Posted on: Hancock County, Il Query Forum Board URL: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Il/Hancock?read=953 Surname: ------------------------- The following is some information on some of the sites you mention. In "History of Hancock County, Illinois" 1968 you will find the following information. p. 21 "The Martin Mill was owned by Jackie Martin and located on the south side of Crooked Creek, The remains of this mill are still visible on lands owned by Mr. John B. Johnson on section 22." There is about 1/2 a page discribing the mill and its' operation. There are also scatterred references to the mill elsewhere in the book. p. 318 "Peter E. Weakley came to Hancock Township in 1850 and settled in Section 22 where he farmed for twenty years. Then he sold his farm and entered the mercantile business in Uniontown." p. 319 "Monroe Riggens' blacksmith shop was in operation in 1871 and still listed on the plat book of 1891. The shop was located west of the present Ed Riggens home in Section 28." p. 320-321 There is a discription of the schools in Hancock Township. This article states that "In 1860 Hancock Township had five schools,...There were five school buildings....In 1920 there were six school buildings.... Oak Grove, Liberty, Pennsylvania, Walnut, Woodville and Hobart." The impression is given that all of these schools were frame buildings, and only the Liberty school was converted to brick in 1940. In "Historic Sites and Structures of Hancock County, Illinois" there is the following on p. 153 "Monroe Riggens owned and operated a blacksmith shop on his farm in Sec. 28, Hancock Township. The shop was in operation in 1871, and still listed in the plat book of 1891. It stood a short distance southwest of the residence along the main road...." There is a photo of the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Monroe Riggens & they and their family are shown.