Logan County Illinois Country Schools

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LOGAN COUNTY COUNTRY SCHOOLS

A History

Jean Adams Pyle

PREFACE

The State of Illinois implemented the state-wide system of free schools with a full-time post of Superintendent of Public Instruction in 1855.

The foundation of the free school system was laid in 1846 with the passage of an Act to Establish and Maintain a Common School System. However, the act did not provide sufficient motivation to encourage the citizens of the State to begin a full-scale operation until 1855 when the Common School Law was passed.

The first school in Logan County under the Common School Law was located in Lake Fork Township in the S/W 1/4 of Section 13. The name given the school was Two Mile Grove and was listed as #1 in the Logan County, Illinois School Superintendent's Office. There was a school in that location prior to 1855 but, like other school in the county, was probably a " Pay School." The parents of children attending the early schools paid the salary of the teachers.

The year of 1855 was the beginning of the "Little Red School House" in Logan County, Illinois.

Note: a list of source books and maps may be found at the end of this document.

Name & Source	Number	Location - Quarter & Section

AETNA TOWNSHIP

Bowles Pioneer Family	14	S/E 1/4, Sec.2

Chestnut Pioneer Family	10	S/W 1/4, Sec. 34

Harmony Harmony Church & Neighborhood	16	S/W 1/4, Sec. 5


Independence Listed in Stringer - 1911	15	On The Line Between S/W 1/4, Sec. 3 and N/W 1/4, Sec. 10

Mt. Airy Topographical Feature	13	S/W 1/4, Sec. 29

Pop Corn Unknown	9	S/W 1/4, Sec. 26

Regan Pioneer Family	11	On the Line - S/W 1/4, Sec. 13 and N/W 1/4, Sec 24

Union	12	S/E 1/4, Sec. 15

Unidentified 1876 Map Probably pre-cursor of Chestnut	?	N/W 1/4, Sec. 34

ATLANTA TOWNSHIP

Atlanta Atlanta, Georgia Formerly Xenia	301	Sec. 20

Clear Creek Topographical Feature	23	S/E 1/4, Sec. 23

Hoblit Pioneer Family	25	N/W 1/4, Sec. 29

New Castle 1st settlement in Township	24	N/E 1/4, Sec. 33

Tuttle Pioneer Family	300	N/E 1/4, Sec. 14

Walnut Hill Topographical Feature	105	N/W 1/4, Sec. 36

BROADWELL TOWNSHIP

Briggs Pioneer Family	71	N/W 1/4, Sec. 17

Broadwell Pioneer Family	68	Sec. 28 & 29

Corwin Pioneer Family	70	S/W 1/4, Sec. 16

Honey Hook Unknown - Bee Tree ? Honey Locust ?	67	N/E 1/4, Sec. 26

Rankin Pioneer Family	69	N/W 1/4, Sec. 11

Read Pioneer Family	66	S/E 1/4, Sec 35

CHESTER TOWNSHIP

Doolittle Unknown	41	N/W 1/4, Sec. 16

Fair Unknown Stringer-1911 1911 Map	44	N/W 1/4, Sec. 4

Layman Pioneer Family	42	S/W 1/4, Sec. 14

Pegram Pioneer Family	43	S/W 1/4, Sec. 2

Pleasant Grove Topographical Feature	38	S/W 1/4, Sec. 26

Primm Pioneer Family 1911 Map 1910 Map	45	N/E 1/4, Sec. 7

Sugar Grove	39	S/E 1/4, Sec. 29

NOTE: Chester Township was Madison Township for a short while.

CORWIN TOWNSHIP

Lynn Grove Pioneer Family	91	S/W 1/4, Sec. 27

Middletown On the Old Stage Road between Springfield and Peoria	183	Sec. 18

Mill Grove Probably Rankin's Mill at Rocky Ford	92	S/W 1/4, Sec. 2

Spring Bank Topographical Feature	90	N/W 1/4, Sec. 25

Unidentified 1876 Map		N/W 1/4, Sec. 5

Elm Grove	182	Menard County
		Directly across the County Line from S/W 1/4, Sec. 19 in Logan County

Note: Corwin Township was Middletown Township for a short while.

EAST LINCOLN TOWNSHIP

Buckeye Buckeye Tree	52	S/E 1/4, Sec. 5

Duff Pioneer Family	47	S/W 1/4, Sec. 28

Hatton Pioneer Family	46	S/E 1/4, Sec. 26

Hunting Pioneer Family	49	S/W 1/4, Sec. 15

Lawndale Unknown	51	N/W 1/4, Sec. 2

Musick Pioneer Family	50	S/W 1/4, Sec. 20

Straight Row Unknown	48	N/E 1/4, Sec. 14

ELKHART TOWNSHIP

Cornland Unknown	202	S/W 1/4, Sec. 11

Elkhart Indians named the prominent topographical feature Elk Heart	64	N/W 1/4, Sec. 18

Intelligence Unknown	60	N/E 1/4, Sec. 34

Lakeside Unknown - nearby lake?	62	S/E 1/4, Sec. 21

Northside Unknown	201	S/E 1/4, Sec. 8

Plainview Unknown	63	N/W 1/4, Sec. 11

Prairie College Unknown	61	N/W 1/4, Sec. 32

Sunnyside Unknown	65	N/E 1/4, Sec. 5

EMINENCE TOWNSHIP


Bloomingdale Topographical Feature Early Settlement	54	S/W 1/4, Sec. 29

Eminence Topographical Feature Early Settlement	56	N/E 1/4, Sec. 21

Hazel Dell Topographical Feature Formerly Ft. Barnes & Johnson (Pioneer Family)	58	S/E 1/4, Sec. 2

Hickory Grove Topographical Feature Formerly Forks of the Creek & Mountjoy (Pioneer Family)	127	S/W 1/4, Sec. 35

Pleasant Hill Topographical Feature	57	N/W 1/4, Sec. 18

Rose Hill Topographical Feature	53	N/W 1/4, Sec. 26

Walnut Row Topographical Feature	55	N/W 1/4, Sec. 23

White Hall Unknown	126	N/W 1/4, Sec. 32

Unidentified 1876 Map	?	S/E 1/4, Sec. 24

Unidentified 1876 Map Possibly in East Lincoln Township on the Section line N/W 1/4 of Sec. 3	?	S/W 1/4, Sec. 34

HURLBUT TOWNSHIP

American Hill Previously known as German Hill - changed because of WW2	200	S/W 1/4, Sec. 26

Constant Pioneer Family Previously known as Superior	180	N/E 1/4, Sec. 29

Hopedale Unknown	89	S/W 1/4, Sec. 12

Maple Grove Topographical Feature	181	Menard County Directly across the County Line - N/W 1/4, Sec. 8

LAENNA TOWNSHIP

Deavers Pioneer Family	4	S/W 1/4, Sec. 29

Fair Haven Unknown	7	N/W 1/4, Sec. 11

Latham Pioneer Family	3	N/W 1/4, Sec. 36

Parish Pioneer Family Stringer - 1911 May be a pre-cursor of Latham	?	S/W 1/4, Sec. 27

Ring Pioneer Family	6	S/W 1/4, Sec. 17

Rose Dell Topographical Feature	8	N/W 1/4, Sec. 8

Walnut Grove Topographical Feature	5	S/w 1/4, Sec. 14

LAKE FORK TOWNSHIP

Colvin Pioneer Family	2	N/E 1/4, Sec. 8

Farmland Self Explanatory	137	N/E 1/4, Sec. 17

Glendale Topographical Feature Stringer - 1911	138	S/E 1/4, Sec. 15

Two Mile Grove Topographical Feature	1	N/E 1/4, Sec. 11

MT. PULASKI TOWNSHIP

Birks Pioneer Family	204	S/W 1/4, Sec. 13, T 17N

Buchanan Unknown	36	N/E 1/4, Sec. 9

Buckles Pioneer Family	34	N/W 1/4, Sec. 20

Copeland Pioneer Family	203	N/W 1/4, Sec. 15

French's Chapel Pioneer Family - French	37	N/E 1/4, Sec. 5

Hamilton Probably Pioneer Family	30	N/W 1/4, Sec. 36

Hunter Probably Pioneer Family	26	S/W 1/4, Sec.17

Lake Fork Topographical Feature	32	N/E 1/4, Sec. 31

Laughery Pioneer School	35	N/W 1/4, Sec. 11

Mt. Pulaski Count Casmir Pulaski Topographical Feature	33	Sec. 14

Oakland Topographical Feature	29	N/E 1/4, Sec. 5, T 17N

Scroggin Pioneer Family	31	N/W 1/4, Sec. 34

Unknown	?	N/W 1/4, Sec. 14

ORAN TOWNSHIP
Beason Pioneer Family	17	S/W 1/4, Sec. 35

Blue Grass Self Explanatory	22	N/E 1/4, Sec. 8

Deer Creek Topographical Feature	21	N/E 1/4, Sec. 20

Mt. Zion Church & Neighborhood	20	N/W 1/4, Sec. 11

North Bethel Church & Neighborhood Stringer - 1911	18	S/W 1/4, Sec. 23

South Bethel Stringer - 1911	?

Central Point Stringer - 1911 NOTE: Evidently South Bethel & North Bethel were combined and given the name of Central Point	18	S/W 1/4, Sec. 23

Zollars Pioneer Family	19	S/W 1/4, Sec. 30

Unknown ? Possibly Skelton Pioneer Family	?	S/W 1/4, Sec. 28

ORVIL TOWNSHIP

Bethel Church & Neighborhood	88	N/W 1/4, Sec. 12

Emden River Ems (Germany)	86	Sec. 6

Fairfield Self Explanatory	81	S/E 1/4, Sec. 31

Fairview Self Explanatory	87	S/W 1/4, Sec. 3

Hartsburg D. H. Harts Owner of original plat	82	Sec. 21

King Pioneer Family	85	N/E 1/4, Sec. 19

Lone Tree Landmark	79	N/W 1/4, Sec. 31

Musick Pioneer Family	80	S/E 1/4, Sec. 33

Pleasant Valley Topographical Feature	84	N/E 1/4, Sec. 21

Richland Self Explanatory	83	S/E 1/4, Sec. 14

Young America Unknown	124	N/W 1/4, Sec. 35

PRAIRIE CREEK TOWNSHIP

Cream Ridge Probably Pioneer Family named Creamer	103	S/W 1/4, Sec 5

Elder Grove Topographical Feature	100	N/E 1/4, Sec. 33

Hopewell Unknown	98	N/E 1/4, Sec. 35

Neibuhr Pioneer Family	102	N/W 1/4, Sec. 11

Prairie Creek Topographical Feature	99	S/W 1/4, Sec. 29

Victory Unknown	101	N/E 1/4, Sec. 20

Zoar Unknown	122	N/W 1/4, Sec. 36

SHERIDAN TOWNSHIP

Burtonview Pioneer Family - Burton	94	N/E 1/4, Sec. 24

Fairland Unknown	93	N/E 1/4, Sec. 26

Gayle Pioneer Family	95	N/W 1/4, Sec. 22

New Holland Pioneer Family - Holland	118	Sec. 17/18

Pleasant Valley Topographical Feature	119	S/E 1/4, Sec. 31

Richman Unknown Could be named for Pioneer Family	96	S/W 1/4, Sec. 2

Rosedale Topographical Feature	97	S/W 1/4, Sec. 5

Unknown 1876 Map	?	S/W 1/4, Sec. 8

WEST LINCOLN TOWNSHIP

Altic Pioneer Family	76	N/W 1/4, Sec.12

Glenwild Topographical Feature	78	N/W 1/4, Sec. 7

Lincoln Abraham Lincoln Previously Postville	27	Sec. 25

Mt. Pleasant Topographical Feature	75	N/W 1/4, Sec. 24

Rabbit Flat Previously Glenwood Stringer - 1911 Many Rabbits?	73	S/E 1/4, Sec. 31

Rothchild Pioneer Family	74	N/W 1/4, Sec. 28

Sigg Pioneer Family	72	N/W 1/4, Sec. 34

West Point Unknown	77	N/W 1/4, Sec. 10

Unknown	?	S/W 1/4, Sec. 2

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

There were 121 country schools in Logan County in 1931.

There were 8 school symbols on the old maps that could not be identified with a name.

There were 4 schools named in the history books of Logan County that were not given a location that could be verified.

#1 SHOUP - Salt Creek - 1858

#2 SARGENT - Stringer - 1911

#3 ZION - Probably Mt. Zion

#4 A school half-way between Elkhart and Broadwell on Noah Chenowith property

There is a school listed as # 59 that could not be verified. It might have been one of the two unidentified in either southern Eminence Township or northern East Lincoln Township.

SOURCES

History of Logan County, Illinois--1878. Donnelley, Loyd & Co., Chicago, Illinois.

History of Logan County, Illinois--1886. Interstate Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois.

History of Logan County, Illinois--1911. Lawrence B. Stringer.

History of Atlanta, Illinois--1853-1953. City of Atlanta & Atlanta Woman's Club.

Elkhart, Illinois Centennial Publication-1855-1955. Elkhart, Illinois.

State of Illinois Board of Education. Springfield, Illinois.

Logan County, Illinois School Superintendent's Office. Lincoln, Illinois.

MAPS

Atlas of Illinois--1876. Warner, Beers & Proprietors, Chicago, Illinois.

Logan County, Illinois Plat Book--1910. Geo. A. Ogle & Co. Chicago, Illinois.

U. S. Geological Survey Quadrangle Map--1911.

U. S. Geological Survey Quadrangle Map--1931.

Mount Pulaski, Illinois--1836-1986. 150 Years of Memories. Charles W. Fricke, Editor. Location of most of the Mount Pulaski Township Schools, District 12. Researched by Charles H. Anderson.

School Map-- Logan County, Illinois--1931. E. H. Lukenbill, County Superintendent of Schools, Logan County, Illinois. November 1, 1931.

EPILOGUE

The consolidation and centralization of Logan County country schools probably began circa the middle 1940's and was completed by the 1950's. A date for the transition, which occurred over a period of several years, is undetermined.

Some of the elements that could have contributed to the consolidation of the schools was a decreased number of children attending the rural schools, cost of maintaining aging facilities and the advent of the "BIG YELLOW BUS". The school children were pleased to ride the bus to school. In doing so it eliminated the need of walking through "snow 10 feet deep and 5 miles uphill both ways."

Memories still remain in the minds of people that were fortunate enough to attend the one room country schools. Foremost in the list of memories were Community Club entertainment, fish fries, watermelon feasts, pot luck suppers, Christmas plays given by the children and best of all " The Last Day of School Picnic."

So the era of "The Little Red School House" came to an end.

All materials contained on these pages are furnished for the free use of those engaged in researching their family origins.

Any commercial use is strictly prohibited.