West Township - Settlers & Settlements - McLean County Illinois Genealogy & History

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West Township
Settlers & Settlements
McLean County, Illinois
(Transcribed by: Teri Moncelle Colglazier)

Kickapoo Indians had occupied the area and there were no white settlers before 1850. In 1851 Henry West and his son, Simeon H. West, came to Illinois from Nicholasville, Ky. and settled on what was then known as "The Ridge" on the north side of the township. Some of the settlers decided to form a township government and decided on the name of Kickapoo, but soon learned that another township had that name so they gave the name West to the township in honor of the first supervisor, Henry West.
The land was very fertile and the area to the south of the first settlement was covered with prairie grass three feet tall, waving in the wind and full of rattlesnakes. Information soon spread about the fertile land and other families came to settle. Some of the first families along with Henry and Simeon West were the Hedricks and Cawbys whose later descendants were the Riddle, Murray, Fenstermaker, Dooley, Taylor, Horine and Reynolds families
About a mile east of West Park is the site of an old Indian fort. A large stone marker designates the site of the former Indian settlement. Simeon H. West was instrumental in having the marker placed there.
Not far from the Indian settlement site is located the oldest home in West Township which is now occupied by the Merle Kirby family. The house was built by Henry West in 1851 and Mr. West, being a friend of Abraham Lincoln, Mr. Lincoln made the West home a frequent stopping place on his travels over Illinois as a young lawyer.
On one occasion when Mr. Lincoln was spending the night in the West home, Mr. West asked Mr. Lincoln's advice on a legal matter. A few days later when Mr. West received a thank you letter from Mr. Lincoln, enclosed was a bill for $5 for legal advice rendered.
At present there are 425 residents in West Township.
[Heritage of the prairie : a history of LeRoy and of Empire and West townships, McLean County, Illinois (1976) LeRoy Historical Society; LeRoy Bi-Centennial Commission]

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