The city of Salem, Illinois


The city of Salem was founnded in 1823.  James Roberts owned a great deal of some land
he donated.  He donated 30 acres for the town site to the county.
The town was surveyed and platted by Arber Andrews  in July 1823.  Salem
was incorporated by the General Assembly on Feb. 18, 1837.   According to the Act of the Illinois
legislature, it was again voted  to be incorporated on Aug. 10, 1855 , after which a board of
trustees was appointed .  The members were:  B.F. FMarshall, Thomas Day, Samuel Hall,
F.O. Leffingwell, S.W. Cunningham with Samuel Hall as President.
In 1865 a city charter was obtained onn Feb. 16,1865.
The first house built in the city of Salem was a log house built by James Roberts  in 1820 and was
placed on the Southside of Vincennes Rd, now Main street.
A stage house was built by Mark Tully around 1821.
The first business house was built by Martin Hill around 1820.
Thomas Higgins was the first merchant and the first church was built by the Presbyterians in 1846.
The first school was built about 1840.
According to an article written in 1879, in the Salem Advocator, there were 5 families living within the
city of Salem in 1829 as listed:
Rufus Ricker, Mark Tully, James Chance, James  Pyles, and Martin Hill.
Mr Ricker was Clerk of both Courts , Postmaster and Probate Judge.  Mark Tully was Sheriff,
James Chance was the Blacksmith, Martin Hill a merchant, and James Pyles was a farmer.