a shoemaker, crafting all of the shoes for his family. The Harp family was very prominent in the township, which is in fact named after their family. They are also credited with being one of the few families of the early settlers to remain permanent residents of the township. The first land entries recorded in the township are as follows: April 6, 1831, John Norfleet, entered W 1/2, N.W 1/4 Section 23, 80 acres. June 16, 1831, William Kincaid, entered, 240 acres, Section 24. July 8, 1831, William H. Brown, entered W 1/3, S.W 1/4. August 2, 1831, Parmenius Smallwood, entered W 1/2, S.W. 1/4, Section 33, 80 acres. July 17, 1833, Tyre Harp, entered E 1/2, S.W. 1/4, Section 29, acres. April 21, 1834, Gabriel Watt, entered N.E 1/4, S.E 1/4, Section 24, 40 Acres. January 3, 1835, J. Pue, entered S 1/2, S.E. 1/4, Section 36, 80 acres. One of the earliest camp-meeting grounds was on section 25 where Winding Clark held services in 1835. Families came from miles around to enjoy the village of cabins erected here. A platform constructed for the preachers and benches arranged of partially hewn logs helped to offer good cheer and spiritual inspiration. Reverend John St. Clair was present during this time. Jefferson Cross became the first justice of the peace elected to office in the township and Solomon Despain who located in Waynesville in 1830 before locating in Harp Township in 1837 became the first blacksmith to set up shop. Despain was also a Baptist preacher. Despain built his smithy on land owned by William Garrison Wright who had married Tyre Harp's daughter Leah in 1834. A second smithy would later be built near Wilson's mill in 1860 by a man named Leonard. The first road in the township led from Clinton, IL to Marion and was cut by Hugh L. Davenport. By this time the U.S. mail delivered to Clinton where township residents would commute, which was preferable to the longer trip to Bloomington, Illinois to the north. The Gilman branch of the Illinois Central Railroad passes through the township from east to west, entering on section 24, and leaving on section 30. Much litigation surrounded the railroad from people refusing to honor bonds because of non-compliance by the railroad company, one such matter brought by Thomas Snell on section 20 leading to the construction of a switch in the