Vinegar Hill Township

Jo Daviess County, Illinois

The Township of Vinegar Hill was first settled because of its mines; in fact, farming was little thought of by the early settlers until the sober second-thought of its early settlers began to assert itself. One of the earliest mines in the county was worked in this township and was known as the "Old Cave Range." It is very difficult to ascertain who were its first settlers, but it is very probable that John Furlong and Harvey Mann were among the first to settle in the township, although Jacob Doxey, George Todd and Thomas Allinson were early residents of the township. Richard Spensley, the father of the writer, settled in the township in 1852, and operated a lead furnace in the western portion. He had, however, reached Galena in 1839. There are no villages or cities within the township. Its mining interests seem now (1903) to be taking on a new lease of life.

(This section is taken from the book "History of Jo Daviess County  1904)

Return to Cities & Townships

Send comments & suggestions to our County Coordinator