Browning Township lies east of Tyrone and south of Barren. It was settled first on Browning Hill
     in 1814 by John Browning and others. John Browning lived at the Jordan Fort for a while, and two of his sons
     John K. and William R. were born in the fort in 1810 and were the first white children born in Franklin County.
     The oldest house now standing is on Browning Hill and was built in 1814. The Kings, Jones, Harrisons and 
     Hutsons settled around Browning Hill. There were numerous springs in the vicinity of the Browning Hill so this 
     settlement became known as the Spring Settlement. John Browning was doubtless the first Baptist preacher in 
     the county. Through his efferts Mount Pleasant Baptist Church was organized in 1829 which was the first 
     Baptist Church organized in the county.
	 
          The name of the township, like Goode, and Denning, took its name from the family of early settlers.
		  
          The Big Muddy River flows through the township, thereby making a large area non-productive.
		  
          Buckner on the Illinois Central R. R. is a thriving town of about twenty five- hundred people. From 
     the time the railroad was built till 1906 not much business was done at this place, but a coal mine was 
     located east of Buckner which furnishes employment for several hundred men, since then the town has made 
     rapid strides in its growth.
	 
          Rend City was established about three miles north of Buckner when the W. P. Rend Coal Co. located 
     there mine there. A spur from the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R. R. was built out to the mines. There 
     are about fifteen hundred people in Rend City.
	 
          West City in the subburbs of Benton lies in Browning Township.It is growing very rapidly. It has 
     paved streets and good sidewalks and a very complete school building. West City joins up to Benton and 
     really forms one city, yet they have seperate city governments.
	 
          The schools of Browning Township are: Flatts, Rend City, Browning Hill, Mt. Pleasant , Crawford, 
     Buckner, Jordan, Barren, Hill City and West City.
	 
          The churches of Browning Township are: Baptist Forest, Prospect, Buckner and Mt. Pleasant; Christian - 
     Crawford; Free Baptist - Aiken Grove and Union Hill.
	 
          Politically Browning has been mainly Democratic, yet mixed tickets are selected very frequently.
		  
          The present supervisor is Jordan Smith.
     


[(1918) Franklin County History Centennial Edition by H.M. AIKEN]