Randolph County ILGenWeb
Irish Settlement was the focal point of this township. It was located on the east bank of the Okaw River at the mouth of the Plum Creek. James Patterson founded it in1802 along with his sons: John, Samuel, Reuben and James. James Sr. was a JP and Ranger in 1812. John Fulton of TN also settled in 1802. In 1803 Robert Huggins settled on Opossumden Prairie, his son James moved to Flat Prairie in 1817. 1804 brought John McClinton, David Anderson, James Anderson and Adam Hill. John McClinton's wife died in Dec 1804 not long after arriving in RC. John died the next year, leaving sons, John, Samuel and William on the farm. Adam Hill arrived with sons, John, William, Adam, Robert and Samuel, the Hill family finally settled NE of Evansville. 1804 also brought Absalom Cox to the township. He was a Captain in the Militia, he later moved to T4R7 Sec 28. His sons John M and William owned a Ferry in the area. Not long after James Thompson and William McBride settled. William McBride died in 1818 leaving sons, Thomas, John and William on the homestead. 1805 saw Josiah and John Lively, George Wilson and Samuel Crozier enter the area. Robert Foster of SC opened a distillery and mill in 1806. 1807 brought John Campbell to Nine-Mile Creek and John Taggart to settle in the Harmon area. In 1808 William Barnett made the journey from KY, he died in 1818. In 1814 William and John Allen arrived from Ohio, originally being from GA. William died at North's Ferry about 1840 and John died in 1845. Robert M Mann left his native state of SC for KY in 1807, in 1817 he left for RC settling in Sec 14.
Preston is located in Sec 10 and was first settled by James Patterson in 1804. In 1816 Washington Sterrit bought the farm from Patterson. Later in 1820 he sold it to John Rankin and in 1823 James Pollock opened a tan yard on the spot. Samuel B Strankey opened a store. Pollock began selling town lots in 1836. It was originally named Press Town. James Thompson was the surveyor; he was hired to lay out a village, now known as Chicago, on Lake Michigan in 1837. Dr. J W Simple was the town MD. W J Hill had a store. The Post Office was est. in 1838. The town's name was changed to Preston in 1853. The Post Office closed in 1957. The Association Reform Church was founded in 1810. United Presbyterian Church was organized in 1840's, it dissolved in 1929. When the towns people did not want the RR running through town it was located south, they town began to decline. Preston has also been called Pollock and Springfield.
Walsh is a small village located on county road 1900N. It was once a RR station. It was founded in 1899.
Palter was located between Evansville and Walsh on the RR; it was probably a depot or flag stop. It is completely gone now.
Wilson's Fort was located in Sec 5, 7 & 8. George Wilson established it in 1806 as a defense against the Indians. A new blockhouse was built in 1812. This fort is long gone but was in the Schaffner Lake area.