Place:Hittle, Tazewell, Illinois, United States

source: Family History Library Catalog

Hittle Township is located in Tazewell County, Illinois. The population was 658 at the 2000 census. Hittle Township was originally called Union Township. The name was changed from Union to Waterford Township on May 20, 1850, and again from Waterford to Armington Township in August, 1850. Armington was changed to Hittle though on November 11 of that same year.

TOWNSHIP HISTORY Hittle Township

   George Hittle, Jonas Hittle his son, and John W. Judy left Ohio in the fall of 1925 and in February 1826, they settled in Hittle Township.  George Hittle was the patriarch of the new community and the grove where they settled and the township has taken his name.  In the following year, William Burt and the Hainline families settled near by.  William Hieronymous settled on the east fork of Sugar Creek in 1828. Jacob Albright came in 1829, Joseph Richmond in 1830.  Martin J Staffer the same year, and Thos. Burt in 1833.
   In 1841 two eastern men, Armington and Hazelton, opened a store and Armington Post Office took its name from the former.
   The wealth of the Hittle township, for many years, was largely confined to the southern half of the township which was mostly timberland.  Now the northern part of Hittle township is one of the most fertile and highly cultivated sections in the county.
   The main stream is Sugar Creek, which enters the township a little east of the center on the north and flows southward, leaving the township at a point a little west of the center on the south.
   The Hittle Grove Christian Church is one of the oldest churches in the county, and was organized about the year 1828 at the house of John W. Judy.  The Judys, Burts, Hittles, Hainlines and others were among the first members.  The present building was erected about 1860 and was removed from its original site to where it now stands. The new building in the near future.  The church has always been a vigorous organization. The membership at the present time numbers 250 and the Sunday school 150.  The church societies are the Y.P.S.C.E. and the Woman's Aid.  Elder W. Deweese is the present pastor.  There is also a church of this denomination at Hieronymous Grove, which was built and paid for by Enoch Hieronymous in 1869.  For many years this church was a prosperous one, but many of the members connected themselves with other congregations, and there has been no regular service for some ten or twelve years.  They have Sunday school, and the house is used for funeral purposes.
   The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized about 65 years ago at Hittle Grove. About 1857 a part of its members organized a separate society, part going to Armington and part to Boynton, according to convenience.  The present church building is located in Armington and its membership is not as large as it was some years ago. Among the earlier members were John Burwell, Isaac Carr, Joseph Kelley, A.E. Forbes and others.

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