William Eberman, the Moravian pastor at Hope, Indiana, was sent to visit and preach for them in the fall of 1841.

On Saturday, May 25, 1844, a meeting was held in Peter Hinkle's barn, where heads of 15 families came forward and signed the Brotherly Agreement and Constitution that formed the new Moravian congregation.

Charles Kluge, President of the Synod of the Southern Provincial Conference of the Moravian Church of North America.

[6] In the years that followed, the new community of West Salem began to thrive but also to experience challenges as well.

In 1849, more than 60 immigrants from Germany arrived, hoping to build homes and gravitating towards the Moravian Church.

They were warmly received, but before long trouble developed between the Germans and the original English-speaking settlers.

Language differences caused part of the difficulty, but the old German ideas and customs added to it.

However, when it came time to establish a post office, it was discovered that Illinois already had a New Salem located near Springfield, where Abraham Lincoln had lived and operated a store.

Records of the Illinois Secretary of State show that the official incorporation of West Salem took place on February 8, 1857.

[7] The first recorded organized board meeting of the village of West Salem took place on August 24, 1914.

At the August 1914 meeting an attorney, John A. McNeil, was hired for $50 to draft a complete set of ordinances.

These ordinances set boundaries and territories, set the fiscal year and meeting times, approve a corporate seal, set rules for committees and village officers, street labor, concerning peace, special elections, tax levies, annual appropriations, gaming, local improvements, establishing a prison, fines, traffic laws, etc.

One of the most popular events is the annual fireworks display held around the 4th of July every year and sponsored by the West Salem Volunteer Fire Department.

On April 3, 1974, an earthquake of magnitude 4.3 struck at coordinates 38.549N 88.072W, just to the northwest of town, and caused minor damage such as toppling chimneys and tombstones.

It was felt across southern Illinois, central Indiana and eastern portions of Missouri including St. Louis, 123 miles (198 km) away.

[13] By June 4, 1891, the West Salem Gazette was painting a rosy picture of the fruit industry here.

West Salem also once boasted a pure ice and power plant located south of the present Baker Seed Elevator.

Howard Gaither, Arthur McDowell, and John Beehn were instrumental in the process of seeking a manufacturing business for the community.

[14] Construction of the original building began in February 1955 after the company was founded and with more community leaders coming on board for support.

In 1956 Pyroil had purchased Champion Laboratories of Meriden, Connecticut, a filter assembly operation.

Coming at a time when most town and county budgets were seeing red ink, the West Salem village audit of the fiscal year ending in April 1981 revealed a surplus of just over $3,500, due to the oil boom.

[15] The first school house located within the limits of West Salem was a frame building about 20 by 22 feet (6.1 by 6.7 m), erected in 1850-51 and taught by Martin Hauser.

On November 8, 1853, Stephen Gunn sold a tract four rods (20.1 m) square (an area of 0.10 acre) out of Lot 43 lying just across the street south of the present site to the trustees for school purposes for $2.00.

The district was greatly enlarged in 1947 by the annexation of Hedrick, Gates, Burton, and Armstrong schools.