Sunbury Township, Livingston County, Illinois
| Sunbury Township | |
|---|---|
| Township | |
 Location in Livingston County |
|
 Livingston County's location in Illinois |
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Livingston |
| Established | November 3, 1857 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 36.5 sq mi (95 km2) |
| • Land | 36.5 sq mi (95 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 229 |
| • Density | 6.3/sq mi (2.4/km2) |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
Sunbury Township is located in Livingston County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, its population was 229 and it contained 103 housing units. Contains 1,035 square miles of territory.
According to the 2010 census, the township has a total area of 36.5 square miles (95 km2), all land. The township consists primarily of farmland.
Sunbury Township was named by William K. Brown after his former town in Pennsylvania. The township was organized April 6, 1858, by the election of J. O. Corey as supervisor; J. S. Cumming, clerk; T. F. Norton, assessor; A. S. Blakeslee, collector; Andrew Sprague, John Gower and R. C. Myer as commissioner of highways; Isaac Ames and A. J. Hopkins, constables. Only 19 votes were cast at the election.
The early settlers of Sunbury Township found mostly rolling prairie with little timber. Early settlement was primarily near Mud Creek in the southwest corner of the township.
Andrew Sprague was the first known settler in the township. He was a native of New York. He arrived in 1835 and located his claim in timber on the banks of Mud Creek. Andrew’s brother, Ephraim, briefly settled in area before moving on.
John V. Hilton settled in the area in 1842 making the journey overland from Buffalo, New York. He was a soldier in the War of 1812.
Jacob Longnecker and his family arrived in the township in 1844. He was born in Pennsylvania, but had lived several years in Kentucky and Indiana. He traveled overland with horse and oxen, bringing his sheep, cattle and hogs with him. He first lived in a cabin which had been erected by Ephraim Sprague. He and his son Sylvester built a new home and the cabin was converted into a blacksmith shop.
E. G. Rice settled in the area in 1847. He was a native of Maine which he left in 1845 staying a year in Michigan and then a year in Kendall County, Illinois. He would later move on to southern Illinois. His son, George, became a resident of Pontiac, Illinois.
Luther Smith also arrived in 1847. He settled out on the prairie two miles south of where the town of Blackstone is now located. His farm had always been known as "Smith’s Mound."
James Hill and family and James P. Hadley and wife settled in 1848. Hadley was one of the organizers of the township and assisted in appraising the school lands in 1853. The lands ranging from $5 to $8 per acre in value. He also assisted in organizing the districts of road and school purpose. John Blackmore and son Henry came here in 1849, having previously lived in Danville and Ottawa, Illinois.
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