McDonough ILGenWeb

This place is situated on the T. P. & W. railroad, on section 35. No regular survey has ever been made or plat recorded, and no effort ever put forth to make the place one of special importance, as it is but four and a half miles east of the town of Good Hope and about an equal distance west of Bushnell. Large quantities of fire clay are hauled here from various clay banks for shipment to Peoria and elsewhere. There is also considerable grain shipped from this place.

Scottsburg station was opened November 22, 1870, with Thomas Burley as agent. He has been succeeded by J. R. Smith, R. E. Harris and A. C. Ford, the present incumbent, who took charge of the office July 5, 1871.

A. C. Ford, son of John and Grace (Smith) Ford, is a native of Otsego county, New York, born May 2, 1843. He was there reared until he attained his 17th year, when he removed to Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, where he followed farming some six or seven months. He then returned to New York, going to Windsor, Broome county, where he enlisted in company G., 89th New York infantry, in October, 1861, being in the 9th army corps, under Burnsides. He took part in the engagements of Hatteras and Roanoke islands, and Washington court house, when he was stricken with typhoid fever and sent to the hospital. On leaving the hospital he went to Newport News and up the James river to reinforce McClellan, going as far as White House Landing, where the rebels were found to be retreating. He afterward participated in several engagements, among which were Fredericksburg and South Mountain, after which he went to David's Island, New York, where he received his discharge. After returning from the army he spent two or three years at Iowa City, Iowa, and after a residence of two or three years in New York, came to this county, where he has since resided. Mr. Ford was married July 9, 1867, to Esther J. Darwin, daughter of A. F. and Harriet Darwin, and a native of Cortland county, New York. Four children have been born to them--Anna Grace, DeWitt Kay, Albert W. and Alva L. Mr. Ford is a member of the A. O. U. W. fraternity, at Good Hope, and at present is the inside watchman of the lodge, and is also a member of the I. O. O. F. order. He has 86 acres of land in this county, and owns 1,200 acres in Weld county, Colorado.

POSTOFFICE

The postoffice at Scottsburg was established in 1872, and G. C. Pierce appointed postmaster.

ELEVATOR

In July, 1882, an elevator was erected by J. Cole & Co., of Bushnell, the firm being composed of J. Cole and A. C. Ford. The building is 26x64 feet in ground area, 50 feet to the comb of the roof, and has a capacity of 15,000 bushels. They also have side track facilities, Fairbanks scales, and operate what is termed a dump elevator. They buy mostly corn, rye and oats, their principal shipping points being eastern markets and the city of Peoria. They ship on average about 200 car loads per year.

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Source: The History of McDonough County, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, 1885, pages 1042-1043. Transcribed by Karl A. Petersen