Mt. Vernon Register-News - Friday, September 3, 1950 SPRING GARDEN, HOME OF PREACHERS, DOCTORS, LAWYERS, TO HOLD ANNUAL REUNION Spring Garden community will hold its annual homecoming Sunday, September 3. There will be an all-day program at the church and a basket dinner at the noon hour. The history of this little Jefferson county village is unique in that it has furnished more professional people than any other known place of its size, according to the Rev. J. P. Jiles. He reports that lawmakers, doctors, attorneys and teachers from Spring Garden since its founding in 1848 include: State Representatives - Thomas Williams, Ray .Carroll, J. O. Monroe. Ministers of the Gospel - Rev. Thomas Hopper, Rev. Jno. McDuffy, Rev. Davis Clinton, Rev. Thomas Turner, Rev. John Davis, Rev. W. R. Burton, Rev. David Sneed, Rev. Clarence Frank, Rev. A. N. Turner, Rev. A. G. Fickle, Rev. W. R. Spurlock. Rev. J. R. Adams, Rev. J. P. Giles. Attorneys - A. J. Sweetin, R. M. Farthing, C. E. Hamilton. E. M. Peavler, George Hinkle, Curtis Williams. School teachers - Martha Music, R. M. Farthing, John Monroe, C. E. Hamilton, Mazie Peavler, Jno. N. Turner, Edward Bevis, Grant Dalby, Rose Marshall, Lillian Marshall, Lottie Bar, Jno. Monroe, Steve Mcintosh, Riley Neal, Charles Mossberger, Hattie Irwin, Eva Music. Beulah Music, Frankie Davenport, Ida Hoffman, J. E. Valentine. Mrs. J. E. Valentine, M. D. Carroll. W. R. Carroll, Charles Mayberry, Curtis Williams, Curtis Page, Walter Page, Annie Glazebrook, Mrs. Grant Dalby, Rosie Settle, Ada B. Carroll. Doctors of Medicine - T. H. Bernard, George Peavler, S. L. Williams, T. H. Reed, Walter Reed. Hugh Peavler, Cyrus Irwin, James Peavler, Jno. Clinton. Settled In 1816: Curtis Williams of Mt Vernon, in a paper prepared for the Jefferson County Historical Society, reported that the first settlers of Spring Garden Township were the Smiths and the Hoppers, who came around 1816. Uriah Comptom settled at the Springs, called Compton Springs, from which the township received its name. The village of Spring Garden was laid out by L. F. Casey October 24, 1848. W. W. Creek erected a house and was in business there a year before, in 1847, Mr. Williams reported James F. Williams built the first hotel there, a brick structure. One of the first steam mills in the county was constructed in Spring Garden by Driver & Pollock. The miller put on too much steam at the public celebration when the mill opened and the stones flew into fragments. The village of Spring Garden had the first township high school in Jefferson county, and probably the first in Southern Illinois. The railroads killed Spring Garden. When the St. Louis and Southeastern (now L.& N.) was built many left Spring Garden for Opdyke and Belle Rive. Later the C.& E. I. came through and others quit the inland town for Bonnie and Ina. ____________________________________________________________ The #1 Worst Carb Ever? Click to Learn #1 Carb that Kills Your Blood Sugar (Don't Eat This!) http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3131/5418c699685e946991560st01duc