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from--
History of Will County Illinois
by August Maue
Volume One
Historical Publishing Company
Topeka-Indianapolis
1928



pp. 240, 241

During the Spring of the next year, 1832, two new companies settled in the township. Wesley Jenkins, Thomas Underwood--brother-in-law of Jenkins--and Jefferson Ragsdale were from North Carolina. Of the "Jenkins Colony," as it was called none are left, all having removed to other parts.
The Linebarger colony arrived here from Indiana in the spring with Jenkins. The company consisted of Henry, John, George and Lewis. The last named however, settled in the town of Florence, a short distance from the others. They were Carolinans, and had left there years before and had resided for a time in Indiana, near the Wabash. Of these, Henry Linebarger lived here but four years, dying here in 1836. George Linebarger was a resident of the village of Elwood. He was a very useful citizen, a leader in the Methodist Church, and one of its most pious members.
John Linebarger as has been stated, came into the township in the spring of 1832. The Indian uprising of 1832 and 1833, caused unrest and John Linebarger, with some others, returned to Indiana where he resided until 1850. In that year, he returned to Illinois and Will County and bought a farm near Wilmington. In 1868, he moved to Elwood where he engaged in the grain business for many years. In the later years of his life he moved to a farm near Bonfield and resided there until 1886, where he passed away.

pp. 249, 250

The town was surveyed and platted and lots offered for sale in 1854 and 1855, by Messrs. Spencer, Gardner and Myers, gentlemen interested in the road. The first house built in the town was erected by William Turner, formerly of New York. In this building he displayed the first stock of goods ever offered for sale in the township. Turner was also appointed Postmaster, and kept the office in his store. Joseph Partee, who had also been living in the neighborhood, built the first dwelling, and Jttnes Barrett built the second. George Blair built the first blacksmith-shop. To these were added stores, shops and dwellings, and, the town grew quite rapidly, so that, in 1869, it was found advisable to incorporate the same. Only a few scraps of the original records and lists escaped the fire of 1874, so that no complete list of its officers or narration of its public acts can now be given. It is, however, remembered with certainty that William Muhlig was first President, and R. Spafford, John Linebarger, William Eversoll and T. A. Mapps were members of the Board of Trustees. W. F. Keith was first Police Magistrate. In 1873, the town was re-organized under the general law of the State. , The officers were: John H. Bridge, President; John Linebarger, C. D. Wickes, Bateman Lloyd, John Pinneo and J. J. Lichtenwalter, Trustees; W. H. Kinne, Clerk; and W. W. Gifford, Treasurer.