Rural Township
The first settlers of Rural, which formerly formed a part of CoalValleyTownship, were Thomas and Davis Goodlow, brothers who built the first home on Section 29. John Farlow being the second, who came from Pre-emptionTownship at which place he was the first settler. He built the small house on section 30 of this township.
The first child born was a son f John Farlow, in 1839. The first marriage was that of David Goodlow and Nancy Farlow. Before 1840 the following people came to this township A.L. and A.N. Sayre, J.M. Wilson, Capt. J.A. Jordan and Daniel Valentine. Capt. Jordan and Mr. Valentine lived just over the line in Pre-emption, but most of their land being in Rural they finally built in this township.
The first school was taught by Seth Trego in a private home. The first schoolhouse was built in 1846 by by contributions by the following persons; Capt. J.A. Jordan, Albert N. Alonzo, and M. Sayre, J.M. Wilson, Daniel Valentine and William Crist. These people also contributed money to hire the first teacher, Mr. Shedd.
Robert Middleham, Patrick Campbell, Henry Brown, Charles Wilkinson, Michael Ballman, Phillip Deal and Alexander Gordon all of whom had families, arrived in what is now known as Rural Township, about 1848. At the time the nearest village was six miles away at Milan, which was then called Camden Mills. Rock Island was the nearest post office.
Alexander Bailey who won the name of “Old Satan” among his neighbors, was also among the early Rural settlers. He squatted on and held the southwest corner of Section 1. His place was soon known as “Satan’s Kingdom” and for many years it was still referred to as “The Kingdom”.
In 1851 Francis Bailey settled on a farm in section 11 and soon thereafter a schoolhouse was built on his land, which is still known as Baileys Schoolhouse
In 1851 William and Charles Bailey, with their families, lived in the only log house in what is known as CoalValley
John C. Bailey related that when he arrived in Rock Island, in 1849, that he worked for $4 a month and got a grocery order for pay. The family settled in RuralTownship in 1851. They broke prairie for several years with oxen from four to six to a plow. On one occasion they broke forty acres of land for a neighbor and received pay of $80 all in silver. Soon they broke another forty for another neighbor and made the same money.