History of Hettick

South Palmyra Township

Hettick is located on Sec. 31, S. Palmyra Twp. and Sec. 36, Barr Twp. in Macoupin County, Illinois

The Chicago, Peoria, & St. Louis Railroad was built through this area in 1881. T. J. LADLEY, father of CORA CLEVENGER and HAROLD LADLEY, did some grading for the railroad. Also, their grandfather gave some of the land for the right of way.

The first depot agents remembered were: BILL BEEKMAN, GEORGE BELL, CLARENCE STROH, and LAVERN FIELDS. About 1915 EDGAR (DICK) PATTERSON came in serving until the late 30's when the depot was closed and he was sent to Kincaid.

Some section foremans remembered were: BOB FAGHN, JESSE STANTON, and A. B. TATE, who served for 46 years. WALTER WHITTAKER then had charge until the railroad was disbanded in 1941, after serving the public for almost 60 years. The foremen lived in the section house while working for the railroad.

In the fall of 1926 the railroad stopped because of financial difficulties. People all up and down the line bought $100.00 shares including quite a few people of Hettick. A special train took all these people to Peoria for a special meeting. The railroad then resumed operations under the new name of Chicago, Springfield, and St. Louis.

Draymen remembered wre: STAMPER ROGERS, EB ROBISON, FRED ROBISON and JOHN STULTS, who was the last one. The draymen would bring the mail to the post office and any other freight for the stores.

With the coming of the railroad the need of a town was seen.

JOHN W. HETTICK and his wife, MARTHA, who lived where the Mrs. CECIL DENBY residence is now, were instrumental in the beginning of the town so it was given their name "Hettick". In 1882, the West part of Hettick was surveyed and laid out in lots by Mr. W. A. FANSLER. This included the west half of the park and square. The original plat states that "the streets and alleys were dedicated to public use forever", given by Mr. and Mrs. Hettick. The town was incorporated in 1892.

Town records from the beginning to 1909 were somehow lost so the history of the town government begins with 1909. The town is governed by a president, a clerk, a treasurer, and six trustees, who are elected every four years. The records show that the following men served as presidents, (or mayor, as we call them): HENRY FANSLER, A. L. McDEVITT, JOHN BACON, C. O. REYNOLDS, R. A. LADLEY, RAYMOND PATTERSON, Ed McDEVITT, CHARLES WADE, pro tem, RICHARD TAYLOR, BOB LADLEY 2nd term, ROY TATE who served the longest time, 16 years. Feb. of 1956 to Jan. of 1973, and KENNETH ARNETT, our present mayor.

The town helped erect the stone in the corner of the park in memory of those who had served their county and gave their lives. They were assisted by the Methodist Youth Fellowship of the Methodist Church, who did the soliciting of the parents for them. The stone replace the wooden one that had been erected under the direction of the Methodist Youth Fellowship folloiwng World War II.

Hettick became the central shipping point for this area and this really made the town. Along the railroad were the following: stock yards, an elevator, a lumber yard, and pickle factory. The pickle factory consisted of large vats where the pickles were brined. The pickles were put in barrels and shipped to the company's plant to be processed into other kinds of pickles.

The first manager was EARNEST SANDBURG and the 2nd was the late BURLEY CORDER. Burley could really make delicious dill pickles. Housewives were always asking Burley for his recipe. People in the area would sign contracts with the factory to raise cucumbers for extra spending money for their family.

The elevator was run by J. W. WILTON.

The Alexander Lumber Co. was run by the following managers in succession: JOHN GALLOWAY, L. F. SCOTT, CLYDE CLOTFELLOW and FRED BROWN. It was moved when the railroad was disbanded.

ARKEY STULTS had a grist mill in the west part of town and STEVE STUTS a saw mill. A sorghum mill and grist mill was run by MARION CORDER and JOHN BACON. Later a grist mill and sorghum mill was owned by WILLIAM DAVENPORT in the east part of town, located at the south side of his lot. R. W. WHEELER assisted him in making sorghum.

There are three churches in Hettick: Gilead Baptist; United Methodist and the Free Methodist. The Free Methodist held services in the Mt. Olive schoolhouse. The Free Methodist church was built in 1892, and closed in 1964. The people of the Methodist Church first had services in a school house just south of Hettick, known as Brush College. On June 10, 1889 people interested in building a Methodist-Episcopal Church met at the home of Mrs. A. R. Droke, and elected the first trustees of the church. They were: WM. AULABUGH, ROBERT KILLIAM, J. A. WILTON, JAMES WHEAT and S. R. STEIDLEY. The church was dedicated in Dec. 1889. In 1974 NELLIE McDEVITT was the oldest member of the church and MRS. MAGGIE STARKWEATHER was the oldest in age.

The first schoolhouse building was a one-room frame structure which stood in the extreme southwest corner of the township just across the road from the ALLEN WHEELER home. It was known as Brush College. Pupils of Hettick attended this school until 1896. A two room building was then built, on land near the south edge of the village, donated by GEORGE ROBINSON.

MRS. SARAH CHAFFIN had a boarding house on the northeast corner of the square. Other boarding house owners were: CHARLES BLUE, MRS. JENNIE JONES, MRS. MINA PATTERSON and MRS. CLEO DAWSON.

ALVIN P. GILLICK had a broom shop in 1918. Brooms were made by FRANK McDUFFEE as well as Alvin.

Among the first carpenters were ARTHUR HORKEY; E. C. LAWRENCE, who built the Methodist church in the fall of 1889. Later carpenters were CHAS. J. STANDFIELD, ALVA and FRANK STANDFIELD, LUTHER RELEFORD, NEWTON AULABUGH; BAILEY SKEEN; CLEMETH LOVE; HENRY DINGELDEIN, J. W. STRATTON; COY LOVE, R. A. JACKSON; WAYNE JACKSON; CLARENCE ROBISON and ROY TATE.

RALPH BURRELL had in his possession a certificate showing that his grandfather, JOHN BURRELL, had one share in the Macoupn County Fair Association. It is dated May 4, 1880, signed by JOSEPH BIRD president and the cost was $25.

Hat shops were numerous in this small village. MRS SARAH CHAFFIN had the first hat shop in a building north of the community building. MRS.CHAFFIN was the great grandmother of R. A. JACKSON; MRS. ERNA HUSON; and MRS OPAL STRATTON (Mrs. Chaffin is my great-great-grandmother, M.A. Kaylor). Other hat shop were run by MISS MARY BACON; MRS. HALLIE MASON KINNEY, MRS. LUCY WHEELER; MAGGIE WALTON; MALISSA HULSE SOLOMON and MRS. NELLIE McDEVITT.

The first store was run by MARION RIBBLE. The first post office was located in this store with Mr. RIBBLE as postmaster. This store was here before the town was organized. MR. JOHN BURRELL had the first store on the square. He was also a postmaster. LEVI SHELTON also had the post office. ELLA STAYTON had a store and was also postmistress. GEORGE ROBISON had a store with the post office, also. Other post masters were: JOE BURNS, ELMER DAWSON, LUTHER RETHERFORD, I.B. BUSH and JESSE RIBBLE. CHARLES WITT; ALBEY TOSH; MIKE BUTLER; KELSEY ROBISON; CHARLES CASTEEL; CHESTER CONVERSE and LOYD CLARK were all mail carriers.

The first livery barn was run by JOHN BURNS. Later others were ran by ROSS LADLEY; ART BLANEY; CHARLES BLUE; CHARLES STANFIELD; MIKE BUTLER; and RAYMOND DAWSON.

WILLIAM SHULER had a woodmaking shop and was very good at making wagons.

The first blacksmith shop was run by JOHN STENGEL. Then JOHN CHANDLER; ED BROWN; BOB LADLEY and HOWARD PITMAN.

O. L. CLEVENGER had a saw mill in the north part of town and sold it to MANNING LOVE.

Hardware stores were run by ROBERT PATTERSON; GEORGE ROBISON; HERBERT ETTER, JIM SOLOMON; G. O. WHEELER.

One of the first doctors before 1900 was DR. HULSE. Then came DR. HESS, DR. MASON, DR. HARRY BRANDOM, DR. SARGINSON, DR. CAVANAUGH; DR. PIERCE; DR. POINDEXER and DR. J. C. MAXFIELD.

The first poultry house was run by TITUS DOTY and later one by MARION CORDER.

UNCLE BILLY SMITH had a variety store and was also a photographer.

During World War II people started working in the factories in Alton. There was no transportation to Alton, so WARREN DRIVER put a tarpaulin over his truck, added benches for seats, and in the winter time a stove for warmth, and transported the workers to Alton for the first years.

Contributed by Mary Ann Stewart Kaylor, transcribed in-part from "History of Hettick" written by MARY WHEELER LADLEY and presented in part to MCHS at a 1974 meeting.