Full text of "History of Bureau County, Illinois"

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HISTORY

-OIF-

BUREAU COUNTY

^^^ ILaLaINOIS.

H^ C. BRADSBY, EDITOR.

* * * liere as else"wliere yv^e must searcli out the causes after
"we have collected the facts. No matter it the facts be physical or
moral, they all have their causes; there is a cause for ambition, for
courage, for tnath, as there is for digestion, for musciilar movement,
for animal heat. Vice and virtue are products, like vitriol and vinegar.

TAINE.

ILLTJSTIR/^^TEID.

WORLD PUBLISHIIS G 'COMPANY.

.1753

Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1886,

BY H. C. BEADSBY

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, V. C.

Jukn Morrit t'ompang, PrinitTM, Chicago.

PREFACE.

[ HE history of Bureau County, Illinois, after much toil and patient research, is
now completed, and it is believed that no object of public importance or interest
has been omitted, save where the most diligent efforts failed to secure reliable
results.

The chief aim of this book is to give the facts and dates as we found them in
the recollections of the few surviving early settlers, the private and public records
in the County and State archives, the few private diaries, family Bibles and on the tomb-
stones placed by the hands of affection over the final resting-places of the departed, in their
chronological order. The legends and traditions have been carefully gone over, and no
small part of the work has been in collating and verifying them, and in every case where
fiction had found its way into the web or woof of the story, to retain the true and reject the
false.

In some respects the reader may think, especially if he should be a stranger to the
pioneers and their descendants, that at times there is a tediousness of detail, or even that
some are unimportant, but a generation from now these very details will be the more highly
prized the more full and complete they are.

In telling the story of the general county history we have combined and woven together
the account as best we could, and in addition to the county's genealogy and chronology
will be found that of the people, together with the biographies and lives of the living and
the dead, that will some day be an invaluable prize in the hands of the future historian, as
well as of interest and profit to the readers of to-day.

We believe the whole will be found clothed in a literary garb, and brightened with
reflections, suggestions and philosophical deductions that will make it a store-house for the
young and old, where they may find new and valuable ideas, and thus gain knowledge and
pleasure that will repay them many times the original outlay for the book.

This work has cost us much labor and a large expenditure of money, and as the territory
is but a single county, and, therefore, our patronage can be but limited, yet we have given
here more than we promised, and we feel assured that all thoughtful and fair-minded
people will recognize and appreciate the work and its permanent value.

There is a perceptibly constant inoj.'^iiae in the ■^jntejcept; "^%i. the history of the pioneers.
This, of course, commenced in the original' States of th^ tJnion, but is extending all over
the West. In the New England States it i^ stil']; f4c iii-'advance of the Mississippi Valley.
It may be true that these are richer historical grounds .thac! the newer States can present,
but it is not certain that, therefore, there bre "noS groat ^eicls here for the real historian.

PREFACE.

because there is much in the man who writes the history of a people as to whether he finds
and suitably points out, and fully works up the actual material that may lie within his
possible reach.

In this work we have followed no beaten track in formulating the story, the subjects
treated, or the manner of treatment, and some readers may conclude that to that extent we
have marred what we have done, yet we have followed a general plan, and made prominent
those special subjects that we have, after long study and reflection, conceived to be for the
best in the end, even if not now.

And all we care to say in self defense is, that where the reader may fall upon chance
paragraphs that do not meet his cordial approval, that in justice to the writer he withhold
his judgments until he can fairly view and estimate the work as a whole — the story in all its
lights and shadows. H. C. BRADSBY.

December, 1884.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.— Introduction to the Subject Generally—
The State's Present (irowth— The Anglo-Americana —
Cavaliers and Puritans— People Sutler Only for their
Ignorance — Lawmakers Generally Considered— Med-
dlers in Social Organizations— Climate, Soil, Race,
Epoch, and the Bent of the Public Mind the <ireat
Workers of Events— History Considers Glen's Errors
Mostly Because These Predominate — The Measure of
People's JMoralily is the Knowledge They Possess — The
Present is Completing the Past and the Past Explaining
the Present, etc., etc 13

CHAPTER II.— Why History Interests Us— What is His-
tory ?— Laws of Development — The Soil and its Won-
ders—Importance of Teaching it to All— Needs of Our
People— The Coming Public Schools— Learned Igno-
rance Should Stop Now — Early Illiteracy and Modern
Demoralization Compared — Who Are the Real Immortals
— True Philosophy and Kindly Thought — Teaching
Error a Crime — How to Educate — An Agricultural
People Should Have an Agricultural Education — In-
stances Given — Education the Most Practical Thing in
the World — Geological History, its Immensity and Im-
portance— The Rocks, Soil, Age, Climate Great Factors
in Making History — Cieology of Bureau County — Coal
Measures— The Wonderful Stories of the Prairies, etc... 21

CHAPTER III.— The Wonders of Prehistoric People— Re-
mains of Great Cities— The Indians and yet Older People
Who Were Here— Winnel>ago War, Capture and Death
of Red Bird— Black Hawk War— First Bloodless Cam-
paign in 1S31— Black Hawk Enters into a Treaty —
Starved Rock, the First Settlement in Illinois— Joliet
and Marquette— LaSalle's Colony and Fort St. Louis-
Two H^indredth Anniversary of the Discovery and
Possession of the Country— First White Settlement
in the West Made in iri82, at Starved Rock— Capts. Willis
Hawes, and Stewart's Companies and the Men from
Bureau County, in the Black Hawk War, etc., etc 43

CHAPTER IV.— The Genealogy of the County— New
France — Canada — Louisiana— Northwestern Territory
— St. Clair County — Madison, Clark, Bond, Crawford,
Pike, Fulton, Peoria, Putnam and Finally Bureau
County— The Several and Final Treaties— The Chain of
Title to the Territory— Title to the Land, etc., etc 58

CHAPTER v.— The Grand March of Empire— The Marvels
in the Sweep of Population Across our Continent — The
Work of One Hundred Years— The Legislative Act
Creating Bureau County, etc., etc 65

CHAPTER VI.— The Order in which the People Came—
First the Explorer, then the Trafficker, then the Trap-
per and Hunter, and then the Settler— Their Curious
Habits and Customs— The Children of the Solitudes—
What They Encountered— Hog and Hominy— The Shirt-
tail Age — Houses and Furniture— Sutfering for Bread —
Anecdotes — Some of the Experiences of Pioneer Chil-
dren — To Your Gums ! ! ! — Experiences of a Boy at His
First Hotel— He Hears a Gong — Supposes the House
Busted— Board Two Itollars and a Half a Day, and He
Eats Bread and Water— Witches, Wizards, and the Hor-
rors of Superstition— How People Ported- Weddings,
Dances, and the One-Eyed Fiddler— Bottle Race— How
People Dressed — Salute Your Bride — Going to House-
keeping, etc.. etc 69

PAGE.

CHAPTER VII.— The Name of Bureau Countv— How it
Came— The First Five Families— Who Th'ey AVere—
Bulbona, John Dixon, Charles S. Bovd, Henry Thomas
—Sketches and Anecdotes of Early Settlers— Death and
Burial of John Dixon— Gurdon S. Hubbard— Who Was
the First Postmaster— Oldest Living Settlers— Abram
Stratton.— His Remarkable Trip in 18:^9— Sketch of Him
—The Brighams— The County's Total First Tax-
Remarkable Career of John H. Boyd— The Three Broth-
ers-in-Law— The First Death in the County, Daniel
Smith— His Widow and Family, etc., etc., etc 79

CHAPTER VIIL— Records Made by Old Settlers— On All
Disputed Questions They are the Best Authority— Old
Settlers Society— First Agitation of the Subject— Histor-
ical Importance of Speeches, Poems, Addresses, Remarks,
Anecdotes and Pictures— Address of E. S. Phelps— First
Old Settlers' Meeting — Who Participated— Their
Records of Early Settlers, and When They Came— Poem
by John H. Bryant—" Doctor Bill "— Otticers of the
Society— Killing of Phillips— Milo Kendall's Address —
Warren's History of Putnam County— E. Strong Phelps
— John M. (iav, Munson and Miss Hall- First Burial
and First Birth— Caleb Cook— Aiiuilla Triplett- A
Long List of the Early Settlers and Their Descendants
— Arthur Bryant's Poem — Michael Kilterman, Sketchof
— Thirteen Dogs and the Assessor — More Anecdotes —
Rev. Mariin and His Dog "Peony"— The Perkinses-
George Hinsdale — C. G. Corss- And a Great Many
Others, etc., etc 87

CHAPTER IX.— Lone Tree— Putnam County Organized-
Capt. Haws — John M. Gay Elected Commissioner—
Dr. N. Chamberlain School Superintendent in 1831 —
Bureau Precinct — Its First Nineteen Voters — Their
Names and Whom They Voted For — A Democratic
Majority at the First Election — Bureau Men on the
Jury in 1831 — Daniel M. Gay and Daniel Dimmick
Elected Justices — Gurdon S. Hubbard's Account of Bur-
bonnais — Peoria and Galena Road — Dave Jones — First
Steamboat on the Illinois River — First Grist and Saw
Mill— " Dad Joe" Smith, a Sketch— Young Dad Joe's
Ride — Alex Boyd's Ride — People Flee the Country —
Shabbona. etc.. etc 110

CHAPTER X.— End of the Indian Troubles— Commence-
ment of Permanent Settlements and Improvements —
Election of 1834 — Bryant and Brigham Elected for
Bureau Precinct — Estimated Number of People Here
Then — Browne's Company of Rangers— Hampshire Col-
ony — William O. Chamberlain ItsOriginal Inventor — E.
H. Phelp's Account of the Colony and Their Coming
and the History Thereof— Names and an Account ofthe
Colonists and Their Friends 125

CHAPTER XL— "Curt" Williams, the Man of Many Marks
— Smiley Shepherd— The Deep Snow of 1831— John. Job,
Timothy, Brown and David Searle— Greenbury Hall-
Lewis Cobb — The Cholera in 1832 — Scott's Army and Its
Sullering From the Plague — First Steamboats Arrive in
Chicago, 1.S32 — Politicians In the Black Hawk War — " I
Surrender, Mr. Indian" — Sketches of Many Early Set-
tlers—Henry F. Miller— M. Studyvin— I'^ivid Chase —
James Coddington — Enoch Lurary — James t.larvin — E.
Piper — James Wilson — Jacob Galer^John Leepcr — John
Baggs—Wiswalls-Tripletts— Halls— How Negro Creek
Got its Name, etc., etc 1

CONTENTS.

PAGE.

CHAPTER Xn.— rmmke'8 Group Picture of Early Settlers
— Of (irciti Value Now, iJul of Greater Value iii the
Future — Appeal ti» the Couuty Authorities— The First
Families, the Real Kuickcrbockers— A Chapter That
Will Lou ^ Grow in Value, etc., etc U4

CHAPTER XIII.— .lohu JI. Itryanl-The Farmer Poet— A
Sketch of His Life and Works— His Name IdeDtified
With Every luiporlaut Movemeut in the County Since
Ho Came Here, etc., etc 155

CHAPTER XIV.— Something About a Great Many People
of the County- When Itiilerent Places Were Settled uud
by Whom — First lioverniueiit Land Surveys — The I>en-
bams — Moseleys — ,1. \'. Thompson — .ludge R. T. Temple-
ton— Rev. E. Scudder High and Doughnuts— To Mai-ket
to Sell a Pig— Walnut and Ohio Townships, etc., etc 169

CHAITEU XV.— The Churches of the County— Their Pres-
ent Pastors and Condition— The Growth of Church In-
stitutfons— In God We Trust— A Well Written Chapter
by H. H. Leeper, of Princeton, etc., etc 180

CHAPTER XVL— The Anti-monopoly Movement, its Ori-
gin — John H. Rryant's Connection Therewith and Also
Senator L. I). Whiting- lUrth of the Republican Party
—Judge Lawrence I>elcated and Judge Craig Elected
Supreme Judge— The Great Contest of the People
Against Corporations and Monopolies— Effect Through-
out the Whole Couutrv— How Rureau Has Led in Many
of These (ireat Movements— The \ I Illh Article of Our
Constitution, How it Came About — Ihe Laws and tho
Courts' l>ecisious Founded Thereon — Illinois the Birth-
place of Nearly Every Political Revolution — Some Cor-
rections in Current History— l^luch Information and
Many Important Facts That Will be New to Most Read-
ers 204

CHAPTERXVIL— The Hennepin Canal— History Of the Ill-
inois and Michigan Canal— Its Extension to the Missis-
sippi River— Its I'aramounl Inii>ortance— Cheap Trans-
portation the Great Want of the Mississipjii Valley —
Some Curious Legislation- And a Few Statutory Pyro-
tecnics, etc., etc 217

CHAPTERXVIIL— Horticulture— Arthur Hryant the Pio-
neer in This Line Here— Forestry— About Fruits Gen-
erally, and Shade and Ornamental Trees — Sketch of
Arthur Bryant, etc., etc 2'27

CHAPTER XIX.— Gold and Silver Mines— Curious Super-
stitions About Tliem — " Way-Bills." Leading to Fabu-
lous Fortunes — How Ignorance Dupes It.seli— Tenacity
of Ignorant Reliefs— Ancient I-'ools I'erished in the Hunt
for the Fountain of Youth — More Modern Ones Also
Pursue Their Foolish Hrcamsof Wealth- Counterfeitera
In Their Caves, etc., etc 237

CHAPTER XX —Debating Societies— Some Immortal Speci-
mens— <'Hri-Time Church Severity— How These Things
are Modilied and Bettered— Forelathers' Day in Prince-
ton and Addres!«es— Discussion About it in the Press—
The Puritans Attacked and Ably Defended— The Writ-
ers Tartly Review History, etc., etc 241

CHAI'TER XXI. — Drainage — Swamp Lands — Illinois
Drainage Laws— The I^mg Fight lo Make 'i'hein ICIfect-
Ive— How L. D. Whiting Successfully Fights out the
Long Rattle for the Right— The Great Renelits His Ac-
tion Will Confer on the i;ntire State, etc., etc., etc 262

CHAPTER XXM.— Bureau County Created, 1S:J7— Election
— Piireau Triuiiiplm anrl .lollUles— " Shut the Door I "—
Tho Firnt IlighM-ay— Part rif MieKld Indian Trail Yet
Prcser\ed — I'irst County 'Uliclals and Their Acts- List
of County Ollieers Complete, (trough t Down lo the Adop-
tion of Township Organization — Tho Civil History of
the County, With Sketches of Some of tho Prominent
Acton, utc., etc., etc 267

CHAPTER XXin.-(ivH History Conlinued— Laws, Pub-
lic and Spe'i.il, Ri-ffrrlug (o the County of Rureau and
iiH TowuN- A Complete Index ond Reference to the
hame. etc., etc , etc 278

CHAPTER XXIV.— Township Organization Adopted —
}loard of Supervisom Meet^John H. Rryanl First Chair-
nuiD- List of Supervlsont— tjeorgo McMnnnis Second

PAGE.

Chairman- Premium for Wolf Scalps— John M. Grimes
First Attorney for the Board— Terwilleger Overseer of
the Poor— R.T.Templeton County Judge— List of Town-
ship and County (iiiicers lo 1S57 — The Anti-Duelling
Oath Required— Jacob T. Tiiompson's Report as County
Treasurer — County Otficers, Supervisors, and Other
Olficers— J. T. Thompson- O. L. Bearss —Sketches, etc.,
etc., etc 280

CHAPTER XXV.— Continuation of County Ollicers— Com-
plete List to Date— Jlarriages— First One J. H. Olds and
Louisa C. Bryant — I'owers Exercised by the County
Court — Public, T'ivil and Private Affairs Generally —
These Old Law-Makers Regulate the Price of Whisky
and Eating and Sleeping and Horse Feed, etc., etc., etc... 291

CHAPTER XXVI.— Courts— Lawyers— Judges, and Those
Who Held These Olhces— Legal Doings— Lawyers Who
Rode the <'ircuil— Visiting and Local Lawyers— Simon
Kinney First Attorney to Locate in the County— Cijrus
Bryant the First Circuit Clerk — Sketch of Him— Fuge
Songs — Judge Martin Ballon the Second Lawyer to Lo-
cate in the County, Now the Oldest Member — Hon.
Charles L. Kelsey— How Judge Eraser Lost a Federal
Judgeship — Bureau County Electors — Representatives
and State Senators — Congressmen, etc., etc., etc 295

CHAPTER XXVII— The Press— First Paper the Bureau
Advocate — The Three Political Parties Run the Same
Paper — A Novel Idea — The Princetoniau — Post — Herald
—Yeoman — Democrat — Republican — Tribune — Patriot
— News — Motor — Tidings — Press — Register — Indepen-
dent—Call—Home <;uard — Times— Who Managed Them
— Present Papers— List of Editors and Publishers-
Present Papers and Proprietors, etc., etc., etc 307

CHAPTER XXVIIL— Agricultural Society-- Its Commence-
ment and Who Started It— List of Offices— A Successful
Institution— Its Great Value to the People — Laud in
the County — .Agricultural Interests — Value and Tax of
the Same— Farms— And Much Other Information, etc.... 321

CHAPTER XXIX.— Hon. Owen Lovejoy— The Martyrdom
of His Brother Elijah P. Lovejoy— An Event in Ameri-
can History— Owen Lovejoy's Mission in Life— His Death
in the Hour of the Triumph of bis Political Principles,
etc., etc 326

CHAPTER XXX.— The Rebellion— Bureau County and its
Import»nt Part Therein— The News of the Firing Upon
Fort Sumter— A Detailed Account of the Companies,
(Ollicers, Regiments and Squads— Killed and Dead— Rat-
tles— Politicians— Knights of the Golden Circle— Wo-
men's Aid Societies — War Sleetings — Bounties —
Speeches— ICnlisting, etc., etc., etc 340

CHAPTER XXXI —Schools— Reflections on the Subject Gen-
erally—Suggestions and History of Schools — Learned
Ignorance — Classical Fxlucation — Investigation Invited—
Progress of the Schools — The Present Number and
Eliiciency— The Princeton High School— Teachers, etc... 367

CHAPTICR XXXIL— Stock— Graded and Thoroughbreds-
Growth of this Industry— Who First Experimented in
This Line— Cattle, Horses, etc., etc 379

CHAPTER XXXIII.— Political Matters Generally- Censu*
of the County— Douglas and Stewart's Congressional
Kace— The Size of the Original District— Post OiBcea
and Postmasters — Thn County's Vole — tireat Wolf
}I„nts— Roads— Relics— H. L. Kinney, etc., etc 392

CHAPTER XXXIV.— Odds and Ends — Retrospective—
Paths, Indian Trains and Railroads— Blessings Received
and .\nticipated— Fanners and Their Future IMucation
—The Ituttalo and the Indian— Natural Engineers and
Places for Great Cities- Douglas, IBreese and the Idea
of the Illinois Central Railroad, etc., etc 404

CHAPTElt XXXV.— City of Princeton—Whence its Name
— First Survey — First Election — Who Voteil —
Officials- Improvements. Growth, Beauties, Societies,
Business, etc., etc i08

CHAPTER XXXVL— Townships, Villages and Towns in
theCounty— Additional Information in Regard to Each
Town»hii>— The Settlers, ProniinoDt Men, etc., etc 419

CONTENTS.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

PAGE.

Alphabetically arranged 439

In memoriam, Hon. Justus Stevens

Received too late for insertion in proper order..

PAGE.
706

PORTRAITS.

PAGE.

Allen, Joseph Facing 400

Battey, Silas " 340

Boyden, A.Vf " 216

Brenneman, Martin " 322

Bryant, Arthur " 304

Bryant, John H " 28

C'olver, Jacob '' 41(>

Dayton, Chauncey L Between 286 and 2H0

Dayton, Mrs Lydia B " 286 and 2.S9

Edwards, Richard Facing 96

Fa.ssett, E. W " 198

Frary, R. B " 114

PAGE.

Gray, Nathan -Facing 182

Henderson, Thomas J " 80

Knox, S. M " 250

Miller, Henry J Between 164 and 167

Miller, Mrs. Jane " 164 and 167

Novris, I. H Facing 46

Reeve, Tracy " 232

Stevens, B N " 268

Stevens, Justus #. " 62

Whipple, William M " US

Whiting, L D " 130

Wiljiams, Solomon " 366

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY

CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY.

ILLINOIS has jsassed through its pio-
neer period of development, and from a
raw state of savagery and wild waste to one
of the foremost States in the Union — ah'eady
the first State, indeed, in many of those stand-
ard articles of agriculture that are contribut-
ing so much to make the Upper Mississippi
Valley the garden and granary of the world;
a State but sixty-six years old (1818-1SS4)
and already in the lead in the number of
miles of operated railroads, as well as lead-
ing in many of the best agricultural products;
the third State in the number of persons en-
gaged in the various occupations of life ; a
greater population engaged in agriculture
than any other State in the Union, and this
industry extended during the past decade be-
yond anything before known in history; her
mining and manufacturing industries lagging
only behind her agricultural growth, and yet
keeping pace well with perhaps any other
similar sized community in the world. In
all the elements of present wealth and future
promise, the State, young as it is, bids well
at no distant day to stand peerless and alone.
And phenomenal as has been the growth of
population and wealth, the increase bears the
evidences that it is not sporadic, but regular

and permanent, and the limits of its future
are too vast for present possible estimate.

Some measure of the mental and commer-
cial activity of a people may be gained per-
haps as well or better through the postoflSce
reports than from any other easily accessible
source. The total postotHce expenditures for
the State in 1882 in Illinois were second to
that of the State of New York, although in
population we are the fourth State in the
Union. In illiterates — those ten years of
age and over — Illinois is the fourteenth State.
In newspapers, she stands next to New York;
in the average daily attendance in the public
schools, Illinois is the fourth State ; in col-
leges she is second, leading New York by
one. [Railroads, in mileage, Illinois by far
exceeds any State in the Union, nearly doub-
ling the mileage of New York.] But with a
much smaller mileage, the railroads of Penn-
sylvania have larger annual earnings than
the Illinois roads.

II.
The prosperity of a new State, especially
when it is marked, is as a rule ephemeral.
At first all industries flourish, but soon com-
petition is felt, and the wave of prosperity
is followed usually by a marked decadence of
all these, or a relaxation of the active ener-
gies that seem to wait for the new growth of
an increased demand that will come in time
and revive trade and traffic to renewed energy

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

and effort. This general experience of new
and rapidly growing communities has never
come to Illinois. Flush times and hard times
have come and gone here as well as else-
where, but they were the same in their visits,
and at the same time that they ma<le their
appearance all over the land. The perma-
nency of her growth, and the solidity and
glory of her marvelous greatness has con- !
sisted chiefly in her farmers — those whose j
prudent foresight discovered here a wealth of !
soil and climate unetpialed in the world.

For more than a century after the discovery
and first small settlements of what is now
Illinois by Joliet. La Salle, and the Jesuits —
Marquette and Hennepin — the feeble but dar-
ing little colonies were isolated in the heart
of our great continent, and more remotely
separated from the civilized world than could
£my people now bo upon any portion of the
globe; their growth was only the natural in-
crease, as their isolation from mankind was
almost complete. Religious enthusiasts, bear-
ing aldft the cross of the church and the lilies
of France, penetrated the wilderness and car-
ried to the untutored savage the sublime mes-
sage of "peace on earth and good will to
man." And following in the long course of
time these children of the chui-ch, came the
"war-whoop that oft woke the sleep of the
cradle," the massacres, the assassinations and
the wars, an<l the last were the means in
every instance of bringing here the first
streams of immigrants, who were the base
upon which has grown the present greatness
of the State. It was the sons of Mara who
were the fathers of our State builders. First,
the war of 1770 and of IS 12-15 brought the
Virginians and Carolinians, and made them
acquainted with Southern Illinois, and then
the war of 1S82 extended the acquaintance
of the Northern and Southern States to the
northern limits of Illinois; and the wonder-

ful stories of the beauties and natural wealth
of the new countiy were told to their friends
in their old homes, and thus again and again
were the streams of immigrants started
afresh. The first fruits of discovery and oc-
cupation were from the church ; the final
great results came of war and marching
armies.

in.

The controlling, the supreme human forces
upon this continent are the Anglo-Americans,
the commanding and master-spirits among
men. And it is their restless and wandering
activities, and the fact that, except the Jew,
they are the most cosmopolitan people in
history, ancient and modern, that has been
one of the distinguishing marks of this race,
and has contributed much to maintain their
matchless superiority. The earliest history
of the Anglo-Saxon people presents them as
pirates upon the high seas and roving and
dauntless invaders and robbers upon land.
And when they attached themselves to the
soil in the British Isles, their roving habits
and knowledge of the waters resulted in
making them the greatest commercial people
in the world, and to this fact is due much of
those characteristics that to-day so distin-
guish them from all other people. They
traded, trafficked and warred all over the
known world, and in one way or another they
came in contact with every variety of peoples,
and thus, in the race of life, distanced all.
They are a remarkable demonstration of the
fact that man's best schoolmaster is his
fellow-man, in his endless varieties; and
that a people that attaches itself to the soil
becomes stationary, as it were, and if not
visited V)y those of dififerent ideas, manners
and bias of mind they are never a progi-essive

people.

IV.

The early settlers upon our continent were

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

the Cavaliers and the Puritans — the latter
locating in New England, and the former in
the South; the Cavaliers just entering upon
a career of refinement and luxurious indo-
lence, and the Puritans emerging from the
severe religious ordeals that had filled his
blood with iron and had prepared" him well
for totering upon the race for thrift, energy,
power and wealth. His sufferings had taught
him the severest economy, and the people of
the South were learning their lessons in indo-
lent ease, while their New England brothers
were practicing a rigid frugality and learn-
ing well the fact that money is a 'direct
power that gratifies the ambition^ and com-
mands a certain respect that need not be
despised. The Cavalier grew haughty and
domineering, as was natural from the position
of master and slave, and the Puritan de-
spised these vain pretensions and soon learned
to meddle in the affairs of his distant and
slave-proud neighbors. And in the long-
distant years ago were planted the seeds of
the " irrepressible coutiict " whose fat harvest
was war.

The misfortune to both and the whole
was that our country was so large that both
had taken up their abodes yi the dis-
tant portions of the land, and in time
they neai'ly ceased to mingle and associate
together in the every-day business and social
affairs of life; and in the end the war was
something of a necessity to bring the two ex-
tremes once more together, even if it was
upon the field of blood; for amid the wrecks
and woe and desolation, the dead, the
wounded, the sick, the dying, the hospitals,
the prisons, the flying skirmishes and the
great red gaps of battle, the Northerner and
the Southerner met, and here and there and
everywhere was that " touch of human nature
that makes all the world akin." And of the
many results flowing out from the war, this

one of making the people of the different
sections better acquainted with each other
can be contemplated by all with unmixed
satisfaction.

In the exultation of victors (this admoni-
tion will never be needed by the vanquished)
the North should not forget that a society
cannot permanently prosper that is founded
only on the pursuit of wealth, pleasure and
power. A profound respect for liberty and
justice are the first essentials to real national
greatness and glory. Splendid cities, costly
cathedrals, vast and numerous churches,
many and magnificent schoolhouses, the col-
ossal fortunes of millionaires, and immense
factories and their many hundreds of em-
ployes, are not the absolutely necessary finger-
boards pointing always to the greatest welfare
and happiness of the people. The cottages
vastly outmimber the palaces, as do the labor-
ers far exceed the idle and the rich. The
real people live in humble homes; their toil
is the woi'kVs wealth: and their health, hap-
piness, comforts and their education and
content are the true measure of a nation's
greatness and glory.

"Genuine history," says Taine, "is
brought into existence only when the histo-
rian begins to unravel, across the lapse of
time, the living man, toiling, impassioned,
entrenched in his customs, with his voice and
features, his gestures and dress, distinct and
complete as he from whom we have just part
ed in the street. " A history of a people
which has passed away is the effort to make
the past the present; to revivify the dead and
present every phase of actual life as it once
existed, with all its bad and good, its bless-
ings and its sufferings; the home life, the pub-
lic highway, the street, the field, men and
women privately, collectively, at work and at

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

play, socially and morally, as they once were
here in the struggle for life. A picture most
difficult, perhaps about impossible to draw.
Hence, to approach this perfection in any
respect, will make a valuable took, and one
whoso lessons will remain perpetually to the
coming generations.

YI.

The people of a State, or any separate
civil government of laws and police powers,
must be considered in reference to their local
laws and government, as well as estimated
morally and socially, in order to fathom the
causes when tLo facts are once understood.
This is unquestionably the freest government
established among men, and it may possibly
have the " finest civil service on the planet."
yet one fact is patent, namely: that it is
already comj)lex and is growing in those in-
tricacies, and from this is and long has been
coming some of that confusion among men's
ideas of what are the true boundary lines
where the people should cry out to the law-
makers, "hands oflf here. " We have a gen-
eral government and laws, applicable to all
the people of the country, then State laws
and institutions that are local; then county,
town and city governments, laws, police and
courts; and the constant tendency is to in-
crease these — enlarge their complexity, and
the genius of o'.ir law-makers is exhausted in
the scramble for new laws. From the earliest
childhood, from ancient times, when civiliza-
tion was emerging from darkness, all were
taught to respect tiie law and to pray regu-
larly for the rulers and law-makers. And to
worshij) the flag aiid condone the crimes of
tho.se in power is the common measure of
your noighl)or's patriotism. A rather stupid
judgment, truly, but the verv l)est the average
iiiaij of tliis age could lie expected to form.
The tendency of all this is to run to those

most glaring evils of all governments, over-
legislation, and thus what was intended for a
protection, may become the heaviest oppres-
sion. In so far as laws and governments are
concerned, they are a necessary evil — some-
thing not needed by the good — their only
purpose or excuse for existence being to
restrain the bad, and to protect all from the
evil, the ignorant and the perverse. The
evils of overmuch law and government med-
dling in the affairs of men, affairs that every
one should shape and control for himself,
have been too little considered by the people,
those who suffer as tlie result of their own
ignorance. The world is full of men who
think a vote will make them wise, virtuous,
rich and happy, and when these mistaken
men are clothed with the ballot, and find
themselves far from complete happiness, they
are very apt to tm-n their eyes ever toward
some new law, some commission or new office,
created to relieve them of all their woes.
When all these ))anaceas have run the gannif
of experience and dismal failures, he may
then wail at the demagogues, and fairly bray
in a mortar, this meek and ever patient long
eared animal.

"The fault, dear Brutus, is in ourselves
And not in our stars that we are unilerling.s."

The right of universal suffrage, in fact, all
right of voting, implies and compels for
the voter either the intelligence to select
the proper representative to make and exe-
cute the laws, or ho must abide the cruel con-
se<iuencesof the inevitable mistakes of ignor-
ance. In your law- maker's hands are en-
trusted the great questions of not only your
hap])iness. but of life and death itself. As
new and strange as these jiropositions may
seem to many I'eaders, they are not new to
those who think best about the great problems
of life. They are open secrets, and which
are yet so open that they ought not to remain

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

secrets to those who take upon themselves the
awfi;l responsibility of self-government, or of
electing those who are to make and execute
the laws, those men who undertake the vast
and teiTible responsibility of dealing with
millions of human beings by measures which,
if they do not conduce to their happiness,
will increase their miseries and accelerate
their deaths.

Speaking on this subject, and especially
in reference tb the plainest requirements that
should be possessed by every law- maker,
Herbert Spencer says: "There is first of all
the vindeniable truth, conspicuous and yet
absolutely ignored, that there are no pheno-
mena which a society presents but what have
their origins in the phenomena of individual
human life, which again have their roots in
vital phenomena at large. And there is the
inevitable implication that unless these vital
phenomena, bodily and mentally, are chaotic
in their relations (a supposition excluded by,
the very maintenance of life) the I'esulting
phenomena can not be wholly chaotic; there
must be some kind of order in the phenom-
ena which grow out of them when associ-
ated hujnan beings have to co-operate. Evi-
dently, then, when one who has not studied
such resulting phenomena of social order
undertakes to regulate society he is pretty
certain to work mischiefs.

' 'In the second place, apart from a priori
reasoning, this conclusion should be forced
on the legislator by comparisons of societies.
It ought to be sufficiently mauifest that, be-
fore meddling with the details of social or-
ganization, inquiry should be made whether
social organization has a natural history;
and that, to answer this inquiry, it would be
well, setting out with the simplest societies,
to see in what respects social structures agree.
Such comparative sociology, pursued to a
very small extent, shows a substantial uni-

formity of genesis. The habitual existence
of chieftainship, and the establishment of
chiefly authority by war; the rise everywhere
of the medicine-man and priest; the pres-
ence of a cult having in all places the
fundamental traits; the traces of division of
labor, early displayed, which gradually be-
come more marked, and the various complica-
tions — political, ecclesiastical, industrial,
which arise as groups are compounded and
recompounded by war — quickly prove to
anyone who compares them that, apart from
all their special differences, societies have
general resemblances in their modes of
origin and development. They present traits
of structure showing that social organization
has laws which override individual wills, and
laws the disregard of which must be fraught
with disaster.

"And then, in the third place, there is that
mass of guiding information yielded by the
records of law-making in oui' own country
and in other countries, which still more ob-
viously demands attention. Here and else-
where attempts of multitudinous kinds made
by kings and statesmen have failed to do the
good intended and have worked unexpected
evils. Century after century new measures
like the old ones, and other measiires akin in
principle, have again disappointed hopes and
again brought disaster. And yet it is thought
neither by electors nor by those they elect
that there is any need for systematic study of
that legislation which in by-gone ages went
on working the ill-being of the people when
it tried to achieve their well-being. Siu'ely
there can be no fitness for legislative func-
tions without wide knowledge of those legis-
lative experiences which the past has be-
queathed."

These are the thoughts of a philosopher,
not a politician nor statesman: The conclu-
sions of a great man, a man who refused

HISTOKY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

recently to accept a seat iu the British I'arlia-
ment because he could uot waste his time in
trying to benefit the ]M>oplo by giving them a
government they ^^•ere uot jet ready to re-
ceive or appreciate.

YII.
A history of a people must, therefore, eai'o-
fully consider the race, the epoch, and the
climate and soil and their combined effects
in elucidating the causes, after the facts have
been collattwl. Where the period of time
covered by the story is short — only a little
more than a generation — as in the history of
this county, the effects flowing out from these
causes become shadowy and indistinct — more
diflicult to tr.ice out and fix clearly to the
view, in due ratio to the brevity of the
period which comes ■« ithin the purview of
the writer.

These conceptions of history were unknown
to our forefathers. They wi'ote of all men,
looking always from the same standpoint,
and from their abstract concei>tions, exactly
as though all men, of all ages, climes and
Burronudings, were exactly the same. Their
C(jncfptious and conclusions were abstract,
and, like their philosophy, were metaphysi-
cal, and whence comes the fact that real his-
tory is a modern discovery; not wholly,
but mostly so.

The fact is, the so-called lore of the classi-
cal ages are the W(.)rks of those abstruse me-
tajthysicians who fairly dazzled the world
with their brilliant writings. The genius of
these men was attractive and fascinating.
and its j)ower is evidenced well by the mas-
tery it has wielded over men's minds for cen-
turies; in fact, even to the j)re8ent hour, we
find its influence lingering ulwut our oldest
colleges, universities and schools. The wrong
bent it gave the mind in many things has
been one of the heavy burdens upon the de-

velopment and expansion of the human mind,
and the dififusion and growth of knowledga
And the misfortune was that for centuries and
centuries the schools of the world were or-
ganized and run upon theoretical and not
scientific and practical ideas. And the amaz-
ing facts are now that we hear only of the
classical and scientific schools, the former
being generally regarded as the only proper
standard of a high grade of education, and
when we say a man is a classical scholar, all
understand that to be the perfection of learn-
ing:. And the best ideas of science in the
schools is but misei'able empiricism gener-
ally.

The steps in the advance of civilization —
that long and painful contest between truth
and ignorance — are thus indicated plainly to
us, and in time they, too, will bear their
fruits, and men will come to know that there
is nothing so practical as real learning. Our
forefathers called all scientific knowledge
"common sense," and unconscious as they
were of the fact, they were truly defining a
term that means all real knowledge; al-
though they may have labored under the
common delusion, that there was hid away in
some of the institutions of the world a won-
derful Arcana of wisdom and the true knowl-
edge, under the name of classical or scientific
lore, and that " common sense " was only for
common people, while the better article was
reserved for the select few.

The eras of development of the human
mind are, first, the age of brute force and
cunning and the earliest formation of the fam-
ily and tril)al relations, for mutual protection
from savage neighbors. And secondly there
is the age of arts, that culminates in music,
poetry, eloquence, painting and the elegant
refineinouts of society, and the jileasures of
wealth, luxuries, and the polished and court-
Iv manners that are so beautiful to behold in

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

any people. The crown and culmination of
the age of art, is in Jenny Lind, Raphael,
Shakespeare and the orators and metaphysi-
cians of Greece and Rome. And thirdly, the
mind progressing still from this grand epoch,
enters upon the age of inductive philosophy,
the highest type of human perfection possi-
ble to reach — the age of discoveries, inven-
tions and of true knowledge; the knowledge
which betters the conditions of all men,
making them healthier, happier and longer
lived; dispelling pain of budy and suffering
of mind; awakening men from the long
nightmare of superstitious fears and igaor-
ant beliefs, driving from the walks of life the
once successful and adored mendicant quacks,
shams and imposters, who, for the long ages,
so flourished fattened and battened upon the
hard earnings of ignorance and folly, the
curse of bigotry and the fatality of empiri-
cism.

VIII.

The man who never had occasion in his life
for the use of a thought above bread and
bacon (and we would not deride such men,
for with the great mass, these are the first
and only real questions of their whole lives,
and ^to answer them well is their noblest
mission), we say, many such men are truly
amazed when we have asked them for the
story of their humble, but sincere and honest
lives. And sometimes, like certain rich men
who are vain of their ragged and dirty
clothes, and who sneer at a clean man, they
have gloried in telling us that we did not
understand our own business nearly so well
as they did, and they knew their own lives
were too trifling to tell, and that it was a
fraud to attempt to print them. Parading
their own pride of ignorance, they give
instantaneous judgments upon the philosophy
of historical data, thus settling profound
questions that have taxed for many years

some of the greatest minds that ever lived.
Another will tell us that he is a " new comer "
and is not a part, nor has he any interest in
the history of the people, either of the past
or present. Another will notify us that the
history of a county can only be properly
written by its living cotemporaries.

There is no blame to attach to these mis-
taken people, because history is more an
account of men's errors than of their correct
judgments — ignorance has largely predom-
inated in the world, possibly it always will.
We are not excessively concerned on this point,
but content to contribute our humble mite to
the story as it is, conscious of the fact that
that history which fails to give an account of
men's errors, as well as their sparse triumphs
in behalf of truth, would be no history at
all. . The history of the insignificant, the
ignorant, good and bad, the old and the
young, in short, the majority, the mass, exact-
ly as they were and are, is the real bulk and
important part of the le.sson. In the hands
of the historian every grade and shade of
human life and its conditions, from the idiot
to Lord Bacon, are the materials from which
he raises the structure, the imperishable
records of a people. Do you sappose the
birds that made their tracks in the plastic
mud, which afterward hardened to stone and
became locked in the bowels of the earth for
centuries and for geological ages, were any
more aware of the immense importance their
rude records would be to us than the millions
of men, who lived and died and whose chance
fossil remains are being unearthed, and are
enabling us now to write something of the
story of prehistoric man and animals? The
lowest and meanest worms have lived and
made their imperishable records. Nothing
escapes history. The name of Charles
Augustus, or Nehemiah, or Praise-God- Bare-
bones, will pass away and be soon forgotten;

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

it is an impalpable nothing, but the life, the
bones and flesh, the blood and tissue are a
solid something, which, amid ceaseless
changes, will exist for ever. And it need not
humiliate the said Charles to leai-n that this
physical fact is equally true of the toad and
the mosquito.

Hence, an accurate biography of every
man, woman and child that now lives and
has lived in the county would be the full and
complete materials in the hands of the histo-
rian, by which he could write a history of
unsurpassed value. To obtain these now is
impossible, and we can only do the next best
thing, namely, to procure as nearly as possi-
ble the life records of those from whom we
may strike that average whose beautiful laws
are certain and immutable, and which, when
correctly interpreted, yield infallible truths.

IX.

A book to be read by the average man, in
order to be appreciated or understood, must
be addressed to his understanding, and it
should steer successfully around his cherished
prejudices of faith, and his distorted or total
absence of all views on political economy.
The successful book-makers, those who jump
into sudden fjime and reap the golden har-
vests, are those who catch the popular breeze
and sail with it. They criticise nothing,
and with devout hearts they bend the knee
and bow the head at the shrine inscribed.
" The voice of the people is the voice of
God; " or that other and worse maxim, " The
people are alwuj's right; " " The divine right
of Kings," and "The majority are always
right and the minority are always WTong" —
these are some of the arrant follies that have
held their places in men's minds persistently
and almost perpetually. From the hustings,
the rostrum, the sacred desk, the l)euch and
bar, thetu! fulminations are poured out, and

to question them is to have your own sanity
suspected. " Might is right" is just as true
as are any of the other time-worn maxims
about the majorities — the people as a whole,
or that other nonsense, that for all men to
vote is the priceless boon of freedom — or
" Universal suffrage assures the perfection of
a good and free government — so long as you
can vote _you cannot be enslaved."

These maxims are the droolings of imbe-
cility, and it is he who pours out upon this
wicked nonsense his fulsome panegyrics of
praise, who reaches best the public heart and
pulse and reaps the golden harvests. •

When the people act as a body upon any
subject, there cannot be any action that is
superior to the average man, and the chances
are as one in a thousand that it will not be
above this measure, but is nearly certain to
be below it, for the reason that error is near-
ly always more active than intelligence. It
is more self-asserting, more confident, and
infinitely more satisfied with itself. The
whole is admirably stated in formulating the
terms which describe the contest between
knowledge and ignorance. Knowledge is a
saint, ignorance is a criminal. Hence, a
people is moral or immoral, good or bad,
virtuous or vicious, as the collective body is
wise or ignorant. A high or low standard
of sobriety, integrity or morality in a people
is the exact measure of the knowledge it pos-
sesses. This, like the law of averages, may
not be demonstrably true of the individual,
but is unvarying of the people as a whole in
its self-demonstrations.

So far as we can know, everything in all
nature— the whole mental and phj'sical world
— is a growth, not in a single instance a
miraculous buiBting into the full bloom of
existence. And that growth is governed by
omnipotent laws. To know these laws and
apply them U) man, to the familj', to society,

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

to the commuuity, to the State, to the race,
is the exalted work of the historian.

In a historical point of view, then, " The
present is completing the past, and the past
is explaining the present." And this becomes
plain and its value incalculable in so far as
we may from the records and data that come
to our hands, be enabled to point out the laws
of growth that have led lis to where we now
are.

CHAPTER II.

Why History Interests Us — What is History? — Laws of Devel-
opment — The Soil and Its Wonders — Importanob of Teach-
ing it to .\ll — NEEDg OF Ol'r People — The Coming Public
Schools — Learned Ignorance Should Stop Now — Early
Illiteracy and Modern Demoralization Compared— Who
ABE the Real Immortals — True Philosophy and Kindly
Thought— Teaching Error a Ckime — How to Educate— An
Agricultural People Should Have an Agricultural Edu-
cation—Instances Given— Education the Most Practical
Thing in the World— Geological History, Its Immensity
AND Importance — The Rocks, Soil and Climate — Geology of
Bureau County — Coal-.^Ieasures— The Wonderful Stories
OF the Prairies, etc., etc., etc.

" Where once slow creeping glaciers passed
Resistless o'er a frozen waste.
Deep rooted in the virgin mould
The dower of centuries untold."

— JoHii H. Bryant.

MAN'S nature is such that he is deeply
concerned in the movements of those
who have gone before him, and this interest
intensifies the closer the strain of blood that
binds him to the memories of those predeces-
sors. If his earliest forefathers had their
forerunners, even if they were of an unknown
time and race, either savages or enlightened,
who lived and struggled and died, passing
away and leaving not a wrack behind, their
term reaching beyond the gray dawn of
earliest history, yet their dimmest marks and
fossil remains are deeply interesting, and
beckon ns on in the easrer hunt to unlock the

mystery that has so swallowed them up. Who
were they? How did they live; what did
they do; what did they knowy Where were
they from ? How did they so completely pass
away from the face of the earth'? And when
the inquiry comes down to the period of the
immediate ancestors of the inquirer the inter-
est intensifies, and the minutest, dry details
become profoundly interesting. Were they
wise or foolish, strong or weak, happy or
wretched? And we re-create in the mind as
well as we can the picture of their daily and
hourly life, customs, habits, temperaments,
their wisdom and follies, successes and fail-
lU'es.

The proper study of mankind is man.
Here is the great fountain of valuable knowl-
edge; and the " man " that is best studied, at
least is the easiest and best to understand, are
our immediate forefathers or predecessors.
To know all about them is all you can learn
of the human race that it is essential to know.
To solve the complex problem cannot be done
by a surface knowledge of all the races, but
by a thorough comprehension of those about
whom your every nature and impulse leads
you along in the investigation.

Could the gi'aduates of the schools be
turned oiit with their diplomas, when these
would mean that they knew the history of
their own race, to a degree even approaching
perfection, then indeed might we rest content
in the possession of that great boon, the best
educated people in the world ; the word
history being hero used in that broad and
true sense that means a mastery of the high-
est type of knowledge, the understanding of
the mental and physical laws, and in contra-
distinction of those terms the annals, the
chronology, the dates, the disconnected and
often trifling incidents that were once con-
sidered history, such as the births of kings
and princes, their deaths and pompous

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUXTY.

bnrials. battles, famines, epidemics, great
conflagrations or political revolutions. A
true history of a people is a mastery of the
laws of race and (he laws of heredity, climate
and soil, epoch, momentum — the understand-
ing of the laws of mind growth as well as
those controlling tho growth of the physical
body, society, church. State and all the won-
derful developments of a civilized people.

Everything is a growth — a development —
a passing from the simple to tho complex.
Thus it commences with the legends, then the
traditions, the chronicles, the annals, and
last, the history: the bud, the seed, the
tender sprout, the sapling, and the tree, which
in the long years is drawing its sap and food
from the deep soil and giving off its luscious
fruit in the distant and glorious summer.
The greatest always is the slowest and last to
perfect itself. Hence, we say, tho ti'ue con-
ception of historj' is modern, and so far we
have yet no complete history of any race or
people, but the materials for the coming his-
torian have been being gathered since the
days of Herodotus. When the world is ready
for this great man he will come, and in a sin-
gle book he will confer upon mankind some-
thing incomparably superior to all that has
ever yet come from the printing press.

Some geological ages ago preparations
commenced to make this (he lit abode for
man. The oscillations of the earth's surface
commenced, it is said by geologists, about
the Hnriin roginn on (his continent, forming
there (he lirst dry land, and this process pro-
ceeded slowly in a southwesterly direction
until our hemisphere has grown and fash-
ioned itself much as we have it now. Tho
conunencement of this continent-building
was thi' yii'lding up l)y tho waters of tho first
pagea in geological history. And what can
be more intere.sting and instructive than these
wonderful and unfailing records, when

brought under the trained eye of intelligence
and made to reveal the startling story of their
existence !

The soil is the Alma Mater — the noui-ishing
mother, indeed — of all animate life in this
world. Without it nothing — from it all that
we possess. The wealth and joys, the hopes
and ambitions, the beauties of nature and of
art, the new mown haj^ the maiden's blush,
the love lit eye, the floating Armada, the
thundering train, the flaming forge and the
flying spindle, the hand of friendship, the
sweet rippling laughter of childhood, all that
we can conceive of utility or beauty, men-
tally or physically, are from the cold, dull
soil upon which we tread. From here alone
comes life and all its belongings.

The sun worshipers were not base in their
adorable ideal — light and heat were the near
approach to the som-ces of life, and yet it
was only an aid to the soil: a laboratoiy dis-
solving and combining the elements of the
air and rocks and creating the soil, the great
fountain of all. The works of these sun
worshipers are scattered over the face of the
eai'th, furnishing us some of man's earliest
records. None ever worshiped the soil.
For it tbey had no just appreciation; its all-
commanding value is yet little understood,
and in the world's slow progress the soil and
the slavish drudge — the lowest menial and
the ignorant lout wei'e about the only things
that were a part and portion of the soil or
idontifled with it in meu's minds; and for
ages agriculture and unwashed ignorance
wore regarded as much one and the same
thing. In that first nation whose air was too
j)Ui'o for a slave to breath, was inaugurated
the long reign of a feudal system, where the
laborer and tho soil passed by the same title
deed, and tho allegiance and the lives of the
serfs were bought and sold as the meanest of
merchandise. While the soil has found no

HISTORY OF BUEEAU COUNTY.

worshipers and but few who cared to under-
stand its value, it has proceeded in its benefi-
cent works, showering its benefits upon all
until it has lifted us from dull and dirty
savages into the joys of the splendid civiliza-
tion that now smiles upon mankind.

Why should we teach our children to un-
derstand the stupid dirt beneath their feet?
Build schoolhouses and teach them metaphy-
sics — the involved and abstruse speculations
and problems that dazzle and bewilder the
mind; make them classical scholars and take
them far away from the dirt that flies as dust,
sticks to your clothes as mud, and is only
vile and nasty. And thus a vital error has
gone on and on, and is still wielding its
power for evil throughout the world.

The soil comes of the rocks, and excef)t
in the instances of drift, its component parts
may be instantly identified with the sub-
jacent rocks, and in the drift sections, as is
nearly all the surface of Illinois, the under-
lying rocks are always the index to the sur-
face qualities. To the intelligent eye that
examines the stratified rocks of a Country it
is plain enough what elements of plant food
it contains, and what particular vegetation
it will best produce.

Our people are agricultural in their pur-
suits. The Mississippi Valley will be the
storehouse and granary of the world. It can
always say to hungry man, " In thy Father's
house is enough and to spare.'' With its
wholesome and generous products, it will
freight the ships whose sails will fleck every
sea. Teach the people to read the secrets of
the soil, and give them cheap transportation
and the unobstructed and free markets of the
world, and then, indeed, will come that
boundless wealth which nurtures those master
8f)irits among men who shape and fix the
proud destiny of civilization.

It has never occurred, it seems, to the

school men, that the public schools should be
organized and operated in reference to local-
ity or the peculiar controlling interests of the
people; that cei'tain portions of the world
will produce different industries, and difi'er-
ent occupations for the people; that one place
is for mining, another for certain manufac-
tories, and another for agriculture, and of
this last we have an endless variety of pro-
ducts. One portion of our country produces
mostly rice, another cranberries, another
sugar, another tobacco, and often a single
variety of the many kinds of this product,
another cotton ; and then we have here, in the
Upper Mississippi Valley, that wonderful
garden for the production of that great vari-
ety in abundance, including nearly every-
thing except those articles named above.
And to this is added the raising of stock,
which nearly equals the immense values of
the immediate soil products.

The coming school teacher will see to it
that the bent of the schools are directed to
best preparing the rising generation for the
successful struggle of life by educating them
for their life surroundings. There is noth-
ing so practical in life as knowledge, and the
best knowledge is that which betters men's
lives. A common affliction all over the world
is "learned ignorance," and a people may
suffer morf fi'om this evil than from those
illiterates whose columns of per cents figure
in our census reports. There can be uo cen-
sus taken of "learned ignorance," and hence
its prevalence in a people may not be easily
detected, and its inflictions difiScult to meas-
ure. The shrewd observer may jiick them
out by their loud advocacy of, and unfalter-
ing faith in all the many eiTors that wefe
instilled into them in their own school edu-
cation. They believe wisdom is born as you
first enter the school room, and is full grown
and perfected when you leave its doors with

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

a diploma; that knowledge is in the text
ticioks. and that the professor who knows all
these must be the greatest man in the world.
It is this "learned ignorance" that measures
the people of a community by the school-
houpes, the number of teachers and the grad-
uates they turn out, and the absence of illit-
erates among them. These are grievious
^'rror8, and they are most apt to pass from
father to son, and thus become fixed as
axiomatic truths.

It is the home influence, the laws of hered-
ity, the environment of life, the age, the
momeutura and public sentiment that are
man's architect and controlling influences.
And the artificial, unphilosophical, empirical
contrivances of the world's reformers and
Utopia builders, are as the feather in the bal-
lance against the mountain in shaping men's
destiny.

The schools upon which the present sys-
tem is based, were founded seventeen hun-
dred years ago, for the sole purpose of edu-
eating young men for the priesthood — to
teach them how to teach morality — possibly
how to proselyte. The study of the catechism
and the Lives of the Saints were the whole
of the curriculum. They were a mere addenda
to the Catholic Church, and committing to
memory constituted the entire process of the
school room. They were Catholic schools,
and in the course of the world's revolutions
Clime the Lutheran, the Methodist, the Bap-
tist, and the innumerable other schools as
the sects multiplied, all enlarging the scope
of their work, until they came to be the
teachers of all classes of men. They wran-
gleil and struggled and spread, keeping even
pace with the growth and power of their re-
-pective sects, until sincere and good men
were led to believe that knowledge and doxy
were synonymous terms. Nothing has, per-
haps, filled its mission better than the theo-

logical schools — Jew or Gentile. Their ex-
istence in the organization of society was
probably an imperative necessity. But Jew-
ish education to teach the child knowledge
(understanding the mental and physical laws)
is a companion piece to that startling cry that
runs over the land about every time the tax-
gatherer comes around, that the public schools
are "Godless schools." Education, we are
told, is furnishing the mind mental food, as
we give the physical body bread and meat.
If Knowledge is a hard-shell Baptist, then
why do.we not hear of the Godless saw-mills,
fish ponds, pig pens or cattle ranches?

The original idea of the school was to pro-
pagate morality. And the way men in that
age thought, they were justified in the belief
that if you cultivated the moral, the intel-
lectual would take care of itself. Many able
and good men think so now: possibly a large
majority of mankind. And the roaring dema-
gogue will tell you that the majority, espec-
ially the large majority, cannot be in
' error.

Th<! truth is, a nation, people or race are
good or bad, moral or immoral, honest or
thievish, drunken or sober, pui'e or vile, no-
ble or ignoble, exactly as they are removed
from the thrjill of ignorance. Give people
knowledge, and you give them, in exact pro-
portion to the amount thereof, piu"e morality,
virtue, health, and all that ennobles and makes
them great and good. This alone is the great
teacher and reformer. Ignorance is a thief,
robber and murderer, and it is but idiocy that
gabbles about the " Idiss of ignorance." It
is the monster criminal, and pity it all we
may, its horrid possession of men, its grim
and fatal clutch, can only be loosened by real
knowledge, and not by " learned ignorance "
nor sham reformers. Ignorance is the major-
ity enlhroned, levying blackmail and war,
making laws and ruling empires, sowing

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

death and despair, and scattering its wrecks
along the shores of the stream of time.

The trend of the average mind of this age
is to education, to better its thoughts, to
gain knowledge, and to this achievement it
puts forth its best efforts. If it is given
" learned ignorance" for the genuine article,
it cannot be blamed for taking the poison in
the faith that it is healthful food.

Again, no one triith is the whole truth
about even the simplest act or thing in life.
To make a fire in the cook-stove, feed a pig
or raise a hill of corn requires, in order to
do either properly, to understand many of
the. physical laws applicable to each case. To
rush at the doing of either with the mastery
of only a single truth that will come in play,
is to open a Pandora's boz of disappoint-
ments, failures, evils. If this is true of the
simplest acts of life, how much greater self-
aiBicted evils are going to come to us when
we move in the great and complex affairs of
life, our education, our political economy,
our religion — in short, the individual and
society life itself. Here come into play the
innumerable and the great physical and men-
tal laws — omnipotence itself — that must be
at least partially understood and obeyed in
order to live at all. It is this jumping at
judgments that are founded upon one or two
truths concerning little and great affairs that
brings the shams and frauds, the bigots and
fanatics, the general demoralization and the
" learned ignorance " that so retards the
spread of knowledge among men, and thus
beats back the cause of progress, and kills
the brightest hopes that send their sunshine
across life's pathway.

II.

The very earliest settlers in Illinois had
neither schools, churches, doctors, preachers
nor lawyers. A good dog and a trusty ritle

were then a greater necessity than any of
these, and there was as little demand for the
luxurious pleasures of modern people as there
was for the evils that accompany the increase
of societies, and the denser population of
these days. Being without schools, etc.,
they were also without penitentiaries or
police oificers.

Gov. Reynolds came to Illinois in the year
1800; born in the old commonwealth of Penn-
sylvania. After he had lived here fifty-live
years, he wrote down his recollections in his
" Pioneer History of Illinois," of the people
he found here when he came. He says,
they were removed from the con-uption of
large cities, and enjoyed an isolated position
in the vast interior of North America. He
thinks that a century before 1800, they had
solved for themselves the problem that
neither wealth nor splendid possessions, nor
an extraordinary degree of ambition, nor
energy, ever made a people happy. They
resided more than 1,000 miles fi'om the
older colonies; they were strangers to wealth
or pinching poverty, but they possessed con
tent and real Christian virtues of head and
heart, and were consequently happy. Their
ambition did not urge them to more than an
humble and competent support, and their
wants were few and simple. They did not
strive to hoard wealth, they seldom drank to
excess, and he pronounces them a " virtuous,
contented and happy people."

This is the testimony of a man wlio tells
what he saw, and he knew well the people of
whom he is siseaking. There are none living
now who were here when Reynolds came, to
tell their recollections of the people, and
excepting what he tells us about them, we
are ignorant, save faint traditions, shadowy
tales reciting the story of

" Where nothing dwelt but beasts of prey,
Or men as fierce and wild as they."

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Accepting the "old Ranger's" account of
the people as literally tiiie, we find they had
no schoolhouses, and they were illiterate as a
rule, and he who confounds the terms illit-
eracy and ignorance, would say they were, of
course, very ignorant. Yet the truth is,
among the early settlers of Illinois, history
will forever preserve the fact that there were
even then men here who, were they living
now in the prime of their manhood, would
take rank with the foremost men of the age.
In the way of superstitious dreads and beliefs
they were more ignorant than we are now —
that is, than some of us. But remember, the
whole world then believed in witches, and
goblins, spooks and spells. Hideous appari-
tions then confronted men in every turn of
life, projecting their ghastly presence into
every family circle, between husband and
wife, parent and child, and often crushing
all the highest and holiest human impulses
and passions.

The revolutions of the earth have, in the
distant past, brought their long periods of
the same faith and beliefs among the nations.
Beliefs and moral codes that were enforced
by eloquence, by pious frenzy, by the
sword, the tiame and faggot, by the gibbet
and the headsman's ax and by those great
and cruel wans that converted this bright and
beautiful world into a blackened and desolate
waste, and sincere men became moral mon-
sters, who converted the fireside into a penal
colony, punishing the flesh until death was a
welcome refuge, and torturing frightened
imaginations with the pictures of a literal
hell of dre and brimstone, until poor men and
women and even children could only escape
by suicide —that mad plunge into the incon-
ceivable horrors of the damned. Time when,
not only society, but all civilized nations,
believed substantially the same beliefs, and
bunted down heretics and killed them; when

State and church were one and the same
thing. The State was supreme over body
and mind, and legislated for body and soul,
and glutted itself with persecutions and
slaughters. It enacted that the literature and
philosophy of the world was contained in the
"Lives of the Saints," of which the pious
and good had gathered many great libraries
of hundreds of thousands of volumes.

Here then are the two extremes — the ear-
liest pioneers without State or church — the
old world with little or nothitjg else but
church and State. The latter went daft and
dried up the fountains of the human heart,
and made the world desolate and sterile: the
first wresting the desert wilderness from the
savage and the wild beasts, and literally
making the solitude bloom, and bear the im-
mortal fruit of glorious deeds. These State-
less, schooless, churchless, illiterate jieople
blazed the way and prepared the ground for
the coming of the school teacher and the
church, the lawyer and the hospitals, the in-
sane asylums and the penitentiaries, the les-
sons of life and the hangman's rope, the
saloons and the gambler, the broken-hearted
wife and the bloated sot, the sob of innocence
betrayed, and the leering human goats as
they wag their scut and caper upon their
mountain of ofTenso. the millionaire and tbe
tramp, and tlio otlier perhaps inevitable
evils that mar and check the joys and bles-
sings of larger and older societies. In the
slow growth of our common pests, intertwin-
ing their roots and branches with the beauti-
ful and the good, most fortunately there can
be found the gleams of sun- light from those
who came and asked questions, who dared to
investigate and "ilrag up drowned truths by
the locks." In the long " night of storm and
darkness" these wore the beacon lights shin-
ing out ujion the troubled waters.

After the In-ave and illiterate pioneer

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

awoke the resting echo, and had fought out
the long battle with the beasts and the sav-
age, there came together here from the ends
of the world the various degrees of life and
social rank that now offer to the State his-
torian the busiest, most extended and varied
subjects for an enduring literary work— a
story that of itself is an epic poem: their
present struggles, their vast schemes of em-
pire, their growing wealth, their gi-and suc-
cesses, their short-comings and great failures
— the swing of the pendulum in the vast
clock of God, ticking off the centuries and
geological ages. The sweeps onward and
upward, the retreats and revulsions back-
ward, the sublime march of the human
race, the travail of the ages, the revolutions,
wars, beliefs and bloody reforms and reviv-
als — things that seem to retard, but really
are the demonstration of the progress of man;
all is but the creation, molding and building
up of that philosophy that reaches out to
the great mass of mankind, and results in
that culture and experience which deepens
and strengthens the common-sense of the
people, rectifies judgments, improves mor-
als, encourages independence and dissipates
superstitions. In this prolonged human trag-
edy of the ages — this apparent chaos of
ignorance and riot of bigotry and all shades
of persecution — ^there have been born at cer-
tain undeviating periods, the great thoughts of
the world's few thinkers, giving us the truth,
which grows and widens forever, for it alone
is immortal, and in time it yields us a pLilo-
sophy that worships the beautiful only in the
useful, and the religious only in the true:
a philosophy that is the opposite and contra-
diction of sentiment as opposed to sense;
that requires a rational personal indepen-
dence of thought on all subjects, whether
secular or sacred, and that equally rejects an
error, whether it is fresh and novel, or glo-

riously gilded by antiquity — a philosophy
that yields no homage to a thing because it is
a mj'stery, and accepts no ghostly authority ad-
ministered by men, and the root of which lies
in a florid mysticism. There is now a per-
ceptible intellectual activity that marks the
present age, and that is beginning to pervade
all classes, asking questions, seeking causes.
It is practical, not theoretical, and its chief
aim is to improve the arts and industries, to
explore and remedy evils, and to make life
every way better worth living. Its lypes are
the electric light, the telephone, better ships
and railways, draining the lands and cleaner
habits and better houses, healthier food and
wiser institutions for the sick, destitute and
insane. And scored upon its victorious ban-
ners is that one supreme boon of lengthening
the average life of a generation ten years.
Let the mind dwell a moment upon this mag-
nificent miracle, and then call those men,
those practical philosophers, what you please,
but tell us what coronet is fit to bind their
brows, save that of the divine halo itself.
They taught mankind the sublime truth that
God intends us to mind things near us, and
that because knowledge is obtainable, it
is our duty to obtain it, and that the best
morality or religion is that which abolishes
suffering and makes men and women wiser,
healthier and better; that the disputes of the
schoolmen and the sectarians are to be re-
garded as a jargon of the past, and to listen
to them is time wasted; nothing is worth
studying .but what can be understood, or
at least suificiently understood to be usefully
applied.

This is a kindly, tolerant, coiu-agoous
thought, free from the disdgurement of bigot-
ry and prejudice. It alone, and only it,
brings the perceptible advancement in the
school, the press and the pulpit and every-
where. It is irresistible, and its inflowing

IIISTOKY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

tide is sun-lit with hope, like the blueEgean,
when the poet spoke of "the multitudiaous
laughter of the sea waves."

The labors and sufleriDgs of these men,
who gave the average man the new lease of
ten years of life, were long, patient and
immeasurable, and their innocent and heroic
blood has stained tlio stream of time from its
source to the present hour. They worked out
their inventions and discoveries, offered them
to the world, and were led to the rack or
became hiding fugitives from the inaj)peas-
able wrath of mankind. The brutal mob tore
assunder their quivering limbs, threw their
flesh to the dogs often, and then complacently
erected those monumental piles to ignorance
and baseness that pierced the heavens and
disfigured the face of the earth.

Such was the long and unequal fight
between ignorance and knowledge, and that
is now going on, not with the bloody ferocity
that characterized the ancient type of ignor-
ance, but with equal determination and more
cunning in its attacks, and more stealth in
its assassinations. It can be conquered only
by its extermination.

To look at the world in these travails — to
reflect how pure and stainless is truths how
itseeks modest seclusion and eludes notoriety,
how weak it seems when assailed by the
countless majorities, by panoplied ignorance,
brute force and the wild fanatic and the
relentless bigots, is to despair and conclude
the creation itself is but a hideous nightmare.
Yet looking down the long centuries, averag-
ing the conditions of the people of the sep-
arated centuries, and then indeed do her
wbife robotl victories assume the proportions
of th(! marvelous. In return for the i)er.se-
cutions and frightful deaths and tortures that
wore lying in wait upon every foot of the
pathway of these children of thought, they
have given us the simlight of the gilded civ-

ilization we now enjoy. " Return good for
evil," saiththe command of heaven; but here
is more, for it is the freedom and joys, and
noble hopes and pleasures that endure for-
ever. It is the exaltation and purification of
life itself far beyond the comprehension of
the ignorant receivers of the heaven-sent
boon. And above all, be it said in behalf of
these great benefactors, no lash was ever
raised, no law was ever enacted, no pain ever
inflicted, no schoolhouse was ever built, no
policeman ever starred, no judge was ever
ermined, no sword was overdrawn, no diploma
was ever granted, no tax was ever gathered,
no contribution ever collected, and no mistake
or crimes ever committed; but in pain and
peisecutions, in outlawry and poverty, in the
cold garret and the hiding caves, they
thought, invented and discovered, and their
works are strong and great enough to lift up
mankind, and bear aloft the freedom and glo-
ries of this great age.

Immortals! Yoa lived and died in obscur-
ity, but few of your names known to men,
yet we say, great immortals.' and bow the
head in profound reverence and respect.

in.

If it is once conceded that all real educa-
tion is wholly practical — the most j^ractical
thing in life — then is it not self-evident that
the schools of every people should be upon a
system adapted to their leading and special
wants — the habitat of that peojiie? Then, is
not this further proposition true, namely, that
the only way that real knowledge is difi'used,
placed in the hands of the average man in
such a way that it may be of any intrinsic
value to him, is to make it always experi-
mental knowledge — through some of the five
senses or all of them?

Is is not a mistake 1 (ordering upon a high
crime to teach the child error of any kind?

Ia^/va^ Ji,

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

How few grown people there are in the world
who have not by experience, often sad and
bitter, had to unlearn the lessons instilled
into them, the errors that they once accepted
as truths, either in the nursery or school
room ? The average graduate even from our
best modern institutions can count off these
experiences in life by the score. He came
from his Alma Mater stuffed with errors, and
his future life was a success or failure just
in proportion as he was successful in putting
aside this costly ignorance. This is not say-
ing that he got nothing at school of utility;
but it is saying, that with the good, if any,
he had to swallow the poison measured out
by ignorance with the best intentions. He
must learn to unlearn after he leaves school,
and often this is the big end of his real edu-
cation. At school he is set to delving among
the classics, cuHivating a taste for the abstruse
and involved speculations of metaphysicians,
and he sits in admiration at the feet of the
inductive philosophers, contemplating the
glories of their ethereal castles and the glit-
tering splendors of their florid rhetoric. And
weighted down with these tinkling cymbals,
he enters the busy, practical world a "very
learned man," who is certain to be inglori-
ously unhorsed every time he comes in con-
flict with "horse sense," as the slang puts it,
when it chooses to describe one of more knowl-
edge than education. Because the "very
learned " may be without much knowledge,
and the man who never entered a uaiversity
or college may have a vast store-house of
knowledge. Neither of these are always true
by any means, but the first should never be
true, and would not if the schools were
founded upon the best system.

How to best educate the rising generation,
how to improve oiu- schools, is the prime sub-
ject of importance to every one. And it is
the duty of each who can to point out errors

and to suggest improvements; not to take
everything for gi-anted that is claimed by its
friends, and not to rest satisfied that a thino-
cannot be mended simply because of its an-
tiquity. The aged think everything was in-
comparably better when they were young than
it is now, and old and young think in some
indefinite way that the ancient in everything
was the best. The Free Mason can pay no
higher eulogy to his order than to add to its
name "ancient." The lawyer believes that
in the black-letter of the law alone is the gar-
nered wisdom of the fathers; and poets sing
the glories of the mythical golden age. And
all are more or less influenced to strive con-
tiniiously to get things again back into the
ancient, beaten paths, believing the follies
they detect are the result of the unfortunate
departure from the wisdom of the fathers.
And so we may trace the influence and author-
ity of the ancient throughout every institu-
tion and all the phases of society. Reference
is made to this general peculiarity of the pub-
lic bias in order to somewhat prepare the
reader for a brief consideration of what is
to immediately follow, and which is the lead-
ing idea to which the foregoing is all intended

to point.

IV.

Illinois being peculiarly the home of an
agricultural people, and this particular coun-
ty being the veiy heart of the rich garden —
possessing already a large population and
rich and intelligent enough for as good and
extensive public and private society and edu-
cational institutions as any rich and cultured
commonwealth, the people are ready for all
practical improvements that may be properly
presented to them. What is their cliief edu-
cational interest then? Clearly, it is the dif-
fusion among the rising generations of a bet-
ter and more general knowledge of the econ-
omical geology of this section of country.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUKTY.

To be taught the effects of their soil and cli-
mate ; where so much wealth is created as
there is every year in this county — there is no
estimating the money value of this knowl-
edge. Let us illustrate: There is a county
in southern Illinois that is splendidly adapted
for raising apples. About forty years ago a
man located there and started this industry,
putting out extensive orchards and supplying
the people with trees, and soon the orchards
became numerous. The man had learned the
business in a different part of the country,
and supposed the best growing varieties
where he formerly lived were the best in the
new locality. Just now the fruit growers
have learned that he was wholly mistaken.
The result here is a generation whose ener-
gies were misdirected, and whose losses can
hardly be estimated — a severe penalty for
the want of that knowledge of soil and cli-
mate that the improved schools will some day
impart. In the instance given, this knowledge
by this single individual would have been
worth more to the people than all they have
paid for school purposes in fifty years.

Another lai'ge section may be found where
for fifty years the people have been building
houses, and yet the intelligent traveler can-
not find a house containing the architectural
beauty and conveniences of even the average
better houses of some other localities. Upon
looking into this strange fact it will be found
that from the first the leading so-called archi-
tect and builder who did the first and for
years the large part of house building knew
little or nothing of modern improvements ;
was an ignorant stickler for the ancient, and
he clung to the obsolete.

Another county may he found in the Mis-
sissippi Valley where the tax books show
more dogs than sheep. And the astounding
part of (he facts are that it is, or would bo if
it had the chance, the natural home of the

sheep — where they can be raised to the best
advantage and with the greatest profit. But
the sovereigns in the exercise of their divine
privileges run to dogs. One distinguished
citizen's name on the tax books was charged
with $8 dog tax. and 50 cents for all other
property. The barbarous instinct that breeds
these wretched cui' dogs aad revels in their
possession, costs that particular county nearly
a million dollars a year, and has for the past
seventy-five years.

The spot most celebrated for the produc-
tion of fine horses, especially the fleet-footed
coursers, is the Blue Grass region in Ken-
tucky. The horse-breeders have made money
and fame, and many years ago they com-
menced an intelligent study of their locality
and its especial adaptations. The constitu-
ent elements of soil, water, grasses, and an
understanding of the peculiar blue limestone
rock that is found in all this region, was
scientifically investigated. To get the par-
ticular strain of horses adapted to their fav-
ored locality they turned their scientific atten-
tion to the study of the horse by long obser-
vation and intelligent experiments. They
hunted out effects, and then sought for the
causes, and here, as everywhere in the world,
practical knowledge of their surroundings
has paid immensely. This part of their real
education was with reference to their sm*-
roundings, to the immediate sources of their
wealth, to their section of country, their
home. Almost any work on the Kentucky
horse will explain the difference in texture
of the bone of one of their thorough-bred
horses, or how much finer it is in texture than
the common horse of other localities; that
the bone is much heavier to the square inch,
and comparatively approaches in fineness,
compactness and strength to ivory. In a simi
lar way the entire animal has been studied, and
the results are known throughout the world.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

We have no hesitation in atHrming that
the school children could be much more easily
taught the elementary principles of the eco-
nomical geology of this portion of the valley
so as to comprehend them tolerably well, than
they can be taught to grasp the understand-
ing of the English grammar, or the majority
of things now taught in the public schools.
A competent teacher rambling about the hills
and streams and highways with his pujiils
would at once see that he is in a practical way
giving the young and naturally inquisitive
mind the very food its hungry nature eagerly
craved. If he was competent to really teach
he would at once see before him a method of
giving to his school information and some
real knowledge that never could como in the
lesson tasks of the school room, that mental
stupefying routine process of committing to
memory. They would learn geology exactly
as a boy learns to be a carpenter or black-
smith, assisting in the work; and this educa-
tion, in the free air and sunlight, would be
holiday playing with the keen zest of inno-
cent childhood. There is no recitation here,
no task, no stupid committing to memory, to
be forgotten next week or next year, or at
least very soon after leaving school. But
there is gaining insight into some of the
physical laws by the young mind, real knowl-
edge, none of which will or can ever be for-
gotten. This is the difference between infor-
mation and knowledge.

The geological history of a country deter-
mines its agricultaral capacity, as well as the
amount and kind of population it will event-
ually contain. It carries us back to a period
when the material of which the earth is
composed existed in a state of fusion, so in-
tense that the solid elements we now see wore
in a gaseous state, and the process of cooling

eventually formed the rocks, the base on
which the thin earth's crust rests; rocks
formed by the cooling of molten mineral
matter as they are now formed by matter
thrown out by existing volcanoes. These
changes have been going on through count-
less ages, or better", through geological peri-
ods, immeasurable cycles, that tell us of the
eternity of the past as well as the eternity of
the future; the story of cease)e.ss changes,
and that nothing is ever annihilated. A
chemist may resolve a grain of sand into its
original elements, but it still exists in another
form. Life and death are but a part of the
ceaseless changes in everything, a mere mode
of motion, a j'reat law of matter, working
like the law of gravitation. All natural
forces are manifested by motion. Each min-
eral assumes its peculiar crystallization with
perfect certainty. This may be regarded, so
far as we can investigate, as nature's first
beginnings of organic creation, the first result
of that great law that culminated in the high-
est forms of life.

Millions and billions of years have passed
since the first organic life appeared in this
world, and since the highest type of life —
man — came, there are indubitable evidences
that millions of years have again passed
away. We are taught this by the incontest-
able records of geological history.

The system of rocks is, first, the igni'ous
rocks or formations, then the stratified rocks,
originally made of a sediment deposited in
the bottom of the ocean. .Sometimes the
stratified rocks have been subjected to the ac-
tion of heat and their condition thus changed
into what are called metamorphic rocks.
Thus sandstone is converted into quartz rock
or quartzite, limestone into crystalline mar-
ble, etc. This process usually obliterates all
traces of the fossils that are to be found in
stratified rocks, and makes it often impossi-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

ble to determine the relative age of the meta-

morpbic rocks.

These are the three distinct classes of rocks
which enter into the formation of the earth's
surface ; the simplest distinctions, which
any child can learn as readily as its alpha-
bet, and that contain the most interesting
story in the iiniverso, and are a great store-
house of knowledge.

The manner in which the stratified rocks
are formed, the successive beds accumulating
in regular order, one above another, repre-
sent distinct periods in the chronological his-
tory of the earth, and in these enduring leaves
of history are found the fossils of the ani-
mals and plants that existed during the
period of their formation. Thus the geologi-
cal chronology of the earth is not only its
correct history, but the only possible history
of the various creation of plants and animals.
And from the earliest corals of the primeval
ocean down through all succeeding periods to
the present time, there is the evidence that
cannot be questioned, that in all animate life,
as in the mineral and its various crystalliza-
tions, the same general plan or law in the
formation of the four great sub-kingdoms of
existing animals, played its resistless forces.

Some of the stratified rocks, especially the
limestone, are composed almost wholly of the
calcareous habitations and bony skeletons
of the marine animals that lived in the ocean
during the time these wore in process of for-
mation, with barely enough mineral matter to
hold the materials together in a cemented
mass. A similar process is going on now un-
der the water, and thus making the imper-
ishable records for those to read who may,
many millions of years from now, coino after
us. The links in this long chain of geologi-
cal history are joined together l)y the unerr-
ing characteristics of a common origin, that
weaves them into a complete chain of organic

existence — the astounding stoiy from pro-
tozoa to man — the complete result of creative
energy, that has worked forever and will
never stop.

As is said elsewhere, nearly the entire sur-
face of Illinois is drift, loess and alluvial de-
posits; reddish-brown clay forming the
subsoil through this county, except beds of
clean gravel that are found in certain locali-
ties ; loess being found along the streams, as
it is a recent deposit of fresh water. A large
portion of the drift came from a distance by
the waters and glaciers, those crystal ships
that once moved over Illinois, bearing their
rich cargoes of food-plant and spreading
them aboitt for our enrichment. No sailors
walked their glittering decks, no pilots direct-
ed their cburse or took their reckonings. It
was nature's free and untrammeled commerce,
carrying its boundless wealth to the oncom-
ing generations.

Soils are composed mainly of mineral mat-
tor in a finely comminuted condition, to which
is added the vegetable and animal matter ac-
cumulated on the surface. If there are no
supei-ficial deposits then the soil is formed by
the decomposition of the rocks. If the rock
is sandstone it will form a light sandy soil ;
if a clay, shale or argillaceous rock, a heavj'
clay soil will be the result, and if a limestone
a calcareous soil.

In the drift deposits will be found no
valuable deposits of mineral wealth. It was
ignorance of this fact that so often allured
some of the early settlers of the country into
patient and ex{)ensive hunts for silver and
lead mines. Their education on the subject
of soils was so imperfect that they could not
see that the lead-producing regions of north-
western Illinois and portions of Wisconsin
and Iowa, were in the driftless region.

The Government surveys pronounce this
the most interesting portion of Illinois. Its

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

present and prospective resources, salubrity of
climate and beauty of location are not sur-
passed in the world.

The general configuration of the face of
the county, its groves, streams, soil and gen-
eral characteristics, have been the delight
and admiration of all beholders. The fertile,
rolling prairies, the timber skirting the
streams, and the magnificent natural groves,
standing like islands over the rich expanse of
prairie. The streams wind in long and grace-
ful curves ; the soil is deep, rich, warm and
light. The staple products of this rich re-
gion, corn, grasses, fruits and potatoes, grow
in boundless luxuriance.

Green River enters the county about twelve
miles from its northwest corner, flows south
with crooked windings through Greenfield
Township, and then turns westward through
the north part of Gold to the west county
line, cutting off from the corner of the coun-
ty Fairfield and parts of the two townships
above named. In these two townships are
the Green River swamp lands. Big Bureau
Creek comes in from Lee County, near the
northeast corner of Bureau. It flows in a
general southwest direction to a point a short
distance west of the city of Princeton; from
thence it takes a south course for ten miles,
and turns nearly due east, and empties into
the Illinois River, some five miles from where
the south boundary line of the couuty strikes
that river. The stream has very little allu-
vial land along its course. The jarairies rise
in rather abrupt swells from the banks of the
creek. About Tiskilwa and on the Illinois
River there is considerable rich bottom lands,
covered with fine heavy timber. Little Bu-
reau Creek has a tributary west of it, which
rises in the northern part of the county and
forming a juncition a few miles southwest of
Princeton. Coal Creek and Brush Creek are
also drainage outlets of the county.

On the southeast corner of the county, the
Illinois River forms the boundary line for a
distance of sixteen miles.- There is a broad
alluvial bottom along the Bureau side. The
lowest bottom is mostly a swampy, grassy
plain, interspersed with sloughs, and ridges
of river sand, and subject to inundations
when the Illinois river sends out its floods
over the low banks. One of these sloughs is
Lake DePue, which communicates with the
river at its southern terminus. The town of
Trenton is built upon the west of this lake,
half a mile from its outlet. At ordinary
stages of water, boats pass through this out-
let and land at Trenton.

The heavy portion of the timber is along
Big Bureau, south of Princeton.

Big Bureau Grove, in the western part of
the county, has quite a body of good timber.

Crow Creek, in the town of Milo, and Pond
Creek, west of Tiskilwa, have only scattering
timber.

Dad Joe's grove is in the northwestern part
of the county, is on a very high elevation,
and since the first discovery of the county has
been a conspicuous landmark.

The grand undulating sweep of the prairies,
and the great abundance of orchards and
beautiful shade trees and the numerous cul-
tivated groves, and improvements that dot
the county thickly over, present to the eye as
fine landscape scenery as can be found in the
world.

But few counties in the State present
so poor an opportunity for an examination of
its geological formations. With the excep-
tion of the Illinois River and a small ravine
near Tiskilwa, there is hardly an outcrop of
rocky formation in the county. The excava-
tions along the line of the C, B. & Q. road,
which runs through the county a di.stance of
forty-five miles, present some of the clay and
gi-avel-beds only. The Rock Island & Chi-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

cago road traverses the roughest portion of
the county, and the same is true here as on
the Bureaus and their tributaries and Green
River; and yet all those streams and railroads
traversing the county in every direction,
show no natural section of rocks. j\Iost of
the first bottom on the Illinois is subject to
overflow, and but little of it can bo cultivated,
but such as is dry enough, yields enormous
crops of corn. From forty to fifty feet above
the first bottom of the Illinois River, and
lying alonj; its western bluff range, is the
second bottom. This is from a few hun-
dred yards to half a mile wide, and its sur-
face is a sandy and marlj* clay, intermixed
in places with marly-mixed gravels. It is a
regular river terrace, and the traveler, from
the car window, obtains a fine view of the
valley of the river, stretching away with its
dark serpentine belt of timber, and glimpses
of the slow-moving, shining water. In the
diluvial epoch, when the water spread all
over the bottom, the river, lake-like in its
pxpanse and slowness of current, must have
presented a body of water larger than the
Mississippi River even in its high stages of
water.

The lower valley of the Big Bureau has also
a narrow alluvial bottom, back a few miles
from its confluence with the Illinois River.
This bottom is narrow, crooked and covered
with timber. The deposit is rich and marly,
and when cultivated is very 'productive and
inexhaustible.

The 8wam]i lands of Green River are allu-
vial deposits, but are more or less of a peaty
nature. It is black mud, muck and impiu'e
peat

The Illinois River bluflfs show the loess in
the de])0sitK. At ])laces these blufTs rise to
a height of nearly one hundred and fifty
feet. The exposures show also a marly,
partially stratified clay and sand. Between

Bureau Junction and Peru there are several
places where landslides have taken place, and
the formation is more easily recognized.
One of these is a marked feature in the
landscape; at a distance it presents the ap-
pearance of a heavy outcrop of white sand-
stone. A closer view shows it to be a heavy
bed of sliding, crawling sand. It is a white,
yellow-banded sand, marly in its composition,
and exhibits the most marked lines and
bands of stratification. The outcrop is about
thirty feet in thickness. It may be found in the
bluff, near the railroad track, throe miles
east of Trenton. The caving sands have
crawled down the hill almost to the railroad
track.

The yellow and blue clays are found nearly
all over the county in a thick deposit. The
digging of the artesian well in Princeton,
shows these to be seventy-nine feet thick, be-
fore the rock was reached. This first rock
reached was only a thin bed, only three feet
thick, and then was reached a hard pan clay
of a depth of 114 feet was passed through.
The record of this well is very imperfect, and
it is not at all certain that the thin rock
passed was a regular stratified deposit. It
may have been a detached mass sticking in
the drift, and therefore the real depth of
these clays may be nearer 2(10 feet than sev-
enty-nine feet.

In many of the high prairie ridges are de-
posits of gravel, clean and finely assorted;
the largest quantities so far found are be-
tween Tiskilwa and Sheflield, and along the
railroad track northeast of Princeton. De-
tached boulders of red and black granite are
found on the prairies.

\l.
Coal-Measures. — The northern boundary
line of the Illinois coal-field passes through
the north part of Bureau County. Accord

HISTOKY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

ing to the geological map, the line commeDces
at a point on the east line of the county, ten
miles south of the northeast corner of the
county, nearly due west of Homer station on
the Illinois Central road; thence west, but
bellying a little south, until it crosses the
track of the C, B. & Q. road a little south-
west of the village of Maiden; thence it
bears off a little north of west until it inter-
sects Green River at the northeast corner of
the township of Gold; thence down Green
River to a point north of Geneseo. All of
Bureau south of this line is underlaid by
lower coal measure deposits. This is about
two- thirds of the county. As the county lies
on the northern limits of the coal-tields of
the State, the deposits are somewhat irregular
and detached. Sheffield mine is one of the
oldest and most prosperous mining enterprises
in the State. The mines at this place were
opened more than thirty years ago, about the
time of the construction of the Chicago &
Rock Island Railroad, and have always been
an important coaling point on this line. The
seam is reached by an inclined plane, carried
down to the level of the coal, about forty
feet below the level of the surface. This is
the No. 6 seam, and is geologically identified
with that at Kewanee. It has an average
thickness of four and a half feet, and no
trouble occurs from water. This deposit has
been considered local and limited, but has
been very productive, and presents uniform-
ity and persistence. The main entries are
now advanced to a great distance from the
original dump, and, aside from local ine-
qualities, the seam is continuously good.

A constant demand at this point for loco-
motive coal has led to comparatively uniform
outj)ut for many years, and has gradually de-
veloped a permanent and prosperous com-

munity of miners, many of whom possess
comfortable homes and surroundings. The
average price of mining is .^1 per ton, sub-
ject to such variations as the seasons may
cause, or as sometimes affected by contracts
agreed upon. Disaffection among the men
is unusual, and few efforts at strikes have
occurred in years.

The next mine of importance is in the
southeast corner of the county, near Peru.
The formation here corresponds with that at
Peru and La Salle. The shaft is about 300
feet deep. This vein is No. 2, and is about
three feet thick, of superior quality. The
Hollowayville Mine is 385 feet deep, to the
same seam. In the southwest corner of the
county, near Kewanee, is a shaft 186 feet
deep, to the seam worked both at Kewanee
and Sheffield. Outcrops of coal are also
found in the ravines and along the bluffs of
Bureau Creek, which have been the local
source of supply to the village of Tiskilwa
and the surrounding country for many years.

The most noticeable, however, of the mines
in the county removed from railway connec-
tions, are those near Princeton , from which
this town secures its supply chiefly. In this
mine are found two seams, No. 7 being about
two and a half feet thick, but of inferior
quality; while the lower one is a bright, hard
coal, four and a half to live feet thick, and
about 150 feet below the surface. This is
No. 6, the same as the seam at Sheffield. The
mines in this locality are free from water,
and the deposit is of considerable local ex-
tent, and the coal is sufficiently free from
the sulphuret of iron to be used in the man-
ufacture of gas at Princeton.

Thomas Elliott, Inspector of Mines, reports
the following for Bureau County mines for
1882:

HISTORY OF BUKEAU COUNTY.

Kame of owner or operator
of mine.

Postoflice address

3 —

|55

"ti

§■

•a

a,.

^.s

h o

fr (-

o o
&**

•si

a o

3 c :

!5 l»

3'0

■a

firg)

■«

Sheffield Miniog & Trans-
portation Co

W ictom & FlemiDg

James Spracue

James M. Wood

A. Lyford

Peter Duncan

W. H. Forest

John Vanvelzer

A. B. Ashley, Supt

Fletcher Bros

Elizabeth Foster.

George H. Ix)cey

P. Weiseul>erg

A. W. Walton

Joseph Vanes

John Nichols

Seaton Bros

Sheffield .

Bud a

Sheffield .

Mineral 80

" 30

KewaneeHenryCo
Princeton

I>aSallc,La.SalleCo
Peru, LaSalle Co...
Princeton

Totals 1010

HoUowville .

4 6

10 6
..... 6
25i 6
15 6

181

4"il
4-41

4;4i

4>4l

4!-<l

4kl -
4V.I 160
4U, 135
414! 150
" " 300
136
150
200
151
385

40iSlope
801 "
45 "
47
28
48
60
41

Mules-

Horses

1 horse gin

Steam

2 horse gin.
Steam

1 horse gin.

2 " .
2 " .
2 " .
Steam

9.
3.

21 .
12.

5
48.

3.
12

6'.

225

23,741

1,000

840

1,200

800

868

600

1,000

4,800

3,000

950

16,500

300

2,431

1,260

1,089

1,085

81 75'S30,000
2 25, 3,000

61,454

2 25
2 25
2 25
2 25

2 25
2 00

1 75'

1 751

1 75'

2 001

1 75l

2 oo;

2 001
2 00

1,.500

700

500

1,200

1. 000

50O

15,000

5,01 '0

S,ll(lO

1(1,0011

001 '
.5,0011;
4,onOi
5,000
7,000

$2 031898,000 214,287 ..,

26,605
35.000

5,000
10,000

7,112

6,220

1,200
10,000
23,475
14,000
14,000;
23,475,

1,200

8,000

4,000| 1

7,000! -

1,800 1

From this mention of the different coal-
seams and their outcrops, it will be seen the
county is possessed of important mineral
resources, which materially augment its man-
ifold advantages of soil and climate. The
output of coal for 1881, in spite of very un-
favorable season, was 01,454 tons, of an av-
erage value of $2.03 per ton, at the mines,
or a total value of $124,751. Of this amount
about $75,000 were paid out in wages to about
225 men. The extent of the coal -deposits
and their value in the county can only be ap-
proximated, owing to the irregularities pe-
culiar to the strata on the outer edges of the
coal-measures, but there is little doubt that
coal will continue to be discovered, especially
in the southwest part of the county, for years
to come, at least as fast as the demands of
the country require.

VII.
The Prairies. — Having dwelt at some
length upon the subject of rocks, and the

formations therefi'om, and the soil, it is in
the proper order that this chapter should
conclude with that crowning work of the sur-
face of our great and rich State — the prairies.
Their history is now being, for the first time,
investigated. Many years ago man looked
upon their enchanting beauties, and specu-
lated upon how they came to be. One of
the earliest writers who referred to them at
any length was Gov. Reynolds. The
summing up of his conclusions was, they
were increased and kept free from timber by
the annual fires, and, he says, that the evi-
dences of this are abundant in the fact that
since the fires have been kept out and the tall
prairie grasses have disappeared, the timber
has encroached upon the prairie limits in each
instance where it was not prevented by culti-
vation or otherwise. But wo incline to the
belief the Governor was mistaken in his
facte ; that the instances where hazel and
brier thickets, when not visited by fires, have

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

eventually changed to timber growth, were
in every case spots where the surroundings
differed materially from the general prairie
soil. More than thirty years ago Judge W.
B. Scates wrote and delivered a lecture upon
the subject. In 1856 Prof. Whitney, geolo-
gist of Iowa, and soon after Prof. VVinchell,
in SilUmarCs Journal, created a wide interest
and drew much attention to the subject, by
their investigations. A clear understanding
of this subject is of vast importance to our
large agi'icultural community, as indicating
the best management and cultivation of the
peculiar soil they present. The ablest
thoughts, probably, on this subject, are well
summarized by Prof. Leo Lesquereux, whose
observations were published in Silliman's
Journal, in 1857. Before summarizing what
he has to say, it is proper to state that none
of the given deductions are accepted as con-
clusive, and that some of them are ably dis-
puted by eminent investigators.

Prof. Lesquereux believes that prairies are
still in process of formation, going through
the identical process that has formed sub-
stantially all prairies. These may be seen
on the shores of Lake Michigan, Lake Erie
and along the Mississippi and its affluents,
especially the Minnesota River. The forma-
tions of those prairies differ from the prime-
val only in extent, and each bears a strong
analogy to the peat bogs. Where the lake
waves or currents strike the shore on the low
grounds, and there heap materials — sand,
pebbles, mud, etc., — they build up more or
less elevated dams or islands, which soon
become covered with trees. These dams are
not always built along the shores ; they do
not even always follow their outline, but
often enclose wide shallow basins, whose
waters are thus sheltered against any move-
ment. Here the aquatic plants, sages,
rushes, grasses, etc., soon appear, these

basins become swamps, and, as can be seen
near the borders of Lake Michigan, the
waters may surround them, even when the
swamps became drained by some natural or
artificial cause. Along the Mississippi and
Minnesota Rivers the same phenomena is
observable, with a difference only in the pro-
cess of operation. In time of flood the
heaviest particles of mud are deposited
on both sides of the principal current along
the line of slack water, and, by repeated
deposits, dams are slowly formed and upraised
above the general surface of the bottom land.
Thus, after a time, of course, the water
thrown on the bottoms by a flood is, at its
subsidence, shut out from the river, and both
sides of it are converted into swamps, some-
times of great extent. Seen from the high
bluff' bordering its bottom land, the bed of
the Minnesota River is in the spring marked
for miles by two narrow strips of timbered
land, bordering the true chanuel of the river,
and emerging like fringes in the middle of a
long, continuous naiTOw lake. In the summer
and viewed from the same point, the same bot-
toms are transformed into a green plain, whose
undulating surface looks like a field of green
wheat, but forms, in truth, impassible
swamps, covered with rushes, sedges, etc.
By successive inundations and their deposits
of mud, and by the heaping of the detritus
of their luxuriant herbaceous vegetation, they
become, by and by, raised up above the level
of the river. They then dry up in the sum-
mer, mostly by infiltration and evaporation,
and when out of reach of floods they become
first wet and afterward dry prairies. The
lowest part of these prairies is therefore
along the bluffs. In that way were the high
locations for river towns and farms built up
along the shores. In that way wore made
the sites for Prairie du Chien, Prairie la
Fourche, Prairie la Cross, etc. Those

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

patches of prairie, though of a far more
recent origin than the immense plains above
them, are, nevertheless, true prairies. Bor-
dered on one side by the high, timbered
banks of the bottoms, a fringe of trees sepa-
rates them still from the actual bed of the
river; nevei-theless the trees do not invade
them.

This peculiarity of formation explains, first,
the peculiar nature of the soil of the prairies.
It is neither peat nor humas, but a black,
soft mold, impregnated with a large propor-
tion of ulmic acid, produced by the slow de-
composition, mostly under water, of aquatic
plants, and thus partaking as much of the
nature of the peat as that of the true humas.
In all the depressions of the prairies, where
water is pei-manent and unmixed with parti-
cles of mineral matter, the ground is true
peat.

It is easy to understand why trees cannot
grow on this kind of land. The germination
of seeds of arborescent trees needs the free
access of oxygen for their development, and
the trees especially demand a solid point of
attachment to fix themselves. Moreover, the
acid of this kind of soil, by its particular an-
tiseptic property, promotes the vegetation of
a peculiar group of plants, mostly herbace-
ous. Of all our trees, the tamarac is the only
species which, in our northern climate, can
grow on peaty gi-ound, and this, even,
happens only under rare and favorable cir-
cumstances, that is, when stagnant water,
remaining at a constant level, has been in-
vaded b)' a kind of moss, the Sphagnum.
By the power of absorption, their continuous
growth and the rapid accumulation of their
remains, these mosses slowly raise the surface
of the bogs above water, and it is there, in
this loose ground, constantly humid, but ac-
cessible to atmospheric action, th&t the tam-
arac appears.

An examination of the prairies, according
to this idea of their formation, shows that
from the first trace of their origin to their
perfect completeness, there is nothing in their
local or general appearance that is not ex-
plained by it, or does not agree with it.

The Bay of Sandusky is now in process of
transformation to prairies, and is already
sheltered against the violent action of the
lake by a chain of low islands and sand banks,
most of them covered for a lonsr time with
timber. All these islands are built up with
the same kind of materials, shales, with la-
custrine deposits, either moulded into low
ridges under water, or brought up and heaved
by waves and currents. Around the bay,
especially to the southwest, there are exten-
sive plains, covered with shallow water.

In Western Minnesota especially, the
process of prairie formation is plainly to be
seen at this day. Here are various sized
lakes, some small and circular — true ponds —
others thirty or forty miles in circumference,
and in this case shaping the outlines of their
shores according to the undulations of the
prairie, dividing into innumerable shallow
branches, mere swamps covered with water
plants, and emptying themselves from one to
the other, passing thus by slow degrees
toward the rivers, not by well marked chan-
nels, but by a succession of extensive swamps.
These are the sloughs which separate the
knolls of the prairies, or so to say, the low
grounds of the rolling prairies. They are
nearlj' dry in summer, but covered in the
springtime by one to three feet of water.
Their vegetation is merely sedges and coarse
grasses. Wherever the Irorders of the lakes
are well 8haj)od, not confounded with or pass-
ing into swamps, they rise from five to six
feet above the level of the water, and are
timbered mostly with oak and hickory. This
elevated margin is more generally marked on

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

the eastern side of the lakes, a record of the
action of the waves under the prevailing
winds.

From such facts the conclusion is drawn
that all the prairies of the Mississippi Valley
have been formed by the slow recess of
sheets of water of various extent, first trans-
formed into swamps, and eventually drained
and dried. The high and rolling prairies,
as well as those along the wide bottoms of the
rivers, are all the result of the same course,
and form an indivisible system.

The surface of the prairies is rolling
and not continuously level as are the bottoms
of swamps, because of the action of water, in
the process of its natural drainage, as the
waters in the arms of the lakes passed from
one to the other. The bend of all oiu: prai-
ries is toward the rivers that furnish the
drainage. The bottoms of the great lakes and
oceans are marked by swells and depressions.
That the prairies have been originally cov-
ered with water to their highest points, is a
fact well known to geologists, and proved by
traces of submergence and deposits left
along the course of our rivers to the highest
point of their sources, in places at an alti-
tude of 5,000 feet above the sea level. The
Glacial epoch, followed by the oscillations
of the earth's surface, — submergence and
upheavals — the Champlain epoch, are still
active, especially the latter, working in
great activity upon our continent. The
records of this movement are marked in de-
nudations, deepening of channels, moulding
of terraces along the lakes and rivers, and in
the prairies formed — the prairies being the
places covered by vast sheets of shallow
water, during the process of slow emergence.
The gi-owth of certain mosses under shal-
low, stagnant water in swamps and lagoons,
forms in decomposition the peculiar clayey
sub-soil of our prairies, a fine, impalpable

substance when not mixed with sand or other
substances. In the lakes of the high prai-
ries the phenomenon presents sometimes a
peculiar character. At the depth of from
one to three feet the mosses, Conferrea and
Charas, form a thick caipet, which hardens,
becomes consistent, like a kind of felt, and
floating about six inches above the bottom,
is often nearly strong enough to bear the
weight of a man. This carpet is pierced
with holes, where fishes pass to and fro; and
the bottom under it is that tine, impalpable
clay, evidently a residue of the decomposi-
tion of its plants. This never extends into
deep water, and near the shore the carpet of
mosses, etc., begin to be intermixed with
some plants of sedges, which become more
and more abundant in propiortion as the
depth decreases. As soon as the blades of
these plants reach above the water, they ab-
sorb and decompose carbonic acid, trans-
form it into woody matter, under atmos-
pheric influence, and then their detritus is,
at first, clay mold, and then pure black mold,
the upper soil of the prairies.

These are the leading principles which ac-
count for the presence of the prairies upon
the American continent, around the* lakes,
and of the broad, flat bottoms of the south-
ern rivers ; of the plattes of the Madeira
Eiver; of those of the Paraguay; of the
pamjjas of Brazil, or the desert plains of
the Salt Lake region; the low natural
meadows of Holland, the heaths of Olden-
burg, the plains on the shores of the North
and the Baltic Seas and in Asia, and the
steppes of the Caspian, are presented every-
where the same evidences, the same results
of a general action, modified only by local
causes.

The roots of trees absorb a certain amount
ot oxygen. This is essential to their life.
Hence you must not plant a tree too deep.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Most of the roots of trees will perish when
covered with elay impermeablo to air, or un-
derlaid by clay impermeablo to water. Water
standing constantly over the roots of trees
kills them; even running water will kill trees
when its movements are slow; and the bald
cypress of the South or the tupelo will soon
die if the water around them is protected
from winds producing waves, or currents
that carry always more or less air. De Can-
dolle, in his Vegetable Physiology, holds
that the constant in'igation necessary for the
rice culture in Lombardy has a great incon-
venience, because the water penetrates the
ground of the neighboring properties, and
kills the trees; that " water left stagnant
for a time on the ground rots the trees at
their column, prevents the access of oxygen
to the roots, and kills' the tree; " tliat " in
the low grounds of Holland they dig, for
planting trees, deep holes, and fill the bot-
tom with bundles of bushes, as a kind of
drainage for surplus water, as long as the
tree is young enough to be killed by humid-
ity;" that "the true swamps and marshes
have no trees, and cannot have any, because
stagnant water kills them."

But trees will grow on the prairie when
planted. Would they grow, though, if plant-
ed without properly preparing th(! soil '?
The clayey subsoil, when dug and mixed
with the mold, forms a compound lighter
than the clay, admitting air and giving the
roots all nutritive elements. Did any in-
stance ever occur of oaks growing in the
prairies from acorns l)eing scattered over the
surface ?

The prairie soil, or hunias, is generally
much deeper than the soil in the timber, and,
aa said before, more peaty. It contains ulmic
acid, as is shown by the slow decomposition
of the sod when turned. It is this acid that
makes what vou will sometimes hoar called a

sour soil. Ulmic acid is a powerful pre-
server, an antiseptic, and it holds, therefore,
longer than any other soil, all fertilizing ele-
ments mixed with it. Under the influence
of stagnant water, and the remains of ani-
mals which have inhabited it while the soil
was in process of formation, silica especially,
with alumina, ammonia and other elements,
have entered it in sufficient proportion, and
caused its great and inexhaustible fertility,
especially for gi'asses ; for by the impermea-
bility of the under-clay the fertilizing ele-
ments have been left in the soil. As natural
meadows our ]irairies fed for centuries great
herds of buffalo, deer, etc., which roamed
over them, and now they will feed and fatten
our herds of cattle for as long a time as we
may want it, as well as indelinitely produce
the wonderful crops of the cereals, etc., as
great as the deep alluvial lands of the river
bottoms. Even if by successive crops of the
same kind, the upper soil should become
somewhat dej)rived of its fertilizing elements,
especially of the silica, lime and alumina, so
necessary for the growth of corn, the subsoil
is a mine that deep plowing will reach that
will return the [)rimitive wealth to the soil
and restore the ancient bounteousness of the
crops.

For the culture of trees these explanations
of the prairies are equally useful. They tell
the horticulturist that to plant fruit trees — a
tree that never likes humidity — dig deep
holes, pass through the clay to the drift and
thus establish a natural drainage. Fill, then,
the bottom of the hole with loose materials,
pebbles, bushes, sod or mold, and then you
will have the best ground that can bo pre-
pared for the health and long life of trees.

The prairies are sources of eveu greater
woalth than are (ho immense coal-fields and
their rich iloposits. and like those sotircos of
combustible materials, they point out the

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

great future of the race of men which is
called to inhabit them and profit by their
rich stores ; while one of these formations is
destined to furnish an immense population
the elements of industrial gi'eatness, the other
is ready to provide it with both the essential
elements of life — bread and meat. Hence
the prairies have their place marked in the
future history of mankind. They foretell,
not of idle luxury and indolent ease, laziness
and dissipation of life, but hard work, abund-
ance, and the development of freedom and
true manhood.

CHAPTER III.

PKEnlSTCIRIC PEOPLES THAT WERE HERE.

The Remains of Great Cities — The 3Iui-xd Builders — The Indi-
ans— Winneuac.o War. CAPTiitE AND Death of Red Bird —
Bi-AfK Hawk War — First Bloodless Campaign in 1S31 —
Black Hawk Enters into a Treaty — Starved Rock, the
First Settlement in Illinois — Joliet and Marquette — La
Salle's Colony and Fort St. Louis— Two HuNDUEmii Anni-
versary OF THE Discovery and Possession of the Country —
First White Settlement in the West, Made 1682, at
Started Rock — Capts. Willis, Haws and Stewart's Compa-
nies AND Men from Bureau County, in the Black Hawk
War, etc., etc. etc.

"He sleeps beneath the spreading shade.
Where woods and wide savannahs meet.
Where sloping hills around have made
A quiet valley, green and sweet."

— .John H. Bryant.

THE investigations of archaeologists show
that there have been several distinct
races of people here prior to the coming of
the present inhabitants. By this enumeration
are placed the founders and builders of those
great cities of Central America, whose exten-
sive remains have been found, as one race,
the Mound Bui Iders as another, and then the
Indians, who were here when America was
discovered. But many suppose from the va-

riety and characteristic differences in what
are known as the Mound Builders, that is, in
the marked differences in the mounds found,
that there were distinct races among these,
which, for convenience, we now designate as
one.

The crumbled walls, fallen columns, the
debris of great temples and pyramids, and
perhaps palaces, that cumber the ground in
profusion, in places, for a circumference of
miles, give evidences which cannot be mis-
taken, of great and splendid cities, " whose
lights had fled, whose garlands dead " ages
before were laid the foundation stones of
Balbec or Troy. The mind is dazed with the
idea of the remoteness of their antiquity.
The slow crumbling of these colossal walls
of hardest stone tell of a people whose civil-
ization had reached far beyond any race of
whom we can find any living evidences, and
that ante-dates the coming of the Anglo-
Saxon. In fact, so long has been the sweep
of time since they lived, built their great
cities and wholly passed away, that some
eminent antiquarians believe they were here
and had gone before the coming of the
Mound Builders, and they do not hesitate in
the expression of the judgment that this
continent is truly the Old World, and that
the crowning act in the creative energies that
brought man first into existence, were mani-
fested here ages and centuries before a sim-
ilar development in the East.

Probably the mounds are the oldest records
obtainable of the works of man, and there-
fore these remarkable antiquities are intensely
interesting. Within the limits of the United
States are the great majority of them, and bo
varied and widely scattered are they over the
continent that they may well be considered
of chief interest to the antiquarian and edi-
fying to students of history everywhere. The
oldest records of the works of man in the

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

world! How they extend the horizon of the
past; how eloquent they are! Here the
faintest tradition is at fault, and the oldest
human bones yet discovered are modern com-
pared to these mute monuments of man's
thought and patient, combined labors. Sir
Charles Lyell concedes that certain human
bones found in California must have lain
there S0,0(»0 years.

These mounds ■ and other works of the
Mound Builders consist of remains of what
were apparently villages, altars, temples,
idols, cemeteries, monuments, battle-tields,
forts, camps and pleasure grounds, etc. And
they enable us to tell something of the
civilization and industries and habits of
a people, ever}' vestige of whose physical
bodies has long since dissolved into its
original elements. One system of mounds is
traced from Lake Ontario in a southwestern
direction by way of the Ohio and Mississippi
Rivers, the Gulf, Texas, New Mexico and
Yucatan, into South America. In New York
in a chain of forts, not more than four or
five miles apart, and extending more than
fifty miles in a southerly direction. Further
south they increase in magnitude and num-
ber. In West Virginia, near the junction of
Grove Creek and the Ohio, is one of the most
interesting monuments found in the whole
country. It is 90 feet high, diameter at the
base 100 feet, and at the summit 45 feet.
Many thousands of partial htiraan skeletons
were found in it. At the mouth of the Mus-
kingum, in Ohio, is a number of curious
works, among othi^rs a rectangular fort con
taining forty acres, encircled by a wall ten
feet high, in which are openings resembling
gateways. At CirclevilK^ on the Scioto, there
are two forts in juxtaposition, the one an ex-
act circle 00 rods in diameter, and the other
a perfect square, oD rods on each side. The
circular one was surrounded by two walls,

with an intervening ditch 20 feet in depth.
The remains of a walled town were found
near Chillicotho. This was built on a hill
300 feet high, and surrounded by a wall ten
feet high, the area inside contaiiiingr 130
acres. On the south side of it were found
the remains of what appeared to have been a
row of furnaces, about which cinders were
found several feet in depth. In the bed of
the creek which runs at the foot of the hill
were found wells that had been cut through
solid rock. These were three feet in diame-
ter at the top.

One of the most singular of these earth-
works was found in the lead-mine region. It
resembled some huge animal, the head, ears,
nose, tail and logs and general outline being
very perfect and easily traced. It was built
upon a high ridge in the prairie, the eleva-
tion being 300 yards wide and 100 feet in
height, and rounded on the top by a heavy
deposit of clay. Along the line of the sum-
mit and thrown up throe feel high, is the out-
line of the qiiadrupod, measuring 250 feet
from the nose to the tip of the tail, and a
width of body of eighteen feet ; the head ie
thirty-live feet in length, ears ten, legs sixty,
and tail seventy-five. The curvature in the
legs was natural to an animal lying on its
side. The general appearance resembled the
figure of the extinct megatherium. Why this
singular work, involving so much labor, or
for wliat ])urposo it was intended, cannot now
be conjectured, nor by what people it was
made. Many similar figures have been found
in Wisconsin. Thousands of mounds are
found along the Mississippi Rivor and all
over northern Illinois.

Mr. Breckinridge, who studied the antiqui-
ties of the western country in 1S17, referring
to the mounds in the American Bottom, says:
"The great number and the extremely large
size of some of tliom may be regarded as

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

furnishing, with other circumstances, evi-
dences of their antiquity. I have sometimes
been induced to think that at the period when
they were constructed there was a population
as numerous as that which once animated the
borders of the Nile or the Euphrates, or of
Mexico. The most numerous as well as con-
siderable of these remains are found in pre-
cisely those parts of the country where the
traces of a numerous population might be
looked for, namely, from the mouth of Ihe
Ohio, on the east side of the Mississippi, to
the Illinois River, and to the west from the
St. Francis to the Missom-i. I am perfectly
satisfied that cities similar to those of an-
cient Mexico, of several hundi-ed thousand
souls, have existed in this country." Nearly
opposite St. Louis are traces of two such
cities, in a distance of five miles.

The largest mound in the United States is
in the American Bottom, six and a half miles
northeast of St. Louis, known as Monk's
Mound. It is over 100 feet high, and 800
yards in circumference at the base. The top
contains three and a half acres, and half way
down is a terrace, extending the whole width
of the mound. Excavations show humau
bones and white pottery.

Generation after generation lives, moves
and is no more; time has strewn the track of
its ruthless march with the fragments of
mighty empires; and at length not even their
names or works have an existence in the spec-
ulations of those who take their places.

II.

As many as thirty mounds have been found
in Bureau County, none of them large
either in height or circumference, and every-
thing about them indicates they were not
probably built by the same tribes or perhaps
nations, that constructed the immense mounds
in Southern Illinois or Ohio. A group of

eight mounds is situated in the bottoms of
the Illinois River and Bureau Creek, near
Bureau Junction. The land on which they
are located has been farmed for near half a
century, and this cultivation has so changed
and moved the surface soil that their true
dimensions can only be approximately deter-
mined. Three of the smallest of these
mounds lie to the northeast at a right angle
to the other five, which are somewhat larger
and extend in a direct line toward the south-
west. They range in distance apart from
fifty to one hundi-ed feet, and are in height
above the natural surface from two and a half
to seven feet.

Mr. A. S. Tiffany made openings in the
extreme northeast mound. At a depth of
fifteen inches was found a bed of ashes sev-
eral inches in thickness, which extended in
all directions beyond the opening. At a depth
of five feet a few bones, much decomposed,
were found. They were parts of two indi-
viduals. A small number of bone awls were
l3'ing near them. The opening was extended
sixteen feet and the remains of two individu-
als were found with their heads toward the
north. Under the head of the individual
lying upon the west side was discovered a
porphyry crescent-shaped implement of rare
beauty. It is polished on both sides and all
its edges are nicely wrought. A flint knife
was found in the same place, about where the
right hand of the skeleton would rest. At
the northeast corner of the excavation, with
the decomposed bones of another person, a
bone awl or needle was found, about four
inches in length, but a portion had been bro-
kenoff. It was gracefully tapering and finely
pointed.

A few pieces of pottery, all of the same
character generally obtained from mounds,
occurs or has been frequently found in this
locality. The crania of the skeleton found

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

were too fragile to be preserved. A few unio
shells and water-worn pebbles had been de-
posited^in diiferent parts of the mound.

In another one of the small mounds was
found the much decayed bones of a youth.
In the other mounds no remains of especial
interest were found.

Another group of twenty mounds are situ-
ated on the bluffs near Bureau Junction.
This group varies in height from eighteen
inches to three feet They are systematically
arranged and are from eighteen to three hun -
dred feet apart. Explorations in this group
revealed one skull, decayed wood and coal,
and pebbles. On one is an oak stump, show-
ing 450 annular rings; another similar stump
shows 160 rings. On another stands a large
white oak tree.

The Indians have no traditions that give
any reliable account of who built these
mounds or who used them for burial places.

In Arizona are to be found many remarka-
ble evidences of prehistoric peoples whose
history has never been written. It is only
told by the empty in'igating canals, the ruins
of populous towns, vacant cliff dwellings,
inscribed rocks, and broken pottery found in
many parts of the Territorj'. Before the Euro-
pean saw this continent two races had lived
and died in Arizona. The earliest people
built their houses in valleys that are now deep
ravines, and the cliff dwellings that are seen
to-day resting in the sides of deep arroyostwo
hundred feet above the bottom of the gorge
once stood upon sol id ground, and yet so many
years have elapsed since then that now the
houses are high and dry and accessible only
to hardy climbers. Time has dug away the
foundations as well as scarred and chipped
the inhabitations. Between the age of the
cliff-dwellers and that of the white man come
the race who built the canals and formed the
valleys. Dry and parched and barren as a

great part of Arazona is to-day, there was a
time, of which abundant proof exists, when
the valleys were rich and fertile, and when
great cities were populated by an active,
capable, and energetic people. Who were
those industrious beings? No one can tell.
Toltec or Aztec, black or white; from Egypt
or Peru, none can say. Time has nearly de-
stroyed evidences of cheir existence. In the
lapse of ages their history has grown almost
a mythology. What a race they were, though!
No farming for them, if you please, on any

j small scale. They had ditches to bring
water to their crops that would astonish the
soil-tillers of to day, and their houses were
castles.

Perhaps the most extensive of their ruins
now, are at the place called Casa Grande, in the
Gila River Valley, six miles below Florence
and five miles south of the river. When lii-st
discovered by the Spaniards, in 1540, the
largest building of the group was four
stories high, and had walls six feet in thick-
ness. A hundred years ago one house still
remained which was 420x200 feet. To-day
there is but a suggestion left of the former
magnificence of the houses, l>ut one may still
see that the walls were made of mud and
gravel, held together by a hard cement, and
rooms are still coated with cement. Near
Casa Grande are the remains of an irrigating
canal which has been traced for forty miles,
and which must have watered thousands of
acres which to-day are dry, neglected wastes.
Miles of these wide canals can be seen scat-
tered over the Territory. Everywhere are th<>
evidences of a prehistoric occupation of the

' land. In building the city of Prescott,
workmen unearthed not only household and
farming implements, but discovered old foun-
dations as well, and as Arizona is settled and
explored there may yet be found more traces
of the i)eople who lived and died here, loav

^r^\^

-.KY

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

ing suggestion as to who they were, where
they came from, whither they went. What
care we for Pompeii ? We have a vaster, richer
tield in which to search for treasures hid for
untold ages.

III.

Indians. — Vast number of Indian tribes
were all over the continent when it was dis-
covered. Some were numerous, powerful and
warlike, and others were feeble remnants of
once great communities, and all were with-
out cultivation or any refinement or the sem-
blance of a literature, and were far behind in
the early advance of civilization of the Mound
Builders. Ethnologists are not agreed that
they were an original race of men, indigen-
ous to the Western Hemisphere. The hair
of the red man is round ; in the black man
flat, and the white man's is oval. These dis-
tinctive traits are unvarying and are strong
evidences of original different races of men.
In the pile of the European's hair the color-
ing matter is distributed by means of a cen-
tral canal, but in the Indian and black it is
incorporated in the fibrous structure of the
hair. The differences, therefore, in the hair
of the European, Indian and Negro, are rad-
ical, and indicates three distinct races of men,
or branches of the human family, and a tri-
nary origin. A religious bent of mind char-
acterized all the tribes, but it was of the
rudest order of ignorant and childish su
perstitions and horrid ceremonies. There
was no progress in them from their low sav-
agery, and they would, had they never been
disturbed by the white man, have probably
remained perpetually in their degrading
savagery and ignorance. And their tradition
says of the coming of the white man and
civilization: "The Indians had long dis.
cerned a black cloud in the heavens coming
from the east, which threatened them with
disaster and death. Slowly rising at tirst, it

seemed a shadow, but soon changed to sub-
stance. When it reached the summit of the
Alleghanies it assumed a darker hue; deep
murmurs, as of thunder were heard ; it was
impelled westward by a strong wind and shot
forth forked tongues of lightning." Pontiac
saw this coming storm and said to the Saxon:
" I stand in thy path." To his assembled
chiefs he exclaimed: "Drive the dogs who
wear red clothing into the sea." Fifty years
after the defeat of Pontiac, his follower,
Tecumseh, plotted the conspiracy of the Wa-
bash. For years the forest haunts of his
clansmen rang with his stirring appeals, and
the valleys of the West ran with blood of the
white invaders. In the south the Appalachian
tribes waged cruel wars under Tuscaloosa.

The Algonquins and Iroquois were the
great tribes who figured in the history of Illi-
nois. The former occupied most of the coun-
try between the 35th and 65th parallels of lat-
itude.

The Illinois Confederacy was the five tribes:
the Tamaroas, Michigamies, Kaskaskias,
Cahokias and Peorias. The Illinois, Miamas
and Delawares, are of the same sti)ck. Tra-
dition says they came from the far West. In
1070 their chief town was on the Illinois
River, seven miles below Ottawa. It was
then called Kaskaskia, and according to Mar-
quette at that time contained seventy, four
lodges, each of which domiciled several fam-
ilies. It was visited in 1679, by La Salle; the
town then counted 60 lodges and the tribes
numbered 6,000 to 8,000 souls. Their chief
towns were burned by the Iroquois, and their
extensive patches of beans, pumpkins and
corn destroyed, and the Iroquois pursued the
fugitives down the Illinois River. They became
involved in the Pontiac conspiracy,but through
many defeats and contact with' civilization,
their war-like spirit was gone, and they did
not yield to Pontiac's solicitations when he

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

threatened to " consume their tribes as the
firo doth the dry grass of the prairie." Fi-
nally, when Pontiac lost his life at the hands
of an Illinois, the tribes which had followed
his fortunes descended from the north and
the east to avenge his death and almost
annihilated them. And tradition says, that
a band of fugitives, to escape slaughter, took
refuge on the high rock which had been the
sight for Fort St Louis. They were besieged
by a superior force of the Pottawattomies,
which the great strength of this natural fort-
ress enabled them easily to keep at bay.
But starvation, however, soon was a more
cruel foe than the savage, and accomplished
what the enemy could not. Their provisions
were soon gone and their supply of water was
stopped b)' the enemy severing the cords
attached to the vessels by which they elevated
it from the river below. From their high point
of view they could look for the last time upon
their beautiful hunting-grounds and then
chant their death-songs, and with Indian sto-
icism lie down upon the rocks and die, where
for many years their bones were seen whiten-
ing on the summit of "Starved Rock," by
which name it will in all future time be
known. Thus perished the Kaskaskias and
Peorias, of whom at one time Du Quoin was
chief, and of the once powerful tribes but a
score are now left in the world. The little
remnant of them left are in the Indian Ter-
ritory.

The Sacs and Foxes dwelt in the northern
portion of Illinois. The word " Sau-kee,"
now written " Sac," is derived from the com-
pound word " A-saw-we-kee," of the Chip-
ewa language, signifying yellow earth, and
" Mus-qua-kee," the original name of the
Foxes, means red earth. These two tribes by
long residence contiguous to er.ch other, had
become Kubstantially one i)ooj)le. They came
originally from near Quebec and Montreal.

The Foxes came first and established them-
selves on the river that bears their name.
They warred with the French on Green Bay
and were signally defeated.

The Sacs became involved in a long and
bloody war with the Iroquois, and were driven
west. Starting west they encountered the
"Wyandottes, by whom they were driven far-
ther and farther along the lake shores until
they reached their relatives and friends, the
Foxes, on Green Bay. Here the two tribes
united for self-protection against surround-
ing tribes. The Jesuit, Allouez, visited them
in the winter of 1672, and also extended his
labors from the Sacs to the Foxes; the later
remembering some cruel outrages at the hands
of the French treated the gentle missionary
with rude contempt, but by great i^atieuce,
he eventually procured a respectful hearing,
and they were converted, after the fashion of
ignorant barbarians, and it is said every one
in the village could soon make the sign of
the cross. And they painted this sign on
their shields and started upon the war-path
and gained signal victories and fkmly believed
the sign of the cross was a powerful talisman
in battles of conquering power.

From Green Bay they came to northern
Illinois, and drove out the Sauteaux, a branch
of the Chippewas. They eventually formed
alliances with the Pottawattomies, and warred
to extermination with different tribes of the
Illinois south of them. They and the Win-
nebagoes, Monomonees and other tibes at-
tempted to destroy the village of St. Louis,
and were only prevented by the timely arri-
val of George Rogers Clark, with live hundred
men, from carrying out their designs. Fi-
nally their names became known to the
world, and the history of these people culmi-
nated in the events of the Black Hawk war.
where the volunteer soldiery of the State of
Illinois, in 1832, closed the last of the Indian

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

wars in the West
Broad Axe.

by the decisive battle oE

IV.

Black Hawk War. — As this condensed ac-
count of the Indians brings us to the time of
this war, and as this was the last combined act
of the Indians in the valley to beat back the
white race, we deem it best to conclude what
we may have to say of the Indians by a short
account of the Black Hawk war.

Edwards' History of Illinois says: "Dur-
ing Gov. Edwards' administration, the In-
diana on the Northwestern frontier became
troublesome. The tribes were at war among
themselves about their boundary lines, and
soon hostilities were extended to the whites.
Before serious war had occurred with the
whites, a treaty of peace was signed at
Prairie du Chien, on the 19th of August,
1825, in which the whites acted more the part
of mediators than otherwise between the Win-
nebagoes and Sioux, Chippewas.Sauks, Foxes
and other tribes, detiaing the boundaries of
each. But this failed to keep them quiet.
Their depredations and murders continued
frequent, and in the summer of 1827 the acts
of the Winnebagoes especially became very
alarming. A combination was formed by the
different tribes, under Red Bird, to kill or drive
off' all the whites above Rock River. And oper-
ations were commenced by the Winnebagoes
and Pottawattomies making a foray and kill-
ing two white men in the vicinity of Prairie
du Chien, on the 24th day of July, 1827,
and on the 30th of the same month they
attacked two keel-boats which had, on their
upward trip, conveyed military stores to Fort
Snelling, killing two of the crew and wound-
ing four others before they were repulsed.
They threatened seriously the settlers at the
lead mines, as they had always resented the
act of the people in taking possession of
these mines. Gov. Edwards, July 14, or-

dered Gen. Hanson's brigade (then located
on the east side of the Illinois River) to be
in readiness for immediate service. On the
same day he ordered Col. T. M. Neal's Twen-
tieth Regiment (from Sangamon) to receive
600 volunteers and rendezvous at Fort
Clark, and march forthwith to Galena.
Under this call Col. Neale recruited one cav-
alry company, Capt. Edward Mitchell; four
companies of infantry, by Capts. Thomas
Constant, Reuben Brown, Achilles Morris
and Bawlin Green; Adjutant, James D. Hen-
ry. The command marched to Peoria. Red
Bird and six of his principal chiefs had sur-
rendered and the volunteers returned from
Peoria to their homes

The surrender of Red Bird had been se-
cured before this force reached the grounds,
largely by the action of the Galena miners,
who had an order from Gov. Edwards to or-
ganize and place themselves under the com-
mand of Gen. Henry Dodge, and thus formed
a valuable auxiliary force to Gen. Henry
Atkinson's command of 600 regulars. These
had marched into Winnebago country and
captured Red Bird, by his voluntarily com-
ing iato camp and giving himself up. Red
Bird and his companions were placed in con-
finement, where he soon died, and some of
his warriors were tried, convicted and hanged
for complicity in the murder of white set-
tlers, on the 26th of December, 1827. Black
Hawk was one of the captured party; upon
trial he was acquitted. The death of Red
Bird ended the Winnebago war. The tribe
was thoroughly humbled and showed only
the most peaceable disposition for some time.
Edwards says: "A talk was subsequently had
with them in which they abandoned all the
country south of the Wisconsin River. Af-
ter this there was a general peace with the
Indians throughout the Western frontier."
But the Indians continued to occupy the

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

lands they had ceded, and Gov. Edwards
urged conslantly their removal by the "War
Department, beyond the limits of the State,
as their presence was a constant menace and
retarded the immigrants from occupying the
lands the Indians had ceded. The Govern-
ment, impelled V\y the appeals of Edwards
and the terrors of the settlers, brought the
subject to the attention of the Indians, and
urged them to go to their own lands beyond
the Mississippi River. It was finally arranged
they should be allowed to remain twelve
months.

In 1829 the President issued a proclama-
tion, and in pursuance thereof, all the
country above the mouth of Rock River (the
ancient seat of the Sac nation) was sold to
American families, and in 1830 it was taken
possession of by many of them. To avoid
further threatened troubles, another treaty
was entered into with the Sacs and Foxes, on
the 15th day of July, 1830, by the provisions
of which they were to remove peacefully
beyond the Mississippi. With those who
remained at the Indian village at the mouth
of Rock River, an arrangement was made by
the settlers by which they were to live
together peaceably, and as good neighbors;
the Indians cultivating their old fields as
formerly. Black Hawk, however, a restless
and uneasy spirit, who had ceased to recog-
nize Keokuk as Chief, and who was known
to be still under pay of the British, emphati-
cally refused either to remove from the
lands or respect the rights of the settlers.
Ho insisted that Keokuk had no authority to
make such a treaty, and he proceeded to
gather around him a large body of warriors
and young men of the tribe who were eager
to put on the war paint and to adorn their
belts with the white men's soal])s. He deter-
mined t<j dispute the rights of the whites to
their poBsossions in the heart of the ancient

seat of the nation. He had conceived the
gigantic scheme of uniting all the nations,
from the Rock River to the Gulf of Mexico;
and thus once more and for the last time
was made the effort to combine all the Indians
and " di-ive the white dogs into the sea."

On the 9th day of December, 1830, Hon.
John Reynolds became Governor of Illinois.

April, 1831, Black Hawk at the head of
from three to five hundred warriors, recrossed
the river. He also had a large number of
allies from the Kickapoos and Pottawattomies.
He formally notified the whites to leave, and
upon their refusing to comply with his order,
he commenced a general destruction of their
property. Governor Reynolds declared war
and called for volunteers. This call was
made May 27, 1831. and all this north-
western portion of Illinois at once was
resounding with the clamors of war. The
call was for 700 men, to report at
Beardstown in fifteen days. So many re-
sponded that the Governor had to accept the
services of 1,000 men. They were moved to
Rushville and organized into two regiments
and two battalions. The army arrived at
Rushville June 25. Six companies of regu-
lar troops, under Gen. Gaines, fromJefi'erson
Barracks, arrived at Fort Armstrong. Thus
completed, the army encamped eight miles
below the Sac village, on the Mississippi
River, and Gens. Gaines and Duncan concerted
measures of attack. But Black Hawk, realiz-
ing the danger of his position, on the night
of the 2r)th quietly recrossed the river, leav-
ing his vilhige deserted. The soldiers thus
found it the next day, and completely de-
stroyed it. Governor Ford says: " Thus per
ished this ancient village, which had been
the delightful homeof 0,000 to 7,000 Indians,
where generation after generation had been
born, had died and been buried." Gen.
Gaines had to send the second peremptory

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

demand to Black Hawk requiring him and
his band to return and enter into a treaty.
On the 30th day of June, 1831, he, with
about thirty Chiefs of the Sacs came, and in
full council with Governor Reynolds and
Gen. Gaines, signed an agreement, stipu-
lating that " no one or more shall ever be
permitted to recross said river to the usual
place of residence, nor any part of their old
hunting-grounds east of the Mississippi River,
without permission of the President of the
United States, or the Governor of the State
of Illinois." The troops were disbanded
and their sm-plus provisions given to the
Indians, who had by their foolish invasion
made it impossible to raise any crop for that
season. Thus ended without bloodshed the
first campaign of the Black Hawk war in

1831.

1832 — Second Campaign.

This treaty with Black Hawk brought but
a short respite of peace to the country. The
next spring he again recrossed the river,
and commenced his march up Rock River
Valley, with 500 warriors mounted on their
ponies, while the squaws and papooses went
by way of the river in canoes. Gen. Atkin-
son, stationed at Eort Armstrong, warned him
to return, but the savages pushed on to the
country of the Winnebagoes and Pottawatto-
mies, and here engaged to make a crop of
corn. The Chief 's purpose in this was to
enlist these tribes in his aid in the war, but
they would not yield to his entreaties.

April 16, 1832, Gov. Reynolds called for
1,000 Illinois volunteers, and they were to
meet in Beardstown, on the 24:th of that
month. So threatening were the movements
of the Indians, that Maj. Still man with 200
men was ordered to guard the frontier near
the Mississippi, and Maj. Bailey the settle-
ments along the Illinois River. Pursuant to
the Governor's call, 1,800 men assembled at

Beardstown, and were organized into a brigade
of four regiments and an "odd" and a "spy"
battalion. An election for Held officers on
the 28th was held. Col. John Thomas to
command the First, Jacob Fry, the Second.
Col. Abram B. De Witt, the Third, and Col.
Samuel M. Thompson, the Fourth. Capt.
Abraham Lincoln's company was in the
Fourth Regiment. Gov. Reynolds placed
Gen. Whiteside in command, and accompa-
nied the expedition.

April 29 the army started from Beards-
town and proceeded to Oquawka, and here
they received a boat-load of supplies from
Gen. Atkinson, who was at Fort Armstrong;
then to the mouth of Rock River, where they
were received into the United States service
by Gen. Atkinson; from this point the Com-
manding General with 400 troops proceeded
up Rock River, while the volunteers under
Gen. Whiteside marched through the
swamps in the vicinity of the stream. They
arrived at Dixon on the 10th of May, where
they found Majs. Stillman and Bailey with
their forces, where they had been some time
guarding the frontier. A scouting party of
live men was sent out to confer with the
chiefs of the Pottawattomies, and who getting
lost, returned after three days. They
reported having fallen in with some of
Black Hawk's men, and that his army was
encamped on Old Man's Creek, twelve miles
above Dixon. Stillman and Bailey besought
the Governor for permission to take their
forces and reconnoiter the enemy's position,
which was gi-anted. On the 14th of Mny
they started with 275 men, and soon reached
Old Man's Creek, pursuing their course up
that stream about fifteen miles and camped
for the night. Three ludians, boariug white
flacs came into camp, and were taken in custo-
dy; these were soon followed by five more who
came near the camp, it was judged, for the

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

purpose of inviting an attack. In this they
succeeded, as a party of Stillman's men
started in pursuit: soon three fourths of the
command were joined in the irregular scram-
ble and chase across the prairie, overtaking
and killing two Indians, and pursuing the
others to the edge of the timber. Here
Black Hawk, with about forty of his men,
arose from their ambush naked and yelling
like devils, charged the assailants, who
were a mere scattered mob by this time,
and who at once tiirned in a more eager
retreat than had been their mad pui'suit; flee-
ing in terror before the infuriated savages.
Stillman and his officers had ordered and
entreated the men not to go in this foolish
chase, but they rushed heedlessly and reck-
lessly on, and as foolishly fled upon the first
flush of danger, only increasing their own
danger and confusion. Maj. Stillman, Gov.
Zadock Casey and other officers tried in vain
to prevent the panic and inglorious flight.
Maj. Perkins and Capt. Adams with
about fifteen men m.ide a brave stand, and
checked the savages and saved a general
slaughter. The brave Adams lost his life in
this heroic stand, his body being found the
next day near the bodies of two dead Indians
who had fallen by his hand before he was
overpowered and slain. As a result of this
shameful conduct of the soldiers, eleven
whites were killed and seven Indians bit the
dust before the lifteen gallant defenders of
the panic-stricken army or rablile. Had half
the wild mob kept their heads and joined
tluMii the enemy would not only have been
defeated but jirobably captm-od. They fled
back to their camp and there told the remain-
di'r of the army such horrid stories of Black
Hawk and his solid legions, that those broke
camp and joined the stampede, the larger por-
tion going to Di.\on, but many were so scat-
tered and had become so wild with fright

that they continued to flee south, and for
weeks lone stragglers arrived at Peoria and
at other points south as far as Beardstown and
Springfield. The valor of these men was
not at fault as was afterward tested. They
were merely raw recruits who had not learned
that in battle the safest place is in ]irompt
obedience to their officer, and facing the
enemy, regardless of the odds in the enemy's
favor.

This battle-field has gone into history as
Stillman's Run. His defeat spread conster-
nation over the State. Gen. Scott with 1,000
troops was at once sent out to the seat of
war. Gov. Reynolds called for now levies,
the call being dated June 3d, and appointing
them to meet at Beardstown and Hennepin,
June 10.

The men in the service asked to be dis-
charged, but in the great emergency they
heeded the appeal of the Governor and
agreed to remain twelve or fifteen days
longer.

When the news of Stillman's defeat had
reached the army at Dixon, a Council of
War was called, and thev?hole army marched
to the battle-field. The dead were recovered,
in most instances frightfully nuitilated, and
were buried.

Black Hawk letrcated into Wisconsin, and
on the fith of June made an attack on A)i-
ple River Fort, near the present town of
Elizabeth, twelve miles from Galena. Three
messengers on their way from Dixon to Ga-
lena were fired upon within half a mile of
the fort, but they escaped. The inhabitants
had fled to the forts. Tw(>nty-five armed
men were in the fort, and they made a de-
termined resistance and drove ofT the sav-
ages.

The savages having attacked and killed
two men about five miles from Galena, Gen.
Dodge, of Wisconsin, followed them, and

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

overtaking them at Pecatonica, killed the
entire number with the loss of three men.

The new levies assembled at Beardstown
and Hennepin, and the two forces were soon
ordered to Fort Wilbourne, a small fortifica-
tion on the south bank of the Illinois River,
about a mile above Peru, which had been
erected by Lieut. Wilbourne for the protec-
tion of the stores entrusted to his care by Col.
March.

Several thousand volunteers had assembled,
at first a promiscuous multitude. The Gov-
ernor appealed to the old forces who had been
discharged, and among others who re-enlisted
was Abraham Lincoln, who had been a Cap-
tain in Col. Thompson's regiment, and now
entered Capt. Isle's Company as a private.
On the 16th day of June the brigades were
organized, Gen. Posey commanding the First,
Melton K. Alexander, the Second, and James
D. Henry, Third; Gen. Atkinson in general
command. Four additional battalions were
organized for special purposes, commanded
severally by Bogart, Bailey, Buckmaster and
Dement.

The brigades were composed of three regi-
ments each. The Governor ordered a chain
of forts to be erected from the Mississippi to
Chicago.

On the 17th Col. Dement was ordered to
report to Col. Zachary Taylor at Dixon,
the main army soon to follow. On his arri-
val at Dixon, he was ordered to take his
position at Kellogg' s Grove. After the first
night there a detachment was sent to examine
a reported fresh Indian trail. They started
at daylight, and within 300 yards of the
Fort discovered several Indian spies, and
despite the cries and commands of Col. De-
ment and Lieut. -Gov. Casey, these raw
soldiers gave chase and recklessly followed
them into Black Hawk's ambush of 300
naked, howling savages, whose sudden ap-

pearance and fierce onslaught started a pell-
mell stampede of the whites for the fort.

In the confused retreat which followed,
five whites who were without horses were
killed, and the others reached the fort only
in time to close the gates upon the enemy,
who attacked the inmates furiously, the fight
lasting several hours, and they only retired
when they had to leave nine of their braves
dead on the field. No one in the fort was
killed; but several were wounded. Col. De-
ment having three shots through his clothing.
At 8 o'clock next morning messengers were
sent fifty miles to Gen. Posey for assistance,
and toward sundown they appeared at the
rescue. Gen. Posey started in pursuit of the
enemy the next day. The enemy had used
his usual tactics of scattering his retreating
forces, and discovering this the pursuit was
abandoned. The army marched up Rock
River, expecting to find the enemy near its
source. On the 21st of July the enemy was
overtaken on the bluffs of the Wisconsin and
a decisive battle was fought, lasting till the
sun went down, and di'iving and scattering
the savages, killing 168 that were found on
the field, and twenty- five were found on the
trail the next day, dead. Gen. Henry lost
only one killed and seven wounded. Gens.
Henry and Atkinson's forces, 1,200 in all,
met them at the Blue Mounds.

On the 25th the whole army started in pur-
suit of Black Hawk, whose trail could be
easily followed by the abandoned articles and
dead bodies, that told plainly the story of
the deplorable condition of his army. The
fugitives were fleeing the State, and had
reached the Mississippi River, and were mak-
ing hasty preparations to cross, when they
were overtaken and the final and decisive bat-
tle of Bad Axe was fought on the 2d day of
August. It was a merciless slaughter, in
which warriors, women and children were

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

slain. Seventeen Americans were killed and
over 150 Indians. Black Hawk had escaped*
up the river. He was pursued by a band of
Winnebagoes. They were gone twenty days
and returned with Black Hawk.

Such was the bloody and sad scene that
closed the last great attempt at regular war
upon the whites by the combined forces of
the red men. Black Hawk was the true suc-
cessor of Pontiac and Tecumseh. He wore
their fallen mantles well and worthily, but
able as he was, after his daring efforts to
make a stand against the oncoming invaders
of his happy hunting grounds in northern
Illinois, the best effort he could make was a
feeble one compared to those of his prede-
cessors, and indicated the decay of his peo-
ple — swiftly dying of the contact of the white
man and civilization. Since the Black Hawk
war we have had nothing more terrible than
local forages, and the occasional scalping of
an isolated settler or traveler, or horse-steal-
ing expeditious, in which murder was only an
incident. The Indian has gone. Here we
have nothing left of him but a memory. In
the struggle for existence he has paid the
great penalty of ignorance and slowly but
surely passed away from the earth. In the
long and unknown ages he was here he did
nothing— accomplished nothing — and this
would have doubtless continued had he been
left unmolested by the white man millions
of years, save only what he had always been
doing — breeding wretchedness and the vilest
ignorance and savagery. He loved hie wild
freedom — he would not have our civilization.
Ever ready to sing his death song aud die,
he would not be enslaved. Liberty or death
was all ho knew, and he stared fate in the
face with a stoicism truly sublime. His ex-
istence here is but a memory, much like the

shadowy and unsubstantial legends of his
own tribes. In the long centuries of his pos-
session of the greatest and richest portion of
the world, he did nothing, was nothing; and
saving the corrupted Indian names given to
certain places, there is nothing to prevent all
memories of him from passing into annihila-
tion and oblivion with his own valueless per-
son and life. He lived only to hunt and
tight — "born in the wild wood, rocked on
the wave,'' he despised the refinements, the
enervating pleasures, the trammels of civili-
zation. The captured warrior and the de-
coyed dupe of the cunning merchantmen, he
was stupefied with whisky and sold into
slavery, yet this failed as completely to
make an humble slave of him always as
would an effort to make cringing menials of
the eagles of the crags. In this respect his
nature was the opposite of the negro; and no
white race has excelled, if any has ever
equaled him, in his determination to be ab-
solutely free — to be his own liberator and defy
all the powers that might assail him here.
This heroic trait saved his exit from the world
from the reproach of contempt.

The treatment of the Indians, from the
time of the first coming of the whites on the
Atlantic shores to the present time, has been
often wrong and sometimes criminal; just
and sensible but rarely. Their fate was voiced
well when Pontiac said, " 'White man, I stand
in thy path." It was barbarous ignorance
standing in the way of intelligence and indus-
try; one or the other must perish. The sur-
vival of the fittest lays its inexorable hand
here, as everywhere, cold and passionless and
omnipotent, and the weaker take their )>laces
in the ranks of the innumerable multitudes
and pass away from the face of the earth.

VI.

The spot of oldest and greatest historical

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

interest in Illinois is Starved Kock, on the
south bank of the Illinois River, seven miles
below Ottawa. The beetling-rock cliffs rise
from the waters one hundred and thirty-six
feet. Three sides rise thus perpendicularly
like a giant watch-tower piercing the clouds.
The fourth side recedes gradually inward from
the river, in one place very steep, and this
rapid descent can be mounted only by narrow
steps, and along deep crevices in the rocks
that bear no signs of vegetation save sparsely
scattered stunted cedars and mountain ivy.
The walls are of gray sandstone. The gen-
eral shape of this impregnable, eternal castle
is circular, and from any point of view the
effect is most inspiring and majestic. In
many places are overhanging crags and deep
crevices where once the wild beast fixed his
lair, or the deadly reptiles retreated for safety.
A part of the summit is smooth sand stone,
and the whole contains nearly an acre in area.
From the midst of the flowing waters rises
this wonderful rock pyramid, looking far up
and down the river and away over the wind-
ing belts of timber and the grand sweep of rich
meadow lands — the eternal, silent sentinel^
and in the aeons of its watches the coming
and going of nations, dynasties, races and
generations of men are but as the snow-flake
on the river, "a moment white then gone
forever. " It is now a noted resort for excur-
sion and picnic parties, fascinating the vis-
itor with its romantic scenery, and enchant-
ing all with the wide-spread panoramic views
from its summit. Of itself it will always
possess a deep interest to all beholders, and
it is but natural it should arrest the interest
and attention of the adventurous white men
who discovered what is now the State of Illi-
nois. Two hundred and eleven years ago —
1673 — Joliet and Marquette, in their voyage
of discovery for the great river (Mississippi),
which was "Supposed to run to the Pacific

Ocean, after finding the river and passing
down it far enough to learn that the river
emptied into the Southern Ocean, were return-
ing to the St. Lawrence to report their great
success, when they discovered the Illinois
River and passed up it on their way to Lake
Michigan. When they reached Starved
Rock the party of nine persons landed their
canoes and ascended to the top of the tower
and erected a cross and in the name of the
king and the chui'ch took possession of the
country. Salutes were fired in honor of the
king and prayers and invocations addi-essed
to the Virgin.

In 1682 La Salle, the earliest follower of
Joliet, founded a colony here, under a
charter from the court of France, built a rude
fort on the summit of the rock, called it Fort
St. Louis, and named the country New France.
This was the first white settlement made in
the West. Near the base of Starved Rock
are found the works of the Mound Build-
ers, the flint instruments, the mounds,
the pathways worn and cut in the rocks
in going and returning from the top of
this natural fort, plainly telling that
every different race of men that ever
occupied this country had found here the
same land mark and refuge that attracted
Joliet and La Salle and brought the first set-
tlement in the Mississippi Valley.

The two hundredth anniversary of the dis-
covery of Starved Rock by Joliet and Mar-
quette was celebrated in 1873. The meeting
was held on top of the rock, and a large
crowd was present and many speeches were
made. A high pole was erected on the high-
est point and the stars and stripes floated out
on the breeze where two hundred years ago
the tricolors of France had waved as em-
blems of French authority and power.
These revelers looked out over the same
winding river which in the distant curves of

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUXTY.

the stream became mere silver threads in the
forest fringe; the same flower-bedecked prai-
ries, the same sweeping modulations of hill
and valley; but once they were covered with
great herds of buffalo, doer and elk, and the
red man, with bis many villages and wigwams,
especially in the view westward into this
county — all indicating that hero were gath-
ered in countless numbers — like a great
trysting place — the wild beasts and the wild
men. Now the same enchanting view is over
civilized life, equally numerous, and instead
of the silent solitude of the waste places, all
is vocal with the glad song of civilization and
the joys and blessings of a rich, active and
prosp'erous people.

Bureau County in the Black Hawk. — At
the time of this war the county was all Put-
nam, and it is only by selecting out of the lists
furnished by Putnam County, we are enabled
to give the names of nearly all who went from
what was afterward Bureau County. Captain
George B. Willis, of Hennepin, raised a
company for the Fovu'th Brigade, Fortieth
Regiment, commanded by Col. John Strawn.
This was mustered out of service at Henne-
pin, June 18, 1832, George B. Willis, Cap-
tain; Timothy Perkins, First Lieutenant;
Samuel D. Laughlin, Second Lieutenant.
Among the privates who were afterward citi-
zens of this county were John Cole, William-
son Durloy, JoelDoolittlo, James G. Foristal,
Aaron Gunn (now living in La Salle); John
Hall, William Hoskins, Michael Kitterman;
Robert A. Leeper, Charles Leeper, these
were brothers of H. B. Leeper, now residing
in Princeton; Roland B. Moseley, John Moore;
Elijah Phillips, who was killed by the Indi-
ans, Juno 18; Daniel Prunk, whose son is
now living in Tiskilwa; Joseph W. Rexford;
Solomon and Leonard Roth, brothers, one of
whom is still living; Nelson Shopherd, still
living; George P. Wilmouth, John Williams,
Curtis Williams and Hoskin K. Zenor.

Capt. William M. Stewart also had a com-
pany from Putnam County, in the same
brigade and regiment of Willis' company.
We note in this company Private Madison
Study vin.

Another company in the same command
was Capt. William Haws' company. Capt.
Haws died only a few months ago, aged
eighty-four yoars, at his home near Magnolia;
he dropped dead on retiring from the dinner
table. Although very old, his sudden and
most unexpected death was a great shock to
his wide circle of friends and acquaintances,
among whom he had lived a long and useful
life.

Capt. Haws' First Lieutenant was James
Garvin, now living near Princeton (died a
few days after this was written). Among
the privates in this regiment we note Elias
Isaac as a Bureau County man. His son,
William L. Isaac, is now one of the influen-
tial citizens of the county, and a Supervisor.

The Indians commenced their forays and
massacres of the scattered settlements in
Illinois as early as T810. That is, they then
began to sow the seeds of bloody war against
the Americans or English, as much of their
previous intercourse had been with the
French in this part of the West. The first
massacre of note was on Cache River, not far
above Cairo, where they murdered two
families. Seven persons — three women and
two children — were of the victims. Then a
murderous foray was made by them on Wood
River, now in Madison County, and soon the
burning cabins and the fleeing fugitives from
all the outlying settlements told the story of
the progress of the awful visitation through-
out southern Illinois. Those who escaped
fled to the forts, and for four years the peo-
ple thus existed, suffered, were massacred,
and many good jieoplo were driven penniless
from the county. The war of 1812-15 was
finally brought to a close, and treaties of

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

peace were made, and people again resumed
the work of building homes and laying the
foundations for the great State of Illinois.
The Indians of southern Illinois had been
driven mostly away, or they were pretty
thoroughly subjugated. But in northern
Illinois it was different. The white man was
only at Fort Dearborn, and in 1827 he was
in the northwest corner of the State in the
hunt for fortunes in the lead mines, and his
presence here was regarded with an evil eye
by the Indian. His jealous nature and his
treacherous disposition were soon av(>used,
and he wanted to fill himself with patriotic
whisky and commence his congenial work of
massacring the weak and defenseless, espe-
cially the women and children, or where a
hundi-ed of them could find an unarmed
white man to torture and kill. This con-
tinued until it culminated in the battle of Bad
Axe in 1832, and the overthrow of Black
Hawk and his co-conspirators.

Nicholas Smith, only surviving son of
" Dad Joe " Smith, informs us that his fath-
er's family was, in 1829, on a claim where
Rock Island now is, and that near them was
an Indian encampment, and, especially
when they could get whisky, they were
often very threatening and annoying. One
day his father had gone to Galena after some
of their remaining goods, and he, only eight-
een years old, was mowing about a mile from
home, when his younger brother came as fast
as he could with word that the Indians were
about to murder the family. He dropped his
scythe and hurried to the house and found
two bucks trying to kill a man, a neighbor
who happened to be there, and his mother
with the two little girls had taken refuge in
the weeds near the house. He relieved his
neighbor and then rushed into the house
and got his gun. An Indian followed him
and struck at him with his tomahawk, and

when he got his gun the Indian ran. He
heard an outcry from his mother and looking
saw an Indian holding her by the hair and
trying to tomahawk her. His little brother
had fortunately arrived on the horse and see-
ing the Indian trying to kill his mother, had
spurred the horse upon him, and the boy and
mother were in the life struggle when he
started to their rescue with his gun, which
unfortunately was not loaded, and the Indian
fled. He had inflicted an ugly wound in his
mother's face. On another occasion he was
hewina; logs for their future house, and sev-
eral Indians came up and were loafing
around. He was working away and pay-
ing no attention to them, when one of them
slipped up and told him an Indian was
following Smith's little sister, and was go-
ing to kill her. He dropped his ax and
saw the savage following the child with his
butcher-knife concealed by his side in his
hand. He fled when Smith noticed and
started toward him. We only give these as
evidences of the disposition of the savages
when they had whisky, and as historical facts
in the inception of those Indian depredations
that finally led to the Black Hawk war.

Another incident related to us by Mr.
Smith was connected with the outbreak of
1832. It is not only of interest as one of
the first scenes in the actual war, but it is
strongly illustrative of some of the incidents
of frontier life. He had gone to Ottawa to
mill. The trip was a very serious and tire-
some one, as he had to hire a skiff and ferry
his grain over the river, and then go to the
mill and borrow a wagon to haul it from the
skiff to the mill — about two miles. He was
gone nearly a week and got home, and the
first thing he noticed was his father walking
up and down the road, gun in hand, and
gi-eatly excited. He soon learned the whole
country was threatened with an Indian out-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

break; people were fleeing for their lives.
The Smiths locked up their smoko-house and
loaded a team and started for Galena, and
here they stayed for several months. The
Galena stage was stopped, and every house
on the way to Galena was deserted, and they
were about the last family that passed along
the road.

CHAPTER IV.

The Genealogy of the County — New Feance— Canada, Louisi-
ana — N0BTHWE8TEItN TERRITORY — INDIANA — ILLINOIS — St.

Clair County — Madison, Clark, Bond, Chawfurd, Pike,
Fulton, Peoria, Putnam, and Finally, Bureau — The Sev-
eral and Final Treatie:, that Passkd — Title to the Lanp

— ETC., ETC.

"Moss-bank anil rock, brown trunk and ancient

tree,
Woodbirds and wild llowers are thy company."
— John H. Bryant.

THE genealogy of the county, that is, the
civil divisions, changes and transfers
of allegiance from one government to another,
and then to the United States, and from one
State to another, and finally a chain of title
from county to county, ending in the present
civil community of Bureau, is a material part
of the county's history; and yet, how many
are there who can tell its chronological
6tory? In even a Teachers' Institute, com-
posed of the educators of the county, and
where the subject of history is often treated
at groat length, could any of them, after
much reflection and reading on the subject,
tell anything about it? Nearly all know that
Bureau County was carved out of the terri-
tory of Putnam County, and there, as a rule,
their information stops.

Suppose alxiardof examination in the best
of our high schools should ask the class, by
the aid of their teachers, to give an abstract
of the title to any (juarter section of land,

tracing it back to the original tribe of
Indians, who were the owners in possession
when the country was discovered. A legal
abstract of the title of a piece of land is by
law complete when the title is traced from
the General Government, and in this transfer
there are no notes of the different counties of
which the particular tract may have formed a
part, because the title to the lands does not
vest in the State or county, only as it passes
to them from the Government. Yet the
descriptive part of the title is incomplete
without naming both the State and county.
Hence in a chain of title, where any special
day or time might be called for, it is of the
first importance to tell exactly the name and
territorial title at each change that has
occurred in its history.

What school-child or teacher could readily
tell how a letter should have been directed to
have reached a person, supposing one had
been here, and there had been mails deliv-
ered, during all the time of the known his-
tory of this [lart of Illinois? Suppose,
reader, you had been here the past two hun-
dred years, and without ever removing from
one spot, in what empires, nations, and gov-
ernments. Territories, States and counties
would you have lived ?

Going back to the time of the Indians, you
would have been of the tribe of the Potawatto-
mies, then a citizen of New France, and a sub-
ject of the French Empire. This was a province
of France for about one hundred years. We
have seen elsewhere in a preceding cha])tor
that La Salle and Tonti made the first white
settlement in Illinois, before the close of the
seventeenth century, on the borders of Bureau
County. The next white settlement was
made in Kaskaskia by the French, in 1707.*

•William 11. Brown, of Chicago, wu in KaakaskU In 1818, and
glvM it Hfl a fuel, that ho then leHrnf>il from old sottleni, and he
f.jun.l uthiT I'vl.luiiD'-, llml Ihin dato (17u7j wtuj corrftct.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

The next move the " old settler ' ' would
have found made for him by the changes in
government, while he was stationary, was that
he was a Canadian.

Then, in 1673, by the treaty of Paris, the
title of all this part of the world passed to
the British Empire. Thomas Gage was the
ruler by virtue of being Commander-in-chief
of the British li'oops in North America. In
1 764 he issued a proclamation, in which he
most graciously authorized the Roman Cath-
olics of this part of the world to exercise
the worship of their religion in the same
manner here as they did in Canada, and
granting them the further permission '' to go
about and look at the country, even to New
Orleans."

During all this century of changes and
transfers there was no civil government
established here. The only government was
military, and the title to the country a mere
claim of discovery and possession to the time
of the treaty of Paris.*

October, 1778, the House of Burgesses of
Virginia created the county of Illinois, and
appointed Lieut. John Tod, ( ivil Commander,
and this appointment authorized all the civil
officers to whom the inhabitants had been
accustomed, to be chosen by a majority of
the citizens of their respective districts.
This was the establishment of the first En-
glish civil government in what is now Illinois.
The act of the House of Burgesses above re-
ferred to, defined the Northwestern Territory,
with the seat of government at Marietta,
Ohio. The whole territory was divided into
three counties, namely: Hamilton, now Ohio;
Knox, now Indiana, and St. Clair, now sub-
stantially Illinois. If our imaginary Bu-

* November 2, 17G2, France made a secret treaty with Spain, I>y
which the Loui(*iana Country was ceded to Spain ; tliis treaty was
not made iinown until 171)4. At this time, and just before tlie
treaty was made known, the villages of St. Louis and 8te. Genevieve
were founded.

reauite had then wanted to marry a dusky
maiden he would have had to go to Marietta
for his license.

Gov. Tod was commissioned by Gov.
Patrick Henry, who wrote his commission and
instructions within hearing of the jruns of
the American Revolution. The book con-
taining Tod's commission and an account of
his official acts while at Kaskaskia was
recently picked up by accident in a wood-
box in Chester, 111., by one who thus rescued
this valuable docmnent from the flames, and
thus supplied a missing link in the history
of the State, the complete loss of which would
have been very great indeed.

All the upper Mississippi Valley was con-
quered from Grwat Britain by Gen. George
Rogers Clark, who has been often styled
" The Hannibal of the Northwest." In the
American Revolution he certainly was the
hero standing second only to Geoi'ge Wash-
ington. He conceived the plans, and wUh an
army of less than 200 poorly armed, half fed
and worse clothed soldiers, wrested all this
rich empire from England and the Indian,
and by able diplomacy, the most daring
enterprise and heroic bravery and endurance,
and a tact and strategy never surpassed, kept
and preserved a conqueror's title and trans-
mitted it to us. No romance compares with
the wonderful achievements of Gen. Clark.
In 1795, a mere youth, he penetrated the
wilds of what is now Kentucky. In connec-
tion with Gabriel Jones he founded and
erected the county of Kentucky in 1796,
and fought out the wars with the Indians
that gave that fair land the name of
"The Dark and Bloody Ground." In war
and in founding and erecting Government
and Commonwealths he was the loading and
master mind everywhere. Without men, with-
out money, without sujiport from any source
he conquered, held and handed over to his

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Government empires that in their extent and
magnificence dwarf the proudest achievements
of the flaunting eagles of Napoleon; and
we have no hesitation in claiming that con-
ceiving of the plan and the remarkable man-
ner in which he executed his designs, find no
parallel in American history. When the
Revolution had been fought out and Gen.
George Rogers Clai-k's great work was done
in that wonderful play on the chessboard of
nations, ho retired to private life, to obscuri-
ty and poverty that was only equaled by that
the humblest soldier in his ragged squad.

If the deeds of our great men are ever to
be measured by the greatness of the results
that come of their acts, rather than by the
pomp, the ceremony, the loud blasts of fame
and the pageantry of great numbers, then the
future historian of the United States may
burn his brightest fires in illuminating the
greatest chapter in his book, where he tells
the story of George Rogers Clark and the
Northwest. It is no part of our purpose here
to attempt to tell the interesting story. We
merely point it out, and hope the young who
may peru.se this page may be induced to take
up the subject and follow it through.

From 1732 to 1759 we were under the
control or rather belonged to the Company of
the Indies. M. Penier was Governor-Gener-
al, and M. D'Artaguette was Local Governor
of Illinois. This bi'ave and chivalrous man
was killed in the Chickasaw war, where he
had been called to assist the people of
Louisiana. Illinois at this time was a jjart
of Louisiana and a province of Canada. The
Company of the Indies failing, the French
Government again assumed the control and
title to the country.

The treaty of Greenville (this point is now
in Darke County, in the southwest part of
Ohioj wfis made in 17Uo. This was a treaty
with the Indians, and at the time was not con-

sidered of any value in defining the future
boundaries of the country, but in the end it
became a very important matter in the settle-
ment of our boundary lines with Great Brit-
ain. When the treaty of Ghent was being
negotiated in liSl-4, and the American Com-
missioners met the English, the former were
much surprised at the demand of the British
for recognition of that treaty as the basis of
negotiations for the western boundary of the
United States. At first the English refused
to negotiate except on that basis and insisted
upon the entire sovereignty and independence
of the Indian confederacy. Thej' claimed
the Indians as allies, and oven subjects they
were bound to protect in all their defined
rights. It was a fact the Indians had received
annuities, first from the French, and that af-
terward the English had continued these after
the treaty of cession in 1763, and also after
the acknowledgment of our independence.
The Indians had annually sent delegations to
Canada to receive these annuities. During
the negotiation of this treaty it was brought
to light, a fact that had been denied by the
parties to it, that there had existed an alli-
ance oirousivo and defensive between Tocum-
seh and the British. The American Commis-
sioners perem|)torily refused to recognize the
sovereignty of the Indians, or that they had
any right to dispose of their territory to a
foreign power. The British Commissioners
then proposed that the English and American
powers arrange matters so that they might
jointly exercise protectorate powers over the
Indians, and consider all the territory not ac-
knowledged to belong, by the treaty of Green-
ville, to the Unitinl States, as embraced with-
in that jn'oposed joint protectorate. This
would have loft six miles square of the heart
of the city of Chicago permanently Indian
territory, and would have placed the upper
Mississippi Valley exactly as was loft the

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

western slope which now includes Oregon and
Washington Territory. These were long un-
der this joint protectorate or joint occupation
by the United States and Great Britain. And
the final result of the joint protectorate would
have been a division of the territory, as was
the case in Oregon, when perhaps all this
portion of Illinois would have fallen to the
portion of Canada, and in that event we
would to-day have been Canadians instead of
Illinoisians.

In 1787 we were a part of Virginia, as be-
fore stated, and were by that State erected at
that time into the Northwest Territory, and
became Illinois County. No one civil act in
the country's history has exceeded in import-
ance the celebrated ordinance of 1787 (July
7). By it the whole country northwest of
the Ohio was constituted one district. A
governor and secretary was provided for ; a
court consisting of three judges was also
provided for, and this court with the gover-
nor enacted laws for the government of the
country; with many other provisos "the ter-
ritory was not to be divided into less than
three States, and at its option Congress might
form one or two [more] States in that part
which lies north of an east and west line
dratvn through the southerly bend or extreme
of Lake Michigan." If the reader will keep
in mind the words italicized, he will find it a
convenient explanation of certain otherwise
puzzling points that arose in fixing the north
boundary line of this State ; but more espe-
cially when Wisconsin, when applying to be
admitted as a State, put forth the claim to all
that portion of northern Illinois to a line
running due west from the extreme south bend
of Lake Michigan.

The ordinance of 1787 also specially pro-
vided "that there shall be neither slavery nor
involuntary servitude in the said territory."

In the summer of 1778 this new territorial

government met at Marietta, the seat of gov-
ernment.

October 5, 1787, Maj.-Gen. Arthur St. Clair
was by Congress elected Governor of the
Northwestern Territory.

October 6, 1789, President Washington
wrote to Gov. St. Clair: "You will also pro-
ceed, as soon as you can with safety, to exe-
cute the orders of the late Congress respect-
ing the inhabitants at Post Vincennes and at
the Kaskaskias, and the other villages on the
Mississippi." He says: "It is a subject of
some importance, that the said inhabitants
should, as soon as possible, possess the lands
which they are entitled to, by some known
and fixed principle." Accordingly in Feb-
ruary, Gov. St. Clair and the Secretary, Win-
throp Sargeant, arrived at Kaskaskia. The
country within the bounds of our present
State, extending northward to the mouth of
the Little Mackinaw Creek on the Illinois
River, was organized into a county and called
after His Excellency, St. Clair, and this is
therefore the mother county in Illinois. It
was divided into three judicial districts, and
three judges appointed; Cahokia was the
county seat. Had our imaginary Bureauite
been here then he could have gone to Caho-
kia if he wanted a marriage or liquor license,
or to administer on his mother-in-law's estate.

Cincinnati had become the seat of govern-
ment for the North western Territory.

By the ordinance of 1787 the country was
entitled to the second grade territorial gov-
ernment as soon as it contained 5,000 inhab-
itants.

By act of Congress, May 7, 1800, the Ter-
ritory of the Northwest was divided, and all
that part of it lying westward of a line be-
ginning on the Ohio River opposite the mouth
of the Kentucky River, running tlionco north
via Fort Recovery to the British Possessions,
was constituted a separate territory and called

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUXTY.

Indiana. This comprised the present States of
Indiana (except a small strip on the eastern
side of the State), Illinois, Wisconsin and
Michigan. The white population at that time
in all this vast region wasestimated at 4,875,
about the population of the city of Priticeton.
Had they been evenly scattered over the
country it would have been, in Yankee par-
lance, " a right smart step " between neigh-
bors.

In 1S03 Louisiana was purchased from
France and annexed to the Indiana Territory,
and thus again we became a part of Louisi-
ana. But this was of very short duration,
as in 1S05 Louisiana was detached and erected
into a separate Territory. At this time Aaron
Burr entered upon his treasonable effort to
wrest from the United States this territory
of the Mississippi Valley. He visited Vin-
cennes and Kaskaskia and by his smooth and
artful tongue induced in each place a few to
consent to become his followers. But the
scheme was soon exposed and he was arrested
in Mississippi in 1807.

We were a part of Indiana for nine years.
By act of Congress, February 3, 1809, Illi-
nois was created and set apart from Indiana.
This included not only the boundaries of the
present State but all of Wisconsin, the
whole containing an eslimated jwpulation of
9,000. Still, bad the people been evenly
distributed over the country the noighlwrs'
chickens would have been kept se|)aratod
without very high picket fences between them.
Ninian Edwards became Governor of the Ter-
ritory oi Illinois.

April 28, 1809, Illinoia was divided into two
counties, St. Clair and Randolph. Then the
imaginary Bureauite would have received his
mail " Shakerag, St. Clair County, Territory
of Illinois," and if he hiid wanted a squaw,
by marriage, unless he had done as the offi-
cers of the army often did in those days, buy

one, he would have had to go to Cahokia for
his license. In September, 1812, Madison
County was created and that then included
all this part of Illinois, and we could all then
attend court at Edwardsville.

In March, 1S19, we would, had we all been
here then, have become citizens of Clark
County, with our county seat at Palestine, on
the Wabash River.

There were only fifteen counties in the
State when it was admitted into the Union.

In Januar3% 1821, we would, without any
act of our own, have all become citizens of
Pike County, and could have jo-ned in the
refrain of '"Joe Bowers, all the way from
Pike." In January, 1823, never leaving
home, we would all have been in Fulton
County. Then in 1825 in Peoria County,
and the same year we were placed in Putnam
County, provided it had enough people to
organize, and it seems it did not have, as the
steps to really form Putnam County were not
taken until 1831, and we remained in happy
content until 1837, when poor Putnam
County was divided, as the clown cut ofl'
the dog's tail, "just behind the ears," and
Bureau County came into existence.

As a part of the historj' of the abstract to
all our land titles in this portion of Illinois,
it may not bo amiss to here note the fact that
the French had for a century lived with the
Indians, and there had been no serious dis-
putes as to the titles to the lauds. At the
conclusion of the Revolution and when Wash-
ington was President, and the present race of
men wore commencing that llow of immigra-
tion that has never ceased, the Indians con-
federated together and determined to con-
test the right of these " white dogs'" to come
among them. They took the position that
the Ohio River was the extreme northwestern
boundary Hue. and thus, ('onimenciug at Pitts
burgh, all the Northwest should be left to

HC, Co.p.r Jr I C.

C-c-c^U.

HISTORY or BUREAU COUNTY.

them ' ' as long as grass grows and water
runs." Pontiae,and then Tecumseh and finally
Black Hawk, were the respective Indian lead-
ers in warring upon the white invasion. Ev-
ery defeat of the Indians was followed by
new treaties, in which the red man moved
west and the Saxon extended his dominion
across the upper Mississippi Valley, and it
was the final treaty with Black Hawk, in
1832, after his defeat and capture, that for-
ever settled the title to the lands in Bureau,
or in fact, to all territory east of the Missis-
sippi River.

CHAPTER V.

The Grand March of Empire — The Marvkls in the Sweep of
Population— The March of One Hundred Years— The Act
OF THE General Assembly Creating Bureau County — etc.,

ETC.

" Thus came the restless Saxoa tide.

Resistless, broad and deep and strong ;
That on its bright, free, crested wave.
New life and learning bore along."

— Jonx H. Bryant.

IN the preceding chapter is traced the
genealogy of the county down to the
period of its formation and the commence-
ment of its municipal existence under its
present designation of Bureau County. The
geological history, involving to some slight
extent, the play of nature's great forces, and
aeons of time in continent-building were first
referred to ; the strata which are the base
upon which rests the crust of the earth's sur-
face, and the surface itself, and the long and
slow process of forming our prairies, and the
preparations that were made for the coming
of animate life, and eventually of man, were
briefly touched upon; and then following cur-
sorily the evidences that for millions of years
different races of men were here and had

passed away before the coming of the red
men and their congeners; and from such hasty
glimpses, we catch enough to tell us some-
thing of the weird and wonderful story that
is contained in the little world, even that is
bounded by the bending horizon of each living
inhabitant of this particular portion of the
globe. The mind staggers under the astound-
ing revelations of the historian, and at the
same time, if the picture has been at all drawn
to the facts, they have enlarged the views of the
student, and, it is hoped, will broaden the av-
erage ideas of men and materially aid them
in grasping those larger and more generous
plans of human life that will ennoble and bet-
ter the condition of ah. The plan of this
work compelled only the briefest allusion to
the past, so slight indeed, that it is feared
the majority of readers will fail to feel the
impress of the important hints it gives, and
thereby lose much of value and deep interest.
With this expression of perhaps a groundless
regret, we turn from the Then to the Now,
and what do we find? A story that grows, if
that is possible, in interest as we approach
our own age and time.

Nothing in the history of the globe is so
extraordinary in its topographical and moral
results as the vast western march of the
American people within a hundred years.
Let us look, for instance, at the excellent
French map of what constituted the northern
part of the United States in 1798. The
western boundary of the visible settlement is
the Genesee River of New York. The names
on the Hudson are like the names of to-day;
all beyond is strange. No railroad, no canal ;
only a turnpike running to the Genesee, and
with no further track to mark the way through
the forest to "Bulfalooe" on the far-oflf lake.
Along this turnpike are settlements — " Schen
ectady," "Canajobary," " Schuyler or Utica,"
"Ft. Stenwich or Rome," " Oneida Gassle,"

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

" Onondaga Cassle," " Geneva" and " Can-
andargue," where the road turns north to
Lake Ontario. Forests cover all western
New York, all northwestern Pennsylvania.
Far off in Ohio is a detached region indicated
as " the Connecticut Reserve, conceded to the
families who had been ruined during the war
of independence," whence our modern phrase
" Western Reserve." The summary of the
whole map is that the United States still
consisted of the region east of the Alleghan-
ies, with a few outlying settlements, and
nothing more.

Now pass over twenty years. In the map
prefixed to William Darby's tour from New
York to Detroit in 1818 — this Darby being
the author of an emigrant's guide and a mem-
ber of the New York Historical Society — we
find no State west of the Mississippi except
Missouri, and scarcely any towns in Indiana
or Illinois. Michigan Territory is desig-
nated, but across the whole western half of
it is the inscription: "This part very imper-
fectly known." All beyond Lake Michigan
and all west of the Mississippi is a nameless
waste, except for a few names of rivers and
of Indian villages. This marks the progress
— and a very considerable progress— of twen-
ty years. Writing from Buffalo (now spelled
correctly). Darby says: "The beautiful and
highly-cultivated lands of the strait of Erie
are now a specimen of what in forty years
will be the landscape from Erie io Chicaga
[sic]. It is a very gratifying anticipation to
behold in fancy the epoch to come, when this
augmenting mass of the population will enjoy
in the interior of this vast continent a choice
collection of immense marts, where the pro-
duce of the banks of innumerable rivers and
lakes can be exchanged."

Already, it seems, travelers and map-mak-
ers had got from misspelling "Buffalooe" to
misspelling " Chicaga." It was a great deal.

The Edinburgh Review for that same year
(June, 1818), in reviewing Birkbeck's once
celebrated " Travels in America," said:

" Where is this prodigious increase of
numbers, this vast extension of dominion to
end? What bounds has nature set to the
progress of this mighty nation? Let our
jealousy burn as it may, let our intolerance
of America be as unreasonably violent as we
please, still it is plain that she is a power in
spite of us, rapidly rising to the supremac}-,
or, at least, that each year so mightily aug-
ments her strength as to overtake, by a most
sensible distance, even the most formidable of
her competitors."

This was written, it must be remembered,
when the whole population of the United
States was but little more than 9,000,000, or
about the present population of New York
and Pennsylvania taken together.

What were the first channels for this great
transfer of population? The great turnpike
road up the Mohawk Valley in New York;
and farther south, the "National road,"
which ended at Wheeling, Va. Old men,
now or recently living, as, for instance,
Sewall Newhouse, the trapper and trap maker
of Oneida, can recall the long lines of broad-
wheeled wagons drawn by ten horses, forty
of these teams sometimes coming inclose suc-
cession; the stages, six of which were some-
times in sight at once; the casualties, the
breakdowns, the sloughs of despond, the pas-
sengers at work with fence rails to jiry out
the vehicle from a mudhole. These sights,
now disappearing on the shores of the Pacific,
were then familiar in the heart of what is
now the East. This was the tide flowing
westward; while eastward, on the other hand,
there soon begins a counter-current of flocks
and herds sent from the new settlements to
supjtly the older States. As early as 1824
Timothy Flint records meeting a drove of

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

more than a thousand cattle and swine, rough
and shaggy as wolves, guided toward the
Philadelphia market by a herdsman looking
as untamed as themselves, and coming from
Ohio, "a name which still sounded in our
ears," Flint says, '■ like the land of savages."

The group so well known in our literature,
the emigi'ant family, the way-side tire, the
high-peaked wagon, the exhausted osen, this
picture recedes steadily in space as we come
nearer to our own time. In 17SS it set off
with the first settlers from Massachusetts to
seek Ohio; in 1798 it was just leaving the
Hudson to ascend the Mohawk River; in 1815
the hero of Lawrie Todd saw it at Rochester,
N. Y. ; in 1819 Darby met it near Detroit,
Mich.; in 182-t Flint saw it in Missouri; in
1831 Alexander depicted it in Tennessee; in
1843 Margaret Fuller Ossoli sketched it be-
yond Chicago, 111. ; in 1856 in Nebraska and
Kansas; in 1864 Clarence King described it
in his admirable sketch, "AV ay-side Pikes,'"
in California; in 1882 Mrs. Leighton in her
charming letters pictures it at Paget Sound,
beyond which, as it has reached the Pacific,
it cannot advance. From this continent the
emigrant group in its original form has
almost vanished; the process of spreading
emigration by sieam is less picturesque but
more rapid.

The newly published volumes of the
United States census for 1880 give, with an
accuracy of detail such as the world never
before saw, the panorama of this vast west-
ward march. It is a matter of national pride
to see how its ever-changing phases have
been caught and photographed in these vol-
umes, in ways such as the countries of the
older world have never equaled, though it
would seem much easier to depict their more
fixed conditions. The Austrian newspapers
complain that no one in that nation knows
at this moment, for instance, the center of

Austrian population; while the successive
centers for the United States are here exhib-
ited on a chart with a precision as great,
and an impressiveness to the imagination as
vast, as when astronomers represent for us
the successive positions of a planet. Like
the shadow thrown by the hand of some
great clock, this inevitable point advances
year by year across the continent, sometimes
four miles a year, sometimes eight miles,
but always advancing. And with this strik-
ing summary, the census rejJort gives us a
series of successive representations and
colored charts, at ten-year intervals, of the
gradual expansion and filling-in of popula-
tion over the whole territory of the United
States. No romance is so fascinating as the
thoughts suggested by these silent sheets,
each line and tint representing the unspoken
sacrifices and fatigues of thousands of name-
less men and women. Let us consider for a
moment these successive indications.

In the map for 1790 the whole population
is on the eastern slope of the Ap[)alachian
range, except a slight spur of emigration
reaching westward fro:n Pennsylvania and
Virginia, and a detached settlement in Ken-
tucky. The average depth of the strip of
civilization, measuring back from the Atlan-
tic westward, is but 335 miles. In 1800 there
is some densening of population within the
old lines, and a western movement along the
Mohawk in New York State, while the Ken-
tucky basis of populatiou has spread down
into Tennessee. In IS 10 all New York,
Pennsylvania, aud Kentucky are well sprink-
letl with populatiou, which begins to invade
southern Ohio also, while the Territory of
Orleans has a share; and Michigan, Indiana,
Illinois, Missouri, the IMissLssijipi Territory
— including Mississippi and Alabama — are
still almost or quite untouched. In 1820
Ohio, or two-thirds of it, shows signs of

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

civilized occupation; and the settlements
around Detroit, which so impressed Darby,
have joined those in Ohio; Tennessee is well
occupied, as is southern Indiana; while Illi-
nois, AVisconsiu and Alabama have rills of
population adjoining the Indian tribes, not
yet removed, still retarding southern settle-
ments. In 1830 — Adams' administration now
being closed — Indiana is nearly covered with
population, Illinois more than half; there is
hardly any unsettled land in Ohio, while
Michigan is beginning to be occupied. Popu-
lation has spread up the Missouri to the
north of Kansas River; and, further south,
Louisiana, Alabama, and Arkansas begin to
show for something. But Hven in 1830 the
center of population is in Moorefieid, West-
ern Virginia, not yet moving westward at
the rate of more than live miles a year.

This is but a short scene in this wonderful
drama of state building — populating a belt
across a hemisphere, within certain lines of
latitude indicated by the soil and climate, as
the working grounds of what will some day
be the most historic people that have ever
lived.

Hon. John Wentworth says that the Black
Hawk war, 1882, was what led to the real
discovery and settlement of the Upper Mis-
sissippi Valley. Evidently it was the march-
ing of these soldiers through what is now
this county, that first made known to the
real pioneer people, those hardy and heroic
advance couriers of civilization who eventu-
ally came here with a fixed defeniii nation of
staying, the won<lerful country that awaited
their coming.

As noticed in the preceding f'ha])ter, this
county was car^-ed out of I'utnam County,
and the Illinois River was mainly the dividing
line. It was the topogra])liy of th(> country
that not only fixed the boundary of the new
cotxnty, but that compelled the people to

seek the aid of the legislature in bringing
about the division that would enable those
west of the river to have their own county
seat and trading point of access without com-
pelling them to cross the river and the often
impassable roads across the river bottom in
the approach to Hennepin.

Hence, as early as 1833 interested parties,
living on this side of the river, began to at-
tend the sessions of the Legislature at Van-
dalia, praying the assembly for relief, and
that a new county be created.

On the 28th of February, 1837, the follow-
ing law was passed by the General Assembly
of Illinois:

Section 1. Be it enacted, etc.. That all that tract
of country lying within the following boundaries,
to-wit: Beginning at the northeast of Putnam
County, running thence south on the east boundary
line of said county to the center of the main chan-
nel of the Illinois Kiver; thence down the main chan-
nel of said river to the place where the line divid-
ing Townships fourteen and fifteen north intersects
said river; thence west on said line to the west line
of said county; thence north on the western line of
said county to the northern boundary thereof; and
thence east with said county line to the place of
beginning, shall be created into a new county, to
be called the county of Bureau, Provided, however.
That the legal voters of the old county of Putnam,
including also, the voters of the contemplated
county of Bureau, shall be given for the creation of
said county as hereinafter provided.

Sec 2. That on the tir.st Monday in April next,
there shall be an election held at the several pre-
cincts in the present county of Putnam, and the
polls shall be open to receive votes for and against
the creation of the aforesaid county of Bureau.
Said election shall be opened and conducted in all
respects in the same manner, and by the same
judges as other elections in this State are; and if
a majority of the votes given shall be given in favor
of tlie formation of such new county, then the said
county of Bureau shall be considered and taken
as pirnianently and legally established with the
aforesaid boundaries.

Sk.c. 3. That William Staddcn, Peter Butler
and Benjamin Mitchell are hereby appointed com-
mi.ssioners to locate the seat of .lustiee for said new

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

county. Said commissioners or a majority of them
shall meet at the town of Princeton on the first
.Monday of May next or as soon thereafter as may
be, and be first duly sworn before some justice of
the peace faitlifully to take into consideration the
convenience of the people, tlie situation of the set-
tlements, with an eye to future population and eli-
gibility of the place, shall proceed to locate the
county seat of said county. If said commissioners
shall select any town already laid off they shall
require the proprietors or owners of said town to
donate to said new county for the purpose of erect-
ing public buildings, a ciuantity of lots of an aver-
age value with the remaining ones, which together
shall amount to twenty acres of land, or shall
donate and give in lieu thereof not less than $5,-
000. And if said commissioners shall locate said
county seat on land not having been laid off into
town lots, they shall secure the title to not less than
twenty acres to and for the use of said new county,
and the court house shall be located on the same.

Sec. 4. That the legal voters of said county shall
meet at the several places of holding elections on
the first Monday in June next, and proceed to elect
county ofticers, and returns of said election shall be
made by the judges and clerks to the justices of
the peace of said county; said justices shall meet
at the town of Princeton, within seven days after
said election, and proceed to open said returns, and
in all things perform the duties required by law of
the clerks of the county commissioners courts, and
justices of the peace in like cases.

Sec. 5. That the coimty commissioners court
shall meet at Princeton within ten days after their
election, and being first dulyqualifled shall proceed
to appoint a clerk, and lay off the county into
justices' districts and order an election to be held
for the purpose of electing additional justices of
tlie peace and constables for said county, and all
officers elected agi'ceably to the provisions of this
act shall l)e commissioned and qualified as required
by law; all officers shall hold their ofllce until the
next general election and until their successors are
elected and qualified. ProvicU'l That nothing in
this section shall be so construed as to repeal out of
office any justice of the peace or constable elected
for the county of Putnam and living within the
limits of said new count}'.

Sec. 6. Provides for the holding of courts at
some suitable place, designated by the commission-
ers, until a court house and county building can be
provided. The Circuit Court to be holden twice a
year.

Sec. 7. Provides for the new county to vote in
all elections, except county elections, with the
districts to which the county belongs.

Sec. 8. Provides for the payment of $3 a day
each to the commissioners selected above to locate
the county seat.

Approved February 28. 1837.

CHAPTER VI.

First the Explorer, then the Tr.\ffickee, then the Trap-
per A.ND HlTNTER — ThEIR CURIOUS HaBITS AND CUSTOMS —

Children of the Solitudes — What they Encountered —

IIOG AND HOMINT — ThE ShIRT-TaIL AgE — HoUSES AND FUR-
NITURE — Suffering fob Bread — Anecdotes — Some of the
Experiences of Pioneer Children — ToYouttGuNsI! — Expe-
rience of a Boy at First Hotel— He Hears a Gong — Sup-
poses the House Busted — Two Dollars and a Half a Day
AND Eats Bread and Water — Witches, Wizzards and the
Horrors of Superstitution — How People Forted — Weddings
— Dancing and one-Eyed Fiddlers — Bottle Race — How Peo-
ple Dressed — Salute Your Bride — Going to Housekeep-
ing — etc., etc.

■' He knew each pathway through the wood,
Each dell unwaiTiied by sunshine's gleam,
"Where the brown pheasant led her brood,
Or wild deer came to drink the stream."

— John H. Bhyant.

THERE is much of rom<ance in the story of
the first white men who came to the
West, who saw what is now this county, when
only the savage and wild beast held possession
of this rich and beautiful spot of our continent.
The spirit of adventure allured those pioneers
into this vast wilderness. The first was the
lonely adventiu'er who cared only for the
chase and the eternal solitudes, and some-
times the white men who had, from crime,
but more often from an instinctive love of
wild life, abandoned civilized homes and had
hid themselves away from light, and become
Indians to all practical purposes, preferring
their barbarous freedom to the triimmels of
civilization. From the first landing of emi-
o-rants on the Atlantic shores, there was

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

always a portion of f.he whites who looked
upon the wilJ man of the country they found
here, and at once thej' were ready and eager
to abandon civilized life and become savages,
and of these men often were the most danger-
ous and cruel enemies of the white race.
They would cast their fortunes among the
Indians, become bad savages, marry a squaw
and they and their half-breed posterity would
wage the most cruel and vindictive warfare
and murder, against the pioneers. When
this class of first white savages was ever here
will never be known, as ono peculiarity of
them was, they cut off all communication or
love for their own race when once they aban-
doned it, and they never returned. They
would, as far as possible, hide every trace of
white blood about them, and they never were
visible except when sometimes their bodies
were found among the dead, in skirmishes
and tights with the settlers, as when a ma
rauding expedition after loot and scalps had
been overtaken by the just avengers and
slain. These white savages generally attached
themselves to a particular tribe, and remained
with them and would seek the ]iosition of
chiefs and rulei-s. Yet some of them, mur-
derers and fugitives from justice in their
native homes, would pass from tribe to tribe,
the vilest of criminals and cowardly assassins,
and thus like the wandering Jew, they found
no place of rest. In this way there were
white men possibly hero 100 years before
the discovery of the country by Joliet. They
never returned to tell their white brethren of
the countrioB they had seen. Hence the
whites along the Lawrence only learned
through the occasional Indians that visited
their trading posts, that there was a great
river in this part of the world, and that it
emptied into Ihe Pacific Ocean.

In a preceding chapter wo have given ;in
account of the discoveries of this country and

of the first attempts at settlement and the
permanent possession of it. For more than
100 years their lodgement was temporary
and sjporadic, caused often by the change of
empire and the national contentions of the
French, English and the Sisaniards. It was
finally the Anglo-Saxon pioneers who came
and " planted their feet, never to take them
up." It was to traffic with the Indians,
exchanee those engrines of civilization, trink-
ets, whisky and eventually powder, with the
untutored savage for his pelts and furs.
They were backed by the pious missionaries
of the Catholic Chm-ch, bearing the cross and
the pictures of Calvary, that were the first
genial rays of the sweetness of civilization,
in the noisome wilderness. The footsteps of
the hardy trapper and hunter accompanied
these traders and churchmen, and the latter
were finally the little nucleus around which
gathered the oncoming hosts that have truly
made the wilderness to bloom as the rose.

These men came in the hunt of homes
for themselves and their children. The ad-
venturous spirit started them, but when they
looked upon the country they had dreams
of its great future, and were content to fix
their lot where there was so much to gladden
and encourage them. The beauties and nat-
ural wealth of the country pleased the eye,
and the abundance of wild game gratified
their passion for hunting and solved the
problem, in one respect, in the struggle for
life. They were surrounded by enemies,
fierce and formidable. The luxuriant vege-
table growths rotting in the autumn sun was
the breeding place, especially in the lagoons,
marshes and wet prairies, and in the river
bottoms, of malaria that poisoned the air.
and carried sickness and death on its wings.
The cunning and treacherous Indian with his
horrid sealping-knife was everywhere in am-
bush or in bold war paint to assassinate and

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

torture the old or the _voung, the innocent
and defen<;eles8. But these bold borderers
flinched not from the perils that beset them
on every side; even the women and children
at times were called upon and did perform
deeds of cool valor and heroism from which
the strong iron nerves of men might well
have quaked. These dauntless couriers blaz-
ing the way to the heart of the wilderness
for civilization, who slept with one hand al-
ways on their trusty rifles, whose minds were
ever keenly alive to the dangerous surround-
ings, encompassed on every side with the
limitless solitudes, like the lost mariner,
" alone, alone, all, all alone, alone on a wide,
wide sea, " must have had brave souls to thus
endure and suffer and struggle thi'ough the
great problem of mankind as they did, and
lay the foundations for that grand structure
for the millions of happy and prosperous
people, who now are reaping where they
sowed.

They had no opportunity for the cultiva-
tion of the arts and elegancies of refined life.
In their trying ordeal, in their oppressive
solitude, there arose a peculiar condition of
society, elsewhere unknown. The little
allowance of corn meal, often, that they
brought with them, was too 'soon expended,
and sometimes for weeks and months they
lived literally without bread. The Jean ven-
ison, and the breast of the wild turkey they
would then call bread, and the fat portions
of the bear was meat. This was a wretched
artifice, and resulted in disease and sickness,
when circumstances compelled them to in-
dulge in it too long. They would become
gradually weaker and weaker, oppressed with a
constant feeling of an emjjty stomach, and the
poor women and children would pass the dull
hours in watching the potato tops, pumpkin
and squash vines, hoping from day to day to
get something to answer the place of bread.

The writer has been told by those who had
witnessed these things, that they had eaten
the young pumpkins as soon as the blossoms
would drop off the end. What a delight and
joy, then, were thetirst young potatoes! What
a jubilee, the first young corn, with its
grains half grown, eaten raw or cooked! And
how all this pleasm-e was intensified when
the corn had become hard enough for the tin
grater, and the glorious johnny-cake was
turned piping hot off of the baking board.
These were as the harbingers from heaven,
bringing health, vigor and content to all.

The first houses, if they can be so called,
were merely brush sheds, that were but the
slightest protection against the elements, and
none at all against the thieving Indians and
prowling wild beasts, and at times the little
family would be compelled to take their
turns of standing sentinel dm'ing the night,
while the others snatched the short sleep
that exhausted nature made compulsory.

The furniture for the table for some years
consisted of a few pewter dishes, plates and
sometimes a spoon, wooden bowl, trenclier
and noggin, gourds from the hard-shelled
squashes, and the cooking utensil was an iron
skillet. These, with some salt, had been
brought often on horse-back, and on this
single horse often were the household goods,
and the wife and child, while the husband
led the way on foot with his rifle on his
shoulder. Corn-bread for breakfast and
dinner, and mush and milk for supper.
Meat was always abundant; the wild hogs
were nearly as abondant as the many varie-
ties of game and fish that were easily ob-
tained.

At first game abounded; deer and bear
were in gi-eat abundance. Soon after the
Indians had gone, and the country was occu-
pied by the sparse settlements of the whites,
the woods were filled with wild hogs. In the

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

winter, when they flocked, the prairie chickens
were so abundant that at times the fences and
trees were literally lined with them, and the
beating of the air by their multitudinous
wings as they arose from their perches or
from feeding places would sound like distant
thunder. Wild turkeys, quail, and the trees
apparently full of squii-rels, were all rather
too contemptible for these hunters to waste
their ammunition upon. When the bear had
gone, the prize game was the graceful and
bounding deer that sometimes grazed and
frolicked upon the rich prairie grasses, the
graceful and toothsome successors to their
more noble congeners — the buffalo; as in the
woods the wild hog had come in the place of
the panther and bear. In the spring and fall
the migrating geese, swans and ducks and
other fowls at times filled the river and lakes,
feeding upon the wild rice, from which in
countless thousands they would rise and fly
along in front of the lone canoe or the bat-
teau as it came and went with the Indian or
pioneer. Meat was always abundant and of
easy access, until immigration came so plen-
tifully that the domestic animals usurped
the places of the wild game. It probably
was the second crop of pioneers who depended
mainly upon the wild hogs in the woods for
their standard iuiicle of meat. Hominy-
mills and the old fashioned lye hominy (the
only kind that was ever fit to eat) were the
chief reliance for bread, and the phrase ' "hog
and hominy" was not a meaningless one.
And for the information of posterity it is not
amiss to tell, that there was once a period
of time in the West that is fitly designated
as the "hog and homiuy'' age.

In fact, men who were here as boys, and
from whose memories we gather these facts,
will tell you with a sly twinkle of the eye
that in their own case they associate another
national characteristic of that ago of "hog

and hominy,'' and that was the "shirt tail
age." Some boys were, with the full knowl-
edge of the old folks, ready to go '"sparking"
when the first pair of pants was ready to
don. There certainly was not as much style
among young people as we find now. There
were more children then to the family than
now, and much less for them to badger their
brains about wearing.

An anecdote is told — of course it is not true,
but it serves to illustrate some of the econo-
my of the times — of a man who had too many
children to array them in silks and fine
linens. So, in the warm months of the year,
he had prepared a gum for each and set them
conveniently about the cabin. At the ap
proacb of a visitor he would yell, "Gums !"
when each would take to his retreat, and no
other part of their person would ever appear
above the top of the gum except the child's
eyes.

Dr. Doddridge, in his diary, tells something
of his recollections as a pioneer child; how
he saw the first teacup and saucer, and for
the first time tasted coffee. When six years
old he had lost his mother, and was sent to
Bedford, Md. Here he saw his first tavern.
AVhat a new world was this to him. It was
made of stone, and more astounding still, it
was all plastered inside, both the walls and
ceiling. On going into the dining-room he
was still more amazed and stupefied with
wonder. He had never before supposed there
was a house in the world but that was made
of logs and had only one room; but hei'e was
a house and he could see no logs, and strang-
er still, on looking up he could see no joists.
Had all this been made by the hand of man
or had it so grown itself, he could not con-
jecture. He was afraid to ask questions
about it. 'NVhen at the table he watched at-
tentively to see what the " big folks " would
do with their little cups and spoons; he imi-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

tated them and found the taste of the coffee
exceedingly nauseous, but be continued to
drink it as did the rest until the tears were"
streaming from his eyes, and when the tor-
ture was ever to end, he could not guess, as
each little cup would be again tilled as soon
as it was emptied. His distress grew to agony,
and he dared not say he had enough. Watch-
ing closely, he finally saw one turn his cup
bottom upward and put his spoon across it,
and then his cup was not tilled any more, and
this hint being acted upon stopped the pro-
longed agony of the young pioneer.

The writer will never forget his tirst expe-,
rience in a big, tine hotel. He was sixteen
years old, and had seen only the big prairies
of Southern Illinois; had once been to St.
Louis, distant twenty miles from the farm
on which he spent his boyhood, but had helped
drive some hogs to market, and they all
camped dui'ing the trip and though be-
wildered at the long row of big houses, he
saw nothing of the inside of any of them.
He had been dressed up in resplendent suit
of "ready made," of the $10 pattern (cer-
tainly the finest dressed lad in the world)
and with $105 in silver, had been started to
find his way alone and enter Jefiferson Col-
lege in Washington County, Penn. His first
steamboat ride was from St. Louis to Pitts-
burgh. He had been warned against all
strangers, and with the weight of the silver in
his pocket, sleeping with it clutched, and in
dread of fell robbers all the time, his expe-
riences in that twenty days from starting
point to destination, would of themselves
make a book of romance. He landed at
Pittsburgh ubout midnight and the boat's
porter shouldered his hair trunk, and for
half a dollar landed boy and trunk in the
Monongahela House. What a world! What
an overpowering vastness and strangeness was
here for him. He was at once taken to his

room and the experienced colored porter
kindly showed him how to turn oif the gas.
When alone in his room, the door securely
locked, he drew a long breath of relief and
began a survey of his surroundings. His
eyes saw a printed card on the door that was
full of interest, as well as conveying some
information that was stunning in its effects,
the most distinct item of which he can now
recall was that each guest would be charged
§2.50 a day. Merciful heavens! what new
planet was this, where money flowed in a
golden stream that enabled people to pay
$2.50 a day for board which in Illinois could
be had for 50 cents a week! and he went to
bed and eventually was overcome by sleep,
to di-eam of traveling from new worlds to
other worlds, where the humblest house would
pierce the clouds, and its immensity till all
visible space; the men as large as the mam-
moths of old, each with pockets as large as
the boot of a Jersey coach, and all stuffed
with gold. He was up and dressed, as was
his habit on the farm, the next morning at
early daylight, and hunted his way down
stairs in some trepidation lest he was too
late for breakfast. Upon reaching the hotel
office, he saw the clerk, that marvellous de-
velopment of the century, and the tirst look
was like annihilation; there sat the "fronts"
on a long bench, and the splendors
of the marble tesselated floors and the
awful grandeur- of the general surround-
ings were only equaled by the clerk and
waiters, who were too immense to be ordinary
mortals. The overwhelmed lad wondered
if these great people knew or suspected
he was fresh fi'om an Illinois farm, and an
expert at "splitting middles" in the corn
rows. Was ever a boy in the hunt ot an
education so abashed? He tinally found his
way into the reading-room, where some of
the earliest risers had soon gathered, and

HISTORY or BUREAU COUNTY.

were busy looking over the morning papers,
and in a hurry for an early breakfast. A mir-
ror in one end of the room gave it the appear-
ance of being miles and miles in length, and
this illusion was fearfully real to the strange
boy. Another thing he noticed was, that
below were steam works, and this added to
the bewildering immensity of the j)lace. A
gong suddenly started its deafening noise- —
the first the boy had ever heard — and
instantly he supposed the steam works had
exploded. The people started up, and the
frightened lad bolted out into the office;
there were the clerk and the bell boys, happy
and serene. The sudden shock of the sup-
posed explosion — the real could not have been
more real or the horror more sudden and
appalling — then the counter shock — instantly
in looking at that calm and majestic face of
the clerk, was the realization that the world
was not a wreck, in fact, that there was no
explosion at all, but only a hideous and hor-
rid din, calling the boarders to breakfast.
Did that terrible clerk know why the lad had
rushed so headlong out of the reading-room
and into the office? No, he was too immense
to see anything short of a paste diamond, and,
thank heaven, he thereby missed the funniest
sight a traveling innocent over presented.

In a moment the traveler rallied his scat-
tered senses and demurely followed the
crowd to the breakfast-room. A long table
ran the length of the room, and the youth
found a seat finally, after all else had been
accommodated. Before him was a plate
turned, a kuift^ and fork, a glass turned, and
on it a slim piece of stale bread, and he fiu'-
tively looked up and down the long table,
and this was all it contained. $2.50 a day !
and in all his life he had never seen hungry
people set down to (juite as slim faro as that !
A waiter, whose style was frightfully magni-
ficent, poured out a tumbler of water and the

lad fell to work, just as he had been accus-
tomed all his life, to eating what was before
him, bread and water though it was. And
when he had finished his glass of water the
colored waiter again filled it, and in less than
five minutes he had devoured all in sight and
he could see no further usefulness for him
there and he got up and walked out, feeling
as though he would not begrudge the $2.50
for a home breakfast of honest fry and fatty
biscuit. To this day he remembers a most
peculiar look in the faces of the waiters as he
passed out. What did it mean, anyhow ?

Among all the earliest settlers the men
wore hunting- shirts. This was a loose frock,
reaching half way down the thighs, with
large sleeves, and open before, and so wide as
to lap over when belted. It generally had a
large cape and was made of cloth or buckskin.
The bosom served as a wallet, to hold bread,
jerk, tow for wiping the gun, or any other
necessary article for the warrior or hunter.
The belt, which was tied behind, answered
several purposes besides that of holding the
dress together. Moccasins for the feet and
generally a coon- skin cap, completed the
dress. In wet weather the moccasins were
only a " decent way of going barefooted,"
and caused much rheumatism among the peo-
ple. The linsey petticoat and bed gown
were the di-ess of the women in early times,
and a Sunday dress was completed by a
pair of homemade shoes and a handker-
chief.

The peojile " fortcd " when the Indians
threatened them. The stockades, bastions,
and cabins were furnished with port-holes.
The settlers would occupy their cabins and
reluctantly move into the block-house when
the alarm was given. Coui'iers would pass
around in the dead hours of tho night to
warn the people of danger, and in the silence
of death and darkness the family would

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

hastily dress and gather what few things
they could carry or put their hands on in
the darkness and hurry to the fort.

The settlers, as a rule, married young.
Here were no distinctions in rank, and but
little in fortune, and nearly the only source of
amusement that was enjoyed by all was the
wedding; this was anticipated from the time
announced until the gay frolic was over,
with the keenest anticipations by the whole
people of the country for miles around. Any
other general gathering of the people was
either a log-rolling or a house-raising, where
the men had to precede the night's roystering
with a day of hard work. But at the wed-
ding alone, it was different. All the world,
at least every one who heard of the affair in
time to get there, was invited. This would
be the only invitation issued to even the
closest friends, and the vselcome was as cor-
dial as the implied invitation had been uni-
versal. At the cabin of the bride the people
would begin to assemble at an early hour —
the whole family, from the cradle to the
white-haired sire and matron with weak and
trembling voices and the bent forms of great
age, tottering to the seats of honor by the
favorite side at the fire-place, or, if the
weather was warm, at the side of the door;
and these dear old "grandsirs " would catch
the infection of the occasion, grow gleesome
and garrulous about the long ago, kindling
the tires of nearly extinct memories, until
their blood would once more course through
their veins in a rush and flow that would
lighten up their eyes with the erstwhile flames
of their lusty youth. During all the fore-
noon the people would continue to come, till
about the hour of high noon. Cooking,
chatting, joking and welcoming guests, with-
out the slightest show of formality anywhere,
gave all something to do or say. The young
girls in some secluded spot — perhaps, if only

one room in the house, a sheet hung across
the corner of the room — busy arranginc the
bride, and in the greatest glee, joking and
talking, tittering and laughing ; the married
people nursing their children, assisting in
the cooking and preparing the long table
(generally a couple of bare planks on wooden
trussels), or exchanging sweet gossip with
their neighbors ; the young men standing
about the premises in quiet groups, trying to
talk about the weather, crops, or a coon hunt,
and all the time distracting their attention
from each other's words by furtive glances
toward the girls. If there was a low rail
fence in front of the house they perched upon
this, or standing with one foot on the third
rail, busily whittling their riding switch;
and further away down the line of fences
were the young men's saddle horses and the
family wagons standing hitched.

In the meantime there is at the home of
the groom an assembling of the young men
on horseback. They are to be his gay escort
to the wedding, and one is selected before
they leave the house to run the " race for the
bottle." At the house of the bride are out-
looks for this groom's cavalcade, and when
discovered in the distance, the young folks,
boys and girls, mount their horses and start
to meet them, having first made their selec-
tion to contend in the race on behalf of the
bride and against the gi-oom's man. They
meet at some point where there is a long
stretch of straight road and the riders prepare
and the race is run. 'What fun alive!
Whether old plow horses or burr-tailed colts,
under whip and spur, they do their best,
and the winner takes the bottle (generally
an old black bottle gaily-rigged out in nar-
row pink ribbonsj and this, marching at the
head of the crowd, he holds aloft — the proud
and envied hero of the day. When this
joyful procession reaches the house, the

HISTOBY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

groom is conducted to the bride, the preacher
takes uphis position in front of the door, the
people press around, and all is hushed; the
happy pair emerge, and just stepping out-
side the door, stop in the close presence of
the preacher and slowly and solemnly he
asks "John, -wilt thou?" and " Mary Jane,
wilt thou?'' and then by the authority oE
heaven and the power of the law. he impress-
ively pronounces them man and wife. "Whom
God hath joined together let no man put
asunder. Salute your bride. '"

Then follows dinner, and immediately
after that dancing. The afternoon, the eve-
nincr, all the night long until breakfast next
morning, a single liddle, the fiddler generally
one-eyed and beating time with his foot, and
away the high-stepping, fleet-footed dancing
racers go; pirouetting, bounding like India
rubber, whirling, double-shuffle, pigeon's-
wing, the reel, the jig, the hoe-down, the
walk - talk - ginger-blue, terpsichore ! what
dancing, what life, what endurance! filling
their innocent hearts with gladness and their
legs with soreness and pain.

The "infair," the day after the wedding,
at the house of the groom's parents, would
be simply a continuation of this feasting
and dancing for another twenty-foui- hours.
Then, in a few days, the men all assemble and
by night the cabin for the new couple is com-
pleted and they move in, and commence the
Berious work of married life — and the wed-
ding is over.

The tin grater, the hominy block, the hand-
mill and the sweep, and the ox-mill and fin-
ally the water mill were the order of the
coming of the mechanic arts in bread mak-
ing. Nearly every family was its own tanner,
weaver, shoemaker, tailor, carpenter, black-
smith and miller. The first water-mill, or
even horse-mill, was a grand advance in the
solid comforts of civilization.

Amusements often are imitations of the
business of life, or at least of some of its
particular objects of pursuit. Many of the
sports of the early settlers were imitative of
the exercises and strategems of hunting and
war. Bo3's were taught the use of the bow
and arrow at an early age, and acquired con-
siderable espertness in their use. One im-
portant pastime was learning to imitate the
noise or call of every bird or beast in the
forest. This faculty was a very necessary
part of education, on account of its utility
in certain circumstances. The imitation of
gobbling and other calls of the turkey often
brought these keen-eyed denizens of the
woods within easy range of the hunter's rifle.
The bleating of the fawn brought its dam to
her death in the same way. The hunter
often would collect a company of mopish
owls to the trees about 'him and amuse him-
self with their hoarse screaming. His howl
would raise and obtain a response from a
pack of wolves, so as to inform him of their
neighborhood, and thus guard him against
their prowling depredations. This imitative
talent was often used as a protection or a
deception of the enemy in the strategy of
war. The Indians would often when scattered
about in a neighborhood, call themselves to-
gether, by the turkey calls by day and the
howling like wolves by night. And some-
times a whole people would bo thrown into
the gi-eatost consternation by the screeching
of an owl.

Throwing the tomahawk was another
amusement in which often great skill was
acquired. This instrument, with a handle a
certain length, will make a certain number
of revolutions in a given distance. At one
distance, thrown at a tree, it will stick with
the handle down, and at another distance
with tbo handle up. Practice would soon
enable the boy to throw it, and with his eye

HISTORY OF BUKEAU COUNTY.

so accm-cately measure the distance as to stick
it any way he might choose. Wrestling,
running and jumping were the athletic sports
of the young men. A boy at twelve or thir-
teen years of age, when possible to do so,
was furnished with a rifle, and in killing
game he would soon become an expert. Then
he was a good fort soldier, and would be as-
signed his port-hole in case of an attack.

Among the early settlers of the Missis-
sippi Valley was a wide-spread belief in
witchcraft. This was true at that time over
nearly all the Old World. To the witch
was ascribed the power of inflicting new and
strange diseases, particularly incurable dis-
eases on children; of secretly destroying cat-
tle by shooting them with hair balls propelled
from noiseless witch guns; and a great variety
of other modes of destruction. Hunters,
even to a recent date, had no doubt but that
witches could put " spells" on their guns, or
that men were changed into horses, whom
the witches would bridle and saddle, and
ride at full speed over hill, dale and moun-
tain, and through the air to all parts of the
world, to attend the witches' pow-wows at
their distant places of rendezvous. They
would return the poor human horse to his
bed and sleep just before daylight; but, es-
pecially in children's hair, would be found
the witches' stirrups, that the child would
fully and painfully realize when these tan-
gles were being combed out by the mother.
The horrid and fatal powers of the witches
were ample, their works abundant, their
wrecks everywhere, calling up men's dread
and fears, and appalling and weakening in
their forces men's reason and intellect.
States and Government invoked the laws to
stamp out this terrible evil, and witches were
hunted out, drowned, burned and executed
in various ways. Accusers were encouraged,
and it soon came to be a fact that to be ac-

cused was to be condemned. The victims
would be thrown into the water, if they sank
and drowned this proved they were innocent,
if they swam ashore this proved their guilt,
and according to law they were at once exe-
cuted. A conununity which could make such
laws were terribly in earnest, and certainly
sincere and honest in their beliefs. They
saw their own and their neighbors' cattle dy-
ing of the murrain; and was not this plainly
the work of the witches? Cases of ejjilepsy,
fits, insanity, strange fevers, in fact, the mul-
titudes of diseases which they could not un-
derstand, and if not witches' work, what
could it be? The first victims were always
old, ugly women, especially if they lived
alone; then, when these did not furnish vic-
tims enough, others were selected and exe-
cuted. The ablest men then living had no
doubt but that there were plenty of witches,
and the most learned divines denounced
them as satraps of the devil ; learned judges
from the bench sent them to the rack and the
gibbet. No one doubted, and many of the
accused confessed, and told wonderful stories
of their crimes and orgies, and would some-
times even beg to be executed. People
throughout the (Christian world were tbua
murdered by the hundred thousand, and mat-
ters had reached that climax that when one
neighbor desired to be rid of another, all he
had to do was to lodge a complaint against
him of being a witch, until fathers deserted
and denounced their own children, children
accused their parents, neighbors suspected
each other and horrid suspicions began to
reach all, and the dark wings of death and
universal gloom hovered over the world like
a hideous pall, and by its gi'owing intensity
the public craze burned itself out and nw.n
began to sober up from the mad frenzy of
the hour.

The first step toward a cure probably was

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

the appearance of the "wizards." These
were men, witch doctors, who were supposed
to possess all the evil power of the witches,
but instead of generally exercising them for
bad purposes they would cure those afflicted
by witches, and in many occult ways thwart
the spirits in their fell works. These witch
doctors boldly stood in the way of the ma-
levolent influences of the bad spirits. Hence
they were called witch-mastera, and from
patient to patient they practiced their pro-
fession as regular physicians. They would
make "silver tea" (boil a silver coin in
water) and give it to the sick cattle. They
would carry to the bedside their witch balls
(made of deer and cow's hair) and in a
strange manner, and muttering a wild jar-
gon, pass them over the sufferers, and exor-
cise the evil ones. One mode of cure was to
make a picture of the supposed witch on a
stump, and shoot at it a bullet in which was
a small portion of silver. This bullet, it was
supposed, transferred to the real witch a pain-
ful, sometimes a mortal spell, on that por-
tion of the witches' body corresponding to
the part of the picture struck by the bullet.
Other and many disgusting practices were
employed as remedies, and the witch had but
one way of relieving itself of any spell thus
inflicted, and that was to borrow something,
no matter what, of the family to which the
witches' victim belonged. Thus often would
an old woman only discover that she was a
" suspect " when she had aj)plied to borrow
of a neighbor, and had been peremptorily
refused. Cattle were sometimes burned in
the forehead with a branding-iron, or when
dead, burned to ashes. This, it was held,
inflicted a spell on the witch, which could
only be removed by borrowing as above re-
cited. Witches would constantly milk their
neighbors' cows. This, it was l)elievod, they
could du by fixing a now pin in a new towel,

one for each cow milked, and hanging the
towel over the door and then by incantations
the milk would be extracted from the fringes
of the towel, after the manner of milking a
cow. Singularly enough, the cows were
never milked by the witches, except when
they had about gone dry for the want of
proper feed. It is stated as a historical fact
that the German glass-blowers once drove
the witches out of their furnaces by throw-
ing living puppies into them.

The Voudoo was brought to this country
with the captured slaves from the jungles of
Africa, and it is here yet, and in some form
believed in by a majority of the negroes in
the country. It is but another form of
witchcraft. It is the negroes' horrid incanta-
tion and magic, and in the cauldron where is
boiled the voudoo, instead of "tongue of
viper and leg of newt " are human remains,
robbed of graves opened at midnight. Noth-
ing, save the imagination of Edgar A. Poe,
can equal in repulsive horrors the genuine
voudoo. In the year 1790 a black slave was
hung at Cahokia, who acknowledged that by his
power of devilish incantations, he had "poi-
soned and killed his master; but that his
mistress had proved too powerful for his
necromancy." In the same village another
slave was shot down in the street for his
diabolism. One of the first acts of the first
civil Governor of Illinois, John Tod, was
an order to the Sherifi" to take from the jail a
convict negro slave, to the water's edge,
burn him and scatter his ashes to the four
winds of heaven for voudooism.

The red cliildren of the forest were as
superstitious as the whites or blacks in
regard to witches. The One-eyed Prophet, a
lirother of Tecumseh, who commanded at the
battle of Tippecanoe, in obedience, he said,
to the commands of the great Manitou, ful-
minated the penalty of death against those

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

who practiced the black art of witchcraft or
magic. A number of Indians were tried,
convicted, condemned, tomahawked and con-
sumed on a pyre. The chief's wife, his ne-
phew, Billy Patterson, and one named Joshua,
were accused of witchcraft. The two latter
were convicted and burned; but a brother of
the chief's wife boldly stepped forward,
seized his sister and led her from the Coun-
cil house, and then returned and harangued
the savages, exclaiming: "Manitou, the evil
spirit has come in our midst, and we are
murdering one another! "

It is a sad confession that no civilized
white man had the sense or courage thus to
rebuke the murderers among his own people.
Pity that this one-eyed savage could not have
been employed and empowered as a mission-
ary, to go among civilized people and save
them from their own murderous superstitions.
In the history of the world, the most revolt-
ing cruelties have been the inflictions of
superstitious ignorance, and were it not yet
a matter of daily demonstration, one could
not easily believe how long these prejudices
held fast in people's minds, and how when
they are crushed in one shape, they will duly
appear in some other form. The fell mon
ster that has ever laid waste and made des-
olate the earth, is the earnest bigot, full of
error and superstition, holding toward heaven
in supplication, hands dripping with the
blood of innocent mothers and prattling
babes.

CHAPTER VII.

The Name or Bureau County— How it Came— The First Five
Families— Who They Were— Bulhona, John Dixon, Chaeles
S. Boyd, Henry Thomas— Some Liveit Sketches and Anec-
dotes—Death AND Buriai- of John Dixon— Gurdon S. Hub-
B iRD- The .\ncients— First Postmaster- Oldest Living Set-
tler — .\bram Stratton — His Remarkable Trip in 1829 —
Sketch or Him— The Brigkams— Total Birst Tax Bureau
County— Remarkable Career of John H. Boyd— Three
Brothers-in-law — Daniel Smith's Death, the First in the
County — Ills Widow — etc., etc.

"To each are compensations given
That make conditions nearly even."

* * * * # *

"And tales were told
Of Indians, bears and panthers bold.
Till on each urchin's frowsy head
The bristling hair stood up with dread."

— John H. Bryant.

IN the year 1828 there were live families
in Bureau County, coming here in the
order named: Bulbona, John Dixon, Henry
Thomas, Reason B. Hall and John and
Justus Ament. As it is now ascertained
that the first white man to settle in Chicago
was a black man named Baptiste, so the
first white settler in Bureau County was
the swarthy half-breed, "Old Bulbona"
(Bourbonnais). Gurdon S. Hubbard had lived
hereabouts in the service of the American
Fur Company as early as 1818.

In June, 1827, John Dixon and Charles
S. Boyd passed through what is now Biu-eau
County, on their way from Springfield to
Galena, with a small drove of cattle for
market at the lead mines. It was then an
unoccupied wilderness from Peoria to
Galena, and the only guide on the journey
was a wagon track, made a few days before
by a party who had gone from Galena to
Peoria — probably the_ first wagon that had
ever'left its mark in all this vast region of
northern Illinois. There was not a white
settlement passed in all the country from

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Peoria to Galena, and to all appearances
there was not a white man in the great
Northwest. The wigwams, the teppees
and the Indian villages at long distances
apart were the only human signs on a route
of one hundred and fifty miles.

Ales. Boyd, the oldest son of Charles S.
Boyd, born on the 3d day of July, 1817,
and who recollects coming with his father's
family to settle in the county in 1830, and
who is now a citizen of Princeton, gives
many interesting incidents, as he has heard
his father relate them, of Mr. Boyd's trip
with beef cattle to Galena. He lived in
S])ringfield, the nearest neighbor of Mr.
Todd, Abraham Lincoln's father-in-law.
Alex, says he can well remember seeing
Lincoln sneaking over to Todd's to see
Miss Mai-y Todd, whom he afterward
married. Mr. Todd had a negro servant,
named Josiah Hinkle, who wanted to accom-
pany Boyd on his trip to Galena, and Mr.
Todd finally consenting, he did so. Another
man, whose name Alex cannot remember,
was hired to go, and this constituted the
force. It was a long and tedious trip; the
streams were crossed by swimming the
cattle and horses, and the men would grab
the tails of some of the last brutes to enter
the water, and holding on, would thus be
feiTied over, the great trouble being to
protect their scant supply of provisions.
Boyd disposed of his cattle at Galena, receiv-
ing the most of his money in silver. This
was carried on a pony that he led on his
return. When the party reached Dixon
they found much difficulty in making a
bargain with the Indians to ferry them
across that the Indians would keep or try to
carry out. They could easily agree upon
the terms, Ijut the contracting Indians
would sneak ofT, and thus end the bargain.
Boyd could not get any supply of provis-

ions, and once, when he was not observing,
a buck jumped on his pack horse (the one
carrying the money) and started otf down
the river, whooping and yelling and under
full whip. Of course he thought his money
all gone, but in the com-se of half an hour
the buck returned and delivered up the
horse, and the money had not been dis-
turbed. They finally got the Indians to
carry them over in canoes, and swim the
horses. But the trip was wearing out the
horses, and the provisions were gone, and
the men began to suffer for water. A small
dog had followed them in all the long trip,
and one night, when they had gone into
camp, and to bed supperless, they talked the
situation over and concluded to kill the dosr

the next morning and have something to
eat. And they slept with sweet dreams of
roasted dog for breakfast. In the morning
they found the dog dead. He had died of
starvation. As already remarked, they were
now suffering greatly for water; and Alex,
tells us of his father's device to supply
their thirsty throats. Getting up early in
the morning (the drier the weather the
heavier the dew) he stripped off his shirt,
and holding it spread before him, ran at full
speed through the tall grass, and thus gath-
ering the dew from the grass, he wrung the
garment, and had a drink of water. The
others, seeing this original device, followed
the example, and thus a general supply was
secured.

Charles S. Boyd's brother in-law, John
Dixon, was then living in Peoria. He was
the general county official — County Judge,
County and Circuit Clerk, an<l ])retty much
every thing else officially, and with all these
offices and faithful work on the tailor's
bench combined, he eked out a slim subsis-
tence for his family. John Dixon had mar-
ried Boyd's sister, Elizabeth, and when Boyd

#*•***%

WLSTC^N BMH'. HOTt V "'■

HISTORY OF BUEEAU COUNTY.

stopped to see them in Peoria, he told them
what a splendid country he had traveled
throixgh, and where the finest land he had
ever seen was to be found. Dixon must have
been deeply interested in the story, as he at
once turned over all of his offices and came
to Boyd's Grove and made an improvement.
This was in the fall of 1827 it is supposed, and
except that of Bourbonnais (Bulbonaj was the
first real settlement in what is now Bureau
County. Dixon lived at the Grove until 1830,
when he sold his improvement to Charles S.
Boyd and removed to Dixon, where he pur-
chased the ferry of Ogee, and it became
known all over the country as Dixon's Ferry,
and finally he founded the present town of
Dixon, and the beautiful city is a fitting
monument to John Dixon's memory. He
lived here until he was a very old man, sur-
viving all his family. He accumulated much
wealth at one time and was known far and
wide as one of the warm-hearted and bene-
volent pioneers, whose enterprise, public spirit
and warm generositj' were like sweet sunshine
to all about him. In his old age and help-
lessness he aided unworthy friends and trust-
ed and endorsed for those who betrayed his
trusts and he lost his property, and yet he
was so retiring in his nature, so uncomplain-
ing, that he shut himself away from the
world and his friends, so that his distressing
poverty was only known to those who were
eager to aid him and smooth the good old
man's short road to the grave, when he was
very near, indeed, the end of his life's goal.
He thanked his friends for their great kind-
ness, but refused all oflers of assistance. He
died in 1876, when the people of Dixon and
the surrounding coixntry gathered about the
good old man's open grave, aud expressed
in deepest sorrow their love and respect for
the name and memory of John Dixon. John
Dixon, Charles S. Boyd and • — Kellogg were

three brothers-in-law, and Boyd's Grove, the
city of Dixon and Kellogg's Grove will
remain forever important historical points in
the settlement and growth of northern Illi-
nois. Behold the fruits of their heroic works
about us everywhere. Can the imagination
conceive a nobler or greater monument ? *

Charles S. Boyd was a native of New York,
born September 19, 179-1:, came to Spring-
field, 111., in 1825, and in 1830 to Boyd's
Grove, in this county, and was one of the
original pai'ties who established the stage
route from Peoria to Galena He died in
Princeton, November 12, 1881. His wife,
Eliza (Dixon) Boyd, a native of Westchester,
N. Y., died at their home inPrincetoa, Octo-
ber 12, 1875. Five children are still living:
Alexander Boyd, of Princeton, born July 3,
1817; Nathaniel, living at Sheffield, aud John
H., of the Isle of Tahiti, in the group of the
Society Islands, in the South Sea.

In illustration of that roving spirit of

* On Sunday, July 9, 1876, Father John Di.xon was buried at
Dixon, 111. One of the most imposing funeral services ever
witnessed in this part of the State was held at his grave.

He was born in November, 1784, in New York, and settled at
Dixon in 1S30. A cotemporary paper the next day after the
funeral says : " Ry the treachery of a friend in whom he reposed
the fullest confidence, he was several years since robbed of hia
all." We regret we have not the rascal's name, it would attbrd
us much pleasure to impale him in immortal infamy, for the
contempt and execration of all mankind, and thus make his
vile name and character do some service to the world by con-
trasting it side by side with that of one of the best men of all the
glorious, early pioneers, his victim, into whose confidence he
had wormed himself, and then, evading the law, stole all the good
old man had and for which he had braved and labored and strug-
gled so manfully and so heroically. The law of the land cannot, it
seems, be made to reach such thieves as the robber of Father
John Dixon. Rut the living, those who are heirs to the mem-
ory as well as the life-work of John Dixon, can. and it our duty
to see that final justice is meted out to this the meanest, vilest
and cowardly of all thieves. If the thief is dead let his mem-
ory and crime he made immortal, and let it pursue his blood
and name until they are driven out of the world as the moral
lepers whose poisoned blood is fit only for the deepest burial.

The account proceeds : " The remains were escorted from his
late residence to the court house, where they lay in state, under
a guard of Knights Templar until 1 o'clock, at which time the
Mayor, Common Council and citizens in carriages met at the
residence of the deceased, and accompanied by the family and
relatives, were received by military and civic societies in open
order, through whose ranks they proceeded to the court house.

"The services were solemn and very impressive. The sermon
of Dr. Luke Hitchcock, of Chicago, a pioneer of the Rock River
Valley, and an intimate friend of the decea.sed ; and a memorial
prepared bv Judge Eustace, of Dixou.

"The court house and bouses along nil the streets were draped
in mourning. The procession was over a mile long, aud the
funeral was attended by over 8,000 people, sjiecial trains coming
from .Ambov, .\shton and Chicago.

"Father I'Mxoii buried his wife thirty years ago and has out-
lived ten children; was nearly ninety-two years old."

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

adventure that must have existed in the
breasts of most of the early pioneers to the
West, and some of which was transmitted
sometimes to their sons, wo give the brief-
est sketch of John H. Boyd's career, when
he quitted his home in Bureau County, in
1849, in the rush of adventurers to the gold
mines of California. Lauding there, like
the most of "Argonauts of '49," with au
empty pocket, but a heart for every fate, he
dug and delved for gold, and making enough
to keep well alive, he wandered over the
country, finally landing in San Francisco.
He soon exhausted interest in the California
gold mines, and his spirit of adventure had
only been whetted, not satisfied, and he
shipped on board a vessel and coasted down
the shore of Mexico and finally to Cuba.
Here he went to work to replenish his now
depleted fortune and as soon as he had
money enough he shipped to Sidney, Austra-
lia, the mines at that place just then at-
tracting wide attention. Here for some time
he worked with varying success, some times
striking a pocket that helped his pocket, but
generally skirmishing in much uncertainty
86 to whore the nest dinner was to be found.
But undaunted he continued to delve and
dig, and finally prudish fortune smiled upon
the brave hearted l)oy, and he became the
possessor of a small fortune. He turned all
he had into cash and left Australia, and start-
ed out to look at the balance of the world.
With no laid-out route before him, simply
walking aboard the first vessel to sail out of
port, regardless of where it was bound, he
took passage. In time he reached the Island
of Tahiti, and the trojiical beauties and lux-
uriance of the place was attractive to him
and he Htopi)ed to enjoy it for awhile. He
foun<l here five trading-houses, conducted by
English speaking jx^ople. It seems the ex-
porting and importing of the entire group of

Society Islands is by law required to be all
done on this island of Tahiti. The-se mer-
chants and traders were much pleased with
Boyd's acquaintance and they began to xirge
him to go into trade on the island, and be-
come one of them. So earnest were they,
(he had not informed them whether ho had
money or not) that they offered to advance
him all he might want. He eventually
yielded to their solicitations, and returned to
Sidney and to Honolulu and purchased goods
and commenced business in Tahiti, where he
is yet. He built vessels to carry the mails
and the commerce between Tahiti and Hono-
lulu and San Francisco, and is still the sole
owner of this line.

The first tax ever collected here, this was
then Bureau Township, Putnam County, was
paid entirely by Charles S. Boyd, and the
total sum was 70 cents.

Charles S. Boyd's two surviving daughters
are Mrs. Elizabeth Chamberlin, living in
Missouri, and Mrs. A. H. Paddock, widow of
Dr. Paddock, of Princeton.

The fur-traders, belonging generally to the
Great American Fur Company, were the first
comers of the race of people now here, and
the earliest of these who were temporary citi-
zens of what is now Bureau Countv, was
about 1821, at least seven years before the
real pioneer, the permanent set' lor, came.
Gurdon S. Ilulibard, now a very old man of
Chicago, was an employe of the Fur Com-
panj' and came here in 1821. He was then
only a lx)y, and his recollection is that Buero,
a halfljroed Frenchman, was here some time
before he came. There were throe substan-
tial log-houses at this trading post, which
was on the river a short distance above the
mouth of Bureau Creek. Here is where Bu-
reau Creek gets its name, as well as the
source of the county's peculiar name. In
the first place it is of course a corruption.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

the spelling representing nearly the sound — in
some old dof^uments the name was found as
we have spelled it above — and the first trav-
eler who was pleased with the county told his
friends about it and very naturally all went
at once to spelling it Bureau, and in this
way it has continued and will remain.

The next in time and probably the first
real permanent settler, was Bourbonnais, also
a French half-breed, who settled at Bnl-
bona fBoiirbnnnais) Grove in the southwest
corner of Center Township about 1820. He
had married a squaw and to all intents and
purposes was an Indian, though a civilized
one. His family were always much esteemed
and respected. They had many of the In-
dian customs and habits, although Bour-
bonnais himself (called Bulbona altogether
by the white people) was ever ready to drop
as fast as possible the wild life of the Indian
and adopt that of the white man. He was,
considering his early life, industrious and
thrifty. He made permanent improvements,
and was not at all sorry to remain and be
wholly a white man, when he saw the In-
dians collecting together, to pay their parting
visits to the burying-grounds of their an-
cestors, as

" Hand in hand they went to>;;tnher,
Through the woodland and the meadow."

toward the setting sun to their new home be-
yond the Father of Waters.

Those of the old and early settlers remem-
ber the large, rough old man very well. He
kept whisky to sell to travelers, and when
asked the price of a drink or a gallon of
whisky, or anything else he hiid to sell, his
invariable reply was, " Two doUa." Those
who knew him would put down the reasona-
ble pay aud walk off, and he would say noth-
ing; but some times strangers would be so
astounded when he would inform them the
price of a drink of his wretched whisky, that

they would look into his serious, stolid face,
express great disgust, and as no unbending ex-
pression of countenance would appear, they
would pay " two doUa " and walk off, to the
quiet delight of the old fellow. The neigh-
bors of the rough old man say that he was
quiet and inoffensive toward his neighbors.
When an old man, he died and his family
scattered, going, we believe, to some of the
wild Western Territories.

Two brothers, John and Justus Ament,
came in 1829, in May. They settled on
the south side of Red Oak Grove. In
May, 1828, came Henry Thomas. The last
named had, the year before he came here, been
engaged in selecting the most eligible stage
route between Peoria and Galena. He had
followed nearly the entire way the route that
the two wagons and Boyd's party had taken
from Galena to Peoria, crossing at Dixon
and passing along down the timber of Bu-
reau Creek to the timber of the Illinois River,
and then turning southwest down the river.
He had been so favorably impressed with the
country here that he reti;rned and located as
above mentioned with his family as soon as
he could arrange and bring them.

The Aments were Kentuckians, and they
had first heard of the wonders of northern
Illinois from the soldiers of Gen. George
Rogers Clark, whose expedition had come
from Kaskaskia to Starved Rock in 1789.
They were true and brave pioneers. After
the Black Hawk war Justus Ament moved
away, probably into AVisconsin, and John
Ament in a little while sold out his claim
near Dover and moved down to near where
Princeton now stands, where he died, and was
buried in the rear of his humble cabin. He
left a widow and quite a family of children.

Henry Thomas had made a claim on West
Bureau on the great stage route, and Thomas'
house aud Bovd's Grove and Kellogg's Grove

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

were soon widely known as " stage stands,"
and here man and ' ' beast" were entertained
with the best the country could then aiford.
In 1831 Thomas became the first Postmaster
in what is now Bui'eau County. We have
not th« Blue Book at hand to see what
Thomas' yearly salarj' was, but we are safe
in the prediction it did not exceed 25 cents
a year. Thomas was a plain, unpretentious
man, although the first Postmaster in all
this section of countiy; he never was a sub-
ject or proprietor of the "contumely of
office." If, with the assistance of the eight or
ten people who lived west of the river, he was
enabled to decipher the name and address on
the single letter that was about the average
quarterly return for a few hundred miles
square around his office, he would then carry
the same with its "I have sot myself down,
and these few lines come hopping, and crops
is good and my ink is pale and my poke berry
juice is blue and my love will fade never for
you, and the connexions is all well, and Bill
and Betsey are just married, and rito, rite,
rite, rite away," etc., etc. And thus by a
long and a stjong pull altogether and the
assistance of a Postmaster, the d(!ei)ly inter-
esting letter woulil be triumphantly read and
passed around and re-read and then read
again and the whole region of country could
rei)eat the thing "by heart. If for the next
quarter a letter was sent from the new world
it would faithfully follow coj)y, and " sot
down," and have the regular "hop])iug" and
the "blue pen" and fading poke berry juice
for ink, and the price of "crops," etc., etc.,
etc. The postage in these days was 25 cents
a letter, and was not prepaid at that. All
officials carried their oflices in llieir hats,
weight^'d down by a bandanna handkerchief.
Thus Henry Thomas tilled his great mission
in life. The complete simplicity of the man
is fully exemplified by a story of Alexander

Boyd, who called at the early settler's house
to electioneer for a certain man for Sherifif.
He finally told Thomas his business, when
Thomas said: ' ' No, I'll not vote for him for
Sheriff, because the last 'lection I voted for

for Sherifl', and the very next day

after he was elected he came out and served
me with a hatful of papers. No, indeed, I
don't need a Sherifif." The cream of this
joke is, Thomas was a man who was honest,
peaceable, quiet, and was never in debt or
had lawsuits, and the fact was he was prob-
ably as little troubled by officers serving
papers, unless summonses to act as juryman
or something of that kind, as any man ever in
the county. But he stuck to his joke and
would not go near the election.

Elizabeth Baggs came in 1828, with Henry
Thomas' family — a niece of Thomas. She
was a fine, plump girl, and being then, be-
yond question, the belle — at least the white
belle of the county; because, like Alexander
Selkirk, she was " monarchess of all she sur-
veyed;" her title there was none to dispute.
Her sister Sally is now the widow Stratton.

John Baggs, father of Sally and Elizabeth,
was a brotherin-law of Ezekiel Thomas.
His wife's maiden name was Rebecca
Thomas.

Heman Downing came in 1834. a carpen-
ter; lived hero three years; built many
houses. In 1830 married Rachel Holbrook.
Downing died here Aj>ril 29, 1SS2, leaving
eight children, two of whom, Edwin O. and
Majy Eliza, and his widow, are now liv-
ing in the county. Euos and Jonathan Hol-
brook came in 1834 with two sisters, from
New Hampshire. In 1835 David Holbrook
came. In 1837 the parents. Euos and wife,
came with another daughter; the latter is
now the widow King, and resides in Prince-
ton.

Abnini .'ilnillnii. -In IS'J'J came Abram

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Stratton. At a large meeting of old settlers,
in 1805, the oldest settler in the county was
called for and requested to come forward and
take a seat on the platform; Mr. Stratton
responded, the record says, " a hale, hearty
man of some sixty or sixty- live."

Abram Stratton was born in Ulster County,
N. Y., February 18, 1805, and died of
paralysis, in Bureau County, August 28, 1877,
aged seventy-three years. His mother died
when he was live years old, and his father
died five years after. When grown, or
nearly grown, Abram left the Hudson Valley,
and Nathan, his younger brother, went to
sea, and was never heard from after. In
1829 Abram left New York on foot, his
knapsack on his back, and this way came to
Illinois, and thus traversed the State from
its length to its breadth. After leaving De-
troit he was only guided by Indian trails.
He reported meeting between Detroit and
Chicago the pony mail carrier, who then
made trips once every two months, carrying
the mail between Detroit and Chicago.
Chicago was then Fort Dearborn, gai-risoned
by troops, guarding the trading post and annu-
ity oiBce established for the benefit of the In-
dians, who swarmed for miles around the post.

Mr. Stratton spent the winter in Peoria,
having stuck stakes for his Bureau County
claim in 1829. The following summer,
from some point near St. Louis, guided by a
pocket compass, he started to return to New
York. He eventually reached his old home,
and after a short rest he started on his return
via the Erie Canal to Buffalo, then by the
lakes to the mouth of the St. Joseph River,
Michigan. Boats were seldom run at that
time to Fort Dearborn. He patiently towed
his goods around the lake during a stormy
November, and finally buying an ox team
and making a sled, he started from Chicago
in a December snow-storm over the trackless

prairies and pathless woods, followed or dis-
turbed by packs of wolves, and warmed and
buoyed up by high hopes and firm resolves.
The jdainest statement of the voyaging
of this young pioneer is a historic picture
that should be hung in the porches of every
house, and in the portals of every school-
room in the land. There is a lesson here
that should not be forgotten. The nerve to
be a hero in the wilderness, the frightful
storms, the soul -frightening howl of the hun-
gry wolves, the eternal waste of dreariness,
is vastly different from playing a part in the
face of the world and sustained and cheered
by the conscious sympathy of at least friends
and fellow-beings. At the block and the
stake, in battle's red charge, and in the most
horrid carnage of war, there is fellow-sym-
pathy and enthusiasm, the bugle's blast,
the clang and hurrah that set men's blood
on fire — and shouting victory they rush upon
death. This is heroic gallantry. In all ages
men have sought martyrdom; have stood to
bo hewn to pieces without a moan, even with
songs of gladness; but in all time the " soli-
tary" has overcome the nerves and will of
the strongest, and always broken them down.
In painting and literature the heroic and
sublime is always in connection with great
numbers. Will the great painter ever come
who can put upon canvas the soul of the
story of the lone pioneer as we have told above
of Abram Stratton, pulling his boat around
the bend of Lake Michigan in that stormy
November, or his beating his way across the
lonely prairies in the snow-storms of that
wild December, the howling of the wolves
and, the fierce storms the only sounds that
break upon the vast solitudes? And for
what was all this heroic sacrifice? Look out
over this rich and beautiful land of plenty
and joy and wealth and happiness, and the
one inevitable answer will come to you.

HISTOHY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

October 16, 1831, Abram Stratton married
Miss Sarah Baggs. This was the second
marriage in the county of Putnam, of which
this county was a part. And in the first list
of jurors drawn at Hennepin, the county seat,
appears the name of Abram Stratton.

In the latter part of 1870 Mr. Stratton was
stricken with paralysis, and lingered and suf-
fered much until, as above stated, he sank
peacefully into a dreamless sleep. He was
buried in Forest Hill Cemetery in Wyauet,
a great throng of mourners and friends at-
tending, for no man that ever lived in the
county was more widely known or sincerely
loved. His friends were all mankind; his
sincere motiruers were all who knew him.
His name and deeds and memory are much
of the history of Bureau County. Standing
at the head of his new-made grave, the Kov.
T. J. Pomeroy, of Wyanot, said: " Kind-
hearted and genial, faithful and resolute, he
had many friends and warm friends. Of a
judicial turn of mind, he carefully turned all
facts over before deciding any case, and his
conclusions were generally so accurate that
his opinions had great weight with his fel-
low-men. He was a man of lidelity. He
delighted to show how accurately he could
keep his promises. Integrity and honesty
are the words that best describe his modest
and uuobtrusivo life."

In the K])ring of 1N29 came Sylvester Brig-
ham and Warren Sherley, unmarried men,
from Massachusetts, and sto])ped at the house
of Henry Thomas. With their knapsacks on
their backs thej- traveled all the way from
Detroit. Brighaiii made a claim on the west
side of West Bureau Creek, and Sherloy set-
tled at what was afterward Heatou's Point.
The two young men worked and made suf-
ficient improvements on tlioir claims to hold
them, and then returned to the lOast, where
Sherley remained, but Brigham came back

the next spring, and brought James G. For-
ristal with him. They came down the Ohio
River and up the Illinois River as far as Peoria
on a steamboat; the boat, named Volunteer,
was about the very first tliat had ever been seen
at Peoria, at which point she landed in April,
1830. A leading old settler and a prominent
Peorian of that day planted his old blunder-
buss on the sandy beach and fired away, and
the whole people were out to see and rejoice
over the great occasion.

Brigham and Forristal built cabins in Do-
ver Township, and for some years each occu-
pied his cabin alone, as neither had a wife.
(See Joseph Brigham's biography for a gene-
alogy of the ]Brigham family.)

Daniel Smith, of Boston, came to the coun-
ty in July, 1831, with his family. He had
come down the Ohio and up the Illinois Riv-
er. On his way up he fell in company with
Mosely and Musgrove at Naples, and this
event shaped his course to this particular
spot. He made a claim and commenced his
improvements on the land that is now the Aus-
tin Bryant farm. "Within twenty days of bis
arrival Smith sickened and died (about Au-
gust 8, 1831,) and was buried half a mile
north of the Princeton railroad depot. This
was the first death of a white person, so far
as can now be ascertained, that occurred in
the county.

Daniel Smith had married in his native
State, Miss Electa Pomeroy, who still sur-
vives him, and is living in the county, with
her sons, in Ohio Towushiii. (See biography
of Daniel P. Smith in another part of this
book.)

Moses M. Thompson came October, 1834,
from Hennepin. He was born in Ohio.
Juno 15, 1810. His father was John
Thompson, who was a Teunesseeau, and
removed to Ohio, where he married Mary
Fraukeberger. AVilliam Frankeberger, a

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

brother, died in Wyanet, March 19. The
Thompsons in Tennessee were a wealthy
family. The sons of Moses were M. M. and
Alfred T., who came with their father. Alfred
T. was at one time County Clerk. He died
October 30, 1850. A sister, Matilda, mar-
ried Nicholas Smith; died December 3, 1851.
William Young came in 1888. His de-
scendants are still in the county. Prelate
White came in 1839, but sold out and went
to Texas. James Haumerick came in 1839
and located in Wyanet. Thomas Clark,
noted as the father of James T. Clark, the
great railroad .man, came in 1837, and in
the building of the Chicago, Biu'lington &
Quincy Road James T. Clark commenced
as a boy to drive the horse in pulling
cars, at $16 a month, when they were at
work on the Buda Section. Thomas H.
Finley was a very early settler in Wj^anet.
He was a man of good education — a line
book-keeper, etc. — but was unfortunate in
business. About 1839 Shepherd Walters
settled in this township. One of his sons,
A. M. Walters, is in Iowa, a noted lawyer.

CHAPTER VIII.

Records Made by Old Settlers — On Disputed Questions the
Best Authority — First Agitation of the Subject — Histori-
cal Importance of Records, Speeches, Poems, AoDREsaEs.
Remarks, AND Anecd<ites, Pictures, etc. — Address of S. S.
Phelps— First Settlers' Meetixo — Who Participated —
Their Record of Old Settlers and the Year They Came —
Poem by John H. Dryant — Doctor Bill — Officers of Society
— KiLLlNa of Phillips — Milo Kendall's Address — Warren's
History of Putnam County — E. Strong Phelps — John M.
Gay, AIunson and Miss Hall — First Birth, First Burial —
Caleb Cook — Aquilla Triplett — Chapter in which are
Mentioned Many Old Settlers and Their Descendants —
Arthur Bryant's Poem — Michael Kitterman, Sketch of —
Thirteen Dogs — Anecdotes — Rev. Martin and Hie Doo
"Penny" — The Perkinses — George Hinsdale, C. G. Coess
AND Many Others — ect., etc.

"It seems to me but a transient season
Since all was new and strange ;
I gaze on tlie scenes around me
And wonder at the change."

— John H. Brtajst.

THE subject of Old Settlers' Meetings was
first agitated in Bureau County as early
as 1861. This is an important item in the
county's history, as it is an index, first, to
the patriotic interest the people entertained
for their adopted State and county, and sec-
ond, to the possession of that higher order
of intelligence that makes a community inter-
ested in the history of their own people, and
that country of which they are a component
part. This was among the youngest of
counties, and yet it was among the first to
realize the great fact that the public mind
had become active in gathering rapidly the
materials of history — materials not only of
a temporary interest, but of a permanent
value, that should be gathered and preserved
for the historian's use. They showed by this
act that they held a high appreciation of the
great deeds of the early pioneers, and that
their names and memories should not be for-
gotten. The reader must bear in mind that
as far back as 1861 the subject of forming Old
Settlers' Societies was then a new and unheard-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

of thing; the conoeption as applied to a com-
paratively new country was fresh and original.
Hence the importance which attaches to the
fact that Bureau was among the lirst to com
mence to educate its people to become interest-
ed in the important subject, and there is no
doubt but that the action of a few of the people
of the county was. one of the induences that
spread over the United States, and finally in-
duced the action of Congress, and the Presi-
dent and the Governors of all the States in the
year 1876, in recommending to the people of
the several counties and towns of the State
and Nation, to cause a history of their respect-
ive localities to be prepared for the One
Hundredth Anniversaiy of our National In-
dependence. This action is something of an
index of the activity of the feelings of the
heart and of the faculties of the mind of these
pioneers and their children. Nothing aids
the historian to get at the real lives of a peo-
ple who have passed away so well as to see
their literature (if they had any), the pictures
of their leading personages as preserved by
the photographer's art, or the inception and
spread of a public movement that becomes
wide-spread and permanent in its actions or
effects.

And just here we note it with pleasure,
this early agitation of the subject of Old Set-
tlers' Meetings resulted as early as 1S65 in
the organization of an Old Settler's Society,
which continues in active and vigorous exist-
ence to this day. And upon their record
books are most invaluable facts and incidents
preserved for posterity. Everything about
them is deofjly interesting — the proceedings,
the oflScers, the manner of working up their
accounts of the meetings, the addresses and
the reminiscences of the venoralile men at the
meetings, who in their own way recalled the
long ago. Nor should we omit mention of
the touching poetical addresses on these occa-

sions, many of which will take a permanent
place in Western literatui'e. To all these
may be added the picture, by Mr. Immke,
photographer, grouping over 400 of the early
settlers, and which for a work of that kind
we do not remember to have seen excelled.
Here is a picture of most interesting study.
It is the serious, stern, heavy- featured faces
of men and women, who commenced life in
its most real and trying phases; who faced
dangers, trials and sore vexations; the most
of their young lives they knew they carried
their lives in their hands, but they had
counted the costs and weighed the chances,
and foreknew the grand results that awaited
upon their ultimate victories. The ripened
fruits have come doubtless much sooner than
any of these strong faced, stern-souled old
pioneers, even the most sanguine, expected.
And some few of them have been spared to
witness what they once had only hoped might
come to their children's children. Every
picture in this large group of representative
pioneers is a study of itself, and could a copy
of the group be preserved for the people in
their second centennial celebration, and then
by the improved arts of that age each face
be restored to its natural size, with its faithful
reproduction of the strong lineaments and feat-
ures, it would be one of the most valuable lega-
cies in the world to the great-grandchildren
of the present age. A room set apart for these
faithful portraitures of the pioneer men and
women in some of the county's public build-
ings, would be an inexpensive public school
and place of recreation and resort, and yet
it would become a public teacher and a mon-
itor and guide that no amount of money could
otherwise 8U])ply. Wo wish we could im-
press upon the people, the liberal and public-
minded people of the county, the great
importance of preserving and placing where
they will be carefully kept, copies of this

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

picture for posterity. If lost now it cannot
be replaced.

A preliminary meeting was held in Prince-
ton, December 21, 1861, at which J V.
Thompson was chosen] Chairman and E. S.
Phelps, Jr., Secretary. Remarks were made by
D. McDonald, E. S. Phelps, L. J. Colton, C.
G. Reed, Cyrus Langworthy and A. Bryant.

It was resolved to hold a regular county
Old Settler's Meeting in Princeton, February
22, and E. S. Phelps was appointed to pre
pare an address of invitation to the people.
Mr. Phelps wrote the address — an admirable
document — and it is so full of the real hearts
of the old settlers, so vivid and true, that
we reprint much of it for the admiration of
posterity :

When we look back to these early days of our
county, when mills, churches, schoolhouses. etc.,
were few and far between, and when, iu order to
market our produce, we had to travel with our
wagons to Chicago and bring back our lumber, salt,
etc., when we would take our teams and families and
go several miles to see our neighbors, and help them
raise their cabins or houses, and when it cheered the
hearts of us all to again shake the hands of true
friends and look into each other's countenances;
when the fathers and mothers, with the young men
and maidens, could go to the house of God and sit
on benches made of rails, puncheons, or slabs,
and worship and sing praises with spirit and
in the love of it, and when our schoolhouses were
no better seated— in fact, the little schoolhouses were
almost the only places in which meetings were held
— oh, with what joy we met one another on these oc-
casions, and how our hearts swelled within us, feel-
ing that we were truly brothers and sisters in a
strange land.

No one who now comes into this beautiful county
and sees our railroads, splendid churches, school-
houses, dwellings, public houses, carriages, markets
almost at our doors, improved raacliiuery, county
fairs, political meetings and other gatherings of the
people, can realize the condition of our county
from the time the first settlers came in, about
1838, up to 1847, when some of our sister counties
ceased calling immigrants "old settlers."

Who but the early settlers know the trials by
cold, hunger, privation, wild beasts, Indians and

other things we had to contend against? Who else
has the history of those times engraved on their
hearts never to be erased? What history has more
interest than that of the early pioneers, and who
can give that history better than they? Is not this
history important? Is it not one worthy of preser-
vation? Are you not willing that the rising gener-
ation should have this history to be handed down
as a memento of our country? If so, let us try and
gather up the fragments of this history, that is left
in the memories of those who have not yet gone to
the spirit world. How it cheers us as we see the
faces of those once loved and respected as neigh-
bors and friends scattered over this country and will
we not cherish the times in which we may meet and
talk over past scenes, and compare them with the
present time?

Other counties in our loved Illinois have and are
commencing to organize "Early Settlers" Societies
for the purpose of gathering statistics of early times
and enjoying in a social manner the company and
presence of those who were scattered as early set-
tlers over their counties. ********

The writer then appeals to all to attend
the meeting, bring their dinner- baskets full,
and each one get up appropriate toasts —
appropriate to the occasion and the day (Feb-
ruary 22), and thus concludes:

Let us show to our children and those who have
recently settled among us that we are friends and
brethren and that the love and respeet kindled in
years gone by have not died out, but still live and
are cherished in true friendly hearts.

This address had the effect to awaken a
deep interest in the history of the early times,
and this followed with the meetings and
addresses and talks among the old settlers
and their friends awoke the whole community
to the fact that here at home was the most
interesting, instructive and entertaining his-
tory in the world; that every aged pioneer
was of himself a history; that the sacred cir-
cle of these gray-haired fathers and mothers
"In Israel" was fast narrowing by old age
and death, and that unless the facts that they
carried in their memories were at once col-
lected and put in a more permanent form that
very soon they would be forever lost, except

HISTORY OF BIREAU COUXTY.

in BO tar as thej might be perpetuated by the
" faltering tongue of faint traditions."

■Pursuant to this circular address of E. S.
Phelps, a meeting of old settlers wau con-
vened at Converse Hall, Princeton, February
22, 1805. A permanent organization was
formed and Hon. John H. Bryant elected
President; C. G. Eeed, Vice President, and
adjourned. January 12, 18G5, an Old Set-
tlers' Meeting convened at Converse Hall,
Princeton. Col. J. T. Thomson called the
meeting to order. William Hoskins, of Selby,
elected Chairman. George Kadcliife made
appropriate remarks explanatory of the objects
of the meeting. L. D. Whiting, J. V.
Thompson, and Milo Kendall appointed Com.
miltee on Resolutions. The names of 151
old settlers, those who came to the county
from 1828 to 1841, were given to the Secretary.
Remarks were made by William Hoskins,
who settled in the county December G, 1830.
Charles S. Boyd, who settled at Boyd's
Grove, in 1830; James G. Forristol, Mai"ch
4, 1830; Nicholas Smith, 1831; Frederick
Mosely, August 1831; E. H. Phelps, July,
1831; Charles G. Reed, 1845; William
Cowan, November 1(3, 1832; Alexander Hol-
brooke, 1832; and J. V. Thompson, 1840.

J. V. Thompson also read a poem, printed
in the Bureau County Advocate of December
20. 184'J, J. H. Bryant editor and poet.

The committee reported a stirring set of
resolutions, in \\hieh they eloquently talk of
the people who came herefrom various States
and countries to build homes in the West,
and be friends and coworkers in the great
cause of civilization, and acknowledge with
grateful hearts the kindness of Providence
which " conducted us here, and cast our
homes where genial skies ami wholesome air
favor health and its attendant blessings;
where enterprise has a fair field for success;
where the great artorioa of travel and com-

merce pass through our borders, and where
nature on every hand has been grandly lavish
of her wealth and her charms, in woodland
and stream, in prairie and glen.

"That themarvelous progress we have wit-
nessed during the last third of a centuiy, in
numbers and wealth, in mental, moral and
material progress, and in all that attends a
high and advancing civilization, is but the
shadow and prelude of a nobler coming age,
when our rich prairies shall be cultivated to
their highest limit, and adorned with all that
beautifies rural scenery, thus rendering them
the happy homes of multiplied thousands;
when our villages and cities shall be centers
of refinement and wealth, of manufacturing
industry, and of the various institutions for
social, moral and intellectual advancement.

'"Virtue, intelligence, justice, honor and
patriotism are above wealth and material pros-
2Jerity; that we are more anxious to endow
our sons and daughters with high social,
moral and intellectual qualities, than with
gold and silver and lands."

February 22, 1807, another large meeting
was held in the same place, John H. Bryant,
Chairman, and Elijah Smith, Secretary; C.
G. Reed, Vice-President; T. W. Nichols, L.
J. Coltou, E. S. Phelps, Jr., and Col. J. T.
Thomson, Executive Committee.

The following is the record, as gathered at
this meeting of the early settlers, commenc-
ing with the year 1828. In addition to the
151 names handed in we have gathered
such as wo find in the records and added
them :

1828. — Mrs. Sarah Stratton, nee Baggs,
widow of Abram Stratton, still living in the
county; Mi\ and Mrs. (ieorge Hinsdale (Mrs.
Hinsdale was a niece of Henry Thomas, and
a member of his household); Mr. and Mi's.
Ira Jones. Also on the records are the names
of Smiley Shepherd, 1828, and Nelson Shop-

HISTOEY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

herd, 1829, and Williamson Durley, 1831,
(Putnam County men).

1829. — Abram Stratton (see preceding
page for complete sketch of), Amos Leonard,
Daniel Dimmick, Timothy Perkins, Leonard
Roth, William Hoskins, John Clark, Reason
B., John and William Hill.

1830.— Charles S. Boyd, William Hoskins,
James G. Forristal, Nicholas Smith, John
M. Gay, Mrs. John M. Gay, M. Kitterman,
Sylvester Brigham, the Searle family.

1831. -E. S. Phelps, Mrs. Anna W.
Phelps, E. Hinsdale Phelps, Mr. and Mrs.
Elijah Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Eli Smith,
Nicholas Smith, John Cole, Fredrick Moseley,
D. P. Smith, Dwight Smith, Nicholas Smith,
George Hinsdale, E. H. Phelps, Daniel
Jones (see biogi'aphy), Abram Jones, Mary
Jones, Daniel Smith, Henry George (killed
in Hall massacre), Roland Moseley, John
Musgrove.

1832. — Nathaniel Chamberlain, William
O. Chamberlain, Elias Isaacs, William
Cowan, Joel Doolittle, John Green Reed,
Alexander Holbrook, Mrs. M. Sturdyvin,
Mrs. H. W. Kelly, John H. Bryant (^Sep-
tember 22), James O. Doolittle (January 10).
Joseph Brigham, IVIrs. Joseph Brigham,
William Munson (married Miss Hall. He
hewed the first logs for Griffin & Wilson's
Mill at Leepertown), Daniel Sherley, Gil-
bert Kellums.

1 833. — Arthur Bryant, Lazarus Reeve,
Abbott Ellis, Madison Sturdyvin, Demarcus
Ellis, James Wilson, Frank Shepherd, Sam-
uel Triplett, William Allen, Aquilla Trip
lett, Mrs. Elizabeth Mataon, Mrs. Arthur
Bryant, Mrs. Elizabeth Norton, C. C. Corse,
H. B. Leeper, Charles Leeper, Mrs. Sarah
Ann Taylor, I. Wilson, James Garvin,
John Leeper.

1834. — Richard Masters, John Masters,
Caleb Cook, Mrs. Lucy Cook, Henry Cook,

Edward C. Hall, Chauncey D. Colton,
McCayga Triplett, C. F. Winship, Mrs.
Sarah Winship, J. T. Holbrook, Cj'rua
Langworthy, Mrs. Cyrus Langworthy, Will-
iam Knox, John Elliott, Daniel R. Howe,
Samuel Fay, Hemar Downing, Mrs. De-
marcus Ellis, Mrs. Lumry, Mrs. Mason,
Tracy Reeve, Mrs. Maria Clapp, A.dam
Galer, Mrs. Clark Norton, Bar. Mercer,
Mrs. Julia E. Whitemarsh, Rev. J. E.
Prunk, Mary Dui-fee, N. Perkins, John
Clapp, W. Mercer, W. P. Griffin, E. H.
Phelps, Mrs. John Vaughn, Jonathan .Ire-
land, Mrs. Eliza Ireland, Mrs. Andrew
Ross, W. L. Isaac, Moses M. Thompson,
Enos Holbrook.

1835. — Lewis J. Colton (in Kansas), Cy-
rus Colton and wife, Frank W. Winship,
Solomon Sapp, Henry Sapp, James Cod-
dington, Austin Bryant, Timothy Searl,
I. B. Chenoweth, Sol F. Robinson, James
S. Everett, Enos N. Matson, Charles H.
Bji-yant, James M. Winship, Mrs. S. M. Dun-
bar, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Newell, Mrs.
David Robinson, Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Phelps, Mrs. Hannah M. Phelps, John
Clapp, E. Strong Phelps, W. C. Drake,
Sarah Tucker, E. Sherwin, Enoch Pratt,
Amanda Pratt, John Pratt, Susan Pratt,
George W. Pratt. Susan married Daniel
Kiser, and George W. was born in this
county. Mrs. Susan Brown was a sister of
Enoch Pratt. She was the wife of George
Brown and the mother of George H. Brown.

1830.— Nathan Rackley, Justin H. Olds,
Enos Smith, Jacob Albrecht, Allen S. La-
throp, Sidney Smith, Daniel Radcliffe, Mr.
and Mrs. Samuel Mohler, Martin Hops, John
Long, Seth C. Clapp, John Stevens, E. S.
Phelps, Jr., George Bsown, A. R. Kendall,
Jesse Emmerson, George M. Emerson, Alfred
Lyford, Daniel Heaton, Caleb Pierce, Enos
Matson, Enoch Lumry, Mrs. Sarah B. King,

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Mrs. William Cowan, Mrs. Susan Brown,
George H. Brown, Enos Smith, O. E. Jones,
W. Prunk, "W. E. Cheuoweth, George E.
Phelps, Susanna Campbell, George Rackley,
Joseph Houghton (of La Salle County), Sam-
uel E. Norris (Iowa), Mrs. Adaline D. Norris
(Iowa). Adelia E. Drake, Mrs. Sarah Mus-
grove, E. S. Phelps, Nehemiah Matson, Par-
ker J. Newell. Alonzo R. Kendall, Mrs. Har-
riet Chikls Everett.

1837.— Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Wilson, Da-
vid Maple, .Tamos H. Smith, William Young,
Caleb Cushing (relative of the celebrated
Caleb Cushing), James M. Dexter, Joseph S.
Clark, Evau H. Swayne, George M. Radcliffe,
David Greolev, Williaui Hudnut, George E.
Dorr, .John Vaughan, Jr. , William Frankeber ■
ger, Mrs. Rebecca Warfield, Mrs. Elizabeth
Cui-tis, Mrs. Daniel King, Mrs. Rufus Carey,
Mrs. Aaron Fisher, Mrs. Eli Wood, Mrs. A.
M. Hops, Mr. and Mrs. John Walter, John
Vaughn, J. Walter, A. M. Sheldon, John L.
Enyart, Mrs. Mary M. Anthony. Alfred An-
thony, Mrs. W. J. Moore, Frank Langworthy,
J. N. Hill, James Richards Phelps, Edward
C. Winship, Mrs. Ann Winship.

1838. — Benjamin Porter, Henrj' V. Bacon,
Amos N. Bacon, Samuel Dexter (Hinsdale),
Anthony Sawyer, Franklin Foster, William
Robinson, .James B. Aiken, P. J. Newell
(born in county), Mrs. Lucinda Bubaoh, Mrs.
Nancy Morton, Caleb Cook (died March 27,
1870), Mrs. Lucy Cook, Mary Cook, A. Dur-
fee, Mrs. Mary AnnColton, Joseph I. Taylor,
Henry Cook, Amos N. Bacon, Samuel Dexter
(Hinsdale), Franklin Walker (Cham|iaign
County), Gilljert Clement, Oliver Denham,
J. W. Spratt, Mrs. Nancy H. Morton, M.
Prict^-hey, Orris S. Phelps, J. R. Phelps.

18:S'.}. — Rufus L. • Craig, Joseph Pierce,
Niel McArthur, Francis Bnehan, Samuel M.
Dunbar, Mrs. HaniiahM. Phelps, L. A. Hope,
E. G. Peter, Andrew Gosso, E. J. Benson,

E. B. Belknap, M. T. W. Lathrop, A, Benson,
Robert M. Kearns.

1840.— J. V, Thompson, William S. Rich-
ards, Martin L. Goodspeed, Mr. and Mrs.
Adam Prutsman, Mrs. Joseph S. Clark, Mrs.
William McKee, E. R. Mathis, A. Prutsman,
J. N. Ries, Zilpha Griffin, L. L. Frizzell, Mrs.
Lueretia Jones, W. W. Ferris, Carlton W.
Combs, M. Bertrand Lockwood.

The poem referred to as written by John
H. Bryant, was entitled " ' Indian Courtship '
— Reminiscence — By An Old Settler"; And
the scene is located by the first two lines:

'■ Where French Grove road winds down the hill,
Tlie liitlicr side of Galer's Mill,
In tlie mild winter of thirty-three
A wigwam stood beneath a tree."

Here was the home, as the poet proceeds to
tell us, of Maumese.

' ■ A proud cliief tan of the band
Whieli erst possessed this lovely land."

Then in rythmic phrase the story of a young
white man's love with Maumese' s daughter
is well told, and how his heart was finally
wrenched by the old chief striking his tent
very suddenly and moving away. The young
man was the "Deacon's son,"

{■' Sinee l)etter Itnown as Doctor Bill
With sulky, saddle bags and pill.")

And the most knowing ones said this was Dr,

Chamberlain, whose luckless fate it was to be

thus

" stepped between

Our hero and his forest queen "
whose

"Step was lighter than the fawn's
Thai bounded o"er lliese blooming lawns."

And her father " bounded " her away and Dr,
' Bill was left to choose him a very sweet "pale
face" and thus plod along in the old fash-
ioned way of I'oaring young pioneers.

The reading of the poem attracted great
attention, and its happy chord is evidenced
by the fact that to this diiy many of those

HISTORY or BUREAU COUNTY.

who heard it so much admired it that they
can yet repeat it entire.

In February, 1807, another vei-y large Old
Settlers' meeting convened in Princeton, and
we condense the following summary of its
proceedings:

Elijah Smith, Secretary; T. W. Nichols,
L. J. Colton, E. S. Phelps, Jr., Col. J. T.
Thomson, Executive Committee.

The principal address was then delivered
by Milo Kendall. The speaker commenced
with an eloquent apostrophe to the memory
of George Washington. He then referred to
the important but generally little understood
fact, that " When a country emerges from a
savage to a civilized life, not by the slow
process of development and culture, but by
the sudden and abrupt change produced by
■conflict between savage and civilized races,
the events which mark the transitions of pow-
er and dominion over the soil from one race
to the other, are often the most interesting
features in history." He then refers in fit-
ting language to the story of the conflict that
marks every inch of advance of the white man
from his landing on the Atlantic shores un-
til he had conquered all before him to the
western ocean.

'• Forty years ago," he says, "not a white
man dvrelt upon the soil within the limits of
our county. What a mighty transformation
has been wrought out by a single generation
of settlers! The footprints of the retreating
savage are scarcely obliterated in the Indian
trail, before the shrill whistle of the locomo-
tive is heard upon their track.''

He then proceeds to tell how these glor-
ious pioneers were the avant couriers, the
true soldiers and husbandmen pioneering
this great nation, and preparing the easy way
for all to follow. He then rapidly sketches
the growth and present greatness of the
county, and ai-gues for it an undimned fu-

ture. He refers to the Hampshire colony and
recounts the happy achievementsof that body
of Christian men and women.

These are some of the important facts in
the early histoiy of which accounts have been
given that materially differ in the facts,
and were it not that these incidents were
talked over and agreed upon by those who
were there to see, we confess we find often
great difficulty in reconciling these stories.
We have no hesitation in adopting as the
true version every historical fact that was re-
lated in these Old Settlers' Meetings and to
which all present assented.

Killing of Phillips. — Mr. Kendall proceeds
in his address to tell of Shabbona and the
melancholy circumstance of the killing of
Elijah Phillips:

" There was a venerable old chief and war-
rior of the Pottawattomie family, who had, in
earlier days, fought side by side with the re-
nowned chieftain Tecumseh. But forever
banishing the hope, and even the desire, of
ridding his vast hunting grounds of the
presence of the white man, he became the
friend of the early settlers, and devoted his
remaining years to the welfare of the white
man against the strategems and machinations
of the more cruel and bloody of his race.
Old Shabbona, as he was called, sent spies
into the camps of the Sacs and Foxes to as-
certain their designs against the whites, On
learning that these hostile tribes had formed
the bold plan of exterminating the whole
white population in northern Illinois at one
fearful blow, he lost no time in warning the
inhabitants to leave. This duty he did not
and would not entrust to any living mortal
but himself alone. At the risk of his life ho
undertook and performed the duty; night and
day, wet or dry, the old chieftain rode on
from one settlement to another, heralding the
terrible news of the assassination j)lot which

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

had already been matured, and which was
about to be put into execution. All who
obeyed the warning of the old chief were
saved. The Hall, Davis and Pettigrew fam-
ilies on Indian Creek paid dearly for their
most sad mistake in disobeying the earnest
and almost passionate appeals of the old
veteran to flee from the awful fate that await-
ed them. The details of that tragic event,
already a matter of history, are as familiar
to you as household words, and too painful
to be related here.

" The Forristol party, near the present site
of Dover, came near sharing the same fate.
As there are some features connected with
that event which I have obtained from living
witnesses who ere long will pass away, I
have concluded to tell the story as I gathered
it from them, at the risk of being censured
for repeating an oft-told tale, although I do
it more with the hope of rescuing some of
the details from oblivion, than from any ex-
pectation of interesting the old settlers with
the narration.

"In the spring of 1832 John and Justus
Ament each owned a cabin situated half a
rnile apart on Section 13 in Dover. The For-
ristol party then consisted of James G. For-
ristol, John Ament, Sylvester Brigham, Aaron
Gunn. Jonathan Hodge, Ziba Dimick and
Elijah PhillijjR. It became known to Shab-
l)ona that the Sacs and Foxes intended to
commence a massacre of the settlers about
the 1st of June that year. He notified the set-
tlers of this fact in time to allow them to
t ike shelter in a rude fort erected that season
at Hennepin.

"But before I proceed further with my story
allow mo to tell how, in one instance, the old
chief came near falling into t^ie hands of the
enemy whose bloody purposes he was seeking
to av(Tt, ami narrowly escaped with his life
while on his errand of mercy. Not knowing

where the blow would first be struck, he had
made the circuit about the Bureau timber
and up on Indian Creek to the Hall settle-
ment, and then made directly for Fox River
to warn away a family of Hollanbacks, then
residing there. He approached their cabin
about sundown (this was about the 1st of
June, 1832,); his jaded and almost famished
pony was reeking with sweat and foam; he
hastily warned the family of their danger,
telling them to flee that very night, as he
thought he had discovered signs of a war
party in the vicinity. This duty performed,
Shabbona retired to a secluded spot half a
mile away from the cabin, to rest and refresh
himself and his pony, and yet in a position
to keep an eye on the dwelling and its sur-
roundings. In the meantime the family,
quickened by the impulse of fear, hastily
gathered such articles of food and clothing
as would favor them in their flight, and im-
mediately fled, with nothing to hide them from
the face of their enemies but the impending
darkness which by this time had gathered
thick about them. Having proceeded from a
quarter to half a mile, Mr. Hollanbaek sud-
denly bethought himself of some valuables
which he desired to save, and which in the
hiu-ry and flurry of their flight they had for-
gotten. He determined to return alone to
the house to secure them. He carefully ap-
proached the cabin and listened at every step
as he neared the premises, and just as he was
about to enter the door from whence he and
his family had but a few moments before es-
caped, he heard the voices and rummagings of
savages within as they were busily engaged
in gathering the remnants of such i)hinder as
the Inuuble dwelling aftorded. Softly but
speedily Mr. Hollanbaek retraced his steps,
joined his family, and renewed his flight A
moment later and they beheld the flames of
their burning cabin leaping ujnvard higher

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

and higher into the darkness above, warning
them that their abiding place, which they had
honored with the sacred name of home, had
been immolated upon the sacrificial altar, and
made desolate by the torch of the yavage.
Old Shabbona in his concealment witnessed
all — the fleeing family, the stealthy approach
of the marauders on their bloody mission, the
flames of the burning cabin — and noted the
retiring foe as they took to the trail and dis-
appeared under cover of the night. The old
veteran, thankful to the Great Spirit for the
safety of himself and the fleeing family
whose lives he had helped to save, resumed
his journey in the late watches of the night
and reached his home in safety. The HoUan-
backs made good their escape during that ter-
rible night of agony and fear. Some twenty-
five years after this event, Old Shabbona,
then upward of eighty years of age, visited
among the old settlers here for the last time,
and for the last time related to us this story,
and as he sat by the fireside and partook of
the bounties and hospitalities of those he had
known and befriended in early days, and saw
that their huts and cabins had given place to
cheerful, happy homes and comfortable
dwellings, and marked the change which a
few short years had brought about, the old
man gave utterance to sentiments of heartfelt
gratitude and joy, as though we were all his
children, and that our prosperity was his
chiefest pleasure, and expressed himself abun-
dantly rewarded for his sleepless viligance
and care over the infant settlements about
him in the times of their greatest need. The
old man remembered and related every inci-
dent connected with the plot to exterminate
the whites, and his heroic endeavors to avert
the terrible blow; and in his narration of
these exciting scenes evinced a pride and
satisfaction for the part he had acted, and a
sensibility commendable even to minds of cult-

ure and refinement. It is gratifying to us
to know that the Government made the old
man a very handsome and suitable donation
in his old age, as a reward for his enduring
friendship toward the early settlers, and the
assistance rendered by him in the settlement
of some Indian difficulties, and as a compen-
sation for the many sacrifices which he made
during the turbulent times of the Black Hawk
war. The old hero died a few years ago on
land purchased at Government expense, near
Ottawa, and we may truthfully say over his
grave that the instances and examples are ex-
ceedingly rare, even in civilized life, where
Men have exhibited more fidelity, more con-
stant and enduring friendship, or made great-
er personal sacrifices, or exhibited more gen-
erosity and benevolence toward a race with
whom they claimed no kindred, than did this
venerable old Pottawattomie chief. I now re-
turn to my story.

"The Forrestall party, seven in number, all
youQg, bold, enterprising men, and tolera-
bly well armed, having no women and chil-
dren to protect, although apprised by Shab-
bona of the plot arranged for their assassin-
ation, felt nevertheless a determination to
remain at their post — keep together and
watch for something to transpire before seek-
ing a place of greater safety. They had
heard of the massacre of the Hall, Davis
and Pettigrew families, and some of their
party had visited the scene immediately after
its occurrence. But no hostile demonstrations
having been made against themselves, they
still remained and watched the signs of the
times, occupying together the cabin then
owned by John Ament until the morning of
the 18th of June, 1832. The party, all un-
suspecting, arose as usual, little dreaming
that within forty steps of their log-cabin lay
concealed some thirty or forty Indians with
muskets and rifles poin ting toward their cabin

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

door. Elijah Phillips, having purchased of
Justus Anient the other cabin, some half a
mile distant, bad occasion to go there and
started before sunrise, antl had proceeded
some thirty-five steps directly toward the
concealed and ambushed foe, when the sud-
den and startling report of two rifles revealed
the fact that the dreaded attack had indeed
been made, and that old Shabbona's warnings
were indeed i)rophetic. Phillips staggered
and fell forward upon the ground within live
steps of his assailants. On the instant the
infuriated Indians made a rush for the open
door of the cabin, accompanied with territic
yells, such as savages alone can uttex'. The
inmates of the cabin, keenly sensible of the
terrible danger of the moment, slammed the
door in the face of their besiegers and barred
it instantly. Another terrific yell, and every
savage was again in concealment. The
cbinkings between the logs of the cabin were
quickly removed in places on the wall side
next to the besiegers, and the muzzles of half
a dozen guns were run out, and their little
cabin for once became a fort, and every gun-
ner was eager for the sight of a red skin on
whom to avenge the fall of their bleeding
cc»mrado, who lay prostrate and dying in
sight of them all, but yet whore no aid could
\>e safely aflforded him. He was pierced by
two bullets, and at the time of the rush
toward the cabin the savages, in passing
over the bleeding form of (heir victim, gave
him a blow with a tomahawk ou his lirows,
and thrust a scalping knife into his nock.
Not a cry or a groan escaped the lips of Phil
lips, although life was observed to lintrer
some minutes after his fall, and after his
assailants had rushed back into their hiding
])lnccs. Here lay the besiegers in ambush
awaiting some fresh opportunity to renew
the siege without wasting their firi» against
the impenetrable walls of the cabin. Here

also were the party besieged in armed occupa-
tion of their little fort awaiting some new
development of the besiegers. At last a
coun.sel of war was held in the cabin. Dim-
ick, a lad only seventeen years old, was anx-
ious to leave the cabin and make for Henne-
pin across the country as best they could,
and take their chances of escape in that
manner. In this he was overruled by all the
others. At this juncture of afiairs a mare
owned by one of the party, and which had
been spanceled and turned loose to feed
about the premises, and which, by the way, was
always exceedingly shy about being caught,
and even hobbled as she was, universally
gave the owner much trouble in catching her.
On this occasion, to the great joy and surprise
of the besieged occupants of the cabin, the
mare, unbiiiden, had made her way directly
up and into an open porch on one side of the
cabin, as if she too desired the protection
which its walls afforded. Young Dimick
seized the opportunity of making his escape,
and at the same time of bringing assistance
to the besieged. Rushing out of the cabin
with a handkerchief tied over his head in-
stead of wearing a hat, he seized the mare by
the mane, a bridle was handed him from the
cabin, and with one slash with a knife he cut
the spanclos which hampered the limbs of
the animal and with a bound was upon her
back, and directing his course toward Henne-
]>iu da.shed off at a fearful rate. Dimick
reached Houne[)iu in safety, and at 4 o'clock
in the afternoon of the same day a company
of well armed men arrived and relieved the
little garrison of their imprisonment When
the rescuing party had arrived within two
miles of the cabin the Indians were discov-
ered to be in motion; occasional glimpses of
the crouching form of an Indian here and
there dodging, skulking aod retreating could
be discerned from the cabin, until they

t»*OX

^ho

\ TlUD^

v-"*"";,v«..

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

wholly disappeared some minutes before as-
sistance arrived."

The body of Phillips was taken to Henne-
pin and buried — the first grave dug and the
first burial in the Hennepin cemetery — in
June, 183'.^.

In the history of Putnam County, by the
Rev. H. Vallette "Warren, we find the follow-
ing reference to this tragedy:

" A parry of men going from Hennepin to
Dover, sixteen miles distant, to secure
their cattle, were followed and watched all
night by Indians, and in the mornin>; a man
named Phillips was shot as he came out of
the cabin in which they had passed the
night. The Indians then fled. A boy named
Dimmick rode to Hennepin and gave the
alarm. It was the day of the disbanding of
the rangers, many of whom were there.
About thirty of them, as many as could be
gotten over the river in time, responded and
hastened to Dover, where they found the body
of Phillips lying as he fell and his companions
still in the cabin. The Indians were fol-
lowed but not overtaken. The company re-
turned to Hennepin, bearing the remains of
the unfortunate man, and Thomas Hartzell,
J. S. Simpson, H. K. Zenor and Williamson
Durley, selected a burying-place and assisted
in burying the only man who fell by the
hands of the Indians within the limits of
Putnam County, and the first to till a grave
in the burying-ground of Hennepin."

JE. S. Phelps, Jr., delivered a memorial
tribute to the memory of Ebenezer Strong
Phelps, who was born in Northampton, Mass.,
September 3, 1788. June, 1803, he appren-
ticed to the jewelry business. February 12,
1812, married Anna Wright, with whom he
lived over sixty years. When married he
commenced business in his trade and followed
this till 1851. In 1816 he was elected Dea-
con in the church. At the organization of

the Hampshire Church, Princeton, in 1831,
he was chosen Deacon. In 1828 he proposed
getting up a colony to come to Illinois, and
succeeded in organizing one in 1831, and on
May 4, 1831, the colony, in company with
Phelps' two sons, started for Illinois. Mr.
Phelps with the remainder of his family fol-
lowed June 13, and arrived at Springfield,
111., where he went to work at his trads,
where he remained until 1838. He was
elected Elder in the Springfield Presbyterian
Church, and was again elected Deacon of the
Hampshire Colony Church on coming to
Princeton, which position he held until his
strength deserted him. He was Treasurer of the
church many years: for some time a Justice
of the Peace; School Treasurer for township
about twenty-five years; an active worker in
the Sunday-school, he was Sunday-school
Superintendent both in Springfield and
Princeton; an active anti-slavery man. and an
earnest temperance advocate from 1828 till
the day of his death. February 24, 1862,
his golden wedding was celebrated. On his
eightieth birthday he had a family re union
and then and there arranged for his fu-
neral; his Sims E. H., E. S. and J. R.,
and his son-in-law J. S. Bubach, were to be
the pall bearers, and L. J. Colton was to take
charge of the funeral. In February his health
began to rapidly fail and on March 19, 1872,
"his spirit went to sing with the glorified
ones."

Anna (Wright) Phelps died in Princeton,
July 6, 1873.

Deacon Caleb Cook, one of the early set-
tlers and from the day of his coming until
his death a prominent and influential citizen
of the county, died of gastric fever, March
27, 1876, age, sixty-eight years.

He came to the county in 1834, and was
at one time President of the Bureau County
Old Settlers' Society. When Mi-. Cook was

100

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

elected President he returned thanks in a few
appropriate remarks, briefly aHuding to his
trip on horseback in 1S35, from Montgomery
County to the hotel of Elijah Smith in the
vicinity of Princeton, and said that after
a night spent with Smith he mounted
again and started in search of Cornelius
Corss, who had a claim to sell. On the road
he came across a young man building a fence
around a hay stack; he intimated that this
then young man was in the audience and he
was asked to come forward.

John M. Gay. — This brought John M.
Gay to his feet. He Vas nearly eighty years
of age, and he said that old as he was, he was
nearly as diffident as the Chairman (Cook).
He stated that he came to West Bureau, 1830;
was driven oS twice by the Indians, but re-
turned, located the place afterwards sold to
Mr. Tucker. He was the first Justice of the
Peace on this side the river, and by virtue of
this office married several of the early settlers;
among those he remembered Mr. Munson,
who married a daughter of William Hall,
who was killed by the Indians, and Mrs. Mun-
son was one of the captive "Hall Girls."
Mr. Gay said he remembered officiating at
the wedding of Abram Strattan and George
Hinsdale. He said he vividly remembered the
Hinsdale marriage, because a man named
Timothy Perkins had requested his services.
Gay's horse was in the pasture and he started
to catch him and it turned out to be an all day
job; when he did get him he started in haste to
the place; he soon met the wedding party
coming to meet him, and as this meeting was
close by a deserted cabin, the party dis-
mounted, entered the cabin, and on the dirt
floor, without doors or windows, and amid
these royal surroundings the happy and joyful
wedding took place, and all mounted (two on
a horse) and returned as they came. Was
this not a jolly wedding trip?

At the close of Mr. Gay's remarks, Mrs.
Gay rose up and stood by the side of her
husband, to the great delight of the audi-
ence.

First Child Born. — The President, Caleb
Cook, then introduced to the old settlers Mrs.
Jacob Sells, as "the first white child born this
side the Illinois River." We presume this
officially and authoritatively settles the al-
ways greatly vexed question as to who was
the really "first child born," out of always
the numerous claimants. Mrs. Jacob Sells
was the second daughter of Henry Thomas.

Tn a conversation with Mr. Kitterman the
matter of the first birth was brought up. He
remarked that he was present when the ques-
tion came up before the old settlers and with-
out saying a word he heard it settled as
above stated, but nevertheless he then be-
lieved and still believes that his third child,
Ann, was really the first child born in what
is now Bureau County. There are circum-
stances strongly pointing to Mr. Kitterman's
recollection as being the truth of the matter.
Mrs. Sells was born "this side of the river,"
but it is told by some that she was really
born in Peoria, where Mrs. Thomas had gone
in anticipation of the event. Let us crown
them both ."the first born," as the county is
large enough to honor the two forever.

Aquilla Triplett, Sr., was born in Culpep-
per County, Va., August 6, 1807. At the age
of 10, with his parents, he removed to Mus-
kingum County, Ohio, where he married
Miss Elizabeth Wilson, August 20, 1829.
The family came to Bureau County in 1834.
For a long time Mr. Triplett was personally
actjuaintod with every soul in the county and
was universally respected for his industry
and integrity. He reared a large family.
He was a member of the Baptist Church, and
in all his walks of life was an exemplary and
consistent Christian. His nature was whollv

HISTORY-OF BUREAU COUNTY.

101

sunshiny and genial, and his descendants are
worthy and excel lent people.

At the Old Settlers' meeting, September
6, 1877, under the signature of " S," was
written a stirring " Greeting Song," to the
tune of the " Morning Light is Breaking."
One couplet runs:

" We talk of da}'s now olden,
Yet to us never new;
Where mem'rie's sky is golden
With bright and varied hue;
And like the hill-tops glowing
With beauty, distance gives.
The days and in years going.
Gave joys that ever live."

The officers chosen at this meeting for the
ensuing year were: President, Elder John
Cole; Vice-Presidents, Simon Elliott and
William Hoblet; Secretary and Treasurer, E.
S. Phelps: Directors, H. C. Field, C. W.
Combs and Martin Tompkins.

Mr. Ai-thitr Bryant said: " I came to this
State in 1830 and settled in Jacksonville.
Came to Bureau in the spring of 1833. The
people here were all of that class which the
land speculators called squatters. We could
not hny the land at that time for it was not
in the market. I camped eight weeks in a
wagon while I was putting up a cabin. In
1835 the land in this district was offered for
sale. All of what is Bitreau and ilarshall
Counties was in Putnam County. We went
up to Galena to bid our laud off in July, 1835.
The Township of Princeton was nearly all
bought at that sale. I bid off the land for
nearly all my neighbors. I have been try-
ing lately to think who were voters in 1835.
I can now think of but seven. " [Unfortunately
he did not name them.]

A poem written in 1831, by Arthur Bryant,
was then read. It was entitled " Emigra-
tion." The opening lines are a touching
apostrophe to the old home, saying:

" Come, 'ere we quit our native home.
Afar in an unknown land to roam.
Let us rove the meadow and woodland o'er,
And look on the scenes we may see no more.

* « * * » .» »
All, all are lovel}'; but loveliest to-day.

For we know that to-morrow we leave them for aye.

* * *****
Farewell to the forests, to hill and dell.

To the home of our fathers a long farewell !

Farewell forever our native laud

By the breath of the mountain breezes fanned;

O'er the boundless lakes that glitter afar.

We track the beams of the Western Star;

We hasten away to a distant clime.

To a soil untilled since the morning of time.

Where never arose the cottage smoke

Nor share of the plowman that greensward broke,

Where the grassy plains were never shorn.

Save the rushing flames bj' the fierce winds borne;

And countless ages their shadows cast

On the scenes of its unrecorded past."

And then the poet proceeds to tell us what
hie eyes beheld as he trudged along to the
' 'distant Wes|" And here in beautiful words
are painted that other side of the story of the
cruel hardships, the dreary loneliness of the
travelers in the wide wastes.

"But desert lies the beauteous land

As fresh as it came from its Maker's hand."

*****
As the sun comes up from a sea of gold
And the mists from the face of the morning are

rolled,
Lo! the verdant wastes in the brightening ray,
O'er swell and o'er hollow stretch far away,
And the sounds, we listen, the objects we view
To the ear and the ej' e are pleasant and new.
The thickets that skirt the untrodden way
With the crab and the wild plum arc fra:;rant and

gay.

The painted cup flaunts its leaves of red
Like a sheet of flame on the prairie spread,
The violet springs on the sunny swells.
The lungwort hangs forth its azure bells.
The red-bud bloomS on the forest bowers,
The paw-paw opens its dusk}- flowers.
On the green savannas spreading far
Shows the varied phlox its brilliant star.
The crane's harsh note is heard on high

102

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

As he floats like a speek on the azure sky.
The trumpet voice of the wild swan sounds,
O'er the busli and hillock the wild deer bounds,
From the new-leaved branches that sway above
Comes the plaintive coo of the turtle dove,
Tlie prairie bird in his amorous play.
Hails w-ith l)Oom and with song the dawn of day;
And the southwest wind, with its warm caress.
Breathes joy through the blossoming wilderness.
We hail the land of the distant West."

Then the poet ttirns in his imagination to
the future of this smiling hand, where he says
sometime:

"On clods that shelter the red man's grave

Shall the tall maize spring and the green wheat

wave;
The forests tliat rang with the Indian's yell,
Shall echo the sound of the Sabliathbell;
Where the gaunt wolf howled and the panther

strayed,
And the grim bear stalked in the woodland shade,
The schoolboy's shout, and the drow.sy hum
Of traffic and toil on the ear shall come."

» * * * *

"Away to the distant West, away!"

The very soul of the young brave pioneer
is here siven out in sweetest song. It is the
window to the inward real man, and in his
immortal vorso he has left us an tiiimistak-
able index to himself, his ago, and the times
and men who turned their faces toward the
"distant West," and wTotight here the finest
jewel in our sisterhood of States.

E. Strong Phelps' Address: — At this meet-
ing, the principal address was made by Mr.
Phelps. Ho commences by saying that ho
only claims to represent that class of our old
settlers who were expected "to bo soon, not
heard." Those whoso "hair would persist in
coming through their hats; who waited for
the second taldo and slept under tho oavim in
the loft." Ho proceeds to ajiologizo for at-
tempting to spoak in that character to "tell
of the recollections of children" and "foar
Ktich may not very interesting." The truth'
is that just bore he was striking out in a new

and most interesting path of observation —
something that its very novelty would have
made it remarkable, even if the substance was
not a splendid treat. He insists that as chil-
dren of the old settlers, they tilled their places
tolerably full and in happy content. He then
bears willing testimony to the fact that even
at the second table they found plenty to eat
and that they slept as soundly in their "bunks
itnder the eaves, as did other children in
grander rooms and softer beds.'' He then
comments on the change in the face of the
country since first he looked upon it, as fol-
lows: "What was known as the big slough,
between Princeton and Dover, where we went
miles to find a crossing place, is now a mere
ditch with btil little water running in it; where
the grass was so tall that it came up to the
horses' sides as we passed along, are now corn-
fields and growing orchards. I have seen the
water deep enough, after heavy rains, to nav-
igate a good-sized steamboat, in a slotigh
near my father's house, that is now perfectly
dry; and on the site of the pond, where we,
as boys, shot ducks and went swimming, the
American House and business houses on the
east side of Main Street (Princeton), now
stand.

He thinks his father was tho first to erect
a house at a distance from the timber; the
family came in 1830, and made an improve-
ment one mile northeast of the Princeton
depot. He says: "My first impressions
were wo lived a great way off from anywhere;
that we were in imininont danger of freezing
to death in the winter; that we were Yankees
and very peculiar people anyway, as we lived
in a frame house away out on tho prairie,
instead of living in a fashionable log-house
in the timber. 1 think some of our neigh-
bors looki'il upon us much tho same way tho
citizens of Chicago would look upon one who
should go and voluntaril}' make his home at

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUiSTTY.
\

103

the lake crib, instead of settling in tlie resi-
dent part of the city. It seemed such an
unlikely place to live. Oui" little improve-
ment seemed like some little crib in mid-
water, and the winds were continually send-
ing the grassy waves of the gi-eat prairie lake
against it, threatening utterly to destroy it.
I have stood on the banks of Long Island
Sound when the tide was coming in, and
they recalled vividly to my mind the old
home of my childhood days upon the western
prairie. But when, as was often the case,
the prairie tires were started and came upon
us with their flame and smoke, then indeed
we were in great danger, and many a hard
hour's work have we performed, to save our
little all from its devoui-ing fury. I remem-
ber that my father, before he knew how
deceiving the fires were to the eye at night,
set out a back fire to protect us from one that
seemed coming over the ridge of prairie not
a quarter of a mile from us, and that caused
much alarm and some danger to persons at
some distance north of us — when it was
afterward found that the fire was on the
Providence Prairie, eight or ten miles from
us.

'•There was no trouble with the Indians
after we moved here; yet my mother was
once badly frightened by them. It being
Sunday, all our family but herself and an
infant daughter, had gone to church. On
going out of doors my mother saw a large
body of Indians, some of whom were getting
over the fence in the corn-field. In great
alarm she went into the house, barred the
door, ascended into the loft with her infant
and rifle and pulled the ladder by which she
reached it up after her, and waited for the
fate she was sure was coming, resolving to
sell her life as dearly as possible. The attack
was delayed longer than she had expected,
but still she stayed there until the voice of

my father coming home with his family and
asking admittance, convinced her that she
could safely descend, and then she learned
they were friendly Indians, being removed
to their reservation west of the Mississippi,
and that their destructive powers were bent
upon the roasting ears only.

" Another great danger we had was of get-
ting lost, especially at night. I remember
one Saturday night a younger brother of
mine was sent to take home a cousin of ours,
who resided near Dover. Not coming back
as soon as expected, and night and a thunder
storm both coming on, I was sent to meet him.
Failing in doing so, I kept on to my uncle's
home, where I found that he had started but
had taken the wrong road. The storm over-
taking me there, however, I stayed all night.
My parents finding that neither of us came
home, concluded my brother had not started
home before the storm, and they therefore
were not alarmed. T proceeded home Sun-
day morning to find that my brother had not
been home at all. A search by all about
the place, together with the neighbors was
immediately instituted, and after some time
the trail was foiind and followed. He had
turned the seat over during the storm and
crawling under it, had let the horse have his
own way and had finally gone to sleep. The
horse at one time had come near home and
then turned directly away. He was found in
the afternoon four or five miles away and
brought home.

"Being too young to work I was employed to
run errands. I was once sent to our neigh-
bor, Elijah Smith, to obtain some peas for
planting. Furnished with a tin pail I mount-
ed a horse and went and obtained them and
started on my return. As I liked to ride fast
I stai-ted in a brisk trot; the peas began to
rattle and 'away went John Gilpin' — the
harder the horse ran the louder the peas

104

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

rattled — as long as there was one left to rattle,
That was a poor pea year at our house.

"Our school was in a log-houstsin the edge
of the timber, near tha residence of John
Ament, and where the brick now stands
north of the Princeton depot. I can see it
to-day as it stood long ago, with its stick
chimney, slab seats and writing desk, where
we faced the wall when we went to write.
But our schoolhouse was up to the time after
all, as it had glass windows and a wooden
floor, and a pail of water was always in the
corner to use if the chimney got on fire.
How well I remember the path through the
hazel bushes that led to it. The spring
where we obtained our water and the hornets'
nest between it and the house, where at the
boys' recess we clubbed it until they became
so enraged that it was almost impossible to
pass it going to the spring without being
stung. Woe to the girl who came down the
path to the spring during the recess, for they
generally paid the penalty of our misdeeds
until they learned to give it a wide berth.
Then there was the opening in the bushes
where we had our play-ground, on one side of
which ran the Dixon stage road. How we
used to run for it when we board the sound
of the stage driver's horn, and what shouts
and eager faces greeted it as it passed. Then
the nuttings, the strawberry ings, the black-
berryings we had, marred only )>y the dread of
rattlesnakes and sometimes' the thought that
we were playing tiiiant.

"Among the many teachers of those days,
I have only time to speak of one, who stands
out before my mind's eye more prominently
than the rest; one who taught me to study
for its own sake; from whom 1 parted with
real regret at the close of school and onlj'
wished that I was old enough to marry her
and bo with her always. Many years have
passed since then, liut liright through the

past and brighEThrough the future will ever
shine the fairest and best to me of the teach-
ers of the old log schoolhouse — Amelia
Smith.

"We used to have our rough-and-tumble fun
too in those old days; especially when the big
boys came to school in the winter, when
the teacher had to go on his muscle, and
black eyes and bloody noses were sometimes
in fashion. A teacher who did not use his
authority by force when the boys got into
difficulty, had a hard time to succeed. "Town
ball ' and ' bull pen' were played with a vim,
and when the boys threw a ball they toeant
to bit. Sometimes these sports were varied
by "We are marching onward to Quebec,"
and the "Needle's eye," but I alwaj-s noticed
that us small boys could march right along to
Quebec without molestation and pass the
"needle's eye" without fail, while the biff
boys had great trouble in the matter. We
must have sorely tried the patience of our
teachers in those days. I remember we were
called upon to recite a verse from the Bible
each day, and how the book was searched for
the shortest verses in it, and " rejoice ever-
more," "Jesus wept," and such shoi"t verses
were repeated many times ever^v day. But at
last we reached the end of our rope, for the
whole school, from the largest to the smallest,
repeated the same verse ' ' And the Lord spake
unto Moses, saying. " The teacher then
drew the line right hero and each one of us
had to take our seats and get a separate verse
before we could go home. Then we had our
debating clubs and old fashioned spelling-
schools, and I shall always remember the
time when they failed to get us spelled down
from Webster's Elementary and had to resort
to the Bible, or how I wont down under the
work " Israelite."'

" Nor can I forgot the singing-school we
had in the early times. We wont long dis-

HISTORY OF BUKEAU COUNTY.

105

tances in those days to attend them; and I
have a suspicion that it was not a desire of
learning music that brought them all there,
but we had a good time nevertheless. As
usual from out the sea of faces that meet the
mind's eye in those singing-schools of long
ago, one face and one voice appears more
prominent than the rest. For long years her
body has rested in the leafy shades of om-
quiet Oakland; but through all the years I
still see that sweet face, and here the sweeter
voice of that singer of the olden time — Catha-
rine Allen. Among the teachers of music
too, there is one we cannot forget. He sleeps
also in our fair Oakland, but to many hearts
there will come thoughts of pleasure and
regret at the mention of the name of our old
singing teacher — James Perry."

He then tells briefly of the earliest days
of the Underground Railroad, and especially
of Clapp Station, etc. etc. He then produced
an old account book of Gay & Olds, and for
the year 1837 he quoted some of the entries
as follows:

SUNDRIES DR. TO OAT & OLDS.

Wm Shepherd, i pound tea 2,5

James S. Everett, 8 pounds sugar 1.00

Micheal Leonard, 320 lbs. salt 8.00

Obadiah Britt, 5 lbs. nails 63

Madison Studyvant, 3 oz madder 06

Jesse Moler, 24 doz. cotton yarn 4.80

William Elom, tobacco 13

Joel Doolittle, 1 pr pants 4..50

Elias Rodgers, 3 yds cassimere 4.50

Stephen Burnham, Sadirons 1.13

Sett knives and forks 1.38

Sett spoons 37

Tea cups 25

Pair scissors 37

Ma] Joseph Smith, 1 lb tobacco 75

James G. Faristol, i lb tobacco 37

John H. Bryant 1 letter 25

John Clapp then told how he came to the
county in 1834. He told of having a sister
that vras afraid of the Indians, and could not

handle the rifle, so she made overtures of
peace and friendship by offering them pan-
fuls of doughnuts; this had a most taming
effect on the Indiaas, and they would some-
times swarm about the premises, humble
and hungry for more doughnuts.

Micheal Kitterman. — The big-hearted, big-
brained, though unlettered old Roman — a
superb type of a grand old pioneer, vras
forced to get up and talk to his old friends,
acquaintances and admirers. He said-

"I came to this county in 1828, and looked
around and thought the country would suit
me pretty well. In 1831, about the 18th of
March, I left Indiana and thought I would
come out to this country. I came on down
here to the Mackinaw; it was high, I
couldn't get across. I didn't know what to
do. I did not like to lay by. A man told
me if I would go up to the Narrows I could
cross by swimming my horse. I went there
and found it so. A man there showed me
over the river and said : ' you can't go
through to-day.' I had faith I could; I had
a good horse, and mount^ and started on a
wagon-track and traveled until it was dark,
and then I got down and sat on my saddle,
and held my mare by the bridle all night.
It commenced getting cold and snowed a lit-
tle, not enough however to cover the wagon
track. In the morning I put my saddle on
my mare and started. At 4 o'clock that day
I struck the rapids above La Salle. I stopped
at a house near by — every man kept tav-
ern then — they got me something to eat.
Next day I came down to Heunepen; there
was no way of crossing the river. I hired
Jim Willis, for half a dollar to ferry me over
to the Hall settlement. I hired out to old
Johnny Hall for six months at $9 a month.
Every Sunday I would get a chain and ax
of him, and I hauled up two or three logs
each day and built me a cabin. Then I went

106

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

back for a woman, and when I got her and
came back there was a man living in my
cabin. This was on Section 16. I had not
a dollar in the world. I drove down to where
I now live and have lived there ever since.
I cut a log about four feet long and put some
coals in it and bui-ned a mortar; perhaps I
was a week doing it of nights. I got my
mortar dug out and got me a pestle, and
every night I pounded meal enough to do me
next day. I never enjoyed myself so much
in my life as I did then. When the mills
were built I went up to the Fox River and got
a grist. When I wanted salt I had to go to
Chicago. It would take me eight days to go
up and eight days to come back. I took my
food along; when I was there once I wanted
some whisky; I went all over Chicago for it.
I could get whisky, but nothing to put it in.
Well, I went into a saloon and the keeper
said: 'I've got a five-gallon jug.' Well,
what will you fill it for? Says he: 'I'll put
in the five gallons and give you the jug for
a dollar.' I took it. I lived under the
wagon as I came home, and had all the
whisky I wanted to drink. I believe I have
split enough rails at 50 cents a hundred to
fence in the township. I have split 500
rails a day at $8 a month."

Mr. Kitterman was born in Franklin
County, Va., near Rockmount, the county
seat, about the beginning of the year
1800. He found his way to Indiana an
orphan boy, and stopped in Harrison County
August 18, 18'20. He married Miss Lydia
Clark in Perry County, Ind., a native of Nel-
son County, Ky., born September 15, 1810.

I For family genealogy see biography in the
biographical part of this work. Ed.]

H<! came West in 1828 to look at the
country, and, as he says, he liked it, and in
18;jO, with a saddle horse and just $4
in the world. He left wife and two

babies and came to where he now lives to
prepare a home. In his own language he tells
how he hired to Hall for 89 a month, and
during the six months thus engaged he would
"rest on Sunday" by getting out a few logs,
and thus patiently the young man built his
cabin. After a long and arduous trip he
reached here with his wife and babes with not
a dollar in his pocket. He drove to his cabin
and there found "Curt'' Williams in pos-
session — had " jumped" his claim and would
neither give it up nor agree to pay a cent for
it. Without wasting time or words upon
this rather unneighborly man Mr. Kitterman
proceeded to the spot where he now lives and
unloaded his wagon, and from that hour to
this he has stayed there on the lookout foi
"jumpers." And there is no doubt, as he
says, that in his " whole life these were my
[his] happiest days." A nature so full of the
sweet sunshine of life richly deserves the
long and prosperous voyage, the rich endow-
ment in worldly goods, the green old age, the
large and respectable families of children and
grandchildren, and the troops of friends that
surround the walk in life and cheer and
solace the declining years of Micheal Kitter-
man, and "his woman," as he styles his
good old lady who has now for fifty-eight
years, through storms and through sunshine
stood bravely by his side, a truly noble com-
panion and worthy helpmeet. To visit and
talk with this venerable old couple is a rare
treat. Their days have been spared and
blessed until they have been long in the land,
and to look at them cheerful, happy and con-
tented, vigorous, hale and hearty as they are,
their greatest delight being in recounting the
reminiscences of the past in which the true
charity of heart has forgotten the little of
the mean of life that crossed their ]iathway,
is to behold a picture of a worthy couple into
whose lives has come all the sweetness of

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

107

suDshine that makes the world wholesome,
pleasant and good.

Mr. Kitterman's broad and charitable mind
is aptly illustrated in his statement of the
loss of his claim and hard-earned cabin by
the " jumper." And when the war had
frightened Williams away, and as he did not
return as soon as the other settlers, Mr. Arthur
Bryant, supposing he had abandoned it, com-
menced to work upon the claim and lis and
improve the house and prepare it for his
home. Bat Williams did return, and biding
his time, he waited until Bryant had improved
it considerably and then, one night he moved
in and thus really "jumped" it the second
time. Mr. Brj^ant went to Kitterman and
wanted to consult him aud probably strength-
en his title by getting him to release his claim
to him. The two talked the matter over and
it appearing that Williams would leave for
$20, Mr. Kitterman advised Bryant to pay
this and get rid of him. His advice was
followed.

When visiting Mr. Kitterman, the writer
reminded the old gentleman that he had
heard some amusing anecdotes of him, and
wanted to know if they were authentic.

"They tell a great many stories on me,"
he replied, "but they ai-e only jokes. Some
of them, I expect. I made up and told my-
self, just to tell a story, you know. What is
your story?"

The writer related Boyd's story about the
Assessor and dogs. How the Assessor had
called, and Kitterman, being warned just
before by Boyd that he was assessing the
dogs, and that he would soon be there, etc. ,
whereupon he called his dogs and shut them
in the cellar. In a little while the Assessor,
Payne, arrived. Soon the property was gone
over and assessed, and then he said he had
to assess the dogs. He looked around and
could see none, and Kitterman remarked that

he believed his boys claimed one or two
trifling curs that hung around the place, and
made some remark about boys and dogs gen-
erally. Thus the dog subject was tided over,
and as they sat on the porch, the apples and
hard cider were at hand, the tax books were
closed and all joined in a pleasant social chat,
eating apples and drinking cider. Boyd had
stayed, and the party were enjoying them-
selves, and chatting and joking in great glee.
Finally the pitcher was emptied, and Mr.
Kitterman ordered one of his boys to fill the
pitcher. The lad obeyed, but knowing noth-
ing of the dogs being in the cellar, he threw
open the cellar door and out came thirteen
dogs in a rush for the open air and frisking
about the men and wagging their tails and
barking their joy to their master and his
guests for their liberty.

The men looked at each other and finally
all joined in a hearty laugh. No words were
equal to the occasion. The joke was too
good, and no doge were chai'ged' to either
Kitterman or his boys that year.

Mr. Kitterman laughed heartily at the
story and said, just as he expected, "There
was no truth in it."

"Indeed there is," said Mrs. Kitterman;
" it is all true, but a good deal stronger than
you told it. I tell you to put it in your book
and make it as strong as you can, and then it
won't be half enough."

The Kitterman family consisting of six sons
and four daughters living, is one of the lead-
ing, wealthy and influential families of Bu-
reau County. They are surrounded by their
sons and sons-in-law, and the people of the
county all join in wishing the cheery old
couple to be spared many days yet in the
land.

Mr. Kitterman is an open-hearted, fearless,
outspoken, manly man. The opposite every
way of the braggart and the loud-canting

108

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUXTY.

Pharisee. A man of worthy deeds, strong
sense and no pretensions. A self-made man;
the architect wholly of his own fortune, who
has builded wisely and well. He is the old-
est living settler in Bureau County — now the
surviving link between the present and the
past. Living or dead we would transmit his
noble deeds and good name untarnished to
the remotest generation, inseparably linked
with the history of Bureau County.

At the old settlers' meeting, August 15,
1878, John H. Bryant was elected presiding
officer, and E. S. Phelps, Secretary. The
meeting was commenced with prayer by
George Hammer, an old settler of 1834, who
came with his uncle, John Hammer. John
Clapp, C. P. Mason and Pi. B. Frary were
appointed a committee to select officers for
the coming year. President Cole gave an ac-
count of the Black Hawk war. Officers for
the ensuing year were elected as follows:
Arthur Bryant, President; J. Benedict and
H. Moore, Vice-Presidents; John Walters,
T. Nichols, Alanson Benson, Directors;
Stephen G. Paddock, Secretary. H. B. Lee-
per talked to the old settlers, and amused
them for some lime. John Walters gave
some amusing facts about his tailoring in
Princeton from 1837 to 1840. R. B. Frary
told the particulars of three families living
in one house 14x10, and how the broom-maker
and the basket-maker, in addition, carried on
their trades in the same room, and how there
was room enough and to sjiare.

In 1882 the old settlers met at the fair
grounds. President, T. W. Nichols. Prayer
by Elder Andrew Ross. An address was
delivered by the President. Cyrus Colton,
R. B. Frary and J. H. Bryant appointed a
committee to select otlicers for ensuing year.
Reported following: President, Milo Ken-
dall; Secretary and Treasurer, H. B. Lee-
per; Executive tJommittee, Milo Kendall,

George B. Gushing, C. T. Wiggins. Then R.

F. Frary presented an address on the life of
John Clapp. G. M. Radeliffe gave sketches
of Charles S. Boyd, Mrs. Austin Bryant,
Mrs. J. V. Thompson, Mrs. Fanny Moseley
and Edward R. Bryant. Milo Kendall read
an interesting paper on John Elliott, and O.

G. Lovejoy read a poem by John H. Bryant.
Zebinah Eastman gave an account of the
Hampshire Colony.

Old settlers met at the fair grounds, Sep-
tember 6, 1883. President, T. W. Nich-
ols; Secretary, H. B. Leeper. Prayer by
Rev. T. L. Pomeroy. Committee to nomi-
nate officers: T. L. Pomeroy, George Ham-
mer and George Phelps; and John Walters was
chosen President; Vice-Presidents, xindrew
Ross and L. D. Whiting; Secretary, Ro-
mane Hodgeman. Roll-call of the deceased
of the past year was as follows: Mrs.
Liicy Cook. Mrs. Jacob Bettz, Dr. Joseph
Jones, Dr. Avery, Mrs. Elliott, Arthur Bry-
ant, Mrs. A. Boyd, Mrs. David Wells, Dea-
con Asahel Wood, William Frankeberger,
John Proutz, Alby Colton, Charles Faley, Mrs.
Sarah Musgrove, Mrs. Brookbanks, Walter
Dm-ham, Mrs. R. T. Templeton, George
Brown, Sarina Clapp, and Mrs. H. R. Pom-
eroy. Appropriate eulogies were pronounced
on each.

August 30, 1884, a meeting of the old set-
tlers convened at the fair grounds. Presi-
dent, John Walters; Secretary, H. B. Leeper;
commenced witli prayer by Dr. R. Edwards;
singing led by Streator; and John H. Bry-
ant, Cyrus Colton and George Pholps ap-
pointed a committee to select officers for the
ensuing year. H. C. Bradsby delivered an
adilress, when the society adjourned for din-
ner. After dinner the amphitheatre was again
filled anil short and interesting addresses
were made by John H. Bryant, Rev. T. L.
Pomeroy, Dr. William ]\Iercer, L. D. Whiting,

HISTORY or BUREAU COUNTY.

109

G. M. Radcliffe, Deacon Henry Wells, George
W. Hammer, J. E. Dorr, Nicholas Smith,
Rev. J. Coles and A. W. Bacon. These
speeches were short, stirring and deeply in-
teresting and elicited much applause. Rev.
T. L. Pomeroy said that in coming to Illinois
in 1837, he arrived at Chicago, and then took
the stage for Hennepin. This was a small
coach that started out every morning, and at
that time furnished all the transportation
the country lying west of Chicago needed.
Mr. Hammer said he came in 1834, with his
uncle, John Hammer. He graphically de-
scribed some of the straits the family were
subjected to in the way of getting something
to eat; how he had carried corn on his shoul-
der to mill, and then with his own hands
ground it and carried it back; how, when his
uncle had gone on a three weeks' trip to a
mill about 100 miles east of the Illinois River,
he had informed his aunt that he suspected
the bushel of sweet potatoes his uncle had
brought and holed up so carefully for seed in
the spring, were frozen, and how he got
her consent to examine them and, sure enough,
they were as hard as rocks, and they there-
fore ate them; and this and scant corn meal
and meat was the only variety the family had
to eat during the winter: thus again proving
that it is an ill wind that blows nobody any
good.

The roll-call of the deceased of the society
since the last meeting, gave the following
list: Edward Mercer, James AVinsor, James
Garvin, James Swan and A. S. Lathrop.

James Hamrick was a native of Lancaster
County, Ohio, born February 3, 1815; was a
son of John and Elizabeth (Spenny) Ham-
rick, who had come from Virginia. Four of
their children out of eleven, are now living.
The family came in 1839, and settled at Cen-
ter Grove.

The name of Henrv Thomas occurs fre-

quently in the history of the county. He
was among, if not the first settler in the
county.

Of his family now living are: Austin C.
Thomas, now in Oregon; Laura, wife of John
Stuchel, now in Peoria. There are many facts
that go to show that she was the first born white
child in Bureau, or, perhaps it was Mary Ho-
bart (Thomas), who was born January 15,
1830, and now lives in Dover. As Mrs. Ho-
bart is yet a citizen of the counfy, and can
show days and dates, we incline to give her
the blue ribbon among the first born in the
county. Other childi'en of Henry Thomas
are Emily Jackson, of Bureau Township,
Sarah Lumry, of Kansas, and Electa Martin,
now in the county.

Ezekiel Thomas' family are: Ruth J.
Frankeberger, a widow, of Wyanet; Sarah
Ballard, of same place; Matilda Fisher, of
Princeton ; Harvey Thomas, same place; John,
of Oregon; Mary Walker, same; Malinda
Houk, of Princeton; Hartzel, of Peoria; Will-
iam and Nora Epperson, of Oregon.

William Hoskins was anative of Kentucky;
lived many years in Indiana, and came here
in 1831, and settled in Selby. His wife was
Rebecca Kellums. They had five boys and
one girl. The boys: Thomas, James, Wesley,
Jesse H. and William W.; Lucinda married
James Hosier. This family are all either
dead or removed from the State. Judge
Hoskins died in Missouri, 1849. He had
improved four farms in this county.

Rev. William Martin was one of the
earliest ministers here. He was a native of
Virginia. He was President of the first
Conference in Chicago. He took his dog
" Penny " with him, and when he got there
a committee met him for a reception, and as
he mingled in the crowd he lost sight of
"Penny,'* and the ceremony was at once
stopped while the President started down

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

street calling. "Here Penny! Here Penny!
Here Penny! '' as loud as he was in the habit
of callint; hoi's from the woods in Bureau.
In fact his voice rang out all over the city,
and Penny soon heard the familiar sounds,
and master and dog were soon together and
the grand ceremonies of the Conference
then proceeded. Il is said by eye witnesses
that the large committee of aristocratic la-
dies that stood waiting the good man'.s pleas-
ore and his j'ells for Penny, was about as
amusing a sight as was ever witnessed at a
Church Conference. The Rev. Mr. Johnson
was in company with Mr. Martin, and he
says he tried to stop the man in his yells for
his dog, and told him that he was now in
the city, and he must not act so; that those
were very aristocratic ladie.s. Martin replied,
in the highest key, " What do I care —
Here Penny! — for the aristocratic — Here
Penny! — ladies or anybody else"? Here Pen-
ny! Here Penny!! Here! Here!! Here
Penny!!!"

Ste])hon Perkins was born March 31, 1798,
in (irayson County, Va. ; died in this county,
September 14, 1867. He was a sou of Tim-
othy and TaViitha (Anderson) Perkins. The
grandfather of Stephen was a soldier in the
Revolution. Stephen married Margaret
Woods, of Wythe County, Va., who was born
in liSO'i. She was the daughter of .John
Banhfun. The Perkinses crossed the river in
1834, and wintered in a log cabin three
miles northwest of Hennepin, wlicro Stephen
Perkins settled, and it was called Perkins'
Grove, which had been staked out by Will-
iam Perkins in 1833. The grove was named
after Timothy Perkins, who made and sold
claims from the iiiouth of Bureau to Perkins'
Gh-ove. He went liually to Missouri where
he died in Gentry County. Ho was of a
roving disposition; reared a large and re-
spectable family. .Jaljeth Perkins and his

son William came in 1833; but William re-
turned to Kentucky. .Jesse Pei'kins bought
Leonard Roth's claim in 1832, one mile west
of Bureau Junction, where he died. His
son Alvin lives near Senachwine.

Manson Perkins was born February 15,
1826, in Ashe County, N. C. He was a son
of Stephen Perkins.

In 1849 there was a party of fifteen started
for California from about Perkins' Grove;
among these were the Perkinses. John Per-
kins taught the first school in Perkins' Grove.

William Pollock, a native of Tyrone, Ire-
land, came to Illinois in 1832, and settled in
Stark County, and came to Perkins' Grove in
1837. He purchased William Anderson's
claim. Anderson was a Mormon Elder.
Anderson went to Nauvoo, and was killed in
the Hancock County war. Johnson W. Per-
kins, born here, married Edith A. Wasson,
daughter of Lorenzo T>. Wasson.

George C. Hinsdale came in Jttly, 1831.
He married Elizabeth Baggs, May 18, 1834.
(See biography.)

Christopher G. Corss came in 1831 with
the Hampshire Colony. (See biography of
C. C. Corss.)

CHAPTER IX.

LonkTree— Putnam County Okganized 1831 — Oaitain Haws-
John M. Gay Ki.kcted Commissionkr, Dr. N. Chamberi.aik.

SCUOOL Sri'ERINTKNDENT, 1S31 — BUHEAU I'KKCINCT — ItB FiRBT

Nineteen Voters — Their Names and WhomTiiet Voted For —
A Democratic Ma.tority— BrRCAiUTEs o» the Jury of 1831 —
John M. Gay and Daniel Dimsiicr Elected Justioks — Gurdon

8. nVBBAHD's ACOOU.NT or BoURIlONNAIS— PeoRIAAND GaLCNA

BoAD — Dave Jonek—FirktSteamiioat— First Grist anii Saw-
MiLi. — " Dad Joe " Smith, a Kketih— Vuuno Dah Joe's Ride—
Alkx. Hovd's Hide— The Uall Uassacre— Sylvia and Rachel
Hai.i. — Peoi'I.e Flee the Cousty — Sii\mii>SA.

OESUailNG the thread of our narrative
-L I' from wliii'h we swerved some little in
the preceding chapter, in our account of tiie
old settlers and their meetings and records,

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Ill

we will devote some considerable space in
this chapter to those facts and circumstances
as we have gleaned them of the early settlers,
and the course of their lives here when all
was new and wild.

Oliver Kellogg, brother- in- law of Dixon
and Boyd, was among the earliest pioneers in
this section, and when the route from Galena
became a traveled road, it went by the name
of Kellogg's trail, for many years.

As early as 1829, Meredith's, Thomas's,
Boyd's, Inlet's, Dixon's and Kellogg's were
noted places, as well as the old Bulbona and
Lone Tree, the latter giving its name to Lone
Tree Postoffice. From the earliest times
this great, solitary tree, standing alone in
the wide expanse of prairie, was widely
known. It was a grand old oak that for
ages had lifted its boughs and defied the
storms and pointed the way to the lonely
travelers, hunters and trappers; and when
civilization began to hunt out this partof the
world, it was a noted beacon, a towering
sentinel that told the weary pioneers that
they were upon the borders of the promised
land. This historic tree died some twenty
years ago, and was blown down, and Mr. E.
Anderson, who had become the owner of the
gi-ound on which it stood, had made a pasture
about it, and it is supposed the continuous
tramping of stock was partly the cause of its
eventual decay. We are indebted to An-
drew Anderson for a small block of this
Lone Tree, which is now doing service as a
paper weight on our table. When we are
through with it, it will be suitably identified
and placed in the custody of the Illinois
Historical Association.

Lone Tree is about the center of Wheat-
land Township, in the southern part of Bu-
reau County.

In the spring of 1831 Putnam County was
first organized into a municipality, and pos-

sessed of legal functions. Then new bound-
aries were given the county, that is, to the
boundaries in the act of 1825, authorizing
the county when sufficient population was
had to organize. At that time (1831) the
whole country north and west of Bureau set-
tlement to Galena and northeast including
Chicago were in the bounds. According to
the act of the Legislature on the first Mon-
day in March, 1831, at the house of Capt. Will-
iam Haws,* an election for county officers was
held, and to put the wheels of the new
county government in operation. John M.
Gay was elected one of the Commissioners of
the new county, and Dr. N. Chamberlain was
appointed School Commissioner. These were
both Bureau County men, and at the time
they were living in Bureau Precinct, Putnam
County. Bureau Precinct included all of the
present county and parts of Stark and Mar-
shall Counties. At the first election, August
18, 1831, there were just nineteen votes in
Bureau Precinct, as follows: Henry Thomas,
Elijah Epperson, Mason Dimmick, Leonard
Roth, John M. Gay, Samuel Glason, Curtiss
Williams, John and Justus Ament, J. W.
Hall, Henry Harrison, Abram Stratton, Eze-
kiel Thomas, Hezekiah aad Anthony Epper-
son, E. H. Hall, Adam Taylor, Daniel Dim-
mick and Thomas Washburn. This vote in
Bureau Precinct was given as follows, on
Candidates forCongress: Joseph Duncan, 10;
Sidney Breese. 1; Edward Cole, 6; James
Turney, 2. As Duncan was the " out and
outer " Democrat perhaps in the race, we
may be safe in saying that the first vote ever
polled of the good people of what is now
Bureau County was unmistakably Democratic.
In the month of May, 1831, the first court
of Putnam County met. The grand jury list

* This was Capt. Haws of the Black Hawk war, and whose

company was composed of several Bureau men, and who served
with him during that war. His house, at which this first elec-
tion was held, was near where Magnolia now is.

113

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

shows the names of Elijah Epperson, Henry
Thomas, Leonard Roth, Abram Stratton, John
Knox and Mr. Gaylord. On the petit jury
were Sylvester Brigham, Ezekiel Thomas,
Eli Rednion, Justin Ament and William
Morris. This court was at the trading-house
of Thoijjas Hartzell, a well-known place to
every old settler.

Gurdon S. Hubbard. — Our attention has
just been called to a letter from Mr. Hubbard
to the old settlers of Putnam County, and as
this gives us some important facts in refer-
ence to this county, we extract the following:
" Thomas Hartzell, who was a Pennsylvanian
by birth, was at that time, 1824, trading on
the river below in opposition to the American
Fur Company. In 1824-25, he succeeded
Beaubien in the employment of the company.
There was a house just below, across the
ravine, built by Antoine Bonrhonnais (Bul-
bona), also an opposition trader, but who, like
Hartzell, went into the employ of the Fur
Company under a yearly salary. My trading
post after leaving Beaubien was at the mouth
of Crooked Creek till 1826, when 1 located
on the Iroquois River, where I continued in
the employ of the company till 1830, when
I bought them out. The last time I visited
the place where the old trading-house stood,
the chimney was almost all that remained.
It was built almost wholly of clay, ui>on a
frame-work of wood, being supported by
stakes stuck firmly in the ground, the whole
daubed inside and out with clay mortar. The
hearth was of dry clay pounded hard. It was
the custom to build rousing lires, and this
soon baked and hardened the chimney and
gave it durability. The roof was made of
puncheons, the cracks well daubed with clay
and long grass laid on top and kept in place
by logs of small size. The sides of the
house consisted of logs ke])t in place by
posts sunk in the ground. The ends were

sapling logs set in the ground upright to the
roof. A rough door at one end and a window
composed of a sheet of foolscap paper, well
greased, completed the building. It was
warm and comfortable, and under the roof
many an Indian was hospitably entertained. "

Hubbai'd further tells of the great buffalo
herds he saw upon these prairies when he
first came here, and that passing boats "were
often delayed for hours by vast herds cross-
ing from side to side, among which it was
dangerous to venture." Indians accounted
for their disappearance by a deep snow and
a long hard winter when thousands perished,
and for years the whitening bones upon the
prairies were evidences of the truth of this
story.

Peoria and Galena Road. — This became a
prominent thoroughfare in 1827. The first
road connecting Peoria and the Lead Mines
(Galena) passed by Rock Island, and this
was a long and difficult route. John Dixon,
Charles S. Boyd and Kellogg had hunted out
this new, shorter and better road, and at the
time of the Winnebago war, 1827, Col. Neale,
with 600 volunteers from southern Illinois
passed over this new trail.

Soon after this road was opened, droves of
cattle and hogs, with emigrant and mining
wagons, as well as a daily mail coach, passed
over it, which made it one of the great thor-
oughfares of the West. For a number of
years after this road was opened, only six
cabins were built along its entire length, and
these stood fifteen or twenty miles apart, so
as to entertain travelers. Besides these six
cabins, no marks of civilization could be
seen between Peoria and Galena, and the
country through which it passed was still in
the possession of Indians.

This road originally passed through the
head of Boyd's Grove, over the town site of
Providence, a few rods west of Wyanet, and

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

113

by Red Oak Grove. Afterward it was
changed to pass through Dad Joe Grove, and
in 1833 it was made to pass through Tiskilwa
and Princeton.

In the spring of 1831 Dad Joe received a
large, sealed package, wi'apped around with
red tape, aud inscribed " Official Documents."
On opening it an order was found from the
Commissioner's Court of Jo Daviess County,
notifying him that he was appointed Overseer
of Highways, and fi.xing his district from the
north line of Peoria County to Rock River, a
distance of sixty-five miles. In this dis-
trict Dad Joe could only find four men, be-
sides himself, to work on this sixty-five miles
of road.

In 1833 an act passed the Legislature to
survey and permanently locate the Peoria
and Galena road, and appointed Charles S.
Boyd, J. B. Merrideth, and Dad Joe, Com-
missioners for that purpose. Although this
road had been traveled for six years, it had
never been surveyed or legally established,
and with the exception of bridging one or
two sloughs, no work had been done on it.
The Commissioners met at Peoria for the pur-
pose of commencing their work, and at the
ferry, now Front Street, they drove the first
stake. A large crowd of people had col-
lected on that occasion, as the location of the
road was to them a matter of some conse-
quence. Dad Joe, mounted on old Pat, ap-
peared to be the center of attraction, as he
was well known by every one about Peoria.
Eight years previously he was a resident of
Peoria, and while acting as one of the County
Commissioners he had located the county
seat there, and by him the name of the place
was changed from Fort Clark to Peoria.

Many of the old settlers will recollect old
Pat, Dad Joe's favorite horse, which was
ridden or driven by him for more than twenty
years, and he became almost as well known

in the settlement as his noted master. He
was a dark sorrel horse, with foxy ears, a star
in the forehead, a scar on the flank, and was
always fat and sleek. It was this horse that
young Joe rode when he carried the Govern-
or's dispatch from Dixon's Ferry to Fort
Wilburn, as previously stated.

Among the crowd that had collected
around the Commissioners on this occasion,
was John Winter, a mail contractor, and
owner of the stage line between Peoria and
Galena. Many stories of early times were
told by those present, funny jokes passed,
and all were enjoying the fun, when Winter
offered to stake the choice of his stage horses
against old Pat, that he could throw Dad
Joe down. Nosv Dad Joe was no gambler,
aud would not have exchanged old Pat for
all of Winter's horses; but being fond of
fun, he said in his loud tone of voice, which
could have been heard for half a mile,
" Winter, I'll be blessed if I don't take that
bet." Dad Joe was a thick, heavy-set man,
of remarkable physical power, and wore at
the time a long hunting-shirt with a large
rope tied around his waist. Winter was a
spare, active man, a great champion in wrest-
ling, and wore a pair of fine cloth panta-
loons, made tight in accordance with the
fashion of the day. When all the prelimin-
aries were arranged, and the parties had taken
hold, Winter sang out, " Dad, are you
ready?" to which Dad replied, " All ready.
Winter, God bless you." Winter, as quick
as thought, attempted to knock his adver-
sai'y's feet from under him, but instead of
doing so, he was raised off the ground, and
held there by the strong arm of Dad Joe.
W^inter kicked and struggled to regain his
footing, but all to no purpose; at the same
time his tight pantaloons burst open. At
last he said, "Dad, for God's sake let me
down, and you shall have the best horse in

114

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUXTY.

my barn." Dad Joe released his hold, and
Winter never either paid the bet or bantered
the old man for another tussle.*

The first wedding celebrated within the
limits of Bureau County took place in the
summer of 1830, and the parties were Leon-
ard lloth and Nancy Perkins, a daughter of
Timothy Perkins. The license was obtained
at the county clerk's ofiSce in Peoria, and the
parties were married by Elijah Epperson.
There wore some doubts about Mr. Epper-
son's authority to administer the marriage
rite, as it was obtained through his church
relation some years before, while living in
Kentucky, but there was no authorized per-
son, at that time, living within fifty miles of
them, and the legality of the marriage was
never questioned.

For a few years after Putnam County was
organized, John M. Gay, as Justice of the
Peace, was the only person on the west side
of the Illinois River authorized to administer
the marriage rite. Abram Stratton and Miss
Sarah Baggs deferred their wedding two
weeks, waiting for Mr. Gay to obtain his
commission, so he could marry them. Squire
Gay was sent for to marry a couT)le at Per-
kins' Grove, whose names were Peter Har-
mon and Rebecca Perkins, a daughter of
Timothy Perkins.

Dave Jones. f — This individual became so
notorious in the early settlement of the
county, and figures so much in its history,
that a further account of him may interest
the reader. Dave Jones, or Devil Jones, as
he was generally called, was a small, well-
built man, with very dark skin, hair and eyes
as black as a raven, and be had a wild, savage
appearance. Ho was strong and active, a
good wrestler and fighter, and but few men
could compete with him. I'or a iiunilxT of

• N. Miilwiii.

t ThlB accutlDt of Dave Jonei is from N. Mttlson's RLMiiii)i»-
ceDcen.

years he was a terror to the settlement, being
feared both by whites and Indians. Jones
came to the country in the spring of 1831,
and built a cabin on the present site of Tis-
kilwa, but getting into trouble with the
Indians, he traded his claim to Mr. McCor-
mis for an old mare, valued at ten dollars,
and two gallons of whisky. He next built a
cabin near where Lomax's Mill now stands;
a year or two later he went to Dimmick's
Grove, and in 1835 he moved to Indiana,
where he was hanged by a mob soon after his
arrival. Many remarkable feats of Jones are
still remembered by old settlers, some of
which are worth preserving.

In the spring of 1832 a dead Indian was
found in the creek, near the present site of
the Bureau Valley Mills, with a bullet-hole
in his back, showing that he came to his
death from a rifle shot. The corpse was taken
out of the water by Indians, buried in the
sand near by, and the affair was soon forgot-
ten. Jones said while hunting deer in the
creek bottom, ho saw this Indian sitting on a
lo2 over the water fishing, when all of a sud-
den he jumped up as though he was about to
draw out a big fish, and pitched headlong
into the water, and was drowned when he
came up to him. Two other Indians disap-
peared mysteriously about the same time,
who were supposed to have boon murdered,
and on that account, it is said, the Indians
contemplated taking revenge on the settlers.

One warm afternoon, Jones, with a jug in
one hand, came cantering his old mare up to
the Henne]iin ferry, saying that his wife was
very sick, and would certainly die if she did
not get some whisky soon. In great haste
Jones was taken across the river, and on land-
ing on the Hennepin side, he put his old
mare on a gallop up the bluff to Durley's
store, where he tilled his jug with whisky.
Meeting with some old chums, he soon

k>^,Xa^-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

115

became intoxicated, forgot about his wife's
sickness, and spent the afternoon and even-
ing in wrestling, dancing "Jim Crow," and
having a tight with some of his friends.

It was long after dark when Jones started
for home, but on arriving at the ferry he
found the boat locked uji, and the ferryman
in bed. Jones rapped at the door of the
ferryman's house, swearing if he did not get
up and take him across, he would pall the
house down, and whip him besides. But all
his threats were in vain; the ferryman could
not be moved. Jones went down to the river,
took off the bridle reins, with which he tied
the jug of whisky ou his back, then drove
his old mare into the river, and holding on
to her tail, was ferried across the river, as
he afterward expressed it, without costing
him a cent.

One afternoon, while Dave Jones was
engaged in cutting out a road from Hennepin
ferr^- through the bottom timber, his coat,
which lay by the wayside, was stolen.
Although the value of the old coat did not
exceed two dollars, it was the only one Jones
had, and he searched for it throughout the
settlement. At last Jones found his coat on
the back of the thief, whom he arrested and
took to Hennepin for trial. The thief was
at work in Mr. Hays' field, immediately west
of Princeton, when Jones presented his rifle
at his breast, ordering him to take up his
line of march foi Hennepin, and if he
deviated from the direct course, he would
blow his brains out. The culprit, shaking in
his boots, started on his journey, while Jones,
with his rifle on his shoulder, walked about
three paces behind. On arriving at Henne-
pin the thief pleaded guilty, being more afraid
of Jones than the penalties of the law, and
was therefore put in jail. ^After Jones had
delivered up his prisoner, he*got drunk, was
engaged in several tights, and he too was

arrested and put in jail. At that time the
Hennepin jail consisted of only one room,
being a log structure, twelve feet square, and
Jones being put in with the thief, commenced
beating him Seeing that they could not
live together, the thief was liberated and
Jones retained. At this turn of affairs Jones
became penitent, agreed to go home and
behave himself, if they would let him out.
Accordingly the sherifi" took him across the
.river, and set him at liberty; but Jones swore
he would not go home until he had whipped
every j)erson in Hennepin, so he returned to
carry out his threats, but was again arrested
and put in jail.

A short time after the establishing of the
Hennepin ferry, Dave Jones was on the
Hennepin side of the river, with a yoke of
wild cattle, and wished to cross over, but was
unwilling to pay the ferriage. He swore
before he would pay the ferryman's extrava-
gant price, he would swim the river, saying
that he had frequently done it, and could do
it again. Jones wore a long-tailed Jackson
overcoat, which reached to his heels, and a
coon-skin cap, with the tail hanging down
over his shoulders, the weather at the time
being quite cool. He drove his oxen into
the river, taking the tail of one of them into
his mouth, when they started for the oppo-
site shore. Away went the steers, and so
went Dave Jones, his long hair and long-
tailed overcoat floatiTig on the water, his
teeth tightly fastened to the steer's tail, while
with his hands and feet he paddled with all
his might. Everything went on swimmingly,
until they came near the middle of the river,
where the waters from each side of the island
came together; here the current was too strong
for the steers — they turned down stream, and
put back for the Hennepin side. Jones could
not open his mouth to say gee or haw, without
losing his hold on the steer's tail, and was

116

HISTORY or BUREAU COUNTY.

therefore obliged to go where the steers led
him, but all were safely landed some distance
below the starting-place. Jones was in a
terrible rage at bis faihire to cross the river
— beat his cattle, and cursed the bystanders for
laughing at his misfortune. After taking a
big dram of whisky, he tried it again, but
with no better success. Three different times
Jones tried this experiment, each time whip-
ping his cattle and taking a fresh dram of
whisky. At last he was obliged to give it
up as a bad job, and submit to paying the
ferryman the exorbitant price of twenty-five
cents to be ferried over.

First Steamboat. — In May, 18.31, thesteam-
boat Caroline came up the Illinois River from
St. Louis, and continued up the river to the
mouth of the Little Vermilion — Shipping-
port. This was the first steamer that had ever
ascended above Beardstown, then the head of
navigation. At this point a pilot named
Crozier took the boat successfully to Ottawa.
In the September following the second boat
came^the Traveler. The Caroline brought
Captain Williams' company of soldiers.

First Mill.— In 1829 Timothy Perkins
and Leonard Roth came and settled near
Leepertowu Mills. In 1S3<) William Hoskins,
John Clark and John Hall (bought Dim-
mick's claim) and made a large farm. Dim-
mick removed to LaMoillo, where he lived
two years and sold out and left the country.

In the summrT of 18:^0 Amos Leonard
(millwrightj built a grist-mill on East Bureau,
about eighty rods above ita mouth. It was
madf of round logs, twelve feet scjuaro. and
all ite machinery, with a few exceptions, was
made of wood. The mill-stones were dressed
out of boulder rocks, which were ta';en from
the bluffs near by, and the hoop they ran in
was a section of a hollow sycamore tree. This
mill, when in runniiig order, would grind
al>out ten bushels per day, but poor as it

was, people regarded it as a great accession
to the settlement, and it relieved them of the
slow process of grinding on hand-mills, or
pounding their grain on a hominy block.
Settlers east of the river, as well as those liv-
ing near the mouth of Fox River, patronized
Leonard's Mill, and it is now believed that it
was the first water-mill built north of Peoria.

In 1831 Henry George, a single man who
was killed at the Indian Creek massacre,
made a claim, and built a cabin on the pres-
ent site of Bureau Junction. In 1833 John
Leejier bought Perkins' claim, and a few
years afterward built a large flouring-mill,
which received much patronage from adjoin-
ing counties. Quite a village (called Leeper-
town) grew up at this mill; but in 1838 the
mill burned down and the village went to
decay.

In 1834 a number of immigrants found
homes in this locality, among whom were
David Niekerson, John McElwain, James
Howe. Charles Leeper and Maj. William
Shields. As early as 1832 a number of per-
sons had settled in Hoskins' neighborhood,
among whom were Daniel Sherley and Gil-
bert Kellums. In 1834 the large family of
Searl came here, where many of their de-
scendants continue to live.

Moseley Settlement. — In August. 1831.
Roland Moseley, Daniel Smith and Johk
Muagrove, with their families, came to
Bureau; the <wo former were from Massa-
chusetts, and the latter from New Jersey,
having met by chance while on their way to
the West. The emigrants ascended the Illi-
nois River in a steamboat as far as Naples,
and finding it diflScult to obtain passage
further u]) the river, (hey left their families
there, and made a tour through the country
in search of homes. Hearing of the Hamp-
shire Colony on Bureau, Mr. Moseley directed
bis course thither, and being pleased with

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

117

the country, he selected a claim. At that
time Timothy Perkins claimed, for himself
and family, all the timber and adjoining
prairie, between Arthur Bryant's and Caleb
Cook's, but he agreed to let Mr. Moseley have
enough for two farms, on condition of selling
him some building material. A few months
previous, Timothy Perkins and Leonard Roth
had built a saw-mill on Main Bureau, a short
distance below the jDresent site of McManis'
Mill. This was the first saw-mill built within
the limits of Bureau County, and with one ex-
ception, the first north of Peoria.

Mr. Moseley marked out his claim, cutting
the initials of his name on witness trees, and
contracting with Mr. Perkins to furnish him,
on the land, some boards and slal)s for a
shanty, after which he returned to Naples to
report his discovery.

The three families, with their household
goods, were put on board a keel -boat at Na-
ples, and ascended the river as far as the
mouth of Bureau Creek. Soon after their
arrival at Bureau they were all taken down
sick with the intermittent fever, one not be-
ing able to assist the other. Although
strangers in a strange land, they found those
who acted the part of the good Samaritan.
James G. Forristal, although living twelve
miles distant, was a neighbor to them, spend-
ing days and even weeks in administering to
their wants. Daniel Smith, father of Daniel
P. and Dwight Smith, of Ohiotown, found
shelter for his family in a shanty constructed
of split puncheons, which stood on the Doo-
little farm. The widow of Daniel Smith,
being left with three small children, in a
strange country, and with limited means, ex-
perienced many of the hardships common to
a new settlement.

Mr. Moseley and Mr. Musgrove were men
of industry and enterprise, improving well
their claims, and lived upon them until their
deaths.

"Dad Joe Smith.'" — Among the earliest
and certainly one of the most remarkable
men of all the early pioneers who came to
Bureau County was Joseph Smith, immortal
as "Dad Joe." A very powerful physical
frame, not tall, but square and heavy built,
compact, and large bones and muscles, a tower
of strength, with a capacity of voice that has
never been equaled in this part of the world.
A big brain, a strong and steady nerve and a
■ heart that never knew fear of anything mor-
I tal. The Smith family are a long line of he-
roic pioneers and soldiers, running back from
the late war to the American Revolution.
From the early settlements in Maryland they
pressed upon the bloody tracks of the savage
from Maryland through and beyond the
"Dark and Bloody Ground," into Ohio, In-
diana, into and through Illinois and beyond
the great Father of Waters. They warmed
him in their cabins and gave him of their salt
when he was a friendly and good Indian, and
when he put on his murderous paint, they
"met him in his path and slew him." "Dad
Joe" Smith was the child of pioneers — "born
in the wildwood, rocked on the wave " — he
grew, from inheritance and from the educa-
tion of his life, a pioneer, that grandest type
of man, of whom it has been well said they
were "civilization's forlorn hope,'' for with-
out them limited indeed would be its do-
minions. It is a tradition that "Dad Joe"
was one of Gen. George Rogers Clark's men,
or at least it was the daring and adventurous
march of this" Hannibal of the Northwest"
into this part of the Mississippi Valley that
resulted in eventually bringing him to this
part of Illinois. His coming here was the
most valuable acquisition of the time to the
whole country, for he possessed the ' ' blood
and iron " in his nature that awed and mas-
tered the crafty and cruel savage and would
tame and quiet his fierce, wild nature often
when nothing else would. He was brave,

118

HISTORY OF BUKEAU COUNTY.

sincere, manly and honest, and the red man
soon learned to Iniow that his friendship was
a boon and that his enmity was to be dreaded,
that his good-will was easier gained than his
ill-will, and that one was to be as much de-
sired as the other was to be dreaded. In his
heart the untutored savage must have felt

that

"Tlie elements so mixed in him
That nature might stand up
And saj' to all the world:
This is a man. "

His stentorian voice and his ever ready
"YeB, God bless you!" were equally famed
throughout the country, and something of the
estimate the people entertained of the man is
the fact that he was universally known as "Dad
Joe," and to half his acquaintances to have
spoken of Mr. Joseph Smith would have been
mentioning a strange name — some one they
had never heard of; and so marked was this
peculiarity that it was quite natural for every
one to speak of his boy as "Young Dad Joe,"
who was a chip of the old block. An inci-
dent occurred in the Black Hawk war that
was ■ fitly remembered at the old settlers'
meeting in Princeton, in September, 1875, in
the following lines:

TOnKO DAD joe's RIDE.*

" Of Paul Revere, and Collins Graves,

« « « •

" And Sheridan's most famous ride,
.\n(l other heroes still beside.
Tlieir praise is on the Nation's tongue."

" Our hero is a stripling lad,
Who was the darlinsof liis " Dad."
Vet searre from off the apron string;
Younger llian was llie ruddy Dave.
Who slew the famed Pliilistine brave."
« » « *

The poet then proceeds to almost literally
relate the circumstance that actually occur-
red. QoT. Reynolds was with the army at

•Uc»'l by A. N. Bacon. /

Dison, and it became very important for him
to get a dispatch delivered to the commander
at Fort Wilburn, a fortification on the Illi-
nois River opposite Peru. He called for a
volunteer to carry the dispatch, a dangerous
undertaking, as the country swarmed with
Indians, supposed to be on the lookout for
any couriers that might bo passing from one
portion of the army to another in this emer-
gency.

" Well mindful of his eountry's weal.
And fired with patriotic zeal,
Old Dad Joe unto him said,
God hlcss you. Governor, I will send
That message to its destined end."
* * * *

Then turning to his boy, a lad about fifteen
years old, he said:

" God bless you, Joe;
Take this dispatch across the plain,
To Wilburn Fort and there remain;
Just saddle up old Pat and gol "

The brave boy gladly obeyed, and in a few
moments was on old Pat's back: the message
carefulh' tucked away in his clothes, and as
he turned his horse's head, and in a quick
gallop started upon the perilous voyage, that
great voice of " Old Dad Joe's " rang out

after him:

" God l)less you. boy,
Keep clear of timber — Indians there! "
And a backward wave of the boy's hand
told the father that his boy understood him,
as he sped away, bonding forward his head
and steadily looking straight before him with
every sense drawn to sharpest tension. The
l)oy feeling the greatness of his mission —
the destiny perhaps that hung upon his suc-
cessful voyage, thundi<red across the plains,
and heeding the advice of his father in bear-
ing off from the timber, was able to ride in
triumph from starting-point to destination,
although from several coverts the armed In-
dians on ponies iliscovered him, and rode out
and chased him for many a mile on his way.

HISTOUY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

119

Their ponies were over-matched by old Pat,
and they would soon abandon the chase as
the young rider would disappear in the tall
grass and the distant view, as he sped on and
on over the swelling prairie.

" He onward sped and reached the goal.
*****

" When they the youthful horseman saw.
And from its hiding place to draw
The Governor's will, that the}- might know,
A shout went up from that lone band
That should be sounded through the land,
Hurrah! Hurrah! for young Dad Joe.
» * * *

" Our story may be gi'owing old,
The incident that we have told,
Was more than forty years ago;
Some may our hero never know;
Yet Bureau folks may well bestow
Three times three cheers on Young Dad Joe."

The poetry is not very much, but the heroic
feat it celebrates is a part of the Black Hawk
war that should not be lost in the history of
Illinois. It was a brave act by this "little
man, in crownless hat and legs of taii. "

" Dad Joe" was among the first to settle at
Fort Clark, at Aukas, at the mouth of Rock
River, at the lead mines and in Bureau
County. He spent the most of his life here
and lived and died without an enemy. He
got his name of " Dad Joe " from the trader
Ogee, who spoke very broken English, who
found no other way of designating Joseph
Smith, Sr., from his son Joe. His heart
was as kind as his exterior was rough. He
was a native of Kentucky, and although
his parents owned slaves, he had no educa-
tion, and refused to own a human being. He
was a strong temperance man, and a good
judge of ahorse; altogether a most remarkable
pioneer, and whose memory will be always
carefully preserved by the good people of the
county.

It was said of " Dad Joe " that ho was a

very moral and pious man, never profane in
his language, but we infer from an anecdote
of him related by John H. Bryant, at the old
settlers' meeting August 30, 1884, that he
once broke over his rule in this respect. He
discovered a prairie fire approaching his farm
and he and all his family were out to fight it
off in order to save his wheat-stacks that were
exposed. In this as everywhere the good old
man worked with a will beating out the tire.
His strokes flew fast and furious as the lire
kept advancing, and at each stroke he would
say, "God bless the tire! God bless the tire!"
and yet it advanced toward the wheat-stacks,
and faster and faster he fought and also faster
and faster would he ejaculate, "God bless the
fire! God bless the fire!" And finally the
fatal flames by a bound were upon the near-
est wheat-stack, and then the old man threw
down his weapon and exclaimed, " God damn
the fire! " and hurriedly left the scone.

Was not this only oath of the good man
like Lawrence Sterne's saying of Uncle Toby's
oath: " The accusing spirit flew up to
heaven's court of chancery and blushed as he
handed it in, and the recording angel as he
wrote it down dropped a tear upon it that
blotted it out forever."

Capture of the Hall Girls. — William Hall
settled where LaMoille now stands, in 1830,
and the next year sold to Aaron Gunn (the
only survivor who was in the cabin when
Elijah Phillips was killed, and who is living
in La Salle), and settled on Indian Creek, a
few miles north of Ottawa. He had been
at his new home but a few weeks when the
Black Hawk war broke out. The people had
generally fled to the forts. The massacre
occurred on the 21st day of May, 1831, at
the cabin of a man named Daviess, on In-
dian Creek. Fifteen persons were killed, and
the two Hall girls, Sylvia, aged eighteen, and
Rachel, aged sixteen, were taken prisoners

120

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUISTTY.

and carried off captives. The attack was in
the afternoon, by about seventy-five painted
Indians, and was so sudden and unexpected
that the people in the cabin could make but
little defense. William Hall and Robert
Morris were at once shot dead. Daviess, the
owner of the cabin, made a heroic defense,
clubbing his gun and breaking it to pieces
and bending the barrel. Henry George
jumped into the mill-pond, but was shot and
killed while swimming acro.ss. Daviess' son,
aged fourteen, was caught as he was cross-
ing the mill-pond, and tomahawked, and
his body thrown into the water. William
Hall's son, John "W., by running to the
creek bank, and as volleys were fired at him,
he jumped over the embankment and es-
caped. Mrs. Phillips was found with her
child in her arms, and their heads had been
split with a tomahawk. An infant was
snatched from its mother's arms and its
brains knocked out against the door-frame.
The Hall girls and Miss Daviess jumped on
the bed. Miss Daviess was shot dead, and
the muzzle of the gun was so near Miss
Hall's face as to burn a blister.

Edward and Greenbury Hall, and a son of
Mr. Daviess, were at work in a field near the
cabin, when the murdering was going on.
They heard it, and knew it was their fami-
lies being butchered. They hurried to the
Bcene and cautiously approached and saw
the number of the Indians, and all they
could do was to lly and try and save them-
selves. Near the cabin of Daviess lived two
families named Henderson — grandfather and
uncle of Gen. T. J. Henderson, of Prince-
ton. But these families had gone to the
fort, and thus escaped.

After the slaughter (he savages seized
Sylvia and Rachel Hall, placed them on
horses, and, a buck at each side to hold
them, they started off. They had three

prisoners when they started, having the two
girls and an eight year old son of Mr.
Daviess; but they soon killed the child, as he
seemed troublesome to take along. Two
days after the massacre a company of rangers
went from Ottawa to bury the dead. The
bodies were shockingly mutilated. The
captives were carried north of Galena, and
their captors, the Sacs and Foxes, turned
them over to the Winnebagoes.

A day or two after the capture, John W.
Hall, the brother who escaped, at the head of
a company of rangers followed in pursuit of
the Indians. When the company reached
the lead mines Mr. Gratiot and Gen. Dodge,
of that place, employed two friendly Winne-
bago chiefs to buy the prisoners of the Foxes.
They soon effected the purchase and a ran-
som of $2,000 and forty ponies and some
blankets were paid over to the Indians, and
the ranger? conducted the girls to the fort.
Nicholas Smith, of West Bureau, was a team-
ster in the army, and took the girls in his wag-
on to the fort near Galena, where they were
put on a boat and sent to St. Louis, where
they were met by Rev. Erastus Horn, an old
friend of their father, who tenderly cared for
them until John W. Hall married and settled
on the Seaton farm, when the girls returned to
Bureau County again. The Illinois Legisla-
ture gave the girls a (juarter section of canal
land near Joliet,and Con gi-ess donated them a
bounty.

Sylvia married Rev. William Horn, a son
of their protector, and moved to Lincoln
Neb. Rachel married William Munson, and
moved into La Salle County, where she died
in 1871.

A remarkable Indian characteristic was
manifested as the finale of this massacre.
Two Pottawattomie Indians had been indicted
in La Salle County for jiarticipnting in the
tragedy. They had been fully identified by

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

121

the Hall girls. They were arrested, indicted
and bound over, and before they were tried
their tribe moved west of the Mississippi,
and in ignorance of what they should do,
these criminals went with their tribe. George
E. Walker, an Indian trader, was Sheriff of
the county, and with others he was security
for the appearance of the savages. He went
alone into the Indian country west of the
river, in pursuit of the prisoners. He found
them and made known his mission. A coun-
cil was called, the matter considered, and it
was decided the Indians must accompany
the Sheriff and stand their trial. The pris-
oners bade an eternal farewell to all their
friends, and in the lirm conviction they would
be executed, started willingly with the Sher-
iff for the place of trial and execution. For
many days the Sheriff traveled through the
Indian country, camping at night and the
three sleeping together. He would often
send the prisoners off to hunt in order to
have something to eat, and thus the long
slow trip was made through the wild coun-
try, and there was not an hour they were on
the road but that these criminals could have
walked off in perfect secm'ity. There is no
one thing that so fully portrays the stoicism
and indifference of death, and a peculiar
sense of Indian honor for their pledged word,
as this incident. They felt that they were
going to their certain execution — they were
dejected and sad all the way, because there
is nothing to an Indian so abhorrent as to be
hung — choked to death. This is not only
death but it is to be damned, because when
they die, they believe the soul passes out of
the mouth with the last breath, and, if
choked, this cannot take place, and tlie soul
is lost. To be shot or burned is nothing to
these savage stoics, because then they can
sing their death chants, and it is glorious to
die.

They were duly tried at La Salle, and ac-
quitted. They had so cunningly painted
themselves when they appeared at the trial
that the Hall girls could not positively iden-
tify them.

Alex Boyd's Ride. — In the spring of
1832, Alex Boyd being about the same age
of "Young Dad Joe," also had some ex-
perience as a rider through the dangerous
wilds and Indian coverts, bearing important
messages from the commander to the fort
at Peoria.

In the winter of 1831 Charles S. Boyd's
house, a large two-story log-house with L,
burned, and in the flames was destroyed
nearly everything in the house except the
people. The tire occurred in the dead of the
night, and when the family were aroused
they covild only save themselves. One bed
was all that was saved in this line, and the
most of the clothing of the family was de-
stroyed. Alex's recollection is that he saved
a shirt — the one he was sleeping in. The
family moved into a little smoke-house.

Some time in June James P. Dixon, son
of John Dixon, in company with five soldiers,
arrived at Charles Boyd's late at night.
They stopped for the night, and in the morn-
ing young Dixon told his uncle that he was
the bearer of important dispatches from Ap-
ple River to Governor Reynolds, who was
then supposed to be at the Peoria Fort. He
was worn out and exhausted with his long
ride through the dangerous country; he
begged his uncle to have the message con-
veyed to Peoria. Alex was called up and
asked if he would take it. He replied if his
father would let him ride "Kit" he would
not be afraid. His wardrobe was increased
to a straw hat, breeches and shirt. He was
warned by his father what particular points
to avoid and where to be on the lookout for
covert red-skins, especially the old empty

122

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

cabin of Joe Meredith's that stood near the
road, about five miles this side of Simon
Reed's. It was forty-five miles to Peoria,
and the rider left Bojd's Grove at 1 P. M.,
and delivered the message to Gen. Stillman,
he thinks it was before sundown of that day.

People Driven Aicay. — From the time of
the commencement of the Winnebago war,
1827, to the close of the Black Hawk war in
June, 1832, the few scattered settlements of
northern Illinois were often harassed by
bands of savages on their marauding expedi-
tions. Word was passed around, and at all
hours of the day and night people would
start at a moment's notice, often so closely
pressed that they would gather the babies in
their arms and flee on foot, and sometimes
their way was lighted up by the burning
cabins they had just quitted. At night the
families would doubly bar their doors and
crawl into the cabin attics and sleep in ter-
ror, the men lying with hands upon their
rifles. In the day the men and boys would
work in the field, one standing sentinel,
while the others with their guns strapped on
their shoulders would work. During these
dreadful years of terror and suspense, every
man, woman and child was on constant picket
duty, painfully alert for the sign of the ap-
proaching murderers. The horses, the cattle
and the dogs, with their keener sense of smell,
were most valuable protections often, and
would give their warnings to the people.
The poor, dumb domestic animals dreaded
and were terrified at the sly approach of the
dirty, stinking savages, and the people well
understood their language of fear and terror,
and saved their lives by heeding their notes
of warning.

Some of these were false alarms, but others
were only too real. The false alarms which
several times set the whole people in rapid
motion for the fort on the east side of the

river, would be started by some trivial cir-
cumstance or the sudden fright of some
hunter or nervous traveler, and thus the cry
of alarm would pass around and the literal
stampede of the people would commence.

Shabbona or Chamblee. — The most valua-
ble friend the whites of Illinois ever had
was chief Shabbona. He professed and was
the white man's friend. He admired the
superior intelligence of the white race, and
desired their friendship and their civiliza-
tion for his ignorant savages. He was a man
of natural good sense, and above the low
cunning and treachery of the average Indian.
His superiority gave him great influence over
his people, and although he several times
suffered outrages and grievous wrongs at the
hands of the rangers and soldiery, he re-
mained unfaltering in his friendship to the
pioneer settlers, whose cabins he delighted to
visit, and smoke the pipe of friendship, par-
take of their salt, and learn their better ways
of living. Although a chief and one of
power he was not loth to see come the com-
forts of industry and civilized life, and it is
now well undei-stood he would have gladly
seen his people become like the white man
and abandon their tribal life, and be good
and industrious citizens of the white man's
government. His good sense must have
detected the evils that came with people who
had preachers, powder and fire-water, yet he
could look over and beyond surface evils to
the much good that would come to the savage
by institutions that would lift him from his
degrading ignorance. There were other
Indians that wore true friends to the white
man, but none so valuable as Shabbona. It
is said he would go himself or have spies
among the Winnebagoos, Sacs and Foxes,
and when they had organized to raid the set-
tlers, Shabbona would make long and hard
night rides and warn every endangered set-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

123

tlement, and thus time and again he saved
their lives — and especially the people of
Bureau County, in the years 1831-32.

After the Black Hawk war Shabbona and
his 150 followers were for some time en-
camped on Bureau, near the crossing of the
Dixon road. He was born in the Ottawa
tribe; married the daughter of a Pottawatto-
mie chief, upon whose death he succeeded to
power. He was with Tecumseh in 1811, on
his mission to the Creek Indians, in Missis
sippi; was present at the Vincennes Council.
He was an aid of Tecumseh' s, and by his side
when he was killed by Dick Johnson at the
battle of the Thames.

Shabbona, Black Partridge and Senach-
wine, were three of the most noted chiefs of
the Mississippi. They were the friends of
the white man, they labored for peace and
friendship, and to protect their white friends
they more than once risked their lives. They
possessed intelligence far above their people.
When they looked upon civilization they
desired their people might become civilized,
and not, as their superior intelligence pointed
out to them, foolishly try to live after the
white race came, as savages and enemies,
because this was to waste away and slowly
perish from the face of the earth.

Shabbona and Black Partridge were at the
Chicago massacre, drawn there in the hope
to save the white people. They did not reach
there in time to save all, but there is but lit-
tle question that the few who did escape
owed their lives to them.

At the commencement of the Black Hawk
war, Shabbona went to Dixon's ferry to offer
the services of himself and warriors of his
band to Gov. Reynolds, to fight against the
Sacs and Foxes. Mounted on his pony, and
alone, he arrived at Dixon's ferry on the
same day that Stillman's army reached ther&
The soldiers, believing Shabbona to be an

enemy in disguise, dragged him from his
pony, took away his gun and tomabawk, and
otherwise mistreated him, telling him they
had left home to kill Indians, and he should
be their first victim. A man, running at the
top of his speed, came to Dixon's house, and
told him that the soldiers had taken Shab-
bona prisoner, and were about to put him to
death. Mr. Dixon, in all haste, ran to the
rescue, when he found the soldiers (who were
somewhat under the ififluence of liquor),
about to stain their hands with innocent
blood. Dixon, claiming the prisoner as an
old friend, took him by the arm and conduct-
ed him to his own house, when he was after-
ward introduced to Gov. Reynolds, Gen.
Atkinson, Col. Taylor, and others.

Shabbona, with his warriors, joined Atkin-
son's army, although he Lad sided with the
British under Tecumseh and Capt. Billy
Caldwell, but now he was the friend of the
Americans, and participated in all the battles
during the last Indian war. In the fall of
1836 he and his band abandoned their reser-
vations of land at the grove, giving way to
the tide of emigration, and went west of the
Mississippi. But Shabbona's fidelity to the
whites caused him to be persecuted by the
Sacs and Foxes. In revenge they killed his
son and nephew, and hunted him down like
a wild beast.

Two years after going West, in order
to save his life, he left his people, and
with a part of his family returned to this
county. For some years he traveled from
place to place, visiting a number of Eastern
cities, where he was much lionized, and re-
ceived many valuable presents. His last visit
to Princeton was in 1857, while on his way
eastward. Shabbona died in July, 1859, on
the bank of the Illinois River, near Seneca,
in the eighty- fourth year of his age; and was
buried in Moi-ris Cemetery. No monument

124

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUXTY.

marks the last resting-place of this friend of
the white man.

Hon. John AVentworth, of Chicago, says:
William Hiekling, of this city, has exhibited
to me the original of the following docu-
ment, proving that Billy Caldwell, oiu' Jus-
tice of the Peace in IS^G, was an officer in
the British service, after the treaty of peace;
and that he stj'led himself Captain of the
Indian Dejiartment, in 1816, at Amherstburg
(Fort Maiden). Mr. Hickling resided in
Chicago before its incorporation, but resided
manj' years thereafter at Ottawa, and was a
partner of George E. Walker, nephew of
Rev. Jesse. AVhilst at Ottawa the Indian
chief, Shabbona, ofteu visited him and
remained with him over night. Not long
before his death he gave him the document,
asserting that he had always worn it upon
his person. The manuscript proves that
Caldwell was a man of education, as we all
knew he was of intelligence. He was edu-
cated by the Jesuits, at Detroit, and, at the
time of his death he was head chief of the
combined nations of Pottawattomies,Ottawas,
and Chippewas. He married a sister of the
Pottawattomie chief. Yellow Head, and had
an only child a son — who died young. On
the authority of Shabbona, Mr. Hickling
denies the commonly received idea that Cald-
well was a son of Tecumseh's sister. He
contirms the report that he was the son of an
Irish officer in the British service, but he
insists that his mother was a Pottawattomie.
and hence he became chief of the Pottawat-
tomies. Tecumseh was a Shawnee, and, he
contends, had but one sister, Tccumapeance,
older than himself, whoso husband, Wasego-
boah, was killed at, the l)attle of the Tliaines.
She survived him some time, but dii'il in
Ohio.

Shabl)()na (or C])!inil)leo, in French | was an
Ottawa Indian, and a chief, born on the Ohio

River. The certificate was undoubtedly
given him to assist him with the British
Government. At the commencement of the
battle of the Thames, or of Moravian Town
(as Caldwell calls it), the Indian chiefs
Tecumseh (Shawnee) (spelled Tecumtho by
many), Caldwell (Pottawattomie), Shabbona
(Ottawa), and Black Hawk (Sac), were, as
Mr. Hickling learned from Shabbona, sitting
upon a log, in consultation.

The paper on which this document was
written was a half sheet of old-fashioned
English foolscaj) paper, plainly watermarked
" C. & S., 1813," and is as follows:

" This is to certify, that the bearer of this
name, Chamblee, was a faithful companion
to me, during the late war with the United
States. The bearer joined the late celebrated
warrior, Tecumthe, of the Shawnee nation,
in the year of 1807, oi). the Wabash Eiver,
and remained with the above warrior from
the commencement of the hostilities with the
United States until our defeat at Moravian
Town, on the Thames, October 5, 1S13. I
also have been witness to his intrepidity and
courageous wai'fare on many occasions, and
he showed a great deal of humanity to those
unfortunate sons of Mars who fell into his
hands. B. Caldwell,

Captain, I. D.

Amul'bstburg, August 1, 1816.

There was no regular fort in Bureau, and
in the spring of 1831 the entire population
Hod to tbe^ast side of the river, and to
Peoria, and some continued their flight back
to the old States and never returned. Some
of the bolder men and their boys would leave
their families on the east of the river and re-
turn to raise their corn. They were often in
the midst of such danger that they dared not
sleep in their caliins, but secreting in the
coverts, and generally a new place every
niffht.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

125

Henry Thomas' house was fixed up for a
fort, and here the frightened people woiild
sometirue& gather in alarm. There was but
little stufif raised here in 1831-32, and it was
only by the Illinois soldiers coming here
from southern Illinois that enabled some of
the people to get enough to eat during the
winter. The gloomy years of Indian troubles
had finally passed, and in the fall of 1832
this particular portion of Illinois began to
emerge from its severest ordeal.

• CHAPTER X.

End of thk Indian Tnouur-ES— Cosisifnckment of Permanent
Settlement — Election of 1834— Bryant and Brighaji
Elected — Estibiated Number of People — Brown's Company
OF Rangers — The Hampshire Colony — William 0. Cham-
berlain ITS Original Inventor— E. H. Phelps' Account of
THE Colony and of their Coming, and the History Thereof
— Names of the Colonists and their Friends.

TTyHEN the Black Hawk war was ended
VV by the destruction of the invading
army, and Black Hawk was a subdued and
quiet prisoner, and the Sac and Fox Indians
had passed the great river never to return,
the people once more began to return to their
deserted homes. So far as we can learn
those who had fled and were the first to re-
turn were the following families: Prince-
ton, Elijah Epperson, Dr. N. Chamberlain,
Eli and Elijah Smith, John Musgrove, Eo-
laud Mosely, Mrs. E. Smith, Robert Clark
and Joel Doolittle. LaMoi lie, Daniel Dera-
mick; Dover, John L. Ament; Arispie,
Mieheal Kitterman, Curtiss Williams, and
Dave Jones; Selby, John Hall. "William Has-
kins, John Clark, and Amos Leonard; Wya-
net, Abram Oblist, and Old Bulbona; Bureau;
Ezekiel and Henry Thomas, Abram Stratton,
John M. Gay; Ohio, "Dad Joe" Smith;
Walnut, James Magby; Milo, Charles S.

Boyd; Leepertown, Timothy Perkins and
Leonard Roth; Hall, William Tompkins and
Sampson Cole.

These constituted the places settled in the
county and is very near a complete list of
all the old settlers who came marching home
" when the cruel war was o'er." And those
homes that were burned by the Indians were
soon rebuilt and the work of repairing the
houses and fences, and planting, late as it
was, something to furnish food to tide over
the winter, gave all these people who

' • Hewed the dark old woods away,
And gave the virgin fleld.s to day,"

much to busy themselves about.

Then began to come to this part of Illinois
the benefits of the Black Hawk war. It may
sound strange to speak of the advantages of
war — a trade that is simply brutal, murder-
ous and devilish. But the word had gone
out to the world that the war was over, the
Indians gone, that is, the Sacs and Foxes,
and all about in the older settlements, and
away from the seat of war were men and
families waiting for this news, and were
ready to resume the journey started the year
or years before, and came to this particular
spot of Illinois. Then the war had sent
many soldiers and rangers here and they
looked upon the country and determined, if
they lived, to return and build them homes
on this beautiful land. All these, and still
other causes, started a stream of the really
permanent settlers.

Capt. Jesse Browne, with a company of
rangers, was in Bureau diu'ing the winter of
1832-33. A portion of the time the com-
pany was camped in Haskins' Prairie. Capt.
Jesse Browne was a brother of Thomas C.
Browne, at one time one of the Justices of
the Supreme Court in this State. He was
authorized by the Government to raise a com-
pany of rangers to guard the frontier. They

126

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

were called the "Browne Rangers." It is
said that some of the settlers were disposed
to believe that the Ottawas, along Rock River,
were organizing a raid upon the people of
Bureau. And it is further told that Mrs.
John Dixon, with her children, passed down
by the Bureau settlements and terribly
frightened some of them by announcing that
she was fleeing for her life, as the Ottawas
were on the war-path. But the fact is there
was at no time an\' sufficient general scare to
interfere with the tending the crops and
building cabins by the settlers. And the
next two years were times of prosperity and
increase in the enfeebled little colonies, which
was neither marked nor rapid, yet it was pros-
perous, and the prosperity was permanent.

In 1834 there was an election in Putnam
County, and in the precinct of Bureau John
H. Bryant and Joseph Brigham were elected
Justices of the Peace. Mr. Bryant was the
successor; that is, John M. Gay's books were
turned over to him, and as Dimmick had
never qualified there were no books for
Brigham, and, as was expected, he gave the
office little attention, leaving it for Bryant to
manage mostly. The population by this
time (1834) had increased to probably 250
souls.

The Hampshire Colony. — Dr. W. O. Cham-
berlain was an apprentice in the printing
office of the Hampshire County Gazette,
of Hamp.shire County, Mass., where he
served from 1828 to 1831. In the town li-
brary he had found a volume of Lewis and
Clark's travels, and becoming deeply inter-
ested in the book, he published occasional
extracts about the Northwest in the Gazette,
and these attracted much attention. As a
result of these publications E. S. Phelps and
some others, called a meeting of those who
might wish more definite information about
the new, wild country, but especially Illinois.

A larger attendance than was expected re-
sponded to this call, and so many expressed a
wish to go" West, that a colony was soon
formed, and named Hampshire Colony, after
Hampshire County, Mass. E. S. Phelps
was elected President of the colony.

At a meeting of the society in 1830, Thom-
as M. Hunt, a druggist, desiring to find a
new location, proposed to come and explore
the northern part of Illinois, and only asked
the colony to pay a part of his expenses.
His offer was gladly accepted. The only
conveyances at that time were the Erie Canal,
the lakes and the old-fashioned stage coaches.
So meager was this mode of travel that in
the year 1830, only one vessel, a scRooner,
made one trip around to Chicago. A foui--
horse wagon made semi-weekly trips from
Detroit to Fort Dearborn. Mr. Hunt came
via. Chicago to Peoria; here he found the
two-horse stage, running between St. Louis
and Galena, via. Springfield. He traveled
south to St. Louis, and in his report he said
that he did not see an acre of waste land
south of Peoria.

In 1830, in the fall, Sullivan Conant and
Mr. Bicknell, and Rufus Brown, father of
Judge Brown, of Chicago, and Israel P.
Blodgett, father of Judge Blodgett, and their
families, and D. B, Jones, a young man,
started to come to northern Illinois. Revs.
Lucien Farnham and Romulus Barnes, each
of whom had married a sister of Butler Den-
ham, of Conway, Mass., who (Denham) lately
died a citizen of Bureau County, also came
West under the auspices of the colony.

The winter of 1830-31 was probably the
severest ever known here. The snow was
reported from three to four feet deep, and
the cold was intense, and much of the game,
especially the deer, perished. Owing per-
haps to the severity of the winter the home
colony heard but once from Mr. Hunt during

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

127

the winter. He was then on the Big Vermil-
ion. The average time, in good weather,
then for a letter to travel from here to Mas-
sachusetts was four or five weeks.

In March, 1831, the "Congregational
Church of Illinois," was organized, with
eighteen names. It was expected by the or-
ganizers that when thoy got located in their
now hometheir numbers would be double those
given above. In the early spring of 1831,
the main part of the colony left, and on May
7, they loft Albany, N. Y., in a canal
boat, with Captain Cotton Mather in com-
mand, with whom the colonists had contract-
ed that ho would not travel on Sunday. In
this company were Dr. W. O. Chamberlain
and son Oscar, Levi Jones, wife and five chil-
dren, and the families of Eufus Brown — Jlrs.
Brown and four children, and Mrs. Blodget
and her five children, Eli and Elijah Smith
and wives, newly married, and the following
single men: John Leonard, John P. Blake,
A. C. Wash bur a, Aaron Gunn, C. J. Cores,
George Hinsdale, E. H. Phelps aged eighteen
years, and Charles C. Phelps aged sixteen,
sons of E. S. Phelps.

On the 18th of May they landed at Bufifalo,
expecting here to find a vessel to take them
to Chicago, but were told that no vessel
traveled that route, but being informed a
schooner was then loading at Detroit for Chi-
cago, and would leave the next Thursday,
they shipped by steamer for Detroit, but by
stormy weather and other causes they only
reached Detroit late Thursday afternoon and
found the schooner already loaded and ready
to sail, and it could not take their goods.
The Captain informed them he would make
another trip in two or thi'ee months. They
stored their goods and hired two teams, a four-
horse and a two-horse wagon to bring them
through to Illinois. They left Detroit May
25, Monday, and I'eached Sturgis' Prairie the

next Sunday. Here one of the horses in the
four-horse wagon team died. This was the
conveyance hired by the eight young men of
the party. The driver then informed them
it was all his team could do to haul their
trunks, and they must foot it. About this
lime the travelers met a man who had been
traveling in Illinois, and from him they
learned that their friend, Mr. Jones, was at
Bailey's Point, on the Big Vermilion Eiver,
where he had built a double log-cabin to re-
ceive thorn in. This was the first they knew
exactly what point they were aiming for.
The eight young men walked toMottville, on
the St. Joseph River, and here they jsaid off
their teamster, and purchased two canoes.
They lashed these together, making a pi-
rogue, and putting their luggage on board
started down the river. They learned that it
was about 165 miles to Ottawa, 111. They
expected by traveling night and day to make
the trip in three or four days. For this rea-
son they had hut little provisions. The third
day out as they floated along they saw a deer
and killed it,and landed and roasted enough to
eat, but as they had no salt they left the most
of it on the bank and resumed their journey.
They passed a large encampment of Indians
on the way, the first signs of humanity they
saw after leaving Portage. A storm came up
Saturday evening and they tied up, and
sleeping in their canoes they found them-
selves lying in several inches of water in the
morning. They built tires and spent the daj-
drying their clothes. Their provisions were
entirely out. Under these circimistanees the
question arose among them, especially as then
they could not guess when they could com-
plete their trip, as to whether it would be
best to travel on Sunday, or stay over hungry
and trust in the Lord. About noon they
pulled out into the stream and resumed their
journey. Sunday night another storm com-

123

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUI^TY.

pelled them to tie up, and in a grove they
passed the night and storm. For two days
all they had to eat was elm and basswood
bark. They reached another Indian encamp-
ment the next day, but as there was trouble
with the Indians they could get no food. The
Indians pointed on down the river, and gave
them to understand that there they could get
food. Sailing alonsr with the current, the
voyagers eventually heard the glad sound of
a cow- bell and landed, and on going to the
top of the bluff thej^ saw a cabin. They found
a woman and children here and made known
their wants. She told them she could not
feed them as she had nothing but mush and
milk for her family. They informed her that
they would consider this most sumptuous fare,
and she prepared them a pot full — the woman
first shelled the corn and ground it in a hand-
mill. They learned it was twenty miles to
Ottawa. The hungry men, barring the one
good feed of mush, started to complete their
journey, and on the way agreed that when
they reached Ottawa they would put up at
the best hotel (reckless as to price or style) and
have the best beds, and for a few days eat,
sleep and enjoy the bliss of life. About sun-
set they espied a little lonely cabin on the
shore and rounded to, and went to it and in-
quired of the woman how far it was to Otta-
wa. She smiled and said "this is Ottawa."
She informed them that the preceding win-
ter there had been several cabins on the op-
posite side of the river (the north side) but
the spring high waters had washed them all
away. This good woman — the then mistress
of Ottawa, was French, and her husband a
trader. Her father was with her and her
husband was off among the Indians trading.
The old gentleman had a number of Ijoo hives
and they cared for the young travelers the
best they could, but all they had to oat was
honey and mush, and for beds, each one

picked out his puncheon and its softest side.

They had been six and a half days on the
journey. The good woman told them she
had known several people to come by the
same route they had, and the quickest trip
she had known before was nine days. As the
voyagers had started with only three day's
provisions they felt some new twinges of the
stomach when they thought that it was a
mere chance that they were not exposed to a
six days' fast instead of a little moi-e than the
two days they had had a foretaste of.

After enjoying the hospitalities of the city
of Ottawa one night, they resumed their jour-
ney, and at noon reached Shippingport,
across the river from La Salle, and the head
of navigation, owing to the rapids. Again
this city consisted of one house, which was
warehouse, store, drj' goods and groceries and
family residence, all the property of a man
named William Crozier. They learned it
was eight miles to Bailey's Point, where their
agent was. Storing their trunks they
started on foot, and just before night arrived
there. Here they were rejoiced to find the
other members of their colony who had come
through in wagons and had reached the
place only a few hours before. This was on
the 9th of June, five weeks and two days
from leaving home.

Mr. Jones told them that the best country
he had found was on the Bureau. After a
few days' rest some of the men of the party
came over to inspect the land, and examined
the prairie as far north as Dover, a little
west of which tliey found three bachelors:
Sylvester Brigham, James G. Forristall and
Elijah Phillips, who came the year previous
from Now Hampshire. The few settlers here
at that time were mostly east of the river on
account of the Indians. The men returned to
their friends and gave a very favoralile report
of the country. They found Elijah Epper-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

129

son on the east side of the river. His cabin
was one mile north of where the Princeton
depot now is, where a Mr. Stoner now lives,
and he told them that if they were not
afraid of the Indians they were welcome to
occupy his cabin and whatever they could
find there to eat. A part of the yoving men
who did not know yet enough of the red man to
fear him, started to come with two yoke of
oxen and wagon. They arrived on the 2d of
July, and the first news they heard was that
a treaty had been made with the Indians.
The result was, the next week Eli and Elijah
Smith and wives came, and these and the six
young men lived in the cabin together for
some months. The next week came Koland
Moseley and Daniel Smith. They had come
from Northampton. They came by the Ohio
River, and had left their families at Beards-
town as they did not know where the colony
was. On their way from Beardstown they
fell in company with John Musgrove, from
New Jersey, who was looking for a place to
settle. The three located on the south side
of the prairie, put up cabins and returned to
Beardstown for their families. E. H. and
Charles Phelps, expecting their parents in
August, put up a cabin. E. S. Phelps and
Amos C. Morse left Massachusetts July 13,
with their families, and sent their goods by
ship by way of New Orleans, the families
coming by way of the Ohio River. Mr.
Phelps shipped his stock of jewelry, which
he intended selling in St. Louis or some
other large place. Failing in this he took
his stock and located in Springfield, 111.,
where he remained until 1838, when he came
to Princeton. Mr. Morse located in Jack-
sonville. The Phelps boys here heard nothing
of their parents until in the fall, when they
joined their parents in Springfield. When
the Black Hawk war broke out the next
spring, Eli and Elijah Smith and wives went

to Springfield and remained there during the
summer. Thus the colonists were scattered,
and as the fall of 1831 was a very sickly
time among the settlers, this and the war
drove several of them away who never
returned, consequently in the beginning of
the year 1834 but four of the church mem-
bers were living in Bureau. That year
Elisha Wood and family, who started here
in 1832, but had stopped in Tazewell County
came. None of those who started West in
1830 finally settled here. Sullivan Conant
had settled in Springfield, Mr. Bicknell, in
Fulton, and Blodgett and Brown at Brush
Hill, about twenty miles this side of Chicago.
D. B. Jones settled in Fulton County. Dan-
iel Smith died in less than thirty days after
his arrival. (Full account of this in a pre-
ceding chapter). Mr. Morse died in Jack-
sonville, and Levi Jones at Bailey's Point.
All these deaths were soon after their arrival.
John Leonard married Mrs. Levi Jones, and
removed to Galesburg. A. C. Washburn set-
tled in Bloomington, John P. Blake in Put-
nam County. Aaron Guun near La Salle,
George Hinsdale on West Bureau, Alva
Whitmarsh and family came in 1841. Scat-
tered as was the Hampshire Colony, yet it
was the final cause of many of Bureau's best i
citizens coming here. In September, 1832, \
Cyrus and John H. Bryant came from Jack-
sonville. They had visited Hinsdale Phelps
in Springfield to inquire about this country.
He advised them to come and see, and judge
for themselves. They did so, and they fixed
their claims, and through their influence
came J. S. Everett, 1835; Lazarus Reeves,
the Wiswalls, William P. Griifin, and John
Leeper and family. 1833. The fall of 1832
came N. O. and W. C. Chamberlain, and
their sister, Mrs. Flint and her family. In
1833, Asher Doolittle, Joseph Brigham,
Horace Winship, Harrison Downing and the

130

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUKTY.

Mercer families. In 1834 there was added to

the settlement: Caleb Cook and family, and
John Clapp, from Massachusetts. From
Ohio were the Mercer families and Tripletts,
aad Galers and Elliotts. The Masters, Ellis
and Durham families came with Hinsdale
Phelps from Sjiringlield.

In 1834 Hinsdale Phelps had returned here
while the remainder of his father's family
remained in Springfield. During the summer
he severely cut his foot and returned to
Springfield. While there he met C. D. Col-
ton, who had come from St. Lawrence County,
N. Y. , the previous fall with a colony, but
not liking the location in Sangamon, young
Phelps pursuadedhim to come with him and
see this country. He did so and made a claim
and through his induence came the other
Coltons, his relatives, and Alba Smith, David
Robinson, Nathaniel and Josejih Smith, and
Benjamin Newell all came in 1835. In the
year 1834 came Butler Denham from Con-
way, Mass., and with him S. H. Burr, S. L.
Fay, Anthony Sawyer, Adolphus Childs and
C. C. Corss, all single men. They all soon be-
came however, the heads of happy and pros-
[)erouK families. In 1835 liufus Carey, Alfred
Clark, S. D. Hinsdale, Noadiah Smith, J. H.
Olds, from Massachusetts, and Ralph \\'ind-
ship, from New York. In the spring of 1835
Charles Phelps, brother of E. S. Phelps,
came out to look at the country. He attended
that year the land sale at Galena, and bought
the land he afterward lived on, northeast of
Princeton. He brought his family the next
Juno, and there came with or soon after him,
all from Massachusetts, Seth C. Clapp, Lew-
is Clapj>, George Brown, Cephas Clajjp, O.
E. Jones and Miss Childs, now Mrs. J. S.
Everett, of Princeton.

Of thosi- who came hero in 1831 there are
now living in the county: George Hinsdale,
Daniel P. and Dwight Smith and their moth-

er, Mrs. Daniel Smith, E. H. Smith, Mrs.
Eli Smith, Michael Kitterman, John Cole
and 31is. J. H, Fisher. Of the eight young
men who came with the colony, five are still
living: John Leonard, the oldest of the com-
pany, died in 1S64. Charles Phelps died in
1866, and C, G. Corss in 1866.

What are the results? Looking back fifty-
fom- years! Then there were not half as
many inhabitants in the State as are now in
the city of Chicago. Fifty-four years ago,
when the colony came here, the Indians, deer,
prairie wolf and rattlesnakes held undispu-
ted possession of all this land. Fifty-four
years ago and all the northern part of the
State, including Quiucy, Jacksonville, and
Springfield, to Danville, on the Wabash, were
in one Congressional district. But the pop-
ulation increased so rapidly in 1840, when
Hon. John T. Stuart was our Representative
in Congress it was said he represented the larg-
est constituancy and territory of any member
of Congress. Fiftj-- four years! W'h at great re-
sults the world over. Probably greater than in
any previous century. What has been accom-
plished in Bureau County? There were then
about a dozen families — forty or fifty per-
sons all told; but one wagon road in the
county, the St. Louis and Galena stage road
by Boyd's Grove, and Bui bona' s. Look
about you, and remember all you now see of
roads, bridges, houses, barns, shops, factor-
ies, mines, farms, railroads, depots, cities,
towns, villages, schools, churches and all
these evidences of wealth, contentment and
prosperity are the product of this short half
century.*

• \v.. aro indebted iQ E. II. Phelpn for the alKjve account of the
IIi,ii(['"lilr<* Oul"ny.

Ens VEGWilllauisSBn

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

133

CHAPTER XI.

"Curt" Williams—The Man of Marks — Smiley Shevhebd —
The Deep Snow of 1831 — John, Job, Timothy Brown and
David Seart, — Gbeenbuhy Hall — Lewis Cobb— The Cholera
OF 1832— Scott's Army— The Terrors of the Plauoe— First
Steamboats Arrive in Chicago, 1832— " I Surrender, Mr.
Indian !"— Biographical Sketches of many old Settlers-
Henry F. Miller — M. Studyvin — David Chase — James Cod-
DINGTOV— Enoch Lumry — James Garvin — E. Piper — James
Wilson— Jacob Galer — John Leeper — John Baggs — The
WiswALi.s and Tripletts— Halls— .\ Negro Here in 1829.

THE man who made his mark or rather
sevei-al "marks" herein the squatter
days was Curtis Williams — "Uncle Curt" —
as he was generally known. His main busi-
ness was to keep well ahead of the settlement
and staking out a claim and doing enough
work on it to identify and hold it, and then
sell out to a new comer. If he had a brush
cabin up, so much the better, as the new arriv-
al's first want was some place to store his
family — get them out of the wagon, where
they sometimes had already been stored for
weeks. ' ' Uncle Curt" commenced east of the
river, and in the course of time passed nearly
acrcss Bureau County. If ho found an un-
occupied claim so much the better. He was
the man that Micheal Kitterman found in his
cabin when he "returned with his woman."
The spot where this cabin was located is now
occupied by Mr. E. C. Bates' fine residence
in South Princeton. But "Uncle Curt"
was a bold and valuable pioneer. He was
not afraid to go ahead, and he was full
of that industry and public spirit which
goes so far in developing a new country.
He was the pioneer to that portion of the
county where Buda now stands, which place
was known as French Grove until after the
building of the railroad and laying out of
the new town. He built a cardingmachine
at Leepertown, and was the first to aid the
good women in this portion of the country in

the drudgery of making woolen clothes for
the people. His aged widow is the mother-
in-law of Henry F. Miller. Curtis Williams
made more claims than any other one man
who ever came to the county, and as a " claim
maker" his name will go down in the history
of the county for all time.

Smiley Shepherd died at his home near
Hennepin, April 4, 1882. Born March 3,
1803. Thomas Shepherd, his great- gi-and'-
father came to this country in the seventeoth
century and settled near Harper's Ferry.
Shepherdstown, Va., gets its name from this
family. In August, 1828, Smiley left his
father's home on horseback for a visit to the
new State of Illinois. He came to Bond
County, to which place the Moore family had
come from Red Oak, some years before. From
Bond County he came to Putnam County, in
company with J. G. Dunlavey. They found
Capt. Haws at Point Pleasant, now Magno-
lia; James Willis was on the farm now owned
by Mr. Shering, near Florid. Thomas Hart-
zell kept an Indian trading house on the
river, on the site now the home and grounds
of A. T. Purviance. A few other persons lo-
cated claims this year in the county, but none
had been on the ground over a year but Mr.
Hartzell. Some time was spent visiting with
the few settlers, who were overjoyed to see
new comers, and their prospective friends
and neighbors. The best timber lands, springs,
town sites, etc., were looked at, and their fu-
ture value estimated carefully by these first
settlers. During the visit he selected the
site of the home he so long occupied. Its
scenery and extensive views outweighing, in
his estimation, the considerations which in-
duced others to pass it by. While looking
at the locality, he spent his first night in the
neighborhood, on what is now the northwest
corner of Mrs William Allen's apple orchard,
sleeping alone on the prairie grass, with his

134

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

saddle for a pillow, and his horse fettered
near by. During the night a wolf managed
to steal from his stock of provisions a tin cup
of butter, but like some other thieves, he did
not know what to do with it when he had it,
and instead of licking out the butter closed
the mouth of the cup with his teeth and left
it. Leaving Putnam, he gratified his strong
love for romantic scenery by visiting Starved
Rook, Sulphur Springs, Buffalo Rock, and
the present site of Ottawa. From this point
he crossed the country to Rock River and the
Mississippi, below the mouth of Rock River.
On his way back he and his companions made
the trip from the Mississippi to Fort Clark,
(now Peoria) in one day. From this he made
his way back home by way of Vandalia, Vin-
cennes and Cincinnati.

In a letter dated February 16, 1831, Shep-
herd thus tells of the deep snow. "The
snow foil between Christmas and New Year
to the depth of two feet, and has since that
time, by repeated accessions, been ikept up
full that depth." From the facts before us,
the difficulties these pioneers had to contend
with, can be better imagined than described.
During the winter of 1831-32 Smiley, as-
sisted by Nelson, built a log-house on his
first chosen site, and moved into it in Febru
ary, before the chimney was built, or a shut
ter made for the door. Here he lived until
death — a period of over fifty years.

During these first years he became well !ic-
quainted, personally, with Shabbona, Shick-
shak, and other Indians who, before the
Black Hawk war, were residents of the
country, and on friendly terms with the
whites, who treated them kindly. During
the Indian troubles of 1832, he shared the
fort life, the many alarms, real and false, of
his now numerous follow citizens; was
pressed into the service of the United States
ae teamster by Gen. Atkinson, and taken to

Chicago, with a regiment of troops on its
way to Fort Dearborn. It is remarkable,
that with his experience and knowledge of
Indians, he should have been their friend
and defender through life. For over thirty
years he sent, annually, a barrel of bacon,
and for some ten years in the early history
of the Mission, two barrels of flour, in addi-
tion to the bacon, and frequently other ai-ti-
cles needed by the families at the Mission of
T. S. Williamson and S. R. Riggs, among
the Dakota Indians.

He was among the first to grow the grape
successfully, by vineyard culture, in north-
ern Illinois. His vineyard of Catawbas and
Isabellas was planted in 1849, and bore a
fine crop in 1851, which sold at 15 cents per
pound. He successfully fruited nearly all
the fine varieties of pear, plum, poach, cherry
and strawberry of his day. Naturally enough,
he loved those of similar tastes and occupa-
tion with himself. From these years until
the infirmities of old age prevented his at-
tendance on its meetings, he was an enthusi-
siastic laborer in the cause and objects of
the State Horticultui'al Society. Served the
society one year as President, and considered
many of its members among his dearest
friends.

The presence of a large number of friends
at the funeral testified of the kindly regard
in which he was held. He was buried at
Union Grove by the side of his wife, who
died in 1873. The last of that little band
of noble men Father John Dixon, Charles S.
Boyd, "Dad Joe" Smith and the V(>ry f ew
others who were here, neighbors, companions
and friends in the long ago, when the daring
white man first began to feel his way into this
part of the wilderness.

Greenbury Hall settled near where Wy-
anct now stands, in 1832. He reports seeing
the track of Gen. Scott's army as it passed

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

135

through the north part of the county. If he
was not greatly mistaken, which he probably
was, then the fact is established that the
great General and his army were really once
on the soil of Bureau County.

Leiuis Cobb, of Wyanet, was one of the
soldiers in Scott's army that came to Chicago
in 183'2, in the two vessels that were stricken
so severely with the cholera plague of that
year. One of the gloomiest pages in our
western annals is the account of that trip, and
the horrors of the ghastly plague that beset
them. Gen. Scott arrived in Chicago, July
8, 1832, on the steamer "Sheldon Thomp-
son,'' Capt. A. Walker, the first steam-
boat trip ever made to Chicago. His delay
in Chicago on account of the cholera, was
such that he only reached Rock Island late
in August, just at the close of the negotia-
tions of peace, which were finally and fully
concluded in September. The Government
had charted four boats and loaded them with
troops. The "Henry Clay, "Superior,"
"William Penn," and "Sheldon." The
first two were turned back when the cholera
broke out, and the other two came on to
Chicago. So it will be seen that the first
steamboat was ' ' two boats.

The cholera was so fatal that thirty bodies
were thrown overboard between Chicago and
Mackinaw, and about 100 died at Chicago.
The deaths were so sudden and the burial so
instantaneous thereafter, that the victims, in
their last agonies, feared that they would be
buried alive, if it could be called a burial,
for they were thrown into a pit at the north-
west corner of Lake Street and Wabash Ave-
nue. Gen. Scott described this as the most
affecting scene of his life. Gen. Humphrey
Marshall, a member of Congress from Ken-
tucky, who was a Second Lieutenant, gave a
description of the scene, and though thickly
settled as Chicago then was, he could find

the place where he assisted in depositing the
remains of the victims, many being thrown
into the pit in a few hours after they had as-
sisted in depositing their comrades there.
The people all through the Fox and Rock
River Valleys had fled to Fort Dearborn for
protection against the Indians; but they soon
fled back, having a greater dread of the
cholera than of the Indians.

John Wentworth says: Black Hawk, chief
of the united tribe of Sacs and Fox Indians,
was born about 1767, near the mouth of the
Rock River, and there were his headquar-
ters, until he made a treaty, ceding his lands
to the United States, and agreeing to go to
Iowa. He went there, and settlers went
upon his lands and began to cultivate them,
when he repudiated his treaty, returned to
Illinois and commenced massacring them.
Before the LTnited States could take up the
matter, the Governor called for troops, and
most of the prominent politicians volunteered
their services, and raised more or less
soldiers, to go under their own particular
leadership. Black Hawk was chased up into
Wisconsin, captured, and sent to Washing-
ton to see Gen. Jackson. Jack Falstafi"
never slew as many men in buckram as each
and every one of these Illinois politicians
did. Squads would often go out from camp,
and hasten back with accounts of their mi-
raculous escapes from large bodies of In-
dians, when there were none in the vicinity.
An alarm was given, one night, when one of
the most distinguished men in the State
mounted his horse, without unhitching him,
and gave him a spur, when, mistaking the
stump to which he was tied for an Indian
taking hold of the reins, he immediately
exclaimed: "I surrender, Mr. Indian!"
An alarm was given that a large body of
Indians was approaching the Kankakee set-
tlements; volunteers turned out, and found

136

HISTOKY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

them to be nothing but sand-hill cranes.
If an Indian was found dead on the prairie
anywhere, several would exclaim: "'That's
the one I killed: " Mr. Lincoln had an in-
exhaustible supply of stories based upon his
experience in this war, but he never claimed
that his services there made him President.
He made more, in his Presidential campaign,
out of the rails he had split, than out of the
Indian scalps he had taken.

We believe this story was first told on
Lincoln by Douglas, in 185S, during their
celebrated campaign for the United States
Senate.

Mr. Lincoln was here as a Captain, first,
and then as a private, in Capt. Isles' company,
during 1832.

James Coddingion came to Bureau in
1831. He was a native of Maryland, born
in Alleghany County, of that State, January
25, 1798. In the general hegira of the
Indian war, he returned to his native place,
and then came back in 1833, and settled on
Section 17, in Dover. Ho married Catha-
rine Fear, of this county. She was born in
Maryland, in 1814, and with her family
came to this county in 1834. Of this union
there wore ton children, five of whom are
living, two of the sons and two daughters in
this county.

Mr. Coddington died, Juno, 187(5, while
on a visit to his friends in the East. He
was thrown oat of a wagon and died of his
injuries. (See biography of J. H. Cod-
dington).

David Chaw was born in Itoyalston, Mass.,
April 30, 1811. When yet a child his
parents removed to Fitzwilliam, N. H.,
where he was reared, where be married Lucj'
Brigham, a sister of Joseph Brigham (see
biography) and immediately after marriage
started for Illinois, arriving in 1834, and
settling in the village of Dover, on the farm

now owned by his son David, where the
widow now resides. Mr. Chase died July
1, 1SS2. He was a very quiet, unobtrusive,
good man, father and neighbor. They had
three children — one son and two daughters.
Lucy Abagail married Oscar Mead, of
Dover, and died, November, 1879. And
Mary Ellen is the wife of Arthui' Fruett.

Madison Studyvin was born in Slrginia,
near Grayson Court House, January 16,
1810. In 1824 went to Sangamon County,
in 1829, to Hennepin County and in 1832,
to Bureau. His father, William Studyvin,
died in Putnam County aged ninety years
and fifteen days. The mother, Nancy (Will-
iams) Studyvin lived to the age of ninety. two
years. They were the parents of nine sons
and three daughters, six of whom are liv-
ing. Mr. Studyvin was a soldier in the
Black Hawk war. In 1835 he married
Frances Ellis (see biography of Abbot
Ellis) in this county. They have two
children: W. C. in Brookville, Mo., and
Emily, married Simon Ogaw, and resides
nine miles from Clinton, Mo. Mr. Study-
vin is a Democrat, an estimable and univer-
sally respected old settler.

Ezekicl Piper came in 1836; he was born
in Maine, December 27, 1795, died December
31, 1875. He married Ann Eoberts, of Bucks
County, Penn. The family came to Illinois
in wagons across the country, and settled in
Leeper Township, whore they lived two years
and moved into Selby. They had seven chil
dren, five of whom are now living. An indus-
trious, frugal farmer, who filled the complete
measure of his earthly ambition in j)roviding
and rearing a respectable family.

James Garriit came to Putnam County in
1829. A native of Kentucky. Ho married
Mafv Studyvin who still survives. Mi-. Gar
vin settled in Dover in 1832. He is now a
very old man. (Since this was written, he

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

137

died August 9, 1884, an aged widow but no
ehiklren surviving.)

Enoch Lumrij was born in New Yorlj in
1810; he came to Bureau in 1836. His
fatliei' was Andrew Lumiy, of New Jersey.
Enoch maiTied in 1837, Amelia Mason, of
Kentucky, born in 1811. and came to this
county with her folks in 1834.

James Wilson was born in Dover, Peun.,
and reared in Kentucky, and came to Bureau
in October, 1833, and improved the farm he
now lives on. He came to this county in com-
pany with Marshall Mason. His uncle
Thornton Wilson was living here and it was
merely to visit him and see the country that
Mr. Wilson made the trip, but on seeing it
remained.

Harrison Hays was an early settler in Peru.
He kept what was long known as "Hays'
Ferry," and afterward settled in this county
where he died. His son now lives in Prince-
ton.

Henry F. Miller. — Nothing can convey to
posterity a stronger picture of the real pio-
neers than the story in their own language
of their coming, how they came, what they
saw, their trials and troubles and final
triumphs. To give it in their own language,
is like borrowing their eyes and looking back
over a real panorama of fifty 3'ears of the
most important part of American history. It
is a story — the plainer and simpler the bet-
ter^surpassing in interest any possible pict-
ure of the imagining of the poet or historian.
It is the reproduction of the past, true in all
its shadings, and standing out in the picture
is the living, breathing man, and, if not now,
surely in time all will contemplate it with
unflagging interest. To thus borrow the eyes
of the very few that were here among the first
is now barely possible; to-morrow the last
will have been gathered to the fathers.

The writer will ever remember as the most

pleasing task of his life, his interviews and
social chats with these early settlers as he has
here and there come across the small remnant
in the county. He was in the pursuit of dates
and figures, and facts on disputed points in
the legends of the pioneers. Piled upon his
writing-table are these bundles and scraps
and "pads" of notes, and taking one at ran-
dom from the confused mass, it chanced to
be those gathered, almost verbatim as they
came from Mr. Miller's lips, in the difierent
interviews. If this picture is placed side by
side with the others given, especially Strat-
ton's, Kitterman's, "Dad Joe's," the mem-
bers of the Hampshire Colony and many
others found in this work, the whole will
round out the view most completely.

Putting his answers to questions in a nar-
rative form. He said: "Henry F. Miller is
the S(m of Jonathan and Susanah Miller; he
was born in Green County, Penn., near the
junction of Cheat River with the Mononga-
hela, March 30, 1807. Practically, all the
schooling he enjoyed was between the age of
five and seven years. There were no English
grammars or geographies in school. As soon
as able he went to work on his father's farm;
at sixteen was apprenticed to a joiner and
cabinet trade, and during harvest time would
return and help his father on the farm.
When of age he crossed the mountains for
the first time and made a trip to Baltimore.
In August, 1830, started for Illinois, crossing
West Virginia on foot to the Ohio River, at
the mouth of Fish Creek. The river was
very low, and he footed it down along the
river to Marietta; there ho boarded a small
steamer, and after sticking fast at every riffle
and with the other passengers getting out in
the water and pushing the boat off, they
finally reached Cincinnati."

Here, Mr. Miller remarked in parenthesis:
"I had worked at the trade with my brother;

138

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

my father could blacksmith, make shoes, har-
ness, and I helped him build his houses and
barns," and his eyes sparkling with the recol-
lection, he said: "I saw La Fayette in iS'li at
Gallatin, and shook hands with him.'" (The
writer asked him to hold out that hand and
let him feel it, and is content that he and
La Fayette have touched the same hand.)
Resuming his story: "I changed boats and got
along better. I landed and footed it across
the State of Indiana, and reached Terre
Haute September 30. Just as I reached this
place woi-d was passed around that the great
Lorenzo Dow was in town, and would preach
at the court house. Everybody turned out
to hear him. After hearing him I thought
he wanted to be a great prophet in his day,
but as most of his prophecies failed, I con-
cluded he was much overrated. I remained
here until July, 1831, when I went to Lafay-
ette and stayed until October, working at my
trade. I bought a horse and started for
Pennsylvania, passed through La Fayette and
Wayne Counties to Richmond, Ind.,
Columbus, AVheeling, and thence to my old
home, where I remained until Janitary. ]S32,
when, in company with Dr. Shelby, 1 started
South and reached New Orleans, and to Port
Gibson, Miss. ; remained there until June,
1832, and left for Illinois and came to
Beardstown, and after a few days there went
to Jacksonville and to Springiield. Hero I
saw the great Methodist circuit rider, Peter
Cartwright; he was a candidate for the Legis-
lature against A. Lincoln, and there was a
report that he had made a bargain with the
candidate? for Sherifl", that if the Sherifl' would
vote for him he would give 500 Methodist
votes. Cartwright was reading certificates he
had from the Sheriff denouncing the story.
Cartwright declared that ho would cry i>erse-
cution through the district; then went to
Now Salom in Sangamon County, and worked

a short time, and boarded with a Mr. Rut-
ledge; Mr. Lincoln boarded there at the same
time. But as he was only Abe Lincoln then,
and as no one thought he would ever bo
President, I did not try to get much ac-
qviainted with him.

" I then went to Hennepin, and found the
people had fled from the west side of the
river,aud in Hennepin the people were living
in block-houses and picket forts. While in
Hennepin I slej^t all alone in John Simpson's
house; the family were afraid and were in the
fort. I did not know enough about Indians
to be afraid of them. Remaining a few days
in Hennepin. I went to Petersburg, and helped
build the first house of any size in that place.
Remained there until November, and in com-
pany with a young man, we bought a canoe
and started for St. Louis. The river was
very low; covered often with wild fowls,
which at the approach of our canoe would
rise in the air and often make a noise like
distant thunder. Our canoe was very short
and dithcult to manage; we camped on the
banks, generally with hunters we would lind
hunting furs and deer. At Alton the wind
was so strong we had to lay to for it to fall, and
my companion having no baggage, left me
here and went on foot, and I then literally
had to paddle my own canoe. When the sun
set, the wind lulled and I pulled out for St.
Louis. This was about as lonesome and
dreary a night as I ever experienced. The
weather was frosty, and I was stiff with cold
when 1 reached St. Louis just at daybreak.
The hotels wore closed, and it was my good
luck that a steamboat just then arrived, and
I went and wnriued at her fires. The next
day I shipped for Grand Gulf, Miss., and
from there I went to Fort Gibson; I worked
here until 1S33. and then I returned to
Hennepin; in u few days I went to Ottawa and
visited the spot on Indian Creek where the

HISTORY Oi' BUREAU COUXTY.

139

Hall and Davis families had been massacred,
and the Hall girls captured by the Indians.
I then came across by Troy Grove and stopped
over night, and bought a claim of a man
named Thornton. I then started to liunt up
the settlers on Bureau Creek, that was known
as the Yankee settlement. I got as far as
Lost Grove and night came on; seeing a
cabin I went to it, but it was deserted. I
went out on the prairie, tied my horse to my
wrist, and lay down with my saddle for a
pillow. In the morning early I resumed my
search for the Yankees, but all nortueast of
where Princeton now is I could see nothing
but wild prairie, and so I rode to Hennepin
for my breakfast. I then came over to work
on Griffin & Wilson's Mill on Bureau Creek,
in now Arispie. I worked here some time; in
October I was taken very sick — fever and
ague; the foreman of the mill died in Henne-
pin, and Griffin's family were all down sick
and the work stopped. As soon as I was well
enough to travel, I went south, stopping in
East Feliciana, La. Here I remained until
after the 4th of July, 1834, when I returned
and stopped in Hennepin and built a shop
and worked at my trade part of 1834-35. In
the winter of 1834 I bought the Spring Mill
at Leepertown, which had been built by A.
Vt'. Leonard. I improved this property,
making a better house, adding a carding-
machine. The railroad finally so injured this
property it was closed, and eventually from
sparks from the railroad engine or by the act
of some miscreant, it was fired and burned
dovm. Mr. Leonard was the first mill builder
here, and built about all the first mills in the
county. Spring Mill was built of round logs,
clapboard roof, and the chest was made of
large split, hewn logs (such a mill chest
would be a veritable curiosity now).

" In April, 1835, I married Jane Waldon,
and in May moved into Bureau County,

where, except six months in McLean County,
and nearly two years in La Salle County, I
have been ever since. By my first marriage
had five children, two now living, both
daughters, in La Salle County, Mrs. E. W.
Brower, widow, and Miss Celeste Miller; Mrs.
Jane Miller died July 26, 1846. In 1847 I
purchased 500 acres of land in Berlin Town-
ship, and in October, 1847, was married to
Mrs. Elizabeth Winslow. I moved into
Leeper Township, and improved my land in
Berlin. By this marriage there were three
children, only one living, Asa F., in Iowa.
In June, 1856, Mrs. Elizabeth Miller died.
I then moved to Galesburg to school my chil-
dren. Lived there one year, and then broke
up housekeeping and boarded my family and
gave all my attention to improving my land
up to 1860. I had rented my farms, but in
this year I commenced farming them myself,
although it was my first experience as a
farmer, and as I was then over fifty years of
age and alone, you can imagine I had a lonely
time of it. I then married Mrs. Martha
Bryan, my present wife, and in the fall of
1869 quit farming, and for two years
lived in Ottawa. In September, 1873, came
to Princeton, and have been here since. I
was successful as a farmer, more so, no
doubt, than the average.

"My family were at the Centennial fair in
1876. In 1878, with my daughter. Celeste,
went to Europe."

Then the notes give many particulars of
his travels in Europe, the countries visited,
the celebrated places, persons, etc., with fre-
quent quaint and original comments as he
passed over the world's historic spots. Doubt-
less the reader will regret that we do not
give all these, but our sj^ace is limited.

" When I landed in Illinois my total capital
was S300. I gave my daughters when mar-
ried $22,000. I own improved farms: 1,040

140

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

acres, and 1,560 acres in Iowa, 160 in
Nebraska, 160 acres in Macon County, 111.
Total cash value about $100,000."

In the sketch there is much that the intel-
ligent reader will read between lines. It is
full of the general story of the actual daily
life and experiences of the young men who
footed their way to this new country over
fifty years ago. People come now in train
loads every day, indeed, almost every hour —
flying across the country upon the railroads
in coaches, palace, sleeping, dining and
buffet cars, with no experiences except yawn-
ing, eating and sleeping — seeing nothing,
experiencing nothing; hardly able to realize
that they have stepped out of their splendid
parlors and dining-rooms in the eastern cities
or their cottages along the sea-shore. The
story of their traveling now fi-om ocean to
ocean across the continent would be as monot-
onous as mentally counting an endless row of
sheep jumping an imaginary fence. How
great a change is here! How insignilicent,
how completely is the individual now swal-
lowed up in the crowd. Human individuality
is literally gone, it is merged in the great
mass, until a man now can only think of him-
self as the inscrutable atom, a mere protoplasm
in the body politic. The realization is not
pleasant, it's like living in a limitless cave
and peering eternally into the silent gloom.

The young pioneers were alone in their
hour of severe ordeals and sore trials — mon-
archs each and every one, but monarchs of the
waste and wilderness. They were a part and
parcel of nature in her grandest aspects,
fashioned in character and high purposes by
the play of her supremo forces. Without
rank, alone, and mostly " without a dollar in
the world," the story, simple but sublime,
when contemplated by nn intelligent pos-
terity, then those unlettered heroes of the new
world will easily take their deserved places in

the highest niche of fame. Grant it, cynic, that
they builded wiser than they knew, yet their
works are here, they will remain forever,
blessing already millions in this great valley,
and will grow and multiply in their benign
influences for the unborn generations to come
after us.

Jacob Galer —'Hov/ a resident of Seattle,
"W. T., says: "I married my first wife. Miss
Ruth Burson, the 31st of October, l^i. By
her I had four children, the eldest, now Mrs.
Lizzie G. Pratt, of Seattle, AV. T., was the
only one that lived to be grown. My first
wife died of consumption, October 5, 1856.
On May 8, 1858, I married Lydia Berry, of
Milo, Biu'eau County, 111. By her I had two
children — both died in infancy. My second
wife died here in Seattle, W. T., June 15,
1878. I lived in Bureau County, from
August, 1834, until April, 1860, when I
moved to Kansas. I was the first Coroner of
Bureau County after it was organized, and
my nearest neighbor here in Seattle, was the
first Coiuity Clerk, Thomas Mercer. He has
been on this coast since 1852. His first wife
was a daughter of Squire Brigham of Dover.
She died on this coast, leaving him four
daughters, three of whom are still living and
are an honor to their father. He is hale and
vigorous for a man of his age, seventy-one
years the 11th of last March. He is well to
do in this world's goods and has a kindly heart
ready to respond to the downcast and desti-
tute."

John Leeper, son of James Loeper, and
grandson of Allen Leeper, was born in Cum-
berland County, Penn. , August 23, 1786.
The grandfather, Allen Leeper, was born in
in County Down, Ireland, where his ances-
tors had fled from Scotland on account of re-
ligious persecutions, and he was seven years
old when he came to America. James Leep-
er, the father, went to Georgia when John

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

141

was but a beardless boy. Here he grew to
manhood, and was married at the age of
twenty, to Fidilis McCord, October 28, 1806.
He moved to Marshall County, Tenn. , in the
year 1808, with their first born daughter —
Fanny — and cleared out a farm in the cane-
breaks of Rock Creek. Being a very bitter
opponent of slavery he left the slave States
and moved to Illinois Territory in the year
1816, starting April 5, and arriving at Mad-
ison County May 23, a journey of forty-eight
days, which can now be accomplished by
rail in ten hours. Remaining here until fall
he removed to Beaver Creek, four miles south
of Greenville, Bond County. Mr. Leeper
remained here until the fall of 1823, when he
removed to Morgan County, arriving on the
spot where now the city of Jacksonville
stands, November 2. Here he opened up a
farm of 400 acres. The city of Jacksonville
was laid out in 1825. The county soon be-
gan to till up, and Mr. Leeper's family be-
coming quite large, having nine sons and
five daughters, there was a demand for more
land. It was necessary to make another
move to supply this demand, so on the 10th
of October, 1831, Mr. Leeper removed to
Putnam County and settled three miles north-
east of the present town of Hennepin and
made a claim of 2,500 acres of land. Here
he opened up a large farm, in the summer
of 1832, in the time of the Black Hawk war,
building a stockade around his log-house for
safety, while three of his sons were out on
the war-path of the Indians. In the fall of
1833 Mr. Leeper sold his farm and moved
into Bureau County and bought an unfinished
sawmill of Timothy Perkins, on Bureau
Creek, one and one-half miles northwest of
Bureau Junction. At the land sales of 1835,
900 acres of land were entered around this mill
site, and the sawmill was finished and a flour-
ing-mill and other machinery was added, and

completed in the fall of 1835, and was con-
sidered one of the finest mills in the State.
and sawed the lumber and ground the wheat
and corn, and carded the wool for the people
for fifty miles around. At this place Mr.
Leeper died December 14, 1835, aged forty-
nine years three months and twenty-one days,
and was buried — his being the second grave
in Oakland Cemetery. His death was not
caused by ordinary sickness. By lifting
heavy timbers in constructing his mills he
became ruptiu'ed, and taking cold in the
wound an abcess was formed which broke
and emptied itself inwardly, and mortifica-
tion set in which soon caused his death.

Mr. Leeper in size was about five feet,
nine inches high, weight one hundred and
sixty pounds. A very energetic, active man,
a hard worker, kept well abreast with the
most prosperous of his neighbors in accumu-
lating property. In politics he was a Whig
of the Adams type. In religion a Presby-
terian, for many years a Ruling Elder in
churches of that order. As a neighbor, one
of the most kind, generous, and universally
beloved by all who knew him. It was often
said that Judge Leeper had no enemies and was
ever ready to help the needy. His house was
always open to entertain the weary traveler,
the pioneer preacher and the polite politician.
Living as he did most of his life on the fron-
tier, and before the chiurch was built, his
house was occupied as a church by the
preachers of every denomination who chose
to accept it. Mr. Leeper was always ready
and the first to move in building up churches
and schools in every place where he lived.
At Jacksonville, before any church building
was erected, the first organization was affected
in his barn — the Presbyterian Church — in
1827.

About this time a very amusing incident
occurred, illustrating the variety often met

142

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

■with in frontier life. Old Father John
Brich often preached in Mr. Leeper's
house, which was built of hewn logs. The
chimney was made of sticks and clay and
near the upper end it receded from the house,
leaving a narrow space which was always
warm from the fire below. Here was a warm
retreat and the hens often sought it as a con-
venient place to lay, and hatch their young.
It so happened on a Sabbath day when
Father Brich, a corpulent, old English bach-
elor, was preaching, in his prayer occurred
this sentence, " The Lord bless all the h-ends
of the earth." Just at this junctiu-e two hens
were disputing about the possession of said
nest. To decide the controversy promptly.
Father Brich called a halt in divine service,
took his cane, stepped out of the door and
proceeded to remove one of the hens and then
returned to conclude the exercises. This
created no little amusement in the congrega-
tion but did not upset the preacher. Mr.
Leeper's home having always been on the
thin edge of civilization, it was never his lot
to enjoy many of the privileges and luxuries
of an old settled country, but never was be-
hind the first in efibrt to subdue the wilder-
ness and make it blossom and bud as the rose,
and to plant the church and the school.

Possessed of a modest and retiring nature,
he never sought oflSce, but it rather sought
him. He was a member of the Legislature
of Illinois as early as 1827; was elected
County Judge of Morgan County, but refused
many oflfers of public honors, preferring the
quiet of a retired life. Mr. Leeper and all
his family were radically opposed to slavery
and to intoxicating tlrinks and the use of to-
bacco. Only four of his once largo family
are now living: Charles, Mary B. , Harvey B.
and AVilliam H. A modest slab of marble
now marks the place where his mortal remains
were buried in Oakland Cemetery.

John Baggs had married a relative of the
Thomases. He is a native of Ohio; his sister
Sally was Mrs. Abram Stratton, and Eliza-
beth married George C. Hinsdale. Mr.
Baggs removed to Iowa nearly thirty years
ago, where he is now living. Another of the
Baggs girls, Mrs. Avery, also lives in Iowa.
John M. Gay, the Strattons, the Thomases
and the Baggses and Hinsdales were all very
early settlers, all prominent and important
people, and by marriages were all related.

Wisicalls. — This family were Elijah Wis-
wall, the father, and Mrs. John H. Bryant,
Miss Emily and Noah Wiswall. They came
to Biu'eau in 183-4, from Jacksonville. The
family were from Bristol County, Mass., and
came to Illinois in 1821, first stopping in
Bond County and soon from there to Jack-
sonville. Noah and Elijah were each widow-
ers when they came here. The first year they
made their home with Mr. Bryant. Elijah
Wiswall then built a frame business house
with residence back, on the corner opposite
— west from the present American House.
Renting the front to Salisbury & Smith, and
occupying the rear; and Wiswall, Sr. , died
here in 1840. Emily married Micajah Trip-
lett, and she and husband kept house for her
father. After his death they moved to their
farm, where she died in 1874, leaving
daughters: Mrs. T. P. Streator, Princeton;
Mary, now with Mrs. Streator and a son re-
siding in Wyanet. Triplett was from Ohio,
and came with his father to this county in
1834. Stephen Triplett and wife kept hotel
for a long time in Princeton. Both died
here. Noah Wiswall married Elizabeth
Lovejoy, a sister of Owen Lovojoy. They
had four sons — three now living: Austin, in
Chicago; Charles, in New York; Edward, at
Pike's I'eak; Clarkson died in the army.

The Searh — wei-e from Ohio, the family
originally from Chemung County, N. Y.

HISTORY or BUREAU COUNTY.

143

Five brothers eaine to this county; Brown
and Job came in 1834; David, 1835; and
Timothy and John, in 1836. A big family
of big men, and the live sons were a little
over a 1,000 pounds of as brave pioneer
blood and bones as ever gathered on the bor-
ders. (See John S. Searl's biography).

T. D. Rackley —From Orange County, N.
Y., born December 9, 1829, and came to
Bureau County in 1838. (See biography).

The Huffakers. — Israel Huffaker was a
soldier in the Black Hawk war, and thereby
came to see the glories of Bureau County.
He came in 1835 and entered land, and
brought his family and permanently located
in 1837. In 1838 Jacob Huffaker came.
They were from Kentucky, and by marriage
some of the family were related to Abraham
Lincoln. They were a hard-working, quiet
and economical people.

John Welch was born in New York in 1825,
of Irish descent. Came to Bureau in 1838.
In 1806 he was married to Lucy Dunham, in
Princeton; a daughter of John Dunham.

John Wise was born in North Carolina in
1814. His wife, Lucinda Bunch, was a
native of Kentucky. They came to Bureau
in 1834, living the first winter in Robert
Maston's cabin in the forks of Big and Lit-
tle Bureau; near them was an Indian encamp-
ment. Wise m-ade many chairs that were
used in the cabins for years.

Peter Ellis — A Black Hawk war soldier
He was known everewhere as Capt. Ellis.
A native of Ohio, came in 1830, and settled
near Magnolia. Mrs. Peter Ellis died in
this county in 1844.

Reason B. Hall and his brother Edward
came in 1828, and built a cabin in the east
part of the county. After occupying it a
short time, on account of the many Indians
and the entire absence of neighbors, they
abandoned the claim and moved south of the

river. Afterward they returned and occupied
the place a year or two and removed to the
lead mines.

In the fall of 1829, a negro named Adams
built a cabin at the mouth of Negro Creek,
and from this circumstance the stream gets
its name. He was frightened across the river
by the Indians and never returned.

Cyrus Langworthij settled in the south-
east corner of Princeton Township; had five
children — three sons and two daughters — two
sons now living. Franklin the eldest is in Wis-
consin, and Warren is a printer by trade. Mr.
Langworthy was the first Sheriff of Bureau
County. He served in this capacity three
terms. In 1842 he was elected to the State
Legislature and served out the term with
creditable efficiency. He was a soldier of the
war of 1812, and was in every respect a man
much superior to the average of his surround-
ings. As Sherifi" he had to bring the new and
sometimes wild elements of border life un-
der the strong arm of the law. The rough
law-breakers at times made it necessary for
the oflicer of the law to exercise the coolest
courage in facing these men. Mr. Lang-
worthy, except a lameness, was a man of re-
markable physical strength and endurance
and his courage was equal to his physical
strength. He was crippled when a young
man in this way. He was cutting down a tree
and as it commenced to fall he noticed one
of his small children playing just where the
tree was going to fall. He rushed forward
and gathered the child and threw it out of
danger and saved it, but was caught himself,
and his thigh broken. It was never properly
set, it seems, and made him lame through
life.

144

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

CHAPTER Xn.

luMKE'g Group PiCTVRF. OF THE Old Sfm'LKRS — Its Valuk in Af-
TEn Yeaiw — Suggestions to tub Board of Supervisors — A
Valuable Chapter in the County's History — Who are the
REAL Knickerbockers— Etc., etc.

IN a preceding chapter reference is made
to the picture of the large group of uld
settlers, made a few years ago, by Mr. Immke,
of Princeton. As a work of art it is an inter-
esting study, as a faithful rellex of over four
hundred faces of the men and women who were
of the band of Bureau County pioneers. It
is already of surpassing interest, and could
it be preserved for the people for the coun
try's second centennial, it would be one of
the most invaluable contributions to the his-
tory of the Mississippi Valley that posterity
could possess. In the small space of about
thirty inches square are preserved by the
photagraphic art, at the hands of a master
workman, the shadowy lineaments of the fea-
tures of some of the gray -haired fathers and
the "blessed mothers in Israel," everyone of
whom of those still left us will probably
be laid tenderly away during the next decade
of years, and the recorde made in this book
and these shadow reflections will contain all
the lesson we can know of these remarkable
men and women.

As remarked in a previous chapter, the
form and substance of history is being
reconsidered by this age, and the former
judgements as to what history is, tlie lessons
it teaches, and the fundamental facts there-
of, its true science and philosophy, in short,
are opening now fields of thought and evolving
the most salutary lessons for our contempla-
tion anpl study. The annalist, the chronolo-
gist and the historian are the order of the
development. When the real historian comes
be will give mankind the highest attainable

type of instruction and wisdom, because true
history is the cause and efi'ect of the exist-
ence and growth of the mind, its sweeps on-
ward, its ebbs backward.

Let us illustrate the idea we wish to convey.
The large majority of men have been taught
to regard Martin Luther as the sole author,
creator and master of the reformation, and
therefore, the liberator of the mind and body
of our race from the thrall of ignorant bigot-
ry, persecution and illiberality. Whereas, the
truth is the forces had been at work to this
end for more than a centuiy before Luther
was born. The spark had been struck that
fell upon the ready material to ignite, most
probably many centuries before he was born,
and secretly and slowly it extended in the
dai'k apartments of the mother church and the
state until the glow and heat within brought
the surging force of the wind from without
that forced open the door and in a moment
the leaping Hames bui-st from all parts of the
great structure, hot and hissing, licking up
the long and ])atient labors of men who had
builded neither wisely nor well. Luther was
but the door forced open by a resistless out-
side pressui'e, which he no more created or
controlled than does the cork direct the mad
torrent of waters as it bobs along on the sur-
face. Every written or spoken word we have
of him confirms this beyond all peradven-
turo. There is not a cpiestion but that he
died an old man, wholly ignorant of the ef-
fects, not upon the church but upon man-
kind as we have them now, in the liberty of
conscience, the freedom of body and mind,
the right to discuss, to think and to act, each
and every one for himself, and to cast off
those heavy burdens of oppressive govern-
ments, to be men, in short; these are a part
of the slow-coming effects of the Reforma-
tion that are reaching us and that were form-
ing and growing through the long centuries.

HISTOEY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

145

The surroundings, the conditions, the ripen-
ing foi' a great event are always the result of
a previous preparation and growth as are the
ripe fruits hanging upon the tree. The twig
that bears the apple is but the medium
through which have worked the little fibers
in the deep secrets of the soil, as well as the
swinging leaf that is kissed by the sun and
drank of the gentle dews of heaven.

It is the master purpose of the types, when
fashioned into ideas, to transmit the images
of men's minds to the remotest posterity, and,
if aided by 'the photographer's art, the re-
production of men who have passed away is
not only made more accurate and easj-, but
far more complete than would otherwise be
possible. The old, old saying that a prophet
is not without honor save in his own country,
was well grounded upon that deep trait in
the character of all people to feel that it is
distance that lends enchantment to the view.

We wish we could impress upon the people
of Bureau County, especially upon those in
authority, and whose duty it is to care for
the true interests of the people, the immense
importance, the historic value of this group
picture of the old settlers; make them under-
stand that the people of the county, the de-
scendants of the noble men and women who
won this rich heritage, are deeply concerned
in keeping green their memories, and that
they regard the keeping of their good names
and fame as a sacred trust, and that it is
neither time nor the people's money wasted
if the proper steps are taken to put this
monumental picture in such careful keeping
of the county that at the end of the next
hundred years it may be found. And that
from these small portraits life-size pictures
may be made, a public building erected for
their keeping, and a public resort; reading
and social and educational meetings of the
people will be had and the central and at-

tractive portions thereof will be the portraits
of the old settlers true to life; to each may
be appended a short biographical sketch, and
in the whole will be found a historical pic-
ture gallery more highly prized when all now
living are dead and gone, than any other one
thing it is possible for us to hand down to
the unborn generations. Let the old settlers
and the new settlers, too, stir this matter up,
make their demands upon those who are car-
ing for the public affairs; convince them that
it is first their business, and that it is your
imperative wish. If they lag and continue
indifferent tell them that there are old set-
tler voters as well as Republican, Democratic,
Butler and St. John voters; that in the " off
years," at least, you will vote as old settlers
and will politically settle every one who is
ready to vote money for every popular de-
mand and tojjooh pooh at the idea of a pub-
lic memorial to the memory of the noblest
race of men and women in the world's history.

Mr. Immke is deserving of great commen-
dation for the excellence of his work, but
more for the enterprise and generous public
spirit with which he performed the difScult
undertaking. We are free to say this be-
cause as a financial venture it has paid him
nothing, and largely, therefore, it is a free
offering and a most noble and generous trib-
ute it is on his behalf.

As the custodians of the county's interests,
the Board of Supervisors are the proper ones,
and to whom the people look to more in this
matter, for the simple reason that it must
have their oificial notice in order that the
work may be properly attended to. The
total expense that would be incurred would
be so very trifling that no taxpayer would
ever feel it.

We believe the only and one thing needful
is that this matter be projterly brought to the
attention of the public authorities, to secure

146

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

prompt and the most eflScient action. You
have an Old Settlers' Society, of long and rep-
utable standing, composed of the best rep-
resentative people of the county. Its yearly
meetings, its large attendance and interest-
ing addresses are an important part of your
history, the most interesting part that is now
being put upon your records. But few of
the links are left of the venerable men and
women of the pioneers, and are visibly di-
minishing at each of your annual gatherings.
The larger part of the audience are the chil-
dren and friends of a noble generation that
is gone, and their sacred dust, their memory,
their linger marks and the results of their
immortal lives is the one great trust in the
keeping of the people of to-day. You can-
not remit this noble work to the future, be-
cause if done at all, it must be done now.
When the substance fades, the shadow is
gone forever.

Lord Bacon, the brightest mind that has
yet adorned the human race, speaking of that
natural impulse that characterizes mostly the
human family, the ambition to be more than
the insect or worm that perishes and is for-
gotton; to be remembered at least a few
hours after death, says: "That whereunto
man's nature doth most aspire, which is im-
mortality or continuance; for to this tondeth
generation, and raising of houses and fami-
lies; to this buildings, foundations, and
movements; to this tondoth the desire of
memory, fame and celebration, and in effect
the strength of all other human desires."
Yes, the mainspring in life is the ambition
to be not wholly insignificant, but to bo re-
membered — if not by the world, then by the
neighbors, and if not by the neighbors then
by your children, or if yet alone, then by
your faithful dog, or by some animate thing.
This is "the strength of all other human
desires." Ambition has ruled und fashioned

everything human we see about us. It is
the spur of all exertion, directly or remotely
to all action, good or bad. Without it man
would be wholly worthless; with it in any
excess, he is generally a selfish, cold-blooded
monster. It was the " Ambitious youth who
tired the Ephosian dome,'' in order to link
his name with its history, even knowing' his
life would pay the forfeit of his crime. It
was the ambition of Napoleon that drenched
Europe in blood. All war, the great crimes,
as well as the grand heroes and man's great-
est blessings have this common origin. It is
deep-seated and wide spread ignorance that
makes ambition a great affliction instead of
a blessing.

Probably no class of men in the world had
less of that ambition for the applause of men,
for the pomp and power and notoriety that
drives so many ambitious men to heroic deeds
and great crimes, than the early pioneers of
Illinois. The horizon of their ambition
closed in at the very doors of their rude cab-
ins, where were gathered their family idols.
Here they could get a home, lands for them-
selves and their children; to be free men and
women, owing no man a dollar that they
could not pay, and rear their children with
no other masters save their parents. They
well knew the hard trials, the risk, the dangers,
the suffering and hard toil they had to pay
for this little boon of life.

Your school children learn the story of an
Alexander, a Napoleon, or a Cesar's fame,
and yet stand up any of these mistaken great
names of history by the side of the least and
humblest of the band of Illinois pioneers —
compare the permanent good coming of the
life work' of one with the other and from
such comjiarisons, how little, contemptible,
and insignificant is the great Napoleon to
tliclnuiibh* but heroic pioneer in his hempen
sliirt, his well worn wamus, his home-made

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

147

shoes and hat, his coarse features, unkempt
hair, his broad teeth and his loud voice and
rough, uncouth rugged independence. The
one butchered his thousands and thousands
and converted the world into a waste and
house of mourning — the ambitious architect
of death and desolation. The other wrought
peace, happy homes, prosperity and joys for
the blessed millions to come after. Over the
little hole of a door of the brush cabin in
letters of living light he blazed the message
to the poor and oppressed of all the world:
' ' 1 have prepared the way. In thy Father's
house is enough and to spare. Come and
partake." But a few years ago, perhaps it is
there yet, was a wood-cut in the school read-
ers placed there for the delectation, study
and admiration of innocent and guilless chil-
dren. It was called "Napoleon crossing the
Alps." He is on his customary mission of
robbery, destruction and death. Beyond the
background of the miserable picture is burn-
ing cities, blackened homes, wasted fields — a
world's great sob of agony.

In a preceding chapter is an account of
Abram Stratton, in the fierce storms and
deep snow of the winter of 1830, with his ox-
sled and alone, crossing the then dreaiy
wilderness between Chicago and Bureau
County. Depending and at the end of that
young dauntless pioneer's trip was the laugh-
ing land.

"Look on this picture and then on that,"
and true history will reverse the pictures in
our school-books and in men's minds. His-
tory must be re-written. The shams and
frauds will be exposed, and the really great
and good, no matter how humble their lives,
how obscure their names, or how little known
their good work to those who supposed they
were writing history — in the story of the
past, they will take their proper places, and
who will dare say, when the whole field is

looked over, that among those whose works
produced the best results, there are any who
may justly claim the places above the early
pioneers.

Silly worshippers at the shrine of these
faLse idols and shams of history — these exe-
crable frauds who are mere buzzards roosting
in the eagle's nest, may cry out against the
iconoclast who tumbles over their beatified
monsters, but the good work will go on, be-
cause truth is eternal, and because the ulti -
mate truths of history is the highest type of
philosophy, teaching the grand lessons of life
by examples.

Nothing will more aid the historian in sift-
ing out the grand heroes of history — the best
type of men and women who have appeared
and gone in the tide of time, than the work
of the photographer. This is a modern in-
vention, but so is the correct idea of true
history. Everything is grist to the hopper of
history. Here the biography, the dress, the
manners, the thoughts, looks, discussions,
poems, books, songs, the work and the play-
ing — in short, everything of and concerning
a people are his materials, that are carefully
collated, compared, digested and studied and
understood, and then the results of these
lives, whether in the field of thought or physi-
cal walk, are followed out in their immediate
and remote effects, and thus the great temple
of imperishable fame will rise, stone upon
stone, to be seen, honored and revered of all
men.

We give the list of faces that are preserved -
in Immke's group, in their alphabetical or-
der, with the dates of their coming to the
county, and in several instances such other
facts of each as we could procure. The list
includes photographs extending down to the
year 1844 :

Anthony, A., 1837. Living in southwest
part of county.

148

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Anthony, Mrs. M. M., 1837.

Ament, John and Sarah, 1830. The
Aments were from Kentuckj-. John died in
1850, and was buried near his cabin. His
widow married again and had quite a large
family. We believe all left the State some
years ago. There were three brothers came
together — Edward, Justus and John. They
built a cabin east of Ked Oak Grove, Section
1, owned by O. Dunham.

Ambrose, William, 1840. Living in the
county.

Adams, William, 1840.

Anthony, Dr. William C, 1841. Born
1807, Vermont. First marriage, 1837; sec-
ond, 1858; third, 1800, to Lydia Allen, born
Ellsworth, Ohio. September, 1S33. Came to
Illinois in 1857. Mrs. B. Ripley, oldest sis-
ter, Mrs. A., DOW in Princeton, another sis-
ter, Mrs. Cook, here. Dr. Anthony came
here an alopath, and for thirty years has
been a homceopathic.

Bryant, Arthur. 1833. Bryant, Mrs. A.
1833. Full account of the B's elsewhere.

Bryant, JohnH., 1832.

Bryant, Cyrus, 1832.

Boyd, Alex, 1830. Son of Charles S.
Boyd. Residence, Princeton.

Boyd, :\Irs. Alex, 1834. Native New York;
died in Princeton, 1882.

Brigham, Joseph, 1832. (See biography).

Brigham, Mrs. J E., 1834.

Brigham, Sylvester, 1829. Sold farm and
went West.

Brigham, Mrs. Polly, 1832.

Bacon, A. W., 1838. (See biograi)hy).

Bacon, Mrs. Julia, 1839.

Barney, Charles and Asa, 1830. From
Providence, K. I. : Asa living in Princeton.

Brainard. Mr. and Mrs. D. E., 1841. From
Medina County, Ohio. Alna Brainard, elder
brother, married A.W. Bacon's sister. He died
some yfars ago here, leaving live children.

Brokaw, I., 1840, southern Ohio. Mr.
Brokaw died in Kansas, and his widow died
in Princeton. Left a large family. A daugh-
ter, Mrs. Chester Smith, living in Princeton.

Ballangee, J., 1830.

Ballangee, Mrs. L., 1838. Lives near
Dover.

Buchan, F. G., 1839. Lives in Buda.

Bryant, E W., 1830.

Bushong, J. A., 1838. Bushong, Mrs. L.
L., 1837.

Bennett, George, 1832. Died in West
Bureau, leaving widow and children. The
family moved in after years to Iowa.

Boyd, Charles S. andN., 1830. (See biog-
raphy and general history).

Bruce, W. R. and Mrs. E., 1838. Lived
near La Moille.

Bacon, H. V., 1838.

Belknap, Eli B., 1839. Lived north of
Dover.

Biddleman, Mrs. M. J., 1834 ; was a
Triplett; lives in Princeton.

Benson, A. 1839; living in Tiskilwa.

Bass, Edward. 1840. Lives neai' Maiden.

Barney, Hosea, 1839: living at Providence.

Ballon, Judge M.. 1839. (See biography
and chapter Bench and Bar).

Burson, L. X., 183 1 ; lived throe miles west
of Princeton; died some years ago; one son
living here near Adam T. Galer.

Brown, George, 1830: died violent death
two years ago; a son living in North Prairie.

Clapp, John, 1834.

Clapp, Mrs. Mariah L.. 1835.

Mr. Clajtp was for a long time a promi-
nent citizen of the county. His sister was
the wife of Caleb Cook. Mr. Cla])]i died
1882. His brother's widow living in I'ince-
tou, and his dependents live in La Moille.
See elsewhere.

Chamberlain, Dr. W. O. and Mrs., 1S32.
A sister of Mrs. Chamberlain, Sarah TopliflF,

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

149

now living in Princeton. Dr. Chamberlain
left two children. About the lirst physician
in the county and a good and valuable man.

Cusic, D. A. Married Eliza Cox. He was
frozen to death, leaving a widow and thir-
teen childi'en.

Coddington, Mr. and Mrs. James, 1835.
Natives of Maryland. Children living in
county (See biography).

Colton, C. D., 1834 (See Colton biogra-

phy)-

Colton, Mrs. E. S., 1835.

Cook. Caleb, 1834: (See sketch in general
history).

Corss, C. C. and Mrs., 1833; came with the
Hampshire Colony; living on West Bureau.

Cattell, Mrs. A. D., 1836; living in town.

Corse, Mi-s. M., widow of Martin C. ; liv-
ing in Princeton.

Campbell, Mrs. S., (" Aunt Susie "); liv-
ing north of Princeton depot.

Corss, Henry, 1838; living on West Bureau,
son of C. C. Corss.

Clapp, SethC, 1836; elder brother of John,
died about ten years ago. Widow lives in
Princeton; no children living.

Clark. Andrew, 1S41.

Combs, C. W., 1831; native of Kentucky,
lived east of Princeton.

Colton, L. J., 1835; brother of Chancy
Colton; residing now in Kansas. Married
a daughter of Deacon Phelps. Was at one
time partner proprietor in the Republican of
Princeton (See Press chapter).

Cummings, Thornton, 1834; native of Vir-
ginia; reared in Kentucky where he married
Sylvia Williams, in 1816, and came to
Gallatin County, 111., and from there to
Bureau. He settled in French Grove, then
heavy timbered. He was the tirst settler in
what is now Concord Township. He died in
1872, and his widow died in 1883 (See Will-
iam Cummings' biography).

Cummings, F. and T., 1834.

Crittenden, John and Mrs. B. G., the lat-
ter now living south of Princeton. One of
her sisters married Col. Austin Bryant, and
the other sister married Arthur Bryant (See
Bryant biography).

Corss, C. G., 1831.

Corss, Mrs. Polly, 1832; now living in
Princeton. Sister of Joe Brigham.

Cole, John, 1831; a minister in the M. E.
Church.

Cole, Jane, 1831 ;widow, still living, very old.

Carey, Mr. and Mrs. Rufus, 1837; widow
living in county.

Corsey, Lemuel P. ; his widow, mother of
H. Reasoner's wife.

Cusing, Caleb, Mrs. P. and G. B. This
family arc relatives of the celebrated Caleb
Cushing of Massachusetts. G. B. resides
near Princeton.

Drake, William G., November, 1335; set-
tled in Dover from New Jersey. Had seven
children. Cyrus Langworthj' married the
oldest daughter, Charlotte; Ann married Rob-
ert N. Murphy, and lives in Princeton; Mrs.
Catharine Gregg, is in Iowa; Rachael L.
Stockton, in LaSalle; Mary J. Clark, de-
ceased. The sons were: David, Morgan and
William C, now living in Princeton (see his
biography). Mr. Drake died April 29, 1852.
aged eighty-one years. His widow died De-
cember 24, 1849, aged seventy-five years.
William T. Drake's widow, Mrs. Michael
Watson, came to the county in 1834. Mich-
ael Watson was the son of Amariah Watson,
who came in 1833. Mr. Watson died in Cal-
ifornia; Amariah died here.

Epperson, Harrison and Hezekiah, 1830.

Epperson, Mrs. Abbigail. Harrison lives in
Iowa, the only one of the family left.

Emmerson, Judge Jesse, 1S36. Living in
Buda (See biogi'aphy and Bench and Bar
Chapter).

150

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Edwards, Samuel, 1842. From Massachu-
setts; removed to Mendota.

Ellis, Abbott, 1833; living north of Prince-
ton.

Fassett, E. W., 1835; married Pamela
Morton; residing in lia Moille.

Flowers, Sophie, May 1831 ( ?).

Forristol, James G.,May, 1830 (See general
history).

Forristol. Mrs. M. A., 1S36.

Frankeberger, W., 1837; died 1882; aged
ninety years ; Barrack Mercer married daugh-
ter.

Forster, F. and Mrs. R. B., were Miller-
ites in faith; kept tavern where Buda now
is, before the town existed.

Fritchey, M., September, 1838; lives in
Tiskilwa (See Mr. Dunn's sketch).

Fay, Sam L., 1834; from Massachusetts;
living in West Bureau.

Garten, Robert, 1833; settled in Dover;
was a prominent and influential man; one of
his sons is a physician.

Gilbert, L. C., July, 1840.

Gunn, Aaron, 1831 (See general history).

Goodspeed, M. L., 1840.

Gay, John M. and Mrs., 1830; Gay was
from Kentucky; he was a thorough, brave
pioneer. At the organization of Putnam
County he was elected to office; he lived here
a long time and removed to Wisconsin, where
he died; he was married to a sister of Henry
Thomas.

Greeley D. P. and D., 1839; from Rhode
Island; he supposed he was related to Hor-
ace Greeley until he went to New York to
claim his kin; the two men looked at each
other and agreed that they were probably re-
lated through Adam, but no closer; he bur-
ied his wife in the Dover Cemetery and moved
away.

Gosso, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew, 1839; the
first German to locate in Princeton; a pros-
perous, good family (See biography).

Galer, Adam T. and IVIrs., 1834 (See bi-
ography).

Griswold, J. A. and Mrs. M., September,
1839.

Gheer, Hiram and Mrs. S. A., 1842 (See
biography).

Fifield, Samuel, 1836. Settled near Buda.

Hinsdale, G. C, 1831, married Elizabeth
Baggs.

Hinsdale, Mrs. L. , 1828.

George C. and S. D. Hinsdale were
brothers, George C. is still living, S. D. died
about 1880. (See biography).

Hammer, Mrs. S., 1838. There is a family
of Hammers now living in Ohio Township.
They came, the Hammers, in 1834.

Horn, W. H. and Mrs. E. D., 1843.

Heaton. Isaac, Reeee and Mrs. Sarah, 1836.
The Heatons living at Heaton's Point. Har-
rison Eppersan married one of the girls (see
Heaton's biography).

Holbrook, J. T., July, 1834. Died in La
Moille, in latter part of Seventies; Mrs. King,
his sister, lives in Princeton. His son lives
in La Moille (see biography).

Hills, J. W., May, 1843.'

Hill, J., 1838.

Hassler, Herman, July, 1834. Large fam.
ily of Hasslers living at Hallowayville.

Hughes, Isaac and Mrs. Jane, 1837. Mrs.
John Elliott, mother of Gen. I. H. Elliott
was a daughter of Isaac Hughes. The Hughes
came with Col. John Elliott to this State.
They lived five miles north of Princeton.
Another daughter of Mr. Hughes is Mrs.
Moore, now of Princeton (see Gen. I. H. Elli-
ott's biography),

Headly, John M. and IMrs. Ann, 1841. All
moved out of the county. Now in Nebraska.

Hentz, Fred, August, 1839.

Hentz, Mrs., 1836. Living at Halloway-
villo.

Hinman, Robert and Mrs. M. A., 1838.
Lived near Tiskilwa.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

151

Hetzler, Jobn, 1834. Settled near Hallo-
way vi lie.

Hetzler, Mrs. H. P., 1839.

Hoblist, W. C. and Mary, 1843. Lived
near Wyanet.

Hall, John and Mrs. E. , 1830. Hall Town-
ship, originally called Bloom, was named in
honor of John Hall. He first settled in Selby.
Hallowayville was once Halltown. Mr. Hall
made very large farm improvements on his
claim. Before land sales he sold thistoHass-
ler for §4,000; he then entered a great deal
of land in the county. He was an illiterate
but a large-minded and great business man.
He finally sold out and went to Missouri and
merchandised very extensively. Among the
early pioneers he was one of the most valu-
able citizens. John, William and Reason B.
Hall were brothers.

Hinsdale, S. D., 1838. Died ten years
ago. Has a son, Burrett, in New York.

Hoskins, William, December, 1830. Judge
Hoskins was one of the remarkable early men
of the county. Strong, heavy, big-boned
muscular man, massive features and very
large, broad teeth, a large unkempt and bushy
hair, dressed in his home-made clothes. He
never dressed up to come to town, and his
heavy gait and movement, and his whole con-
tour presented a figure well calculated to
arrest the strangei's' attention. He had not
much more polish of mind than he had of
person, but both were on a scale that made
him a big man in any crowd. He would
attract the strangers' curiosity, and then
when he heard him talk, his interest. A man
of very little of the advantages of school edu-
cation. He was illiterate, but strong in intel-
lect.

Hoskins, J. H., 1832, son of William;
family moved West; one of the daughters,
Mrs. Hozier, lives near Trenton.

How, Rev. D. J., September, 1834; was of

the Church, of the Disciples; had a mill,
McManus'; died many years ago; large
family of children.

Hazard, Oran and Mary, 1839 ; lived near
Wyanet.

Isaac. Elias, 1834 (See biography of
W. L.).

Jenkins, George and Mrs. , 1840-41. Mr.
Jenkins lived south of Princeton. They
are both dead; died in 1868-69.

Judd, Eli P., June, 183-3. Lived east of
Princeton; a son living there now.

Judd, Mrs. Sarah, November. 1837; liv-
ing now in Iowa.

Jones, A. H., September, 1836. From
New Hampshire; son in Princeton.

Jones, William and Mrs. , 1840.

Kitterman, M., 1830. One of the oldest
living settlers in Bureau County. He was
first here in 1828; returned in 1830, and
brought wife and two children in 1831.
Had eleven children after coming here —
thirteen in all, ten of whom, six sons and
four daughters, are still living. Certainly
no two old patriarchs ever lived who better
deserved the respect and love of the
large family and the host of friends, and
the fortune in this world's goods that they
possess, than Mr. and Mrs. Kitterman (See
biography and sketch in general history).

Kitterman, Robert, 1831 (see Kitterman
biography).

Kendall, A. R., 1840 (See biography).

Keeries, R. M., 1839.

Knox, Aaron, March, 1840.

Knox, William and Mary, 1834.

Kimball, James M., 1842.

Langworthy, Cyrus, 1834; Mrs., 1834:
Dr. A., 1836. Mrs. William Drake, of
Princeton, was the widow of Dr. A. Lang-
worthy. (See Drake's biography and sketch
of Langworthy, in general history.)

Larrison, Mrs. L., 1828; now Mrs. John

152

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Stechell, living in Peoria. She was Henry
Thomas' second daughter. This is another
of the three first born babies in the county,
Mrs. Sells being another one, and one of
M. Ketterman's daughters still another. We
account for their all being girls by the fact
that the Black Hawk war was near at hand,
and the boys all thought to wait until the
fighting was over.

Landers, Thomas, 1842.

Long, John and Rebecca, 183G. There
were several of the Longs lived near Senaeh-
wine. Jehu lived in Princeton, was consta-
ble for many years. Noah and his son Noah
lived in the south part of the county.

Limerick, Robert, Mrs. L.. George, S.,
1839.

Town of Limerick, north of Princeton,
named after Robert Limerick. This family
all died near where they settled in the
county.

Lomas, Sirs. E. J., November, 1833. There
were three brothers Lomax. One married
Roland Moseley's daughter, another married
a R add i fife.

Luinry, Enoch, 1836. Living near Lim-
erick.

Lumry, Mrs. A., June, 1S34.

Lumry, Rufus, 1834. AVent west and in
crossing a stream was drowned some years
ago. Rufus was a Wesleyan preacher. Left
a large family of children.

Leeper, H. B., 1834 (See biography and
sketch of Judge John B. Leeper).

Long, Noah, 1838; Mrs. R. A., 1840; Levi
and James, 1830.

Lonnon, John, 1837.

Mason, John W., 1841; Mrs. A. M., 1840.

Mercer, Dr. W. , living in Princeton; one
of the oldest physicians in the county. He
is of the Mercers, from Ohio.

Martin, P. H., 1843.

McPherson, Mrs. M., 1838.

Mowry, Geo. A. and Mrs. Nancy, 1841.

Matson, Enos and Elizabeth, 1836 (See
sketch of the Matsons elsewhere).

Mathis, Eli R., 1841; Mr.s. E. R., 1834;
living at Princeton.

Men-itt. Mrs. E., 1834.

Mosley, Roland, 1831; W. Noble, 1831.
Roland Mosely had four sons, all dead. His
son Roland married a Radcliffe, now living
with Henry Paddock.

Martin. W. and Mrs. Jane, 1836; from
New Hamp-shire. Mrs. Martin and Benj.
Newell's wife were sisters. Mr. and Mrs.
Martin died here.

Mason, Dr. S. R., 1841.

Mason, Mrs. M. A., 1841.

Munson, A., 1840.

Munson, Mrs. J., 1835.

Moore, Mrs. W. J., 1837.

Mercer, Ed., 1837; Mrs. J., 1837; B.,
1834; Moses, 1834; Dr. Joseph, 1834. Joseph
was born January 11, 1828; died May, 1878.
Mrs. M. A. Mercer, living in county (See her
biography).

Myers, Mrs. Morrella, 1838.

Miller, H. J., July, 1832.

Miller, Mrs. M. A., 1831.

Matson, Nehemiah. 1836; Mrs. E. C, 1841.
Mr. Matson loved to investigate and write
alwut the early settlers of the county and the
Indians. Ho was not a literary man and yet
on this subject he wrote a great deal, and
deserves great credit forgathering many im-
portant items.

Musgrove, Mrs. Sarah, May, 1831; widow
of John Musgrove, came from New Jersey;
died 1882; children are dead.

Mohler, Samuel and Mrs. Caroline, 1836;
living in Dover; Mrs. Mohler was a Zearing;
died two years ago.

Miller, H. R, 1833; C. F.. 1838; D. F.,
1835; Mrs. Sarah, 1835: E. H. 1832; Mrs.
M. E., 1840.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

153

McArthur, M., 1839.

Mason, Mrs. A. E., 1834; living in Prince-
ton. Children dead except one daughter.

Miller, A. W., 1887; Mrs. E., 1837; S.,
1832.

Masters, Robert E., 1833; son of Richard
Masters. Moved to New York. Was Justice
of the Peace some years in Princeton.

McCasky, Robert, 1836.

Matson, Enos C. , 1836.

McDonald, Mrs. M. J., September, 1829.

Mowry, Jesse, 1841.

Murphy, Mrs. Ann, 1836.

Mason, John, 1841; Mrs. Abigail, 1841;
Cyrus P., 1841; W. H., 1841.

Norton, George, 1841.

Newell, Benjamin and Harriet, September,
1835. (See biography of P. J. Newell).

Norton, D. E., 1842.

Phelps, Ebenezer S., 1888; Mrs. H. M.,
1835; E. S., Jr., 1838; Mrs. E. S., Jr., 1838;
E. H., 1831; J. R., 1838; Charles, 1836.

Phelps, George R., 1836; C. C, 1889; B.,
1839. These families trace their lineage
back over 300 years. (See history of Hampshire
Colony and general history).

Piper, P. H., 1836; Mrs. Harriett, 1833.

Phillipps, John, 1883; Mrs. Betsey, 1833.

Perkins, Manson and Mrs., 1834; Stephen,
1834.

Porter, A. G., 1840; Mrs. C. P., 1840.

Prutsman, A. and Mrs. G., 1840. (See biog-
raphy).

Pierce, Caleb, 1837; Mrs. Martha, 1840.

Parish, H. R., 1842.

Perkins, John, 1842.

Piper, Ezekiel, 1836.

Porter, B., 1842.

Reed, Charles T., 1845.

Roberts. Mrs. E., 1836.

Reed, J. G., 1834.

Robinson, David and Mrs., 1885.

Reeve, L., 1832; Lazarus, 1834; Mrs. Sarah

L. , 1885. Mr. Reeve is now better and more
generally known as " Deacon " Reeve (See
Lucy Reeve's biography).

Rackley, Nathan and Mrs., 1836; George,
1836.

Ross, Mrs. Selina, October, 1830.

Robinson. S. F., 1835; widow eighty-nine
years old, living with her son, Solomon, in
Princeton.

Rowell, B. G and Mrs. A. A., 1835.

Shifflett, Mrs. P., 1844.

Smith, J. H., 1840.

Swayne, E. H., 1837.

Sisler, G. W., 1839.

Swan, James T., 1833; Mrs. Susan, 1836.
Lived near Hollawayville; family moved West.

Stratton, Abram, November, 1829; Mrs.
Sally Stratton, 1829 (See general history full
sketch).

Smith, Mrs. Eliza, 1834; N., 1837; Mrs.
R., 1837.

Stephens, Justus, 1842 (See biography).

Swanzy, Dr. James and Catharine, 1836.
Both died. Andrew Swanzy, a son, lives in
Princeton; another son living near Tiskilwa.

Study vin, Madison, 1833; Mrs. F., 1834
(See general history).

Searle, L. T., 1884; Mrs. R. G., 1843.

Seaton, J. and Mrs. S., 1835; Miss A.,
1840 (See biography).

Sapp, Solomon, 1835 (See biography); Mrs.
Ann, 1835.

Smith, S., 1836; Mi-s., 1834.

Smart, Mrs. E., 1840.

Smith, J. and Mrs. Sarah, 1835.

Sells, Mrs. Mary, January, 1831 (See gen-
eral history for an account of Sells family).

Stannard, S. and Mrs , 1840.

Studyvin, S., 1836 (See sketch Madison S.).

Smith, Eli; Mrs. C. C, 1881 (See general
history of Smiths).

Searl, J. S., 1884 (See account of Searle
settlement).

154

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUXTY.

Spratt, Eev. J. W., 1838; G. W., 1838.
G. W. Spratt was a tinner and of late years
lived in the Green River country.

Smith, Elijah, 1831; Joseph E., 1835 (See
general history).

Sutherland, Joseph, November, 1832.

Smith, D. B. (See biography).

Smith, Nick, 1830; son "Dad Joe" Smith.
(See sketch of "Dad Joe" and family).

Smith. Albert J., 1839.

Scott, M. A., 1842.

Spaulding, M. and Mrs., 1836.

Searle, J. M., 1836.

Sawyer, Anthony, 1838.

Sweet, J. L.. 1S42.

Sapp, E. and Mrs. M., 1835. (See bio-
graphy).

Smith, Eli, 1831 ; married Clarrissa
Childs, a native of Massachusetts; Eli died
August 30, 1871. leaving seven grown chil-
dren — four boys and three girls; Eli Smith
was born November 15, 1805, and his wife
October 5, 1804. The}' came in an ox wagon
from Massachusetts to this county. With his
brother Elijah they lived at first in Foristol's
cabin. The children are all living except
Han-iet and Lucy.

Elijah Smith married Sylvia Childs. He
kept the widely known "Yankee Tavern,"
one and onehalf miles northwest of I'lince-
ton. He was also a Postmaster, and we be-
lieve among the earliest in the county, except
Henry Thcmias. U(> kept the postolfice
in a split basket, and when hung in the loft it
was all safe. He lived here over forty years
and removed to Sandwich, where ho died.

Thomas, Ezokiel, June, 1830.

Thomas, Mrs., June, 1830 ; died in the
county. ]Maj. Fisher's wife is a daughter,
and Mrs. Houck and Mrs. Corss are daughters
of Thomas.

Thom])Bon, A. T., 1S34; settled new W'y-
anet; Thompson, M. M., 1834.

Thompson, K. E. and Mrs. M., 1839.

Thompson, J. W., 1840; Mrs. S. M., 1836.

Trowbridge, Mrs. C. 0., 1840.

Thomas, A. C, May, 1829.

Temyleton. R. T.. 1836. (See general his-
tory). This immediate family is now extinct.

Triplett, A., 1834; Samuel, 1834; Mrs. M.
A., 1837. The descendants of this family are
still in the county, /. e., one of the daughters.
Mrs. Bidderman, and Mrs. Wills and several
of the grandchildren.

Tompkins. M., 1834.

Trimble, M., 1840.

Thomson. Col. J. J., 1845. (See biog-
raphy).

Wisner, James and Mrs. J., 1840.

Winship, M., S. W., R. and Mrs., 1835
(See general history for account of Winship
family).

Wallace, Moses and Sirs. J., 1843; J. L.,
1843.

Williams, S. L. and Mrs., 1834.

Wells, David and Mary S., 1838.

A\ilson, J. and Mrs., 1842.

Wells, George, 1841; Mrs. L., 1834.

Williams, Curtiss, 1832. (See general his-
tory).

M'arren, AV. A. and Henrietta, 1843.

Winship, E.G., 1837.

Wies, J. and Mrs., 1834; settled above
Dover two miles, where the family are now
residing.

White, Alvin and Mrs., 1839.

Wilson, James L., 1838; living six miles
north of Princeton.

Wilhite, J., 1835.

Walters, John, 1837; President of Old Set-
tlers" Society in 1884: lives at Princeton.

Williams, S. D., 1S34; Sol, 1837.

Woodruff, Dr. R. J., 1838; S. M., 1838.

Yaughan, J. H. and John, 1S37 ; father
and son came from Nova Scotia; the father
died here and the son removed to Oregon.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

155

Zearing, Martin R. , Miss Louisa, Louis,
D. S., 1836. (See David Zearing's biog-
raphy.)

Hod. John Wentworth, of Chicago, was
Mayor of that city when the Prince of Wales
visited it. He gives an amusing account of
a citizen coming to him a few days before
the prince was to arrive, and in a flutter of
excitement over the great occasion, and in
anxiety lest the Mayor should not fully ap-
preciate the importance of the event up
to the proper point of toadying to the callow
sprout of royalty, he wanted to suggest how
to do it. When Wentworth comprehended
what his visit was for he invited him to
proceed. His first suggestion was that it
would be in excellent form to select, say one
or two representatives from one hundred of
the first families of Chicago, to receive and
dance attendance upon his highness. " All
right," says Wentworth, " Please make me
out a list of the one hundred of the first
families of Chicago, so I can select." The
visitor studied a moment and confessed he
could not do this. The Mayor then asked
him to please select ten, that is, nine beside
his own. In short he was driven to the con-
fession that he could only really name one
family — his own, of course.

Some years afterwards in addressing the
old settlers of the city, he read off the names
of the city's early settlers, referred to the
above anecdote, and remarked, here is more
than one hundred of the first families of
Chicago— the real blue-blooded Knicker-
bockers, the F. F. V.'s of the city, and
predicted that these men and their descend-
ants would constitute the names of the " book
of peerage" of the city, a record that
would be carefully kept and closely studied
in the long future by all who desired to es-
tablish an unquestionable and illustrious
lineage.

CHAPTER XIIL

John H. Bbyant— A Bbief Sketch of His Life, in which ib Con-
nected Every Important Historical Event op the County
Since His Coming Here — Birth of the Republican Party —
The Farmer Poet — Etc., etc.

" And I think, but not with sadness,
When I in earth am laid,
How after generations
Will bless this grateful shade."

— J. H. Bryant.

IN the preceding chapters, wherever we
have been enabled to give in their own
language, the detailed accounts of the voy-
aging to this place of any of the pioneers,
who were young men mostly in their first
rough experiences in the world, we have not
hesitated to do so, and to make them as full
in details as possible. They are full of his-
tory and interest, and for the rising genera-
tion are very instructive; they will find here
food for healthy reflection.

From the year of the first permanent set-
tlement here to the present hour, the biogra-
phy and life of John H. Bryant and his
three brothers, has been very nearly the com-
plete history of the struggle into life of that
feeble band and the record, existence and
present high standard of the county of Bu-
reau. There need be no apology then, for
making this chajater and placing the title
that is found at the head, nor need we
further explain that when we have once
started upon the story of Bryant's life that
it is consistently followed up, although it
brings in some of the facts that are of recent
date, and in the design of the work, except
for this reason, would have only appeared in
their consecutive order as the work pro-
gressed toward completion.

The tacts here given are in nearly every
instance verbatim as we found them in elab-

156

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

orate notes of the life of Mr. Bryant, by Dr.
Richard Edwards, of Prinroton, only in cer-
tain j)ortionR being condensed, and some of
the details being here omitted, as they are
given in other portions of this history.

It is probalily tnif that no human being
has ever lived, whose record, faithfully
kept, might not be useful. Even of the hum-
blest and most obscure this would be true. The
labors and aspirations, the hopes and disap-
pointments, the successes and failures of men,
are an index of the possibilities for good or
evil, of a human being. For this reason it
happens that no form of literature is more in-
structive than biography. In the history of
another's life each one is reminded of his own
experiences, and with the reminder comes in-
struction.

All this is r>finecinlly true of those lives
which have been connected with important
events. Every man who has heljied in a
marked way to mould the institutions of a
country, or to conduct its movements, ought
in some way to leave a record of what he has
done and wiught to do. Institutions, political
and social movements, are products. They
Hpring from the thoiights and deeds of indi-
vidual men, and nothing can bo more in-
structive than to observe these developing
proceiweH, to note how the labor of head and
li.nirf has bloHsomwl into permanent social
forces.

The life of ,I(ihn Howard Brj'arit is cer-
tainly worth lieing writton. not merely on
the ground that all lives may bo ho, but for
the important event* with which it has been
connected. His birtli and early residenci> in
New England turn our tlioughlH to the sturdy
ciTilisation which has given that part of our
country so much influence mI home iind abroail.
HiH removal to Illinois will introduce
the reader to thoBe movementa by which
the Minoifwipiti Valley has been made the

luxuriant home of many prosperous commu-
nities. And his concern in political atfairs
will lead to some study of the great move-
ment by which the country was freed from
the incubus of slavery.

Mr. Bryant comes of Puritan stock on both
sides, both families having emigrated from
Bridgewater, Mass. His father, Dr. Peter
Bryant, was a man of considerable promi-
nence. As a physician and surgeon, his
standing seems to have been very high, and he
enjoyed the distinction, not small, of a seat in
the State Senate. Ho was a man of large cult-
ure and excellent literary taste. The moth-
er's maiden name was Snoll, and she was of a
family that had produced a number of distin-
guished men. She was a woman of strong
charact<^r, earnest piety and great skill in
practical aflfairs. Her ideal of duty was high
and her code of morals rigorous. The second
son was the eminent poet and journalist —
William Cullen Bryant.

The subject of this sketch was born July
2'2, 1807, in the house, in the town of Cum-
mington, known as the Bryant homestead.
Some time after Dr. Peter Bryant's death,
which occurred in 1820, this estate went out
of the family, and remained in the possession
of strangers for many years. But in the year
1804 it was re]>urchasod by the poet, and
now belongs to his daughter. It is beautifully
situated, and surrounded by scenes well cal-
culated to nourish the poetic faculty. John
was the seventh child, the youngest of five
sons of his parents. Of the scenes of his
early life not much is recorded. It is noted,
however, that the year ISll there occurred a
notable eclipse of the sun.*

* SliniiltniioftuRly with the ecllpno wu the grant Now Madrid
rnrtbqiinko, and Ihc imwHaiif, in thn mIdHtof tito cnrth'allirocs,
of the fiTHt plriiiiilii»:i( 4<v«-r ort Itif WfKlcrn wul^Trt fi'niii nut tho
olilii Kivir and Into lliv MlBiiiMil|>|>l liivur. Tlii' IHlhdav of l)c-
r<'inl»T. IHIl, Hi loHat Urw in tin- UfNt, Ik tliiiH slunuU'it iw our
(tri-at lilHloric day. The fcllptit> and llip uartliiinakr were but
inanirtntatitniN of tin- forcoa of inilun\ the laltrr liy far tlio
niuHl roninrkalile on tlila hctnlRphtirc h<i far rcconlcil ill history;
whilo the nteanilivat waa a human thought fashioned Into a

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUIsTT.

157

This is a well remembered incident, because
of its indirect influence upon his early school-
ing. By looking at the sun with unprotected
eyes, his vision was greatly weakened, not
until he was about fifteen years of age was
he able to apply himself continuously to
reading. Thus it appears that about eleven
vears of his early life were in a larse measure
lost to him. And this was the very period in
which elementary knowledge could be best ac-
quired. But the loss seems to have been well
supplied afterward. As compared with his
brothers, however, he was decidedly behind in
his studies at the age of fifteen.

On the death of Dr. Bryant, the mother
found abundant scope for her knowledge of '
practical affairs. Her husband, in the ardor
of his profe.ssional enthusiasm, had been
careless of money matters. The consequence
was he left the estate involved. Accordingly
the boys, except Austin, the eldest, and Will-
iam Cullen, the poet, who had already begun
life for themselves, were put to work upon
the farm. Cyrus was the manager and John
was one of the helpere. In the sucomer they
worked together. In the winter the former
taught school and the latter did the chores.
The services of Cyrus were considered to be
sufficiently important, he being of age. to be
paid for by the mother. But of John this
does not seem to have bee a the case.

At this time it seems that a neighborhood
club was in operation for the improvement
of its members in reading and composition.
It included the family of Xortons. Briggs,
Porters, Packards, Snells and Bryants. The

steamboat— the Sew Orleans, Capt. Roosevelt. Compared to the
awfni. the appalliDc^ play of nature's forces amid which the ves-
sel rode out of theYa^hiiig waters of the Ohio into the yet worse
troubled waters of the Missis-sippi, how insigniticant it must_
have appeared, yet like the great inventions and thoughts of
genius growing in good and enduring forever — encircling the
globe with its blessings, and lifting up and bearing aloft the
hniuan family. The earthquake, like wars, famines and pesti-
lences, is but'temporary in its eifects, and kindly nature covers
up and hides forever its wrecks and ruins, and their horrors and
the appalling terrors are forgotten- But the thoughts, the dis-
coveries and inventions of genius prow and live eternally. In
the perfect economy of God, they alone are immortal.

meetings were held by turns in the houses
of the members. The be.-;t English litera-
ture was studied in private, read at the meet-
ings and commented upon. llr. Bryant was
employed in the combination of farm and
literary work for two years: and he declares
that dm"ing that time he read more good
English prose and poetry than in any other
f)eriod of equal length. The club was an
undoubted and permanent benefit to its mem-
bers. It no doubt had much to do in the
formation of the correct literary taste which
has always been a marked characteristic of
Mr. Bryant.

In the year 1826-27 be was a pupil in a
select school taught by the Rev. Mr. Hawks,
near Cummington Meeting-house. The same
teacher was afteward employed in the acad-
emy in East Cummington. where he attended
also, one winter. In the years 182S and 1829
he taught school in the winters, in the town
of Williamsburg. In the spring of 1828 he
was a student in the Renselaer school, now
the Renselaer Polytecnic Institute, at Troy,
N. T. The principal instructor at that
time was the able, but somewhat eccentric.
Prof, -^.mos Eaton. The studies pm-sued by
the von Tier man were chemistry, mineralo-
gy, geology, natural philosophy (physics),
botany and zoology. For a period of two
years, which was the time he spent at this
school, this seems a formidable list. But a
young man with a clear head and an earnest
purpose, with the hunger and thirst for learn-
ing itpon him, and sustained by the vigor
acquired in a country life, often makes as-
tonishing progress, accomplishing great re-
sults in a brief space of time. Another
helpful circimistance in this case was the
fact that much of the work lay out of doors.
Collections in botany, and to some extent in
mineralogy, were a part of the required
course. Hills were climbed and woods tra-

158

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

versed, as a part of the regular school work.
The country about Troy is especially rich in
botanical specimens, and the Kenselaer
student, as he trudges about with his tin
cylinder strapped to his back, is cheered and
stimulated by the frequent prizes he is able
to secui-e. In this way he attains or preserves
the soundest physical health, and at the
same time adds most efficiently to his mental
Iiossessions. Study is made both effective
and harmless by an abundance of pure air,
wholesome sunshine and vigorous exercise,
to say nothing of the benefit derived from
the charming beauty of the scenery.

In June, 1S29, he took final leave of Troy,
walking home by way of W'illiamstown, Mass.
This place he reached at 9 o'clock at night —
a walk of forty miles. Here he spent three
or four days with his brother, Arthur, who
was then a student in Williams College. The
succeeding months of November and Decem-
ber were spent at the same place, in the
study of geometry and trigonometry, and
"some Latin." All his time, however, was
not consumed in these dry topics. He wrote
poetry for the Williamstown paper and also,
by invitation, wrote for a paper called the
PhilanthrojiiHt, published in Boston. These
poi-ms are now lost, and the most that Mr.
Bryant remembers of them is, that of one of
them the subject was "Cohoes Falls." After
this he Hoems to have returned lO Ihe farm.
Cyrus had given up his sujiervision of Lome
aiTairH and gone to South Carolina, and Aus-
tin had taken his ])lace. He worked several
HUmineiB on the fanii. In' the summer of
1830 be took the United States census of
that part of Hampshire County that lies west
of the Connecticut Uiver. In the winter of
1880-31 he taught school in Plainfiold, his
compensation being?! I a munth and "board
around."

And now the young man's eyes began to

turn away from the home of his childhood.
The valley 'of the Mississippi had begun to
be permanently peopled. Reports came of
the gorgeous beauty and inexhaustible fertil-
ity of the Illinois prairies. The stony hills
of Hampshire County began to seem hard
and sterile. He resolved to seek a home in
the new realm, where land was so cheap, and
the soil so woudrously productive. In the
spring of 1831 he set out for Illinois. His
worldly goods, consisting of clothing, car-
penter's tools, etc., were stowed into two
chests and a trunk. A tanner in West Cum-
mington was accustomed to make business
trips to the State of New York. In this
man's wagon Mr. Bryant placed himself and
his possessions, and was carried to Hudson,
on the river of that name. Leaving the bag-
gage in that city, he took a trip by river to
New York, wishing to look at the metropolis
before emigrating to the far West. He left
New York on the 18th day of April, 1831,
touching at Hudson for his goods, and
passed on to Albany. The Erie Canal, the
monument of Gov. Clinton, had then been in
operation over five years. On this "artificial
river,'' in a "line" boat, a boat for trans-
porting merchandise, he made the voyage
from Albany to Buffalo, at an expense, for
meals and passage, of $4.00. The trip oc-
cupied seven days.

But tiie lake at Buffalo was full of ice,
which made it necessarj' to hire a team to
convoy the traveler and his baggage to Dun-
kirk. His plan was to go by way of Lake
Erie to Cleveland, and then by the canal to
the Ohio River. The Dunkirk harbor was
open, and a boat was about to set out for the
upper lakes, but Cleveland was not to be one
of its stopping places. Mr. Gurnsey, of
Dunkirk, who gave the traveler a letter to
Judge Lockwood, of Jacksonville, 111., ad-
vised him to go via Jamestown on Chautauqua

HISTORY OF BUBEAU COUJTTY.

150

Lake, thence down the Conewango Creek on
a raft or flat-boat, and to the Ohio River by
way of the Alleghany. After some tribula-
tion Jamestown was reached, but the Cone-
wango had subsided; its waters would not
float a raft or flat-boat, hence recourse was
had to a wagon, and the Alleghany was thus
reached at Warren, Penn. It happened to
be court week at this place, and the town
was tilled with people. At that time the
country was violently divided on the subject
of Masom-y. An exciting discussion was
going on in AVarren, and soon culminated in
a street tight; the first thing of the kind he
had ever witnessed.

The next business was to find a conveyance
to Pittsburgh. There happened to be at
that time two families of English people who
wished to make the same journey, and they
had moans of conveyance. They owned an
" ark," and had their goods on board of it.
The heads of the families were elderly men,
both of whom had lost their wives in Toronto.
One of them, a Mr. Angell, was accompanied
by two stout grown daughters. They made
room on the ' ' ark " for Mr. Bryant and his
baggage. For a time it floated along the
stream without any exciting incident. The
passenger made himself useful by going
ashore, as occasion required, and shooting
squirrels for the table, also by putting up a
mast in the hope of accelerating their speed.
But one afternoon they struck a rock; the
ark was turned so as to lie broadside to the
stream. The force of the current tilted it
somewhat, the water rushed in and the load-
ing, among other things a very fine set of
joiner's tools belonging to the Englishman,
and our hero's two chests and trunk, were
thoroughly wet. The owners of the craft
were in great tribulation; they supposed they
were Kuined by the mishap. But the boat
was at last righted and tied up for repairs.

An attempt was made to dry the wetted
tools and clothes, but with only indifferent
success. The disaster happened on Satur
day, and the boat was not loosed from its
moorings until Monday following. In seven
days they made the trip from WaiTen to
Pittsburgh. At this point Mr. Bryant shipped
on board the steamer Abeona, the largest
boat then plying the river. An attempt
was made to dry the wet clothes that had
been wet in the Alleghany River, on the
boat's boilers, but the records say " the con-
tinuous rains made it difficult.'' At Louis-
ville he was transferred to another boat for St.
Louis. On board were 125 slaves, the property
of a number of Kentuckians emigrating to
Missouri. The boat was worn-out, leaky and
unclean, having long before seen its best
days. Among the passengers was a clergy-
man and his wife from Kentuckj', with whom
oui' traveler soon formed a most agreeable
acquaintance. The weather had continued
wet, and a Franklin stove belonging to these
good people was a source of great comfort.
St. Louis was reached about the 24th of May.
The young traveler betook himself to a sail-
ors' boarding house. It sounds strange to
write this of the now great city of St. Louis,
or that it was ever so small a village as he
found it. Its population was then about the
same as Princeton now. After a brief stay
in St. Louis he boarded a steamer for Naples.
It was called the "Traveler," and plied
regularly between St. Louis and Naples. On
the 27th he reached the latter place. His
objective point was Jacksonville, where his
brother Arthur had been for some months.
From Naples to Jacksonville, about twenty-
two miles, he journeyed on foot, reaching his
destination before night. In this walk he
had for a companion a Mr. Harlam, after-
ward a prominent merchant and a member
of the Legislature. This long and tedious

160

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

journey from Cummington to Jacksonville
occupied five weeks, and the expense of the
trip was $&^; one tenth the time now ,
and less than one-quarter the cost, with
incomparably more accommodations and com-
forts, would make the trip between these
points.

The intelligent leader will see at once the
importance of these details of this young
pioneer's long and dreary journey. It is the
vivid story of the changes that have so swiftly
taken i>lace in this broad land. Like the
sfjries we give in preceding chapters of
Strattons, Kittermans, Henry F. 31iller and
many others; stories that are full of interest
and history. It is impossible for us to
realize the increase of value and importance
these accounts of the travels of the pioneers
will be to the generations that are to come
after us hundreds of years from now. Al-
ready railroads have been so long in opera-
tion in our country that the younger amoug
cor people have but slight conception of
how our fathers lived and traveled. It is,
therefore, a useful exercise to study the de-
tails of a journey made by a respectable
young man who seems to have availed him-
self of the best conveyances the country then
affordetL The comparison of then and now
is full of wholesome instruction, giving
themes for the painter, the poet and the
historian.

He found his brother Arthur domi-
ciled at the house of Thomas Wiswall, but
he himself stopped at the house of his
future father-in law, Elijah M'iswall, at
$l.r»() per week for board, with the
privilcgo of paying this in work. The
autiunn of ]H'M was s|i('nt in the st(jro of
Henry Wiswall, and the following winter
bo was a clerk in (Jillett & Gordon's store.
In the spring of lS:Vi he wjrked upon his
brotherV. land near Jacksonville, while

Arthur was East on a mission of marriage.
In the meantime his othiT brother. Cyrus,
had joined him at Jiicksonvillf, and in Sep-
tember. John and Cyrus started for Bureau.
They came on horseback. Their attention
had been attracted here Ijy the knowledge
that the Hampshire Colony had located at
Princeton .

The colony had been dispersed by the
Black Hawk war. On their way they found
Elijah Smith's family, in Tazewell County,
the husband and wife teaching school. Near
(Jranville, Putnam County, were John Leeper
and family. They looked at the country at
various points, but Cyrus had known Roland
Moseley in Massachusetts, and having re-
ceived a favorable impression in regard to
the land in Bureau, they pushed on to this
point and aiTJved at the Moseley house, a
few miles southeast of Princeton. Among
others they were introduced to the elder Dr.
Chamberlain. Their friends directed their
attention to the spot on which John H.
Bryant now lives. This was the land Mr.
Kitterman had "claimed" two years before,
and which had been jumped by " Curt "
Williams. The win- had run Williams off,
and as he did not return, up to this time,
they supposed he had abandoned it and left
the country. But "Curt" was on hand in
time. SuflBce it to say, that Williams was
finally bought out, and the Bryants peace-
ably installed in possession. The two
brothers took ])ossession of this little cabin,
with lis dirt floor and stick chimney. They
were their own cooks and housekeej)ers, and
most probalily did their own washing and
ironing, such as it was. The table groaned
beneath pork and corn-dodger chiefly, if it
had occasion to do any groaning at all. A
heroic resolve and struggle was directed
toward the luxury of flour bread of their own
construction, once a week. This was a

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

161

daring dash at the enervating luxuries of the
day, but the young men made it. Their lot
was sweetened by the fortunate discovery, in
the autumn, of a bee tree, so that, although
there was not any flow of milk in this
Canaan, yet the honey was not wanting. In
their work they had the help of three yoke
of oxen, brought with them. Hay for these
was cut on the prairie. Cyrus, it seems,
tended the kine, while John was chief
housekeeper, and mauled rails while resting
from the arduous duties of the household,
making thus one hundred a day. During
the winter they fenced forty acres each. In
the spring they began breaking the sod.
They had an old Carey plow they had
brought from Jacksonville. When the share
became dull, it was carried on horseback
eighteen miles to the Laughlins, in Florid, to
be sharpened. It was an ugly thing to thus
carry, and once the perjilexed and tired rider
was hailed by an old pioneer: "Why didn't
you fill a bag of hay on which to lay it? "

The two bachelors had not time to get
very lonesome, yet sometimes it must have
occurred to each of them that there was
something lacking about their establishment.
Perhaps in the lonely watches of the night,
when sleep had been for the mk)ment dis-
pelled by a vivid dream of two bright young
eyes, and waving curls, or innocent laughter,
and pearly teeth — ah, precious, guileless
girlhood, helpless and dependent, yet the
dush of whose laughing eyes are more power-
ful over poor, lonesome man, than an army
with banners. Perhaps — nay, it is now to us
quite plain — in the long watches of the dreary
winter there came to the young men the first
chapter in that old, old story, that is ever
new, that is always life's sweetest tryst.

In June, 1S33, John H. Bryant joiu-neyed
back to Jeffersonville for the purpose of lieing
married to Miss Hattie Wiswall, who now for

more than fifty- one years has been his worthy
and faithful companion and helpmeet. The
trip was made on horseback, following the
trail made by the soldiers of the Black
Hawk war. He was no laggard on a journey
so auspicious, as is evidenced by the fact that
the last day carried him over seventy-five
miles of the road. On the 17th of June the
ceremony took place, and the next week the
happy pair started for their little cabin in
the lonely wilderness. They came by way
of Meredosia and the Illinois River to Hen-
nepin. At this place their goods were placed
in a warehouse. High waters had made the
river bottom nearly impassable. Young Dr.
Chamberlain happened to be in Hennepin,
and he had a saddle-horse, the use of which he
offered to the young couple. Mrs. Bryant
was mounted and the husband trudged along
piloting the way on foot, only getting up to
ride where the water was too deep to wade.
They reached the house of Maj. Chamberlain
and spent one night, and the next day they
arrived at their cabin and housekeeping
commenced. Here they lived for one year,
Cyrus remaining with them. That is, he
remained during the winter, and in the
spring he went east and was married.

In the spring of 1834 Mr. Bryant built for
himself a cabin on the site where his pres-
ent elegant residence now stands. All the
work, except the windowsash, wasperfoimed
by his own hands. At the "raising" no
whisky was used. This was probably the
first departure in the county toward temper-
ance or prohibition. The new house was first
occupied in June, 1834.

This year John H. Bryant and Joseph
Brigham were elected Justices of the Peace
for Bureau Precinct, Putnam County.

In 1835 the land came into market and Mr.
Bryant entered 320 acres. Afterward he pur-
chased 80 acres at .§7 per acre, and in 1859

163

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

he bought 160 acres, paying therefor
S4,000.

Mr. Bryant was the prominent agitator of
the sulijpct of the division of the county.
His wedding trip across the bottoms from
Hennepin evidently made a lasting impression
on his mind. Lobbyists were sent to Vau-
dalia to push the project before the Legisla-
ture, but nothing was accomplished at this
session. At the Legislature of 1836-37 Bry-
ant and Elston went to Vandalia at their own
expense, and finally secured the passage of
the act which led to the formation of Bu-
reau County. Stephen A. Douglas was a
member and Chairman of the Commiltee on
Counties, and to him these visitors were
greatly indebted for the success of their mis-
sion. The vote on the adoption of the meas-
ure was taken April 1, 1837. The division
carried by a majority of thirty votes. This
result was reached and the new county formed
only after overcoming the greatest obstacles.
The people east of the river and especially in
Hennepin, wore earnestly opposed to the proj
ect that would rob them of the most of their
rich territory. The particulars of this strug-
gle are given in another place. Suffice; it to say
here, that the imjwrtant work and the respon-
sibility rested largely on the shoulders of
Jf(hn H. Bryant. The coiii]>lotion of the or-
ganization of the county took place in 1837,
the year noted in American history as that of
the beginning of the hard times commenc-
ing that year and lasting until 1843. The
poor farmera would haul their wheat to Chi-
cago and aftiT spending ten days in getting
there through i-t<jrmB, and sloughs, and mud,
and mire, have to sell it, if they could find a
buyer at all. for 37 J cents a bushel and pork
Jl.TiO n hundre<l.

In 1H.1(> Mr. Bryant U)ok the Oovernraont
censtiH fr)r Hnreiiu County. The ontire pop-
ulation was 3,Of57. In 1S42 he was elected

to the Legislature for Bureau, Stark and Pe-
oria. In 1839 the State Capitol had been
removed to Springfield, and the sessions were
held in an old stoue building on the east
side of the square, now used for a United
States court room. At this session of 1842
Mr. Bryant was an efficient member, com-
manding the respect and kind attention of all
his feilow-mpmbers. A law relating to Bu-
reau County — the Dover Koad — was passed by
his influence. This was the original road
to Chicago from Princeton, and marketers
had driven straight across the wild country,
but when the lands were being fenced it
would compel the road to wind around the
section lines. The land owners objected, of
course, but the people who had to do the wag-
oning wanted it as short and straight as pos-
sible. Mr. Bryant was again elected to the
Legislature in the year of great political ex-
citement in Illinois — 1858.

When the county seat was located in
Princeton, the owners of the land were re-
quired by law to donate a certain part of the
ground, and to give bonds and security to aid
in a large amount in the public buildings.
Mr. Bryant was the lender in this jiart of the
work, eind in paying for the ground and ex-
ecuting a l)ond to the amount of $7,000, re-
quired by the Locating Coniraissionors, His
name leads in the list of public and liberal-
minded men who put their hands in their pock-
ets and furnished the money, as well as the
required bond and security. During these
years and afterward he was a prosperous far-
mer, but not only a farmer. He made roads
and bridges, manufactured brick, of which
the original part of the court house was
built. iM'sides many other houses now stand-
ing in Princeton.

In 1847 he became one of the editors of
the Bm-t'dit Coiivli/ Adracafc, the first i)nper
issued in the county. But o£ this a complete

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

163

account will be found in the chapter on the
Press, in another part of this work.

Until 1844 Mr. Bryant had always been a
Democrat, but in the action of that party at
that time in discarding Van Buren because
of his opposition to the annexation, he did not
agree with his party and he left it and at once
affiliated with the Liberty party, the leader of
which was John P. Hale in the United States
Senate. This organization was distinct from
the original Abolitionists of the Garrison
school. The Abolitionists claimed that slav-
ery was a constitutional institution, and they
therefore attacked the constitution. The Lib-
erty party said that slavery could be abolished
under the powers of the constitution; that the
spirit of that instrument was hostile to slavery
and that whenever the country should become
faithful to the spirit, instead of being bound
by the letter, the evil would vanish. They
believed as did Henry Clay on the subject of
slavery, as Jeiferson taught, and as was exem-
plified in the celebrated ordinance of 1787,
by Thomas Jefferson, which prohibited the
introduction of slavery into all the North-
west Territory.

But his faith in political action did not
prevent him from rendering other help to the
oppressed. Many times has he entertained
fugitive slaves, both before and after the fa-
mous law of 1850, and the cruel "black laws"
of Illinois of 1853. The unreasoning sever-
ity of these laws was an attempt to scourge
men for acts of the highest Christian virtue.
Their injustice and cruelty made them repul-
sive to a large majority of our people, and
like all excessive laws, they were treated gen-
erally with contempt by good men and spit
upon. Among the latter were Mr. Bryant.
In 1854 he had as many as fifteen runaway
slaves on his place at one time. He aided
all he could to reach Chicago, sending them
in broad daylight over the Chicago, Bur-

lington & Quincy Railroad to Dr. Dyer, of
Chicago.

On the 4th of July, 1854, the anti-
slavery celebration was held on the ground a
little southwest of Mr. Bryant's house. At
this meeting the Republican party of Bureau
County was organized. Nearly all the Whigs
entered the organization, as did many Demo-
crats. The new pai'ty carried the county
that year, and Owen Lovejoy was elected to
the Legislature. This result was chiefly due
to the action of Mr. Bryant.

Previous to this, in 1852, Mr. Bryant had
been a candidate of the Free Soil party for
Congress. But at that time this party had
but few earnest supporters in this district.

He was a delegate to the Pittsbui-gh Con-
vention, February, 1856, for the purpose of
a general organization of the Republican
party, as were Owen Lovejoy and Charles L.
Kelsey. His recollection is that Horace
Greeley was much disgusted with a speech
in that convention made by Lovejoy.

In 1856 a Congressional Convention was
held in Ottawa. Mr. Bryant headed the
Bureau delegation in the interests of Love-
joy. Gen. Gridley, of Bloomington, was in
favor of nominating Judge Dickey, and he
fought Lovejoy with all the intensity of his
intense nature. Mr. Lovejoy was triumph-
antly nominated and elected, and then com-
menced that remarkable career that ended
only with his death, in 1864. The wide re-
sults flowing out from this nomination of
Lovejoy are known to the civilized world,
and it is no detraction to his other and many
patriotic supporters to say that his nomina-
tion was in a large part duo to his tried and
constant friend, John H. Bryant.

Mr. Bryant was a delegate to the Repub-
lican Convention in Chicago in 1860 that
nominated Mr. Lincoln for President, and
in the war of the Rebellion ho was among

164

HISTORY OF BUIIEAU COUXTY.

those and the foremost, who gave their time
and money to the patriotic work of raising
and e<jui])|)iiig armies. He visited Spring-
field and Washington to secui-e the accept-
ance of new troops. He advocated and urged
ihe appropriation of money by the towns and
county to pay the expenses for the bounties
and other purposes connected with the war.
In l'^n'2 Mr. Bryant was appointed ColU'c-
tor of Internal Revenue for the Fifth Con-
gressional District of Illinois, and discharged
the duties ably and well for four years. His
responsibilities were very great; his duties in
organizing the most important district in the
West, under the new and complex law, were
va.st and arduous. He not only had to en-
force the law, organize its vast and complex
machinery, but had to teach the people what
the law was and how to comply with its in-
tricate windings. The whole idea of the law
and its enforcement were something so for-
eign to the American people, a people who
had never seen or hardly heard of a tax-
gatherer of their general government, that
this was not small work, but an increase of
the responsibilities and labors. Some of the
heaviest distillers in the nation were in this
district. An .American tax-payer was to a
tax gatherer, much like our volunteer soldiers
whcjponld Ht'ono harm indodgiug behind a tree
whiMi the enemv was recklessly shootin" in
front. In short, they had educated one anoth-
er to believe that there was no serious harm in
outwitting a lax gatherer. The I'eoria distil-
lers found him rather too alert and vigilant
for the whisky smuggling o])eratiou9, and
they, aided by Congre.ssman E. C. IngersoU,
trumped up a long string of charges and alle-
gationa, that of course had tln-ir ti-inporary
effwt in discrediting a worthy oHicer at
Washingt'm, but the investigation following
was his most triiiinphant vindication, and in-
htea<l of ruining Mr. liryant it ended forever

the political career of E. C Ingersoll, who,
in an overwhelmingly Republican district,
was beaten for Congress in the succeeding
race by Mr. Stevens, a Democrat.

There is a circumstance connected with
Mr. Bryant's appointment as Collector that
deserves to be told. When the office was
created ho wrote to Mr. Lincoln and told
him ho would accept the office w-ith pleasure.
Mr. Lincoln knew him personally and inti-
mately, and thus the two men needed no
middle man between them for " infloo-
ence." He wrote by return mail, " You shall
have it." But soon the busy politician ap-
peared, claimed the appointment as a per-
quisite and had arranged this to " go to a
friend," etc. Every combination was brought
to bear upon the President, to use the office
to "grind the ax" for ambitious politicians;
a tremendous efifort was made in order to
promote other interests. Every argument
about '■ fixing fences," etc., etc. , wore brought
to bear upon Mr. Lincoln, and all this time
Mr. Bryant was at home and unconscious of
what was going on to defeat him. He had
no reasons in the world to have suspicions —
ho had none, and the writer does not know
whether Mr. Bryant to this day knows any-
thing about it; certainly no word has escaped
him indicating that he ever possessed such
knowledge. He simply trusted Mr. Lincoln,
and the evidence of Mr. Lincohi's trust in
him is the fact that his ccrami.ssion was
promptly sent him, and he entered upon his
office, and probably all the politicians in the
world could not have changed this result.

In ISfJO Mr. Bryant was a member of the
Board of Supervisors of the county which
voted, l)y one majority, to build a coiu-t
h(juse. The money was not easy to get.
Eastern capital was suspicious of Western
securities. Hi' went to New York atul obtained
iflo,(l(K), but had tirst to get the l)onds secured

f i'l^l

^^/L

1F|

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUKTY.

167

by himself and many leading capitalists of
Princeton. The cost of the new improve-
ment was about $20,000.

The effort to establish in Princeton a high
school commenced in 1S66. The plan as
ultimately carried out was a new one, and
involved the necessity of procuring a special
charter from the Legislatm'e. The law pro-
vided for high schools in districts, incorpor-
ated towns and cities, but not for townships.
He took the most active and prominent part
in this enterprise. A town meeting was
called to consider the subject. Although the
meeting was legal, it was not certain that
what it agreed upon would be legal. It
resolved to establish a high school. To this
there was only one negative vote in the meet-
ing. Superintendent Bateman was consulted.
A project promising so much in the line of
improvements could not fail to enlist that
gentleman's sympathy. He encouraged the
citizens to proceed. But in order to remove
all doubts a charter was secured through the
Legislature. It fixed the number of Directors
at live, and provided that no new Directors
should be elected for three years. The object
of this was to permit the school to get fairly
under way before its existence could be
endangered by opposition. But money was
needed to erect the building. Bonds were
authorized to be issued, but capital was afraid
of this security. Again Mr. Bryant went to
New York, taking the bonds with him. Again
he got the money but only on a personal
guarantee of the leading men of property in
Princeton. Total cost about $65,000. Mr.
Bryant was the first President of the Board
of Directors, and has occupied this position,
with a brief intermission ever since. So
complete has been the success of this school
that by a law of 1874 any township in the
State is authorized to establish and maintain
a high school.

For six years or more Mr. Bryant was a
member and President of the Princeton
District School Board, and much credit is
due to him for the late and marked improve-
ments in the schools, and especially in the
south school building.

Of late Mr. Bryant has been residing
quietly in Princeton enjoying the comforts
of life. His spacious house is surrounded by
stately trees of his own planting, and is
rendered attractive by many evidences of
refined taste. It is situated a few rods from
the southern limits of the city of Princeton.
Around it extend his broad and fertile acres,
including not only fine farming lands, but
also charming scenery. There is a consider-
able extent of primeval forests, reaching down
to the banks of the creek. Through this he
has, at considerable expense, constructed car-
riage ways, over which the public are always
welcome to drive. Large numbers avail
themselves of the privilege. On almost any
summer's afternoon many vehicles may be
seen making the circuit of "Bryant's woods."
Here the lover of natui-e delights to walk.
Here children gather flowers. Here picnics
are held. For the comfort of the frequenters
of the place the proprietor has been at pains
to furnish a fountain of pure and cool
water.

It is not surprising that amid scenes like
these, the owner's natural love of poetry has
been nourished and intensified. His claim
to distinction as a poet is overshadowed by
that of his gifted brother, William Culleu.
But a volume published some years ago cer-
tainly entitles him to a respectable rank
among the sweet singers. It is marked by
great purity of language, a correct knowledge
of metrical laws, and a severe accuracy in the
description of natural objects, as well as by
the worth and beauty of the thought. The
following is inserted as a mere sample:

168

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

THE VALLEY BROOK.

Fresh from the fountains of the wood

A rivulet of the valley came,
And glided on for many a rood

Flushed with the morning's ruddy flame.

The air was fresh and soft and sweet;

The slopes in spring's new verdure lay,
And wet with dew-drops, at my feet.

Bloomed tlie young violets of May.

No sound of busy life was heard
Amid those pasture.^ lone and still.

Save the faint chirp of early bird,
Or bleat of tlocks along the hill.

I traced that rivulet's winding way.

New scenes of beauty opened round.
Where meads of brighter verdure lay.

And lovelier blossoms tinged the ground.

" Ah, happy valley stream," I said,
"Calm glides thy wave amid the flowers,

Whose fragrance round thy path is shed.
Through all the joyous summer hours.

"Oh! Could my years like thine be passed
In some remote and silent glen,

Where I could dwell and sleep at last,
Far from the bustling haunts of men."

But what new echoes greet my ear I
The village schoolboy's merry call;

And mid the village hum I hear
The murmur of the waterfall.

I looked; the widening vale betrayed
A pool that shone like burnished steel.

Where that bright valley stream was stayed
To turn the miller's ponderous wheel.

Ah I why should I, I thought with shame

Sigh for a life of solitude.
When even Ibis stream without a name

Ih laboring for the common good?

No I never let me shun my part

Amid the busy scenes of life.
But, with a warm and generous heart.

Press onward in the glorious strife.

In politicH Mr. IJrjnnf has always mnni-
(ebt4>(l B Hturdy indppondcnco. In the early
years of the Hcpublican party, as we have
seen, ho (jave that orf^anization a cordial and
eflicicnt support. In later years he has felt
at liberty to opi>oBe it. For this his action

has been criticised by some, but by none who
were broad and liberal enough in their own
natures to comprehend his. or they had built
conclusions without foundations. Surely an
American citizen ought to be allowed to dic-
tate his own politics. Not only has Mr. Bry-
ant the right to change his party affiliations,
when in his judgment the good of the coun-
try requires it, but it is his solumn duty to
do so. It will be a sad day for the Nation
when fealty to party becomes stronger than
fealty to the republic. And it is to be re-
membered that the discarding of a party
commonly involves to the individual a loss
both political and pecuniary. The bolter sel-
dom secures any outward benefit. As a rule,
he neither gets office nor makes money by the
operation. The only possible exception to
this rule is when the bolt is into the majority
party, and from the minority, and never
vice versa. His only reward is the comfort
that comes from the honest discharge of duty.
Mr. Bryantenjoys the distinction of being
one of the oldest and one of the most promi-
nent and highly respected citizens of Bureau
County. He has been the friend of every
good enterprise, the eager champion always
of the cause of the people of his county and
the State, ever giving his time, his talents and
his money to promote the cause of the gen-
eral good. Here he has lived and toiled for
fifty-two years, and his imperishable monu-
ment shall be the good works of his life and
the beautiful words he has spoken. Amid
the surroundings of a pioneer life with all
its scarcity of the advantages for self im-
provement and the severest labor of the hands,
his aeiiuirements are varied and ])rofound.
Ho has drunk deeply of the fountains of En-
glish literature and ])hilosophy, and kept pace
with the thought of tliis great age. All his
writings, in prose or poetry, show the man of
thought and cultured taste; his bearing al-

HISTORY or BUREAU COUNTY.

169

ways dignified, courteous and polite, with no
particle of self-assertion in his natvu'e.
Firm and conscientious in all his views, and
bold and fearless in their enunciation, he has,at
the same time, respect for those who honestly
differed from him on even the most vital
tenets of his faith. His personal experience,
his education, and his reason taught him the
fallibility of human judgment and the lia-
bility of honest and wise men to disagree
upon almost every question of political phil-
osophy in a government constituted as ours
is; and he claimed no charity for himself that
he was not ready to cordially extend to others.
In all the relations of life a sense of duty-stern
and inexorable — accompanied him and has
characterized his every act, and disregarding
selfish and personal considerations, he has
obeyed its behests.*

CHAPTER XIV.

SoMBTKiNO ABOUT A GREAT Many People— Wh EN Diffbbest Places
WERE Settled AND BY Whom — F^nsT Government La:id Sur-
veys— The Denhajis—Moseleys— J. V Thompso.v— Judge K.
T. Templeton— Rev. B. Scuddee High, and Douohnuts— To
Market to sell a Pig — Walnut and Ohio Townships.

"Again we stray, far. far away.

The club-moss crumbling 'neath our treat!.
Seeking the spot by most forgot.

Where sleep the generations dead."

—J. H. Bryant.

TTTARREN SHERLEY came, in 1829.
VV with Sylvester Brigham and made his
claim at Heaton's Point. His was the lirst
settlement in this part of the county. Eli
and Elijah Smith married two sisters and

•The editor would say, in addition to Dr Edward's account of
Mr. Bryant, that in comiiling this hist ry of Bureau County
he has 'patiently gone over the records, consideied the details of
everv important movement either political social or educa-
tional, as well as the public enterprises, the economic move-
ments, and the moral, social and intellectual interests of the
people, and it is no figure of speech to say that everywhere and

their wedding tour was a journey to Illinois.
They and Dr. Chamberlain came in company
and were a part of the Hampshire Col-
ony. The three men had bought a wagon
and two yoke of oxen and Dr. Chamberlain
had the only horse in the crowd. A single
instance of this journey will serve as a suf-
ficient illustration. They had nearly reached
their journey's end and were trying to find
Foristal's cabin, where they expected to stop.
They left Spring Creek timber; with no road
to guide them, they took a northwest direc-
tion. In a stream on the prairie (Brush Creek)
their wagon stuck in the mud, and as night
was coming on and it seemed impossible to get
it out, it was abandoned and they proceeded
on their journey. Dr. Chamberlain took
Mrs. Eli Smith on his horse behind him; Eli-
jah Smith and wife were mounted on an ox.
Night overtook them at East Bureau, near
where Maiden now is, and it was so dark
they could not proceed further, so they dis-
mounted and went into camp. Their only
chance was to get brush enough together to
sleep on. The next morning they mounted
and pursued their journey, only reaching
Foristal's late in the afternoon.

Elijah Smith was born in Conway, Mass.,
November 7, 1800, and died March 2, 1882.
He settled in Princeton, 111., in July, 1831.
Epperson was the only man living in the
township when Smith and his company came.
Dr. W. Chamberlain settled one-half mile
south of Princeton. Eli and Elijah Smith
built a doable log-cabin on theBuroau Bluffs,
three miles north of Princeton. Among the
young men of the Hampshire Colon}' were

in every way the foremost name, the one name that was upon
every foundation and upon every column has heen that of John
H. Bryant. Indeed, so much is this the case, I hat the history of
the man and the history of the advancement of the people and the
county are much one and the same thing. Therefore, the read-
er will underst.ind that in the general history of the county is
constantlv recurring Mr. Bryant's name, and that this sketch ia
but a sma'll part of the record of facts that will some day be the
material for tlie construction of a complete biography of a life,
the moral of whose history will be one of great interest and
instruction.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

C G. Corss, George Hinsdale, Aaron Gunn,
John P. Blake, E. H. and E. S. Phelps, Jr.
Aaron Gunn made a claim on the Doolittle
farm, and afterward at LaMoille. Mr.
Corss made a claim two and one-half miles
southeast of Princeton, on which he lived
until his death, which occurred a few years
ago. John G. Blake made a claim where
Arthur Bryant lived, but soon afterward
went east of the river, where he settled.
BIr. Blake now lives in Putman County, and
for many years was County Judge. E. H.
Phelps is now living in Princeton, and is
one among the few original members left of
the Hampshire Colony Church. E. S. Phelps,
Sr., died in Princeton. E. S. Phelps. Jr.,
lived in Wyanet, and is now in Nebraska.

The settlement made by the colonists was
called Greenfield, and Elijah Smith was ap-
pointed Postmaster.

John Griffith, who owned Griffith's Mill,
was one of the rangers, and traveled much
over what is now Bureau County, before its
Bettlement. Matsou says there were seven
young men belonging to the same company
of Rangers that Griffith was in, and of whom
Matson says: "Seven young men, belonging
to this comj)any of rangers, among whom
were Madison Studyvin, John Griffith, Ira
Ladd, and Jonathan Wilson, being desirous
of seeing the country, continued their jour-
ney westward, and stayed over night at
Henry Thomas'. Next day, as they were re-
turning home, they saw, while on the Prince-
ton prairie, three men on horsel)ack, traveling
westward, and being fond of sport, gallojied
their horses toward them. These three men
proved to be Ep]>erbon, Jones and Foot, who
were on their way to Epperson's cabin. Mis-
taking the rangers for Indians, they wheeled
their horh»«s almut, and lle<l in the direction
of Hennepin. The j>auic was complete, and
the fugitives urged their horses forward under

the whip, believing the preservation of their
scalps depended on the fleetness of their
steeds. Saddle-bags, blankets, and other
valuables were thrown away to facilitate
their speed. On they went, at a fearful rate,
pursued by the rangers. In the flight, Foot's
horse fell down, throwing the rider over his
head; but Epperson and Jones made no halt,
having no time to look after their unfortunate
comrade, but leaving him to the tender
mercies of savages, they continued on their
way. When the fugitives arrived at the
Hennepin ferry, they were exhausted from
fright and over exertion, their horses were in
a foam of sweat, while loud puffs of breath
came forth from their expanded nostrils.
Above the snorting of the horses and clatter-
ing of their feet were heard the hoarse
voices of the riders, crying at the top of their
voice, "Injuns, Injuns."' On the west side
of the river were a number of people looking
after their cattle, which had been driven
from their claims, and on hearing the cry of
"Injuns," they, too. ran for their lives. Epper-
son and his comrade sprang from their horses
and ran for the ferry-boat, saying they had
been chased by a large body of Indians, who
were but a short distance behind them. As
quick as possible the ferry-boat pulled for
the opposite shore: one man being left behind
jumped in and swam to the boat. Soon the
pursuers arrived, and the joke was laughed
oil' and the scare was over."

Foot and Jones were single men and be-
longed to the Hampshire Colony. Foot made
a claim two miles north of Princeton, now
occupied by Shugart, and Jones made a claim
where James Garvin's family now live.

iMnd Surveyed. — In the spring of 1819
John C. Sullivan began surveying under the
direction of Graham and Phillips, Commis
sioners ap}X)inted by the President of the
United States for the purpose of locating

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

171

the old Indian boundary line running from
Lake Michigan to the Mississippi at the
mouth of Rock River. This runs a few de-
grees south of west, passing through the
northern part of Bureau County. This was
the standard line in the surveys of the coun-
ty, causing fractional tracts north and south
of it.

The surveys south of the Indian boundary
were commenced in 1816, and completed in
1822. The last were made in this part of
Illinois by Thomas C. and Stephen Rector.
Their returns bear date November 6, 1822.
The surveys north of the Indian boundary
were commenced in 1834 and completed in
1843. The land south of this boundaiy came
into market in August, 1835, and north of it
in 1844. The land office in this district was
at Galena until 1841, when it was moved to
Dixon.

The northern boundary of the Military
District is a line extending from the great
bend in the Illinois River at the mouth of
Lake De Pue, to the Mississippi River, a
short distance below New Boston. The
towns of Wheatland, Milo, Macon and Nepou-
eet, were in part in the Military District,
which could not be entered, and for many
years settlements could not be made in this
reserve. Indiantown, Leepertown and Aris-
pie were settled on lands without Govern-
ment title.

Settlements. —In the spring of 1836 there
was no one living in the towns of Fairfield,
Manlius, Mineral. Neponset, Macon, Gold,
Wheatland, Greenville, or Westfield. There
was but one family in Milo, one in Walnut,
one in Ohio, four in Berlin, five in Bureau,
five in Concord, and sis in Clarion. The
dwellings were log-cabins, built mostly in
the edge of the timber by the side of springs.
There was but one meeting-house, two or
three schoolhouses, only two surveyed roads.

and not a stream bridged. The land then
under cultivation was a small field here and
there adjoining the timber, and the prairies
of the county were in a state of nature, a part
of which had not been surveyed.

In the spring of 1830 Daniel Dimmick
made a claim at the head of Dimmick's
Grove, and in the fall of the same year Will-
iam Hall made a claim near him, on the pres-
ent site of Lamoille. In the spring of 1834
Leonard Roth, G. Hall and Dave Jones made
claims in the Grove, and in July of the same
j'ear J. T. Holbrook, Moses and Horace
Bowen, also settled in the Grove. In the fall
of 1834 Enos Holbrook, Joseph Knox and
Heman Downing came. In the spring of
1835 Tracy Reeves and Dr. John Kendall
came here and laid out the town of Lamoille.

In 1834 Timothy Perkins and his sons
claimed all of Perkins' Grove, and sold claims
to those coming in afterward. The first
cabin built in the Grove was on a farm now
owned by John Hetzler, and occupied by S.
Perkins and E. Bevens. The second house
stood near the present residence of A. G.
Porter, and was occupied by Timothy Perkins.
In 1836-37 a number of persons came here,
among whom were Joseph Screach, Stephen
Perkins, J. and A. R. Kendall, J. and E. Fas-
sett In 1842 a postoffice named Perkins'
Grove was established, but was discontinued
some few years afterward.

In the summer of 1828 Reason B. Hall
built a cabin on Section 34, town of Hall.
In the fall of 1829 a black man named Adams
built a cabin at the mouth of Negro Creek,
and from him the stream took its name. In
the summer of 1831 William Tompkins,
Sampson and John Cole made claims on the
east side of Spring Creek. In August. 1832,
Henry Miller, William and James G. Swan
made claims in the town of Hall. In 1833
Robert Scott, Martin Tompkins and A. Hoi-

172

HISTORY OV BUREAU COUNTY.

brook cani& Other settlers came in soon
after, among whom were lianson and E. C.
HalL Mr. Wisam, Mr. Wilhite, N. Apple-
gate, Dr. Whitehead and C. W. Combs.

In 1831 Thomas AVashburn made a claim
adjoining the county farm, west. He sold
out to Benjamin Lamb, and in 1834 Lamb
sold to James Triplett. In 1833 John Phil-
lips, E. Chilson and Thomas Finley came;
in 183-1 Isaac Spangler, George Coleman,
Edward and Aquilla Triplett. They settled
in Center Grove. "William Allen, C. C.
Corss, Lemuel and Eufus Carey, Solomon
Sapp, Adam Galer, George Bennett, and
Rees Heaton were among these early settlers.

In the spring of 1834 Thornton Cummings
made a claim on the north side of French
Grove, and J. G. Reed at Coal Grove, and
built a cabin on the present site of Sheffield.
In 1835 Paul Riley, Caleb and Eli Moore,
and James Laughrey built cabins in French
Grove. A. Fay settled at Menominee Grove,
and Benjamin Coal at Bulboua Grove.

In 183') William Studley made a claim at
the south end of Barr^ Grove, and in the
following yeai- William and George Norton,
W. P. Batierill and James Tibbetts came.
In 1S30 Curtis Williams, Thomas Grattidge,
John Clark, Dr. Hall, George Squiers and
E. D. Kemp settled in the north end of Bar-
ren Grove.

In 1850 a settlement was made in the
towns of Gold and Maulius, and among the
first selllerH wi-ro Samuel Mather, S. Barber,
T. Rint'hurt, A. Lathrop, and James Martin.

In 1837 a settlement was commenced at
lilack Walnut Grove, in the town of Macon,
and among the early settlers were William
Bates, T. Matheral. James B. Akin. Lewis
Holmes, and John and Charles Wood.

The country along Green River remained
unoccnf>ie<] for many years after settleniente
had been made in other parts of Bureau

County, and was visited only by hunters and
trappers. It was known at that time as
Winnebago Swamp, but took the name of
Green River about the year 1837, about the
time a settlement was commenced here.

In the Spring of 1837 Cyrus Watson built
a cabin near the present site of New Bed-
ford, and occupied it a short time. Soon
afterward Francis and William Adams, D.
Brady, Milton Cain. Daniel Davis, Lewis
Burroughs, George W. Sprall, T. and N.
Hill settled Lere.

The land on Green River north of the
Indian boundary did not come into market
until 1844, and some of the settlers held
their laud by pre-emption right. But when
the land came into market they were not pre-
l>ared to jiay for it, and to prevent others
from entering their farms they organized a
" Settlers' League," with a constitution and
by-laws, signed by all those interested.
From this Settlers' League originated the
once common phrase, " State of Green."

In the north jiart of the county, except the
one cabin at Red Oak Grove, and one at
" Dad Joe" Grove, there were very few set-
tlers until 1850. James Claypall occupied
the Ameut cabin in Red Oak Grove from
1833 to 1836. Soon after this Luther Den-
ham moved to this place. He died in this
C(junty September 1, 1856, aged hftytwo
years. His wife, Eliza, died November 19,
1854, aged forty -eight years. They were
buried in Oakland Cemetery, Princeton.

A. H. Jones, G. Triplett, T. Culver and
Richard Brewer settled in an early day at
Walnut Grove.

In 1841 F. G. Buchan built a cabin at
East Grove, on the north line of Ohio Town-
ship, and in 1846 William Cleavland built
a cabin on the prairie near the middle of the
township, but in a little while he abandoned
his claim. The prairie really began to settle

HISTORY OF BUKEAU COUNTY.

178

up about 1852. Among the settlers were
the celebrated Esq. Falvey, John Kasbeer —
to-day one of the most prominent men in
that part of the county — William Cowan, S.
Wilson, John and Andrew Ross — the Ross
family being now one of the largest and most
prominent families in the county. The read-
er is referred to the Ross biographies for
further particulars. Also Daniel P. Smith,
whose father is fully spoken of in another chap-
ter, and Dwight Smith were the earliest set-
tlers in this part of the county.

In 1841 there were only a few families in
the south part of the county south of Boyd's
Grove, among whom were D. Bryant, B.
Hagan, John A. Griswold and Isaac Suther-
land. Soon after this a settlement was made
at Lone Tree, in Wheatland Township — John
and T. Kirkpatrick, J. Larkins, J. Merritt,
Henry and R. Rich, and the large family of
Andersons, to one of whom the property now
belongs on which once stood the noted Lone
Tree. Fen-ell Dunn (see Dunn's biogi-aphy),
A. Benson and Elder Cheuoweth were the
first settlers in Arispie.

The Sac and Fox trail passed by Lost
Grove. This part of the county was slow in
being taken up by actual settlers. As late as
1837 the Grove was the headquarters for
some rather large and fierce looking wolves.
In 1837 a traveler named Dunlap from Knox
County, Ohio, was murdered at this grove,
by, as supposed, a man named Green, whom
he had hired to pilot him over the country in
looking for land.

In the spring of 1831 Mason Dimraick
made the first claim at Lost Grove, and com-
menced a cabin where Arlington now stands,
but soon abandoned it.

In the fall of 1835 two young men, Blod-
gett and Findley, made a claim here, and
while they were disputing about their claims,
Benjamin Briggs entered the laud. In 1840

he sold it to Michael Kenedy, who made a
large farm here. He finally laid off the town
of Arlington on his land.

In 1840 David Roth, who was a railroad
contractor, built a house east of the grove,
and afterward sold it to Martin Carley, who
made a farm here. Soon after this Daniel
Cahill, D. Lyon, James Waugh, Peter Cassa-
day, Mr. Okley and others came in here and
settled.

The first German to settle in the county
was Andrew Gosse, who is still one of our
most respected citizens. He resides in Prince-
ton.

Butler Denham, a native of Conway,
Mass., born July 25, 1805, and died in
Princeton, August 8, 1841, was one of the
large family of Denhams who were among
the early settlers in the county.

Jonathan Colton died December 11, 1854,
aged seventy-three years. His wife, Betsey,
died October 4, 1846, aged sixty-two years.

The large Mercer family came from Ohio
in 1834. William Mercer died here Decem-
ber 22, 1844, aged seventy-seven years. His
wife, Ann, died July 21, 1844, aged eighty-
four years. Aaron Mercer died October 6,
1845, aged fifty-three years. Jane, his wife,
died June 8, 1849, aged fifty-five years. Dr.
Joseph Mercer died May 30, 1878, aged fifty
years.

Roland Moseley, a son of William and
Lydia Moseley, was born in Westfield, August
20, 1788; died September 19, 1855. He came
to Princeton in 1831. His first wife, Aghsah
G. Pomeroy, was born in Northampton,
Mass., February 6, 1792; died October 2,
1837. His second wife, Caroline H. Cabara,
was born in Pennsylvaaia in 1803, died Octo-
ber 23, 1855. F. Moseley died November
3, 1865, aged forty-eight years. Dwight
Moseley died September 1 1, 1870, aged forty-
four years. W. N. Moseley, born in Stephen-

174

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

SOB, N. Y., April 11, 1822, died May 6, 1872.
Roland P. Moseley died April 29, 1850, aged
thirty-four yt'ars.

Joseph V. Thompson was born in London,
October 31, 1814; died May 13, 1871. His
wife, Mary E. Kent, was also a native of
London: born 1810, died September 15, 1847.
Mr. Thompson was one of the leading men
of the county for many years. He filled
many of the county oflSces; was Sheriff at one
time. Was noted for his good sense, genial
natare, and pungent wit.

Judge Robert T. Templeton was born
October 20, 1811; died February 4, 1865.
He was buried in Oakland Cemetery. Look-
ing at the monument over his grave the
writer's attention was arrested and deeply
interested in a sentence on one side of the
stone, where it was the only mark It was,
" The Grave of My Dear Papa." There was
here a great deal of the story of life, love
and inexorable death. Could a book tell
more of the story of the babe, the little girl,
the child and the strong, doting father and
the tender affection and love of one to the
other. The writer had never seen either of
them, yet this short, simple inscription deeply
interested him. and in imagination he could
not but go over the sweet story that it spoke
of a high and holy love that was stronger
than death, so strong and so pure that he
frankly confoKses that it impressed him as
the strongest plea for a union and a recogni-
tion beyond the grave that lie had ever mot.
She WB8 buried by the side of her " dear
papa's grave." Surely in death they are not
Hej)arat<>d.

Leonora, wife of Judge Templeton, was
born July II, 1S'J4; died May li), 1883.

Mr. Templeton was the pioneer merchant
of Princeton, and ho l>uilt the first commerce
of the county. He was a man of large busi-
DASB capacity, and active in body and mind.

For his day he accumulated quite a fortune.
He was a member of the State Constitu--
tional Convention of 1862, was a mem-
ber of the County Court in 1848, and also
Swamp Land and Drainage Commissioner
for the county, and in 1839 he was elected
County Treasurer. In the building up of
Princeton, the organizing the new county and
putting its machinery in motion, he was con-
stantly a prominent and efficient actor. He
was widely known and universally respected.
Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Templeton
there was but one child — a daughter — Mary
Ross Templeton, who was just three years
old when her father died. She never mar-
ried, and died in Princeton in 1878. It will
be seen that with the death of Mrs. Tem-
pleton recently, the immediate family of
Judge Templeton became extinct.

Caleb Cushing was born August 12, 1795,
in Seekonk, Mass. Died January 12, 1877,
in Providence, Bureau County. He was a
son of Charles and Chloe (Carpenter) Cush-
ing, natives of Massachusetts. Their chil-
dren were Christopher C, Charles C, Chaun-
cey, Polly and Caleb.

Rev. E. Scudder High, who resided near
Tiskilwa, was among the early and heroic
preachers of the Presbyterian faith. He was
full of the severe, intense and dogmatic doc-
trine that so marked his day and age. He
was not ashamed to own his Lord and Mas-
ter, and it never occurred to him to stop and
infjuire whether this sentiment was duly re-
ciprocated or not He believed that religion
was a solemn, serious and awfully severe
thing, and he loved God exclusively on the
ground that a few. only a few, were to be
saved, and all else were to be damned, as they
richly deserved to be. His God was always du-
ly angry and jealous and He gave the great
mass of mankind the hot end of the poker. The
beauties of heaven were beautiful only by the

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

175

reflex of the eternal and exquisite tortures of
heJl. He was severely good, heroically pious
and very long-winded in his sermons of love
and goodness. He was a bachelor, and who
can blame him. He rode long distances over
all this part of Illinois, and preached long
sermons, and received but short pay. His
sermons were so long and dry that it was a
serious matter, especially with the young
folks who had to sit them out. It is said
that one real old benevolent Christian was so
moved by the discomforts of the children
that he provided himself with a lot of dough-
nuts, which he passed about among the ur-
chins, to their infinite relief, and without in
the least attracting the holy man's attention
or disturbing his " eighteenthly" or breaking
the thread of his brimstone sermon.

Going to Market to Sell a Nice Pig. — It is
not so long ago but many yet living can well
remember when the only market for all this
part of Illinois was Galena — the Lead Mines
— as it was once called. With no roads, no
bridges, no places of shelter or retreat from
" the night and storm and darkness," no
guiding track except the chance Indian trail,
or the sun and stars, and hundreds of miles
to haul or drive to market and then get $1.50
for pork, or 50 cents for wheat, it now
seems incredible that people would work and
struggle to make farms with only such a pros-
pect as this before them. The farmers usu-
ally had to form little companies and thus go
together, as this was necessary to help each
other along over the long slow trip and as a
protection against a sort of banditti that
made it often unsafe for a man to travel
alone. Many are the tales told of the
dangers and fatigues between here and
Chicago and Galena. We give one instance
as a curious circumstance of the times.
Robert Caultass, an Englishman living
near where Sheffield now is, had arranged to

join three men from Stark County and take
his drove of hogs with theirs to Galena.
These three men from Stark were Robert and
William Hall and W. W. Winslow. When
the drove from Stark County reached Caul-
tass' place he joined them and all started for
Galena. They moved along slowly but with
no great diflBculty until they struck the great
prairie beyond Edwards River, which was
then a stretch of sixteen miles without a
halting place. By this time provisions were
growing scarce, and they dispatched William
Hall ahead with a wagon to obtain some, and
have them in readiness at their next camp-
ing spot beyond the prairie. Bat hardly had
he left them when the wind changed and
blew a gale directly in their faces; a driving
snow tilled the air and almost blinded them,
and the hogs most positively refused to face
the storm. And these were no lubberly pen-
bred hoars, but loncr-lecjcted "graziers," fat-
tened in the woods, that had good use of
their legs when put to it; they were travel-
ers from the word go. So the drovers had
hard work to prevent a general stampede
back to the Bureau timber. To advance a
step was impossible. Here they were on the
open prairie, in the driving, blinding storm.
What were they to do? A council was held
and they came to the conclusion that they
must either perish or follow the hogs home
again. But just at this juncture the Peoria
and Galena stage, drawn by four stout
horses, came dashing along cutting a path
through the snow, and for some reason known
onlv to themselves, the hogs took after the
stage, fairly pursuing it for miles, squealing
furiously, and running at a rate that almost
kept them abreast of the horses, to the great
relief of the drovers who thereby soon
reached a shelter for the night, and glad to
think that "all's well that ends well." In
the course of time they arrived at Galena

176

HISTOKY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

with their drove, aud made arrangements for
doing their own slaughtering, as was then
common. Some man furnished them yard,
board and fire and all conveniences for the
work, and in retm-n took the rough fat.
And the bold venture turned out very well.

John MuBgrove was one of the important
early settlers. He was from New Jersey, and
to this fact Princeton owes its name, as he
was one of the first proprietors of the town,
that is. he was one of three that platted and
laid off the town, and when they came to
select a name for it Musgrove wanted it
named Princeton. The others wanted some
Massachusetts name, and finally the different
names were put in a hat and to Musgrove's
joy Princeton was drawn. Mr. Musgrove
died October 16, 1839.

In the civil history of the county in other
parts of this work the nameof Justin H. Olds
frequently occurs. He was a native of
Belchertown, Mass. Born September 4,
1806; died in Peoria, to which place he had
removed, November 30, 1878. He was Cir-
cuit Clerk, County Treasurer of Bureau
County and County Surveyor, besides other
positions of honor and trust. His wife,
Louisa G., was a sister of the Bryants. She
died December 13, 1808, aged sixty-one
years, eleven months and twenty- three days.
Their children, Lucy Wood and Bryant,
sleep by their side in Oakland Cemetery.
The family reside in Peoria, to which place
Mr. Olds removed in consequence of his a])-
pointmeut as Inspector in the Revenue Serv-
ice.

Cyrus Bryant died February IS), 1805,
aged sixty-six years, seven months and seven
days. Julia E., his wife, died April 25, 1875,
aged sixty-seven years.

Austin Bryant died February 1, 186(1, aged
seventy-two years, nine months and fifteen
days.

Mrs. Sarah Snell Bryant, widow of Dr.
Peter Bryaijt, of Cummington, Mass, was
born in Bridgewater, December 4, 1768; died
in Princeton May 0, 1847. Her illustrious
children are the fitting crown to her noble
and devoted life.

The settlement in Walnut Grove com-
menced in 1S37. Among ttie first were
Thomas Motheral, William Bates, James B.
Akin, Lewis Holmes, Charles Lee, T. J.
Horton and Charles Wood.

Matson in his Reminiscences says: "On
the 19th of May, 1830, Daniel Dimmick made
a claim a short distance south of Lamoille,
on what is now known as the Collins' farm,
and from that time the head of Main Bureau
timber took the name of Dimmick's Grove.
In the fall of 1849 William Hall made a
claim and built a cabin on the present site
of Lamoille, and occupied it about eighteen
months. In April, 1832, Mr. Hall, having
sold his claim to Aaron Gunn, moved to
Indian Creek, twelve miles north of Ottawa,
were himself and part of his family were
killed by the Indians a few weeks afterward.
At the commencement of the Black Hawk war
Dimmick left his claim and never returned
to it again, aud for two yeai's Dimmick's
Grove was without inhabitants ; the cabins
and fences went to decay, and the untilled
lands grew up in weeds. M'hen Dimmick
fled from the grove he left two sows and pigs
which increased in a few years to quite a
drove of wild hogs, that were hunted in the
grove years afterward, and from them some
of the early settlers obtained their supply of
pork.

In the spring of 1834, Leonard Roth,
Grt'onborry Hall, and Dave Jones made
claims in the grove, aud for a short time
Timothy Perkins occupied the Dimmick cabin.
In July of the same year, Jonathan T. Hol-
brook, Moses and Horace Bowen settled in

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

177

the grove. Mr. Holbrook and Moses Bowen
bought Gunn'a claim and made farms. In
the fall of 1834 Enos Holbrook, Joseph
Knox and Heman Downing settled in the
grove. In the spring of 1836 Tracy Reeve
and Dr. John Kendall bought Moses Bowen's
farm and laid ofif Lamoille. Mr. Bowen
had previously made a survey of the town,
but made no record of it when he sold to the
above named parties. The town was origin-
ally called Greenfield, but was afterward
changed to its present name, on ascount of
obtaining a postoffice.

Joseph Knox on leaving Dimmick's Grove,
located at a point of timber which was after-
waid known as Knox's Grove. One night,
while Mr. Knox and his sons were absent,
two young Indians came to his house, prob-
ably v.ithout any evil intentions, but it
frightened the women so they fied on foot for
Dimmick's Grove, eight miles distant. Next
morning these two young Indians, accom-
panied by their father, came to Dimmick's
Grove to give an explanation of their visit to
the house the night before. There were
present Leonard Roth, J. T. Holbrook and
Dave Jones. With the two former the explan-
ation of the Indians was satisfactory, but
with the latter it was different; Jones whip-
ped one of the Indians severely.

In the summer of 1831 William Tompkins,
Sampson and John Cole made claims on the
east side of Spring Creek, and for some time
they were the only permanent settlers in the
east part of the county. In August, 1832,
Henry Miller with his family settled on the
farm now occupied by his son, Henry J.
Miller. About the same time William Swan
made a claim in this vicinity, and the next
year James G. Swain made a claim where he
novr lives. In 1833 Robert Scott became a
resident of the settlement, and about the
same time Martin Tompkins and Alexander

Holbrook made claims near the east line of
the county, where H. W. Terry now lives.
Other settlers c^me in soon after, among
whom were Reason and E. C. Hall, Mr.
Wixam, Mr. AVilhite, Nathaniel Applegate,
Dr. Whithead and C. W. Combs.

In 1834 Timothy Perkins and sons claimed
all of Perkins' Grove. The first house built
in the grove was on a farm owned by John
Hetzler. This was originally occupied by
Solomon Perkins and Elijah Bevens. The
second house was built near A. G. Porter's,
and was occupied by Timothy Perkins; this
house was covered with deer skins. Joseph
Search, Stephen Perkins and Mr. Hart set-
tled in the spring of 1835 on the west side of
the grove; J. and A. R. Kendall, J. and E.
Fassett were among the early settlers. A
postoSice was established here in 1842 and
called Perkins' Grove.

In 1834 Isaac Spangler, George Coleman
and Aquilla Triplett settled on the east of
Center Grove; WilliamAllen and C. C. Corss
north of it.

Providence Colony. — in 1836 a colony was
organized in Providence, R. I., for the pur-
pose of colonizing some place in Illinois.
There were seventy-two stockholders in the
company, who owned from one to sixteen
shares each, and each share was to draw eighty
acres of land, which amounted in all to
17,000 acres. Com. Morris, Col. C. Oak-
ley, Asa Barnej', L. Scott, S. G. Wilson,
Edward Bailey and Caleb Cushing, were ap-
pointed a committee to select and enter the
lands for the colony. This committee, after
exploring the country in different parts of the
States selected Township 15, Range 8 (now
Indiantown), for their future home. The
land in this township was then vacant, except
a few tracts in the southeast corner, and it
was without inhabitants, with the exception
of Martin Tompkins and Mr. Burt. All the

178

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

vacant land in this township, and some in the
adjoining one, was entered by the colony, and
a portion of which was soon after made into
farms. The colony committee, after entering
the land, laid off a town, and in honor of
Roger Williams, named it Providence. Two
of the committee, Asa Barney and Caleb
Gushing, remained until fall for the purpose
of erecting a building on their now town site;
this building was a large frame structure,
built out of the funds of the colony, and in-
tended to be used for a hotel.

In the spring of 1S37 about forty persons
belonging to the colony arrived at their fu-
ture home, all of whom found cjuarters in the
house built by the colony until other dwell-
ings could be erected. With this colony
came many of the enterprising citizens of
this county, and they received a hearty wel-
come from the early settlers.

This colony, like all others, did not meet the
expectations of its projectors, nevei-theless,
it added much to the wealth and population
of the county. Among the members of this
colony who settled here were Alfred Anthony,
Hosea Barney, J. Shaw, James Harrington,
James Pilkington, John Lannon, Thomas
Doe, Mat how Dorr, James Dexter. Elias Nick-
erBOD and Thomas Taylor.

The first claim made on GJienoweth Prairie,
which lies between Senachwino and Main
Bureau was in 1834, by FerroU Dunn, on the
farm now owned liy Alanson Benson. In
the early jiart of 1835, Elder J. B. Cheno-
weth (a sketch of whom appears in another
chapter), Elishn Searl. H. Siieldon and P.
Kirkpatrick, settled here. HoH(>a Barney came
here in 1837. He had a 100 acre interest in
the colony. He was from Taunton. Mass.,
bom November 11, 1801. He was a mill-
wright, and had gone South and in South Car-
olina had Imilt diimn anil lucks on the canal.
In 183') he went to Cuba and j)ut up for a

man in Rhode Island, the first steam-mill in
Cuba. He married Hannah Nicholas before
coming West. She was a native of Plymouth,
Mass. She died here in 1869. Two of her
children — Howard E. and Herbert now liv-
ing on the old homestead.

Edward Daua was born in Providence, R.
I., March 19, 1804. He commenced his bus-
iness, a tailor. Married Mary Lockwood.
Came to the county in 1837; settled in Prov-
idence. Portions of the colony had preceded
him. On his arrival, he found an unfinished
hotel, and there was at work for the company
Samuel Morse, Anthony Luther, JohnLon-
non, Darius Wheeler, George Rose, Caleb
Charles and Albert Haskel. Mr. Dana built
a log-cabin and moved into it. On May 8,
some of the members of the colony arrived.
The most of them in a sorry plight; foot-
sore, worn-out and badly homesick. Mr.
Dana had heard they were coming and his
wife had prepared supper for them. They
fed them well, but many wore wretched and
dissatisfied, and Mrs. Cameron declared she
would not change her dress until she went
back East. As it was fully three months be-
fore she could return, and she kept her word
about changing her dress, the reader can im-
agine it was literally worn off by the time she
got back home. Mr. Dana soon moved into
Tiskilwa and followed his trade. In 1846 he
commenced farming. Mr. Dana was married
the second time to Mrs. Sarah Beaumont {nee
Sarah Douglas).

An old soldier of the war of 1812 was
Thomas Doe, born April 11, 1818, in Lincoln
County, Me., and died here December 1, 1808,
a carpenter by occupation. He was several
years Clerk of his township.

Robert Hinmau came to Wyanet iu 1838.
He was born September 5, 1804, in Vermont.
He followeil the sea for years and in 1826 he
was an hunible fisherman, "where fishers gang

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

179

to fish for cod." He married December 4,
1828, in Vermont, Mindwell A. Bartlett, who
is the mother of eight children.

A Menonite Church was built in Indian-
town Township in 1873, costing $2,600.
Joseph Burckey, John Burcky, John Albright
and Peter Baufman are the leading members
of this church.

George E. Dorr was an early tavern-keeper
at Bulbona's Grove. He was in his day one
of the celebrated landlords along the Galena
stage road. He was a native of Chatham i
County, N. Y. His father was boru Novem-
ber 5, 1821. He came to Illinois in 1837
and improved what is yet known as Dorr's
Hill. He was one of the first Postmasters at
this place, a position he tilled for eight years.
He was for a locg time a Justice of the
Peace,

The Hunters. — There were fourteen of this
family came together to Bureau County, of
these, Enoch Hunter was born in the mount-
ains of Vermont in 1824. He came here
with his father and has been one of our most
successful and enterprising farmers. In 1847
he was married to Miss Adeline M. Baker, a
native of Chautauqua, N.Y., boru November 2,
1829; a daughter of Almon and Julia Baker.
Of this union have been born six children.

David Chase came here in 1834, a native
of Roylston, Mass., born April 30, 1811. He
married Lucy Brigham in New Hampshire
and at once started to Illinois (see sketch of
Joseph Brigham). Mrs Chase lived with
her son, David W., until her death July 1,
1882. Mr. Chase was a very quiet, good
man and always avoided noisy politics. They
had three children — Lucy Abagail married
Oscar Mead. She died in 187*J. David
Warren lives on the old homestead, and
Mary Ellen is the wife of Arthur Fruett.
David W. was born January 11, 1844. and
except six years he spent in Iowa has lived

all his life in the county. In 1862 he mar-
ried Miss Mary Coddington, daughter of
James Coddington, deceased. She was born
December 23, 1840.

Walnut and Ohio Townships. — These are two
of the choice portions of the county, and yet
they remained vacant land mostly until 1850.
We have had frequent occasion to name the
Ament families. They were the first in this
part of the county. In 1833 James Claypool
settled here and in 1836 he sold to the Den-
hams, who looked at the country and con-
cluded it would some day be an excellent
stock country, and they bought with a view
of making a stock-farm — a place to produce
improved stock.

In the summer of 1836, a man named Martin
claimed Walnut Grove; built a cabin, broke
and fenced some prairie, but next year A. H.
Jones and Greenberiy Triplett jumped his
claim and made farms here soon after, others
settled around the grove, among whom were
Truman Culver, Richard Brewer, Peter Mc-
Knitt, Thomas Sanders, Richard Langford,
E. Kelly, and the large family of V7olf.

In the spring of 1830, Dad Joe (Joseph
Smith) located at Dad Joe Grove, and lived
here for six years without neighbors. In
1836 T. S. Elston came in possession of this
claim, and for many years it was occupied
by different renters, who kept here a house of
entertainment. In 1841 F. G. Buchan built
a cabin on the north line of the county, and
it was afterward occupied by Mr. Abbot.
In 1846 William Cleveland built a cabin on
High Prairie, three miles south of Dad Joe
Grove, but he abandoned it the next year. A
year or two afterward .John and Andrew Ross
settled on the prairie, and soon afterward
others made farms in this vicinity, among
whom were Squire Falvey, John Kasbeer,
William Cohen, Stephen Wilson, Mr. Hun-
ter, Daniel P. and Dwight Smith.

180

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

CHAPTER XV.

THE CHURCHES OF THE COCNTT.

Ours be meanwhile the cheerful creed.
That leaves the spirit free to roam,

By mount and river, wood and mead.
Till Heaven's kind voice shall call it home.

—.1. II. Bkyant.

A NATION'S destiny is shapod by its
religious faith more than by anything
else. The Christian religion, as we believe
it. is the true God-given system of faith,
and the one which this Government recog-
nizes as a divine emanation. " In God we
trust," is stamped on our dollars. We
accept it, therefore, in its teachings and its
practices, as that mighty, moral force which
has impelled us onward and upward in our
career of unexampled prosperity in civil,
moral, intellectual and commercial advance-
ment. We are but one hundred years old,
and yet we surpass all other nations on the
globe, in these respects, although most of
them are older than America l)y a thousand
years or more.

Compare the people who now dwell in
this county, with those whose ancestors
occu]>ii'd these rich prairies for a thousand
years before, we having had it but fifty.
There is no comparison. We affirm that
our superiority comes from our under-
lying religious faith. Their poverty and
heathenism came from the want of it.
This is without douVjt true of all other
nations and kingdoms of the world. The
Christian religion lifts men and nations
into light and knowledge, and into the pos-
session of all the good that distinguishes
them from other peoples. What nation or
people now ou the globe, except a Christian

nation, ever had a railroad, telegraph, tele-
phone, steamboat, or any of the ten thousand
desirable possessions of civilization, until
carried there by a Christian people?

When a people become permeated with
Christian principles then a superior energy
impels that people onward and ttpward, into
everything grand and ennobling, like a divine
impulse. Hence the wisdom of the early
settlers, as they came to this wilderness
country, here to make happy homes and a
prosperous State. They planted first the
church and the school. Here is a nut for
infidelity to crack. Mark what a change
came over these prairies in one short fifty
years. Instead of the filthy wigwams of
the red man, along the marshy bottom-lands,
these prairies are dotted all over with splen-
did mansions, and these limitless land
scapes are one broad field of waving corn
and wheat. The wild deer and the uncouth
bufl'alo have given place to the fleet horse,
the faithful ox, the patient cow, the profita-
ble hog. The useful wagon, with glossy
bays attached, take the place of the pony
and his rider. We have the cooking stove,
comfortable furniture, the piano and organ,
and ten thousand other conveniences and
comforts unknown to the heathen dwellers
on this soil fifty years ago. Why the differ-
ence? The answer is at hand. They had
no church or schoolhouse. We have. They
had no underlying religious faith. We
have. This solves the problem, and points
the way from poverty to prosperity.

Let us, then, cherish our Christian faith,
knowing by delightful experience the truth-
fulness of the promise of our great Bene-
factor, when He said: "Seek ye first the
kingdom of God and His righteousness, and
all these things shall be added unto you,''

In the light of those facts we can see the
projiriety in giving duo prominence to an

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

181

account of the rise and progress of the
Christian churches in Bureau County.

Congreyational Cliurch. — 'J'he old Hamp-
shire Colony Church or First Congregational
Church, of Princeton, was organized in North-
ampton, Mass., March 23, 1831. Sermon
preached on the occasion by Rev. Ichabod S.
Spencer, from the text: " Fear not little flock
for it is your Father's good pleasure to give
you the Kingdom." The following named
persons joined the church at this time: E. S.
Phelps and wife, Amos C. Morse and wife,
Elish Wood and wife, Samuel Brown, David
Brown, Dr. Nathaniel Chamberlain, Levi
Jones and wife, Alva Whitmarsh and wife,
Elijah Smith, Sylvia Childs, Clarissa Childs,
Jonn Leonard and Maria Lyman. After
farewell meetings were had, and the prelim-
inaries all completed, the little colony church
commenced their journey to the land of
promise.

The Hampshire Colony had been organized
the year previous, and had sent forward two
or three of their number to the West to recon-
noiter and to locate the colony. The main
body did not start until May 7, 1831. They
embarked on a canal boat at Albany, with Cot-
ton Mather as Captain. The first Sabbath
found them in Buffalo. From here they took
steamer for Detroit. They hired teams to
take them from here to Chicago, starting
May 25.

Mr. Jones had preceded the colony the
previous fall and located temporarily at
Bailey's Point, eight miles south of LaSalle,
near the Vermillion River, where he had built
a large double log-house to receive the colony,
which arrived June 9, just five weeks and two
days from the commencement of their jour-
ney. They all remained here some time to
rest Finally, on the evening of July 4, they
reached the camp of James Foristol, one
mile North of Dover.

Thus far we have seen the church in the
wilderness. Now they reach the promised
land, and the first formal meeting the church
held in Illinois was October 20, 1831, at the
house of Elijah Smith, a little north of the
present city of Princeton. The first business
done was the election of Dr. Chamberlain as
clerk in the place of Mr. Morse, deceased.
This little colony was soon reduced in num-
ber by death and removal until there were
but four members left, and these were soon
constrained to seek safety in the older settle-
ments from the scalping- knife of the Indian.
Both the colony and the church were now re-
duced very near the point of extinction. This
was indeed the day of small things. It wa8
the only church in Illinois at this time of the
Congregational order. They were cast down
but not forsaken. After about two years mem-
bers began to return, and others coming in
joined, and ip February, 1834, the church
held its first communion season, at which
time six persons joined: Joel Doolittle, Laz-
arus Reeve and Nathaniel Chamberlain, Sr.,
and their wives.

Lucien Farnham became their pastor about
the close of 1833, and he reports that at their
above meeting the house was full, and that
Methodists, Presbyterians and others com-
muned with them.

From this time on the church grew rapid-
ly. In 1835 they began to build a meeting-
house, 32x44 feet, two stories high, and used
the lower story for a schoolhouse. This was
called the Princeton Academy, and com-
menced its first term in the summer of 1836,
under the care of Alvin M. Dixon, who is still
living in Edgar, Clay County, Nob. Mr.
Farnham was a devout and able minister,
but in the fall of 1838 he was obliged to de-
sist from preaching on account of chronic
laryngitis. During his ministry of four
years the church increased to 141 members.

182

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Rev. Owen Lovejoy was called to take the
place of Mr. Farnhani and commenced bis
labors as pastor of the church in the fall of
1838. We need not here speak of Jlr. Love-
joy, or his labors at length, as his fame be-
came World-wide. lie was a man of clear,
strong convictions. As a public speaker he
was logical, energetic, impressive, magnetic
and eloquent. As a platform orator he had
no equal. lu social life he was genial and
attractive. He early espoused the anti-slav-
ery cause and preached an anti -slavery gospel
until the people liked it. and then continued
preaching it because they did like it. His
pastorate continued until the close of 1855,
after which he was elected to Congress, and
continued to holil that position until his
death. March 25, 18(U. In 1848 a new
church was erected, of brick, and larger, cost-
ing $4,000. Mr. Lovejoy was succeeded in
his ministry by the following persons in or
der of time: N. A. Keyes, S. D. Cochran, W.
B. Christopher, Samuel Day, H. L. Ham-
mond, D. H. Blake, F. Bascom, R. B. How-
ard and Richard Edwards, LL. D., who has
just resigned and accepted a position with
Knox College, and Rev. S. A. Norton, the
present pa.stor. In 1869 the church was re-
paired, and added to at a cost of S8,000, and
supplied with a Hue pijie organ. A success-
ful Sal (bath school has been kept up from the
beginning of the church; also a weekly
prayer- meeting. The i)astor'8 salaries have
increased from time to time from $400 to $8,-
(K)0 a year. Present mi'tuhership, 800; Sal>
bathschool, 20U. lu October, 1837, twenty-
four members were dismissed to form the
Second Congregational Church of I'rincelon —
now the First Fresbyteriau Church of this city.
In March, 1838, seven members were dismissed
to join ihe Dover Congregational Church;
and in May, 1840, a number took lellerH to
the Congregational Church of Lamoille.

Methodist Episcopal Church, Princeton. —
In the year 1832 Rev. Zadock Hall organ-
ized a charge called the Peoria Mission.
His appointments in Bureau County were at
the house of Joseph Smith, north of Prince-
ton, on Bureau Creek; Samuel Williams', in
Hail Town, at John Hall's in Shelby
Town, and at Abraham Jones', two miles
northwest of Princeton, The names of the
members of this class were: James and
Betsy Hayes, Abraham and ilary Jones,
Barton and Susanna Jones, Robert and
Mrs. Clark, Joseph and Mrs. Smith and
Eliza Epperson. All of the above persons
have gone to the better land.

In 1833 Rev. William Royal became the
preacher in charge of the northern division
of Peoria Mission called tho Ottawa Mission,
lu 1834 this Mission was divided and the
west part called the Bureau Mission, and the
Rev, S. R. Beggs took this charge and re-
mained through the following year.

There were three appointments in the Bu-
reau Circuit: At Abraham Jones', at John
Scott's, Tiskilwa, and at John Hall's, Selby
Town. His cash report this year was: Re-
ceived $70 from 100 members. Rev. Den-
ning arrived in Princeton in 183(), and be-
came class leader and remained so up to
1842, at which time be joined the Rock
River Conference. The class meetings were
held at the hduso of Abraham Jones until 1838,
when they wore afterward held at the house of
Brother Demings, in Princeton. In 1836
an attempt was made to build a church, but
the brick was spoiled in the making and the
pledges were lost, so ended this effort. Will-
iam Cummings was ])astor this year. In
1837 tho old pioneer, Zaddock Hall, was ap-
pointed to the Princeton Circuit. A church
was linally built and occupied about Christ-
mas, 183'8. Thei)reachors on the circuit at this
time were Rufus Lumry and George Smith.

^rS^f^ux^^,^ Cj^x..^^^

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

183

Lumry remained during the year 1839, in
which time the church was finished and dedi-
cated by Elder John Sinclair.

In 1840 the Conference was divided and
Princeton became a part of Rock Kiver Con-
ference, and Jonathan M. Snow placed in
charge, assisted in 1841 by Wesley Bachelor.
In 1842 Harvey Hadley and S. F. Deming
were appointed. The latter filled the ofiBce
of County Clerk during his pastorate. In
1843, Harvey Hadley and Simon K. Lemon;
in 1844, J. G. Whitcomb; in 1845-16, Leon-
ard Whittaker. At this time the brick church
was built, now Union Hall. O. A. Walker in
charge in 1847-48; in 1849, George Levisee;
J. H. Moon, in 1850; Martin P. Sweet, in
1851-52. Then followed John W. Stagdill,
J. O. Gilbert, Silas Searl, Charles French,
Thomas G. Hagertv, W. C. Willing in 1862-
63. During Brother Willing's pastorate
the beautiful house now occupied was built
on the northwest corner of Peru and Chm-ch
Streets. The Board of Trustees at this time
was Joseph Shugart, John Warfield, George
H. Phelps, W. H. Jenkins, George Bacon,
A. Swanzy, AVilliam Carse, H. A. Starkweather
and Darius Fisher. The corner stone was
laid with Masonic honors July 24, 1863; ad-
dress by Rev. Charles H. Fowler at the court
house. The builders were Allen Morse and
W. W. Winters. Dedicated January 23,
1864; services conducted by Rev. F. M. Eddy,
D. D., assisted by Rev. J. M. Vincent; cost of
church, $12,000. Preachers in charge after
this time were: N. H. Axtell, W. A. Smith,
S. U. Griffith, J. M. Caldwell, W. D. Skel-
ton, J. C. Stoughtou, W. H. Gloss, John
Ellis, James Baum and W. D. Atchison, the
present pastor. Present membership, 150.
Sabbath-school, 120. The parsonage cost
S2,000.

Presbyterian Church, Princeton, was
organized October 26, 1837, at the house of

Rev. A. B. Church. Twenty- four persons —
originally members of the Hampshire Colony
Congregational Chiu-ch, formed this the sec-
ond Congregational Church of this city. Of
these only two are now living — Philinda
Robinson and Henrietta R. Bryant. The
first year they occupied the upper story of
Epperson's store, the next year a church was
built near their present building, of wood.
This was occupied for a house of worship
until their present commodious brick house
was built in 1856. In 1844, by an unani-
mous vote of the membership, the church
changed its name to the Presbyterian Church,
and was received under the care of the
Schuyler Presbytery. The first Board of
Elders were Daniel Ralinson, Austin Bryant,
Isaac Brokaw and Samuel Carey. The first
pastor, A. B. Church, remained seven years,
or until the church became Presbyterian.
Ministei's who succeeded him were: John
Stoker, one year; William Pekins, two years
and six months; Ithamer Pillsbm-y, seven
years; Mr. Carson, a short time; I. C. Barr,
eighteen months;!. Milligan, fifteen years and
six months; I. C. Hill, eighteen months; D.
G. Bradford, five years. The present minis-
ter. Rev. M. C. Williams. Present member-
ship about 200. Cost of present church edi-
fice about $15,000. The Sabbath-school
numbers 150. The member^ihip are mostly
farmers living from three to five miles in the
country.

The Baptist Church, of Princeton, was
organized in 1836, with thirteen members,
as follows: Stephen and Polly Triplett,
Aquilla Triplett, Elizabeth Triplett, W. H.
and Lucinda Wells, Isaac and Rebecca
Spangler, Edward and Lucinda Triplett, Mr.
Bagley and wife, and James Hamrick. The
first meeting house was built in 1844, now
occupied by the African itethodist Episcopal
Church. Prosperity attended the labors of

184

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Rev. F. B. Ives from 1856 to 1858. Up to
this time the membership reached 160. For
a time after this the members decreased in
number, owing, in part, to the want of a
suitable house of worship, frequent change
of pastors, removals, and other causes, so that
they were reduced to only thirty-five mem-
bers. Their present house of worship was
commenced in 1871, and on November 23,

1873, the next house was dedicated, free from
debt, costing §10,000. Rev. Ives was again
the pastor during these years of prosperity,
and when he closed his labors, November 17,

1874, the membership had increased to
eighty. Under the labors of Isaac Fargo the
number increased to 106. The Sabbath-
school numbers at present 125, and church
membership 130. Ministers serving the
church after Elder Fargo were: D. W. Rich-
ards, M. H. AVorral, and R. Wallace, the
present pastor.

The Christian Church, Princeton, was or-
ganized March 8, 1840, by John M. Yearn-
shaw. The original members were: James
and Catherine How, Daniel R. and Rachel
How, Jonathan and Eliza Ireland, Daniel
Bryant, Clark and Mary Bennett, John M.
Yearnshaw, Rachel and Juliett Radclifife, El-
mira Elston, Sarah Miuier, Mary Hayes, John
W. il. How and Margarott McElwain —
seventeen. In October four more members
were added: John How, Sarah RadcliiTe (now
Lomax), Mrs. Alice Yearnshaw and Charles
S. Boyd. Their meetings were first held in
a building near the present court house,
called the County Commissioners' House.
In 18-10 they built a brick house on' the south
side of the court house scjuare, and occupied
this until 1870, when the congregation built
their jiresent fine house on Main Street,
coating $11,000, and dedicated by Rev.
Isaac Errett, of Cincinnati. The following
are the names of ministers who have labored

with the church since its organization, for a
short time, in protracted effort: P. G. Young,
George W. Minier, Daniel R. How, John
Errett, G. W. Mapes, C. W. Sherwood, J. Z.
Taylor. The following labored as regular
ministers for a definite time: John M. Yearn-
shaw, George McManus, Daniel R. How,
Charley Berry, J. C. Stark, T. Brooks, James
E. Gaston, Daniel R. How, T. Brooks, I. G.
Waggoner, T. V. Berry, G. W. Mapes, A.
W. Olds, A. J. Thompson, J. T. Toof, G. F.
Adams, L. R. Norton, George Radcliffe,
William Trimble. The church has been
without a pastor for some time on account of
the divided state of its members. Present
membership about ninety. Sabbath-school,
fifty.

Methodist Protestant Church of Princeton,
was organized in 1837, by Rev. P. J. Strong.
The organizing members were: Aaron Mercer
and wife, Thomas Mercer and wife, Ellis
Mercer and wife, Samuel Triplett and wife,
Daniel Young and wife, William Mercer,
Elizabeth Mercer, Barric Mercer, Thomas
Mercer, Moses Mercer, Enos Matson. Present
membership 100. Pastors after Rev. P. J.
Strong, were: W. H. Miller, R. Miller, B.
Johnson, Mr. Paterson, R. Wright, E. Sel-
lon, F. D. and. W.W. Williams, J.M. May-
all, C. H. Williams, W. H. Jordan, V. H.
Brown, S. G. Lamb and F. Stringer, the
present pastor. The church building is of
brick, and cost $11,000, and was built in
1807, under the pastorate of Rev. Mayall.
The Sabbath -school numbers 100. The first
church was built in 1838, under the pastor-
ate of Rev. P. J. Strong, and cost $2,000.

The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran, of
the Augustana Synod, of Princeton, was
organized June 16, 1854, by Rev. Larspaul
Esborn. The original members were: P.
Fagercranse, E. Wester, N. Linderblad, S.
Frid, Niles P. Linguist, Jacob Nyman and

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

185

Larse Anderson. Present numbei", 415 com-
municants. Whole population attending
church, 625. Names of ministers since the
first : John Johnson, Aaron Lindholm,
John Wikstrand, S. A. Sandahl, the present
pastor. The church building is wooden and
nost $3,500. A Sabbath-school of seventy-
five members and fourteen teachers. Within
the congregation are a Ten-Cent Society, a
Five-Cent Society, and a Pauper's-Aid
Society — all for benevolent purposes. Lov-
ers of intoxicating drinks and members of
secret societies are not allowed as members
in this church. The church is in a prosper-
ous condition.

The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Mis-
sion Church of Princeton, was organized
December 13, 1871, by C. P. Mellgren. The
corporate members were: C. G. Swanson,
Andrew Johnson, Rapp and John Pierson.
Present number of members, '200. Minis-
ters since the first, were: P. Wedin, A. E.
Eckerbery, C. O. Sahlstrom and A. A. Mon-
genson. The meeting-house is of brick, and
cost 17,000. A Sabbath-school of seventy-
five. The church is in a flourishing condi-
tion. In 1882 Rev. C. O. Sahlstrom changed
his views somewhat on some of the doctrines,
and he, with some seven or eight others,
withdrew or were expelled, and are now
worshiping in a small hall south of the
court house.

The First Swede Baptist Church of Prince-
ton, was organized February 15, 1877, by
Rev. John Ongman. Present membership
thirty-six. Ministers' names since the first,
as follows: C. Silene, A. B. Orgren, J. M.
Flodin, A. P. Hanson.

The church building is of wood, and
cost $1,800. The Sabbath -school numbers
fifteen.

The Roman Catholic Church of Princeton,
was organized in 1865, by Rev. F. Fitzpat-

rick. Corporate members were: Michael
Dolen, John Dolen, Pat Quinn, Edward
Running, Michael Connery, John McGrath,
James Bunning, John Glinn, Michael Mc-
Grath, John Neagle, John Connery, John
Smythe, John Quinn, William GrifiSn,
George Rider, Michael Dorin, James Col-
lins, Andrew Go-sse, John Griffith, Pat
Row, Edward Row and P. H. Griffith,
twenty-two, all living in the corporation, and
tax-payers.

Ministers since the first: F. O'Gariy, F.
Fitzpatrick. Rev. Murphy, Rev. Sweedberth,
Rev. O'Farrel, Rev. Cobira, Rev. Ryan, Rev.
Smith, Rev. Lyons, Rev. Sheedy, present
pastor. Church edifice of wood, and cost
$2,000. A Sabbath-school of forty pupils.

The Evangelical Lutheran Chiu'ch of
Princeton,called the St. John's Church, was or-
ganized in 1874 by Rev. Meier. First members
of the church were: William Eickneier, Hoff-
man, Pultz, Schulz, C. Pempke, Warming,
Lohman, H. Torbeck, Geldermeister, C.
Becker, C. Praefke, C. Schmidt, Frank Strah-
lendorf and others. The membership at
present are: Families represented, 21; mem-
bers of the church, 45 ; cost of meeting-house,
$3,000. Ministers since the first are: E.
Hantel, — Meier, Reinhardt and John Haer-
lin, the present pastor. The corporate mem-
bers of this church were formerly members
of Salem Church, of Princeton. Diftering
about some matters they withdrew and
formed this church.

The German Evangelical, Salem's Church
of Princeton, was organized in 1856 by Rev.
C. Hoflfmeister. Names of corporate members
as follows: H. Oberscholp, H. Dremann, W.
Dremann, F. AltholT, Dav Goetz, Jul.
Schroder, Chr . Schroder, AV. Kastronp, F.
W. Pottcamp, W. Bruer, Charles Wolf, J.
Schaefor. Present membership, 12. Names
of ministers since the first: J. Ries, J. Zim-

186

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

merann, C. G. Haack, F. Meier, H. Hueb-
echmann, M. Otto, F. W. Campmeier, G.
Becker, H. Schmidt. Church building is of
wood and cost §1,400.

The African Methodist Episcopal Church
of Princeton, was organized in 1861 by Kev.
Joseph Perking. Present neiubership about
eleven. Ministers who have labored with
this branch of Zion are the following: J. M.
Darrich, J. W. Lewis, S. F. Johns, H. C.
Burton, R. Knight, W. M. Williams and
Rev. Roberts. The building is wood and
cost $050. A Sabbath-school of twentj'
scholars. Their present pastor is Kev. L. M.
Fenwick.

The English Lutheran Church of Princeton,
was organized February 27, 1858, in Bascom
& White's Hall. Twenty-five persons were
admitted to membership. Lorenzo Kaar and
J. S. Miller, Deacons; and George Kaar and
J. Boyer, Elders. Rev. J. Richards and D.
Harbaugh j)reachod to them before the formal
organization, after which Kev. A. A. Trimmer
was pastor. Mr. Trimmer was succeeded by
Revs. S. Ritz, D. Harbaugh, D. S. Altman.
In 18(54 a church was erected at a cost of
$1,800, Pastors following this time were:
J. W. Elser, C. A. Gelwicks, J. W. Elser, W.
L. Remsburg and A. J. B. Kast. A parson-
age was purchased costing $1,200. They
have a present membership of seventy and a
Sabbath -school of eighty pupils. Since their
purchase the chui-ch has been repaired at a
cost of $1,200, and a parsonage at a coBt of
$1,800.

The Redeemer's Church of Princeton, Ill-
inois, Protestant Episcopal, was organized
February 20,1850. Rt. Rev. H. I. Whitohouse,
Bishop of the Diocese, gave his official con-
sent June 3, 1850, of the formation of the
parish. The corporate membws wore: Will-
iam Bacon, Robert J. Woodruff, Thomas M.
Woodruff, James Thompson, John Cottell,

Henry A. Smith, John C. Smith, F. W. Wal-
ler, Lewis Gray. Present number of com-
municants, ten. Ministers serving the church
were: Revs. F. B. Nash, Charles P. Clark,
George C. Street, George F. Cushman, R. F.
Page, R. N. Avery, Theodore L. Allen.
Church building is constructed of wood and
cost $5,000. No minister or Sabbath-school
at present.

Churches in Clarion Townshij). — The Ger-
man Evangelical Church of Perkins' Grove,
organized in 1850. Jacob Pope was leader
of the lirst class. Meetings were held from
1843 to 1850 in the houses of some of the
members; in the house of John Tauble, by
Rev. S. A. Tobias; in 1848 in the house of
Jacob Betz, who was an exhorter. In 1851
two classes were organized, and J. C. Anthes
preached. The Sunday-school was formed
in 1852. In 1853theiirstchurch was erected
and dedicated in 1854 by John Seybort, Bish-
op. The present church was built in 1805,
at a cost of $3,000, and the parsonage was
built in 1876. The membership comes from
about twenty families, the Sabbath-school
about one hundred.

The Gorman Evangelical Church of Clarion,
stands three miles east of Perkins' Grove.
Organized in 1850, with twenty members.
Their house of worship was built in 1851.
Church organized by Rov. Young. His pas-
torate was followed by Rev. George Gibnor.
Some of the early members were G. C. Betz
and wife, John Betz and wife, Jacob Kepper,
Charles Bitne, Daniel Erbes and their wives.
There are now nearly seventy members.

The German Lutheran Church is throe
miles south of the last-named chui'ch. It
was organized in 1857. Their house of wor-
ship is (juite commodious. Some twenty- five
families are in communion. The Rev. John
Wittig is the present pastor.

Churches in Lamoille Township. — The

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

187

Methodist Episcopal Church of Lamoille,
was organized in 1850, by Rev. George C.
Holmes; present membership 1'25, and the
Sabbath- school numbers about 125. The
first chui-ch edifice was built in 1852. The
present house was built in 1883, at a cost of
$3,200. The names of pastors of this church
are as follows: D. A. Falkenburg, J. S. Wil-
son, P. S. Golleday, J. S. David, Thomas H.
Hagerty, A. S. W. McCansland, W. M. For-
man, T. C. Young, Stephen Roberts, E.
Smith, W. H. Haight, J. S. David, W. A.
Cross, R. Congdon, B. Close, E. Brown, P. S.
Scott and John H. Bickford, the present pas-
tor. The church is in a f)rosperous con-
dition.

The' Baptist Church of Lamoille was or-
ganized May 5, 1838, by Rev. Thomas Par-
nell. Rev. Henry Headly, Aaron Gunn and
James Graw. The original members were
John Hetzler, Timothy Perkins, Adam and
Mary Spaulding, Joseph and Mary Fassett,
Moses and Eliza Bowen and J. T. Holbrook.
They worshiped in the schoolhouse until
1850, when they erected a brick church, cost-
ing $2,000. In 1867 they built a new church
at a cost of $12,500, and will seat 450 per-
sons. The old church is now used as a smith-
shop. Ministers serving the church after
Henry Headley were: B. B. Carpenter, S. S.
Martin, W. D. Clark, A. Angier, N. G. Col-
lins, J. Winters, I. Fargo, William Green,
Henry Llewellen and the present pastor, Rev.
E. P. Bartlett. The membership is nearly
200, with a Sabbath-school of 100. There
have been additions to this membership since
the first of 767 members altogether.

The Consri-egational Church of Lamoille,
was organized May 12, 1840, by Rev. Owen
Lovejoy, with foiu'teen members, viz. : Zenas
Church, Julia Church, Benjamin Mather,
Mrs. Francis Dodge, David Lloyd, Timothy
Edwards, Mrs. Catharine Edwards, David

Wells, Asaph N. Brown. Lyman and Mar-
garet Eastman, T. P. Rust, Hannah Dodge
and Mrs. Maria Clapp. Their church was
erected in 1849, at a cost of $1,500. The
lower story was used for some time for a
school room. Id 1863 this building was
taken down and another and more commodious
one put up at a cost of $5,000. On Sunday
morning, February 10, 1867, this building
was burned to the ground, but with com-
mendable zeal the congregation rebuilt a very
good house costing $9,000. The membership
is now nearly eighty. The pastors have been :
Revs. Morrell, John Crep, Adams, L. E.
Sykes, G. B. Hubbard, George Colman, Fitch
Burns, L. Gore, Lightbody, M. Willett, L.
F. Brickford, W. T. Blenkarn, N. H. Burton
and Rev. Byrne, the present pastor.

The United Brethren Church, in the vil-
lage of VanOrin, Lamoille Township, was or-
ganized in 1860, with the following members:
V. O. Cresap, John and Barbara Keel, Joel
Shirk, Elizabeth Williams, Daniel and Maria
Shirk and Mary Wiley. Rev. J. K. M.
Lucker organized the church in the school-
house in District No. 6, where the meetings
were held until 1866, when the present church
was built in the village at a cost of $2,000.
The membership is nearly fifty, and the Sab-
bath-school nearly eighty. Ministers preach-
ing to the church since its organization were:
Revs. J. M. K. Lucas, Isaac Stearns, Ezra
Palmer, G. B. Walker, William Jackson, R.
L. Jameson, John Dodson, John Grim, J. W.
Bird, C. Wendal, Gardner, and the present
pastor is C. K. Westfall. The church has
been repaired at a cost of $500 this year.
They have a parsonage worth $1,200.

The Methodist Episcopal Church, located
on the southeast quarter of southwest quarter
of Section 9, no report.

Churches in the Toimi of Ohio. — The Ro-
man Catholic Church, called the Immaculate

188

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Concejation Church of the B. V. M., was or-
ganized in 1868, by Eev. M, McDermott, Dan
O'Sullivau, Michael Doran, John Murtogh
and Hugh Johnson. Corporate members:
Michael Dunn, Thomas Sheehan, Richard
Fanton, Hugh Johnson and Dennis DriscoU;
present membership, 750; names of the minis-
ters since the first: Revs. P. J. Goi'mley, S.
O'Brien and John A. Tanneng. The church
building is of wood and cost $15,000. The
Sabbath school averages ninety-three.

The Christian Church of Ohio, was organ-
ized January 24, 1852. Meetings had been
held previous to organization in schoolhouses
in the southern part of the township. The
church was organized in Schoolhouse No. 2,
and twenty-six members united. Joseph and
John Ro.ss were elected Elders, and Andrew
Ross and Rodolphus Childs, Deacons. In
1S54 they built a church on the farm of John
Ross, at a cost of §1,800. This house was
occupied until 1871, when they built a good
house in the village of Ohio, costing $5,000.
Elder Andrew Ross has ministered to this
church most of the time since its commence-
ment. The church is without a pastor at the
present time. The membership at the close of
Elder Ross' labors was about 100, and the
Sabbath school about the same.

The Methodist Protestant Church of Ohio,
was organized in 1871 with twenty members.
This same year they built a church, the pas-
tor being Rev. W. H. Jordan. He was suc-
ceeded by C. Gray, W. H. Robertson, T.
Kelly, H. S. Widney and the i)resent pastor,
Rev. V. H. Brown. The church is in a
flourishing condition.

The North Prairie Methodist E])i8Copal
Church, on Section 24, Ohio Township, was or-
ganized December 10, 1850, by Rev. P. S. Lott.
Corporate memljers were Ge(jrge Hammer, H.
F. Cory, George Stej)henson and others.
Present membership, forty-two; average at-

tendance of Sabbath-school, fifty. Ministers
serving the church since the first are: A. W.
McCausland, B. Lowe, T. C. Young, M. H.
Plump, P. Horten, G. Levessee, Clement
Combs, T. H. Haseltine, M. H. Averill, P.
S. Lott, G. L. Bachus, James Bush. This
church has been blessed frequently with
spiritual outpourings. The church building
is of wood and cost $3,000.

Churches in the Toivn of Walnut. — The
Baptist ChurcL was organized in June, 1858,
by Rev. N. G. Collins, at the house of J. H.
Sayers, with a membership of sixteen, viz. :
W. H. Mapes, J. H. Sayers, E. F. Sayers and
their wives, John Nelson and wife, and
others. They worshiped in private houses
and schoolhouses until 1871, when they built
and dedicated a house of worship costing
$3,800. Some of those who preached to this
church were Rev. Mr. Sealey, C. First, J.
B. Brown, B. F. Colwell and others. The
membership is over fifty. The Sabbath-school
numbers over seventy.

There is a Methodist Episcopal Church in
"Walnut Village which has been in successful
operation for some years, even before the
village was started a class existed here. They
number somewhere near fifty, and have a
Sabbath-school.

The German Evangelical Church of Red
Oak Grove, in Walnut Township, was organ-
ized in 1803 by Rev. W. Goeselo. Corporate
members, C. Meishsner. Hemy Nauman, Ed-
ward Gonther, H. Gonther, John Baumgard-
ner. Present membership, 114; Sabbath-
school, 105. First church building cost
$1,000. The second one, built in J880. cost
$4,000, and is situated on northwest quarter
of southeast quarter of Section 2, in Rod Oak
Grove. The ministers names who served
this church have been: J. C. Shiolman, C.
Gngstether, George Messner, A. Knobol, T.
Alberding, L. B. Tobias, F. Busse, M. Eller,

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

189

C. Lackhart, A. Strickfaden, and the present
pastor, B. O. Wagnor.

Churches in the Township of Greenville. —
The Methodist Protestant Church of New
Bedford, was organized in 1839 by Rev. Dan-
iel Young. Corporate members were: John
^hittington, J. M. Draper, John Vaughn, S.
N. Davison, F. Jackson, Daniel Dixon.
Present membership, six. Ministers serving
the church since its formation, viz. : T. Rack,
John Breck, S. M. Davison, W. S. Stubles,
Isaac Wood, George Briden, Isaac Fraden-
burg and Joseph Duckworth, the present
pastor. The church is a frame building,
costing $2,000. The parsonage, $300. A
Sabbath-school of fifty-five members. The
church has been repaired this year at a cost
of $120.

The Greenville United Brethren Church is
situated about one mile South of New Bed-
ford and was organized in 1852 by Rev. Clif-
ton. Corporate members were Jacob Sells,
Merrit Lathrop, Robert Gibson, Lucy McUne,
and others. Present membership about
forty, and a Sabbath-school of about thirty.
The church is a wooden structure and cost
$1,100. The principles of this church are
anti-slavery, anti-rum, anti -tobacco, anti-se-
cret society. The names of the ministers
since the first are: Revs. Lugger, Starnes,
Diltes, Boenwell, Lambert, Dunton, Brown,
Bird, William Pope, J. H. Young, Chitty,
Ezra Parmer, Bender, J. Lewis, Margeleth,
Franc, and the present pastor.

The Free Methodist Church of New Bed-
ford.

The Churches of Fairfield Township, — The
Swede Baptist Church, west of New Bedford,
was organized February 18, 1881, by Rev. A.
B. Orgeren. The members were N. Pierson,
O. Johnson and John Nyman. Present num-
ber twelve. Ministers preaching to this
church since its organization have been C.

Celene, N. Pierson. The building is of wood
and cost $800. Average Sunday-school of
fifteen.

Church of St. Paul, Fairfield Township,
three miles south of York Town. The de-
nomination is Evangelical Lutheran German,
and was formed in 1876, by Rev John Wit-
ting. Names of first members are Fred Ba-
renthin, Jacob Mathies, Casper and George
Luckhard, Casper Ackermann, Jacob Wolf
and others. Present number is eighteen
families and some young men. Names of
ministers since the first, viz: William Rein-
hardt, John Herlein, who is the present pas-
tor. They have no church edifice yet, but
meet in a schoolhouse. Have a Sabbath -
school of twenty-five.

The Swede Lutheran Church is situated
about two miles west of New Bedford, in the
township of Fairfield. It was organized
September 17, 1874, by the pastor Rev.
Malmsbery. The corporate members were
G. R. Carlson, A. Johnson, F. A. Wyberg,
S. Youngdohl, Carl Anderson, J. Heurlin.
Membership, 101. Ministers since the first,
N. Nordling, P. J. Kallstrom. The church
is of wood, and cost $925 The Sabbath-
school averages twenty -five.

The Methodist Episcopal of Yorktown
Village, in Fairfield Township.

Tlie Township of Gold. — fhe Methodist
Episcopal Church in Pleasant Valley, was or-
ganized by Rev. A. Beeler in 1876. The
church building cost $2,000. They keep up
a Sabbath -school. The pulpit is supplied by
the minister from Sheflield.

The Township of Manlius. — The Free
Methodist Church in the village of Manlius,

The Toivnship of Bureau. — The Wesleyan
Church connection of America on West Bu-
reau, was formed in the winter of 1814, by
Rev. Rufus Lumry. The corporate members
were George Hinsdale, George Bennet, and

190

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Mary Bennet, Samuel L. Fay, Mary Fay,
Sarah Stratton, Flavel Thurston and Elanor
Thurston. Present number, fifty. Names of
ministers — Milton Smith, Simeon Austin,
John M. Ford, J. Pinkney, William Whittin,
B. B. Palmer, R. Baker. H. T. Bessie, H.
Hawkins, A. R. Brooks, William Pinkney, E.
S. Wheeler, G. P. Riley, William Pinkney,
present pastor. Church building is of wood
and cost $2,625. A Sabbath- school of fifty.
This church was founded in love for the slave
and in hatred to slavei-y and rum and the
lodge.

They disfellowship secret, oath-bound or-
ders.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of West
Bureau was organized in 1832. At the time
of its organization there were nineteen mem-
bers. Some have since moved their connec-
tion to Wyanet. Death and removal have
reduced their numbers materially.

The organization, as it now exists, oc-
curred in 1855, by Rev. Gilbert and T. L.
Pomeroy. Names of the first congregation:
Abram Stratton, S. S. Newton, Elizabeth
Newton, William Carter, Susan Carter, Elias
Carter, Rebecca Carter, Michael Carl, John
Withingtou and wife, Nicholas Smith and
wife, Lacey Belknap and wife, and Lyman
Smith and wife. Present membership num-
bers twenty- two. Names of ministers since
1855: T. L. Pomeroy, 1850-57; k. S. W. Mc
Causland, 1858; J. S. David, 1859; Rev
Himebaugh, 1861, two years; J. W. Loe.
1862; William Foreman, 1860; N. Stod
dard, 1868; Thomas Chitterfiold and H. Lat
imer, 1869; J. E. Ribble, 1871; E. Gould,
1872; G. Chaivly, F. G. Davis. 1875; C. C
Lovejoy removed and charg(> sn])plied by T
L. Pomeroy, 1876; W. F. Meatz, 1878; M
Hurlbnrt, 1879; J. I. Clifton, 1880; A. B
Metier, 1881; A. Newton, 1883; J. B. Mc
Guffin's Sabbath-school numbers forty.

Rev. C. C. Lovejoy as appears by church
minutes was appointed in 1875, was trans-
ferred to educational institution in the East,
and Rev. T. L. Pomeroy supplied the work.
In 1883 Rev. J. B. McGuffin was appointed
to this charge in connection with Wyanet, but
his health failing. Rev. Pomeroy was again
called, and he is now in charge. In a note
inclosing the above facts, Bro. Pomeroy adds
the following interesting church items:

"Perhaps you will allow me to make some
statements in regard to my connection with
some of the early history of church work in
this region. In the autumn of 1854 I
preached the first Methodist sermon ever
preached in Wyanet, and in the following
spring I assisted Rev. Gilbert (then pastor
of Princeton Circuit) in organizing the Meth-
odist Episcopal Church of that place, being
the first church there. In the fall of 1855
Princeton was erected into a "station," and
I was appointed to this region as pastor, to
organize and care for "Wyanet Circuit."
Bishop Janes, of precious memory, in giving
directions to my Presiding Elder, Rev. C. C.
Best, said, "tell Brother Pomeroy to preach at
Wyanet, West Bureau, Carter's Schoolhouse
and the regions beyond." In penetrating the
"regions beyond,'' I found Walnut Grove
and delivered the first Methodist sermon ever
preached there. During the following win-
ter I held a protracted meeting and organized
the Methodist Episcopal Church of that place.

The Friends' Church (Quaker) of West Bu-
reau, is still in existence, and have occasioua
preaching. Old Father Mo^vry is the father
of that branch of Zion.

CItiirclu's in the Township of Dover. — The
North Prairie Baptist Church was organized
in 1859, in the Holliday Schoolhouse with
about twenty members. Thoy continued to
worship in schoolhouses and in private
houses until 1865, when they erected a

HISTOKY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

191

church, costing $1,200. The church in-
creased up to 1870, when it numbered 162.
Since then death and removals lias reduced
their number to not far from sixty. Their
ministers have been: Revs. J. G. Johnson, S.
Hulroyd, I. Wilder, J. D. Pulis, H. C. First
and J. B. Brown. They do not now sustain
a continued pastor.

The Protestant Methodist Church of Lim-
erick make no report.

The Baptist Church of Dover, was organ-
ized April 28, 18-11, at the schoolhouse.
The original members were: John Durham,
Silvester Brigham, George Puflfer, Mary
Bass and Lucy Brigham. Elder H. Hedley
presided. They completed a church building
in 1848. The ministers have been: Solomon
Morton, G. W. Benton, Thomas Reese, F.
B. Ives, L. L. Lansing, J. C. Berkholder, J.
B. Brown, D. S. Donegan and Elder Prunk.
This church is connected with the Baptist
Church in the south part of Westtield Town-
ship, in the support of a minister. The
membership is not far from seventy, and
their Sunday-school will number forty.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Dover,
was formed in the house of Dabney Ellis, in
1834, with six members — Dabney Ellis and
wife, Peter Ellis and wife, Joseph Brigham
and wife. For seven years meetings were
held in private houses. In 1841 they erected
a frame church. This was superceded in
1857 by their present church of brick. This
church is connected with the Methodist
Episcopal Church, at Maiden, in the support
of a minister. Among their first ministers
were: Stephen R. Beggs, Linslay Smith. Mr.
Leman and Zaddock Hall. The church
building was repaired in 1874. This people
has enjoyed a usual share of prosperity since
the first.

The Congreorational Church of Dover, was
organized March 24, 1838. Rev. Lucien

Farnham presided at the meeting. Nine
persons constituted this church, having taken
letters from the Congregational Church of
Princeton, as follows: Eli O. Thorp, Lydia
Thorp, Lyman Stowell, Amanda Stowell,
Sylvester Brigham, Eliza Brigham, Joseph
H. Brigham, Wealthy Pool, Oramel A.
Smith. The first minister was Rev. Asa
Donaldson, who commenced his labors next
year after organization. For ten years this
church worshiped in a schoolhouse. The
present building was put up in 1850, and
dedicated November 7. After Asa Donald-
son their ministers were: Ami Nichols, Allen
Clark, E. G. Smith, F. Bascom, S. G. Wright,
O. F. Curtis, W. T. Blenkarn, W. E. Hol-
yoke, A. Ethredge and Rev. Brown, the pres-
ent pastor. First Deacons: Sylvester Brig-
ham, Isaac Delano and Robert A. Deeper.
Present membership, about 125. The entire
additions to this church from the beginning
has been over 400. It has always borne faith-
ful testimony against slavery, rum, and other
popular evils.

The United Brethren in Christ Church of
Dover, in November, 1882, by Rev. William H.
Chandler. Corporate members were: A. L.
Williamson, Susan Williamson, Jacob Wyble,
Elizabeth Wyble, Daniel Wyble, Laura
Wyble, Mrs. Van Tress, Clara Van Tress,
Jacob Miller, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Stoner, I. W.
Keel, Mrs. Keel, Mrs. Forestall, W. H. Mason.
Mrs. Mason. Present number is 74 in the
charge. Rev. W. H. Chandler is still the
pastor. They worship in the chapel room of
the Academy. A Sabbath-school of thirty.
The church began work in connection with
the Dover academy, where excellent advan-
tages are ofl"ered at very reasonable rates. The
church takes advanced positions on questions
of moral reform, refusing membership to dis-
tillers, users and venders of intoxicants, and
adhering members of secret societies.

192

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Churches in the Township of Berlin. — The
CoDgregational Church of Maiden, was organ-
ized March 2, 1857, and is the oldest church
of the place. The first meeting to consider the
matter of forming a church was held at the
house of George I. Porter, December 15, 1856.
This meeting was attended by Albert Ross,
Henn,- D. Steel. Pascall P. Turner, Orasmus
C. Belden, Edward N. Page and George I.
Porter. Twenty-seven persons united to form
this church. The first meeting was held in
Benjamin Smith's warehouse. The sermon
was by Edward Beecher, D. D. , of Gales-
burg. Id 1857 Owen Lovejoy preached to
this church. The church has grown to over
100 members and the Sabbath school is
large. Eev. ilr. Brown is the present pas-
tor.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Maiden
was organized in 1850 by the pastor Rev.
Forrest, six persons united. They held their
meetings in a schoolhouse until 1867 when
thoy built their present house of worship,
which cost alx)ut $6,000. This church has
been blessed from the first with an increase,
and has never been without the preached
word Ite present pastor is Rev. W. A Willi-
son, who also preaches to the Methodist
Episcopal Church in Arlington.

There is a Presbyterian Church in ]Malden.
They have not had regular meetings for some
years, and they have not furnished any sta-
tisticH of their organization. A committee
of Rock River Presbytery — Rev. J. C. Barr
and Rev. Jouiah Milligan organized this
church September 1S(, 1857. Fourteen per
sons united, and James Itlclntyre and Sam-
uel Corbott were chosen Elders. Their first
house of wortihijt wiih built in 1858, costing
$1,500. The second house was built in 1800,
and coHt ?7,(>00.

The Mi'thodist Episcopal Church of Arling-
ton, was organized in 1850 in a schoolhouse,

by Rev. U. P. Golliday and E. S. Ballard,
supply. The mission was part of a circuit
including Ai-lington, Maiden, Dover, La-
moille, Sublette and North Prairie. The cor-
porate members were: Lydia Ann Simpson,
H. Marie Simpson, Julia A. Larkin, Tristram
Foss, Sarah Glasenor, Julia A. Berry, Re-
becca Brumback, Benjamin Parks, Charity V.
Pearson, and James Simpson class- leader.
Present membership thirty-eight. Ministers
since organization: J. S. David, Thomas H.
Hagerty, A. S. McAusland, William M. For-
man, T. C. Youngs, Septer Roberts, T. L.
Poniroy, E. Smith, AV. H. Haight, W. A. Crogs,
J. S. David, R. Congdon, B. Close, E. Brown,
T. L. Pomroy and W. A. Willison, the pres
ent pastor. The present church was built in
1859 at a cost of $2,250. A Sabbath-school
of fifty members. The church is now in a
liourisbing condition.

The Presbyterian Church of Arlington,
was organized February 21, 1859, with twenty
TOombers. The first Elders elected were
William Morrison and J. S. Cai-rick. Meet-
ings were first held in the old schoolhouse,
afterward in Joseph Vanlan's carpenter- shop
until the winter of 1859 and 1860, they
completed their present house of worship,
costing 84,000. The congregation grow and
flourished for some years, but after a while
began to decrease until regular service was
discontinued for a few years. Regular
preaching is now kept up under the pastorate
of Rev. McGeo, a resident minister.

The Roman Catholic Church of Arlington,
is quite a strong church in wealth and num-
bers. No special report of it has been for-
warded.

The Berean Baptist Church, located on
the southeast corner of Section 31, in West-
field Township, is a flourishing church, and
has many live men and women in its member-
ship of over forty. The church was organ-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

193

ganized in 1859 by Eev. F. B. Ives, thirty-
two persons uniting. About one-third of the
original members still remain. Death and
removal has caused some diminution in their
congregation. They have a Sabbath -school
of thirty-tive members. A church was ded-
icated in 1866, costing S3, 250. Ministers
since the first: L. L. Lansing, J. C. Burk-
holder, G. B. Bills, J. B. Brown, D. S.
Donigan. The church is harmonious and
prosperous, but is now without a pas
tor.

Hall Township Churches. — The Methodist
Protestant Church of Hall TowQ,is situated on
the west side of Section 27. Their house of
worship is called Union Chapel.

The Methodist Episcopal Church main-
tained a class for some time in a church
building in Ottville, ou the northwest corner
of Section 29. They do not keep up regiilar
service at the present writing.

Churches in the Township of Selby. — The
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran German
Church of Holwayville, was organized in
June, 1854, by the first German settlers in
Selby Township, whose names were Rudolf
Hassler, H. Hassier, Charles Hasslor, Sr.,
T. Hassler, A. Wagner, C. Wessenburger,
T. Schneider, Ch. Stadler, L. Leh-
rest, T. G. May, T. Hopler, Sr., G.
Heitz. Present number is forty-six. The
chm-ch building is of brick, and cost $6,000.
The names of the preachers since the organi-
zation have been, viz.: Eev. Frederking,
Tobius Kitter, John Haerdsell, and L. E.
Nabholry, the present pastor.

The German Lutheran Reformed Church
of Selby, on the southwest corner of Section
14, Eev. Albert Bithob, pastor, is not re-
ported in particulars. They have a good
brick church on a high point of land. The
church can be seen for many miles.

German Evangelical Protestant Church of

Hollowayville, was organized in 1858, by
Rev. H. Zimmermann. Names of corporate
members: Lor. Heintz, Fried Heintz, Lud.
Merkel, Jac. Genzlinger, William Croissant
Present membership about sixty families.
The ministers since the organization have
been: Rev. Haak, Eev. B. N. Buhrig (was
here four years), Rev. W. Jung (was here
three years). Rev. F. Woellle (was here two
years and a half), Rev. Albert G. R. Bueton
(has served nine years). The church building
is of brick, and cost $2,200.

The Methodist Episcopal Church has a
house of worship called Ridge Chapel, in
Selbytown; a very neat and new building,
near the residence of John Searl. Regular
meetings were held in this house for some
years, but deaths and removals have reduced
the class so much that they now fail in keep-
ing up regular preaching.

The Township of Wyanet. — The Methodist
Episcopal Church of Wyanet, was organized
in 1859, by Dr. Forman. Corporate members
are: William Frankerberger, Mr. Youngson,
John Blake, Mr. McGifford, Mr. Hale, Solo-
mon Sapj), William Waller, Amos Fisher,
Obediah Weever and others, in all, about
fifty; present number about forty. Names
of some of the ministers serving the chui'ch
are as follows: Revs. Forman, Yates,
Fisher, Pomroy, Newton and John McGuifin,
the present pastor. The church building is
of wood, and cost $1,100. A Sabbath-school
from the first, and now numbers nearly sixty.
The Congregational Church of 'Wyanet,
was organized September 27, 1866, by Eev.
L. H. Parker, of Galesburg, who was sent
here by the Home Missionary Society; Rev.
F. Bascom, Moderator. Twenty- four per-
sons, from ten different denominations, united
to foi'm this church. The original oflicers
were: Eev. L. H. Parker, pastor; S. C.
Sparks and O. W. Gills, Deacons; John

194

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Latty, L. T. Cobb and F. Crittendea, Trust-
ees; Hiram Hunter, Treasurer; and E. S.
Phelps, Clerk. The church joined the Bu-
reau Association October 9, 1866. Meetings
were held in the Methodist Church for one
year. When the new school building was
completed they held their meetings in the
hall. A church was erected, and dedicated
June 14, 1868; sermon by Rev. J. E. Roy.
Cost of the building §5,000. A Sabbath-
school was organized February 16. 1868, J.
O. Craid, Superintendent. Ministers serv-
ing the church were: Revs. L. H. Parker,
E. H. Baker. S. F. Stratton, J. D. Baker,
H. N. Baldwin, A. Doreraus, Henry Wilson,
Mr. Denny and their present pastor, Rev.
N. T. Edwards. The church is in a prosper-
ous condition.

The Swede Lutheran Church of Wyanet,
has a good commodious house of worship,
costing about S2,000.

Churches in the Township of Concord. —
Hickery Grove Wesleyan Church. The de-
nominational name being the Wesleyan Meth-
odist Connection of America, was organized
Januan,' 28, 1877, by Rev. G. P. Riley. The
corporate members were: Ebenezer Strong
Phelps, Ancil W. Phelps, Otto C. Phelps,
W. J. Houghton, Mrs. A. Houghton, Mr. A.
Houghton, S.W. Houghton, Mrs. S.E. Hough-
ton, Miss Adelaid Houghton, Mrs. M. A.
Maddison and Mrs. Abba Cook. Present
number is seventeen. William Pinkney is
the present pastor. The cliurch is of wood
and cost SI, 600. Sal)l)ath-Hchool averages
thirty five. The church is located on the
BoathweBt quarter of Section 2.

The Methodist EpiHPo[)al Church of Shef-
field, was orgnnizoil in the fall of 1854, by
Rev. William Smith. The present member-
ship is forty-nine. Sabbath-sohool num-
bers sixty-three. Names of ministers who
served the church since it was organized are:

Revs. William Smith, Wright, John T.
Whitson, Harris, George M. Mowry, Link-
torn, B. F. Kaufman, Theodore G. C. Wood-
ruff, G. W. Brown. Jameson, S. S. Gruber,
Williamson, A. E. Day, A. Beeler, T. L.
Falkner, J. W. Cor, J. Hart, A. Brown and
R. W. Ames, the present pastor. This is an
active, growing, prosperous church.

The Danish Lutheran Evangelical Church
of America, is located in Sheffield, and was
organized by Rev. C. S. Clausen, October
24, 1869. The corporate members were:
Christian Peterson, M. Peterson, Frodric
Larson, Simon Peterson, John Jacobson.
The church was reorganized March 22, 1879.
Their house of worship was built and dedi-
cated, September 12, 1880, at a cost of
$2,700. The congregation contains about
150 confirmed members. The Sabbath-
school has about eighteen pupils. The pres-
ent pastor is Rev. V. A. M. Mortensen.

The Congregational Church of Sheffield,
was organized July 15, 1S54, by Rev. L. H.
Parker, Asa Prescott and Addison Lyman.
This meeting was held in the Sheffield
House, there being no meeting-house at this
time. Nine persons constituted the church.
Rev. Lyman remained with the church as its
pastor for thirteen years. During this pas-
torate the church received aid from the
Home Missionary Societ}-. In time of the
next pastorate, that of Rev. John Adams
Allen, the church became independent. The
meetings of the church were held at first in
private houses, and in the railroa,d depot.
After the winter of 1854, they were held in
the schoolhouse. In 1857 a church was
built and dedicated, at a cost of $1,800.
The Rev. W. I. Baker supplied the church
pulpit three years — to 1876; then Rev. G.
W. Colman; then came Rev. Abbot. The
present pastor is Rev. Akeman. This church
is a power for good in the community. It

HISTORY or BUREAU COUNTY.

195

has a good Sunday-school of 120, and a
church membership of 101.

There is a Free Methodist church, a Uni-
tarian church, a Baptist and a Catholic
church, in ShefiBeld.but their history has not
been given to the writer.

The Congregational Church of Buda, in
Concord Township, was organized at the
house of Joseph Foster, October 17, 1856,
by Revs. Piercie, Todd, Prescott, Lyman, Bas-
com and Vaill, with delegates Goodrich,
Sargent and Ensign. The first members
were but five, as follows: Joseph Foster,
Mr. and Mrs. William T. Randall, Franklin
Foster and wife. This church was sup-
plied with preaching from the Congrega-
tional pastor of ShefSeld, more or less, for
many years. The following are the names
of some of the ministers who have preached
to this church: L. F. Waldo, L. H. Parker,
S. H. Kellogg, J. J. A. T. Dixon, C. Sel-
don, C. Hancock, H. L. Boltwood, S. Webb,
A. E. Arnold, J. A. Allen, G. W. Colman.
The church is now in a prosperous condi-
tion. It has always stood firm and radical
against all the evils of the day, such as
slavery, intemperance and other immoralities.
Cost of the church, $1,700. Church member-
ship, fifty. Sunday-school, seventy.

The Union Church of Bada was formed
at the house of Joseph Foster, in 1858, by
the present pastor, Elder Covell, who has
been its pastor to the present time. They
built a church and dedicated it in 1859. The
congregation has grown to nearly 200. The
Sabbath-school numbers nearly eighty. This
church holds no ecclesiastical connection
with any sect.

The Baptist Church of Buda, was organized
in 1856, by Rev. William McDermond, in a
schoolhouse. The same year they built a
church costing $3,000. Some of the early
members were: William H. and Mary Patter-

son, J. W. and Mrs. Lewis, Thomas and Mrs.
McMurry, William and Mrs. Crisman. The
membership is now nearly seventy, and the
Sabbath-school is larger.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Buda,
was organized in 1851 in a schoolhouse.
Among its early members were: Joseph Green,
John Mason and wife, Thomas and Mrs.
Stinson, Samuel and Mrs. Zink, George
Kriger and wife, Elizabeth Stinson, Cathar-
ine Zink and Emeline Herbert. The church
was completed and dedicated March 2, 1865.
The full cost was $4,000. The present mem-
bership is ninety-five. The church supports
a good Sabbath-school. The following have
been pastors of this church: William Smith,
C. W. Wright, James Linthicum, R. Kinney,
William Leber, Elliott, A. A. Matthews, D.
M. Hill, J. E. Rutledge,N. V. B. White, H.
Tiffany, J. J. Fleharty, A. Fisher, B. E.
Kaufman, K. Wood. The present pastor is
Rev. Millsap.

The Church of God of Buda, sometimes
called the Winebrennarian, was organized
about fifteen years ago. They built a meet-
ing-house and dedicated it December 12,
1875 — a very commodious church. They
now have about sixteen members and a good
Sunday-school. They are at times without a
minister. Some of the first members were:
George Thomas and wife, David Diltry, Sr.,
and wife, and David Diltry, Jr., and wife.
The first preacher was Elder George W.
Thompson, then J. M. Cassel and J. E. Beyer.
George Thomas and Jlark Anderson were
Ruling Elders, and John Berkstresser, Dea-
con of the society. This branch of the
church had its rise in 1830 at Harrisburg, .
Penn., by the followers of John Winebrenner,
a German reformed minister. They are evan«
gelieal, and practice immersion, and believe
in carrying out literally the command to
wash each others' feet.

196

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

The Free Will Baptist Church of Mineral,
was organized in the schoolhouse in 1868.
The first members were viz. : Thomas and
Ann Conibear, Joseph and Minerva Johnson,
Robert and Manda Price, James De Maran-
ville and Mrs. C. Oehlor. Rev. William
Bonar preached tlie sermon at the oi'ganiza-
tion, and was the pastor until 1870. This
year they purchased and fitted up the school-
house for a church. Rev. A. F. Taylor, S. I.
Mendell, E. E. Tibbott and others have
preached for this church. There are times
now when the church does not have a regular
supply. The Sabbath- school is quite pros-
perous.

The Free Methodists have an organization
in Mineral, but no house of worship. They
have made no report of thoir church.

The United brethern in Christ have a
church on Section 22, Mineral Township.
This congregation is very small. No report
comes in from them.

Churches in Neponset. — The Congrega-
tional Church of Neponset, was organized
April 21, 1855, and reorganized December
41h 1856. The first organization was at
Kentville, three miles south of Neponset.
The second organization was in the village
of Neponset. Of the eight who first united,
none live in the village*. But two retain their
connection with the church, Hall S. and
Margaret Wright, who now reside in Lom-
bard. The church was organized by Rev. S.
G. Wright, Elionezer Kent, Charles Kent
and Hall G. Wright, Trustees. The first
memljera were: H. G. Wright, C. D. Wriglit,
S. C. Dorr, C. C. Latimer, W. P. Bunnell,
C. P. Blake, I. B. Blake, John Atwood and W.
U. Wliaples. Present membership is eighty.
McM'ting house is of wood, and cost §2,000,
and wiiH built in 1863. The Sabbath school
nnmbcrs 100. Names of ministers who have
served this church are: Revs. Loren Itobbin,

C. H. Price, C. M. Barnes, Samuel Ordway,
S. G. Wright, G. W. Colman, I. E. Loba,
W. E. Holyoko, A. A. Robertson, and S. L.
Hill, the present pastor.

The Baptist Church"of Neponset was organ-
ized March 26, 1S64. under the ministerial
labors of Rev. C. A. Hewitt. Names of cor-
porate members are: Dr. J. L. Pashley, J. O.
Weed, Levi Lewis, Benjamin Bogart and
wife, Sarah Weed, Julia Shoap, Harriett
Barett, S. P. Russell, and R. M. Russell.
Present number of resident members, 35.
No Sabbath- school at present. Names
of ministers who have served the church
are: Rev. E. L. Moon, O. P. Bestor, B. F.
Colwell, J. Kissell, J. D. Cole. The church
has been without a pastor since 1S81. The
church building is of brick, and cost $0,000,
and is the most capacious meeting house in
town. Will seat 300.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Ne-
ponset organized a class a few miles north of
the village. The members were: John Nor-
ton (the leader), Sarah (his wife), Mary Nor-
ton, George Norton and Mary Hall, and some
others. The meetings were held here four
years or more, when thej- were moved to
George Norton's, half a mile south of town.
Here the meetings continued until 1855,
when a church was built in Neponset. This
house was changed to a parsonage in 1804,
when the present house was finished. The
church has grown from its small beginning
to over 100 members, with a Sabbath- school
nearly as large.

A note from (leorgo Norton says: A class
organized in 1S41 of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church, by Brother Walter. It was named
Brankley, afterward Brawby and now Nepon-
set When organizotl in 1841 there were but
two houses in the township, and these were
William Stiidley's mikI William Norton's log-
cabins. The lir.st members were John Nor-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

197

ton, class-leader; Sarah Norton; George
Norton; Robert Norton ; Mary Norton; Da-
vid Bartram, local preacher; Elizabeth Bar-
tram; Mary Ann McElroy; William Moor-
croft, local preacher. They had no church
building at that time, and held their meet-
ings in private houses for four years, and
then for nine years in the house of George
Norton, a log-cabin. When Neponset was
located, a church, the first, was built, cost
$800. In 1866 it was changed into a par-
sonage and the present building erected, cost-
ing $4,500.

The preachers were in their order, com-
mencing in 1840rBrothers Walter, Whitcomb,
Anthony, Wm. C. Cummings, David Oliver,
P. C, and B. F. Bestor, A. P. ; H. J. Humph-
reys, P. C, Brother Day, A. P.; A. Woolis-
croft, P. C; William Fildler, A. P.; Rev. J.
M. Hinman, H. J. Humphrey, C. Lazenby, P.
C. ; William Bremner, A. P. ; S. B. Smith,
P. C; Robert Hoover, A. P.; W. J. Smith, P.
C. ;':Pielden Smith, A. P. ;',Rev. C. M. Wright,
J. T. Whitson, J. S. Cummings; W. P.
Graves, W. J. Giddings, J. D. Smith, G. W.
Gue, Elijah Ransom, J. E. Rutlige, M. C.
Bowling, Thomas Watson, J. J. Flehartz,
William Wooley, M. V. B. White, J. T. Wood
and D. T. Wilson.

In 1868 a church was organized in Nepon-
set, called the Second Advent Church, with
thirty members. J. S. Heath, Samuel'Beetel,
Stephen Carpenter, Mr. Guile and Mr. Tur-
ner were chosen Trustees. Services were
held in the old schoolhouse and other places
until the present house was built. Elder
Heath has been the minister from the first
organization.

Churches in the Townshij) of Macon. — The
Bunker Hill Church was organized in 1856,
and worshiped in a schoolhouse for three
years and then erected a house of worship
costing $2, 200. The original members were

Mr. and Mrs. Berkstresser, Elizabeth Berk-
stresser, John Casper, Catherine and Eliza-
beth Casper, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Anderson,
Mr. and Mrs. Celover, Mr. Thomas, Mr. and
Mrs. Longnecker and Mrs. David Fisher.
For some years this church grew rapidly, but
death and removals have diminished its mem-
bers, until now not sixty remain. They call
themselves the Church of God. The church
is built on the northeast quarter of Section
16.

The Mount Pleasant Methodist Episcopal
Church was organized in 1866, and built a
house of worship the same year. It is lo-
cated ou the southwest quarter of Section
33. About twenty persons united with this
church when organized.

Old School Baptist Church. — The father of
this pious and sincere branch of the Church
of God, in this portion of Illinois, was the
venerable and holy man. Elder James B.
Chenoweth,who was born in Berkeley County,
Va., June 27, 1800, and who died in Tis-
kilwa near the close of the war. Mr. Fer-
rell Dunn, father of the Tiskilwa Postmaster,
was the instrumentality, in the hands of
Providence, of bringing Father Chenoweth
here. Ferrell Dunn had been a ranger, and
had become perfectly familiar with all this
portion of the country; and in 1835 was vis-
iting friends in Danville, 111., and here he
j had many conversations with Elder Chen-
oweth about this part of Illinois and the
great wants of his church here, and he finally
prevailed upon him to come. They started
from Danville May 12, 1835.

In 1836 the church. Baptist, was organized
in Indiantown; Elder J. Root, Peoria, making
a visit for the purpose of organizing and or-
daining Mr. Chenoweth Elder. The members
present at the ceremony of organization
were: Sampson and Rebecca Cole, Stephen
Triplett (formerly of Loudon County, Va.),

198

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

William Wells and wife, from Zanesville,
Ohio. Jesse Sawyer and James Mason.
The next morning after the organization,
Elder Root ordained Mr. Chenoweth "by im-
position of hands" as Elder, who at once
entered upon the duties of his sacred office.

A young man named Henry Headley had
come in company with Elder Root, and he laid
claim to great piety, and professed to only
desire that he might learn grammar enough
to preach. Ho was sent to Princeton to be
taught grammar, but the first thing the good
Elder knew Headley had had himself ordained
Elder, and claimed himself to be pastor of
the Princeton Church, and co-pastor all
around the country. Elder Chenoweth at-
tended meetings in Princeton, and Headley
marched into the pulpit and preached. Mr.
Chenoweth was much surprised and humil-
iated. He asked for letters of withdrawal for
himself and wife, and some of his members.
This was refused. The end was a split, and
the Princeton branch took Elder Headley,
and attempted to build a church of their own.
The effort failed. Elder Chenoweth then
went to Ox Bow, and was made pastor of
that church, where he met with the greatest
Buccess.

For years he was a member of the Spoon
River Association. In 1850 a new associa-
tion wafl formed in which were united the
fol1(»wing churches: Sandy Creek, Pleasant
Grove, Crow Creek, Zion Hill and Bureau.
The Elders in this association were Ezra
Stoul, James B. Burch, Zacbariah M. Masters
and James B. Chenoweth.

Elder Chenoweth had many friends, and
no minister of the gospel ever drew from his
flocks and friends generally more sincere love
and respect, or was more widely or deeply
mourned than was this good man when the
call frrjm his great Master came for him to
join the silent multitude, and go sleep in the

city of the dead. When all of us who are
now here shall have passed away and perhaps
be forgotten, then may a remote and grateful
posterity read this, and not forget that his be-
loved and noble memory is a sacred keep-sake,
handed to them by this page of Bureau
County's history.

The Churches of the Township of Indian-
toivn. — The Baptist Church of Tiskilwa was
organized April 18, 1858, in the Methodist
Episcopal Church, twenty-three persons
joining. It was formed by the Rev. F. B.
Ives, who was their pastor for eleven years.
He was followed by Revs. W. R. Webb, C.
F. Nickolsoii, E. James, and others. The
following are the names of some of the
original members: B. F. Allen, Mrs. L.
Allen, Mrs. M. A. Owen, Mrs. Joel Colby,
Mrs. J. .M. Pratt, E. A. Sawyer, W. W.
Carpenter, Alexander Benson, J. E. and Mrs.
J. Williams, A. W. Blake, Mrs. J. F.Blake,
Isaac Tebow, Mrs. D. Reigle and Mrs.
Sarah Tebow. This church occupied the
Methodist Episcopal Church for a short
time, and then the Union Schoolhouse.
Here they remained until they built and
dedicated a house of worship, in 1859, at a
cost of $2,300. The membership at this
time was about seventy five. In 1807 the
church was repaired, costing $3,000. They
have usually maintained a large and flour-
ishing Sunday-school.

The Catholic Church of Tiskilwa has a
house of worship. It is not strong and
does not have continuous Sabbath service.
Occasionally priests from other places come
and hold services here.

The Mennouites have a church organiza-
tion and a house of worship, about four
miles southwest of Tiskilwa, on the south
side of Section 20. They have a flourishing
church, and their preachers use the Gorman
language.

Jl/V^^^^^^

,, .TlOHl

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUKTY.

201

The Methodist Episcopal Union Church
is located in the county, on the north side of
Indian Township, three miles north of Prov-
idence. Its pulpit is supplied by the minis-
ter from AVyanet, at present the Rev. John
McGuffin. Present membership, eighty.
The church was built in 1855. Names of
ministers since the first: in 1856, Eev. W.
Shepherd; in 1857, Rev. J. T. Linthicum;
1858, J. Kerns; 1859-00, A. H. Hepperley;
1861, G. M. Irwin; 1862, W. Leber; 1863-64,
J. L. Ferris; 1865, W. A. Gumming;
1866-67, A. A. Matthews; 1868-69, Jose-
phus Collins; 1870, R. A. Cowen; 1871-73,
A. K. Tullis; 1874-75, D. T.Wilson; 1876,
W. Wooley; 1877, B. C. Dennis; 1878. E. C.
Wayman; 1879-80, N. T. Allen; 1881. W. K.
Collins; 1882-83, and part of 1884, J. Hart.

The church building is of brick and cost
$5,000. The Sabbath -school membership, at
present, is an average of 110.

The Congregational Church of Provi-
dence, in the township of Indiantown, was
organized June 22, 1841, with fifteen mem-
bers. This church has had nine different
pastors, including the present one, Rev.
Paddock. Rev. David Todd served the
church longer than any one other preacher.
He preached to this church twenty live
years. Their present house of wor.ship was
dedicated October 23, 1870. The church
having been formerly connected with the
Wyanet Church in the support of a minister,
is now self-sustaining. Rev. Paddock, who
has been their pastor for two years, has
been greatly blessed in his labors. The
church has received to its communion, in
tlie last eighteen months, over 100 members,
making it one of the strongest churches in
Bureau County. They have a flourishing
Sabbath-school, and have enlarged their
house of worship this summer.

The Episcopal Church of Tiskilwa —

called St. Judo's Church — was organized by
Rev. G. C. Porter, in 1858, with a member-
ship of twelve persons. The present mem-
bership is thirty-two, with a Sabbath-school
of eighty. The parish is reported to be in
a more flourishing condition — flnancially,
morally and religiously — than it has been
for many years. In 1857 a rectory was
erected, at a cost of |1,000, and in 1869
they commenced building a meeting-house
(which was dedicated in 1870), at a cost of
S5,500. The present pastor is Rev. Robert
C. Wall. The following persons have
preached to this church since its formation:
Revs. G. C. Porter, F. B. Nash, G. C.
Streat, Jo McKim, J. Cornell; R. N. Avery
and J. S. Chamberlain.

In 1843 Bishop Philander Chase visited
this county and organized a church about
four miles southeast of Tiskilwa, calling it
the Church of Christ of Errondale. Some
years after this church was disbanded and
merged in the Tiskilwa Church. Another
church of this order was formed in Provi-
dence, and after a brief existence it also
was disbanded, and merged in the Tiskilwa
Church.

Churches of the Township of Milo. — The
Christian Church of Milo, located at Boyd's
Grove, was organized April 23, 1855, by
Elder George McManus. The names of the
corporate members were:R. M. Keerns, Joseph
Sutherland, George S. Downing, Caroline
Downing, Margaret Sutherland, Matilda Suth-
erland, Darius Sutherland, and others. Pres-
ent number is twenty-five. Names of minis-
ters since the first are: Hiram Green, G. W.
Sears, Phelps, Herman Reeves, Dr. J. Hough,
J. L. Thornburg, L. Ames, A. Curb, J. W.
Harvey and J. F. M. Parker. The church
building cost $1,800. They maintain a Sab-
bath-school of thirty-five. Since the organ-
ization of this church 175 persons have been

202

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

added. Mr. Joseph Sutherland has held the
oflSce of Elder eighteen years. This church
seems to be a power for good in this commun-
ity.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Milo,
located one mile south of Boyd's Grove, was
organized in 1851 by Rev. J. L. Wilson.
Names of corporate members are: T. N. Shep-
herd and wife. W. W. Mackliu and wife, T.
R. Capperoone and wife, Rufus King and
wife, Harvey Bacon and wife, Horris Berry
and wife. Present number is fifty-four. The
Sabbath-school averages fifty. The church
building cost $2,100. A Bible society was
organized here in 1850, and is in a flourish-
ing condition.

Names of ministers since the first are: J.
L. Pinkard, William Cummings, Mr. Erasure,
William Calhoon, J. F. Whitson, J. Mat-
thew8,T. Watson, J. T. Linthicum, S.B.Smith,
William Stuble. James Cowden, H. Tifney,
G. J. Luckey, T. Hogland, J. W. Anterman,
S. Wood, B. N. Morse, W. H. Hitchcock, H.
K. Metcalf, E. C. Wayman and J. A. Riason.
This church is doing a good work.

The Baptist Church of Milo has a church
in Boyd's Grove. It is not known at this
present writing that this church now keeps up
any regular services. No report has been
received.

The Methodist Episcopal Church keeps up
a class in Hunter's Schoolhouse on the south-
east (piartor of Section 13.

The Methodist Episcopal Church in Wheat-
land Township is located on the southeast
quarter of Section 31. Called Whitetield
Corners Church.

French Grove. — Going back a little in
time we find the following interesting items
in reference to the first church movements in
this place as follows:

July 26, 184 1 , at the log schoolhouse at the
i-ast of French Grove, a church was organized

and was to be known as the " First Church of
French Grove." This was composed of mem-
bers of various denominations, and Rev. S. L.
Julian was the first pastor. They adopted a
constitution August 21, 1841. By consent of
all, Article 7: "We will notdiink ardent spir-
its ourselves, nor allow them to be drunk in our
families, nor fvirnish it to those in our em-
ploy, and will discourage its traffic in our
community;" was adopted. They also agreed
to immersion. Were neither Unitarian nor
Trinitarian, but on the middle-ground, and
the agitation of either subject would be a
violation of the covenant. First members
who signed the covenant, were: Jabesh Pierce,
James Carroll, John Mason, Elizabeth Pierce,
Abigail Mason, Elizabeth B. Foster, Mary
Stevens, Malinda Stevens, Abraham Fry,
Nathaniel W. Stevens. Rev. S. L. Julian
and wife did not sign the articles till Novem-
ber 13, 1841. June 9, 1842, at a business
meeting of the church, they voted to do away
with the previous church organization, and
also gave letters of dismission to all who
requested the same. June 14, 1842, a num-
ber of those who had been members of the
previous church met and organized the " First
Free- Will Baptist Church of French Grove,"
and the following subscribed to this organi-
zation: Rev. S. L. Julian and wife, John
H. Stevens and wife, John Mason and wife,
Augustus Lyford, Charlotte Lyford, Mary
Emerson and Florinda Stevens. December
24, 1843, is the last record of this organiza-
tion.

French Grove Sabbath-school Society was
organized August 23, 1843, and constitution
adopted and signed by the following: S. L.
Julian, D. E. Brainard, ShalJor Brainard,
William H. Mason, Nathaniel W. Stevens,
Joseph Foster, John Mason, Andrew Julian,
Charles Townsend, John W. Mason, Jesse
Emerson, D. E. Stevens, Albert R. Brainard,

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUKTY.

203

Franklin Foster, N. L. H. Julian, Abigail
Mason, Harriet Foster, Elizabeth Foster,
Sally Brainard, Mary Stevens, Mary F. Julian,
Angelina Brainard, Abigail Rowell, Julia
Brainard. Soon after this the name was
changed to Union Sunday-school, and has
continued under the same form of organiza-
tion to the present day, with an enrollment
of about 100.

Perkins Grove Church (Zion Church).—
German Evangelical. In 1843 Johannes Fau-
bel came to the county from New York. S. A.
Tobias preached in Faubel's house. In 1848
the meetings were held in Jacob Betz's house.
In 1850 the members increased. Jacob Popp
was elected class-leader and Jacob Betzas ex-
horter. In 1854 the circuit was divided. T. C.
Anthes was the minister and Conrad Spiel-
man was class-leader. In 1853 they built a
brick church 28x36. In 1859 fifty pei-sona
were joined to the church.

In 1864 the Zion Chm-ch was built — a
frame, 32x42 — costing $1,700, and the old
church was torn down and rebuilt 86x50,
costing $3,000. Both houses were dedicated
by Bishop J. J. Escher.

In 1870 at a church meeting it was decided
that Kuntel Bauer was not a witch as her sis-
ter charged her to be.

The present minister is Charles Gagstaet-
ter, a native of Germany. The present mem-
bership is sixty.

Clarion Township Zion's Church. — Ger-
man Evangelical Lutheran Church (only four-
teen members.) It was founded September,
1857, by Rev. Johannes Koch. It was a
branch of the German Evangelical Zion's
Church built in 1851 by Unions and Luther-
ans. The number of members was twenty:
Frederick Stanberger and wife, Nicholas
Gross and wife, Adam Geuther and wife, Se-
bastian Puehlhorn and wife, John F. Meier
and wife, George Schaller and wife, Hen-

ry Truckenbrod and wife, Peter Faber and
wife, Adam Grosch and wife, Mrs. M. Bar-
bara Heiman, John Waid and wife, John
Bauer and wife, Pancratz Gross and wife,
George Platsch and wife, John Gruber
and wife, John Schmidt and wife, Casper
Fetzer and wife and Frederick Herr.

In September, 1858, a church was built —
a frame — costing $1,200; now, since improved,
$2,200. It was remodeled about 1874, and
cost $2,200. The following is a list of min-
isters: John Koch in 1857; George Guebner
1858-60; Henry Ehlers of Bremen Seminary,
1860-67; George Schieferdecker, Saxony,
1868-74; John Wittig, 1874-84; the latter
is a native of Hessen, Germany. He was
educated in St. Sebald, Iowa. Most of the
members are Coburger and Bavarians; all
natives of Germany.

There is a German school attached to the
parsonage, where they are taught all branches;
also has a German Sunday-school. Present
members about fifty.

There is a branch of this church at Van
Orin, in Lamoille Township, which was
founded about 1876 by Rev. John Wittig.
The meetings are held in the schoolhouse
every month. It is called the St. Johns
Church — nine members.

204

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

CHAPTER XVI.

Obioih of ih« Anii-Mokopoly Movement— John H. Beyant's

COKNECTION WITH THE Same— BiKTH OFTHE KepUBLICAN PaETY

— JcDGE Lawrence Pkfeateo fdb Supreme Judge — Judge
Ceaio Elected — The Beoinnino or the Great Contest of the
People .^oainst Corporations- Its Effect on the Whole

C<il'NTRY— How BlBEAU CoCNTY HAS Kf.PT IN THE LEAD IN

All Great Movements — TheXIIIth Article of the State
Constitution and its Consequences— The Laws Enacted and
theCoi'RT's Decision Founded Thereon — Illinois the Birth-
place OF Every Modern Great Political Revolution — Some
Corrections in History— The Facts in this Chapter Will
SoxK Day be a Great Chapter in American History— etc.

ITC.

And as it is with money-getting,
So with life, 'till life is o'er,
Man .seldom has so much of it,
B\it he wants a little more.

—J. H. Bryant.

TpNGLAND'S Magna Charta has now for
-L-^ centuries stood as one of the most prom-
inent landmarks in the f^reat highway of
National and civil liberty. And well it may.
It was the victorious assault upon " the di-
vine right of kings," and that monster heresy
that the " kiug^cau do no wrong." It was a
sure foundation on which to build the liberty
of the people and check the tyranny of rulers
— to give the people some voice in the asser-
tions of their plainest rights. Nothing could
be more interesting to the student of politi-
cal economy (a subject of which every voter
in free America is, by a terrible legal fiction,
Bupj)Osed to understand) than the study of
the history of charters and charter rights,
and the growth of their abuses in this coun-
try. In the United States the interesting
chapter dates its commencement from the
argument of Daniel \V(>bst(>r in the Dart-
mouth College case. This great forensic
eflbrt, from the master of American consti-
tutional law, became a national era, and the
great argument was a settled fundamental
law of the country for half a century. But
at that time we had no great and rich rail-

roads, no powerful private corporations, and
no chartered privileges were sought, except
for religious, educational and, perhaps, in a
few instances, social bodies, Mr. Webster
was the father of the idea of "vested rights"
— that a charter was " a contract " by which
the State gave a portion of its powers to a
company, and that it could not resume pow-
ers it had granted away. Hence, at the time
of Mr. Webster's argument in the Dartmouth
case it could not be foreseen what the future
of this country would bring forth. The his-
tory of the sudden rise of great charter cor-
porations is so recent that it must be famil-
iar to the reader. These rich corporations
sprang into existence like the growth of the
mushroom, and so numerous were the calls
upon the Legislatiu'es for acts of authority
to incorporate that finally a general law was
passed authorizing everybodj- that might de-
sire it to apply to the Secretary of the State
and procure license therefor. The rapid
building of railroads, especially after Senator
Douglas' bill in Congress which resulted in
the completion of the Illinois Central Rail-
road, started ttp an era of prosperity and
rapid development of the country never be-
fore equaled. Men who were paupers one
week became often millionaires next week,
and the people rejoiced and showered their
favors upon these and all other corporations
without stint, and they voted all the
money and all the privileges they
asked for without question. Voters did not
look ahead— they never stopped to think, and
they could not comprehend how evil could
come of institutions that were so rapidly de-
veloping the wealth of the country. As said
above, a history of this general frenzy that
seized the voters, which permeated the remot-
est frontier cabins in the laud and extended up
through the smallest local municipalities to
and includinjr the General Government itself

HISTORY OF BUKEAU COUNTY.

205

until the financial agent of the United States
in official publications announced in flaming
headlines that " A Public Debt is a Public
Blessing,'''' and its equally swift development
of gigantic evils, would be a most interesting
and instructive chapter for the rising gener-
ation to contemplate and study. Internal
improvements, credits, vast speculations and
inflation were the national South Sea bub-
ble, that ran like a prairie Are over the coun-
try. In the meantime the vast corporations
were being gathered into the handf of the
big and little Jay Goulds of the Nation, and
while the people were lured by the rush of
prosperity, these schemers were sapping the
public substance, piling up fortunes that
would individually run into the hundreds of
millions, and were commencing to subsidize
and control little ignorant and feeble munic-
ipalities rapidly, and from here extended
their vision until they boldly and success-
fully captured States and then the General
Government itself. They elected members
of State Legislatures, State Senators, Con-
gressmen, United States Senators; and Judges
and courts and lawyers were their ready and
willing minions. The principal men of the
smallest villages filled their pockets with free
passes, and the lawyers all over the land an-
swered any grumbling complaint by simply
saying, " Here are vested rights, and you
people must endure' it the best you can."
State Supreme Coui-ts, especially the Illinois
court, and the United States Supreme Court,
had either expressly decided or had tacitly
conceded that the charter of a railroad com-
pany in which was granted the right to fix
tolls, there was no power in the State or peo-
ple to modify or change it. In other words,
the roads could form their syndicates or pools
and there was no limit to their powers to
extort and oppress the whole people.

In order that the reader may look behind

the curtains and see something of the real
doings of these great corporations, we ex-
tract briefly from the evidence before a com-
mittee of the late State Constitutional Con-
vention of New York. The entire testimony
may be found in the reports of the committee,
Vol. V, No. 150:

Edwin D. Worcester, sworn : — I am
Treasurer of the New York Central Railroad
Company, and have been for two years; was
Assistant Treasurer for two years previous.

Question. — Do you know of the New York
Central Railroad Company paying out con-
siderable amounts of money during the ses-
sions of legislation?

Answer. — Yes, considerable amounts of
money.

Q. — I think you have succeeded in jirocur-
ing legislation for two or three years past ?

A. — Yes, we succeeded in getting the legis-
lation.

Q. — Were the expenses attending the ap-
plication paid by the President of the road?

A. — I can state the amount of money he
had; the whole amount of money paid was
$205,000.

Q. — Did he ever state to you any purpose
for which it was to be applied ?

A. — Well, I don't remember that he did.

Q. — How are the items or entries made in
your books with reference to the expenditures
of this $205,000?

A. — There were no entries made with regard
to those disbursements.

Q. — Was authorization given before or
after the advances or disbursements were
made?

A. — It was after that the Board confirmed
the advance, but did not state what should
be made of the item.

Q. — What is the condition of the item on
your books?

A. — It is charged to the Treasurer's ofSce

206

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

and remains there. The action of the Treas-
urer in advancing the money was confirmed
by the Board.

Q — The year previous about what money
WEis expended ?

A. — I think it was something like 160,000,
that was charged to expenses pertaining to
the Legislature.

In 1873 a bitter quarrel between the rail-
road magnates brought about an investiga-
tion by a committee of the State Legislature
of New York, before whom Jay Gould testi
fied and coolly informed the people that
through his manipulations and by the power
and intiuence of his money, they had been
wrestling with one another for years past, as
Democrats and Republicans, with no other
result and no other purpose but the election
of his creatures to office. Here is his testi-
mony:

" I do not know how much I paid toward
helping friendly men. We had four States
to look after, and we had to suit our polities
to circumstances. In a Democratic district
I was a Democrat; in a Republican district
I was a Republican, and in a doubtful district
I was doubtful; but in every district and at
all times I have been an Erie man."

The state of things unearthed by this in-
vestigation was officially described in the re-
port of the Legislative Committee as fol-
lows:

" It is further in evidence that it has been
the custom of the managers of the Erie Rail-
way, from year to year, in the past, to spend
large sums to control elections and to influ-
once legislation. In the year 18GS more than
one million (?1, 000, 000) were disbursed from
the treasury for 'extra and legal services.'
For interesting items see Mr. Watson's testi-
mony, pages 33(5 and 337.

" Mr. Gould, when last on the stand, and
examined in relation to various vouchers

shown him, admitted the payment during the
three years prior to 1872 of large sums to
Barber, Tweed and others, and to influence
legislation or elections; these amounts were
charged in the ' India rubber account.' The
memory of this witness was very defective as
to details, and he could only remember large
transactions; but could distinctly recall that
he had been in the habit of sending money
into the numerous districts all over the State,
either to control nominations or elections for
Senators and Members of Assembly. Con-
sidered that, as a rule, such investments paid
better than to wait until the men got to Al-
bany, and added the significant remark when
asked a question that it would be as impossi-
ble to specify the numerous instances as it
would be to recall to mind the numerous
freight cars sent over the Erie road from day
to day."

Through these methods the railroads not
only pack Legislatures and the bench with
their creatures, from whom they can obtain
such laws and such rulings as they desire,
but by other methods, not less nefarious,
they compel the people to re-imburse them
for the money expended in securing the nom-
ination and election of their own tools by
stock watering. Shortly after the transac-
tions admitted by Worcester, Treasurer of the
New York Central Railroad Company, the
Vanderbilt management of the New York
Central Railroad watered the stock of the
road §47,000,000 and a purchased Legisla-
ture legalized it. Regular dividends of 8
per cent havo since been declared upon it and
these dividends upon the water alone, have in
thirteen years, with interest compounded an-
nually, amounted to over ?75. 0(30. 000.*

There is no purpose in this reference to the
general state of aflairs which were rapidly
culminating about the year 1872, to reflect

• From tt clrcdlar by John Scott, K»q., of Princeton.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

207

or prefer charges against any particular cor-
poration. This prominent road is merely
selected and the above extracts from sworn tes-
timony is given simply to elucidate what we
started out to say, and to make plain the
existence of the great Gorgon that the fool-
ish people had fostered and fattened and
possessed with their money and unlimited
powers. The country had reached a period
when some man must step forward and cut
the Gordian knot. The people were rudely
awakened from their golden dreams when
these great corporations began to carve ' ' the
pound of flesh nearest each one's heart. " The
people must revolt and strike the hand that
was at every man's throat. They did, and as
much as it may be news to even the people of
this county, yet Bureau County is entitled
to the great honor of starting the movement
that extended all over the United States, and
to John H. Bryant is due the conception and
execution of the tirst steps in the revolution
and the rescue of oui- people from these soul-
less tyrants. The golden opportunity pre-
sented itself in the spring of 1873, when
Judge Lawrence was a candidate for re-
election to the Illinois Supreme Court from
this district. The usual form that had ob-
tained in the election of Judges was for the
members of the bar to agree upon some one
and the people would elect whoever it might
be. Judge Lawrence was admittedly an able
jurist, pure and upright, but he was purely a
lawyer, and the cold letter of the law was the
one thing before his eyes when he made up
his judgments. Ancient precedent, the de-
cisions of the courts, the great arguments
like Webster's and the black-letter of the law
were the supreme things in a court room to
his mind. The only question possible for
him to consider was, " Is it so designated in
the bond ?" and if yea, then he was the "Dan-
iel come to judgment," and who suflered he

could not consider. Hence his purity of
mind and greal legal attainments at that par-
ticular time made him both a menace and a
danger to the public weal. The bench and
bar of this district had chosen Judge Law-
rence for reelection, and when a visiting
attorney came to Princeton, we are informed,
there was but one firm of attorneys — Her-
ron & Scott — but that endorsed Judge Law-
rence for re-election. Under the move given
the people by Mr. Bryant, Judge A. M. Craig
was secured to stand against Jtidge Lawrence,
and thus was the issue of anti-monoply first
fairly presented. It was the people on one
side and the railroads and great corporations
and the attorneys on the other side. The
people triumphed and Judge Craig was
elected, and is now in the early part of his
second term, having the second time defeated
a nominee of the Republican party.

The race between Craig and Lawrence was
one of the notable contests in this country for
the judicial ermine. It was watched with
deep interest in all the States, and everywhere
the lawyers and railroads were for Lawrence,
and many good people were frightened into
voting against their own plainest interests by
the sneers and taunts of those who called
Judge Craig the ignorant "Granger.'' The
writer of these lines was not in the district,
but he distinctly remembers how the lawyers
in his town were ready to work or pray, or
both even, for the success of Lawrence. They
openly said the dignity of the learned pro-
fession, the cult of the wig and woolsack,
were at issue, and it would be almost a crime
to defeat thegreat jurist l)y this farmer judge.
But Judge Craig was elected and the people
won a great victory, and he has been re-elect-
ed, and nothing better can be said for the
sound sense of the people than the fact that
he defeated a party nominee, running as an
independent, in a district overwhelmingly

308

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Republican. Here was a real case of the con-
flict of the "higher law" t'ersits the law of the
land — the cold letter of the statute book, ver-
sus the rights and liberties of the people. We
have no hesitation in saying it was the begin-
ning of a revolution — a revolt by the people
in their own interests, — that is one of the
greatest victories attained since the Declara-
tion of American Independence. True, it did
not, like the "Irrepressible Conflict," exter-
minate the great evil it attacked, yet it is a
step forward all along the line for the relief
and freedom from the tyrant monopoly, and
it was the liberation of white men, the entire
farming and laboring interests in this coun-
try, exceeding in numbers ten times the
4,000,000 of slaves that were liberated by
the late war. It was a bloodless victory, yet
the grander by this fact, and except that the
miserable demagogues have stepped in and
checked and to some extent stopped the great
movement, yet the leven has commenced its
work, it is there, and some day it will go on
to the end in the general relief. As an illus-
tration of what were the first results in this
contest the following recital will explain:

The first case that arose after Judge Craig
became a member of the court was the case
of Munn k, Scott vs. the People, reported in
the 69 111., page 80. The Constitution of
1870, Article XIII, declares that all elevators
and warehouHes where grain is stored for com-
pensation, are declared public warehouses,
and whore such warehouse or elevator is lo-
cat<'d within the corporate limits of a city of
100,(KK) inhabitants, certain duties were
eojoined upon the owners or operators of
such warehouse obvicjusly, because the f>eoplo
by the Xlllth Article of the Constitution, de-
clares them jniblic warehouses, etc., and to
give proper efloct to this Xlllth Article, the
General Assembly, in 1.S71, passed an act to
give efloct to the Constitution, and provided

all owners of such warehouses, before operat-
ing the same, should take out a license from
the Circuit Court of the county, and give bond
to the people in the sum. of $10,000, condi-
tioned, for the faithful performance of their
duties as such jaublic warehouse.

The law of 1871 referred to provides that
such warehouses should receive for stor-
age any grain that should be tendered them
and that the warehouseman should not make
any unjust discrimination in the amount he
should charge between individuals, and that
such license should be taken out from the Cir-
cuit Court before such warehouseman could
operate at all.

Munn & Scott, of Chicago, owned a large
elevator combined with a warehouse in the
city of Chicago; had owned and operated the
same prior to the adoption of the new Con-
stitution, containing the Xlllth Article before
referred to. It was well known that they had
exercised unfair and unjust discrimination
between individuals in Chicago, who stored
large amounts, and the producer in the coun-
try, who wished to store smaller amounts.
And when the Constitution of 1870 was adopt-
ed declaring such elevators and warehouses
public warehouses, and after the acts of the
Legislature passed in aid of the Constitution
and requiring such warehouseman to take out
a license from the Circuit Court to operate the
same and give bond in the penal sumof $10,-
000, conditioned, that they would not make
unjust discriminations between individuals
who might wish to store grain in such place,
and as the railroads all over the Northwest
were making unjust discrimination in the
amount they charged in carrying the people's
freight, claiming that they had vested rights,
by their charters, to charge people what they
pleased; and that the people were powerless
and had no remedy.

Muuu <^ Scott claimed their warehouse

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

209

was private property ; that they could operate
it as thej' pleased; that it could not be de-
clared a public warehouse and they refused
to take out a license or pay any attention
whatever to the laws of the State, and they
were upheld in their disobedience to the laws
by the railroad corporations. A.n informa-
tion was filed in the Criminal Court of Cook
County by the State's Attorney; they were
put on trial, convicted and lined $100. They
were defended by five ablerailroad attorneys:
Messrs. Jewett, Goudy, McCagg, Fuller and
Culver, all claiming that the law wa.s an in-
fraction of the rights of the citizen and an
unwarranted interference with their property.
The case was appealed by Munn & Scott to
the Supreme Court, prior to Craig's election.
and was argued before he took his seat on
the bench, but the Court could reach no de-
cision and did not decide the question.

After Craig took his seat upon the bench
with the other new member elected at the
same time, Munn & Scott's case was re-argued
and with the aid of Judge Graig's vote the
case was decided in favor of the people —
Judges Breese, Sheldon, Craig and Scholtield
making a majority opinion in favor of the
act of the Legislature giving validity to
Sections 3 and 4 of the Act of the General
Assembly entitled an "Act to regulate public
warehouses and to give effect to Article XIII
of the New Constitution." The other three
Judges, McAllister, Scott and Walker, did not
conciu' in this opinion.

This was a test case and struck directly at
the mooted principle of vested rights, behind
which the great railroad corporations were
sheltering themselves in their extortionate
charges and unjust discriminations against
the struggling people.

The case of Munn & Scott was a test case
in the new departure in legislation and was
carried by them and the corporations to the

Supreme Court of the United States and
heard by that court, and the decision an-
nounced by Breese, Sheldon, Craig and Schol-
field was affirmed in a very able and elaborate
opinion by a majority of the judges of that
court. It was held, soon after, in the case of
Jewel t's. Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail-
road Company, by the Supreme Court of the
United States, that railways were liable to be
regulated in their charges by the Legislature,
upon the same principle of law and reason
that warehouses were subject to legislation.
The Supreme Court of the United States in
deciding the case of Jewel vs. Chicago, Bur-
lington & Quincy Railroad Company, referred
to the case of Munn & Scott and advanced
the principle that railroads were liable to be
regulated in their charges by the acts of the
General Assembly upon the same principle
that warehouses were subject to regulation.
It cannot be denied that the railroad cases
decided in this State in which it has been
held that railroads may be regulated in their
charges by law is founded, in part, upon the
warehouse decisions of Munn & Scott.

Railroad companies have been chartered
in part for the public good. They are given
extraordinary powers that they may the bet-
ter serve the public, and are therefore rightly
held to legislative control. Judge Craig's
election was not a mistake on the part of the
people; it was the entering wedge. It
should not be forgotten that the lawyers and
Judges and railroads told the people they
could not do this, exactly as the same men
told the people they could not interfere with
slavery. In one instance they quoted the
Dartmouth College case, and in the other
they quoted the Dred Scott case. Yet both
these cases, as precedents, are consigned to
the limbo of the waste baskets, and thereby
the wrongs of 4,000,000 slaves were in one
case righted, and in the other case was, to

310

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

some extent, not whollj', the righting of most
grievous wrongs and oppression of 50,000,-
000 white men.

The average American thinks that because
he can vote, parade and carry torches after a
band; gpt drunk and yawp his patriotic yells,
and monkey himself generally, that he is a
free man — the freest of the free. The more
intelligent monopolist knows better; he is
ever ready to step forward and tickle the
long ears of the groundlings with his foxy
pretensions of loyalty and peculiar friend-
ship to his voting victims, and he wheedles
and buys his slaves in the open and secret
market around the l)allot boxes. It is this
state of affairs that has prevented the great
movement from completing itself, and is the
prime cause of the evils that are now flowing
out over the country, and producing much of
the disturbances in the labor districts of our
country.

In the mines, in the great mills, the fac-
tories and iron mills of the country is a per-
petual contest going on, <ind the monopolist
is tightening his clutch upon the laborer.
The charter companies water their stock by
hundreds and thousands of millions of dol-
lars, and then starve the labor and rob the
public in order to collect dividends on this
watered stock. These evils Lave now reached
enormous proportions; strikes of workmen
are of daily occurrence; blood is shed; the
militia are frequently called out. and the
voting laborer is daily and hourly tending
to a more cruel and insufferalile condition.
Overproduction is cured l)y paying certain
factories more than they can make by run-
ning their machinery, to close their doors, and
thus thousands of workmen are turned out to
idle, starve or tramp. And still not satisfied
in their enormous oxactions, these rich cor-
fwratiouH are crying out for ni(jre protection
from the government — their oxactions from

the toil and life-blood of the people to be,
not only increased ad libitum, but enforced
and exacted at the point of the government
bayonets. Hundreds of factories are idle,
while the owners are reaping rich profits
from the very idleness that turns out the
laborers to starve by the thousand. In the
nature of things the laborer cannot hire a
million of his fellow laborers to quit work
any day, and pay them more for idling than
they could make in work; but the great fac-
tories and mills can, and then they can force
their manufactured articles to high enough
price to pay these idle mills and pay them-
selves enormous fortunes. The laws of the
land that not only permit but enable and
encourage these national outrages, need the
speedy attention of some such reform move-
ment as was commenced in Bureau County,
and that gave the incalculable benefits of its
healthy connectives to the country at large.
The success of that movement is a perpetual
proof that the people need only move in the
right direction in order to right their wi'ongs.
It is better for the monopolies and great tax-
eaters themselves, that the people move in
time, and bring them with a grand round-to
at the ballot box, than that they should lie
supinely and await the fastening of the fet-
ters that will some day only be loosened by
chop]>iug oflf heads.

In the Hocking Valley (Ohio) mines are
to-day 10.000 workaien thrown out of em-
ployment, and their families are on the road-
sides unhoused and verging upon starvation.
This is one small section of our country, and
so far as these 10,000 men and their families
are concerned, there is no government on
earth that is exercising a more crushing
tyranny than are these poor men suffering at
the hands i)f the Hocking Valley Builroad
and the mine owners and combined capital
of the charter companiea The farmers of

HISTORY or BUREAU COUNTY.

211

Illinois would to-day have been in probably
as wretched a state of serfdom and suflFer-
ing as are these poor miners in Ohio, had
they not boldly took the evil by the horns
and stopped it in its career of general de-
struction — not only the farmers of Illinois,
indeed, but the farmers, laborers and all in-
dustrial classes in thp country. It is in the
view of the anti-monopoly movement in this
county that we are justified in saying that,
considered in all its bearings, it was one of
the greatest movements that has yet come
from the people.

This anti-monopoly movement originated
in Illinois — notonly in Illinois, but in Bureau
County — and from here it has extended over
our whole country. It was a remarkable
struggle between right and wrong — most ex-
traordinary indeed, when we consider the
circumstances surrounding it. Never in the
history of our country has the issue been
so clearly and sharply made, where it was
the people, the masses, on one side and the
lawyers, legislators and the combined wealth
of monopolies on the other side. The mass,
the common people cannot be organized,
while the moneyed power is a close corpora-
tion — an army equipj^ed with all the sinews
of war, ably generaled, every man in position,
alert, vigilant, untiring and unscrupulous.
The great movement rewrote the law of the
land, and emancipated 50,000,000 people.

We do not pretend to say that Mr. Bryant
alone wrought out all these results; that he
alone did the work from which have come these
grand consequences. We do not even insin-
uate anything of the kind, because he had
able lieutenants, strong and willing hands to
aid him when once the work was fairly com-
menced. We simply assert he was the prime
instigator, who, when the harvests were ripe,
called up the slumbering laborers and led
them to the field. We could name a score of

men in Bureau County who are richly en-
titled to immortal honor for the efficient,
prompt and wise aid in the field-work and in
the councils of the leaders of this movement.
Among this class of men, where there are so
many that are especially worthy, it might
seem invidious to mention some and omit
others where the great numbers preclude the
possibility of a full list. But at the risk of
censure in this line, we will say that to the
Hon. L. D. Whiting, who was a member of
the Constitutional Convention of 1870, is
due the fullest credit for his efficient aid.
He was literally the father of the Xlllth Arti-
cle of the Constitution, wherein he had to meet
nearly every leading lawyer in the convention
and out of it. He was in the Senate when
the Legislature considered the subject of
passing laws to give force and effect to the
Xlllth Article. And here the destiny of the
movement rested on his shoulders, and it was
his energy and ability that brought the
eventual triumph.

Before the close of the late Rebellion, or
at least immediately thereafter, Mr. Bryant
began to call the attention of the people to
the monstrous claims being put forth by cer-
tain charter companies. Through the papers
he sounded notes of warning to the farmers
of northern Illinois, against the exactions of
railroads. In the early part of 1870 a meet-
ing of the farmers assembled in Blooming-
ton. Mr. Bryant attended this meeting and
offered a series of resolutions through Hon.
L. D. Whiting, in which for the first time in
a public body was laid down the doctrine that
the people had not bestowed upon charter
companies " vested rights," that were above
the power of the Crovernment. He ably sus-
tained his resolutions in a speech that was
published and created a profound impression
upon the country. Fortunately, in this meet-
ing there was a delegate to the Constitutional

212

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Convention, then nearly ready to assemble at
Springfield— Hon. Lewis W. Ross, of Ful-
ton County, who listened to the resolutions
— and their advocacy by their author and
largely through this circumstance and also
another address delivered in Springfield by
Mr. Bryant, during the session of the Con-
vention, there was inserted in the Constitu-
tion " Article XIII, " to which reference is
made in the decision of the Munn & Scott
case above referred to. The address of Mr.
Bryant in Springfield on the subject of cor-
porations was published in the Industrial
Age. and was widely read, and we are told
that the printed address having fallen into the
bands of Amasa Walker, who carefully read
it and endorsed the positions there assumed,
and thus the movement received the weight
of this eminent financier and political econ-
omist. As a result of this movement of the
people, in which they had to fight the com-
bined {X)wer of wealth, the bench and the bar
of the land, as well as the politicians, the
first tangible advantage or victory was the
incorporation of the " thirteenth Article " of
our State Constitution. The motion to insert
this article was bitterly opposed at every stop
by a powerful lobby, as well as by the attor-
neysof the railroads, who were not only mem-
bers of the Convention, but were there in
strong array and were everywhere proclaim-
ing that the measure would bankrupt the rich
corporations and ruin the country. The
nowsjjapers of the country took up the hue
and cry against what they called the "social
ists," the "destructive.s," and no taunt was
spared, no vituperation was too strong for
tbeee "enemies of social order." But the
movement went on like a rolling snowball;
the people became thoroughly aroused, they
listened to the "agitators," they started new
papers to advocate the jjooplo's cause, they or-
ganized to some extent and began to nomi-

nate their own candidates, and after a long
and fierce war of words the celebrated "thir-
teenth Article" of our Constitution was adopt-
ed by the convention. The overwhelming
vote on the Constitutioa could not be mis-
read, and it was natural that the succeeding
Legislature would enact laws to enforce its
provisions.

The following is Article XIII:

Section 1. All elevators or storehouses where
graiQ or other property is stored for a compensa-
tion, wliethcr the propertj' stored be kept separate
or not, are declared to be public warehouses.

Sec. 2. The owner, leasee or manager of each
and every public wareliou.se situated in any town
or city of not less than one hundred thousand
inhabitants, shall make weekly statements under
oath, before .some olbeer to be designated by law,
and keep the same posted in .some conspicuous place
in the office of such warehouse, and shall also file
a copy for public examination in such place as shall
he designated by law, which statement shall set forth
the amount and grade of each and every kind of
grain in such warehouse, together with such other
propertj' as may be stored therein, and what ware-
house receipts have been issued, and are, at the time
of making such statement, outstanding therefor, and
shall, on the copy posted in the warehouse, note
daily such changes as may be made in the quality
and grade of grain in such warehouse; and the dif-
ferent grades of grain shipped in separate lots, shall
not be mixed with inferior or superior grades with-
out the consent of the owner or consignee thereof.

Sec. 8. The owners of property stored in any
warehouse, or holder of a receipt for the same, shall
always be at liberty loexamine such property stored
anil all the books and records of the warehouse in
regard to such propertj'.

Skc. 4. All railroad companies and other com-
mon carriers on railroads shall weigh or measure
grain at points where it is .shipped, and receipt for
the full amount, and shall be responsible for the
delivery of siich amount to the owner or consignee
thereof at the place of destination.

Sec. 5. All railroad companies receiving and
transporting grain in hulk or otherwise, shall
deliver llie same to any consignee thereof, or any
elevator or public warehouse to which it may be
consigned, provided such consignee or the elevator
or public warehouse can be reached by any track
owned, leased or used, or which can be used by

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

213

such railroad companies, and all railroad companies
shall permit connections to be made with their
track, so that any such consignee, and any public
warehouse, coal bank or coal-yard may be reached
by the cars on said railroad.

Sec. 6. It shall be the duty of the General
Assembly to pass all necessary laws to prevent the
issue of false and fraudulent warehouse receipts, and
to give full effect to this Article of the Constitution,
which shall be liberally construed so as to protect
producers and shippers. And the enumeration of
the remedies herein named shall not be construed
to deny to the General Assembly the power . to
prescribe by law such other and further remedies
as may be found e.xpedient, or to deprive any per-
son of existing common law remedies.

Sec. 7. The General Assembly shall pass laws
for the inspection of grain, for the protection of
producers, shippers and receivers of grain and pro-
duce.

The Legislature passed laws giving force
and eifect to this Article of the Constitution,
and then came the claim from the monopo-
lists that the law was a barren nullity, and
hence arose the case of Munn & Scott as a
test case that was taken to the Supreme Court.
The rich companies now sounded thwir notes
of alarm all over the country. As an evi-
dence of the wide-spread interest the move-
ment in Bureau County had by this time
created, and as a complete proof also that the
anti-monoply movement had its inception and
guidance in this county, we need only state
the fact that the New York Trihune sent its
correspondents to Princeton to interview the
leaders and ascertain what they really meant
by the bold movement. That paper had be-
come alarmed at the reiterated assertions of
the monopolists that it was the red revolution-
ist, and boded the destruction of the capital
and great property interests of the country.
These representatives of the New York pa-
pers'^called i;pou Mr. Bryant and frankly
asked him if such were the purposes of the
movement. They soon learned that nothing
could be more false than the cry of the mo-

nopolists; that the movement was in the inter-
ests of all, especially the farmers, and through
the farmers the permanent and true interests
of the railroads and all other public corpora-
tions.

Our excuse, were any needed, for this ex-
tended notice of this important event, is the
fact that it is the tirst time, so far as we can
learn, that the facts have been given the world
of this most vital movement of the people —
their greatest victory since the formation of
the Republic — and that its lessons should be
known to every voter in the land, and for the
further reason that one of the greatest truths
in our political history may not be wholly ob-
scured and misrepresented, as it has been in
a recent publication by D. W. Lusk, of
Springfield, III, entitled the " Political His-
tory of Illinois," in which is what purports
to be the account of the anti-monopoly move-
ment, that is a tissue of misrepresentations
from the first to the last. There is hardly a
single sentence in the account that is not
only in error, but a total perversion of the
truth. As a specimen of the recklessness or
carelessness of the facts, this historian says
the movement commenced in Washington
City; that had it not been checked by the
sober second thought of the people it
would have destroyed the capital of the coun-
try; that it was only evil in all its eflfects and
aims; that it gradually extended west and
invaded Illinois, and did succeed in even elect-
ing a member of our Supreme Court, etc., etc.
If Mr. Lusk is in the pay of the country's
common foe, then we are constrained to
say, his book is a weak invention of the enemy;
the history of even unimportant events cannot
thus be either perverted or obscured, much
less this great movement whoso effects will
go on and grow while our free institutions
last. We refer to this error in the "Politi-
cal History of Illinois " not to accuse the

214

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

author of a willful perversion of the by far
most important chapter in the history of the
State, but to correct it, and as an ovidenco of
how widespread is the ignorance of the peo-
ple generally of the most important facts of
their history — of events that havo not only
occurred recently, but in their very midst.

Ab a fitting conclusion to this chapter we
quote a few sentences from an address by J. H.
Bryant, delivered at the third annual meeting
in Springfield of the Illinois State Farmers'
Association, January 28, 1875, as follows:

It is now more than forty 3'ears since, when a
young man, I came to tliis State, and with these
hands reared my cabin amid a waste of uncultivated
lands, with only one human habitation in sight.
During all these years I liave watched witli
joyous satisfaction each step of progress and
every discovery in tlie arts and sciences tending
10 the elevation and improvement and happi-
ness'of our people. I have witnessed with feelings
akin to enthusiasm tlie rapid increase of our
population, carrying with it the civil and religious
institutions belonging to our age, and converting
deserts and waste places into orchards, gardens and
fruitful fields. There is not a fruit tree or shade
tree in the county where I live that has not been
planted since I first set foot upon its soil, and not
a dwelling-house or other structure that was not
built since that day. I have seen our population
increas<! from about l.'jO.OOO to S.OOD.OOO. But now it
si-ems to me tliat dark clouds are gathering about
our pathway, not only involving our pecuniary in-
terests, but involving our personal rights. And we
have a bitter contest before us— a struggle with an
enemy tliat never sleeps. And this struggle with
the monopolies that claim our God-given rights will
not be a short one, unless — which God forbid — the
people are the first to yield So long as we have
among us keen-sighted, selfish grasping men, so long
unerasing watchfulness alone will preserve our free
Institutions from cniToachments and finally from
subversion. "Eternal vigilance is the price of lib-
erty!"

I have said that railroads arc conceived in sin
and brouulit forth in iniijuily, and I believe this is
true; so true that the contrary is the except inn and
not the rule. Where was there ever a railroa<l built
In our Stale that there has not been wrong, clieating
and drcepiion interwoven in its every fiber? If all

the villainies practiced by railroad managers, all
the dark and hidden ways resorted to to citort
money from the people, and even to rob their
brother stockholders, were laid bare and exposed to
view and fully or even partially understood, the
public would stand aghast at the sight. It has been
said that railroad companies have got all the money
and all the brains on their side, and that they can-
not be opposed with any chance of success. It is
true that thcj- have vast amounts of capital in their
hands and can wield it very effectively. But the
people collectively have vastly more beside the
political power of the State, if they have virtue and
wisdom enough to use it. And as for bruins, rail-
road men have no more than man3' others. They
are usually what are called sharp men, which means
that they are subtle, cunning and grasping. This
is, or would be, if their acts were known to the pub-
lic, their general character — I mean the leading,
controlling .spirits. Look at them! Vanderbilt,
Fisk, .lay Gould and others. These are your model
railroad men who have adopted Rob Roy's

" Simple plan,
Ttint ttioy sliall tftlto who liavp Iha power,
-Vnd ttiey Bliall keep wlio can."

But you say all are not such. Perhaps not, but
I think if the acts of all were laid bare to your in-
spection, you would find few exceptions, save in de-
gree and opportunity. * * The money which gives
them position and respectability is wrung from your
hard earnings. And yet you are maligned, traduced,
slandered, ridiculed and blackguarded and carica-
tured; called all manner of opprobrious names;
chargi^d with the intention to commit all manner of
grave crimes against society; and all this goes to the
public through the columns of the public prints of
the large towns and cities, whose support comes
largely from the i)atronagc of the abused classes,
reminding me of the story of the wounded eagle
that saw its own feather guiding the arrow that
pierced its heart » » ♦ • They have
under the pretense of rights granted them by our
Legislature, usurped a portion of our sovereignty,
Th(^y clcfy our authority, and rob us univers.ally
and Bj'stematically under the sacred name of law;
every year <'ntrcii(liing themselves more strongly in
power, until they shall have finally raised upon the
ruins of pul)lic liberty a moneyed oligarcliy more
oppressive than the monarchies of the Old World.

VKBTED niOHTS.

Now a word imder the doctrine of vested rights
which is held in such reverence by the most of the

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

315

An English poet of the last

legal profession,
century says;

"Such dupeB are men to custom, and bo prone
To reTorence what is ancient,.aml can plead
A course of long observance for its use.
To even vested rights, those worst of ills.
Because delivered down from sire to son.
Are kept and guarded as a sacred thing."

It is under this 'doctrine railroad corporations
sliield themselves in committing their extortions
and robberies. It is a doctrine which irrew up under
despotic governments and is said in its inception to
havebeenin the interests of liberty shielding the com-
mon people under certain chartered rights, granted
by the king, from the oppressions of the great barons
who claimed their allegiance and service. But it has
no business in free America. In this country it is a
grant against liberty and not in its favor. It is not,
as of old, an act enfranchising the few, but enslav-
ing the many. "The same process, which, wlien the
people were debased, elevated them to their proper
level, now, when the people are elevated and oc-
cupy the lofty place of equal political rights,
debases them to a comparative servitude."

Away with it then, since it does not belong to
the jurisprudence of a free people, and can not co-
exist with liberty and equal rights. Let it be buried
with the dead past, where it belongs. I hear peo-
ple say we must go slow; we must be careful not to
wrong the railroad companies; let us be just and
fair, even liberal. We must

"Be meek and gentle with these liutchers."

But if they have all the money and all the brains,
as some claim, and the right to do as they please,
as they claim, one would think they might take
care of themselves, which all experience proves
that thus far they have been able to do.

But who has any wish to harm them? I know
of no one. It is right and justice, or some ap-
proach to them, that we are after. Having sub-
mitted to wrong for many years, we think it about
time to seek redress, and some of the people do
mean to re-establish the supremacy of the Govern-
ment over the railroads, make them submit to law,
and regulate them as right and justice demand.
* * * They will so constitute the courts that
they will sustain the liberties of the people, with-
out regard to any precedent or old decision what-
ever. * * * Mr. Harris, in his talk before the
Railroad Committee, two years ago, insisted that
we should so legislate that this company (theC, B.
& Q.) could make good dividends— eight or ten per
cent at least. But how is it with the millions of

people by whom, and for whose more especial bene-
fit this Government was instituted, and is sustained?
Are they not as much entitled to legislation that will
ensure good dividends, as these railroads? Nay,
more, for they are children to the manor born,
while the most of the railroad stock is owned by
foreigners, and is controlled by a set of Wall
Street gamblers, passing from hand to hand, like a
shuttle-cock. The railroad rings have absorbed
nearly all the earnings of our people for many
years, and made themselves rich. Is it not about
time the tables were turned? Cannot these people
who have made such enormous dividends afford to
take something less for a time, while the crushed
people take a breathing-spell, and recruit a little?
Is it not our right, nay, our duty, to compel them
to do it, and thus save our people from poverty and
our liberties from annihilation?

The times are sadly out of joint. Many of our
public men, who have long been trusted, have lost
the confidence of the people. Corruption, bribery
and peculation have taken the place of old-fash-
ioned integrity and honest dealings with the men of
all parties, in our State and National councils.
Force and fraud are more common and more suc-
cessful in their schemes than ever before in the
history of our country. There has never been a
time when murders and other high crimes were so
frequent and so boldly committed, or when human
life was held so cheap, or when legislation was so
corrupt, and the administration of justice so lax ;
when the sanctity of an oath was so little regarded;
when taxation was so oppressive on the mass of
the people, or when public funds were so crim-
inally or needlessly wasted, and our public treas-
uries so shamelessly plundered.

" The frequency of crimes has washed thorn white.'*

*******

Scarce an instance of legislative or judicial
bribery has come to light that could not be traced
to some connection with railroads. The corrupting
influence of money, in the hands of tlieir emissa-
ries — money wrongfully filched from your pockets —
is sapping the very foundations of society. Kail-
road men subsidize the press, fee leading attorneys,
and .seek the favor of all active business men and
other men of influence, by special favors, and all at
the expense of the people who foot the bill.

[Here follows a brief and lucid account of the
celebrated Dartmouth College case, and an explana-
tion that it was not a decision tliat would sustain,
except by the grossest distortion, the claims of the
railroads and their attorneys.— Ed.]

316

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

It is time this error of opinion was corrected,
and a more just and sensible one promulgated. If
our courts and attorneys cannot of themselves
arrive at a more correct opinion — if they cannot
seg that the doctrine of vested rights, as applied to
railroads, strikes at the verj' foundation of our
liberties — it is for the people at large to give them
lessons in State and National jurisprudence. The
common instinct of the people teaches them better.
They see the danger, and are determined to avoid
it. If our courts will cling to this radical error, we
must, as wc have opportunity, replace them with
men of more enlightened and just convictions.

This talk that the people condemn the courts for
deciding the law to be what it really is, is all non-
sense, as much as to say the law is an exact science
like mathematics, and that Judges can cipher out
an infaliblc decision. The decision of the court is
only the opinion of the men constituting the court
—usually founded upon the opinion of other men
given in similar cases. It may be right and it may
be wrong. Another court may and ought to set it
aside, if they believe it contrary to justice, and the
best good of those concerned. Law. as administered,
is for the time being what the court of last resort
declares it to be. It is true there are immutable
principles of right and justice, which ought to gov-
ern courts. And it is equ.ally true that .ludges, who
arc only men with the prejudices and imperfections
common to us all. do not ahvay lind tlie right, or if
they do, are not always controlled by it in making
up their decisions. » » »

Mr. President and gentlemen, reflecting upon the
subject under consideration, it has seemed to me
the hope of the Xalion in this crisis is with the
people of these Northwestern Stales, and I think I
can give good reasons for my opinion. Ours is a
great vegregalcd population, by wliich I mean, that
with us generally each individual man in his ma-
terial interest, at least stands more independent of
every other man than is the case in any other part of
our country. Tliert; is a smaller part of our people
who are directly and ne<-essarily dependent upon
others for labor and bread, than in any other sec-
tion of tliis Nation. They are also less controlled
by the conventionalities of society than in the older
StatCM where wealth is more in the hands of the few.
Our people are consecpiently better prepared to net
independently and more din'ctly upon their convic-
tions of right, and more decidedly and intelligently
for the pulilic good. Now let us turn to the older
StalcH, Massachusetts, for example. There the pre-
ponderance of population and political power is in

the cities and manufacturing villages. There a
larger majority of voters are under the influence, if
not control, of the wealthy employer or corporation.
Thus the corporate wealth of the State, consisting
of the railroads and the great manufacturing estab-
lishments, which are essentially one in interest, con-
trol the ])olitical destinies of the State. So completely
is this the case that their Railroad Commissioners de-
clare, in their report, that the railroads are the con-
trolling power in the Legislature. The other New
England States are no exception in this respect, and
New .Jersey and Pennsylvania are not far behind,
while New York is essentially controlled by her vast,
overshadowing corrupt metropolis and monopolies."

One is almost led to think that in thi.s last para-
graph Mr. Hryant was foreseeing what would .soon
come in the way of distorting and misrepresenting
the people of Illinois, and especially the people of
Bureau County, in the entire false coloring of this
very important chapter in history. He plainly in-
dicates that such a movement could only start in
the Northwest, as it did, and that it is here the
country will some day learn to look for its bold
and able defenders — to the people possessing that
genius of freedom that dares stand up in the face of
all the world and assert their rights.

During the past summer several places have come
forward as the champion spots of the birth-place of
the Republican party. We believe some place in
Maine, August 13 last, celebrated the anniversary
of this great event. There are hundreds of people
here living in the county that will recollect a meet-
ing held on the grounds of J. H. Bryant, .Itily 4,
1S.54. where resolutions were passed and an organ-
ization formed, and as Judge Stipp informs us,
named Republican party, and many persons signed
the articles or constitution, and this was the same
organization that extended over the country and in
six years after ils birth elected Abniham Lincoln
President. There is strong evidence going to prove
the fact that here was the birth-place of the Repub-
lican party. Here, too, originated the idea and
Anally the act of the Slate Legislature which led to
the building of the noted and splendid Princeton
High School, and the general law cmpoweringother
townships in the Slate to build similar schools.

We assume the fact that these three things are
great historical events; events that have had. and
will continue to have, immense influence and effect
throughout the Stale and Nation. And like many of
the gn'atest events in history [hat were treighled
with the weal of Cbristendom, and that will grow

O Lcf /?^,rL.^

FUBLiU

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

and deepen for incalculable generations to come,
they came so silently, were born of the brain and
heart of men so retiring by their very nature, that
their nearest neighbors heard no bluster and brag
and noise, and really were not aware that they were
moving in the midst of events that would never be
forgotten, and that would, be studied and con-
templated in the long after-ages as the pages of
most absorbing interest.

It is not thenoisy events, or the notorious and noisy
men that are always the true themes of the histo-
rian. But it is this common error of writers that talk
so long and ,so learnedly and so silly often, about
notorious things in the belief that they are theonly
items in history worth considering. The writer
remembers hearing, not long ago, a discussion in a
literary society of "Who is the greatest living
American?" One speaker bravely contended it was
Seth Green, the father of fish culture. Another
speaker ridiculed the Green idea; inquired who ever
heard of Green, and contended that Beecher was
the man, because everybody knew of Beecher, and
declared that the whole population would turn out
to see him if he was to come to the village, etc., etc.
The neat retort was, that if notoriety constituted
greatness, then Guiteau, the assassin (who was then
on trial), was tlie greatest man in the world. To
ninety-nine men in.a hundred, all they ask is, Was
he ever in Congress or worth a million dollars, and
if not, they jump to the conclusion, " Oh. he wasn't
much — no greater tlian I am." They can estimate
a man only by the noise he makes, much as did the
darkey when he said. " That was the biggest speech
I ever heard; why. you could liear it a mile."

We have no hesitation in saying that Bureau
County will eventually go into history as the his-
toric county in the Nation, and she will wear this
great title from the men who have passed their act-
ive lives here and wrought out some of the most
important events in our Nation's history.

CHAPTER XVII.

Thb Illinois akd Michioan Canai.— HisToav of the Pboj«ct or

EXTENDINO TO THE MISSISSIPPI RiVIR— JaOOB QaLER, TH«

Father OF THE Scheme— Some Cdeious Lkoislatiok— Inteb-
NAL Improvements— Some Statutory Ptrotecnics, etc., «to.

We sing the song of the farmer.
Who tills the stubborn soil.
And feeds earth's countless millions
With the fruits of his patient toil.

—John H. Bryant.

AS early as 1821 the Legislature appro-
priated $10,000 for a survey of the
route of this canal. Judge Smith and others
were appointed Commissioners, and they ap-
pointed Ren6 Paul, of St. Louis, and Justin
Post, of Cairo, as engineers. They surveyed
the route, reported the work easily practica-
ble, and estimated it would cost $600,000 or
$700,000. In 1826 Congress donated to the
State about 300,000 acres of land on the
route of the canal. The stock was never
subscribed. In 1828 another law was passed,
providing for the sale of lots and land, for
the appointment of a Board of Commission-
ers, and for the commencement of the work.
Nothing was done under the law, except the
sale of some of the lands, and a new survey
of the line and a new estimate, by the new
engineer, Mr. Bucklin. He ran the estimate
up into millions, instead of thousands, but
still too low, as experience finally demon-
strated. After this second failure there were
various projects of giving the work to a com-
pany, or of making a railroad over the con-
templated route. But nothing effectual was
proposed to be done until in the Legislature
of 1834-35.

George Farquer, of Sangamon County, was
Chairman of the Senate Committee of In-
ternal Improvements, and ho made a masterly
State paper in a report on the canal project,

218

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

and recommended the authorization of a loan
of the State credit, which passed the Senate,
but failed in the House. Its failure in the
House was principally due to the fact that
the Governor, in his message, had asserted
with great confidence that the money for the
work could be obtained upon a pledge of the
lands alone. And Farquer's bill, thus
amended, became a law. This was the first
efiScient movement toward the construction of
the canal. The loan failed, but at a special
session of 1835 a law was introduced by
James M. Strode, of Peoria, authorizing a
loan of $500,000 on the credit of the State.
This loan was negotiated by (jov. Duncan in
1836, and with this money the work was com-
menced in the month of June of that year.
William F. Thornton, of Shelby County,
Gurdon S. Hubbard, of Chicago, and Will-
iam B. Archer, of Clark County, were the
first Canal Commissioners.

In the spring of 1836 the great land and
town lot speculation of those times had fairly
set in and was affecting the whole country,
and Illinois was a favorite field for the wild
craze that took posseHsion of the people. It
seemed to commence in this State first in
Chicago, and was the means of starting up
that place and at once transforming it from
a mere trading-post to a struggling, bustling
town of several thousand inhabitants — looking
BOmething like a flock of new barnw had alight-
ed among boggs and mud puddles and had most
of them brought their stilts along to alight
upon. The stories of the sudden fortunes
made there traveled over the civilized world,
exciting the amazement and wonder of men,
and the pell-mell rush commenced. A spirit
of gambling was started there and specula-
tors and adventurers and all were wild with
a desire for sudden and splendid wealth.
Chicago had for a few years been only a great
town market. It now became an immense

"Board of Trade." For hundreds of miles
around the plats of towns were carried there
to be disposed of at auction. From one end
of the State to the other, indeed, into other
States, the infection spread, and at Cairo the
absolute furor was worse even than in Chi-
cago, and there was D. B. Holbrook and his
great " South Sea Bubble," backed not only
by every politician and statesman in south-
ern Illinois, but by the State Legislature it-
self. And upon the State statute books of
that day are solemn acts of the Legislature
enacting " by the authority of the people of
the State of Illinois," that Cairo was high
and diy above high water mark — that it was
the natural point for the great city of the
New World. Solemnly these men enacted the
most absurd spread-eagle auctioneer stump
speeches and were ready to vote the State's
credit — fortunately there was no money in
the treasury — to these mad-cap schemes
where they had purchased or been given lots.
The East caught the infection, and every
vessel coming West was loaded with peofjle,
bound for these fairy cities of the West. But
as it was impossible for the people of the old
States to get here fast enough for the desires
of the Western speculators, they freighted the
returning vessels with town lots, cities, parks,
fountains, colleges (good places for them),
canals, railroads, etc. Lands and town lots
were the only exports of the country, pretty
much the sum total of the productions, and
the decorative arts were taxed in producing
those highly colored lithographs of cities
(that wore to be) with their six and eight-
story blocks and squares, their magnificent
public buildings, schoolhouses. churches, foun-
tains, parks and lawns; elegant carriages
and equipages, the smoking chimney stacks
of factories, glittering spires and minarets
filled the distant prospective of the alluring
pictures. And upon great auction days in

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

319

these leading embryo cities would gather the
people by thousands — statesmen, poets, edi-
tors, literary men and great orators — and
with bands of music the momentous event
would be inaugui'ated by the people assem-
bling about the platforms erected for the
auctioneers and commence exercises, dedicate
them, as it were, by a poem, perhaps by
George D. Prentice, and speeches from some
of the most celebrated orators from Kentucky
or Ohio,' and then the auctioneer would com-
mence and at fabulous prices lots out two or
three miles in the swamps and jungles would
be scrambled for.

Across in Missouri one of these towns,
called Marion City, was laid off on the banks
of the river, a bottom prairie, surrounded by
swamps. The founder of this city had dis-
covered the spot in the dry season of the year
and he at once commenced extended opera-
tions. He borrowed money and commenced
building warehouses, mills and factories, and
here came the people, and temporary tents,
brush huts and cabins were put up. So im-
mense was this promised city that fifteen
miles back on an elevation was laid off
grounds for a college, and a railroad was to
be built from the city to the institution. The
first little rise that came in the river flooded
the place, and then money was borrowed and
levees were built. This gave work to thous-
ands of men, as they were seven or eight
miles long and averaged over seven feet high.
And then people would come and every steam-
boat was laden with fresh immigrants, the
most of whom had had their houses all framed
and made ready to put up on their an-ival.
The spring freshets came and the city and
levees and all were soon lost from view be-
neath the eddying waters.

This rage for new towns was so general
and the paper towns became so numerous
that the wags began to say that the whole

State would be just towns with not enough
room left for a single farm. After Marion
City had been literally swept from the face
of the earth by the waters, a cartoon appeared
in an Eastern paper, which represented
parties in a flat-boat with long poles hunting
for their houses. One man had run down
his pole a great length and exclaimed: "I
think I felt the top of my chimney."

When the present generation reads the
story of the internal improvement ci'aze that
seized ujjon the State about this time through
the Legislature, and which resulted in State
banki'uptcy, they are apt to wonder how so
many fools in finance and business could have
been gathered together at the Capital. But
the facts we have given above explain the
action of the State, and is only another proof
that in a representative government the con-
dition of the public mind is generally truly
reflected in the law makers. Or, in other
words, the best of legislative bodies are no
more to be implicitly trusted for wisdom
than are their constituents, and may fm-nish
the student of history a hint that the dema-
gogue's often repeated assertion that vox pop-
uli, vox Dei, is to be receivedcitw (//'a^io salis.

It was this widespread craze that unsettled
the judgments of business men, and the evi-
dence of honest sincerity of the proprietors
of these paper towns, especially along the
rivers, is given by the fact that while they
borrowed immense sums of money in the
East and in Europe, they expended it in
levees that were washed away, and in houses
and foundations for great public buildings
that were flooded before they were built, and
the bubble would burst and wreck proprietor
and purchasers in one common ruin.

Hence, as already intimated, in the fall of
1836 began the agitation of the system of
internal improvements. It was argued that
Illinois had all the advantages to become a

230

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

great State; that ber soil, climate and vast
territory were such as to invite people here
and make all who would come rich. All it
needed was inhabitants and enterprise, and
these would be invited by a liberal system ot
State improvements. Public meetings were
called and resolutions passed and this new
craze spread over the State so rapidly that be-
fore the Legislature of that winter assembled,
delegates were appointed by the people's
meetings and they were to meet in a great
Convention at the Capital simultaneously
with the Legislature. This Convention had
much greater men in it than did the legisla-
tive body. It formed a plan and pointed out
ways for the vast improvements by the State,
and in its communication to the Legislature it
concluded with this siguiticant phrase: "that
it should be commensurate with the wants of
the people." This was the culmination of
the new frenzy, and wild speculation once
more became the order of the day, and every
means was adopted to hastily give an artifi-
cial value to property. People surrendered
their judgments to the dictates of the wild-
est imaginations. No scheme was so extrav-
agant as not to appear plausible to some.
Experience had taught them that their own
pockets were not inexhaustible, but now the
State had stepped in they never dreamed that
there could come an end to the golden
stream from this fountain. Possibilities were
argued into probabilities and the latter into
infallibilities.

The people were doo])ly moved and their
actions influenced the legislators, and in the
memorable session of that body of 1837 it
passed an act ])roviding for a canal from Peru
to Chicago, for making the Kaskaskia Kiver
and the Little Wabash an<l Hock Rivers nav-
igable, and for railroads from Galena to
Cairo; from Alton to Mt. Carmel; from Alton
to the east boundary of the State in the direc-

tion of Terre Haute; from Quincy via Spring-
field to the Wabash Kiver; from Bloomington
to Pekin; and from Peoria to Warsaw. In
addition to the canal and rivers there were
1,300 miles of railroad provided for. A sep-
arate loan of §4,000,000 was for the Peru &
Chicago Canal. The Legislature had already
provided for Canal Commissioners and now a
Board of Fund Commissioners wus created,
which was to negotiate the loan for the whole
of the contemplated improvements, as well as
a Board of Public Works, one for each of the
seven judicial circuitsof the State. This Board
was to superintend the works, and the crown-
ing folly of the act was a provision that the
works should all commence at the same time,
at each end of the roads, and at the river
crossings. Thus was a swarm of officials pro-
vided for, and their control and appointment
became one general political intrigue. The
Legislature was to elect these multitudes of
men to expend the people's millions, and that
honorable body came very near making cor-
rupt combinations to elect and appoint each
other to all the best places, although the Con-
stitution made them ineligible, by providing
that no member should be appointed to an
office created during the term for which he
had been elected. Gov. Duncan had to declare
he would not commission members, if elected,
to these offices. And the Legislature attempt-
ed to pass a law to nullify the Constitution by
dispensing with a commission from the Gov-
ernor, in the face of the provision of the
fundamental law that "all civil officers should
be commissioned" by him. The Legislature
made a vigorous light against the Governor
and the Constitution and adjourned from day
to day. And the people were not shocked by
theee flagrant acts of their representatives.

The Long Nine. — All the north part of
the State was deeply interested in the canal.
Sangamon County was then represented by

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

221

the immortal Long Nine, two Senators and
seven Representatives, as follows: Abra-
ham Lincoln, E. D. Baker, John Dawson,
Ninian W. Edwards, W. F. Elkin, A. McCor-
mick, Daniel Stone and Robert L. Wilson
were the Representatives, and Archer G.
Herndon and Job Fletcher in the Senate.
Sangamon County wanted the State Capital
from Fayette County, and the " Long Nine "
were a conspicuous power in that session of
the Legislature. Of the means used in the
Legislature, Gov. Ford says: "The canal
was threatened if other sections of the State
were denied the improvements demanded by
them; and thus the friends of the canal were
forced to log-roll for that work by support-
ing others which were to be ruinous to the
country. Roads and improvements were pro-
posed everywhere, to enlist every section of
the State. Three or four efforts were made
to pass a smaller system, and when defeated,
the bill would be amended by the addition of
other roads, until a majority was obtained
for it. Those counties which could not obtain
a road were to receive their portion of the
1200,000 set apart for them. Three
roads had to bo made to terminate at
Alton, before the Alton interest would agree
to the system. The seat of government was
to be removed to Springfield. Sangamon
County was represented by the ' Long Nines,'
the seven Whigs (only one of the ten being
a Democrat) in the house, and two Whig
Senators. Amongst them were some dextrous
jugglers and managers in polities, whose
whole object was to obtain the seat of govern-
ment for Springfield. The ' Long Nine '
threw themselves as a unit in support of, or
opposition to, every local measure of interest,
but never without a bargain for votes in
return on the seat of government question.
Most of the counties were small, having but
one Representative, and many of them with

but one for a whole district, and this gave
Sangamon County a decided preponderance
in the log-rolling system of those days. *
* * By such means the ' Long Nine '
rolled along like a snow-ball gathering acces-
sions of strength at every turn, until they
swelled up a considerable party for Spriug-
tield to be the seat of government. Thus it
was made to cost the State about 10,000,000
to remove the seat of government from Van-
dalia to Springfield." This Legislature will
forever possess a historical interest far beyond
that of any other legislative body in the his-
tory of the State. A list of some of the men
who were in the Legislature and who voted
for the internal improvement system is
enough to immortalize it as a lawmaking
body. Among others were Abraham Lincoln,
Stephen A. Douglas, Ninian W. Edwards,
Gov. A. C. French, -John Hogan. U. F. Linder,
John A. McClernand, Lieut. -Gov. Moore,
Gen. James Shields, (afterward Senator
from three States), Robert Smith, (Congress-
man), Judge Dan Stone, James Semple, the
Speaker, and afterward United States Sena-
tor. All these voted in the affirmative. Of
those who voted in the negative, the only
ones who attained any eminence were William
A. Richardson (short term in the United
States Senate), Col. John J. Hardin and
John Dement.

The internal improvement laws and those
other equally bad laws of the State banks
ran their career in about three years; and in
1840. after they were exhausted for evil, the
Legislature commenced repealing the acts.
The Presidential election coming on that
year, the people of Illinois forgot their
own sad financial condition in the din and
general hurrah over the "coonskin and
hard-cider" campaign. No politician was
ever called to account for the grievous mis-
take of voting for the bad laws. They had

222

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

not been party measures, and all prominent
politicians were equally guilty with the
people, and in fact the people rather seemed
to sympathize with these erring brothers, and
the list of those who voted for the meas-
ures, and they were advanced in life much
above those level-headed and certainly
honest members of the Legislature who
faced the public storm and voted " No."

But to go back a little. The work upon
these improvements was commenced upon
all the railroads and upon the canal. The
Board cf Canal Commissioners, in pui'su-
ance of law, projected a magnificent work,
and even completed small portions of it, in a
manner creditable to the engineers and con-
tractors. But here again was the spirit of
over-calculation working its cruel mischiefs.
The United States, in 1820, had donated
300,000 acres of land to this work. And
now, in the frenzy of the hour, these lands
were estimated at a fabulous value, and
hence the Commissioners supposed their
funds were inexhaustible for carrying on
the work, and they projected a large and
deep canal, to be fed by the waters of Lake
Michigan. To complete their vast plans and
make a steamboat canal, would cost about
$9,000,000, but this was nothing in the esti-
mation of the Commissioners.*

But the inevitable crash came, and the

•Hon. .Tohn ^V<'ntworth tells the following niiiiiHing incident,
iu rt'ganl to the coiitnienct-incnl oIIIh- work on the canal:

" On the llliof .luly, lultfi, every num, M'onian and child in the
city i( hicago,, who^e health would p(;rniit, went down to where
tlic canal wan to he commenced, then called Canaliiort, and cel-
ebrated the removal of the first Hbovelfiil of dirt by the t'anal
('oniinlMioner. Near the place was a living spring of water.
The men c))('p{>e<l np tlie lenionK of 8(>veral hilt t>ax«sund threv
tbeio into the npring, to nuike lemonade lor the temjierance peo-
ple. Then theyn|Miiled the lemonade by einntying into it a
whole barrel of whlf«ky. which no penetrated Ino fcmntain-hcad
of the Hpring, thai ltridge|rort iieople feel the elfecU of it to thii)
day. All of you who have ever hiMird the lale I>r. William B.
Kgan. the inont eloquent of the many elo<|nent Irish oralors Chi-
cago ban ever iiad. will reiiM-niber li'ow loud he wa« of quoting
I*oi»e's jioetry. Some of his audience had (|uietly stolen away, and
aitlo'y had 'supposed) unobs4'r\e<l by him, t4i slake their thirst at
the spring, when be br<iught d<iwn tbo crowd by pointing bis
finger at Iriem and exelaiiuing :

' Prink deep, or lanle not that Pierian spring,
]ta shallow drauglti-s intoxicate the brain,
But drloklDg largely aobera you aijain.' "

State was plunged over $14,000,000 in debt,
and out of it all the State afterward went on
and finished about forty miles of railroad,
and did eventually complete the Peru &
Michigan Canal, at a cost of over $6,000,000.
The forty miles of railroad cost the State over
a 81,000,000, and the State eventually sold
this and took its pay in evidences of State
indebtedness for $100,000. But on the canal
investments it seems the State was never so
greatly wronged. The canal lauds brought
the State over $5,000,000, and its earnings
over expenses of operating have been over
$2,000,000. The termini of the canal are
Chicago and Hennepin, and for many years the
States of Illinois and Iowa have been deeply
concerned in extending this great work from
Hennepin to the Mississippi River. It is
now believed that it is only a question of
time when the General Government will take
the present canal (which is offered as a free
gift, if completed to the Mississippi River) and
make it a great artery of cheap transportation
from the Mississippi to the sea shore. This is a
matter of vast interest to Bureau County —
the leading county of its size in the United
States in its area of corn grown. Every ten
years the county will produce an average of
over 100,000,000 bushels of corn. On this
one article of corn alone then a canal would
be worth over $5,000,000 to the county every
ten years, or $500,000 yearly. Every cent
transportation is cheapened to the sea shore
adds that much to the value of the crops, and
hence it proportionally increases the value of
the land.

The great problem of this age, especially
to the peoi)le of the Upper Missi88ip|)i Val-
ley, is cheap transportation, and every day it
is more and more pressing for a solution.
The iiiten^st iu this subject in the six States
of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Minne-
sota and AVisconsin may be partially under-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

228

stood wheu we reflect that these States annu-
ally produce of wheat, corn and oats 1,047,-
536,850 bushels. And to show how rapidly,
too, the increase of production is going on,
we may cite one of many that we might give
as instances. In Iowa the wheat from 1849
to 1860 aggregated 50,000,000 bushels; from
1860 to 1870, 195,000,000; from 1870 to 1881
it was 375,000,000 bushels. The total wheat
crop of the United States in 1867 was 181,-
199,000 bushels, and in 1881 it was 498,-
549,000 bushels, and the larger portion of
this increase was in the Upper Mississippi
Valley, the locality deeply interested in the
extension of the Illinois and Michigan Canal.
This is the locality that is destined, is already,
the chief producer of American exports.
Those European markets are no longer left
to the supply by American producers. These
are invited, but only in competition with those
of other countries. The freight rates to be
paid in transporting products from the Upper
Mississippi to Liverpool often alone deter-
mine the possibility or impossibility of profit-
able exportation. On this point we are fur-
nished the most conclusive evidence. A com-
mittee which had its sessions in New York
in September, 1881, recorded the testimony
of members of the New York Produce Ex-
change, which asserted that it frequently hap-
pened that the difference of one cent per
bushel in the price of wheat in New York
City determined the ability or inability of
the commission men and dealers to make ship-
ments to European markets. One shipper
placed that controlling difference as low "as
one-fourth of a cent per bushel. It was also
the concurrent statement of several of the
gentlemen testifying that advance in freight
rates frequently estopped grain exportations,
while freight reductions stimulated such
movements of cereals, and gave legitimate
impetus to the grain markets of the entire
country.

So manifestly correct are these several tes-
timonies, that they were even anticipated by
Mr. Joseph Nimmo, Jr., of the Bureau of
Statistics, when he said, in his report on the
commerce of the United States for 1880 (page
154):

"The price of all commodities of low
value in proportion to weight is in every mar-
ket greatly affected by the cost of transporta-
tion.

" Especially is this the case in regard to
the surplus agricultural products of the West-
ern and Northwestern States. The low rates
which prevail for transportation upon the
Northern water lines, therefore, exercises an
important regulating influence over the price
of all the products of the West, not only in
the markets of the Atlantic seaboard States,
but also in foreign countries. It is due chief-
ly to this fact, during the last ten years, that
the value of domestic exports from the United
States has greatly increased, and that since
the year ended June 30, 1875, the value of
exports from the United States has largely
exceeded the value of imports to the United
States,"

Scarcely less important to the Upper Mis-
sissippi Valley region than the export of its
products, rendered possible and profitable
only when cheap transportation is secured,
is the ready and inexpensive delivery of its
imports. The aggregate of these increases
year by year, while it has already reached
proportion and value which are literally im-
mense. Thus, not only are vast totals of
anthracite coal and crude and manufactured
iron from Pennsylvania, pottery from New
Jersey and Ohio, hard woods from Indiana,
and stone and bituminous coal from eastern
Illinois, shipped in large quantities to the
Upper Mississippi Valley States, but the cot-
ton goods of Massachusetts, the woolens of
Rhode Island, the machinery of Connecticut,
the agricultural implements of New York, all

224

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

constituting heavy bulk freights, are con-
stantly adding to the number of their con-
sumers in the wide area of territory to be
more immediately benefited by the constrnc-
tion of the Hennepin Canal.

A single locality may be specifically men-
tioned as furnishing significant illustration
of the general fact thus urged to attention.
The tricities of 3toline, Davenport and Rock
Island (to name each in the order of its manu-
facturing importance) have had their respec-
tive busine.ss interests carefully revised in
statistical form, at the close of each year for the
columns of the Davenport Gazette. The last of
these reports — that of January 1. 1883, for the
year 1882 — presents some notevyorthy figures.
A single plow manufactory establishment at
Moline (Deere k, Co.) consumed in 1882
1,110 tons of steel, 3,000 tons of wrought
iron, 900 tons of pig iron, 300 tons of malle-
able iron, 2,000,000 feet of oak and ash lum-
ber, 400 tons of grindstones, 30 tons of
emery, and 250 barrels of oil and varnish,
employing weekly 700 men. Another estab-
lishment (the Moline Plow Company's Works)
used only a less aggregate of similar ma-
terial, the value of the products of these two
establishments footing up to $2,500,000 for
the year. The Moline Wagon Company
manufactured goods to the value of $625,-
000; the Deere & Mansur Planter Company,
to the value of $600,000; the two malleable
iron companies, to the value of $280,000; the
machine, engine and boiler shops, to the
value of $480,000; the \m\wY mills, to the
value of $150,000, the pump factory, to the
value of $125,000; while the saw-mills and
other establishments aggregated a yield of
products exceeding in value $1,00((,000 more.
In Davenport the enumerated manufactures
for the year -agricultural im])lements, lum-
ber, flour, oatmeal, glucose, carriages, woolen
goods, cigars, clothing, etc. — aggregated a

value of $5,864,876; and the value by jobbing
houses, the sum of $8,046,730; the shipments
of local freights by three railroads, 17,536
car-loads, and the receipts, 16,653 car-loads.
In Rock Island the plow works manufactiu*ed
goods in excess of 1,000,000 in value; theglass
works to the value of $200,0(X) ; stove works,
to the value of $1,000,000; the saw-mills, 80,-
031,866 feet of lumber only, 18,328,750
shingles, 16,653,000 latb, and 198,650 pick-
ets. If to this partial exhibit of the manu-
facturing interest of Rock Island City were
added those of the United States Arsenal, on
Rock Island, the aggregate of railroad ship-
meats would be 17,982 car loads shipped and
18,258 forwarded by four roads, including
the receipts and exports of coal, largely
mined from the extensive coal-fields lying
within an area of fifteen miles east and south-
east of Rock Island.

The construction of a canal to connect the
waters of the Upper Mississippi with those
of the lakes, by way of the Illinois &
Michigan Canal, has long been earnestly de-
sired by the people occupying the vast area
lying west of Chicago and seeking improved
channels of communication with that city and
the East. Four times— in 1864, 1870, 1874
and 1882, respectively — has the General As-
sembly of Iowa, by concurrent action on the
part of each of its branches, specifically
memorialized Congi-e.s8 for the opening of
such a canal by the General Government.
The Legislature of Illinois has also similarly
addressed its appeal to Congress repeatedly,
the last occasion being that of the special
session of that body last year. These two
States, thus speaking through their represent-
atives, embrace more than 5,000,000 of
people. Their expression of opinion and
desire have been earnestly supported, too, by
resolutions adopted by such Boards of Trade
as those of St. Paul, La Crosse, Duluth,

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

225

Davenport, Rock Island and Chicago in the
Northwest, and those of Buffalo, Syracuse
and New York in the East, and by the reso-
lutions of the Senate branch of the New York
Assembly last May, which would have been
concurred in by the House had the session
had two days longer continuance. In the
city of New York, particularly, not only on
the Board of Trade and Transportation, but
the "Produce Exchange," a body numbering
in its membership nearly 3,000 of the pro-
duce commission and other business men of
that city, have addressed Congress in urgent
appeals in behalf of the canal in question,
usually denominated the "Hennepin Canal."
In May, 1881, there assembled in Davenport,
Iowa, a delegate body of about four hundred
members, representing commercial bodies,
municipal corporations, and farmers' associa-
tions, of seven different States, expressly to
urge upon the attention of the country the
desirability of and the necessity for the con-
struction of the said canal by the General
Government. That Convention, attended and
addressed by Governors of States, members
of Congress and prominent business men,
emphatically urged upon Congress the great
importance of the proposed canal as a means
to secure to the people a greatly needed im-
provement of facilities for the transportation
of their products and commodities.

Exactly what a boon the extension of this
canal will become to all the country west and
northwest of Chicago, will be plainly seen
by the following table of railroad charges
for 1880:

RAILRO.iDS H.IVrNG COMPETITION IN WATER'kOUTES.

Per ton per mile

New York Central Railroad $0 00.88

Pennsylvania Railroad 00.88

New York, Erie & Western Railroad 00.84

Philadelphia & Erie Railroad 00.56

Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad 00.75

Michigan Central Railroad 00.842

Pittsburgh & Ft. Wayne Railroad for

1879, for 1880 not given 00.76

RAILROADS NOT COMPELLED TO MEET WATER-ROUTE

COMPETITION.

Per ton jjor mile.

Boston & Albany Railroad $0 01.20

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad

(for 1879, for 1880 not given) 01.023

Chicago & Northwestern Railroad (for

1879,, for 1880 not given) 01,49

Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad

(for 1879, for 1880 not given) 01.76

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad

(for 1879, for 1880 not given) 01.21

Erie Canal rate for 1880 |0 00.49

When the great work is completed to the
Mississippi River, — perhaps eventually ex-
tended to all the great granaries of the North-
west beyond the Mississippi — the first point
of historical interest to posterity will be, who
was the originator of the idea; whose brain
conceived it, and who is entitled to the im-
perishable honor of being its sponsor? In
this light the following letter will be read
with great interest by not only the people of
Bureau County, but all who are interested in
the Hennepin Canal, or the story of some of
the remarkable men, who like the writer of
this letter, have pioneered civilization liter-
ally across the continent. When the great
national canal, as it will be some day, is com-
pleted to the Mississippi River, it should be
made the eternal monument of its projectors.
The following is the letter in full:

"Seattle, W. T., April 13, 1884.
"Mr. H. C. Bradsby.

' ' Dear Sir : I have received your letter of
inquiry and will try to answer it.

" You said you saw in your local paper that
I was the originator of the idea of the Hen-
nepin Canal project: — To give you the mov-
ing cause, I must go back a few years prior
to that time. My father's name was Peter
Galer; he had ten children. I was the fourth.
I was said to be the first white child born in
Fairfield County, Ohio; my birthplace was
near Lancaster, and in the year 1807, August
20. My father moved to Licking County,
Ohio, when I was one year old, where I lived

226

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

until I moved to Illinois in 1834, crossing
the Illinois River the '20th day of August
(my twenty-seventh birthday).

While in Ohio (in 1825) on the 4th of
July, at what was called the Licking Summits
on the Erie & Ohio Canal I saw Gov. Mor-
row take out the first wheelbarrow load of
dirt from the canal. Shortly after I hired
as a common laborer to work on the canal at
$12 per month, but by taking the part of a
boy that the superintendent of the job was
abusing, the superintendent was discharged
and I was given his place. From that time I
superintended the job until the canal was
completed. I then engaged in buildingsaw-
mills. There was a reservoir to feed the
summit level and south of that a deep cut that
for three miles averaged thirty three feet
digging. From the circumstance of heavy
rains, and seaps in the banks, it kept wash-
ing and 8li])ping in until a boat half loaded
could not pass through the deep cut. About
that time the reservoir broke, and they could
not get anyone to repair it permanently, so
they sent thirty-five miles to me for me to
try what I could do. After I spent several
hundred dollars in repairing, I originated
the idea of a new reservoir on the west
of the old one. The bank of the old reser-
voir was the tow path of the canal. There
were several thousand of acres of swamp land
that I proposed to utilize for the new reser-
voir with a lock at its north side, also one at
the south end of the deep cut, thereby rais-
ing the water twelve feet in the deep cut. I
reported this plan at headquarters and it was
approved and carried out. That was my ex-
perience at canaling at Ohio.

As I said before, I crossed the Illinois
River at Hennepin on the 20th of August,
1834. I was in company with my parents,
four sisters and three brothers. AVe went up
Robinson's River or Bureau through what is

now called Tiskilwa and settled on Center
Grove Prairie. In September, 1834. I took
my blanket and gun and viewed the country
through from Hennepin to the Mississippi
River, near Rock Island, and thought it a
natural pass for a canal, as there was a de-
pression all the way across with high land
on either side. I reported my discovery but
was much ridiculed for holding such ideas.
In October following my oldest brother,
John Galer, helped to review the route, and
I talked with Dr. A. Langworthy about the
project. At first he made very light of the
subject, but on my showing him the advan-
tages that would accrue to him if it was car-
ried out, his having property at Indiantown,
now Tiskilwa, he began to see that there
might be dollars and cents in it, and so he
joined in with me, and I appointed a meet-
ing in Hennepin, where I gave my views on
the canal project, and the doctor made a good
speech. My plan was only for a common
canal to be taken out of the river at the head
of the Lake DePue so as to have that for a
harbor, and also to avoid much overflow of
the river. I also planned to have a dam
across Green River at the narrows where
New Bedford now is, and use it for a reser-
voir to feed the summit level and put the
feeder into the lake on the south side of
Devil's Grove, so it would feed the canal
both ways, until other supplies could be got
from the Bureau and Green River further
down on either end of the canal. We had
circulars printed, and finally got a bill
through the Legislatiu'o for a company to
undertake the project; but the State was
deeply involved, and the Michigan & Illi-
nois Canal being delayed, the subject was
dropped until the country around Rock
Island had settled quite thickly, when a com-
pany changed the canal to a railroad, and
the Chicago & liock Island Railroad was put

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

227

through almost directly over my old route.
The railroad becoming exorbitant in freight
charges, the canal project was again revived
and carried up to Congress by Hawley, and
was known as Hawley's canal bill.''

This communication is to the point as to
who was the first active worker in the project
of extending the canal from Hennepin to
Rock Island. It is more than a generation
ago this movement had its inception. It was
perhaps chimerical at that time, but since
then millions of people have become deeply
interested in the subject of cheap transporta-
tion, and it is now both feasible and possi-
ble to carry out the original idea of extension
that was agitated as a necessity so long ago.

CHAPTER XVm.

AETHUB BhIANT, THE PlONEEB FORESTER AND HORTICULTURIST—

About Trees Geneealiy— First Planting in Bureau County
— BisT Varietiks— Sketch of Arthur Bryant, etc., etc.

And there in the sultry noon,
With brawny limbs and breast.

On the silken turf, in that cool shade,
The reaper came to rest.

—John H. Bryant.

THE pioneer " tree-man " was a boon of
no mean magnitude to the people of the
broad prairies of Bureau County. He must
have been an enterprising, public-spirited
man with an alert and active brain to antici-
pate the benefits and the good that would
some day come from the culture here of
trees. He saw here not long ago vast plains
dotted with farm-houses, standing cheerless
and treeless on the bleak expanse, which was
inhabited by a people whose highest ambi-
tion was to grow corn and swine and cattle
enough to furnish himself and family a live-
lihood, and also enable each to add a few

more acres to the dreary homestead. The
intelligent lover of trees set about the work
to create in the people a taste for something
higher and better — to teach them that even a
northern prairie would grow the hardier
fruit trees and the shade trees and flowering
shrubs about their houses and thus double
the beauty and money value of their homes;
give them comforts and cash bountifully for
this labor of love. They (possibly only he)
must have realized that the way to do this
successfully was to set the example, and thus
tree-planting commenced.

Those who first planted trees here must
have been amazed at the rapid growth they
made, which continues to give evidence that
there is no place that is possessed of a
deeper or stronger soil than is this county;
and now the towns and villages have beauti-
fied their streets, and the spreading branches
of trees only twelve or fourteen years old
offer their pleasing and shady bowers to the
passer, and around every farm-house are
fruit and shade trees that dot the broad
prairies in every direction, and give to the
eye of the beholder the most pleasing land-
scapes and enchanting views to be seen in
all the world.

As to the question of what varieties of
trees to plant, it was of easy solution as to
shade and ornamental trees, because almost
every variety yet planted had yielded a most
rapid and healthy growth. The elm, the
maple and box elder so far predominate,
and many trees, especially elms, can now be
found, not more than a quarter of a century
old, that throw out their long branches and
wide-spreading shade equal to the grandest
monarchs of the forest. But the question of
the best adapted fruit trees and vines for
this locality was a more difiScult one to
solve, and perhaps something in this line —
possibly very much — is, even after these

328

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

fifty years of trials and experiments, yet to
be learned, because the successful prosecu-
tion of this industry requires some under-
standing of the soil and climate, and the
habits of insects destructive to the trees and
fruit, as well as a knowledge of the mode of
best caring for the different varieties of
fruit trees. The State, through the solic-
itations of the various societies, provided a
competent entomologist, and he has done
much in aiding fruit growers to understand
the injurious insects, and to provide for
their destruction.

We are indebted to the writings of Ar-
thur Bryant, whose work on horticulture
deservedly ranks high, for the following
facts in reference to Bureau County:

The first attempt at fruit growing in Bu
reau County was in 1880 or 1S31, it is not
certain which, when John Hull sowed some
apple seeds brought from Kentucky, and
raised a few hundred seedlings. Small or-
chards of these were planted three or four
years after by Christopher Corss, John Mus-
grove, Roland Moseley and some others. The
fruit was better than the average of seedlings,
but most of the trees have perished. Nur-
serymen have been accused of introducing
the apple borer. The orchards above men-
tioned, and the nursery from which they
were taken were attacked by the insects be-
tom fruit trees were brought hero from any
other [)art of the country, which would seem
tf) be good evidence of its previous existence
in this section.

In the spring of 1838 John Belangeo
brought a lot of grafted apple trees from
Belmont County, Ohio, and commenced a
nursery near Princeton. During that and
the following year orchards of these trees
were planted by Cyrus, Arthur and John H.
Bryant. Aaron and William Mercer, and a
niimbiT of others whose n;un>s arc not

recollected. None of these orchards were of
any considerable size. At that time and for
years after it was a prevalent opinion that it
would never be an object to raise apples for
market, and it was sometimes remarked when
one was seen planting trees, that when those
trees came into bearing, apples would not be
worth more than a shilling a bushel. Mr.
Bellangee introduced some of the best varie-
ties now cultivated, as well as many that are
rejected. He soon removed to Dover, where
he continued the nursery business for ten or
fifteen years.

From 1841 to 1844 nurseries were com-
menced in Bureau County by James Bosley,
Charles S. Boyd and Curtis Williams. Their
stock was obtained from Mr. Curtis, a nui'sery-
man in Edgar County. A few good varieties
were brought here by them, and many that
were worthless. The Milam, under the name
of Winter Pearmain, constituted a large pro-
portion of their stock — a variety which it was
said Mr. Curtis propagated to a considerable
extent by means of suckers. Their mode of
obtaining suckers for grafting was to cut from
trees taken up for sale such roots as were of
suitable size — a practice copied from Mr. Cur-
tis. Neither of them continued the business
more than four or five years.

In 1840 Samuel Edwards commenced a
nursery near Lamoille. He brought from
near Cincinnati a considerable stock. A
great part of it, however, was destroyed dur-
ing the winter, which was very fatal to young
fruit trees of almost every kind. In 1847
Arthur Bryant began a nursery upon a small
scale near Princeton. Since then Y. Aldrich,
H. W. Bliss and John G. Bubach have estab-
lished nurseries in the county; and Mr.
Bubach now has a very extensive garden in
the oast part of Princeton. Bliss and Aldrich
discontinued the business some years ago.

The winter of IH^Tj^SR was noted for the

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

229

wholesale destruction of fruit trees. It was
estimated that one-half of the bearing apple
trees in Bureau County were destroyed or
rendered nearly worthless. Most of the pear,
plum, peach, quince and cherry trees (Mor-
rellos excepted) likewise perished. This for
some years greatly discouraged tree planting,
especially fruit trees. All the orchards of
any considerable size in the county have been
planted since the hard winter of 1855-56.
At this time (1809) the largest orchards are
those of Arthur Bryant, V. Aldrich, Mrs. F.
Moseley, J. G. Calef, and M. Greenan.
Some years ago J. H. Bryant planted a large
pear orchard, but it never amounted to any-
thing, and now (1884) the trees are either
dead or nearly worthless. It has been chiefly
destroyed by tire blight.

Of early apples, Mr. Bryant, in 1869, says:
Those principally cultivated are the Early
Harvest, Bed Astrachan, and Early Pennock
— the latter has hitherto been planted more
than any other. Trees of this variety, how-
ever, appear to become unproductive from
age sooner than most others. Maiden's
Blush is highly esteemed.

The Snow Apple takes precedence of all
others as a hardy, profitable and enduring
apple for a fall apple. The Rambo is popular
and productive, although less hardy. Haskell
Sweet and Rumsdell's Sweet are two of the
best fall varieties.

The varieties of winter apples best estab-
lished with cultivators are the Jonathan,
Willow Twig, and Domine. The Ben Davis
has not been cultivated long enough to test
its endurance, but already shows signs of
deterioration on some of the older trees.
Itawles' Janet, so much esteemed in the South,
is here considered neither excellent nor profit-
able. It is feared that the Winesap, on rich
prairie soil, will disappoint the expectation
of cultivators. Sweet Vandever and Broad-

well are two of the best winter varieties of
sweet apples.

A committee of the State Horticultural
Society in 1869 traveled over the important
parts of the State. The committee visited
Princeton, July 1. From their report we
condense the following: "We examined the
grounds of John H. Bryant, Arthur Bryant,
Sr., and Arthur Bryant, Jr. At John H.
Bryant's we were shown a tree of Early Pen-
nock, planted in 1836, and afterward top-
grafted witb Early Harvest, which was thrifty
and bearing a good crop. A Pennock root-
grafted, planted in 1836, is now twenty-iive
inches in diameter, and promises to endure
many years.

"In the old orchard of Arthur Bryant we
had an opportunity of taking notes on a con-
siderable number of varieties. Mr. Bryant
planted fifty trees in 1836, of which twenty
are living and healthy. All these are root
grafts. Mr. Bryant gives the following criti-
cism: Newtown Pippin worth little; Early
Harvest bears well every other year; Hoops
of no value; Pennock, a large tree now twenty-
four inches, has generally not borne well, but
one year produced thirty bushels; Rambo
the most profitable variety up to 1850; En-
glish Golden Russet of very little value;
Maiden's Blush has borne well; Snow (of
which Mr. Bryant planted the first tree in
Illinois, 1837), is very good; Green Pippin
not productive; Winesap,too small, not profit-
able; Early Pennock profitable; Golden
Sweet productive.

" In the young orchard of Mr. Bryant wore
found still other varieties, the favorites
being: Jonathan; this keeps here until April
or May, although a late fall or early winter
apple in southern Illinois; White Pippin
good, bears well; Summer Sweet Paradise
moderate bearer and fruit excellent; Early
Strawberry, except being small, is excellent;

230

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Haskell's Sweet, a large and productive Sep-
tember apple; Whitney's Russet, good; Dan-
ver's Winter good, but bears poorly; Tall-
man's Sweet, drops badly; Mother, lirst-rate,
bears tolerably; Northern Spy, top- grafted,
tolerably good; Striped Gilliflower, showy,
not first-rate; Ben Davis bears well. [In the
heavy apple-growing district of southern Ill-
inois the Ben Davis excels all others for prof-
its, as it bears well, trees nearly always full,
and keeps well, ships well, and very showy
apple that always sells well. Last year (1883)
any number of these trees the fruit was sold
on the tree for $10 a tree in central Illinois.
And often when all other varieties have totally
failed there would be a fair crop of the Ben
Davis. In flavor it is not one of the best,
but for profits it so far excels all other apples
in middle and southern Illinois.]"

In 1859 Mr. Bryant planted 350 trees of
Winesaps, Willow Twig, Yellow Bellflower,
Jonathan, and Red Astrachan. These were
planted in the spring. In the fall of the
same year he planted 350 trees, 25x25 feet in
a tract of six acres, surrounded by woods.
The varieties are Jonathan, Willow Twig, and
Ben Davis. The trees are grown with a lead-
er and laterals instead of cutting out the cen-
ter.

Arthur Bryant, Sr., commenced his nursery
about 1845. He regarded himself as a farmer
for many years after this, and the nursery
business merely an aid in his farming and
furnishing employment for his love of trees
and flowers. But soon his nursery trade
grew to unexpected proportions, and after he
had moved it to where his son is now carry-
ing on the business in the south part of town
his son saw that it was of itself quite busi-
ness enough, and now he has one of the most
extensive and prosperous nurseries, contain-
ing sixty-five acres, crowded with all varieties
of nursery stock, in which he employs a large

force of men, and in the spring of the year
his shipments are very extensive and nearly
all over the country, but especially west to
the Pacific Ocean. No man who came as a
pioneer to Illinois did more for horticulture
and tree-growing than did Arthur Bryant, Sr.
He loved the trees, the woods, the flowers.
They spoke their own language to his poetic
soul. No man was so retiring in his nature.
He turned instinctively from a public gaze,
and in the noisy throng his refuge was to re-
tire within himself. A nature quiet, pure
and diffident. An intellect cultured, strong,
manly and elevated, with the finest poetic im-
aginings. It was but natural with such a
temperament to commune with himself, or
pom* out the fervor of his soul to the grand
and beautiful in nature, in all her gorgeous
decorations of landscape, trees and flowers.
His education was real, profound and accurate
in all its grand range from the highest Greek
classics to the practical details of the count-
ing room or the printing office, and to those
who did not fully understand him it is pass-
ing strange, that from the first position in a
leading daily newspaper in the city of New
York, he could become a pioneer in the wil-
derness, with all its trials and deprivations
and rough life. But not so to those who
could bettor understand him. The brick
walls and stony streets, the black pall and
sooty cloud of a city, the noise, the vice, the
crimes, the suffering, the selfishness, the
shams and the whited sepulchers of the me-
tropolis repelled him, and he sought undis-
turbed nature. Whore the sweet repose, the
inviting field, the ethereal feast in the shady
lawns called him and he could hear the birds
upon the swinging limbs, carolling their
notes of liberty and joy in the sweet sunshine
of heaven. Those shall be his fitting and
immortal epitaph.

We insert the following from the pen of

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

331

Dr. Richard Edwards, as published in the
Chicago Inter-Ocean, of March. 1883:

''Arthur Bryant, Sr. — The fashions
that prevail among men often have a
tendency to obliterate in our minds the
true estimate of a manly character. So
much is made to depend upon mere social
position or political influence that the innate
worth of a genuine manhood is in great dan-
ger of being overlooked. With the crowd,
notoriety comes to be the thing sought for.
Mere brazen noise too often drow ns out the
gentle utterances of a well-founded fame. It
seems hard for many to understand that one
may be great, worthy of the respect and even
of the admiration of his fellows, and at
the same time be only a private citizen, per-
forming the ordinary duties of an ordinary
life. With this delusion, that measures the
man by his accidents, the crowd is very liable
to be carried away. And it is a dangerous
delusion. It tends to destroy all right ideals
of living. It tends to dissuade men from
pursuits that are really honorable and useful,
and leads them into employments that are in
themselves worthless and mean, for the arts
of the sycophant and demagogue are essen-
tially debasing.

"Humanity, therefore, owes a debt of grati-
tude to every man who by his life and char-
acter helps to correct this mistake. And
such a man was the subject of this sketch.
Fitted by natural abilities as well as by schol-
astic culture for a conspicuous position; en-
joying in a more than ordinary degree the
respect and confidence of those who knew
him, he was still content to live quietly upon
his farm, in no way distinguished from his
neighbors in the same occupation, except as
he was a better farmer and a wiser, more ex-
emplary man than the average. Only once
is it remembered that he held any public
office. In the spring of 1837, when the

county of Bureau was first organized, he was
elected one of the Judges of the County Com-
missioners' Court.

"The principal facts of his life are some-
what as follows! He was born in November,
1803, at the Bryant homestead, in Cummiiig-
ton, Mass. He was originally of feeble con-
stitution, being greatly troubled in early life
with asthma. His father, an eminent and
skillful physician, had little expectation of
his living. But as he grew older the disease
seemed to lose its hold upon him, and through
his youth and manhood he suffered little from
ill-health. During the years 1822 and 1823
he was fitted for college at Barrington,
Mass., under the tutorship of his brother,
William Cullen. In the winter of 1824 he
received a cadet's warrant from John C. Cal-
houn, then Secretary of War under James
Monroe, and entered the military academy at
West Point in June of that year. But a pro-
longed and severe attack of inflammatory
rheumatism compelled his resignation in the
following December. The season was a wet
and cold one, and the long hours of guard
duty, performed in the thin clothing rigor-
ously prescribed at the academy, were too
heavy a burden upon his slender frame. Early
in 1826 he began the study of medicine, but
by the advice of his brother William that
study was abandoned, and in October of
the same year he became a member of the
sophomore class in Williams College. For
some reason, now unknown, his course at Will-
iams was terminated on the 3d day of March,

1829. The next six months were spent in New
York City in the employ of his brother, who
was then connected with the Evening Post,Bnd
had been since 1826. Here he made himself
useful in a variety of ways, reading proof,
etc. From November, 1829, until October,

1830, he was employed as a tutor in the famous
Bound Hill School at Northampton, Mass.

232

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

This school was established in 1823 by Joseph
G. Cogswell and George Bancroft, and in its
day enjoyed the highest reputation. Its
founders had examined the schools of En-
gland and the European continent, and availed
themselves in founding their new institution,
of all they had learned abroad. One of the
results was that it attracted pupils from all
parts of the country. And here Mr. Bryant
labored as an instructor for about one year.

"On October 1 1, 1830, he set out upon his
first journey to Illinois. At that time the
trip was a very different affair from what it
is now. The details of the early part of the
journey are not at hand. But, by the help
of the Ohio River, he at last reached Cairo.
His objective point, however, was Jackson-
ville, in Morgan County, and the trip from
Cairo to that place — a distance of 200
miles — was made on foot. In those days it
must have been a tedious tramp, through
brush and briar, over hill and stream, for
we know that, through most of the distance
named, the roads are even now none of the
smoothest. The journey was accomplished,
however, and Jacksonville was reached De-
cember 1, 1830. Here he addressed himself
resolutely to the business of pioneer life,
laboring industriously with his hands.
Soon after his arrival he seems to have
purchased a quarter-section of land, in the
working of which he was afterward helped
by his youngest brother, .John, who arrived
in Jacksonville in Maj, 1831. In the au-
tumn of that year he returned to Massa-
chuaettfl. His errand appears to have been
an important as well as an interesting one,
for we find that, on the 10th of May, 1832,
he was married in the town of Richmond to
Miss Henrietta Piuinmer. Of that event
the fiftieth anniversary was most pleasantly
obBerved at the home in Princeton, in 1882.
And any one who was then present (jr who

has witnessed the gentle and unremitting
care with which Mr. Bryant was watched
and succored during his last illness, must
have been satisfied that the vows of that
man-iage had been faithfully and affec-
tionately kept.

"In September, 1833, Mr. Bryant came to
Princeton, and settled upon the farm whereon
he has ever since lived. Here he betook
himself to the labor necessary to the sub-
duing of the wild prairie and the building
up of a comfortable and attractive home.
Most of the work in which he was engaged
was substantially the same as that performed
by his neighbors. But it soon became evi-
dent that he looked at nature with more
discerning eyes than the most of them. He
was not satisfied with the annual crops, and
the annual product of cattle and swine.
Not that he neglected these, by any means;
but he thought also of other things. He
planted trees, not alone for wind-break, but
also for ornament, in order to diversify and
adorn the monotonous prairie. And there
they stand to-day, the double row of splen-
did hard maples that line the street on
either side, a conspicuous landmark — a
place from which distances are reckoned and
directions indicated. Besides these are the
evergreens, the charming varieties of indi-
genous and exotic trees of many kinds, some
very rare, which beautify the ground. They
are living monuments, more expressive than
any cut in marble or granite, of the essen-
tial refinement of the man.

"About the year 18-15 Mr. Bryant engaged
in tree culture as a busine.ss. His nursery
soon became well and favorably known.
His own name became identified with the
movements organized for the [>ropagation of
fruit and forest trees. The Northwestern
Pomological Society was set on foot about
the year IS,")!), in the town of Princeton.

£.

4UC Lifiil^^^ I

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

235

During its continuance he was one of its
most prominent members. A few years
thereafter it was merged in the Illinois
State Horticultural Society. This associa-
tion still exists, and is actively promoting its
beneficent purposes. One of its specialties
at the present time is the extension of
forest culture. This object Mr. Bryant had
much at heart. In the meetings of the so-
ciety be seems to have been always quietly
but efficiently active. His reports from the
committees have about them an air of
thoughtful honesty. At the urgent request
of members of the Horticultural Society, he
published, in 1871, a book with the title:
' Forest Trees, for Shelter, Ornament and
Profit. A Practical Manual for their Cul-
ture and Propagation.' It is a smallish
volume of 248 pages, containing as much
downright practical sense, and as little of
the opposite, on the designated subject, as
one often finds in the same space. A care-
ful reading of this book by the farmers of
the Northwest would undoubtedly result in
great blessing to the country, now and here-
after. The subject is one whose importance
cannot be overstated. How to extend
the forest area of these prairie States is a
most vital question. On the way in which
it shall be practically answered will depend
the comfort, and even the civilization of the
future dwellers upon these plains. And
here, in this book, we have the practical in-
structions of an educated, sensible, practical
man.

•' By the State Society, and by kindred as-
sociations, Mr. Bryant's death has been
appropriately and, we may say affectionately
noticed. His memory has been honored by
fitting resolutions. Affectionate letters have
been addressed to his bereaved family, by
the co-laborers of years gone by. The Hon.
G. W. Minier says: 'Our loss seems irre-

parable, especially at this crisis. "We are or-
ganizing an effort to conserve our forests
and to plant new ones. Our eyes turned to
this veteran forester for counsel. We feel
like Clan Alpine's men, and are ready to cry
out,

"One blast upon that bugle horn
Were worth a thousand men. "

" 'His place cannot be filled. Others may
come, as wise, as earnest, as devoted, but the
sincerity, the tenderness, and the patience
were all his own.'

" Mr. Bryant was a thorough man. He was
thorough in his scholarship, notably so in
his knowledge of the Greek language. He
was thorough in his botany. To his mind
the trees which he handled had other siirnifi-
cance than that which appeared upon his
ledger. He felt impelled to look into their
structure and laws of growth. He was
thorough in his moral convictions and quali-
ties. In his dealings with men he was up-
right beyond the shade of suspicion. He
was always true, always correct, always
clean.

" His death was caused by gangrene, which
had proved fatal to some of his ancestors.
The disease first appeared in one of his
feet, and after about three months of gradual
progress it attacked the vital organs, and the
scene soon closed. His death was such as
become him, calm and trustful. He died as
he had lived, a firm believer in the Christian
faith.

"Of his six children five remain. One,
the second son, Col. Julian Bryant, who had
already achieved . some distinction as an
artist, and who had faithfully served his
country during the war of the Rebellion, was
drowned on the Texan coast in 1805."

P. H. Griffith, of Princeton, has for some
years dealt in nursery stock, and has raised
considerable stock. Mr. Bubach, in the east

236

HISTORY or BUREAU COUNTY.

part of town, is now giving nearly all of his
attention to small fruit, and is making this
quite a successful industry. (See his biogra-
phy.) Mr. Edwards, mentioned above, closed
his nursery and removed to Mendota some
time ago. A man named Aldrich at one
time had a nursery near Tiskilwa; but since
bis death the business is discontinued. At
one time Mr. Bliss also had a small nursery
near Providence.

Arthur Bryant, Jr., is the leading horticult-
urist in the county, and, like his father, has
expanded his business and kept even pace
with the demands of the surrounding country,
and by intelligent industi-y has promoted the
industry and continues well the work left off
by his father. He reports but little change
in the leading varieties of apples and cherries
from what is given in the foregoing report of
1869. He thinks the Ben Davis yet the best
aod leading apple for the general markets,
but the trees are not as hardy in the way of
a long life as are some others. The judg"
ment of all the fruit growers of northern Illi
nois now is that the late fruits are the most
profitable; that the railroad communication
with the South has completely changed the
former advantages that there were in some of
the earliest crops that would command often
fancy prices in the city markets.

Mr. Bryant reports the Morello cherry as
the only reliable variety that can be grown
this far North. And that the grape produc-
tion has decreased the past fifteen years.
There is very little grape wine now made in
the county, whereas a few years ago there
were some good sized vineyards. But at this
time, except about De Puo, the business has
gone down to a great extent He does not
believe the black soil especially of the
prairies profitable for grapes.

The Snyder blackberry is the most suc-
cessful so far, and this industry is a growing

one. The raspberry and strawberry are not
so reliable here as they are further south.

This is the great corn and grass belt — the
land of fat and sleek horses, cattle and hogs.
These will be the great leading industries of
northern Illinois. And yet apples, cherries,
and to a certain extent peaches, will in the
end be successfully raised here and gi-eat
profits made on each. But pears may so far
be counted a failure.

In Tracy Reeve's yard we noticed a fine,
thrifty chestnut tree, and on it a quantity of
the real chestnut burs. We never saw a chest-
nut tree look more thrifty than this one, even
in the chestnut regions of Pennsylvania.

The timber growth all over the county be-
speaks a soil and that moisture of the air
that should encourage the peoi^le to busy
themselves in the good work of tree-growing
all over this part of Illinois. Already the
beauties of landscape, the orchai'ds, the arti-
ficial groves, the shaded avenues, the shrub-
bery and lawns that have added to the natural
beauties of the country, are to be seen on
every hand, and have added incalculably to
the value of the whole county. They go far
to demonstrate the inviting possibilities for
this already favored land. Where trees will
grow, as it is demonstrated they will here,
men and women, strong and vigorous, will
also grow and mature.

The first essential to each is a moist air,
a bountiful rainfall. Animate and inanimate
life seem fixed in their habits by the same law
of soil and climate. An arid climate is not
the best for either, and hence the interior of
continents are the dry, sandy deserts. One
recent writer of much ability contends that
our prairies are the result of the dryness that
once prevailed over the regions where prai-
ries exist; that the rain belt and the tree
l)olt are always the same. Recent investiga-
tions make it quite plain that animate and

HISTOEY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

237

inanimate life is regulated more by the geo-
logical and meteorological surroundings than
by anything else. There is growth and life
in a moist atmosphere, and the opposite is
true of an arid region. Among human beings
this regulates the size of families. Every
day you can hear people wondering why it is
that the number of children in families now
are so much less than among their fathers
and grandfathers. Buckle tells us that the
number of marriages among the nations of
Great Britain, France and Germany are pow-
fully influenced by the price of corn. In
prosperous times there are more marriages
than in hard times and as there are more
marriages there will be a greater increase of
population, but the number of children to
each family is influenced by both the pros-
perous condition of the country and the
moisture of the atmosphere, and probably
more by the latter than the former. The
largest average families of children in Eu-
rope is in England. On that moist island
every portion is teeming with life. A recent
naturalist tells us that certain birds that lay
four eggs at each hatching there produce only
two if transported to this country. The in-
vestigations of these subjects are important
to the horticulturist, to the farmer generally
and especially to the many stock-raisers in
this county.

CHAPTER XIX.

Some Cuhiovs Beliefs— Credulity and Superstition — Gold and
Silver Mines — *'Way Bills" — Gold and Silver, and the
Magicians, etc.

0, may the light of truth, my steps to guide,
Shine on my eve of life — shine soft, and long abide.

—John H. Bryant.

BELIEFS in the magic art, especially in
the active work of the magicians in the
handling of the precious ores, are as slow to

leave men's minds as is the beliefs in witches,
spooks and spirits, and the bobbing around
of ghosts in the affairs of men. Almost any
day you may read an account of some locality
that is all torn up over a haunted house,
where apparently a lot of fool ghosts meet
every night and carry on a general idiotic
drunken orgy. There are not a few people
in the world who yet believe in witches. In
another form, there is a class, very large,
indeed, that publicly teach " Providential
interference " in the daily and hourly affairs
of men — punishing some, running errands
for others, and cheating the doctors out of
their patients constantly. The amount of
ignorant credulity and the persistence with
which it maintains its hold upon men presents,
one of the strongest subjects for our consid-
eration. In every city of the civilized world
are nightly seances in which ghosts, most
generally Indian shades, are made to do duty in
the silliest imaginable roles. And this form
of witch belief is found widespread and
nearly everywhere. While it is palpable that
all these beliefs are bordering closely on the
idiotic, yet it is not true that all the people
who thus dupe themselves and one anotlier,
are by any means fools on all sitbjects.
Many and many of them are remarkably
bright apparently, and some in fact are noted
for strong and vigorous thinkers, when their
minds are directed to almost any other sub-
ject save that of the ghosts or ghostly affairs.
There is nothing new in this strange phase
of the human mind. It has apparently
existed always, and jvist as strong and as well
defined as it is now. Education has no effect
upon it, for it is found as common with the
educated as among the illiterate. The
strongest believers often in ancient and
modern history, in the most stupid, silly and
even infamous beliefs, have been the most
earnestly advocated by the best educated and

238

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

otherwise the strongest miuded of their day.
The most curious thing in this world is men's
beliefs. Any man will tell yon in looking
back over his life, that its course has been
directed by the most trivial and singular cir-
cumstances. In fact, nearly every great lifp
is fitly synonymized by a great river. At its
source it may be turned by a straw or pebble
out of its course, and when it has gathered
its tributaries it moves with a swift and
resistless force. But the same man will
believe, nay, know in the most dogmatic way,
that his judgment and beliefs are founded
upon the otornal granite rocks — here there
were no influences of circumstances; nothing
but the iron of logic. While the truth is
his bent of mind in youth, the most singular
and inconsequential accidents have started
him in a certain course, or changed his
course, and again, like the river, in propor-
tion to each mind's resources — its tributeries
— does it become stronger and stronger,
firmer and firmer in its judgments, whether
they were right or wrong. The tenacity with
which the most idle beliefs cling to the
human race is most extraordinary. When
the advance of civilized ideas force their
way into men's minda — ideas that you feel
certain cannot exist in the same mind with
the crude beliefs of a barbarous peoj)le, they
only drive out by a slow process the folly
they find, and it ap])6ars at once in some
other shape. And the superficial observer
Bays the error is dead when it has only, like
the actor, changed its dress, ami while its
appearance may be greatly iinprovod it is
essentially its original self. It is this genius
for playing hide and seek that makes it
nearly impossililo to Hucceusfuiy extinguish
this strong bent of the human mind. When
killed in one form in one ago it is found in
its now habiliments in the next age, denounc-
ing its former self, exulting over its own de-

struction, and says, ' ' Look at me, I am the
only truth in the world."

Is there a grown man or woman in the
world of intelligence enough to partially un-
derstand their mother tongue, who has not
had his or her mind twisted in infancy by
ghostly or fairy stories of the most stupid and
injurious kind? "As the twig is bent the
tree inclines,'' whether it grows that way or
not. You cannot read a newspaper without
being confronted constantly with such stufif.
From the lips of the prattling child and from
trembling senility; in eloquent poetry or
stately prose; in common conversation among
all classes and in books and paintings, it may
be found, in ugly blotches and in exquisite
shadings and it is everywhere and at all
times. In some of its Protean forms it is
ubiquitous, among all nations, peoples,
classes and conditions of life. Is it possible
for a perfectly healthy mind to grow in such
surroundings? Every other man you may
meet in a day's walk, if he would be thorough-
ly honest with you, will tell you that he is an
exception, perhaps the only one in the world,
yet a miraculous exception to that human
trait of beliefs that are either illogical or
stupid. Of course he realizes in his neigh-
bors, in all mankind except himself this
fault and, therefore, ho is certain that he is
free from the common or universal error. In
looking over the curious subject we are free
to confess that with the spread of civilization
the change that is constantly going on in the
outward paraphernalia of injurious supersti-
tions are. as a rule, an improvement of the
new upon the old. For instance, the diflfer-
onco is bj' far to better the beliefs of our
fathers in witches and witch burning and
the same thing in its modem form of seances
and spiritual mat-erializing. The latter is
innocent so far as legal faggot and murder are
concerned. We say this without any exam-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

289

ination into the nltitnate evils to healthy mind
growth and their comparative effects in this
line. We merely assert the palpable fact and
leave results for others to examine.

Among the early settlers of Illinois, there
was one phase of ignorant credulity that has
now nearly ceased to exist.

But few localities in the Northwest, or for
that matter in the Mississippi Valley, since
the coming of De Soto and his hunt for the
fountains of youth and the precicus metals,
but that have had attacks of the curious de-
lusion over the reported discovery of gold,
silver or lead mines. There were always men
hunting and dreaming for such discoveries.
There is a per cent of cranks all over the
world on certain well-uoderstood subjects,
like perpetual motion, the end of the world,
religion, or being President of the United
States, beatification, or silver or gold mines.
Of all these the mine-seeker is the one ex-
cusable being, because since and before his-
toric times there have been found rich mines
of various kinds that have yielded enormous
fortunes to the lucky few, while the other
victims of their heated fancies have invariably
suffered only from long hopes deferred, or
been put in straight-jackets by their friends.

Some of the early people were brought
here in the pursuit of the gold and silver
mine ignis-fatuus that beguiled De Soto and
his followers to penetrate the wilderness and
leave their bones scattered along their dreary
route from Florida to Mexico. Indian tradi-
tions and idle pioneer stories hu'ed many to
the West in the hope of finding rich gold
and silver mines. The great "Mississippi
Bubble " ran its course in Europe and bank-
rupted its thousands and sent its hundreds to
their graves as they followed up the Missis-
sippi River and found their way to Illinois,
in the faith that they would find the hidden
treasures, and all over southern Illinois

especially along the country adjacent to the
Mississippi River, is to be found to this day
the marks of their presence. At one time a
Frenchman brought to Illinois 500 slaves to
dig in the mines, and in the oldest settle-
ments in Ihe State flows Silver Creek, which
got its name from the fact that along its
banks the miners had flocked in crowds, and
were digging and prospecting upon its hills
from its source to its mouth. The relics of
those superstitions about gold and silver
were thus handed down to the early pioneers,
and among some of our people the faith
lingers to this day, and they dig yet in the
hills and rocks, and to find a rock flecked
with bits of mica is enough to set them wild,
and renew the otherwise fading superstitions
on this absorbing subject. The banks of
the Wabash have been celebrated grounds,
and the early settlers were sometimes pro-
vided, when they came, with precious "way-
bills." This consisted of a paper containing
minute directions, by referring to certain
streams and marks upon trees, by which the
posseaor of the way-bill could follow the
route to a silver mine. They purported to
come from the French, those people who
were here before the English came, and who
had been driven out of the country by the
Indians, and these fugitives had prepared
these "way-bills," it was said, in order that
they or their posterity might, when the
savage was out of the way, return and claim
these secret stores of inexhaustible wealth.
Hence, the man who possessed a way-bill
was the happy heir apparent, to great for-
tunes, and he dreamed in want and poverty
about his wealth of which some day he would
take possession. He would not often openly
go out and hunt for the route as his chart
gave it, for fear that his envious neighbor
might be watching his action and thus gain
his great secret. Nothing could shake this

240

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUXTY.

faith in the original way-billpr. And when
he had spent his life in following the de-
Insion, he would on his deathbed call his
wife and children about him and tell them
the story of the precious paper and bequeath
it to them, and they would take up the pur-
suit and expend their lives in the same in-
fatuation. One now can form but little idea
of how general and wide spread was this de-
lusion here in former days. It is about ex-
tinct now. and the few faithful that yet
linger among us will, as a rule, deny it
stoutly when approached on the subject.

A friend tells us at some length of how
the way-bill disease flourished for a long
time in this section, and estend(>d into sur-
rounding counties. He speaks of one cel-
ebrated way bill which came f rom Vincennes,
and found its way here and for a generation
or more attracted wide attention. The early
hunters for game and silver reported finding
many coke pits, and they were built on the
bank of the river, about six feet deep and
four feet wide, and were walled with rock,
the l)otlom was oval in the shape of a kettle,
and the walls showed they had been subject-
ed to great heat. There had been work on
almost every hillside, showing in places a
vast amount of labor in the hunt for the
mines. A five-pound lump of pure native
copper was found. Other copper specimens
wen- dug up and these were pronounced by
geologiHts, so report says, to be blossoms of
silver ore. .\niong the romantic fictions that
fired the |)eoples' iinnginatiou was that of a
man who came to the county and for two
years hunted for his silver mine. He insisted
that when a little l>oy he had been in a shaft
which was worked deep under ground; that
he came up from Sf. Louis, and after a little
while returned to St. Louis. Ho remem-
bered he came with aome Frenchmen, and
rode a mule, and he thought from his recol-

lections he could go to the place, but after
two years hunting he finally acknowledge his
complete failure. Many think that some of
the pioneers in their lonesome isolation from
all fellowship with civilization, were easy
victims to the wildest romance and story,
and in the most inconsiderate way went to
work digging holes here and there in the
roughest parts of the country: and mines
were traded for old horses, broken dowTi wag-
ons, and many of the caves and holes fell to
the possession of counterfeiters, who largely
supplied the people with pretty much all the
currency of the realm. This money would
for a long time pass current except at the
government land ofiice, and the people in
their trades and sales would agree that the
pay was to be in " land office money." That
is when " land office money " was mentioned
it simply meant it was to be good money.

In the central portion of the State lived an
old reprobate who made the " Hull money."
For years he plied his nefarious trade, and
the " Hull money" was well known far and
wide, and at one time there were people who
honestly believed his money was better than
the genuine. He was eventually sent to the
penitentiary, and for years people hunted for
his mine. They believed he dug out the
pure silver and simply coined it, and his only
crime was in making his money too pure; that
he found the precious metal in such abund-
ance that he could not afford to put any alloy
in his coin, and much such worse than idle
stories went the rounds among the people of
that day. We give this as one of the forms
of credulity that was peculiar to the early
settlers of our country. And we record its
history because it may now be called a thing
(if the jiast.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

341

CHAPTER XX.

Debating Societies — Some Immobtal Specimens — Old Time
Church Severity — How Matters Are Modified and Bet-
tered — Forefathers' Day, Toasts, Poems, and Addresses —
Discussions About It in the Papers — Reviewing of History
— Etc., etc.

My thoughts steal back to that sweet village still ;
Its flowers and peaceful shades before me rise;
The play-place and the prospect from the hill.
Its summer verdure and autumnal dyes;
The present brings its storm; but while there lost,
I shelter me in the delightful past.

— John H. Bryant.

THE story of the avercage count}' in its
days of pioneer farm-making, house-
raising and tree-planting, alternated by coon-
hunting and August elections, spread-eagle
orators and " a little for the stomach's sake,"
is not, as rule, very largely connected with
literature, mind growth, or intellectual cult-
ure in any of the branches of education that
come of real education in the walks of life of
a literary, religious, social or political people.
Generally there is too much of the grim re-
alities for much time to be given to the arti-
ficial or the polish that comes of the higher
culture that attends upon ease and leisui-e.
Yet, even fifty or more years ago in perhaps
every then organized county in Illinois, there
was the incipient debating society in about
every schoolhouse in the land, and the com-
parative beauties of "Art" or "Nature," or
the "Penitentiary" or the "Hangman's
rope," or ' ' Pursuit or Possession ? ' ' were fan-
ning the latent fires of the young Ciceros
and Demosthenes of the whole country.
This intellectual fruit was then, as it is now,
a winter's growth entirely, and flourished
during the three months' winter school.
The commanding intellectual figure usually
was the teacher, who was working for $10 or
$12 a month and "board round;" the

" round " was mostly where was the fattest
table and the biggest houseful of fine healthy
girls — the neighborhood belles. Many of
the swains who radiated about this spot, no
doubt, often envied the teacher, and in their
hearts were ready to teach the school for
nothing, that is, nothing more than the
" board round " at this one particular house.
These were the primitive literary clubs of the
average county, commencing nearly always
in the chief town of the county and from
here extending to farthest outlying school
district. As remarked above there was an
average in these things among the counties
in the early days of their existence, and in
them the performances, the questions dis-
cussed and the speeches were- much alike.
They were then and so are they now, excel-
lent training schools for the the yoitng as
well as the full grown. In the rural districts,
especially, their efiects were the very best.
They brought the people together, improved
their social intercourse, and exchanged
thoughts and ideas and tended to polish and
improve those who were blessed with but few
facilities to this end. They were sometimes
amusing, often interesting, and always profit-
able. What gi-own man is there in the land
who cannot recall his blushing, first effort in
the debating society ? The writer well re-
members the little old log schoolhouse,
where, during the days of the week he was
trying hard to get at the intricacies of
"liggers," and on Friday evenings he at-
tended his first debating society. The older
men would be appointed, and then they
would choose one at a time alternately until
every one present would be elected debater,
and they would speak in the order chosen.
The head leaders would be the real lions of
the evening, and as it tapered off in succes-
sion toward the tail of the intellectual whip,
the speeches would be correspondingly

242

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

shortened about in the ratio that the embar-
rassment increased. On one of these occa-
sions, the writer being very joung and among
the very last chosen, in fact, was only named
for forms sake at all, he commenced, and by
a sudden inspiration as it were^the subject
is forgotten, and it was evidently not germane
to the incident, nor necessary to the story
now — he broke forth: "Where was Henry
Clay? At the head of the army with a big
gun killing Indians; that's where he was.
And what would have become of all this
country if it had not been for James Francis
Marion, as he sat eating roasted sweet pota-
toes on a holler log, when the King of En-
gland called to see him before breakfast, and
he wanted something to wash the cob-webs
out of his thi-oat. No, sir! Think of all
the people of this country being scalped,
killed and carried into captivity by the
Indians. "Was not all these things worth
fighting for? No, sir! Tippecanoe and
Tyler, too, and so say I forever! " And the
tyro sat down covered with glory. From
that on during the winter he was always the
ver}- first choice, and as he could discuss any
subject in the world equally well, he was
quite a hero. W'e presume the reader has
heard of another immortal effort when a
society was discussing the subject of "Art or
Nature," and the orator rose upon his tip
toes and exclaimed: "Mr. President, I say
nature is the most beantifuller. What, Mr.
President, is beautifnllerthan to see anateral
steamboat flying and puffin' up a nateral
river, or a nateral canal at sea, when the
houses rock and bob like nateral corks when
you are gitting a big bite from a little sun
fish." This settled it and " Nature " won
the day, of course.

Ab early as 1880, before Bureau County
wan formed, some of the early settlers had
taken steps to form a literary society. There

was not enough people in and about Prince-
ton to call it a town yet, but there was enough
people of that kind who aspired to the high-
est walks in the mental fields, who set about
the organization of a literary society. They
met together and by a vote determined to in-
corporate the " Putnam County Lyceum. "
And this was done. The names of the offi-
cers chosen are a sufficient assurance of the
force and ability there was in the society.
These were: Cyrus Bryant, President ; Justin
H. Olds, Secretary and Librarian; R. T.
Templeton, Treasurer; Arthur Bryant and
Degrass Salisbury, Trustees. When Bureau
County was created a meeting of this society
was called, and on motion of Judge Temple-
ton it was unanimously resolved to change
the name from " Putnam County Lyceum " to
that of " Bureau County Lyceum." This
action of the Lyceum was duly spread upon
the records of the County Court. Although
this society was a creatui'e of the early pio-
neer days, the names on its rolls, while the
list is much smaller than has been some of
the more modern literary bodies in the county,
yet it possessed men of as thorough culture
and as great natural abilities as can now be
gathered in the county or anywhere else for
that matter. We award much of the spread
of improvement that has always distinguished
this county to the early work of the lyceum.
Its influence could not but be felt, and to
this day its effects are easily traced on every
hand. The philoso])liical conclusion was
long since reached that one great man can
not exist alone in a county. He will cause
at least one groat man to rise up about him.
If this basis of the idea is the true one, then
wo can see how one, two or three superior
men lixiiig their lot in a community of pioneers
will cast their good influences all over the
county. Such a community may be started
on that higher j)lane of civilized life, that is

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

343

by others only reached after years of growth
and slow self-preparation. It is true, then,
that often it depends upon one or two fami-
lies or individuals in the moral and intellect-
ual bias that is to distinguish a young com-
munity. In the formation of the first society
in nearly every county in central and north-
ern Illinois there was the tirst meeting of
those particular representatives of the New
England States and the Southern States of
Virginia and Kentucky — the two blades of
the scissors that when riveted together cut
out the patterns for the irrepressible conflict.
New England blood dominated; no finer types
of the two sections were ever presented than
was the career of Stephen A. Douglas and
Abraham Lincoln, nor can we just now re-
call a finer illustration of the observation
noted above of the influence that the devel-
opments of a man of large talents will have
upon his surroundings; or the assertion that
one great man in a developing or new com
munity will inevitable produce another great
man.

Stephen A. Douglas was a New England-
er. As a politician be was a superb — a truly
great man. It is perhaps too soon after the
close of his active life to discuss the ques-
tion of his statesmanship, or to inquire with-
out prejudice, as to whether he was a states-
man at all or not. But the career of this
Yankee schoolmaster in his adopted State is
an eventful one, and presents, to him who
can lay aside all prejudices or bias of judg-
ment, a study of profound interest. The
flood of eloquence or literature yet written
or spoken about either Douglas or Lincoln is
mere sentiment, exalted beyond the realms of
just judgments, and wholly beyond the cold
facts of criticism or history. The period of
extravagant and afi'ectionate panegyric will
in its proper time subside, and the iconoclast
will come; he will inflict no injury even if he

does topple over certain imaginary and false
idols — or certain extravagant estimates, or
fulsome and hysterical eulogies. The gentle
hand of affection, the inspired brain, the
eloquent tongue, and the gifted pen of ad-
miration and love for the dear and illustrious
dead, are to be ever respected. They are the
beautiful and the good in our common nature
— the play of our highest and holiest im-
pulses. But the whole truth is not to be for-
ever hid under a bushel — real history will in
the end be written. The names of Douglas
and Lincoln are not here brought forward to
assert that their histories will in the end be
revised and wholly re- written and the verdict
of their cotemporaries reversed and remanded
to the great jury of the people, but rather to
enforce the idea of the strong and lasting
influence of one superior mind acting upon
its surroundings. This leads us into the
fields of investigation where cause and effect
acting and re-acting upon the human mind
are to be considered — causes and effects so ob-
truse and subtle in both their immediate and
remote consequences as to surround the path
of investigation with the greatest difficulties.
It is only a part of the whole truth, that men
are the architects of their own fortune. Cir-
cumstances and suiToundings are a part of
the strongest factors in the make-up of the
individual and a community. And a large
community is as fixed in its environments as
are the primeval rocks in the deep bosom of
the earth.

With the commemcement of the early lit-
erary life of the young county, as noted
above, we would expect to find in its progress
and development much of interest and profit
for present investigation. And, indeed, so we
do. In the imperfect files of the county
newspapers, in the chance poem, the addresses
and the organizations founded at various
times, we are enabled to see and know much

344

HISTOKY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

of the mental activity of the times that dis-
tinguished the people of the county from its
earliest settlement. But the aermons, the
political addresses and discussions through
the prints that we have mostly found by ac-
cident here and there, furnishes us the open
window through which wo have the best view
of the intellectual concerns of the people.
We are free to say that there are but few
counties in the State that in this respect are
not almost wholly barren of useful material
for the historian, while here is much that is
intensely interesting.

Already we have given many extracts from
addresses and poems, commencing with a
poem by Ai-thur Bryant, written in 1831,
when on his way " to the distant West." And
also we have given many narratives of the
first settlers, sometimes as they had written
them out themselves, and frequently as they
related them to the vrriter, always preserving
as nearly as possible their own arrangement
of the narrative, and as fully as possible their
exact words. We regard these by far as the
best part of our historj'. So far, after the
most diligent search, we have found no diary
from any of the first or even the most recent
settlers. This we greatly regret, as it would
have enabled us to round out and nearly com-
plete this jjart of our allotted work.

In this account of the intellectual life of
the community, we do not pretend to follow
the chronological order of events, because
the history of the mental influences, or the
history of the literature of a people is not
thus constructed.

The actions of men are governed less by
dogma, text books and rubrics than by the
the opinions and habits of their cotompo-
raries, by the general spirit of the age, and
by the character of those classes who are in
the ascendant. This is the origin of that
difference so prevalent in the world of relig-

ious theory and religious practice, of which
theologians so greatly complain as a stum-
bling block and an evil.

The religious doctrines of- a people as we
find them in their creeds are but little crite-
rion of that particular civilization, while their
religious practices are an unfailing source of
information, and these always tell the true
story of a people, and form the best data by
which the spirit of any age may be meas-
ured. Locke in his Letters on Toleration,
observes that often the clergy are naturally
more eager against error than against vice.

In the published proceedings of the fiftieth
anniversary of the Congregational Church,
held in Princeton, March 28, 1881, from the
address " by Rev. F. Bascom, D. D., a former
pastor of the Church," we extract the fol-
lowing: "Under Mr. Farnham's adminis-
tration we should expect the church would
be commendably faithful in discipline. And
thus we find it. The first case recorded is
that of a female membei', called to account
for speaking evil of a sister in the church.
She was required to sign a confession to be
read to the congregation on the Sabbath.
She consented to sign a confession, but only
on condition it should not bo read in public.
She was therefore excommunicated by a
unanimous vote." In an "explanatory note"
at the end of the published pamplet, says:

'• In justice to the lady referred to in the
address of Dr. Bascom, fourteenth page of
this pamplet, it ought to be stated that she
was afterward restored, by a vote of the church,
to her good and regular standing."

This little incident tells of the stern and
severe discipline that obtained among the
early settlere. It was not enough to confess
and humiliate the soul into the dust, but the
burning words of shame must be read in pub-
lic, and the culprit must bo there to receive
the deo))e8t ]x)ssi!)lo scourging. The text

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

245

merely tells that "in justice" to her, she was
afterward restored by a vote of the same
church that had excommunicated her — cut her
off from the anticipations of heaven and from
the communion and joys of the society of the
saints on earth, without a word of informa-
tion upon the point in dispute and that led
to her being cast out, to wit: Whether she
came over and consented to a public reading
of her confession, or whether the church event-
ually waived this and restored her her good
name and church blessings. But evidently
the reference to this case by the speaker in
his anniversary address, is made in the way
of mere business recital of the strong and in-
teresting facts in the chui'ch's history, that
leaves no doubt as to the importance that the
the church rulers attached to the disciplinary
proceedings. And as well does the refusal of
the woman to have her confession read in
public, indicate the degree of her abhorence
of such a proceeding. Her whole nature re-
belled, and with a heavy heart, no doubt,
she listened to the awful words of excommu-
nication. She did not blame her church; her
training and education had taught her that it
could do no wrong; that its decisions were in-
fallible, next to God, and that when it cut
her off, cast her out, and gave her over to
Satan and his satraps, that her cup of afflic-
tion was full to overflowing. Yet she braved
all and endured all, rather than gratify the,
to her, unequaled tortui-e that would come
of a public reading of her confession. Then,
too, we are not told how long it was before
she was restored to the church. Hence, again,
on this point, we are left to conjecture. But
whether it was days or years, she was event-
ually restored, and we respect her only the
more — as well as the church the more, if the
latter gave way at last and revoked its former
severe and unjust act. This reversal of a
former " unanimous vote " of the church —

the act of excommunicating a woman, not for
any actual sin, because the refusal to permit
the public reading of her confession, was not
of itself a sin, but simply a refusal to bow to
a process of discipline and degi-ade herself
andpoluteher freedom of soul, and when the
church corrected its cruel decision it gave evi-
dence that it was advancing along the line of
civilization, and this evidence is furnished
in its practice and not in its rubric.

To-day there would be no such severity in
this same church. There are perhaps not
twenty members thereof that are conscious of
the fact that the church law ever required the
authorities to take cognizance of and punish
the tattling females of the order. Is the
church any the worse for this relaxing of its
practices? A change that comes from the
general change in men's minds andnot from
any change in the written discipline of the
church itself. Is it not now as " commend-
ably faithful in its discipline " as it was
fifty or a hundred years ago, when it was
ready to drown the good old Quaker for the
high crime of not taking off his hat when he
passed a minister on the street? With the
general change in the community in the sur-
roundings has come the inevitable change in
the church and a general softening of its
severities. Has it sacrificed any of its power
for good by the change ?

There are many reasons why the movements
and doings of this particular church — the
Congregational Church of Princeton — are of
interest and are historical in character. It
is the oldest church organization in the
county. Was organized fifty-four years ago in
Massachusetts. It has had many of our
leading and best representative people on its
roll of membership. It has had able pastors,
some of the most famous in Illinois, and has
had a strong body of refined, cultured and
elegant people for its congregations. It is

246

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

purely an offshoot of Massachusetts. Men
direct from Plymouth Rock and many of
whose ancestors came over in the Mayflower,
and nearly all of whom were of the purest
Puritan stock. In its membership have been
and is now many of those who were the repre-
sentatives of the New England States, a class
of men that predominated in all the early
times, and that were the majority of the early
settlers here. The fact that Owen Lovejoy
and Richard Edwards were each for years
its resident ministers, makes it a historical
church. So strong has this people always
been in this particular church that it has for
some years had as an addenda to the con-
gregation a society composed of the sons of
daughters of New England, and annually
they celebrated the landing of the Mayflower,
Forefathers' Day, by a.ssombling and honor-
ing those noble men and women in songs, in
poems, toasts and often elegant and brilliant
responses.

Forefathers' Z»a2/. — December 22, 1879,
was a meeting of unusual interest. The
responses to the toasts of the evening were
made by, first, Arthm- Bryant, Sr. , who re-
sponded to: "The Pilgrim Fathers." It is
one of the ablest pleas in behalf of the
memory of the Pilgrim Fathers, that we
remember to have come across in our read-
ing. Those porUons of it in which he
replies to the calumniutors, is as strong,
digniCetl and eloquent as is one of Reverdy
Johnson's host pleas before the Supreme
Court on any of those occasions that his
great mind made the court- room a grand
intellectual arena — occasions where the fu-
ture American historian will love to linger,
and mark the jjlace as a guiding finger-
board in the greit highw.iy of thi' mind's
progress. Mr. Bryant said:

The landiDK of Hit- Pilgrim Pntliers on a desert
coast, and llu'ir siibseqiienl stilTiTinffs, in 'iliem-

selves considered, .ire of little consequence in the
record of human life. Simihir events have many
times occurred. But when the character of the
men — the objects thej' had in view, and the events
resulting from the enterprise, are taken into ac-
count, it becomes of historical importance.

How truly was Mr. Bryant stating the un-
conscious facts as applied to himself and his
fellow-pioneers, who were here the real
architects of this part of Illinois — the hardy
and heroic pioneers.

It was the first permanent settlement north of Vir-
ginia — thecommencementof the colonization of New
England, which nearly throughout its whole extent
was settled by people of a character similar to
that of the Plymouth colonists. After the first
few' years, the colony of Plymouth became nearly
identical with the rest of New England, in charac-
ter and interest, and the people may be spoken of
collectively as the Puritan Forefathers. One of
their first cares was to provide for education. Har-
vard College was founded within twenty years
after the settlement of Plymouth; and tliis and
Yale College — the two oldest in New England —
have ever hsul a reputation unrivaled in America.
To this day. wherever New England intiucnce is
felt, the selioolhousp and church are found. In a
severe climate, upon a stubborn soil — often amid
destructive savage warfare — was reared a hardy
and enterprising race of men, trained to self-gov-
ernment by the necessities of their situation. Their
descendants, numbered by millions, arc found in
every State of the Union; their energies, virtues
and love of freedom, have influenced, and for an
indefitiite period will continue to influence the des-
tinies of the entire continent. * * * I may,
however, notice the obloquy so often cast upon
tlie Puritans. To this day they are sneered at by
people who know little or nothing about them,
except perhaps, two or three of their prominent
faults. In England they were the objects of un-
ceasing ridicule and vituperation by the Cavaliers,
both before and aflir the Civil war. Yet the histo-
rian. Ilume — no friend of the Puritans — acknowl-
edged that England owed to them whatever civil
liberty she enjoyed in his time. It is only within
fifty years past that justice has been done to the
charncter of Cromwell The New England Puri-
tans have been unceasingly jielted with Salem
wilcheriift. persecution of the t^uakers. and Con-
necticut Ulue IjawH, lis though no other people

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

247

ever hung a witch, or were guilty of religious in-
tolerance. Two hundred years ago, belief in witch-
craft was nearly or quite universal. The Salem
delusion appears to have been an outburst of tem-
porary frenzy, which soon died out, and did not
extend to other parts of the country. But in
England and Scotland, witches were occasionally
burned. *****

The speaker then relates seeing a book
printed many years ago, giving a history of
the Salem witchcraft, and in it was an illus-
tration representing the devil sui-roiinded by
his imps, on the roof of a house, beating a
drum, while the people below looked up in
astonishment. The speaker then frankly
admits that the action in the persecutions of
the Quakers can only be palliated by the con-
sideration that religious toleration was not
then understood or practiced by any Christian
nation; thai the faults of the Puritans were
those of the age in which they lived.

It is pretty well established as truth that the Blue
Laws of Connecticut, which have been quoted and
ridiculed times without raimber, originated in the
imagination of the forger, Samuel Andrew Peters.
Peters was a clergj'man of the Church of England,
a native of Connecticut, and was so rank a Tory in
the Revolution that he was compelled to leave the
country. To revenge himself upon the Puritan
patriots he wrote what he called the history of Con-
necticut; a book that has been designated as "the
most unscrupulous and malicious of lying narra-
tives." In this book are found the Blue Laws, and
there is no other evidence that they ever had an
existence. I will give a sample of Peters' regard
for truth and probability. He says that at Bellows'
Falls the Connecticut River forces its way through
a narrow passage between two rocks, and that in
the time of floods the water becomes so solid by
pressure that it cannot be penetrated by a crowbar.

The Puritans were no doubt unreasonably rigid
in their religious observances and their prohibition
of innocent amusements. Their hostility to the
loose morals and inconsistent practices of their per-
secutors of the English Church naturally made
them approach to the opposite extreme. We who
are descended from the Puritan Fathers confess to
a little pride in the relationship. Pride of ancestry
is natural to the human mind, and it appears more
excusable when the principles and institutions of

that ancestry have conferred distinguished benefits,
not only on their descendants, but also with those
with whom they are connected. I do not contend
that a man should be more highly esteemed on
account of his ancestors; on the contrary, I believe
the standing in society of every one ought to be
determined solely by his individual merit. There is
undoubtedly something in good blood in the human
race as well as in the brute creation; but this, if not
sustained by a pure life, high aspirations and manly
conduct, will degenerate and die out.

The next toast, " The Pilgrim Mothers,"
was responded to by Mrs. J. P. Richardson.
The splendid diction, the exalted sentiments
of this noble tribute to the Pilgrim Mothers,
is worthy the careful perusal and study espe-
cially of every daughter and mother in our
land. We read it carefully, and with the fair
speaker say: " Brave, noble, heroic mothers —
the good dames well content, handling the
spindle and the flax."

Then followed the poem of the evening
by John H. Bryant, from which we take the
following extracts:

" Years bright and dark have sped awa}',
Since by New England's rocky shore
The Mayflower moored in Plymouth Bay
Amid the wintry tempest's roar.

" Few, worn and weak, that Pilgrim band;
An unknown coast before them rose —
A vast unmeasured forest land,
Begirt with ice and clad with snows.

" Yet dauntless, fearless, forth thej' trod
From that lone ship beside the sea.
Firm in the faith and truth of God,
To plant an empire for the free.

* * * * * *

" Strange, wierd and wild the scenes around,
With trackless forests dark and deep,
Where silence solemn and profound
An endless Sabbath seemed to keep.

* * * * * *

" His were the errors of the time —
Intolerance and a mien severe;
His, too, a heroism sublime.
That cast out all unmanly fear.

248

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

" The vine thus planted by the sea,

Has spread o'er monntains. wood and glade,
Sheltering a nation strong and free,
Whose children rest beneath the shade.
» » ♦ ♦ * *

" Bless, then, the hand whose gentle might
Smoothed for our sires old ocean's breast.
Bless we this day whose morning light
Revealed the promised land of rest."
Then "Oar neighbors, the Knickerbockers,"
was most handsomely responded to by S. G.
Paddock. But as our purpose is to give the
substance only here of the addresses that
called out a warm newspaper discussion after
the meeting, and the tenor of that contro-
versy, we regret we cannot, therefore, give
Mr. Paddock's address, as we are confident
our readers would enjoy it greatly.

" The common schools of New England."
Response by Prof. H. O. McDougal. Among
many other highly complimentary things of
the Puritans, he said:

Two hundred and nine years have come
and gone since then, and to-day we can trace the
march of the New England free schools and its
influence clear across the continent. In the year
1670, the Commissioner for foreign plantations
addressed to the Governors of the colonies several
questions in regard to their condition; and in reply
to one in respect to cdueiition, the Governor of Con
nectieut said: "One-fourth of the annual revenue
of the colony is laid out in maintaining free com-
mon schools (?) for the education of our children."
In reply to the same question, the Governor of Vir-
jfinia said: "I thank God there are no free schools
or printing presses, and I hope we not sliiiU liave
these liumlrcd years." • • • » »
• • Tlie product of the Virginia system (V) also
sprea<l over the rou?itry a little further south. I
need not paint the contrast. The two systems have
been boldly confronting each oilier the past nine-
teen years, and tlie world has learned that the free
schools have been largely instrumental in making the
North rich and strong, while an aristocracy resting
upon substructure of ignorance has made the South
poor and weak.

The sponkor then said it was the German
free Hch<xil that t'niil>l*'<l German intelligence
to overcome Austria and France, etc., et<5.

All that we arc proudest of in our own State is
the direct product of New England free school, for
it was a child of that school, a graduate of Harvard
College, who framed the ordinance of 1787, which
consecrated this whole northwest territory forever
to human freedom, free schools and free thought,
etc.

" Our Western Home. " Response by Gen.
I. H. Elliott. This was an eloquent eulogy
to the Puritans. He contrasted the North
and South, and of the Puritans he said:

They were not broken down aristocrats ;
hey were not dissoluute members of powerful
families; they belonged to the middle ranks of
society; they were men of lofty virtue, iron wills;
alwaj's consulting conscience, never policy; lov-
ing homo and native land, they left both in search
of freedom, and linding it, they cherished it with the
zeal and devotion of martyrs. They hated civil and
religious despotism; they sought a new home, not
for plunder, not for conquest, but for liberty' of con-
science. The New Englander moved westward
bearing with liim his free-school system and print-
ing press, and with these a Northern State better
than a Southern State, and the north end of a
Northern State belter than the south end of the same
Stale, etc., etc.

The festival closed with the toast, " Our
country, its best impulses, thoughts and
deeds flowed from the striking of Plymouth
Rock." Response by Rev. Dr. Richard
Edwards. The Doctor's introductory part of
his address was very happy, indeed, and then
he said:

In response to the sentiment to which I
am called to speak, allow me to refer to two
facts concerning the Pilgrims. The first is the
sturdy seriousness of their devotion to freedom.
As we today arc situated, having our wants all
supjilied, in the midst of comforts and luxuries and
comparative ea.se, we are in some danger of forget-
ting the costs of our liberties, and, through that
forgetfulness, of losing the inestimable inheritance.
I would not diminish one grain the cnjoj'ment, the
geniality, or even the innocent of this or any occa-
sion. I rejoice in the ring of every laugh that has
been heard here to-night. * * » It has
been declared, and apparently with good reason,
that the compact entered into on board that little
ship was the first formal recognition of the principal

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

249

that a government derives its just powers from the
consent of the governed. * » » »
With no models, but with all precedent and preju-
dice the other way, the Pilgrims in 1630 framed a
government based on the mutual consent of its sub-
jects, making them all equal before the law. *
* * In the public opinion of our time
there is a general impression that these Pilgrims
were men of stout hearts, sturdy virtue, and strong
faith in God. All this they surely were. So far
forth the public sentiment is coiTect. But certain
qualifying assumptions are made in addition. It is
thought that they were narrow-minded and intoler-
ant, that they burnt witches, hung Quakers,
expelled the Baptists, and in general indulged in
many exhibitions of the unlovely spirit of persecu-
tion. What are the facts? Only two trials for
witchcraft ever took place in Plymouth. While all
Christiandom, Catholic and Protestant, was thor-
oughly committed by teaching and practice, to this
delusion, while learned divines and eminent jurists
were everywhere using their power, official and
personal, for the condemning and executing of the
unfortunate victims of malice who were charged
with witchcraft, the Pilgrims kept their senses, and
forgot not the dictates of a common humanity.
Only two trials for this alleged offense ever occurred
in the colony, and in both cases the accused
were acquitted. And in one of them, that of
Mrs. William Holmes, in 1660 the Court was not
satisfied with an acquittal, but decreed that Dinah
Sylvester, the prosecuting witness, for having
brought a false and heinous charge against her
neighbor, should be severely punished. Nor am I
aware that m any case they punished men for a
diversity of religious views. Immoral and seditious
men like John Lyford, who had been sent over by
the enemies of the colony for the very purpose of
making trouble, were expelled from the settlement,
as they richly deserved to be. Lyford tried to make
it appear that his expulsion was due to his pretended
conversion to Episcopacy. But his schemes and
character were clearly ex^Josed, and their justice and
forbearance fully vindicated.

The comparatively tolerant spirit of the Pilgrims
is shown by their treatment of non-church members,
and members of other communions. Miles Standish
was never a member of their or any other church, but
for thirty- six years he was one of their chief officers
and counsellors, both civil and military. Ascituate
Episcopalian held a commission in their little army,
and James Brown, a Baptist leader, was many
times elected to an important oflSce. When Roger

Williams fled from Salem, the Plymouth Governor,
Winslow, offered him an asylum, and urged him to
settle near at hand where they should "be loving
neighbors." » * « * *

Many of the mistakes on this point arise from the
habit of confounding the two terms, Puritan and
Pilgrim. The former term includes the settlers of
Boston and Salem, of New Haven and Hartford,
as well as many who remained behind in England
and Holland; while the latter is applicable only to
the men of Plymouth. If this were the anniversary
of some achievement wrought by the whole body
of Puritans, we should feel compelled to offer
appology for many blameworthy acts performed by
the objects of our eulogy. But this day is cele-
brated as that of the Pilgrim's landing, and their
lives were so pure, their aims so honest, and their
common sense so trustworthy, that we have little
need of excusing or palliation.

Your sentiment, Mr. Chairman, refers to the
striking of Plymouth Rock. We may, indeed, take
the impact of that boat's prow against the little
boulder, which is now enclosed in front of Pilgrim
Hall, as the symbol and poetic cause of untold good.
Like the stroke of the Prophet's rod upon the rock
in the Arabian wilderness, it opened a stream which
has ever since flowed forth for the cleansing and
invigorating of mankind. As the waters of Horeb
came forth to slack the thirst of the wanderers from
Egyptian bondage, so the flood from Plymouth has
brought life and freedom to millions of oppressed
fugitives from the Old World— wanderers in search
of a promised land of political enfranchisement.
As the stream imparted fertility to the arid waste
of the desolate plains, causing richness of vegeta-
tion and moist breezes to replace the hot winds and
choking sands which had been so fatal to comfort
and health, so this new flood has percolated the
strata of corrupt and despotic usages, and by liber-
ating the minds of men, has induced the growth of
all that is lovely in human character and healthful
in human societies. Political freedom and just
Government have flourished upon its banks; a pure
religion and a clean morality have been nourished
by its gentle irrigation.

We have given enough to indicate that al-
together Forefathers' Day was duly celebrated
— the addresses were elegant, eloquent, and
fitting memorials to the illustrious sires who
came over in the Mayflower. Certainly it
must have been the exceptional auditor who

250

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

could have listened to all these tributes and
songs of praise for the great dead, and have
gone away and felt the slightest desire to
carp at or criticise any of the sentiments or
facts uttered upon the occasion. What if
some slight historical inaccuracies were ut-
tered, or in the warm gush of love and admi-
ration of the hour — that must have been infec-
tious — some sentiment of eulogistic praise
was too highly colored ! Could this be cause
to mar the happy flow, and turn the sweet
viands of the feast to gall and vinegar? Par-
ticularly in a community largely made up of
the sons and daughters of New England,
could it have been anticipated that these elo-
quent tributes could fall gratingly upon the
ears of any one present. It does seem that
no man in the world has had the cold and
sour blood and brains to go through the
world's graveyards and quarrel with the epi-
taphs graven upon the tombstones of the dead
— indited as they always have been by the
hand of love and affection, as it was moved
by impulse, with never a thought of what will
the carping critic say. There is not probably
a graveyard with a dozen stones in it in the
world, but that some curirais inscription will
arroht the attention and mayhap in its wild
raving to say something for the dear departed,
both grammar and facts may be at fault, yet
a pitying smilo is here the extreme boundary
line of the severest critic.

But it seems that the sentiments uttered
on Forefathers' Day were to be mercilessly
impaled upon the pen of the critic, a pen
dipy)ed in wormwood, and determined to de-
fnc<' and pull down cvi'ry evidence of a
tribute or mark of affectionate memory of the
sturdy old forefathers of New England.

AVe can, therefore, easily understand why
it wan that the community was deeply moved,
and much comment and discussion, and a
lively iuteresl was started up by a newspajjer

discussion that was had in the Bureau County
Tribune in which the performances at the
Forefathers' Day of December 22, 3879, were
taken to task and their history sharply criti-
cised by a con-espondent of that paper. In
that paper of January 9, 18S0, appeared a
short article over the signature of "T'ox
PopulV attacking Sir. McDougal's account of
the schools. He says in his honors to New
England he hud fallen into slight errors and
proceeds to point out that the country is not
indebted to Harvard College for the ordi-
nance of 1787, but to Thomas Jefferson. The
ordinance of 1787, he says, notonly set apart
every 16th section for schools, but it prohib-
ited slavery in all the Northwest, and provid-
ed for the reclaiming of fugitive slaves es-
caped from other States." etc., etc. This crit-
ic attracted little attention and elicited no
reply.

But in the paper of the week before —Janu-
ary 12 — "Independent" (John Scott, we be-
lieve) had opened his batteries in the follow-
ing style:

" On the evening of December 22, last, we
stepped into the Congregational Church and
heard part of the exercises in commemora-
tion of the 2r)9th anniversary of the landing
of the Pilgrims upon Plymouth Rock. We
were surprised and amazed at the glowing
eulogies pronounced upon the Pilgrims and
Puritans of 1(520 and the Colonial colonies,
of the same jiersons and their descendants of
later years, aj)on that occasion.

"It was stated by one of the speakers, if
we rightly understood him, that the Pilgrims
and Puritans were men of correct religious
habits and high moral standing; ' that we
were indebted to the Pilgrims and Puritans
for our form of government;' that they fled
from the mother country to escape religious
pei-secution; 'that thej' were men of great
independence of character;' ' that they de-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

253

termined to set up a different form of govern-
ment in this country for themselves. ' If we
look at the history of the Pilgrims and the
Puritan colonies impartially, and not through
the mists and dogmas of the church, which
now represent the same faith,, we will see
that most of the eulogies to the Pilgrims
and Puritans upon such occasions, for be-
queathing to us our free form of government
or the right to worship God according to the
dictates of a man's own conscience is incon-
gruous and nonsensical.

"The most inestimable principle that has
ever been incorporated into our national gov-
ernment is that of • a separation of Church
and State and of complete religious freedom.
"We never inherited these principles from the
Pilgrims or Puritans. Impartial history
shows conclusively that they never believed
in such doctrine but always, in the early col-
onies, rejected it, and enacted the most bitter
and relentless laws for the purpose of perse-
cuting the advocates of religious freedom
and those who believed in a complete separa-
tion of Church and State.

"Rev. Dr. Edwards drew a distinction
between the Pilgrims and Puritans, but the
distinction is without a difference. It is
claimed by the religious teachers, who are
representatives of the Pui'itan faith, that
they did not persecute others on account of
their religious belief; that it is exceedingly
doubtful if ever, in Colonial times, they even
hanged a witch. We would refer all such
to Bancroft's History, from which we learn
that in the month of December, A. D. 1659,
on Boston Commons, and within a stone's
throw of Faneuil Hall and Old South Church,
spoken of on the anniversary occasion referred
to, these Pilgrims and Puritan fathers tried,
by their Colonial law, Marmaduke Stephen-
son, William Robinson and Mary Dyer for
the odious crime of being Quakers and dis-

senting from the Puritan Church and its
form of religion; that Robinson and Ste-
phenson were put to. death by hanging, and
the historian Bancroft, says, ' Mary Dyer was
reprieved, yet not until the rope had been
fastened around her neck.' She was con-
veyed out of the colony, but soon returning
she also was hanged for the same offense on
Boston Commons.

" It is said in history that when the colonial
court was deliberating as to the best manner
of executing these three faultless persons, the
advice of John Wilson, a noted Concreo-a-
tionalist minister, was asked. No sooner so-
licited than the reply was: ' Hang them or
else, — ' drawing his linger athwart his throat,
as if he would have said, 'dispatch them this
way.' And these three Quakers were led
forth to execution on Boston Commons,
guilty of no crime but that of being Quakers
and dissenting from Puritan worship. John
Wilson, the minister above referred to, fol-
lowed and insulted them at every step to the
gallows, with such language as: 'Shall such
jacks as you come in before authority with
your hats on,' etc.

" Impartial history shows that the colonies
for one-half a century, from 16'20 onward,
composed of the descendants of the Pilgrims,
fused with the Puritans, all believing in the
same religious creed and dogmas, were oli-
garchies in the strictest sense. A certain
amount of property and a profession of their
religious belief were prerequisites to the rights
of citizenship. Judge Story says, that five-
sixths of the people of the colony of Massa-
chusetts were disfranchised, that they were
denied even the right of petition. Had the
political principles of the Puritans and Pil-
grims been incorporated in our national gov-
ernment there would have been a whipping
post for incorrigible Baptists, like Roger
Williams, and Quakers, like William Penn.

254

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

in every village and hamlet. Let us look
again to history with an impartial eye, we
can deny, in the light of the record, and
truthfully too, that we are indebted to the
Puritans or Pilgrims for our religious or po-
litical freedom, or for any part of our form of
free government, as was claimed on the anni-
versary referred to. On the contrary, they
believed in a complete vinion of church and
State, and passed, in all the colonies, cruel
laws for the persecution of Baptists, Quakers
and others who would not adopt their theology
and worship at their churches.

It might be shown from history how dis-
senters from their religion were lined for ab-
senting themselves from congregational wor-
ship; how they were thrast into prison, and
into stocks and cages; how they were pre-
vented from disposing of their property by
will, because they could not verify their
last will and testament with an oath; how
they were stripped to their waists, women as
well as men, tied to the hind part of a cart
and dragged through the most public streets
from town to town, "and slashed" on their way
until they were dragged beyond the limits of
the Commonwealth; how they were driven
out at the dead of night, amid snows and
frosts, and were branded R, for rogue, and
H, for heretic; how the Puritan colonial
court ordered their ears cropped and their
tongues bored through with red-hot irons;
how they were hung for dissenting from the
established colonial religion, and indignity
heaped upon their dead bodies. It will be
remembered that the great offense for which
Roger Williams was sentenced to banishment
by the Puritan colonial court, was for advo-
cating complete religious liberty. He was
driven from his home and family by the Puri-
tans into the forest, inhabited only by sav-
ages, amid the snows of a New England win-
ter. After wandering in the forests for weeks.

he came to a place on the sea shore, which he
called Providence. He was there soon sur-
rounded by a few followers, to whom he
preached the doctrine of a complete separa-
tion of church and State. Williams and
John Clark qljtained a charter of lands from
the parliament of England, and Williams
and Clark incorporated into the charter the
principles of complete religious freedom, and
separation of church and State in 1082.
William Penn imitated the example of Will-
iams and Clark, and the Puritan colonies
were compelled "to fall in, as an advancing
civilization was bui-ning ofif their flinty faces
of intolerance.

"It is said by Bancroft, the historian, ' that
freedom of conscience and unlimited freedom
of mind was, from the first, the trophy of
Roger AVilliams and his Baptist fi'iends.'
True liberty of conscience was not under-
stood or practiced in America until Williams
and John Clark taught it amid the fires of
Puritan prosecutions. Gov. Hopkins says,
' Roger Williams justly claims the honor of
being the first legislator in the world that
fully provided for and established a free, full
and absolute liberty of conscience.' Judge
Story says: 'To Roger Williams belongs
the renown of establishing in this country, in
in 1636, a code of laws in which we read for
the first time since Christianity ascended the
throne of CfBsar, that conscience should be
free, and men should not bo punished for
worshiping God in any way they pleased.'

" It is sometimes claimed by men in the
churches of this day representing the Puri-
tan faith and sometimes upon anniversaries,
like those referred to, that the Pilgrims and
Puritans fled from persecution in England;
that they could not be guilty of such crime
themselves in this country. History shows
this to be a mistake. About the year 1044,
persecutions of the Baptists and Quakers

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

255

were so rife and disgraceful in the Puritan
colonies, that King Charles II forbid such
persecutionsby the following mandamus: 'Gov-
ernors of our plantations in New England:
— If there be any of those people called
Quakers, now condemned to suffer death, or
other corporal punishment, or that are im-
prisoned, you are commanded to proceed no
farther therein.' And Lord Brougham said:
" Long after the mother coantry had relin-
quished her acts of persecution, the Puritan
colonies of America continued to persecute
Baptists and Quakers in the most intolerant
manner.'

"The representatives of the Pilgrim and
Puritan faith may continue their anniversa-
ries, and pronounce their eulogies, and boast
as proudly of their church ancestry as they
please, but they can never blot out those
dark pages of history, they can never purge
the craggy hills of New England from the
blood of innocent martyrs."

To these and still other attacks, Rev. Dr.
Edwards wrote a reply and published it in
the Tribune of February. By reference to
Dr. Edwards' remarks, it will be noticed that,
as if anticipating criticism, he had fortified
himself by the clear distinction between the
Puritans and Pilgrims. And "Independent"
could only attack him by first denying that
there was any difference between the two.
Here is the Doctor's keen retort to " Indepen-
dent:"

' ' Eds. Tribune : — I have been a little sur-
prised to find that the few remarks made by
by myself and the addresses and poem deliv-
ered by others at the 259th anniversary of
the landing of the Plymouth Pilgrims, have
called forth in your paper so much criticism.
These utterances seemed to me so much In
the line of well-known and acknowledged
history, that if they were criticised at all, it
would be for the want of startling novelty.

" Allow me to say at the outset that I have
never been engaged in a newspaper contro-
versy, and will not allow myself to be so en-
gaged now; but will only tresspass upon your
space sufficient to establish two points.

"And the first is this: That the misdeeds
of the Puritans of Boston and Salem, and
other places named in the criticism of "In-
dependent" are not at all relevant. All of this
is entirely without bearing upon the subject.
AVe were celebrating the landing of the Pil-
grims at Plymouth, and not the landing of
the Puritans in Boston. If we had been
commemorating the settlement of Princeton
it would certainly not have been relevant to
recount the faults of the early pioneers of
Galesburg and Chicago, and to charge them
upon Princeton. That distinction I took
pains to point out in my remarks. If any
statements concerning Plymouth are denied
they can easily be substantiated. I do not
see that they are denied, even in this criti-
cism.

"The second point on which I wish to dwell
a moment is this: I am willing to go farther
than the criticised remarks extend, and to say
that the persecutions of the Puritans were
less fierce, less malignant, less unreasonably
intolerant than the persecutions which they
themselves, and others like them, were suffer-
ing at about the same time in Europe. No
one denies that the Puritans committed acts
of intolerance. But our proposition is that
they were no worse in this resjaect than their
neighbors and, indeed, that they were some-
what better. Independent does not seem to
think so. Let us look at the facts, at what
the world was doing at or about the time of
the Plymouth Colony.

"In the first place, the Pilgrims left En-
gland because of persecution by an intolerant
church and a tyrannical government. They
were subjected to fines and imprisonment.

256

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

They were stripped of their possessions, and
left to starve and endure the inclemency of
the weather unprotected. They were not even
allowed to emifjrate. When they tried to get
away in small detachments, after sacrificing
most of their property, they were hunted by
the minions of a tyrannical court, and by a
tierce mob. 'At one time at Boston, in Lin-
colnshire, a large party of them got safely at
night on board ship. But the master was
treacherous, and handed them over to the of-
ficers with whom he was in complicity. Their
goods were rilled and rjnsackod, the men
were searched to their shirts for money; even
the women were compelled to submit to like
indignities, and thus outraged, insulted and
robbed, they were led back to the town as a
spectacle and wonder to the gaping crowd.'
The same company, with some others, made
afterward another attempt. When some of
the men as a firm detachment, had gone on
board a Dutch ship at a lonely place between
Hull and Grimsby, the women and children,
who were as yet on shore, were rushed upon
by a fierce crowd, who were armed with ' bills,
guns and other weapons.' The ship-master,
seeing the danger, weighed anchor and de-
parted, leaving the defenseless multitude on
shore to the mercy of their merciless foes. All
this and a thousand other harms and indigni-
ties, which we have not time to relate, they
suffered, for no other reason than because
they fjuietly met at certain times for the wor-
ship of (lod in their own way. And all these
sufferings wore inflicted upon them according
to law.

" When the magistrates of Salem were exe-
cuting witches, what was going on in the
Old World? No less u man than the learned
and humane Sir Matthew Hale had, not
long before, done the same thing, as Chief
Baron of the Court of Exche([uer. Was it
very unreasonable, in those days of slow

communication, that the Justices of a re-
mote colony should accept for law what had
been so proclaimed by that worthy Judge?

" ' England in 1659 had not put to death a
heretic for forty-three years,' says Inde-
pendent This statement is highly credita-
ble to the Puritans' tolerance, for the year
1659 forms the close of their power in
England. According to that statement,
borrowed from my critic, it seems that the
Puritans, during the whole period of their
domination in that country, had not exe-
cuted a single heretic. But, after the
restoration, the policy was soon changed.
No sooner had the power of the great Crom-
well passed away, than the penal statutes
against dissenters began to be re-enacted.
The ungrateful king, Charles II, who had
been helped to his throne by the Presbyte-
rians, and who had solemnly and publicly
promised them not only immunity from
penalties but also a share in the Govern-
ment, violated those promises, and de-
nounced penalties against them and all
other non-comformists. 'It was made a
crime to attend a dissenting place of wor-
ship. A single Justice of the Peace might
convict without a jury, and might, for the
third offense, pass sentence of transporta-
tion beyond the sea for seven j'ears. With
refined cruelty, it was provided that the
offender should not be transported to Now
England, where he was likely to find sympa-
thizing friends. If he returned to his own
country before the expiration of his term of
exile, ho was liable to capital punishment.
The jails were soon crowded with dissent-
ers, and among the sufferers were some of
whoso genius and virtue any Christian so-
ciety might well be proud.' Witness, John
Buuyan and the saintly Baxter.

"But this was only a mild beginning.
Graham of Claverhouso, was employed by

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

257

Charles II and hia brother and suctcessor,
James II, to enforce compliance with the
established religion in Scotland. The Cove-
nanters — the Puritans of the North— were
to be suppressed. Claverhouse was first
sent out in 1677. Very faithfully he per-
formed his work. I cite only a very few
instances of the brutal severity that marked
his career. John Brown, a poor carrier of
Lanarkshire, was, for his singular piety,
known as the Christian Carrier. He was
long remembered as one well versed in
divine things, and as so utterly blameless
in life and peaceable in disposition, that
the tyrants could find no offense in him,
except that he absented himself from the
State Church. On the first of May he was
cutting turf, when he was seized by Claver-
house's dragoons, rapidly examined, con-
victed of non-conformity, and sentenced to
death. It is said that even among the
soldiers, it was not easy to find an execu-
tioner. The wife of the poor man was
present. She led one child by the hand, and
it was evident that she would soon have
another to care for. The prisoner, raised
above himself by the near prospect of death,
prayed loud and fervently, as one inspired,
till Claverhouse, in a fury shot him dead.
The poor woman cried in her agony, ' Well,
sir, well, the day of reckoning will come.'

" Two artisans, Peter Gillies and John
Bryce, were tried in Ayrshire, for holding
certain doctrines, although it was conceded
that they had committed no overt act. In a
few hours they were convicted, hanged, and
thrown into a hole under the gallows.

' 'Th ree poor laborers, because they did not
think it their duty to pray for non- elect
persons, and could not jiray for the King
unless he was one of the elect, were shot
down by a file of musketeers. Within an
hour after their arrest the dogs were lapping
up their blood. This was near Glasgow.

"A Covenanter, overcome by sickness, found
shelter in the house of a respectable widow,
and died there. The corpse was discovered
by Claverhouse' 8 agents, the poor woman's
house was pulled down, her furniture car-
ried away, her young son was carried
before Claverhouse himself, shot dead, and
buried in the moor.

"On the same day with the last mentioned
murder, Margaret Maclachlan an aged wid-
ow, and Margaret Wilson, a maiden of
eighteen, suffered death for their religion, in
Wigtonshire. They were tied to stakes on
a sjjot which the Solway overflows twice a
day. The older sufferer was placed nearer
the advancing flood, in the hope that her
last agonies might terrify the younger into
submission. The sight was dreadful, but
the courage of the survivor was sustained
by a spirit as lofty as any that ever martyr
exhibited. When she was almost dead, her
cruel tormentors took her out and resusci-
tated her. 'Will she take the abjura-
tion?' said the presiding ofiicer. 'Never,'
said the brave girl. And she was thrown
back into the water.

" These sickening details might be indefi-
nitely extended. We might also refer to
that inhospitable persecution of the Hugue-
nots, French Puritans, which occurred in
England under James II. Also to the drag-
onnades, under Louis XIV, in France, in
which the same Huguenots were despoiled of
their goods, harried in their houses, exposed
to slow torture by tire, and to the cruelest
and most indecent barbarities and insults.
But I forbear. The enumeration thus far
has been a painful task. But it was made
necessary by the criticism of your corre-
spondent. It shows clearly that the Puritan,
though sometimes intolerant, was more
sinned against than sinning. When the per-
secution of his time comes to be added into
one sum, it will be found that his share of

358

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

the iniquities is but a a small fraction of the
whole.

' ' Let me sum them up then, what seems to
me the truth on these two points:

" 1. The Pilgrims, whose anniversary we
were celebrating, never persecuted anybody.
Like their good and pious pastor, John
Robinson, they recognized the fact that God
had yet much new truth to reveal, and they
placed no serious restriction upon the reason-
able search for it.

" 2. Puritans, although in some cases intol-
erant and narrow-minded, were yet as a
whole, far less guilty than the general aver-
age of the time in which they lived. Their
vices were those of their era; their virtues
were their own.

'• I have no fear concerning the ultimate
judgment of mankind on this matter. In
past times the public mind has been abused
by gross misrepresentations, and by forgeries,
like the famous 'Blue Laws.' The enemies
of the Puritans were very powerful and very
unscrupulous. Many a slanderous tale told
by disaffected parties, by criminals who had
left New England for New England's good,
was greedily listened to and published. But
impartial history is doing them justice. They
are coming forth from the ordeal of examina-
tion, not indeed faultless, but certainly not
the monsters they have been represented to
be..

There is now in course of publication by
the Massachusetts Historical Society, the
diary, if so it may bo called, of Samuel Sew-
all, covering the time from 1071 to 1730, a
period of fifty-nine years. Sewall was a
Puritan of the Puritans, for thirty-six years
a Justice, and for ten years the Cliief Justice
of the highest court in the province. He
took part in the Salem witch trials, but
afterward stood up before the whole congre-
gation on the Sabbath, while the minister

read aloud his written confession of the great
guilt which he had incurred in that transac-
tion. This diary exhibits the Puritan's
milder virtues, the genial side of his nature,
the sincerity of his piety, the purity and
sweetness of his domestic relations. It was
evidently not written for publication, but
now, about a century and a half after the
death of its author, it has been at last secured,
and is to be given to the world. To all who
really desire to know the actual character of
the Puritan, this journal is commended.

' ' A Feiv Questions Addressed to Tndh-
seekers. I want to ask a few questions, in
view of the anonymous criticisms made upon
the exercises of Forefathers' Day.

"Are 'grammar school histories,' 'pic-
torial histories,' or even 'cyclopedias,' the
best authorities for determining nice points
in historical research? Are not the state-
ments in such works rather too general for
such a purpose?

" Is the fact that 'James and the Court'
lumped together a mass of men under one
name, a positive proof that there was no dif-
ference between the individuals of this mass?
'" If the Plymouth Pilgrims were identical
in all respects with the persecuting Puritans
of Boston and Salem, etc., and were guilty
of the same offenses, why cannot that fact be
shown ?

"If the Pilgrims were guilty of persecu-
tion why cannot the instances be given?

" My declaration is, that the Pilgi-ims never
persecuted anybody; if they did, show it.
That would be a short way of settling the
whole matter. But nobody does it, for the
simjile reason that it can't bo done.

"Allow me to suggest that 'atheists and
infidels' are made by bigotry, uncharitable-
uess, and a willingness to blacken worthy
reputations, quite as frequently as in any
other way.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUIs^TY.

259

"And finally, 'with malice toward none,
with charity for all,' and with increased re-
spect for Pilgrim and Puritan, I must beg
to take leave of the discussion until the
critics come out over their own names; this,
surely cannot be deemed unreasonable. "

Following swiftly upon this reply of Mr.
Edward's came all the critics, new and old,
and the first one that we can lay our hands
upon signs, "Truth Seeker." He starts out
by defending his references to the encyclope-
dia as his authority for historical references,
and he then proceeds to say:

"But, to be exceedingly charitable with
the Doctor, I will permit the encyclopedia,
from which I quoted, to be laid aside and
not received in evidence, what then does the
Doctor do with Evert A. Duyckinck, one of
the most eminent] historians, who (Vol. IV,
page 58) says: 'In 1619 the Puritans, a

body of men who were averse as a matter of
conscience to living under the religious rules
of the English Church and had been resid-
ing for years in Holland, resolved to embark
for America, where they could regulate mat-
ters of religion according to their sentiments.'
Or with J. R. Green, M. A., Examiner in the
School of Modern History, Oxford, in his
History of the English people (page 497),
says: 'The little company of the Pilgrim
fathers as aftertimes loved to call them,
landed on the barren coast of Massachusetts,
at a spot to which they gave the name of
Plymouth, in memory of the last English
port at which they touched. * * * From
the moment of their establishment the eyes
of the English Puritans were fixed on the lit-
tle Pui-itan settlement in North America.'

" The Doctor says: 'My declaration is that
the Pilgrims never persecuted anybody. It
they did, show it.' I answer, is it a fact that
the Pilgrims united themselves with the
Massachusetts Bay, New Haven and Connecti-

cut Colonies in the year 1643 ? Is it a fact
that Jefferson Davis was the President of the
Southern Confederacy? If he was guilty of
killing anybody why can not the instance be
given f He was guilty because he was a party
to and with those who did the killing, and
upon the same premises were the Pilgrims
guilty by being a party to, and with those
who did the persecuting.

"Is it not a fact in law that if the writer
should harbor horse thieves, and enter in and
be a party with them, though he never laid
his hand upon a horse, and should be dis-
covered, the law would presume him equally
guilty with those who did the stealing and
measure out to him the same punishment?

"But, should the foregoing argument not be
strong enough to settle the matter, I will refer
the Doctor to Samuel M. Schmucker, L.L.
D., one of the smartest men in the Lutheran
Church, who says in his history of all de-
nominations (page 56), on Congregationalism,
'that its history is closely identified with the
history of New England. It extended more
and more widely as the country became more
thickly settled. In 1638 Harvard University
was founded at Cambridge. In 1646, com-
mon schools were established by law in
Massachusetts. In 1658, the Cambridge
Platform was adopted by an assemblage of
Congregational ministers which set forth
what is usually known as the Calvanistic
system of theology. At that time the number
of churches of this sect in Massachusetts was
39; in Connecticut, 4; in New Hampshire, 3.
The Quakers first made their appearance in
Massachusetts in 1656. There were two
women, who had fled thither from Barbadoes,
hoping to find religious toleration and free-
dom in the land of the Pilgrims. They
were cruelly disappointed, were arrested and
imprisoned for witchcraft, and afterward
sent back to Barbadoes. Others arrived,

260

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

three of whom were subsequently punished
with death, though their only offense was
their religious opinions.' Now, dear Doctor,
I have given you instances from the highest
authority, and you declared most emphat-
ically, if I could do so, that should settle the
whole matter."

Then follows a long, very long diatribe
from Independent. Among other things he
says: "These mistatements of history have
become popular eiTors, which have been her-
alded by the press and proclaimed from the
pulpit and political rostrum until they are in
the mouth of every school boy and pedagogue,
especially if he is of strict Puritan morals.

"The poets'enshrine the name of the Pil-
grims and Puritans in their hearts, and sing
to their memory sweet songs of liberty.

" "We would suppose on hearing the elo-
quent eulogies pronounced, and hearing the
inspiring poem read above referred to, on the
259th anniversary of the landing of om- fore-
fathers, that it was questionable indeed
whether our ears would ever have been saluted
on the Sabbath day by the sound of a Protest-
ant bell had it not been for the Pilgrims;
that all our wide land, with her towns and
cities, mountains, valleys and plains, had it
not been for these forefathers, would have
been either Catholic or infidel; that either no
God would have been our creed, or an image
would have been substituted for the true God.
We would suppose that our institutions would
have resembled those of Catholic Spain or
infidel France. We would suppose in read-
ing these eulogies and the reading of the
poem that the pages of history were falsely
written; that these forefathers never hung
Quakers, or incorrigible BnptiKts, that they
never cropped the ears of the heretic or
bored the tongue of a dissenter with a
red-hot iron; that the wail of grief and

pain arising from the colonial whipping
post was nothing but the gentle sighing of
the wind through the New England pines.
It is often said bv the apologists for the col-
onial persecutions, and by men in their rep-
resentative churches, that the errors of these
forefathers were the errors of an illiberal age.
This is also a mistake. These heinous per-
secutions of the Quakers and Baptists, to
prison to death, the whippingpost and exile,
were traits of character peculiar to these
Puritan forefathers, their form of religion
and their union of Church and State.

"In 1659, when the Quakers were execut-
ed at Boston, you might have traveled the
length and breadth of old England without
seeing a whipping post. England had not
put to death a heretic for forty-three years,
and in common with other Christian coun-
tries, she was remonstrating against the in-
tolerance of Puritans in this country.

" Massachusetts had already put to death a
number of heretics, as they called them, and,
doubtless, would have continued her bloody
persecutions had not King Chai-les II abso-
lutely prohibited it by the celebrated man-
damus order, referred to in our former letter.
These forefathers were imbued with a bigot-
ed, illiberal and intolerant spirit towards
those differing from them in religion. Many
were whipped for even refusing to have
their babies baptised at the Colonial Con-
gregational Churches. We can gather up the
key note of their malevolent religious dis-
positions from their leading statesmen,
scholars and orators. Let them now speak
for themselves.

"The noted Colonial preacher. Rev. Catton,
Bays: 'It was toleration that made the world
anti-Christian, and the world never took hurt
by the punishment of heretics. The Lord
keep us from being bewitched by the whore's
cap of toleration lest while we seem to detest

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

261

and reject her with open face of profession,
we do not bring her in by a back door of tol-
eration and so come at last to drink deeply of
the cup of the Lord's wrath.'

"It is said Harvard University was
founded by the Pilgrims within twenty years
after their advent upon these shores. Presi-
dent Oakes, of that University, and who was
an eminent Congregational preacher, said: ' I
look upon religious toleration as the first
born of all abominations.' ' Tc authorize
untruth,' said the eloquent and learned Col-
onial preacher, the Rev. Ward, ' by toleration
of State is to build a sconce against the walls
of heaven, to batter God out of His chair; to
say that a man ought to have liberty of con-
science is impious ignorance.'

" 'God forbid,' said the learned and gray-
headed Dudley, another noted divine of the
Massachusetts Colony, ' oui' love for the truth
should be grovni so cold that we should toler-
ate error; for the security of the flock we pen
up the wolf. ' Gov. Endicott said, 'we will
be as ready to take away the lives of heretics
as they will be willing to lay them down.'
When the court of Massachusetts was delib-
erating what they should do with several
Quakers, President Chauncy of Harvard
University, in his sermon on the Sabbath-
day, said: 'And suppose ye should catch
six wolves in a trap and you cannot prove
that they ever killed either sheep or lamb,
and now you have them they will neither
bark nor bite, yet they have the plain mark
of wolves. Now I leave it to your con-
sideration whether you will let them go alive.
Yea or nay ?'

" Here, then, are the sentiments of some
who have always been called the best and
greatest who ever bore the Puritan name.
They taught intolerance in their schools and
churches and in their State; it pervaded the
whole mass of the Colonial people. In the

catechism, which was taught in every family,
toleration of a false religion was enumerated
as one of the sins forbidden in the second
commandment, and this clause was retained
in the catechism as late as 1768. -

" In conclusion, let us ask the orator upon
such anniversary occasions, and the poet who
so sweetly sings of the virtue of these fore-
fathers, how they can shut their eyes against
the truth of history and eulogize such a race
of men by authority of the same kind of tes-
timony by which the Puritans branded the
Quakers and Baptists as ranters, rogues, vaga-
bonds and cursed heretics f By such evidence
the Catholics could have convicted Martin
Luther of being a wolf of hell, as they claimed
he was, or the Apostle Paul of being a mad-
man, the Pentecostal Christians of being
drunkards and Jesus of being a glutton and
a devil."

And then a number of other correspondents
"shied their castors into the ring," and the
Doctor, not being able ever to get them to
discuss the real point in all the controversy,
on which he had made his position plain in
his first address, namely, that the Puritans
and Pilgrims were separate and distinct
bodies of men, he evidently only looked on
and smiled while they so valiantly did battle
with the wind-mills of their own construction.

Among others is "Sucker" who comes with
his cruise of oil, to pour, as he says, "on the
troubled waters." His opening sentence is
a pertinent quotation, " Men, except in bad
novels, are not all good or all evil.'' He
then proceeds: " What a hullabaloo has been
kicked up because a few of our people, ' de-
generate children of illustrious sires, held a
little mutual admiration society on Forefa-
ther's day. What would you expect on such
occasions? What is the usual bill of fare?"
He then describes a little innocent eagle soar-
ing that we all indulge in on the Fourth of

262

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

July, and wants to know, you know, who ex-
pects anybody on such occasions to tell the
horrid truth about Washington, Jefferson,
Jackson and all the good, old patriots, even
up in Massachusetts, being horrid slave own-
ers, etc. , etc. He quotes the good old maxim,
" De mortuis nil nisi bonum." And then he
says: "On the occasion referred to, I too
was ' a looker-on in Venice.' Knowing they
deserved it, I was expecting to hear in praise
of the Pilgrims from their descendants, and
I did not care to ask whether it was in good
taste to boast until we have ' added honor to
ancestral fame. ' No one but a mule ' who
(sic) is denied posterity, and who has no an-
cestry particularly to boast of,' would find
fault with people for being proud of their re-
lations, and if, in ' ascending the family lin«
they should find it waxed at the other end, oi
even ending in stronger twine that vexed
some worthy relation,' you would not expect
them to mention that, and so I looked for un-
stinted praise of the Pilgrims. But I am eure
the efforts, as I understood them, were hardly
up to the average in eulogy."

In a good deal that " Sucker " has to say
we can not but see, that under the guise of
pouring oil on the waters, there is some play-
fulness and a free lance sent hurtling into the
whole crowd. He refers to " the gallant
Colonel" (Elliott) and while he calls his eu-
log}' extravagant, etc. , yet he says he told the
crowd ho was a Sucker (torn in Illinois) and
that " the un traveled Yankee of to-day is an
intolerable bigot, and this in face of the fact
that it is not much traveling to come from
Massachusetts to Princeton." Then he does
not spare Dr. Edwards as he says he " made a
distinction without a diffi'rence, in begging
U8 to remember that it was not the Pilgrims
but the Puritans who wore guilty of nil these
thingH — such as hanging Quakers and Bap-
tiata, and drowning witches, thereby confees-

ing all the charges in the indictment, but
pleading a misnomer.

"Now, if our Pilgrim descendents were
satisfied with this, why should 'Independent,'
'Truth Seeker,' 'Fair Play,' and all the
rest rush into print about it? Or, why does
some Pilgrim retort with Virginia, 'you're
another, ' * * * * ' Men of strong con-
victions, those who make their mark and
comjjel reform, are generally extremists, their
very zeal makes them intolerant of what they
believe is wrong, their sins should not prevent
us recognizing the .good they do, nor need
we, in recognizing it, claim they are immac-
ulate. * * * I do not believe we are in-
debted to the Pilgrims for all we enjoy, nor
do I believe they were such an intolerant,
bigoted, fanatical set that they were incapa-
ble of any good, any more than I believe what
Ingersoll would have us believe about Tom
Paine.

"Let us give to each his meed of praise,
honoring the memory of all for the good they
did. To do this we need not blacken the
memory of any. If they had gross faults and
committed great errors, let us frankly own
it, but lot not their faults damn them or hide
their better traits. Bury the faults, ' and if
from the tomb the veil be removed, weep o'er
it in silence, and close it again.' * *"

CHAPTER XXI.

SwAMi* Lands— How Di6['ii8r.i> or — Hon. L. D. Whitino Sucoeas-

rULI.Y FhiKTS TlIROfoll A DuAlNAUE LaW— Its 0r£AT BeNI-

riTw TO THE Whole County, eti-., etc.

IN the year 1850 Congress passed an act to
enable the State of Arkansas and other
States to " reclaim their swamj) and over-
flowed land," i)roviding where each subdi-
vision uf forty was more than one-half over-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

363

flowed or swamp land in the meaning of the
act. In June, 1852, the State gave these
lands to the respective counties in which
they were located. The law required the
proceeds arising from the sale of these lands
should be first expended in draining these
lands in so far as it might be found neces-
sary in making them arable. Upon a careful
survey of the lands there was found to be
38,000 acres of swamp land belonging to the
county, mostly along the valley of Green
River and in the bottoms of the Illinois
River. The county concluded to sell the land
at public sale — ten per cent cash and the
remainder on long time. The sale, in Sep-
tember, 1856, amounted to $115,000, and the
Board decided to appropriate the money to
the school fund. A contention at once arose
on the part of the purchasers, they contend-
ing that the purchase money should be exclu-
sively used in draining the lands. They re-
fused to meet their back payments, and soon
the county was not only in a law suit, but in
a general wrangle on the subject. In May,
1856, the Supervisors had appointed a com-
mittee to examine the subject and report gen-
erally what should be done. The committee
reported that the title of the county to these
lands was unconditional; that it could sell,
and use the money as it saw proper and its
acts could not be questioned. The Legisla-
tui-e, it said, had incorporated the Winebago
Drainage Company, which company intended
to grab the lands of Bureau and other
counties without paying any equivalent there-
for; this would be done under the pretext
of draining the county and improving the
general health of the people; that the small
minority in the lobby at Springfield from
Bureau County, had been bitterly denounced
by the "drainage lobby "—that this drainage
act meant to drain the peoples' money from
their pockets more than to take off the water;

that many of the tracts of reported swamp
lands were already contracted for, and this
would materially affect the sale of others;
that Lee and Whiteside Counties having sold
their lands were using their influence to have
the State drain the Winnebago swamps at
the expense of the lands^benefitted. And that
as long as the lands remained unsold that
they may be wrested (gobbled) from the
county; that many of the lands are partly
covered with timber and are being stripped
by timber thieves, etc. This report was
powerful in influencing the action of the
Board in hurrying up the sale above men-
tioned.

In January, 1862, the Board took up the
matter to unravel it once more, and another
committee was appointed. It reported and
went over in detail the law and the terms on
which the lands were given to the county; that
much trouble and vexation had arisen by
selling the land and making the great mistake
of not applying the proceeds to drainage
purposes as the act contemplated, etc. There-
upon the following resolution was passed:

Mesoleed, That the Board of Supervisors will
scrupulously apply the proceeds of the swamp lands
of the county exclusively, so far as necessary, to
draining and reclaiming the same. About one-half
of the lands sold were paid for and deeds taken,
while the remainder was forfeited and reverted to
the county, and were again sold. The total of the
sales amounted to $237,761. The county com-
menced an extensive system of drainage along the
Green River country and expended here about $200,-
000. And the finest cornfields in the county are now
upon lands along Green River, over which a steam-
boat could pass in former times.

This rather compulsory act of draining the
swamp lands of the county was the com-
mencement of one of its best public and per-
manent improvements. It gave the people
the first ocular demonstration of the value of
drainage, as it reclaimed a great body of
land that is now in cultivation that might.

264

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

without this improvement, have remained a
great water waste for centuries. The law
was a wise one, wherein it jjrovided the gift
should be tiu-ned to the general good. It
was at this time that drainage received its
first impetus in Illinois. The improvement
in the surface drainage resulting from the
first settlement of the country, and weaken-
ing the strength of the original strong prairie
sod, had failed to impress the average farmer
of the inviting possibilities in the marshy,
swampy, wet lands that were so common all
over the Illinois prairies, and the ponds, and
lagoons along many of the streams. And
since that day drainage has rapidly grown,
and is now recognized as one of the most
valuable permanent improvements that can
be put upon the land. And from surface
drainage has come the knowledge and now
wide use of tile drainage, and this is found
to be attended with thi' greatest benetits even
to the uplands. It strengthens the soil,
creates it, and warms it to that extent that it
visibly aflfocts the early spring vegetation.
It is of the greatest value for the rain that
falls upon the ground to pass oflf by going
through soil instead of running off on the
surface. Water always carries a certain
portion of air wherever it goes, and from the
air and the water is extracted rich plant food,
and the trickling of the water makes many
air openings, and hero is carried both the
early warmth of spring as well as the nutri-
tion for plants, and in addition to all this is
the advantage of preventing water from
standing a long time on the surface, and
excluding the air and killing the natural
strength of the land, which stagnant or still
wat<'rs will do, while moving wat(*r will not,
at least not so rapidly. Opening the soil for
the admission of air is one of the principal
objects of plowing, harrowing and otherwise
breaking up and disintegrating the earth's

surface. The presence of air in the soil in
as large aggregate quantities as possible is
indispensable, because it brings with it car-
bonic acid and ammonical gases, which reach
the minute roots or spongioles of plants.
Air also supplies the oxygen necessary to the
decomposition of vegetable matter, which in
turn becomes what may be termed the food
of plants. Aeration of soils cannot be ac-
complished by opening holes in the ground
or breaking the earth into large lumps and
clods, but the air should be admitted in
many minute streams or channels, in order
that each particle of soil may come in con-
tact with a particle of air.

Plowing, hoeing and weeding growing
crops are aerating processes well understood
by the scientific agriculturist who never
neglects them, even when no weeds are pres-
ent; for experience has taught him that
luxuriant growth will be promoted and often
sustained by aeration, whether the season be
wet or dry. Heavy, stiff clays become beaten
down and hard daring the heavy rains of
spring, and then porosity is almost entirely
destroyed, as neither air nor moisture can
enter except very slowly, if at all; but when
they are broken up and pulverized, aeration
proceeds with rapidity and regulai-ity. Air
not only enters loose soils direct, but also
with water, and whenever the soil is in such
a condition as to admit water rapidly, we
may conclude that aeration is also going on.
Water, however, should not rest in the soil,
but circulate; first by descent as a liquid,
and then by ascent in the form of vapor,
thereby assisting aeration as well as carrying
the fertilizing elements of the soil to the
root* of ])lant8 growing therein. Water ex-
posed to the atnios))here, even by passing
through it in the form of rain, absorbs at-
mospheric gases in sufficient ([uantities to be
])erceived by the human palate. These are

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

365

removed by the soil as the water passes
through it, thereby adding more or less to
its fertility.

Experience has fully demonstrated that
the wet land, land that has produced only
coarse, woody swamp grasses can readily be
converted into the richest agricultural lands
by tiling. The experiment is now common
all over central and northern Illinois, that
by thorough tiling the value of lands, worth
130 and SiO an acre, have been more than
doubled by drainage, and unlike any other
improvement, when properly done, it is a
permanent benefit, needing only the slightest
future attention in order to carry on its great
work perpetually; fires, tornadoes, nor time
affect its good work. Hence, it is recognized
as the most important farm work yet under-
taken by all intelligent farmers. The cau-
tious farmers a few years ago, who reasoned
themselves into the first experiments, would
sometimes select a piece of ground and tile
one-half of it and observe the results. When
the entire field was planted in corn and the
plants were half grown, he could stand off at
a distance and easily tell the boundary of the
tiling by the appearance of the growing corn.
And even in the spring plowing many testify
that in plowing across the fields that were
partly tiled they could tell by the pulling of
the horses the moment the plow came into the
tiled ground. One would be clammy and heavy
and the other loose and light. But these
things are now too well known to all intelli-
gent farmers to need recapitulation here. We
have no doubt that the time will soon come
when every acre of our agricultural lands,
except on our steepest hills, will be all thor-
oughly tiled. Its value has ceased to be
experimental — its increase of the certainty
and amount of crops each year are now
matters universally known.

But the history of drainage in our State,

especially the efforts to enact laws that would
best promote its universal use, and at the
same time inflict the least wrong upon the
rights of adjoining lands, is quite an inter-
esting and important subject, and what is
remarkable in the enacting of laws to fit this
new condition of affairs there was nearly the
same legal points and obstruction thrown in
the way that there was in the anti-monopoly-
movement, spoken of elsewhere, and the
further fact that here as there the lawyers
and the courts were largely on one side, and
the peeple on the other. The lawyers following
the bent of their edi;cation appealed to ancient
precedent and law for the solution of the
most modern of practical questions; laws that
were made and had applications to the old
subject of building dams and digging drains,
where there was only the one principle to
consider, namely, the injury that might result
to others' property. Upon these points the
English law was full of " wise saws " and
learned decisions, and when oui' people com-
menced to place tiling in their grounds,
they at once began to see that they must have
an outlet; that their drains must be laid
according to the shape and lay of the sur-
face, and that very often the only possible
manner of doing the work was to throw
the water upon their neighbor's land, and
according to the law, of this the neighbor
might complain, and the law would give him
redress. If each land owner had for neighbors
men of equal enterprise, then there would be
little difficulty, because they would extend
and carry along their neighbor's drain and
there would be nothing to adjust. But this
is not human nature. There were plenty of
course who would not di-ain their own land
and much less allow their neighbors to
increase the flow of water upon them. The
Legislature was appealed to, but the attorneys
said this remedy could not be afforded by

366

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

law. Senator L. D. TVhiting, of this county,
now so long a member of the State Senate
that he is called the " father of the Senate,"
has furnished us an interesting account of
the long struggle there has been on this sub-
ject, the years of failure by the farmers and
the final triumph that has only now come to
those who have sought to adjust the law to
this modern necessity. The constitutional
convention of 1870, ho informs us, upon his
motion, took up the subject and, while it did
not pass a provision at all broad enough in
his opinion, yet it was a provision intended
to enable the Legislature to do something for
the public relief. The enemies of drainage
regarded the little provision in the constitu
tion — a provision that Mr. Whiting told the
gentlemen who drafted it, "was too small
a provision for so great a subject " — and they
therefore allowed it to be inserted in the new
constitution. The Legislature soon under-
took to pass laws giving force and effect to
this provision, but all the prominent attor-
neys of the State who were consulted said
that under it nothing practical could be
enacted by the Legislature that would afford
relief, and at the same time stand the tests of
the court. Mr. W. tells us he reported
measures that were smothered in the judiciary
committee, as they treated all measures unless
they carefully looked over them and first
"extracted all their teeth." The Legislature
passed acts, but, as he informs us, he finally
got a declaratory law, or provision under the
drainage act, partially smuggled through the
two houses, by sandwiching it all in a meas-
ure purporting to be about something else,
and it thus becarao a law. But here again
the attorneys and the courts were of one
voice, and there was api>arently no hope of
relief. A case arose in the county and a
short account of it will be a general history
of what was being done generally. One man

drained his land by tiling n low, marshy part
thereof, and he run his drain for an outlet
to the public road, and ended it in a culvert
in the road. When the rains came his
neighbor discovered that this tile materially
increased the flow of water on to his land,
and he commenced suit. A jury of farmers
heard all the facts of the case, and decided
there was no damage for which the upper
farmer should pay. The case went to the
appellate court and was reversed and sent
back for a new trial. Again upon trial and
appeal the same results came, and the appel-
late court sent back instructions that the
law must be enforced, that the act was
a trespass. Here was nearly the same con-
flict of opinion between the people on one
side, and the attorneys of the country on the
other side, as was the case in the contest with
the railroads in regard to "vested rights,"
when the lawyers claimed the Legislature
could not give relief. Many intelligent men
realized that the whole theory must be
changed; that even if the lawyers had the
proper views of what the old law was on the
subject, that the surroundings here in the
great State of Illinois were superior, far
above old precedents, and that it was not
only good sense and sound policy, but an
imperative necessity to re-enact the law on
this point, and make it possible to put into
practical effect this great and needed work
in Illinois.

Just now we are informed that the Supe-
rior Court of our State has reversed its
former rulings, has been compelled to lay
aside precedent and decide that the superior
public interest, justice to the many, and
common sense, are the law; that a man may
drain bis land, may carry the water the
natural way for it to run, and deliver it at
bis boundary- line, and the owner of the ad-
joining land must take care of it and pass it

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUXTY.

267

along in the form and manner he may
choose. This is a great victory of justice,
of good sense, of necessity, over the learned
in the technicalities of the law, and it is a
plain proposition that it will give a tremen-
dous impulse to tile draining in the State,
and will add many millions to the value of
Illinois farms. Could anything be plainer
than the proposition, that if our farmer
wants to drain his land, he may do it; that
his hands should not be tied by a stubborn
neighbor; that he may do this with the least
damage to adjoining land, but that he may
do it completely, and if his act compels the
stubborn neighbor to improve his land by
putting down tile, that all are beneHted in
the end ? The law may well step in and
compel the stubborn neighbor to benefit
himself; but formerly, the very measure he
could successfully resist was not only an
injury to his more enterprising neighbor,
but to himself also, so long as he sat sullenly
upon his supposed rights under the old con-
struction of the law.

Here, then, is another important revolu-
tion in the old, musty and obsolete laws of
the past, and in favor of the present; ad-
justing the machinery of the law to the
needs of the present. The old struggle of
the people against the oppression of laws
and customs that are old and whose days of
usefulness passed away long ago, laws or
customs that probably had their beginning
in the greatest good to the people, bat
which have long outlived their usefulness.
Not only their good, but by the general
change of circumstances these measures
that were once a public blessing have be-
come a public and grievous oppression, a
common experience in the history of civil-
ization.

Again we note with a peculiar pride
that this great movement had its inception

in Bureau County. It is a proud achieve-
ment. Its effects will be only for good, and
they will extend, like the other great move-
ments born here, throughout the country,
bearing perpetual fruits and blessings to the
great human family.

CHAPTER XXII.

1837 — CotiNTY Existence Commences — The Election — Bureau
Triumphs — Jollification — "Shut the Door" — First High-
ways — Part of Indian Trail Still Preservbd — First Offi-
cial Officers and Acts — List of Officers to Adoption of
Township Organization — County's Civil History to 1850 —
ETC., etc.

WE now return in our narrative to the
year 1837, and take up the civil
history of the county, which, as stated in a
preceding chapter, commenced in that year.
The act of the Legislature creating the
county passed the Legislatnre and became a
law February 28, 1837. By reference to
the act it will be seen that it defined the
limits of the county and appointed three
Commissioners to locate the county seat, and
appointed a day for the first county election.
The only difiference in the boundary lines as
organized and now, is in the addition of the
towns of Milo and Wheatland, which were
added to the covin ty on the formation of
Marshall and Stark Counties. But the act
provided that the majority of the people of
Putnam County should vote a majority in
favor of the new county before the act
would take effect. In accordance with this
act an election was held on the first Monday
in March, which was a very exciting one,
and many illegal votes were said to have
been cast on both sides. On the west side of
the river people voted almost en masse for
the division, while on the east side they
voted against it. A few votes were cast in

268

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Indiantown Precinct against the division,
and a few in Sandy Precinct for it. There
was about thirty majority for the division,
and when the result was known there was
great rejoicing on the west side of the river.
In Princeton houses were illuminated, bon-
fires built, guns fired, and various tokens of
joy were manifested. Although the west
side of the river had won the victory and
was entitled to a new county, those on the
east side, with the authorities at Hennepin,
pronounced the election illegal, giving
notice that they would contest it — declaring
no division — " Putnam County still whole,"
etc. Notwithstanding this protest, Bureau
claimed to be a county, and went on to com-
ply with the provisions in the act of the
Legislature. Three Commissioners, who
had been appointed for that purpose, mot
in May, and located the county-seat at
Princeton.

On the first Monday in June, 1S37, an
election was held to elect county ofiicers, at
which Robert Masters, A\'illiam Hoskins and
Arthur Bryant were elected County Com-
missioners; Cyrus Langworthy, Sheriff;
Thomas Mercer, Clerk; John H. Bryant,
Recorder; Jacob Galer, Coroner, and Rob-
ert Stewart, Surveyor.

Judge Dan Stone, of the Fifth Judicial
District, ordered court to be held in Prince-
ton on the following August, and appointed
Cyrus Bryant, Clerk. Courts were held in
Hampshire Colony Church until 1845, when
a Cfjurt house was built, and a jail twelve
feet square, with hewed logs, lined with
sheet iron, together with a frame building
for a jailer, on n lot nowoccuj)ied by the resi-
dence of O. S. Phelps.

When the vote of Putnam County was tak-
en on the (juestion of setting off all this fair
portion of her domain into a now county, it
was only natural it should attract much atten-

tion of the people. The people west of the
river realized the great disadvantage they
were under every time they had to go to their
county seat. And every old settler and some
of the younger ones are still fond of telling
over some of the exciting and funny inci-
dents.

Princeton was a small hamlet in the wild-
erness, but had ambitions, and its aspirations
were boundless, and her people were especial-
ly interested in the success of organizing the
new county. They well understood that
Princeton would be the seat of justice.

The election day was over, the returns
came in and the new county had triumphed.
This was the happiest day, perhaps, in the
historj' of Princeton. Shouts, yells, tin horns,
cow bells and a horse fiddle banged,
screeched and howled the joy of the Prince-
tonites. Long into the night continued the
din and rejoicing, and many of the men (this
was tolerated then more than now) were, after
the manner of Tam O'Shanter, '"o'er all the
ills of life victorious;" and "here's to the vic-
tory we celebrate'' was the boisterous order of
the hour. And many sang "We won't go home
till morning," and without waiting further on
the order of their going, straggled off "hick-
uping" their wending way forest. They were
abnormally tired, even if they were full of
patriotic glory.

One case was a leading merchant whose
store was on the Sijuare. He was in the hab-
it of sleeping on his counter, and with great
trouble bo had watched the houses as they
raced around the Scjuare and finally had land-
ed himself on his front steps. Here, from
sheer fatigue, he soon was sound asleep,
spread out all over his doorsteps. About day-
break one of his noighljor.s, on his wiiy to
market and to see if the "hole iu the wall"
was still a sure enough "hole," found the
slumbering innocent, and by violent shaking

•x■<s^^^^■■•^ "■^■^

E"g.byE:^^^Vi||rg:^^ .i

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

371

roused him up, to get him to go inside and
go to bed. Terribly top-heavy, the sleeper
sat up and finally said: "Boys, boys! I'm
devilish cold— shut the door!"

At the time of the organization of the
county there v?ere two prominent roads of
thoroughfares within its territory. One of
these was the celebrated Galena thoroughfare,
or great stage road from Peoria to Galena,
over which the daily four-horse coach passed
each way, carrying the mails and the chief
portion of travel to and from the lead mines.
This passed north and south through the
county, and at that time passed west of
Princeton, through Boyd's Grove, Bulbonna
Grove and other noted points in the western
part of the county. The other was the Sac and
Fox trail running east and west through the
county ; and over this trail the Indians for many
years made it their great highway to Canada
to get their annual supplies, and also to
Chicago. This was the guiding road for
many of the early immigrants who came by
way of Chicago. It was followed by Gen.
Scott's army in 1832, from Chicago to the
Mississippi River. The difference in a great
Indian trail and a white man's road is in the
width of the two, the Indians always travel-
ing single file, and hence his route was
marked by a narrow path. The writer was
shovTn a short section of this great Indian
trail, that yet remains undisturbed, except by
the elements, as the Indians left it when
they last passed over their noted highway.
Wo were shown this interesting spot of
ground by Mr. A. L. Steele, of Dover. It is
in Dover cemetery, and to this fact is due its
preservation, the original sod having never
been disturbed either by the plow or by the
tramping of stock, as the graveyard was en-
closed some years ago. There is plainly vis-
ible about thirty feet of the trail, and as it is
on a slight decline of the hill, the running

water has at one time washed it out several
inches in depth. Thus we trace the footprints
of people who have long since passed away,
and like the crawling of the worm or the
walking of the bird upon the plastic mud,
making their imprint that becomes hardened
stone, and is covered by the deep soil, to re-
main hidden for ages, and finally is brought
to the surface and attracts the attention of
the scientist and historiaQ, who there reads
the history and writes the story of the habits
and lives of these apparently insignificant
birds and insects and the long, immeasurable
path that lies between their worthless lives
and the present. Many years ago, yet within
the memory of men still living, it was no un-
common sight to see hundreds of Indians on
this trail at one time. The last was in 1837,
when the last of the Indians were being re-
moved from Michigan to the west of the Mis-
sissippi. Mrs. James G. Everett tells us she
was, on the occasion of the passing through
the county of the last large body of Indians,
teaching school just west of Princeton. She
was then new in the West, and knew but lit-
tle of the Indian character. She was occu-
pied with her school when the red men began
suddenly to swarm about the building. She
was terribly frightened, but some of the chil-
dren had heard at home about the Indians
going to pass that day, and explained to
their teacher that they would not harm them,
and in a little while the cavalcade passed
along. But she thinks the work in the
school room that day was largely a failure.
N. Matson says that the first obstruction in
the way of fencing up the land that occurred
on this Indian trail, between Rock Island and
Chicago, was caused by a fence of Robert
Murphy in the spring of 1837.

The first meeting of the County Commis-
sioners' Court convened in Princeton, June 7,
1837; Robert C. Masters, William Hoskins

272

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

and Arthur Bryant, Commissioners, and Cy-
rus Bryant, Clerk. They were sworn into
office by John H. Bryant, Esq. Cyrus Bry-
ant gave bond as Clerk, with Thomas Epjjer-
son and B. L. Smith as sureties. Nathaniel
Chamberlain was the first County School
Commissioner, and gave bond, with Thomas
S. Elston, John M. Gay and R. T. Temple-
ton, sureties. The first official act of the
Commissioners was to appoint Degrass Salis-
bury County Treasui'er, who gave bond in the
Bum of $15,000, with Thomas S. Elston and
John H. Bryant as sureties. The precinct of
Greenfield was fixed as a voting precinct, in-
cluding nearly all the northern half of the
county, and Jonathan T. Holbrook, John
Kendall and Joseph Fassett were made
Judges of Election, and the house of Tracy
Reeve was the voting place. Brush Creek
Precinct was described, and Brown Searl, Job
Searl and Harmon Kellums were made Judges,
to vote at the house of William Hoskins. In
June, 1839, a part of Dover Precinct was
taken from Greenfield and a new district
made; and Brush Creek Precinct was also
changed and a part thereof taken to form
Hall District in September, 1838. At this
first meeting Windsor District was formed
and Morris Spalding, Joseph Robinson and
Amariah Robinson made Judges, to vote at
the house of Augustus .Langwoi-thy. Also
the Princeton District, and John Musgrove,
Elijah Smith and Benjamin L. Smith were
Judges, to vote at the house of Stephen Trip-
lett. Also Coal Creek Precinct, and Samp-
son Colo, Thornton Cummings and Moses Ste-
phens were the Judges, and the voting place
the house of Thornton Cummings. A reso-
lution was passed requiring the Commission-
ers appointed by the Legislature to locate the
county seat, to meet in Princeton on the
20fh day of June, 1837, and make such selec-
tion. A tax of one-half per cent was ordered

to be laid on all personal property in the
county, " except neat cattle under three years
old;" and a tax of one- fourth per cent on
all taxable lands in the county for roads and
bridges. It was ordered that the Circuit
Court be held in the "Congregational Meet-
ing-house" in Princeton until a place could
be provided. John H. Bryant was ordered to
procure a suitable "table and pigeon box"
for the Recorder's office; §15 was appropri-
ated to purchase plank to cover the bridges
across the sloughs on Main Bureau, near
Elijah Smith's, and for this purpose Enos
Matson was appointed agent; $50 was ap-
propriated for the bridges near Robert C.
Masters' and near Simpson Huifaker's, and
James G. Foristols and Robert C. Masters
was appointed to attend to the work. Arthur
Bryant was authorized to expend $5 on the
bridges in Town 16, Range 9 east, and Will-
iam Hoskins was authorized to expend $15 on
the public roads in Town 16, Range 11 east.

The Commissioners then selected the fol-
lowing as the first grand jurors in the
county: Jonathan S. Coiton, Robert Scott,
Moses Thichnor, John Hall, Stephen B. Fel-
lows, David Nickerson, John McElwaine,
Tracy Reeve, Aaron Mercer, John Ament,
Marshall Mason, Peter Ellis, George Bennett,
Cornelius Corss, Elijah Smith. Thornton
Cummings, James G. Everett, Roland Moso-
ly, James Howe, Morris Spalding, Robert
Clark, Austin Bryant, Amariah AVatson.
When the grand jury met, Gilbert Kellums,
Lyman Howe, J. H. Olds and Stephen Smith
and iSIr. Spalding were placed on the jury
to fill vacancies.

The following were selected as the first
petit jury: Butler Dunham, James Smith,
Brown Searlo, Arthur Thornton, James G.
Swan, James Seaton, Curtis Williams, De-
marcus Ellis, Obcdiah Britt, James G. Foris-
tol, Henry Thomas, Simpson Huffaker, Elias

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

273

Isaacs, Joseph Fassett, AquillaTriplett, Will-
iam H. Wells, Benjamin Newell, Sampson
Cole, Enoch Pratt, Elijah Merritt, Joseph
Beeler, Erastus Sherwin, Michael Kitterman,
Caleb Cook.

It is a notable fact that the first order ever
made upon the County Treasurer was for the
purpose of bettering and making new roads
and bridges in the county.

On June 22, 1837, a special term of the
Commissioners' Court convened in Prince-
ton. Benjamin Mitchell and Peter Biitler
took an oath to faithfully consider the inter-
ests of the people and the situation of the
settlements, "having an eye to the future
population," in locating the county seat.
And on the same day they made a written
report, in which Princeton was named as the
county seat, the report saying : ' ' We have
determined to select the public square in the
town of Princeton, on the west side of said
square, designated as Lot No. 33, as near the
center as practicable; Provided, D. G. Salis-
bury, Thomas S. Elston and John H. Bryant
shall execute a bond, approved by the County
Commissioners, for 17,500, and a bond to
execute a deed for eight and one-half acres
of land, payable to said Commissioners, for
the purpose of erecting a court house and
other public buildings." Twenty dollars was
paid Peter Butler and $15 to Benjamin
Mitchell for services in locating the county
seat. Except allowing a few orders, this was
the business of the special term.

At the August term, 1837, appeared Lyman
Howe and prayed for a writ of ad quod dam-
num" which was granted. At this term R.
T. Templeton was appointed County Treas-
urer. He gave bonds of $15,000, with Cyrus
Langworthy, W. O. Chamberlain, John M.
Gay and Thomas Epperson as sureties.

An election was held on the 7th day of
August, 1837, resulting as follows: Degrasfe

Salisbury, Probate Justice; Robert T. Tem-
plegate, Treasurer; Thomas Mercer, County
Clerk. The following were elected Justices
of the Peace: Justin H. Olds, William
Frankeberger, Daniel Bryant, Nathaniel
Applegate, Silas Trimble, Augustus Lyford,
Caleb Moore and Tracy Reeve; the following
Constables: John G. Keed, Benjamin Cole,
Joseph Frank, William C. Sycler, Carlton
W. Combs, John Howe, Moses M. Thompson
and James Cheney.

Jonathan T. Holbrook, with David Hol-
brook as surety, gave bond to keep hotel.

John Clark, Jesse Perkins and Robert
Stuart were appointed to locate a road from
the bridge on Bureau, near Peters' saw-mill,
to run to David Nickerson's house, " where
Wherry now lives;" thence to the bluff on
the Illinois River near David Searls'; from
there to Henry F. Miller's, near the Spring
Mill farm; then to the bluff near Ezekiel
Piper's house; then to the east side of Will-
iam Hoskins'; then to an intersection with
the road leading to Ottawa and Coles' Ferry,
between the forks of said road and William
Hoskins' . The Commissioners considered the
return of Howe's ad quod damnum writ, and
refused to grant him permission to build on
the land designated. An order was made to
Cyrus Bryant of $20 to pui'chase suitable •
records for the Circuit Clerk.

A bond dated the 2d of June, 1837, for
$7,500, and signed by Thomas S. Elston,
Degrass Salisbury, John H. Bryant, Elijah
Wiswall, John M. Gay, Noah Wiswall, Cy-
rus Langworthy and S. B. Fellows for the
purpose of securing the public buildings of
the county. It was approved by the court.

At the December term, 1837, Jonathan
Colton, David Robinson and John H. Bryant
wore appointed to locate a road from eighty
rods west of the center of Section 32, Town-
ship 16, Range 9, to the house of Austin

274

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Bryant, and south of the house of Roland
Mosley, to the southwest of Section 27;
thence to the house of Christopher Corss;
also a road from the starting-point of the
above east to a point not to exceed thirty
rods west of the east line of Section 32.

And Jonathan S. Colton, Robinson and
Robert Clark were directed to locate a road
" from the center of Section 16, Township
16, Range 9; thence south on the quarter
section line two miles; thence to the saw-
mill now occupied by James How." Robert
Stuart, Roland Moseley and Alby Smith
were ordered to locate a road from Princeton
to Greenfield, "making James Garvin's,
Sylvester Brigham's, Elias Isaac's, and the
south end of Dimmick's Grove points on the
road." Robert Stuart, Martin Zearing and
Aaron Mercer were appointed to lay off a
road from the Loeper Mill to the town line
between Ranges 9 and 10.

At an election held in October, 1837,
Benjamin L. Smith was elected County
Clerk, and William Frankeberger and John
Searle elected Justices of the Peace, and
Moses Thompson, Carlton W. Combs, Jacob
Young and James Wilson were elected
Constables.

Aaron ifercer, Robert Stuart and Justin
H. Olds were appointed to review a road
from Princeton via the Searle settlement to
the county line, between this and La Salle
counties.

An order was made allowing Sheriff Lang-
worthy S63 for expenses in prosecuting Mc-
Broom and Stuart, charged with passing
counterfeit money. These were two noted
criminals in the early days of the county.

Justin H. Olds, Roljert Stuart and James
Garvin were appointed to view a road asked
for by Thomas Ej)por8on and others, com-
mencing at Leonard Roth's Mill, thence
easterly towards Peru, to the county line.

The county was divided into eighteen road
districts, and Asa Barney, Caleb Haskel,
Daniel Radcliffe, Amariah Watson. Jesse
Perkins, "William Mann, John Hall, John
Clark, Chauncey D. Colton, Stephen B.
Fellows, William Cowan, Lewis Chilson,
Thomas J. Stephens, Ezekiel Thomas, Ly-
man Stowel, Peter Ellis, Nathan Rackley
and Zenas Church were appointed Super-
visors. One hundred dollars was appro-
priated in 1838 to build a bridge across
Bureau, on the road from Princeton to
French Grove, and Arthur Bryant was ap-
pointed to superintend the building of the
same. Benjamin L. Smith was appointed
to go to St. Louis and procure seals for the
Clerk's offices. At the March term, 1838,
it was resolved to release the persons on the
$7,500 bond, mentioned heretofore, that the
parties signing the same be released on the
following conditions: " To build a jail and
jailor's house," and to deed to the county
the half acre of land on which the Congre-
gational Church meeting-house stands, to-
gether with the hou.se thereon, and to deed
to the county one-lifth of a five-acre lot
owned by William O. Chamberlain, also
34x42 feet on Lot 31, on the public square
adjoining lot owned by Fellows & Downing.
Pyrena B. Ellis went before Squire Joseph
Brigham and made oath "that Thomas J.
Cole was not the father of said child."
This is probably the only instance that ever
happened in the county of exactly this
kind.

At the election August 6, 1838, the
following officers were elected: Recorder,
Robert Qarton; Sheriff, Cyrus Langworthy;
Coroner, David C. Searle; Commissioners,
Robert Clark, William Hoskins and Tracy
Reeve; Coustnbh's, Daniel Elliott, Allen S.
Lathrop, Obed W. Bryant, Gilbert Clement,
Alfred Anthony and C. R. Searle. Agrees-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

275

ble to a "drawing by lots," as the law di-
rected, the Commissioners took office as
follows: Three years, Robert Clark; two
years, William Hoskins; one year, Tracy
Reeves. The grand jurors chosen for the
second term of the Circuit Court were:
Moses Stephens, Sampson Cole, Caleb Cush
ing, Alexander Holbrook, Joseph Robinson,
Daniel Radcliffe, Rufus Corey, Solomon
Sapp, Nathaniel Chamberlain, Jr., Joel
Doolittle, Joseph Houghton, Charles Phelps,
William Wherry, Robert A. Leeper, Job
Searle, Henry Miller, Peter Savage, John
Elliott, Samuel Mohler, Joseph Frank, John
M. Gay, James W. Green and John
Kendall.

The following were the members of the
petit jury: Augustus Langworthy, Joseph
W. Kinney, John W. Headley, Ellis Mer-
cer, Joseph E. Smith, George Coleman, Ja-
cob Galer, William Mercer, Jr., Jonathan
Ireland, Joseph S. Meyers, Elias Trimble,
Lazarus Reeve, Arthur Bryant, Asher Doo-
little, Adolphus Tucker, Elisha Wood, Eli
Smith, Noah Wiswall, Stephen Wilson, Alby
Smith, Erasmus Phelps, Sylvester Brigham,
Andrew F. Smith and William O. Chamber-
lain.

On the 26th of November, 1838, Stephen
Smith was elected County Surveyor.

On September 30, 1837, Benjamin L.
Smith filed his official bond as County
Clerk.

Asa Barney, Erasmus Phelps and John
Long were appointed Assessors.

June 5, 1839, Cyrus Langworthy filed his
bond, which was approved, as Sheriff, with
Robert C. Masters and John Clark as sureties.

At the September term, 1S39, of the County
Commissioners' Court, William Frankoberger
was the Commissioner elect to succeed Tracy
Reeve. Solomon F. Denning then filed his
bond as County Clerk, and gave bonds with

Thomas Elston and John H. Bryant as se-
curities.

At the August election, 1839, the following
county o£Scers were chosen: D. G. Salisbury,
Probate Justice; Oliver Boyle, Recorder; R.
T. Templeton, Treasurer; Stephen Smith,
Surveyor ; S. F. Denning, Clerk ; William
Frankeberger, Commissioner. The following
Justices of the Peace: Moses M. Thompson,
Elijah Smith, R. C. Masters, E. S. Phelps,
Isaac Delano, Obediah Britt, Justin H. Olds,
Noah Sapp, Tracey Reeve, Lawson Miller,
John Searle, Nathaniel Applegate, Morris
Spalding and Mathew Dorr. The Constables
were: William H. Wells, David Holbrook,
John Phillips, Jehu Long, Theodore W.
Nichols, Demarcus B. Ellis, David A. Gleem,
David Perkins, P. Cootey, George W. Miller,
Allen S. Lathrop, C. W. Combs, James M.
Dexter and Alfred Anthony.

At a special election to till vacancies Octo-
ber 5, 1839, Harvey Child was elected Jus-
tice of the Peace, and Jonathan Holbrook,
Barton Anderson and John Crowl were elect-
ed Constables.

For the September term of the Circuit
Court, 1840, the following grand jurors were
chosen: Greenbury Hall, John Parneil, John
W. Hall, Job Searle, Zacariah Bnshong,
David Nevis, George Anthony, Abijah K.
Martin, James M. Dexter, Hosea Barney,
James Carroll, Simon K. Lemon, Thomas
Findley, Robert Thompson, James Smith,
William Cowen, Madison Studyvin, Robert
Garton, William Martin, Tracy Reeve, Hor-
ace Gilbert, Arthur Biyant.

Petit jurors: Elias Funderburg, Thomas
Hoskins, Elias Mott, Timothy Searle, Jr.,
Oliver Osmond, G. W. Mennior, Louis Col-
ton, Stephen Wilson, Roland Moseloy, Asa
B. Pendleton, Cyrus Colton, Stephen B. Fel-
lows, John H. Bryant, Austin Bryant, Daniel
Galer, Butler Denham, Clark Nottingham,

270

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Isaac Spangler, Robert Woodrougli. Abram
Stratton. Benjamin L. Smitli, Benjamin Por-
ter, Noadiah Smith and Alfred T. Thompson.
It was ordered that each grand juror be al-
lowed 75 cents a day for active service at the
court. In 1840 Carlton M'. Combs was ap-
pjintei County Collector. He gave bond in
the sum of $4,000 with Nathaniel Applegate
and Degress Salisbury as sureties.

At the August election, 1840, the follow-
ing officei-s were elected: Cyrus Langworthy,
Sheriff; Daniel Bryant,, Coroner; William
Hoskins, County Commissioner; and Moses
Mercer, Ezekiel Thomas, Barton Anderson,
John Conant and Jacob Zearing, Constables.

At the April term of the Circuit Coui't,
1841, John H. Bryant was appointed in lieu
of Alby Smith to view the now celebrated
Dover Koad. This road was the one for the
farmers to get from Princeton to Chicago,
and as it was a highway by use and custom
before the prairie began to be made into
farms, and as it ran diagonally across the
lands, there was a conflict arose among the
people: Those who hiiuled over the road did
not want it extended by being compelled to
follow section lines, and this was exactly
what the land owners mostly desired. The
matter had finally to be settled by an act of
the Legislature, and therefore to this day it
runs " across lots " in many places.

At this time Robert Gartin was appointed
Assessor for Bureau County, and the old
order of the Commissioners dividing the
county into two Assessore'districts and hav-
ing two Assessors was repealed.

At the Soj)tembor term, 1841, Robert E.
Thompson a])peared as the Commissioner to
succeed Robert Clark. At the election in
August, 1841, Thomas Morc(>r was elected
School Commissioner. Soi)tember, 1841,
Carloton W. Combs gave bond as Collector
of the county in the amount of $13,000. with

John H. Bryant, James S. Everett, Cyrus
Bryant and Oliver Boyle as sm-eties.

The grand jurors chosen for the April term,
1842, of the Circuit Court were as follows:
Noah Sapp, Francis A. Hutchins, John Searle,
Charles S. Boyd, A. G. Porter, Elijah Mer-
ritt, Timothy K. Ferr'ell, Moses Stevens, R.
Carey, Henry Thomas, Joseph Heath, Nehe-
miah Mataon, Marshall Mason, Hiram Roth,
Nathan Rackley. Roland INIoseley, Flavel
Thurston, John Hall, Robert Clark, William
Jones, Robert J. Woodrough, William Mer-
cer, Jr., Benjamin L. Smith.

September, 1842, Enos Smith appeared as
a member of the County Commissioners'
Court: Justin H. Olds was elected County
Collector; Stejshen Smith, Sheriff; Henry
Thomas, Coroner; and Gilbert Clement elect-
ed Constable. Justin H. Olds gave bonds in
$18,000, with Cyrus Bryant, Degrass Salis
bury, E. T. Templeton, Tracy Reeve and
John H. Bryant as sureties. At this time
the County Clerk, S. F. Denning, appointed
Oliver Boyle his deputy.

For the December term, 1843, the follow-
ing grand jurors were chosen: Robert Scott,
Alanson Munson, John Clai-k, John Searls,
Jesse Perkins, Samuel Robins, Daniel Rad-
cliffe, Charles S. Boyd, Asa Barney, Alex-
ander Holbrook, Ziba Alden, Daniel Davis,
Edward Mercer, Jr., Abram Stratton, Mar-
shall Mason, John Yaughau, Thomas I.
Cole, Ziba Nichols, Horace Gilbert, Martin
Hopi)s. Nathan Rackley, Arthur Bryant,
Amos N. Bacon.

The state of the money market is given by
the following order passed by the County
Commissioners' Court June 7, 1843: "Or-
dered (hat the County Treasurer be and he
is hereby authorized to sell and dispose of
all Shawneetown money in the treasury, for
any sum not less than 30 cents on the dollar.
And also to sell and dispose of the certificates

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

277

of the State Bank of Illinois at any sum not
less than 30 cents on the dollar."

At the general election August 7, 1843, the
following were elected: Degrass Salisbury,
Probate Justice; Oliver Boyle, Recorder;
Martin Ballou, Treasurer; Justin H. Olds,
Surveyor; C. W. Combs, County Clerk ;
William Hoskins, Commissioner, re-elected;
Justices of the Peace, Noah Sapp, James G.
Swan, Nathaniel Applegate, John Soarle,
Martin Ballou, Daniel Bryant, Edward M.
Fisher, Robert C. Masters, Matthew Dorr,
Morris Spalding, James Carroll, John
Mason, George W. Spratt, Joseph Caswell,
Isaac Delano, Robert Gartin, A. G. Porter
and Justin H. Olds; Constables, Howard
W. Munson, Edward H. Scott, Lewis Apple-
gate, Jesse Atkins, Ziba Nichols, William I.
Karnes, Jehu Long, Ezekiel Thomas, Madi-
son Garton, Alfred Anthony, Joseph N.
Keyes, James Hill, Barton Anderson, Samuel
Fifield, David Lloyd, Alpheus Seward, Ben-
jamin C. Campbell and Hiram Roth.

The following were appointed Road Su-
pervisors for the year ending March, 1845:
John Lonnon, Fleming Dunn, Aaron E. May,
Michael Watson, William Wherry, John W.
Pinnell, Zachariah Bushong, Archibald Os-
born, 0. J. Corss, Asa B. Pendleton, William
Knox, Aquilla Triplett, Samuel Fifield,
Ephraim Sapp, James Wilson, Samuel Cod-
dington, Peletiah Rackley, Elisha Fassett,
Peleg Brown, Enoch Pratt, Nehemiah H.
Johnston, Elijah Olmstead, John A. Gris-
wold, Harrison Epperson, Jabez Pierce, Will-
iam Allen, Nathaniel Chamberlain, Daniel
P. Greeley, Moses S. Greeley, William N.
Moseley, Joseph Campbell, Thomas M.
Woodruff, Joseph Smith, Jr., and James
Hosier.

At the August election, 1844, Moses T.
Greeley was elected County Commissioner to
succeed Thomson; Stephen Smith, Sheriff;

John Minier, Coroner; George W. Minier,
County Surveyor.

June, 1845, Thomas H. Finley was ap-
pointed to take the census of Bureau County.

August election, 1846, Jacob Sells was
elected County Commissioner to succeed
William Hoskins; Stephen Smith, Sheriff,
re-elected. In 1846 James B. Chenoweth
was elected one of the County Judges. Jus-
tin H. Olds was appointed Overseer of the
Poor for the county.

June 8, 1842, the projiosal of Alva Whit-
marsh to build a courthouse was accepted.

In 1847 Stephen Smith was again re-elect-
ed Sheriff ; A. T. Thompson, County Clerk.
M. Ballou was appointed Assessor. In 1848
J. V. Thompson was elected Sheriff. Joseph
V. Thompson, September, 1848, filed a bond
in the sum of $20,000 as Collector, with
John H. Bryant, John Hall, Daniel Gaylor,
Alfred F. Clark, Calvin Stephens, Robert
Clark, Austin Bryant, Cyrus Bryant, B. N.
Stevens, Benjamin Newell and William
Corss, sureties. In 1848 Robert E. Thomp-
son was elected a member of the County
Commissioners' Court. J. T. Thompson was
County Treasiu-er.

In the year 1849 the County Commission-
ers' Court laid a tax of 5 cents to be appro-
priated to buy laad and erect buildings for
a poor-house and farm. September, 1849,
Joseph V. Thompson filed his second bond as
Collector. November 27, 1849, the County
Commissioners' Court adjourned, and we
believe, as there is nothing more on the
records, that was the last of it.

In September, 1841, the County Commis-
sioners' Court appointed Oliver Boyle, John
Vaughan and William F. Bushnoll to locate
an alley in the Town of Princeton, thirty feet
wide, commencing between Lots 11 and 12
on First Street in the original plat of the
town, thence east between said Lots 11 and

278

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

12, 37 and 38 to Second Street, thence across
Second Street between Lots 43 and 44, 69 and
70 to Third Street.

At an election in Princeton in February,
1842, Samuel Jones was elected a Constable.
He at once qualified and entered upon his
office.

At an election on the question of incor-
porating the town of Princeton, Saturday,
March 17, 1838, there were twenty votes in
favor and none against incorporation. The
following are the voters at that election:

Andrew F. Smith, Stephen Wilson, W.
H. Wells, Noah Wiswall, Cyrus Langworthy,
Jehu Long, Eobert C. Masters, Samuel Trip-
lett, John Walter, Butler Denham, John
Vaughn, Oliver Boyle, E. H. Phelps, Joseph
Houghton, Joseph Smith, Robert Stuart,
John H. Bryant, Justin H. Olds, Thomas S.
Elston and Robert T. Templeton.

CHAPTER XXin.

Laws Pauid in Refebence to Bi'beau CorNTT— A Couplbti In-
dex AMI* Rbi'Erenok to the Same — Etc., etc.

"TTXE give in this chapter the references to
V V the statute laws of the State passed by
the Legislature in reference to Bureau County,
that is, those laws that are not found in any
of the Revised Statutes. The list will be
found very full upon examination, and the
number there is of those laws will make it
an easy matter for those interested in them,
or who may wish fo consult them, to look
over the list and turn to the book page, in
which may be found each particular act in
full. Many of the laws are purely private
and local and are now obsolete, as well as un-
known to the young members of the bar.
We do not deem any of them of sufficient

importance to reprint them here, and yet in
a historical point of view they are important
and many of them may figure prominently in
the courts in the adjudication of the property
interests of individuals. We give the date
and page of each act, that is, the day of the
month and year it became a law, and the vol-
xuoae of the public or private laws in which it
is printed. This is the briefest and most
pointed way we could tell the history of the
county in this respect, as the headings in each
act are an index to the act itself.

Erection of public buildings — law of
March 2, 1 839, page 228 ; Greenfield changed
to Lamoille, law February 3, 1840, 107; plat
of Fairmont vacated, id., 108; Commission-
ers to sell school lands in Town 14, Range
8, law of February 27, 1841, 258; Lamoille
Agricultural and Mechanical Association,
law of March 6, 1843, 16; county to borrow
$5,000 to complete court house, id., 110;
county confirmed in certain ferry privileges,
id., 144; county to extend Hugh Freny's
case of Hennepin Ferry for ten years, private
law, February 17, 1847, 44; records in Put-
nam "County to be transcribed, certificate
and effect, law, February 10, 1849, 109; Ben-
jamin Newell and heirs to construct a canal
from the Illinois River to Lake De Pue, id.,
February 12, 133; time to build extended to
February. 1856, law, Februarj- 15, 1831, 125;
grant renewed, to complete in five years,
private law, February 7, 273; hogs not to
run at large, id., January 10, 185; Clairon
Cemetery Association chartei'ed, private law,
February 17, 1851, 291; town of Gold crea-
ted, law, February 12, 1853, 202; towns to
support their own paupers; vote thereon, id.,
February 10, 261 ; school tax in District No.
1, town of Hall, legalized, law, February 6,
1855, 110; Livingston town plat vacated,
private law, February 7, 1857, 271; sale of
swamp lands confirmed, id., February 18,

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

279

1206; for transcribing the old records of
saleR and redemption of land from 1823 to
1854, id., February 18, 1377; jurisdiction of
County Court extended, law, February 24,
1859, 96; Dover Academy chartered, private
law, February 24, 1859, 361; Princeton &
Bureau Valley Railroad chartered, id., Feb-
ruary 18, 491; Preacher's Aid Society of
Northern Illinois District, private law, Feb-
ruary 18, 1861, 52; Supervisor's location of
a road from Arlington to the east county line
legalized, id., February 22, 544; SheflBeld
chartered, id, February 22, 718; foregoing
amended, 3 private law, February 9, 1867,
595; loan in aid of volunteers, legalized,
law, February 12, 1863, 25; plat of Provi-
dence partly vacated, private law, June 13,
1863, 273; county interest-bearing bonds is-
sued in payment of bounties legalized, 1 pri-
vate law, February 6, 1865, 116; organiza-
tion of First Congregational Church at Ne-
ponset legalized, id., February 16, 236; Ben-
jamin Newell to construct a canal from Ne-
gro Creek to Lake De Pue, id., February 16,
556; Lovejoy Mwnument Association char-
tered, erect at Oakland Cemetery or village
of Princeton, 2 private law, February 15,
1865, 91; Charles L. Kelsey, surviving
Trustee, to re-convey to Frances D. Shugart
property held in trust for her, id., February
16, 249; Eoad from Hennepin to mouth of
Rock River re-located in part, id., February
15, 267; Trenton changed to Sherman, id.,
February 16, 584; vacates a certain street in
Berlin, land sold for school purposes, id.,
February 16, 662; vacates plat of Kinno-
wood, id., 664; towns of Fairfield, Mineral
and Concord to bridge Green River at Gold,
1 private law, February 28, 1867, 180; Bu-
reau County Dairy and Cheese Company
chartered, id., March 5, 906; Bureau County
Concrete Company chartered, 2 private law,
March 5, 1867, 304; Wyanet and Pond

Creek Railway and Carrying Company char-
tered, id., February 20, 696; road from Men-
dota to Ai'lington located, id. , February 23,
822; proceedings of School Trastees of
Town 16, Range 9, legalized, 3 private law,
January 29, 1867, 15; Burbonais changed to
Lovejoy, id. , 247 ; Neponset corporate powers
extended, id., February 25, 455; Lamoille
chartered, id., February 25, 485; Sherman
changed to De Pue, id., February 18, 607;
annexing for school purposes, Sections 4 and
5, Town 17, Range 6, to Town 18, Range 6,
id., March 7, 631; Winona changed to Mai-
den, law, March 26, 1869, 297 ; George S.
Emerson, Treasurer Town 16, Range 7, re-
leased from payment of $907.99, of which he
was robbed, id., March 27, 335.

Princeton. — Time of levying tax extended,
law, February 25, 1841, page 84; town
chartered, private law, Februai-y 8, 1849,
120; boundary fixed, construction of plank
road to railroad depot, private law, Febru-
ary 12, 1853, 607; further respecting plank
road to depot, limits extended, private law,
February 28, 1854, 133; survey of Elston's,
Wiswall's and Flint's additions corrected,
part of North Street vacated, private law,
February 15, 1855, 197; vacates alleys in
Elston's addition, private law, February
16, 1857, 891; corporate powers generally
extended, id. February 18, 1815; forego-
ing amended, opening streets and public
ground, private law, February 24, 1859, 661;
charter amended, power to license, private
law, February 22, 1861, 715; powers further
extended, 2 private law, February 16, 1865,
560. And again, 3 private law, February
18, 1867,610; Princeton Seminary chartered,
in Town 16, Range 9, private law, February
21, 1837, 61 ; part of tax for 1858 in District
1, remitted, law, January 15, 1859, 177;
Young Men's Association chartered, 2 pri-
vate law, February 16, 1865, 19; Princeton

280

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Loan and Trust Company chartered: Id., 24;
Bureau County Fire Insurance Company
chartered, 2 private law, March 7, 1867,
112; Princeton High School District
chartered, 3 private law, February 5, 1867,
16.

Tiskiltra. — Names of Indiantown and
AVindsor changed to Tiskilwa, law, Febru-
ary 3, 1840, 107; town incorporated, pri-
vate law, 1855, 154; chartered again, pri-
vate law, 1857, 863; foregoing amended;
3 private law, 1867, 588; leases executed
to George Cattell and Calvin Stephens by
Town Trustees confirmed, private law, 1861,
723; Liberty Square vacated, ul., 724; Peo-
ple's Coal Company chartered, 2 private
law, 1807, 390.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Towsgnir Organization — John H. IIryant Fiust Chaiiiman —
LiBT OK Supr.BviROas — Geoikjk McManis, Skconu Chaiiiman —
WoLr Scalps — Jodn M. Obimes the Attoknet — Terwilli-

OEB OVEIUEEH OF THE PoOD — B. T. TemI'I-ETON, CoUNTY
JUbOE — I>I8T 0»- Tow.nsHM- AND CoUNTY OfPICKHS TO 1857 —

A»ti-Ddei.i.iko Oath— Jacou T. Thompson's Report asOovntt
Trkahi'rer — The Cocsty Oitickkb, SrPERVisuiia and otueuh —
J. v. THoiaiiiOK— O. L. Uearsk— Etc., etc., etc.

IN 1849 a vote was had in the county on
the adoption of township organization,
which WHS in the afifirmative by a large ma-
jority. This was among the first counties in
the State to adoj)t tiiis jilan, and it has con-
tinued it uninterruptedly to date. It will prob-
ably bo a very long tim(> before it is changed.
Nearly all the counties in the State have now
followed the example, and St. Clair, the old-
est county, only adopted it two years ago
(1882). When the vote in favor of this change
was had, the first step to put the act into eflfect
was to a]>{>oint three CommissiouerB to fix the
boundary lines of the townabips and name

the same. And Simon Kinney, Jacob T.
Thompson and Tracy Reeve were appointed
such Commissioners. The county was divided
into twenty-three townships, very much as
they exist now. except additions of twotown-
shijjs since added.

April 8, 1850, the first Board of Supervis-
ors met. There were represented in this
meeting fifteen townships, as follows: Rich-
land, John Ross; Greenville, William Mar-
tin; Dover, Enoch Lumry; Berlin, Enos
Smith; Westfield, Michael Kennedy; Selby,
William Hoskins; Princeton, John H. Bry-
ant; Concord, Thomas Stevens; Brawby,
Thomas Gattridge; Jefferson, Allen Horton;
Indiantown, Timothy N. Ferrell; Arispe,
George McManis; Leepertown, John Wherry;
Milo, William B. Whipper; Fairfield, Wicher
Dow.

A ballot was had for Chairman; three bal-
lots being cast before a choice was made.
John H. Bryant was elected, who took
the chair, called the first County Board of
Supervisors to order in regular session, and
the Board adjoui-ned for the day. Additional
members came in the next day as follows:
John D. Pinnell, Bloom; Edward M. Wil-
son, Centre; C. C. Corss, Bureau; Richard
Brewer, Walnut; A. G. Porter, Clarion; R.
B. Tracy, Lamoille; Ebenezer Kent, Mineral.
By order of the Board the name of Richland
was changed to Ohio, and Bloom to Hall, and
Jefl'erson to Macon. An order had been
passed making the townships voting precincts.
This order was changed partially. The
Board ordered its proceedings to be published
in the Bureau Advocate.

In 1851 a bounty wasofiered by the county
of $1.50 on wolf scalps.

The May meeting, 1851, of the new Board
was as follows: A. G. Porter, Clarion; Isaac
H. Norris, Lamoille; John Ross, Ohio;
Greonbury Triplett, Walnut; C. C. Cores,

HISTORY or BUREAU COUNTY.

381

Bureau; Enoch Lumry, Dover; Enos Smith,
Berlin; Michael Kennedy, Westtield; John W.
Pinnell, Hall;'WilliamHoskins, Selby; Jacob
T. Thompson, Princeton; Elijah Hays, Cen-
tre; George Wilkinson, Concord ; Albert Bush,
Mineral; Ira O. Beaumont, Brawby; Cyrus
Sweet, Macon; Asa Barney, Indian town;
George McManis, Arispe; Jacob Sells, Fair-
field; Nehemiah Hill, Greenville; William
B. Whipple, Milo.

M. Horton, the former Supervisor, con-
tested the seat for Macon. On a vote of the
Board the election of Mr. Sweet was con-
firmed by a vote of eleven to five. George
McManis was unanimously elected Chairman.
The next year, 1852, A. G. Porter was Chair-
man.

September, 1853, there were twenty-three
towns in the county, and each was provided
with various sums from the general fund for
roads and bridges. Following ai'e the town-
ships: Fairfield, Mineral, Brawby, Gold,
Concord, Macon, Greenville, Walnut, Bureau,
Centre, Indiantown, Milo, Arispe, Princeton,
Dover, Ohio, Lamoille, Berlin, Selby, Lee-
pertown, Hall, Westfield, Clarion.

In 1853, Eufus Carey was the County
Treasurer. In 1852 the Board began to con-
tend with the question of the swamp lands,
A full account of this may be found in Chap-
ter XXI.

John M, Grimes was employed by the
Board to act as the county's attorney for one
year for the sum of $200. E. M. Fisher had
been appointed County Drainage Commis-
sioner. He resigned June, 1854. Septem-
ber 16, 1852, a resolution was passed appro-
priating $1,000 to piu-chase a poor farm.
This order was soon rescinded, and the
money ordered to be used in the ordinary
county expenses. But the subject was di-
rectly up again, and 160 acres were ordered
to be purchased for a county farm. It seems

that John E. Terwilliger was put in charge
of the county farm and the poor. He ran
the thing along on very little money it seems
until 1856, when he made out a written
report to the Board, in which he takes occa-
sion to say: " I have been paying out of my
own pocket sums of money from time to
time," and after stating the condition of his
own financial aflfairs very emphatically he
concludes: "The Board must provide, say a
fund of $250, for me to draw against, or I
will have to stop grinding."

The County Court that assembled in De-
cember, 1849, consisted of Robert T, Temple-
ton, Judge; Nathaniel Applegate and E, M.
Fisher, Associates, and Benjamin L. Smith,
County Clerk. Mr. Smith filed his bond as
Clerk, with D. G. Salisbury and M. E. Lasker,
sureties.

On December 3, 1849, Judge Templeton
filed his oath of oflice, and as the peculiar
law on duelling then required, it was thus
worded: " I do solemnly swear that I have
not fought a duel or sent a challenge to fight
a duel, the probable issue of which might
have been the death of either party, nor in
any manner aided or assisted in such duel,
nor been knowingly the bearer of any such
challenge or acceptance since the adoption of*
the Constitution, and that I will not be so
engaged or concerned directly or indirectly
dui-ing my continuance in ofiice. So help
me God.''

Jacob T. Thompson, County Treasurer,
reported specie on hand and belonging to the
county, 5 cents; paper money, $2; uncurrent
bank paper (old), $23; redemption money, $16.

March 11, 1850, the County Court ordered
an election for the county, to vote for or
against taking $50,000 stock in the Rock
Island Railroad.

June, 1850, the Treasurer reported as fol-
lows on county finances:

282

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Amount revenue in Treasury $ 446 00

Amount revenue on real estate 4,305 78

Amount road tax 1,845 12

Amount from license 8 00

Total $6,004 90

BXPENDITUUK8.

On roads |2,285 00

On road tax 922 25

On wolf scalps 50

On juror certificates 506 40

All other expenses 2,396 36

Abatements 67 11

Total 16,177 62

The county advertised for proposals for
transcribing portions of the Putnam County
records, as required by act creating Bureau
County. W. M. Zearing was awarded the
contract, at 3| cents per hundred words.

November, 1850, William Martin tiled his
bond as County Treasurer.

Aaron B. Church was the County School
CommissioDer in 1853; his bond with Will-
iam Converse and Charles L. Kelly as sure-
ties was tiled November 23, 1853. At this
date Justin H. Olds was appointed to make
a sectional index to the records of deeds and
mortgages. He was assisted by Stejjhen G.
Paddock. November, 1855, A. B. Church,
as School Commissioner, and Kufus Carey, as
Treasurer, filed their bonds, which were duly
ai)proved.

Total amount of county revenue for fiscal
year ending June, 1850, wa.s S4,f527.145.

Kufus Carey filed his bond as County
Collector for 1854.

June, 1854. E. M. Fisher resigned as
Drainage Commissioner, and Justus Stevens
was appointed to the office, and entered at
once upon its duties. Mr. Stevens continued
as Drainage Commissioner until March, 1856,
when he resigned.

At the March term, 1850, of the Super-
visors, the Building Committee, Justus Stev-

ens, W. P. E. McKinstry and William M.
Matson, reported that S;4,'J70. 31 were due
Lloyd & Whitmarsh as the balance for build-
ing the jail.

At a meeting of the Supervisors, May,
1851, the following members answered the
roll-call: Clarion, A. G. Porter; Lamoille,
Isaac H. Norris; Ohio, John Ross; Walnut,
Greenbury Triplett; Biu-eau, C. C. Corss;
Dover, Enoch Lumry; Berlin, Enos Smith;
Westfield, Michael Kenedy, Jr.; Hall. John
W. Pinnell; Selby, William Hoskins; Prince-
ton, Jacob T. Thompson; Center, Elijah
Hays; Concord, George Wilkinson; Mineral,
Albert Bush; Brawby, Ira O. Beaumont; Ma-
con, Cyrus Sweet; Indiantown, Asa Barney;
Arispe, George McManis; Fairfield, Jacob
Sells; Greenville, Nehemiah Hill; Milo,
William B. Whipper.

Benjamin L. Smith, Clerk, and E. M.
Fisher, Sheriff.

At a special meeting, April 29, 1852, the
following members answered to roll-call:
Clarion, A. G. Porter; Lamoille, Tracy
Reeve; Ohio, John Ross; Walnut. Christo-
pher Wolf; Dover, Enoch Lumry; West-
field, Edmund Polke; Hall, Abram Wixam;
Selby, William Hoskins; Princeton, M.
Trimble; Center, James Hamrick; Concord,
Thomas Stevens; Macon, Cyrus Sweet; In-
diantown, Asa Barney; Arispe, S. E. Mor-
ris; Leepertown, W'illiam Shields; Milo, S.
M. Clark. On motion, A. G. Porter was
elected Chairman by a unanimous vote.

At the May terra, 1853, the following
Supervisors resjwnded to their names:
Clarion, David Lloyd; Lamoille, Timothy
Edwards; Ohio, John Ross; Walnut, Richard
Brewer; Greenville, Jacob Eastlick; Fair-
field, Hiram McKonzie; Dover, Enoch Liun-
ry; Berlin, Enos Smith; Westfield, Michael
Kenedy; Hall, C. W. Combs; Selby, Will-
iam Hoskins; Princeton, Arthur Bryant;

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

283

Center, James Hamrick; Concord, John
Mason; Mineral, James P. Hartley, Brawby,
George Norton; Macon, Lewis Holmes; In-
diantown, Asa Barry; Arispe, S. E. Morris;
Milo, S. M. Clark; Gold, Joseph Johnson.
The towns of Bureau and Leepertown did
not answer to the roll-call. B. L. Smith
was County Clerk, and Osmyn Smith was
Sherifl'. Arthur Bryant was chosen Chair-
man.

June term, 1854, the following were the
newly elected Supervisors present: Prince-
ton, Justus Stevens; Center, James Hamrick;
Selby, William Hoskins; Hall, John E.
Terwilliger; Leepertown, David McElwain;
Arispe, S. E. Morris; Greenville, Lewis
McKune; Clarion, David Wells; Berlin,
Enos Smith; Ohio, William Ross; Westlield,
Nathan Gray; Milo, Joseph W. Harris;
Macon, Allen Horton; Mineral, J. B. Hart-
ley; Gold, Joseph Johnson; Indiantown, Asa
Barney; Walnut, Richard Brewer; Lamoille,
Tracy Reeve; Bureau, William M. Matson;
Dover, Enoch Lumry; Concord, T. C. Dow.
Mr. Morris was chosen Chairman ^(ro tern.,
J. V. Thomj)son was County Clerk, and
Osmyn Smith, Sheriff. Justus Stevens was
elected permanent Chairman.

June 12, 1855, the following was the new
Board: Mineral, Jesse F. Abbott; Gold, Eben
Boyden; Walnut, Richard Brewer; Fairfield,
James Cain; Manlius, D. D. Carpenter; In-
diantown, B. C. Crouch; Ohio, G. W. Close;
Dover, Demarcus Ellis; Lamoille, R. B.
Frary; Westfield, John C. Gibson; Center,
James Hamrick; Macon, Lewis Holmes;
Brawby, Charles Kent; Bureau, William M.
Matson; Leepertown, David McElwain; Sel-
by, William P. E. McKinstry; Clarion, Mil-
roy McKee; Arispe, Samuel E. Morris;
Berlin, Enos Smith; Princeton, Justus
Stevens; Concord, Moses Stevens; Hall,
JohnE. Terwilliger; Milo, Joel Whitmore.

Justus Stevens was again chosen Chairman
for the year.

At the meeting April 28, 1856, the follow-
ing constituted the new Board: Indiantown,
B. C. Couch; Greenville, Jacob Eastlick;
Milo, J. E. Hays; Selby, William Hoskins;
Center, Mark Halroyd; Princeton, Joseph
Mercer; Hall, H. W. Munson; Berlin, J. L.
Olds; Dover, William C. Stacy; Ohio, Cyrus
Wilson; Bureau, C. C. Corss; Westfield,
Nathan Gray; Manlius, Thomas Hope; La-
moille, William B. Howard; Mineral, Ed-
ward D. Kemp; Arispe, S. E. Morris; Clarion,
M. A. McKey; Walnut, Mark Shirk; Gold,
Jasper Wood. S. E. Mon-is was elected
Chairman. The County Clerk was J. V.
Thompson, and the Sheriff S. G. Paddock.
The next year, 1857, Z. K. Waldron was the
Sheriff.

June, 1857, the Board was: Arispe, Alan-
son Benson; Bureau, Hamson Epperson;
Mineral, Hiram Humphrey; Milo, J. E.
Hays; Concord, M. G. Loverin; Clarion, M.
A. McKey; Ohio, Sterling Pomeroy; Berlin,
Charles G. Reed; Dover, W. C. Stacy;
Princeton, J. T. Thompson; Hall, H. W.
Terry; Indiantovm, L. D. Whiting; Lamoille,
E. W^ Fassett; Westfield, Nathan Gray;
Macon, Lewis Holmes; Manlius, A. B. Kins-
man; Brawby, O. J. Marsh; Leepertown,
James Nickerson; Walnut, D. M. Reed;
Greenville, A. A. Smith; Center, E. B. Trip-
lett; Selby, Thomas Tustin; Fairfield, George
Whiting. Mr. McKey was elected Chairman,
J. V. Thompson Clerk, Z. K. Waldron,
Sheriff.

June 8, 1858, the Board was the following:
Mineral, Silas Batty; Arispe, Alanson Ben-
son; Gold, A. W. Boyden; Princeton, J. H.
Bryant; Dover, Simon Elliott; Manlius, Milo
Foot; Wheatland, T. Gordon; Westfield,
Nathan Gray; Lamoille, David Hall; Milo,
J. W. Harris; Bureau, C. Langworthy; Ber-

384

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

lin, William W. Lewis; Concord, M. G.
Loverin; Leepertown, James Nickerson;
Greenville, Simeon Odell; Ohio, Sterling
Pomeroy; Clarion, A. G. Porter; Macon,
John Richards; Brawby, Thomas Sumner;
Hal), H. AV. Terry; Center, E. B. Triplett;
Selby, Thomas Tustin; Indiantown, L. D.
Whiting; Fairfield, George Whiting; Wal-
nut, William C. Willey. The County Clerk-
was S. G. Paddock, and Sheriff, Z. K. Wal-
dron. John H. Bryant was elected Chair-
man.

June, 1859. the following new Board met:
Mineral, Silas Battey; Princeton, John H.
Bryant; Walnut, O. E. Chapman; Dover,
Simon Elliott; Wheatland, Thompson Gor-
don; Westfield, Nathan Gray; Lamoille,
David Hall; Milo, Joseph W. Harris ;
Macon, Lewis Holmes; Fairfield, Salmon
Jewell, Manlius, Aaron B. Kinsman; Gold,
Andrew Marple; Leepertown, James Nicker-
son; Greenville, Simeon Odell; Ohio, Ster-
ling Pomeroy; Clarion, Albert G. Porter;
Berlin. Enos Smith; Brawby, Thomas Sum-
ner; Hall, H. W. Terry; Bureau, J. E.
Terwilliger; Center, E. B. Triplett; Selby,
Thomas Tustin; Concord, William M.
Whipple; Indiantown, L. D. Whiting;
Arispe, Oren Wilkinson. Stephen G. Pad-
dock, Clerk, and David E. Norton, Sheriff.
John H. Bryant was again unanimously
elected Chairman for the year.

At the meeting September 10, 1800, the
following were declared the new Board:
Clarion, W. R. Bruce; Mineral, W. Fair-
man; Milo. J. W. Harris; Macon, Lewis
Holmes; Wheatland, R. Hunter; Westfield,
M. Kenedy, Jr. ; Manlius, A. B. Kinsman;
Center. S. M. Knox; Gold, A. Morrassey;
Leepertown, J. Nicker.son; Princeton, S. A.
Paddock; Berlin. G. Rackloy; Arispe, G.
M. Radcliflfo: Walnut, D. M. Reed; La-
moille,Tracy Keovo; Ohio, John Ross; Green-

ville, Jacob Sells; Fairfield, S. W. Sheldon;
Brawby, F. Sumner; Concord, J. L. Sweet;
Hall, H. W. Terry; Bureau, J. Trimble;
Dover, S. Triplett: Selby, T. Tustin; Indian-
town, L. D. Whiting. Same Clerk and
Sheriff as preceding year. S. A. Paddock
was elected Chairman.

May, 1861, the new Board was Indian-
town, C. A. Dean; Ohio. G. A. Dodge; Min-
eral, W. Fairman; Lamoille, D. Hall;
Wheatland, R. Hunter; Milo, R. M. Kerns;
Manlius, C. L. Kelsey; Westfield, M. Ken-
edy; Bureau. Cyrus Langworthy; Brawby,
C. C. Latimer; Clarion, D. Lloyd; Dover,
E. Lumry; Gold, A. Morrassy; Leepertown,
J. Nickerson; Greenville, S. Odell; Hall,
J. W. Pinnell; Berlin, G. Rackley; Wal-
nut, D. M. Reed; Center, H. F. Boyce; Ma-
con, J. Richards; Fairfield, R. H. Sheldon;
Arispe, B. N. Stevens; Concord, J. L.
Sweet; Selby, T. Tustin;- Princeton, John
H. Bryant. S. G. Paddock, Clerk, and
Donnel McDonald, Sheriff. John H.Bryant
was again elected Chairman.

June, 1862, the following new Supervisors
were present: B. Benton, Clarion; W. P.
Buswoll, Mineral; J. M. Curtis, C<.>ncord;
S. Edwards, Lamoille; J. G. Freeman,
Princeton; Bureau, J. Heaton; Dover, T.
W. Nichols; Selby, J. S. Searle; Greenville
J. Sells; Walnut, M. Shirk; Indiantown,
H B. Smith; Hall, H. Snyder; Gold. J.
Wood. The other members were reelected,
and therefore the same as for 1861. Messrs.
Hunter of Wheatland, and Boyce of Center,
were not present at this session of the Super-
visors. C. L. Kelsey was elected Chairman
for the current year.

For 1808 the following changes were
made in the members: Mineral, C. W. Ab-
bott; Ohio, J. H. Bolus; Westfield, H. L
Briggs; Indiantown, C. A. Dean; Bureau,
C. A. Heaton; Wheatland, R. Hunter; Milo,

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

285

R. M. Keerns; Manlius, A. B. Kinsman;
Gold, A. S. Lathrop; Fairfield, G. P. Mc-
Kay; Macon, L. Mason; Center, D. T. Nich-
ols; Dover, J. Prouty; Leepertown, W. M.
Shields; Selby, J. Smith; Hall, H. Snyder;
Princeton, J. Warfield; Greenville, J. Yearn-
shavp; Lamoille, S. Edvrards. After three
ballots without election, Mr. Edwards was
elected Chairman, S. G. Paddock, County
Clerk, S. Battey, Sheriff.

May, 1864, the Board met, and the follow-
ing new members were elected for this
year: Bureau, L. Blanchard; Clarion, J. Clapp;
Concord, W. Fairman; Fairfield, N. J.
Hogeboom; Wheatland R. Hunter; Manlius,
G. W. Kolp; Macon, L. Mason; Lamoille, A-

B. Minnerly; Gold, A. Morasy; Selby,
H. F. Woodin; Center, D. T. Nichols; Do-
ver, T. W. Nichols; Indiantown, D. Peirson;
Brawby, G. Robinson; Ohio, J. Ross; Green-
ville, J. Sells; Hall, H. W. Terry; Princeton,
H. W. Waller. Paddock, Clerk, Battey,
Sheriff. G. Rackley was elected Chair-
man.

In 1865 appeared the following new mem-
bers: Fairfield, Van S. Bastian; Bureau,
Levi Blanchard; Clarion, Winslow R.
Bruce; Macon, Charles Chase; Selby, Joseph
N. Kris; Concord, W. F. Lawton; Dover,
Enoch Lumry; Gold, Andrew Marple; Milo,
J. L. McCullough; Princeton, Parker N.
Newell; Walnut, David M. Reed; Ohio,
Daniel P. Smith; Manlius, A. J. Stanch-
field; Hall, H. W. Terry; Westfield, Michael
Young. Paddock, Clerk, M. G. Loverin,
Sheriff. B. N. Stevens was elected Chair-
man by acclamation.

May 28, 1866. the following Board assem-
bled: Mineral, Silas D. Abbott; Fairfield, V.
S. Bastian; Ohio, J. H. Bowles; Macon,
Charles Chase; Bureau, C. C. Cores; Clarion,

C. L. Dayton; Greenville, A. S. Eastlick;
Walnut, G. W. Garwood; Lamoille, Z. S.

Hills: Concord, W. F. Lawton; Selby, J. J.
Long; Milo, J. L. McCullough; Leepertown,
D. F. McElwain; Gold, A. Morassy; Prince-
ton, P. J. Newell; Center, D. T. Nichols;
Dover, T. W. Nichols; Berlin, G. Rackley;
Neponset, Ezra Stepup; Arispe, B. N. Stev-
ens; Hall, J. H. Seaton; Indiantown, L. D.
Whiting; Westfield, M. Young; Wheatland,
R. Hunter; A. J. Stanchfield was absent. Mr.
Hunter was elected Chairman.

At the August meeting, 1867, appeared the
following new members-elect: Clarion, B.
Benton; Lamoille, C. H. Bryant; Indian-
town, G. E. Dai-r; Westfield, C. Gray; Ohio,
George Hammer; Concord, W. F. Lawton;
Milo, J. L. McCullough; Wyanet, M. M.
Thompson; Arispe, J. H. Welsh; Selby, H.
F. Woodin; Princeton, S. G. Paddock. The
County Clerk was C. D. Trimble, and the
Sheriff was N. C. Buswell. Mr. Rackley was
elected Chairman, pro tern. S. G. Paddock
was elected Chairman for the year.

June, 1868, the new members attending
the meeting, as follows: Wheatland, A. An-
derson; Princeton, A. Bryant, Jr.; Manlius,
L. Major; Westfield, J. McCreedy; Prince-
ton, P. J. Newell; Walnut, D. M. Reed;
Arispe, B. N. Stevens; Bureau, R. Jenkin-
Bon; Greenville, J. Vaughan, Jr.; Clarion,
F. Walker. Mr. Rackley was elected Chair-
man.

May, 1869, the following new members
reported: Wheatland, Abraham Anderson;
Princeton, George Crossby; Dover, R. M.
Coulter; Neponset, James Garrond; Indian-
town, J. H. Moore; Leepertown, J. C. Rhyne;
Princeton, John Shugart; Hall, H. W. Terry;
Selby, H. F. Woodin. C. D. Trimble, County
Clerk, and Atberton Clark, Sheriff.

At the June term, 1870, there was a new
County Clerk, J. W. Templeton, and the
following is all that ajipoars on the records
as to who were the Supervisors, and there is

286

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

no record of what township they respectively
represented. Nor does any full name appear
of any of the Supervisors. The following is the
imperfect list: Anderson, Bryant, Blanchard,
Bastian, Cooper, Chase, Crossby, Gerrond,
Hamrick, Johnson, Knight, Kies, Lawton,
Major, McKinstry, More, Porter, Kackley,
Stevens, Shields, Trimble, Terry, Wilson and
Whiting: and J. W. Templeton, Clerk; A.
Clark, Sheriff.

June, 1871, the Clerk again makes the fol-
lowing short record of the new Board, as the
members at the first meeting: Bryant, Bas-
tian, Blanchard, Chapman, Cooper, Fawcett,
Hammer, Hamrick. Kies, Lewis, McKinstry.
H. -J. Miller, S. Miller, McCullough, More,
Norton, Paddock, Porter, Smith, Shields,
Vaughan, Van Ormer, Way and Welsh.
Eleven ballots were had for Chairman. The
chief candidates were Mr. Porter and S. G.
Paddock. On the eleventh ballot the vote
stood fourteen for Paddock, one for Porter,
and eight for More.

In 1872, the following new members an-
swered at the May meeting: Claricm, Franklin
Walker; Lamoille, R. B. Frary; Ohio, George
Hammer; Walnut, O. L. Bearss; Greenville,
John Vaughan; Fairfield. V. S. Bastian;
Westfield, Daniel Boucher; Berlin, Enos
Smith; Dover, W. P. E. McKinstry; Bureau,
Levi Blanchard; Manlius, A. B. Kinsman;
Gold, Anthony Morassy; Hall, Henry Snyder;
Selby, J. N. Kies; Princeton, S. G. Paddock;
Wyanet, James Hamrick; Concord, Jesse
Emmerson; Mineral, E. H. Canibear; Leep-
ertown, N. H. Averill; Arispe, J. H. Welsh;
Indiantown, C. N. Stevens; Macon, Benjamin
Way; Neponset, M. A. Lewis; Milo. J. L.
McCullough; Wheatland. Silas Miller.

1873 — Clarion, Franklin Walker; Lamoille,
E. A. Washburn; Ohio, Albert Shifflit; Wal-
nut, O. L. Bearss; Greenville, Horace Hill;
Fairfield, W. W.Craddock; Westfield, James

S. Wilson; Berlin, Enos Smith; Dover,
George W. Palmer; Bureau, Levi Blanchford;
Manlius. O. Smith; Gold, Anthony Morassy;
Hall, Henry Snyder; Selby, R. B. Rawson;
Princeton, S. G. Paddock, and E. R. Virden,
Assistant; Wyanet, James Hamrick; Concord,
W. F. Lawton; Mineral, Hiram D. Davis;
Leepertown, N. H. Averill; Arispe, John H.
Welsh; Indiantown, Jonas H. More; Macon,
Benjamin Way; Neponset, M. A. Lewis;
Wheatland, Andrew Anderson.

1874-75 — New members: Ohio, S. B.
Lower; Greenville, C. L. Clink; Westfield,
James McCreedy; Dover, Simon Elliott;
Manlius. Lafayette Major; Gold, S. W. Jack-
son; Hall, Henry Snyder; Princeton, Reuben
B. Foster; Concord, Josiah Battey; Mineral,
H. D. Davis; Macon, Thomas J. Halley;
Milo, L. J. Bates; Ohio, D. P. Smith; AVest-
field, John C. O'Key; Berlin, George Rack-
ley; Dover, Warren Poole; Bureau, U. J.
Trimble; Gold, Robert D. Ready; Hall,
Henry Snyder; Selby, S. P. Salmon; Prince-
ton, R. B. Foster and H. C. Field; Concord,
Jacob L, Sweet; Mineral, C. W. Abbott;
Arispe, John H. Welsh; Indiantown, G. B.
Cushing; Macon, Thomas J. Haley; Nepon-
set, D. T. Boyer; Milo. J. M. Tate.

1876, the following new members were
elected: Westfield. Martin Corley; Berlin,
J. D. Phillips; Manlius, William Mercer;
Gold, R. D. Ready; Hall, Henry Snyder;
Selby, .S. P. Salmon; Princeton. R. B. Fos-
ter; Concord, Jacoi) L. Swat; Leepertown,
Arzy Masters; Indiantown, Duncan Masters;
Macon, T. J. Haley; Neponset, David S.
Boyer.

1877— Lamoille, E. P. Edwards; Ohio, D.
P. Smith; Greenville, W. L. Hay; West-
field, Martin Corley; Berlin, J. D. Phillips;
Dover, Warren Poole; Bureau, Thomas Mow-
ry; Manlius, Joseph Barrett; Selby, M. S.
Ketch; Princeton, R. B. Foster and A. C.

^o\

^ 0/iOL-<^ i^ jc ^*y

^<:]^Cf/7o

'^-

'AXy

^a/U^^yn^

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Boggs; Wyanet, Sullivan Aldrich; Mineral,

A. L. Canibear; Arispie, John H. Welsh;

Neponset, D. S. Boyer; Milo, Charles Mason.

1878— Greenville, T. M. Sells; Fairfield, S.

D. Withington; Weatfield, Louis Zearing;
Berlin, J. D. Phillips; Dover, Warren Poole;
Wyanet, Thomas Morary; Manlius, Joseph
Barrett; Sheffield, R. D. Ready; Selby,
Henry Stadler; Wyanet, Sullivan Aldrich;
Neponset, James Gerroud; Wheatland, Will-
iam H. Bates; Milo, J. W. Harris.

1879— Westfield, Michael Skiffington; Ber-
lin, George Rackley; Dover, Warron Poole;
Bureau, U. J. Trimble; Manlius, Joseph
Barrett; Hall, Henry Snyder; Selby, M. M.
Martin; Concord, James M. Curtis; Mineral,
W. H. Forrest; Indiantown, Samuel G. Lov-
erhill; Wheatland, W. H. Bante; Milo, J.
A. Cushman.

1880— The newly-elect were: Ohio, S,
Pomeroy; Dover, Jonathan Hayt; Walnut,
U. J. Trimble; Manlius, J. P. White;
Princeton, James M. Fisher and Isaac H.
Elliott; Arispie, Orrin Wilkinson; Clarion,
N. T, Moulton; Gold, Nehemiah Spratt.

1881 — The new members were: Lamoille,

E. P. Edwards; Ohio, Sterling Pomeroy;
Greenville, W. L. Hay; Fairfield, George
Binden; Westfield, Michael Sheffingtoa;
Dover, Jonathan Hayt ; Wyanet, James Ham-
rick; Arispie, Orriu Wilkinson; Milo, J. A.
Clinsman.

1882— Clarion, Sereno Bridge; Walnut,
L. K. Thompson; Greenville, W. L. Hay;
Fairfield, George Bowden; Westfield, M.
Skifiington; Bm-eau, John Hechtner; Man-
lius, J. P. White; Hall, James H. Seaton;
Selby, George Hoppler; Princeton, J. M.
Fisher and C. P. Lovejoy; Wyanet, T.
Clark Hays; Mineral, W. H. Forrest; Aris-
pie, O. Wilkinson; Indiantown, Samuel G.
Loverbill; Neponset, D. S. Boyer; Wheatland,
Edward Murphy; Milo, J. L. McCuUough.

1883— Clarion, C. L. Dayton; Walnut, L.
K. Thompson; Fairfield, George Burden;
Greenville, Ben Monson; Westfield, Mich-
ael Young; Berlin, J. E. Phillips; Dover,
I Jonathan Hoyt; Gold, Anthony Morassy;
Hall, James H. Seaton; Selby, George Hopp-
ler; Wyanet, T. Clark Hays; Concord,
James M. Curtis; Mineral, C. W. Abbott;
Arispie, Owen Wilkerson; Neponset, James
Gerrond; Wheatland, Edward Murphy ; Milo,
J, L. McCullough.

1884— The townships for 1884 have the
following officers;

Clarion. — C. L. Dayton, Supervisor; T. P.
Wells, Clerk; William Marriott, Assessor;

D. C. Smith, Collector; John Billhouse and
J. W. Hills, Justices.

Lamoille. — W. S. Martin, Supervisor; J.
H. Smith, Clerk; Joseph Rambo, Assessor;
J. H. Smith, Collector.

Ohio. — S. Pomeroy, Supervisor; Peter J.
Conrad, Clerk; Jestin Inks, Assessor.
I Walnid. — L. K. Thompson, Supervisor;
Harry Fuller, Clerk; Mark Shick, Assessor;

E. Atkinson, Collector; J. N. Barnes, Justice.
Greenville. — J. W. Spratt, Supervisor; J.

H. Small, Clerk; Burton Brown, Assessor;

D. D. Draper, Collector.

Fairfield. — L. W. Brown, Supervisor;

Henry Cooley, Clerk; J. E. Banker, Asses-
sor, J. F. McNaughton, Collector.
I Westfield. — M. Skiffington, Supervisor; L.

H. Lux, Clerk; Peter J. Cassiday, Assessor;

J. M. AVilson, Collector.
' Berlin. — W. L. Isaac, Supervisor; J. A.
j Perry, Clerk; Elmer Bass, Assessor; M, M.

Kenfield, Collector; Robert Park, Justice.
Dover. — J. Hoyt, Supervisor; J. Taylor,

Clerk; Aaron Dunbar, Asse-ssor; Henry S.

Swarts, Collector.

Bureau. — U. J. Trimble, Supervisor; N.

A. Harrington, Clerk; J. E. Schwartzentraub,

Collector; S. R. Spratt, Justice.

290

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

Manlius. — J. P. White, Superintendent;
J. W. "Wallace, Clerk; C. Toutz, Assessor;
G. M. Nicholas, Collector; G. W. Prather,
Justice.

Gold. — Anthony Morrassy, Supervisor;
Seth Arnet, Clerk; M. L. Kearns, Assessor;
P. McCabe, Collector; R. H. Smith, Justice.

Hall. — J. H. Seaton, Supervisor; R. B.
Williams, Clerk; Irwin Barges, Assessor;
Daniel Cahill, Collector.

Selby. — George Hoppler, Supervisor;
George 5Iay, Clerk; R. P. Rawson, Assessor;
Henry Gleich, Collector.

Princeton. — J. M. Fisher, Supervisor; C.
P. Lovejoy, Assistant; George S. Skinner,
Clerk; E. M. Douglas, Assessor; W. Ambrose,
Collector.

Wyanet. — T. Clark Hays, Supervisor;
Will E. Sapp, Clerk; John L. Hall, Asses-
sor; Hiram Cornish, Collector.

Concord. — Augustus Myers, Supervisor; H.
P. Humphries, Clerk; D. T. Stoddard, Asses-
sor; J. M. Martin, Collector.

Mineral. — C. W. Abbott, Supervisor; E.
J.Ely, Clerk; C. C. Previes, Assessor; E. G.
Case, Collector.

Leeper/own. — N. H. Averill, Supervisor;
D. R. Moss, Clerk; N. H. Averill, Assessor;

C. C. Cowen. Collector; Ezra Masters and
Samuel Russell, Justices.

Arispie. — O. Wilkinson, Supervisor; J. H.
Meehan, Clerk; David Chenoweth, Assessor;

D. J. McHugh, Collector.

Indiantown. — S. G. Soverhill, Supervisor;
B. C. Couch, Clork; W. C. Hoblit, Assessor;
J. R. Biddoulph, Collector.

Macon. — J. J. Haley, Supervisor; D. C.
Fisher, Clerk; Lewis Holmes, Assessor;
Andrew J. Fisher, Collector; Mark D.Ander-
son, Justice.

Npponaet. — James Gerrond, Supervisor; H.
Bennett, Clerk; Gustavius Tibhetts, Assessor;
J. 8. Chalender, Collector.

Wheatland. — E. Murphy, Supervisor; J.
L. Dawson, Clerk; Robert Hunter, Assessor;
H. O. Barber, Collector.

Milo. — J. L. McCullough, Supervisor; G.
S. Mallett, Clerk; E. H. Smith, Assessor; T.
A. Nevitt, Collector.

Among all the supervisors above enumer-
ated one that was re-elected nearly as persis-
tently to succeed himself as was George Rack-
ley or William Hoskins, was O. L. Bearss. He
entered the Board as an anti-raib'oad cham-
pion, or, rather, as the leader of those who
were opposed to paying the township's sub-
scription to the railroad. Every year he
would run on this ticket and he would be
elected. The bondholders finally com-
menced suit and then Bearss and his backers
grew more and more determined. They
would make no compromise, nor would they
listen to propositions; finally they said that
no matter what the road might do i u the way
of complying with the terms of the vote, they
were oppo.sed to paying on any condition. A
suit was pending before the United States
Court in Chicago, and Supervisor Bearss was
taken there, and the Court wanted to examine
him, and asked him to take the oath. He
took the oath but would not testify. He was
fined ?400 l)y the Court and the officer was
ordered to take him to jail until the fine was
paid. Some friends were present and paid
the fine, and Bearss returned to his constit-
uents. We believe the township eventually
refunded him the money. But iu time the
people tired of this war against the railroad
debt, and in the end concluded to pay. Then
they elected L. K. Thompson Supervisor.
His father, J. V. Thompson, had been a di-
rector in the road, and therefore they select-
ed his son as a fitting expression to this
change of sentiment in reference to their
debts. Mr. L. K. Thomi)Son has been re-elect-
ed since, and is the Supervisor now from

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

291

Walnut. There are very few townships or
counties in the State that have not had some
experience of a somewhat similar kind. They
did not all have as plucky a Supervisor as
did Walnut Township, who would face the
courts as bravely as he did and take the con-
sequences, but the most of them would fight
a while and then pay.

CHAPTER XXV.

GCNEBAL COVNTT OFFICEES, CONTINUED — CuMPLETING THE L18T TO

Date — Marriages— First One J. H. Olds and Louisa C.
Bryant — Powers Exercised by the County Court — Pub-
lic, Civil and Private Affairs — Etc., etc., etc.

IN the preceding chapter we gave a full
list of the county ofBcers to the adoption
of township organization, and then a consecu-
tive list of the leading officers of the town-
ships to date. At this point we return now
to the year 1850, and give the general offi-
cers of the county to date.

At the general election November 4, 1851,
the following were elected: Aquilla Triplett,
Associate Justice; William Martin, County
Treasurer; Aaron B. Church, School Com-
missioner; Homer Fellows, County Sarveyor.

November 2, 1852, the following: S. Allen
Paddock, County Judge; J. D. Garton, Cor-
oner; Osmyn Smith, Sheriff, and Edward
M. Fisher, Clerk Circuit Court. 1853, No-
vember 8: Benjamin L. Smith, Judge; Joseph
V. Thompson, County Clerk; Rufus Carey,
Treasurer: Homer Fellows, Surveyor; A. B.
Woodford, Coroner; Aaron B. Church, School
Commissioner. In 1856 C. L. Kelsey was
County Judge.

1857. — George McMannis, Judge; Stephen
G. Paddock, County Clerk; Roderrick B.
Frary, Treasurer; Charles P. Allen, School

Commissioner; Frank W. Winship, Survey-
or, and Carleton W. Combs and Lewis T.
Cobb, Associate Justices. 1859, Abram
Lash, Surveyor.

1861.— S. M. Knox, Judge; Stephen G.
Paddock, County Clerk; Winship, Surveyor.
Winship then held the ofiSce until 1867, when
H. G. Paddock was elected Surveyor and has
held the office continually to the present
time (November, 1884).

1865 — L. S. Smith, County Judge; re-
elected in 1869. Cairo D. Trimble elected
County Clerk in 1865, and J. W. Templeton
elected in 1870.

1873 — Jesse Emmerson elected Judge; M.
J. Keith, County Clerk.

1877— H. J. Trimble, Judge; and S. G.
Paddock, County Clerk. By the new Con-
stitution the term of Judge and Clerk was ex-
tended one year, and in 1882 the same ofB-
cers were re-elected and are the present
incumbents.

County Treastirers. — R. B. Frary reelected
1859. In 1861, Ora A. Walker; 1863, Charles
P. Allen; 1865, Isaac H. Elliott; 1867, Will-
iam McManis; 1869, Austin Wiswall; 1871,
Ralph McClintock; 1873, Samuel Edwards;
1875, Edward A. Washburn, re-elected 1877,
1879, 1881, and is the present incumbent.

School Commissioners. — 1859, Charles Rob-
inson; 1863, Chester Covell; 1865, Marvin E.
Ryan, who died in the latter part of 1866,
and in January, 1867, Albert Ethridge was
appointed to fill the vacancy. 1869, Albert
Ethridge was elected. He resigned Sep-
tember, 1872, and Joseph Mercer was ap-
pointed to fill the vacancy. 1873, Jacob Mil-
ler was elected; 1877, George B. Herrington
elected; 1881, Jacob Miller again elected and
is the present incumbent.

Carleton W. Combs held many township
and county ofiSces. He was Deputy and
County Clerk and Associate Judge. He is

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

spoken of by those who knew him long and
well as one of the most genial and pleasant
men ever in the county. He was a native of
Tfennessee, born in Granges County, in June,
ISOy, and came to Bureau in 1834, and set-
tled in Hall Township, on Section 18, after-
ward made a farm on Section 8. He left
this county years ago and is now a resident
of Nebraska. When he came to this county
he brought his parents, his wife and two
children with him. The two children were
Benton and Mary. There were of his chil-
dren born here: Ilo W., Atlanta, Iris, Rena,
Orta and William. None of his family are
now in the county.

Marriages. — Having given nearly a complete
account of the county officials and the civil
history of the county, we may now give
something of the social side of the story, and
we can just now think of nothing more
purely social than that old, old habit of mar-
rying and giving in marriage.

The first marriage after the county had as-
sumed its full legal existence was June 15,
1837, Justin H. Olds and Louisa C. Bryant.
The ceremony was j)erformed by John H.
Bryant, Esq. There had been marriages in
the territory of what constituted Bureau
County earlier than this, and of these we
have given au account in the preceding pages
of this book, but this was the first marriage
by the authority of Bureau County. It was
a month, or July 13, 1837, before the second
marriage occurred. The parties were Eliaa
Fundorburg and Nancy Smiley. August
24, 1831, Isaac Funderburg and Mary Long
were married. August 5, Stephen Burnham
and Hester Ann Coulter wore married Ijy
Rev. Henry Hoadley. September 21, John
Snider and Margaret Harris wore married by
Elisha Searl. October 25, John Clapp to
Maria Smith.

One of the emoluments of the County

Clerk's ofiice was the license fee, and hence the
one great source of supplies depended upon
the activity of the marriage market. As it
started ofi" with only one wedding to the
month, there did not seem to be much in-
ducement for a Clerk to stay in the ofiice at
that time. True, he got the fees of his office
— all of the fees, too — but business was dull
and invariably the Clerk had to do some out-
side business to make a family support.
Hence, generally, as soon as a man had
worked and secured an office, he had to begin
a vigorous compaign to find a deputy who
would take all the emoluments for attending
to it, and in case he did not find such a dep-
uty, he would resign in self-protection.

November 20, 1S37, was married by Elisha
Searl, J. P., John Perrine and Rachel Whit-
aker; December 13, by John Searl, J. P.,
Joseph S. Meyers and Delina Searl; Decem-
ber 24, by Squire Daniel Bryant, Liberty
Stimpson and Leah Clark; November 30, by
Rev. Z. Hall,S. F. Deming and Mary Zearing.

This concluded the first year's work in this
line by the new county, and the marrying
ones it seems retired until the holidays were
over. January 7, 1838, by William Franken-
berger, Esq., John Britt and Nancy Watkins.
January 25, by Rev. Z. Hall, Thomas Mer-
cer and Nancy Brigham.

This was ex-County Clerk Mercer, who is
now in Seattle. W. T. , with his second wife
and throe grown daughters.

January 28, by Rev. James B. Chenoweth,
John Galer and Martha Miller.

On the same day, by Squire William Frank-
erborger, Samuel F. Fay and Mary Mercer.

January IS, Squire Nathaniel Ap])legate
married Handol[ih Hasler and Susannah Will-
iams.

February 8, Rev. Lucien Farnham mar-
ried Andrew F. Smith and Lucy Chamber-
lain.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

393

February 2, Morris Spalding, Esq., mar-
ried Constant R. Searl and Cyrene G. Lang-
worthy.

April 12, Squire Frankerberger married
Thomas Vincent and Julian Frankerberger.

May 8, Rev. Chenoweth, Samuel Huston
and Mary E. Lyman.

August 16, Rev. Farnham, Charles Leeper
and Delilah Spencer.

The license in the above case is recorded
by D. G. Salisbury, Deputy County Clerk.

August 30, the same D. G. Salisbury being
then Probate Justice of Bureau County, mar-
ried Harrison Epperson and Abigail Heaton.

May 14, Rev. Franklin Langworthy mar-
ried Charles Luce and Olivia Monroe.

September 3, by Rev. Farnham, Benjamin
Porter and Caroline Smith.

July 5, by Rev. Aaron B. Church, Joseph
Smith and Olivia Pratt.

August 6, by same, Oliver Everett and
Emily Everett.

October 31, by same, William O. Cham-
berlain and Lucy Topliif.

This is the "Dr. Bill" of whom the poet,
John H. Bryant, has immortalized in his des-
cription of his courtship with old Moumese's
dusky daughter, a full account of which
may be found in another part of this work.

November 1, by Rev. George Smith, Ste-
phen F. Harrington and Lavina A. Scott.

November 19, by Rev. Church, Joseph
Foster and Elizabeth B. Vaughn.

October 25, by Rev. Chenoweth, Garner
C. Mills and Elenor Riley.

Same day, by same preacher, Allen Tomp-
kins and Sarah Ann Laughery.

Same day and preacher, Alfred F. Clark
and Harriett Doolittle.

November 25, by Rev. Headley, William
Robbins and Mary Hyberle.

November 27, by Rev. Church, Samuel
Triplett and Mary Ann Vaughn.

November 29, by Rev. Church, Sidney
Smith and Laui-a Doolittle.

This was all there was in this line in the
year 1838. It shows a commendable activity
in this important industry.

But there was no holiday rest this year 1839
as there had been the year before, for on the
1st day of January, 1839, Squire Moses Spald-
ing married George W. Minnier and Sarah
Ireland.

January 22, by Rev. Farnham, Selden D.
Moseley and Harriet N. Gage.

February 14, by Rev. Chenoweth, George
Dennison and Susan N. Headley.

February 27, by Rev. Farnam, Elisha Fas-
sett and Jane Ann Jenkins.

March 21, by Judge Salisbury, Martin
Tompkins and Mary Riley.

March 21, by Squire Spalding, David Bee-
ver and Sylvia Williams.

April 3, by Squire Daniel Bryant, Samuel
I. Haight and Laura A. Miller.

November (day of month not given), by
Rev. Lumry, James Coddington and Catha-
rine Fearer.

December (day not given again), by Rev.
Lumry, Abel Osman and Mary Rumbell.

March 26, by Rev. Lumry, Levi B. La-
throp and Laura Judd.

May 19, by Squire Spalding, John Triplett
and Rozanna Leonard.

May 24, by Rev. Lumry, William B. Har-
ford and Martha Ann Ellis.

May 2, same, James Portertield and Eliza
Brigham.

June 5, by Rev. Joshua Vincent, William
E. Bell and Almira Headley.

July 7, by same. Ambler Edson and Tem-
perance P. Bruce.

Juno 26, by Rev. Church, Oscar G. Cham-
berlain and Elizabeth Merritt.

June 24, by James H. Dickey, Noah WIb-
wall and Elizabeth Lovejoy.

394

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

August 1, by Rev. Owen Lovejoy, David
Wells and Mary Smith.

August 11, by Rev. P. J. Strong, Wilson
M. Swan and Mary F. Wilhite.

This was the last marriage license recorded
by Clerk B. L. Smith. The August election
was just over and S. F. Demming being elect-
ed Clerk he records the next license, which
is dated September 19, and certifies to the
marriage of Abott Ellis and Matilda L. Dur-
ham.

October 19, Rev. Owen Lovejoy, Alfred
Anthony and Mary M. Gushing.

October 29, by Squire Spalding, William
Hudnut and Catharine Manier.

November 19. by Squire E. S. Phelps,
Jacob Craisand and Catharine Genslinger.

December 4, by Rev Chenoweth, H. O.
Merriman and Sarah H. Kinney.

This iri the Merriman who was among the
early attorneys here and afterward went to
Peoria, and Sarah Kinney was a daughter of
Simon Kinuey, and a sister of the celebrated
H. L. Kinney. Of both these people a more
complete account may be found in another
chajiter.

December 19, by Rev. Chenoweth, Alford
Lyford and Mary Emmerson.

This concluded the marrj'ing tor the entire
year 1839 in the county. It was only a little
over an average of two per month for the
year.

In August, 1843, C. W. Combs appeared as
the County Clerk, having been elected to
succeed Demming.

The first money appropriation ever made
by Bureau County was $15 to procure plank
to cover bridges across the sloughs emptying
into West Bureau Creek, on the stage road,
near Elijah Smith's. Enos Matson was ap-
pointed agent to expend the money.

The next item was SoO appropriated for the
bridge as follows: The "one near James G.

FoiTestall's on Main Bureau." Robert C.
Masters was apjMinteel to expend this money.

Five dollars was appropriated and Arthur
Bryant appointed to expend the same on the
bridge in the southwest quarter of Town 16,
Range, 9 east.

And Slo was also appropriated for the roads
in Section 16 north, Range 11 east, and Will-
iam Hoskins to superintend this woi-k.

This was all the appi'opriations made at
this first term of the Couuty Board, except
some small items for services.

Roads, roads, roads was the one great first
subject to the people west of the river. We
do not know but from this action of the first
meeting of the Board, we can readily under-
stand why what is now Bureau County was so
anxious to detach itself from Putnam and
become independent.

The old style County Commissioner's Court
was a judiciary and executive, and legislative
body to some extent. It embodied the old
idea that it was the duty of the local govern
ment to regulate all public aflairs and a great
many private ones. Hence, at one time in
this State every county had some such regu-
lation as the following:

"It is ordered by this court that the follow-
ing rates of charges be allowed to be charged
by the taverns in the county [only two had
been licensed to keep taverns when this order
was passed, namely John Yaughau and Jon-
athan T. Holbrook], to- wit:

One moal of victuals $ 0.25

Lodging one person 18i

Spirits for one iliuni, i pint or less 12^

Stablinf; iind feed for horse 12^

Onts by the feed at the rule per bushel 1.00

But when sold by bushel 87i

These are fair samples of the entire list.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

295

CHAPTER XXVr.

The Legal Doings— The Courts — Lawyers — Jddoes, and Thobb
Who Have Held Office Countt, State and National — Etc.,
ETC., etc.

THE act creating Biu-eau County provid-
ed it should become a part of the Sixth
Judicial Circuit, and that the court should
have terms twice a year. Judge Daniel
Stone, of Peoria, was the Presiding Judge,
and he issued his proclamation convening the
first court at Princeton, on the fourth Mon-
day of June, 1838. Accordingly the court
met on the day appointed, in the Hampshire
Colony Church. Present: Daniel Stone,
I Judge; Cyrus Bryant, Clerk; Cyrus Lang-
worthy, Sheriff; Edward Southwick, Circuit
Attorney. Judge Stone had appointed Bry-
ant, Clerk, the commission dated August 19,
1837. Joseph Duncan, Governor, issued
Langworthy's commission as Sheriff, July
11, 1837. The first case on the docket was
Jacob Galer vs. Richard Pearce, an attach-
ment suit for $53 for lumber sold to Pearce
and used in improving his property in
Princeton, a building on Lot 159. Publica-
tion was made in the Peoria Register. Prin-
ter's fee $3.25. The second was an appeal
from Judge Salisbury's court to the Circuit
Court. It was Davis & Moon vs. James
Peters, suit on a promissory note for $94,
bearing 12 per cent interest. The third
suit was Nichol & Osborn vs. Alfred Tom-
kins, appeal. William C. Reagan, N. H.
Purple, and T. Lyle Dickey were the attor-
neys present at this court. The first indict-
ment was for larceny against David Beaty.
Then they indicted Thomas J. Cole for
adultery. The criminal cases were continued
under bonds.

The December court failed to convene as
it had been appointed to do, and the next

term of the court was March 27, 1839;
Thomas Ford, Judge, and Norman H. Pur-
ple, State's Attorney. It was in session three
days and adjourned. In July, 1839, the
com-t again convened, same officers, etc., of
the preceding court. March 24, 1840,
court again met, same officers and attorneys.
April 5, 1841, Judge Ford reappointed Cyrus
Bryant, Circuit Clerk. September, 1841,
court again met, same officers and attorneys.
April, 1842, same again, except Seth B. Far-
well, State's Attorney. September term,
1842, John D. Caton was the Presiding
Judge; Stephen Smith, Sheriff; other officers
the same. In May, 1842, Sheriff Lang-
worthy appointed Samuel Jones Under
Sheriff.

At the August election, 1842, Stephen
Smith w^s elected Sheriff, Cyrus Bryant
was again elected Circut Clerk, and ap-
pointed E. S. Phelps, Deputy. Henry
Thomas was elected Coroner.

In August, 1842, Rudolph G. Sauer ap-
plied for naturalization to the Circuit Court.
He seems to have been the first in this line.
Simon Kinney appears as an attorney in the
circuit as early as 1842. October, 1843,
Judge Caton again presiding, and Ben-
jamin F. Fridley was State's Attorney. The
same officers held the May term of the court,
1844, same at the September term. Same at
the May term, 1845. September term, this
year, same again. At the May term the same
again, except Burton C. Cook appeared as
State's Attorney. At the September term,
1840, B. F. Fridley again appears as Circuit
Attorney. May, 1847, B. C. Cook again was
State's Attorney. Same officers at the fall
term, this year. At the May term, 1848,
David Brown appeared as the Clerk, and
at the fall term, 1848, Joseph V. Thomp-
son appeared as Sheriff, the other officers
same as previous court. R. T. Templeton

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

was County Coroner. At the May term,
1849. Hugh Henderson was Judge; Justin
H. Olds, Clerk; J. V. Thompson. Sherifif; B.
C. Cook, State's Attorney. At the October
term, this year, T. Lyle Dickey was Judge.
May terra, 1850, same officers. April term,
1851, E. M Fisher was Sheriff, the other
ofScers same as previous court. At the Octo-
ber term, 1S51, J. O. Glover appeared as pro
tern. State's Attorney. In 1852 the old offi-
cers were all present, and again at the Sep-
tember term. There was a term of the court
in January. 1853, Judge E. S. Leland presid-
ing; E. M. Fisher, Clerk; Osmyn Smith,
Sheriff; W. H. L. Wallace. State's Attorney.
At the March term the same. October term
same again. January, 1854, the same again.
October term, same. January term, 1855,
Stephen G. Paddock was the Sheriff. At the
June special term, 1855, Madison E. Hollister
was Presiding Judge. Again October term.
January term, 185(5, same. October term
same. January term, 1857, Hollister, Judge;
E. M. Fisher, Clerk; Z. K. Waldron, Sheriff;
W. Bushnell. State's Attorney. At the Sep-
tember term, 1857, Martin Ballou, Judge;
Fisher, Clerk; Waldron, Sheriff; George W.
Stipp, State's Attorney. January, 1858,
same. April term, same. September term,
same. January term, 1859, D. E. Norton
was Sheriff. September term, 1859, Judge
Hollister presiding. December, 1859, same.
March, i860, same. September, 1860, same.
December term, 1860, Hollister, Judge; G.
M. Kadcliffe, Clerk; David E. Norton, Sheriff.
March, 1861, Daniel McDonald was Sheriff,
and D. P. Jones, State's Attorney. August,
same. December, same. March, 1862, same.
August, same. March, 1863, same, except
Silas Battey appeared as Sheriff. August,
same. December, do. March, 1864, do.
The August term, 1854, was postponed to
September by Judge Hollister. December,

1864, Henry F. Eoyce, Clerk; Moses G.
Loverin, Sheriff; Charles Blanchard, State's
Attorney. Special term of the Circuit
Com-t, March, 1865, same. August, same.
December, same. March, 1866, same.
Special term, June, same. August, same.
December term, 1866, Edwin S. Leland,
Judge. March term, 1867, Samuel L. Rich-
mond, Judge; Nicholas C. Buswell, Sheriff;
Henry F. Royce, Clerk. December term,
Judge Leland presiding. Januarj, 1868,
Daniel H Smith was appointed Deputy
Clerk, and Charles J. Peckham, Deputy
Clerk. March term, 1869, Clark Gray was
Clerk. He appointed Scott Chapman,
Deputy. March, 1870, Atherton Clark was
Sheriff; Judge Leland, presiding. Septem-
ber, 1870, same. December, same. March
term, 1871, Martin Carse was Sheriff. Sep-
tember, same. December, same. March,
1872, same. August, same. October, the
Clerk- elect was George W. Stone. He was
commissioned by Gov. Palmer. Stone ap-
pointed Clark Gray bis Deputy, and in De-
cember following he appointed D. H. Smith,
Deputy. M. G. Loverin was re-elected Sher-
iff. He appointed Philo H. Zeigler, Deputy.
March, 1873, Leland, Judge; Stone, Clerk,
and Loverin, Sheriff. August, same. March,
1874. same. August, same. December, 1874,
Alexander Brandon appeared as Sheriff.
March, 1875, Charles C. Warren was State's
Attorney. August, same. December, 1875,
same. March, 1876, Arthur A. Smith, Judge,
presiding, having exchanged with Judge
Leland. December, 1876, Judge Leland,
presiding; Daniel H. Smith, Clerk; Alex-
ander Brandon, Sheriff. March, 1877, same.
December term. 1877, Francis Goodspeed,
Judge. March, 1878, Josiah McRoberts,
Judge. August, 1879, same. December,
1879, Judge Goodspeed, presiding. March
term, 1880, Judge G. W. Stipp, presiding.

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

397

October 9, 1880, Smith appointed Hubble,
Deputy. December term, 1880, Judge Good-
speed, presiding. March, 1881, Judge Stipp,
presiding. August, 1881, Judge Josiah Mc-
Eoberts, presiding. December, Judge Good-
speed. March, 1882, same. August, same.
December, James H. Robinson, Sheriff; Judge
Goodspeed, presiding. March, 1883, Judge
Stipp held the term of court.

Judge Goodspeed Resigns. — Judge Francis
Goodspeed had been in precarious health for
some time, and in July, 1884, he resigned
and the Governor, on August 1, 1884, ap-
pointed to the vacancy Charles Blanchard, of
Ottawa, as one of the Judges of the present
Ninth Judicial Circuit; August, 1883, Judge
McRobert^; December, Judge Stipp.

R. M. Skinner was elected State's Attorney
in 1876; served until 1880. In 1880 Charles
C.Warren was again elected State's Attorney
and served until November, 1884, when he
removed to Iowa to engage in the practice of
his profession.

The first attorney to locate in the county
was Simon Kinney. In fact, he was living in
Indiantown before the county was formed. A
sketch of this remarkable family may be
found in a preceding chapter.

J. V. Thompson. — The birth, marriage,
date of his coming and death are mentioned
in a preceding chapter. Since writing the
foregoing we learn the following additional
interesting facts. Col. Thompson was one
of the most genial and jovial men that ever
came to the county. He and his first wife
were natives of London. When twelve years
old he was left an orphan, and was appren-
ticed to a shoemaker. He completed his trade,
had owned his shop and had several journey-
men working for him before he was twenty
years of age. He came to this country,
stopped in New York two years farming, and
then came to Bureau County and became a

farmer here, and so continued until elected
Sheriff, as above mentioned. He was a Di-
rector in the old Grand Trunk Railway (now
the Clinton Branch of the Chicago, Burling-
ton & Quincy Railroad), and held that posi-
tion until the road was completed and be-
came the property it is now. Col. Thomp-
son was also Clerk, as before mentioned. He
was very popular, not having a serious enemy
in the world. He was an enthusiastic party
man, but his enthusiasm greatly abated after
Douglas' defeat— his political idol. Col.
Thompson's death was startling and sudden.
He was feeling unusually well and had
driven to Tiskilwa, and there meeting some
friends and when in the very act of telling
some very amusing story he was stricken
dead instantly of paralysis. By his first
maiTiage he left two surviving children —
Louis K. and George P. Lewis is the Super-
visor of Walnut Tovraship, and George P. is
an eminent railroad man of Denver. By his
last maiTiage there are three children: Mary
S. , of New York City, teacher of elocution,
and Lucy, wife of Owen G. Lovejoy, of
Princeton, and Joseph A., an attorney of
New York City.

Cyrus Bryant, the first Circuit Clerk of
the county, was one of the early settlers, and
like all the Bryants, possessed a strong and
original individuality. He was another of
the brothers of our country's poet, William
Cullen Bryant, and so far as we can learn,
every one of the brothers and sisters of this
family possessed a vein of genuine poetry,
and were equally marked by a strong and
vigorous common sense. Cyrus was noted
for his sturdy independence, and in all the
affairs of life he had the courage of his con-
victions. He had not the geniality of his
younger brother, John H., and therefore it
was only by the few who knew him best that
he was fully credited with all the good that

298

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

there was in his nature. He was quiet, mod-
est and retiring in hia nature, and to those
who knew little of the sweet sunshine there
was in his nature he probably would appear
austere in his manners. He loved the cus-
toms of his native Massachusetts with an un-
flagging devotion, and every yeai- he would
gather about him at his house a few conge-
nial friends and talk and joke, eat apples,
and drink cider and sing the old " 'fuge
songs," and spend the day in jollj' merriment.
— as hilarious as a swarm of schoolboys when
just out of the school-room. And every year
he kept up this old home custom till his
death. None would be invited guests to
these merry-makings except those who could
sing, and from the quaint old song books of
New England, of which Cyrus Bryant kept a
goodly sujjply. These jolly old fellows would
literally realize the aspirations of the poet on
these occasions when he so sweetly sang:

" Backward, turn backward, oh time in thy flight!
And make me a child again just for to-night."

The genealogy of the Bryant family will
be found in another part of this work.

The second lawyer to locate in Bureau
County was Judge Martin Ballou, who is
still among his old and many friends, hale
and vigorous for one of his age; a man of
quiet habits, retiring manners, and gentle in
his movements; characteristics that have
marked the whole course of his long life
here. He has held office nearly continuously
since his settlement in the county, and yet
so modestly has he worn his official honors,
including the judicial ermine of the Circuit
Court, that but few, except those who had
direct business with him in his official capac-
ity, even knew that he was aught else than a
sound lawyer and a modest citizen of the
county.

Judge Ballou studied law in his native
State with C. K. Field of Fayetteville.

Here he was admitted to practice. He stud-
ied in Mr. Field's office three years and
then attended Cambridge Law School one
term, and then came West. He was elected
for this then new circuit of Bureau, Putnam
and Marshall, 1857. His term expired
June, 1861.

A lawyer named Sloan and H. O. Mer-
riman (afterward of Peoria) had each been
temporarily in the county. Merriman was
from the State of New York, and he went
from here to Peru and then to Peoria. Sloan
went to Golcouda, in southern Illinois, and
was for some time Circuit Judge there. A
brother of H. O. Merriman, Walter, came
about this time, and after remaining a
short time went to Galena.

A man named Alexander, from probably
near Wheeling, came about this time. His
father owned a great deal of land in
Virginia and some in Illinois. He was very
noisy, erratic, and somewhat reckless, and
only remained a short time and left.

A lawyer named Hanchett came in 1840,
and was here only a short time and died.

Among the early lawyers was a Judge W.
A. Fraser. He had been a Judge of some
of the United States Courts, probably in
Wisconsin, in its Territorial days. A key to
his whole character is the story of how he
lost his Judgeship. In the town where he
was located as Judge there were other at-
torneys ambitious for his seat, and taking
advantage of circumstances, one day, they
notified the President that Fraser was dead
(drunk), but they omitted to fill in the
parenthesis, and the result was the President
appointed another man to the supposed
vacancy. It was a serious practical joke on
Judge Fraser, and one, when in his cups, he
would tell over and over, from morn till
night. He died in Princeton in 1858.

William Cole came in 1844, fi-om Ken-

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

299

tucky. He practiced with fair success until
he died, in 1850. His family left ^ the
county after his death.

As stated above in this chapter, Gov.
Thomas Ford held the courts here in 1839.
The circuit was pretty much all northern
Illinois, from Quincy to Chicago; and as
late as 1849 this circuit was composed of the
counties Peoria, Putnam, Bureau, LaSalle,
Lee, Ogle, Kane, DeKalb and Marshall.

James Fancher came in 1846. He was an
excellent young man. He died in 1848,
aged twenty-eight years. Those who re-
member young Fancher sjseak of him in
terms of warmest feeling. He was buried
in the old Presbyterian grave-yard two miles
south of Princeton on the old Moseley road.
This old burying-ground has been neglected
for years and the tombstone of Fancher" s
grave lies prone ujion the ground. Near
Fancher's grave is the headstone of Eramus
Phelps, who was a bachelor who suicided by
drowning in 1840. A large portion of
those interred in this old ground were re-
moved some years ago to Oakland Cemetery.
The grounds are on the corner of the Ar-
thur Bryant farm, and the people or the
county authorities or some one interested in
the dead should see that these few remaining
ashes should be also transferred.

Charles L. Kelsey came to Princeton in
1844. He was born April
Hartford, Conn., and died
April 10, 1867. His father
Kelsey, of England, and his
Elizabeth (Fowler) Kelsey,
The Kelseys came to
years ago. Charles L.

2, 1818, in
in Chicago,
was William
mother was
of Hartford.
America over 200
was noted for his

warm and devoted attachment to Hon. Owen
Lovejoy, and the circumstance that deter-
mined him to come to Princeton was hearing
Mr. Lovejoy make a speech, and at once he
made up his mind to come. During the

lives of these two men this friendship was
never dulled. Mr. Kelsey was admitted to
the bar one year after coming to Princeton.
He was noted for strength of mind and dry
wit, the latter often serving him to unhorse
an adversary or disarm such violent oppo-
nents as the early Abolitionists here en-
countered. As a presiding of3Scer over a
deliberative body or a meeting of the people
he is yet frequently spoken of as a master.
Mr. Kelsey married Elizabeth Benton, a
daughter of Josiah Benton, noted as a very
long-lived family, one of whom is now living
and is over ninety years of age.

Mrs. Charles L. Kelsey is living in Prince-
ton. She has two children; a son (Charles
A.) is now in Texas; he studied law in the
office of Milo Kendall; and a daughter
with her.

Selby Doolittle came in 1845. He had
studied law with Cooper & Glover in Otta-
wa. He died here in 1848. A large num-
ber of his relatives are in the county. Mr.
Doolittle was gaining a fair practice.

There was a young man named McKinney
here in 1844. He stayed but a short time
and went to St. Louis.

Milo Kendall came in 1845 from Vermont,
and except Judge Ballon is the oldest prac-
titioner in the county. He studied law
with Bartlett & Fletcher in Linden, Caledo-
nia Co., Yt. From his first entrj- into the
county to the present time he has commanded
a full and lucrative share of the practice.
Mr. Kendall is not only a big lawyer but is
large every way, that is, both mentally and
physically; dignified in carriage, gonial and
social in his intercourse with the world, he
has won his way worthily to eminence and
fortune (see biography).

Milton T. Peters came, 1847, from Iowa to
this place, originally from Ohio. He prac-
ticed only one year in Iowa Territory. His

300

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

early education and training in the law books
was not very thorough, yet as a case lawyer
he waa strong and a hard working student.
Like nearly all lawyers of that time, he mixed
law and politics together, and as a stump
speaker was strong enough to be a Demo-
cratic Elector for Buchanan in 1856. He
resided in Princeton about twelve years and
is now in Spirit Lake, Iowa. He went to
California in 1849, and took his family with
him, but ret\irned and resumed his practice,
and about the breaking out of the war lie
went to southern Illinois and engaged in
fruit-raising. From this place he went to
Chicago, then again to Princeton, and was
for a time in the firm of Eccles & Kyle, and
was then in partnership with R. R. Gibons,
and then with John Scott and then with Rich-
ard Skinner.

John J. Long came in 1842. He was born
September 8, 1841. Married Delia A. Sapp
in 1873; the latter born October 21, 1846.
They had two childi-en.

J. I. Taylor located here in 1847, a native
of Kentucky; married a daughter of Cyrus
Langworthy. In person he was said to
resemble Abraham Lincoln. Was noted as a
strong jury lawyer, and could tell as good a
story as Lincoln or anybody else. No man
more enjoyed his boon companions. He was
largely self-made and self-educated, and by
strength of intellect and force of character
won his way in life. He was possessed of
much versatility of talent, as he made the
tour of Europe and published a book of his
observations and travels, and hero, although
without a particle of training as an author,
he was much more successful than the aver-
age writers upon this somewhat hackneyed
subject.

Mr. Taylor returned to Europe, taking his
daughters there to educate them, and died in
Geneva.

Judge Samuel Richmond came here in 1850.
He was in the practice here about five years
and then went to Lacon, Marshall Co. He
was elected Circuit Judge, and died about
1873.

About the same time came John M. Grimes
from Belmont, Ohio. He remained here ten
years and then removed to Chicago, and
practiced there quite successfully about five
years and died. His body was brought to
Princeton for burial. His family now reside
hei-e. He was known for one of the jolliest,
best fellows in the world, and was noted for
telling some of the most comical anecdotes
on himself.

John Porter, Jr. was from Pennsylvania;
came 1854. Remained here six years and
then returned to his native State. He en-
listed in the army and was taken prisoner at
Harper's Perry. After he came out of the
, army he went to Springfield, Mass., and en-
gaged in the general insurance business.
Quitting this he again came to Princeton.
He is now traveling and lecturing on tem-
perance.

In the winter of 1856-57 the bar of Prince-
! ton consisted of Milton T. Peters, J. I. Tay-
lor, George W. Stipp, Milo Kendall, Judge
M. Ballou, Levi North. C. L. Kelsey, Charles
J. Peckhara, William M. Zearing, C. P. Al-
len, Josei>h S. Williams, J. M. Grimes, Will-
iam A. Fraser, J. Porter and George O. Ide.

J. J. Herron was a native of (Cumberland
County, Penn. Was a graduate of Jefferson
College. He came to Princeton in 1862, and
entered into partnershi]) with J. I. Taylor.
He is now often s])oken of as one of the most
forcible lawyers ever in the county. He was
twice elected to the State Legislature, in 1876
and 1S7S. He died in February, 1878, in
Princeton. His widow, two sons and three
daughters reside here.

Col. Robert Winslow came in 1856. He

HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

301

was some time in partnership with Milton
T. Peters. He was from Chicago; was noted
for great assiduity and had fair success in his
cases. He raised a regiment, had it stolen
from him, and quit the army and located in
Lacon and formed a partnership with Judge
Richmond.

George O. Ide came from Springfield, Mass.,
in 1856. He commenced life here a school
teacher; was one year in the Circuit Clerk's
office. He had prepared himself for the prac-
tice of law before coming West. In 1857 he
formed a partnership with Milo Kendall.
This lasted fourteen years. He then went to
Chicago and entered into partnership with S.
G. Paddock, where he is still in the practice.
A man of excellent attainments, a close and
industrious student, very strong and emphat-
ic in his opinions, and was regarded as one
of the best chancery lawyers in the circuit.

About the same time came G. Gilbert Gib-
ons from Pennsylvania. He remained here
until 1875, and then went to Chicago, where
he continued in the practice until his death,
two years ago. He was of German descent,
and a tine lawyer. He was nervous, quick,
genial, clever and able, and his entire ac-
quaintance are ready to certify that he was
the most companionable of men. His suc-
cess in Chicago was complete, and his death
just upon the threshold of his gi'eat promise
was extremely sad.

Another Princeton lawyer who went to
Chicago was William M. Zeariug. He was
a Bureau County boy. His family lived near
Dover, and he was a clerk in a store, and
between times in compounding pills he bor-
rowed Blackstone of Milo Kendall and read
law. He was admitted to the practice, but
his tastes were for speculation in real estate.
He went to Chicago and made a fortune in
that growing city.

George L. Paddock commenced the prac-

tice here and removed to Chicago. While
here he was in partnership with J. I. Taylor.

Charles Baldwin came in 1857. He at
once took a prominent position in the county,
and soon was also a prominent politician.
His personal popularity was great. He was
elected to the Legislature and the State
Senate, and as a legislator he was honored
with the important position of Chairman of
the Judiciary Committee. He soon became a
prominent business man, and his important
business and political affairs absorbed his
entire time to the exclusion of his law prac-
tice. He was a college graduate, dignified
and elegant in bearing and devoted to his
business affairs. His widow and foui' chil-
dren are residents of Princeton.

Lyman Kendall studied with his uncle,
Milo Kendall. He was licensed by the Su-
preme Court of Illinois, and located in Des
Moines, and from there to Port McHenry,
where he died, aged twenty- nine years. He
was regarded here and in Iowa, where he prac-
ticed law, as the most brilliant and profound
young lawyer at the bar. He married Miss
Anna Iv orris, daughter of Isaac Norris, who
, with her young son now makes her home
with her father.

Lyman Kendall was born in Barnett, Vt. ,
August, 1840. He came West when quite
young, and was reared in the family of his
uncle, Milo. He was educated in the com-
mon schools of Princeton. After his sad
death, his partner, Mr. McHenry, in con-
versation with Milo Kendall, io\d him that
young K. was the best office lawyer he ever
knew; that his court papers were as nearly
perfect as it was possible to make them, and
that his briefs in the Superior Courts were
so complete a presentation of the case that
there was nothing more needed on the final
trial. In the prime of his useful and brilliant
young life he was stricken down, leaving an

303

HISTORY OF BUEEAU COUNTY.

aching void, not only in his own family, but
in a wide and numerous circle of devoted
friends and admirers.

Judge G. W. Stipp, whose complete biog-
raphy appears elsewhere, is one of the pres-
ent Circuit Judges, and among the oldest
members of the bar now in Princeton. On
the bench or at the bar, he is everywhere
recognized for his integrity and great abili-
ties.

James S. Eckels, of the present firm of
Eckels & Kyle, is a native of Cumberland
County, Penn. Graduated in .Jefferson Col-
lege, August 3, 1853. He was reared on one
of the stony farms of Pennsylvania, where
he faithfully toiled until nearly twenty-
one years of age. After graduating, he
taught school, and read some law. He
taught in an academy in his native State;
and in February, 1857, graduated in the
Albany, N. Y., law school. Located in Prince-
ton, June 10, 1857. He would impress the
stranger as a man of books, cultured, and a
life- long student, a brain-worker. He is
recognized by his brethren of the bar as a
ripe scholar, able lawyer, of the finest social
and companionable qualities. Twice he has
been a candidate for Congress in a largely
Republican district, and his personal strength
has always sent him ahead of the ticket in
the race. His Democracy and temperance
have always been his strong political char-
acteristics.

His son, J. Herron Eckels, is considered
for his age a very able and brilliant lawyer.
He is located in Ottawa.

John T. Kyle was born in Mifflintown,
Ponn. He graduated in Jefferson College in
1854, and in 1850 graduated in the Eaton
Law School. He came to Princeton in com-
pany with James S. Eckels, and the two have
been continuously in purtuership.

Hon. Owen Lovejoy was a licensed attor-

ney, but was so little known in this capacity
that this will be news to some of his own
acquaintances. He read law at home, and
about the time he quit ministrations of the
church and entered political life he was li-
censed an attorney.

Owen G. Lovejoy, his son, is now one of
the members of the Princeton bar. He en-
tered Milo Kendall's office as a student in
1870. At that time Kendall & Ide were
partners in the practice. Mr. Lovejoy was
licensed to practice in 1873, and is now a
partner with his preceptor, Mr. Kendall.
Although Mr. Lovejoy is comparatively
young in the practice, he is already recog-
nized by all the bar as a sound lawyer, and
the most industrious student in the county,
and, as his abilities are of a high order, it is
only a question of time when he will take his
place at the head of his jarofession.

W. A. Johnson is the sole representative in
North Princeton of the profession since W.
L. Henderson has moved away. He is on
the threshold of his professional life, and
already has received a generous recognition
at the hands of his fellow-lawyers and the
public. We have no hesitation in predicting
for him a useful and successful career in his
chosen profession.

C. 0. Warren has twice been State's Attor-
ney for Bureau County, being first elected in
1872 and again in 1880. His present term
is about to expire, and he will at once re-
move to Iowa, and go into the practice there.
He studied law under Blaekwell ct Walker
(Judge), and began practice in Rushville.
He went to California, and was there eleven
years, and located in Princeton in 1870. He
is everywhere recognized as one of the ablest
attorneys ev