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Early  History 

of 

Washington,  Illinois 

and  Vicinity 


Published  by  the 

Tazewell  County  Reporter 

Washington,  Illinois 


Bronze  tablet  embedded  on  the  band  stand  in  Commercial  Square 
park,  Washington,  in  memory  of  William  Holland,  Washington's  first 
settler  in  1825.  Designed  and  made  by  the  Brass  Foundry  Company  of 
Peoria.  It  was  through  the  activities  of  Miss  Emma  J.  Scott  that  the 
city  and  township  of  Washington  appropriated  money  to  ipay  the  ex- 
pense of  installing  the  tablet. 


I 


LIBRARY 

OF  TH£ 

UNIVERSITY  or  ^\  LlNOiS 


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METHODIST  CHURCH     WASHINGTON.  ILLINOIS 
1828  CIRCUIT    RIDERS  1837 

JtSSE  B.WALKEII- PETER   CARTWRICHT- WILLIAM   S.  CRISSEY- NATHAN    W.J  CURTISS 
STEPHEN  R.  BECCS-S.  L.  ROBINSON        -      JAMES    LATTA      -       WILLIAM     SEE 
i\DOC    HALL    -   J.    McHENRY   -  JOEL    ARRINCTON   -    L.  S.   WALKER   -    A.  E.  PHELPS 

PASTORS 
18J7    RICHARD    BIRD  IdSI   H.  RITCHIE  1875-76   W.  E.  STEVENS 

18)7  CHARLES  ATKINSON       1852  W  C.  CUMMINC  '«'*''?   S' )*•  2*SIL''^^u 

lft3«   R.  H.  MOFFETT  1852   H.  M.  P.  BROWN  1877-78    C.  W.  MEREDITH 

181»    JOHN    H.WILSON  1853    A.WOLISCROFT  1878-81     U.Z.GILMER 

1839   ZADOC    HALL  1854   R.  N.  MORSE  1881-83    J.  J.  WALTERS 

IB  10    J.C.PINCKARD  1855    A.M.EARLY  1883-65    WM.  McPHEETERS 

Irttl    R.H.  MOFFETT  1856    SUPPLIED  1885-88    RICHARD   (REWES 


ENOCH  G.  FLACONER       1857    J.C.  RVBOLT 


1H.12  R.  H.  .'10FFETT 

ial2  J.  B.  HOUTS 

18-11  GEORGE  WHITMAN 

la-U  ZADOC    HALL 

IBIS  S,  HALL 

1S15  C.  BABCOCK 

1(147  STEPHEN  R.  BECCS 

1M8  R.  H.  BRENT 

1849  A.R.  SHINN 

1819  i.  RIACH 

IHoO  T.  F.  ROYAL 

!n50  KM.   CADDIS 
IH'il      W.  r,  c  UMMING 


1858  ZADOC   HALL 

1859  L.B.KENT 
1860-62  B.  APPLEBEE 
1862-64   J.  BORLAND 

1864  W.  P.  CRAVEi 

1865  A.  P.  HALL 

1866  J.  G.  EVANS 
1867-68    E.  D.  HALL 
1868-70    R.  C.  PEARCE 
1870-71     C.  C.  KNOWLTON 
1871-72    L.B.KENT 
16/2-73    R.A.COWEN 
1873-75    G.  W   HAVEIiMALF 


1875-76  W.  E.  STEVENS 

1876-77  C.W.  MARTIN 

1877-78  C.  W.  MEREDITH 

1878-81  U.Z.GILMER 

1881-83  J.  J.  WALTERS 

1883-65  WM.  McPHEETERS 

1885-88  RICHARD   (REWES 

1888-89  L.  D.  KING 

1889-93  O.T.  DWINELL 

1893-97  W.  B.  SNOOP 

1897-99  R.  W.  AMES 

1899-00  D.  C.  MURRAY 

1900-02  JOHN  WILKINSON 

1902-03  WM.  WOOLLEY 

1903-06  W.  R.  WATSON 

1906-10  J.  W.   PRUEN 

1910-12  J.  E.  MERCER 

1912-15  J.  L.  MILLER 

1915-21  J.  D.  CALHOUN 
1921-23     R.W.  AMES 
1923     S.  L.  MYERS 


Bronze  tablet  hung  on  the  walls  of  the  new  Methodist  church  in 
Washington  giving  a  list  of  circuit  riders  and  pastors  of  the  church 
for  one  hundred  years.  Designed  and  made  by  the  Brass  Foundry 
•Company  of  iPeoria.  Miss  Emma  J.  Scott  raised  the  funds  by  public 
subscription  for  the  tablet. 

Rev.  John  J.  Ryan,  historian  of  the  Methodist  Conference,  pays 
Miss  Scott  the  following  tribute:  "The  tablet  is  a  beautiful  piece  of 
work  and  you  are  to  be  commended  for  your  part  in  it.  There  are  only 
a  few  who  have  sentiment  and  the  historic  instinct  combined  in  one 
person,  and  to  such  we  are  indebted  for  the  valuaJble  phases  of  history. 
A  good  deal  of  history  consists  of  guesses,  but  one  who  reveals  the 
real  character  of  action  renders  the  substantial  service.  If  the  Wash- 
ington church  should  ever  be  destroyed  by  fire  the  tablet  should  be 
saved  ftrst,  for  it  has  cost  iplenty  of  research  and  careful 
discrimination." 


Story  of  the  Settlement  of  Washington, 
One  of  the  Oldest  Towns. 


The  "History  of  Washington,  111.,  and  Its  Early  Set- 
tlers", as  compiled  and  read  by  one  of  the  city's  early  promi- 
nent citizens,  John  W.  Doug-herty,  attorney  at  law,  at  the 
Centennial  celebration  held  in  Washington,  July  4,  1876. 


Responding  to  the  request  and  recommendation  of  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States,  made  on  the  6th  day  oi  Sep- 
tember, A.  D.  1780,  the  state  of  Virginia  did,  on  the  2nd  day 
of  Januaiy,  A.  D.  1781,  yield  to  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States,  for  the  benefit  of  the  said  states,  all  right,  title  and 
claim  which  the  latter  had  to  the  territory  northwest  of  the 
Ohio  I'iver,  and  on  the  1st  of  March,  A.  D.  1784,  by  deed  of 
cession,  conveyed  the  property  of  Virginia  in  said  territory 
to  the  United  States — being  a  little  more  than  ninety-two 
years  tgo.  On  the  13th  of  July,  A.  D.  1787,  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States  passed  an  Act  for  the  government  of  the 
ceded  territory,  known  as  the  Ordinance  of  1778;  by  which 
ordinance  it  was  provided,  among  other  things,  that  said  ter- 
ritory should  in  the  future  be  erected  into  not  less  than  three 
noi  more  tlian  five  free  and  independent  states,  with  all  the 
rights,  powers  and  immunities  of  the  original  states;  in  con- 
formity to  wliich  provision  the  Congress  of  the  United  States 
divided  the  territory  thus  ceded  into  the  five  states  of  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Michigan  and  Wisconsin. 

On  the  3rd  day  of  February,  A.  D.  1809,  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States  enacted  a  territorial  government  for  the 
territory  of  Illinois,  and  provided  for  the  first  meeting  of  the 
territorial  legislature  at  Kaskaskia,  and  subsequently,  on  the 
18th  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1818,  passed  an  enabling  Act,  which 
provided  for  the  election,  by  the  qualified  voters  of  said  ter- 
ritory, of  thirty-three  representatives  to  form  a  convention 
to  determine  whether  it  be,  or  be  not,  expedient  to  form  a 
constitution  and  state  government  for  the  people  within  the 
said  territory ;  which  convention,  on  the  26th  day  of  August, 
A.  D,  1818,  framed  the  first  constitution  of  the  state  of  Illi- 
nois, which  constitution  was  adopted  and  remained  in  force 
until  the  1st  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1848;  the  people  having  in 
convention,  on  the  31st  day  of  August,  A.  D.  1847,  framed 
a  new  constitution,  which  was  ratified  at  an  election  held  on 
the  6th  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1848.  This  continued  in  force 
until  the  8th  day  of  August,  A.  D.1870,  when  it  was  super- 
ceded by  our  present  constitution. 


4  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

The  county  of  Tazewell  was  organized  A.  D.  1827,  prior 
to  which  time  it  was  a  part  of  Peoria  county,  and  was  not 
one  of  the  original  twenty-two  counties  that  furnished  dele- 
gates to  the  convention  that  framed  the' state  constitution  of 
1818.  Among  the  earliest  settlements  of  the  state  was  a 
French  settlement  at  or  near  the  present  site  of  Wesley  City, 
which  was  also  one  of  the  earliest  permament  settlements  in 
Tazewell  county. 

The  first  settlement  in  the  town  of  Washington,_  or  its 
vicinity,  of  which  we  have  any  account,  was  made  in  the 
spring  of  1825,  by  William  Holland,  Sr.,  who  came  here  from 
Peoria — then  Fort  Cark.  He  was  formerly  from  North  Caro- 
lina, and  was  employed  by  the  United  States  government  as 
a  blacksmith  for  the  Indians,  who  then  inhabited  this  part 
of  Illinois,  and  for  several  years  after  settling  here  he  con- 
tinued to  work  for  the  Indians.  Prior  to  his  removal  here, 
he  had  built  a  log  house  near  the  present  site  of  A.  G.  Dan- 
forth's  residence.  It  was  the  only  house  and  his  the  only 
family  in  or  near  Washington  until  1826.  At  the  time  of  his 
location  here,  Holland's  nearest  neighbor  was  Thomas  Cam- 
lin  who  lived  on  Farm  Creek,  some  three  miles  east  of  Peoria. 
Camlin  was  a  pleasant  gentleman  and  a  good  neighbor,  al- 
ways ready  to  entertain  his  guests  with  spicy  stories  and 
thrilling  incidents  of  his  personal  adventures  with  the  In- 
dians, whom  he  used  to  shoot  at  a  distance  of  one-half  to 
three-quarters  of  a  mile,  and  Holland  whiled  away  many  a 
pleasant  evening  in  his  society. 

William  Holland,  Sr.,  was  born  in  the  county  of  Lincoln, 
North  Carolina,  in  1780.  In  the  year  1815  he  removed  to 
Illinois  Territory  and  settled  at  Edwards ville,  in  Madison 
county,  where  he  remained  three  years;  then  removed  xMe- 
nard  county,  where  he  remained  two  years,  and  from  thence 
to  Peoria  in  1820.  During  his  long  and  eventful  life  he  was 
married  three  times,  and  was  the  father  of  twenty-one  chil- 
dren— fourteen  by  his  first  wife  and  seven  by  his  second 
wife.  He  had  eighty-two  grandchildren,  most  of  whom  are 
still  living,  and  fifty  great  grandchildren.  He  died  at  his  late 
residence  in  this  town  on  the  27th  day  of  November,  A.  D. 
1871,  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-one  years.  Up  to  within 
a  few  years  of  his  death  he  was  vigorous  in  body  and  in  full 
possession  of  his  mental  faculties.  His  son,  Lawson  Holland, 
was  born  in  North  Carolina,  and  came  here  with  his  parents. 

In  the  spring  of  1826  Holland  commnced  improving  a 
farm  in  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  No.  24,  town  26, 
range  3  west  of  the  third  principal  meridian,  just  east  of  the 
original  town  of  Washington,  and  embracing  a  part  of  Hoi- 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  5 

land,  Dorsey,  Walthan  and  Robinson's  addition  to  the  town. 

In  1826  William  Thompson  came  from  Ohio  and  settled 
on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  John  Johnson,  and  made  some 
improvement  on  it. 

The  same  year  William  Weeks  came  from  Indiana  and 
located  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Peter  Portman,  and 
built  a  house  on  it. 

The  same  year  John  Redman,  also  of  Indiana,  settled  on 
the  old  Portman  place,  near  Squire  Baker's  farm. 

These  four  families  were  the  only  white  inhabitants  un- 
til 1827,  when  Ira  Crosby  of  New  York  came  and  located  on 
the  place  now  occupied  by  James  R.  Crane,  wehre  he  made 
some  improvements.  He  left  two  sons,  Uriah,  now  of  Mor- 
ton township,  and  Nelson. 

The  same  year  George  Burrow  of  Tennessee  located  on 
the  Peter  P.  Scott  farm,  and  commenced  to  improve  it,  and 
William  Birkett  of  Lancaster,  England,  came  and  located  on 
and  improved  the  farm  south  of  town,  where  lie  now  resides. 
He  is  one  of  the  few  remaining  old  settlers. 

James  Holland,  a  brother  of  William  Holland,  Sr.,  also 
from  North  Carolina,  located  here,  remained  for  three  of  four 
years,  and  then  removed  to  Macoupin  county. 

The  little  community  now  numbered  eight  families. 

In  1828  James  Harvey  came  from  Ohio  and  located  on 
what  is  known  as  the  Benjamin  Kindig  farm,  one  and  a-half 
miles  northwest,  of  town.  He  made  some  improvements  on 
the  land  and  remainect  there  until  1834,  when  he  removed 
to  Deer  Creek  and  improved  a  farm  there,  and  afterwards 
removed  to  Groveland,  where  he  died  in  1859.  He  left  a 
large  family,  of  whom  only  Wesley  B.  remains  here. 

In  1829  Peter  P.  Scott  came  from  Ohio  and  bought  out 
the  claim  of  George  Burrow,  and  setted  and  remained  there 
until  his  death  in  June,  1869.  He  left  a  large  family,  few, 
if  any,  of  whom  remain  in  the  county.  Scott  was  the  only 
addition  to  the  little  community  in  that  year. 
""  Some  time  in  1880  William  Heath  came  from  Ohio  and 
located  in  Wrenn's  grove,  near  the  present  site  of  Wade  T. 
Wrenn's  residence.  He  left  a  family  of  daughters,  of  w^hom 
Mrs.  Adam  M.  Switzer  only  resides  here. 

The  same  year  Henson  Thomas,  a  son-in-law  of  Heath's, 
came  from  Ohio  and  located  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by 
Mrs.  George  W.  Woodcock,  formerly  Thomas'  wife.  He  left 
two  sons,  William  and  Simon  H.,  who  still  reside  in  Wash- 
ington township. 

The  same  year  James  McClure,  from  Indiana,  came  and 
located,  and  made  improvements  upon  the  farm  now  occu- 


6  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

pied  by  Orin  Castle.  He  remained  in  the  neighbcrhood  until 
his  death.  His  son,  Hamilton,  and  perhaps  others  of  his 
family,  still  reside  in  this  vicinity. 

There  were  now  thirteen  families  besides  those  stopping 
temporarily.  There  were  several  other  settlements  in  the 
county  at  this  time,  the  nearest  being  in  Deer  Creek  at'id 
Morton  townships.  Settlements  were  made  in  Deer  Creek 
as  early  as  1828. 

The  winter  of  1830  and  1831  is  memorable  on  account 
of  its  great  snow  storm.  The  snow  fell  to  the  depth  of  three 
feet,  and  was  drifted  and  banked  up  in  many  places  to  the 
height  of  six  or  eight  feet.  Most  of  the  wild  game  perished, 
either  by  being  smothered  under  the  snow,  or  by  being  cut 
off  from  their  base  of  supplies ;  and  many  of  the  inhabitants, 
scattered  over  this  sparsely  settled  country,  suffered  in  con- 
sequence of  this  loss  of  game,  upon  w'hich  they  confidently 
relied  for  the  animal  element  of  their  food — many  of  them 
not  having  made  other  provision  for  this  part  of  their  sus- 
tenance. But  energetic,  determined  men  cannot  be  foiled, 
even  by  great  difficulties.  They  overcame  the  obstruction  by 
the  use  of  snowshoes,  which  carried  them  safely  over  the  top 
of  the  drifts  to  the  homes  of  their  more  fortunate  neighbors 
who  had  a  small  supply,  which  they  glady  divided  with  the 
unfortunates.  This  exercise  of  benevolence  and  sympathy 
prevented  any  great  or  protracted  suffering, 

Reuben  Bandy  came  from  Kentucky  in  1831.  and  bought 
out  the  claim  of  Ira  Crosby,  and  settled  there.  One  of  the 
early  marriages  in  Washington  was  celebrated  at  his  home 
in  October,  1833,  between  Lawson  Holland  and  Elizabeth 
Bandy,  both  still  living.  The  knot  matrimonial  was  tied  by 
the  Rev,  Nathan  Curtiss,  and  must  have  been  exceedingly 
well  done,  seeing  it  has  held  fast  for  almost  forty-three  years, 
while  many  recently  tied  matrimonial  knots  have  slipped  in 
a  few  months,  from  which  we  infer  they  were  not  well  tied. 
There  may  have  been  other  causes,  but  if  so  they  are  too 
deep  for  our  comprehension.  Be  that,  as  it  may,  seven  more 
years  will  entitle  Lawson  and  Elizabeth  to  a  golden  wedding, 
wlien  and  where  Lawson  will  be  prepared  to  entertain  his 
guests  with  a  much  fuller  history  of  the  early  times  of 
Washington  that  we  can  give,  and  also  to  accept  such  golden 
tokens  of  appreciation  as  his  numerous  friends  may  feel  dis- 
posed to  contribute. 

In  1831  Abraham  Van  Meter  came  from  Kentucky,  and 
located  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Adam  M.  Switzer.  He 
remained  here  until  his  death,  in  1868,_  He  left  a  large  fam- 
ily, some  of  whom  still  live  in  this  vicinity. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  7 

During  this  year  the  Rev,  Nathan  Curtiss,  a  Methodist 
minister,  located  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  W.  T.  Higgins, 
biult  a  house,  and  made  other  improvements.  He  hved  here 
for  several  years.  Three  of  his  daughters,  Mrs.  Peter  Filer, 
Mrs.  Charles  Kern  and  Mrs.  Wheaton,  still  live  in  this  vicinity. 

In  the  fall  of  1831  Col.  Benjamin  Mitchell  came  from 
Louden  county,  Virginia,  and  built  a  house  on  the  farm  now 
occupied  by  Wade  T.  Wrenn,  near  the  south  ine  of  Wrenn's 
grove.  He  was  an  active,  energetic  citizen.  He  was  elected 
to  the  legislature  in  1834,  where  he  served  with  distinction, 
and  was  elected  to  the  state  senate  in  1836.  He  died  in  1840. 
He  was  succeeded  in  the  senate  by  Major  R.  N.  Cullom. 

The  next  year  added  quite  a  number  of  immigrants, 
among  who  was  John  Durham  from  Baltimore,  Maryland. 
He  occupied  the  dwelling  in  which  William  Witte  now^  resides, 
and  was,  for  a  long  time,  proprietor  of  the  firs  t  saw  mill 
operated  here.    He  now  lives  in  Peoria. 

About  this  time  Phihp  Varble  and  Elias  Slaughter  from 
Hardin  county,  Kentucky,  and  Jonathan  and  Thomas  Reed 
from  Indiana,  and  Walter  and  Thomas  Birkett  from  Lanca- 
shire, England,  located  here  and  improved  farms  south  of 
town. 

John  Johnson  also  came  in  this  year.  He  came  here  from 
Schuyler  county,  in  this  state,  to  which  place  he  had  emi- 
grated from  Ohio  while  Illinois  was  yet  a  territory.  He  is 
one  of  the  oldest  settlers  of  Illinois  now  living  here.  He 
located  upon  the  farm  on  which  he  now'  resides. 

The  Rev.  Richard  B.  McCorkle,  from  North  Carolina,  was 
one  of  the  immigrants  of  this  year.  He  located  on  the 
Huguet  farm,  nortliwst  of  town. 

The  country  now  began  to  fill  up  rapidly  by  immigration 
from  the  older  states  and  other  parts  of  this  state,  but  the 
addition  of  their  names  would  unnecessarily  prolong  this 
narrative. 

As  abeady  stated,  William  Holland,  Sr.,  built  the  first 
house  and  improved  the  first  farm  in  the  vicinity  of  Wash- 
ington, 

The  second  house  in  the  town  was  build  by  William 
Weeks,  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Peter  Portman.  It  was 
built  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  orchard. 

The  third  house  was  built  by  Charles  S,  Dorsey,  who 
emigrated  here  from  Kentucky  in  1831,  on  the  site  of  the 
Corwin  place,  south  of  Peoria  street.  It  was  occupied  by 
Dorsey  as  a  dwelling  and  store.  In  it  was  exhibited  the  first 
stock  of  goods  offered  for  sale  in  Washington,  consisting  of 


8  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

dry  goods,  groceries,  boots  and  shoes,  etc.,  etc.    The  goods 
were  purchased  by  Dorsey  in  St.  Louis. 
The  above  were  all  log  houses. 

The  fourth  house  was  also  built  by  Dorsey,  on  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Dr.  Allen  s  block.  It  was  a  one  story  frame  house, 
the  first  frame  house  ever  erected  in  Washington.  It  was 
covered  and  sided  with  clap-boards,  and  occupied  16  by  36 
or  40  feet  of  ground.  It  was  doubtless  a  marvel  of  architec- 
ture in  its  time,  and  was  used  as  a  dwelhng,  tavern  and  bar. 
The  fifth  building  erected  was  built  by  Jehu  Linley,  and 
used  by  him  as  a  store  room,  he  having  purchased  the  stock 
of  goods  brought  to  town  by  Dorsey.  That  building  still 
stands  and  is  now  used  by  Thomas  Handsaker  as  the  office 
of  the  Washington  Herald.  The  carpenter  work  was  done  by 
Robert  Smith,  one  of  Washington's  first  carpenters. 

The  sixth  building  was  a  log  house,  built  by  Mr.  Straight, 

near  the  present  site  of  Kingsbury  &  Snyder's  grocery  store. 

The  seventh  building  was   a  one   and   a-half   story  log 

house,  built  by  Samuel  Hawkins,  on  the  north  end  of  H.  L. 

Price's  lot,  used  as  a  dwelling. 

The  eighth  building  was  a  two  story  frame,  built  by 
Dorsey,  on  the  present  site  of  Anthony  &  Denhart's  bank. 
It  was  used  by  August  Whipple  as  a  dry  goods  store.  This 
was  the  second  store  opened  in  Washington. 

Dorsey  was  one  of  the  active  business  men  connected 
with  Washington's  early  history.  We  fi.id  his  name  figuring 
in  all  its  earlier  enterprises,  and  connected  with  one  of  its 
largest  additions. 

All  of  the  above  mentioned  buildings  were  erected  prior 
to  1835. 

In  1834  William  Holland,  Sr.,  laid  out  the  original  town 
of  Washington— being  a  part  of  that  part  of  town  lying  east 
of  Main  street. 

The  first  building  erected  in  the  original  town  plat  was 
put  up  by  Joseph  Kelso,  Sr.,  in  April,  1834,  shortly  after  his 
arrival  here  from  Indiana.  It  was  built  upon  the  lot  now 
occupied  bv  Mrs.  Catherine  McGinnis.  Kelso  and  a  Mr. 
Wagoner  had  purchased  three  lots  of  Holland  for  one  dollar 
and  fifty  cents  each,  upon  a  year's  credit.  That  part  of  the 
town  was  heavily  timbered,  and  much  valuable  timber  grew 
in  the  street  in  front  of  those  lots,  which,  by  agreement,  the 
person  building  the  first  house  would  be  entitled  to  use,  so 
Kelso  and  Wagoner  settle^  the  question  of  who  should  build 
first,  by  lot.  Fortune,  as  usual,  favored  Uncle  Joe,  and  he 
built  first. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  9 

Kelso  not  only  built  the  first  house  in  the  original  town, 
but  also  opened  one  of  the  first  farms  wholly  in  the  prairie, 
the  other  settlers  having  clung  to  the  timber.  No  doubt  they 
regarded  him  as  a  radical  innovator,  if  not  a  hero.  Present 
experience,  however,  approves  his  judgment. 

The  same  season.  Styles  and  Titus  Hungerford  built  the 
house  now  occupied  by  Elias  Benford,  known  as  the  Sherman 
House. 

This  brings  our  narrative  down  to  1835,  where  we  will 
leave  this  branch  of  it  for  the  present. 

We  have  already  shown  that  William  Holland,  Sr.,  was 
the  first  settler,  the  first  to  build  a  house  and  improve  a  farm, 
and  we  find  him  also  the  first  mechanic.  As  such  he  carried 
on  a  blacksmith  shop  from  liis  first  induction  into  the  coun- 
try for  several  years.  He  did  a  general  blacksmith  business, 
and  also  repaired  guns  not  only  for  the  white  inhabitants, 
but  also  for  the  Indians,  who  were  then  numerous  in  this 
part  of  the  state.  His  was  the  only  shop  in  town  prior  to 
1835,  when  Brazilla  Allee  built  the  large  two-story  frame 
building  on  Main  street,  in  which  his  widow,  Mrs.  Sarah 
Allee,  resides.  Allee  used  part  of  the  building  for  a  black- 
smith shop,  and  William  Spencer  used  a  part  of  it  as  a  wagon 
shop.  This  was  the  first  shop  in  town  in  which  wagons  were 
manufactured.  Prior  to  this  time,  the  few  wagons  used  here 
were  imported.  In  those  early  days  wagons  were  a  luxury 
not  enjoyed  by  every  one,  and  the  owner  of  a  wagon  was 
considered  particularly  fortunate.  Traveling  was  done  on 
foot  or  on  horseback,  and  hauling  principally  on  sleds.  Some, 
however,  of  the  more  ingenious  citizens,  constructed  a  home- 
m.ade  substitute  for  a  wagon  by  sawing  wheels  out  of  a  log 
of  v/ood  and  adjusting  them  to  a  rude  gearing  made  with  an 
ordinary  chopping  ax. 

Shortly  after  his  arrival  here  Peter  P.  Scott  opened  a 
blacksmith  shop  near  his  residence,  which  he  carried  on  for 
several  years. 

The  manufacture  of  tinware  was  first  commenced  here 
in  1848,  by  Charles  S.  N.  Anthony.  Before  that  time  tin- 
ware, stoves  and  stove  pipe  were  brought  hei'e  and  sold  by 
the  merchants. 

The  first  grist  mill  was  built  by  William  Holland,  Sr., 
in  1827.  It  was  on  the  Holland  homestead,  west  of  his 
dwelling.  It  was  run  by  horse-power,  and  was  called  a  band 
mill.  It  was  the  only  one  in  the  neighborhood — its  nearest 
competitor  being  located  at  Elkhart  Grove,  60  miles  distant. 
It  consisted  of  one  run  of  burrs;  they  were  procured  in  Peo- 
ria for  $60,  and  oui-   informant  thinks   they  were   manufac- 


10  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

tured  there.  These  band  mills  were  an  institution  in  "those 
days."  They  were  a  cheap,  simple  contrivance  in  fact,  but 
stil  quite  expensive  when  we  consider  the  small  amount  of 
money  possessed  by  those  pioneers.  The  mill  consisted  of 
one  large  wheel,  the  hub  or  nave  of  which  was  a  log  of  wood 
eight  or  ten  feet  long,  hewed  eight  square,  set  in  a  perpen- 
dicular position,  and  supported  with  numerous  arms  or 
spokes.  The  lower  end  was  secured  by  a  pivot,  on  which  it 
turned,  to  another  timber  fastened  in  the  ground,  the  upper 
end  being  secured  in  like  manner  to  a  timber  above.  The 
arms  or  spokes  were  each  supplied  with  several  movable  pins 
and  constituted  an  adjustabe  rim  upon  which  the  band, 
made  of  untanned  cow  hides  cut  into  strips  one  and  a-half 
to  two  inches  wide  and  rolled  into  a  rope,  was  stretched.  The 
band  was  attached  directly  to  the  trundle-head  by  being 
wound  three  times  around  it — this  latter  precaution  was 
taken  to  prevent  loss  of  power  by  the  slipping  of  the  band. 
The  numerous  pins  in  the  arms  were  used  to  take  up  the 
slack  caused  by  the  stretching  quality  of  the  band.  The 
horse  or  horses  used  were  attached  to  levers  framed  into  the 
hub.  They  worked  under  the  arms,  which  were  several  feet 
from  the  ground.  The  wheel,  when  ready  for  use,  resembled 
an  enormous  clothes  reel  about  forty  feet  in  diameter.  The 
bolting  was  done  by  hand.  The  flour  produced  by  this  pro- 
cess was  a  cross  betwen  the  Extra-Quadruple  X  flour  of  to- 
day and  ordinary  graham  flour,  and  no  doubt  was  healthy 
and  nutritious.  The  owner  of  the  mill  did  not  supply  the 
power — the  person  using  it  had  to  furnish  the  horses.  Many 
persons  came  fifty  miles  to  this  mill,  and  sometimes  had  to 
wait  two  weeks  for  their  grinding. 

The  first  flour,  however,  made  in  Washington  was  made 
by  Lawson  Holland,  Esq.,  in  1826  or  1827.  It  was  produced 
by  breaking  the  wheat  with  a  pestle  in  a  mortar  and  sifting 
through  a  hand  sieve.  The  mortar  was  made  by  excavating 
or  hollowing  out  one  end  of  a  log  of  wood,  resembling  a 
butcher's  block,  the  other  end  of  which  rested  firmly  on  the 
ground.  The  pestle  was  a  heavy  piece  of  round  timber,  the 
lower  end  of  which  was  shaped  to  fit  the  excavation  in  the 
mortar,  the  upper  end  being  fastened  to  a  spring-pole,  which 
aided  in  raising  the  weight  of  the  pestle.  Near  the  lower  end 
of  this  pestle  were  four  cross  pins  or  handles  for  the  use  of 
the  operators.  This  pestle  seems  to  have  been  designed  on 
the  principle  of  a  perpendicular  battering  ram.  The  idea 
was,  perhaps,  borrowed  from  the  ancients.  The  hand  seive 
spoken  of  was  not  the  ordinary  wire  seive  of  these  times. 
It  was  peculiar  to  those  early  days.    It  M^as  made  by  draw- 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL.  11 

ing  a  fawn  skin  tightly  across  a  wooden  hoop  Uke  a  drum 
head,  and  perforating  the  skin  with  a  hot  iron  rod  the  size 
desired.  Through  these  holes  in  the  skin  the  finer  particles 
of  the  broken  grain  escaped  during  the  shaking  process. 
What  remained  in  the  seive  was  returned  to  the  mortar  and 
repounded,  and  then  sifted  again  until  all  the  flour  was  sepa- 
rated from  the  bran.  By  this  tedious  process  Lawson  pro- 
duced the  flour  mentioned. 

The  band  mill  spoken  of  was  the  only  kind  of  mill  in  this 
part  of  the  country  until  1836  or  1837,  when  William  Kern 
built  a  flouring  mill  near  the  site  of  Jacquin's  brewery.  As 
a  financial  venture  this  first  mill  proved  a  failure. 

The  next  flouring  mill  was  built  by  A.  H.  Danforth  &  Co. 
in  1845.  It  was  the  first  brick  building  erected  in  Washing- 
ton. The  bricks  used  in  its  structure  were  made  by  Danforth, 
near  the  site  of  the  mill.  The  building  still  stands  and  is 
operated  by  Wells  and  John  Asa  Andrews.  This  mill,  unlike 
its  immediate  predecessor,  seems  to  have  been  a  financial 
success. 

Although  this  was  the  first  brick  building  in  the  town, 
bricks  had  been  manufactured  here  by  Hamilton  Riddle  as 
early  as  1837,  They  were  used  for  building  chimneys,  cel- 
lars, etc. 

The  first  school  taught  in  Washington  was  a  subscription 
school.  It  was  taught  by  George  H.  Shaw,  now  of  Shaw's 
Grove,  who  was  traveling  through  the  country  prospecting 
and  stopped  for  the  night  with  William  Holland,  Sr.,  where, 
owing  to  the  severity  of  the  weather — it  being  winter — he 
remained  till  spring.  Holland  soon  discovered  Shaw's  fitness 
to  teach,  and  engaged  him  to  teach,  and  gave  him,  as  com- 
pensation, his  board,  washing,  and  horse  feed.  Rather  slen- 
der compensation,  as  it  made  no  provision  for  clothing.  Af- 
ter engaging  the  teacher,  the  next  thing  was  a  school  house, 
which  wasjiuilt  by  Holland  and  his  few  neighbors  in  a  day 
or  two.  It  was  a  log  house,  such  as  was  called  in  those  days 
a  single  cabin,  16x18  feet.  They  seated  it  with  split  logs,  the 
writing  desks  being  constructed  of  similar  material,  and 
lighted  it  by  sawing  out  part  of  one  log  at  each  end  and 
pasting  greased  paper  over  the  aperture  or  opening.  This 
greased  paper,  while  not  highly  transparent,  admitted  some 
light,  and  kept  the  wind  out.  This  school  was  taught  in  the 
winter  of  1827  ^nd  1828.  The  house  was  afterwards  used 
by  Lawson  Holland  as  a  dwelling.  Holland  subsequently  em- 
ployed Shaw  as  surveyor  whe  nhe  laid  out  the  original  town. 

The  second  school  in  this  vicinity  was  taught  by  Eli  Red- 
man,  a   brother   of  John  Redman,   before   mentioned.    The 


12  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

house  in  which  it  was  taught  was  built  by  Wilham  Weeks,  as 
a  residence,  on  the  Portman  farm.  Like  its  predecessor,  it 
was  a  subscription  school,  and  was  only  kept  during  the  win- 
ter of  1828  and  1829.  It  numbered  among  its  pupils  W.  B. 
Harvey,  Esq.,  Lawson  Holland,  Mrs.  H.  Riddle  and  Matthew 
Holland. 

In  1830,  John  Berry  taught  a  school  in  a  log  house  on 
the  farm  now  occupied  by  Squire  Baker,  near  the  burying 
ground  on  Baker's  farm.  This  was  the  first  house  built  and 
used  for  a  school  house  longer  than  one  term.  It  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  district  school  house,  built  in  1837  or  1838,  on 
the  site  of  the  west  school  house  in  Washington,  and  was  the 
only  school  house  in  the  neighborhood  up  to  that  time. 

The  first  religious  society  here  was  organized  by  Jesse 
Walker,  a  Methodist  preacher,  in  1828  or  1829.  Their  first 
meeting  was  held  at  William  Holland's,  whose  family  and  the 
family  of  James  Harvey  constituted  most  of  the  society  at 
that  time.  Holland  and  Harvey  were  the  ony  male  members. 
Their  meetings  were  held  in  Holland's  house  for  the  first  few 
years,  then  at  other  private  houses  until  the  public  school 
house  was  built,  in  which  they  held  their  meetings  until  1840 
or  1841,  when  they  built  the  old  church  near  the  corner  of 
Main  and  Jefferson  streets,  now  used  by  Sickler  &  Zaneis  as 
a  carpenter  shop.  This  society  now  owns  the  most  valuable 
church  building  in  town,  but  those  first  members  have  all 
passed  away. 

In  1832  the  Christian  church  was  organized  here  by  the 
Rev.  Richard  B.  McCorkle,  in  the  school  house  on  the  Squire 
Baker  farni.  Of  its  first  members  we  find  the  names  of  Rev. 
R.  B.  McCorkle  and  wife,  James  McClure  and  wife  and  John 
Johnson  and  wife.  It  was  the  second  church  organization  in 
Washington.  Up  to  this* time  the  Methodist  had  enjoyed  full 
control  in  religious  matters.  From  this  time  forward  the 
two  seem  to  have  kept  even  pace,  and  are  still  among  our 
most  numerous  and  influential  religious  societies,  showing,  as 
we  think,  that  in  spiritual  matters  as  well  as  temporal,  much 
is  gained  by  a  good  start.  This  denomination  erected  the  old 
brick  church  now  used  by  the  German  Lutherans,  and  is  still 
the  only  brick  church  building  in  the  town.  Of  these  first 
members  only  John  Johnson  and  wife  remain. 

The  Presbyterian  church  of  Washington  was  organized 
on  the  16th  day  of  November,  1834,  by  Rev.  Flavel  Bascum 
and  Leonard  Foster,  a  committee  of  the  Presbytery  of  Sanga- 
mon, appointed  for  the  purpose,  at  the  request  of  sundry  in- 
dividuals residing  at  Holland's  Grove.  The  meeting  for  the 
organization  was  held  at  Dorsey's  store.    Among  the  articles 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  13 

kept  for  sale  by  Dorsey  were  various  kinds  of  liquors,  which, 
during  the  organization  of  the  church,  were  concealed  from 
view  by  suspending  a  tablecloth  from  the  upper  shelf  in  front 
of  the  bottles.  The  following  named  persons  united  in  the 
organization:  Henry  Kice,  Mary  Kice,  John  J.  Tool,  Eliza- 
beth Tool,  Horace  Blair,  Rebecca  L.  Blair,  EHzabeth  Ried, 
Charlotte  Berrghet,  David  Gibson  and  Mary  Gibson,  of  whom 
David  Gibson  and  Horace  Blair  were  elected  ruling  elders. 
From  this  germ  has  grown  the  present  Presbyterian  church 
of  Washington.  The  seats  of  all  these  members  of  the  first 
organization  are  now  vacant. 

There  were  some  Baptists  here  as  early  as  1831,  but 
their  church  was  not  formally  organized  until  1835.  Prior 
to  that  time  they  attended  church  at  Tremont,  where  they 
had  a  church  organization,  and  a  Baptist  minister  named 
Babcock  preached  here  occasionally.  Mr.  Abraham  Van 
Meter  and  wife  and  their  son,  William  C.,  now  extensively 
and  popularly  known  throughout  this  country,  Matthew  and 
Martha  Crane,  and  Mr.  Sherman  and  wife  were  of  its  first 
members.  The  minister  officiatmg  at  its  organization  was  the 
Rev.  Thomas  Brown,  and  of  these  first  members  the  name  of 
Mrs.  Martha  Crane  only  appears  on  its  church  roll. 

These  four  were  the  only  churches  organized  here  up  to 
1838,  and  are,  therefore,  the  only  ones  that  come  within  the 
purview  of  our  narrative.  In  addition  to  these  four,  we  now 
have  two  Lutheran,  one  German  Methodist  or  Evangelical 
Protestant,  and  one  Catholic  church. 

The  first  marriage  in  the  neighborhood  was  Mr.  James 
Hendricks  and  Miss  Sallie  Redm.an,  a  daughter  of  John  Red- 
man. It  was  solemnized  sometime  in  1829  or  1830,  but 
whether  by  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  or  a  justice  of  the  peace 
we  are  not  informed. 

The  first  funeral  was  that  of  a  child  of  Henson  Thomas. 
It  was  buried  in  the  graveyard  on  the  Squire  Baker  farm. 
The  funeral  services  were  performed  by  Rev.  Zaddock  Hail, 
now  residing  in  Woodford  county,  and  well  known  to  this 
community. 

The  first  adult  buried  here  was  a  Mr.  Pembrock,  a 
stranger  who  had  stopped  on  account  of  illness  at  the  resi- 
dence of  William  Heath,  where  he  died.  He  was  buried  in 
the  burying  ground  above  mentioned. 

The  first  physician  that  located  here  was  Dr.  R.  T.  Good- 
win. He  came  from  Vermont  in  1832,  where  he  had  studied 
medicine  with  Dr.  G.  P.  Wood.  He  was  a  successful  physi- 
cian, and  also  a  good  business  man.  He  and  Dr.  G.  P.  Wood 
were  for  several  years  partners  in  business,  and  were  the 


14  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

proprietors  of  Goodwin  &  Wood's  addition  to  Washington. 
Goodwin  is  still  living  and  practicing  his  profession  at  Dun- 
dee, Kendall  county,  Illinois. 

Previous  to  Goodwin's  location  here  each  man  was  his 
own  doctor,  and  the  principle  medicine  used  was  white  wal- 
nut bark.  It  was  peeled  upward  if  desired  as  an  emetic,  and 
downward  if  its  cathartic  effect  was  required.  Boneset,  also, 
was  used  as  a  remedy  for  "fever  and  ager". 

In  1833  James  Pfuggins  came  from  North  Carolina.  He 
had  learned  wagon-making  in  the  same  shop  in  which  Hol- 
land worked  at  blacksmithing.  He  Hved  here  for  many  years 
and  practiced  medicine.  In  1860  he  removed  to  Peoria,  and 
died  til  ere  in  1870.  He  and  Holland  both  lived  to  be  old  m.en 
without  any  break  in  their  early  friendship. 

Dr.  G.  P.  W^ood  removed  here  from  Vermont  in  1835,  and 
formed  a  business  partnership  with  Dr.  Goodwin.  They  prac- 
ticed their  profession  with  marked  success,  but  the  history 
and  services  of  Dr.  Wood  are  too  well  and  favorably  known 
here  to  require  more  than  the  mention  of  his  name.  He  died 
here  in  1871.    He  left  a  large  family,  all  living  in  this  vicinity. 

Dr.  R.  W.  Burton  came  from  Kentucky  and  settled  here  in 
1838.  He  practiced  his  profession,  and  also  kept  a  stock  of 
drugs  and  medicines.  His  was  the  first  regular  drug  store 
opened  in  Washington.  He  was  a  spirited  citizen,  and  took 
an  active  part  in  all  of  the  enterprises  undertaken  by  the  citi- 
zens. He  died  here  in  1859,  leaving  a  large  family,  many  of 
whom  still  reside  here. 

The  first  lawyer  to  gain  a  foothold  in  this  new  commun- 
ity was  Thornton  Walker,  from  Virginia.  At  what  precise 
time  he  came,  or  how  long  he  remained,  our  informant  does 
not  know ;  nor  have  we  any  farther  reliable  information  in  re- 
gard to  him.  We  therefore  deem  it  fail-  to  presume  he  was 
a  fair  representative  of  the  profession,  and  that  in  his  fre- 
quent tussels  with  justice  he  dealt  it  many  staggering  blows, 
from  which  it  will  probably  never  recover.  Of  course,  like 
lawyers  in  all  ages  of  the  world,  he  sympathized  with  villiany 
and  defended  wrong  from  choice,  but  could  be  hired  to  do 
right  for  a  money  consideration.  Upon  what  community  he 
inflicted  his  baneful  practices  after  leaving  this  one,  we  can 
not  say.  So  rejoiced  were  the  people  to  be  rid  of  him  that 
they  kept  no  reckoning  of  his  future  course.    Peace  be  to  his 

In  1829  William  Holland  and  William  Thompson  were 
elected  to  the  oflice  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  this  precinct. 
They  were  among  the  first  elected  in  this  county.  Their  ter- 
ritorial jurisdiction  were  co-extensive  with  the  boundaries  of 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  15 

the  county,  which  then  embraced  a  broad  expanse  of  terri- 
tory east  of  the  IlUnois  river  and  extended  northward  to 
Chicago  and  southward  to  Jacksonville. 

The  first  constable  elected  was  Jonathan  Hodge  of  Stout's 
Grove. 

The  first  member  of  the  board  of  county  commissioners 
from  this  place  was  James  Harvey.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Benjamin  Mitchell,  to  whom  we  shall  have  occasion  to  refer 
hereafter.  Prior  to  this  time,  however,  and  while  this  was 
part  of  Peoria  county,  William  Holland  was  a  member  of  the 
board  of  county  commissioners. 

The  first  land  sales  for  this  district  were  held  in  Spring- 
field in  1830  or  1831.  Prior  to  that  date  no  title  could  be  ac- 
quired to  any  land  in  the  district.  The  settlers,  however, 
recognized  the  justice  of  securing  to  each  of  their  number 
the  benefit  of  his  labor,  and  gave  effect  to  this  idea  by  ap- 
pointing one  of  their  number,  Col.  Benjamin  Mitchell,  agent 
or  registrar  of  claims.  By  this  arrangement,  and  the  paying 
of  twenty-five  cents  to  the  registrar,  each  applicant  secured 
the  registration  of  his  claim,  and  the  right  to  buy  the  land 
he  had  improved  w^hen  it  came  into  market.  This  gave  the 
lands  a  commercial  value  in  the  hands  of  the  holder,  and  also 
enabled  the  person  making  the  cUiim  to  sell  and  transfer  it, 
if  he  so  desired.  These  claims  soon  became  an  important  item 
in  the  limited  commerce  of  these  early  times — the  other  items 
of  which  were  grain,  beef  and  pork.  The  principle  purchasers 
were  immigrants,  most  of  whom  had  little  if  any  money,  but 
labor  and  good  promises  passed  current  at  par,  the  latter  be- 
ing secured  by  the  honor  of  the  promissor.  They  were  usual- 
ly religiously  observed.  Indeed,  men  usually  make  much  of 
their  honor  when  it  is  their  only  stock  in  trade.  Still,  we  are 
inclined  to  think  that  the  p^)  rata  of  iionesty  was  really 
greater  in  those  days  than  now,  and  for  the  following  reasons: 
These  men  were  not  speculators  or  fortune  huntei's,  but  earn- 
est men,  seeking  homes  in  the  virgin  soil  of  the  Great  West, 
and,  actuated  by  this  generous  impulse,  honesty  was  the 
natural  sequence. 

The  trade  in  those  da>s  consisted  chiefly  in  the  direct  ex- 
change of  commodities.  There  being  but  little  money  the 
community  had  no  use  for  middle-men,  of  whom  so  much 
compaint  is  now  made.  They  found  no  place  among  these 
eary  settlers,  and  perhaps  the  surest  way  to  rid  the  country 
of  them  would  be  to  abandon  money  and  commerce,  and  roll 
the  tide  of  human  progress  back  half  a  century,  adopt  the 
primitive  habits  of  the  early  settlers,  and  thus  elfectually 
squelch  them. 


16  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

We  know  but  little  of  the  social  habits  of  the  people  in 
those  days,  except  what  may  be  inferred  from  the  facts  and 
circumstances  above  stated.    Their  appreciation  of  education 
is  shown  in  their  efforts  to  establish  schools,  temporary  at 
first,  but  finally  permanent.    Their  religious  zeal  is  shown  by 
their  successful  efforts  in  establishing   churches,    and   their 
Christian  liberality  by  the  number  and  variety  of  them.    Nor 
are  we  informed  in  regard  to  the  amusements  indulged  in  by 
the  young  folks;  but,  being  young  folks,  we  have  no  doubt 
they  found  many  ways  of  robbing  Old  Time  of  loneHness.    It 
would  be  unfair  to  suppose  them,  especially  the  ladies,  desti- 
tute of  fashionable  aspirations,  but  the  means  for  gaudy  dis- 
play were  very  much  circumscribed  in  those  days.    The  male 
attire  consisted  chiefly  of  buckskin,  or  home-spun  cloth, — we 
might  add  home-woven,  the  loom  being  far  more  common  in 
or  near  their  rude  huts  than  the  piano  or  organ    They  were 
not,  however,  destitute  of  musical  taste,  and  many  of  their 
vocal  performances  would  compare  favorably  with  our  pres- 
ent choirs.     We  may  safely  say  they  sang  with  the  spirit. 
Most  of  the  ladies,  also,  wore  home-spun,  which  they  manu- 
factured from  wool,  flax,  cotton  and  the  bark  or  lint  of  the 
nettle,  colored  with  such  ingredients  as  nature  provided,  with- 
out the  aid  of  art ;  a  few  adopted  buckskin.    How  many  yards 
of  the  latter  article  were  required  for  a  fashionable  dress  in 
those  times,  or  in  what  particular  style   they  were   cut   and 
trimmed,  we  are  not  informed,  and  must  leave  the  ladies  to 
draw  their  own  conclusions.     These    dresses    certainly  were 
durable,  and  shielded  the  wearer  in  outdoor  exercises  incident 
to  the  planting,  attending  and  gathering  of  the  crops — in 
which  pursuits  the  ladies  in  all  new  countries  assist.  Another 
of  the  prevailing  fashions  was  that  of  carrying  firearms,  made 
necessary  by  the  presence  ig  the  neighborhood  of  roving 
bands  of  Indians,  most  of  whom  were  ostensibly  friendly,  but 
like  Indians  in  all  times,  treacherous  and  unreliable.     These 
tribes  were  principally  Pottawattamies.    There  w^ere,  also,  in 
the  north  part  of  the  state,  several  tribes  of  hostile  Indians, 
ready  at  any  time  to  make  a  murderous,  thieving  raid  upon 
the  white  settlers,  and  an  Indian  war  at  any  time  was  an  ac- 
cepted probability,  and  these  old  settlers  today  have  a  vivid 
i-ecoflection  of  the  Black  Hawk  and  other  Indian  wars.    And, 
while  target  practice  was  much  induged  in  as  an  amusement, 
it  was  also  necessary  for  a  proper  self-defense,  the  settlers 
finding  it  necessary,  at  times,  to  carry  their  guns  with  them 
when  they  went  to  hoe  their  corn.     In  some  instances  their 
guns  were  stacked  around  them,  and  then  moved  the  guns  to 
a   certain   position   and   again    proceeded   with    their   work. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  17 

These  were  only  a  few  of  the  hardships  incident  to  pioneer 
life,  which  was  largely  made  up  of  privations,  inconveniences 
and  dangers.  They  had  few  labor-saving  machines,  and  no 
reliable  market.  Each  communication  by  letter  with  their 
distant  friends  and  relatives  was  rendered  difficult  for  the 
want  of  proper  mail  facilities,  and  sometimes  for  the  want  of 
money  to  pay  the  postage  on  the  letters  sent  to  them — the 
postage  then  being  twenty-five  cents  for  one  single  letter, 
many  of  which  remained  in  the  office  for  weeks  on  account  of 
the  inability  of  the  persons  to  whom  they  were  addressed  to 
pay  the  demanded  postage.  But  time  has  changed  all  these 
things,  and  in  the  short  pace  of  fifty  years  we  have  grown 
from  a  handful  of  hardy  pioneers  to  be  a  populous,  thriving, 
energetic  community,  with  all  the  improvements  and  ad- 
vantages of  an  old  settled  country,  and  a  town  unsurpassed 
for  business,  considering  the  capital  invested,  by  any  in  the 
country,  while  our  surplus  products  are  enough  to  supply 
some  of  the  petty  kingdoms  of  the  old  world. 


Early  History  Biographical  Sketch  of 
David  Kindig  Written  by  Himself 


Benjamin  Kindig,  born  1783,  married  Hester  Witmer, 
born  1785.  (Parents  of  David  Kindig  born  in  Lancaster 
county,  Pa.),  married  in  1807,  moved  to  Va.  in  1811. 

My  mother  died  in  Va,  in  1824.  My  father  married  again 
in  Va.  to  Abigail  Patterson.  In  1833  moved  to  Illinois.  My 
step-mother  died  in  1835.  My  father  again  married,  Betsy 
Page,  of  Metamoi-a,  111.  My  father  died  in  1856  and  my 
second  step-mother  died  in  1871. 

My  own  mother  had  four  daughters  and  three  sons:  Ben- 
jamin, Esther,  Mary,  Matta,  David,  Leah  and  Henry,  David 
and  Leah  yet  living.  My  step-mother  had  three  daughters 
and  two  sons:  Betsy,  Anna,  Samuel,  Susan  and  Emanuel. 
Samuel,  Susan  and  Emanuel  yet  survive. 

Benjamin  Kindig  had  eight  brothers:  Emanuel,  Joseph, 
Isaac,  Martin,  Samuel,  John,  Abraham,  Henry,  and  two  sis- 
ters:    Mary,  Leah.    All  deceased. 

David  Kindig,  born  in  Augusta  country,  Va.,  Sept.  12, 
1816.  Home,  Washington,  Tazewell  county.  111.  The  follow- 
ing are  the  sisters  and  brothers  living:  Leah  Grove  in  Wash- 
ington, (state),  Samuel  Kindig  in  Mo.,  Susan  Kindig  in  Neb,, 
Emanuel  Kindig  in  Iowa. 


18  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

A  little  remarkable,  each  one  in  a  different  state. 
(David  Kindig  was  married  twice;  his  first  wife  was  a 
McCord  and  his  second  a  Conn.  The  following  were  the  chil- 
dren, all  by  his  first  wife:  Virginia,  who  became  the  wife  of 
John  Wilson  of  Washington;  Liza  Zane,  who  married  a  Mc- 
Murtrey  and  lived  in  Missouri;  Zura,  who  lives  in  Kansas  City 
and  never  married ;  Laura,  who  married  Gila  Mapes  and  lived 
in  Kansas  City,  son  of  a  former  Christian  minister  who  lived 
in  Washington;  Marion,  who  married  a  Nesmith,  sister  of 
Chas.  L.  Nesmith,  and  lives  in  Kansas.  Miss  Zura  and  Marion 
are  the  surviving  children). 

David  Kindig,  with  his  parents,  also  Andrew  Cress, 
moved  to  111.  with  one  four-horse  wagon,  one  three-horse 
wagon,  one  one-horse  carry-all.  (But  it  failed  to  carry  all). 
We  started  for  Holland's  Grove,  Tazewell  county.  111. 
TraveHng  west,  we  passed  through  the  Warm  and  White 
Sulphur  Springs,  crossed  the  Alleghany  Mountains  to  the 
Ohio  river  255  miles.  Crossing  the  Big  Sandy  river  at  its 
mouth  over  into  Kentucky,  passing  through  Lexington, 
Frankford,  and  on  to  Louisville,  on  the  Ohio  river.  Crossed 
the  river  into  New  Albany,  Indiana,  thence  to  Vincennes,  on 
the  Wabash,  thence  to  Vandalia,  111.,  thence  to  Springfield,  111., 
then  a  small  village,  it  being  the  last  one  we  saw  until  we 
saw  Peoria.  We  inquired  for  the  Fort  Clark  road  and  as  we 
came  on  we  inquired  for  Holland's  Grove. 

We  landed  on  the  farm  where  Christian  Engle  now  fives, 
(near  the  Union  cemetery) ,  on  the  22d  of  Oct.  1833,  distance 
of  800  miles,  being  on  the  road  seven  weeks,  or  49  days,  camp- 
ing one  tent  and  wagons. 

When  we  came  here  we  found  William  Holland  and  John 
Linley.  Linley  had  a  twin  cabin,  lived  in  one,  had  store  and 
postolfice  in  the  other.  Dorsey  Van  Meter  on  the  Switzer 
place.  North  where  Peter  Portman  now  lives ;  Heath  and  Cur- 
tis in  the  grove,  the  Higgins  and  Wrenn  places.  The  Banta's, 
Peter  P.  Scott,  John  Johnson,  McCorkle,  Henson  Thomas, 
Mitchel.  Dr.  Goodwin  and  Wood,  (Dr.  Wood's  father),  James 
Harvey,  (Squire  Harvey's  father). 

My  father  purchased  of  James  Harvey  the  farm  which 
A.  J.  Cress  and  loeger  now  occupy.  160  acres  deeded  land, 
160  acres  timlier  claim  three  miles  west  of  that,  also  80  acres 
where  the  cabin  stood.  Compensation,  900  dollars.  Other 
settlers  were  John  Bromfield,  (they  being  the  only  family  we 
knew  here).  Peter  Chne,  now  Andrew  Gongloff  farm.  Zea- 
dock  Hall,  also  William  Hester,  in  what  was  then  called  Rag- 
ged Grove,  now  John  Weeks. 

Looking  back  56  years  we  find  but  three  of  those  old 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  19 

settlers  living,  namely:  Mr.  Z.  Hall,  now  of  Kansas,  and  Mrs. 
John  Johnson  of  Iowa  Also  Mrs.  Adam  Switzer  of  Washing- 
ton. 

When  we  came  here  we  got  a  cabin  on  the  Huguet  place, 
stayed  three  weeks;  then  William  Berry  came  from  south 
part  of  the  state  and  occupied  it.  We  built  a  shanty  by  roll- 
ing two  lo|?^s  together,  ten  feet  distance,  covering  with  clap- 
boards. Besides  this  shanty  we  had  a  tent  and  wagon.  We 
moved  in,  living  in  those  three  weeks,  until  we  built  a  log 
house,  now  standing  in  A.  J.  Cress's  yard.  We  hauled  lum- 
ber from  Camlen's  water  mill  on  Farm  creek  east  of  Peoria. 
John  Lowman's  father  made  the  shingles.  Later  we  laid  the 
upper  floor  with  hnn  plank  procured  from  J.  J.  Banta's  saw 
mill,  run  by  hand,  being  the  only  saw  mill  in  this  part  of  the 
country  in  those  days.  Our  next  lumber  was  made  at  a 
st#m  saw  mill  that  Dunham  built  on  Farm  creek  just  south 
oflJie  R.  R.  bridge  west  of  Washington.  The  first  mill  I  went 
to,  and  all  the  mill  here,  was  in  the  grove  where  John  Weeks 
now  lives.  Hester  had  a  corn  cracker.  The  mill  was  a  novel- 
ty. It  stood  in  a  scoket,  a  shaft  twelve  feet  long  with  a  truck 
wheel  run  on  the  ground  by  means  of  a  shaft,  turning  the 
stone,  and,  when  the  horses  went  around  the  mill,  the  hopper 
and  all  went  around  on  its  own  axis. 

Our  nearest  flour  mill  was  at  Pleasant  Grove ;  that,  too, 
was  a  horse  mill — eight  horse  power.  Father  bought  some 
timothy  hay  and  sheaf  oats  in  stack  near  the  mill.  A.  Cress 
and  myself  would  go  f ^r  hay,  take  a  grist  and  giind  at  night, 
return  with  our  hay  next  day.  We  got  along  very  well  so 
long  as  the  ground  was  frozen,  but  we  left  our  load  until  the 
ground  thawed  out.  What  then?  We  went  for  the  balance 
of  the  oats.  On  one  occasion  Cress  sent  me  ahead  to  find  a 
good  place  to  cross  a  slough.  As  I  was  not  posted  on  sloughs, 
I  said  here  is  a  dry  place — where  there  had  been  no  travel. 
He  started  on  a  run,  but  when  he  came  to  the  opposite  bank 
he  was  thei'e,  hub  deep.  We  unloaded  our  oats,  and  four 
horses  could  scarcely  pull  out  the  empty  wagon.  That  was 
our  first  introduction  to  a  slough.  We  always  knew  what  a 
slough  was  after  that. 

Well,  about  the  first  of  Feb.  1834,  we  commenced  mak- 
ing maple  sugar,  and  continued  for  six  weeks.  On  one  occa- 
sion my  neighbor,  John  Bromfield,  and  myself  was  left  to  at- 
tend the  camp  one  night.  One  kettle  would  boil  over  in  spite 
of  all  we  could  do.  He  said  to  me,  get  a  bacon  rind  and  he 
would  stop  it  running  over.  (All  right  1  said).  He  greased 
the  kettle  near  the  top,  then  he  sent  me  for  some  assafoedita. 
He  said  he  was  sick,  and  wanted  to  make  a  pill.  By  the  time  I 


20  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

came  back  he  said  we  will  have  to  stir  this  sugar  off;  it  was 
burning-.  We  commenced  dipping  it  out.  Ycu  better  believe 
it  stuck  to  every  vessel,  black  as  tar.  Kettle  was  red  hot. 
We  dashed  a  bucket  of  cold  water  in,  then  we  heard  a  racket. 
That  was  my  first  sugar  making. 

Well,  we  had  plows  that  would  shove  the  ground  around 
— wooden  mould  boards.  Father  would  stalk  his  and  some 
of  his  neighbors'  plows.  At  one  time  father  and  I  were 
plowing — he  said  we  would  try  an  experiment.  At  noon  lie 
cleaned  off  his  plow;  said  he  would  bring  a  bacon  rind  and 
grease  it.  We  went  about  six  feet  and  it  stuck;  he  cleaned 
and  greased  again,  started — stuck  again.  Said  I,  a  little  more 
grease. 

On  the  20th  of  June,  1834,  Andrew  Cress  married  my 
sister,  Mary,  and  commenced  housekeeping  on  the  farm  where 
his  son,  Calvin  Cress,  now  lives.  He  and  wife  lived  and  died 
on  the  same  farm  they  first  settled  on. 

Well,  we  lived  a  frontier  life  for  20  years,  raised  tiax 
and  wool  to  make  out  clothing.  The  land  was  not  in  market 
then.  Came  into  market  in  the  fall  of  1838.  Then  the  rub. 
We  had  no  money  and  money  was  hard  to  get.  No  sale  for 
stock.  The  best  horse  would  not  bring  $30;  best  cow  not  $5 
in  cash.  I  had  raised  some  wheat  and  oats.  I  took  wheat  to 
the  river  mill,  then  took  the  flour  and  peddled  it  out  in  Peoria. 
I  sold  some  oats  there  and  received  a  little  money  I  borrowed 
some  from  John  Linley,  paying  60  per  cent  interest.  (Some 
paid  100  per  cent).  I  bought  eighty  acres  where  I  now  live 
and  a  piece  of  timber.  My  home  is  the  only  piece  of  land 
that  has  not  changed  hands  to  my  knoweldge. 

The  neighbors  all  went  together  to  Springfield  with  their 
teams,  taking  feed  and  provision;  was  at  Springfield  three 
days.  We  employed  Stephen  A.  Douglas  to  call  off  our  lands 
as  they  were  put  up  for  sale.  In  some  cases  speculators  would 
bid  against  settlers.  We  all  plotted  together  to  prevent  it. 
Mr.  Henry  Kice  (father  of  John  Kice,  in  Washington)  was  a 
large  man,  weighing  330  lbs.  He  was  standing  in  the  crowd 
with  a  large  club  or  cane.  He  remarked  if  any  man  bid  on 
his  claim  they  would  feel  the  weight  of  that  stick.  I  heard 
a  number  remark,  you  see  that  large  man  with  that  stick.  I 
would  not  like  for  him  to  give  me  a  lick  with  it.  But  we  all 
got  our  land  in  peace — those  that  had  the  money.  In  sell- 
ing land  they  would  commence  in  section  one  ne  section,  in 
town  26,  range  3,  w  of  the  third  principal  meridian,  offer  the 
e  Vz  neqr  sec  1,  etc.,  etc.  How  much  I  hear  for  it,  bid  $1,25 — 
who  will  give  more?  If  no  bid,  would  be  sold.  Pass  on  to 
the  next  w  y^,  same  qr.,  and  so  on  until  the  section  was  sold. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  21 

Then  to  the  next,  etc.  We  all  v/ere  happy  when  we  got  our 
lands,  came  home  rejoicing  and  have  been  happy  ever  since. 

In  1845  the  brick  mill  at  Washington  was  built.  In  1846 
I  assisted  in  hauling  the  pine  lumber  from  Chicago  to  com- 
plete the  inside  work.  Asa  Danforth  &  Co.  hired  teams  to 
go  to  Chicago  for  lumber.  Load  with  wheat  and  reload  with 
lumber.  The  round  trip  would  cost  fifteen  dollars.  Board 
yourself  and  team.  A  trip  would  occupy  from  10  to  12  days. 
I  hauled  a  load  of  my  own  wheat  there  and  sold  it  for  621^ 
cents  per  bushel.  I  loaded  back  with  lumber  at  $1.00  per  hun- 
dred feet.    Could  buy  best  clear  lumber  for  $10  per  thousand. 

The  first  Christian  church  built  in  Washington  was  a 
brick,  built  in  1851,  now  occupied  by  the  German  Lutherans. 

William  Holland  laid  out  the  town  of  Washington  in  1834. 

On  Nov.  28,  1869,  the  second  Christian  church  was  dedi- 
cated. This  house  burned  Feb.  17,  1870,  by  defective  flue. 
Another  and  third  building  was  erected  which  was  dedicated 
Aug.  28,  1870,  and  Oct.  29,  1876,  was  also  burned;  this  time 
by  lightning.  But  the  congregation,  not  disheartened,  erected 
another,  and  on  eluly  29,  1877,  it  was  dedicated.  Whole  ex- 
pense on  the  several  houses  was  near  $32,000.00. 

I  will  state  here  that  in  the  fall  of  1834  there  were  several 
accidents  happened.  One  was  a  stranger,  came  to  111.  He  got 
work  at  Jonathan  Reed's,  living  on  the  Brown  farm  now 
owned  by  Witmer  Kern.  He  went  to  the  timber  to  haul  rails 
out  onto  the  prairie,  and  in  coming  down  a  short  hill,  by 
some  means  the  team  became  frightened  and  ran  away. 
When  found  he  was  lying  in  the  road  dead,  the  wagon  having 
passed  over  him.  The  team  w^as  found  not  far  ofi:'  tangled 
up,  there  being  four  horses.  The  stranger  was  buried  in  the 
grave  yard  on  Squire  Baker's  farm.  The  other  accident  was 
a  daughter  of  Mr.  Heath,  (sister  of  Mrs.  Adam  Switzer)  then 
living  in  the  grove  now^  occupied  by  Mr.  Wrenn.  It  happened 
thus:  There  was  a  long  school  house  built  near  the  grave 
yard  on  the  land  now  owned  by  Squire  Baker.  This  girl,  with 
others,  was  seated  at  the  desk  facing  a  window  east.  The 
Banta  family  lived  some  thi'ee  hundred  yards  due  east  from 
school  house.  Cornelius  Banta  had  been  having  typhoid 
fever  and  ague.  One  day  he  took  the  gun  and  went  out  to 
kill  a  squirrel.  He  found  one  sitting  on  a  tree  200  yards  from 
the  school  house.  He  shot  direct  north,  the  school  house  be- 
ing west  of  him.  When  he  shot  the  ball  struck  a  limb  or 
something  and  glanced,  going  direct  through  the  window  and 
striking  this  girl  in  The  head.  Old  Drs.  Wood  and  Goodwin 
were  called.  They  i-emoved  the  ball  (as  supposed)  from  under 
the  scalp,  believing  the  trouble  was  all  over,  but  not  so;  the 


22  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

patient  grew  worse.  They  summoned  a  doctor  from  Pekin  in 
company  with  the  doctors  here,  returned,  made  another  ex- 
amination, and  found  that  part  of  the  ball  had  passed  through 
the  skull.  Found  it  between  the  skull  and  Hning  of  the  brain. 
After  removing  the  remainder  of  ball  and  piece  of  bone,  the 
patient  got  well.  Some  thought  the  ball  was  spHt  passing 
through  the  glass;  others  when  it  struck  the  skull  bone.  I 
should  judge  the  latter.  This  young  lady  afterwards  became 
the  wife  of  George  Gipson  of  El  Paso.  Sorry  to  say  this  ac- 
cident broke  up  the  school.  The  teacher,  (being  a  stranger), 
left  for  parts  unknown. 

When  we  came  to  this  state  in  1833  there  were  no  In- 
dians here,  but  there  were  many  signs  of  where  they  had 
had  their  wigwams;  also  many  ladders  sitting  up  against 
trees  where  they  had  cut  holes  in  trees  to  catch  coons  and 
get  honey.     Their  ladders  were  made  thus: 

They  would  cut  a  sapling  and  leave  the  natural  limbs 
about  one  and  one-half  feet  long  for  handholds,  resting  one 
end  on  the  ground  and  the  other  against  the  tree.  In  speak- 
ing of  Indians,  when  we  came  to  Illinois  I  never  saw  any 
heie,  nor  was  I  in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  but  I  saw  the  old 
Indian  chief.  Black  Hawk,  in  Richmond,  Va.,  when  they  were 
on  their  way  to  Washington,  D.  C.  That  was  in  the  summer 
of  1833.  He  was  tall  with  a  sharp,  keen  eye;  had  rings  in 
his  ears  and  one  in  his  nose,  and  had  a  blanket  around  his 
shouldeis,  and  was  a  fair  representation  of  his  picture.  There 
was  plenty  of  small  game  here  of  all  kinds,  but  nothing 
larger  than  a  deer.  I  have  killed  some  of  all  kinds  except  a 
wild  goose;  I  never  could  get  one  although  I  have  shot  at 
them  flying,  standing,  far  and  near,  with  ball  and  shot,  and 
in  every  instance  I  would  make  the  feathers  fly.  I  remember 
of  my  brother-in-law,  J.  Grove,  and  I  going  into  the  timber 
deer-hunting  and  we  did  not  go  very  far  until  we  got  sight 
of  one.  It  came  up  the  hollow  and  when  within  one  hundred 
and  fifty  years  Grove  shot  and  missed  it.  It  ran  direct  to- 
ward us  and  Grove  said,  "Dave,  shoot!"  Snap.  "Dave, 
shoot!"  Snap.  By  this  time  it  was  within  fifteen  yards  of 
me,  "Dave,  shoot!"  Bang.  It  ran  125  yds.  and  fell.  Grove  got 
to  it  and  caught  it  by  the  horns  to  hold  it  down ;  when  I  got 
there  I  jumped  on  it.  No  sooner  on  than  off.  It  just  sent 
me  kiting;  naturally  stripped  my  overcoat  and  powder  horn 
off  of  me.  That  was  my  first  introduction,  but  we  got  it  all 
the  same;  weighed  125  pounds.  I  had  an  old  flint-lock  rifle 
that  came  from  Blue  Ridge,  Va.,  was  at  least  fifty  years  old, 
but  had  killed  more  deer  and  bear  than  it  was  years  old.     I 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  23 

must  relate  a  trip  that  J.  B.  McCorkle  and  myself  made  to 
Washington,  Washington  county,  Towa,  in  1839,  eighteen 
miles  from  the  Indian  Territory.  We  went  horse-back.  We 
stopped  with  his  uncle,  John  Berry,  twelve  miles  west  of  the 
Mississippi  river.  Berry,  wishing  to  entertain  his  company, 
concluded  he  must  have  some  fresh  meat,  so  he  went  out 
among  his  stock  hogs  saying  he  was  fond  of  lean  meat.  Af- 
ter dressing  it,  said  he,  "this  is  the  first  hog-hide  I  ever 
salted  down."  Well,  if  you  believe  me,  you  could  hold  it  up 
to  the  sun  and  read  a  newspaper  through  it,  providing  there 
had  been  a  hole. 

When  we  came  to  Washington,  Iowa,  we  met  a  friend 
from  Illinois.  He  invited  us  home  with  him,  saying  if  you 
can  fare  as  we  do  you  are  welcome.  I  answered  I  could  put 
up  with  what  any  one  else  could.  When  we  came  to  the 
house,  it  reminded  me  of  a  story  about  the  traveler  traveling 
west: 

He  came  to  a  Hoosier's  nest, 
Or,  in  other  words  a  buckide  cabin; 
Just  large  enough  to  hold  queen  madron. 
He   took   the   stranger's  horse  aside. 
And  to  a   sturdy  sapling  tied. 
And   in    stripping   the   saddle   off 
He  fed   him  in  a  sugar-trough. 
The   stranger   stooped   to  enter  in 
The  entrance  closing  with  a  pin. 
It  being  his  heart's  desire 
To  seat  himself  by  a  log  heap  fire. 
There  he  saw  a  half-dozen  Hoosierons 
With   mush   and   milk,  tea   cup  and   spoons, 
^       White   heads,   bare   feet,   and   dirty   faces, 
All   desired   to  keep  their  places. 
One  side  was  lined  with  linen  garments, 
On   the   othe:-  side  hung  skins   of  var-nents; 
Over  head  pumpkins  were  strung 
Where  venison  ham  in  plenty  hung. 
Two   rifles   were   placed   above  the   door, 
Two  big  dogs  stretching  on  the  floor. 
And  so  forth  and  so  on. 

This  cabin  was  not  laden  with  venison,  but  like  all  new- 
commers  just  commencing  a  good  big  fire  and  the  old  lady 
spinning  rolls  on  a  little  wheel.  The  family  consisted  of  two 
•  old  people,  two  young  ladies,  two  young  men,  two  children, 
my  friend  and  1.  There  was  only  one  bed  in  the  house.  I 
did  not  know  how  we  could  all  sleep.  Only  one  room  and 
that  so  small,  had  to  move  the  table  out  doors  after  each 


24  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

meal.  For  supper  we  had  no  coffee,  but  instead  we  had  po- 
tato soup  in  tin  cups  with  spoons  in  each.  My  friend  sipped 
his,  found  no  coffee  and  pushed  it  back.  I  was  all  right  for 
I  was  fond  of  potato  soup.  Presently  the  old  gentleman 
came  in  with  gun,  prairie  chicken  and  a  wallet  of  corn  meal ; 
had  been  to  a  hand  mill.  That  evening  passed  off  by  the 
old  man  telling  hunting  stories.  He  said  one  time  he  shot 
a  squirrel  in  the  head;  it  fell  from  the  tree,  jumped  up  and 
lan  up  the  tree  (quack  quack)  ;  he  shot  again  when  lo!  and 
behold  he  had  shot  its  brains  out  the  first  shot.  I  told  him 
I  did  not  dispute  his  word,  but  that  was  a  big  story  to  tell. 
At  another  time  he  killed  an  oppossum,  stripped  the  hide  off 
and  threw  it  away.  It  jumped  up  and  ran  off.  I  again  told 
him  that  I  did  not  dispute  his  word,  but  that  was  a  big  story 
to  tell.  Finally  it  came  bed  time.  They  had  a  knack  of  stow- 
ing them  away;  first,  two  children  in  the  foot  of  the  bed, 
then  two  old  folks  occupied  the  rest  of  that  bed.  What  next  ? 
The  girls  made  a  pallet  on  the  floor  for  my  friend  and  I. 
There  was  about  four  feet  of  my  friend  run  out  at  the  foot. 
I,  being  short,  was  all  right.  I  got  between  him  and  the 
fire.  The  girls  drew  out  a  trundle  bed  and  occupied  that. 
The  young  men  went  up  a  ladder,  near  the  comb;  two  poles 
were  laid  across  one  end  of  the  cabin  with  clapboards  laid 
on;  had  a  bunk  there.  Next  morning  we  had  horse-mint  tea 
for  breakfast.  My  friend  let  his  tea  stand;  we  then  struck 
for  home.  He  said  he  would  rather  pay  $2.50  for  lodging 
than  to  have  that  for  nothing. 

In  the  spring  of  1842  Mr.  John  Brady  and  myself  made 
a  trip  to  Augusta  county,  Va.,  on  horse-back.  We  were  on 
the  road  three  weeks,  and  it  cost  us  only  $15,  and  we  did  not 
steal  either,  but  we  sponged  off  our  friends.  We  imagined 
we  could  not  travel  unless  we  carried  a  weapon  of  defense, 
so  I  traded  a  load  of  corn  for  a  brace  of  pistols  about  six 
inches  long,  (you  may  know  they  were  dangerous).  We  car- 
ried them  loaded  until  we  reached  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  with- 
out any  occasion  to  use  them.  We  concluded  to  shoot  them 
off,  fearing  they  might  I'ust.  We  made  a  mark  on  a  large 
gum  tree  from  five  to  six  feet  through,  went  five  paces  back, 
fired  two  shots,  missed  the  gum.  Brady  said  we  might  as 
well  throw  them  away;  if  we  could  not  hit  as  large  a  mark 
we  could  not  hit  a  man.  We  never  reloaded  them.  I  re- 
mained in  Virginia  until  fall,  returning  with  brother,  Benja- 
min, when  he  moved  to  Illinois  in  1842. 

I  was  married  January  13,  1844,  to  Elizabeth  McCord. 
Five  children,  Virginia,  Eliza  Jane,  Missouri,  Laura  and 
Marian.     In  April,  1856,  my  wafe  died,  leaving  me  with  five 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,   ILL.  25 

small  children.  In  the  year  1857  I  was  again  married  to  Miss 
Ellen  Conn  of  Fayette  county,  Penn.  Before  I  was  first  mar- 
ried I  broke  prairie  four  summers  with  four  yoke  of  oxen 
to  one  plow,  improving  my  farm  and  breaking  for  others. 
Those  days  we  would  steal  our  timber  for  rails  from  Uncle 
Sam;  every  one  would  steal  in  Illinois.  I  have  even  known 
preachers  to  steal,  and  after  we  had  our  land  bought  we 
would  chop  off  of  congress  land  and  save  our  own. 

I  built  a  log  house,  14x16,  of  split  logs.  We  had  one 
room  on  the  ground  and  one-half  room  above.  I  daubed  it 
with  black  mud.  When  the  winds  would  blow  and  rains 
descend,  the  mud  would  come  out  on  the  floor  dab,  dab. 
Sometimes  we  would  have  a  lot  to  carry  out  and  daub  again. 
We  lived  in  that  house  six  years,  and  in  1851  1  built  the 
house  I  now  live  in.  That  was  the  season  the  cholera  was 
so  fatal.  There  were  over  forty  deaths  in  Worth  township 
that  season.  In  1853  I  bought  80  acres  of  prairie  land  which 
cost  $3.00  per  acre.  That  was  cheaper  than  the  $1.25  land. 
Late  in  1860  I  bought  160  acres  for  $12.50  per  acre.  I  paid 
that  easier  than  the  $3.00  land.  Then  in  1866  I  bought  80 
acres  for  $26.00  per  acre,  being  still  cheaper.  Broke  and 
sowed  in  spring  wheat  50  acres;  raised  730  bushels,  which 
sold  in  1867  at  $3.12  </2  per  bushel,  just  paying  for  the 
land.  In  the  fall  of  1866  I  went  to  Kansas  and  bought  800 
acres,  paying  $500.  Late,  I  traded  for  640  acres  in  Green- 
wood county,  Kan.,  costing  me  35  cents  per  acre;  also  four 
acres  in  the  city  of  Fort  Scott,  Kan.,  for  $550.  Later,  I 
bought  a  farm  one  and  one-half  miles  from  Fort  Scott  for 
$4,000,  just  as  rich  land  as  where  I  live,  and  as  level.  Now 
I  have  160  acres  in  Hayes  county.  Neb.  Have  all  the  land  I 
want,  and  more  than  my  children  can  keep  the  weeds  down. 

I  will  relate  another  incident.  A.  Cress,  Jacob  Grove  and 
myself  went  to  the  rope  ferry,  four  miles  north  of  Peoria, 
fishing.  Willy  Parker  was  attending  the  ferry,  so  Grove  and 
Cress  attended  the  ferry  while  Parker  gigged  fish  for  us. 
We  got  a  fine  lot  of  fish,  among  them  being  a  white  perch. 
When  we  took  them  out  of  the  skiff,  John  Lowman  happened 
there.  He'^remarked  that  we  had  a  sheep  head  among  the 
lot.  Said  I:  Are  they  better  than  buffalo?  He  said  not  so 
good.  When  we  came  to  divide  the  fish  I  proposed  each  man 
pick  his  fish.  Said  I:  Cress,  you  are  the  oldest  man;  you 
take  your  choice.  Well,  he  lit  on  that  sheep  head  like  a 
duck  on  a  June  bug.  He  took  his  fish  home  and  said:  Now, 
wife,  I  want  you  to  cook  that  white  fish  when  we  are  all 
alone.  She  did  so.  He  took  one  bite.  Chew,  chew;  wife, 
why  did  you  not  cook  that  good  fish  ?    Said   she :     Is   that 


26  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

not  good?  He  said  no;  the  more  I  chew  it  the  bigger  it  gets. 
Ever  after  that  he  knew  what  a  sheep  head  was.  At  one 
time  Jacob  Wilson  gigged  us  fifty  fish,  weighing  twelve  lbs. 
a  piece,  for  $1.25.  He  was  the  best  fish  spearer  on  the 
river. 

In  the  fall  of  1855-6  A,  Cress,  Dr.  Wenger  and  myself 
made  a  trip  to  Iowa  with  a  two-horse  wagon  and  a  one-horse 
buggy,  to  buy  land.  We  went  as  far  as  Ringold  county  which 
was  very  thinly  settled.  We  were  on  the  frontier.  One 
night  we  camped  in  the  timber  within  one-half  mile  of  the 
Indian  village.  The  majority  of  them  had  gone  further  west 
on  their  fall  hunt,  but  had  left  a  few  of  their  people  to  look 
after  their  village  and  traps.  We  did  not  know  how  many 
were  left,  or  should  they  molest  us  or  not.  After  we  were 
in  camp  two  hours,  we  heard  a  noise  as  if  something  walk- 
ing. Limbs  would  snap,  and  our  dog  made  considerable  fuss. 
Cress  said :  Boys,  Indians.  Said  he,  boys  you  think  we  can 
stand  them  a  fight  if  attacked?  Dr.  Wenger  said:  I  think 
we  had  better  beg.  Cress  said  each  one  must  take  a  weapon. 
We  slept  in  the  wagon.  Cress  took  his  pop-gun  and  butcher 
knife,  Dr.  Wenger  the  axe,  and  I  the  shot  gun.  Cress  told 
it  when  we  came  home  that  Kindig  and  Wenger  just  slept 
and  snored,  and  he  had  to  keep  awake  to  stand  guard.  Wen- 
ger said  we  were  not  as  afraid  to  die  (as  you.)  We  were 
out  of  provision,  so  next  morning  we  drove  to  the  village  all 
vacated  by  Indians,  but  they  left  a  more  numerous  popula- 
tion in  the  shape  of  fleas.  We  stopped  at  the  door  of  a  hut. 
The  fleas  commenced  crawling  up  our  boots.  Was  so  frosty 
and  cold  they  could  not  jump,  and  we  could  easily  outrun 
them. 

I  must  tell  you  how  they  built  their  wigwams.  Placed 
ploes  in  the  ground,  as  making  a  prairie  stable,  and  put  poles 
through  the  center.  The  sides  are  six  feet  high.  They  cov- 
ered the  sides  with  bark  from  elm  trees;  also  the  roof  by 
placing  the  rough  side  of  the  bark  to  the  sun.  They  cut 
holes  in  the  Wrk,  tying  it  to  the  poles.  Cut  the  bark  five  or 
six  feet  high,  some  two,  four  and  six  feet  wide.  Cover  like 
shingles,  lap  over  each  other.  I  saw  where  they  had  just 
one  bark  for  the  door,  six  feet  high  and  five  feet  wide,  all 
in  one  piece.  They  would  put  a  pole  (on  the  inside)  all  along 
one  side  of  their  wigwams,  about  six  feet  wide,  lay  sticks 
and  brush  across,  then  they  would  lie  crosswise.  One  house 
was  15x20  feet,  with  a  hole  in  the  top  and  a  fire  in  the  cen- 
ter. They  never  put  their  feet  to  the  fire,  but  sit  down  on 
them  like  a  goose.  Make  a  small  fire  that  they  may  get 
close  to  it.    When  they  leave  they  sweep  all  trash  away  from 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  27 

the  village  and  burn  the  grass  several  rods  away  to  prevent 
the  prairie  fire  from  burning  up  their  town.  We  found  some 
com  in  their  truck  patch.  The  way  they  enclose  their  lots 
is  by  cutting  poles,  tying  them  to  trees  and  posts  with  bark. 
They  cultivate  the  timber  land,  as  it  is  much  easier  to  dig 
with  the  hoe.  The  women  have  all  that  kind  of  work  to  do. 
When  they  leave  to  go  on  a  hunting  expedition  they  hide 
their  cooking  utensils  where  a  white  man  can  not  find  them. 
Some  say  they  hide  them  in  the  mud  in  the  bottom  of  the 
creek.  We  found  where  they  had  buried  their  com.  We 
also  found  some  vacant  land.  We  entered  fourteen  eighties. 
The  land  office  was  a  Clarinden,  Iowa. 

I  will  relate  a  little  incident  happening  on  our  return 
home.  As  we  were  coming  down  a  hill,  Wenger  and  Cress 
were  in  the  buggy.  There  was  a  crab-apple  bush  under  the 
horse,  and  he  was  about  to  run.  Cress  said,  "hold  him,"  and 
1  will  jump  out  and  catch  him.  He  had  the  gun  when  he 
jumped.  He  said  his  foot  caught  and  he  fell  with  his  head 
under  the  buggy.  Wenger  got  the  horse  stopped  just  in 
time  to  stop  the  wheel  square  on  Cress'  head.  "Hello,"  the 
buggy  wheel  is  on  my  head.  If  he  had  not  drove  off  he 
would  be  there  yet. 

Another  incident  happened  Cress,  We  were  washing 
sheep.  My  brother,  Henry,  was  on  his  way  to  mill.  Cress 
said,  "Henry,  help  us.  I  do  not  like  to  go  into  the  water, 
as  I  have  sore  eyes.  I  will  give  you  my  clothes."  So  he 
agreed.  We  had  the  sheep  penned  between  the  creek  and 
the  fence.  Cress  would  catch  the  sheep  and  throw  them  in 
the  creek.  We  had  dammed  the  water  about  four  feet,  so 
the  sheep  had  the  bank  wet  and  slippery.  We  were  replacing 
the  rails  on  the  fence.  Cress  was  carrying  a  large  rail  up 
the  bank  when  his  hind  foot  slipped  back  and  he  went  back- 
wards, "souse,"  into  the  creek  with  rail  across  his  breast, 
holding  his  head  under  the  water,  where  it  was  more  "green" 
than  clear.  We  heard  a  terrible  splashing,  looked  and  saw 
him  kicking  for  life,  but  he  lived  to  get  home.  Then  his 
wife  went  for  him  for  going  into  the  water.  Those  days 
were  pleasant  days. 

In  the  year  1852  there  was  a  man  by  the  name  of  Rhodes 
living  on  the  farm  owned  of  late  by  William  Gale,  north  of 
where  Simon  Thomas  lives.  He  was  sick  with  a  fever.  On 
one  Tuesday  night  he  got  up,  stole  out  and  ran  off.  They 
hunted  three  days  for  him  and  found  him  one-half  mile  south 
of  Germantown,  111.  A  boy  was  hunting  cows  and  found  him. 
He  was  alive,  but  had  on  no  clothing  and  the  sun  had  bhs- 


28  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

tered  his  hide.    This  was  on  Friday  about  an  hour  after  sun- 
set.   And,  remarkable  to  state,  he  got  well. 

I  will  relate  a  trip  made  by  Jacob  Grove  and  myself,  in 
the  fall  of  '39  or  '40,  to  Chicago  with  two  ox  teams,  seven 
yoke  of  oxen.  Our  loads  consisted  of  wheat,  apples,  onions, 
etc.  We  deppled  among  the  Irish  along  the  railroad  at  Peru 
and  the  canal.  Some  of  their  houses  were  a  novelty,  some 
covered  with  long  slough  grass  and  others  with  troughs — 
trees  cut  and  split,  then  dug  out  similar  to  sheep  troughs. 
Two  troughs  were  laid  with  the  bark  down  and  one  laid  over 
(where  the  troughs  met)  with  the  bark  up.  Very  few  have 
seen  such.  They  made  a  good  roof.  At  one  time  an  Irish 
lady  wanted  a  nice  fat  "foul"  for  a  sick  "mon."  Grove  got 
a  nice  fat  hen.  "Now  and  I  won't  hove  'him.'  I  want  a  big 
'won.'  "  Then  he  got  the  oldest  crower  he  had.  She  said, 
"that  is  a  big  fat  'won'  for  a  sick  'men.'  "  In  paying  she 
kept  back  part  of  the  money.  I  tell  you  they  are  hard  hands 
to  deal  with.  I  had  a  large  wagon,  one  we  moved  in  from  Vir- 
ginia, called  prairie  steamboat.  One  Irishman  went  behind 
and  spoke  through  his  hands,  saying:  "Ha-hoo  steamboat! 
Where  you  bound  for?  Captain,  are  you  the  mate?  What 
will  ye  charge  a  single  'mon,'  his  wife  and  'sax'  children  pas- 
sage to  Chicago,  and  give  him  twice  a  day  of  the  'swate 
crature'  that  nourishes  the  'sowl'  of  an  Irishman?" 

They  would  agree  to  take  three  or  four  bushels  of  meal 
to  get  it  cheaper.  Then  when  you  would  deliver  it  they 
would  only  take  one  bushel. 

Well,  we  got  twenty  miles  north  of  Ottawa.    We  always 
unyoked  the  cattle  at  night  and  let  them  graze  until  morn- 
ing.    One  morning  we  were   minus   ten   head.    We  hunted 
three  days.    "Nix  coom  arouse."    Well,  we  went  on  to  Chi- 
cago with  two  yoke  of  oxen  and  two  wagons.    Grove  said  we 
would  go  or  die  trying.    Grove  took  the  ague  and  had  it 
every  day  until  we  reached  home,  that  being  three  weeks.    I 
had  both  teams  to  drive.    We  took  two  wagons  as  we  could 
not  load  all  on  one.    We  would  hitch  one  wagon  behind  the 
other  and  sometimes  have  one  yoke  to  each  wagon.  First  day 
we  reached  ten  miles.    When  we  got  to  Joliet  it  rained.    We 
only  drove  one  mile  that  day.    When  we  got  to  hills  we  would 
have  to  pull  one  wagon  up,  then  the  other,  and  one  ox  was 
balky.    But  when  we  had  to  depend  on  him  he  never  flinched. 
When  we  got  within  twelve  miles  of  Chicago  we  met  Jona- 
than Reed,  who  lived  then  on  Asa  Brown's  farm  now  owned 
by  Witmer  Kern,  Washington  and  Morely.    They  were  haul- 
ing lumber  from  Chicago  to  Ottawa.     They  had  two  four- 
horse  teams.    Reed  took  a  part  of  our  load  and  we  left  one 


EARLY   HISTORY   OF  WASHINC/l  ON".   ILL.  29 

wagon.    We  then  glided  into  Chicago.    We  grazed  our  cattle 
at  the  north  and  south  forks  of  the  Chicago  river,  now  the 
heart  of  the  city.     When  we  left  the  city  we  loaded  seven 
barrels  of  salt  at  $4.50  per  barrel,  worth  $7  here,  and  two 
sacks   of   coffee.    By   the   time   we   arrived   at   our    other 
wagon,  twelve  miles  from  the  city,  one  ox  gave  out.     Reed 
took  one  barrel  of  salt  on  his  load  of  lumber ;  said  they  would 
meet  us  at  Holderman's  grove  to  camp,  but  they  failed  to  get 
there   that   night   on   account   of   being   sloughed.    We   all 
camped  at  Ottawa.     They  returned  to  Chicago.     Grove  had 
an  old  jackscrew  to  grease  wagons  and  to  help  out  of  sloughs. 
Reed  wanted  to  borrow  it,  but  Grove  told  him  that  it  was  a 
borrowed  one  and  he  could  not  loan  it.    So  that  night  Reed 
stole  it.     We  could  not  find  it  next  morning.     Morely  said: 
"Look  in  R-e-e-d's    w-a-g-o-n ;   look  in  R-e-e-d's  w-a-g-o-n." 
But  Grove  said:     "I  can  not  look  in  a  man's  wagon  who  has 
befriended  us."    Then  we  separated.    They  went  to  Chicago 
and  we  towards  home.    We  had  to  ford  the  Illinois  river  two 
miles  south  of  Ottawa.    When  we  got  to  the  river  Grove  was 
so  sick  that  he  laid  down  on  the  grass.    I  thought  he  would 
die.    There  w^as  a  very  steep  bank  to  go  down  into  the  river, 
the  water  being  four  feet  deep.    We  had  one  team  to  each 
wagon,  so  we  lashed  one  wagon  to  the  axle  of  the  other  with 
a  log  chain.    Grove  said  when  you  get  down  in  the  river  whip 
up  your  oxen  to  give  room  for  mine,  so  we  went  down  in  a 
rush,  but  when  they  checked  the  other  team  came  down  in 
a  rush  also.     They  tried  to  run  past,    but   the   chain   hook 
caught  on  the  hind  wheel  (being  high  wheels)   and  carried 
the  oxen  up  so  high  they  w^ere  hanging  by  their  necks,  with 
tongues  out  and  nearly  choking.    I  jumped  out  in  the  water 
and  ran  back.    Grove  crawled  out  on  the  tongue  with  the  ax 
to  cut  the  keys.    Just  then  one  of  the  oxen,  being  unruly, 
drew  his  head  through  the  bow  that  let  the  other  end  dovm. 
We  straightened  out,  drove  him  under,   yoked   him   in   the 
river  and  then  went  on  rejoicing  and  glad  we  were  alive. 

We  returned  home  after  being  gone  twenty-one  days.  In 
a  reasonable  time  we  returned  on  a  hunt  for  our  cattle.  We 
went  up  the  Illinois  river,  Fox  river,  all  over  the  prairie,  to 
LaSalle  and  Peru.  At  one  time  we  met  a  darkey.  He  says, 
"Massa,  if  you  get  on  a  hos'  and  peruse  de  bottoms  all  ober 
guess  you'll  fine  'em."  The  same  night  we  returned  home 
one  ox  was  at  home  in  father's  stock  yard.  We  then  con- 
cluded the  others  were  not  stolen. 

In  a  short  time  Benjamin  Ayers,  an  old  settler,  was  on 
a  hunt  of  some  cattle  he  lost  driving  to  Chicago.  He  found 
and  brought  all  of  our  cattle  home.    We  lost  more  than  we 


30  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

made  that  trip,  but  were  glad  to  get  our  oxen.  We  intended 
hauling  goods  from  Chicago  to  Lacon  at  $4.00  per  hundred. 
There  was  where  we  intended  making  our  money.  Those 
were  happy  days.  I  sold  my  wheat  at  45  cents  per  bushel. 
Later,  I  took  a  load  of  wheat  and  got  621/2  cents  per  bushel. 
I  returned  with  a  load  of  lumber  to  build  the  inside  of  the 
brick  mill  at  Washington,  now  owned  by  the  Andrews  Bros. 
There  was  not  much  change  in  the  program  until  the  canal 
was  finished,  then  corn  raised  to  20  cents  per  bushel  at  Spring 
Bay.  We  then  thought  we  were  making  money  like  dirt. 
Could  then  sell  a  three-year-old  steer  for  $10,  but  we  have 
got  nearly  back  to  those  days  in  prices.  Oh,  yes ;  Reed  made 
a  few  more  trips  with  the  jackscrew,  when  Grove  went  after 
it.  He  said  "he  found  it."  Two  Irishmen  were  greasing  their 
wagon.  He  told  them  that  was  "his"  jack.  They  would  not 
give  it  up,  so  he  knocked  one  down  with  a  stone  and  the 
other  run,  and  "he"  got  it,  but  afterwards  gave  it  to  Grove. 
I  will  now  tell  you  a  fish  story.  In  1854  a  company  of 
us  went  to  Spring  Bay  fishing  with  a  seine,  or  rather  to  as- 
sist Seers,  a  Peoria  fisherman.  The  seine  was  seven  hundred 
and  thirty  yards  long.  We  made  a  draw,  caught  1,300  buffalo 
weighing  from  ten  to  fifteen  pounds  each.  Next  day  we  made 
another  draw,  and  lo!  we  caught  2,200;  that  filled  his  live 
boat  and  we  had  all  the  fish  we  wanted.  A.  Cress  said  to 
the  boy:  "Bub,"  what  do  you  feed  your  fish  when  you  get 
to  Peoria?     (M-o-l-a-s-s-e-s).    Cress  had  no  more  to  say. 

The  first  prairie  D.  Kindig  had  broke  on  his  homestead 
cost  him  $3.00  per  acre.  That  seems  high  breaking  the  soil, 
when  land  only  cost  him  $1.25  per  acre.  His  homestead  to- 
day, 1890,  would  sell  for  about  $100.00  per  acre. 

In  the  spring  of  1867  my  wife  and  I  made  a  visit  to  her 
birthplace  in  Fayette  county,  Pa.  Spent  some  time  with 
friends,  thence  took  passage  in  a  steamboat  on  the  Monon- 
gehela  river,  ninety  miles,  to  Pittsburg,  Pa.  Our  fare,  board 
and  lodging  to  Pittsburg  only  cost  $5.00  for  both  of  us. 
Thence  to  Lancaster  county.  Pa.,  arriving  at  Lancaster  coun- 
ty on  the  2nd  of  July.  Harvest  ripe  for  the  sickle,  (as  I 
thought) ,  but  they  let  it  stand  two  weeks  before  cutting,  un- 
til the  heads  hung  down,  and  the  grains  would  snap  in  your 
teeth,  for  the  reason  they  hauled  it  in  the  bam  the  same  day 
they  cut  it,  and  it  had  to  be  ripe.  One  day,  as  we  were  pass- 
ing through  the  country  where  they  were  harvesting,  I  saw 
a  boy,  with  a  horse  and  sulky  rake,  in  the  standing  wheat, 
raking.  Said  I  to  my  uncle :  "What  is  that  boy  doing  in  the 
wheat?"  "Said  he  was  just  raking  the  lodged  grain  up  so  the 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  31 

reaper  could  catch  it.  That  was  a  new  idea  to  me.  Thought 
I  would  try  it  when  I  got  home.  So  I  did  try  it  in  oats,  but 
would  not  work.  At  one  time  I  went  into  the  field  where 
they  were  reaping  wheat.  The  old  gentleman  was  driving, 
cutting,  gee  around;  when  he  got  to  the  end  I  noticed  he  got 
off  the  reaper,  took  the  horses  by  the  bridles  and  squared 
them  around,  then  went  back  on  the  reaper;  also  at  the  next 
corner,  and  so  one  until  he  came  around  where  we  were.  I 
remarked  to  him,  you  take  it  tedious  to  get  off  and  turn  your 
horses.  Oh,  yes,  but  if  I  had  my  other  horse,  he  would  turn. 
I  told  him  "that"  was  a  good  horse.  All  you  lacked  was 
double  lines.  He  had  been  driving  with  one  line  and  (what 
they  call)  a  jockey  stick  tied  to  the  off  horse.  He  said  he 
was  all  right  with  his  other  horse.  I  said  I  could  go  to  the 
timber,  get  some  hickory  bark  and  make  a  pair  of  checks  in 
a  few  minutes,  then  you  could  yank  them  around.  Well,  he 
remarked,  we  do  not  have  check  lines.  The  boy  said,  "Father, 
go  with  these  men  to  the  house,  we  will  cut  the  grain." 

At  another  time  I  was  at  one  of  my  uncles.  He  had  50 
acres  of  land,  five  head  of  horses  and  two  wagons.  His  four- 
horse  wagon  weighed  2,200  empty,  harness  weighed  200 
pounds  apiece.  I  said:  "Uncle,  you  have  no  use  for  so  many 
horses,  such  harness  and  wagons.  Now,  if  you  had  one  of  our 
Yankee  wagons  and  harness  you  would  hitch  on  the  small 
wagon  nine  times  out  of  ten,  and  the  tenth  time  you  would 
hitch  on  the  small  wagon. 

Land  was  selling  then  at  $300,  $400  and  $600  per  acre.  I 
saw  one  farm  sell  at  $600  per  acre,  but  the  farms  are  not  so 
large  as  in  Illinois,  although  their  buildings  are  three  times 
as  large.  All  stone  and  brick  houses  and  bams;  all  bank 
barns.  I  could  put  four  bams  like  mine  in  one  of  theirs  and 
then  not  be  full.  My  uncle  said  he  was  offered  $300  per  acre 
for  his  farm.  I  advised  him  to  sell  and  come  west.  I  told 
him  I  could  buy  him  160  acres  prairie  and  20  acres  timber 
for  $10,000  and  then  have  $5,000  left.  He  said  he  could 
make  more  money  there  on  50  acres  than  I  could  in  Illinois 
on  160  acres.  I  said,  Uncle,  how  much  do  you  sell  your 
wheat  for?  $3.25  per  bushel.  How  much  for  com?  $1.00 
per  bushel.  This  was  in  1867.  I  told  him  I  sold  my  wheat 
at  $3,121/9  cents  per  bushel,  com  at  90  cents  and  your  market 
is  not  much  better.  He  could  not  see  it,  of  course.  Said  this 
would  make  two  nice  farms,  25  acres  each.  The  country  is 
one  vast  village.  The  most  beautiful  country  I  ever  saw,  but 
they  are,  or  was  then,  50  years  behind  the  times.  ^ 

When  we  left  there  we  were  enroute  to  Washington,  D. 


32  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL. 

C.  We  were  there  during  the  time  Surrat  had  his  trial.  I 
saw  him.  He  was  a  young  man  about  25  years  of  age, 
medium  size,  rather  pale  looking.  I  heard  one  witness  give 
his  testimony.  The  lawyer  asked  him  if  he  could  give  as 
correct  a  statement  as  he  had  two  years  past.  He  said  he 
could,  but  failed  to  do  so,  as  the  lawyer  had  his  former  evi- 
dence in  writing. 

We  visited  the  patent  office,  postoffice ;  also  at  the  White 
House,  but  not  in.  Went  to  the  senate  chamber.  Congress 
was  in  session.  On  going  to  the  capitol  we  met  a  man.  I  in- 
quired if  we  were  on  the  right  street;  he  said,  yes,  just  fol- 
low me.  We  kept  close  to  him  when  the  man  opened  the 
door  to  let  him  in,  (I  was  right  at  his  heels,  but  he  shut  the 
door — would  not  let  me  in)  said  pass  on.  (How  did  he  know 
but  what  I  was  a  member  of  the  senate)  ?  We  only  knew 
two  congressmen,  namely,  Logan  and  Butler.  We  heard 
Butler  spout. 

We  left  there  and  went  to  the  navy  yard.  Were  on  two 
torpedo  boats,  also  on  the  Monitor;  saw  the  hole  that  the 
Merrimac  shot  through  the  side  of  the  boat,  just  above  the 
water,  passing  through  four-inch  iron  and  sixteen-inch  tim- 
ber. The  turret  was  sixteen  feet  in  diameter  with  two  large 
cannons  inside.  The  turret  was  lined  with  six  one-inch  iron 
plating,  riveted  together  to  protect  the  guns.  There  were 
great  furrows  plowed  out  of  the  iron,  the  size  of  your  arm. 
I  undertook  to  count  the  spots  that  had  been  struck  with  can- 
non balls.  I  counted  400,  got  tired  and  quit.  I  saw  them 
making  anchors.  It  took  six  men  to  handle  one.  There  were 
many  cannons  in  the  yard,  captured  in  the  army. 

We  departed  from  there  to  Augusta  county,  Va.,  my 
birthplace.  There  they  were  one  hundred  years  behind  the 
times.  They  used  the  wooden  scoop-shovel  yet.  Well  do  I 
remember  when  I  was  a  boy,  I  had  all  the  milling  to  do  on 
horseback.  Father  run  a  one-horse  distillery.  Every  morn- 
ing I  had  to  take  a  sack  of  corn  to  mill  and  return  then  a 
sack  of  rye  and  return  before  breakfast.  Sometimes  I  would 
take  wheat.  The  mill  was  one  mile  distant;  had  the  South 
river  to  ford  across.  Many  were  the  sacks  that  fell  off  in 
the  river.  If  they  had  all  been  lying  on  the  road  at  one  time 
I  think  I  could  have  walked  on  them  to  the  mill.  Many  times 
I  wished  the  mill  was  forty  miles  away,  then  they  would  have 
taken  the  wagon.  But  those  days  are  past.  While  on  my 
visit  there  in  '67  one  of  my  cousins  hitched  up  four  horses 
to  go  to  mill.  I  asked  how  much  of  a  grist  have  you  ?  Said 
ten  bushels.    They  had  no  two-horse  wagons  and  when  they 


\ 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  33 

went  to  church  they  all  went  horseback.  If  there  were  eight 
girls  and  four  boys  in  one  family,  each  had  a  saddle.  On  one 
occasion  the^^  were  threshing  wheat  and  the  machine  left  the 
wheat  in  the  chaff.  They  had  wooden  scoops  to  shovel  the 
wheat  in  the  fan.  Said  I,  "Have  you  no  iron  scoops?"  "Yes, 
that  man  has  one."  "Well,  send  and  get  it."  "He  don't  like 
to  loan  it."  I  answered,  "If  a  man  refused  to  loan  a  shovel 
with  us  we  would  'drum'  him  out  of  the  country."  He  did 
not  send  for  the  shovel. 

Thei'e  has  be^vn  a  change  since  the  war.  When  I  was  a 
boy  we  had  to  haul  our  wheat  and  whiskey  to  Scottsville,  45 
tniles,  or  to  Richmond,  110  miles.  We  crossed  the  Blue  Ridge 
Mountains — 3  miles  across,  now  %  of  ^  ^^^  through,  seven 
years  being  spent  in  tunneling.  We  would  sell  whiskey  for 
3  cents  per  gallon.    We  also  drove  hogs  to  Richmond. 

Very  frequently  they  would  drive  hogs  from  Kentucky, 
Tennessee  and  Ohio  to  Richmond,  Va.  The  climate  in  Vir- 
ginia is  mild,  winters  are  something  like  oui  winter  in  Illi- 
nois in  1890.  There  we  could  go  into  the  mountains,  gather- 
ing whortleberries,  plenty  of  chestnuts,  persimmons,  wild 
grapes  and  fruits  of  all  kinds  in  abundance.  Deer,  foxes, 
opossums,  fish  and  eels.  The  lond  is  not  so  good  there  as  in 
Pennsylvania  or  Illinois. 

In  the  year  1876  myself  and  wife  attended  the  Centennial 
at  Philadelphia.  We  were  there  five  days;  from  75,000  to 
100,000  people  there  each  day,  yet  not  much  crowded  only 
in  places.  During  the  whole  time  I  was  on  the  grounds  and 
in  the  city,  I  never  saw  a  fuss  nor  any  man  arrested ;  no  pick- 
pockets, no  trouble  of  any  kind;  the  utmost  harmony  and 
good  feeling  among  friends  and  strangers  prevailed. 

On  our  return  home  we  stopped  to  view  the  Niagara  Fails, 
that  wonderful  cataract.  I  will  only  relate  a  little  concern- 
ing it  as  seen  by  the  writer.  The  extension  of  the  falls  is 
about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  around;  on  the  American  side 
the  water  is  ten  feet  deep  as  it  pours  over  the  rock,  while  on 
the  Horse  Shoe  side  it  is  over  100  feet  deep.  Fifteen  hun- 
derd  million  cubic  feet  of  water  passes  over  the  falls  every 
hour,  covering  a  surface  three-fourths  of  a  mile  in  width. 
This  immense  column  of  water  pours  through  this  passage, 
which  is  the  narrowest  portion  of  the  river,  at  a  rate  of  25 
miles  per  hour,  and  having  a  depth  of  400  feet. 

The  suspension  wagon  bridge,  just  below  the  foils,  is 
300  feet  across  the  river.  Seventy-five  feet  above  the  water 
pours  over  the  dam  a  distance  of  15  feet  from  the  bank,  leav- 
ing a  passway  for  footmen  between  the  rock  and  the  sheet 


34  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

of  water.  That  is  a  beautiful  scene.  You  pay  tifty  cents  to 
cross  that  bridge,  while  one  mile  below  you  can  cross  the 
railroad  bridge  for  five  cents.  After  leaving  the  falls  we 
passed  tlirough  Canada,  Michigan  and  on  to  Chicago,  thence 
nome  to  Washington. 

A  very  melancholy  affair  occurred  in  Spring  Bay  town- 
ship in  the  winter  of  1836-7.  It  is  the  time  then  known  and 
yet  talked  of  among  old  setlers  as  the  cold  snap.  A  man  by 
the  name  of  Butler  and  his  daughter,  a  young  lady,  it  being- 
rumored  she  was  engaged  to  be  married,  froze  to  death  in 
the  woods  near  their  own  home.  The  circumstance  was  thus: 
Butler  and  daughter  had  gone  after  some  cows  which  had 
either  strayed  away  or  to  get  some  they  had  purchased. 
When  they  left  home  in  the  forenoon  it  was  warm,  though 
there  w^as  some  snow  on  the  ground.  It  had  rained  some  in 
the  forenoon,  and  the  snow  became  very  wet  and  slushy.  In 
the  afternoon,  seemingly  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  it  turned 
as  cold  as  Greenland,  as  many  old  settlers  can  testify.  He 
and  his  daughter  were  enroute  for  home  with  their  cattle, 
but  abandoned  them  as  the  intense  cold  overtook  them,  and 
endeavored  to  reach  home.  The  most  plausable  theory 
seems  to  be,  the  girl  froze  first.  Her  father  seemed  to  have 
stayed  with  her  until  she  was  entirely  dead.  He  had  cov- 
ered her  face  with  his  handkerchief.  It  is  said  that  her 
clothes  and  lower  limbs  were  covered  very  thickly  with  ice 
which  had  congealed  from  the  slush  that  had  splashed  up 
from  the  soft  snow  ,until  they  had  become  so  heavy  she 
could  not  carry  them,  and  no  doubt  this  was  the  cause  of 
her  freezing  before  reaching  home.  When  her  father  found 
she  was  dead  it  seems  he  had  started  to  reach  home,  and 
succeeded  in  getting  within  a  few  hundred  yards  when  he, 
too,  succumbed.  It  seemed  he  had  crawled  some  distance 
after  he  got  down  on  the  ground,  past  walking.  Many  think 
the  vast  amount  of  ice  frozen  to  the  girl  caused  her  to  give 
up  first.  If  he  had  hurried  home  instead  of  staying  witii 
her,  as  it  semed  he  did,  and  returned  with  assistance,  both 
might  have  been  saved.  It  is  not  easy  to  say  just  what  one 
would  do  placed  under  similar  circumstances.  It  was  several 
days  before  the  corpses  were  found,  and  then  in  the  condi- 
tion described,  doubled  up  and  frozen  stiff.  All  that  could 
be  done  w^as  to  put  them  in  large  boxes,  and  remain  there 
until  the  weather  would  permit  to  bury  them  decently  and 
right.  Doubtless  there  are  some  who  may  remember  the 
circumstance  when  they  read  this  notice.  I  think  the  mer- 
cury fell  forty  degrees  in  thirty  minutes.    John  McCune  and 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  35 

I  went  in  the  timber  a  few  rods  from  father's  house,  and  in 
three  minutes  after  the  wind  changed  to  the  northwest  it 
froze  our  overcoats  stiff. 

Here  I  will  relate  a  snipe  story  which  occurred  in  the 
year  1853.  Two  friends  from  Virginia  came  to  Illinois  pros- 
pecting and  visiting  friends  and  relatives.  Before  returning, 
A.  Cress  and  myself  proposed  having  some  sport  catching 
snipes.  They  were  at  A.  Cress'  house.  I  was  there  also.  In 
the  evening  Cress  proposed  to  me  that  we  go  snipping  to- 
night. Said  I:  "Boys,  would  you  like  to  go  and  catch  some 
snipes?"  They  said:  "Oh,  yes.  How  do  you  catch  them?" 
Cress  said,  we  take  a  sack  and  hold  it  in  the  slough  (or 
ditch)  and  the  balance  of  the  company  goes  up  the  slough 
and  drives  them  down  into  the  sack.  I  then  said  I  would  go 
home  and  do  my  chores  and  come  back,  then  we  will  all  go. 
The  moon  was  shining  brightly.  As  we  were  about  to  start 
Cress  said,  "boys  get  a  sack."  One  of  them  answered,  "you 
had  better  take  two  sacks.  What  will  you  do  wlien  you  get 
one  full?"  Cress  replied:  "Perhaps  we  would  not  get  more 
than  one  full."  Finally  we  started,  and  as  we  passed  through 
the  apple  orchard  I  cut  a  sprout  to  make  a  loop  in  order  to 
hold  the  mouth  of  the  sack  open.  There  were  ten  or  twelve 
in  the  company.  After  we  had  gone  one-half  mile  we  stopped. 
I  took  the  sack  and  got  down  in  the  ditch  to  show  them  how 
to  hold  the  sack.  One  of  them  said  he  would  hold  the  sack 
if  it  took  all  the  hair  off.  So  he  got  down  to  work,  but  the 
sack  laid  too  flat  and  one  observed  the  "snipes"  could  not  run 
in.  Thomas  Fauber  remarked  when  they  got  started  they 
(the  snipes)  would  raise  it  up.  Cress  told  the  boys  to  go 
on  the  north  and  we  would  go  on  the  south  side  of  the  slough, 
then  meet  about  one-quarter  of  a  mile  from  where  they  were 
holding  the  sack  and  drive  them  down  the  slough.  One  said 
he  would  hold  the  sack  and  the  other  would  sit  on  the  bank 
and  watch  them  run  in.  The  one  on  the  bank  said  to  the 
other:  "Stand  back  a  little.  They  will  see  you."  Next  the 
boys  went  home,  but  Cress  and  I  went  up  the  slough  a 
quarter  of  a  mile.  I  said  we  must  go  back  or  our  friends 
will  get  lost.  We  followed  down  the  slough.  "Shew,  shew," 
oen  said,  "be  still,  I  hear  one  hollowing;  they  are  coming." 
When  we  got  back  to  them  lo!  and  behold!  there  they  were 
just  as  we  had  left  them,  holding  the  sack  just  the  same.  Of 
course  they  smelt  a  snipe  then. 

At  one  time  while  breaking  prairie  I  noticed  a  joint 
snake  on  the  land  I  was  breaking.  Thought  I,  Mr.  Snake  I'll 
catch  you  when  you  undertake  to  pass  over  the  broken 
ground.    Sure  enough  I  came  on  to  him.    He  could  make  no 


36  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

headway  unless  he  would  strike  a  root  or  grass.  Well,  I 
caught  it,  tied  a  string  around  its  neck  and  staked  it  to  the 
ground  until  I  was  through  with  the  land.  Then  I  took  my 
snake  in  my  arm,  led  my  horse  and  drove  and  ox  team.  As 
I  was  walking  along  the  snake  slipped  out  and  down  and  the 
horse  stepped  on  it  and  killed  it. 

I  will  here  describe  the  joint  snake.  They  are  about 
eighten  inches  long,  resembling  a  garter  snake,  only  more 
green  and  very  solid.  I  have  struck  them  one  blov/  and  it 
would  break  in  three  pieces.  The  head  and  body  would  crawl 
away.  The  body  would  not  bieak — only  the  tail.  They  seem 
to  come  apart  without  any  blood.  I  have  heard  some  say  the 
head  would  come  back  and  gather  up  the  pieces.  I  doubt  the 
truth  of  that,  for  I  have  found  the  body  afterwards  all  healed 
over  as  thick  as  the  end  of  my  finger.  They  are  very  harm- 
less, making  no  attempt  to  bite  a  person. 

In  the  early  settlement  of  the  country  we  would  have 
frequent  wolf  and  deer  hunts.  We  would  arrange  it  thus: 
We  would  notify  the  people,  far  and  near,  that  on  a  certain 
day  we  were  to  hunt;  would  hoist  a  pole  and  put  a  flag  on 
it;  select  some  elevated  place  on  the  prairie  for  the  pole.  We 
would  go  on  horseback,  armed  with  clubs  and  dogs  (guns 
were  prohibited).  In  those  days  people  mostly  lived  along 
borders  of  the  timber.  They  would  form  a  circle  and  drive 
direct  to  the  pole,  chasing  the  game  ahead  of  us.  They  would 
run  north,  meeting  men  and  dogs,  turn  and  run  south,  see 
men  and  dogs  coming,  would  run  back  and  forth  until  they 
would  get  tired.  By  the  time  the  game  were  all  chased  up, 
they  were  fatigued  and  easily  captured.  I  was  at  a  chase  in 
Tazewell  county.  The  place  of  meeting  was  near  Tremont. 
Our  company  caught  two  deer.  On  our  way  down  there 
Thomas  Cress  rode  up  to  one  and  knocked  it  down  with  an 
axe  handle.  When  we  got  to  the  ring  we  had  chased  up  five 
deer  and  one  wolf.  The  deer  all  got  away,  but  we  captured 
the  wolf. 

At  another  time  we  had  a  hunt  in  Woodford  county.  We 
had  enclosed  seven  deer  and  after  we  got  them  enclosed  in 
one-fourth  mile,  two  of  the  parties  broke  ranks  and  were  go- 
ing to  claim  and  take  them.  Two  deer  ran  out  where  they 
made  an  opening  in  the  ranks  and  we  lost  all  of  them,  but 
had  the  sport  just  the  same.  The  dogs  chased  them  some 
time  after  they  were  enclosed. 

While  chasing  wolves,  many  a  nian  would  get  thrown 
from  his  horse.     Snow  on  the  gi-ound  and  the  sloughs  were 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  37 

not  frozen.  Riding  in  a  gallop,  "down"  would  go  the  horse, 
but  the  rider  would  go  on  until  he  struck  the  ground.  The 
wolves  were  cute.  They  would  run  in  swamps  where  you 
could  not  reach  them  with  a  hoi'sc.  If  you  would  start  a 
prairie  wolf  near  tlie  timber,  in  every  instance  he  would  make 
for  the  prairie.  They  were  numerous  then,  but  all  gone  now. 
There  are  some  grey  timber  wolves  yet  in  the  timber.  Very 
fortunately  when  on  the  prairie,  if  you  would  lun  down  a 
wolf  and  have  nothing  to  kill  it  with,  we  would  take  our  stir- 
rup off  the  saddle  and  kill  it ;  also  snakes  and  badgers.  I  have 
done  that  a  number  of  times. 

Just  here  1  will  relate  a  circumstance  that  occurred  in 
our  immediate  neighborhood  in  Woodford  county  in  the 
spring  of  1857.  An  old  man  by  the  name  of  Coins  was  sick. 
Old  Dr.  Wood  of  Washington  was  attending  his  case.  He  was 
able  to  be  up  and  around  the  house.  He  and  his  wife  got 
into  a  quarrel.  She  struck  him  over  the  head  with  a  stick 
of  stove  wood  and  opened  the  scalp  to  the  skull.  The  doctor 
was  sent  for  and  dressed  the  wound,  continuing  to  make 
visits  for  several  days.  Finally  the  old  gentleman  died  and 
was  buried.  The  people  were  not  satisfied.  The  coroner  had 
the  body  taken  up  and  two  doctors  examined  the  head  by  re- 
moving the  scalp  and  sawing  off  the  skull.  They  found  the 
skull  cracked  about  five  inches  long  and  immediately  under 
the  skull  where  it  was  l^roken  the  brains  were  mortified,  I 
was  as  a  witness  and  one  of  the  jury  in  the  case.  Of  course 
Mrs.  Coins  was  arrested,  and  kept  in  jail  at  Metamora  from 
April  until  the  August  term  of  court.  When  her  case  was 
called  one  lawyer  said  to  another  there  was  a  little  matter  he 
wanted  attended  to  before  he  would  try  that  case.  During 
the  time  they  were  getting  ready  the  old  lady  got  up  and 
walked  out  of  the  court  room.  No  one  said  anything.  She 
got  into  a  vehicle  which  was  in  readiness  there  for  her  and 
the  driver  drove  away  in  speed.  In  the  space  of  one-half 
hour  her  case  was  called,  but  the  "prisoner"  was  gone.  The 
sheriff  hustled  around,  sent  out  parties  in  pursuit  and  offered 
$50  reward,  but  they  could  not,  or  did  not  find  her.  (Did  not 
try  very  hard).  Of  course,  it  was  plain  to  be  seen  that  it  was 
understood  between  the  lawyers  and  sheriff  to  let  her  get 
away.  Her  two  sons  agreed  with  the  lawyers  to  give  them 
$200,  providing  they  would  clear  their  mother.  Lawyers 
Henry  Crove  of  Peoria  and  Col.  Robert  Ingersoll  were  the 
men  employed  to  clear  her.  Afterwards  the  Coins  refused  to 
pay  the  lawyers  and  the}'  sued  them.  Their  plea  was  they 
had  no  trial  and  they  did  not  clear  her.     We  did  not  only 


38  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

clear  her,  but  we  cleared  her  out  of  the  country.    They  had 
to  pay. 

I  will  give  here  a  little  memoranda  of  the  weather  during 
the  following  years  I  have  kept  an  account  of: 

1877,  coldest  day.  Nov.  28,  10  degrees  above  zero. 

1878,  coldest  day,  Dec.  22,  15  degrees  below  zero. 

1879,  coldest  day,  Jan.  3,  27  degrees  below  zero. 

1880,  coldest  day,  Dec.  29,  15  degrees  below  zero. 
1S80,  warmest  dav,  July  14,  89  degrees  above  zero. 

1881,  wai-mest  day,  Aug.  4,  102  degrees  above  zero. 
1881,  warmest  day,  Aug.  10,  106  degrees  above  zero. 

1881,  coldest  day,  Jan.  11,  12  degrees  below  zero. 

1882,  coldest  day,  Dec.  7,  12  degrees  below  zero. 

1883,  coldest  day,  Jan.  4,  6  degrees  below  zero. 

1884,  coldest  day,  Jan.  6,  24  degrees  below  zero. 
1886,  coldest  day,  Jan.  10,  12  degrees  below  zero. 
1886,  coldest  day,  Jan.  11,  15  degrees  below  zero. 
1886,  coldest  day,  Jan.  19,  10  degrees  below  zero. 
1886,  coldest  day,  Jan.  23,  18  degrees  below  zero. 
1886,  coldest  day,  P'eb.  2,  14  degrees  below  zero. 
1886,  coldest  day,  Feb.  8,  14  degrees  belo^^■  zero. 

1886,  coldest  day,  Feb.  6,  20  degrees  below  zero. 

1887,  coldest  dav,  Jan.  2,  24  degrees  below  zero. 

1888,  coldest  day,  Jan.  10,  10  degrees  below  zero. 
1888,  coldest  day,  Jan.  7,  to  zero. 

1888,  coldest  day,  Jan.  15,  14  degrees  below  zero. 
1888,  coldest  dav,  Feb.  10,  22  degrees  below  zero. 
1889  and  '90,  just  to  zero. 

Anvone  wishing  to  observe  it,  they  will  find  two  and  not 
to  exceed  three  Satujdays  in  the  year  but  what  you  can  see 
the  sun  some  in  the  day,  morning,  noon  or  night  I  have 
noted  this  for  tlie  last  thirty  years. 

Before  bringing  my  autograph  to  a  close,  I  will  finally 
remark,  not  as  boasting,  that  I  never  sued  a  man,  never  was 
sued,  never  chew  tobacco,,  never  was  drunk,  never  smoked  a 
cigar,  never  carried  or  owned  a  watch,  never  took  the  Lord's 
name  in  vain,  to  my  knowledge,  not  withstanding  all,  I  feel 
that  I  am  an  un worth \-  servant. 

DAVID  KINDIG. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  39 

"7/1  the  Early  Days/'  a  Historical 
Sketch  Written  by  Miss  Belle  Harlan 


INIiss  Belle  Harlan,  who  came  of  one  of  the  prominent 
early  families  of  Illinois  who  were  residents  of  Tazewell  and 
Woodford  counties,  wrote  a  little  pamphlet  entitled,  "In  the 
Early  Days",  whicli  is  one  of  the  very  best  "true  to  actual 
conditions"  of  the  early  history  of  this  locality.  Miss  Har- 
lan spent  her  last  years  in  Washington,  111.,  living-  at  the 
home  of  her  niece,  Mrs.  L,  J,  Danforth.  She  died  on  Nov.  30, 
1917,  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  85  years. 

■k      ^      ;;<      ;;<      ^      :^ 

My  father  moved  from  Christian  county,  Kentucky,  in 
the  fall  of  1833.  Coming  here  at  that  early  day  the  country 
was  little  better  than  a  wilderness. 

In  recounting  some  of  the  privations  and  hardships  in- 
cident to  fi'ontier  life,  the  younger  members  of  the  family 
have  evinced  so  much  interest,  and  been  so  anxious  to  hear 
moi-e  of  those  early  days  of  trial  and  self-denial,  that  I  de- 
cided to  commit  some  of  them  to  writing  that  they  might 
be  preserved  for  their  perusal,  after  those  who  participated 
have  passed  from  earth  and  earthly  scenes. 

I  write  from  memory  alone,  and  cannot  be  exact  in  re- 
gard to  dates.  Indeed,  in  many  things  I  cannot  give  dates 
at  all.  It  will  be  a  plain,  simple  story  of  the  early  settle- 
ment of  the  country.  I  do  not  know  as  I  should  have  un- 
dertaken it,  but  that  several  have  said  to  me  when  talking 
of  those  early  days,  "You  ought  to  write  those  things  down; 
there  are  so  few  living  now  who  know  anything  about  them". 

Father  (James  Harlan)  with  his  family,  which  con- 
sisted of  himself,  my  mothei'  and  seven  chidren:  Elijah, 
Charles,  Nancy,  Caroline,  Newton,  Margaret  and  Isabelle  or 
Belle,  the  writer  of  these  lines,  spent  the  winter  of  1833-31 
in  Sangamon  county..  111.,  with  his  brother  (Uncle  Silas  Har- 
lan). In  March  of  '34  we  moved  to  Tazewel  county  and 
rented  a  log  cabin  on  the  Mackinaw  river.  In  those  days 
thei-e  were  nothing  but  cabins  to  rent,  so  we  moved  into  it 
and  proceeded  to  erect  a  home  to  live  in,  which  was  built  on 
his  own  land  just  in  the  edge  of  the  timber.  Said  house  con- 
sisted of  hewn  logs,  clapboard  roof  and  puncheon  floor. 

This  was  before  my  recollection,  but  I  have  heard 
mother  and  my  older  sister  tell  how  they  moved  in  without 
window,  doors  or  chimney.  Cooked  outdoors,  put  boards 
across  one  corner  of  the  house  and  piled  the  bacon  on  them — 


40  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

a  novel  meat  house.  My  earliest  recollection  of  our  old  home 
is  a  large  room  of  hewn  logs  with  north  and  south  doors 
and  south  windows.  This  was  biult  just  in  the  edge  of  the 
forest. 

Wooden  hinges,  wooden  latch,  with  a  string  hanging 
outside  to  lift  the  latch.  The  whole  door  was  a  rough 
wooden  frame,  with  clapboards  nailed  on.  A  stick  chimney 
at  one  end  of  the  room  with  a  wide  open  fireplace,  wide 
enough  to  take  in  a  backlog  three  feet  long  and  two  in 
diameter  with  smaller  sticks  in  proportion  piled  on  in  front 
of  the  andiron. 

No  exaggeration,  those  fireplaces  would  take  in  enor- 
mous   quantities    of  wood.     Their   capacity    seemed    almost 
limitless.     Our  houses  were  cold.     We  sit  by  a  blazing  fire, 
with  our  face  almost  blistered,  while  our  backs  felt  as  if  en- 
cased in  frost.    This  is  a  digression.    An  opening  left  in  the 
upper  floor  in  the  back  end  of  the  room  to  be  reached  by  a 
ladder.     This  upper  room  served  as  sleeping  room  for  vari- 
ous members  of  the  family.     The  room  beow  contained  two 
beds,  one  on  either  side  of  the  ladder.     Father  and  mother 
always  occupied  one  and  if  a  stranger  came  to  spend  the 
night,  w^hich  was  a  frequent  occurrence,  the  other  bed  served 
as  a  "guest  chamber".     Mother  always  hung  up  curtains  to 
insure  some  privacy.     Those  who  slept  upstairs  had  to  as- 
cend the  ladder  if  the  President  occupied  the  guest  cham- 
ber.    I  have  often  heard  sister  Carrie  give  one  night's  ex- 
perience in  connection  with  having  company,  and  her  sister 
Nancy's  trials  in  avoiding  scaling   the    ladder.     She   always 
had  a  hearty  laugh  whenever    she    referred    to    it.     Major 
Cullom,  father  of  Senator  Shelby  M.  Cullom,  came  to  spend 
the   night;   no   unusual   thing   for   a   neighbor   man   to   go 
several  miles  to  spend  the   night  with    a   neighbor.     Nancy 
was  bashful  and  sensitive,  and  declared  she  would  not  go  up 
the  ladder  to  sleep.    Accordingly  they  carried  bedding  to  the 
kitchen.     We  had  a  kitchen  by  this    time,    and    they  made 
their  bed  and  retired.    The  kitchen  had  a  wide  fireplace  and 
clapboard  door.     Said  door  did  not  fit  very  close  and  shut 
from  the  outside.    Wolves  were  so  numerous  every  one  had 
to  keep  several  hounds  to  protect  their  flocks.    We  had  four. 
'Twas  the  fall  season  and  they  had  got  in  the  kitchen  to  lie 
by  the  fire.     Whenever  they  heard  a  noise  on  the  outside 
they  dashed  pell-mell  over  my  sisters,  sprung  the  door  out 
at   the   bottom,   passed   out   barking   and   howling   as   only 
hounds  can.    Pretty  soon  they  would  want  to  return  to  their 
comfortable  quarters.     They  could  not  push  the  door  in  so 
as  to  enter,  but  stood  outside  scratching  and  whining  until 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  41 

my  sisters  would  have  to  let  them  in  or  bid  adieu  to  sleep 
for  that  night.  This  was  repeated  off  and  on  all  through  the 
night,  Carrie  said  she  told  Nancy  after  that  time  she  could 
sleep  with  the  hounds  if  she  wished,  but  she,  Carrie,  would 
scale  the  ladder.  This  all  transpird  before  my  recollection. 
But  this  is  digression  number  two.  I  will  return  to  the 
house.  The  roof  was  clapboards  laid  on  small  logs  reaching 
from  gable  to  gable.  The  boards  over-lapped  each  other.  I 
think  they  were  about  three  feet  long,  and  were  held  by 
means  of  long  poles  or  small  logs  laid  on  each  lap,  called 
weight  poles.  The  chimney  was  built  on  the  outside,  com- 
posed of  split  sticks  laid  up  and  filled  between  with  wet  clay. 
A  pole  was  inserted  some  distance  above  the  fireplace  to 
hang  the  pot-rack  on.  Woe  betide  the  housewife  if  the  pot- 
rack  took  fire,  which  it  frequently  did,  and  burned  in  to, 
letting  pots  and  kettles  with  all  their  contents  down  into 
the  fire,  upsetting  the  family  dinner  and  drowning  the  fire — 
not  mentioning  the  temper  of  the  cook.  Oh  those  were  the 
days  that  tried  men's — no,  women's  souls.  Digression  num- 
ber three.  I  want  to  say  something  about  how  those  clap- 
boards were  made,  but  I  fear  I  cannot  make  it  pain. 

A  log  was  selected  with  a  straight  grain,  and  sawed  in 
able  length.  The  boards  were  split  by  means  of  an  instru- 
ment called  a  frow,  which  I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe, 
and  a  wooden  bench  so  constructed  it  would  hold  the  boards 
while  they  were  being  shaved  with  a  drawing  knife.  The 
bench  was  called  a  shaving  horse.  Shingles  were  made  in 
the  same  way. 

Puncheons  were  logs  split,  and  the  undersides  at  the 
ends  hewn  off  so  they  wold  lie  on  a  sill,  making  is  possible 
to  walk  across  the  floor  without  falling.  The  opening  be- 
tween the  logs  were  chinked  and  daubed.  That  is,  as  large 
a  piece  of  wood  as  possible  be  fit  in  and  the  remainder  of 
the  opening  was  filled  with  mud.  In  time,  and  not  so  long 
a  time  either,  rain  and  wind  would  loosen  the  filling  and  it 
would  all  fall  out,  and  had  to  be  replaced,  or  the  inm.ates 
had  to  take  the  weather. 

We  sometimes  got  out  of  bed  in  a  good-sized  snowdrift. 
Sometimes  had  to  cover  our  heads  to  keep  the  snow  from 
our  faces,  W"e  had  veiy  heavy  snows  in  those  early  days, 
and  it  laid  on  the  ground  a  long  time;  much  longer  than  it 
does  now,  and  more  of  it.  I  once  went  with  father  and 
mother  to  spend  the  day  at  a  neighbor's.  The  only  window 
the  cabin  could  boast  of  was  a  clapboard  hung  on  leather 
hinges  to  let  down  over  a  large  opening  between  two  logs. 
Being  a  cold  day  and  the  window  at  one  side  the  fireplace, 


42  EARLY  HISTORY  OP^  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

of  necessity,  the  board  had  to  be  let  down,  consequently  all 
the  light  that  was  admitted  in  the  room  came  down  the  ca- 
pacious chimney.  As  the  chimney  was  not  very  high,  but 
broad,  it  let  in  more  light  than  one  w^ould  suppose.  I  never 
have  seen  greased  paper  used  for  window  glasses  as  I  have 
often  heard  of,  and  read  about,  neither  in  dwellings  nor 
school  houses. 

The  cooking  had  to  be  done  outdoors.  Mother  was  fre- 
quently sick,  therefore  the  brunt  of  it  fell  on  sister,  Nancy, 
who  was  young  and  coming  from  a  slave  state  had  never 
had  many  responsibilities  resting  on  her.  I  realize  now  how 
trying  a  time  she  must  have  had.  I  have  heard  her  and 
Carrie  laugh  years  afterward  of  how  bashful  Nancy  was, 
and  coming  from  an  older  settled  state  was  not  used  to  the 
primitive  ways  persons  had  to  resort  to  here. 

The  young  men  who  broke  the  prairie  were  tired  when 
evening  came,  and  as  soon  as  they  ate  their  supper  went  to 
bed.  They  slept  in  the  lower  room,  and  the  family  slept 
above.  The  supper  dishes  were  washed  just  outside  the 
door.  Nancy  would  take  a  hght  in  to  see  to  put  them  away, 
and  one  niglit  she  missed  the  shelf  and  dropped  the  wliole 
stack  of  plates  on  the  floor.  How  they  must  have  felt  the 
loss  of  those  plates,  for  money  and  dishes  were  both  hard 
to  obtain  at  that  time. 

Cooking  outdoors  was  no  pleasure  job.  Just  please 
bear  in  mind  we  had  no  stoves  in  those  days.  The  bread  had 
to  be  baked  in  iron  skillets  with  iron  lids.  Coals  of  fire  un- 
derneath and  on  top.  As  for  boiling,  that  was  accomplished 
whenever  a  pot  or  kettle  could  be  made  to  set  over  the  fire 
without  upsetting  and  putting  the  fire  out. 

When  it  rained,  and  I  have  heard  them  say  thunder 
storms  were  quite  frequent  during  the  summer,  they  had  to 
turn  an  iron  kettle  over  the  fire  to  keep  the  rain  from  put- 
ting the  fire  out.  Matches  were  unknown  at  that  time;  at 
least  they  were  not  obtainable  where  we  were. 

No  doubt  sorae  who  read  this  will  think  it  was  a  hard 
way  to  have  a  family  live  as  they  first  moved  in.  It  was 
hard,  coming  from  an  older  and  improved  section  as  they 
had,  but  they  could  do  no  better.  Spring  was  upon  them 
and  they  were  compelled  to  raise  a  crop  so  as  to  have  some- 
thing to  live  on  the  ensuing  year.  Their  own  land  had  to  be 
broken  so  they  could  till  it  the  next  year. 

Father  rented  land  ten  miles  from  home  to  raise  his 
first  crop.  No  tillable  land  nearer.  By  tillable  land  I  mean 
prairie  that  had  been  broken.  The  first  breaking  of  the  soil 
it  raised  nothing  but  sod  corn.     The    farm    he    rented  was 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  43 

what  is  now  known  as  the  Chastine  Major  farm,  a  mile  and 
a-half  southwest  of  Danvers,  McLean  county. 

He  and  my  two  eldest  brothers,  Elijah  and  Charles,  took 
their  provisions  Monday  morning  and  started  for  their  work. 
Mother  cooked  everything  she  could  for  them.  The  middle 
of  the  week  father  came  home  for  a  fresh  supply.  There 
was  a  cabin  on  the  land,  and  the  family  who  lived  in  it  al- 
lowed them  to  make  their  coffee  at  their  fire.  During  the 
time  of  their  absence,  mother  was  left  at  home  alone  with 
five  children,  the  eldest,  sister  Nancy,  thirteen  years  of  age. 
The  country  was  a  wilderness.  The  prairie  had  to  be  broken. 
Father  secured  the  services  of  two  young  men  named  Crow 
to  come  from  Sangamon  county,  fourteen  miles  south  of 
Springfield,  with  their  ox  team  and  break  up  the  ground. 

Father  was  an  inveterate  smoker,  and  carried  fire  from 
Kentucky  to  Illinois,  a  journey  of  over  two  weeks'  duration, 
by  means  of  two  pieces  of  thick  bark,  so  as  to  have  fire  to 
light  his  pipe.  He  watched  his  bark,  and  when  tlie  under 
piece  was  near  being  burned  through,  he  replaced  it  with  a 
fresh  one.  He  never  neglected  his  fire.  When  he  went  to 
work  on  the  farm  he  carried  a  fire  and  gathered  bark  and 
fuel  and  kept  it  burning  all  day,  usually  against  a  stump  or 
log.  The  matter  of  keeping  fire  was  a  very  important  one. 
I  have  known  a  neighbor  to  come  a  mile  of  a  morning  to  get 
fire  to  cook  their  breakfast.  My  brothers  had  a  flint  and 
steel  by  means  of  which  they  could  take  a  bunch  of  tow  and 
strike  fire  from  the  flint  which  would  ignite  as  readily  as 
powder,  without  the  danger.  They  seldom  had  to  I'esort  to 
that,  as  they  always  tried  to  guard  against  losing  the  seed 
of  fire.  However  careless  they  may  have  been  in  other 
things,  in  that  they  were  always  careful.  'Twas  a  common 
jest  if  a  neighbor  came  in  and  seemed  in  a  hurry,  to  ask  if 
he  had  come  for  fire? 

The  privations  and  inconveniences  endured  by  the  fron- 
tier settlers  of  this  state  would  make  some  of  our  young- 
women's  and  men's  ears  tingle,  could  they  but  hear  them  re- 
cited. 

No  railroad  or  telegraph  service  in  .the  United  States. 
The  mails  were  carried  by  stage  or  on  horseback — in  some 
places  on  foot,  save  where  they  could  be  carried  by  water. 
Letters  that  will  reach  their  destination  now  in  two  days 
would  have  taken  two  weeks  or  more  then.  Postage  was  an 
item  to  be  considered,  as  not  every  one  felt  able  to  keep  up 
an  extensive  correspondence.  A  letter  cost  25  cents,  instead 
of  2  cents  postage,  and  25  cents  was  not  always  forth  com- 
ing.    Postage  was  paid  at  the  end  of  the  route  instead  of 


44  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

the  start.     I  have  known    persons    to    come    and    borrow  a 
quarter  to  get  a  letter  from  the  office. 

The  merchants  had  no  way  of  getting  their  goods  ex- 
cept by  boat.  Should  winter  set  in  early,  and  the  river  freeze 
before  they  got  their  goods,  we  had  to  do  without  many 
things  which  were  absolute  necessities.  Shoes  were  one  of 
the  chief  items.  I  remember  having  to  stay  out  of  school 
two  winters  on  account  of  not  being  able  to  get  shoes,  the 
river  having  closed  so  early.  Of  course  I  had  some  kind  of 
shoes  to  wear  at  home,  but  nothing  fit  to  walk  two  miles 
through  the  snow,  ice  and  mud. 

Goods  of  all  kinds  were  exceedingly  high  priced,  and 
money  hard  to  get.  Common  calico  sold  for  20  and  25  to  50 
cents  per  yard,  and  other  goods  were  high  in  proportion. 
Money  being  so  scarce  we  had  to  resort  to  various  expedients 
to  live  and  be  comfortable  without  incurring  debt,  which  was 
a  hopeless  abyss  to  fall  into  those  daj^s. 

Father  brought  sheep  from  Kentucky  when  he  moved 
here.  He  took  the  wool  from  the  sheep's  back  and  converted 
it  into  wearing  apparel  without  the  aid  of  machinery,  save 
getting  it  carded  into  rolls  for  spinning.  We  first  washed 
it,  and  when  dry  picked  it.  That  means  we  tore  it  all  open 
and  loose,  picking  out  all  trash  and  burs,  ready  for  carding 
it  into  rolls. 

Many  housekeepers  prepared  a  dinner  and  invited  their 
neighbors  for  miles  aiound  to  come  and  help  them  pick  their 
wool.  This  was  a  social  treat  and  alas,  too  often,  a  day  of 
gossip  with  some.  When  carded  into  rolls  we  spun  it  into 
thread,  then  colored  and  wove  it  into  cloth,  and  cut  and  made 
the  garments  at  home.  They  were  very  warm  and  comfort- 
abe,  and  when  everyone  dressed  in  homespun  we  thought 
nothing  of  it.  All  were  on  an  equality.  I  have  worn  my 
homespun  flannel  dress  to  church  and  felt  just  as  comfort- 
able as  I  did  years  afterward  dressed  in  silk.  A  neat  calico 
dress  was  something  extra,  and  one  of  silk  was  a  height  in 
grandeur  but  few  could  reach. 

We  also  raised  flax.  Took  it  through  the  various  pro- 
cesses (which  was  tedious  and  laborious)  from  sowing  the 
seed  to  weaving  the  cloth,  and  made  our  table  linen,  towels, 
sheets  and  men's  wear. 

This,  no  doubt,  reads  very  strange,  but  the  reader  must 
bear  in  mind  we  had  very  little  money  to  spend. 

Although  the  ground  yielded  abundantly,  there  was  no 
market  for  grain.  Father  and  brothers  raised  five  crops  of 
wheat  before  there  was  any  market  for  it.    They  engaged  to 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  45 

sell  it  for  37 '/i  cents  pei-  bushel  in  Washington.  It  had  to 
be  threshed  with  a  beater,  a  machine  that  threshed  it  and 
left  it  in  the  chaff.  It  was  then  cleaned  with  a  fanning  mill, 
and  delivered.  The  men  who  bought  it  went  into  bankruptcy, 
and  they  never  received  a  cent  for  their  wheat. 

A  few  years  later,  in  1840  or  '41,  brother  Elijah  in  com- 
pany with  Abel  Hingman,  who  lived  on  what  is  now  the  Eri 
Bogardus  farm  near  Deer  Creek,  and  Thaddeus  Smith  of 
Buckeye  hauled  wheat  to  Chicago,  where  he  bought  our  first 
cook  stove  and  various  articles  for  the  famiy.  They  each 
took  a  man  and  four  yoke  of  oxen  with  a  large  wagon,  and 
a  two-horse  team  with  a  lumber  wagon.  They  turned  their 
oxen  out  to  graze  at  night. 

An  ox  is  rather  a  cunning  animal.  It  will  eat  all  night 
and  steal  away  to  the  brush  early  in  the  morning  and  lie 
hidden  all  day.  They  had  only  been  out  a  day  or  two  before 
their  oxen  hid,  and  they  came  back  home  hunting  them. 
Although  they  were  belled  the  hunt  lasted  several  days. 
However,  they  finally  found  them  in  sight  of  their  encamp- 
ment, eary  one  moi'ning  before  they  got  to  the  brush.  I 
think  the  trip  occupied  almost  three  weeks. 

The  praries  were  a  vast  uninhabited  plain.  The  first  set- 
tlers thought  and  said  anyone  would  freeze  to  death  who 
ventured  to  build  and  live  on  those  prairies.  Father  located 
just  in  the  edge  of  the  forest,  near  ten  miles  from  Washing- 
ton, then  known  as  Holland's  Grove,  so  named  for  William 
Holland,  the  first  settler,  whose  house  stood  where  Almon  G. 
Danforth's  now  stands.  (Peoria  was  known  at  Fort  Dear- 
born), There  was  not  a  house  or  fence  from  our  home  to 
Washington,  and  we  just  took  a  straight  line  across  the  wide 
open  expanse  of  country.  The  grass  in  places  was  as  high 
as  a  man's  head,  and  all  stock  could  live  well  from  spring 
until  late  fall.  The  settlers  raised  cattle,  and  drovers  came 
from  the  region  of  Chicago  and  bought  the  young  stock.  I 
have  known  my  father  and  brothers  to  sell  young  steers  two 
or  three  years  old  for  $7  to  $9  per  head  .  In  that  way  they 
got  money  to  buy  what  they  could  not  do  without.  A  milk 
cow  with  a  young  calf  sold  for  from  $7  to  $9,  and  a  good 
horse  for  $50.  But  $50  would  buy  40  acres  of  the  best  land 
there  was  anywhere  on  these  praries,  which  now  sells  for 
over  $300  per  acre. 

As  for  fruit,  we  had  none  only  what  grew  wild — black- 
berries, raspberries,  strawberries,  gooseberries,  wild  crabap- 
ples,  wild  plums  and  grapes — all  pretty  sour  fruit.  Sugar 
sold  high,  but  mother  always  put  by  some,  so  we  were  not 


46  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL. 

entirely  destitute  of  fruit.  We  knew  nothing  of  canning. 
Our  fruit  was  all  either  dried  or  preserved.  Father  kept 
bees,  and  we  had  an  abundance  of  honey.  Wild  flowers  grew 
in  great  profusion,  so  the  bees  could  easily  make  honey. 

William  Holland  of  Washington  had  the  first  bearing 
orchard  in  reach  of  us.  Sometimes  father  would  bring  ap- 
ples home  with  him  when  he  went  to  Washington — and  with 
what  joy  we  hailed  them.  A  lump  of  gold  of  equal  size 
would  not  afford  me  half  the  pleasure  now  that  an  apple  did 
then.  Father  sent  to  Tennessee  for  trees  and  planted  out 
an  orchard  among  the  first  of  his  improvements.  How  we 
did  watch  those  trees  when  they  bloomed  and  bore  the  first 
apples.  I  almost  wonder  we  did  not  look  the  fruit  off  the 
trees  before  'twas  ripe.  However,  w^e  all  lived  to  enjoy  the 
fruit  from  them  in  great  abundance.  I  have  often  thought 
it  was  the  best  fruit,  take  it  all  through,  I  have  ever  eaten. 
Maybe  'tis  a  childish  prejudice,  lingering  with  me  yet,  but 
I  think  not.  But  the  old  orchard  had  shared  the  fate  of  all 
old  orchards.  I  visited  the  old  homestead  a  short  time  since 
and  only  six  of  the  old  trees  remain.  Alas,  the  old  home  so 
changed  had  I  been  set  down  there  blindfolded  I  would  not 
have  known  I  had  ever  seen  the  place. 

The  ground  yielded  rich  crops.  We  were  sure  of  a  plenti- 
ful harvest  if  the  seed  were  put  in  the  ground.  No  smut, 
rust,  chinch  bug,  or  any  of  the  modern  plagues  to  disappoint 
the  tiller  of  the  soil.  Some  one  has  said  Illinois  was  the  gar- 
den spot  of  the  United  States,  and  Tazewell  county  the  flower 
bed.  I  have  often  thought  it  was  not  an  exaggeration.  The 
prairies  were  one  vast  sea  of  luxuriant  grass  and  flowers,  and 
did  indeed  present  the  appearance  of  flower  gardens.  Bitt, 
alas,  with  the  march  of  civilization,  nature's  fair  face  be- 
comes sadly  marred.  The  flowers  have,  the  greater  part,  been 
destroyed,  and  our  forests  are  fast  disappearing  before  the 
woodman's  axe.  The  wild  animals,  most  of  them,  have  be- 
come extinct.    Comparatively  but  few  of  any  species  remain. 

Our  birds  of  all  kinds,  songsters  along  with  all  others, 
have  served  so  long  as  a  target  for  the  cruel  sportsman's 
gun  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  species  have  become  en- 
tirely extinct — not  one  bird  now  where  there  used  to  be 
a  hundred.    'Tis  a  sad  commentary  on  man;  progressiveness. 

The  prairies  seemed  boundless.  Stock  of  all  kinds  ran 
at  large,  feeding  on  the  prairie  grass.  During  the  summer 
the  farmers  would  set  fire  to  the  grass  and  make  what  they 
called  a  late  burn.  When  the  grass  grew  up  in  it  the  stock 
would  gather  for  miles  to  feed  on  the  tender  grass. 

After  the  settlers  began  to  spread  out   on   the   prairies 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  47 

(the  first  settlements  were  all  on  the  water  courses)  care 
and  watchfulness  were  required  to  keep  the  fire  from  spread- 
ing and  destroying-  fences — and  sometimes  stock  yards  and 
houses.  Hunters  from  the  little  towns  and  villages  would 
sometimes  slip  in  and  start  a  fire  for  the  purpose  of  hunting. 
Game  was  plentiful.  The  whole  community  for  miles  would 
have  to  turn  out  and  fight  fire — sometimes  all  night.  They 
would  be  scorched  and  blackened,  and  nearly  exhausted  when 
they  got  through.  Woe  betide  the  man  or  men  who  started 
che  fire  had  they  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  settlers  at  such 
times.  'Twas  a  mean  thing  to  do,  endangering  property  for 
miles.  The  grass  was  so  luxuriant  it  required  hard  work  to 
stop  a  fire  when  once  started. 

Deer  were  plenty.  'Twas  no  uncommon  sight  to  see 
eight  and  ten  cantering  over  the  prairies  or  through  the 
barrens.  Henry  Meek  of  Walnut  Grove,  near  the  present 
town  of  Eureka,  was  one  day  at  our  house,  and  saw  a  deer 
and  fawn  standing  a  short  distance  off  in  the  barrens.  He 
drew  up  his  gun  and  shot  and  killed  tiie  fawn,  standing  in 
our  dooryard. 

Brother  Charles  caught  a  fawn,  brought  it  home  and 
raised  it.  What  a  pet  it  was.  Whenever  the  table  was  laid 
for  a  meal,  watch  close  as  we  might,  Billy  would  slip  in  and 
get  a  slice  of  bread.  He  lifted  it  so  carefully  none  of  the 
other  slices  were  disturbed.  Poor  Billy,  he  failed  to  come 
home  one  evening,  and  that  night  a  neighbor's  dogs  got  after 
him  and  killed  him.    We  mourned  him  sorely. 

Wild  turkeys,  prairie  chickens  and  quails  were  abundant. 
Brother  Newton  trapped  the  last  named  two  in  such  numbers 
we  grew  tired  of  them.  I  have  known  mother  to  give  some 
to  tlie  neighbors. 

Wolves,  too,  were  numerous,  and  bold — so  bold  they 
would  come  within  a  few  yards  of  the  house  in  the  full  glare 
of  day  and  catch  a  chicken.  Sheep  had  to  be  penned  at  night 
or  some  of  them  paid  for  the  omission  with  their  lives 

Several  years  elapsed  before  we  had  either  school  or 
church.  I  think  it  was  not  earlier  than  1836  the  first  school 
house  was  built  in  what  is  now  called  the  Hardscrable  bury- 
ing ground.  The  school  house  was  built  first — the  cemetery 
started  afterward.  Mrs.  Perry,  an  old  lady,  was  the  first 
one  buried  there.  It  filled  rapidly,  however.  The  teacher  al- 
ways had  the  school  pass  out  and  attend  a  burial. 

I  may  not  be  quite  correct  in  regard  to  date.  The  house 
was  a  rude  structure,  built  of  hewn  logs,  a  stick  chimney 
without  jams  (I  doubt  if  you  who  read  this  will  know  what 
jams  mean).    Said  chimney  rested  on  an  immense  oak  beam 


48  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

stretching  from  one  side  of  the  house  to  the  other.  A  dirt 
hearth  extended  entirely  across  the  room.  Puncheons  f  ornied 
the  floor.  The  windows  were  a  log  sawed  out  on  either  side 
of  the  room,  almost  the  length  of  the  room,  filled  with  six  by 
eight  glass,  two  panes  deep.  We  did  have  glass,  not  greased 
paper,  as  some  tell  about.  The  writing  accommodations  were 
a  broad  shelf  fastened  to  the  wall  the  length  of  the  windows, 
made  to  slant  slightly  from  the  wall  out. 

Oui"  seats  were  slabs  with  holes  bored  in  each  end  and 
wooden  legs  inserted.  Sometimes,  if  the  slab  was  thought 
to  be  too  long,  a  middle  hole  was  bored  and  another  pin  in- 
serted to  strengthen  it.  If  the  middle  peg  happened  to  not 
be  sawed  off"  quite  as  short  as  the  others  'tis  easy  to  imagine 
the  occupants  of  the  bench  in  perpetual  motion.  One  end 
would  wriggle  around  to  the  middle  of  the  room.  The  other 
end  would  be  almost  in  the  fire.  We  were  kept  constantly 
readjusting  our  seats.  There  were  six  or  seven  of  those 
benches.  Their  height  was  such  (I  think  about  a  foot  and 
a  half  maybe  two  feet)  that  the  smallest  children's  feet  did 
not  reach  the  floor  by  several  inches.  I  wonder  we  did  not 
every  one  have  spinal  disease,  or  become  humpbacked.  When 
we  wanted  to  write  we  gathered  our  skirts  around  us  and 
by  a  dexterous  movement  whirled  our  feet  over  the  bench 
and  landed  them  beneath  our  writing  desks.  We  had  no 
steel  pens.  The  teacher  made  our  pens  from  goose  quills. 
Sometimes  we  had  shocking  to  write  with. 

I  forgot  to  mention  the  capacity  of  that  school  house 
fireplace.  It  was  wonderful.  I  believe  a  half  a  wagon  load 
of  wood  could  be,  and  was,  piled  in  it  many  times.  A  huge 
back-log  six  or  eight  feet  in  length,  with  any  amount  of 
smaller  wood  in  front,  made  a  hot  fire,  yet  notwithstanding 
we  shivered  with  cold  sitting  so  near  it  our  faces  were  in 
danger  of  being  blistered.  And,  reader,  we  walked  two  miles 
through  snow,  and  ice,  and  rain,  and  mud  to  school — some- 
times taught  by  a  teacher  who  did  not  have  as  good  an  edu- 
cation as  some  of  her  pupils.  Miss  Nancy  Parker,  whose 
father  lived  near  where  the  Buckeye  church  now  stands,  was 
the  first  incumbent.  The  last  years  of  my  attending  school 
there  I  went  alone.  'Twas  a  lonely  road,  through  timber, 
thick  with  underbrush  of  a  species  of  oak  that  does  not  shed 
its  leaves  until  spring.  I  was  afraid  to  look  either  to  tlie 
right  or  left  of  me,  for  fear  I  might  see  a  wolf  or  some  other 
horrible  thing  that  could  do  me  harm.  Snakes  abounded,  and 
some  of  them  were  very  poisonous.  Sister  Margaret  and  I 
were  on  our  way  to  school  one  morning  when  we  saw  two 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  49 

snakes.  It  was  a  point  with  us  to  kill  every  one  we  saw.  I 
stood  to  watch  them  that  they  did  not  get  away,  while  she 
went  in  search  of  a  stick.  Before  she  returned  I  glancd  to 
one  side  of  the  road  in  a  little  ravine  exposed  to  the  sun 
('twas  eaiy  spring)  and  saw  a  pile  of  them.  I  can  call  it 
nothing  else,  as  I  remember  it  now,  for  it  was  as  large  as  a 
bushel  basket.  You  may  think  this  is  a  pretty  big  snake 
story,  but  it  is  a  true  one  nevertheless.  We  did  not  kill  any 
snakes  that  morning,  but  hurried  on  to  school.  They  were 
of  the  garter  snake  species,  but  they  are  all  snakes  to  me. 
When  I  think  of  it  now  I  almost  wonder  anyone  would  send 
a  child  so  far  alone,  but  that  was  a  part  of  our  pioneer  edu- 
cation— to  overcome  difficuties  and  conquer  obstacles.  Our 
motto  was  to  go  ahead. 

The  school  house  burned  down  one  night,  and  as  other 
neighbors  had  moved  in,  who  thought  the  school  was  too  far 
from  them,  it  was  rebuilt  a  half-mile  nearer  to  us.  However, 
the  new  neighbors  would  not  patronize  the  school,  so  brought 
up  a  dissention  in  the  neighborhood  and  started  another 
school. 

The  first  settlers  hung  together.  They  had  passed 
through  too  many  trials  and  hardships  to  desert  each  other 
then,  so  they  tore  the  school  house  down,  after  having  one 
term  taught  in  it,  and  rebuilt  on  the  old  site.  We  gained 
what  knowledge  we  could  with  such  teachers  and  equipments 
as  we  had. 

There  were  no  pubic  funds.  Schools  were  made  up  by 
subscription,  each  patron  subscribing  so  many  pupils.  Father 
always  subscribed  two  or  three  more  than  he  could  send  in 
order  to  raise  the  teacher's  salary  and  to  insure  a  school. 
Sometimes  he  took  in  the  children  of  others  who  lived  too 
far  away  to  make  the  trip  daliy,  and  boarded  them  in  his 
family  so  they  could  have  the  advantages  of  school. 

The  teachers  "boarded  round."  That  is,  they  spent — or 
were  to  spend — a  week  with  each  patron  of  the  school.  Some 
got  more  than  a  week  of  the  teacher's  society,  while  some 
did  not  get  their  full  week.  It  depended  on  whether  the 
teacher  was  favorably  impressed  with  her  or  his  surround- 
ings when  they  went  to  a  new  place  how  long  they  stayed. 
And  yet  they  had  to  be  fertile  in  giving  excuses,  so  as  not 
to  give  ofl:'ense. 

After  the  first  school  house  was  built  a  short  time  the 
neighbors  began  to  think  about  having  preaching.  In  the 
course  of  time  two  young  Methodist  circuit  riders  as  they 
were  then  called,  sent  an  appointment  to  preach  at  the 
school  house  during  the  week.    Father  aways  wanted  to  en- 


50  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

courage  anything  that  was  for  the  good  of  the  community, 
and  moreover  he  had  a  high  regard  for  rehgion  and  rehgious 
services.  He  stopped  the  plows  to  attend  the  service.  One 
of  the  ministers  read  the  parable  of  the  rich  man  and  Laza- 
rus. The  other  got  up  when  he  was  through  and  said  the 
brother  had  read  an  interesting  portion  of  Scripture,  but 
really  he  had  not  known  before  it  was  between  the  lids  of 
the  Bible.  Fther  was  indignant  at  such  ignorance  traveling 
over  the  country  attempting  to  teach  the  way  of  life  to 
others.  This  is  only  a  specimen  of  the  church  privileges  the 
first  settler  had  for  a  number  of  years. 

The  church  always  found  a  friend  in  my  parents.  Their 
house  was  a  home  for  ministers,  or  teachers,  or  any  one  who 
came  to  the  neighborhood  and  was  homeless.  Indeed,  their 
hospitality  knew  no  bounds.  No  beggar  or  applicant  for 
charity  was  ever  turned  from  their  door  unaided.  More  than 
one  destitute  orphan  child  was  taken  into  their  family,  fed 
and  clothed  and  schooled,  or  cared  for  through  a  long  lin- 
gering fit  of  sickness — without  compensation  other  than  the 
approval  of  conscience. 

Indeed,  I  have  thought  since  reaching  a  more  mature 
age  that  my  parents  were  too  hospitable.  I  think,  sometimes, 
they  almost  wronged  their  own  family  in  caring  for  those 
who  had  no  claims  upon  them — only  the  common  ties  of  hu- 
manity. Their  aid  was  sought  far  and  near  in  sickness  and 
trouble,  mother  being  sent  for  often  times  before  the  physi- 
cian. I  remember  in  connection  with  one  famiy  in  particu- 
lar, who  lived  on  the  Mackinaw  river,  with  what  dread  we 
children  would  see  their  old  gray  mare  emerge  from  the  for- 
est coming  to  the  house — fearing  mother  was  sent  for,  which 
was  ofter  the  case.  She  always  went  and  remained  minis- 
tering to  their  needs  until  she  became  so  exhausted  and  sick 
that  she  was  compelled  to  return  home.  How  anxiously  we 
watched  for  her  coming,  and  as  soon  as  she  appeared  we  pro- 
ceeded with  all  haste  to  prepare  something  palatable  for  her 
to  eat,  knowing  well  that  rough  corn  bread,  fat  bacon  and 
poor  coffee,  or  maybe  sage  tea,  had  been  her  fare  while  there. 
And,  indeed,  there  were  many  other  place  where  she  was 
called  to  go  and  she  went  to  all,  aiding  in  every  way  she 
could.  Then,  when  all  was  over,  and  the  sufferer  slept  the 
sleep  of  death,  she  furnished  whatever  was  necessary  to  fit 
them  for  the  grave,  for  we  had  some  neighbors  who  were 
very  poor. 

Vegetation  was  very  rank,  and  consequently  there  was 
a  great  deal  of  malaria,  and  much  suffering  from  malignant 
attacks  of  fever.     Fever  and  ague  were  expected  each  fall 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  51 

(especially  by  the  dwellers  along  the  water  course)  with  as 
much  confidence  as  the  seasons  were  expected  to  roll  round 
in  due  course.  Physicians  were  a  long  way  apart.  Calomel 
was  thought  to  be  the  sovereign  remedy  for  an  attack  of 
either  fever  or  ague,  and  the  neighbors  from  all  around  came 
to  father  for  calomel.  In  my  mind's  eye  I  can  see  the  phial, 
as  it  hung  against  the  wall,  and  see  him  portion  it  out  on 
the  point  of  a  penknife.  He  always  gave  careful  directions, 
and  I  do  not  remember  of  any  bad  results  ever  following  his 
prescriptions.  Happily  for  the  human  system  the  calomel 
age  is  past.  Calomel,  bleeding  and  blistering  were  resorted 
to  for  every  ailment.  I  have  no  doubt  many  a  life  was  sac- 
rificed on  account  of  physicians  not  knowing  better  how  to 
treat  the  diseases  of  the  country,  A  fever  patient  was  not 
allowed  a  drop  of  cold  drink  of  any  kind,  but  must  slake  his 
thirst  with  wai'm  teas.     We  would  think  it  cruel  now. 

Tlie  climate  was  very  changeable,  and  more  subject  to 
extreme  changes  than  now.  I  will  mention  one  incident  to 
show  something  of  their  severity.  Nearly  all  the  milling  was 
done  on  horseback,  with  one  or  sometimes  two  sacks  of  grain 
across  the  horse's  back.  Rain  had  been  falling  for  some  time, 
and  father  feared  the  Mackinaw  river  would  be  so  swollen 
it  could  not  be  crossed.  He  and  brother  Charles,  accompan- 
ied by  Parry  Stephens,  a  neighbor  lad,  took  their  grain  on 
their  horses  and  crossed  over  to  Ashburn's  mill,  traded  their 
gram  for  flour  and  started  home.  The  river  had  risen  so  fast 
the  horses  could  get  over  only  by  swimming.  Father  told 
the  boys  to  hold  fast  to  their  horses,  even  if  they  had  to  let 
the  flour  go.  He  wore  an  overcoat  with  a  large  cape,  which 
was  d)"enched  with  rain.  When  about  midway  in  the  stream 
the  wind  changed  to  the  north,  turned  the  cape  straight  up 
at  the  side  of  his  head  and  froze  it  stiff  before  they  reached 
the  bank.  Their  mittens  were  frozen  fast  to  the  bridle  reins. 
They  got  safely  to  land  with  their  flour,  but  had  to  stop  at 
Mr.  Stephen's,  a  distance  of  one  and  one-half  miles,  to  warm 
and  thaw  out.  Chickens  froze  fast  to  the  ground.  That  was 
always  spoken  of  as  the  sudden  change. 

Farming  utensils  of  all  kinds  were  crude  and  primitive 
— plows  with  wooden  mold  boards  and  harrows  with  wooden 
teeth.  Reapers  and  threshing  machines  were  unknown. 
Grain  was  cradled,  each  cradle  being  followed  by  a  man  to 
rake  and  another  one  to  bind.  A  good  cradler  could  cut 
about  three  acres  per  day.  In  very  early  times  the  grain  was 
threshed  on  a  hard  floor  by  horses  tramping  it  out,  and  then 
separated  from  the  chaff  with  a  fanning  mill.    Com  planters 


52  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHIXGTON,  ILL. 

had  not  been  heard  of.  One  person  followed  the  plow  and 
dropped  the  corn,  which  was  usually  covered  with  hoes — 
great  heavy  crude  things,  a  load  to  hft.  Many  of  the  uten- 
sils were  made  at  home,  such  as  rakes,  pitchforks  and  har- 
rows.    The  plows  and  every-day  harness  all  were. 

Every  one  traveled  on  horseback.  Frequently  two  on 
one  horse,  and  occasionally  three  when  a  mother  would  take 
a  child  behind  her  and  one  in  her  lap.  If  a  family  was  large 
— as  ours  was — some  were  elected  to  stay  at  home,  as  there 
were  not  enough  riding  bridles  and  saddles  for  all  to  go  at 
one  time.  I  well  remember  with  what  joy  we  children  hailed 
the  purchase  of  a  two-horse  lumber  wagon  (we  had  a  four- 
horse  wagon),  and  how  grand  we  felt  that  we  could  all  go 
to  church  together. 

Society  was  as  crude  and  primitive  as  the  utensils  for 
labor.  My  eldest  brothers  and  sister  Nancy  were  invited  to 
the  house  of  Mr.  Hughes,  who  lived  on  the  Mackinaw  river, 
to  be  present  at  the  marriage  of  his  only  daughter.  The 
house  contained  but  one  room,  and  that  had  to  serve  as 
kitchen,  dining  and  sitting  room.  The  weather  was  warm, 
and  the  neighbor  women  who  were  preparing  the  supper  ad- 
vised the  intended  bride  and  her  friends  to  sit  out  in  the 
yard  in  the  shade.  The  gentlemen  guests  and  the  groom 
were  already  there,  so  the  rest  repaired  to  the  yard.  The 
bride's  father  passed  along  and  said  to  her,  "Betsey,  the 
place  for  you  is  in  the  house".  Just  imagine,  if  you  can,  in 
this  age  a  bride  sitting  out  in  the  yard  with  the  gentlemen 
guests  and  prospective  bridegroom.  (Not  so  far  out  of  the 
way  now,  however.     Written  in  afterwards). 

If  our  surroundings  were  crude,  and  savored  strongly 
of  the  backwoods,  there  was  any  amount  of  sociability  and 
friendship  existing  between  neighbors,  and  we  were  neigh- 
bors even  when  living  eight  and  ten  miles  apart.  "The  latch- 
string  is  always  out"  was  a  common  expression — the  expres- 
sion of  hospitable  intent  and  readiness  to  welcome  all  who 
came.  It  was  no  unusual  occurrence  for  a  sleigh  load  to 
irive  several  miles  to  spend  the  evening  with  a  neighbor. 
No  sooner  did  they  arrive  than  we  repaired  to  the  kitchen 
and  proceeded  to  get  supper.  After  partaking  of  a  bountiful 
supper,  or  the  best  tht  hostess  could  provide,  they  would 
start  for  home,  but  never  earlier  than  midnight.  It  was  a 
troublesome  custom,  but  we  did  not  so  regard  it  at  the  time, 
really  enjoying  having  our  acquaintances  come. 

The  stranger  who  n^oved  in,  to  cast  his  lot  wifh  those 
already  here,  was  sure  of  a  hearty  welcome.    All  turned  out 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  53 

with  teams  and  axes  to  help  him  get  a  home  for  his  family 
to  shelter  in;  also  giving  them  shelter  in  their  own  crowded 
homes  until  the  newcomers'  cabin  was  completed. 

I  will  say  in  conclusion  that  I  have  written  only  bare 
facts.  Have  not  exaggerated;  indeed,  I  think  I  have  kept  a 
little  on  the  other  side  of  the  line,  not  wanting  to  overdraw 
the  picture  or  color  it  too  highly. 

My  parents  felt  keenly  the  disadvantages  they  labored 
under  in  raising  their  children,  ana  always  endeavored  to  in- 
still in  our  minds  the  principles  of  true  manhood  and  woman- 
hood. In  justice  to  their  memory  I  must  add  that  their 
teaching  was  not  in  vain.  My  brothers  and  sisters  were 
noble,  honorable  men  and  women.  I  will,  right  here,  say  my 
mother  was  one  of  the  noblest  of  women.  She  had  few 
equals  and  no  superiors,  so  far  as  true  worth  and  nobility  of 
soul  is  required  to  constitute  a  true  woman — for  such  she 
was,  her  children  ever  having  cause  to  revere  and  bless  her 
memory.  And  a  more  honorable,  upright  man  than  my 
father  never  lived.  He  was  the  soul  of  honor.  "They  rest 
from  thier  labors,  and  their  works  follow  them". 
March  21st,  1901.  BELLE  HARLAN. 


S.  H.  Thomas,  Born  in  Washington, 
Tells  of  Early  History  in  This  Vicinity 

Simon  H.  Thomas  was  born  on  a  farm  near  Washing- 
ton and  has  lived  in  this  vicinity  all  his  life.  His  father, 
Henson  Thomas,  w'as  one  of  the  very  earliest  settlers  in 
Washington,  coming  here  in  1830  with  a  brother,  Simon, 
from  near  Zanesville,  Ohio.  The  two  brothers  returned  to 
Ohio  soon  after  they  came  here,  but  Henson  soon  returned 
alone.  His  first  wife  was  a  Heath,  a  sister  of  the  wife  of 
Adam  Switzer.  A  Heath  monument  is  the  oldest  one  in  our 
old  cemetery.  From  Henson's  first  marriage  two  children 
were  born.  Both  died  and  are  buried  in  the  Union  church 
cemetery,  northwest  of  Washington.  Henson's  first  wife 
died  and  he  married  later  as  his  second  wife  a  Miss  Stevens, 
who  came  here  from  Ohio  to  visit  a  sister.  This  was  about 
1837.  From  this  union  three  sons  and  one  daughter  were 
bom,  William,  Elizabeth,  Richard  and  Simon.  Those  surviv- 
ing are  Elizabeth  Kraeger  who  is  86  years  of  age  and  lives 
in  Ohio,  and  Simon  of  this  city. 


54  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

Henson  Thomas  in  1837  entered  160  acres  of  govern- 
ment land  near  the  Union  cemetery.  Simon  was  raised  on 
the  farm  and  hved  there  until  he  was  25  years  of  age,  when 
he  was  married.  For  five  years  he  lived  in  Washington  in 
the  house  now  owned  by  Charles  Norris,  which  was  located 
where  the  George  Hagenstoz  residence  now  stands  in  the 
west  part  of  town.  When  a  boy  Simon  went  to  school  in  the 
winter  time  and  worked  on  the  farm  in  the  summer.  Mr. 
Thomas  got  his  first  schooling  in  a  log  school  house  which 
stood  near  the  corner  road  south  of  the  Union  church.  Be- 
sides Mr.  Thomas  those  now  hving  who  attended  that  school 
are  his  sister,  Mrs.  F.  Rickman,  and  Mrs.  Maggie  Trimmer 
Baker  of  Peoria.  He  says  they  did  a  good  deal  of  hunting  in 
those  days.  There  were  plenty  of  deer,  wild  turkeys,  prairie 
chicken  and  quail.  He  has  seen  an  old  rail  fence  strinig  with 
prairie  chickens  for  nearly  half  a  mile.  The  farm  boys  did 
not  get  a  chance  to  come  to  town  very  often.  He  remembers 
when  the  boys  used  to  play  marbles  on  the  corner  where  the 
Denhart  bank  now  stands.  Later  on  they  had  a  ten-pin  al- 
ley on  the  lot. 

He  remembers  when  Lincoln  and  Douglas  spoke  at  Meta- 
mora  and  attended  the  Lincoln  meeting.  There  was  a  big 
crowd  present  and  a  good  deal  of  excitement. 

Simon's  mother  made  the  trip  back  to  Ohio  five  times 
in  a  covered  wagon.  In  early  days  that  was  the  extent  of 
their  rapid  transit  vehicles.  He  remembers  when  Andrew 
Cress  had  the  first  single  buggy  in  this  vicinity  and  it  caused 
a  good  deal  of  comment  John  Johnson,  one  of  the  early 
farmers  who  lived  on  the  present  Stephen  Muller  place,  had 
a  family  carriage  quite  early  and  it  was  a  great  luxury. 
Johnson  raised  a  good  sized  family,  but  they  all  left  here 
years  ago.  One  daughter,  Mary  Holland,  lives  in  California 
and  a  son,  George,  did  live  in  Kansas. 

Mr.  Thomas  remembers  the  early  days  in  Washington 
when  there  were  no  brick  stores  around  the  square.  Dr. 
Burton  ran  the  postoffice  in  a  frame  store  building  on  the 
north  side  of  the  square,  and  Tom  Birkett  ran  a  big  wagon 
shop  on  the  old  Zinser  drug  store  corner.  The  first  brick 
store  building  erected  now  standing  is  the  building  occupied 
by  W.  E.  Petri.  Sanford  Gorin  ran  a  dry  goods  store  in  the 
building.  He  was  the  grandfather  of  Harry  and  the  Misses 
Gorin. 

Among  some  of  the  old  times  Mr.  Thomas  remembers 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  55 

grain,  Tliey  raised  considerable  spring  wheat,  mostly  the 
Italian  kind.  They  raised  some  corn.  They  hauled  their 
grain  to  Spring  Bay  and  Peoria,  and  sometimes  to  Wesley 
City.     Corn  sold  as  high  as  25  cents  a  bushel  in  early  days. 

Amony  some  of  the  old  timers  Mr.  Thomas  remembers 
the  following: 

The  Portman  and  Jacquin  families  came  here  about 
1848.  Portman  purchased  the  McCorkle  farm  which  was  af- 
terwards known  as  the  Portman  farm.  These  families  used 
to  attend  the  Catholic  church  at  Black  Partridge.  These  old 
settlers  raised  large  families  which  were  well  known  in  this 
vicinity. 

Nicholas  Huguet  came  here  about  the  same  time  as  the 
Portmans  and  v/as  a  fine  old  man.  He  bought  the  Fauber 
farm  noi-thwest  of  Washington  from  Andrew^  Cress.  Raised 
a  large  family  well  known  in  this  vicinity. 

Dave  Stock  came  overland  from  Ohio  and  first  went  to 
Lacon,  later  coming  here.  Lived  on  a  farm  north  of  to\\Ti. 
Was  a  good  citizen. 

Knew  Henry  Kice,  grandfather  of  Charles  Kice.  Think 
he  came  from  Vermont  about  1848.  Lived  north  of  town. 
One  of  our  well  liked  early  settlers. 

John  Burkey  was  one  of  my  early  friends.  He  was  a 
brother-in-law  of  John  Taylor  of  Peoria.  Burkey  moved  to 
Nebraska  a  good  many  years  ago.  His  father  used  to  make 
cider  vinegar  on  lot  where  Ed  McManus'  place  stands. 

The  Slagle  family  lived  on  the  bluff  west  of  Washington. 
He  used  to  say  he  settled  in  the  timber  there  because  the 
prairie  land  east  of  Washington  was  full  of  sloughs  and  the 
green  head  flies  were  so  bad  the  stock  could  not  stand  it. 

Mr.  Hartman,  who  settled  northwest  of  Washington,  was 
an  early  settler,  but  he  died  in  the  early  cholera  epidemic. 
He  left  four  sons  and  one  daughter  and  Mrs.  Hartman 
brought  up  a  fine  family,  among  them  being  Rev.  Hartman 
who  died  a  few  years  ago. 

Rev.  Zedick  Hall  was  an  early  methodist  minister.  He 
lived  on  a  farm  five  miles  north  of  town,  now  owned  bv  Jos. 
Belsly. 


56  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

On  the  ''Western  Trair  in 

1851,  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Ferner 


First  Letter 

Three  families,  the  Jacob  Zinser,  Lewis  Tobias  and 
George  Ferner  famihes,  moved  together  in  "prairie  schoon- 
ers" from  Circleville,  Ohio,  to  Washington,  Ilhnois.  This 
took  place  in  1851,  before  there  were  anj^  railroads  to  speak 
of.  It  was  a  pioneer  venture  to  better  conditions.  Chiefly 
the  move  was  made  to  get  away  from  a  thickly  timbered 
country  to  the  prairies,  where  farms  could  be  started  and 
made  to  yield  at  much  less  expense  of  time,  labor  and  cash 
than  in  a  country  where  trees  and  stumps  stubbornly  dis- 
puted every  inch  of  progress. 

There  was  no  "race  suicide"  in  any  of  these  three  fam- 
ilies. There  were  twelve  children  in  the  Zinser  family,  four 
in  the  Tobias  family  and  six  in  the  Ferner  family.  A  few  of 
these,  however,  did  not  report  early  enough  for  this  "West- 
ern Trail",  and  were  later  born  in  Washington,  while  one  or 
two  of  the  older  Zinser  boys  were  left  at  school  in  Ohio. 

There  were  no  doubt  many  memorable  events  on  this 
westward  journey  of  three  weeks,  but  I  being  only  four  years 
of  age  was  not  old  enough  to  appreciate  them.  Some  of  these 
events  made  a  deep  im.pression  upon  me;  the  fording  of 
streams  for  example,  where  the  water  flooded  the  wagon 
boxes — the  houses  we  lived  in.  These  "schooners"  were  not 
"water  tight". 

Another  event  was  wl.'en  the  first  prairie  chicken  was 
shot,  and  the  entire  caravan  stopped  to  inspect  the  new  bird. 

One  boy,  Israel  Zinser,  six  years  of  age,  lost  his  dog,  a 
small  black  dog  named  "Penny".  It  seems  as  if  today  that 
call  of  "Penny!  Penny"!  sad  and  plaintive  note  must  still  be 
ringing  in  the  woods  of  Indiana.  That  was  one  "bad  Penny" 
which  never  came  back. 

At  Marshall,  111.,  we  all  stopped  over  Sunday  with  rela- 
tives. Harry  Tobias  and  family  lived  there  then,  but  moved 
to  Washington  later.  At  Marshall,  while  the  older  people  at- 
tended church,  we  youngsters  were  left  home  chaperoned  by 
one  of  the  older  girls  of  the  resident  families.  She  took  us 
to  a  spring  house  and  divided  a  fresh  current  pie  between 
us.  The  memory  of  that  spring  house  and  the  taste  of  that 
pie  have  haunted  me  all  these  75  years. 


I 

EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  57 

The  children  of  these  three  famihes  have  proved  them- 
selves worthy  citizens.  Of  the  ten  sons  seven  did  service  in 
the  U.  S.  army  in  the  Civil  war.  There  were  eleven  girls  and, 
if  they  then  had  been  honored  with  citizenship,  as  girls  now 
are,  they  no  doubt  would  have  put  the  men  in  the  shade  in 
patriotic  services. 

SECOND   LETTER 

I  was  4  years  of  age  when  my  parents  brought  me  to 
Washington,  111.  My  father's  family  for  the  first  year  in 
"Black  Hawk ',  which,  for  all  I  know,  was  then  the  leading 
suburb  of  Washington.  It  was  located  just  west  of  town  on 
the  west  banks  of  Farm  Creek.  Farm  Creek  witnessed  my 
first  fishing  experience  when  I  was  4  years  old.  My  brother, 
George,  5  years  my  senior,  looked  after  me  and  "bossed  the 
job".  We  fished  with  hooks  of  our  own  manufacture.  I  dare 
not  tell  how  many  fish  we  caught;  that  is  dangerous  ground. 

It  was  in  1851  when  my  people  moved  into  this  "Black 
Hawk"suburb,  and  one  of  my  early  recollections  was  a  train 
of   "gold  seekers",   with   ox   teams,   headed   for   Cahfornia. 

When  I  was  15  years  old  1  was  passing  down  the  streets 
of  Washington  and  saw  a  group  of  men  standing  about  Dr. 
Wood's  office.  Upon  inquiry  I  learned  that  a  foot  was  being 
amputated.  The  foot  belonged  to  a  Mr.  Applegate.  Mr.  Ap- 
plegate  was  one  of  the  1851  "gold  seekers"  carivan,  who  on 
that  "Go  west,  young  man",  expedition  had  his  ankle 
sprained  and  now  the  foot  was  taken  off  to  prevent  blood- 
poison. 

This  "Black  Hawk"  suburb  had  but  few  buildings.  One 
of  these  buildings  was  the  old  saw  mill,  just  west  of  Farm 
Creek  and  opposite  the  old  brick  flouring  mill,  which  I  believe 
still  stands.  One  night  in  midwinter  every  resident  of  Black 
Hawk  was  aroused  by  the  alarm  of  fire,  and  the  old  saw  mill 
burned  down.  For  us  children  that  was  a  sensation  which 
deserved  a  place  on  the  first  page  in  our  dailies. 

One  of  the  leading  characters  in  "Black  Hawk"  was  a 
Mr.  Walker.  He  impressed  us  children  by  his  profanity.  The 
old  mill  fire  was  nothing  aloneside  of  his  blasphemous  utter- 
ances. He  operated  a  ditching  machine  with  from  3  to  5 
yoke  of  oxen.  He  used  to  say  that  swearing  did  the  oxen 
more  good  than  grass  or  hay. 

These  are  some  of  the  recollections  of  a  four-year-old 
who  is  now  four  score.  These  things  all  happened  in  one 
year,  in  1851,  in  the  flourishing  "Black  Hawk"  suburb  of 
Washington,  Illinois. 


58  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

THIRD    LETTER 

The    Cyclone    Experience 

The  most  exciting  time  we  ever  had  on  the  farm  was 
the  cyclone  which  struck  us  in  1860.  Father  had  bought  his 
first  farm,  3  miles  cast  of  Washington.  This  farm  had  no 
improvements,  except  that  some  sod  was  bi'oken.  In  the 
early  days  in  Ohio  father  maintained  his  family  by  his  voca- 
tion as  a  carpenter;  this  fitted  him  for  constructing  the 
buildings  on  the  farm.  Father  built  his  own  house  and  barn, 
with  all  the  improvements  which  are  necessary  with  such 
buildings.  The  house  had  just  been  completed  and  we  moved 
into  it  the  first  of  year.  The  sills  for  the  house  were  made 
of  heavy  oak,  which  father  prepared  with  the  ax  and  broad- 
ax.  The  garden  fence  was  built  of  strong  oak  posts  and 
oak  palings  which  he  split  out  himself.  Everything  w^as  well 
built. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1860,  while  father  was  in  Washing- 
ton doing  some  Saturday  shopping,  my  brother  George  and 
I  were  plowing  corn  one-half  mile  north  on  the  Wm.  Holland 
place.  About  4  o'clock  we  saw  a  storm  gathering  in  the 
west,  so  we  unhitched  and  rode  our  horses  home.  When  we 
came  into  the  house  we  learned  that  mother  was  away  call- 
ing on  one  of  the  neighbors,  and  looking  out  of  the  window 
we  saw  her  coming  about  80  rods  away.  I  immediately  took 
an  umbrella  and  rushed  to  meet  her  for  the  rain  had  begun. 
We  had  harvested  ten  acresof  rye  several  days  before  this; 
we  cut  it  with  the  Green's  reaper,  a  large  and  very  heavy  ma- 
chine, a  machine  people  will  not  now  look  at  except  out  of 
curiosity.  This  machine  was  still  standing  in  the  field  of  rye 
shocks.  Mother  and  I  had  just  reached  the  house  when  a 
funnel-shaped  cloud  in  the  direction  of  Washington  attracted 
our  attention,  but  we  had  time  but  for  one  or  two  surveys  of 
the  cloud  when  we  saw  our  rye-field  litterally  in  the  air  and 
the  storm  was  moving  toward  our  house  with  mad  violence. 
My  mother,  one  sister  and  I  started  for  the  cellar  door  and 
my  brother  and  two  other  sisters  for  the  front  door,  but  be- 
fore any  .of  us  could  reach  the  doors  the  house  went. 

The  heavy  oak  foundation  was  moved  five  feet  off  its 
base.  The  gable  ends  of  the  house  were  torn  to  pieces  and 
some  of  these  fragments,  as  well  as  some  house  furnishings, 
were  carried  miles  away.  Tlie  two  sides  of  the  house  were 
thrown  together  in  the  shape  of  a  roof.  My  mother  was 
caught  under  the  lower  edge  of  one  of  these  sidewalls.  I 
was  then  13  years  of  age  and  brother  was  5  years  my  senior. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  59 

He,  my  oldest  sister  Sarah  and  I  raised  the  side  of  that 
house  and  released  mother.  How  we  did  it  no  one  will  ever 
know,  except  that  in  such  emergencies  extra  strength  is 
given.  "As  thy  day  is  so  shall  thy  strength  be".  Mother 
never  entirely  recovered  from  the  injuries  she  received 
in  her  shoulder.  But  what  seemed  a  miracle  happened  in  our 
garden,  where  we  had  four  colonies  of  bees  under  a  very 
temporary  shelter.  The  strong  new  oak  posts  of  the  garden 
fence  on  both  sides  of  the  bees  were  snapped  off,  but  the 
bees  and  their  frail  shelter  were  not  disturbed.  The  old 
Green's  reaper  in  the  rye  field  was  lifted  up  and  carried 
some  distance  and  then  set  carefully  down  as  if  to  take  it 
along  was  too  much  of  an  incumbrance.  Our  district  school 
library,  consisting  of  two  cases  of  books,  was  in  our  house; 
these  were  scattered  to  the  "four  winds".  An  old  leather- 
covered  family  Bible  was  found  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away 
with  the  cover  mutilated,  but  the  inside  of  the  book  was  left 
intact. 

"It's  an  ill  wind  that  blows  no  one  any  good".  We  had 
learned  all  our  lives  to  prize  our  good  neighbors,  but  never 
before  had  we  seen  the  whole  region  of  country,  including 
the  town  of  Washington,  pour  itself  out  in  kindness  and 
helpfulness  as  w^e  did  on  the  following  Sunday,  when 
thousands  of  people  came  to  see  the  wreck.  Our  family 
never  forgot  the  vision  of  this  community-heart  of  kindness. 

Mrs.  Geo.  W.  Bayler  Tells  of  Old 

Times  in  Washington  and  Vicinity 

Mrs.  Isadore  Trimble  Bayler  is  one  of  Washington's 
oldest  native-born  residents,  and  her  life  has  been  spent  in 
this  locality.  Her  grandfather,  Thomas  Trimble,  emigrated 
teachers.  When  she  was  15  years  of  age  she  taught  a  school 
from  Cincinnati,  0.,  in  1834.  He  came  by  boat  down  the 
Ohio  river  to  St.  Louis  and  then  up  the  Illinois  river  to 
Pekin.  At  Pekin  he  was  met  by  Mr.  Varble,  who  brought 
him  up  to  Washington  and  he  settled  on  a  farm  two  miles 
north  and  a  half  mile  west  of  Washington  (now  the  George 
Bowen  farm).  He  paid  $1.25  an  acre  for  the  land  to  the 
government.  Mr.  Trimble  with  other  settlers  had  to  walk 
to  Springfield  to  pay  entrance  money  for  their  land.  It  was 
sold  to  the  highest  bidder.  It  occasioned  a  good  deal  of  ex- 
citement for  the  settlers  from  the  vicinity  of  Washington  as 
they  were  afraid  some  one  would  bid  up  on  the  land.  How- 
ever, our  early  settlers  on  that  occasion  got  their  lands  for 


60  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

the  $1.25  per  acre,  and  started  home  happy. 

It  was  a  weary  trip  walking  to  Springfield  and  back. 
The  Indians  were  bad  and  they  had  to  hide  and  dodge  around 
a  good  deal  to  miss  them.  On  the  trip  home  the  weather 
turned  cold,  and  Mr.  Trimble  froze  his  feet  and  in  walking 
in  that  condition  he  was  in  a  bad  way  when  he  reached 
home.  They  pulled  off  his  boots  and  when  they  were  turned 
up  the  blood  ran  out  of  them. 

Reece  Trimble,  father  of  Mrs.  Bayler,  was  born  in  1827 
in  Ohio,  and  came  to  Washington  when  7  years  of  age. 
There  were  eight  brothers  and  sisters  in  his  family.  One 
brother  went  to  California  in  the  forty-nine  gold  rush.  He 
came  back  in  1854  and  married  a  Bloomington  girl  and  then 
returned  to  California. 

James  Trimble,  another  brother,  ran  a  wagon  shop,  and 
made  wagons  where  the  Danforth  bank  now  stands. 

A  man  named  Hittle  ran  one  of  the  first  stores  in 
Washington,  and  Dr.  Burton  was  one  of  the  early  postmas- 
ters. He  was  a  father  to  the  whole  community  and  a  kind- 
hearted  man.  In  those  days  they  sent  a  letter  with  the  post- 
age to  be  collected.  It  cost  25  cents  to  get  a  letter  from 
Ohio,  and  they  had  to  wait  in  the  postoffice  at  times  until 
the  receiver  could  get  the  money  to  pay  for  them. 

Mrs.  Bayler's  father  and  mother  lived  in  a  house  on  lots 
upon  which  is  located  the  J.  P.  Wrenn  residence.  The  frame 
house  they  lived  in  is  now  built  over  into  the  Jacob  Rich 
garage. 

Reece  Trimble  and  family  moved  out  on  his  father's 
farm  northwest  of  Washington  m  1854.  His  father  died  two 
years  later.  He  now  lies  buried  with  his  wife  and  two  of  the 
children  in  the  Union  church  cemetery  northwest  of  Wash- 
ington. 

Mrs.  Bayler  was  born  June  24,  1850.  In  1854  they  had  a 
frost  on  July  3  which  froze  down  the  corn  four  or  five  inches 
high  and  did  a  lot  of  damage.  Mrs.  Bayler  remembers  their 
talking  about  the  event  in  after  years. 

They  used  to  hold  M.  E.  camp  meetings  at  Spring  Bay. 
Mrs.  Bayler  remembers  one  of  the  prominent  early  circuit- 
riding  preachers,  Rev.  Peter  P.  Cartwright.  When  a  little 
girl  with  her  chum  Vida  Eldridge  they  attended  one  of  his 
meetings  and  the  preacher  took  them  both  on  his  knees. 

There  used  to  be  a  flour  mill  in  an  early  day  over  north- 
west of  Washington  on  Ten  Mile  creek,  known  as  the  Hor- 
shaw  mill.  They  used  to  drive  over  there  to  take  their  grist 
to  mill. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  61 

When  the  T.,  P.  &  W.  raih^oad  was  completed  through 
Washington  in  1856  or  '57,  Mrs.  Bayler  was  among  the  many 
to  go  down  to  the  station  and  see  the  first  trains  go  through. 

May  13,  1858,  they  had  a  terrible  storm.  Her  mother 
had  given  birth  to  twins  (Emma,  now  Mrs.  Casper  Reynolds, 
and  William)  ten  days  before  and  her  father  had  a  hard  time 
to  keep  the  wind  from  blowing  in  the  door  and  letting  in  the 
hail  and  rain.  After  the  storm  her  father  went  out  and 
found  that  Mr.  Kice  and  wife  (grandparents  of  Chas.  Kice) 
had  been  blown  over  while  driving  along  the  road  in  their 
wagon.  They  were  unconscious  and  one  was  thrown  under 
the  wagon  box.  Mr.  Bayler  took  them  home,  kept  them  over 
night  and  they  revived  all  right. 

They  used  to  tell  big  snake  stories  in  the  early  days  and 
they  had  good  reasons  as  there  were  lots  of  rattlers,  bull, 
black  and  other  snakes.  She  remembers  seeing  a  big  black 
snake  down  by  Cooper  that  was  long  enough  to  stretch 
across  the  road. 

Her  grandfather  Trimble  used  to  haul  wheat  to  Chicago 
along  in  the  fifties.  It  took  three  weeks  and  they  would 
cook  up  food  to  last  him  most  of  the  trip. 

Prairie  chickens  were  plentiful  in  those  days,  and  were 
easily  trapped.  Deer  were  also  plentiful,  and  Mrs.  Bayler 
would  often  see  them  come  down  by  the  dozen  to  drink  at 
their  pond. 

The  morals  of  the  young  people  in  Washington  were 
pretty  good  in  those  days.  The  boys  had  quite  a  time  see- 
ing the  old  yeai-  out  by  going  around  to  the  houses  and  shoot- 
ing off  their  guns.  The  housewives  baked  up  a  lot  of  dough- 
nuts and  cakes  to  treat  them  when  they  called. 

Mrs.  Bayler  remembers  the  Civil  war  times  in  Washing- 
ton. Her  father  used  to  walk  to  town  in  the  evening  to  get 
the  news.  When  he  heard  of  the  death  of  Col.  Dan  Miles  and 
President  Lincoln  he  came  home  and  actually  cried.  Gilbert 
Jenoway  and  John  Holsinger,  two  boys  who  lived  at  the  home 
of  Mrs.  Bayler's  parents,  went  to  war  and  both  were  killed 
and  buried  on  Island  No.  10. 

Mrs.  Bayler  remembers  the  Lincoln-Douglas  campaign. 
Thos.  Fish  with  fife,  01  Hungerford  with  snare  drum  and  Mr. 
Trimble  with  bass  drum  furnished  the  music  for  the  occa- 
sions in  Washington.  When  Lincoln  spoke  at  Metamora 
Hattie  Fish,  daughter  of  Thos.  Fish,  got  up  a  hay  rack  load 
of  little  girls,  all  dolled  up,  and  took  them  to  Metamora.  This 
was  about  1859.  I  w^ent  in  the  load  and  I  remembered  see- 
ing Lincoln  and  hurrahing.    We  did  not  know  he  was  to  be- 


62  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILIft 

come  such  a  great  man  or  we  would  have  tried  to  remember 
more  of  the  details. 

Mrs.  Bayler  still  remembers  the  following  little  verse 
they  all  were  shouting: 

Lincoln  was  a  gentleman, 

Douglas  was  a  fool; 

Lincoln  rides  a  white  horse, 

Douglas  rides  a  mule. 
Lincoln  also  spoke  in  Washington  in  a  wigwam  tent, 
back  of  where  the  Community  Building  stands.  I  remember 
they  had  torch  light  parades.  They  put  a  candle  on  a  stick 
and  tied  paper  around  it.  I  was  in  the  parade  and  the  paper 
caught  fire  on  my  candle  stick  and  caused  some  excitement. 

When  Mrs.  Bayler  was  young  the  folks  had  no  place  to 
go,  so  they  all  went  to  church  and  that  was  their  social 
event.  About  the  most  exciting  game  they  had  in  those 
times  was  to  pitch  horse  shoes. 

The  war  came  on  and  Mrs.  Bayler  had  to  help  her  father 
on  the  farm.  She  drove  the  horses  while  her  father  and 
mother  did  the  work.  Mrs.  Bayler  was  one  of  the  early 
under  her  aunt  at  Sparland.  She  also  taught  school  one  year 
in  the  country.  She  went  to  school  in  Washington  and  her 
teacher  was  Herman  Snow,  wlio  married  a  Danforth,  and 
was  afterwards  congressman  from  Kankakee. 

In  the  fall  of  '67  Mrs.  Bayler  taught  school  in  Washing- 
ton in  a  school  house  on  the  southwest  corner  of  where  the 
school  park  is  now  located.  Miss  Mary  Italin  went  to  school 
to  Mrs.  Bayler  and  Miss  Itahn  has  now  bee  n  a  teacher  in 
Washington's  primary  school  for  52  years.  Mrs.  Bayler 
taught  school  in  the  old  Washington  brick  seminary  which 
was  located  on  the  lots  back  of  the  Geo.  M.  Stimson  residence. 
She  taught  there  for  seven  years,  until  she  married  Geo.  W. 
Bayler  in  November,  1837. 

Mrs.  Bayler  also  taught  a  select  school  in  summer  for 
several  years  for  $1.00  per  month  per  pupil.  Mrs.  Mostoller, 
Will  Aubrey,  James  and  Frank  Wrenn  were  among  her  pu- 
pils. 

Mrs.  Bayler  after  her  marriage  lived  in  the  attractive 
home  on  the  bayler  stock  farm,  which  adjoins  the  city  on 
the  northwest.  She  was  noted  for  her  hospitality  and  they 
used  to  come  from  near  and  far  to  visit  the  Baylers.  Of  late 
years  Mrs.  Mrs.  Bayler  has  had  a  severe  sick  spell  and  is  not 
able  to  get  out  very  much.    She  still  retains  her  keen  intellect 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  63 

and  can  vividly  recount  the  scenes  of  long  ago.  She  has 
rooms  in  the  Tobias  building  and  runs  a  little  notion  store  to 
help  while  her  time  away,  and  her  old  friends  are  glad  to  call. 
The  above  incidents  were  secured  in  a  recent  talk  with 
Mrs.  Bayler. 


Some  History  of  the  Zinser 

Family,  Who  Were  Old  Settlers 


Mrs.  Lizzie  Zinser  Brown  of  Harlan,  la.,  and  Rev.  J.  W. 
Ferner  of  Washington,  D.  C,  are  the  only  remaining  mem- 
bers of  the  Zinser,  Tobias,  Ferner  caravan  of  early  settlers 
who  emigrated  from  Ohio  to  Washington  in  1851.  Mrs. 
Brown  in  some  recent  letters  to  Miss  Emma  Scott  tells  of 
some  of  the  early  history  of  her  family  and  of  the  country. 
The  following  are  extracts: 

"There  were  four  families  of  us  in  company  when  we 
moved  from  Ohio,  coming  by  team  and  in  covered  wagons. 
Father,  Jacob  Zinser's,  family  was  the  largest.  There  were 
11  children,  but  only  9,  5  girls  and  4  boys,  came  with  the 
family.  The  oldest  brother,  John,  came  previous  to  father 
and  got  work  at  his  trade  as  a  wagon  maker.  Father  came 
to  Illinois  to  get  a  better  chance  to  farm,  as  his  boys  were 
old  enough  to  help  with  the  woi'k.  Brother  S.  L.  attended 
college  at  Delaware,  Ohio,  and  when  the  war  broke  out  he 
enlisted  and  raised  a  company  and  was  made  lieutenant.  He 
was  in  the  army  3  years,  was  wounded  at  Chattanooga  and 
was  discharged.  He  went  into  the  drug  business.  He  mar- 
ried Sarah  Grad}^ 

Brothers  Sam  and  George  were  the  first  to  hear  the 
call  and  enlist  in  the  Civil  war.  They  went  through  four 
years,  were  in  many  battles,  and  were  honorably  discharged 
at  the  close  without  a  wound.  Brother  Israel  enlisted  when 
they  called  for  recruits.  He  was  not  in  battle,  but  was  in 
camp  when  the  war  closed. 

Brother  William  looked  after  the  farming  while  the 
other  boys  were  helping  Uncle  Sam.  They  all  went  into  busi- 
ness after  the  war,  Sam  and  George  in  the  hardware  busi- 
ness for  some  time,  and  Israel  in  the  drug  business.  William 
was  a  farmer  all  his  life.  He  lived  in  northern  Iowa  until 
he  died  and  his  family  still  live  there. 

Ben,  the  youngest  of  the  family,  was  bom  in  Washing- 
ton.   He  was  a  banker  as  long  as  he  lived  and  died  in  1925. 


64  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

The  girls  in  the  family  from  oldest  down  were  Mary, 
Catherine,  Susan,  Lizzie  and  Rebecca.  They  were  all  mar- 
ried but  Rebecca.  Catherine  died  in  1862  and  was  the  first 
break  in  the  family. 

I  think  it  took  our  family  a  month  to  make  the  trip 
from  Ohio  to  Illinois.  It  was  rough  traveling  over  corduroy 
bridges.  The  country  was  swampy  in  places  and  the  roads 
were  made  of  logs,  which  did  not  make  a  smooth  roadbed. 

I  remember  when  I  was  young  a  string  of  saloons  they 
had  in  Washington  across  the  north  side  of  the  square.  I 
do  not  know  who  patronized  them  as  I  was  afraid  to  pass 
by  them,  I  was  so  afraid  of  a  drunken  man.  I  can  recall 
when  I  was  a  child  and  sick  with  a  diseased  knee,  which  left 
me  a  cripple  for  life,  the  folks  raised  me  up  to  the  door  to 
see  the  first  train  go  through  Washington  on  the  T.,  P.  &  W. 
railroad.    It  was  in  1857. 

I  am  past  my  80th  birthday.  I  have  not  had  my  usual 
health  this  summer.  Recently  I  have  been  laid  up  with  a 
spell  of  rheumatism. 

John  W.  Wilson  is  one  of  W^ashington's  oldest  native 
born  citizen.  Mr.  Wilson  is  still  active  and  in  very  good 
health,  and  he  has  an  especially  keen  and  vivid  mind.  He 
had  an  extended  farming  experience  in  Woodford  and  Taze- 
well counties  and  is  well  qualified  to  tell  of  early  conditions. 
The  following  are  some  facts  gathered  from  an  interview 
with  him: 

WiUiam  Wilson,  father  of  J.  W.  Wilson,  was  one  of  the 
very  early  settlers  in  Central  Illinois.  He  came  here  in 
1829  from  Ohio.  His  widowed  sister,  Jane,  accompanied  him. 
(Jane  afterwards  was  the  second  wife  of  William  Holland, 
the  first  settler  in  Washington,  and  was  the  mother  of  six 
of  Mr.  Holland's  family  of  twenty-one  children.  One  of  her 
children,  Mrs.  John  Weeks,  is  still  living  in  Washington,  the 
only  surviving  child  of  Washington's  first  settler). 

Mr.  Wilson  and  sister,  Jane,  came  to  Illinois  overland 
in  a  one-horse  wagon.  They  started  with  a  cow  owned  by 
Jane.  They  traveled  four  days  with  the  cow  tied  behind  the 
wagon  and  the  animal  caused  so  much  trouble  to  lead  that 
being  mightily  provoked  one  day  Mr.  Wilson  asked  his  sis- 
ter Jane  what  she  would  take  for  the  cow.  She  set  the  price 
at  $10,  and  although  the  brother  was  not  very  flush  he 
pulled  out  his  purse  and  paid  her  $10,  and  not  waiting  to  un- 
tie the  cow  he  took  out  his  knife,  slashed  the  rope  and  turned 
the  cow  loose.  In  a  week  of  two  the  cow  wandered  back  to 
its  original  home  in  Ohio.    And  in  six  months  or  a  year  some 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  65 

of  the  folks  who  had  picked  up  the  cow  sent  Mr.  Wilson  $10, 
the  amount  he  had  paid  his  sister. 

Wm.  Wilson  and  his  sister  came  alone  on  their  journey 
with  their  one-horse  wagon  as  far  as  the  Wabash  river. 
There  they  fell  in  with  the  Heaths  and  Henson  Thomas,  who 
were  also  on  their  way  to  Illinois  and  were  early  settlers 
who  located  in  Washington.  The  early  Wilson  had  a  tough 
experience  in  making  the  long  trip  with  his  single  horse  and 
wagon  through  the  timber  and  across  streams  and  swampy 
land. 

Upon  his  arrival  in  Washington  Mr.  Wilson  purchased  a 
claim  of  164  acres  of  land  just  west  of  Washington,  now 
owned  by  George  Muller.  There  was  a  log  cabin  on  the 
place.  Mr.  Wilson  hved  there  until  his  death  in  1857.  When 
lie  came  here  he  thought  the  prairie  land  east  of  Washington 
never  w-ould  be  settled,  so  he  went  into  the  timber  and 
grubbed  out  trees.  He  was  only  able  to  clear  about  50  acres 
of  the  land  while  he  ow^ned  it. 

Wiliam  Wilson  married  Sarah  McClure.  The  McClures 
lived  on  the  farm  where  Willhardt  used  to  live,  northwest  of 
Washington.  He  was  the  father  of  six  children,  one  dying 
in  infancy.  Of  the  five  children  Mary  Jane  married  H.  K. 
Swisher,  Nancy  married  George  Bon  Durant,  Maria  married 
W.  T.  Smith,  Sarah  Ann  unmarried  and  John  W.  married 
Virginia  Ann  Kindig,  who  died  in  January,  1912.  Three 
children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  W.  Wilson.  One  died 
in  infancy,  one  son  died  at  the  age  of  21,  soon  after  gradu- 
ating from  high  school.  The  daughter,  Gertrude,  lives  with 
her  father  and  keeps  house  for  him. 

John  W.  Wilson  lived  with  his  folks  until  he  was  18 
years  of  age.  He  then  hired  out  to  work  on  a  farm  during 
the  summer  at  $12  a  month.  That  winter  he  went  to  school 
in  the  old  seminary,  taught  by  Joe  Wood.  The  next  year 
he  farmed  for  Henry  Kindig  at  $14  a  month.  The  next  iwo 
years  he  farmed  for  himself  and  boarded  at  Emanuel  Kin- 
dig's  two  miles  northwest  of  Washington.  He  raised  mostly 
corn,  one  year  some  wheat.  He  sold  his  com  that  year  in 
the  ear  for  80  cents,.  80  pounds  to  the  bushel.  He  received 
a  good  price  on  account  of  the  war. 

In  the  spring  of  1866  he  married  and  moved  on  a  farm 
in  the  east  part  of  Woodford  county,  5  miles  southeast  of 
Minonk.  He  farmed  there  for  fifteen  years.  A  good  deal  of 
the  prairie  land  around  there  was  wet  and  had  sloughs  upon 
it.  They  had  no  tiling  then.  He  raised  com  and  oats,  most- 
ly com.    They  hauled  their  corn  to  market  at  IVIinonk.    That 


66  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

was  considered  a  great  corn  country.  SoT.e  days  they  would 
have  to  wait  all  day  and  over  to  the  next  aay  to  get  unloaded. 
The  streets  would  be  full  of  wagons.  The  poUce  would  have 
to  help  keep  order  and  get  the  wagons  lined  up.  They  had 
no  dumps  in  those  days  and  the  corn  was  all  scooped  off  the 
load.  The  elevator  would  furnish  one  extra  man  to  help  the 
farmer  scoop  off  his  load. 

They  hauled  some  of  their  corn  in  an  early  day  to  Chi- 
cago, not  very  big  loads,  and  received  as  low  as  614  cents  a 
bushel.  That  was  about  the  only  way  to  get  money  some- 
times. 

Most  of  the  country  was  raw  prairie  land.  When  Mr. 
Wilson  started  farming  in  1866  about  one-fourth  was  in  cul- 
tivation. Raw  land  then  sold  for  $10  an  acre  and  cultivated 
land  for  $25  to  $40  per  acre. 

Wild  game  was  plentiful.  There  were  lots  of  prairie 
chickens,  geese  and  ducks.  Mr.  Wilson  could  shoot  a  good 
deal  of  game  from  his  front  yard. 

Mr.  Wilson  moved  onto  several  different  farms  in  Wood- 
ford and  Tazewell  counties  up  until  1893,  when  he  gave  up 
farming  and  moved  to  Washington.  FaiTning  was  not  very 
profitable  in  those  days.  The  highest  price  paid  for  corn 
w^as  45  cents  a  bushel,  after  the  war. 

When  he  was  a  boy  he  remembers  one  time  of  carrying 
18  dozen  eggs  to  town  for  his  brother-in-law  to  the  Tobias  & 
Hittle  store  in  Washington  and  receiving  3  cents  a  dozen  for 
them. 

In  the  old  days  they  used  to  have  some  pretty  cold 
winters.  When  Mr.  Wilson  was  a  boy,  living  at  home,  in  the 
winter  of  1854-55  they  had  a  butchering  at  their  place  and 
the  neighbors  were  all  in  to  help.  It  was  so  cold  a  spell  at 
that  time  that  the  snow  had  not  thawed  in  the  wagon  tracks 
for  seven  weeks. 

The  roads  were  pretty  bad  in  the  early  days.  In  Febru- 
ary, 1866,  he  went  to  Peoria  to  get  his  wedding  suit.  The 
mud  was  so  deep  he  went  on  horseback  and  had  to  get  off 
the  horse  three  times  to  let  him  wallow  out  of  the  mud. 
There  was  timber  all  along  the  Peoria  road  in  the  sixties, 
some  of  the  trees  being  three  feet  through. 

In  1859  Stephen  A.  Douglas  held  a  big  political  meeting 
in  Locust  Grove  near  Metamora  (now  the  McGuire  farm). 
Over  100  wagons  went  up  from  Washington.  Tlie  towns 
around  vied  with  each  other  in  sending  the  biggest  delega- 
tion. Mr.  Wlison  remembers  that  Jaser  Sickler's  father  was 
a  drummer  for  the  occasion.    He  marched  about  twenty-five 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  67 

feet  back  of  Doulgas  in  the  parade.  He  had  a  deep  voice 
and  he  created  a  big  sensation  by  shouting,  "Hurrah  for 
Douglas",  every  few  steps  along  the  way. 

In  those  days  the  political  parties  would  try  and  see 
which  one  could  raise  the  highest  flag  pole.  There  was  a 
good  deal  of  drinking  at  tTie  political  meetings  and  thei'^  was 
quite  a  littte  fighting. 

One  of  the  early  events  in  Washington  which  occurred 
when  Mr.  Wilson  was  a  boy  was  the  wrecking  of  the  store 
and  saloon  kept  by  a  man  named  Pearl  on  the  top  of  the 
hill  in  the  west  part  of  Washington  (afterwards  the  Wells 
Andrews  homestead).  It  seems  that  Pearl  sold  some  whis- 
key to  David  Kelso,  one  of  the  early  settlers.  Kelso  went 
to  Peoria  and  died  after  drinking  the  whiskey  and  it  was  sup- 
posed to  have  been  poisoned.  It  created  a  sensation  and  a 
crowd  was  formed  and  went  out  and  completely  wrecked  the 
Pearl  place.  Several  of  Kelso's  brothers  were  in  the  crowd. 
One  of  the  boys  had  driven  into  town  with  a  team  of  oxen, 
and  when  he  heard  they  were  going  out  to  Pearl's  he  jumped 
off  his  wagon  on  the  square  and  let  the  oxen  run  loose  and 
joined  the  crowd.  Pearl  sat  by  while  they  wrecked  his  place, 
but  he  afterwards  had  quite  a  number  of  the  wrecking  paiiy 
arrested.  Abraham  Lincoln  was  hired  to  defend  the  arrested 
parties  and  secured  their  acquittal  in  a  trial  which  was  held 
at  Pekin. 

Pearl's  first  wife  was  a  sister  of  Dr.  Wood.  She  sepa- 
rated from  him  and  lived  across  the  road  from  his  place.  Af- 
ter they  wreclx'ed  his  place  Pearl  went  to  Peoria  where  he  led 
a  dissolute  life  and  finally  died  in  the  poor  house. 

Mr.  Wilson  has  a  number  of  relics  of  the  early  days  and 
is  sorry  he  did  not  preserve  more  of  them,  especially  the  early 
crude  farming  implements  used  by  his  father.  He  has  three 
or  four  chairs  made  in  1839  by  Asa  Danforth  and  his  brother 
when  they  ran  a  furniture  store  and  factory  here  in  an  early 
day.  The  chairs  are  still  solid  and  are  good  for  many  more 
years  of  service.  He  also  has  an  old  side-saddle  used  by  his 
mother,  made  in  an  early  day. 

He  thinks  the  oldest  brick  building  in  Washington  is  the 
Petri  store  building  which  was  operated  in  an  early  day  by 
Mr.  Gorin.  The  Roehm  shoe  store  is  the  oldest  frame  build- 
ing. The  room  above  the  store  was  known  as  temperance 
hall  and  Mv.  Wilson  remembers  when  his  church,  the  Chris- 
tian, held  services  in  the  room. 


68  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

Mr.  Wilson's  father  used  to  haul  goods  from  Wesley 
City  for  the  stores  in  Washington.  It  took  three  days  to 
make  the  round  trip,  some  25  miles,  and  he  was  paid  $1.50 
for  a  trip. 

When  his  father  landed  in  Washington  in  1829  there 
were  only  four  or  five  families  living  here. 

Old   Time   Account   Book 

Mr.  Wilson  has  a  valuable  old  relic  which  consists  of  an 
old  account  book  of  his  father,  WilHam  Wilson.  The  date  of 
the  accounts  were  from  1838  to  1845.  The  penmanship  of 
the  elder  Mr.  Wilson  was  very  good  and  although  the  paper 
is  faded  with  age  the  writing  still  stands  out  plainly. 

This  account  book  shows  most  vividly  and  accurately  the 
prices  that  were  paid  for  produce  and  work  in  those  early 
days.  It  also  shows  the  names  of  some  of  our  very  early 
settlers. 

In  those  early  days  evidently  not  much  cash  changed 
hands.  Mr.  Wilson's  accounts  showed  that  he  kept  a  debtor 
and  credit  account  with  most  of  the  people  with  whom  he 
did  business.  The  accounts  would  run  for  a  year  or  more 
and  they  would  have  a  settlement  and  carry  the  balance  over 
in  the  next  account. 

The  following  are  just  a  few  of  the  many  entries  in  the 
account  book: 

Oct.  16,  1839.  Adam  Switzer,  Cr.  for  the  making  of  a 
coat  and  pocket  stuff,  $8.25. 

Jan.  11,  1840.  A.  Switzer,  Cr.  for  making  a  coat  and 
vest,  $2.00,  and  for  trimmings,  4334c. 

May  31,  1841.    J.  Wheeler,  half  cord  of  wood,  75  cents. 

June  31,  1841.    J.  Wheeler,  Dr.,  to  4  doz.  eggs,  25c. 

July  12,  1841.  J.  Wheeler,  Dr.,  to  9  lbs.  lard  at  6i^c, 
561/4C. 

Dec.  8,  1838.     Mr.  Goold,    Dr.,    to    %    cord    of   wood, 

$l.34l^. 

July  13,  1841.    J.  Wheeler,  Cr.  for  one  day's  work,  $1.00. 

Oct.  11,  1844.  Dr.  Wood,  Dr.  to  40  lbs.  pickled  pork, 
$2.00. 

Oct.  15,  1845.  Dr.  Wood,  Dr.  to  23  lbs.  pork  at  21/2C 
per  lb.,  57c. 

April  27,  1849.  Mr.  Our,  Dr.  to  12  bushels  com  at  25c 
per  bushel,  $3.00. 

March  26,  1841.  Snell  and  Tiney,  Dr.  to  hauling  one 
load  to  Wesley  City,  $2.00. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL,  69 

Dec.  27,  1841.  Samuel  Hampton,  Dr.  to  73  lbs.  of  pork, 
$1,091/2. 

Dec.  2,  1844.  Mr.  Waggoner,  Cr.  for  one  day's  work, 
50c. 

Nov.  22,  1838.  Mr.  Pearl,  Dr.  to  1  day's  work  with  two 
horses  and  wagon,  $2.00. 

Feb.  6,  1839.    Mr.  Pearl,  Dr.  to  25  lbs.  flour,  $1.00. 

Dec.  6,  1841.  David  Gibson,  Dr.  to  one  load  of  wood, 
621/2C. 

Dec.  5,  1840.  Squire  Baker,  Cr.  for  one  day's  work  done 
by  George  Thomas,  $1.00. 

Feb.  8,  1839.  Doct.  Goodwin,  Dr.  to  one  cord  wood, 
$2.00. 

June  1,  1841.  Richard  Wab,  Dr.  to  15  lbs.  of  wool  at 
371/2C  per  lb.,  which  is  to  be  paid  in  work  at  50c  per  day  by 
Shiderick  when  called  on. 

Oct.  1841.  Jacob  Kern,  Dr.  to  94  ft.  of  lynn  lumber  at 
2c  per  foot. 

Oct.  19,  1839.  Lawson  Holland,  Dr.  to  timber  to  make 
8200  feet  of  lumber  at  87V2C  per  hundred,  $28.00. 

June  15,  1840.  Lawson  Holland,  Cr.  for  a  wheat  fan  re- 
ceived of  Parsons,  $28.00. 

Oct.  4,  1843.  J.  Belle,  Dr.  to  118  lbs.  of  beef  at  2c, 
$2.36. 

Nov.  16,  1843.  J.  Belle,  Cr.  for  two  days'  work  done  by 
the  boys,  50c. 

Jan.  25,  1839.  Wm.  Kern,  Dr.  to  180  feet  of  frame  tim- 
ber at  2  cents  per  foot,  Dr.  to  hauling  2  loads  at  50c  per  load. 

March  10,  1838.  Wm.  Kern,  Cr.  for  one  side  saddle, 
$18.00. 

Feb.  11.  Wm.  Kern,  Cr.  for  the  grinding  of  10  bushels 
and  a  half  of  spring  wheat,  $1.68. 

April  13,  1839.  Wm.  Kern,  Cr.  for  a  hat  got  Jacob 
Kern's  shop,  $5.00. 

July  8,  1839.  Wm.  Kern,  Cr.  for  the  carding  of  20  lbs. 
and  thre-fourths  of  rolls  at  7c  per  lb.,  $1.46. 

May  10,  1842.  Sephas  Wood,  Cr.  for  2  days'  work  done 
by  John  Baracas'  boys,  $1.25. 

Oct.  4,  1843.  David  Gibson,  Cr.  for  half  a  day  at  butch- 
ering beef,  50c. 

Nov.  9,  1845.  David  Gibson,  Cr.  for  one  day  at  husking, 
50c. 

June  15,  1844.  Sephas  Wood,  Dr.  to  I14  lbs.  of  butter, 
10c. 


70  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL. 

Nov.  4,  1845.     George  Higgins,  Cr.  for  one  day's  work, 
50c. 

April  12,  1839.    J.  Phillips,  Dr.  to  2  walnut  trees,  $7.00. 

Aug.  6,  1839.  J.  Phillips,  Dr.  to  24  lbs.  pork  at  7c 
per  lb.,  $1.68. 

Jan.  8,  1840.  J.  Phillips,  Dr.  to  a  stack  of  hay,  $6.00  to 
be  cash,  $4.00  to  be  work. 

June  29,  1840.  Due  me  from  J.  PhilUps  on  settlement 
to  be  paid  in  trade,  $25.46. 

Oct.  25,  1841.  Mr.  Rue,  Dr.  to  one  steer  weighing  403 
lbs.,  $10,071/2;    to  one  cow  weighing  525  lbs.,  $12,121/2. 

June  3,  1840.    Mr.  Allee,  Cr.  for  sharpening  plow,  25c. 

Jan.  23,  1840.  Mr.  Allee,  Cr.  for  setting  4  pair  of  shoes, 
$1.25. 

Oct.  12,  1841.  Thomas  Fish,  Cr.  by  one  pair  of  shoes, 
$1.75.     Cr.  for  pair  of  boots,  $4.50. 

Nov.  10,  1842.  Mr.  Willard,  Dr.  to  one  hide,  63  lbs.  at 
3c,  $1.89. 

Dec.  16,  1839.  S.  P.  Gorin,  Dr.  to  14  yards  flannel  at 
75c,  $10.50.     Cr.  for  goods  of  Rodes  Van  Meter,  $10.50. 

Oct.  28,  1841.  Wm.  Holland,  Cr.  for  2  bushels  of  ap- 
ples and  9  bushels  of  bran. 

Feb.  17,  1842.    Wm.  Holland,  Cr.  for  2  days  work,  $1.50. 

Jan.  18,  1841.  Asa  Danforth,  Cr.  for  sharpening  a  cross 
cut  saw,  50c. 

Mch.  23,  1841.  Mr.  Danforth,  to  lumber  marked  on  re- 
ceipt of  $52.50,  to  be  paid  in  furniture. 

Jan.  22,  1841.  Mr.  Danforth,  Dr.  to  2  loads  of  hickory 
timber  delivered  at  the  shop,  $3.00. 

Mav  5,  1843.  Wm.  C.  Spencer,  Dr.  to  2  bushels  of  oats, 
24c. 

Oct.  7,  1844.  Robert  Celso  (Kelso),  Cr.  for  one  day's 
work,  50c. 

Julv  5,  1845.  R.  Celso,  Dr.  to  2  trees  in  the  pasture, 
$4.00. 

March,  1846.    A.  Switzer,  Cr.  for  on  cloth  vest,  $3.50. 

Jan.  27,  1844.  Dr.  Wood,  Dr  to  eight  bushels  of  oats  at 
20c,  $1.60. 

March  22,  1842.  Mr.  Runnels,  Cr.  for  sharpening  a  plow, 
I21/2C. 

May  26,  1842.  Mr.  Runnels,  Cr.  for  sharpening  plow, 
mending  log  chain,  making  bell  clapper,  sharpening  mattock, 
amounting  to  621/2C. 

Dec.  18,  1846.    L.  Reynolds,  Dr.  to  3  loads  of  wood,  75c. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  71 

Dec.  10,  1844.  J.  S.  Bell,  Dr.  to  183  lbs.  beef  at  li/oo. 
per  lb.,  $2.45. 

Oct.  20,  1845.  J.  S.  Bell,  Cr.  with  1  day's  work  donp 
by  Thomas,  37i/2C. 

Nov.  19,  1841.  S.  P.  Gorin,  Dr.  to  half  cord  of  wood  de- 
livered at  the  female  school  house,  75c. 

A  number  of  entries  given  below  were  made  which  would 
seem  to  indicate  that  Mr.  Wilson  had  taken  some  of  uie 
early  private  bank  money  or  script  on  account: 

Five  dollars  on  the  Bank  of  Illinois,  marked  letter  A 
No.  1710,  payable  at  their  branch  bank  at  Pekin  to  the  or- 
der of  C.  C.  Wilcox,  cashier  thereof,  Shawneetown,  1st  of 
May,  1840,  got  of  J.  Johnson. 

Ten  dollars  the  State  Bank  of  Illinois,  marked  letter  A 
No.  43240,  payable  at  their  branch  bank  in  Danville  to  the 
order  of  i\Ir.  ]\Iobley,  cashier,  Springfield,  June  the  1st,  1837, 
got  of  James  IMcClure. 

Five  dollars  on  the  State  Bank  of  Illinois,  marked  letter 
G  No.  8613,  payable  at  Springfield  to  anyone  or  bearer,  dat^ 
Sept.  1,  1835,  got  of  Crasly. 

Mrs.  Esther  Ann  Weeks 

Mrs.  Esther  Ann  Weeks  was  born  in  Washington  on 
March  16,  1842,  a  daughter  of  William  Holland,  the  first 
settler  and  founder  of  Washington.  J\Ir.  Holland  was  the 
father  of  twenty-one  children  and  Mrs.  Weeks  is  the  only 
known  living  child.  It  is  quite  appropriate  that  in  compiling 
the  early  history  of  this  locahty  that  we  should  nave  an  in- 
terview with  j\Jrs.  Weeks.  The  following  interesting  facts 
were  gathered  by  Miss  Emma  Scott  in  a  recent  talk  with 
her : 

William  Holland  was  born  in  Lincoln  county.  North  Caro- 
hna,  Oct.  14,  1786.  He  was  married  on  May  24,  1811,  to 
Levycy  Bess.  In  1815  they  moved  to  Illinois  territory  and 
settled  at  Edwardsville,  IVIadison  county,  where  they  re- 
mained three  years.  They  then  removed  to  Menard  county 
where  they  lived  two  years,  and  from  there  to  Fort  Clark 
(Peoria)  in  1820. 

Mr.  Holland  had  a  gunsmith  shop  in  Peoria  and  also 
raised  corn  on  the  Illinois  river  bottom  on  the  Tazewell  side 
of  the  river.  In  cultivating  his  crop  he  crossed  the  stream 
in  a  birch  bark  canoe. 

After  Mr.  Holland  settled  in  Washington  he  continued 
to  conduct  his  shop  as  gunsmith  for  the  Indians  at  Fort 
Clark.     In  doing  so  he  rode  his  gray  horse,  "Turk",  to  the 


72  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL. 

river  bank  and  let  him  loose  to  go  home,  and  he  swam  the 
river  both  going  and  coming,  and  ran  home  to  Washington. 
Turk  was  a  great  horse.  The  neighborhood  children  used 
his  back  to  support  their  teeter  board.  Mr.  Holland  used  to 
put  Esther  Ann  and  her  little  brother  on  his  back  and  let 
Turk  trot  off  to  the  barn.  The  children  fell  off,  but  the 
horse  kept  on  his  way  and  on  reaching  the  barn  looked  back 
to  see  their  predicament,  and  if  a  horse  could  laugh  he  sure- 
ly did. 

Wm.  Holland's  first  cabin  in  Washingtn  was  at  a  spring, 
still  flowing,  just  south  of  the  Dickinson  canning  factory,  in 
the  northeast  quarter  of  section  23,  township  26,  north 
range  2  west  of  the  3d  principal  meridian  in  Tazewell  county, 
Illinois.  He  later  built  on  the  present  site  of  the  A.  G.  Dan- 
forth  residence,  and  continued  to  live  there  to  the  close  of 
his  life  Nov.  27,  1<S71. 

In  the  spring  of  1826  Mr.  Holland  started  to  improve 
a  farm  in  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  24,  township  26, 
range  3  west  of  the  3d  P.  M.,  just  east  of  the  original  town 
of  Washington  and  embracing  a  part  of  the  Holland,  Dorsey, 
Wathen  and  Robinson  addition  to  the  town. 

Mr.  Holland  had  three  wives  and  was  the  father  of 
twenty-one  children,  fourteen  by  his  first  wife,  Levycy  Bess 
Holland,  and  seven  by  his  second  wife,  Mrs.  Jane  Wilson 
Cowen  Holland.  Bv  this  third  wife,  Mrs.  Meadows  Holland, 
there  were  no  children.  Mrs.  Meadows  was  a  sister  of  Ezra 
Miles  and  Mrs.  Borland. 

Mr.  Holland  had  a  family  of  ten  children  when  he  set- 
tled in  Washington.  He  soon  had  a  school  conducted  in  his 
own  hom.e.  He  took  a  deep  interest  in  helping  his  children 
with  their  studies.  One  of  the  family  pastimes  was  to  have 
a  "spelling  bee"  with  the  father  as  the  pronouncer. 

The  first  religious  meeting  in  Washington  was  held  in 
Mr.  Holland's  log  cabin.  It  was  conducted  by  Pvev.  Jesse 
Walker,  a  Methodist  preacher.  James  Harvey,  one  of  the 
first  settlers,  was  present  and  the  two  families. 

Before  his  death  Mr.  Holland  had  all  his  children  come 
home  and  he  preached  them  a  sermon  he  had  pre]»ared.  This 
sermon  was  delivered  at  his  funeral  by  Rev.  Howe  of  the 
Christian  church.  It  has  been  preserved  and  is  in  print.  It 
shows  that  Mr.  Holland  was  a  man  of  learning  and  was  well 
posted  on  the  Bible.  It  also  proves  that  he  was  a  firm  be- 
liever in  the  Christian  faith. 

Miss  Emma  Scott  furnishes  the  following  information: 
"Mr.  Ruble,  who  lived  northeast  of  Washington,  told  me  that 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  73 

V.  hen  he  was  a  boy  14  years  of  age  he  came  to  town  and  did 
not  know  that  i\Ir.  Holland  had  died  until  he  saw  the  funeral 
procession  move  from  the  Frank  Tobias  furniture  store, 
W'hich  was  located  on  the  lot  back  of  the  old  Danforth  hotel. 
They  were  carrying  a  casket  through  the  middle  of  the 
muddy  street,  followed  by  neighbors  and  friends,  among 
whom  were  j\Irs.  Asa  Danforth  and  her  daughter  Hattie,  all 
walking  to  the  old  cemetery. 

Wilham  Holland  gave  a  4th  of  July  dinner  in  the  year 
1850  in  a  fine  grove  where  the  Henry  Denhart  home  now 
stands.  He  erected  long  tables  and  bought  muslin  for  table 
cloths.  The  citizens  did  not  wish  for  him  to  bear  all  of  the 
expense,  and  they  formed  a  procession  in  the  square  and 
marched  to  the  gi-ounds.  As  they  passed  his  shop,  w^hich 
was  south  of  the  grove,  they  passed  through  a  gate.  Air. 
Holland's  little  daughter,  Esther  Ann,  about  10  years  old, 
held  her  little  apron  to  catch  the  coins  of  a  free  will  offering 
from  the  dinner  guests.  ISIrs.  Holland,  son  William  and 
Hamilton  Riddle,  a  son-in-law,  did  all  of  the  cooking  for  the 
big  dinner. 

Tlie  day  after  the  Fourth,  Esther  Ann,  who  later  be- 
came Mrs.  John  Weeks,  and  Susan  Burton  (later  Mrs.  Almon 
G.  Danforth),  climbed  on  the  long  tables  and  ran  from  one 
end  to  the  other.  In  her  glee  Susan  pushed  Esther  off,  and 
she  gathered  her  hands  full  of  dust  and  put  it  down  the 
back  of  Susan's  neck.  Susan  reciprocated  by  putting  an 
equal  amount  of  dirt  in  Esther's  hair,  etc. 

A  Frenchman  and  a  German  came  to  the  Holland  shop 
in  an  early  day.  The  Frenchman  asked,  "Is  the  Smith's 
smith  in?" 

The  German  said,  "Get  away,  let  me  talk,"  and  he  said, 
"Is  the  black  smith's  shop  in  der  rouse?" 

In  1829  a  band  of  Indians  camped  one  and  one-half 
miles  west  of  Washington.  The  w^hite  women  were  afraid 
of  them  and  Mr.  Holland  asked  their  chief  to  have  them 
move  farther  away.  They  complied  with  the  request  and 
located  near  Foi't  Clark  on  the  Tazewell  side  of  the  river. 
The  Indians  were  harsh  at  times  and  would  walk  into  the 
homes.  They  one  time  broke  open  Mrs.  Jane  Holland's 
trunk,  but  did  not  take  any  of  the  contents.  They  were  af- 
ter money.  Mr.  Holland  was  a  quick  tempered  man  and 
spoke  to  them  about  their  act.  They  said  they  would  not 
do  harm  to  the  "pale  face." 


74  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

The  primary  school  property  in  Washington  was  a  gift 
by  Mr.  Holland  and  could  never  be  used  except  for  school 
purposes. 

Mr.  Holland's  first  wife  was  buried  on  the  Benj.  Tobias 
homestead  in  1833,  as  were  later  on  two  of  the  children. 


William  Holland  Family  History- 
Father  of  Twenty-One  Children 

Holland  Family  Record 

The  following  very  interesting  facts  in  regard  to  the 
family  of  William  Holland,  the  first  settler  and  founder  of 
Washington,  has  been  copied  from  the  "family  records"  and 
on  information  furnished  by  Mrs.  Thomas  Holland: 

William  Holland,  born  in  Lincoln  county.  North  Caro- 
lina, Oct.  14,  1786;  married  May  24,  1811,  to  Levycy  Bess, 
by  Isaac  Holland;  died  Nov.  27,  1871,  Washington,  age  85 
years,  1  month,  13  days. 

Levycy  Bess,  born  Lincoln  county,  N.  C,  Jan.  26,  1794; 
died  Jan.  27,  1833,  Washington,  age  39  years,  1  day. 

The  Children 

Lawson  Holland,  born  Lincoln  county,  N.  C,  Feb.  24, 
1812;  married  Elizabeth  Bandy,  by  Rev.  W.  J.  Curtis,  in 
1833;  children  James,  Reuben,  Thomas,  Lewis,  Sarah, 
George,  Isaac  and  Charles. 

Elizabeth  Holland,  born  Lincoln  county,  N.  C,  May  20, 
1813;  further  history  unknown. 

Metilda  Holland,  born  Hopkins  county,  Kentucky,  Nov. 
30,  1814;  further  history  unknown. 

Senath  Holland,  born  territory  Illinois,  Ocoaw  river, 
Nov.  3,  1815 ;  further  history  unknown. 

William  H.  Holland,  born  Madison  county,  111.,  Oct.  6, 
1818;  married  Elizabeth  Holland,  a  cousin,  of  Sangamon 
county,  111.;  children  Nellie,  John,  Leva,  Oliver. 

Nancy  Carline  Holland,  born  Sangamon  county,  111., 
June  28,  1820;  married  Hamilton  Riddle;  children  Hamilton, 
Jane,  Ellen,  Lavycy  and  Lavina  twins,  Lynn ;  Hiawatha,  Kan. 

Mary  Holland,  born  Sangamon  county.  111.,  Feb.  6,  1821 ; 
married  Lewis  Beal;  children  Moses,  Narcissy. 

Matthew  Holland,  bom  Sangamon  county,  111.,  Aug.  6, 
1822;  married  Ellen  Pierce. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  75 

Levicy  Holland,  born  Peoria  county,  111.,  Nov.  16,  1924; 
married  Pascal  Bandy. 

Sarah  Jane  Holland,  born  March  6,  1826,  Peoria  county, 
111.;  married  Dud  Couzier;  his  second  wife  Elizabeth;  chil- 
dren Esther,  Daniel,  Edgar. 

George  Washington  Holland,  born  Tazewell  county.  III., 
Feb.  18,  1828;  never  married;  was  a  California  gold  seeker; 
died  in  Washington. 

Alviry  Holland,  born  Tazewell  county  May  15,  1829; 
died  March  15,  1833,  age  3  years,  10  months. 

Narcissy  Holland,  born  Tazewell  county  July  7,  1831; 
married  George  Bandy;  children  Olivia,  Martha,  Mary,  Al- 
bert. 

Katharine  Holland,  born  Tazewell  county  Jan,  18,  1833; 
9  days  old  at  death  of  mother;  further  history  unknown. 

Second  Wife  and  Children 

Mrs.  Jane  Wilson  Cowden,  born  Feb.  25,  1804,  Fayette, 
Penn. ;  married  to  William  Holland  March  31,  1833,  by  Dan- 
iel Meek;  died  Nov.  10,  1856,  Washington.  Came  to  Wash- 
ington in  1829  with  her  brother,  William  Wilson,  from  Perry 
county,  Ohio. 

Maria  Holland,  born  Tazewell  county  Nov.  1,  1835;  died 
Jan.  1,  1836,  ae  2  months. 

Philura  Holland,  born  Tazewell  county  May  12,  1837; 
married  Frank  Wright  of  Missouri;  no  knowledge  of  family 
except  two  sons  killed  by  lightning. 

Jane  Susanna  Holland,  bom  Tazewell  county  July  23, 
1838;  married  Henry  Cook;  children  Lucy,  Lillie,  Sadie, 
Fred,  WilKam. 

James  Harrison  Holland,  born  Aug.  11,  1840,  Washing- 
ton; married  Mary  Johnson;  children  WiUiam,  Anna,  resi- 
dence Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Esther  Ann  Holland,  bora  March  16,  1842,  Washington : 
married  John  Weeks;  children  Albert,  Lyda  (now  Mrs.  Ed 
McManus) ;  grandson  Carlos. 

John  Allen  Holland,  born  Oct.l  0,  1843,  Washington; 
further  history  unknown. 

Isaac  Holland,  bora  July  24,  1845,  Washington ;  married 
Mary  Lewis ;  children  May  (now  Mrs.  Dr.  Bell) ;  grandchild 
James  Holland  Bell. 


76  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

Washington's  Centennial  Celebration 

The  city  of  Washington  held  a  Centennial  celebration 
on  August  11,  12  and  13,  1925.  It  was  estimated  16,000 
people  attended  the  different  events  during  the  three  days. 

The  first  day's  event  was  a  pageant  given  in  honor  of 
Miss  Mary  Italin,  a  teacher  in  the  Washington  primary 
school  for  nearly  fifty  years,  and  who  up  to  that  time  had 
passed  over  1500  pupils  through  her  room.  Following  the 
play  in  three  episodes  which  did  great  honor  to  Miss  Italin, 
she  was  escorted  to  the  Commercial  square  where  a  beauti- 
ful terra  cotta  flower  urn  was  presented  to  her  as  a  memor- 
ial, a  gift  of  her  students.  After  Hon.  David  McCluggage 
had  presented  the  memorial  to  her  in  a  most  flattering  ad- 
dress she  was  given  personal  letters  and  telegrams  from 
President  Calvin  Coolidge,  Senator  Wm.  McKinley,  Governor 
Len  Small,  Congressman  W.  E.  Hull  and  State  Senator  Ben 
L.  Smith. 

The  rest  of  the  celebration  consisted  of  addresses  by 
Congressman  Rathbone  and  State  Senator  Kessinger,  plays 
on  two  evenings  by  the  Kiwanis  club,  band  concerts,  grand 
barbecue,  parade,  ball  game  and  other  sport  events. 

Mayor  Rinkenberger,  ably  assisted  by  various  commit- 
tees, planned  and  carried  out  most  successfully  the  big 
event. 

Memorial  to  William  Holland 

On  Friday,  Oct.  15,  1926,  there  was  dedicated  a  bronze 
memorial  to  William  Holland,  the  first  settler  of  Washing- 
ton, 111.  Miss  Emma  Scott,  whose  parents  were  among 
Washington's  first  settlers,  was  responsible  for  the  agitation 
which  resulted  in  the  raising  of  the  necessary  funds  to  pur- 
chase the  memorial.  The  bronze  tablet  is  imbedded  in  the 
brick  work  on  the  west  side  of  the  band  stand  located  in 
Commercial  square  and  is  impressive  in  appearance.  The 
following  is  the  wording  on  the  tablet: 

In  Honor 

of 

WILLIAM   HOLLAND 

First  Settler 

Washington,    Illinois 

1825 

The  following  are  the  addresses  in  full  of  some  of  the 
speakers  at  the  dedicatory  service: 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  .        77 

Mayor  Geo.  Rinkenberger 

I  consider  it  a  very  great  honor  to  have  the  opportunity 
of  presiding  at  this  meeting  and  being  Mayor  of  our  city  100 
years  after  its  foundation  was  laid  by  the  man  in  whose 
memory  we  meet  here  this  afternoon.  This  is  an  occasion 
that  few  people  are  able  to  witness,  and  to  have  the  honor 
of  presiding  is  only  to  remind  me  of  my  inability  to  do  jus- 
tice and  my  great  desire  will  be  able  to  do  better  because 
the  memories  that  are  brought  back  to  us  not  only  who  was 
the  founder  of  our  city,  but  they  shov/  us  what  men  of  those 
times  did  for  the  future  generations.  I  wonder  if^the  men  of 
today  are  sacrificing  as  much  as  the  people  100  or  a  1,000 
years  ago  sacrificed  so  that  you  and  I  might  be  happy  and 
prosperous  today,  and  I  wonder  if  you  and  I  are  appreciat- 
ing the  things  that  these  people  did  for  us.  Of  the  many 
instances  that  we  can  recall  we  can  start  back  20  centuries 
ago  when  Christ  gave  his  life  for  us;  then  we  go  through 
the  many  wars  and  through  the  suff'erings  and  hardships 
that  were  endured  by  the  men  who  discovered  and  first  set- 
tled in  our  great  free  country  in  the  14th  century  and  down 
to  our  own  William  Holland,  who,  100  years  ago,  witliout 
any  of  the  luxuries  and  the  privileges  and  happiness  that 
we  have  today,  sacrificed  his  life  and  his  fortune  to  make 
this  spot  a  happy  home  for  you  and  I. 

In  looking  over  some  of  the  records  it  seems  to  me  that 
this  man  was  a  cheerful  giver,  and  got  his  pleasure  out  of 
giving  rather  than  out  of  the  honor  that  was  derived  from 
it.  He  gave  to  us  our  cemetery  so  that  we  might  have  a 
resting  place  for  those  who  passed  beyond;  he  gave  to  us 
both  the  primary  and  the  grade  school  grounds  and  the 
school  play  grounds,  having  in  mind  the  welfare  and  the 
development  of  the  younger  generation  that  would  continue 
the  activities  of  our  city  after  he  had  passed  on.  He  also 
gave  to  this  city,  as  a  gift,  the  Public  Square  where  we  are 
now  meeting  in  his  honor.  So  he  started  here  the  develop- 
ment of  the  laying  out  and  the  building  of  our  beautiful  lit- 
tle city.  H  did  it  in  honor  of  the  "Father  of  Our  Country" 
and  named  it  after  Washington  rather  than  after  himself, 
which  he  no  doubt  would  have  had  an  opportunity  to  do; 
but  in  his  modest  way  it  seems  that  we  can  read  in  his  his- 
tory that  his  mind  was  only  for  you  and  I  that  live  today, 
and  the  things  he  did  were  not  for  his  own  glory.  I  am 
wondering  if  a  100  years  from  now  the  same  thing  could  be 
said  about  any  of  us,  and  I  am  sure  that  this  afternoon  will 
be  well  spent  in  placing  in  the  City  Park  a  suitable  memorial 


78  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

of  our  founder  and  I  am  sure  that  the  speakers  of  this  af- 
ternoon will  bring  us  some  very  interesting  messages  appro- 
priate for  the  occasion. 

As  the  Mayor  of  our  city  I  feel  it  my  duty  and  it  is  with 
great  honor  that  I  accept  it  as  a  privilege  to  exercise  the 
authority  invested  in  me  as  Mayor  of  the  city  to  express  to 
Mrs.  Esther  Weeks  and  the  descendants  of  William  Holland 
a  sincere  appreciation  for  the  beautiful  memories  that  we 
have  of  your  father  and  our  "father". 

It  is  certainly  remarkable  to  be  able  to  realize  that  100 
years  after  our  city  was  founded  we  can  celebrate  in  honor 
of  our  founder  and  have  with  us  his  daughter  who  happens 
to  be  Mrs.  Esther  Weeks,  who  passed  the  84th  year  of  her 
life  on  March  16,  last.  She  is  the  youngest  of  the  21  chil- 
dren of  William  Holland,  and  if  I  might  pause  from  serious- 
ness for  a  moment  I  might  add  here  that  William  Holland 
not  only  started  our  city  by  the  gifts  of  the  cemetery,  the 
school  grounds  and  the  City  Park  and  by  the  establishment 
of  a  solid  foundation  for  a  prosperous  city,  but  he  also  with- 
in his  own  children  gave  us  a  mighty  army  of  men  and 
women  who  were  able  to  do  more  than  their  part  in  keeping 
in  operation  the  city  he  started  for  100  years.  We  are  not 
all  unmindful  of  the  things  that  your  ancestors  have  done; 
the  only  reason  that  we  are  unable  at  this  time  to  express 
to  you  the  proper  appreciation  that  this  city  might  have  for 
that  foundation  which  was  laid  by  William  Holland  in  1826 
is  because  I  do  not  have  the  words  and  the  ability  to  express 
it  in  a  proper  manner. 

I  therefore  again,  on  behalf  of  the  citizens  of  Washing- 
ton and  the  community  which  I  represent  as  Mayor,  express 
to  you,  Mrs.  Weeks,  and  the  other  descendants  of  William 
Holland,  an  assurance  of  our  sincere  appreciation  of  your 
own  efforts  and  those  of  your  families  who  have  left  us  be- 
fore you  in  the  great  part  which  you  have  had  in  the  build- 
ing of  this  city  and  community,  and  the  liberal  spirit  in 
which  you  have  made  this  a  happy  home  for  all  of  us,  and 
we  are  sure  that  you  will  be  rewarded  again  for  the  splendid 
spirit  you  have  shown  on  earth  when  it  becomes  your  op- 
portunity to  meet  William  Holland  again  inside  the  pearly 
gates  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

Mayor  George  Rinkenberger. 

Prof.  B.  J.  Radford  of  Eureka 

In  the  winter  of  1860-61  I  taught  school  out  here  at 
what  they  call  Central  school  house.  Two  of  the  pupils  that 
attended  that  school  are  with  us  today,  Mrs.  Cal  Cress  and 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  79 

Mr.  John  Wilson.  I  boarded  that  winter  in  the  family  of 
John  Johnson,  who  lived  in  that  neighborhood.  One  of  his 
youngest  children  by  the  name  of  JMary  was  thirteen  years 
old;  she  afterwards  became  the  wife  of  Jimmie  Holland,  a 
son  of  William  Holland  whom  we  celebrate  today. 

William  Holland  was  born  in  North  Carolina.  It  is  the 
native  state  of  old  "Hickory"  Jackson.  It  was  the  state  from 
which  Daniel  Boone  went  forth  and  blazed  the  way  of  pion- 
eers and  of  civilization  throughout  the  wilderness  country  ly- 
ing to  the  west  and  from  what  I  saw  of  William  Holland' 
think  that  he  had  imbibed  the  spirit  of  his  fellow  citizens 
and  imbibed  the  pioneer  spirit  of  Daniel  Boone  and  the  steel 
determination  of  old  "Hickory"  Jackson.  He  was  a  man  of 
that  fibre  and  character,  as  I  remember  him,  and  he  came 
with  those  rugged  characteristics  of  the  old  north  state  that 
made  him  the  fine  pioneer  that  he  was.  When  he  settled  here 
it  was  then  called  Holland's  Grove,  in  1825.  He  had  been 
living  in  this  part  of  the  state  since  1820.  In  1820  he  came 
to  Fort  Clark,  afterwards  called  Peoria,  and  while  he  lived 
over  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  at  Fort  Clark  he  built  a 
cabin  on  the  east  side  and  opened  a  little  farm  there,  and 
would  cross  back  and  forth  to  his  work  in  a  canoe  that  he 
had  constructed.  Then,  in  1825,  he  came  here  and  built  his 
cabin  on  the  place  where  now  Mr.  Danforth's  fine  residence 
is,  and  it  would  not  be  necessary  nor  would  it  be  profitable 
for  me  to  relate  on  the  circumstances,  the  hardships,  the  la- 
bor, the  trials  and  the  dangers  through  which  that  pioneer 
family  went,  for  you  have  heard  some  of  that  this  afternoon 
from  the  other  speakers 

No  doubt  all  of  you  have  read  about  those  early  days 
and  the  hardships  of  those  early  times,  but  when  William 
Holland  built  his  cabin  here  his  nearest  neighbors  were  ten 
miles  away,  where  East  Peoria  is  now.  How  would  you  like 
to  go  off  and  take  your  family,  and  put  them  in  a  log  cabin 
ten  miles  away  from  your  nearest  white  neighbor,  surround- 
ed by  Indians  sometimes  sober  and  peaceful,  sometimes 
drunken  and  dangerous?  Nobody  but  a  heroic  man  and  no 
family  but  a  heroic  family  would  undertake  such  an  enter- 
prise as  that.  Think  of  it  a  little  while.  Think  what  it 
would  mean  in  the  way  of  labor;  in  the  way  of  hardships; 
what  danger  in  the  way  of  the  lack  of  everything  that  we 
rely  upon  today  in  the  times  of  trouble.  There  was  no  one 
to  whom  they  could  appeal;  they  had  to  care  for  themselves 
in  every  way.  Think  about  it ;  but  now  honest  thinking  leads 
us  along  to  what  it  all  meant,  and  what  it  is  all  about  and 


80  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL. 

what  for.  Why  did  he  come  here?  Why  did  other  sturdy 
men  gather  around  him  in  hardships  and  deprivation  and  in 
danger  make  their  homes?  They  came  to  establish  homes, 
but  not  for  themselves.  They  were  looking  to  posterity; 
they  were  looking  to  our  welfare  today:  they  were  looking 
to  the  opportunities  that  we  have  today  of  which  they 
denied  themselves.  If  it  had  been  simply  for  themselves,  if 
it  had  been  only  for  their  own  gratification  they  would  have 
been  better  off  to  stay  in  their  ow^n  community ;  so  they  came 
to  make  homes  for  the  future — for  their  children  and  their 
children's  children  and  for  us  today. 

One  of  the  noblest  threads  of  humanity  is  to  have  a  care 
and  to  take  pains  and  toil  for  posterity.  You  high  livers, 
you  aristocrats  who  live  for  pleasure  and  luxury  do  not  think 
of  posterity.  When  the  French  nobility  that  gathered  like 
butterflies  around  the  Bourbons  were  spending  the  revenues 
of  the  canton  and  the  revenues  that  could  be  gathered  from 
conquests,  while  they  were  living  high  and  reveling,  some 
wise  man  said  to  them,  "Well,  what  is  the  outcome  of  this; 
what  is  to  come  after  this?"  "Oh!"  they  sneeringly  said, 
"after  us  the  devil's  case ;"  and  there  was  a  deluge  of  dread 
and  doubt  that  spread  over  France  and  over  the  boundaries 
of  Europe,  a  deluge  that  nearly  w^recked  civilization. 

These  men  that  settled  Washington  I  knew  personally. 
I  know  what  kind  of  fibre  those  men  had.  They  came  here 
and  denied  themselves  of 'comforts,  they  endured  hardships, 
they  faced  danger  that  their  children  and  their  children's 
children  and  the  children  of  those  that  should  come  after 
them  might  have  the  opportunities  and  safeguards  that  we 
have  now,  and  as  has  been  said  very  aptly  this  afternoon 
they  not  only  came  to  build  the  home,  but  the  school  and 
the  church  and  to  gather  about  the  home  all  of  those  effec- 
tive and  helpful  influences  that  should  make  home  what  it 
ought  to  be.  Now  I  would  like  you  to  think  pretty  seriously 
of  the  things  that  grow  out  of  these  conditions. 

In  the  city  where  I  was  preaching  once  I  was  visiting 
a  family  on  the  Avenue.  On  one  side  they  called  it  the 
"Bobs"  side,  it  being  inhabited  by  people  of  moderate  means 
who  lived  by  labor  and  by  mutual  helpfulness  in  the  family. 
On  the  other  side  was  the  palaces  of  rich  men;  this  was  the 
"Nabob"  side.  As  we  were  sitting  on  the  porch  I  said  to  my 
friend,  pointing  to  a  house  that  cost  $150,000,  "That  family 
must  enjoy  life  and  have  a  good  time  with  that  sumptuous 
home,  luxury  everywhere  and  plenty  of  money".  "Well",  he 
said,  "that  man  and  his  wife  have  not  met  for  many  years; 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  81 

he  has  his  abode  in  one  of  the  hotels  down  town  and  they 
never  meet".  "There  is  another  fine  house",  I  said;  "they 
certainly  have  a  good  happy  life".  And  he  told  me  about 
the  scandal  that  had  broken  up  that  house  and  in  four  houses 
which  I  pointed  out  there  was  a  skeleton  in  the  closet  of 
each  house. 

What  is  it  that  binds  the  bonds  of  the  household  to- 
gether ?  What  is  it  that  binds  neighbor  to  neighbor  ?  What 
is  it  that  makes  the  most  congenial  companions  and  neigh- 
bors? We  have  our  own  ideas  about  these  things.  The  old 
Greeks  called  their  carousals  and  picnicking  a  Cymbosian; 
that  means  a  drunken  get-together — have  a  great  revelry 
and  all  get  gloriously  drunk.  That  was  the  great  social  am- 
bition of  men;  it  was  the  symbol  of  Greek  high  life.  Some 
of  the  Romans  said,  "We  understand  it  better",  and  when 
they  had  their  drunken  revelries  they  called  it  a  Convivial, 
a  living  together.  Hurrah,  drink  and  carouse  and  call  it  a 
living  together.  We  live  together  and  there  are  a  great 
many  people  today  who  have  the  idea  that  social  functions, 
that  high  living,  that  picnics  where  delicacies  are  consumed 
voraciously  are  the  real  ties  of  civilization,  but  not  so.  It 
isn't  so. 

I  served  four  years  during  the  Civil  war,  and  I  notice 
year  after  year  when  the  old  soldiers  get  together  about 
the  campfire  and  in  the  gatherings  that  they  do  not  brag 
about  the  fun  that  they  had,  but  they  talk  about  the  hard- 
ships, the  long  marches,  the  tough  battles  they  had.  These 
are  the  things  that  make  men  comrades,  working  together, 
unselfishness  and  helpfulness  where  help  is  needed.  These 
are  the  things  that  make  home  ties  and  community  ties. 
These  are  the  things  that  make  neighborhoods.  There  are 
lots  of  things  that  I  would  like  to  say,  but  one  of  the  things 
I  am  going  to  say  is  that  what  we  need  is  a  little  honor. 

I  have  said  now  that  the  family  ties  can  be  more  firmly 
knit  and  the  good  fellowship  can  be  more  firmly  tightened 
by  a  condition  that  requires  mutual  helpfulness  that  brings 
them  together  in  unselfishness  and  mutual  self-denial. 

There  was  one  thing  about  the  old  households  that  we 
do  not  have  today.  The  family  lived  together  in  those  days 
of  William  Holland  with  great  families  of  children,  and  they 
would  gather  around  the  old  fireplace  and  in  the  glare  of 
the  cheerful  fire  the  sentiment  and  the  heart  strings  were 
knit  and  they  Hved  happily.  We  don't  do  it  now.  We  talk 
about  the  old  hearth  stone;  we  don't  have  it  now.    When  I 


82  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

was  a  boy  two  rooms  would  do  for  a  family  of  12  and  guests 
could  always  be  provided  for,  but  now  it  takes  a  house  of 
10  or  12  rooms  for  two  or  three  people,  and  they  hardly  see 
each  other  day  or  night.  That's  a  hard  thing  for  family 
life;  that's  a  difficult  position  in  family  life.  My  experience 
as  a  city  pastor  has  been  this,  that  it  is  a  most  difficult  thing 
for  family  ties  to  keep  sweet  and  free  where  great  wealth 
permits  those  to  live  in  separate  rooms  and  be  set  off  alone. 
It  is  a  terrible  strain  on  family  ties. 

Well,  those  are  the  conditions  as  I  remember  them,  as 
I  lived  through  them,  as  I  can  imagine  them  in  the  family 
of  William  Holland  and  other  pioneer  families.  These  fam- 
ilies that  were  real  families  had  domestic  ties  that  were  su- 
preme in  the  best  happiness  that  the  world  can  ever  know. 
You  may  think  I  am  getting  old  and  cranky,  but  if  I  can 
make  you  think  along  these  lines  I  will  be  satisfied  whether 
you  like  it  or  not. 

Another  danger  that  besets  the  home  idea  is  that  idea 
that  a  home  or  a  residence  ought  to  be  an  expression  of  mag- 
nificence and  wealth.  Well,  what  of  it?  Whose  business  is 
it  if  it  is?  Well,  it  means  this:  In  the  accounts  of  the  re- 
cent great  storm  in  Florida  I  read  about  a  residence  of  a 
multimillionaire  that  was  partly  wrecked  and  the  papers 
said  it  cost  $9,000,000  to  build  that  palatial  residence,  to 
beautify  the  grounds  and  for  the  expensive  life  carried  on 
there.  Think  about  it.  If  he  has  the  money  whose  business 
is  it?  The  maintanence  of  that  palace  and  the  expensive 
social  life  that  goes  with  it  would  tax  the  revenue  of  Taze- 
well county.  Well,  what  of  it?  Look  at  Europe.  What  ig 
at  the  bottom  of  the  World  war,  national  hostilities?  Well, 
yes,  it  came  to  that  finally,  but  this  is  true  that  there  has 
been  what  wei^e  called  homes  and  what  were  originally 
homes  that  have  grown  into  palaces  and  grown  into  chateaus 
and  pleasure  parks  all  over  Europe,  the  maintainence  of 
which  could  not  be  afforded  by  the  nations  such  as  England, 
France  and  Germany,  and  so  they  had  to  rob  the  backward 
people  of  the  world  to  sustain  those  palaces  and  residences, 
and  I  tell  you  today  there  will  be  no  peace  in  the  world  un- 
til more  people  quit  putting  millions  into  domestic  palaces 
and  spending  the  revenues  of  provinces  for  the  high  social 
life  that  may  make  revolution  and  there  may  be  National 
Leagues  and  World  Courts,  but  I  tell  you  now,  having 
studied  and  taught  history  in  college  for  thirty  years,  that 
the  foundation  of  the  World  war  and  all  wars,  the  main- 
spring of  it  all,  has  been  to  get  revenues  for  sumptuous  do- 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  83 

mestic  life  in  palaces  and  chateaus.  I  don't  know  whether 
you  believe  it  or  not,  but  if  I  can  get  you  to  think  along  this 
I  will  be  satisfied.  I  remember  very  well  when  the  Duke  of 
Marlborough  could  not  find  resources  to  keep  all  his  palaces 
and  the  high  life  of  his  ancestors,  and  all  his  resources  had 
been  used  and  he  came  over  to  New  York  and  got  $5,000,000 
and  a  wife  thrown  in.  That  would  make  Bleihem  castle  over 
several  times.  That  was  soon  gone  and  there  was  a  family 
quarrel  and  divorce.  It  was  this  upkeep  of  palaces  and  ex- 
pensive high  life  during  the  reign  of  Charles  V  and  those 
other  French  kings,  the  robbing  of  peasants  so  they  could 
have  Versailles  that  was  the  real  cause  of  the  French  Revo- 
lution. The  peasants  had  to  be  robbed  and  when  they  could 
not  afford  it  the  king  robbed  Europe  and  invaded  it.  It  was 
the  lack  of  home  life  which  had  sent  them  drifting  in  that 
direction. 

There  can  be  no  peace  nor  cessation  of  robbing  of  the 
outlying  nations  of  the  world  for  revenues  until  men  come 
to  live  soberly  and  home  life  is  what  it  ought  to  be,  comfort- 
able and  beautiful,  yes,  but  I  think  you  can  recall  that  the 
great  peril  of  the  world  and  to  civilization  is  the  grasping 
of  millions  by  individuals  and  nations  that  they  may  live 
sumptuousfy  every  day,  and  so  I  see  men  trying  to  organize 
so  that  these  great  discoveries  of  science  and  the  great  ad- 
vance that  we  have  made  will  be  used  soberly  and  in  such  a 
way  that  every  man  can  feel  that  he  is  not  enjoying  some- 
thing that  belongs  to  another. 

Prof.  B.  J.  Radford. 

Address  of  E.  Garber 

It  is  an  honor,  indeed,  to  be  asked  to  participate  in  this 
program;  but,  since  the  occasion  requires  a  study  of  events 
dating  back  100  years,  I  cannot  yet  understand  why  your 
committee  selected  me. 

I  believe  I  am  on  the  program  for  rem^arks — Then  and 
Now.  Since  I  cannot  tell  you  much  about  then,  I  will  not 
have  to  say  much  about  now,  so  my  remarks  should  be 
brief. 

It  is  fitting  that  we  pay  homage  to  the  founder  of  our 
city  and  community.  It  is  also  wise  that  we  pause  for  a 
moment  in  commemoration  of  our  earlier  history  and  re- 
count some  of  the  struggles  and  hardships  necessary  to 
bring  forth  the  social,  religious,  educational  and  political 
environment  which  we  have  inherited. 

I  shall  not  attempt  anything  like  a  detailed  history  of 


84  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

our  township.  There  are  in  existence  several  httle  volumes 
which  contain  much  of  the  early  history  of  Washington; 
they  are  "Picturesque  Washington",  "A  History  of  Wash- 
ington Township"  by  John  W.  Dougherty,  "Life  Experience 
of  Isabelle  Harlan"  and  "The  Story  of  David  Kindig".  These 
should  be  published  in  one  volume  and  made  available  to  all 
who  are  interested  in  our  earlier  history. 

Almost  in  the  center  of  the  North  American  Continent, 
five  great  rivers  converge  into  one,  and  into  these  flow  in- 
numerable smaller  streams  and  through  these  arteries  flows 
the  life  blood  of  nature.  Here  she  planted  her  choicest  gar- 
den consisting  of  virgin  oak  forests,  beautiful  walnut  and 
maple  groves,  verdant  prairies;  all  of  it  dotted  with  count- 
less varieties  of  wild  flowers  and  peopled  with  myriad  winged 
songsters,  whistling  quail,  cackHng  prairie  chickens,  chatter- 
ing squirrel,  and  chipmunk,  deer  and  antelope.  These  were 
wont  to  congregate  upon  the  banks  of  one  of  these  little 
laughing  streams  and  pour  out  their  devotion  to  her  with 
their  melodies  of  praise.  Then  one  morning  when  they  were 
so  gathered  in  the  year  1825,  there  arose  a  wreath  of  smoke 
from  a  camp-fire  in  the  edge  of  the  forest — rising  like  in- 
cense on  an  altar,  marking  the  dawn  of  human  civilization 
in  this  part  of  the  world.  I  have  a  faint  suspicion  they  may 
have  watched  it  with  some  concern,  especially  if  they  knew 
that  the  Indian  had  killed  for  meat  only,  while  the  white 
man  kills  for  sport.  However  that  may  be,  this  camp-fire 
was  built  by  the  founder  of  our  city  and  as  he  observed  the 
bountiful  surroundings  of  his  camp  site  decided  to  make  this 
paradise  his  home. 

In  good  time  with  a  longing  for  companionship  (and 
perhaps  with  the  ambition  of  a  realtor)  he  began  to  write 
others  about  his  wonderful  grove.  Had  he  been  possessed 
of  modern  advertising  facilities,  he  might  easily  have  created 
a  rush  that  would  have  rivaled  all  real  estate  booms.  Even 
then  it  was  not  so  long  until  Holland's  Grove  became  a  sort 
of  a  goal  for  the  Easterner  who  treked  his  immigration  van 
across  the  boundless  plains  toward  the  setting  sun. 

In  a  little  while  enough  settlers  were  established  along 
the  little  creek  to  give  it  the  name  Farm  Creek,  and  the  set- 
tlement in  Holland's  Grove  grew  into  the  town  of  Washing- 
ton. That  these  hardy  pioneers  suflFered  hardships  is  evi- 
dent by  the  fact  that  many  came  and  returned  to  their  na- 
tive land  or  went  elsewhere. 

The  prairie  held  many  ponds  where  water  became  stag- 
nant and  produced  malarial  conditions.     Cattle   became   in- 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  85 

fected  with  snake  root  and  other  obnoxious  weeds  so  that 
their  milk  produced  sickness. 

The  average  historian  wishes  to  prove  that  the  world 
is  growing  better  or  worse.  If  he  belongs  to  the  former 
class  he  exaggerates  the  sins  of  his  fathers;  if  he  is  of  the 
latter  class  he  glosses  over  their  sins  and  paints  them  all 
as  saints.  The  truth  may  be  that  we  are  very  much  alike, 
both  in  our  virtues  and  in  our  short-comings.  As  a  matter 
of  fact  we  know  that  these  old  forefathers  of  ours  lived  the 
lives  of  frontiersmen.  They  took  their  religion,  their  poli- 
tics and  their  whiskey  straight.  They  fought  back  the  In- 
dians and  built  a  school  house  and  a  church.  On  election 
day  they  fought  it  out  at  the  polls,  often  with  fists  and  clubs 
as  each  party  attempted  to  vote  their  side  in.  Neither  were 
they  above  buying  a  vote  for  their  party  or  kidnapping  a 
vote  from  the  opposition,  but  they  did  this  for  the  same 
reason  that  they  fought  the  Indians,  or  fought  the  devil  or 
the  wolf  or  the  rattlesnake — from  the  standpoint  of  a  firm 
conviction  that  they  were  doing  the  right  thing  for  poster- 
ity. They  believed  that  their  party  stood  for  the  best  in- 
terests of  the  country  and  therefore  should  win,  even  if  they 
had  to  cheat  and  fight  to  make  it  win. 

And  out  of  that  environment  Illinois  gave  to  the  world 
the  "Great  Emancipator"  Lincoln,  and  also  Grant  and  Logan 
and  Stephen  A.  Douglas  and  many  others  who  played  a 
heroic  part  in  the  development  of  our  country. 

While  I  did  not  come  to  Washington  until  fifty  years 
after  our  founder  came  and  never  had  the  pleasure  of  his 
acquaintance,  my  memory  cherishes  the  friendships  I  have 
had  with  many  of  the  old-time  sterling  citizens  of  Washing- 
ton whose  characters  were  fashioned  by  this  early  environ- 
ment; all  of  them  possessed  of  that  rare  quality  we  refer  to 
as  common  sense,  which  is  the  main  stay  of  our  republic. 
You  couldn't  stampede  these  ^Id  fellows  with  false  propa- 
ganda. 

The  old-time  families  were  large,  ranging  off  times 
from  ten  to  twenty  children  in  one  family.  The  founder  of 
our  town  was  the  father  of  twenty-one  children,  but  if  the 
families  were  large  Nature  was  also  bountiful  with  her  sup- 
plies and  they  were  thrifty  in  storing  their  foods,  making 
their  clothing  and  shoes  and  securing  their  home  comforts. 
I  wonder  how  many  of  you  remember  how  a  cellar  or  store 
room  on  the  farm  looked  about  this  time  of  the  year  fifty 
years  ago.  On  one  side  of  the  basement  there  were  built  a 
series  of  shelves  or  bins.     In  the  lower  one  of  these  there 


86  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  . 

was  from  50  to  100  bushels  of  potatoes.  In  the  next  one 
there  were  cabbage,  turnips,  sweet  potatoes  and  other  veg- 
etables In  the  next  one  was  a  choice  variety  of  apples. 
Then  there  were  some  canned  fruits,  dried  fruits,  pickles, 
sauerkraut,  pumpkins,  endive,  one  or  two  barrels  of  cider 
and  maybe  some  grape  wine,  walnuts,  butter  nuts,  hazel 
nuts,  hickory  nuts,  dried  pennyroyal  leaves,  jars  of  apple 
butter  and  a  little  later  there  was  added  a  barrel  of  salt 
pork,  ten  or  twenty  smoked  hams  and  shoulders,  jars  of 
lard  and  sausage,  maybe  a  quarter  of  beef  to  say  nothing  of 
game.  Then  there  was  home-made  hominy  and  mince  meat, 
cornmeal  and  buckwheat  flour,  sorghum  molasses,  maple 
syrup  and  honey.  Say,  boy,  did  I  say  those  were  hard 
times  ? 

Contrast  this,  if  you  will,  with  the  struggle  of  the  aver- 
age fellow  of  today  to  keep  his  bank  account  ahead  of  his 
checks,  or  to  make  his  salary  meet  the  demands  of  the  in- 
stallment collector  as  he  munches  a  cold  dinner  from  the 
delicatessen  while  his  wife  is  at  the  club. 

Their  sports  consisted  of  horse  racing,  rooster  fighting, 
dog  fights,  horseshoe  pitching  and  wrestling.  Their  social 
events  were  husking  bees,  wool  pickings,  apple  parings  and 
weddings. 

Styles?  Sure  they  followed  the  styles  just  as  religious- 
ly as  they  do  now,  although  the  men  saw  less  of  their  women 
than  we  do  today. 

For  educational  purposes  they  had  their  spelling  bees 
and  debating  societies,  and  I  believe  that  these  had  a  tend- 
ency to  develop  more  individual  thinkers  than  we  have  in 
these  times.  In  our  modern  system  of  hurry,  hurry,  hurry 
men  really  haven't  time  to  think,  and  this  is  a  dangerous 
condition,  especially  in  a  Republican  form  of  government. 
Republics  cannot  long  endure  under  mob  psychology,  neither 
can  our  republic  long  endure  when  more  than  fifty  per  cent 
of  the  voters  do  not  think  enough  of  their  sovereign  right 
of  franchise  to  vote  for  their  president.  We  must  have  the 
individual  thinker  or  we  will  have  the  mob  which  can  be 
led  by  any  political  trickster  who  has  the  ability  to  sway 
it.  You  cannot  stampede  a  crowd  of  people  who  think  for 
themselves.  One  thing  is  certain,  while  our  forefathers 
would  go  far  to  win  an  election,  they  firmly  believed  in  the 
idea  that  an  office  was  a  pubhc  trust,  and  the  instances  were 
rare  indeed  where  any  officer  sold  a  public  trust  for  private 
gain,  a  thing  that  is  becoming  too  common  in  our  modern 
method  of  machine  politics. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  87 

With  tlie  fear  and  trust  of  God  in  their  hearts  our  fore- 
fathers were  devout  in  their  religious  worship.  Some  of 
the  noblest  characters  in  molding  the  destiny  of  American 
citizenship  were  the  early  circuit  riders  who  found  a  ready 
welcome  in  any  home  of  our  pioneers  as  they  traveled  from 
place  to  place  to  preach  the  Gospel. 

I  would  not  have  you  go  back,  neither  would  I  speak  of 
their  day  as  being  a  Paradise  lost  to  us,  for  we  have  many 
blessings  and  many  privileges  that  were  denied  them;  but, 
if  we  take  thought  of  their  lives  and  what  they  did  for  us, 
it  should  give  us  the  spirit  and  the  will  to  fulfill  our  obliga- 
tions to  our  posterity  as  faithfully  as  they  did  for  theirs. 

And  in  the  words  of  the  great  Lincoln  I  would  say  in 
closing;  ''Five  score  years  ago  and  one  this  community 
was  brought  into  being  by  one,  William  Holland,  and  we  have 
met  today  to  dedicate  a  tablet  to  his  memory,  but  we  can 
not  dedicate  because  the  memory  of  him  and  his  followers 
and  what  they  did  for  us  here  is  already  hallowed  memory. 
Let  us,  therefore,  resolve  anew  to  consecrate  our_  Hves  to 
the  task  of  preserving  the  great  principles  of  Life  they 
builded  for  us,  that  we  may  go  forward  as  they  did  in  our 
efforts  for  righteous  government,  constant  in  our  duty  to- 
ward God  and  Humanity. 

E.  Garber. 


(To  the  Tune  of  Illinois) 

Where  old  Farm  Creek's  gently  flowing, 
Washington,  Washington, 

Where  the  maple  trees  are  growing, 
Washington,  Washington, 

Come  the  trav'lers  far  and  near 

To  pay  homage  to  that  seer. 

Who  foresaw  thy  beauty  here, 

Washington,  Washington. 

Where  the  cardinal's  sweet  singing, 
Washington,  Washington, 

Where  thy  church  bells  gaily  ringing, 
Washington,  Washington, 

Where  each  cooling  shaded  street 

Offers  happiness  complete 

In  thy  homes  with  comforts  sweet, 
Washington,  Washington. 

Where  the  hollyhocks  are  blooming, 
Washington,  Washington, 


88  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL, 

Where  the  folks  are  unassuming, 
Washington,  Washington, 
From  Key  West  to  Frozen  Nome 
We  may  wander,  we  may  roam, 
Still  we  love  to  call  you  home, 

Washington,  Washington. 


Recollections  of  Washington  as 

Written  by  Mrs.  Hattie  Tobias  Foster 

Mrs.  Foster,  a  daughter  of  one  of  the  pioneer  families 
of  Washington,  who  lives  near  Calma,  Calif.,  writes  the  fol- 
lowing reminiscenses  of  early  times  in  Washington: 

Father  and  mother,  James  and  Caroline  Tobias,  moved 
from  Circleville,  Ohio,  about  1841  and  settled  on  what  was 
then  known  as  Greenridge  farm,  with  their  two  little  boys, 
Ezra  about  8  years  old  and  Cyrus  two  years  younger.  Ro- 
zella  was  born  on  this  farm  in  1857.  They  suffered  serious 
loss  of  property  by  fire  and  moved  to  town,  Washington, 
where  father  went  into  business  with  R.  D.  Smith  in  a  gen- 
eral dry  goods  and  grocery  store,  soon  afterwards  being 
joined  by  William  Hittell,  mother's  brother,  and  continued 
in  business  till  after  the  war,  perhaps  the  latter  part  of 
1865.  In  the  fall  of  1859  Sadie  B.  was  born,  and  I  was  born 
in  1862  in  what  my  parents  designated  as  the  Roehm's  place. 
During  the  Civil  war  our  store  was  a  rendezvous  for  men 
to  hear  the  paper  read  about  the  news  from  the  front,  and 
Ezra,  about  14  years  old,  read  aloud  for  the  benefit  of  all. 
He  used  to  take  httle  Sadie,  then  about  3  years  old,  to  the 
store  and  stand  her  on  the  counter  to  sing  the  popular  war 
songs,  for  she  very  early  possessed  quite  a  marked  talent  in 
voice  and  memory.  Growing  up  in  later  years  she  was  a 
very  popular  vocalist  throughout  Illinois,  having  completed 
her  studies  in  the  Boston  Conservatory  of  Music.  Washing- 
ton people  never  forgot  her  and  always  accorded  a  heart}' 
welcome.  This  is,  of  course,  outside  of  the  story  of  Wash- 
ington. I  have  often  heard  mother  tell  of  the  stirring  and 
exciting  times  and  scenes  at  the  times  of  recruiting,  and  the 
big  dinners  for  the  soldiers  prepared  by  trie  women  of 
Washington.  Uncle  Lewis  Tobias,  father's  orother,  had  two 
boys,  George  and  Frank,  enlisted,  but  although  Ezra  wished 
to  go  with  Major  Jo  Miles  as  drummer  boy  he  was  not  old 
enough.    After  the  war  father  purchased  the  beautiful  white 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  89 

proud-stepping  horse  belonging  to  Major  Miles  during  his 
service,  and  we  always  called  him  Major  Jo. 

Father  and  mother  attended  the  Evangelical  church, 
where  his  cousin,  the  Rev.  Simon  Tobias,  was  at  one  time 
pastor.  Bro.  Ezra  with  George  and  Frank  were  playing 
about  the  new  school  house  when  Ezra  fell  from  the  top 
to  the  ground  through  the  scaffolding,  breaking  his  arm. 
(This  was  before  the  war).  My  own  earliest  recollections 
are  of  the  campaign  rallies  when  the  Democratic  and  Re- 
publican parties  paraded  with  bands,  returned  soldiers, 
funny  clowns,  etc.  We  used  to  sit  on  the  roof  of  the  store 
and  watch  the  parades.  Uncle  Lewis  Tobias  and  Uncle  Ben 
Tobias  ran  for  mayor  on  opposite  tickets  and  Ben  won  on 
the  Democratic  ticket  over  his  brother  Lewis.  Father  and 
Lewis  were  strong  temperance  advocates  and  Lewis  attended 
a  big  meeting  at  Metamora  (I  think  it  was  a  presidential 
campaign),  was  chased  by  a  drunken  mob  and  narrowly 
escaped  by  driving  into  a  livery  stable  and  running  through 
the  alley  to  his  home.  He  was  accompanied  by  his  daugh- 
ter, Bessie,  afterwards  Mrs.  B.  C.  Millington.  There  are 
other  events  of  which  I  have  too  dim  a  recollection  to  un- 
dertake to  relate. 


Some  Interesting  History  of  the  Scott 
Family,  Who  Were  Early  Settlers 

(By  Miss  Emma  Scott) 

"There  are  deeds  which  should  not  pass  away; 

And  names  that  must  not  wither,  tho  the  earth 

Forget  her  empire  with  a  just  decay. 

The  enslavers  and  enslaved,  their  death  and  birth." 
My  father,  J.  Randolph  Scott,  was  born  Dec.  8,  1812. 
He  was  the  fourth  son  of  John  and  Martha-Patterson  Scott 
of  Washington,  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania.  His  an- 
cestors came  from  Scotland  and  Ireland,  the  Scotts  in  1670, 
Agnews  in  1717  and  Pattersons  in  1724  to  Chester  county, 
Pa.,  and  secured  large  tracts  of  land  in  the  "Manor  of  Mark," 
from  William  Penn's  sons,  in  what  is  now  Lancaster  county. 
Pa.,  the  richest  agricultural  county  in  the  United  States. 
They  were  Scotch  covenanters. 

My  mother,  Asenath  Hicks,  was  born  April  8,  1820. 
She  was  the  second  daughter  of  Asa  and  Anna  Cox-Hicks  of 
Bamesville,    Belmont    county,    Ohio.      Her    ancesters,    the 


90  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

Stubbs,  Maddocks,  Stantons,  Bailys  and  Cox,  came  from 
England  and  Wales  in  the  early  years  of  1700,  to  Chester 
county,  Pa.  Sir  Robert  Hicks  came  from  England  to 
Plymouth,  Mass.,  in  1621,  in  the  ship,  "Fortune,"  the  first 
ship  to  follow  the  Mayflower.  Elizabeth  Clement,  a  widow 
with  four  children,  came  from.  England  to  Jamestown,  Va., 
in  1609.  Mother's  people  were  Orthodox  Friends  or  Quakers. 
They,  too,  figured  conspicuously  as  leaders  and  builders  in 
the  land  of  their  adoption. 

The  Norsemen,  the  ancestors  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  people, 
dwelt  on  the  rugged  coast  of  Norway,  Their  sons  went  to 
distant  lands,  conquered  and  settled.  Out  of  this  social  in- 
heritance came  three  characteristics — self-reliance,  aggres- 
siveness and  love  of  individual  freedom.  The  Anglo-Saxon 
inheritance  has  deeply  influenced  Christianity. 

Father  came  of  a  long  line  of  adventurers,  those  who 
blazed  the  trail,  each  in  his  day,  towards  the  world's  pro- 
gress. The  Agnews  were  heroes  in  Hindu  literature;  then 
Greek  pioneers  around  the  Aegean  Sea,  from  which  region 
they  traveled  westward  in  a  spirit  of  adventure,  to  become 
feudal  chiefs  in  Normandy;  thence  in  1066  with  William  the 
Conqueror  to  Britain,  where  Andrew  Agnew  became  holder 
of  the  offlce  of  hereditary  sheriff  of  Galloway  in  county  Wig- 
town, Scotland,  Nov.  10,  1426,  A.  D.  He  also  in  this  same 
year  married  Lady  Mary  Kennedy,  the  gr.unddaughter  of 
Robert  HI,  a  niece  of  James  I  of  Scotland.  The  hereditary 
sheriff  was  the  most  powerful  individual  in  the  land,  save 
the  king.  He  was  paid  4000  pounds  per  year  by  the  British 
government.  Twelve  of  the  Agnews  were  honored  as  hold- 
ers of  this  office  and  they  have  owned  Lochnaw  Castle,  Stran- 
rear,  Scotland,  more  than  500  years. 

In  1650  Oliver  Cromwell  completely  routed  the  Coven- 
anters and  abolished  all  heritable  rule.  Thus  Galloway  may 
be  fairly  called  the  cradle  of  the  Covenant  as  well  as  of  the 
Reformation.  Later,  when  those  in  power  sought  to  teach 
Galloway  descendants  in  Ulster  "better  manners"  they  emi- 
grated to  the  American  colonies,  which  became  the  cradle  of 
Presbyterianism  in  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania. 

Their  contentions  under  British  rule  fitted  the  Agnews, 
Scotts  and  Pattersons  to  fill  colonial  offices  in  Pennsylvania 
and  to  take  official  rank  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Father's 
grandfather,  Lieutenant  James  Patterson,  was  with  General 
George  Washington  when  he  crossed  the  Delaware  river  and 
captured  1000  Hessians  and  British  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  Dec. 
26,  1776.    He  was  put  in  charge  of  these  captives  and  took 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  91 

them  to  prison  at  Lancaster,  Pa.,  his  home  town.  His  grand- 
father, Hugh  Scott,  was  a  major  in  this  war.  He  had  moved 
from  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  in  1763,  to  Washington,  Pa.,  when  his 
son  John  was  one  year  old. 

Whoever  serves  his  country  well  has  no  need  of  ancestors. 
Men  are  equal — it  is  not  birth,  it  is  virtue  that  makes  them 
differ.  Father's  parents  and  a  brother  died  in  1834.  In  the 
spring  of  1836,  he,  in  company  with  his  brother,  James  Pat- 
terson, came  to  Illinois  in  quest  of  land.  They  visited  Chi- 
cago, then  a  village.  They  each  bought  land  at  Geneseo; 
visited  Peoria,  also  a  small  place;  viewed  the  country  over 
and  selected  land;  went  to  Sprigfield  to  attend  the  govern- 
ment "land  sale"  and  secured  560  acres  of  land — 80  acres 
of  timber,  uncle  160  and  father  320  prairie  land  in  section  31, 
township  26,  range  3  W,  at  $1.25  per  acre.  Their  land 
patents  were  signed  by  President  Martin  Van  Buren.  They 
returned  to  Pennsylvania  and  moved  out  in  the  spring  of 
IgBT  via  the  Ohio  and  Illinois  rivers  to  Pekin,  111.  Uncle 
Patterson  and  family  set  up  housekeeping  in  Washington, 
and  father  made  his  home  in  the  family  of  Abraham  Van 
Meter,  whose  son  William  became  widely  known  through  his 
activities  in  Five  Point  and  Howard  Missions  in  New  York 
City,  N.  Y.,  and  as  a  Baptist  missionary  to  Rome,  Italy,  in 
1875,  where  he  died  in  1888. 

The  Scott  brothers  were  well  educated  in  the  common 
schools  in  Washington  and  Jefferson  college  of  their  home 
town.  J.  Patterson  was  an  evangelist,  teacher  and  farmer; 
father  a  hatter  by  trade,  tanner,  surveyor  and  farmer. 
Uncle  taught  schools  in  Washington  and  Morton,  having 
among  his  pupils  Prof.  Josiah  and  Dr.  E.  F.  Wood,  and  the 
children  of  Thomas  Roberts  of  Morton,  by  all  of  whom  he 
was  much  beloved  as  a  teacher  as  well  as  a  man.  Father 
broke  the  prairie  with  an  ox  team  for  himself  and  for  many 
of  the  early  settlers.  One  Saturday  he  left  his  ox  yokes, 
or  bows,  with  his  plow  in  the  field,  as  was  his  custom,  and 
Monday  morning  found  that  a  mischevious  young  man  had 
undone  them.  There  had  been  a  rain  and  the  sun  had  been 
hot,  thus  they  were  quite  out  of  commission  and  it  was  no 
small  task  to  get  them  in  order. 

They  had  the  first  improved  prairie  farms  here,  four 
miles  from  timber.  Anthony  Field  said,  "Away  out  to  Scott's 
— they  will  freeze  to  death  out  there  in  winter."  They  did 
suffer  many  great  hardships,  but  this  was  better  than  clear- 
ing off  timber  land  to  make  a  farm.  They  had  learned  that 
lesson  in  Pennsylvania.    They  built  a  cabin  on  their  80  acres 


92  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

of  timber  land  and  spent  the  winter  of  1838  there  getting 
out  material  to  improve  their  farms.  Uncle  ercted  a  house 
and  made  rails  for  fencing.  Father  made  stake  and  rider 
or  worm  fences,  also  post  and  rail  fence  around  his  yards 
and  feed  lots.  A  part  of  one  of  these  posts  is  now  in  the 
Lincoln  court  house  museum  at  Metamora,  111. 

Father  built  a  rail  pen  on  his  farm  and  covered  it  with 
slough  grass  as  a  shelter  in  the  time  of  storm,  and  he  also 
made  provision  for  his  comfort  if ,^  perchance,  he  were  de- 
tained there  over  night.  Wolves  were  then  numerous  and 
one  night  quite  a  pack  of  these  marauders  gathered  at  his 
pen.  They  picked  the  bones  that  he  had  thrown  out,  but 
were  ravenously  hungry  and  made  several  concerted  at- 
tem.pts  to  get  into  his  crib.,  so  for  safety  he  climbed  up  into 
the  loft  They  kept  up  a  great  howl  all  night,  but  when 
morning  dawned  they  went  their  way.  Fear  was  not  in  his 
nature,  but  he  confessed  uneasiness  for  his  personal  safety 
on  that  occasion. 

Venomous  snakes  were  very  plentiful,  too,  and  one  day 
while  at  work  in  his  timber,  he  could  not  tell  why  he  stop- 
ped work  and  looked  up,  but  just  above  him  was  hanging 
a  very  large  black  snake,  evidently  ready  to  drop  on  him 
and  coil  its  powerful  body  around  him. 

On  another  occasion,  during  wheat  harvest,  the  days 
were  very  hot,  too  hot  to  work  except  early  and  late.  As 
there  was  a  full  moon  he  thought  he  would  shock  wheat  in 
the  evening  just  near  the  house.  He  had  not  worked  long 
when  a  rattler  said,  "I  am  here,"  so  father  left  the  field. 

Father's  first  farming  in  IlHnois  was  in  partnership 
with  William  Sample  at  Walnut  Grove.  Mrs.  Sample  was  a 
cousin  of  father's  and  they  lived  in  the  house  now  the 
home  of  Mrs.  John  Watson  and  daughters  on  Jefferson 
street.  The  Samples  were  from  "Little  Washington,"  Pa., 
too,  as  it  was  then  called  to  distinguish  it  from  the  capital 
of  the  nation.  We  now  designate  our  pretty  little  city  by 
Washington,  T.  C,  to  differentiate  it,  too,  from  Washington, 
D.  C. 

He  had  been  to  Walnut  Grove  on  horseback  and  on  his 
way  home  a  terrific  blizzard  set  in;  the  prairie  soon  became 
trackless,  and  his  horse  did  not  wish  to  keep  to  his  guiding 
which  he  thought  was  because  of  it  not  wanting  to  face  the 
storm.  The  storm  grew  in  intensity  and  they  failed  to  find 
their  way.  Utterly  lost,  he  gave  the  horse  the  rein  and  im- 
mediately it  took  up  a  more  rapid  pace,  but  in  the  direction 
it  had  been  inclined  to  want  to  go.     After  some  time  they 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  93 

arrived  at  home.  He  said,  "I  believe  that  we  traveled  in  a 
circle  only  when  we  were  lost."  From  that  time  forth  he 
trusted  "Skipp"  to  act  as  pilot — his  first  horse  in  Illinois, 
and  her  mate  was  Uncas,  both  faithful  and  true. 

Grandfather,  John  Scott,  established  the  stage  coach 
line  from  Brownsville  to  Washington  and  Pittsburgh  and  on 
to  Steubenville,  Ohio,  and  owned  a  great  many  horses.  His 
"four  not"  motto  was  observed  by  father:  "Up  hill  push 
them  not,  down  hill  shove  thera  not,  on  the  level  spare  them 
not,  and  in  the  stable  forget  them  not." 

There  were  many  swampy  places  and  swails  that  drew 
currents  of  air,  which  in  cold  weather  came  in  such  force 
that  they  cut  like  a  Damascus  blade.  Both  the  swamp  and 
the  sweep  of  air  were  as  bad  as  could  be  found  just  south 
of  the  Josiah  Moore  corner,  now  Frank  Birkett's  farm. 

Father  built,  for  a  granery,  a  room  16x20  feet,  but 
lived  in  it,  about  20  rods  east  of  where  he  moved  it  later  to 
the  site  of  the  home,  because  of  the  awful  sweep  of  air 
where  he  built  it.  He  farmed  his  own  land  from  1839,  which 
was  very  productive.  At  first  he  plowed  a  furrow  of  the 
virgin  soil  and  in  that  he  dropped  potatoes,  corn,  watermelon 
or  pumpkin  seed.  The  next  furrow  plowed  covered  up  what 
he  had  planted,  and  everything  grew  luxuriantly  and  pro- 
duced bountifully.  Ground  squirrels,  moles  and  crows  were 
their  first  agricultural  pests. 

In  breaking  up  his  land  he  plowed  a  strip  southwest  of 
his  house  in  June  and  soon  there  sprang  up  a  grove  of  cotton- 
woods.  A  few  of  those  trees  are  still  living  (November, 
1927),  now  about  90  years  old.  When  he  came  from  Penn- 
sylvania he  brought  black  locust  seed  from  his  father's 
farm,  which  was  known  as  "Locust  Grove,"  and  planted 
them  in  his  yard  and  in  a  grove  to  shelter  his  fruit  orchard. 
This  orchard  was  one  of  the  chocest  in  this  locality,  which 
excelled  in  quality  and  variety  of  its  fruits. 

The  hand  of  "Providence"  had  placed  everythng  here 
for  the  needs  of  the  pioneer — springs,  timber,  nuts,  honey, 
grapes,  plums,  blackberries,  crabapples,  mayapples,  goose- 
berries, wild  cherries,  herbs  of  every  kind  to  cure  their  ail- 
ments, deer,  turkey,  geese,  ducks,  quail,  prairie  chicken, 
squirrel,  etc.,  and  pasture  for  their  stock.  The  ambition 
to  gather  and  preserve  these  supplies  in  their  season  only 
was  necessary.  Many  of  the  pioneers  were  quite  resource- 
ful and  successful,  too,  in  their  methods  of  laying  up  stores 
for  their  sustenance,  viz:  They  dried  corn,  apples,  pumpkin, 
beef  and  deer  meat,  kept  plums  under  water,  wild  grapes 


94  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL. 

in  molasses,  had  burrow-holes  in  which  they  kept  apples, 
potatoes  and  cabbage  from  the  frost,  which  they  could  dig 
into  and  help  themselves  when  necessary.  There  were  a 
vast  variety  of  nuts  and  the  "bee  trees"  supplied  an  abund- 
ance of  honey.  They  gathered  herbs  for  teas  in  illness,  made 
sassafras  tea  as  a  supposed  blood  purifier,  slippery  elm  bark 
to  take  medicines  in;  also  cut  the  bark  of  some  trees  up  as 
an  emetic  and  down  as  a  cathartic.  Doctors  were  few  and 
they  had  to  prepare  for  emergencies.  Were  they  not  brave  ? 
Now  a  doctor  is  called  when  we  feel  we  have  pains,  when 
if  we  were  to  "think"  it  is  but  mind  over  matter,  with  little 

mind  it  doesn't  matter,  does  it? 

All  stock  roamed  the  prairies  at  will,  while  grain  and 
hay  stacks  were  for  the  most  part  at  their  mercy.  As  a 
safeguard  against  prairie  fires  they  would  plow  several 
furrows  around  their  properties,  and  even  such  precaution 
often  failed  to  fully  protect. 

In  the  fall  of  1844  father  was  critically  ill.  Dr.  G.  P. 
Wood  was  his  attending  physician.  (Both  he  and  his  son, 
Dr.  E.  F.  Wood,  were  his  doctors  as  long  as  he  and  they 
lived).  His  wheat  threshing  was  not  done  and  the  stock 
on  the  prairie  destroyed  his  stacks.  The  pioneer  had  his 
losses  and  crosses,  but  kept  his  courage  up  and  tried  again 
and  again. 

Pioneer  hospitality  was  boundless;  new-comers  were 
cordially  received  and  assisted  without  stint.  When  a  house 
or  a  barn  was  to  be  raised  everybody  was  there  to  lend  a 
helping  hand,  including  the  women  to  prepare  the  "eats." 
These  were  their  get-acquainted  jollifications.  When  the 
buildings  were  completed  they  were  frequently  dedicated  by 
a  "husking  bee,'"  refreshments  and  not  infrequently  a 
social  dance. 

The  campfires,  the  Dutch-ovens  and  the  fireplaces  were 
well  suited  for  preparing  their  sumptuous  feasts  from  na- 
ture's bounteous  stores.  When  snow  was  on  the  ground  and 
the  mornings  were  cold,  father  said  he  could  gather  all  the 
prairie  chickns  he  wished  in  short  order,  using  a  stick  to 
stun  them,  and  a  bevy  of  quail  would  rush  unsuspectingly 
into  coops,  or  traps,  in  quest  of  food.  The  hunter  and  trap- 
per were  richly  rewarded  for  their  efforts.  There  was  never 
any  scarcity  of  eats  if  one  had  ambition  enough  to  go  after 
them. 

The  farm  implements  were  crude;  the  wooden  mould- 
board  plow  to  break  the  land,  the  cradle  to  cut  the  wheat 
and   a    flail  with  which  to  thresh  it.     I  can  well   remember 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  95 

these  implements  in  our  barn  when  others  of  a  more  pro- 
gressive type  had  supplanted  them.  Father  did  good  mow- 
ing with  a  scythe,  and  was  equally  able  to  swing  a  cradle. 
One  season  there  were  five  men  cradling  together.  They 
would  cut  a  swath  five  cradles  wide  across  the  field,  then 
hang  their  cradles  over  their  shoulders  and  bind  the  sheeves 
back  to  the  other  end  of  the  field,  then  cradle  though  again 
and  thus  cut  the  whole  field. 

Father  had  an  iron  mortar  and  pestle  with  which  he 
crushed  both  corn  and  wheat  for  bread  and  porridge.  Grist 
mills  were  few  and  much  time  and  energy  spent,  sometimes 
being  gone  for  a  whole  week,  but  boarded  by  the  miller,  for 
those  in  waiting  helped  in  the  mill  to  get  jobs  ahead  of 
their's  out  so  that  their  grists  could  be  ground.  They  had 
to  take  their  grist  to  mill  before  they  were  out  of  supplies 
at  home,  to  be  sure  the  family  at  home  did  not  come  to 
want. 

They  raised  good  crops,  but  there  was  neither  a  handy 
nor  a  ready  market  for  them ;  money  was  too  scarce.  Father 
sold  good  wheat  frequently  for  25  to  37  cents  per  bushel, 
and  good  pork  from  $1,00  to  $1.25  per  hundred,  and  could 
get  only  about  one-half  cash.  He  also  hauled  wheat  to  Chi- 
cago, and  with  a  week's  trip  and  a  low  price  he  found  tliat 
the  cost  overran  the  profit.  On  one  trip  he  brought  back  a 
load  of  lumber  on  which  he  had  several  stoves  for  Hinkle  and 
Danforth.  This  trip  was  a  very  anxious  as  well  as  a  labori- 
ous one,  for  this  firm  had  entrusted  him  with  a  bag  of  gold 
to  purchase  the  stoves,  and  to  guard  it  both  night  and  day 
for  several  days  was  no  pleasant  task,  for  there  were  human 
sharks  even  in  those  early  times.  There  were  many  swamps 
and  stretches  of  bad  roads  enroute,  causing  his  load  to  be 
hard  to  manage,  but  with  his  grit  nothing  daunted. 

Letters  were  written  on  large  double  sheets  of  paper 
and  folded  so  that  the  sheet  furnished  the  space  for  the  ad- 
dress. This  was  closed  with  a  wax  seal.  Letter  postage  in 
those  days  was  twenty-five  cents,  and  paid  by  the  recipient. 
With  cash  so  scarce,  his  sisters  in  Pennsylvania,  when  writ- 
ing to  him,  would  enclose  that  sum  to  be  sure  that  he  m.ight 
be  able  to  pay  for  their  next  letter. 

"Mans  inhumanity  to  man  makes  countless  millions 
mourn". 

The  Mayflower  carried  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  to  religious 
liberty  in  Anierica,and  went  on  her  next  trip  for  a  load  of 
slaves.  This  ship  was  in  the  slave  trade  for  our  fathers. 
Is  it  to  be  wondered  at  that  race  and  color  prejudice  still 


96  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

exists    in    this    country  in    spite  of   Christianity?     It   came 
with  it. 

The  question  of  slavery  has  always  been  a  mixed  one, 
from  the  time  the  first  slave  was  imported  into  our  country 
until,  by  the  emancipation  proclamation  of  Abraham  Lin- 
coln, all  men  were  made  free  and  equal  in  the  eyes  of  the 
law.  A  strong  anti-slavery  party  had  long  existed  in  the 
country.  The  framers  of  our  constitution  upon  the  organi- 
zation of  the  government  had  to  deal  with  the  question  of 
slavery;  the  successive  administrations  from  Washington  to 
Lincoln  had  to  grapple  with  it.  Various  compromises  were 
adopted  which  it  was  thought  would  quiet  its  spiiit,  but  like 
Banquo's  ghost  it  would  not  down  at  the  bidding  of  any  man 
or  party.  The  death  of  Rev.  Elijah  P.  Lovejoy  at  Alton,  111., 
in  1837,  a  martyr  to  the  anti-slavery  cause,  gave  an  impetus 
to  the  agitation  of  the  question  which  never  ceased  until  the 
final  act  was  consummated  in  1863,  v^hich  broke  in  pieces 
the  shackles  that  bound  four  million  slaves. 

Growing  out  of  the  agitation  of  the  slavery  question 
was  the  organization  of  the  so-called  "Under  Ground  Rail- 
road". There  may  be  few  who  have  not  heard  of  this  fam- 
ous "railroad",  but  there  are  not  many  who  know  of  its  sys- 
tem of  work.  The  secrecy  of  its  workings  justified  it  name. 
Notwithstanding  the  system  was  an  organized  one,  those  en- 
gaged in  it  had  no  signs  or  passwords  by  which  they  might 
be  known,  save  now  and  then  preconcerted  rap  at  a  door 
when  a  cargo  of  freight  was  to  be  delivered.  Each  relied 
upon  the  honor  of  the  other,  and,  as  the  work  was  an  extra 
hazardous  one,  few  cowards  ever  engaged  in  it.  A  very 
singular  circumstance  in  connection  with  this  road  was  the 
fact  that,  although  people  well  knew  who  were  engaged  in 
it,  and  where  the  depots  were  located,  freight  could  seldom 
be  found,  search  as  carefully  as  they  might.  A  consignment 
would  be  forwarded  over  the  line,  notice  of  which  would 
reach  the  ears  of  slave-hunters  and  when  ready  to  place  their 
hands  on  the  fugitives,  like  the  Irishman's  flea — they 
wouldn't  be  there. 

Washington,  Pa.,  father's  home  town,  was  on  the  Na- 
tional Pike  and  on  this  thoroughfare  he  saw  the  "chain 
gangs"  of  slaves  (a  dozen  or  more  chained  together  and 
hand-cuffed)  and  noted  the  inhuman  treatment  accorded 
them.  He,  then  a  small  boy,  determined  to  do  all  he  could 
to  alleviate  the  suft'erings  of  the  colored  race. 

He  came  to  Illinois  in  the  most  exciting  days  of  the 
Under  Ground  Railroad,  and  it  was  not  long  before  he  was 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  97 

associated  with  that  daring  organization  as  one  of  its  con- 
ductors. He  was  ver^''  firm  in  his  anti-slavery  position,  and 
had  an  uncompromising  antagonism  against  the  institution 
of  slavery,  and  although  it  was  an  age  when  to  ventilate 
anti-slavey  opinions  was  to  invite  social  ostracism  and  even 
jeopardize  life  and  ]>roperty,  he  boldly  denounced  what  he 
believed  to  be  a  great  national  iniquity.  Fleeing  fugitives 
found  a  friend  in  him,  and  he  not  seldom  risked  his  own  life 
and  was  cited  before  magistrates.  On  one  occasion,  when 
he  and  George  Kern  wei'e  arrested  and  tried,  they  were 
honored  by  having  Abraham  Lincoln,  then  a  rising  young 
lawyer,  to  defend  them.  He  lived  to  see  slavery  put  away 
and  his  convictions  on  this  question  justified  by  an  almost 
universal  revolution  of  public  sentiment. 

In  those  exciting  days  of  the  Under  Ground  Railroad, 
Elder  Dickey,  a  Baptist  minister,  and  Owen  Love  joy,  strong 
anti-slavery  men,  made  an  appointment  to  speak  in  Wash- 
ington. On  the  date  announced  for  their  meeting  the  pro- 
sjavery  men,  Rev.  Reuben  H.  Moffatt,  the  M.  E.  minister, 
and  Mr.  Chase,  an  M.  D.  and  also  an  M.  E.  minister,  linked 
arms  and  led  the  mobocrats  in  taking  forcible  and  armed 
possession  of  the  church  to  be  occupied  by  these  speakers, 
determined  at  all  hazard  to  prevent  the  meeting  from  being 
held  there.  Elder  Dickey  was  to  deliver  an  address  on  "The 
Bible  View  of  Slavery".  The  pro-slavery  people  were  not 
willing  that  he  should  speak,  saying  that  "if  anyone  could 
expound  the  Bible  with  convincing  argument  it  was  Elder 
Dickey".  With  violence  and  throwing  rotten  eggs  they 
aispersed  the  anti-slavery  meeting. 

Mrs.  James  Robison  of  Tremont  said,  "I  never  climbed 
mto  my  wagon  so  quick  in  my  life  as  when  those  mobo- 
crats broke  loose  with  their  determination  to  break  up  the 
meeting.  Anthony  Field,  then  a  class-leader  in  the  Wash- 
mgton  M.  E.  church,  was  pursued  to  the  creek  on  South 
Main  street  and  given  a  veritable  shower  of  the  decomposed 
product.  He  was  turned  from  the  church  because  of  the 
unchristian  spirit  of  its  leaders. 

A  prominent  man  of  conservative  views  on  the  slavery 
question  advised  the  anti-slavery  men  not  to  hold  the  meet- 
ing, as  they  were  detemined  to  do,  as  the  mob,  he  said,  was 
frenzied  with  hquor  and  he  feared  the  consequences  So  they 
concluded  to  go  to  the  Pleasant  Grove  church  at  Groveland, 
where  they  addressed  one  of  the  most  enthusiastic  anti- 
slavery  meetings  ever  held  in  this  part  of  the  state.    Owen 


98  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

Love  joy  was  the  orator  of  the  day.  The  mob  was  deter- 
mined to  follow  and  break  up  that  meeting  also,  but  were 
deterred  by  being  told  that  as  the  anti-slavery  men  were  on 
their  own  ground  they  would  fight,  and  doubtless  blood 
would  be  shed. 

The  following  letter  written  by  Uncle  Patterson  Scott 
and  addressed  to  his  sisters,  Mrs.  Margaret  Officer  and  Miss 
Jane  Scott,  Washington,  Pa.,  gives  an  insight  of  early  times 
and  the  slavery  controversy  in  Washington,  111.  The  letter 
was  written  on  both  sides  of  one  large  sheet  and  folded  so 
no  envelope  was  required.  It  is  yellow  with  age.  The 
figures  "25"  is  marked  where  the  stamp  goes  on  a  letter, 
which  no  doubt  meant  tlie  cost  of  sending: 

Washington,  Tazewell  County,  111.,  Nov.  12,  1838. 
Dear  Sisters: 

Having,  through  the  kind  and  gracious  province  of  my 
heavenly  father,  been  spared  until  now,  I  take  up  my  pen 
to  address  a  few  lines  to  you  both.  In  the  first  place  I 
would  inform  you  that  we  are  all  well  at  present.  William 
and  Mary  arrived  here  in  safety,  in  good  health  and  spirits, 
this  day  2  weeks  since.  They  are  still  living  with  us  and 
will  almost  certainly  settle  here.  I  have  made  a  proposal 
to  sell  Wm;  some  of  my  land,  very  low,  which  he  ^vill  prob- 
ably accede  to.  He  has  not  yet  (owing  to  a  variety  of  cir- 
cumstances) had  an  opportunity  of  examining  my  prairie, 
but  with  ray  timber  land  he  is  well  pleased.  We  expect  to 
remove  to  our  timber  shortly,  and  will  continue  there  dur- 
ing the  winter,  as  we  will  be  more  convenient  to  our  work. 
We  have  all  come  to  the  determination  to  spend  the  winter 
in  making  and  hauling  rails  for  fencing,  and  in  getting  out 
timber  for  a  dwelling,  so  that  we  may  be  prepared  when 
sprmg  returns  to  improve  our  lands.  Wm,  has  been  to  Iowa 
territory  and  is  well  pleased  with  the  country,  but  thinks 
our  advantages  are  superior  to  those  that  would  be  afforded 
there — and  upon  the  whole  he  appears  to  be  better  pleased 
with  this  section  of  country  than  with  that.  We  were  truly 
grieved  to  hear  of  the  death  of  James,  and  I  hope,  dear  sis- 
ter Margaret,  that  you  and  brother  Robert,  although  you 
have  been  called  to  face  the  rod  of  affliction,  in  this  rending 
of  the  most  tender  ties — yet  you  recognize  the  hand  of  Him 
who  hath  in  His  hand  the  issues  of  life  and  death,  and  I  trust 
that  vou  have  experienced  the  consolation  of  His  grace,  and 
are  prepared  to  say  in  a  spirit  of  humble  resignation: 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  99 

It  is  our  Father's  hand — that  gave  this  heavy  blow, 

That  took  our  loved  one  from  our  sight 

And  caused  our  tears  to  flow; 

Yet  still  we  would  not  fret,  but  to  His  mandate  bow, 

Trusting  that  we  shall  yet  know  w^hat  we  know  not  now. 

Yes.  my  dear  brother  and  sister,  I  believe  that  you 
will  know  hereafter  why  your  Father's  hand  was  thus  laid 
upon  you,  and  I  trust  that  you  will  make  a  suitable .  im- 
provement of  this  afilictive  dispensation,  and  that  it  will  be 
one  among  the  number  of  those  things  that  will  work  out 
for  you  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 
Although  I  have  been  afflicted  and  tried  in  various  ways, 
principally  on  account  of  my  anti-slavery  principles,  yet  the 
Lord  has  helped  me  thus  far,  and  I  trust  that  whatever 
may  become  of  me  He  will  carry  on  this  holy  cause,  in  the 
midst  and  despite  of  all  the  opposition  that  earth  and  hell 
combined  can  rain  against  it,  until  the  accursed  system  that 
is  frauglit  with  the  groans,  tears,  wailings  and  degradation 
of  214  millions  of  our  fellow  men  shall  forever  cease  from 
our  land,  and  that  the  negro  shall  stand  forth  "a.  man  acknowl- 
edged" by  our  nation  and  our  nation's  laws,  and  clothed 
with  all  the  rights  that  belong  to  him  as  such;  when  he 
shall  be  put  in  possession  of  himself,  his  wife,  his  children 
and  all  those  tilings  that  man  holds  dear  liere  on  earth,  and 
sliall  be  permitted  for  himself  to  search  the  volume  of 
Eternal  Truth,  and  find  what  God  would  have  him  know 
and  do,  that  he  may  become  a  free  man  in  Christ  Jesus,  and 
in  that  liberty  rejoice,  and  worship  God  as  to  him  seemeth 
right. 

We  formed  a  County  Anti-Slavery  Society  about  four 
weeks  since  and  now  number  nearly  100  members,  some  of 
whom  are  the  flower  and  sinew  of  this  county.  We  have 
also  commenced  observing  the  monthly  concert  of  prayer 
for  the  abolition  of  slavery  throughout  the  United  States — 
and  the  world.  Notice  was  given  to  the  congregation  assem- 
bled for  public  worship  in  our  public  school  house,  on  yes- 
terday 3  weeks,  that  a  meeting  of  the  aforementioned  kind 
would  be  held  on  the  last  ]\Ionday  in  October  (which  was  3 
weeKs  since  this  day)  in  the  school  house,  but  the  trustees 
of  the  school,  who  are  violently  opposed  to  Abolitionists, 
refused  to  let  us  have  the  use  of  the  house,  and  one  of  them, 
who  was  formerly  a  slave-holder  and  removed  to  this  place 
from  Kentucky  about  a  year  ago  since,  a  ad  professes  to  be 
a  gentleman,  together  with  some  others  in  this  place,  grew 
very  much   enraged  aud    threatened    us    very  hard.     They 


100  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

swore  that  we  should  not  hold  such  a  meeting  in  the  place 
and  that  if  we  attempted  it,  scenes  worse  than  that  at  Alton 
(in  which  the  Rev.  E.  H.  Lovejoy  was  murdered)  should  be 
enacted  here.  But  we  felt  that  even  though  we  were  very- 
few  in  number,  we  were  engaged  in  the  cause  of  God  and 
Humanity  and  we  were  not  in  the  least  bit  intimidated  by 
their  threats.  When  we  were  refused  the  use  of  the  school 
house  I  told  the  brethren  that  my  house  was  at  their  ser- 
vice for  the  meeting  and  that  here  we  would  meet  on  the 
evening  of  the  day  appointed  for  the  meeting.  Wm.  and  Mary 
(Sample),  Hugh  Hughes  and  2  other  young  men  from  Wash- 
mgton  (Mr.  Jeffrey  and  Mr.  Graham)  arrived  here  and  some 
of  the  citizens  who  were  not  Abolitionists,  but  in  favor  of 
the  discussion,  came  in  about  the  time  the  meeting  com- 
menced. This  Kentuckian,  with  an  axe  hardle  upon  his 
shoulder,  together  with  some  more  of  the  devil's  emmis- 
saries  from  one  of  his  principal  outposts  (a  grocery),  well- 
primed  with  the  elixir  of  hell  (as  an  old  Methodist  here 
calls  it)  came  to  the  door  and  some  of  them  began  to  peep 
in  at  the  windows.  Upon  seeing  them  I  went  out  and  re- 
spectfully invited  them  to  come  in,  but  could  not  prevail 
upon  them  to  do  so  then.  But  in  short  time  4  of  them  came 
m  and  stood  with  their  backs  against  the  door  and  remained 
there  for  some  time,  but  did  not  attempt  to  interrupt  us. 
I  have  since  been  informed  that  they  came  in  to  find  out 
wnat  we  were  doing  and  then  to  go  out  and  report  to  the 
rest,  and  if  anything  like  a  lecture  was  delivered  or  any 
resolutions  passed,  they  were  determined  to  destroy  my 
house,  but  notwithstanding  considerable  was  read  on  the 
subject  of  slavery  and  many  remarks  made  by  the  pastor 
of  our  church,  also  a  young  man  (a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church),  who  is  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  who  was  converted 
by  reading  Channing  on  Slavery,  and  the  Constitution  of 
Am.  A.  I.  Soc,  which  I  loaned  him  about  18  months  since), 
the  mobocrats  did  not  attack  us,  although  they  came  pre- 
pared with  clubs  and  dirks,  determined  to  do  it. 

While  all  this  was  in  progress  several  of  the  citizens, 
who  are  not  Abolitionists,  were  collected  in  the  back  ground, 
a  few  rods  from  the  house,  to  see  what  was  going  on,  and 
if  any  attack  had  been  made  they  were  prepared  to  resist 
it.  You  see  from  this  that  we  were  called  upon  to  contend 
with  the  power  of  darkness  in  attempting  to  promote  the 
cause.  We  felt  so  and  we  also  felt  that  it  was  a  solemn 
crisis,  and  that  we  were  called  upon  to  meet  it  then.  The 
Lord  preserved  us,  so  to  Him  be  all  the  praise.    We  expect 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  101 

to  form  a  society  in  this  place  'ere  long.  Then  we  expect 
we  shall  be  mobbed.  We  may  be  disappointed  in  our  expec- 
tations, but  we  are  determined  not  to  give  up  our  principle 
but  with  our  lives,  and  we  shall  make  them  known,  also,  if 
we  do  meet  with  opposition.  The  Kentuckian,  the  leader  of 
this  mob,  is  a  physician  and  also  a  merchant  of  this  place, 
but  he  has  gained  to  himself  no  honour  by  this. 

Margaret  and  Randolph  join  me  in  love  to  you  all,  and 
vou  will  remember  us  to  grandfather  and  mother  Workman 
and  all  other  enquiring  friends.  No  more  at  present,  but  re- 
main your  affectionate  brother,  P.  J.  Scott. 


May  5,  1921. 
Miss  Scott,  Washington,  111. 

Dear  Friend:  I  have  just  this  morning  read  the  en- 
closed letter  the  second  time.  It  certainly  is  very  interest- 
mg.  I  have  from  childhood  days  admired  the  anti-slavery 
pioneers,  who,  with  fortitude  and  courage,  stood  firmly  by 
their  principals — when  it  cost  life  itself. 

The  monument,  marking  the  John  Brown  fort  at  Har- 
per's Ferry,  was  one  of  my  "shrines"  in  my  young  man- 
hood. Of  course,  he  led  an  insurrection,  but  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  that  seemed  necessary  to  wake  up  the  country. 

We  shall  never  know  in  this  life  how  our  noble  heroes, 
such  as  the  writer  of  this  letter,  served  and  how  much  they 
contributed  to  the  overthrow  of  slavery. 

1  thank  you  for  the  privilege  of  reading  this  bit  of 
"ancient  history"  relative  to  the  very  community  in  which 
we  now  live.  Yours  respectfully, 

(Rev.)  J.  D.  Calhoun. 

The  early  settlers  of  this  county,  although  mainly  from 
the  southern  or  slave  states,  entertained  a  deep-seated  preju- 
dice against  the  Negro,  for  which  it  is  hard  for  us  to  ac- 
count at  the  present  day. 

The  depot  masters  and  conductors  on  the  "under  ground 
railroad"  from  Elm  Grove  to  Crow  Creek  were  Josiah 
Matthews,  Lawyer  Briggs,  Absalom  Dillon,  Johnson  Som- 
mers,  William  Woodrow,  Anthony  Field,  Deacon  and  Willard 
Gray,  Uriah  H.  Crosby,  Daniel  Roberts  and  sons  John  M., 
Ambrose,  Darius  and  Walter,  Seth  Billings  and  Elijah  Lewis, 
George,  Channey  and  Charles  Crandle;  Orin  M.  Bartlett, 
James  Patterson  and  J.  Randolph  Scott,  Parker,  Mark  and 
Levi  ]\Iorse;  George  Kern  and  sons  John,  George  and  An- 
drew;   Norman    Dutton,    the    Work    brothers    and    Wilham 


102  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

Lewis.     Nathaniel   Smith    and   Moses   Pettingill   of   Peoria 
proved  their  faith  by  their  works. 

The  main  depot  of  the  "under  ground  railroad"  in  Elm 
Grove  township  was  at  Josiah  Matthews'  on  section  24.  Mr. 
Matthews  was  an  earnest  anti-slavery  man,  and  helped  gain 
freedom  for  many  slaves.  He  prepared  himself  with  a  cov- 
ered wagon  especially  to  carry  black  freight  from  his  sta- 
tion on  to  the  next. 

One  day  there  arrived  a  box  of  freight  at  Mr.  Matthews' 
and  was  hurriedly  consigned  to  the  cellar.  On  the  freight 
contained  in  this  box  there  was  a  reward  of  $1500  offered, 
and  the  pursuers  were  but  half  an  hour  behind.  The  wagon 
in  which  the  box  containing  the  Negro  was  brought,  was 
immediately  taken  apart  and  hid  under  the  barn.  The 
horses  which  had  been  driven  very  hard  were  rubbed  off, 
and  thus  all  indications  of  a  late  arrival  were  covered  up. 
The  pursuers  came  up  in  hot  haste,  and  suspecting  that  Mr. 
Matthews'  house  contained  the  fugitive,  gave  the  place  a 
verv  thorough  search,  but  failed  to  look  into  the  innocent- 
looking  box  in  the  cellar.  Thus,  by  such  stratagem,  the  slave 
hunters  were  foiled  and  the  fugitive  saved.  Tlie  house  was 
so  closely  watched,  however,  that  Mr.  Matthews  had  to  keep 
the  Negro  a  week  before  it  was  safe  to  conduct  him  north. 

Uriah  H.  Crosby,  who  came  from  New  York  to  Morton 
in  1832,  was  one  of  those  men  who  in  danger,  wath  a  destiny 
to  fulfill,  never  faltered.  It  was  at  his  home  on  section  9 
in  Morton  township  that  there  was  an  U.  G.  R.  R.  station. 
A  company  of  fugitives  had  just  passed  his  station  when 
a  young  man  hastily  came  up.  He  had  invented  a  cotton- 
gin,  and  was  in  haste  to  overtake  the  others  of  the  party 
as  they  had  the  model  of  his  invention.  He  was  separated 
from  them  through  fright.  John  M.  Roberts  found  this 
young  man  in  the  morning  hid  away  in  his  hay  stack,  fed 
him  and  sent  his  son  Junius  with  him  in  haste  to  Mr.  Cros- 
by's. On  his  arrival.  Conductor  Crosby  put  him  in  his 
wagon,  covered  him  with  a  buffalo  robe  and  drove  through 
Washington  and  delivered  him  to  Georg  Kern,  who  took  him 
in  an  open  buggy  to  the  next  station  at  William  Lewis'. 

John  M.  Roberts  of  Morton  was  quite  an  artist  and  on 
the  walls  of  his  living  room  he  painted  scenes.  There  was 
a  blind  door  at  the  side  of  the  fire  place  and  back  of  that 
was  a  space  in  w4iich  he  secreted  Negroes.  A  master  came 
searching  for  his  slaves.  Mr.  Robert's  mother,  an  elderly 
lady,  sat  in  a  rocking  chair  in  front  of  this  door  knitting. 
He  said,  "I  will  not  ask  grandmother  to  get  up".     He  went 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  103 

away  without  finding  his  slaves,  but  later  swore  he  could 
smell  his  niggers,  but  could  not  find  them. 

John  M.  Roberts  and  Orin  M.  Bartlett  took  three  Ne- 
goes  to  (now)  East  Peoria.  They  were  to  have  been  taken 
across  the  river  in  a  skiff,  but  just  before  they  reached  the 
river,  Negro  hunters  overtook  him.  The  fugitives  rushed 
into  the  swampy  thicket  and  one  only  of  them  reached  the 
boat.  Strange  to  relate  when  Mr.  Roberts  was  in  Chicago 
attending  the  National  Republican  convention  that  nomin- 
ated Abraham  Lincoln  for  president  of  the  United  States,  a 
Negro  spoke  to  him  on  tlie  street  and  called  him  Mr.  Rob- 
erts, who  said  "J  do  not  know  you".  He  replied  you  will 
when  I  relate  a  circumstance.  His  co-travelers  had  never 
found  him. 

Excitement  ran  very  high  and  the  anti-slavery  people 
were  closely  watched.  I  have  heard  my  father  say,  "I  never 
)3rought  a  colored  person  to  my  house,  but  I  have  fed  many 
of  them  and  helped  them  on  their  way  to  freedom".  At 
one  time  there  were  five  brought  to  him,  three  men  and 
two  women;  he  had  them  lie  down  in  the  wagon  bed  and 
then  threw  hay  over  them.  He  warned  them  before  start- 
ing, as  he  did  all  others  whom,  he  assisted,  that  if  he  were 
stopped,  they  must  look  out  for  themselves  as  he  would 
nave  to  take  care  of  his  team.  He  had  not  driven  two  miles 
wnen  two  men  on  horesback  came  riing  rapidly  to  meet  him. 
They  separated,  one  passing  on  either  side  of  his  vehicle, 
but  rode  right  on.  In  a  few  minutes  they  turned  about  and 
overtook  him,  again  one  riding  on  either  side  of  his  wagon 
for  some  distance.  Finally  one  of  them,  punctuating  his 
language  with  an  oath,  said:  "This  is  not  what  we  are  look- 
ing for",  and  turned  and  went  their  way.  He  knew  the 
riders — and  it  was  just  what  they  were  looking  for.  His 
cargo  was  delivered  at  George  Kern's  about  dawn,  when  he 
turned  around  in  his  feed  lot  and  returned  home  via  another 
route. 

The  anti-slavery  people  were  constantly  on  the  alert. 
Father  came  into  Washington  one  day  and  at  the  postoffice 
saw  a  poster  describing  a  runaway  slave  on  which  a  reward 
of  one  thousand  dollars  was  offered.  He  went  to  the  store 
of  John  Gaunt,  who  took  him  aside  and  said:  "Mr.  Scott, 
1  am  with  you  on  the  anti-slavery  question,  but  I  dare  not 
let  it  be  known:  do  not  come  this  way  tonight  or  you  will 
be  killed,  for  this  "master"  threatens  vengence  on  any  one 
assisting  his  slave;  he  owns  several  hundred  and  this  is 
the  first  one  that  ever  ran  away  and  he  proposes  to  make 


104  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

an  example  of  him".  Father  saw  the  master,  who  looked 
the  desperate  character  his  threats  would  indicate  him  to 
be.  Father  went  to  Uncle  Patterson's,  but  the  Negro  was 
not  there.  He  rode  on  to  Anthony  Field's ;  he  found  that  he 
and  his  wife  had  gone  to  Morton  and  left  a  neighbor  girl 
with  their  children.  He  wrote  a  note  and  placed  it  under  a 
bowl  on  top  of  a  cupboard,  instructing  the  young  miss  to 
tell  Mr.  Field  of  it  on  his  return.  After  starting  home  he 
rjecame  uneasv  and  turned  back  to  wait  for  them  to  come 
home.  When  they  came  the  advertised  Negro  was  with 
them.  Father  told  him  that  his  master  was  ahead  of  him, 
the  reward  offered  and  why  offered.  With  the  Anglo-Saxon 
m  his  nature  calling  for  recognition,  this  powerful  Negro 
gave  vent  to  his  feeling  and  suited  his  actions  to  his  words 
Dy  drawing  a  dirk  and  saying,  "I  will  never  be  taken".  Mr. 
Field  kept  him  for  a  week  and  piloted  him  safely  north. 

Parker  Morse  of  Metamora  said  eight-tenths  of  all  the 
Negroes  who  came  under  my  observation  were  of  white 
mixture. 

Canada,  the  northern  termination  of  the  "under  ground 
railroad,  received  these  refugees  from  "freedom's  (?)  soil" 
and  administered  to  their  wants.  Queen  Victoria  having  is- 
sued a  proclamation  that  every  fugitive  from  the  United 
States  slavery  should  be  recognized  and  protected  as  British 
subjects  the  moment  his  or  her  feet  touched  the  soil  of  her 
domain. 

Billings  Lewis  of  Morton  rapped  at  the  door  at  one 
o'clock  a.  m.  and  said,  "I  have  a  Negro  in  a  buggy  at  the 
bars".  Father  said,  "go  back,  we  are  watched;  I  will  be  with 
you  in  a  minute".  He  dressed,  but  carried  his  boots,  fear- 
ing his  steps  on  the  porch  might  be  heard.  Mr.  Lewis  re- 
mained with  his  brother,  who  lived  nearby.  The  watchers 
were  two  neighbors.  One  of  whom  confessed,  in  after  years, 
that  they  heard  the  bars,  but  waited  for  some  activity.  He 
also  expressed  shame  that  he  had  been  guilty  of  such  de- 
meanor. 

Some  colts  belonging  to  Mr.  Briggs,  a  lawyer  of  Tre- 
mont,  had  wandered  away  on  the  open  prairie,  and  he  was 
out  hunting  them.  Meeting  a  man,  living  in  the  vicinity  of 
father's  place,  he  made  enquiry  for  his  property,  which  had 
not  been  seen.  He  then  asked  where  Randolph  Scott  lived; 
he  was  given  direction,  with  the  added  information  that 
Scott  stole  niggers  and  no  doubt  had  stolen  his  colts,  too. 
Mr.  Briggs  said,  "I  will  go  over  and  see".     He  came  chuck- 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  105 

ling  to  tell  father  of  his  reputation  among  the  pro-slavery 
neighbors.  Mr,  Briggs  was  one  of  father's  staunchest 
friends  in  the  anti-slavery  cause. 

While  conditions  were  really  quite  serious  at  times, 
there  was  also  a  wave  of  mirth  that  would  bubble  over  in 
a  joke  on  the  pro-slavery  people.  A  covered  wagon  load  of 
young  people  from  Morton  (Lewis,  Ewings,  Crandles  and 
Grays)  had  spent  the  evening  at  "Uncle  Tom  Castle's  cabin" 
and  on  their  way  home  they  called  at  Alfred  Phillips',  and 
some  one  opened  a  window  and  enquired  what  was  M^anted. 
The  questioner  said,  "We  would  like  to  learn  the  way  to 
Randolph  Scott's".  After  they  had  aroused  the  curiosity 
of  this  family  they  went  on  home.  Mr.  Phillips  and  his  son 
Hiram  set  out  for  Scott's,  thinking  the  enquirer  was  some 
one  with  a  load  of  Negroes.  They  aroused  Louis  Beal  from 
his  slumbers,  and  asked  him  to  accompany  them,  but  he  de- 
clined. As  they  crossed  a  stream,  enruote,  the  ice  failed  to 
Dear  the  son's  weight  and  he  fell  in  the  water — returning 
riome  to  reflect  on  his  folly. 

Father  had  a  trap  door  in  the  floor,  just  inside  of  the 
out  door,  which  he  opened  at  night.  If  his  door  was  forced 
open,  the  culprit  would  find  himself  in  a  pit  and  he  would 
nave  a  chance  to  overpower  him.  Although  he  had  been 
threatened  with  vengence,  he  was  never  molested.  These 
things  occurred  when  he  was  a  bachelor. 

Sand  Prairie  Township  Slaves  Stolen 

Mr.  Shipman  came  here  from  Kentucky  in  1826,  but  did 
not  live  in  this  township  a  great  while.  He  moved  into  Elm 
Grove  township  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  Hfe. 
He  brought  with  him  to  this  township  a  Negro  man,  his 
wife  and  children.  He  treated  them  kindly,  and  they  in 
turn  loved  him.  They  all  lived  here  in  peace  and  freedom, 
carving  new  homes  in  the  wilderness  and  preparing  for  fu- 
ture prosperity  and  pleasure.  The  quietude  of  the  httle  set- 
tlement was  disturbed  one  dark  night  by  the  appearance  of 
some  slave  hunters.  There  were  some  men  from  Kentucky 
came  up  the  river,  left  their  boats  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mack- 
inaw, quietly  came  over  and  carried  off  the  Negro  family. 
They  were  all  tied  and  hastily  run  to  the  river.  It  appears 
that  Mose,  the  name  of  the  Negro  man,  was  a  singularly 
constructed  Negro,  and  it  would  almost  seem,  as  an  old  set- 
tler said,  that  "he  was  part  aligator".  He  had  a  double  row 
of  large  sharp  teeth.  His  hands  were  tied  and  with  a  rope 
he  was  led  along.     He  pulled  l^ack  considerable,  and  lagged 


106  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

behind  as  much  as  he  dare  do,  all  the  while  chewing  on  the 
rope  by  which  he  was  led.  Finally  he  succeeded  in  severing 
it,  when  with  all  is  might  he  ran  back  to  the  settlement 
and  informed  the  neighbors  of  the  theft  of  his  family.  This 
aroused  the  ire  of  those  sturdy  pioneers  and,  being  equal  to 
any  emergency,  three  of  them  saddled  up  their  horses  that 
gloomy  night  and  set  out  for  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  anticipating 
the  destination  of  the  thieves.  These  resolute  men  were 
Johnson  Sommers,  William  Woodrow  and  Absalom  Dillon. 
They  pushed  on  towards  that  city  and  fortunately  rode  off 
the  ferry  boat  just  as  the  Kentucky  would-be  slave  traders 
landed  with  the  family  of  Mose.  This  was  a  singular  co- 
incidence, but  true,  and  with  determination  that  plainly 
snowed  he  meant  what  he  said  Sommers  jumped  from  his 
norse,  gathered  up  a  stone  and  swore  he  would  crush  the 
first  one  who  attempted  to  leave  the  boat,  and  the  men,  who 
could  steal  the  liberty  of  their  fellow  men,  were  passive  be- 
fore the  stalwart  pioneers.  One  of  the  pioneers  hurried  up 
to  the  city  and  procured  the  arrest  of  the  men.  We  do  not 
know  the  penalty  inflicted,  but  most  likely  it  was  nothing, 
or,  at  least,  light,  for  in  those  days  it  was  regarded  as^  a 
legitimate  business  to  traffic  in  human  beings.  The  family 
was  secured,  however,  and  carried  back  to  this  county  where 
most  of  them  lived  and  died.  All  honor  to  the  daring  hu- 
mane pioneers. 

The  following  incident  came  to  Peter  Logan,  whom  I 
nave  seen  and  my  parents  knew  well.  He  was  owned  by  a 
man  in  Arkansas,  who  gave  him  a  chance  to  buy  his  own 
freedom  and  also  that  of  his  sister  Charlott  and  her  daugh- 
ter Nancy.  When  on  their  way  north  they  were  captured 
in  Missouri  and  taken  back.  Their  master  said,  "They  are 
free  and  shall  be  privileged  to  go  unmolested".  They  came 
and  located  near  Tremont,  where  he  was  for  many  years  in 
tne  employ  of  the  Dillons  and  was  known  for  miles  around 
as  Uncle  Peter  Logan.  He  could  neither  read  nor  write,  but 
he  could  sing.  Once  at  our  home  he  asked  father  to  read 
the  Bible  to  him,  which  he  did.  He  then  sang  "Jerusalem 
My  Happy  Home"  and  "The  Year  of  Jubilee  Am  a  Comin'  " 
in  plaintive  tone  that  only  the  "bond-man"  can  express. 
Charlott's  services  were  in  great  demand  at  all  home  and 
neighborhood  feasts,  for  she  was  an  excellent  cook.  Nancy 
was  bright  in  school,  and  would  get  on  a  stump  and  preach 
a  sermon  to  her  white  schoolmates.  These  colored  people 
were  honorable  and  were  highly  respected  citizens  through- 
out their  long  lives. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  107 

Sanford  P.  Gorin's  brought  "Black  Jack"  with  them 
when  they  moved  here  from  Kentucky,  where  he  hved  dur- 
ing his  lifetime  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  their  family  lot  in 
in  the  old  cemetery  in  October,  1869,  aged  52  years.  When 
the  slaves  were  emancipated  he  refused  to  leave  the  Gorins. 
He  owned  a  team,  farmed  for  himself  and  did  some  hauling. 
He  was  sexton  of  the  Christians  when  they  held  services  in 
their  brick  church.  I  first  learned  who  he  was  when  he  drove 
past  "Greenridge"  school  house  with  a  wagon  load  of  women 
and  children  (Gorins,  Burtons,  Wells,  Eccles,  Cranes,  An- 
drews and  Danforths  (who  were  going  out  to  their  Uncle 
John  and  Aunt  Ann  McClintock's  for  a  picnic  in  their  grove 
on  a  balmy  day  in  June.  The  children  of  the  whole  town 
found  a  friend  in  him,  and  he  was  respected  by  all  who 
knew  him, 

Calvin  Dunnington  says  my  father  worked  for  Sanford 
P.  Gorin  when  a  small  boy.  Something  went  wrong  with  the 
norses,  Mr.  Gorin  came  into  the  barn  and  took  down  a  har- 
ness tug  and  began  beating  father.  Black  Jack  was  there 
and  said:  "Mars  Gorin,  you  hit  that  boy  one  more  lick  and 
you  will  have  me  to  lick,  too".  Mr.  Gorin  began  on  father, 
and  Jack  did  his  part  and  whipped  Mr.  Gorin.  At  Jack's 
death  John  Dunnington  bought  his  old  gray  horses. 

"Principles  have  achieved  more  victories  than  horsemen 
and  chariots". 

Mention  has  been  made  of  the  "Underground  Railway" 
m  connection  with  the  work  of  anti-slavery.  The  origin  of 
the  railway  name  came  about  when  the  slave  owners,  in  pur- 
suit of  slaves,  found  that  they  had  mysterious^'  disappeared. 
So  the  baffled  southern  men  asserted  that  an  "Underground 
Railway"  must  have  been  used  to  spirit  the  slaves  away. 

The  Hicks  Family 

Mother's  parents,  with  their  ten  children,  came  from 
Barnesville,  Ohio,  to  Tremont,  Illinois,  in  the  fall  of  1837. 
Grandfather,  Asa  Hicks,  Sr.,  came  to  Illinois  on  horseback 
during  the  summer  and  rented  the  Dillon  farm  one  and  one- 
half  miles  west  of  Tremont,  in  Tazewell  county,  for  a  term 
of  five  years,  and  paid  one  year's  rent  in  advance.  He  re- 
turned to  Ohio  via  the  Ohio  and  Illinois  rivers. 

A  committee  of  tlie  Tremont  colony  of  35  families  from 
New  York  City,  throe  Harris  brothers,  selected  this  site  in 
1834  and  the  colony  came  out  in  1835.  Tliey  made  some 
good  improvements — a  school  house,  church  and  postoffice — 
which  made  Tremont  a  center  of  influence  and  of  good  so- 
ciety.   The  county  court  site  was  also  located  here  in  1836. 


108  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL. 

Laban  Hicks  and  Joseph  Hicks,  brothers  Df  my  grandfather, 
were  here,  too,  as  was  their  sister,  Mrs.  Rachel  Parsons. 
Laban  built  a  hotel  in  this  new  town,  Joseph  was  construc- 
tion boss  on  the  grading  for  the  I.  B.  &  W.  railroad,  and 
their  sister  was  assisting  in  the  hotel,  for  they  were  board- 
ing these  workmen.  Grandfather's  shipped  their  household 
goods  and  barrels  of  dried  fruit  to  Pekin,  the  family  coming 
overland  with  a  five-horse  team,  one  a  saddle-horse  from 
which  the  rider  drove  the  team  with  one  line.  Israel,  the 
oldest  son,  had  been  driving,  and  being  tired  of  riding  he 
got  down  to  walk,  when  a  dog  from  a  home  nearby  ran  out 
and  started  the  colts  they  had  with  them.  They  ran  past 
the  team,  frightening  the  horses  into  a  run.  Israel  could 
not  catch  the  line  and  his  father  got  out  of  the  wagon  to 
try  and  check  the  team,  but  slipped  from  the  wagon  tongue 
and  was  thrown  under  the  wheels.  He  expired  in  a  few 
minutes.  The  whole  country-side  poured  out  its  sympathy 
and  assisted  this  grief-stricken  family  to  bury  their  dead 
in  the  Friends  cemetery  near  Bloomingdale,  Parks  county, 
Indiana.  They  resumed  their  journey  the  following  day  and 
ix  young  man  acted  as  guide  to  the  Wabash  river,  which  they 
crossed  at  Campbell's  ferry.  Then  on  via  Danville,  Bloom- 
ington  and  Stout's  Grove.  They  crossed  the  Mackinaw  river 
on  a  ferry  boat,  spent  the  night  with  relatives  in  Tremont 
and  went  to  the  Dillon  farm  the  next  day.  It  took  a  cour- 
ageous mother  to  battle  with  the  trial  of  life  and  rear  her 
large  family,  tlie  half  of  them  under  ten  years  of  age.  Is- 
rael ,  in  his  22d  year,  shouldered  the  bread-winning  task. 
Tliey  were  dutiful  children  and  by  constant  labor  and  untir- 
ing industrv  in  a  few  years  the  dark  clouds  of  adversity  were 
scattered.  They  lived  at  Tremont  five  years  and  one  year 
at  Pleasant  Grove.  There  were  many  good  people  in  that 
locality  who  became  their  life-long  friends,  among  them  the 
Harris,  Lovejoy^,  Nichols,  Fishers,  Buckleys,  Morses,  Robi- 
sons,  (Jreeleys  Kelloggs,  Matthews,  Leonards,  Dillons  and 
Lacklands. 

In  1843  they  bought  160  acres  in  section  30,  Washing- 
ton township,  and  moved  to  the  house  on  the  site  of  Miss 
Kate  Unsicker's  home  on  Walnut  street  while  they  improved 
their  farm. 

Pioneering  brought  one  hardship  after  another,  and  re- 
quired great  determination  to  succeed,  as  well  as  lending 
the  helping  hand. 

They  paid  for  this  land  with  corn.  The  mother  and  her 
younger  brothers  shelled  this  corn  on  a  hand-sheller,  sacked 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  10'9 

it  and  Uncle  Israel  hauled  it  with  a  four-horse  team  to  Wes- 
ley City,  getting  but  10  cents  per  bushel.  On  one  of  these 
trips  he  came  very  near  perishing  in  a  blinding  blizzard. 

Israel  Hicks  married  Susan  M.  Humphrey,  a  daughter 
of  Luke  and  Eliza  Humphrey,  Feb.  24,  1848. 

One  day  grandmother  and  some  of  her  children  had 
Deen  blackberrying  and  stopped  at  William  Wilson's,  the 
present  home  of  Will  Miller.  Mrs.  Wilson  had  died,  leaving 
tive  children.  Mary,  the  eldest,  twelve  (later  Mrs.  Swisher 
of  Eureka)  was  trying  to  make  bread,  her  brother,  John, 
(now  in  his  85th  year)  not  two  years  old,  was  quite  sick 
and  their  father  away.  She  doctored  the  little  fellow  until 
he  was  quite  better,  looked  after  the  bread,  did  other  help- 
ful turns  and  gave  them  of  the  berries.    A  friend  in  need. 

When  Uncle  Asa,  Jr.,  was  yet  in  his  teens  he  went  out 
huntmg  and  shot  a  deer.  With  great  pride  he  brought  it 
nome.  He  was  a  good  marksman  and  an  untiring  hunter. 
In  later  years  he  had  many  colonies  of  bees  and  sold  honey 
in  ton  quantities.  He  was  an  efficient  supervisor  of  Little 
IVIackinaw  township  for  many  years. 

Robert  Kimble  of  Peoria  (his  wife  and  son  James  ac- 
companying him)  made  his  third  overland  trip  to  California 
in  1859  v^ith  a  drove  of  cattle.  Uncle  Elwood  Hicks  was  a 
member  of  his  caravan.  Uncle  returned  in  December,  1862, 
via  Panama  and  New  York  City,  N.  Y.  Elwood  Hicks  and 
Eliza  A.  Shoemaker,  daughter  of  Elmore  and  Nancy  Shoe- 
maker, were  married  March  5,  1863.  Uncles  Harrison  and 
Milton  were  grain  and  lumber  merchants,  respectively. 
Grandmother,  Anna  Cox-Hicks,  was  a  beautiful  christian 
character  and  much  beloved  for  her  many  virtues.  Her 
life  was  a  benediction.  She  died  March  18,  1853,  and  rests 
in  Washington's  old  cemetery. 

When  the  Danforth  mill  was  erected  in  1845  they 
wanted  good  seamstresses  to  sew  the  "bolting  cloth".  Mrs. 
James  Marsh  and  mother  did  this  task  at  25  cents  per  day, 
this  being  the  customary  price  per  day  for  sewing.  The  mill 
was  dedicated  with  a  "home  talent"  play  in  which  Dr.  E.  F. 
Wood  most  graciously  acted  the  lady. 

Mother  learned  to  make  men's  clothing  after  she  came 
to  Tremont.  The  workmen  on  the  I.  B.  &  W.  railroad  were 
m  need  of  garments  and  there  were  no  "ready-to-wear"  to 
buy.  Her  uncle  got  some  garments  cut  from  which  she  took 
patterns  and  in  this  way  earned  much  toward  the  support 
of  this  fatherless  family.  After  they  moved  to  Washington 
sne  assisted  Lot  White,  the  tailor,  who  had    her   make   all 


110  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

button-holes  and  do  much  of  the  most  particular  finishing 
on  garments.  It  was  a  help  financially,  too,  that  she  could 
make  all  clothing  for  her  brothers  as  well  as  for  her  mother 
and  sisters.  Mother,  too,  had  learned  to  spin  well,  both 
cross- banded  and  twisted  yarns,  and  to  knit  these  threads 
into  comfortable  garments. 

She  assisted  Robert  Kelso  in  preparing  the  threads  and 
m  weaving  coverlets,  and  she  returned  the  compliment  by 
helping  mother  to  make  eight  coverlets  for  her  mother's 
family.  Such  relics  are  now  much  in  demand  by  antique 
hunters. 

The  all-day  social  gatherings  of  the  pioneer  ladies  were 
wool  pickings,  spinning  contests  and  quilting  bees.  Their 
"cards"  made  wool  into  rolls  and  bats;  the  spinning  wheel, 
with  the  "wheelfinger"  deftly  used,  brought  these  into 
threads  to  be  woven  into  coverlets,  blankets  and  cloth,  for 
at  that  time  "home-spun"  garments  were  extensively  used. 

Miss  Harriett  Kingsbury,  later  Mrs.  Laughlin;  the  Kice 
sisters,  later  Mrs.  Bryan  McCorkle  and  Mrs,  John  Kaufman, 
and  my  mother  Asenath  Hicks,  later  Mrs.  J.  Randolph  Scott, 
could  spin  more  hanks  of  yarn  in  a  day  than  any  of  their 
rivals.  In  winding  the  thread  from  the  spindle  onto  the  reel 
for  a  certain  number  of  threads  the  reel  would  click,  thus 
tieing  a  loop  around  this  group  of  threads,  and  so  on  until 
there  were  tied  in  groups  80  threads  54  inches  long,  making 
a  skein;  17  skeins  made  a  hank  and  18  hanks  a  spindle. 

When  I  was  quite  a  little  girl  mother  tauglit  me  to  make 
rolls,  to  spin  and  to  knit.  She  could  also  spin  flax  and  showed 
me  how  to  use  the  "heckel"  in  preparing  flax  to  be  spun. 

Father  had  lived  in  Illinois  ten  years,  and  had  gone 
through  many  trials  and  hardships.  He  had  boarded,  kept 
bachelor's  hall  and  at  times  had  families  in  his  house  who 
boarded  him.  Mother,  too,  had  carried  many  cares  after  her 
father's  death,  helping  to  provide  for  those  dependent. 

Father  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  of 
Washington,  111.,  having  united  with  this  organization  in  its 
earliest  infancy,  and  made  great  sacrifices  to  establish  and 
maintain  it.  Uncle  Patterson  was  a  member  of  the  church 
building  committee  and  mortgaged  his  farm  as  surety.  A 
financial  crisis  came  and  father  borrowed  money  at  12 V2  per 
cent  and  lifted  his  brother's  mortgage  to  hold  the  site  on 
which  the  church  now  stands.  He  was  then  a  single  man, 
but  his  brother  had  a  family  and  father  could  not  forbear 
making  this  self-sacrifice  for  them. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  Ill 

Father  and  mother  were  married  November  25,  1847, 
by  Rev.  George  Elliott,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
(Rev.  ElHott  had  earlier,  that  same  evening,  married  Andrew 
Gerbrick,  whose  daughter,  Mrs.  Frances  Brubaker,  resides  in 
Eureka,  111.)  They  lived  happily  together  for  nearly  47 
years.    He  died  April  16,  1894,  and  she  October  28,  1901. 

Mother  was  complained  of  having  married  out  of  unity 
with  Friends,  and  was  disowned  by  their  meeting.  This  is  a 
method  no  longer  practiced  by  the  Friends  or  Quakers. 

Father  had  a  four-room  house  with  a  porch  18x8  on  his 
farm  and  there  they  went  to  housekeeping  December  9,  1847. 
In  the  new  home  the  same  spirit  of  energy  and  faithfulness 
pervaded  her  life;  she  was  truly  a  helpmate.  They  began 
with  small  financial  means,  but  made  a  success  and  were  al- 
ways comfortable  and  good  livers,  ever  sheltering  and  help- 
ing those  less  fortunate.  Mother  lived  on  this  farm  49  years, 
which  was  in  the  Scott  name  68  years. 

When  father  enlarged  his  home,  before  his  marriage, 
Mathew  Crane,  the  father  of  James  R.,  Thomas,  Joseph, 
George,  Charles,  Wilham  and  Jane,  (later  Mrs.  Benjamin 
Miles,  mother  of  the  Miles  brothers  of  Peoria)  made  the 
built-in  cupboards  and  clothes  closets,  and  Thomas  Whitten 
built  the  stone  wall  for  the  cellar  under  the  living  room, 
which  was  16  feet  square.  Father  procured  these  stones 
and  those  used  in  the  foundations  of  all  his  farm  buildings 
from  a  ravine  on  his  timber  land.  There  were  two  fireplaces, 
with  a  mantle  piece  over  each.  In  the  living  room  there  was 
a  grate,  in  which  coal  was  the  fuel  used,  it  being  hauled  from 
a  coal  bank  near  the  Illinois  river.  The  one  in  the  kitchen 
was  deep,  and  large  back-logs  were  rolled  into  it;  the  and- 
irons held  up  the  long  fireplace  wood.  There  was  a  crane  in 
this  on  which  the  bright  copper  tea-kettle  and  the  cooking 
vessels  were  hung  in  preparing  the  meals.  Here  they  also 
rendered  lard,  etc.  They  had  a  "Rotary"  cook  stove  and  did 
not  use  this  primative  method  of  cooking.  Mother,  also,  had 
a  Dutch  oven  which  her  mother's  people  had  brought  from 
Georgia  to  Ohio  in  1805  and  from  thence  to  Illinois  in  1837. 
(This  was  an  iron  vessel  about  6  inches  in  depth  and  12 
inches  in  diameter,  having  short  legs  and  an  iron  lid).  It 
was  used  to  roast  meats,  bake  bread,  pies,  cake,  corn-pone, 
etc.,  by  placing  it  on  a  bed  of  hot  coals  and  covering  it  with 
the  same.  Father  had  one,  too,  in  which  he  roasted  meat 
and  potatoes  for  himself  and  for  men  who  helped  with  farm 
labor  when  he  kept  bachelor's-hall. 


112  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

There  were  not  even  matches,  and  fires  were  lighted  by 
the  sp^rk  from  a  flint  is:niting  tinder  in  a  tinder  bcx.  They 
were  careful  to  keep  fires  aHve  and  not,  as  it  sometimes 
happened,  have  to  go  to  their  neighbor's  for  hve  coals. 

Father  had  a  half-dozen  split-bottomed  chairs  and 
mother  two  rocking  chairs,  of  the  same  kind  (made  by  the 
Asa  H.  Danforth  Furniture  Co.,  and  now  owned  by  their 
children).  A  walnut  drop-leaves  dining  table,  a  walnut  stand 
with  a  drawer,  a  large  mahogany  chest  of  drawers  and  look- 
ing glass,  with  frame  of  same  wood,  a  nice  clock  on  the 
mantle,  high-posted  bedsteads  corded  with  rope  and  with 
canopy  tops  and  valences,  brass  and  glass  candle  sticks,  a 
perforated  tin  lantern,  in  all  of  which  were  used  "home- 
made" tallow  candles.  On  the  living  room  floor  was  an  all- 
wool  rag  carpet  with  a  braided  rag  rug  before  the  fireplace. 
Good  books  and  papers,  viz:  The  Herold  of  Truth,  Water- 
cure  Journal,  The  Messenger  of  Peace,  Phrenological  Journal, 
New  York  Independent,  Louisville  Courier- Journal,  Christian 
Era  (in  the  latter  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin,  by  Harriett  Beecher 
Stowe,  was  run  as  a  serial),  a  dasher  churn,  a  wash  board 
and  tub,  clothes  rung  by  hand.  This  is  the  picture  of  my 
parents'  home  set  up  80  years  ago,  in  which  a  housewife  did 
all  of  her  own  work  of  every  kind,  even  to  browning  the 
family's  supply  of  coffee  and  grinding  it  in  a  mill  upon  the 
side  wall  near  the  cupboard  in  the  kitchen. 

James  Smith,  Sr.,  was  the  contractor  with  his  son,  James 
Jr.,  as  boss  when  our  home  was  enlarged  in  1862  by  adding 
five  rooms,  two  halls  and  a  portico.  Of  the  carpenters  and 
workmen  on  that  addition  which  included  George  Blackwell, 
Levi  Stumbugh,  Mr.  McFarlane  the  plasterer,  George  E.  Lee 
wno  put  in  the  stairway,  Mr.  Walters  who  did  the  graining 
and  varnishing,  William  Jones  is  the  only  man  now  hving,  to 
my  Knowledge,  who  assisted  there.  The  west  half  of  our 
bank-barn  was  built  in  1850  an  set  on  very  large  log  piers. 
The  east  half  was  built  in  1875  when  these  piers  and  the 
full  foundation  was  made  of  stone.  Mr.  Pierce  was  the  boss 
on  the  west  half  and  Peter  Dorward  on  the  east  part. 

Josiah  Moore  was  a  "waterwitch"  and  with  forked 
peach-tree  limbs,  one  branch  in  each  hand,  he  located  a  spot 
for  our  stock  well,  by  the  limbs  turning  down  in  his  hands 
as  if  drawn  by  a  magnet.  It  has  proven  to  be  a  never-failing 
well. 

Father  had  a  stock  well  on  the  east  80  acres  of  the 
farm  where  he  put  up  a  watering  trough  in  the  road  for  the 
convenience  of  the  public.     This  was  the  route  most  people 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  113 

took  in  hauling  their  grain  or  going  to  Washington,  which 
was  the  "trading  post"  for  the  surrounding  country,  and  it 
was  much  appreciated  by  all  in  their  long  drives.  James 
i^ane  carried  the  mail  between  Deer  Creek  and  Washington 
tor  many  years  before  the  former  town  was  served  by  the 
Lake  Erie  railroad. 

George  Duncan  was  living  with  father  when  he  was 
married  and  continued  to  make  his  home  there  for  some 
years,  when  he  married  (a  sister  of  Mrs.  Joseph  Kidd  and 
Mrs.  William  Monroe)   and  moved  to  Deer  Creek  township. 

Robert  Anderson  also  farmed  with  father  and  later 
built  a  large  square  house  three  miles  south  from  ours  which 
he  sold  to  John  Voorhees. 

Rodger  Jenkins  did  his  first  farming  here  on  father's 
farm,  bought  land  nearby  and  made  life  a  success. 

Father  was  always  among  the  first  to  buy  the  most  ap- 
proved farm  and  home  conveniences.  He  owned  the  first 
McCormick  reaper  in  our  neighborhood ;  used  four  horses  on 
It,  a  man  to  drive  and  one  to  rake  the  grain  from  the  plat- 
lorm.  With  this  he  not  only  cut  his  own  grain,  but  did 
reaping  for  many  of  his  neighbors.  Among  them  was  Mr. 
Naffziger,  Sr.,  the  father  of  Valentine,  Christian  and  Peter. 
They  v/ere  then  single  men. 

The  next  machine  was  a  self-rake,  then  the  Walter  A. 
Wood  self-binder,  now  the  "combine".  The  first  ha\  rake 
was  an  all-wooden  one  that  revolved,  making  winrows;  the 
next  a  sulky  rake  with  metal  teeth,  the  driver  being  provided 
with  a  seat  on  which  to  ride;  then  the  loader. 

l:*ather  and  Uncle  Joe  Kelso  had  the  first  portable  hay 
stackers,  with  a  fork  to  be  used  either  on  the  stacker  or  in 
tne  barn,  operated  by  horse  power  with  ropes  and  pulleys. 
Driving  a  horse  to  elevate  the  hay  to  the  stack  or  barn  loft 
was  one  way  of  getting  outdoor  fife  and  exercise  that  gave 
me  strength. 

The  evolution  of  the  plow  has  been  as  great  a  marvel 
as  that  of  almost  any  other  piece  of  farm  machinery.  The 
woden-tooth  "A"  harrow  was  offer  used  with  a  weight  on 
it.  Breaking  corn  stalks  on  a  frosty  morning,  using  a  long 
neavy  pole  with  a  team  at  each  end  was  an  early  way  of 
clearing  a  field,  after  which  the  stalks  were  raked  into  wind- 
rows with  a  ponderous  revolving  wooden  rake.  They  were 
often  burned  in  the  evenings.  Next  came  the  stalk-cutter 
and  from  that  time  on  the  stalks  were  not  burned,  but 
plowed  under. 


114  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

Tliere  were  few  carriages  or  buggies,  and  wagons  were 
seated  by  placing  iron  pieces  over  the  top  of  the  wagon-box 
on  both  sides,  near  the  front  and  the  back  of  the  box,  and 
a  hickory  strip  laid  in  the  fold  of  the  irons  to  allow  of  son\e 
spring  for  the  seats  placed  on  them. 

In  October  of  1848  father,  mother,  Anna  Hicks  who  was 
mother's  sister,  William  Sample,  his  wife  and  two  sons  Hugh 
and  Theodore  v.^i\de  an  overland  trip  to  Barnesville,  Ohio,  and 
Washingtori,  Pa.,  in  a  covered  M^agon  fitted  up  with  springs. 
Their  travels  were  of  six  weeks'  duration  over  miles  and 
miles  of  corduroy  roads  and  bridges.  There  were  many 
stretches  of  swamps  filled  in  so  as  to  make  travel  possible. 
This  was  their  first  visit  east,  after  coming  to  Illinois  eleven 
years  earlier.  The  Sample  family  had  located,  some  years 
prior  to  that  date,  on  a  farm  known  as  "Sample's  Corners" 
near  Mie  Bucl:eye  church.  On  their  return  in  December  thev 
stopped  Saturday  night  at  Sam  Stumbaugh's,  north  of  Deer 
Creek,  111.,  where  Theodore,  about  two  years  old,  was  severe- 
ly scalded  by  causing  a  cup  of  hot  coffee  to  be  spilled  on  him. 
He  bore  this  scar  through  life,  as  he  did  others  that  came 
to  him.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  enhsted  in  the  l-ltli 
111.,  cavalry  as  buglar,  but  threw  his  bugle  away  when  cross- 
ing the  Ohio  river.  When  asked  why  he  did  it  he  said,  "I 
took  that  method  of  getting  into  the  army;  now  I  am  in 
and  that  is  all  I  want".  He  was  a  messenger  and  after  sev- 
eral almost  miraculous  escapes  was  captured  and  was  in  An- 
dersonville  prison,  Ga.,  five  months  and  twelve  days.  He 
came  from  that  "pen"  a  skeleton  of  his  former  self,  was  ex- 
changed and  honorably  m.ustered  out  of  the  service  of  the 
Civil  war.  He  served  the  T.  P.  &  W.  railroad,  beginning  as 
brakeman,  and  held  all  the  positions — baggageman,  freight 
and  passenger  conductor,  yardmaster  and  depotmaster  at 
Logansport,  Ind.,  and  retired  as  a  pensioner  several  years  be- 
fore his  death.  The  family  moved  from  "Sample's  Corners" 
to  their  Washington  home,  the  house  now  owned  by  Miss 
Kate  Wohlgemuth,  when  Hugh,  Theodore  and  Sarah  attend- 
ed school  in  the  seminary.  While  WilHam  and  Theodore 
Sample  were  in  the  Civil  war  the  family  moved  to  El  Paso. 
Hugh  w^as  a  very  capable  man  and  was  assessor  and  sheriff 
of  Woodford  county,  and  Sarah  was  an  efficient  teacher  there 
until  her  death  in  1875,  Hugh  having  died  in  1871. 

Father  in  hauling  farm  produce  to  Peoria,  crossed  over 
the  Illinois  river  on  the  ice,  if  was  frozen  over,  as  was  cus- 
tomary. In  those  days  Peoria  had  no  bridge  over  the  Illi- 
nois river,  and  crossing  was  by  ferry  at  the  foot  of  Walnut 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  115 

Street,  near  where  the  McKinley  bridge  now  stands.  Peoria's 
bridge  was  a  "toll-gate"  with  James  Tart  as  gatekeeper  for 
many  years.  Father's  sister  and  her  husband,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Robert  Officer,  came  from  Pennsylvania  on  a  visit,  and  they 
had  to  cross  the  river  from  Peoria  in  a  skiff  and  land  far 
into  what  is  now  East  Peoria.  For  years  there  was  a  long 
levee  from  the  river  bridge  some  distance  into  East  Peoria, 
but  that  has  disappeared  by  "made  land"  filling  the  swamp. 

Father  would  let  a  lot  of  ear  corn  roll  out  of  the  cribs 
onto  the  barn  floor,  bring  in  a  number  of  loose  horses,  then 
go  into  the  loft  above  them  and  by  using  a  long  whip  drive 
tnem  around  and  around.  Thus  they  tramped  the  corn  from 
the  cobs.     This  shelled  corn  was  for  stock  feed. 

When  on  our  way  from  school  we  children  stopped  at 
Jesse  Cooper's  to  see  the  corn  sheller  that  was  being  used 
by  Elias  Wood — two  horses  traveling  on  an  inclined  moving 
bridge,  called  a  "treadmill". 

Father  had  been  the  "Shepherd  boy"  on  his  father's 
larm  and  knew  the  sheep  business  well.  He  was  successful 
m  raising  them  and  at  one  time  he  sold  over  a  thousand 
head,  but  kept  fewer  thereafter.  It  is  truthfully  said  that 
"where  one  sheep  goes  the  rest  will  follow",  be  that 
Wherever  it  may  be.  I  have  seen  father  try  to  stop  the 
hock  from  crossing  the  pasture  bridge,  when  the  leader 
w^ould  come  with  a  bold  defiant  jump  and  leap  past  him — 
then  there  was  no  hope  of  stopping  the  rest.  They  are  most 
interesting  animals,  especially  the  lambs  at  play.  Sheep- 
snearmg  time  was  an  interesting  time,  too.  There  were  al- 
ways a  number  of  shearers,  George  Woodcock,  Henry  Bliss 
and  Thomas  (Tom)  Seaman  being  on  the  force  for  many 
years.  "As  a  sheep  before  her  shearer  is  dumb"  it  was  rare 
tor  one  to  offer  resistance  in  the  hands  of  the  shearer. 
Father  folded  the  fleeces,  one  at  a  time,  in  the  wool  press. 
He  frequently  sold  this  crop  to  Sol  Bennett  of  Peoria,  de- 
livering it  in  great  hay  rack  loads. 

1  remember  of  mother  attending  a  wool-picking  at  Mrs. 
Elmore  Shoemaker's,  three  miles  west  of  our  home.  There 
were  many  ladies  at  this  party.  They  dined  on  their  spa- 
cious porch,  having  picked  the  wool  on  the  lawn.  Father 
took  me  with  him  when  he  went  to  bring  mother  and  the 
ladies  living  near  us  home  at  the  close  of  the  day. 

it  was  a  full  day's  task  to  take  a  load  of  farm  produce 
to  Peoria.  On  one  occasion  father  took  a  load  of  wheat  over 
and  did  not  return  at  the  usual  hour.  His  wagon  had  sus- 
tained a  broken  wheel,  and  he  had  to  transfer  his  load  and 


116  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

have  the  wheel  repaired.  We  children  were  quite  young,  but 
we  knew  that  mother  was  anxious.  She  said,  "Something 
has  detained  father,  but  w^hen  he  comes  he  will  be  him.self". 
We  never  had  any  occasion,  throughout  his  long  life,  to  have 
the  confidence  mother  instilled  in  us  shaken  in  the  least.  He 
had  no  more  prominent  characteristic  than  his  strong  con- 
victions and  his  fearless  expression  of  them.  Among  these 
convictions  were  his  temperance  principles.  These  he  im- 
bibed in  his  youth  and  which  continued  steadfast  in  his 
character. 

Much  of  this  world's  want  and  woe  has  come  through 
intemperance.  Until  1907,  when  the  local  option  law  was 
passed,  Illinois  was  under  a  dram  shop  law  which  provided 
for  the  licensing  of  dram  shops. 

The  use  of  hquor  was  quite  common  in  early  days.  Men 
sometimes  used  it  when  in  the  field  and  not  infrequently 
they  became  incapacitated  for  work. 

The  common  "grog  shops"  were  numerous.  There  were, 
ai  one  time,  six  saloons,  a  brewery  and  a  calaboose  in  our 
little  town,  with  drunken  brawls  on  many  occasions;  fam- 
ilies abused  and  destitute  of  the  necessities  of  life,  except 
wnen  fed  and  clothed  by  people  who  did  not  indulge  their 
appetites  in  that  which  is  not  bread. 

Hiram  Bunn,  a  policeman,  was  equal  to  quelling  almost 
any  such  disturbance  of  the  peace,  for  the  drinkers  all  feared 
his  shillalah  which  they  knew  he  would  use  with  persuasive 
force  if  his  commands  were  not  obeyed.  He  was  called  to  a 
nome  where  there  was  a  daughter  three  days  old;  the  father 
had  been  up  town  and  came  home  drunk.  The  children  had 
prepared  dinner.  He  overturned  the  table,  breaking  -the 
dishes,  and  picking  up  a  chair  ordered  his  wife  to  prepare 
dinner  for  him.  Two  of  the  children  succeeded  in  warding 
off  the  blow  intended  for  their  mother,  while  the  third  one 
ran  for  Mr.  Bunn,  who  summarily  put  him  in  the  "cooler". 
This  man  had  been  opposed  to  intoxicating  drink,  but  fell  a 
victim  to  it  through  the  social  glass. 

There  have  been  a  number  of  very  sad  cases  here 
through  this  demon  rum.  Some  men  have  tried  hard  to  re- 
form and  have  succeeded,  but  there  were  others  whose  com- 
panions have  held  them  and  forced  them  to  drink.  Among 
these  were  some  of  our  brightest  minds  and  our  best  busi- 
ness men.  There  have  always  been  some  very  active  tem- 
perance people  here.  The  Good  Templar  lodge  was  a  strong 
organization.  Lewis  Tobias  was  one  of  the  leading  members 
and  entertained  John  B.  Gough,  Rev.  Afflect  (the  Mark  Twain 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL.  117 

of  England),  Ross,  Mason  Long  and  others.  He  was  threat- 
ened with  violence  for  his  activities  in  the  cause  and  the 
trees  in  his  orchard  were  girdled  in  retaliation  by  his  op- 
posers. 

The  "Crusaders"  were  a  band  of  our  purest  and  best 
christian  women,  and  their  methods  proved  effectual.  In 
answer  to  their  prayers  has  come  the  victory  song,  "Carry. 
On  Illinois",  The  Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union  is 
called  of  God  for  a  specific  purpose,  and  has  been  built  around 
total  abstinence — the  major  in  law  observance  and  law  en- 
forcement. Nothing  takes  peace  out  of  life  more  surely  and 
more  quickly  than  the  curse  of  drink.  The  greatest  good  of 
llie  greatest  number  demands  its  social  control. 

in  1883  Miss  Florence  Kingsbury,  later  Mrs.  A.  H. 
Heiple,  and  I  were  delegated  by  oui*  local  W.  C.  T.  U.  to 
circulate  a  petition,  asking  that  the  screens  be  removed  from 
ine  saloon  windows.  We  succeeded,  and  the  city  council 
passed  an  ordinance  granting  this  request. 

Tlie  saloons  were  closed  in  1907  when  we  passed  the 
local  option  law. 

Tlius,  step  by  step,  our  efforts  have  banished  every  sa- 
loon from  our  city,  and  it  has  improved  in  every  way.  Tliere 
can  be  no  argument  on  this  subject  when  the  finished  pro- 
ducts of  the  "imbiber"  and  the  "abstainer"  are  compared. 
We  know  that  prohibition  is  the  best  method.  We  have  stout 
Hearts  and  great  courage  and  will  "Hold  Fast  and  Go  For- 
ward". 

in  September,  1855,  the  people  of  Washington  and  vicin- 
ity gaye  a  dinner,  over  the  west  side  drug  store,  to  the  offi- 
cials of  the  Toledo,  Peoria  and  Warsaw  railroad,  and  were  in- 
vited by  them  to  take  the  first  trip  over  the  road  to  Cruger. 
Flat  cars  used  in  building  the  track  were  converted  into  open- 
air  passenger  cars  by  the  simple  means  of  building  benches 
cross-wise  of  the  cars  and  a  short  distance  apart.  In  that 
way  they  carried  a  great  many  pasengers.  Mother  declined 
to  go,  as  did  others,  because  it  was  said  "they  will  not  bring 
you  back",  but  father  took  me  on  his  arm  and  with  sister 
Martha  and  brother  Quincy  were  of  that  initial  group  of  pas- 
sengers who  were  greeted  by  the  people  of  Cruger  and  those 
of  her  country-side  with  loud  acclaim,  for  a  new  day  of  pro- 
gress had  dawned  in  this  vicinity  in  the  opening  of  the  rail- 
road. 

The  grade  for  the  Petersburg  and  Tonica  railroad  was 
completed  through  Washington,  but  the  track  was  not  laid 


118  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

and  the  shareholders  lost  their  investments.  The  right  of 
way  here  was  later  purchased  by  the  Chicago  and  Alton  rail- 
road. 

Birth  of  the  Republican  Party 

Prof.  B.  J.  Radford,  the  beloved  prominent  old  settler  of 
Eureka,  recently  wrote  an  interesting  account  of  the  birth 
of  the  Republican  party.  I  take  pleasure  in  quoting  the 
same,  as  follows,  in  my  historical  sketch  as  it  relates  to  my 
father's  activities  at  that  time: 

"The  Republican  party  became  seventy  years  old  on  the 
29th  of  May,  1927.  It  was  born  in  Major's  Hall  in  Blooming- 
ton,  May  29,  1856.  Leading  men  throughout  the  state, 
aroused  by  Lincoln's  two  years'  campaign  against  the  plans 
of  Senator  Douglas  and  his  Southern  backers  to  throw  the 
new  territories  of  the  United  States  open  to  slavery,  gath- 
ered in  Bloomington  that  day  to  see  what  could  be  done  to 
avert  the  calamity.  It  was  a  large  and  representative  body, 
men  from  all  parts  of  the  state  and  of  both  parties — Whigs 
and  Democrats.  After  others  had  spoken,  Lincoln  was  called 
out  for  the  climax,  and  he  climaxed.  It  was  half-past  five 
o'clock  when  he  began  speaking.  Pretty  soon  everybody  for- 
got about  time,  or  supper;  reporters  forgot  their  pencils,  and 
no  one  took  a  long  breath  till  half-past  seven  when  Lincoln 
ended  that  famous  "lost  speech".  But,  in  fact,  it  was  lost. 
It  inspired  the  great  gathering  to  inaugurate  the  movement 
which  crystalized  into  the  Republican  party,  nominated  Gen. 
Frement  for  President  and,  four  years  later,  elected  Lincoln 
to  the  Chief  Magistracy. 

"Other  times  and  places  have  laid  claims  for  the  honor 
of  giving  birth  to  the  Repubhcan  party.  There  were  several 
conventions  that  year  of  patriotic  citizens  which  denounced 
the  old  parties  and  called  for  a  new  alinement,  but  none  of 
them  had  the  prestige  to  give  momentum  to  a  nation-wide 
current  of  reform.  Illinois  was  the  only  state  in  which  the 
public  mind  had  been  prepared  for  such  a  movement,  and 
Lincoln  had  done  the  preparing  by  setting  forth  during  two 
years  the  need,  the  principles  and  purpose  of  it,  and  how  it 
might  be  accompHshed  ultimately.  In  New  York,  Horace 
Greeley  and  Seward  were  not  yet  fully  emancipated  from  the 
Henry  Clay  policy  of  compromise;  while  in  New  England 
Sumner  and  his  fellow  abolitionists  thought  only  of  the  im- 
mediate destruction  of  slavery,  without  any  practical  plans 
as  to  how  it  could  be  done.  Bloomington,  111.,  and  May  29, 
1856,  were  the  the  place  and  time  of  the  birth  of  the  Repub- 
lican party. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  119 

"By  the  way,  the  public  hall  in  which  that  convention 
was  held  was  owned  by  Wm.  T.  Major,  a  brother  of  Ben  Ma-  >< 

J  or,  who  settled  at  Eureka  in  1835,  and  became  the  leader 
of  the  founders  of  Eureka  college". 

May  29,  1918,  Centennial  year  celebration  in  Illinois, 
there  was  dedicated  a  tablet  of  bronze  upon  the  walls  of 
lamous  Major's  hall  at  Bloomington.  The  tablet  had  been 
prepared  by  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution.  The 
dedication  was  attended  by  many  prominent  Republicans  of 
the  nation,  Frank  0.  Lowden,  who  was  then  governor,  headed 
a  delegation  from  Springfield. 

Washington  People  at  Notable  Meeting 

Father  attended  this  convention  at  Wm.  T.  Major's  Hall 
in  Bloomington,  111.,  and  took  five  delegates  with  him,  viz: 
Thomas  Fish,  John  H.  Anthony,  William  A.  Ross,  John  M. 
Roberts  and  George  Crandle.  A  call  was  issued  for  226  dele- 
gates, but  so  great  was  the  interest  that  more  than  twice 
tnat  many  were  present. 

Abraham  Lincoln  and  Stephen  A  Douglas,  in  their  de- 
oates,  aroused  all  the  people  and  they  went  far  to  hear  them. 
Mother,  brother  Charlie  and  I  were  visiting  with  mother's 
sister,  Mrs.  0.  B.  Judson  of  Galesburg,  111.,  and  father  came 
to  attend  their  joint  debate  October  7,  1858,  on  the  east  side 
of  "Old  Main"  on  Knox  college  campus.  I  well. remember  the 
day  and  the  delegations  with  their  flags  and  bands  and  the 
speakers,  too,  but  not  their  speeches.  My  aunt  who  was  with 
us  later  on  writing  me  said,  "Mr.  Douglas  spoke  one  hour  and 
when  Mr.  Lincoln  arose  to  speak  Douglas  said,  'How  long,  0 
Lord'  how  long',  to  which  Lincoln  replied,  'The  days  and  the 
years  of  the  wicked  are  short'."  Lincoln  was  tall  and  lean, 
Douglas  was  short  and  fat,  thus  each  poked  fun  at  the  per- 
sonal appearance  of  the  other.  Cowper  said  that  "A  man  re- 
nowned for  repartee  will  seldom  scruple  to  make  free  with 
friendship's  finest  feelings". 

Lincoln  spoke  one  and  a-half  hours  and  Douglas  followed 
with  a  half  hour  which  closed  their  three-hour  debate.  The 
crowd  was  estimated  at  15,000.  A  great  day  never  to  be  for- 
gotten by  those  who  were  privileged  to  be  present.  We  came 
nome  the  following  day,  and  enroute  the  coach  that  we  were 
riding  in  ran  off  of  the  track  and  rolled  over,  but  no  one  was 
seriously  hurt.  We  waited  a  long  time  and  were  brought  on 
our  way  to  Peoria  in  a  grain  car,  with  improvised  seats — 
nail  kegs  with  boards  laid  across  them. 

The  first  national  Republican  convention  was  held  in 
Chicago,  May  16,  1860,  when  Abraham  Lincoln  was  nomin- 

/ 


120i  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

ated  for  the  presidency.  Father  was  there  and  on  the  stand 
next  to  John  M.  Roberts  of  Morton,  111.,  who  was  a  teller.  It 
was  an  intensely  exciting  experience,  for  they  all  realized 
that  the  destiny  of  the  repubhc  was  changed. 

On  one  occasion  during  this  exciting  campaign  Lincoln's 
opponents  asserted  that  they  had  completely  flayed  him. 
He  arose  and  pointed  aptitudinally  to  their  assured  political 
death : 

"Hark  from  the  tomb,  the  mournful  sound, 

Mine  ear  attend  the  cry, 
Ye  living  men  come  view  the  ground 
Where  you  shall  shortly  lie". 

Lincoln  was  vindicated  in  this  assertion  by  being  elected 
to  the  presidency. 

Tlie  Washington  Republican  wigwam,  on  the  lot  east  of 
our  Community  building,  was  dedicated  by  Judge  Sweat  of 
Chicago  on  the  afternoon  of  June  23,  1860.  The  "Wide- 
awakes", wearing  black  oil  cloth  capes  and  black  caps  of  the 
same  material,  with  this  word  in  white  letters  across  the 
front,  carried  torches  and  paraded  in  the  evening,  accompan- 
ied by  a  fife  and  drum  corps. 

In  September,  1860,  delegations  from  Morton,  Eureka 
and  Washington  met  at  Charles  Kinnear's  corner,  Cruger, 
enroute  to  Metamora  for  a  campaign  rall^,  and  a  vast  throng 
was  present.  There  was  an  improvised  large  wagon  decor- 
ated with  red,  white  and  blue  in  which  were  small  girls  who 
met  at  Cruger  dressed  in  pink  calico  dresses,  white  aprons 
bound  with  pink,  a  blue  strip  across  their  waists  on  which 
was  the  name  of  a  state  in  white  letters.  A  large  fla^:  was 
on  the  wagon  and  each  of  the  girls  carried  a  small  one. 

There  were  several  troops  of  ladies,  mounted,  viz:  Elm- 
wood,  Metamora  and  Eureka  and  Washington  as  one.  They 
also  represented  the  states  of  the  Union.  The  latter  wore 
blue  velvet  hats,  pink  shambry  waists,  white  skirts,  blue 
sasnes  and  brown  debeige  riding  skirts.  They  made  quite  an 
impressive  showing.  The  other  troops  were  each  dressed  dif- 
ferent, but  were  as  attractively  attired  as  were  ours.  A 
prize  was  offered  for  the  best  and  most  graceful  rider  m 
these  troops  and  it  was  awarded  to  cousin  Elizabeth  Gertrude 
Scott,  who  rode  a  beautiful,  spirited,  dapple-gray  horse  that 
pranced  and  danced  to  the  lively  martial  music.  He  and  his 
rider  attracted  much  attention  and  she  received  many  com- 
pliments on  her  graceful  riding  and  equestrianism. 

Both  Morton  and  Washington  were  represented  by  splen- 
did  drum  corps.     The   former  was   composed   of   John  M. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  121 

Roberts  fifer,  Luke  Humphrey  snare  drum  and  George  Cran- 
dle  the  bass  drum.  In  the  latter's  was  Thomas  Fish  fifer, 
Oliver  Hungerford  snare  drum  and  Morris  Reece  Trimble 
bass  drum.  Oliver  Hungerford  was  later  band  major  of  the 
47th  111.  Infantry. 

Stephan  Douglas'  Visit  to  Washington 

The  Metamora  Herald  a  number  of  years  ago  contained 
an  extended  write-up  of  tl';e  Lincoln-Douglas  debates. 
Among  other  things,  it  had  the  following  with  reference  to 
Douglas'  visit  to  Washington  in  1858.  They  were  unable  to 
discover  an  account  of  Lincoln's  visit: 

The  visits  of  Lincoln  and  Douglas  do  not  appear  in  the 
history  of  the  debates  of  1858  between  the  two  statesmen 
by  reason  of  the  fact  that  Metamora  was  not  on  the  scheduled 
hst  of  speaking  places  advertised  at  the  outset  of  the  cam- 
paign. The  two  candidates  for  United  States  senator  were 
on  their  way  to  Galesburg  for  one  of  their  great  debates  and 
were  traveling  by  easy  stages  through  the  country,  speaking 
in  all  the  counties  traversed.  As  seen  from  the  dates  of  the 
speeches  here,  Lincoln  was  two  days'  travel  behind  Douglas. 
Unfortunately  no  printed  description  of  Lincoln's  visit  has 
yet  been  found,  but  Douglas'  trip  from  Peoria  to  Metamora 
and  his  stops  in  Washington  and  Metamora  are  tersely  re- 
lated in  the  following  dispatch  taken  from  the  Chicago  Times 
of  October  6,  1858: 

"Metamora,  111.,  Sept.  30,  1858.— The  demonstration  here 
today  was  never  equalled  before,  and  can  hardly  be  equalled 
aq-ain.  Senator  Douglas,  accompanied  by  a  large  number  of 
friends,  left  this  morning  by  the  eastern  extension  of  the 
Peoria  and  Oquawkya  railroad  and  on  arriving  in  Washing- 
ton, a  thriving  town  in  Tazewell  county,  near  the  Woodford 
county  line,  was  met  by  an  immense  delegation  and  escorted 
to  the  town  square  by  Dr.  R.  B.  M.  Wilson,  the  Democratic 
candidate  for  the  legislature  in  Tazewell  county." 

The  correspondent  then  gives  a  synopsis  of  the  address 
of  Dr.  Wilson,  and  relates  the  trip  from  Washington  to  Meta- 
mora in  the  following: 

"After  a  short  reply  from  Senator  Douglas  the  delega- 
ton  set  out  for  Metamora,  seven  miles  distant.  On  leaving 
Washington  there  were  108  wagons  in  the  procession,  aver- 
aging eight  persons  to  the  wagon  and  some  25  or  30  car- 
riages and  buggies,  and  this  long  line  of  vehicles  received  ac- 
cessions at  every  cross  road  and  farm  house  along  the  route. 
When  within  three  miles  of  Metamora  we  were  received  by 
the  Young  Men's  Democratic  club  of  Woodford  and  delega- 


122  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL. 

tions  from  Minonk,  Eureka,  Spring  Bay,  Metamora  and  other 
places.  The  Minonk  delegation  had  eight  four-horse  teams 
in  their  line,  and  turned  out  strong.  The  procession  must 
have  been  over  four  miles  long,  so  great  was  the  number  of 
w^agons,  carriages,  buggies  and  horsemen  in  it.  Such  a  scene 
I  never  witnessed  before.  The  air  was  full  of  flags,  banners, 
music  and  the  shouts  of  the  multitude,  while  ever  and  anon 
the  thunder  of  cannon  came  in  to  swell  the  general  jubilee.  It 
was  indeed  a  glorious  sight,  far  beyond  my  descriptive  powers 
to  convey  to  you  an  idea  of.  About  noon  a  heavy  shower 
liassed  over  the  town,  which  served  to  lay  the  dust  (a  terri- 
ble quantity  of  which  had  been  kicked  up) ,  but  not  to  dampen 
the  ardor  and  enthusiasm  of  the  people." 

About  October  19,  1860,  the  people  of  this  community 
gave  a  supper  to  the  "Wide-awakes",  in  the  wigwam,  with 
Mrs.  Thomas  Fish  as  chairman,  after  which  there  was  a 
great  parade,  people  having  come  to  town  from  every  direc- 
tion. 

When  Abraham  Lincoln's  call  "to  arms"  came,  many 
from  Washington  and  vicinity  volunteered  to  sacrifice  their 
lives  to  preserve  the  Union.  Our  boys  went,  for  the  most 
part,  in  the  47th,  86th  and  132nd  Illinois  Infantry  and  the 
14th  Illinois  Cavalry.  We,  among  their  relatives  and  friends, 
went  to  the  camp  in  Peoria  to  bid  the  boys  of  the  47th  good- 
bye.    They  were  brave  and  composed, 

Tliose  were  stirring  times,  and  the  loyal  people  here 
could  not  have  done  more  for  the  boys  in  the  "war  zone" 
nor  for  their  dependants  at  home  than  they  did  do. 

There  was  a  high  flag  pole  set  up  in  our  public  square 
which  was  dedicated  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  The  men 
of  our  neighborhood  went  to  father's  timber  and  made_  a 
flag  pole,  which  was  set  on  our  land  in  the  corner  opposite 
the  South  Mennonite  church,  that  being  a  high  point  on  a 
much  traveled  highway.  The  women  met  at  Uncle  Patterson 
Scott's  and  made  a  large  flag  wliich  was  flung  to  the  breeze 
by  Joseph  Culbertson,  who  then  lived  in  our  tenant  house. 

1  well  recall  the  pall  that  fell  over  this  community  when 
Captain  Daniel  Miles  fell  out  of  the  ranks.  His  funeral 
caused  people  to  more  fully  realize  the  conflict  that'was  then 
being  waged.  He  stood  for  principle,  and  did  his  duty  as  he 
saw  It.  He  was  fearless  in  his  denunciation  of  those  who 
were  not  loyal  to  this  government — some  of  whom  sought 
hiding  in  Canada  and  elsewhere  until  the  smoke  of  battle 
Cleared  awav  and  then  had  the  audacity  to  return  to  the  pro- 
tection of  our  "flag"  that  had  been  preserved,  but  not  through 


-  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  123 

any  of  their  efforts.    The  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle  were 
quite  active  here,  too,  for  a  time,  but  they  were  silenced. 

There  were  fifteen  who  went  from  our  road,  less  than 
four  miles  in  length,  viz:  Stephen  Decatur  and  William 
Henry  Humphrey,  Russell,  Newton,  Albert  and  Rodney  Shoe- 
maker, Robej't  Lewis,  Jacob,  Sebastian,  Henry  and  George 
Minch,  Ebenezer  Wood,  William  and  Sanford  Van  Meter  and 
William  Culbertson.  They  came  off  victorius  in  battle,  and 
all  were  honorably  discharged  from  the  service  in  the  Civil 
war  except  Stephen  Decatur  Humphrey,  whose  head  was 
severed  from  his  body  by  a  cannon  ball  at  the  battle  of 
Corinth,  Miss.,  Oct.  3,  1862,  while  Charles  Crane  and  Theo- 
aore  Amsbary  were  on  either  side  of  him.  Phelix  Monroe, 
Captain  William  Bogardus,  Captain  B.  F.  Biser  and  David 
Smith  also  were  of  those  who  made  the  supreme  sacrifice  on 
their  country's  altar.  When  the  soldiers  came  home  they  and 
their  friends  were  given  a  supper  in  the  old  seminary.  Al- 
though there  were  many  sad  hearts  because  their  dear  ones 
had  not  been  spared  to  return,  it  was  nevertehless,  in  many 
ways,  a  time  for  great  rejoicing. 

Sebastian  Minch  was  the  first  one  to  "pass  on".  All  are 
now  (Jan.  2,  1928,)  gone  and  their  wives,  too,  except  Albert 
Shoemaker  and  his  wife,  Lavina  Riddle,  who  live  at  800 
Pacific  avenue.  Long  Beach,  Calif.  He  is  86  years  of  age, 
without  a  gray  hair  and  appears  but  60;  she  is  82.  They 
and  Jacob  Minch  and  wife,  Ann  Eliza  Birkett,  lived  in  our 
tenant  house  and  farmed  our  land  the  first  year  they  were 
m.arried,  1866. 

May  a  grateful  nation  every  pay  tribute  to  their  valor 
and  our  government  long  endure,  which  it  will  if  we  are 
true  to  our  flag. 

No  Red— Without  the  White  and  Blue 
There's  no  other  land  hke  my  land, 

Beneath  the  shining  sun; 
There's  no  other  flag  like  my  flag. 

In  all  the  world — not  one; 
One  land,  one  tongue,  and  one  people, 

To  one  flag  loyal,  true — 
No  red  shall  wave  o'er  my  fair  land 

Without  the  white  and  blue. 
There's  grandeur  in  my  land's  mountains, 

Contentment  in  her  vales ; 
There's  wealth  in  her  broad  prairies, 

There's  freedom  in  her  gales. 
In  my  land  all  men  are  equal. 


124  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL. 

Her  flag  proclaims  it,  too — 
No  red  shall  wave  o'er  my  fair  land 

Without  the  white  and  blue. 
There's  majesty  in  Old  Glory, 

Hope  in  each  stripe  and  star; 
It  heralds  freedom,  liberty, 

To  nations,  near  and  far; 
Unsullied  and  triumphant, 

Glorified,  she  floats  anew — 
No  red  shall  wave  o'er  my  fair  land 

Without  the  white  and  blue. 

— Ernest  E.  Cole. 

The  Methodists  built  their  first  church  on  the  corner  of 
Main  and  Jefl'erson  streets  in  1839,  during  the  pastorate  of 
Rev.  Zadoc  Hall.  This  site  was  exchanged  for  the  corner  of 
Walnut  and  Elm  streets  on  which  their  second  edifice  was 
dedicated  December  8,  1867,  when  Rev.  E.  D.  Hall  was  the 
minister  and  Rev,  J.  Borland  the  presiding  elder.  This  was 
then  the  most  commodious  church  building  in  Washington, 
Illinois. 

The  Presbyterian  church  is  their  second  on  the  original 
site. 

In  the  fall  of  1876  the  Christian  church  was  struck  by 
lightning  and  entirely  destroyed.  They  soon  built  their  third 
church,  for  the  brick  church,  now  the  home  of  the  Telephone 
Co.,  was  their  first  edifice. 

The  Baptists,  too,  were  quite  numerous  in  the  early  life 
of  Washington,  but  lack  of  strength  caused  them  to  disband 
some  years  since. 

The  total  eclipse  of  the  sun  in  August,  1869,  made  ani- 
mal life  believe  that  night  had  come.  The  cattle  and  sheep 
came  to  their  pens  and  lay  down,  the  chickens  went  to  their 
roosts  and  when  it  passed  off  they  crowed  as  though  morn- 
ing had  dawned. 

During  the  Chicago  fire,  which  was  ignited  October  9, 
1871,  the  heat  and  smoke  from  it  produced  here,  150  miles, 
distant,  a  glowing  haze  in  the  atmosphere  of  those  balmy 
autumn  days. 

Professor  Kellogg  was  superintendent  of  schools  in  the 
old  seminary,  and  with  his  family  resided  on  the  corner  of 
Main  and  Holland  streets,  later  known  as  the  Rev.  I.  A.  Cor- 
nelison  home.  Sister  Martha  attended  school  there  and  she 
later  took  me  with  her  when  Prof.  James  Brady  and  Miss 
Isadore  Trimble  were  conducting  an  oral  examination  for 
teachers.    The  Misses  Anna  and  Victoria  Triplet  (later  Mrs. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  125 

Whitmer  Kern  and  Mrs.  Jacob  Ray),  Misses  Mary  R.  and 
Rebecca  V.  Scott  (the  latter  later  Mrs.  John  Guthrie)  were 
among  the  applicants  for  certificates. 

The  school  gave  a  play  in  which  Silas  Eccles  had  the 
leading  part,  and  Monroe  Webster  was  also  in  the  cast.  The 
orchestra  attracted  me  most.  Miss  Molhe  Wood  was  the  ac- 
companist, George  and  Charles  Bayler  and  Dr.  E.  F.  and 
Prof.  Josiah  Wood  were  violinists. 

We  were  two  miles  from  either  Jefferson  or  Greenridge 
schools,  but  belonged  in  the  latter  district.  Our  parents 
were  much  interested  in  education,  and  have  sent  us  to  Jef- 
ferson when  their  teacher  was  superior  to  ours.  Prof.  Cyrus 
Parker,  at  Jefferson,  was  an  excellent  instructor.  My  first 
teacher  was  Miss  Josephine  Sickler,  daughter  of  Jaser  Sick- 
ler,  Sr.,  and  the  first  wife  of  liUther  North,  Miss  Tyaura 
Parker,  daughter  of  Prof,  Cyrus  Parker  and  wife  of  Charles 
Crane,  came  next.  I  was  tutored  by  many,  for  we  often  had 
a  new  teacher  three  times  in  a  school  year.  Moses  Yoker 
stands  out  most  prominent  of  those  at  Greenridge.  He  made 
study  attractive  by  setting  a  goal  and  an  incentive  to  attain 
it.  He  was  a  fine  elocutionist  and  there  were  none  better  as 
a,  grammar  teacher.  There  is  but  one  person  now  residing 
in  Greenridge  district  who  attended  school  there  when  I  did; 
that  is  Mrs.  Julia  White  Callahan,  and  comparatively  few  of 
our  schoolmates  are  now  living. 

Boyhood  Days  at  Greenridge  School 

I  can  see  the  doors  and  windows 

In  the  school  house  far  away, 

Where  in  youth  I  played  and  frolicked 

With  my  schoolmates — ever  gay. 

Moi'e  than  thirty  years  have  fleeted 
Since  the  time  on  Greenridge  ground, 
Where  we  played  all  games  at  noontime. 
And  at  recess  frolicked  round. 
But  all  scenes  are  quite  familiar. 
Desks  and  blackboards,  hooks  and  all. 
Where  we  sat  and  learned  our  lessons — 
Hung  our  hats  on  each  side  wall. 
Teachers  with  an  eye  for  business 
Called  the  roll  and  rang  the  bell, 
But  we  boys  were  full  of  mischief — 
Stories  Oft  times  did  tell. 
Still  we  toiled — recited — figured 
Many  a  problem  with  a  will. 


126  i!JARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

Hoping  thus  to  be  the  master  of 

Each  book  and  learn  to  spell. 

In  we  came  and  took  our  places 

In  the  desks  all  made  of  pine, 

Where  with  penknife  notches  gathered — 

Made  they  were  in  broad  day  time. 

All  the  masters  were  good  fellows; 

Lady  teachers  very  kind, 

Excepting  one  who  flailed  the  writer 

To  the  tune  of  dancing  time. 

And  to  her  Fm  still  revengeful; 

Perhaps  she's  dead — I  can  not  say. 

But  if  she  is — I  can  not  help  it — 

Man  was  bom  to  go  that  way. 

— Lincoln  R.  Scott. 

We  attended  Jefferson  school  under  Prof.  Josiah  Wood. 
He  was  a  real  schoolmaster  and  a  grammar  king.  His 
methods  were  somewhat  in  advance  of  those  of  the  old 
Scothman's  division  of  his  subject  into  four  parts,  viz: 
or-tho-gra-phy,  et-i-me-lo-gy,  swyn-tax  and  per-so-da.  Re- 
capitulation was  a  hobby  of  his.  Often  when  we  became 
restless  he  would  tune  up  his  vioHn,  and  tell  us  what  he  would 
play  or  ask  us  what  we  wished  him  to  play.  Tell  us  who 
the  composer  was  and  of  his  compositions.  He  then  expected 
us  to  work.  Nothing  escaped  his  eyes  or  ears.  We  could 
never  see  eyes  in  the  back  of  his  head,  but  he  could  tell  just 
what  we  were  doing,  even  with  his  back  toward  us.  There 
was  a  cannon  stove;  he  would  riddle,  then  poke  the  fire,  fill 
the  stove  with  coal,  bang  the  door,  throw  the  poker  into  the 
coal-hod  with  a  slam,  then  brush  his  clothes  and  hands  in  a' 
way  all  his  own,  but  this  activity  of  his  still  lingers  with  me. 
He  was  very  approachable,  and  someone  asked  him  why  he 
snrugged  his  shoulders  and  he  rephed,  "When  I  was  a  little 
fellow  I  had  to  wear  a  coat  much  too  large  for  me  an  it  was 
always  slipping  off,  thus  I  acquired  this  habit  of  lifting  it  on 
my  shoulders". 

We  also  attended  his  private  school  in  his  school  house 
and  in  the  west  school  house,  now  called  the  primary  school 
building,  in  the  fall  of  1876.  The  new  brick  school  house  was 
opened  December  1,  1876,  with  Prof.  James  A.  Kelley  as  su- 
perintendent. Miss  Mary  Italin  began  her  teaching  career 
then,  too.  I  entered  the  high  school  January  1,  1877,  with 
84  pupils  in  that  room,  and  my  brothers  entered  the  grades. 
Prior  to  this  date  I  had  been  a  student  in  the  Morris-classic 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  127 

Institute  under  Prof.  Newton  C.  Dougherty,  who  later  be- 
came the  superintendent  of  Peoria's  school  and  the  embez- 
zler of  her  school  funds. 

Uur  get-together  events  during  our  school  days  were  in 
literary  societies,  singing  schools,  temperance  meetings,  Sun- 
day school  conventions,  spelling  schools  and  picnics. 


Additional  Incidents 

The  following  are  a  few  incidents  that  I  have  over- 
looked in  my  historical  sketch  that  may  be  of  interest: 

The  mail  was  first  carried  on  horseback  and  later  by 
four-horse  stage  coaches.  In  1838  Funk  and  Trobridge 
(headquarters  in  Chicago)  took  contracts  on  all  the  country 
]-outes  to  carry  mail  between  Chicago  and  Peoria,  150  miles. 
The  schedule  called  for  a  daily  mail  between  these  points. 

The  green  flies  and  mosquitoes  that  were  in  the  high 
grasses  of  the  sloughs  and  swams  on  the  prairies  in  early 
days  made  life  for  man  and  beast  almost  unbearable. 

I  can  remember  in  early  times  when  two  bushels  of 
wheat  was  given  in  exchange  for  a  day's  work.  Butter  was 
4  cents  per  pound,  and  all  farm  products  were  priced  on  this 
basis. 

Father  on  one  of  his  early  trips  to  Chicago,  where  he 
hauled  produce  to  market,  brought  back  lumber,  stoves  and 
salt  which  he  sold  at  good  prices,  the  latter  bringing  $5.00 
per  barrel. 

In  the  pioneer  times  tlie  custoni  was  for  open  fields,  as 
the  farmers  found  it  cheaper  to  herd  their  stock  than  fence 
their  farms. 

I  remember  Col.  Dan  Miles  as  a  splendid  bass  singer. 
He  belonged  to  the  Washington  quartette,  the  other  members 
being  Sam  Biser,  Chatty  Smith  Price  and  Laura  Potter  Crane. 

Prof.  B.  J.  Radford  in  the  Eureka  Journal :  The  Col.  Dan 
Miles  Grand  Army  Post  of  Eureka  was  named  in  honor  of  a 
man  raised  in  the  neighboring  town  of  Washington,  his  fath- 
er being  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  in  that  village.  When  I 
first  knew  Dan  Miles  he  was  clerking  in  Danforth's  general 
store,  called  by  the  settlers  "the  big  store."  It  was  a  one- 
story  frame  building  with  limestone-walled  basement,  and 
stood  on  the  corner  near  the  northwest  corner  of  the  public 
square,  now  occupied  by  a  garage.  Dan  was  a  tall  handsome 
fellow  and  along  in  the  fifties  organized  a  crack  military  com- 
pany, which  was  a  peculiar  pride  of  the  town.  Dan  was  a 
fine  drill-master  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  his  company  com- 
pared  favorably  in   appearance    and    action    with    Bryner's 


128  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL. 

famous  Blues.  In  1861  Dan  helped  to  organzie  the  47th  Illi- 
nois Infantry  of  which  he  became  Colonel,  and  was  killed 
while  leading  his  regiment  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  April  7, 
1862. 

"Our  fathers  find  their  graves  in  our  short  memories, 
and  sadly  tell  us  how  we  may  be  buried  in  those  of  our 
survivors". 

He  has  not  served  who  gathers  gold, 
Nor  has  he  served  whose  life  is  told 
In  selfish  battles  he  has  won. 
Or  deeds  of  skill  that  he  has  done — 
But  he  has  served  who  now  and  then 
has  helped  along  his  fellow  men. 
Strong  men  to  stand  beside  the  weak, 
Kind  men  to  hear  what  others  speak, 
True  men  to  keep  our  country's  laws, 
And  guard  its  honor  and  it  cause; 
Men  who  will  bravely  play  life's  game 
Nor  ask  rewards  of  gold  or  fame. 

Washington  and  vicinity  has  reached  the  age  when  the 
"old  settlers"  are  now  mostly  the  children  and  grandchildren 
of  the  original  old  settlers.  Much  of  the  history  of  those 
early  days  has  already  been  lost  because  it  was  never  written 
down  and  because  those  who  knew  it  are  dead. 

The  younger  generation  may  not  understand  the  prob- 
lems and  situations  with  which  the  early  settlers  had  to  deal, 
but  nevertheless  it  is  under  obligation  to  give  the  builders  all 
possible  recogniton  and  consideration. 

All  about  us  are  the  landmarks  of  the  yesterdays.  And 
it  is  good  that  it  is  this  way,  for  we  must  never  forget  that 
we  have  what  we  have  because  of  the  courageous  lives  and 
sacrifices  of  thousands  who  have  played  their  parts  and  re- 
tired behind  the  curtains.  We  are  in  happiness,  in  success 
and  in  hope  because  of  the  yesterdays. 

"We  are  only  remembered  by  what  we  have  done." 

When  God  made  the  star  He  did  not  say,  "Earn  praise." 
He  said,  "Give  light."  It  is  to  bring  to  "light"  the  deeds  of 
the  pioneers  and  to  show  our  appreciation  of  the  background 
which  they  made  that  we  contribute  this  memento  of  the  past. 


The  copy  was  furnished  the  newspaper  and  I  did  not 
have  an  opportunity  to  read  or  revise  the  proofs,  so  I  hope 
some  of  the  mistakes  and  grammatical  errors  will  be  excused. 

Emma  Julia  Scott. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  129 

The  James  Smith  Family  Which 

Came  to  Washington  in  Year  18S5 

The  following  is  an  account  of  one  of  the  early  families 
that  settled  in  Washington  and  descendants  of  the  family 
have  continued  to  live  in  the  city  and  take  a  prominent  part 
in  the  welfare  of  the  community: 

James  and  Ann  Cargill  Smith  came  to  New  York  from 
Aberdeen,  Scotland,  in  1834,  Later  on  they  came  around  the 
coast  to  the  Mississippi  river,  then  to  Ft.  Clark,  now  Peoria. 

In  1835  the  Hollands,  who  came  to  Ft.  Clark  to  trade, 
learning  that  Mr.  Smith  was  a  carpenter  contractor,  per- 
suaded him  to  come  to  Washington,  as  they  were  in  need  of 
that  kind  of  a  man. 

Mr.  Smith's  first  home  was  at  the  corner  of  High  and 
Jefferson  streets,  a  one-room  house.  In  1837  he  took  his 
family,  which  consisted  of  his  wife,  two  sons  and  himself, 
to  a  new  home  at  the  north  end  of  Spruce  street.  Here  they 
carried  on  farming  and  carpentering  as  well.  This  was  the 
only  home  they  had,  Mrs.  Smith  living  there  .until  her  death 
in  i898. 

Mr.  Smith  built  many  homes,  schools  and  churches  and 
later  on,  by  the  aid  of  his  sons,  he  had  the  furniture  busi- 
ness, making  all  the  furniture  they  sold.  He  also  had  a 
large  saw  mill  and  employed  many  people.  For  some  time 
the  firm  acted  as  the  undertaker  for  Washington. 

Mr.  Smith  built  all  of  the  depots  on  the  T.,  P.  &  W. 
railroad  from  Bushnell  to  Effner. 

To  the  Smith  union  there  were  born  six  sons,  James, 
John,  William,  David,  Fred  and  George,  and  two  daughters, 
Ellen  and  Susan.  Mrs.  J.  M.  Murray  (Ellen)  of  Riverside, 
Calif.,  is  the  only  one  of  the  family  now  living. 


Some  Early  History  of  Washing- 
ton From  the  Official  Records 


"Picturesque  Washington,  Illinois,"  pubhshed  in  1906  by 
Paul  R.  Goddard  and  Theo.  Roehm,  contained  the  following 
historical  facts: 

The  only  ofhcial  records  of  the  town  of  Washington  ex- 


130  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL. 

tant  today  date  back  to  1839,  When  E.  E.  Heiple  was  elected 
clerk  of  the  city  of  Washington  in  1878  he  received  a  letter 
from  a  relative  of  an  early  settler,  Dr.  Carr,  who  stated  that 
he  had  one  of  the  books  containing  the  early  proceedings  of 
the  town  and  would  send  it  to  him  upon  request.  Mr.  Heiple 
wrote  for  the  document  and  has  since  had  it  in  his  posses- 
sion. While  the  book  of  proceedings  only  contained  a  few 
years  of  the  early  history  of  the  town  it  throws  a  light  on 
the  first  organization.  The  first  date  in  the  book  is  Monday, 
August  20,  1838.  Washington  at  that  time  had  a  town  or- 
ganization and  was  governed  by  a  Town  Board  of  four  Trus- 
tees. The  first  members  of  the  board,  as  shown  by  this 
record,  consisted  of  E.  A.  Whipple,  J.  Kern,  B.  Allen  and  A. 
H.  Danforth.  May  4,  1839,  occurred  an  election  at  which 
James  Brown  was  elected  president  and  Wm.  G.  Spencer, 
George  W.  Danforth,  Peter  Shelly  and  Thomas  Fish,  trus- 
tees. Thomas  Fish  was  appointed  clerk,  Jacob  Kern  asses- 
sor, A.  H.  Danforth  collector,  Haven  Pierce  treasurer  and 
E.  A.  Whipple  street  commissioner.  At  the  first  meeting  of 
this  board  the  following  resolution  was  passed:  "Resolved, 
That  the  corporation  line  be  extended  a  half-mile  each  way 
from  the  center  of  Commercial  Square  so  as  to  contain  one 
mile  square.  All  laws  in  relation  to  the  corporation  boundary 
passed  Mav  5,  1838,  are  hereby  repealed."  At  a  meeting 
held  Mav  11,  1840,  it  was  ordered  that  a  public  well  be  dug 
in  the  Public  Square  and  that  it  be  walled  with  rock  and  a 
pump  put  in  the  same.  May  7,  1840,  R.  M.  Burton  was  ap- 
pointed clerk  of  the  town  board.  The  last  entry  in  this 
book  of  proceedings  was  on  September  4,  1841.  It  was  or- 
dered that  a  fine  be  imposed  on  Sample  and  others  for  dis- 
charging fire  arms  in  the  Public  Square.  This  record  was 
signed  by  Wilham  Holland  as  president. 

That  closes  the  records  of  Washington  until  the  town 
was  incorporated  under  a  special  act  of  the  Legislature  of  the 
State  of  Illinois,  passed  February  10,  1857.  On  March  25, 
1857,  the  Board  of  Trustees  met  and  organized.  All  mem- 
bers were  present  and  were  qualified  by  David  Kyes.  The 
first  trustees  were:  John  L.  Marsh,  R.  B.  M.  Wilson,  James 
Smith,  Dan  L.  Miles  and  Jacob  Sonneman.  John  L.  Marsh 
was  elected  first  president  of  the  board,  R.  C.  Dement  clerk, 
Thomas  Cress  constable,  Asa  H.  Danforth  treasurer  and 
Thomas  Fish  street  commissioner. 

James  Smith  ofi:ered  the  first  resolution:  "Resolved, 
That  any  person  riding  or  driving  on  any  sidewalk  inside  of 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  131 

the  corporation  of  the  town  of  Washington  shall  pay  a  fine 
of  $5.00,  to  be  collected  before  any  Justice  of  the  Peace  for 
the  use  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  town." 

The  board  of  trustees  elected  in  1858  was  Elias  Wenger, 
Ben  Tobias,  Dan  L.  Miles,  Jazer  Sickler  and  Jacob  Sonneman; 
W.  P.  Springate,  clerk. 

The  board  elected  March  7,  1859,  was  Ben  Tobias,  John 
A.  Andrews,  Jazer  Sickler,  S.  Y.  Weiser  and  T.  0.  Brown. 
T.  0.  Brown  was  elected  president,  Wm.  Springate  clerk  and 
Asa  H.  Danforth  treasurer.  The  first  dram  shop  ordinance 
was  passed  April  19,  1859,  and  the  first  licenses  were  granted 
to  George  Jacquin,  A.  Vetterhiefer  and  Henry  Bartlette,  May 
3,  1859. 

September  16,  1859,  Ben  Tobias  and  Jazer  Sickler  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  receive  propositions  to  build  a  jail. 
They  reported  they  could  buy  a  lot  for  $175  and  get  a  jail 
built  for  $125.  Report  received.  November  1,  1859,  the  lot 
on  Jefferson  street  was  bought  for  $175  and  a  contract  to 
build  the  jail  or  calaboose  was  awarded  to  James  Smith  & 
Sons  for  $136. 

The  city  of  Washington  was    organized    and    the    first 
election  held  April  16,  1878.     Peter  Fifer  was    elected   first 
mayor  and  E.  E.  Heiple  clerk.    The  following  are  the  mayors 
who  have  since  been  elected:     Second,  Ben  Tobias,  1879-80 
third,   L.  S.  North,   1881-82;   fourth,   J.  G.  Gorin,    1883-84 
fifth,  W.  B.  Harvev,  1885-86;  sixth,  W.  B.  Harvey,  1887-88 
seventh.  H.  R.  Danforth,  1889-90;  eighth,  G.  W.  Cress,  1891- 
92;  ninth,  J.  H.  Anthony,  1893-94;  tenth,  Ben  Tobias,  1895- 
96;  eleventh,  Ben  Frederick,  1897-98;  twelveth,  H.  L.  Price, 
1899-1900;  thirteenth,  H.  L.  Price,  1901-02;  fourteenth,  D. 
J.  Chaffer,  1903-04;  fifteenth,  C.  P.  Cress,  1905-06. 

(Sixteenth,  Ed  L.  Meyers,  1907-08;  seventeenth,  R.  F. 
Tanton,  1909-10;  eighteenth,  I.  W.  Miller,  1911-12;  nine- 
teenth and  twentieth,  D.  J.  Chaffer,  1913-16;  twenty-first 
and  twenty-second,  E.  H.  Roberts,  1917-20;  twenty-third,  F. 
S.Harvey,  1921-22;  twenty-fourth,  Chris  Ebert,  1923-24; 
twentv-fifth  and  twenty-sixth,  Geo.  H.  Rinkenberger.) 

The  first  council  on  April  18,  1878,  was  Peter  Fifer, 
mayor;  E.  E.  Heiple,  clerk;  John  Dougherty,  attorney;  T.  C. 
Sonneman,  treasurer;  aldermen,  Henry  Mahle,  Henry  Den- 
hart,  James  Cameron,  short  term,  one  year;  D.  J.  Chaffer, 
Lawson  Holland,  E.  Rapp,  long  term,  two  years. 

A  contract  was  made  with  G.  C.  Morgan  to  install  the 
water  works  December  22,  1887.  W.  B.  Harvey  was  the 
mayor  of  the  city. 


132  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

A  contract  was  made  with  the  Sun  Electric  Light  Co. 
and  signed  February  3,  1891.  The  incandescent  hghts  boiler 
blew  up  and  destroyed  the  plant  February  4,  1895.  The  plant 
was  then  moved  near  the  depot  and  arc  light  installed. 
The  Eagle  Electric  Co.  was  installed  in  1900  with  arc  Hghts. 

Today  Washington  is  the  model  little  residence  city.  It 
has  all  the  modern  conveniences  which  go  to  make  a  happy 
and  contented  lot  of  people.  It  has  a  wealthy  and  progressive 
class  of  citizens.  As  has  been  truthfully  stated  there  are 
more  wealthy  people  residing  here  than  in  cities  many  times 
larger.  Not  only  is  this  true,  but  the  people  as  a  whole  are 
all  in  moderate  circumstances. 

The  business  square  of  Washington  was  paved  with 
brick  in  1903  and  one  year  later  South  Main  street  was  paved 
to  the  corporation  line.  A  contract  has  now  been  let  for  the 
paving  of  the  street  to  the  city  limits  on  the  north.  It  will 
not  be  long  until  the  streets  are  also  paved  to  the  city  limits 
east  and  west.  Gravel  roads  connect  at  the  city  limits  and 
run  in  the  four  directions,  the  gravel  road  being  nearly  com- 
pleted on  the  west  all  the  way  to  Peoria. 

Complete  List  of  Graduates  of  the 

Washington  High  School  From  1876 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  graduates  of  the  Washing- 
ton High  School: 

Class  of  1876— Charlotte  Wells,  Belle  Cameron,  Clara 
Crane,   Mary  Italin. 

Class  of  1880— Mary  Cameron. 

Class  of  1881— Angle  Benford,  Lizzie  Gorin,  Mate  Maffit. 

Class  of  1882— Carrie  McDonald,  Frank  Neitz. 

Class  of  1883— Lizzie  Rickman,  Frances  Crow,  Lizzie 
Van  Meter,  Anna  Voorhees,  Bertha  Nafzinger,  Mary  Jane 
Hill,   Lou  Cameron. 

Class  of  1884  —  Ida  Pierce,  Carrie  Voorhees,  Mam.ie 
Bratt,  Ida  Parsons,  Kate  Harms,  Nellie  Gorin,  Carrie  Gibson, 

Lulu  Gove. 

Class  of  1885— Cassie  Danforth,  Leva  A.  Crane,  Telva 
B.  Andrews,  NelHe  Crane,  Hattie  Zinser,  Tina  Van  Meter, 
Harry  L.  Zinser. 

Class  of  1886— John  A.  Andrews,  Louisa  Portman,  Theo- 
dore Roehm,  Hattie  Sheppard,  Kate  Miles,  Robert  Comelison, 
Marv  McDonell. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  133 

Class  of  1887 — Mary  Hartwell,  Hattie  Frederick,  Cora 
Huddleston,  Julia  W.  Smith,  Clara  Alphonso,  Bertha  Small. 

Class  of  1888 — Edith  Dougherty,  Asa  H.  Danforth,  Josie 
North,   Eugene  Fuesslej   Louis  Kelso. 

Class  of  1890 — Lillie  Long,  Edgar  Bon  Durant,  Herman 
Danforth,  George  Wehner,  Plutella  Chaffer,  Laura  Cress, 
Orestes  Ferner,   Frank  Rickman. 

Class  of  1891 — Martha  Dougherty,  Luella  Cress,  William 
Van  Meter. 

Class  of  1892 — Jessie  Enos,  Violet  Crane,  Christie  Wohl- 
gemuth, Susie  McDonell,  Nina  Magarity,  Prudence  Schmuck, 
Fannie  Watson,  Laura  Rickman,  Harriet  Heiple. 

Class  of  1893  —  Paul  W.  Busse,  Amy  Shaffer,  Maona 
Cress,  Pearl  Long,  Clara  Neitz,  Harry  Graham,  Viola  Cress, 
Lulu  Hornish,  Dora  Weber,  Clara  Stormer,  Hattie  Rickman, 
Mary  Smith,  Josephine  Witte. 

Class  of  1894 — Avis  Price,  Mary  Stormer,  Fannie  Price, 
Jessie  Waring,  Josephine  Chaffer,  Anna  Andrews,  Mary  Dan- 
forth, Edith  Welch,  Rae  Crane,  Fred  Kehr,  Ralph  Weirick, 
Etta  Habben,  Frank  Thomas,  Emma  Voorhees,  Eloise  Allen. 

Class  of  1895— Emma  Miller,  Samuel  McCluggage,  Ollie 
Berney,  Charlie  Wehner,  Susie  Allen,  Ida  Birkett,  William 
A.  Gott,  Mary  Bullock,  Susie  Wagner,  Sadie  Glabe,  Bessie 
Minch. 

Class  of  1896— Etta  Smith,  Grace  Corbin,  Mary  Hayes 
Watson,  Laura  Dougherty,  Dora  Holland,  Celia  Bayler,  May 
Cassell,  Lynn  Kent,  Marion  Wilson. 

Class  of  1897— Caroline  Price,  Roy  Smith,  Maude  Hugill, 
Ethel  Keene,  Edna  Hoover,  Pearl  Rapp,  John  McCluggage, 
Roy  Zinser,  Blanche  Stoll,  Clara  Schaeber,  Elizabeth  Weirick, 
Harold  Jones,  Harry  Mason,  Ethel  Cress. 

Class  of  1898  —  Carrie  Harms,  Florence  Bayler,  Dean 
Cassel,  Louisa  Miller,  Effie  Downing,  Dave  McCluggage,  Jes- 
sie Holland,  Thomas  E.  Holland,  Frank  Stormer,  Nellie  E. 
Watson,   Frank  Cramer,   Anna  Haas. 

Class  of  1899 — Eva  Lonnecker,  Bessie  Rapp,  Katherine 
Witte,  Anna  M.  Stahl,  Mary  Weiser,  Clyde  Smith,  Edith 
Yale,  Marie  Wrenn,  Mabel  Armstrong,  Gertrude  Heiple,  Ada 
Zinser,  William  Blumenshine. 

Class  of  1900 — Jennie  Holland,  Laura  Devine,  Bessie  Bir- 
kett, Callie  Eddy,  Clyde  Strubhar,  Gertrude  Wilson,  Mabel 
Whitehill,  Ella  F.  Harms,  Clara  Keil,  Mary  Rapp,  Gertrude 
Carlson,   Mae  Reynolds,   Beatrice  Cockbill,   Viola  Bamber. 


134  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

Class  of  1901— Maude  Heiple,  Hulda  Minch,  Harry  Bir- 
kett,  Dolly  Birkett,  May  Heiple,  Roy  Miller,  Martha  Birkett, 
Bertha  Kraus,   Nellie  Wilkinson. 

Class  of  1903 — Beulah  Hornish,  Elsie  Wrenn,  Maude  An- 
drews, Alice  Pifer,  Elna  Stolt,  Hattie  Carlson,  Eunice  Zaneis, 
Laura  Kice,  Regie  Sencenbaugh,  Gusta  Blumenshine. 

Class  of  1904 — Hattie  Holland,  Theresa  Jacquin,  Elsie 
Heyl,  Ruby  Rapp,  George  Danforth. 

Class  of  1905— Mabel  Tobias,  Robert  F.  Wrenn,  Bessie 
Tervene,  Frank  Heiple,  Barbara  Strubhar,  Grace  Alvord, 
Daniel  Vaubel. 

Class  of  1906— Mildred  Husser,  Pauline  Pfeiffer,  Mabel 
Jones,  Ernest  Rich. 

Class  of  1907 — Fred  Sweitzer,  Walter  Goddard,  Arthur 
Specht,  Stacy  Merchant,  William  A.  Pfeiifer,  Blanche  Lowry, 
Frieda  Streid,  Sylvia  Holland,  Annie  Smith,  Frances  Dough- 
erty. 

Class  of  1908 — Edna  Burkey,  Alvin  Brunnenmeyer,  Ma- 
bel Bontz,  Horace  Dougherty,  Florence  Ebert,  Edward  Heiple, 
William  Holtzman,  Louise  Miller. 

Class  of  1909 — Eleanor  Pruen,  Isadore  Engel,  Ethel 
Cooper,  Caroline  Heiple,  Harold  Geason,  Forrest  Moyer, 
Anna  Frederick,  Ida  Bellows,  Elsie  Danforth,  William  Vau- 
bel, Meinhardt  Ryf ,  Chester  Birkett. 

Class  of  1910 — Roy  Risser,  Lloyd  Sampson,  Emma 
Vaubel,  Hattie  Stolt,  Hayes  Ferner,  Elsie  Pfeiffer,  Harold 
Heiple,  Mary  Holtzman,  Arthur  Vogelgesand,  Esther  Wolge- 
muth,  Bernard  Volz,  Josephine  Sullivan,  William  Sullivan. 

Class  of  1911 — Harry  Blumenshine,  Ochel  Haines,  Wil- 
liam Buck,  Oliver  Enselman,  Donald  Heiple,  lona  Heyl,  Cul- 
lom  Long,  Beulah  Manshardt,  Jack  Waltmire,  Sadie  Vaubel, 
Prudence  Trowbridge,  Steele  Zinser,  Milton  Rich,  Inez  Samp- 
son, Clayton  Roehm,  Ray  Sencenbaugh,  Irene  Wehner,  Max 
Webster,  Glenn  Weeks,  Martha  Waltmire,  Aldred  Waltmire, 
Fred  Vogelgesang,  Sarah  Vaubel. 

Class  of  1912 — Imogene  Goddard,  Trella  Valentine,  Clara 
Theilbar,  Grace  Hornish,  Marguerite  Bennett,  Dorothy  Holt- 
greve,  Isabelle  Danforth,  Grace  Belsly,  Matilda  Schuck,  Elva 
White,  Helen  Hungerford,  Hazel  Wagner,  Ella  Best,  Bessie 
Lowry,  Esther  Strubhar,  George  Willhardt,  Robert  Stormer, 
Glenwood  Tanton,  John  Glabe,  Paul  Holtgreve,  Clyde  Petri, 
Herbert  Keil,  Robert  Zinser,  Charles  Strathman,  Robert 
Dougherty,    Donald  Hops. 

Class  of  1913  —  Patience  Pennewill,  Clifford  Stivers, 
Lawrence  Smith,  George  Moehl,  Lester  Spring,  Ralph  Swal- 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  135 

low,  Henry  Wiese,  Robert  Sullivan,  Ruth  Sencenbaugh,  Caro- 
lyne  Phillipi,  Phillips  Goddard,  John  Brunnenmeyer,  Denver 
P'rederick. 

Class  of  1914 — Vera  Manshardt,  Vera  Valentine,  Bessie 
Martini,  Bessie  Belsly,  Opal  Petri,  Marguerite  Geason,  Flor- 
ence Berney,  Helen  Miller,  Eleanor  Jenkins,  George  Zehr, 
Wendell  Trower,  Clifford  Manshardt,  Frank  Stivers,  William 
Engel,  John  Blumenshine. 

Class  of  1915 — William  Scharp,  Nellie  Ropp,  Josephine 
Myers,  Luella  Brunnenmeyer,  Josephine  Pennewill,  Ruth 
Strubhar,  Telva  Roehm,  Barbara  Imhoff,  Clarence  Roehm, 
Gertrude  Holtgreve,  Louise  Ryf,  Rufus  Rich,  Agnes  Ensel- 
man,  Florence  Danforth,  Lester  Ebert. 

Class  of  1916— Alice  Birkett,  Wayne  Bennett,  Verna 
Belsly,  Charles  McVey,  Frances  Childress,  Knoble  Roe^im, 
Mildred  Garber,  Ernest  Pfeiffer,  Bernice  Weeks,  Robert  Mil- 
ler, Helen  Weeks,  Harold  Ebert,  Helen  Holtzman,  Susan 
Simpson,  Paul  Schmidt,  Harold  Sampson. 

Class  of  1917 — Augusta  iMoehl,  Katherine  Jenkins,  Na- 
thaniel White,  Bessie  Morris,  Katherine  Schmidt,  Bell  Cock- 
bill,  Clee  Roth,  Ross  Huguet,  Maurice  Thomas,  Berl  Bride, 
Irma  Minch,  Frances  Mahle,  Lee  Blumenshine,  John  Norris, 
Bernice  McClintock,  Robert  Schroen,  Florence  Thielbar. 

Class  of  1918— Josephine  Belsly,  Amy  WilUams,  Edward 
Koenig,  Iva  Naffziger,  Elizabeth  Schuck,  Thomas  Waughop, 
Silas  Crocker,  Harold  Muller,  Lloyd  Risses,  Raymond  Ebert, 
Kenneth  Petri,  Robert  Ryf,  Harold  Jenkins,  Gladys  Horn- 
beck,  Mabel  Risser,  Lena  Deatherage,  Mary  Burroughs,  Eber- 
hardt  Schoon,  Harold  Blumenshine. 

Class  of  1919 — Margaret  Belsly,  Pearl  Hagenstoz,  Viola 
Hoeflin,  Orva  Kera,  Ruth  Schaefer,  Erma  Stormer,  Gladys 
Weeks,  Olga  Winkler,  Fay  Chase,  Harlan  Danforth,  Kem 
Homish,  Floyd  Muller,  Jesse  Orth,  Clifford  Roehm,  Lyle 
Strubhar,  Edward  Sullivan,  Samuel  Zinser. 

Class  of  1920 — Chauncey  Blumenshine,  Miriam  Roehm, 
Nealie  Hawbecker,  Ethel  Spring,  Keith  Wehner,  Marie  Fer- 
ner,  Grace  Huddleston,  Christian  Sommer,  Ralph  Sullivan. 

Class  of  1921— Russell  Decker,  Evalyn  Camp,  Thelma 
Ebert,  Esther  Hoefln,  Mars  Homish,  Josephine  Miller,  James 
Morris,  Charlotte  Norris,  Raymond  Pfeiffer,  Ethel  Shaffer, 
Lois  Thewlis,  Homer  Thomas,  Harold  White,  Ruby  Williams. 

Class  of  1922— Margaret  Burgi,  Maud  Danforth,  Helen 
Garber,  Dorothy  Fichl:,  Esther  Glabe,  Walter  Guth,  Charles 
Heiple,  Elenora  Hexamer,  Lucy  Horabeck,  Raymond  Jones, 


136  EARLY  HISTORY   OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

Anna  Hulse,  August  Martini,  Clifford  Menz,  Thurman  Muller, 
Paul  Mahle,  Susan  Belsly,  Edward  Schabinger,  Mae  Scharp, 
Beatrice  Snell,  Viola  Sommer,  Earl  Summer,  Lloyd  Vercler, 
Myrvan  Weeks,  Esther  Willhardt,  Eugene  Wehner. 

Class  of  1923 — Alice  Risser,  Helen  Mahle,  Isadore  Bay- 
ler,  Meredith  Mosley,  Mary  Evelyn  Hoeilin,  Lyle  Spring, 
Clarence  Blumenshine,  Orva  Wistehuff,  Christian  Blumen- 
shine,  Donald  Muller,  Clara  Frederick,  Harvey  Summer,  Alice 
Esch,  Ervin  Wagner,  Mary  Stormer,  Alvin  Menz,  Margaret 
Ebert,  Luella  Guth. 

Class  of  1924— Helen  Birkett,  Anna  Bridt,  Gladys  Bra- 
die,  Lorraine  Decker,  Elsie  Ekena,  George  Femer,  Gerdon 
Gundy,  Harold  Heitzman,  Ethel  Kehl,  Maurice  Marshall,  Car- 
line  Ortwein,  Harper  Roehm,  Lura  Springer,  Marietta  Storey, 
Edna  Snell,  Mildred  Wurmnest,  Carolyne  Zinser,  Adrian 
Brook,  Clarence  Brunnenmeyer,  Arthur  Berck,  Marion  Deck- 
er, Mabel  Esch,  Florence  Guth,  WelHngton  Heyl,  Agnes 
Hunkler,  Ralph  Muller,  Susan  Mahle,  Ralph  Rinkenberger, 
Lillian  Rich,  Ira  Summer,  Ida  Shaffer,  Lois  Tilton,  Helen 
Thomas. 

Class  of  1925— NeUie  Belsly,  Margaret  Birkett,  Alice 
Chellberg,  Carl  Diebel,  Ralph  Esch,  Viola  Guth,  Gertruc^e 
Heiple,  Pauline  Hucckins,  Glenwood  Imhoff,  Mary  Jenkins, 
Marcia  McClung,  Viola  Newman,  Margaret  Orth,  Doris  Ropp, 
George  Storey,  Orva  Vogelgesang,  Carl  Wood,  Glenn  Wag- 
ner, Frank  Belsly,  Esther  Bradle,  Carroll  Imhoff,  Miles  Dun- 
nington,  Catherine  Fish,  Rhoda  Hornish,  Cecil  Huguet,  Vic- 
toria Hoeflin,  Gilbert  Kyes,  Louise  Myer,  Fred  Nash,  Ben- 
jamin Pfefhnger,  Eunice  Schertz,  Ralph  Vercler,  Ethel  Wind, 
Walter  Williams. 

Class  of  1926— Clyde  Nutty,  Bernice  Bradle,  Ruth  Hol- 
land, Henry  Kehl,  Lucile  Vaubel,  Walter  Muller,  Josephine 
Mahle,  Eva  Stock,  Mildred  Heyl,  Angie  Thomas,  Milton 
Wagner,  Harold  Boley,  Catherine  Stormer,  Ernest  Hurst, 
Frances  Decker,  Homer  Muller,  Lois  Brown,  Verna  Summer, 
Nellie  Hartman,  Robert  Roehm,  Raymond  Blumenshine,,  Or- 
ville  Guth,  Richard  Payne,  Cecilia  Brown,  Sybil  Ficht,  Mae 
Muller,  Beula  Attig,  Irvin  Slonneger,  Esther  Kinsinger,  Les- 
ter Vohland,  Floy  Crabtree. 

Class  of  1927— Frances  Birkett,  Thelma  Deatherage, 
Kenneth  Naffziger,  Jessie  Oberlander,  Orvel  Schroen,  Mel- 
vin  Sommer,  Stephen  Smetana,  Margaret  Handschu,  Sarah 
Gerken,  Frances  Miller,  Maona  Nafziger,  Clara  Thomas, 
Helen  Tilton,  Carl  Vaubel,  Homer  Stormer,  Margaret  Stein, 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL.  137 

Ii-vin  Vogelgesang-,  Donald  Willhardt,  Josephine  Vohland, 
Minerva  Robbins,  David  Snell,  Harry  Williams,  Orville  Kamp, 
Joseph  Deatherage,  Gertrude  Decker,  Fayette  Draher,  Helen 
Ebert,  Dorothy  Imhoff. 

Class  of  1928 — Glen  Slonneger,  Orville  Thomas,  Stanley 
Weppler,  Frances  Mahle,  Willis  Brown,  Clara  Davison,  Glad- 
den Esch,  Louise  Murray,  Willis  Sullivan,  Walter  Koppen- 
hoefer,  Edith  Kinsinger,  John  Roehm,  Wilson  Kimmell,  An- 
drew Hoeflin,  Henry  Esser,  Ernest  Miller,  George  Funk, 
Martha  Stock,  Irvin  Nofsinger,  Irvin  Kopp,  Vernon  Nof- 
singer,  Eugene  Zinser,  Clarence  Slonneger,  Paul  Sullivan, 
Erma  Blumenshine,  Russell  Leighton,  Edward  Diebel,  Mil- 
dred Garber,  Alma  Shaffer,  Frieda  Minch,  Donald  White, 
Tilman  Theobald,  Elmo  Muller. 

Class  of  1929 — John  Blumenshine,  Clarence  Brown, 
Blanche  Dingledine,  Gilbert  Gross,  Bessie  Heiser,  Catherine 
Imhoff,  Milton  Kamp,  Gertrude  Ochenrider,  Elda  Spring, 
Catherine  Schabinger,  Vera  Vogelgesang,  Virginia  Busse, 
Mildred  Brown,  Arta  June  Dixon,  Lyle  Hartman,  Anna 
Randschu,  Alice  Kimmell,  Clyde  Belsly,  Clara  Perrine, 
Dorothy  Small,  Catherine  Spring,  Ruth  Wehner,  Robert 
Bradle,  Nellie  Christ,  Florence  DuBois,  Willis  Hett,  Dorothy 
Holtzman,  Robert  Kern,  Clare  McClung,  Dorothy  Sullivan, 
Clayton  Summer,  Elizabeth  Storey. 


Celebration  of  the  105th  Anni- 
versary of  the  Methodist  Church 


The  Centennial  of  the  establishment  of  the  Methodist 
church  in  Washington  was  celebrated  on  April  19,  20  and  21, 
1928.  The  event  was  planned  by  Rev.  S.  L.  Myers,  pastor, 
and  the  members  of  the  congregation. 

On  Thursday  evening,  April  19,  the  pageant,  "A  Century 
of  Methodism,"  written  by  Mrs.  Esther  Myers,  was  presented 
at  the  church.  There  were  three  scenes  in  the  pageant,  "The 
Founding  of  the  Methodist  Society  at  Holland's  Grove  in 
1828,"  "The  Departure  of  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Stephen  Beggs  in 
1830,"  and  "The  Building  of  the  First  Methodist  Church  in 
1839." 

The  cast  of  characters  was  as  follows: 

William  Holland  E.  Garber 

Mrs.  William  Holland Mrs.  P.  A.  Birkett 

Senath  Holland  - Roberta  Burkey 


138  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 

William  Heath L.  E.  Wood 

Mrs.  William  Heath  - Mrs.  W.  E.  Petri 

James  Harvey George  Muller 

Mrs.  James  Harvey Cora  Hill 

Lawson  Holland Howard  Hughes 

Rev.  Jesse  Walker J.  M.  Cooper 

Elizabeth  Heath  Lois  Tilton 

Harriett  Heath  Lois  Birkett 

Rev.  Stephen  Beggs Lucien  Wise 

Matilda  Holland Elizabeth  Wood 

Rev.  Zadok  Hall  Ralph  Muller 

Henson  Thomas Kenneth  Naffziger 

.  Mrs.  Henson  Thomas  Iris  Tilton 

Abraham  Van  Meter Davd  Snell 

William  Birkett  Chester  Birkett 

William  Thompson Wilson  Kimmell 

Thomas  Trimble Gilbert  Muller 

William  Holland,  Jr James  Small 

Mary  Holland  Ruble  Casper 

Hannah  Harvey Marion  Birkett 

Wesley  Harvey .— -  James  Roehm 

William  Harvey William  Roehm 

Levicy  Holland Audrey  Seaton 

The  pageant  was  coached  by  Mrs.  Pauline  Hughes  and 
Mrs.  Rita  Marshall. 

Friday  evening,  April  20,  was  Fellowship  evening.  At 
6:30  a  pot-luck  supper,  and  at  7:30  a  program  of  music  and 
speaking  in  the  auditorium.  Mrs.  W.  A.  Pinckney,  Rev.  R. 
W.  Ames  and  Rev.  W.  B.  Shoop  recalled  memories  of  former 
days. 

Sunday,  April  22,  at  11  a.  m.,  sermon  by  Dr.  Guy  Z. 
Moore,  and  at  7:30  p.  m.  an  address  by  Dr.  John  H.  Ryan, 
the  conference  historian. 


Historical  List  of  Many  of  Our 

Old  Settlers  Compiled  for  Record 

Those  Whose  Birth  Antedate  1800,    Thomas  Birkett,  Sr. 

A.  D.  Henry  Bogardus 
James  Allison  of  Eureka  Rev.   John   Bowen 
Rev.  Wells  Andrews,  Sr.  George    Burrow- 
Nicholas  Baker  William  Birkett 
Sam    Beck  Reuben   Bandy 
John  Birkett.   Sr.  Walter  Birkett 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 


139 


Thomas  Birkett 

Thomas  Brady 

Garret  Burns 

Dr.   Robert   Burton 

Thomas  Bullock  of  Eureka 

Willoughby  Capes 

Rev.  Nathan  W.  J.  Curtiss 

Mathew   Crane,   Sr. 

"Pap"  Coon 

Thomas  Camlin 

Archie   Crobb 

Ira   Crosby 

Dr.  Carr 

Peter  P.  Cartwright 

Rev.    Jason   Corwin 

Richard   N.    Cullom 

Thomas  Castle 

George  Cradle,  Sr. 

Mr.   Davidson  of  Eureka 

John  Durham 

George  Duncan,  Sr. 

Rev.  John  Evans 

Rev.   George  Elliott 

Ira   Fish 

Samuel  G.  Franklin 

William  Farrow,  Sr. 

Abraham  Grove 

Henry  Grove 

Emanuel   Hartman 

William  Holland,  Sr. 

William  Heath 

Joshua  N.  Harlan 

Martin  B.  Hornish 

William  Houshaw 

Samuel  Hawkins 

Titus  Hungerford 

Jonathan  Hodge 

Janes  Harvey 

Rev.  Zadock  Hall 

Luke  Humphrey 

Richard  Higgins 

George  Hill 

Amhurst  Kingsbury 

George  Kern 

Laban  Kyes,  Sr. 

Abram  Rice 

Joseph  Kilso,  Sr. 

William  Kern 

Henry  Kice 

Jacob  Lindley 

John  Lindley 


John  L.  Marsh 

Joseph  Buckingham  Miles 

James  McClure 

Benjamin  Mitchell 

Rev.  Reuben  H.  Maffett 

Parker  Morse 

Morgan  McCockhill 

Benj.   Majors  of  Eureka 

Phillip  Nicholai 

Rufus  North 

Cyrus  Parker 

Jacob  E.  Parsons 

Haven  "Dad'   Pierce 

Joseph  Planck 

Alden  Ranney 

William  Ricketts 

John    Redman 

Eli  Redman 

Milton  Shurtleff 

Joshua  Staples 

George  H.  Shaw 

Wm.   G.  Spencer 

Robert  Smith 

Lyman   Smith 

John  Sunderland. 

Peter  Tobias 

William  Thompson 

William  Trimmer 

Thomas  Trimble 

Abram  Van   Me.>;r 

Thomas   L.   Wathan 

William  Wilson 

James  West 

James  Wright 

Levi  Walkei- 

William  Weeks 

August  Whipple 

James  Waughop 

Theodore  Walker 

E.  A.  Whipple 

Mr.  Wagner 

James   F.   Waughop 

Dr.  G.  P.  Wood 

James  Wathen 


Those  WTiose   Births    Were   From 
1800  To  1835 

John  H.  Anthony 
Dr.    R.    G.   Allen 
Rev.  William  Adams 


140 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 


Brazilla  Allee 

Dr.   J.   Quincy  Adams 

Chas.  N.  Anthony,  Sr. 

Elijah  M.   Applegate 

Robert  Anderson 

Benjamin  Allen 

George   Applegate 

John   Brown 

Phillip  Brown 

John  M.   Bush 

Lewis   Beal 

Peter  Brubaker 

Robert   Barnard 

George  Bayler,  Sr. 

Asa   Brown 

William  Burroughs 

Benjan-in  Beddow 

George  Bon  Durant 

Mr.  Baird,  Eureka,  9  8  years 

James  S.  Bell 

Thomas  Baird,  Sr. 

William  B.  Bogardus 

David  Brubaker 

Thomas  Baker 

William  Buckley 

John  Bayler 

Thomas  Baird,  Jr. 

Rev.   Romulus  Barnes 

Squire  D.  Baker 

Ira  Castle 

Dr.   3.  W.  D.   Chase 

David   Cargill 

Henry  Cress,  Sr. 

Rev.  I.  A.  Cornelison,  D.  D. 

Thomas  Cress 

Abram  Chaffer 

Thomas  Cooper 

Vivian  Cloud 

William   Criswell 

Mr.  Capes 

George  Cashman,   1805 

James  R.   Crane 

John   Cargill 

Orin  Castle 

A.  A.  Couch 

Mathew  Craig 

John  Cassels 

James  Cogswell 

Joseph  Culbertson 

Andrew  Cress 

Chauncv  C.  Crandle 


William  Cunningham 
George  Crandle,  Jr. 
Shelby  M.  CuUom 
Thomas   Crane 
Joel  Cloud 
Henry  Dimmott 
Asa  Danforth 
Samuel  Davis 
Henry  Danforth,  Sr. 
John  Dunlary 
George  Deibert 
John  Dingeldine 
John  W.  Dougherty 
Andrew  Denhart 
Joshua   Dunnington 
Isaac  P.  Dayhoff 
James  H.  Elworthy 
Wm.  Eiramett 
Isaac  Eversoll 
Joseph  Eccles 
Mr.   Eggleston 
H.   Slem   Eckhart 
Rev.   George  Elliott 
Roland  Ellis,  Sr. 
John  Enrest 
Joseph  Ellis,  Sr 
Benjamin  Egley 
Mr.  Eichelberger 
Mr.  Engle 
Phillip  G.  Ferree 
Thomas  Fish 
George  Ferner,  Sr. 
Anthony  Field 
Rev.  George  W.  Freese 
Andrew  Frazer 
Peter  Fleming 
Jonas  Farlin 
John  Frederick 
Nicholas  Fries 
George  Fish 
Frederick  Fries 
Geo.  L.  Gibson 
John  Gaunt 
Jiles  Greenman 
Sanford  P.  Gorin 
Christian  Garber,  Sr. 
Wm.  C.  George 
George  Gipp 
Mr.  Gillura 
Hiram    Gove 
Samuel    Gove 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 


141 


Heuiy  Grove 

Abrani  Grove 

Henry  Geason 

George  Gerard 

Andrew  Gerbrick 

Thomas  Gaunt 

Jack  Gorin   (colored) 

Emanuel   Garber,   Sr. 

Dr.  Goodman 

Rev.  Dr.  Green 

Noah  Graves 

Charles  Greenman 

Henry  Heiple,  Sr. 

Michael  Herbert 

David  Hill 

Wesley  B.  Harvey 

Alathew  Holland 

Rev.  Hughes 

William  Higgins 

Milton  Hicks 

William  Huxtable,  Sr. 

Martin   Huddlesion 

Mr.  Hawbaker 

Berry  Huddleston,    1835 

Richard  Higgins 

James  Huddleston 

Henry  Hops,  Sr. 

Frederick  Hill 

Lev.   Heriford 

Rev.  Daniel  R.  Howe 

J.  Hadley 

William   Hittle 

Lawson  Holland 

William  Holmes 

Israel  Hicks 

Richard  Hartley 

J.  Hadley 

Rev.  Dr.  S.  W.  Harkey 

Thomas  Huxtable 

William  Hepperly 

William  Holland,  Jr. 

Thomas  Holland,  Sr. 

Andrew   Hoeflin,    Sr. 

Conrad  Italin 

John  Johnson 

J.  Roger  Jenkins 

Daniel  Jones,  Sr. 

Joseph  Kelso 

William   Kelso 

Benjamin  P    Kelly 

David  Kindig 


Joseph   Kindig 

Francis  A.  Kellogg 

Nathaniel   Kellogg 

Ji  cob  Kern 

John  Kyd 

Mathew  Kingman 

James  Kyes 

David  Kyes 

George   Kinnear 

Emanuel  Kindig 

John  Kice 

John  Kopp 

Robert  Kelso 

Aaron   Kelso 

Prof.   Kellogg 

Benjamin  Kindig 

Henry   Kopp 

Thomas  Kirk 

John  Kern 

Edwin  Kingsbury 

Adam  Koker,  Sr. 

Joseph  Kidd 

Jacob  Kennel 

Charles  L.  Kyes 

William  Lockwood 

John    Lowman 

Billings  Lewis 

Watson  Lockwood 

Ezra  Lee 

George  Lewln 

George    Lewis 

Wilson   Lane 

James   Lane 

Rev.   F.   Sanford   Martin 

Rev.  John  Maris 

Mr.   Milligan 

Solomon   Myers,   Sr. 

Benjamin  Miles 

John   McClintock 

James  Marsh 

William  Mooberrj 

William  Murphy 

William  Merchant 

Peter  Myers 

John    McClintook 

Benjamin  Miles 

Jonathan  Mills 

Joe  Majors 

Will   Major 

Joe  Meek 

Henrv  Meek 


142 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 


Jack  Mitchell 
George  McCuUough 
Geo.  L.  Myer 
Rev.  R.  B.  McCorkle 
Milas  McCorkle 
John  Minch,  Sr. 
Josiah   Moore 
Alex  Mooberry 
William  Monroe 
Jack   McGinnis 
James  McCloud 
Hamilton  McClure 
Timothy  McCarty 
Valentine  Naffziger,  Sr. 
Cyrus  Nyles 
Dr.  Benjamin  Nichols 
Thomas  Norvell,   1825 
George  P.  Nicolai 
Thomas   Nelson 
Benjamin  O'Brien 
Dennis   Osborn 
Phillip  Orth,  Sr. 
David  Osborn 
Mr.  Ott 
Mr.   Pearl 
Allen  Patrick 
Peter   Portman,   Sr. 
John  Plum,  Sr. 
Andrew  Pinkham 
Joseph   Portman 
Jesse  Petty 
Eli   Patrick 
Andrew  Pinkhani 
Alfred  Phillips 
James  Plum,  Sr. 
John  Phillips 
Hiram  Parker 
William  Reed 
George  Reubsam 
William  A.  Ross 
William   Ricketts 
James  Ramsey 
George  Rogers 
Thomas  Roberts 
Joseph  Rich,  Sr. 
Andrew  Roads,   1810 
Mr.  Rubles 
James  Robinson 
Prof.   B.  J.  Radford 
David  Riegel 
Thomas  Reed 


Hamilton  Riddle 

Mortimore   Robinson 

Mr.  Ratleff 

Christian  Risser 

Joe  Reed 

Mr.  Richardson 

A.  Stockwell 

J.  Randolph  Scott 

William  Sample 

L.  J.  Smith 

Jaser  Sickler,  Sr. 

John  Stock   (father  of  George) 

Christian   Shaffer 

Thomas  Scott 

Samuel  Stumbaugh 

Auric  Smith 

Thomas  Strickland 

William  Sang 

Mr.  Sutton,  S.-. 

Emil  Schaeber 

James  Smith,  Jr 

George  Shafer 

Nicholas  Slagle 

James  Slagle 

James  Slack,  Sr. 

Peter  T.  Strubhar,  Sr. 

John  Sampson 

Jacob  Stevens 

James  Patterson  Scott 

Peter  P.  Scott 

James  Smith,  Sr 

R.   D.  Smith 

Adam  Switzei 

John  Seitzei,  Sr. 

William  Smith,  Sr. 

Horace  Sill 

Elmore  Shoemaker 

Jacob  Sonneman 

Robert  Small 

John   Small,   Sr. 

Alex  Small 

Josiah  Snyder 

Jethrow  Sumler 

Reuben  Skinner 

Lorin  Trowbridge,  Sr. 

Lewis  Tobias 

Andrew  Thomas 

Morris  Reece  Trimble 

Mr.  Timberman 

Henry  Tobias 

James  Thomas 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON.  ILL. 


14:5 


Frank  L.  Tobias 

Tunas  Ten  Eyck 

Hensen  Thomas 

George  Thomas 

Mr.  Truett 

Jolin  Unsicker 

Jolin  Vining 

Rhodes  Van  Meter 

William   Van   Camp 

Jacob  Vining 

John  Van  Camp,  Sr. 

Nathan  W.  Van  Meter 

Real  D.  Van  Meter 

William  Van  Meter 

Phillip  Vauble 

John  Vauble 

George  Woodcock' 

Dr.   Elias  Wenger 

Richard  Waughop,  Sr. 

James  J.  Waughop 

Dr.   R.   B.   M.   Wilson 

Jacob  Wilsoi: 

Phillip  Wareham 

Richard   White,   Sr. 

Mr.  Webster  (father  of  A.  M.) 

John  E.  Waughop 

George  Woodcock 

James  Wright 

Warren  Willard 

Dr.  Elias  Wenger 

James   J.    Waughop 

Levi  Walker  • 

Ja:ob  Wilson 

Richard  White,  Sr. 

Dr.  E.  F.  Wood 

Prof.   Josiah   P.   Wood 

William  Wallace 

James  Wathan 

William  Witte 

Silas  Willard 

Richard  Waughop,  Sr. 

John  Weeks 

Samuel  Y.  Weiser 

Nesbert  Young 

Prof.    Moses   Yoder 

George  C.  Yale 

William  B.  Yale 

Solomon    Zinser,    Sr. 

Mr.  Zaneis  (father  of  Nicholas) 

Frederick  Aubrey 


Those   Whose   Births   Were   After 
1835 

Frank  Aubertine,  Sr. 

Wells  Andrews,  Jr. 

John  Augustine 

Dr.  A.  Alphonso 

J.  C.  Ashmon 

George  Andrews 

John  Asa  Andrews 

Ernest  Augustine 

Hamlet  Amsbary 

A.  Abrahams 

Charles  Anthony,  Jr. 

Henry  Bliss 

Chas.  L.  Birkett 

Herman  Bunn 

William  Barnes 

John   Baetty 

Robert   Bamber 

Elias  Benford 

Benjamin  Bratt 

T.  O.  Brown 

John  Bassett 

R.  S.  Burnham 

Obed  Brown 

R.  Bingham 

R.  B.  Brandon 
J.  W.  Blumenschein 
P.  A.  Brubaker 
George  Bayler,  Jr. 
Frank  Risser 
Valentine  Burkey 
James  Baughman 
Wesley   Beauchamp 
Joseph   Birkett 
Thomas  Barrett 
James  Burns 
Adam  Burke,  Sr. 
Sol  Betz 
James  Berney 
Milton  Berry,  Sr. 
Thornton  L.  Benford 
George   Burchard 
John  Bloodworth 
W,m.  A.  Birkett 
John  Brown 
J.  C.  Bowman 
John  Blumenshine 
Wm.  G.  Bontz 


144 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 


B.  F.  Biser 
Charles   Bayler,   Jr. 
G-eorge  Blackwell 
G.  C.  Bradford 
James  F.  Brady 
Lafayette  B'rkett 
W.  S.  Bowen 
George  Botham 
Joe  Bassett 
John  Burkey 
John  Crandle 
Thomas  Cooper 
Milton  Cloud 
Thomas  Crane 
John  Chaffer 
Dr.  Willia^m  Crane 
Samuel  Cushmaa 
James  Cams 
James  Cameron 
J.  P.  Oullen 
G.  G.  Curtiss 
Walter  H.   Crow 
Jack    Cress 
Dan  J.  Chaffer 
Elijah  Chaffer 
Johnson  Cornwell 
Jesse  B.  Cooper 
Fred  Chaffer 
Mathew  Craig 
Isaac  Cams 
Mr.  Corzelius 
H.  A.  Criswold 
George  M.  Cullen 
George  Crance 
Charles  Crane 
George  W.  Cress 
George  Cline 
Dr.   Crawford 
Calvin  Cress 
Thomas  Cress 
Andrew  Cress 
Peyton   Cress 
Peter  Dorward 
Henry  Deffenbaugh 
John  Dunnington 
James  Duncan 
Henry  R.   Danforth 
Henry  Denhart 
K.   C.   Dement 
James  M.  Drummard 
Reuben  Dunnington 


James  Davis 
James  Darnell 
Wm.  A.  Davidson 
Henry  Danforth,  Jr. 
John  Dorward 
Salem  Deffenbaugh 
George  Duncan 
A.  G.  Danforth 
Lemuel  Danforth 
Edward  Dameroll 
M.  Diebel 
M.  S.  Davidson 
Robert  Davis 
William  Drury 
Benjamin  Egley 
John  Eggman 
Oliver  P.  Eaton 
Eli  Enos 
Silas  Eccles 
Mr.  Eggleson 
William  Edwards 
John  B.  Ewing 
Josiah  Ernest 
Joseph    Ellis,    Sr. 
Dr.  Eldridge 
Lewis  Freese 
George  Floyd 
John  Wesley  Ferner 
Benjamin  Field 
Charles  Fish 
Peter  Fifer 
Jonathan  Frazer 
D.  Fairchild 
Mike  Foster 
Nicholas  Fries,  Sr. 
Nicholas  Fries,  Jr. 
Zethan  Freepe 
George  Ferner,  Jr. 
Frank  Field 
Benjamin  Frederich 
George  Fish 
Henry  Frilman 
Phillip  Fishburn 
J.  F.  Panchaiers 
Edward  Fish 
Fred  P'ries 
Henry  Field 
Rev.  Green     -    . 
John  Garber 
Isaac  Graves 
John  G.  Gorin 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 


^^l 


Cyruii  Gibsou 

Dr.  W.  T.  Griffith 

Harvey  W.  Gove 

Henry  Glabe 

Levi   Glabe 

Martin  Greenman 

Joseph  Garber 

James  Gullett 

Alex  Graham 

James  Gott 

George  Guyver 

F.  A.  Geason 

Henry  Gieselman 

Mr.  Ganzhorn 

Mr.  Garrison   (father  of  Job) 

Miles  Humphrey 

William    Henry  Humphrey 

George  Horner 

Noah  Heiple 

Levi  Hanford 

Gideon  Hornish 

Alex  Heiple 

Herman  Habben 

Jacksin   Hukill 

Frank  Harrington 

Wm.  C.  Harding 

William  Hadley 

Lewis  Holland 

Richard  Helwig 

Chas.   C.   Holland 

Almond  Holland 

George  Holland 

Conrad  Italin,  Miss  Mary's  father 

Andrew  Heflin 

Stephen  Decatur  Humphrey 

John  Haines 

Henry  Heiple,  Jr. 

Eli  E.  Heiple 

James  Huddleston 

Henry  Hornish 

Cyrus  Hornish 

Henry  Hops 

Oliver  Hungerford 

Newton  Harlan 

George  Huxtable,  Sr. 

Thomas   Handsaker 

John  Hopkins,  Sr. 

Joseph   Hostettler,   Sr. 

Henry  Harms,  Sr. 

Nicholas  Huguet 


John  Hagensto/ 

George  Hagenstoz 

George  Johnson 

Daniel  Jones,  jr. 

George  Jacquiu 

William  Jones 

Clark  Kelso 

Phillip  King 

Joseph  Kidd 

John  Rupp 

Christuf  Kui>p 

Phillip  Kimb.e 

William  Kirk 

Adam  Koker,  Jr. 

James  Kimbie 

David  Kern 

Martin    Kern 

Charles   Kern 

John  C.  Kyes 

Fred   Kerr,   Sr. 

Rev.  G.  G.   Know]  (III 

James  S.   Kelly 

George  Kent 

Perry  Kyes,  Si 

Oscar   Kelso 

Isaac  King 

Robert  Kelso,  Jr. 

Ferdinand  Kupp 

Jacob  Kennel 

Samuel  Kirk 

Charles  Koker 

John  Kern 

Isaac  Kerii 

Whitmore  Kern 

Charles  L.  Kyes 

John  Kice 

George  W.  Kingsbury 

Benjamin  Kelley 

Mr.  Ketchum 

Jrof.  James  A.  Kelley 

Adam  Keil 

Robert  Lockwood 

Bostwick  Lane 

J.  W.  Lisle 

Mr.   Lichtendeller 

John  Larimcre 

Lansing  Lockwood 

Willia;m  Leeper 

James  Lane 

Ezra  Lee 


146 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 


Lamar  Hadley 

William  Long 

Daniel  Lawson 

Sajmuel  Lawson 

Mr.  McGinn  is 

Peter  Myers 

Hamilton  McClure 

William  McCloud 

Martin  Minick 

Henry  Minch 

Jacob  Minch 

Patrick    (Paddy)    Malone 

Edward   McTaggart 

E.  Mason 

Ezra  Miles 

John  McNutt 

Wm.  G.  Huddleston 

A.   J.   Minkler 

Daniel  Miles 

William  McFarlin 

I.  W.  Miller 

Mr.  Mahafy 

Mr.  Moulton 

Robert  McOluggage 

Joseph  Miles 

Benjamin  Miles 

Isaac  McDonald 

Lewis  H.  Myers 

Henry  Myers 

Joseph  Miles 

George  Minch 

Sebastian    Mincn 

Felix  Monroe 

Washington  McClo:,a 

Charles  Moore 

Deacon   Moffitt 

E.  T.  Messinger 

Robert  McNutt 

Henry  Mickling 

S.  R.  McBride 

Dan  M.  Moore 

Philo  Mile, 

Charles   Miles 

John  B.   MuUer 

Dr.  Martin 

Simon  Miller 

Andrew  McDonell 

Peter  Naffziger,  Sr. 

Mr.  Newport 

John  Norris,  Sr. 


George  Lyon 

Christian  Naffziger,  Sr. 

Luther  North 

Henry  Nuding 

Thomas  Nelson 

Phillip   Orth 

D.  Peters 

Samuel  Plum 

Hiram   Phillips 

William  Phillips 

Newton  Phillips 

Levi  Parsons,  Sr. 

Ira  Parker 

Benjamin  Pfeffinger 

Jacob  Paull 

John  W.  Palmer 

G.   N.   Portman 

Mr.    Powell,   Sr. 

Marion    Patrick 

Orvil  Patrick 

Dougles  Patrick 

James  Petty 

John  Petty 

Edward  Phillips 

James   Phillips 

David   Parsons 

John  Potts 

Williaiji    Parker 

M.  T.  Powell 

William  A.   Patton 

H.   L.   Price 

Dr.  Z.  Patrick 

Joseph  Petty 

Jesse  Pitman 

Dr.  Frank  Rosenburg 

Erastus   Roberts 

William  Riegel 

Wm.  F.  Roehm 

Jacob  Rapp 

John  Ruble 

AVilliam  Ricketts 

August  Ross 

Albert  Rich 

Jacob  Rorp 

Ernest  Rapp 

Chas.   Rapp 

Edmand  John  Koich 

Dr.  Rosenburg,  Sr. 

Solomon   Riegel 

Christian   Risser 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 


147 


Jesse  A.  Nolen 

Valentine  Naffziger,  Jr. 

William  Ruble 

Frederick   Rickman 

Albert  Rodinius 

Henry  Reynolds 

Louis   Rein 

John   Slonneger 

Louis  Shaffer 

Peter  Sweitzer,  Sr. 

Albinus  Sill 

Hugh  Sample 

Walker  Sutton 

Alford  Sutton 

Dan  Sullivan 

Russell  Shoemaker 

Newton   Shoemaker 

Elias  Cornelius  Scott 

Wesley  Scott 

Ne'son  Scott 

William  Smith 

John  Stong 

Jacob  Stong 

Casper  Stormer 

John  Stumbaugh 

James  Shores 

Conrad  Stormer 

Chris  Stormer 

G.  S.  Soliday 

Edwin  Selleck 

Austin  Strong 

H.   W.   Snow 

Josiah  Snyder 

Thomas  Seaman 

John  C.  Smith 

David   Smith 

George  Summers 

Mr.  Simpsoa   (father  of  George) 

George  Stock 

David   Stock 

James  Strickland 

Alike  Schmaltz 

John  Schoon 

William  Shaffer 

John  Sweitzer,  Jr. 

Peter  Sweitzer,  Jr. 

Levi  Stumbaugh 

Theodore  Sample 

Phillip   Sutton 

Edward  Sullivan 


Joe  Roberts 
Andrew  Rouvenac 
Elias  Slaughter 
John  W.   Scott 
Clay  Scott 
Edwin  Smith 
Newton    Smith 
Samuel   Smith 
George  Stumbaugh 
Ellwood  Stumbaugh 
Prof.   Skidmore 
Andrew  Stormer 
Nicholas  Slagle 
H.   W.   Stewart 
J.   Sheppard,   Sr. 
William   Stormer 
John  Simmons 
George  Small 
Fred  Smith 
Henry  Story 
Dennis  Sheppard,  Sr. 
Israel    Schiottfelton 
Theodore   Sonneman 
Jacob    Stahl 
Henry  Thamer 
James  Trimble 
William  Trimmer,  Sr. 
Geo.  W.  Tobias 
James  Trowbridge 
William  Triplett 
Jiimes  Triplett 
George  Taylor 
Samuel  H.  Tobias 
Simon  Tobias 
Nicholas  Thomas 
Wesley  Tobias 
B.   Frank  Tobias 
Ike  Tobias 
Benjamin  Tobias 
Milton  Triplett 
John   Taylor 
W.  K.  Tobias 
John  C.  Tobias 
Andrev>'  Thomas 
Wm.  L.  Trimmer 
Thomas  Thompson 
Heui-y  Tervene 
Mr.  Trewett 
John  "Van  Camp 
Rev.   E.  von  Freeden 


148 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILL. 


Peter  Sullivan 
Albert  Shoemaker 
Sanford  Van  Meter 
Phillip  Vauble 
William  Voelker 
M.   Voelker 
Orris  Vogelgesang 
Di.  E.  F.  Wood 
Phillip   Wareham 
Layton  Woodcock 
Miletus  West 
Hampton  Wrenn 
Samuel  Wright 
Dr.  Wenger 
Phillip  Wolgemuth 
Balzar  Wenk 
John  Wehner 
George  Waughop 
William  Warren 
Ebanezer  Wood 
Cephas    Wood 
Josiah  P.  Wood 
Samuel  Wareham 


David  R.  Van  Meter 
Christian  Vogelgesang 
Rodney   Shoemaker 
Wade  T.  Wrenn 
Louis  Wehner,  Sr. 
John  Wilson 
Abrani  Wenger 
John   Wolgemuth 
Dr.   Wm.   H.   Weirick 
Frank   Waughop,   Ji . 
Netus   Wood 
John  Watson 
Charles  Wistehuff 
Daniel  Waters 
Fred  Yeck,   Sr. 
Mr.  Zaneis,   Sr. 
Samuel  C.  Zinser 
Israel  Zinser 
Frank  Zinser 
Solomon  L.  Zinsei 
George  W.  Zinser 
John  Zinser 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 

977.354T21E  C001 

EARLY  HISTORY  OF  WASHINGTON,  ILLINOIS  AN 


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