Following is one of the Biographies and Stories which where gathered by Charles Sumner McKamy in the 1950s for publication in a Crawford County History Book. Unfortunately he passed away before the book was published.

Mahlon Musgrave, a citizen who is recognized and honored by his church on account of is outstanding Christian leadership by the Methodist Church of Hutsonville sponsoring morning service, September 4, 1955 as "Musgrave Day" as a tribute to him who has served 55 years as a Trustee of his church. How nice it is to honor and pay tribute to one so deserving by his own people whole he is living and can appreciate it.

Early history as to Hutsonville and vicinity recently by Mr. Musgrave we are passing on to the readers of this book, which we know you will appreciate, as follows:

"It is said that several hundred years ago in England there was a pious set of citizens which were nicknamed "Most Grave" but in later years the name was shortened to "Musgrave", which name was continued to the present time.

In the early history of America the Musgraves came to this country with Wm. Penn and settled in what is now North Carolina. About 1800 a colony led by Nathan Musgrave came to Crawford County and entered land and established homes near Hutsonville and Oblong, Illinois.

Among the first merchants of Hutsonville, Nathan Musgrave, with the Hurst & Prestons built and operated a General Store near the Wabash River front, which afforded about the only means of transportation in and out of that territory.

In closing up of the General Store of the Preston Bros. Was taken over by Draper & Bennett in the closing out of that store.

The first Methodist sermon preached in Hutsonville was on Sunday before Christmas in 1832 in a little old unfinished house on Water Street, said street was then located about in the middle of where the Wabash River is now.

About 1840 a Methodist organization was formed in February of that year and a quarterly meeting was held in the same month by Harvey Wilhite, who soon after was kicked and killed by a horse.

The old brick church, wrecked in 1923 to make room for the new church, was built about 1852 by all denominations but was later dedicated to the Methodist denomination, probably about 1855."

Charley Draper came to this vicinity from Palestine settling on the place where Franklin Draper later lived, who was also a Quaker and had four sons, Axum, Asa, Jesse and Franklin. William L. Draper, a son of Axum, lived on the old homestead.

Alexander McCoy was an early settler and had three sons, William, John and "Squire". William married Sarah Jane Barlow and a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Albert McCoy, lived in the old "Hutson" place.

The Lowes were also early settlers here. William Lowe first settled at Palestine, he coming there in 1817 but afterwards came to Hutsonville township and settled in the Lindley neighborhood. A son of his, Isaac N. Lowe, a long-time resident of Hutsonville, was known to nearly every man in both town and township and universally highly esteemed by all. Old "Jacky" Lowe came here in 1834 and Benjamin, an old bachelor brother came here with him.

The Guyer family, another good old "Quaker family" came here from North Carolina, first to Indiana and about the year 1825 settled northwest of Hutsonville. Aaron Guyer died in 1840.

Joseph Green came with others from North Carolina with Nathan Musgrave. The Cox family came a little later, Bryant Cox coming here in 1831 settling where his son, Simpson Cox lived. His sons were William A., Andrew J. and John T., who was out County Circuit Clerk at one time.

Hutsonville was platted and surveyed in 1832, the original plat containing 48 lots, William Cox building the first house in the original town in the fall of 1832, William Hurst erecting the second home.

Cox & Hurst were the first merchants. Caswell Jones opened a store in 1839 and Henry A. Steel also has a store about the same time. Preston, Lake & Company engaged in the pork packing, merchandise and grain business doing the most extension business ever done in Hutsonville.

John A. Merrick opened a store in 1852 and built the brick building occupied by Hurst & Olwin, who burned out in 1873.

Musgrave & Coffin purchased the business of Pierce & Sons but in a few months Mr. Musgrave bought out Mr. Coffin, where he continued business until his death when William P. Musgrave took over the business and closed out the store; William P. Musgrave & Company (John R. Hurst was the Company) conducted a business here.

Israel Harris operated a hotel and tavern when the town was laid out.

Hutsonville got its name from the Hutson family who were killed by the Indians.