After the war he attended Rush Medical College in Chicago for two years, 1865-1866. He then returned to the David Crum home where he lived for three years and practiced medicine in the Fairview community.
David Crum and Ben Walton had come from Ohio to the area in 1854. Crum owned most of section 17, while Walton settled in section 18 and claimed section 16, the school section, in Belle Prairie Township. Crum gave land for the church and cemetery at the corner of his farm. A school was nearby and the new Fairview church was dedicated in 1865.
On the south side of the road, in Cropsey Township, Jeremiah Pratt had claimed land across the road from the SW � of section 16. This land changed owners many times during the next few years.
During the years of 1867 and 1868, there were many land transactions. Ben Walton sold much of his land in section 18 to John Loar. He sold the W �/2 of section 16 to John R. and Mary Ann Crum on April 23, 1867. They sold that land to John Barnes on September 16, 1868.
There was a main road from Fairbury to Saybrook that went through the middle of section 4, 9, and 16 in Belle Prairie Twp. On the east side of the road Ben Walton sold three 40 acre tracts from section 16; the NW � of SW � to Otha Bradford; the SW �/4 of SW � to John Stiles; and the SE � of SW � to William J. Cooper. All of these transactions were on September 15, 1868. Ben Walton then moved to Fairbury.
A schoolhouse was built east of the intersection of the two main roads, on the McLean County side of the road. It became the Potosi school.
A post office, called Potosi, was located at a home north of the intersection in Livingston County. It was established February 18, 1868, after David S. Crum had petitioned for a post office for the area, which was to be called Potosi. Crum was also named postmaster.
Dr. Green purchased a three-acre tract from Woodford and Marion McDowell on September 16, 1868, for $90. The McDowells had become the owners of the �often traded� Jeremiah Pratt land.
Dr. Green�s piece of land was located at the northeast corner of the McDowell land, at the southwest corner of the busy intersection of the two main roads. His square tract was 361 4/5 feet per side. He divided the eastern portion into six lots, numbered 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. He kept the western portion for his own use. There may have been a street between the two portions named Center Street.
On September 18, 1868, the McDowells sold a two-acre tract adjoining Dr. Green�s land on the south, for $80, to J. R. and Mary Ann Crum. The Crums had sold their farm to John Barnes on September 16. Their land was 225 feet by 365 4/5 feet. The relationship of J. R. Crum to David S. Crum is not known.
Dr. Green had a house built on the north end of his property, lot #2, which faced the county line road. He also had a barn built for his horses. There may have been other buildings toward the south end of his land. A well was dug, but its location is unknown.
Dr. Green had a store built on lot #3. That lot was 53 feet wide and 151 feet long (east to west). This was a general store. Besides being a doctor, he was an ordained elder of the Christian church. He must have had a helper to manage the store. He may have erected a building on lot #1, on the corner of the new village. Perhaps his office was in this building.
Across the road to the east was the farm of Henry Kuhn. Diagonally across the intersection was the farm of John Stiles. His home was north of the corner. Stiles was an auctioneer as well as a farmer.
John Stiles sold a tract eight rods square on the southwest corner of his farm to William P. Griffith on July 7, 1870. Griffith was a blacksmith. His shop and home were on this corner of Potosi. Later, he bought another six rods to make his land 14 rods square.
On September 29, 1868, William Rudkin bought the remaining 75-acre farm from Woodford and Marion McDowell.
Dr. Green sold lots #5 and #7 to Jerome Graves on October 13, 1868. Graves made improvements on the property. He sold the lots and improvements on October 29, 1869 for $550. Jerome and Lucy Graves sold the place to Henry Terpenning and James B. T. Mann.
Terpenning was a farmer who lived about three miles southeast of Potosi. Mann owned a large farm about three miles south of Potosi. He also sold trees and other nursery items. His brother, William Mann, had a big farm and nursery at Gilman, Ill. The new owners rented out the place to John Keir.
In 1869, Dr. Green married Sophia Luce.
The 1870 census of Cropsey Township lists: #146 Green, Abraham 28 Physician (b.Ind; $1500; $300) Sophia 26 Keeping house (b. Ohio) Arthur 7/12 (b. Oct. in Ill.) #143 Rudkin, William 48 Farmer (b. Eng.; $3200; $690) Sarah 34 Keeping house (b. Ind.) Elizabeth 5 (b. Ill.) Taylor 3 (b. Ill.) Henry, Florey (male) 10 (b. Ill.) #144 Keir, John 24 Blacksmith (b. Canada) Nellie 24 Boarding (b. Ill.) #145 Beale, Abner 46 no occupation (b Penn; $2000) Carolina 26 Keeping house (b. Penn) Charles 1 (b. Ill.) The 1870 Belle Prairie Township census lists those on the north side of the road at Potosi: #8 Stiles, John 35 Farmer (b.Ohio; $1680; $452) Isabelle 29 Keeping house (b. Ohio) Addie 4 (b. Ill.) #9 Griffith, William 45 Blacksmith (b. Ohio; $300; $150) Mary 32 Keeping house (b. NY) #10Stetzler, George 51 Farmer (b. Ohio; $3200; $869) Mary 61 Keeping house (b. Penn.) George 22 (b. Penn.) Amanda 22 (b. Ohio) Eliot, Demoss 28 (b. Ohio) #11 Barnes,John 50 Farmer (b.Penn.; $3200; $757) Sarah 47 Keeping house (b. Penn.) David 22 (b. Penn.) Martha 21 (b. Penn.) Maria 17 (b. Penn.) Henry 12 (b. Penn.) Mary 10 (b. Penn.) William 6 (b. Penn.) #12 Kent,S.C. 39 Farmer (b.Penn.; $3720; $885) Mary 34 Keeping house (b. Penn.) David 16 (b. Penn.) Thomas 13 (b. Penn.) Morris(?) 11 (b. Penn.) George 6 (b. ) Laura 2 (b. ) Griffith, Lizzie 15 (b. Penn.) #13 Crum, David 43 Farmer (b. Penn.; $14,800; $2000) Mary 32 Keeping house (b. Ohio) Dwight 19 (b. Ohio) Edward 13 (b. Ill.) [aka Edwin] Mary 7 (b. Ill.) Jennie 5 (b. Ill.) Scritchfield, Nancy 18 Domestic servant (b. Penn.)
Stetzler sold his farm to Isasc Primm not long after 1870.
John Keir was a blacksmith and had his shop and house on lots # 5 and #7. Abner Beale was living in the village, but his place is unknown.
J.R. and Mary Ann Crum had made an improvement on their two-acre place. They didn�t keep it very long as they sold it for $1000 to William McCoy on December 30, 1869. The Crums seem to have left the area. In about nine months, William and Jane McCoy sold the two acres to John Lefler for $1000 on September 21, 1870.
John and Margaret Lefler sold the property to John Edward and Jane Whitney in December 1870 for $900. Whitney was a blacksmith. He bought lots #5 and #7 on June 1, 1875 from Henry and Susan Terpenning and James B. T. and Louisa Mann.
Where was the large building with a hail that was mentioned in some history books and stories of Potosi? At one time a branch of Walton�s store at Fairbury was located at Potosi. Where was it located?
The first recorded transaction for lot #1 was August 2, 1875 when A. W. and Sophia Green sold it to Charles Banker for $300. This lot was 53 by 138 feet, instead of 151 feet like lots #3, 5, and 7. The improvement was not very large if it was sold for $300. Banker mortgaged the property to David S. Crum on August 3, 1875. Charles Banker died April 17, 1876 and gave the property to his wife, Hattie, in a will dated April 6, 1876. Hattie Banker, as executor, sold it to Silas Banker for $300, subject to the mortgage. Silas and Mary Banker gave David S. Crum a Quit Claim Deed on April 19, 1879. Silas Banker, age 52, a day laborer, was listed on the 1870 Belle Prairie census. Apparently he lived near Potosi.
Dr. Green�s brother, Milton Green, and wife came to Potosi from southern Illinois in 1875. He had been a doctor but gave up the practice because of a health problem. He took over the running of the store. He also was a pharmacist. After his arrival, the post office was transferred from the house in Belle Prairie Twp. to the store in Potosi, February 3, 1873, Abraham Green, postmaster.
We do not know where Milton Green lived during his first two years at Potosi.
A map of Belle Prairie Township, drawn about 1 877-78, shows four houses near Griffith�s shop. It is not known who lived in those houses. This map can be seen in the appendix.
Milton Green had a house built on lot #11 in 1877. He bought the bigger lot, 63 4/5 feet by 171 feet, for $20. The deed was recorded on June 14, 1878.
Dr. Hudgins had been practicing in the community for some time. He worked with Dr. Green in many cases that involved surgery. It is not know where he lived before he bought a house from William Morgan in July 1877. He moved the house onto lot #9, which was 53 feet by 171 feet. The Morgan house was two miles south of Potosi. The Morgans had a sale with John Stiles as auctioneer as they were planning to move to Kansas. The deed was recorded July 25, 1878. In October 1878, Dr. Hudgins left Potosi and moved to Fairbury.
John Whitney�s blacksmith business had been prospering. He built an addition on his shop in April 1877.
The Fairbury Independent Blade started publishing papers in 1876. After that date, Potosi often had some news reported from their community: February 1877, Dr. A. W. Green assisted A. H. Cooper in building a fine barn. March 3, 1877, Spencer Van Petten opened an agricultural shop in the old Erwin building. April 1877, Al Cooper erected a residence way out on the extreme limits of Potosi on Poplar2 Street. June 2, 1877, Dr. A. W. Green is improving his place with a new fangled iron fence. Potosi boasts a soda fountain. A good drink even if you have to put a straw in it. November 24, 1877, Potosi is growing. February 16, 1878, Dr. S. M. Barnes, Dr. Green, Dr. Harvey, and Dr. Hudgins removed a cancer from the breast of Mrs. Ira Pratt. July 13, 1878, Obituary of Mrs. Green who was killed in an accident in Bloomington. Her horse became frightened and she was tossed from the buggy when it upset. Her survivors were her husband, her son, Arthur, and a daughter Effie Allene. August 1878, Dr. Green and children visited relatives at Flora, Ill. His sister returned with them to care for family. In November his mother who had been visiting returned to Flora. October 1878, Maj. Mann�s farm was sold at Sheriffs auction. November 1878, Dr. Green is holding meetings at Arrowsmith. December 1878, The Christmas tree at Fairview church was a success.
William Rudkin owned 75 acres west and south of Potosi. William and Sarah Rudkin sold the land to H. W. Weaver June 16, 1879, subject to a mortgage of $1150 to Andrew Potter. Homer and Bell Weaver sold the 75 acres to A. W. Green, June 20, 1879.
Obe Culver, a resident of Potosi, was often mentioned in the local news that appeared in the Independent Blade.
Here are more news items: July 5, 1879, McCullough and Cooper have started their beef wagon, furnishing beef for the harvesters. New mail carrier, A. D. Taylor, made first trip Wednesday. He has both routes and will make and repair boots and shoes between �spells.� August 12, 1879, Belle Prairie Fair to be held at D. S. Crum�s on Sept. 18th September 6, 1879, Public sale on Monday, the 15th, Zery Coen will sell horses, milk cows, pigs, implements and 52 acres of corn in the field, household goods. John Stiles, auctioneer, 1 1/2 miles west of Potosi. September 16, 1879, Win. Griffith rented a house to Obe Culver. David Coen intends to start for Kansas. D. S. Crum has sold the west end of his building in Potosi to John Stiles. September 20,1879, 5th annual Belle Prairie Fair, 1000 in attendance. October 4, 1879, Potosi to have a beef shop. Office one door south on Center Street. October 18, 1879, Potosi � Every house is full; every shop at work. The people of Potosi have given up all hope of having a railroad put through here by the Wabash Company. October 25, 1879, Business is lively in Potosi, but they missed the railroad. November 8, 1879, R. Hudson bought a house of Mr. Gore and expects to move it to Potosi. November 22, 1879, R. Hudson has been two days moving his house to Potosi and he has it in the suburbs of the city.
During the 1870s, many meetings had been held at Potosi discussing the possibility of obtaining a railroad from the east, which would reach Potosi, then continue west and eventually reach Bloomington.
Daniel B. Stewart of Anchor Twp., Henry L. Terpenning of Cropsey Twp., Win. H. Anderson of Martin Twp. and others were also interested in a plan which have the railroad built near their farms. They helped convince the Illinois Central Railroad Company to build a railroad from the northeast, through the southeast corner of Belle Prairie Twp., then diagonally through the eastern part of Cropsey Twp. into section 5 of Anchor Twp. where it would make a curve and go west to section 3 of Martin Twp. Stewart�s January 1877 Letter to the Editor, Bloomington Pantagraph, is in the appendix.
Many farmers donated land for the right-of-way, and work started in the fall of 1879. Tracks were laid rapidly.
A town to be called Cropsey was planned. The west end of that village would be on Mrs. Eiklor�s land in section 23. It was across the from Terpenning�s farm. Daniel B. Stewart planned a town on 20 acres of his land in section 5. That town would be called Anchor.
The railroad in Martin Twp. was laid on the south edge of Anderson�s farm. James E. Woods� land was on the south side of the tracks. A new village, named Colfax, was started there and it grew rapidly. It was named for Schuyler Colfax, former Vice-President of the United States. He was speaker at the Fairbury Fair a few years before.
The decline of the village of Potosi was rapid. The following new items from the Independent Blade documented the changes: November 22, 1879, J. Whitney is talking of building a new shop at Cropsey on the new railroad. January 16, 1880, Whitney and Crum of Potosi are building a blacksmith shop in Cropsey and will soon be ready for business. January 31, 1880, E. W. Crum is putting up a blacksmith shop in Cropsey. February 14, 1880, E. W. Crum married Sabra Van Petten. A.W. Green, widower, obtained a mortgage Jan.3, 1880, for $400, from the Board of Trustees of the school district. [He paid off the mortgage May 14, 1880.] February 14, 1880, Dr. Green expects to build a home soon at Colfax. A. H. Cooper has moved to the same place already. February 21, 1880, Dr. Green is tearing down his store house and moving it to Colfax. March 12, 1880, J. E. Whitney moved his house and barn into town from Potosi. March 26, 1880, J. E. Whitney is having his home repaired and when it is completed, it will make a fine home. March 27, 1880, Fairbury � Discontinued � After the 31st of this month, the post office at Potosi will be discontinued. Orders to that effect have been received from the Postmaster General at the Fairbury Post Office. Those who have been getting the Independent Blade at Potosi should inform us as to what office they will have it sent to in the future, as this is the last issue that will go to Potosi. April 3, 1880, Potosi � The post office at this place is no more forever. Milton Green, department postmaster, carried the office and contents to Fairbury and turned the whole business over to the Postmaster Virgin. April 3, 1880 (continued): Most of the people will now get their mail at Colfax and some at Fairbury. July 28, 1880, Milton Green sold his house to S. E. Kent. The 1880 census of Cropsey Township in Potosi listed: #34 Green, Abraham W. 30 Physician L. Arthur 10 son E. Effie 8 daughter C. Marcella 30 sister The 1880 census of Belle Prairie Township in Potosi listed: #59 Stiles, John 46 Farmer/auctioneer Isabel 37 wife Adaline 13 daughter Taylor, A. D. 24 boarder; shoemaker #78Griffith, William 54 blacksmith Mary 44 wife #79 Hudson, Robert 35 day laborer Martha 36 wife Anna L. 12 daughter Roberty 10 daughter Mary F. 9 daughter James A. 3 son Adaline 10/12 daughter
Abraham W. Green, sold a tract of 77 acres to Arthur A. Murray for $2772, on September 20, 1880, recorded February 6, 1882. Three acres were owned by D. S. Crum, E. W. Crum, J. H. Hudgins, and J. E. Whitney.
The only buildings left at Potosi were the house, barn and buildings left by Dr. Green. Incidentally, Dr. Green married Jennie Lindley of Indianapolis later in 1880.
Meanwhile, more land transactions were settled involving those small parcels. John E. and Jane Whitney sold their two-acre lot to A. A. Murray on March 23, 1881 for $100.
Milton A. and Theresa Green sold their lot #11 to A. A. Murray on March 26, 1881 for $10.
John H. and Fannie Hudgins sold their lot #9 to A. A. Murray on June 24, 1881, recorded February 6, 1882.
Edwin and Cecelia Crum sold their lots #5 and #7 to A. A. Murray for $35.
David and Jane Crum had become owners of lot #1 on April 17, 1879. The building must have been moved away by the time they sold lot #1 to A. A. Murray for $10 on April 14, 1882.
Arthur A. Murray sold one acre at the southeast corner of the 80 acre farm, to Robert Hudson in 1882, a tract 10 rods by 16 rods, for $35. Hudson moved his house, that which he had bought, to this location.
Robert Hudson, widower, sold the one acre to James A. Hudson on July 1, 1909, for $1.
James A. Hudson sold a share in the property to Roberta Huskins in 1910 for $10. James A. Hudson, bachelor, and Thomas and Roberta Huskins sold the one acre and buildings to Ashley McCullough October 16, 1910 for $500.
Arthur and Eunice Murray had sold the 79 acres in 1884 to Ransom McCullough. Ransom and Eva McCullough sold the 79 acres to Daniel Humphrey in 1892. Robert and Celia Powell sold the land to Henry Reinhart in 1893. Henry and Mary Reinhart sold the land to Ashley McCullough in 1895. Ashley obtained Hudson�s one acre in 1910.
Ashley McCullough sold the 80 acres to John Helmers on March 1, 1916 for $20,000, plus a $400 mortgage. The land has remained in the Helmers� family since that time.
Dr. Green�s house, which was occupied by renters for many years was torn down. The new barn that Dr. Green and A. H. Cooper had built in 1877 remained there for many years. It and the trees that remained were razed with a bulldozer in November 1964 when Floyd and Lillian (Helmers) Holt owned the land.
William and Darlene Helmers now own the 80 acres. They built a new house, in 1982, just west of the location where Dr. Green�s house once stood.
To mark the existence and location of the village of Potosi, the Woman�s Club of Cropsey placed a marker at the southwest corner of the intersection of the two roads. On August 21, 1976 a dedication service was held when the historical stone marker with a bronze plaque was unveiled.
1 Details of land transactions addressed in this chapter are from the Recorder of Deeds at the respective Courthouses, McLean County in Bloomington, IL and Livingston County in Pontiac, IL.
2 Poplar St. - most likely the east-west road on the county line.