history of Ash Grove township, Iroquois County, IL

The Ash Grove/Pitch-In Area

The history of Ash Grove township would not be complete without an account of Pitch-In, or Glenwood, or Ash Grove (its official name), as the is little town of the eighteen hundreds was really the beginning of the whole township.

Robert R. Roberts, a dedicated Methodist minister, was the first to come in 1833, and he early foresaw the possibilities of the deep, black, loam soil. He contracted with the government to buy eighty acres at $1.25 per acre, and so started the little settlement. (for more information on Robert R. Roberts see Bishop Robert R. Roberts Memorial Assn., INC at - www.hpcisp.com/~jsend)

Next came Lewis Roberts, his nephew, and John Nunamaker, his son-on-law. Then, in 1836 John Henry came from Lawrenceville, Indiana and settled on eighty acres one and one-half miles east of Pitch-In. He started a saw mill, and also ground grain for the settlers, but after several years moved his family and mill to a site about two and on-half miles northwest of Loda.

Other settlers came-- The Brocks, the Bishops, and Wesley Harvey, who was to become the second postmaster of the little town.

The first white child born in the township was Joseph Nunamaker, the son of the John Nunamakers. Later, John Nunamaker started to manufacture crocks, jugs, churns, and dishes, made from clay found along Mud Creek back of the Ephraim Hamilton place (now the William Miller farm). However, his kiln burned in 1938, and he turned to sawing wood and grinding grain, thinking this more profitable.

The first school was raised on March 4, 1841, one-fourth mile west of Glenwood Pitch-In. It was a private school, Lewis Roberts being the teacher. It was run on a three months term, each pupil paying $1.50 per term. A public school was erected later about one-fourth mile east of Glenwood Pitch-In, and named Glenwood School. The building still stands and is used as a storage shed by the Henneinke family, on whose land it had been erected.

The first postmaster was John Nunamaker, who took care of the mail from his home, having received his commission from the government in 1849. Mail was brought from Milford one a week by horseback for $25.00 per year. Late, the post office was in the store which Mr. Nunamaker owned.

According to Mrs. Tylla Landes, who lived in Pitch-In from 1884 until 1893, the village had about 150 residents, and was a thriving community, with a general store, a blacksmith shop run by her father, John Herman, a doctor (L.D. Hockett), a drug store, a hotel, a Methodist Church and a parsonage, and a school. It even had a town band. Mrs. Landes tells the following story about how Glenwood got the name Pitch-In. It seems there was a disagreement between two workers, Dick Ammerman and Moses Spain. One rolled up his sleeves and dared the other to fight, but both were reluctant. The bystanders, seeing them hesitate, called out, "Pitch In, boys; pitch in!" So there was nothing left for them to do but fight--and this left the town with the name Pitch-In, which it still bears today.

The town followed the road north and south. From north to south on the west side were the homes of Silas Brock, John Herman, the general store, the Herman blacksmith shop, Dr. L.D. Hockett, Bill Scott, and Henry Childs. On the east side were the Harveys, the Koglers, the Turner Drug Store, the hotel, the Methodist church and the parsonage. Going east on the south was the Hamilton home, and further east on the north side, the Henneinke farm which is still owned by the family and operated by Lester Henneinke.

J.Isaac Hamilton was one of the outstanding citizens of Pitch-In. He became president of the Federal Life Insurance Company of Chicago, and later was a state representative from Iroquois County to the General Assembly in Springfield.

Most of the early settlers in Pitch-In were of English or Scotch descent, and were Quakers or Methodists, but during the latter part of the eighteen eighties settlers of German Lutheran descent came into the community, many coming from Crete, Beecher, and Eagle Lake in Will County. Among these were John Herman who opened the blacksmith shop, operating until 1894 when he moved it and his family to Cissna Park. Also, Wilhelm Knake, who opened a tile factory neat where the old mill had been on the Hamilton property down by Mud Creek, where clay for tile was available. Since much of this land had a tendency to be swampy, tile were much in demand. Mr. Knake operated this factory until his death in 1906.

It is interesting to note that the name Ash Grove stems from the fact that a big ash tree had fallen across Mud Creek in this vicinity, and, as there were absolutely no other ash tees around there, Mr. Wesley Harvey, who was postmaster at that time, had the inspiration to name the post office Ash Grove. Mail came out from Milford three times a week at this time, by whatever means of conveyance that could be used, because of the weather and the roads. The person bringing the mail was paid the handsome sum of $25.00 per month. Edgar Behrens, a grandson of Wilhelm Knake, has in his possession several letters addressed to "Ash Grove, Illinois".

One of Iroquois County's first murders took place in Pitch-In in the early 1880s. Rosa Hamilton was to be married and the party was assemble at the Hamilton home for the ceremony. A former suitor rode up and asked to see the bride, but the groom went out instead to see what was wrong, and was shot dead, while the murderer raced away. He left the community and was not seen by the residents of Pitch-In again.

Another interesting fact is that the first township election was held in the school house on April 1, 1856.

What caused Pitch-In to decline into the ghost town it is today? It was the building of the railroad spur south of Pitch-In, and a new village, Cissna Park starting there. Most of the business people moved their families to the new town, and Pitch-In died.

Today all that remains of Pitch-In are the Isaac Hamilton place (now the William Miller farm); the barn once used by Mr. Knake with his tile factory; the Dr. Hockett house (now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Doyne Acord); the John Herman home (unoccupied); and on the east side, the Kogler home (now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Carl Kogler); and the Oberloh home (occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Zbinden).

This page was sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Behrens, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Knake, and Mrs. Viola Bull

(from the Milford and Vicinity Sesquicentennial Souvenir Book 1830-1980 page 161)