orchardville

WAYNE CO., IL

The History of Orchardville
By Vera Henson

Orchardville, originally called Aid, began its existence about 1870; although the territory had been populated since 1850. There were two grist mills powered by huge water wheels across the Marion county line along Skillet Fork and plenty of setlers in that area long before this port ion was cleared for farming.

The first post office, which also sold candy, wax and small objects was kept by Billy Lee in a log house where Kenneth Burgess' house now stands. Across the road on the south corner of our farm was a large church called The Frame Church because its walls were of lumber rather than logs.

Our oldest citizens remember being taken to services t here when the preachingg was done by an Indian named Tallamasse Mikko dressed in buckskins and moccasins. "This church was abandoned finally and the lumber was used to build Doc Richardson's house, Dr Marlow had moved in with the first wave of settlers and was practicing here and in the Marion County settlement. "Store houghten" necessities came from Xenia, luka or from Slap-Out" if that easy going store keeper was not "jest slap-out"’ when his would be customers arrived.

First Store

Our first store was a log building west of the Keenville road on the lot across from the Mel ton Store of today. It was owned by Frank Dunlap. At his deal h the remaining stork was hauled to John Dunlaps and Doc Boyles moved into the log building and became our official doctor. Dill Boze opened a store to replace the Dunlap store that no longer existed. The Harris Store, across the road south from the Dunlap store, was being built before Mr. Dunlap's death.

About the same time a log church was built south of the stores on the corner of Jacob Feathers farm and named Jacob's Chapel in his honor. Mr. Feather was first to be buried in the cemetery besides the church,
Needmore Church west of Orrhardville probably received its name in the same way since that was a common name in this neighborhood but there is no rerord to verify that theory.

Brush Creek

Originally tlns entire tract extending to the Clay County line was one township called Brush Creek, in which each community was isolated and strictly for its own favorite sons politically speaking. Around 1890 my Uncle Ross ran for town clerk and as insurance that he could swing the votes circulated a petition that we be divided into separate townships to be named Garden Hill aod Orchardville. Aid post office which was to become the law making center of Orchard was renamed Orchardville.

One of the schools resulting from the division of Whit e Cloud Dist. was located here and given the same name while the eastern half organized under the Fairview. These pleasant sounding names led to general dissatisfaction with the names Ferris for the school on the west district.

Newly christened Orehardville began a flurry of business activity.
The corn field on the east of the road was cleared away and a solid block of business buildings was constructed extending down to the present blacksmith shop. The town now contaioed a two-room school, a church, a town hall, and several new dwelling houses in addition to the two stores and doctors offiecoriginally here. In the block of buildings was a barber shop by Dave lee, a barber shop and shoe shop by Dow Dunlap, an undertakers parlor by John Brattom, a restaurant and post office by Rice Warren, a store and real estate agency by Joe Burkett and John Warren. Doc Boyles was also the dentist when need arose. At that time there was no nonsense about pain-killers and anesthetics. The patient gripped the rungs of the split bottom chair with both hands and an onlooker took a half Nelson strangle hold on his head and Doc and his forceps sailed in. After the operation the patient got a handful of salt to stop the bleeding and that was that.

Continuing the list of business ventures, there was a blacksmith shop by the Camerons and on the block behind the main buldings on the east of the road was destroyed by fire the night Doc Boyles wife 'lay a corpse' at her home across the road and was never entirely rebuilt.

Brick Kiln At Zenith

Not all business places were in Orchardville itself. There was a brick kiln at Zenith, grist mills in every locality, a broom factory in Wooley vicinity, a nursery by Lee Burkett of Orchardyille that supplied such shade trees as Balm of Gilead, cedar and the Catalpa trees that outline every farm in the neighborhood toda y. There was a sorghurn mill by Uncle Sam Vansickle who had been a POW at Andersonvil Ie Prison through the Civil War. Although only a boy at the time his hair turned quite white during the months of starvation when he wouldl have freely traded his hopes of freedom for a chance at his mothers garbage pail at home.

There was William Still of Wooley neighborhood who was born in England and apprenticed to a master book-binder. He made from the little magazines of the times beautiful, expertly bound.