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NAVIGATION
LaSalle
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History at
Rays Place
Also see [ Railway Officials in America 1906
] NEW
Rays
Place
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In the early period of its history this township had timber on fully one half of its area. On account of its
fimber and water advantages it was one of the first townships in the county to find settlers, the southern portion
having attracted the first settlers. In this township are the villages of Marseilles and Seneca, the former of
which now has a goodly amount of city facilities and advantages.
William Richey, a native of Pennsylvania, came to the county in October, 1829, and located a claim in section 17
of this township. In the following year he sold this to Abraham Trumbo, and in 1831 he located land in section
18. The following winter he here built a cabin, the first house in what is now Marseilles. The first white child
born at Marseilles, James Richey, was able to claim this pioneer cabin as the place of his nativity. Other pioneer
settlers in. the ‘30s were Abner and Abdolonymous Stebbins, Lovell Kimball, S. P. Moore, Viraldi Morey, Hanson
Morey, Nelson Morey, John and Thomas Harrington, Joseph Brumbach, Christopher, Jonathan and Israel Massey, Dr.
Robert P. and James H. Woodworth, Ephraim Sprague, Abel Sprague, Delphus Clark, William R. Loring, Jacob Reser,
Nathaniel Neece, James Dyke, Seth Otis, John Loring, David Loring, Richard Ives, Horace Sabin, Reuben Simmons,
Giles W. Jackson (first supervisor of the township), and Samuel Bullock.
The township was created in 1850, with the following officials: Supervisor, Giles W. Jackson; clerk, I. Massey;
assessor, D. Clark; collector, Ira Baker; highway commissioners, John Higgins, J. W. Massey, D. C. Underhill; justices
of the peace, D. Clark, John Richey; constables, Ira Baker, S. Gum.
The Village of Seneca was here founded and platted by Jeremiah Crotty, and for a number of years was known as Crotty
Village. Seneca was incorporated in 1858, and it grew rapidly until 1879, in March of which year virtually the
entire business district was destroyed by fire. Courage and determination soon overcame the effects of this disaster,
and the town has continued as a prosperous trading point and attractive place of residence.
FROM:
History of LaSalle County, Illinois
By: Michael Cyprian O'Byron
The Lewis Pullishing Company
Chicago and New York
1924
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