What is now Anchor, Town 24, Range 6 east of the Third Principal Meridian, is the easternmost of the middle tier of townships of McLean County, being bounded on the east by Ford County, and is just about midway between Indian Grove on the north and Cheney’s Grove on the south, Burr Oak Grove on the east and Old Town Timber on the west. During most of its history it has been a part of Cropsey and, of course, its history is much blended with that. The reader is referred, therefore, to Cropsey for many things which the writer does not deem best to repeat here.
Until 1877, this town and Cropsey were together in political organization. A little unfriendliness had grown up ; there did not seem to be any convenient common center for holding town meetings, and a little strife was known to exist between the north and south ends on town affairs. In 1876, a petition was presented to the Board of Supervisors, signed by many of the principal citizens, asking to have the town divided. The Board granted the petition, and at the suggestion of George R. Back, who was then Supervisor, the new town was named Anchor. What small debts there were, were equitably divided, and the township ” property,” consisting of a record-book and Clerk’s desk, were parted between them, Cropsey taking the desk and Anchor the book. Since the setting-off of Anchor, the following township officers have been elected : Supervisors, G. It. Buck and J. T. Tanner ; Clerk, J. C. Swatsley ; Assessors, S. P. Howell, J. C. Swatsley; Collector, A. Claypool; Justices, J. T. Tanner, C. M. Grapes ; Commissioners of Highways, A. Crotinger, H. A. Thompson. The town has usually been Republican. .
No citizen of Cropsey or Anchor has ever been elevated to political or judicial office of the county or State. While this is not strange, and by the citizens themselves not regretted, as they have not been “seeking office,” and, with all the reforms which have been instituted, the time has not come yet when the office seeks the man in all cases, still it is a little singular that two of the local clergy who resided here, moved into adjoining counties to be soon sent to the Legislature. Mr. A. J. Cropsey moved to Livingston County, and was in 1862, elected to the Legislature, and Rev. J. I. Robinson, who, in 1869, moved to Ford County, was, in 1874, elected to that body by the Republicans of Ford and Livingston counties.
There are two post offices in Anchor, established about two years ago. Both are served twice a week by the mail carrier’s line running through from Fairbury to Saybrook. Garda Post Office, which received its name from the famous Italian lake, is at the house of C. W. Kingsley on Section 9, near the iron bridge, and Dart Post Office, at the house of Samuel Cary, on Section 33.
