Huntsville

This little villageis pleasantly situated in the northern part of the township, on the nortwestquarter of section four, and was laid out by Willis G. Moffitt, John T.Gast, William Spangler, George H. Briscoe, Samuel Warren, and John L. Ewing,February 21, 1836; and was surveyed and platted by Allen Persinger. Thevillage is without organization at the present  time. Dr. A. J. Mead,one of the oldest citizens, informs us that it was chartered, and had regularofficers at an early day; that a square, now the site of the public schoolbuilding, was reserved for a city hall, but was afterwards converted topublic school purposes. As the records have been lost, the particularscan not be given, although diligent search has been made. The appearanceof the village is neat and clean, and there are a number of handsome privateresidences, surrounded by shade trees and well-kept lawns. There are twoframe church buildings, which belong to the Presbyterian and the MethodistEpiscopal congregations. The Presbyterian are without a regular pastor,and the Methodists are supplied by Rev. N. H. Kane. The Band of Holinessalso have a congregation. A neat two-story frame school building adornsthe town, in which two teachers are employed for a term of nine monthsin the year.

The first house built inthe village was a frame building, erected in 1835 by T. A. Burton. Thefirst store was opened by Willis G. Moffitt in 1835, who was also the firstpostmaster. In 1837 a man named Morris kept the first hotel.  OneMcDaniels was the first blacksmith in the village as well as township.No mill has ever been built within the limits of the village. Dr. Northwas the first resident physician, as early as 1837. John L. Ewing was thefirst justice of the peace. The first church built in the township wasa frame building erected by the Presbyterians in 1841, and was locatedin the village.  The first school-house was a log building, and JeremiahBriscoe was the first teacher. The town was named by Col. George H. Briscoe,after Huntsville, Alabama, where the colonel’s brother resided. The townshipsubsequently took the name of the village. The village has a well-keptcemetery of two acres, in which are many handsome monuments, marking theresting-place of loved ones. It is situated on gently sloping ground, surroundedby a neat fence, and shaded by forest trees. It was laid out in 1872, onthe southeast quarter of section 4, and is a credit to the citizens ofthat section.

Present Business

General Stores.–ThomasW. Watts, H. Worden Watts, William O. Watts, and George Richardson.
Groceries.–JohnT. Watts.
Drugs.–Harvey T.Robinson.
Harness and Shoemaker.–ThomasEllis.
Shoemaker.–DavidRoss.
Barber.–B. L. Davis.
Carpenters.–HenryHillyer, Reese Moore, and John Sebright.
Blacksmiths.–WilliamLangdon, John Waner, and Lewis Labrash.
Stonecutter and Mason.–ReeseMoore.
Manufacturers of WashingMachines.–J. Waner & Co.
Wagon-maker.–JacobAlter.
Milliners and Dress-makers.–Mrs.Mollie Baxter, and Mrs. Eliza Jones.
Hotels.–Daniel Y.Miller, and David H. Ross.
Freighter.–AlexanderAlter.
Notary Public.–WilliamO. Watts and Daniel Y. Miller.
Painter.–SamuelAlter.
Jeweler.–John Harris.
Postmaster.–WilliamL. Brumback.
Physicians.--A. J.Mead, and Horace F. Coe.
Huntsville Lodge, No.465, A. F. and A. M.–This lodge was organized in 1864, and workedseveral years under dispensation, and its charter is dated October 3, 1866.The names of W. C. Stokes, W. H. Kirk, J. C. Moore, A. G. Bacon, J. B.Overstreet, B. J. Vertner, H. Van Buskirk, John Moore, J. R. Fackler, WilliamMoore, J. A. Bilderback, James Baxter, J. A. Moore, William G. Deviney,John Bilderback, N. Burmood, J. W. Scott, William H. Crain, James BaxterJr., J. A. James, and Jacob Kleppler, appear as charter members. W. C.Stokes, W. M.; W. H. Kirk, S. W.; and J. C. Moore, J. W., are named inthe charter as principal officers. The lodge owned their hall, the secondstory of a business house, and had it handsomely furnished, and everythingcomplete, but they met with the misfortune of having their hall and theentire contents burned during a severe thunder storm. They received aninsurance of six hundred dollars, and have since built a handsome two-storyframe building, and are virtually out of debt. The present membership isfifty, and the officers are: Charles H. Phelps, W. M.; John Moore, S. W.;A. J. Anderson, J. W.; Elmer Simons, S. D.; William Villers, J. D.; W.P. Croxton, secretary; Zebulon Allphin, treasurer, and Daniel Y. Miller,tyler.

Excerpted from The CombinedHistory of Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois, 1882
Transcribed by Carol LongwellMiller for Schuyler County ILGenWeb

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