of the public square. This building was dedicated on August 14, 1859. The English retained the old cemetery, while the Germans laid out a cemetery adjacent to it. On April 10, 1892, the German congregation dedicated a new building, the present Moravian Church. Eventually the German American group began using the English language and gradually came to accept American ways. On June 13, 1925, the two congregations were reunited. The two cemeteries, which were gradually growing together, also were united at that time. West Salem was not incorporated until 1857. When the Moravians first began arriving in the area, and Martin Hauser realized there was potential for a settlement, the group chose the name "New Salem", since they had traveled to Illinois from Salem, North Carolina. However, when it came time to establish a post office, it was discovered that Illinois already had a New Salem located near Springfield, where Abraham Lincoln had lived and operated a store. Accordingly, the settlers had to choose a new name and decided to call their village "West Salem", because it lay west of Salem, North Carolina, where they had come from. To the confusion of travelers ever since, this left West Salem east of Salem, Illinois, incorporated two years earlier. Records of the Illinois Secretary of State show that the official incorporation of West Salem took place on February 8, 1857. The settlement was organized as a village on February 5, 1898, with 69 voting for organization and two voting against. Its first recorded Board of Trustees was William Foster Sr. (president), J.H. McDowell, J.B. Michael, E.G. Altner, George Pixley (clerk), A.L. Hammaker (treasurer), and J.B. Michel. The first recorded organized board meeting of the village of West Salem took place on August 24, 1914. Those taking office were President Charles Pixley and Trustees James Fry, Leona Voigt, Dow Harrison, Arthur Clodfelter, E. Greathouse, and Charles Couch. Stuart Walser was clerk. Records in Village Hall do not show how these persons became the first officers, but they do not show an election of April 1915. At that time, those elected drew lots for one- or two-year terms. At the August 1914 meeting an attorney, John A. McNeil, was hired for $50 to draft a complete set of ordinances. These ordinances set boundaries and territories, set the fiscal year and meeting times, approve a corporate seal, set rules for committees and village officers, street