County of town: McDonough County
Location of town: east-central area of county: Crossroads of US-136 & IL-11
Founded: 1856
Elevation: 688 ft (210 m)
Population: 96 (2021)
"In March, 1854, section 22 of Tennessee township, was selected by L. C. Bacon, T. K. Waddill and S. Cockerham as a site upon which to establish the present thriving little village of Tennessee. Work along the line of the C. B. & Q., railroad had already commenced, which, from the survey, passed through the above named section, and was undoubtedly the reason these above named gentlemen attempted the establishment of this place. No better location could have then been chosen than the beautiful prairie about one mile south of Crooked creek. During the month of March, a large number of lots, 50 feet front and 110 feet deep, were laid out on either side of the proposed line of road, the two main streets running parallel with the railroad. For about four years there were rapid strides toward a town of considerable importance, and soon became quite a business point, but since 1858 the progress has been impeded and slow. Although the class of buildings has been improved and the stores enlarged, the number of inhabitants at present is scarcely more than several years ago. The place was incorporated as a town June 7, 1865, and as a village November 25, 1872. While there may be nothing really remarkable in the developments of the past, or anything particular striking in the present, still there is much which cannot fail to be of interest to those who have been closely connected and identified with the town in all the various changes which have occurred from year to year.
THE BEGINNING
"The first building on the site of the present town of Tennessee, was a house erected from clap-boards, by Abraham Cherry, in the fall of 1854. It was located two or three rods northeast of where the pottery now stands, and has since been removed. In the spring of 1860, Mr. Cherry removed to Colchester, and about the year 1876, emigrated to Nebraska. He was from Ohio and had a family.
"Mr. Jarvis put up the second house, which was a frame structure. The pine for the building was purchased at Dallas, Hancock county, while the remainder of the material was purchased in this county. While the house was in course of erection, William Cook and John Rhea commenced the construction of homes, assisting each other in turn. Mr. Jarvis entirely completed his house first, but these other two gentlemen occupied their houses before Mr. Jarvis was ready to have his family enter his new home.
"The first store operated in Tennessee was by B. M. Beach, from Hill's Grove. He commenced business in the latter part of the year 1854, in a building erected by Allen Averill, on the present site of Ellis' restaurant. He kept a small stock of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, etc., and continued in business about a year, when he disposed of the same to William Lattimer, who run the business several years. This latter named gentleman went to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1865, and later to Abingdon, Illinois, where he afterward died. Eaton and Jarvis also operated this business about four years, buying the same of Lattimer.
"Milton Johnson, from St. Mary's, Illinois, came to the town of Tennessee in company with his family, in the early part of 1855. He put a general stock of goods into a building where Houck's blacksmith shop now stands, and continued in business until 1861, when he closed it out entirely and removed to Missouri.
"A Quincy firm came shortly after Johnson, and put in a stock of dry goods and clothing. After a short time one of the partners died and the other then returned to Quincy.
"The firm of Tolon, Sidwell & Company established business in Tennessee in the early part of 1855. This firm ran about five years, when J. S. Douglass, the company of the firm, purchased the interest of his partners.
"The first physician to cast his lot among the inhabitants of the village of Tennessee, was Dr. W. R. Pittman, who is still engaged in practice here.
"The undertaking business was first represented in Tennessee by William McKenzie, in 1860, who still continues to operate the same." ~ McDonough ILGenWeb