Early History of Troy (includes Columbia Settlement, Mechanicsburg, and Brookside)
Troy Newspaper Articles
Early Settlers
The land on which the town of Troy, Jarvis Township, was founded was
first entered by John Jarvis in September 1814. However, farms in
the immediate vicinity were existed a long time prior to that date.
The first settlement within the present limits of Troy was made by
Jacob Gregg and Mr. Moore on April 1, 1803. They lived a short
distance north of where the Vandalia Depot in Troy later stood. Mr.
Gregg had three sons - John, Herman, and Titus. In the spring of
1804, John Gregg settled on what was later the James M. Taylor farm
in Troy; Herman Gregg settled on what was later the central business
portion of Troy; and Titus Gregg made improvements on the future
site of Ignatius Riggin’s farm, just north of Troy.
Columbia
Settlement and the Founding of Troy
By 1818, when Illinois became a State, a store was operated by
Stephen Dewey in the area, and a tavern by Joseph Eberman. John
Jarvis, who had entered land in 1814, named the settlement
“Columbia.” James Riggin and his brother, Harry Riggin, immigrated
from Sevier County, Tennessee to the Columbia Settlement (future
Troy) in 1818. In the year 1819, Jarvis sold ten acres of land lying
south of his residence (where he had a horse-operated mill) to James
Riggin and David Hendershott. These men surveyed the tract into
lots, and laid off a town, which James Riggin named “Troy.” John
Jarvis died October 27, 1823, and is buried in the Troy City
Cemetery. An acre of ground was gifted to the town by Wesley Jarvis
in 1843, for the purpose of a cemetery. Later, additional ground was
purchased for the cemetery by the town. There lie the pioneers and
settlers of the Troy community.
In 1822, John C. Riggin, brother to James and Harry Riggin, settled
in the new town of Troy. Their father, Ignatius Riggin, was a
Methodist preacher who traveled a circuit in East Tennessee for
eight years, then took up farming to support his family. After the
town of Troy was platted by James Riggin and David Hendershott, a
new store was opened in which James Riggin, Harry Riggin, and Samuel
Reid were partners. Henry Hayes, who lived in the Six Mile Prairie,
served as their financial backer, even though the three men had no
previous knowledge of the mercantile business. They bought three
hundred dollars’ worth of goods and opened their business. Later,
George W. Carr from St. Louis joined to help run the establishment.
He had a good education and was a good business man. Mr. Carr taught
James Riggin the business, but the store was still not profitable.
Riggin loaded the goods in a one-horse wagon, and moved to Lebanon,
Illinois, where he engaged in the mercantile business for many years
and accumulated considerable property. Harry Riggin moved to Menard
County. In 1829, John C. Riggin purchased the farm north of town
originally settled by Titus Gregg. John Riggin had secured the money
to buy the farm during a trip to the Galena lead mines in 1829.
Riggin lived on this farm until his death in 1869.
One of the earliest buildings in Troy was a house on the southwest
quarter of Main and Market Streets, built by David Gaskill. It was
so rough in its construction, that Mr. Carr and others, in a playful
spree, tore it down and burned the rough, round logs so that it
might not again disgrace the town. On the northwest corner of the
same streets stood a building, which in 1822 was occupied by Calvin
McCray as a storehouse. McCray was one of the early merchants of the
town, and carried on business for a number of years. He owned the
whole block. A log cabin stood on it, and to this a frame addition
was made. This building was used as an inn and tavern, to
“accommodate travelers,” and was ran by Horatio McCray, brother to
Calvin. Jacob C. Gonterman became owner of the block, and continued
the tavern. A frame storehouse was built by Riggin and Hendershott
on the northeast corner of Main and Market Streets, and on the
southeast corner Joseph Eberman built a frame house for tavern
purposes.
The growth of Troy was slow in the beginning. It was not until many
years later (1833) that a post office was established in John
Brady’s store, with George Churchill as postmaster. In the year
1831, White & Merritt conducted the only store in town. Lewis
Scantland kept a public house, which later became the White Horse
Hotel. He sold out to a man named Hickman. Abner Kelly, a resident
of Troy, was the local harness maker.
Mechanicsburg – Addition to Troy
The town plat, on which the names of William Henderson, John Reed,
Frederick T. Krafft, and Theodore J. Krafft appear as proprietors,
was placed on record on March 5, 1839. Mechanicsburg, laid out by
Josiah Caswell, was recorded as an addition to Troy.
Progress
Andrew Mills was connected with the business affairs of Troy since
1842. He was born in Ireland in 1812, and immigrated to America in
1837, landing at Baltimore. He went to Cincinnati where he married
Miss Ann Deering, and then came west, settling in Troy in 1842. He
filled the position of police magistrate for thirty-two consecutive
years, and was also assessor. MIlls died in May 1892, and was buried
in the Troy City Cemetery. Other early proprietors of businesses in
Troy include:
John Brady, store owner on Market Street
Fred Krafft, store owner
William Henderson, tavern owner
John Henderson, blacksmith
Mr. Curtis, blacksmith
George Hulme, tailor
Thomas P. Moore and Andrew Kimberlin, grocery store
Daniel Peterman, carpenter
Dr. Green, physician
Dr. J. K. Reiner, physician
Julius A. Barnsback opened a store in Troy in 1846, and carried on a
large and prosperous
business.
He also served as postmaster, and agent for J. P. Yoris & Co., the
proprietors of the St. Louis and Terre Haute stage line. When Mr.
Barnsback came to Troy in 1846, the town contained about a dozen
houses, and a population of less than one hundred.
Dr. John S. Dewey was a native of Massachusetts, and became a
resident of Troy in 1846. He was a physician with an extensive
practice. He served as surgeon of the 109th Regiment, Illinois
Volunteers, during the Civil War, and was twice elected to the
legislature. His death occurred on July 17, 1879.
The St. Louis
and Terre Haute Stage Line
The stage coach line was established on the National Road, which ran
through Troy. Daily stages would run between St. Louis and Terre
Haute, Indiana. The arrival and departure of these stages was the
great feature of the day. The stages going east left St. Louis in
the morning, and reached Troy during the forenoon. Going west, they
usually passed through the town late at night. Troy was the first
station out from St. Louis at which horses were changed. After the
building of the railroad, the stage line was discontinued. A hack
line was then established between Highland and St. Louis, which
passed through Troy and Collinsville, carrying the mail. This line
was kept up until the building of the Vandalia railroad.
Incorporation
of Troy, and the Town of Brookside
In 1857, Troy was incorporated by an act of the legislature. The
first president of the Board of Trustees was John Padon. By 1882,
the population of Troy was about one thousand. Brookside, a
settlement, formed south of the town around the railroad depot,
added to that number. The plat of Brookside was recorded September
26, 1873. Susan Taylor, Sylvania E. Ground, James M. Taylor, and
Julius A. Barnsback were the proprietors. They were organized as a
building association.
Troy City
Mill
The
Troy City Mill were built in 1856 by John R. Swain & brother. Mr.
Swain was a prominent citizen of Troy, and at one time the Sheriff
of the county. He had erected a mill on the same spot some years
before, but that mill had burned down. It was supposedly set on fire
by an arsonist. The Troy City Mill was located adjacent to a pond
fed by a spring, and had a capacity of about three hundred barrels
per day.
Brookside
Mill
The Brookside Mills were located near the railroad depot, and was
erected in 1877. It had a capacity of one hundred and twenty-five
barrels of flour per day. William Donoho was the proprietor.
Brookside Coal Company
In 1880, work was begun on a coal shaft near the railroad depot. A
five-and-a-half-foot vein of coal was found at a depth of three
hundred and thirteen feet. It was ready for operation in the early
part of 1881. It supplied the local demand for coal, and that of
towns farther east. William Freudenau was president of the company.
1882
Businesses in Troy
General Merchants – Samuel Rawson & Bro., F. M. Auwarter, David
Seligmann, Stolte & Feldner, Louis Karges & Son (Brookside)
Hardware, Groceries and Drugs – Henry A. Risser
Hardware and Tin – Jacob Gebauer
Stoves and tin ware – William Hampe
Furniture – J. Stienhaus
Drugstores – S. Kingston, and J. P. Lytle & Co.
Lumber – Henry H. Padon
Agricultural Implements – James B. Thomas, Henry Martin, and
Frederick Gerfeu
Blacksmith and Wagon Maker – Frederick Gerfeu
Blacksmith and Plow Maker – Elias Burke
Blacksmith – John Riebold
Carpenters and builders – John Seybold, James Seybold, John and
James Peterman, Stolte & Salter
Shoe Shops – Joseph Kiesel, Andreas Klein, Bennett Smith
Watches and Jewelry – Fred Simon
Livery Stable – S. W. Cowles
Saddler and Harness Maker – Frank L. Hampton
Tailor – Julius Nill
Butchers – John Diemling, Ernst Albrecht
White Horse Hotel – William Meiners
Johnson House – Mrs. Sarah Johnson
Physicians – Dr. F. A. Sabin, Dr. Fred Zenders, Dr. Charles Schott,
Dr. J. J. Brown, Dr. Fred Zenk
Postmistress – Mattie Johnson
Justice of the Peace – Frank L. Hampton and James N. Jarvis
Police Magistrate – Andrew MIlls
Early Troy
Schools
In 1856 a large and substantial brick school building was erected.
It was two stories high, with four rooms. In later years, due to the
growth of the town, four more rooms were added.
Troy also had two parochial schools, conducted by the Catholic and
Lutheran congregations. The Lutherans erected a new school building
in 1912, at a cost of about $8,000.
The McCray-Dewey Academy was an important educational institution in
Troy. It was endowed by the late Angeline (McCray) Dewey, widow of
Dr. John S. Dewey, in 1880. Four hundred acres and $3,000 were left
for the establishment of a high school. The endowment was raised to
$9,000 by the trustees of the academy, through the sale of coal
underlying the estate.
Early Troy
Churches
The first church in Troy was organized in 1842. Reverend William
Chamberlin, who had been appointed itinerant missionary for Southern
Illinois by the Presbytery of Alton, and the Reverend Thomas
Lippincott, the first Sabbath School in the state, held a protracted
meeting in a grove west of the White Horse Hotel. This meeting
resulted in the organization on October 6, 1842, of the Presbyterian
Church. The original thirteen members were Dr. J. K. Reiner, Cyrus
Scott, Benjamin Posey, Mrs. E. C. Reiner, P. Scott, G. W. Scott,
James Perigo, S. A. Scott, E. Davis, Cintha Scott, I. Perigo, E.
Scott, and E. Goodwin. J. K. Reiner and James Perigo were ordained
elders. In 1843, the members erected a rough house of worship.
Twenty dollars was paid for the lot. It was a frame church,
twenty-four by thirty feet. The studdings were hewed poles, covered
with split weatherboarding. The floor was made of one foot wide,
unmatched plank. The old oak seats were the gift of the Collinsville
Presbyterian Church. Among the early pastors were Rev. William
Chamberlin, Rev. Thomas Lippincott, Rev. J. R. Dunn, and Rev. Calvin
Butler. A new brick church was erected in 1871, at a cost of ten
thousand dollars, while Rev. Robert Stuart was pastor.
In 1843 a Methodist Church was erected. Its location was then in the
woods. Dr. Dewey, in his Centennial address, remarked that by some
of the members the church “was said to have been built by the devil,
as most of the movers were irreligious, and were actuated by strife
against the Presbyterians, and not by religious motives.” When the
building was completed it was given by vote to the Methodist
Episcopal congregation. In 1847, a bell, which had belonged to a
sunken steamer, was bought of James B. Eads of St. Louis, who was
then a diver and wrecker on the river. The bell was later moved to
the schoolhouse. Later a brick church building was constructed on
Main Street, due to the efforts of William J. Barnsback and William
Donoho.
The Baptists build the first church on Main Street in 1848. In 1876
a larger church was erected. Among the ministers of this church were
Rev. John M. Peck, Rev. Mr. Harris, Elijah Dodson, Elihu J. Palmer,
T. W. B. Dawson, John Padon, John H. Mize, and W. D. Ross.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church was constructed in Gonterman’s
addition to the town in 1865. The membership was made up of the
German inhabitants. The Lutheran’s also had a school.
The Church of the German Reformed congregation was erected in 1876.