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HISTORICAL
ENCYCLOPEDIA
OF
ILLINOIS
EDITED BY
Newton Bateman, LL. U. Paul Selby, A. M.
AND HISTORY OF
CARROLL COUNTY
edited by
Chaki.es L. Hostetter
VOLUME II.
ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO
munsell publishing company
publish rr,s,. . • • .;•'•.•%'•;
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891^*.
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In the first century of the Christian era, Tacitus (perhaps the
greatest of Roman historians) wrote that the object of historv
was "to rescue virtuous acts from the oblivion to which the
want ot records would consign them."
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PREFACE
In eonipiliiig this history of Carroll County the ohject has heen to record
facts relating to the lives of people who settled in this locality, beginning \yitli
the first settlements of an unoccupied country, to the end that a permanent
record might he made which will be accessible for an unlimited time to those
who have an interest therein. The life of a man, his achievements, what he
has accomplished during his life, can be perpetuated in no better way, or
preserved longer or more permanently than by the art of printing. It enables
us to read the past, a reverence for which, a distinguished author says, is the
basis for all sound progress.
For a work of this kind facts have to be sought for ; no one volunteers informa-
tion ; it has to be dug out of musty records or drawn from dormant and uncer-
tain luemorics. One often finds very little wheat among a great deal of chaff.
It has been an interesting work, liecause it relates to the very beginning of
the settlement of a new land, heretofore unknown and uncivilized. Interesting
also because it covers a time of unprecedented progress in the arts and sciences;
in the application of modern genius and thought to the amelioration of the
physical conditions under which the pioneers lived and toiled. Changes have
taken place that have indeed been marvelous, and beyond the imagination of
the most visionary pioneer. Conditions now are so different from those under
which our grandfathers and grandmothers lived, that intelligent comparisons
are almost impossible. Nearly all things are new and the former things have
passed away. The age of iron and invention is now supreme. So wonderful
and rapid have been the changes which can be recounted by persons now living
that it is utterly impossible to predict what the future may bring forth.
The principal reason for undertaking this work was to presei-ve many of
the facts concerning the early history of this county, which otherwise would
soon have been obliterated by the passing of time. It is now nearly a hundred
years since the first permanent settlement was made in Carroll County, and
very few of the adult settlers of the first fifty years are now living.
Friends of the undertaking have helped where they could. j\lany more no
doul)t would have lent the editor a helping hand had they been called upon.
We are especially under obligations to the following persons for valuable assist-
ance and information furnished, which has added greatly to the interest of the
work: Henry Elsey, of Elkhorn Grove; \V. H. Hurless, for the use of the old
files of the Mirror; George A. Royer, Secretary of the Old Settlers Association,
for the use of their records: Bernie Holland, Secretary of the Sailors niid Sol-
diers Association, for the use of their records; W. H. Dresback, of Lanark;
F. :\r. Sclmlts, of Chadwiok; S. J. Holland, of Thomson; H. N. Parsons, for
his history of York Township, and to Nathaniel I\[iles, for his very interesting
sketeh of ilount Carroll.
To others credit has been given in the work, especially to ]Mr. Samuel Pres-
ton, for much interesting information which has been taken from his pul)lished
articles on '"The Pioneers of Mount Carroll.''
The editor also has had access to the notes of Dr. Henry Shinier, which he
had made in contemplation of some time writing a history of the County,
ilueh of this matter will be found in the chapter taken from the manuscript
of the Hon. James Shaw, which he had placed in the hands of the publishers
prior to his death.
The compilation of this history has been made intennittently at such times
as could be spared from business hours, and ou this account it may be lacking,
in a few cases, in continuity ; nevertheless to make the work accurate and trust-
worthy has been the first consideration.
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INDEX
CHAPTER I.
PHYSICAL CPIARACTERISTICS OP^ CARROLL COUNTY.
Western boundary — Magnificent Trees — Came — Dyson's Lake — Drain-
age Ditch — Apple River — Rush Creek — Ridge Road — The Peca-
tolikee — The Waukarusa — Savanna Ridge Road — Johnson Creek —
First County Ditch — Flowing Wells — High Hill — Improvements
— Lead Jlines — Iron Mines — Coalite IMines — Indian ]\Iounds — Mr.
Pidgeon's Work — Traditions of De-Coo-Dah — Plum River Indian
Jlounds — Arnold's Grove Indian ]\Iounds — ilounds in Mount Car-
roll Township — York Township ilounds — Stone Relics — The Dalles
of the Waukarusa — The Prairie 617-626
CHAPTER II.
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CARROLL COFXTY. AS DELIVERED BY
HON. J A:\1ES SHAW. AT LANARK, ILLINOIS, ON JULY -i, 1876
AT A FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION THERE
HELD AND OLD SETTLERS MEETING.
Ancient Owiici'siiii) — Noi-tinvcstcrn Tci'ritory — Jo Daviess County —
Savanna First Town — New County Otficer.s — County Commissioners
Court — First Circuit Court Held in the County — Removal of County
Seat From Savanna — Court House Built — IMembers of the Legisla-
ture — Early Settlenient.s — First Settlement in Carroll County —
Savanna Settled — First School House — First Trail — Tavern Rates —
Cherry (irove Settlement — Elkhorn Grove Settlement — IMarking the
Way— Yoi-k Township Earlv Settlers-^IIow They Canu — York
Townshiji Named — Preston Prairie and Blount (Jarroll Settlements
— 1837 Original Jlill Company Formed — First Religious Meeting —
The JMill (,'ompany— Stag Point— First School— First Mail— The
Seminary — The Academy — Early Settlement in W^ysox — Indians —
— A Pioneer Lost — Jumping a Claim — Shelving Rock Shanty —
Rattlesnakes — Inventive Genius — Names of Places — Straddle Creek
— Early Settlement — Agricultural Society — Early Premiums
Awarded — News Papers — Magnitude 1876 — Wai- Record (127-651
CHAPTER III.
THE PIONEERS. AVHERE THEY CAME FRO:\I. AND HOW THEY
GOT HERE.
Canal Boat Traveling — Steam Boat Trip — Covered Wagons — Prairie
Fires — By the C4reat Lakes — Tliose Who Did Not Come — Postage —
Battled With ^Many Diffieulties — Happiest People — Savanna Pio-
neers — Left Galena 1828 — Strong Hands. Stont Hearts — Bob Upton
— Savanna A Trading Post — Rivers Commercial Highways — Black
Hawk War — Flight. Anxious ^Mothers — Love of Pioneering — David
Emmert and His Family. Samuel jM. Hitt. Nathaniel Halderman —
Building the ]\Iill at ]\lount Carroll — Boarding the Hands — Store
Built — Lodging the People — Caroline Wade — Land. Sales — Hard;
Times, Scarcity of ]\loney — Baptismal Pool — The Graveyard, First
Grave — First Newspaper Printed in ilount Carroll — Pioneers Con-
tinued. Doctors Abraham and John L. Hostetter — First Bank —
Breaking out of the Civil War — Depreciated Currency — John
Ir\ine. Sr. — AVeddings. Birlhs and Deaths in the Log Cabin — ]\Iiss
Anna Hostetter . . . .^ 651-665
CHAPTER IV.
THE FORTY-NINERS.
Gold Accidentally Discovered in California — Ways of Getting There —
Excitement Spreads — Lives of the Gold Jliners — First Party From
Mount Carroll — Pierce and Youtz Drowned — The Barber Incident
— Hardships Endured — The ]\Iarch Began — Those From Savanna —
The Emmert Party — Evan Rae Elected Captain — Shottenkirk's
Diary — Snow Constantly in Sight in June — Crossing Green River —
Daring Act of Heroism — Another Party Leaves ilount Carroll — The
Mumma Party— Government of the Gold Seekers — Franklin Lang-
worthv's Book — Abandon Wagons, Pack on Animals — ^Mount Carroll
lS5-4-^The Return 665-672
CHAPTER V.
ORGANIZATIONS.
Protective Leagues — First Lyceum — Horse-Thieves — Prairie Bandits — -
Vigilantes — Elkhorn Grove Compact — The Grange ^Movement —
Granges — Protits of Iu.siTrance — Fraternal Insurance — Mutual Fire
Insurance 672-677
CHAPTER VI.
SOLDIERS AND PATRIOTIC ORDERS.
The Grand Armv of the Republic— Nase Post No. 80— Ob.iects— Wo-
man's W. R. C. No. 95. .Mount Carroll— Shiloh Post No. 85—
Shiloh W. R. C. Lanark— Illinois W. R. C. Gazette— Objects of the
W. R. C 677-682
CHAPTER Vll.
PATRIOTIC ORDERS— Continued
R. M. A. Hawk Post, 4()ti— W. R, ('.. Savanna— George Kridlcr Post. 575
— W. R. C, I^Iillc'dgeville— Hohiian I'ost. 57!) — Reoapturcd Flags —
■\V. R. C. Thomson — Holdeii Putnam I'ost, 646 — Camp Sons of Vet-
erans — W. R. C, Slianuon — Div .John L. Ilostctter Post, 785 W. —
R. C. Chadwick— R. .M. A. Hawk Post, 4(1(1 Sjivanna 682-688
CHAPTER Vll I.
THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS SOCIETY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
Orgaiuzed at Lanark — ^Milledgeville Meeting — -Monument Committee —
Action of the County Board — Committee Appointed by Board — Re-
port of Joint Committee — Dedication of the .Monument — The Pro-
cession — The Speeches — History of the Monument — Inscriptions —
The Statues — Height of Monument — Reunion .Meetings — Savaiuia
Selected as Place of Meeting " 688-693
CHAPTER IX.
CARROLL COUNTY. LMPROVEMENT AND PROGRESS.
Stage Lines — Prairie Fires — Finances — County Incorporated — Census
1840 — Census I!»l() — Decrease Accounted foi- — Former Citizens
Scattered — Emigration — Progress — The Threshings — The Banner
Corn County — County Ofificers — Railroads, Valuation — Rural
Routes— Valuation of Property — Taxes 693-698
CHAPTER X.
CHAD\VICK .\XD F.\IR II.WEN TO\VXSHTP— LANARK AND ROCK
CREEK TOWNSHIP.
Cnadwick — Fair Haven Township — German Settlers — Laiuirk — Old
House — Fourth of July, 1876 — Early Days— Bu.siness. 1!)]1 — Water-
works — TeleplioiU' System — Factories — Rock Creek Township — First
Settlers 698-702
CH.M'TER XI.
CHERRY GROVE— FREEDOM— LLAIA, TOAVNSHIPS.
Cherry Grove — Stiige Lines — Racine and Mississippi Railroad — Geoi-ge
Town— Wood Lots— Forest Fires— Wild Ginseng— Early Settlers —
l>iiicoln and Douglas Deliate — Freedom Township — Arnold's Grove
— Hunting Grounds of Ihc Iiiiiians — Early Settlers — Wages — Horti-
culture — Orchards — Lima Township 702-705
CHAPTER XII.
VILLAGE OF MILLEDGEVILLE— WYSOX— ELKHORN GROVE
TOWNSHIPS.
Milledgeville— Original Plat— AVysox Township— Early Settlers— Elk-
horn Grove Township — Tiie People — Log Rollings — Old Center
School House — :\Iethodist Church— Hand Saw-:\Iill — First Water
Power :\Iills— A Go-Devil— A Dutch Oven— The Sucker Trail— A
Pigeon Trap — Choice Dishes — Intoxicating Liquors — A Valuable
Load — Names of Early Settlers — War Record — The Underground
Railroad — Hazlehurst 705-713
CHAPTER XIII.
MOUNT CARROLL, CITY AND TOWNSHIP— SALEM TOWNSHIP.
City of Mount Carroll — Mayors — Public Library — Caroline Mark Home
Business Enterprises — Churches — Civic Societies — Frances
Shimer School — Jlount Carroll Towniship — First Mill — First School
— Occupation of Farmers — Salem Township — Interesting Incidents
— Cyclones — A Log School House — Special Crops 713-721
CHAPTER XIV.
SAVANNA CITY AND TOWNSHIP— VILLAGE OF SHANNON AND
TOWNSHIP.
Savanna City — Buildings — Banks — Telephone Company — ^lanufaetur-
ing — Fishing — Newspapers — Early Settlers — First School Teacher
— Religious Organizations — Business Urms — Cemetery Association
— Electric Light Plant — Savanna Township — Shannon — Grain
]\Iarket — Lumber — The Shannon Telephone Company — Shannon
Township — First Settlers — Tlie Wheat Crop — Fii-st Threshing
Machines 721-727
CHAPTER XV.
VILLAGE OF THOMSON— TOWNSHIPS OF YORK, WASHINGTON AND
WOODLAND.
Thomson — Creameries — Melon ^larket — Centennial Celebration — York
Township — First Settlement — Bluffville — First Fair — Argo — Law-
yers and Ministers — Old Point Bluif — Washington Township —
Early Settlers — Wolves — Arnold "s Landing — Portsmouth — IMarcus
Train Robbery — Woodland Township — Saw-Mills — Hay Family —
Cheese Factory 727-733
CHAPTER XVI.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
The Part of Biography In General History — Citizens of Carroll County
and Outlines of Personal History — Personal Sketches Arranged In
Encylopedie Order 735-935
PORTRAITS
Bashaw, William C23
Bashaw, Mrs. William 622
Beattie, James P 630
Beattie, Mrs. James P 630
Becker, Egbert T. E 638
Becker, Sarah C 640
Browning, Matilda 648
Browning. William F 648
Busell, David C 656
Cliambers, Jacob L 664
Chambers, Mrs. Jacob L 664
Colehour, Mary J 674
Colehour, Samuel P 672
Connell, John R 682
Connell, Mrs. John R 682
Cushman. Josiah B 690
Demmon, Eliza 700
Demmon, John F 698
Deuel, Horace C 708
Deuel, Martha B 708
Diehl, Fred S 712
Ecknian, James A 716
Eckman, Mrs. James A 716
French, Norman D 720
Fulrath, Adam 724
Galpin, Daniel A 726
Galpin, Mrs. Daniel A 726
Hacker, William P 730
Hacker, Mrs. William P 732
Hartficld, Ernest M 736
Hathaway, James 743
Hawk, Ella 748
Hawk, Hugh C. ..." 746
Henze, Fred C 753
Henze, Mrs. Fred C 752
Hoerz, Cora E .758
Hoerz, David 756
Hoffman, John 762
Hoffman, Mrs. .John 762
Holland, Smith J 766
Holland, Mrs. Smith J 766
Hostetter, Charles L 617
Landon, George W 770
Landon, Mrs. George W 770
Livengood, Zachariah T 774
Livengood, Mrs. Zachariah T 774
Mackay, William 778
Mark, Caroline 782
McNamer, Hiram 786
McXamer, Marie 786
Jleyer, Frederick, W 790
Meyer, Mrs. Frederick W 790
Miller, Daniel M 908
Miller, Herman 794
Miller, Mary L 908
Myers, George 798
Nipe, Amelia 848
Nipe, William E 802
Parker, John C 806
Parker, Mrs. John C 808
Patch, Benjamin L 812
Rauser, Christian G 816
Rauser, Jlrs. Christian G 816
Root, George A 822
Root, George A 826
Root, Helen F 824
Root, Marvin 820
Runnels, Burget F. 830
Schick, Eli 834
Schick, Jones 836
Schick, Mary E 838
Shaw, James 843
Shepard, Adelia 848
Shepard, Martin 846
Smith, Margaret A 854
Smith. W'illiam W 852
Snivcly, John R 858
Snow, Charles P 862
Snow, Sarah A S64
Spealman, Joseph, 868
Spealman, Mary 870
Sprecher, Louis H ST-l
Sprecher, Nancy J 876
Stedman, Ira JI 880
Stedman, Mrs. Ira M 880
Steffens, Joseph 884
Steffens, Orinda 886
Strickler, Jacob H 890
Sword, Samuel 894
Sword, Mrs. Samuel 894
.898
Thorpe, Phoebe A 902
Turner, Elmira 908
Turner, Joshua 908
Turner, Silas E 906
Turner. Mrs. Silas E 906
Warner, Joseph A. and Family 912
Watson, Otho 916
Watson, Sarah 918
Wolf, Amos 932
Wolf, Mrs. Amos 924
Zelenka, Henry 928
Zelenka, Mrs. Henry 928
Taylor, James and Family
Thorpe, Lucius 902Zuck, John H. and Family 932
ILLUSTRATIONS
Carnegie Library 660
Caroline Mark Home 634
Castle Rock .618
College Hall T04
County l-'ann Houses 668
Court House 617
Dearborn Hall 694
Devil's Back-Bone 618
Electric Light Station .678
Falls of the Waukarusa 634
First Log House in Carroll County 653
First Store in Mt. Carroll 644
Giants Tea Table 626
Hathaway Hall 704
Map of Carroll County 617
Mi-tcalf Hall , 686
Old Stone Court House 653
Poets Rock 634
Scene Across the Campus 686
Scene on the Waukai-usa 626
Soldiers' Monument 617
Stone House at Wilderberg 660
Tennis Court 694
The Old Mill 660
The Twin Sisters 018
Water Works Plant 678
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
CHAPTKR I.
PHYSICAL CIIAKACTERISTICS
CARROLL COUNTY.
OP
ning sloughs foriuiug uiuuy wooded islands. The
principal of these Is Turkey Slough in the
southwest toruer of the county, between this
and the nieanderiiiix slough, so called. Is Rig
Island, ne.\t east Little Island and Marble
Island, and Marbli- Slough, su n.-iuied after an
early settler.
MAQNiriCENT TREES
WESTEBN BOUNDABY — MAGNIFICENT TREES — GAME
— DYSON'S LAKE — DRAINAGE DITCH — APPLE BIVEB
— BUSH CREEK — BIDGE BOAD THE PECATOLIKEE
— THE WAUKABISA — SAVANNA BIUOE ROAD
JOHNSON CREEK — FIR.ST COUNTY DITCH — FLOW-
ING WELLS — HIGH HILL — IMPROVEMENTS — LEAD
MI.NES — IRON MINES — COALITE MINES — INDIAN
MOUNDS — MB. PIIXiEON"S WORK — TBADITIONS OF
DE-COO-DAH PLUM BIVEB INDIAN MOUNDS — AR-
NOLD'S GROVE INDIAN MOUNDS — MOUNDS IN
MOUNT CARROLL TOWNSHIP — YORK TOWNSHIP
.MOUND.S — STONE REI.K S — THE UAI.I.KS OF THE
WAUKABUSA — THE PBAIBIE.
Before entering upon the history of the people
who made their homes in this beautiful country,
it may be well to consider the natural conditions
they found here ; conditions which determined
them to cast their lot here, and to build up com-
munities and create a new civilization for them-
selves; a country and a civilization which they
might leave as an inheritance for the genera-
tions that should follow them.
WESTEBN BOUNDARY
The great Mississippi river, any school boy or
girl will tell you, is the longest river in the
world, It bounds the county on the west; the
thread of the main channel of the river is the
state and county line. The eastern Imnk of the
river In the south part of the county is bordered
with timber Interspersed with bayous and run-
in early days these islands were covered with
magnificent trees, s^ome were nut bearing trees,
the fruit of some was a very large hickory nut
and there were smaller shellliark hickory nuts
and walnuts in great abundance. Here the
scjuirrels, of which there were several varieties,
did not want for a plentiful store of nuts for
winter use. Neither did the early settlers who
greatly relished this addition to their not exten-
sive bill of fare.
The waters were filled with the finest kinds
of game fish, and game of all kinds was very
abundant, on the islands; and on the waters
there were several kinds of wild geese and a
great variety of ducks, and there were also wild
turkeys and deer, and pigeons In great numbers.
THE SAND RIOOE
r;ast of the islands Is a treeless almost level
plain, called tlii> Sand ridge, about five miles in
width, not much above the level of the river In
high water, extending from below Savanna
south between the bluffs and the river, to the
southern iHiundary of the county.
DYSON'S LAKE, DRAINAGE DITCH
Situated near the eastern boundary of this
plain, in Mount Carroll and York Townships Is
617
618
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
Srufish lake, called also Dyson's laUe, after
William Dyson, a iMoneer of 1837. who took up
n claim on the western shore of the lake. At-
tempts have been made to drain this lake by
digging a ditch through low-lying marsh ground
northward to Plum river, but they have only
succeeded in lowering the surface of the water
in the lake a few feet, and draining a part of
the surrounding lands temiiorarily ; the ditch
has invariably been tilled up with sand and
mud, washed into it by heavy floods in the
streams to the east of it, particularly Deer
creek, which flowing west past Hickory Grove,
carries down from the hills a great deal of the
soil, which is deposited in the ditch, especially
when the waters in the Mississippi and Plum
rivers are high. There is very little fall from
the lake and consequently no current running
northward to carry the sediment out of the
ditch, on account of which conditions it seems
to be an impracticable undertaking to drain Sun-
fish lake. The first ditch was dug in 1S71 by
the county and cost nearly seven thousand dol-
lars and was paid from the sale of swamp
lands successfully drained by the county ditch,
running south through the Willow island tract
of land. The last attempt to drain this lake
was made by the owners of laud to be benefitted
under the drainage law. The ditch, however,
filled up as before and an attempt is now
being made to pump the water out of the lake
into the ditch.
APPLE BIVEE — RUSH CBEEK
Apple river flows through the northwest corner
of the county and empties into the Mississippi
river on Section 11. Range 2, Washington
Township. At its nmuth is .\]i|ilc River Island.
X little farther east Rush creek flows through
the center of the same township, on Section 17;
in an early day it was McKillups dam and
water power. This stream empties into the
great river on Section 28. where the Burling-
ton Railroad crosses this creek. A little west
of the bridge near Marcus station, is where the
iKitcd train robbery occurred in ]902. One of
the principal tributaries of Rush creek is Camp
creek. It gets its name from the fact that
during the Blackhawk War and about the time
of the attack on the fort at Elizabeth a large
body of Indians were camped at the largo spring
in the beautiful valley which is the headwaters
of the creek.
.MCJ-AKLAXD's BAY
A little further down the river from the mouth
of Rush creek is McFarland's bay, in early days
used as a favorite and safe place for wintering
rafts of pine logs that were then floated down
the river from the pineries, also for wintering
steamboats. Below the bay the river Hows
quite close to the high bluffs, in early days
called the Council Bluffs of the upper Mississippi
river. They are the highest bluffs anywhere
along the river and the most picturesque ; here
can be seen high upon one iierpeudiiular bluff
the profile of an Indian face, in these bluff.s is
also the noted Bob Upton's cave. In earl.v days
steamboats burned wood and got large supplies
from Savanna. At one time, great piles of red
cedar taken from the bluffs above the town were
to be seen at Savanna waiting for the arrival
of some steamljoat. This gave some of the early
settlers the impression that the much talked of
Savanna where they were to land, was "only
a wood pile." For some years the railroads
consumed great quantities of wood to make
steam in the engines; they got large sui)plies
from timber along the river, most of which be-
longed to Uncle Sam, — conservation of the for-
ests had not then been thought of. When wal-
nut wood became valuable the great walnut
trees, centuries old, were felled by the wood-
man's axe. Below Savanna is the big slough
through which Plum river enters the Mississippi
river, west of this was Savanna lake.
RIDGE ROAD — THE PECATOLIKEE
Between the valley of Rush creek and Plum
river valley is a ridge road from which fine
views are had over both valleys. Plum river
is the longest stream in the county. The gov-
ernment surve.v gave its Indian name as Pecato-
likee and marked it, "navigable," up to "Bow-
en's Ferr.v," just below where the mill dam of
Bowen's mill used to be. In the north part of
Woodland its two branches East and West Plum
river come together, the east branch Is fed by
Crane's run, on which was Crane's fort ; further
up is the Lyn Grove branch, which rises near
Lyn Grove on Section 10. Cherry Grove Town-
ship and Cherr.v Grove branch, on Section \?>,
CASTLE ROCK ()\ THE WAUKARUKA
THK I'W IN SLSTERS
DKMLS HACK-BONE
■ o
:/
HISTORY OP CARROLL COUNTY
019
Freedom Townsliip. on whiili hi yoars
liv \v;is I'.dlinsor's saw mill.
Willow island tract, leading south iiilo White-
side connty. aditcd to tlio area drained.
THE WAUKARUSA
In the south part of Woodland township the
waters of the Wankar\isa How into I'liun river,
and about twenty rods lielow its junction on
Section :V2. there was a sulphur siiring, so
marked on early maps. The Wauliarusa takes
its rise south and east of Shannon, the Badger
springs starting one of the head branches. Cedar
creek is a small stream that flows into it from
the south a little above its junction witli Plum
river, the Pecatolikee. At the head of Cedar
creek tliere is a spring which feeils a fish pond
made by Samuel Preston, in wliieli he r.aised
many tine tish.
SAVANNA HIDGE BOAD
Plum river and its branches drain the entire
north half of the county. Along the dividing
line between Plum river valley and Johnson
creek valley on the south, there is a ridge road
to Savanna. From this road there are beauti-
ful views over the valley on either side extend-
ing for many mile.s, and toward the west as far
as the Iowa bluffs along the great river. When
the early settlers came from Savanna, having
disembarked there from a Mississippi steam-
boat, after a long and wearisome journey, and
traveled along this road and looked eastward
over the beautiful prairies, there spread out be-
fore them, they thought they had indeed reached
the "Promised Land."
JOHNSON CKKEK. FIHST COUNTY DITCH
The southern half of the county is drained by
sn.aller streams. Johnson creek in the west part
has its beginning near the center of Salem town-
ship, flows through the southeast corner of
Mount Oarroll township, thence through York
toward the Mississijjpi river bottoms. There
originally it was lost in the sands, but some
CL'terprising farmers of that township made
dykes on both sides of the channel so as to con-
fine its waters in flood time, thus recovering
from the floods and consoquent standing waters,
some of the most valuable l.-uid in thi- enunty.
The county ditch, .lug in isci;. tlir.mgh the
FLOWING WELLS
In the northeast corner of York township on
wliat was the Tomlinson fnrm is an artesian
well. It was bored by some strangers, who
came to this county prospecting, thinking that
they would find coal becau.se there was a shale
saturated with some kind of oil cropping out in
the neighborhood. They were skeptical of the
V. ay the geologists read the Iwok of stone, viz. :
that coal is not found in this geological forma-
tion, and the deeix>r they bored the farther they
were getting from the coal bearing rocks ; they
bored down through a very hard rock and at
five hundred and fifty feet struck a white sand
stone so soft they could not secure a core, and
water rose to the surface in a fine flowing well.
In the city of Savanna they get a fine flow of
>vater by boring about four hundred and fifty
fj?et. and two of these wells supply the city
with water.
At Mount Carroll the city had a well
drilled with the intention of going deep enough
to get .flowing water, but no water was reached
except in small quantities, until at a depth of
two thou.sand five hundred feet the white sand-
stone was struck and the water rose to within
forty feet of the surface; it has been frequently
analyzed and fomid to be of the very finest qual-
ity. This well Is listed as one of the deep wells
of the earth.
Kock creek, the headwaters of which begin
just south of the city of Lanark, flows south to
the southwest corner of Wysox township, where
it is joined by Otter creek which takes its rise
in the east half of Itock creek township; further
east is Klkhorn creek whose headwaters drain
Lima townshiii. It was so named on account
of the elk horns that have been found in the
grove of the same name, some of which are still
preserved by citizens of the county. Further
east and near the county line is Eagle creek; in
an e.irly day < n sertion Ki was Kagle creek mill
dam.
moil llll.l, — IMPROVE.MENTS
On the ridge between the valleys of the Wan-
karnsa and Itock creek a little cast and north of
the southeast corner of Section 10 in Salem town-
ship is what is called High Hill, said by the gov-
620
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
ernment surveyors to be the highest point iu the
cc'unty. Near here the roads cross, the one
running east and west is called Cyclone Ridge,
from the fact that on Jlay 18, 1S9S a cyclone
passed along this road doing a great deal of
damage. From this high hill there is a beauti-
ful view looking out over the once prairie
country, which was then treeless but is now
dotted with farm houses, school houses and
country churches with small clusters of trees
and orchards about them. Spread out before
the observer are variegated colored, cultivated
fields, chauging color with the seasons of the
year. Here and there c-au be seen the roofs of
immense barns and innumerable smaller build-
iiigs for the housing of the farmer's grain, stock
and machinery, and commodious dwellings in
many of which at this day, are all the modern
conveniences which tend to make life comfort-
able, gas, light, heat and water systems, while
wind mills and pumping engines enable the
farmers to be no longer dependent upon springs.
The numerous lines of poles remind the ob-
sener that neighbor can talk with neighbor
over the telephone, and all the world at large.
MINES — LEAD
From an early day considerable mining has been
done for lead ; principally in Woodland and
Mount Carroll townships, although some lead
has been mined in Savanna.
The geologists say, the mode of the occurence
of the galena in the upper mines of the
ilississippi river is extremely simple. The geo-
logical age of the groups of strata in which the
ore is found is lower silurian. In these mines
the principal lead bearing rock is a crystaline
limestone from two hundred and fifty to two
hundred and seventy-five feet in thickness where
liot partially removed by erosion. The upper
portion of this formation is somewhat argil-
laceous; the middle a very pure heavy bedded
dolomite; the lower silurian rock containing
numerous flinty masses. This group of strata
is locally known as the upper magnesian lime-
stone. It is separated from a rock of very
similar character, called the lower magnesian
limestone, by three groups of strata, which
are commonly designated as the blue lime-
stone, the buff limestone and the St. Peter's
sandstone. The first of these is thin bedded,
highly fossillferous purely calcareous rock. At
Savanna large masses of the rock are composed
of casts of pentamorits ; some triloliitfs :ire also
found there. The blue limestone is from fifty
to seventy feet in thickness ; the buff fifteen to
twenty and the sand stone eighty to a hundred.
The blue and buff limestones are about the same
geological age as the Trento and Black river
groups of the New York geological survey.
The yield of the upper mines is gradually
diminishing: and this will continue to be the
case, since the extent of the lead bearing rock
is limited and the vertical range of the crevices
confined to a moderate tUiekness. There is no
probability that paying mines will be discovered
in the lower magnesian limestone. This cor-
responds with the experience of the miners in
this county ; the crevices do not extend very
deep and are usually very narrow and very
few of them; no caves as in the mines about
Galena, which often contained large quantities
of lead ore. The early miners in Carroll county
were usually stopped by the water coming
into the shaft, in later years improved ma-
chinery was used and the water lowered but
with no favorable results. No great strikes were
e\er made in these mines; sufficient mineral
however was found to pay fair wages for the
labor expended. The ground most dug over was
the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter
oC .Section 3 in Mt. CaiToll township. This was
r-alled the Still House Forty Lead Mine.
Whether it was dug over so much on account of
it;- being productive of mineral or because it was
convenient to the still-house, is a question.
THE IBON MINES
Ten years ago some gentlemen from St. Paul,
Minn., prospected quite extensively on Sections
10 and 30 on the farm of Samuel B. Adams for
iron ore and other minerals. They leased a
number of other tracts for the same purpose.
It was thought at one time that they would
develop quite an extensive iron mine, and the
matter of building a branch railroad from
Savanna up tlie Plum river valley, to haul
the ore to Chicago smelting furnaces was talked
of; but what ore was taken out, said to be
a fine quality of hematite ore, was hauled to
Savanna by wagon loads and thence shipped by
rail to Chicago ; but not finding it in sufficient
quantity to warrant the erection of furnaces at
the mine or the building of a railroad, the
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
621
mine was abandoned. There were indications
of a more valuable metal which the prospectors
expected to find by going deeper into the earth,
but so much water interfered with the sinking
of the shaft, that project was abandoned. .Some
of the farmers in that ueigliborhood still think
there are valuable minerals to be found under-
lying their farms. A more certain fortune how-
ever is to be gained by tilling the fertile soil
on the surface.
THE COALITE MINE
This is situated on the farm that belonged to
the late Beers B. Tomlinson on the southeast
quarter of Section S'j in Mount Carroll town-
ship.
A strata of bituminous shale was discovered
in boring for coal. The vein Is about six feet
thick and covers over one hundred acres, so far
«s explored. The shale after undergoing a cer-
tain process was found to make a very tine in-
expensive paint, especially useful in preserving
iron.
To manufacture the paint a company was
forme<l at Freeport and incorporated, called the
Natural Carbon Paint Company. The late
Michael Schauer of Shannon, until his recent
death, was president of the company, which
bought grounds and some buildings and erected
others on the north bank of the Pecatonica
river at Freeport. Not having sutfleient means
to carry on the manufacture of the paint they
leased the plant to a large paint manufactur-
ing company of Chicago, who are preparing to
do an extensive business. The process is to
roast the shale in closed retorts, some gas comes
off which is burned for heating the retorts,
and tarry oil comes off, which has mcdiiinal
properties, which have not been thoroughly in-
vestigated but it was found that there was a
large percentage of carbolic acid in the tar.
The plant is now used for reducing the shale
to a dry powder, which is shipped to Chicago
where it is manufactured into paint. The capa-
city of the plant is to use about a car load a day.
It has to be hauled by teams from the mine to
the Mount Carroll station and loaded on the
cars. This mine is not very far from the cutoff,
on the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul rail-
road, and eventually a switch will probably be
run into the mine and shipments made by rail.
This same kind of bituminous shale is found at
another place in the county much nearer the
railroad and more convenient for shipping or
being manufactured into paint.
INDIAN MOUNDS
Quite a number of Indian mounds are to be
seen in different parts of the county. They are
always objects of interest, and the unanswered
questions arise, as to what human hands raised
them, and when, and for what object? Certain
it is, they were made by the aborigines and
they are the only record there is of the exist-
ence on this continent of an ancient people.
A very interesting work on the mound build-
ers was written by William Pidgeon of Mount
Carroll, called the Traditions of De-Coo-Da h ;
published by Thayer, Bridgeman & Fanning
N. Y. 1853. This work has been considered by
aicheologists to be a very valuable contribution
on the subject of which it treats.
In our neighboring state of Wisconsin, great
interest has been taken in the preservation of
these prehistoric remains. The Wisconsin Ar-
cheological Society, the State Federation of <
Womens' Clubs and local historical societies,
have taken it in hand to procure the title to the
land on which the mounds are found, and to
convert these plats of ground into small parks,
wherein the mounds can be preserved from de-
struction. These parks are used by the public
for holding field meetings, picnics and so forth.
MB. PIDQEON'S WORK, TRADITION OP DE-COO-DAH
The title to Mr. Pidgeon's work, shows its
scope, '"Traditions of De-Coo-Dah and Anti-
quarian Researches ; comprising Extensive Ex-
plorations, Surveys and Excavations of the
wonderful and mysterious earthen remains of
the mound builders of America."
"The Traditions of the Last Prophet of the
Elk Nation Relative to their Origin and Use,
pud the Evidences of an Ancient Population
more numerous than the Present Aborigines."
By William Pidgeon.
"Embellished with seventy engravings descrip-
tive of one hundred and twenty varying rela-
tive arrangements, forms of earthern effigies,
anti(iui' sculptures, eti'.
Mr. Pidgeon was one of the pioneers of Car-
roll county, his daughter was the wife of John
li. Christian, the first watchmaker and jeweler
in the town, who sold clocks and i-egnlat('<l the
time for all the inhabitants. He told when the
622
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
sun was on the meruliau from the shadow that
his door jamb made with reference to a crack in
the floor of his shop and thus obtained the cor-
rect time. Tradition has it, that Mr. Pidgeon
was a very intelligent gentleman, quite a learned
man, spoke several languages. In conversing
with the Northern Indians and with De-Coo-Dah
he employed an interpreter. It is said Mr.
Pidgeon's treati.se was first written in blank
verse after the manner of Homer, but the sub-
ject being such a matter of historical fact, his
publishers advised rewriting it in prose. It is
further said that he wrote the book over the
cattle pens, where he was employed in feeding
the stock on the slops from the distillery in
Mount Carroll.
PLUit BIVER MOUNDS
In Chapter XXII, page 175, he gives this ac-
count of the "Unfinished Earth Works on Strad-
dle Creek, Illinois :"
"There is. at the junction of .Str.-iddle creek
with Plum river, four miles west of Mount Car-
roll, a group of mounds some of which are ap-
parently complete, but many others are in an
uufinislied state.
"De-Coo-Dah represents these works to liave
been constructed by a people who were ac-
customed to burn their dead. The rings or
circular mounds shown in the cut, page 59 are
from twelve to twenty feet in diameter, and
about two feet in height. The earth appears to
have been thrown from within, forming a ring
and leaving the interior in the form of a basin.
"Each family formed a circle that was held
sacred as a family burying place or funeral
mound; and when one of the family died, the
body was conveyed to this place, and fuel being
prepared was placed in the basin and burned.
After the body was entirely consumed a thin
covering of earth was spread over the ashes.
The next death called for similar ceremonies,
and so on until the enclosure was filled. Then
the ring was raised about two feet, and
thus prepared for further use; and this process
was repeated as often as became necessary, the
diameter of the circle being gradually diminished
at the erection of each addition to the ring,
giving it finally a conical form. Some of the
rings shown in the cut are full, and present a
flat surface. There are also two battle burial
iiiounds attached to this group. I sank a shaft
in one and was fully satisfied of the correctness
of the traditional history, from the fact that
after sinking about ten inches, I struck a bed
of earth and ashes mingled with particles of
charcoal, extending to the bottom of the shaft,
which I sank some twelve inches below the
bottom of the surrounding surface. This mound
was constructed in the form of a tortoise with-
out head, tail or feet, and I presume it contains
the ashes of a portion of that nation." He exam-
ined several other mounds and found them con-
structed in the same manner and composed of
the same material.
Continuing. Mr. Pidgeon says, "In the vicinity
of this group and about forty perches to the
south of it, there is another complete group,
where tumular burial was practiced, without
fire. The traces of bodies in decomposition are
evident. Drs. A. and J. L. Hostetter sunk shafts
ill two of these mounds, in one of which they
found the jaw bone with the teeth of a human
being apparently of gigantic proportions. They
still retain it in their drug store at Mount Car-
roll. I presume however, that this was a relic
of some recent deposit, as there were also other
• bones in better state of preservation in the same
mound. The other mound adjacent to it was
ff uud upon examination to contain nothing more
than the usual strata of decomposed matter.
After a thorough examination of the group, I
was satisfied that there had either been a
change at some past era, in the common mode
of burial, or that region was inhabited by an
immense population, at different eras, who prac-
ticed tumular burial in different ways. The
traditions of De-C\io-Dah sanction the latter con-
clusion ; and it is further corroborated by the
fact that, west of the Mississippi, as far as our
researches have extended, we have found in all
burial mounds examined, the traces of fire in
deposit of charcoal and ashes, while on the east
side of that river from the junction of the
Missouri to the Fall of St. Anthony we have only
found an occasional isolated mound of that
d(;scription with the single exception of the
group on Plum river.
"From these facts in connection with the tra-
ditions of De-Coo-Dah, respecting the ancient
liihabitants of these regions, as of various
languages, customs and color, we are led to the
conclusion that at least two distinct races of
men have occupied this territory at different
eras, and that both became nationally extinct,
<
a
-J
►J
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
623
anterior to the occupation of the present Indian
race."
Tliat tliese mounds are ancit'Ut we know, from
tlie fatt that tlie Xortli American Indians were
never Ivnown to have erected tumuli at any era
known to history or tradition. Tliey did how-
over use the.se ancient mounds as places for
burying their dead, in shallow graves.
AUNOLU'S GROVK I.NDW.V MOUNDS
AlHiut two and one-half miles north of Mount
Carroll, on the north side and close to the
.\riiold's (Jrove road, in the field of Mrs. .John
Souders. are four very interesting Indian
mounds. They are conical mounds about sev-
euty-five feet apart, built on the top of the ridge,
raised four or five feet above the surrounding
surface, each about thirty feet in diameter at
the base, and eight or ten feet across the top.
which is depressed, forming a basin in the c-enter.
Aliout forty years ago some jirofessional men of
Mount t'arroll dug into one of these mounds, the
most esisterly one i>erhaps. as it is disfigured
now ; they found nothing but bones of some
human skeletons. There was then growing on
some of these mounds walnut trees two feet in
diameter. The.se mounds are being rapidly
destroyed, the depression on the center holds the
water from rain and melting snow, and the hogs
running in the pasture have made hog-
wallows in the top of the mounds, gradually
carrying the dirt out so that they have become
quite deep holes, of irregular shape. It is un-
fortunate that something cannot be done to pre-
serve these ancient monuments.
MOUNDS IN MOU.VT CVRBOLL TOWNSHIP
On the ridge on the IJristol farm, on the
southeast quarter of section li), there are three
or four conical Indian mounds, and about two
miles south of these on the edge of the bluffs, on
the old .lames Wil.son farm, in section 20, there
are several Indian mounds. These have been
superficially examined and bits of skeletons and
some relics found. The bluffs here overlook the
lakes in the Mississijipi valley, where there was
an abundance of game. All the mounds thus far
mentioned are on high ground, from them there
is a tine vitjw of the surrounding country.
YORK TOWNSHIP MOINDS
There are three distinct Indian mounds on
the northeast quarter of section 20 about two
and a half miles northwest of the village of
Thomson. These are on high ground overlook-
ing the slough and the woods along the Missis-
sippi river. These mounds are in a row north
and south almost touching each other at the
base and are ten or twelve feet above the
level of the ground. From a distance they look
quite prominent in the landscape. They seem to
be made of sand from the surrounding land
with a few rocks that must have been trans-
ported to the place. In excavating so as to
m.'ike an examination of the mounds these rocks
interfered so that a thorough examination was
not made, by a party that undertook it some
thirty years ago. All that this party found in
digging into the mound was the bones of the
fingers of a human hand.
In the same neighborhood on lower ground,
there is one large Indian mound, said to be fif-
teen rods across at the bottom. It seems to have
been made of earth brought from a distance
and originally was raised about twenty feet
above the natural surface. Where it is located,
it has the appearance of having been an island
and if is supposed the earth of which it is com-
posed was brought there in canoes, and the ob-
ject in making it so high was to have the top
al»ove the high water in the Mississippi river.
It was first dug into by some college students
from the south of Thomson; some thirty skel-
etons were unearthed by this party. Another
explorer found in the mound a finger bone that
had a thin thread of gold around it. The bodies
all lay with their feet toward the center of the
mound as appeared from the skeletons found.
Nearly every year there is .some one digging
in this mound, out of idle curiosity to see what
they can find. It is also being plowed over for
farming purposes, and will .soon bo a thing of
the past. Something ought to be done to arouse
sufficient interest in the public so that all the
n:ounds in the country will be preserved and
protected from despoliation and destruction.
STONE RELICS
Many Indian arrows of great variety as to
shape and size have been found in the county;
also stone axes, weighing from two or three
624
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
ounces to thirteen and a half pounds, some of
them very artistic and with perfectly grooved
heads; skinning stones, amulets and a great
variety of celts and some Paleoliths and some
Neolithic heaps of small stone. These relics
are all in the hands of private individuals.
Dr. Rinedollar of Mount Carroll has a very fine
collection, among which are fifteen stone axes
nearly all of which are grooved, and over five
hundred arrow heads, about a peck, besides
many other fine specimens of the work of the
men of the stone age. Captain J. F. Allison had
at one time, when he lived at Mount Cnrrull. a
very fine collection of stone axes, found in this
county.
A permanent organization ought to be formed
for the county, for the purjxjse of preserving
historical treasures so that the collections may
not be dissipated, and some of the specimens
perhaps lost beyond recovery.
During the World's Pair in Chicago, a very
fine collection of stone arrow heads and stone
axes, made by George Winters of specimens
found in Carroll and Jo Daviess counties, was
sold to the Illinois World's Fair Commission.
After the fair it was given to the Arcbeological
Exhibit of the University of Illinois.
THE DALLES OF THE WAUK.\RVSA
These now famous walls of rock and beau-
tiful scenery begin just below the city park.
Mount Carroll, at Point Rock park, as it is ikiw
called, and line the creek on either side for sev-
eral miles. They are at some places a hiuidred
feet or more In height almost perpendicular. In
pioneer days they were crowned with great tall
pines that towered an equal distan<-e towards
the sky. These walls of rock are so close to-
gether at some places, they form what might be
called a mountain gorge. They shut out the
sunlight, except for a short time during the
day, and in the hottest days in summer furnish
a delightful shade and cool resort. At other
places they also modify the climate in winter;
so that at one place, it is as mild as the climate
of St. Louis and Southern Illinois; here the paw
paws grew and nowhere else so far nortli.
These bushes used to fill the narrow valley along
the stream, together with other shrubs and flow-
fcra that belonged to a more southern clime. The
rocks, which were not entirely perpendicular,
were covered with vegetation, and were fes-
tooned at all seasons of the year with various
kinds of flowers and vines; in some of the damp
nooks hanging moss drooped from the branches
of the cedars. In winter they were covered
with the cedar, and the beautiful dark green hem-
lock ; that drooping over the rugged bluffs
seemed to try to cover their nakedness. Inter-
mingled with the green of the cedar and hem-
lock, was the bitter sweet with its bright red
berries.
In spring time these lovely valleys were car-
peted with flowers, the trilliums and hepaticas,
pink, white, and some tinged with delicate blue,
and the anemones and the bluebells, and as
spring wore away and the great floods in the
creek subsided, so as to make the many fords
passable, one could see far up the rugged bluffs,
the beautiful columbines, growing out of the
crevices of the rocks and covering jutting
benches or steps that were only accessible by
giant strides. There were many ferns, among
which was the beautiful maiden hair fern and
that wonder always of children, the walking
fern, which in shady places had taken possession
of the great moss-covered rocks that lay scat-
tered about the shady valley of the creek. Here
also grew that sweetest scented of flowers, the
orchis spectabilis, of the same family as the lady
slipper, which grew so bountifully in the woods
in those days. Later in the fall of the year
high up on the overhanging precipices where
there did not seem to be .soil enough for any-
thnig to grow but the mosses and the lichens,
of which there was a great variety, grew the
beautiful blue hair bell with its long black stem
and bell shaped flower, the same that is so much
prized by travelers in the mountains of Switzer-
land.
When the country was new the.se dells were
free to every one and were certainly very gi'and
and beautiful as nature had finished them. The
entrance to the dells was by Poet's Kock. The
usual way of seeing them was on horseback ;
horseback riding was a common means of trav-
eling in those days. Parties were frequently
formed for the purpose of going "down to the
cave." Indeed there was no other way in early
days to traverse the dells, on account of some
twenty-seven times the creek had to be forded
to go down as far as the cave. To gallop over
the open prairie, and then plunge into the shady
recesses of the dells was not an infrequent pas-
time of the young people of the pioneers.
HISTORY OP CARROLL COUNTY
625
The cave was a great crevice in the wall of
rock, aud extended hack from the face of the
bluff a hundred feet or more, was enlarged, and
extended deeper into the ground by the miners
digging for lead, which here was found in tiny
veins running through the solid rock, so that it
and some side chambers could be traversed by
man for several hundred feet. To get into the
cave it was necessary to cross the creek at this
place, either in a rude boat or perhaps a canoe
made from a hollow log or on a temporary
bridge of poles or planks made by ingenious
youths, so that their best girls, they were all
best to some of the swains — could get into the
cave. In later years the fords were improved
so that one could drive down to the cave, mainly
through the interest which Judge Patch had
taken in baring them repaired after every flooil,
which would t)ften make them impassable and
sometimes even change the course of the creek,
as it does not run straight along its narrow
way, but meanders from one higli bluff across
to another, then back again, and the valley it-
self was by no means in a straight line, but
wound about, some places doubling on itself
in cutting through the hills, so that in travers-
ing a distance of nearly two miles in a straight
line it winds about for three miles or more.
Below the «ive is the grotto and along the
way are many curious formations which have
been given fanciful names, some of which have
not been an improvement on those of the early
pioneers. What is now known as Point Rock,
where one enters the dells, was called Poet's
Rock by the young people of the pioneer days.
Here the swains of early days were wont to
retire to indite those tender eiiistles which won
the hearts of the maidens of pioneer days.
After this period was passed through the rock
became a trysting place for happy lovers.
In many places civilization has marred the
beauty <if these dalles, particularly where they
extend through the village; here a dam was built
auoss the narrow valley to raise a water jiower
of twenty feet fall for the Mount Carroll mill.
In the early days this dam formed a beautiful
clear lake, very deep and filled with many
kinds of game fish. In the summer time it was
fine for boating and bathing and in winter for
Bkating, more than a mile in extent, passing uii
by Day Spring and Day Spring Hollow, which
latter jilaces are now fortunately enclosed in the
grounds of the Caroline Mark Home, and will in
time be made into a beautiful park. When the
first settlers came. Mount Carroll was the site
of au Indian village, and when the mill dam
was being built where the mill pond now is the
skeletons of their tepees were still standing.
Here it is told that an Indian squaw riding up
the stream on her pony placed a foot on either
bank and the white man called It Straddle
Creek, but the Indian name is Waukarusa.
wliich means, waist deep.
Passing further up the stream and two miles
from the city, are what might be called the up-
per dalles of the Waukarusa. Here the natural
growth of forest trees has been preserved, and
the valley between the bluffs is still filled with
great tall walnut, sugar maple, linden, ash and
many kinds of oak and other trees, so that
within the space of a few acres every kind
of tree to be found in this latitude can be seen
growing. Here also grows in great abundance
the thong wood, of so much use to the Indians
in tying together the bark with which tliey
formed their canoes and wigwams.
An ancient oak may be here seen that was
probably growing when Columbus discovered
America, a stately monarch of the forest, —
"What gnarled stretch, what depth of shade is
his,"
"There needs no crown to mark the forest's
king."
The body of this tree at its smallest girth is
over ten feet in circumference ; about fifteen feet
from the ground it divides into two enormous,
almost perpendicular branches, one of which is
over six feet in circumference, and the other
over seven; it is sixty feet high and spreads
seventy feet in width. In very early days this
oak sheltered a hunter's log cabin ; the hearth-
stone of its fire place still remains to mark the
spot where it stood ; from which place can be
seen in the distance, looking south, a spring
where the deer and elk in early days used to
come from the prairies to drink of its cool aud
refreshing waters. The oak and the violet,
which are here such near neighbors, were a few
years ago voted by the graded schools of Illinois
to be the state tree and the state tlowcr. This
old oak overlooks a high bluff where there
is a perpendicular wall of rock rising from the
running water below, some fifty feet in height,
.•iiid for several rods in length in a straight line,
the top is fringed with low bushes and at the
626
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
upper eud of the perpendicular wall of rock is
n conveuieut crevice. This place was used by
the Indians iu the early days for destroying
great numbers of bufifalos. Large herds of these
annuals roamed over the prairies of Illinois in
early days. Like many wild animals, they were
in the habit of following a leader, and were not
easily deflected from the course he was pursu-
ing. The Indians taking advantage of this fact
substituted one of their number disguised as a
bi'fifalo, with a bison skin with head, ears and
horns and no doubt the tail, so that the deception
of the dumb animals was quite complete. The
Uerd was then surrounded by the Indians and
put to flight towards the one in disguise, who
imitating the motion of the erstwhile leader fled
towards the cliff with the whole herd following
niton his heels. He took shelter in the crevice of
the cliff. The herd having gained great
momentum iu that direction could not stop, if
they would : those in the rear forced the fore-
most on until they nearly all went over the brink
of the precipice to their utter destruction.
In the early days, all along the Waukarusa
"liriglit old inhabitants." so called by the In-
dians iu a word translated from the Indian
tongue, were entirely too numerous for one to
be at ease when walking through the woods.
This is another of several good reasons parties
had for going down to the cave on horseback ;
these "bright old inhabitants" being very
poisinious rattlesnakes. The reader will be glad
to know that they are now exterminated in this
neighborhood and it is seldom that one is found
anywhere In the whole county.
The catamount, that terror of the woods, lived
in a cave below the cliff near this ancient oak,
when the country was first settled by white men.
He no doubt stretched his lithe body along the
huge limbs of the old oak and with glaring eyes
the blood-thirsty month was ready to drop down
ol; his prey, the little rabbit that sought shelter
in the depths of the tree's hollow trunks, or the
gentle fawn that was enjoying the grateful
shade under its spreading branches.
In those days of the early settlers the wild
pigeons came to this country in such great flocks
as to form clouds that darkened the sun ; they
used to light on the old oak in great numbers to
feed upon its acorns.
Further down the stream, above a deep pool,
there is a mass of rocks covered here and there
with shrubs and cedars and tall trees, over which
one can look when stauding upon the hillside
:iliove. This place and scenery gave to the
author of the, "Merchant Prince of Cornville,"
some of his ideas, which have since become of
world wide notoriety, especially in theatrical
circles. This play is claimed by its author to
C(,ntain the ideas which made such a great suc-
cess of Edmoud Rostand's great works "Cyrano
De Bergerac." and "L'Aiglou," and "Le Chan-
tacler." So near akin Is all the world that the
palaces of Taris hark back the echoes from the
fern clad cliffs of the little stream in Illinois
now called the Waukarusa.
THE PBAIRIE
Above the upper dells the explorer emerges
upou the beautiful prairie, which extends for
miles towards the rising sun. In early days it
was thought these prairies would never be set-
tled and farmed, although they are the most
fertile lands in the country, because there was
no water, no wood for building or fuel, nor for
making fences to enclose the cultivated fields,
to keep off the roving bands of cattle that
grazed at large for miles around. The beauty of
the scene was however, impressed upon the
early settler. In the springtime the prairie was
a delicate green ; among the blades of grass
were such tiny flowers, as the violet and
the strawberry, and many others of delicate
tints and of unknown names ; these covered
valley and knoll, making a trackless sea of
billowy verdure. The observer soon became
aware that he n;ust take note of his bearings,
or he would be lost among the greeu knolls, as
there was nothing to mark his way. The hori-
zon was an unbroken circle of green which met
the sky. As the season advanced toward mld-
sunmier in the grass were delicate tiny flowers,
— tlie violet and others more conspicuous and
gaudy. In the autumn, yellow was the pre-
dominating color of the flowers which were
then very beautiful. The prairie had a beauty of
its own, which beggars description ; it has van-
ished forever ; we shall never see its like again.
GIANT'S TKA-'IAMLE IN THE UALLE8 OF
THE WAIKARUSA
SCENE ON llli; W AlKAUrSA NEAl! Till': CWK AT WILOKUHinu; PLACE
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
627
CHAPTER II.
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CARROLL
COINTY, AS DELIVERED BY HOX. JAMES
SHAW, AT LANARK, ILLINOIS, ON JULY
4. 1S7(> AT A FOURTH OF JULY CELE-
BRATION THERE HELD AND OLD
SETTLERS MEETING.
A.NCIENT OWNERSHIP — NORTHWESTERN TERRITORY
— JO DAVIESS COUNTY — SAVANNA FIR.ST TOWN —
NEW COUNTY 'OFFICER.S COUNTY COMMISSION-
ERS COURT — FIRST CIRCUIT COURT HELD IN THE
COUNTY — REMOVAL OF COUNTY SEAT FROM
SAVANNA COURT HOUSE BUILT — MEMBERS OF
THE LEGISL.\TURE — EARLY SETTLEMENTS — FIKST
SETTLEMENT IN CARROLL COUNTY" SAVANNA
SETTLED — FIRST SCHOOL HOUSE — FIRST TR.VIL
— TAVERN RATES — CHERRY GROVE SETTLE-
MENT — ELKHORN GROVE SETTLEMENT — MARKING
THE WAY YORK TOWNSHIP EARLY" SETTLERS —
HOW THEY' CAME — Y"ORK TOWNSHIP NAMED
PRESTON PRAIRIE AND MOUNT CARROLL SETTLE-
MENTS — 1S37 ORIGINAL MILL COMPANY FORMED
FIRST RELIGIOUS MEETING — THE MILL COM-
PANY" — STAG POI.NT — FIRST SCHOOL — FIRST MAIL
— THE SEMINARY — THE ACADEMY — EARLY' SET-
TLEMENT IN WYSO.X — INDIAN.S — A PIONEER LOST
— JUMPING A CLAIM — SHELVING ROCK SHANTY'
— RATTLESNAKES — INVENTIVE GENIUS — NAMES OF
PLACES — SIRADDI-E CREEK — EARLY' SETTLEMENT
— AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY — EABLY PREMIUMS
-VWAHDED — NEWS PAPERS — MAGNITUDE 1S7C —
WAR RECORD.
Till' ruitcd Shilcs liy Viirious iroalies witli
tUi" Indiiins from IS114 to 18:?2, bad e.xtiiifjiiished
tlicir titles to llic ImikI in ttie Rock river val-
ley and about tbe (iaieiia lead mines: tlie red
men remained, bowever. until about tbe time
of tbe RIackbawk war, before tliey permanently
removed lo their new homes west of Ibe Mis-
sissi|i|ii river. Independent of this occni)a-
tion .-ind ownei'sbip of tbe soil by the aljo-
rinines, France and Ensland, as each gained
asoendeney in tbeir new world dominions, ruled
tbe nortbwest by turns, until it was con(iuered
from tbe latter, by tbe bold and beroic e.vpedi-
lions of (k-orge Rogers Clark, wbose campaigns
in Illinois reduced tbe Britisli posts of Kas-
kaskia and Fort Vinceiuies between the Ohio
and Mississippi rivers.
ANCIENT on .NERSIIIP
An ei)itome of tbe history of this ancient
ownership may fitly introduce this attempt to
elotbe in historic narr.ilive tlie following: pages
of our local annals.
Tbe history of Illinois up to l.Sdlt may be
eiiitomized nearly as follows. (Jriginally its
territory, with that of oilier northwestern
states, was a part of New or Canadian France,
and was partially under French control.
Tbe Jesuit missionaries were tbe first white
men wbo discovered the Mississippi river and
traversed its tributary streams. Tbey came
to tell the story of the Cross and evangelize
the wild tribes of the prairie and the woods.
Their relations or journals are the sources of
our early northwestern history and primitive
settlements. Their heroism and adventurous
discoveries founded tlie empire of New France
in the new world. From the mouth of the St.
Lawrence river to tbe Father of Waters their
early labors to proselyte the Indian races were
constant and unremitting. The charm of a
certain spirit of romance hangs over tbeir lives
thus tilled with the iiassion, beauty and beroic
achievements of a fervid religious enthusiasm.
Nor are incidents almost tragic in their sadness,
wanting to complete the historic picture or
story. There is no death scene in the history
of those days more touching than the death-bed
of Maripiette, one of the explorers of this very
territory, yielding up bis spirit in prayer to the
(lod who gave it, by the banks of the small
river which hears his name on the eastern shore
of Lake .Michigan, on May 1".). K!".". The patlios
of that de.Uh-bed scene is touching in tlie e.\-
treme.
Between 1715 ami 1720, this Northwestern
Territory was made a jiart of Louisiana and was
tbenceforlb governed from New Orleans instead
of Quebec. The southwest bad had its ups and
downs and tierce conllicts had been waged in tbe
n<!\v slates of Florida. Lousiana and Texas, be-
tween colonies, soldiers and emissaries of France
and Spain. By the treaty of Great Britain and
France, (Treaty of Paris, 1703), all the north-
western territory including Canada, was ceded
628
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
by the latter power to the former, and Captain
Sterling in behalf of Great Britain, opened a pro-
visional government at Fort Chartres in Ran-
dolph County in ITGo. In the following year Illi-
nois and the northwestern territory was placed
under the supervision of Canada, and governed
from thence for many years as a British Prov-
ince. Meantime the Revolutionary war broke
out. In 1778, General Clark, one of the most
heroic soldiers and leaders of his time, organized
the expedition referred to and after incredible
hardships and heroism, captured Fort Vineennes
on the Wabash, garrisoned by British troops, un-
der General Hamilton and restored this whole
country to the American Colonial government.
It was placed under the jurisdiction of the State
of Virginia, which in October, 1778. was organ-
ized into the County of Illinois of the Indian
Territory. At that time there were two grades
of territories recognized. In the first grade the
appointed judges and governor made the laws.
By a vote of the people in 1812, Illinois passed
to the second grade, in which a territorial legis-
lature consisting of a council and House of
Representatives, made the laws and exercised
the functions of government. This first legisla-
ture consisted of four councilmen and seven
representatives.
STATE DIVIDED INTO COUNTIES
In 1800 acting governor Pope by his proclama-
tion divided the state into two counties; St. Clair
and Randolph, and they were the only counties
for three years prior to 1812, at which time by
a vote of the peojile of these two counties, the
territory passed to the second grade of govern-
ment. In September of the same year four
niore counties were organized and an election
was ordered which elected the four councilmen
and seven representatives of the first legislature
chosen in the state.
As the state grew and passed into its state
existence in 1818. the carving process went on.
and new counties were constantly organized.
Peoria county when organized extended from
the Illinois river on the east to the northern
boundary line of the state.
JO DAVIESS COUNTY FOBMED
Finally in 1827 Jo Daviess county was organ-
ized out of the northern part of this large ter-
ritory. It embraced what Is now the counties of
Lee, Ogle, Carroll and Whiteside and some other
territory yet unorganized. In 1836 Ogle was
carved off from Jo Daviess and afterward Lee
was carved off by dividing Ogle into two coun-
ties. Meanwhile Carroll county remained a part
of Jo Daviess, and its first settlement, its first
county government and its first resident Jus-
tices of the Peace appear while It was yet a
part of Jo Daviess county. A few of the oldest
citizens in 1876. remembered, when Carroll
county was still a part of Jo Daviess and
Galena was the county seat, of the former
county.
CARROLL COUNTY ORGANIZED
This brings us to the organization and
political history of Carroll county, the proper
subject of this history. As early as 1837 peti-
tions had been addressed to the Legislature,
asking for a separate county organization, signed
by the citizens of Savanna and many others.
SAVANNA FIRST TOWN IN COUNTY
The town of Savanna had been laid out by
Luther H. Bowen. with whom was associated a
man by the name of Murray. One John A. C.
Clark seems also to have laid off the north part
of the town : but none of these plats seem to
have been recorded until after the complete or-
ganization of the county.
The first petition for county existence con-
tained the novel request that the court house of
the new county should be erected on "Murray's
Scjuare," in the new town of Savanna.
The act organizing the new county was ap-
proved and became a law on the twenty-second
day of February, 1839. It provided that an
election should be held on the second day of
April following ; for the purpose of choosing the
seat of justice for the county, and of electing
county officers. This act contains some novel
provisions, requiring the owners of lands on
which the county seat might be located, or the
town of Savanna, in case it should be located
there, to donate land or town lots and also to
donate thirty-five hundred dollars in cash to
be paid to the county for the erection of a court
house and other public buildings in six, twelve
and eighteen month installments.
This election was held on the eighth day of
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
629
Ai)ril, 1S39. .Savanna received one hundred and
twenty-sis votes. That vote was phired on
record and certified to be the majority of all the
votes cast, liy John Knox, I.tH)nard Goss, Alvin
Iluinplirey, J. C. Owings and Henj. Church, act-
ing justices of the peace in and for the original
county of Jo Daviess. Savanna thus became
the county seat of the new county. Returns of
first elec-tion were to be made to these justices
of tlie peace, who were to canvass the returns
and declare the result, which was done in due
form of law.
THE NEW COtJNTY OFFICERS
The new county was attached to the sixth
judicial circuit ; and courts were to be held in
it twice a year, at such times as the judge should
designate. We tind afterwards that he held the
circuit court or terms of court in the months of
September and May.
Township organization had not then come into
fashion in this [lart of the state but a County
commissioners court, composed of three commis-
sioners did the legal and other business of tlie
county.
Sample M. Journey, Garner Moffett and Luther
II. Bowen, were the first commisisoners
elected. At their second meeting in June, 1S39,
they drew lots for the terms of duration of their
office, Luther II. Bowen drew the one-year
terra, S. SI. Journey drew the three-year term.
and the two-year term was left for Garner Muf-
fett, he getting what is called IIobson"s clmiiv:
but I cannot find that Moffett ever qualified or
took part iu the county business until about the
close of the year 1S39.
COUNTY COMMISSIONEBS CODET
The first meeting of the county commissioners
court was held iu Savanna, April 13, 1S39. They
appointed Elijah Bellows and .Vlvin Daviiis the
first assessors of the county. Norman D. French
the first collector, laid off the county into ten
road districts; assessed four days' road l.'ibor
upon each man if necessary to have so much ;
granted a license or two to keep tavern, and
did some other liusiness. I find afterwards that
the fees of the alwve assessors, were seven dol-
lars to one and seventeen dollars to the other.
William Goss was the first clerk of the county
commissioners court ; Hezekiah Frances was the
first sheriff; John C. Owings was the first pro-
bate justice ; Mason Taylor was the first cor-
oner ; Uoyal Cooper was the first recorder ; I^evl
Warner was the first surveyor; Leonard Goss the
first notary public; and Vance Davidson was the
first public administrator. The commissions of
these officers all bore date early iu the year
Ib'od ; several of them were re-elected and served
term after term in succession, especially was
this true of Francis Owings, Taylor, Cooper and
Warner.
The first county order issued by the commis-
sioners was to Captain James Craig for ten dol-
lars and fifty cents for a copy of the law or-
ganizing the county. Captain Craig was the rep-
resentative for Jo Daviess county, who intro-
duced the bill, in the legislature to incorporate
the county.
FIRST COURT HELD IN THE COUNTY
On the twelfth of September 1839, the first
term of the circuit court was held in a build-
ing two blocks south of the present residence
(1875) of Dr. Woodruff, a sort of a public build-
ing in which all public gatherings were ac-
customed to convene for public meetings.
The following are the names of the grand and
petit jurors which were selected by the county
commissioners court for this term. Grand jur-
ors lor .September term 1839 ; John Knox, A.
Painter, Herman McNamar, Daniel Storler,
Thomas I. Shaw, E. W. Todd, Francis Garner,
John C. Owings, George Swaggert, Nathan Fisk,
Samuel I'restou, David Masters, Beers Tomlin-
son, Aaron Pierce, Thomas Rapp, John Eddowes,
John Beruard, John Laswell, Stephen N. Arnold,
Elijah Sterns, William Dyson, Jr., William Dy-
son, Sr., and Daniel Christian.
Pettit jurors for the same term : William
Ayres, Aaron Robb, William Jenkins, Isaac
Jones, John Her, Sumner Downing, Nelson
Swaggert, Irwin Kellogg, Vance L. Davidson,
Alouso Shannon, John Orr, David Ashby, George
W. Brice, William Eaton, Levi Newcomer, John
Johnson, John Cuunuings, George Christian,
Paul D. Otis, Ellas P. Williams, Royal Cooper,
David L, Bowen, William Bundel and John Ful-
ler. These were among the prominent old set-
tlers, most of them are dead now, sleeping quiet-
ly in their coHined sleep ; some went off to other
states and localities; while a very few may yet
630
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
linger among the living In the little county they
helped to organize and build up.
■ At the first term of the court the docket con-
tained eight cases; five of them were appeals
from assessments of damages, highway cases I
suppose; two were forcible entry and detainer
suite; one was a trespass on the case suit; most
o! these cases were continued or dismissed ; and
the only attorney on record I find, was a man by
the name of Wakefield, who must have starved
to death if he depended on legal fees for a.
living.
At the next term of court, May term 1840,
there were twelve cases on the docket. Martin
P. Sweet, Judge Drummond, a Mr. Chase and a
Mr. Hoge appear as attorneys of record. Judge
Drummond had two divorce suits and they were
the only chancery cases of the term. In fact
these two chancery cases are the beginning of
the chancery record in Carroll County. The
cases were: Jeremiah Humphrey vs. Hannah
Humphrey and Dudley C. Humphrey vs. Lavinia
fJumphrey, both were commenced by the hus-
bands and both husbands were supposedly made
happy by obtaining the divorces sought. At the
same term there were two slander «uits Robert
Ashby vs. Peter Bashaw and Oliver Bashaw,
both suits seemingly dismissed without a trial
or hearing. Soon after this the names of E. B.
AVashburn, Judge Heaton and otliers whose
names became prominent or distinguished as
lawyers, began to appear on the dockets as then
jjracticing law in Carroll County. A part of
Pierce's tavern was used as jury rooms; fifteen
dollars were appropriated per term to pay for
jiutting these jury rooms in i>rder, except at
one term when the appropriation was only five
dollars, to fix up a jury room in the Mississippi
house for some kind of court purposes.
Judge Stone of Galena held most of these
early courts. Judge Brown succeeded him, of
whom many ancedotes were told, some of them
still linger in the memories of some of the older
lawyers.
EEMOVAI> OF THE COUNTY SE.VT FROM SAVANNA
As settlements spread over the county and
emigrants sought this part of the state, the
question of removing the county seat to a more
central location began to b.e agitated. This agi-
tation was chiefly urged on by the Mount Car-
roll Mill Company. It culminated in the passage
of an act by the legislature, approved March 6,
1843, appointing Moses Hallett, of Jo Daviess
county; John Dixon of Lee county and Nathan
Belcher of Rock Island county, commissioners to
select a proper and more central location. On
the 17th day of May of the same year they met
and selected forty acres of land donated by
Nathaniel Halderman on behalf of the Mill
Company, on the hill in Mount Carroll, where
the churches now stand, stuck a stake there
where the public square was to be. and named
the site Mount Carroll. This land and ten
acres donated by George W. Christian was laid
off into town lots and these lots or some of
them were offered at auction on the twentieth
of November, A. D. 1843. This plat was laid off
by the commissioners, was afterward vacated
by the legislature February 5, 1851. Savanna
had got out hewed timbers for a block house jail
at this time but had failed to build a court
house. The Jtlill Company were not satisfied
with the location of the town plat as made by
the commissioners, and the result was that no
lots were sold by the county at the sale adver-
tised to take place. Thereupon Nathaniel Hal-
derman offered to build a substantial court house,
making the offer for the Mill Company, if the
county would deed back the forty acres donated
to the county by the company, and also cancel
a subscription of one thousand dollars which the
company had made towards erecting a court
house and public buildings; this offer was ac-
cepted.
FIRST COURT HOUSE BUILT
The building of the court house was com-
menced in 1843 and completed so that the public
offices were removed into it on the first Monday
of September, 1844. The right to use the court
house for church purposes and for other meet-
ings and gatherings was reserved for ten years
by those who erected it. The first gathering in
this young temple of justice was a Fourth of
July celebration in 1844 before the building was
completed, and in those days revival meetings
preiiching and other meetings on public occasions
were regularly held there. Thomas Hoyne of
Galena made the oration, at this meeting to cel-
ebrate the day.
What reminiscences of those early days this
old court house could tell, could its now scat-
tered rocks be gathered up and endowed with
.^
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f^m
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3
liW
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
631
speech; but like everything else it had to give
place to the progressive spirit of the new civi-
lization.
COUNTY OFFICERS
It is not ni.v puriioso now to trace this comity
seat mutter further. The history of the county
from that time down to the present, shows that
November twenty-first 1S49, George W. Harris
qualified as the first county judge and Norman
I). French and George W. Knox as associate
judges. Harris resigned a year after his elec-
tion, and was succeeded by David Emmert, and
he by Tlxomas Rapp. C. VanVechten, Judge Gray
and John Wilson and later by Hon. B. L. Tatch,
who held the office for many years, (until suc-
ii'cdcd by A. V. Wingert. and he by John D.
Turnbaugh, the incnmltent in 1910).
The county clerks and clerks of the county
commissioners court have been William B. Goss,
John Wilson, T.eonard Goss, Valentine Bohn,
I'.tnj L, Patch, It. G. Bailey, R. M. A. Hawk and
perhaps otliors who filled the office in those early
(lays I The incuMilieuts down to the present
lime have been: E. T. E. Becker, F. A. Smith
and Andrew B. Adams.]
The county was but a brief period under the
supervision of the judge and his two associate
judges. We find that April S, 1S50, the first
meeting of the supervisors took place and ad-
joined for the want of a quorum, to the 23d diiy
01' April ; on that day the new board met and
organized. Tlie following were the names of the
supervisors i)reseut at the first meeting and
there is no record of any absentees: Jared
Bartholomew, Da. ol P. Holt, Rollin Wheeler,
Sample M. Journey, George Sword, Monroe
Baile.v, Henry F. Lowraan and John Donalson.
Jared Bartholomew was elected chairman.
There has been no change since in the system
of our county government and the system is so
familiar to all our citizens, that it may be dis-
missed without further comment. It is the good
Uepul>lican system adopted by all the counties
ii; the northern part of the state.
mSINESS OF THE PROBATE COURT
As a matter of interest it may be proper to
state that the first busiuess done by the probate
court, was the lu'obating of the will of Peter B.
Newell. l)y John C. Owings, jirobate justice of the
peace, September 5, 1S39. The first marriage
license issued, as shown by these early rei^'ords
was to Marshall B. Pierce, to marry Julia A.
Baker, which was dated August 27, 1839. Ben-
jamin Church J. P. tied the knot. The fir.st
deed recorded was from Bowen and Murray to
David Ii. Harrison and was dated May 2G, 1S37
and was recorded July 4, 1839.
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISL.\TORE
The names of the men who have represented
the county in the legislature, so far as I can find,
are ditticult to state accurately on account of the
changes fre<iueutly made in the representative
districts and our changed connection with ad-
joining counties.
I give as nearly as I can, however, the names
of those who have been connected with public
affairs and who have been residents of the
count.v, since it was organized with their call-
ings and professions so far as I know them.
J. M. Hunter, senator in 27th General Assembly,
a lawyer and served one term of two years ;
H. A. Mills, banker, senator; W. P. Miller,
l.iwyer, ISth General Assembly; Rowland
Wheeler, merchant. 19th Assembly ; Porter Ser-
geant, merchant. 20th General Assembly, two
years ; James DeWolf, farmer, 21st General As-
semlily, two years ; Benjamin L. Patdi, lawyer,
22iid General Assembly, two years; J. F. Chap-
man, merchant, 23rd Assembly, two .years ;
Daniel W. Dame, farmer, 24th Assembly ; Elijah
Funk, farmer, and surveyor, 25th General As-
sembly, two .vears ; Adam Nase, ex-sherilT and
carpenter, 20th General Assembly; James Shaw,
law.ver, 27th and 2Sth General Assembly, four
years; N. D. French, farmer, 39th General
Assembly. [James Shaw was speaker of the
House of Representatives during one long ses-
sion and one or two .idjourned se.s.sioiis. John
.M. Stowell. merchant, was our representative
I.S77; Emanuel Stover and Henry Bitner, Dem.,
1881; (Jeo. I,. Hoffman, attorney, 1883; Simon
Greenleaf, editor, 1885; I.evi I. Bray, farmer,
ISSit; Dan"! I, Berrj", attorney, 1891-95; J. N.
Brandt, farmer, Dem.. 1.S!)3: David < '. P.ussel.
farmer. lSil7-99; C. W. .Middlekaul'f. .ittoniey,
.ind I'.. \. I.eclitenberger, nierchanl, Dem.. i:i(i1 ;
and W. \V. (;ill<'spie, farmer, 1!)(i:;-(KI. |
632
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
POLITICS OF THE COUNTY — CIBCUIT JUDGES
The politics of the county up to the organiza-
tion of the Republican party was always Whig
by a small majority. In 1S40 it gave its first
vote for Harrison. In 1844 the electoral vote
was cast for Henry Clay, as near as I can deter-
mine. In 1848 it went for Taylor ; in 1852 Gen-
eral Scott was its choice. Since then its vote
has been true blue for the Republican party
nominees, with some local exceptions.
The circuit judges, as near as I can determine,
have been Judge Stone, Judge Brown, Judge
Williiuson. Judge Drury, Judge Heaton, Judge
Eustace, Judge Crabtree, Judge Cartwright,
Judge Garver, Judge Tuthill, Judge Shaw, Judge
Eaum, Judge Farrand and Judge Heard.
THE EABLY SETTLEMENTS
The early settlers located in favorite spots,
where they could procure wood for fuel and
building and fencing their crops, and water for
themselves and their stock. These locations
and settlements were known as neighborhoods.
The working of the Galena Lead Mines, just
north of Carroll County, first attracted settle-
ments and emigration to this part of Illinois.
They first led to annual migrations from central
Illinois and other southern localities.
The French voyager, LaSeur, in the year 1700,
first discovered lead ore in Jo Daviess County,
which joins Carroll on the north, and named
the stream which flows through Galena, Fever
River, or first, perhaps, the River of the Mines.
It afterward took the former name on account
of the fevers and other diseases prevailing there.
The miners crowded there in great numljers and
suffered much from periodic fevers and ague.
Prior to the working of the mines by white
men the Indian squaws had sometimes e.Kca-
vated the lead ore and subjected it to their
rude smelting processes. Great fortunes were
subsetjuently amassed in this business and many
who here secured fortunes went to Chicago and
helped to make that city a colossal center of
commerce. Early in 1819 a man by the name
of Bontillier settled on the east side of Ga-
lena River (Fever River) where the city of
Galena now stands, and he is said to be the
first white man who settled there. A little
later in the season Jesse W. Shull had estab-
lished a trading post there, or near there, and
he was .soon joined by .V. P. Vanmeter and Dr.
Samuel Muir. who had the honor of nam-
ing the future wealthy city to grow up there.
These men traded with the Indians, and married
Indian wives. About 1S23 and 1824 the won-
derful Galena mines began to attract the atten-
tion of the adventurous western and southern
people. Permission was obtained from the In-
dians to mine in certain defined territories. A
Colonel Johnson came with a number of men
and claimed exclusive right to work the mines
bj some sort of government permit. In 1826
and 1827 large diggings were found, and a great
excitement sprang up all over the state.
Captain Thomas surveyed and laid out the
town of Galena ; government permits were given
to settle on the lots, and these were the only
titles the first settlers had to their new homes
or could obtain until 1838. In 1827 there was
supposed to be sixteen hundred miners scat-
tered about these hills and valleys. Indian
troubles began to brew. General Gaines of the
regular army and Dodge of the volunteer
forces scoured the country with troops and the
general government about this time paid the In-
dians some twenty thousand dollars for their
claims to these mineral lands.
Peoria, on the Illinois river, had been settled
soon after Galena, and mails were carried on
horseback by way of Peoria to Galena from Van-
dalia, the then capital of the state. In those
days mining excitement ran high like the Cali-
fornia fever of 1849, or the Black Hills fever
of 187G. Every spring the covered wagons,
prairie schooners, from southern Illinois, Mis-
souri, Tennessee and other places, wended their
toilsome journeys to the mines of northern Illi-
nois. They came in the spring, delved and dug
all summer, sold out their outfits, and returned
to the south later in the fall. Their appearance
in the spring was at the same time the sucker
fish filled the small streams and tributaries of
Fever River ; the people became known as
"suckers," and this name attached itself to the
Inhabitants of the state who became known as
suckers.
This great annual travel followed these early
trails; passed by conspicuous mounds and
groves and over natural fords in the streams
and wore its tracks so deep into the prairies
and woodlands that they may be traced in fa-
vorite siwts even yet. One of these ancient
highways or trails crossed Rock river near
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
633
I'roiihetstowii. in \Vliitt>si(ie L'lpiiuty; ;iiintln'i-
at Dixon's Ferry and others liigber up Rock
river. The Lewiston trail which crossed
near Prophetstown passed up through Carroll
County, crossed Johnson's Creek near Amos
Shoemaker's farm, passed over the ridge on the
old Shannon farm (Section 2(5, Mount Carroll
Township), crossed the ridge west of and near
Mount Carroll and continued hence north to
Kli/.abeth and Galena.
The old Sucker trail crossed at Dixon's
Ferry, ran through Buffalo Grove, Chamber's
Grove and Cherry Grove, crossed Plum river at
the old Harris place where there was a stage
station and ixjst office. At one time John C.
Owlngs plowed furrows across the prairies from
his house to Buffalo Grove to give direction to
this travel north and south. Kellogg's trail,
made in 1820, passed east of this county be-
tween Polo and Mount Morris. Boles trail was
from the old Kellogg trail ; it began twelve miles
south of Dixon and was the same trail referred
to as the Sucker trail a few lines back. An-
other trail and old military route between
IJocU Island and Prairie du Chien crossed the
western part of Carroll County, along the sand
ridge and near the sloughs and timber belt of
the Mississippi river between Fulton and Sa-
vanna and from thence ran north toward Han-
over and Galena. As early as 1S2C or 1827 a
Peoria man named Bogardis had attempted to
establish a ferry at Dixon, but the Indians
burned his boat and drove him away. In 1S2S
a Frenchman named Joe Ogle made a more sue
cissful attempt, perhaps because he married an
Indian s(iuaw, and was respected by the Indians.
Previous to the opening of this ferry the heavy
wagons of the miners and stages then passing
through Cherry Grove had to be taken apart and
ferried across Rock river In Indian canoes,
while the oxen and horses were made to swim
the stream. April 11th. 1839, John Dixon,
afterward named by the Indians "Xachusa,"
"White hair head," arrived at Rock river,
bought out Ogie for eighteen hundred dollars,
and gave his name to the ferry and subsequent
city which soon grew up. By this time Galena
had become quite a mining center of, perhaps,
tive hundred inhabitants, and had a newspaper,
til" "Miners Journal."
-has settlements sprang up at first at the
cross'.ng of the streams and at beautiful groves,
as it was then believed people could not live
2
through the winters in the open prairies. At
first rude tavern stands and ferries were the be-
ginnings of permanent occupancy. Soon, how-
ever, the fame of the beautiful Rock river and
its rich surrounding prairie lands was spread
abroad through all the southern settlements and
through the middle and eastern states and men
were prospecting everywhere for the inirpose of
permanent settlement and making prairie homes.
Iidians swarmed over the face of the country in
those days. The Sacs and Foxes had the seat
of their empire at Rock Island; The W'inne-
bagoes lived around Dixon and up and down
the beautiful Rock river ; the Pottawatomies oc-
cupied the territory about Lake Kushkonoug,
higher up Rock river.
Prior to this treaties liad been made with
the Indians to extinguish their titles, but the
Indians had not yet left, and did not respect
the solemn treaties they had entered into.
When the white men saw iue country it is
not strange they were charmed with It, nor is
it strange that the red men were unwilling to
give it up without a struggle.
Oh. beautiful Mississippi river, river of the
rocky bed, the shining silvery flow and the
limpid sweet waters ; more than the Mohawk or
the romantic Wyoming or any classic stream of
Italy's fabled mountains ; bordered everywhere
by virgin prairies, landscapes all flecked with
the wild flowers, and of unexampled fertility
and dotted with island-like groves as Edens ;
the haunts and the homes of the red deer; the
si'.aggy buffalo and the wild red man. No won-
der the miner and the adventurous explorer
hastened home, packed up the family penates
and goods, and came hither, to carve out new
homes in the virgin wilderness and flowery
prairies.
At this time a stage line had been established
from Peoria and central Illinois, even before
Ogle started his ferry across Rock river. Be-
fore this the hor-ses and stage coaches had to be
ferried and forded across in the old pioneer way
or in the Indian style.
When the troops who served in the Black
Hawk war returned home they spread the fame
of the Rock river country far and wide ; that
and the restless love of adventure and the fame
of the lead mines roused a spirit of adventure
which sent a wave of emigration to northwestern
Illinois and the famous lead mines.
The early settlements and mining camps took
634
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
their names from the groves that had been
named by the hunters and travelers. In
Carroll Cbunty the names of Cherry Grove set-
tlement. Buffalo Grove settliMiient. retain their
names to this day. Burr Oak Grove, in Stephen-
son County, had been settled in 1S29; Buffalo
Grove in Ogle County in 1.820 or 1830, by a Mr.
Chambers, a Mr. Ankeny, and other settlers
were already at Elizabeth and Rush creek at
even an earlier da.v. and in all the surrounding
counties the idoneers were flocking in ; the
loads were spotted with prairie schooners, con-
taining the families of the mover.s and their
household goods.
FIBST SETTLEMENT IN CABKOIX COUNTY
The first settlement in Carroll County was
made at Savanna in 1828. In November of
that year George and Vance L. Davidson, Aaron
Pierce and William Blundel, with their families,
moved from the lead mines to Savanna with ox
teams. The place was then known as the Coun-
cil Bluffs of the Uijper Mississippi. The council
house of the Indians still stood there and the
Pierce family moved into it, until the log cabins
could be built. This council house was two
stories high ; was built with poles and covered
with liark of trees and would hold one thousand
people. In this house the Pierces lived and
entertained travelers and traded with the In-
dians, who came across the river in canoes or
on the ice In winter. [All that portion of
Savanna between Main street and the bluffs was
heavily timbered but the trees were all dead.
having been girdled by the Indians and the
ground under the dead trees was cultivated by
them. Some of these trees were of oak and
three feet in diameter. The Indians used to
have their war dances near where Stranskey's
shop was afterward built, and a hundred Indian
Canoes would sometimes be moored, or rather
beached, along the bank of the river, returning
from Davenport or Dnbucjue. at which places
there were Indian towns. [M. B. Pierce, in Sa-
vanna Times, Jany. 5th, 1.87G, Old Settlers'
Record fly leaf. Ed.] Wild rushes and tall
grass grew in abundance about the place. On
these the oxen lived the first winter. AVood
was hauled, fence rails were split, and the
c^abins built during the winter, and in the
SI ring the groinid was plowed for the crop of
1829.
In May. 1820, the wife of Captain John B.
Rhodes was born. She was the first white child
born in Carroll County, and was born in the old
Indian Coinicil House, where her father and
mother, the Pierces, temiwrarily resided. The
nearest neighbors on the east were at Dixon,
on the north at Hanover, on the south at Al-
bany, on the west was the Mississippi river, be-
yond this there were no white inhabitants.
The Indians were numerous and friendly.
Game and fish were abundant, so were mos-
quitos. gallinippers. raccoons, blackbirds, crows
and other birds of prey, in fact, the first corn-
fields had to be guarded from the depredations
of the latter, and especially from blackbirds
and crows. River navigation was done mostly
in keel boats by cordeling, poling, sailing and
rowing, and the usual time of a trip from St.
Louis was thirty days. Skiff voyages were
often made to St. Louis. In .luly. 1820. .\aron
Pierce and Marshall B. Pierce, his son, went
to Bond County iu this state, where they had
first made a temporary settlement upon coming
to the west, and drove their horses and cows to
Savanna, these lieing the first stock brought to
the county. In the spring of 18.S0 or 1831,
.lohn Bernard settled on the place known as
the Hatfield place. Messrs. Hays and Roiiinson
the same spring took up the farm lately occu-
r)ied by (ieorge Fish. A man by the n;une of
Corwin took up or owned the fann recently
invned by Xoah McFarland. Corbin built his
house, or nest, in a tree eight feet from the
ground to keep out of the way of snakes, which
were very abundant there. These men were all
b.-u-helors, but subsequently married and be-
came the heads of families.
In 1832 the Black Hawk war broke out. The
tamilies of these early settlers were then moved
to Galena for safety, the men remaining to
cultivate the crops and protect their property.
They built a small block house near the point
ol the bluff where the residence of the late M.
Dupuis now stands. This fort stood the Indian
fire all one afternoon without loss of life to the
settlers, but their horses and cattle were not
so fortunate. The day the fort was fired on a
man by the name of Bob Upton, who belonged
to the settlement, and was a wild, generous,
dare-devil, drinking sort of a man. but liked by
every one, had quite a heroic adventure. He had
been out hunting at the time of the attack, near
the Whitton farm, and had shot a deer. He
FALLS OF THK WAlKAUrSA AT MT CAHHOLL
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CAliOLIXK \\\\\\< IKiMi: liiH ACK.I) WoMKN. Ml" CAHHOLL
HISTORY OF CARRODL COUNTY
635
was in the act of cutting its throat when he
saw a liand of i-edsl;ins advauciug in a circle
with tile evident object of securing his capture.
He tirst loaded his gun and then ran for dear
life. Tlie bullets flew and sung around him,
and it is said one of them cut the strap of his
(ilil-fasliioiied powderliorn. Imt Bob readied tlie
bluff above Savanna in safety. Hearing the
tiring on the fort, he concealed himself in a
cave in the rocks about half a mile above the
town, ever since called Upton's cave. There he
remained until darkness covered the land. When
night came the men in the fort made their
escape, contisi-atcd a .skiff and started up the
river for Calena. Upton, from his place of
refuge, beard the ascending boat, hailed it, and
made bis escape with the rest. It is tradition
tliat as the lioat drew near the shore its inmates
earnestly urged bim to jump in before the skiff
v.as witliin forty feet of land. It is also said
tliat l)efore leaving the fort the inmates drew
lots to see who should tirst go out and recon-
noiter and find a boat. The lot fell to Aaron
rieric, uluise fear made his hair almost lift his
bat dtt" : but he did liis duty manfully, neverthe-
less, and tile crew .safely readied (Jaleiia. This
block liouse and little battle is referred to
in one of the early histories of Illinois. Will-
iam H. Goss had Ijecome a citizen of Savanna
.111(1 was in tlie fort at the time of the Indian
attack on it. Tradition has it that he was
compelled to climb iipon the roof and let him-
self down the chimney as the Indians had
command of the regular entrance, where he
could have gotten into the fort.
SAVANNA SETTLED
AbiJiit Is.'i.S the country commenced settling
up more rapidly, and many more located iu
S;ivaiina. In ]S.'iJ Luther H. Bowen came to
the West, and was engaged as a surveyor, run-
ning tlic bimndary line of the state. About 1830
b( laid out the town of Savanna. He died about
ISTti. having been intimately associated with all
its leading interests for forty years. The first
post ollice in the county was estatilished there,
and Mr. Bowen was appointed postmaster. He
also opened the first store the town had. .Tames
White also opened a store soon after Mr. Bowen
(lid, and others did the same. Savanna was
then the only settlement of any size between
the villages of Galena and Rock Island, and for
many years afterward it was a place of as much
importance as either. It was the trading post
at, far east as Rockford. Freeport as late as
1S34 was yet the Winnesheik's Indian village.
In 1S37, Elias Woodruff, John Fuller, David
L. Bowen and otliers well known afterward, had
located there. By 1840 Savanna was a village
(•(■ntaiiiing two hundred inhabitants. Besides
those already named John B. and Thomas
Rhodes, W. L. B. Jenks, Royal Cooper, Leonard
Goss, John Wilson, Porter Sargent, Fred Cham-
bers and many others whose names I have not
obtained were leading citizens in early days.
Aaron Pierce built his tavern where the resi-
dence of Captain Thomas Rhodes stands, in the
winter of 1836 and 1837. It was afterward
moved down town and was known as the Cham-
bers House, and has. since the writing of the
above, been burned. In 1837 Luther H. Bowen
built the Woodruff House, which, for a time,
was kiKiwii as tlie Mississippi House.
FIRST SCHOOL
About this time Dr. Elias W(iodruff taught
the first school in a log house where the lower
blacksmith shop stood. He was also the physi-
cian for the town, and in those days of fever
and ague and other sickness, and faithfully
attended the sick, pay or no pay. A Mr. Craig
built a saw mill in 183.5, at Bowen's Mill site,
but the ne.xt year Luther and David I/. Bowen
owned the mill.
Ill is:'i!l Porter Sargeant built the iMUvdcr mills
near where the flouring mills of Messrs. Bowen
and Kitchen were located. Tlie father of Lewis
W. Beniis and some eastern capitalists were
largely interested in the jwwder mills. They
manufactured blasting powder for tniuing pur-
poses chiefly. In 184.5 two of the buildings blew
up, killing young Balcolm of the York settle-
ment, severely injuring EInathan .Jacobs and one
(U- two others. James Wilson was superin-
tendent of the works at that time. The mill
was promptly rebuilt. Afterward, when the
company ceased to run the mills, several fisher-
men went into the abandoned building, and in
an attempt to light a pipe, another explosion of
loose powder took place. One of the men, a Mr.
Hicks, was killed ; another named Smith was
Icrriblv burned, .iiid a third was badly Injured.
636
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
The same year L. H. Bowen and Royal Jacobs
built a small grist mill just above the saw mill
on the same stream.
FIRST TEIAI,
While the circuit court was held iu Savanna
one of the most noted trials was a murder case
on change of venue from Jo Daviess County. A
prisoner by the name of Mathews had killed a
man in the mines. Every citizen in the county,
liable to act as a jury man, was summoned, and
most of them passed upon before the jury was
finally inipanelled. The prisoner was ac-
quitted.
[The difficulty of procuring jurors for this
trial, on account of Savanna being so far to one
side of the settled portion of the county, was
one of the chief reasons for moving the county
seat to a more central location.. — Ed.]
TAVERN KATES
The county commissioners were iu the habit
of fixing tavern rates, a:mong other duties they
performed ; and I find that on the few occa-
sions they did so, the price of meals was fixed
at twenty-five cents, and drinks of whiskey at
six and a fourth cents, or a iiicayune, as those
coins were then called.
THE CHERRY GROVE SETTLEifENT
In the spring of 1S30 Thomas Crane came to
Cherry Grove, made a squatter's claim, and be-
came the first settler there. He built the first
house on what is now known as the Laird farm.
When Judge Shaw wrote his history of Carroll
County, it was situated on the Northern slope
of the Cherry Grove ridge, near a fine spring.
It was built of logs, with a large chimney in
the center, which had a fireplace on either side,
the chimney forming part of the jMrtition be-
tv/een two rooms iu which there was one door.
This was called Crane's fort. An old settler
says that when a boy he used to chop bullets
out of the posts that formed the palisade, also
out of the trees near l)y, which would indicate
fighting there at one time. The house was
picketed in regular Indian fort style by setting
up .split logs on end, pointed at the top and eight
or nine feet high, with port holes between the
pickets and inclosing a small yard about the
cabin. Soon afterward he sold the claim to
Samuel M. Hitt of Maryland, who afterward
became a resident of Ogle County.
[This Crane's Fort was a station on the stage
line from Peoria to Galena. In May, 183.3, the
county commissioners of Jo Daviess County
commissioned Levi Warner to lay out the road
between Galena and Peoria, from which place
many settlers came into this county, coming up
the Illinois river in steam boats, which at Pitts-
burg flew a flag, "Bound for Peoria, Illinois."
He certified the distance to be one hundred and
forty- five miles, twenty-six and twenty-five
hundredths chains. At Crane's Fort the survey-
ing party remained over Sunday, From thence
to Galena he notes Crane's branch, east fork
of Plum river, and main Plum river. South of
the fort on the line of this survey was Cham-
ber's Grove, where Isaac Chambers settled in
1S31. Ed.]
Francis Garner made a claim to a large tract
of land at Cherry Grove ailjuining the Crane
claim, having selected the location while a sol-
dier of the Black Hawk war. In 1834 he moved
his family from the southern part of the state,
bringing a wife and seven children, some of
whom lived here in 1876.
In 1833 William Thomson settled west of the
Crane place, and John C. Owings settled at
Owing's Point, being the west point of the grove.
In the same year Levi Walden settled iu the
grove, and one year later George Swaggert came
and for a time kept a tavern at the Grove. Mrs.
Swaggert died December 5th, of the year of her
arrival, and was the first buried in the Cherry
Grove Grave Yard. She had selected the place
of her burial before she died.
In 1835 Garner MofCett came with his wife
and three children. He bought a claim and
lived in the original log cabin on it from 1830
to 1848. In 1837 William Daniels made his
claim where George Reasoner now lives, and in
the same year George W. Harris came with his
family to look after the interests of Hitt, who
had large claims in connection with others in the
county. Harris moved into the picketed house
and for three years kept a tavern and post
office there a few years, and then moved to the
"Old Harris Place." on Plum river, now known as
the Noble farm. Here he kept stage house and
I)ost office until 1847, the stage route having been
diverted from Cherry Grove to pass through
Mount Carroll. The writer well remembers
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
637
when the first stage coach left the old stone hotel
HI Mouut Carroll, there was much more excite-
ment iu the little town than when the first train
arrived at the station about twenty years later.
Before this time the Mount Carroll people had
to go to Cherry Grove, six miles away, for their
mail, once or twice a week; now (1912) it is de-
livered at eveiT farmer's door every day. Ed.]
With Harris' folks came Peter Myers, his
wife and son I'aul, and John Her and family.
After about three years Harris built the old
Cherry Grove House for Hitt on the ridge uear
the old fort. This was a frame house of some
jiretensions in architecture. It was used for a
hotel and kept by Harris for several years. The
travel from Rock river to Galena passed by it.
The building was afterward moved to Lanark,
and is now the livery stable connected with the
Taber House. About 1840 Cherry Grove was
the only stopping place of any importance in
that i)art of the country, and many of the early
settlers made this their temporary stopping
place. A heavy line of stage coaches then
traveled through this settlement between Peo-
ria and (ialena.
In 1S3S Sarah Moffett was born. She was the
daughter of Garner Moffett, and was the first
child born at Cherry Grove. She married Eman-
uel Stover. Garner Moffett died in 1856. He
was much respected, and held many of the offices
at that time, and was an honest man.
James Mark came to Carroll County in 1837,
without money or property, and a year or two
later made a claim of what became the great
Marks homestead.
Nathan l-'isk and family came and located on
the north side of the Grove.
Israel Jones located out in the prairie at the
big springs. In those days it was thought that
people could not live on the bleak prairie away
from the groves and timber.
In the same year A. G. Motl'ett claimed a tract
of land lying south of the J. Owings place.
Bradstreet Robinson had settled east of the
grove iu 1S3"J. The elder Beattie and the elder
Mr. Laird (father of John Laird), came also
about this time and either made claims or
bought out a claim.
Mr. Brotherton came also at an early day, and
soon after 1840 John 'Wolf and many others
settled in or near the Cherry Grove settlements.
The stockade house was built near a big
spring on the farm formerly owned by Emanuel
Stover and the claims were made along the
stream and grove and extended indefinitely out
into the prairie towards Carroll creek. George
Swaggert .soon left Cherry (irove, and settled in
what is now called Arnold's Grove, buying out
the claim of William Thomson, who had located
there and made a claim at Cherry Grove. He
scld out this place about 1840 to Daniel Arnold
and Henry Strickler ; and went to Missouri
where he spent the most of his money. Finally
he returned and settled on the Swaggert place
about two miles southeast of Mount Carroll.
Bowman's Grove was settled by .Vdam Dag-
gort about the same time. Adam Daggert kept
a post office at his place for several years.
After Harris removed from Cherry Grove, the
stage line was diverted to pass through what
is now Hostetter's Grove and Daggert's Grove.
Daggert kept the mail in a box and every one
who came for mail looked it over and selected
his own If he could read the writing on the
letters. Mr. Owings was one of the early set-
tlers and was honored with many of the local
offices. He sold out in 1868 and removed to a
place near Marshalltown, Iowa, where he now
resides.
ELKHORN QBOVE SETTLEMENT
In the month of November, 1834, George W.
Knox found a trail leading from Kellogg's old
station at Buffalo Grove to the east end of Elk-
horn Grove, to the place now owned by Uncle
Harry Smith. John Ankeny had settled there
in 1831, but had been driven out liy the Indians.
He came back in 1833 or 1834 and lived on the
Harry Smith place. Just west of there was an-
other house built by Thomas Parish in 1830 or
1831. He was probably the first settler In the
grove.
Levi Warner, the first county surveyor of the
county, in 1834 lived In a house on the south
side of the Grove; one of the Belding family
lived with him. They were both surveyors and
kept batchelors' hall. The place is now oc-
cupied by John II. Ilaynes. [We should not
omit here Mr. Warner's episode, with refer-
ence to the house of John D. Winters near the
present site of Elizabeth, who ran the line
of stages from Galena to Peoria. At this
place Mr. Warner "took some bearings," that
were not mentioned in Guntlier. He was then
a bachelor thirty-eight years old. His life had
638
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
been spent with his compass and chain, snr-
ve.ving the western wilds. At this house re-
sided a comely widow named Martha Winters,
formerly Martha Bailey of Cincinnati, Ohio.
This fact no doubt made an impression on Mr.
Warner's mind and through the sights on his
compass he often saw this welcome cabin of Mr.
Winters", for in the spring of 183.5 he returned
again to this cabin and married the charming
widow Winters on April 1:2. who survived to be
his companion through life. One daughter was
born to them, who is the wife of Lewis Rey-
nolds of Elkhorn (irove. She was the first
white child born in that township. Ed.]
In the winter of 1834 and 1835, Alvin
Humphrey settled at the northwest corner of
the grove and about the same time Levi Newman
and a man by the name of Scott settled on the
west end of the grove, and Tilton Hughes and
Caleb Dains settled at the southwest corner.
In the fall of 1S.S4 a man named Peter, a mill-
wright, built a house on the creek bottom, some
thirty rods east of the mill, near Milledgeville.
.Sickness discouraged him and he gave up his
claim to Jesse Kester, who l)uilt a saw mill and
a small corn cracker mill. Kester sold out his
claim to A. C. Knox. The latter built a grist
mill and had it in operation in 1839. In 1835
John Knox made a claim and planted the first
orchard in the county, on the south side of the
grove.
The first child born in Milledgeville was Eliza
J. Knox, and the first death was that of Albert
Knox, both chidren of A. L. Knox. The first
celebration of the Fourth of July was at the
house of Alvin Humphrey in 1837. The oration
was by Felix Conner ; Elijah Eaton built the
first saw mill in 1837. In 1835 L'ncle Harry
Smith and Sample Journey had arrived. Miles
Z. Laudon, Father Hunt, Elder Paynter, Steven
VanDusen and several others whose nardes were
somewhat prominent, came afterward and later
Milledgeville had grown into quite a village so
that a post office was established there In 1844,
with Jacob McCortie as postmaster.
[In early days the roads over the prairie were
traveled so little and the tracks were so scatter-
ing and grown up with grass that travelers
sometimes lost their way. This led to plowing
the longest furrow in a direct line that was ever
plowed in Carroll Count.v. Mr. Humphrey, of
Milledgeville. father of Mrs. VanVechteu, offered
to furnish the plow and team, two yoke of oxen.
no doubt, to any one who would mark the road
to Mount Carroll and Savanna. So Mr. Spencer,
father of Mrs. John Uegeman, held the plow and
made a furrow from Thomas Ransoms" in Elk-
horn Grove township out to Lewis Blisses' in
Mount Carroll township; from there the road
was traveled so much it was plain. An old set-
tler, Jabez Todd, who lived in Elkhorn Grove
township used to like to puzzle the young set-
tlers, by making this statement; that when he
came to this country he settled in ,Io Daviess
County, and has lived at the same place ever
since; how could that be when Elkhorn Grove
is in Carroll County? Ed.]
When settlements first commenced, before any
road was regularly laid out the leading trail
passed through the grove up to where John C.
Owings lived, at Cherry Grove, thence on to
Galena ; this trail left the old Peoria Trail
twelve miles south of Dixon, crossed Rock river
south of Gass Grove, passed through Sugar
Grove and thence by the present site of Wilson"s
Mill to and through the center of Elkhorn
Grove. In 1832 Samples M. Journey was mar-
ried to a daughter of Mr. Aukeny who then
lived at Buffalo Grove. All the neighbors ex-
cept Kelloggs' family were Invited to the
feast; there was a feud between the Ankeny
and Kellogg families about their tavern stands
in Buffalo Grove, hence the latter family was
not bidden to the wedding, but a large com-
pany danced all night and no doubt did .lustice
to the feast. Journey must have taken up his
residence in Carroll County soon after this
event. This is all I have found of the very
oldest settlers of Elkhorn Grove.
MONEY BAGS
In those days a number of rich men iirospect-
ing out west started one day from the west end
of the grove to go to the residence of John C.
Owings. which could plainly be seen over the
wide intervening prairies. When half way
across, such a feeling of loneliness came over
their spirits that they stopped ; rearranged their
money belts, and came to the grave conclusion
that this prairie country was nothing but a wil-
derness and would never amount to anything;
whereupon they departed from it as fast as pos-
sitile. Think of that, you farmers who now
rate your farms at one hundred dollars per acre
in this very part of the conutr.y.
S'^X.^ /:&^ /2^-^^c
w
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
639
YORK township's EABLY SETTLERS
Hon. Xoruian D. French was among the first
settlers in this part of the county. He came to
uortliern Illinois in the fall of 1S32. He .spent
the foUowinj,' winter chopping wood in the lead
mining districts near Galena, living in a dug-out
which had formerly been used as a miner's
tump. After his day's work was done he re-
paired to the camp, and each evening whittled
out an a.\ handle, the sales of which paid his
hoard. The summer of 1833 he spent at Buffalo
(irove. In 1S34 he was engaged on the govern-
ment survey, and helped to block out Carroll
County into government townships. He was also
engaged on the surveys of Whiteside and Rock
Island Counties, and was one of the party that
laid out the sites of Rock Island, Daveniwrt and
other cities now of considerable importance. He
helped stake out the first traveled road from
Rock river via Union Grove and Bluffville to
Savanna. In pursuance of these duties he car-
ried the chain on foot about seven hundretl
miles. During the winters when surveying could
not be carried on he spent his time in hunting
and trapping. Thus he passed the winter of
1833 and 1S34, about two hundred miles west of
Dubuque, with five companions. The furs of
beaver and otter which they gathered, were
brought down the Des Moines river in the spring
and shipped to Cairo. During his hunting and
trapping he became well acquainted with Chief
Black IlawU, also Chief Keokuk, spoiuling
several nights in Black Hawk's wigwam. In
the same manner he became acquainted with
the famous W. Y. Ives and Missouri Dixon and
other noted trapper^ and hunters of early days.
■When the surveying was finished he went into
business in a miner's .supply store at Platteville,
Wis., but his health failing he was forced, in
the fall of 1S37, to go on his farm in York
township, where he lived for fifty-three years.
Mr. French was the father of York township.
and was Identified with all its interests from
the beginning. In 1839 he was appointed the
first tax lollcctor for the whole county, col-
lected two hundred dollars as the whole tax of
the county and often traveled many miles to col-
lect ten cents. He was a member of the 29th
General Assembly of Illinois, representing the
counties of Carroll and Whiteside. He was a
member of the Old Settlers Association from its
organization in 1S74 and the vice president from
York township until the time of his death. In
the absence of the president-elect of that organi-
zation he presided, and being called upon for a
speech, he said that his facilities for obtaining
an education in early life were very limited;
that he would sooner undertake to open up a
new farm upon the prairie than to try to interest
an audience by making a set speech. "We are
here," he said, "not to make long speeches, but
to brighten up old memories." Settlers living
within twenty miles of each other were called
iieighlxirs. In 1S32, when he came to the north-
ern part of this state, from Vermont, he crossed
Rock river at Dixon's Ferry, kept by one Dixon,
proceeding north he found a few settlers at
Elkhorn Grove. At Cherry Grove also were two
or three settlers. In 1833 he hired out as a
farm hand in the fall of that year, and In 1834
he helped to survey the county into townships.
At one time, in 1833, he lost his way in a fog
and after two days' fasting he turned up in
Savanna. He first made the claim which he
new owns in 1835, broke ground in 183(5, built a
cabin in 1837, raised his first crop in 1838, and
has raised a crop every year since.
ORIGIN OF SUCKERS
Continuing, Mr. French said: "It was cus-
tomary in those days for people living in the
south part of the state to take their teams and
some milk cows and go up in the spring at the
same time as the sucker fish in the streams to
the lead mines near Galena; work at mining
through the summer, sell out their stock and
trappings and return in the fall, which gave to
these people the name of "Suckers."
.Vt a meeting of the Old Settlers' Associa-
tion, in 19(10. a short time previous to his
death, lie was again called upon for a speech,
and told how he made his log cabin, made shakes
for the roof and a puncheon floor; went on
font from Savanna to Chambers Grove before
there was any road made, keeping the divide,
between Straddle Creek and I-ittle Rock and
.Tohnson's Creek.
[His father. Jacob French, was a native of
Massachusetts, his mother, Pamelia Dartt, wag
born in Connecticut. In 1840 his sister, Pamelia
I'ierce (nee French) came from Vermont. She
was the first white lady to make an overland
trip from Chicago to Savanna. October 23rd,
640
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
1849, he married Miss Mary Duusbee, at Cam-
bridge. Vermont. Ed.]
Otber settlers who came early to York were
William Dyson and Russel Colvin, who came in
the spring of 1S36. Dyson built the first cabin
on the old Dyson farm. The next year his two
sons became settlers, and a brother of N. D.
French, Harvey French, took up a claim near
the claim of his brother. These settlements
were west of the bluffs on the Mississippi bot-
toms. In 1S3S the beautiful bottom lands in the
valley of Johnson creek were taken up ; Lewis
St. Orr built the first house on the farm where
William Carroll now lives.
COL. BEEBS TOMLINSON
[Mr. Samuel Preston, in his Pioneers of Mount
Carroll. (1S94). says: "On the first of March,
183S, there stopped at father's a man on horse-
back, saying that he was on hunt of a place to
locate a colony from York state. He needed no
further endorsement, when we found that was
his mission, for his words and actions stamped
him as a leader. He was a lumberman, and
was caught in the financial crash of the year
before while on his way to market with a large
lot of lumber. But Colonel Beers Tomliuson
was not a man to 'cry over spilled milk,' and
came west to retrieve his loss. We directed him
to Johnson's creek valley, before mentioned,
which took his fancy. He hired father to go with
a team and strike a furrow around half the town
of York. He claimed also the grove of timber
on the south part of Sections 35 and 36 in Car-
roll Township. Claim secured, Mr. Tomlinson
started for his home in York state, riding his
horse to Chicago, but as horses were hard to
convert into cash, he traded his for lake fish
and shipped them home.''
"In December (1838) Col. Beers Tomlinson
returned with his son and Monroe Bailey. They
came with a span of horses and wagon by
land all the way from Steuben county. New
York. Their first object was to secure grain to
winter their team. Hearing that Alvin Humph-
rey of Elkhorn Grove had corn yet to husk,
they went there and procured a job husking on
sl'.ares. Humphrey was a hog dealer and driver,
buying hogs down in the central part of the
state and driving them up into the lead mines.
He always kept a large number on his farm, of
the kind called in those days, "shad-bellies,"
from their resemblance In shape to that fish.
Col. Tomlinson and Mr. Humphrey both were
not slow in cracking jokes, and Tomlinson said
to Humphrey : "Mr. Humphrey, if the old say-
ing be true, you must have a very choice variety
of pork here." "How so?" asked Mr. Humphrey.
"The nearer the tioue the sweeter the meat"
Col. Tomlinson's next move was to find shelter
tor the winter, which he did in a cabin in
Woodland Township, owned by Nelson Swaggert.
Then they commenced work to haul logs to
Christian and Company's saw mill, to get lumber
to build on their claims. Charles and Monroe
Bailey did the chopping and the colonel the
hauling, showing themselves masters of the lum-
ber business by soon stocking the mill with logs
as fast as cut. They hauled the sawed lumber
on to their claims. Colonel Tomlinson built his
house on the southeast quarter of Section 35,
in Mount Carroll township.
Monroe Bailey made a claim for his father,
Joshua Bailey, on Section 1 in York Township
and Section C in Fairhaven Township, lately
owned by Ansel Bailey. In the autumn of 1839,
Joshua Bailey came with his sons,. Elijah, Ansel
and Ira. and moved into the cabin Monroe had
prepared for them.
Mr. Preston also sa.vs in regard to Col. Tom-
linson that he was in the war of 1812, having
raised a company. He was chosen its cap-
tain. It is said by one of his York neighbors,
who was one of the company, that while ren-
dezvousing the first night was spent in a hall ;
the captain introduced a new military order not
found in Scott's Tactics. The hall floor was
scarcely large enough for the men to lie down
except in what is called spoon fashion, a posi-
tion which it was necessary to change fre-
quently, and all had to do it at the same time ;
so when Captain Tomlinson, who remained
standing, thought they had lain on one side long
enough, would give the order, "right spoon" or
"left spoon." Ed.]
About 1838 Daniel Ken.von and Cornelius
Shoemaker took up their abode as permanent
settlers of the town. In 1840, 1841 and
1842 settlers came more slowly than 'in subse-
quent years. In the latter year Horace Me-
lendy and Hiram Balcom were among the
settlers then coming. They went to work
in the Savanna Powder Mill and when that
building was blown up, Balcolm was killed and
many others were injured. Balcolm was univer-
J/^ir^c^2^ ^. /^yL i^ dc^t^
THE Sf" ■"'*^,
..ONS 1
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
641
sally luoiinied. as he as a man of fine promise.
It 1843 and 1844 there was a large increase of
settlers in this localit.v. They came as a rule
with families, who since have been and are now
permanent citizens of the township.
The early settlers of York township are made
up of prominent families largely related to each
other. The French. Balcom, Bailey, Melendy,
Cole, Dyslin and others will always be noted In
any history of the town.ship, in fact Uncle Jo
Cuslnnan, tlie liist<iri:in of the town, and a man
whose biographical knowledge of the first fami-
lies, is not excelled by any citizen of the county,
says that the Ualcoms and Baileys, with their
relatives, nearly made up the census of the
town taken a few years ago.
In 18.">0, York with other towns of the county,
passed from the old form of town government
and ele<-ted .Monroe Bailey as its first supervisor
under the new system of government. The town
has been (jiiite prosperous. Its leading citizens
are solid substantial men with heads of their
own. Indeed we are in the habit of referring
to York people as a little nation of themselves.
Monroe Bailey about 1843 or 1844 brought from
Albany, New York, the first thrashing machine
e^er set up in the county.
FIRST SCHOOL HOUSE
In 1844 the Bluffville school house, where the
Bailey church now stands was built. Levi Kent
taught the first school in it. The pupils were
some of them full grown and a little rude, and
Mr. Kent had trouble with some of them. A
remark of Herman Edgerly, in connection with
this schiKil, lias lieninie a tradition. He offered
if they would let him teach the school, he would
guarantee that the scholars who lived to spring
would know something.
A child of Herman Colvin was the first child
born in the town, and a child of Harvey French
is supposed to be the first one who died in the
town. Both of these events occurred soon after
the families to which they belonged came, but I
cannot give the exact year. A great many of
these early settlers are now sleeping in their
quiet graves; and still a goodly number survive,
several of whom are over eighty years old.
Those settlers were a long lived people. I'ncle
Joe Cushman estimates that the average dura-
tion of their lives was something like seventy
years, a remarkable fact, when we consider that
they underwent the hardships of the early
pioneer days and conditions.
HOW THEV CAME
Most of them emigrated to the wild west in
the old fashioned style, in covered wagons drawn
by ox teams. The conveyances took the name of
prairie schooners. John A. Melendy stated to
me that the team of horses he drove through
from A'ermont took over a month to make the
journey, and were in as good condition the day
he reached Rock river and crossed it at Oregon
City as the day the team started on its long
journey.
TORK TOWNSHIP NAMED
In 18.34 N. D. French helped stake out the first
traveled road from Rock river via Union Grove
and Bluffville to Savanna. A bridge was built
at or near Bluffville, this was to turn the Lewis-
ton trail through Savanna. York was at first
called Harlem Precinct, but the name was
changed to York by request of the state
auditor, when Township Organization was
adopted. At this time or a little before in 1833,
there were ten families at Rock Island, one at
Hampton, six or seven at Port Byron, one at
Cordova and those already named at Savanna.
PRr.STON PRAIRIE AND MOVNT CARROLL SETTLEMENTS
The first settlement at Preston Prairie, was
made in the spring of 183G. as near as I can
determine, by Samuel Preston who located his
claim where his worthy son of the same name
now resides. In February of that year, the two
Prestons, Samuel Sr., and Samuel Jr., started
from Bureau county in a one horse pung or
jumper with blankets provisions, etc., and landed
at Cherry Grove, where Swaggert then kejit a
tavern. Their adventures on this trip were
varied ; they slept one night before the end of
their journey, under a shelving rock, midway
between the present Preston homestead and Ful-
rath's mill, and in the morning found themselves
covered with snow.
.\t that time Paul D. Otis drove stage through
Cherry Grove. John D. Winters owned the stage
line, and a man liy the name of Mathews was
superintendent. Mathews and Otis were then
contemplating making a large joint claim where
Mount Carroll now stands, which they after-
wards made. Mr. Preston made a claim of the
mill site where Chalfnnt's mill was afterwards
642
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
built, iu addition to his farm of tlie prairies.
He had hardiy finished making his mill claim
when Otis and Mathews came along with hatch-
ets to take it up for themselves.
The elder Mr. Preston intended to open a
tavern to accommodate the travel then coming
to and going out of Savanna eastward and
toward Elkhorn Grove. Before he could get his
log cabin built, or his family moved to his claim,
he was called on to entertain travelers. The
second day found two young men. who had
been surveying a road from Elkhorn Grove to
Savanna, calling for quarters and entertainment.
They slept in a covered wagon and their meals
were chiefly roasted potatoes. These early trav-
eUrs were Nathan Ford and Royal Cooper. Two
hayricks were built during the season near to-
gether and the space between was covered over
with ixiles and hay. and iu this enclosure trav-
elers were put to bed to sleep. Cherry Grove
was the only voting precinct in the county.
Nathan Downing arrived in the autumn of
this year and settled where John Kinney now
resides. In the spring of the next year, 1S3T,
the first child was born into Dowling's family,
she was a girl baby who in the course of time
became the wife of Gideon Carr.
Keziah Everts made a claim this year where
Frank Trail formerly resided. Samuel L.
Bailess, a Virginian, made a claim near where
the fair grounds now are ; laid out a town and
named it Richmond from the capital of his
native state. He made liberal offers to settlers,
and two or three houses were built. Otis and
Mathews were dissatisfied as they claimed the
same land, but Bailess lield on to the possession :
and in this case possession turned out to be nine
points in the law. Mathews built a cabin near
by and his father moved into it.
0BIGIN.\L MILL COMPANY FORMED
In 1837 the orginal mill company, consisting
of Daniel Christian, Nathaniel Swiugley. Sam-
i;el L. Hitt and George Swaggert was formed.
The company bought out Otis and Mathews, who
had located a large claim covering the mill site,
and the land where Mount Carroll now stands,
paying them fourteen hundred dollars for the
claim. The claim covered section 1, east half of
section 2. nortlieast quarter of section 13. and
the north half of section 12. Heman Downing
bought all the claim of his brother Nathan.
Their father Abner Downing made a claim on
section 15 lately owned by Sumner Downing.
Dr. E. C. Cochran made a claim where William
Petty now resides. Daniel Christian had arrived
in 1S:57 and iu that year or the spring of 1838,
had moved his family into the cabin vacated
by Mathews ; he had eight children. George
W. Christian afterwards settled where Herman
Coel now resides. Daniel Christian built to the
old house and occupied it until the time of his
death. His son .loseph Christian lately resided
there.
This year Hitt and Swingley built a saw mill
west of Mount Carroll on Carroll Creek. Wil-
liam Mackay and John George hired this mill
and ran it the first year. This year Heman
Downing ereetetl a frame barn and all the set-
tlers far and near, turned out to help raise the
heavy hewn oak timbers.
In 1S3S Mr. Hinkley took the claim now owned
by Daniel Crouse, and L. H. Bowen had a great
barn raising on Tim Doty's place. This was the
first frame building erected on the place, or in
the township. George V. Stewart settled on a
ciaim, lately owned by Samuel Haynes,
In 1S39 John O'Neal came with his family and
settled on the old Swaggert place, southeast of
Mount Carroll, Mr, Swaggert claimed the loca-
tion, and afterwards at the head of ten men,
drove O'Neal off, took the rifle with which
O'Neal was trying to defend him.self and his
castle from him by force, and maintained his or-
iginal claim. Mr. Preston in his Pioneers of
Mount Carroll gives the following account of
this incident, we have no means of determining
which is correct.
"This same year came John O'Neal in ad-
vance of his family from York State and he and
George W. Stewart laid claim to a part of sec-
tion seventeen in Salem township, where the tel-
egraph road crosses Johnson Creek, and put up
the body of a cabin. But they got notice that
Hank Hopkins of Savanna claimed that land,
and was coming the next day to tear the cabin
d<l^^•n. They each armed themselves with a gun
and went inside the cabin to await the onset,
'Hank.' came with a half dozen pals from
Cherry Grove, and Stewart related the scene as
follows : 'They climbed right up on the cabin
with our guns pointing right at them, and rolled
the logs down over our heads.' "Did yon have
your gun cocked?' Stewart was asked. 'No,
I was afraid it would go off.' "
HISTORY OP CARROLL COUNTY
643
O'Neal tlieu took up another location where he
aftenvarJs built a large brick house, and kept
travelers for many years on the road to Savan-
na, west of Mount Carroll about three miles.
In l.s:j7 David Masters uiade a claim and
afterward built a cabin near the place where the
Mount Carroll railroad depot now stands near a
beautiful i)iue and maple grove yet standing.
These trees it is said by some writers were car-
ried from Elkhoru Grove and planted there, but
this is not likely as there were many of the same
kind growing along the creek, much nearer his
place. Ed.l
FIRST BEUGIOUS MEETING
The first religious meeting was held on the
prairie in 1839 by a Presbyterian by the name of
Whipple at the house of Heman Downing. The
first school was taught in an upper room of
Mr. Preston's house by Miss Sarali Jane Haw-
ley. This year a Mr. Leonard became the owner
of the mill site claimed by Mr. Preston and built
a small grist mill. The mill stones were taken
from a quarry of limestone near by, and may yet
be seen in the old Chalfant mill now owned by
Adam Fulrath.
In 1840 Lewis Bliss and Benjamin Church
built the house where Jacob Ilartman now re-
sides on the old Stearns farm and fitted it up for
a tavern stand. At this time a contest took
place for a post office on the prairie. Previously
the settlers had obtained their mail matter at
Cherry Grove. Heman Downing and Mathews
were applicants for the new post office. Both
were Whigs and the Jeff ersonian Democracy was
in i)ower. The Downing men inserted in their
petitions the statement, that he was a Democrat,
but Luther IL Boweu who forwarded the peti-
tion to Washington and who was a sound Demo-
crat, simply endorsed on the back of the Down-
ing petition, "he is a Whig." Mathews got the
appointment, but a new administration discon-
tinued tlie office the next year.
THE Mir.L COMPANY
No sketch of early Carroll county history,
would be complete without a reference to the
operations of the Mount Carroll Mill Company,
-and the subsequent settlement of the city of
Mount Carroll, although it is not my purpose to
speak or write of settlers who arrived after
1S40; some other time I may attempt to carry
this history down to 1S50, and to a later date
perhaps.
S. M. Hitt of Ogle county, Daniel Christian,
Nathaniel Swingley and George Swaggert com-
posed the original mill company as already
stated. They i)urchased the mill site and
claimed several sections of land around it. This
firm was dissolved and a division of proiierty
made. This was prior to 1840. In that year on
the 10th day of May, David Emmert and family
landed at Savanna. He settled at Cherry Grove
and for a time kept a tavern there. In 1841
Nathaniel Ilalderman also came and located at
Cherry <;ro\e for a time, and kept a t;iveru
there. lie arranged with Emmert to build a
mill somewhere in the county. They first ne-
gotiated for the purchase of the Bowen
mill site near Savanna, hut for some reason
could not obtain that power. They finally
selected the Moiuit Carnill mill site. They were
to pay three thousand dollars for the site and a
tract of land adjoining. The new company went
by the name of Enmiert, Ilalderman and com-
pany. John Rinewalt was a member of the firm
and came on in 1843. David Emmert eventuall.v
retiretl from the firm in 1845, and John Irvine
Sr. took his place. For a short time Jessie and
Thomas Uapp had an interest in the enterprise.
In the fall of 1S41 Mr. Ilalderman happened to
meet Daniel Hurley, Patrick Silk, Hugh Slowey
and several others, who had stopped at Cherry
Grove with horses, carts and so forth, to obtain
their dinners. Previous to this the company had
built the log house at Stag Point, a jiart of
which now stands on the grounds of Isaac Shel-
don. Enimert's family had moved into it in
Jannar.v. 1841'. being the first family whiih ever
resided in Mount Carroll. Ilaldernian brought
Hurley down to the point, and the job of
building the mill dam. and digging the mill
race was let to him. The companj- pushed their
enteri)ri.>-es. The iiilll was finished and run-
ning iu the tall of l.s41i. The company boarded
the hands, some forty i]i number, established
a store: first running it in a shed attaihed to
the log cabin, and afterwards building a regular
storeroom which is the .same building now oc-
cu|iied by .Mr. Slieldon as -a I'esidence. The
hands wcic p.-iid mostly out of the store. The
company built tlie stone house, the i)resent
residence of James Ilallett and al.so the original
I uililiiig at the head of the dam where .Jacob
644
HISTORY OP CAEROLL COUNTY
Loh resided; they also built tlie c-ourt bouse
as narrated in speaking of the removal of the
county seat.
STAG POINT
In those days there were lively times round
Stag Point, now the mill site of the large stone
mill. When the company settled with Hurley, it
was unable to pay him his money. Hurley was
disappointed ; he said he expected the "gold,'"
but he had to take for his pay the splendid tract
of prairie land just east of the present city lim-
its which in a few years made him a wealthy
man, by its rapid advance in value. From 1S45
settlers increased rapidly.
FIBST SCHOOL
The first school kept in the city was taught
by a young man by the name of Andersen, in the
old stone court house.
The first church was the old Methodist chnreh,
a brick structure and a great church building
for its day ; but now used principally for shops
of various kinds. At present time it is used as
a garage.
The first school house was the old brick build-
ing, on the site of which John Xycum built his
tine brick residence.
FIBST MAIL
At first the Mount Carroll people obtained
their mail matter from Cherry Grove and Plum
river ix)st offices. Prior to 1853 a tri-weekly
stage c-oach to c-arry the mail, had been estab-
lished. In that year Jacob P. Emmert obtained
the contract for a daily mail by way of Savanna
to FreeiJort. This remained until the railroad
was constructed by the old Racine and Mississ-
ippi Railroad Company, then the coaches were
hauled ofif.
From this small beginning established by the
Mill Company the present little city of Mount
Carroll, with its fine schools, churches and busi-
ness interests, had their inception and growth.
In 1867 the present city charter was obtained
from the legislature and affirmed by a vote of
the people adopting it.
THE SEMINARY
Xo sketch of our little city would be complete
without reference to the Mount Carroll Semin-
ary, that seat of learning widely known in edu-
cational circles. The charter of this institution
was obtained in 1852 by William T. Miller, the
then representative, and some attempts were
made to organize a school, which at first were
not very successful.
On the eleventh day of May, 18-53. Miss F. A.
Wood and Miss C. M. Gregory came to Mount
Carroll and opened a select school in the second
story of what was known as the Ashway build-
ing, located where the Glenview Hotel is now;
nominally under the auspices of the Seminary
charter, but really independent of the board,
as they made their arrangements, provided the
school room, paid all the expenses. The first
term opened with eleven pupils and closed with
forty. This selec-t school was carried on in
the downtown building about one year and a
half.
During the spring and summer of 1854, the
Seminary building was erected by the corpora-
tion; raising some of the money by stock sub-
scription, and incurring an indebtedness for the
balance. The building was. however, erected on
credit, at a cost including five hundred dollars
for five acres of ground, of forty-five hundred
dollars. At that time the surrounding
lands were worth ten dollars per acre. The
building of the Seminary however, largely in-
creased the value of adjacent lands, especially
those between the Seminary site and the town
plat.
In 1854 the school was removed from the Ash-
way building to the new Seminary building and
formally organized under its charter. Misses
Wood and Gregory were employed on salaries.
Al the end of sis months it became evident that
a new and financial administration of its affairs
was necessary. Expenses exceeded income. The
stock subscribers became dissatisfied and the
corporation began to devise ways to get out of
the enterprise. Finally an arrangement was
made by which the two ladies agreed to take the
school into their own hands. They were to pay
the forty-five hundred dollars the cost of the
building ; the trustees donated the furniture, on
condition that the school should be maintained
at least ten years. Rinewalt and Halderman
donated the five hundred dollars for the
grounds, or rather surrendered their mortgage
for that amount. Afterwards claims for money
borrowed on the work were presented for about
twelve hundred dollars. These Misses Wood
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
645
and Gregory tinally assuiiifil iiiid were released
from the teu year obligations which they had
entered into. They thus paid the entire cost of
the institntion, except the five acre donation of
the grounds.
The school gradually increased until 1S57;
then additional buildings were erected, to ac-
comodate its growing patronage. Before this
young gentleman had been admitted to the
school as well as girls and young ladles. In
1805 additional buildings were erected with the
intention of again admitting boys and young
men. Now the largest addition of all is being
completed with good prospects of being filled
for the coming school year by girls and young
ladies alone.
The school was under the control of the cor-
porators from October 1S54 to April ISoo ; from
the latter date to December, ISo", it was under
the owners. Miss F. A. Wood and Miss C. M.
Gregory ; from the latter date to July 1S70, un-
der the control of Mrs. F. A. Wood Shinier.
Miss Wood having married Dr. Henry Shimer.
At the latter date, Mrs. Shimer bought the in-
terests of Miss Gregory and has remained sole
proprietor ever since.
Miss A. C. Joy is now associate principal ; Dr.
Shimer's connection with the school has been
solely in the capacity of professor and teacher,
he having no part in its government or financial
management. In the department of science and
natural history, he has collected a very valuable
cabinet for the use of the school. In ornithol-
ogy, his collection of birds is not surpassed by
any collection of the state.
THE ACADEMY
The present condition of the Academy is very
[irosperous, with fine commodious buildings, well
fitted with modern improvements ; its music
rooms furnished with the best of musical in-
struments ; its extensive grounds of over thirty
acres filled with evergreens, shrubbery, graper-
ies and fruit trees ; its corps of teachers care-
fully selected, and its financial management
marked with the most marked success. The fu-
ture of this institution bids fair to eclipse any
female seminary in the northwest. The school
department under the able management of Miss
Joy is giving universal satisfaction ; while the
the musical department's reputation is attracting
those who cpme from long distances to enjoy its
privileges. [For I'urtlier history of the Academy
now called the Frances Shimer School, see a
subseiiuent chapter. Ed.)
OTHtK SETTLE.MKNTS OF THE EAHLY DAY
In addition to the foregoing, which were the
princiiial early settlements, a tew isolated fami-
lies and settlers had located in other parts of
the county in the very early day. Marion C.
Taylor came to the lead mines in 182S and set-
tled in Carroll county afterwards. He is the
oldest living pioneer now living within the
county limits.
About 1S3-1 Uriah (Jreen, then a young man
lived on Plum river not far from the old Har-
ris farm as it was afterwards called ; now owned
bj Thomas Noble.
William Thomson had made a claim in Wood-
land in 1835, and when he sold out to George
S^^aggert, he went to his Woodland claim. As
will be seen in another part of this narration,
Thomson had made his original claim at Clierry
Grove among the Cherry Grove settlers, and had
sold that claim to Garner Moffett in 1S35, but
must have located his Arnold Grove claim before
that time.
EARLY SETTLEBS IN WYSOX TOWNSHIP
In 1S39, I.. H. and A. T. Eastabrook settled in
the town of Wysox ; about the same time mem-
bers of the Fletcher family began to arrive.
Among the first was Byron and Nelson Fletcher ;
Nelson could detail many of the horse races.
dances, fights and claim difficulties in that part
of the country in an early day. He was at one
time fined ten dollars for helping to whip a man
by the name of Brown, who had jumped his
claim. He was also familiar with the incident
of .Samples M. .lourney, breaking the staff over
the head of Woodruff, his as.sociate while they
were surveying.
BOCK CBEEK TOWNSHIP
David Becker was the first settler in Rock
Creek, thirty-three years ago the present (1876)
July. He settled on the place where Daniel
Belding now resides, built the great house.^and
sold out to Mr. Belding.
The nest year Zachariah Kiukade settled at
the head waters of Rock Creek near Lanark.
646
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
rUilander Seyuiour also settled on liis home
farm place very early. He was at one time sur-
veyor of the county. Becker claims to liave given
ttie Town of Rock Creelc its name. Wlien lie
took up his claim, there was only a path where
the Elkhorn and Mount Carroll road runs, and
no liridges made on the streams.
INDI.\NS
As already mentioned the Indians swarmed
over this whole part of the state, for some time
after the first settlers located. In Brown's his-
tory I find reference to a small settlement at
the mouth of Plum river, before it was named
Savanna, this was referred to in the item as to
the early settlement of that place.
I find in Ford's history of the state, an order
despatching Colonel Alexander's battalion of
troops to Plum river so that a part of the
BlackbawU army marched through our county
and probably came up the Lewistou trail aud
then passed through Cherry Grove. John De-
ment fought a sharp battle at Kellogg's Grove
not far from Buffalo Grove. An express of six
men riding from Galena to Dixon were fired on
in i)assing through Buffalo Grove and one man
named Durley was killed. Black Hawk him-
self attacked Apple River Fort, near Elizabeth,
but was repulsed, having shot one man dead,
who was standing at a porthole bravely defend-
ing the fortification. Tradition has it that a
party of white men pursued some Indians who
bad been marauding about Elkhorn Grove, and
coming up with them just north of Mount Car-
roll, in a holl<iw near Mr. Moore's resi(len<e sur-
prised and shot their leader through the head.
The Indians were great horse thieves and on
one occasion, Garner MoBEett and Mr. Garner
pursued a party of them to Milwaukee and
secured a span of horses they had stolen. Mrs.
M ift'ett related an incident, of a large and sav-
age Indian coming into the house one day, when
no one was at home but herself and children,
and after deliberately laying down bis rifle,
tomahawk and scalping knife asked for some-
thing to eat; this was given him, aud he was
told to, "puck achee," leave, which he immediate-
ly did. Such incidents were of frecjuent occur-
rence. The Owing boys aud others hunted with
the Indians, dressed like Indians and looked
like Indians.
Uncle Garner Moffett used to preach in those
days. One Sunday as he was traveling through
Elkhorn Grove to fill an appointment on the
other side, at a private house, he met about
three hundred Indians straggling along the nar-
row trail and concluded his hearers could get
along that Sunday without the gospel, as we
find that he turned and hastened back to Cher-
ry Grove, believing that Indians were too thick
around there for healthy preaching.
In addition to the attack on the Savanna
Block House and the adventure of Upton there
spoken of, M. B. Pierce says that he and his
f other were in Galena at the time of the attack
on the block house. Marshall says he was called
upou to stand ground, and In the hurry got his
pants on wrong side first, and thus did a soldier's
duty until morning.
Another incident is told of Upton, illustrating
the daring character of the man. Captain Orrin
Smith of Galena had a very valuable horse
stolen by the Indians and in some way he found
out that the thieves had gone to Rock Island.
He offered Upton two hundred dollars to rescue
the animal. Upton started alone; found the
horse feeding among a lot of Indian ponies
at the head of Rock Island; crossed over where
Moline now stands; crawled through the grass
and succeeded in placing a halter on the animal ;
swam him over to the Illinois side; mounted and
as he was fleeing, was fired at by about a dozen
of the savages as they were emerging from the
woods aud saw him. The hero escaped by hang-
ing to the side of the swift tlying horse's neck,
one bullet marked the horse behind the ears,
but ranged too high to make other than a slight
flesh wound.
INDIAN FIGHTING
There must have been some Indian fighting
at the fortified cabin iu Cherry Grove, as there
i.? a firmly lielieved tradition, that the women
molded bullets, while the men fired out of the
port holes. This much is a historic certainty ;
in the Indian troubles, the few persons in the
neighborhood gathered into the stockade when
they heard the Indians were coming from Eliz-
abeth. They, however, changed their minds by
the next day, and all started iwst haste for
Dixon, in the morning, where they arrived
safely. About noon the savages arrived at the
fort, fired for a while on the building and the
stockades, aud finally broke in the Jieavy gate
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
647
in the iialisarlc iiiailo of s|ilit logs piuiipd to-
gether and ill tlie doors of the fort. Among
otlier mischievous jiraulvs thej' tooli the feather
beds out to the top of the hill ; ripped them open
and hugely enjoyed the sight of seeing the
feathers scattered before the wind over the
piairli's. This "Fort," was situated near a
s|.riiig on Crane's run, not very far from what
is now called the Moffett school house, at the
ceiitir of section L'l!, Freedom towuslii|i. It was
ipidhalily located near the center of the south-
cast quarter of section twenty-three. Ed.]
A PIONEER I.0SI
Another incident, in the early days, tragic in
its sadness, was the death of tlie father of
I.uther II. and David Boweu. The old gentle-
man had been living with another son, a doctor
at Joliet, but started on foot to visit his sons
Luther. John, David and Sherman, then living
ai Savanna. He arrived at tlie home of John
(_■. Owing's about a weeli later, in the afternoon
of a stormy day, in the early spring of 1830,
tired and fiM)t sore. Owiiigs urged him to stay
all night ; but Mr. Bowen was anxious to reach
Savanna, and after receiving directions as to the
right road, he started on. Some two weeks later
I.uther II. Bowen learned from a letter from
Joliet, from the brother there of the father's
start on his intendetl visit. In alarm he started
out to trace up the missing father. Visiting
Owing's place he tliere learned the facts above
narrated. He returned to Savanna for help.
M last the party found the lost man lying
dead by the side of the trail, two miles north of
I'rophetstown. He had evidently talieii tlie
I.cwiston trail about three miles west of Mount
Carroll, and had followed it far into the night,
until worn out with fatigue he sank into the
Iciig sleep of death by the wayside. The prairie
lire bad burned over him, scorching his clothes.
Kellogg lived on the old stage mad near rieas-
ant V.illcy. was a notorious claim sjieculator.
and had hired Hiram G. Francis to work for him
and set him to cutting timber on the Otis claim.
Otis went to Galena, and had Kellogg indicted
by the grand .lury. .Mr. Francis who saw the
shooting and would have been an important wit-
ness, went back to his old home in York State
where he remained two or tliree years. Mean-
time the case was continued from term to term
of tlie court and linally nolle prossed.
SHELVING ROCK SHANTY — R.^TTLESNAKES
111 this same shanty, which was built against
a shelving rock, Monroe Bailey stopped for a
time when he came to the country. He tells
that on one evening a large pot of miisli was
being prepared for the evening meal. The rock
against which the fire was built became hot, and
suddenly exploded with terrible effect on the
iiu:sh. and the great terror of the men.
Kattlesnakes were plentiful about the rocks
in those days. A tishiiig party of which Sumner
Downing was one of them, discovered a den of
rattlesn.-ikes near Jacobstowii and slew about
one hundred and thirty of the reptiles at one
time. The men of that party would have made
good Saint Patricks. If they had kept on, few
snakes would have been left in the county. Lieu-
tenant Joseph Slyers of Company A, Forty-tifth
Illinois Volunteer Infantry on a recent visit to
Mount Carroll said, that his father entered land
ill Woodland in 1.S4.S. When he was a boy rat-
tlesnakes were quite numerous; they would come
around the fire more than a dozen at a time,
and that he killed one that measured eight feet
long and had twenty-four rattles. One time
wb.en he had no gun with him he saw a drove of
forty deer.
INVENTIVE GENUS
JUMPING A CLAIM
Another incident in connection with land dif-
ficulties, is told of I'aul D. Otis. \ man by the
name of Kellogg had jumped the cl.iini of this
.same man. X quarrel ensued, and Kellogg fired
a pistol at Otis. The ball penetrated a thick
coat and bruised the skin but inflicted no fatal
wound. The shooting happened near the shanty
of Otis and Mathews near the old saw mill.
Another of the early incidL-nts of the first
settlement of this part of the state, illustrates
the Inventive genius of the first settlers. One
Joe Miles was a sort of lawyer, they called such
members of the profession .Tack lawyers, but he
was a genius in his way. He spent much time in
trying to invent the first reaping machine that
ever was started in a wheat ti<'ld in the county.
It was a horizontal revolving wheel, with the
outer rim set full of scythe blades.
648
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
When the machiue was ready to make its
first trial, a crowd was there to see how it
would dispose of the growing grain. It was
near the present Academy grounds. As the
machine went up the street to the place of the
test to be made, an unfortunate pig with a
snort and a grunt started to cross the street
before it ; the unfortunate porker, was like the
war chariots of Pharoah, the revolving blades
caught and made an end of his poor pigship,
but on the trial the machine would not properly
cut small grain, however well it would slay pigs,
cripple horses and men.
NAMES OF PLACES
The history of the names of places is some
times significant and is worthy of attention. I
have made some inquiries as to these names
bestowed upon places and localities in Carroll
Count.v. Jlount Carroll was so named by the
commissioners, who located the county seat;
when they staked off the hill where the churches
now stand.
Savanna was named from the marshy plain,
supposed to resemble the savannas of the
south; Elkhorn Grove and creek from the uum-
bei of old elk horns there in early days ; Eagle
Point from an old eagle nest there, when white
men first came; Rock Creek and town from the
rocky and gravelly creek of the same name; Lan-
ark from a county or locality in Scotland, because
Scotchmen named the new towns along the line
of the first railroad in the county; Buffalo
Grove, Indian name Nauusha, from the ancient
herd of buffaloes which lingered thereabout
when the first white men came: York because
many of the early settlers came from New York
State ; Wysox from a town of the same name In
Pennsylvania, from whence came many of its
first settlers ; Woodland from its timber and
thickets ; Cherry Grove from the wild cherry
trees found there; Plum river from the wild
plum trees growing along its mai'giu and flat
bottom. The Indian name of Plum river was
Pecatolica, found in a government patent and
some old deeds. Shannon town and village took
the name of William Shannon, who first laid
out the town and village.
The name of the county was first suggested
by Israel Chambers. He being the oldest citizen,
as a compliment to him he was given the honor
of selecting a name for the county ; he named it
Carroll after Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, one
of the signers of the Declaration of Independ-
ence.
Badger Springs was named by a party con-
sisting of S. M. Hitt, Nathaniel Swingley, John
Wagner and David Mumma, who were traveling
from Cherry Grove to where George W. Harris
was staying in Ogle county. On the 17th day of
May. these people stopped at the springs to eat
their dinner; while-- there Swingley killed a
badger, and thereupon JMumma suggested that
they name the springs, which was at once done.
STRADDLE CKEEK
One authority for the name of Straddle creek ■
gives it thus : John Aukeny and two other
men had started north from Elkhorn Grove, rid-
ing on Indian ponies; they came to a creek with
steep banks in the prairie, and in crossing the
pony of the heaviest man was unable to cinib up
the bank ; the rider thereupon placed one foot on
each bank, and the pony struggled out between
his legs. Ankeny from this circumstance named
the creek Straddle Creek. Freedom took its
name from the fact that it had been free from
law suits up to that time.
EAELT SETTLEMENTS
In the early day Carroll County was settled
up in the old pioneer way. Nowadays when a
new county is opened up to settlement, the rail-
road is the pioneer of the advancing wave of
emigration. Towns are laid out, machinery,
libraries and pianos introduced, and cultivated
society, form the nucleus of population. There
are no old settlers any more, no unwritten his-
tory of the early days ; but the old fashioned way
of a new country was different. The pioneers
came in prairie schooners, covered wagons. They
endured hardships, they lived in log cabins.
Neighboi-s were far apart, but warm hearted and
true men and women. The men wore coonskin
caps, the women wore linsey wolsey dresses, not
very fashionably cut. There are men in my
hearing who wore sunbouuets for their want of
hrts, and their linsey wolsey breeches were
baggy and dyed with c-opperas and walnut bark.
The corn dodgers and johnny cakes as made in
those days, are pleasant remembrances, they lay
close to a man's ribs. The hog and hominy were
food fit for the fabled gods. Tin reflector stoves
^\
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."'■'
.y'^'";-^'
wOV
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
649
took the place inter awhile of the old flat ii'ou
IKjts, -which used to hake such good bread.
Wouderful batches of biscuit were baked then,
each was equal to a five cent modern loaf. The
nii-rrj- makings were hearty and well enjoyed.
The pioneers did their work mostly with oxen.
They had hogs, and such hogs; they were the old
fashioMed prairie rooters, and could run like a
deer. In a few instances their owners tied knots
in their tails to keep them from going through
the i)icket fences, and when they drove those
fattened for the Galena market, if their horses
were good so as to keep up with the hogs, they
got to market iu a day ; the pork brought a dol-
lar and a half per hundred pounds and some-
tinios the money was paid out for calico to make
the women's dresses.
GAME ABOUNDED
Deer, wild turkeys, raccoons and ,ill sorts of
game abounded ; the streams were full of game
fish, and the marshes roared with tlie noise of
the wild fowls. Mosquitoes swarmed in clouds;
fever and ague abounded in the summer and
fall. Crows and blackbirds ravaged the grow-
ing crops; and the boys had to dress up scare-
crows to keep them out of the gardens.
CLAIM SOCIETIES
Difficulties were mostly settled by arliitratimi.
but Judge Lynch was sometimes called in to
deal with outrageous cases. Claim societies
existed and men who jumped the claims of oth-
eiY. or entered men's claims from under them
were summarily dealt with, and never did it
again. In ('arroll Coniily. Abrani Mnft'ett's claim
was entered from under by a man named Halvcr ;
but a band of regulators compelled him to give
up the patent and abandon his entry. Men were
honest, and sheriffs and lawyers were not much
needed.
FBUOALITY AND CONTENTMENT
Humble indeed were those log cabin homes of
the first settlers ; but around their bright fire-
sides, God's good angels came to bestow bene-
dictions. Ilealth and labor; frugality and con-
tent, chastity and love dvrelt In those humble
homes. These hunter farmers came to lay
broad and deep the foundations of future slates
and a great free nation.
THE AGBICULTUBAL eOCIETY
This society was organized in September, 1853,
and held its first fair in the year 1S55, on the
farm of Monroe Bailey in York. John N. Keech
was its first president. Its second fair was held
oii the grounds just east of the residence of O.
S. Beardsley in Mount Carroll. The fairs since
then have been held on the grounds of the so-
ciety near Mount Carroll, except for the years
1S65 and 1860, when they were held in Lanark.
Garner Moffett was president and H. G. Graf-
ton was secretary of the meeting which organ-
ized tlie society. At the early fairs, Monroe
Bailey and John A. Melendy u.sed to take most
of the premiums, with their fine stocks, but they
generally donated these premiums to the society.
EARLY PREMIUMS AWARDED
We think tlic liilliiwiiig jireniiunis awardcil at
the first fair (1S55) of sufficient interest to be
worthy of note.
The committee on agricultural implements re-
ported as follows :
"McCall & Kellogg are entitled to a premium
on the best stove manufactured in Carroll
county.
"We also award to Widney & Walker a pre-
mium on the best fanning mill manufactured in
said county." Also
1st Premium awarded for the best oil paint-
ing, by Miss Sarah Fuller of Mt. Carroll Semi-
nary.
1st Premium awarded for the best penciling
by Miss C. M. Gregory of the Mt. Carroll Sem-
inary.
Best monochromatic by same.
1st Premium, for the best single carriage
horse, oxhiliited by Miss F. A. Wood of the Mt.
Carroll Seminary.
Hogs were very much better than Judge
Shaws' description of them, as the committee
reported, "that but two small lots were entered
nn;- rlo they think either worthy of a premium."
Of this fair, Mr. D. H. Wheeler, editor of the
Carroll County Republican, says, "it marks an
era In our history, — draws a line from which
we may look iiackward and forward — to which
those who come after us may refer as a sort of
650
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
bouiulary. between the half-civilizatiou of early
western settlement and the full maturity of a
country abounding in all the necessities and
most of the luxuries of cultivated life." Ed.]
The- fall of 1876 witnessed its twentieth
fair. The war excitement In 1861 preveuted
a fair being held that year. The premiums
awarded the first year amounted to only forty-
eight dollars in money ; the rest were given in
diplomas. The premium list for 1S7G amounted
to three thousand dollars. Later the fair man-
agement became so heavily indebted and their
real estate encumbered by mortgage with ac-
cumulated interest, through no fault of any one
year's management, but principally on account
of bad weather aud lack of attendan<-e sufficient
to meet the expenses and pay the large prem-
iums offered. To continue the fair and relieve
those who had become resiMusible for the un-
secured debts, a few public spirited gentlemen
organized a stock company and incon^orated
aud raised money sufficient to pay the debts of
the original organization ; took over all the prop-
erty of the old organization, and have continued
the annual fair with variable financial success
on the old fair grounds. The oHicers for 1910
were : J. A. Warner, president ; Thomas C. Jenks,
vice president ; Cal Jl. Feezer, secretary ; and
J. D. Turnbaugh, treasurer.
NEWSPAPERS
The first newspaper m the county was the
Mount Carroll Tribune, started in ISoO in Mount
Carroll by Dr. John L. Hostetter, was printed
m Freeport and published for a short time.
In lS.o2 Jacob I". Emmert started the Carroll
County Republican with Henry Gratton as its
editor. Emmert sold out in about nine months
to Gratton ; Gratton ran it for a time and then
sold out to David H. Wheeler, in 1S.j5, who con-
tinued the paper until 1S.j7 ; he in turn sold out
to David B. Emmert ; he sold his interest in the
Republican to Dr. John L. Hostetter. Mean-
time English had started the Home Intelligencer.
In May IS.jS, the two papers were consolidated
under the name of Republican and Intelligencer,
with Hostetter and English as business man-
agers. This arrangement did not last long. The
Intelligencer was again started as a separate
paper with English and Cochrane at its head.
It lasted about a year, Cochran went out, Eng-
lish died soon after, and the paper came to an
abrupt termiuatiou. Dr. Hostetter continued the
Keimblican for awhile, then sold out to Ladd
and Silvernail ; who in time sold out to the
Seminary, when the issue of the paper ended
after a short existence.
The Carroll County Mirror was started liy
Holinger and Weudel. This paper still survives,
after having changed hands several times.
About 18.5.3 Smith D. Atkins aud a Mr. Allen
started aud ran the Savanna Register in tliat
place for about a year. In May, 1S64, J. R.
Howlett started the Lanark Banner in that
place. In 1867 he sold out to J. E. Millard who
continued to publish it until his active duties
as school commissioner, caused him to suspend
its publication.
J. R. Howlett commenced the publication of
the Carroll County Gazette, first in Shannon aud
afterwards in partnership with J. M. Adair in
Lanark. Adair went out and Howlett sold out
to George Hay, who took control of the Gazette
Office, July 3, 1875, and in September took into
partner.ship with him M. W. Lowis, which ar-
rangement continued until November 7. 1876,
when Mr. Hay sold his interest to F. H. B. Mc-
Dowell of Chicago: the following February he
purchased the interest of his partner. In 1878
it is said the paper had a circulation of one
thousand copies with a constantly increasing
subscription list, which was at that time the
largest circulation of any paper in the county.
The Savanna Times, in 1876 owned and
edited by Simon Greenleaf and published in
Savanna has changed hands several times, and
is uow owned by W. W. Gillespie.
The Mount Carroll News was started in
Mount Carroll by Frank Beeler. He sold out to
J. W. Mastin, who commenced the publication of
the Carroll County Weekly Herald. Thomson
aud Shannon have had newspapers, but they
have been published elsewhere and did not con-
tinue long as local papers.
The Savanna Times was first .started aud pub-
lished in Shannon, and afterwards the office was
removed to Savanna.
NOTABLE PUBLICATIONS
Of the many notable things published, interest
centered in the fierce sectarian controversy
waged over the Seminary in the Republican, in
1S.')7 : and the Solferino articles, being take-offs
of the hosts of candidates running for the local
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
651
offices about 1800, imblislieil iu the Hoinc In-
telligencer, and in pamphlets.
MAIiMTlDE (1870)
I have thus hrielly and iniporl'i'ctly alteniptoil
to write down and preserve some of the un-
written history of Carroll county. It is the
experience of all who attempt this task, in other
places, that the first writing contains errors and
mistakes. It caiuiot be otherwise. Old settlers
themselves do not agree as to material facts. I
invite criticism of the foregoing sketch, criticism
iu a friendly spirit wliicli will give nie the
nieans of correcting any errors, and enable me
to continue the narrative down to later times.
Then if opportuuities ax'e favorable this brief
beginning may grow into a more pretentious his-
tory of the c-ounty.
We now see how small were the beginnings of
our little county. Its growth however, has been
rapid and prosperous. In ISCO our population
was 11,718; in 1870 that population had grown
to 10.707. The assessed value of the property
in the county in 1875 was, .$7,87.j,877.00, as re-
turned by the local assessors, who valued it at
about two thirds of its real cash value, taking
the aver.ige of the county.
Shannon, Mount Carroll. Lanark and Savanna
have become prosperous cities and towns, while
Thomson and Milledgeville are thriving villages.
(lood school houses in the country districts and
good graded schools in the towns, denote the
irosperity of our unexampeld school system.
The whole country is under a high state of cul-
tivation, and our farmers have tasty, and some
of them elegant houses. Banks and mills
abound; churches of fine appearance lift their
spires heavenward, and denote the religious and
nioral heart.
OUR WAK RECORD
During the war of the rebellion we raised iu
tile county about two hundred and fifty thou-
sand dollars in the shape of bounties for our
soldiers, and the support of their families. We
furnished soldiers too. On the 2ritli of April.
ISOI, M.ijor Nase's Company K, l.'jtb Illinois Vol-
unteers was mustered into service ; on the 20th
of November, 1801 Captain Polsgrove's Company
A, and Captain Fisk's Company E, were mus-
tered into the Lead Mine Regiment. On the 7lli
i>f September, 1801. Cpalaiu llelTeltisger's Com-
pany I, of the 34tih Regiment was mustered into
service. On the 4th of September, 1SC2, Cap-
tain U»K,-ker's Comjiany I, and Cajjlain Stoufer's
Company C, were mustered into the 92d Regi-
iiicnt. We also furnished many men for the 52d
Regiment and for several Cavalry Regiments,
besides recruitiug for the old regiments. In all
we must have sent to the war of the great rebel-
lion nearly one thousand men. [The Adjutant
(Joneral's Report, Illinois, gives us credit for one
thousand four hundred and ninety-eight enlist-
ments, and there are inscrilieil on the soldier's
nionmnent in the Court House Square, twelve
lunidred and eighty-four names. Her quota was
always full, and not one of that number was
drafted. — Ed.] ; and no better men were fur-
ni.shed by any county in the state.
I'll is sketch makes no i)retensions to an ex-
haustive narrative of any .subject touched upon.
It is simply an attempt to connnence the col-
lection of our local annals. When they are all
collected the materials for a very interesting
history of the county will be at hand.
CHAPTER III.
THE PIONEERS, WHERE THEY CAME
FROJI. AND HOW TIIEY (!OT HERE.
CANAI, BOAT TRAVELINO — STF:AM BOAT TRIP — COV-
KRED WAGONS — PRAIRIE FIRES — BV THE GREAT
LAKES — THOSE WHO DID NOT COME — POSTAGE —
BATTLED WITH MANY DIFFICULTIES — HAPPIEST
PEOPLE — SAVANNA PIONEERS— LEFT GALENA 1828
— STRONG HANDS, STOUT HEARTS — BOB UPTON
.SAVANNA A TRADING POST — BIVERS COMMERCIAL
HIGHWAYS — BLACK HAWK WAR — FLIGHT, ANX-
IOUS MOTHERS^LOVE OF PIONEERING DAVID
EMMERT AND HIS FAMILY. SAMUEL M. HITT,
NATHANIEL HALDERMAN — BUILDING THE MILL
AT MOUNT CARROLL — BOARDING THE HANDS
STORE BUILT — LODGING THE PEOPLE CAROLINE
WADE — LAND SALES — HARD TIMES, SCARCITY OF
MONEY — BAPTISMAL POOL — THE GRAVEYARD, FIRST
GRAVE — FIRST NEWSPAPER PRINTED IN MOUNT
652
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
CAEROLL — PIONEERS COMIXUED, DOCTORS AliRA-
HAM AND JOHN L. HOSTETTER — FIRST BANK —
BREAKING OUT OF THE CIVIL WAR — DEPRECIATED
CURRENCY JOHN IRVINE SB WEDDINGS, BIRTHS
AND DEATHS IN THE LOG CABIN — MISS ANNA
HOSTETTER
It will tax the reader's miud to iiiiagiue this
eouutr.v without towus aud cities, without rail-
roads, 110 way to get here except with horses nr
oxen, or by the rivers, and the canal boat or by
the great lakes. Some lauded in Chicago from
sailing vessels. Mr. Samuel Preston's father,
who was one of the earliest pioneers, came to
Chicago on the barQue Illinois, from there he
went to Princeton, and later to Carroll county.
C.\NAL BOAT TRAVELING
Most of those who came from Pennsylvania
took the passenger canal boat, on the "raging
canal." A young lady pi<iueer descriliing tlit'
cabin in one of these boats, crowded with pas-
.seugers of all kinds, says in her diary: "T"
be compressed into the narrow space of a canal
boat, among a dozen different classes, corres-
ponds with my idea of a purgatory." These
boats of course could go no faster than the
mule on the tow path, which pulled them along.
There were delays in passing under bridges
and going through locks. At these places lively
passengers would jump off and walk along the
tow-path and jump on at the next liridge or lock.
'When going under bridges, passengers on the
hurricane deck of the canal boat would have to
duck their heads for fear of striking the girders
of the bridge. The arrival of a boat at a stop-
ping place, or its passing under a bridge was
announced by the blowing of a horn. After
leaving the canal boat the traveler went over
the mountain on what was called the inclined
plane, being pulled up in a car, that ran on a
strap rail, on one side of the mountain, and let
down on the other.
STEAMBOAT TRIP
Louis, where passengers had to change to smaller
boats if their destination was farther up the
river. It w-as dangerous boating down the Ohio ;
sandbars and rapids had to be passed in day-
light, but these floating palaces, were taken
safely over these dangerous places, by skillful
pilots, who knew full well the danger and the
Intricacy of the swirling waters and contrary
currents. The mighty father of waters reached,
the boat traveled day aud night; sometimes
however when the night was very dark, the boat
had to tie up by the woods on the bank of the
stream, being unable to proceed in the dark on
account of the danger of running into some of
the many snags that filled the river bed in many
places, or of punching a hole in the bottom of
the craft, which would allow the vessel to fill
with water in a few moments, letting all go to
the bottom of the river and as a traveler said,
"to eternity in an unexpected hour." Some of
these steamboats discharged their passengers at
Rock Island, not daring in low water to try to
pass the rapids in the river just above this
place, and the emigrants had to get to their
destination as best they could ; others landed at
Savanna and made their way across the country
on foot or in teamster's wagons. The time it re-
quired to come from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,
on the canal, inclined plane, and the Ohio and
Mississippi rivers to Savanna, Illinois, was a lit-
tle more than two weeks. This was considered
fast traveling.
COVERED WAGONS
others came liy covered wagons and other
vehicles drawn by horses or oxen, across the
mountains, through the dense wooded wilder-
ness of Ohio and Indiana, then across long
stretches of prairie, sometimes detained many
days by floods and swollen streams, which could
not be crossed for want of bridges or ferries.
Id later years there were a few bridges that
could be crossed by paying toll, and turnpikes
over which they could travel by paying toll,
which was more per mile than the fare on the
railroads is now.
At Pittsburg one could take a steamboat fl.y-
ing a flag, with this inscription : "Bound for
Peoria, Illinois;" or a much better boat, a float-
ing palace, it seemed like, after getting out of
PRAIRIE FIRES
Emigrants were often detained by prairie fires
which were more dangerous than the floods;
the stuffy little canal boat, bound for St. these no man could stay, he could only wait and
OLD STONK (OUHT HOUSE
1 IKSI I.OC IKHSl'; 1\ CAKHOLL COUNTY
HISTORY OP CARROLL COUNTY
653
pray for the gentle rain from the cloud filled
sUy, all conquerer of the fiery flames.
Those who ciune uvtM-himl h:i(l cuvpred wn:;-
ens, in which were packed their household goods
and provisions for the journey. Some had horses,
some cattle, some traveled with cows along, and
even had them yoked to wagons. The roads
were often so rough that by hanging the cream
in a pail to the wagon, the shaking would churn
It to butter so that it would be ready to use at
the next stopping place. One party was two
months in coming from Franklin County, Penn-
sylvania, to Carroll County. Others found it so
difficult traveling overland that when they got
to Wheeling, Virginia, took the steamboat from
there to go down the Ohio, thence up the Missis-
sippi river. An amusing Incident was told by
Davenixirt Davis, late County Treasurer of Car-
roll County, who was an eye witness. The late
Judge Shaw's wife's father, was moving west,
and had some stock on board the steamboat
among which was a thoroughbred bull; the bull
managed to jump overboard and swam to an
island In the river ; the boat was stopped in Its
course, and the word went round that "Harvey's
bull was overboard." The boat followed the
animal to the island and he was safely put
aboard again.
MOVED BY THE GREAT LAKES
Others came by the great lakes to Chicago or
perhaps disembarked at Detroit and came from
these places overland. The New Englanders
and those further east came by way of the
Hudson and the Erie canal to Buffalo and from
thence by the lake route.
When at last they arrived at their destination
they were weary and travel stained, provisions
almost e.\hausted, and there was no habitation,
no house for them to occupy, most of them
with very scant means to subsist upon, strangers
in a strange land where there was nobody,
neighbors were miles away. It is no wonder
some of the women were homesick, and shed
many bitter tears, longing for the comfortable
home and friends they had left behind them,
whom they never expected to see again, if they
had to travel that weary journey back to the
old home. Nor could lliey ever exiiect tlieir
friends to come to them if they told a truthful
tale, of the dithculties they had encountered to
get here.
THOSE WHO DID NOT COME — POSTAGE
If they told them of the great advantajie of
coming to this new country, so much land to be
bad for so little money, tlieir friends and kin-
dred would write back and say like one who
gave the following reasons for not coming west,
from a letter dated January 10th, 1840, with the
usual beginning; "I embrace this opportunity of
informing you that we are well, and hoping that
you enjoy the same blessing. You write for me
to come out to your country. I can't tell whether
I will go out or not. I can't see any advantage
in it, for if the land is cheap, the grain is cheap
also, and if the wages is high, store goods are
high too."
Such a letter was hardly worth the postage,
which the sender seldom paid, but old settlers
say they were always glad to get letters, but
often did not have the money to pay the postage.
To accommodate those who did not have the
money the postmaster kept a little account book
labeled "Postage Book ; by whom due." The
names of the patrons of the office were arranged
alphabetically; opposite each name tlic post-
master would set down the amounts of postage
charges, and number of letters delivered as
5 : 6 : 10 : 5 : 20 etc., when it was paid the amount
was crossed off. Periodically, for the purpose of
collecting these dues, he would make a list of
the names with the amount due set opposite the
name, when paid it was so marked. There were
no postage stamps, no envelopes. The lettet
sheets were folded in such a manner, so that
tUey could be sealed with a wafer or sealing
wax. It required some skill to properly fold a
letter, so that by pressing the folded letter
apart the writing could not be seen. One ingen-
ious youth who had occasion to correspond with
bis fiancee, and did not trust the peeping post
mistress, made some envelopes for their own
use. There were no steel or gold pens in pioneer
days, but very good pens were made froih
gcosequills, which were in common use. It was
one of file duties of tlie schodlmaster to sharpen
the goosequill pens for his pupils. There was
no blotting paper, instead a sand box was used,
something like a pepper box with a wide rim on
top, making a little hopper to catch the sand,
which after being sprinkled on the damp ink was
l)oured from the jiaper back into the box.
654
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
BATTLED WITH MANY DIFFICULTIES
Duriiij; tbe early settlement of the country the
pioneers battled with many difficulties. First
were those of getting here from homes far dis-
tant in the east. Many of these emigrants en-
dured weeks and months of wearisome travel,
literally passing through fire and flood to reach
their destination. Then after a habitation was
secured, it often was a very meager pro-
tection to the family against the elements and
wild beasts. Then came the subduing of the
virgin soil; the c-ost of the first plowing was
three times the cost of the land if purchased
from the government at a dollar and a quarter
an acre. Many other ditticulties were invari-
ably the accompaniment of pioneer life. Dis-
tant markets, very imi)erfe(t and rude machin-
ery, in comparison with what the farmer's now
use. As an illustration, with the little V shai)ed
harrows they had then, drawn by wne horse, the
farmer could harrow an acre in a day ; they now
have harrows drawn by four horses, the driver
rides, and harrows eighty acres in a day. Slow
and lalwrious was transportation, often with un-
renjunerative prices for farm products. There
was much hard labor, which, with the exposure
to the elements for want of ordinary protection,
often resulted in sickness with the most dis-
tressing maladies, and the doctors lived far
away, often wholesome food was needed more
than medicine. Had they not all been young
and hearty, very few would have survived the
ordeal.
The early settlers however, notwithstanding
their privations were among the happiest people
in the world, living on hope and the prospect of
future, which are always bright to young peo-
ple, especially in a new country. It did one
good to be among them and see how they got
along without many of the conveniences, that a
more settled civilization gives. Their hospital-
ity knew no bounds. They would stop their
work and take a stranger anywhere and show
him everything. If you wish to enjoy life go
■west and visit among the new settlers.
THE SAVAXN.V PIONEERS
From a clipping in the Old Settler's Record,
page 111, The Missing JAnk I'aper, read by
David Lr. Bowen, September 23, 188C. Contrib-
uted by Mrs. Blundell. then living in California :
In the suauuer of 18-S an acquaintance was
formed between the families of Aarou Pierce and
Ceorge Davidson, then living in the lead mines
back of Galena. They had .spent an unsuccess-
ful season in search of mineral treasures, usual-
ly but erroneously supposed by the novice to be
found in fabulous quantities in all mining re-
gions. With a view to a more permanent loca-
tion and permanent employment at a less uncer-
tain business these people formed the project of
moving down to the Mississippi bottoms and
taking up government land, for farming and
engaging in whatever other business might come
to hand. Therefore on the fifteenth da,v of
Seiitember 181'S, Aaron Pierce. George Davidson
and his sou Vance L. Davidson and William
Blundell. his son-in-law. started in search of
an old Indian town, called by the Indians,
Council Bluffs. Two years before this time
(in 1S2C) oue of the party on his way to the lead
mines had passed through the place and noted
the location and beauty of the scenery. Tliis
part.v after examining the site concluded to
nidve to this place and make it their home.
It was near the last of October before they
were ready to move. It was arranged that
Davidson and family should embark in a flat
boat with most of the bulky and heavy articles
of household furniture, while Pierce and bis
family, were to make the trip by l;ind.
LEFT GALENA 1828
Mrs. Ilarriet L. Davidson says her father
Aaron Pierce and family, six in all, left Galena
about the first of November, 1828. with an ox
team, accompanied by Vance L. Davidson on
horseback, for the purpose of reconnoitering and
finding a way for the wagon ; after a tedious
journey of three days, most of the way through
a trackless wilderness composed of under brush
and timber, over hills and through hollows with
almost impassable sloughs, which had to he
crossed, fording creeks and swimming rivers,
they arrived at the top of the bluffs overlooking
the upper part of what is now Savanna. Here
their course was intercepted by steep and almost
impassiible bluffs ; on the west of them was a
perpendicular wall of rock two hundred and fifty
feet high with the great river flowing close to
its base. From this point, they saw spread out
before them a magnificent panorama ; for a dis-
tance of fifteen or twenty miles north or south
HISTUKY OF CARROLL COUNTY
655
tlipy could trace the wiutling course of the great
Father of Waters as it flowed <iuietly down to
the great ocean along hanks covered with great
forest trees and vines and shrubs and other vege-
tation of almost tropical growth. To the tourist
and lover of natural scenery it was a rare and
beautiful sight; but what was it to these wan-
derers in this wilderness, stopping here at the
very outlast of civilization; across the river was
the BlacU Hawk territory owned by the tribes
of the Sac and I'ox Indians; westward even to
the Pacific ocean there was scarcely a trace of
civilization, and very few white men except a few
trappers and traders. With scanty means of
subsistence, with the cold winds of November
upon them with nothing to shelter them from
the chilly blasts of an inclement winter, they
were surrounded by treacherous bauds of sav-
ages, whose friendship -was as unreliable and
unstable as the win<ls.
STKOXG HANDS, STOUT IIEAKTS
It took Strong arms and stout hearts to look
around at their little cues, without some fore-
bodings for the future. The evening fi-osts were
fast gathering upon them as they prepared to
descend to the valley. Along the side of the liluff
there was an Indian trail that ran down by way
of a long narrow ridge: by chaining the wheels
of their wagon and fastening a small tree to
drag under them and then holding the wagon
from upsetting, they succeeded in descending
without mishap, and on reaching the bottom
took possession for the night of a large Indian
lodge made of poles driven into the ground
and covered with liark. it having been formerly
used as an Indian council house. Fortunately
the party tliat went by the river, consisting
of Blundell and Davidson, arrived a few hours
later, having been several times stuck on sand-
bars and meeting with other delays. Their tent
or lodge they made with poles covered with
the long grass that was very abundant along the
bottom land, where it grew to such a height that
a man on horseback in it cmild nut be seen a
hundred yards away.
The first day of November, ISL'S. found this
little colony of eleven persons, four men, three
women and four children all encamped at what
is now called Savanna. In three weeks by all
working together they had raised three log
cabins, even the gable ends were logged up: the
roofs were covered with four-foot stakes, held
on with weight poles, if any nails were used in
the building they were few aud far between.
The parly had brought some provisions with
tliem: game was plentiful in the fall; but their
stock of provisions failed before spring, so that
they were reduced to living on a little soup;
.some of the men went to (Jalena for supplies,
all they could get was a dollars' worth of coffee
and thirty pounds of flour. In February the
river opened, much earlier than usual and a
boat got up to (Jalena with flour, where they
obtained a barrel at a cost of twenty-five dol-
lars. After the first year their supplies were
abundant.
In 1829 the somewhat noted character. Bob
Upton, made his first appearance at the settle-
ment. He was sent out as a runner by General
Kearney with letters and despatches from the
fort at Rock Island to the lead mines. He was
a humorous sort of fellow, yet with all his trif-
ling talk was fearless and faithful to his friends
and a man of considerable intelligence after
the manner of a backwoods man, living on the
frontier, hunting and trai)r)iug for a subsistence.
He remained in the settlement for some time and
was there when a few years later the Indians
attacked the block house. Many amusing stories
are related liy the old settlers of Bob I'i)ton and
his adventures. lie is reported as ■'Robert"
Upton, to have gone to California during the ex-
citement over the discovery of gold, and never
returned. Thus he with many others disappears
from the history of Carroll County.
Vance L. Davidson and Marshall B. Pierce
kept a trading post at Savanna for trading with
the Indians who came from over the river in their
canoes. Sometimes there would lie a lunidred
or more beac-bed on the bank of the river.
The Mississippi river and the other rivers
of the west were great commercial high-ways,
for the puriKise of trading with the Indians.
John Finley, before he introduced Daniel Boone
and his party into the feryie valleys of Kentucky,
was Master of the Batte.ui Ilutchins, in it he
carried cargoes of merchandise worth thousands
of dollars between the various trading posts
on the rivers. This boat was named after
Tliomas Ilutchins. who was then engaged as an
engineer in the service of the British arm.v,
surveying and platting these great waterways
and the several iwrtages from the rivers to the
great lakes. He afterward became Surveyor
656
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
General of the United States aud invented our
system of township surveys.
BLACK HAWK WAR, FLIGHT ANXIOUS MOTHERS
Then the Blacli Hawlc war broke out and all
the Indians became hostile. The white poeple
at Savanna were obliged to flee for their lives.
The women and children were rowed up the river
at night. Mrs. Mary J. Rhodes who was the
first white child born in Savanna and in the
county used to tell how anxious their mothers
were ou this trip, for fear the babies would cry
and they would be discovered by the Indians,
who were supposed to be lurking everywhere,
and their flight interrui)ted ; but they all escaped
in safety. Some dangerous adventures, how-
ever befell the men who were left in the block-
house, for the purpose of protecting their prop-
erty, which are related elsewhere. After the
war was over and Black Hawk captured and his
warriors driven from the state of Illinois, the
pioneer settlers returned to Savanna.
LOVE OF PIONEERING
When the discovery of gold in California was
heralded throughout the land, the spirit of ad-
venture and love of pioneering was still cher-
ished in the minds of Davidson and his family
and his friends. Conditions had so changed at
Savanna, that they sought for new fields of ad-
venture and Vance L. was among the first to
make the trip across the plains with the gold
seekers. Returning he went again and took
with him his wife and family and his son-in-
law Ed Price and his wife and child, and Henry
Pierce, Mre. Davidson's brother. William Blun-
del, who was married to Vance Davidson's
sister, and his .son, Jeff and wife went along
and John, Joe and Richard Smith are reported
to have been with this party, also John Saxton
and his wife, and William and Joseph Ashby.
The two latter returned to Savanna, but after-
ward, in 1S64 went to California and Oregon,
and became permanent residents there. When
these people with others arrived at Council
Bluffs, as was the custom, they organized for
mutual protection in crossing the plains ; Vance
L. Davidson was elected their captain. In
crossing the plains they had to endure many
hardships and privations, an account of which
Is given elsewhere. Some of these people and
many of their descendants are now living in
California and other western states.
In California -there is an organization of over
a hundred former residents of Carroll County,
who meet in annual reunion at Los Angeles for
the purpose of keeping up their acquaintance and
refreshing their recollections of the times they
lived in little Carroll County. Many of them
have, since leaving here seen a good deal
of the big world and have prospered and
are of greater use to their fellow men perhaps
than if they had continued to live here and had
confined their activities to the precincts of their
old homes in Illinois.
EMMERT FAMILY
DAVID EMMERT AND HIS FAMILY; SAMUEL M. HITI ;
NATHANIEL HALDERMAN
When David Emmert. who was the first per-
manent settler in Mount Carroll, was a young
man he went Into Pennsylvania, from his home
in Maryland, and was engaged in buying wheat
and teaming it to Baltimore. He married Susan
Price and returning to Maryland he lived on a
farm before coming west ; on this farm he was
building a fine fish pond and Joseph Welty was
helping him at this work.
About this time Samuel M. Hitt the owner
of the mill site at Mount Carroll came to visit
Mr. Emmert and persuaded him to come to Car-
mil County, telling him of the mill site of Luther
H. Bowen near Savanna and of his at Mount
Carroll, in which Mr. Hitt with others was in-
terested. They had purchased the claim to the
mill site from the original preemptors. Hitt
praised the country and spoke of the good chance
it offered to a young man to mend his fortunes ;
this was in the fall of 1S30, and David Emmert
came west in the spring of 1840, in company with
Mr. Hitt and his family, going to Ogle County
first, but eventually arriving at Cherry Grove
in this county In May of that year. Here he
kept the Cherry Grove House, which was a
stopping place on the stage line from Dixon
to Galena. He with the keen sense of a pioneer
saw the advantages and possibilities of the
country, at once wrote to Nathaniel Haldennau
and induced him to come west. Thus the men
who built the mill and founded a city, were
induced to come west and take hold of the mill
^a/vJi ^, fdu^JjL
...,_ai^^ *"
fro"'-
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
657
enterprise, whi^li was the beginuing of Mimiit
Carroll.
Some years ago. Joe Welty. one of the piontH'rs.
related the following incident to Dr. Henry
Shinier, who made a note of it, for the purpose
of sometime writing a Iiistory of the county;
stating that David Emniert used to tell this
anecdote in the c-ompany"s store at Stag Toint,
saying that by accident he once was traveling on
Sunday iu Pennsylvania and U|>oii hearing men
thrashing with a flail in a barn near the road,
he went in to see about wheat, he was then buy-
ing grain, he saw three sons flailing and the old
man turning bundles. Eniniert said in German,
'•how is this? you are thrashing on Sunday,"
whereupon the old man said, "if it is Sunday we
will quit, we do not take the papers and we
did not know it was Sunday." This it is said
used to bring down the house, for Mr. Emmert
had great descriptive powers and could relate
such anecdotes without a smile. It may be
said, for the benefit of the Scotchman, the Joke
was. you ought to take a newspaper to tell when
Sunday comes, the application of this will appear
when it is seen what a family of printers the
Emmerts became.
Before coming west David Emmert was living
in Cumberland County near Harrisburg. here he
had become acquainted with Doctors Abraham
and John L. Hostetter and George Hollinger who
afterwards came to Mount Carroll ; at this time
Jlr. Emmert was a member of the Pennsylvania
legislature. Through trusting a dishonest man,
with a large amount of money to buy wheat he
lost nearly all the capital lie had. This perhai)S
more than anything else, determined him to take
what little he had left and his family and try
to retrieve his fortunes in the great west.
BUILDING THE MUX AT MOUNT CAHBOLL
As has been told by Judge Shaw in his history.
Mr. Emniert went into partnership with Mr.
llalderman. to build the mill, the firm was called
Emmert, Hadermau & Co. The services of an
architect, a Mr. Chapman of Ogle County, were
soon secured to plan and super\ise the erection
of the mill. Bradstreet Uobin.son was employed
to haul the logs to the sawmill of Hitt and
Swingley, a short distance down the creek ; most
of the great timbers, still to be seen in the mill.
were cut from government land, which for many
years was free to all comers. Elijah Bailey's
father did the iron work for the mill and shod
the cattle. Two of the carpenters who worked
on the mill and who did the work to unite the
two log cabins to make a dining room for the
workmen were Henry Lowman and Abraham
Beeler, they also built the store building at Stag
Point. -Mr. Emmert hired Daniel Hurley, John
Herrington. Michael Mahan, Patrick Silk and
Hugh Sloey to build the mill dam and the mill
race; they completed this work early in the
spring of If^S. Jonathan Myers came from Ogle
County to lay the walls for the mill which was
built of native stone ; upon finishing the work
he flourished his hammer over the high gable of
the west end of the mill and said, "hurrah for Mt.
Carroll and Emmerts' mill, water on the wheel,
wheat in the hopper, meat on Halderman's back
and marrow in Rinewalfs bones.'' His assistants
on the walls of the mill were Emanuel Morrison,
Thomas Reed, M. Reed and William Nicols. Mr.
Chapman and his two sons Will'am and Mordecai
took the contract for doing the mill-wright work.
The mill shaft, the axle to the great water wheel
which turned all the machinery, including the
great stone burrs that ground the wheat, was
cut on the Mississippi bottoms ; Robert Kennedy
assisted by Abraham Beeler dressed it and put iu
the burrs.
BOAUDINO THE HANDS WHILE BUILDING THE MILL
While the mill was building Mrs. David Em-
mert and Miss Harriet Harmon, boarded the
workmen, some forty in number, in the log cabin
on the knoll near the mill site, commonly known
as Stag Point, named from the deer whicli had
tre<iuently been seen there. This cabin had been
built not far from a spring, at the foot of the
hill, which a great tree overshadowed in those
days. In the winter of 1841-42, another cabin
was erected about fourteen feet from the
original one, at the gable end. and the space be-
tween the two log cabins was roofed over to make
a dining room for the workmen.
These ladies had the fever and ague, wliiih
was so common at the time and from which the
early settlers suffered greatly, fortunately they
alternated in having the chills and were still
alile to do the work between times. When one
w'juld be down sick the other would do the work
and take care of the children, no sooner would
the one recover than the other was taken down
with this distressing mal.-idy; anil so these brave
658
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
young women got aloug and fed the forty men
or more who were building tlie mill. They de-
serve great credit for the part they took in this
enterprise. Jliss Harmon afterward married
Robert Kennedy an exiiert miller from Phila-
delphia, who ran the Enmiert and Ilalderman
mill ; he died many years ago leaving his widow
with a family of small children to fight life's
battles alone, which she has faithfully done, and
still lives in Mount Carroll, honored and re-
spected by every one ; nothing in the city, which
she has seen grow from a small log dwelling
house to its present proud dimensions, is too good
for the people to offer this aged widow to en-
jo.v. She has no kin here beside her own family
except a sister, Mrs. Manning, living north of
Lanark, who is also an octogenarian. The
little girl, Ann, daughter of David Emmert.
who helped to set the table and kept the
glasses bright, for those forty workmen, is still
living in Mount Carroll. Mrs. Ann Hallett, wid-
ow of Bartlett Hallett.
STORE BUILT ; LODGING THE PEOPLE ; C.4B0LINE
W.\DE
In 1842 the store at Stag Point was built also
the cooper shop, ^^■hen the mill was running
people came for many miles with wheat and grists
to be gi'ound; they had to have lodging places
somewhere. Jliss Caroline Wade came to the
assistance of the ladies mentioned and made the
beds and bunks, sometimes for fifty or more
lodgers, the log house was filled, the store loft
and the cooper shop. She afterwards became the
wealthiest citizen in the county; founded the
Caroline Mark Home and endowed it with over
half a million dollars.
L.\ND SALES, II.\ED TIMES. SC.\RCITr OF MONEY
Following the year 1839 the early settlers had
great difficulty in getting their groceries with
their farm jiroducts on account of financial stress
and the scarcity of money; but greater ditlicul-
ties had to be overcome later, which went to the
securing of the titles to their lands and their
homes. In the ■\\iuter of 1842-4.3. President
Tyler issued a proclamation bringing into market,
the lands of Carroll County and a part of Ogle,
in the November following. The settlers, not
without reason, became alarmed, as mone.v such
as the government re<inired in payment for lands,
was not to be had. Gold and silver and treasury
notes were the only legal tender for government
lands at that time. The suppl.v of money for the
whole country was said to be less than one hun-
dred miliion of dollars and there was very little
of it in the west.
Early in the spring of 1843 the settlers began
to move in the matter. They feared that to have
their lands put up for sale, under the then ex-
isting conditions, would put them at the mercy
of the land sharks. Meetings were called, the
first in the northern part of the county at the
Cherry Grove House, of David Emmert. There
was a good attendance. Lewis Bliss went from
Preston Prairie with his bugle horn, and en-
livened the meeting with some )nusic. The meet-
ing after making some preliminary arrange-
ments, adjourned to meet a month later at the
Companies' Store at Stag Point, near the mill.
At the meeting at Mount Carroll it was re-
solved to petition President Tyler for relief, set-
ting forth the condition of the .settlers and ask-
ing him to postpone the sale. Tyler had turned
traitor to the party that elected him and was not
at all iwpular nor thought to be in s.vmpathy with
the people who had elected him. It was there-
fore humiliating to the "Whig portion of the set-
tlers to be obliged to ask a favor of him ; they
were in a large ma.iorit.v in Carroll County,
which was the banner county of the state for
the AYhigs.
David Enmiert. who was a Whig, had been
chosen to draft the petition to the president,
which he did and jiresented it at the meeting.
It closed with these words : "Remember and
aid us in our need, and we will remember you
when aid will be greatl.v needed." George W.
Ilarris, a democrat, was the first to speak and
said, "I think you had better leave that out, the
President will take that as an insult."
Seymour B. Tomlinson. a Whig, was the next
to speak, he said : "Yes leave that out, I wouldn't
vote for John T.yler to save my farm."
The Honorable Samuel Ilitt of Ogle Count.v,
who was an old friend and acquaintance of
President Tyler, was made the liearer of the
petition to tlie president.
The iiresident after reading the petition said
that he was in full symi>athy with the settlers
and would like to aid them in securing their
lands, "But," said he, "the time set for selling
the lands cannot be iwstponed. But I will in
a special message to Congress recommend the
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
659
passage of a law, giviiiK to all settlors wiio are
entitled to land under the iiiwrniUinn act, one
year to pay for tUeir lands from the date of ap-
Ijlic-ation." The president was as good as his
word; suoli a law piisseil. It gave the set-
tlers time to prepare for paying for their lauds
and most of them took advantage of it to secure
their homes.
I'rotective leagues were I'oniuMl in dilTerent
Iiarls of the county, for the safety and protection
of the settlers at the land sales: all disputes
among land claimants were adjusted before a
board of arbitrators previous to the day of sale.
The sale was to take place at the land office
at Dixon. Illinois. Each league had a man se-
lected In lijd off all the laud covered by the
leilgue. for such of the settlers as were ready to
pay for it.
David Kmniert was selected as the bidder for
the northern league. lie had a plat of the lands
before him and the' eighties niarketl with the
name of the claimant who was ready to pay.
Mr. Eddy one of the clerks of the department
was the crier; the land was offered in eighty
acre tracts, commencing with the east half of the
northeast quarter of section one and going
through the towushiii in the order the sections
are numbered. He cried off the land as rapidly
as he could name the lots, slowing up by a sign
when near a lot to be taken, when a bidder
would cry out "bid," which meant the lowest
price at which it c-ould be sold. viz. one dollar
and a quarter an acre, and the name of the
purchaser would be recorded. If any one bad
attempted to raise that l)id. it was generally
understood he would have been roughly liaiidlcil
and uo doubt made to withdraw his biil.
FIRST COUNTY JUDGE
David Ennnert succeeded George W. Harris
who was the first county judge. He had resigned
at the end of a year in otliie. There were very
few estates to be administertxl upon in those
days. The jiioueers were all young people, so
few old i)eople came to the new country, that a
gray haired man or a baldheaded man was a
great curiosity to the children of the early
settlers; their grandfathers and grandmothers
had been left in their (■(inifdrtalile homes in the
east.
In 184!) when the Savanna IJranch Itailroad
was incorporated .Judge David Knimert was one
of the first board of directors.
THE n.M'lIS.MAI. rooL, TIIK (IHAVIi YARD, THE FIBST
GRAVE
A short distance down the creek from the West
Carroll bridge, just below the grave yard there
was a beautiful pool in the creek with a clean
sand and gravelly bottom which was used for
many years by the early settlers as a baptismal
pool, and many of the inhabitants of tlie village
and surrounding country were immersed therein.
Jlr. Emmert belonged to a church that believed
in and practiced this manner of baptism. Other
denominations used this iwol for the same pur-
pose sometimes cutting the ice away for the pur-
pose of inunersing converts.
David Ennnert gave the land for the old grave
yard and in 1S.">2 laid out the West I'arroU
addition to Mount Carroll. st>metimes called T.ou-
dou after the native place of some of the early
settlers.
The site for the graveyard was then oiien
country, uncultivated; Mr. Elijah Bailey said
that, when he was a young man. breaking
lirairie on the Emmert claim, he used to turn
his cattle out to graze where the gi-aveyard now
Is. Some years later there was a lone grave
lliere ami it was an object of uo little curiosity.
The .young people of the settlement used to take
a walk over there, on the Sabbath day, to look
at this lone grave. It was the final resting place
of a stranger by the name of Smith; Joseph
Welty, a carpenter, who came to Mount Carroll
through his acipiaintance with David Ennnert,
made this statement in regard to this stranger
and the beginning of the graveyard. In .Inly,
18-44 one II. Smith came here from Xenia. Ohio,
was taken sick of dysentery on the river, en-
route to the Galena lead mines. He got off the
boat at Savanna and came on a wagon to Mount
Carroll. Welty waited on him until he died,
this was the first death in Mount Carroll. When
the man was dead Mr. Welty went to N. Hal-
derniau at the mill to sc>e iibout .i burial place
and he said: "Wait until David Eunnert comes
over and we will see about it ;"' Mr. Ennnert
soon came and said : "We must have a grave-
yard."' Mr. Ilaldermau, Mr. Emmert and Mr.
Welty went out across the breast of the mill-
(l.im whi<h was then used for a wagon road,
having a bridge across lln> mill race. They
660
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
looked about the ridge on the north side of the
millpond and concluded that it was not suf-
ficiently easy of access ; then Mr. Enimert pro-
posed to go over to the grounds where the cem-
etery now is. There he told Mr. Welty to select
a sixit, which he did close by a large white
oak tree, and commenced to dig the grave.
After digging awhile William Powers came over
and helped him. When the grave was dug Mr.
Welty went over to Fred Williams' shop and
they made the coffin of black walnut, also a
handbarrow ; on this they bore the coffin to the
grave the same evening. The coffin was laid in
the ground without a rough box. boards were
then laid over the coffin on shoulders cut in the
earth. Dr. Judd was the attending physician.
There was no ceremony at the grave. The next
death in Mount Carroll was that of Rebecca, a
one year old child of Thomas and Margaret Rapp
in the summer of lS4u ; it took the summer
diarrhoea of infants with fever ; Dr. Abraham
Ilostetter was the physician, there were no re-
ligious services, she was laid in a grave beside
Smith. Mr. Welty helped Fred Williams make
that coffin. The next grave was either Keefer's
or that of Daniel Christian, Sr., he was a soldier
of the war of 1S12. Welty helped to dig these
graves and helped to make the coffins. The
inice of a good walnut coflln was five dollars and
nothing was charged for digging the grave. Dan-
iel Christian, Sr., died December 20th, 1847 ; after
this burials were more frequent. Welty and
Williams making the coffins for five or six years.
The plat of ground set apart for a graveyard by
David Emmert was eventually filleil with graves
until there was no room for more. These lots
were all free to any person who needed a place
for burial. Oakhill Cemetery was laid out by
Mr. X. Halderman on lands he owned adjoining
the old graveyard. The graves in this city of the
dead number more now than the living in the
city near by. Instead of natures' monument that
marked the sight of the first grave, a beautiful
oak tree, great monuments and tombstones en-
cumber the ground, so vast are some of them it
seems as though mother earth can scarcely bear
their weight, indeed the little lots on which they
stand could not bear them up without the as-
sistance of their neighbors.
The first woman's club or organization of wo-
men in Mount Carroll was formed for the pur-
pose of raising means to fence the graveyard.
stock being allowed, in those days, to run at
large. Mrs, Tommy Rapp was one of the mem-
bers of this clu-b, sewing circle was the modest
name they gave it, also Mrs. Harriet Kennedy
to whom we are indebted for this information,
who is still living in Mount Carroll.
For many years the Smith grave was unmarked
except by a simple mound and the oak tree, but
through the thoughtful generosity of the neigh-
bors it Is now marked by a slab with appropriate
inscriptions. It may be seen near the east en-
trance to the new cemetery.
The year after the building of the mill David
Emmert built the stone house over the beautiful
spring to the north of the creek and the town.
For many years this house was occupied by Mrs.
Ann Hallett, daughter of David Emmert, wife
of Bartlett Hallett an early settler and a brick-
maker and contractor ; the brick in all the old
brick houses in the town were made by the
Halletts. James and Bartlett. In this house
many of the early settlers were welcomed on
their arrival and enjoyed the hospitality of the
Emmert's until a place could be found for them
in which to make a permanent abode.
In ISoO during the excitement attendant uiwn
the discovery of gold in California, Judge Em-
mert fitted out three wagons with four yoke
of oxen to each wagon, for the gold seekers ;
his son Simon went with the party, also the
schoolmaster Shottenkirk and W. A. J. Pierce,
still living in Mount Carroll, who carried the
purse to pay expenses, which was exhausted
long before they reached the gold mines. The
names of others who went with this party and
the adventures they and others met with on
the way are related in another chapter under
the heading, the Forty-niners. The Emmert
caravan as it drove out of the little town made
quite an imposing sight. TTie men were all in
a jolly mood in hopeful anticipation of soon
finding their fortunes in the land of gold ; only
one or two did so, and some never returned;
among these was Judge Emmerfs son.
In 1S52 Judge Emmert was one of the incor-
porators of the Mount Carroll Seminary and
treasurer of the board of trustees. In 1S54 after
the German Baptist or Brethren church had
built a commodious meeting house at Arnold's
Grove, David Emmert was chosen to the ministry
of that church.
STONE HOUSE AT WILDEKBEHC.
Built in 1861 by Dr. Abraham Hostottrr; now occiii)i((l by liis
son, grandson and great-grandson.
CARNEGIE LIBRARY, MT. CARROLL
OLD MILL AT MT. CARROLL. BUILT 1842
^^-^'
^e^
,-oot»J
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
661
FIRST NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN MT. CARROLL
David Emmei't withdrew fi'om tlie Mill com-
pany is 1S51 or 1852 and built a warehouse for
the purpose of buying and storing grain, on the
southwest corner of Main and Market streets
opposite the old stone court house. In this
building on the third floor he helped his son
Jacob P. Emmert start the first printing odice
in the county and here in 1852, was printed the
Republican, the first newspaper printed in the
county. Mr. H. G. Gratton who had been pub-
lishing the Freeport Journal at Freeijort went
into partnership with Jacob P. Emmert. In 1853
after a year's experience, Jacob withdrew from
the printing business to become clerk of the
circ-uit court and recorder. Later he became
interested in some real estate and with Emanuel
Stover laid out Stover and Emmert's addition
to Mt. Carroll; near this addition he built a
fine brick mansion, in which Mr. N. H. Halder-
mau now resides.
Mr. Gratton, who was a generous public spirited
citizen, did much for the advancement of the
town and especially the seminary, where his
granddaughter in later years attended as a
student. lie published the Republican Until 1855,
when it passed into the hands of D. H. Wheeler.
He continued the paper for two years 'feud in
1S57 sold to D. B. Emmert, second son of David
Emmert. (Jeorge English was the fdreman
under the David B. Emmert administration and
when young David was taken away liy the I'jkc's
Peali excitement, he sold his interest in the
Republican to Dr. John L. Hostetter; Eugli-sh
continued to publish the paper under the firm
name of Hostetter & English. Young David
on his return from the mountains, stopped at
Topeka, Kansas, and started a paper there,
called the Auboru Docket. He was elected
chief clerk of the house of representatives of
the Kansas legislature. Later he went to Fort
Scott and started a paper in a small town, near
there, called Marmaton. Here Joseph, sixth
son of David Emmert, who had learned the
businesfs as the devil in the printing office in
Mt. Carroll under English, had charge of this
liaper and fought his brother David, who had
started the Fort Scott Monitor on the county
seat question ; Fort Scott won out.
Dr. Hostetter sold an interest in the Republi-
can office to Dr. E. C. Cochran ; George English
starting another paper called the Home Intel-
ligencer. Soon after Hostetter and Cothran be-
came associated as partners in the Republican,
an arrangement was made by which that paper
and the Intelligencer were consolidated. Dr.
Hostetter retired from the business and English
and Cochran published the consolidated paper
for a short time, when English renewed the
publication of the Intelligencer and Dr. Hostetter
resumed charge of the Republican. From him it
passed Into the hands of Silvernail and Ladd
of the Mt. Carroll seminary. Silvernail was
professor of languages and taught Greek and
Latin at the seminary. Mrs. Shimer was in
some way responsible, for the success of the
business under Silvernail and Ladd, and when
it ceased to be a paying enterprise the jiress
and type fell into her hands and it was removed
to the seminary, and for a time Mrs. Shinier had
printed and published there the Seminary Bell.
Mr. Isaiah Holliugor and liis partner, Alex
Weudel. who had in the meantime started the
Mt. Carroll Mirror, were frequently called upon
by Mrs. Shimer to help with the t.vi)esetting
and printing of the Bell, when she was short of
help, as printers were not very numerous in
those days and few so competent as Messrs.
Hollinger and Wendel. They printed the first
issue of the Min-or, March 21, 18C0. Mr.
Wepdel was a practical printer from Franklin
County, Pa. He and Hollinger had been work-
ing together in the Republican and Intelligencer
offices. Xhey published the Jlirror for twelve
yeaV.s. and until they went into the service on
the last call of President Lincoln for volunteers
for the Clnl War when they closed their jirint-
ing office. During its publication James Shaw,
afterwards circuit judge, and C. B. Smith. Esq.,
fretpiently contributed editorial articles for the
Mirror. After the close of the Mirror office
there was no paper published in Mt. Carroll for
several months. Grim-visaged war stalked
abroad in the land ; the newspaper business
was one of the industries that was i)aral,vzed.
Later Hi Bohu took charge of the Mirror of-
fice; it then passed into the hands of Scott and
Cormauy. The latter married Miss Susan Em-
mert, sister of the printers, Jacob. David B. and
Joseph.
After Hollinger and Wendel, came back from
the army, having served their terms of enlist-
ment, they again took charge of the Mirror and
continued Its publication until they sold It to Cap-
tain J. M. Adair, who continued to publish the
662
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
paper until Septemljor, ISi-i, when lie suld it to
J. F. Allisou wlio was tlieii c-ounty treasure!-; tlie
following January Allisdu sold the paper to AV.
D. Hughes aud A. B. IloUinger. Mr. Hughes
after\Aard became sole proprietor with
Don R. Frazer as local editor. Mr. Hughes
sold the Jlirror to AV. L. Puterbaugh, January,
IS!)'.). Frank H. Hurless aud Dick Hughes, who
had been working in a printing office in Savanna,
came to Mount Carroll and started a semi-week-
ly newspaper which they called the Repul)lican.
The following Jlay they bought the Mirror and
it was merged with that paper.
lu September, 1S75, Fi;ank A. Beeler started
the Mount Carroll News ; on the following April
it [lassed into the bauds of J. William Mastin,
whose father, Jethro Mastin, was an old settler
of Shannon and a lifelong Democrat. Mastin
changed the name to that of the Herald and
started to publish it as an independent in politics,
but later suitported the Democratic candidates
for office lu 187G, and in January, 1877, he sold
the paper to Hollinger aud Sessions. Hollinger
had disposed of the Mirror and gone to Iowa ;
after his return he and Frank .7. Sessions
bought the Herald of Mastin and clianged its
politics to that of a Keimblican paper. In 1873
Allison again purchased the Mirror, this time of
Martin Shugroe and transferred it to \V. L.
Puterbaugh, now editor of the Milledgeville Free
Press. The object to be obtained, Mr. Allisou
says, in the first instance was a faithful collec-
tion and publication of the happenings of the
day and to ju-omote harmony and tranquillity ;
the second purchase was made for the purjiose
of flagellating lloke Smith for arbitrarily sus-
jiending and reilucing soldiers' ])eusions. The
jtublisher was summarily bounced from the ]jen-
sion service during President Cleveland's second
term.
After Mastin sold out the Democratic Herald,
Cal M. Freezer, who toad learned the printer's
trade in the Herald office and worked for Hughes
in the Mirror oftice. witli the assistance of Fred
S. Smith, started the Mount Carroll Democrat,
but it did not receive sufficient support from that
party, and Mr. Freezer changed its )X)litics to
that of a Reiiubliean paper: and the Mirror, now-
owned and published by Frank H. Hurless, and
the Democrat are still published as dail.v and
seiul-weekly new-sjMpers in Mount Carroll.
Thus it will lie seen that a correct history of
Mount Carroll cannot be written without giving
David Ennnert and his family credit for the
inijiorlant part they took in the very bo^ginning
of Jlount Carroll, which starte<l with the build-
ing of the mill, nor the histoi'y of the press of
Mount Carroll without including his family.
Three of his sons and one daughter, who married
a printer, w-ere directly connected with the print- •
ing business in Mount Carroll. All that are left
of the family here now are his daughters, Mrs.
Ann Hallett, widow of Bartlett II. Hallett, and
a grandson. Charles F. Emniert, son of David
B. Emmert. Jacob P. Ennnert removed from
here to Chicago many years ago and died there,
leaving two daughters there. Joseph still lives
in Chicago. All the other descendants of this
estimable family are widely scattered through-
out the Union.
David Eimnert had a son. John, who in early
days was a mail agent on the steamboats on the
Jlississippi river ; be succeeded his In-other, Ja-
cob iu that line of business. Another sou, Wil-
liam, went from here to Kansas and later to
Colorado. Thomas, the fifth son of David Em-
mert, on the breaking out of the war enlisted in
the Sth Illinois Cavalry and died of typhoid fever
.•it .\lexandria, Virginia. He was the first soldier
to be brought home and buried in the old grave
yard, that Mr. Emmert so generously gave to the
public for a burying-groun<l.
THE DOCTORS HOSTETTER. .\LEX. OFFICE, AND
WILLIA.M HALDERMAN
On April l.'jth. 184.''., Doctor Abraham Ilostetter
with his wife and two small children and his
brother. Doctor John L. Ilostetter and their
sister, Anna, with a friend, Ale.xander Office,
arrived in Mount Carroll. They came from
Pennsylvania by way of the canal up the valley
of the Susquehanna, over the mountains by the
inclined plane, and by steamboat on the great
rivers ; they imssed through the great fire at
Pittsburg, the most noted and destructive in the
United States, until the great Chicago fire of
1871. Iu the fire at Pittsburg they had a nar-
row escai>e from going down with a burning
bridge when they were fleeing afoot to escape,
to the country, from the burning city. They
stopped at Saint Louis to change steamboats;
here Doctor Abraham bought a small stock of
drugs and had them shipped to Mount Carroll.
Tlie first night on their arrival at Mount Car-
roll they stopped at the Mansion House, now
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
663
called tlif Clil'luii Udlise, wliiill \v:is tlioii lieiiii;
built by Thomas Rapp; it was unfinisbeil the
[lartltions tieitig unplasteretl. The doctor soou
licuiuht a small house, which stood where IIol-
man's funiiture store uow is, and erected a two
story addition thereto, using the lower floor for
a drug store, the first in Mount Carroll ; in addi-
tion to drugs he kept a stock of paints, oils and
window glass.
SCATTKRED SETTLEMENTS
The doctors Abe and John Ilostetter. as they
were familiarly called here, bad a very e.xtensive
niediial ]iractice in the village and surrounding
country ; it was not unusual for them to be calkMl
uixm to attend invalids for twelve or fifteen and
even twenty miles away; these distances they
were obliged to travel on horseback, with their
saddlebags, containing their medicines and sur-
gical instruments, thrown across the horse's
back. Whole families would sometimes be dowu
sick with the prevailing maladies; often, the doc-
tors said needing wholesome food, for want of
some one to prepare it, more than medicine; fre-
quently the doctors' good wives would send along
loaves of bread for those in need. After seven
years of this arduous practice Doctor Ab-
raham quit the practice of medicine, sold his
drug store and moved to Salem township on
some land he had bought of the government at a
dollar and a quarter an acre, where his young-
est son, W. Ross Ilostetter, now resides.
FIRST D.\NK
In 18.J7 he formed a partnership with some
eastern friends, who had capital and started
the banking firm of Ilostetter, Reist & Co., in a
small room of the old house, next the drug store.
Mills it Hooker opened an exchange and hank-
ing house in the old Enmiert building opposite
the nioninnent, alwut the same time. This firm
was composed of II. A. Mills, ;\.nd M. L. Hooker,
who retired from the business and it was con-
ducted as the firm of H. A. Mills & Co., until the
first National Hank was organized with II. A.
Mills as cashier and James Mark as presideiu.
Money was scarce in those days and interest and
exchange rates very higli. so uuich so that the
Mount Carroll Mutual Manufacturing and Hy-
draulic Company, ojiened what they called a
bank of deposit and offered through their treas-
urer, N. llaldeniiMU, to pay ten per i-ent interest
on deposits.
. niiE.VKING OUT OI- THE ( IVll. W.\l!
Dr. Ilostetter continued the banking business
until the breaking out of the civil war; his
nepliew, Amos W. Ilostetter, who had become
cashier and bookkeeper of the bank, enlisted in
the ;i4tli Illinois Volunteer Infantry, became Cap-
tain of Conii^ny I. was killed while rec^unoiter-
ing on the picket line before Atlanta, Georgia.
The historian of the 34th Illinois, says the caj)-
tain was held in high esteem by every one with
wliom he came in contact. As he was borne by
the regiment he commenced speaking to the men
bidding them a last farewell as he iiassed down
the line of the company, and indeed it was a
pathetic scene. His body was brought liome
and buried in the old graveyard.
DEPRECIATED CURRENCY ^
On account of the war and the uncertainty of
the future condition of the country all the cur-
rency in circulation became greatly depreciated
the only security for much of it being the bonds
of the southern states which eventually became
worthless ; the more money a bank received
on deposit the worse it was off. The only thing
the country banks could do was to send these
depreciating bank bills to their Chicago or New
York correspondents ; these soon become so
glutted with this depreciated currency that they
were obliged to susijend business. Kventually
all bank bills were refused; the gold and silver
had gone out of circulation, and it became very
(litHcult to do any business. Postage stamps
began to be useil for making change. This was
file origin of what was called postal currency.
To replace the ixjstage stamps the government
issued a paiM>r ciu'rency which contained the
lectures of the stamps; a five cent stamp or a
ten cent stamp, a twenty-five cent note con-
tained the pictures of five five-cent stamps. Be-
fore these could be procured all sorts of tokens
were in circulation as money. Storekeepers had
printed circular cards, on which was printed
"good for ten cents," or any other amount ;
these were not very dtn'able. and when worn
were soon presented for redemption, in money
or goods, so that they came to make them of
metal, with the inscription stamped upon them ;
664
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
banks issued eliecks iipou themselves in various
amounts, tbese circulated instead of money, but
were eventually redeemed aud destroyed; like
the "card money," also called bons, that was
used by the traders in early days iu dealing
with the Indians iu the Illinois country, wheu
the "Buck Currency," became unwieldly, a buck
skin always passing for the value of five livres
or one dollar at the early trading iwsts in the
Illinois country.
.70HN IBVINE. SR.
Dr. John L. Hostetter married Miss Mary Ir-
vine, daughter of John Irvine, Sr., one of the
partners in the Mill Company at that time;
their wedding taking place in the old log bouse
where the Emmerts had lived and boarded the
men who built the mill. Both being very popu-
lar young people there was a large party aud a
great charivari during which a live pig was put
into the room, by Henry Sager, it is said, who
afterward was the boss mason on the stone
house at Wilderberg. The pigs they had in
those days were indeed lively, and hard
to catch. The father of the bride was
greatly incensed, and although an exhorter
in the M. E. church, went in search of
a club to beat the author of this indignity but
could find nothing for the puriwse but Mrs. Ir-
vine's rolling pin. This is not the first "rolling
pin," that figured in the fortunes of some of
the early settlers. Mrs. Marks the founder of
the "Home for Old Ladies," says she first had to
use an ear of corn for a rolling jjin, later a black
bottle, then with a draw knife aud a saw she
made herself a rolling pin.
The Bradstreet wedding was also in the old
house. There the first Mrs. Rinewalt died, aLso
Mrs. John Irvine, Sr. In this old log cabin
John JI. Rinewalt was born, also Joseph S.
Miles, cashier of the First National bank and
presideut of the Business Men's Association of
Mount Carroll.
Dr. John L. Hostetter became, at one time very
much interested in the newspaper publications
in this part of the state. He started the Mount
Carroll Tribune, the first newspaper in the
county, mention of which is made elsewhere.
When the war broke out he enlisted with the
34th I. V. I., as regimental surgeon, but was soon
promoted to brigade surgeon. On his return
home he continued the practice of medicine dur-
ing the remainder of his life very much trusted
and respected by a large circle of acquaintances.
Alexander Ofiicer who came to Mount Carroll
with this party, for a time had a lumber yard
where the churches now are, but he soon went
to Chicago, where he became interested in the
lumber business and acquired a fortune. He
married there and his only child, a daughter,
is still living iu the city ; her husband is at the
head of one of the largest wholesale grocery
firms in Chicago.
ANNA HOSTETTER
Jliss Anna Hostetter, the sister of Doctors
Abraham and John, married William Halderman,
brother of Nathaniel, and he ran the mill com-
pany's store at Stag Point. This store did a
large business, dealing with customers who
came from man.v miles around with their pro-
ducts to exchange for merchandise and groceries.
He had a novel way of shijiping butter, some of
which lie sent as far south as New Orleans. He
had kegs made that would hold twenty-five
poimds of butter, these when filled he packed in
a great hogshead and covered all with brine;
when it arrived at its destination after a long
steamlxjat jonrney in a warm country, the but-
ter was still fresh and sweet ; which also spealvs
well for the skill with which it was made by the
good pioneer women of the settlement. The
immense cask and the small kegs were made at
the cooper shop, where the flour barrels were
made, in which the mill company shipped their
flour to the same market. They were made of
staves and hickory hoops, all of which material
was procured from the woods iu the neighbor-
hood of the mill and store. An enterprising man,
he afterward bought a steam flouring mill in
Freei>ort ; but died when still a young man and
his remains rest In the vault, on the hillside over-
looking the site of the old store, which is so con-
spicuous on looking west from JIarket street in
Mount Carroll.
-inna afterwards married the Hon. Johu H.
Addams of Cedarville, the father of Jane Ad-
dams, then a child of eight years, who has
become distinguished as the founder of Hull
House in Chicago, and is now a very noted wo-
man and author of several books relating to
social science, her latest being a large volume
entitled Twenty Years at Hull House.
Mrs. Addams at the age of eighty-three, is still
^-^
H
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
665
liviug at Ced.uTilli", StfplK'iisdii Cmiiil.v. one of
the very few survivors of the pioneers of Mount
Carroll. To her we are Indebted for a great
many Interesting facts in regard to the early
settlers of Mount Carroll, which" are related in
this history. Many otliers are of too per.sonal a
nature to be of general interest and are on that
account, reluctantly omitted.
CHAPTER IV.
THE FORTY-NINERS.
GOLD ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVERED IN CALIFORNIA —
WAYS OF GETTING THERE — EXCITEilENT SPREADS
— LIVES OF THE GOLD MINERS — FIRST PARTY
FROM MOUNT CARROLL — PIERCE AND YONTZ
DROWNED — THE BARBER INCIDENT — HARDSHIPS
ENDURED — THE MARCH BEGAN — THOSE FROM
SAVANNA — THE EMMEET PARTY — EVAN RAE ELEC-
TED CAPTAIN — SHOTTENKIRK'S DIARY — SNOW CON-
STANTLY IN SIGHT IN JUNE — CROSSING GREEN
RIVER — DARING ACT OF HEROISM — ANOTHER PAR-
TY LEAVES MOUNT CARROLL — THE MUM MA PARTY'
— GOVERNMENT OF THE GOLD SEEKERS — FRANKLIN
I-VNGWORTHY'S BOOK — ABANDON WAGONS, PACK
ON ANIMALS MOUNT CARROLL 1854 THE RE-
TURN.
GOLD ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVERED IN CALIFORNIA
Gold was accidentally discovered In California
in the year 1848. On December fifth President
Taylor announced the discovery in his message
to congress. The abundance of the precious
metal was such as could hardly be believed; he
said that ships on arriving at California were
deserted by their crews. Labor commanded an
e.xorbitant price, and every pursuit save gold
hunting was abandoned. The country went wild,
[low to go to California, what to take and when
to start were the questions discussed by every-
body.
WAYS OF GETTING THERE
I'ntil spring came the overland route was
closed, but the way by sea was oi)en. Some went
to New York and took sailing vessels by way of
Cape Horn, around South America. Philo Cole
late of this county took this route from Boston,
going with a c-omimny that bought a sailing ves-
sel and put out from there. It took them over
si.x months to sail around the Horn and when he
arrived at the land of gold he soon found that
he could make more money raising [wtatoes than
lie c-ould digging for the precious metal. Other
ways were open, as they might go to CcMtral
America and ac-i'oss the Isthmus of Panama or
by the Nicaragua route, and Robert Moore of
Mount Carroll was one to take one of these
routes, or one might go through Me.xico from
Vera Cruz to some port on the Pacific and
trust to find a sailing vessel there to carry
them to San Francisco.
EXCITEMENT SPREADS
The newspapers continued to spread broad-
east all sorts of exciting rumors, from San
Francisco, and with each batch of letters the
gold fever raged more fiercely. A letter from a
gentleman in California stated tliat lumps of
gold a iwund in weight had frequently been found
and that good sized pieces could be dug from
crevices in the rock. A young man from New
York had written that he would return in a few
mouths with a half million dollars in gold dust.
The president's message lent credence to the
wildest rumors. People went wild ; thousands of
pioneers, from the western country prepared to
go by the overland route. Carroll County iwople
were not immune from catching this, "yellow
fever.'' Mr. Preston says, in his notes, on the
Pioneers of Mount Carroll, "the rush for the
California gold fields for this .year, (1850) took
more people from the county than were added to
it."
LIVES OF THE GOLD SEEKERS
The lives of these seekers for gold, in a new
world, where they were thrown upon their own
resources, beyond the restraints of civilization,
without written laws, were ofttimes tragic in the
extreme. Tliis life has been portrayed in a trag-
edy called the (Jirl of the (jiolden West, and
quite recently (1910), this tragedy has been
written into an Italian OiM'ra and set to miisli!
and thus has been presented to an astonishetl
world, on the stages of the greatest theaters and
oi>era houses of Eunip(» and .\merica. Many of
666
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
the pioneers of Carroll Couuty had a part iu that
life. It becomes interesting to know who tUey
were aucl what they did.
FIRST PARTY FROM MOUNT CARROLL
The first party that went from Mount Carroll
started March 27th, 1S49. It consisted of ten or
twelve men. John Pierce, brother of William A.
.T. Pierce, still living here, took this party out
with an ox team. With him, as near as can be
ascertained now was his brother-in-law, William
Yontz, Richard Owings, sou of J. C. Owings of
Cherry Grove notoriety ; Gilbert Mark, brother of
John Mark late of Carroll County ; Gilbert dietl
in California ; his widow, Mrs. Laura Wicks is
still living near Mt. Carroll with her son-in-law,
Lyman L. Wood. Owings and Larkins Liusey
went by the river to St. Louis to buy supplies
for the party, intending to meet them at St. Joe,
Missouri, where Liusey died of the cholera.
Samuel Spang was one of this party ; he was of
great assistance to the Emmert party, who went
the following year, by directing some of the peo-
ple from this county to the best places for mining.
Spang after searching for gold for about twenty
years, at last found a decayed quartz vein on the
top of a mountain. He had to carry his dirt
down a mile to wash it ; but he made forty
thousand dollars in eight days, which he event-
ually lost, and as is often the case with those
who suddenly acquire riches he died poor.
PIERCE AND YONTZ DROWNED
A sad accident befell the leader of this party,
whereby he found a watery grave. In crossing
the Platte river where there was no ferry, they
used their wagon box for a boat ; it upset and
sank. Pierce who was an expert swimmer tried
to save his brother-in-law, Yontz, who could
not swim ; they were both drowued.
Most of this party had agreed to pay Pierce
for their passage on their arrival at the gold
mines, or soon after, it is to be supposed when
they suecee<led in getting some gold dust. After
Pierce's death it is said tliat they sold every-
thing and accounted to no one.
BARBER INCIDENT
A man by the name of Barber was with this
party ; this incident was told of him by one of
tlie survivors of another party that crossed the
plains a year later. Barber left a wife behind
him at Mount Carroll. He was a great money
maker, and very fortunate iu the mines, he fre-
quently sent his wife money until he had sent
her several thousand dollars ; when he was told
that the man at home with whom she was living
was using his money but she was always writ-
ing for more, so he stopped sending her any
more. At last a letter came from her, he could
not read and being told it was from his wife at
Mount Carroll, he tore it into bits and threw it
on the floor. He had hardly doue this when he
repented of his rash act, and said he would give
a hundred dollars to know what was in that
letter. So the teacher Shottenkirk, who happened
to be there swept the pieces together, and al-
though he had not had the practice that many
young people have nowadays iu putting jig saw
puzzles together, he put them so that he could
read the letter. It was a very nice letter from
his wife. Barber, however, sent no more money
home, and eventually took to himself anotlier
wife in California.
IIARDSnirs ENDl RED
These i»eople knew nothing of the hardsliips
that had to be endured. Early in March the
gi'eat emigration overland began, and scores of
companies and thousands of men attached to no
company set off for the gathering grounds west
of the Missouri river. The spring was late and
until the grass on the prairie had grown suf-
ficiently to feed the cattle it was not safe to
start.
THE MARCH BEGAX
By the first of May the march began in earn-
est. The routes taken by the emigrants led over
rolling prairie, rich in verdure to the Platte river.
At Grand Island, fifteen da.vs journey from Inde-
pendence, Missouri, the united streams as one
great caravan swept along westward. Beyond wffs
Fort Kearney ; here a record of the passing teams
was kept ; each team on au average had four
yoke of oxen with from four to ten men. By
June twenty-second 1849, five thousand, five huu-
dretl and sixteen wagons had been counted and
some two hundred more were estimated to be
coming. Twenty thousand persons and sixty
thousand animals were said to have passed the
fort. Hundreds had turned back and it was
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
667
estimatwl that over two tUousaiul liail diod of
tin; i-huk'ra.
The way letl tlu-ougli the Black Hills country
to the Sol til Pass. P>(>fore they reached this
part of the journey the energies of the men and
auimals began to be severely taxed; for miles
the line of travel was strewn with all kinds of
iniplcnients and furniture that had been thrown
away to lighten the loads for the weary animals.
Some emptied part of their wagons and left them
liy the way. Still further on beyond Fort Lara-
mie carcasses of dijad animals were left along
the route.
One who took the route by the Ilumbolt river
describes this part of the journey as follows:
The river was without perceptible current, witli-
out a fish or living n-eature in its waters, wiud-
ing its sluggish length along through a desert
until it dis;iiipears. There was not, he said, wood
enough in the whole valley to make a snuff l)ox
nor vegetation sutHcient to shade a rabliit. The
whole region was a great desert of sand and
ashes. A continuous march of thirty -four hours
across this desert brought him and his com-
Iianions to the Carson river. The last twenty
miles of the journey bore silent testimony to the
sulTcring of those who had gone before. Along
the trail lay the bodies of oxeu with their yokes
still on them, the carcasses of horses and mules
from which their liarness had not been removed,
abandoned wagons and property of every kind.
Some after safely crossing this desert were rob-
l)e<l by the Indians and forced to make the re-
mainder of their journey on foot, with their be-
longings packed on their backs ; for a hundred
miles they trudged along. Winter was approach-
ing and snow would soon Ijegin to fall in the
mountains. The government sent relief parties
to aid the belated emigrants; many men were
found sick with scurvy, and numbers too sick to
travel and all were begging for food.
The small parties from Carroll County did not
fare any better than others, they suffered many
hardships. All that has been written here has
been contirmed by the few survivors of the little
bands who started out so gayly on a pleasant
March day. with such high hopes of tinding their
fortunes in the land of gold.
THOSE IKOM SAVANNA
Mr. Frank Stedman of Savanna wliose fallier
went to California in IS.yi, kindly made what
inquiry he could and gives a list of the names
of persons who went from Savanna in that year
to the gold mines, and says probably I have
missed s<jme as it is difficult at this late day to
get the names of all. One party was Albert
Stedman and Daniel King with three others
as passengers; they had one wagon with two
»;pau of horses. Another party was ICdward
McLenahan, Griffith Robins, Thomas I'arker and
Henry Cox. They had one wagon with two yoke
of oxen. The following also went that year:
IMiuey Taylor, Thomas B. Rhodes, L. D. Price,
.John Barker, Robert Upton, Joseph Taylor, Har-
mon Brown, Frank Gilbert, Ira Buchanuan, Levi
Wil.son. John Armstrong, Will C. Pierce, Geo. W.
Jenks, Frank Hitchcock.
For others who went from Savanna, and the
adventures they had, see the chapter. The I'ion-
eers of Savanna. The reader will notice in the
above list the name of Robert Upton, a noted
character in the early days of the setllcnn nt of
the county as before mentioned.
THE EMMEBT PARTY
Early in the spring of 1850, David Emmert,
then called. Judge Emmert, fitted out three
wagons ^^■ith four yoke of oxen to each wagon, for
those who wanted to try their fortunes in the
new Eldorado. His son, Simon Emmert, was one
of the party. William A. J. Pierce, who is the
only one living of all the men who went to the
coast from Carroll County, was to carry the
imrse and pay the expenses, but be as economi-
cal as he could. The party soon ran out of
funds and did as many others had to do, stopped
for a time at Salt Lake, and went to work for
the Mormons. Before they started from Mount
Carroll Judge Emmert sent a man to St. Louis
to buy and ship up the Missouri river sup-
plies for the party, consisting of bacon and
Hour and all kinds of food that they could
carry and would necil in crossing the plains
and the mountains beyond. The party started
from .Mount Carroll on the 2:;rd of .M.irch,
ls.">(i, they were rafted across the river at
Savanna and [iroceeded on their journey through
Iowa. There was in the Knuuert party beside
those named, the schoolmaster Shottenkirk,
who kept a journal of the trip and sent it
Ijack to Judge Emmert, but it was currently re-
IKirted that it never reached him. Hugh E. Tay-
lor was one of this party, he was "grubbed
668
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
staked"' by James OBrieii ; Daniel Brown, Joe
Strickler ; tlie brothers. Reynolds, B. W. and J.
L., who had been keeping the JIausion House,
the old stone hotel ; Xathauiel Sutton, who came
to this couuti-y with Zaehariah Kinkade; Jacob
Traxell from Pleasant Valley, who stopped at
Salt Lake and It is said joined the Mormons ;
Merriam VanGastou; George Goltman. who
never returned ; Joseph Ganson. who left a wife
and two children and never returned and Wil-
liam Callahan, and one or two others.
EVAN BEA ELECTED CAPTAIN"
When this party arrived at the Missouri river,
about eight miles below Council Bluff.s, they
waited about a week for their supplies to arrive
from St. rx)uis. They made their own ferry boat
by bolting two wagon boxes together after having
made them watertight. When they reached the
other side they with others organized into a com-
pany of sixty or eighty men. Evan Rea of
Mount Carroll was elected captain. He came
with another party, which had one wagon and
four yoke of oxen and with him were James
Trail, Harlyn and George Pyle.
SHOTTEXKIEK'S DIARY
To follow this party we copy from an old news-
paper, the Mount Carroll Tribune, the tirst paper
published in Mount Carroll, from Vol. 1, Xo. IS,
the diary of D. G. Shottenkirk, one of the party,
called
"California Journal, by D. G. Shottenkirk."
The first date is June 20th, (1850), the last
July 1st. During these days the party passed
up the Platte river, crossing it many times, often
with great difficulty ; sometimes to avoid cross-
ing where it was very difficult and dangerous
they climbed over mountain ridges where for
short distances the road was almost jjerpendic-
ular. They passed through the South Pass and
by the Pacific Springs, the waters of which flow
into the Pacific ocean ; but their journey was not
yet half done, the Sierras were yet to cross, and
the difficulties and privations they had exper-
ienced were notliiug compared to those they had
to endure before they reached the land of gold.
Some extracts from this diary that relate to
people well known to many of the residents of
Carroll county may be of sufficient interest to
copy here :
■June 22ud. — Part ot McPike and Strothers
line from St. Joseph, Mo., passed us early this
morning. They had separated in order to take
better advantage of the Scarcity of gi'ass, their
mules generally looked well. We forded the
river this morning at a good fording place. About
a mile further the road and river run between
the rocky bluffs. There are many emigrants'
names painted on the side of the rocks. We had
to ford the river twice extra on account of some
high rocks jutting out into the stream. The
river is narrow and deep with a rocky bottom
and requires great care in drivers to prevent a
wagon from over setting. There were a number
of wagons that crossed immediately before us.
and got into deep water and wet most of their
loading. We however crossed without wetting
anything. We camjjed upon the sweet-water
again at the termination of the rocky bluffs. We
again drove our cattle across the river the grass
was a little better on the opposite side. We
found a good wagon here that had been left and
as it was a much lighter and better running
wagon than the heavy one of ours (No. 1) we
concluded to exchange and leave ours in the
place of it. I gave it as my opinion, however,
that as our loading had become quite light and
our cattle showed some symptoms of fail-
ing, it would be much easier on them and in
the end prove to our advantage to leave one
wagon altogether, but the majority of the com-
pany thought otherwise.
"We si)ent the afternoon again in airing our
provisions, and in shortening the bed of No. 2
wagon. We found three or four old hut light
trunks in two of which Emmert packed his
clothing and left the heavy boxes. Mr. Pyle
came up and passed us this evening. He left one
ox that had become so foot sore, they could not
drive him any further.
"June 2.3rd. — Habits of industry are cultivated
by some at least on this route, for I saw a lady
riding along on horseback busily engaged in
sewing.
SNOW CONSTANTLY IN SIGHT IN JUNE
"There are large quantities of snow constantly
in sight on the bluffs to our left We passed
a great number of dead horses and oxen, in
crossing the desert. About four o'clock we came
to the river, forded it at a pretty deep ford,
unyoked our cattle to let them rest, grazing was
C'OrXT^ I'AKM HorSK BEFORE ITS DESTRUC'-
I'loN in \ CVC'I.OXE IX 1,S9S
COIX'I^ !• AliM IKMSK AK'IKK THE C^CLUXE OF 1898
■mi-; m;\\ ((HN'i^ i \hm uriLDixc
THE N*i^,^
PUBLIC LIB
>i
•^■. ,;--.r.AT10'NSJ
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
669
out of the question unless tliej- would eat snf;c
bnish,— cooked a dish of hasty puddini; — hit<'hed
up again, crossed a branch of the Sweet Water,
drove two or three miles over high hills, when
by turning off from the road for about a half
mile to the river, and driving the cattle across
to the south side we found some little grass.
Drove twenty miles.
June 24th.— 'I'here is snow close by our
camp, more than ten feet deep. The cattle had
Tery poor picking here, as there is nothing in the
vicinity but snow and sage brush. There was an
emigrant bought some flour today at twenty-one
dollars per hundred and sold it again within an
hour for thirty-one dollars. Bacon, however, sells
more reasonable, ten cents per iwund. There
was an emigrant passed us this evening, who or-
iginally took passage in the "Pacific Line." but
has since exchanged berths with a passenger in
an ox train. Many more are anxious to obtain
the same chance. B. W. Rej-nolds was taken
sick this morning with the mountain fever. Dis-
tance, twenty-one miles.
June 25th— We started by daylight. * * * We
passed a grave wilh which there is some mystery
connected, on the head board of it was written,
"To the memory of Columbus, who was found
with his throat cut, having In his hand, with a
death grip, his pocket knife, ou the 19th day of
June, ISoO." * * * There is an express mail here
owned by Col. Estile, intending to start for Wes-
ton, Mo., some time in the month of Jul.v. He
charges fifty cents per single letter postage. I
had not time to write. There were more than
two hundred teams in camp when we arrived, and
among others H. Pylo and Captain P's division.
We have two more sick men, Callahan and J. L.
Reynolds on the list today, with the same dis-
ease. Distance twenty miles.
ABANDON PAKT OF TIIEIlt TRAIN"
June 27th — * * * The coniixiny have almost un-
animously come to the eondusion that we had
letter leave one wagon and favor our cattle as
much as we can. We accordingly took the bed of
No. 3, (for the sake of the patent rubber top),
and put it ujion the new wagon, as it was the
best one. We burned the bed of the other one
and completed the work of demolition by sawing
the spokes out of No. .3 to make stakes of to
fasten our cattle at night. After we had loaded
up our wagons again, there came a violent storm
of wind and rain. Our cattle filled themselves
so well, that some of the boys thought they must
have drank alkali.
June 2sth. — * * * Our sick men are rapidly
recovering. Distance eighteen miles.
CROSSING GREEN RIVER
June oOth. — * * * We rose liy daybreak and
in company with four others manned the two
boats and in about an hour our wagons were all
safely across Green river. The river is about
ten feet deep and rising rapidly, though the first
emigrants that passed here the twenty-seventh
of May forded it with ease. Several dead horses
floated past while we were crossing the wagons.
We had somewhat of a job in getting our cattle
across the river. They had hitherto swam every
stream without any or little trouble. The water
was very cold and it was very disagreeable stand-
ing in the water so long. Vfe were kept busy
until noon, throwing stones at and otherwise
scaring them to make them cross. We got them
all to cross but three, and we took them back to
the ferry boat, held them by the head and made
them swim across behind the boat. When we
came back to the ferry boat from swimming our
cattle, we found a great crowd of teams collected
there. The emigrants at the ferry had just
taken the body of a man that was floating down
stream from the river, lie was apparently about
forty years of age and nmst have been drowned
at least ten days ago; there was nothing by
which to identify him.
DARING ACT OF HEROISM
There was a daring act of heroism performed
this afternoon, that deserves to be rewarded, an
act sliowing what a woman can do in ease of
danger and difflculty. A company from Ottawa,
111., were crossing at the ferry next above us,
when the Imat upset. There was a woman anil
two small children on the wagon board at
the time. The wagon bed floated off and
careened ou Its side. The woman lashed
one child about her neck caught the other in her
arms, got upon the outside of the wagon bed and
sustained herself in this position until a young
Snake Indian seeing the inuninent danger she
was in, leaped upon his horse, swam into the
current, and seizing the rope of the other ferry
boat, (with which they were trying to overtalve
670
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
tlif woiuau, but were able to gain uiwn the
wagoubed but slowly), lie swam down the river
until he overtook the wagon bed, when he jumped
from his horse, leaving him to take care of him-
self and caught one of the children in his arms
and helped the woman on board the boat, wheu
they rowed safely to shore. It seems almost
incredible to believe it were possible in this swift
current, yet such is undoubtedly the fact.
July 1st — We rose early this morning and bid-
ding adieu to Green river or the Colorado of the
West, started on a drive of fifteen miles without
grass or water. The road was sandy and in
many places covered with cobble stones, which
made it hard traveling for the cattle. Distance
fourteen miles.''
It was reported that all of Mr. Shotteukirk"s
diaiy was lost in sending it by mall to Dr. David
Emmert, but that evidently was an error. How-
much of It was published in other numbers of
the Mount Carroll Tribune is unknown ; the one
quoted from is the only number of that paper
preserved so far as known.
ANOTHER PARTY LEAVES MOUNT CARROLL
Still another party left Mount Carroll for the
gold mines, this one on the first day of April,
1850. There were nine men, two wagons aud
seven horses. In this party was David Mumma,
a splendid mau to have in the camp, as is testi-
fied by one of his companions ; knew how to do
everything to make people comfortable in camp,
was a very good cook of such food as could be
had on a trip like this. He was an indefatiga-
ble miner and trapper ; after returning to Mount
Carroll and working in the lead mines near there,
he returned to Tike's Peak to mine gold aud
silver ; he there contracted the mountain fever,
and came home and died from the same. His
widow, Mrs. Mary C. Mumma, w-as the daughter
of George W. Harris, one of the very early
pioneers of this county ; she is still living at
Cleveland, Ohio. Their family of six daughters
are widely scattered; their husbands occupying
honorable po.sitions in the active duties of the
business world.
THE MUMMA PARTY
In the Mumma party was Joe Christian who
was the proprietor of the transportation facili-
ties; Abe Beeler; Billy Towers, a lead miner who
lived at the Mansion House, kept at that time
by George Hollinger; and George Hay, then
quite a young man, who was enabled to go VN-ith
this gold seeking party through the assistance
of his uncle, Teter Hay, a lead miner who came
here from the Galena lead mines. He was the
father of the present superintendent of schools,
John Hay, aud William J. Hay, for many years
supervisor from Woodland township aud chair-
man of the County Board.
George Hay had stated to friends many in-
teresting incidents of this trip across the con-
tinent. On their way out he said, they were
obliged to stop three different times to let the
immense herds of buffalo go by, as it was not
safe to cross their trail while they were in mo-
tion, which seemed to be day and night for two
or three days in succession ; he said not only
thousands but a milliou or more seemed to be in
the procession. On the overland trip their
horses gave out and they were obliged to buy
oxen and when they got to the Sierra mountains,
the last mountain range they Iiad to cross, they
were reduced to such straits, that they traded
the whole outfit, except what they could carry,
for a sack of flour. Then they trudged along
over the mountains on foot; a weaiy tramp it
was.
GOVERNMEXT OF THE GOLD SEEKERS
1'lus incident was also told by Mr. Hay, and
it illustrates the manner of government these
miners and gold seekers, out of necessity, made
for themselves. A murder had been committed
in their camp, a man was arrested on suspicion,
a jury of six was drawn by lot, Mr. Hay was one
of the number, the evidence was heard by the
jury and it was so convincing the jury were
unanimous in voting a verdict of guilty, after
wailing till morning and again voting, the ver-
dict was the same. The execution of the guilty
man soon followed, and the iJlace was called
Hangtown.
After his return to Carroll County Mr. George
Hay entered upon an active business life and
soon became identified as one of the leading
business men of the county. He was at one time
editor and publisher of the Carroll County Ga-
zette, which he for several years published at
Lanark. Afterward he assisted Mr. Duncan
Mackay and others in starting the first bank iu
Savanna and was for a number of vears its
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
671
cashier. One of liis daughters, Miss Helen Ilay.
became quite distiusruished for her ability as
the head ot tlie Illinois Training school for
Nurses and virtually had charge of the nurees
in the Cook County Hospital. Subsecjuently she
spent several mouths abroad for the purpose of
study and to perfect her knowledge of the pro-
fession she so greatly honors.
l'R.\NKI.IX I AXUWORTHY's BOOK
There were two others in this ixirty and
lYanklin Laugworthy may have been one; he
lived to return to Carroll County and to publish
a very interesting book of his travels, called :
"Scenery of the Plains, Mountains and Mines,
or a diary kept upon the Overland Route to
Califoniia by way of the Great Salt Lake ; Trav-
els in the Cities, Mines and Agi-ieultural Dis-
tricts, Embracing the Return by the Pacific
Ocean and Central Ameriea, in Years 1850, '51,
'52 and '5.3." So says the title page. Published
at Ogdensburg by J. C. Sprague, book seller, 3855.
The author says in the preface: "The year
eighteen hundred and fifty is an epoch that will
bo memorable in the history of the United States.
It is a year that will be long remembered, as one
of unparalleled emigration, suffering and death.
The official announcement of the astounding
facts In relation to the gold discoveries in Cali-
foniia, seemed to move the whole nation, as with
an electric shock, and a vast multitude of more
tliaii si.xty thousand human beings were seen
rushing across the plains and deserts, and ov"r
tremendous mountains, flu.shetl with high hopes
and eager to fill their coffers with the glittering
dust."
He observed that an unusual number of the
emigrants were professional men. There was
an abundance of preachers of all denominations,
crowds of learned counsellors in law, wliilc
almost every tenth man had the title of doctor.
He says, "We have any amoimt of Generals,
Judges, etc."
There were nine in the party in which Jlr.
Langworthy started from Mt. Carroll on the
first of April, 1850, with two wagons and seven
horses, a team he says by no means sufficient
for the undertaking, but he does not give the
names of those who were in this party. He
further says, there were no bridges and few
ferries, so there was great danger in crossing
the streams. Horses and cattle were made to
swim across the rivers by being forceil into
the cold water which went whirling and rolling
by, often sweeping everytliing down the stream,
and many men were drowned, their wagon boxes
sometimes overturned and it was imiwssible to
swim ashore, the water was so swift and cold,
lie says that Pierce and Yontz were drowned
at the upper crossing of the Platte by the
upsetting of their wagon box in 1849. The year
after there was a good rope feiTy at this place.
The charges were fi\e dollars for each wagon
and a dollar for each animal, so many were
crossing, he supposed the owners of -this ferry
would clear fifty thousand dollars that year.
ABANDON WAGONS, PACK ON ANIMALS
AVhen they got into the nio\nitains it was .so
high up, it was vei-y cold even in June. Large
numbers, he says, were leaving their wagons and
packing upon their animals ; horses, mules and
even oxen were used for packing. The wagons
are generally broken to pieces and used for fuel
by their owners. Thousands of fine trunks and
boxes and barrels are burned for cooking pur-
Iioses ; property that cost a hundred dollars in
the states is none too much to make a comfort-
able fire of an evening.
After giving a ver.v interesting account of
their passage over the Sierras, the highest
mountains they passed over, he says : "For the
two years I lived in California I supported m.v-
self by traveling, and giving popular lectures on
scientific subjects. At times I attempted to
lal)or at mining, but was oliligod to desist on
account of my health. » » »
One design I had in undertaking this hazard-
ous enterprise, was to gain a competency of
this world's good.s. In this I was not alone,
neither was I singular in failing to accomplish
this object.'"
3HT. CARROLL, 1854
Sjieaking of the changes in Mt. Carroll in the
three years he had been awa.v, he said : "It
had more than doubled in size. It is now a
flourishing little villege of about eight hundred
inhabitants; containing a court house of stone;
tliree churches; a flourishing academy, common
schools, etc. It is expected the Chicago and
Mississippi Air Line railroad will be constructed
and pass near this place, when it will be a
672
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
poiut of iuiiuense Importance. Here is already a
steam ami water power flouring mill ; iron foun-
dry and other manufacturing establishments."
He returned by way of Central America, from
New York he went up the Hudson river and to
Chicago, by way of Niagara Falls. "Chicago,"
he said, "was a city of seventy thousand inhabit-
ants. The place seems destined very soon to
become the great emporium of the west."
passed away recently at the age of four score
years and more, a very much honored and re-
spected citizen of a neighboring county.
CHAPTER V.
THE KETUBN
Two other Mt. Carroll citizens came home
together, by the Panama route. They boarded
a steamship at San Francisco, a double decker
with sixteen hundred passengers, returning
home. One of these men who was terribly sea
sick and unable to take a mouthful of food for
eight days. He had his gold dust and some
Spanish doubloons in a sort of buckskin vest,
with pockets in it made for the purix)se of carry-
ing gold. The doc-tor told him this was
oppressing him and that he would have to take
it off ; that he would take care of it until they
reached Panama, where he had to leave the
boat. He and his companion landed at Panama.
The one paid thirty-tive dollars for a room, the
first night on land so as to be in a safe and
respectable place with his gold. They took a
train across the Isthmus, the first train either
had seen. Eventually they reached home, but
fortune did not again favor them both equally
here. One was a gay gallant, who had returned
with gold dust and Spanish doubloons, he wore
a cloak and cape of broadcloth, sported a scarf
pin made from a nugget of gold and like Othello
of old, could speak to the belle of the village,
"of moving accidents by flood and field," "of
hair-breadth escapes in the imminent deadly
breach," etc. And so he won the hand and
heart of the lady, for which many suitors had
spoken in vain ; while his companion who had
been less successful in mining, had trudged
on foot from the mines to Sacramento, a dist-
ance of forty miles, and back .again the same
day to get a letter from his lady love. On
liis return home, like Enoch Arden of old, he
found her the wife of another. When tliey
met, it is said, the silent tears of each wei-e
the only greeting; and they parted forever.
But this tale does not end here. He consoled
liimself by finding another sweetheart, and both
lived to be blessed with many children. He
ORGANIZATIONS.
PKOTECTIVE LEAGUES IIRST LYCEUM HORSE-
THIEVES — PRAIKIE BANDITS — VIGILANTES — ELK-
HORN GBOVE COMPACT — THE GRANGE MOVEMENT
GRANGES — PROFITS OF INSURANCE — FRATERNAL
INSURANCE — MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE.
When the first settlers came, they came as
single families, with a few neighbors or friends
together. There was no occasion for organiza-
tion, until it became necessary to unite for pro-
tection against common foes, such as "land
sharks, claim jumpers, and horse-thieves.'"
PROTECTIVE LEAGUES
They formed in different parts of the county,
what they called protective leagues. The earliest
settlers were always willing and glad to welcome
new settlers ; there was land enough for evei-y-
body, and the more that came and made perma-
nent settlements, the nearer it made the first
comers to neighbors. There were some selfish
and grasping men, however, who without any
intention of making permanent settlements, laid
claim to large tracts of land, with the intention
of later entering them at the land otEce and
after securing the title, to hold the land for
speculative puiiwses.
The permanent settlers in self defense formed
protective leagues. How many of these leagues
there were, and who were their officers, Is now
lost to history, except in a very few instances
which will be given. They bad a summary way
of enforcing their home-made edicts, and on one
occasion, some of the members were haled into
court for a violation of the law, charged with
committing an assault and battery. There were
three men who entered an improved farm, be-
^ ^' -12^ ^r^^-^^iytyL
AA'
^--' \
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
673
longing to one of the settlers, who with some
of his neighbors, in the same predicament, was
unable to procure the money to enter the land.
These men were two brothers by the name of
Green and another by the name of Maider. The
league took these men and applied a rawhide
whip to them without mercy. -I'he men who did
the whipping were Charles Hughes, John Hill
and Jesse Hill. Clark Green, who was the
prosecutor at court, had been given thirty-three
lashes; Robert Green was given eleven, when
he agi-eed to give up the laud, and George Maider
gave up the land without whipping. This was
said to have beeu done in Fair Haven township.
A similar league existed in Mt. Carroll, but
their manner of intimidating such offenders was
by dipping them in the mill-race. There were
other so-called protective leagues, formed by
meu who would not allow anyone to enter laud
in sight of their claims, and some claimed all
the prairie one could see from the back of a
horse. A few of these waited upon a resident
of Mt. Carroll, who had entered some laud far
away from any settlement, they expected to
make this party give it up or jiay a bonus to
be left alone. They, however, did not enter the
house or accomplish their design, as the good
housewife was heating a kettle of water pre-
Iiaratory to giving them a warm reception, in
case they attempted to enter the house or carry
away her husband. At the land office at Dixon,
it was generally understood that if anyone would
bid more than a dollar and a quarter an acre,
the minimum price at which land could be
bought of the government, or would attempt to
enter land claimed by a settler, that the regul-
ators would see that the offending party was
thrown into Rock river and kept there until
he retracted.
a Universalist and a great man to argue on
religious topics. After his return from Cali-
fornia, an account of which trip he published
in a book, he moved with his family to Minne-
sota and there joined the Methodist church.
HORSE THIEVES
There were bands in early days, who stole
and ran away with settlers' horses; this was
a very serious matter, as the settlers depended
upon the work of their horses to maintain their
families. These outrages led to the formation
of societies and organized effort for the purpose
of assisting in catching horse thieves. The vari-
ous societies were banded together for mutual
cooperation. Committees of young men were
ai)poiuted in different parts of the county, to
be in readiness with fleet horses, to jjursuo a
horse thief on short notice. The punishment
meted out to one if caught was severe in the
extreme, usually hanging, but the necessity of
putting a stop to this violation of the law, and
for the purpose of intimidating horse thieves
and breaking up such bauds of outlaws, seemed
to justify the meaus taken to accomplish that
end. If turned over to the officers for legal
punishment, these bold thieves frequently
escaped sometimes through the connivance of
friends, and sometimes for want of secure jails
to confine them in, until the law could take its
course. In case of escape they would rontiuue
their depredations in a more flagrant manner
than ever, knowing full well that their pursuit
and capture was a very difficult matter. It is
believed the thieves were organized as. well as
the settlers.
THE PRAIRIE UANDITS
FIRST LYCEUM
Besides organizations for business, there were
some for pleasure and intellectual improvement.
The first Lycouni or debating society, was one
which met in the log cabin of Daniel Christian,
Sr.. in the winter of lS4.'i and IS-H; among those
who tcKik part in this Lyceum were. Bradstreet
Robinson. Rezin Everts, Howard Frew Smith,
Franklin Langworthy and others. Jlost of these
men went to California to better their fortunes
in the gold mines. Langworthy the same winter
gave a course of lectures on geology. He was
There was a couipany of them known as the
Prairie Bandits, which operated along the Mis-
sissippi river on both sides, extending iuto York
township on this side. How to counteract the
outlaw spirit, and stop the horse stealing which
was so common everywhere, the settlers did
not know." It is said that iu Ajiril, 3841, several
of the older settlers called on Judge Ford; he
afterwards was governor of Illinois, and wrote
a history of the state, theu a circuit judge, re-
siding at Oregon, Ogle county, and asked him
what could be done about the matter. The
judge knew the strait in which the honest
674
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
settlers were, iu some communities, and how
they were at the mercy of au organized band
of l)laclilegs; that it was almost useless to iu-
volie the aid of the civil authorities. He recom-
mended that the honest settlers also organize,
appoint officers and committees, and where the
provocation was extreme, that they go to the
men whom they liuew to be dishonest, and con-
nected with the horse stealing bands, tal^e them
by force from their homes, strip them to their
waist and apply a rawhide to their bare backs.
He recommended thirty lashes as a very good
dose for the first application, a second offense
should call forth a double dose, and the more
dangerous parties should be given notice to leave
the state within a short time or suffer the
consequences.
vigil.\>;tes
These organizations were called Regulators
or Vigilantes. It is said a number of those who
were whipped, came to the regulators and volun-
tarily joined the organization and promised to
obey the rules of the order and lead straight
lives. They were not only interested iu stop-
ping horse stealing, but they took it in hand
to stop all unlawful acts.
In Elkhorn Grove through the Instance of
Levi Warner, their attention was called to the
protection of the timber on the school section,
in that township. Such quantities of timber
were required to construct fences and buildings
and for fuel ; serious depredations were being
made upon the luiprotected tracts of timber. A
meeting of the citizens was called and held at
Mr. Warner's house on the 22d of December,
1838. The following resolution was passed:
"Resolved, That the Committee of Vigilance
Is hereby authorized to appropriate or dispose
of the timber on the si.>cteenth (school) section,
that is going to waste, and that a treasurer be
appointed from said committee, whose duty it
shall be to put the funds so obtained on interest
with good security for its forthcoming, when
called for by the school agent, at the selling or
disposing of the school lands."
By resolution Caleb Daiues was appointed
treasurer.
ELKIIOKX CKOVE COMPACT
Levi Warner was instrumental in organizing
a vigilance committee in Elkhorn Grove, which
it is said, "had a powerful regulating effect."
The following is one of the calls he issued as
secretary :
"Fellow citizens of Elkhorn Grove Compact,
the time has arrived requiring our imdivided
and united efforts, the energy, sagacity, wisdom
and iutegi'ity of our enlightened body, in en-
deavoring to maintain ours and others rights,
with regard to ourselves, our families and our
homes. In endeavoring to maintain this right,
if we but suffer ourselves to be led by partiality,
favor or affection, or biased by the opinions of
others, favor one i)erson guilty of transgression
or violence of the rules of our compact more
than another guilty of the same act, that instant
our Compact looses its authority, its power and
(control must fall and we shall be left to the
mercy and option of any wtio choose and have
it in their power, to take from us our heads,
our claims, our favors, our homes, our prospects
of supporting ourselves and families. Let us
then go hand in hand with a firm resolution
to abide by each other iu defending and main-
taining each others rights and the validity of
our Compact will be a bar to its encroachment.
"Fellow citizens of Elkhorn Grove Compact,
one and all you are hereby requested to meet
at the Central school house in Elkhorn Grove
on Saturday the 5th of October next, for the
purpose of ascertaining whether the Compact
shall be dissolved or continued in force. By
order of the Committee of Vigilance, and to do
such other business as may be thought necessary
when we meet. Levi Warner, See."
Xo date is given ; Levi Warner was justice
of the peace from 1835 to 1839, when this county
was a part of Jo Daviess. His commission as
county surveyor is dated, May 1, 1830. The
act of the state legislature organizing Carroll
County, was approved February 22, 1839. A
meeting of the citizens was held at Mr. Warner's
house to remonstrate against giving the half
of the three eastern townships of this county
to Ogle, but it was of no avail. The people
iu that territory voted to be in Ogle county.
FARMERS ORGANIZE THE GRANGE MOVEMENT
Early in the seventies there was a great deal
of unrest among the farmers of the west, on
account of the low prices of the staple products
of the farm, so low as to be quite unremunera-
tive to the farmers. Indeed there was a time
<M<7^.^^^-^^ ^^^^2;^
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
675
when some found it advisable to buni their
corn for fuel, rather than sell it for the low
price then prevailing, (fifteen cents a bushel),
and buy coal or even wood. At the sauie lime
agricultural products were bringing fairly good
prices in the eastern markets, and it was quite
natural, and a sane business proposition to seek
the cause and a remedy for their troubles.
The principal causes seemed to be the cost
of (ransi)ortation, and the support of a large
and I'xponsive body of what they called middlo-
nicii, wlio handletl the farmers" products enroute
to the general marl<ets, as well as the supplies
the farmers had to purchase. Single-handed
they were helpless and could not accomplish
anything, so that organization became necessary,
and what was called the grange movement began.
Uy March, 1S74, an extensive farmers' move-
ment was in evidence throughout the country.
Grange organizations and mass meetings of
farmers were held to discuss taxation, tariff,
currency and transportation, and to regulate
things generally. A great Grange Fourth of
July, (187.^), celebration was held in Elkhorn
Grove at "Uncle Harry Smith's," at which,
notwilhstaniling ])revious stormy wea'ther, over
live thousand people were gathered together.
By Slay, 1874, the following Grange^ had been
established in Carroll County:
Milledgeville; Master, L. C. Uelding: Secre-
tary, S. II. Todd.
liook Creek; Master, D. W. Dame; Secretary,
C. I!. Kllsworth.
Otter Creek; Master, .\. Wuodiii ; Sccii'tary,
\V. II. Kreidler.
Maple Grove; Master, J. II. Shiley ; Secretary,
J. V. Cotta.
Salem; Master, B. F. Miller; Secretary, W.
D. .Moffett
Enterprise; Master, H. li. Field; Secretary,
O. ]•:. Southerberry.
Fair Haven ; Master, E. Hathaway ; Secretary,
H. H. Holt.
Freedom ; Master, Daniel Teeter, Sr. ; Secre-
tary, J. E. Laird.
Carroll ; Master, Jacob Lohr ; Secretary, John
H. Keech.
York ; Master, Robert Dunshee ; Secretary,
Samuel Lord.
Oakville ; Master, Jubu .Mackay ; Secretary,
Robert Graham.
Argo ; Master. Elijah P.ailcy; Secretary. Edwin
Kevins.
Rdsedale; JLaster, Peter Hyzer ; Secretary,
Williatu Bile.«, Jr.
At the same time Carroll County was repre-
sented among the olhcers of the Illinois State
Grange of Patrons of Husbandry; D. W. Dame
being charmau of the executive committee and
Mrs. Dame being elected Ceres.
At the organization of the Illinois State
Farmers Association, January l.'ith and 10th,
1873, there were present delegates from granges
and farmers' clubs, two hundred .•ind seventy-five,
they met at Bloomingtou and organized. Dun-
can Mackay of Salem township, was elected
treasurer.
At the second annual meeting of the Illinois
State Grange, lield at Bloomington, December
0. 1873, D. W. Dame was on the committee on
transiwrtatiou, and by resolution was apiwinted
alternate delegate to the National Grange, and
L. C. Beldiug of Carroll County was on the
committee of "Home Manufactures."
After these agitations had reached a climax,
the excitement among the farmers began to
wane. The patrons of husbandry became so
engrossed in their private affairs, they neglected
to attend the meetings of the local Granges,
and finally nearly all organizations were neg-
lected. Still the agitation and consequent or-
ganization left its impression upon the legislation
of the western states, and we have in the
statute iKioks of Illinois, the first state to take
action in this respect, what has been called the
(Jrange Legislation, composed of some very
useful and salutary laws. Some of these laws
the railroad corporations were loath to obey,
especially a law reducing the rate of fare
to be charged by a certain railway com-
jiany. The farmers were too impatient to
await the action of the courts, and were deter-
mined to make a test case; a number of them
boarded a train and tendered the conductor the
legal fare, which under instructions he refused
to accept, there were too many for the train
officers to undertake to put them off so they
carried them to their destination, without pay.
On another occasion, however, those refusing
to pay the demands of the railroad, were col-
lected in several cars, and soon found themselves,
ingloriously side-tracked far from any station,
with no means of locomotion except what nature
had provided them with, as they no doubt said :
"shanks' mare." These agitations, by the farm-
ers, coui)led with the arguments they so strongly
676
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
urged, had their influence iu shaping the decis-
ions ot our highest tribunal, when eventually the
cases reached our supreme court, and had some
influence iu bringing about the enactment of
the original Interstate Commerce law iu 1SS7,
after fifteen years of more or less continuous
discussion in and out of congress.
One of the most useful laws enacted on account
of the Grange agitation, was that authorizing
the organization of Township Mutual Fire In-
surance companies, which was eventually ex-
tended to authorize County Mutual Fire Insur-
ance companies, also the laws authorizing what
is called Fraternal (life) Insurance.
So immense were the profits in the so-called,
"Old Line Companies," both fire and life insur-
ance, as to be hard to be believed.
PROFITS IN OLD LINE INSURANCE
Here is an example of one of these; the facts
and figures are taken from sworu testimony,
names are omitted.
In 1S75 the plaintiff took twenty shares of
stock in one of these c-ompanies, par value,
fifty dollars per share amounting to one thou-
sand dollars, he paid on this purchase two hun-
dred dollars iu cash, $200.00. The balance, eight
hundred dollars was paid him out of cash divi-
dends.
In 1S70. he took forty shares more, and paid
cash $2,000.
Total outlay $2,200.
From time to time he received in stock divi-
dends. 913 shares, par value $50, amounting to
$45,050.00.
During the same time he received iu
cash dividends $ 46,521.85
He sold 373 shares at $275 per share 102,854.75
Plaintiff was offered in cash for the
remaining GOO shares $300 per
share, making 180.000.00
This was in 1902, since then he has re-
ceived in cash dividends 54.0o0.00
Increased value of his shares, now
$650. each 210,000.00
Total return to plaintiff ou an invest-
ment of $2,200 $593,376.60
This is Ijetter than money at ten per cent in-
terest compounded, which without loss, doubles
every seven years. This was a life insurance
company. The same is true with reference to
fire insurance. Here are the figures taken from
a company that is a comi>etitnr of the mutual
fire insurance companies in this county and in-
sures to a considerable extent the same class of
proi^erty. From a newspaper clipping; Two
dividends of thirty-five per cent each were de-
clared during the last fiscal year. The stock,
the par value of which is one hundred dollars
per share, was quoted in January. 1909. at
$1,450 per share; January, 1910, $1,700, and Feb-
ruary 9th, at $1,850 per share.
The statute of Illinois, requires all insurance
companies doing business in the state to publish
annually a report of their business done in the
state. In these reports they are required to
answer the following questions : "How much
have you received in premiums in this state
during the past year, and how much have you
paid iu losses during the same time?" The
answers invariably show that the receipts are
double in amount for what they pay for losses.
A consideration of these facts led the farmers
to organize insurance companies of their own,
notwithstanding the oft reiterated cry of the
"Old Liners," that "only those trained to the
business can make a success of it." They have
trained themselves to the business and have
made a success of it.
FRATERNAL INSURANCE
More than twenty years ago the citizens of
Mount Carroll were very much interested in the
fraternal insurance company called the Modern
Woodmen of America, and assisted in its organ-
ization ; it is now the largest and most success-
ful fraternal insurance company in America.
One of the first camps. No. S, was organized in
Mount Carroll, A. M. Green, a druggist in
Mount Carroll, was supreme treasurer of the
head organization. C. C. Farmer was one of
the founders and for twenty-one years one of
the Board of Managers.
.MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANIES
The first company organized in the count.v, was
the Eagle Point .Alutual Township Fire Insur-
ance Company, which commenced business Aug-
ust 26th, 187.3. Abraham Higley was the first
president and Henry Elsej', was secretary, he has
held the office for thirty-seven years. The ter-
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
677
ritory in which it was autliori/i'il to do liusiness
was the half township of Kagle Point in Ogle
county and the lialf township of Ellchorn Grove
in Carroll county. Its last annual report shows
that it had in force one hundred and seventy-
six policies, amounting to $iJ4'.».42S.OO. held by
180 members. The cost was thirty cents on each
hundred dollars e\ery live years, which has suf-
ficed to pay all expenses and all losses by fire
and lightuins.
The next company to or^tanize was the Rock
Creek Township Mutual Fire Insurance com-
pany, which commenced business April 1st, 1S74 ;
Duncan Mackay was the first president and
Robert Galusha, Secretary. The original com-
pany took In five townships, in 1902 was changed
to a County Mutual, but continued to operate in
the same territory; its last annual report shows
that it liad !'.«» imlicies in force amounting' to
$1,024,128.
The next comiiany to organize, that had terri-
tory in this county, was the Forestou Mutual
Fire Insurance Company, commenced business
February, 1877, and the Loran Township Mutual
Fire Insurance company, commenced business
January 1. 1880; the former company had one
township. Shannon, and the latter, two town-
ships. Cherry Grove and Freedom, in this county,
together with other townsliips in the adjoining
counties.
The Mount Carroll. Mutual Township Fire In-
surance eomi>any, commenced business March 1st,
1SS7, Amasa T. Duushee. president and C. L.
Hostetter. secretary. This company did a suc-
cessful business for twelve years, when it was
merged into the county mutual. All these com-
panies refused to insure dwellings in the cities
and towns of the caunty. In these there were
many citizens who were desirous of Insuring
their proiierty on the mutual plan ; a number of
them got togetlier and organized the Mt. Carroll
Mutual County Fire Insurance company and on
May Gth, 1888, issued its first policy. Elijah
Bailey was president and C. L. Hostetter secre-
tary. In the fall of 1893 all the members of the
Mount Carroll Township Mutual reinsured in the
County Mutual. Its last annual reiwrt shows
the company had in force 2,058 policies amount-
ing to $3,197,333. It has nearly two thousand
members. The cost of Insurance in these com-
panies is less than one-half the cost In the old
line companies. After an experience of nearly
forty years, the farmers have demonstrated to
llit'ir satisfaction that the mutual plan is a safe
and very economical way of insuring their prop-
erty aganst loss or damage by fire and light-
ning.
It is said in a recent work, (Parsons Laws of
Business, 1911), that of late years the numljer
of mutual fire insurance companies has great-
ly increased in tliis country and much the larg-
est amount of insurance against fire is effected
Ijy them. The principal reason for this is, un-
doubtedly, their cheapness, and reliability may
be added.
CHAPTER VI.
SOLDIERS AND PATRIOTIC ORDERS.
THE OBAND ABMY OF THE REPUBLIC — NASE POST
NO. 80 — OBJECTS — woman's W. R. C. NO. 95,
MOUNT CARROIX — SHILOH POST NO. 8.5 — SHILOH
W. R. C, LANARK — ILLINOIS W. R. C. GAZETTE —
OBJECTS OF THE W. R. C.
SOLDIERS AND PATRIOTIC ORDERS
The following names were omitted from a for-
mer history of the county, which purixjrted to
give the names of all those soldiers who en-
listed in the war for the preservation of the
union, from Carroll County : John H. Allison,
enlisted August 2Sth. 18G1 in Company G.. 39th
Illinois Infantry; killed at Suffolk, Va., Septem-
ber 28tb, 1802.
William Allison, enlisted October 22nd, IStil,
in Company H., 55th Illinois Infantry: dis-
charged October 31st, 1804; was killed in a
railroad accident at Dixon, Illinois, on liis way
home from service.
These men were brothers of Joseph F. Allison
a veteran of the late war, who was in many
l)atties and several times seriously wounded.
Their father, Fisher Allison, was one of the
pioneer settlers of Elkhorn Grove.
678
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
13-lTn IXFANTRV. (,100 DAY SERVICE)
Early iu tbe siiring of 1S04, the governors of
the middle western states, namely : Ohio, Indi-
ana, Illinois and Iowa, believing that the rebel-
lion was neariug its close, and desiring to aid
the government in every way possible, tendered
to the president a volunteer force of eighty-five
thousiind One Hundred-day men, to relieve the
veteran soldiers from guard duty at our forts,
arsenals and elsewhere ; of this number, Illi-
nois furnished thirteen regiments and two bat-
talions. Speaking of the service performd by
the hundred-day troops. Governor Yates, iu his
last annual message, paid them a high
and deserved compliment in these words, "Our
regiments under this call performed indispensa-
ble and invaluable services, in Kentucky, Ten-
nessee and Missouri, relieving garrisons of vet-
eran troops who were put to the front, and took
part in the Atlanta campaign, several of them
also composing a part of that glorious army
that bas i>enetrated the very vitals of the re-
bellion and plucked some of the brightest laurels
that this heroic age has woven for a patriotic
soldier. Five out of the hundred-day regiment,
(the i:Uth was one of these) after their term
of service had expired voluntarily extended their
engagements with the government and marched
to the relief of the gallant and able Rosencrans,
who at the head of an inadequate and poorly
appointed army was contending against fearful
odds for the preservation of St. Louis and the
safety of Missouri.'' They were also tendered
the thanks of President Lincoln. All had en-
listed without bounty and only received a sol-
diers monthly pay.
The 1.34th Infantry, Illinois Volunteers, was
organized at Camp Fry, Chicago, Illinois, by
Col. Walter W. MeChesney, and was mustered
in May 31st, 1804, for one hundred days. Left
Camp Fry June 3rd, for Columbus, Kentucky,
and was assigned to garrison and picket duty.
Mustered out of service October 2.5th. 1804, at
Chicago. 111., by Lieutenant Joseph Horr, 1.3th
U. S. Infantry. Those from Carroll county
were:
Company E. —
Wagoner, Nathaniel P. Walters.
Privates: Samuel Allen, James Brotherton,
William C. Cooley, Reuben II. Gray, James Ir-
vine, Silas Killum, John R. Robinson, Jliltou
H. Westbrook.
Company G. —
First Sergeant: C. L. Hostetter.
Corporal : John S. Emmert.
Privates: John T. James, John E. Long, Wil-
liam J. Libertou, Smith Myers, Thomas Pal-
mer, Gideon K. Palmer, George F. Robison, John
Stump, Jacob Wolf, Daniel Watson.
THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
When the soldiers of the Union Army came
back from the war, the service they had given
their country made them distinguished veterans
and they became the recipients of the nation's
homage. These soldiers had made it possible to
have and keep a united country. At the recent
dedication of the battlefield of Osawatomie, Kan-
sas, which the Women's Relief Corps there had
purchased and presented to the state, ex-Presi-
dent Roo.sevelt i>aid this tribute to these men.
•'John Brown's work was brought to completion,
was made perfect by the men who bore aloft the
banner of the Union during the four terrible
years between Sumter and Apiwmatox. To the
soldiers who fought through those years — and of
course to a very few of their civilian chiefs like
Lincoln — is due the supreme debt of the Na-
tion. They alone of all our people since we be-
came a Nation, rendered to us and to all who
c-ome after us a service indispensable. They
occupy the highest and most honorable posi-
tion ever occupied by any men of any generation
in our country."
At the close of the war, it was natural for the
soldier who with his comrades had endured the
hardships, sufferings and anguish of wounds,
and all the privations of a dreadful war, to
possess a feeling of the very closest friendship
for those who had served with him during such
service. When therefore the soldiers of the
Union army, were mustered out of the service,
which they had so freely given their country,
the greatest comradeship that ever knit men to-
gether was sundered, and they cheerfully ac-
cepted whatever influence would again unite
them in the fellow.ship of their comrades and
tend to keep bright the recollections of their
army life. And so it came about that the Grand
Army of the Republic was formed. The first
organization was effected at Decatur, Illinois,
April 0th, 18G0. The motto of the Grand Army
is, "Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty." Its pur-
iwse is to teach patriotism to the rising genera-
ELECTRIC LIGHT STATION,
MT. CARROLL
WATKI! \\(i1;KS PLANT, M'lV CAHHOLL
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
679
tlon and to inculcate purity in ijublic affairs, and
to assist needy and worthy soldiers, their widows
and orpliaus.
Tlie fullowinj; is a list of the members of the
G. A. K. I'osts, and of the Woman's Relief Corps
in Carroll County, so far as llie same could he
obtained.
Charter members of Nase Tost, Xo. 80, G. A.
R., Department of Illinois, which was the first
organized in the county : Dan R. Frazer, D. B.
Smith, J. F. Allison, E. T. E. Becker, A. B. Nel-
son. W. II. Wildoy. W. P. Robb. .1. Schick. I.. E.
Miller. W. D. IIughe.«, Conrad Frederick. Dudley
O'Xeal. R. A. Williams, J. W. Kling, J. P. Beat-
tie, Allen McClure, A. Mathewson, Oliver
Swartz, John Daughty, John Sager, Charles P.
Sutton, Joseph C. Forbes, Jacob Everhart, Otis
Grim. Charter is dated the ninth day of July.
A. D., 1880.
Other members : R. M. A. Hawk, J. L. Taylor,
John Hoover, E. Force. John C. Davis, F. R.
Ely, Augustus I'hilips, W. II. Kennedy, David
Shilling, Jas. O'Brien, Jeremiah George, J. II.
Bowman. G. P. Sutton. D. Embick. Hiram
i;. Wolf. Lyman L. Wood, Jacob Wood, John I.
Fisher, DeLancy Kenyon, J. P. liussell, II. Kear-
uaghan, John R. Evans, Ileury Loechel, J.
Schleining, Wm. B. Rea, John II. Gray, John
Shay, Jacob Bucher, Elhannan Fisher, Euos T.
Cole, D. L. Oberhoim, J. Goodmiller, A. K. II.
Pickert, George Roth, C. Bawden, J. Broomhall,
John W. Lego, J. M. Kremer, E. C. White, J. B.
Cushman, Henry St. Clair, C. V. JIcDermott,
Wm. Fulton. G. W. Collins, John Zuck. James
M. Smith, Thos. J. Smith, Geo. W. Gelwicks, Jos.
P. Smith, Frank L. Tuttle, G. F. Bucher, A. Wal-
lace, Jno. C. Gelwicks, A. Ferreuberg, W. L.
Bennett, Christopher Davis, II. C. Kenyon, Adam
Laufer, Wm. Noble. Wm. Fulton. M. Rinedollar,
D. W. Herman, J. S. Hall, J. T. Clevidence,
George Eckliart, E. Fink, John Mader, Philip C.
Gill, J. C. Rinedollar, J. H. Cluck, Frederick
Diehl, Jacob C. Clark, Burton Philips, Henry
Meyer.s, A. N. Rockstead, J. E. Morgan. J. D.
Fargusson, David William, II. O. Speight, N.
Rinedollar, Henry Ilartman, Adam Kohler, J. H.
Jackson, M. D. Ilerrington, C. Bachman, D. M.
Hewett, Wm. II. Shultz, Martin H. Reeder,
George Horner.
OFFICERS FOB 1880
W. H. Wildey, Commander.
R. .V. Williams, Senior Vice Commander.
John Sager, Junior Vice Coivmiander.
J. F. Allison, Officer of the Day.
W. P. Roljbe, Outside Guard.
E. T. E. Becker, Quartermaster.
D. B. Smith, Sergeant Major.
A. B. Nelson, Quartermaster Sergeant.
W. D. Hughes, Adjutant.
The following are the Past Post Commanders
of Nase Post: W. H. Wildey, R. A. Williams,
W. D. Hughes, John C. Davis, E. T. E. Becker,
Joseph F. Allison, Don R. Frazier, John C. Gel-
wicks, W. P. Robb, Evan T. Cole.
Number of members in good standing, 52; de-
ceased, 40 ; moved away. 9 ; total enrolled, 110.
Present commander. Captain W. II. Wildey.
Nase Post has printed with its roster and
memorial roll, the following :
THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
"No child can be born into it ; no proclamation
of President, or edict of King or Czar can com-
mand admission ; no university or institute of
learning can issue a diploma authorizing its
holder to enter; no act of Congress or Parlia-
ment secures recognition; the wealth of a Van-
derbilt cannot ijurehase the position ; its doors
swing open only upon the presentation of a bit
of paper, torn, worn, begrimed it may be, which
certifies to an honorable discharge from the Ar-
nues or Navies of the Nation dui-ing the war
against the rebellion,'' and, unlike any other as-
sociation, no "new blood'' can come in ; there
are no growing ranks from which recruits can be
drawn into the Grand Army of the Republic.
With the consummation of i>eaee through victory
its rolls were closed forever.
The objects to be accomplished liy this organ-
ization are as follows:
1. To preserve and strengthen those kind and
fraternal feelings which bind together the sol-
diers, sailors and marines who united to sui)-
press the late rebellion.
2. To assist such former comrades in arms
as need help and protection ; and to extend n(H>d-
ful aid to the widows and orphans of those wlio
have fallen.
3. To maintain true allegiance to the United
States of America, based upon a paramount
respect for, and fidelity to the National Consti-
tution and the laws, to discountenance wli.itevi'r
G80
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
tends to weaken loyalty, incite insurrection, trea-
son or rebellion, or in any manner impairs the
efficiency or permanency of our free institutions ;
to promote the spread of universal liberty, equal
rights, and justice to all men. and to encourage
honor and purity in public affairs.
THE woman's relief CORPS
A kindred and auxiliary organization to the
G. A. R. is the Woman's Relief Corps. It is
comiiosed of the motliers, wives, daughters and
sisters of the Union soldiers, .sailors and mar-
ines, who aided in putting down the rebellion,
together with other loyal women. This order
may thus be perpetuated but tlie Grand Army,
as an organization, will cease when all its mem-
bers are dead.
The Objects
The objects of this organization are to es-
pecially aid and assist the members of the Grand
Army of the Republic and as a matter of course
to sympathize with them, and to perpetuate the
memory of the heroic dead of the Union Army.
To assist all Union Veterans who may need help
and protection and to assist their widows and
orphans, and find them homes and employment
when necessary and to assure them of their sym-
pathy and protecton and friendship. To cherish
the memory and hold in the highest esteem our
army nurses and all loyal women who rendered
service in any manner to our common country in
her hour of need. To maintain true allegiance
to the United States of America. And to in-
culcate lessons of patriotism and love of country
among their children and in the communities in
which they live and to encourage the spread of
universal liberty and equal rtghts to all man-
kind.
The corps at any place are supposed to take
the name of tlie Grand Army post to which they
are auxiliary. In case a post disbands, the
corps that has been auxiliary to it may still con-
tinue as a corps of the department of the
Woman's Relief Corps retaining their original
number and name.
The corps badge is a Maltese cross of copper
bronze with the Grand Army medallion in the
center surrounded with the words on each of
the four corners. Woman's-Relief-Corps-18S.3,
the date of the original organization. The cross
is suspended from a pin bearing the monogram of
the initials, "F. C. L.'' ( Fraternity. Charity,
Loyalty), by a red, white and blue ribljou of suit-
able length and width.
XASE woman's relief CORPS. KO. 9o
Through the kindness of Mrs. E. L. Forbes of
Mount Carroll, we are favored with the following
report of Xase Relief Corps, Xo. 95. which was
organized January Kjth. 1002. by Mrs. Martlia
H. Baxter, Department President, in Memorial
Hall, Mt. Carroll; the first officers were: Presi-
dent. Mrs. Etta J. Smith ; Sr. Vice President,
Mrs. Sarah C. Becker ; .Jr. Vice President,
Ann Rinedollar ; Chaplain. Mrs. Louisa B. Cluck ;
Secretary, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Myers ; Treasurer.
Mrs. Nancy Mader ; Conductor, Naomi Hall ;
Guard, Ruhmah Stitely ; Assistant Conductor,
May Wildey ; Assistant Guard, Emily Wildey ;
1st Color Bearer, J. O'Neal ; 2nd, Carrie Ben-
nett ; ord. Emma L. Forbes : 4th. Susan Cluck :
Organist, Anna A. King.
The names of the charter members iu addition
to the above officers were : Esther E. Farmer,
Echiah Cole, Susanna §. Unger, Louisa B. Cluck.
Josephine M. Kramer. Alice Watson. Matilda D.
Browning. Ann O'Neal, L. Annie Hollinger. Caro-
line M. Browning, Minne G. Eley, Anna E.
Eley, Sarah G. Liberton, Ruth Rohrer, Eliza-
beth Eymer, Hester Fink, Ella M. Feezer, Susan
Petty.
Nase Rfelief Corps lias a memliership of fifty-
four members. The ladies take great interest
in their work and hold their meetings regularly
in Memorial Hall. The Past Presidents have
beeu Etta J. Smith ; Emma L. Forbes ; Louisa
B. Cluck. The present officers are Anna M. King,
President ; Susan Rinedollar, Sr., Vice President ;
Emma L. Forbes, Junior Vice President; Chap-
lain, Louisa B. Cluck; Secretary, Retta Sisler.
SHILOH POST G. A. R., LANARK
Through the kindness of Comrade Col. George
A. Root, Commander of Shiloh Post No. 8-5.
Department of Illinois, Grand Army of the Re-
public, we are favored mth the following infor-
mation : The iKJst was named Shiloh Post because
most of the charter members were engaged in
that battle.
The post was organized September 23rd, 1880,
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
681
by I'aptiUii Wililey, assisted by J. 1'. Allisuii. M.
O., with the following officers:
Geo. M. Lattig. Coiiimaiider ; D. II. Snyiler,
Senior A'ice Connnander ; George W. Noble,
.Junior Vice Comnmnder; David Lepnian,
Quartermaster ; George A. Hoot, Officer of the
I»ny ; Willis Kay. Otlicer of the (Juard ; Seth C.
Wiley, .\djutant; W. L. Thomson, Sergeant
JIa jor ; .1. T. Valentine, Quartermaster Sergeant.
Other charter ujemliers were: M. J. Rowland.
George W. Gordon. B. S. Gaff, Victor Whisler,
Austin Willis. K. Stover. Peter Raymer, H. W.
Wales. .7. R. Rudirauff. .T. I'. Carman. Jonas
Hutlingtiin. Henry Fonlds. Thomas Elder. A. H.
Howen. Warren Sherwood. M. J. Boyle and I. L.
IJowen.
.Toined since by muster or transfer : L. II.
Sprecher, C. A. Cobb, G. D. Lint, Ellas Binga-
niaii. .7. Wheat. Samuel C. Gault, X. Fagan,
Thomas Daley. ,7. Balts!. Henry Lego, h. T. Bray,
W. II. Ford. Oil R. Wiseman, Wm. Schaut, J.
W. Flanagan, Amos Ditsworth. P. W. Eisenhise,
J. II. Stri.Uler, W. II. Mi/.ner. John Mahaffa, .M.
C. JlcCogg, M. Cakerice, Luman Willis, Levi
Chirk, Geo. W. Annis, E. A. Straub. Henry Mil-
ler, D. A. Galpln, C. R. Bennett, S. E. Carter,
Thomas Gibbons, Jas. W. Lee, 11. J. Griswold,
Geo. Xicodemus, II. French, Thos. J. Sizer, J. E.
Robinson. C. P. Snow, Amos Walk, J. E. Tav-
ener. .1. H. Mrllhatim. .\. Wakeman. .7ohn Tall-
man. J. W. Wimer, C. H. Spanogle, Wm. Garland,
A. P. Doolittle, Henry Rister, SI. Cormauy, Frank
Mitchell, Geo. H. Paul, E. L. Lower, Edmond
Flora, Ilobert G. Aurand, John A. Sleer, Wm.
Corey, Ellswortli Ilerrington and Perry Xixon.
Tlie following have been Post Commanders :
George M. I..atig, D. A. Galpiu, Eli L. Lower, Ij.
H. Sprecher and the present commander, George
A. Root.
This post lias eighty-eight members and meets
regularly at Masonic Hall the first and third
Wciliicsilay evening of each month.
Simon WO.\IAN"s RKLIlil" COIU'S
was orgatiized Feliruary ISth, 1803, with
eighteen charter members as follows: President,
Mary J. Sprecher; Senior Vice President, Aima
Lafferty : Junior Vice-President. Lettie Dres-
back; Chaplain, Elizabeth Keller; Conductor,
R<).\y (ilotfelty; Treasurer. Ora Sprecher;
Guard. .\nn Sprecher; Secretary. Anna Bailey;
.\sst. Con.. Lizzie Ilaller; and Asst. Guard,
.Matilda Ford.
Other charter members were Emaline BufC-
ingtoii, Elizabeth Boyle, Sarah Brooke, Mary
Rorabeek, Clarissa Valentine, Mrs. G. M. Latig,
Rena Sleer and Kate Aunis.
The following are the Past Corjis Presidents:
Xaiicy Sprecher, Anna M. Bailey, Anna I^afforty,
Helen Middlekauff, Josibelle Dilley, Ella Mc-
Xaiuar and Anna Sprecher Weed. Lydia Landt
is Secretary, Etta Packard, Treasurer, and
Emma Heath, Press Correspondent.
The jireseut itiembers are, beside those men-
tioned above, Sarah Brooke, Phoebe Yeager, Vine
Wales, Grace Franck. Myra Pierce. Amaiula Lego,
Catharine Kiukade. Blanche Kinkade. Tliursa
.Noble, Etta Packard, Alice S. Sherwood, Anna
Wild, Nettie Bray, Grace Wiley, Sarah Snow,
Hattie Downs, Ida Tallman, Chloe Galpln, Cora
McLaughlin Burwell. Maggie La Shelle, Julia
Strickler, Isabel Gault, Clarissa Leland, Flora
.\rnold, Aggie Woodside, Eva Landt, Clara
Teachout, Rebecca McLaughlin, Mary Cottrell,
Eliniiia Howe, Henrietta Sponsellar, Florence
Good, Kate Hodge, Jo.^ibelle Dilley, Mae Gril-
ley, Ida Good, Louise Warfel, Ella Swigert,
Frances Ditsworth, Mattie Hugett, Mary Mit-
chell, Mary Wimer, Bessie McNaiuar, Delia Me-
Knight, Lydia Landt, Cora Burnette, Mrs. D.
Hei)ner, Ijizzie Root, Adda Tallman, Mary
Courts, D. Leonette Stevens, Leona Hess, Anna
Bray, Abbie Hess, Emma Derr, Ella Risle.v, .Mar-
garet Reitzell, Mae Sword, Lulu Jane Ileiter,
Jennie Ketterman, Anna Horning, Fannie Sleer,
Ella I'eters, Bess Colver, Emma Heath, JIayne
Peters, Lydia Aspinwall, Ida S. Renuer, Nan
Gossard, Luella Schadt Peters, Esther Schnee,
Leah Weed, Edna Dobbs and Edith Lower.
Shiloh Relief Corps Xo. 227, now boasts of one
luiiidred members and is one of the strongest in
the department, and in the real work of the
order stands second to none. Anna Sprecher
Weed of this corps has been appointed .\ssistant
Department Inspector three times.
THE II.r.INOIS W. H. C. GAZETTK
This very useful and interesting magazine wa.9
started by Helen .Middlekauff of Lanark, daugh-
ter of Judge Seymour D. Thomson of St. Louis,
a distliiguisbed law writer.
Mrs. Middlekauff is a ineinber of Shiloh W. K.
C, and was several times president nf the corps;
682
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
in May, 190G, she was apixnnted press corre-
spoudent of tlie Department of Illinois. Her
duties as such correspondent were to dissemi-
nate iutelligeuce to tlie public of tile practical
and fraternal w-orU of the order and as she said
in her "Prefatory" remarks, "to rualie the paper
newsy in W. R. C. affairs, trusting that from
its pages members may learn the ways and
means used by other corps of extending relief
and raising money for relief funds." The
Gazette is still published monthly in neat maga-
zine form, Volume 5 being now edited and pub-
lished by Ida M. Treuary, 5481 Kimbark ave-
nue, Chicago.
A'ery many interesting activities of the W. R.
C. are reported in this magazine, a few of which
follow :
Turning over monies to the post, no doubt
very acceptable to the old soldiers.
Taking a large prize for a patriotic float on
the occasion of a street parade.
Getting up ten cent teas to raise money, which
also add much to the social enjoyment of the
members of the corps and their friends.
Surprising some comrade of the post with a
fine supper, or with popcorn and bananas or
sandwiches and coffee, and some friends, who
thus tried to show their good will and friend-
ship.
Sending boxes to needy soldiers.
Buying a cemetery lot and allowing no soldier
to be buried in the potter's tiekl.
Erecting monuments at the unmarked graves
of old soldiers.
Furnishing a ward in a hospital for the use
of old soldiers.
A whist party given by the ladies of the corps
was a success both socially and fiaiancially.
One corps held a "rummage sale," which was
a great success.
"Sunshine Committee,'' sent many a spray of
beautiful flowers to cheer the room of sick mem-
bers or comrades of the G. A. R.
Banquets for husbands of corps ladies, to
which the G. A. R. boys were invited.
I'atriotic instruction during teachers' institutes
nnd the best methods of imparting same in the
schools and elsewhere, to the end that the serv-
ice rendered our country by the old soldiers may
not be forgotten and that the young men of our
glorious country will be ready and willing when
occasion may require, to fill up the ranks of our
defenders.
Some of the orders of the Department are pub-
lished in the Gazette which add to its inter-
est. The subscription price is only fifty cents
a year, which together with a few advertise-
ments, pays for its publication. The editorial
work of Jlrs. Jliddlekauff, although it required
a great deal of time, was gratuitous. The
Gazette is so well started on its way now,
that it is self supporting and promises to be-
come a very useful factor in the affairs of the
W. R. C. of Illinois. The Deixirtment of Illi-
nois may well be proud of the fact that it
maintains the only Woman's Relief Corps news-
pai)er or magazine in existence.
CHAPTER VII.
PATRIOTIC ORDERS— Continued.
B. M. A. HAWK POST, 40G W. K. C, SAVANNA —
GEORGE KBIDLER POST, 575 — W. R. C, MILLED6E-
VILLE — HOL.MAN POST, 579 RECAPTURED FLAGS
W. B. C, THOMSON — HOLDEN PUTNAM POST,
646 CAMP SONS OF VETEBANS — W. R. C, SHAN-
NON DR. JOHN L. HOSTETTEB POST, 785 W. R.
C. CHADWICK — R. M. A. HAWK POST, 40G
SAVANNA.
The present Comuiauder of this Post is Frank
Kearney, who kindly furnished the following in-
formation :
The Past Commanders have been, H. C. Hun-
ter, John Hoffman, J. A. Robison, Charles L.
Howe, F. L. Tuttle, Bernard Holland, George E.
Fuller, J. R. Robinson, and B. J. Murray.
ORGANIZED
The Post was organized February 19th, 1884,
with the following charter members: Samuel
Allen, James Atkins, John Buckley, Bailey Clev-
enger, H. W. Chapman, John H. Eley, W. L.
Gayetty, William Gibbons, George Goddard, John
Hoffman, H. C. Hunter, Frank Kearney, B. J.
Murray, W. J. Ritchie, John A. Robison, Levi
O
y.
-1
y.
y.
A
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Cv
-1 /-» r\ »
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
683
St-hadle. Tom Souires, .7. M. Startzmau, Carl
Turner, G. W. Varuey aiul Jolm Hulett.
Other members of the Post: Daniel Atherton,
Charles Bartlett, A. Bost, B. J. Berge, Nelson
Bersley, D. M. Bersley, Augiistiu Bristol, George
Buckley, G. C. Carpenter, George Chapin, Ira
Clarke, George W. Collins, John Conner, Thomas
Donald, 'William Ellis, Dave Fitzpatrick, N.
Fish, .Tohu Flory, George K. Fuller, William Ful-
ton. John (Jrovor, Uobert Getty. Nat Ginter.
II. II. Good, Tom Graham, Thadeas Groves. H.
D. Grover. Archie Hall, John Hoffman. James
F. Hubbell, Noah II. Jordon. Will B. Jordon,
John Lahre, U. Leonard, William Lucas, Allan
JlcClure, G. W. McGowen, Dan Jlclutyre, Joseph
D. Mace, Thomas Mechem, Jac-ob F. Miller.
Robert Moore, Smith Myers, J. A. Nickells, Ja-
cob I'latteuberg, J. M. Powers, Fred Prufer, Ben-
ton Rituour. John R. Robinson, J. Richardson,
Tliomas A. Royer, John F. Schluuke, W. S. Shel-
don, Charles Salsherry, William Stubs, Nicholas
Sewerth, Ulrich Truuiuger. I'liney Taylor, Frank
L. Tuttle, Carlton Weckfleld, Nels G. Wliisler,
U. L. Wilder, J. S. Wright, Michael Zigafus.
[R. M. A. Hawk Post was named after that
gallant soldier. Major R. M. A. Hawk, of the
92nd Illinois V. I., who lost a limb in a skirmish
at Swift Creek, N. C, at the close of the war.
Indeed the news had come to the Union forces
that Lee had surrendered, ju.st before the enemy
charged Major Hawk's connnand. He was for
many years County Clerk of Carroll County and
in 1S77 was elected to the 4(Uli Congress; he died
in W'ashingtiin while in attendance u|)on his
duties in Congress.
His widow. Mrs. Mary G. Hawk, at the time
of the dedication of the Soldier.s' Monument, took
advantage of the occasion to invite all the mem-
bers of the Post to her house to dinner, and you
may be sure treated them right royally ; she also
presented each member with a fine steel engrav-
ing and memorial of her late husband, which the
members of tlie Post prize very highly. Such an
occasion as this is a bright spot in the life of
an old soldier which he will long remember.
W. R. C, SAVANNA
Mrs. Olive E. Gilbert, President, Savanna,
kindly furnished the following names of the of-
ficers and a list of members of the Woman's
Relief Corps No. 28.3 of the R. M. A. Hawk Post
G. A. R. Savaima :
President, Olive E. Gilbert ; Senior Vice Presi-
dent. Sue JiirdoM ; Junior Vice, Ruth llolman;
Secretary Mary E. Sager; Treasurer, Edith Bu-
chanan; Chaplain, Catharine Gilbert; Conductor,
Augusta Kosey ; Guard. Amelia Wliislcr.
Other members: Edith Buheren, Hazel Des
Parios. Ida Elliott, Mary Fulton, Catharine Gil-
bert, OIlie Gilbert, Amanda Groves, Emma
Haines, Jennie Hodson, Emma Homedew, Ruth
Ilolmeu, Eliza Jordon, Elizabeth Johnson. Sue
Jordou. Augusta Kosey, JIary Prufer, ilaud
Piukney, Mary Sager, Jess Pulley, Amelia Sor-
enson, Mary Jane Taylor, Amelia Whisler, Anna
Williamson.
GEORGE KRIDU;B POST G. A. R. >0. 575
Commander Horace T. Healy of Milledgeville
kindly furnished the following information in
regard to George Kridler Post, No. ~^''^, Depart-
ment of Illinois, G. A. R.
The iwst received its charter and was mustereil
in -May 15, 1886, by Captain W. H. Wildey,
mustering officer for this district. The follow-
ing comrades, being charter members and the
lK)St's first officers : 0. E. Goshert, installed as
Commander; II. T. Healy, Senior Vice Com-
njnnder; J. P. Hunter. Junior Vice Connnander ;
Oliver Lamiiman, Surgeon ; Charles Gaylord,
Chaplain; W. W. Stevens, Officer of the Day;
W. II. Calkins. Quartermaster ; Charles L. Dyer,
Officer of the Guard ; Freeman Pierce. Adjutant;
Charles II. Olmstead. Quartermaster Sergeant ;
Frank Ha Howell. Sergeant Major.
Roster of other members of Kridler I'ost :
Marten Adams, Walter Allen, E. M. Baxter,
W. II. Bent. .lohn Beutley. W. II. Brad«ay,
Joel B. Buswell, Ulysses Buffington, David
Bushman, Stephen Calkin.s, J. L. Chambers, W.
W. Chaffee, Charles Cheeseman, Job D. Clark.
-Vlliert Darrow. John T. Dailey, Decatur Easta-
lirooks, George J. Ehni, Henry Elsey, Peter
Eiislay, Louis B. Fosdick, James C. Goldthorpe,
William J. Griswold, Andrew Glen, Mathias
Ileiber, A. R. Ilurless, Steven V. Hendricks,
Leonard Holly, Samuel Hall, David H. Kimmel,
.lanu's A. King, Charles S. Klock, G-.'orge C.
Leighty, John B. -McPherson, Nicholas Miller,
Robert Maserik, J. S. Palmer, Jonathan Patch,
Emanuel Sarber, Christopher Schmick, Heni-y
Scott, W. M. Sears, J. D. Sigfried. David Sen-
neff, T. G. Smith. Albert Smith, Jabez W. T(pd(l,
684
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
Waltor F. SuuilerlauU, James 1'. Swezey, Geovw
"Wagner, Charles Williams.
PAST POST COMMANDERS
C. E. GosUert, George J. Elmi, Albert Smith,
John T. Dailey.
PRESENT OFFICERS
Commander Horace T. Healy. S. V. ('., W. G.
Bent ; J. V. C, J. C. Goldthorpe.
The Post meets semi-mnnthly : observes Mem-
orial Day, ami attends Divine services in a
body the Sabbath iireceding that day.
The Post was named in memoiy of Comrade
George Kridler, of Company K. loth I. V. I.,
who was dangerously wounded at the battle of
Shiloh and died at Savanna. Illinois, on his way
home.
SONS OF VETEliANS
There was a camp of Sons of Veterans' or-
ganized several years ago at Milledgeville, but It
"went to pieces."
GEORGE KRIDLER, WOMAN'S RELIEF CORPS
Tlie following information was furnished for
the County History by Jliss Annah M. Tracy
of Milledgeville:
The George Kridler "Woman's Relief Corps.
No. 106, was organized April 2Gth. 1888. with
sixteen charter members.
The following otflcers were duly installed for
the first year, by Mrs. J. G. Harrison, President
of the Sterling "W. R. C. assisted by Com-
mander H. T. Healy of tlie George Kridler G.
A. R. Post: President. Mrs. Lizzie Spaulding;
Senior Vice President, Amanda Lee : Junior Vice
President, Elizabeth Lampuian ; Secretary, Lil-
lian Stevens; Treasurer. Ella Olmstead ; Chap-
lain, Julia Bentley ; Conductor, Fauuie E. Smith ;
Assistant Conductor, Mrs. Etta Olmstead ; Guard,
Sarah J. Healy; Assistant Guard, Amelia H.
Dull.
Other charter members wore: Hannah M.
Cheeseman, Sophia J. Ensley, Hester Holly, Ceci-
lia O. Smith, Etta M. Todd, Rhoda M. Williams.
Members who have joined since: Viletta Ack-
erman, Frances Alsip. Maude Allison, Rosanna
Adams, Gertrude Anabel, Fraukie Aurand,
Nancy Babcock. Mary Barber. Cathai-ine P.arthel.
Mary Baldwin, Abbie Beelie. Martha I'.ennett,
Minnie Bent, Olive Bent. Phila Booth. I'rances
Bills, Frank Boyd, EvSther Brodoek, Alice Brown,
Christina Brown, Sarah Burris, Martha Burns,
I<:mma Burns, Mary Bull, Mary Bushman. Carrie
Calkins. Minnie Calkins, Pauline Calkins. Alice
Cliambers, Rose Compton. Susie Cheeseman,
Delila Coffee, Dorothy A. T. Clark, Anna Chron-
ister, Libbie Crawford, Anna Daily, Catharine
Davis, Julia Dennis, Jennie Diugman, Nellie
Durnstiue, Ann E. Dyer, Alice Eastabrooks, Mary
Eastabrooks, Sarah Ea.sta brooks, Aletha Eite-
miller, Nell Farhney, Julia Farhuey. Alice Flem-
ing. Sarah Frazer, Alice Freaze, Ida Frederick,
Maranda Frease. Mary Furgesson, Barliara Gar-
wick, EBie Gault, Emma Griswold, Ida Gross,
Mary E. Gulliford. Edith Griswold, Cassie Geld-
macker, Anna Goldthorpe, Enuna Hauua, Mar-
tha Healy, Mabel Hallowell, Pauline Ileide,
Edith Holly, Allie Hunter, Lottie Hurless, Eliza-
beth Ilnrlbert, Frank Hubbard. Martha Kelley.
Elizabeth LarUie. Bessie McKee. Emma MePher-
son, Jennie Manning, Kate Manning. Mary Man-
ning, Lucy Mathews. Mrs. D. L. Maxwell, Kath-
arine Milroy, Louise Moscrip. Mary Millard, Eva
Mummert, Hattie Neikirk, Amey Norrie, Laura
Robinson, Nellie Robinson. Sarah Roderick, Lil-
lie Roderick. Lottie Roderick, Clara Ruth, Mary
Sarber, Martha Shannon, Thersa Shannon, Nel-
lie Stevens, Anna Stevens, Louisa Sigfried. Phoe-
lie Smith. Lillian Smith, Etlilyn Straker, Susan
Sweezy, Anna Taylor, Annah M. Tracy. Sarah
Tnlley, Grace Wiley, Adelia Wolber, Eunna
Wood.
We now have fifty-three members ; tlie re-
maining eighty-one have been transferred, honor-
ably discharged or dropped : we lost sixteen by
deaths.
PAST PRESIDENTS
The following have served the Corps as Pres-
idents: Lizzie M. Spaulding. Sarah J. Ilealey.
Sarah Eastabrooks, Alice Eastabrooks, Eliza-
beth Lampman. Martha Bennett, Annah M.
Tracy, Alice Fleming, Nellie Durstine. Nellie
Knliinson. Rosanna Adams. Etfie Gault.
WORK DONE
During the twenty-two years of our work we
have given for relief to soldiers and their de-
jiendent ones. .$211.42 in money; for relief other
nrSTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
685
than money, .$r)f)l.!ir> ; tiiiiieil over to I'ost,
$254.73.
We helped furnish a room in the Soldiers'
Widows* Home, at Wilmington.
Contributed to the Imrial plot in lOlmwood
Cemetery, Cliiiafro, for Soldiers' Dependent
Widows and also to the Imrial fund to lie used
for same; anil the iminy other calls that came to
us yearly.
We also purchased grave marliers for forty-
live deceased couu'a<ies and thirteen for our AV.
R. C. deceased nieniliers.
The otiicers fur tlie year 1010 were: President,
Rosanna Adams, Senior "S'lce President, Alice
Fleming; .Junior Vice President, Anua Gold-
thorix- ; Secretary, Charlotte Ilurless ; Treasurer,
Carrie Calkins ; Chaplain, Anuah M. Tracy ; Con-
ductor, Martha Burns ; .Assistant Conductor, Lot-
tie Roderick; tJuard, Sarah Roderick; Assistant
(juard, i:Hie Cault; First Color Bearer, Kate
.Manning; Second Color Bearer. Kdith Holly;
Third Color Bearer, Lillic Roderick; Fourth
Color Bearer, Jennie Manning; Patriotic In-
structor, Nellie Durstine; Press Corresixmdent,
Kli/.abeth Lampman ; Musician, Nellie Robinson.
Miss Tracy further states, "that when this
auxiliary was in its infancy, the membership
was small and Inextierienced and they had much
to contend with, but peace and harmony soon
Ijrevailed ami nil became enthusiastic in gain-
ing niembersliiii and planning social events
and entertainments that were helpful in
many ways. .\nd tints we have struggled on
through these twenty-two years of our grand
good work of doing something for the bettcnnent
of comrades and tlieir dependent ones. Much
could he said of the work of Mrs. Julia Bentley,
who was mother of the Corps, as through her
efforts the Corps was organized, and a more
faithful hard working member we never had.
Always ready to do her part, and more, and
when differences arose she was a mediator. She
was elected I'liaplain when the cori)S was or-
ganized and tilled that ollice for twenty years
until her death, excepting oidy one year.
"Muc-h could he s;iid of other members. It has
always been onr aim to build up socially as well
as financially and to carry on all the different
branches of the work exi)ected of each auxil-
iary.
"Only three of the charter members remain.
The Corps meets regularly in the G. A. R. hall
the first and third Saturday afternoon of each
month, at two o'clock.
IIOI.MA.N I'OSr G. A. R., NO. 579
Comrade Dr. F. E. Melugin, of Thomson, fur-
nishes the following information in regard to
Ilolman Post No. .j!)7 and W. R. C. No. 70.
llolman Post No. 5!)7 of Thomson was char-
tered Sept. 7th, 188G.
Charter and other members: R. B. .\therton,
I". 1 1. Balcom, C. G.- Blaklee, Nelson Bursley, A.
C. P.urt. Ilarrlson Coddington. W. D. X. Cone,
.lames II. Dyson. Kichard Foster, Thadeus
(hoves, J. II. Green, S. Hollingshaid, Arthur
Ilotchkiss, Marcus II. Judd, Isaac Lewis, Nor-
man Lewis, George Manning, Dr. F. E. .Melugin,
Wm. A. Shoemaker, Edmoud Smith, Samuel B.
Smith, Carl Wakefield, Samuel Walters. I']dward
Yates.
PAST POST COM. M ANDERS
James II. Dyson, S. C. Holllngshead, Daniel
Embick, John II. Taylor, Dr. F. E. Melugin, R.
B. Atherton, Thomas C. Rhodes, George John-
son, Albert G. Durkee, Barnabas Hinds, J. M.
.McGinty, S. B. Smith and W. H. Switzer, who
is the present Commander, and Dr. F. E. Mel-
ugin, is .Adjutant.
Old soldiers living in York Tiiwnship nut
members of the Post, U. \. Pratt and Thomas
Oakley. .Member of Chadwick Post, W. B. De-
lana.
BKCAPTUBF.n INIOX FLAGS
[Seventeen Union flags were discovered by
Captain Norman Lewis of Thomson, at the C.-ip-
ilcil building at Raleigh, North Carolina on its
surrender, .\pril i:!th, 1805. The Confederate
Governor Swain of the state s;ud when inter-
rogated by Captain Lewis, in regard to the
flags: "There are no flags here, sir." .V negro
standing by, like all the blacks, a friend of
the Union soldier, six)ke up and said, "Here
.Massa. I sliow you where de flag is." Captain
Lewis followed the loyal African and seized the
flags. .Vmong them ho found the one surren-
dered by General Miles' command at Il.irper's
Ferry and the flag of the 5Gth Pennsylvania Vol-
unteers, which, together with one belonging to
a New A'lirk regiment, were returned to the
686
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
proper custodians, leaving in his possession tbe
otliers which he retained as mementos of the
great struggle.
Ilolmau Post was uameil for James G. IIol-
iuau of Company F., 52ud Illinois Volunteer In-
fantry; he lost a leg, from a wound received in
the army. His father was Peter Holman, one
of the early settlers of York Township. He
was a Post Master and Justice of the Peace for
many years.]
H0I.M.\N W. R. C, NO. 7!)
P.y authority of Mrs. Francis Lewis, President
of the Woman's Relief Corps of Morrison, on
January 11th, 1900. the Woman's Relief Corps
of Thomson was organized as Holman W. R. C.
No. 79.
The first oflicers installed were: President.
Mary D. Houghton ; Senior Vice President, Sarah
L. Dyson ; Junior Vice President. Ellen M.
Pratt ; Secretary, Nellie E. Atherton ; Treasurer,
Henrietta VAlen Sanborn ; Chaplain. Ijouisa Ath-
erton ; Conductor, Arilla Bennett; Guard, Nellie
Schade ; 1st .and i'nd Assistant Guards. Cora
Rhodes and Lina Stagg ; Color Bearers, Mary W.
Cone, Carrie M. Johnson. I^lla Stark and Car-
rie Lang.
Beside the above the following were charter
and other members : Augusta Balcom, Jennie
R. Cone, Mary Foster. Ruth J. Holman. Laura
E. Holman, Florence E. Melugiu. Cornelia Shoe-
maker and Anna .Smith. At present the corps
numbers thirty-eight members. Mrs. Sarah
Groharing is its president.
HOLDEN PUTXAM I'O.ST, NO. C4G
This Post of G. A. R., of Shannon, was char-
tered November 17th. 1SS7, with the following
charter members :
B.alser Bristine, Henry Burket, George C. By-
ers, Robert D. Cheeseman, Reuben Couley, Chris-
tian Fry, William J. Griswold, Russell A. Hays,
R. W. Healey, Henry Hoy, Jacob Kehm, John A.
Leonard, E. E. Peterson. Michael Thomas and
Ed. C. Truckenmiller.
The Past Commanders have been John A.
Leonard. William Corie, Jacob Kehm, R. D.
Cheeseman. William IL Fleisher, George C.
Byers, Christian Fry, R. B. Straw, and James
Ruljendall who is the present Conmiander. and
R. D. Cheeseman, Adjutant.
Names of other members of the Post : Patrick
Barrett, Elias G. Bowers. John Bowman, Frances
Cooney, Abraham Diehl, John Doneman, Peter
Eisenbise, T. J. Elder, Jacob Fry, Edmond Flora,
Christopher F. Herr, D. L. Humbert, John Isriel,
B. F. Kremer. Isaac Lehre, George M. Leshell,
Patrick McGinnis. Edward Mooney, A. E.
Machamer. David Payne, James R. Quick, Amos
Reynolds. Jacob Sturtevant. James Rubendall,
J. I. Smith, J. R. Rogers, Thomas Sigre, Ed A.
Straub, George P. Swift, Alfred Whitacor, Dar-
ius Wintrus, Washington Thomas.
The present officers of the Post are : Po.st
Commander. James Rubei.dall ; Senior Vice Com-
mander. R. B. Straw; Junior Vice Commander,
Adjutant. R. D. Cheeseman, who is also Quiirter-
master; Chaplain, Henry Hoy; Officer of the
Day, David Payne; Officer of the Guard, Jacob
Sturtevant.
The Post was named after General Ilolden
Putnam, one of the distinguished officers of the
late war for the Union.
DAVID PAYNE CAMP, SONS OF VETERANS, OF
SHANNON
Roster and list of members and officer's : Har-
ve.v Rubendall. Commander ; George Trucken-
miller, Senior Vice Commander ; Grover C.
Truckenmiller, Junior Vice Conunander; Free-
man A. Cook, Chaplain ; Daniel S. Hoy, Secre-
tary; Charles Sturdevaut, Color .Sergeant; John
C. I'arker. Sergeant of the Guard ; James Payne,
Picket ; Alvin F. Kramer, Treasurer ; Geoa'ge
Sturtevant, Corporal ; George H. Parker, 4th U.
S. Regular Infantry ; Fred Cheeseman, Edward
Truckenmiller. Robert L. Miller, Hanry A. AVliit-
acre. William Straw. Charles Truckenmiller, Bell
lOverett Boyle. Charles W. Hoy, Charles Stewart,
Joseph Sturdevaut, Arthur Rubendall and Geo.
C. Ewing. [From a book called "Life and
Ciril War Services of Edward A. Straub of Co.
B, 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry," now of Shannon,
written by himself. Published by Yewdale &
Sons Co., Milwaukee, 1909.] TTie camp was
named after David Payne, one of the members
of Holden Putnam Po.st, G. A. R. The camp at
this writing has disbanded and surrendered its
charter. It is to be hoiked it may sometime be
revived.
Miri'CAl,!' IIAIJ.. FliAXCKS SIlIMi;!! SCIIOOl,, M'l'. CAKUol.l,
SCENE ACHOSS THE CAMl'lS. FKAXCES SHLMER .SCHOOL. M'l' (Aliltdl.l.
THE HEW TOm
PUBLIC LIBRARY
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
687
HOLDEN PUTNAM W. R. C. NO. ISo
Mrs. Aunie Yoid.v kindly furnishps tlio follow-
ing information in regard to this Corps.
It was organized at Shannon. June 2'.)th, ISOl,
with eighteen members and the following of-
ficers: Annie Yord.v, President; Wealthy Smith,
Senior Vice ; Mrs. J. Frye. Junior Vice ; Mrs. J.
Kehm, Treasurer; I.uella ICehni, Secretary;
Belle Payne, Conductor; Lucy Payne, Guard.
Members : Miss Ines Humbert. Mrs. J. C. At-
kins. Mrs. Rebecca Unger, Miss Mary Kreamer,
Mrs. A. C. Machamer, Mrs. A. W. Babb, Mrs. D.
L. Humbert, Mrs. J. A. Leonard, Mrs. R. D.
Clieeseman, Mrs. A. Reynolds and Mrs. George
Byers.
Other Members: Fannie Good, Kate Spatz,
Kate Boyle, Maggie Reddingtou, Lottie Miller,
Harriet Suavely, Mrs. Cook, Ella Whitmore,
Anna Miller, Rose Reddington, Mrs. Kennedy.
From Mr. Straub's book, above referred to, we
copy this tribute to the Woman's Relief CoriJS :
"Our indispensable auxiliary, the Woman's Re-
lief Corps, continues to do beneficial work. They
encourage many of the Posts, some of which
would have disbanded but for their encour,age-.
nient and assistance. Their charity is broad and
the organized efforts of the faithful members
in teaching patriotism is bearing fruit. Mrs.
Mary G. Linc-oln, Department President, has been
untiring in her noble efforts to build up our
worthy auxiliary. This eminent lady has visited
all parts of the Department and has done iutel-
ligent and effective work wherever she has gone.
For her ability, her zeal and kindly courtesy, so
ably supported by that baud of noble, self-sac-
rificing women, we desire to exi>ress not alone
the thanks of Holden Putnam Post, but the
appreciation and thanks of the entire Depart-
ment."
mander, M. II. Judd ; Senior Vice Commander,
I). N. McLaughlin ; Junior Vice Commauder, Con-
rad Frederick ; Chaplain, Henry Sack ; Quarter-
master, J. R. Lamb; Surgeon, Adam Koehler;
Officer of the Day, Henry Ilolmadel ; Officer of
the Guard, John Schreiuer; Adjutant, Harrison
Kcckler; Quartermaster Sergeant, Nicholas Mil-
ler; Sergeant Major, Henry Dambmau.
Other charter members were: C. L. Hostetter,
(Jeorge Eekhart, Le^i Ganger, George Alteuse,
and Henry Loechel.
Other members: Fred Diehl, P. C.j Samuel
Nettleton, John Davis, John Schleining, Jesse
Hill, J. II. Green, Balser Appel, David Wressell,
Henry Traum, Charles D. Camp, David H. Grim,
Christian Bauchmau, Henry Hartman, Peter
Rahn, W. B. Delano, R. H. Foster, John Ever-
hart, George Bitner, Jerry George, Robert Gra-
ham, Conrad Schleining.
Past Post C-ommanders : M. II. Judd, Henry
Sack, Harrison Keckler, Charles D. Camp and
Fred Diehl.
The Post was named after the late Dr. John
L. Hostetter of Mount Carroll, Surgeon of the
:!4th Illinois V. I., in which regiment many of the
comrades served through the war. Dr. Hostetter
afterward became surgeon of the Brigade.
- This, the youngest post in the county, has had
regular nionthly meetings for many years, but
as their numbers have decreased and the infirmi-
ties of advanced age have prevented some from
attending, the meetings are held quarterly, on
the fourth days of the mouths of January, Aprit,
July and October. Si>ecial meetings .are held in
anticipation of Decoration Day, which is always
fittingly observed with appropriate services. Ten
survivors are all that are left of the original
thirty-seven members.
UK. JOHN" L. HOSTETTER rO.ST G. A. R.
THE WOMAN S RELIEF CORPS OF CHADWICK
The followiMg information was obtained
through the assistance of Comrade Freil Diehl,
late Commander of the Post.
Dr. John L. Hostetter Post, No. 785, was organ-
ized at Chadwick, Illinois, August 18th, 1897.
Captain W. H. Wildey, P. C. of Mount Carroll,
with authority from the Department Mustering
Officer, assisted by Captain E. T. E. Becker,
mustered the following named ex-soldiers and
they selected their first officers as follows : Com-
These ladies are in hearty sympathy with the
old soldiers, and assist them on every occasion
that opix)rtunity presents. Not an old soldier
pa.sses away, but what their loving hands place
upon his bier beautiful flowers, and they an-
nually assist in decorating the old soldiers'
graves with these tokens of friendsliij) in a
spirit of charity and lo.valty. The following
are the names of the members of the corps and
its officers.
688
HISTORY OP CARROLL COUNTY
HOSTETTEE CORPS. >'0. 150, OF CHADWICK
The corps was iustituted April otU, 1002, by
Mrs. Ida E. Palmer, Senior Aide of Chicago, with
17 charter members, as follows :
Susie B. Foster, Bertha H. Garwielj, Eliza-
beth DieUI, Ella Spealmau. Catherine Zug-
schwerdt. Sarah Green, Lucetta Ganger. Lnviea
Sack, Augusta Dambman, Mary Handel, Katie
Sacli Rahu, Edna M. Kingery, Amelia Saeli
Spealman, Harriett Rummel, Mae Harris, Emma
Hohnadel, Katie Dambman.
We now have a membership of eighteen with
the following officers: President, Catharine
Zugschwerdt ; Senior Vice, Loviea Sack ; Junior
Vice, Ella Spealman; Secretary, Nettie Sack;
Treasurer, Mamie C. Curley ; Chaplain, Maggie
Garwick ; Conductor, Katie Dambman; Assistant
Conductor, Clara Grove; Guard, Augusta Damb-
man ; Assistant Guard, Bertha Spencer ; Color
Bearers, Xos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, Mary Handel, Emma
Honadel, Katie Sack Kahu, Elizabeth Diehl ; Pa-
triotic Instructor, Edna M. Kingery ; Press Cor-
respondent, Amelia Spealman ; Musician, Edna
B. Hicks ; Aides, Catharine Zugschwerdt, Clara
Grove and Edna Hicks.
The Past Presidents are as follows: Susie
Foster and Clara Grove.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS SOCIETY OF
CARROLL COUNTY.
elected as the tirst Colonel or presiding officer and
John S. Hall, Adjutant or secretary. Sixty-live
comrades signed the constitution and by-laws.
The next meeting was held at Mount Carroll ;
the records say dinner was served by the citi-
zens of Mount Carroll at twelve o'clock and all
soldiers with their families and a number of
citizens partook of a bountiful repast.
Savanna was selected as the next meeting
place and Major George A. Root of Lanark was
elected Colonel and Comrade B. J. Murray of
Savanna. Adjutant. The next and fourtli meet-
ings were held at MilledgeviUe.
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MONUMENT
At this meeting the Hon. D. W. Dame of Lan-
ark, spoke in regard to building a Soldiers' and
Sailors' Monument and offered the following pre-
amble and resolution: "Whereas Carroll County
has as much interest in keeping green the mem-
ory of the lieroie dead of this county who fell
in defense of the Union, as our sister counties
of our state which have already erected soldiers
monuments or memorial halls at their several
county seats or elsewhere. Therefore be it re-
solved : That the soldiers and citizens of Car-
roll County assembled at Milledgevlle in this
annual reunion hereby inaugurate the movement
for building a soldiers monument for Carroll
County.
"That a monument committee consisting of
one from each township be now named, whose
duty it shall be to select five persons to be known
as the C^irroll County Soldiers Monument Com-
mittee, to carry this resolution into effect."
COMMITTEE APPOINTED
ORGANIZED AT LANARK — MILLEDGEVILLE MEETING —
MONUMENT COMMITTEE^ACTION OF THE COUNTY
BOARD COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY BOARD — BE-
POBT OF JOINT COMMITTEE — DEDICATION OF THE
MONUMENT THE PROCESSION — ^THE SPEECHES
HISTORY OF THE MONUMENT — INSCRIPTION.S
THE STATUES — HEIGHT OF MONUMENT — REUNION
' MEETINGS — SAVANNA SELECTED AS PLACE OF
-MEETING.
The Soldiers and Sailors Reunion Society of
Carroll County was organized at Lanark, Octo-
ber 2.3rd, 1884. Captain E. T. E. Be<'ker was
The nominating committee reported the fol-
lowing names: D. W. Dame of Lanark. L. F.
Eastabrooks of Wysox. W. H. Griffith of Savanna,
George F. Bucher of Mount Carroll and John H.
Taylor of York.
At the next meeting, which was held at Shan-
non. Captaiu W. H. Wildey was elected Colonel.
The fifth meeting was held at Lanark and Don
R. Frazer was elected Colonel, and Levi Clark,
Adjutant. The next meeting was a basket pic-
nic at Mount Carroll and the seventh meeting
was also held there. Here L. T. Bra.v was
elected Colonel and George E. Fuller of Savanna,
Adjutant. At this meeting three members were
added to the Monument Connnittee as follows :
HISTORY OB^ CARROLL COUNTY
689
C. L. Ilostetter of Salem, Eli Lower of Hock
Creek, ami George E. Fuller of Savaniui.
On motion it was decided that the Soldiers'
Monument bo located on the Court House Square
if jterniissiDn cnuld lie had from the Board of
Supervisors. The committee was instnu-tod to ^'ct
such permission and got such aid as they Ihouglit
best. Alter this meeting the eommitteo got busy,
and tlie eightli annual reunion, which was to
have been held in Savanna, was changed to
Mount Carroll, so that the association might
participate in the dedication of the monument.
.\CTI0.N OF THK BO.\Rn OF SUPER\1S0RS
The following appears to have been the ac-
tion Of the Board of Supervisors with reference
to the building of the monument. At the Scj)-
tember term, 1S!)0, on motion of Mr. Cook of
Shannon, it was ordered that this board grant
pernnssion to the Soldiers and Sailors Associ-
ation of this county to erect a monument to the
memory of the soldiers and sailors of Carroll
Ciiunty, In the court house square.
COMXinrKK Al"l'OINTKl> HY COUNTY BOARD
At a meeting of the Board, September 10th,
1S90, on motion of Mr. Sprecher of Rock Creek,
seconded by Mr. Lewis of York, a conmiittee of
three from the Board of Supervisors was ap-
pointed to act with the committee of the Sail-
ors and Soldiers As.sociation. to ascertain what
a suitable monument would cost and what would
be suitable action to take in the premises. The
chairman of the board. C. L. Hostetter, apiiointed
as such conmiittee. Louis II. Sprecher of Rock
Cl'eek. Norman Lewis of York and William .J.
Ilay of Wiiodhind Iciwiiship.
RESULT OF AX ELECTION
Mr.
the
At the December meeting of the board
Sprecher, chairman of the committee of
County Board, i-eported the result of the elec-
tion in regard to the county building a soldiers'
monument out of a total vote of 2,051. 1.942 voted
for an appropriation of six thousand dollnrs to
build a nioiiumcnt and 700 against.
STATES attorney's lUiPORT ADVERSE
Tlie States Attorney was called upon for bis
opiiiiiin as to the legality of such an appropria-
tion and he reiwrted that the statute does not
authorize the County Board to make an appro-
priation for any such purpose. (A few years
later, however, the Illinois legislature passed an
act autliorizing counties to erect monuments or
iiieniorial buildings in honor of their Soldiers
,uid Sailors. R. S. Chap. 34, Sec. 115.)
The report of the committee was accepted and
the committee continued for furtlier action.
REPORT OF THE JOINT COM.MITTEE
.Vt tlie February session of the Board of Su-
liervisors (1S91) the joint committee of the Sol-
diers Association and the committee of the board
of supervisors made a lengthy report to the
board of supervisors, stating that they had here-
tofore been appointed to enquire into and report
in relation to building a soldiers' monument to
be erected on the public ground adjacent to the
court house in Mount Carroll, thai Uiey bad
solicited from designers and mamil'aclurcrs of
inonuiueuts to present for their inspection de-
signs for monuments such as was desired, that
eight designs were submitted, that they had con-
cluded nixm the selection of a design presented
liy (ieorge IL Mitchell of Chicago. Seven of the
committee's names are signed to this repnrt.
ACTION OF THE BOARD
The same committee offered a preamlilc and
i'es<ilnlion to this effect: Whereas, at an election
held in the county on the 4th of November, ISOO,
it was voted and carried by a large majority in
favor of an appropriation of si.x thousand dol-
lars to erect uixm the public grounds belonging
to said county at the city of Mount Carroll, a
soldiers' monument, suitable and appropriate, to
the memory of the brave and patriotic soldiers
and sailors, furnished by said county for the
Union armies and navy in the late civil war and
in pulting down the rebellion, Tlierefore
RE.SOI.ITION MAKING THE Al'l'HOl'llI ATION
lie it resolved: That we the Board of Sniiervisors
of Carroll County, believing in the project and
favoring the eminent propriety and fitness of
such a inonnment and acting in obedience to the
expressed will of the patriotic citizens of said
county • ■ • we therfore, hereby appropriate
tlie sum of six thousand dollars to be expended
690
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
in the improvement of the public Court House
Grounds in Mount Carroll by erecting thereon
such monument, to be built in accordance with
plans selected by the committee heretofore ap-
pointed"- for that purixjse, to he completed and
ready for unveiling on some day in October,
1S91.
Mr. Sprecher. member of the Board from Rock
Ci'eek, moved the adoption of the resolution and
called for the ayes and uayes. the same was car-
ried, nine voting in the affirmative and five in
the negative.
On the 30th of March, a contract was made
with Mr. Mitchell and executed on behalf of the
county by C. L. Hostetter. Chairman of the
Board of Supervisors.
DEDICATION OF THE MONUMENT
The unveiling and dedication of the Soldiers"
Monument was a great event for Carroll County.
These ceremonies were apix)inted by the Board
of Sui^ervisors to take place October Cth, 1891,
twenty years ago.
SCHOOLS GIVEN A HOLIDAY
The Board requested that the schools of the
county be given a holiday for the purpose of
permitting the teachers and pupils to attend.
John H. Grossman, then county superintendent
of schools, issued a notice to the above effect,
that headquarters for pupils, teachers and school
officers would be at the Mount Carroll high
school buildings. That well filled lunch baskets
should be brought along; that railroad tickets
could be procured at reduced rates.
BUSINESS HOUSES CLOSED
Mayor Glotfelty of Lanark and the mayor of
Savanna issued proclamations urging the busi-
ness men to close their places of business from
eight o'clock a. ui. to seven p. m., so as to per-
mit everybody to attend the dedication of the
monument.
The Savanna Journal. F. S. Greenleaf editor,
of October 8th, 1801, gives this account of the
dedication. "Tuesday was probably the most im-
portant day in the history of Mount Carroll
. . . everybody was there. Eight coaches were
loaded at Savanna ; a large delegation came from
Thomson, and from Lanark and h'hannon came
many more . . . had the day been pleasant
there would, probably have been half as many
more; as it was there were at least five thousand
people in the city. [The city was beautifully
decorated with flags and bunting. Two delicate
arches spanned the streets in front of the monu-
ment on which were flags and a banner in-
scribed. "Loyalty."]
THE PROCESSION
The Savanna band headed the procession fol-
lowed by the Grand Army Posts, the Uniformed
Rank Knights of Pythias, the Select Knights
of America and the Savanna Hose Company No.
2, making five handsomely uniformed organiza-
tions, "and we may say that this c-onstituted
quite as fine and extensive a showing as was pre-
sented."' including of course numerous citizens
who brought up the rear. Lanark and Shan-
non and Thomson were all represented and in
fact every town in the county was there. In the
parade were the school children from all over
the county in line with the Mount Carroll schools.
Altogether the parade was a fine showing of
what Carroll County can do when occasion re-
qiiires. Excellent preparations had been made
for the entertainment of the visitors. Beside
the regular hotels there were several places
where meals were served by the church women
and not only was the fare offered the very best
Init the prices were reasonable.
THE SPEECHES
About two o'clock the great crowd began to
gather in the Court House park to listen to the
siieeches. Uiwn the platform were Congressman
Hitt, State Auditor Pavey. and James I. Neff
of the State Board of Equalization, and a great
many others of local note. The Honorable H. S.
Clarke, the orator of the day, could not be pres-
ent. The welcoming address was delivered by
the mayor of the city, the Honorable X. H. Mel-
eudy. and responded to l)y Mr. Neff. The ad-
dress to the soldiers was given by Hon. J. M.
Hunter. Mr. Pavey's address followed, "which
seemed to interest the i>eople more than any
other."
HISTORY OF THE MONUMENT
This paper <'urther reports that, C. L. Hostet-
ter. chairman of the committee appointed by
-^^^■^^^^H^^^^^^^^^pr-
B. mf^ ^S9l
kr
•
^nLJ^
t-ry^ Ci--n'-<-
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
691
the Soldiers iuid Sailoi-s Assdciation, iirosented
a report, giving a history of tlicir aotioii, iu sub-
stance as follows. At the first nitK-ting of the
joint eomniitlee of the Soldiers' and Sailors' and
Supervisors' connnittee. the Hon. U. W. Dame
was elected chairman, George F. Bucher Secre-
tary and C. L. I-Iostetter, Treasurer. A sub-com-
mittee consisting of Messrs. Sprecher, Griffith
and Ilostetter. was appointed to solicit funds for
the biiildiiig of the monument witli authority to
appoint committeos in each township. On motion
of Jlr. Hay it was ordered that a committee be
apixiinted to make arrangements to have u vote
taken at the November election, upon the ques-
tion of an appropriation to be made by the coun-
ty board not to exceed six thousand dollars for
l)uilding a soldiers' monument. The chairman
appointed as such committee, William J. Ila.v of
AN'oodlnnd. ICli ly. Lower of Rock Creek, and
("eorge E. Fuller of Savanna. The further ac-
tion of this committee will be found in the pre-
ceding lines.
DESCKIPTIOX OF TIIK MONfMEXT
The foundation, which is made of native lime-
stone, is eight feet deep in the ground, and was
built liy .Tosiali Schamel, a veteran stone mason
of Mount Carroll. The first base, which is one
immtnsc stone is the lieaviest piece iu the monu-
ment; the other two bases aad-.the shaft, which
is nineteen feet high, are eadi one solid stone.
They are made of Barre granite from Vermont.
On the front face of the cap-stone is a wreath:
on the lower i^art of tlie shaft, front face, is a
Tnited States flag, musket cap and cartridge
box, knapsack and canteen, all grouped together;
on the reverse side is the G. A. It. badge.
INSCBIPTION.S ox THE MOMMENT
On the front of the die:
C.vRBOLL County
TO THE MEMORY OF THE MEN WHO SAVRT* TIIK
I-XIOX THAT THEIK EXAMPLE MAY SPEAK
TO COMING CEXERATIOXS
On the other three sides of the die are the
names of soldiers and sailors who enlisted from
Carroll County, giving their regiments and com-
pany.
On the frieze, at the lower part of the cap,
front side above the die:
Slavery Auolisueu
On the rear :
I'EACE KESTOREU
On either side in front :
Courage — Endurance
On the front face of the shaft iilinlh. cut in
raised letters :
18G1— 1865
On the reverse:
Erected A. D. ISOl
The names of twelve liattles, three on each
side of the shaft, in raised letters:
DONELSON
NASHVILLE
WILDERNESS
STONE RIVER
SHILOII
ATLANTA
EESACA
VICKSm-RG
cmCKAMAUGA
GETTYSBURG
E COEINTII
On the four sides of the upper statue plinth
are eight corps badges, in all of which corps
Carroll County was represented by volunteers.
1st Army Corps
(Round figure)
4th Army Corps
(Triangle)
14th Army Corps
(Acorn)
15th Army Corps
(Cartridge box)
IGth Army Corps
(Round figure)
17th Army Cordis
(Arrow)
20th Army Corps
(Star)
2rird Army Corps
(Shield)
THE STATUES
The statuary consists of three pieces represent-
ing the Infantry, the Cavalry, and the standard
hearer on top of the monument. The first
two are six feet seven Indies high and are made
of fine grained red Westerly granite. The upper
statue or standard bearer measures ten feet to
top of standard.
The statue facing n(u-lli, re|>resenting a cav-
alry man. was designed and wrought for this
monument i)y the sculptor, I^rado Taft, of Chi-
cago. Lewis n. Sprecher of Lanark made
692
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
several trips to Chicago and ilonuing liis cav-
alry iinifonii anil accoutrements there, iwsed
as a model for tliis statue. It is a very fine
worlv of art.
?C.\MES OF THE SOLDIERS .\ND SAILORS
There was not room for all the names of the
soldiers on the monument. Tlirough the efforts
of .Tohu S. Hall, later County Surveyor, who was
a veteran in the Union army and a prisoner at
Andersonville prison, the board of supervisors
erected near the monument two columns with an
arch spanning the interval hetween them, which
was also the design of Mr. Hall. On these col-
umns the additional names were cut, ],2S4 in all.
From tlie working plan of the monument it is
forty-nine feet and three inches high, the con-
ti-actor having increased the size of several of the
stones above the i-ecpiirc^ments of the contract.
Counting a few inches of the foundation above
the ground it is practically fifty feet high.
It is said by evei-j' one who has seen it to he
a very imixising and beautiful luonunient.
REUNIONS
SAVANN.\ MEETING
At the business' meeting of the Association on
the day of the dedication of the monument. Sav-
anna was selected for the next, the 0th meet-
ing. Lieutenant Colonel W. P. Robb was
promoted to the rank of Colonel and Jacob S.
Wright was elected Adjutant. The meeting was
at Savanna Sept. 15th, 1802. Headquarters were
provided where the c<3nirades registered and were
provided with meal tickets for themselves and
families. They had a sjilendid parade at this
meeting, composed of veterans and other organi-
zations, part of the Savanna Fire Department
and the children of the Savanna schools in holi-
day attire. Senator Shelby JI. Culloni was the
orator of the day. followed by General Smith D.
Atkins and the venerable Chaplain Cartwrigbt of
Oregon. I'jion invitation of the comrades at
Milledgeville that jjlace was selected for the next
meeting. George F. Bucher was promoted to the
oHice of Colonel and Comrade H. T. Healy of
Milledgeville was elected Adjutant.
MILLEDGEVILLE MEETING
The 10th meeting was held at Milledgeville
Sept. 27th, 189.3. Kridler Tost, assisted by the
patriotic citizens of Aiilledgeville, had erected an
arch spanning tlie four corners of the main
streets from which hung suspended in large let-
ters, "Welcome Comrades." A parade was
formed and marched through the princiijal
streets of the village. It was headed by the
Kagle Point Band, speakers in carriages. Hawk
Post of Savanna, Nase Post, Mount Carroll, IIol-
den Putnam Post, Shannon Woman's Relief
Corps, Shiloh Post 8.5 of Lanark and their Relief
Corps, Kridler Post of Milledgeville, Plum River
Drum Corps, probably the iloore brothers.
Ilarlyn and Jacob, who iliil no niucli when they
were lads, with their drum and life to arouse
the patriotism of the people during war times:
tl en followed the Milledgeville school children
and the Milledgeville Cornet band, Camp !)('>. P.
<». S. of A.
SHANNON MEETING
.Vt the business meeting a motion was made
to dispense with the parade which was lost.
Shannon was selected as the place for the next
meeting George E. Fuller of Savanna was elected
Colonel and John A. Leonard, Adjutant, One
hundred and sixty -one comrades registered at the
Shannon meeting and were given tickets for din-
ner. Comra<le .J. S. Wright of Savanna was
elected Colonel and B. S. Gaff, Adjutant, Meet-
ing adjourned to meet in Lanark, 1S05. An old
time camp fire was held in the evening consisting
of songs and short speeches, closing by singing
Marcliing Through Georgia.
LA .\ ARK MEETING
The 12tli meeting was held at Lanark. General
D. .Vtkins delivering the annual address. .Miss
Wright, daughter of the presiding officer, Col.
J. S. Wright, rendered a patriotic poem entitled
The Siege of Corinth. Horace T. Healy was pro-
moted to Colonel and Comrade E. T. Cole of Mt.
Carroll was elected Adjutant, and Alt. Carroll
selected as the next place for meeting.
.MOUNT CARROLL MEETING
M this meeting, the l.^th annual reunion, the
register showed 100 soldiers and sailors present.
The parade of the old soldiers was joined at the
school building by 42.5 of the school children each
with a flag. The address was delivered in the
opera house by W. G. Cochran, Department
Commander. J. A. Leonard of Shannon was
promoted to Colonel and M. 11, Judd of Chad-
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
693
wick was ulcrltsl Ailjutaiit ami I'liadwitk si'lcnt-
cd as tlu> plarc for tlic next nieetiii!;.
Willi the lii'ld ollicers; (ho niliiutes are signed
liy Geogi-e J. Eliui, Adjutant.
CIIADWKK MEKTINO
Ai this, lli(> mil meeting, six less registered
tliaii at the last meeting. Colonel .7. A. Sexton
of Chicago, delivered tlie address. Hon 1{. R.
Ilitt and General Smitli D. AtUins also s|Kike.
B. S. Ooff was proniotetl to Colonel and J. It.
Uoliinson of Savanna was elected Adjutant and
Savanna chosen as the next place of meeting.
SECOND SAVANNA MEETIXG
The l.'th meeliiig was held there. Two hun-
dred and thirty-one old soldiers and s;ulors regis-
tered, which was. perhaps, the largest number
that ever registered at any of these meetings.
The registration was not confined to old soldiers
of Carroll County, many took pleasure in attend-
ing from adjoining counties and from Iowa ;
some came longer distances to attend these re-
iMiioiis. K. T. E. Cole was promoted to Colonel
and \y. D. X. Cone of Tliomson was elected
.\djntant.
SAVANNA MEETINGS
The lOtli. and all subsequent meetings, have
been held at Savanna. The following have been
the Colonels or presiding ofhcers : George J. Khni,
.Tohn A. Itobison, Lewis II. Sprecher. Frank
Kearney, (Jeorge Noble, C. I-. Ilostetter, It. B.
Straw, C. S. Wiley; and the Adjutants: J. R.
rJol>inson for two years, and B. Holland for last
five years ; until the 2Sth animal reunion. August
24th, 1011, J. P. Plattenberg was the presiding
Colonel ; B. Holland was elected Colonel for the
ensuing year and George E. Fuller, Adjutant.
These meetings have been a source of great
pleasure to the old soldiers. They give them au
opportunity to meet old comrades whom they
otherwise would not see. At the last meeting at
Savanna they were all taken to ride in automo-
biles, through the city and into the country. Their
smiling faces indicated the pleasure it was to
them.
THOMSON MEKTINC;
The Itltli reunion was held at 'Jliomson, Sep-
tember 21st. ]8!)n. Hon II. U. Ilitt deliveretl
the address. .M. II. .Tudd was promoted to Col-
onel, and W. W. Stevens, of Milledgeville, was
eleclcil .\djulanl.
CHAI'TEU IX.
OARKOI>L COUXTY, I.MI'ROVEMEXT AND
PROGRESS.
TWO .MEETINCS AT .\I I I.I.KDGEVII.LE
At the time appointed the weather was not
favorable for a large meeting. .Mrs. F. O. Mc-
Cleland, president of the Illinois Department of
the Woman's Relief Corps delivered the address.
The ISth meeting was held at Milledgeville,
September lltli. 1001. The meeting was called
to order by J. R. Robinson, Colonel, presiding.
The address was delivered liy the late Hon.
Alfred Bayles. State Superintendent of Public
Instruction.
At this meeting the holding of annual reunions
at some point in the county easily reacheil by
rail was agitated and a motion was adopted, that
nil future meetings be held in Savanna. W. D.
N. Cone of Thomson was promoted to Colonel
and the appointment of an Adjutant was left
STAGE I.INE.S — PBAIRIE FIBES — FINANCES — COUNTY
INCOKPOBATED — CENSUS 1840 — CENSUS 1910
DECKEASE ACCOUNTED FOB — ^FORMER CITIZENS
SCATTERED — EMIGRATION PROGRESS THE
THRESHINGS — ^TIIE HANNEB COBN COUNTY —
COUNTY OFFICEBS — RAILROADS. VALUATION
BUBAL ROUTES — ^\ALUATION OF PROPERTY — TAXES.
The lirsl scttlcniciit of the ccjuMiy was at S:iv-
anna, soon after Elklioru Grove was settled, fol-
lowed by settlements at Cherry Grove, where be-
fore the land was surveyed there was a com-
pleted highway from Dixon to Galena, wliicli
was the main traveled line from Galena to Chi-
cago, and at that time the latter was the less
important town of the two. Crane's fort was
694
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
located on this road and Iroui here Thomas
Crano carried tlie tirst mail to Freejiort. This
road extended south as far as Peoria where pas-
sengers lauded from steamboats from the east.
At the Cherry Grove station on this road W. A.
J. Pierce's father, John Pierce, kept the stage
horses; he was also postmaster there for three
or four years.
STAGE LINES
The stoppiug places for the coaches, in this
county, were Garner's and Sample Journey's near
Elkhorn Grove and Mitchell's upon Plum river.
The line was afterward established ou what was
later called the old telegraph road, named so
from the fact that the first telegraph line through
the comity was built on this road from Dixon
through Mount Carroll to Galena. The stations
on these stage lines were usually about twenty
miles apart, some more, some less. The drivers
changed horses at stations. When teams were
fresh they were put on the longer stations and
when worn and tired they would put them on
the shorter routes. They got behind time in
tho.se days in crossing sloughs and sometimes
were delayed until it got dark and the drivers
would get lost and c-ould not find the places
where the sloughs were pas.sable, and would not
get into the station until the second day. In
vain the few Inhabitants of these stations and
perhaps waiting travelers, listened for the toot of
the horn with which the drivers took pleasure in
awakening the echoes of the surrounding coun-
try.
PRAIRIE FIRES
Some times the stages would be delayed by
prairie fires, in passing them there was great
danger ; at many places along the route, it was
prairie as far as the eye could see from the top
of the coach. Tlie upland gi-ass was about two
feet high while the bottom lands were covered
with grass, which in many places was tall
enough to hide a horse and rider. In this wild
grass were many beautiful flowers. This bouquet
of wild flowers stretched out on evei-y side and
filled the air with fragrance. But this stretch of
grass and flowers, so beautiful in summer, be-
came a source of great danger, as soon as it was
killed by the frosts of atumn. When dry this
heavy covering, some times the accumulation of
several years, if set on fire, burned with great
rapidity, and the fire swei)t over the prairies and
there was nothing to stay its progress and there
was great danger from it, many of the early
settlers lost houses and crops in these fires. For
their protection the settlers found it necessary
to make fire breaks, as they were called, by
plowing furrows about a fourth of a mile apart,
and, when it was very dry and still, burn the
grass between the furrows, yet in a furious wind
the tumble weeds, that were entangled in the
grass, when set free by the fire, rose by force
of the heat high into the air and were blown long
distances often across the fire-breaks. The
flames traveled with incredible rapidity and not
only shot up fifty to a hundred feet in height, but
spread over one hundred to three hundred feet
in width on the ground according to the force of
the wind, driving all before them. The deer
were sometimes seen fleeing before the flames
when becoming exhausted, they would turn and
make a break to pass through this cordon of fire
and smoke. In the fall of the year the air w-as
often filled with the smoke of the burning prair-
ies and the horizon would be lighted here and
there during the night by prairie fires. Some-
times the red batallious of flames could be seen
in the distance as they swept widely across the
prairies. They would continue to rage for days,
until a rain put them out or made the grass so
wet it would not burn. They did great damage
where they passed over patches of bushes or
young trees burning them to the ground. These
autumnal fires were probably the cause of our
treeless prairies, a young forest could not with-
stand their ravages. Tlie only defense a settler
had was the fire-break, if perchance they crossed
this boundary the only remedy was to beat out
the fire with bundles of bushes, usually cut from
hazel thickets, but that was very hot and ex-
hausting work.
PANAMA
On the Savanna branch of the road spoken of
called then the Savana and Kockford road, in
1837, the ground where the fairground now is.
a mile south of Mount Carroll, was laid out into
tovra lots by Samuel Bailiss, a Virginian, who
called it after the capitol of his native state,
Richmond. A few cheap houses were built and
occupied, this was probably the place that was
nicknamed Slab City. A jwst oflice was located
here in 1840 with Charles G. Hawley as post
PARTS (»1- METCALF, HATHAWAY, COLLECE AND WEST HALLS TENNIS COURT,
FKAXC'ES SHnn:K SCHOOL. MT. CARROLL
OEARHOHN IIAi.l. AM) ( ANNA li|-,l)>. liiANC I-..- >1 1 1 \1 1 .1; M ll()(<L, Ml i \l;l;i'I.L
y^
HISTORY OP CARROLL COUNTY
695
master aiul the iilace renamed Panama, as the
state already had a Uiolimoud post office. The
Whigs coming into power in 1S41 were com-
mitted to relrenchmout of expenditures and
post olflces not paying expenses were discontin-
ued, this incinded I'auania, a very I'amiliar name
now to the American people.
The next year (1842) Mount Carroll was
started and the mill built, and this completed the
downfall of Richmond.
FINAN'CES
The following incident illustrates the early
financial c-oudition of the county. In 1S;!7 Moses
Hallett, who was sheriff of Jo Daviess County,
the father of James and Bartlett Hallett, old
settlers of Mount Carroll, came to Cherry Grove
hunting jurors to attend the circuit court at
(Jalena. He summoned Samuel Preston's father
to attend court as a juror. Mr. Preston, after
spending a week with no prospect of getting
through, appealed to Judge Stone to be excused.
The pay of jurors was one dollar per day ; he
received a county order for six dollars but he
found it nearly worthless as the country had
been flooded the year before with "wild cat
money." but he found a merchant who would al-
low him twelve and a half cents on the dollar In
store goods, and he took for his six dollar order
a ix)und of stocking yarn valued at «eventy-five
cents. This with similar incidents furnished
good reasons for erecting a new county out of
this part of Jo Daviess, when jurors had to
travel forty miles to attend court and lor a
week's service did not draw suHicieut money to
IKiy their expenses at court for one day.
TIIK COl'NTY INCOIirOHATEI)
A petition was presented in the house of rep-
resentatives December 31st, 1838, by Mr. Kent
asking for the formation of a new county out of
a part of .To Daviess County. The petition was
referred to the committee on counties, which re-
iwrted a bill .January ]!)th, 183!), for an act to or-
ganize Carroll County. This bill was reported by
Mr. Moore reiiresentative from McLetui County.
The boundaries were originally the same as now.
The half townships of Shannon, Lima and Elk-
horn Grove were att;iched to Ogle ('ounty by a
section of the bill. In 1851 a bill was i>iisse<l at-
taching those half towns to Carroll County, but a
vote of the people occupying those hall' tmvn-
shiiis failed to conlirm it.
CENSUS 1840
In 1840 Carroll County had within her bor-
ders 1,023 persons of all ages, of these two were
engaged in mining, 282 farming, 15 were store
keepers, 31 were manufacturers, 7 were engaged
in professional labors. There was one Revolu-
tionary War pensioner. Tliere were four schools
with aiwut one hundred scholars, eight persons
over twenty years of age. who could not read or
write. During this year our neighboring coun-
ty of Jo Daviess held in Umdage. six persons
as slaves.
CENSUS 1010, nECRKASE ACCOUNTED FOB
By the census of 1010 Carroll County has 18,-
035; KXlO, 18,003 and 1800, 18,320, a decrease
during the last decade of nearly one thous;ind
in population. This decrease in ijoinilation is
not owing to any fault in the fertility of the soil
or the productiveness of the farms or unremun-
erative prices for farm products, but rather to
its great fertility and ease of cultivation and
over productiveness ; like a hive filled with
lioney and an abmulanee of food, the workers
rather than remain in idleness, have like the
l)ees sought new fields of labor.
Many have profited by the experience of their
fathers, have gone west to take up more land and
buy larger farms, than they could possibly pur-
chase here, so that their children might have the
advantage of the increase in value of the western
lands, which they saw was sure to follow. Some
have sought broader if not more fertile fields.
FORMER CITIZENS SCATTERED
Former citizens of Carroll County are scat-
tered all over the United States. They have
taken up sheep ranches and cattle ranches ou
the great plains. Some have orange groves in
California and some in Florida, fruit orchards
in irrigated lands of the Xorthwestern states
and rice farms in Louisana.
Carroll County furnished a governor for the
state of Kansas ; a member of congress for Bos-
ton ; a distinguished divine for New Fngland ;
the president of the New York Central, with a
salary at one time, greater than that of the
696
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
president of the United States, commenced his
career, as a railroad emplovee, by piling wood
for firing railroad locomotives at Thomson, Car-
roll County. JIany have been attracted by the
glare and bustle of the great cities and have
buried themselves there, no doubt often longing
for the pure air and green fields of their coun-
try homes.
EMIGR.\TION
The emigration from the c-ounty has been so
great that not enough people have been left to
properly till the fertile farms; but for the great
improvement in farm machinery, so that one man
can now do the work of many, the farms could
not be cultivated. Some day. perhaps, the tide
of emigration will set the other way. There is no
longer occasion for our young people to seek
occupation elsewhere. Carroll County has great
possibilities and unparalleled advantages, which
will some day be utilized. It is never too dry
like it often is in the west nor too cold like
it always is in the north.
The last sevent.v-five .vears have witnessed
most amazing progress in civilizatinn. in the
arts, and in all kinds of human activity. When
the first settlements were made in northwestern
Illinois, the Mississippi river was the dividing
line between civilization and barbarism. Sixty
years ago a skilled engineer thought it iwssible
this great river might some day be bridged for
railroad trains to pass over. All beyond the
Father of Waters was a dreary wild untrod by
whiteman's foot, e.xcept as some fearless trapper,
in quest of game, would penetrate the abode
of savage beast and still more savage man. The
Indian, the buffalo and the rattlesnake were the
undisputed occupants of the now fertile prairies,
of the great state of Iowa. Westward the course
of empire has taken its way even beyond the
Pacific ocean. There is no longer any west in
this great country.
Xo longer do we behold the white canvased
caravan, the prairie schooners, moving westward,
for steam says to the emigrant, "I'll carry you
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, sooner than you
can drive .vour o.k team from Ohio to the Mississ-
ilijii. I'll carry your letter to London, for two
cents, and you get an answer back in ten days
delivered at your door.
The wooden mouldboard of our fathers is for-
gotten, a steel one now turns its polished sur-
face to the soil. The sickle and the cradle have
been superceded by the harvester, a marvel of
ingenuity, which binds and tosses to one side the
golden sheaves with a dexterity that seems al-
most human. The "ten o'clock piece," and the
"four o'clock piece," which our mothers prepared
for the harvester!?, who had to rise early and
work late is a thing of the past.
The flail of onr grandfathers has been suf^r-
ceded by the steam thrasher, which "feeds
itself." blows the straw into mammoth barns
or stacks it into great half moon stacks and
sacks the golden grain three tliousand bushels
or more in a day.
THE THRESHINGS
Threshing in the days of the pioneers was done
in this manner: in a circle of about twenty feet
in diameter the bundles of grain were set in a
leaning position towards the center and two oxen
or horses walking abreast tramped otit the
grain. Some times more animals were used by
tying the head of one horse to the tail of an-
other and a boy rode the leader the others had
to follow. A man stirred tip the grain until it
was tramped out, then raked off the straw and
piled up the grain and chaff in the middle of the
circle. The grain had then to he winnowed from
the chaff, a very tedious process. Later fanning
mills were manufactured at Mount Carroll by
Widney and Walker ; one of these machines was
used by a large neighborhood. In 1844 Monroe
Bailey of York brought to the county the flr.st
effective threshing machine. This could thresh
and clean 200 bushels of wheat in a day and was
thought to be a very great invention.
At these modern threshings all the neighbors
help each other, turn about, as it reiiuires a
great many men and teams, and the grain is
hauled from shocks in the fields to the machine,
which is run by a steam engine. They are the oc-
casion of great feasts, gotten up by the farmers"
wives, assisted also by their neighbors. A sam-
ple of the threshers' diimers of the present day
may be described as follows : A great long table
that will seat twenty or more hungry men, who
need plenty of elbow room, is literall.v loaded
down w-ith good things to eat. For meats there
are fried chicken, roast beef and cold ham, all
kinds of vegetables and fruit in season, mashed
HISTORY OP CARROLL COUNTY
697
IKitatui's, yi'llow with biittei- ami rronni. I'rt'sh
wheat bread and rolls of the finest quality, and
ilieesi'. jams, jellies, and honey and fresh butter,
canned apricots and peaches, two kind of cake,
angel food and rhoixjlate layer cake, jiinser
crackers, douirlniuts, freshly fried, celery, lemon-
ade, teil or eoffe, to conclude, two kinds of pie
are served, two generous pieces tin each plate.
How does this compare with the fare of a pion-
eer, who had hannnered the grain with a flail
all llie weary day, wheu he sat down to his
frugal meal of bacon and hominy, or corn bread
washed down with rye coffee.
The .song of the spinning wheel is no longer
lieard in the land, for steam has said to the
good housewife. "I have a thousand fingers of
curious shape and a delioate mechanism to do
tliat work for you."
THE li.V.N.NEE CORN COUNTY
Carroll County iu the year 1911 was the banner
coru-raising county of llliuois, which holds the
title of the banner corn state, both having had
the highest average per acre, llliuois for the
fnited States, and Carroll County the higliest
average of any county in the state. The corn
crop is never a failure in this county, and
raising corn and hogs and cattle, is the chief
occupation of the people; in some sections this
is varied, especially iu York township, where
milking cows and selling cream to the creameries,
is found to be the most profitable. The cream-
eries in which many of the farmers are inter-
ested, manufacture butter of the very best
quality and obtain the highest price in eastern
c-onunnnities from siiecial customers. Gathering
the cream from the milk is now made easy and
e-xjieditious by the use of separators which are
iu general use among the farmers. The sweet
skimmed, or .separator milk, is great food for
the calves and pigs.
PHIZES T.\KEX
Many prizes have been taken lor llie best
butter, at state aud national exhibitions, made
by Carroll County farmers and Carroll County
creameries.
COUNTY OFFICERS
Tile following were the ccninly officers for
I'.in ,ind lOlL':
County Judge, John I). Turnbangh.
County Clerk, A. B. Adams.
Sheriff. David B. Doty.
Superintendent of Schools. John Ilay.
Coroner. Dr. J. B. Schreiter.
I'ublic Administrator. Mark S. Forbes.
States Attorney, F. J. Strauskey.
Circuit Clerk, Valentine Boerner.
Probation Otiicer. II. r. Ilostetter.
Treasurer. William II. .Stiteley.
Master in Chancery, Chas. E. Stuart.
Public Guardian, D. C. Smith.
.Sui>t. County Farm. Theodore Bundy.
■ME.MIJERS OF THE HOARD OF SUPERVI.SORS
M. C. Radke, Chairman, Savanna.
William J. Hay, Woodland.
Richard A. Kersey, Cberrv (J rove.
William S. Manning. Lima.
Charles A. Beede. Salem.
Smith J. Holland, York.
F. A. Fogel. Wysox.
J. W. Miller. Washington.
Win Vanderbeyden. Freedom.
William Fisber. Shannon.
Kli I.. Lower. Hock Creek.
William F. Snook, Mt. Carroll.
J. A. Wright, Fair Haven.
Benjamin C. Knox, Elkborn Grove.
RAILROADS
Carroll County has ample railroad facilities.
The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, Raciue aud
SdUthwestern division, enters the county at
the southwest corner, runs thence north to
Sa\-iiiina, thence east and north and passes out
at the northeast corner of the county with a
branch near the nortli line, running east to
Chicago. Another branch (the cut-off), runs
fr<im the .southwest corner of the county, north
and east to the main line at the center of the
county at Ashdale.
The Chicago, Burlington & Northern railroad.
runs from the s<jutliwest corner of the count.v,
north to Savanna and from there in a sontb-
easlerly direction to the southeast corner of the
(■(jiinty, near Milledgeville. tlie main line run-
ning north from Savanna along the river to the
northwest corner of the county.
698
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
VALUATION
The Chica;;.!, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad,
has sixty miles of main track on its Hue through
the county, and a double track on its Chicago
line; with side tracks and buildings on its right
of way, and is valued for assessment at over two
millions of dollars.
The Burlington has over forty-eight miles of
main track, and with side tracks and buildings
on the right of way, is valued over one million,
si.x hundred thousand dollars, making a total
valuation in the county of railroad tracks and
buildings on the right of way of nearly four
million dollars.
A branch of the JlUwaukee & St. Paul road
is now, (February, 1912), being surveyed from
Mt. Carroll in a northwesterly direction, through
the c-ouuty. Xothiug. however, may come of this
as several preliminary surveys have been made
in this neighborhood over other c-ourses.
The building of several trolley lines through
the county, has also been discussed, which will
no doubt materialize in the not far distant
future.
RURAL ROUTES
The Government has established in this county
twenty-seven free delivery routes. These mail
carriers routes are from twenty-five to thirty
miles each, so that nearly one thousand miles
are traversed every working day, delivering
mail daily to nearly all the inhabitants of the
county. There are two telephone system.s, the
Farmers Mutual and the Independent. There
are about 4,000 people who have telephones,
and each one can talk to their neighlwrs all
over the county.
It is well to recall the advantages we enjoy
over those of the pioneers. There is no jjoverty,
no one suffering from privation of even the
luxuries of living. The people of Carroll County
everywhere, are a prosperous, happy and con-
tented people; naturally law abiding, honest
and industrious. Many automobiles are now in
use. some of these are self-starters and make
their own electric lights.
VALUATION OF PROPERTY
The tot.Tl value of all property assessed in
the county, for the year 1911, was $27,G7.j.48;5.00.
Tax assessed on the same was $270,253.54.
The county tax is $41,129.81.
CHAPTER X.
CHADWICK AND FAIR HAVEN TOWNSHIP
— LANARK AND ROCK CREEK
TOWNSHIP.
CHADWICK — FAIR IIAVEX TOWNSHIP — GERMAN SET-
TLERS — LANARK — OLD HOUSE — FOTJETH OF JULY,
1876 EARLY DAYS — BUSINESS, 1911 WATER-
WORKS — TEI.EPHONE SYSTEM — FACTORIES — BOCK
CREEK TOWNSHIP — FIRST SETTLERS.
CHADWICK
Oliadwiek is in the northeast corner of Fair
Haven township. It was made a station on the
Chicago, Burlington & Northern railroad, and
named after one of the railroad officials. It is
782 feet above the sea level, has a population
according to the last federal census of 517.
It was laid out and platted by the St. Paul
Land Company, April 5. 1886, with several addi-
tions added since then and is "one of the prettiest
little villages, and the youngest town in Carroll
County." It has three churches, two physicians,
one dentist and one jewelery store, two harness
shoixs and one elevator, one lumber merchant
and three coal dealers, one hotel and two hard-
ware stores, three dry goods stores, one drug
store and one meat market, three restaurants
and one bakery, and one boot and shoe store,
three wagon and blacksmith shops, and two
barber shops, two milliner shops and three
saloons, and one of the best equipped creameries
in the county ; two banks ; Farmers' State
bank, II. H. Beede. president: M. S. Weary,
cashier; W. J. Schriener. assistant cashier;
First National bank. N. H. Hawk, president;
R. H. Campbell, vice-president ; C. M. Kingary,
cashier. It has a fine electric light system.
In 1805, a system of waterworks was put in and
a fine fire department organized. A newspaper
conducted by Andrew Straneh, is called the
'•Chadwick Clarion.'' Chadwick is surrounded
by a very fine farming country. Its business men
are mostly young and energetic, all working to-
gether for the best interest of the town. It has
good streets and several miles of cement side-
j:!/mwvoifu.
to1^\^
V
^^c^*J
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
699
walks and many tijic ri'sidcnci's. It lias a large
frame public scIkmiI hnildiiii; in wlildi live teach-
ers are employed.
lAIH IIAVKN TOWNSHIP
Fair Haven is in the middle of the lower or
southern tier of townships. The census of 1910,
gave the jxiiiulation at 1.278.
It was to a great extent settled by immigrants
from Germany, who had the patience to make
farms by grubbing out the groves and trees that
were scattered over this township. The princi-
IKil grove was called Black Oak grove, but in
it were no very large trees, like there were in
otlier groves of tlie county ; most of the laud
was covered with scrubby black oak trees,
scattered here and there.
Joseph Wressel came to this part of the
county in 1838, and David Wressel in 1839;
they came from Oauada ; their father, Samuel
Wressel, was born in England.
In 1844, I.. E. Gallusha built the lirst house
in Fair Haven. Frank Bell .settled there the
.Siinio ye.ir. Henry Myers. .Jr.. came from New
Jersey to the county in 1.S4.J.
GERMAN SETTLEKS
In 1848 the Germans began to arrive, most
of them were from Hesse Darmstadt, Germany.
Henry B. Zugschwerdt arrive<l here in 1848,
and crossed the Atlantic- ocean seven times, in
the interest of his countrymen.
Werner Zugschwerdt came in 18.")<). In 18r)."i,
the following all crossed in the same ship:
Henry Diehl, Fred Diehl, X'hilip Lang, .Tohn
Frederick, Conrad Frederick, Conrad Dahler,
and I'hilip (JuacklKirner.
They all s|«ike the German language, and
they had their church organizations with
preaching in (Jerman. For a time they had
their own schools, under the supervision of the
church, where the children were taught in
German. Eventually, Iiowever, they all learned
to understand and speak the English language;
and soon became naturalized citizens of the
I'nitefl States. Among the daughters of these
lirst families are some of the best English school
teachers in the county. JIany of the young
men enlisted in the war for the I'liion and
fought bravely with olliei's to mainlain the
Uepublic entire.
LANARK
Population lUlo, 1,175. Elevation, 8S3.3.
D. W. Dame purchased the land and laid out
the city of Lanark under the auspices of tlie
Northern Illinois R. I{. Co. The original town
was platted, October 3, 18G1, by Richard Irvin,
for the railroad company and John Xycum.
The c-oini)any lirst built a large liotel, commenced
July 1, ISfil, which is still in use on the north
side of the track, now called the Lanark House.
John Xycum of Mt. Carroll, donated eighty
acres to the railroad company, and it purchased
eighty acres more. The company thereby be-
came the owner of 100 acres of land for the
town site. The company contributed liberally
in lots to the church societies, for locations for
building. Also a school lot, and a whole block
which is now the city park. It was named for
a county in Scotland where a banker lived,
who lent the company the money that was used
to build the railroad. The first business liouse
was a small establishment, opened by "Uncle
Chauncy Grant," and his son William, with a
small stock of goods that did not exceed one
hundred and fifty dollars in value. The country
about the town was sparsely settled, but as soon
as the railroad was built settlers came in
rapidly.
OLD HOUSE
Among the first houses erected in Lanark,
was a one-and-a-half story building, that has .i
very singular and interesting history, which
may not be known to the present inhabitants
of the city. (It stands on the east side of Broad
street, between Carroll and the railroad track).
TTiis building was first erected in New Orleans,
built of live oak lumber for a warehouse. In
later years it was taken apart, and moved up
the river to St. Louis and rebuilt on the levee
at that city. Bec-oming in the way there of
modern improvement, it was again taken down
and moved to Savanna, and rebuilt there as
a warehouse. AVlien the Western Union rail-
road was established, it obstructed the purjiosed
track laying, and was condemned and ordered
removed.
Henry fierce then became its owner, and
when the railroad was completed, the company
gave him free trans|»rtation and removed it
to Lanark. Here it was again rebuilt, and two
or three rooms in the upper story fitted up for
700
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
living rooms, aud tbese were occuiiied by A. M.
Yoric and his family ; here occurred the first
birth and the first death iii Lanark. York came
here as a young attorney and hung out his
shingle at this building, using it as a residence
and law office. AVben the war came he enlisted.
In laying out the town, the railroad company
designated one square for a public park, which
in course of time was planted in trees, and is
now a beautiful shady park, where the old
settlers meetings are held annually.
For twenty years Lanark grew raiiidl.v, and
as the surrounding prairie with its rich soil
was made into productive farms, its commerce
increased, so its aggi'egate business, including
the shipments of grain and live stock, was
larger than the business of any other town in
the county. It had great expectations of becom-
ing the metroiK)lis of the county and in no
distant day the county seat. It seemed to lie
rapidly outstrip]iing its rivals — Jit. Carroll and
Savanna.
lANARK'S lOUKTII OF JULY. 187li
That the nation's centennial .iubilee was fitly
celebrated in Lanark, we gleau from the Lanark
Gazette ; Mr. George Hay was the alile editor
at that time. It says : "over five thousand peo-
ple were present at a grand jiatriotic outliurst liy
tlie iiioneei-s and jiatriots of Carroll County."
The early dawn of this centennial holiday was
disturbed by the ringing of bells aud the dis-
charge of firearms, aud those whom these failed
to arouse, received a still louder call, v.-hen an
old field piece sent forth her first intimation
that she too could speak on that da.v. The firing
of the cannon was in charge of John Rule. \V.
L. Tomlinson, D. AY. Dame, Dan Snyder, after-
ward sheriff of the couut.v. Dr. Chamberlaiid
(dentist), Wm. Mizuer and J. Borcherd, wlio did
their work, we are told, "coolly and effectively,
without excitement and withnut accident."
These gentlemen had procured the government
field piece from the arsenal at Rock Island.
and given their bonds for its return.
The whole town was beautifully decorated
with flags and bunting, the portraits of AYash-
ington and Lincoln were plentifully distributed
about the town ; "and even the much .abused
Grant found a defender on that day in the
person of Mrs. C. E. Wales, who gave his por-
tr.iit a couspicuous place among the decorations
on one of the corners of the street."
A prominent feature of the program was the
march of the Fantastics. jireceded by Gideon's
liand.
The engines on the trains passing throngh
tlie town, were profusely aud handsomely decor-
ated, and the cannon was again fired on the
arrival of each train.
The procession was arranged in the following
order: Lanark Cflrnet band, hook and ladder
company. AYilliam L. Thompson, fireman ; hose
company, L. A. Chaffee, foreman, George Butts,
assistant foreman : Neptune fire engine company.
William Lowis, foreman; James Buchaiman.
first assistant ; I'eter Royner, second assistant ;
William Crinklaw, engineer. All were beauti-
fully .•uul profusely decorated.
The entire fire department was under tlie
leadership of city marshal, William Beans.
assisted by N. R. Rose, a.ssistant marshal.
Following next was the c-annon drawn by two
hor.ses ; Band of Martial nnisic ; .Alasonic socie-
ties. Marshal, Dr. II. W. Wales: Independent
Order of Odd Fellows. Dr. J. Ilaller, marshal.
Saliula Cornet band car containing Goddess
of Liberty aud thirty-eight young ladies, Miss
Lizzie Ila.v. now the wife of Arthur Woodruff,
postmaster of Savanna was among these, each
of the young ladies represented one of the states
of the union. The editor of tlie Gazette says :
"This was one of the grandest features of the
procession." The car was drawn by four fine
horses, furnished and driven by W. W. Rock-
well, next a carriage containing Hon. .Tames
Shaw, orator of the day; the IIon.^D. M. Dame.
president of the day. dressed in costume of
ITTti. representing General Washington, fullowed
by carriages containing other distinguished
citizens.
M.-ijor (ieorge A. Root was chief iiiarsli.-il.
and .\. V. Branyan assistant.
.Vt tlie stand excellent music was rendered
by the bands and a select glee club, consisting
of .Mi.sses May Z. Su.yder and Stella AVTiite,
witli Miss L. Smith at the organ and Messrs.
J. K. .Millard and W. P. Smith.
"A most eloquent and appropriate prayer" was
offered by the Rev. Charles Rowe.
Tile Declaration of Independence was read
liy the Rev. J. W. Henderson.
The president, the lion. D. W. Dame, pre-
faced his introduction of the .speaker, with an
^. ^^
.V^
^t^^
HISTORY OF CARROLL ("OUNTY
701
liistoriciil skutcli, uf Ihu iiiaich ul' eveiit.s which
preceded, "the drama enacted July -Ith, 177(!, and
the stirring sequences whieli followed."
Hon. .James l^haw delivered an oratinn wliicli
was I'Miiiicnti.v litliiij; for the occasion.
KAUl.Y nAYS
The country all about Lanark in early days,
was thiidy settled jirairie land. .James I!.
Howell who first settled iu Freedom townshii)
in tlie fall of 184.">, lived in a house on the site
of Lanark, where his son Thomas 1''.. and
dauirhler llanna V.. were the first white children
horn ill Itock Creek townsliiii, where Lanark
now slands.
when pumped- direct into mains. It has a
volunteer fire department very effective and
efficient.
Its electric lights are furnished hy a private
philit.
TKI.EPIIO.NE SYSTEM
Tlie Lanark Mutual and the Independent
Telephone c-ompanies, each have central stations
in Lanark and are well patronized. The Lanark
Mutual has nearly seven hundred subscribers,
many of whom are stockholders. .John I{. Wolf
is ijresidenl. Itoyd Zuck, secretary, and W. II.
Dresltack, auditor. It was first organized.
-March li. V.M2, and incorporated, July 10, 1907.
lil'SINESS 1011
Lan.-irk has twn hotels, two dry goods and
one gents' furnishing store, two meat markets
and three restaurants and one bakery, three
grocery stores and two agricultural implement
stores, three wagon and l)lacksmilh sliops, two
banks, and three barber shops, two millinery
shojis and three physicians, two harness shojis
and two elevators, two billiard halls, one lumber
yard and two coal dealers, a furniture store and
undertaker, one uewsiwper, the Lauark Gazette.
seven churches, several very large and handsome
church edifices. Tlie cost of I^an;irk"s former
schoolhouse was seventeen tliousaiid dollars.
wlieh was destroyed by fire, November. 18!):!,
supposed to liavi- been created by siionfaneons
couihustion in a large pile of soft coal in the
basement. It was rebuill at a cost of twenty-
four thousanil dollars for building, apparatus
and furniture and library. It is one of the finest
school buildings in tlie county, lias a library of
seven hundred volumes with nearly four hun-
dred fiupils enrolled.
\VATER WOHKS
Lanark has oni' of the best systems of water
works in tlie counly. established in LSSS. con-
sisting of two and lialf miles of water mains
and twenty-eight hydrants.
The water is pumped from a well into a
stand pipe by an eighty-five horse power engine,
with a tank that will hold si.xly lliou.sand gal-
lons of water. The puinjis have a capacity of
four thousand galhuis every (juarter of an hour
FACTORIES
One of the most successful is the r.,anark
('aiming Company. They sell their g(>o<ls as the
•'.Maple City Brand," which lias acipiiicd ipiite
an enviable reputation.
The company packed during the |iast year,
five hundred thousand cans of corn, one hundred
and ninety thousand of pumpkin and thirty
thou.sjind cans of tomatoes. During the ■|)ast
ye.ir the capacity of tlie plant has been doubled.
They have paid out during the year ten thousand
dollars to the farmers for raw material, nearly
seven thousand dollars for labor and over a
thousand dollars to local merchants for supplies.
The company was iiicorponited iu May. 1007,
with a capital of fifteen thousand dollars, after-
wards increased to twenty-five. John W. Peters
is president, Peter Ilowigan, secretary and
treasurer, Thomas W. Potter the efficient man-
ager. "Try the .Maple City brand and be con-
vinced of its merits." W. II. Dresback is one
of tlieir efiicient salesmen.
ROCK (KEEK TOWXSniP
Population, 1010, 1,840. Elevation, 780 feet to
047 feet above tlie sea level.
This township is comix)sed of high, beautiful
rolling prairie there being no groves and few
streams; it was among tlie last to be settled
in the county, altlumgh the soil is the best, and
the farms now the most valuable in tlie county
and llic larincrs the wealthiest, many of them
Iiaviii;.' fine Imililiiii-'s and iiiiidcrn imiiriivciiicnls.
702
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
, FIBST SETTLERS
Kock Creek's first settlers were David Becker
aud Zofhasiah Kiukode. Becker sold to Dauiel
Beldiu};. who came to this county from Vermont,
and in ISoo, had a large cheese factory, capable
of manufacturing a thousand pounds per day.
The greater part of his cheese was sold in
Europe. Richard A. Thompson was an early
settler and the first to introduce cheese making
into the county, which was engaged in quite
extensively, for the means at hand. l)y some of
the early settlers.
D. W. Dame who was born in New Hampshire,
settled in Rock Creek in June, 1857.
Amos Wolf whose father was an early settler
at Cherry Grove, was one of the most extensive
farmers in Rock Creek. He raised and sold in
one shipment 177 liogs, which netted him in
cash, $4,828. One of his brothers, David Wolf
did better since then by making one shipment
of cattle that amounted to over eight thousand
dollars. The early settlers' fathers, some of
them non-residents, purchased large tracts of
its beautiful prairie land, but as the first owners
passed away iu the settlement of their estates,
their farms have subsecjuently been divided into
smaller places.
CHAPTER XI.
CHERRY GROVE— FREEDOM— LIMA,
TOWNSHIPS.
found growing in this grove. They were very
tall and straight trees and could be seen a consid-
erable distance from the prairie, towering above
the oaks and other trees.
The 1910 census credits the township with 704
inhabitants.
STAGE LINES
Cherry Grove figured quite prominently in the
early settlement of the county on account of the
stage lines that passed through this territory
from the east and south converging here in a
highway that led to the Galena Lead Mines,
which was perhaps what was called the Sucker
Trail ; along this road the southerners returned
every fall with their home made wagons loaded
with mineral, drawn by four or six yoke of
oxen ; most of these oxen having their toes
shod with iron to withstand the wear of constant
traveling: aud although slow iu motion they
made a very good motive ix)wer when urged
along by the great thong whips of their drivers,
the crack of which resounded for some distance
and is remembered by the early settlers as well
as the squeaking of their heavily loaded wagons.
Some of these teams brought merchandise, which
the steamboats landed at Peoria, for the mer-
chants of Galena, whidi they distributed
throughout the northwest country. The Cherry
Grove stage station was located near the west
boundary of the township on section 30. It was
the first stopping place in the county of many
of the early settlers. Another road passed
through the northeast corner of the township
from Gratiots Grove, fifteen miles from Galena,
to Peoria.
THE EACIXE AND MISSISSIPPI RAIIJiOAD
CHEBKY GBOVE — STAGE LINES — RACINE AND MISSI.S-
SIPPI EAILEOAD — GEORGE , TOWN — WOOD LOTS —
FOREST FIRES WILD GINSENG — EARLY SETTLERS
LINCOLN AND DOUGLAS DEBATE — FREEDOM TOWN-
SHIP — ARNOLD'S GBOVE — HUNTING GROUNDS OF
THE INDIANS — EARLY SETTLERS — WAGES — HORTI-
CULTUBE OECHABDS — LIMA TOWNSHIP.
This railroad was laid through this township
and a great deal of the line graded. Some of
these grades are now used as a part of the pub-
lic highway, and future generations may wonder
how so much dirt came to be moved to so little
purpose. The answer involves a tale of fraud
and misreiM'esentation and misplaced confidence
by which many of the farmers of Carroll County
were grievously imposed upon.
CHEBBY GBOVE
GEORGETOWN
Cherry Grove was so named from the great
number of wild cherry trees the early settlers
Georgetown, two miles north of Lanark,
started in 1850 is now a collection of a few
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
703
houses, a church and a school house, liut would
have been a considerable towu had the R. & M.
railroad beeu built.
WOOD LOTS
The eastern ixirt of the township was a beau-
tiful rolling [irairie and the western part wood-
ed hills. Where the timber was thick the land
was divided into wood lots of a few acres each
which those owning prairie farms purchased for
supplying fuel and wood for other purposes on
the farm. The frame work of many of the large
barns in the county was made from hewn tim-
ber. Most of the old houses have great tire-
places, where the rough wood in large pieces was
used for heating the house. It was all brought
from the wood lots, some times several miles
distant, usually in winter time on sleds.
FOREST FIRES
In early days forest fires frequently swept
through these woods and destroyed a great deal
of the timber. Since they have been kept out the
growth of young trees has beeu quite rapid, so
that notwithstanding a large portion of some of
the groves has been grubbed out to make ready
for farming, there is more timber in the county
now than when it was first settled. Coal is so
much cheaper very little wood is used for fuel.
Many of the large basswood trees are shipjjed
out of the county to be used for making matches
and for other purjioses. Portable saw mills are
used to convert the large hard wood trees, prin-
cipally oak and walnut, into lumber which is
con.sumed on the farms and for planking bridges,
thi walnut, which is too valuable for the.se pur-
pose, finds a ready market outside of the county.
What is said here will apply to all the groves
and timber lots throughout the c-ounty, some of
which have been more nearly destroyed than
others.
WILD CIN'SENG
One of the products of these groves, besides
the game and berries which were very abundant,
was the roofs of the wild ginseng. These in
early days the Indian gathered and after tbem
the trappers and hiuiters. and was usually sold
to the druggists. It is now shipited to China,
where the Chinese use it as a medicine. .\s the
wild roots became scarce it became very valuable,
and in late years the cultivation of the roots has
become a new industry. At Georgetown in Cherry
Grove, Mr. Switzer has started quite a large
garden from wild roots found in the grove. He
uses artificial shade, as it has to be grown in the
shade. C. L. Hostetter near Mount Carroll, has
nearly an acre in cultivation under the natural
shade of the trees, and Ilolman and Jloore in
Woodland township, have an acre or more in
cultivation under the trees. It is said that an
acre of these roots ready for harvesting is worth
several thous;iud dollars. The Ditsworth Broth-
ers of Salem Township were among the first to
experiment in raising ginseng. There are sev-
eral others in the county engaged in this new
industry.
EARLY SETTLERS OF CHERRY GROVE
The following are the names of early settlers
who seem to have been omitted in the general
histoi-j' of the county, and the years when they
settled in Cheri-y Grove. Simon Fellows, in the
early thirties, is said to have been the first
postmaster at the (irove. Mi-s. Martha Winters,
widow, formerly Jlartha Bailey, came from
Greenbriar county, Virginia, April 12th, 1833,
and kept the stage house for her brother-in-law,
.John D. Winters, at Cherry Grove in an early
day. .She married Levi Warner who had settled
in Elkhorn (Jrove in 183G. William Wiley came
in 18.37, John Pierce in 1838. Francis Garner,
wife and five or si.x; children, came from .southern
Illinois in 1834; he had been in the BUickhawk
war and selected his claim on his way home
after his discharge at Galena. In 1841, W. A.
.T. Pierce came with his father's family from
Washington Co., Md. They had a sL^t-horse
team and one wagon. They left in the spring
and stopped on the way to visit, arriving at
Garners, near the Grove, in October. Abraham
Moffett had been west before 1841 and went east
after having made a claim and broke some land,
to get married. He and his bride came west
with the Pierce family. Henry B. Puterbaugh,
David Puterbaugh and Aaron Beck came in
1840 and George W. Puterbaugh, R. L. Chitty and
Henry Puterbaugh in 1848. Larkins Lind.sey
taught school about this time in the Moffett log
sh;inty. .Mr. Pierce's sister Virginia, also taught
the school at the Grove.
704
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
LINCOLN AND DOVGI^S DEBATE
AENOLD S GROVE
John Wolf, one of CUerry Grove's pioneer citi-
zens tooli a notable part in the great debate of
Lincoln and Douglas, at Freeiwrt, August 27th,
1858. Mr. Douglas arrived the day before in the
evening and was escorted to the Brewster House
l)y a torchlight procession. Mr. Lincoln arrived
on a special train on the Illinois Central at ten
o'clock in the morning of the day of the debate
and it is said was escorted to the hotel by his
friends pressing into their service an ox team,
hitched to a hayrack, on which the "rail split-
ter," rode, and he was followed by an immense
throng of people to his hotel, with great cheering
all the way. It was arranged that Mr. Douglas
was to be taken from the hotel to the grounds,
where the si^eaking was to be in a coach drawn
by four white horses. But Mr. Linctiln's friends
had arranged with Jlr. .John Wolf, who hajipeiied
to be in town with his big Pennsylvania or Con-
nestoga wagon with his big four horse team, that
he should procure another span of fine horses to
put with his four horse team and drive Mr. Lin-
coln and some of his friends to the grounds in
his big wagon with the splendid six horse team
with their big harness and other trappings. lie
did so, riding the "wheel horse,'' and guiding the
team with one line in regular Pennsylvania style.
When Mr. Douglas heard or saw that Mr. Lin-
coln was going to the grounds in such rustic
state, he refused to ride in the coach with the
four white horses and walked to the grounds in
still more democratic fashion.
When Mr. Wolf returned home, his fame had
preceded his arrival and his neighbors took
pleasure iu asking him, "what have you been
doing at Freeiwrt?" "Oli," he said, "acting the
fool for other people." It is said he got forty
dollars for the job. with which he was well
pleased.
A thousand i)eople from Carroll County at-
tended this meeting.
FREEDO.M TOWNSHIP
Freedom is in the middle of the northern
tier of townships in Carroll County. The cen-
sus of 1910 gives the population at .580. The
northwest half of the township is hilly and at
til? time of the settlement of this portion of the
country was covered with scattering timber and
one beautiful grove.
It was named after Daniel Arnold and his
son John, who settled there in 1810. In early
days it was one of the finest groves in the coun-
ty, but its glory has departed, nothing now is
left of the great trees but their stumps and few
of these have e.scaped the "gnawing tooth of
time." Mr. Arnold's wife, whose maiden name
was Price, was a sister of Mrs. David Emmert,
whose husband built the mill and started Mount
Carroll.
The township has about the same history as
that of Cherry Grove. Owens Point as it was
called where John Owens resided, was within
the limits of Freedom Township, as were the
farms of the Moffetts. Marks and Lairds.
HLXTIXG GROUNDS OF THE INDIANS
The Indians were numerous for many years
after the Black Hawk war, and as late as 1835
or 36 a trading post was kept at Owens Point
where guns, amunition, calico, blankets, whiskey,
red handkerchiefs, beads and etc.. were ex-
changed witli the Indians for pelts and gin-
seng.
The Indians were a source of annoyance and
greatly feared especially l)y the women and
children. They clung to their hunting grounds of
which Plum river and its tributaries furnished
the very best, and to the graves of their fathers.
represented by the beautiful Indians Mounds on
the edge of the timber overlooking the prairie
to the southward.
EARLY SETTLERS
The early settlers were the same class of
people as those who settled Cherry Grove, and
they came from the same localities in the east.
William Thompson made the first claim at Ar-
nold's Grove iu 18.33.
(iarner Moffett from Wasliington Co.. \:i..
came in 1830.
In 1843 George Grove settled on section 2'.) : .-ilso
Jacob Alright, who came with the Arnolds in
1840. His widow, an aged lady, is now living
with her son in Iowa, age ninety-one years.
In 1845 quite a number settled in Freedom
Township. There was W. R. Laird and Daniel
Miller, David Teeter, Daniel Teeter. .Samuel
Mitchell and James R, Howell, Joseph Stitzel
C'OLI.KCK IIAI.L. riiWCKS SHIMER SCHODI.. Ml i AHHOLI.
ii\-niA\\ \^ iiM.i.. ri{ANci;s siiimi-;h sciiooi,. mt. cahkoi.l
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
ro5
niul Daniel Sheiirer. In 1842 ciinip .Matlicw K.
Davis and Soionioii Wado witli liis sister ("ani-
line, afterwanl Mrs. James Mark and the luund-
er of the Caroline Mark Ilonie at Monnt Carrdil.
WAliES IN EARLY nAYS
A niontli's work was valued at ten dollars,
riowiiif; fil'ty cents per da.v and liutchering
one dollar: one da.v use of cattle (ox team)
twenty-tive cents ; a week's work by wife, sev-
enty-tive cents; one day raking and binding
wheat, one dollar; work at haying, fifty cents
a day.
Most of the early settlers were from Tennsyl-
vauia with some from Maryland. They planted
orchards and soon had about them the comforts
of life, living in good frame houses, some of
brick, as a brick yard was started in early days
at Mount Carroll, there being suitable clay there
for making tine red brick.
Agriculture is the chief oecnpation of tlie peo-
ple here as elsewhere throughout, tlie county.
lIORTICULTtRE
Mr. C. F. Schaale.however. wluise farm is near
the Mounds, has recently gone into horticulture,
having iilanled twenty-five hundred apple, plum
and cherry trees, trwo thousand grapes, fifteen
hundred currant and goose berries. He makes
a specialty of canning tomatoes in glass. One
year (1911) he put up two hundred crates, lie
also manufactures grape juice. He crates bis
grapes in five pound baskets, six in a crate.
In this way they stand shipiiing better than the
usual way of putting a larger (piantily in a sin-
gle basket, lie also raises some tine melons.
the east tier of townisliijis. It Is one half the
congressional townshii) the other half being in
Ogle County.
It is a beautiful ijrairie <ountry with a part of
Chambers Grove running into the east side of it.
On account of it being mostly prairie it was not
settled as early as other portions of the county,
most of the early settlers coming there from 1844
to ]8.')(i.
.John Chambers and I'hiletus Peck, the very
flr.st settlers, came prior to 1840. A ma.jorily of
the early settlers were fr(un Pennsylvania, but
.losejih Franks, who came in 1844, was born in
T(M'onto and his wife was born in Canada.
Nathan Krebs and liis wife came in 184."! also
Gabriel Sarber and bis family all from Pemisyl-
vania.
Charles Franks, who was born in England,
came to this state in isy.j and to this county in
1840, his wife Ellen Young was bom in England.
John W. Franks, born in Canada, came the
same .vear, his wife was from Pennsylvania.
Z. D. Marks, born in Connecticut, came to this
county iu 1848 and Emanuel Ilepler was born In
Pennsylvania, came to this county 1840, also
Isaac Paul.
There were some l.wge land <iwners in Lima
in early days some of whom were nonresidents
which prevented the township from being so
thickly and speedily settled as other parts; these
large tracts of land are gradually being divided
into smaller farms, with resident owners.
CIIAPTEK XII.
ORCIIARnS
.\pple orchards in tliis county have not been
a great success except on a very small scale
and the very best attention, which a few of the
farmers have time to give them, and they are
short lived. Some of the older settlers have
planted the fourth or fifth orchard on their
farms and these only liear abtmdantly occa-
sionally.
I.IM.V TOWNSIIIl"
rcpnlalion I'.lld. :'<2:\.
Lima township Is situalccl in the middle of
VILLAGE OF MILLEIKIEVILLE— WYSOX—
ELKllOKN GKOVE To\VX8IIlP8.
MILLEnGEVlI.T.E — ORKilNAI. PLAT WYSOX TOWN-
SHIP — EARLY- .SETTLERS — ELKHORN GRO\'E TOWN-
SHIP — THE PEOPLE — IXK) ROLLINGS — OLD CEN-
TER SCHOOL HOUSE — METHODIST CnURCH —
HAND SAW-MILL — FIRST WATER POWER MILLS —
A GO-DEVIL — A DUTCH OVEN — THE SUCKER TRAIL
— A PIGEON TRAP — CHOICE DISHES — INTOXICAT-
ING LIQUORS — A VAI.UAIU.E LOAD — NAMKS OK
706
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
EABLY SETTLERS — WAB BECORD — THE UNDEB-
GBOUND RAILROAD HA2ELHURST.
MILLEDGEVILLE
This village of six huuared thirty oue in-
habitants by the census of 1910, is 729 feet above
the sea level, is located in the south east corner
of Wysox township surrouujed by a country un-
surpassed for farming and stock raising. It was
iucoriwrated as a village in 1887.
OBIGIXAL PLAT
The original plat of Milledge-iille was made by
George W. Knox and Rollin Wheeler, April 10th,
1850, and certified to by Philander Seymour
County Surveyor. Later when the Burlington
railroad was built through the county in 1886 a
station was established north of the old town
and a large addition made to the town under the
auspices of the St. Paul Land Company entitled
Myers Addition, where the business part of the
town rapidly built up with fine store buildings
suitable for every branch of trade, and a fine
school building was erected at the cost of fi.ono
dollars in 1877.
It has three churches, two physicians, one
jewelry and drug store, one harness shop and one
elevator, one lumber and two coal dealers.
one furniture store and one hotel, three dry goods
stores, one meat market and two restaurants.
four grocery stores, three wagon and black-
smith shops, one bank, Shumway State Bank.
I. F. Greenawalt, Prest., X. M. Cantrell, V.
Prest., H. C. Knox, Cashier, and two barber
shops, and one weekly newspaper and iirintiug
office. The Free Press, W. L. Puterbaugh, editor
and proprietor. A water .system Is owned by the
city which pays running expenses. The city is
out of debt having paid the last bond in Jan-
uary, 1912.
The village has many flue residences with beau-
tiful lawns, kept in fine condition, and the
residents are progressive and up to date in
every respect. Recently the citizens of the vil-
lage and Wysox township have voted to expend
thirty-five thousand dollars in improving the
reads into Milledgeville. They expect this
amount of money will build about thirteen miles
of hard road.
WYSOX TOWNSHIP
By the last census Wysox township had a
ixjpulation of 1,483. No better farming lands
can be found anywhere. In early days most of
the township was a beautiful rolling prairie
country. On the east it was bounded by Elk-
horn Grove. Some of the early settlers have
been mentioned in the sketch of that township.
As in other cases the first settlers located near
the groves in order that they might have not
only the protection of the timber but have wood
for fuel and logs for building their cabins and
timber for making rail fences to protect their
crops. Live stock for many years was allowed
to roam over the praii'ies at will and stock rais-
ing became one of the most profitable branches
of farming that the early settlers engaged in,
and still continues to be such although now the
law requires every owner of cattle to keep them
on his own land and a farmer may raise his
crops unprotected by fences.
EARLY SETTLERS
Among the first settlers was the Eastabrook
family. They came from Bradford County, Penn-
sylvania, making the entire trip overland by
wagon, fording the Ohio river at "WTieeling,
West Virginia. There were no bridges in those
days and every stream along the route had to
be forded. A. G. Eastabrook made this trip with
his father's family in the winter of 1839. He
was eighteen years old when he settled here.
There were no railroads then and the grain was
often carted to Chicago where wheat sold at
fifty cents a bushel. He took some of his wheat
to Mt. Carroll, where it l)rought thirty-five cents
a bushel at the mill, but its value had to be taken
out in trade. He married Ellen Wheeler, a
daugliter of Rollin Wheeler, an early settler, and
at one time sheriff of Carroll County.
Levi F. Eastabrook came to Carroll County a
few years later. He bought the place where he
lived, a farm of one hundred and sixty acres of
prairie land, and ten acres of timber, for eight
Inmdred dollars, which is worth now more than
twenty times that sum.
Josiah P.. Johnson came to this county from
Bradford County, Pennsylvania, in 18.39, was
sheriff of the county in 1856. His wife, Lucy
Ann Tucker, was from Tompkins County. New
York.
HISTORY OP CARROLL COUNTY
707
Another notable citizen of Wysox who set-
tled there in early days, was Elder Ileury Myers,
a fanner and preacher. lie and his wife, Anna
Lichty. were the parents of sixteen children,
twelve of whom grew to nianliood and woman-
hood. He left surviving him at the time of his
death nearly one hundred granddiildreu and
fifty great-grandchildren. With Init one exception
they were all engaged in farming and almost
one hundre;! farms were opened and owned hy
himself and his descendants. Jllany of the
fariners in this townsliip now have very hand-
some and conunodious rosidenct^ with all the
modern comforts and conveniences that are en-
joyed hy residents of the cities. Modern in-
ventions enable the farmer to harness the wind
and add many comforts to his home at moderate
expense.
There were other early settlers of Wysox who
have been mentioned elsewhere.
■ EI.KIIOKN GHOVE TOWNSIIU'
I'oimlution I'JlO, four hundred and thirty-one.
Another of its first settlement.s and the most
extensive at that time, in Carroll County, was
KIkliorn Grove in tlie southeast corner of the
county. This grove was settled by pioneers from
all parts of the east, some of tlieni (timing first
lo (tliio and some to ICentucky and southern
Illinois.
THE PEOPLE
Most of these jieople were originally from
New Knglanil. New York and Virginia, with a
few from I'ennsylvania, but not neiirly so many
from the latter state as there are in other
parts of the county.
Elkhorn Grove and neighlmrhood, in fact the
whole county, was settled by a very intelligent
and enterprising class of peope. Most of tbem
were from the midde class of societ.v. both in re-
gard to intelligence and wealth. They had been
acrustomed. in tlieir native states, to liabits of
industry and they did not leave those habits be-
hind theru. They were all .voung people and
entered upon the labor of o|)ening farms and
gathering around them the comforts of life, with
a zeal and determination which with their earn-
est efforts could not fail of success.
Upon their arrival they were nearly all strang-
ers to each other, in a strange, almost uninhab-
ited land, and later with a few neighbors and
these far aixirt. But they all came here with
the same object to make homes for themselves
and their families.
LOG ROLLINGS
At the log rollings was one of the first and
best means of getting acquaintel with others.
At these many of the pioneers met for the first
time and acquaintances and friendships were
formed wliich were enjoyed as long as life lasted.
The first log rolling at Elkhorn Grove of
which we have any account was the one Levi
Warner mentions in his notes: '"June 0th. 1S34,
went to Aukenies raising."
(We are indebted to Mr. Henry Elsey of Elk-
horn Grove fcr the following facts in regard to
the building of a log cabin here related.)
After the trees were cut and trimmed and
drawn to the place where the cabin was to be
built and every thing was ready for the raising
the day was set and the ueighlwrs far and near
were all invited to the raising. The tools that
were necessary to have in building a log house
were an axe and an auger ; in addition to these
if the builder had a frow and an adze he was
well supplied : the frow was used in splitting
the "shake," shingles and the adze to smooth off
and level the "puncheon floor." It was a tool
something like a hoe but heavier and with a
sharp steel edge.
The neighbors came with their ox teams and
their log chains and whatever tools they had
that would be useful at the raising. Some of the
men were skilled workmen who had learned to
clio|) wood in the old home in the east. When
they got together ready for the rolling a cap-
tain was first chosen, then four men to notch the
corners. To do this nicely, required some skill
which came from practice.
The door and window jambs were split from
some straight graine<l timber and hewn as
.smooth as it was possible to make them with the
tools they had at hand: the logs were "b\itted"
off straight or sawed, if they had a saw, and
the jambs fastened to the ends of the logs by
wooden pins driven into auger holes bored
through the jambs and into the ends of the logs.
When the walls were high enough, the gable
rafters, made from heavy poles, were i>ut in
place and lighter rafters in between these, to
which were pinned i)oIes running leugthwise of
the roof on wliich the. "shakes," were fastened.
708
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
these were long shingles made by splitting them
with a frow from logs four or five feet in length ;
on top of these, long iwles were fastened with
pins into the gable rafters which held the shakes
in place and kept them from warping. Next was
the IniiUling of the fireplace and chimney. -Vs
there was no stone or brick to be had it was
built of sticks and clay, the builder being c-are-
ful that no wood was exiwsed to the fire. A
supply of clay was kept on hand to patch any
place where it might scale off from the wood
and a pail of water to extinguish any incipient
blaze.
The floor was made of logs split in the center
and laid on the ground with the split side up,
the etlges being hewn straight so as to fit to-
gether as close as possible ; they were held in
place by wedges driven between the logs in the
side wall and these split logs, this foi-med the
puncheon tloor. The door was made of shakes
arid hung on wooden hinges witii a wooden latch
on the inside, wliich was lifted by pulling a
string that ran through a small hole in the door
to the outside, if pulled in the door was locked
against outsiders, Init "the latehstring was al-
ways out." for neighbors and friends, by the pio-
neers of Elkhorn Grove.
It was a hai>py day for tlie pioneers when the
small supply of household goods could be moved
into the log cabin, then it was:
"The 'prairie schooner' her anchor cast.
Lay at her moorings, just before.
The little log cahin's open door.
And the household goods, a meager store,
Lie scattered alx)ut on the i)uncheon floor.
Then it was that the bright young wife,
Began the worl; of her frontier life."
From Andrew Downings poem entitled the
"Pioneers," written for the second annual Old
Settlers Association meeting, September 23, 1S75.
Mr. Downing's father and mother settled in
.Mount Carroll Township in 1S37, and he was the
first male child Ijorn in that township.
The first log cabin, built in the grove was that
of John Ankeney in ISIil ; he abandoned it to
go to the Black Hawk War ; it was on the nortli
side of the grove on section eight, and was sev-
eral times used by pioneei-s a.-; a temixirary resi-
dence until they could liuild log taliins ftir them-
selves.
OLD CENTER SCHOOL HOUSE
While these jjeople were engaged in securing
their individual interests, they did not neglect
the c-ommon welfare. As soon as a sufficient
number of families settletl in a neighborhood a
log school house was built and school opened and
maintained by private subscription or tuition.
Oftimes donations either in money or labor were
made by those who had no children to educate.
Old Center school house was built of logs in
the fall of 1S3.5. and was no doubt the first build-
ing erected in the county exclusively for educa-
tional purposes. A man named Ingalls was the
first teacher. He was frozen to death in the
winter of 18.3G while going home, being intoxi-
cated.
METHODIST CHURCH
In this school house the south Elkhoni Grove
Methodist Churdi Society worshipi)ed initii a
church was built.
Father McKean, who was on the' circuit,
lireached the first sermon in Elkhorn Grove in
1S3G. The society was organized and had regu-
h-r preaching in the school house in the summer
of 1S.3S.
Their churcli Imilding was commenced in l.Slo
and CHimpleted at a cost of si.x hundred dollars,
the following year.
A pioneers' ii.\xd saw mux
-Vt a few places in the county, especially at
Elkhorn Grove are to be seen today holes in
the ground that are a puzzle to the casual ol)-
server to know how they came to be made there.
They were made by the early settlers to use
in sawing boards from logs.
.V pit was dug perhaps twent.v feet long and
six feet or more deep around which a scaffolding
was built of logs two or three feet above the
ground, on this a log was placed that had been
hewn flat on both sides, on the upper side the
thickness of the boards to be sawed was marked
off with chalk or charcoal ; the saw was started
on one of these lines, a man in the pit with a
veil over his face to keep the sawdust out of
his eyes, pulled it down, a man on top pulled it
up and guided it in the mark; sometimes he
was assisted b.v the spring of a sapling bent over.
Not far from the center of section eighteen Elk-
horn Grove Township, one of these mills was in
active operation in 1S3.^>-.3(j.
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
709
The niiin in the pit was called the iiitinaii.
Thus came the name of the bar that coimecteil
the iiower in the saw mill to the saw and later
the l)ar tliat connected the sickle in the nunvcr
or reaiHT with the wheels of the machine was
called the pitnian. Other excavations are some-
times seen wliere charcoal was made, calli'd cliar-
coal iiits, but they were not so large.
A lllTHI OVEN
The most important piece of Idtcheu ntensil
was the dutch oven. It was u larj;e cast iron
lK)t with a lid that had a flange around the edge.
Anything to be baked or cooked was put in the
|Hit and set in the coals then the lid was put on
and lilled with coals. This could be easily lifted
iilT williH\il 1,'etting aslies or coals into tlie lK)t.
TIIK FIHST MU.l.S IN THE COUNTY
•|lie lirst saw mill in the county run liy water
power was erected by Jesse Kestou on IClkhorn
cieek near Milledgeville in 1834. The Bowen
Hrolhers saw mill was laiilt on Plum river in
l,s:r.. lu ].s:!T Klijah Katon l)uilt a saw mill on
i:iMinrn creek. This mill was purcliased l>y
Smith and .Jurney and later was sold to Man-
assa XeiUirk; Lucius S. TUorp Iwughl it in tlie
fifties and converted it into a grist mill, later it
was known as the L. S. Thorp and Sous mill and
was tlie first mill in this part of the country to
adopt the roller process lu the making of fiour.
When the farmers of the surrounding country
could no longer raise wheat the mill was again
cliangcd into a saw mill, with a rotary instead
of the old time sash .saw. And it is now (1012J
the only water power mill of any kind in the
cM\n]ty.
IIRST ITXJlIt MII.I.S
The lirst settlers at the grove to<:ik their grain
to I'eoria to be ground, there was the nearest
mill. Later Adam Knox built a small mill on
Elkhorn Creek and .lo.-^cph Wilson Imilt one on
.r.ulTalo Creek.
A (;0-l)EVlL
Crain was taken in small ciuantities to these
mills and lo avoid using the heavy wagon for so
small a load llu- farmers at the grove made and
used what tliey called a go-devil. It was made
from a forked limb or log, betweeu the two
branches cross pieces were pinned ; the load was
placed uiM)n this, the oxen were hitchcHl to it
witli a chain and it was dragged n|Min the
ground ; tlie same instrument was often used in
winter when tlie snow was deep to break a path
for the children to tlie scliool house.
NAMES OMITTKl)
The lollowing are tlie names of settlers who
c.ime prior to IS.jO, who seem to have been omit-
ted from the general history of the county; and
some interesting facts connected with the lives
of others.
.Vlvin llumiihrey came in 183.") or :!l!, and
started a tavern <ni the Sucker Trail, on the
north east (piarler of sc<-lion Iwclve. Wysox
Townsliii).
Kansoni Shoemaker arrived at the grove early
in the spring of IK'A and moveil his family into
a cabin built by Ankeny in ISiJl.
.John Knox and family came in l.S:!4.
.loliii Katon. Caleb and Alva Dailies, bis brotli-
ers-in-law settled in South KIkhorn in 1836.
Caleb had settled there a few years before
.Tohii Eaton built the first house between Chicago
and the Mississippi river.
Lucy L. Eaton, nee Daincs, was a very notable
woman. She was an expert in the use of the
spinning wheel and loom. She not only made
cloth to supply her ow^u family, she was step-
mother to ten children of Mr. Eaton, but she
wove cloth to sell to pay for the tuition and
school books for the children. She was the
(laughter of John Daines who lived near Maran-
Ihon, New York. John was a lad during the
Kevolutionary war. and his father. John Daines
was a soldier in that war.
Alva Daines came from New York and made
a home in Elkhorn in 1830. lie was a post-
master there for four years, on tlie stage line
from I'eoria to Galena, and was appointed by
the county commissioners the first assessor of
Carroll (Vmnty in 1S.3!>. His wife. .Martha
Erolhingham. was from Ohio.
Albert II. Ilealy. was a gradnale in music at
the W.voming Academy. New York. He came to
Elkhorn in 1841, with Hiram Ste^vart.
Samuel Orinsbee from Vermont settled in the
grove in ISl."i.
710
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
Jauies Henry Jenkins" family should not be
omitted. Henry Jenkins, as he was called, was
known all over the grove and abroad ; he was
noted for his Uospitality, at a time when all
frontiersmen made the traveler welcome; Mary.
Mrs. L. Fosdick ; Sarah, Mrs. Hiram Woodin ;
Lavinia, Mrs. P. MeCurdy and Nora. Mrs. John
Coffey, were bis daughters.
The Jenkins brothers who were here in the
thirties were, Russell, who was a soldier in
the Mexican war: William, who made a home on
set^-tion four and married Miss Eunice Stewart
of Eagle Point, ]S40; L'hauncy. who was born in
New York and married Mary Seaman, 1848;
Wellington, who resided near Stump Town
(Hitt) for some years. He married Mary
Becker, a sister of Capt. T. E. Becker, late of
Mount Carroll.
John W. Stewart and his wife Harriet L.,
nee Booth, were among the first of the old set-
tlers to aid in education and religious work. He
was a great temperance and auti-slaverj' man.
His wife taught for many years the infant class
in the church at Eagle Point.
Lucius S. Thorp, born in Genesee County, New
York, came to Carroll County in 184G. He was
county surveyor for many years. His son
Charles S. Thoi'ii owns and operates the only
water jiower mill left in Carroll County.
Naaman Spencer came in 1837 from Pennsyl-
vania. His family was of English origin. He
was born in Connecticut, a cooper by trade. He
and his sons supplied the flouring mills, of which
there were several in the grove, with flour bar-
rels in which flour was shipped in early days.
The business was discontinued in ISliS.
THE STICKER TRAIL
Just where tbis trail traversed tlirough tbe
county it is difficult now to tell, there were no
doubt several lines of travel which were changed
on account of difficulties that had to be over-
come or avoided. There are places where these
lines converged at fords of streams where the
deep worn cuts in the banks of the stream and
hill sides, indicate a great deal of travel many
years ago. The Sucker Trail where it ran
through Elkhorn Grove was afterward called
the State Road. The State Road was afterward
called the Telegraph Road. It is quite probable
the Sucker Trail diverged from this road east
of Mount Carroll and crossed Straddle Creek in
the grove that is now part of Wilderberg Place
and led from thence in a north and westerly di-
rection to Galena.
These early roads or trails were made along
by the groves and streams from necessity so that
there were stopping places where fuel and wa-
ter could be procured for campers. The Sucker
trail probably followed the Indian trails, which
no doubt were first traveled by the bufCalo and
deer and other wild animals perhaps the elk.
A PIGEON TRAP
Naaman Spencer made a pigeon trap and be-
came quite noted in the neighborhood on this
account. It was in the days when wild pigeons
were very plentiful. An oiien place was selected
in the woods, and the ground cleared and made
as smooth as a floor. This place was surround-
ed with a rail fence, when it was necessary, to
keep stock off. The pigeons were baited by scat-
tering wheat or corn on the cleared space until
the birds became accustomed to coming there to
feed. They would alight on the limbs of the
trees in great numljers, a few would venture on
the pigeon bed and if there was nothing to dis-
turb them they would alight on tlie ground to
get the grain, sometimes so thick that there was
no room for more. They were fed several days
with corn or wheat.
Then the net was set, it was made of twine
with meshes an inch and a half square about
twenty-four feet long by twelve wide, one edge
of the net was fastened to the ground on one
side of the pigeon bed and the net folded up
along the edge and covered with grass ; the two
loose corners were fastened to long roises ; the
opposite ends of the ropes were fastened to
spring poles bent over the opposite edge of the
bed ; when pulled down they were fastened tight
to some kind of a catch or trigger. From these a
line ran to a bough shelter several rods from the
pigeon bed where the operators, usually two,
came before daylight to spring the trap, which
had been set and baited the evening before. Mr.
Elsey. says : "It was an exciting time then until
the catch was made and hundreds, perhaps
thousands, of pigeons would come through the
tree tops and pass away, then another crow'd
would come and alight in the trees nearby. A
squin-el would perhajis jump into the pigeon bed
to get some of the grain then the pigeons would
all fly away, and not return for half an hour. At
last some of Hhem take courage and begin to
.<-:
HISTORY OP' CARROLL COUNTY
-11
returu in vast uumliers alighting near llie bed,
a single pigeon would hover over it for a moment
and settle slowly to the ground and begin to
pick up the grain, then a dozen then a hundretl
then the air would he thick with them and there
was no [ilaoe for them to alight upon the ground.
A steady pull would set free the net and the
spring of the pules would draw the net through
the cloud of birds at a distance of three feet
from the ground, then those iu the bough house
made all haste to get to the front line of the
net to hold it down so that the birds under the
net could uot escape. Witli a mighty roar the
birds that were free passed from sight and tlie
work of taking care of tlie captives began."
It was not unusual to catch from two to five
hundred at a time, and if the catch was a big
one, the neighbors were invited to help dispose of
tliem. Tliey were picked and dressed in the old
cooper shop, where five or six families would be
rei)resented at a "i)igeon picking.'' The body
fe-athers were carefully .saved to make feather
beds and some of these feather beds arc to be
found in the grove today.
CIIOU E DISHES
Among the choice dishes that apix'artnl on the
pioneers tables was smoked pigeon br(>asts. They
had been placed in brine for a short time and
then smoked, in the big chimney tire places, and
were considered a luxury even when other game
was almndant, smoked or dried venison being so
plentiful the settlers would tire of it.
On the prairie the farmers also caught pigeons,
much in the same manner usually in the fall of
the year. They set trees about the plat of
ground for the birds to alight on as iu the woods
planting the spring poles in the ground and
making a trigger to hold them down like the
boys use on a figure four trap, the upright piece
being driven into the ground. They had a novel
way of killing them, a slight bite on the back
bone just back of the skull would kill them in-
stantly. Old hunters understand this manner of
killing game.
INTOXICATINd LlylOU
It is no wonder that a great deal of intoxicat-
ing liquor was used about Elkhorn Grove.
Farmers rould not get cash for their corn, even at
the distillery, but they could exchange corn for
whiskey at the rate of a bushel of corn for a
gallon. A man would take a load of shelled com
to Peoria, which was ninety seven miles from
tlie grove and bring back a thirty-two gallon
barrel of whiskey, which he would exchange for
dry goods with the home merchant at tiiirty cents
lier gallon; the merchant tlien retailed i( for
thirty-five cents cash per gallon.
A VAI,U.\BI.E LOAD OF FARM PRODUCE
Mahassa Xeikirk came from Washington
County, Maryland. September 13, 1837, and set-
tled on section eighteen. Ills was a liosi)itable
family, at their cabin one always found the latch
string out. Tliey were thrifty and prosjK'rous.
-Mr. Xeikirk probably sold the most valuable
load of farm produce ever marketed in Carroll
County. It was a load of seventy bushels of
clover seed, which he hauled to Polo with a four
horse team and sold it for fourteen dollars a
bushel, receiving nearly one thousand dollars for
the load.
NAMES OF EARLY SETTLERS
The Webster bruthers; George It., Novatus
B., .Tared and Oscar, came from Delaware Coun-
ty. New York, and settled alxiut the Grove in
is:;."!. Their father. Elijah, with his wife and
daughters came iu 1837.
Daniel Stormer. who bad been in the I5lack
Hawk war, was from Tennessee. He settled in
Elkhorn Grove in 1837.
Hiram McNamar and wife came from Ken-
tucky. April 27th. 1830. He was twenty-three.
The young couple camped three weeks in their
wagon, until he built a cabin. Money was very
scarce. He paid Mr. Shoemaker all the money
he had for breaking three acres of prairie.
They were glad to have letters come from their
friends, but very sorry that they did not have
money enough to take tlieui from the post Office.
George W. Knox lanie to Carroll County in
ISU.
George Curtice came from England to Elkhorn
Grove in 18.37. His son .Tnhn afterwards sellled
near Shannon in Cherry Grove Township.
Eliakim Todd, moved from Connecticut to
Pennsj-lvania in 1823. Mr. Todd in company with
a brother-in-law. .Joseph Hire, started from Ea-
Raysville. Pennsylvania, in September, 1837 and
walked nearly the entire distance to Elkhorn
712
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
Grove, arriving at Humphrey's tavern, December
3rd. 1837. lu later .vears lie lived at the home
of his son. Samuel II. Todd at the Grand View
Farm near Milledgeville.
ililes Z. Laudou was born in Delaware County.
New York ; his wife, Mary Sanborn, was from
Canada. They came to the Grove in 1838. He
•was sheriff of Carroll County one term, also
Supervisor.
Klizabeth Lowry. \. G. Eastabrooks and Henry
C. Hunter came in 18-39. Mr. Hunter was from
Wilkinson County. Mississip|ii ; his wife came
from ^■irginia.
Jolm II. Hawes was from Bedford County,
Virginia. He bought a claim of Levi Warner
on section 21. September Ji!nd. 1840. Alfred
Steffins came the same year.
George W. Laudon came from New York state
and settled in the Grove in November, 184.5. He
was a skilled mechanic and had a blacksmith
shoii on the west bank of Elkhorn Creek at
Fremont. He invented a plow to take the place
of the wooden rooter. It required three yoke of
oxen to draw it. Soon it became known that
any kind of iron, steel or wood work could be
done at Landon's shop. He employed several
hands, among them Dennis Woodin. George An-
derson and Lewis B. Fosdick. The business
branched out and included a gun shop in which
rifles were made and repaired. He also made
files and rasps.
Gerardus Beekman came in 1S42 ; Levi Neikirk
in 1844; William L. .Johnson in 184.5; Ran.som
Wilson in 1849. He lived in the old stage house
where the first store was kei>t in the town.
The earliest arrivals at Elkhorn Grove may
be named and located as follows: On the west
end of the Grove were. Mahassa Neikirk. Alva
Daines. Lyman Hunt. Alvin Humphrey. Elijah
Eaton, the Eastabrooks, Todds and Newman.
On the north side, Sample M. Journey, John
Ankeny, Harry Smith, John Fosdick, Clark
Stoqe, and Naaman Spencer.
On the south side was John Kno.\, Levi
Warner, E. W. Todd. Daniel Stormer. Caleb
Daines, Hiram McNamar. Jasper Steflins.
Thomas Hughes, Abijah Painter and others.
About 18.37 a flood of settlers arrived at Elk-
horn Grove.
Most of the foregoing facts in regard to the
pioneers of Elkhorn Grove are taken from
biographical sketches written b.v Henry Elsey.
to whom we are greatly indebted for the use
of his manuscripts. He intends depositing these
sketches, which contain very many interesting
facts, with a IIistori«il Society at Polo, Ogle
County, Illinois.
W.\R RECORD
Elkorn Grove's war record was very creditable.
Jlr. Elsey says, "Long before a call for troops
was made by President Lincoln, the fire of war
lay smoldering in the breasts of the loyal citizens
of Elkhorn Grove.
"In school houses on winter evenings and in
store and blacksmith shops the subject of slavery
had been debated, pro and con."
Mr. Elsey's sympathies, like the majority of
the neighborhood, were with the slaves.
THE t'NDERGROUXD R.\ILR0AD
He was one of the operators of the under-
ground railroad an<l says he helped many slaves
to get from Fulton on the Mississippi river to
Byron, on their way to Canada and freedom.
They were usually taken from place to place in
the night, hidden in wagons with farm produce.
Continuing he says : "The invasion of Kansas
by a horde of southern ruffians, who Ixiasted that
they went there to fight and to vote slavery into
free territory, had fired the blood of the pioneers
and their loyal sons. When the call to arms came
more offered their services than oould be ac-
cepted, at that time." He gives a list of one
hundred and seven names of Elkorn Grove soldier
boys, a great many for that neighliorhood. es-
jiecially when we consider that Elkhorn Grove is
only half a towushii).
Among these were Harry Smith's sons. He
was born in New Hampshire: went to the lead
mines in Wisconsin from Rock Island in 18.32.
Enlisted in the Black Hawk war and was elected
captain of a company, called the White Oak
Springs Volunteers. He and Sample M. Journey
started the first store in the Grove. He bought
the claim of John C. Ankeny and afterward en-
tered it. It was the first claim that was en-
tered in the town.
He was the first member of the State Legis-
lature. 1843-44. from this county and was a
member of the Constitutional Convention. 1860-Gl.
His wife. Lucinda Dalton, was from North
Carolina.
Their son Samuel was in the First Illinois
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
713
Artillery in the war for the preservation of the
Union ; he was o-aptain of Battery A ; was taken
prisoner before Atlanta and was confined for
eight months in Confederate prisons.
Tip Garland !^niitli was in Company II, 71U
Illinois Cavalry, and Frank was Captain of Com-
pany D, 140th I. V. I.
IIAZELIURST
In the sonth east corner of Elkhoru Grove is
a station on the Chicago, r.nrlington and North-
ern Railroad, called Ilazelhnrst. It is so near
the east line of the connty it is difficult to tell
which county it is in. There is one general
merchandise store kept by Harry G. Smith, a
grandson of "Uncle Harry" Smith, just men-
tioned above. He is also postmaster. There are
eight houses in the town and thirty-two inhabi-
tants all told.
There is one elevator, one blacksmith sliop
and one doctor. C. W. SIcI'herson, SI. D. Hazel-
hurst is S4G feet above the level of the sea.
CHAPTEn XIII.
MOUNT CARROLL. CITY AND TOWNSHIP-
SALE.M TOWNSHIP.
CITY OF MOUNT CARROLI, — MAYORS PUBLIC
LIBRARY — CAROIJ.XE MARK HOME — BUSINESS
ENTERPRISES — CHURCHES — CIVIC SOCIETIES —
FRANCES SIintER SCllOOI.— MOUNT CARROLL
TOWNSHIP — FIRST MILL — FIRST SCHOOL — OCCU-
PATION OP FARMERS SAIEM TOWNSHIP — IN-
TERESTING INCIDENTS CYCLONES — A LOO
SCHOOL HOUSE — SPECIAL CROPS.
THE CITY OF MOUNT CARROLL
Written for the Connty History by N. Miles.
The city of Mount Carroll, the county seat of
Carroll County, is situated at aliout the geo-
graphical center of the county on the main line
of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway,
817 feet above sea level. Agriculture is the
principal business of the comnmuit.v, and as the
rural districts have iucrea.sed their wealth from
the fertile soil, the city has gained in pros-
perit.v. The hills uiion which it is built, Carroll
Creek wandering between them, the plentiful
trees, long shady streets and substantial public
buildings combine to make Mount Carroll one
of the very attractive towns.
While not varying greatly in jHapulation from
the figure shown by the census of lOHi — s<jme
ITo!) — Mount Carroll has been making a steady
and consistent advance along the lines of civic
improvement. There are few towns of its size,
if any. in the state, which can boast so many
creditable public buildings, such well organized
sch(X)ls and attractive park grounds, all char-
acterizing a si)irit of progress that is capable
of accomplishmeut.
The county buildings occupy a square in the
business district. The present Court House was
'built in 1858 to take the place of the stone
structure erected for the county by the old Mill
Company in IS-H. Since that time the business
of the county has again outgrown its quarters
and a second building was added for the use of
the county otficers in 1805.
The year 1911 witnessed the completiun of the
new City Hall, just west of the Court House
square. Realizing that the location was ad-
mirable for a City Hall, a number of citizens
under the name of the Mount Carroll Cit.v Hall
Association, Ixjught the site in 1910 and held It
until in 1911 a si>ecial election decided that the
city should buy the lot and put out a bond issue
of .$9,000.00 for the erection of a new Hall. The
present splendid building is the result and the
old City Hall perched on the edge of the 'Wau-
karusa" at the head of Market Street, is no
longer the meeting place of the council.
MAYORS
The old Hall witnessed the assemblage of a
long line of officers. The Mayors of the city
since 1878 are as follows :
1878 John L. Tonillnson.
1879 Henry Bitner.
1880 P. B. Cole.
1881 Henry Bitner.
1882 John Coleman.
lS,S:i Jas. C. Strong.
18.84 B. Lepman.
1885 George L. Hoffman.
714
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
18S6 George L. Hoffman.
ISST John W. Miller.
ISSS Johu W. .Millei-.
1SS'.> Otto Jesseu.
180U Frank D. Freeman.
1S91 X. H. MeleuUy.
1892 X. H. Meleudy.
1893 John Coleman.
1804 George L. Hoffman.
ISiio George M. Wberritt.
189G George il. Wberritt.
1897 George F. Buelier.
1898 Amasa T. Uunsliee.
1899 Thos. B. Rhodes.
1900 Chas. L. Kinney.
1901 Cha.s. E. Beaver.
1902 Amasa T. l)uushee.
V.Ht?, William It. Tiptou.
IWl Josephus B. Smith.
190.5 Chas. E. Beaver.
1906 Chas. E. Beaver.
1907 Chas. E. Beaver.
1908 John A. Bender.
1909 Jason B. Paul.
1910 George W. Ivey.
1911 T. A. War-htel.
PUBLIC I.IBK.\RY
Across the street from the City Hall stands
the Mount Carroll Township Public Library.
The building, erected in 1907, a beautiful struc-
ture of brick and stone under a tile roof, was
the gift of Andrew Carnegie. The Library con-
tains about 2000 volumes which have an an-
nual circulation of upwards of 10,000. The
present aduiiuistrative board has been in office
since the founding of the Library. President,
R. E. Eaton. Vice President, T. A. Waehtel,
Secretary. Chas. F. Schaale, Treasurer. George
D. Campbell. W. E. Xipe and N. C. Smith,
Librarian. Miss E. Luverta Smith.
Mount Carroll's Public School System has
been productive of very efficient work, and to-
gether with the Frances Shimer School, affords
to the city unusual educational advantages.
Housed in a .$.3,000.00 building completed in
1908, the equipment is modem and administra-
tion progressive, placing the school upon the
accredited list of the University of Illinois.
During the fall of 1911 the erection of a gym-
nasium was commenced. The funds necessary
for the purchase of material were raised by
popular subscription and Prof. R. Gorman, with
the assistance of the school boys, undertook the
work of constructing a building 42 by 86. Th«
Board of Education is as follows : President,
R. E. Eaton, Secretary, F. S. Smith, W. E.
Xipe, X. C. Smith, W. L. Kueale, S. P. Cole-
hour, J. C. Gelwicks, T. A. Waehtel, and Supt.
C. J. Brosnan.
Mount Carroll was, until 1906, handicapped by
the fact that there was but one bridge across
the creek that gave access to the country north
of the city, and this one was so placed between
hills that it necessitated considerable heavy
pulling for the farmers who used it. The con-
struction, on cement foundations, of an iron
bridge over 300 feet long has eliminated these
difficulties and has made more attractive that
part of the city lying north of the stream.
CAROLINE MARK HOME
Here the Caroline Mark Home for aged
women is situated. Jlrs. Caroline Mark, with
her husband James Mark, was one of the pio-
neers of northern Illinois. She died ix)ssessed
of a considerable estate and left the greater
part of it in trust for the founding of a home
for aged ladies. The building, erected in 1907,
stands on an elevated knoll, which together with
a farm bordering on the creek, comprises the
grounds of the institution. The present trustees
of the home are F. S. Smith, George D. Cami)-
bell and A. F. Wingert.
The grounds of the home have afforded a
location for the Auditorium of the Lincoln
Chatauqua, which has had a strong hold here
for several years, under the presidency' of the
Reverend William Beers. The Mount Carroll
meeting has come to be one of the strongest
Chatauqua Assemblies in the state.
The same civic enterprise which secured the
location for the City Hall was also responsible
for the acquisition by the cit.v of Point Rock
Park, a beautiful tract of thirty-five acres ly-
ing ad.iaeent to the town. The land became the
property of the Point Rock Park Association,
formed for the purpose of purchasing and hold-
ing it, in 1903, and was transferred to the city
one year later. The Park is at the head of the
canyon or gorge of Carroll Creek and possesses
among other natural beauties, the famous Point
Rock, which projects over a bend of the stream
as It rounds the end of a long ridge.
HISTORY OP CARROLL COUNTY
715
BUSINESS ENTEKPKISES
Mount Carroll supports a variety of business
euteri)rises. Tbere are two papers, elevators,
uiill, (.•reamery, electric light plant, two hotels,
opera house, garage, lumber yards, cement fac-
tory, two banks, grocery, dry goods, drug, cloth-
ing, hardware, millinery, jewelry, music and
lurnituro stores, restaurants, blacksmith and
harness shops, and ice factory.
The J. M. Shirk Milling Company is now using
the same mill that belonged to the old Mill
Company which began operations here in 1842.
The floods of the summer of 1911 tore a great
hole in the mill dam so that the original source
of i>ower is no longer in use. With the passing
of the dam, the falls, due to their overflow
have been destroyed and the city has lost one of
its most attractive beauty spots.
The business portion and part of the residence
district are served by sewage systems installed
l)y private enterprise. The entire city is lighted
by electricity generated by the plant of the
Mount Carroll Electric Light Company. The
water supply comes from two wells, one of them
among the deep wells of the United States, de-
scending over 2,500 feet. In 1911 an artificial
ice plant was installed so that the city is pro-
vided with the purest ice at all seasons.
CHUECHES
Methodist Episcopal Church, organized 1S39,
Keverend E. G. Cattermole, Pastor.
Church of God, organized 1849, Reverend J.
W. Primrose. Pastor.
First Baptist Church, organized 1853, Rev-
erend W. .T. Peuc-ock, Pastor.
First Lutheran Church, organized 1858, Rev-
erend C. J. Callier, Pastor.
Dunkard Church, Reverend Israel Cripe,
Pastor.
United P.rethren, Reverend W. W. Oborheim,
Pastor.
CIVIC SOCIETIES
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No.
."(I. organized 1H40.
Priscilla Rcliekah, Lodge No. 315, organized
1894.
C.vrus Lodge. No. 188 A. F. and A. M., or-
ganized 18.jG.
Long Comniandery, No. GO, Knights Templar,
organized 1891.
Ola Chapter, No. 170, Eastern Star.
Knights of Pythias, Rieuzi Lodge No. 574,
organized 1899.
Pythian Sisters, organized 1911.
Modern Woodmen of America, Excelsior
Camp, organized 1883.
Royal Neighbors of America, Carroll Camp,
No. 380.
Nase Post, No. 80 G. A. R., organizetl 1880.
Nase Relief Corps, No. 95, organized 1902.
Yeomen of America, organized 1904.
Woodmen of the World, organized 1904.
Court of Honor.
THE FRANCES SHIMER SCHOOL OF THE UNIVEESITT
OF CHICAGO, MOUNT CAKROLL, ILLINOIS, KEV.
WILLIAM PARKER m'KEE, DEAN.
On July 1, 1896, Mt. Carroll Seminary became
The Fi-auces Sliimer School of the University
of Chicago. The older institution was the prop-
erty of Mrs. Frances A. Wood Shimer. She
transferred the buildings and grounds of the
seminary on the date named to a board of
trustees, consisting of fifteen persons, who were
to hold the property in trust for public use, and
they and their successors were to administer
the school under certain limitations agreed on
between Mrs. Shimer and this board. The ar-
rangement by which the new institution came
into existence was carried through by personal
negotiations between President William Rainey
Hariwr of the University of Chicago, and other
University men, with Mrs. Shimer. The new
board, under the agreement, was to include
representatives of the University of Chicago and
of the former students and friends of the Mt.
Carroll Seminary, and two-thirds of this board
and the head of the institution were to be mem-
bers of Baptist churches. No other religious
(inalification appears for any trustee or teacher
or pupil connected with the institution.
The institution opened under the new manage-
ment in September, 1890, with Ida JI. Gardiner,
Dean, and Prof. Frank J. Miller of the Uni-
versity of Chicago as non-resident principal.
July 1, 1897. on the resignation of Miss Gardiner,
the present Dean took charge.
By the month of June, 1899, sufficient progress
liad lieon made to justify an effort to improve
the facilities of the institution, and the trus-
tees, encouraged by a contriliution from Mrs.
Shimer, voted to let the contract for the erection
716
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
of South Hall. As time passed, the trustees
were led iu Juue, ItXto. to seek subscriptious for
a music hall, aud iu November of that year
Dearborn Hall, named for Mrs. Isabel Dearborn
Hazzeu, vrho for many years had been asso-
ciated with the Seminary, was opened for use.
In the fall of 1904, the school found itself with-
out sufficient space to accommodate its house
pupils, and the board voted iu June, 1905, to
proceed with the erection of Hathaway Hall,
named after an early graduate of the institu-
tion, aud this building was occupied in the
November following. On February 0, 1906, fire
destroyed all the buildings which remained on
the grounds formerly used by the Seminary,
along with South Hall, erected in 1899. Appeal
was at once made to the friends of the institu-
tion far and near for a building fund to replace
the buildings which had been destroyed. Ap-
proximately fifty thousand dollars were secured
for this purpose aud to liquidate the indebted-
ness of the institution, ten thousand dollars of
which was contributed by Andrew Carnegie of
New York City. After the fire, the tnastees
took immediate action and at once proceeded
with the erection of West Hall which was en-
tered in September, 1906, and was used as a
dormitory and recitation building combined until
January, 1908. when Metealf Hall was likewise
completed and occupied. This building was
named in honor of Mrs. Sarah Metealf, the
mother of Dr. Henry S. Metealf, president of
the board of trustees, she having been a life long
friend of Mrs. Shimer.
The capacity of the buildings not being suffi-
cient to accommodate the growing constituency
of the institution, the trustees voted early in 1909
to erect a building to be known as College Hall,
which was occupied in the following September.
These five buildings now in existence, in addi-
tion to the central steam plant and laundry, with
their e<iuipnieut and furniture, represent a cash
expenditure in tlie past seven years of approxi-
mately one hundred thousand dollars. They
are all substantially built, designed by Chicago
architects, admirably suited for the purposes for
which they are used, harmonious iu architecture
and construction and material, well distributed
over a considerable part of the grounds. The
total capacity of house pupils is one hundred and
two, with adequate recitation rooms, library fa-
cilities and boarding accommodations. Provi-
sion is also made for day pupils residing in Mt.
Carroll.
The grounds of the institution, including recent
purchases, aggregate thirty-six acres. They are
well wooded, largely due to the interest of Mrs.
Shimer, in trees, and are well suited both by
their beauty and extent foi- the purposes of a
school for girls. Ample space is given for out-
door games, including golf, tennis, and basket
ball. Space is also available for kitchen gardens.
This institution stands in a peculiar relation
to the University of Chicago, educational, not
financial. Tresident Hari-j' Pratt Judson of the
University, with Secretai-y Goodspeed. Business-
manager Heckman, and Dean Butler of the
School of Education are all members of the
board of trustees of the Frances Shimer School.
In addition to this, the school is in the relation
of affiliation to the University which, in effect,
guarantees the educational policy of the insti-
tution. The standard of scholarship has been
kept up to that required by the University of
Chicago and eastern colleges for women, in order
that graduates of the academic department may
enter these and other institutions without exami-
nation.
The faculty iu the scholastic department is com-
posed of college trained people, most of them
graduates of advanced institutions of learning.
The instructors iu other departments have had
corre.siX)nding advantages in special schools and
in European travel. Among members of the
present faculty, these have been connected with
the institution four years or more ; William
Parker McKee since 1897 ; Florence Turney Mc-
Kee. 1901; Elsie C. Hobson, 1907; Dora Ger-
trude Knight. 1900 ; Elsie Morrison, 1905 ; Delana
E. Bailey. 1900 : Emil Liebling, 1905 ; Grace M.
Bawden. 1898; Bertha R. Bowman, 1907.
Eighteen people iu the year 1910 were in-
structors iu the school, including one assistant,
and Emil Liebling, who is visiting director in
piano.
The scope of instruction given in the institution
covers first of all college work. In the erection
of College Hall in 1909. public attention was
called to the fact that the institution had al-
ready been giving two years of college work for
some time, and in that year was enlarging and
strengthening these courses. No special ap-
peal, however, up to that time had been made
for college pupils. At the present time, Decem-
ber, 1910, over twenty girls are doing college
*
^
^
X/
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
717
work in the institution, and thirty or more of
the students are jiraduates of high scliools.
The college t-ourses are so arranged that tliey
are tlie e<iuivalent of siniihir courses in other
colleges and universities, and tlie work is done
under the sujiervision of corresponding depart-
ments in the University of Chicago to the end
that credit for ad%'ance<l standing may be gained
there and elsewhere by those who do the col-
lege worlc in this school.
Next iu rank under the junior college is the
ac-adeniy with its acadouiic work of four years,
covering those courses ordinaril.v given in the
best high schools, in matliematics. language,
science, history, literature. Classical and
scientitic courses are offered and students are
preiKired for tlie best institutions cast and
west.
In the department of nnisic. instruction is
given in piano, voice, and violin, the work in
piano being under the general sU|)ervision of
Emil Liebling of Chicago, who makes quarterly
visits to the school, examines the work, gives
a recital, and addresses the pupils on questions
connected with their work.
In 1001 the department of don)estic science was
organized under the instruction of Miss Sarah
Hostetter of the class of '78, and place was
found for this department in Dearborn Hall
opened iu 100.'?. This department has grown
steadily with the increase iu interest the
county over in this side of the education of girls.
and at the jiresent writing is clamoring for more
space.
The department of expression, including phys-
ical culture and elocution, has had serious at-
tention for years, as all the house iiujiils are
required to take instruction iu jihysical culture,
and private instruction is offered in elocution.
Courses iu sleuograi)hy and typewriting have
been olTered from the outset, and there is de-
mand for further extension of work of this
character and for enlarging the si>ope of it to
include secretarial work and other similar lines
of study.
Mt. Carroll Semin.iry contrilinted to the
Frances Shimer RcIkioI an interest in art and
work has been continued in Ibis department from
the very iM'ginning. offering courses iu drawing,
water color, oil. and china )iainting.
With the nuiltiplication of its buildings and
the increased efficiency which they ha'N'* given.
along with the eidargement of the courses of
study and the addition of new ones, has come a
steady increase in the numbers of the pupils
from outside of Mt. Carroll. In the past ten
years, students from twenty-four states, and
also frou) .Tapau. Canada, and old Mexico have
attended the institution.
Diplomas are granted jiupils who complete the
work either in the scholastic department or in
music, art, elocution, or domestic science. A
gold medal is offered for jiroficiency in nuisic.
One of the most valuable features of the
.Si-bool is the home life whi<-h is offered. The
pupils reside in beautiful buildings with every
comfort and modern convenience, and are in
constant association with teachers of refinement
and experience, under whose supervision they
do their work. This suix-rvisiou extends not
only to the class room, but to the whole of the
daily life of the pupil. This free iutermiugling
of pupils from good homes with one another
and with teachers who have much to ointribute
to them in the social life, in addition to the
work of the class room, is one of the most valu-
able features of the work of the school. I'ar-
ents realize that their daughters are cared for
and protected from outside influences. Some
idea of the growth of the school from the be-
ginning may be gained from the following tabu-
lated statement :
Receipts from
House pupils for
rupils Pupils school bills
00-7 01 3.J $ n,.o.-)0.00
07-8 07 3.J ,S,0.-T.(in
OS-0 04 .'57 0,007.00
00-00 SO .■!7 10,070.00
(K)-Ol 72 4.3 O.O.'l .00
01-02 77 47 12.00;',.0()
02-03 82 .■)0 13,231.00
03-04 70 .-.0 14,100.00
04-0.5 111 70 17.200.00
05-00 00 .". ffire) 13.300.00
00-07 102 .57 (West Hall) 10,.500.00
07-08 108 70 (Met calf Hall).. 20..5.50.00
0,S-00 120 74 24..50.5.00
00-10 127 82 (College Hall).. 24.740.00
10-11 1.58 108 (over) 38.000.00
In the winter of 1010-11, the trustees jiur-
chased nine and one-half acres of ground across
tlie street from the center of the grounds west
with a view to further. extension of the facilities
of the institution. The capacity of all the dor-
mitories on the grounds is taxed with the pres-
718
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
ent attendance and further growth is Impossible
until additional buildings can be provided. It
is hoped that funds may be secured by which.
within the next five years, there may be added
to the institution additional dormitories, a li-
brary building, a science hall, and an entirely
new heating and power plant with steam laun-
dry.
The trustees of the institution in the year
1910 were : Henry S. Metcalf, President ; Na-
thaniel Butler, Chicago, Vice President ; Wil-
liam P. lIcKee, Mt. Carroll. Secretary ; George
D. Campbell, Mt. Carroll, Treasurer ; Mrs. A.
T. Dunshee, Mt. Carroll; Lathan A. Crandall,
D. D., Minneaixjlis, Minn. ; John M. Riuewalt,
Mt. Carroll ; Wallace Heckman, Chicago ; Mrs.
W. R. Hostetter, Mt. Carrol! ; Harry Pratt Jud-
son, LL. D., Chicago ; Hon. A. J. Sawyer, Lin-
coln, Nebraska ; Mrs. Hattie N. LePelley, Free-
r)ort. 111. ; J. H. Miles. Mt. CaiToll ; Thomas W.
Goodspeed, D. D., Chicago.
[Mo.st of the progress of this, now thoroughly
modern institution, in buildings and equipment,
in the number in attendance and in the effi-
ciency of the faculty, is due to the thorough busi-
ness capacity and ability of the Dean, ably sec-
onded by the resident members of the board of
trustees. Through him, also, the non-residents
of the board liave been kept in touch and hearty
symiMthy wit' the work in hand and they have
given freely whatever assistance and encourage-
ment they could. The citizens of the city and
surrounding country also take great pride in
this institution and lend a helping hand where-
ever possible. Ed.]
MOUNT CARBOLL TOWNSHIP
Population 1010, seventeen hundred ninety-
seven.
Samuel Preston, Sr., of Mass., made the first
claim and was the first settler in Mount Car-
roll township. His claim covered the water
power of Fulrath's mill and what has ever since
been known as "Preston's Prairie." The same
day he made his claim Paul D. Otis and Gran-
ville Mathews, the stage drivers on their win-
ter route, made a claim of the land and water
power at Mt. Carroll. This afterward became
the property of the Mill Company of Enunert,
Halderman & Co. These claims were made in
183G. Otis and Matlicws built a caljin and what
afterward became the property of Jacob Chris-
tian who came here with his father's family in
1S.37. Daniel Christian, father of Jacob, came
here in 1836, and he with four others made claim
to six sections of land. The Christians were
from Maryland and Col. Beers Tomlinson came
from Connecticut in 1837. and the following set-
tlers came in 1.S3S.
Peter and William Bashaw came from Can-
ada, by team through Michigan, Indiana and
Illinoi.s. and were six weeks on the wa.v. There
was only one house in Dixon where they crossed
Rock river, and not a house between there and
Cherry Grove. Jonathan and Claressa Cum-
mings came from New Hampshire. Sumner
Downing and his father, Abner Downing, who
was born in Connecticut, came here in 1837 and
tuok up a claim of .320 acres. Sumner's mother
was a Preston of JIassachusetts. Hezekiah
Frances, born in Vermont, reared in New York,
married Nancy Asliorn from Indiana, and James
Wilson from Vermont came on foot from Chi-
cago, when there was only one house between
Elkhorn Grove and Savanna. He had charge of
the Powder Mills near Savanna for a time, then
entered government land and went to farming,
used to sell good wheat at thirty cents a bushel
and corn at ten cents.
Among those who came in ].S3f) were Hollis
Cunimings, born in New Hamps'aire. who came
from New York state to Carroll County. J3is
wife Emily M. McNamer was from New York,
Benjamin Day came from Vermont. There were
only a few cabins on Preston Prairie when he
came ; he married Emerence Downing ; she
was born in Massachusetts. When out of flour
in the winter they punched holes in a tin pan
and grated the corn into meal, one neighbor
would use the utensil and then another until
it was worn out.
John Fish was born in New York and Charles
W. Tomlinson came from New York. In 1838. he
and his father and Monroe Bailey came together,
his father having been a captain in the War of
1812. Beers B., brother of Charles, came the
same year. Felix O'Neal came from New York ;
he helped to erect the first lime kiln in Carroll
County. His father. John O'Neal, kept a tavern
or stopping place for travelers in early days on
the road lo Savanna near where it crossed
Cedar Creek.
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
719
FIRST MILL
111 183:1 or ■;!!) a man by the name of Leonard
built a ;;rist mill where Adam Fulratirs mill now
is aiKl made the mill stones, from native stone.
One of tlie stones may still be seen at the Ful-
nitli mill. If the jrrinding away of the soft
stone (lid not add In the quality of the corn
meal, it lertainly added to its weight and may
have made the Johnnie Cake a little gi'itty and
cerl.iiiiiy heavier.
FIRST SCHOOL
Sarah .T. Ilawley taught the first school in
Mount Carroll township, in a slab house on IIol-
lis Cnniniing's farm. She had an opportunity to
teach the next summer at one dollar per week.
She said that she would prefer to cook and
wasli dishes. Seymore Downs argued the case
witli lier and said, "jnst think, you will only
have to work five and a half days and only
si.\ hours a day, how much easier it wonld he,"
but he rcmld nol persuade her to accept what
amounted to about five dollars a mouth.
0CCtP.\T10N OF FARMERS
The princiiial occupation of the farmers now
is raising and fattening hogs and cattle and
keeping t-ows to milk and sell the cream to the
creameries where it is manufactured into but-
ler. One of the John Newman Co.'s "Spring-
brook Creameries" is located in Mt. Carroll
nudei- the management of William Eugelbricht
wlio.se butter score at the Xational Butter
Makers Convention at Chicago in 1!)11 was 04.00,
being next to the highest of all competitors.
Tlie farmers have been receiving during the fall
and winter from twenty-five to thirty-five cents
per [lound for butter fat.
By raising stock and a proper rotation of the
crops of corn, oats and grass the fertility of
the soil is maintained, although it seems to be
no longer adapted to raising whejit as in for-
mer year.s.
SALEM TOWNSHIP
The central township of the whole county cen-
sus of 1010 gives the population at 1.408. By an
act of the legislature, the west half of sec-
tion six was added to Mount Carroll township
and a portion of this and the west part of sec-
tion seven were included wilhiii I lie city limits
of Mount Carroll at the time of its incorporation
by a special act of the legislature. The south-
west portion of this township was a wooded
country, sometimes called Klackoak ; this por-
tion was settled by Germans (see history of
Fairhaven Township). The north east part of
the township was a beautiful rolling prairie and
is nio.stly tributary to Lanark (see early set-
tlers of Rock Creek Township). In the south
west corner of the township is a station on the
C. B. & Q. railroad called Daggett after one of
the officials of the road.
EARLY SETTLERS
The first settler was David Masters. He
made a claim and built a cabin on section seven,
south of Mt. Carroll in 1S:'.7. Later he built a
dam on Johnson Creek and erected a small wool
carding mill, the only one in tlie county.
George Swaggert. who had lieen living on the
stage line at Cherry Grove and had sold his
interest which he had in tlie mill site at Mt.
Carroll, took up a claim in Salem on Johnson
creek where the stage line or state road from
Dixon to Galena crossed that stream and built
quite an extensive log house and later a large
barn : nothing is left to mark the site of these
buildings.
Heni-y AVeitzel was one of the very first set-
tlers in this town. He came from Southern Il-
linois about 18.37 and made a claim, and en-
tered some land from the government. Adam
Daggert settled in Salem the same .year; his son,
Henry, was the first child born in Salem. On
the home farm on Sec. IB of Henry AVeitzel,
there has been preserved one of the ancient
threshing floors. :\ ring worn in the ground
where he and his sons used to thresh their
grain by tramping it out with oxen or horses,
until threshing machines came into vogue and
later permanent use. Such places were common
in those days and were used year after year.
This perhaps is the only one spared in the
county.
INTERESTING INCIDENTS
There are many interesting incidents con-
nected with some of the early German settlers ;
they were a hardy, industrious people and very
desirable citizens in a new country. Mrs.
Calheriiio Kline, a sister of Mr. Henry Weitzel,
720
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNT Y
and mother of Mrs. John Mackay was one of
these. It was her custom to do her sboiipin? in
Savanna : it was the only place and twelve miles
away: she thoufrht nothing of walking there, car-
rying what little she had to sell and returning
the same day with the necessary supplies for the
family. On one occasion they had a horse to
sell and she led it all the way to Galena, forty
miles, and returned the next day with the in-lce
of the animal. On another occasion Mrs. Kline
and the children were hunting their cows that
used to stray away sometimes and get lost ; they
had been looking for them several miles from
home on the prairie down towards Milledge-
ville. As they were passing through the high
grass they noticed something had been digging
in the ground and the grass was trami>ed down.
On their return towards home the children in-
sisted on investigating the spot and to their
great joy they found a nicely smoked ham which
a wolf probably had stolen and buried there.
'J"o show the necessity tinder which the pioneers
sometimes lived: This same family was short
of provisions and the mother sent the children
to a neighbor a mile away to borrow some meal.
They returned empty handed and they were
obliged to dig up the potatoes they had planted
sometime before so they might have something
to eat.
The Daggerts came about the same time and
took up as a claim a small grove of ancient oaks,
about two miles east of Jlount Carroll. In a
very early day the Sucker Trail ran by this
grove and for a short time it was followed by
this stage line and it is said the Daggerts kept a
postoffice. but not being able to read English
readily, people coming for mail had to help them-
selves.
Pnni-an Mackay who was born in Scotland,
came first to Nova Scotia, then to Maine, and in
]840 settled in Salem Township at Oakville.
His brother, William, came about the same time
and was engaged in running the saw mill which
he rented of Hitt and Swingley in Mt Carroll
Township. In the autumn of 1S43, their brother
Jolin Mackay and sister Helen, who afterward
niarried Daniel Hurley of Salem Township, to-
gether with William Finlayson and William
Graham and their families, all came together
from Chicago and settleii in Oakville.
These early settlers have all passed away but
tliev have left many children and grandchildren
to revere their memory and enjoy a rich in-
heritance which was left to some of them in
lands. They, however, are widely scattered
through the country from Maine to California
and from Canada to Panama, even South Amer-
ica.
Mr. William Finlayson of Salem township,
enjoyed considerable notoriety during the World's
Fair at Chicago, when they had the first loco-
motive that was used in America. Mr. Finlay-
son was the conductor on the train it drew.
Seymore Downs and Henry Reynolds were
early settlers in Salem Township. Peter Shra-
der came to this county in 1,S40 and John Gel-
wicks in 1848 : they were both from Pennsyl-
vania and settled in Salem Township.
Also Dr. Abraham Ilostetter. who came to
Mount Carroll in ISl.'i and settled in Salem with
his family, three sons and two daughters, in
1852.
He brought the first herd of thoroughbred
short horn cattle to Salem Township, some of
the very best in the Fnited States: at the head
of the herd was the 0th Duke of Airdrie. Many
of them and their descendents were afterwards
prize winners at State and County Fairs, their
descendents were sold all over the western
states, two of them being taken to California.
In 1870 he brought the first herd of thorough-
lired Jerseys to the county. These his son W.
Ross Hostetter has continued to breed at his
Granseland farm; they also were prize winners
wherever shown. He also introduced thorough-
bred Berkshire hogs into the county.
CYCLONES
On May 12th, 188(5, a cyclone destroyed the
house and barn of Robert Jloore and the house
of William Mackay, and on May ISth. 1808, a
cyclone which destroyed the county farm build-
ings passed through Salem Township from west
to east, making a pathway of death and de-
struction. Only one person was killed, but many
had very narrow escapes from death. Several
houses were torn from their foundations and
scattered to the four winds.
• A LOG SCIIOOLUOUSE
Among the first in the county was the log
schoolhouse on the old Edwards place. Sec.
XUHMAX D. FUKXCII
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
721
sev^n, in Salom lownsliip. It was on tlie old
State road fnun Dixon to Cnlena wliicli ran
diagonally tliroush the oonnty Imt was at'tor-
ward changed in several places to r\ui on the
section lines and to turn square corners. In this
old log schoolliouse there was a great fireplace
in one end of the house where great logs were
burned in cold weather to keep the children
warm. Desks were arranged on the other three
sides by driving long pius into holes liorcd into
the logs in tlie wall, and upon these pins hiiig
boards were fastened which formed a desk-like
shelf; a seat or long bench was made b.v driving
pins for legs into a long slab. This stood under
the shelf; all the pupils when seated on these
benches facetl toward the wall. Of course there
were no backs to the benches, and to be seated
the inipils had to climb over the long bciuli or
slip in at the ends.
It was an ideal place for spelling school and
si)elling down contests of which there were man.v
in Salem. One school would spell against another
arranged on op|iosite sides of the r(K)ni along
the benches facing each other. As the words
were pronounctMl by the 'teacher, they woulil be
taken up and spelled by each side alternately. If
missed on one side the bad speller sat down
and one on the other side would ju'onounce the
word and tr.v to si)ell i( correctly. There were
several very good spellers in Salem esi)ecially
in the Oakville school. The Mackays and (Jra-
h:ims and the Finlaysons were bai'd to heat.
They are grey-haired sires and gr.indmothers
now but still are proud of the fame they won
at spelling school contests.
SPECI.\I> CROPS
Salem has a iioIihI |iopcorn farm. The I'.eede
Brothers, Charles and Herman, raise jiopcnrn cm
i. large scale, and have facilities for seas<inlng
and storing it "without the aid of mice." they
say. until the market price is satisfactory. Then
it is shelled and shipped away by the car load.
During war times some of the Salem f.irmers
raised large crops of wheat and sold it at very
remunerative iiriccs. Hut of late years wheat
raising is not profitable, there seems to be some
element lacking in the soil to enalile it to jiro-
ducc a good crop of wheat.
CII.'iPTEK XIV.
SAVANNA CITY AND TOWNSHIP— VILLAGE
OF SHANNON AND TOWNSHIP.
SAVANNA CITY — lUIUllNdS — BANKS — TELEPHONE
CO.MPANY — MANl TACTIRING — FISHING — NEWS-
PAPERS — EARLY SETTLERS FIRST SCHOOL
TEACHER — RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS — BUSINESS
FIRMS — CEMETERY ASSOCIATION — ELECTRIC LIGHT
PLANT — SAVANNA TOWNSHIP — SHANNON — GRAIN
MARKET — LUMBER — THE SHANNON TELEPHONE
COMPANY SHANNON TOWNSHIP FIRST SET-
TLERS — THE WHEAT *CROP — FIRST THRESH-
I.VG MACHINES.
SAVANNA CITY
The oldest town in the county the early his-
tory of which has been fully written in another
chapter of this history. The federal census of
lino gave the population at 3,()01, an increase
of odO during the preceding decade. Elevation
above sea level, ."lOi feet.
BUILDINGS
The business porlicni of the city is built up
with fine bnildiugs and solid business blocks.
The main street is paved with hard brick and
other streets macadamized, some of them
beyond the city limits; it has several miles of
cement sidewalk; a fine system of water works
snpidied by two artesian wells and recently the
city has connnenced to build a sewerage system,
which will be a great convenience to tlic inhabi-
tants of the city.
It has an electric light i)lant owned and oper-
ated by private enterprise.
It has a commodious public school building
which was erected in 1870. and in 100:i a sub-
stantial township high school building was
erected in Savanna at a I'osI of forty thousanil
dollars.
It has a fine public library occupying a spacious
new building, under the efficient cliarge of Miss
Emma Bowen. librarian, the funds for which
were donated bv Mr. Carnegie. It was first or-
iZ'Z
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
g.anized as the Savaiuui Ciniilaliim' Library As-
sociation ill 187").
Savanna was iiu-i)r|K>rateil as a cily in 1S74.
Tlio lirst Mayor iimler tlie now city cliarter was
>Io<lar(l Diipiiis. The jiresent Mayor is Chai'Ies
.Tciilis.
At I he first election nnder the new cliarter
there was an animated contest between the li-
cense and anti-license people. The contest was
very cIo.se but the license ticket was elected by
a small ma.iority and Savanna has had saloons
nearly every year since. There are now .some
twenty-one in lunnber and each of them pays a
license fee of five hundred dollars annually.
They carry on such an extensive business that
it tends greatly to the demoralization of a con-
siderable number of the citizens of Savanna as
well as the people of the neighboring towns and
the surrounding country.
Savanna has a progressive business men's as-
sociation, called the Savanna Improvement As-
sociation. "Organized for increasing the indus-
trial and business growth of Savanna, Illinois.'"
Mr. J. S. Williams is Tresident ; W. L. Brerton,
Secretary ; Charles K. Miles, Treasurer. Savanna
is a division point of tw-o great railroad sys-
tems, the C. M. & St. Paul and the C. B. & Q.,
and being located on the Mississippi river its
shipping facilities are unsurpassed by any town
in the county.
A large portion of the adult male iKipnlatinn
of the city are employees of the railroads and
thousands of dollars are paid monthly to these
people, the pay roll of the C. M. & St. Paul
being nearly half a niilllou dollars annually.
The same road has just completed a very
fine station building beautifully furnished on the
inside and equipped with every modern con-
venience, and is making other extensive Im-
Iirovements in anticipation of an increase of
business, principally on account of through traf-
fic from the I'.icific coast.
BANKS
Savanna has two banks and a Savings Build-
ing and Loan Association.
The First National bank began as a private
partnership liank. The gentlemen composing it
were O. P. Miles, Uriah Green, Henry Ashway,
John Mackay, Duncan Mackay, all of Mount
Carroll, and Or. Woodruff and George Hay of
Sa\ai]ii,-i. all now deceased. George Hay was
the cashier for about eight years. They adver-
tised as being supported by an individual liabil-
ity of two hnndred thousand dollars, which was
quite correct as nearly all these gentlemen were
the wealthiest in the county.
This bank was afterward incorporated as the
. Savanna State bank, July 14th, 1891, with a
capital of fifty thousand dollars and new stock-
holders taken in, most of whom were from Sav-
anna. Later it was changed to the First Nation-
al bank. A savings department was added with
the .same stockholders and otticers as the National
bank. Charles K. Miles who was its cashier for
many years is now its president. William S.
Wallace, cashier, and Frank Steadman. assistant
cashier.
The Commercial State bank was organized and
incorporated June 9th, 1002. with a capital of
.$25,0(10. afterward increased to $.50,000. It also
has a savings department. Its officers are
George N. Machen, President ; W. L. Westbrook ;
Cashier ; Bruce Machen. Ast. Cashier.
The Savanna Homestead Loan association
was organized in 18.80 ; ten years later it was re-
organized under the state law and called the
Savanna Savings, BuUding and Ixian associa-
tion. F. S. Greenleaf has for many years been its
secretar.v and through his management in that
capacity it has been a marked success. It is the
only institution of the kind in the county and
has been A-er.v useful in aiding many of the citi-
zens to build and own their houses. A. P. Wood-
ruff is President and C. K. Miles, Treasurer.
TELEPHONE COMPANY
The Independent Telephone Company was in-
corporated as a Stock Company in 1892, with a
capital of .$75,000, by Mr. Frank Zinnel who be-
fore that time had either built or bought an
exchange in every town in the county. In
May, 1904, it increased its capital stock to $150,-
000. Mr. Zinnel is president and general man-
ager and L. S. Bowen, secretary of this company.
It has iu the neighborhood of three thousand
subscribers iu the county, most of them living
ill Savanna and the western part of the county.
MANUFACTURING
Savanna has very little manufacturing for a
city of its size and with such unparalleled ad-
vantages for shipping goods to every point of
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
723
the coinpass. In eai'ly days there wei'e several
sawmills wliiih iiuimifiKtiired lumber from logs
taken fioiu the river, hut these enterprises al-
though they prospered for a while, were not
ahle to comiwte. by the use of steam, with the
great lumber mills in other places, some of which
were ruu by water jjower, and so they languished
and eventually closed.
E.Vnl.Y MANUFACTORIES
The most extensive of these was M. Dupiiis'
steam siiw, shingle and lath mills. They were
located hnmediately on the banks of the Mis-
sissippi river. When the mill was running logs
were taken from the river by machinery. These
were bought in rafts that were brought down
the river from the pineries. lie mannfarture<l
into lumber perhaps twenty-five million feet
and sold from thirty to forty thousand dollars
worth annually. In 1852 liis sales amounted
to lifty thousand dollars. This was before the
days of railroads, when people came to Savanna
for lumber all the way from Rockford, Freeport
and all the surrounding country. In 1853 and
1854 he maintained a hnnher yard at Freeport
where his sales were large.
Morse and Dr. Wolf had an extensive flouring
mill at one time which was well sustained in
Savanna city.
In 1865 S. .T. Herman and J. A. Stranskey
had wagon and machine shops on a large scale
and gave employment to a number of mechanics.
Their business prospered at the commence-
ment but misfortune overtook them. In No-
vember, 187:!, their entire establishment was
burned.
I'TSIIING
.V nnmlier of men whose Imrnes are in Sav-
anna are engaged in this industry.
They catch the fish with seines aud various
kinds of nets, some of them now using boats
I)ropelled by gasoline engines. (Quantities of
the fish are sliipi)ed to distant markets in t In-
east and many are sold by local peddlers in I lie
adjoiidug country.
nUKWF.KIKS
Savanna had at one time two breweries but
only one survives. In early days there was a
distillerv when^ whiskey and high wines were
made from corn and r.ve but it was unable to
compete with larger concerns elsewhere.
NEWSI'Al'KliS
(Jharles Allen, .-i printer from Freeport, started
the first newspaper in Savanna in 1854, and
called it The Register. It was edited by
Smith I>. .VI kins of Freeport. After a few
months the owner sold the paper to Mr. Graf-
ton who removed the plant elsewdiere.
The Savanna Times was established by J.
William .Mastin and for the first ten weeks it
was printed at the office of the Shannon Gazette
at Shannon. The first issue printed in Savanna
was that of September 11th, 1875, at which time
the equipment of the Shannon Gazette was moved
to Savanna and Simon Greenleaf and Mastin
continued to publish the jiaiier until March,
1S7(1, when Greenleaf bought JIastin's interest
in the paper and became the editor and jiro-
prietor which position he held until 1884 when
the paper passed into other hands. In 18t>5 the
daily edition was commenced and has been con-
tinued down to the present date. In 1907,
Miss Ij. M. Frazer became the editor of the
paper and Hon W. W. Gillespie the publisher.
The paper has always been republican in politics.
It is now c<-inducted by .1. E. Humbert.
The Savanna Journal was started by Frank
Greenleaf in 1885, and he has been its owner and
publisher ever since. It is the only democratic
paper in the county and occupies the finest and
best equipped newspaper office in the county.
EARLY SETTI.ERS
Among the early settlers of Savainia |irior
to 18.50. were Aaron Pierce. George Davidson.
Vance L. Davidson and William Rlundle and
their families. They had gone to Galena during
the excitement upon the discovery of the lead
mines. The location of Savanna was then
known as the 'Touncil Bluffs of the Upper Mis-
sissippi." An old council house built by the In-
<lians was there and was occupied by the Pierce
family as a frontier hotel and may be said to
have been the first hotel or tavern in the county
as stopping places for travelers were then called.
The exact location of this council house, as near
as can be determined now. was on a plat of
ground directly above or north of the residence
of the late Medard Dnpuis.
724
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
Two years afterward John Bernard and three
others. Hays, Corbiu and Robiuson. joined these
first settlers. Luther H. Bowen, David L. Bowen
and Xatliau Ixird c-ame in 1835 ; Dr. E. Woodniff,
John Orr, and John Fuller, 1837 : W. L. B. .lenks,
1S;{S; Hank Hopkins, Hezekiab Frances and
Benjamin Church. 1830 ; Fred Chamliers, who
was born in Eugkiud and afterwards became
interested in the powder mills on Plum river,
1840 ; Capt. J. B. Rhodes, 1841 ; he was born of
pioneer parents in Ohio, after clerking for
about a year he went back to Ohio and brought
west a large drove of sheei>. After disjiosing
of these he was engaged in business in Savanna
until 1852. when he bought an interest in the
steamboat "Martha,"' Xo. 2, and was engaged in
the steamboat Ijusiness until he retired from
active business engagements. In 184G, he was
married to Mary Jane Pierce who was the first
white child born iu the county, she it is said
was born in the old Indian council house.
Xo steps were taken to build a town at the
present location of Savanna, until 18.30, when
Luther H. Bowen. having the .vear before Iwught
the claim of George Davidson and Aaron Pierce,
caused a survey and plat of the jiroposed town
of Savanna to be made and the same to be re-
corded in the recorder's office at Galena, Illinois,
on the 2Sth February, 18;:!9.
Mr. Bowen. the same year oi>ened a general
store and established a ferr.v near the mouth of
Plum river, which was necessary in times of
high water, when the river could not be forded,
bridges were not thought of in the early days.
At such times the feri-y was the only way Sa-
vanna could be reached l)y team from the east
and south.
FIR.ST SCHOOL TEACHER
iliss Hannah Fuller, sister of John Fuller.
who came to Savanna in 1837, was the first school
teacher. Dr. Ellas Wdodruft was the first doctor.
He also taught school.
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
The Methodist people were the first to organ-
ize a church society. Tliey had religious serv-
ices as early as 183G. Both the Davidson and
Blundel families were Methodists and in 18:38
the .\shby famil.v, devout Methodists, arrived
and from that time on the Methodist denomina-
tion has fiourished in Savanna. The Congre-
gational, Presbyterian. Catholic, Free Methodist,
Baptist and Church of the Latter Day Saints
hiive been organized in Savanna in the order
named and each have places of worship, some
of which are very handsome and commodious
church edifices.
BUSINESS FIRMS
Fifty-five years ago. (1857) when Savanna
was designated as the terminus of the Racine
and Mississippi Railroad, the people had great
expectations and Savanna was a very flourish-
ing town. At that time the following were the
luincipal business men: M. B. and H. C. Pierce,
Orr and Tomlinson. W. S. Pease. Rhodes & Co., L.
W. Bemis, and others were engaged in the dry-
goods and grocery business ; Bowen and Cham-
berlin. produce merchants ; Dr. E. Woodruff,
druggist; D. L. Bowen. machinist; James Irvine
& Co., and M. Dupuis. luinlier merchants with
steam sawmills; L. D. Pierce and C. W. Fuller,
proprietors of well conducted hotels.
Savanna has the usual number of societies,
all of which are in a flourishing c^ondition.
Among these is the Savanna Boat Club, of which
Edward Hendricks is Commodore and P. M. Fer-
guson, Secretai-j-. Many of the citizens of Sav-
anna take a great deal of pleasure in boating on
tlie river. They have summer cottages at
beautiful places on either tiank of the river.
There are about forty gasoline launches on the
river some of which are very fast-going crafts.
CEMETERY ASS0CI.\TION
The Savanna Cemetery Association, was in-
conwrateil by a special act of the Legislature,
passed Fetiruary 15, 1855. The incorporators
were. Luther H. Bowen. Reuben II. Gray, John
B. Rhodes, Daniel P. Holt, Henry B. Harmon,
Porter Sargeant. and Enoch Chamberlain.
A short time since some of the patriotic womeu
of Savanna undertook to raise funds to erect
within this cemetery a soldier's monument ; no
doubt some time this will be done.
SAVAXXA TOWNSHIP
Population, e.xcluding the city of Savanna, cen-
sus 1910, six hundred and sixt.v-six. It is
iKUiiided on the west by the Mississippi river
#nr
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
727
the close of the war, after which he engaged in
the insurance business in Shannon.
WHEAT IROP
In the early days of the settlement of Shannon
Township, wheat was tlie main eroi) and as the
country rapidly settled the prairies became one
great wheat field. At first they raised fall wheat,
but S(><jn changetl to spring wheat. Threshing
machines at first were crude affairs. The ma-
chine was loadetl with grain, tlien a drive about
the field was made usually in a circle, the straw
was scattered over the field until the load was
threshed ; for tills seiwiee the threshers took a
toll of one bushel in ten. Ira Moats, who after-
ward lived west of I'olo. had the first thresher
in his locality. In later years the farmers about
Shannon raised a great deal of barley ; now corn
and oats are the principal croiis as in other
jKirts of the county.
CHAPTER XV.
VILLAGE OF TIIO.MSOX— TOWXSIIIP.S OF
YORK, WASmXUTOX AXD
WOODLAXD.
THO.MSON — CRKAMEBIES MEIX)N MARKET — CEN-
TENNIAL CE1.KHRATI0N — YORK TOWNSHIP — FIRST
SETTI.E.MENT — RLLIFVILLE — FIRST FAIR — ARGO —
LAWYERS A Nil .MINISTERS — OLD POINT BLUFF —
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP — EARLY SETTLERS
WOLVES ^ARNOLD'S LANDING PORTSMOUTH
MARCUS TRAIN ROBBERY — WOODLAND TOWNSHIP
— SAW-MILLS — HAY FAMILY CHEESE FACTORY.
THO.MSON
The village of Thoinsiin is in the southwest
jiart of tiip founty in York Township in the cen-
ter of a very beautiful valley, alxnit four miles
in width, bounded ly the Mississippi river on
the west and a high range of bluffs on the east.
On the north and south what was once a level
prairie, is now dotted all over with well cul-
tivated farms, handsome houses and large barns.
It stretches away as far as the eye can see in
either direction.
Thomson was started as a station on the
Warsaw. Hock Island and Galena Railroad. The
original [ilat of the town was made December 3,
1864, by G. A. Thomson, who was connected
with the Western Union Railroad, which was
afterward taken into the Chicago, Milwaukee
and St. Paul system.
The main line of the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy railroad from St. Paul to St Louis
passes through the town, which gives it un-
usual shi|>iiing facilities. In conse<iuence its buy-
ers have always paid the highest price of any
market in the county for farm products.
The first building erected on the town plat
was the Thomson House, which is still used as
a hotel, now under the management of Uriah
Pratt, formerly of Mount Carroll.
The first regular train of cars passed through
Thomson. .Tamiary 12, 1805. A few years after-
ward Xorman D. Fi-euch and Xoah Green became
proprietors of the town site and laid out addi-
tions thereto.
The first .school taught in Thomson was in
1SG."> and Miss Brown, daughter of Noah Brown,
was the teacher. It now has a school building
with four rooms, that cost eight thousand dollars.
Thomson has grown rapidly the last few years
and it is now a village of nearly six hundred in-
habitants. Federal census of 1010. 4:?7.
It has three churchesj, two ]ihysicians, one
.jewelry store, or^.«levator, three 'coal dealers,
one harness shop and one peat mjirket, two
restaurants and ' ti4B* bakeries. thTee grocery
stores and one ba'nk, two barber shops, one milli-
nery shop, and one ne\tsi>aBcrand printing of-
fice, established by N. D. •^ITllardJin 1S"J4.
CREAMERIES
Thomson has two creameries, adjacent to the
lown on the e-ast. This locality is noted as
among the most advanced d;iiry sections of the
state.
MELON MARKET
From here melons are shipped to all the sur-
rounding cities b.v train loads, sometimes as far
.lortli as St. Paul and the Dakotas and South to
728
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
Mobile. Alabama. Since Muscatine has fallen
oft iu the melon iuilustry, Thomson has become
better known as u melon center than any other
loc-ality iu the middle west. The annual out-put
is about two hundred and fifty car loads, valued
at thousands of dollars. For other interesting
facts iu regard to Thomson, see York Township.
Thomson is six hundred and six feet above
the sea level, beini; fourteen feet higher than
;>avanna and a little over three hundred feet
lower than Shannon.
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
The Thomson and York centennial celebration
1S70. was a notable event. Jolin A. Melendy,
who was one of the pioneer settlers, came from
Vermont in 1&J4 with one span of horses, his
wife and his dog. On arriving here he went to
work for Norman D. French at twelve dollars
a month and his wife for one dollar a week.
For the puri>ose of this celebration he and
('■\[>t. S. S. Dunn procured a cannon from the
arsenal at Rock Island, putting up live hundred
dollars as security for its safe return. The au-
thorities at the U. S. Arsenal sent Corporal
Casey along to take care of the cannon. John
Spires of York, who had seen service in the
Artillery in the war for the Union, did most
of the firing. The cannon was placed on the
high bluff that over looks the valley in vsrhich
Thomson is situated. The gunners took delight
in awakening the inhabitants of the whole town-
shii) of York, as the reveberations of the firing of
this big gun echoed from bluff to bluff across
the wide valley. Josiah B. Cushman was cliief
marshal of the day and marched the entire
I>opulation of the village up to the front of the
bluff where all gathered to listen to the program
under the shade of the oaks.
Norman D. French presided. The orators of
the day were W. J. Bailey of York, since con-
gressman and governor of Kansas, and Daniel
and Henry Mackay of Oakville. All three on
this occasion delivered their maiden Fourth of
July orations. Father Cushman read a history
of Y'ork Township, no one could have done it
better. He lived to be an octogenarian in the
town of his adoi)tion and is quoted today as
having written the most accurate history of York
township.
YOUK TOWNSHIP
BY HENRY R. P.\R.SONS
York township consists of one town and a
fraction, having forty whole sections and six
fractional sections, caused by the uneven course
of the Jlissi.ssippi river, which bounds the town-
ship on the west
The surface of York township varies greatly.
The west shore line along the river, consists of
bayous and islands covered with pin oaks, birch,
maple and other soft woods, but not large enough
for profitable saw timber. A line of bluffs about
three to four miles fi-om the river, extends north
to south through the town, excepting a break of
one mile in the center. The bluffs vary in
height from one hundred to two hundred feet,
partly covered with forests of oak and red
cedar. The rock foundation of the bluffs con-
sists mostly of sandstone uix)n a basis of Galena
and Niagara limestone. Between the bluffs and
the river the surface is ixirtly level, a black
bottom laud of exceeding richness, the remainder
being a ridge of sand mostly used for growing
melons and rye. East of the bluffs, composing
more than one half the township, the surface is
undulating excepting a valley bordering the
.Tohnson Creek, tlie only stream of any size in
the township. The soil of the prairies ranges
from light gravelly and flinty knolls to rich
black soil with a few sections of clay soil.
THOMSON
The only incorporated village in York is
Thomson, having two railroad.s, the Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. Taul and the Chicago, Bur-
lington and Quincy. Near the northern boundary
is the hamlet of Argo, but designated by the C.
M. & St. Paul Railroad, which has a switch here,
as Fa.v. Near the eastern boundaiy is also a
hamlet known as Ideal. Where the break iu
the bluffs occurs is a bold sharp point known as
-Point of Bluff," also called P.luffville, beiug the
lilace of first settlement in the town.
FIRST SETTLEMENT
Here Norman D. French made the first claim in
IS.i.j. his land lying mostly west of the bluff.
French built a cabin in 1837 and raised his first
crop the following year, living on the farm until
his death. Mr. French held the offices of Post-
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
729
muster. Jiistite of the I'eace, County Conimis-
sioiier, ColU'ctcir. Suiiervisur iiiid was ii nuniiber
of the 2'Jtli General Assembly. The entile tax
of York at that time was about two huiulred
dollars, while iu 1910 it is over one huuilrea and
seveuty-five thousand.
William Dyson and lUissel t'olvin settled at
Bluffville in is;!7, Kussell Colvin built the
first sawmill, in the town, on Johnson's Creek
in 1840. .Mason French also settled at Bluff-
ville about this time, erecting a house of brick
made uixm the farm. The first school was held
at Bluffville, Le^i Keut is considered as being
the first teacher, although Elizabeth Thornton,
taught in lS.'!."i.
Col. Beers Tomlinson settled at the uortli
boundary line in l.s.'!S, but having land in Mt.
Carroll Town.shi|) became more identified with
Mount Carroll. Joshua Bailey located at the ex-
ti-eme northeast corner of York iu 18.30, and iu
1851 built the first churcli, this church being a
Baptist church, built afc Argo with Emmert
Ingham as first pastor. The Methodist soci-
ety also used the house, the Rev. Campbell be-
ing one of the earliest pastors. Other very early
settlers on the northern Iwundary, were the
Lamb brothers, Channcey. Garrett and Emory.
Cornelius Shoemaker settled in the southern part
of York in 1S:?9. About lSi4 John Melendy lo-
cated south of Bluffville taking up a large tract
of land, his son J, A. Melendy being ix)stmaster
at Bluffville from 1853 to 1859. George N. Me-
lendy. grandson of John Melendy, now owns
the original entry. From this date of settlement
until 18.")<), a large number of settlers came from
Vermont and New York, the French and Me-
lendy families having come from Vermont while
the Baileys and Lambs emigrated from New
York. Of the best known of these was Ileman
Edgerly from Vermont settling in 1840 at Bluff-
ville; having been preceded by William Carroll
coming from Virginia in 1835 taking land west of
Argo, also lOben Balcom who located so\ith of
Argo.
BLUFFVILLE
Heman Edgerly kept a tavern and store at
Bluffville being the main supply for travelers go-
ing south from Savanna, or north from Fulton
crossing, in the early days there was also a
blacksmith shop and post office at Bluffville.
Others who settled just before or after IS-'O:
C. Vanvechten at Argo, the Dun.shees, G. Tape,
8
the Coles, one of whom, John Cole, was asses.sor
for York about thirty years and was known
through the whole county; D. Leavens, G. Dwin-
nell. the Athertons, I'eter llolnian. the Greens
and Taylors.
FIRST FAIR
The first agricnllural fair of Carroll County was
held in York one half mile east of Argo at the
Monroe Bailey farm, now owned by W. D. Gold-
ing. The fair was held the first Thur.sday of
October. 1854; the entries not being extensive,
and lacking buildings the horses were fastened
to posts and the cattle kept in pens. The above
mentioned farm was the birth place of W. J.
Bailey, who became a member of congi'ess from
Kansas and was governor of Kansas for one
term and is now a leading banker at Atchi-
son, Kansas. Xot the first but nearly so was
a grist-mill at Bluffville, which had been moved
there from Jacobstown, managed for many years
by Israel Pettit, noted for his shrewd sayings
and wit ; the mill pond was a recreation spot for
people from a great distance.
THOMSON VILIJ^GE
The village of Thomson in York, was laid out
in 1SG4, It was a station of the Western rail-
road, now the C. M. & St. Paul. The first house
was built by Norman Judson ; it was constructed
of grout. The first principal buildings were the
Thomson House, now the Pratt House and some
store rooms on Slain street. Regular trains be-
gan running in January in 1865, using wood for
engine fuel. A lucrative business was done in
supplying wood for that jnirpose. W. C. Brown,
president of the New York Central railroad
began his railroad work here cording wood
along the track. His father, (Rev. Charles
Brown), was a Baptist preacher living in Thom-
son and preaching at Argo and at the church
two miles east of Thomson. Another .son,
George Brown, was killed while in the employ
of the road.
The first warehouse was moved from Savanna
in 18G.5, has since been rebuilt and is now man-
aged by the Neola Elevator Company. At various
times the elevator lias been in the liands of the
following grain buyers: Noah Green, Norman
Lewis, ,T. Melendy and William Stark, the grwit-
est amount of business was done while managed
by Mr. Lewis in the seventies, thousands of
730
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY
Inisliels of grain being received each day.
Nornuni Lewis was for many years prominent
in business and iwlitics. He served three years
in tlie civil war being promoted to First Lieu-
tenant. Was suiierxisor from Torlc Township
for a number of years, also a memlier of tlie
Illinois Legislature.
The first school taught in Thomson was in
1865. Miss Brown being the teacher, the dis-
trict then containing five legal voters, three
of whom were school directors. At the present
time a good three-room building is overflowing
with pupils and the revenue from the rail-
roads causes the school tax to be very small.
There are two churches in Thomson, the
Christian, erected in 186G-67, and the Method-
ist Episcopal, in 1870. The pastors of the
Christian church have been Rev. Sweaney.
Bleakesly. Carpenter, Mrs. Babcock. Miss Very
and the present pastor, Rev. Swarensou.
The pastors of the Methodist church have been
Reve-ends Campbell, Best. Hinks. Hoffman,
Hicks. Clay, and the present pastor, Rev. Jones.
For years the Masons occupied the front in
the secret societies and mostly dominated the
iwlities of the town, but of late years have been
oliliged to divide honors with the Knights of
Pythias, the Odd Fellows, the Woodmen, Mystic
Workers and the allied branches of female soci-
eties. .\t present the societies do not attempt
to control ix)litics to any great extent.
Thomson has one bank, with a nominal capital
of .$20.(K)0 that amount representing the in-
dividual liability of the members of the firm.
Mr. H. S. Peck is president, and Miss Tillie
M. Dugard is cashier.
There is one meat market, three general
stores, two hardware and implement stores,
three restaurants, one drug store, one livery
stable and the usual number of shops.
One of the first physicians was Dr. N. Steven-
son and others have been Merritt L. Saunders,
D. Finlayson. W. Durkee and the present firm
of Melugin and Sagner. The junior member
of this firm is Mi.ss Sagner who never shirks
her duty as a practicing physician, she re-
sponds to all calls in all kinds of weather,
when necessary drives her own team or auto
as occasion may require. Another quite noted
practitioner of York was Miss Harriet Ni-
chols, who married Charles Schmeling, is
now a widow and lives in Fulton where she en-
joys a lucrative practice and the confideiice
and esteem of a large circle of acquaintances.
Dr. Stevenson, enlisted as many others did.
from York, to help put down the Rebellion, and
became surgeon of the regiment. Soon after re-
turning from the army he died. His widow,
Mary Jane Stevenson, was noted in her day
as a ready writer, contributing many articles
for the magazines