LaHogue
LaHogue is located off of Highway 24 west of Gilman and east of Piper City in Iroquois County.
La Hogue
LaHogue was named after T. J. Laney and Mr. Hogue who owned the land. Before 1869 land could be bought for $1.00 to $3.00 per acre because it was all covered with water. George Burger and August Haubach bought a half section of land due to the swampy conditions, they developed the LaHogue Drainage District. It consister of 7 1/2 miles and gave drainage to 12,000 acres of fine farm land.
The village was platted in 1871 but never incorporated. Mr. and Mrs. John Zea were the first home builders and residents. Mr. Zea was the manager of the elevator for C.C. Miles of Peoria, extensive land owners locally.
Amos Edmunds was the first postmaster. He kept the mail in a trunk and delivered it on horseback. Later the postoffice was located in the grocery store. Orville Black wa the last postmaster with the closing of the post office July 19, 1974.
In 1881 Mr. and Mrs. T. G. Morris opened the first general store in their residence at the main intersection of LaHogue. LAter he built a frame structure to serve as a store. In the summer of 1892-9 he built a two-story brick building with teh upper story used as living quarters. The remains of this building were razed in 1951.
Adam Laub opened the first restaurant, small hotel and beer parlor. HE also bought and sold horses. A.A. Curtis had a grocery store and Mr. Jones had a 5 & 10 cent store. They had a large wadon that they drove throught he county selling their wares. Later Otto Wendt bought the Curtis store. Charles Revell was the owner in the 1920's. Mrs. Martin Pickett operated a restaurant. The Bull family opereated a restaurant and hotel around 1920.
The Methodist church was dedicated in1884. It was active until in the 1940's. The church still stands in good repair.
Arthur Gourley built a home and operated a lumber business and harness shop. Egley Brothers built another elevator in 1903-04. The bank had its first quarters in the eleveator ofice. Business grew so the bank was moved to the Diercouff building. Mr. Bush and Son were the owners of the LaHogue Bank. The bank was sold in 1920 and was known as the LaHogue State Bank. In 1930 the bank was robbed by three men and one woman. All were apprehended the same day and all but $10.00 of the stolen money was recovered. The bank closed in 1933.
Frank Moore of Piper City opened and operated a hardware store which later he sold to Haubach Brothers. The Diercouff Hall had many lively Saturday night dances. Joe Kelly of Piper City and Mr. Diercouff operated a skating rink in the hall in the 1890's.
H.W. Diercouff was the village blacksmith and implement dealer starting business and married life in MArch, 1883.
Toledo Peoria and WEstern passenger trains stopped in La Hogue with two east and two westbound trains daily.
The first school was started in 1881 but not finished until 1883. Miss Eva McCoveney of Piper City was the first teacher. A brick building was built in 1917. In both schools one teacher taught all eight grades as well as music and art and supervised the playground.
In 1883 Dr. Lockwood came to LaHogue to be the local physician. Dr. Campbell and Dr. Bloom were also practicing physicians. Dr. Clara Edmunds came to LaHogue in 1904 to practice medicine. She used Dr. Lockwood's offices because he was her uncle. Later she moved on to practive medicine in Springfield, IL.
LaHogue at one time had its own band with some very good vocalists, most of whom had been trained at the Grand Prairie Seminary. The Diercouff Hall was the gathering place for all entertainment.
At one time population was listed as 80. Today the count is 35. In the 1920's the town had three grocery stores, one hotel and restaurant, one bank, school, church, two grain elevators, hardware store, post office, blacksmith and implement business, and Modern Woodmen of America had a very active lodge. The population was 74.
(from page 92 History of Iroquois County transcribed by Carrol Mick)