"Old Morgan County" now is known as Morgan (1823), Cass (1837) and Scott (1839).  However there was a 

"Three-mile-strip" between Morgan and Cass which was added to Cass County February 16, 1845.  Because 

of that, some of the early villages in that area may be listed under Morgan, whereas currently it is in Cass.



The following data is a list of the villages, towns and cities, with date of organization and origin of the name so 

far as could be ascertained. ...



1816--(1832) MEREDOSIA. (Morgan).  Said to be named for a French Priest, Antoine D'osia who settled on a lake 

(mere).  First mentioned by Murray McConnel (1816) and named by J. E. Waldo ahd Phillip Ayelsworth.  There is 

some controversy about the origin of the name.  Some say it was named after the lake (mere) and the Willows 

(osia).  The town was plotted in 1832 by Thomas T. January.  It is a thriving Illinois River town yet today (1998)



1825-- EXETER (Scott).  Named for Exeter, England by English settlers.



1825--NAPLES (Scott).  Named for Naples, Italy, by early settlers. 



1825--COLUMBUS (Scott).  Located a few rods north of Naples; now extinct.



1825--WILLIAMSPORT.  Located two miles northwest of Glasgow; now extinct.



1825--JACKSONVILLE. (Morgan).  Laid out by Johnston Shelton on land deeded to Morgan County by 

Isaac Dial and Thomas Arnett. Named Jacksonville in honor of Andrew Jackson of Tennessee, President of the 

United States 1829-1837.



1829--BEARDSTOWN (Cass).  Plotted by Thomas Beard and named for him.  Incorporated as a town 

1844, and as a city 1850.  



1829--ARCADIA. (Morgan).  Laid out by Squire Bristow and named by him as New Lexington.  In 1853 

the Illinois State Legislature changed the name to Arcadia.



1830 --- WINCHESTER. (Scott).  Named after Winchester, Kentucky by an early settler.



1831---1831--MANCHESTER. (Scott).  Named after Manchester, England, by early settlers.



1832--GENEVA. (Scott).  One and one-half miles east of Merritt; extinct.  



1832--FRANKLIN. (Morgan).  Laid out by William Woods, John Wyatt and Walter Butler.  Named for 

Franklin county, Kentucky.  The founders of the town, and the majority of the early settlers were from Kentucky.  

They first named the town Simpson, from Simpson county, Kentucky.  April 7, 1832 the name was changed to 

Franklin.



1832--CHANDLERVILLE. (Cass).  Founded by Dr. Charles Chandler and named for him.  Incorporated 

1845.  Re-incorporated in 1872.



1832--PISGAH. (Morgan).  A Presbyterian Church was built here, and named Pisgah.  When the J.N.W. 

and S.E.R.R. was built the station took the name.



1833--PRINCETON. (Cass).  Plotted and recorded by Rev.  J. G. Bergen.  Named by settlers who 

came from New Jersey.  Vacated 1875, when the railroad missed it.



1833--BETHEL. (Morgan).  Laid out by Samuel and Catherine Whitley, and named by them. 



1835-MORGANTOWN. (Scott).  Between Alsey and Glasgow; extinct.



1835--APPALONA. (Morgan).  Named for Apple Creek which ran nearby. [The personwho first s

pelled it probably spelled the fruit as appall).



1836--GLASGOW. (Scott).  Named after Glasgow, Scotland, by early settlers. 



1836--BRIDGEPORT. (Scott).  In extreme 

southeast corner of the county; extinct. 



1836--JEFFERSON. (Scott).  One mile east of Exeter; extinct.



1836--BLOOMFIELD. (Scott).  Still slightly in evidence.



1836--MONROE. (Cass).  Platted but has disappeared except the "Monroe Church".Named for 

President James Monroe of Virginia, President of the United States 1817-1825.  He signed the bill changing Illinois 

Territory to the State of Illinois as of December 3, 1818.  An old stagecoach route between Jacksonville and 

Beardstown, had a favorite stopping place at the old time tavern called the "Half-way Place".It had a blacksmith 

shop, tailor shop, Post Office, and general store.  It was abandoned in 1842, and now known as the "Deserted Village".



1836--VIRGINIA. (Cass).  Founded and plotted by Henry H. Hall.  Plat recorded 

1836.  Named for his native state.  Incorporated as a village, 1857; and as a city  l872. 



1836--PHILADELPHIA (Cass).  Named for Pennsylvanials "city of brotherly love".  

Plotted 1836 but never incorporated.  Was promoted by Marshall Ayers of Jacksonville.  Stephen A. Douglas 

owned some lots.  The Christian Church (now abanoned) was moved here from Old Princeton.  Has two elevators, 

two stores, a blacksmith shop and now a filling station and garage. [As of date this was written--1940]



1836--WAVERLY. (Morgan).  Founded by E. J. Salter, D. B. Salter, Alexander C. 

Twining, and Joseph A. Tanner--all from Connecticut.  Name was suggested by James Salter who was a great 

admirer of Scott's Waverly novels.



1837--OXVILLE.  (Scott).  Origin of name not found [as of 1940).



1837--DEERFIELD. (Scott).  Near where Bluffs now stands; extinct.



1837--City of BRUSSELS. (Scott).  At Phillips Ferry crossing; extinct.  This would 

have been a ferry that transported many of your people across the Illinois River in those early days of 

announcements about the western gold fields.



1837--LANCASTER. (Cass).  Laid out by John Dutch, an old sea captain.  Was known as 

the "Half-way House"--the residence and Tavern of Mr. Dutch.  Vacated 1843.  Was on the old State Road 

from Springfield to Beardstown.



1838--NEW ALBANY. (Scott) One and one-half miles northwest of Glasgow; extinct.



1839--ARENZVILLE. (Cass).  Founded by Francis A. Arenz and named for him.  Incorporated 

as a town 1853.



1839--MORGAN CITY. (Morgan).  Laid out by Charles Collins and Myron Leslie to the  county 

seat of Morgan County.  For a short time it was the terminus of the Northern Cross Railroad.  The scheme failed.

This railroad was the first one built west of the Allegheny mountains.



1844--CONCORD. (Morgan) Name brought from New England by the first settlers who were 

New Englanders.



1856--ORLEANS. (Morgan).  Laid out and named by Michael Henrichsen.



1857--ASHLAND. (Cass). Founded by its first settlers from Kentucky.  Named after Henry Clay.  

Incorporated 1868.



1857--SINCLAIR. (Morgan) Laid out by Samuel Sinclair, and named after him.



1857--YATESVILLE.  (Morgan) Laid out by Joseph Hayes and J. R. Bennett.  Named for 

Governor Richard Yates.  (Which one?  Did you know there were two Governors with the same name?  

The father Richard Yates was born January 1815 in Warsaw, Kentucky.  He was Governor of Illinois 

January 1861-January 1865.  Civil War years.His son, Richard Yates, was in office January 14, 1901-

January 9, 1905.)



1857--PRENTICE.  (Morgan) Laid out and named by Patterson Hall and James G. Cox.

 

1857--ALEXANDER.  Surveyed and named for John T. Alexander. 



1858--NEWMANVILLE.  Laid out by Rev.  Wingate Newman, and named for him. 



1856--MURRAYVILLE.  Plotted by Samuel Murray, Esq.; named for him.

 

1858--CHAPIN.  Laid out by Lyman and Horace Chapin 

and named for them.



1859--WOODSON.  Named for Judge D. M. Woodson, President of that part of the C. & A. 

Railroad proposed to go through that point.



1865--NEELEYVILLE.  Located by Jonathan and James Neeley and named for them. 



1869--LITERBERRY.  Laid out by Jonas Liter and named for him.



1870--MERRITT.  Named for Mary Ann Gannon. (who was she?  Anybody know?)



1870--WOODLYN.  A station on the J.N. and J.S.E. Railroad named after Judge Samuel Woods.



1870(?)--LITTLE INDIAN.  Never laid out as a village.  Named after Little Indian Creek.  Had 

two stores, an elevator, Post Office, and railroad station on the C.P. & St. Louis Railroad.



1871-BLUFF SPRINGS. (Cass)  Station established when Baltimore and Ohio Railroad built.  

There was a post office, store and elevator.  (Note: These various little villages were established for the 

benefit of local farmers so that they would not have to travel so far over rural roads probably not well 

maintained then).



1871-- BLUFFS.  So named for the bluffs overlooking the Illinois River Valley.



1871--RIGGSTON. (Scott).  Named after Milton W. Riggs, a pioneer. 



1890--ALSEY.  Named for Alsey R. Smith.



1890--BURLINGAME.  Named for an official of the B.& 0. R.R. Three miles east of Virginia; 

Flag Station, elevator, and an active shipping point.



1893--NORTONVILLE. (Morgan)  Plotted and named by Charles S. and Sarah M. Norton.



1910--KISCH. (Cass)  Named for the Jokish family.  Two miles south of Virginia.  Glad station 

and elevator.  Also "gone with the wind."



?--LYDDA.  Near southwest corner of Cass County.  In a Lutheran community.  Not on the 

railroad.  There is a Lutheran Church.

 

?--HAGENER STATION.  Named for Hagener family.  Between Arenzville and Beardstown 

on C.B. & Quincy R.R. Flag stop.  (What was a flag stop?  The train only stopped if there was some passengers 

in the area.)



?--GURNEY.  Two miles west of Ashland on Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.  No buildings 

except for a rude shelter for waiting passengers.  Flag stop.



?--CASS SIDING. (Sometimes called JULES.) Three miles west of Virginia on the B. B.& 

0. R.R. Formerly a flag stop.  Had a post office at one time.



?--ANDERSON STATION.  Named for the Anderson family in the neighborhood.  Four 

miles northeast of Virginia, Illinois, on C.P. & St. Louis R.R. Established lond after the road was built.  

A flag station and shipping point.  Had a store and post office.  Now (1940)only a platform.  Like the 

railroad it passed away after a long and painful illness and now lies buried under the waving corn.



?--ARNOLD.  Not plotted.  Named for J. W. Arnold family.  Railroad station, post office 

and elevator.



?--MARKHAM.  Station and post office, elevator and store on the Wabash R.R. west of 

Jacksonville.  Named for a family of the same name.**



?--CENTERVILLE. ?-- BUCKHORN. ?--SOUTH JACKSONVILLE.



?--PALMERTON.  Was a siding and platform on C.P.& St. Louis R.R. between Virginia 

and Chandlerville.  Abandoned years ago.



**--MARKHAM was named for Edward Markham who died Feb. 21, 1849 aged 58 years.  

Ann, wife of Edward Markham, died Sept 25, 1858 aged 62 years.  Her epitaph reads: "She sleeps in 

Jesus and is blest.  How sweet her slumbers are."



?--LYNNVILLE (Morgan County) was in an area popular with the Englanders coming from 

the southern states.  It was originally spelled Linville pertaining to the name of the man who owned the 

first grocery store.



One of the villages not mentioned by Dr. Carl E. Black in his original paper is JORDANVILLE.  

On page 79 of "Deed Record Book FF" is a map showing eight numbered lots and one larger unnumbered lot.  

Jordanville was in the north part of W½ NW¼ of Section 10, Township 16N Range 9W-3PM.



This description places Jordanville's site as exactly two miles west of Prentice in northeastern Morgan County.  

Recorded at the court house on April 2, 1853,the Deed Book entry shows that on April 26, 1851 a surveyor 

set Jordanville off and divided it into lots for Samuel and Martin Sutton, and Lucinda, wife of Martin.  The 

village encompassed an area of 600 feet east to west, and 330 feet north to south.  Only one street and 

one alley were laid off. A postoffice was established at Jordanville Sept. 11, 1886, but it was discontinued 

in 1894.  A Jordanville grade school once existed, but it is possible the school, church and churchyard 

cemetery (if indeed there actually was one) were not inside the limits of Jordanville.  One document listed 

Jordanville as a small village ten miles south-east from Virginia, and lying four miles east from the line of the 

P.P. & J. railroad to Virginia.