1885 History of Greene & Jersey
Wrights Township
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[Page 943]
This comprises all of congressional T. 11 north, R. 11 west, and is bounded on the north by White Hall township, on the east by Rubicon, on the south by Linder, and the west by White Hall and Carrollton. Part of the township is well covered with timber while the balance is either prairie or cleared land, and all of a very fine grade. The soil is a warm, black, clayey loam, with innate powers of fertility beyond the possibility of exhaustion. The surface is generally gently undulating except in the neighborhood of the creeks, when it becomes a little more abrupt, but not so as to interfere with the tillage of it. Apple, Big Bear, Little Bear, and Whitaker’s creeks supply an abundance of water for all stock purposes, and afford ample drainage. Apple creek crosses the township in a diagonal line from northeast to southwest, leaving the township about the center of the west line. The Big Bear is a tributary of Apple creek, making a confluence with the main stream on section 16. Little
[Page 944]
Bear is a small rivulet flowing into the Big Bear. Whitaker’s creek is in the south part of the township. The St. Louis branch of the C., B. & Q. R. R. passes through the township, and there is one town on the line, in Wright’s township – Wrightsville. The citizens of this township are, as a rule, well-to-do, thrifty and intelligent.
Early Settlement
The first to make a settlement within the territory now embraced in the township of Wrights, was William Waltrip, who came here in 1819, and locatd on the north of Apple creek, on the southwest quarter of section 18. A sketch of this pioneer is appended.
William Waltrip was the first settler of what is now Wrights township, locating on the north side of Apple creek, on the southwest quarter of section 18, in Dec., 1879 [1819]. In October of that year he left Kentucky, in company with his and several other families, with the intention of locating in Missouri, where one of his brother's had gone the previous year. But on crossing the river at Smeltzer's ferry, and going to St. Charles, they met his brother returning to Kentucky. They then returned to the neighborhood of Edwardsville, Ill., where the family were left until a location could be decided on. Mr. Waltrip and his brother, Luke, came up into Greene county, and selected the location previously described on section 18, in this township. They then returned to Edwardsville for their families, and arrived at the place selected, in Dec., 1819. There were about 20 of them, and they passed the winter in a camp, which the men had arranged, their food consisting principally of venison and corn bread. THe following spring a clearing was made, and quite a crop of corn was raised that year. They remained here until the spring of 1823, when they removed to the northeast quarter of section 31, and made a settlement, where they remained many years. Mr. Waltrip was born in Halifax county, Va., Aug. 1, 1776, and was a son of Luke and Mary (Bunton) Waltrip, also natives of that state. He was married Dec. 27, 1802, to Elizabeth Thaxton, a daughter of William and Sarah (Gravitt) Thaxton, natives of Virginia. In 1803, they removed to Kentucky, where they remained until coming to this county. They were the parents of 10 children - Bird, Sarah, Michael, Mary, William G., Martha, Eliza, Luke, Lucretia and Wilson. Mr. Waltrip died Feb. 28, 1850, and Mrs. Waltrip, Aug. 23, 1855.
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[Page 956]
First Items.
The first corn planted in the township was by
William Waltrip, in the spring of 1820, and the first wheat in
1822.
The first church building was a log structure, abuilt on section 20, during the year 1826.
The first preaching in the township was done by Isaac N. Piggott, at the cabins of the pioneers.
The first school was taught in the log church above mentioned by David Pinkerton.
The first marriage was that of Cyrus Tolman to Polly Eldred, in Jan., 1823, by Samuel Lee, a justice of the peace.'
A child of Thomas Rattan, born in 1820, is believed to have been the first birth in this township.
The first death in this township was that of Luke, father of William Waltrip, which occurred March 12, 1820, being buried on the north side of Apple creek, on section 7. The coffin was rudely constructed of slabs split from native timber, and dressed and put together with wooden pegs in place of nails, by John Allen. Mr. Waltrip was 76 years of age at the time of his death.
Wrightsville.
A small village located upon section 23, of this township, on
the line of the C., B. & Q. R. R., bears the name of
Wrightsville. This was laid out by A.
[Page 957]
J. Wright, on June 18,
1872. The first business transacted here was by the town
proprietor, A. J. Wright, who erected a platform shortly after
the railroad was built, in 1870, and shipped grain. The first
car-load was sent from here in May, 1870, and was wheat raised
by William T. Cooper, and purchased by Mr. Wright. No other
business was done here, except the grain buying, until 1871,
when A. J. Wright built the first store. This was a small frame
building 20 x 24, with shelves and counter on one side only. The
first stock of goods was put in at a cost of $292.92. The store
was opened Feb. 1, 1871. The first article sold was a dollar’s
worth of sugar to John Doyle.
The building in which this stock was kept, is now in use by
William Wright, as a furniture, undertaking and hardware store.
The second store was opened by William and Daniel Merrick, in
June, 1873. They erected the building upon a lot donated by Mr.
Wright, and which is now occupied by Gardner & Kesinger, as a
hardware and agricultural implement depot. Several other small
stores were afterward started, but none of them continued very
long.
William Ickes was the first blacksmith. He constructed a shop in
the fall of 1871, and continued in business two or three years,
and afterward moved to a farm.
A. J. Wright built the first house for residence purposes, in
the fall of 1872.
. . .
Extractions from History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois, published in 1885, pages 943-958.
