1918 Annals - Municipal Notes
Yates City
In Salem township are Yates City, Douglas and Uniontown. The last was
surveyed and platted in 1839. It was in the earlier days a point of much
importance. Luther Carey opened the first store there and Jacob Booth and
Moses Shinn a blacksmith shop, and they made plows and wagons. Thomas
Griggsby began brick burning in 1845. The first school opened in 1843. The
building of the railroad elsewhere killed its prospects.
Douglas, sometimes called Summit, was laid out October 17, 1856, and it
developed from the building of the Peoria line of the Burlington. It has
been a lively trading point and has maintained a number of stores, and had
excellent facilities for handling grain. It maintains a good school.
Yates City is the principal municipality of the southeast part of the
county, and is at one of the Burlington junctions. It was laid out in 1837
by William and A. C. Babcock, Thomas Maple, Rufus H. Bishop, Bostwick Kent
and James Burson. James Burson erected the first business house; John
Donnemaker opened the first hotel, and Isaac West erected the first
dwelling. Buffum and Enable established a grain warehouse. A good flouring
mill was built in 1868. Brick and tile were formerly manufactured in large
quantity.
The Harvest Home Association, which has made Yates City famous for its
annual celebrations, was established in 1886, largely through the efforts of
Editor McKeighan of the Banner.
The saloon which from 1857 had fastened itself on the city was wiped out in
1875 and with the exception of 1888 and 1895 was kept out. Good banks have
for years furnished excellent financial facilities. The city has a first
class line of business houses.
The first postoffice was opened in February, 1859, with J. M. Corey as
postmaster.
Yates City was chartered on March 4, 1869.
For many years Yates City has maintained a high standard of schools. Among
those who were its principals were the late W. L. Steele, so long
superintendent of the city schools of Galesburg, and W. F. Boyes, present
county superintendent of schools.
Of the Yates City churches, the First Presbyterian was organized November
16, 1866, and the Methodists completed an edifice in 1868.
Also fraternally Yates City is strong and it has witnessed the organization
of Masonic, Odd Fellow and Modern Woodmen lodges, and a Grand Army Post.
Yates City has for many years maintained a strong political influence in the
county, and one of its best known young men, Frank L. Adams, has for years
served efficiently as county clerk.
Maquon
The village of Maquon is situated on or near the site of the old Indian
village at the north line of the township and was surveyed by Parnach Owen
in 1836, who assisted by several others laid out the village. For several
years it had neither religious or educational institutions, but was the site
of a distillery and race track, according to Gale's history of the county.
Both these long since disappeared and years ago Maquon took its place as one
of the model communities of Knox. The village was incorporated March 4,
1857, and its population by 1880 had reached 548. The first building in the
village was Cox's tavern, built by Benjamin Cox, and for twenty years used
as barracks, kept by Nathan Barbero. John Hippie conducted the first store
in a building erected by Matthew Maddox in 1839. For forty years there has
been no saloon in Maquon. The business interests are well represented by
well conducted stores and banks.
The business portion of Maquon has experienced six disastrous fires all of
them of doubtful origin.
Prior to 1848 Maquon schools were held in rooms furnished by Nathan and
Calister Barbero, but in that year a substantial brick building was erected.
The initial attendance was 175 pupils. The Maquon school for many years has
been considered one of the best in the county.
Maquon has responded nobly to all patriotic demands. In the Civil War a full
quota of 250 came from the village and township.
The village is well supplied with fraternal organizations, which provide a
congenial social life.
Rapatee, also in Maquon township, was founded in 1883, with the building of
the Iowa Central in 1883. It was laid out by Benjamin Adams and A. B.
Stewart was its first merchant.
Rio
Rio, in Rio township, was platted in 1871 by William Robinson, and was first
called Coburg. The pioneer store was built by Messrs. Schroeder and Owens.
Nelson Coe was the first postmaster. Rio has always had enterprising
merchants, and has been a good trading center. Since its founding, there
have been organized there Masonic, Odd Fellow, Modern Woodmen, Eastern Star
and Home Forum lodges. The place also maintains religious worship.
An Early Inventor
Some mention has been made elsewhere of the inventors of the county who
contributed to its agricultural development. Mention should be made of Riley
Root, who seemed to be the inventive genius of the colonists. Among other
things he produced the rotary snow plow, a device for clarifying cane or
corn syrups, and a surveyor's level.
Ambassador to China
A Galesburg and Knox County boy, Edwin Hurd Conger, rose to high distinction
after graduating from Lombard college in 1832 and serving through the war,
where he was breveted as major for gallant service. In 1880 he was elected
State treasurer of Iowa. In 1886 he was elected to Congress and was twice
re-elected. President Harrison appointed him minister to Brazil serving
until 1893. In 1897 he was reappointed to the Brazil post but in 1898 was
transferred to China, where he served with distinction for a number of years
and where during the Boxer uprising he was a conspicuous international
figure.
Extracted 15 Dec 2017 by Norma Hass from Annals of Knox County: Commemorating Centennial of Admission of Illinois as a State of the Union in 1818, published in 1921 by the Centennial Historical Association, Knox County, Illinois, The Board of Supervisors, pages 224-226.
