The following history of Sharon Township and the partial list of patrons is taken from the "History of Fayette County, Illinois  1878".  This book was published by Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia.  Sharon Township was the area in which my Crotser family line first settled when they arrived in Illinois in about 1830.
 

                                                                        SHARON TOWNSHIP

    Comprises all of the Congressional (Township 7, Range 1 West, and a part of Township 7, Range 1 East) of the third principal meridian, and is bounded on the north by Hurricane and Ramsey Townshsips, and East by the Kaskaskia River; south by Vandalia and Bear Grove Townships, and West by Bond County.  That portion bordering on the Kaskaskia is much of it heavily timbered, and the bottom lands are rich and productive.  Several creeks run through the township.  The principal ones are Hurricane and Boaz.  The township abounds with many fine farms.  The principal productions are wheat, grass, corn and oats.  Stock-raising also receives considerable attention.  The township is well supplied with churches and schools; the people industrious and moral.

                                                                                     VERA

    Is a flourishing little village of about two hundred and fifty inhabitants, situated on the line of the Illinois Central Railroad, and in the midst of a good farming district.  Vera is also quite a shipping point for fruit.  One season the shipment of peaches reached 30,000 boxes, and 10,000 bushels of apples.  The town is well supplied with churches and schools.  The largest store of general merchandise is kept by Little and Stokes.  Mr. L. is also postmaster.  A small store is carried on by John Fifer.  The hotel of the town is kept by C. Stanburn.  J.M. Parkes owns and operates a good flouring mill of four run of burrs, which is the largest enterprise in the township.  The R.R. Co. have recently built a new freight and passenger depot.  There is also a cooper and blacksmith shop in the town.  Dr. John S. Barton is practising medicine at this point.
     Early Settlers.- Joseph Hinds, wife, and three sons, John, Joseph and Samuel, settled with his family on Boaz Prairie in the spring of 1819.  The same year came William Peyton and family, and A. Pelricho.  Soon after came Joseph Chaffin, who settled on Section 31, Tp. 7, 1 E.  Capt. Smith, Gideon Buckmaster, Benj. Buckmaster, settled here about the year 1822 or 1823.  The Buckmasters became quite a numerous  family.  John Enochs was also one of the pioneers of Sharon Township.  Jerry Denton, Benj. Williams, Sr., Joseph McKinney, Sr., Samuel and William Russell came to the township in 1819 or 1820.
     Horse Mill.- Joseph McKinney built and operated the first horse mill for grinding grain.  It was erected on Boaz Creek, on Section 28, about the year 1827.
     Saw Mill.- Samuel Parker owned and operated a saw mill on Section 21 on the Kaskaskia in 1830.
     The first Preacher was James Woodard.  He was a traveling Methodist minister.  This denomination also built the first church, which was used for a school-house for a time.  Erected in 1827.
     First School-house built was a log structure, on Section 16, Tp.7, Range 1 East; erected about the year 1826.
     First Road opened through this township was the Vandalia and Shelbyville Road.
     First Bridge was built by John Enochs, in this township, across Ramsey Creek, in the year 1830.
     First Post-office kept by Hiram Bolt, at his residence on Section 10, Tp. 7, R. 1 E.
     First Blacksmith Shop was carried on by Robert and Hiram Larimore, on Section 9; built about 1830.
     First Grave-yard was regularly laid out in 1825, on Section 10, at the Sharon Meeting House.

     First land entered in Township 7 R. 1 East was:
John Watwood entered 80 acres of Sec. 10, January 16th, 1821.
Abram Tetrick entered 80 acres of Sec. 21, January 16th, 1821.
William Russell entered 80 acres of Sec. 29, January 16th, 1821.

     First land entered in Township 7, R. 1 West was:
Samuel Redmond entered 320 acres of Section 32. August 3d, 1819.
Henry Cunningham entered 80 acres of Section 35, July 28th, 1831.
John  F. Lawler entered 80 acres of Section 36, July 28th, 1831.

     First Blooded Stock.- The first blooded stock of hogs and cattle were brought to the township in 1855 by Joseph Chaffin.  The hogs were Berkshire and cross, and the cattle were of the Durham stock; since which time the people have continued to improve their stock, until now the stock of Sharon will compare favorably with other townships of the county.
 
 
 

 PARTIAL LIST OF PATRONS TOWNSHIP 7.  RANGE 1 EAST.

Adams, James B            Vandalia                    Sec. 31                Farmer                      Bond Co., Ills.            1874
Adams, Sarah                Vandalia                                                Mother of J.B.A.       N.C.                          1874
Adams, J.I.                    Vandalia                                                Father of J.B.A.        Tenn.                          1874
                                                                                                        died 1875
Buckmaster, H.                Vera                                20                Farmer                      Md.                           1824
Buckmaster, Mary           Vera                                                    Wife of H.B.              N.C.                          1853
Barton, John S.                Vera                        Vera                    Physician                    Coshocton Co. O      1871
Barton, Maria A.             Vera                                                    Wife of J.S.B.             Fayette Co. Ills.         1850
Crotser, Daniel                Vera                                    9               Farmer                       Fayette Co. Ills.         1845
Crotser, Margaret            Vera                                                    Wife of D.C.               Fayette Co. Ills.         1851
Crotser, Jacob R.            Vera                                                    Son of D. and M.S.     Fayette Co. Ills.         1874
Crotser, Hannah J.           Vera                                                    Daug. of D. and M.S.  Fayette Co. Ills.         1875
Crotser, Jacob                 Vera                                    9              Farmer & blacksmith   N.C.                         1837
                                                                                                      born 1811
Cheney, J.M.                   Vera                                    9              Teacher                      Ind.                            1862
Flood J.E.                        Vera                                    5              Minister of Christian    Ohio                          1859
                                                                                                            Church
Flood, Nancy                   Vera                                                    Wife of J.E.F.             Alabama                    1863
Flood, Dinah                    Vera                                                    Wife of J.E.F.            Ohio                            1859
                                                                                                        died 1871
Hall, Philo S.                    Vera                                   28             Farmer                      Vermont                      1851
Hall, Sarah                       Vera                                                    Wife of P.S.H.            Ohio                          1851
                                                                                                        died 1876
Hoffmann, John                Vera                                    4              Farmer & Stock          Prussia                       1858
                                                                                                        Raiser
Hoffmann, M.E.                Vera                                                    Wife of J.H.                Prussia                       1875
Jarl, John                          Vera                                    6               Farmer & Stock        Sweden                      1860
                                                                                                        Raiser
Little, I.M.                       Vera                         Vera                    Gen. Mcht. & Agt.     Fayette Co. Ills.            1844
Little, Sylvia                     Vera                                                    Wife of I.M.L.            Marion Co. Ills.            1868
McKiney, G.W.               Vera                                   32              Farmer & Stock         Fayette Co. Ills.           1842
                                                                                                        Raiser
McKiney, Julia                 Vera                                                     Wife of G.W.M.        Fayette Co. Ills.            1851
Parke, Geo. W.               Vera                                    28               Mfr. Hard Wood     Woodford Co., Ills        1844
                                                                                                          Lumber
Peak, Alexander               Vera                                   19               Farmer & Stock       Ohio Co., Ky.               1838
                                                                                                        Raiser
Peak, Mary E.                 Vera                                                       Wife of A.P.             Fayette Co., Ills.           1835
Ray, A.                            Vera                                    21               Stock Raiser&          Madison Co., O.          1846
                                                                                                         Fruit Grower
Ray, Kate E.                    Vera                                                       Wife of A.R.            Vermont                        1865
Scarlett, J.A.                    Vera                            Vera                    Mfr. Boots &           N.C.                             1869
                                                                                                            Shoes
Scarlett, Mary S.               Vera                           Vera                   Wife of J.A.S.
                                                                                                            died Sep '67
Scarlett, Clancy                Vera                            Vera                     Teacher                   Ind.                               1862
Vaughn, R.A.J.                Vandalia                                   4               Farmer                    S.C.                              1857
Vaughn, Jane                   Vandalia                                                   Wife of R.A.J.V.       Fayette Co., Ills.           1827
Enochs, John                   Vandalia                                                    Farmer                    Monroe Co., Ills.           1820
                                                                                                            born 1796
Enochs, Nettie                  Vandalia                                                   Wife of J.E.            Indiana                            1860
Viles, Robert                    Vera                                        1                Farmer                  Fayette Co., Ills.              1834
Viles, Martha                    Vera                                                         Wife of R.V.          Fayette Co., Ills.              1844