Richwoods Township

Settlers and First Events

Mr. William German was the first settler of the township. He came in 1832 and located on section 29.

Later that year (1832) came Thomas Essex, a native of Virginia and settled on section 29.

In 1833 Benjamin Slane, Marginus Belford and William Nixon. They settled on section 27.

Mr. Slane remained but a short , then he removed to Princeville township. He was the first supervisor from the township.

Later that year (1833) Stephen Carroll, Levi McCormick and a man by the name of Barton settled in the township.

In 1833 William O. Stringer settled on Section 8 and was among the earliest settlers of the township.

In 1834 Josiah Fulton and family removed from Peoria.

First marriage was Charles Ballance, of Peoria to Miss Julia Snebly in 1835

First death was Mr. Stephen Carroll's father.

First minister was Rev. Issac Keller, in a log school - house on section 27 in 1835.

In 1860 Mr. Frye was killed by a pistol shot at the stock yards in Peoria, by a man named Carroll.

 Other Settlers

1834 Benjamin Lusk, from Duchess County, N.Y., he had two living sons.

1834 Smith Frye from Washington County, Penn. He was active and influential man.

He was elected sheriff of the county in the early days.

1834 John Heines born in Frederick County, Va.

1836 Nathan Giles, native of Oneida County, N.Y.

1836 John Berket of Lancashire, Penn.

 Early Schools

1851 the Snebly and Chauncey wood school-house was built, 18 X 24 feet, being the first frame building used for school purposes in the township. The cost was $400.00 (previous to that log cabins were used) The next, in 1853, was the Sringer school-house in the northern part of the town. The next was the brick house on section 28, known as the Fulton school-house which was torn down and a fine building erected in 1858 on section 33. It was known as the Jackson or Yates school-house at a cost of $1,000.. In 1853 the Spears school- house was erected, a brick building, 18 X 24 and cost $400. . It was afterwards abandoned and the district bring divided up, there has been two houses erected one known as the Louks and the other Sipp. They are frame buildings costing about $600. each. In the Northeast corner of the Township a frame building was erected, known as the Snebly and Johnson school-house, costing about $500.. In the year of 1865 or '66, there was a frame building erected on section 15 on the Illinois bottoms, known as the Littleton school-house and cost about $400.. The Hines school-house was built in 1872 on section 28 and cost $500.. The schools are in flourishing condition, always pay very good prices for teachers and having sessions of six to nine months a year.



  Source: The History of Peoria County, Illinois, Johnson & Company, Chicago, 1880.