Congressional Township 25 N., Range 6 E., was a six-mile square tract of thirty-six sections of land. It was mostly grassland, but in the northwestern corner there was a large grove of timber through which flowed a stream called Indian Creek. This stream wound northward and eventually flowed into the Vermillion River, and it into the Illinois River.

A ridge of land from the adjoining township to the west crossed the center of the township. South of this ridge was a swampy area called a slough. The waterway that went through this slough was Henline Creek, named for the Henline brothers who had settled in the timber where that creek joined the Mackinaw River.

Township 25 became politically divided. The south half became part of McLean County when it was created in December 1830. The north half was included in Livingston County when it was organized in 1837.

Valentine Martin Darnall, a native of Virginia, then later a resident of Boonesborough, Boone County, Kentucky, emigrated to Pleasant Hill along the Mackinaw River. On October 27, 1830, he moved his family about ten miles northeast to a spot in the timber along Indian Creek. He cut timber into logs and boards, and on November 1, raised his first cabin. He had three brother-in-laws from the settlement on the Mackinaw who probably came to help raise the cabin. The family survived the winter of the �Big Snow�. The story of his experiences has been recorded in the Livingston County history books.1

William Spence, a Kentucky native, came from Indiana to the �Grove� in 1831. Claims were made by Hugh Steers of Kentucky, and Jeremiah Travis and James Cooper, of Tennessee in 1834. Spencer Cates joined these settlers in 1835-36, and Benjamin Hieronymus in 1839, followed by Decatur Veatch. All of these settlers were from Kentucky. Charles and Thomas Jones and Orin Phelps from New Jersey first located to the east, then joined the others at the �Grove� by then called Indian Grove. It would be much later, in 1854, that the first settlers claimed the grassland along the ridge.2

John Darnall was appointed Postmaster at Indian Grove on February 10, 1846. He remained in charge until the post office was discontinued on February 20, 1859.3

When Livingston County adopted township organization in 1857, the county commissioners appointed John Darnall, Robert Thompson and Absalom Hallam, as commissioners to lay out this county into townships. In 1858 they gave the inhabitants of each township notice that they would meet with them and give them the opportunity to name the towns in which they resided. Township 25, Range 6 & 7 met at Walton�s schoolhouse on February 6, 1858 and selected the name Belle Prairie for their township.4

The southern eighteen sections of Township 25 N. plus all of Township 24 N., Range 6. E. (McLean County) became one political unit in April 1858. They elected officials and chose the name of Cropsey for their township.5

1 Wm. LeBaron, Jr., (ed.), History of Livingston County, Illinois (Chicago: LeBaron & Co., 1878), pp. 351-353.
2 Ibid., pp. 353-354.
3 Information from the U.S. Postmaster Gerneral.
4 Newton Bateman and Paul Selby (ed.), Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Livingston County (Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co., 1908), vol. 2, p. 638.
5 WM. LeBaron, Jr. (ed.), History of McLean County, Illinois (Chicago: LeBaron & Co., 1879), pp. 739-742.