Georgetown High School - Buffalo Yearbook (Georgetown, IL)

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. .. . 1 f -L.-f , 11 -'..J2' WYQEP, . 1, ,S , 'f' P ' LY' 15' ii - W' ls. 1 -4 A l ' .' .4 , 1 I. X dr , ' . f all ' ,ig 'rs ' 'L9, gil! E-'Ic'5'f'Ii.15I 27' ' A 'G 7 'A gif is A Century of Life in Georgetown UNE, 1927, marks the completion of one hundred years since George- town became a town. The original plot of the town was laid out by James Haworth, in March, and acknowledged before Esquire Asa Elliott, June 5, 1827. It contained four blocks of eight lots each and the only two streets were State Street, running north and south, and West Street crossing it at right angles. The streets were sixty feet wide with the public square at their center as it is at the present time. There is some question as to the naming of the town. Some assert that Mr. Haworth named it for his son George, who was a crippleg others say that since Danville had been named for Dan Beckwith, Mr. Haworth decided to divide the sympathies of the Beckwith family by naming his town in honor of George Beckwith. Probably both considerations had something to do with fixing the name of the town. Mr. Haworth is said to have measured off the town with a grape vine cut a rod long because he was afraid that if he called in a surveyor Mr. Nelson R. Moore would hear of it and plot a town first. The vine must have stretched sometimes as some lots are longer than others. The first building in Georgetown was a doctor's office, the next a blacksmith shop and the next a store, merely an inclosure made of poles, which stood on the square where Dukes' cafe is now located. This store was built by Samuel Brazelton and here a little stock of goods was kept for sale. The first log cabin, put -up where the post office now stands, was built in 1827, and was raised by the help of all the men for miles around. Nelson R. Moore, who was one of the oldest settlers, moved to George- town from North Carolina in 1825. He moved here with an ox team, coming in an old fashioned prairie schooner and made his first cabin just southwest of Georgetownwhere his descendents still live. Mr. Moore did a great deal towards settling this part of the country. Benjamin Canaday and Abraham Frazier were among the first to engage in the mercantile business in Georgetown. Mr. Canaday continued for many years to be the leading merchant of Georgetown and built a two- story brick block on the southeast corner of the square. This building had in it a very famous counting room and it was here that Mr. Canaday is said to have entertained Abraham Lincoln who passed through George- town on his circuit riding. Abner Frazier, the brother of Abraham Frazier, came here from Tennessee in 1828 and for a while clerked in his brother's store. His two sons carried on the business and the Frazier store is still doing business under J. A. Frazier, great-grandson of Abner Frazier. This is without doubt the oldest business in Geogetown. Elam Henderson was another man prominent among the early set- tlers. Uncle Elam and Uncle Benjy Canaday were both good Quakers and gave freely toward the erection of a Friends' church but one of them wanted a belfry and one didn't. At last a compromise was made and a belfry was built apart from the church. This tower was a landmark for many years and was.only torn down when the Friends' church was re- modeled a few years ago. rf .... , - -s-A, 'ZA M-N . 1 , 'R 2 Pg F fi l lii six, - . -.Hi ll H l1m,,,,,,, ,, N ,Q-nrrn llli gilll ll .l liimllllilll i Y 8 G - . ' :li 1'-Qxgdhisg Q if if ,,. ,. 1 'V w Q' 7 .Qt vfei? if-'I