The Stitzels were Brethren people so were attracted to
this area because Arnolds Grove was by that time a
settlement of Brethren people. Henry Strickler helped
organize the congregation and together they built the
Arnolds Grove Brethren Church House located about four
miles northest of Mt. Carroll. Henry was a farmer and
minister and a good organizer. Arnolds Grove in the years
that followed thrived and grew rapidly. After the Stitzels
were here a year or two they had another daughter, Sarah,
thus making a family of six chidiren. David and his wife
Sarah spent the rest of their lives on this farm and died in
1859 and 1870 respectively and are buried in the Old
Church Cemetery along the present Ridge Road.
In the years that followed, the family went their
separate ways, but generally moved to the Lanark area,
down to the prairie and away from their wooded hill farm.
Joseph, the oldest son, bought and located on what came
to be known as the Stitzel Homestead, about two and a
half miles west of Lanark in 1890. Many of the
descendants of this family are still living in and near
Carroll County: Arnolds, Zucks, Rowlands, B renemans,
Dubbels, Grossmans etc.
Source: A Goodly Heritage Supplement #1 Spring 1975
David Henry Stitzel was born Nov. 1, 1794 in Franklin County, Pa., near Greencastle.
He was married to Sarah (Sally) Strickler born December 13, 1806 and had a family
of five children. In the spring of 1845 they left Franklin County for Carroll County, Illinois, in company with four
other families, coming by covered wagon. According to a
quotation from a history of that time these other four
families were: George Grove, Daniel Sherar, Daniel Leter
and Samuel Mitchel and their families. They were five
weeks on the way and arrived at Lanark at noon on June
23, 1845. Lanark at that time was a very small settlement.
The story tells us that at noon that day a family of settlers
living at the north edge of Lanark near the creek invited
these folks to stop for dinner with them. That afternoon
the Stitzels proceeded on north-west to the Arnolds Grove
settlement to the farm upon which they were to live the
rest of their lives. That farm is located in parts of Sec. 15
and 22 in Freedom Township.
