DWCGQ: Summer 1985 Vol. XI No. 2 Page 56 CENTENARY CHURCH NEIGHBORHOOD IN 1875 -- Clinton Public June 1875 >From Centenary. --of course I have no need to tell where Centenary Church is, for everybody in DeWitt county knows that it is located about three and a half miles east of Clinton. I have heard some men say that its influence for good is felt for miles beyond the shadow of its walls. Take a circuit of some four or five miles around this church and you will find as good a class of farmers as are to be found any where. Centenary has for a sexton one of the best old men in the country. He is frugal honest and industrious, and keeps a sharp lookout for noisy boys and men who profane the temple of God by spitting tobacco juice on the church floor. Old Tommy west rents a small farm from Mr. WILSON, on which he has planted thirty acres of corn this year. Although the old man is over sixty-three years of age he prides himself on the amount of labor he performs, and boasts of having one of the best teams in the country . . . . Judge WALKER is one of the solid men of this neighborhood He owns a splendid farm and has every comfort that a man needs to make life happy. A short, distance from the Judge, we strike B. L. COLWELL, another straightforward honest man. Along the same street lives Mr. NORTER, who owns a fine farm, and is the father of two girls and two boys that are the pride of his family circle. On the MAGILL farm on the opposite side of the street, lives Mr. ANDERSON and his amiable wife. The MAGILLS are fortunate in having such a man as a tenant. Mr. Samuel WILSON is another of our staunch, reliable men. He has a farm of 300 acres, and has got to that point in life when he can bid dull care be- gone. Two of his boys have planted 85 acres of corn this year on their own accounts and so careful do they cultivate it that not a blade of grass is allowed to grow up in the furrows. --Clinton Public 17 June 1875 >From Centenary. ... In my last, I started from Samuel WILSON's. So if we go a half mile north from him, we strike Simeon Harp. He owns a nice farm of 160 acres, and is a man who goes on with his own business and lets other people alone. He lost a fine horse this spring. Across the road east lives Mr. BRITTIN, who goes to make up our solid men. He gets on through life very comfortably. North from him, 3 1/4 miles Mr. Samuel CLOUD rents a farm from Mr. MAGILL, and looks after the farm in grand style. Some others live near whose names don't strike me. West from Mr. CLOUD 3 1/4 miles, we find Messrs MAY and WELLER. They are men who are very industrious, and have nice farms. Mr. WELLER rents of Mr. MAGILL. Coming south, we pass Mr. WALKER'S. Mr. Ross MITCHELL owns, a farm of 120 acres. Last winter he met with a sad loss in getting burnt out. Just a little piece south we strike Mr. MAHINSON. He lives in a little brick house, and seems to get on finely. We go west, half mile, and come to Mr. MASON's farm, a very nice place, Mr. MASON is getting along well in life. His farm gives proof of hard work. Just a little distance west from him we strike Mr. BRAINARD living on his own farm in his own quiet way. Still south-west, half mile or more, we run into Mr. Joseph MERRILL. He rents, and has planted more than 100 acres of corn. Across the road from him, south, we find Mr. BENDWARD. He rents from Mr. MAGILL, and is one of the best farmers out here. We jump south one mile, and we find ourselves on the Marion road; we travel east, and all along this road we have some of the best land and most improved farms in Illinois. Mr. HARP owns a nice farm and a fine residence. Mr. HALL figures largely among our enterpris- ing and solid men. Mr. T. M. WRIGHT is another of our wide-awake men, and owns a good farm. Mr. E. CAMPBELL is another of our solid men, with a well improved farm End Bob Halsey [email protected] Viera, FL