Abraham Smith - From the Centennial Program

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Abraham Smith came to Illinois from Tennessee and homesteaded 1,000 acres near Vermilion Grove, where he married Mary Canaday. He wanted to venture out on the prairie, -to the south. but was warned against the daring idea of farming where no one else had tried. In 1839, he moved to his farm on the glacial ridge and proudly called it his Farm on the Ridge or Ridge Farm. His wife said later that things did look bleak and rough when she came there to live on Christmas Day. He established a Post Office and was the first Postmaster. He opened a blacksmith shop, an inn and a general store. Since there was no other stopping place for miles for the stage coach between Danville and Paris, he was obliged to "keep tavern" for the travelers. Four-horse coaches were put on the route the following spring for daily trips througl1 the village.

abrahamsmith Abraham Lincoln, Danville's young lawyer, was a frequent guest at the tavern as he traveled his circuit. A register of guests was kept and it included his name. Mrs. Frances Foster Rafferty. now of Florida, recalls her great-grandmother, Matilda Harvey, Mr. Smith's daughter. telling her of sitting on his lap while he told her stories when he was at Smith's tavern.
Lydia Smith Pierce, another daughter, lived in the home place and is mentioned elsewhere in this history.
Abraham Smith plotted 13 lots on the west side of the State road on November I 0, 1853. Thomas Haworth, J. W. Thompson, A. B. Whinrey

each made additions. R. H. Davis, J. H. Banta, and H. C. Smith followed suit. The center of town was near the Big Four Railroad. The pump still standing between the present elevator and lumber yard was the Town Pump. Farmers watered their horses when they brought grain to the elevator. There was a tin cup fastened to the pump for everyone to quench his thirst.
The township, organized by the county in 1850, was named Elwood for an English Quaker writer.
Abraham Smith built a steam mill three storie􀁚 high, costing $ I 0,000, which was burned out in 1863.

Abraham Smith, a venturous farmer, moved his farm from Tennessee to the glacial ridge in 1839 and called it his "Farm on the Ridge" or "Ridge Farm." He opened a post office, blacksmith shop, inn, tavern and a general store.