Hilyard Township, Macoupin County IL



Hilyard Township,
Macoupin County, Illinois
T8N R8W


(1875 Atlas Map Credit)


Hilyard Township was named for John Hilyard who settled 1834 in the township. The population of all Hilyard Township in 1870 was 1,072.

Early Family Names In Hilyard Township Taken From the 1875 Atlas
(Use Find under pulldown menu Edit to find a surname)

Charles Hucklebridge came to Hilyard Twp in 1836 with the Hooks, Howertons, Church's, and Eddingtons
         donated by Christene Hucklebridge

Cemeteries in Hilyard Township

The towns in Hilyard Township are:

  • (Brooklyn) Extinct
  • (Centerville) Extinct
  • Plainview - (Wagoner's Prairie) (Plainview Station)
  • Royal Lakes

    • (Brooklyn) Extinct - probably never a post office

    Illinois Place Names book:
    Brooklyn see 1911 hist. 404.

    Where Was Brooklyn, Macoupin County, and When Was It Laid Out, and By Whom?

    (Centerville) Information

    Centerville was not established until after 1893-94 although on the 1875 plat map a church, cemetery, and school were at the same location. Centerville is marked on a recent plat map at the intersections of Sections 27, 28, 33, and 34 in Hilyard Township. The book, Illinois Place Names, does not list a post office as being established at Centerville.

    Plainview (Wagoner's Prairie) (Plainview Station)


    Illinois Place Names book:
    Plainview est 8 Jun 1846, rfd serves Macoupin

    Plainview Station was established and before 1853 it was moved to the tracted Plainview. Plainview's RFD postal service served a town called Macoupin. Plainview is located in Sections 4 and 9 of Hilyard Township. In 1875, the population of Plainview was nearly 400. In 1875, the Chicago, Alton, and St Louis Railroad ran through Plainview.

    History of Plainview - researched, written and donated by Jim Frank

    The Cyclone, Shipman and Plainview Vicinity, 1883, Macoupin County Ilinois, from the Carlinville Democrat, typed and donated by Sue McMurry

    Plainview Town Map and Yellow Pages

    Royal Lakes Information

    In 1956, a Chicago Company bought two farms, created the Royal Lakes Resort Properties and plotted and laid out the farms into lots in sections 26 and 27 of Hilyard Township. Three small lakes were constructed and named Shadrach, Meshach, and Shad. Originally, older people from St. Louis had bought lots. In 1973, the village was incorporated and took the name of Royal Lakes. The population is less than 200.



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