Facts about "Henpeck and Oblong"

Some may know the story behind the name of "Henpeck" but being fairly new here I found this very interesting.
There is a few theories how Oblong had gotten the name "Henpeck" one theory was that there were some stalwart wives, with fast right hands and trained to a razors edge. Another thought was that sagacious fowl sat atop the tallest houses and surveyed all comers.

From what I have read this is how "Henpeck" got it's name.

There was a man by the name of Henry Peck, who was the first store keeper in the township. His store was said to be in the South-eastern part, where the Watts Cemetery now stands. Since it was the only store for miles around everyone wouls say "Let's go over to Hen Peck's store." As more homes and business establishments sprang up in the Village, it became know as "Henpeck". The Village of Oblong was given it's original name in 1854.

In the early days before there were any inhabitants here, except the roving Indians, "Henpeck" was called the "Oblong Prairie" by hunters and trappers, who's headquarters were in Fort Sackville at Vincennes, Indiana.

It was called "Oblong" because of it's roughly shaped oblong outline; "Prairie" because it was covered by heavy prairie grass in contrast to the timbers and brush covering most of the territory of Illinois.

A mill was built in 1832 by George Miller, which was powered by a horse on a treadmill. The mill was a combination grist and saw mill. Most of the rough lumber was used to build early structures.

There also was a distillery in the northeast cornor and a blacksmith shop, operated by Jesse Barlow in 1849. In 1859 John McCrillis operated a tannery.

The only road followed the contour of Route 33, until 1852 when Range Street was estiblished. In 1854 the first Post Office was established and the first postmaster was D.W. Odell Sr.

This information was passed on to me by The Oblong Chamber of Commerce.