It passes diagonally north and west through the township, leaving from the middle of the west side of Section 19.

There is not now, nor has there ever been, so far as we know, any post office or village within the limits of Dry Grove Township. The nearest was the old post village of Wilkesborough, just across the line, in Danvers Township. There has been no call for any such thing, its proximity to Bloomington being of more advantage than the building of half a score of villages. The trains on the I., B. & W. R. R. do stop at Twin Grove, when they have a passenger to that point, and there is a switch there where farmers may load grain, but there is no station-house nor regular station.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

The two groves on the south side of the township offered as many points for settlement to the pioneer. It is no wonder that these hardy, hunting men should select the places that they did for their early efforts at civilization. These woodlands are still attractive. They are (on the upland. There are no marshes nor swamps in them. The ground is rolling and soon dry after the rains. In early spring, the grass is seen peeping out from under the leaves, clothing the woodland with a carpet of green before the somber prairies put on their summer's garb.

The first to enliven the township with a white man's home, was Peter McCullough. He came from Flemingsburg, Ky., and settled in the grove in 1826. Peter McCullough was a noted character in early times. He was a man of remarkable shrewdness and decisiveness. His son William McCullough is well known in the general history

of the county, both as an honored and respected citizen, and as a brave and efficient soldier and officer. There are several of the descendants of Peter McCullough still living in the county. He kept a kind of inn for some time, and many anecdotes might be told in regard to the primative modes of entertainment.

The next man in the township was Stephen Webb. Mr. Webb came originally from North Carolina, but moved early to Kentucky and then to Tennessee. From Tennessee, he came to Illinois with William McCord and George and Jacob Hinshaw. Their trials and hardships make quite a long story. The journey was made under the most discouraging circumstances, and show hardihood, pluck and perseverance. After reaching this country, some stopped in one place and some in another, Mr. Webb finally locating his claim at Twin Grove, within the present limits of Dry Grove Township. This was in 1827.

Mr. Webb has resided in the township ever since. He still lives at a place he has occupied since pioneer days. He was born May 8, 1797, and is, consequently, getting He has a number of children residing in the county.

along to an extreme old age. In 1828, Henry Vansickles came to Dry Grove. He was from Pennsylvania, and came to the county and stopped at Blooming Grove in 1826. He remained a long time, but finally sold out and went to Iowa. All the family of children, except the wife of Charles J. McClure, have gone to various parts of the West.

After this, settlers began to come in quite rapidly. It is not now possible to trace them in the order of their arrival.

In 1830, we find at the Grove, on the west, a number of families; Jacob Hinshaw, George and Reuben Carlock, Josiah Brown, Thomas Tanner on the south side; James Hefford, Henry Vansickles, William Gilson, John Dixon and Peter McCullough

on the north side.

Then, in 1831, there came to the same Grove Walford Wyatt, Asa

Hutton and Abraham Hays.

In 1830, there were at Twin Grove the following families: Stephen Webb, Matthew Harbard (who lived on what was afterward known as the Daniel Munsell place), Landay Hurst and a Mr. Lucas. In the fall of the same year, George Beeler came to the Twin Grove, from Butler County, Ohio.

Ormond Robison came to Dry Grove in 1832. He remained but a short time, but moved to White Oak Grove in 1835. At this time, John Enlow came to the east side of Twin Grove. He stopped on the prairie and went to farming immediately. In 1837, the Munsells came from Indiana.

By this time, the settlement had increased to respectable numbers. They began to leave off hunting and sports, and settled down to the ordinary routine of rural pursuits. Many of the earliest pioneers began to feel restless under the restraints of more advancing civilization, and hied them away to the more congenial atmosphere of deer and turkey, the wolf and panther, the Indian and buffalo.

EDUCATIONAL.

The citizens of Twin Grove and Dry Grove suffered all the inconveniences usually experienced by the original inhabitants of any country. The few who dwelt within convenient distances of one another were not, at first, sufficiently numerous to support a school. So far as can now be ascertained, the first school taught in the township was held in a log cabin on the farm that Jacob Hinshaw bought of Abraham Carlock, when Hinshaw first came to the settlement. The teacher was Daniel Crooks. His was, as all others at that time, a subscription school. The number of pupils or the amount of money the worthy teacher received for his services, we know not; but it would not be in accordance with the spirit of the times to suppose that he more than earned a sufficiency for family necessities.

It is probable that the first schoolhouse in the township was at Twin Grove. The exact date of its erection we were unable to learn, but it was quite early in the history of the settlement. The first teacher here was James Garten.

About the time of the building of the schoolhouse in Twin Grove, the progressive spirit manifested itself at Dry Grove. The pioneers concluded that the private residence on Mr. Hinshaw's place was no longer sufficiently ample, commodious or dignified to serve as the educational edifice of the community. It was not hoped that anything superior to good, hewn, straight logs could be obtained, but there would be an improvement; so they decided to build. A meeting was held to decide upon the location. Those on the west side contended that the schoolhouse should be in the middle of the grove, as they were all settled around it in the edge of the prairies. But those on the east said "No." They maintained that the greater bulk of settlers was on the east side, and that there would be more discommoded by placing it in the center than by locating it farther east. The west end people could not be persuaded to accept a compromise where they considered themselves plainly in the right. The eastern folks were no less emphatic in their assertions that the west end minority wished to control the majority, and bring a great inconvenience upon many. When it was ascertained that neither side would yield, they split. One party built their house in the eastern part of Dry Grove, and the others built theirs a little west of the center. During the

first winter, school was taught in both houses, but the division worked the greatest harm to each party. Neither could keep up school afterward for want of the union that they lost in building. This story is told illustrating the fact that sometimes the usual harmony of the frontier settlements gave place to local strife. It is not to be supposed that the contest was bitter, or that any acted maliciously, but we do learn that men, then as well as now, would hold out for what they conceived to be their rights. The first teacher in the center school was George Hopkins; the first in the east end was Daniel Crooks. Mr. Warlow tells many incidents of the school that he attended at Dry Grove, some time after this, and taught by Milton Williams. This man had come to the Grove quite early from Richmond, Ky. He afterward moved to Oregon with all his family, except Col. William McCullough's wife. Milton Williams taught at Dry Grove for some time. He kept a loud school. Every boy and girl tried to see how much noise it was possible to make, and those who have taught school know how great the possibilities are in this direction, even in the ordinary school of to-day, where noise is supposed to be at a discount. What a happy jingle those loud schools must have presented! There could have been no laws against whispering, for only the merest blockhead would have attempted such a thing. The frequent command to "keep quiet," so common now in every school, would have been out of place altogether. And yet, there is but little doubt that he was

for the birch was applied without ceremony to all who refused the mild scepter of "moral suasion."

Schools have multiplied and improved till now many neat buildings declare the interest manifested by the people in education. Further details of the present standing of school matters in the township may be found in the following: Number of pupils under twenty-one years, 554; number of pupils between six and twenty-one, 370, number of pupils enrolled, 241; number of schoolhouses, 8; amount paid teachers, $2,241.03; total expenditures, $3,455.39; estimated value of school property, $4,450; highest wages paid per month, $50.

Among the earliest of the churches was the United Brethren's organization. John Dunham preached all over this country at a very early date, but we hear of no organization in Dry Grove until after the arrival of David Mason. Mr. Mason bought out the old schoolmaster, Milton Williams. Mason was from Ohio, and came about 1836. The organization of the church did not occur until two or three years afterward. A Rev. Mr. Davis was the minister that organized the society. For some time, there were but few members, and the society was quite feeble, but after a protracted effort by the Rev. Abraham Eccles, during which a revival of considerable importance was gotten up, the society was more prosperous. Beside Mr. Mason, Mr. Harmon Gillespie and Philip Rodcap may be mentioned as prominent supporters of the church. The United Brethren built their church in 1850 and 1851. It was 24 by 36 feet. It was put up by the members of the society. The only cash outlay was for such things as must necessarily be bought. They hauled their own saw-logs to the mill and had them converted into lumber, with which to build their church. From this fact, it is not possible now to give the cost of this church. It still stands, and furnishes the necessary conveniences for religious services. The society is not very strong at presRev. J. W. Fisher is Pastor.

ent.

The Christian Church is the strongest at Dry Grove. It was organized by James Robinson and Amos Watkins. They held their first meetings at the residence of Samuel Barker. The house was a cabin, just across the road from where Mr. Snodgrass now lives, in the eastern side of Dry Grove. These pioneer preachers lived on Panther Creek, in Woodford County, and came down to this grove to preach, and start a church, if possible. They were successful. This was in 1842. Belonging to the first list of membership, we find the names of John Harbard, Abraham Staggers, William Beeler, Samuel Harley, Stephen Webb, Francis Johnson, James Ward, George M. Hinshaw and others. After the first organization, the church experienced a season of inactivity. For some time, the cause was at a low ebb. But they revived again, and built their first church in 1850 and 1851. It stood on the site of the present church, and cost about $600. It was 30 by 40 feet. With the progress of the society, this house became too small, and was replaced by another of more spacious dimensions, in 1864. This building stands on Section 33, near the southwest corner. It is just in the south edge of the timber. There is a neatly-cared-for and elegantly-ornamented cemetery in connection. Here rest many of the earlier settlers. This is a frame house, 40 by 50 feet. Total cost of building and fitting up, ready for dedication, $2,525. It will seat, comfortably, 350 persons, though there are often a greater number in it at one time. The present Pastor is the Rev. George W. Minier, who preaches semi-monthly. There is a large congregation and nearly two hundred members. There is a meeting of some kind every Sabbath, and a large Sunday school is kept running most of the time, in connection with other services.

The Methodist Church, that has for a long time been of considerable prominence in the Twin Grove neighborhood, was first begun in Dale Township. But it was soon brought over the line. The first meetings, in Dry Grove Township, of this church, were held at the residence of Elias York. The prominent members of the first class were Elias York and wife, Elizabeth Rock hold, wife of Francis Rockhold, and a Mr. Overton and wife. Overton was a son-in-law of Elias York. Prominent among the early ministers were Robert McClun and old Father Goodheart. In 1837-38, there was a great revival among the Methodists, at this point. They were also joined by the United Brethren, Father Mason being one of the prominent workers.

The church-building was erected in 1864. It was located on the east side of Section 34, about one-half mile north of the township line. The original cost of building, exclusive of inside fixtures, was about $2,100. It is 34 by 50 feet. At the time of building, Rev. William C. Johnson was Pastor. They had just had an effective series of meetings, and the church was in a prosperous condition for a country church, there being more than a hundred members. Among these early members were Samuel Brown, Daniel Munsell and wife, John Gillespie and wife, and Mr. Gillespie's mother, Carlisle Munsell and wife, Mary Henry, R. E. Strimple and wife and mother, Thornton McFee, William Derryman and wife, and Jacob Johnson. The first Board of Trustees for the house of worship, consisted of R. E. Strimple, Daniel Munsell, Carlisle Munsell, Samuel Sill, James P. Elliott, John S. Gillespie and Thornton McFee. The house is a neat, country edifice, having been recently repainted and fitted up anew. In the fall of 1877, it was moved from the old site one-half mile south, so that it is now in Dale Township. It was moved to the Twin Grove East Side Cemetery. This cemetery is one of the oldest in the neighborhood. It is not under the supervision of any