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RICH PRECINCT
Union County Illinois Genealogy Trails Contributed by Jeana Gallagher Source: Abstracted from Perrin's History of Union Co 1883 The first land entry for Rich Precinct was in Sec 33 in 1814 by Thomas D Patterson. It seems he moved on and the property was sold for taxes. There were probably other settlers in the area after Patterson but the next recorded settler was Zebadee Anderson from NC about 1830. When the railroad came to the county he moved on to Texas. About the same time as Anderson was a man named Owen, his sons sold out and followed Anderson to Texas. Also about 1830 James Lilly settled in Sec 21. In 1835, George Rich came to the Prec. Edward Wiggs settled about this time in Sec 34. The next set of pioneers came in the late 1830s to 1846. These included: Tilford (Sec 15) and his brother Elijah Brooks, Wm B Elmore (Sec 17), AW Coleman, John Cochran (Sec 28), William Roberts (sec 27), Thomas Gallegly (Sec 34), the Hines, Hopkins and Thomas Gourley. John Cochran was the first station agent in Anna. He also had the first horse mill. He later moved to Carbondale in 1883. Thomas Gallegly was the Township treasurer. Soon came the village of Lick Creek. It had a store, post office, steam mill and six other dwellings. The store was owned by Mangum and Gourley, who was the first postmaster. In 1883 Charles Gourley was postmaster. There is a huge cave on the old Lilly farm with a stream in a cavern. In 1883 George Hines owned the property. Union Lodge 627 AF & AM was organized in 1866. Charter members were: John Gardner, Edwin Wiggins, Jesse Roberts, James Brooks, A.L. Penninger, William A Roberts, Henry C Anderson and Thomas Hines. The lodge first met in the Barringer School, then in the Cumberland Church. The Evergreen Lodge #581 IOOF was organized in 1876. Charter members were A.L. Penninger, Isaac M Newton, J.C. Cook, Evans Stokes, John T Newton and F.E. Scarsdale. They first met at the Masonic Hall near Saratoga until 1882. After this they met at the new hall at Lick Creek. Officers in 1883 were: Matthew Brooks, William Murphy, W Gibson and Joseph Kirby. The Fellowship Christian Church was the oldest in the Precinct, being organized before 1860 by William Elmore and Treese. Ministers at the church were: Treese, Elmore, Fly, Reed and Walker. Rev Walker was still there in 1883. (I have never been able to find out where this church was located or when it stopped being used, but I believe it was near Sec 17). Liberty Christian Church was organized in 1861/62 in Sec 06. It first met in the Culp School. The first Minister was named Hiller, then Winchester, Phelps, Walker, Smally and in 1883 Reed. Mt Hebron Cumberland Presbyterian Church is located in Sec 13, it was organized in 1870 on land donated by A.W. Coleman. The first minister was Rev Jordan from Anna until 1880, then Rev John H Morphus. In 1879 a log structure was built. In 1880 the Sunday school was under Joseph H Montgomery. In 1872 the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized in Sec 34. Charter members were: Larkin Brooks, Benjamin Keller, Thomas Gallegly, Elizabeth Roberts, D Lattimer, James Proctor and Marshall Coleman. Liberty United Brethren Church was organized in 1873 by Rev W A Quickley. In 1875 Rev SG Brock took over followed by Joseph Simpson, Rev D Gray, R Powell and in 1880 JL Miller. Union German Baptist Church was organized in 1882 by John Wise and John Metzger in the Elmore School, The Minister was George Landis. The first school was near AJ Mangum's farm in Sec 34. Culp School was located in Sec 06. Rev Davis organized the Barringer School in 1865. Return to Union County History Return to Union County Index 2007 Anna Newell, Illinois Genealogy Trails |