The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
One of the early pioneer settlers of Stronghurst Township was Abner Davis of Vermont.
In 1835 he and his wife, Lucy Oaks, journeyed to Illinois arriving at Monmouth in November of that year.
They made a temporary home in Center Grove and the next August Mr. Davis sought out and found the land for which he held a patent, having served in the War of 1812 and receiving Bounty Land-NW 1/4 of Sec.33 in T9N5W.
Here he built his cabin and at that time the only smoke arising from a neighboring cabin belonged to Alexander Marshall, son-in-law of Daniel McMillan.
Fittingly, his remains and that of his family lie nearby in the Maple Grove Cemetery and are remembered yearly on Memorial Day by the American Legion placing an American flag upon his grave.