County & Town Histories
as printed in the "Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois", 1901
County & Town Histories
as printed in the "Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois", 1901
De Witt County - Situated in the central portion of the State; has an area of 405 square miles and a population (1900) of 18,972. the land was originally owned by the Kickapoos and Pottawatomies, and not until 1820 did the first permanent white settlers occupy this region. The first to come were Felix Jones, Prettyman Marvel, William Cottrell, Samuel Glenn, and the families of Scott, Lundy and Coaps. Previously however, the first cabin had been built on the site of the present Farmer City by Nathan Clearwater. Zion Shugest erected the earliest grist-mill and Burrell Post the first saw-mill in the county. Kentuckians and Tennesseeans were the first immigrants, but not until the advent of settlers from Ohio did permanent improvements begin to be made. In 1835 a school house and Presbyterian church were built at Waynesville. The county was organized in 1839, and -- with its capitol (Clinton) -- was named after one of New York's most distinguished Governors. It lies within the great "corn belt" and is well watered by Salt Creek and its branches. Most of the surface is rolling prairie, interspersed with woodland. Several lines of railway (among them the Illinois Central) cross the county. Clinton had a population of 2,598 in 1890, and Farmer City, 1,367. Both are railroad centers and have considerable trade.
TOWN HISTORIES
CLINTON - the county-seat of De Witt County, situated 23 miles south of Bloomington, at intersection of the Springfield and the Champaign-Havana Divisions with the main line of the Illinois Central Railroad; lies in a productive agricultural region; has machine shops, flour and planing mills, brick and tile works, water works, electric lighting plant, piano-case factory, banks, three newspapers, six churches and two public schools. Population:
1890: 2,598
1900: 4,452
FARMER CITY - a city of De Witt County, 25 miles southeast of Bloomington, at the junction of the Springfield division of the Illinois Central and the Peoria division of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railways. It is a trading center for a rich agricultural and stock-raising district, especially noted for rearing finely bred horses. The city has banks, two newspapers, churches of four denominations and good schools, including a high school. Population:
1880: 1,289
1890: 1,367
1900: 1,664
KENNEY - a village and railway station in Dewitt County, at the intersection of the Springfield Division of the Illinois Central and the Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Railroads, 36 miles northeast of Springfield. The town has 2 banks and 2 newspapers; the district is agricultural.
Population:
1880: 418
1890: 497
1900: 584