Chapter I. (pages
11-17)
- Cass County * Early
Notes on Illinois * The French Travelers and Explorers * The
Indians * Wars of the Iroquois and Kickapoos * Legend of
Monsoela * Different Owners of Illinois * Beardstown Mound
* Purchase of the Country from the Indians * Miscellaneous,
Etc.
Chapter II. (pages
18-24)
- Settlements of the
Country Not Included in Cass County * Some of the Pioneers and
Where They Settled * The Sangamo Country * Its Fertility
* Prairie Schooners * First Land Entry * Beard's Ferry
* Beard & Marsh's Entry of Land * First Settlers in Beardstown
* Deed of Defeasance * Going to Egypt for Corn * Arrival of
Other Settlers * The Entry of Land, Etc., Etc., Etc.
Chapter III. (pages
25-35)
- Increase of Population
* The Deep Snow of 1830 * The Black Hawk War * Rendezvous
of Soldiers at Beardstown * Cause of Dr. Chandler's Settlement
* Meeting Between Him and Abraham Lincoln * Business of
Beardstown in 1834 * The Early Log Cabins * Yankees and Yankee
Tricks * Corn Bread, Etc., Etc., Etc.
Chapter IV. (pages
36-51)
- Organization of Cass
County * The Convention at Rushville * Legislative Act
Creating the County * Other Acts * First Election for Officers
* The Number of Voters * An Incident of a Wolf * The Cold
Day of 1837 * Location of the County Seat * Scarity of Money
* The County Machinery Put in Motion * The Courts * Trouble
From Horse Thieves * Eugene Honorius * The Census, Etc.
Chapter V. (pages
52-65)
- Fertile Lands of Cass
* Its Geological Formations * Coal Measures * Different
Deposits * Coal * Building Stone * Legislative
Representatives from Cass County * Principal County Officers
Since Formation * Illinois River Items, Etc.
Chapter VI. (pages
66-71)
- Agriculture of Cass
County * Farming in the Primitive Times * Improved Farm
Implements * Agricultural Fairs and Associations * Lists of
Officers * Cass County Park Association * Its Organization,
Etc. * Fine Stock of the County * Short Horn Herds, Etc.
* The Railroads, Etc.
Chapter VII. (pages
72-78)
- Virginia Precinct
* Description, Boundaries and Topography * Western Pioneer
Life * Settlement of the Precinct by White People * Character
of the Pioneers * Their Trials, Troubles and Hardships * Early
Improvements and Industries * Roads, Bridges, etc. * Schools
* The First School-houses * Early Teachers * Present
Educational Facilities * Churches and Preachers * Old Shiloh
Church * Miscellaneous, etc.
Chapter VIII. (pages
79-90)
- City of Virginia -- Its
Birth, Location and Growth * Sale of Lots, and Additions to the
Town * Dr. Hall, Founder of Virginia * First House and Store
* Public Square and Court House * Business in the West End
* The Present Business Center * Hotels, Mills, etc.
* Doctors and Lawyers * Banking Business * Incorporation of
the City * Municipal Offices * Summary, etc.
Chapter IX. (pages
91-96)
- Virginia -- Its Growth
and Development as a City * The Era of Railroads * Project of
Building the Illinois River Railroad * The Ohio and Mississsippi,
etc. * Newspapers of Virgnia * First Paper Establish in the
Town * The Present City Press * Court Houses and the County
Seat Question * The Jail * Miscellaneous, etc.
Chapter X. (pages
97-107)
- Virginia -- Religious
History * First Churches and Preachers * The Different
Denominations and Their Temples of Worship * Sunday Schools, etc.
* Educational -- The Early Schools of Virginia * Pioneer
Teachers * The Public Schools * C. P. College * War History
* Secret and Benevolent Institutions, etc.
Chapter XI. (pages
108-121)
- Beardstown City and
Precinct * Laying Out of the Town * Its Location
* Organization * First Officers * The County Seat Question
* Churches * Schools * The Press * Railroads * The
Professions * Early Settlers * Business Interests * War
Record, Etc.
Chapter XII. (pages
122-132)
- Chandlerville
Precinct--Topographical Features * Pioneer Times * Early
Families * Educational * Societies * Mills * Village of
Chandlerville
Chapter XIII. (pages
133-142)
- Ashland Precinct --
Physical Features * Early Settlers * Pioneer Times
* Schools and Churches * The Village of Ashland
Chapter XIV. (pages
143-152)
Chapter XV. (pages
155-159)
- Princeton Precinct --
General Description * Boundaries, Topography and Surface Features
* The Early Settlement * Pioneer Hardships * First Mill,
and Other Improvements * Walnut Grove School-house * Present
Schools * Churches * Old Princeton, and its Business
Enterprise * Little Indian Village
Chapter XVI. (pages
160-165)
- Richmond Precinct --
Physical Features * Indians * Pioneer Times * Early
Settlers * Schools, Churches and Stores
Chapter XVII. (pages
166-169)
- Philadelphia Precinct
-- Descriptive * Topography and Physical Features
* Organization as a Precinct * The Settlement of the Whites
* Their Life on the Frontier * Pioneer Improvements
* Churches, Schools, etc. * Philadelphia and Lancaster * A
Lost City, etc.
Chapter XVIII. (pages
170-177)
- Monroe Precinct --
Description * Physical Features * Settlement and Pioneer Times
* Growth and Improvement * Churches, Schools, etc.
Chapter XIX. (pages
178-182 )
- Oregon Precinct --
Description and Settlement * Pioneer Life * Indians
* Churches and Schools
Chapter XX. (pages
183-191)
- Hickory Precinct --
Physical Features * First Settlement and Subsequent Growth
* Progress of Industries and Improvements * Churches and
Schools