WILLIAMS TOWNSHIP
SANGAMON COUNTY ILLINOIS
T17-18N, R4W, 3rdPM





Click on HISTORY 1904 History of Sangamon County

SURNAMES of Early Settlers:
CLARK; CONSTANT; COOPER; MANN; PROCTOR; SIMPSON; TAYLOR; WILLIAMS; YOCUM







WILLIAMS - Williams is one of the extreme northern townships of the county, and comprises government township 17 and six sections of township 18 north, range 4 west. Organized as a civil township in 1861, it is bounded on the west by Fancy Creek, south by Clear Lake, east by Buffalo Hart and north and northeast by Logan county. The northern half of the township is almost entirely prairie, but the south part is well timbered. The principal streams are Wolf creek and Fancy creek.

This township began to be settled as early as 1820 or 1821. Between that date and 1830 a number of families moved in from the south and settled in the timber along the streams. The open prairie was not settled or improved until many years later. Prominent among the early settlers were William Proctor, John Simpson, Jacob Yocum, James and Isaac Taylor, David Clark, Michael Mann, Meredith Cooper and Isaac Constant.

The village of Williamsville was laid out in 1853 under the name of Benton, but this was afterward changed to Williamsville, in compliment to Colonel John Williams, of Springfield, for whom the township was also named. It is a flourishing village on the line of the Chicago and Alton railroad, with three or four churches, a fine brick school house, and contains 573 inhabitants. Barclay is situated in the south end of the township on the Illinois Central railroad. This village was founded by the Barclay Coal Mining Company, which opened a coal shaft here in 1872.

Population of the township, including its villages - 2,011.


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