Ellsworth, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Ellsworth is a village in Dawson Township
, McLean County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 195 at the 2010 Census. It is part of the Bloomington
–Normal
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
, the village has a total area of 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), all of it land.
Ellsworth was laid out on 6 December 1871 by Jonathan H. Cheney (1833 -1920) and Almon Brigham Ives (1816 - 1887) and Oliver Ellsworth, whom the town was named after. Cheney was one of three sons of early McLean County settler Jonathan Cheney active in promoting the Lafayette Bloomington and Mississippi Railroad; when his brother, Haines Cheney, was in the Illinois Senate he had helped to arrange the charter of the railroad. Almon B. Ives was a Bloomington
lawyer specializing in land law; both Jonathan Cheney and Almon B. Ives were on the board of directors of the new railroad. In 1876 the railroad was leased to the Lake Erie and Western Railroad
and 1879 was incorporated into that road. Construction began on the railroad in 1869 .The new townsite occupied forty acres on each side of the tracks. The plan of Ellsworth was almost identical to that of Arrowsmith. A two hundred foot swath of railroad land cut the town into two almost equal parts. Most of the early commercial development was along Main Street south of the tracks. The depot was on the south side of the tracks and the early elevator on the north side.
Selling of Ellsworth at Auction.
In November of 1871 an advertisement appeared in the Bloomington
Pantagraph saying that on 8 November an auction of 150 lots would be held at the site of the new town. The advertisement praised the fertility of the surrounding countryside and stressed that the farms were of moderate size. Readers were told that the new town would be the logical point for shipping grain They were also told that by shipping from Ellsworth their grain would go throughToledo
, “avoiding the grain scalpers of Chicago.” All interested people were to gather at the Illinois Central Depot in Bloomington at 9:00 in the morning. A free train would take them to the site of the new town. A free lunch would be provided and Bloomington brewers Meyer and Wochner would provide the beer. Some two hundred people consumed two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred and fifty pounds of boiled ham, sixty barrels of cheese and a barrel of crackers. A. J. Wampler bought the first lot. Most lots sold at from forty to sixty-five dollars.
Development of Ellsworth
Many local merchants were attracted to the new town. John Campbell moved his store from Stumptown about four miles south of Ellsworth. Stumptown was soon totally abandoned. Edwards and Wampler moved their stock from a store in rural Blue Mound Township and were soon reported to be doing a thriving trade; Wampler became the first post master. Henry Vandervoort and Joseph Pierce opened a hardware store in 1873. August Flint had a wagon shop. The town founders donated, “a good lot,” for a church. In 1872 regular freight service began along the new railroad. Many new houses were built. Grain was soon being purchased and shipped. History of McLean County, Illinois After a brief boom the population soon exceeded two hundred, but growth soon slowed.
was 1145.7 PD/sqmi. There were 95 housing units at an average density of 401.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 94.10% White, 0.37% African American, 2.95% Native American, 1.11% from other races
, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.
There were 92 households, out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.7% were married couples
living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone, who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.43.
In the village, the population was spread out with 31.7% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $45,714 and the median income for a family was $53,333. Males had a median income of $32,237 versus $24,688 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $18,439. None of the families and 1.5% of the population were living below the poverty line.
Dawson Township, McLean County, Illinois
Dawson Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 668 at the 2000 census. Dawson Township was originally named Lee Township, but changed to Padua Township on May 17, 1858, and then to Dawson on an unknown date....
, McLean County
McLean County, Illinois
McLean County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. McLean County is included in the Bloomington–Normal, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 169,572, which is an increase of 12.7% from 150,433 in 2000. Its county seat is...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 195 at the 2010 Census. It is part of the Bloomington
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
–Normal
Normal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), all of it land.
History
Founding and Original Design of EllsworthEllsworth was laid out on 6 December 1871 by Jonathan H. Cheney (1833 -1920) and Almon Brigham Ives (1816 - 1887) and Oliver Ellsworth, whom the town was named after. Cheney was one of three sons of early McLean County settler Jonathan Cheney active in promoting the Lafayette Bloomington and Mississippi Railroad; when his brother, Haines Cheney, was in the Illinois Senate he had helped to arrange the charter of the railroad. Almon B. Ives was a Bloomington
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
lawyer specializing in land law; both Jonathan Cheney and Almon B. Ives were on the board of directors of the new railroad. In 1876 the railroad was leased to the Lake Erie and Western Railroad
Lake Erie and Western Railroad
The Lake Erie and Western Railroad was a railroad that operated in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.-The beginning:The Seney Syndicate linked several short railroads in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to form the Lake Erie and Western Railroad in 1879 and 1880...
and 1879 was incorporated into that road. Construction began on the railroad in 1869 .The new townsite occupied forty acres on each side of the tracks. The plan of Ellsworth was almost identical to that of Arrowsmith. A two hundred foot swath of railroad land cut the town into two almost equal parts. Most of the early commercial development was along Main Street south of the tracks. The depot was on the south side of the tracks and the early elevator on the north side.
Selling of Ellsworth at Auction.
In November of 1871 an advertisement appeared in the Bloomington
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
Pantagraph saying that on 8 November an auction of 150 lots would be held at the site of the new town. The advertisement praised the fertility of the surrounding countryside and stressed that the farms were of moderate size. Readers were told that the new town would be the logical point for shipping grain They were also told that by shipping from Ellsworth their grain would go throughToledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, “avoiding the grain scalpers of Chicago.” All interested people were to gather at the Illinois Central Depot in Bloomington at 9:00 in the morning. A free train would take them to the site of the new town. A free lunch would be provided and Bloomington brewers Meyer and Wochner would provide the beer. Some two hundred people consumed two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred and fifty pounds of boiled ham, sixty barrels of cheese and a barrel of crackers. A. J. Wampler bought the first lot. Most lots sold at from forty to sixty-five dollars.
Development of Ellsworth
Many local merchants were attracted to the new town. John Campbell moved his store from Stumptown about four miles south of Ellsworth. Stumptown was soon totally abandoned. Edwards and Wampler moved their stock from a store in rural Blue Mound Township and were soon reported to be doing a thriving trade; Wampler became the first post master. Henry Vandervoort and Joseph Pierce opened a hardware store in 1873. August Flint had a wagon shop. The town founders donated, “a good lot,” for a church. In 1872 regular freight service began along the new railroad. Many new houses were built. Grain was soon being purchased and shipped. History of McLean County, Illinois After a brief boom the population soon exceeded two hundred, but growth soon slowed.
Demographics
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 271 people, 92 households and 72 families, residing in the village. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1145.7 PD/sqmi. There were 95 housing units at an average density of 401.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 94.10% White, 0.37% African American, 2.95% Native American, 1.11% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.
There were 92 households, out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone, who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.43.
In the village, the population was spread out with 31.7% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $45,714 and the median income for a family was $53,333. Males had a median income of $32,237 versus $24,688 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $18,439. None of the families and 1.5% of the population were living below the poverty line.