, ▁Mic key ▁Ha ef ner , ▁Warren ▁H acker ▁and ▁Rich ▁H acker . ▁ ▁New ▁Ath ens ▁is ▁home ▁to ▁several ▁churches , ▁including ▁St . ▁Ag ath a ▁Catholic ▁Church , ▁St . ▁John ▁United ▁Church ▁of ▁Christ , ▁St . ▁Paul ▁Luther an ▁Church , ▁The ▁United ▁Method ist ▁Church ▁of ▁New ▁Ath ens , ▁and ▁First ▁Bapt ist ▁Church . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁first ▁organized ▁settlement ▁in ▁what ▁would ▁later ▁become ▁the ▁future ▁town ▁of ▁New ▁Ath ens , ▁Illinois ▁was ▁Man ville ▁Fer ry ▁named ▁after ▁early ▁sett ler ▁and ▁fer ry man ▁on ▁the ▁K ask ask ia ▁River , ▁Ira ▁Man ville . ▁Man ville ▁ran ▁the ▁fer ry ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 1 . ▁By ▁ 1 8 1 8 , ▁the ▁third ▁generation ▁of ▁the ▁St ur div ant ▁family ▁counter fe it ers , ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" St ur div ant ▁Gang ", ▁were ▁organized ▁by ▁Ros well ▁S . ▁St ur div ant ▁and ▁his ▁brother , ▁M err ick ▁St ur div ant , ▁who ▁led ▁the ▁criminal ▁organization , ▁would ▁base ▁their ▁south western ▁Illinois ▁counter fe iting ▁operations ▁at ▁Man ville ▁Fer ry ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁part ▁of ▁their ▁criminal ▁operation ▁in ▁sout he astern ▁Illinois ▁on ▁the ▁Ohio ▁River ▁at ▁St ur div ant ' s ▁Fort , ▁in ▁Pope ▁County , ▁Illinois , ▁now ▁present - day ▁Ros ic lare , ▁Hard in ▁County , ▁Illinois . ▁ ▁Geography ▁New ▁Ath