Girard is situated on the main
line of the Chicago Alton and St. Louis railroad in the northern portion of
Macoupin County, seventy miles from St. Louis, 25 miles from Springfield and 110
miles from Chicago. It is located on gently- undulating prairie, skirted at a
distance of 2/3 miles by belts of excellent timber on west and north (?) south
(?). It contains about 1500 thrifty, energetic and intelligent inhabitants,
largely made up of southern and western people. Kentucky and Ohio contributing
perhaps the most. The elevation of the town is about 650' above sea level. It is
therefore fanned by a pure invigorating atmosphere, leaving it free from
malarious influences and rendering it one of the healthiest communities in
Central Illinois; this is also abundantly evidenced by the appearance of its
inhabitants, the physical vigor of its men, the boisterous athletic sports of
its boys, the uncomplaint of its fair and happy matrons and the rosy cheeks and
sparkling eyes of its beautiful, bright and joyous maidens. It is doubtlessly an
unthrifty place for those who live upon the diseases and deaths of their
fellows.
The town was surveyed in the fall of 1852 by B. Bogges and C. H.
Fink. The first house in the new town was moved from 4 miles west, during the
following March by Dr. Abraham Meller, now of Nilwood and is at present occupied
by Jacob Buzal. The buildings occupied by Carr & Lowe and C. C. Armstrong
erected in the summer of 1853 and were the first storerooms built in the place.
Among the first merchants were Alfred Mayfield, and Brother, James Michaels;
William Eastham; J. W. Woodroof and Jones; John Bellamy; J. D. Metcalf; and C.
C. Armstrong, other stores were from time to time started until the place has
finally grown to its present dimensions. The first steam Flouring Mill was
erected in the summer of 1854 but one week before it was completed, it was
destroyed by fire; it was again erected upon the same ground during the
following winter and spring.
At present the town has 3 steam flouring
mills whose brands stand A-1 to any market; a coal mine (coal being delivered in
any part of town at 7 cents a bushel); a butter and cheese factory in the course
of completion; a tank; numerous stores of general merchandise; a lumber yard of
mammoth size and two hotels one of which pays special attention to the
accommodations of traveling salesmen, being provided with elegant sample rooms.
The high moral character of its people may be estimated by the number of
churches maintained; namely: a Christian, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian &
Lutheran; first 3 having largest congregations and last having no regular off
pastor. The buildings are of frame and for a small place, are unsurpassed for
size and elegance.
Great care and attention is given to educating our
young children; building is 2-story brick, containing 7 rooms. Six efficient
lady teachers, under Prof. F. W. Crouch, principal, comprise the faculty. Daily
average attendance is nearly 400 pupils.
The town, during summer months,
is a very pleasant place; the streets being lined with lovely shade trees, while
the roads are as smooth as city boulevards.
Contributed by Carolynn Bettis, extracted from Girard Gazette, 08 Feb 1879
In 1852, the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company built a railroad through section 32
of Girard Township. The following year Girard was laid out near the railroad by
Barnabas Boggess and Charles H Fink. The plat of Girard was surveyed by Mathew
Savage. Girard was incorporated 14 Feb 1855.
With the new town, Girard
settlers would no longer have to travel to Stirrup Grove in North Otter Twp to
get their mail. The railroad would deliver it right to their town. That did not
happen for some years. Girard had not built a side track, dug a railroad well
and met some other demands. Although they had a post office, Girard continued to
get their mail by horseback from Stirrup Grove and later from Nilwood and
Virden. The first postmaster was James Mitchell.
The first addition was
added by Thomas Lewis and John Way; the second addition was added by Barnabas
Boggess. The first house was moved from Liberty School west of Girard by
nineteen yoke of oxen and was occupied by Dr Abram Miller/Dr Abraham Mellar.
The coal mine was sunk in 1869 and closed in 1922. By 1891, the Girard coal
mine employed 200 men.
Names of other early settlers of Girard include:
Sam Boggess, McManners, W E Eastman, N Branham, J S Warfield, Billie Jones,
Alfred Mayfield, Joseph Rafferty, George Wood, Julius Hamilton, William Carlin,
George Yerington, Dr White, Andrews, Frederick Macknett, Jesse Metcalf, James
Hedges, Sutphin, John J Stowe, Edward Gough, James H Wolfe, Thomas Cherry,
George Kemp, Andrew Rathgeber, Henry Stukenberg, Alexander McDonald, Angus
Maxwell.
James McCraner, Benjamin Leigh, Charles Evans, H T Chilton,
James Harvey, Joseph Wrightsman, M V Kitzmiller, W C Bell, T W McBride, W T
Jones, John F Roach, J W Woodruff, A H Cornman, A C Tell, Willare Magoon, John
Everly, Alexander Johnson, Thurman, Moore, Nathan, Belle Woods, Kate Eastham,
Fannie Eastham, John Ewing, Jacob Deck, O'Reilly, Hoblin, Walker, Miner, John C
Beeby, Joseph Filbrun, Lancaster, Ervins, Columbus C Armstrong, Aros K Young, H
C Harper, J E Wones, Herzberger, Herman.
Henry K Young, Edward Parks, Sr,
Alfred Cottingham, Daniel Cottingham, Dr Clark, Thomas Calhoun Cherry, Bailey,
Carr, Lowe, Jacob Bowersox, James Michaels, Jacob Buzal, John Bellamy, Daniel
Macknett, Julius Hamilton, Baker Andrews, James Metcalf, Wm S Littlepage, Daniel
Delaney, F W Ring, G W Jorns, E W Ruckel, F W Haster, Fred Storz, Henry C
Hamilton, G A Donaldson, T C Dodson, Henry Stutsman, Bart Hopson, Edgar
Davidson, G G Garretson, George Dohm, John Ruyle, Routzahn, Coverdill, Ball,
Boston, Fletcher, Stewart, Lynch, England, Hays, Woolley, Coe, Thacker,
Brubaker, Miller, Tietsort.
Gibson, Wm Hindle, B P Andrews, Dr A R
Cribfield, W A Soloman, McChesney, Milton, H H Keebler, Wm Snook, Thomas Organ,
Wm E Milton, Chas E Fish, Crenshaw, Powers, Stuve, George Tipton, Luke Mayfield,
Leroy Mayfield, Carrie Macknett, Thomas Warren, Julius Rutherford, John Roach,
David Stead, Davis, Joseph McKinney, Frank Sage, H H Keebler, Babcock, M
Randall, Charles Metcalf, Hattie Shepherd, Harris Cherry, Albert Simmons,
Charles Gibbons, James Kitzmiller, and Drury.
Contributed by Carolynn Jones Bettis, excerpted from The History of Girard, Illinois, From Then 'til Now, 1855-1955" by the Historical Committee – Mrs. L. T. Weddle, Howerton Tipton, H. V. Stutsman, Mrs. Edgar Davidson, Advisor. This is an extensive writing on the history of Girard, and is available online at archive.org
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