Greenbush township is at the extreme south­east corner of Warren County. Although geographically nearest to the frontier at the time that the limits of Warren county were defined by the Act of 1825, no portion of Greenbush township was taken for settlement until 1830, two or three years after settlements had been made in other townships. Many of the farms are still occupied by the families of the pioneers who first took possession by patent. The township is well watered and drained by Nigger creek, which enters at the northwest corner and flows across the town­ ship, and by Little Swan creek which enters on Section 19 on the west and joins Nigger creek on Section 16. There is much tillable land in the thirty-six square miles, as well as an abund­ ance of timber. The Quincy branch of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad passes across the southeast corner of the township, but there is no railroad station within its limits.

The township was organized and the first election held April 4, 1854. David Armstrong acted as moderator of the meeting, and the officers chosen were: Supervisor, Major John C. Bond; clerk, F. H. Merrill, assessor, A. W. Simmons; collector, William Shores; highway commissioners, J. Butler, R. M. Simmons, H. H. Hewitt; justices of the peace, John C. Bond, L. L. Ury. The present officers are: Supervisor, W. W. Hatch; town clerk, A. H. Wingate; assessor, F. E. Burridge; collector, Wyatt S. Hall; highway commissioners, A. L. Wingate, G. W. Franklin, Archie McGown; justice of the peace, J. M. Hendricks.

Those who have served the township as supervisors to the present time are

John C. Bond, 1854

Levi Lincoln, 1855

John C. Bond, 1856-67

A. W. Simmons, 1868-71

L. M. Green, 1872

Danford Taylor, 1873-74

A. W. Simmons, 1875-76

L. M. Green, 1877

A. W. Simmons, 1878-83

Israel Spurgin, 1884

A. W. Simmons, 1885

Israel Spurgin, 1886

James C. Johnson, 1887-90

. Darnielle, 1891

Oscar McMahill, 1892-97

W. W. Hatch, 1898-1902

 

Cholera in Greenbush

In 1851 the township had a visitation of cholera, which resulted in twelve deaths in the neighborhood within a week or ten days. The dead were

Lawson H. "Walker, Abner Walker, Mrs. Julia Luster, Jos. Sisson, Rollin Ransom, Charles Bruth, Abijah Roberts, Lafayette Ratekin, George Tally, Jacob.Perkins, Sullivan Osborn, and A. J. Willey.

There were a number of deaths at the same time at Monmouth. A destructive tornado also did great damage in the township May 22, 1873, coming in from Swan township.

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History of Warren County

 

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