between Seville and Mariette and was a little hamlet like Vanopolis. It once had a population of forty five. The Marietta Stone Coal Company was established here in 1870 and prospered through the 1870's til the death of Mr. Leaman. The panic of 1893 killed the hamley and the last building was torn down in 1916.
Isabel Township:
"Spoon River Village": It was the oldest village in the township. It was a settlement as early as 1821. It was laid out in lots and streets in 1838. A post office was established here from Feb 20, 1838 and discontinued April 28, 1847. It had an icehouse later on here. The village never grew. It is believed Hiram Wentworth owned the property on which it stood.
"West Havana": was a railroad terminal west of Havana on the Fulton County side to which the Fulton County Narrow gauge later CB&Q shipped freight and hauled passengers down here whom would which be shuttled acrossed on thhe Wagon bridge after leaving the terminal. It had a depot and a store here. The Railroad line was abandoned in the 1935 time frame and torn out about then so West Havana ceased to exist after wards.
"Bessler's Station" was a station on the Fulton County Narrow Gauge from 1868 til 1910.
"Point Isabel" ( AKA Point Pleasdant or Bloody Point). It had one of the earliest if not the earliest mill here in this area. It was in section 29 acrossed the river from Havana. It is in the vicinity of West Havana. It was known as Bloody Point due to pitched battles fought by the redneck and belligerent residents of Fulton and Mason Counties. Mr. O.M. Ross conducted a ferry here and the Scovel's ( relation to my family the May's) ran it as Ferryman for a while. This area was a shipping point of the township.
"Otto": It was laid out and platted by Hiram Wentworth on Feb 17,1845. At one time it had a school house,store,tavern doctor, post office, mill, brick kiln, and a cooperage here. The post office was established April 22,1847 and after being discontinued and reestablished several times it was discontinued for the final time December 14,1903. The school house ran from 1875-1885. The only thing that remains is a cemetery which some of the Graham relations to me are buried here.
Joshua Township:
"Sugarville": was one of the unincorporated villages of Fulton County and was situated on Put Creek halfway between Canton and Fiatt off Route 9 where two cemeteries are off the highway. The settlement was first called Sugar Grov as there were many sugar maples in that area from which maplr syrup was made. Joseph H. Gardiner built a mill here in 1857. He sold it to Edwin Savill. There was a blacksmith shop,wood repair shop, grist and saw mill, boot and repair shop, grocery store and coal bank here which had a mine. Today nothing but two well kept cemeteries remain. It was first known as "Gardiner's Corner". The pioneer site is still called sugarville. Even I call it that and well aware of it's location. I should photograph the area.
"Bybee Station (Bybee)": It was a station and hamlet on the old Fulton County Narrow Gauge between Fiatt and Fairview. In 1880 David Bybee deeded the land for a station. There was a post office here and a blacksmith shop. The store here was ran by a Mr. Breckenridge. In 1905 two trains a day in both directions passed Bybee. Around 1905 to 1910 CB&Q took over the Narrow Gauge and around widened it up to standard rail. In 1913 only just one train a day came through Bybee. Only a railroad Right of way and a cemetery remain to mark the site.
I will make a part two to this blog since there is so many to list. The pictures I added are the former town site of Tuscumbia over by Bernadotte off Bernadotte black top. Down the road is the old Randolph cemetery and a good view of the valley overlooking the Spoon River. I'm also including pictures of the Bybee area in Joshua township. I took a picture of the old Railroad right of way and where it crossed the road as well as a picture of the over grown Bybee cemetery in the middle of the field. I imagine permission is needed to visit it. It's not in good shape by what I seen ad heard.
Comments
Post a Comment