William Ross is supposed to be the first white man that settled in Atlas Township, he made the first improvement,
which was on Sec. 28, in the year 1819. Joseph Petty, Deacon Snow, John Wood, D. Shinn and a man named Brown, were
among the early settlers, James M. Sheeley settled in 1821, they all made good improvements. The first birth was
child of John M. Smith. The first death was Mrs. Husong, she was buried near the residence of William Ross. The
first marriage was that of Daniel Barney to Miss A. L. Husong, the ceremony was performed by Wm. Ross, Esq. The
first school house was built on Sec. 26, in 1826. The first sermon was preached by the Rev. Lorenzo Dow, in the
old log court house, to a small congregation, in 1826. William Ross was the first Justice of the Peace. Atlas is
heavily timbered, with small neck of good prairie, and a large quantity of sni bottom lands, it has some very energetic
farmers, who will make Atlas one of the finest Townships, on completion of the great levee. It is well adapted
for farming and raising stock. There are none of the first settlers now living except Daniel Barney who still lives
in the town of Rockport and is much respected. Col. Wm. Ross, the first settler in Atlas Township, is now a resident
of Newburg Township, one mile from the Public Square, Pittsfield.
ATLAS TWP. SUBSCRIBERS
NAME |
Residence |
Business |
Nativity |
When came to Co. |
Adams, J. G. | Atlas | Farmer | New York | 1843 |
Barney, Daniel | Rockport | Laborer | Ohio | 1824 |
Baughman, Aaron | Sec. 14 | Farmer | Ohio | 1848 |
Brackenburg, C. W | Sec. 24 | Carpenter | New York | 1844 |
Butler, Wm. R. | Sec.12,T7,R5 | Farmer | Illinois | 1833 |
Chappel, S. H. | Rockport | Justice of the Peace | Pennsylvania | 1864 |
Crenshaw, Nicholas | Rockport | Hotel | Kentucky | 1840 |
Crouse, Geo | ........... | Farmer | Missouri | 1852 |
Davis, James M | Sec.11,T7,R6 | Farmer | East TN | 1857 |
Dean, D. W. | Summer Hill | Farmer | Ohio | 1856 |
Dustin, Wm. | Sec. 24 | Farmer | NH | 1836 |
Ferguson, Thompson | Sec. -- | Farmer | Kentucky | 1834 |
Graham, Henry | Sec. 14 | Farmer | Ohio | 1830 |
Henry, James M. | Rockport | Physician | S. C. | 1856 |
Hesley, A. F. | Rockport | Merchant | Russia | 1857 |
Horton, Hobert S | Sec. 1,T6,R6 | Farmer | Connecticut | 1832 |
Horton, Horris | Sec. 1, T6,R6 | Farmer | Connecticut | 1832 |
Hoskins, John | Sec. 12 | Farmer | Illinois | 1822 |
Huffman, Henry B | Sec. 23 | Cooper | New York | 1838 |
Long, Jackson A | Sec. 11,T7,R6 | Farmer | East TN | 1835 |
Long, Jesse | Sec. 1,T7,R5 | Farmer | Maryland | 1831 |
Marion, F. E. | Atlas | Bookkeeper | Missouri | 1856 |
McCarty, John B. | Summer Hill | Wagon Maker | New Jersey | 1865 |
McCord, S. E. | Sec. 13 | Farmer | Pennsylvania | 1838 |
Miller, C. R. | Sec. 20 | Farmer | Indiana | 1838 |
Miller, Henry | Sec. 23 | Farmer | W. V. | 1867 |
Miller, John | Sec. 7 | Farmer | Kentucky | 1833 |
Miller, Lydia A | Sec. 25 | ............. | Ohio | 1838 |
Newman, Wm | Sec. 13,T7,R5 | Farmer | Ohio | 1857 |
Otwell, J. D. | Sec. 2,T7,R6 | Farmer | Kentucky | 1839 |
Paullin, Sarah N | Rockport | ............ | New Jersey | 1836 |
Peecher, Wm. E | Sec. 11 | Farmer | East VA | 1855 |
Perry, W. M. | Summer Hill | Physician | New York | 1869 |
Peters, H. | Summer Hill | Blacksmith | New York | 1846 |
Petty, Elijah | Sec. 20 | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1832 |
Pierce, Jane E. | ........... | Farmer | England | 1834 |
Pierce, Seth | ........... | Farmer | New York | 1858 |
Ramsey, Henry R | Sec. 24 | Farmer | New York | 1838 |
Rupert, James P | Rockport | Miller | Pennsylvania | 1838 |
Sapp, John E | Sec. 32 | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1832 |
Sapp, Linsey S. | Sec. 32 | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1838 |
Sapp, Samuel M | Sec. 29 | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1846 |
Shaw, G. J. | Summer Hill | Farmer | MA | 1836 |
Smith, Horace M | Sec. 31 | Farmer | Illinois | 1837 |
Snider, Wm | Sec. 24,T7,R5 | Farmer | Ohio | 1860 |
Stebbins, Alfred | Sec. 15 | Farmer | MA | 1839 |
Stebbins, George | Summer Hill | Farmer | MA | 1839 |
Taylor, Mary H | Sec. 4 | Farmer | Ohio | 1836 |
Taylor, Samuel | Sec. 7 | Farmer | Illinois | 1834 |
Thurmon, C. M. | Louisiana | Ferryman | Kentucky | 1821 |
Watters, Jesse | ............. | Cooper | PA | 1832 |
Watters, Wm. Henry | Sec. 25 | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1853 |
Wood, Wm | Sec. 12, T6,R6 | Farmer | PA | 1832 |
Yokem, F. M. | Sec. 1,T7,R5 | Farmer | Missouri | 1833 |
Yokem, Wm | Sec. 35 | Farmer | Kentucky | 1833 |