Editing Chatsworth, Illinois (section)

===Founding===

Chatsworth was laid out by Zeno Secor (1809 – 1875)<ref>For a brief obituary and dates see [Chatsworth Illinois Memories] http://sites.google.com/site/chatsworthillinoismemories/ p.4.</ref> and Cornelia Gilman on June 8, 1859. Both founders were from [[New York (state)|New York]]. Secor was a member of the Board of Directors of the company that was building the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad.<ref>''American Railroad Manual for the United States and the Dominion of Canada'' (New York: American Railroad Manual Company, 1874) 1:495.</ref> He was a noted [[civil engineer]] and marine engine designer, who was involved with a number of railroads. Secor was later president of the [[Toledo Peoria and Western Railroad]]. Secor is best known for building a number of [[ironclad warship]]s for the [[Union Navy]]. Cornelia Gilman was perhaps the person of that name who was the wife of Samuel Gilman, another director of the firm, and the man who gave his name to the nearby town of [[Gilman, Illinois|Gilman]].<ref>''History of Livingston County, Illinois'' (Chicago: LeBaron, 1878)  p. 379.</ref> The town of Chatsworth is perhaps named for [[Chatsworth House]], the home of the [[Duke of Devonshire]].<ref>Edward Callary, ''Place Names of Illinois'' (Urbana: University of Illinois, 2008) p. 66. Callay also includes other possibilities for the name.</ref> Trains were running along the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad before the town was platted. The railroad soon became the Toledo, Peoria and Western.