History of Township 5 Range 5

Township 5 Range 5 Land Map from the 1875 Historical Atlas

Samuel Nisbet, from South Carolina, made a settlement a mile east of Eden, in the year 1817. James Baird arrived in this township in 1819, and settled a place three miles south of Sparta, afterward occupied by Alexander Wylie. He originally came from South Carolina, but had lived in Kentucky. In the latter part of the year 1819, or the beginning of 1820, Alexander Alexander arrived in the township from Chester, South Carolina, and settled on a farm a mile south of where Eden now is. He was the first settler of that particular district of country. John McMillen, in 1820, came and settled in the lower end of Flat Prairie, in Township 5, Range 5. The following year, Ebenezer Alexander, from Chester, South Carolina, and James Anderson, from Pittsburg, were added to the settlement in the lower end of Flat Prairie. James Huggins settled in Flat Prairie about the year 1817, and made the farm which was afterward known as the Ardice McMillan place.

The first settlement at Eden in the northern part of the township, was made in the year 1822 or 1823, by Rev. Samuel Wylie, who purchased and located there at that date. Adam Wylie and James Ford were the next to take up residence in that locality. There were few settlers at that time in the vicinity. Rev. Mr. Wylie, at an early date, collected a congregation of the members of his church, the Associate Reformed, and held religious services in a house down where the grave-yard was afterward made. Many emigrants were induced to settle in this locality in order to enjoy the church privileges thus established. The country settled up rapidly in the vicinity. The congregation increased, and in the year 1833, a spacious brick church was erected. The congregation had divided; and three years after the erection of the first, another church was built. A few dwellings had been built around them, and the place was called Eden. In 1837 the land was laid off into town lots. A short time afterward it contained a store, oil mill, carding machine, foundry and machine shop, and many other adjuncts of an entreprising business town. The first wagon shop was established by W. R. Brown in 1839. For many years the shops of Eden supplied a large portion of Southern Illinois with wagons, carriages, and plows.

Sparta was first called Shannon’s store. (See below) In 1826 John Armour from Pennsylvania bought the land that is now Sparta and opened a mill there. Samuel Hill bought the first town lot for $4 in 1829. In 1829 James McClurken moved to town and Lawson Murphy opened a brickyard. 1830 the town added Alexander Campbell (carpenter), Cornhill Ballard (blacksmith), Dr. Pyles (teacher) and Dr. Joseph Farnan. William H McDill built a hotel in 1832. In 1834, John A Wilson, John Little, John Gray, Thomas Gaston and John W Slade made the new town their home. In 1837, the area was incorporated as the town of Columbus. James McClurken opened a steam gristmill, a sawmill and a cotton gin. He later added a caster oil mill. The Columbus Herald was est. by James Morrow in 1839. Later that same year he sold the paper to John E Detrich who changed the name to Sparta. The town of Sparta was chartered in 1858, John A. Wilson was the first Mayor.

Eden is a small hamlet just west of Sparta on Rt. 153. It was est. in 1822 by the Rev Samuel Wylie, along with Adam Wylie and James Ford. A church was est. there in 1833 before Rev Wylie used homes for his church. In 1837 town lots were sold. 1839 W R Brown opened a wagon shop here.

Shannon’s Store was the beginnings of Sparta. Robert G Shannon opened a store in 1823, one mile south of present day Sparta. In 1827 he opened a Post Office in the store. As the town of Sparta grew the Post Office moved there. Mr. Shannon moved his store to Sparta in 1840.

Higgins’s Fort was located on Rt. 4 south of Sparta, about way to Rt. 150. This was probably a blockhouse.

Roseborough was located on the Cairo-St. Louis RR. It was possibly a flag stop or a station, but the location is unknown. It was thought to be about half way between Sparta and Percy. There was a William Roseborough that settled in the area as early as 1836.

1860 Census of Township 5 Range 5 (Includes towns of Eden Village and part of Sparta)

• 1860 Randolph County Illinois Census – Page 25
• 1860 Randolph County Illinois Census – Page 26
• 1860 Randolph County Illinois Census – Page 27
• 1860 Randolph County Illinois Census – Page 28
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• 1860 Randolph County Illinois Census – Page 33
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• 1860 Randolph County Illinois Census – Page 37
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1875 Business Directory