Leaf River Township |
Township Officials: |
Supervisor: Leonard "Tobe" Hagemann |
Clerk: Lucille M. Nelson |
Assessor: Mike Flick |
Commissioner: Francis Bral |
Trustees: |
Cheryl Barber Arnold Schelling Kevin R. Wilson Steven Swanson |
Leaf River Township, is in the northern tier of townships, bounded on the east by Byron Township, and west by Maryland Township, on the south by Mt. Morris Township, and Rockvale Township, and on the north by Stephenson and Winnebago County lines. The Leaf River Township Board was organized at the home of Flemming Welch on April 2nd, 1850, and in the first election was held there at that time. Fleming Welch lived 1 & 1/2 miles north an 1/2 mile east of Lightsville. At this writing, just one pine tree stands to mark the spot of that old homestead which is located across the road and a bit west of the Donald Gallup residence. In 1851 and 1852, township meetings were held in the home of John Light f Lightsville. From 1853 to 1872 the township meetings and elections were held in the schoolhouse in Lightsville. Beginning in 1873, the meetings and elections were then held in the hotel in Lightsville known as Traveler's Home owned by Christ Windhorst. The first township officers elected in 1850 were: Supervisor, W.C. Salsbury; Tax Collector, William Knodle; Assessor, William Carpenter; Town Clerk, Nathan Welch; Commisioner, Isaac Eavy; Overseers of Roads, Jacob Piper & Fleming Welch; Juctices of the Peace, Alvah Gaffin; Ruben O'Dell; Constables, D. Rinehart, & Jim Patterson. Intially the township was divided into 6 or 7 districts and overseers or Oath Masters were appointed to take care of the roads of their own area. Path Masters were appointed for the year 1877 were as follows: District 1, John Grady; District 2, Joseph Kendle; District 3, Milo Davis; District 4, Samuel Kretsinger; District 5, James Willier, District 6, David Huff; District 7, Gearhart Beck. Early decisions made by the first township boards concerned the location and construction of roads and bridges, the size of lawful fences the restraining of livestock from running at large, and numberous other concerns of the township. Examples of these regulations are: --In 1851, the township board voted "that a five rail fence being a lawful fence and any person allowing stock to run at large between the first day of Nov. and Apr. 1st shall be liable and pay a fine of $ 1 for every offense." --In 1856, "E. Thomas moved that $100.00 be raised for the purpose of building a town pound, that Christ Windhorst be Pound Master, and that the pound be built in Lightsville." --In 1859, a bridge was built in district 6 near Jacob Willier's for $ 100. --In 1864, "Whereas the people of Leaf River have suffered great damage from the ravages of unruly hogs, cattle, and horses breaking into enclosures and destroying grain, therefore resolved that any hogs running at large and encroaching on fields may be shut up by the persons so injured after notifing the owner thereof." The fine for the owner was 25 cents a head every day the hog was shut up. The hog could be sold after 10 days and after all damages were paid, the money went to support the poor. For larger animals, such as horses, mules, and horned cattle, the cost was 50 cents a day. --In 1865, "At a special town meeting held in the town (township) of Leaf River and the county of Ogle and State of Illinois in the schoolhouse in Lightsville on the 28th day of January A.D., 1865, according to a notice previously given upon the application of the supervisor, town clerk, and Justices of the Peace and twelve free holders of the town for purpose of voting for a tax to pay a bounty to volunteers to fill quota for town of Leaf River under the late call by President Lincoln for 300,000 men." "The canvas of votes by ballot for the tax and against the tax at the special town meeting was: in favor of the tax -- 83, against the tax --3." --In 1869, "On a motion a penalty of $ 5.00 was imposed upon any persons plowing up sod in the highways for the purpose of scouring plows, and thereby injuring the highways." "Against purchasing a farm for the support of the county poor there were 133 votes. --In 1870, "On a motion of H.S. Marks, the County War Bonds now belonging to this town are to be appropriated to build bridges in said town and that the same be distributed to the several road districts in proportion to the territory in each carried." --in 1884, "Township meetings and elections were no longer held in Lightsville. They have been moved to Leaf River's Harness shop. |
Early Township Supervisors: |
Years Served: |
William C. Salsbury Elias Thomas Nathan Welch William C. Salsbury Elias Thomas Samuel J. Beeler Samuel McCreery Enos Butts Hiram S. Marks John W. Mack Lewis Kretsinger John W. Mack Joel B. Bertolet Soloman B. Bowerman Joseph H. Newcomer Martin Light Alfred Malone Joseph H. Newcomer Martin Light Chester Pyper Martin Light Dr. H.E. Bowerman Fannie Bowerman Harold Bowerman Wilbur Light Raymond Buker Ralph DeWitt Nancy Groen Emerson Baker Tobe Hagemann |
1850 1851 1852 1853 1854-1859 1860 1861 1862 1863-1864 1865-1866 1867-1869 1870-1872 1873-1877 1878-1879 1880-1885 1886-1889 1889-1897 1897-1899 1899-1905 1905-1911 1911-1913 1913-1943 1943 1943-1947 1947-1967 1967-1974 1974-1977 1977-1981 1981- ? |
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Lightsville |
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