The Beginning of Anchor
excepts from "History 
of Lawndale, Martin and
Anchor Townships and 
the Villages of Colfax
and Anchor" by Muriel
Martens Hoffman

Anchor Township was 
formed from Cropsey Twp. 
In 1877.

William Stackpole of 
Pekin was the first man 
to commence any farming 
operation in Anchor 
Township. He came in May 
1855, with 3 teams and 
some helpers to commence 
spring work on the 2,320 
acres he had bought 
earlier. 

It was 1858 before this 
area was organized into 
a political unit. The 
tract, 9 miles by 6 
miles, became known as 
Cropsey Township, named 
for a resident and 
large farm owner, Col. 
A.J. Cropsey. 

In 1860, there were only 
25 families in the 
township, with a 
population of 140. After 
the Civil War ended 
in 1865, settlers poured 
into the area, and soon 
all the land was taken 
up. The 1870 census lists 
147 families. 

Below is a photo of the 
interior of St. John's 
Lutheran Church
 
circa 1910.

1st Row, L - R: Hilda Simpson, Margaret Brethorst, Clara Roesch, Marvin Brandt, Velna Bielfeldt, Helen Hardies, Minnie Reicks, Vera Nickman, Lavern Lage, Lorene Stroh.
Back Row, L - R: Carl Stroh's boy, Otto Brandt's boy, Fred Bielfeldts boy, Herman Beecher's boy, Lambert Brethorst boy, Meiners boy, Otto Hensen boy, Retter boy. Rev. A. Hahn in Back

1st Row, 2nd from left, Wilma Fern Stroh, about age 11 (born 1911)
Back Row, 2nd from right, Marvin A. Stroh, about age 13 (born 1909) Rev. A. Hahn in Back

*Photos courtesy of Gail Hahn Hutchcraft

St. John's Lutheran Church Cemetery, Anchor Twp, McLean Co., IL 1994:
Back to Mclean County, Illinois Heritage