Noble, Illinois

Noble
Village
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Richland
Elevation	478 ft (146 m)
Coordinates	38°41′54″N 88°13′20″W / 38.69833°N 88.22222°W / 38.69833; -88.22222Coordinates: 38°41′54″N 88°13′20″W / 38.69833°N 88.22222°W / 38.69833; -88.22222
Area	1.03 sq mi (3 km2)
- land	1.02 sq mi (3 km2)
- water	0.00 sq mi (0 km2)
Population	746 (2000)
Density	728.7/sq mi (281/km2)
Mayor	Dick Clark
Timezone	CST (UTC-6)
- summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Postal code	62868
Area code	618
Location of Noble within Illinois
Website: http://www.nobleillinois.com/

Noble is a village in Richland County, Illinois, United States. The population was 746 at the 2000 census.

Noble Township was settled first by the Evans family who came in 1818. L.L. Allender, who had a ferry across Muddy River on the old "trace road," was also an early settler. James Broughton, Arvin Webster, William Elliott, Owen Coats and Lemuel Truitt were also early prominent citizens of the township. Lemuel Truitt came to Richland County in 1839 from Lawrence County, Illinois having come there in 1837. Truitt was from Maryland and was a progressive individual, although like many of the pioneers, he was uneducated. He soon became a businessman and a civic leader.

The land in Noble and the surrounding land was originally deeded by President Fillmore to Lemuel Truitt in 1853. It has been established that Lemuel Truitt was the first settler to come out of the wooded area and across the prairie to live in what later became Noble. Noble was laid out in 1862 by Judge Alfred Kitchell of Olney and Mr. Truitt gave Judge Kitchell certain lots in Noble as payment. The village consisted of 20 blocks of 16 lots each, paralleling the railroad. Mr. Truitt donated the land to the village for the lots now used by some of the churches, the park and the recreational grounds west of the park. Prior to the platting, a Methodist church had been built and at the time of incorporation in 1862 the population had grown to 600.

Most of the early settlers of Noble were of Anglo-Saxon lineage and many came from Kentucky and Tennessee. The Patterson families came from Ireland, settled in Kentucky and then settled at Noble in 1867. The McDowell families were also natives of Northern Ireland, coming to Noble before the Civil War. In the late 1850s many settlers of Noble were well-to-do persons who came from New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio to make their homes. Many came on the train and they liked the location.Noble Railroad

There are several stories as to how the town got its name. One story is that a large number of settlers came from Noble County, Ohio. Another is that the first contractor to construct a part of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, running between Clay City and Noble, was Noble Irish. It was also reported that several families bearing that name lived near Noble. No doubt there are other versions, but none have been verified.

Noble began as a large prairie. A two-story brick schoolhouse was built about 1865 in the south part of town. The Abbots, Taylors, Pattersons and McDowells first organized the Noble Christian Church in the Brushville School area many years ago. The church was eventually moved from the country to Noble where a lot was given by Hugh M. Sanderson. The church met for many years in the old frame building on Route 250 but in 1951 the beautiful new church was erected in the western part of the village.Noble Christian Church The Noble Methodist Church, built in 1865 on land deeded by Lemuel Truitt, was a frame building. This was used until 1985 when it was sold to the Glenwood Christian Church and moved to the site of the Glenwood Church where it was used for many years until the present block church was built. A red brick building was built by the Methodists in 1895 on the same lot. This Church was destroyed by fire in 1951 and was rebuilt and dedicated in 1953. The old Southern Baptist Church had a frame building located near the Noble Grade School. It was used until about 1918 when the congregation disbanded. The church was a member of the old Olney Baptist Association. Later the furnishings were removed and the old church was used as a basketball court for Noble School. The Church of Christ at Noble was established by families who came to Noble during the oil boom in the late thirties. The old Brushville School was purchased and moved to the northeast part of the village and used for worship services for a period of time.