Old Bunker Hill Stories - Newspaper Article - 1 Jan 1998 - Macoupin County Illinois
©1997 Cindy Leonard and Mary McKenzie



Old Bunker Hill Macoupin Co IL Newspaper Stories


donated by Mary McKenzie

Bunker Hill Macoupin County IL History (and Lincoln)

(Taken from the Bunker Hill Union Gazette 8 Dec 1870, page 2 and 15 Dec 1870, page 3.)

Bunker Hill is located in Sections 14 and 23 of Bunker Hill Township Macoupin Co IL.

Bunker Hill was an embryo settlement in the late 1820's. The first birth at the settlement was George Howell, son of Dr E Howell, in 1828.

In 1833, a post office was established about one mile south of the embryo town, with Mr Cook, who had a small grocery store, as postmaster. It was moved in 1836 to a house at that time on the farm now (1870) owned by Dr E Howell, south of town and the name changed to Lincoln, with Samuel Buell as postmaster and in 1838 again moved to Bunker Hill, with Josiah Richards as the first postmaster.

In 1833, Luke Knowlton built a log cabin in the center of what is now (1870) the garden of P C Huggins, interacting to make a preemption claim; but afterwards, in entering the land, made an error in the numbers and failed to secure the high point on which his cabin stood.

In 1834, a town had been laid out one and a half miles south on the land now (1870) owned by Messrs. Matlock and Squires, and named Lincoln in honor of Elijah Lincoln. But the town did not prove success as only one house was built by Mr Woodburn.

The town was laid out in 1835 by Stanford, Davis and Co and Smith Bros and Co. Jos Tilden represented the first named firm, and John Cavender the last, with Moses True as land agent for the first year or more.

Mr Tilden opened the first store in 1835. Other names Mr Wilber, Dr J A Delano, Mrs Kimberly, Dr J Button, Geo Drew, N H Flanagan, Lurkin Stark, H V A Tappan, Mrs S H Davis, Miss Putnam later Mrs Jonathan Huggins, and Francis H(orN) Burnham.

The first dwelling house built in the town was by Moses True in 1836, and is (1870) commonly known as the "Old Tavern." Lurkin Stark was among the first settlers in the vicinty of Bunker Hill coming here in the Spring 1837 and commenced to farm in the wild, open prairie, one and a half miles, west of town, on what is now (1870) the McCumbrige farm. At that time, all the country around could be entered at the government price of one dollar and a quarter per acre. Where Bunker Hill now is, was known as Wolf Ridge, on account of the wolves having a burrow in the hill.

For a few years after Mr Stark located he carried on the cooper business. And as an item of what a boy can make of himself by perseverance and energy, will say that for the encouragement of all the youth in the land, that John M Palmer, our present Governor, in 1834 worked at this business with Mr Stark, and has been known to make speeches to imaginary juries instead of making barrels when the boss was absent.

The first school was opened 30 Dec 1839. Frank Delano built a saw mill one mile north-east of town in 1848, and in 1850 it was transformed into a flour mill which was purchased by Huggins and Parmenter.

In 1840, the first military company was organzied, and officers were E B Godard, Capt; S B Davis, 1st Lieutenant; Charles Burnham, 2nd Lieutenant; J A Pettingill, 3rd Lieutenant.

From the Bunker Hill Union Gazette March 19, 1868 page 3.
Old Settlers' Historical Society organized in 1868.
"Dr. Sawyer has prepared the following list of names of those who settled in this vicinity (Bunker Hill) about 1840."

Ed Barton
E. Davis
S. H. Davis
N. Flanngin
J. Hamilton
E. Harlan
Dr. E. Howell
P. C. Huggins
C. Johnson Jr.
J. R. Nutter
Gard Parmenter
D. E. Pettingill
J. A. Pettingill
J. T. Pennington
L. Stark
Moses True
Sam Wood
David Wright
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donated by Cindy Leonard


The Union Gazette, Bunker Hill, IL Jan 26, 1866 - Wanted: Bunker Hill, a quiet little city of some two thousand inhabitants, wants a good barber. There never was a better opening for a first-class knight of the razor.

The Bunker Hill Gazette, Dec. 25, 1879 - Neighborhood Notes: The Greenfield schools have been closed on account of scarlet fever. Mrs. N. M. Harris of Dorsey, has gone to Missouri Valley, Iowa, to open a hotel. Staunton will build a new school house. Guards are placed at the door at the Christian Church in Girard to keep out Grandfather Strong, who has for some time disturbed the congregation. Woodburn: John Stark, formerly from Bunker Hill, has bought a farm near Cottonwood Falls, Kansas.

The Bunker Hill Gazette, Jan. 15, 1880 - Neighborhood Notes: Virden wants a brass band. Shipman is talking up a coal mine. Scarlet fever has appeared at Shipman. The Creamery at Girard is again in operations. Wm. Montgomery is postmaster at More, vice Smith, resigned. Adolph Hoch, of Carlinville, went to Germany some months ago for his health, and died there. Corrington Chapel: Miss Phoebe McPeak is again in our midst.



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