Knox County, Illinois
Genealogy & History

[The township was named Chester in an 1850 report.]

(See also Williamsfield.)

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

"First settler in Truro, was John Dill, on Sec. 19, in 1832, in a house which is still standing.  First marriage was Jake Ryan to Miss Stambough, in 1833, by Rev. J. Cummings.  Ferry established on Spoon River, by John Coleman, in 1834, on Sec. 30.  First birth was Andrew Dill, 1833, on Sec. 19.  First death was a U. S. Mail Carrier, whose name is now unknown, who was drowned while crossing Spoon river, with the mail, in 1832.  His grave can now be seen on the banks of the river, on Sec. 30, with his initials R. W. cut on a Box Elder tree.  First sermon was by John Cummings, at the house of Widow Lambert, on Sec. 31, 1834.  First school house was built on Sec. 33, in 1848.  First Justice was R. Johnson.  First Post Office at Coleman's Ferry.  Truro, above the river, is very broken, below the river rich, fertile land."

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

"This township contains a greater number of miles of Spoon river than any other township in the county.  That river touches 17 sections, which is, seemingly, as many as is possible for the same number of miles of a stream to cross in running through a township.  The first settler in Truro was John Dill, who came to the township in 1832, and erected his cabin on section 19.  Malon Winans, United States' Mail Carrier, was the first person meeting with death in this township.  He lived in Lewistown, Fulton county, and was making his first trip with the mail.  O. M. Ross, who came into Fulton county in 1822, carried the mail between Springfield and Monmouth for some years, or rather it was carried by his son, Harvey L., who, when he began in 1832, was but 15 years of age.  In 1834, Mr. Ross let out a part of the route, from Lewistown to Monmouth, to a relative of his, Malon Winans.  Mr. Winans had a son whom he intended to put upon the route, but concluded to go over it himself first that he might make all necessary arrangements for stopping-places.  But his first trip was his last, for in attempting to swim Spoon river with the mail-bag strapped to his back, he was drowned.

The first marriage ceremony performed in the township was by Rev. J. Cummings in 1833, when he united Jake Ryan and Miss Stambaugh.  The first birth was Andrew Dill, in 1833.  The first sermon was preached at the residence of Widow Lambert on section 31, in 1834, by Rev. John Cummings.  A ferry was established on Spoon river at section 30, in 1834, by John Coleman.

On the northwest quarter of section 31, Truro township, on the land afterward owned by Charles Bradford, a number of Indian graves were found when the first white settlers came there.  The corpses had been buried in the forks of the trees ten to fifteen feet above the ground.  Logs had been split in halves and excavated for coffins; the forks of the trees were cut away with their tomahawks sufficiently to let them in, and the crude coffins there rested with their skeleton contents, until about 1836 the whites took them down and buried them in the earth."

From the 1899 Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and Knox County, Munsell Publishing Company.  [Submitted by Bob Miller.]

"Until 1887, Truro was without a railway.  During that year the main line of the Santa Fe was laid across the township, and on April 24, 1888, Williamsfield was laid out by E. B. Purcell, on Section 23.  Later, Galesburg capitalists interested themselves in the project, and promoted it with so much vigor that within twelve years the new town has become one of the most prosperous in the county, and now boasts about five hundred inhabitants.  There is a graded school, employing from three to four teachers since the completion of the school building, in 1890.

A Methodist church was erected early in 1890, and dedicated on the first day of June of that year.  It is a substantial structure, and the denomination has a fair membership.  Two years later, the Catholics erected an attractive house of worship.

Since 1890 Williamsfield has had a bank and a printing office, both of which started in business on January 22 of the year.  The Bank of Williamsfield (a private institution) was opened by L. J. Baird and Company.  David Cation is its Cashier.  The Williamsfield Times, an independent weekly, was established, as has been said, in 1890.  Its founder was C. D. Benfield.  In October, 1890, the building in which the Times was located was burned, and Mr. Benfield lost his entire outfit.  The subscription list of the paper was purchased by Momeny and Benson, and in a few months they were enabled to continue the publication.  Later, they dissolved partnership, and J. M. Momemy assumed control of the paper.  In the Fall of 1892, S. E. Boggess leased the plant from Mr. Momeny, and in April, 1893, it passed into the hands of its present owner, M. Hugh Irish.

Various lines of mercantile business are well represented, there being four general stores, two hardware stores, two meat markets, two lumber yards, one furniture and undertaking establishment, two restaurants, a livery and feed barn, two barber shops, a blacksmith shop, and dry goods and millinery stores.  It has also two grain elevators, and has always been a great center for the shipment of grain and live stock.  In fact, in these respects, Williamsfield is surpassed by few points in the State.

The societies of the village are named below:

Grand Army of the Republic; instituted July 22, 1890, by Dr. Lambert, of Galesburg, assisted by comrades from Elmwood and Yates City, with a membership of thirteen.  Named the George W. Parker Post, in memory of a deceased soldier from this township.  John Cole, M. D., was the first Commander.  For three years the Post met in Tucker's Hall, when the Odd Fellows tendered them their lodge room, free of rent, as their future home.  Present membership, twenty-three.  Comrades who have died since the institution are Samuel Tucker and Frank Reinboldt.

Independent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 779.  Organized April 15, 1890.  Meet in a commodious hall, over the bank.  Membership, sixty.  All the organizations named below also hold their meetings at the same place.

Degree of Rebekah.  Organized September 12, 1895.  Membership, thirty-eight.  Knights of Pythias.  Organized May 15, 1895.  Membership, fifty-five.  Order of Eastern Star.  Organized July, 1895.  Membership, twenty-five.  Modern Woodmen of America.  Organized June, 1894, with seventeen members.  Present membership, thirty-two."