This township was named in honor of Major Thomas Harris, who was elected and served as Major of the Fourth Illinois Regiment in the Mexican war, and who was afterward a member of Congress. It lies in the west part of the county, is bounded on the north by Illini, on the east by Decatur, south by Blue Mound, and west by Niantic. It is included within T. 16 N. R. 1 E., and contains twenty-seven sections of choice prairie land. It is drained by the Sangamon river and its tributaries. Along the margins of this stream there are scattering patches of timber. The soil is rich, and produces large quantities of wheat, corn, rye, oats, hay, potatoes and vegetables. For many years the only settlements that were made were along the dege of the timber, while thousands of acres of fertile prairie land remained in its native state.
Harristown is one of those townships of Macon county which were settled by that adventurous and enterprising class of settlers who left their comfortable homes, generally in Kentucky, Indiana, or Ohio, to push into the wild unsettled portions of central Illinois, and cast their destinies with the young state.
The first to settle in this township was William Hanks, a native of Kentucky, who came in 1828, and located in section 23, where he erected a log-cabin and made some improvements. Only a short time afterward in the same year (1828) witnessed the arrival of Christopher Miller, who emigrated from Kentucky with his family, and settled on section 14. His sons, Samuel, William, and John, came from Kentucky to the county in the same year. John settled on section 13 immediately after his coming. James Harrell, a native of Kentucky, removed to this township in 1834, and settled near section 13, where he remained two years; returned to Kentucky, and remained in the south until 1839, when he returned to Macon county, and now lives at Wyckle's switch, on the Wabash railway. Judge Freeman was also an early settler. Up to 1850 the settlements were mostly along the timber of the Sangamon, in the southern part, but about this time they began pushing out into the prairie.
James Miller, an old and highly respected citizen, is still engaged in farming on section 13, near where he located at an early day. Within two years after the first settlements were made, its citizens had a school, which was taught in the eastern part of the township by William Miller, the first teacher, in 1830. About 1841 the settlement had become prosperous and large enough to need a school-house, which was erected on section 13. This building was a log structure, and served the double purpose of school-house and church for a number of years, until about 1853, when a building was erected on section 17, exclusively for church purposes.
In the summer of 1837, Samuel and James Miller built a mill on section 24. It was located on the north side of the Sangamon river, and operated by water-power from a dam in the river at that point. It was used as a grist-mill, and was the first mill of any kind in the township. In the same year these gentlemen built a blacksmith shop in connection with the mill, intending to do their own blacksmithing, but as it was the only one in the township, and for many miles around, the shop was patronized by the whole community. Dr. Greely was the first regular physician who engaged in the practice of medicine as a profession. The first justice of the peace elected was Esquire Nathan Averitt.
In writing the history of Harristown township, it would be incomplete were we to omit the fact that it was for some years the home of the lamented martyr President, Abraham Lincoln. We are indebted to Mr. John Hanks, a prominent and very intelligent citizen of Hickory Point township, for the following very interesting fact concerning Mr. Lincoln's life in Macon county.
in 1831 Mr. Lincoln, John Hanks, Mrs. Lincoln's father, and John Johnson, Mr. Lincoln's step-brother, erected a log-cabin on section 28, in the edge of the timber along the Sangamon river. The hewing of the logs for this cabin was done by Mr. Lincoln. It remaind on the ground where it was first built until 1876, when it was taken apart, removed to Philadelphia, and rebuilt at the Centennial grounds, where it remained until the close of the exposition. A few logs were then cut up for canes, etc., but the cabin itself is still standing.
Later the same year Mr. Lincoln, John Johnson, and John Hanks built a flat-boat for a man named David Offutt. They worked from March 1st to May 1st, each receiving seventy-five cents a day. When they had finished the boat they, in company with Mr. Offutt, loaded it with hogs and took it to New Orleans, for which Mr. Lincoln, John Johnson, and John Hanks each received sixty dollars. They returned by steamboat. The principal occupation of Mr. Lincoln during the time he lived in this township was that of splitting rails, at which he was considered an expert.
The first land entered in what is known as Harristown township was by John Miller, December 2d, 1828, eighty acres is section 13; Charles Hanks entered October 24th, 1830, eighty acres in section 14; William Miller entered January 1st, 1830, eighty acres in section 15; Samuel Miller entered eighty acres February 10th, 1830, in section 13.
We give the following list of supervisors:
-
Abraham Eyman, elected 1860
J.H. Pickrell, elected 1861
J.B. Hanks, elected 1862
M.G. Camron, elected 1863, and re-elected each succeeding year up to 1876
J.N. Hoyt, elected 1877, and re-elected each year, and is the present incumbent
James Miller, a Kentuckian, now residing on section 13, came to this county in 1829; Joseph D. McGuire, a native of Pennsylvania, residing on section 4, came in 1855; Jeremiah Freeman, living on section 6, was born in this county in 1830; J.M. Williard on section 9, and C.E. Hunsley, an Englishman, who came in 1852, are among the older settlers and prominent citizens now living in the township.
Harristown, like all the towns along the main line of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific railway, was laid out soon after the completion of the road. It is located on sections 9 and 10. In 1856 Jacob I. Hobbs built the first house in the town; this was a frame-building. The first post-office was established in 1858, at which time Davis Masters, who is at present living in the town and is engaged in manufacturing wagons, was appointed post-master, which position he held for a number of years.
The next year (1859) Samuel Cox opened a store of general merchandize, which was the first in the place. The earliest school was taught by a gentleman maned John S. Randle in 1861. It was two years more before the town could boast of a school-house, which was built in 1863.
In 1860 a church, which originally stood a few miles south-east of the town, was moved cross the prairie and located in Harristown. This was the first church Harristown had within her limits. She, however, was without a preacher until 1864, when the Rev. N.S. Bastian located as pastor. Dr. Greeley was the earliest physician who came to Harristown to practice. H.C. Masters was the first blacksmith in the place.
Present Business-houses of Harristown are represented in the following list: General Stores, Peck & Holmes, J.A. McGuire; Boots, Shoes and Confectionery, F.M. Martin; Barber-shop, F.M. Martin; Blacksmiths, S.T. Crim, --- Schall; Wagon shops, Davis Masters, J.H. Tubbs; Elevators, Steam, Breed & Houck, capacity 2,500 bushels; Ordinary, capacity 2,500 bushels.
The town has a Masonic Lodge in a thriving condition. The Methodists and Christians have each commodious churches, with regular preaching.
On section 20 are the Tile Works of Glascow & Cann, built in 1876 by John Traver.
NAME |
RESI'D |
OCCUPATION |
NATIVITY |
SET'D |
| Conover, Peter | Sec 16 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | KY | 1857 |
| Bashada Taylor | Dec'd | Former wife of B. Taylor, Died Jan 1 '53 | KY | 1857 |
| Cury, James M. | Dec'd | Late Husband of M.A. Cury, Died May 2 '79 | Virgo Co, IN | 1855 |
| Mary A. Cury | Sec 13 | Farmer & Fruit Grower | Columbus OH | 1855 |
| Eyman, Jerome | Sec 5 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | St. Clair Co IL | 1855 |
| Stella Tandy | Sec 5 | Wife of Jerome Eyman | Morgan Co IL | 1855 |
| Filson, Gustis | Sec 3 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | Morgan Co IL | 1872 |
| Mary Patterson | Sec 3 | Wife of Gustis Filson | Clearf'd Co PA | 1872 |
| Filson, Robert | Sec 3 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | Morgan Co IL | 1872 |
| Ida McCartney | Sec 3 | Wife of Robert Filson | Morgan Co IL | 1872 |
| Freeman, Jeremiah | Sec 6 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | Macon Co IL | 1830 |
| Hannah Turner | Sec 6 | Wife of Jeremiah Freeman | Logan Co IL | 1854 |
| Gossort, Charles | Sec 29 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | PA | 1866 |
| Harriet S. Peck | Sec 29 | Wife of Charles Gossort | OH | 1867 |
| Grunden, W.S. | Sec 1 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | IN | 1861 |
| Rachel Coe | Sec 1 | Wife of W.S. Grunden | OH | 1871 |
| Hall, John | Sec 16 | Farmer | MO | 1871 |
| Mary Hendricks | Sec 16 | Wife of John Hall | TN | 1874 |
| Hoyt, J.N. | Sec 16 | Farmer & Stock Raiser, Twp Sup | NH | 1868 |
| Eunice N. Brown | Sec 16 | Wife of J.N. Hoyt | NH | 1868 |
| Hillbern, James L. | Sec 20 | Farmer | Macon Co IL | 1857 |
| Hunsley, C.E. | Sec 4 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | Eng. | 1852 |
| Malinda Hostettler | Sec 4 | Wife of C.E. Hunsley | Macon Co IL | 1838 |
| Hostettler, Jacob | Dec'd | Lat Husb. of Mrs. T.A. Hostettler, Died Jan 11 '73 | KY | 1835 |
| Mrs. T.A. Hostettler | Sec 14 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | KY | 1835 |
| Lenard, Samuel | Sec 13 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | E. VA | 1865 |
| Elizabeth Foster | Sec 13 | Wife of Samuel Lenard | KY | 1865 |
| McGuire, Joseph D. | Sec 4 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | PA | 1855 |
| Catharine Halbert | Sec 4 | Wife of Joseph D. McGuire | VA | 1855 |
| Miller, A.C. | Sec 12 | Farmer & Trader | Macon Co IL | 1841 |
| Lucy A. Miller | Dec'd | First Wife of A.C. Miller, Died May 1 '68 | KY | |
| Nancy J. Austin | Sec 12 | Pres. Wife of A.C. Miller | Macon Co IL | 1849 |
| Miller, James | Sec 12 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | KY | 1829 |
| Margaret Hostettler | Dec'd | First wife of James Miller, Died Nov 1844 | KY | 1829 |
| Elizabeth Miller | Sec 12 | Present Wife of James Miller | KY | 1825 |
| Park, James H. | Sec 15 | Farmer & Butcher | St Clair Co IL | 1868 |
| Elizabeth L. Wood | Sec 15 | Wife of James H. Park | Madison Co IL | 1868 |
| Scroggin, T.L. | Sec 28 | Farmer, Stock Raiser, Feeder & Shipper | Logan Co IL | 1864 |
| Rebecca Birks | Sec 28 | Wife of T.L. Scroggin | Logan Co IL | 1864 |
| Turner, John | Sec 7 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | Macon Co IL | 1850 |
| Mary Eliza McIntyre | Sec 7 | Wife of John Turner | KY | 1866 |
| Willard, M.B. | Sec 8 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | Morgan Co IL | 1856 |
| Emma Lane | Sec 8 | Wife of M.B. Willard | Edgar Co IL | 1860 |
| Willard, J.M. | Sec 9 | Farmer, Stock Raiser, Dealer & Shipper | Morgan Co IL | 1850 |
| Whitley, W.L. | Sec 28 | Farmer & Stock Raiser | KY | 1846 |
| Alice Irwin | Sec 28 | Wife of W.L. Whitley | PA | 1861 |
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