Early days in Henry
County, IL, are recalled in this spiral bound booklet an
excerpt from the hard-to-find 1885 book: Portrait and Biographical
Album of Henry County, Illinois, published by Biographical Publishing
Co. of Chicago. The booklet is printed one-sided on 60# paper with
the print enlarged for easier reading. A vinyl sheet has been added
to protect the front cover.
Despite
the name of the source book, this booklet includes neither portraits
nor biographies, although many names of early residents are mentioned.
The booklet contains
information on the following communities: Dayton,
Richmond, Geneseo, Morristown, Cambridge, Annawan, Atkinson; Woodhull,
Galva, Cleveland, Kewanee, Lynn Center, Opheim, Osco, Morristown
Colony, Alpha, Bishop Hill Colony, Bishop Hill, Orion.
Among the many subjects discussed
are: Indians, Political
Descent; the Pioneers, a list of 43 "firsts" plus some
other early noteworthy events; the sad life of Mrs. Pollock and
the Bishop Hill Colony; Early doctors; Acts of the County Commissioners;
Five different County seat; A Jailhouse fire from which a prisoner
rescued his own indictment; Early county officials; Legal History
(with names of many officials); Bench and Bar; Various Newspapers;
"War for the Union" (Civil War) with names of companies
and some officers mentioned; Railroads -- Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy RR, Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific RR; and Peoria
and Rock Island RR; Crime, including a bank robbery and two shocking
murders; and the Old Settler's Society.
One section of the booklet lists
the 1858 Board of Supervisors, followed by brief but often colorful
histories of the townships: Alba, Andover, Annawan, Atkinson,
Burns, Cambridge, Clover, Colona, Edford, Cornwall, Galva, Geneseo,
Hanna, Kewanee, Lynn, Loraine, Munson, Osco, Oxford, Phenix, Weller,
Western, Wethersfield and Yorktown.
Wouldn't this make a unique
gift?
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