Knox County, Illinois
Genealogy & History

[The township was named North Prairie in an 1850 report.]

(See also Rio Village.)

From the 1870 Atlas Map of Knox County, Illinois, Andreas, Lyter & Co., Davenport, Iowa, 91 pages.  [Submitted by Bob Miller.]

"The first settler in Rio Township was Joseph Rowe, on Section 33, in the spring of 1830.  The wife of John McMurtry was the first death occurring.  Lewis Goff, Esq., performed the first marriage ceremony, uniting Stephen Thomas to Mrs. ---.  Thomas M. Goff was the first birth, April 5, 1835.  Rio has many natural advantages, a skirt of timber on both its north and south borders, with unusually rich prairie, well watered, lying between.  The Rockford, R. I. & St. Louis R. R. has been completed through it this fall (1870).  A station will be located within it borders  The new road will give it competing markets which will stimulate its citizens, and a few years should see Rio second to no Township in Knox County."

From the 1878 History of Knox County, Illinois published by Charles C. Chapman.  [Submitted by Joan Achille.]

"This township lies in the extreme northwest part of the county, and for agricultural purposes is not surpassed by many townships in the whole Northwest.

In the Spring of 1830,Joseph ROWE located on section 33, being the first settler in the township.  He was soon followed by Reese JONES and Joseph HALLIDAY, the former locating on the northwest corner of section 6, within a stone's throw of the corner of the county.  Soon thereafter came Abe JONES, and in 1832 John CRESSWELL settled on section 27, near Fort Aggie, which was situated within forty rods of the southwest corner of the same section.  This fort was built during the Black Hawk War in 1832 and was named in honor of CRESSWELL's wife.  It stood unmolested until 1836, when Joseph HAHN tore it down and constructed a barn out of the logs, near where the fort stood, for the purpose of tramping out wheat with horses, as was often done in pioneer days when the present mode of threshing was unknown.

In 1836 came Nelson and Lewis COE, and John WOOLEY.  Wooley had come into Knox township in 1832, where he remained for four years.  Luther FITCH came in 1840.  After that period accessions to the population of Rio were numerous until now it numbers about 1,200.

The township received its name in this wise:  About 1851 a meeting was held by request of the County Court to select a name for the township.  In connection with this a proposition was made to lay off a village plat on the school section.  While this was being discussed, someone made a motion to lay off the proposed town along the slough east of the road and north of the barn of E. A. BARTLETT, for the reason that the land was good for nothing else.  The motion prevailed, which, as it was intended, killed the project altogether.  Several names for the township were proposed.  The Mexican war had just closed, and the Rio Grande river as the boundary line of the United States and Mexico was in the mouth of every war man in opposition to Rio Nueces river as claimed by the Mexicans.  Thus at this meeting the Rio Grande had a majority of admirers; and besides, there being many streams in the township, it would very appropriately admit of the name, the Spanish word rio meaning river.  No resolution however was passed in regard to selecting a name, as quite a number thought the matter had better be left with the county authorities.  Lewis COE was opposed to passing over the question so indifferently, as through his instrumentality the meeting had been called.  He accordingly took it upon himself to attend the meeting of the Court to suggest a name.  He could see no good reason for the "Grande" part of the name, and therefore only presented the word "Rio" as suitable.  This was accepted and adopted, and thus ever since, has the township worn the beautiful Spanish name.

There are four churches in Rio township.  One union of Congregational and Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, Regular Baptist, and Protestant Methodist."

[Submitted by Robert L. Webb.]

The Henderson Primitive Baptist Church (originally called Regular Baptist) was organized in August 1830 with fourteen charter members (names unknown) and was the first church of any denomination organized in Knox County.  It was located at the site of the Baptist or Robertson Cemetery, about 1 1/2 miles south and 1/2 mile east of Rio.  Pastors included Joseph Jones, John Roberts, Rowland M. Simmons, John M. Brown, Isaac Vanmeter, Smith Ketchum, and S. H. Humphrey. Frank M. Epperson of near Rio was probably the last clerk.  I've never been able to locate any of the records of the church, or even a photo.  I have been told the church building was later moved to the n. w. corner of the intersection of U. S. Rt. 150 and the North Henderson blacktop and converted to a residence.

HENDERSON CHURCH.  [Contributed by Robert L. Webb.]

Henderson Church, near Rio, the first church of any faith organized in Knox county, was constituted August 14, 1830, with fourteen charter members, at the home of John D. Roundtree, in the northwestern part of Knox County, in or near Henderson's Grove, near present day Rio, by Elders Stephen Strickland and John Logan.   The charter members' names were Elder Jacob Gum, Rhoda Gum, James Goff, Martha Goff, Daniel Fuqua, Martha Fuqua, Obadiah Fuqua, Reuben Nance, Ruth Nance, Dariah Roundtree, John D. Roundtree, Mary Roundtree, Nicholas Vailes, and Deborah Vailes.

Henderson Church was one of the founding members of the Spoon River Association in 1830.  The first white person born in the county, Elizabeth Robertson Reed, later became a member of this church, her father being one of the earliest pioneers.

In 1839, this church dismissed sixteen members to organize the Edwards River Church in Mercer County.  It also helped organize a several other churches.

The meeting house was located on the east side of what is now known as the Baptist (or Robertson) Cemetery, on land given to the church by Larkin and Polly Robertson. It was 1 1/2 miles south and 1/2 mile east of Rio. The building was moved after the church dissolved, and used as a residence, at the northwest corner of the intersection of U. S. Route 150 and the North Henderson blacktop.  The cemetery is maintained by Rio Township.

Pastors of Henderson Church included William Kinner, Joseph Jones, John Roberts, Rowland M. Simmons, John M. Brown, Isaac Vanmeter, Smith Ketchum, and S. H. Humphrey.  Elder Squire H. Humphrey was the last pastor, in about 1925.

From the 1886 Portrait and Biographical Album of Knox County, Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago.  [Submitted by Fay Kummer.]

Rio Township went into township organization with the others, April 5, 1853. Samuel Arnold was chosen Moderator, and Larkin Robertson, Clerk. There were 104 votes cast, resulting in the election of the following officers: Reuben Heflin, Supervisor; Paul Hahn, Clerk; Lewis Goff, Assessor; Daniel Robertson, Collector; Samuel Brown, John Gibson and Thomas J. Jones, Highway Commissioners; Larkin Roberston, Justice of the Peace; Josephus Hahn, Overseer of the Poor; W. D. Epperson, Constable.

The first settler in this township was Joseph Rowe, who came in in the spring of 1830 and made a claim on section 33, in the timber. Reese Jones, and Joseph Haliday soon joined him, the former entering a claim on section 6, near the county line. Abe Jones, as he was called, came in in 1831, and settled on section 27. In 1832, John Cresswell joined the pioneers, making a claim on the southwest corner of section 27, near the old Indian fort, called Fort Aggie, after Mr. Cresswell's wife. During the Indian troubles, and when there was an Indian "scare," the settlers used to gather into this fort for protection. In 1836 it was torn down by John Hahn, and the logs used for the construction of a barn. John Wooley came in in 1832 and made a claim. In 1836 the families of Nelson and Lewis Coe were added to the settlement. From that time until 1840 the settlers came in at intervals and made claims in different parts of the township. From 1840 to 1878 there was a healthy and prosperous emigration to the township, raising the population to some 1,200, since which time there has been a decrease.

The first child born in the township was Thomas A. Goff, April 3, 1835. The wife of John McMurtry was the first death.

The name first suggested for this township was Rio Grande, which are Spanish words, meaning a grand river, and had it suggestion from the Rio Grande River. The Grande part of the name was deemed a superfluous appendage, and was dropped, the name Rio only being retained.

The land in Rio Township is mostly rolling prairie and is very fertile. In the southern part and northeastern corner the land is broken and was originally pretty well timbered. It is liberally watered by Pope Creek, the Middle Henderson and their tributaries. The Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis Railroad (now the St. Louis Division of the C. B. & Q. R.R.) was completed through the township in the fall of 1870. It enters on section 4, and, describing nearly a circle, passes out on section 19. The township is well-cultivated, and contains many fine farms and farm buildings.

At one time there were four churches in Rio Township - Congregational, Methodist Episcopal, Baptist and Protestant Methodist. With the exception of the Methodist, these societies have not been prosperous nor regularly kept up. The population of Rio Township, when the census of 1880 was taken, was 1,126. Since that time there has been a decrease.

There are nine school districts, with nine ungraded schools and nine frame school-houses. The school property was valued at $3,600. There is one library, with some 40 volumes. Of persons under 21 years of age there was 442, of whom 298 are of school age, 251 enrolled.

Supervisors

From the 1886 Portrait and Biographical Album of Knox County, Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago.  [Submitted by Fay Kummer.]

The township [of Rio] has in it one little village, which is located on the line of the railroad, on the southwest corner of section 16 and the southeast corner of section 17.  It was laid off by William Robinson, Deputy Surveyor of the county, in 1871, and was named Coburg after the Coe brothers. Soon after it was platted, there was a public sale of lots. Messrs. Schroder & Owens bought one lot on the southeast corner of section 17, for $125, upon which they erected a building for a store, which was the first opened in town. A post-office was established here in 1871 and was called North Prairie. Nelson Coe was the first Postmaster. It was subsequently changed to Rio, which name the village has since borne.  It contains a church, school-house and one store.  There are a number of wealthy and prominent gentlemen who live in the vicinity, and thus is a great convenience to them to have a post-office and railway station so near