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This Town is composed of Township 46, north, Range 10 east, and that part of Township 46, north, Range 9, lying on the west, belonging to Lake County, being four miles in width, making the whole length of the Town 10 miles by 6 in width. It is bounded on the north by Wisconsin, on the east by Newport, on the south by Avon, and on the west by McHenry County.
This Town has within its borders, 18 Lakes, as follows: Dunn Lake, Stevens Lake, Grass Lake, Lake Maria, Channel Lake, Lake Catharine, Silver Lake, Loon Lake, Deer Lake, Crapo Lake, Crooked Lake, Deep Lake, Sun Lake, Cedar Lake, Petite Lake, Handkerchief Lake, Bluff Lake, and Hastings Lake.
There are also 4 other Lakes, which lie partly in other Towns, as follows: Overton Lake, Cross Lake, Fox Lake, and Hurlburt Lake; most of the Lakes in this Town are equally beautiful with those of the other Towns in the County, and their average size is about the same.
In addition to the foregoing Lakes, this Town is watered by Fox river, Otter creek, Sequoit creek, North branch of Mill creek, Hastings creek, and Petite creek. Upon Sequoit creek, there is an excellent saw mill, situated in the Village of Antioch, which was built by Mr. Hiram Butrick in 1839.
The first permanent claims of Government Lands made in this Town, were made in the month of December 1836, by D. B. Gage, Thomas Q. Gage, and Thomas Warner. The first house built within the limits of the Town, was built in April 1837, by D. B. and Thomas Q. Gage, near Sequoit creek, on the present site of the Village of Antioch. The second was built by Thomas Warner, near Loon Lake, in the month of June of the same year. These gentlemen had located themselves temporarily at Walker's bridge, on the Des Plains river, in Cook County. In December 1837 they followed up the river upon an Indian trail, to Mill creek, from whence they proceeded westward to Loon Lake, where they made them a claim and put up a log cabin, from whence, after a few days they proceeded on their return, by way of the Maquonago trail, which was a trail divirging from the great Milwaukee trail at a point near the mouth of Indian creek, where formerly had been and Indian Village, and running from thence north-westerly to an Indian Village in Wisconsin, called Maquonago.
Being late in December, the weather had become severely cold and boisterous. They found the trail much obstructed by fallen trees, and being unacquainted with the route, their progress was slow, in consequence of which they came near freezing to death, but finally succeeded in reaching the house of Willard Jones, at Jones' Point, which was about 13 miles from Loon Lake.
The Village of Antioch - a thriving place - is situated in the northern part of this Town, on Sequoit creek. It was commenced in 1840, and contains at the present time about 300 inhabitants. It affords two good stores, a tavern and such mechanics as are needed in an agricultural country. It has also two lawyers, E. S. Ingalls and Wm. L. Stevens, as well as two excellent physicians, Doctors L. D. Gage and Daniel Lewis.
In 1840 the writer was present and participated at the first fourth of July celebration held at this place, and it was such an occasion as he will ever delight to hold in pleasing remembrance, and no less can probably be said by all who participated. A good band of martial music was in attendance to give life and spirit to the occasion. Freeman Bridge acted as Martial of the day, and acquitted himself nobly. The Declaration of Independence was read by Hiram Butrick, and an excellent oration was delivered by Harrison P. Nelson, Esq.
The original proprietors of this place were D. B. Gage, F. F. & P. Munson, and E. S. Ingalls.
The first stock of goods opened at this place, we believe, was by F. F. Munson. The first tavern or house of entertainment was by D. B. Gage, and the first blacksmith shop was by E. F. Ingalls.
The early settlers of this Town were D. B. Gage, Thomas Warner, Thomas Q. Gage, Henry Rector, William Fagher, Robert Stalker, E. F. Ingalls, Loami Piersons, E. S. Ingalls, H. P. Nelson, H. Nichols, Charles O. McClellen, F. F. Munson, Parnell Munson, Leland Cook and Hiram Butrick.
The Gages, Warner and Rector, were from the State of New York; Fagher and Stalker, we believe, were natives from the Isle of Man; the Ingalls, Pearsons, Nelson and McClellen, were from New Hampshire.
The first election held within the present limits of this Town, was in October 1839, under the old Precinct arrangement, which was for the purpose of electing officers for Bristol Precinct. This election was held at the house of Thomas Warner at Loon Lake, at which there were 16 votes cast - all told. - The following is a list of the voters. Thos. Q. Gage, D. B. Gage, E. F. Ingalls, Henry Rector; H. P. Nelson, Miles Shepard, Laomi Pearson, Chas. O. McClellen, Thos. McClellen, Oren Parker, George Rae, Thos. Warner, Hiram Butrick, J. B. Rice, F. F. Munson and Horace Butrick. - Laomi Pearsons & Oren Parker were elected Justices of the Peace, and John B. Rice and George Rae were elected Constables.
The first Town meeting, in this Town, under the present Township organization was held at the tavern of D. B. Gage, in the Village of Antioch. Dr. L. D. Gage was chosen moderator, and Eli S. Derby, clerk. The following is a list of the Town officers elected at this meeting: Harrison P. Nelson, Supervisor; Eli Gage, Townclerk; Thomas Webb, Assessor; John H. Elliott, Collector; Chas. Webb and Robert K. Colts, Justices of the Peace; Ira Webb, A. B. Paddock and E. C. Stephens, Commissioners of Highways; Robert Pollock, Overseer of Poor; John H. Elliott and Albert Webb, Constables. The number of votes cast at this Town meeting was 145.
The present Town officers of the Town, are as follows: Supervisors, Charles Webb; Assessor, Geo. Hale; Townclerk, Delos S. Cook; Collector, S. S. Drum; Commissioners of Highways, Myron Emmons, H. Lincoln and Chester Ames; Overseer of the Poor, John R. Arnold; Justices of the Peace, Chas. Webb, L. D. Gage, and E. S. Ingalls, (Associate Justice of the County Court); Constables, John H. Elliott and S. S. Drum. The present County Surveyor, George Hale, resides in this Town. The number of votes cast at the last Town meeting was 169.
This Town is divided into 11 school districts. The amount of township school fund for Town 46, Range 10, is $1,400.
The post offices in this Town are Antioch, Hickory and Millburn. The office at Antioch was established in 1846, and Dr. L. D. Gage, appointed Postmaster. The office at Hickory was established, February 3d, 1848, and Chester Ames appointed Postmaster, who still continues in office. The office at Millburn was established, February 10th, 1848, and Robert Strang appointed Postmaster, who still continues in office.
The assessment value of property in this Town for 1850, including both real and person was $88,904.00. The amount of taxes the same was $1,744.51
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